Talat Nam Khlong Lat Mayom floating market in Bangkok, Thailand, is a paradise of serenity, a place where nothing seems to be in a hurry and no one seems like they are out to get you.  Boat vendors stir fry their dish of the day, store owners allow you to look without buying, and artists smile as you admire their handiwork.  Everything at Khlong Lat Mayom floating market fits perfectly together like an uncomplicated all-fun puzzle…with great food.

The outskirts of Bangkok are known for famous tourist attracting and more than chaotic floating market’s like Damnoen Saduak and Amphawa floating market.  These markets are wonderful for the energetic, but don’t allow for peaceful relaxation.  At Khlong Lat Mayom the case is quite opposite delivering a haven for relaxation and an opportunity to have a floating market experience minus a lot of the bustle and fuss.

When I was there a boat peacefully paddled down the canal and unless I hadn’t heard the chit chat or the searing sound of a flaming wok on board, I wouldn’t have ever known they passed.

Aside from food, other things like house plants, selections of fruit, and home furnishings were all for sale directly off boats.

The entire scene of boat vendors on the quiet and heavily forested Khlong Lat Mayom canal enthralled me and I immediately wanted to begin looking for a dwelling in the vicinity.

I sampled a number of dishes including guay teow khua gai fried noodles, and an uncommon traditional dish known as khao chair.  It consisted of a bowl of ice water with smokey burnt rice at the bottom, and an accompanying dish filled with an assortment of candied fish and other unidentifiable things.

The market also contains a section away from the boats yet still surrounded by a network of canals and greenery.  This section is filled with little stalls selling a range of things like clay statues, local Thai souvenirs, and antiques.  Cute restaurants on stilts, kids neatly painting pottery, and massage booths hovering over lush ponds, add to the comforting environment.

“I felt completely at home, like I could set up a lean-to on the banks of the canal and call it a night.  I would naturally wake up early with the morning sunshine to a couple of tranquil boats eager but not pushy to sell me something delicious.  I would get on a covered raft with a straw hat on and let a porter calmly paddle me through the vegetation while I sat cross legged, deep in thought.  I could really turn this market into a lifestyle…”

Khlong Lat Mayom floating market is friendly, unobtrusive, and extremely soothing.  Another bonus is that the market is located in Bangkok and doesn’t take long to reach.

How to get to Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market

Open only on Saturdays and Sundays and public holidays from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm.  I would recommend getting there right about 10 am when things are just getting started.

The market is located on Bang Lamad Road which is off Bang Khae-Bang Bua Thong Outer Ring Highway,
Taling Chan, Thonburi, Bangkok

The easiest way to get there is to hop in a taxi from Wang Wian Yai BTS station and tell the driver to go to Talat Nam Khlong Lat Mayom.  The taxi should only cost around 100 THB.

Check out the official directions from their website here and print off directions in Thai.

- Migration Mark

We are excited and licking our lips in anticipation of Bangkok’s debut Sweetup!  TENFACE Bangkok and In Search of Sanuk have teamed up to organize an event for dessert lovers, twitter users, and charity helpers.  The proceeds will go towards coomunity projects by In Search of Sanuk.  If you are in Bangkok, join us in celebrating the world of desserts.  For more information click here.

Thai desserts are yet another explorable sector of the extensive realm of best Thai dishes.  An indulgence of Thai desserts is an eye-opener to a new angle of Thailand’s sweet flavors and a food gastro-adventure that’s sure to never get boring.  After eating and gathering over 100 best Thai dishes, it was surely time to devour all the sugary treats that Bangkok has to offer.

Most Thai desserts are a sweet and sometimes filling snack opposed to a light and airy Western style dessert.  They are characterized by sweet syrups, coconut cream, tropical fruits, and sweet sticky rice.

The ultimate guide to Thai desserts is divided into a few categories to make it easier to navigate: Sticky Rice Desserts, Jelly/Custard/Gooey, Soup/Pudding, Cakes/Bread/Pancakes, Fruit/Based, Ice Cream, and Random.

If you have a chronic sweet tooth or an occasional sweet craving, this Thai Desserts (Khanom Thai): The Ultimate Thailand Sweets Guide is for you!

I have “***” my personal favorites with 1-3 stars.  My personal choice really comes down to Khao Niew Toorien and Bua Loy Nam King though most are quite delicious.  Take a look at the list and feel free to let me know your favorite Thai desserts!

