Dawn of Happiness

Day2 (31 January 2010). Sukhothai Historical Park - UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site.

After an exhilarating day of Microlight (still high over the excitement), we manage to keep our insanity intact and purchased the bus tix to Sukhothai for the next day. Yeah! It’s a crazy worldwind adventure as mentioned in my Facebook - 1-day-1 city Siam. How it works (more like how I “smartly” planned this tiresome trip in the maximus-kiasuism way) is…. Jeng jeng jeng…

1st Day - Chiang Mai
2nd Day - Sukhothai
3rd Day - Avatar (even though it's not a city NOR a country but in my own little world; it's A whole new continent that I wish to visit! ahhahahah)
4th Day - Pattaya
5th Day - Bangkok

The major new site will be Sukhothai ofcos since I’ve never been there before, I mean... I've even been to "Avatar" 3 times (2x 3D and 1x IMAX 3D in Bangkok, it does count right!?!?!).

It’s a 5hours journey which departs at 7am, meaning… MEANING I have to wake up at 5AM and shower, and get ready and pack and call for a cab…it’s about 10mins trip from hotel to Arcade Bus Station. *Oh! I blogged on Day1 till 2am in the morning… thus sleep was much deprived of*.

Nothing great of the journey, slept half the way; nothing great about Sukhothai Bus Station either - almost deserted. Apparently it’s more laid back then Ayutthaya…. Wow! (you can check out my entry on Ayutthaya and the sunflower trip here).

Upon arrival, we enquire on how to go about in Sukhothai as we planed to cabut to Bangkok (or should I say Avatar IMAX 3D the next day). The lady at Lotus Village was very helpful and she even manage by sheer of luck) got us the best tuk tuk driver to take us around (he can’t speak a word of English BUT was very accommodative - SWEETNESS).

Oh yah! A little bit about this place that am staying in, it kinda reminds me of Baan Lotus in Ayutthaya but slightly more expensive… Lotus Village is owned by a French guys, friendly and nice obviously. It’s a walking distance to the night market and you’ll get tuk tuk or song thaw waiting for customers outside the gate. I believe it takes about 5-10mins walk to the main roadside if you want to catch the bigger government bus; but I suggest the tuk tuk will do. We took a fan-room (basically non-aircon lar since we figured that northern Thai will still have the cool weather this early part of the year thus we shall NOT waste money :p ), with this “judgement” call I official declare myself as “smart” hahahahha…..

Why Sukhothai right? OK, a little fact….

Sukhothai meaning the Dawn of Happiness was a town founded in the 13th century on the fringe of the Khmer empire. With an area of 6,596 square kilometres, is about 427 kilometres north of Bangkok, and was founded in 1238. Sukhothai was the capital of Thailand for approximately 120 years. Sukhothai province is most famous for its historical city of Sukhothai, the first capital of Siam founded by King Ramkhamhaeng. The province’s temples and monuments have been restored well and Sukhothai Historical Park – a place with numerous sites of historical interest has been made into a UNESCO World Heritage Site. During its golden age, Sukhothai was the centre for administration, religion, and economy. The original city was surrounded by walls with 4 city gates.

And you know lar, anything that spells UNESCO, I will go (gee! It rhymes). The kind tuk tuk driver took us to 1st “wat” (temple/chedi) - Wat Si Chum. The pavilion and denoting a small square temple building used to house minor images or religious texts. is 32 metres square and 15 metres high, and the walls are 3 metres thick. And here is where we met the German uncle… will share more.

Next - Wat Phra Phai Luang; the largest temple outside the city walls, and is second only to Wat Mahathat in size. In fact, the temple is older than the city, and was most likely built late in the 12th century during the reign of the great Khmer king, Jayavarman VII (the king who had Angkor Thom built). The German uncle is doing world travel via land and still short of Indo-China countries. Been traveling in this Merc for the last 20 years in seems.

Wat Saphan Hini is situated on a hill 200 meters high. A pathway of slate slabs leads to the sanctuary yard. Sis dare not climb that high and eventually the sumimasens overtook her… hehehheee….

Wat Chesiphon - A pavillion enshrines four Buddha images in different postures: sitting, standing, walking, and reclining. The outer walls of the still retains a section in the form of a slate pillar-balustraded window. Strangely I was more fascinated with the whole compound… reminded me of the Forum in Rome. Weird huh!

The one that I have been wanting to visit in Ayuthayya but ran out of time. Wat Mahathat is Sukhothai's largest temple with a customary main Chedi in lotus-bud shape and a ruined Wihan. Its main Buddha image (8 metres high) was installed inside a separate building.

This is one of my favourite shots - Wat Si Sawai. Three prangs (pagodas) are surrounded by a laterite wall. Inside the wall, the viharn in the west, built of laterite, is separated from the main prang which was constructed in the Lop Buri or Hindu-style, but the other also constructed beside the prangs are Buddhist viharns.

This is the part where my sis and I got a liiiiiittle bit overdose with all the “wat”s. Wat Traphang-Ngoen with its square pedestal, main sanctuary, and stucco standing Buddha image in four niches. There is a viharn in front, and in the east of the pond, there is an island with an ubosot.

We were kinda relieve when we found out this is the last “wat” of the day… phew… Wat Chang Lom located to the north of with a bell-shaped chedi of Ceylonese influence standing as the centre. The chedi is situated on a 3-tiered square base with a platform decorated with a row of elephants seen by their front halves supporting the round chedi. A huge bell-shaped Chedi supported by 39 elephants, with 4 of them at 4 cardinal points elaborately decorated, marks the centre of the temple.

We're still wondering “wat” were we doing…. Such an overdosed... nevertheless; enjoyed the pics taking time!!!

“Wat”ever it is, its a totally cool UNESCO site… you need to visit it yourself to understand the MAMMONTH SIZE of this site. It was the right choice hiring the tuk tuk, via bike coverage would probably take 2-3 days.

Hyperlink credits : Wikipedia, UNESCO