My friend Donielle is a great blogger. She writes funny posts, and makes cute lists, and is a good writer! Check it out!
http://drmstevens.blogspot.com/
Friday, May 3, 2013
THE KING OF FRUITS
OOPS. I brought Durian into my apartment. It's in my fridge in the living room but I can smell it in my bedroom.
What's durian?
From Wikipeda (because why would I write when I can copy and paste?)
What's durian?
From Wikipeda (because why would I write when I can copy and paste?)
The durian (pron.: /ˈdjʊriən/)[2] is the fruit of several tree species belonging to the genus Durio and the family Malvaceae[1][3] (although some taxonomists place Durio in a distinct family, Durionaceae[1]).
Regarded by many people in southeast Asia as the "king of fruits", the durian is distinctive for its large size, strong odour, and formidable thorn-covered husk. The fruit can grow as large as 30 centimetres (12 in) long and 15 centimetres (6 in) in diameter, and it typically weighs one to three kilograms (2 to 7 lb). Its shape ranges from oblong to round, the colour of its husk green to brown, and its flesh pale yellow to red, depending on the species.
The edible flesh emits a distinctive odour that is strong and penetrating even when the husk is intact. Some people regard the durian as pleasantly fragrant; others find the aroma overpowering and revolting. The smell evokes reactions from deep appreciation to intense disgust, and has been described variously as almonds, rotten onions,turpentine, raw sewage, and smelly socks[citation needed]. The persistence of its odour has led to the fruit's banishment from certain hotels and public transportation in southeast Asia. (LOL)
 |
| Scott and I took this picture in Bangkok. The durian is the one that's not the balloon. |
The durian, native to southeast Asia has been known to the Western world for about 600 years. The nineteenth-century British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace famously described its flesh as "a rich custard highly flavoured with almonds". The flesh can be consumed at various stages of ripeness, and it is used to flavour a wide variety of savoury and sweet edibles in Southeast Asian cuisines. When cooked, the seeds also can be eaten.
There are 30 recognised Durio species, at least nine of which produce edible fruit. Durio zibethinus is the only species available in the international market: other species are sold in their local regions. There are hundreds of durian cultivars; many consumers express preferences for specific cultivars, which fetch higher prices in the market.
I actually haven't tried it yet... I will tomorrow and then I'll update this. I had a durian ice cream popsicle a few days ago, but only took a few licks. After I tasted my friends chocolate ice cream I remembered that ice cream is supposed to taste good - not foul.
Some people love it. I met this guy who said he was the Durian King. And Durian is the "King of Fruits" which would make him the fruit king!!
I'll try it soon. It will probably be gross. My roommate will probably be mad at me for having it in here.
Oh well - we move out soon.
UPDATE: 10:30 AM Woke up to my roommate freaking out about a gas leak in the apartment. (funny because no one has gas heat in Thailand). It was the durian.
UPDATE: 1:50PM Tried the durian. I gagged. It was revolting. Sam kind of liked it. No one else wanted to try it.
We offered it to the security guard in our building and she shook her head and waved her hands No! May choop!
The smell still lingers...
UPDATE: 10:30 AM Woke up to my roommate freaking out about a gas leak in the apartment. (funny because no one has gas heat in Thailand). It was the durian.
UPDATE: 1:50PM Tried the durian. I gagged. It was revolting. Sam kind of liked it. No one else wanted to try it.
We offered it to the security guard in our building and she shook her head and waved her hands No! May choop!
The smell still lingers...
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Things I will miss about Thailand!
Things I will miss about Thailand
1. Street food!
2. The girl who works at the 7/11 close to us.
3. Penny's
4. Green Curry
5. Appreciating Air Con. in Thai "ee"
6. Music at North Gate and Su-wat's
7. Pai!
8. Drivin on motorbikes and feeling freee
9. Doing whatever I feel like most of the time and not planning things
10. Talking about Buddhism with Amanda and Donielle and everyone
11. Discovering how cool people are that you think you know, but you don't know them!
12. Understanding impermanence.. etc.
13. Trying to speak Thai!! Phut Thai nit-noy
13. a. Saying "Nit-noy" all the time.
