Sawat Dee Kah!! Today is my last day in Bangkok and I know I should visit the Chatuchak Weekend Market. This market at last count has 1500 stalls and is listed in all the tour guides as “Not to be Missed.”
Reluctantly, I follow my path of the water taxi to the Sky Train. The train reaches the stop and the throng of people pile out and down the stairs. According to my map the shops I want are naturally on the opposite end of the train stop.
Oh My God, this place is unbelievable. First I am in a row that is selling exotic fish and aquariums, then to thousands of flip flops, next are bonsai trees and birds followed by rattan furniture, to buffalo skulls and snake skins, art supplies, antique Indian doors, dried fish and curried vegetables, amulets, antique Buddhas, cookie cutters, and a Muslim prayer room. I dodge in and try to regain my senses. Oh shit, there are only men in here and in the back of my mind I think I remember that women are not allowed to pray with men. I mumble my apologies and dive back into the chaos.
I come to food stalls and there are rock bands adding to the din of madness, with snake charmers and their cobras, and literally thousands of people milling about. I find the area where the shops I want are located and they are out of the burning sun. In one of the shops I buy three shirts and one pair of pants all of very light cotton. A shop with things from Afghanistan provides me with handmade tassels used for tribal costumes and a beautiful silver and beaded necklace.
At this point I am so hot I head back to the Sky Train. Back through another part of this market presents go go boots, the thieves market, which has cement mixers, guitars, trolleys, then into feather boas, spice market, gemstones, car axles and engines and finally I see the Sky Train.
Back to the hotel by the Sky Train then the water taxi and those red shirts are every where. I arrange for my taxi at 5AM and go to my room to pack and have at least one cold beer.
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