A 2 day 16 hour boat ride meandering through the lush green hills of Lao is how I entered the country. It was a boat ride I looked forward to for a long time, two days on the Mekong river through rural landscapes of Laos. Isolated Villages, happy children playing in the river waving to the boat as it drifts past, this was the unique experience I was looking for. With the exception of Luang Probang’s monk filled streets, heavily influenced French architecture and cuisine, Vientiane’s urban sprawl, and Vang Viengs bazaar out of place party atmosphere, Laos as a whole was very reminiscent of my first 2 days entering the country, slow moving, lazy, remote, and relaxing.
It’s funny for me to say, and is even more odd looking back on it, but it was hard for me to assimilate into the Lao way of life. It’s not to say that I’m not a happy person, friendly person, easy going person, I would like to think that I know how to relax and enjoy my self, but I clearly was not ready for Lao lifestyle. Maybe it’s a bit of the A.D.D. that I have embedded in my personality, but the lazy days, the relaxed days, the sun soaked days of doing very little were actually the days that were most memorable. Sure the scenery is beautiful in Laos, but it was the people and life style that I really enjoyed, although it took me nearly the entire trip to learn to enjoy it. As I have rambled on about in past emails, discussing my hopeful findings of primitive life styles, as I hoped to explore never seen before lands… naïve as all hell.... YUP sure is, but it was what I hoped to find. What I was looking for was a small piece of the world, less westernized, more down to its roots, what it has been for years and has remained to the day. Laos is as close as I have come to finding this. Hooking up with a great group of travelling companions, it took me nearly a month to allow the serenity and beauty of the people and culture to set in. The “hippie” in me took over on my last week in Lao, roaming Don Det (a small rural island on the Mekong) for nearly a week barefoot and shirtless, living in a grass hut with electricity running from 6pm to 10pm daily, a hammock on my porch facing the river, beautiful sunsets, a local pig roast, smiling people, and a whole lot of nothing... Lao life... rural Lao set in, and I loved it.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Monday, February 9, 2009
Floating into Lao
Floating into Lao,
A 7:00am wake up call on the the Chaing Khong (Thai) boarder was the begining of a 2 days on a long boat (hard wooden seats or the wood floor) for 8+ hours a day meandering down the Mekong River into Luang Probang, Lao. This was a trip that i had been eyeing for quite some time and i don't know what drew me towards this. The allure of my ass going numb on the floor of a boat was definitely NOT it, but the sights, the rural beauty of a country i knew basically nothing about was probably what did it.
What i didn't expect was the board the boat with 100 travelers, many many bottles of booze, tons of Thai and Lao beer and having the first 8 hour day turn into a glorified booze cruise. I did how ever manage to throw in the Ipod, play some relaxing tunes and gaze at the absolutely brilliant scenery as it passed me by. Day two was a bit more relaxing when most of the boat had realized that gassin' alcohol was NOT a sustainable way to travel, so again Ipod in and drinking in the scenery was exactly what i thought this journey would be. Passing Totally isolated villages only accessible by boat, living pretty much solely off the land and river. It got a bit "national geographic" on me as we slowly drifted passed little naked Lao children playing in the river, guys with AK-47's floating past on rickety canoes, it was a trip. Hill side villages tucked far up in the lush green hills, smoke stacks faintly climbing above the tree line, and fisherman down on the river using the current to push their catch into their strategically placed nets which are strung to two long bamboo poles. it was a brilliant ride, minus the first day bender, exactly what i was hoping for.
Luang Probang: caught me off guard a bit, Lao being colonized by the French, on arrival i was introduced to the most beautiful thing i have seen in a long long time, FRESHLY BAKED BAGUETTES, Beautifully crispy BREAD, which i have been deprived of for far too long. I think i tanked down about 4 baguette sandwiches on arrival and the madness didn't stop there and hasn't to the day. If the French have done anything right, it's food, and i thank them for bringing it to Lao. Other than my discovery of the baguette, Luang Probang was a pretty touristy city, a bit over priced, filled with good restaurants though which range from french, to thai, lao, to italian where pizza is the menu item of choice and is probably the one thing i see the most all over asia as a standard comfort food, still haven't gotten it yet.
Vang Vieng: a twisty, rolling, climbing, AMAZING 6 hour mini van ride down to the tubing capital of Lao, the ride from Luang Probang to Vang Vieng was fantastic, through small villages clinging to the cliff side, in and out of fields, banana plantations, over rivers and cruising through lime stone crass was a drive out of video game. As i approached the city all i could think about was renting a scooter and doing it my self (which happened on my last day).
