F2 SIDEORDER Only a whistle stops this Thai market BY SARAH DOYLE Resting silently beneath the
crowd like a slumbering ser- pent, a single train track winds through the heart of Mae Klong food market in the small Thai province of Samut Songkhram. Flanked by bushels of crisp winged beans and water spin- ach, bulbous knobs of jackfruit and pallets of artfully arranged fish gawking in unison at oblivi- on, the narrow track serves not only as a place for vendors to display their wares but also as themarket’smain walkway. Until, that is, the train makes
an appearance. I amatMaeKlongmarket not
only to feast my eyes on Thai- land’s edible bounty but also to observe a phenomenon that some YouTube viewers have deemed “impossible,” “a hoax,” or “genius video manipulation.” I followthe train track deep into the crowd, where hordes of hurried shoppers performa live- ly dance of bargaining, shuffling shopping bags and occasionally stumbling over a stray cat. I watch baby eels squirm in a
blue plastic bucket. I observe that frogs-on-a-stick are a popu- lar lunch item. I photograph a mountain range of curry pastes as red as the Sedona desert. Suddenly, my tour guide
grabsmy armand parksme one foot from the train track. “Stay here,” he instructs, his black eyes gleaming like obsidian. I am about to witness something extraordinary. As I struggle to see farther
down the congested track, I detect the faintwheeze of a train whistle in the distance. “Rot fai!” a woman calls out urgently. “Train!” A frenzied electricity fills the air as vendors hastily pull their wares away from the track. (Apparently, it’s a mere eight inches to the safety zone.) Then, like so many Murphy beds, the overhead awnings fold up and back and my face is flooded with sunlight. The train whistle grows louder. In a mere 60 seconds, the track has be- come a no man’s land, a blank canvas of bolts and steel that
JET TIA
Vendors at theMaeKlong market display their wares beside the tracks. Eight times a day, they pull everything back to allow the train to roll through before pushing it back into place.
disappears into the distance. A tourist lingers between the rails and is scolded by aman hauling his eggplants to safety. The safety zone beside the
track is now at full capacity, and I find myself squished between two giggly girls in matching school uniforms on one side and a huge tub of shrimp on the other. The ground begins to vibrate. Suddenly, a bright yel- low train car bursts into view and I suck in my gut thinking that the extra inch of space I create might save my life. I watch with a combination of amazement and horror as the train glides right in front of our toes and our noses. And then it’s gone.
In a fury of organized chaos,
the vendors quickly push their wares back toward the track, the awnings unfold, the track floods
with people, and barely a min- ute later, it’s back to business as usual. Operated by the State Rail-
way of Thailand, theMae Klong Railway stretches from Bang- kok’s little-known Wong Wian Yai station to Samut Songkhram (approximately 45 miles to the southwest). Before the railway was built in 1904, locals regular- ly gathered inMae Klong to sell fresh produce and seafood. When plans for the new railway revealed that the train would drive straight through their gathering place, a lack of avail- able space persuaded the locals to stay put, and no law could force themtomove. Today, the train continues to
run through Mae Klong food market up to eight times a day, seven days a week, and the locals don’t seemtomind.Many
stay because of the inexpensive rent. Those wishing to ride the train from Bangkok can do so, but be advised that the train track disappears abruptly at the Tha Chin river in Samut Sak- hon, so youmust get off the train and travel by ferry to the other side (Ban Laem). There, you can catch your connecting train to Samut Songkhram. If time or effort is a concern,
Mae Klong market can also be reached by car or bus (the Damnoen Saduak line from Bangkok’s southern bus termi- nal). Formore information, visit the Tourism Authority of Thai- land’sWeb site at
www.thailand
tourism.org.
travel@washpost.com
Doyle is a food and travel journalist based in Paso Robles, Calif.
