Kanchanaburi #2

This past weekend, I went with a group of Lertlah teachers back to Kanchanaburi, to the Pong Phen Guesthouse.  This time around, I had already seen most of the sites to see in the city.  We went more or less just to relax and for an excuse to get out of Bangkok. 

A view from our boat at the floating market.

A wood carver at the handy crafts store.

On Saturday morning, one of the U of M teachers and I got up early to see the floating market.  We went as a part of a tour, and had to drive an hour and a half outside of Kanchanaburi to get there.  I am very glad to have experienced a floating market, because it was a very unique experience.  We were taxied around in a long, narrow boat, through canals lined with shops.  If we wanted to stop for a closer look at any particular shop, we signaled the boat driver and he pulled us closer.  Then the owner of the shop would grab ahold of the side of the boat and hold us to while she haggled with us over prices.  I was kind of shocked when the vendors accepted prices that were half of what they originally asked.  Usually my haggling skills are not quite so successful.  While there, we got off at one dock to see coconut sugar being made, and had a free sample of the sweet drink they made.  After we were done at the market, the tour took us to a handy crafts store.  We got to witness incredible wood carvers making pieces of art.  One particular piece was made from the side of a huge tree, and had been in progress for a year already.  It was a jungle scene, made by two carvers.  Amazingly, it contained layers of detail that seemed impossible to produce.  The carvers would create both fore and background, and both in very great detail, with little room in between.  While there, we also saw marbled paper being made.  I was very excited to see wood carving being done by people who were so practiced and precise.  The rest of the day, once we returned to the hotel, was spent relaxing by the pool.

The jungle scene wood carving.

The World War II cemetary.

On Sunday, I tagged along with some teachers in the morning to see the World War II cemetery in Kanchanaburi, within walking distance of our hotel.  Afterwards, I walked across town to the Bridge over the River Kwai (which I had visited previously).  I spent all morning walking, and by lunch was fairly exhausted.  We ended up eating at a place called The Jolly Frog, where I had a chicken sandwich.  Then, we picked up our bags and hired scooter “taxis” to take us to the bus station.  I really enjoyed those, because we rode in a flimsy sidecar.  Our driver had to stop at one point to fill his scooter up with gas.  That was amusing as well because the gas was sold out of whiskey bottles on the side of the road (and no, I’m not sure if it was home brewed).  Overall, it was another relaxing weekend.  

A train on the bridge over the River Kwai.

Our scooter taxi filling up.

Our scooter taxi.