Short Trip to Bangkok (Day 2 - 12 Sep 09)

After breakfast, we adjourned to this place called Koh Kret.

Got to know this place Koh Kret is through a Taiwanese Programme 食尚玩家, they introduced this place and then I surfed the net to get more information about this place.

• Here the some introduction extract of Ko Kret……
  
  Koh Kret also known as Ko Kred, is an island in the Chao Phraya River, 20 km north of Bangkok in Nonthaburi Province.
  The island dates back to 1722, when a canal was constructed as a shortcut to bypass a bend in the Om Kret branch of the Chao Phraya river. The island continues to serve as a refuge to the Mon tribes who dominated central Thailand between the 6th and 10th centuries and have retained a distinct identity in their flavor of Buddhism and their distinctive pottery.
  
  The island is roughly square in shape, each side measuring about 2 km, and a path runs around the entire island. The walk at a pleasant pace takes an hour and a half or two hours. Koh Kret is another world compared to Bangkok and much of it retains the air of a rustic village, with wooden shacks propped against palm trees and the occasional dilapidated temple slowly crumbling. Hence the main attraction is just walking around, browsing the merchandise in the many pottery shops.
  
  Wat Poramai Yikawat is the main temple on the island. There are several white marble pagodas carved in the Mon style and a small museum showcasing the temple's treasury. Ko Kret is renowned above all as a center for kwan arman style of Mon pottery, which is just baked unglazed red clay carved with intricate patterns. This is regarded as the most beautiful of all unglazed pottery available in Thailand.
  
  Prices for the simplest and smallest pots start from as low as 5 baht a piece, but can go up to hundreds or even thousands of baht for large ornate pieces. Particularly popular among visitors are candle and incense holders with ornate patterns of holes to let the smoke or light out, averaging around 200 baht.
  
  There are about twenty pottery workshops on the island and you will see many kilns as you walk around, where you can watch the potter at work, carving the intricate designs with remarkable speed and accuracy.
  
  Thai and Mon snacks and desserts are plentiful, making your stroll that much more enjoyable. Favourites include Khao Cher, Tod mun pla nor gala and Mon tempura.
  
  A number of stalls also serve chaa yen or iced tea and other drinks in red clay cups with carrying handles, which you can keep as a souvenir for a few baht extra.
  

We followed the direction as addressed in the website. We took the public bus (505) in front of World Central (in the direction to Pratunam). The bus fare is 19 THB to the province Parkkrab... the journey took about 1.5 hours (depending on the traffic condition)......it is like taking the MRT from Joo Koon to Pasir Ris........

Upon we arrived at the last bus stop, we searched for the jetty to Koh Kret....... Somehow, we found a jetty and took a long tail boat to Koh Kret and cost each of us 10THB...... (Later, we realised this is not the actual jetty to Koh Kret).......

The long tail boat ride just took us about 5 minutes to reach the island.... Boarded the island and started our 1 day tour in Koh Kret..........

We were got into the island at a "private" jetty place near to Wat Phai Lom.... Walked out from the small lane to the main "road". Souvenirs and foods stalls were found side of the road leading to Wat Phai Lom or the other side of the island......

We walked towards Wat Phai Lom to have a look at the place. After then, we decided to venture the island on foot starting from Wat Phai Lom toward to the other end of the island and end at Wat Paramiyikawat.....

The place is very Kampung.... mmmmm... like Pulau Ubin.......

Instead of walking, you can rent a bicycle to ride around the island.... if you too lazy to do so...... hire a motor taxi (as seen in one of the photos)........

Along the way, we came across lots of beautiful plants and flowers.....The most familiar flower is this...... it is commonly used as coloring in Nyonya kueh.....we saw a different spices... which is in light green......It took us along one and a half hour to walk round the island.... we walking trail ended at Wat Paramaiyikawat... which is the most crowded place.... where you can see lots of foods and souvenir stalls.... from here to Wat Phai Lom (where is our starting point) is very near.....

In a jetty nearby the Wat Paramaiyikawat, you can buy bread to feed the fishes in the river.... saw few children doing it and having fun out of it ........

Along the way, we come across this two stalls that sell very interesting items..... ti-kan and toys which made of metal sheet (the type that very popular during my childhood time).... If I'm a toy collector, I sure buy them.......

While we crossing a small bridge and head toward Wat Paramaitikawat, we saw this restaurant at the side of the small canal/river...... the customers can sit at the seats next the river and soak their leg in the river......

Pottery is one of the popular local products in Koh Kret.... can see pottery selling at several locations... you can even pop into someone home to see how they make the pottery....... U can buy a drink or ice-cream with a little price to bring back a pottery container.......

Of course, how could missed out the foods in the island.......

The island well known delicacy is ... Flower Tempura..... Fried Flower in batter......

Found one hawker selling home made coconut ice cream.... the ice cream was scooped into a container made of leave...... How environmental friendly....... with a few more THB.... you can get a pottery container......

My favourite Thai snack.......... Tod Mon Pla.... i.e. Thai Fried Cake...... yum yum...... also used leave to make as a container......
Finally, we located the "right" jetty to travel back to the other side of the water..... it just merely 2 THB per person. Walked a short distance to the main road to take public bus (505) back to Bangkok City.


In the evening, we went to our usual hawker stall near SalaDaeng BTS station to have seafood dinner.