It's Sunday (I think), the morning has been cooler than any other stretch of time I've experienced here. Aaron wants to go back to Chatuchuk market and check out another section of the market - the antiques and books section. This side of the market is a long ways from the BTS station we come out of so we study our Nancy Chandler hand-drawn map of the market for some time to strategize our approach. Here's what Wikipedia has to say about the market (including the correct spelling for all of you agonizing over how I misspell it every time.... seriously, I annoy myself on this one!):
Chatuchak (or Jatujak; Thai: จตุจักร) weekend market in Bangkok is the largest market in Thailand. Frequently called J.J., it covers over 35 acres (0.14 km²) and contains upwards of 5,000 stalls. It is estimated that the market receives 200,000 visitors each day.
We circle the outside and happen on rocks, antiques, records, jewelry, and stop for the first hour or two just to explore on our way in. (see the flickr slideshow below for pics) Entering, we dive into the book section and it's a dream/nightmare of stacks and stacks of every book ever made. It's Powells wrapped in plastic and stacked ceiling high in unorganized/semi-organized piles and spread out over several stores. I give up quickly on actually finding or purchasing anything and just look, take pictures, and wander through stacks that are tall and precarious enough to kill me should they be jenga'd enough.
This time I know the market a lot better, the crowds, the frequent placement of refreshment stands, and how turned around one can get. I'm loving the antiques area, the statues and scrolls, the little icons laid out carefully with a tome for reference to their genuine quality. I find a shop I like quite a lot and we spend 10-15 minutes looking at every thing this guy is selling. I find some necklaces I like and when I ask on their price, he comes back with B 250, less than $10 US. Um, yes please! I buy two and he throws in two more since I "like antiques". I'm flabbergasted and clutch my wares and urge Aaron to leave the shop before this guy realizes what he's done and changes his mind!
It's hours of looking, and Aaron and I start discussing how great it would be to just shop and export this stuff to the US. (see if you like anything in the pictures folks and get in your order now!!) After getting lost, we find an area of the market I've not seen before - the pet market. There are stalls upon stalls of every kind of pure-breed puppy you could think of. I'm staring down a pile of fluffy pomeranians the size of my palm and wrestling, experiencing a mixture of longing and horror at the effects a market like this affects on the dogs later - or the unwanted ones.
The day passes quickly and we exit the market on the opposite end that we arrived on, heading underground to the metro. This time I take all of the change and buy us the tokens - I want the practice and confidence I need to get around without Aaron. I'm falling asleep on the train and kindly Aaron flags us down a taxi when we get close to home and we ride in air con comfort.