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Monday 30 April 2018
Undecided........I awake this morning still not sure where I will be in the evening. My blog is up to date at least so I can focus on other things. Tak Andaman Resort provides a breakfast but yesterday’s rice soup didn’t go down so well so I skip that and just take the coffee and toast with what we’ve managed to stockpile over the last few days. With the service closing at 9am at least it’s forced us to pack up and by 10am we’re on the road.
Tak Heritage Museum........Tak Heritage Museum is open Mondays to Fridays only so we had to scratch it off our list yesterday and make it our first port of call today. Located next to the town hall and part of the old town, it consists of a teakwood building, a former governor's residence, similar to but more elegant than the ones in Ban Chin Alley nearby. In terms of national significance it’s never going to join the super league but I’m hopeful I can learn something here.
The teakwood house has two floors. Entering the building we’re met with by a young lady anxious to show us around. She’s taken the trouble to learn some English which helps and suggests we start on the upper floor. The first room we arrive in is dedicated the late king who once visited here and in another is a roll call for previous mayors of the city which of course includes the great Taksin himself. While it’s unfortunate there’s nothing in English that I can read at least I manage to learn a little more about King Taksin from conversation. Down on the ground floor there is a collection of old objects from the area, some practical others religious but quite honestly there’s not much here; I’ve seen far more in private collections and in temples.
Decision Time........As far as the progress of this tour is concerned, Katoon who has shown incredible desire to explore every location we have found ourselves in, seems to have given up the ghost. It’s not really surprising since Tak as a city, as nice as it is built around the Ping River, has not too much to offer. When I find myself left with the decision how to end this tour with time running out, it is with some regret that not enough time is available to do justice to other districts here. Tak as a province consists largely of high mountains of the Tenasserim Hills stretching along the border with Myanmar. One of its districts, Umphang, is so remote, it takes 3-4 hours to get there; it would mean extending the tour. Another town, more accessible is Mae Sot but I’ve featured it before. However along Highway 12 I notice locations that I certainly haven’t been to.
Undecided........I awake this morning still not sure where I will be in the evening. My blog is up to date at least so I can focus on other things. Tak Andaman Resort provides a breakfast but yesterday’s rice soup didn’t go down so well so I skip that and just take the coffee and toast with what we’ve managed to stockpile over the last few days. With the service closing at 9am at least it’s forced us to pack up and by 10am we’re on the road.
Tak Heritage Museum........Tak Heritage Museum is open Mondays to Fridays only so we had to scratch it off our list yesterday and make it our first port of call today. Located next to the town hall and part of the old town, it consists of a teakwood building, a former governor's residence, similar to but more elegant than the ones in Ban Chin Alley nearby. In terms of national significance it’s never going to join the super league but I’m hopeful I can learn something here.
The teakwood house has two floors. Entering the building we’re met with by a young lady anxious to show us around. She’s taken the trouble to learn some English which helps and suggests we start on the upper floor. The first room we arrive in is dedicated the late king who once visited here and in another is a roll call for previous mayors of the city which of course includes the great Taksin himself. While it’s unfortunate there’s nothing in English that I can read at least I manage to learn a little more about King Taksin from conversation. Down on the ground floor there is a collection of old objects from the area, some practical others religious but quite honestly there’s not much here; I’ve seen far more in private collections and in temples.
Decision Time........As far as the progress of this tour is concerned, Katoon who has shown incredible desire to explore every location we have found ourselves in, seems to have given up the ghost. It’s not really surprising since Tak as a city, as nice as it is built around the Ping River, has not too much to offer. When I find myself left with the decision how to end this tour with time running out, it is with some regret that not enough time is available to do justice to other districts here. Tak as a province consists largely of high mountains of the Tenasserim Hills stretching along the border with Myanmar. One of its districts, Umphang, is so remote, it takes 3-4 hours to get there; it would mean extending the tour. Another town, more accessible is Mae Sot but I’ve featured it before. However along Highway 12 I notice locations that I certainly haven’t been to.
Tak Heritage Museum (top left and middle) in Tak and Mu Soe (or Doi Muser) Hill Tribe Market, Mae Sot District, Tak Province
Mu Soe (or Doi Muser) Hill Tribe Market........This hill tribe market is located about 30 kilometres from the intersection with Highway 1. Arriving here with little idea what to expect, I find much of the space allocated to the market is taken up by local produce stalls, not an uncommon sight at all. However the incredible variety of produce much of which in difficult to obtain elsewhere, is a sight for sore eyes. I can’t resist things like cantaloupe melons, chestnuts and Chinese cabbage at ridiculously low prices. I even buy some pine cones that I can use for Christmas decorations. Meanwhile Katoon helps herself to orchids picked from the forest.
Now at midday, it seems that my purchases have made my mind up. We’re heading back to Bangkok, a journey from here of 6-7 hours allowing for rest breaks.
Tak Exit........Heading back down the mountain we pass two national parks which I can’t feature now, Taksinmaharat and Lan Sang then it’s onto Highway 1. Although the distance is some 400 kilometres, there is dual carriageway all the way as it’s the main artery Bangkok to Chiang Mai. Taking the first driving stint I make it into Kampaeng Phet where we stop for lunch. Katoon then takes over heading into Nakhon Sawan province.
Khao No – Khao Kaeo........Khao No – Khao Kaeo are two limestone rock stack mountains, 282 metres high, rising majestically from the surrounding rice paddies. These are located in Banphot Pisai district of Nakhon Sawan. Here it is home to a monkey troop and flocks of bats. While I see some monkeys, the bats won’t appear till evening. There is a staircase to the caves at the summit where there is a reclining Buddha image but that’s not for me now.
Now at midday, it seems that my purchases have made my mind up. We’re heading back to Bangkok, a journey from here of 6-7 hours allowing for rest breaks.
Tak Exit........Heading back down the mountain we pass two national parks which I can’t feature now, Taksinmaharat and Lan Sang then it’s onto Highway 1. Although the distance is some 400 kilometres, there is dual carriageway all the way as it’s the main artery Bangkok to Chiang Mai. Taking the first driving stint I make it into Kampaeng Phet where we stop for lunch. Katoon then takes over heading into Nakhon Sawan province.
Khao No – Khao Kaeo........Khao No – Khao Kaeo are two limestone rock stack mountains, 282 metres high, rising majestically from the surrounding rice paddies. These are located in Banphot Pisai district of Nakhon Sawan. Here it is home to a monkey troop and flocks of bats. While I see some monkeys, the bats won’t appear till evening. There is a staircase to the caves at the summit where there is a reclining Buddha image but that’s not for me now.
Khao No – Khao Kaeo, Banphot Pisai, Nakhon Sawan Province
Back Home........With this short excursion just 3 kilometres from the main road taking little time, Katoon presses on while I take a short nap. Nearing the outskirts of Nakhon Sawan, I take over the driving making good progress on through Chainat and Singburi provinces. With 120 kms to go Katoon takes over for the final leg into the capital. Arriving in the village at 7pm we’ve done well. We just need to add a few provisions and something for dinner and I can declare this epic 19 day tour, over. Conclusion.