Before my trip to Bali, i decided on a whim to visit Thailand first. I had been invited by my friend Zamir (a multi-talented performer who lives in Vancouver) to take part in a circus that would tour Northern Thailand this January, performing and teaching kids from refugee camps. My heart was excited by this beautiful project but my body finally insisted that my trip overseas be restful. I would not run away with the circus this time but Zamir still graciously offered to host me for a few days at his father's lovely home. He was flying into Bangkok from Hong Kong, but we would be arriving on the same time and date!
It was wonderful to be welcomed into the country by his father, uncle and extended family. Also, Zamir had spent some years in Thailand and still retained an impressive command of the language! One thing I love, is to listen while people switch from one language to another with ease. Even their body language and thinking processes often change, if they are fluent enough.
Languages are powerful maps of human consciousness and gateways into other cultures. Many ideas and concepts actually only exist in a specific language or culture. When you acquire a new language, it bears many gifts which include new neural pathways, new conceptual frameworks and perspectives, and a precious key to the people of that culture.Learning a new language, whether young or elder, keeps the mind nimble and open. My current language bases consist of Cantonese, French, English, basic German and Spanish studies, and a bit of Mandarin. On my to-explore list: Sanskrit, Arabic, Hebrew, more German, Spanish and Mandarin.
Over the next two days, Zamir took me to Bangkok's Chinatown and to the "Chatuchak market", Thailand's largest market which is only open on weekends. The amount and diversity of product for sale was incredible but i found my interest lay more in the food options. The bliss of new taste sensations are one of my favorite travel pleasures. Of course, Thailand's coconut curries are infamous and one of my all-time favourite foods! If I was ever shipwrecked on a deserted island equipped with a magical kitchen that could only cook one type of food, i would have to choose "Thai coconut curry!" Second to that would be Indian curries.
In fact, i chose to eat curry every single day while in Thailand and never grew tired of the many fragrant spices that heated up my palate with its intoxicating flavours... What curry shall it be today? Red, yellow, green... massamen... panang? Decisions, decisions.
Just as Zamir left for his circus adventure, my friend Andrew (also a brilliant musician from Vancouver) was arriving in Bangkok after a sabbatical in India. We used to perform music together and also enjoyed many culinary adventures back in the day. Happily, we revived the tradition as we ventured beyond Kaosan Road to find vendors with tasty streetside treats. The choice of snacks and desserts were staggering in variety.
In just the fruit category, you could try dried fruits, deep-fried fruits, exotic fruits like durian, jack fruit, mangosteen or rambutan, fruit shakes, fruit crepes, mango on sticky rice and hundreds of coconut-related desserts. Of course, there were also mini-pastries, cotton-candy-like whisps of sweetness rolled into light green crepes, taro root chips, zucchini crisps...
On a related note, i want to share a mind-expanding food game that I enjoy playing. Just as learning new languages keeps things flexible in the mindscape, so does the act of trying new foods! Whenever i try new tastes and textures, i aim to keep my perception as open as possible. If a local person adores the texture or flavour specifically because of its peculiar qualities, i will attempt to enjoy it from their perspective. It's a fun way to hone your curiosity and increase mental flexibility. Culinary yoga!? Of course, I still have some gastronomic limits:
I have yet to sample (purposefully at least) the realm of "insects" as food. Maybe one day...
The longer you live, the more you can appreciate the arrival of wholly new taste sensations. Whether you like it right away or not, at least it's a refreshing experience.
...Wow, i've never had this particular shade of "sour" before.
...Nor this memorable shade of "bitterness" or "sweetness"?
...And certainly never conceived of this type of "chewyness"!
By the way, the ubiquitous "yum" seen on many Thai menus is supposed to mean "salad" or "to mix by hand." One article that I read also explained that "yum" can mean the mixing of four Thai flavours (sweet, spicy, salty and sour) into a sublime balance. The example given was: coconut milk for sweetness, chilies for spiciness, fish sauce for saltiness and lime juice for sourness.
I can attest that many of their dishes do achieve this culinary nirvana! Mango salad comes to mind right away, with its green mangos that are crisp and crunchy, crushed peanuts, shrimp paste, chilies, lime, vinegar and sugar.
