“I feast on my image.”
-Marisa, in response to my inquiries for food, after putting on the 6 whole scarves and elephant pants she purchased at the market today
Drum roll please.
Today…
…we left for our traverse earlier than the last possible second.
I know, I know. Hold the applause, please.
We also decided to be a little extra and take a taxi, which broke the bank a little bit, but sometimes you just need that little bit of bougie in your day. We were already going to Damnoen Saduak, which is the most popular floating market in Thailand, so we figured we might as well commit to the tourist life.
The big difference between this market and yesterday’s was the mode of moving around the market. Yesterday, there was a solid river bank with paths and buildings built up on stilts that you could walk on.
This one didn’t really have any of that. Instead, you also got in a boat and had someone who steered you around to different shops.
This is a Lazy Person Dream. And sometimes venders boat right up to you. Can you imagine? A nice old lady motors up with a plate of mango sticky rice in one hand and gesturing at the cooler full of beer in the front of her boat.
I would die for you, Mango Sticky Rice
Again, a dream.
Besides boat venders, there were also shops set up on buildings that are set up on stilts. These were mostly flooded and the owners were usually wading around in water with their stands of goods just inches above the water like they knew exactly where the level was going to be when they got up this morning.
The recommended hours for the market are Very Early, so we definitely still managed missed peak time. There were hardly any other passenger boats out so it was nice and empty. I can see the added aesthetic of the river being filled with boats, but this was way more peaceful.
The downside to this whole empty river + being in a boat that you’re not driving thing is that it really cranks the shopping pressure up. The venders more often that not had these long sticks with hooks at the end that they could use to latch on to your boat and pull you in. And there’s no walking away from a vender when you’re in a boat. I’m not good in high pressure situations and have now been banned from buying things first as I will ruin the chances of bargaining prices down after I make panic purchases at the initial prices.
Kelly and Marisa have no such issues with bargaining. We spent a good ten minutes at a quintessential elephant pants store with them going back and forth with a vender, all while standing and holding up pairs of pants on this little boat. I spent quality time with my mango sticky rice while they bargained, so I think everyone was having a good time.
The market ended up only being about half of our time and our driver/boat man took us around the town.
Remember what I said yesterday about everything being built on stilts? This was next level. There was no hint of land besides the foundation that the town was built on. Everything was on raised. Even the sidewalks.
I’m not describing this well.
All of the houses were raised above the ground on stilts, like they were ready for high water. The people have things stored underneath, like chairs or play structures, but they were half underwater. Sometimes there would be a few errant chickens hanging out on half submerged things.
I think the most impressive part is that everything is raised just above water level. They have cement chairs where the legs are completely submerged but the seat is still dry. It’s like that with the shrines too. Everything pokes out of the water just enough. Even the sidewalks are raised like bridges so people can walk from house to house. There still managed to be a substantial amount of dogs lounging about even though there wasn’t a lot of space to roam. (I also noticed a bunch of cctv cameras on the sidewalks, which seems odd but, ya know.)
It’s also ridiculously green here. Like the whole country of Thailand is without a doubt one of the greenest places I’ve been. Each house has atleast ten to fifteen plants, and that’s just the potted ones. The vines grow along with the power lines and more often than not over take them, which makes it look like there are just ropes of green running along the river. And having all the trees in combo with all the water gives the town a swampy and powerful vibe, like there’s some ancient nature magic that’s latent in the land.
Our boat guy also took us to a dock and let us roam a little bit before giving us buckets filled with dog food. I was uncertain about what we were going to be feeding until he shoveled some out into the water. It started to look like the water was boiling with how many fish came up to get some snacks. You could see the exact arc of your throw by where the fish popped up.
We eventually wandered back into Bangkok. It was our last night here but we were exhausted, so we just walked down the street to dinner. Now, the street we’re on is lined with massage parlors and I’m sure that everyone has heard about Thai massages.
We’ve been walking past these shops everyday and everyday Marisa has suggested that we go get one. Tonight is no different, except for the fact that it is the final night. So we do a little research, pick one, and head in.
They take us a little further back into the parlor and give us spa clothes to put on. Which means we have to take our clothes off first and being nude in a new situation, no matter how briefly, is a humbling experience for sure.
Something that I feel like I need to say upfront is that when I’m nervous, I laugh. When I’m with Marisa in any situation, I laugh. And this happened to have both. Marisa was laughing too, which set me off, which then has the massage ladies laughing at us for laughing (how many times can I use the word ‘laugh’ in a paragraph?)
I eventually got myself under control. I still had moments where I lapsed, like when I heard Marisa’s masseuse ask her if she was okay, but I’m pretty proud of how I held it together.
And the massage was really good. I didn’t expect it to be bad, I just feel like I had been swayed by misconception and was ready for it to be Painful. It was definitely very involved though. There was one point where I realized that my person was using all available body parts, including feet. Which is definitely economic.
There was one part that sort of felt like I was in a wrestling match where they made me put my hands behind my head and did a full back bend thing. My back has never cracked like that before. Marisa also witnessed this and said that it looked like I was dead.
Which is understandable. I feel like jelly. It’s good.
What I’m wondering about now is how do the masseuses’ feel? Do they have people that help them out at the end of the day, or what?
Anyways, we’re back in the room and packing up now because we’re leaving for Phi Phi in the morning. There’s a gecko on the headboard of my bed and some slugs by the sink. I’m not sure how they got in, but they’re kind of cool. I’ll miss them.
Marisa in peak form
Kommentare