The Largest Market aka Day 2 Part 1

On Sunday the 26th we went to Chatuchak Weekend Market. We were told it was the largest market of its kind in the world. Definitely in Asia. They had absolutely anything you would want to buy. Bags, clothes, house stuff, pets and apparently a whole section devoted to clothing for every animal you can imagine. We were there 6 hours and barely covered 2 sections. There are many sections. However we were able to buy lots of stuff! Yes we. Matt got stuff too. We bought fake Levis, a new messenger bag, scarves, elephants (figurines, not actual elephants) a lamp, cards, gifts for our nieces (cannot wait to see if they love them) and others, jewelry. A very successful shopping trip. You have to bargain for stuff, and usually you can get them to come down a little bit. If you come here, I recommend walking around for awhile to get your bearings and looking at different shops and asking for prices, because it can vary and you don't want to get ripped off. If you can help it. Also arrive early. Seriously. The heat and people increase as the day goes on.
You could get lost in here! And I would have except I had Matt to guide me! I also recommend bringing snacks and water with you because you are so busy shopping that you don't have time for going to search for overpriced market food. Spend the money on stuff you can take home! Besides, it is rather tiring after awhile and you will want to go somewhere else and sit down and eat a good meal when you are through! At one seriously awesome scarf shop the shopkeeper gave Matt a stool and informed him that he had better sit, because "she will be at least a half hour." Matt and he both laughed at their little joke. Huh. Was not. Maybe 29 minutes at most.
She bought a lamp? Now before you say, what!?! Is she crazy? First a ginormous painting and now a lamp to take home? Well, I thought they were too cool. Part of the cool factor is that they are plastic and this whole lamp folds down to an inch think and 6 or 7 inches long. Cool or what? Also a stylish and sensible investment!
I got the biggest one. Score! Well, after awhile (6 hours, seemed like an hour or 2, tops) we went in search of AC! As we left we walked back to the sky train and it was as one friend put it, "like salmon swimming upstream." We were weaving our way through the crowds of people still pouring down the street to the market.
See all the people? As we left on the train I took some pictures of the market. I don't know if you can tell but the picture below shows the location of one of those all important toilets. We had to search only one time for it because the water we drank was barely replacing our perspiration. Have I mentioned before that it is hot here this time of year? These were western style toilets (still need to bring that Charmin on the go) but instead of one line for the next available stall they queued up in front of each stall like a line in a supermarket. So if you chose the wrong stall, which I did, 3 times, you may be waiting awhile. Good idea to find the toilet area before you are desperate so you don't end up clonking someone on the head to take their place in the lines. Which I did. Found the toilet before desperation set in that is, not clonk someone on the head.


Also I hoped that this picture could show the scope of the market. This one doesn't really do it justice as it shows just one central part of it, and it is way bigger than this but you see the rows and rows or buildings, each lined with tons of tiny shops, which are lined with even more things. I have several more pictures like this that I could line up for you, but I think you get the general idea.

Well, that's all for this one. Hope you will visit the Market if you are ever in Bangkok on a weekend!