Travel & Exploration by Stephanie M. Roy JUNE 2010 ISSUE 72
TWO DAYS IN AYUTTHAYA Hopping around the Kingdom City A
s one of the original capitals of Thailand, Ayutthaya has a history that dates back to the early 14th century. Over the next 400 hundred years, the kingdom city would become the strongest power in mainland Southeast Asia and one of the largest cities in the world. With its prime location between India, the Malay Archipelago and China, the Siamese capital was Asia’s trading hub welcoming merchants from various parts of the globe including Portugal, Japan, Arab nations and France. Noted by many historians for its grand beauty made
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up of golden royal palaces and elaborate ceremonies, the city was conquered by the Burmese and almost completely destroyed and burnt to the ground near the end of the 18th century. What remains of Ayutthaya is but a mere glimpse into the grandeur and beauty of its past. Now a city of decorated ruins, the many religious temples and partially restored historical sites still attract a sizeable amount of local and international tourists throughout the year. The former capital’s recent claim to fame
was its recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site nearly 20 years ago. Just under 1.5 hours from Bangkok, Apartment Living took an overnight trip to the kingdom city to explore a few traditional attractions and a handful just a stone’s throw off the beaten path. It is well known among Thai culture that April is one of the most sweltering months of the year. With not as much smog blocking the sun’s harmful rays and plenty of open-air venues, this trip to Ayutthaya teetered on the brink of unbearably hot. With plenty of hats with oversized bibs and sunglasses in tow, we braved the heat to set out on a two-day excursion of Wat hopping and sightseeing.
Day 1 Day one of our trip started with a stop at Wihan Temple. With a shabby little market out front, visitors can stop by and purchase Ayutthaya delicacies such as black water chestnuts and Roti Saimai. This sweet flossy candy is wrapped in a flour roti and is quite the local treat. Once you make it past the market and into the temple, Phra Mongkhon BoPhit, one of the largest bronze Buddha images of Thailand awaits.
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Our next stop was at Wat Phra Si Sanphet. Established during the reign of King Ramathibodi I (King U – Thong) in 1448, this was a royal temple used for ceremonies such as swearing allegiance. The temple also houses the royal family’s ashes. Now the site looks rather deserted with several beheaded images of Buddha. As we wiped the sweat from our brow, we headed over to Wat Mahitat just across the way. Originally located on the east of the grand palace, Buddha relics were enshrined in the Mahithat Chedi. Unlike the first couple of Wats, foreigners must pay 50 baht for this one. The theme of decapitated Buddha images was once again on display. According to many of the locals, chopping the heads off these images were meant to be an insult from the Burmese –not to mention many of them were made of gold. Next up was Wat Naphrameru-Rajikaram (Royal Temple). King Ramthibodee II, tenth king of Ayutthaya, ordered its construction in 1499 AD. This temple is of important significance as it was the meeting place for peace talks between the Burmese and Thai kings after Burma defeated Thailand for the first time in 1569 AD. Nearly 200 years later, this sight would
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serve as the grounds for Burmese cannons being fired into the Grand Palace. The temple is quiet and houses a very large golden Buddha. After sweating off at least two kilograms by this point, it was time to dine. As an island at the confluence of three rivers, the Chao Phraya, Pa Sak and Lopburi rivers surround Ayutthaya. It’s no surprise that the city is known for its elaborate dinner cruises along either of these bodies of water. We boarded a cruise at the Kum Klunssi Restaurant and headed up the Chao Praya. As other double-decker cruise boats passed us, it seems that dinner and karaoke go hand in hand around these parts. Be sure to catch a glimpse of the canary yellow St. Joseph’s Cathedral. As the only church in the city, its vibrant color grabs the eye from several meters away. While the cruise was eventful, we headed over to our second dinner at the Night Market on Bang Yeun Rd. Situated across from the TOT building, there is almost every type of Thai cuisine at the many stalls that line the sidewalks. Steamed Tub Tim fish, spicy papaya salad, fried rice and omelets ended the day on
a very delicious note.
Day 2 With an attempt to beat the heat, day two started very early in the morning at Wat Yai Chaimongkhon. As the home of the huge lying Buddha Wihan Phranon, the site who was constructed during the reign of King Naresuan the Great for religious adoration and royal meditation. This extensive site includes the Phra Chedi Chaimongkol, which is filled with an enormous amount of Buddha images. The site is quite scenic with a small lake and very decorated prayer site all inside. As Ayutthaya was one of Asia’s main trading ports, the city welcomed merchants and visitors from all over the world. The Talard Kong Khon bon Songsan market was a main meeting place for trade, shopping and entertainment. Many historians believe the vendors often sold goods while remaining low to the
ground to show appreciation and thanks to the visitors. This market was destroyed with the rest of the city during the 18th century. Keeping with the tradition of staying low to the ground, the Gong Kong Market was opened in place of the original and translates to ‘Bend Down’. Now locals and tourists can purchase plenty of local fruits, vegetables, meats and handcrafts all sold at knee level. After shopping for local produce and trinkets, we finished our tour of the Ancient City at the Million Toy Museum. Inspired by the Kitahara Tin Toy Museum in Japan, owner Krik Yoonpun created a twostory house into a child’s dream. This fine collections of antique toys, robots, Barbies, superhero figurines and miniature helicopters fill the walls and look like a fairytale come true. The second floor houses life-size statues of childhood favorites such as Superman and Astroboy. For more information, visit www.tourismthailand. org
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