Thajsko / Thailand

Let ze Singapuru do Thajska je kratky, jen 2h. Imigrace to same - 2h opruzu. Rovnice Thajsko zeme tisice usmevu zde rozhodne neplati. Uniforma dela z milych thajcu autoritativni vycpane panaky kteri se ani neobtezuji pozdravit. Venku je vedro vetsi nez v Singapuru, uz vime jak se citi cokoladove figurky kdyz je clovek necha v teple. Obcanske nepokoje v Bangkoku porad jeste trvaji a tak rovnou jedeme vlakem na sever do Ayutthaya. Prijedeme v noci a tak vezmeme prvni ubytovani co nam prijde pod ruku. Venku je v pulnoci 31st a v pokoji od celodenniho paraku jeste vice. Vubec nespime a rano vstaneme uplne dehydrovani, kdyz se k tomu prida 42.5st pres den neni se co divit, ze nemame sanci doplnit tekutiny rychleji nez je vylucujeme. Janca to odnese upalem, zvraci a nevypada vubec dobre, ja preziju jen s poradnou bolesti hlavy. Nastesti hned rano zmenime hotel a mame pokoj s klimatizaci na ktere muzeme chladit zabaly pro Jancu, zustat v predchozim ubytovani tak by to bylo na nemocnici. Pozdeji se na predpovedi dozvidame, ze pro telo je ve skutecnosti 47! pocitovych stupnu. Na tohle opravdu nejsme delani.
Zmenime plan a od byvaleho hlavniho mesta Sukhothai pamatky obchazime mezi 5-10 rano, pres poledne se presouvame v klimatizovanych autobusech a vecer prochazime mesta.
Ayutthaya nas i pres vedro nadchla. Ruiny obrovskych budhistickych komplexu vypadaji jeste lepe nez kdyby byly udrzovane. Takova socha budhy zarostla ve strome nebo pagoda ze ktere roste strom nahore a je obalena koreny musi zapusobit i na toho nejvetsiho neromantika. V Sukhothaii jsme si misto kola pujcili skutr (zadny ridicak netreba a helmu pry nemusime kdyz uz je po 6 a policajti jsou uz doma) takze narozdil od predchoziho mesta je objizdeni pamatek prijemne. Ruiiny byvaleho palace zastihneme za vychodu slunce, nikde nikdo a 70 ctverecnich kilometru pamatek tak mame jen pro sebe. Co si vic prat?
Dalsi mesto kde stravime par dni je Chiang Mai. A kde jinde nez v Thajsku zajit na masaz? Hodinu se nechame valcovat ve skole slepych maseru. Nejdrive mam pochyby, obzvlast kdyz me ma mit na starost asi 10-12lety kluk, ale behem minuty neni o cem debatovat. Vi presne kam a jak sahnout a tak me chvilema poradne muci, za tu hodinu krome obliceje nevynechaji jediny sval. Vecer jedeme na nocni safari. Zoo je bezna, ale vlacek mezi zviraty se nam libi, obzvlast kdyz se nechaji krmit primo z ruky (bileho tygra jsme nezkouseli, ale pohladit si zirafu neodmitneme). Dalsi den je nabity program. Dopoledne jizda na slonovi. Oproti konovi je to poradna vyska. Nase slonice sebou jeste vede 1.5rocni slune a oba se kazdou chvilku zastavi a chteji po nas banany. 2 plne igelitky co jsme koupili zmizi behem par minut. Po jizde na slonovi jdeme na kratky trek dzungli do vesnice horskeho kmenu. Jeste zastavime u vodopadu na koupani - prvni studena voda naseho pobytu krasne osvezi. Pote nas na rozpalene korbe auta kde se neda niceho ani dotknout prevezou na obed. Treti cast dne zakoncime plavenim po rece na bambusovych vorech. Je to ok, ale pro kohokoliv kdo nekdy jel vodu nic zvlastniho. Vecer jdeme na budhisticky festival. Nekolik tisic lidi si zde zvysuje karmu pri ruznych ritualech vevnitr i venku chramu. Vse je obklopeno nejruznejsimi stanky s jidlem nabizejici lakadla ve forme vafli az po smazene kobylky a svaby. Zajimave a moc pekne, vsech 5smyslu si prijde na sve.
Po 3 dnech jedeme dale na sever smerem k hranicim s Laosem. Za zminku urcite stoji chram Wat Rong Koom. Mistni umelec venoval cely zivot tomuto dilu - bily chram se spoustou detailu venovane asijske mytologii, vse ozdobene malymi zrcatky. Bohuzel jsme se rozhodli prekrocit hranice do Laosu v organizovane tour a tak zde nestravime tolik casu kolik bych si pral. Take se zaciname uvedomovat, ze jsme tenhle vylet preplatili tak 3x. Vidina pomoci s vyrizovanim viz a nabidka komfortu klimatizace po cele 3dny nam trochu zatemnila mozek. Rozhodne je videt, ze usmevy se v Thajsku opravdu nesetri, hlavne kdyz je spravne podporite nejlepe americkymi dolary. Laos slibuje podstatne mene turismu a diky tomu vice uprimnosti.

