It's the little things That really sets the scene

Blog 22

Even though my face is glazed with snot and my nose constantly dribbles, my throat hurts and my ears keep popping and then whatever popped in my ear immediately comes dribbling out my nose, again. Even though my bones feel like someone's stolen all my cartilidge and one of my eyeballs has fallen out, I'm still here for you, my beloved viewers. All two of you. 

This isn't what they call man flu due to the fact that no man could survive this. It's was even touch and go with me last night. I sneezed three times in a row. Anyway, enough of that, let's talk about me.

There are some breath taking sights scattered thickly throughout South East Asia. So many that it seems slightly over indulgent. But they are only a part of the S.E.A experience. 

It's the little things that really set the scene. It's the little old lady slowly making her way down the street, bent over, head facing down, eyes looking up. She has a length of bamboo balanced across one shoulder. It's about a metre long and on either end hang rattan style woven baskets.  one of these baskets has a small collection of jars. Someone stops her and she sits down on the kerb, places her 'tools of the trade' next to her, opens it all up. 

She gets some rice out of one basket and magics up a dark green, flat broad banana leaf. The rice is spooned on it followed by herbs and spices.... Culinary alchemy. everything is neatly wrapped in the leaf....Culinary origami. Money is exchanged. The alchemy set is packed away.

 She is obscured from view by a passing moped carrying a trailer the size of a small touring caravan. It has a roof as well and stacks of little red plastic chairs, enough to give a Spaniard a twitch in he trousers, hang of the side. Next to them are..... Well the list goes on but believe me there is more plastic hanging from it than could be produced by the Canadian tar sands. A wonderful spicy curry smell wafts past followed by the smell of warm open sewers. I could go on and at some point I will but at the moment my face is leaking. 
Speechless.