(二)、泰國篇，(2-2)，赤日曼谷近郊遊 @ My Very Own World

美功河 River Mae Klong

中南半島戰紀-曼陀羅華盛開的彼岸

(二)、泰國篇-Thailand.

(2-2)，赤日曼谷近郊漫遊-Rambling in the Suburbs of Bangkok in Red Hot Sun.

安帕瓦水上市場
Amphawa Floating Market

我不是很喜歡夜市型的市場，特別是這麼熱的天氣之下，但待在城市久了，心情上也真的不是很開闊，鄰近的安帕瓦水上市場，卻是可以提供當地居民的生活寫真，很有文化上的味道，因此一大早就往巴士東站去買票，位於Ekamai捷運站出口附近，這個巴士站直轄往曼谷南部的各大鄉鎮，到了後，稍微問一下車站的人就找到售票點，現在所有到其他鄉鎮的地點都集中在一處了，每條路線有張專屬桌子，大家排排坐辦公，我買了曼谷到美功的票，拿了號碼牌，

不久小巴司機就來叫人上車了。

I am not particularly fond of night markets,under the quite intimidating weather like this,especially.
However,it'd be a suffocating mood if staying too long in urban streets.Luckily,the nearby town,Amphawa provides an escape out of city Bangkok.

Amphawa Floating Market is a good ideal location to spend over the weekend.It shows not only an authenically living lifestyle,but also a market full of domestic culture.

It will take 2 hours around to get there.Thus,I went to the Eastern Bus Terminal(The Ekkamai Stop,BTS)in the early morning.
Amphawa locates in the south-eastern region from Bangkok,and the Eastern Bus Terminal dominates all buses down to the south towns or cities from Bangkok.

I'd found its ticket selling table to Mae Klong at its right wing building.It seemed all ticket tables for available towns were gathered together in one spot now.I simply asked anyone to find its location.I bought one ticket,and they gave me a card with number on it.

Before long,the driver came and yelled everyone with card to Mae Klong to follow him to his van.

曼谷巴士東站-Eastern Bus Terminal

會在美功稍微停留，是因為"美功鐵道"這個景點緣故，以前居民營生在鐵道兩旁，與火車爭道，火車經過時只好放慢速度，而兩旁攤位也先行收起物品讓火車經過，火車離去又將貨品佔住車道，演變成當地觀光特色，現場已有人維持秩序，算是還滿針對觀光客服務的，由於地點位於菜市場內，一些歐美人士還不習慣環境的味道，但是掩著鼻子還是要硬看，想觀看"奇景"的國人，要先注意火車經過時間，現在是固定的時段，我等的是11:00左右的，另一場是更早的09:15，

我從曼谷還要坐車去，9點多那場我是不可能去，鐵道市場的外面街上有時刻表，看完就在旁邊飲料店喝了杯西瓜汁才離開。

I stopped by Mae Klong because of its sight of "Trains go through the Market".
In old times,residents lived by either side of the railway,that went through the traditional market.When the train approached near,it couldn't help but slow down to allow street vendors in the market to put away their goods from the rail,so that the train could pass safely.Meanwhile,street vendors at the market would go up to the train to sell goods or snacks directly to the passengers through the train's windows,since the train moved so slowly.When the trains left,those vendors gathered back their goods onto the rail.It has been going on and off this way since old time,gradually it has become a tourist sight.

The market hires employees to manage the order,which I consider a way of service to tourism.
Since the site was inside the market,so some foreign tourists were not used to the odd smells in the environment of traditional market.

Even though they held tight their breathes,still they're craving for the unique experience.
To my people,it's necessary to heed of the train's passing schedule,which now is fixed.
I was waiting for the 11:00 am,the other time was set at 9:15.
The time of 9:15 was impossible for me,because I went down from Bangkok.It'd taken me 2 hours' transportation to get here already.
The time schedule was set out on the street,right at the entrance of the market.
I finished the tour and left after having a glass of watermelon juice at the shop beside the market.

