Wat-fatigue
Door: Claudia
Blijf op de hoogte en volg Claudia
07 Februari 2005 | Thailand, Bangkok
Ayutthaya- Sukhothai, Wednesday 26-1
Today I get on a local bus which which will take me to Sukhothai in 6 hours. It's not the most comfortable bus with very little legspace, but it gets me there. I find this nice little guesthouse, Guesthouse no. 4, which rents out huts for only 4 euro a night. The hut is filled with a huge bed, a little table and cupboard. At the back I have my outdoor bathroom with view of the garden, nice soft fluggy towels and a pair of flip flops (slippers). There is a veranda in front with comfortable "bed" to relax and I'm surrounded by pots, plans and bamboo. IN the evening several little lights give it a romantic atmosphere. I definitely came to the right place.
I have a walk to town and have some noodles at one of the many stalls along the road. It's dark when I walk back between the sometimes beautifull, almost houselike, and sometimes very simple huts of the Thai.
Sukhothai, Thursday 27-1
If you think cycling is a typical Dutch thing, you're wrong. It's also a great way to see a lot fo places in Thailand and so is old Sukhothia. I'm staying in the modern town but 12 km down the road is Old Sukhothai, or better Historical Park Sukhothai. It consists of the old city centre with beautifull old wats and quite a few wats outside the centre, places in the woods. When I arrive in the morning it's almost impossible to enjoy the sight, because it's crowded with busloads of schoolkids. And these kids are not hear to learn about their history as you might expect, they're here to learn English. If you're lucky they will only smile and say 'good morning' but most fo the time they want to interview you. Armed with pen and paper, or a taperecorder for the more advanced, they want to know your name, age and origin and they like to know your opinion on Thailand, her people, the food and the weather. Lots of times topping it of with a picture. For some reasons they think I'm a really good victim, because I give at least 3 interviews that day. And I met people that travelled Thailand for a month without even having to give 1 interview.
In the afternoon the busses of schoolkids and farangs have left and it's nice and quiet. I take my bike to the forest where I'm even able to enjoy a desolated temple with only the sounds of the birds breaking the silence.
Of course I ensured myself of safe travelling first, by setting two birds free at one of the wats in the centre. At a lot of wats you can see this Bhuddist tradition; for a few baht you can set a bird, a turtoire or other animal free. By doing so you will become a better person, it will bring you closer to becoming a bodhisattva or buddha, closer to nirvana.
I felt just really sorry for these birds, trapped in these tiny tiny cages (I thought they were not even big enough for one, so imagine my surprise when I saw there were 2 in there !)
So for only 20 baht (less than 50 eurocent) I secured myself of future luck by giving freedom to 2 birds.
And to my surprise it worked, because that evening I get a call from England to tell me I'll be working in Royan, on the French coast, this summer. I think that's good news, for me as well for you beachlovers that like to visit me this overthere.
Sukhothai, 28-1
As if I haven't seen enough wats yet, I make a draytrip to Si Satchanalai, a 45 minute busride away. There is, how convenient, a bicycle rental place at the busstop and through a quiet Si Satchanalai I cycle to the temples. There are a lot less monuments to be seen here, but that has an advantage: most tourist don't bother to come here.
For lunch I stop at a footstall at the river. There are a dozen or so stalls selling souvenirs but there is not a tourist in sight. I worry about how these people will ever make a living. After my excellent Pad Thai (fried noodles) and Thai tea (rather orange coloured and after adding condensed milk not looking like tea at all) I head back for my bus. While waiting, the woman who I rented the bicycle from, invites me to share some fruit with her. She just bought a big bag of pear shaped fruits that I don't know. She shows me I have to break them and dip them in sugar. It taste a bit like apple, but is much juicyer. I haven't finished it when my bus arrives.
On return in Sukhothai I have a new neighbour, Markus from Germany who is travelling by bicycle. He joins me for a meal at the nightmarket and we discuss life and travel. It's just a short friendship, because I will be leaving the next day.
Sukhothai - Chiang Mai, Saturday 29-1
I feel so lucky, having found a seat on the bus. Not everyone is that lucky, some people have to stand or sit on little plastic stools o the back. Luckely it's not like that all the way to Chiang Mai, which takes 6 hours. Some people get of the bus before.
Arriving in Chiang Mai is overwhelming, to me anyway. From the tuk tuk that is taking me to my guesthouse I see all these beautifull shops, internet places, nice restaurants and bars. All the facilities you can find in Bangkok but a lot less crazy, much more to human scale. I can't resist and treat myself to a hamburger, my first real western food since I got here.
Chiang Mai, Sunday 30-1
At first I think I'll just walk around town a bit but pretty soon I change to the bicycle again. I see the market and visit 2 wats before I get a flat tyre. I return the vehicle and don't get another one because I'm starting to suffer from this new disease: wat-fatigue. To be honest I've seen enough temples to last me till next year. Instead I drive myself crazy at the sundaymarket. People from all over northern Thailand, so Thai, hilltribe people and muslims, come here to sell their goodies and food and offering all sorts of massage. They close down whole streets for that every sunday. There are so many beautifull things for sale, that I can't choose. I do buy a handmade piece to put on the wall (wandkleed, geen idee wat dat in het engels is), which I know will be hard to get when I travel south again.
For dinner I go to Jerusalem Falafel, maybe the best, if not only middle east restaurand in Thailand. It's so full, I have to join a canadian couple at their table.
