Swan Boat Races

Sunday, September 19, 2010
Ayutthaya, Thailand
Looking for something to do this weekend and I saw that they were having International Swan Boat Races in Ayutthaya , the ancient capital of Thailand, one hour north of Bangkok.   These are those really long narrow boats with about 35 rowers and they decorate the head of the boat, usually with a dragon's head, so I don't know why they call them swan boats, but anyway...

We took a cab to the Don Mueang railroad station and bought a 60 cent ticket for the 40 minute ride to Ayuttha . I asked no less than 3 Thais which side of the tracks the train would be coming on and the last man actually went out and asked the engineer to make sure we were on the right train - Thais are so kind like that. The scenery was amazing - rice paddies and small towns- despite the fact that the roof was leaking a constant drip down my back - in this heat, I consider it a perk.

When we arrived at the Ayutthaya train station, we were attacked by tuk tuk drivers with really fancy pimped-out tuk tuks. We discovered that the boat races were 40 km south - back towards Bangkok. So we negotiated a $12 fare and off we went.

The races were nice, I could have stayed longer, but they were repetitious. And since you have no idea who is racing, it loses some pizzazz. But it was funny to hear the announcer gettting so excited and you could almost figure out what he was saying without speaking the language - "The blue team is coming up from behind - oh no, it's the red! the blue! Blue team is the winner! "  I'm only guessing of course, I didn't understand one word of it .

We were the only farangs there and I would often look away from the boats to see a line of Thais sjust taring at me. One lady was selling large, maybe 4x8 uncut sheets of potato chip bags to sit on - does she know someone who works at the factory? Another booth featured many grilled items on a stick - chicken feet included.

When we decided to leave we realized that we were out in the middle of nowhere (sort of like , maybe, Tafton), all the Thais had driven their pickups with the bed filled with neighbors and friends and how the heck are we going to get home?    It was only then that I remembered reading advice that said if you take transportation to a national park or to get left on a deserted beach, always ask them to stay or make arrangements for them to come back. duh Too late now.

A lady selling religious amulets along the road told us a bus would come along but I'm not sure when. And there is virtually no hope of communicating with the drivers on these chicken busses. But, lo and behold! After waiting about 20 minutes a random taxi (he must have been lost or on the way to his Grannie's) comes down the road, we hail him and negotiate a $9 fare for the one hour drive to Bangkok. (Little does he know, we were so desperate, we would have paid 50 bucks at that point.)





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Comments

Joe Sharon's husband
2010-09-19

To Sharon's Please take some pics. of Sharon when you travel she never gets in the photos her friends back here would love to see some pics. of Sharon in her travels. thanks Joe

2025-02-11

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