Demat – Hello Kenavo – Goodbye ..read more

The Galette or Savory Buckwheat Crepe is emblematic of the Bretagne (Brittany) region of France; two offerings from La Saint-Georges Creperie in Rennes. Serial Killer cake from Durand Chocolatier in Rennes. Seafood tower at L’Aviron in Cancale. Featured prominently are the huitres (oysters) for which the seaside town is famous. Salted Butter Caramel and Cassis (Black Currant) gelatos. Far Breton is a traditional cake or dessert from the Brittany region in France. Its base is similar in composition to a clafoutis batter: a flan-style eggs-and-milk custard with flour added. Prune ..read more

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Avoid touching Thai people (patting children is a big no no) on the head as it is considered the most sacred part of the human body. Conversely, Thai people consider the feet the least sacred part of the human body; therefore avoid pointing the soles of your feet at Thai people or sacred objects, especially when sitting on the floor. Doing anything with your feet is frowned upon (i.e. pointing with your feet, stepping over a person instead of going around them, moving something on the floor with your feet). Under the concept of Les-majeste, it is a criminal offense to defame, insult, or ..read more

Roti Sai Mai Khanom BuangKhao Lam ..read more

Sawadee khrup – “Hello (Male speaker)” Sawadee ka – “Hello (Female speaker)” Sa bai dee mai khrup – “How are you (Male speaker)?” Sa bai dee mai ka – “How are you (Female speaker)?” Sa bai dee khrup – “Fine, thank you (Male peaker)” Sa bai dee ka – “Fine, thank you (Female speaker)” Chai – “Yes” Mai – “No” Khop khun khrup – “Thank You (Male speaker)” Khop khun ka – “Thank You (Female speaker)” Mai pen rai – “No worries”/”No problem ..read more

Luckily for Nick and Lexi, a Jerseyshoreish couple from New York City, Bob and I were big animal lovers. Otherwise, Nick’s promise to his recently deceased brother would have gone unfulfilled. Our tour leader was not going to allow an impromptu visit to Sriracha Tiger Zoo if only two were interested; it had to be at least four people to make it worthwhile. Nick had vowed to his brother before his death that he would play with a snow tiger cub. Unfortunately, the poor guy was in the wrong country and at the incorrect latitude; an Indochinese Tiger would have to suffice. From the grins on their ..read more

The early morning light revealed nothing of what lay beneath the surface of the city. Pattaya, southeast of Bangkok on the Gulf of Thailand, had lived up to its name–the Other Sin City. There was the familiar atmosphere of hedonism and excess that one would expect in Las Vegas. But layered upon this was Thailand’s own particular brand of indulgence. The Strip was not made of concrete and asphalt, flanked on both sides by neon signs and the distant hum of slot machines, but a stretch of sandy beach nearly 4 miles long, dotted here and there by coconut trees, fruit juice sellers, water sports a ..read more

My second greatest regret of our tour was the brevity of our visit to the province of Ayutthaya or Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya as it is officially known. The area was the former capital city of Siam (now known as Thailand) before the designation was moved further south to Bangkok. I was fascinated by the less ostentatious and more ancient architecture of the province and would have contentedly spent a week or more there if given the opportunity. It was the confluence of Thai, Khmer, and Burmese culture and history that made the place so intriguing. I have always been a sucker for those regions of ..read more

Our tour guide reassured us that the rice rats we were about to sample were of the highest quality. These were not filthy city rats who ate leftover scraps in dark alleys but their country cousins who feasted only on the organic insects and snails that thrived in the lush rice paddies. Tour members would have probably found them a bit more appetizing had their heads and tails been lobbed off first. Curiously though, I was not put off by the long naked tails or burnout eyes. As a Filipino, I had already eaten my share of strange proteins. Deep-fried day-old chicks anyone? I found the rats well ..read more