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Time Traveling on a Bicycle
 Sukhothai,
which means “Dawn of Happiness,” also marked the dawning
of the first Siamese Kingdom and the birth of the Thai language.
Once an outpost of the Khmer empire, they were driven out by the
Siamese who established their first Kingdom here in 1238. It was
a golden age for classical art, architecture and Buddhism. To traverse
these magnificent ruins in the Sukhothai
Historical Park –
Thailand’s equivalent of
Angkor Wat – rent a mountain bike for a pittance.
You can also cycle leisurely past dozens of remnants from the next
Siamese empire, Ayutthaya, in
its “Ancient City,” or scattered around the town, and
hugging the banks of the rivers, which form a natural moat around
what was once considered the most glorious town and trading port
in Asia. And well-appointed museums in the city give an overview
of the Kingdom’s 400-year-plus reign.
There are not many towns in the world where you can drive by the
ruins of a 15th century pagoda, just down the street from a modern
convenience store, but that’s the magic of Ayutthaya
for you.
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