Just for the sake of being absolutely clear - those dogs at the station in Bangkok are just sleeping - examples of the ability and propensity of dogs to sleep in the most akward places and yet be certain no-one will tread on them.
Now you may be a little disappointed by the picture of the actual Bridge on the River Kwai. There was indeed a temporary bamboo structure built and used by the Japanese to transport construction equipment but the actual bridge was always metal - and those curved spans are part of the original bridge.
We are in Kanchanaburi which is west of Bangkok towards the Burma border and is on the infamous 'death line' of WWII. We got here on a rather charming (not quite comfortable enough) third class train through some lovely and interesting countryside.
We have spent the day on our hired bikes riding around Kanchanaburi, visiting some WWII museums and the extremely moving war cemetary where most of the servicemen who died on the death line are buried. We set off for the bridge itself, just at the northern end of the town late this afternoon and managed to arrive a little damp just as a major thunder storm erupted. This did not stop many Thai families making their way out on the bridge. We went a little way out on the bridge ourselves to discover that there were many ways to slip and fall into the fast flowing river below!
You may have heard that the political situation here is febrile, we are checking the FCO web site as we are currently committed to being in the country until the 21st and are due to return to Bangkok on Monday to then leave the following day for Chiang Mai in the north of the country. Its the major New Year Songkran festivities which start today and end on the 15th which we hope to see something of (this involves getting wet apparently!).
We are in Kanchanaburi which is west of Bangkok towards the Burma border and is on the infamous 'death line' of WWII. We got here on a rather charming (not quite comfortable enough) third class train through some lovely and interesting countryside.
We have spent the day on our hired bikes riding around Kanchanaburi, visiting some WWII museums and the extremely moving war cemetary where most of the servicemen who died on the death line are buried. We set off for the bridge itself, just at the northern end of the town late this afternoon and managed to arrive a little damp just as a major thunder storm erupted. This did not stop many Thai families making their way out on the bridge. We went a little way out on the bridge ourselves to discover that there were many ways to slip and fall into the fast flowing river below!
You may have heard that the political situation here is febrile, we are checking the FCO web site as we are currently committed to being in the country until the 21st and are due to return to Bangkok on Monday to then leave the following day for Chiang Mai in the north of the country. Its the major New Year Songkran festivities which start today and end on the 15th which we hope to see something of (this involves getting wet apparently!).
Brian
1 comment:
hi brian and tess, i think you all are quite safe at kanchanaburi. yesterday, most of the actions were at pattaya.
i think i watched the movie 'bridge on the river kwai' when i was in primary school. i have not been there yet.
Post a Comment