Yesterday Once More Day 4
It rained again in the night. It was 7.00am when I woke up to a cool, misty morning. The lake was calm, but the sky threaten to drizzle again and it was time to leave. I packed my bags, checked out of the Burmese Inn and walked to the bus station. The bus to Tong Pha Phum was leaving at 8.00am. I had no time for a decent breakfast. I drank a packet of yoghurt drink and boarded the bus. It looked as terrible as the bus which took me here from Kanchanaburi, but once it was on the road, it proved to be a much fitter machine.
The bus retraced much of the route taken yesterday. At Krung Krawia Waterfall, it sped on and soon, the hilltop temple of Tong Pha Phum came into view. We pulled into Tong Pha Phum just a little past 10.00am. I got off the bus and took a motorbike taxi to my friend’s resort at Ban Chai Den.
Khun Pairat and Khun Nit were delighted to see me. They were impressed with how I had managed to travel around such remote corners of Thailand on my own. They had hoped that I would make my way to Tong Pha Phum 2 days ago and make Tong Pha Phum my base for exploration, but I explained that I didn’t want to impose on them.
After a simple lunch, I was introduced to Khun Pairat’s elder brother. They called him Pi Pong. In his 60s, Pi Pong looked frail, but he offered to drive me around to see some interesting spots around Tong Pha Phum. Just outside the town, was an amphitheatre of limestone karsts. These natural monuments were forested, but there were also sheer cliffs that exposed bare rock.
The southern tip of Khao Laem reservoir is situated here. Pi Pong told me that I must pay a visit to Khao Laem Dam. I went down to the lake, checked out a few huts occupied by Burmese families working on the fields. Pi Pong pointed out a stream fed by spring water from the limestone karsts. This being the rainy season, the stream was overflowing with this magical water that supported an incredible number of fruits on the papaya trees grown here.
After seeing the effects of this magical stream, Pi Pong drove me down to see Khao Laem Dam. Another impressive sight awaited me. This was the southern end of the vast Khao Laem lake. The view from the dam was awesome. Sheer limestone cliffs, monkeys on the trees, emerald green water and little islands, almost unwillingly cut off from their cousin peaks by the water.
Our next stop was Wat Wei Look Wan. Pi Pong drew my attention to the crystalline relics of a monk. The wat was an imposing structure. Yet a respectful silence pervaded the dimly lit viharn. Pi Pong spoke in whispers. I gazed in awe upon the urns and other receptacles holding the relics.
“A pure monk.” Pi Pong said as we left Wat Wei Look Wan.
The next wat housed another pure monk. For some reason, his body was never cremated. Left alone, it underwent spontaneous mummification. The mummy was housed in a glass coffin raised high from the ground. I had to stand on toes to see it well, but it was quite remarkable for a body not to decay without preservatives in hot and humid Thailand.
Next, Pi Pong brought me to the foot of the hilltop temple. Earlier Pi Pong had informed me about his heart condition, his bypass surgeries and the plethora of drugs he had to take on a daily basis. I hit the stairs and happily trotted my way up. It was about 12 storeys high. There was large bronze Buddha image encased in glass. There was also a rather conspicuous gold chedi surrounded by smaller chedis. The view from the temple perched on such a precarious spot, was incredible. The limestone karsts, streams, rivers and lowrise buildings of Tong Pha Phum.
I returned to Ban Chai Den for a quick shower. Khun Pairat had his 4WD all ready. The vehicle made all the difference. We sped down to Kanchanaburi, at times reaching speeds of 140kmh. We checked out Saiyok Noi Falls, had another circa lunch meal (remember many small meals a day) and then headed down for a walk on the Death Railway. Like Saiyok Noi Falls, the Death Railway was familiar yet unfamiliar. Unlike 25 years ago, there are now numerous stalls selling T-shirts and other tacky souvenirs. The crowds were also unfamiliar. I find it strange that not many people venture further beyond the usual sights around Kanchanaburi. There was a sharp contrast in tourist numbers between sights here and around Sangklaburi. Apparently, only a tiny trickle of the cascade of tourists that swarm to places like Saiyok Noi Falls end up anywhere neat Tong Pha Phum and Sangklaburi.
