Amazing Ayutthaya

Story of our backpacking trip to Thailand (part 3 of 3)
Continued from Bangkok to Ayutthaya

Built-in 14^th century by King U Thong who came there from Lop Buri to escape an outbreak of smallpox. Coincidentally, we also went there to escape from coronavirus! It was a flourishing kingdom for nearly four centuries but was destroyed by Burmese. The town is surrounded by Chao Phraya River and has several old temples. Many of them must still be underground. The city has wide roads and maintained well. It was very quiet and there were no malls or big buildings. That evening we just walked to the historical park and saw the Wat MahaThat from outside. Wat means temple. This is one of five big temples in Ayutthaya built in the 14^th century. The park had a stream flowing through it and we had a good time just strolling around.

There were some vegetarian restaurants in this area and the food was delicious. We spent two nights in Ayutthaya. On one evening, we had food at the street market. This was a totally different experience. As mentioned by Bob, right at 5 pm we reached the food market. There was a flurry of activity. People were frying and steaming stuff and serving it. Families with very small kids also joined. Some little ones joined on their tricycles! We tasted jackfruit stuffed with sticky rice, some noodles, and dumplings. The street was full of enthusiasm and energy.

Sticky rice-jackfruit sandwiches gone in minutes!  

The next two days, we visited Wat Maha That, Wat Ratchaburana, and most importantly Wat Chaiwatthanaram. We also visited the palace and Chao Sam Phraya Museum. Right on the first evening, I twisted my foot while getting off a sidewalk. I had a painful ankle for a day. Surprisingly, I managed walking around the temples. Wat Chaiwatthanaram was a bit far off from our hotel and Vinay took a bicycle from our hotel but I was not confident of riding in a new place. I got bike taxies for just 40 TBHT (around ₹ 90) and was worried about contracting the virus and happy to zoom around the city! At Wat Chaiwatram, I was the first tourist of the day. As I waited for Vinay who was riding a bicycle, I spotted a number of beautiful young women dressed in traditional costumes. There were shops selling/renting those.  Probably, they were modern women from Bangkok. They were posing in the early sun and professional photographers were doing the photo shoot! I am not sure if it was for marriage proposals. 

On one lazy afternoon, I managed to get a foot massage and head massage. Ayutthaya is famous for Thai massage. The massage parlors were almost empty. There were hardly any customers and the masseuse was very happy to have me. I also got complimentary hot green tea. After the massage, the foot felt even better.

Some glimpses of the temples

 Overall, the stay in Ayutthaya was blissful with nothing much do except looking at the remains of splendid architecture, tasting different foods, and roaming around without much of a destination. We returned to Bangkok on the 6^th evening. This time we went to Bangkok Central so that we could reach Hotel Manhattan by changing metros easily.  We absolutely loved the metro system of Bangkok and the train journey to Ayutthaya. It should be noted that we did not take a cab in Bangkok. In Ayutthaya, we took a ride in a tuk-tuk while going from and to the station.

The experience of backpacking and traveling with a floating itinerary was an adventure in itself for a person like me who likes to plan every trip to the last details. Back in Bangkok we generally roamed around and visited the Terminal 21 mall nearby. We didn't buy anything there but had great food and especially loved the Durian cupcakes.  One city adventure was visiting the Khlong Toi market which had all sorts of creepy crawlies for sale. We took one walk on the outskirts of the market just like that.  We came to know fortnight later that we were very close to the boxing event superspreader on the same evening! Experts are still surprised by how the COVID numbers in Thailand are so small ( 3250 cases and 53 deaths as of July 20). Is it their immunity, lockdown, masks? No one knows for sure.  

Last four months, the world has come to a standstill. When we came back, I was scared to even talk about our visit to Thailand. I am lucky to be healthy and sharing these stories of the journey. We landed in Bangalore on the night of 8th March, and a serious contact tracing and quarantine started in the week after that. Apart from thermal screening and filling out medical forms we did not have to do anything.  I don't know when and where my next travel would be. Until then I am going cherish these fabulous memories!

