We crossed that?

This morning was great! We got to sleep in! 6:45 am wake up call, it was wonderful! Had a fabulous breakfast with a lot of dragon fruit! We left the hotel at 8:15 to go to the Thailand-Burma Railway Center. Here we learned a lot about the railway for the train we were going on later that day. I learned that the Japanese used prisoners of war to complete the project. It took them 21 months to finish. The POW were promised better conditions but what they really got was the exact opposite. They were basically slaves, working on the railway. Many of them died of malnourishment, cholera, malaria, being over worked and not having proper equipment to be treated. Some examples of the conditions were forcing 28 men under an 8 person tent. It was an eye opening experience to learn about.

The Museum

After the museum we were lucky enough to go to the rail way itself and travel it. We took a train for about 2 hours to see Hell Fire Pass and have lunch. We arrived at the departure station and walked the River Kwai Bridge.

A map of the rail.

Me on the bridge!

A small train on the bridge while we were on the bridge!

Then our train finally arrived for our 2 hr journy about 2 hrs late!

In the picture above you can see a camera man. These men were filming a documentary for the railway, we saw them thoughout the day.

The inside of the train.

Ann Marie and myself!

The mountains were breathtaking.

We traveled the exact railway the POW constructed during World War II. When we crossed another  part of the railway it was nerve wracking! You could feel the train slow down so it wouldn't even have the chance to de-rail. You could also feel each bump and lean with intensity. Once I looked out the window and down there was just a drop, then the river! 

Dan just occupying my photo shot!

That is the raillway we crossed! 

If someone were to add a feather to the left hand side the train I wouldn't be surprised if the train tipped, at least that's how it felt!

We also saw some monkeys!,

Our next activity was the Hell Fire Pass. We just made it to the park before they closed! The Hell Fire Pass is a part of the original railway that is no longer in use as a railway. It is a memorial for those POW who died during the consruction of the rail way. It was a bit of a hike to get to the memorial but worth it!

The pass they POW had to dig out.

Me in a bamboo jungle.

Nicole and I in a tree!

The memorial monument.

Old rail tracks.

Me and the wonderful view!

After we traveled downto the River Kwai and caught a long boat to visit the Mon Village.

The entrance to Mon Village. They use solar power for their electricity.

Walkway 

A small boy asleep in a hammock.

The schools playground, and bathroom in the back ground.

This is their school. It has no walls or doors.

 A young boy came to visit us while we were there, we arrive too late so school was not in session. We were lucky enough to have a group of the students gather so we could talk to them and give them our donations!

Here is what was on their chalkboard!

We had dinner at a very nice resort on the river and were able to watch Mon Dancing. It was beautiful dance performed by young women and men dressed in traditional Thai clothing.

Tomorrow is our last day :( I'm sad that this trip is almost at an end! 

Until tomorrow!