Jan 29 Floating Market

Todays tour was a trip to the Floating Market. On the way we stopped at a traditional Thai house and coconut plantation. Located on a klong (canal), and made entirely of teak. large living area, shrine, kitchen, dining table, bedroom for the wife, it seems the husband sleeps wherever he wants to.
On to the floating markey by longboat. A longboat is a long (duh) narrow boat that seats 6-8 people and is powered by a car engine and steered with a long handle attached to a propeller in the rear of the boat.

The ride was about 45 minutes through the klongs,

really fast and then slower when the wake threatened to swamp us. It was an exciting ride and the floating market was amazing. All the vendors are in boats and sell everything from fruit and vegetables, hats and souvenirs to noodle soup.

When the boat is near the dock customers sit alongside and eat the noodles passed to them with their feet hanging over the side. When the boat is away from the dock they use a long handle with a scoup on the end to collect the money (baht) and send the food back. Interesting thing about Thai money, they have no coin, only paper. Actually in Vietnam there was no coin as well and the paper was a new type of currency with a see through plastic section. Some of the old currency is apparently still around and we were told to be careful not to take it from anyone. Back to the market, lots of people and hot as hell.

Couple of my favorite photos from today.

Thailand has three seasons, hot, hotter and monsoon. We're in hot season now. The humidity is also very high and we're all drooping at the end of a tour. Buses are all nicely air conditioned though and they pass out lots of water and cool wet towels. All in all we're being well taken care of.
After the market we made a stop at a wood carving place. This is one big unfinished piece.

Amazing stuff, lots of furniture and life size elephants and buddhas. What does one do with a carved wooden lifesize elephant?
On the way back to the ship we passed miles of salt flats. They sell the salt that they, what? mine, farm, gather, collect? I don't know but after they "get" it they sell it in large bags by the side of the road.

Back to the ship for a nap.
I haven't mentioned the food but it has been exceptional. The service has been incredible, the crew is amazing, the entertainment is good and we love the ship.
Usually on a cruise you see other cruise ships either on the ocean or at dock. Until a couple days ago we had seen none. In Hanoi the Seabourne Pride was docked and then today in Bangkok the Oceania Nautica came in behind us. Tidbit.
Move the clocks ahead 1 hr tonight. They said to move them at 2am, shouldn't we be moving them when the ship crosses the time zone? What are the chances that's at 2am?
Next two days are at sea. Then we arrive in Singapore and transfer to our hotel.