The small cities of Lopburi and Sukhothai both contain 400-year-old ruins of the grand temples and palaces from their glory days. There aren’t as many tourists here, so we had the opportunity to experience the trains and buses that the locals take, as well as, of course, plenty of authentic Thai food.
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n Lopburi, we visited the famous Phra Prang Sam Yot, better known as the monkey palace. The building itself is not much to look at, more or less a pile of stones, but the entire palace is surrounded by monkeys – at least a hundred of them in an area about the size of a school gym. They made Ellsa a bit nervous, so she asked the ticket office for a bamboo stick to defend herself (this is what the Thai tour guides were doing). Hilarity ensued, however, as one of the young monkeys saw the stick as a plaything rather than a threat. I had a good laugh watching Ellsa, who tried to shake the monkey off while shouting, “This is defeating the purpose of the stick!”
To be fair, it was her turn to laugh at me not long after. I asked to borrow the stick, curious to see if I could get one of the monkeys to play with me in the same way. Coaxing one to come play was easy, but when I allowed it to climb up on my shoulder and play with my hair, another monkey came to join the fun. Then another. And another. With four monkeys clinging to me, I started to get nervous, realizing I had no idea how to get them off. Shaking did no good, and Ellsa was too scared of them to help, so I awkwardly piggy-backed four monkeys around the palace yard until a Thai man shook his stick at them and yelled angrily, and they all jumped off and ran away.
The best strategy, we found out, was to watch the monkeys from inside the ruined palace (even though the bats there made Ellsa uncomfortable). Iron gates have been installed in all of the doorways, and the monkeys are not allowed inside, so entering allows you observe them – and them to observe you – in what feels like the reverse of a zoo. You’re the one inside the cage! Unsurprisingly, the babies were the most fun to watch. Adorable bundles of energy, they never stopped moving, squirming even when their mothers tried to hold them still for grooming. They were also the most interactive, and would grab onto your outstretched finger with a soft, tiny hand, or copy you if you stuck out your tongue. They squeaked and chattered and fought over food with their siblings… not unlike human children! Although the monkeys are pests to the locals – we saw them steal food right off a farm truck stopped at a light – they are undeniably entertaining.
Sukhothai, unlike Lopburi, is quiet, peaceful, and monkey-free. We explored the “Old City” on a seven-hour bicycle tour, run by Cycling Sukhothai. I would highly recommend it. Our guide, who goes by the English name Pete, was a 24-year-old Sukhothai native with a degree in English language. We had a really excellent day with him. Not only did he describe interesting details of the history behind each place we visited, but he answered all of the questions we could think of about modern Thai life and culture, and he was fun to chat with in general.
The Old City of Sukhothai is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is set apart from the new city. It covers quite a large expanse, so cycling is a great way to see as much as possible in one day. We fed the numerous huge, aggressive catfish in the moat around the “Temple Surrounded by Golden Water” (roughly translated). 
We gazed up at the towering “Big Buddha,” who is said to have often talked to the king’s armies before they were sent into battle (in reality, the king would have someone give a rousing speech while hiding behind the Buddha’s head). We wandered among the countless “chedis” that surround the biggest temple of the city (“chedis” are bell-shaped towers, with no doors or windows, supposedly containing relics – teeth, hair, small bones, etc. – of Buddha). The hours flew by like minutes.
Even cycling from place to place was enjoyable, despite the 35-degree weather. The city is completely flat, making it perfect for cycling, as well as rice farming, which we saw constantly throughout Sukhothai and on our train ride there. Pete took us on quiet back roads that weave through small farms and neighbourhoods, and he pointed out things along the way: banana and mango trees, rats in the rice fields (apparently they taste like chicken), a local furniture business that does every step from harvesting the lumber to selling the product… snapshots of what life is like in a small city in Northern Thailand. The fresh air in our lungs and warm sun on our skin brought joy to our hearts; it was a wonderful way to spend the day.