I Love My India

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FqxvpY8jYU&feature=related


Yep.  I love my India.  Heat in December.  Camels.  Monkeys.  Elephants, in streets big or small.  Gods, only thousands.  Bargaining.  Hole in the ground: Is that the loo?!  Saris.  Colors of the Rainbow: Peacock. Mango. Rani.  Cows, cows, cows.  Indescribably suspicious yet delicious street food.  Forever Bombay.  Stank and all.

Horn Okay Please.

I first landed on the motherland at 15.
And it wadn't no bollywood movie. 

Since then I've been several times: Gujarat (word to my people).  Rajasthan.  Shimla.  Dharamshala.  New Delhi and what the Agra.  This time around, I was going down.  Down, down, down, down, down.*


KERALA.

South India, also named Dravida in the national anthem, encompasses the states of Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh.  South India boasts a movie industry even bigger than Bollywood and I personally think the greatest number of moochies in the whole world. 

Not to mention the fun choice of colors for the home.

The wonder that is India requires several mind-boggling posts.

All with love of course.       

* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_8V_RyijlI&NR=1

BANGKOK.

Capital of Thailand and what the city it is. 

I arrived in March when the daily weather forecast was sweltering.  Not a breeze in sight and humidity reigned without any respite.  No fan of having my thighs stick together, alas Bangkok still managed to nudge its way to my good side.  The boat rides up (or is it down) the Chao Praya River with views of Wat Arun on one side and fancy hotels on the other.  Slick train rides past the ritziest shopping center in Southeast Asia, the Siam Paragon.  Hours through the rows and rows of Chatuchak Market buying all kinds of inexpensive yet fabulous thingamajiggies.  I liked Bangkok. 

MUST SEES:  Grand Palace with its amazing golden and jeweled exteriors, Wat Pho and the HUGE Reclining Buddha, Wat Arun to climb the high-high temple, Jim Thompson's House, and the Emerald Buddha, which sadly I forgot I saw....so many Buddhas in so little time....And speaking of palaces, well at least for some folks, I did venture into a few red light districts.  Thanks Vikas.  When in Thailand....

MUST EAT:    In Chinatown, grab a seat, stool, whatever and sat yourself down at one of the many "sidewalk" restaurants.  Basically, a few card tables thrown out with plastic stools and waiters bringing out tons of Thai delicacies from God knows where, somewhere across the street and through the woods.  Oh, and cars almost sittin in your lap as they drive by.  Most fun though was witnessing my good buddy Vikas get ass-swiped by a baby elephant as it was walking by and caught in traffic.  Noodle in one hand, elephant boo-tay as head gear.  And let's not forget the waiter who graciously escorts you to the lavatories through chock-a-block traffic, across the street, through some kitchen full of male chefs to a suspicious inside hole in the wall and waits for you so that he can then escort you like a frogger game back to your stool next to the baby elephant.  Service with a smile. 

Piece of Advice though:  Be wary of the seemingly kind taxi drivers/posers who convincingly tell you that the site you are attempting to locate is closed for the day for some holiday, royal activity, because the sun ain't shining...They are in fact attempting to scam you into a far drive to another location so they can get taxi fare - this exchange can easily produce quite a menacing facial expression and/or incoherent muttering under your breath given that you are lost, sweating profusely and almost duped.  Alas, the land of all smiles sometimes produces a slight frown.

Bugs, Beasts, Balloons...Oh MY!

What the Thailand.

Its no India, but its certainly a wild oasis in its own right.





First Stop: Phuket.  (pronounced: foo-ket)

Adventure 1: Sooo...I did attempt to dorm in a hostel in Phuket Town, but how quickly I arose and leaped on out.  Attempting to rough it and maintain backpacker credo, I booked 5 nights at the Phuket Backpacker in downtown Phuket.   However, arriving post 10 pm after a delayed 7 hour flight from Sydney, I was in no mood for uninvited guests to share my bed with.  This short story remains G-Rated, given that my would-be suitors revealed themselves as spider #1, spider #2, moths 3, 4 and 5, and the big daddy Mr. Earthworm who slithered out of the drain every time I turned the sink water on.  Bllleeeaaa-YUUUUCCCK.

That fitful night, I slept without circulating air due to windows closed, engulfed in post-mortem insecticide, thereby high and poisoned and finally tucked like a mummy under the bed covers.

The next day + 4 nights, I indulged myself at the Baumanburi Resort.

Lesson learned: I personally am simply too divalicious for hostels in tropical Asia.

Adventure 2:  One of the biggest attractions remains to visit and snorkel off of gorgeous Phi Phi Island (pronounced: pee pee).  Most famous as the location where hunky Leo DiCaprio filmed the movie, The Beach, Phi Phi Island was later very hard hit by the 2004 Tsunami. Tourism dollars seemingly went and continue to go a long way to help rebuild and sustain this extremely friendly and beautiful environment.  

I figured I too would add my little cash flow to the speed boat tours that would guide me to snorkeling oasis.  I was not disappointed. Abundant fish of all sizes and colors, deep deep water, crystal clear underwater views except for the occasional flipper in your face, and waterbed like waves that allowed me to pseudo nap in the sun.  Excellent.

