Spending a week on an island off the coast of South Thailand was like a dream. I had to pinch myself to believe that I was really here. And living on an island gave me a chance to see what a beach bum slash expat-islander life is like. One of the most peculiar things I noticed was time seemed to warp somehow – it slows down yet flies so fast at the same time…
I was left alone at the cottage most of the time – and I was grateful to CP for that because it was exactly what I was yearning for. Lying on a hammock with a hot cup of tea, and listening to some world music while gazing down at the passing fishing boats on the bay below… Heaven!
Just me and nature. Small, fluttering butterflies seem to frolic everywhere.
First time I stayed in a small cottage on a remote cliff. I enjoyed it so much – even if it meant I was all by myself even at night! It was generally safe anyway and no one really bugged me – except for the pesky ones that fly and crawl into bed with me – hence, the net above.
Fixing my own breakfast on the patio: instant coffee, steamed canned tuna, fruit, and bread. Despite the fact that there is not much to do (no TV, internet, radio), I surprised myself by getting up early (around 6 am – something I never do back home) and just bask in on nature, the silence and peace – knowing that I have to make most of it as long as I’m here.
But I wasn’t really alone… I had a roommate – Spidey. Good thing I don’t have arachnophobia. My other roommate – a huge gecko that stays on the roof – was camera-shy.
CP would pick me up for lunch and head out to some of the island’s restaurant resorts. Curry dishes seemed to be the main thing you see on their menus. I’m not really a big fan of curry so less than a week in Thailand, I was already yearning for something ‘non-curried’ … like Thai Fried Pork Rice (above from Coral View Resort).
Unless you have a vehicle with trusty brakes, walking is the only way to reach the beach… and walking up and down very steep roads like this gave me THE work-out of a lifetime.
Night falls and dinner would be a streetfood take-out of pork barbeque, papaya salad, and sticky rice – downed with a cold can of Thai beer. And before you know it, another typical island day has ended so fast that a week felt like a blur of hazy, dewy, soft-focus dreams…
On my last night on the island, we watched a fire dance show on the beach a fitting finale to an idyllic island get-away.
The next day, CP and I said our goodbyes before I headed out to Bangkok…
To be Continued: Part 3 – Weekend in Bangkok (soon)
Last June, I celebrated my milestone birthday with a special gift for myself: a two week Southeast Asian solo backpacking trip. It’s just actually two countries – Thailand and Cambodia, but that’s already a major feat for me since I haven’t for the life of me done anything as radical as this – ever.
It took a lot of guts, and I admit I did feel anxious and scared since I was going to be traveling alone most of the time. But thanks to two of my most FFFs (favorite female friends) on the planet – their advice, kindness, concern, and generosity allayed my fears of venturing into the ‘unknown.’
I Can Do This!: My route (which took years in the making – at least inside my head) started from Bangkok to South Thailand, back to Bangkok, then to Siem Reap, Cambodia, to Phnom Pehn then back to Bangkok (shown as the red trail on the map above)– which is a rough estimate of 600 miles worth of traveling, or more than 36 hours of total travel time on the road. (Map courtesy of geology.com)
June 6 to 10, 2010: I met up with my awesome FFF#1, CP after touching down on Bangkok. At dawn of Saturday, we took a 9 hour bus-ride (via Lomprayah Bus Tours) to the south. We were headed for a small island off the coast of Thailand where CP currently lives (with due respect to her and the other expats’ privacy – I won’t mention the name of the island but a hint is in the map above.) We reached the port by noon and finally arrived on the island via a catamaran. I was to spend 5 wonderful days here…
The view I get to see each day from CP’s cottage on top of a cliff on the southern part of the island. The only way you can get up here is to hike or ride a motorbike.
One of the houses built by an expat, located also on top of the cliff overlooking the bay below. Most cottages on higher ground are usually occupied by expats (for better viewing points and tranquil environment) while locals prefer to live near the shore.
