26 Nov 2011.

Third day in Hatyai, and again we were cherished with another beautiful morning. The flight back to KL was scheduled at noon, and with a window of a few hours we decided to venture the streets. We had our breakfast at Muslim Ocha, one of the muslim restaurant nearby (I later learned that Ocha means ‘delicious’ in Thai). DH was having his ordinary egg prata and I the fried noodles as I need a heavy breakfast to sustain the long walk. The restaurant was clean, and I ate my meal while enjoying an Indonesian song by Wali band played at the background (much to my surprise). After serving our breakfast, the owner fed his caged pigeons, a hobby which I noticed quite common across Hatyai.

 Beautiful sunrays amidst cloudy sky.

Brekky’s over, we continued walking along the streets and spotted a lady doing her morning prayer.

A walk further up and we arrived at our must visit spot – the wet market. This one is located at Saeng Arthit Road.

 The scene at the market. From their apparel, most of the traders here were muslim ladies.

Onions & spices.

Dried chilies.

Sunday, and a busy day.

 A happy trader with her prized goods.

Big catch, these fresh water prawns and fertile too. The eggs are orangy in color, and will change to grey when they ripen.

I was seating at a bench in front of the shoplot, while waiting for DH buying some stuff to be brought back home. The guy with the pineapple glanced towards me as I was about to take his photo. 

A  serious haggling on-going. Not sure what was the article of trade though.

Roselle fruit. Apart from its main usage as coloring agents, the fruit extracts (which are rich in vitamin C) are also used in cooking and being processed into healthy drinks, jem and preserves.

A lady selling some fruits and  tapioca at the market. She was segregating the bird eye chilies based on the sizes. Known as ‘Prik’ in thai, bird eye chili is the ultimate ingredient in most spicy hot Thai dishes. Now I know that everytime I order Nasi Padprik at a local Thai stall, it actually means ‘spicy fried rice’ (Nasi is a malay word for rice, and Pad means ‘stir fried’ in Thai).

Dried shrimps, DH favourite souvenir across South East Asia.  We had been collecting samples from Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand and more so to come, and the best so far goes to Vietnam.

 Salted fish in round bamboo baskets. The bended heads make it looks prehistoric.

 Eggs seller, doing some packaging. I was dumbfounded on  how she cooked the eggs and then cracked it up with exactly equal propotion, with the surface fully covered with yolks.

A boy with umbrella spotted at the wet market, playing alone while his mother manning the stall.

A lady doing some descaling, fully absorbed in her work.

The street actually led us back to the Kim Yong market, and when going inside for shade I saw this stall with huge squids on display. The size was almost the same with the lady’s arm!

Inside Kim Yong wet market.

Pork butcher. I noticed that the market did not segregate between halal and non-halal stuff, and muslim vendors were setting up tables not far from the stalls selling pork and lard. 

Muslim lady selling vegetables inside Kim Yong.

Last photo before leaving the market, a three-wheeler with a bouquet of flower.

We left the market and strolled the streets. Saw this sign and curious to where it leads, so we followed the direction.

The road ended up at a junction facing this old chug.

Behind the relic was the actual train station, with some opening at the barbed wired fencing. Saw a local passing through and we followed suit. Not sure if that’s considered breaking and entering; we totally had no intent on arriving.

A train from Bangkok, bound for Kuala Lumpur.

 Laundry day?

 Lotus flower, at the train station.

As we were about to leave the train station I accidentally slipped, and broke my sandal . It was raining the night before and the soil were all soggy and slippery, too much for a ten ringgit sandals to endure (now that’s a call for the all-terrain sandals – the brand that I’ve been eyeing is quite expensive to afford!). I’m such a sloppy traveller, and I spent most of my adventure in my toilet rubber slippers or some straps. Yeah I know its lousy, but at least it makes me comfortable. (Okay, okay.. I learned my lesson). Back to the story, the bad thing was, we’d been wandering too far from all the shops and markets and absolutely in a middle of a lonely street, so there was no hope for me.  DH tried to fix it with some stick but after a few steps it got out again, so with heavy heart I trod slowly behind him. 

We saw a shop at a distant, and walked towards it hoping that we could get a glue, or buying a new slippers. Turned out it was a plate number shop. A patron informed us that she will be driving up to Penang, and need to translate the Thai plate number into standard Romans. She saw my bare foot and the broken sandals, and pointed me a nearby booth. I followed her direction, and immediately jumped with relief. It so happen that I broke my sandals in the middle of cobbler town!

Cobbler, cobbler mend my shoe, get it done before half past two… cause I will be going back to KL, that’s why!

If you are in Hatyai and having any triffling problems bothering you, you should come under the bridge cause they have booths to fix almost anything. It’s the headquarters for locksmith, cobblers, tailors and barbers.

Express tailor and alterations.

After fixing my sandal we left the area and ended up back at the familiar Niphat Uthit 1 road. An old structure with matching colors caught my attention. It somehow reminds me of our own Lebuh Ampang.

Colorful strings tied to the grilled door. A charm preventing break-in, maybe?

Booth selling lottery tickets such as this one are common in Hatyai.

 Triple riders seen at one of the intersection. It takes two to tango, three to rock-and-roll!

In view of the recent event downtown Bangkok, some of the hotels here were already taking precaution against mother nature with sand bags and all, such as these colorful stacks.

Reflection of the red tuk tuk in the puddle of water. Tuk tuk in Hatyai and Krabi is more of  a convertible pickup truck, nothing like the the three-wheel motorbike taxi seen in Bangkok.

Street hawker. She didn’t look happy as the only person who came approach was only interested in taking her picture!

Palm reader, languidly waiting for customers. From his haggard looks and empty gaze it seemed that life is not that fortunate, even for the fortune teller himself!

I was quite attracted with the post box designs I spotted around town, from the simplest cardboard made and the rusty old-fashion up to the sophisticated metalic chrome.  

 Another self-made postcard consists of signboards and landmarks, a token of my short visit to Hatyai.

 The End.

25 Nov 2011.

We woke up to a beautiful morning on the second day, as the early morning sun burst its golden rays through heavy clouds, illuminating the sleepy town down below. I was hypnotized for a while until the clouds meekly disappeared, leaving us a sunny skies and a bright new day for another outing.

Morning sun rays over Hatyai.

We had our simple breakfast at Maliam Restaurant (it is actually Maream Restaurant) at the intersection of Thamanoonvithee Road and Niphat Uthit 2 Road (nearby Yong Dee Market). I really missed the laksa we had in Aonang but to my dismay I couldn’t find any in Hatyai, although the distance between the two towns is within a half day drive. Alternately I chose noodle soup and cha-ron (hot tea) while DH settled himself over egg prata and cha-yen (iced milk tea).

There are actually a few, cheap and halal eateries around Hatyai, other than the well-known and pricey Hamid and Salma Restaurants next to Lee Garden Plaza. For instance there is one Rocky Muslim restaurant near to Sakol Hotel in Che Uthit Road and another two along Niphat Uthit 1 Road (opposite to Kings Hotel). You could also rely on the scattered food stalls mind by muslim ladies in front of Lee Garden Plaza, but they usually only starts operating late in the afternoon.