...Yum!
This ends the food fetish portion of my Thailand travelogue.
Stay tuned for part 2 which explains the arrival of a heart-shaped scar on my right knee...
Much love, xox little woo
It was wonderful to be welcomed into the country by his father, uncle and extended family. Also, Zamir had spent some years in Thailand and still retained an impressive command of the language! One thing I love, is to listen while people switch from one language to another with ease. Even their body language and thinking processes often change, if they are fluent enough.
Languages are powerful maps of human consciousness and gateways into other cultures. Many ideas and concepts actually only exist in a specific language or culture. When you acquire a new language, it bears many gifts which include new neural pathways, new conceptual frameworks and perspectives, and a precious key to the people of that culture.Learning a new language, whether young or elder, keeps the mind nimble and open. My current language bases consist of Cantonese, French, English, basic German and Spanish studies, and a bit of Mandarin. On my to-explore list: Sanskrit, Arabic, Hebrew, more German, Spanish and Mandarin.
Over the next two days, Zamir took me to Bangkok's Chinatown and to the "Chatuchak market", Thailand's largest market which is only open on weekends. The amount and diversity of product for sale was incredible but i found my interest lay more in the food options. The bliss of new taste sensations are one of my favorite travel pleasures. Of course, Thailand's coconut curries are infamous and one of my all-time favourite foods! If I was ever shipwrecked on a deserted island equipped with a magical kitchen that could only cook one type of food, i would have to choose "Thai coconut curry!" Second to that would be Indian curries.
In fact, i chose to eat curry every single day while in Thailand and never grew tired of the many fragrant spices that heated up my palate with its intoxicating flavours... What curry shall it be today? Red, yellow, green... massamen... panang? Decisions, decisions.
Just as Zamir left for his circus adventure, my friend Andrew (also a brilliant musician from Vancouver) was arriving in Bangkok after a sabbatical in India. We used to perform music together and also enjoyed many culinary adventures back in the day. Happily, we revived the tradition as we ventured beyond Kaosan Road to find vendors with tasty streetside treats. The choice of snacks and desserts were staggering in variety.In just the fruit category, you could try dried fruits, deep-fried fruits, exotic fruits like durian, jack fruit, mangosteen or rambutan, fruit shakes, fruit crepes, mango on sticky rice and hundreds of coconut-related desserts. Of course, there were also mini-pastries, cotton-candy-like whisps of sweetness rolled into light green crepes, taro root chips, zucchini crisps...
On a related note, i want to share a mind-expanding food game that I enjoy playing. Just as learning new languages keeps things flexible in the mindscape, so does the act of trying new foods! Whenever i try new tastes and textures, i aim to keep my perception as open as possible. If a local person adores the texture or flavour specifically because of its peculiar qualities, i will attempt to enjoy it from their perspective. It's a fun way to hone your curiosity and increase mental flexibility. Culinary yoga!? Of course, I still have some gastronomic limits:
I have yet to sample (purposefully at least) the realm of "insects" as food. Maybe one day...The longer you live, the more you can appreciate the arrival of wholly new taste sensations. Whether you like it right away or not, at least it's a refreshing experience.
...Wow, i've never had this particular shade of "sour" before.
...Nor this memorable shade of "bitterness" or "sweetness"?
...And certainly never conceived of this type of "chewyness"!
By the way, the ubiquitous "yum" seen on many Thai menus is supposed to mean "salad" or "to mix by hand." One article that I read also explained that "yum" can mean the mixing of four Thai flavours (sweet, spicy, salty and sour) into a sublime balance. The example given was: coconut milk for sweetness, chilies for spiciness, fish sauce for saltiness and lime juice for sourness.
I can attest that many of their dishes do achieve this culinary nirvana! Mango salad comes to mind right away, with its green mangos that are crisp and crunchy, crushed peanuts, shrimp paste, chilies, lime, vinegar and sugar.
...Yum!
This ends the food fetish portion of my Thailand travelogue.
Stay tuned for part 2 which explains the arrival of a heart-shaped scar on my right knee...
Much love, xox little woo
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