Saturday, October 28. Ayutthaya was an early capital of Thailand. Its ruins are more complete than Roman, but still ruins. The main attractions are three large stupas, or mausoleums, which are still standing. All the structures were built with red bricks, covered in plaster of some kind. The area is a UNESCO site, which was seriously delayed any kind of restoration effort. The stupas were restored before UNESCO designation, but everything else is just bricks.

A modern adjoining temple houses a 40 foot tall and a 6 inch golden Buddha.

At our next stop everyone crowded around the outdoor stove of a shop that makes roti samaj, a form of cotton candy. In the rain. The stove was unbearably hot for me, so I didn’t watch. We sampled the product later and it wasn’t too bad.

Lunch was reached in the rain. I was wet from sweat and rain, a departure from just sweat.

After lunch we took a boat ride on the Pa Sak River. The Captain and crew was a wonderfully cheerful woman who was 35 but looked 18. She gave us lots of information about her life and the river. It was a very mixed experience, some countryside and some industrial area. Evidence of higher water than when the houses were built. A large seawall is being constructed. Many temples. A few people fishing (it’s Saturday). People feeding bread to hundreds of catfish, all fighting for a share (catfish having a catfight).

Back at the hotel I once again choose to visit the Irish bar for more cricket. I realized that Drunken Noodles was a menu item! When I ordered it, the server was very concerned. “Very spicy! Medium spice?” Yes. Even medium, it was very spicy. 8 on a scale of 10. I usually have a 4. But it was delicious.

Last day in Thailand. Tomorrow we fly to Laos.