Before we get into the nitty-gritty here, I have a confession to make: my Thai language skills are crap. If you read my last post, then you know the struggles. Once again, XploreAsia set us up for success by helping us develop our language skills for this task, even if mine were a little lacking. Our mission: buy all the ingredients for our upcoming cooking class. Armed with that information, let’s go to the open-air market!

Open air markets feel a lot like farmer’s markets in the US. People come to the markets to buy, sell, trade, gossip, eat, and hang out. Some vendors sell produce from their farms or catches from their ocean going endeavors. Others are busy making foods ranging from pancakes and smoothies to noodles and fish cooked over charcoal. Unlike the vendors you find at the night markets, don’t expect a lot of English skills here.

Fortunately, XploreAsia understands that our language skills are going to be rusty. They gave all of us a handy-dandy cheat sheet. It contains all the items we need and includes the phonetic Thai pronunciations of said items. I’m grateful for this. It means I won’t say anything that could spark an international incident without knowing what I actually said. Nobody ever wants to rely on the Secretary of State for their release. The odds are not in your favor that the State Department will work quickly, if at all.

I’m also lucky the Thai have a great sense of humor and lots of patience. As I wander around taking in all the sights and smell, they can clearly see that I have no idea what I’m doing. However, I have a cunning plan. We all have a list of items we need to buy. So, I decided to let the youngsters go first. That way, I can watch and learn. If the State Department has to get involved at some point, they will likely work faster for my younger, prettier colleagues than for me. I don’t make the rules. That’s just reality.

One by one, we go up to the different vendors and go through our spiel. I watch everyone for what they do right and what they mess up. So far, not a single screw-up. I couldn’t be prouder of my little group, and now I’m starting to feel embarrassed for myself. I mean, what was I really worried about? It’s not that I had a lot of insecurities in myself surrounding this task. The thing about getting older is you have a better understanding of your strengths and your weaknesses,

and the Thai language definitely a weakness of mine. While I’m contemplating my poor language abilities, I realize it is now my turn. So, I step up to the plate and stumble through buying my item. Linguistically, I’m as sharp as a rusty knife, but I manage to conduct the transaction in Thai. So, you may be curious what my bag of peppers cost: 10 Baht, or about $0.29 cents in US Dollars. All food here is cheap and very high quality. Seriously.

What I love about the open-air markets is they offer more than just a place to buy your food. They are alive! You can feel that as you walk up and down the different rows. Parents are tending to their stalls. Children just getting off from school are either eating or visiting with their friends. It’s just life. One of the kids even took a liking to one of my cohorts and they had a delightful conversation about Justin Bieber, in English.

It was in this moment I tried one of the pancakes that a merchant was preparing. It was so good! It melted in my mouth! It was sweet and savory, and hit all the senses in a way that brought a tear to my eye. To sit in this moment and savor it was simply divine. In that simple pancake in this specific market, I felt a unique connection to all of humanity that transcended space and time. I was tasting a practice and a food that no doubt has been made like this for generations, if not centuries. I tasted grandma’s caring for their grandchildren in this food. I tasted the stories that came out of their kitchens that helped to shape the world. I think this is the connection that so many of us have lost in the west, and so many of us crave.

That’s what makes places like the open-air markets of Thailand special. They just feel alive. You see all the fresh produce and never have to second guess whether it’s good or not. The quality of food that you will find at these open air markets puts high end supermarkets in the US to shame. Professional chefs and the family cook come here to do their shopping and catch up with each other. These have an air of celebration about them. So, when abroad, stop at the open-air market. It’s a part of daily life that humanity has engaged in since ancient times. They are not always on the tourist radar, but if you find one, you will be rewarded with having met genuine locals who are happy to show you a part of their life that few tourist places can replicate.

Thank you for taking the time to read my humble post. If you like what you read, be sure to like it and share it with your friends. If you want to know more about anything that you see, please reach out to me. I’m always happy to talk ad nauseam about my experiences. So, until next time, please take care of yourself, look out for each other, and stay curious!