The Ancient and Sacred City of Ayutthaya

Today was a special day for me as I traveled back in time to Thailand's ancient capital: the wonderful Ayutthaya. This day tour was booked on Klook for over 2000 pesos and I have to say that it was worth my money.

Let's do this, Ayutthaya!

Meet up was at Century Mall around 8:30AM. I was with around 30 tourists from Korea, China (or Taiwan), Vietnam, and the Philippines (yay!). The travel to Ayutthaya proper was approximately 2 hours. And I have to say that the AC of the bus was a life savior! On our way, the tour guides worked their guiding magic. They were friendly and had in-depth knowledge of the historical account of Thailand. Our tour guide was Em and he was hilarious. Clearly, he did his research on Thailand and enthusiastically shared it to us.

Bang Pa-In Summer Palace

By 10AM, we stopped over at Bang Pa-In Summer Palace for a short tour of the royal palace complex. Comprising of iconic buildings, the palace has great parks where royalties used to live. It was brimming with sad and tragic stories but at the same time, hopeful and beautiful.

Ayutthaya Floating Market

It was around 11AM when we continued the trip. Next destination: Ayutthaya Floating Market where we had our lunch at a local restaurant named CK Ayothaya: Authentic Thai Cuisine. Being touristy, I ordered a Pad Thai which I truly savored. And honestly, it was the first time I had a legit Pad Thai and now, it's one of my favorites.

 According to Em, this floating market is a replica but for me, it was the real thing. The market was built for pleasure and more likely for the tourists so I was on tourist mode starting with a boat ride that took me around the market. I knew it was a replica but I had a feeling that a crocodile was lurking beneath the boat (I had too much crocodile movies). Anyways, I let my eyes wander in admiration of the vendors who were selling a variety of local foods and tourist souvenir items. The wooden walkways gave so much joy to me. There were also elephant rides but I didn't dare--they deserved better.

Wat Mahathat

After the brief stroll around the market, I went back to the bus and we headed to the three most important temples in Ayutthaya. I didn't know what to expect but when we arrived at Wat Mahathat, I could feel the rich and enchanting story of Buddhism already. Also known as 'Temple of  Great Relics, this particular temple was built during the 14 century AD. The ruins were aesthetically appealing. I felt like each corner and brick had a unique history. Perhaps the pertinent feature of Wat Mahathat is the Buddha head entwined into a tree trunk. Oh, poor Buddha!

Wat Phra Sri Sanphet

Just some 15 minutes away, we went next to Wat Phra Sri Sanphet famous for its three chedis. Although in ruins, there are still tons of reserved and recovered parts and relics. There were still parts in good standing and I love how the locals are very protective of them. The temple had a strong and horrendous vibe which is understandable considering its history of bloodshed.

Wat Lokayasuttharam

Next, we side tripped to Wat Lokayasuttharam which is a massive temple ruin. Famous for its Reclining Budha called Phra Bhuddasaiyart, the temple has not much left but still, some locals religiously offer their prayers here.

Wat Chaiwatthananaram

As the sun was setting, we took a riverboat ride on the Chao Phraya River with the magnificent silhouette view of the temple ruin of Wat Chaiwatthanaram. There was a part where we fed some bread to the fishes. I was frightened and all I could think of was piranhas so I ended up throwing the pieces of bread directly to the river. The baby piranhas were thrilled as they swarmed and tore to pieces the innocent bread. It was a quite interesting ride as everyone was tired and making sense of the day tour. The setting orange sunlight was hitting our faces and the breeze was blowing gently. Quiet, I thought it was a perfect moment.

We were transported back to the pier where we spend some time in a local night market. I felt like the market wasn't meant exactly for tourist, and therefore, authentic for me. Most of the stall was selling traditional foods that I can never pronounce right. I had guava, of all food options. But it was a good decision as I was saving some stomach space for the buffet back in Bangkok.

By 6PM, we left Ayutthaya and drove back to Bangkok.

I also wrote a blog on my trip to Bangkok. If you want to read about it, click here.


Reflecting on the Experience

Ayutthaya has this laid-back vibe that is perfect for slowing down. The temples and its rich history made me think and feel. I imagined how the temples would look like if the war did not happen. What if the people resolved matters peacefully back then? What if individuals' crave for power was managed effectively? What if?

It would have made a huge difference.

Strolling around the temple and listening to our tour guide share the city's demise, I realized how ancient conflicts are. I valued peacebuilding even more. With the contemporary violence and conflict we faced around the globe, I hope we see the end of violence in this last time. Honestly, I found the ruins beautiful but it's wrong. I should never get used to seeing the remnants of war. I should never glorify it and romanticize it. With all of these, somehow, my purpose in contributing to a peaceful and just world was affirmed.

Moving forward, I know that I have to improve my skills and experience to serve my purpose. In helping contribute to harmonious communities, I have to step up my game and find the right people and group that equally feel pain in conflict. Long way to go but my hope and pursuit for peace will never waver.