[sausage plate in German Village on Namhae Island, South Korea on 5/14/20] In Bangkok, I was happy to see again my friend Jonathan and his wife, J. I had met them in Tirana, Albania, and a few months ago, Jonathan even dropped by Vung Tau to see me. J said something to Jonathan he thought hilarious, “Linh is more Western than you! He’s like this 60-year-old American. Wherever he goes, he’s looking for a good burger, decent pasta and Tex-Mex!”
In mainland China, Taiwan and Thailand I have found that if a food item is not local, they dump sugar in it to make it seem palatable. So you get sweet Mexican food, bread, sandwiches and pizza. To make pizza palatable they also give you at fistful of ketchup packages.
Foreign food took a similar path in the US. The first big hit was Chef Boyardee. To make it acceptable to Americans, they stripped the pasta of all the scarey flavor and put it in a can. All you had to do was open the can and dump it in a pot.
Thais have traditionally viewed foreign food as something only foreigners would eat so it has always been priced at a premium (usually a higher price than in the US). They figure you might as well milk those farang. Now some Thais are realizing that if you price it where Thais can eat it (thanks to social media there is a market) you make more money. However that change is very slow in happening because the allure of getting farangs to pay a lot is very powerful.
Linh, I enjoy your postcards immensely. Just checked out the Ice Age Farmer and found he's still at it on his website and YT channel - IRAN: Digital Food Rationing rolls out using Biometric IDs amid food riots: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPPQ2X8VoRQ&t=17s
2/speaking of surprising pizza, a friend of mine - decades ago - told me of a pizza he was served in middle america in which the wheat-based substrate was literal pie crust such as one might find in apple or cherry pie
nowadays one can obtain pizza - i have done so myself at costco, in the frozen section - in which the gluten-free crust is made of a combination of cauliflower and cheese - i liked it
3/when i was seven and my brother was five we lived in japan for a year, where my father - career military - was stationed - a local young woman - teriko - was our nanny/mother's helper
in adulthood, three and four decades later, we [descended from early european settlers in what became the u.s.] both married latinas, one a puerto rican mulatto, and one a peruvian mestiza with andean ancestry - i wondered if our affectionate relationship with teriko as small boys paved the way for our exogamy - these marriages have lasted - we are in our seventies now - our little brother, fifteen years younger than i, married a white woman, but they are divorced now
4/there are korean style fried chicken places near where i live in montgomery county, maryland which i would like to try - unfortunately because of high blood pressure i am on a salt-restricted diet so i have never tasted their offerings
5/i have read that no one escapes aging, illness, dying, separation from those we love, and reaping the consequences of our wholesome and unwholesome actions
Good to see you here. Regarding Diogenes, I wrote on 4/17/20:
"Nationalism is the most natural and inevitable instinct. Nation is derived from the Latin nascor, “to be born.” It’s not synonymous with the state. Native comes from Latin natus, “birth.” To be a nationalist, then, is to love, or at least be protective of, one’s native land. To rail against this requires a late-stage sickness or deep dishonesty, which, unfortunately, many proudly display.
"'There comes a time / When we heed a certain call / When the world must come together as one,' sang the germophobic child molester, and since we were the world, we were the children, we swayingly sang along, and that’s great. I’m not arguing against caring about distant peoples. The song was written as a plea for African famine victims.
"I’m just pointing out there’s no moral high ground in declaring yourself a global citizen, a concept that’s traceable to an idiosyncratic bum from 24 centuries ago.
"Diogenes, 'I am a citizen of the world.' Born in Sinope, he died in Corinth, 800 miles away, so that’s some serious trekking for way back then, but the philosopher never left the Greek world. Often begging for food and sleeping in a huge jar at the market, dude was basically a Thoreau without his mom or some land to squat on."
On 5/21/22, I also wrote:
"Josh is fond of this grand statement by Socrates, “I am not an Athenian or a Greek, but a citizen of the world.” Though an ultra-cool credo for globetrotters, Socrates wouldn’t have lasted a week in Scythia, Persia or The Samartians, much less Văn Lang, a proto-Vietnamese kingdom. Even in the 19th century, each Vietnamese village was a semi closed society that only admitted outsiders reluctantly.
"Speaking Greek, Socrates was a Greek, just as Josh is an American, for he speaks American English. Even in England, he’d be out of sync with each syllable. Though scarfing mushy peas with the rest, Josh would out himself with some tic. I have an Italian friend, Niccolo, who speaks excellent English, Spanish, French and Japanese, the last quite remarkable for he only arrived in Japan in his mid-20’s. Still, Niccolo knows he’s simply Italian. His girlfriend must know that too."