Khao Niew Toorien ข้าวเหนียวทุเรียน (Durian Coconut Milk Soup with Sticky Rice)***

Sticky rice with chunk of Durian swimming in a thick coconut cream syrup

Nam Kati Niew Durian

Khao Tom Mud ข้าวต้มมัด
(Banana Leaf Sticky Rice)

Sticky rice, coconut milk, sugar, sweet black beans, all candied in a banana leaf wrapper

Khanom Gluay ขนมกล้วย
(Banana Treat)

Sticky rice, bananas, sugar and shredded coconut made into a green treat. It becomes green by soaking Pandanus leaves in cool water and adding it to the mixture.

Khao Niew Ma Muang ข้าวเหนียวมะม่วง (Sticky Rice with Mango)*

Sweet sticky rice with sweet yellow mango on top and covered in coconut cream syrup

Khao Niew Mamuang

Khao Niew Moon ข้าวเหนียวมูน (Colored Sticky Rice)*

Selection of sticky rice made with sugar, coconut milk, salt and a little flavor to create the variation of color

Khao Niew Moon

Khanom Jark ขนมจาก
(Palm Leaf Treat)

Flour, coconut meat, sugar and salt grilled in a palm leaf wrapper

Khao Mahk ข้าวหมาก
(Fermented Rice Pudding)**

Whole grains of sticky rice sweetly fermented into a pudding that remains slight crunchy

Khao Lam ข้าวหลาม
(Sticky Rice in Bamboo)

Sticky rice sweetened with black beans and syrup and roasted in a bamboo trunk

Khao Niew Sang Kaya ข้าวเหนียวสังขยา (Sticky Rice with Custard)**

Sweet sticky rice topped with a slice of creamy custard

Khao Niew Sang Kaya

Khao Niew Dam ข้าวเหนียวดำ
(Sweet Black Sticky Rice)

Sweet black sticky rice with shredded coconut on top

Khao Mao Tod ข้าวเม่าทอด (Fried Banana with Roasted Rice)**

Super ripe banana wrapped with roasted unripened sticky rice and coconut before being deep fried

Khanom Khao Mao

Khanom Khao Mao ขนมข้าวเม่า (Unripe Sticky Rice Dessert)

Unripe roasted sticky rice used to make a sweet dessert

Tong Yip ทองหยิบ
(Flower Egg Yolk Tart)

Egg yolk, sugar, and flower water boiled in sugar syrup and formed into flower like shapes

Tong Yord ทองหยอด (Round Egg Yolk Tart)

Egg yolk, sugar, and flower water boiled in sugar syrup and formed into round balls

Tong Yord

Foi Tong ฝอยทอง (Shredded Egg Yolk Tart)

Egg yolks and sugar boiled in sweet syrup and then formed into hairlike shapes

Foi Tong

Khanom Krok ขนมครก
(Coconut Rice Dumplings)*

Traditional coconut and rice flour dumplings with a choice of topping and cooked in a waffle like heated pan

Woon วุ้น
(Jelly)

All kinds of Thai jelly similar to Jello

Woon Ma Plow (Coconut Jelly)

Clear coconut jelly hardened into a coconut shell

Khanom Chun ขนมชั้น (Thai Jello)

Sugar, coconut milk, and flour mixed and set in cookie pan to harden into a jelly

Khanom Chun

Khanom Chun Gafe ขนมชั้นกาแฟ
(Layered Coffee Jelly)

Brown layered jelly with a hint of coffee flavoring

Khanom Duang ขนมด้วง
(Sticky Morsels)

Tapioca and rice flour with coconut milk and sugar made into little food colored morsels and sprinkled with shredded coconut

Sang Kaya Fug Tong สังขยาฟักทอง (Pumpkin and Custard)**

Pumpkin hollowed out and filled with the creamiest custard

Sang Kaya Fug Tong

Khanom Piek Poon ขนมเปียกปูน
(Burnt Coconut Jelly)

Flour, sugar, and shredded coconut meat residue that is burnt on the outside to create the black effect and made into a jelly

Takoh ตะโก้ (Coconut Cream Jelly)**

Tapioca flour mixed with heavy coconut cream, coconut pulp and sugar to create a intense coconut custard topping over tapioca pearls and sometimes corn

Khanom Takoh ขนมตะโก้
(Coconut Pudding Cake)

Jelly custard on the bottom with coconut cream pudding on top

Woon Kati วุ้นกะทิ
(Condensed Milk Jelly)

Jello like jelly with condensed milk topping

Khanom Thuay ขนมถ้วย (Thai Coconut Custard)**

Coconut milk custard made in small bite size bowls

Khanom Thuay

Khanom Sai Sai ขนมไส่ใส้ (Coconut Treat)

Coconut fruit inside with coconut pudding outside and covered in a banana leaf

Khanom Thien ขนมเทียน (Sticky Cake)

Tapioca flour and peanuts made into a wet cake and wrapped in a banana leaf. Especially eaten during Chinese New Year

