Working on my Night Markets

Such fantastic things to be found at the markets in Thailand. My favourite are the ones that ring sidewalks of a park, though markets seem to spring up in any back alley or parking lot that will have them. There's everything from toys (not many fun ones though), electronic gadgets, clothes (and more clothes), jewelry and other souvenirs - plus all kinds of other doodads.

It is the food at these night markets that I'd like to share with you now though.

Firstly there is the any-sort-of-meat-or-seafood on a stick. The thought of foods on a stick is for some reason appealing to me (shishkebabs, fudgesicles) but these small hunks of meat sitting under the sun (well under the flies that are under the sun) all day and then barbequed for a few seconds before being served just turns my already vegetarian stomach further.

Seafood reigns supreme in this land and you can get all sorts of it cooked in any way you can think of (okay not really.. it's either bbqed or fried). Again I'm not interested but at the same time I AM intrigued and it seems that Larissa and I wander through the food section at each market just to make faces at the nasty-looking creatures that people are voluntarily ingesting.

Last night I had some luck in finding things that appeal to me (and aren't made of animals.. though dead meat doesn't appeal to me anyway). My food-fetish for things on a stick was answered with a little wooden rod full of small, multicoloured squishy balls of sticky, sweet jelly. Yum!

Not having spoiled my appetite with the candy we passed by the pad thai stands (all pad thai-ed out!) and saw a lady frying up small multicoloured patties which she assured us were vegetables (well at least kept repeating 'vegetable' over again). Grabbing a mixed pack I tried the green leafy one (spinach? seaweed most likely) then the corn one (not bad) and then the white one which turned out to be the best (though neither of us could ascertain what vegetable it was despite its decidedly vegetable texture).

Larissa slurped a fresh watermelon smoothie - so good and abundantly available for about 50 cents Canadian - and I spotted a crepe place. With memories of my banana pancake in Bangkok I was informed I could make 3 topping choices and peered into the canisters of multicoloured globs or spreads. I settled on red gelatinous balls like the ones on my stick of earlier, sprinkles and caramel sauce. She told me the caramel sauce was in fact chili sauce so I swapped it for chocolate. The crepe was thin and crunchy, folded over into a pizza slice shape with the toppings in the center and was tasty (but didn't match the banana chocolate sandwich from Khao San).

With my hunger nearly satisfied (okay we went out for a full dinner after too) we returned to the AC room we'd splured on (a whole $20/night) and watched Wall-E (in English.. though I think "Wally" and "Eva", the extent of the dialog, would translate).

Volunteering with the elephants in Chiang Mai for a week starts on the 23rd! Can't wait.