The Home Cooking Option in the Countryside

In my weeks living in the Thai countryside, I've found that in order to survive, you make do with what is available.  Sit down restaurant meals are almost unheard of here, as I'm nearly 30 minutes from the nearest sizable town.  However, this doesn't mean that there are a lack of choices.  There are plenty of enterprising villagers who set up food carts selling what they make best. There is one caveat here and of course and that is as long as you like Thai food, you'll have plenty of choices. 

Since I happen to enjoy Thai food, it hasn't been a problem for me to quickly adapt to the tastes and smells of Thai food.  Having been brought up in an environment where American food, meshed well with Chinese food, I was already used to the most pungent types of condiments Chinese or Thai food had to offer.  One thing that I have learned is that many farmers have their roots in Issan, which is a region in the Northeastern part of Thailand. Many still enjoy putting anchovies or anchovy paste into their foods, whether the food is a meat or a vegetable dish.  Therefore, as I'm coming across dishes with this aroma, I can easily identify it as Issan.

In another aspect of food, enterprising villagers set up food carts or food stalls on the sides of roads and also in front of their homes.  Most food vendors are excellent here and since these vendors are serving food to their neighbors - this is a village after all - they wouldn't want to poison them.  Generally, I've found the hygiene to be acceptable at most places.  The kind of food you would find here is what you would find in Bangkok, only in a smaller subset. For example, grilled meatballs, hot dogs, chicken, pork are universally good and most are served with a sweet chili sauce glaze.  I've found carts that sell roti, which is basically a small ball of dough that that flattened out on a hot plate.  It could be made sweet or savory. Fillings could be egg, sweetened condensed milk or Nutella and an assortment of jams, just like your favorite creperie! One of my favorite foods here in the village are noodles. You will usually get a nice dark broth made with ox bones. Once I had a broth that was very dark and I suspect that it may have contained pig blood. In any case, the noodles offered here are thin white rice noodles, flat white noodles (see ew), clear mung bean noodles (woon sen) and thin yellow egg noodles.  All were good quality and very similar to the Chinese varieties you would find in New York. 

Finally, I might add that I did not find "pad thai" in the village, except in Bangkok street carts and in some restaurants.  I came across an interesting story that said that the origins of Pad Thai were Chinese and that sometime in the late 1940's there was a competition to create "genuine" Thai dishes during a spate of nationalism at the time.  Apparently, Chinese laborers ate and sold lot's of stir-fried noodles to the the local ethnic Chinese and Thais, so someone apparently, changed some of the ingredients, if I remember correctly, adding fish sauce, peanuts and sprouts to make it more "Thai".  I don't know the validity of this story, but maybe some of my readers can confirm this.

In addition to prepared food, I had also had the privilege to try all sorts of home cooking.  Let's say that the condiments that we buy here that are manufactured by huge conglomerates taste much different than the ones that are made locally.  For example, people here make their red curries, etc, by hand, grinding chilies, garlic and other ingredients using huge mortar and pestles.  They break it apart and sell it to others or keep in handy at home to make curries.  These curries, chili oils, etc, are kept for weeks without refrigeration.  They are very tasty as crushing food imparts a richer flavor. As for other condiments, they tend to used Thai versions of light and dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, cooking oil and chili sauces.

My favorite story is the day when my wife made a squid curry dish.  She had no idea that the curry she had purchased from a neighbor was extremely hot and liberally added the red curry paste to the frying pan. I took some bites and felt that it was hot, but nothing I couldn't manage.  I had three helpings that night.  At first I thought that burning lips weren't so bad, but later, I felt that my GI tract was completely on fire! I could barely get a wink of sleep that night, so I've learned my lesson. I am no Adam Richman from "Man vs. Food."

In another observation, I noticed that Thai food is actually very protein and starch heavy.  In the area of fruits and vegetables, fruit variety is definitely the winner, with so many choices ranging from mangos, to dragonfruit to mangosteen. I even had some fruit I've never had, like this plum that had a really thin skin.  I tried rambutan and durian. The durian wasn't as stinky as people say they are. Perhaps I got the newly genetically engineered variety?  Anyhow, it was surprisingly pleasant. As for vegetables, the closest I got to substantial vegetable eating was the kailan, which is a local broccoli.  Other veggie fillers are many different types of basil, morning glory and Thai eggplant, which is small and green in color.  When I get to Hong Kong, you can bet that I'll be ordering plates of choy sum!

