Cvetje ob treh zjutraj

Ura je tri zjutraj in ulica je bolj budna kot opoldne. Tovornjaki se ustavljajo drug za drugim, natovorjeni z vrečami ognjičev, vrtnic in orhidej naravnost s podeželja. Delavci se hitro premikajo, cvetje zlagajo v stolpe, višje od človeka, in si čez hrup dovikujejo cene.

It is three in the morning, and the street is more awake than midday. Trucks pull up one after another, packed with sacks of marigolds, roses, and orchids straight from the countryside. Workers move fast, stacking flowers into towers taller than a person, calling prices back and forth over the noise.

To je Pak Khlong Talat, največja cvetlična tržnica v Bangkoku, in nikoli se zares ne zapre. Podnevi je videti skoraj zaspana, le nekaj stojnic in tihi koti. Ko pa sonce zaide, pridejo cvetličarji iz vsega mesta po svežo robo pred zoro in tržnica se napolni z barvami in hrupom, ki trajata do sončnega vzhoda.

This is Pak Khlong Talat, Bangkok's biggest flower market, and it never really closes. During the day it looks almost sleepy, just a few stalls and quiet corners. But once the sun goes down, florists from across the city arrive to buy fresh stock before dawn, and the market fills with colour and noise that lasts until sunrise.

Predstavljajte si, da stojite tam, obdani z vonjem jasmina in vpitjem prodajalcev, in kupujete naročje cvetja, še preden se je večina ljudi sploh zbudila. Na taki tržnici noč in dan preprosto zamenjata mesti.

Imagine standing there yourself, surrounded by the smell of jasmine and the shouting of vendors, buying an armful of flowers before most people have even woken up. In a market like this, night and day simply swap places.