Food, expensive and otherwise

Without a doubt, I have eaten more squid in the last 4 weeks than my whole family in the last 20 years. Squid can appear as rings, maybe an inch or inch and a half in diameter, mixed in with a dish of noodles and vegetables. The first time I had these squid rings, I thought they were just really chewy noodles with a bit of a fishy taste.

The other form is more recognizable. Can you find the squid in my plate of pad thai?

$4.50 of fishy food

Squid is not the most exotic food you can get easily here, just the furthest that this western palate has ventured so far. It's absolutely astonishing what can be made into soup: chicken feet, pig organ, pig feet, pig stomach, and beef testicles are what I've steered clear of.

Also: eggs are never refrigerated here. At the grocery store, they're just on palates next to the bread. Blows my mind.

The expensive food came on Sunday. Kelly invited Justin and I to go to church with her and her family, which we did. My dad was right when he said the Catholic church is like McDonald's - they try to make it the same everywhere. After church, we took the family Mercedes (plural) to a western-style cafe where we were treated to a delicious taste of home. Kelly's father graduated from the University of Oregon, and Kelly herself just got accepted to the exchange program with U of O for next term, so we had a lot to talk about.

Lunch was fantastic. I think her parents were investing in the Oregon students to ensure a good reception for their daughter in January. A fine plan by me.

I'm flying to Bangkok on Thursday night. Want a postcard? Leave a comment or email me with your address.