I woke up and ate at the MBK food centre for breakfast. I wanted to go to the tiger temple today but I woke up too late and the hotel staff said it was too late to go. So instead, I got a taxi and asked him to take me to the floating market. It was a long drive from the hotel. The driver took me to the most famous of the floating markets in Damnoen Saduak, about 100 kilometres southwest of Bangkok. Entry and boat hire was a little expensive. I hear that it's very chaotic at the market. Small 'klongs' or canals are filled with small flat boats jockeying for position, expertly paddled by mature ladies ready to stop and bargain at a moment's notice. Historically, Damnoen Saduak was actually the name of the canal dug in the reign of King Rama IV by the military men. Most people live densely along both sides of the canal from one end of the canal to another. The majority of this people are agriculturists. The driver kept stopping at each souvenir store where I had ladies showing me all different kinds of gifts to buy. We stopped at Samut Songkhram to see how the locals make coconut sugar which is one of the famous products of the province. The freshly made coconut sugar sweets like rich caramel with a strong pleasurable sweet aroma. Lending a special rich creamy flavour and good smell to the most kinds of Thai sweets as well as enchaining the taste of curries, the coconut sugar is perhaps the most suitable types of sugar for all Thai recipes. In a cage outside the sugar farm, there was a little cute squirrel. It was a very random and unusual pet, but very cute.
The market wasn't buzzing at all because of the time that I had arrived. Most shops were closed. There was nothing really exciting about the floating market. I wasn't game enough to try any food, as all the dishes and cutlery are cleaned using the river water - and the river water was filthy. We stopped by a temple along the way. When I walked into the temple, the nun gave me a gold square paper (looked like gold foil) to stick on the Buddha. I wasn't sure what meaning it has towards Buddhism, but I did as I was told. It appears that I was at a temple full of nuns - and not monks - it was really interesting.The taxi driver waited and drove me back to the hotel. It was such a long drive.
When I arrived at the hotel, I browsed around MBK Shopping Centre looking for swimming costumes for the kids back in Pokhara. The kids don't swim in proper in bathers so I thought it would be a lovely gift for them. I bought some gorgeous bikinis for the girls, I can't wait to see them in it. For dinner, I dined in at Shabu Shi - a Japanese restaurant - buffet style dinner. They have hot pot and sushi. It was perfect for me. Food was delicious. Seeing that I am flying out tomorrow, I had a quiet one in my hotel room concentrating on my blog. It was a very cruisy and unproductive day.
Good night world.
XOXO
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