A City which revolves around cheap liquor, shitty music, lots of drugs, all natural ones of course, which in some bars you can find laminated on a menu, still illegal though, it was a bit overwhelming for many. For me, i got my fill of beer and cheap "tiger wiskey" on the river but was tempted by a different beast, not druggs, but "the thrill of being a moron," with beer flowing like the rolling river water, free shots of tiger wiskey ($1.25 us A BOTTLE) being poored like.... well... like it is as cheap as it was (quickly and freely), and the presence of 30+ foot rope swings, my childish nature shows bright and hucking enormouse layed out back flips was something i felt like i needed to prove to the world that day. I would have to say they were pretty (wish i got one on video), but as the sun was setting and so was the amount of alcohol the final swing payed it's toll as i slipped off the handle and slammed into the river, winding my self, bruisin' some ribs, and pinching a nerve in my neck making my pinkey and ring finger numb for over a week. Yes i'm a dumbass.
Partyin' aside, renting a scooter and cruising through the dirt streets was exactly what i was looking for, remote towns, schools which consisted of three wall structures, some more naked lao kids playing in the street, old hunched over women sweeping the front door with a straw broom, remote villages that still do things the "old way" it was beautiful, really remarkable to see. the one comfort that they had was NOT hot water, was not Washer and Dryer, but a HUGE satellite dish, a single burning light bulb and a TV for passing time, it was a funny thing to see.
The only place i saw more rural than this was North of Luang Probang in a town called Muang Ngoi. Only accessible by boat, an hour north up stream from Nong Khiaw was a small village, No cars, dirt road, "one horse town," doing a hour hike back in the "jungle"/rice fields reveals some beautiful Limestone caves which are in abundance in Lao, small more remote villages, and extremely happy people, probably the nicest and happiest i have experienced on this trip, well, in my life, always smiling!
Vientiane: The capital of Lao is not the busiest city i have ever scene, if anything probably the sleepiest capital i have ever been to, but for me it works. most travelers pass right through this town using it as a stopping point before crossing the Mekong back into thailand, or heading south (which i did, down to Pakse and Don Det). Bursting with cool restaurants, French inspired food, Thai food, Coffee shops, and street vendors, Vientiane is a pretty cool city to get involved in food with. Lao its self has a pretty boring cuisine, it is not so much Thai, and not so much Vietnamies, but sandwiched between confused with who it is, in my experience it was a simple place to eat (luang probang and vientiane as the acception). I did however get a chance to meet up with a brilliant Thai Chef who runs the Lao Garden Pub and Restaurant, Ordering Three dishes and a beer in this relatively high end restaurant ran me a whopping 97,000 kip or $11.95usd, crispy pork, green mango, and cashew salad, Lemon cream glazed crispy chicken, and Beef tenderloin RARE with spicy/sour sauce all came out at once and was utterly devoured.
Pakse: A solid 12hr bus from Vientiane on a sleeper bus, ariving early in the morning, still dazed from my "shared double bed" (thank god i didn't have to share), was the town of Pakse. An unexpected NOTHING of a city, i quickly hoped a Tuk Tuk with some other travelers to the nearest bus station and boarded the SLOWEST moving bus i had ever been on in my life. Cruising at a top speed of 20mph on a 3 hour non a/c, NO ventelation sweat-fest, i headed to the town on Tot Lo. Again a beautiful experience in a rural town, this was a one day one night stop over. On arrival i headed right to the waterfalls went for a swim where some locals kids were jumping a good 20ft ciff into the falls (due to my injuries in vang vieng i opted out of the cliff jump) the first jumper scared the shit out of me, it didn't look do-able. after enjoying the swim and location for a hour or so I headed back to town to chat it up with some fellow travelers and local villagers. the thing to do here is RELAX, and/or rent a scooter and tour the Bolivan Platau, but i wanted to keep on moving so one night in this quite town was good for me.
Getting to Don Det my final stop in Lao was one that took a hellish day of traveling to get to. Back on the 3 hour 20mph sweat bus, accompanied by a 4 hour local transport. A touch larger than the flatbed of a pickup truck, enclosed by steal bars, plastic siding, and a roof rack which held anything from livestock, backpacks, to people, i was packed 21 people deep. sweating in 90 degree heat we barreled down the road stopping here and there to pick more people up, drop minimal people off, all painfully uncomfortable until i snapped. we had stopped to pick up another person, a cross country biker, while stopped this Lao woman who was transporting 9 piglettes in 3 burlap sacks was getting nervouse that they would die of heat so opted to tranfer them into a large wicker basket. Sufficating with in what i thought would be my casket i thought, this could be my chance, pushing my way out, i gave a look of desperation to the driver and pointed to the roof. Hel laughed, smiled, and nodded his head, the rest of the trip was a literal "breeze." Shirt off, sun out, headphones in and my eye on the passing scenerey i laughed at all the suckers squashed below me. The ride was fantastic, my eyes fixed on everything passing me by, farmland, rural homes, even Elephats being used as transport for farm equipment and crops, a freakin' elephant being used as a "real" non-touristic means of transportation....wild. the ride was out standing.