美功火車站-Mae Klong Train Station

這邊市場有賣一種特殊產品，就是折頭魚，其實就是魚身太長，放不下圓形的竹製容器，所以將魚折彎放進去，這裡跟著出了這個折頭魚的填充玩具，

只是顏色做得太像，看起來...我覺得滿噁的，哈。

There was a special product here,head-folded fish.
Market vendors put the fish into their round,bamboo-made containers,baskets,but fish are larger than the basket's length.

Thus,they fold the fish on the head and make the fish fitted to the basket size.
The fish in a basket is so unique at its appearance,and gradually it becomes so popular.They even make stuffing toys out of it.
However,it just...looks so gross to me,haha.

忘記那家7-11怎麼走了，沒關係，隨口問了人很快也就到了，在這家便利店門口，可以搭乘泰國雙條巴士去安帕瓦，(要回曼谷或去其他地方，

就要回到從曼谷來時下車的美功巴士站那裏，如果回曼谷南站，直接在安帕瓦搭即可)。
雙條巴士把我放在市場前面，而我民宿就在水上市場裡面，背起行李慢慢邊逛邊走去，背包太大了，有人很怕被我掃到，好不容易到了住宿門口卻沒人開門，

幸好前面婦人幫忙連絡後，民宿主人馬上就來開門整頓。

After the tour,I needed to take a bus,a van to Amphawa Floating Market.
I should go to the 7-11 store,where the vans parked in front of its door.
But I forgot the direction.It's all right to me.I simply asked anyone and then soon was advised where to go.
(If you want to go back to Bangkok's center,you need to go back to the bus station,where you get off your bus/mini-van in Mae Klong.If you want to get to South Bus Terminal,direct to take a van in Amphawa. )

The van let me get off in front of the Floating Market.I then slowly walked to it,because the accommodation I booked was inside the market.

My backpack was large,so some people feared to get knocked out.
I reached to the door of my accommodation at last,however,there was no one there to open the door for me.
Luckily the women in front of the door helped me to call the hostess,and she came right away.
I soon checked in...

這邊的居民和善親切，雖然觀光客多，但大家也是需要靠觀光客消費生活，彼此互相依偎，這裡不是曼谷，居民純樸的個性可以觀察得出，有些較長的居民都還不會看字和算數，找個錢還算半天呢，至於安帕瓦除市場外，還提供其他戶外觀光活動，比如螢火蟲的生態觀賞、搭船玩美功河，而水上市場其實並不是位於美功河河邊，而是另行開發一條人工運河，引水進來的，由於與河道相通，一些原始生物也會跟著游進來，我在早上就看到好幾條鱷魚在市場的水道上游來游去，馬上嚇出一身冷汗，我的天呀! 因為一些居民或小朋友會在中午天氣炎熱時，就近在水道裡玩水、採集、或洗澡，而這些鱷魚，可不是小小隻啊，這些人是瘋了嗎?

Residents here are mostly kind and casual,and they know clearly there's a big part of income coming from tourists' consumption.Logically both need each other.
The innocence of people's personality here could be detected,for here is not in Bangkok.Some olders couldn't read or do the simple math.

It took them some time off in calculating how much the change should be.

Except the main tourist site,the floating market,there were other outdoors activities to take part,like the biological cruise of fireflies,or the boat ride on River MaeKlong.
Actually,the floating market wasn't by the MaeKlong river originally.

As I understood,it was excavated as an artificial channel that connected to River MaeKlong.Therefore,naturally the water of river was guided into the market's watery channel.

Since the channel and Maeklong River are connected with each other,so it wouldn't be a much surprise to see some domestic biological beings in the market.
I was so frightened to see some alligators swimming in the channel this morning.

My goodness!

I was so worry about the safety,because I also had seen some kids or local people in the sultry weather took a playful dip,a shower,

or collected crams from the river,and those alligators were not small at all.
It was totally crazy to neglect the safety.

