Are you visiting the cultural capital of northern Thailand, Chiang Mai, and struck with a sudden craving for some Italian? That's going to be a little tough since Thailand isn't exactly the capital of pastas and pizzas-but again, Chiang Mai is a city large enough to accommodate all tastes, and if you know where to look and are willing to browse and explore, you will always find just what you want. No need to settle for the cardboard and grease dishes at Pizza Hut, either!
Arco Baleno
With a menu replete in just about any item you could ask for of an Italian restaurant, this is easily one of the better choices you will find in town. For appetizer try the rocket salad if you're watching your weight, but otherwise there is the excellent crab au gratin, spinach crepes, and fried frog legs. Of course the main item is the sheer variety of pasta: from spicy daviolo, familiar items like carbonara, to four-cheese pasta plus ravioli, lasagna, cannelloni and nearly anything pasta-related you could name, this is the place to be for a pasta lover. Not to be outdone is their selection of pizzas using high quality ingredients for toppings and crispy, thin crusts underneath: recommended items are the parma ham special or the anchovy pizza. Each is slathered generously with mozzarella, salami, peppers, mushrooms and more (depending on the item you have ordered). When you are done with all that, try their homemade seasonal ice cream, panna cotta, and tiramisu. The restaurant is open daily and is run by an Italian family, though as far as this writer knows they have no mafia connections.
La Brasserie
This grillhouse provides succulent steaks, lobsters, and some of the tastiest chicken vol au vents you will find anywhere-but in addition to that they also have excellent pastas made to order. Unfortunately, they don't offer pizzas, though their garlic bread is definitely something to write home about. More than that, though, the La Brasserie gives you a certain feeling of class when you are in the restaurant decorated with stained glass and old-school European style, while trained maître d' pour you wine immaculately or make you fresh crepe suzette on the spot. Better yet, the price belies the elegance and opulence and doesn't cost much more than eating anywhere else. Availability can be variable, so phone them before you walk in. It's located in the business district on Chang Klan Road, about ten minutes away from the Night Market on foot. Perfect to go with your accommodation.
The Duke's
With the tagline "founded by a man who loves to eat... and eat, and eat" you can be sure that the portions at The Duke's do not come in "small" though some dishes on the menu will purport to. Order a medium pizza, though, and you're going to quickly find that it is not so middle sized and leans sharply toward huge, and we are talking about the size of the table you will be sitting at. Come as a huge party, order one Large pizza and you are all going to go home bloated as a bean bag. The quality of pizza is definitely more American than Italian-and if you want the genuine, honest to goodness article Arco Barleno would be a better choice-but if you don't mind thicker crust and a more liberal approach to authenticity, you will not be disappointed. They also offer calzones (stuffed pizzas) with customized stuffing tailor made to your tastes, sort of like Subway sandwiches but with a lot more, well, more. Noteworthy is that their pizzas are made in a wood-fired oven. The pasta dishes on offer are fairly average but you will probably be too busy with other sections of the menu anyway. Finish your meal off with some of their apple pies or cheesecake (both of which are, again, served in truly gigantic slices).
San Marco
Similar to Arco Barleno in terms of authenticity, but with a more Mediterranean slant and a slightly more stylish décor, furnishings, and a more convenient location. Prices are generally higher but the quality is not wanting, something attested by the fact that San Marco is almost always full in the evenings and you would be best off if you make a reservation ahead of time. Mainly open in the evenings daily.
Showing posts with label thailand travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label thailand travel. Show all posts
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Hill Tribes of the North - Chiang Mai, Thailand
The Northern Thailand administrative region is known for its population of native hill tribes which, much like the Native Americans of the United States, are an ethnic minority living in a strongly multicultural society. They are divided into various tribes and clans, each with its own set of customs and distinct subcultures. The most notable groups are called the Akha, Lisu, Hmong, Mien, Lahu, Paduang, and the Karen. They generally live in remote uphill and mountain lands, where they keep traditional villages and make their living from agriculture: without exception, their areas are rural and for the most part modern conveniences, education and economic opportunities are scant. Unlike the Native Americans, the hill tribes are not generally indigenous to the region but instead immigrated from bordering countries, such as Myanmar, Tibet, Yunnan, and China. The only exception to this is the Paduang, who are native to Thailand. Other tribes have been in the country only for about 100 years. In total, the hill tribes number at 700,000 to 1,000,000, making them anywhere from 1% to 1.47% of the entire population of Thailand (the uncertain numbers are due to difficulties in taking consensus among the hill tribes, many of whom are not registered citizens and who have no social security records or housing records with the government).
