Back in Bangkok

...for less than 24 hours. Nan wanted to see the sights so here's what we crammed in:

Chinatown for street food and general experience. Chinese New Year just happened so the laterns were hung everywhere. 

Wat Traimit, the Temple of the Golden Buddha, is a few-minute walk from our hotel. Cool story: during wartime some monks covered this solid gold statue in mud/plaster so it would be ignored. It worked! Many years later when it was being moved some mud broke off and the golden Buddha was (re)discovered! Lots of people go there everyday to pray and make offerings. 

Next, we took the river boat up to Wat Pho to visit the Reclining Buddha. Love Wat Pho - went 3 times.

The highlight of the day was a dinner party invitation from Bo and Pack in their Sukamvit condo. We arrived to a true Thai feast:

Pack spent the day cooking enough food for 40 people. 

About ten others were there and they all got to take home doggy bags. TSA doesn't allow bags of fish soup or pork lab so I had to stuff my person at that moment. Luckily we stayed for 4 hours and the feast spread was there the whole time and nobody judged me (out loud in English at least) for having 5ths and 6ths. 

Thank you Bo and Pack!

Massage in SEA

I will choose massage every time. 

Massages in Thailand and Vietnam aren't like massages at home. I'm not a regular patron in the US, but I've had several here and below are some things you can expect that I didn't:

1. Talking: I've had 7 (I think), and none have been silent. The masseuses talk to each other--not constantly or loudly, but they talk. One older lady actually had the giggles and found everything funny. It doesn't bother me because the massages have been great and maybe they're friends so whatever. I'd expect if you found an expensive "spa" type place they might forbid talking, but it seems that silence isn't an important element in massage. 

2. Discomfort: The Thai massage isn't so much relaxing as it is therapeutic. They knead your tight muscles, work out knots vigorously, and bend your body around. These are not massages where you'll gently drift off, but more likely you'll be coaching yourself to breathe through it. Tip: it seems an "oil massage" is the less intense version, more like a massage in the US. I prefer Thai. 

3. Good price: Of course the type of place (resort, beach hut, Bangkok alley, etc) has everything to do with it, but in general an hour massage will cost anywhere between $7-25. Even the fancies are cheaper than home. 

4. Physical closeness: My first massage was at Wat Pho (temple and reputed birthplace of Thai massage) so I assume it's the strongest example of a pure Thai massage. I was surprised how physical it was--almost like team yoga at some points. He sat next to me, on me, bent my arms over backwards, bent me forward, twisted my torso over. It was full contact and covered almost every part of my body. Very professional, but something to prepare for so you're not surprised by it. 

5. Options: There are places for massages everywhere. Particularly in Thailand, but in general. Almost all hotels offer massage; many list the service and when you book they call a woman from the town to come over and give it. Good system. You can get massages at markets, on the beach and all over the towns. Also, in addition to body massage other common services are foot reflexology, body scrubs, focused massages, and fish pedicures (ah!). 

I love massages and wish I was getting one right now. 

Durian. Check!

The durian fruit has quite a reputation. It's said to be a polarizing fruit; people either love it or hate it. Apparently the bald guy from Bizarre Foods spit it out. Anyway. They're massive (up to 7 pounds), spike-covered and very aromatic. Hotels here nearly always have a sign forbidding the durian due to the smell. Below is a truckload about to be unloaded at a market. 

It's not hard to find at markets, and typically sold cut up and tightly wrapped. After waiting days to try it-- for the right moment because of all the hype-- we finally bought a small package in Chaing Mai.

HOW WAS IT!? 

It was OK. Strong-smelling, but more like overripe fruit than sewage. The taste is somewhat subtle (but stays on your tongue), perhaps somewhere between a peach and a melon. The texture is the hardest to describe, so it's easier to say what it isn't: It's not juicy or pulpy, and it isn't crunchy. It's more like the texture of an eggy bread, moist but dry at the same time. My dad called it a melted cheese sandwich. Worth trying, of course! 

Chiang Mai Bye Bye

Super love for Chiang Mai. Here are some highlights of this awesome place. 

Chatted with a monk at Wat Phra Singh. The temple compound is beautiful and shows off Chiang Mai's famous Lanna architecture. 

More ornate and incredible craftsmanship at temples. 

Got the shoe removal game down pat at Wat Chedi Luang.
Tip: wear easy shoes to slide on and off and nothing someone might be tempted to walk off with.

Loved seeing the locals and thier pets bundled up for the 75* temps. Check this pooch wearing fleece. 

The night bazaar lives up to it's fame. With food stands, a gazillion vendors, restaurants, music, and of course, fish spas it is such a scene. 

I was digging the healthy vibe Chiang Mai exudes. This fruit stand is a great example of the fresh fruit that abounds. 

Tip: they add sugar water to some fruit shakes so if you care about that, ask. 

We made the short journey (40 min by car) up to Wat Phra Doi Suthep, a sacred temple for Thai Buddhists with a golden chedi (below) that is pretty breath-taking. 

The mountain top view is cool at the top. You have a quick 306-step climb that is neat and this multi-headed beast will greet you before the ascent. You probably don't need a tour to enjoy it. 

And of course, Pak Chiang Mai... the tiny sweet hotel with the lovely garden. I will miss Chiang Mai!

