There are thousands of markets around Bangkok, but only one “The Market” and that is the Chatuchak weekend market, the largest and most diverse weekend market in the world.  The market houses over 15000 stalls.

I don’t have a lot of pictures of the group here, because with a market this size, everyone disappears pretty quickly.  So I put together a little photo stream to show you a little of what the market has to offer.  And mind you, I only walked around the perimeter of the market.

The market averages around 200000 visitors every weekend.

Need Harley accessories for the next meeting of the Thai Hell’s Angels? They’ve got you covered.

Need vegetable seeds or some Spanish Moss?  No problem.

When you are done shopping for Moss, you can get your body airbrushed.  All the cool people are doing it.

It was 93 F today with a “Feels like” index of 106 F.  With the pavement, and the stalls, and the people, it is an oven.  You need to drink lots of liquid just to keep moving. Luckily there are tons of folks like this, selling every conceivable beverage.  The fresh orange juice is like nothing you’ve ever tasted.  By the way, Thai oranges are green.

When you are done with your duck noodles….

…just pop across the street and pick up some children’s clothing.

After you’ve had a foot massage (there are dozens of places offering them at the market)….

—refresh yourself with some deep fried baby octopus.

You can’t find fried squid’s eggs just anywhere.

For dessert, there are several stalls selling coconut ice cream and such toppings as red beans, or sweet corn.  Yup, that’s how they like it.

Need some bamboo cultery?

Or old books?

Or dishes?

Or Buddhist paraphernalia?  You’ve come to the right place.

Cooper says everything tastes better on a stick, and the folks at the market seem to agree. Whether it runs, flies, swims, or crawls, whether it has fins, feathers, fur, or tentacles, you can get it on a stick at the market.

Want some high end art?

Need your sneakers airbrushed?  This is your one stop shopping experience.

I did manage to hook back up with Ed, Cooper, and Jonathan.  I bought them ice cream but I made them choose an unusual flavor.  Jonathan got Pandanus, which he thought tasted like Durian, Ed got something called Salima, which he thought tasted like Onion, and Cooper got Taro, which I guess he thought tasted fine.  It’s on a stick, so it must be OK.

Yeah, I don’t even know..

If your ukulele breaks, you can pick up a replacement here.

I pass this stuff every year, and this year I finally asked what it was.  I thought she said water chestnuts with jelly. Cooper thought she said cherry, not jelly.  We might both be right.

Don’t trust banks?  Buy your own!

This is a little cake shop in the shopping center next to our hotel..  Cakes are better when they’re made by your homies.

That’s all I’ve got.  Tomorrow it’s back to business.  See you in 24.