Morning in Ayutthaya

Today's teacher day gives me an opportunity to hang out in Ayutthaya which is typically a one or two day stop on most tourist's itinerary. History is the attraction as Ayutthaya was the capital of Thailand until it was destroyed by the Burmese in 1776. Thailand then moved it's capital to Bangkok to be further from Burma.
The old capital was built on an island, one by two miles wide. The island was created by digging a moat where three rivers come together. The Thai resisted the Burmese invasion of the island for a year before finally being defeated. The Burmese then wreaked havoc on the island destroying the temples, palaces and building. It is the remnants of these structures that draws the tourists. The island has been made a special historical district by Thailand and much effort has gone toward preservation and improvements.
"My" house is off the island and looks a bit like pictures of housing developments devastated by foreclosures. There are more vacant or uncompleted houses than ones that are finished. The flood and loss of income stopped construction. Perhaps people will return and complete construction when they have more money.
This morning a Caterpillar road grader was working on the gravel street. Eventually it will be paved with concrete.
Riding on the back of a motorbike to this internet cafe we came up behind an old dump truck loaded with garbage belching black diesel smoke. At least some garbage is being picked up because off the island there is garbage strewn every where. Not very pleasant air to breath on the bike, however.