One thing I really enjoy is drinking a fresh young coconut, and then scooping out and eating the delicate meat. They're so refreshing! Thailand seems to have coconuts year-round. In touristy areas, you can get them for about a $1 US or a tad more. They also are served in restaurants, and you can get one in place of tea or Coke or fruit juice, just placed on the table next to your plate, top peeled back, straw inserted.
A young coconut is the sweetest, but even they have to be opened about the right time and be from a batch of ones that you know are really sweet. I don't think you can really go wrong, but if you want the very best, you might need a person with a talent for knowing. Kinda like finding the right watermelon to eat today. Can be a bit tricky, right? Luckily for me, Kade's dad knows his fruits. And if he does only one thing right for his son-in-law, it's keeping a steady stream of coconuts and other fruits in the house. He brought in this bag of ten young coconuts. The bag looks small in the image, but believe me, you would need a second fridge to put them in. And the price? Buy in bulk and at a local market, you can get them for 25 baht each, which is about 80 cents US. These were really sweet! The last week we were there I was binging. It was two or three coconuts a night. They were that good! Kade's brother would whack them open with a large kitchen knife. In addition to coconuts, we had the freshest papayas, mangoes and pineapples. They were out on the table or on top of the fridge until they were fully ripe. As I told a friend in a text a while back, when you strip it all down, when you're traveling a lot, something as simple as tasting a unique fruit can make you as happy as anything.
We were in Kuala Lumpur 7 nights, 6 days. Three of those days, I took a GRAB (Asian Uber) to SS2 Durian House Stall - out in the suburbs, about thirty minutes away. In that area, there are a lot of durian markets. And big ones! For at least a year, I had been researching where to have the best durian experiences in Kuala Lumpur. I had also studied up on Penang, a Malaysian region and island where a lot of the country's best durian is grown. At some point during our trip, I ruled out going to Penang and focused only on Kuala Lumpur. Since KL is nation's capital and largest city, durian is trucked in frequently from all the best farms. SS2 Durian House Stall is one of the big buyers, and it has an excellent inventory. And although mainly visited by locals, SS2 is an easy place for tourists to sample many varieties. Although pricier than many other places, SS2 has an excellent reputation. You know what you're buying, the prices are clearly displayed and there are plenty of workers to help you. The way it's set up, too, it's very easy to eat durian in a relaxed fashion. I don't enjoy eating it in a crowded market where I have to stand. I'd pay more for the comfort and convenience offered by a place like SS2 Durian House Stall. My plan was to go there as often as I could and try as many varieties as I could. It was a great decision! On my phone, in my notes app, I had a list of durians I wanted to try, in the order of desirability (to me). In my three visits to SS2, I ended up eating six varieties. For the record: That's six whole durians. I could have shared with one or two other people and sampled a dozen varieties - maybe I will do that next time - but honestly, the portion size of each durian was not too much for me. I enjoyed eating it all! It was very satisfying. And the last bite was as good as the first. Ever since trying durian for the first time in Thailand many years ago, I have never not liked it. Usually Thais (and now Malaysians) seem very intrigued by my love for durian and yet think I could be eating too much. I do love it!
Visit #1
Udang Merah
Other names: Red Prawn, D175, Ang3 Haeh2, Hong Xia, Ang Hay
ice cream on a toasted waffle, intensely cherry-sweet to a mellow cherry-wine cream, sticky, sweet, rich and pungent aroma, used in durian ice cream
Old Tree Musang King
Other names: Mao Shan Wang, D197, Mor3sang3 Ong2
thick and yellow golden flesh, creamy, sweet, sometimes bitter, very rich, pleasant aroma
It's recommended you enjoy a refreshing drink (not alcohol) after eating durian. Coconut water is perfect!
Visit #2
Super XO & Hor Lor
XO (subspecies of D24)
pale creamy flesh, soft texture, pungent, alcohol flavor like French Brandy
Ho Lor (D163)
drier, sweeter, less pungent, mild-tasting, good durian for novices, sticky and nutty (think Reeses Peanut Butter Cup)
another Udang Merah
Visit #3
D101
D101 (Mas)
slightly sweet and bitter, creamy, herbal, fibrous, thick
Black Gold Musang King
Black Gold Musang King
creamy, sweet, sometimes bitter, very rich, pleasant aroma, hints of caramel and nuttiness, fruity notes (banana or mango)
Divide 4.64 into those figures and you get what I paid in USD for two durians and a coconut.