Schooled in Curry

Pops and I did a Thai cooking class one evening in Chiang Mai. The school is Zab-E-Lee, and the young Thai woman Anne who runs it is incredible. We started with a visit to a local market on the east side that I wish I had known about sooner. Good tips on ingredients right out of the gate. 

Here's my wok station back at the cooking school. The 4 giant bottles are:

- vegetable oil

- soy sauce

- fish sauce

- oyster sauce

The other key bottles we used were chili oil, chili jam, and palm sugar paste.  Chili jam is, in fact, my jam. 

Here's a shot of the school, which is open-air but enclosed. It was a really great setup for something like this: an area to prepare, an area to cook, an area to EAT!

Below, I'm sautéing all the stuff that makes Thai food awesome that I almost never buy: lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, fresh galangal, king chilies, and Thai garlic. Of all that, the garlic is the only one you're supposed to actually eat.  

Here is a mortar and pestal the size of my head. I'm crushing up all the stuff to make the base flavor for green papaya salad (Som Tum): chilies, lime, garlic, dried shrimp, palm sugar, fish sauce, peanuts, and some beans. 

Finished papaya salad! YAYAYAYA!! 

All the stuff the goes into making a red curry paste (minus the red chilies) is below. So many ingredients and so much  work to grind this into a paste, that I will likely continue buying the cans...

Ingredients from the top include: lemongrass, coriander seeds, peppercorns, cumin seeds, fresh turmeric, cilantro stems, kaffir like peel, galangal, Thai ginger, shallots, and garlic. 

Here is the Phanaeng Curry my dad made using the paste above! 

I made Khao Soi, the signature noodle dish of Chiang Mai. Anne came by with her spoon to test all the curries and I waited with bated breath, but passed the check. Can't wait to try it again when I'm back home. 

Class was 5 hours, 800 baht. Recommend!

Beware the Scammer

Samplings of helpful advice posted around some Chiang Mai temples.

This one is sometimes general good life advice. 

In the one below, I want to know what they tried to do to tourists. Either it was too horrible, or they stopped doing it. Mad libs, anyone?

ELEPHANTS!

Wow! We just finished visiting the Patara Elephant Farm north of Chiang Mai. The first stop was to see a 2-week old baby elephant. She was so cute, but when she charged you it was like being hit by a small car.

Patara does great work and part of the trip is some hard core education about the rehabilitation and health of the elephants. Please ask me to explain the 4 signs of a healthy elephant to you, so that you may also have all future zoo trips ruined.

The elephant I hung with all afternoon is a 13-year old girl named BANG. Her trunk was dusty from sleeping on her side (good thing), but we took care of that later. Below, she is eating the leaf broom I had just used to brush her off. 

Next, I guided her by the ear down to the little waterfall and river area. I yelled, "Ma, Bang! Ma!" to get her moving. In the water she got another scrub down. You have to get off all the sand that they throw on their backs (to keep flies off) before you hop on. 

And of course, the obligatory spray down is returned by the elephants. My dad hung with Mamu, Bang's mother. 

Big time recommend. 

Chiang Mai Goodness

My friends were right, Chiang Mai is awesome. We're staying at Pak Chiang Mai, a small and simple hotel with only 9 rooms. They have their own homemade shampoo and conditioner, which is cool.

CM has the "old town" square surrounded by a little moat, about 1 km on every side. We're situated right near the southern center.

Across the street is a ceramics workshop and another beautiful garden. It's full of clay statues covered in moss and a good spot to have a fresh OJ. 

We met up with Bo, a friend of my honorary grandmother Maureen. He's lived in Thailand for 12 years so it was a lot of fun to get his take on things. Clearly, he likes it. 

Bo's Thai friends Pak and Whit took care of the ordering. The roasted duck was the highlight since I hadn't tried it yet. 

Hope to check out the famous night bazaar tomorrow but for now the little night eating market down the block will do! 

Hip Bangkok & Pops Arrives

Back in Bangkok and decide to check out where the cool kids hang out. One, literally underground, and one is the tallest bar in Bangkok. 

Maggie Choo's is a basement-level bar that feels like a turn of the century opium den, complete with ladies swinging in silk dresses. Some former bank vaults make for a cool nook in which to hang out. 

Also hit the SkyBar to check out the from-above views of the city. 64 stories tall and the vertigo is running high. If you've seen the Oscar-worthy film Hangover 2, there is a scene shot here. 

Back in Chinatown by midnight to meet my Dad who flew in from Seattle. 

I booked the room, but somehow he ended up with a king suite! He's not going to have much time to use his sitting room at the Shanghai Mansion.

Dad wanted to check out the night market for snacks. We got #dumplings and a seafood pancake. Durian is up next!

That's Wats Up

Back in Bangkok with another temple to check out! Wat Arun is across the river and after a steep little climb, rewards with a cool view.

The river behind us from on Wat Arun. 

There are a couple levels to climb before it becomes inaccessible. Can you notice tho skinniest of ladders below?? It's nearly vertical to the tippy top of the stupa. I hope the person with that job gets paid well. 

Speaking of jobs I don't want, there was a big crew of men restoring and cleaning up the four surrounding stupas.