Market day!

  Ban Prok, Samut Songkhram, Thailand Tuesday, October 7, 2014

This was something we didn't get to do last time we were in Bangkok. We had tried and indeed even set off but our information was wrong and the floating market was not where they said it was. So we missed out. Not this time. We went to see Tim and got an organised trip there just to make sure. Even better was it was combined with the Train Market and you have to see the video below to believe this! The tain market was our first stop. Essentially it is a market for local people not tourists but the hold it along side the railway line. We say alongside but actually it's on the train tracks.We had about half an hour before the first train came along, so we wandered along the tracks treading between the boxes of food and stuff laid out by the market traders. Most of the stalls were selling fruit and vegetables but a few were selling fresh meat and quite a few fresh fish. Those parts of the market really stank as it was all so close together and quite enclosed because of all the awnings keeping the rain off. We also split up so we could hopefully get some great photos between us. We heard the train announcement and watched as the stall holders started to move things around. Then there was a blast of a horn as we heard the train approach. Luckily the train was moving quite slowly as we were so close to the tracks. Then just as the train drew near, they whipped the rest of the stuff out of the way and the awnings were pulled back to allow the train to pass. Some things were left on the floor for the train to pass right over the top of them. incredible! Well as soon as the train had gone passed everything went back the way it was and carried on as normal. Only in Asia would this happen surely! see the video here Our next stop was the floating market. We were really keen to see this and it wasn't far from the train market. As soon as we got out we jumped onto a "shopping boat". This is a little canoe type boat paddled by a lady. There are dozens of market stalls only accessed by boat  and as you weave your way amongst the other boats, you point at what you are interested in and she does her best to take you to that stall. Between her and the stall holders who have great big hooks on poles to pull you over to them, you do your shopping - brilliant. Except that you have to sit through the bartering process on everyone else on the boat as well as your own. Thankfully most people on our boat were only looking not shopping. Bryan had a request from his daughter Becky to bring back handmade woven things as she is doing a project at university. So armed with a few things we jumped off the boat as there was loads more to see on foot. Everything seemed a lot cheaper here and we had spied a stall selling paintings we really liked. We doubled back to the stall. The paintings were not at all cheap but we had fallen in love with them and the artist was there working and selling. We really like it when we find the people that make the things we buy so we were hooked! Armed with a 3" square painting we bought more and more. Mainly gifts for people we have to say but it was all really nice stuff. We could have spent hours in there but to be honest it was probably a good thing we had to leave as we were running out of money and space! A boat trip was lined up next so we had to make our way back to the meeting point. Bryan spied lunch across the river and the ladies brought it over to him. I think he could get a little bit too used to that! Then we went whizzing around the canals of the local village. It had been a lovely day and again we would recommend a trip to these markets if you are ever in Bangkok. WARNING - take lots of money - you will want to spend it all! [gallery columns="4" ids="8575,8582,8593,8602,8612,8629,8643,8653,8670,8691,8698,8708,8717,8726,8737,8745,8753,8765,8771,8784,8790,8798,8810,8819,8829,8839,8845,8849,8854,8859,8865,8871,8879,8882,8891,8892,8898,8901,8907,8913,8918,8922,8924,8929,8935,8938,8941"]