Floating Markets

It would seem that anything the Thai vendors can do on land they can adapt for these traditional markets. You've got you fruit stalls, the breakfast and lunch vendors, the floating tourist souvenir stand and the floating bar, all before 8am. I got up at 6am to wander down to the canals before the hoards of tourists swarmed in from Bangkok, and was rewarded with the time of morning when there are more Thai people than tourists.
Damnoen Sakuak is about 2 hours south west of Bangkok but I'd come back from Kanchanaburi the night before so that I could see what the locals actually get up to on a daily basis. Damnoen Saduak is a little like the Venice of South East Asia - there are 'grand canals' and there are the little tiny ones that might only squeeze 2 boats passing. They are not all that deep, so I'm not sure if they are man made or not, as they don't really twist and turn like a natural body of water would. The locals swim there, and when I say locals I mean both the Thai people and the monitor lizards that obviously inhabit them - I spotted 2 as I cruised the waterways. No, it wasn't hard spotting them, they are pretty big!
At the risk of sounding hypocritical - its a shame that tourism has hit this place, as its expensive, and now also full of the usual crap that you see being flogged at overinflated tourist prices all over Thailand. However on the other hand, its an amazing thing to see before it gets crazy busy and the vendors are pushing the stupidest looking hats that turn from fan (position a.) to hat with a swift flick of the wrist (position b.). The locals eat breakfast of noodles, bamboo shoots, tofu, spring onion and stock on their boats, holding on to the boat next to them (accommodating cookware for preparation of said dish), buy fruit at the local, uninflated prices and laugh with each other, probably about the ignorant tourists who will soon descend.
The faces on these ladies are beautiful. Lines full of character, and smiles so warm that when you hear 'Banana, nice - 20 baht' you wish just once they didn't see $$ before the face.
But its not all bad - I had some help from some lovely people in finding my hotel - just a quick ride on the back of a ladies moped, as opposed to the 1.5km walk in the heat!
I got back in Bangkok yesterday afternoon, and have been lazing in the pool, and now that you're all quite jealous I'll sign off. Until next time