Khanom Thien

Bua Loy Nam King บัวลอยน้ำขิง (Mochi Rice and Sesame Balls in Ginger Water)***

Dumplings of rice flour encasing black sesame paste and floating in sweet ginger soup

Bua Loy

Sakoo Piek สาคูเปียก
(Tapioca Pudding)*

Tapioca balls in sweet pudding paste

Tao Huay Nam Khing เต้าฮวยน้ำขิง
(Soft Tofu and Sweet Croutons in Ginger Water)**

Vibrant sweetened ginger water with pieces of soft tofu and sweet croutons

Nam Kang Sai น้ำแข็งไส
(Mixed Ice Dessert)

A choice combination of various jellies and candied fruits topped with chunks of ice and sweet syrup

Khanom Wan Ruam Mit (Mixed Sweet Dessert)

A sweet concoction of mixed treats

Rang Nok รังนก (Sweet Bird’s Nest Soup)**

Bird’s nest soup made into a healthful dessert snack, and just barley sweet

Rang Nok

Pakim Kai Tow ปะกิมไข่เต่า
(Sweet Salty Soup)

Sweet and salty soup combined together with sticky rice flour and coconut milk

Fug Tong Gang Buad ฟักทองแกงบวช
(Pumpkin in Coconut Milk)

Pumpkin candied in coconut milk with sugar and salt

Taptim Grob ทับทิมกรอบ (Water Chestnuts in Coconut Soup)

Water chestnuts in a sweet icy coconut soup

Nam Tow Hoo น้ำเต้าหู้ (Tofu Water)*

Sweetened tofu water almost tasting like milk

Salim ซาหลิ่ม (Glass Noodle Dessert)

Glass noodles in sweet coconut milk

Khanom Thungtag ขนมถังแตก
(Sweet Thai Pancake)

Flour and coconut milk with yeast, salt and sugar mixed into a pancake. Eaten with foi tong or an assortment of toppings.

Roti Gluay โรตีกล้วย (Banana Pancake Treat)*

A doughy pastry fried in butter with a banana and egg mixture on the inside before being covered with sugar and sweetened condensed milk

Roti Gluay

Khanom Buang ขนมเบื้อง
(Sweet Thai Crepe)

Sweet Thai crepe with meringue and foy tong on top

Khanom Sahlee ขนมสาลี่
(Sweet Bread)

Flour, sugar and lime juice mixed into a sweet bread and steamed to remain cooked and still moist and fluffy

Taung Muan Sot ทองม้วนสด
(Sweet Rolled Sesame Pancake)

Soft pancake with roasted sesame seeds

Tong Muan ทองม้วน
(Crunchy Pancake)

Flour, coconut milk, eggs, salt, sugar and black sesame seeds cooked in a waffle maker

Tua Pap ถั่วแปบ (Peanut Rice Cake)*

Soft rice flour morsels with peanuts, mung beans, sesame seeds and coconut

Tua Pap

Khanom Pang Wan ขนมปังหวาน (Sweet Breads)

Not really Thai but a selection of hamburger buns filled with synthetic bright sweet things

Khanom Pang Wan

Roti Sai Mai โรตีสายไหม
(Thai Cotton Candy Burrito)**

Thai style candy floss of pure sugar wrapped into a crepe and eaten like as a super sweet burrito

Khanom Mun ขนมมัน
(Coconut Cassava Cake)

Cassava mixed with coconut and made into a moist cake

Khanom Tua Tud ขนมถั่วตัด
(Coconut Peanut Cake)

Ground peanuts mixed with coconut and formed into moist cake

Khanom Moa Gang ขนมหม้อแกง
(Thai Custard Cake)*

Thai custard cake baked and sprinkled with deep fried red onions

Khanom Tuay Foo ขนมถ้วยฟู
(Sweet Steamed Bread)

Plain flour with sugar and food coloring steamed into a sweet bread snack

Khanom Tarn ขนมตาล (Palm Sugar Pudding)

Small cake of steamed palm hearts

Khanom Tarn

Cake Gluay Hom เค้กกล้วยหอม
(Banana Muffin)

Muffin made with banana

Khanom Pia ขนมเปี๊ยะ
(Chinese Baked Cookie)

Rice flour cookie with sweet filling

Khanom Thom ขนมต้ม
(Dessert Balls)

Flour and sugar made into small bowls with nutty filling and covered with shredded coconut

Pang Gi แป้งจี่ (Coconut Pancake)*

Small bite sized coconut pancakes

Pang Gi

Khanom Khai ขนมไข่ (Baked Egg Cake)