Breakfast done and we were about to leave Maliam, when suddenly a guy on bike stopped abruptly in front of us offering some newspapers, hot off the press. He’s a newspaper seller doing his round for potential customers, and we were surprised to be offered familiar tabloids such as Harian Metro, Berita Harian and Utusan in a foreign country. Except for the triple in the price, I really felt like I never leave my country at all.

From Maliam, we walked to the Honda showroom next to Kim Yong Market in order to take a van to Songkhla. Located roughly about 25km from Hatyai, the trip took us about an hour, plus a few stopping. The fare was about 27Bhat per person, and in the middle of the journey the driver will hand over a basket for passengers to put in their money, and will be passed around from one passenger to another. A big guy with ruffled hair who sat next to me patiently hold the basket while I was looking for small change. Seeing my trouble, he even help with the balance. Talking about trust and honesty!

The van dropped us right in front of Samila Beach, where Songkhla’s iconic landmark is located. Songkhla was actually part of Langkasuka, an ancient malay kingdom.

The golden mermaid statue, the symbol of Songkhla. Late November, and the monsoon has just started. Note the strong waves and the murky sea behind. While taking the photo, the gusty wind almost blew me off balance. Thank god we arrived at the right moment to snap some photos, just mere minutes after we left; the statue was swarmed with tourists. Like most of  mermaid statues across the globe, it  is associated with some old folk tales which I would not going to narrate here.

I saw an empty bottle being washed ashore. Wonder what’s the content. A lost love message drifted away from far away land, or a trapped and angry spirits?

The rough, Andaman sea. We noted a few fishing boats anchored behind the nearby Cat and Rat islands, took cover from the turbulant waves and the incoming storm.

 Remnants from the outrages sea.

A man standing on the verge of the platform, facing the rough sea. No suicidal thought, I hope.

There were a lot of pigeons flocking the beach, but this one seemed to be out of the herd.

Monsoon, and the beach was less occupied that usual. Needless to say, the stillness was my preference.

We walked to the other end of the beach and arrived at the cat and rat statue while the namesake islands silhouetted at the back.

A further walk passed some street peddlers selling some toys and key chains, we arrived at a row of eateries fronting the sea. We were glad to see the familiar arabic inscriptions on some of the outlets, considering that it was already late afternoon.

Our lip-smacking lunch of seafood. The taste and price was even better from the one we had at Hamid the day before.

A proverb says “a full stomach makes a happy heart”, or is it a sleepy eyes?

Lunch over and a short nap, we made a move back to Hatyai. Upon asking for the public transport ,  the restaurant operator informed that we have to take tuk tuk to get to the van station in front of Woranari Cholem school. It was difficult for me to grab the Thai word with the strong accent and such, so she wrote it on a piece of paper for me to be shown to the tuk tuk driver. The ride costs us 20Bhat each, and we later found out that it was actually not that far; the beach and the van station. But again, walking under the unsympathetic sun with a full stomach was not a likely option either.

The van station in front of Woranari Cholem school at Thanon Laksua street.

Later in the afternoon.

A short rest after returning from Songkhla we went out again to the floating market. Stepping outside the hotel we were approached by a tuk tuk driver offering us a return trip to the floating market at 500bhat. After some negotiating, he agreed to take us there at 400bhat, but as soon as we were about to hop into his tuk tuk, another tuk tuk driver came to us angrily and forced us to use his service instead. The drama went on for several minutes and we were so frustrated with his rudeness and harsh words, while the tuk tuk driver (of which approached us the first) was in mute silence. We detest conflicts and confrantations, so we refused both of them and walked away.

Not long before we set off, a guy in dark shirt call us from behind. He introduced himself as Saman, and asked us whether we want to use his service instead. Eventually he was sitting not far away from the scene and saw all the fuss (wonder if the whole town witnessed that!). He said that it was a good thing that we left, otherwise undoubtedly it would turn out into a fight. There are gangs of tuk tuks in Hatyai, and they are fighting over territory and customers. Saman turned out to be a malay man from Pattani, and he drove us to the floating market with his black Avanza at the same price offered by the tuk tuk. He can even converse in Malay in thick Kelantanese dialect. Our bad encouter was not that bad after all, it was a blessing in disguise!

The path to the Khlong Hae floating market, with stalls offering some cheap fun fair games lining up the road. A land blessed with a lot of rivers and canals, floating market is becoming Thai’s iconic tourist spot and a booming business. Apart from the famous Damnoen Saduak and Ampawa floating market in Bangkok and one in Pattaya, Talat Nam Khloeng Hae is synonym with Hatyai and a favourite hangout spot among locals and tourist alike. Located somewhere on the town outskirts, the only way to access the place is either by using travel agent, rented car or charter a tuk tuk. The fare was not that cheap either as they will charge you for the return trip plus some waiting.

Stalls at Khlong Hae floating market, selling mostly typical items as seen at Hatyai town. Due to unpredictable weather, there were less people at the market making our trip easier, but regretably it was the same with most of the vendors.

I had been to other parts of Thailand, but this was my first time spotting the very-much-talk-about exotic dishes. Try looking for it at Khlong Hae if you really have appetite for some inexpensive, protein diets of crispy critters or gooey larva.

Bouquets of Pandanus flower. I remembered applying the same art technique with ribbons to decorate my cousin wedding gifts some times ago.

A walk further up the path we arrived at the floating market. The vendors here are mostly muslim ladies selling cheap, local delicacies from the small boats or sampan. A great place to experience the colorful scenary and treat oneself to a variety local chows, selling cheap at 20Bhat each. A foodie’s haven!

A lady selling fresh, roasted seafood on skewers in combination with fiery hot bird-eye chili sauce, which keep me coming for more!

Or for the sweet tooth, you could try the cute fruity-like jelly sold by this ‘mak cik’. 

Fried glass noodles in banana leaf bowl. Most of the foods here are served using natural products such as the banana leaf, coconut shells, bamboo tubes and clay pots. A go with saving the earth concept!

 A guy selling drinks in a cartoon character clay cups. A great souvenir for my little combats back home!

End of Day2.

24 Nov 2011.

We arrived in Hatyai, Thailand via Airasia despite the massive flooding at Bangkok and recent bombing in neighbouring Golok.  I wasn’t sure why it was in my travel list at the first place, a trip perhaps aroused out of total curiousity. My first impression of the place when we landed was that it flocked with Malaysians (as if we are not. LOL!) especially the Chinese, doing the border crossing for some weekend gateaway for cheap shopping and cheap what-ever-else (if you know what I mean), and it didn’t really help on the fact that we were actually in another country. Even the signboards were written in Malay and Chinese, so as the Thai’s dialect uttered by the locals somehow sounds like Hokkien (or was it my imagination?).

