Bangkok Palaces and flooded Ayutthaya

After some party on Friday (05.11.) I went for sightseeing on Saturday with some cute friend^^ We started with the Vimanmek Mansion - a palace made all of teak wood. A great building with real charm and some superb interior. Unluckily taking pictures inside was forbidden :(
Just next to it the Abhisek Dusit Throne Hall we only watched from outside.
Our way led us to the Ananta Samakhon Throne Hall, Dusit Palace - a huge European styled building. This definitely did not feel like Thai, at least not from outside^^ Inside it was holding an exhibition of some of Thailand's finest arts. And indeed they were breathtaking.

Vimanmek Mansion

Abhisit Dusit Throne Hall

King Rama V and Ananta Samakhon Throne Hall

Kingdom V Arts Exhibition

The next day (Sunday, 07.11.) Rose and I went to Ayutthaya. A cheap ride on the train (20baht pP.) for 1.5h and we arrived in Ayutthaya. But already the last 30min felt like going by boat instead of train, just because everything to the left and right of the train was flooded. After the heavy rainfalls in October the whole area was heavily flooded end of October. The water levels are decreasing, so the area is accessible again. But still major areas are flooded and people have to go to their houses by boat or have to live on the street. Astonishing and sad. But I can't remember when I saw so extremely friendly and helpful people the last time. We were shown a way to flooded Wat Gaidia and a local offered us a free boat ride, but we refused due to instability of the boat :P People helped us to organize transport on the small buses (songthaew) so we could get around for cheap money (7baht within Ayuthaya centre, more to go outside - 24 to Wat Kaidia)... but the Tuktuks wanted to charge 100baht within the centre^^  This kind of super friendly people is what Thailand is about, unluckily capitalism and media delusion drive more and more people crazy.

We visited some fine ancient temples - I can't recall all the names :P Most amazing was the Buddha head in the tree of Wat Mahathat and the 3 pagodas of Wat Phra Si Sanphet. Ayutthaya is a fine place to escape Bangkok and enjoy some temples and ruins between lush green.

Flooded area - some small houses are completely under water

Farms are on the street now :(

Path to Wat Kaidia

Monk going by boat around Wat Kaidia and dogs staying at the few dry spots

Rose and the Buddha head at Wat Mahathat

That is how Thailand is advertised - stunning :)

Me at Wat Phra Si Sanphet

3 pagodas of Wat Phra Si Sanphet

Puppies protecting Buddha!

or Buddha protecting puppies? :D