...
奇幻的光景隨著日落來到，天空沾染不尋常的橘紅色，市場家家戶戶也點起黃金色的燈光，水道兩旁瞬間如抹上胭脂點綴，夜間的市場開始熱鬧起來，安帕瓦水上市場會受到歡迎和注目，不是沒有原因，這裡有很多特色商店，裝潢充滿藝術的意象，可以慢慢一家家賞玩過去，而婦女以扁長舟載貨靠岸買賣，也是這裡的特色，小船在霓虹燈下的光景也是非常迷人，很好拍照，觀光客站滿了橋上，橋旁有人唱歌叫賣，真是太熱鬧了，氣溫也真是太熱了，觀光客各個狼狽，滿身汗水，看來即使如此，燥熱天氣下還是按著性子，可見觀光客水準不差。

The sun setting came with a vision of illusive mirage,full of unusul color of orange and red,then blue subsided,followed the lights of each stores along the banks of the channel,like being dotted with makeups.The market started its boisterous opening at night.
It had a reason that Amphawa raised eyebrows and got huge welcome on tourists' mind.The stores here were full of innovative images.Here were so many stores of this kind,that you would like to spend time in appreciating their deco while loitering around.The slender boats rowed by mostly women were another tourist trait.They were usually used as moving shops on water,selling goods to customers waiting on banks of water.
Under the neon lights,those slender boats looked so exotically attractive,as ideal objects for photographing.The bridge that went astride the water channel was filled with visitors,and some shops' employees sang and ranted to sell their goods,which only added up the sight's uproar.
It was so hustle-bustling a sight,so was the temperature.All visitors looked so awkwardly soaked wet by their own perspiration.However,it seemed to me that everyone was very patiently and calmly enjoying their tour in the sultry and suffocating weather.People were nice here.

隔天一大早，趁著氣溫尚未升溫，沿著河邊閑散漫步，沿岸道路有經過在地政府整頓，鋪上了地磚，不會難走，往內陸一點去找了間咖啡店休息，相識了Elena，她剛從台灣探親回來，正重新努力工作著，閒聊著對台灣的喜愛，這附近的街道還有洗衣店、雜貨店等，又是另一個背包客理想的短期居留所在。

The next day morning,I took an adventage of the time when the air was still cool to take a slothful walk along the River MaeKlong.The promenade was paved with tiles by local government,which made my walks easy and comfortable.
I slowly went away from the riverbank,and got into the hard ground.I took a brief break at a cafe shop,where I got to acquainted with Elena.She just came back from a visit to her relatives in Taiwan,and restored to work.We chitchatted a little about my country and I enjoyed the passing time when we talked.
The street was equipped with laundry shops,grocery stores,cafe shops and the like,which made here obviously another paradise haven for backpackers.

要回曼谷了，問了小巴載客點，就直接回到曼谷巴士南站，下車點的巴士南站是昭披耶河的另一邊，不是右岸，所以找了個計程車去新飯店，新飯店位於北站附近，方便我搭車往上到阿瑜陀耶(大城)去，不想到南站下車的，就需按照來時路線，先回美功，再轉小巴回曼谷東站去。
Time to get back to Bangkok,I took a mini-vans after enquiring the location to get on buses.The van took me back to the Southern Bus Terminal,the other side of River Meanan Chao Praya.It's not at the city center.Thus,I needed to take a taxi to transfer to my new hotel,which was located in the nearby to the Northern Bus Terminal.From there,it'd be easier for me to get to Ayutthaya.
For those who don't want to get off at the Southern Bus Terminal,get back as the way you come.Go back to the Bus station in Maeklong and transfer to Bangkok's Eastern Bus Terminal(Ekkamai).

...

阿瑜陀耶大城
Ayutthaya - the Big City

Mo Chit站外的巴士總站是曼谷往北各鄉鎮的巴士總部，但需走一段路才能從捷運出口到的了，而且還分新站和大馬路對面的總站，往阿瑜陀耶是新站的C區買票，

而後天我要往素可泰，則是需要到大馬路對面的總站買票。

The Northern Bus Terminal is the headquarter dominates all bus routes to every towns and cities in north of Bangkok.However,

you need to walk 20 minutes more to get to the station after exiting at the MRT stop of Mo Chit.
The new bus station sells tickets to Ayutthaya at the C section,and the Bus headquarter is at the opposite to it across the large road,which sells tickets to Sukhothai.

