Food Tour: Bangkok Midnight Food Tour by Tuk Tuk

Travel and eating go hand in hand.  You go to a new place and you want to try something you haven't had before.   The challenge of said new place is that you may not know where to go.  In a city as big as Bangkok, it can be daunting to know where to go, what to order or how to get there if you don't have friends, family or co-workers to show you around.   I've added food tours to my short list of organized activities I seek out, along with ghost tours, cooking schools and buses where you get to wear crazy hats.  I like small groups of people who are there to have a good time and don't take themselves, or me, too seriously.    

Technology makes things so easy...I  booked this tour with Bangkok Food Tours on my phone while sipping coffee at breakfast.  We met our guide and small group at the sky train station,  learned the plan for eating all the things, hopped into our Tuk Tuks and off we went for a fun evening rolling through the streets of Bangkok.

In fact since I can't remember the names of all the delicious things (like salad #1 below) - it's a good thing I take lots of pictures. 

Let's eat!

Midnight Food Tour in Pictures

Alright - we have a plan.   And a SECRET place!

Salad at stop 1

Khao Mun Gai

Mango Sticky Rice

This is how we roll

Guay Tiew Kua Gai with a runny egg

Bangkok Flower Market

Tiny, sweet pineapples

Wat Pho by night

View from the secret place

Is this the best pad thai in Bangkok?
You be the judge
Thip Samai Pad Thai

Have you gone on a food tour?   Did you love it?  What did you eat? 

Share in the comments or on Facebook.  

Wat Pho By Day And By Night

I feel like I spent most of the month of December on vacation.  

Not that I'm complaining.    

Looking at my work schedule, I still worked a solid 10 days.   I think that's a major accomplishment, don't you?  Most of that time was riding herd on my co-workers to complete their compliance training by the end of the year.   We've still got one more day - you can do this!

Actually vacation started in late November.   I spent Thanksgiving Day crossing the international date line, landing in Bangkok just before midnight.  No turkey for me this year!     

My first (and only other) time in Bangkok was in February of 2009.    I was excited to go back and share a little bit of Thailand with my family.    We had only two days in Bangkok.   Naturally we filled the time with fun, food, temples and laughter.  

Wat Pho - Reclining Buddha

We had the opportunity to see the beautiful Wat Pho by day and by night.   On the first day, we took the water taxi on the Chao Phraya and explored all the corners of Wat Pho.   We enjoyed our first foot massage of vacation at their massage school.    Thailand offers many wonderful experiences and foot massages are an inexpensive treat that should not be missed.  

On our second day in Bangkok, we went on the midnight food tour with Bangkok  Food Tours.   Delicious food and fun rolling through the streets of Bangkok in style.

This is how we roll

One of the stops on our night tour was to Wat Pho.    It was so peaceful to re-visit this temple at night without the crowds and heat of the day.

Have you been to Bangkok and visited Wat Pho?    


Memories from visiting  Bangkok in 2009:
Chao Phraya
Wat Arun
My Amazing Race Moment (also at Wat Pho)

Yes, You Can Take a Month Off to Travel (The Thailand Series)

I love to travel, and it should come as no surprise that I read other travel blogs as well to get encouragement and inspiration.    One topic that comes up is "How can you take an extended period of time to travel?"   I realize that a month isn't the same as someone taking a year or two to travel the world (I still aspire to that).    But a month is achievable.   I didn't have to leave my job or find a new home for my dog.   I didn't have to cancel anything.   I didn't have to find a renter or put my stuff in storage.   

Taking a month to travel while employed full-time does take some advance planning.    Today is October 27.    If you went to see your boss and said "I'm going to take the month of November off...see you December 1," that probably wouldn't go over too well.    

In the summer of 2008, I talked to my boss about taking my three weeks of vacation, plus one week unpaid for a trip in 2009.   His response "Are you sure you want to use everything at once?" (yes) and "Make sure that your co-workers are ok with this since they'll be covering for you while you're gone." (they were ok with it)

In 2009 I took a month off to go on a volunteer vacation in Thailand.   I did a three week volunteer abroad with Cross Cultural Solutions and then had some pre/post travel time in Bangkok, Chaing Mai and Taipei.  

