Temple Safari!!

Monday the 29^th was our Ayutthaya Adventure…more or less a Temple/Buddha safari by tuk tuk. We started at 8:30 in the morning to try to avoid some of the midday heat. It is very hot here… over 100 degrees in the afternoon. Yesterday it was 114. So, morning safari it was. 

We started off our safari at Wat Phranon, a giant outdoor reclining Buddha. It was a spectacular start to the day. Thelma made an offering of flowers to bestow us with good luck. Randomly, this is when our tour lady said that I looked like someone famous. Next, we went to Wat Phra Si Sanphet and Wihan Phra Mongkhon Bophit. The first was the ruins of the ancient palace and the second was a giant Buddha. Here I had random moment of the day. A couple Asian girls started taking pictures of me, so I did what I do best…turned, posed and smiled. Then, each of them wanted a picture with me, so odd. When I asked where they were from, they said they spoke no English, smiled, and walked away.  Maybe I do look like someone famous? We have no idea. Anyways, next on the docket was Wat Phra Ram. It was just an ancient temple, but we were the only people present so it was very ethereal experience. Our next stop was the ancient temple of Wat Maha That. This one is special because a tree has grown into a face of Buddha giving him the appearance of being one with nature, a spectacular sight to see. Following earthly Buddha, we went to Wat Ratchaburana which is one of the most well preserved of the ancient temples. As such, visitors are still allowed to climb up and inside. Our last temple stop was Wat Yai Chaya Mongkol. By far the tallest temple of the day, we were also able to enter. The temple is flanked by 2 very large statues of Buddha. On the way to our final temple of the day, Thelma made the quote of the day “This bitch be sweatin’ like a pulled pork sandwich up in here!”

After all the temples, Buddha’s, and sweat, we finished the journey with a delicious and relaxing meal on the river.

We spent the rest of the afternoon in our room in the air conditioning. It was just too hot to do anything else. Then, we had dinner at the hotel and packed our things for the trip to Chiang Mai the next day.

Giant out door reclining Buddha.

Reclining Buddhas face.

Thelma with reclining Buddha.

Louise with reclining Buddha.

Wat Lokayasutharam.
Old monastery behind reclining
Buddha.

Face again.

The duo.

The story of the temple.

Phra Mongkhon Bophit.

Thelma and the temple.

Louise and the temple.

Cute elephant bush outside
the temple.

Large Buddha inside the temple.
Not as big as the day before.

Big Buddha again.

Wat Phra Si Samphet. Old palace ruins.

Neat headless Buddhas at the palace ruins.

Palace ruins with temple is background.
This is where the Asians
 started taking pictures of Louise.

Palace ruins.

This is the temple where
Thelma and I had free rein.

Thelma and the temple with her
newly found Gryffindor.

Louise and the temple.

Thelma on the temple stairs.

Louise trying to look like Buddha.

Thelma thought the stairs looked cool.

Thelma attempting Buddha pose.

The temple from an angle.

The front. Note the old
 entrance still intact.

A close up of the ancient  carvings.

Floating Buddha torso.

Wat Maha That story.

Buddha head absorbed
by the tree.

Really cool.

The whole tree.

Temple picture from the ground.

Close up of the Buddha.

Thelma and Louise with a Buddha.

Wat Ratchaburana

The most intact ancient temple.

Thelma inside. She said it
smelled like a pit toilet.

Thelma in the temple.

Thelma almost died on
these stairs. The ancient
Thai people must have been
nimble footed.

Buddha on the temple wall.

Louise in the temple.
I agreed. Smelled like a pit toilet.

Louise inside.

Thelma liked this tree.

Glamour Shots by Deb!!

Wat Yai Chaimongkhon Story

Temple.

Tallest temple with big Buddhas.

Temple.

Lunch on the river!!! Mm Mm Good!