Damnoen Saduak floating markets

I just want to forewarn that I have had a long day and I have consumed a bit more beer than is probably advisable to be writing this, so this post will not be my finest but if I don't post this I will get even more behind.

Our last day in Bangkok, we decided to check out the famous floating markets, which are about a hour and half outside of Bangkok. On the way we stopped along the side of the road to check out how coconut farms in Thailand use coconuts to make brown sugar, coconut milk and coconut oil.

Here is a guy is swishing coconut liquid around, that had been heated for a couple of hours, until it thickens. We got to taste the finished product, brown sugar, and it tasted just like the brown sugar we buy in the States.

We took a motorboat to get to the floating market, which was my favorite part! We got to see quite a few houses and people in the canoeing on the canal.

The floating market we went now only exists for tourists. It is representative of how trade used to be done within the larger cities of Thailand four decades ago but with the change from predominant water to land transportation these markets have become less prevalent. Locals go to another market nearby to buy the things they need or travel by car.

View from above the floating market. The boat conductor of our boat gave us hats that we were quite grateful for since we were in the sun for most of our time within the market.

We stopped by an wood artisticans shop and saw many beautifully carved pieces of art and furniture. Grandad, you would have really enjoyed this and I thought of you and your wood turning the whole time :)

We stopped by a pagoda on our return Bangkok. We saw many ornate depictions of Buddha and had a great time wandering around the grounds.

The posture that Buddha is standing in here is known as the Comtemplating Buddha. This is the posture for Friday. Many people go and pray before the Buddha posture of the day of the week that that person was born on. The guide that took us there, asked the day of the week we were born, to which we both replied we have no idea. I have since looked it up and the Contemplating Buddha is the posture of the day I was born. If any of your travel to see a Buddhist temple, you should look up what day you were born and the corresponding Buddha posture and pay your respects.