Day 8 – Thai Cooking

Content from joanne

Sunday - 18 November

Today was our second R&R Day, which actually did start off with some rest and relaxation for most – time out to do wash, swim in the pool, sleep in, read a book, or walk around the city. In the mid-afternoon we all went to get our ‘Thai Cooking Badge’, which included a short tour of a local market (where Michael learned the difference between ginger and galangal), and a ‘make your own supper’ session.

Each person had their own prep station and their own stove area, and we would follow the teachers example and directions to create (and eat) 4 dishes. Our menu for the evening was Tom Yam Soup, Pad Thai, Spring Rolls, and Green Curry. The education also included insights into the reason for various ingredients as well as some interesting and amusing cultural tidbits.

There's Nothin' Like Home Cookin'

The evening ended with the lighting of four lanterns and setting them off into the night. This is a tradition that came from the hill tribes, and although it was originally used only in the Yi Peng (Loi Krathong in the south) festival, it is now being used to celebrate birthdays, weddings, and other important events. The lanterns are about 3 feet high and roughly square. The outer skin is made of tissue paper, the frame at the bottom is made of bamboo, and the fire is made on paraffin-soaked paperboard held in place by wire. The paperboard is lit, the balloon area fills up, you make a wish, and the lantern eventually takes off into the night. It is quite an impressive sight.

Lantern Construction

Just After Take-Off

Our last official act of the evening was to take in the well-known Sunday Night Market in the Old City. This is a huge street market. Two of the largest city streets in the Old City, along with most of the side streets in between were absolutely filled with stalls for food, crafts, artwork, interspersed with local musicians. Retail therapy at its finest.     

 We returned to the resort to see the tail-end of a wedding celebration around the pool. Although we were not officially invited, we did get a glimpse of the bride in the fairy-tale setting from the balcony.