Flower Power.

While in Bangkok, my friend Joni and I hit the plentiful flower market, Pak Khlong Talat (Talat means market). I've never seen such exquisite and inexpensive flowers all in one place at the same time. There are buckets upon buckets of flowers, and newspaper rolls of two dozen roses, all for about 40 Bhat, which translates to about $1.50 a bunch. I'd wished I only had somewhere to put them, but alas flowers do not transport well on a 21 hour flight. So we just soaked in all the sweet smells and the gorgeous range of colors and specimens.

Pak Khlong Talaat is known as a "place of symbolic values"
to Bangkok residents and is open 24 hours a day.

Mainly, a wholesale market for fruit and vegetables, but
Pak Khlong is also a consumer's flower market near the
Chao Phraya River and Bangkok's Chinatown. If there is one
market worth seeing, this is it. Pak Khlong is definitely
the prettiest and best-smelling market in Bangkok.

I loved the look of these roses wrapped in newspapers.

People are making flower garlands strung with golden marigolds,
called Phuang Malai are everywhere, and are said to symbolize the
beauty of Buddha's teachings and they are often given as offerings
or kept for good luck. All the cabbies and tuk tuk drivers have them
(which is a great idea, because traffic in Bangkok is insane!).

Exotic pod-like stems and beautiful orchids were abundant, too.