Saturday, March 6, 2010

RATCHABURI

Early this morning we set out for the famous "floating market" at Dammernsaduek, about 90 minutes outside of Ratchaburi. The market, and others like it, was built on a series of canals, and once was the main source of purchasing everyday needs in Thailand, since there were no roads.

Now, with supermarkets built in cities throughout Thailand, the floating markets serve mainly as tourist attractions, although some serious local purchasing goes on there as well.

My preconception of a floating market was that you stood on the shore or ona bridge, as boats passed by selling their wares. WRONG! In this floating market the purchaser is also a participant.

We boarded traditional Thai "longboats" and traveled down the equivalent of I-66 in the morning rush hour. Longboats crowded into the narrow canals, traffic moving in both directions, but without the benefit of lanes, as prospective purchasers mixed with the longboats of vendors between rows of structures (actually the back porches of homes) that were competing for business. Absolute chaos, but lots of fun!

From the madness of the floating market, we next went to the tranquility of the Siam Cultural Park. Here in a serene setting of paths, trees and ponds we experienced replicas of Thai houses throughtout various periods of Thailand's history, exhibits showing a variety of Buddhas, a wax museum, tastefully depicting import figures, not only Thai, but persons ranging from Ho Chi Minh to Mao Zedong to Mother Theresa, in settings so realistic that you could almost shake their hand.

Our final museum stop of the day displayed huge shadow puppets, made from cowhide, that were incredibly intricate. Once a week, unfortunately not coinciding with out schedule, the museum presents a show incorporating these six-foot tall creations of extreme beauty and considerable artistic talent.

In the early evening, before catching our overnight train to Surrathani, we enjoyed a farewell party and dinner at the palatial home of a Past District Governor. The PDG and his wife had been Brooke's hosts and she had been telling us all week about her incredible lodgings. Just entering the home, you felt like you were walking into a five-star hotel, yet its owners could not have been more down-to-earth and charming. It was a delightful send off.