Of course, this wondrous day trip started with the delicate exchange at the sidewalk purchase booths where the very nice sales gals accosted me with, "Just one? Just one?...But, why just ONE?"

Lesson learned:  One can find Indian aunties all over the world.

Adventure 3:  What in the world?!  Boat speeds off.  Man Runs.  Man grabs on to extremely thin ropes. Man uses biceps, triceps to pull himself up onto ropes which are fast gliding high up into the air.  Man has nothing on but his shorts and T-shirt.  Man then hoists himself onto moving ropes so that he is now "sitting" on one or two alternate flimsy ropes.  Man then guides ropes, himself and another person through increasing height, shifting winds and circular motion around Patang Bay all without a harness, net or even sticky glue.  This, my friends, is the Thai version of Parasailing.

This simply has to be seen to be understood.

Lesson learned:  Awe (or the word "huh") has many different visual expressions in reality.

Adventure 4: 10 a.m., stranger picks me, and only me, up in an underdeveloped vehicle, drives me out of Patang Beach into the unknown hills and finally down a dirt road strewn with random shacks, buildings and more strangers.  Honestly, I thought I was going to die.  (American media does that to you: anything and everything peaceful can sadly seem like a potential horror movie).  Alas, my fears and paranoia proved insane to say the least and my elephant ride turned out to be one of the most exhilarating adventures of my young life.  Who knew you could get high without a smoke or lick of alchi.  At one point, my guide allowed me to sit on the neck of the gorgeous beast while he jumped off and commanded our beauty down the narrow, rocky paths of the mountain/hill.  Awesome.  And ain't no thang stepping out of the jungle onto a main highway where aaallll the roadsters stop and stare at the little girl, the Mahout, and the giga-normous elephant simply strolling along...So in princess style I smiled and waved.  Who knows, I may never get another moment of fame again. 

Lesson learned: Elephants are awesome.

Monkeying Around in Thailand

aaaahhhhhhhh, Thailand.                                                            

Beaches off of Thailand.....even better.

Thai food, AMEN.

Staying in an inexpensive, full-service hotel (Baumanburi Resort), with an enormous Asian-Western, kings-style buffet included and savory, spicy Thai yums yums only a few dollars away, I found myself in a hungry gal's Shangri-La.  [Although tis a bit odd when you're engulfing massive amounts of food in a honeymooners resort sans life partner and in fact travelling alone - a perfect picture for mesmerized onlookers but I remained obviously too busy chowing down to notice].                                                                                                                                                        

So long story short: I ate, and ate....and ate. Pad Thai with Shrimp. Fried rolls with Crab. Pad see ew with tofu. Fried rice with pork.  All spicy, all oily to perfection, all delicious.  eeemmmm, guuurl-friend.

                

Again, not psychic enough to realize I should take pictures and note down any restaurants or meals of choice for a future blog, I can't visually show off any of the delicacies I eagerly consumed. Suffice it to say, if you enjoy Thai cuisine...YOU WILL BE HAPPY...in Thailand.

Adventures in Thailand,  to be continued.....

                               

Gone Amok!

Amok Fish that is. 

Wiki explanation of Amok: 
"In a typical case of running amok, a male who has shown no previous sign of anger or any inclination to violence will acquire a weapon and, in a sudden frenzy, will attempt to kill or seriously injure anyone he encounters. Amok episodes of this kind normally end with the attacker being killed by bystanders, or committing suicide."  .......wow 

Why the hell anyone calls this savory, yummy in my tummy, Amok, remains a mystery.                   

   

But I must have been in some kind of frenzy because I, yes me, myself and I, decided to cook (you heard me right) this dish of steamed curried fish through the guide of the chefs at the Angkor Palm Restaurant in Siem Reap, Kampuchea.  For $7.50 US dollars, you are escorted to the local market (vegetarians beware as all kinds of meats and beasts splay in autopsy display, never mind the breathtaking aroma), provided ingredients, taught the identities of a mind-boggling array of spices, and then allowed to butcher and saute your fish gone crazy to the delight of your Cambodian chef mentors.  Great fun. 

A traditional Cambodian and Thai dish, Amok Fish is coated in a thick coconut milk with kroeung (a distinguishable Khmer herb paste), made with essential noni leaves and fingerroot and finally either steamed or baked in a cup made from banana leaves.  When I tried my very own delicacy, the fish was soft, completely covered in yellowish curry, a little gritty but very, very tasteful.  I really enjoyed it and not least because I spent my blood, sweat and tears over it. 

And for those of you who have never tried it: What the Morning Glory! I never ate veggies growing up but if I was Cambodian eating the Glory how healthy I would have been. emm, eeemmm, good. Morning Glory consists of a green leafy vegetable that when cooked resembles flat, large, greasy sliced scallions. Its cooked in an oyster sauce with garlic and pork is optional. I cannot describe how flavorful the MG is but I can say that I could simply just eat a plate full of Morning Glory (with a side of Coke) and be done with it. Hallelujah to the vegetable!

                                                Voila! Gourmet Amok Fish w/ Morning Glory

                                  

After dinner theater: Khmer Classical Dance