 

Bangkok to Amazing Ayutthaya

Story of our backpacking trip to Thailand (part 2 of 3)

(Continued from Bangalore-Bangkok)

Not having a fixed travel plan can be good at times. You can take your own time to look around and explore. On 4th March we woke up quite early. The check-out time was 12 pm and we thought of making good use of it.  We decided to spend some time in Bangkok and leave the city in the afternoon towards Ayutthaya as the check-in there was going to be only after 3 pm.  We took the metro and went to the beautiful Sanam Chai station.  The station has beautifully decorated columns and motif to match the Grand Palace nearby. I wanted to see the Wat Pho and the Grand Palace.  We walked towards the palace and temple complex but it was too early. The roads were wide and clean. The walls of the palace were bright white, maroon and the golden ornamentation glistened in the morning sun.

Beautiful temple

Reclining Buddha

Due to the COVID-19 scare, there were very few people and shops were yet to be opened. We found a European styled coffee shop near the entrance of Wat Pho, and entered in to have breakfast. After a fulfilling breakfast, we entered the temple complex. Wat Pho was built by King Rama(I) and had a golden statue of reclining Buddha. The statue is 46 m long and the feet are 5 m long. The reclining position of Buddha depicts Buddha just before the parinirvana. The designs on the feet of Buddha were exquisitely carved. The entire complex had brightly colored obelisks and well-maintained bonsai trees. We sat in a temple where monks were chanting in a deep voice.

Painting depicting a scene from Ramakien Grand Palace 

Masked Gauri basking in the Sun

Grand Palace

The temple of Emerald Buddha in the Grand Palace was closed that day but we visited it on our return from Ayutthaya. The Ramakien art there was very beautiful. Painted in shiny golden colors on deep maroon background, it showed various stories in detail. The temple has a very small statue of Buddha made with emerald and studded with golden ornaments. I could not really appreciate this temple as I felt it was completely opposite of what Buddha’s teachings were. The artwork and architecture were astounding, but it appeared too extravagant.

After visiting Wat Pho we returned to the hotel Manhattan and checked out. We decided to go to Bang Sue station by train. Actually, there was another larger station called Bangkok Central (Hua Lamphong ) where we could have got a train to Ayutthaya. However, by the grace of Google we landed at Bang Sue. This was a relatively low-key station with a platform at the level of the tracks and people were crossing it constantly. There were no bridges or underground pathways to cross the tracks. The train journey was going to be around a couple of hours. We were not sure how crowded it would be as we had not really reserved seats. There were no good restaurants around and there is a large terminus being built on one side of the station. The man at the inquiry window guided us properly and we purchased two tickets for just 40 Bahts! The platform had many interesting vendors. There were barbers in an open area. Men and women were getting hair-cuts done before going back to their villages (or before entering Bangkok). There were small eateries selling noodles, stir-fried veggies, and chicken, sticky rice, cut mangoes. At Bang Sue station we had a cheap meal of rice, stew, and noodles from an old lady and her daughter. 

 At many food stalls, it was lovely to see families working together- the younger generation adept at talking to customers and maintaining the transactions and older women cooking awesome food. One discovery in the last two days of travel was the sticky, sweet rice which was omnipresent on the streets of Bangkok. It was really tasty with cut mango, jackfruit, and sweet coconut milk. Initially, we were unsure how to eat it as it was being kept next to meat dishes and were a bit scared to try the tiny packets of rice sold roadside. But later, throughout this journey, we ate street food many times but there were no stomach problems.  The only care we took was washing or sanitizing hands, wearing masks, and eating freshly cooked hot meals. We carried our water bottles and filled up where it appeared clean. Or relied on water-filled from the taps in the hotels.

