AYUTTHAYA: after 2 days in Bangkok we travelled to Ayutthaya, an ancient capital 70km North. Noise and pollution in Bangkok was getting to us:

- Motorway driving: there does not seem to be many respected laws. You change lanes whenever you feel like it, drive on the urgency lane if traffic stops and the urgency lane is still drivable, not many bikers wear helmets (why would you!!!) and overtake and slalom as if they could not die. It is even better when 3 people ride one motorcycle with no helmet. I had read in the guide books not too look at the at the motorway when you are sitting in a minibus... I should have listened.

- Temples: spent the morning cycling around the city ancient temples. As the city centre is an island surrounded by 3 rivers, we took a boat in the afternoon to discover more amazing temples and circle the island. The last Temple we visited  on the river bank (Wat Chaiwatthanaram) is truly majestic and impressive, a shame we had so little time to stop and get a feel for the place. 

- The Siamese kingdom in Ayutthaya must have been something, but they were defeated by the Burmese in 1767 and the city destroyed.

- Our collection of Buddha pictures is growing: smiling baby Buddha, obese Buddha, stretching Buddha, laughing Buddha...