Midweek on Koh Kred

My starting point for the trip was Wat Klang Kred, where the ferry is slightly larger than the one a km north at Wat Sanam Nua.  As I arrived rubbish was being removed by boat from Koh Kret and loaded into a rubbish truck, a reminder that island life brings logistical issues with everyday tasks.

f2.8 2011-08-04 10:14:48

Removing rubbish from Koh Kret

The cost of the ferry was 2B per person and the same for the bike.  The trip only take a few mins.  I suspect on the weekend space might be an issue with a bike though.

f2.8 2011-08-04 10:16:53

Bike on the Wat Klang Kred ferry

If you have not brought a bike or don't have one you can hire a steed here.  Six months ago myself and Aomrak had hired bikes for 40 bahts each for 2 hours.  I do advise checking the brakes first, and oh do not expect top quality machinery.  Expect a 40 baht death trap.

f2.8 2011-08-04 10:22:06

Motorbikes and bicycles

Once disembarked I decided to turn south and follow the river as far as I could.  I found myself cycling through narrow alleys infrequently visited by foreigners.  A lizard jumped out in front of me, a butterfly danced on a bush. All within 100m of the ferry.

f2.8 2011-08-04 10:23:29

A butterfly on a hedge

Everytime I came to a junction I made a point of turning towards the river.  Even early in te rainy season there was evidence of minor flooding.  A man mopping the lower floor of his house laughed at me and said HOT.  I assumed he was referring to the temperature as opposed to my not so sexy cycling gear.

f2.8 2011-08-04 10:24:10

Flooded house

I passed a pottery complete with many boxes of Chang, I guess a handy accelerant to kick off the fire in the kiln.  Koh Kret is an island famed for it's pottery.

f2.8 2011-08-04 10:26:02

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Eventually I reached the SE corner of the island and the river's edge, where I could see landmarks such as Wat Bot in the distance.

f2.8 2011-08-04 10:28:02

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However a security guard stopped me outside some offices and told me I could go no further.  

f2.8 2011-08-04 10:28:42

Where I got stopped

I backtracked and tried to find an alternative route, but for my troubles I ended up cycling into a dead end of what seemed a factory.  Their guard dog, whom I woke up, was none too friendly...

I retreated, brown trouserdly,  back to the ferry and started on the main road that goes around Koh Kred.  Natural instinct kicked in and I followed the sign to Belagus Coffee Shop that I saw. I also noted that I'd have to wait 36 hours for service unfortunately.  The week days are truely quiet here.

f2.8 2011-08-04 10:36:05

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The terrain on Koh Kred is flat, like much of the Bangkok area, but forested which helps keep the sun off your back and generate some windflow.  Cycling, one has time to stop and smell the flowers.

f2.8 2011-08-04 10:34:51

Red flower en route

Do not expect wide roads.  In fact expect narrow raised roads that demand constant attention, you cannot look at the scenery safely for fear of dropping six feet or more into a swamp.

f2.8 2011-08-04 10:36:17

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f2.8 2011-08-04 10:37:48

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The reason for this is that during the rainy season this area gets flooded, and the raised concrete roads are required to keep the routes functional during that time.  I initially thought it weird that the roads were unnecessarily high and somewhat dangerous for that, but after I saw my first Thai floods I understood the reason for them existing.

f2.8 2011-08-04 10:38:31

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The rubbish collection had not extended to the election posters it seemed though.

f2.8 2011-08-04 10:39:11

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The route was like this up to the coffe shop and beyond.

f2.8 2011-08-04 10:40:12

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Travelling slowly as a bicycle entails, I had a chance to watch this woman pick fruit from a tree.

f2.8 2011-08-04 10:40:56

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The roads are too narrow for cars, but there are quite a few motorbikes on Kok Kret.  The only one I saw here though was the postman.

f2.8 2011-08-04 10:42:24

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Housing here, as in most riverside communities, is raised on stilts in order to alleviate flooding issues.  The resultant narrow gardens paths have some interesting security features, such as this 'spider gate'.

f2.8 2011-08-04 10:43:05

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f2.8 2011-08-04 10:45:37

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The path I took exited at a large building whose function I am not sure of.  A group of office types, judging by the dress, were on a boat tour around Koh Kred and taking photographs by the rather large sign there.  They seem quite bemused to see a farang.  One old lady failed to sell food to them from her boat.

f2.8 2011-08-04 10:46:54

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f2.8 2011-08-04 10:46:59

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f2.8 2011-08-04 10:47:54

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f2.8 2011-08-04 10:48:06

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The route turned back in land again.  Men were unloading sand from a boat, the easiest way to transport good around.  I was surprised to see a soccer pitch, but judging by the length of grass it had not been used for some time.  During the floods it would be a top venue for swamp soccer.