CP took me around the island (stores, restos, cafes) on her trusty old motorbike. A lot of the expats have businesses here, mostly catering to tourists. CP who is also an expat and a yoga practitioner had set up a natural and organic products store (above) which was at that time getting fixed up.
What better way to sample Thai food than an authentic home-cooked meal? CP introduced me to her friend – a cool, tattooed Thai lady – who happened to be a great cook. She invited us over for a fantastic lunch at her house. Above is her delicious spicy amok or mok (steamed curry).
She also served us a splendid salad concoction of greens, coconut milk, chilies and shrimps…
… and her Tom Yum Soup (all natural ingredients and no flavor enhancements) was absolutely divine! It was my first Tom Yum and will surely be hard to live down. Kob kun kaa, Kanokarn!
Spent one morning kayaking around the south bay.The waters were choppy a bit but it was a good work-out. Off to the distance is what the locals call ‘Shark Island.’ We didn’t get to see sharks – the supposedly harmless, shy black-tipped ones- that used to frequent these parts.
Taking a respite from kayaking, CP went off for some deep sea snorkeling while I, just to be safe (and in case those sharks came back – harmless or not), was content in snorkeling in shallower waters.
On the balcony or the ‘yoga deck’ of a cottage owned by CP’s good friend BLB… offering a breath-taking view of the South Bay where we spent the day snorkeling and kayaking. So wonderful to practice yoga here and to meditate. Really idyllic….
Shinya Shokudo (深夜食堂 or The Late Night Diner) is a 10-episode drama that was shown past midnight on TBS and MBS for the Fall Season of 2009. As its title suggests, the drama takes place in a unique, night-shift diner in one of the alley-ways of Tokyo’s busiest municipality, Shinjuku. The dimly-lit diner is run by its cook who goes only by the name of ‘Master’ (played by Kobayashi Kaoru). He opens the diner from 12 midnight up to 7 am with a menu that offers goodwill and just one dish – tonjiru (pork and vegetable soup). If a customer wishes to order something else, the Master will whip it up only if he has the ingredients available. The stories told in this drama are those of the customers that patronize this humble eatery.
‘Master’ Class:Kobayashi (left) plays the enigmatic, unnamed cook in this drama based on a manga by Abe Yaro
I was very well-impressed by this drama’s low-keyed simplicity and quiet charm. Since the diner opens only during the wee hours, it would naturally attract a few but interesting characters as its customers – mostly the city’s nocturnal creatures who work the graveyard shift (a yakuza boss, a stripper, a newspaper delivery boy, a male porn star, etc.). The warmth and calming atmosphere of the diner is set against the contrasting backdrop of night-time Shinjuku’s cold, lonely and impersonal concrete milieu, so it was natural that these customers would find refuge in it. And what gives this drama its stroke of genius is the menu – or rather the lack of it. Since a patron can ask for a simple dish (if the Master has the means to make it), he or she orders a favorite comfort food which in turn conjures up repressed or forgotten memories of family, lost friends or past loves that basically inspires the character to remember what was once lost or left behind, deal with regrets or seek a sense of personal closure as well as fulfillment.
With scenes accompanied by Suzuki Tsuneyoshi’s haunting song “Omoi-de,” Shinya Shokudo is an introspective drama that despite the differences in language and culture, it proves that there is something universal about the topic of food that we could all connect with.
Just like the food it features, the drama stimulates feelings of comfort and good vibes. It is one of the best yet seemingly underrated jdoramas I’ve seen so far (and rightfully deserves a second season, too).
Jdorama Food: Japanese Comfort Food
Comfort food pertains to “foods consumed to achieve some level of improved emotional status, whether to relieve negative psychological affect or to increase positive.” They can be simple dishes that could be home-cooked (sandwiches or soup) or bought from a store (ice cream). For me, the idea of comfort food is something that can be easily prepared anytime, usually made up of left-overs and satiates those annoying hunger pangs that creep during ungodly hours of the night, a rainy day or during dvd weekend marathons.
