The other day we did a daytrip to the floating market in Damnoen Saduak in the province Ratchaburi. It’s on the Khlong Damnoen Saduak a canal in western Thailand near Bangkok.

Our guide Oi picked us up with her husband from the Cape Nidhra and off we went to the floating market with a lot of info about Thailand and their lifestyle on the way there. She told us a lot about how the raise their children and that they sleep in the bed with their parents till they are teenagers. No one in Austria could ever imagine to let their kids sleep in the bed with their parents for so many years. She also explained their school system and their everyday life. After a few kilometers it was clear to us, that the Thais have a more relaxed way of life and don’t care as much as we do on physical stuff. Her Husband told us that’s not important for them to have a car, big tv or a swimmingpool to set a statement for neighbors, because their approach to it is as simple as it can get “If we have a car this month, it’s fine, if we can’t afford it next month, it’s fine too”. The engineer and I settled an aim for living our lifes more in a “Thai-Way” back home. We failed after 3 months.

After a 2 hour drive and a lot of chatting later we parked at a nearly empty unspectacular parking lot. We looked at each other and wondered if we ever gonna see the floating market or just be kidnapped and killed. (Yes I watch way to many movies and my phantasy went a little crazy) But surprisingly we only strolled around the next corner and a street with vendors awaited us. We couldn’t get our eyes of the many different foods like sticky rice with every topping you can imagine and the different fruits and vegetables. They offered everything. There was even an old lady who sews your clothes while you are running your errands. With all the new impressions Oi and her husband led us to the entrance of the floating market and within a minute and without waiting we sat in a boat piloted by an elderly lady.

There were all different kind of dealers on their boats selling their goods. From fresh young coconut, durian, mangos, melons, papayas, star fruits, dragon fruit to sticky rice with crispy pork, coconut pudding or durian to boat noodles, phad thai, thai salad and various other dishes freshly made on their boats.

My finger pointed out every little detail I saw that the engineer can take a photo of it. Lucky me, he knows me, so I’m sure I looked like a little kid in a candy store grieving for all the sweets. I loved how you saw something new with every stroke our lady captain did.

She paddled us in a little canal and all of a sudden it was quiet and the only sound you could hear was the water clapping against the boat. We went by old houses and saw the “real” life of the Thais. The idyllic houses or more likely cabins with laundry outside and kids playing on the front porch. It was an alluring scene between sun and shadow on the water and the lodges. To soon we headed on the main canal again leading to our guide and her husband who waited for us at the port.

We had Thai Coffee and a coconut to fight the heat and roamed around the countless stalls. I bought a Nón lá just to be told by Oi’s husband that this is a Vietnamese hat.

xox Mel