On Your Feet, Soldier

I am getting used to sordid guest house conditions. My room at the King Hotel in Udon Thani is a step above the spider/roach/dog-infested New Nakornhuang Hotel of Ubon Ratchathani, as I share it with no vermin and it is pretty clean, but they both have dismal light, obscenely stained bathroom tiles and the shine of decades of gosh knows what. (They also both have angular Eames-style furniture that, if shined up, would pull in thousands at high-end resale shops.) Rumored to be the first hotel built for the American G.I.s stationed here during the war, King has almost a prison-y dorm-like feel.

Spending the entirety of the previous afternoon on a bus, I wanted to traverse Udon Thani’s attractions on my feet, much to the bafflement of soliciting tuk-tuks. My first order of the day was a good meal. My guidebook pointed me in the direction of a now-defunct vegetarian restaurant. Finding where it once stood was encouraging, however. With each new city I orientate more and more quickly to my surroundings. I decided to skip any further fantasies of a good meal and make my way towards destination number 2, Udorn Sunshine Fragrant Orchid Farm. I was sure I’d find something to nibble on during the 3 km walk from town.

Just a few blocks from this decision, I happen upon this sign and this woman. Kismet! Although hot meals were not offered here, they had my favorite sweet banana dessert, Khao Tom Mad. The nice woman unwrapped the banana leaves for me and sat with me as I enjoyed this treat, along with her fresh-squeezed carrot-papaya juice. The store, as far as I can understand, sells vegetarian groceries and other health food items. I wanted to make some purchases but, not having a stove top, they’d be more dead weight in my backpack. I was more interested in helping the woman out with my business but, to my surprise, she insisted the treat and juice was on the house! I told her I would be back. I knew I would want more Khao Tom Mad anyway.

I continued onward to get to the orchid farm, passing the large reservoir and public park in the middle of the city’s center. After about 25 minutes and some wrong turns, I found my way to the farm, trepidatiously passing the two dogs lounging by its entrance. (Note: The dogs here in the Northeast are more often companion animals and not derelict strays. The kind whose tails start a-wagging as you approach. But I am still cautious.) Inside the Udorn Sunshine Farm was the sweet aroma of an obsessed orchidist, Mr. Pradith Kampermpoon, who spent over 10 years of his life cross-breeding species to create Udorn Orchid. I zig-zagged the rows of his special blooms, snapping portraits of their flirting faces and, of course, stopping to smell the flowers. The scent was nothing out of the ordinary however he registered a copyright on it with the Worlds Orchid Association. It was also extracted into perfume form and was for sale, along with other interesting scents including one extracted from mashed insect!

Along with all these beautiful orchids, the farm has another claim to fame: The Uborn Dancing Plant, a special hybrid “telegraph” plant that responds to music and the human voice by perking and moving its leaves. Although you mostly notice movement from the wind, here is some video of the farm employee hoping to set the plant to a dancing frenzy for me. She told me that it gets a bit more active later in the morning.

I certainly worked up an appetite at the orchid farm and returned back to goal number 1, the good meal. Trekking the kms back into town (and stopping in for more Khao Tom Mad, as promised), I made my way to another suggestion from the faulty guidebook. Passing through a shopping hub, there were plenty of street vendors. I scoured them for sweet Thai coconut and banana desserts, as I had grown accustom to doing, and with much success! I bought a cluster of them gelatinous coconut-milked globs of goodness, as well as more Khao Tom Mad. Further down the road, a new version of my fave which included 2 bananas in a triangle of sticky rice. Ok, I was now well-stocked for the next few days.

On my way to the restaurant, kismet struck again. This sign grabbed my attention and immediately became my new lunch destination. I had unbelievably stumbled upon another vegetarian heaven. All items jae (i.e. vegan)! Veggie burgers, assorted fried vegetables, noodles, curries, soups… textured tofu abound. Mission accomplished.