Floating Markets, Elephants, Monkeys and River Cruises



Thai Style Canoe

A very early start today to reach the floating market at Damnern Saduak. The tour is again led by Yeli and once more we're lucky to be in a group of 4. The drive takes us past Salt farms, and through the Maeklong market where the stalls are set up on the train tracks and have to be moved rapidly when the trains pass through. The final leg of the trip to the floating market is by narrow long tailed speed boat (James Bond style). This is the best bit of the trip as far as Dave is concerned and its a great way to see the traditional Thai style houses on stilts. Then there's the market negotiated on thai style canoes steered by long pole through the narrow waterways with stalls and boats selling fruit, vegetables, clothes, paintings, wood carvings, spices ...... the list goes on and on



Damnern Suduak Floating Market

Drunk with heat and sensations after the boat trip round the waterways we wander on foot round the market trying thai traditional coffee and delicacies. The coffee is a strong mix of both coffee and chocolate served in a tiny cup but delicious. The food is small coconut rice patties flavoured with black sticky rice, coconut or spring onions but somehow don't taste strongly of coconut and the savoury version is surprisingly good.

On the way back to Bangkok we stop at an elephant and monkey place, I hesitate to  call it a zoo as they all seem to have to work for a living. The elephants giving rides to tourists Nd the monkeys demonstrating their skills climbing trees and harvesting coconut - I suppose it's cheap labour! Exhausted once we reach the hotel, the pool and an afternoon nap beckons before the evening trip on a river cruise.



Thai dancing welcome



Jan on the dinner cruise

Ramos 8th Bridge at night

The pick-up time is 5.30pm for a 7.00pm departure and it takes over an hour to travel the short distance to the river. The Grand Chao Phraya Princess is festooned in lights, tables laid with white linen and gorgeous thai girls performing a traditional dance to welcome us aboard.The buffet is a superb mix od traditional thai (tom yum soup, spicy pork mince), international (fish in a creamy sauce, lasagne) and Chinese (pepper chicken) and the view from the river of all the temples and bridges lit up is stunning. We now realise how little we have really seen of Bangkok but at Dave's limit of 1 or 2 temples a day we may have to return many times to see the 600 within the city ...