Don Det: located in the area of 4,000 islands (Si Phon Don) was a bit of an oasis. litterally thousands of islands scattered with in the large Mekong River. A river that brought me into Lao was the same River that would take me out. Lush palm tree lined shores, guest houses that offer electricity from 6pm to 10pm, and Hammocks, lots and lots of Hammocks. I spent 6 days here doing absolutly NOTHING, go swimming, reading a book, going to a local pig roast (which of course i could have done better :) ), getting to know some locals, going to look for a rare almost extict river dolphin (didn't see it), and discussing with friends the best method to catch fish in the river, this was the extent of 6 days.
After walking the dirt paths of Don Det bare foot for 6 days, rarely wearing a shirt, sleeping in hammocks, and being woke at sun up by roosters (which i can't stand), it was a bit sad to leave this area. It took me a while but after nearly a month in Lao i finaly allowed the tranquil life style to set in. the rural, relaxing, lazy days in Lao are somthing i wont forget, the happiest people i have ever seen, a beautiful culture, and a wonderful experience.
LAO PHOTOS:
http://picasaweb.google.co.in/vaccaro.marc24/MarcvaccaroLaos?feat=directlink
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Northern Thailand
After my amazing experience in Phuket I headed north to see what the rest of the country could offer me. What I found was a piece of Thailand that I had yet to experience. The islands of the south were quite diverse, but since they were so heavily polluted with the young party scene, that is what I typically associate the south with. Although the north is not too far off, there is a lot more to do than gaze at crystal clear water while being scorched by the blistering sun with a bottle of Change Beer in your hand.
In my opinion Bangkok can be misunderstood by many tourists, hell the first time I was there I misunderstood it as well, but for a totally different reason. The first time I landed in Bangkok was the first time I had ever been to Asia, the utter chaos (or perceived chaos) of Asian streets, horn honking, pollution, population, dirty allies, prostitutes, ladyboys, loud bars, tuk tuk drivers, dirty hostels can all be a bit unnerving, especially when traveling alone. The funny thing is once you can handle it, once you accept Bangkok (or any city for that matter), for what it is than the sooner it all becomes a game for you. The second time around, Bangkok was a breeze. Keep you mouth closed and sit in the middle of the boat when cruising down a "sewage ally" (as I call them) in a long boat, haggle your ass off when deal with a tuk tuk (auto rickshaw) driver, don't be surprised if a beautiful girl who smiles at you has a larger adams apple than you, and even if that saturated filthy ally your in is at the point of fermentation, that Pad Thai vendor in it may be the best in town! Bangkok is a Zoo but the sooner you learn to deal with it the better, Chackuchak weekend market will make any "shopper-esk" western woman go wild, the place was unreal.
The side of Bangkok that a lot tourist see which leaves them with a sour taste in their mouth, is the Khao San road Bangkok which is a myriad of flashing lights, shitty bars with bad music, tons of cloths, flip flops, corrupt tuk tuk drivers, and 100 times more tourists than actual Thai people. It would be the equivalent of a Chinese person moving to ANY china town (outside of china), not leaving it and saying which ever city they were in was not a good one. Hmmmm?
Kanchanaburi: a small town about two hours north of Bangkok was a bit of a refugee after a few party nights in the big city, I was tipped off to the town by a German buddy who I traveled China with and it turned out to be a great stop over which lasted 5 days. Floating market which is a bit of a tourist trap, the "TIGER TEMPLE" which was also pretty lame, along with the River Kuai bridge which held good historical value but when seeing it, is actually as you would imagine.... just a bridge. The excitement or non-excitement was just the life style of the area, renting a scooter and driving for hours through the hills and roads, stumbling across a market in the middle of no where and watching a man turn pure cane sugar into colored sugar "hair," relaxing by the river and enjoying some good food in an outstanding guest house. A relaxing escape from Bangkok.
Chiang Mai: This city was a good place to go, totally unrepresentative of Bangkok or southern Thailand as a whole. This laid back city was a great place and Julies Guest House was a awesome place to stay supplying info for any and everything I wanted to do. Great food markets, the Night bazaar was not all that spectacular but did not let me down on the copious amounts of outrageous t-shirts that Thailand seems to be bursting with. The River Side bar was jamming with good live music every night, and the coffee in the morning was brilliant (northern Thai or Laoation hills coffee).
Pai: Another City which I fell in love with, a small town located about 3 hours north of Chiang Mai which is as close to the Burmese boarder as I have come. A mountain town, and YES it gets cold at night especially in the winter with temperatures dropping into the 40's. A total hippie town with a really cool vibe to it, lots of coffee shops, tons of good music, very laid back people. A semi isolated community which is now getting recognized by tourists. I hit it during a Reggae festival which was both good and bad, good because I got to see the festival, bad because it brought a ton of tourist into a town I would have loved to see when it was slow and empty. Again it didn't stop me and Matt from renting scooters ($3 a day) and riding them from sun up to sun down, I would say Pai is a must do in northern Thailand.