Finally, for those of you who are bizarre food lovers, I was offered two grilled rats on a stick.  Since the rats are "field rats" they are supposedly okay to eat since they are vermin free. This is where I drew a line and didn't partake and surprisingly, none of the others around me seemed eager to try!  The interesting part of this is that it did smell really good as it was butterflied and marinate in soy.  I was tempted but didn't.  What a wimp!  In my second bizarre food episode, we had a thunderstorm which dumped a huge amount of rain on the village.  On the following day, all kinds of critters came out, including insects that feasted on rice, lizards, mini-iguana looking reptiles and various toads.  The villagers were having a field day. During nightfall, many went out in their motorcycles catching large toads and other animals that came out for water.  Many offered to sell us some for food. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to try any of these, but maybe in the future, I'll be brave enough to ask. 

In conclusion, many people here are enterprising and eat what is available to them. I almost forgot to mention that many people here make mango "fruit roll ups" dried in the sun and pick tamarind leafs right off of trees to season their food. This shows how close people are to their food - there are mango trees everywhere - and I am now learning that the fewer people there are between the source of your food and your mouth, the better tasting and presumably, healthier it is for you!

Songkran in the Village

Songkran began yesterday as with most days in the village, but the only difference was the loud music that rung through my bedroom windows in the morning. It seemed that the entire village decided to turn on their stereos at once and at nearly full blast. I noticed that everyone plays their own type of music ranging from sappy K-pop styles, to traditional Issan music to oldies and even English songs that I've never heard of.  Surprisingly, I think I am now able to tell all of the Thai types of music apart. In an aside, regarding Thai country music, I can draw a parallel to American country music.  When it's played, it is unmistakeably rural and those who like it are considered to be from the countryside and all of its supposedly negative connotations. (I saw a commercial to prove this). Good for the village to have their own music, in my humble opinion!

Before leaving the house, I put on my Songkran shirt, a pastelly-light red/peach flowered shirt traditionally worn for the occasion. In the US, this shirt would be called a Hawaiian Shirt. I had mentioned this to people in previous trips, but no one seems to know where's Hawaii. All everyone seems to know is that wearing one makes for a more festive mood. I settled into the store at around 8 a.m. and then all of a sudden I hear Buddhist chants in come through the village loudspeakers.  I couldn't identify whether it was in Thai or some other ancient language, but I could tell it was Buddhist due to its rhythm.  This went on for nearly 30 minutes with everyone going about their business for the day. 

As the day began, a small procession of families in pickup trucks trickled through the main road in front of the store. Most were on the way to the "big city" Kamphaeng Phet City, to participate in the water-splashing fun. Some were on their way to the local Budhhist temple. I, however, was busy filling water balloons, eager to use them later in the day on some of the kids down the road.  Each pickup that stopped by purchased items such as blocks of ice, used to cool the water that they would splash onto others, delivering a stunning sensation.  Some other items included packs of powdered yellow dye and small bottles of cologne that were mixed into the water. Bags of white powder (cassava flour) were bought to mix into a paste.  The paste is applied to someone's face and while applying it to a stranger's face, the person would say "Khor tort krap" which means "sorry" but in a good way.  My wife said it was a chance for boys to touch pretty girls' faces. Ah, they're all the same!

The family store sold all those supplies and business was brisk that day.  The only item wasn't sold was the water to fill the huge water urns loaded on the pickup truck.  I love drawing parallels, as I can remember that I begged my mom to give me a few dollars to buy packs for firecrackers for Chinese New Year and the Fourth of July.  Over here, kids ask their parents for a few baht to buy more powder, water pails or cologne,  really different but all in the effort to have more fun.

The blazing hot sun was high in the sky until until 4 p.m. That was when I changed, ventured out and decided to splash some people.  On Monday, which was the day before Songkran, some kids decided to start the splashfest early.  I brought some water balloons and launched them at the kids down the road.  They landed with a thud in front of them and all the kids noticed that it was probably launched by that big, fat guy down the road.  I sat down to sip some water but all of a sudden a group of six of the cutest kids, came upon me, pail in hand and some with waterguns, inundated me with water.  I was soaked from neck to toe and I was sure payback was sweet, especially since I surprised them with my long range weapon.

Two of the mothers of the kids came by on Songkran and asked me to join the fun at one of the water-splashing roadblocks set up in front of their house. I was first hesitant because my wife wasn't with me and I hardly spoke Thai.  I was convinced though by two girls who splashed me the day earlier. They grabbed my hand and we walked down the road, arriving at a newly formed pond.  The water was left running the entire day and a small pond formed.  People with jumping up and down in it, dancing, egged on by the loud country music blaring from huge speakers rigged in front of a tent.

