Kanchanaburi (1 of 2)

Kanchanaburi was a highlight for us. For those that don't know, the Japanese interred 60,000 POWs (British, Australian and Dutch mostly) and 200,000 Asian workers and forced them to build a rail line to link Bangkok to Burma in order to supply troops trying to move into India (part of their pan-Asian plans). Working conditions were horrendous, and most that died fell to disease and starvation (many were beaten to death or shot too).
The first two shots are of the famous "Bridge over the River Kwai". Funnily enough, the bridge didn't actually cross the river Kwae, but so many tourists wanted to see it after the movie that the government renamed the river! The museum at the so-called "Hellfire Pass" (cutting 8m down into rock by bamboo-torchlight) was easily the best we've seen in Asia. The pass itself is shown in the third photo. We also actually rode the "death railway" (the last two photos), which was the best part for me (I rode half the way standing in the open doorway, even over wooden bridges - which you can see in the last photo). WWII history, trains, and freedom to experience it in a unique way = awesome.