Like the high-profile temples and tombs of Egypt (and pretty much all the temples in Bali), much of what you see in the Sukhothai Historical Park has been reconstructed in the last few decades, in the interest of nicer photos and not getting sued by clumsy American tourists falling over stuff.
Would you rather walk around crumbling, perilous, dilapidated ruins? I would, actually. That sounds great. Fortunately, you can still find plenty of these when you stray from the pack into fields of overgrown grass and barbed wire.
Sukhothai Historical Park
(อุทยานประวัติศาสตร์สุโขทัย)
This is the main bit, and where most of the effort has been put in. It does look pretty nice. It can be hard to keep track of things in this labyrinth (especially when you're too cheap to rent an audio guide), but I'll try to check off everything. I hope you like Buddhas.
Wat Mahathat
Seated Buddha #1
I wasn't aware that gaudy self-grooming was a Buddha characteristic though
Seated Buddha #2 + moat
Seated Buddha #3 (Phra Achana - who needs a guide?)
Alright, so I don't know what that is.
But I can still appreciate the jagged geometry
But I can still appreciate the jagged geometry
Doc-off, standing, bricked-in Buddha
City Pillar Shrine
Nice, furry columns (roof not included)
Three big bells (I'm really letting the research wane these days)
Wat Si Sawai
More nice, jagged things (and some pigeons)
Taking photos inside old ruins reminds me of my ghost-hunting days
Oh look, there's one
Look at that - people dumping their Buddha images and valuables here, with no respect for the heritage or environment. Makes me sick. Especially the green one
Cheeky rear shot. Wait a minute...
Are those people? Watching me? I didn't realise until I looked at this photo.
I'm never carefully editing through photos again - recklessly uploading memory card contents to Flickr is the way to go
Other wats and things
Wat Sa Si
Wat Chana Songkhram gets a good clean
Wat Tra Kuan looks a lot like a bell
This also looks a lot like a bell, because it is
Monument of King Ramkhamhaeng, seemingly constructed by Gerry Anderson
(if I accomplish nothing more in life than occasionally encouraging people to waste their afternoons with childhood TV nostalgia, I'll be satisfied)
Noen Prasat - a platform for nothing
Wat Sarasak and Wat Son Khao
(I think? I only have an unreliable tourist map to work with, and this seems the closest match. Just don't base your essays on my poorly researched blogs, alright?)
Okay, no idea what this one is. Another nice bell
And here, ladies and gentlemen, are some non-descript ruins
Wat Khao San. Doesn't look much like the Khao San I remember...
That's more like it
