Sidewalk dining -- Thailand I

Karen and my first meal in Thailand tested how well we could remember and abide by the rules of eating in a developing foreign country to prevent any massive illness (i.e. diarrhoea) that would incapicitate one for the remainder of one's vacation: 1) don't drink the water; 2) avoid food that looks like it has been sitting out; 3) make sure food is hot; and 4) wash it, peel it, cook it, or forget it.

We wandered the streets and alleys near our guesthouse in Banglamphu, Bangkok's long-established traveller's ghetto. Food cart after food cart lined the streets, peddling noodles, curries, meats on sticks, fried things, and who knows what else. We took a lap around and settled on a largish-looking operation with three sidewalk tables, an awning protecting the food against the light drizzle that was beginning to fall, and pots and platters heaped with mounds of food.

I questioned how long the food had been displayed as such, but thought that it couldn't have been too long since it was still early in the morning and there were two other Thai-looking people eating there already, so it couldn't be too bad.

I had the green curry with chicken and a fried egg over steamed rice. I actually had wanted the catfish from the menu, but the woman working the place said, "Curry?" and pointed, I said, "Okay" and nodded, and, viola, there I was with a plate of green curry and a fried egg.

The curry was mildly spicy and I could taste the strong fragrance of basil. The little squash things were smushy but good, and the small bits of chicken were soft. I cut into the fried egg and the yolk ran into my rice. I was nervous. Should I eat runny egg yolk on my first day in Thailand? Was it worth the risk of getting stomach pains? Eh, I figured that I have a strong stomach, mixed that egg yolk with some rice, spooned it into my mouth, and it was good. It was even better with a little bit of curry mixed in.

We finished our meal with stomachs still intact. One food stall down, so many more to go.

* Oh, our meal also cost us 45 baht, which is roughly 1.05 USD. I'm gonna love this place.