14... Songthaews?? Not sure. Maybe some of the songthaew drivers.
15. songKRAN
16. Cats and dogs everywhere
17. BAHT.
a. "the look of it, the taste, the smell, the texture!"
b. the conversion rate and how everything is so cheap, duh
18. Special times with Kim when she was here
19. and with my parents
20. and with Scott!
21. Flowers on trees blooming all the time, and flowers that smell so good
22. having time to read
23. New places to explore all the time
24. Temples!
25. The security guard in our building
26. Thai people being so nice!
27. Those beaches....
28. People telling me I speak Thai very well. (LOL)
29. Sharing thoughts and making new friends
30. The spirit of adventure and exploring, by myself
31. The sprit of adventure and exploring, with friends
32. Saying "kha" all the time
33. Mystery field trips!
34. Hill Tribe field trips!
34a. Mae Hong Son Province and CAVE LODGE.
35. Elephants
36. Cool backpackers that you meet
37. The sprayers in the bathrooms.
38. MANGO FRUITSHAKES. and any fruitshake
39. Corn Bobo tea
40. THIS CITY HAS A MOAT. and a 700 year old wall around it. (Only on the corners and the 6 gates)
41. The beautiful campus
42. Mangosteens
43. Mangos, especially now that they are in season.
44. When Thai people on the street are dancing and they give you a beer
45. When Thai professors drink with their students all the time.
46. Jai yen yen
47. Mai pen rai
47 1/2 How Thai men aren't creepy. Yay!
48. Not using a smart phone..? maybe
49. OMG COCONUTS. Coconut water, coconut curry, coconut milk with bananas or pumpkin, coconut shakes....... But I ALWAYS forget how to say it in Thai.
50. Learning new words.
51. Just... being in Asia.
*conclusion. I probably love food too much.
OR. Thai food is really good
or both.
Things I won't miss
1. How the streets smell bad sometimes. Especially when you are eating. And the rats.
2. WALKING everywhere since I never got a motorbike.. since I tore my meniscus. ugh
2. a. Being terrified for my life when other people drive me on their motorbikes
3. Getting dropped off at the end of our street and having to walk. Asking them to drive us and them saying no.
4. People not understanding me.
5. When I accidently order liver, or blood in my soup.
6. When I cry because it's so spicy - actually it's fun.
*Everything is about food and driving places, usually driving to get food
7. Having to go out for every single meal
8. Using too much plastic
9. Teachers not showing up for class...
10. People being immature
11. One of the Uniloft security guards who doesn't like us.
12. annoying backpackers that you don't meet, so maybe they are cool and I'm judgemental
13. Squatty toilets- only because I have bad knees
14. Bathrooms never having soap or toilet paper
15. People throwing up on busses and being terrified of crashing
16. THE AIR QUALITY. sucks. Getting headaches from the smoke in the air
17. My knee problems.. Oh wait they will follow me everywhere.
18. Being able to connect with people on a deeper level because they speak your language...
19. IT'S SO HOT HERE!
20. When Songthew drivers laugh at you because they don't want to drive you where you want to go
21. When people treat you like a tourist. Shmeh
22. Not having a motorized vehicle
23. Not having cheese.
24. It's really cheap, but the money I spend actually adds up really fast.
25. Not seeing the people I love all the time!
26. Not feeling very involved in the community... Should have volunteered more.
27. Songthaews. Yeah I won't miss them. Just the drivers when we talked.
29. Not having a dryer... or a clothesline.
30. This bed.
P.S I'm finally going out of the country next week to Cambodia! I can't believe I haven't left Thailand yet.
