Thailand reloaded - some old pictures

I am not one to live in the past, but when it comes to revisit memories by looking at old photos, I am in. I remember ever since I was a child, that opening the drawer with old photos made me so happy, like I was discovering something so precious. So today I looked at some old photos from our travels and I stopped at the ones from our trip to Thailand, from earlier this year. Even if it was not too long ago, I miss that beach, we had the best of time and looking at the pictures has made me love that place even more.

Rubber trees

Shopping in Singapore

I wanted to write about the Singapore experience and I realised that discussing this city had to touch also the shopping part. Let's face it, Singapore is a huge shopping mall. And not any shopping mall, but one of the most exclusivist I have seen. There were so many top brands and labels in one place, it was unbelievable. Orchard Road is only the most famous street that hosts more than 2 km of big malls. Marina Bay is another big attraction, not only for shopaholics but also for food passionates, or someone looking for a splendid view of the city. You wanna know what I got? Well nothing worth mentioning, since it wasn't that kind of holiday and to be honest, I felt like a kid in Candy land that wants to try everything but ends up getting nothing because he is just too excited :) So if you are ever planning a trip there, consider shopping as part of the package.

Marina Bay Sands Towers in the back

View from the top

Infinity pool on top of Marina Bay Sands

So proud to wear the Romanian T-shirt by designer Adrian Oianu

 I absolutely love the window displays of the big fashion labels. They always tell a story. Some of my favourites in Singapore.

Home but missing the sun

And we are home... I don't know if I want to cry of joy or because I am sad. But I have to say that there is something very wrong with our reality...snow outside, freezing and we are tanned as hell... So I guess we did bring summer with us, at least my body did :) But before we get back to the Monday reality I still have a few Thailand pictures to show you. We took a Thai cooking class and learned to do a proper Thai meal. It only took us two hours I think, but it was well worth it since Asian cuisine is oh so delicious. And also so simple...it is great food with a mix of flavors that give you endless possibilities. Our menu contained: Spicy vermicelli noodle salad with minced chicken, Crispy fried minced shrimps marinated with coriander root and garlic, and Roasted duck in red curry. It was fun, we met some very nice people and I got to see Traian in the kitchen cooking something else other than breakfast ( between you and me, his curry tasted better then mine...hush, don't tell him! :))

Our chef

Fresh Ingredients, Pineapple, Tomatoes and Red Chilli

Spices: palm sugar, fish sauce, red curry paste.

Getting started

Cooking with a smile, the best cooking if you ask me.

Our Duck Curry is ready

The salad

Master Chef here we come :))

And our lunch, made by yours truly 

Thailand Part 5 - The local market

This week we made a visit to the local market in one of the villages of the island. It was part of our cooking class, so that we get more accustomed with the local ingredients. The market opens at 3 a.m. and it closes around 10 a.m and they sell everything from fruits and vegetables to meat and seafood. It was very interesting to see all the different fruits and vegetables that grow here and to get to experience how Thai people buy their food. They are very warm people and I think you can see it from the few portraits that Traian took. I loved to see a bit of everyday life outside our nice resort and to be able to capture a bit of the authenticity of this country.

Local Sweets

 Different types of eggplants

Purple eggplants

Curry paste

The red chilly, so present in their cooking

This lady, when she saw us take a picture, she starting arranging her hair

And now picture ready, such a warm smile

Fresh seafood

What looks like green peas in my hand are again eggplants, that have a very biter taste

I was a bit shocked to see that they sell fresh meat at the market considering the heat.
No freezer or any sort of cooling method...

This is are lemon leafes that smelled so good

Thai pineapple that is smaller than the one we are used to buy in our supermarkets.

The pink eggs are pickled eggs  

Cut baby girl with her dad

Yupa, the Chef and the guide from the Marriott Thai restaurant

Mangos

She was preparing to take all the merchandise on the scooter, in order to go and sell it in the other villages