08.12. Cooking class in Thai

Today we went back to the kitchen, this time in Thailand and already in the morning. Before we headed to the cooking class, I had time for an early morning swim in the sea. I woke up earlier than expected, around half past seven, and since the beach was only 4 minutes away and the cooking class started at 10 o'clock, I used the time for some morning exercise. The peace and the beach and the movement in the sea were very good this morning, but after a short swim, it was already time to go back to the hostel.

Andra and I met the five other participants of the cooking class and agreed on the four dishes we wanted to cook. The cooking class itself took place on a covered raised terrace, which provided a nice view, but above all a bit of cooling breeze.

The first dish was Tom Yam, a soup that took on a spicy-sweet taste thanks to galangal and mushrooms, lemongrass, chili and other herbs. We chopped everything into larger pieces, because in Thai cuisine, many things are not eaten from a dish, such as galangal here, as it is not edible as a whole and only serves as a seasoning. To make it more visible, these ingredients are only added as larger pieces - this also explains some strange flavors I have already experienced with some soups here.

After the cutting work, everything was put into a pot to make a broth and seasoned with oyster sauce (very popular in Thailand), soy sauce and lime juice. In addition, brown sugar was added, as in many dishes in Thai cuisine. Thais simply like it very spicy and sweet at the same time.

The second dish was a Thai beef salad. Again, there was cutting work to be done first, to bring cucumber, spring onions, chili and lemongrass into an edible form this time. Then the meat was fried in oil and mixed with herbs, the chopped vegetables and the sauces mentioned above, nicely arranged in a bowl and enjoyed.

Next was the most typical and most consumed Thai food: Phad Thai. For this, oil was heated strongly and rice noodles, meat and eggs were added. After stirring wildly, so that the eggs did not solidify too quickly, it was seasoned again and sliced carrot and spices were added, with Phad Thai ultimately being garnished with peanuts and chili powder.

The last meal of our menu was Green Curry. It was made with a lot of coconut milk. This was used right at the beginning, as we obtained coconut oil from coconut milk by heating it for a long time, and we heated the prepared green curry paste in it until a wonderfully fragrant smell spread over the seven woks. Consequently, the meat, chili, eggplant (small green aubergine) and other herbs and sauces were added, and the heavenly tasting curry was served with rice - excuse the self-praise.

No one managed to finish all the dishes, but the incredibly nice chefs packed all the leftovers for us, so that we could enjoy them later with more space in our stomachs. Afterwards, we had time to talk to the other course participants over pineapple and coffee, which was, as usual, very easy and enjoyable when backpackers are together.

Just around the corner from the cooking school there was a cat and dog rescue center. The staff mainly consisted of volunteers from Europe and the USA who find sick and no longer viable animals on Koh Lanta and bring them to the center. There, they are sterilized and released for adoption, but they can also spend the rest of their lives there. We were allowed into a group of dogs in a really nice enclosure, where the dogs romped around us, fought with each other, and enjoyed being petted.

Since dogs naturally need a lot of exercise, you can sign up for volunteer work, consisting of a walk, and also get a dog at the right time. So, minutes later, we found ourselves on a digestive walk with two puppies. My dog, Boo, was very excited but still well-behaved and visibly enjoyed the exercise. We took a walk for about 20 minutes, after which the little dogs were visibly exhausted and looking forward to their home.

To conclude our visit to the station called Animal Welfare, we visited the cats, who were housed in a large enclosure with many opportunities to climb, play and enjoy the view, and there they did what cats always do: sleep. It was very nice to see all these cats lying lazily in the sun and to give them a soothing massage, which was visibly enjoyed.

It was evening and we went to the beach, which was 3 minutes away from our hostel, with our leftovers. Since it was warm, I jumped into the still heated sea and enjoyed a swim in the golden sunset. As always, it was spectacular to watch. I know I'm repeating myself, but no one can or will ever get tired of sunsets. They are too special for that.

After we finished our leftovers, it started to drizzle lightly, which quickly led us back to the hostel. Tomorrow we hope for good weather, as we have planned a snorkeling tour of four nearby islands, where wonderful coral reefs and fish are said to be seen.