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Bangkok's Jatujak weekend market continues to entertain me. I've spent a majority of my time there wandering around the apparel sections, glancing through walls of vintage T's or imagining how She might look in some of their dresses. This Saturday afternoon's downpour flooded all seven square kilometers of aisles, but that didn't stop the severed plastic appendage salesman from peddling his wares.

They sell everything here- bootleg BAPE, fake watches, pet squirrels, bed frames, bamboo tusks, and lots of very rare plants. It is the largest and most compact commerce environment that I have ever been in, with districts scattered throughout in a loose arrangement by type of goods sold. What you heard about blue jeans stands true; a pair of second-hand genuine Levi's will still cost you between ten and twenty dollars anywhere in the market. I got a few business cards from people offering to almost pay for my next air ticket in exchange for the suitcases of jeans I told them that I can get at Goodwill back home.

One thing that has been updated is the bargaining. That old tourist adage about halving the seller's first offer will only get you looks of disgust from most of these long-time weekend capitalists. Maybe it's because I usually shop with a Thai friend, but even on my own the most I'll average in a friendly bargain down is ten to twenty percent.

update That's not to say that that Thais aren't going to try to rip you off at every chance they get attempt to profit from your naiveté. It's not as bad today as Vietnam (I hear), but there is plenty of price gouging for Fresh Tourists- just not so much at JJ anymore. Go to the Patpong night market for that.