Chatuchak Market, Bangkok

It’s been a year, a week, and two days since I came back from Thailand. For some silly reason, I didn’t plan a winter holiday this year and now I’m feeling major wanderlust.

Since a winter holiday is out of the question for several reasons, I’ve been reliving last year’s trip…

One of my favorite experiences was shopping at the Chatuchak Weekend Market. I’ve never seen anything like this place. It was hot, dirty, smelly, crowded, shopped by tourists and locals alike, and I loved it!

There are around 15,000 vendors, on 27 acres, selling everything you can imagine. And if you’re willing to bargain hard, the deals are unbelievable! Whenever I travel, markets like this are always at the top of my “must see” list, but this one is in a class of its own due to its size, selection, and prices.

Dresses galore! Had I known about the abundance of $10 peasant dresses, I would’ve arrived in Bangkok with an empty suitcase! By the time I left Thailand, I’d bought a lifetime supply ;-)

The Market can be a bit of a maze. I somehow ended up lost and not able to find my way out of the “Animals/Pet” area for the better part of an hour. It was not a place I’d ever like to see again, but I fell in love with this puppy and wished I could’ve brought it home with me. I’m a serious animal lover and the “soi” cats and dogs were difficult for me to ignore so I carried food in my camera bag and fed as many as I could, but it upset me that I couldn’t do more.

I adore the colors and textures I see in these markets!

Doesn’t everyone need their very own lifelike meditating monk?

High maintenance girl that I am, street food is one of my favorite ways to dine ;) Sitting on a curb eating pad thai with a Chang Beer to go with, all for about $3 is definitely the la dolce vida!

By the time I left The Market, I was sweaty, dirty, exhausted, mosquito bitten, happy, and grateful that I still had 14 days with which to explore Bangkok, the southern beaches, and Chiang Mai!

There are 37 more places on my travel wishlist, but it’ll be hard not to go back to Thailand…