Cake made with eggs and flour and shaped in a small molded pan

Khanom Baa Bin ขนมบ้าบิ่น (Fried Cake)***

Sticky rice flour and sugar fried on a griddle to become crispy and golden

Khanom Keng (Sticky Cake)

A traditional cake made with super sticky rice flour

Nam Polomai Ruam Ban (Thai Mixed Fruit Smoothie)***

The super Thai style mixed fruit shake created with the finest tropical fruits blended with ice and sweet coconut water

Nam Polomai Ruam Ban

Gluay Buad Chee กล้วยบวชชี
(Bananas in Coconut Milk)

Bananas with coconut cream

Putsa Cheum พุทราเชื่อม
(Candied Chinese Date)

Candied Chinese dates in sweet syrup

Looktan Cheum ลูกตาลเชื่อม
(Candied Palm Seeds)

Palm seeds boiled in water and then highly sugared

Grataun Song Kreung กะท้อนทรงเครื่อง (Candied Santol Fruit)*

Santol fruit candied and mixed with a peanut, chili, dried shrimp flavored sweet glaze

Grataun Song Kreung

Mamuang Nam Plah Wan มะม่วงน้ำปลาหวาน (Green Mango with Sweet Sauce)*

Green mangoes dipped into a sweet fishy paste with dried shrimp and red onions

Gluay Cheum กล้วยเชื่อม (Bananas with Syrup)

Sweet bananas in syrup with hot coconut milk on top

Gluay Kaek กล้วยแขก (Fried Sweet Bananas)*

Battered and deep fried bananas into a crispy crunch

Itim Kati ไอติมกะทิ (Coconut Ice Cream)***

Coconut infused ice cream with peanuts usually served in a coconut shell

Itim Khanom Pung ไอติมขนมปัง (Ice Cream Sandwich)***

Sliced bun, sticky rice, scoop of ice cream, peanuts, preserved palm fruit and condensed milk combined into a true Thai ice cream sandwich

Thai Ice Cream Bun Sandwich

Itim Bohrahn ไอติมโบราณ (Creamy Popsicles)**

Fruit flavored frozen ice cream rectangles

Itim Tod ไอติมทอด (Deep Fried Ice Cream)

Good old fashioned deep fried ice cream

Look Choop ลูกชุบ (Mung Bean Candy)

Smashed and sweetened mung bean paste made into cute candies to look like fruit and glazed in sweet candy

Look Choop

Med Kanun เม็ดขนุน
(Mung Bean Yolk)

Mung bean paste formed in egg yolk and sugar

Mun Sumpalung Cheum มันสำปะหลังเชื่อม
(Candied Cassava)

Cassava candied in sweet syrup

Kai Wan ไข่หวาน (Sweet Eggs)

Eggs cooked in sugar water with a hint of ginger

Kai Wan

Toorien Guan ทุเรียนกวน (Durian Paste)

Fragrant Durian with sugar made into a substance that resembles toothpaste

Durian Guan

Mamuang Guan
(Mango Fruit Roll-Up)

Mango made into sweetened and dried fruit roll-up sheets

Lod Chong Nam Kati ลอดช่องน้ำกะทิ
(Green Noodle Surprise)

Green noodles made from flour and pandanus leaves and eaten with a ladle of sweet coconut milk

Khanom La Grob ขนมลากรอบ
(Honey Candy)

Made from flour egg yolks and honey and fried in a big pan

What looks good?  Do you have a favorite Khanom Wan, Thai dessert?

Don’t forget to check out 100 best Thai dishes!

For the past 10 months I have been more or less in Bangkok with a legit established English teaching sub-professional thing which some people call a “job.”

Though I have been able to take a few incredible international trips to places like Angkor Wat, Mount Kinabalu, Bandar Seri Begawan, and countless domestic adventures, the sense of a job was almost like having 1 arm in a handcuff.

With only two months left on my year long contract, I’ve been able to organize (not fully planned) an itinerary for the next 6 months.  I’m mostly writing this to give a little heads up as to where Migrationology will be migrating in the near future.

12 – 20 September: Hanoi, Vietnam

A few last vacation days will be used up with a trip to the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi.  From there I will probably visit the famed Halong Bay and possibly try to see the appealing town of Hoi An.  Looking forward to some random exploration and some outstanding Vietnamese cuisine.

13 – 16 October: Hong Kong, China

A buddy of mine from the States will be visiting Thailand and asked me to join him on a quick jaunt to Hong Kong.  I couldn’t pass on the chance to devour late night dim sum again!  We might make a day trip to Macau if we are feeling lucky!

