A Trip to the Market with Nong Ja, Isaan Thailand.

As I wrote in my previous blog about Nong Ja and that our morning walk wasn’t complete. We look at the chickens and cows, return home for a cool drink and then we are off again on another walk.

At the end of our street, which is very short is this vacant land that is overgrown and stops through traffic. We hardly get any cars down our road. The odd car that is lost often comes around the small bend, sees the grass of the block and reverses back up the road. There used to be a sign telling people the road was a dead end but disappeared awhile ago.

I carry Nong Ja across the paddock and we set off on the shortcut to the market. The pathway is concrete and even has a small bridge across a disgusting drain that is so polluted.

I have seen people catching fish out of it. It disgusts me as the water is pitch black, full of rubbish and god knows what kind of contaminants.

We then head up the overgrown track toward the market.

The normal 7 day a week market opposite Big C, which sells all sorts of things, has undergone a big renovation. The owners are spending some big money, upgrading the entire market and it is such a good thing to see.

We have made this trip so many times now, Nong Ja knows when she has to hold my hand when we cross the road, and where she has to be carried. When we approach the road to cross, I ask for her hand and she simply offers it to me and then we look up and down the road, and cross.

Across the road from the market is a myriad of foods on offer. We come to this market to buy breakfast nearly every day, even days where I have breakfast at home for us; Ja still makes me trek across to the market. Then are fresh fish, they are really fresh. This shop keeps them alive in a large cooler and kills them just before placing them onto the hot coals for grilling. They have some lemongrass and other herbs stuffed into the stomach as well to enhance the flavour.

The selection of grilled meats is always a good sight; the smell of the meat grilling only enhances the hunger pains.

The market was quiet, it was Saturday morning, not too early but many had not risen yet, to start their weekend.

This is what Nong Ja was staring at in the previous picture, the water delivery man. There are many of these people whizzing about with trucks full of water for businesses and homes. It is 10 Baht for 12 litres from them or 8 Baht directly from the water producer; I go straight to the producer as it is two doors down from the chicken man near our house.

This shop doesn’t look like much, but he is doing very well. He stocks everything the food shops around him might need and is the only shop like this on the block. He is also cheap so many buy from him than trekking way across to the large market or a shopping centre.

Some chicken grilling and in the bamboo holder that usually steams the Thai staple being sticky rice are actually eggs.

After selecting our breakfast for the day we trudge home. Hands are washed and breakfast is consumed. Next is the morning bath and then it comes time for a sleep.

Ja will usually crash out for another hour or two, I at times jump back into bed as well or just get on with my day. When Ja awakes, the other two girls in my house will do so as well, Miss Noot and Benjawan. Looking bleary eyed and as if they had not slept a wink of sleep, stumble about the house.

There are many mornings where I have only had two hours sleep because of football. Some nights going to bed at around midnight, rising at 2am to watch football midweek and on Saturdays and Sundays, the football goes right through the night. last Sunday I didn’t fall into bed until just before 5am,then rising at 6am to go back to school for my first day after holidays.

There are mornings, where I would love to just roll over and make Miss Noot get up and take care of Ja, but I treasure this time with her, it is our time, it is so peaceful and calm in the mornings. I see Nong Ja at her best, when she is so full of energy, scooting here and there, chatting to me in her still made up language, these hours I value too much to ever be too tired to not drag myself out of bed.

Life is too short to not experience this joy and pleasure of such an amazing niece.

Brunty

Morning Walks with Nong Ja, Isaan Thailand.

If you read this blog, I am sorry. Just joking as it is your own fault for punishing yourself. If you are a reader you know who this is, my niece Nong Ja.

We have been blessed to be part of raising her, we had her for nearly three months straight, in that time she maybe spent a week where she didn’t sleep at our place.

We love her to death, but now that Miss Noot and I are back to the reality of the real world, sadly we don’t have time to look after her. So from Sunday to Friday she now stays with Noot’s mum in the village just over 20klms away, and we miss her so much.

Every Friday we have and will continue to go out and pick her up for Friday and Saturday nights, returning her to the village Sunday afternoon.

Nong Ja and I have quite a routine now. Most mornings she awakes between 6-7am, after she wakes she will make silly noises and just talk gibberish to herself. If she sees you open your eyes, that is the end of it.

She will then turn her attention on you, poke your eyes, try to open them and just bug you. Then when she bores of this, she simply crawls out of bed and heads for the door, then I have to rise or all hell will break loose.

