Today,we have scheduled a private tour to the Damnoen Floating Market. Jay and I decided to do a private tour because we don’t do well with groups. On group tours, we look at what we are supposed to look at, Jay takes his pictures and we go back to the bus. We are usually the first ones on the bus. That is why we decided to do a private tour. We were picked up at 7:30 in a tourist van with an english speaking tour guide and a driver. They were right on time. We then headed out of town, it takes about an hour to get there. We stopped at a place where they make coconut sugar. They climb up and get the coconut flowers and boil it down to make the sugar. It is extremely sweet and is a beige color.
After purchasing Jay a T-shirt and some key chains, we left and went to see a traditional Thai home. They were also making coconut sugar. This time we got to taste the sugar that had just finished the process and was still warm. They also had a variety of pets including a pet squirrel, monkey, birds as well as dogs. The traditional Thai home has an open floor plan. It has windows high up on the wall to let in the breeze. There is an outside sitting area for relaxing. The house is built on stilts so it sits up high. The bottom floor is usually empty. It does not have air conditioning.
Our next stop was to ride the long tail boats through canals until we reached the Floating Market. The long tail boat is a long skinny boat with some type of roof and a motor attached that has a long tail to guide the boat. There are so many canals, that this is a way they travel. Once at the Floating Market, we got out of the long tailed boat and rented a rowboat to go around the market. Getting into the boat was a real challenge for me. It is a long drop from the dock to the boat, We had one that they put a umbrella in to shade Jay and me. This one came with someone to row the boat. You go up and down the canals which are lined with venders selling all sorts of items. If you see something you like you pull over and purchase it without getting out of the boat. There are also food vendors in boats. Some are just selling various fruits, but others are cooking various meats in the boats. This was vary unique.
After the Floating Market, we went to a wood carving place. They were carving teak. We purchased a wood carved plaque, and then they engraved our name on it. Some of the wood carvings were really detailed and beautiful. They were also selling some beautiful hand carved wood furniture. I really would have liked to purchase some of the furniture, but I could not take it home on the plane.
After we left the wood carving factory, we encountered a police roadblock. They were apparently stopping all of the tour buses and vans. They asked our driver for his paperwork and then he had to get out of the van. He did not have the appropriate paperwork and they gave him a fine. You have to pay the fine right then to the police. Our driver did not have enough baht to pay the fine. They finally let us go, but we had to find an ATM machine for the driver to get enough baht and then we had to go back and pay the fine.
Our final stop of the day, was a gem store. They greet you, by offering you a complimentary beverage. Next you are shown a short film about various gems found in Thailand. Then they show you were the employees are cutting, polishing the gems and setting the gems. Finally they take you to the store room. Our clerk start off showing us some very beautiful pieces of blue sapphires and rubies set in white gold, but they were expensive. When I told him I could not afford that, he took me to less expensive pieces. These pieces were set in yellow gold and they were still more that I wanted to pay. Finally he took me to the least expensive pieces set in silver. Bingo, he finally was in a price range that I was more comfortable with. I purchased a ruby set in silver with two cubic zirconia on each side. They had to resize the ring. While we waited we were offered free beverages.
Then the tour was over and we were taken back to our hotel. Jay and I had throughly enjoyed ourselves. The highlight for me was the long tailed boat ride.
