Thailand

We hired the same driver we had from Ayutthaya, but privately this time, for 1500 baht total, which included a pick-up from our hotel at 8am this morning, a 2-hour ride to Damnoen Saduak, famous for the floating market, and a 2-hour ride back into Chatuchak for the HUGE weekend market that all the Thai people go to for food, clothing, wares, jewelry-- you want it, you name it, it's there!

Some thoughts about Damnoen Saduak-- of course, we wanted to go to the famous 'floating market', it is afterall, part of the Thailand experience, is it not? Well, we arrived, and the only line of people we saw were full of tourists! We wondered where all the Thai people were. Then, on top of that, they want to charge us each 750 baht to ride in a canvased motorized boat--not like the ones I saw in my research, by the way. So by the time we talk to our driver, and to the ticket salespeople, we were already a bit disillusioned by another one of Thailand's tourist trickeries. The point isn't really the money-- its knowing that because you are from America, Japan, Europe--any other place but Thailand-- you have already been given an alternate price tag. Also, after speaking to my Thai friend, Nan, she said that the floating markets have since become such a tourist trap, that the Thais don't really go there anymore, further cements what we saw while we were there.

Of course, with all this said and done, if you are looking forward to going to the floating market, it is still a very cool and unique experience to try out. But, we both felt that it was something we had to do once, but never again.

While we were here, we see an Asian version of SNL's asexual "Pat"-- the lovely character whom the audience is forever in wonder of his/her gender. I'm not trying to be mean, but really, we have no idea whether this person is a male or a female.

Finally our boat arrives, and down the canal we float.

We are amazed to see how crowded it really is in the main market, also, astonished to see that Thai people are living here amongst the canals! They all have addresses in the front of their bungalow-type houses, which are situated on stilts, and even a bridge built over the canals to get them from one end to the other.

Once inside the marketplace, be prepared to sit for about 20 minutes. It is jam-packed with boats in everywhichway direction. It also isn't too comfortable if you're sitting in a boat without much awning as the heat is super intense. Also, I suggest using the restroom beforehand because the canal tours take about an hour...and, there is no way to get off!

We were really excited to eat lunch here, but since we heard Chatuchak (a huge weekend market in Bangkok) has really good food, we were holding off til we got there. Also, since feeling 'ripped off', we didn't want to give them any more of our baht, and especially after seeing where they clean their silverware, we said forget it!

This couple were cooking right in front of their house. The lady would go upstairs to bring down boiling water, and the guy would make noodles from his boat. The people on our boat had some, and it actually looked quite delicious. But, we stuck to our guns of not parting with any baht while we were at the floating market.

After the floating markets, and evading Thai sellers trying to get us to buy our cheesy souvenir dish, we hopped back into our private car and our driver dropped us off at the Chatuchak Weekend Market.