When I arrived, I was greeted by pails of water and a hose aimed directly at me.  Now everything was wet and I was in total submission. I carried my water pistol sidearm, but that was nothing against pails of water being thrown in every direction.  Sensing my doom and otherness, the villagers were kind to me and offered me a huge glass of Hong Thong whiskey.  I declined with a nod and a smile and later, they offered me the one thing I could say in Thai which was water.  They pour me cup after cup of water and Pepsi, which kept me fueled for an hour. 

The kids were really fun and most knew my name because of my wife's 7 year old cousin. She joined us and just the day before, she had introduced me to all her friends.  An interesting thing that happened during all the fun was that the kids were teaching me a Songkran ritual.  I had heard in the past that the youth poured water on their elders hands during Songkran, and there is supposed to be a symbolic meaning to this.  The children filled my pail with water and asked me to pour water on their hands, all the while asking me to repeat after them, which I did. I had no idea what they asked me to say, only that after I poured water on their hands, they took whatever remained in their hands and poured it over their heads.  I thought it was very cute and hope I wasn't duped into saying something inappropriate.  Regardless, it was really cute!

The kids also made strong efforts to communicate with me.  Some of the kids knew rudimentary English, such as "What's your name?" or "Where are you from?"  These appeared to come from the older kids, maybe 9 or 10.  The younger ones, I played a game where I was doing  a repeat after me exercise, pointing out body parts. I also did a charade with animals.  All the children, about 8, got it and were playing along. It was quickly interrupted by an adult with a hose who didn't want the festivities to end with learning! I'm kidding of course!

The final notable activity was when I was asked to dance by the kids.  Apparently, a common type of dance here, which looks to me like a hip-hop, jazz fusion is done along with Thai country music.  Unfortunately, I wasn't able to mimic their smooth movements, therefore, I decided to do what I knew which is "the robot" and faux Michael Jackson moves amusing most, but horrifying some. I think I earned a few sprays from the hose for doing it!  Was it a sign of approval? I hope so!

Early evening came and went. I returned to the store a sopping mess, leaving a trip of dripping water behind me.  I quickly changed and recounted my adventure with my wife.  She told me she was sad that she couldn't join me for all the fun, but I'm sure she was glad she was still dry and still looked like a civilized human being.  When it was all done, I had some of the best fun in my life. The village kids, their parents and extended families, knew I was a familiar face at the store, but never asked me to participate in anything.  This was their chance for to reach out.  Although I wished I knew more Thai, we still communicated, and I tried my best to use as many hand gestures that I learned through my years of teaching to get my points across.  I was able to do it and it was much fun when we connected. I hope I have more of these experiences before we leave!

Saturday Night is Alright for Muay Thai

Saturday night is not really the time for Muay Thai. The actual time to view Muay Thai are Saturday and Sunday afternoons when Muay Thai is broadcast nationwide from Bangkok's Lumpini Stadium. Muay Thai is what Americans would call kickboxing, however, the rhythm is much different.  One of the differences you'll notice is that there is very little straight leg kicking and the truly huge blows come from the knees.  There is also a different type of footwork that you would see. The bobbing motions of the fighters are also in a different rhythm.  For fighters who are not as good as the seasoned fighters, one may also see lots of clutching between the fighters.  The best fights, as with all fighting sports, are the ones where both fighters are aggressive.

Muay Thai is a national sport here in Thailand and Thais love their sport.  The sport is bathed in rituals before the fight, including Muay Thai music playing as the fight progresses.  Where I'm staying, some of the local farmers come by my wife's convenience store and take a break from the fields. They come here to enjoy the boxing and also to place some friendly wagers on the matches. One thing that I noticed about the crowd is that no matter how old the men were, there was not much white or gray hair to be found. Everyone was easy going, good natured about what they were doing and respectful of the store.

The trickle of men coming into the store began with two elderly gentlemen, who plopped themselves down on a hammock and a bench.  Later, some younger folk came in, then some neighbors.  All of a sudden the scene resembled a Las Vegas sports book, with betting of course.  Drinks were served, alcoholic and non-alcoholic, and money wagered. There was then the unmistakable din of pain when heavy knee blows were struck by the fighters.  The crowd would groan as if they were the ones being hit. 