The comfort dishes shown every episode are the real ‘stars’ of Shinya Shokudo (the drama even offers cooking tips at the end of each episode). They include traditional Japanese comfort food like tarako (cod roe – above left) and ochazuke (rice with green tea – above right); and Western dishes like potato salad and egg sandwich.
The FooDorama Special Challenge: Remembering my own Comfort Foods
This is a special on comfort food – meaning, I will refrain from reprising the dishes featured in the drama since they are just too easy to prepare, does not pose much of a challenge and hence, no need to share recipes. So instead, for this post, I would like to share my very own simple and personal comfort food experiences…
The FooDorama Connection #1: Nekomanma
In episode 2, an aspiring singer comes to the diner and orders nekomanma (literally means ‘cat food’) which is rice with dried bonito shavings and a dash of soy sauce. It is a super easy to prepare and makes use of leftovers – particularly rice and fish.
My Counterpart: Rice with leftover Maling bits
LOL… I’m guessing a lot of my fellow Pinoys can relate to this. Maling is a brand name of a Chinese canned luncheon meat widely available locally. It is the poor man’s Spam… well, even middle class folks like it, too. We did have the occasional Spam but Maling was the canned meat we consumed most often while growing up. Yes, I’ve heard of horrible rumors about this product but it’s cheap anyway, readily available and saves you time. As long as this unsophisticated, much-maligned fare can help ease hunger pangs and gets you through the day (or night)… Lunok na lang, at wag nang mag-isip ng kung anu-ano…
FooDorama Connection #2: Tamago (or Egg) Sandwich
In episode 7, a young newspaper delivery man would order egg salad sandwich at the midnight diner during his breaks. The Master would prepare it for him along with extra ham sandwiches. I had to pause from watching this episode in order to make an egg sandwich for myself. There’s nothing like watching a good drama while having the same food that the characters were enjoying.
My Counterpart: The Tasty Adobo Pandesal
Chances are, every Filipino family may have some leftover adobo inside their refrigerator. This quintessential Pinoy dish is practical, have a long shelf-life (because of its main ingredient – vinegar) and simply delicious. I remember living on these when I was on my own in Cebu. Usually accompanied with rice, this dish could be made into a sandwich, using adobo pork or chicken from the fridge, nuke it up, shred it into thin flakes and spread it along with mayo on hot pandesal (Philippine round bread).
The FooDorama Connection #3: Butter Rice
In episode 5 (which is probably my favorite), a renowned food critic who is used to eating expensive gourmet food, drops in and orders a simple dish that reminds him of his happy, worry-free life as a young man spent with a senpai he had admired. The dish is that of butter rice – steamed rice mixed with a dab of butter and a drop of soy sauce.
My Counterpart: Sinangag (Garlic Fried Rice)
If I could order something from the Master, it would be this: the simple sinangag or left-over rice stir-fried in oil and chopped garlic, with a dash of salt and pepper. One of my early childhood memories is watching TV alone and eating fried rice, cooked and lovingly served by my mother. I remember the rice was so good I ate 2 to 3 plates of it without eating anything else – just the fried rice. I also recall feeling contented and happy as any care-free preschooler at that time. That is why after watching Shinya Shokudo, it made me contemplate on how I long for those times, and how I miss my mother, and so, well… I ended up crying like a baby… *sighs*
The feelings attached to one’s own personal comfort food may differ from one individual to another. Whether to make us remember our moms, or wax nostalgic for those happy youthful times, or simply unearthing lost emotions forced to be buried in exchange for steeling ourselves up as a way of self-protection against life’s harsh realities, enjoying simple comfort food more or less, is a humbling experience that helps reconnect with the child within us. It’s this simple food that reminds us of things that may mean little to others and yet this is what we treasure for it fills us up (physically and emotionally) even for just a fleeting moment.
How about you… What’s your comfort food?
P.S. This post is dedicated to my beautiful and kind MOM. I miss you so much – and not just because of your fried rice (^^)… Love you always and happy birthday!
I had been absent from the blogosphere for sometime now. I chose to break free albeit temporarily from my self-imposed exile in order to say I was able to watch and enjoy the delightful musical, CATS at the CCP last weekend.