And yet, I do bounce around, but this is mostly thanks to the time we're in. With air travel still relative cheap, Google Maps, cellphone and much info about everywhere available online, traveling has never been so easy. There are even monolinguist teenagers traveling alone across the globe.
I ate at a fast food joint in Phnom Penh that had perfect fried chicken and fries. I liked the local baguette sandwiches with mystery meat and pickled veggies with ginger. I lived across the street from a mystery meat maker. Every evening they'd tote shopping bags full of meat trimmings into their house, and every morning they'd carry out loaves of forcemeat.
I was just thinking about Ice Age Farmer the other day. His YouTube account is still there, but he was getting strikes. He was posting on Telegram regularly until November 6th, then just one post a day for the next 2 days. People on Reddit said the admins were pretty hostile to questions about Christian, they then closed the chat channel at some point. It was claimed he is fine and busy prepping, but no activity since his last Telegram post at the beginning of November, and no proof of life since his last YouTube video a year ago.
Fractional reserve lending - not “factional,” though I’d be interested to know what that is. However, I feel you on the victuals. Still trying to adapt to banana ketchup. And life without ice coffee is like a ticket to hell.
Nothing much. One foot in the Philippines and the other in the good ol’ USA where the cost of living has now become more like the cost of starving (though, granted, most Americans still don’t know what that really is - though Filipinos know). Average cost of a new car is approaching 50k, making your monthly payment 1k. And this on top of the housing and student loan crises? I’ve got to believe homelessness is set to explode, especially with employers cutting back on financially-advantageous remote work. Here’s a news tidbit you’ll like: UA to get less tanks than promised from the EU and US. Our already unfolding WWIII in microcosm, I have to think.
Buried in the midst of epicurean lightness is a philosophical diamond of incredible worth! Your descriptions of your travel and observations of delightful or not so delightful food are like the bread of hambao, with the meat filling, a biting insightful social commentary.
Ref. the state of Germany: in this winter's scare about energy shortages and blackouts, self-appointed black-out experts offered advice for Germans living in highrises on how to shit in plastic bags, or if they could afford it, shit in cat litter, in case there was no water. Practical advice, but somehow telling of the state the country is in. (That was in session 127 or 128 of the Corona Investigative Committee hearings, https://sca.news/)
How are you not a food vlogger? 🫣🇺🇸😃
https://thorstenjpattberg.substack.com/p/chings-and-iews-the-jingji-the-economy
In mainland China, Taiwan and Thailand I have found that if a food item is not local, they dump sugar in it to make it seem palatable. So you get sweet Mexican food, bread, sandwiches and pizza. To make pizza palatable they also give you at fistful of ketchup packages.
Foreign food took a similar path in the US. The first big hit was Chef Boyardee. To make it acceptable to Americans, they stripped the pasta of all the scarey flavor and put it in a can. All you had to do was open the can and dump it in a pot.
Thais have traditionally viewed foreign food as something only foreigners would eat so it has always been priced at a premium (usually a higher price than in the US). They figure you might as well milk those farang. Now some Thais are realizing that if you price it where Thais can eat it (thanks to social media there is a market) you make more money. However that change is very slow in happening because the allure of getting farangs to pay a lot is very powerful.
Linh, I enjoy your postcards immensely. Just checked out the Ice Age Farmer and found he's still at it on his website and YT channel - IRAN: Digital Food Rationing rolls out using Biometric IDs amid food riots: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPPQ2X8VoRQ&t=17s
Hi Tom,
That's from 8 months ago! He used to post constantly, especially on Telegram.
Linh
1/linh, in a way you are like diogenes
2/speaking of surprising pizza, a friend of mine - decades ago - told me of a pizza he was served in middle america in which the wheat-based substrate was literal pie crust such as one might find in apple or cherry pie
nowadays one can obtain pizza - i have done so myself at costco, in the frozen section - in which the gluten-free crust is made of a combination of cauliflower and cheese - i liked it
3/when i was seven and my brother was five we lived in japan for a year, where my father - career military - was stationed - a local young woman - teriko - was our nanny/mother's helper
in adulthood, three and four decades later, we [descended from early european settlers in what became the u.s.] both married latinas, one a puerto rican mulatto, and one a peruvian mestiza with andean ancestry - i wondered if our affectionate relationship with teriko as small boys paved the way for our exogamy - these marriages have lasted - we are in our seventies now - our little brother, fifteen years younger than i, married a white woman, but they are divorced now
4/there are korean style fried chicken places near where i live in montgomery county, maryland which i would like to try - unfortunately because of high blood pressure i am on a salt-restricted diet so i have never tasted their offerings
5/i have read that no one escapes aging, illness, dying, separation from those we love, and reaping the consequences of our wholesome and unwholesome actions
Hi mistah charley,
Good to see you here. Regarding Diogenes, I wrote on 4/17/20:
"Nationalism is the most natural and inevitable instinct. Nation is derived from the Latin nascor, “to be born.” It’s not synonymous with the state. Native comes from Latin natus, “birth.” To be a nationalist, then, is to love, or at least be protective of, one’s native land. To rail against this requires a late-stage sickness or deep dishonesty, which, unfortunately, many proudly display.
