Ayutthaya, Ratchaburi, Phetchaburi and Cha Am

This was a busy trip as Mam had lots of work to do on the way down and back and in Cha Am

First stop was Ayutthaya where I wandered around some of the fantastic ruins. This is Wat Phra Ram.

Fern growing out of a brick foundation.

Almost all of the Buddha images are missing heads and other parts.

Wat Langkhadum

Wat Nok

Coffee Break at Coffee Old City

Wat Khun Muang Jai

AKA วัดกล้วย (Wat Banana)

Wat Khun Muang Jai

Lunch at Malakor Café and Restaurant (ร้านมะละกอ)

For some time now I've wanted to visit Wat Mahathat Worawihan in Ratchaburi. We were driving by, so took some time to look around. This Buddhist temple was originally constructed during the Dvaravati period around the 11th century. It was later modified by the Khmer during the reign of Jayavaraman in the late 11th century. At that time the laterite wall (shown above) was built.

All along the top of the wall are these sandstone Buddha images. They are somewhat crude but all in the same style. I wanted to see these to compare them with similar images I've seen at Wat Kham Talay Soh in Korat.

These are at Wat Kham Talay Soh in Korat. No longer on top of a wall, they are now on the alter of a recently preserved ubosot. I'm sure that at one time these sandstone carvings were on top of a large laterite wall surrounding an ancient Dvaravati temple at Wat Kham Talay Soh. Although not much is left at Wat Kham Talay Soh, there is a pice of what was probably a two meter long sandstone lintel which must have been above the doorway of a very large building. No one is studying this place, so I guess we'll never know.

Current Buddhist Temple at Wat Mahathat

Khmer prang (tower) at Wat Mahathat. This prang has many Hindu images including Siva, Garuda and Indra.

Buddha images at Wat Mahathat, Ratchaburi

Mam pours hot wax into a mold to make a candle.

Lunch at our favorite seafood spot: Kruea Pa Maew

Every afternoon a few laps in the pool and then relax time.

Bang Kwai, also known as Sai Yoi, is a fishing village south of Cha Am. For some reason, this is my favorite boat. Never seen it in the water.

A big service station is being built near the entrance to our condo. It will have a Shell station, Lawson minimart, restaurant and lots of shops.

Future restaurant.

I often have morning coffee at Raya Coffee, part of Raya Resort.

Cha Am Little Shop and Resort - A great place for lunch. Note the crowds.

Cha Am Little Shop and Resort

Horse Claim Raising Bridge at Cha Am Fishing Harbor

On my weekly long bicycle ride at the giant custard apple north of Cha Am

Wat Thung Setthi - A Dvaravati period (11th century?) chedi. There was once a modern wat here which encroached on the ancient site, so was removed. Some bits remain.

Typical limestone karst topography at Khao Nang Phanturat Forest Park

Macaques on the road

Rice almost ready for harvest

New coffee spot in Cha Am at the beach end of Soi Bus Stop. Nice place, beautifully appointed, decent coffee. I think the name is just Cha Am Coffee.

Sunrise on the beach

Sunrise umbrellas at Thew Talay Estate

Looking north. Khao Yai (Big Montain) on the left. Cha Am condos on the right. The lights are on Patchakasem Highway.

Lunch at Jot Potchana, Cha Am branch

Another beach sunrise. They just keep on coming.

Phra Nakhon Khiri (Khao Wang)

Mam had to go into Petchaburi for some work. So, I decided to climb up to Phra Nakhon Khiri (Khao Wang) which is a limestone hill in town which has a castle (summer palace), museum and several Buddhist monuments. The complex was ordered built by King Rama IV (Mongkut) in the 1850s.

This is a rest stop on the way up the hill. Interesting architecture and not very Thai.

I had visited the palace and museum on a previous visit so decided to visit the Buddhist chedis which I hadn't seen.

Palace and museum in the distance.

The well-known Red Chedi

Buddha Image inside the Red Chedi

View from Wat Phra Kaeo Noi, which is a replica of the emerald Buddha temple in Bangkok

Panorama from Wat Phra Kaeo Noi

On the way back to Cha Am we stopped for lunch at The Army Sanitarium at Chaosamran Beach. This is actually sort of a military retreat that is open to the public. The lunch was good and huge.