Cycling: An Urban Escape
We’ve had some outstanding cycling experiences in the past few weeks. They have provided the ideal antidote to the hot, humid, and dense urban environments of Bangkok and Singapore.
Bangkok - Bang Krachao
The day after our fun, busy, and touristy day in Bangkok we headed to a peninsula in a deep bend in the Chao Phraya River (River of Kings) in the centre of Bangkok.
We boarded a small ferry with a few other foot passengers (no Westerner tourists), a Chinese Lion Dance band (dressed in festive yellow) and several dozen motorcycles crammed against each other.
After the motorcycles tetris-ed their way off the ferry we disembarked at a small temple, rented bicycles, and headed out onto a narrow country road.
Poor directions by GPS led us, serendipitously, to the local floating market. It must have been floating at one point in its history, but today vendor’s stalls line the canals and shoppers easily access goods on solid ground.
It is an authentic working market without souvenirs, kitsch, or English. We wandered the aisles browsing the stalls, amazed at the array of colourful and unfamiliar foods and ingredients. People were incredibly friendly, introducing us to new foods and welcoming us warmly.
We bought picnic ingredients and tried some fun local treats:
passion fruit - sour, seedy, delicious
black water chestnuts
Khamon Tako - coconut pudding topped with blue gelatin in a banana leaf
soft coconut pancakes
minced chicken kababs
papaya
We cycled across the island passing homes both simple and moneyed with large iron gates. The mood: easy going and unhurried.
Bang Krachao park was quiet and green. We picnicked in a gazebo on a lake where families came to feed bread to large carp.
Explored the paths through mangrove forests the returned to the ferry on quieter winding roads. An excellent day.
Singapore - Pasir Ris
On day one of our second stop in Singapore Terry needed to pick up some second hand golf clubs purchased on Facebook Marketplace. We headed to the Pasir Ris MRT station, about 45 minutes from the downtown core.
We picked up AnyWheel bikes and rode a short distance to Pasir Ris park on the south side of the island. Such gorgeous trees, with ferns and plants growing from the deep clefts in the branches. Chickens roamed freely (they are protected in Singapore). A cool and pleasant ride.
Other excellent rides in Singapore include following the Singapore River through Clark and Robertson Quays, the trail along the harbour to the Marina Bay Sands Hotel, Keppel Park, and Sentosa Island.
Our adventure continues.
xoj&t
