Bangkok-- Biking in Ayutthaya, Thai massage, and really spicy soup

Monday was my second full day in Bangkok.  I spent most of the morning in bed writing emails to couchsurfers to try to find a host in Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.

I decided to visit Ayutthaya, the ancient capital of Thailand.  I took a taxi to the Hua Lamphong Railway Station, and purchased a ticket for 15 bhat to Ayutthaya.  I walked right passed monks as I made my way to my train.

The journey was about 2 hours and was relatively comfortable.  When I got on the train, I walked towards the city and quickly found a bike rental shop.  It was by coincident that I brought my passport with me since I needed to go to the bank and withdraw money.  I was lucky since they needed a photocopy of my passport in order for me to rent a bike.  It was 6 baht to rent the bike for the day.  The lady gave me a map of Ayutthaya, and pointed out the several different temples. She instructed me to bike straight until I got to the ferry, then ride the ferry across the Pasak River, then bike along Naresuan Road.  I bought a hat and a water bottle and set out.

I first went to Wt Mahathat,the most famous of the temples in Ayutthaya National Park.  Its astonishing to me that such a temple was built to house a relic of Buddah!  The city was sacked by the Burmese army, who held the city for 15 years, before they were over run.

 Budda's head in the Bodhi tree

I then biked to Wat Ohra Si Sariphet, another temple.  The temple is impressive for its three large "chedis" or 

a Buddist stupa build to hold relics.  Each holds the remains of three of Ayutthayas's kings.

I biked back to the ferry and took the train back to Bangkok.  I then got a nice Thai massage.   I had Tom yum shrimp soup, which is a really spicy soup made from lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, fish sauce, and a lot of chili.  It was so spicy I couldn't eat it and had to have the chef add more broth to water it down.