Thailand On My Own Day 1: Bangkok

I’d like to skip the whole bit where I get told at the airport there is a 50% chance I’ll get sent back home and won’t pass Thai immigration borders because of the conditions of my passport. I’d like to also skip the fact that I watched Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Breathe, Your Name, Thank You For Your Service, The Killing of a Secret Deer, and started Coco all in one trip. 

Let’s get to Bangkok straight away, shall we?

I manage - you guessed it - to pass the border and enter the Country. It is hot, like proper hot. That hot that sticks to your skin and clothes and breath. Actually no, breathing is difficult because the air is still and very warm. It feels like trying to inhale a soup. I don’t realise any of this until I am on the Subway, but as soon as I get out I realise how strong the Air Conditioning must have been in the carriage. I am a silly idiot, therefore I am still wearing long jeans and a rather tight t-shirt, which translate to death via sweat. 

Finding the hostel is a quest. All the roads are packed in traffic jams, motorbikes and tuk-tuks trying to smuggle their way around cars. Crossing the roads is more of a conscious walk towards death every time than a well-thought act. I still don’t get how to cross. I feel like you have to impose your crossing and hope people will stop (or worst case scenario just honk).  

The smell in the air is continuously different and very strong.  Food, sweat, people, flowers, sewage, fruit and cement all keep coming at you in a matter of meters from each other. 

I manage to get to the hostel - where the AC is indeed blasting at max power - and get told I can check-in in an hour. I drop my luggage in a not-very-secured “Staff (not really) only” room and head out again to check out Lumpini Park. 

Bangkok is… really something. At first sight it seemed - from the airport train - like a mixture of modern and expensive with old and poor, but when you are actually walking in it it feels even odder. I cannot begin to express how it feels to be walking around. In the main roads and  market everywhere feels packed, people are talking and shouting and the heat is unbearable. I am that kind of person who will always carry her backpack with her but with this heat it means all my back and shoulders get drenched in sweat. Along with the rest of my chest and face, let’s be honest. Very Attractive. 

Lumpini Park is rather peaceful when I go, but the heat of noon makes it a rather treacherous experience. I am sweating, people stare and the lens of my camera has condensation on it for the warmth. I learn straight away to always have water with me. TIP: Unfortunately, in Thailand tap water is not advisable especially for Western stomachs, therefore you always have to buy a bottle. At 7/11 you can get some for 7 Bahts which is  basically 20p, so it’s not too expensive. Even for brushing your teeth and washing food it’s not advisable. I learnt to be careful with choosing ice and fruit and check at stall markets and fruit stalls that they use gloves and the health and safety conditions are at least bearable. The last think I want to do is get sick on a holiday by myself, I’ll be honest. 

I check in at the hostel, settle down in my bed, get changed from my soaked clothes and I decide to head out. I’m wearing a floaty t-shirt and a very floaty maxi skirt this time, I learnt from my mistakes. And I am hungry. Oh, boy, I am hungry. 

I have to quickly learn Vegan culture is not really a  culture at all in Thailand. Most food - I am literally talking almost all of it - somehow includes fish or meat. The vegetarian options are few, not in many places, and use eggs. I managed so far to find places suitable, but being Vegan is proving to be hard sometimes. Especially, I haven’t found a street food stall yet that can fit my needs (or that looks like it). So far I managed to eat Pad Thais, Noodles with vegetables, Vegetable stir-fry, I even managed to go to a Veganerie place where I got a Peanut Sauce and Tofu salady-thingy that was bloody great. I will probably be back to get a slice of Carrot Cake as I haven’t had one in years…

I decide as of my first day I should probably go and visit the

Grand Palace and start from there to see where I can go. You know usually on my holidays I mainly walk around, it’s my favourite thing to do to actually live and explore the place and feel part of it. Also, let’s say it, I like saving money. I like that a lot. 

