Saturday, Mar. 18 (week 8 / day 55) Chatuchak, Thailand

Chatuchak Market

The outdoor market known as Chatuchak is the largest flea market in Thailand. We had to go. It turned out to be a pretty fun day with minimal crowds until early afternoon when we were done. Our highlight of the day was a family massage. Well, everyone except for Carley who preferred more time to shop because she had her massage yesterday.  Avery & Kyra had the 30-minute foot-only massage ($4.50 each) while Stacia & Cannon decided mid foot massage to upgrade to the 45-minute foot/back/shoulder massage like Paul & Sydney ($6 each). Stacia thought it was so cute about 20 minutes in when Cannon turned to her and quietly asked if he could upgrade his massage too  Who knew a 7 year old boy would like a massage so much!  We had been thinking he would get bored.  So, about $40 for all of us, after a $1.50 tip for each of the ladies. It was super fun just laying there as a family & getting pampered.
The market was great.   We were expecting a lot of touristy stuff and there was some but there was a lot of everything else too.  The girls thought they could do all there clothes shopping there and with such great prices we wished the market were closer to Idaho.  They had some cute clothes!  Carley did get a t-shirt dress for $4.  We bought some cute, nicer jewelry and of course some inexpensive bracelets. 
Lots of fun food and we have to just mention the rocking ice cream guy.  It was like a sub zero ice cream stand.  He had a round frozen metal? disc.  You choose your flavor of ice cream and he poured the liquid on.  Then he added your two-three toppings.  This was the funny part.  He chopped them up like a manic!  He had the music blaring and was chopping like mad.  The other workers were clapping along.  It was like an ice cream dance party!!  Then when he was finished chopping he spread it our really thin and lit it sit for a minute or two and freeze.  Then he took a scrapper and cut it into strips and used to scraper to roll it into tubes of which he placed in the cup.  It was like a whole event just getting ice cream.
Stacia tried a water chestnut "treat".  She choose it because the stand was busy with locals.  There were water chestnuts dipped in a flour (rice?) and then boiled in something until they were bright pink.  They put these in a bowl along with ice, a few regular chestnuts, coconut milk and a little sweetener.  It was ok.  But if this is a typical dessert we are understanding why Thais or thin!  Also we don't seem to be as hungry being hot all the time, we just want drinks!
We had our first mango sticky rice here and Stacia and Sydney just don't think they will be able to eat enough of this fabulous treat while in Thailand.... it is sooo good!!

just about to begin our fun flea market day

 

Cannon working on the railroad!

this nice man is showing us how to play the kihm, he said it would fit in the overhead bin of an airplane nicely....

highlight of the day: foot, back & shoulder massages

a shot of a street at Chatuchak

hard to pass up Thai ice cream!

Thai cuisine at almost every turn

 

We had our best taxi deal yet for the ride home: a minivan taxi, what comfort! Metered just the same, it cost only 100 baht ($3) to get home in 20 minutes.

 

While the kids relaxed in the apartment, we went to the gym & met them on the 6th floor patio for a dip in the pool.

 

Stacia, Sydney & Carley left about 7pm to go hit the night market.  It was super cool!  It is a big market set up in downtown behind a big shopping mall.  They have  some vintage cars and trailers at the opening that serve food and some actual shops along the edge that are quite nice shops made with barn looking wood and vintage stuff in some of them.   Then the center is rows and rows of shopping.  Each little shop had a different solid color top which added to the cuteness.  Shoes, clothes, bags, cell phone covers, t-shirts, and a whole bunch of miscellaneous.  The girls got some earrings, embroidered t-shirts for $3 each, and a little make-up.

Then there are tons of food stalls with lots of seating and some actual restaurant/bar places along the perimeter.  So, its not just market stalls it has plenty of outdoor restaurants too.  It is an upscale market.  And, it was filled  with plenty of the 20-40 something crowed eating out. Music was playing and a few live bands playing 90's music.  Stacia would loved to have gone here every Friday for a different dinner choice.

Stacia started the night with a coconut  cream sticky  rice.... can't get enough of that sweet, sticky rice!  She also had her first pad Thai.  Finally, eating pad Thai in Thailand, that's a check off of Stacia's bucket list!  They have a dish of limes, bean sprouts and the green part of green onions (whole) set on the table.  Then they bring you the bowl of hot pad Thai.  Stacia ordered the egg version as shrimp and some other sea food were the only option.  The noodles were wrapped in the large fried egg like a little package.  You add the amount of bean sprouts you want.  Oh, and they only offered chop sticks to eat with.  Stacia could figure out how to eat the green onion so she just asked.  They guy said break it apart with your hands, ok easy enough.  Then it was funny because now I needed to wipe my hands.  They had these cute containers that we thought were napkins but they weren't... it was toilet paper!  I guess it is useful for wiping hands too.... although we much prefer napkins.  She also loved the crisp fresh crunch of the uncooked bean sprouts and ended up adding all of them.  What a yummy dinner for 45 Baht (about $1.50).
Sydney had a delicious wrap and Carley just keeps eating fruit.  We bought an ok brownie and tried some cake.  Sydney's was a bit rancid, tasting like fingernail polish.  I guess it makes sense sitting out in the heat like that.
On the way out we scored one for Paul..... a root beer.  The first we have seen in Thailand.