Lunch complete, we’re off to the main events of this afternoon – two ruined Wat sites in the city of Ayutthaya, otherwise known as the city of Rama. Our first stop, Chai Wattanaram is considered the “newer” Wat – meaning it was built in 1630, after Mahathat which was built in 1383. Newer is relative in this country. the Wat was destroyed by the Burmese who invaded in 1767 and were trying to destroy the Royal Image of the Buddha and the King. Their objective was to 1) Damage and hurt the pride of the King, and 2) Loot the Wat and the city. The Burmese chopped the heads off the Buddha images and set fire to the complex. The remaining structures are still black from the flames.

We get to spend quite a lot of time here exploring the huge complex. Which means a lot of pictures! It is just so incredible to think these structures have been standing here for almost 300 years in this state.

The best are the Buddha images, both headed and beheaded. They make for stunning pictures and of course stunning reminders of the pillage and plundering of war.

Corraling our wayward group, Odum finally gets us all into the parking lot heading toward the bus (there are always stragglers – although not as much on this trip, fortunately!). As we wander down the sidewalk we are treated to the sight of these cool little Tuk Tuks which are totally modern and different than the old traditional open sided ones we are used to seeing. Ed is smitten. Too bad we can’t have these (or Pandas!!!) back in the States!

Our final stop today is the aforementioned Wat Mahathat, which is in the same condition as Wat Chai Wathanaram, just older. But one really cool thing here is the Buddha head in the tree. Legend has it that when they were bringing the Buddha to the Grand Pagoda, it was so heavy, they had to cut it up to carry it. Somehow, they dropped the head. As it lay on the ground, the birds picked it up and dropped seeds where it was laying. Those seeds grew into a tree with the Buddha image imbedded. Whatever the real story – this Buddha head in the tree is a sight to behold. Totally worth a visit!

How cool is that? We tour through the rest of the complex, around the Grand Pagoda where Odum provides more detail and history…

…along with showing off his amulets (which are his pride and joy) and I firmly establish our AAC status as shown by my listening position.

Touring done, we are off to the hotel for our one-night stay. Which is actually a bummer because this hotel and the room is fantastic! It’s an executive long-stay place with a full kitchen and great balcony overlooking the city. You could really hang out here for a while. Not us though – we’re hitting the road tomorrow morning!

All settled in, we hit the streets in search of a 7-11, finding one a few blocks away, grabbing supplies and drooling over the street food that we won’t be able to eat as we are having an included dinner at the hotel. Back to the room, cleaned up, we hit the restaurant for our dinner, once again with only 2 tops set, so we’re sitting alone. We’re good with that! Another buffet with really good food – but obviously nothing worth taking pictures, because there are none! Later after dinner, we wandered up to the “penthouse” floor and found Rodney and Maggi and Patty and Terry (who I’ve been calling Gary all this time) in the “executive lounge.” We ended up joining them all for drinks (BYOB), chatting amiably for a bit before hitting the sack. Even though Odum has been very generous and given us a later bags out time (7am vs 6:15am), that wake up call still comes really early on these travel days. Making early to bed, early to rise an extremely apt adage!