The Best Part of Thailand

"Food is the best part of Thailand," says my friend Dave, "and since it's the center of their culture, that's no small thing."

Ironically, Thais rent apartments without kitchens. Why? Because in every soi there are about 10 or 20 vendors selling food. You can get Pat Kapow Gai, or Som Tom Thai, or Kwit Teeyo Moo on almost any street corner. More than any place I've ever been, food is easily and cheaply available.

"Thai people, we don't like to cook indoors," says Poo, "We like to use lots of spices, garlic and peppers, and the smell gets everywhere, in the curtains, in the sofa, in your clothes, ... ". That's fine in a country where the temperature is always warm, or hot, or very hot, or hotter than hell ...

Think about this: Poo can feed the family on 100 Baht (that's less than three dollars) just by going to the soi and buying our favorites, already cooked and twisted neatly into little plastic bags. So why go shopping for food at a supermarket?

I know! She needs to buy my CHEESE!