With such a busy day yesterday, we were bound to feel a bit lethargic this morning. We're not in any rush. It's not much more than 2 hours back to Bangkok. Unless there is any misadventure today, this mini tour will have been awesome. There are also signs that the medication I've been prescribed recently is working, resulting in much less discomfort. This has put me in a more positive mood.
Breakfast today consists of Thai food to order, as yesterday. Together with beverages and toast, it's all good at the hotel, adding to the success of this tour so far. As mentioned, we have time on our hands, so we have a short list of places to explore before we return to base. The first is a temple right in the city.
Wat Choeng Tha is situated close to the Royal Palace of King Narai on the bank of the Lopburi River. Wat Choeng Tha is closely associated with the Hindu culture that existed during the Khmer Empire; Lopburi was a vassal Khmer state for much of the time. A Khmer sanctuary similar to those at Phra Prang Sam Yot in the city would have existed here but has since been ruined. Notwithstanding this, a huge project is now underway to fully restore the sanctuary.
With regard to the religious aspect of Khmer sanctuaries, it's important to know that Hinduism and Buddhism co-existed for a very long time. The form of Buddhism has changed, though, since then, with Mahayana Buddhism giving way to Theravada Buddhism. Nevertheless, previous religious practices never truly died. The particular architectural form of a Khmer sanctuary is being recreated here in recognition of Lopburi's cultural past.
For my partner it's a chance to make merit, while for me I'm happy to take photos and feed the fish in the river. This too is a form of spiritualism. The two species of fish feeding here are the Chao Phraya Giant Catfish and the Red-tailed Tinfoil Barb. It's time for lunch.
It's just a short walk to Floating House Raft Restaurant moored in the Lopburi River. With a slight breeze blowing, it's quite pleasant sitting here, and it's a good opportunity for my partner to spend more of my money on exotic food. OK, it's a good start to the day, so what's next? There is somewhere I have in mind, but with a late start today, it's up for debate as to whether to go for it now after delays. It's not exactly on our route back to Bangkok. I'm soon committed, but there is further delay as I wait for a train at Lopburi Station. We take the same route we took yesterday as we head north. It won't be for another hour that we reach our next attraction. I have to admit I'm in for some luxury these days, as for most of this trip, I'm asleep in the passenger seat. When I awake I find myself in a lunar landscape, the land scorched by the sun in an area receiving little rain in three months. With water levels now low, the banks of the reservoir here have eroded into intricate patterns. The Lopburi Grand Canyon is not an official natural canyon like the famous one in the US, but rather a former limestone quarry that has filled with striking blue-green water, creating dramatic cliffs, golden/earthy rock formations, and scenic mountain views.
OK, now I've checked this natural attraction out, there's somewhere just as remarkable 45 minutes away. We're now in familiar territory as we reach the bank of the Pa Sak Chonlasid Reservoir. Here the railway line crosses the margins of this massive reservoir on huge concrete pillars. The most remarkable thing is the length of the bridge, its span visible for miles. The 'floating train bridge' refers to the famous railway viaduct (often called the Khok Salung Railway Bridge or Pa Sak Jolasid Dam Railway Bridge) that crosses the massive reservoir of Pa Sak Chonlasit Dam (also spelled Pasak Jolasid Dam). This spot creates the illusion of a train 'floating' on water during the high-water season, when the reservoir is full and water surrounds the tracks on both sides. It's not a literal floating bridge but a long series of viaducts (around 18 km total, claimed as one of Thailand's longest railway bridges) built to replace tracks flooded by the dam's construction in the late 1990s.
One negative here is that I've just missed a train crossing the bridge. That was my fault. Trains run on this line so infrequently that I didn't check the timetable. Still, it's great to be here again. There's no other business planned now except for an inquiry. This relates to a cloth bag that I carry around with me constantly to store my personal items. It's so practical that I've had many inquiries about it. The bag was purchased on a visit to the nearby Khok Salung train station to view an excursion train. There are no sellers on the platform today, and it's a long shot to find the seller. However, I'm in luck. Katoon's persistence leads to the shop where these bags are on display. I now have a brand new cloth bag to keep my valuables in. It's time to head back to Bangkok.
Now after 4:00 PM, we won't arrive till after dark. There are more than two and a half hours before we reach the residence. Nevertheless, we make good progress with light traffic. A 7:15 PM return is most appreciated under the circumstances. It allows us to wind down after a quite exciting tour.

Source: Visit