Thursday 27 October 2011

Day 282- More of Chatuchak


Sunflower Screen - part to enter

First stop, Flora and Foliage.

For those of you who love flowers and plants, JJ has an incredibly extensive garden sector that is well worth a trip.


Every time I visit this treasure trove of all-you-need-for-a-tropical-garden, I half wish I live in Bangkok. How else can I bring home these amazing cascading silver needles?


Or those giant bulbs of hyacinths promising blooms I can already see in my head, down to their hues,  thanks to the differentiating strips of reds, blues and yellows.


Still, for you and me who live a few custom officers away, 
we need not go home empty handed. 


There's always these charming hanging planters of cane baskets  


and some very versatile perennials that will never die.


Whether it is for you,


for your friends, 
or even for your dolls

Plants and planters at home in Singapore

Chautuchak really has it all.


Jasmine and other flower garlands for prayers

And because the Thai people really love their flowers,

 they are everywhere.


From ancient times on an emperor's dress


to a pair of vintage spittoons from the 50s


or these three vases of traditional painted masks.

And till today, you continue to see them


 in their cloth sandals,


 on their soft clutches,



even funny signage for loos.


There are flowers on the ceilings,



flowers on the floor,


flowers, flowers, flowers
on drawers, cupboards, doors.



Even in shops selling products that have nothing to do with flowers,

there is still space reserved for favourite plants.


Combining their love for flowers and their obsession with details, 

the Thai craftsmen have truly refined the making of artificial flowers 

down to an art.


They use natural materials like sanoh, a softwood perfect for texture 

or dried Sesbania leaves 

so that their man-made lotuses look like Mother Nature's.


 I often cannot tell the real 


from the fake.




Then there are the colours,




colours that leave you spinning and giddy 




so deceptive they make you believe rags is
high fashion


USB


so intoxicating they make cute irresistible

(even if you are not a fan of cute).



Colours that make your spirit soar 
quicken your breath 
 excite your senses


so much so that you don't even realise that  
you have already walked for 5 hours.


How time flies...I am tired and thirsty and I am sure you are too.

Let's rest here, shall we? 

I don't think I can walk anymore.

O dear, and we are only at flowers and foliage.

I haven't even shown you Pets, Ceramics, Handicraft, Miniatures!




But before I go, 
I just want to thank all of you

It is exhilarating for me that we have almost 25 people returning. Especially since this is my first trip to JJ where I did not end up spending the bulk of my time just squatting  at some miniature shops. I started the trip determined to show those of my friends here a more complete picture of the flea market I love so I went to the sectors that I hardly visited. 

The people gazing , picture taking and of course, buying, buying, buying turned out to be such a pleasure that it was the most fun I had ever had, shopping on my own. In a way, this was all because of you. 

27 comments:

The Old Maid said...

It is soooooo very true, dear Sans! I was showing my trip's treasures because of you too!:)
It must be incredible to visit this market. Hope to see more soon?
Thank you so much for this trip:)

Alexandra said...

Hi Hello! I love the colors of your culture.
I also love flowers and plants.
Besides my dollhouses and miniatures hobby, gardening is a hobby of mine too.
On my other blog''Objets de Charme de la Maison de Hollande ", you can visit my garden.
Your blog is pretty amazing and I always enjoy your posts and beautiful pictures.
Thanks for sharing.
Best regards, Alexandra

Sans! said...

Thank you Eliana :). I think this is possibly the post with the most number of pictures.

Sans! said...

Ewa :):) I will show you more, in person if you will come :).

Isn't it amazing how our lives have become so much richer with blog friends ? I was alone at Chatuchak but really , not for a single split second did I feel lonely because I kept thinking of you gals :).

No more JJ post this year..I am giddy from all the colours. Serious!

Sans! said...

Dear Alexandra, I am over the moon that you have enjoyed my posts because I think your blogs are just AWESOME!

I have gone over to start following your Maison blog as well and you can bet your bottom dollar I will read it from the start till the end. :)

Just like you, I love gardens.

carmen said...

imágenes impresionantes....

Lataina said...

