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| Rua Khun Mae: Cruise Brings Faith-Based Diversity to The Fore |
| UPDATE : 13 July 2010 |
Nida Tunsuttiwong
There's a wealth of interesting destinations located along the Chao Phraya River, which is why several leading tour companies offer a huge variety of cruise programs that operate along the majestic 'River of Kings'.
Recently I signed up for a cruise with a company called Rua Khun Mae ('Mama's Boat'), which offers several highly original cruises, including one that includes visits to nine Chinese-style temples.
Faith-Oriented Excursion
I decided to select a program called Mae Nam Sam Si ('Three-Colored River'), which includes visits to three places of worship – a Chinese-style shrine, a Mosque and a Roman Catholic Church. This would provide me with the opportunity to learn about various religious traditions and the cultures of the worshipers.
As we got underway, our tour guide introduced us to several important safety measures, while other members of staff distributed some refreshing drinks. Passengers on this cruise are given a choice of apple or lemongrass juice.
Our first stop was at a Chinese-style shrine located within the Chee Chin Khor Moral Uplifting For Benefaction Foundation. The foundation mainly promotes moral values through various Buddhist publications, while it's also involved in fundraising activities and distributing any donations received to charities. The main attraction here is a Chinese-style pagoda known as Mahathat Chedi Prajomchatri Thai-Chin Charoem.
Once we had spent some time examining the pagoda, our guide led us to a nearby, three-story shrine. While the first floor resembles a fairly regular Chinese-style shrine, the second floor was designed to resemble a cave, within which six statues of highly-revered Chinese monks are enshrined.
Thoroughly Refreshed
On returning to our vessel (a converted rice barge), members of staff provided us with some more refreshing wet towels and drinks. Before long, we had arrived at our next destination, known as Sunlaka Sathan ('the Customs House').
Sunlaka Sathan was built in 1890 as a point from which to collect tax on incoming goods. Although the building is no longer in tip-top condition, it remains popular as a location for shoots among fashion and wedding photographers. Our guide informed us that the building would soon be redeveloped and transformed into a luxury hotel.
Warmly Welcomed
Not far from Sunlaka Sathan is a small Muslim community. We headed there next, dropping by at a residence where the owner sells frozen roti, while also supplying large department stores with the unleavened flatbread.
After tasting the roti, I decided to purchase two packs before heading for the Haroon Mosque. Our group was cordially welcomed into the Mosque's prayer room, where we learned more about the daily schedule for prayers.
The final stop on the cruise is Santa Cruz Church, where we learned about the history of this impressive Catholic church and some facts about Christianity.
Built by the descendants of Portuguese traders in 1769, the church includes an impressive collection of stained-glass windows, along with 16 bells. We also dropped by at house where the owner produces Khanom Farang Kudee Chin (a Portuguese-style cup cake, made with egg, sugar and flour). This scrumptious cup cake is crispy on the outside with a soft center.
Later in the evening, the boat was transformed into a dinner cruise, which took us all the way back to Saphan Krung Thon ('Krung Thon Bridge'), before returning to River City, where we began our cruise. During this part of the trip, we got to enjoy a spectacular sunset, along with impressive views of various bridges and other locations dotted alongside the river.
The buffet style dinner featured many delicious items, such as fried chicken wings, fried squid in salty egg sauce and khao mok gai ('Chicken Biriyani'). We also enjoyed an impressive variety of tropical fruits and Thai desserts.
For further information or to make a reservation, contact Tel: +66 (0)81 411 5777, or visit http://www.thaiticketmajor.com/travel/mama_boat.php.
Transport Connections:
Car: From Sathon Pier, which is located right outside the Saphan Taksin BTS skytrain station, you can hop on a complimentary River City shuttle boat, which operates between 10 am and 8 pm.
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