The truth:  Volunteer vacations are not cheap or free.   Part of what you're doing is supporting the local organization as well as providing employment for the local staff that helps coordinate the work, housing and other activities.   That is what I wanted.    I wanted a safe place to stay, cultural activities, transportation, meals and other volunteers to hang out with.     Budgeting for a volunteer vacation is just like budgeting for any other kind of vacation - but there is a little tax benefit.   My program fee was a tax-deductible donation, and friends and family could also donate towards my program - in fact, I asked for donations in lieu of Christmas and Birthday gifts. 

Without further adieu....if you'd like to learn about Thailand or what it was like to go on this kind of volunteer vacation, pick a few posts and read on!

Countdown to Thailand
Practical Procrastination
It Looks Like Iowa
Fun with International Restrooms
Chao Phraya
Wat Arun
My Amazing Race Moment
The Elusive Kanoon
Thai 101
On the Coast of Somewhere Beautiful
Thai Mythology
Aroi Mai?
Makabucha Day
The First Day of School
Saibaidee Tao (Happy Feet)
Too Many Shoes
Ko Lanta
Crazy Transportation
Home Sweet Home Base
Wat Kok Yang Daycare
Farang
Pink Day
House Maa
Funny Signs
Ko Phi Phi
Beach Games
Thai Pancake
Observations
If it's Bob Marley...
Last Day of School
Sawadee Ka from Thailand
Which Wat?
Taipei

Recipe: Spicy Thai Tuna Salad

Volunteering in Thailand

I love Thailand.  

In the summer of 2008, I had a master plan.   I wanted to take a month off work to travel and do international volunteer work.   I proposed it to my manager - I had 3 weeks of paid vacation and would take another week unpaid.  His response?  Check with my co-workers since they would cover my work while I was away.   They gave me the go ahead and I never looked back.    I chose to volunteer with Cross Cultural Solutions for three weeks in southern Thailand and I had some time for travel before, after, and on the weekends.   If you want more information, click the Traveler Abroad page above and scroll down to Thailand 2009.   

Part of loving Thailand is loving the food.   I ate non-stop for a month and came home 7 pounds lighter.  I'm going to say it was the heat, combined with eating a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables and very limited processed food (although garlic soft-shell crab potato chips are pretty good).    When I came back from Thailand, I gave the H-Mart, the "big box" Asian grocery store here, a more thorough exploration.   The pricing on fruits, vegetables and spices is very reasonable.    You can find a bunch of fresh basil or mint for 50 cents.  

I have a fantastic Thai cookbook, Quick And Easy Thai, by Nancie McDermott - and adapted today's lunch from that cookbook:  Spicy Tuna Salad with Chilies and Lime.  Next time, I'll have to make a bigger batch.

2 5oz cans of tuna in water, drained
3 tablespoons fish sauce (this is what adds the salt to this recipe, you can always start with less and add to taste)
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1-2 tablespoons thinly sliced shallots (I didn't really measure)
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped roasted, salted peanuts
1 teaspoon Asian chili paste (to taste)
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl.   Mix gently to season the tuna and break it into smaller chunks.   Cover and chill until ready to serve (then garnish with cilantro, lime wedges and more peanuts if you'd like).   I enjoyed mine on an Orowheat Whole Wheat Sandwich Thin.  

Chili Paste from the H-Mart - the label is all in Korean.  

Thankfully, the prices on the shelves had a little English.

Spicy Tuna Salad on a Sandwich Thin

Yum!

Recipe: Panaeng Beef in Red Curry Peanut Sauce

Prior to traveling to Thailand in 2009, my knowledge of Thai food was limited to pad thai and things involving spicy peanut sauce.  After spending a month there, I lost seven pounds, even though I was eating constantly and loving it all.  The culprits?  Lots of fresh fruits and veggies.   The heat and humidity probably didn't hurt either.   When I came back I discovered the H-mart, the big Asian grocery store here in Denver where I could find many of the specialty ingredients for Thai cooking - and at a much better price than King Soopers.   For Christmas I asked for a cookbook of easy Thai recipes.  I received the book Quick & Easy Thai  by Nancie McDermott.   The nice thing is that substitutions are offered for ingredients you might not be able to find (ie using brown sugar in lieu of palm sugar). 

The sad tale of my basil plant

Over Memorial Day weekend we were in New Mexico and hit up Trader Joe's.  They had basil plants on sale for $2.99 and I thought "what a great idea!  I can use it for fresh basil all summer."  Fresh basil is usually between $.50-1.00 a bunch at the H-mart and much more expensive at your standard grocery store.   The sad fact?  I was unable to keep the basil plant happy and finally it gave up the ghost.  Too much sun, not enough.  Too wet, too dry.  It went from four stalks down to one last sad limp looking stem.  And then one day it was gone.   This was one of the last recipes that benefited from the short life of this basil plant. 