While queuing for immigration (it was such a long queue!) I couldn’t help spotted the green notice board on the wall behind us. Hatyai is definitely not for alien in skimpy outfit!

As we were looking for cheap transport to the city center, we stumbled into a lone English dude who seemed lost like us, of which we quickly made acquitance. Josh (or what ever his name, sorry Josh for my short term memory) was going to Pakbara, and intent to take a bus from Hatyai. Together we passed the swarming taxi drivers at the airport exit and walked towards the end of the parking lot, which to our relief there was this blue tuk tuk waiting (it cost us 30bhat per person compared to the standard 500bhat taxi charges). 

The journey to the town center was smooth sailing, as we squeezed in with the locals in the sardine-packed tuk tuk. Before long we reached the town, and I was inspecting the landmarks trying to figure out where to get off. We were dispatched at the clock tower; and soon made our separate ways after a handshake and a goodbye - Josh headed off to the bus station for Pakbara and us wandering into the maze of Hatyai town.

I was so caught up with work after returning from our Hanoi trip, and didn’t have the chance of making any arrangement nor research before coming to Hatyai. My only source of information was from wiki, and one of the budget hotel recommended was this particular Pink Lady. The name struck me as a bit peculiar at first, however being in haste I didn’t pay much attention to it. So when we arrived in Hatyai, finding accomodation was on top of our list. Checking out from one budget hostel to another we ended up at Pink Lady doorstep, and from the striking pink neon sign up to the candid photos, we were sure the hotel was defnitely not for us (LOL!). I’ve to remind myself to do future travel planning, proper!

After we settled with our lodging (and a decent one, mind you), we walked to the nearby Hamid Restaurant in front of Lee Garden Plaza for a quick lunch. I was already giddy over the lack of carbo especially after the long walk, and once the food arrived we attacked it like Somalians. There’s nothing to shout about the taste, but paying for 400 bhat over two plates of plain fried rice and some egg beefsteak surely a highway robbery!

We set off for a tour around town after the meal, and the first place we visited was the Santisuk Market at Nipututhit 2 Road. Walking around Hatyai was like walking in my own small hometown back in Malaysia, with two storey shop houses of colonial architecture lining up the streets, side by side with the more modern, posh hotels and shopping complexes.

Inside the Santisuk Market. The business here concentrated more on digital and electronics items, ranging from the cheap-but-never-heard-off China merchandise up to explicit DVDs. I bought a travel iron from the lady in red, a Germany brand name but I doubt the originality.

From Santisuk we walked to Kim Yong, another market in Hatyai. Hatyai is all about shopping, thus expect to see a lot of markets, street peddlers, cash-and-carry, supermarkets, stalls, shops, shops and more shops. 

Like most of Hatyai five-foot ways, Kim Yong’s was also flooded with street vendors selling fruits, tidbits, chestnuts etc. Most of these vendors are muslim ladies, and some can even speak malays with Thai accent.

DH can’t resists the temptation for tidbits, although the price here was a bit expensive. The price for a pack of thin-layer cashew nuts and pistachio costs about 120bhat each. My mom said that when she visited Hatyai a few years back she could easily get three packs of the same thing at only 100bhat! Not sure if overflow in Bangkok played any role on the step up of the inflation rate in Hatyai.

Inside Kim Yong Market. More nuts and snacks.

Found nothing interesting, we left the monotonous market and walked to the side of the building and arrived at the more lively market.

Late afternoon, but the place was still a hive of activity.

Fruits and flowers are the market main commodities. Although you could spotted some food stalls (majority selling porks) in between.

 Flower seller, Hatyai Thailand.

Phuang Malai, a local translation for fresh flower garlands. The art of flower arrangement in Thailand was a trend started during the King Chulalongkorn dynasty, and the purpose differs on  event-type basis. If hung inside a house it just meant as aromathic air freshener, and alternately an offering if it is put around the buddha statues or praying altars. It could also be used as a farewell symbols for the dearly departed, in contrast of a welcoming symbol if it is offered to the guests. It could be a lucky charm to others in put in the vehicles, as the locals believe that it is able to prevent accidents. 

The day was getting late, so we walked back to our hotel in Saengchan Road bypasing these colorful rides.

Apart from shopping, Hatyai is also famous as food paradise. Fried seafood stuffs spotted at a stall somewhere at the intersection in front of Lee Garden Plaza, with the big prawns (I mean really big!) as its main attraction. A luxury bite at 200Bhat each!  Food is DH weakness, again he was tempted to try but due to the price thought the better of it. After all, prawns will all taste like prawns, big or small.

Street halal dimsum, in front Lee Garden Plaza.

Next to it was a Briyani stall. Unlike Malaysia typical gravylicious briyani, the rice here is complemented with deep fried chicken and Thai sweet sauce. Easy on our taste bud, and of course our pocket!

Night, at Hatyai Walking Street. A shoppers haven and a colorful one, if you fancy the t-shirts and souvenirs, from the typical key chains and fridge magnets up to samurai sword and sharp fist rings use for fightings. We ended our day with foot massage,  in one of the many parlours available in front Grand Mayflower Hotel. The price was 200Bhat per person. A bit expensive from the one we had in Bangkok, but still the cheapest in Hatyai.  

End of Day 1.

6 Sept 2011.

Our third and last day in Aonang.

It rains heavily on the third morning, as if sharing our sadness about leaving such a peaceful place.

Once the rain subsided, we walk out for breakfast – this time we are trying our luck at another stall still within the vicinity of the under construction mosque, and seems fate hasn’t fail us yet. It is a such a delightful breakfast; too bad we discover it on our last day at Aonang. We have some Thai laksa (yeah they call it laksa here) and tea (something like our own kaww teh mamak – only better!). The laksa  looks dull and plain; albeit the looks, the taste is a total contrast especially when eaten with all the herbs, and the chili paste really adds to the flavour. It is very much up to my tastebud, that the brekfast itself is worth a repeat of the whole trip! (I’m salivating still while typing this…).

 Owh, not to forget is the nasi kerabu or herbs rice. Splendid!

Settled with breakfast (and after saying goodbye to some new friends – fellow Malaysians we met at the stall) we set off again. Since we have a few hours to spend before our departure in the afternoon, we decide to have a last tour around town with our rented motorcycle.

Ronald says “Sawadee krup!”

We stop by Aonang Walking Street, just to check out the hotel that was caught with fire the night before. From the outside, the condition does not look too bad, kudos to the fire rescue.

Even the hand of Buddha also agrees - ”no worries, it should be okay!”

It is still very early and the shops are yet to open. A cold morning, especially after a shower of rain thus explains the lack of the passers by. With no demanding business, Songteaw operators find that it is unnecessary to hang around.

 Window shopping is quite inappropriate; so we cross the street, where the shore of Aonang beckons.

 Gloomy day, and the beach is a bit deserted.

