While based in Bangkok we made several excursions outside the city. A visit to Kanchanaburi with its military history was essential.
The floating market was an extra - a colourful slice of traditional Thai life which has so often been lived alongside water.
We wanted to make this excursion to see the infamous bridge over the River Kwhae and to visit the two Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemeteries at Kanchanaburi and, more particularly, Chung Kai.
The Japanese occupied Thailand during World War Two and wanted to build a railway as a supply route for further conquest to the west. The Japanese were harsh task-masters and worked both Allied Prisoners of War and the native labourers extremely hard. Around sixteen thousand POWs and tens of thousands of labourers died from the terrible conditions and brutal treatment.
The Kanchanaburi cemetery is close to the town and easily visited but the Chung Kai cemetery is a little distance away so our guide arranged some private transport for us. Here we wanted to visit the grave of Gunner Lawrenson for an email contact of Andrew's. Chung Kai, as all CWGC cemeteries, is a peaceful and beautifully kept place. Before returning to Kanchanaburi we walked down to the Mae Nam Kwhae Noi river which flows very close to the cemetery
The infamous bridge is located in the town and spans the Mae Nam Kwhae Yai river. The original wooden structure, completed in February 1943, was replaced by a metal version and ready for use by April of the same year. It was used until bombed by the Allies in 1945. I attempted to walk on to the bridge (several tourists had already done so) but nearly fell through - it's a very open structure.
We then went on the little tourist train (upgrading but still very hard seats!) to Kwhae Village along the Death Railway. It's a two hour trip through very lush countryside of the Mae Nam Khwae Noi and the terrain looks immensely difficult for building a railway requiring high bridges and deep cuttings through the mountains. Some of the original wooden railway still remains.
We saw what I think were houses on the river but tethered to the river bank and it looked like they could be floated down the river. Similar craft, without the walls, are used as ferries.
The landscape is pretty much a jungle but there is some evidence of cultivation along the river banks.
We had lunch at the River Khwae village hotel, bailing out two young English lads who had run out of "beer money"! Then an exhilarating long tail boat ride on the river in a jungly gorge.
These boats are ubiquitous; long and narrow they are driven by a bare motor which turns a long pole with a propeller on the end which is dipped in and out of the water as needed.
There is a lot going on down on the river - this is where people live and it is the main local transport artery.
Floating markets are very much part of the traditional Thai way of life. I believe they can be overrun by tourists but these weren't too bad when we visited.
We made a small tour of the khlongs first, again seeing lots of domestic houses along the water. Many of these had either cultivated gardens or lots of plants in pots on the balconies.
Then on to the floating markets where we wandered around looking at the merchandise and trying things out - deep fried banana is very good.
For refreshment it's hard to beat fresh coconut juice - straight from the nut.
There were lots of boats selling fruit and vegetables and all kinds of things to eat, as well as tourist items - mostly hats and bags.