PHOTOS:
Http://picasaweb.google.co.in/vaccaro.marc24/MarcvaccaroThailand2?feat=directlink
In my opinion Bangkok can be misunderstood by many tourists, hell the first time I was there I misunderstood it as well, but for a totally different reason. The first time I landed in Bangkok was the first time I had ever been to Asia, the utter chaos (or perceived chaos) of Asian streets, horn honking, pollution, population, dirty allies, prostitutes, ladyboys, loud bars, tuk tuk drivers, dirty hostels can all be a bit unnerving, especially when traveling alone. The funny thing is once you can handle it, once you accept Bangkok (or any city for that matter), for what it is than the sooner it all becomes a game for you. The second time around, Bangkok was a breeze. Keep you mouth closed and sit in the middle of the boat when cruising down a "sewage ally" (as I call them) in a long boat, haggle your ass off when deal with a tuk tuk (auto rickshaw) driver, don't be surprised if a beautiful girl who smiles at you has a larger adams apple than you, and even if that saturated filthy ally your in is at the point of fermentation, that Pad Thai vendor in it may be the best in town! Bangkok is a Zoo but the sooner you learn to deal with it the better, Chackuchak weekend market will make any "shopper-esk" western woman go wild, the place was unreal.The side of Bangkok that a lot tourist see which leaves them with a sour taste in their mouth, is the Khao San road Bangkok which is a myriad of flashing lights, shitty bars with bad music, tons of cloths, flip flops, corrupt tuk tuk drivers, and 100 times more tourists than actual Thai people. It would be the equivalent of a Chinese person moving to ANY china town (outside of china), not leaving it and saying which ever city they were in was not a good one. Hmmmm?
Kanchanaburi: a small town about two hours north of Bangkok was a bit of a refugee after a few party nights in the big city, I was tipped off to the town by a German buddy who I traveled China with and it turned out to be a great stop over which lasted 5 days. Floating market which is a bit of a tourist trap, the "TIGER TEMPLE" which was also pretty lame, along with the River Kuai bridge which held good historical value but when seeing it, is actually as you would imagine.... just a bridge. The excitement or non-excitement was just the life style of the area, renting a scooter and driving for hours through the hills and roads, stumbling across a market in the middle of no where and watching a man turn pure cane sugar into colored sugar "hair," relaxing by the river and enjoying some good food in an outstanding guest house. A relaxing escape from Bangkok.Chiang Mai: This city was a good place to go, totally unrepresentative of Bangkok or southern Thailand as a whole. This laid back city was a great place and Julies Guest House was a awesome place to stay supplying info for any and everything I wanted to do. Great food markets, the Night bazaar was not all that spectacular but did not let me down on the copious amounts of outrageous t-shirts that Thailand seems to be bursting with. The River Side bar was jamming with good live music every night, and the coffee in the morning was brilliant (northern Thai or Laoation hills coffee).
Pai: Another City which I fell in love with, a small town located about 3 hours north of Chiang Mai which is as close to the Burmese boarder as I have come. A mountain town, and YES it gets cold at night especially in the winter with temperatures dropping into the 40's. A total hippie town with a really cool vibe to it, lots of coffee shops, tons of good music, very laid back people. A semi isolated community which is now getting recognized by tourists. I hit it during a Reggae festival which was both good and bad, good because I got to see the festival, bad because it brought a ton of tourist into a town I would have loved to see when it was slow and empty. Again it didn't stop me and Matt from renting scooters ($3 a day) and riding them from sun up to sun down, I would say Pai is a must do in northern Thailand.
PHOTOS:
Http://picasaweb.google.co.in/vaccaro.marc24/MarcvaccaroThailand2?feat=directlink
Sunday, January 4, 2009
December 31st, 2008
December 31st, 2008
The time is around 11:00pm, I have been in the Sala Phuket kitchen for about 3 weeks now, learning, observing, and hanging with the staff and chef. I think I have things dialed in, but all of a sudden an order is called, I’m more or less put in charge of bumping out 40+ passion fruit soufflés. Am I desert guy? No, Not a shot in hell. Do I like whipping egg whites, folding them into a passion fruit mixture I prepped a day ago, putting my faith in the constant temperature of the oven as this delicate desert takes it’s time to rise light and fluffy, slapping it on a plate with a Crème Brule trio, a hot and cold sabayon milk shake, that my “team” was prepping, and praying that it gets to the table before it “falls,” it was a bit unnerving for a minute or two. Actually it was a semi frantic half hour, but when customers where happily fed, that new years toast at midnight was oh so sweet.
