Saturday the group decided to head over to Chatuchak Market, affectionately called JJ Market. It's one of the largest markets in the world and only a 20 minute cab ride from campus. I was told that it'd be chaos which proved to be an understatement. The minute you get out of the cab you hit the first wave of street vendors selling the usual local delicacies. Once you push your way through that you have two options: out or in. We decided to enter JJ's 3 story mall complex first. Each floor had a general theme to it. The bottom floor housed crafts and cheaper fare, middle was clothing, accessories, and animals, and the top floor were big ticket items like electronics and antiques. JJ inside is much more organized and easily navigable than outside. We weaved our way systematically throughout each floor, but the inside of JJ is only a taste for what's in store when you start exploring outside.
Most all of the videos I added to the blog from JJ are from the outside section. There is no rational way to tackle the outdoor part of the market. Imagine yourself on Tatooine trying to barter with Watto, an array of strange smells hitting your nose every couple of steps, and hot, cramped spaces then you can begin to appreciate the beauty of JJ. Every vendor was a new surprise. There would be light fixtures next to a puppy trader which would be catty corner to crystal shop and candle stand. Anything you can possibly think of was sold within the confines of JJ; you just have to wander a bit further. My favorite section of the market was the art exhibits deep with the maze. There are small restaurants and coffee shops built around the bases of trees which were then surrounded on all sides by copied, printed, and painted art. If you've ever been to JJ, please leave a comment to this post about you're favorite part of the market.
The trip home was also an adventure which I posted a video of the trip. We were fortunate enough to take a Tuk Tuk cab home. They charge slightly more than a regular cab and don't run a meter, so you need to know approximately how much it costs to get around the city. The ride is definitely more cramped than a normal taxi, but it's well worth the experience at least once. Our driver sped through traffic like he was Nicholas Cage in Gone in 60 Seconds.
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