 Traditional vs. Modern

We spot a bunch of tourist just arrived, waiting to get into the long tail. I presume they are going to Rai Leh, a secluded bay surrounded by sea and high cliffs, thus makes it only accessible by boat. Great place for honeymooners.

It is not a fine white sand, the shore. Instead, it is covered with broken sea shells. A bit painful to walk barefooted.

Enough with sea sighting, we hop into our ride and cruise along the main road.

We stumble into a peddler selling sweeps. I love the look of it, like a bunch of oversize and fluffy papyrus.

No, thank you. I’m not keen of doing any chores today.

Cruising along the road to Nopparat and I really had to asked DH to stop in order to capture the well canopied and romantic lane.

Again a second stop at a nearby eatery in front Nopparat Thara beach as I need to go to the loo and buy some drinks (what a clash of interest!).  I happened to read the signboard on my way out, and I forget that I am in Thailand. Thus there is no need to worry if you are lost in Krabi,  at least you won’t be hungry!

We continue our excursion into the villages, purposely trying to get lost. We follow the road as far as it goes, passess by lonely road and houses. The surrounding is very typical to Malaysia rurals, it feels like getting lost in your own neighbourhood.

The path lead us back to the main road. We still have a few hours to go and already out of ideas on how to spend the time.

At a junction we spotted a signboard that lead us to this place, and since DH is eager to put his skill to test so we venture in.

Entering the building, we are welcomed by two fluffy hosts. Don’t get cheated with their demure looks, they are as fierce as they could be. Sensing my fear (I fear dogs), they bark and jump on me – thank god they are chained! But as soon as I take out my camera, they calm down and pose. What an actor! Bahh!

The price list. A bit pricey for such a short thrill. DH is quite adamant, so bye bye 1080B and hello, AK47 .22 caliber! The price for a one in a lifetime experience, he says (wutever!)

The shooting. For the hit target you could either opt for a human target or a circle target, and since DH is no where near of killing anybody he choose (with my approval!)  for the circle target.

On close inspection of the hit target, all are in with only one missed. Not bad afterall, DH! Thanks to the endless Counter Strike training. Now I really feel safe. LOL! 

It is about time when we leave the shooting range, so we quickly get back to our room to change and pack. Before getting into the cab, with heavy heart I take one last look of the iconic landmark of Aonang (iconic, eventhough only half completed).

While waiting for the flight I wish to kill the time with some phone game, and coincidentally it has to be this one. Seems that I’m not able to let go Aonang yet.

Krabi Airport, a view form the plane prior to take off.

Flying across the blue sky, I spotted the moon. I guess everytime I see it from now on, it will remind me of those happy times I had in Aonang.

The End.

5 Sept 2011.

It is our second day in Aonang, and we will be going for island tour today. The agent will pick us up at 8.00am; I glance at my watch -  we still have about an hour prior to the departure. Since breakfast is not included in the room package, we have to find elsewhere. A short walk uphill towards the underconstructed mosque (the only one in town), we find a halal eatery already in operation, in front of it.

We have noodle soup and hot coffee for breakfast, and while eating it suddenly rains. I was worried that it will screw up our plan but thank goodness, the rain only last a few minutes and by the time we walk out from the place, the day is bright and clear.

A walk back to our guest house, after the rain.

We arrive at the guest house just in time to catch up with the agent, who appears 10 minutes later. We quickly hop into his van and joint the farangs inside. A smile and a nod, and we are good. The agent makes a few stops afterward, picking up the others from the nearby hotels and guest houses along the way. The van then speed off to Nopparat Thara beach where all the boat operators already waiting.

A pose at Nopparat Thara beach, before hopping into the boat.

The low tide makes it possible to walk to the nearby island, unfortunately we don’t have time for that now.

We are grouped based on our destination and given a coloured sticker each for ease of identification. The lady that manned our group is quite a loud woman, and she made us follow her instruction like a chick to her mother. Somehow her gaudy demeanour amuses me and the others, and we share a few giggles at her back. She ushers us to the speed boat, anchored next to a line of long tails.

The long tails are usually for shorter distance trip such as to the nearby Chicken island or Poda island and the rate is way cheaper. However, with only one engine you should expect a slow journey, and safety is quite a concern.

Walking to our speed boat.

Inside the boat. The green capped lady is the one I mentioned earlier .

Our first stop is the Koh Mai Phai, or the Bamboo island. Quite a weird name, as I did not spot any single bamboo tree in the area. And there is nothing much to see really, we are suppose to have a dip and relax for a few minutes. I like it better at our own Beras Basah island (see HERE).

My first snorkling after, hmm.. 10 years? I takes me a while to adjust to the breathing with my mouth.

The corals at Bamboo island. Nothing to shout about. Mostly are dead. One thing for sure the boat operators don’t really bothers about them. They anchors as where they like, and the action does not help on the preservation of the marine organisms.

On our way to Maya Bay, the boat passes by the Viking Cave. I wonder whether I heard it right the first time; Vikings in Thailand? It is said the inside wall of the cave contains prehistoric paintings of ships and what’s not, and that’s how it gain its name although I can’t really relates the two. The cave is frequented by the locals, who collect the bird nests, one of the main (and expensive!) ingredients of a soup. The turquoise, shallow water lures me to jump, but unfortunately the boat did not stop to allow me to do so.

The boat continues its journey to a cove, where other speed boats are already anchoring. It is Monkey island but unlike the rest of the fellow passengers, it does not bother me to take the pictures of the monkeys (my wild guess they haven’t seen a monkey before). We have enough monkey experience during our trip to Pulau Dayang Bunting (see HERE).

Instead I’m more attracted to its scenic beauty.

Like the Viking Cave, the boat does not stop and continues its journey to Maya Bay.

Maya Bay at last!

It’s a beautiful beach, Maya Bay. The crystal clear water surrounded by high cliffs of lush vegetation makes it a secluded paradise. No wonder John Hodge chosed this place as his filming location of the controversional movie, The Beach. The only thing sucks is that it’s crowded with tourists, otherwise it would be a serenely blissful place.

Trying to escape all the hullabaloos, we found a track leading to the bushes and decide to explore.

The path bring us to Lo Sa Ma Bay, an inlet on the other side of the island.

From the signboard, we walk further a bit until we arrive at a wooden plank.  Up the plank and we are served with the view of Lo Sa Ma bay.  Looking down, the stairs are a bit steep, and the blue water is like calling you onwards. Stunningly eerie.

Lo Sa Ma Bay, a favourite spot for snorkeling they say. A glimpse of the water from above, I do not see anything interesting though.

We walk back to Maya beach, and this time we detour a bit using a different path. Along the way I spotted this small house, more like a toy house. DH prevents me going nearer, he says that it could meant for the spirit and suddenly I’m having goosebumps over his words.

