Floating Market

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Got a phonecall at 7.10am to say our minibus was here to take us to the floating market. Having had the minibus turn up the day before as there had been a mistake in the booking & resulting in a telephone conversation with the tour operator hanging up on us, we weren't expecting the bus to turn up today. Anyway we rushed around & fifteen minutes later we had arranged a late checkout, were dressed & in the bus apologising to the other tour members for the delay. An hour later we stopped at a plantation that made sugar from coconut flowers & an orchid farm that grew orchids funnily enough. The minibus dropped us off by the water (supposedly as no road vehicles can get to the market) & we took a long tailed motor boat passed stilted houses to the market. When at the market we were advised to hire a paddle boat so that we could see all the market as only part of it is accessible by foot. What really happened was that the boat took us round only the bits accessible by foot & those parts even vaguely authentic were bypassed. Now it would appear that the floating market at Damnoen Saduak has evolved totally into a tourist attraction. The market now seems to be geared for pedaling souvenirs to the tourists & those selling fruit charge twice the price of the stalls around Khao San Road. When back on dry land & after rewalking around the market our minibus picked us up (so much for no road vehicles can get to the market!). The next stop was at a teak woodcarvers where temple doors, panels & all types of furniture were being created. The lack of a spare couple of thousand dollars prevented any purchases.

Drink of the Day: Singha Beer

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