1 cup unsweetened coconut milk

1/2 cup water

1/2-3/4 pound stir fry beef (pre-cut at the store)

2 tablespoons panaeng curry paste or red curry paste

2 tablespoons fish sauce

2 tablespoons palm sugar or brown sugar

3 tablespoons ground or finely chopped peanuts or peanut butter (or a little of both)

3 wild lime leaves torn or cut in quarters (optional)

a handful of Thai or Italian basil leaves, plus a few sprigs for garnish (optional)

In a medium saucepan, stir together 1/2 cup of the coconut milk and the water and bring to a very gentle boil over medium heat.  Spring in the beef, stirring to keep the pieces from sticking together, and simmer five minutes, until meat is tender.  With a slotted spoon, scoop the meat out into a bowl and set aside, leaving milk in pan to return to a gentle boil.  Stir in the curry paste and cook, pressing an stirring to dissolve the paste, 3 to 4 minutes, until the sauce is fragrant and smooth.  Return the beef and any juices to the pan, add the remaining 1/2 cup coconut milk, and bring back to a gentle boil.  In an attempt to get some more vegetables in my diet, I added green beans at this time.  Add the fish sauce, sugar, peanuts and lime leaves.  Stir well and simmer 3 to 4 minutes, until sauced is smooth.  Stir in the basil leaves and remove from heat.   Serve over rice or noodles (or just eat it right out of the bowl). 

Februarys Past

February 13, 2010 - Porto Fiel, Peru

 In the wee hours of the morning, after playing dice games on the deck of the beach house, the family was reunited when the final sister arrived from the States.  

 Porto Fiel sunset before we headed off to the airport to come back home.

February 13, 2009 - Ko Lanta, Thailand

My first Thai massage!

Delicious food at the Gong Grit restaurant

Ahh, the beach

Project 365 - January 3

 It is a rude awakening going back to work after a long weekend.   The new year means lots of new planning, training and employee activities.    But I do get to walk by the iconic Blue Bear each day on my way to work.

January 3 - Blue Bear "I see what you mean"

January 3 - I fear no fish sauce

It's been almost 2 years since I went to Thailand.  On my return I was not intimidated by the H-Mart and all the products where I can't read the label.  Pictured: fish sauce, soy sauce, chili paste.

Daybook (going to the gym or else edition)

(from the simple woman's daybook)

Outside my window...I heard it was 50 degrees today, but didn't witness it.  It is (again) night and cold.

I am wearing...my gym clothes.  I am going.  I promise. 

I am hearing...The Biggest Loser.

I am going...to make delicious treats for my co-workers birthday later this week.

I am noticing that...I throw things in empty drawers and cabinets, just because I can.

I am thinking...that I may try and swing another volunteer vacation this year.  CCS is offering alumni a 2/3 discount in 2010. 

I am hoping...that I can commit to hitting the gym 2-3 times a week and eat more salads.  At least until the end of H2O. 

I am reading...the notes at the end of The Year of Living Biblically.  "...the expert of all experts on kosher crickets is...."

I am creating...order in the chaos

I am remembering...last year on March 2, I left Chiang Mai, Thailand and headed to Taipei, Taiwan. What a crazy fun adventure that trip was!

quotation trees Chiang Mai

making spring rolls at cooking school

On my mind...what if the earth really has fallen of its axis because of the earthquake in Chile?

Words that I am pondering...the hilarity of country song lyrics.  Consider "Rain is a Good Thing" by Luke Bryan (rain makes corn, corn makes whiskey.....)

From the kitchen...got a fantastic easy Thai cook book for Christmas and will be enjoying my beef noodles that I made on Sunday.

A few plans for the rest of the week...Spanish class, book discussion, and the youth talent show.

One of my favorite things...sleep!  It has taken me 2 weeks to catch up from Peru

For your enjoyment...

garden next to the National Palace Museum in Taipei

Daybook (countdown to South America)

(from the simple woman's daybook)

Outside my window...it's night.  Can't wait until I the days get longer.

I am thinking...that Machu Picchu will still be closed when we get to Cusco next Sunday. 

I am thankful for... my co-worker returning from maternity leave today!

I am remembering...the "Game of Things" on Saturday night....so many things are more fun with 4!

