Thursday, February 04, 2010

Ratchaburi-Floating Market and Phra Prang Wat

After our driver took us to the wrong spot, a floating market that had no boats and no market, we eventually got to the right place. The Damnoensaduak Floating Market. It is a series of canals with tourist traps/shops along the side and people in boats trying to sell you their wares. The boats had mostly food, fruit, and drinks. Pim, my interpreter and barterer extraordinaire, got us some Thai pancakes to try, they were thin crispy crepe' type things with what was either a melted marshmallow or meringue with some shredded things on top. I'm hoping for marshmallow so I don't get sick tonight. They were yummy, but I was a little scared of getting sick. We keep getting braver and braver or stupider and stupider the longer we are here, trying things less and less "safe." But I haven't gotten sick yet! This is Pim. I got some good wood elephant statues and a few other cool things. I did some hard core bartering via Pim. For example one elephant started at 4000 Bot and I eventually got one for 800 at different stall. That's a difference of about 110 Dollars!!
After the market we had a great lunch with a yummy Thai soup and awesome cashew chicken. Then we went to a cool temple patterned after Ankor Wat. It was over 1000 years old and had hundreds of statues of Buddha in different poses. This is my favorite picture from today.

1 comment:

Fae and john said...

interesting fotos. i love seeing doors.
re. your favorite foto of today: was that gold leaf on buddha's head, and is it being applied in offerings, being removed for, say blessings, unfinished rework ? any idea.