We are a back to the lovely Maya and DH unable to resists the temptation for a swim. I choose to relax and enjoy the beauty like this guy,

 or this lady…

Unfortunately we are only spared a few minutes at Maya, which I feels insufficient.  The green capped lady calls us to the boat; with heavy heart we bid our untimely goodbyes to Maya and head to Phi Phi Don island for lunch (the buffet lunch is part of the package and it is halal). Seems that we are not the only group catered by the restaurant. As people come and go the food are being replenished, so you could eat your heart out. Nevertheless the taste only so-so. We quickly finish our meal and take a stroll outside.

The waterfront shoplots where we take our stroll.

Phi Phi Don is the largest of the Phi Phi islands (the other one is Phi Phi Leh where Maya Bay is sited) and the place where we are having our lunch is actually located in one fine strip of land with beautiful beaches on each side. Regrettable our time is short so we don’t get to explore both sides of the island.

Island transports.

Phi Phi Five-O. Casually clad in tees, shorts and snickers. Cool.

Typical scene at Phi Phi.

Long tails are everywhere.

Our next location is Hin Klang, a snorkeling spot.

It’s snorkeling time!

The boatman throws some bread and the fishes suddenly go crazy.

Besides the striped fish and one or two colorful others (if you are lucky), there’s nothing much to see at the sea floor, only some dead corals and sea urchins.

My gaze suddenly distracted by a bunch of girls, whose wearing the life jacket the other way round. Indeed, a clever way to stay afloat. Macam ni pon bolehh…

I sense like somebody is watching so I turn around, and find DH is behind me. His pose is giving me ideas **naughty grin**. Do you think what I’m thinking?

Sorry darling, can’t help myself. (No offense to you too, Kurt! R.I.P).

Later. The snorkeling at Hin Klang is the last in our tour itinerary, and soon we are back at lovely Aonang. After some good rest we venture out again, with nothing much to do we decide to experience some Krabi massage.

The service is quite cheap here compared to Bangkok, only at affordable 200B per hour for full body massage. Having your body being gently rubbed and kneaded under the lull of the waves and the breeze is a total bliss.

It is almost nightfall by the time we finish with the massage and the nearby eatery is well lit up, ready to accept its first customer.

Sunset in Aonang, too bad the sun is not anywhere in sight. Nonetheless, it is still not a bad view, after all.

As we stroll along the beach, the tranquil is suddenly disturbed; people starts running around and shops closing down. We later found out that the chaos is caused by a blaze at one of the hotel at Aonang Walking Street. I wonder whether there are people inside. Within mere minutes, fire rescue arrives and save the day. Luckily there is no casualties and we leave the place with mixed feelings. The little drama ends our second day.

A few days after Raya we are off the tarmac again, and this time we are doing Krabi for three days. Departed from LCCT via AA airbus AK804 at 1.25pm, the journey is smooth; and soon we are flying above Thailand. Being the few Malays, the rest of the plane is occupied by Chinese and some Westerners, which is quite normal considering the fact that the month of Syawal is only approaching day five.

Krabi from above. Located in the south of Thailand, this part of Thailand is less developed, compared to the much popular and happening Phuket, its neighbour.

The plane safely landed at Krabi International Airport forty minutes passed one, and immigration check is a breeze. It is less hectic at the airport, as our flight is the only one arriving that afternoon and coincidentally it is now an off season in Krabi.

We purchase the bus ticket to Ao Phra Nang, or commonly known as Aonang on our way out. The fare is 150B per person and that’s the cheapest and easiest way to get to the seaside where we will be staying for three days.

Our bus tickets.

As we step out from the terminal, a waft of hot air hit my face. It is hot outside, and luckily the air-conditioned bus is readily waiting where we quickly hop into for shelter.

The only drawback in taking the bus is that it will wait until all seats are occupied; which thankfully in our case we don’t have to wait for too long. It seems that half of our fellow flight mates are using the same means of transport to get to Aonang.

Located roughly 15km from the airport, the journey to Aonang passes by small Krabi town, ordinary villages and palm plantations. Somewhere along the way, the bus stops in front of a travel agent company and a guy hop on.  Without introducing himself, he starts asking every one of the hotels that they will be staying. While others promptly answer his query diligently, us being a total skeptics and in self-protect mode (especially against travel agents) lie that we are yet to book any and plan to search ourselves. He then ushers those people off from the bus and informs that another transport will pick them up to their intended destination. I overheard a lady sitting at the seat next to us whispering to her friend that she didn’t trust the guy. We then resume our journey to Aonang, which eventually not very far away from the stop and are clueless of the fate of those people.

The bus stops in front of our pre-booked guest house. What?? We are back in KL? Not!!!

Apart from the many scattered hotels and guest houses, we choose KL House as it sits on the quieter side of the beach, with 7-11, internet café, motorbike rental and halal eateries in close proximity. In three words, it is clean, cheap and convenient.

Our room at 500B per night.

I drop my bags and head straight to the balcony. With the karsts cliffs as the backdrop and blue sea lining nearby, I immediately fall in love at first sight.

Panaromic view of Aonang from our hotel balcony.

Since it is already 3pm, we quickly wash ourselves and rent a motorbike from the operator next door for a quick tour of the place. The bike could be rented at fixed 150B per day. We fidget when we are asked to surrender our passport as a guarantee; to roam a foreign country without any identification is a bit unnerving and feels insecure. The uncle who owns the lot assures us that it is a common practice and discloses passports that are in his custody. Seeing that we are out of choices, we cross our fingers and pray for the best.

 We take a short ride to central Aonang, where all the shops and tour agents could be found fronting the beach.

The street is a bit quiet; being midday I assume that most of the inhabitants are either having an after lunch siesta or still at sea on island tour.

Aonang red taxis.

We stroll along the shop lots, browsing the goods on display and checking out the tour package for tomorrow. The tour price from one agent to another is about the same, and being off season, the rate for everything is a bit lower than usual. We manage to get an island hopping package to Koh Phi Phi at 800B per pax, and 10L dry bag at 350B which is really cheap.

The agent, where we book our tour to Phi Phi island.

The last time we have our meal was during the flight, and that was already a few hours ago. Spotting a halal stall selling assorted Thai pancakes, we decide to give it a try.

Pancake preparation. The stuff looks like our own typical roti canai with banana fillings. Heck, aren’t we on the Banana Pancake Trail? Duh!

My Banana Nutella pancake. Yummy stuff.

We enjoy our pancake at a nearby bench, marveling  the Andaman sea in front of us.

Aonang was one of the area affected by the 2004 tsunami, thus the warning signpost. Apparently,  there seems no indication that such disaster ever happened, and the small town is lively as always.

Typical scene at Aonang.

As we admire the picturesque landscape, a boat appears somewhere along the horizon amidst the stone karst island, which later known to me as the Poda Island.

The boat stops upon reaching the shore to dispatch the passengers, who just come back from their island tour.

Enough with sightseeing, we make a move to the neighboring Nopparat Thara beach, and it seems that the locals prefer this side of the beach as it has longer shorelines, shallow water which is suitable for kids and less touristy compared to Aonang. But we are more attracted to the food stalls across the road, selling seafood fritters.

Among others that caught our attention is the fried prawns and veggie…they look inviting.

