Thai Dining

Greetings from Thailand! Or ... perhaps I should say, Eatings from Thailand. Tonight our hostess took us to a traditional Thai restaurant. It was a beautiful setting; and crowded! We were led to an area which looked like a shoe store; guests removed their shoes and set them on the racks before proceeding to the dining area. We then walked to a table setting -- except that there was no table! But, the setting was there right in front of us -- on the ground. Behind the place setting were cushions. I thought ... Oh nevermind what I thought .... "When in Rome ..."

The five of us sat down cross-legged, Indian-style on the ground while the attentive hosts and hostesses brought us drinks and dinner. The dinner was a base of what they called "stickey rice" -- a white rice, cooked, but stickey and not hot -- some eat it with their fingers. Then there was a tray with about six "additions" to mix with the rice. I tried about four of the six things, I left the pork rinds behind. Actually the combination was quite good.

As we were finishing dinner, the show started. There were several "vignettes" from Thai culture. Dance, music, singing; very colorful and intricate costumes worn by beautiful and handsome young women and men. It was very lovely evening.

Tomorrow morning we are going on about a four hour drive to the country of Myanmar (Burma for us old folks). It will be an overnight trip. One of our dinner companions is a pastor from Burma who also has a burden for the very poor orphans of the tribal nations of Burma. It is a (likely?) new partnership venture for Asia's Hope. We shall see ...

Oh, by the way ... I figured out how some natives, at least handle the "no TP in the WC" dilemma. There are no towels in the washroom, water and sink, but no towels. One air-dries ones hands; or wipes them on your trousers. Well, just outside the washroom is a dispenser on the wall ready to eat your change. I always figured it was a towel dispenser, and being Scotch,, figured I didn't need to pay for a towel when pants I had already paid for worked perfectly well.

Today I saw a man put some change into the dispenser and guess what came out? You guessed it ... TP! Now I know!

That is all the news that is fit to print. I'll tell you about Burma in a few days! Thanks.