Surrounded by three rivers converging, the island of Ayuthaya was once the capital and cultural centre of Thailand from 1350 to 1767. Now a UNESCO heritage site, it is home to several sets of ruined Wats (a Buddhist temple/monastery).
Consequently, travellers from all over the world come here to sweat their balls off cycling from Wat to Wat in the searing heat with the only shade taken up by the resident packs of rabid dogs.
Fortunately for us, however, we decided to start our own cycling tour in the evening while the Wat were closed. After a shaky start, getting lost and then chased by a pack of dogs we found ourselves at Wihaan Phra Mongkhon Bophit and bribed the security to let us in while it was still lit.
There were owls and large fruit bats roaming the sky. Zhenia caught one on camera flying past one of the Praang.
Towards the end, Pat got spiritual. There can be only one!
The next day was hot but we sucked it up and got on our bikes. Here's the Chedi at Wat Phra Ratburana.
One of the many mange dogs relaxing after a busy night in the shade.
Zhenia looks serene at Wat Phra Mahathat.
One of the major tourist snapshots - the Buddha head engulfed in tree roots.
A grumpy and sweaty Pat sits in the shade after we cut the tour short in favour of drinking beer.
We thought it was a branch floating by until we realized that there's no current in the moat. A four foot monitor lizard.
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