A Sad Good-bye to Kosta

The original plan was to take the overnight train to Bangkok, but the tickets for 1st and 2nd class were sold out and we were told that we definitely should not take 3rd class.  An overnight train wasn't our first choice anyway, because we want to see the country side as we travel.  We had discussed the situation with Min

G- Min, if we take the 1st class on the day train is it nice?

Min - Yes, nice, but take Supinta train.

G- The Supinta?

Min- Yes.

G- Let me write that down.  Phyl, did you see a train on the list called Supinta?

P- No, but we can look when we go. (under her breath to me) Just to be safe, let's ask Ron.

Ron returned and we asked him about the Supinta train. 

Ron - (laughing) She is saying to take the Sprinter train.

P & G- Bwahahahahah!

G-  I'd feel like a big dumb ass going to the station asking for the Supinta train.

P- Or maybe they'd totally understand what you meant.

G- Ok maybe they'd think I was making fun of their English.

Ron, Phyl & I had a good laugh about this, but Min didn't seem to get the humor.

We went to the station and purchased our tickets.  Outside the station a woman was selling grilled chicken parts so we purchased 4 skewers of livers and headed back to the guesthouse.

G- Isn't that the street where we have to turn right?

P- Yes, to go over the white bridge.

G- Just cross over and go up that side, then take the right.

P- You want me to cross over 2 lanes of on coming traffic and drive the wrong way for a block?  Who are you and what happened to chicken Gina?

G- She's gone, I'm use to this motorcycle thing now and I kind've like it.  Everyone else drives on the wrong side of the road, and no traffic is coming, so do it!

P- Ok Agnes!!!

Back at the guesthouse Phyl made us a delicious salad with green leaf lettuce, tomatoes, balsamic vinegarette and chicken livers.  We've been eating these salads ever since we discovered them in Paris in 2006.  We enjoyed our lunch and a Chang on the chaise in the breeze way.  We were excited to be moving on, but sad to be leaving the Wild Orchid.  We had really enjoyed our time here and it's where our mindsets about the trip had changed.

We were really going to miss Kosta and were hoping to spend the evening with him.  Fortunately, he came over to see if we wanted to do something, which we did, and asked if we wanted to 'go play bowling'.  It was my turn to drive the motorcycle, so Phyl hopped on the back and we took off following Kosta.  Phyl had been having pain in her shoulder, so she decided that she'd better not bowl.  Kosta and I paid our 130 Baht ($5.00 USD) for 3 games, got our shoes, and selected our balls.  The bowling alley was very nice and was equipped with all the things you'd find in a US bowling alley.  In fact, it appeared that everything came from the US.  Even the score board was computerized.

Phyl and I shared a pitcher of beer and Kosta and I loosened up during the first game.  Kosta is very athletic and, we learned, competitive. The first game was close, but Kosta won.  The second game started with me kicking his ass through the first half, then he came back and beat me. He swept me in all 3 games, but we had a great time.

Later that evening he met us for dinner and we returned to the alleyway where we first met 2 weeks before.  We ordered our food at the street stand and sat in the alley debating whether or not we should eat from the silverware.

P- Are we eating from this silverware?

G- I didn't bring our sporks.  We ate from them last time.

Kosta - I never like to either, but you can do nothing except ask for a plastic spoon.

G- The last time we were here we watched someone washing the dishes with soap, just no hot water.

P- They don't use hot water anywhere.  The guesthouse kitchen I was using at lunch didn't have hot water in the sink.

G- None of the places where we stayed in Malaysia had hot water for washing dishes and we haven't gotten sick anywhere.  Just goes to show you, another example of ridiculous overkill in the states.  If the dishwashing water isn't 10,000 degrees you can get a fine because everything had to be sanitized.  In Southeast Asia dishes are washed in cold water and everyone is fine.  Hell, half of all dishes and silverware is washed in an alley from a garden hose or in a bucket on the curb and everyone is fine, even the Americans.

P- Well, you know about all the ridiculous Board of Health Rules we had to follow when we owned the restaurant.  We couldn't have the door open on a beautiful day because a fly could get in, but all of Cafe du Monde's tables were outside.  Apparently flies knew not to go into that area.

Kosta - It is ridiculous with rules in Belgium too.  Maybe that is why I like it here so much in Chiang Mai; everything is much less stress.

 Kosta was still sad to leave Thailand, but excited to go home and see his daughter.  This place goes beyond the definition of a dive restaurant.  Can it even be considered a dive if it isn't even in a building but is just a food cart with some tables in an alley?  No matter, the food is excellent!  We had a few more laughs as we enjoyed our last meal together and talked of plans to visit him in Belgium, then we walked up the street and ordered a roti (a banana crepe with chocolate syrup on top) for dessert. We said our good-byes to Kosta and went upstairs to pack.