River Kwai

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Well here i was after a hectic couple of weeks travelling around some of the main attractions of Thailand. Most of the pics

here are of the floating hotel on the River Kwai, which simply has to be the most magical places i've ever stayed, including

palace type hotels in India . Anyway this little 2 day tour took in various spots, including (irritatingly) the usual chance to

buy artefacts at the tour guides' favourite shops. I hate that!.

Moan over, we first visited Hellfire Pass, part of the "Railway of Death" constructed by Allied POW's and anyone else the

Japanese didnt like the look of. This included many many thousands of local people who for one reason or another upset

the occupying forces, and is something not often documented, so i have.

There is a fantastic museum here sponsored mainly by Australian funds as it seems their forces suffered the main

losses on this particular part of the railway line.

There is also a reconstructed Hut, the sort of thing that POW's would have had to live in, and which despite being nearly

40 Degrees outside was somewhat chilly inside. No photography is allowed in the hut, and no-one really spoke.

Enough said.

A little later we arrived at the site of the bridge itself, reconstructed after the war a little downstream from the original

bridge, which collapsed the first time the Japanese tried to use it, ironically to ship a train-load of prostitutes for the

pleasure of the Japanese officers. A few off the trains were in the 1990's hauled out the river and restored, and these

are on display too.

Next to the river itself, and on to a floating restaurant which a little later was un-hitched and much to everyone's

surprise hauled down river to our little floating hotel. At this point, words almost fail me....it simply has to be the most

beautiful place i've ever been. So peaceful ( apart from a noisy woman from Bradford who wanted chips and ketchup

with everything) and such a beautiful setting. People were literally open mouthed at the beauty of the place.

We had a lovely meal cooked, then people just sat around socialising until the wee hours. There was no electricity here,

so the whole place was lit by gas lamps.

I just sat on the verandah outside my room, beer in hand, watching the world go by.

i was truly sad to have to leave in the morning to go back to the hurly-burly of Thai life.

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Photos

Koh Samed
mustbe one of the best beaches in the world!

fresh food!
typical roadside restaurant

boats to koh samed
worringly ancient boats for transport to the islands

River Kwai
the bridge over the Kwai

Kwai
Floating hotel...wow!

Kwai
take a shower here!

River Kwai
floating hotel 1st thing in the morning