In the year 1959, the government formed the National Committee for the Hill-Tribes to assist in the integration of the tribes into Thai culture and society, while emphasizing that their cultures and animistic practices must be retained and preserved; that integration must happen without assimilation. Part of this is caused by their increasing population and the extreme poverty they suffer, as well as their agricultural practices which involve shifting cultivation and their slash-and-burn techniques, both of which threaten the forests and water reserves as well as contributing to drug trafficking, the last of which is illegal in Thailand. Toward curbing this and developing a sustainable economy in which hill tribes can live off the land without damaging it, the Royal Project-an organization founded by the current king to assist farmers and citizens living in rural areas-has sponsored a program to educate hill tribes on more environmentally aware farming practices, as well as providing them with the tools and technology to do so: among others, the Project has developed village roads, irrigation systems, and have made progress in bringing electricity to the mountain villages. This has led to a decrease in the growing of poppies and also assisted the tribes in becoming more prosperous and self-sufficient through the growth of winter crops, coffee beans (see Doi Kham coffee) and many other flora that cannot be sustained on the lowlands and most of Thailand due to the tropical climate. While they continue to suffer from marginalization and exclusion to some extent, the Royal Project has had considerable success in the matter of uplifting and helping them. The government has also initiated a program to establish and staff primary schools in these areas to ensure that hill tribe children are equipped with rudimentary education so that, when or if they do leave their villages for the cities, they will be better able to resist exploitation by unethical employers, and capable of finding jobs that conform to legal standards, including minimum wage and health insurance.
In addition to everything else, many hill tribe villages are now a tourist attraction: while it can be argued that this contributes to harmful exotification and that merchandising them is in many ways dehumanizing, there is an upside to the tourism in that it brings some income to the hill tribes themselves, and this is more than anything a welcome addition. So while you should certainly consider trips to visit these villages, it would also be helpful to make sure that you can respect their cultures while you are there and that you can treat them as human beings instead of zoo exhibits. Trips to the Golden Triangle, where the borders of Myanmar, Laos and Thailand meet, are particularly good as they tend to include multiple hill tribe visits.
In the year 1959, the government formed the National Committee for the Hill-Tribes to assist in the integration of the tribes into Thai culture and society, while emphasizing that their cultures and animistic practices must be retained and preserved; that integration must happen without assimilation. Part of this is caused by their increasing population and the extreme poverty they suffer, as well as their agricultural practices which involve shifting cultivation and their slash-and-burn techniques, both of which threaten the forests and water reserves as well as contributing to drug trafficking, the last of which is illegal in Thailand. Toward curbing this and developing a sustainable economy in which hill tribes can live off the land without damaging it, the Royal Project-an organization founded by the current king to assist farmers and citizens living in rural areas-has sponsored a program to educate hill tribes on more environmentally aware farming practices, as well as providing them with the tools and technology to do so: among others, the Project has developed village roads, irrigation systems, and have made progress in bringing electricity to the mountain villages. This has led to a decrease in the growing of poppies and also assisted the tribes in becoming more prosperous and self-sufficient through the growth of winter crops, coffee beans (see Doi Kham coffee) and many other flora that cannot be sustained on the lowlands and most of Thailand due to the tropical climate. While they continue to suffer from marginalization and exclusion to some extent, the Royal Project has had considerable success in the matter of uplifting and helping them. The government has also initiated a program to establish and staff primary schools in these areas to ensure that hill tribe children are equipped with rudimentary education so that, when or if they do leave their villages for the cities, they will be better able to resist exploitation by unethical employers, and capable of finding jobs that conform to legal standards, including minimum wage and health insurance.