Get to The Grand Palace via public transport would take an hour - plus understanding bus stops written in Thai would be… interesting - so I try to get a Taxi. I think I still quite don’t get how to call them, I guess you might have to find a waiting one. So I get approached by a Tuk-Tuk driver which, I’ll be honest, I am not that interested in. I know Tuk-Tuks are more expensive than taxis and also being in the middle of the traffic jam breathing the smoke coming out from the car is not really on my wish list. We fight on the price and eventually I manage to get a pretty good deal seen the distance, and I hop on with the promise to stop once to one of his “sponsors” and pretend to be interested in their products while browsing around. I agree and we get there. It’s a tailor. I get in and while I am browsing a very rude employee asks me to tell me specifically what I want as there is no browsing since everything is tailor-made. So I get out.

My journey is full of honking, speeding, breathing horrible gases, but we eventually get to interesting areas of town and speeding around backstreets we drive through a busy and hectic Chinatown scattered with markets, watchmakers and signs of all sorts. Passed that we get close to the Grand Palace where I get down. I manage to find the entrance and I am tempted to buy some floaty trousers for 100 Baht for the next days but I restrain myself. Once inside, the atmosphere is unbelievable. The architecture is like nothing I have experienced in the West before, and I cannot stop looking at the walls and colours and shapes. It’s incredibly beautiful. (Aside from the bunch of  tourists shouting to get a picture in front of it. Tourism in this city is insane.) 

I decide to walk (you don’t say) somewhere with the intent to get closer to my hostel and then get a Taxi as the distance is pretty… big. I end up walking in in random temples. 

TIP: leave your shoes outside with everyone else’s, walk inside and try not to give your back to the Buddha. A monk will be there and there will be people burning flower garlands and incense actually worshipping. Don’t get in the way. Photos are okay, selfies are not (use common sense). Also, don’t steal someone else’s shoes, that’s not nice. I know you thought of that.

Walking and walking, the streets I’m going through are absolutely invaded by Buddha shops. All sorts of Buddhas, all sizes, all colours. Repeated. For miles. I keep walking and reach Chinatown - how did I walk all the way there without being run over I have no idea - where people are everywhere and shops of every kind occupy the sidewalks. I avoided buying fruit from the stalls, scared as I am of germs - I know, I’m sorry - but I am really fancying a mango by that time. At some point, on a side street, I find a hidden market street. Stalls are crowding it both sides and I get in to see what I can find. It turns out to be long. So long. And with so so so many stalls! Food, fruit, crafts, jewellery, clothes, nuts, berries, rows and rows of typical products, beans, spices, tea… It feels never-ending and I absolutely loved it. 

Somehow, from there, I walk all the way home. With 30,000 steps in a day. I never stop. I know. I manage to find a nice place where to eat a mixture of stir fried vegetables and    noodles. I really need it. 

To stop my mango craving I get one from a supermarket - yes you heard me a SUPERMARKET - I find. There I can get some mixed nuts, cereal and milk for the morning as Thailand doesn’t really have a specific breakfast. Normally they eat as any other meal. 

After that I have a bit of a night walk - I say night walk, it’s like 7.30pm but I am absolutely shattered and it is dark so leave it. There are way more people at night in the streets - and there were many already during the day. People come out as the heat is ever so slightly more bearable. I wouldn’t understand why there were so many night markets to see, I wondered why having all of those at night. The lights? The atmosphere? No, it’s genuinely the heat. 

Walking I end up in Patpong Night Market where it is famous for the nightlife and being the red light district. I mean, I wanted to avoid that area but my hostel was literally behind it so I might as well give it a look. The market is lovely and it’s interesting to see something like 10 bars in a row all advertising female lap dancers. It’s not hard to see inside either as the doors are wide open. Most dancers - perhaps as it was early - were barely dancing on the tables. I don’t know how I feel, passing by. It’s always a grey area. I would want to go inside and see. See what it is and how it works. I often wonder about the ethics of that sort of entertainment in a country like Thailand. 

I go home, at last. I was planning on reading on being on my phone a bit but after basically 3 days without sleep I collapse for 13 hours.

See you tomorrow for the second day of the adventure!

Ellie

February Favourite Healthy Products

Well, it's time for me to say it. I am trying to go vegan. Now everyone will be freaking out because ohhhhmyggoood she's going to turn everyone into a grass-eater and hate everyone who eats meat or fish or eggs or milk blah blah blah.

