Climbing in a womb

After a week of occupied airports, I am beginning to think that the color beige is a viable member of the spectrum. With yellow shirts on one side, red shirts on another and protesters in yet another location waving Thai flags (wearing multiple colors of clothing), the Thai political scene is one that is difficult to explain. Yesterday's ruling to dissolve the current government leaves Thailand without a ruling party and the future political scene involves quite a bit of the unknown.

So rather than spend another day staying home, watching the news ticker and hoping that the airports will open in time for holiday flight plans and departing family members, I wandered out with the kids for yet another everyday adventure. My father, stranded tourist label still firmly intact, joined us.

Heading out on the Skytrain, we disembarked at the Mo Chit station and went to a place the kids and I know well. A morning of play at the Children's Discovery Museum was just what was needed after spending some days at home. The museum is a weird and wacky place. While I have travelled to many different kid-centered attractions since the birth of my first child, I have yet to encounter a place that compares to Bangkok's children's museum. Where else can your child climb into a replica of the mother's womb and experience what it was like prior to their birth? Or, maybe you'd like to visit the adorable seven dwarves home (of Snow White fame) and see the truly frightening witch leering through an open window to offer your child a poisonous apple? And, if those two don't peak your interest, perhaps a play in the sand pit with a towering fire spitting dragon statue leaning over your children would make for a nice precursor to their nap time?

And, despite the odd elements of the museum, I have still spent many mornings since my arrival in Bangkok sending balls down their wonderful water shoots, waving at the Disney character statues planted around the place, cringing as my daughter scaled the (truly dangerous) sky high trapeze nets, admiring the kid-sized Thai stilt houses and watching my son tear through a contraption with scores of wrestling bags dangling in rows (that ultimately rebound against his head and knock his little two year old body to the floor).

Today's visit was no different than any of the others-- two very happy kids trailing after adults who previewed each exhibit to make sure their was nothing scary or dangerous about the place. Sure, we got locked into an exhibit, but upon release the kids were happily racing through a wobbly balance testing walkway... and happy to be doing so. 

Cooking in Thailand, entry no. 27:

Thai Cabbage Slaw

A simple and refreshing spin on salad.

Ingredients:

1/2 head of cabbage, sliced finely into shreds

1 cup of bean sprouts

1 cup tightly packed cilantro, finely diced

1/2 cup roasted and salted almonds, roughly chopped

3 Tablespoons rice vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced

1 Tablespoon oil

1 Tablespoon honey

salt and pepper to taste

Method:

In a large bowl, mix the vinegar, garlic, oil, honey and salt and pepper. Add the remaining ingredients and toss well. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour before serving.