The time is around 11:00pm, I have been in the Sala Phuket kitchen for about 3 weeks now, learning, observing, and hanging with the staff and chef. I think I have things dialed in, but all of a sudden an order is called, I’m more or less put in charge of bumping out 40+ passion fruit soufflés. Am I desert guy? No, Not a shot in hell. Do I like whipping egg whites, folding them into a passion fruit mixture I prepped a day ago, putting my faith in the constant temperature of the oven as this delicate desert takes it’s time to rise light and fluffy, slapping it on a plate with a Crème Brule trio, a hot and cold sabayon milk shake, that my “team” was prepping, and praying that it gets to the table before it “falls,” it was a bit unnerving for a minute or two. Actually it was a semi frantic half hour, but when customers where happily fed, that new years toast at midnight was oh so sweet.
Taking a step back and thinking about it, there is no other way i would have wanted to spend my new years eve here in thailand. I had the time of my life, cooking with Thai people, working hand and hand with the Chef Jan. Helping out to design and execute the Menu, helping Jan better his restaurant (menu), better his knowledge, his staffs knowledge, while taking it all in and getting a chance to learn more than everyone else. It was fantastic, new years behind “the line” it was something I won’t forget.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Sala Experience
http://picasaweb.google.com/vaccaro.marc/MarcvaccaroSalaPhuket#
What can I say about Sala Phuket, besides it is simply one of the best places I have ever stayed at. I would not even consider my self a guest (well, a proper, paying guest) since I have spent more time in the Kitchen than out on the beach, by the pool, in a day bed, in the restaurant, or even in my personal villa with a swimming pool. Sala Phuket is an unbelievable place to stay from the Management who I can now call my friends, to the people greeting you on arrival, to the villas which I can’t say enough about (pictures can’t begin to show how great these things are), even down to the green green hand cut grass that grows in lines between the cement bricks strategically placed creating architectural beauty. The attention to detail is breathtaking.
For me, it has not just been about the food, although I love it, and I have been eating out of control, it is also the life style. Getting a chance to settle back down, taking a second to breath in life, to experience more than living out of my backpack, getting a chance to check out a town for more than a week. Getting into the fabric of a Thai restaurant and Thai life is something not too many travelers get to experience, hell it has been my first chance to breath in another culture and life for this long in such local conditions. Driving a car again, riding a scooter around the back roads of Thalang, going to markets with some of the kitchen staff and seeing where they eat and live, hanging out in their homes for a couple of nights, talking cooking with the head Thai Chef in the kitchen, learning a bit of the language, and sharing in their lives, these are all experiences that I never would have had with out knowing Jan and the staff at Sala. "Thank you" does not even do justice to the opportunity i was given. 
What can I say about Sala Phuket, besides it is simply one of the best places I have ever stayed at. I would not even consider my self a guest (well, a proper, paying guest) since I have spent more time in the Kitchen than out on the beach, by the pool, in a day bed, in the restaurant, or even in my personal villa with a swimming pool. Sala Phuket is an unbelievable place to stay from the Management who I can now call my friends, to the people greeting you on arrival, to the villas which I can’t say enough about (pictures can’t begin to show how great these things are), even down to the green green hand cut grass that grows in lines between the cement bricks strategically placed creating architectural beauty. The attention to detail is breathtaking.
I arrived here with a backpack on my back (filled with dirty cloths from island hopping the past 2 weeks), the bag went behind the desk and Chef Jan came out to meet me. I had met him just 2 years back on my first trip to Thailand, after buying some chef cloths from him online (a small business he created), and just keeping in touch with him through my travels, Jan took me in a greeted me at the front desk with open arms.
What followed was something I had only dreamed about. A month of living with a local, an English speaking local, a chef none the less, and a great one at that. Sala Phuket is a premier resort, the menu that Jan is working with blends Thai and western cooking techniques, his staff is amazing, and the learning possibilities were all here laid out right before my eyes.
For me, it has not just been about the food, although I love it, and I have been eating out of control, it is also the life style. Getting a chance to settle back down, taking a second to breath in life, to experience more than living out of my backpack, getting a chance to check out a town for more than a week. Getting into the fabric of a Thai restaurant and Thai life is something not too many travelers get to experience, hell it has been my first chance to breath in another culture and life for this long in such local conditions. Driving a car again, riding a scooter around the back roads of Thalang, going to markets with some of the kitchen staff and seeing where they eat and live, hanging out in their homes for a couple of nights, talking cooking with the head Thai Chef in the kitchen, learning a bit of the language, and sharing in their lives, these are all experiences that I never would have had with out knowing Jan and the staff at Sala. "Thank you" does not even do justice to the opportunity i was given. 
Friday, January 2, 2009
Island Hopping, Thailand
http://picasaweb.google.com/vaccaro.marc/MarcvaccaroThailand02#
Ko Lanta, Ko Phi Phi, and Phuket
What can I say about Island life in Thailand that many of you don’t know. It’s definitely exotic, it tastes delicious, the waters warm, the people are friendly, and there is no wondering why tourists flock to these destinations, it can be as relaxing as you want it to be OR as ruckus as you want it to be, simply put it’s THAILAND.
