You gotta love the Thai ingenuity.

I happened upon this mobile coffee unit while strolling near the moat that surrounds Chiang Mai’s old city. While I’d seen the VW bus employed in this way as a cocktail bar in Thailand before, coffee seems to be the more popular beverage-on-white-walls these days.

Using a high-end espresso machine and fresh coffee grown in the area, my barista created a delicious iced coffee while I pulled up a stool and people-watched. The finished product was presented to me as “on the house” with a shy smile. It seems I had happened upon the mobile coffee unit the first day this young entrepreneur was open for business, and he was offering all drinks for free on his inaugural day. So I tucked my baht into his ceramic VW bus tip jar and wished him “choke dee” (good luck) on his new endeavor.

Coffee culture is something I’ve enjoyed in many parts of the world. I love the universal way that people come together over a cup of joe. Where are some of your most memorable coffee experiences?

Hungry for more? Be sure to visit WanderFood Wednesday and share in the virtual feast!

Bangkok can be described in many terms: sprawling, noisy, beautiful, and chaotic are just a few. It’s easy to be deflated by heavy heat, pollution and traffic when you stick to the roads in the heart of the city.

I think one of the keys to enjoying any big city is to find new and unique ways of moving through it. When the Tourism Authority of Thailand recently hosted me in Bangkok I was offered some options to explore this sprawling metropolis by alternative modes, one of which was by bike.

Admittedly, I was initially skeptical of a bike tour in the heat and chaos of Bangkok. In a place where crossing the street is a game of chance, and during the unbearably hot and muggy days leading into the monsoon season, the simple effort of commandeering abide through Bangkok was daunting. I started to relax when we met up with our guides, Mr. Bottle and Mr. Esso from Spice Roads, and they outfitted me with a good Trek bike and a sound-looking helmet.

A quick cruise down a side road brought us to a pier, and once ferried over to the far side of the Chao Praya River to the historic Thonburi area, we were soon off the streets and cruising pleasantly down back alleys through the neighborhood. The tangle of traffic felt far out of reach, and soon I had a big smile on my face as I peddled casually and called out hellos to the residents and merchants going about their daily lives. Kids played with their grandparents on back stoops, women hung out the laundry, dogs napped in the shade and the smell of roasting peppers and garlic mingled with whiffs of laundry soap and motor oil as I rolled through the scene. Ahh…

As part of the tour, we made several stops along the way to observe some craftspeople at work. Stepping into the workshop of one of the last remaining begging bowl makers (the bowls are used by Buddhist monks to gather alms), was an affront of heat so intense I thought my face would melt. When I learned this was a dying trade as the younger generation pursues modern jobs in the city, I can’t say I’d blame them, though it is a shame to think this art form will fall out of the hands that have held it for generations.

Further along, we stopped to watch men pounding out sheets of gold leaf, which are applied to buddhas by temple-goers as a way of making merit. Sweat poured down their bodies as they heaved huge mallets in the air and dropped them with a rhythmic bang. I learned it takes five hours of this intense physical effort to flatten a single sheet of a gold leaf, and again felt torn between the need for preservation of traditional crafts and the right for a changing culture to adapt and earn a living without such toil.

Riding on, we found ourselves moving out of the city and onto an urban jungle path. Passing through the blessed shade of spice plantations growing galangal and kaffir lime, at times the thick swampy air smelled like a sweltering Thai kitchen. Our guides recommended we keep our eyes on the route as the potential of bailing off of either side of the elevated pathways in this area and landing several feet below in a swamp was fairly high. Not the strongest bike rider, I still felt there was plenty of room and just a bit of concentration needed when locals passed occasionally on the narrow walkway, but an inexperienced cyclist may find themselves walking the bike around some of the tighter curves in this section.

At a welcome stop at a local temple, the Spice Roads van arrived with cold drinks, fruit and sticky rice to bolster us riders, as well as chilled towels for a much-needed face refreshment. Truth be told, although my original fears regarding the sketchy traffic were alleviated by our back-alley routes, the concern for riding in the heat was legitimate. I sweated profusely during the ride and had to be diligent on my water intake in order to avoid dehydration. Though the riding is all flat and never difficult, any act of physical exertion in this kind of heat is exhausting. By the time we reached our terminus and Spice Roads finished our excursion with a fabulous local lunch, I was feeling famished and spent, but also quite happy.