EZ EE
KLMNO COMING&GOING
Pricier hotels, tired pilots and saddles for planes
Beds on the rise If your hotel tariff looks a
teensy bit higher these days, blame it on the rate creep of summer 2010. According
toHotels.com’s
recently releasedHotel Price Index, after seven straight quarters of price drops, rates are on the climb—up 2 percent worldwide. “Two percent isn’t a
tremendous rise,” saidVictor Owens,
Hotels.com’s vice president ofmarketing in NorthAmerica. “We’re still talking about levelswe last saw in 2003-2004.” While rates in the $$$$$
destinations ofVenice,Moscow andAbuDhabi dropped, hotels on the Italian island of Capri jumped by 7 percent to an average price of $267, and in Geneva by 8 percent, to $254. As for Bali, a night in paradise leapt from$129 to $203. Domestically,NewYork is
still themost expensive apple inAmerica,with an average rate of $224, up 14 percent. For cheap beds, check outNorfolk, where rates average $84, down from$101, or Toledo,Ohio, down 17 percent to $79. “Demand has recovered
most quickly in the two- and three-star tier,” saidOwens. “There are still tremendous deals at the four- and five-star level.” For the complete study, see
www.hotel-price-index.com.
What’s good for the pilot. . . Airline pilotswouldwork
shorter hours and getmore time to sleep between flights under newrules the Department of Transportation proposed lastweek. Under the proposal, pilots
would have nine hours of rest prior to duty, up fromeight. They’d also get 30 consecutive hours off perweek, a 25 percent increase.Under current rules, pilots canwork up to 16 hours a day. The proposal calls for a maximumof 13 hours and less —nine hours—for pilotswho have flown overnight or on several flights. Tired pilots would also be allowed to turn down flightswithout penalty.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2010 The proposed rules are open
for public comment at
www.regulations.gov.
A saddle or a seat? If you thought airplane
travel couldn’t get anymore uncomfortable, think again. Italian company
Aviointeriors has designed an airplane seat thatwould reduce passenger legroomin economy class evenmore, from the conventional 28 inches between seats to 23 inches or less. Passengerswould sit at an angle in the SkyRider seat, which resembles a saddlewith an armrest. CoGo asked a company spokesmanwhether that could possibly be comfortable for passengers. “Obviously the SkyRider comfort is not the same of a Business Class seat, but for sure it is acceptable,” spokesman Gaetano Peruginiwrote us in an e-mail. Airlineswould charge less
for the seats but stillmake a profit because overall capacity would increase, the company explained. The seatswould also have space for personal bags. MattDaimler, founder of
SeatGuru.com, said that he expects airlines to continue to cramasmany people into their planes as possible. Lastweek, Allegiant Air announced that it would add 16 seats to its fleet ofMD-80 series aircraft, bringing the total number of seats to 166 per plane. Earlier this year, Spirit Airlines said it would install “pre-reclined,” or stationary, seats thatweigh less and cut down on fuel costs. “Just a couple of short years
ago, Iwould have laughed at the design,”Daimler said of the saddle seats. “But the seat pitch battle ignited by SpiritAirlines hasme cringingwith the thought that these seats could really be coming to an airport nearme.” The FederalAviation
Administration has not approved the saddle seats.And Jami Counter, senior director of TripAdvisor Flights, doesn’t expect it to. “I think the saddle seat
probablywon’t see the light of day,” he said, “for two reasons: safety and passenger acceptance.”
Reporting: Andrea Sachs, Nancy Trejos.
WHAT’STHEDEAL?
Theweek’s best bargains around the globe
LAND l Pay for two nights at the Lost Iguana Resort & Spa in Arenal, Costa Rica, and receive two more for free. The Two for Two special, which also includes breakfast, starts at $370 per couple for four nights (plus 13 percent tax). Also, mention The Washington Post and receive a free couples’ massage, worth $160. Stay throughNov. 15. Set in a rain forest on 120 acres, the 42-room resort offers views of the Arenal Volcano. Info: 011-506-2267-6148,
www.lostiguanaresort.com. l Rail Europe is discounting Britrail Passes by 20 percent for travelNov. 1-Feb. 28. Prices vary by product. For example, a second-class pass good for three consecutive days of travel in England, Scotland andWales is now $159, a savings of $40. A first-class flexi-pass good for any 15 days of travel within a two- month period is $779, a savings of $196. Deadline to book the discount is Feb. 14, but pass prices may go up after Dec. 31. Info: 888-382-7245,
www.raileurope.com.
