Off the island

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After I left the internet cafe yesterday, I walked back to my hotel. I thought this would be easy and I wanted to see some of the wats by night as they are lit up. However I missed my way and carried on straight down Thanon Naresuan instead of turning into Cheekun. I was alerted to my error by a pack of wild dogs howling in the darkness and managed to find the right way again and got back to the hostel not long after eleven.

For the first time in Thailand I couldn't get to sleep, though I was tired. I lay awake and about two or three o'clock heard a loud noise of rain falling and was aware of lighting bolts. I don't remember hearing any thunder but the rain fell so hard it might have drowned out any thunder. I eventually fell asleep and woke up, not feeling too well. My cold seemed to have come back and I had diarrhea. Surely not those sesame balls in ginger syrup! Ginger is supposed to be good for digestion! I had to pack up again as this is my last day in Ayutthaya and was ready to go out by about half past nine.

I wanted to go off the "island" for the first time since arriving. Ayutthaya is surrounded by rivers on three sides and a canal links two of the rivers so that the central part of the city is completely surrounded by water. I managed to walk down to the ferry pier without losing my way - though it was trial and error at the end as there are no signs in English. The trip across the river was very fast and cost just 5B. On the other side was the Wat Phanan Choeng, which houses yet another gigantic Buddha. This temple is one of the oldest in the city (apparently the area on the other side of the river was settled first before the main classical Ayutthaya period) and had later been the recipient of a large donation from a Chinese explorer of the fifteenth century.

The Chinese connection is still maintained and there is a separate Chinese temple on the site. In addition part of the main temple building seems very Chinese in style with dragons as decoration and incense burning. There were two rows of massive bronze bells outside the main entrance which could be rung. There many Thai visitors and quite a few Chinese but very few westerners.

I was still feeling a bit unwell and walked back to Th Naresuan a different was, along Th U Thing (named after the first king of Ayutthaya) and used the toilet in the KFC, before having a coffee. I'd also drunk loads of water along the way to hydrate and rehydrate myself.

Then I came here to send this and I now plan to get a tuk tuk back to the hostel and then go to the station to get the train to the city of the monkeys. I don't think I'll have anything to eat till I get there.

I like Ayutthaya. It's much easier to walk around than Bangkok and the wats both ruined and still in use are probably even more interesting. Still, I want to go back to Bangkok and look around some more - it's so much bigger than Ayutthaya. You can walk around this city in a morning. Bangkok, no.

It's worth mentioning that the city's name is copied from that of Ayodha in India - the birthplace of Lord Ram or Rama. Thai Buddhism is very infuenced by Hindu and brahminical traditions.

I'll leave it there. Hope I'm feeling better later on . .

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