f2.8 2011-08-04 10:50:24

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f2.8 2011-08-04 10:50:56

A rarely used soccer field

I suspect the area I was in was not one tourists ventured often.  The roads were narrow and the feeling residential, no services for tourists were on offer.  One had to concentrate not to drop off the concrete, as well as not vomit with some of the brightly coloured houses.

f2.8 2011-08-04 10:53:35

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f2.8 2011-08-04 10:54:08

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f2.8 2011-08-04 10:55:30

A Very Orange House

f2.8 2011-08-04 10:58:44

Dont fall off!

f2.8 2011-08-04 10:58:41

Typical Koh Kret scenery - the trees are a welcome

f2.8 2011-08-04 11:04:04

Waaaah, traffic!

I wanted to stay away from the main circuit around Koh Kret and started to exlore the dead end roads, getting some strange looks from the locals.  I prefer to see where real Thais live and work as opposed to a falsehood put on for tourists.

f2.8 2011-08-04 11:02:07

Fruit Drying

f2.8 2011-08-04 11:07:53

Boating is a common form of transport

f2.8 2011-08-04 11:09:19

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f2.8 2011-08-04 11:09:34

Turbo bicycle

This first pier also had a TV - wired into power.  Note to self, iPhone charging point.

f2.8 2011-08-04 11:10:08

Watch TV by the pier!

f2.8 2011-08-04 11:12:07

An old lady heads out to sell her vegetables by bo

Eventually I reached more familiar ground, where the weekend markets are normally held.  This area is wehre the tourist boats in the main stop, and it is a comfortable walk from the Wat Sanam Nua ferry.  I was by now starving and thankful for the lack of people in my way to stop me getting to food.  Unfortunately all the restraunts were closed it seemed, perhaps run by weekenders from Bangkok as opposed to locals on the island.

f2.8 2011-08-04 11:21:01

Fishing to pass the time of day

f2.8 2011-08-04 11:24:36

The huge buddha of wat baan jaak

f2.8 2011-08-04 11:28:16

Sign for Wat Pai Lom

f2.8 2011-08-04 11:30:41

Compared with the weekend noone was around

f2.8 2011-08-04 11:31:32

Motorcycle taxi drivers have no respect for pedest

Once I reached the chedi at the north end of Koh Kret I knew I was nearing the end of the trip.

f2.8 2011-08-04 11:34:06

Sign for the chedi at the north end of Koh Kret

f2.8 2011-08-04 11:34:29

Chedi at the North end of Koh Kred

I was by now somewhat ravenous for food but none was around.  Keeping my mind off things I visitd Wat Poramaiykawas.  Named after the King's great aunt, the temple dates from the Ayuthhya period and has a late Ayutthya period reclining Buddha and a roofed throne.

The paintwork on the ceiling and very detailed and make this temple worth visiting.  However it has to be said that it was better midweek and during the week, as it is often busy being near the Wat Sanam Nua ferry pier.

f2.8 2011-08-04 11:37:24

Buddha statue, Wat Poramaiykawas

f2.8 2011-08-04 11:37:44

Wall painting, Wat Poramaiykawas

f2.8 2011-08-04 11:38:22

Ornate ceiling, Wat Poramaiykawas

f2.8 2011-08-04 11:42:19

Monks orange robes drying

The wat was playing loud music, and there was another source nearby which turned out to be a school.  I did not hang around as I did not want to look like some creepy farang, but saw some girls in traditional costume struggling to get over the puddles without muddying their dress.

f2.8 2011-08-04 11:43:50

Schoolgirl crossing water in traditional dress

Seeking peace I headed south back towards the ferry.  Wat Chimplee is worth a look, though currently it is covered in scaffoldig.

f2.8 2011-08-04 11:52:35

statue

f2.8 2011-08-04 11:52:45

Buddha with scaffolding

f2.8 2011-08-04 11:53:23

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An older unmakred temple caught my attention just to the south, an old Buddha guided over a golden monkey and a rat, suggesting a chinese influenced temple.

f2.8 2011-08-04 11:55:42

Old elephant and buddha statue

f2.8 2011-08-04 11:55:47

Old monkey and buddha statue

Having circumnavigated the island by bicycle I was back at my starting point of Pa Fai Cross Ferry Pier.  I scraped my pockets for the 4 baht back to the mainland and cycled home in search of food.  My favourite noodle shop at Wat Bot was closed due to reconcreting the path, and my favourite shop near the village called The Love House was also closed :(  I eventually found an open shop I frequent often near Big C on Ratanatibeth and tore into a large plate of moo kapow (pork on rice flavoured with basil, garlic and chilli) as only a cyclist can.