Amazing People Over 10-day Chiangmai Trip

Had another round of adventure with choo-choo train to Chiangmai. Not as adventurous compared to trekking in Nepal, 4-WD rides in Tibet; nonetheless pleasant and interesting enough to be shared in this blog. What made it interesting was these few individuals whom I ran into through the journey. Interesting people that crossed my paths during the 10-day trip to Chiang Mai (do you know that Chiang Mai means new city)


* On train from Butterworth to Bangkok: 2 young guys (am obviously much older than they are) from KL who were also on backpacking trips in Thailand. Hard to see young Muslim guys who know how to enjoy life, yet not forgetting their roots as Malay and Muslims. Caught a glimpse of them at the surau, before boarding the train. Way to go Ilzaf and Yin! (note: and Yin gave up his lower bunk, so that I didn't have to climb and sleep in the freezing upper bunk. I took it as a gesture of respect to a kakak)

Zaid & us at Hualamphung Station, Bangkok

 
* At Hualamphung Train Station, Bamgkok. Zaid aka Zakaria a security personnel who was so selfless, helping to communicate with the ticketing officer and getting us tickets to Chiangmai and back. I bet Zaid is also barely 25; yet his big heart welcomes anyone who needs assistance, especially farang like us look like Thai, but  barely speak any Thai language.

Hidaytul Islam Ban Haw Masjid, Chiang Mai, Thailand. One can easily find Muslim food at food stalls, shops surrounding this masjid. Variety of noodles, famous tom yum, ox tail soup for dinner. Rotee and steamed bun in the morning. Yummy!

* We passed by Ismail's shop, close by to Hidaytul Islam (Bann Haw) Masjid. The shop is rented from the Masjid as part of its income. Ismail sells rice-noodle with soups, which taste like laksa to me. We learned a little bit more about Muslim community in Chaing Mai, and about the street vendors from Ismail. He said that some of the street vendors attend the stalls not so much for profit, but for sheer pleasure of meeting with tourists. Talk about loving one's job! I have a feeling that he is doing the same thing too- selling noodles, enjoying every minute of it while chatting away with his customers. (note: Ismail has been to KL before and he also shared his political views of both Thai and Malaysia).

Fancy Nancy Chandler's Chiang Mai map. 

* Am hooked to Lonely Planets books. And I wont board the plane or train without a copy of it (any Lonely Planet writer reading this?) In its Chiang Mai Province section, it recommends Nancy Chandler's map of Chiang Mai. I was referring to mine when this lady (a farang) passed by and  said "Hi, I noticed you have the Nancy's map. You must be touring around this area too. We exchanged info of places visited, yes-the-map-is-helpful kinda feeling, a thing and two of our countries of origins. This lady who (unfortunately) I do not even know her name, is from Canada and works with an NGO in Bangkok. "...helping the tribe people to sell their craft work outside of Thailand. Oh, yes, you bet ! Am enjoying it every moment!" I feel good for her, and (at the same time) wonder when will I be able to do similar things.

I caught this picture of him, standing in the hot sun

* We did another touristy-thingy on the 4th day, by taking a package to Chiang Rai which includes a boat trip to the Golden Triangle. The less-than-30-minutes boat trip made a stop at Donsao, Laos. Tourists (on the boat) do not need a visa to board this tiny island but need to pay THB20. Yeah, it is a tourist trap (dang!). As tourists board the land, a number of street kids stormed them, asking for money. Had my attention on this particular boy, who was holding what-look-like a baby in a sarong slung around his skinny body. I was not sure if it's really a baby or if it is another tourist trap. But it was a pity, unsightly thing. I felt sorry for him and the baby (if it is really is a baby), to have to go through this kinda challenge in life, at such a young age.I guess the tourist-trap did help this little boy and baby, in one way or another.

