The Temples of Thailand – Writer. Traveler. Tea Drinker.

So I spent a lot of time looking at ancient cities and temples of Thailand. You’d think I’d get sick of it, living in China (where I’ve seen enough temples to last a lifetime), but I still like it. And in Thailand they are so different.
The only word that comes to mind is bling. Thai temples tend to be covered in shiny, shiny. Pieces of mirror, silver, gold, red jewels, blue jewels, green jewels. I’m not sure if they are real, or just colored glass, but it certainly gives it a festive feel.
Besides the bling, the temples are just brighter and more colorful than in China. Monks wear bright orange robes, not mustard yellow, and everything is draped in bright orange and yellow cloth. In one temple I saw a horde of workers trying to fold up fabric that had been covering a giant 100-foot buddha statue.
I also saw the ancient side of Thailand in Sukhothai and Ayutthaya. These are the former capitals of Thailand and they now are filled with crumbling buildings, buddhas missing heads and lots of history. At both towns you get a map and a bike and just ride around looking at the past.
Instead of talking about these places in painful detail I’ll just show you some pictures!

The Big Buddha in Sukothai. While it's not actually the biggest buddha in the country, it is quite tall and has this beautiful slender hand. — The Big Buddha in Sukothai. While it’s not actually the biggest buddha in the country, it is quite tall and has this beautiful slender hand.

In the oldest and largest Bangkok temple, Wat Pho, lies the largest budda image. His toes are inlay with mother-of-pearl and his body is blinded out with gold leaf paint. The temple is also the birthplace of traditional Thai Massage and wanting to respect the culture I partook in a 30 minute massage performed by some of the most traditional practitioners. It was amaaaaaahhhzing. — In the oldest and largest Bangkok temple, Wat Pho, lies the largest budda image. His toes are inlay with mother-of-pearl and his body is blinged out with gold leaf paint.
The temple is also the birthplace of traditional Thai Massage and wanting to respect the culture I partook in a 30 minute massage performed by some of the most traditional practitioners. It was amaaaaaahhhzing.

The ancient tombs of 3 kings. — The ancient tombs of 3 kings in Sukhothai.

At most temples you can buy small pieces of gold leaf to put on the statues of buddhas to give yourself luck. It was so thin some of the pieces would kind of flutter off, giving the statues a unique shedding appearance. (But adding to the overall bling affect.)

This buddha, in Ayutthaya once witnessed what many called "the greatest city in the world," and now sits silent in decaying ruins being photographed by tourists. — This buddha, in Ayutthaya, once witnessed what many called “the greatest city in the world,” and now sits silent in decaying ruins being photographed by tourists.

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