Andy's Asia - Life in the Village

After last weekend in Hua Hin and Phetburi, I decided to take a low key weekend here in the City of Angels. On Saturday, I had a leisurely breakfast of a hot chicken sandwich and iced coffee, read the Bangkok Post and headed off to Chatuchak Weekend Market. You can get ANYTHING you could possibly want or need at this huge market. I've posted some pictures from the market following this post. From fruits and veggies, to pastries, clothes, watches, videos, crickets, bunnies, fish, dogs, hamsters, mice, feather dusters, brooms and fountains, it's all here and available to buy at a good price. The market is a good mix of farang, Thai and other Asians wandering about and looking for bargains. While not the "must-see" that the Grand Palace is, if you're here for more than one weekend, it's good fun. On Sunday, I had a lazy day at the apartment. I slept late, then I made myself a farang breakfast of eggs and potatoes, of course I had to put a few chilis in ...

big smiles after a successful morning of shopping! 

Veggies and fruit! 

This droll dude is making rice cakes with caramel topping 

Making and selling Khanom! These little pastries are very yummy! 

Selling fruit and juices 

Really cute bunnies for sale, apparently in good health! 

Roasting corn. Yum!! Thai people love their corn! 

This scene reminded me of Japan. Young people giving away a new toothpaste at Chatuchak Market 

Selling feather dusters at Chatuchak Weekend Market 

Yesterday was a holiday here. It was a special day honoring a monk. The holiday is called Makha Buchare (spelling differs sometimes). I went to the Grand Palace complex which includes the Grand Palace and Wat Preah Kaew. It is one of the "don't miss" tourist attractions in Bangkok and for good reason. If you come, don't miss it. It is truly spectacular. As you all know, I am not a big fan of "tourist" places but if you can only go one place in Bangkok, forget the snake shows, the elephant shows and the floating markets, head for Wat Preah Kaew. After Wat Preah Kaew, take a five minute walk to the Chao Phraya river and hop on a long tail boat to go across to see Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn). You can do the whole kit and caboodle in 4-5 hours easily. However I definitely advise you to arrive at the Grand Palace as close to the 10am opening as possible because it gets both very hot and very crowded later. Yesterday I got a late start and didn't arrive until th...

This little girl was holding the huge umbrella for her father while he took a picture of her mother.  

This little one wanted to walk "own self" 

This little boy was posing for his father 

The woman on the left is 78 and her son was bragging that she can still walk. Yikes! 

Woman exhausted after or during worship. She'd HATE me if she knew I took this picture 

When worshipping at a temple, one circles the temple three times. 

Woman with flower for Makha buchare at Wat Preah Kaew 

No, I did NOT put this flower on the rocks. Taken at temple in Phetburi. 

Big Buddha at Kao Takiab near Hua Hin