Ko Lanta,
A prime example of Choosing your pace: Showing up here after an all day trek, via, boat, bus, taxi, ferry, auto rickshaw, Marty and I were ready for a cocktail, and after walking a solid 50 yards down the beach came across a decent sized beach party. A loud typical thai night in the bars, Chang Beers going down like water (because they kind of resemble it), followed by a quick stumble home to your $25 (split two ways) a night ocean front beach bungalow can be more representative of the rowdy side of Thailand.
Where the following day of sleeping on the beach from sun up to sun down, a relaxing dinner after a stroll down the beach consisting of MONSTER Thai Tiger Prawns, more reminiscent of lobster tails than shrimp, on a silent moon light beach, can be an example of relaxing Thailand. You Choose your speed in this amazing country. Ko Lanta being no exception. “Somewhere Else” was a fantastic place to stay, prime ocean front property, day beds to relax on all day and night, and a friendly staff, this was my warm welcome to Thailand.
Ko Phi Phi (also known as “The Beach”)
This place has to be heaven on earth, IF you visited it 10 years ago. I could only imagine a desolate island, minimal tourists, even fewer locals, just crystal clear water, huge lush hills springing out of the ocean in the middle of no where. A remote location similar to the concept of the movie “the beach,” a place to relax, a place to be thankful for having the chance to go and see, a place to take in the absolutely beautiful things that the earth has to offer.
Not to say that it is not beautiful now, but it has become a revolving door, with Ferries coming from all over the place, dumping travelers off, picking travelers up, dropping off supplies, but unfortunately not taking all the waste with them. It still is an absolutely stunning place, the water is just as clear as it was 10 years ago I would assume and the hills are probably equally as green. I kind of wish I got to see these picturesque tranquil beaches before they got bombarded with tourism, it truly is a fairy tale location, what was once filled with “Swiss Family Robison” style bungalows, is now a bit of westernized tourist trap, packing in 1000’s of tourists alike from the Thais them selves to the overpopulating euro-trash mostly ranging in ages from 16 to 25, and YES there is more than one 7/11 on the island.
With this said, it is still a place to go, a place to see, a place to snorkel at, cliff jump at, or rent a “long tail” boat for the day (driver included) for a mere $36 split with as few or as many people as you can jam in the boat at, it is well worth the trip. The parties at night are fantastic, doing double-dutch with a flaming jump rope is an experience, attempting a limbo under a flaming bar has been known to singe the hair on your head or possibly torch your goatee, buying Changs in the store and walking into a Mui Thai kickboxing bar is always a trip. Ko Phi Phi is a great place to party. On the flip side, just like Lanta, going to Long Beach, and sleeping on the sand (although it may produce 100’s of sand fly bites) can be one of the most relaxing days of your life. The water is clear and warm and the scenery is nothing shy of heavenly, a remarkable place to visit.
Phuket:
This is a great place to visit but it can be tricky to get the real taste and flavor of the island, as many travelers head straight to Patong which is filled with the stereotypical Thailand shenanigans that you expect to see in the perverse streets of the much larger seedier Bangkok. Young and old everyone is partying in Patong. Me and marty steered way clear of this area and stayed in the much more local town “Phuket Town” as it’s called. A great place to stay, very local, cool little night market with some decent food, during the day you can get anything food related as long as it’s locally grown or caught. The bars at night were sleepy, but that was only because I didn’t know my way around. My second trip to Phuket town led me to a huge “house party” like bar, which literally represented a house “Timber Shed” with a band rockin’ out Thai Jams, a place i never would have found with out the help of a local.
What can I say about Island life in Thailand that many of you don’t know. It’s definitely exotic, it tastes delicious, the waters warm, the people are friendly, and there is no wondering why tourists flock to these destinations, it can be as relaxing as you want it to be OR as ruckus as you want it to be, simply put it’s THAILAND.
Ko Lanta,
A prime example of Choosing your pace: Showing up here after an all day trek, via, boat, bus, taxi, ferry, auto rickshaw, Marty and I were ready for a cocktail, and after walking a solid 50 yards down the beach came across a decent sized beach party. A loud typical thai night in the bars, Chang Beers going down like water (because they kind of resemble it), followed by a quick stumble home to your $25 (split two ways) a night ocean front beach bungalow can be more representative of the rowdy side of Thailand.
Where the following day of sleeping on the beach from sun up to sun down, a relaxing dinner after a stroll down the beach consisting of MONSTER Thai Tiger Prawns, more reminiscent of lobster tails than shrimp, on a silent moon light beach, can be an example of relaxing Thailand. You Choose your speed in this amazing country. Ko Lanta being no exception. “Somewhere Else” was a fantastic place to stay, prime ocean front property, day beds to relax on all day and night, and a friendly staff, this was my warm welcome to Thailand.