SEA
l With Blount Small Ship Adventures, book any of six 2011 Caribbean itineraries, pay in full by Sept. 30 and receive 20 percent off the rate. The cruises range from seven to 11 nights. For example, the seven-night Journey through Central America: Belize to Guatemala now starts at $1,919 per person double, a $480 savings. Depart in February orMarch. The 11- night Bahama Beachlovers: Caicos toNassau cruise now starts at $3,023 per person double, a $756 savings; depart March 25. Port charges are $200
CRUISE.COM
703-359-8888
OmegaTravel.com
The Internet’s Largest Cruise Specialist 877-535-2225
Open 7Days
Bahamas Cruise Celebrity Mercury • 9 nights
$524 p/p
Dec 11 • R/T from Baltimore Incl. port charges, cruise only. Govt taxes $94
BIGSTOCK
Izmaylovsky Park inMoscow, a discounted destination on Delta. AIR
l Delta has sale fares from New York’s JFK to Moscow. Round- trip fare is $707, including $50 taxes. The sale also applies to other departure cities: $812 from BWIMarshall and $821 from Reagan National. Depart Sept. 27-Oct. 23, and complete travel byNov. 23. Fares from NewYork andWashington typically start at about $930 and $945, respectively. Book by Sept. 20 at
www.delta.com, or pay $20 more by calling 800-221-1212. l Southwest is offering sale fares on nonstop air from BWI Marshall to Panama City Beach, Fla. Round-trip fare, including $34 taxes, is $199. Connecting service on other airlines starts at $226. Complete travel byNov. 15; 14-day advance purchase required. Book by Sept. 21 at
www.southwest.com.
today.com. l Book Friendly Planet Travel’s six-night A Taste of Thailand by Oct. 6 and save $300 per couple. Price after discount starts at $999 per person double, plus $99 taxes, for the May 11 and 16 departures. Price includes round-trip airfare on China Airlines from Los Angeles to Bangkok; land transportation; accommodations; daily breakfast and one dinner; and several guided tours. Other dates available for $100 to $400 more per person. Info: 800-555-5765,
www.friendlyplanet.com. —Carol Sottili
Submit travel deals to
whatsthedeal@washpost.com. Please include your phone number and e- mail address. Prices were verified Thursday afternoon when the Travel section went to press, but deals sell out and availability is not guaranteed. Restrictions such as blackout dates and advance purchasemay apply.
to $250 more. Info: 800-556-7450, www.blountsmall
shipadventures.com. l The Antarctic Dream, an expedition cruise ship, is offering savings of 30 percent on itsNov. 7 departure from Ushuaia, Argentina, to Antarctica. The 11-day trip now starts at $4,830 per person double, including taxes, a savings of $2,070. Also, singles can sign up for the twin-sharing program, and if a cabin mate of the same gender is not found, the company will waive the single supplement. Book by calling 800-344-6118 by Sept. 30. Info:
www.antarctic.cl/web_eng.
PACKAGE
l
Go-today.com is offering a London at Its Best package, with prices from $880 per person double (including $184 taxes) for departures Jan. 10- Feb. 28. Trip includes round-trip air fromWashington Dulles to LondonHeathrow and six nights’ lodging with continental breakfasts at the two-starMy PlaceHotel, near the Earls Court tube station. Priced separately, airfare would cost $688 per person and the hotel about $128 per night, for a total savings of about $380 per couple Book by Dec. 14. Info: 800-227-3235, www.go-
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