I am going... to Continent 6 on Friday.

I am currently reading...How Coffee Saved My Life...and Other Stories of Stumbling to Grace by Ellie Roscher.  She writes about her experience as a young adult missionary in Uruguay.  It's a quick and fun read (especially finding out specifically how coffee saved her life).  Also very timely with our topic for the youth last night about the Great Commission.  Quote from the book "I believe that God loves me radically.  That love is liberating.  As a free North American with power and privilege, I can move into contact with my neighbor.  I can love God by loving my neighbor, and that neighbor does not need to live next door."

I am hoping...that training goes well on Wednesday and that I have no flight delays on Friday.

On my mind...last year, on the first Monday of February, I was preparing to depart the next day for a volunteer vacation in Thailand.  Hard to believe it was that long ago.  Definitely the right decision.  Is it ironic that one year later I'm getting ready for another trip and my suitcase is still not packed? 

Noticing that...my co-workers are really into the weight loss challenge.  It's going to be a great 3 months.

Pondering these words... "So here I am, all of me, Finally everything, Wholly, wholly, wholly..."
From the kitchen... nothing. I'm trying to get rid of my food this week. 

Around the house... a half packed suitcase.

One of my favorite things...preparing for vacation.

From my picture journal...my first day in Thailand, one year ago!

Which Wat?

Wat is the Thai word for temple. And in Thailand there are a lot of temples. In Chiang Mai, there are over 300 wats. We went to about 5 of them last Saturday. These pictures are from Wat Prah Singh. One of my favorite things at this wat complex, in addition to the man selling dragons made from rope, was this garden of trees that all had proverbs on them. I really enjoyed Chiang Mai. I stayed at a great guest house call The 3 Sis that was within walking or taxi distance of everything. We visited the heavily touristed Wat Doi Suthep and Doi Pui, a Hmong village (where I shopped like a savage).

I took a day-long cooking class at The Thai Farm Cooking School and hope to make fabulous mango sticky rice sometime soon.

We also enjoyed the famous Sunday Night street market. You can meet the artists who make some of the crafts, buy any necessary "I Love Chiang Mai" t-shirts or Trang magnets, eat random pastries, avoid mysterious black vegetable gelatin, and let birds go from a cage for good luck.

Sawadee Ka from Thailand

Today I say "sawadee ka" to Thailand and start heading in the vague direction of the US. Chiang Mai is a great place and will post pictures and comments about my adventures in cooking school, climbing 206 steps, the Sunday night market and setting birds free for good luck. I fly to Bangkok this morning and then to Taipei (via Hong Kong) this afternoon. I'm spending the next 2 days in Taipei and then leave for Denver on Thursday.

Absolutely loved Thailand and hope to return sooner than later.

Last Day of School

Today was my last day at the pre-school. Only because I was there last week when Shawna and Sabrina had their last day, did I know what would happen. All the kids have a flower, stand in a circle and sing a song. I got to go around and hug each kid and collect a bouquet of flowers in the process. It was great. My class also colored fish that are now made into a mobile that I will carefully pack so that it survives the last week of my travels. I will display it proudly when I get home. I should be packing right now, but as Ryan said, "it's hard to be motivated to pack when you're leaving paradise." He's lucky, he's staying in Thailand until May.

Tonight we went on a bike ride in the country. Lots of kids waving and saying "hi" as well as a huge group of teenage boys who busted out with the "I love you." Also saw the ever present bulls with necklaces on and people seriously flying kites. We have one last hurrah tomorrow morning, we're all going out for dim sum for breakfast before the other volunteers leave for a weekend camping trip to Taratao and I head to the airport on my way to Chiang Mai.

I have nothing but good things to say about my experience with CCS. I would do it again in a heartbeat. And since I always am planning ahead to the next trip, it's time to ponder, where next?

If It's Bob Marley, It Must Be Thailand

I have heard more Bob Marley here than I have heard anywhere else that I've traveled. In the car, at restaurants, on boats and naturally on the islands. I've even heard covers of Bob Marley songs. This is an improvement over the Thai karaoke that was played on my bus ride back to Trang from Krabi. It's also better than slow jams from 1989 where Bryan Adams and Whitney Houston seem to take center stage.

In Ko Lanta, we were at the We...Why? Bar and were exposed to Thai Reggae. Click here to hear some of Job 2 Do on You Tube. Much more fun.