As with any trips, this trip to Chiang Mai, brings new experience and to a certain extend help correct my perceptions of life and of people. I am glad to come across people like Ilzaf, Yin, Zaid who gives me warm feeling of today's Gen Y. (and talking as if am from Gen X! Close but definitely not Gen X). It is also intriguing to realize that others appreciate our country (Malaysia) better than we do. At the same time, this trip continue to fuel my wish-to-do-thing, i.e. to find a job that is rewarding and meaningful (that one no longer feels like working anymore). Not that my current job is not rewarding or meaningful. It is also a humbling experience to note that no matter how stressful-argh-dang feeling I may have to go through, there will always be others who are going through even harder rougher aspects of life. Alhamdulliah, for all that YOU have given me.  
 

Yummy Halal Cuisines - Southern Thailand

One of the reasons why I enjoy visiting the Andaman archipelagos is the Thai food, specifically the hot spicy, lime enriched Thai food. I am no where close to Anthony Bourdain, the famous No-Reservation chef-author-traveler. Am not that adventurous like Andrew Zieman, but I still do very much appreciate the Thai food. Halal one, of course.

As we travelled up north to Trang, passing by Satun, Langu, and countless other small towns (which names I can hardly remember nor pronounce), there are numbers of stalls. Tried some cuisines and am loving it! (more than Loving McD!)

So, where shall I start? Which food?

Rice & Dishes and Desserts @ Suhana Restaurant, Satun

Satun is predominantly populated by Muslims. Thus finding halal food is never a problem. But asking for specific food in Malay language is a problem as not many of them converse in Malay.

Suhana Restaurant serves rice with a variety of dishes -beef curry with bamboo shoots, stir fried vege, fried fish & chicken, beef soup and at least 4 to 5 other local dishes. My all time favorite at Suhana is Tom Yam Kung (spicy shrimp soup). The soup is slightly different from the Tom Yam Kung serves in most Thai-food restaurants in Penang. Ohh, yeah, for those who have sweet-tooth, you'd definitely enjoy the desserts. Choose the classic mango sticky rice, or banana in sweet coconut milk, or black sticky rice served with sweet coconut milk...they are just so wonderfully sweet and tasty.

Grilled Squid with Bird's Eye Chilly, Satun Night Market

There's a night market at Satun main street every Sunday night. It's a typical night-market like the one we have in Malaysia. A weekly event that begins around 6 in the evening till about 10pm or so, where one can find local delicacies, clothing, etc.

One particular local delicacies that I just could not get enough of is the grilled squid with special dipping sauce. Imagine the nice aromatic grilled squid dipped in a hot tangy sweet sour sauce. Am not particularly sure how the sauce is made, but I could surely taste the tongue-burning birds' eye chillies, the aromatic finely-chopped coriander leaves along with the tangy lime taste. Gosh! My mouth is watery (just by thinking about it)!!

Look out for the shrimp with glass noodle salad too. Oh yeah, you guessed it right.. it's sweet, tangy with lime juice, hot with bird's eye chillies and yummy!

Tender Beef Soup (Thai Style of course), Pak Bara

Anthony Bourdain (or for that matter any food channel commentators) would describe Kobe Beef as so-tender-that-it-melts-in-your-mouth. I have never tried Kobe Beef; thus I'd reserve myself from saying this particular beef has a melt-in-the-mouth taste. Nonetheless it is tender! And one thing for sure it's scrumptiously good (and cheap!).
The clear beef soup is typically garnished with bird's eye chillies (of course) and chopped coriander leaves along with cucumber, (sometimes) long beans and sambal (hot chilli paste) and soft-sweet-fragrance rice.
Look for a Halal-sign restaurant on the left side of the road (if you are facing pier). Dang! Wish I had the restaurant name... (note: Halal restaurant is marked with a Crescent with a little star inside it)

Tom Yam Kung, about few kilometers south of Sungei Upeh
Tom Yam is another Thai delicacies that I could (and would) never get tired off. This particular store is located in the same area of gas station (err.. it's not Shell, Esso-Mobil. Truth is I don't know what gas station it is).
I bet this place sells more than just Tom Yam Kung; but due to my limited Thai vocabulary the only thing I know how to order is (you bet!) Tom Yam Kung.

There you go .. a simple list of halal-food eating places between the towns of Satun to Trang..