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Been in Chiang Mai a couple of days now, quite a cool place and it's nice to finally get my clothes laundered (didn't realise what a girl I was about these things but I was seriously starting to hum; if I were a cartoon - which sometimes feels quite possible - I'd have had flies pictured buzzing round me). Went to see the Foreign Cemetery yesterday; a quiet and affecting sort of place, as cemeteries usually are. Especially so when you see how far from their birthplace some people died: one came from Bexhill-on-Sea, another from Croydon. Little did they know. The previous evening went to a place here called 'Le Brasserie' to check out a guitarist called Took (thank you Lonely Planet, again - I'm up to 5 sightings now). Hot damn! Tony or Paul, if you're reading this, you'd have creamed yourselves... looks like an Asian Frank Zappa, canes a tequila and Marlboro between songs, plays like an Asian Hendrix. Seemed a bit nonplussed at my babbling afterwards. Don't blame him.
Been having a lot of the local speciality here, khao sawy - noodles in a hot meat curry soup with shallots, chinese cabbage, various other things, gorgeous. Went yesterday against my better judgement to the poshest khao sawy place in town, obviously far too expensive for most Thais, playing pan-pipe versions of Bon Jovi on the PA, ugh. Felt so guilty I punished myself by adding the whole extra chilli saucer to it, 5 minutes later the waitress came up to inquire after my health I looked so bad - managed to croak 'Yeah I'm fine' then carried on sweating and snotting (not great for the dignity, chilli). Whoops. In other culinary news, I have now eaten my first locust. And second, and third, almost a whole bag of them in fact (couldn't quite bring myself to finish off the severed head that was left). Had the bag in my hand for about 10 minutes before I got up the courage to put one in my mouth, actually they're not bad; wouldn't rave about it but quite tasty, bit awkward when you get a leg or something stuck between your teeth (apologies to anyone reading this before lunch) but otherwise reasonable. Was feeling quite pleased with my new-found courageousness when it was put into perspective by the sight of a girl of about 5 munching on grubs the size of your finger, don't think you're gonna get them in McD's anytime soon.
Went today to the temple that sounds like an SMS insult, Wat U Mong (had to go when I saw the name) - it's in the forest about 2km west of town, has an international Buddhist meditation centre on the grounds and Buddha figures in a series of tunnels cut into the earth, quite damp and unlit but atmospheric. There's a great figure of the Buddha fasting, they don't spare the details: looks skeletal, you can see the veins and everything. Probably going to check out the thai boxing here tonight, it's a fifth of the price it was in Bangkok. The guide books warn you not to sit in the front row, wonder why? Flying blood? We'll see.
Back with you again soon, take care.
Been having a lot of the local speciality here, khao sawy - noodles in a hot meat curry soup with shallots, chinese cabbage, various other things, gorgeous. Went yesterday against my better judgement to the poshest khao sawy place in town, obviously far too expensive for most Thais, playing pan-pipe versions of Bon Jovi on the PA, ugh. Felt so guilty I punished myself by adding the whole extra chilli saucer to it, 5 minutes later the waitress came up to inquire after my health I looked so bad - managed to croak 'Yeah I'm fine' then carried on sweating and snotting (not great for the dignity, chilli). Whoops. In other culinary news, I have now eaten my first locust. And second, and third, almost a whole bag of them in fact (couldn't quite bring myself to finish off the severed head that was left). Had the bag in my hand for about 10 minutes before I got up the courage to put one in my mouth, actually they're not bad; wouldn't rave about it but quite tasty, bit awkward when you get a leg or something stuck between your teeth (apologies to anyone reading this before lunch) but otherwise reasonable. Was feeling quite pleased with my new-found courageousness when it was put into perspective by the sight of a girl of about 5 munching on grubs the size of your finger, don't think you're gonna get them in McD's anytime soon.
Went today to the temple that sounds like an SMS insult, Wat U Mong (had to go when I saw the name) - it's in the forest about 2km west of town, has an international Buddhist meditation centre on the grounds and Buddha figures in a series of tunnels cut into the earth, quite damp and unlit but atmospheric. There's a great figure of the Buddha fasting, they don't spare the details: looks skeletal, you can see the veins and everything. Probably going to check out the thai boxing here tonight, it's a fifth of the price it was in Bangkok. The guide books warn you not to sit in the front row, wonder why? Flying blood? We'll see.
Back with you again soon, take care.
posted by Pearson at 12:57 PM
2 Comments:
It all sounds wonderful darlin, keep em coming!
Btw, my ma says - any time you feel like writing her a postcard...
xxx
I did! I did! Posted one (or got the staff in the guesthouse to post it, hmm I wonder) in Bangkok when I was there. I've even written another one, gonna post it today. See, I am a good boy...
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