The train arrived at the right time and policemen ensured that no one crossed the tracks when it was about to arrive. I was not sure, which coach to board however, the policeman saw my ticket and showed us where to board. The train had an old look but was reasonably clean. It was a general compartment but was not crowded. Several hawkers were walking up and down the aisle. They sold water, lemonade, sticky rice, boiled eggs, cut fruits, chips, etc. Many of them were old women. There was a poor, toothless, old man sitting next to me, he purchased 4 boiled eggs and ate one after another. Remarkably, he removed the shells with his shaky hands and carefully placed them into a polythene bag without littering! That must have been his lunch. After passing the station for Don Muong Airport the cityscape changed into fields and sparsely spaced houses. Another grandpa was carrying a three-year-old girl who was playing around and chatting with him sweetly. A European lady and her boyfriend appeared to be going to Ayutthaya. I pretended reading but it was more fun watching the hawkers and other passengers.

We reached Ayutthaya around 3 pm. It was a bright and hot day. We found a tuk-tuk and luckily, we were able to explain to the driver where we wanted to go. Hotel Niwas Ayutthaya was a small villa turned into a hotel. Manager Bob welcomed us near the entrance and showed us our room. It was a tiny room in the driveway with a personal washroom that was outside. We were fine with it. He gave us maps and explained a few destinations around.

Read the further story Amazing Ayutthaya

Bangalore-Bangkok (Via Hat Yai)

Story of our backpacking trip to Thailand (part 1 of 3)

Who knew that the world would come to a grinding halt when we were all set to take-off from Bangalore to Bangkok on the night of 29^th February 2020? Visa, tickets, hotel bookings- everything done carefully. There were uncertainties about the whole plan. To go or not to go during coronavirus outbreak was the question at the back of our minds! It wasn’t termed as a pandemic yet and Thailand wasn’t under threat.  However, in the morning we received an email from Wat Marp Jan- the monastery where we were going to spend two nights saying that they were closing it for foreigners. The news of deaths in Wuhan was scary. Vinay and I kept changing our opinions and plans. I had not even packed my bags until that morning. At one point, we decided to just GO! Here is a story of the memorable journey Bangalore-Bangkok-Bangalore (Bang-Bang-Bang)!

At the Bangalore airport, we finished the formalities and waited. There were very few honeymooners and some Thai businessmen going back to Bangkok.  A newly-wed young lady was all set to do a lot of shopping in Bangkok and I was thinking about our alternate plans. We were relaxed in a way as we were not going to stay much in the city where the virus was likely to hit soon. The flight was relatively empty. This was the first time I was carrying all my stuff in a single back-pack that was not going to be checked in. Just about 6 kg overall.  This is in itself was an adventure because there was a chance that we could have been stuck or held up somewhere. We reached Don Muong airport early morning. We were welcomed by thermal screening and hand sanitizers. The immigration officers appeared a bit arrogant and worked up as their night shift was about to get over. We were unable to understand their instructions given through the tightly fitted masks. Perhaps they were upset to see jobless tourists like us who could be potential carriers of the virus.

The Thai Lion flight to Hat Yai in southern Thailand was after a couple of hours. I was a bit skeptical about eating at the airport but we were hungry as we did not eat anything on the flight. Freshly baked puffs with spinach and cheese with Cappucino was made us fresh. The stories of the outbreak were trickling on the TV screens and people appeared to be stressed. We sat quietly near the gate without much discussion.

Serenity at Stream Garden

At the Hat Yai airport, we got a cab that was pre-booked and we were on the way to Chestnut Hill Eco Resort that was formerly Stream Garden Retreat. It was started by Pook in 1996 who has been studying and living J. Krishnamurti’s teachings.  The eco-resort is situated above a stream with low-mountain ranges on either side, decorated with rubber trees. It is being managed by Pook’s daughter, Soonya and son-in-law Adam. We could not meet Pook and Soonya as they were busy at a workshop in Bangkok. Adam was a wonderful host and our interpreter. However, we had the opportunity to meet Ajan Chamras a monk and former professor of psychology.  Ajan showed us the campus with great love. 

A view from the meditation hall

This place is around 50 km from the Malaysia border and is a very quiet sleepy town with hardly any buildings taller than two floors. The resort is on a hillock and there are beautiful cottages with patios that give you breathtaking views of the mountains. There are steps to reach the stream and markings for trekkers.  The same evening, we had an opportunity to have an interview with Ajan Chamaras about his Krishnamurti’s teachings, Taoism, and awareness meditation. The dialogue with him gave me a feeling of great peace and energy that set the stage for our journey.