In addition to everything else, many hill tribe villages are now a tourist attraction: while it can be argued that this contributes to harmful exotification and that merchandising them is in many ways dehumanizing, there is an upside to the tourism in that it brings some income to the hill tribes themselves, and this is more than anything a welcome addition. So while you should certainly consider trips to visit these villages, it would also be helpful to make sure that you can respect their cultures while you are there and that you can treat them as human beings instead of zoo exhibits. Trips to the Golden Triangle, where the borders of Myanmar, Laos and Thailand meet, are particularly good as they tend to include multiple hill tribe visits.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Religions in Thailand - Buddhism, Islam, and More
If you are planning to spend a holiday in Thailand and you would like a primer on the local culture to shield yourself from culture shock, the first thing you should keep in mind that Thailand is highly multicultural: Chinese-Thai make up a large percentage of the total population, as do Indian-Thai. While the religion of majority of the Kingdom of Siam is firmly Buddhism with nearly 95% of the population being Buddhists, there is more than a noticeable Islamic presence: about 4.6% of the country's population is Muslims, the majority of which is concentrated in the southern region of Thailand, such as Yala, Songkhla Chumphon, Pattani and Narathiwat due mainly to the proximity to Malaysia, where the dominant faith is Islamic. As such, while the dominant ethnicity Thailand is present throughout most of the country, in the south there is a much more noticeable proportion of Thai of Middle Eastern origins, such that they are effectively the majority in this administrative division. In total, 2.3% of the populous is Arabic in heritage, culture, as well as religious practices.
Outside of the south, however, cultural integration is smoother and more laid-back. In northern and central Thailand, among others, the Chinese New Year is celebrated yearly and is considered just as official as the Thai New Year or any of the various Buddhist holy days and fairs. The Lunar Festival, again Chinese in origins, is likewise celebrated widely throughout the country: this reflects the demographic proportion in that at least 14% of the total citizens is made up of person of Chinese origins, generally third generation and upward. Several Indian dishes are integrated into the Thai cuisine, and the sight of roti stalls is common in any street in Chiang Mai or Bangkok. Japanese expatriates have chosen to live in several provinces in Thailand, particularly in the north, and the northeastern administrative division is home to a considerable Vietnamese minority, and the distinct cuisine of this region is ample evidence of this integration between two cultures.
It should be noted, furthermore, that outside of tension in the south, the general atmosphere is one of tolerance. The majority may be of Theravada Buddhism, but there is relatively little oppression and marginalization of religious minorities; certainly less than outright bigotry seen in the west, particularly in the post-World Trade Center incident America. Contrary to popular belief held by foreigners from the first world, the Thai culture of live-and-let-live has spared it from much of the raging political divide as seen in the west, and Buddhism itself is exceptionally liberal. Persons of non-normative sexuality or gender identity, particularly the transsexual-known in Thailand as katoey-can expect considerably less harassment in a Bangkok street than they might in New York or London, and much the same applies to workplace environments: though they are still excluded from the privileged enjoyed by the cisgendered majority (i.e. men and women born respectively in male and female bodies), they are not subjected to outright violence and gross discrimination.
Indeed, many schools take measures to ensure that katoey students do not feel erased and dehumanized, and bullying is carefully monitored in Thai schools. Much of this is thanks to the tenets of the dominant religion, which has very little to speak on oppressing, eliminating, enslaving and converting those from a different faith. It likewise makes no mention that katoey or homosexual persons are abominations destined for the fires of hell (as the Buddhist afterlife doesn't actually include one). In fact, to a culturally aware traveler, one would be hard-pressed to find a religion more open-armed and easy-going than the teachings of Buddha, which the majority of Thais take to heart and practice as a matter of daily life.
Outside of the south, however, cultural integration is smoother and more laid-back. In northern and central Thailand, among others, the Chinese New Year is celebrated yearly and is considered just as official as the Thai New Year or any of the various Buddhist holy days and fairs. The Lunar Festival, again Chinese in origins, is likewise celebrated widely throughout the country: this reflects the demographic proportion in that at least 14% of the total citizens is made up of person of Chinese origins, generally third generation and upward. Several Indian dishes are integrated into the Thai cuisine, and the sight of roti stalls is common in any street in Chiang Mai or Bangkok. Japanese expatriates have chosen to live in several provinces in Thailand, particularly in the north, and the northeastern administrative division is home to a considerable Vietnamese minority, and the distinct cuisine of this region is ample evidence of this integration between two cultures.
It should be noted, furthermore, that outside of tension in the south, the general atmosphere is one of tolerance. The majority may be of Theravada Buddhism, but there is relatively little oppression and marginalization of religious minorities; certainly less than outright bigotry seen in the west, particularly in the post-World Trade Center incident America. Contrary to popular belief held by foreigners from the first world, the Thai culture of live-and-let-live has spared it from much of the raging political divide as seen in the west, and Buddhism itself is exceptionally liberal. Persons of non-normative sexuality or gender identity, particularly the transsexual-known in Thailand as katoey-can expect considerably less harassment in a Bangkok street than they might in New York or London, and much the same applies to workplace environments: though they are still excluded from the privileged enjoyed by the cisgendered majority (i.e. men and women born respectively in male and female bodies), they are not subjected to outright violence and gross discrimination.
