Mahachai Train Tour

Day 4: The next tour I took in Bangkok was a Mahachai Train Tour, which took us to Mahachai, Mae Klong, and the Amphawa Floating Market. I was the only one signed up for the tour but it had a minimum of two people so I paid double for the tour. I had the same tour guide that I had for the Weird & Wacky Bangkok tour that I had taken a few days ago. Photo: the train we took to Mahachai.

The Countryside

A pretty scene that we passed on the train.

Mahachai Market

Mahachai is on the Bay of Thailand, about an hour from Bangkok, and we visited one of the largest seafood markets in Thailand here. It was already very hot and very humid early in the morning, but this was the only uncomfortable weather day that I had on my trip.

Mahachai Market

Some of the seafood for sale at the market.

Mahachai Market

Also, fruits and vegetables were being sold. My tour guide is in the photo.

Mae Kong Market

From Mahachai, we took a minivan across the Tha Chin River to Mae Kong where the Folding Umbrella Market is. When the train is operating (it wasn’t when I was there), the vendors have only a few minutes to take down their umbrellas and shades and to move their wares from the train tracks. There are videos on YouTube of them doing this.

Mae Kong Market

Inside the market.

Amphawa Floating Market

We next took a baht bus from Mae Klong to the Amphawa Floating Market, where vendors cook food on their boats.

I have put my photos of the Mahachai Train Tour on a slideshow. Go to

http://www.peggysphotos.com/bangkok–train–tour–to–mahachai/

(Slide Shows, Asia, Thailand–3, “Train Tour to Mahachai”).

Bang Rak District

Day 5A: In the morning  I took a tour named East Meets West: Bang Rak District Walking Tour in Bangkok. I was the only one signed up for the tour and had two guides. It rained twice on the tour––the first time, we took cover and waited out the rain; the second time, it was pouring so hard that we decided to end the tour.

The Bang Rak district is a mixture of the old and new and of at least three religions. The photo shows some of the old.

Bang Rak District

The new, the State Tower. Part of the movie Hangover Part II was filmed at the open–air Sky Bar at the top of the building.

Bang Rak District

An old building built in 1884 and under renovation. The Old East Asiatic Company headquarters was here.

Bang Rak District

We visited a Buddhist monastery.

Bang Rak District

And the Catholic Assumption Cathedral.

Bang Rak District

And also the Haroon Mosque.

I have put my photos of the Bang Rak tour on a slideshow. Go to

Bangkok: Bang Rak

(Slide Shows, Asia, Thailand–3, “Bangkok: Bang Rak”).

Night Tuk-Tuk Tour

Day 5B: This night I took a Bangkok by Night: Food, Temples, and Markets by Tuk–Tuk tour. I very much enjoyed the tour and recommend it. There was eight in my tour group, so plenty of company. Photo: taking off on our tuk–tuk.

Night Tuk-Tuk Tour

Snacks at a market. Our tour guide bought some for us. Delicious.

Night Tuk-Tuk Tour

We made a photostop at the beautifully lit up Phra Borommathat Maha Chedi.

Night Tuk-Tuk Tour

Our next stop was at the beautiful Bangkok Light of Happiness display of 5 million light bulbs that is to give joy for the new year. A display is up from December 30 to January 31.

Night Tuk-Tuk Tour

We next had pad Thai at the Thip Samai restaurant that boasts that it has the best pad Thai in Bangkok.

Night Tuk-Tuk Tour

Our next stop was at the beautifully lit up Wat Pho, a major Buddhist temple. We walked around only a small area of the temple.

Night Tuk-Tuk Tour

Our next stop was at the Pak Khlong Talat flower market.

Night Tuk-Tuk Tour

Our last stop was at a restaurant in Chinatown for sticky rice and mangoes. Very good.

I have put my photos of the Night Tuk–Tuk tour on a slideshow. Go to

http://www.peggysphotos.com/bangkok–tuk–tuk–night–tour/

(Slide Shows, Asia, Thailand–3, “Bangkok: Tuk–Tuk Night Tour”).

Gate 1 Tour

Day 6: My Gate 1 tour to Myanmar began today in Bangkok. It was a small–group Discovery tour with 22 people on it: four from Canada and the rest of us from the U.S. We had a morning tour of Bangkok with a special Bangkok guide. We stopped at Wat Pho, where I was last night.

Gate 1 Tour

We also saw the golden Reclining Buddha and more of the Wat Pho complex. I had also been to Wat Pho when I was in Bangkok two years ago and have already put many photos of it on this website as well as of other places that we saw on our Gate 1 tour this day, which was mainly a driving tour. See the slide shows under Slide Shows, Asia, Thailand–1 for more photos.

Gate 1 Tour

We also made a stop at a gem factory and store. These young women greeted us. No photos were allowed inside.

Gate 1 Tour

The day ended with a beautiful sunset over the Chao Phraya.