The Thais and Food

So it's been a while, but what better way to get rolling again than to talk about something we all enjoy everyday. Food. As friends and family well know, I'm a big fan of food. I relish the act of eating and manage to pack away unusual quantities of the stuff. But when it comes to the love of all things food, I just can't keep up with the Thais.

I just got back from the International THAIFEX Food Expo. Dear Lord. I never knew so much food existed (both in variety and sheer quantity) on this Green Earth. The convention center is the size of 8 football fields all under one roof, undivided, and the place was packed wall-to-wall with various food vendors from around the world... and plenty from Thailand alone. But that didn't compare to the masses of people that flocked to the event. I believe it was estimated that a third the population of the planet was there today. And not a soul left the exhibition empty handed or empty stomached.

After wandering around for a while, I realized that I had no idea what most of these edible morsels were. I had the pleasure of sampling every variety of fruit, meat, grain, herb, vegetable, and ??? known to man. I tired several things that were so uterly alien that I have no idea if they were made from plant, animal or plastic - but boy were they good! In the end, I ate a six course meal from samples alone and bought a sickening amount of new and unusual foods. Yet a 5 year old passed by with three times as many bags, then turned to me pointed and just laughed - and that cut deeper than words. I guess I can't even hold a candle to these people and their obsession with sampling, buying, discussing, preparing, remenessing, sharing, and eating food. And the best part about this expo is that there is one much like it at any number of different convention centers every weekend in Bangkok - and every weekend it is packed with eager hungry Thais.
~Bear