The people of Thailand were full of fun and very helpful. They helped make our holiday enjoyable.
The town is very different from most. For example, the fast long-tailed boats that whisk you along the many "klongs", out of reach of the traffic jams on the roads.
Foodstalls abound on the pavements of the towns.
Everywhere.
The klongs also have their share of vendors.
Wherever you buy them, the goods are attractive.
There is plenty to see around town. Like the stalls full of interesting fruit (rambutans here)
They make and sell hand-painted sunshades.
The paper for these sunshades is made on-site by hand.
The Tumpnak Thai in Bangkok is claimed to be the biggest restaurant in the world. Certainly all the waitresses wear roller skates and whizz along the wooden decks built over ornamental ponds.
They perform traditional Thai dancing during the evening.
For sheer novelty, try this pavement cafe in Chang Mai.
The cook throws the hot food across the road and a waiter catches it on top of a caravan parked opposite and then brings it to the customer's table.
Why? We never discovered.
The locals in Bangkok favour a place with a huge central area of tables surrounded by food counters such as this one.
Years later a Thai research student assured me that the pale blue ones contain nothing more sinister than raisins!
The train from Bangkok to Chang Mai was comfortable and served a decent meal at your seat
We travelled overnight and the metal fittings you see are the structure of the two-storey bunks.
Later there was the opportunity to travel by elephant.
Getting on and getting off are interesting.
For real comfort we recommend a barge journey along the klongs.
There is much to be seen, both from the klong and at stops.
Progress is regal - waving to people all along the banks.
There is much to see and photograph.
Maybe even buy some plants from a garden centre.
It is a sociable way to travel.
The giant communal pink mosquito net was a memorable feature of our boat.
And the food was glorious!
"Palaces and Temples" photos | "Hilltribe Trek" photos
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This is a set of photos - no diary was kept during 1990.
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