Khun Pairat drove on. We reached Kanchanaburi early in the evening and he didn’t want me to miss dining by the river at sunset. At the confluence of the Kwae Noi and Kwai Yai, was a riot of floating restaurants, pubs and discos. Khun Pairat chose his favourite spot and ordered some snacks. He even insisted that I tried Leo Beer, saying that it’s the best beer in Thailand.
As we feasted on Pla Kang salad, we watched as some of the other restaurants equipped with karaoke, were towed out into the sunset by small, powerful boats. Apart from the poor singing, it was all quite romantic. For some strange reason, the sky was not even cloudy that evening. The dazzling waters. The evening glow on everyone’s faces. Dining on a floating restaurant with my new friends was such a wonderful experience. It’s as if I was seeing a vastly different yet equally charming side of an old friend I’ve not met for 25 years.
Yes, Kanchanaburi has changed. Over the last 20 odd years, my Thai experience has changed from absolutely wonderful to guarded. Armed with the ability to understand what people are saying behind my back now, I was cynically expecting to find a far less appealing Kanchanaburi that once captivated me when I was a 19-year-old army boy who did not look beyond the smiles. But whatever disappointment I had after the initial infatuation is somewhat subdued with my revisit to Kanchanaburi. I’ve learned to deal with things superficially and kanchanaburi still has much to offer in terms of fun, excitement and good food.
We drove on, past Nakhon Pathom and were soon within the city limits of Bangkok. Khun Pairat drove me to a Chinese restaurant at Silom. Another meal. I guess you can call it supper. 3 of his friends joined us. We talked and drank Gentleman Jack till 1.00am. I checked into Prince Hotel, showered and and fell straight into bed. It has been a long day.
Below is a dispatch I sent to my friends from a cybercafe at Pratunam, Bangkok:
Sawadee krup
I’m now at Pratunam, Bangkok. It’s been a great trip - better than expected. Let me do a recap.
For those who have been watching my status updates, you may be wondering why I suddenly stopped updating my status from my mobile phone. Well, the internet connection went dead the moment the bus entered Saiyok “airspace”. Maybe it’s a military thing. I have no idea. Connecting to the internet proved to be impossible thereon.
Anyway, I went down to Bangkok’s Southern bus station on National Day. Bus departed at 7.40am. We pulled into Kanchanaburi at about 10am. After a quick brunch (basil chicken and fried egg), I left Kanchanaburi on a ramshackle bus, sitting next to 2 boxes of chickens.
The distance to Sangklaburi was only about 220km, the the road was winding, full of potholes … we pulled into the border town of Sangkla at about 5pm. Almost a full day on the bus.
Sangkla town is about 2km from the guesthouse area near the lake. I stayed at the Burmese Inn. I had a great view of the lake and wooden bridge from the balcony of my room. The wooden bridge was not that spectacular, but it had a rustic, back in time feel to it. Burmese men and women in longyi walked nonchalantly. People like us may want to look out for the cracks and gaps in the floorboard. Most interesting were the floating houses. There is no title deed here. You can move your house anywhere on the lake. The “movers” are small boats that could tow your house anywhere you want.
Since it was late, I did most of the serious touring the next day. I hired a driver with a pickup truck and went around Sangkla. Most of the waterfalls proved inaccessible. Trails were flooded to chest level and I wasn’t prepared for that with my mobile phone, cameras etc. One waterfall that was spectacular and accessible was the Krungkrawia Waterfall. Very interesting temples around here. There is one that has an Indian chedi like those we see in Hindu temples.
Best of all were the misty hilltops, islands and mobile homes on the lake. Yesterday, I finally went down to my friend’s place at Tong Pha Phum. I was brought on a short tour of the surrounding area. I was most impressed by the hilltop temple, the mummy of a revered monk, glass-like remains of another monk and Khao Laem Dam. Beautiful artificial lake with flooded forests, limestone karsts and “islands”.
My friend then drove me down to Kanchanaburi where we had dinner at the confluence of Maenam Kwai Yai and Kwae Noi. Romantic sunset with floating restaurants, pubs, discos which could be towed out to anywhere on the rivers.
Finally arrived in Bangkok at 9.00pm. Had supper at Silom with a bunch of new friends, checked into Prince Hotel at 1.00am.
OK, time is almost up. Will check out at my friends’ room at Baiyoke to see if they are awake. Be prepared for lots of great pics when I return to Singapore.
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