PLEASE. Who the hell do you think I am?

FIRST, almost the entire world knows I am lactose intolerant and allergic to eggs, so yeah, I can either be omnivore or basically directly vegan, I can't be vegetarian since I cannot eat those two elements anyway.

SECOND, I am doing it to try and see if it has any good effect on my health and body and for environmental reasons. I read online different things, good and bad as it's a controversial topic on which there is also a lot of ignorance and prejudice which keeps information to directly get to you. Also, a lot of research is still been done about it so new stuff keeps coming out. Still, I have never been a fan of the idea of eating animals, it's just empathy, maybe, I don't know. I simply found it not too different to eat one another, I mean if we didn't have animals we probably would.

BUT I don't give an utter shit if you DO eat meat or eggs or milk or fish or whatever the hell you like because this is just MY choice at the moment to see if I can get any benefit from this lifestyle but I am not going to be one of those people who rant about having to go vegan, hate on people who aren't, judge, and I am certainly not going to turn down meat or fish once in a while if I happen to be offered some or just feel like eating it.

I just want to see on myself if I can get any of the results I read online and if I actually can feel better. If not then, oh well I tried.

SO, that said, here there are my favourite products of February, talking about food and health!

1) Rude Health Muesli Super Fruity

This is definitely one of my favourite muesli of all time. My breakfast, as many of you already know, is one of my favourite meal of the day. Screw that, it's my ABSOLUTE favourite meal of the day. I always have muesli but I try not to go for the refined sugar packed one with loads of artificial shit in it that tastes like sugary stuff and not like oats and raisins and fruits and seeds. I like crunchy muesli, but I don't go for seed-y ones as I freaking love raisins and dried fruits and I appreciate it not being too crunchy and hard. So this one, with absolutely not added refined sugars, no wheat and no nuts is a freaking amazing recipe. They just taste... awesome! If I could I would go through the whole package in a couple of days! So yeah, they are definitely my favourite, at the moment, adding some special feeling to my lovely morning soya yogurt and berries.

2) Virginia Harvest Cold-Milled Flaxseed

I don't know if any of you is familiar with flaxseeds but... they are just THE thing. I usually put either them or Chia Seeds in my morning breakfast as they are full of Omega 3, Proteins (that I definitely want to get as much as I can since I don't get them from meat or fish or eggs or dairy), Iron, Magnesium, Potassium and Manganese other than being a huge source of dietary fibre. So yeah, they taste nice and are slightly.... munchy-crunchy that makes them lovely to have in the morning and help me kickstart my day. Moreover, they are gluten-free, not genetically modified, cholesterol free and nut free (in case you have any allergy!)

3) Meridian Smooth Almond Butter

I seriously don't know where this had been all my life. It tastes like pure heaven. Like, it's smooth, soft, slightly salted, almond-y... it is seriously as if I took almonds and made them jelly-ish. I swear! It tastes gorgeously with any type of bread and it's a fabulous snack! Obviously we don't have to exaggerate with it if we care about our silouette since well yes it is always butter-ish and it contains fats. It's completely diary-free and most fats are Omega 3 healthy fats so that makes us feel a bit less guilty, doesn't it? Oh, well, I don't feel any guilt...

4) Biona Organic Coconut Oil

I think I will never stop saying how nice this tastes. I have been using it to make my new love, my Banana Bread, and it just tastes lovely. It's useful for weight loss, it's packed with loads of healthy nutrients and it's just so sweet and exotic that it adds an amazing flavours to every dish. I use it in my salads, good alternative to olive oil, or I also use it in my spelt dishes for dinner. It's lovely to stir all of my vegetables in a pan with just a teaspoon of that, it adds so much flavour and exoticness to a dish that could result as boring! Like, you have no idea how much I am loving my dinners lately. Also, they are packed with energy and, since I suffer from fatigue, that helps a lot.