Though I am undergoing circumstances wherein it is not really possible to gift myself such a luxurious treat (I did miss out on Ms. Saigon and Les Miserables when they were shown years before in Manila, and I thought I’d miss out on this one, too. But….), I was nevertheless able to fulfill my wish to see this show with the help of some kind friends. Gracias, mi amigas!!!
I haz teh tickets:Yay! CATS at last… here we go!
CATS was fantabulous… I really enjoyed myself watching a world-class musical, with all the costumes and sets. I did hear negative comments about the show, saying that it was boring and can make you sleep (I’m guessing because it’s ‘too English’ for them). I also think that majority of Pinoys are not really used to hearing such musicals wherein there are no regular dialogues and that the characters were mostly reciting poetry (kasi naman it WAS based on TS Eliot’s collection of whimsical poems about cats *rollseyes*). And yes, the musical had been around since the early 80’s and I did feel that parts of it have become outdated and has lost its ‘wow’ factor (with today’s generation of audiences, shows have to find new ways to keep up with their tastes by coming up with creative gimmicks, ingenious effects and hi-tech sets).
Souvenir programs cost Php500
With the musical’s run ending this Sunday, I’d like to offer tips for those who are still going to see the remaining shows:
Read about the musical first. And if it’s possible, get a hold of a copy of TS Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats and read some of the poems so you come prepared.
CCP security does not allow cameras inside the premises. But they do allow cellphone cameras inside the theatre – just don’t use flash if your phone has one. It could distract the performers.
Some of the characters in their feline costumes pass along the aisles in the audience and even up the balconies during the show and during the intermission. Get ready with your cell cam (set it to ‘night-mode’) when they do so you can have great souvenir shots.
If you’re seated far from the stage (in the balconies and boxes), better bring a pair of binoculars or you can buy one (for Php50 only) from the CCP staff.
If you want to live, please do not sing-along with Lea when she sings “Memory.” Someone might clunk you on the head if you do.
We all know Lea Salonga plays “Grizabella” which was a short role, does not dance much and gets to sing only 2 songs. But what many people do NOT know is – she is also a part of the opening scene wherein all the performers come out to dance and sing “Jellicle Songs For Jellicle Cats.” One can’t easily recognize her because of her make-up and costume. You got to have a good set of eyes (and ears) to spot her and her voice among the equally talented cast of Australian and UK-based performers.
Lastly, ARRIVE EARLY. 30 minutes early if possible. It’s common theatre etiquette that should be strictly followed regardless who you are. They won’t let you in once the show starts and you’ll have no one to blame but yourself.
Anak ng Pusa… ang galeng:Thanks to the organizers for bringing CATS here (and for the super-discounted prices which we happily availed)… it was absolutely puurrrfect! ‘Til the next musical…
seralu lalu...
...reaches a destination one step at a time
...blends colors one stroke at a time
...peruses each word one page at a time
...imbibes each lesson one day at a time
...and anticipates wonders one breath at a time.
what’s on my palette?
the hues and colors of personal snippets, crazy thoughts, and vivid memories of seralu's spectrum of this enigmatic thing we call life...
Thanks for stopping by! If you wish to drop a line or two, especially if you have trouble posting your comments, you can leave a short private message in my e.jot box. If you have your own blog, kindly jot down your url, too, so maybe I can come and drop by yours as well...Godspeed!
He opens the diner from 12 midnight up to 7 am with a menu that offers goodwill and just one dish – tonjiru (pork and vegetable soup). If a customer wishes to order something else, the Master will whip it up only if he has the ingredients available. The stories told in this drama are those of the customers that patronize this humble eatery.
self-protection against life’s harsh realities, enjoying simple comfort food more or less, is a humbling experience that helps reconnect with the child within us. It’s this simple food that reminds us of things that may mean little to others and yet this is what we treasure for it fills us up (physically and emotionally) even for just a fleeting moment.
sharpen up...and got to 
On My Palette 