Bangkok, Thailand, April 19, 2009

Sun, Apr 19, 2009 at 02:22:29 PM

Khun Punlert, my contact from Dole picked me up early to go to the Floating Market. She suggested a different place that just the local people use. We took a short journey, arriving at our destination surrounded by mangos, jackfruit and coconut palms. This was a different side of Bangkok. We passed some middle-class homes along our river route with interesting gardens comprised of a wide range of fruit trees. Along both sides of the canals the banks were cluttered with wooden houses perched precariously over the waters' edge; always adorned with potted ornamentals of all descriptions. Most conspicuous were the ornate crown-of-thorns of all shapes and colors. The floating market was dominated by mangos in season, 'Nam Doc Mai', 'Kheio Savoy', 'Raet' and also mixed vegetables, rose apple, coconuts and sticky rice served as a popular dish with ripe mango. The recipe is different than in the Philippines, but just as delicious. I used this beautiful scene to take pictures for our book. It was a pleasure to get a quick glimpse into this most unusual lifestyle running parallel to the daily life in Bangkok.

Following lunch we went to the Talad Thai wholesale fruit market, which is reported to be the largest in Asia. The market is truly immense and focused on the large-scale distribution of products. The mango section was dominated by 'Nam Doc Mai' and 'Okrong Tong'. There were 'Kheio Savoy', 'Raet' and other minor cultivars also. All were of good quality, I was expecting to see fruit in display using the traditional baskets but the modern word has reached Talad Thai and changed them to plastic. Effecient and necessary no doubt, but through the eye of the camera it is simply not the same, but I know that I cannot dwell on the past.

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