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Thailand #3
Jan. 3rd, 2017 11:41 pmDay 5 - Sukothai
On 1st December I woke up at Sukothai Heritage Resort, stepped outside into the sunshine and enjoyed looking at the beautiful pools full of lotus flowers, hanging orchids and dragonflies. What a wonderful way to start December! We boarded our bus and set off for Sukothai Historical Park, a set of absolutely stunning ruins framed by pools full of bright pink lotus blossoms. We had the option of travelling around the site by bicycle or motor transport but as it was so hot we chose motorised and got chauffeured around on some sort of reverse rickshaw - motorbike at the back for the driver and seats on the front for us! At the park instead of lots of towering stupa, we saw giant Buddha statues set amongst columns and highly decorated stonework covered in carvings of dancers and devotees. A couple of really rather grand standing Buddhas were so gigantic they had walls built around them which I assumed were to hold them up. It sort of gave the impression that they were standing in cupboards though! This was the first capital of the kingdom of Siam, so an important place and a completely different style. It was also the only place we were able to go inside a stupa - and although a little small and dungeony, still interesting to finally look up and see the wooden structures supporting the tower interior.
( We visit some farms, meet a hill tribe and feed some monks... )
On 1st December I woke up at Sukothai Heritage Resort, stepped outside into the sunshine and enjoyed looking at the beautiful pools full of lotus flowers, hanging orchids and dragonflies. What a wonderful way to start December! We boarded our bus and set off for Sukothai Historical Park, a set of absolutely stunning ruins framed by pools full of bright pink lotus blossoms. We had the option of travelling around the site by bicycle or motor transport but as it was so hot we chose motorised and got chauffeured around on some sort of reverse rickshaw - motorbike at the back for the driver and seats on the front for us! At the park instead of lots of towering stupa, we saw giant Buddha statues set amongst columns and highly decorated stonework covered in carvings of dancers and devotees. A couple of really rather grand standing Buddhas were so gigantic they had walls built around them which I assumed were to hold them up. It sort of gave the impression that they were standing in cupboards though! This was the first capital of the kingdom of Siam, so an important place and a completely different style. It was also the only place we were able to go inside a stupa - and although a little small and dungeony, still interesting to finally look up and see the wooden structures supporting the tower interior.
( We visit some farms, meet a hill tribe and feed some monks... )