Day Three - Ayutthaya

Buddha in the Banyan Tree, Ayutthaya

Ayutthaya in Bangkok is the historic seat of the Siamese dynasty that ruled the kingdom for the best part of three hundred years until the late eighteenth century.  At that time, it was known as one of the wealthiest kingdoms in the East and often compared by travellers to the Paris of Louis XIV, the Sun King.

Today all that remains is a historic park of crumbling remnants but it is easy to discern its former glories as you wander from temple to tumbled tower. We visited in the late afternoon as the sun lit up the ancient stone and brick structures.

Earlier, we had visited the Bang Pa-In Royal Palace, or Summer Palace. A small select group: me, Maggie and our three Thai friends, Wiew, Nhong, and Pew.

The Summer Palace is a great complex of temples and royal residences, set in vast gardens amongst beautiful lakes.  It is only occasionally used by the Thai Royal family these days.We took lots of photos which will doubtlessly be inflicted upon friends and neighbours before long but, in the meantime, here are a couple from Ayutthaya and Bang Pa-in.

Maggie and the girls were deemed immodestly dressed
before donning these sarongs.

Royal Palace Park,
   Bang Pa-in