Green AIT

green ait

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

From Lop Buri to Ayudthaya

A Sunny Trip

by Mystical Orient

No matter what the hot sun was, we packed up quickly and headed up to Lop Buri on a Sunday morning. Waking up at 5:00 am, when most of the other AITians are still sleeping, I got enough time to have a nice breakfast with 2 pieces of German hotdog. My phone rang and a cutie was on the line, telling me that she was ready and waiting by the Grocery.

Participants included Huong cutie, Thuy MC, Phuong baby, Dung chuteu, Vinh blind, Phuong blackcat, Quan tiger, Luong professor, Son silent and Viet Anh fisherman.

Huong cutie, don't you agree?

The van was heading northwards right away to the sunflower field, where both sun and flowers are covering the whole field with strong vivid yellow. Overthere, Lop Buri was was waiting for us.

Lop Buri, formerly known as "Lawo", was one of the important ancient towns of the Khmers from the 10th-13th century. Many Khmer ruins are found in and around this town. During the Ayutthaya period, King Narai the Great established Lop Buri as the second capital with the help of French architects. Most of the architecture of that time reflects the mixture of Thai and Western styles.

Imagine we would have to travel only 153 km from AIT to reach an area of 6,199 sq km with lots of beautiful sunflowers.

5:45 am departed, 7:05 am we reached to Muak Lek, 30 more minutes, the first sunflower field appeared in front of our eyes. Needless to say that much, our girls were so excited to jump out of the car and disappear under the yellow field. However, the driver seemed to be kidding with his thought of a better field ahead, just to satisfied the most adorable girls he's ever served. We'd passed several fields with so much exciting view to finally be back in the first field because it was really the best field of sunflowers in the province.

Sunflower field some 45 km from the town, Thailand's largest sunflower plantation in Amphoe Phatthana Nikhom attracts all passersby when the flowers are in full bloom from November to January.

No complain about the burning sun above, all chaps crazily posing and taking photo as the field would vanish in an hour. My cowboy hat suddenly became an accessories for our beauties while the old head moaning under the sun.

Great field, great girls and boys. Great for me as well to accomplish the promise to Huong cutie that I would photograph her someday.

Sun or flower?

Welcome to Lop Buri

Shining together

Can't turn away from you

A real cowboy

Thuy MC and the mic

My cowboy hat is on her

She gave me a warm smile, hotter than the sun and ...

... and poses like and model

Nobody refuses to swim in a yellow river like this

Don't want to boast to you guys, people liked my photographs and so I had so much chance to take their pictures. In fact, I should be thankful to my friends who allowed me to take their pictures. One day, if I became some kinda "big boss" or "hi-so", those pictures will be expensive in public auctions.

Incredibly beautiful

And so she told me "you gave me a wonderful day"

This reminds me about the music band "the trio... chubby"

Phuong baby chubby inda field

Old friends

Look at me, my blindie!

The field isn't vast but it's really beautiful

Not another Chokchai Farm

And here is Quan tiger with my cowboy hat

Wish to be the flower... hehe.

If you have never been there, you should arrange your time and visit it once. This opportunity lasts only 2 months a year, from November to January.

Remember to find a big group of friends, from 10-14 people. Rental price for a van per day is 1500-1800 Baht. You have to fill petrol for the car. A trip from Bangkok to Lop Buri, passing through Ayudthaya on the way back, will cost estimately 800 Baht for petrol.

Some may ask "what else can we do overthere in the sunflower field?". I think the main purpose of the trip is taking picture and having fun with friends. However, you can taste soft drink made from sunflower pollen or beetroot. Buying some packs of sunflower seeds for friends is not a bad idea. It's really delicious.

It's so romantic if you are with your beloved...

But don't worry, even with your commanders, it's quite great

I'll follow the sun

The whole group

Leaving sunflower field, we turned on another direction to Pasak dam. It's a large water reservoir. Water comes through terracotta pipes from Tha-le Chupson, a large freshwater lake which supplied drinking water to the inhabitants of Lop Buri. Visitors can take picture with a large beautiful view of the dam and buy ticket for a ride on a long windowless bus around the area. Dam tour fee was 22 Baht per head.

And so she leans on the grass for a pose

Wish I could fly

Don't blame me because she's cute

License to kill

Brothers

Welcome to Pasak Dam

Kingkong and the beauty

Great friends, great time

Panorama view (click image for large size)

The dam tour took 30 minutes for one round. From the bus, we could enjoy great view of the dam even the two little girl conductors gave introduction in Thai language. The dam was on the left side while down on the right the down stream was. A large area of the province is about 15 m under the water level with vast grass land and plenty of cows eating grass. Under the shadow of a large tree, one cowboy sleeping on his motobike, guarding the animal husbandry work. There was no image of a cowboy with a leather hat and a big horse, just only an old man on his motobike (perhaps to call it his horse) and a stained cap. If you have come there, you should not miss this tour.

