Siam

Arriving in Bangkok at 5AM on December 19th and waiting nearly an hour to make it through immigration was the beginning of an unforgettable two week journey. After meeting up with my friend, Chaturaphon, who also goes by the name Jessie, at the airport we jumped in her car and headed to a bus station. The adventure only started to begin.

At about 8AM we were on a bus heading to Ayutthaya, the old capital of Siam. Little did I know, I wasn't getting the normal tourist package of Ayutthaya.

I was the only foreigner on the bus headed to various shrines where people prayed for good luck. By the fourth temple I am pretty sure I got the basics of Thai prayer rituals down, and hopefully a year's worth of good luck. The lotus bud, incense, candles and gold foil. A long process of patience, meditation and laws of instant Karma.

A monk gave me a handful of Thai candy. At the next temple there were some kids playing with peoples' shoes. In Thai they said, after seeing me, "No wonder his shoes are so heavy, he is so big!" This was the beginning of a fun filled hour teaching English, laughing and handing out candy to some kids. I was surprised at the instant purpose the candy from the monk served, almost as if he knew it would happen.



Although a unique experience, after the fifth temple I was wondering if I was going to be able to see the old ruins of the capital city. So Jessie and I decided diverge from the tour and pay a tuk tuk driver 150 baht to drive us to the ruins and meet back up with the bus again.

It was simply amazing! Finally I saw what I came to Ayutthaya to see. My first inspiration of wanting to see the ruins of Ayutthaya was a 2007 calender with a picture from Wat Mahthat of a Buddha head so old that a tree grew around it. It almost seemed surreal when I saw it in real life. If I could have touched it, I would have. Why I was so fascinated with this, I am not sure. I think it is because it is proof of how old human civilization is. Older than a large jungle tree!



Eventually we caught back up with the bus at the last temple on the tour. I enjoyed a bottle of "Japanese" tea which was not Japanese at all and reflected on all the things I did that day. On the ride back to the bus station there was a raffle game where if your number on your seat was called you had to go to the front of the bus and sing or dance and then get a small prize. My number was called, and not knowing any Thai I resorted to singing "Jingle Bells." Little did I know that "Jingle Bells" is one of Thailand's favorite Christmas songs and soon I had a whole bus packed full of Thai people clapping and singing along, in English nonetheless, to "Jingle Bells." I guess I was lucky to pick the right song.

The evening ended with some Pad Thai and finding out my guesthouse was booked although I made a reservation. So I ended up staying in a semi-dodgy guesthouse down the road so that I could be close to my pick up location to volunteer in Sangkhlaburi. Although my room had a plastic sheet and sounded like I was sleeping on the street, 10 minutes after hitting my pillow it was morning.