Take me to monkey town

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From Ayuthaya we got the train to Lopburi. Brilliant journey, the station in Ayuthaya was bustling with people crossing the tracks and jumping on and off trains from both sides. Tickets were 13 Bhat (29p), travelled 3rd class but not a long journey and the open windows keep temp down. Got help from other passengers getting on and off the train and loved watching the food sellers walking up and down the train with the most amazing mix of freshly cooked food and ice filled buckets of drinks (Virgin et al take note!) The family beside us treated themselves to as bag of about 6 boiled eggs and a small bag of soy sauce for dipping. At one station a load of people carrying trays with little tubs of ice-cream appeared at the carriage windows and seemed nearly everyone on the whole carriage bought one, even after the train started moving, one little boy was running alongside the train to get payment.


A Thai man helped me with my bag when we got on the train and sat me down beside him. This was Kevin. When the seats opp him came free he ensured Xan moved there too. He said he was on way to see his daughter, that he was 55, had three daughters 27,29 &32, 5 grandkids - 3 boys and 2 girls, lived and worked in Bangkok and was studying engineering in Australia. He kept telling us to email/phone him if we ran into any trouble at all in Thailand! That he had connections and could sort us out! Oh and that we were to go see him play guitar in his band when back in Bangkok, and go for a ride on the back of his Harley Davidson. He took a picture of each of us on his mobile. He then showed us other pics on his phone - of his 'daughters' and 'wife'. These were clearly photos taken of girls from magazines/brochures. He then showed me a pic of his 'car' - a yellow Lamborghini! He was a harmless tho and fairly brightened up the journey so we continued to chat away until we got off train, tactfully avoiding an exchange of numbers or email.


We'd read and been told that Lopburi is known as 'Monkey Town' within a few mins of our arrival was clear to see why - they are everywhere! And very confident and cheeky. Watched them steel eggs from the back of pick ups passing by and eat anything they could get their hands (paws??) on. Amazing over the couple of days just how used you got to them being around.


Lopburi is a small place and not really known for being on the tourist track, well not for more than a few hours or a day. We loved this, stood out slightly, but great to wander around more markets like the local one in Ayuthaya.


One thing we did notice here was the amount of processed food mixed in with the amazing fresh stuff. Seemed popular and a bit erm 'cool' as well, like it was still a new thing? An awful lot of frankfurter sausages and other processed meats, bright coloured slush puppy style drinks, waffles ! Shame, and reckon you can see effect on Thai kids already. Be interesting what effect has over next decade!

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Photos

Paula & Kevin
(kevin reholstering his phone)

Lunchtime
Having just demolished a bowl of pork noodle soup