Travel Songs: Food in Thailand

Today is Monday, September 26, 2011 and not less then 2 weeks ago I was sitting on the toilet of my guesthouse bathroom feeling like a demon was trying to exit my body. They say that during the rainy season here in Thailand, flood water causes sewage to mix with cooking water, the result being - everyone gets violently sick. Yet, there I was, piecing together a disguise to wear for when I go to the same restaurant I just left 2 hours ago, to order the same exact meal I had just eaten 2 hours ago. I wasn't hungry. I wasn't hungry the first time I went to the restaurant, and yet there I was, asking the British couple down the hall "do you think they'll recognize me like this?" The moral of the story - the food here is delicious; and it makes you act crazy. So, there I was, walking into this restaurant for the 2nd time in one night and the 9th time in one week, to order the same thing I order every time. I was hoping that my disguise (a baseball hat) would be good enough as to not have to face up to the embarrassment of revisiting the same restaurant twice within 3 hours, but, (of course) they recognized me... This is probably because I'm one of twenty westerners in this town and I'm at the restaurant everyday. Anyhow, they know what I want, and all it takes is a nod of the head and the chef/waitress is in the kitchen (which is visible from my seat) whipping up my meal. And here comes my favorite part about this restaurant (aside from the food of course). The chef can see me, I can see the chef, I know that the chef knows that I can see her, and yet - she eats my food while she is cooking it. I don't mean tasting it, I mean she literally is putting large spoonfuls of my soon to be meal into her mouth while preparing it. Normally I could see how this would be off putting to someone, but to me I find this to be comforting. I like this for two reasons: 1. it means the food is safe - obviously she is not going to poison herself by eating bad meat or rotten coconut water, and 2. it means the food is good - good enough to blatantly eat in front of the customer who is paying you to make it for them. Anyway, within 10 minutes my meal is ready and sitting in front of me. Yellow Curry with chicken, or prawns, or a little bit of whatever the person before me ordered. Sometimes I drink a coke, sometimes I drink a beer, I always eat ice cream after, and I always proclaim upon completion that it was the best meal I have ever had.

This happens a lot around here. The food is dirt cheap, delicious, and and eating is a fun way to pass the time between class, or work, or just chilling. Below you will find photos of a few of the different meals I have experienced in Thailand. Enjoy.