Markets - Rail and Water

I am posting from the Phi Phi (Pee Pee) Outrigger Resort, more on that later.  Yesterday's tour needed to start early in order to arrive at the Railway Market in time to see the train arrive. We had decided to do this instead of another temple tour as part of our full day tour out of Bangkok.  The Railway Market was fascinating.

 Originally, when the vendors started overflowing the space available, they observed that the tracks were vacant most of the day except for passenger train arrival and departure.  So they started encroaching on the rails, and would pull back to allow the train to pull into the station.  We walked up the railway, and truly, the vendors goods were right up to the rail itself.  With canopies fully covering across the ROW.  It was very crowded but orderly.  We found a good spot to await the train arrival.  As the time approached, people and vendors showed no sign of yielding their market space.  A horn sounded announcing the train.  Some started to pull back, but many waited even longer.  Where we were, some people thought they could remain standing in front of where the vendor pulled back to.  They were yelling at them to "get back, get back" and eventually the moved out of the way.  Good thing since there were literally inches between the pull back and the train as it passed. After that, the whole thing moved right back out over the rails.  Incredible.  Apparently, this is not just a tourist attraction, but a legitimate daily market where the denizens go about their rituals of acquiring everthing they need for that day.  Once we had seen this, it was back to the van to carry on to the "Floating Market.

We hopped on a Long Tail Boat and had another canal tour.  Arrived at the floating market, again it is an active market for sale and barter amongst locals primarily.  It was crazy busy with power and paddle boats bumping into one another, but apparently this was a quiet, non-weekend day.  Trading/Sales occuring between paddle boats and onto the land.  

Ya bought us some freshly fried bannana, seemed a bit odd to have a deep fryer on a canoe, but that is what was happening (open charcoal fired).  Passed up to us in a bag on a pole, with a small pail to drop the money into.  As we wandered about, we did some more junk shopping and picked up a Sitting Buddha and some other cheap clothing.  Ya was dissapointed in my bargaining skills.  From there, we headed to the Rose Garden for some lunch followed by a cultural show, which was of interest, but kinda lame at the same time.

 Included an elephant show.

Long drive back into Bangkok and the Chatrium.  We considered heading out to the Asiatique for dinner and more shopping, with perhaps a night time Tuk Tuk ride to wrap it up, but energy was low so we opted for dinner at the hotel.

We had a 6:00 am pick up to transfer to the airport for our flight to Phuket (Pooket).  Met Ya at the terminal building and she was very helpful getting us sorted out with Bangkok Airways.  First time so far that the airline has charged us for overweight baggage, but we found out we could just sign up for their frequent flyer program to increase our allowance.  Wish I'd known that before.  Also, security at this airport was a bit more robust than some of our recent experience, we actually had to empty our juice bottles!  So this flight was the commencement of a very interesting travel day.  The one hour flight to Phuket was problem free.  Met our Outrigger Agent by a stroke of luck as Karen noticed her with her clip board under her arm with our name on it.  From there we road in a van to a marina.  Loaded on a Catamaran and set out to Phi Phi Island.  It wasn't too rough, but some folks got sea sick, and the people who chose to ride up top got soaked.  Matthew has more scars on his arm from Karen clutching him.  Upon arrival in the bay, we switched onto a smaller ferry that took us in closer to shore, where we then transferred to a half submerged buggy drawn by an old rusted out diesel farm tractor.  With the tractor belching diesel smoke,

we pulled up onto the beach and got checked into the beautiful Outrigger Resort Hotel.  We have a couple of great ocean view bungalows, one row back off the beach.  After we got settled, we went for lunch and now I'm blogging in the Internet cafe while everyone else is off exploring.