Thailand (January, 2003) – About twenty years ago; (give or take a day or two) I spent a single day in the old Siamese capital, taking in as many of the historical sights as possible before mounting the night bus back to Bangkok. I still remember it as a magical day, essentially monastery hopping from one end of the city to the other. Throughout the day, the ancient statues and architectural wonders grew larger and larger. At Wat Mahathat, amongst the hullabaloo of days' wondrous discoveries was a single Buddha head enveloped by the tangled roots of an old banyan tree. I imagine with time, that the historical relic will be reclaimed entirely by mother nature. I still feel blessed having had the chance encounter, as the lore of the encased Buddha head was what brought me to Ayutthaya in the first place.