6 – 23 November: Cairo, Egypt

One of the cheapest airlines to fly from Bangkok, Thailand to Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania is on Egypt Air, via Cairo.  How could I possibly refuse a direct layover and pretend to be an archeologist in the land of the Pharaohs?  I’ll be excavating mummies along with Egyptian cuisine for almost 3 weeks.

24 November – 9 January 2011: Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania  /  Nairobi, Kenya  /  Zanzibar  /  Ethiopia?  /  Malawi?

Departing from Egypt, my intended destination for Christmas is Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.  Growing up as a kid in Kenya, my parents migrated to Tanzania after I graduated from high school and have now lived there for almost 6 years.  It’s time to pay a visit back to home territory, except this time armed with a few techie devices that I knew nothing about last time I was in East Africa.  Possibly will be in Nairobi for a few weeks in early December to see great friends and proceed with any unknown adventures from there.

10 January 2011: Bangkok  /  Krabi  /  Trang,  Thailand

Back to Bangkok in order to continue to pursue my prestigious career with a PHD in the Gastronomic Arts of Eating Thai Food.

This is a little of what’s to come on Migrationology.  If our paths will cross and you want to meet up, or if you have any suggestions/ideas, please feel free to contact me and we’ll see what we can arrange.  Thanks to all the readers, bloggers and tweeters who have supported migrationology!

- Migration Mark

I love to eat, possibly more than any other activity. This article is a little different from the usual buffet finishing articles and pictures that I usually write, yet it’s something to think about. If you eat the portions of food I do, it’s important to keep nutrition in mind and eat a balanced (albeit massive) diet. Even though I might devour a carnivorous meat platter in Uruguay, I try to balance it out with a garden full of vegetables and an orchard full of fresh fruit. Today’s guest post is from  Cathryn who is a proclaimed health-nut yet took a step back to analyze her food strategies when she traveled. She put together a series of 10 quotes revealing the power and the value of food, realizing that you miss a great deal when you don’t experience the local cuisine.

I was recently on vacation and was shocked when I realized I was counting calories, rather than enjoying regional delicacies.  After all, how often does one travel to far and exotic lands?  And if, while there, the food is not sampled and enjoyed, it is a great loss towards a true understanding and appreciation of the land.  My realization caused me to step back and re-evaluate my ideas about food and eating.

These days, “thin is in.”  Weight loss is the latest fad.  And almost everyone is on a diet.  “Food” is a four-letter word.

Many of us try to simply avoid food, in an effort to loose weight and look great.  But, avoiding food is not the answer.  As most dietitians would tell you, starvation is not the best diet.  The emphasis should not be on avoiding food altogether.  The emphasis should be on eating healthy. And in addition to eating healthy, we need to be living healthy as well.  This means, exercising: walking, running, jogging, swimming, whatever you like.  But, coupling an active lifestyle with healthy eating is the key.

Eating is not bad in and of itself.  But we need to eat the right things, at the right time, in the right quantity.  Many dieting experts will even tell you that splurging a little here and there may actually be better for your diet in the long run, because it makes dieting more sustainable.

As I was re-evaluating my thoughts on food, I realized that, like many people, I have forgotten the joy of food and eating.  I have forgotten that food is not enemy number one.  And can in fact be a good thing.

In an effort to help us begin to view food in a different light, I have compiled a list of ten quotes on food, eating and the power of thereof:

There is no love sincerer than the love of food.
-George Bernard Shaw (1856 – 1950) — an Irish playwright who is the only person to be awarded both a Nobel Prize for Literature and an Oscar

The whole of nature, as has been said, is a conjugation of the verb to eat, in the active and in the passive.
-William Ralph Inge (1860 – 1954) – an English author, Anglican priest, professor of divinity at Cambridge, and Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral

That’s something I’ve noticed about food: whenever there’s a crisis if you can get people to eating normally things get better.
-Madeleine L’Engle (1918 – 2007) – an American writer best known for her Young Adult fiction, particularly the Newbery Medal-winning A Wrinkle in Time

Food is our common ground, a universal experience.
-James Beard (1903-1985) – an American chef and food writer

Food is the most primitive form of comfort.
-Sheilah Graham (1904-1988) – an English-born American nationally syndicated gossip columnist during Hollywood’s “Golden Age”

Food to a large extent is what holds a society together and eating is closely linked to deep spiritual experiences.
-Peter Farb (1929-1980) – an American author, anthropologist, linguist, ecologist, naturalist, and spokesman for conservation

Food is a central activity of mankind and one of the single most significant trademarks of a culture.
-Mark Kurlansky (1948 – present) – a highly-acclaimed American journalist and writer of general interest non-fiction

If there is anything we are serious about, it is neither religion nor learning, but food.
-Lin Yutang (1895 – 1976) – a Chinese writer and inventor who is known for his compilations and translations of classic Chinese texts into English

If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.
-J.R.R. Tolkien (1892-1973) – an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion

Food is an important part of a balanced diet.
-Fran Lebowitz (1950 – present) – an American author who is best known for her sardonic social commentary on American life through her New York sensibilities

Now, this doesn’t mean, “throw your diet out the door.”  It simply means it is okay to loosen up a bit.  Just make healthy choices.

