Homes at the lake edge, this is where we boarded the boat for our trip.

Again, the poverty was striking, none of the homes in the area have electricity or running water. The government do not provide utilities, it's up to the local people to dig their own wells for water.

They keep their livestock in the area beneath the houses which are built on stilts.

These apparently floating shrubs are in fact the tops of the trees in the area now inundated by the extended size of the lake.

Mother and baby.

I took this photo of a photo to explain the effect of the dry season on the watery environment that is the Floating Village of Kompong Phlok.

Our guide had a copy of National Geographic July 2009 which included an article on this area.

This is the main street of the village as it is now. The water depth is two to three metres. By January it will be dry as the next photo shows.

We made a really interesting trip to what is know locally as a floating village. The area is part of an amazing natural phenomenom. Tonle Sap, the largest lake in SE Asia expands by over 50% in the rain season and then reduces again. By January it will be a village of houses on stilts. Right now it looks like a flood zone.

The following pics might explain.

This is the boat we took to explore the area.

View of the meeting of four rivers in Phnom Phen as we flew to Seam Reap, Cambodia.

More of the Grand Palace, Bangkok.

One of my favourite museums. Several original Thai houses moved to their present site in Bangkok by an American called Jim Thomspon.

He was responsible for setting up the Thai Silk industry as we know it today. He disappeared without trace while on a walking trip in the early 1960s. A foundation set up in his name continues the work he started and promotes the production and sales of silk produced in the traditional way.

Jack and I attended Mass here several times on our visits to Bangkok - I have particularly fond memories of Easter Sunday 2008.

A beautiful complex of palace buildings.

These offerings of fresh flowers, called amulets smell as good as they look

There is a temple close to the hotel and this morning the locals were out in force making offerings to the monks who wait in hope. The people who make the offerings of money, food and flowers hope to gain some indulgences for themselves as well as improving the welfare of the monks.

Another way to make a wish is to pay a small fee and free a wild bird that an enterprising guy has caught and caged! I am not sure how this sits with the buddhist way of being kind to animals

The world's largest reclining buddha and us. Thanks Kenny for gorilla tripod, it worked a treat.

The complex of temples, stuppas and buddhas which make up the Grand Palace and surrounding places of worship is amazing.

We walked from our hotel here and then took the express river boat up river. It makes several stops along the way and the thirty minute journey cost 25pence EACH. Even cheaper than the Star Ferry, HK.

We have been out and about in Bangkok all day Sunday. What were the chances? Two more unhelpful characters tried to hoodwink us! As we arrived at the Grand Palace two guys told us that it was closed and that they would do us the big favour of taking us elsewhere to see other sights.

But we are two wise experienced travellers and told them to get lost - or at least used words to that effect and proceeded to Grand Palace.

There we signed a book wishing the King a speedy recovery on behalf of the people of Ireland and Scotland.

Anne, shoes on trip are not chic nor stylish but neither are they RANDOM - they coordinate well with bags as you would expect!

How my feet will adapt to regular heels I just don't know, that's a month of fit-flops or trainers.

Bliss.

We had a great busy day in hot and humid Bangkok. Getting great use out of the not so cute plastic ponchos which are ideal for the odd but heavy showers. This is my 6th visit so I am able to "frong march" Irene about - her phrase. But it does help to have experience... yesterday trickster/fraudster spoke to us in the most friendly way. Didn't seem to be selling anything. Told us all sights/nice shops shut for Buddha's day and because of terrorists!! We knew that there was a demonstration planned by redshirts (hardly terrorists). He suggested that the only shop open was a gov'ment run handcraft/jewellery shop. ALARM BELLS RANG! So we stuck to plan A and lo and behold the museum we were planning to visit WAS open and it was NOT a buddha day (there are plenty of them celebrated in Asia) at all. We reported him but most importantly got to visit the Jim Thompson House and the associated outlet store - where yes, I bought a bag.
We were so exhausted we spent the evening in the ex xlub lounge, sorting out the printed photos of our trip and enjoying some refreshments - it had been a long hot day!
I'm off to church now leaving the other beauty sleeping.