Monday, September 29, 2008

Chatuchak Market and Other Adventures


Day Two in Thailand: Today we went to the Chatuchak market, commonly called the JJ market. It is insanely large. There are perhaps 2000 or more shops, selling everything imaginable including dried fish, knock-off clothing, furniture, textiles, jewelry, puppies, and even flying squirrels (sugar gliders). We spent about four hours at the market –quite a long time in the heat. For lunch we enjoyed Pad Thai in the center of the market. Amazingly enough we ran into our new friend Carla from Austria at a small food shop.


Me, Carla, Ahna, Audra

The chaos that is JJ market.

View of the city from the skytrain.



Carla and Timmy, friends we met at the dorm, have brought us to dinner tonight in the center of town. Timmy is from Germany and Carla from Austria.




All day has been great, as all ten of us have been willing to come out together. The place we are eating at now is so very interesting. Every place in sight is on the streets and open to the elements. They cook the food in front of you and hundreds of people sit at tables which line the streets. Traffic is heavy and practically on all sides of us. Fulbright has provided us with a book on “Thai Street Food”. I must read it soon, for it is common to eat on the streets around the area where we are staying. Ordering food here is incredibly difficult for non-Thai speakers. Most of the time, a lot of pointing, saying “mai ao nueua ka” (no meat please) and gesturing results in an adequate meal –it actually makes me feel a bit like a child again, not able to read the menu, although this time without a parent to read me my options.


Well, life is good.





Some of the crew: (from top left) Brad, Zoe, Karen, JR's forehead, Timmy, Chike, Ahna, and Nim.
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Oh, by the way…
After dinner, Kate and I fed an elephant, a baby elephant. Ha, only in Thailand!




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