I had been to Bangkok more than a few times but I seem to always spend all my time doing three things. Eating local food, watching Muay Thai at Lumphinee and strolling around Chatuchak.
Each time I maybe fool myself into believed that I would go out of my way to see the floating market. It never happens--until this trip.
While floating markets and water villages are too reminiscent of Dawson's Creek, I actually enjoy visiting these places.I guess it has something to do with the feeling of the place. Quaint.
Personally, I think it provided good backdrop for a coming of age movie. Or of young love. 
I once read a book called Middle Age by Joyce Carol Oates, it was about a man's life being narrated through the encounters that he had with his neighbors at at aging town. Details are lost to me now, but I remember loneliness. Even a feeling of loss.The photo above gives me the same feeling. I can't quite put it into words--the feeling. But physically, it is as if someone in pinch your heart that instinctively makes you hold your breath.
And this is where I remind myself to breathe.
There is novelty in buying food from boats. I loved the coconut pancake!Although in my book, nothing would beat the sticky rice with mango! Not even the papaya salad with my favorite sin, nam pla.
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I am quite the sucker for getting everyday things from non-everyday-places. My brain just goes "This isn't just a peacock feather fan. It is the is peacock feather fan from the water market", even if I just saw the exact same thing in Chinatown a few months ago.
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Even the fruits seemed better than those you get from the normal markets.
My travel buddies probably was distracted the whole time because they were thinking of our next stop which was where we could ride elephants. I didn't. I did before. I didn't thing doing it again was one thing I would especially love.
The floating market was my elephant ride :)
Oh and I finally got something that I always wanted but felt that it was too indulgent here. It is funny how when I got home, I thought to myself "What am I going to do with this?" which was in fact, the same question I asked myself when I was it at the floating market.It was the peacock feather fan.
4 comments:
i love your trip, it's so colorful! ours was mostly clay-ish and dusty-ish haha! will post mine this week. glad you enjoyed your vacation. we haven't been to bangkok yet, this post is insightful. =)
I haven't been to angkor wat so i can't comment, but i'm interested in going there too. I only worry that with that kind of weather and the fact that you'd have to spend the whole day under the sun, i'd spend most of the time fainting and recovering from fainting spells :-p
i love bkk! :-) let me know when you are going, i can give some recommendations.
Ay, i'll grant you access to my bkk album in fb so you can see the other places i always come back to.
thanks! hopefully this year we could go.
haha actually, nov-feb is the best time to go there coz early mornings and late afternoons are cool (18-20deg c), mid day its around 30-33deg c which is still tolerable. besides, you can wear your 'hat' and get refreshments after each leg of the temple route (note: giant coconuts!). lemme know when you plan to go and we'll trade infos. :)
Amazing pictures. I spent my January on 3 different continents, but need to make it out towards Asia next time.
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