Before the broth...

Seriously, that chicken broth post got such a reaction it needs a follow-up.
Ironically, while my brother almost gagged at the broth, he laughed at this. And Mum, on the other hand, visibly grimaced... even though she was the one who consumed the broth!

Apologies for the blurriness of the photo.. I took it in a rush without flash. I'll take another to on my next trip back!

Haggling

As it goes in a majority of Asia, you need to haggle for your prices.And I've learned there are different styles depending on where you are.

I grew up in a Taiwanese household. Haggling is a loud, competitive, sometimes even insulting sport. The players treat it almost as a competition, to see who can hold out longer. And whose bluffs to really call.

I learned really quickly it doesn't work in Thailand. Not when tourism is a major economy and not then the Thais maintain a culture of smiles. Instead, I recently finally discovered that silence is the biggest tool. Mixed with a little of Thai language attempts, the effect is far more, well, effective.

Me: *pointing* Thaw-rai? (how much?)
Merchant: An-ni... 150baht.
Me: *pretending to think* How about 60 baht?
Merchant: Mai dai. (can't do) 100 baht.
Me: *pretending to think*
Me: *pretending to consider*
Me: *pretending to calculate*
Me: *getting a bit ansty and trying not to show it*
Me: *resisting the urge to shift weight*
Me: *really contemplating either walking away or paying 100 baht*
Me: *just about to decide to-*
Merchant: *pats my forearm and lower her voice* OK. 50 baht.
Me: *whipping out the wallet with alacrity*

Pennywise doesn't stand a chance

This is stuff that rivals clown horror flicks that give me nightmares. But at the same time, when you see so many, you reach a point where you can only burst out laughing at the sheer weirdness of it all.

I know the head is considered a very sacred part of the body (as opposed to anything below the waist, getting progressively more "dirty" as you reach the feet... on the same person?). But is adding a head to all the mannequins, disproportionately small, and hideously ugly, necessary?

It's odd. Sometimes the outfit on the mannequin is actually quite a nice ensemble, worth considering to buy, but, do these people realise how much the head detracts from the sales image?

It is also a disturbingly commonplace trend.

Oh, I can't explain. I'll just let you judge for yourself.











Perhaps scariest of them all... what do you say? The one on the right is benign, comparatively speaking, no?

Many, many thanks to Carolyn for not only coming up with the idea of this last shot but also taking it.

Trends

Someone explain to me this sudden trend that popped up this afternoon:










In all fairness: I haven't seen it outside the JJ Market, where I took these photos.

Also, I missed two great photo shoots for this collection. 1. A Thai guy wearing a cowboy hat, white tank top and aviator sun glasses. To add to it, he sported a well trimmed goatee. Man, do you have any idea how hard it is to run through a thronging crowd of Thais on a hot afternoon in the middle of the most densely populated market chasing after a guy? I stopped after I tripped the fifth person. 2. A group of high school kids, in their uniforms of white button shirts with navy skirts (girls) and burmuda slacks (guys), all donning some assortment of cowboy hats.

And, for full disclosure, this is what is on the wall behind my TV:

Klong Toey

Supposedly the biggest food market in town. We arrived around 10am, and they were still setting up, with a lot of stalls still vacant. But enough for me to get a sampling of what is available. I am surprised though, that the bulk of the market activity happens so late in the day, in the heat.

Clearly, this is the cheapest place to get food. When price signs have numbers ranging from 5 to 25 THB, and realising that the prices were per kilo, it's hard to beat. Almost anywhere in the world, I suspect. I now understand how Thais can afford to live when sometimes Bangkok seems more expensive.

Klong Toey is clearly organised and established. I didn't hear much haggling going on, although I would walk down an aisle and see prices fluctuating for the same produce, stall to stall. Products range from fresh (and flopping) seafood to vegetables to cooking utensils.

The good thing is this place is so close. The bad thing is it is too far to walk comfortably in the humidity, too close to hail a cab willing to work for small fare. What a quandary for me!

I intend to try to visit twice a month now, on the weekends, to get some fruits and vegetables and familiarise myself with with tropical fruits not elsewhere available.

My favourite sight, though, are the basket carriers. Men with huge shopping baskets hitched on dollies, whom you can hire for 30-40 baht to wheel around your groceries behind you through the market as you shop. What a job!

And don't wonder where your shoes have been. Wear closed-toe shoes you are willing to get dirty. It's not that bad, but don't pay too much attention. If the native market vendors wear wellies, it should be clue enough.