As usual, I have a lot to report. I'll make it easy for you by organizing into categories (which are conveniently reflected in the title of the post).
1) Squid: "The seafood soup guy"
I've been hearing about "the seafood soup guy" from a few of my peers for about a week now. Legend has it that he operates a tiny stall a few blocks behind our school, in a neighborhood where no one speaks English and you order everything by pointing. This stall allegedly spits out bowls of the most delicious seafood soup you've ever tasted...the stuff dreams are made of, if you will. I had to try it for myself. Before we left for the concert last night (more on that later), a few of us decided to make a run to "the seafood soup guy". And it. Was. Awesome. We bought beers at the 7-11 on the corner (for $1.75) and snagged a table on the sidewalk next to the cart. The deliciousness that came out of that sea-creature-laden metal apparatus was second to none. Huge bowls brimming with a tasty, salty broth that had big, chewy pieces of squid, fish, cabbage, scallion, and shredded ginger, all topped with pickled chilies and, if you so chose, a few scoops of fresh white rice. This seafood soup guy knows what he's doing. It was incredible. Since I'm an amateur blogger and decidedly novice food writer, I'll let the pictures do the talking. Haspel and Delgado - great find.
2) Ruins: Ayutthaya
Monday was perhaps the hottest day EVER (really), and we decided to spend it on bicycles in what ended up being perhaps the driest, dustiest place in all of Thailand. Ayutthaya was the second capital of Siam, founded in 1350, and was destroyed by the Burmese army in 1767. Though the Burmese burned much of the city, many of the brick and stone ruins still stand, and Ayutthaya is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We took a two-hour train from Bangkok (during which I feared for my life approximately 17 times) and arrived in Ayutthaya ready to see some ruins. The only problem was that we had no idea how to do so. The tourism infrastructure in Ayutthaya is extremely limited, with only a bare bones map to the multiple wats (temple sites) and a few English-speaking guest house proprietors. We rented bikes for 40 Baht (with no deposit or ID...the Thais are very trusting....) and took off. A few of the ruins were spectacular - giant Buddha images springing up from crumbling bricks, and expanses of decaying, tilted towers that must have been magnificent in their heyday - but it was really, really, REALLY hot. However, with the rest of Bangkok being pretty devoid of cultural experiences aside from prostitutes and food, we were glad we made the trip. Pretty impressive stuff.
3) Techno dance parties: The Naked and Famous concert
First of all, if you know The Naked and Famous (except you, Sally Dickerson, because you know everything) I REALLY respect you. I have been trying for years to figure out how to break into the indie music scene but can't seem to keep up...big ups to Kate and Dan, "Mom and Dad", for finding out about the show. Anyway, if you know them, you know that they're not a techno band and you're probably wondering what I'm talking about. Here's the thing. Concerts in Thailand, we found out last night, start on time and never end. We showed up 30 minutes late to the show, which started at 9PM (which in the US means the opening band goes on at 9:30PM), and the band was already a third of the way through their set. However, when the encore ended an hour later, nobody left. No one. People just stood there and waited. Thinking there was something else going on, we stood there and waited too, and what happened next was magical. A DJ came on stage and the entire venue transformed into a giant dance party. It was incredible. Almost as incredible as the actual band. Or, for some, even more incredible. I highly recommend you download a Naked and Famous song, as well as perhaps run through your Top 40 playlist and have a dance-off with your friend Ross Clements, who does a mean robot.
Happy Hump Day, everyone. For us, it's three more classes then a weekend trip to the jungle in Kanchanaburi. I just love Thailand.
1) Squid: "The seafood soup guy"
I've been hearing about "the seafood soup guy" from a few of my peers for about a week now. Legend has it that he operates a tiny stall a few blocks behind our school, in a neighborhood where no one speaks English and you order everything by pointing. This stall allegedly spits out bowls of the most delicious seafood soup you've ever tasted...the stuff dreams are made of, if you will. I had to try it for myself. Before we left for the concert last night (more on that later), a few of us decided to make a run to "the seafood soup guy". And it. Was. Awesome. We bought beers at the 7-11 on the corner (for $1.75) and snagged a table on the sidewalk next to the cart. The deliciousness that came out of that sea-creature-laden metal apparatus was second to none. Huge bowls brimming with a tasty, salty broth that had big, chewy pieces of squid, fish, cabbage, scallion, and shredded ginger, all topped with pickled chilies and, if you so chose, a few scoops of fresh white rice. This seafood soup guy knows what he's doing. It was incredible. Since I'm an amateur blogger and decidedly novice food writer, I'll let the pictures do the talking. Haspel and Delgado - great find.
Monday was perhaps the hottest day EVER (really), and we decided to spend it on bicycles in what ended up being perhaps the driest, dustiest place in all of Thailand. Ayutthaya was the second capital of Siam, founded in 1350, and was destroyed by the Burmese army in 1767. Though the Burmese burned much of the city, many of the brick and stone ruins still stand, and Ayutthaya is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We took a two-hour train from Bangkok (during which I feared for my life approximately 17 times) and arrived in Ayutthaya ready to see some ruins. The only problem was that we had no idea how to do so. The tourism infrastructure in Ayutthaya is extremely limited, with only a bare bones map to the multiple wats (temple sites) and a few English-speaking guest house proprietors. We rented bikes for 40 Baht (with no deposit or ID...the Thais are very trusting....) and took off. A few of the ruins were spectacular - giant Buddha images springing up from crumbling bricks, and expanses of decaying, tilted towers that must have been magnificent in their heyday - but it was really, really, REALLY hot. However, with the rest of Bangkok being pretty devoid of cultural experiences aside from prostitutes and food, we were glad we made the trip. Pretty impressive stuff.
First of all, if you know The Naked and Famous (except you, Sally Dickerson, because you know everything) I REALLY respect you. I have been trying for years to figure out how to break into the indie music scene but can't seem to keep up...big ups to Kate and Dan, "Mom and Dad", for finding out about the show. Anyway, if you know them, you know that they're not a techno band and you're probably wondering what I'm talking about. Here's the thing. Concerts in Thailand, we found out last night, start on time and never end. We showed up 30 minutes late to the show, which started at 9PM (which in the US means the opening band goes on at 9:30PM), and the band was already a third of the way through their set. However, when the encore ended an hour later, nobody left. No one. People just stood there and waited. Thinking there was something else going on, we stood there and waited too, and what happened next was magical. A DJ came on stage and the entire venue transformed into a giant dance party. It was incredible. Almost as incredible as the actual band. Or, for some, even more incredible. I highly recommend you download a Naked and Famous song, as well as perhaps run through your Top 40 playlist and have a dance-off with your friend Ross Clements, who does a mean robot.
No comments:
Post a Comment