Samchuk Market

Wonderful Boonchi has been taking me out and about this week and yesterday's outing was with Sue and Pat to Samchuk Market (also known as the 100 year market) in Suphanburi.

We took the trip along the river, which as you can see, was also our chance to snack on some local goodies from the market.

Pat complained that Sue ate all the snacks!

But when Pat tried to get her to walk the plank, Sue held on tightly.

Which was just as well, as she has a fan on the riverbank urging her to jump!  Well okay, he was actually pretending to box for our amusement.

 In one direction, the boat went to a local dam.

In the other direction we ended up at Wat Samchuk, which could date from 1757.  Amongst the things to see were a set of Buddha statues, which they said were about 200 years old and sat behind a locked grill, which they graciously opened for us.  In the museum building there was a human skeleton, a huge betel nut pounder (how lucky was that?), pottery, beads and photographs.

 The best sight at the museum though was this dog, who nursed the stray kittens

and even the cats!  The monk said she hadn't any puppies but just continuously nursed the cat population. Talk about a dinner line!!!

When we were leaving, Boonchi and the boat driver decided to feed the catfish.  I swear they have bigger mouths than, er.. (answers on a postcard please!).

Ha ha, remember when Boonchi rode the wooden horse?  Well this time he wanted to drive the boat!

In the market area, Sue showed us what she used to look like before she started her diet.  

Boonchi had no time for frivolity as he had his lunch to tuck into.

Finally we got to the tree shrine, which had really grown since our last visit.  The dressing tables are now pushed up next to each other and go right round the tree.

Once home, Pat and I went for a drink at the top of the Sofitel Hotel on Sukhumvit.  The views were amazing.  This is the view to my apartment building (the one with the large side balcony), which is next to Times Square (dark building in foreground).

 The view towards Asoke BTS and beyond.

 The view towards Nana BTS, and beyond.

After a couple of drinks we were as relaxed as relaxed could be.  On leaving we visited the ladies toilet, where we discovered they have Hermes hand soap and body lotion.  Pat almost stripped off and took a bath and she certainly managed to put lotion on enough of her body!  Both of us came out smelling of Hermes finest.