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<\/a>\u00a0Waiting for the train.![\"\"](\"http:\/\/gordonandjudy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Screen-Shot-2018-12-10-at-8.45.25-PM.jpg\")
<\/a>The train pulling in.<\/p>\nIt was a great idea.\u00a0We stopped at an early train stop, waited about 10 minutes, and boarded when it arrived.\u00a0 The short ride on the Thai train was interesting.<\/p>\n When we arrived at the station, people were jammed everywhere watching the train pull in.\u00a0 Vendors were everywhere on both sides of the tracks, as well as customers.\u00a0As soon as the train pulled away, the vendors pushed theirs carts out over the tracks (some had devised small track systems to move quickly).\u00a0 The vendors also had canopies that pulled back when the train arrived. \u00a0After the train passed, they would be pulled out over the booth area providing shade.\u00a0 All kinds of foods & market items were being sold.\u00a0 We walked the tracks for a hundred yards or so, then moved down an alley into the regular part of the town.<\/p>\n Check out the canopies that fold out to cover the market booths Our driver drove up, and we headed for the floating markets.\u00a0 He takes us to a boarding area where we board a \u201clong-tail boat\u201d.\u00a0 It\u2019s a long narrow boat with a large engine, attached to a long shaft with a propeller at the end.\u00a0 Check out the pictures.<\/p>\n There are several floating markets in the area, but this one is supposedly the original.\u00a0 We start off cruising through a residential area, with families eating, cooking, and cleaning right next to the canal.\u00a0 We eventually transitioned into the market area, and it\u2019s definitely unique.\u00a0Everything seems to be for sale – foods, souvenirs, clothes, various creatures for pictures, and too many other things to list.\u00a0 It\u2019s so entertaining!<\/p>\n Residents buying from the boats that come by.<\/p>\n Chopping up something for dinner.<\/p>\n Coconut ice cream<\/p>\n . Green sweet sticky rice on top of the ice cream, garnished with an orchid. Coconut bowl.<\/p>\n Check out the bats pinned in the frames.<\/p>\n Want something to take your picture with. \u00a0Maybe a Tarsier (look it up)? When we eventually climbed out of the boat, we made a tour through the local land-based market.\u00a0 Our driver met us as we came out to the parking lot.\u00a0 He moved us to a different, much quieter river market.\u00a0 We didn\u2019t board a boat at this one, but walked the boardwalk with lots of shops and foods.\u00a0 I had a chance to try some traditional Thai coffee.\u00a0 Super strong and thick!<\/p>\n We exited this market at the Rama Memorial Park, built in honor of Rama II, the 2nd\u00a0<\/sup>king of the Thai Bangkok era (early 1800\u2019s).\u00a0 It was a museum with homes and displays built to exhibit traditional Thai homes of that era.\u00a0 It was a nice quiet park built on the rivers edge.\u00a0 After our walk through the park, we boarded a boat and headed down river to a local Buddhist temple.\u00a0 It\u2019s a small temple that\u2019s been swallowed by a Banyan tree.<\/p>\n After the temple we drove to a riverside caf\u00e9 where our guide ordered several traditional Thai dishes.\u00a0We enjoy Thai food, but it was nice to hear an explanation of the foods from a local.<\/p>\n Checking out the “heat level”.<\/p>\n After lunch we made the trip back to Bangkok.\u00a0 It was a much longer trip back to town.\u00a0 Everyone who was out of town for the holiday is heading back into town and the roads are jammed.\u00a0 Back at the Renaissance, we had nice long rest, and some dinner in the club lounge.<\/p>\n Bangkok is rockin’ at night!<\/p>\n Around 7:00 we headed out to walk to one of the local night markets.\u00a0 Downtown Bangkok is a flurry of cars, people and noise.\u00a0 It\u2019s fun to check it out (for a short time) before heading back to the hotel and getting ready for tomorrow.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" We have a 7:00am departure so we\u2019re up early, eating breakfast in the club lounge.\u00a0 It\u2019s on our floor, only a few doors away, and very convenient.\u00a0 We meet our guide, Boe, and load into our van.\u00a0 We\u2019re headed to … Continue reading <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a> <\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a> <\/a> <\/a>How about a little beef (or pork)?<\/p>\n<\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a> <\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>Cooking some barbecue.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>Or a python?<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>Rush hour on the canal!<\/p>\n<\/a>The Banyan tree is winning this battle.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>Inside the temple<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n