I was thinking about the saying the "nothing attracts a crowd like a crowd" and it was very true with our boxing-crazy neighbors. It was a chance for everyone to take a break, join a crowd, win some money, and to do a community thing.  People shared hand-rolled cigarettes and gossip as the fights progressed. Big demonstrations of the joy in winning were quite a sight and many left their "reserved" faces back home.

Thoughts About Congee

Congee, rice porridge or "jook," has been a staple for Asians for years. It is one of those dishes that can be considered the most basic of Asian comfort foods. I have yet to find an Asian culture where it doesn't exist in one form or another. Yet is all goes back to the basic ingredients of rice and water.  The congee I grew up with was made with a thick porridge-like consistency.  Congee could also be made thinner with more water. I've seen and eaten congee where the water is completely separated from the grains of rice, which haven't been boiled down.

Condiments vary with congee and reflect local tastes.  For example, in Hong Kong, the Chinese add slices of thousand-year old duck eggs, which is a fermented egg into congee.  Other common toppings are salted pork, peanuts, scallions, fish balls, fish cakes, chicken gizzards, etc.  In Thailand, toppings include cilantro, pork bits and chopped salted vegetables. (see picture) Congee can be found at many street food carts. In Singapore, I discovered that MacDonalds offers a "MacPorridge" bowl for its breakfast diners. As you can see, you really don't have to go far to find a cheap and satisfying bowl of congee that will tie you over until lunch.

In parts of Asia, a common complement to congee is the addition of the cruller, a long stick-shaped fried bread.  Now all jokes aside, the sizes do vary by region.  In the picture above, taken in Thailand, I have found that the crullers are about the size as a finger and are sold in bags of 10 or 15 (about 33 cents).  They are delicious when dipped or added into the congee.  In the United States and Hong Kong, crullers or "you tiao" are about a foot long and can be separated into two by tearing it apart.  At some restaurants, the crullers are cut into little bits and slices and are added to the congee.  Once again, the cruller represents comfort food at its finest.

From an Asian-American perspective, congee represents thoughts of home and what it was like when mom provided for all your basic needs. Congee was and is still used as a recovery food after an illness because of its neutral properties as it's just rice and water, with no harmful additives. No matter how congee is taken, whether it's a breakfast. lunch, dinner or snack, there is always a place for it during the day.  Hundreds of millions of Asians and Asian-Americans agree and for those who are new to congee, give it a try, it's healthy, tasty and easy to make!

The Red Shirt Conundrum

If you have been watching the international news, the Red Shirts of Thailand have been staging mass demonstrations in several areas of Bangkok.  They've chosen to congregate around the large and popular monuments in the Thai capital drawing maximum attention to their cause. Every day appears to be a cat and mouse game between the current government, with neither side backing off their official positions.  The Red Shirts are constantly trying to change their tactics in order to reach their goals of dissolving Parliament, holding new elections and better equity for their constituents.  Unfortunately, it appears that neither side is yielding and that potential violence may be looming in the capital. From my perspective, I must give credit to both sides for showing laudable restraint.   

I know that my blog is really about food and culture, but for those who know me well, I am an advocate of economic equity in society, including my own. Being American and knowing how American society has evolved through years of blood, sweat and tears to create "a more perfect union", I can say that most countries in the world inevitably follow the same course in their road to modernity. Just take a look at the past 20 years of world history; almost every country on earth has gone through some sort of political or economic transformation. The only question in my view is the ultimate direction of that transformation: whether that transformation is a force for the greater good for its citizens or if the transformation for the benefit of the few.

As you can see, I am looking at this from the angle of domestic policy and what any government can do to improve the lot of its people. I would submit that in most countries, those who are in positions of leadership have a poor record of guiding a country through a transformation, and if it does succeed, only a few benefit from its fruits. Distribution of wealth is problematic in many countries and just look at the GINI index of income disparity for proof of this. Even the US has a lot of work to do to improve in that measure. As an American, I do not want my country to become a Brazil, China, nor Haiti. There are clear parallels in each of these countries and that is income disparity and concentrated wealth.

If I made the statements I made above thirty years ago when the Cold War was alive and well, I would have been branded a Marxist, Communist, or a variety of other labels that would not have been helpful for discussion of the substantive economic issues at hand. (Also, red is symbolic of Communism-for the younger readers)  I am surprised and glad that no one is calling the Red Shirts, Communists, just other names, which I won't repeat here.