5) Mori-Nu Silken Firm Tofu

How could magic tofu not been included on my healthy-shit-ranting? Of course here it is! I had never tasted tofu before, I admit, I was scared it tasted awful. But guess what? It doesn't. It's actually lovely, it doesn't have a strong flavour and it's perfect with anything. I put it into salads, grill it, cook it... what you can do with it is neverending. Soy has so so so many proteins (soybeans, edamame, soy milk, soy yogurt....) and it's absolutely fundamental to who doesn't get proteins from animals and animal products. Of course I don't want to have any nutrient deficiency and I surely want to use artificial integrators as less as I can. So yeah, tofu is a great choice and I am very much liking it. Also, it costs SO much less than any steak or fish fillet.

6) Waitrose Pearled Spelt

Okay, yes, I discovered Waitrose and lately my dinners have mostly been composed of grains, proteins and vegetables of any sort. Spelt is definitely one of my favourite in terms of taste (oh my good it's sooooo nice) and nutrients. It contains few fats and lots of proteins even being a grain! It gives you a lot of energy and minerals. It's not gluten-free, though. Aaaaand it takes 20 minutes to cook which, since I hate waiting, makes me look like that person who keeps looking at the water hoping for it to boil faster. But oh well, what can you do.

7) Chia Seeds Cibocrudo

I was skeptical about Chia Seeds as I thought they were just very fat and caloric and didn't give many benefits. I was wrong. First, they are full of healthy fats, which is very different. Fat is not all bad, some of it is absolutely fundamental to our nutrition. Second, it is so crunchy and nice I love to munch it under my teeth and hear it 'pop'. Some people put it in water to get it jelly, I love it natural. I alternate them with flaxseed, as you read before, for my breakfast and I never regretted it since.

8) Clipper Organic Orange and Coconut Infusion

Okay, okay, I know you expected this since I have been talking and loving this for ages on any social network. This is the best infusion I have ever tasted. Like, it's like drinking a cake. Seriously, it doesn't even need any sweetener to be absolutely delicious. I have it before going to bed and it feels like I am drinking pure awesomeness. I would inject it in my veins if I could. Also, it's organic, so whoop whoop!

9) Organic Spirulina Powder

This is probably one of my favourite products of all time. I seriously have been having this every morning for like 4 months and I have never felt better. So many proteins, amazing source of CALCIUM which I lack from my lactose intolerance, so much IRON. It tastes disgusting but I always have a tablespoon together with juice and I swear to God you can barely notice it's there. I got used to the taste as well. It's seriously one of the best thing I have during the day. It helps my concentration and energy on such an amazing level. Take my word on this, it's awesome.

10) Slim Lotus Tea

Okay, I have to admit this is a new entry in my life. It definitely is. I bought it as a random buy and read what it actually was online after having it. It's a super green tea, basically. I have been using it for a week but... like it tastes so so so so much better than any other green tea I have ever had (and you all know how much I love green tea) as it's pure leaves you soak in hot water (85°C) and then drink. I know it doesn't sound too nice to say, but seriously my intestine has been working so much better thanks to it! I feel less as a balloon and everything works better on that side. It's amazing! It doesn't have any caffeine so it doesn't interfere with natural energy but it gives you a boost anyway. It's genuinely amazing, even just for the taste. Best random buy ever.

11) Quinoa

Quinoa is another one of my weaknesses. It's a seed but it feels like it's a wholegrain. It tastes gorgeous with seriousl anything and it is packed with proteins! It's also very nice to cook and it's still low in fat, in salt and in sugar. There is not much to say, just try it, it's genuinely awesome.

12) Superfood Raw Peruvian Maca Powder

This is another one of my favourite. And it tastes lovely! Like... malt. You can use it into any non-dairy milk, yogurt, smoothie... anything. It is a huge source of minerals and energy. It boosts metabolism, everyday energy and also helps balancing the hormones. It's so nice I've been using it in my Banana Bread, lately, and it seriously does its job. Definitely gonna be on my shelf for a while.

Aaaaand I guess that was it for today! I hope you liked it, I also want to know what you think of any of this products and which one is your favourite. Let me know in the comments below! I'll let you know how my vegan tryout is going.

Ellie x

PS: Best places where to buy this stuff in Italy is either your healthy food supermarket, Cibocrudo or Amazon :)