Ko Phi Phi (also known as “The Beach”)
This place has to be heaven on earth, IF you visited it 10 years ago. I could only imagine a desolate island, minimal tourists, even fewer locals, just crystal clear water, huge lush hills springing out of the ocean in the middle of no where. A remote location similar to the concept of the movie “the beach,” a place to relax, a place to be thankful for having the chance to go and see, a place to take in the absolutely beautiful things that the earth has to offer.
Not to say that it is not beautiful now, but it has become a revolving door, with Ferries coming from all over the place, dumping travelers off, picking travelers up, dropping off supplies, but unfortunately not taking all the waste with them. It still is an absolutely stunning place, the water is just as clear as it was 10 years ago I would assume and the hills are probably equally as green. I kind of wish I got to see these picturesque tranquil beaches before they got bombarded with tourism, it truly is a fairy tale location, what was once filled with “Swiss Family Robison” style bungalows, is now a bit of westernized tourist trap, packing in 1000’s of tourists alike from the Thais them selves to the overpopulating euro-trash mostly ranging in ages from 16 to 25, and YES there is more than one 7/11 on the island.
With this said, it is still a place to go, a place to see, a place to snorkel at, cliff jump at, or rent a “long tail” boat for the day (driver included) for a mere $36 split with as few or as many people as you can jam in the boat at, it is well worth the trip. The parties at night are fantastic, doing double-dutch with a flaming jump rope is an experience, attempting a limbo under a flaming bar has been known to singe the hair on your head or possibly torch your goatee, buying Changs in the store and walking into a Mui Thai kickboxing bar is always a trip. Ko Phi Phi is a great place to party. On the flip side, just like Lanta, going to Long Beach, and sleeping on the sand (although it may produce 100’s of sand fly bites) can be one of the most relaxing days of your life. The water is clear and warm and the scenery is nothing shy of heavenly, a remarkable place to visit.
Phuket:
This is a great place to visit but it can be tricky to get the real taste and flavor of the island, as many travelers head straight to Patong which is filled with the stereotypical Thailand shenanigans that you expect to see in the perverse streets of the much larger seedier Bangkok. Young and old everyone is partying in Patong. Me and marty steered way clear of this area and stayed in the much more local town “Phuket Town” as it’s called. A great place to stay, very local, cool little night market with some decent food, during the day you can get anything food related as long as it’s locally grown or caught. The bars at night were sleepy, but that was only because I didn’t know my way around. My second trip to Phuket town led me to a huge “house party” like bar, which literally represented a house “Timber Shed” with a band rockin’ out Thai Jams, a place i never would have found with out the help of a local.
Now being on the Island of Phuket for nearly a month, living with a friend (Chef Jan Hollister) at his home and in the resort of Sala Phuket has been an amazing experience. Getting to see the Island like a local is something virtually no tourists get to see. Going to the local stores, local bars, eating street food in markets, even down to simply going to work. It has opened my eyes a bit wider to Thai life, both the good and the bad. While it’s great to escape the massive amounts of b.s. that goes on in the states, it’s funny to see how even in Thailand where rules seem to be made and broken by anyone with money, they still have their own crap to deal with. I guess the bullshit of life happens every where, in some places it just seems to stink a little bit less.
No matter where I go next, if my trip ends tomorrow, or continues on for the rest of my life, I’ll never forget my stay here in Phuket, it has been a real privilege to meet a guy like Jan who has taken me in, let me stay in his home, work in his kitchen, live with him in his day to day life. I can't begin to thank him enough, seeing phuket through local eyes in and having a real local experience is something i only dreamed about. Spending Christmas and New Years with Jan and his staff was as close to family as i could have got 1000's of miles away from home. As i can see the end of my stay here in Phuket getting closer by the day, i'm a bit sad to move on, to leave the people who have made my trip and my life here in Thailand that much better, but as i have experienced so many times in the past 4 month of my journey, a new adventure is always waiting right around the next corner. Phuket..... I can't wait to return.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Phuket (email) Enlightened in Thailand
Dear lord, 4 months of my life have just disappeared, I scroll through my pictures and India seems like a year ago. Not because life has been dragging on, simply because I have experienced so much between then and now. By no means was India a forgettable experience, if anything stepping off the plane and into the hot and humid Mumbai air, driving through ghettos, past cows, humans, dogs, and anything else you can imagine sleeping on the streets at 11pm is far from forgettable. Climbing into the Annapurna mountain range in Nepal was fantastic, Spending 7 weeks in China was outrageously unexpected, a extremely brief time in Malaysia was a bit sad, but now a solid month in Thailand has been fantastic. Starting off with Marty Barry, and just finishing up spending time with a new chef friend, his staff, and management in the resort he works for, they have made this trip to Thailand unforgettable.
