Food, glorious food (or not)

It has been noted that my blogs are void of one Very Important subject... food. Well, there's a reason for that. I didn't want to write anything about it earlier, didn't want to create unnecessary concern. But, I have finally had to realize my own mortality. Call it King of Siam's revenge, Bangkok Belly, or whatever, but it hit me. Hit me hard.

Things were great the first 2 days in Bangkok. My first meal was pad thai off a street vendor 5 minutes after throwing my bag in my hotel (around 11:30pm Thursday night). Big bowl of pad thai, spring roll cut up on top, all for 50 baht ($1.50 or so). Next morning and the morning after that, I hit another street vendor for a big bowl of yogurt, museli and fruit. Nibbled here and there for 2 days without concern, without problems. Then, Saturday night, I went to a restaurant right near my hotel. Lots of people there. Had a simple dish - rice, chicken, veggies, cashews. It came out piping hot - a good sign. But, no cashews. The waiter took the dish back, and returned it with cashews on top. But, they weren't cooked with the food. I didn't think about it at the time...

Boy, was I thinking about it later. Long (and rather disgusting) story made short - after 10 hours of being tethered to my bathroom I was able to make it to the pharmacy next door and got prescribed some major antibiotics. I've been on them since, and between the drugs and the stomach still being sensitive, I am on a very limited, bland diet. Rice, noodles, bread, crackers, water. No spice, no veggies, no fruit, no milk, no alcohol. Strangely, the worst of it has been the no fruit part. There are fruit carts and stands everywhere with the most delicious looking, odd looking, scary looking fruit. And I want to try it all.

Yesterday, I finally felt confident to start eating normally again. Went to a Thai restaurant (not Western/American oriented) for the first time in a week. Ordered everything "phet nin noi", just a little spice, and it was soooo good! Papaya salad, something that is the Thai version of chicken satay, some prawn chips... happiness! Went out later with some new friends, including some local Thai. Went to this great bar/restaurant. Since I can't drink, I treated myself to a beautiful dish of coconut ice cream. Heaven!

Tomorrow, I may even try fruit. Mangosteen, dragon fruit, lychee... they all are calling me...