Thailand - Day 4, Ayutthaya Temples and Pagodas

 After a lousy nights sleep we were off on another busy day. Everyone on the tour was very kind, offering up all sorts of medications and lozenges. I just clarified with Ammy, about how I could bow out of some of the activities if my energy did not hold up and she was very accommodating. We were to visit 3 temples in the Ayutthaya Unesco World Heritage Park which served as the capital of Siam from the 14th to the 18th Century. I stayed in the bus while the others went to tour the first one. The bus driver and his partner were so kind, using google translate on their phones they asked if I wanted the AC left on and did I need anything.

I did get out of the bus and walk around at the next area.

Ammy told us of the history of the area but I was a bit out of it and just remember that the temples and pagodas here are mostly Hindu architecture but that some were added to and adapted to Buddhism.

I really just wandered around enjoying the totally different architecture from anything I had seen before

It was hot and the air quality was not great but the buildings pulled me forward.

Its a huge area of ruined pagodas and temples, walls and statues.

Built of brick but evidence that they had been elaborately

decorated.

Every where I turned was a photo I wanted to take but could still not do justice to the place and its history.

Littered with parts of Buddha statues.

Just like in the Greek and Roman archaeological sites, more stones with no home.

We all walked around to the other side of this tree

to see the roots growing around the Buddha statues head. We had a group picture taken there but I can't find it on our WhatsApp group or I would post it. Ammy takes lots of group photos.

I didn't walk any further. The others continued exploring.

I found an unoccupied bench in the shade and tried to sketch but

the heat was definitely not conducive to watercolour. However it was very pleasant sitting there, absorbing the location and doing a little people watching.

Some of the statues were also made of brick and then encased in another material. This is the legs of one in the foreground and body of another in the background (before anyone thinks this is a strangely configured Buddha)

We got back in the bus and the next stop was an active Buddhist Temple.

Running out of steam

I didn't take a lot of pictures inside.

There was a lot of gold and silver leaf.

 I went outside to wait on the group, slipped my shoes back on and found a place to sit in the shade and watch the comings and goings.

People would buy a handful of sticks (incense I am assuming) and be given a laminated page. They would light the sticks from a candle, blow them out so it was just smoke, slip their shoes off and read from the page.

 

Most then hit the gong 3 times before entering the temple. A google search resulted in the suggestion that  hitting the gong is for good luck. 3 times for happiness, good health and strength.

Back on the bus and we were headed next to the airport.