Here is her latest report:
Have I mentioned Thai Tamales? Along the road and at gas stations there are many small vendors, most selling one or two different things. We often see these banana leaf wrapped packages that have been either smoked or steamed. You unwrap the package of two layers of leaves and there is a 2 x 3 inch piece of sticky rice stuffed with a shredded pork, just like you unwrap the corn leaves of a tamale. This is stick to your ribs good food. As we move farther south the rice is now stuck inside a stick of bamboo and steamed.
The Yellow flower tree: In the beginning of the season these trees are all fluffy and full of pretty leaves, as time goes on the beauty fads and the gift of shade is soon gone as well. But like a beautiful women who’s beauty fads as time passes the true gifts begin to show. This tree becomes covered with magnificent yellow flowers the true gift of beauty is not covered in leaves but displayed on barren branches for all to appreciate.
I also wonder about the lost flip flop. On the road side there are many single lost shoes, how does that happen that someone only looses one … what happens to the other one? Is it the flip or the flop that is laying there?
Cattle in the dried fields do not look like ours. These beasts have very long legs and very long floppy ears. Even the very large ones with bellies down almost to their knees have their ribs showing through their hide. Each animal is on a rope and staked out away from any others.
No Smoking! Thailand is trying to discourage smoking. There are nasty warnings and even gross photos on the packages that show you what cancer looks like. Restaurants and public places are all no smoking.
Work out equipment is everywhere. The government is trying to get the population to be healthier. Parks, Wats, fronts of factories all have these bright colored equipment gyms out side in the hot sun. There are also many private gyms and clubs which we had not ever noticed available before. They have embraced wearing sweat pants and work out gear everywhere and by all.
Bike Shops As part of the fitness push there are some really nice bike shops that are making high end bikes available. We spent some time in one today getting Bruce’s brakes worked on. They had every gadget you could imagine, all kinds of lights and holders for your phone, long fingered gloves (for when it gets down to 70 at night? ) Most of the brands were the same ones we have but the keen bike shoes were about ½ the price as well as the gloves, a bike chain was only 10$
Dogs and Cats There are a lot more cats here and the house kept ones are pampered, There also are a lot of wild ones which really keep the rodent population down and who hang out near the food stalls waiting to be fed the scrapes. Dogs do not often seem to be kept as pets in the house as much. They have a job to do and are not pampered or in the house , except those small little fluffy things the old ladies seem to keep. The grounds near all the Wats have many dogs that are very peaceful and fed by the monks.
Night food markets are in every town. The vendors each have a small cart of some kind and none have refrigeration. The hot pot for noodles is boiling and they dip the noodles in a wire basket into the hearty stock. What ever the stock was made with is on the counter to be chopped and added back to your plate. Various vegetables and meats are available as well as each cook has their secret combination of sauces to add. There are fried rice booths with sizzling woks, deep fried chicken and grasshoppers, egg rolls and Vietnamese spring rolls, soft noodle wrapped laub, tapioca balls and crispy filled omelets .
A mixture of flavors is evident along the Mekong as for so many centuries the trade route and recent century refugees escaping the wars and persecution by going down river these people have brought their traditional foods and religions with them. The temples and Wats have very different distinct styles as does the foods.
The Hotel we are staying in is the fanciest we have been in so far. There is a grand entrance with restaurant and lounge and coffee shop a large fountain all on marble floors and 2 bikes across from the grand front desk. That’s where they wanted us to leave them. We are at 500 miles and thought we needed a break and a pool, there has been no one else at the pool but us. Our next few days will be heading west and we are much farther south so it is getting very hot by noon when the pavement heats up…. We leave as soon as it is light enough to ride…. We have to go to bed early but there has been no night life to miss.
Thanks for reading
ML
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| Carved Doors |
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| Dinner |
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| Dragons |
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| Fish Farm |
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| Altar in Buddhist Temple |
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| Laos Across The River |
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| Work Out Bikes |
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| Temple Gates |
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| Street Food |
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| Fat TiresAdd caption |
