Sukhothai

After a full two days in hectic Bangkok, we went in search of quieter culture and history by heading north to the ruined city of Sukhothai.  Our journey would consist of seven hours of travel by train, tuk-tuk, bus, and the back of a pick-up truck, through small frontier towns and rice-paddy fields, to finally arrive at the ancient capital of the once great Sukhothai Kingdom. Among the first empires of Thailand, the Sukhothai dynasty spanned 200 years and 9 kings and is viewed as the "golden age" of Thai civilization, giving rise to the Thai alphabet as well as classical Thai religious art and architecture. The remnants of this kingdom are now a World Heritage Site, an historic park of temple ruins scattered throughout a 45 sq km area of manicured lawns, spindly bodhi trees and lily-filled ponds. Basically, its Disneyland for history buffs.
We woke up early to beat the midday sun, snagged a couple of bicycles and a map from our hotel, and headed out to the park. We spent the next few hours in awe as we rode from one temple site to the next, trying to imagine life here as it was 800 years ago. The expansiveness of the park allowed us to explore many sites in solitude, adding to the already powerful effect of ancient sanctity. Eventually, after all day riding in an attempt to see them all, we succumbed to sore butts and tired legs. We reluctantly took our last few glimpses of this great lost city and wearily pedaled away. Though the world may have forgotten Sukhothai at one point, we know we never will.