Now we're cooking!

This morning Matt and I went to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, which is a temple that is in the mountains just outside of Chang Mai that is famous for it’s beauty.  It was completely golden and has over 300 steps up to it.  It was very majestic and beautiful. It’s an interesting thing though, that seems, to me, to be somewhat paradoxical in the professed practice of Thai Buddhism and the buildings that are built to worship. Worship in Buddhism isn’t really like Christian worship (as in meeting weekly in a congregation for services), and while I’m hesitant to generalize, from what I’m learning, Buddhism concentrates on mindfulness and simplicity. A person should be aware of themselves and others. Which to me, and my Western perspective, I see all the golden temples and jade Buddhas and the glitz and sparkle of many of the other materials used seem to be out of place. It seems to be a paradox, but I’m not sure how to respectfully ask about this.  Hopefully I’ll figure out a way.

Steps leading up to the temple

Practicing my focus

Donation place for luck

We rode up to the temple in the back of a truck with three other individuals, two from Germany (but didn’t know each other) and a girl from South Africa. Two of the 3 were on extended travels that consisted of multiple countries and experiences. Matt and I talked over lunch about how many countries view travel as a rite of passage (of sorts) and that it’s almost expected that if you’re family is financially stable, that is something you do between graduating high (secondary) school and college (university).  The US doesn’t really do that, I think part of that is geographic (our country is much larger than others, which makes it harder).  I think part of it is cultural too (but that is a topic that I’ll engage with you in person rather than a large public forum.

After grabbing lunch, we met up with Kari and Cathy to get Thai massages (they went to get pedicures rather than go to the temple). Farhrung helped us find one that wasn't just massages (not a front for anything else, which most are here). Anyway, best $5 I’ve ever spent. Period. It was a full hour massage, for $5!  I think I was also allergic to something in there, because they kicked in into overdrive in there. They had little mattresses on the floor and gave you loose clothing to change into.  And then they went to work. They used every part of their body, pulling and kneading on mine.  It was very different than a Swedish massage that is typical in the U.S. It felt really good though, and it did a lot to help my back out (it’s been hurting a lot for several days).  They certainly get into it though, and my woman kept stifling giggles when I would wince if something was too hard. 

Then we went to cooking school. Yep, that’s right, folks. Get excited, I learned how to cook Thai food. It was really fun and quite the operation.  They took us to the market to point out each of the ingredients. Then they took us back to the school. It’s set up so you choose four dishes and after each one you sit and eat what you made. They had a FULL house that night with about 3 or 4 groups of about 10 each.  There were lots of helpers and they took you through step by step how to do everything. We even made curry paste.  

Our guide at the market

Before the cooking

Pad Thai demonstration. This girl was awesome, she kept telling us that in her kitchen we must smile. "Even if you cut your finger, you must always smile!" (Yes that is a direct quote)

Me and my pad Thai

Soup with coconut milk

Making spring roll filling

Spring Roll and Soup

Guy in my group making. They had us pick the meals and then with each dish split us up with what we wanted to make. I don't know who he is, just another student who had to do the majority of the work for the curry paste that we made.

Coconut milk (it's inside the cloth and we put it in water and then squeezed it a bunch. It went in with the curry.

Final product. It was so good! I now know how to make Thai food!