Hot Curries and Cool Mint Teas in Thailand...

As I write these notes I find myself enjoying the pleasures of consuming yet another of On's vegan delights at her restaurant in downtown Kanchanaburi. Actually, restaurant may be too strong a word as the whole establishment could be fitted into my former front room, in the days when I owned a front room, back in not-so-sunny Loughton. This particular eatery was one of the reasons for returning to Kanchanaburi on my current sojourn to Thailand. When I originally discovered the place nearly a year ago now I could scarce believe the variety of dining pleasures that awaited the would-be vegan (or the price for that matter - all dishes cost the same, just under one English pound!). The menu was varied and exciting containing all manner of culinary delights. I find myself visiting the place often now. Not only is the food great but the place also has a way of attracting all sorts of slightly off-beat characters – just the sort of thing that your correspondent, in his role as a nomadic flaneur, tends to cherish.
http://onsthaiissan.com/

Thailand, with its deep and rich Buddhist culture, has developed a cuisine singularly suited to the vegan palette. It has, of course, been much adapted over the years due to the influence originally of American troops, who used the place as their default R & R resort of choice during the Vietnam conflict, and that of modern day tourists. Mostly the dishes have been modified by dropping various lumps of dead flesh into them in order to satiate the demands of the aforementioned carnivores.

In some ways this can be viewed of something of a shame as the original, unadulterated recipes reflect more accurately the underlying culture of this country. Despite currently being embroiled in much political unrest due to the nefarious activities of various corrupt and unpleasant politicians, and the tensions that arise because of these shenanigans, it remains a very pleasant place to be.

Dwelling on this whilst gingerly (no pun intended...) attempting to consume a fairly hot red curry in Ons, I wondered how much influence the practice of sending young men to spend a goodly amount of time in Buddhist monasteries had on the national character. This is something of a rite of passage in Thailand and, in much the same way that national service affected the culture in the UK or conscription for the aforementioned Vietnam war affected attitudes in the USA, these young men return to influence their villages and towns fundamentally changed by their experiences. Happily, the changes inculcated in them are not of the violent and martial variety of the previously mentioned examples. On the contrary, exposure to such training help instil a tolerance and a patience in Thai culture that, despite its very worldly ambience on the surface, lends an underlying friendliness and kindness that renders it, for the most part, a very relaxing place to be.

Coming from China in the last few months, the contrast is both immediate and dramatic. There is a pushiness, a competitiveness about China that makes day-to-day living there far more stressful that it need be. Despite the economic success of recent years, China is not a pleasant place to be. The noise is constant, the jostling, the struggling for space as hordes of people push harder and harder just to 'get on'. Nowhere is this more obvious than on the roads. In my travels I have come across all manner of driving from the sedate to the crazy but nowhere have I been struck by the sheer rudeness of the driving as in China. There is a ruthlessness, a callousness, a selfishness indeed, to the driving there that I have not experienced anywhere else on the planet. Thailand has its problems with traffic, particularly in Bangkok, but in comparison to China these people are the very epitome of consideration. There is a gentleness, a consideration, that is a joy to behold.

Back in On's, I find myself deep in conversation with an English couple who sold their properties a couple of years back and bought themselves a Volkswagen T5 van in which they spend the summers touring around the UK and Europe. During the winters the van remains parked up in a brother's drive whilst they gallivant off to various sunnier climes around the globe. It seems that more and more people are reaching the same conclusion. The default lifestyle in the West, buying a property and owning lots of stuff, is beginning to be seen for the trap that, for so many people, it is: the property and the goods end up owning the owner.

Finishing my curry, I sip from the cooling and absolutely delicious mint smoothie that I often choose to accompany the spicier dishes. My main decision seems to be whether to conclude this piece in the air-conditioned pleasantness of On's or to take a stroll down to the equally pleasant environs of The Jolly Frog overlooking the River Kwai. The UK and its general dreariness seem a world away...