Fotky:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=62416&id=1344786025&l=e66b988344


Flight from Singapore to Thailand is short, only 2hrs. Immigration takes the same time - 2hrs of hassle. Equation Thailand land of thousands smiles definitely doesn't apply here. Uniform turns otherwise nice people into authoritative dummies that don't even know the hello word. Once through we are hit with an even worse heatwave than in Singapore. And we get to know the feelings of chocolate bar left behind the window in a hot summer.
Civil unrests in Bangkok are still going on so we decide to head for north straight away. We reach Ayutthaya in the night and take the first accommodation we find. Its midnight and outside is 31degrees and inside in our room even more. We don't sleep at all and in the morning get up totally dehydrated. If you add 42.5degrees through the day no wonder we are unable to replenish the fluid loss. Jana is down with heat stroke, vomits and doesn't look well at all. I survive only with a severe headache.
Fortunately first thing in the morning we change the hotel and have a room with AC, so can cool Jana down. If we stayed in previous hotel I'd say hospital would be the only option left. Later on when checking forecast we find out that for body the realfeel temperature is 47! European bodies are not made to withstand this..
We change our daily plans and from Sukhothai do the sightseeing between 5-10AM, then at midday move in AC buses and in the evening check out the towns.
Despite the heat Ayutthaya really impressed us. Ruins of huge Buddhist complexes look better than they probably did when they were new. Even the biggest non-romantic person must be impressed by a statue of Buddha ingrown in a tree or a pagoda with a tree on the top with roots embracing the building.
In Sukhothai we rented a scooter (no driving licence or experience necessary and helmet not required after 6 when all the policemen are finished for the day) so the sightseeing is quite pleasant. We catch ruins of former palace bathing in sunrise, nowhere nobody, 70sq km just for ourselves. What more to wish for?
Another town where we spend couple days is Chiang Mai. And where else to go for a traditional massage than to the school of blind masseurs? In the evening we go for a night safari. Zoo is nothing special, but the train among all the animals is great. We get to feed the animals from hand (didn't try it with white tiger but giraffes are very charming).
Next day is a busy day. In the morning elephant ride. It's quite high. Our elephant takes with her it's 1.5yr old baby and both of them stop every minute to get some fuel (bananas). 2 full bags we brought are gone in a blink. After the ride follows a short trek in jungle to one of the hill tribes + swimming under a waterfall - first cold water in Thailand is very refreshing. We finish the day floating down a river on bamboo raft. After we get back from the trip we decide to visit local Buddhist festival. Thousands of people increase their karma doing various rituals. The temple is surrounded by food stalls offering baits in all forms - from hot waffles to deep fried grasshoppers and cockroaches. Very interesting and enlightening night, all 5senses have a feast.
In 3 days we continue further north towards border with Laos. Temple Wat Rong Koom is definitely worth mentioning. Local artist devoted his life to creating this art temple. It's all white with huge amount of details from Asian mythology, all decorated with small mirrors. Pity we decided to cross the border with Laos on organized tour and don't have as much time I'd like to spend here. We also start to realize that we overpaid this trip at least 3x. Vision of visa help and comfort of AC bus for whole 3days dimmed out our judgement. Thai people spare no smiles, especially if you support it by US dollars...Laos promises less tourists and thanks to that more sincerity.

Pictures:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=62416&id=1344786025&l=e66b988344