The streets are lit in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The intense heat of the day has subsided and it is cool outside. “We are going to the Night Bazaar tonight,” my dad would exclaim. We drove into downtown Chiang Mai where the Night Bazaar is held. The streets are chaotic. They are packed with cars hurrying to go their different ways. Motorcycles are weaving through the densely packed traffic. In the midst of all this traffic the Thai three wheel taxis called tuk tuks are driving like maniacs looking for pedestrians to pick up. The sidewalk is packed with people and vendors. Farang is the Thai name for the white tourists that come to visit Thailand. Thai people are busy setting up their stands on the side of the roads and getting out their merchandise. It’s time for all the farangs to shop.

In the Night Bazaar it is possible to buy virtually anything. There are tee shirts everywhere of all designs, shapes and colors. If you want a watch you can just buy a fake Rolex. If you’re into weapons this is a good place to be. You can get big sharp knives, nun-chucks, ninga stars, big weird lighters, BB guns, and much more. Thai souvenirs are the biggest merchandise at the Night Bazaar. Little elephant models, Thai shirts, and shops to get Thai massages are anywhere you look. You can buy all these things and so much more at the Night Bazaar.

Ribbet! Ribbet! Is that a frog? In the Night Bazaar this is a very common noise to hear. Old Thai hill tribe ladies walk around in their traditional hill tribe clothing holding hand-size wooden frogs with rivets on their back that make a frog croaking noise when the ladies roll a stick along it. The frog noises are everywhere and the ladies are good saleswomen. They will walk straight up to you loudly croaking their frogs trying to get you to buy their stuff. If a bunch of them corner you it is hard to get away as they keep shoving wooden frogs, key chains, bags, cigars and other things in your face for you to buy. The frogs are constantly heard croaking away in the night market.

When you walk through the vendors you stop periodically to look at their goods. As soon as you stop the people will start bartering with you trying to get you to buy their stuff. Thai people are very friendly and nice to talk with but once one starts bartering with you it is hard to walk away. Even if you aren't interested in what somebody is selling they will still offer it to you and try to get you to buy it. Sometimes when you find something you want you will start bartering the price. The seller will sometimes name an outrageous price for something fake or a knockoff brand but after naming a low price and bartering back and forth the seller will eventually agree on a much lower price than he first said. As you walk the streets are noisy with people stubbornly battering away.

One thing no one has to worry about at the night bazaar is being hungry or thirsty. There are tasty Thai snacks and food to buy on the side of the road. It is easy to get a refreshing cold fruit shake to cool you off as you walk and you could also get some Pad Thai or some other Thai dish to go with that shake. All the food and drinks at the Night Bazaar are fairly cheap and it is a nice outing for a light supper at night.

The night bazaar is a cool place to be. It is lots of fun to walk around and see all the weird things that there is to buy and is a great place to go shopping. It is exciting and busy with all the traffic and people walking around. Everyone who visits Thailand has to go to the Night Bazaar.