星期市集
The Sunday Market
"你要想知道泰国有什么土产，只要到星期市集去逛一趟，包你一目了然。”
“你只要到星期市集去，就可以买到泰国各地的特产，不但价廉而且物美！”
“你若想欣赏曼谷各阶层市民的衣着，最好是到星期市集去，绝不会使你失望······。”
“如果你有意要了解曼谷平民的生活情趣，那么最理想的地方就是星期市集了！”
“假使你是个「好食之徒」，喜欢尝尝泰国的小吃风味，那么你非到星期市集去不可！”
“如果你是一个印象派画家的话，那么在露天排列的星期市集，阳光照耀之下的多彩多姿的景物，将会贡献你无数的画面，丰富的题材······”
在朋友介绍之下的星期市集，是深绕着吸引人的魔力的。再说我们今天下午就要北上清迈，只剩下一个半天的时间，远的地方不能去，附近的胜地已游览遍了，那么要善于利用这宝贵的半天。我想把朋友们所描述的星期市集的一切优点综合起来，为了怕他们夸大其词，加以渲染，所以我把这些优点再来一个五折九扣，在心里细细的盘算了一阵。好！还是有一去的价值！同时，我们所剩下的时间，与星期市集所举行的时间，却是不谋而合，这岂不是因缘际会的际遇吗？对！还是决定到星期市集去，免得失之交臂，将来引为憾事！
到达了玉佛寺左侧的曼尼广场Phra Mane Ground，我们立刻便被卷入汹涌的人海中。市集摊位的摆设，可分为内外两圈。外圈临街的人行道和草场边缘，沿着椭圆形的广场又可分为内外两层。这些摊档，上盖布篷，有的作人字状，有的作阳伞状，有的平顶相连。除这外圈的两层摊位之外，广场的中间还有纵横各五行的摊道。举凡热食的、洋货布匹的、杂货干粮的、生果蔬菜的、鸡鸭肉类的、鱼虾水产的······真是应有尽有。这些摊贩，都分门别类地，按照了一定的「据点」来排列他们的货物。所以在极其复杂的情景之中，你又可以发现到他们也有统一的地方！
果然，在这里你看到了穿着牛仔装或西式衣裙的妙龄少女、穿着中国式的白绸黑裤的中年男女，穿着黑色或蓝色的上衣下裳的工农阶级市民，还有不少穿着那种把裙角抄起，塞在裙头的调尾幔，以及无领长袖短上衣的老妇女，还有穿着洋装上衣，窄裤管西装裤的青年······真是形形色色，令你目不暇接！大家穿插在拥挤的市集中，选购着自己需用的东西！
我们肩摩踵接地随着水泄不通的人群，沿着那摊道走了一个圈子，差不多要花一点半钟的时间，只觉得前前后后，团团转转都是人。小贩们喧嚷地向着络绎而来的人，用他们那悬河一般的口才，大声地介绍以广招徕。有的还装上了播音机，像舞台上唱大花脸的戏角，拉开了嘶哑的喉咙高声喊嚷。顾客的还价声，小孩的啼哭声，轧轧的鸭叫声，咯咯的鸡叫声，街道旁嘟嘟的汽笛声，吵吵闹闹地此起披伏，形成了一股宏壮的声浪，扬起了一阵阵的音潮······。
我们在市集里浏览了半天，询问了半天，绕行了半天，的确是感觉到有点倦乏了。便找了一档茶摊坐下，好让那酸累的双脚得以歇息，那干渴的喉管得以歇息。于是大家便在此一尝曼谷的咖啡乌。泰国人大概都喜欢喝浓咖啡！但见端上来的是半玻璃杯的乌浓咖啡，另配送一杯免费的清茶。喝了咖啡之后，再喝下这杯茶，这种喝咖啡的方式到是很特别。我是有名的「咖啡精」，喝起来犹觉得浓得还可以。玛戈说：“星加坡人喝咖啡，只可算是幼稚园，曼谷人喝咖啡，已可说是进入大学了！”那么，以这样的标准来衡量的话，我对咖啡的欣赏能力，也只有小学程度而已！在这卖熟食的摊位范围内，吃的东西可真多：有广东小点、潮州小菜、沙爹、烧鸡、燕窝汤更是普通，到处都有。
总之，在这星期市集里，你可以买到来自巴吞他尼府的蔬菜瓜豆、吞武里府的各种水果，北榄府特产的椰糖，龙仔厝府的新鲜鱼虾，夜功府的鱼露、虾酱，佛统府的特产芒果，披集府火山湖出产的莲子，尖竹汶的名产淡菜、佛丕府盛产的鸭蛋······。其中最能吸引游客是清迈府出产的雨伞和漆器，南奔府的丝织手工品，华欣府的贝壳玩具······你可以在这里买到你认为最满意的东西！
我们在这里尝到了暖武里府的特产榴。这里卖榴莲与星马又是另一种不同的方式。榴莲贩把果肉包在透明的塑胶袋里：有一包三粒的、五粒的或十粒的。我很奇怪，像这样的卖法，榴莲的香味岂不是全挥发了吗？原来这里的榴莲肉是「干包」的，核小、肉厚，味道极浓而香腻，与星马一代所产的截然不同。任谁也无法把整个榴莲吃完，充其量不过吃上五粒，你就会感到甜腻的无法下咽了。而且价钱很贵，大的一个要值叻币十余元，小的也要卖四五元。我们也吃过了清迈的龙眼，果实很大，肉厚、核小、堪与中国出产的相媲美。我们像「摆路祭」似的一样试了再一样，一直吃到肚子装不下了才宣告「满载」而归。所以我说：你们若有机会到曼谷去一游千万别忘却了到一个真正值得你去的所在--那就是每星期日举行一次的市集Sunday Market了！
" If you want to know what Thailand's local products are, just go to the Sunday Market, and I guarantee you'll see it all."
