Alarm call at 5.30 am to get ready for 7.00 am pick up to go to floating market. Just us and a couple of ex-pat Kenyans now living in Enfield in the minibus with a driver and guide who was very entertaining (deliberately and not so deliberately!) Stopped at a coconut processing centre where they use every part of the coconut from the flower for sugar, to oils, creams and decorative objects from the flesh and nut. Watched them making coconut sugar – very sweet, taste and consistency of fudge. Then on to floating market. Travelled through canals of various degrees of attractiveness in a long tail boat to the market which is basically a car or lorry engine mounted on a gimbal with the propeller fixed on the end of 10 feet of drive shaft. A bit like a huge egg whisk!
Then got onto a paddled sampan for the trip round the market which was full of tourist tat, not the least bit tempted! As the other couple with us didn’t buy anything either we were round in record time with an hour and a half to kill before collection. Wandered around and found another section of canal selling boat food mostly to locals, much more interesting.
Back to hotel for much needed rest round the pool.