Chapter 10 - Ayuthaya, Thailand

Ayuthaya is the oldest place I've ever been. It is the ancient capitol of Thailand, which was called Siam back then. It is an island of sorts surrounded by rivers which provided protection for centuries. Siamese warriors would fight from the backs of Elephants and apparently they did alright for themselves because this used to be one of the most spectacular cities in the world. It is covered with ruins of Buddhist Wats (temples). I could spend weeks walking around this place and never see all of the Wats. Considering they've lasted for hundreds of years is a testament to how well they were built. They are all 100% brick and mortar and they usually were built under the direction of the Siamese kings. I've included more pictures in this chapter because I couldn't put my camera down. Incredible things were everywhere. This is the Chao Phraya river that circles the city.


This is Tony's place, the hotel the I'm staying at. Very nice and it only costs about $7 a night. Food is similarly cheap and very good.

Although elephants don't have the military effectiveness that they once did, they are impressive up close. For how big they are they walk quickly and silently.

Elephant drivers should pay more attention to what they are doing. To be using your cell phone while driving is wreckless!

I'm not sure if these fish are intended to be pets or snacks.

The rest of this posting will be a slideshow of some of the places I checked out. Since Budhism was the official religion of Ancient Siam, I'm going to quote from my Budhhist book I'm reading. Hope you like it...

Fourth Truth: The Noble Truth Of The Path That Leads To The Extinction of Suffering.

The Two Extremes And The Middle Path

TO GIVE oneself up to indulgence in sensual pleasure, the base, common, vulgar, unholy, unprofitable;

and also to give oneself up to self-mortification, the painful, unholy, unprofitable:

both these two extremes the Perfect One has avoided,

and found out the Middle Path,

which makes one both to see and to know,

which leads to peace,


to discernment,

to enlightenment,

to Nirvana.

The Eightfold Path

It is the Noble Eightfold Path, the way that leads to the extinction of suffering, namely:

Right Understanding,

Right Mindedness, which together are Wisdom

Right Speech

Right Action,

Right Living, which together are Morality.

Right Effort,

Right Attentiveness,

Right Concentration, which together are Concentration

This is the Middle Path which the Perfect One has found out, which makes one both to see and to know,

which leads to peace, to discernment, to enlightenment , to Nirvana.

Free from pain and torture is this path, free from groaning and suffering; it is the perfect path.

Truly, like this path there is no other path to the purity of insight.

If you follow this path, you will put an end to suffering

But each one has to struggle for himself, the Perfect Ones have only pointed the way.

Give ear then, for the Immortal is found.

I reveal, I set forth the Truth.

As I reveal it to you, so act!

And that supreme goal of the holy life, for the sake of which

sons of good families rightly go forth from home to the homeless state:

this you will,

in no long time,

in this very life,

make known to yourself, realize, and make

your own.

- Thanks for Reading -