I woke up late the following day. I was supposed to wake up at 5 in the morning and leave hotel before 6, but I woke up past 8 in the morning so I was way behind late for my floating market trip. After a quick shower and a hearty buffet breakfast I hurriedly left the hotel and took a train at Lumpinee station to Victory Monument station. I was told that the closest mrt station to the Southern Bus terminal is at this station. After a quick look at the Victory Monument I hurriedly took a taxi to the bus terminal which is still quite a distance, If my recollection is correct I paid 100 baht for the taxi fare.
Damnoen Saduak Floating Market is in Ratchburi Province about 100 kilometers away from Bangkok. To go there you have to take the bus at the Southern Bus terminal about 30 minutes from Victory Monument. I arrived at the station and have to wait for half an hour before the bus left the terminal. The first trip of the bus in the morning is at 6:00 am and left every thirty minutes. I arrived at Ratchaburi past 11 in the morning. The bus directly alighted us passengers going to the floating market directly at the riverbank where boats where docked. I learned that the most suitable time to be at the floating market is between 8:00 to 10:00 in the morning where boat vendors are aplenty and the best time to take beautiful pictures. Since I arrived way past that period I was just in for the experience and enjoy the place. I rented a boat for 500 baht for a return trip with two conditions; I cannot step out of the boat during the ride and I have to follow the boat route with no turning back. I thought that would be unfair since I paid for it so I can do whatever I want with the boat, but realizing I have no choice I just go for it.
Off we go and while traveling I noticed that it is not really a river but a canal we were traversing. And from were we started it was still a kilometer away to the main floating market, I was delighted and my hesitation vanished into thin air. As we traversed the canal I glimpsed locals doing their daily chores outside their small wooden houses along the canal and what a scene. As we reached the main canal I was surprised that there were still a lot of sellers rowing their boats and tourists crowding the canal. I was not disappointed at all as I was enjoying the crowd. The boat sellers were selling mostly fruits and local street foods ( can I still it as is?) from noodles to grilled foods to variety of snack foods. I bought myself and the boatman a bowl of noodle soup at one of the stalls in the bank instead of from the boat seller since I want to stop for a while to take more photos of the market while seated on the boat. After finishing the food we off again to continue to explore the narrow canals filled with souvenirs shops selling same stuff. I bought shirts and some figurines which I thought made of wood but turned out only molded fiberglass.
|
After completing the canal route we headed back to where we started, on the way back I just enjoy the ride by not taking any more pictures.
Coming back to Bangkok was a bit frustrating. The bus terminal is about a kilometer away from the place were I took my boat ride. I have to walk under the scorching sun since there was no transportation around that I can take to the bus terminal. The terminal is situated just after crossing the bridge on the right side of the town center. After waiting for an hour, the bus left for Bangkok. When the bus arrived in Bangkok, I did not wait until it reached the terminal I alighted along the main road and took a taxi and asked the driver to dropped me to Victory Monument. But the driver was playing dumb on me that even if I showed him already the photo of the monument still he had no clue where it is, so as soon as I spotted the BTS station I asked him to stop and dropped me. I arrived at the hotel tired and exhausted, but happy for the day's adventure.
I spent the rest of the day at the hotel's sauna and a massage. By evening I was totally rejuvenated and ready again for a night adventure.
