St Francis of Assisi ( 1181- 1226)

CHIANGMAI......THAILAND

WHAT DO YOU EXPECT TO FIND WHEN YOUR PLANE LANDS IN CHIANGMAI?

A SMALL AIRPORT AND A FRIENDLY ONE TO BE PRECISE.

TOURISTS ARE ARE A COMMON SIGHT IN CHIANGMAI SO IF YOU DECIDE TO GO SOLO IN CHIANGMAI YOU WILL DEFINITELY FEEL VERY MUCH AT PEACE AND WALKING ALONE IS VERY COMMON.

IF YOU NEED SOME SOME COMPANY,JUST HOP INTO ONE OF THOSE COFFEE BARS WHERE THE BARISTA ARE EVER SO FRIENDLY TO WHIPPED UP A LATTE OR A ICED BLENDED COFFEE JUST TO QUENCH YOUR LONELINESS!!!

pICTURES???

THIS IS ONE OF THE MANY SPAS AVAILABLE IN CHIANGMAI "OLD" TOWN WHERE THE STREETS ARE LINED WITH REFLEXOLOGY AND MASSAGE OUTLETS.

tHIS IS A GLIMPSE OF THE EVER FAMOUS "NIGHT BAZAAR"

USUALLY VISITORS WOULD LIKE THEIR HOTEL TO BE AS CLOSE TO THE BAZAAR AS POSSIBLE AS IT WOULD APPEAR ITS THE ONLY TO DO WHEN NIGHT FALLS!!!

WRONG.....YOU CAN WALK ALONG THE RIVER WHERE THE MOATS ONCE CIRCLE THE OLD CITY THOUGH THE SHOPS ALL CLOSE AT 8PM SHARP.

YOU CAN HEAD TO THE PUBS OR CLUBS FOR THE YOUNG AT HEART....BUT MOST VISITORS WOULD HAVE BEEN TIRED OUT AFTER THEIR DAY TRIP OUTSIDE CHIANGMAI WHICH IS WHAT YOU SHOULD DO.

PRESENTLY,THE HIGHWAYS ARE BEEN UPGRADED AND TO TRAVEL UP NORTH WOULD TAKE ABOUT 3HRS MAX....

UP NORTH WOULD BE THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE-LAOS/BURMA AND THAILAND

PETTY TRADERS CAN BE FOUND ALONG THE BURMA/THAILAND BORDER

VERY VERY BUSY THOROUGHFARE......THE TOUR GUIDE GAVE A HALF HOUR SHOPPING ALLOWANCE WHICH IS MORE THAN ENOUGH.

IN CONCLUSION:

CHIANGMAI IS HEAVENLY FOR THOSE WHO LOVES TO BE PAMPERED.....OIL MASSAGE

PEDICURE... MANICURE....FAC IAL ...HAIR ANN EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THE HUMAN BODY.ITS DEFINITELY FOR THE VAIN AND ADVENTUROUS.

THE HOTELS RANGE FROM THE EXCLUSIVE TO THE VERY BASIC SO ITS FOR EVERYBODY AND ITS FOR ANYBODY.YOU CAN RENT A BIKE FOR BHT150/- PER DAY.

HOTEL OR MOTELS ARE AVAILABLE EVERYWHERE SO IT STARTS FROM BHTS200 UPWARDS.

BEST TIME TO VISIT IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE SCORCHED IS SEPT-DEC....

i WOULD LOOK OUT FOR THE THAI JELLY COCONUT MILK DESERT....NOODLES IN CURRY SAUCE IS A CHIANGMAI SPECIALTY AND OF COURSE THEIR THAI RICE BUT NOT STICKY RICE/MANGO....

Chicken mushroom soup



Get a chicken weighing about 1.2kg approx......its for 4 ppl so couple just half it

Then get about 6-7 mushroom dried type frm china.(soak it and cut in2 halves)

2 young carrots approx 7inches cut lengthwise in2 three not rounded..looks better

2 stalks of chinese parsleys...

In a pot (for small families of 3 ppl) heat up some oil

When hot put in the chicken pieces(small is better n easier to eat,half a chicken about 10pieces)

Cover the pot otherwise oil will be all over the place,

After about 3 minutes,open and stir to prevent the chicken sticking onto the pot

Put in the mushroom without the water.stir again,,,splash some soya sauce, stir n cover.

then add water n carrots....cover to boil. Simmer for about half an hour taking care not to let it boil over just tilt the cover a bit.

Add salt to taste and a little bit of MSG for the the Oooomph taste.......

Garnish with the parsley.
Serve wit rice.
>>>>>the reason I stir fried the chicken pieces in oil so that it will be hard and not powdery.And also if u cannot finish it,u can still have it for lunch n the meat won't be too soft.

Enjoy!!!!!

Bangkok,

Thailand

Bangkok is a city that never sleeps,every street has its own signature and

The Japanese in the Patpong area:

where massage centre is seen in every nooks n corners.Incidentally this place is famous for its nightlife and also next to nthe Silom night market.

The Middle eastern people in the Sukhimvit Road where you can shop along the 5foot ways,everything from household items to DVds.

The Asian Chinese are more attracted to the Pratunam centre which house wholesale clothing for the young at heart;trendy and fashionable.Ties and asseseries for the young office workers.

