The Land of Smiles vs. San Jose, California

Of course, EVERYONE loves Thailand. Travelers have been raving about it for YEARS and they will for many more. No wonder, it's got alot to offer. And don't get me wrong, I really do LIKE it. It IS the "Land of Smiles" (and truly friendly, generous people), it's got tasty food (though I'd argue that the Thai I get at home is even better), nice countryside, amazingly HUGE Buddhas, it's easy, AND, it's alot like being in San Jose.

But, San Jose?! Yeah, or Los Angeles, or maybe even Honolulu 20 years ago. The weather's warm, the buildings are nondescript and spread out on bland streets with distances too great to comfortably navigate by foot, there are pickups by the hundreds, the pavement + sidewalks are cracked and cluttered with junk + weeds, and NOBODY walks so there's little street life outside the markets (and even at these many people pull up on their moto, and get their food bagged to go without ever getting off!). Car culture and poor city layout are two of the things I most despise about The States and that I've so enjoyed being away from in most of the countries we've visited.

I didn't decide to devote substantial amounts of my life + money to travel to be immersed in the familiar. I CRAVE the bizarre, the foreign, the challenging... it's those things that I'll remember 10, 20 years from now. Whether I had a fantastic room or that the buses were comfy will be irrelevant then. Coming on the heels of Spain, India, China + Vietnam, which are BY FAR our most reminisced destinations amongst ourselves, maybe it's unfair to expect to be impressed yet again. It IS my third visit to the country too, and though I've progressively gotten more off-the-beaten-path with each trip I've still failed to find the allure that so many expats that have settled here seem to have. And, while I don't agree with others who complain that Thailand's been "Done", it just doesn't hold much of the exotic allure of the East. (On a side note, at least NOW I have a better guess why people rave about Laos - IT doesn't feel familiar.)

What Thailand DOES have, and in spades, are night markets. Never before have I seen such an abundance of prepared foods and grilled meats + seafood. None of it done for tourists sake either. Men, women, teens + children throng the aisles, moving under the dim glow of lights, selecting a bit of this + that, often for only 10 baht (30 cents) a serving. Some take their selections to go, but many fill the tables set out and share theirs over bottles of cold beer or rice whiskey. It's the place to see and be seen in the evenings, and it's been a nice opportunity for us to meet people too. And in many of the off-the-beaten-path towns we've now visited, the people HAVE made quite a memorable impression.

Like I said, we HAVE had some memorable experiences, even besides the food. Check it out...

"Link" to recent photos from Isaan Province + the ruins at Preah Vihear. And here's a "link" to Darin's blog about P.V.

(HAI) DANG! This is Tasty

And I don't say that lightly. Vietnam, as I've said before, is a vegetarian's delight, but no city more so than Hue. For reasons that may forever be unknown to me, this city is also one of the most buddhist in the country and it seems that the demand of the monasteries might have something to do with the abundance of tasty + unique vegetarian "meats" and other food specialties.

Hue city is also home to a unique blend of coffee that is also one of the tastiest we've enjoyed in the country. We start every morning off with a cup of this nectar - Hai Dang coffee. And I'm not sure whether I'd agree with all this -"Hue people like drinking absolute coffee so much because of its bitterness but mellifluence, subtle aroma but temptation, especially, it is very appropriate to Hue weather." - but it IS dang good!

After coffee and a healthy breakfast of outrageously tasty tropical fruits (many not available at home) with oats + coconut-soy milk, one of us usually makes a dash across the Perfume River by bike. Destination Cho Dong Ba, for unique fixings for lunch + dinner.

There are a several countries around the world where being vegetarian isn't so difficult. In a few of those it's downright easy. And in only a handful of those it's a sheer pleasure. Vietnam is one of the latter. Part of what makes it so unique is that never before have I had the wealth of protein options, in addition to a spectacular array of fresh produce and french-style baked goods to mix + match to satisfy my palate.

Protein? you ask. Yes, especially if you excercise regularly or have an active lifestyle. (Here's a "link" to calculate your daily needs. If you're a meat eater, chances are you eat WAY more than the daily recommended amount and probably think I'm crazy for being veggie anyway, so you might as well stop reading now.) This is an important component of a balanced meal that is SO often missed or neglected by restaurants that offer "vegetarian plates", and even by some vegetarian restaurants. Who's going to pay $20 for a plate of vegetables?! Give me a break! There are FANTASTIC restaurants in San Francisco and the Bay Area, notably Millenium, where you can feast on an exciting array of creative, protein-rich dishes. For Vietnamese, in the vein of which I'm speaking, try Golden Era or Golden Lotus, run by our local Buddhist contingent. You might notice all the mock "meats" and find it a bit of a contradiction. Au contrare, these tasty copycats are sometimes even tastier than the real thing. Au Lac is a Vietnamese company that exports around the world. Look for their meats and others at your local asian supermarket. (Photo: Dong Ba Market in Hue, Vietnam has THE best array of vegetarian meats, fish and others that we've EVER seen.)