巴士總站 The Bus Terminal

在美中貿易戰下，中南半島有很多優點可以取代中國製造，但是要將競爭力提升一級，則是要先解決物流的問題，這一問題不管是貿易戰受益最大的越南，還是仍然在中國影響力之下的寮國，都是一樣有不同程度的困難，只有交通基礎設施可以先克服，物流效率才會增加，運送成本才會大幅下降，目前中南半島諸國還正努力前進著。

At the backdrop of Trade War between China and U.S.,countries in the peninsula own a lot of advantages to replace the goods made in China.
Nonetheless,I think it is urgent to put the upgrading of the efficiency of transportation at the first priority,before the takeover.It is quite a large agenda here to every country,no matter is it in Vietnam,thought to be the largest beneficiary from the trade war,or in Laos,a country largely in the long-term influence of China politics.
Every country here is facing somewhat difficulty at different level in economic development.
Only if can basic infrastructure be conquered,the cost of delivery of goods can be lowered down further,and so does the efficiency of transportation to men and goods.
So far,it is still a struggle in every country here.

阿瑜陀耶俗稱大城，是婆羅門教中有關上古起源之一的名作"羅摩衍那"所提的不落城-阿約提亞，我的觀光重點在於歷史公園裡面，小巴載到市區市場後，就放我下車，馬上撇開上前招攬生意的Tutu車司機，拐個彎就走進附近出租腳踏車店，如果有電動車就好了，大熱天真是滿身汗，回程也是在同一條街對面，但回程巴士站要走一段才會到，問人就到了，我在國外常常用問的，雖然有做功課，但是還是會碰上人馬上問，從沒發生問題，只有一次在保加利亞，一對母女對我的問路想了半天，才給了個模菱兩可的答案，當天應該是霉運當頭，並不是所有保加利亞人都這樣。

People are used to calling it as "Big City".
Ayutthaya was called " Ayutthiya",means "The city that sun never sets",which came from an ancient Breman well-known book-"Ramayana",a book about the beginning of everything.

My tourist point here was set to be at the Historical Park.
The minivan I took from Bangkok let me get off at the street side of a city market.At no time,many tutu drivers swarmed up right away,when we got off the van asking for business.
I quickly walked away and went into a nearby lane to find a bicycle renting shop.I wished to have at least an E-motor to rent in such a hot weather,but there're only bikes and motorcycles.I didn't have international license with me,so I took a bike.

The buses returning back to Bangkok were at the opposite of the street,but I needed to walk a little to get to the stop.It's easy to find,but just go to ask.
It's common thing to me by asking locals for direction.I never had problem in doing so in foreign countries,except one time in Bulgaria.
I'd asked for a direction from a mom and her daughter,and they spent a very long time in consideration of how to give me a perfect answer,but still as vague as hell in the end.I had thought it was one of my those omens got me,a bad karma.Of course,not every Bulgarian was like that.

殘破的斷頭佛像四處可見，尚是完好的幾間寺廟遺跡的主佛，依然單扶跌坐姿冥想永恆，涅槃境界的佛無所謂，即使頭斷，也有天地珍愛以樹莖保護(著名景點:樹中佛頭)，卻留下世間戰爭殘酷的見證，大城在18世紀遭受緬甸無情洗劫，燒殺虜掠，悽慘狀況可想而知，大城因此殞落荒棄。

I could see broken and amputated Buddha statues everywhere in the park.Some stayed sitting posture with folded legs,meditating eternity at some still well-maintained temples.
For Buddhas who has reached to the world of nirvana,earthy corpses are nothing to them anymore.
Since Buddhas are so respected and cherished by everything in the world,even the heads chopped down from the statues would still be protected with tree stems and leaves by the world's spirit.(The Buddha's Head in the tree.)

But the ruins of broken Buddhas left is the legacy that demonstrates the cruelty of human wars.
Big City was invaded by Myanmar soldiers in 18th century.It went through savagely looted,slaughters,burning,and all the miseries you could think of,which made Big City withered and deserted.