With nothing much to see at Nopparat, we return back to the bubbly Aonang. It is almost night time, but we still haven’t decided yet whether to go to Krabi night market or not. Since DH is not comfortable riding all the way to Krabi (due to the passport and licence issue) and I’m a bit reluctant on leaving Aonang (it has its charm on me already) we dump the idea. We saunter along the road and decide to do Aonang night market instead.

The scene at Aonang night market, not much different from that in Malaysia. It has local ambience; we are the only strangers there. Aonang has quite a sizeable muslim community, finding halal foods is no hassle at all. In fact we are spoilt for choices, especially with what the night market has to offer.

Skewed fishcake and sausages dipped in fiery red sauce, they look delicious… (they are indeed, and we repeat to the night market on the second night just to have a taste of them again!)

Assorted Thai rice. Thai is the world’s largest rice exporter, and the most popular is their fragrance rice. We do not buy any though tempted we are, as rice is prohibited by the custom and immigration (they are under the purview of import license).

Fruits, the usual culprit in any night market.

By the time we got out, the bike is overloaded with food – thanks to our huge appetite.

But that’s not the end yet. Later that night we  join the crowd at the nearby stalls in front of the McDonalds. There is no harm in having street dinner especially at Aonang, they are clean and cheap. Off course, halal too.

Dinner is served! We are having Pad Thai tonight, something like our own fried Kuey Teow. The taste is a bit sweet (due to the pound nuts) and sticky; as a fan of spicy food it didn’t get my vote. But that’s just me. There is no shame in trying local foods really, they are as good as experiencing the people and the culture.

Dinner’s over, we are back to our comfy room. I spot the mango sticky rice on the table which we bought at the night market earlier and figure that it would be nice to have it while watching some Thai soap opera. Indeed, it is the best that I’ve tasted anywhere so far! You have to pour the sweet sauce and sprinkle the crunchy fenugreek on top of it, and voila! A nice supper to end the day.

Next: Island Hopping

27th July 2011.

Our final day on the land of the white elephant. We will be going again to Ratanakosin Island to visit the Grand Palace.

Since we only have half day before our flight back to KL in the afternoon, to save the time we take a cab to the Palace. On the way we bypass the Bangkok Chinatown. Chinese is the only race that I know having their own settlement  in almost major city in the world.

The cab stop in front of Wat Pho, and since it is still early and Grand Palace is yet to open, we decide to have a look around.  These are the three of the four main chedis in Wat Pho, dedicated to the four kings of the Chakry Dynasty (King Rama I, II, III and IV).

Wat Pho is one of the oldest wat in Bangkok. It was built 200 years prior to the shifting of the Thai capital from Ayutthaya. It is famous as it houses a gigantic gold plated reclining Buddha and being the first University in Thailand. 

  

 Inside Wat Pho. A monk is giving a morning speech to a group of visiting school kids.

 One of the chedi at Wat Pho.

 On close-up. Intricately decorated with flower motifs made of porcelain, the wat is as beautiful as it is fragile.

Rows of Buddha. The wat houses about thousand Buddha in total, mostly taken from the old kingdom of Ayutthaya and Sukhothai.

The Wat rooftops are decorated with chofa, a typical element of Thai architecture. The wavy decoration resembles the body parts of mystical Buddhism animal such as the garuda (half bird half demon) and the naga (a serpent like animal), the guardians of the holy boundaries. Something like gargoyles that adorns the western church and cathederals, although their function and meaning are different.

The enourmous gold plated sleeping buddha, the major attraction at Wat Pho. His soles are actually inlaid with mother pearls.

The inside of the wat that houses the reclining buddha is decorated with paintings depicting the life and stories of the Buddha.

At the other side of the wall is placed with row of alm bowls. Visitors make their wishes while filling the bowls with loose coins one by one to the last bowl, hoping for a fullfilled prayers.

 A devotee praying at the altar.

 On our way out, we spot a black feline, who made the wat her home.

Another two residents of the wat.

On the way to the Grand Palace, we notice a market selling dried sea products which we decide to pop and see. One of the seller pose for me, with his look I think he could better be in the film industry, instead of dried, salty fish business.

Dried squids.

The entrance to the market.

It is a bit quiet in the market despite the busy street outside, outshined by the grandeur of the nearby Wat Pho and Grand Palace.

Typical scene at the market.

Monks of nearby wat shopping for groceries.

Lotus buds on sell, commonly used for praying.

Massage oils compressed by Wat Pho masseurs and masseuses. Yup, Wat Pho is also the center and school teaching the art of traditional Thai massage, were some of the techniques could be found inscribed on the wall of the temple, dating as old as the reign of King Rama III.

From the market, we continue walking around the high concrete walls and finally arrived at the palace gate. Welcome to the Grand Palace!

The Grand Palace complex was established in 1782 by King Rama I and consists of not only the royal residence and throne halls, but also government office and and the renowned Temple of the Emerald Buddha. Previously, the royal palace and central administration was at Thonburi, located on the other side of the Chao Phraya river.

The entrance fee to the palace costs us 250B each, which we duly paid. Our first experience of the palace is the Wat Phra Keaw, or the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. Upon entering the shrine we are greeted by the giant demon-guardian, Yak.

The walls of the wat are lavishly decorated with paitings of the Ramakian epic, the Thai version of Ramayana.

 Garudas and nagas aligning the wall of Ubosot, the main assembly hall that houses the Emerald Buddha.

Not all that glitters are gold. The ubosot is decorated with golden paint and colorful mosaic mirrors which given it a splash of opulance and grandeur. The whole temple shining and glittering under the hot sun.

A lion statue guarding the main entrance to the Wat of the Emerald Buddha.

Before entering the temple, the devotees dip the lotus buds in the golden tray of holy water,

and sprinkle it on themselves. A cleansing ritual, maybe?

The Emerald Buddha in its summer costume. It is actually made of green jade, and was covered with plaster when founded in a stupa in Chiang Rai, year 1434.  The head monk who made the discovery soon realized that the statue original color and thought it is of emerald, and thus became its namesake.

Outside the ubosot, we caught up with demon gods upholding the golden pagodas. From the look of their faces, it must be really heavy.

Restoration work in progress.

The wat with four different styles of architecture at the upper terrace.

The Royal Pantheon, where the statues of the royal family of the Chakri dynasty are enshrined.

Scattered around the terrace are sculptures of mystical beings, such as the five headed naga.

And the giant demon Yaksha, guarding all the entrances.

But I’m more interested with the bird and the bee, swarming the blooming lotus at the court yard. 

A bird resting on the chofa.

A sneak peek of the Borom Phiman Mansion, the royal residence of King Bhumibol. Visitors are not allowed in; this picture is taken through the gate. I hope I could see a glimpse of His Majesty.

The Chakri Maha Prasat, or the Royal Reception Hall that we pass through on our way out. An english style architecture with a hint of Thai.

A soldier guarding the entrance to the palace, which is well guarded with human and demon alike. Think twice before trespassing.