"You can buy specialties from all over Thailand at the Sunday Market, and they're not only affordable but also of excellent quality!"
"If you want to admire the clothing of people from all walks of life in Bangkok, the best place to go is the Sunday Market. It won't disappoint you."
"If you're interested in learning about the lifestyle of Bangkok's common people, then the ideal place is the Sunday Market!"
"If you're a food lover and enjoy trying the flavors of Thai street food, then you must visit the Sunday Market!"
"If you're an impressionist painter, then the colorful scenes under the sunlight at the open-air Sunday Market will provide you with countless subjects and rich material..."
Upon our friends' recommendation, we were drawn to the Sunday Market as if by a magical force. Considering that we were leaving for Chiang Mai in the north later this afternoon, with only half a day left and no time for distant destinations, we decided to make the most of this precious time. I thought about all the advantages my friends had described about the Sunday Market and, fearing they might be exaggerating, I pondered them carefully in my mind. Well, it seemed that it was indeed worth a visit. Moreover, our remaining time and the timing of the Sunday Market coincided perfectly. Wasn't this a fortunate twist of fate? Yes, we decided to go to the Sunday Market to avoid any regrets later.
Upon arriving at Phra Mane Ground, next to the Jade Buddha Temple, we were immediately swept into a sea of people. The market stalls were arranged in two circles: an outer circle along the sidewalks and the edge of the grass field, and an inner circle within the oval-shaped square. These stalls were covered with awnings, some shaped like a cross, some like sun umbrellas, and some connected with flat roofs. In addition to the two layers of stalls in the outer circle, there were also rows of stalls in the middle of the square. You could find everything from hot food, textiles, groceries, fresh fruits and vegetables, poultry and meat, to seafood. The vendors were organized by type and had designated spots, which made it easier to navigate this complex scene.
Indeed, here you could see young girls dressed in jeans or Western-style dresses, middle-aged men and women in traditional Chinese attire, common laborers in plain black or blue tops and bottoms, many elderly women wearing sarongs tucked up at the waist, and young people in Western-style suits. It was a diverse crowd, and they were all mingling in the bustling market, each buying what they needed.
We joined the crowd, walking around the market, inquiring, and exploring. It was quite exhausting, so we found a tea stall to sit down and rest our tired feet and parched throats. We decided to try Bangkok's coffee. Thai people seemed to enjoy strong coffee! The coffee they served us came in half-glass cups and was very strong. They also gave us a complimentary cup of clear tea to drink after the coffee. After drinking the coffee, followed by the tea, it was a unique way of enjoying coffee. I consider myself a coffee connoisseur, and I found it quite satisfying. My friend Margo said, "Singaporeans are in kindergarten when it comes to coffee, while the people of Bangkok have already graduated to university!" So, by this standard, my appreciation for coffee would only be at the elementary level! Within the food stalls, there were so many choices: dim sum from Guangdong, Chaozhou dishes, satay, roasted chicken, bird's nest soup, and more were readily available.
In summary, at the Sunday Market, you could buy vegetables, fruits, and beans from Pathum Thani Province, coconut sugar from Nakhon Pathom Province, fresh fish and seafood from Samut Sakhon Province, fish sauce and shrimp paste from Nakhon Pathom Province, mangoes from Photharam Province, lotus seeds from Phichit Province, clams from Chai Nat, and duck eggs from Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province, among many other things. The most attractive items for tourists were the umbrellas and lacquerware from Chiang Mai, handcrafted silk products from Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, and shell toys from Hua Hin. You could buy what pleased you the most here!
We also tried durians from Nakhon Si Thammarat. The way they sold durians here was different from Singapore and Malaysia. Durian sellers packaged the flesh in transparent plastic bags: some packages contained three, five, or even ten pieces. I was curious whether this kind of selling would cause the durian's aroma to dissipate. It turns out the durian flesh here was "dried-packed." The seeds were small, the flesh was thick, and the flavor was incredibly strong and fragrant, quite different from what was produced in Singapore and Malaysia. No one could finish an entire durian, and after eating about five pieces, you'd feel too overwhelmed by the sweetness. Moreover, they were quite expensive, with a large one costing over ten Singapore dollars and a small one still around four to five dollars. We also tried lychees from Chiang Mai; the fruits were large, the flesh was thick, and the seeds were small, comparable to those produced in China. We tried almost everything, and our stomachs were full, so we declared ourselves "loaded" and headed home. Therefore, I say, if you ever have the opportunity to visit Bangkok, don't forget to go to a truly worthwhile place—the Sunday Market, held every Sunday!"