Ko Kret...Biking Thai Style

Last Monday I had the opportunity to go out biking with a group of biking enthusiasts.  The leaders took us on a 42K ride outside the Nichada compound...real Thailand biking.  The problem with Thailand, or maybe it is not a problem, is that there are no hills - all the riding is mostly flat.  Still you have to maneuver around cars, buses, vendors, potholes, Soi dogs (street) and not to mention the water canals and rivers.   After being gone for over three hours on Monday, we moved a little slow as one in the group had a depth perception problem and riding the narrow cement canals was a bit tricky, I knew that I wanted to do the ride again - this time with Ron. I wanted to take a different route and see something new, so I decided on a biking trip to Ko Kret Island.



Saturday Saturday morning proved to be the perfect day, he told me that he could take part of the day off  to spend sometime with me.   After consulting maps and my iPad GPS we set out to ride out bikes to Ko Kret, a small island in the middle of the Chao Phraya River.  The river runs through the heart of Thailand for about 230 miles and is the larges of the rivers in Thailand.  


The island is more than two hundred years old. It was created, when 1722 a canal was built to shorten the Kings sailing trips upwards Chao Phraya River to the capital Ayutthaya. The Mon people who came down from Burma are living here for generations, and they are famous for pottery in kwan arman style and sweet Thai desserts.


One very interesting characteristic of the Ko Kret Island, is the fact that it is totally devoid of cars.  The island is about 2km across - hardly room for a three point turn - and a convenient footpath runs right around the perimeter.
The main inhabitants of the island of Ko Kret, are ancestors of the Mon Tribes who were commonplace in central Thailand in middle sixth - tenth centuries. The Mons have their own distinct form of Buddhism - with more emphasis on superstition and astrology than their Thai cousins. Spirits are important part of the Mon form of Buddhism.
They are also adept with their pottery making skills - a main source of income for many of the inhabitants of the Ko Kret Island. The clay for the hand-thrown earthenware pottery is gathered locally from the Island.




Over land and over river - the way to bike in Thailand

Some of the sites we saw and the people we met

And after our ride which treat do you think we bought, the Thai's version of a popcicle made with "FANTA" (a coca cola product - yea) or the tiny little fried eggs!

Popcicles it was, mine was green - after all it is my favorite color.  Ron had the orange and was pleased with the taste.  They have these metal tubes and just pour the soda in them add a stick and place them in a tub of ice - and presto Thai Popcicles.  They were a nice treat after a hot ride.  But I did think the little fried eggs were quite funny.

Where will my adventures take me next....INDIA, Delhi to be exact and I can't wait.