These coconuts had just been delivered. It's funny.... I noticed that coconuts on the menu board were labeled 'Thai coconuts'. Although Thailand is Malaysia's northern neighbor, I would have thought Malaysia would be a huge coconut producer and that local businesses would sell only local products.
I tried cendol, which is a popular shaved iced dessert in Malaysia. Coconut milk, palm sugar syrup and various toppings (healthy and/or sweet) are then put on top. And if you're very lucky, you can find a place that will add a large piece of Musang King durian. D.Masking at Lot 10 mall in Kuala Lumpur is such a place. They also serve Musang King ice cream, durian coffee and durian milkshakes. I loved their cendol. My toppings were creamed corn, kidney beans, pandan jelly noodles and durian. But let there be no doubt: I would always prefer durian by itself over these specialty desserts.
On a walking tour in KL (Guru Walks), I bought this shirt. Turns out it doesn't even fit me! Must be all the durian I ate.
This is my e-mail to my brother, virtually verbatim, when the subject of massages came up. He had shared that he gets a regular Swedish massage from a masseuse.
In Thailand I could get weekly (sometimes twice a week) massages: Thai or oil. A traditional Thai massage, when the dollar was strong in 2000-2003, was 2 hours for $8. Nowadays they are $12. An hour-long oil massage today is $15. Pretty inexpensive. And you can grab fresh cut papaya, mangoes, pineapples right out on the street for 30 cents for fruit. The fresh fruits, the humid climate and the amount of walking I did every day made it easy to stay in shape. I would also drink coconuts. The sweetest ones were the young coconuts. Oh, and after a massage, when you're getting ready to put back on your shoes, you get hot tea. Even if you are simply getting a foot and calf massage (an hour), while you're sitting there and the massage is taking place, you can sip hot tea. Heavenly.
Swedish massage is good. My first massage ever was in Canada that summer I was in Alberta. It was at a fitness club, and desired a masseuse, but didn't ask for it. Turns out the only massage therapist was a big, hulking man. I was uncomfortable, but the massage was good. In Dothan (AL), a German lady (as big as the man in Canada) was my masseuse. She was very good. There was also a New Age lady from Eufaula (Alabama) who gave me massages and placed crystals on me from time-to-time. In Asia, the techniques vary (from the professional to the seedy) from country to country. Thai massage is more of a physical massage where you wear silk bottoms and a light cotton shirt. Even those massages are sensual and can make folks uncomfy, especially if they are from a small town in Alabama. Every massage except one I had in Thailand has been with a masseuse, although one time I was surprised because the "masseuse" was a ladyboy. Ladyboys (Katoeys) are transgender or transsexual (boys to girls) folks, and they are quite commonplace in Thailand. Some of them look more beautiful than the women! Seriously. Oh, in Indonesia, the traditional Balinese massage (professional) is done by the same sex gender. I didn't know this at first....AND...there's no draping nor covering of any type. Basically, you're naked on a table with a man massaging you! In Thailand (Japan, China et al), you can get that same massage (non-draping) but it's almost always a Thai lady massaging a nude man. That's what commonplace there! Finally, in Uzbekistan, my friend Ulugbek set me up with a Russian-style massage in Tashkent: two ladies and one me! I was covered (well, no blanket, only in undies!) and it was professional. The four-handed approach was okay, but it was not the best massage experience - in large part, because it was too cold.
Pretty typical massage business in Thailand. Read more here.
To learn more about traditional Thai massage, click here.
Kade's brother and I walked to the weekend temple market, where we bought several coconuts, some grilled pork and some coconut desserts.
A bit later in the morning, the three of us rode to nearby Bobae Market to go to an ice cream factory to buy a gallon of coconut ice cream. We also walked to the historic Nang Loeng Market for some traditional Thai desserts. And just before heading back, I got a very refreshing and tasty coconut shake. No complaints.
Years ago, my students at AUA were impressed that I knew of Bobae. And Kade's dad would take us there to buy papayas at sidewalk stalls.
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