As soon as the door opens Nong Ja heads straight to the fish tanks, we feed the fish together, then we head in Cola the rabbit's room. We let him out, get fresh water and carrot for him. Then we will brush him. This is at times a little harrowing for him as Ja can be a little rough and ruthless with the brush.

I then turn on the TV and we watch a little of one of the local music channels. I might get another 20 or so minutes before Ja heads to the front doors and demands they be opened.




So this is when our day really starts, Ja is dressed for the cool morning weather and we head outside and are usually met by Lily, she is the neigbours puppy and is always up for some play time in the morning.

When Nong Ja tires of playing with Lily, we are off again for our morning walk down our small street. Some morning when we are up early, we happen upon the monks collecting alms, this is always funny for me as Ja stares at them and gives them a Thai greeting that is a classic, it is a mix between a ‘Wai’, a kiss, and a face slap.


We have made this trip so many times, but every time these drain covers or grates draw Ja’s attention. She goes up to ever single one and peers down into it, says something incomprehensible and charges off with a massive grin.



I have written about these chickens, their ramshackle coop has been pulled down a few times by authorities but the guy slowly builds it again. Every day he loads all the chickens and fighting cocks from his house carport into the coop, most roam free. I am so grateful I am not anywhere near. The guy is really nice and now brings out scraps so Ja can feed the chickens.

Looking back to our house, about 300 metres.

This is looking toward Big C a few hundred metres away.

This is where we usually stop and look at the cows and buffaloes. They weren’t there this morning.

The cows and buffaloes were still in there other paddock. The owner was late getting them out this morning.

Ja likes inspecting water metres, she hops on some like they are a bike.

We make it back to our gate, and Lily is waiting to play some more but our adventure isn’t near finished. We still have to trek across to the market another 400 metre or so walk.

I will blog about this tomorrow, if time permits.

Brunty

Spago Authentic Italian Pizza and Pasta, Ubon Ratchathani Thailand.

I have been saying that I was going to make it to this restaurant for a while, and I finally did. Spago is an authentic Italian pizza and pasta restaurant. The owner is an expat named Franco, I meet him a little while ago and was told about his Italian restaurant he was opening.

Franco was not in a rush to get the shop opened, he wanted the shop to be completely finished and the quality top notch, and this is exactly what he has done.

The sign, stating ‘A Taste of Italy in Ubon’ (Ratchathani), I was looking forward to tasting one of the pizzas.

When you walk into Spago, you are greeted by the sight of the wood-fired pizza oven.

This would have to be a novelty for the locals, I don’t know of any other place in Ubon where they could see a pizza oven like this and also the whole process of the pizza, from the beginning to the end.

And Franko also makes real Bruschetta, it looked so good.

And this is the end product; it looks great, doesn’t it? I can tell you that it tasted probably even better than it looked. Franko uses the best quality products, the olive oil, garlic and tomato really complemented the Bruschetta.

All the ingredients were painstakingly searched for by Franko, trips to Bangkok to find what you now see.

Salame (must be how you really spell it) and Mozzarella cheese.

I am pretty sure this is prosciutto, looks good.

All the ingredients ready to go for the pizzas.

As I said before, the novelty of Spago is the customer being able to watch the whole pizza process. From the bases being made to the toppings applied.

Franko and his wife are doing a great job. This is the master at work.

And the masterpiece is finished. I ordered an Italian sausage, that could have had spinach or broccoli. The sausage meat is actually cut out of real Italian sausages to be put onto the pizza.

And then you can watch the pizza cooking away inside the wood-fired oven.

Now Franko is multi talented, he also makes some pâtés. I haven’t tried them yet, but others who have do rave about them.

Only the best as I said, I will be back as I have to sample so many more things that Franko has to offer

These are Thai pears in red wine, as I said I will be back to try.


And there are also homemade desserts to tempt you.

The bar.

Spago stocks a very good range of wine; this is just a few of the bottles on display.

The finished product, it smelt bloody good I tell you.

I will be back as there is a range of pasta and pizzas to be tried. The pizza was very good, delicious. I am going to have the Spago pizza next time from recommendation. I also want to try the lasagna and also many of the pasta dishes from the menu.

If you want to have authentic Italian then you have to try Spago, you will not be disappointed. And it is not expensive, I had the pizza and traditional Italian garlic bread and it only cost 324 Baht.

View Ubon Ratchathani in a larger map
Spago is on Chaengsanit Road


View Ubon Ratchathani in a larger map
To get there, turn at Ubon Rajabhat Univesity and head to Ying Chareon Park (S.K) to the large clock round about. Head along highway 23. It is easy to find as when you see the large Homemart building, Spago is directly opposite it.


Brunty