food & Travel
34 july 10 – 23, 2015
Evening Wua Lai
An at
Asian tourists having fun customising their mini signboards .
Walking Street
By George Fu Epoch Times Staff
A
side from its beautiful landscape and cool climate, Chiang Mai, the cultural capital of Northern Thailand, is also known for its vibrant night markets and friendly folk. With an evening to spare on a recent business trip, I decided to visit Chiang Mai’s Wua Lai Walking Street, a popular bazaar near the Chiang Mai Gate, where its old city once stood. Stretching some two kilometres, Wua Lai (or ‘Saturday’ in Thai) is probably the largest and most popular Saturday-only market in Chiang Mai. Thousands of stalls selling sought-after indigenous collectibles, such as lemongrass soaps, delicate handicrafts and hand-painted umbrellas, are set up as early as three in the afternoon. There are also stalls selling contemporary gears such as mobile phone casings and locally inspired jewellery.
Stretching some two kilometres, Wua Lai is probably the largest and most popular Saturday-only market in Chiang Mai.
grasshoppers are common teatime snacks found on their makeshift menus. Snapping pictures as I ventured deeper, I stopped by a pushcart selling Phat Thai (stir-fried rice noodles). The stall was manned by a young, cheerful couple who looked no more than twenty. After a friendly ‘Sawadee Kap’ they began speaking with me in Thai, possibly asking if I wanted a plate. My reactive nods and smile—which they perceived as a ‘Yes’—helped kicked off their business that evening. In a swift move, the lady grabbed a handful of noodles and started stirring and tossing them in her pre-heated wok. Throwing in a variety of ingredients, she then jerked the wok in small circular motions as I watched my dinner dance over the flame. There were shrimp, squid, eggs, and lots of bean sprouts. Wok fragrance soon filled the street.
Local specialities and bite-sized street food of every imaginable taste and colour can be seen at open-air eateries and stalls that lined the two-way street. Grilled pork, mango ‘sticky’ rice and crunchy
Robin Ong, Singapore, robin.ong@busybody.sg
A hungry girl eyeing grilled pork sticks.
Tribal woman and her silver ring. She was standing amongst the crowds, selling handmade bracelets of leather and braided string.
Street artist.
My focus soon shifted to a small gathering of Caucasians in the queue. Looking in the same direction, there could only be one thing on their minds. I settled for a nearby table and savoured my piping hot Phat Thai, served on a styrofoam plate. It came with a packet of sugar and chilli powder. At 30 baht (S$1.20), it tasted surprisingly good. Lesson learnt: When in doubt, just nod and smile.
Sociable Folks
Street Food Galore
Epoch Times
As dusk swallowed the last light of the day, buskers and percussionists had begun performing their numbers in the middle of the bustling street. Usually performing till the wee hours of the morning, they add an exciting buzz to the dynamic night scenes of Wua Lai Walking Street. Some of these street artistes looked as young as 10 while others looked over eighty; many had special needs. I was surprised by their musical talent and skills, and perhaps more so by their display of courage and optimism. The
Cute soft toys selling at 230 Baht (S$9.20) per piece.
sincerity exuded from their performances have touched many hearts. Though a 20 Baht (S$0.80) encouragement may not have brightened their evening as much as they have brightened mine, I did receive some gratified glances. Open-air markets like the Wua Lai Walking Street are important social and business settings for the indigenous, where they live, breathe and earn their livelihood. An endearing part of Chiang Mai’s century-old traditions, these Continued on the next page