Author Bio: Cathryn Johnson is self proclaimed health-nut and a content writer for Online MBA who gives advice on the education, pursuing an online mba rankings and living a healthy life. In her free time she enjoys travel, theater and having fun in the sun.

20 detailed photos from spending a majestic 24 hours at Angkor Wat.  These pictures in black and white add contrast and diversity to further reveal the incredible raised and sunken reliefs and ancient stone creations from the Angkor Wat temples in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Malaysian Curry Laksa

Restaurant: Kedai Kopi Yee Fung
Location: Gaya Street (close to Stay In Lodge), Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia
Cost: 5 MYR ($1.55)

With an artful composition, an ambrosial aroma, a flavor from paradise, and a satisfaction that surpasses understanding, it’s no wonder I spent my last 5 Ringgits on a delightful bowl of Malaysian Curry Laksa and was forced to walk myself to the airport…

Curry Laksa is a combination of flavors that you dream about having in your mouth all at once.  The creamy coconut curry soup blends with the soft rice noodles as the shredded chicken, boiled shrimp, and fried tofu puffs, play their part by soaking up the curry.  Fresh herbs, a squeeze of lime, and chili sambal sauce, all work to boost the flavor to Utopian heights.

Curry Laksa is similar to eating Thai Kanom Jeen but possibly with a richer and maybe slightly heartier blend.  I gobbled it down, thoroughly enjoying it till the last drop of liquid did us part and then continuing to lick the bowl spic-and-span.

An iced lemon tea, made sweeter than candy, did an amazing job of cooling my sweating brow, which is inevitable while partaking of a hot bowl of Laksa in a super humid location.

As I said farewell to my final 5 Ringgits at the mercy of the contents of a plastic bowl, acknowledging that I would have to trek the 6 km to the airport, I knew I had made the right decision…

- Migration Mark

Guest Post by Louise Baker from Zen College Life

People from around the world have many things in common, but one thing all people enjoy is the love of eating great food. In addition to its essential need for health and life, food creates an emotional experience by making us feel happy, satisfied, thankful and giving us a sense of well-being. Countries are often defined by certain foods that are cultural or common to a region because of economy and agriculture. Traveling to different places gives us the opportunity to explore new customs, cultures, lifestyles and great foods not common to our own culture.

1. Europe: Western Europe – Germany

Appetizer

• leek soup (Badische Lauchsuppe)

Main Course

• bratwurst with sauerkraut and potatoes served with hot mustard
• white asparagus (when in season)
• rye or pumpernickel bread with hard cheese

Beverage

• Weissbier – a dark wheat beer

Dessert

• Black Forest cake

Image Courtesy of ginnerobot

2. Asia: Southeast Asia -Indonesia

Appetizer

• deep fried beef and vegetables wrap (Martabak Telor)
• table pickle (Acar)

Main Course

• gado-gado (traditional dish in Indonesia) – vegetable salad with peanut dressing

Beverage

• Jasmine tea – hot or cold

Dessert

• fried banana (pisang goreng) with coconut ice cream

Gado Gado in Indonesia

3. Africa: North Africa – Morocco

Appetizer

• salad (zaalouk) – eggplant and tomato salad

Main Course

• couscous with lamb and vegetables
• flatbread

Beverage

• green tea with mint

Dessert

• gazelle horns (kaab el ghzal) – pastry stuffed with almond paste topped with sugar

4. Oceania: Australia

Appetizer

• tossed salad with oil and vinegar dressing

Main Course

• mud crab
• steamed vegetables – carrots, potatoes, celery, onions, leeks
• Anzac biscuits

Beverage

• white wine or beer

Dessert

• plum pudding

5. South America: Brazil

Appetizer

• fresh fruit – mango, papaya, guava and pineapple

Main Course

• pork tenderloin with pine nuts
• rice and beans – white rice steamed with red beans
• cheese buns (pao de queijo)

Beverage

• Coffee – dark Brazilian or Colombian roast

Dessert

• Caipirinha – traditional cocktail made with cachaca (liqueur), sugar and lime
• cassava cake

Image courtesy of seacapn

There are thousands of great recipes for cultural foods and cuisines of countries around the world. Each country has foods that are traditional or significant to that region based on culture, local crops and resident favorites. If you can’t travel to these destinations, you can experience the cuisine by exploring some recipes from various countries around the world. For additional information on cuisines of the world visit Wikipedia. Continents are broken down by regions with cuisines of each country or area within that region.