In the world press, the story in Thailand has been the clash between royalists/military, business elite and the rural poor. I can't help but equate this struggle with our own rural poor and their political leanings. The conservatives in my country have been able to use cultural issues such as abortion, gay marriage and gun rights to shift focus away from economic issues for a long period of time in the United States. They also say that anything that is good for workers or the poor is bad for the economy. They also give false hope to the poor that "one day, if you become one of us - the rich-, you would not want these egregious government policies to be foisted upon you." Also, another line given to the poor and middle class is "why should I be financing my neighbor's healthcare, etc.", encouraging a culture of separation and lack of focus one's  economic realities. This is why despite the poverty that can be found in the American South, Midwest or Appalachia, these areas continue to be solidly Republican/conservative and the gap between the rich and poor grows.  Additionally, the Republicans in the US generally represent the interests of business and in turn are not for social equity, which is another story.

In Thailand, Thaksin Shinawatra, a powerful businessman who had risen to the Prime Minister's office had garnered political power through his patronage of the rural and urban poor.  He was ultimately ousted through a military coup a few years into his second term. Notwithstanding his honesty in his business dealings, it is an undeniable fact that his administration had brought more basic services to those living at the bottom rung of society. Having tasted the fruits of these improvements, the poor have become more aware of their plight which has made this group more politically active. In contrasts, in the United States, where the poor is more manipulated by the conservative media, the poor in Thailand seems willing to be more active in demanding basic services to improve their lives.  I know that some in Thailand will say that the demonstrators are being paid to demonstrate, but how many people in the US would demonstrate with the distinct possibility of being shot at by the authorities? I would think that even if they were paid, no amount of money is worth being shot at. To the poor, there is much at stake, so they're willing to risk their lives for their beliefs and the status quo, which is institutionalized poverty is not acceptable.  Look at all the movements in American history and you'll see the same parallels.

As events unfold in Thailand, I can't help but imagine that if these demonstrators were in China or Burma, they would be mowed down within the first hours of assembling. There's no democratic tradition in these countries to respect human rights, thus these countries would have no qualms to fire upon its citizens. It's a tribute to Thailand that although Thailand has a spotty history with democracy, they do know that ultimately, that is the way to move forward.  Only in democratic countries is where governments tolerate demonstrations without violence.  If violence happens, it is not on a monumental scale as in dictatorial regimes.

I remember on my way back to my hotel during my first night in Bangkok, I used a tourist map to guide myself back to my hotel through the roadblocks.  Not far from my hotel is the "Democracy Monument". I have never seen this monument before, but the fact that Thailand has one bodes well for it's future. 
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Life In The Slow Lane

The long dry season is moving forward with deliberate slowness, culminating with the all-out water-splashing madness of Songkran, the Thai New Year, this coming Tuesday.  I've been told that there's an ongoing drought in Kamphaeng Phet province and that farmers are doing everything they can to keep their crops healthy and watered.  Thankfully there are irrigation wells dug along most of the fields I've seen.  The hard work lies in pumping it out and transporting it where it is needed.

The dryness is inescapable.  The blistering heat has made the topsoil sandy and when the occasional gust of wind comes or a truck passes, the air fills with a light brown sandy mist.  The farmers work all day to keep the dust off their home floors. Shopkeepers spend time dusting their goods and I spend time getting it out of my sandals.  Despite these conditions, I found an upside to all of this dustiness and that is the dryness allows everyone to walk around with or without sandals.  Either way, your feet will make contact with dirt; it's just that the dirt won't harm the soles of your feet in any way and you won't be seen by the locals as being unsanitary. The only sandal etiquette here is that you are expected to leave your sandals outside one's home for fear of transferring in some dirt from the outside.

Aside from the heat and drought, which is always a topic of conversation in these parts, is the pursuit of activities that relieve these conditions.  I have a fairly unique perspective of the social activity that goes on in our village and presumably most of Thailand's countryside.  My wife's family owns a small convenience store on a main road in a small maze of farmhouses. Rush hour for farmers begins early in the morning, 5 a.m. for some but for most by 6 a.m.  This is mainly due to force of habit or because the heat is lowest in the morning.  There is a slow yet steady procession of farm vehicles, from threshers to machines used to harvest rice to simple tractors passing through to the fields.  Included in this daily convoy are pickup trucks, motorcycles and bicycles.  This procession brings steady business to my wife's family store and also to any number of businesses alongside the three or four well-traveled roads in the village.  The evening rush hour begins at around 5 p.m. until 8 p.m.

