River Kwai Bridge, Kanchanaburi: Mirror of Golden Gate, Sanfran

River Kwai Bridge, Kanchanaburi

Nov 17th, 2012

Hey Jane,

As I told you last time, I went to Kanchanaburi, my dad hometown. This city is not far from Bangkok. I could drive there just about 2 hours if we wouldn’t take it easy at gas station for getting snacks and a cup of coffee. You know, girls have never let their mouth empty.

This trip, I got a company, my sister. She took half day off on Thursday and full day off on Friday.  I spent almost an hour picked her up at the office and drove through the traffic in Bangkok and headed west to Kanchanaburi.

A week before I went to the sea, but this week I switched to visit mountains and jungle. I think you probably don’t like much here as you told me that you were born in a rural area and never ever wanted to take a vacation among the trees and mountains.  I promise I won’t drag you to make a camp in the jungle.

My dad’s house is near downtown. I can take only 15 minutes walk to the market. It’s a small town and changes slowly. When I was young, I spent times in summer here very often. Today, it has nothing much changed.

First of all, I want to give you a little bit background of Kanchanaburi.

Kanchanaburi is a quiet and mystery city. There are long histories since World War II., in 1942, 70 years ago. River Kwai, the main river, is well known throughout the world by the book named The Bridge over the River Kai, written by French author. After that, it was also filmed to be the movie.

Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, The United States

Wait a minute! Recently, San Francisco had a big event to celebrate 75th Golden Gate Bridge Anniversary. So River Kwai Bridge is just a little brother of the Golden Gate Bridge then. I should be there having fun with you and my big brother.

Anyway, get back to my stories. The highlight of Kanchanaburi is the River Kwai Bridge. Everyone who visits here will take a photo with the bridge as same as when they go to San Francisco and taking a photo with the Golden Gate Bridge.

In World War II, Japanese army pushed the prisoners of the war to build railways across the Kwai River through the jungle for passing Thailand to Myanmar and India.

Can you imagine? In the virgin forest, there were not only the wild animals, but in this tropical rain forest there were also unforecastable weather and malaria disease (the disease was carried by mosquito). It is the reason that this forest has been called “The Death Railway”. It was paid with many lives.

Sorry if I scare you by telling this. I’d better tell you more fun stories.

Next time, I’ll tell you what make my legs get sore so bad from this trip.

Miss you,

Nina