Learning Thai

One fun adventure we had with mom and dad, was a canal boat tour. We've been wanting to do this for ages, so it seemed like a great activity to do while they were here. We took the big tourist boat down the Chao Phraya (the large river which goes through the downtown) and then hired a longtail boat to take us down some canals in Thonburi. Within minutes, it was hard to believe we were still in Bangkok as we began to see life that looked a lot more like the country side- slow paced and river based. There were vendors rowing their noodle "stands" along in boats, tiny general stores out over the water and many, many tiny dilapidated homes on the water as well as a few big shiny mansions. We saw people on their front steps taking baths or washing their dogs. We saw a boat full of monks, many older people lounging on their porches, and lots of people making their living on the river. We had some rice soup with fish along the way and enjoyed a fascinating glimpse into the lives of Thais living along the canals...as well as a fast and fun longtail boat ride (with the occasional spray of water!).