We had lunch in a restaurant near the entry of the dam. It looked more likely a food court than a restaurant. However, good food could be found there with river shrimp, fish, squid and many other stuff. We all savored good food and cool air from the dam. Nobody complained about the price as it costed only 100 Baht per head. What a country side restaurant!

In our tentative plan, we intended to visit a waterfall nearby - Nam Tok Wang Kan Luang. In the last minutes, another idea came to us that bended the wheel to another direction - Ayudthaya. No vote, everybody agreed that could be the last destination before heading back to AIT. As it was on the way home, Ayudthaya seemed to be the best choice we'd ever made that day.

In 1350, King Uthong established a new capital of Siam at Ayudthya.

Ayudthaya served as a capital of Siam (as the country was called until 1932) for about 400 years. During Ayudthaya period, Siam fell to the Burmese power twice. After the first time, Ayudthaya was restored as the capital of the country. However, after the Burmese's second successful invasion, Ayudthaya was destroyed beyond recovery. A new capital city was established in Thon Buri by King Taksin.

Originally, Ayudthaya was lying on one side of Chao Praya's river bank. King Uthong ordered his commanders to bend the river and open it to make Ayudthaya an island surrounded by this river to protect the city. Nowadays, there have been two bridges connecting this former capital with the neighborhood.

3:30 pm, we got to Ayudthaya. Being aware of time shortage, we decided to visit only the ancient city. Camera men got ready and the modelers on the way to pose.

Destroyed long ago, the remaining of Ayudthaya's structure still captures the glimpse of a historical city in the past.

Entrance fee is 30 Baht per head.

Stupa used to be a religious symbol of Buddhism. Under this monument, relics of the Buddha are kept. The center is a raised temple which is usually surrounded by a series. Standing on the stupa is prohibited.

Nothing is completely remained until today after the destroying campaign by ancient Burmese troop.

This site attraction has drawn thousands of visitors per year to learn about Siam history.

We wished to have more time to visit many other sites such as elephant training camp, Nirvana Budha (obliqued Buhda statue), and also enjoy sea food on a riverside restaurant. Anyway, one day with full schedule from Lop Buri to Ayudthaya seemed to be enough for all. Perhaps, we will be back here one day soon. Our buddies from AIT said we could come here again on Songkran festival (13-15 April annually).

MO's Angels

We got back to AIT around 6:30 pm. Thank you all friends for a wonderful day trip. Imagine for this trip, including lunch, each person had spent 450 Baht only (14 USD). Hurry up for your own trip!!!!

Wish to be with you again soon.

Reported by Mystical Orient
25 December 2007

Posted by Mystical Orient

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6 Comments:

At January 25, 2008 at 11:43 PM , Anonymous said...: Cảm ơn anh rất nhiều về chuyến đi nhé. Nhất là cái khoản không còn con mụn nào trên mặt em í. Cơ mà tính 1 Baht/1 mụn thì em cắp nón về Vn xin tiền mama sớm thui.
At January 25, 2008 at 11:48 PM , Anonymous said...: Quên nữa anh, vụ cái nón tác nghiệp của anh nữa. Chủ nhật này nàng Hương về AIT bọn em "đền" cho nhé.
At January 26, 2008 at 10:11 AM , Mystical Orient said...: Được đi chơi cùng nhóm em vui quá rồi còn đòi hỏi gì nữa? Hy vọng sau này còn có dịp đi chơi tiếp.
At March 8, 2008 at 3:23 PM , Rukato Villa said...: Vui và hoành tráng quá anh nhỉ! Tiếc là bây giờ không còn hoa hướng dương để mà chụp nữa rồi!
At June 8, 2009 at 12:46 AM , Anonymous said...: Xem lai hinh a Phuong chup cong nhan dep that do nha. Trong tui em o ngoai xau om ma len hinh cung ngon lanh qua, dung la dai ca P chup co khac :) Thanks anh nhieu. Van chua den anh cai cowboy hat tac nghiep, chac chan se den trong mot ngay khong xa
At December 7, 2016 at 6:53 AM , A.S said...: Hi,

Just a quick check. You don't do trips, right? :)

This was a group outing among friends.

Regards,
A.S