Wed May 4:
Started with a train ride north to Ayutthaya. Third class was fine. I imagined people clinging onto the train roof and chickens and goats on board. No, none of that. But no air con, and the train spent more time at platforms than actually moving. But the cost was only 50 cents for a two hour trip! I had three moments of good will: I opened a stuck bottle cap for a woman and her daughter. I gave my seat to another. And I handed a poor fellow with only one leg a few coins. Karma repaid me later. Several people around me ensured I got off at the right stop. It was quite the production: 5 stations to go, 4.... Several Japanese guys were involved too, so we had three languages going.
After checking into my room, I went to a museum. The artefacts were nothing special, but the grounds were pretty: like a large country estate. I was the only one there too! (The Thai's aren't dumb enough to go out in this weather: 38C) I felt like the British governor of an Oriental outpost. In one building there was a man whose sole job seemed to entail sitting in front of a fan. He insisted that I join him in front of it, complaining, "It is hot". We had a little chat with his hard-to-understand English.
Later when I went for a bottle of water, the lady there insisted that I take a chair, and she directed the fan on me. I felt guilty taking her fan, so I drank up and said my good byes. So far these little acts of kindness are the best part of my trip.
Another boat tour (Ayutthaya is an island) and stopped at 3 temples on the far bank. One was Wat Phana Cheong. The buddha there sits cross legged and he towers about 100 feet in the air. He's all gold too (as they all are). Real gold? Another was Wat Wattanaran. This was more like a ruined city than a temple. I thought it was great as the sun was going down. The whole boat trip was non-stop waving at people on the banks too. They don't call Thailand "the land of smiles" for nothing.
After that I felt ready for bed. All the sun, the early start, and jet lag. I went to a pizza joint for a quick dinner, and was in bed by 9. I'll stay here at PU Guesthouse one more night. It's OK. There are cheaper places, but really the difference between a rock bottom cheap place and this one is, like, $7 compared to $15.