On my way home I have a quick beer at the Flip Flop bar, but I can't stay long, for I'm having an intense day tomorrow.
Today I get on a local bus which which will take me to Sukhothai in 6 hours. It's not the most comfortable bus with very little legspace, but it gets me there. I find this nice little guesthouse, Guesthouse no. 4, which rents out huts for only 4 euro a night. The hut is filled with a huge bed, a little table and cupboard. At the back I have my outdoor bathroom with view of the garden, nice soft fluggy towels and a pair of flip flops (slippers). There is a veranda in front with comfortable "bed" to relax and I'm surrounded by pots, plans and bamboo. IN the evening several little lights give it a romantic atmosphere. I definitely came to the right place.
I have a walk to town and have some noodles at one of the many stalls along the road. It's dark when I walk back between the sometimes beautifull, almost houselike, and sometimes very simple huts of the Thai.
Sukhothai, Thursday 27-1
If you think cycling is a typical Dutch thing, you're wrong. It's also a great way to see a lot fo places in Thailand and so is old Sukhothia. I'm staying in the modern town but 12 km down the road is Old Sukhothai, or better Historical Park Sukhothai. It consists of the old city centre with beautifull old wats and quite a few wats outside the centre, places in the woods. When I arrive in the morning it's almost impossible to enjoy the sight, because it's crowded with busloads of schoolkids. And these kids are not hear to learn about their history as you might expect, they're here to learn English. If you're lucky they will only smile and say 'good morning' but most fo the time they want to interview you. Armed with pen and paper, or a taperecorder for the more advanced, they want to know your name, age and origin and they like to know your opinion on Thailand, her people, the food and the weather. Lots of times topping it of with a picture. For some reasons they think I'm a really good victim, because I give at least 3 interviews that day. And I met people that travelled Thailand for a month without even having to give 1 interview.
In the afternoon the busses of schoolkids and farangs have left and it's nice and quiet. I take my bike to the forest where I'm even able to enjoy a desolated temple with only the sounds of the birds breaking the silence.
Of course I ensured myself of safe travelling first, by setting two birds free at one of the wats in the centre. At a lot of wats you can see this Bhuddist tradition; for a few baht you can set a bird, a turtoire or other animal free. By doing so you will become a better person, it will bring you closer to becoming a bodhisattva or buddha, closer to nirvana.
I felt just really sorry for these birds, trapped in these tiny tiny cages (I thought they were not even big enough for one, so imagine my surprise when I saw there were 2 in there !)
So for only 20 baht (less than 50 eurocent) I secured myself of future luck by giving freedom to 2 birds.
And to my surprise it worked, because that evening I get a call from England to tell me I'll be working in Royan, on the French coast, this summer. I think that's good news, for me as well for you beachlovers that like to visit me this overthere.
Sukhothai, 28-1
As if I haven't seen enough wats yet, I make a draytrip to Si Satchanalai, a 45 minute busride away. There is, how convenient, a bicycle rental place at the busstop and through a quiet Si Satchanalai I cycle to the temples. There are a lot less monuments to be seen here, but that has an advantage: most tourist don't bother to come here.
For lunch I stop at a footstall at the river. There are a dozen or so stalls selling souvenirs but there is not a tourist in sight. I worry about how these people will ever make a living. After my excellent Pad Thai (fried noodles) and Thai tea (rather orange coloured and after adding condensed milk not looking like tea at all) I head back for my bus. While waiting, the woman who I rented the bicycle from, invites me to share some fruit with her. She just bought a big bag of pear shaped fruits that I don't know. She shows me I have to break them and dip them in sugar. It taste a bit like apple, but is much juicyer. I haven't finished it when my bus arrives.
On return in Sukhothai I have a new neighbour, Markus from Germany who is travelling by bicycle. He joins me for a meal at the nightmarket and we discuss life and travel. It's just a short friendship, because I will be leaving the next day.
Sukhothai - Chiang Mai, Saturday 29-1
I feel so lucky, having found a seat on the bus. Not everyone is that lucky, some people have to stand or sit on little plastic stools o the back. Luckely it's not like that all the way to Chiang Mai, which takes 6 hours. Some people get of the bus before.
Arriving in Chiang Mai is overwhelming, to me anyway. From the tuk tuk that is taking me to my guesthouse I see all these beautifull shops, internet places, nice restaurants and bars. All the facilities you can find in Bangkok but a lot less crazy, much more to human scale. I can't resist and treat myself to a hamburger, my first real western food since I got here.
Chiang Mai, Sunday 30-1
At first I think I'll just walk around town a bit but pretty soon I change to the bicycle again. I see the market and visit 2 wats before I get a flat tyre. I return the vehicle and don't get another one because I'm starting to suffer from this new disease: wat-fatigue. To be honest I've seen enough temples to last me till next year. Instead I drive myself crazy at the sundaymarket. People from all over northern Thailand, so Thai, hilltribe people and muslims, come here to sell their goodies and food and offering all sorts of massage. They close down whole streets for that every sunday. There are so many beautifull things for sale, that I can't choose. I do buy a handmade piece to put on the wall (wandkleed, geen idee wat dat in het engels is), which I know will be hard to get when I travel south again.
For dinner I go to Jerusalem Falafel, maybe the best, if not only middle east restaurand in Thailand. It's so full, I have to join a canadian couple at their table.
On my way home I have a quick beer at the Flip Flop bar, but I can't stay long, for I'm having an intense day tomorrow.
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