It is with great joy and satisfaction to see how after a long day's work in the fields, these workers like to unwind like any one of us living in large cities after a day at the office.  We would think nothing of going to a bar to unwind and the same is true with the farmers.  They would stop by the convenience store for a shot of Hong Thong whiskey or a few bottles of Leo Beer.  Most would surprisingly come in with huge smiles and joke around with my father and mother in-law.  Everyone knows they had a long day. My father in-law set up a huge bench with a large table in front of his store for those who just want to stop by, drink and gossip.  There is a large yellow hammock that looks like it had been there since World War II that lies swinging near the table.  Any customer is welcome to use it while they are sipping their drink.

The blessing in living in a village where everyone knows each other is that everyone knows each other, if not by name, then by face.  Everyone, I found is universally friendly, yet each person I've come across have individual personalities. Although I couldn't speak Thai, I could tell when people are joking, talking about business, being serious or just gossiping. In another aspect of daily life, I love seeing how families interact, how parents handle their children and the surprising amounts of trust they have in them because they are not afraid of the environment in which they live. From what I could see, kindness and trust goes a long way here and is always remembered. I hope I am not romanticizing my experience as there are negative aspects to life out here. What I can truly say is that Thais from the countryside want what families want the world over which is a  better home, life, future and the improvement of their family. I now understand why "It Takes a Village."

Three Days in Bangkok

Before departing for Bangkok, I kept one eye on the unfolding events in Thailand and another eye on what I would do when I actually got there.  To start off my trip, I figured I would need three days in Bangkok to get my bearings straight and to fight off some of my jet lag.  Having been to Asia several times in the last decade, I knew that I would hit a 3 day jet lag wall, when my body would just give out.  I guess I could equate the experience to drug addiction withdrawal symptoms. I handled "the wall" surprisingly well with the exception of one day, when I needed assistance of a cup of Starbucks coffee.

During my first night in Bangkok, my wife and I decided to visit an old university friend of mine in Bangkok. Right before my visit, I was hitting the proverbial jet lag wall and went into a Starbucks.  I ordered a "Cafe Americano" hoping that it tasted the same as regular brewed coffee at an American Starbucks.  I was satisfied with the quality and happy with the taste which was very similar to what I am used to.  The difference was only in the preparation: the barista pulled two shots of espresso into a shot glass before adding hot water to the mug.  There was also one unexpected event in ordering: no, it wasn't the language barrier, but it was the different sizing system they use here in Bangkok.  Tall, Grande, and Venti sizes weren't used, however, the sizing system here is Short, Tall, and Grande.  I ordered the Grande thinking it was medium. I ended up getting  a huge mug of coffee, which in the end wasn't so bad as it carried me through the events of the night.

When we made reservations for a Bangkok hotel in January, my wife and I decided that we wanted to be in an area of Bangkok, we have never lived in, thus we chose Khaosan Road, which is the "backpackers paradise" in Thailand.  Khaosan Road was easy to spot, not because of the backpackers, but because the street was lined with tiny Thai flags strung across the entire length of the street.  We did walk past backpackers with gigantic backpacks, but surprisingly, the tourists here seemed well-heeled and civilized.  Most were couples and families and there were very few single travelers.

The street food scene was excellent, as it had been in most of the other parts of Thailand I'd been to. The street food scene starts up on Khaosan road at sundown with carts constantly streaming in and out of the center of the road.  On the sidewalks are the permanent businesses, cheap guest houses, internet cafes, and tourist trinket shops. Here you could find every type of street food and since these foods are fast food, they are usually grilled, fried or stir-fried.  It is not a place for those on a diet.  The healthiest thing I found here are the fruit stands, but I heard from the grapevine that many of these fruits are non-organic, meaning that farmers here use plenty of pesticides and chemicals that promote growth.  I didn't let that small detail stop me and I did indulge in mango, watermelon and papaya.  Unfortunately, mangosteen season is not here yet, so I'll have to wait.  For the record, mangos come in two varieties, sweet orange and hard sour/sweet varieties.  Both are excellent this time of year. Watermelons are not as juicy as they are in the States but passable.  Some are as small as softballs and the biggest ones are as big as basketballs.  As for papayas, they are as juicy and sweet as ever, which beats anything you can find at a New York green grocer. 

In later posts, I will describe some of the food I tried in Thailand. I do not know the actual names in Thai for all the foods, but I will do my best to describe them accurately.  There is a world of food out there and now that I have left  Bangkok, I am learning that food culture is driven by how people live and how people try to use what is available to them to survive.  For the record, I am now living in a farming community in central Thailand and living here is a total 180 degree turn from anything I have ever experienced.  My trip is not a vacation but in a way, living the life as a local.  Having a strong stomach helps too!