This Japanese restaurant pictured here serves very good noodles and gyoza hmmm...really yummy a change from the usual Tom Yum soup.Its located on the ground floor of the MBK shopping mall frequent mostly by the europeans visitors....

I had an apple pie and a cup of vieneese coffee just across the japanese restaurant.It was superb and the butter pastry of the apple pie was excellent. Just what i wanted a warm piece of pie and coffee after a light lunch..hmmmmm.

Thai Tom Yum in Bangkok?

If you are in a fancy for simple thai food. Along Praya thai area and next to the district hospital is a rather humble shop which we discovered by accident,the owner whipped up a real feast for 4 hungry people who were actually lost.

The TomYum served was neither too spicy or sweet though we went ooohhh and aahhh.....somehow we are hooked!!!

On the walls were pics of the owner receiving credits for his contribution as a chef in this field.

The price was reasonable and service was excellent :muak!!this little boy kept topping up our water glass like a 5star airline service onboard!!!

We had deep fried frogs too and squids.The stir fried vegetables were fresh and the fish was steamed.

If you are wondering why there is no picture take?

Is because there were 4 lost hungry tourist attacking the food before we could say"Snap a shot!"

For Malaysians eaters who frequent the "Tai chow eateries"this is better in quality and ambience....trust me!The place only opens at 4pm.

Around this area you can find nice motels going for usd20-30 for a bed n breakfast.

I prefer this area as its not crowded and they have nice n big shopping mall that is link by skytrain to MBK .

I will be going to bangkok again as its only an hr and a half by Thai Airways which has never fail to upkeep its inflight service on the KL-Bkk route and to this day still serving hot meals and endless flow of bevarages.

Btw,even though the Calypso Bkk has been the centre of attraction.The dancer are in every steps as graceful without a flaw

Much to my curiosity and full attention I discovered they were actually man!!!

I like to mention that the Siam Niramit is an up and coming cultural show.The beating of drums was a welcome that took my breathe away along with the lightning and rain.

Elephants walking in on the audience and the performers asking the audience to put candles on the man made river on stage.Something thrilling for a change.

Its really hot now in Bangkok since its march.

The best time???guess...

I would suggest from Sept to January is really cool and windy.

Flour Nuggets Soup



How to cook the "flour dough or Ker Kar"

Ingredients:

Oil for frying

chopped small onions

1/2 dry cuttlefish

2 dry mushrooms_chopped

3 teaspoon szechuan pepper corn grounded to pieces

15 to 20 midium size prawns >>>cheap type >>cut the head but leave the shell intact.

Some pork marinated with soya sauce and pepper.

Flour for the Ker kA...200gms or so depending on the number of ppl eating..


First of all,heat the oil and throw in the onions then the peppercorns >>>fry till fragrant..

Add the cuttlefish fry till fragrant.

add the prawns marinated with salts to dispersed with the "fishy" smell

then add the mushrooms stirring all the time.

put in 2 to 3 dashes of cuttlesfish sauce or fish sauce for flavour.

once is fragrant add two big bowls of water to make the soup.

Cover till boil......

Once boil put in the kneaded ready flour that had been mixed wit water.

Some prefer to put an egg for added flavour..or salt....

Once the soup is boiling add in by putting in the flour dough in small bite pieces.

After all the flour is dump into the soup let it boil.

Add the pork and simmer till cooked...

Whoila!!!!delicious and take 30 minutes to prepare...ENJOY

Triple Juice Quencher


A Healthy Refreshing thirst Quencher

In today world to make a quick drink we just buy all the juices in packets except for the lemon juice which also can be in plastic bottles.

Ingredients:

1/2 glass of Apple juice

add the tomato juice till about 3/4 full

mix the juice of half a lemon with honey and add it to the glass

add ice and stir.

Its really tasty and helps to brighten ones face!!!

So if you feel your skin is really dull,just follow the recipes and drink for about a week in alternate days.

Caution though,drink to moderation is good evrything in excess is bad.

Cheers!!!

Mrs Herts

This 1914 year old lady was travelling from Kul to London in Business Class and I happen to look into her well being.

Her son and ex wife was travelling in the coach class as they can't afford to spend like her so she told me and moreover he is retired now at age 64 and was a barber before he went and joined Shell.

Her son blow dry her hair in a KL hotel before coming on this flight.She is really proud of her son from her first marriage.She was pregnant with him during the World War 2 when her first husband had to go war.

She remarried at 60 I think for the second time and along came three step daughters.

She is actually making this special trip to attend her grand daughter's wedding which she has never seen.Incidentally she is from Auckland and her favourite drink is Gin Tonic.
She is a Protestant and looking at her she is full of life even at this age and travelling.

She lives in Auckland alone and her sister is in her neighbourhood though her son would drop in occassionally from London to visit with 3bottles of Gin otherwise she would not let him into her house!He has his own place in Spain.

She also mentioned a lady(probably her step daughter,I think) who used to work at a london library, took her on a tour of some of the places where the public were not allowed in the library and she felt honoured.This lady always send her books to read even to this day and she showed me a cute little book mark that clips on to the page of the book!!I must look out for one in London so I can give to my niece as she read a lot too.

I must have spend about three hours or so talking to her and before we parted she says that she will spare a thought for me before she retire to sleep.She told me that she always say the "Lord's Prayer"before she goes to sleep.

Well,Mrs Herts it was my pleasure to keep you company!!!.