Cambodia & Thailand Day 8

DAY 8 - December 3, 2003 - Bangkok to Kanchanaburi/River Kwai

We were up at 5:30 AM to have an early start and try to beat the traffic our of Bangkok. Breakfast at the Impala has been very good and the bacon the best I have ever savored. Thick, salty and great peppery taste. YUM!!! Wonderful for my arteries. We went to the front desk and still no camera. We now have Anya involved in the process.

At 7 AM we were on the bus and going out of the city. We are heading west this morning and Anya told us many details about the stops we will be making today. Out in the rural areas we saw many farms, huge temple complexes, and industrial sites.

We have begun to see huge salt fields where sea water is pumped on to the very level ground using wind mills and then the sun dries and evaporates the water leaving only the salt. It will be removed and the process starts all over after about 30 days.

Our next stop was at a coconut sugar factory where we saw the production of coconut oil, raw coconut, and coconut sugar. Monkeys are trained to go up into the trees to get the coconuts. We were very disappointed in not being able to see that part of the production.

We drove on a bit further where the bus parked and we got on to two long tailed speed boats. These boats are like long narrow canoes with a high prow and will hold eight people. The motor is at least a four cylinder engine with a long (15 foot) shaft with the propeller at the back. The driver can control the depth of this prop to avoid the shallow bottoms and floating materials.

We sat at the bottom of the boat and hung on for dear life as we sped through the canals. Our boat motor was having a problem with misfiring and the driver had to stop to clear the water and plastic from the propeller.

After about a 30 minute ride we docket at the Floating Market of Damnern Saduak, where the local people buy and sell fresh vegetables, fruits, hats, hardware, prepared food and beverages.

Anya bought us some tiny yellow banana and some other items typical to the area so we could try the local flavors. Several people really liked the black sticky rice cooked in coconut milk. Anya allowed me to use her cell phone to call the our home number in the US for the UPS routing number for the camera.

Tim then called her back and gave us the data that we need to check where it was in Thailand. We found it with the Thai customs as we will have to pay a high tax to get it in to the country.

Anya spent the rest of the day getting UPS to release the item, pay the custom charges and then one of her associates to pick it up and then drive it to us tomorrow. This has taught me a lot of lessons.

Our next stop was at a teak wood factory where we watched local artisans carve the native teak wood. It is a very hard wood and the carvings are elaborate and detailed. We also watched women making Sa paper - a paper made from the bark of mulberry trees.

After looking through the displays, demonstrations, looking at the awesome furniture and the other gift shops, we were back on the bus at 11:45 heading for the River Kwai.

During the 1:30 hour trip to our next stop, we were able to watch a video on the history of the area under Japanese control. It prepared us for the experiences ahead.

At about 1 PM we arrive at Kanchanaburi and we went to lunch at the Ban Lung Chuan Suan Pa Tiew family restaurant that caters to Western tourists. The restaurant was served outside and air-conditioned with sprinklers on the corrugated tin roof and the water trickled down forming walls of water to cool us as we ate.

Although it was good, we are learning not eat so much food at every sitting as we want to try the different specialties that are provided for us at every meal.

This Kanchanaburi Province is a lush green region where the river and the countryside bring to mind the dramatic history portrayed in the film The Bridge on the River Kwai. It was here that Allied POWs and Asian conscripts were forced to build the infamous World War II railway.

In the summer of 1942, World War II was raging across Europe and Asia. The Allies were rapidly capturing the sea routes to Burma, forcing the Japanese to develop an overland supply route from the east to support their troops.

The Japanese decided that the most viable option was a railway that followed the River Kwai, through the dense jungle on either side. About 250,000 Asian labors and 61,000 Allied prisoners of war built this 160-mile stretch of rail, in abominable conditions—for every half-mile of track laid, 38 POWs perished.

The bus took us close to the river but we had to walk through a gauntlet of tourist shops following the railroad tracks. We walked along the track to the new steel Bridge over the River Kwai, the old bridge is no longer there as it was bombed by the US armed forces and everyone agreed never to rebuild a bridge at that location.

The new bridge is about 300 yards up-river and we walked the whole length of this structure to the others side on rough planking laid between the two tracks.

The bridge itself is very narrow and only wide enough for a train to pass. Many of the planks were broken and there were no guard rails.

While we were on the far side, a passenger train came by showing us that the bridge is still in use. We saw an elephant and her baby eating in the shade, close to the bridge.

Just a short distance away from the bridge is the JEATH (Japanes, English, American/Australian, Holland) prisoner of war museum. We were able to see photographs of the torturous existence for those in the area and the cruelty of man.

The Thai people have accepted a philosophy that the past is past. Punishing the Japanese will not bring back those that died in this one episode of WWII.

We made a brief stop at the Kanchanaburi’s War Cemetery where in 1945 many of the prisoners ended their battle with the Japanese.

At about 4:45 and 20 KM outside of town, we arrived at the Legacy River Kwai, a lodging facility in the middle of the jungle. We were all given a lodge, and were told that dinner would be at 7 PM.

Our room is quite large but primitive in that the hot water is only available in the shower, and that is only because they have a electric water heater on the wall.

The higher the volume of water, the cooler the water. If it barely sprays, the water is quite comfortable. In the morning I will have to shave with the water from the faucet that is not heated.

The room has two high powered air conditioners - this is something the Thai have accepted with great efficiency. Within an hour I had to turn down the two as the room was quite chilly. Right outside the window we have a waterfall and pond.

At 6:45 (in the dark) we left to try to find the dining room. It was a short 5 minute walk and we were treated to another excellent meal.

The Pat Thai was excellent and I had three small servings, with a salad, soup and fresh fruit for dessert. We walked home at about 8:45 to finish the journal and get ready for an early morning.

Accommodations: Legacy River Kwai

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Day 6: Mediterranean Navigation

Aziz, our Tour Leader

The Red Group at Dougga, Tunisia

North Africa American Cemetery in Tunis

The Tunis Medina

Shops in the Souk

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Day 06 - Friday, March 7, 2025 – Tunis, Tunisia; Visit Carthage; North Africa American Cemetery and Memorial; UNESCO Medina of Tunis

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