1. Street food!
2. The girl who works at the 7/11 close to us.
3. Penny's
4. Green Curry
5. Appreciating Air Con. in Thai "ee"
6. Music at North Gate and Su-wat's
7. Pai!
8. Drivin on motorbikes and feeling freee
9. Doing whatever I feel like most of the time and not planning things
10. Talking about Buddhism with Amanda and Donielle and everyone
11. Discovering how cool people are that you think you know, but you don't know them!
12. Understanding impermanence.. etc.
13. Trying to speak Thai!! Phut Thai nit-noy
13. a. Saying "Nit-noy" all the time.
14... Songthaews?? Not sure. Maybe some of the songthaew drivers.
15. songKRAN
16. Cats and dogs everywhere
17. BAHT.
a. "the look of it, the taste, the smell, the texture!"
b. the conversion rate and how everything is so cheap, duh
18. Special times with Kim when she was here
19. and with my parents
20. and with Scott!
21. Flowers on trees blooming all the time, and flowers that smell so good
22. having time to read
23. New places to explore all the time
24. Temples!
25. The security guard in our building
26. Thai people being so nice!
27. Those beaches....
28. People telling me I speak Thai very well. (LOL)
29. Sharing thoughts and making new friends
30. The spirit of adventure and exploring, by myself
31. The sprit of adventure and exploring, with friends
32. Saying "kha" all the time
33. Mystery field trips!
34. Hill Tribe field trips!
34a. Mae Hong Son Province and CAVE LODGE.
35. Elephants
36. Cool backpackers that you meet
37. The sprayers in the bathrooms.
38. MANGO FRUITSHAKES. and any fruitshake
39. Corn Bobo tea
40. THIS CITY HAS A MOAT. and a 700 year old wall around it. (Only on the corners and the 6 gates)
41. The beautiful campus
42. Mangosteens
43. Mangos, especially now that they are in season.
44. When Thai people on the street are dancing and they give you a beer
45. When Thai professors drink with their students all the time.
46. Jai yen yen
47. Mai pen rai
47 1/2 How Thai men aren't creepy. Yay!
48. Not using a smart phone..? maybe
49. OMG COCONUTS. Coconut water, coconut curry, coconut milk with bananas or pumpkin, coconut shakes....... But I ALWAYS forget how to say it in Thai.
50. Learning new words.
51. Just... being in Asia.
*conclusion. I probably love food too much.
OR. Thai food is really good
or both.
Things I won't miss
1. How the streets smell bad sometimes. Especially when you are eating. And the rats.
2. WALKING everywhere since I never got a motorbike.. since I tore my meniscus. ugh
2. a. Being terrified for my life when other people drive me on their motorbikes
3. Getting dropped off at the end of our street and having to walk. Asking them to drive us and them saying no.
4. People not understanding me.
5. When I accidently order liver, or blood in my soup.
6. When I cry because it's so spicy - actually it's fun.
*Everything is about food and driving places, usually driving to get food
7. Having to go out for every single meal
8. Using too much plastic
9. Teachers not showing up for class...
10. People being immature
11. One of the Uniloft security guards who doesn't like us.
12. annoying backpackers that you don't meet, so maybe they are cool and I'm judgemental
13. Squatty toilets- only because I have bad knees
14. Bathrooms never having soap or toilet paper
15. People throwing up on busses and being terrified of crashing
16. THE AIR QUALITY. sucks. Getting headaches from the smoke in the air
17. My knee problems.. Oh wait they will follow me everywhere.
18. Being able to connect with people on a deeper level because they speak your language...
19. IT'S SO HOT HERE!
20. When Songthew drivers laugh at you because they don't want to drive you where you want to go
21. When people treat you like a tourist. Shmeh
22. Not having a motorized vehicle
23. Not having cheese.
24. It's really cheap, but the money I spend actually adds up really fast.
25. Not seeing the people I love all the time!
26. Not feeling very involved in the community... Should have volunteered more.
27. Songthaews. Yeah I won't miss them. Just the drivers when we talked.
29. Not having a dryer... or a clothesline.
30. This bed.
P.S I'm finally going out of the country next week to Cambodia! I can't believe I haven't left Thailand yet.
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