Kanchanaburi, Thailand

Posting from Kanchanaburi, Thailand. I was going to leave for Laos, but then agreed to go with Todd to Kanchanaburi, hoping it to be a break from the heat and hysteria of Bangkok. Took the train here on Tuesday afternoon, 60 or so km west of Bangkok, about 3 leisurely hours on an old wooden train (through some cracks in the planks you could see the railings below) all the windows open and 4 ceiling fans interspersed throughout each car. It was actually pleasant with the air flowing openly through the windows, sometimes the airconditioning in public transportation is a little too chilly and I always worry I'll get sick from the sudden temperature changes. The river Kwai runs right through Kanchanaburi and just north of the center is the bridge on the river Kwai. Along the river have cropped up a plethora of bars, some pretty obnoxious bars with hostesses welcoming every passing farang, one bar opened up by some expat called the no name bar reads at the top of the facade: get shitfaced on a budget. Along the same 3 km stretch of road right by the river there's a couple of tattoo parlors, tour groups (real eco toursism one place claims, with a photo of some girl eskimo kissing a beetle) the requisite massage parlours the masseuses mostly unoccupied watching tv from the reclining chairs, and an outfit that makes and repairs dreadlocks--unsure if this last place caters to rastafarian farang or the locals who hang out at the reggae themed bars listening to Arrested Development and drinking whiskey. There are floating disco barges dragged up and down the river and plenty of war memorials, cemetaries, a war wall, a couple hours away by train there's hellfire pass. In the evenings by the river Kwai bridge boys play soccer, there's a small gathering (which seems to be required in every public park and square) a dance aerobics group. We've been staying right on the river a couple nights in cabins on stilts above a lotus garden and last night a hotel on a raft. It's so quite here once the disco barges have docked for the night.