"'There comes a time / When we heed a certain call / When the world must come together as one,' sang the germophobic child molester, and since we were the world, we were the children, we swayingly sang along, and that’s great. I’m not arguing against caring about distant peoples. The song was written as a plea for African famine victims.
"I’m just pointing out there’s no moral high ground in declaring yourself a global citizen, a concept that’s traceable to an idiosyncratic bum from 24 centuries ago.
"Diogenes, 'I am a citizen of the world.' Born in Sinope, he died in Corinth, 800 miles away, so that’s some serious trekking for way back then, but the philosopher never left the Greek world. Often begging for food and sleeping in a huge jar at the market, dude was basically a Thoreau without his mom or some land to squat on."
On 5/21/22, I also wrote:
"Josh is fond of this grand statement by Socrates, “I am not an Athenian or a Greek, but a citizen of the world.” Though an ultra-cool credo for globetrotters, Socrates wouldn’t have lasted a week in Scythia, Persia or The Samartians, much less Văn Lang, a proto-Vietnamese kingdom. Even in the 19th century, each Vietnamese village was a semi closed society that only admitted outsiders reluctantly.
"Speaking Greek, Socrates was a Greek, just as Josh is an American, for he speaks American English. Even in England, he’d be out of sync with each syllable. Though scarfing mushy peas with the rest, Josh would out himself with some tic. I have an Italian friend, Niccolo, who speaks excellent English, Spanish, French and Japanese, the last quite remarkable for he only arrived in Japan in his mid-20’s. Still, Niccolo knows he’s simply Italian. His girlfriend must know that too."
And yet, I do bounce around, but this is mostly thanks to the time we're in. With air travel still relative cheap, Google Maps, cellphone and much info about everywhere available online, traveling has never been so easy. There are even monolinguist teenagers traveling alone across the globe.
Linh
I ate at a fast food joint in Phnom Penh that had perfect fried chicken and fries. I liked the local baguette sandwiches with mystery meat and pickled veggies with ginger. I lived across the street from a mystery meat maker. Every evening they'd tote shopping bags full of meat trimmings into their house, and every morning they'd carry out loaves of forcemeat.
I was just thinking about Ice Age Farmer the other day. His YouTube account is still there, but he was getting strikes. He was posting on Telegram regularly until November 6th, then just one post a day for the next 2 days. People on Reddit said the admins were pretty hostile to questions about Christian, they then closed the chat channel at some point. It was claimed he is fine and busy prepping, but no activity since his last Telegram post at the beginning of November, and no proof of life since his last YouTube video a year ago.
Fractional reserve lending - not “factional,” though I’d be interested to know what that is. However, I feel you on the victuals. Still trying to adapt to banana ketchup. And life without ice coffee is like a ticket to hell.
Iced coffee, Stephen, not ice, and I did correct the factional typo within minutes of sending the email out. Cheers!--Linh
P.S. I thought you died, Stephen. What's going on?! :)
Nothing much. One foot in the Philippines and the other in the good ol’ USA where the cost of living has now become more like the cost of starving (though, granted, most Americans still don’t know what that really is - though Filipinos know). Average cost of a new car is approaching 50k, making your monthly payment 1k. And this on top of the housing and student loan crises? I’ve got to believe homelessness is set to explode, especially with employers cutting back on financially-advantageous remote work. Here’s a news tidbit you’ll like: UA to get less tanks than promised from the EU and US. Our already unfolding WWIII in microcosm, I have to think.
Linh at his best! Intertwining geopolitics and contingency seamlessly like no one else!
Miss our piles of grilled meat in Tirana and goat in Vung Tau!
Hi Linh,
Buried in the midst of epicurean lightness is a philosophical diamond of incredible worth! Your descriptions of your travel and observations of delightful or not so delightful food are like the bread of hambao, with the meat filling, a biting insightful social commentary.
Thanks again,
"James" of Tacoma Washington
Ref. the state of Germany: in this winter's scare about energy shortages and blackouts, self-appointed black-out experts offered advice for Germans living in highrises on how to shit in plastic bags, or if they could afford it, shit in cat litter, in case there was no water. Practical advice, but somehow telling of the state the country is in. (That was in session 127 or 128 of the Corona Investigative Committee hearings, https://sca.news/)