Lopburi

Went to visit Angela (from London), who was my roommate during orientation, in her teaching hometown of Lopburi. Lopburi, or also known as "monkey town", played a central role in the empires during the Dvaravati, Khmer, Sukhothai and Ayuthaya eras. But today, the rulers of Lopburi are hundreds upon hundreds, perhaps thousands, of monkeys. While they reside mainly in the old town area around Prang Sam Yot shrine, they are everywhere... climbing up apartment buildings, on the roads, riding on the backs of trucks and on top of cars, crossing the streets, hanging from power lines and right in front of you wherever you step.

Angela said that the power in her

school has actually gone out a couple

of times due to these trouble-making

monkeys

My journey, and yes, it was a journey, began in Sri Racha at around 4:30 pm when I hopped on the slow bus to Bangkok. Three hours later, I arrived at Ekkomai bus station, got on the Ekkomai BTS line (the skytrain) to Asoke stop, where I transferred to the MRT (the underground subway) and rode to the end of the line to Hualamphong train station. Here, I got a 8:10 train out of Bangkok to Lopburi. However, typically Thai, the train didn't actually pull out until around 8:45 pm, and after about fifteen minutes of slow chugging, we stopped again for about a half hour. Despite the supposed 10:20 pm arrival in Lopburi, I reached the Lopburi train station around midnight, and then jumped on a motorbike taxi to Bowow (or something like that) club to meet Angela and friends. You can count, but I'll tell you... the journey consisted of five different modes of transportation!








The Lopburi Train Station







There were many foreign English teachers in Lopburi, most of which had been there for at least a couple of years; and, they've developed this community which meets up around one of two bars or one of three clubs. Angela, and other MediaKids teachers, reside in an apartment building across the railroad tracks, so to get into the old town area or to the local 7-Eleven shop, one must hop the railroad tracks, in order to avoid the lengthy walk to the crossing road. While walking through the old town area (Lopburi is distinctly split between old town and new town), we came across multiple ruins, which exist sandwiched between modern day Lopburi, and often with no signs or explanations.

On Saturday, we visited Phra Narai Ratchaniwet, the former royal palace Ayuthaya's King Narai (late 17th century). During this period, King Narai hosted many Western envoys, specifically and especially the French, who influenced much of the palace's architecture. In addition, due to the strong Khmer influence still presiding in this region, one can see the contribution of Khmer architecture and design as well. However, these are ruins, and despite the museum halls and guide book information, tourists are often left to wonder what such and such could have been. While in one of the ruins, a heavy rainstorm fell over Lopburi. Angela and I found cover under one of the ancient ruins' archways amidst the ruins of the foreign embassy court. While the rain only last about fifteen minutes or so, it was a pretty magical feeling, and we could almost feel ourselves float back in time.

An overgrown elephant, poor thing...

or an intentional mohawk

We then headed to Prang Sam Yot, a Hindu-turned-Buddhist temple, with an ancient Khmer feel to it. The real reason to visit this shrine? The monkeys, of course. Since Angela gets a bit skiddish being surrounded by so many monkeys, and because she had done it several times already, I went in alone! The shrine grounds are really quite small actually, and the whole square ground area is surrounded by modern-day Lopburi, so it seems quite a random site as well. I headed around to the back, but due to the hundreds upon hundreds of monkeys crawling everywhere, I stopped midway out of fear, and turned back. At this point, two girls (who are originally from the US, but have been teaching the Czech Republic for a few years and are here on a one month holiday) followed with a 10 year old boy guide. He carried but a slingshot in hand. He helped guide us through the monkeys, which he almost laughed at how scared we were, and even took our cameras to get some nice close-ups for us. We then entered the inside of the temple, in which there stand a couple of Buddha statues. However, I must admit the real reason to enter this shrine was to be caged in! Can you believe it? Well, it is a funny experience to put yourself in a cage and be surrounded by wild monkeys staring at you! But, we felt safer inside, and when we wanted leave, there was a guide at the outside gate letting us out.

A monkey was about to jump on my back, hence my awkward smile :o)

After some more walking and more ruins, the four of us headed to Noon Bar for some drinks, ate some amazingly delicious street food, said goodbye to our new friends, and then Angela and I headed back to Noon Bar, to be followed later by more Chang, to meet more new friends - other farang teachers. What an awesome little community amidst ancient ruins, dating back to the Dvaravati period (6th - 11th centuries).

My train ride back was quite easy, relatively quick, and uneventful, except for the free coke. When I boarded the train, it was pretty full, so I finally found a seat in the 'restaurant' car, of which I had no idea. Immediately, the old man who was selling snacks and drink gave me a coke, for which I said I didn't want. He motioned to me that I should take it and then opened it for me. Ok... and then he started telling other passengers something that I could not understand, for which they then promptly left the car and found somewhere else to sit, including in between cars! Many stops later, I finally figured out what was going on. Passengers are only allowed in the 'restaurant' car if one is getting snacks or drinks from the man. He must've been asking them if they wanted anything, and when they said 'no', he informed them of this rule (which I believe was written on a sign in the car, as well). Yet, he let me stay by giving me a free coke - very nice, but confusing in the beginning.

Please, please, please, look at my "Lopburi" photo album! It is full of some amazing ancient ruins photographs, of which wandering did me much good to find the hidden parts of the palace grounds.