Ajan Chamaras showing us around

We stayed there the next two days and walked through the forest trails, went down to the stream. It used to be a bit warm and sultry in the rain forest near the stream. However, in our cottage it used to be windy. There was a magical song of the stream and calls of birds. At night there were strange sounds of frogs and owls. You can hear the frog crock in the background of the interview recording. During the day, I could just lie around on the wooden deck or in the hammock looking at the leaves and clouds. Apart from the timings for meals, there was no schedule to follow. It was a perfect retreat. The meditation room was close to our cottage. There was no idol or photograph there, it just had bright sun rays that filled it with energy.

The food consisted of Thai curries, stew, rice, and noodles made with fresh organic vegetables. The staff mainly consisted of local women who would start their day early morning. They would ride a motorcycle and move about the large campus. They wore simple white cotton tops and light brown harem pants with very little make-up. They appeared to carry out the chores cheerfully smiling and chatting among themselves. Although there were language barriers, they managed to understand our needs and served us delicious dishes.

Sitting at a bench in the veranda 

Trekking along the stream

 As mentioned before, our plans for visiting Wat Marp Jan had to be canceled. We now had to spend the 3 days somewhere else. From Hat Yai, we were supposed to go to Bangkok and from Bangkok to Wat Marp Jan. We could have stayed in Bangkok but we were not so keen to spend the rest of the week in a city. We wanted to see the city but one or two days were enough for that! If we extended the stay in Chestnut Hill, our flight ticket from Hat Yai to Bangkok would go waste. Friends had suggested Chiang Mai, however; it was not a good idea given the chances of virus spread in a touristy place such as Chiang Mai. 

In the meditation cell

After careful thought, we decided to go to Bangkok and to travel to Ayutthaya by train. There was no problem reserving a hotel called "Niwas" in Ayutthaya. It is an old city of temples and not many youngsters would go there or even if they wanted to visit, they may do a day trip from Bangkok. So, there was less likelihood of an outbreak. We weren’t sure if the places were going close down in the next few days. The number of infections was around 43 in Thailand and there had been just one death at that time.

Ayutthaya is considered to be a precursor of modern Thailand. It must have been a happening place between 14^th to 18^th century. The name has a resemblance to Ayodhya in India and the Thai people like their epic Ramakien which is a story parallel to Ramayana but unique in its own way. The stories of Ramakien form a source of literature and theatre in Thailand. 

Thailand has an interesting blend of Buddhism and idol worshiping Hinduism. On the streets, in front of buildings, you will often find statues of Ganesha, Shiva, Rama. You will see them garlanded and with offerings of soft drinks kept at the feet! I had kept such an idol in mind so that I would not miss the street.

I was interested in checking out this place rather than going to Phuket or staying back in Bangkok. Ayutthaya seemed to be a quiet destination that would be suitable for our taste.  We left Hat Yai on 3^rd March by Thai Smile flight. At Hat Yai airport, there was a noodle shop and a plump, young lady with bright red lipstick was advertising about her noodles with great passion. We could not resist the temptation to have a big bowl of noodle soup and momos. The food was delicious!

To our surprise, we got a free light dinner pack in the flight that had very tasty roasted chicken with sticky rice. This time we landed at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi airport. This was a much bigger airport than Don Muong.  We took the metro to our hotel Manhattan that was booked for that night. While going by metro, I recalled my son's solo visit to this city and his winning of a guitar competition here six years ago when he was all of 16. The stations looked familiar as I had remote-guided him on that whole journey. I called him and gave him my whereabouts! 

During our flight and metro journey, we both were watching around the situation and made a sketchy plan for the next few days but we were not really clear about the next day as we entered our posh room in Hotel Manhattan late that night. Situated in the concrete jungle of Bangkok's Sukhumvit area very close to the huge mall Terminal 21, this hotel was a complete contrast to Chestnut Hill Eco Resort. 

A landmark to the hotel street 

To be continued in Bangkok and Amazing Ayutthaya