Kevin, Gary, Cathi and I were picked up at our hotel and we were off to the Amita Thai Cooking School. The van took us to the river dock and we hoped on a long boat, a long boat with a stick with a motor on it out the back end at least 15 feet behind the boat. The long boat took use through some locks and into the canals. We saw many dilapidated homes on the water. We say a child smoking a cigarette and squatting with his sorts down and his bare bottom in the river. It's so sad to see people live in such poverty. Further down the river people were feeding the fish and large fish would bubble up for the food. A small boat filled with tourist souvenirs paddled out to us and a woman tried to sell us keepsakes. We then past a large, cages water monitor lizard on the river bank. Very ugly. We arrived at the Amita Cooking School and sat on the veranda with our host Tam drinking Ginger mint water. We then took a tour of her garden and saw all her herbs and fruits. I especially enjoyed seeing how pepper corns are grown. Then it was into the kitchen for a demonstration and then cooking. We made Pad Thai, a chicken stir fry, chicken coconut soup and water chestnuts with tapioca and coconut milk. Everything was delicious. I enjoyed learning how to use flowers to dye rice and water chestnuts. The cooking class was a true highlight of the trip. We left the class by van and drove past sweat shops of children sewing tennis shoes in squaller.

We were dropped off at the Temple of the Reclining Buddha.... A massive statue covered in gold depicting the Buddha as he entered nirvana. The walls were adored with beautiful murals with hold leaf. We visited on a religious holiday and the temple was very crowded.

After the temple, Kevin took us through a stinky market where they were selling dried fish. It smelled shockingly awful. He walked right through two street vendors and into the Sawadee Ka Thai Massage school. We went upstairs to a nice smelling, air conditioned room and had and hour long Thai Massage for $8. It was wonderful. Then it was back to the tailor. The suits were not done, so the tailor got us a van back to the hotel and we got ready to go out for dinner. We went to dinner at Bolan. It was very delicious and spicy. Then it was back to the hotel for some much needed rest.