Yesterday on Dec 4, 2004, we had a short weekend getaway to Lopburi, a very exciting place to watch sunflower blooming. Very simple, we just went to Hualamphong station, buy a one day train tour package at the ticket counter, only 300 Baht per person (note : this tour is only available on weekends). We think it's very worth it, 300 Baht, and you got the round trip train ticket plus 3 meals (2 snacks and 1 packaged lunch)! Train departed at 8.05 a.m., passed thru all the Bangkok stations, Ayutthaya and Saraburi. The journey was fulfilled with a lot of informations passed by a guide, which (not so fortunate enough for foreign visitors) was all in Thai.
After 3 hours journey, we could see a lot of sunflower plantations along the way. They were fabulous ! Too bad because of the ever-lasting drought this year, some of them were drying to death. We stopped at only one farm. They sold a lot of things related to sunflower: sunflower honey, souvenirs taking form of sunflower (bookmarks, umbrella, artificial sunflowers). After paying 5 Baht, everybody - being extremely excited - rushed across the field. Poor sunflowers, a lot of them got squeezed. Great pictures ! Huge numbers of sunflowers plus a very clear blue sky.
Our journey was then continued to Pasak Cholasid Dam. Good view, worth to visit more than once. The railway track cuts across the dam, forms an "S" curve which - we bet - would look terrific from the sky (the view has been in fact cover of the famous guide book : "Unseen Thailand"). The tourism of Pasak Cholasid Dam was said to help covering the huge cost of building the dam which irigates the surrounding lands.Lopburi with its sunflower has just been promoted recently. It is said that the King of Thailand had the idea of maximizing this beauty to tourism.
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