This is most definitely a dangerous place for people like us. Too much shopping to be done! I would be afraid of tapping into my rent money to buy so many wonderful things...lol. I'd be out on the street, but at least I'd be with all my beautiful purchases...lol. Those hanging baskets are fantastic. I also love the sandals! The knobs, the rugs, the ceramics, all so beautiful. Sans, I can't tell you how much I am enjoying this. Thank you so much for posting so many pictures. =)

rosanna said...

Thus post makes my head spin.Too much of everything and I can only imagine the smells and flavours.
A must see place for sure even though I'm not certain that I'd buy much: these colours and textures are wonderful in the place/country where they belong to but I am always under the impression that taking them into our much colder( in many ways) climate would be like kidnapping them exstinguishing their fire.
But keep us informed, I'm yearning for new sights and impressions
Thanks a lot, Rosanna

onbeingaminimum said...

Thank goodness for your colourful and cheerful post. It has been a very cold dark evening here in England but I now feel we have shared a slice of sunshine!
Thank you so much for sharing.

Norma Soulet (AZArtist) said...

Hi Sans sweetie,
I AM BACK FROM MY VACATION!
Wow love all your new photos. They are all so colorful, right up my alley! lol
Love all those hanging strands of fun things.
I hved uploaded some photos of my trip to CA. if you would like to see them. Please leave a comment too.
Hugs

Plushpussycat said...

Wow! All the colors and textures and shapes! I would need a good rest in my hotel room from sensory overload! ;-) Love this! Can't wait to see more of the market--yay!

Dark Squirrel Victoria said...

What beautiful pictures! I love the bright colors, Thank you for inviting me :)

Hugs,
Victoria

Margriet said...

Thank you for taking me with you!!! I always love looking at your beautiful photos. It looks like a market where you can spend days!!! Never seen anything like it.

Ana Anselmo said...

I love markets!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sans, I don´t want to die without visiting Chatuchak market!!!!! it is the most beautiful, extraodinary market I ever saw.
hugs from Lisbon
PS: I have a new blog just for my fabrics http://foreverfabrics.blogspot.com

BiWuBär said...

Thank you so much for being our guide and our treasure scout... What a feast for the eye! Those hanging baskets are fantastic, you made a very good choice to buy these for your dear ladder...

Greetings
Birgit

TINK - SONIA said...

Amazing pics and so colorful,Love it!!!

Ascension said...

Impresionante paseo por el mercado.
Que fantasticos colores, unas fotografias geniales!!!!!
besitos ascension

dalesdreams said...

So many flowers, so many colors! Such a feast for the eyes. :)

I'm enjoying this shopping from my easy chair! lol ;)

Daydreamer said...

OVERWHELMING! I would get LOST for sure! I have too much trouble deciding what to love the most.... but Maybe the antique embroidered robe.....
Thank you Sans, for the voyage to a place SO foreign to my World!
It is Good for the Soul!

Piikko said...

Sans, thank you so much of taking me to Chatuchak market! I'll go to have a cup of coffee here and then we'll continue to pets, ceramics, handicraft and miniatures. I'm not tired at all! I can't wait to see more...
Hugs, piikko

Unknown said...

sho nais na~~~ yay more things for me to beo when i next go over XD

malu2 said...

Las fotos impresionantes, bonitas y preciosas, que envidia tengo!!!!!!
jajajaja, que suerte tienes!!!!!
Besos de Malú y MªLuisa.

Flor said...

Geniales fotos!!!
ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜ
Un abrazo
Flor

Virginia isabel said...

Las cestas colganes son una preciosidad.
besujis!!!!

Unknown said...

Oh Sans! The colors, the flowers, the beads, the embroidery, the planters, my head is spinning. The dress-the needlework makes me want to cry! The variety, the full gamut of the kinds of things there-how could anyone on earth ever be bored? I've never been in a market like this-it's like being inside a kaleidescope, of color, of light, of sound, of touch.

Teresa Martínez- IGMA artisan said...

Bellísimas fotos!!
Un placer para la vista!!

dalesdreams said...

I got my basket, thank you so much! I love it! I love that you made it for me, thank you so much my dear friend. :)

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