Travel to Visit Grandma Bang Bo: The Story of a Farmer by Mr.Hotsia

Travel to Visit Grandma Bang Bo: The Story of a Farmer by Mr.Hotsia

Bang Bo, Samut Prakan Province, is the land where I, Mr.Hotsia, grew up and truly absorbed the way of life along the canal. My hometown is located by Ban Rakat Canal, a small canal flowing into Samrong Canal, the main artery of Bang Bo District. Returning to visit Grandma here is not just going home but a journey back in time filled with the scent of rice fields and the stories of canal-side villagers' way of life that still remain today.

I clearly remember playing in the water with gourami fish raised in the rice fields around the house when I was a child. Grandma would tell me that Bang Bo is a nationally famous source of gourami fish due to the brackish water that supports the growth of red plankton, a favorite food of gourami. This makes Bang Bo gourami plump and uniquely sweet and rich in flavor.Bang Bo Gourami FishIt has gained nationwide fame and is even exported abroad. I believe this charm makes Bang Bo unlike any other place.

On the way to visit Grandma, I passed an old market that still retains the unique character of a traditional floating market, such as150-Year-Old Bang Phli MarketThis market is located along Samrong Canal, an important waterway for locals who have long used boats as their main mode of transportation and trade. The market still has small shops selling food and daily necessities as in the past, including pharmacies, traditional healers, fertilizer shops, and even agricultural tool stores. I walked past an old-fashioned sweets shop that still carries the sweet and rich taste from my childhood when I helped Grandma shop. Some vendors have started adapting to tourists with souvenirs and traditional clothing, keeping this market alive through time.

Upon arriving at Grandma's house, I saw the vegetable garden and rice fields I had known since childhood. Grandma said that rice farming in Bang Bo used to include fish ponds around the fields, called "Teen Na," allowing gourami fish to live and grow alongside the rice plants. I vividly remember when Grandma helped drain water from the fish ponds; big gourami and snakehead fish would swim around our hands. This image is something I always cherish, and it explains why Bang Bo gourami are of higher quality and taste better than elsewhere.

During my visit, I also had the chance to join in a traditional fishing competition familiar to Bang Bo villagers, using “Ai Ngo,” a fishing trap set between two boats in shrimp ponds raised alongside gourami. I have shared this event inMr.Hotsia's Ai Ngo Fishing Competition on Tour in Bang BoThis activity is organized by me and local friends to preserve the ancient fishing traditions and culture. Using Ai Ngo requires skill to avoid killing the fish and placing part of the trap above water so fish can enter effectively. This is local wisdom I am very proud of.

Besides the lifestyle and food tied to my hometown, I have used these experiences to inspire my journey as a traveler and foodie, Mr.Hotsia, who loves spicy holy basil stir-fry with the authentic aroma of holy basil leaves. This recipe is inspired by my hometown Bang Bo.Spicy Holy Basil SauceI developed it to continue the flavor of holy basil that my Grandma used to make for me when I was a child.

I recommend everyone interested in the farming lifestyle and canal-side villagers to visit Bang Bo, experience the old market atmosphere and local way of life, and taste the world-famous gourami fish. For those interested in the old market and canal-side lifestyle, there is in-depth information available at150-Year-Old Bang Phli Marketwhich is not far away.

This homecoming journey of mine, Mr.Hotsia, is not just a visit to Grandma but a fulfillment of the bond of memories continuing from the past to the present that still exists in Bang Bo, Samut Prakan — the home I love and will always return to.

For anyone who wants to truly experience the rice field lifestyle by the canal and learn the real history of Bang Bo villagers, I recommend traveling here yourself. You will discover that the simplicity of my hometown holds deeper stories and flavors than you might think.