Author: When she’s not organizing parties, Louise Baker writes about online colleges at Zen College Life. She recently ranked the best online schools in North America.

Take a bite of Kuala Lumpur and experience a city where the Malay, Chinese, and Indian cultures synthesize into a diverse and fascinating habitat.  KL is a place where ultra modern technologies blend into a surrounding of natural tropical botany, where a love camaraderie for all things edible percolates through a world of different cultures, and where everyone is encouraged to become their own gastronome.  A spoon of Kuala Lumpur includes a sensation that will touch all taste buds and draw you into a Malaysia that is Truly Asia!

1. Petronas Towers

The signature landmark and most famed aspect of Kuala Lumpur are the jet setting Petronas twin towers. The twins can be spotted from afar, poking their way through the KL skyline. You can’t get to the top, but you can get to the impressive observation skybridge on the 41st floor with possession of a ticket.  Tickets are FREE, but on a first come first serve basis (1300 people per day), so arrive to get your ticket as early as possible (8 am is good).  At the base of the towers is the KLCC prestigious shopping mall.

For me information on the Petronas Towers check out the official website.

2. Browse Chow Kit Market

With a name like “Chow,” you know there’s going to be food! Chow Kit Market is the largest fresh food market in Kuala Lumpur. It showcases some of the finer fruits, freshly butchered meats, and the all important Malaysian cooking spices and curries.  Along with food, trinkets, amulets, and antiques can be found.  A stroll through the Chow Kit market will enrich you with a little local KL life.  Best hours to visit are during the day from 9 am to 5 pm.

Location: Northern end of Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman (see map here), very close to Chow Kit Monorail station

3. Devour the Durian Buffet

The pinnacle of all food lovers success and a pilgrimage site of weird food enthusiasts, is summed up at the Durian Buffet. The Durian Buffet is a haven where you can eat as much of the world’s stinkiest fruit in a single sitting while using little or no self control.  This is a place where you can eat to your hearts desire and no one will accuse you of wrongdoing.

Location: Durian SS2, 1,jalan ss 2/75,47300 Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, Ah Wai – 012-234-5619, durianss2@gmail.com

4. Stuff yourself with Nasi Campur

Few food groups from the entire world can come close to competing with Nasi Campur or mixed rice.  A pile of rice with a choice selection of various dishes including curried fish, coconut vegetables, soybean tempe, and other incredible tasting things.

Check out the nasi berlauk buffet near the Petronas Towers

5. Scale the Menara KL Tower

Though the steep entrance fee may discourage the frugal travelers, the observation view from the KL tower is impressive.  Situated atop Bukit Nanas hill, the tower reaches a height of 421 meters.  If you are in for a splurge of an evening, this is the best place to see KL from high above.

For more information check out the KL Tower website

6. Hike Bukit Nanas Forest

In the middle of urban congestion and skyrise concrete edifices is the tropical Bukit Nanas (Pineapple hill) Forest hill reserve.  There are a number of neatly maintained nature trails that weave through the sturdy trees and jungle flora.  This nature haven is a perfect place to escape the city, clear your mind, and relieve your thoughts.

7. Visit the Batu Caves

Just a few kilometers from the main area of KL, are the interesting Batu caves.  The Batu Caves are a series of limestone caves and cliffs with Hindu shrines and statues inside.  If you are there towards the end of January, don’t miss the important Thaipusam Festival.

8. Masjid Jamek Mosque

The Masjid Jamek Mosque is a beautiful architectural design with it’s Arab domes and sharp arches.  The structure caters to the tropical hot climate with open terraces and a lovely marble floor.

9. Thean Hou Chinese Temple

This huge Chinese Temple is one of the largest in SE Asia.  It is a beautiful sight to see with it’s dragon columns, intricate Chinese  pagodas, and view of Kuala Lumpur city skyline.

Open from 9 am – 6pm

10. Chill Out in Bukit Bintang

Kuala Lumpur’s trendy eating and boutique shopping district is almost always teeming with life.  Browse the clothing shops, find restaurants with all kinds of international food, get a massage, or enjoy a bit of street side sheesha.

See map here!

11. Sip Chai in Little India

Little India also known as Brickfields is packed full of shops selling Indian attire, incense, shrines, and fabrics.  Small eateries constantly remain crowded with lazy eaters who sip on chai from small cups and nibble on roti canai.