Indeed, many schools take measures to ensure that katoey students do not feel erased and dehumanized, and bullying is carefully monitored in Thai schools. Much of this is thanks to the tenets of the dominant religion, which has very little to speak on oppressing, eliminating, enslaving and converting those from a different faith. It likewise makes no mention that katoey or homosexual persons are abominations destined for the fires of hell (as the Buddhist afterlife doesn't actually include one). In fact, to a culturally aware traveler, one would be hard-pressed to find a religion more open-armed and easy-going than the teachings of Buddha, which the majority of Thais take to heart and practice as a matter of daily life.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Thailand Holiday: What to Pack When Traveling to Thailand
How do you prepare for your Thailand holiday? There are items you will definitely want in your suitcase, if not before boarding your flight then at least after you've checked in at your hotel and found a nice convenience store to buy these things from, especially since not all these items are readily available in an average K-Mart at home. Whether or not you need them all depends on the weather conditions in Thailand at the time (or the region of Thailand you are visiting), but for the most part they are necessary around the year.
- Mosquito repellent: This is absolutely a must! More so if you are traveling during Thailand's summer season, and also one of the many, many reasons that should dissuade you from choosing bottom-of-the-barrel accommodation: no air-conditioning means you will be opening the window just to breathe and then it's open blood-sucking season. Mosquito repellents in forms of lotions are good, but you could consider insect-repellent bands as well, worn either on the ankle or wrist: creams and lotions are liable to be diluted by sweat. And in the tropics, you are going to be sweating a lot!
- Sunblock: Do you happen to come from the United Kingdom? Be warned: in Thailand the sun is going to scorch your skin off and it's all sunny, all the time barring the monsoon season (though even then you will still see more sunlight than you do in an entire British year). Bring sunscreen and apply it generously whenever you want to take a walk around Bangkok or Chiang Mai; else you are going to find yourself limited to evening and very early morning strolls.
- Power adapter: Unless you are from Hong Kong or any other countries which use 220V 50Hz power sockets, you will want a power adapter or two to keep your smartphones, electric shavers, and iPods going. Power sockets in Thailand accept two flat prongs, or two flat prongs with one ground pin. Prepare accordingly. (You can rent one from hotels above a certain price range, but if you're backpacking through guesthouses you should consider bringing your own.)
- Bottles of water: This is something of a no-brainer: when you are on a tour through Chiang Mai or Koh Samui you may find yourself dehydrated, which can have all kinds of side-effects you don't want: dizziness, nausea, and digestive complications. Buy a bottle of water or bring a canteen, and keep drinking.
- Clothes: You will want the lightest wear you have got. Short jeans, sleeveless tops, and similar should be the order of the day. Keep in mind, however, that if you plan to visit Buddhist temples as part of your jaunt through Thailand, you should elect to dress fairly sensibly in keeping with respect for the local faith. So the shorts don't need to be showing your underwear and the tops don't need to let the entire world count your every chest hair one by one. Think going to church, but less stuffy.
- Wheeled bag/suitcase: Bring an empty one, if you can, and keep it with you just for shopping, because chances are good you will be buying a lot of interesting keepsakes, souvenirs and gifts from the Night Market or Walking Street in Chiang Mai and similar arts-and-crafts centers.
- Umbrellas: Not so much for the rain as for the sun. Alternatively, wide-brimmed hats and caps will do just as well to keep your brain from boiling over and streaming out your ears. Just kidding: it's not that hot, but it's warm enough that having something over your head is going to be something you will quickly learn to appreciate (unless you're from Australia or sunny California and already used to it). Sunglasses may be a good idea, as well.
- Footwear: Like the clothes you should pack, this ought to be light as well. Heavy formal shoes and stiletto heels are going to kill your feet in no time and the footpath isn't exactly baby-skin smooth. Light sneakers, sans socks, and slippers are good. Buying disposable flip-flops once you've arrived at your destination is sensible too.
- Deodorant: Unless you honestly smell like Chanel No. 5 while sweating like a pig, you will want deodorant. A lot of it. Oh, and take something for your feet too, because that sweat will stink up more than your armpits.
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