Thinking about booking a bike tour in Bangkok? I was pleasantly surprised by this experience and would encourage it for a different view on the ancient city of Krungthep. My only regret is that the stops we made to watch the artisans at work were just that – an invitation to watch, but no real opportunities to engage with the locals and ask questions. Be sure to dress cool and comfortable, and even though you’ll be given water for the ride, I’d bring extra along.

Spice Roads offer this day trip with an additional side trip to a floating market for about 2500 baht, which includes transfers to/from your Bangkok hotel. They also offer a shorter half day version for about 1500 which I’d consider looking at, especially if heat exhaustion could be an issue. There’s many other tour options around Thailand and other destinations in SE Asia on their website as well.

Vegetarians, I have news for you: Thai food might be a staple in your diet at home, but when you travel to Thailand you will discover that vegetarianism is not as widespread as you may think. That exhilarating freedom we veggies experience of ordering almost any dish off a Thai menu with just veggies or tofu is a pleasure reserved mainly for dining here at home.

However, the good news is that you will still enjoy some of the best meals ever to pass your lips as a traveler in Thailand. There’s just a few things to know before you embark on your tasting adventure.

What are the magic words?
There are a few simple Thai phrases you’ll need to help convey your preference. The words “kin chey” and “mangsavarat” both imply vegetarianism. In a sentence, you may say “Di chan kin chey” (for females, or “Pom kin chey” if you are male).

It also helps to learn the words for meat so you can discover what is in a dish. Learning that moo is pork, gai is chicken, neua is beef, pla is fish and kung and prawns will allow you to ask “mi moo mai?” or “mi gai mai” (Does this have pork, does this have chicken?) It will also allow you to say “mai kin neua” or “mai kin pla“. (I don’t eat beef, I don’t eat fish)

Dig in!

While some dishes are not traditionally prepared without meat, there’s some delicious stand-bys that are. It’s quick and easy to order a phad thai phak (fried noodles with vegetables) at restaurants and noodle stands throughout Thailand. Other noodle dishes, such as phad see euw (fried wide noodles) may be ordered with eggs (sai khai). Khao phat pak (fried rice with vegetables) is a popular morning dish, as are savory omelets with farm fresh eggs. Pa pia sot (fresh spring rolls) may or may not come with shrimp wrapped inside, but at least the translucent rolls allow for a sneak peak. And since som tam (spicy papaya salad) is usually made to order, you can often requested it without the requisite shrimp.

Of course, you could just live on fruit alone in Thailand! Fresh pineapple, mango, jackfruit, mangosteens, lychee, longan, watermelon, banana, coconut, papaya, dragonfruit, rambutan and more fill the fresh markets and street carts of Thailand. The thought alone makes me swoon…

Vegetarian havens

All the veggie-loving farang (foreigners) who have traveled before you have helped to make vegetarian food much more ubiquitous in the parts of Thailand that see a lot of visitors. In tourist hubs like Bangkok and Chiang Mai, vegetarian cuisine is easy to find at many restaurants, and some even feature an all-vegetarian menu. My two favorite all-veg restaurants are May Kaidee (3 locations in Bangkok and 1 in Chiang Mai) and Chiang Mai’s Nice Kitchen. The food at both these places is nothing short of amazing; I dream about them all the time.

Check out many more links to fine vegetarian dining in Thailand at Happy Cow!

Consider flexitarianism
If you are at all open to the idea of eating fish and/or seafood during your travels in Thailand, you will open up a new realm of possibilities. Naturally, traveling along the coastlines of southern Thailand you will find the fruits of the sea are the center of almost every meal. Throughout the country, locally-raised fish like tilapia are a common (and tasty) protein. If your beliefs and your stomach allow you to flex even further, consider sampling curries and noodle dishes that have meat in them, but that you can eat around. I’ll do this when requesting my own special plate is not option, as is often the case when eating family-style with locals.

There’s more to feast your eyes on over at WanderFood Wednesday!