Let me tell you about Dang - at least I Think that's his name! Dang owns a little backyard eating establishment down the lane from the apartment we've been living at in Bangkok. He and his sister run it. He makes people feel at home, and she cooks over a little propane hotplate set up under a series of tarps and under the shade of tropical plants and trees. He speaks very good English, so we visit when we come for lunch. A lunch comprised of sticky rice, marinated pork or chicken, or other main course and a drink costs 53 baht or approximately $1.50... 2 of us can eat great for about $3.00.
Dang has been very helpful, making us feel at home in a strange city. The other day, Dang's sister had to go to hospital for some kind of surgery, so was not there to cook; their 80 or so year old mother took over the position! We sat and watched as people began to line up for food, and she moved slowly to make one dish at a time. No pressure! Dang was kept very busy bringing dishes of food back into the house to microwave them for clientelle that got cold food! We watched and gained a wonderful glimpse of how Thai family works. They all treated this old lady with respect, and noone said a word about the food to her. May we treat our elderly treasures with the same honor. We brought a few Co-op 2010 calendars with us; we hope to give one of them to Dang as picture of where WE come from.
We came to Chiang Mai with wonderful family; Josh and Randi have treated us with the same honor that Dang treated his mother.... let's hope we move a little faster! I can't say enough about these two treasures. They have been so much fun, and have planned so many great things for us to go see. Even though I have had to sit out on a lot of the hiking and longer walking expeditions.
Chiang Mai is a lovely old city an hour's flight north of Bangkok. We stayed in a hotel with wonderful Thai decorating and great morning buffet the first 2 nights. It's situated in a neighbourhood filled with little eating places, a fabulous bakery and coffee shop, massage shops, small personal laundry service, buddhist shrines, travel agents, and guest houses. We enjoyed great coffee at the bakery before going to the hotel breakfast where the coffe was less than palatable. For some reason, people here have no concept of cream for your coffee. You either get milk, evaporated milk (if you're lucky), or coffee mate. I know, I'm deprived!
Night market Saturday night was fun - at least that's what they say - I walked too much, and my foot was pretty swollen and painful, so I obeyed my husband (who has been taking impeccable care of me), and went to bed. Kids, you should be proud of me! I didn't even complain or dig in my heels!
Sunday was spent taking a taxi to a beauiful national park and waterfall. Just a few weeks has made an incredible difference in the vegetation here. Rainy season is over, and lush jungle is giving way to a dry forest that could go up in flames at the slightest provocation. We sat on vinyl matting lent to us by the outdoor restaurant where we bought marinanted chicken and pork with sticky rice... rocks by the fifth level of tropical waterfall watching Thai families enjoying water and family; feels like home.
After an hour or two, off to see a temple far up the top of a mountain on the other side of town. We had hired a Safari Truck for the afternoon, so he drove us around, bringing his wife along for company.
The temple grounds were impressive. I looked upward at the thousand stairs going straight up to the temple at the top (or so it seemed) and knew this was one walk I would gladly forego. I bought a bottle of water and watched as throngs of humanity converged on this site. I saw a diverse mixture of devoted buddhists, young and aged alike, making their pilgrimage to pray. I saw tourists, like ourselves, coming to see the sights. I saw vendors hawking their wares along both sides of the staircase. I saw rude foreigners imposing on women selling flowers for worshippers going up - bringing huge cameras within feet of tired women, spending many moments getting angles and photo compositions exact while these ladies sat uncomfortably, wishing the jerk would disappear. I saw a lucrative business made of selling flowers and buddhas to anyone who would fall for the loudest salesperson.
So - we are all in need of a Saviour.
Thai architecture is exqusite. So much we could glean from them in the art of worship.
We left the mountain, and moved to the lovely little guest house we are staying in for the next 2 nights. Less expensive, new experience. We found a great Thai restaurant near the river for dinner.
We went to Sunday market. I wouldn't have missed it - teeming with life. Food vendors, blind musicians, wheel chair bound lottery sales persons; stalls filled with clothes, essential oils, lanterns and lamps, wood carvings, cheap jewellry, silk cushion covers, exquisitely hand woven and cross-stiched bedspreads and table cloths (which I hardly even dared look at, they were so expensive); cold juices (my personal favorite, Coconut water), posing children in traditional outfits, toys.
Did I mention food? I don't think I've ever been to a place with so much food everywhere you look. Rice, crispy deep fried baby sardines, chicken kabobs, fruit, noodle dishes, stir fries, you name it.
Oh - did I also mention that in the middle of this incredible throng of thousands of people, thousands of miles from home, we met Laurel, Rosie, and Alana's old roomate Cayleen? Cayleen and her sister Coralie just happened to be at the same market at the same time, and were leaving at the same time as we were. We keep having these amazing things happen to us.
Let me tell you about the Vietnamese restaurant across the street from us. It looks to be set up in the family garage, run by who else, the family!
They have an assembly line of burners and pots set up in the front, on which they do their cooking. They have a rice batter mixed, and pour it onto some kind of metal plate covered with water, thus steaming it into a crepelike pancake. They then dab 4 spots of a sweet chili/meat mixture on it, fold it into a wonton square shape, and serve it with sweetened coconut milk and peanuts. They also have a deepfried rice crepe that they fold up, and serve with ground fresh carrots, cucumber chunks, bits of hot red pepper, bean sprouts, and a dressing reminiscent of Thousand Island. Fabulous! Time for a Vietnamese and Thai cookbook!
Tomorrow we go to the zoo. Cayleen says we get to feed giraffes - I believe I have done that for some time! Should feel like home.
Home - I enjoy each moment we're here, but home is still home.
I miss watching the Olympics; the TV here has strange taste in entertainment. Thai boxing (in Thai), Thai or Japanese or Russian soccer (don't they know what football is)?, bits and pieces of CNN which tell me the US is on the brink of war with Iraq, and what appears to be Thai soap oprahs.
Let me watch the Olympics!
Tonight we go to the Miss Chocolate House - a 100 year old chocolalte/tea shoppe just down the street from us for some decadent fall from discipline.
Sorry Rob.
I like the Olympics Too
ReplyDeleteZebadiah
How are you?
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