In our 3-1/2 weeks here in Hue, and 4 months total in Vietnam, we've had the luxury to do alot of experimentation and have come up with a slew of tasty meals, all involving no more "cooking" than washing, chopping, and occasional blanching in boiling water. We've made it an enjoyably slow, meditative process that pairs well with sipping of chilled, local Vang Dalat wine. Here are some of our favorites -

• 
  BBQ Chicken Slaw Sandwiches (pictured at left)
  
  Veggie Spicy Chicken Chunks
• Sliced Tomato
• Shredded Cabbage
• Fresh Basil
• Sliced Green Onions
• Mayo
• Baguette

I assume this is self-explanatory. Simple, but oh so satisfying.

Here's one that comes almost fully prepared from the Com Chay seller pictured above. Great for a quick lunch.

Banh Beo Chay (aka "Blaub", pictured at right)

• Rice Flour Wrappers stuffed with mashed yellow lentils
• Sauteed, sliced Shallots
• Chopped Tomato
• Chopped Cilantro
• Dipping Sauce - Soy Sauce, Fish Sauce, Sugar, Rice Vinegar, Water, Sesame Seeds, Chili

This Hue city specialty is readily available at the markets for pennies. The original recipe uses minced shrimp + pork for the filling, but the version we've tried certainly hasn't suffered from the substitution.

There are many more, and suffice to say we're trying them all :)

Things that Never Happen at Home #5

Being out here traveling is so fundamentally different from my day-to-day at home that I often find myself pondering these differences. There's the obvious - Not sitting behind a desk + computer all day; Not having neck cramps from holding the phone to my ear with my shoulder as I multi-task; No stress; No set routine. Now, in contrast - We brave the hot sun + freezing cold outside; My cramps are now in my legs from walking all day long; We ARE free to do as we like, but we're not out here with endless time or money to burn so we ARE judicious in our spending + in making each day count. When I reflect back at the end of each day, week, month... What are the things that seem worthwhile or even important??? It's the experiences of meeting memorable local characters or other like-minded travelers that you can picture yourself being friends with at home; Of tasting some delicious + unique food that you never even knew existed that you'll try to replicate for friends; A wonderous, soul-inspiring sight that burns itself into your memory and which you revisit later in your dreams; AND those rare moments when the big, bright lightbulb in your head goes off and you gain a new insight. THIS will be my ongoing attempt to capture + relate some of the latter. Here goes...

No Privacy

I'll use Vietnam as an example, though any of the Asian countries we've visited would just as easily work - In a country with 85 million people packed into a space about the size of the state of California, try as you might, you are NEVER alone. Darin and I joke that the Vietnamese way of giving privacy is to knock as you enter. More than once have we been caught with our pants down (literally) as the maid has used her key without knocking and walked right in, or some other guest has mistaken our room for theirs. The offender has always been more embarrased than us. People here are very conservative (though Americans are pretty uptight about nudity as a rule too) and I don't think they've EVER seen anyone just hanging out in the buff, nor even conceived of doing it themselves. But man, it's HOT here!

Back to my point - The Vietnamese don't value personal space in the same way that Americans do, which makes it extremely taxing on ones acceptance of the way things are when you're a visitor in another culture. It seems like there's always someone looking over your shoulder, or through your shopping bags, asking how much money you make, and I've even had my breasts + butt grabbed by women on a few different occasions as they make a friendly analysis of my meager, childless body (If you can, you DO have kids, there's no questioning. I'm the source of much pity on this front and the primary reason why they attempt to hook-up Darin with a local girl the moment I turn my back. A man MUST have heirs and they know the girl will financially set for life. Marriage here, and in most of the world for most people, is about a mutually beneficial partnership for raising a family. But I digress...) The up-side of this is that there's a STRONG sense of community and sharing here, and once they begin to get comfortable with + accept you, you're apt to be treated like family.

Speaking of family - Where most people live with multiple generations in a home a FRACTION the size of ours in the U.S., you get used to ALWAYS having someone around and conduct your life in a way in which you're always presentable. Hence the reason they can't even FATHOM that anyone would be walking around with no clothes on. I'm actually a bit mystified at the high birth rate here as I don't quite seen when couples even have time alone for intimacy. Young couples are frequently seen embracing on park benches, which is about the only place in a country this densely packed that you can achieve SOME semblance of privacy.