It is already noon; we have to go back to check out from the hotel and head to the airport to catch our 5.30pm flight to KL. We hop into the boat from Maharaj Pier to the Sathorn Pier, which interlink with BTS station Saphan Thaksin. Above is the view of the Grand Palace complex that we have just visited.

On the other side is Wat Arun, the Temple of the Dawn.

A brief walk outside the Sathorn pier,  we stumble into food stalls serving halal foods, sandwiched in between 7-11 and some shoplots . Midday, and lunch is most welcome.

Our simple lunch, tom yum beehoon and kah feh yen. The sellers do not understand english at all and they don’t have the menu; so we just pointing to our neighbours food. Anything, as long it is halal. The tom yam is a bit different from what we usually ate backhome, a regional version perhaps. The devilish red and spicy that we usually ate is the southern version. Here the tom yam is serves in clear soup; you have to stir with the tom yam paste to get the taste.

Lunch over, we take the BTS back to the hotel and check out. To the airport, we simply take the MRT from Sam Yan to Asok, where we change to skytrain to Phaya Thai station (which interlink with the airport rail line).

The spartan interior of the Suvarnabumi airport. It is quite a walk to the departure hall, plus queuing for check in and immigration is long and troublesome; thus being early for your flight is a good advise (while queuing there are actually a few  overloaded visitors whose done shopping a little bit too much and trying to compromise on the luggage fee – most of our valuable time is wasted waiting for them settling their issues).

While waiting for DH being thoroughly checked by the immigration officers (yup, he’s been requested to remove his belt and some are asked to take out the socks!) I linger around and notice this nice sculpture. On later research I found out it means “The churning of the ocean milk”, one of the important episode in the Mahabrata epic.

FD3575 to Kuala Lumpur is already calling.

At the departure hall, waiting for our flight.

The last view of Suvarnabumi airport before we take off. Good bye Bangkok and till we meet again!

From the Southern Bus terminal, we take a cab to Khao San road, as it is nearby and I was told that there are a few halal joints available. We plan to go to the Ratanakossin Island afterward – if time permits; therefore Khao San would be a good pit stop to refuel with regards to its distance.

Khao San Road in Banglamphoo, or widely known as the backpacker street. Here, farangs can be spotted everywhere.

Thai ubiquitous transport waiting for passengers.

Khao San is famous for two things – cheap and fake items. I’m thinking of getting myself an instant Ph.D from Oxford. Not!

We finally arrive at Aiesah Rosdee, where we have our delayed lunch.

Dumbfounded DH, struggling to select what to eat. All menu look appetizing.

Being typical Malays that cannot survive without carbo diet, we settle with yellow chicken rice and some spring rolls. Not bad at all. Far better from the one that we ate at the MBK food court.

Lunch over, we flag a tuk tuk in front the restaurant and ask for Phra Artit pier.

At the Phra Artit pier, queuing for the boat. The fee is 25bhat one way. For 120bhat, you will get unlimited day ride.

The view inside the boat.

Menam Chao Phraya, a famous name that I first learned (and still remember!) from my high school geography book. The water is a bit choppy today.

Maharaj pier, 5 minutes later.

Outside the pier, we are greeted by street vendors along the way to the Grand Palace.

A hawker selling photos of the royalties.

We notice that the Thais love their king so much, the devotion are reflected everywhere. His majesty can be seen on buildings, billboards, banners, calendars, posters and murals in every corner of the country.

An eerie life-like miniature monks. Note the expression and the skin texture. They look so real.

Too bad it is already 4.30pm when we reach the Grand Palace, and it is already close for the day. So we just spend our time lingering around the market. On the way back to the hotel, we stop by Silom for a stroll at the Patpong night market, something like our own Petaling Street, with exception to the strip bars and ’x-rated’ stuff off course, which Patpong is famous for.

A view inside Patpong, a place to go for if you are looking for not so cheap (depends on your bargain skills) imitation goods and some cheap ‘meat’ for men, women and anything in between.

We have an early start from our hotel as we need to reach Damnoen Saduak before noon, and that is 110km away! Learning from yesterday’s mistake, we ditch the idea of going to Southern Bus terminal at all, and head to the Victory Monument instead.

Victory Monument in the morning, a view from the BTS station.

We are taking minivan to the market, and the starting point is right underneath the BTS. Eventually there is a van going out to Samut Songkhram to deliver some parcels when we reach the counter, of which we are quickly ushered in. Conveniently, we are the only two passengers that morning, and we get the whole van for ourselves.

A view along the way.

10 minutes in the van, and DH already pass out.

On the highway to Samut Songkhram.

Samut Songkhram town. The driver drops the parcel at the intended address and continues driving to the Damnoen Saduak, 16km away. Somewhere along the way, we bypass the junction to Amphawa floating market which is more authentic and less touristy than Damnoen. Unfortunately the opening time is not fitting with our schedule.

Passing the town, the van enters local road and cruise along the countryside. Another 13km to go, and the time shows 9.00am. Good timing.

The pier, 20 minutes later. There are actually many boat agents operating along the canal. We duly paid the driver BHT180 for the two of us, a slight costly compared to the bus, but more reliable, faster and comfortable. And less headache too.

An hour boat ride costs us BHT300 each, a bit pricey but at least we get the whole boat for ourselves.

The boat ride. DH is now fully awake, with our smiling navigator steering at the back.

The klong (canal). The starting point is a bit further from the market, bypassing houses on each sides of the canal. Note the color of the water; it is more like a big drain than a canal, with its reeking smell torturing us.

Houses on the side of the canal. Most of the residents here are farmers, who grow fruits and vegetables to be later sold at the market. The canal is somewhat their life-pulse; irrigation for the crops, means of transports and their day-to-day livelihood depends on it.

Another resident. I wonder how these folks survive the pungent, rubbish strewn water. I believe it is more than rubbish flushes in there.

We bypass a woman bathing by the canal, no offense but we find it a bit disgusting. Perhaps she’s just too used to it; the stinking and foully water do not even bother her.

Ribbons in all hues tied to a tree on the canal side, an offering to the spirit and ghost that haunt the area. I’m suddenly having goosebumps. Although a Buddhist country, animism is still visible, intertwined with religious ceremony and daily activities.

Seating languidly in the boat, enjoying the sight seeing and in the same time avoiding the splashing of the  stinking water.

Colorful bourganvilleas amidst the dirty green,  malodorous water. A sight that sooth the eyes.

At a junction, the boat driver turns left and we arrive at a wider canal. Floating market at last!

King Rama IV had the canal dug during his reign 145 years ago, to connect the Meklong River to the Tacheen River. The interconnecting rivers fertile the surrounding land, thus improving the agricultural economy of the area. Functioning as the trading focal point, the market grew as old as the canal itself.

Typical scene inside the market. Off weekend, and it is a bit calmer.

