AYUTTHAYA

An hour north of Bangkok, Ayutthaya served as the Siamese royal capital from 1350 to 1767.  It also marks the spot where we stopped vacationing and started traveling.  Goodbye, sandy white beaches, palm trees, great bars and discos.   Farewell, Tsunami- discounted four-star hotel rooms and an English- friendly atmosphere!  Hello, mosquitoes, roaches, and confusing maps.  But these hardships—and the lack of any nightlife—were a worthwhile sacrifice to experience Ayutthaya’s Wats and night-markets.

I don't think we were officially "permitted" to climb this Wat (left), and the 200+ schoolchildren on their fieldtrip from Bangkok were quite amused by our antics.

We saw these Wats on a boat tour, by the way.

Keith prayed at the Big Budha (left).

I preferred the smaller ones.

The night market was a highlight.   You can choose from among 50+ small stands, selling all sorts of unique foods.  We grazed here for about 2 hours and staggered home about 3 pounds heavier and $1.24 poorer.  Then we took the night bus to Chang Mai.