Thai Pancake

One of the specialties (at least here in the south), is the Thai pancake. They are quite delicious, and not like our fluffy American pancakes. They are made on a big round griddle and are folded into a square shape. This delicious confection pictured was banana and chocolate. And like all street food, it is served with a stick.

Beach Games

In the US there are many pesky rules that are for our safety and protection from lawsuits. No such concerns here. At night there are parties on the beach that include games to help get you social with your fellow travelers and party goers. Exhibit A: Flaming Jump Rope. It was tempting, I just didn't want to catch my skirt on fire. But my friend made an excellent showing on Friday night with the flaming limbo. As they say here in Thailand: Mai Pen Rai (no worries).

Ko Phi Phi

Ko Phi Phi consists of two islands off the western coast of Thailand. This it was one of the areas devastated by the tsunami in December 2004, so almost everything on the island is rebuilt or new construction. Phi Phi Don is where all the lodging and services are. Phi Phi Ley (of The Beach fame) is part of a national park, and you can day trip there to sun, kayak, snorkel and watch the sunset. The first picture is from the view point at the top of Phi Phi Don...nothing like climbing a bazillion stairs on a hot, tropical, Friday afternoon, but the views were worth it. The two sunset pictures are from our afternoon and sunset snorkel boat trip to around Phi Phi Ley yesterday.

Funny Signs

This weekend we went to Ko Phi Phi. Phi Phi Ley is the island featured in the movie The Beach. I haven't seen it yet, but got a quick 3 minute recap from a friend. We stayed in the main tourist village which is geared towards everything you might possibly need on a beach vacation including, but not limited to: groceries, alcohol, t-shirts, sundresses, fins, floating mats, sunscreen, Thai massage, internet, books, Thai pancakes, fruit smoothies and bamboo tattoos. There may be other quiet restful places on the island that people over 40 go to, but it was primarily backpackers from Australia and Europe in their 20s and 30s in town. These 2 signs were posted in the village, and I thought they were entertaining, so am posting them for your enjoyment.

House Maa (aka The Dogs Speak Thai Here)

There are a lot of dogs in Thailand. Some are pets and some are strays. Even the strays are pretty much welcome anywhere and run in and out of yards and storefronts. At the school we have a few dogs that hang around, primarily because they get all the table scraps from the students and teachers lunches. Whenever I have my camera out, the kids want me to take pictures and show them, so this is a close up of our house dog, or 'maa' in Thai.

I always talk to dogs in English when I travel...it doesn't occur to me that they don't know English phrases like sit or come here. The teachers at school laughed when I mentioned us giving the leftovers of our spicy (pet in Thai) food to the dogs: 'These dogs are Thai, they like spicy food."

Pink Day

At school, there are a couple different uniforms for different days of the week. On Tuesdays, the uniform is pink. Not just a pale pink, but bright pink with gold weaving in the fabric. Pink for girls and pink for boys. Here are some of my students "pretty in pink."


In other Trang news: The weather continues to get more hot and humid. Late afternoon we we went to the park in town that has a beautiful jogging trail around a lake and got fit with the Thais. Tonight, a special shoutout to Mamma T and the fabulous mango sticky rice!

Farang

Farang is the Thai word for "white skinned foreigner." You will often hear a conversation that you can't understand that goes something like this "thaithaithaithai farang thaithaithaithai." And you know that they're talking about you. Today at the Tesco (Thailand's Walmart, complete with a KFC and Dunkin Donuts), some kids came up to us to practice saying "hello." Not too many farang in the store. I also had the opportunity to get some new flavors of chips, including Hot Chili Squid and Thai Chili Paste, so will enjoy those in the coming days.

When we went to Ko Lanta, our first thought when we pulled into Ben Sala Dan was "look at all the farang." The hotel where we stayed was full of Scandanavians, who apparantly like to spend a few months on holiday in there when there is no sunlight in their home country.

Sunday I took a bike ride in the late afternoon. I didn't know if it was the bike in the land of mopeds or my light skin, but I got more honks, hellos and little kids waving than I expected.

Tonight we rode our bikes to Cafe Africano for ice cream and waffles (not waffle cone, but actual belgian waffle with ice cream on it). They have a wall of pictures, so we took a few with the staff. There was also a wall of Valentine's post-it notes where you can put your messages, thoughts of love, and other comments. We tried to ponder our favorite quotes...including Sabrina's "If not now, when?" Something that all of us here are embracing.