A long tail boat laden with fruits. I’m already salivating over the fleshy durian, the biggest that I’ve ever set eyes to. Selling at BHT250 per plate, we find the price is a bit ludicrous and the seller refuses the bargain. Have to settle with pomelo and mango instead

Fruits are not the only things that could be found here. A tourist spot is not complete without the trinkets and souvenirs.

Trading modus operandi: The traders will call and pull the tourist boat to its booth with long sticks. If not interested, better avoid eye contact or politely say no. It is very difficult to get away once you are hooked. Sounds familiar?

We bump into a lady selling food. Is that sate? “Sorry we are muslims and we can’t eat that” says I smilingly, and she smiles back, understandingly.

One hour passed and the boatman drops us off at the market pier for us to look around. He then speeds off back to the starting point to collect other visitors. Note the bulky engine; it was actually made for cars!

We sit on a bench at the canal bank, finishing our pomelo and mango and enjoy the picturesque market.

A lady supply fresh banana to another vendor making fritters. Most of the traders here are women.

Birds of paradise sitting in front of the boat. For luck and safe journey, I guess.

Another fruit vendors.

.

Neat arrangement of head covers.

It is almost afternoon, and we decide to search for the exit. An old man sitting guard with an empty gaze; I wonder what’s in his mind.

Exit the place, and we are lead to another tourist trap.

One last glimpse of the floating market before we say goodbye.

Our ride to the nearby town, where we catch our bus back to Bangkok.

The small town of Damnone Saduak, waiting for bus no. 78 to Bangkok. A hot day it is; thank god we are in time to catch our ride.

Few minutes later, inside the bus. Our lady conductor is busy texting her friend. The red two-piece and overdone make up makes us think that we are on board of AirAsia.

Southern bus terminal at last, 2 hours later. We are exhausted over the long and bumpy ride, hungry and smell of diesel. Taking the minivan in the morning is a good idea, indeed.

Ayutthaya was a ancient kingdom that existed from 1351 to 1767, founded by King U Thong in 1350. Officially known as Siam, its zenith was in line with some old Malay sultanates such as Malacca and old Kedah. In order to avoid war and conquest, Malacca befriended the great China and was sending gift in forms of golden flower every year to the King of Siam.  The same fate was not shared by Angkor, another kingdom in Cambodia where they frequently off into battles, which finally led to the fall of Ayutthaya in April 1767.

Upon arriving at Ayutthaya, the first thing that crosses our mind is to check the train schedule back to Bangkok. Actually, I’ve been thinking into getting other mode of transport, nevertheless we still take note of the train timing as our backup plan. 

It seems that trains passing through Ayutthaya on the way to Bangkok every half an hour. Very busy station, indeed. My advise better to check with the station master on the schedule accuracy though. 

While we are busy studying the train timetable and discussing where we should have our lunch, a guy approach us and offer his tuk tuk service. I politely say no, thinking that I might get better bargain outside the station but he is quite adamant. He looks decent, and at BHT200 per hour, his fee is quite reasonable. Since we are already hungry (don’t we always? ) we agree to take his offer. 

Our first tuk tuk ride. Breezy, with a lil’ off balance kinda feeling. 

We requested Bok (our driver) to take us for halal lunch, and he bring us to this eatery. The day is still gloomy, with dark clouds hanging above us. Hope we could still make it.   

While browsing for menu, I find it a bit hilarious. Yeah, mine is pretty meaty, but definitely not salty! LOL!

Pampered with choices; we end-up settle down with the common ones. Despite the names, the food are splendid nonetheless. Our menu of the day in anti-clockwise order: Duck rice, ox tail soup and ‘battery’ drinking water to charge us up.  The rice tastes like chicken rice but I really like the duck! And DH’s oxtail soup is simply marvelous! (really spicy, the way I like it. You can count the chilies). I wonder how ’mine pretty meat salt’ tastes like… **grin** 

Lunch over, and we are back to the reason why we are here at the first place.  Our first step into the UNESCO world heritage site and we are stunned. Wat Chaiwatthanaram is the name, and the view is amazingly breathtaking. 

One of the Prang, with Khmer influence. The trend of the era, I presume. Another theory suggests that the king of the time, King Prasat Thong built this temple to celebrate his recent victory over Angkor. 

Headless Buddha of Wat Chaiwatthanaram. Looters chopped off their heads in search of gold. Most of the paraphernalia  were sold to the antiquities and private collectors. Try watching the Thai movie, Ong Bak.

A path leading to one of the Prang. 

A small buddha inside the Prang, sitting as proxy to original decapitated one.

The bad weather is not so much unfortunate for us, after all.  The reddish ruin stands in total contrast of the dark sky. A bit dramatic, and I like it very much (syok sendiri). 

The three bell-shape chedis at Wat Phra Si Sanphet, storing the ashes and the burial remains of the royalties. 

 Built in the reign of King Boromtrilokanath in 1448 A.D, the complex ground was originally a royal palace. 

The compound was a privilage to the kings, and monks were not even allowed to enter. 

A walkway to what remains of the Wat. 

It is raining heavily, but that could not deter my spirit. 

The bricks of old.  I run my fingers on its rugged face, trying to trace reminiscences of kings and servants of the old days that might have lean on it.

Next, we make a move to the Wat Mahathat, to see ourselves the famous head of the Buddha sandstone nestled in the root of a bodhi tree. A robber after chopping its head, forgot to collect his loot, maybe.

Seems that I’m not the only one admiring it.

The sitting buddha, is the epicenter of the Wat. One and only that miraculously survives the guillotine.

It sits majestically in the presence of others headless members, of which looks like an assembly hall for the deities.

A bird resting on his shoulder, but he keeps on meditating in silence.

Reflection of the same buddha in a pool of  rain water. 

Relics of the past. Close up is the hand and the broken limbs,  or what was left of it.

It is still raining when we leave Wat Mahathat, and on the way back to the town we bypass an elephant ground. A mahout tends his keep.

Others relaxing while waiting for the rain to stops. 

It is already 4.30pm, and we decide it is time to head back to Bangkok. We leave the old city and Bok’s tuk tuk zooms pass the modern Ayutthaya.

Instead of going back to the train station, I ask Bok to drop us at the minivan station, in front of the Spin Bar & Restaurant.

DH and Bok.  A nice chap, speak and understand english and well recommended if you require a guide and driver to get around Ayutthaya.  He usually waits for passenger at the train station and can be contacted via +66 0861294260.

We say goodbye to Bok, pay his tuk tuk service and hop into the minivan. It is almost dusk when we reach Bangkok an hour later. The van driver drops us off at Victory Monument and we pay him BHT60 each. DH need to go to the loo, so we get inside the Fashion Mall next to the station. While waiting for him mending his business I spot a massage parlour and decide to give it a try. Afterall, my feet are all sore and aching from too much walking. At a rate of BHT150 per hour, it is the cheapest that I get (the price usually around BHT300 - BHT400 per hour). Simply ignore my ugly feet.

End of Day 2.

Next: Damnoen Saduak Floating Market.