12. Explore Chinatown

Chinatown in Kuala Lumpur, like most other Chinatown’s around the world, is a great place to walk around, explore, and eat!  Petaling Jaya street is lined with cheap mass produced hawker goods, but if you escape the main drag you can find traditional Malaysian Chinese stores.

For more information see this link on Chinatown and check out the map

13. Culinary Excitement on Jalan Alor Street

If you are looking for an evening of intense culinary excitement filled with Chinese infused Malaysian food, check out Jalan Alor.  The street is a hit due to the countless eating options, a lot of seating, and huge picture menus to entice you.

Location: parallel to Jalan Bukit Bintang

14. Let a fish eat your feet at a Fish Spa Massage

Even though it might sound a little disturbing to have little fish nibble at the callus’ on your well used feet, I can vouch that after the initial girl-ly giggles, it feels incredible.  Kuala Lumpur has clinched a prestigious position as a top notch destination for Garra Rufa Fish to do their thing.  There are elaborate expensive fish spas and others that cost 10 MYR for 15 minutes on Bukit Bintang or in Central Market.

For more information on some of the best fish spas in Kuala Lumpur.

15. Relax in the KL Lake Gardens

KL Lake Gardens is a neatly manicured central tropical park.  The landscape design is filled with lush green lawns, flowers, and lakes.  Inside the park are a few famed KL attractions such as the butterfly park, KL bird park, and an orchid and hibiscus flower garden.

For more information click here.

The incredible diversity of it’s people, the overflowing spiciness of it’s cuisine, and the technology mixed with tropical nature, makes Kuala Lumpur a city where anyone can have an enjoyable time!

Please let me know what you think of Kuala Lumpur and if you have any other ways to conquer Kuala Lumpur!

- Migration Mark

As I write this, I have just finished wringing and hanging out my 6 articles of clothing on the line to dry for the day.  It’s become a normal routine, instinctively built into my every other day schedule.  I throw a little soap in the bucket, let my clothes soak for a few minutes, rinse them out, and hang them on the line to dry.  It takes me all of 5 minutes and just a wee bit of effort that has since become routinely engrained.

Right now, I live in an apartment complex in Bangkok where I could walk down my neighborhood street, throw my laundry in a machine along with a buck, and twiddle my thumbs as I waited around to throw them in the dryer.  It’s  been over two years since I’ve operated a washing machine or dryer and I still haven’t received any complaints of uncomfortable smells lingering in my presence (well…not from my clothes).

My point is not to persuade you to start following my tactics of washing your clothes in a bucket every other day and hanging them on a line.  The bottom line and point is that little things can make a big difference in this world.

While traveling around India on a tight budget, Raam Dev began to ask himself questions of how he could make a difference in this giant world.  He eventually came to realize that making small positive changes is the way to begin positiviely influencing the entire planet.

With the help of a group of fellow bloggers, Raam organized and e-book called Small Ways to Make a Big Difference aiming to be “a place to get ideas and inspiration for small ways that you can make a big difference.”

It’s an easy and useful read, set up with a brief amount of background information and then going straight into tips and advice from a diverse range of bloggers.  Raam is a firm believer that if everyone can make a few positive changes in their lives, the world will be a better place.  Download this FREE e-book to see how others are making a big difference by doing small things.

It doesn’t matter where you are or what you do, making positive choices can bring about positive changes to the world we live in.  Any small things you do to make a big difference?

- Migration Mark

Ngiu Chap Beef Noodle Soup

Restaurant: Gaya Street Restaurant
Location: Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
Cost: 5 MYR (1.57 USD)

Throughout my stay in Asia, I’ve enjoyed more than a few beef noodle soups.  I was recommended to sample Sabah, Malaysia’s own variation known as Ngiu Chap. This Kota Kinabalu favorite can be ordered with a choice of noodles and a combination of mixed beef toppings.  This bowl included beef, beef balls, a little bit of tripe, a small piece of tongue, and a few parts that I had no idea where they originated.  The broth was not overly greasy yet still powerfully beefy.  It tasted like the beef had been simmered for hours with onions and other aromatic herbs.  One of my favorite things about clear soup in SE Asia is the handful of fresh herbs (in this case cilantro and green onions) thrown on and usually left to float on top.

My bowl of Ngiu Chap arrived in all it’s spendor from the smiling waitress who waited as I took my first bite.  A slurp of noodles from my chopsticks, a ladle of soup from my spoon, and a quick wipe to my mouth with a napkin, and I smiled back at her, both of us sensing the food connection.

Though it was just a beef soup, the main beneficial assets were the thumb-sized tender chunks of beef and the clear flavorful broth.  I can see on a rainy day how Ngiu Chap might rate highly as a comfort food among crowds from Sabah, Malaysia.

Migration Mark Rating: 7/10