A Floating Market in Thailand

"The Flower Vendor"
Damnoan Saduak Floating Market, Thailand
13.5" x 20" Watercolor

On the Bangkok Extension of our Indochina tour in March, we visited a floating market where hundreds of vendors sell fruits, vegetables, flowers, and goods from their boats. I took a photo from the bridge that crosses over the middle of the market and this woman was just a small part of the photo. I liked the unusual perspective. I had to use a lot of imagination to do this one, especially the water. There the waterway was a very greenish brown color and no doubt quite polluted, so I cleaned it up. My water ripples on the right side were suggested by the photo. I had to make up the left side and decided to add ripples to show movement and keep it in shadow to achieve a more effective painting. Here is the entire scene,

The market was a sight to behold. Both sides of the waterway had stalls where you could purchase every manner of goods. There were also little cafes and we sat to enjoy ice cream at one. If you wanted lunch, you could choose from many floating chefs. I won't call them restaurants because they whipped out those tiny stools that we Westerners had difficulty mastering, set them up beside the boat on the edge of the water, and cooked your meal to order. After having suffered turista in Siem Reap, I was not feeling adventurous.

I had to gather my courage to enter the market when we first arrived. Looking down from the bridge, I saw that the first vendor had 12 foot live snakes that they would drape around anyone willing to pay for the privilege. One was as yellow as a banana and I think the other was mottled color.  I will tell you that I have two unexplainable phobias, snakes and heights. I would be of little use in a rice paddy or on top of Mt. Everest.  I had to pull myself together and focus straight ahead as I walked within feet of the brave tourists sporting snakes.