Hi, everyone! Or, should I say sawadi ka? I've just returned from a week in Thailand, where I attended one of my best friends' weddings. And, since I am suffering from some serious jet lag, I thought I would do a little blogging in the wee hours.
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| Just touched down in Bangkok! After more than 24 hours in the air, I can't wait to eat. And shower. |
I've only been home for a little over 24 hours and already, I'm ready to go back to Bangkok. The reason? Well, first of all, my beloved friend, Mook lives there. I miss her already and I wish I could just hang out with her whenever we were both free. Plus, the weather is perfect for me. It's always hot there, which I love. Meanwhile, back in Baltimore, we are currently bracing for an impending snowstorm.
Then, of course, there's the food. Oh, the food! There is food everywhere. I've never seen so many places to eat in my entire life. Not even in Brooklyn. It seems that everywhere you turn, there's a different succulent dish grilling, steaming, or boiling right in front of you. There are iced coffee stands every block or so, and myriad street vendors hawking one appetizing portable dish after another.
Admittedly, I was hesitant to try the street vendor cuisine. (I've learned the hard way.) But, the restaurants were good and inexpensive, if not as dirt cheap as the street vendors. In fact, the first place we ate after getting off the plane was a litle restaurant inside a supermarket called "Took Lae Dee," literally translated, "Good and Cheap." It was.
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| Here's some minced beef with chili and basil leaves. Very spicy. Gotta love that fried egg on the top of the rice. |
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| After a long flight, this bowl of rice soup was so soothing. And even better, the bill for 4 people, including 4 lemongrass teas, was $8. Total. |
The next day, our Bangkok friends took us to Greyhound, a trendy restaurant in Paragon Shopping Center in the Siam neighborhood. They ordered a huge spread: roast pork neck with sticky rice, pad thai, "complicated noodle," grilled salmon salad, "sandwich in a bowl," thai chicken wings, and more things I can't even remember.
After a few days in Bangkok, we headed to the beach in Huahin, just about a 2.5 hour drive away from the city. The traffic is terrible, but it's worth it. Once you get there, there's a great spot where you can eat right on the beach. The seafood is to die for!
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| Okay, this is just to make you jealous. |
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| This is a fishing boat we saw while watching the sun rise on the beach. Again, this is sort of just to make you jealous. |
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After a day in Huahin, we headed back to Bangkok. During our last few days, we scooted around town, exploring different neighborhoods via BTS. Given how terrible the traffic in Bangkok is, I would highly recommend doing this instead of taking a cab.
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| Bangkok Chinatown |
We have a tradition of visiting Chinatown wherever we travel. Here's a shot of the one in BKK, which is famous for its nighttime street vendors. We were too squeamish to try it, though.
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| True Coffee We grabbed a refreshing iced coffee and enjoyed some free WiFi at True Coffee. If there's one thing everyone does well in Thailand, it's iced coffee. Other good spots for it were Toast Box and Coffee Club. |
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| "Korea Food" in Gateway Shopping Center |
Leave it to me to find a Korean restaurant in Thailand. The food wasn't very good, but the owner was very nice and it was great to meet her and chat for a while about her life. Apparently, her daughter is still single at 31. If you happen to know of any eligible Korean men, please stop by and let her know. She seemed very concerned.
Look down any alleyway in Bangkok and you will likely see something like this. Street vendors purveying fruits, soups, grilled meats, and noodles.
On our last night in Bangkok, we stopped by a restaurant we'd been eyeing all week. It's right in Ekkamai, the neighborhood where we stayed. It's not trendy or fancy, but it served up one of the best meals we had all week. Plus, we loved its unassuming, laid back, local vibe.
After more than a few... I'll just call them "episodes," with water in Thailand, Chang seemed like a safer bet.
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| Grilled issan style chicken, or kai yang. Incredible! |
Before we knew it, it was time to say goodbye to Thailand and jump back on the plane. Fortunately, the food on Korean Airlines was actually pretty good! That's bibim bap:
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| Korean Airlines bibim bap. This is how airplane food should be. |
To everyone in Thailand: kab kun ka for making us feel so welcome! We can't wait to come back!
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