Here's a great example of the contrast of seeing your neighbors far too little - A long-time friend of Darin's recently got a temporary job assignment in Washington state. He commented the other day how crazy it is that all he's seen of his neighbors in six months is them driving into their driveway and disappearing behind the garage door in the evening, and the reverse secret exodus in the morning. Day after day. Never once seeing them face-to-face. An important detail to note in this is the car, as it most certainly creates a barrier between the driver and the outside world. Fortunately, ownership of cars in Southeast Asia is still for the vast minority, but it IS growing year by year (and in China, even day by day - Over 1,000 new cars!). See my previous Things that Never Happen blog about "Social Commuting".

As I've said, the up-side of this lack of privacy is the fact that people are so much more interconnected in Vietnam (and many countries of the world) than they are in the States. People watch out for each other, they help each other, keep an eye on each other's children... Even though it's invasive, I love the idea that everyone is part of a family, a neighborhood, a city. This great complicated web of lives that make up Vietnamese society sure makes typical life in America feel isolating in comparison.

Check the "link" for current photos from Hue revisited

Things That Never Happen at Home #4

Being out here traveling is so fundamentally different from my day-to-day at home that I often find myself pondering these differences. There's the obvious - Not sitting behind a desk + computer all day; Not having neck cramps from holding the phone to my ear with my shoulder as I multi-task; No stress; No set routine. Now, in contrast - We brave the hot sun + freezing cold outside; My cramps are now in my legs from walking all day long; We ARE free to do as we like, but we're not out here with endless time or money to burn so we ARE judicious in our spending + in making each day count. When I reflect back at the end of each day, week, month... What are the things that seem worthwhile or even important??? It's the experiences of meeting memorable local characters or other like-minded travelers that you can picture yourself being friends with at home; Of tasting some delicious + unique food that you never even knew existed that you'll try to replicate for friends; A wonderous, soul-inspiring sight that burns itself into your memory and which you revisit later in your dreams; AND those rare moments when the big, bright lightbulb in your head goes off and you gain a new insight. THIS will be my ongoing attempt to capture + relate some of the latter. Here goes...



Serious Country Pride

Maybe it's got something to do with living in a "blue state", but I couldn't TELL you the last time I heard that old classic Proud to be an American. Call me jaded, but I've become so embarrased about the state of my country and it's supposed representation of the American peoples' will, that I don't voluntarily mention my nationality up out here unless asked, and even then so with hesitation. I'm not saying that Americans shouldn't travel because we're targets for terrorism or hate crimes - even knowing of our track record of horrific involvement in WAY too many other countries affairs, and that our so called "help" is more about helping US than THEM. On the contrary, I've actually been pleasantly surprised that most I've met hold no ill will against us as a people, just our government. But when you've traveled to places like Cuba, Guatemala, El Salvador + Vietnam, and actually spoken face-to-face with the people, especially those that were directly involved with the interference of the U.S. Government, you can't help but develop a self-loathing for your Americanism.

In countries like Spain, France, Thailand and China, there's such an old, rich history and the people are PROUD. These have done their own regretful deeds in selfish interest and in the search for power, so I'm not just singling out the U.S. Regardless, they're proud as a people, and as a country, and figure that you must think so too since you're there visiting. So they heartily welcome you, in word and in deed - Saying that they're so glad you're there, that they hope you like their country, offering help, buying you a little something as a token of hospitality (the latter only in Asia). Vietnam has been SO fascinating in this respect. Our involvement here was SO devastating, and unjustified, and recent. Yet the people here have been so friendly, even upon hearing we're Americans. The general attitude seems to be that it's past, lets just move on and build a strong relationship now to heal the wounds between our countries. Despite, or maybe because of, the country's turbulent past, their red and yellow flag is flown EVERYWHERE. Hell, even I dig the country so much that I now wear it emblazoned across my chest. Seems to be getting me good deals at the markets these days too... :)

8/24 - Thailand Postscript

O.K. So the Thai's take the cake on this subject. If you didn't know, they LOVE their King. I mean, REALLY love him. In the sense of getting misty eyed and totally reverential just in mentioning his name. My God, he's not... God. But I think they'd beg to differ. We've now been witness to several morning flag raises + evening lowerings, each accompanied by the broadcasting of the national anthem. The moment it starts, EVERY SINGLE PERSON - STOPS! In place. Or stands. The look of utmost solemnity on their faces for the duration. Once it's over, it's as if you pushed "Play" on a "Pause" image and you'd think you just imagined it all. Oh yeah, and the uninforced dress code of the country is to wear yellow. The King's color. You're sometimes engulfed in a sea of yellow shirts. Now THIS is serious country pride!