When I was a professor at a Thai public university I used to take the green flag Express Boat (like this one) from near my home in Pakkret down the river to the university. I hadn't done that since I retired a couple of years ago, so a friend of mine, John, and I decided it would be a fun early morning ramble to photogrph boats and anything interesting along the riverside on our way to Bangkok's Chinatown, 45 minutes away by boat.
By "anything interesting" I meant a constant line of fascinating houses built on stilts in the Chao Phraya River.
As our Express Boat leaves Pakkret it passes through a narrow canal (called "Klong Lat Kret" by locals) that creates the river island of Koh Kret from a bend in the river. Many old wooden houses line this passage. I spent my first two years in Thailand trying to rent one of these stilted rierside houses without luck.
I must confess, I never tire of gazing at these old wooden houses passing bye as the boat glides downstream to Bangkok.
Not all of the riverside houses are in a state of disrepair. I watched this one being build every morning for about a year on my way to work. I want to live there.
The Chao Phraya River is a living river: it is more than a water channel for commuter boats, it is also full of commercial activity, and a little fishing. Here a longtail boat is being loaded at an ice house for delivery to riverside cafes and other businessess needing daily ice resupply.
Since it was morning on a school day, we saw many school children waiting on their home docks for their school bus ferry to take them to school.
River life: a mother accompanies her son to school by ferry. She may go on to a market afterward.
It is wet season and the water hyacinth has all been loosened from the banks to float to the sea.
Construction work along the river banks is common to see. As this part of the Chao Phraya River is estuarial, there is much concern about sea level rise. Considerable effort and resources have been spent raising the banks of the river in anticipation of this eventuality.
Of course, if your alarm clock didn't go off, you can always take a hair-raising ride on a hot rod longtail boat to the office.
There is always something to see and think about along the river. Here, a fully loaded self-propelled gasoline tanker is tied up in front of a giant Buddha statue, waiting for the tide to turn to ease the up-river journey.
For me, it is always a thrill to come upon one or more river tug boats working a set of barges up or down the river.
Here four tugs, three in front and one (not pictured) in the rear steering, work a set of barges up river in the early morning.
These Chao Phraya river barges are huge! They sit high out of the water when empty, and are nearly submerged to their gunnels when full of rice, or sand, or whatever other cargo they haul. The famalies of barge crew often live in the houses on the barges.
In comparison, here is a fully loaded barge with a tug waiting for the tide to turn.
A tug working four empty barges up river.
A tug motoring to a rendesvous with some barges to move.
A workman in a self-propelled small barge heading to a worksite.
As we neared the our Chinatown dock, larger buildings appeared behind the riverside stilted huses.
This was my favorite house along the river when I was commuting to work. However, I was shocked to see that something was amiss: this beautiful riverside home seemed to be abandoned now. A shame.
Many beautiful old teak Thai style houses dot the riverside. New and old.
Of course, there are many riverside wats and chedis along the way.
Sometimes the temples are obscured by passing barge trains.
There are several more dense urban areas along the route. At these points, if there is no nearby bridge, ferries carry students and shoppers across the river. This is the Nonthaburi ferry crossing.
This ferry seems to be very old. I wonder how long it has been in service. I used to see this ferry crammed with students on their way to school on the other side of the river.
I felt a bit of nostalgia seeing this old express boat. This is like the one I used to take to work and back. Newer models have replace most of these.
Temple construction. I tried to figure out what kind of temple this might be. It is not of a style typical of Thai wats. Maybe a Jain temple?
A favorite Buddha image for me. I would always wai when I passed to show respect and to remind myself to stay in the present moment always.
There is a small Islamic community in Thailand, so you see mosques here and there.
And always . . . a tug pulling a barge. The building in the background is a large Thai urban public school, likely K-12. Some of these Thai public schools are very good, others are not.
As we neared the city center, we passed a shed housing a collection of cremonial royal barges. Periodially, on special national occasions, there would be a grand Royal Barge Procession on river of hundreds of these golden barges.
Near our final stop.
I assumed this was a royal structure of some kind. Likely a reception and viewing platform for Royal Barge Processions.
CHINATOWN
The pier where we were let off was near a stretch of Chinatown full of small, old alleyways.
For me, the Bangkok Chinatown is an endless source of wonder and amazement . . . and photo opportunities.
With a large open market nearby, the only way to get supplies in was by hand trucks, like these.
Aazing sights around every corner in this maze of Chinatown alleys.
I enjoy photographing these abstract, organic scenes: Stained Wall With Sticker.
As my friend John and I ambled around these narrow aalleys we stumbled upon this marvelous Chinese temple. It looked inviting.
We climbed the stairs and stood at the door . . . and this is what we saw.
Such a fantastical space! And thick with incence smoke.
A marvel of spiurtual pracrice and reverence.
A forest of candles . . . donated and lit by local devotees.
Self portrait with Gwan Yin.
The view to the alley looking out from the temple door.
An outdoor incinerator for sending gifts/sustanence to your long departed ancestors on the other side.
We proceded up the alley toward the market. A good business concept: storage compartments for the market hawkers to keep their wares safe over night.
I foound it a bit odd for a wig shop to be found along a back alley in Chinatown.
We were finally arriving at the market proper. More storage cabinates lining the way.
An isle through the market.
Many market stalls lined the alleys now . . . selling everything imaginable . . . and unimaginable.
Some shops were a haphazard mess, while others, like this one, were a miracle of OCD organization. How long, how many generations, has this family been ensconsed in this space selling this and that.
There are literally miles and miles of these Chinatown market alleys.
A workspace/jobsite for many, many people.
A few monks were still in the market gathering alms for himself and the monks left back at the wat.
A long morning of shopping in the heat and humidity taking a toll on this man . . . and me.
Yes, even here, the device is ubiquitus. I suppose its a nice distraction from sitting in the market all day . . . all your life.
Fish maw.* When I say the Chinatown market has everything, I mean EVERYTHING! [* I LOVE fish maw soup the way my wife makes it!]
Interesting fresh veggies for your soups and curries.
This delicious-looking roast chicken smelled great.
The food section had an amazing array of edible items for sale . . . in bulk.
All the spices and ingredients you would need for your next feast.
Dried food.
My friend needed to go back home by public transport, so I stayed in Chinatown for a while exploring one of the big Chinese temples. Many devotees here.
This is such an extraordinary altar.
The use of neon here is outstanding!
This temple had many side rooms with altars to different dieties from the Chinese pantheon.
In this neighborhood there would be many wealthy people donating to this temple.
I stayed quite a long time here, sitting on a bench, enjoying the peaceful space, before leaving.
I left the Chinatown area by taxi heading to Khlong Thom, a fabulous indoor market for automotive parts & acessories and electronics. They didn't have what I was looking for (I bought a few stickers anyway). Afterwards I walked around the back streets in the area.
My luck was good: I found a shop specializing is special high heat insulation materials! I bought this roll of under hood high heat insulation for my hot rod pick-up project. I left happy.
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It was a great day out and about in Bangkok, my home. I was very tired and worn out by the walking and heat of the day, so I took a taxi home. I took many, many more photos of the wonderful wooden houses along the Chao Phraya River, too many to post here. I would hope that, if you ever make it to Bangkok, you too will take a long trip on the river.
Himself.