sukhothai

Day 35. Just got back from Sukhothai. They did have the internet as it turned out, and many other things besides, but last night I was too tired to blog anything.

Sukhothai didn't disappoint, and made a charming change of pace from being couped up in big chaotic Bangkok. The weather was cooler than I've experienced over the past 5 weeks, and that was a welcome relief.

Sukhothai, which means 'dawn of happiness,' was the first Thai capital. Established in the 13th Century it remained the capital until it was superseded by Ayuthaya a couple of hundred years later. Didn't get burnt down or invaded, it was just the victim of quicker progress further south. Lot's of original buildings from the city remain.

During my day there I went first to the Ramkhamhaeng National Museum to do a little research and then hit the compound containing all the ancient temples and monuments. Like most of the museums I've been in here, I found plenty of Buddha statues, and not much explanation of what anything was, other than labels printed with statements such as: 'A Buddha.'

After the museum, knowledge now in my possession, I proceeded to the religious ruins themselves. You name it Sukhothai has it. Your Wats. Your Chedi. Your Stupas. Even a Praang (of Hindu origin).

The site covers a few square kilometres so I hired a bicycle outside the entrance to get me around. It took me a couple of hours but I got through: Wat Mahathat, Wat Sri Sawai, Wat Sa Sri, The Monument of King Ramkhamhaeng, and a couple of other Chedi that caught my eye as I did my rounds. Time was also added by my cycling out of the compound and getting temporarily lost.

If you ever make it Sukhothai way, I'd like to suggest you go to the Chopper Bar and Restaurant, which is where I retired to in the evening. The Chopper Bar has a motorbike theme to it, but they also have lots of large pictures of Che Guevara, inappropriately surrounded with American flags, on the walls. Not sure why he's up there with all the Harley's? Perhaps because of 'The Motorcycle Diaries'?

The Chopper Bar and Restaurant is eclectic, unsual, and friendly, and that's what's good about it. It's staff are cut from the same cloth.

I'm still thinking about my visit now, more specifically about the lovely but slightly mad waitress who served me. She - a pretty Thai woman - came over and gave me a menu. I took it and said, 'hello, can I have a coke please?'

'Yes, ok,' she replied, smiling sweetly, 'and what you like to drink?'

'A coke,' I said again with a feeling of deja vu.

'Some water or something? Water?'

'Co - ca - Co - la?' I said slowly, but not rudely, adding, 'could you give me a minute to look through the menu?' She nodded in the affirmative, so eager to please. No coke came.

The evening went on this way, everything I requested or asked about was confused or mixed up, but in the nicest possible way, and by the most well meaning person. The confusion wasn't down to the language barrier, she spoke English well enough, and I was having a bash with a bit of Thai. Trust me: there was just something about the way she went about things, almost Basil Faultyish, which made things get worse and worse and more and more confused. Like Basil, she refused to admit that things were going completely wrong, and plugged on and on relentlessly, only adding new layers to our confusion. I wish I could go there this evening so she could screw up my order but I'm back down here in the heat.

Anyway, this is all extraneous information. Stats. Hotel No. 7: was the J and J Guesthouse, Room B7, Sukhothai. Hotel No.8 tonight: is the Bella Bella Guesthouse on Thanon Rambutri, Bangkok, Room 301 (not Room 103 - which I spent about 20 minutes trying to unlock before realising that I was holding the key ring upside down). I can't handle it in the Chada Guesthouse on Khao San Road anymore so I've retired somewhere quieter, nearer the river, and more appropriate for a man of my dignity and stature i.e. 3 quid a night.

Also, have finished all four books of The Hitch-hikers Guide to the Galaxy and I've started reading The Comedians by Graham Greene. I'm hoping to knock it off pretty quickly, so I can exchange it locally for something about Cambodian history.

Finally, before I forget him forever, I'd also like to note that on the 7 hour bus journey back down here today I spent about 6 hours and 55 minutes being talked at by an American man from Phoenix, Arizona, about international imports, Cambodian insurgency, traffic police in Arizona, and 'King of the Hill.' If I am quite frank I spent about 6 hours and 54 minutes wishing he would shut up, and let me get on with chapter 5 of The Comedians. Have already forgotten the poor fellow's name but would like to note our brief meeting nonetheless.