Time is whizzing by. Progress now happening fast. And in the meantime, I walk, run, ride taxis, and hop on the back of buzzing motorbikes. This city is a maze, and I'm trying to get to the end of it, in this race to open. Sometimes I do. Usually not. But we're certainly getting to know each other. More pics later of the space.
In between trips to the banks and phone calls and damage control and coughing on dust, I kick it with Tik, the little guy next door at the flower shop. Check out his amulet. It's fresh.
And after I've had some stir-fried chicken with basil and egg at Tik's mom's shop (she cooks and arranges flowers) I may head over to my furniture maker's spot (Joe's BO, Ekkamai Soi 18). Joe makes really comfortable chairs and his little pet is the cutest damn dog I've ever seen... so I'll let you in on the secret.
Alright then. Have a good weekend. Sleep on a pile of rocks, lose your shirt and sport a medallion, or bark like a fluffy duck if you like. Me, I'm off to dinner.
The province, south of Krabi, has much of its character intact. The islands might be full of Scandinavians browning themselves evenly depending when you visit, but the mainland is largely skirted by sand-chasing tourists. Which makes eating there a joy.
I've been away for awhile, busying myself with the impending opening of a restaurant. And there won't be too much traveling for awhile for that same reason. I did recently file a story at The Atlantic about a trip I took up north to visit organic rice farmers.
I will be serving rice from the AAN (Alternative Agriculture Network) at my place, so in about two months time you can stop over and see what the fuss is about. Their sticky rice is particularly good; when you steam some its nutty fragrance fills the room. I could eat it with just about anything.
On another note, I recently read a story that described Nong Khai - a sleepy town on the Mekong which I really enjoyed a few months back - in a pretty unflattering manner (I'm not going to link). But I loved the little town with its temples and Vietnamese restaurants and funky local noodle dishes and especially the psychedelic Buddhist sculpture park, Sala Kaew Koo.
So I thought I'd share a few photos with you of my time in Nong Khai, a wonderful place to spend a few days, eating, wandering around, wondering. Have a great weekend.
Yasothorn, 10am.
Bun Bang Fai, Isaan's (and Lao's) annual rocket launching festivities, fall on some of the hottest days of the year. This past weekend, the sun there was magnetically hot -- about 41 degrees centigrade -- and it glued your shirt to your back, and your feet to the parched earth. But people improvise nicely.
I quickly snapped this image while wading through one of the most interesting markets I've seen in Thailand, in a small town just outside of Nakhorn Si Thammerat. The market was beside the highway there, and inside an even mix of Muslims and Buddhists traded in meats, an amazing array of fish, and fruits and leaves and flowers. But this shot of hooves stood out, and so I share it with you. Much more on my culinary adventures in the south of Thailand coming soon.
Surat Thani - a quiet Thai town most tourists race through on their way to noisier nearby islands - has a wonderful night market serving all kinds of street snacks. Twice we've stopped for a night there, on our way south, to eat and stroll through the market. Last Sunday, in between bites, I spotted this poodle waiting for his foraging owners to return to their bike. It made me smile. Enjoy your weekend.
Yesterday, a vigorous storm blew through Bangkok, washing away the dust of the dry season, and sending the rats of Klong Toey market scurrying from their nests. I went shopping. As the city cooled off, and there was a quiet, contented vibe in the largest downtown produce market.