Spending Time away from family and friends over the holidays can be a bit of a bummer but getting the opportunity to become part of a new team and family here at the Sala Phuket resort has been a blessing. I can’t say enough about the people who work here and the experience I have had. I see the end of my time here at Sala approaching and it makes me sad to say good bye to my new friends. The though of staying a bit longer is always in the back of my head, working a bit, gaining a bit more experience, staying in Thailand as long as I can and continuing to live a more relaxing life. It’s not a bad thing, and believe me if I stay here for any longer that fantasy would probably become reality, but lets face it, I am on this trip to TRAVEL, cook and learn, i'm compelled to move on.
Sitting here in Thailand working and living in an awesome environment, I find myself some times struggling with this question: why should I return to the States? I fall short in coming up with an answer almost every time i ask it, but at the end of the day, I guess it is still home. Being on the road has defintiely opened my eyes to a lot of things. Being in the restaurant industry has been a fun life for me, it has been countless hours behind stoves, in classrooms, in walk-in refrigerators, doing inventory in dry storage, working on menu’s, it’s a life I love, no matter how difficult it can be at times. Seeing it from another perspective (in Sala Phuket) has opened my mind to what life in a kitchen should be or better yet CAN BE. Should I be putting in countless hours in a kitchen, drinking endless cups of coffee, and sweating it out behind the line day in and day out because “that is what being a chef is all about.” For some reason NOW, I see that as being a bit of a martyr, in an unnecessary way, living and dieing behind the line is not for me. I’m not appose to a hard days work, or "paying my dues," I feel like now i can see the bigger picture. When ever I return to the states unfortunately I’ll probably fall right back into that same work ethic, but i have seen the light and i hope at least i can work my way out of it just as quickly as i fall back in. I feel like i have been exposed to another side of the kitchen that for so long I have been blind to. I guess what appeals to me the most is the Thai life style and the passion... Not just in the kitchen and at work but in everyone’s day to day lives.
Phuket, has helped me see that passion, being involved with a much larger cooking community, meeting new people every day and sharing food with them here in Asia is something I only dreamed about, while on arrival it quickly became a reality. I am unbelievably thankful for the experience I have had so far, Sala Phuket and the Chef, Jan Hollister has made my stay here in Thailand an unforgettable experience.
--5days later
As Most Good things do..... it has to come to and end, I'm now sitting in Bangkok thinking back to my island Paradise in phuket, although at the time the easy island life was tempting, the reality of my mission sets in, to continue to travel, cook, and learn. Bangkok, Chang Mai, and Heading into Laos is my next adventure.
Spending Time away from family and friends over the holidays can be a bit of a bummer but getting the opportunity to become part of a new team and family here at the Sala Phuket resort has been a blessing. I can’t say enough about the people who work here and the experience I have had. I see the end of my time here at Sala approaching and it makes me sad to say good bye to my new friends. The though of staying a bit longer is always in the back of my head, working a bit, gaining a bit more experience, staying in Thailand as long as I can and continuing to live a more relaxing life. It’s not a bad thing, and believe me if I stay here for any longer that fantasy would probably become reality, but lets face it, I am on this trip to TRAVEL, cook and learn, i'm compelled to move on.
Sitting here in Thailand working and living in an awesome environment, I find myself some times struggling with this question: why should I return to the States? I fall short in coming up with an answer almost every time i ask it, but at the end of the day, I guess it is still home. Being on the road has defintiely opened my eyes to a lot of things. Being in the restaurant industry has been a fun life for me, it has been countless hours behind stoves, in classrooms, in walk-in refrigerators, doing inventory in dry storage, working on menu’s, it’s a life I love, no matter how difficult it can be at times. Seeing it from another perspective (in Sala Phuket) has opened my mind to what life in a kitchen should be or better yet CAN BE. Should I be putting in countless hours in a kitchen, drinking endless cups of coffee, and sweating it out behind the line day in and day out because “that is what being a chef is all about.” For some reason NOW, I see that as being a bit of a martyr, in an unnecessary way, living and dieing behind the line is not for me. I’m not appose to a hard days work, or "paying my dues," I feel like now i can see the bigger picture. When ever I return to the states unfortunately I’ll probably fall right back into that same work ethic, but i have seen the light and i hope at least i can work my way out of it just as quickly as i fall back in. I feel like i have been exposed to another side of the kitchen that for so long I have been blind to. I guess what appeals to me the most is the Thai life style and the passion... Not just in the kitchen and at work but in everyone’s day to day lives.
Phuket, has helped me see that passion, being involved with a much larger cooking community, meeting new people every day and sharing food with them here in Asia is something I only dreamed about, while on arrival it quickly became a reality. I am unbelievably thankful for the experience I have had so far, Sala Phuket and the Chef, Jan Hollister has made my stay here in Thailand an unforgettable experience.
--5days later
As Most Good things do..... it has to come to and end, I'm now sitting in Bangkok thinking back to my island Paradise in phuket, although at the time the easy island life was tempting, the reality of my mission sets in, to continue to travel, cook, and learn. Bangkok, Chang Mai, and Heading into Laos is my next adventure.
--Enlightened in Thailand--
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