Facts on the real bridge (was) RE: [at-l] OT ajoke in search of apunch line.

[nealb@midlandstech.com (William Neal)]

I remember th move with Alec Guniness (got to love any man or woman with
that last name).  But I thought I remembered that it was a real bridge.  So
I went searching and the first thing I hit was umpteen sites on the movie.
I finally narrowed it down to the article below.  Apparently it was at a
site that had something to do with travellers called WALKABOUT (I think).
Y'all ever get over in that part of the world, y'all might want to see it.

William, The Turtle

PS   I once got really p***** when I could not stop whistling that tune.  I
was hiking a short local nature trail.  The kind teachers take small
children on.  I ran into a group of 1st or 2nd graders with two teachers,
and I think I scarred the teachers.  But one of the little kids that I knew
came up and hugged me because I looked like I could use the hug.
Unfortunately I ended up singing the Barney Song. Sighhhhh....

************

THE BRIDGE OVER THE RIVER KWAI

Yes, the bridge exists, and yes, it spans the River Kwai. Located next to
Kanchanaburi, Thailand, it draws many tourists expecting to view the remains
of the amazing wood and bamboo structure built by Allied prisoners, later
blown up by a demolition squad. An easy day trip from Bangkok, Kanchanaburi
has based its tourism on the bridge. One problem:

The 1957 movie is fiction. In fact, the novel was written by the same author
who wrote Planet of the Apes (actually first called "Monkey Planet"), Pierre
Boulle. Oh, there is a bridge, and yes, Allied prisoners and forced local
laborers built the Death Railway under horrific conditions. But The Bridge
over the River Kwai is a concrete and steel structure, low to the water,
nothing like in the film. In fact, it is extremely non-imposing and, well,
ugly. (Perhaps functional is a better word.) Tourists, upon viewing it,
typically comment: "Uh-huh, that's a bridge over the River Kwai. But where's
The Bridge over the River Kwai."

As in the movie, the Allieds did destroy the bridge. But not because William
Holden swam up the river and blew it up; it was bombed by airplanes.

Despite being concrete and not the amazing structure built by a special
effects team, the bridge is there and it's meaning is no less real. Go ahead
and perform the tourist ritual of marching across it, whistling Colonel
Bogey's March. (The song the prisoners whistle in the movie.)

Kanchanaburi is a nice place, even if the bridge is a disappointment. Once
away from the tourist hordes at the bridge, it is a peaceful, laid-back
place with floating guesthouses and restaurants. Other required sites
include the war cemetery, where 7000 prisoners of war who died working on
the Death Railway are buried. The JEATH Museum displays information and
artifacts from the horrible period.





-----Original Message-----
From: ted anderson [mailto:atted@tampabay.rr.com]
Sent: Monday, August 19, 2002 2:38 PM
To: kahley@ptd.net; at-l@backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [at-l] OT ajoke in search of a punch line.


--
[ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
Bridge over the River Qi.  I forgot how to spell the Qui.
Ted

-------Original Message-------

From: kahley
Date: Monday, August 19, 2002 2:21:32 PM
To: at-l@backcountry.net
Subject: [at-l] OT ajoke in search of a punch line.

I'm thinking if a movie but can't remember the name.
I could whistle the theme song and you'd know it in an
instant. It's WWII, Japanese holding British POWs
and forcing them to build a bridge. Help me please.
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