Day one

While we were waiting for the rest of our tour group to arrive we went off on for a day trip sightseeing outside Bangkok. First we went to see a giant Buddha in a park surrounded by topiaries and bonsai. 

Then we continued on to experience rural lifestyles at Klong Mahasawas.

We fed the huge cat fish- 2 feet or more long.

We took a boat to a lotus farm where we learned how to fold the lotus petals for offereings to the buddha

 

We took a tractor ride around a local farm and a had a sample of their products - fresh and dried fruit,

And a cooking demo of fried rice crackers at a women's coop. A lot like making tortillas, squish the leftover cooked rice, dry them 2 days, then fry and eat them. Yum.

And a tour of the farm. Not like the California rice fields, no mosquitos. Encroaching civilization in the background, commuters into Bangkok.

 

We continued to the Woodland Museum where we saw a bizillion wood carvings some ancient some new. All with amazing detail. And The private owner has a school for wood carvers. This one is carved from a tree root.