Kanchanaburi - tour to a floating market, a famous bridge, a tiger temple

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Dya 31-April 5th: I was up at 5 AM and took a taxi to the Bangkok International Youth Hostel. I checked in about 6 AM, dropped off my bag, and headed to Khaosan Road to meet the tour group for the day trip to Kanchanaburi. We left Khaosan Road around 7:00/7:30 AM. Our first stop, after about an hour's drive, was the famous floating market at Damnoen Saduak. This town has old canals and still runs boats thru the floating market. People buy and sell food and goods from their boats and from the sides of the canals. It's a touristy place, but a great way to glimpse a piece of Bangkok's past. Once upon a time, Bangkok and much of Thailand had these floating markets, where locals traded goods. Now the only remnants are far outside the city. I didn't buy anything, but it was a cool experience to be on the canal in the boat traffic jam whilst everyone was buying and selling everything from mangoes to purses to soup to wood carvings, really anything and everything you find at a market on land!

We drove from the floating market to our lunch stop at a roadside eatery outside of Kanchanaburi. After lunch it was a short drive to Kanchanaburi and the famous River Kwai Bridge. We had about an hour to explore the area and walk on the bridge and take photos. There was a museum there but I skipped it in favor of a slow stroll across the bridge. So many WWII POWs died building this bridge and this stretch of railroad from Myanmar to Thailand. The place had a somber air about it, needless to say.

From the bridge area, it was a short drive to the Tiger Temple. This is a tiger sanctuary where the monks who live at the monastery are caring for these special tigers. It was amazing! I was able to get up close and personal with some adult tigers and a couple of adorable tiger cubs. They carefully take you around from tiger to tiger, one volunteer guides you around the canyon habitat where there are about 6? or 8? tigers and the other volunteer snaps your photos for you. You can pay extra (donation) to have a photo taken with the tiger's head in your lap. I passed on that! But it was amazing to be able to pet these magnificent animals! I left the canyon and went over to the area in the sanctuary where the 2 baby tigers were frolicking. The volunteers were moving the cubs to the waterfall area. We played with the cubs and took lots of photos. Shortly after we moved with the cubs and volunteers into the waterfall area, the other volunteers brought up the adult tigers from the canyon. They needed to put the tigers back in their homes for the night. Once the tigers were safely in their secure area, they threw out a bunch of food for the other animals that live there. They all came running at once! Cows, chickens, pigs/boars, peacocks, it was an animal traffic jam right in front of me and the other visitors. Very chaotic and funny and cool! We had to leave after that, time to head back to Bangkok.

We drove 2 hours back to Bangkok, back to Khaosan Road. I had street pad thai one last time from my favorite gal. I got the tour info for Ayutthaya, it's another day trip. BUT I got the info from the hostel on getting to Ayutthaya on my own via train, and decided to do it myself and save some money. So tomorrow I'm off to Ayutthaya, the old capital of Thailand. Then I'll catch the night train to Chiang Mai from there.

Then it was time for internet, shower, and bed. I talked to Erin via phone, and had hoped to see her again. But she and her friends were out at a bar on the other side of the city, near Erin's place. I didn't have the energy to get over there and back. I needed a good night's sleep before a busy day of sightseeing in Ayutthaya. So unfortunately I didn't make it to see Erin one more time. Oh well, next time I'm in Bangkok...

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