Sleepy and Cold

First thing one notices is that its damn cold here.  I know other folks have it worse, but even the "mild" Northwest winter weather is more than I can bear.  Add the unpredictable jet lag nods into the equation and its enough to make a bitch coyote eat her pups.

Just a few days ago I was hanging out in the jungle doing nothing.  Yeah.  The Jungle Way. 

Not Dead Yet...

Taiwanese pudding in theory

Taiwanese pudding in fact.  Pretty good for $2 US (which is 50 Taiwan dollars)

Taipei and new food to try. How about "Traditional Taiwanese Pudding"? It's a warm mix of tapioca, tofu and peanuts. Very strange but probably great hiking food.

I'm in Tai-fucking-Wan and going the wrong-fucking-way. But, OK, the goofy pudding was a sop from the travel gods.

Last supper

And now I go. Undone. Again.

Dessert

The walk back from Chinatown is not without rewards.

And for the final course?  Banana and Chocolate Roti!!  No really, who doesn't love a pancake from a street cart?  

Second Entrée

After noodles, after Durian fruit, its time for Hoy Torte!!!

Yes, my favorite second course, its a crispy egg and rice omelet with oysters or mussels.  Tonight I went with oysters and the sweet chili sauce.

The Food

Its the Food stall of all food stalls, my go to noodle shop in Bangkok.  I have blogged about it before and I will again.  It is simply the best.

Pad Kee Mao on a sizzling iron plate.  All of the seafood is fresh.  It is amazing!!

Can you see that special browned bottom to the wide noodles?  Thats where the noodles scald on the iron plate.  It gives the bottom noodles a different texture than the top and middle.  And these  noodles pack a punch.  You want to be careful what you add from the spice tray.

It is my tradition. The last night on Bangkok is always dedicated to street food in Chinatown. I thought about going uptown to Silom or Sukumvit, the posh shopping and hotel area, but the lure of the real food won out.

Several courses later I am full as a tick and even managed a durian fruit mid-course.

D-Day

The Durian Day that is.   I swore I wouldn't leave SE Asia without a tasting of the notorious Durian.  Not this time.   So here it is, in video, the Durian challenge.   

http://youtu.be/UoLRTx7njow

You have to try it to believe it.