Day 3: The Floating Market
/The phone rings.
Yes we want to go to the Floating Markets today. OK, we can be down in 20 minutes.
So the day began. The wonderful people who run this boutique hotel knew we wanted to go and decided they would too. So they offered to take us along. It is not the saving of cab fare that is the great thing, it is that someone knows where to go. There is a prevalent illogic to street direction even to the Thai's, never mind the mangia cakes from Canada!
Durian: a fruit common in SE Asia that smells like rotten garbage yet somehow is bought & sold daily at markets everywhere.
On the way to the docks there were every kind of fruit, vegetable, meat, and things without valid identification. And it was scorching hot while the sun was out. Fortunately it faded into overcast and later poured rain. But only a minor irritant at 35C.
Chicken satay being sold from a boat in the floating market
On the boat we cruised miles of channels seeing the neighbourhoods and businesses and temples along the way. Speaking of temples, there are so many and each seems to have its own special reverence around it, unlike NA where there is apathy, ridicule, declining interest and poor attendance at its churches.
After a long day at the markets, we got back in time to go to the nearby massage business; me for 90 minutes, and Katy for 2 hours. As I gritted my teeth through much of it, as the heavy set woman used fingers, fists, elbows, knees, her feet, to twist, prod, pummel and knead me in to a relaxed state. All for about $15. My concern was when all the pop back into their normal dysfunctional alignments!
Dinner was late. A stroll to a nearby restaurant boasting "fusion" food, which is hip, forward thinking, modern. All I wanted in Thailand was some good ol' Pad Thai. Not only did they not serve it, they could not speak English well enough to explain their culinary philosophy. So I had prawns (delicious) , while Kate had on a whim, Spagetti Green Curry, which might have burned a hole in the napkin when some sloshed off the plate.
Credit to the gut lining in Katy as she ate more than half of it, residual burn for another half hour at least.
Moo Ping
On the walk home, a little street meat with our favourite Moo Ping (BBQ pork on a stick) was yummy, and here we are home, planning the rest of our journey.
With our favourite Moo Ping vendor lady at the floating market - we went back 3 times it was so good!