Ruby. Im

First time to bangkok, sorta. It was more than 15 years ago since my last time in Thailand, hence, I’ve got no memory of the country. So this year, decided to make it a point to explore Bangkok with two of my ex-colleagues.

Found myself stuffing my face with authentic street food, a whole lot of pork (really, wasn’t a huge fan of pork, but the thais make legit pork, i kid you not) and excessive amount of thai iced green tea and sticky rice. Being part korean, the rice I eat is normally sticky but the sticky rice from Thailand is REALLY sticky, like gum sticky. Interesting enough, they roll it into a ball with their hands and put it into their mouth. How cool is that?

Also, I got to try the famously basic coconut icecream from Chatuchak market. It was incredibly hot, and coconut icecream isn’t my number one go to flavour of icecream, but when I was there, my eyes were constantly on the look out for anything coconut. It kept my body cool like an edible shade you can eat and feel cool.

Went to the Commons, a 4 storey common area built for a community by a community to share ideas and work together. Visited Rod Fai market and stayed till midnight hanging out with the locals who clearly don’t believe in resting in before the work week, it was a SUNDAY!!?

 Japan 2015 

Traveled to Japan with Reuben’s family to meet him. We explored Tokyo, Hakone, Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Uji, Kobe and Sapporo. 

Being my first time to Japan, it triggered new tastes on my palette with the freshest of crabmeat from Sapporo, four different grades of uni from Russia and China, juiciest tender Katsu meat from Hakone and the bittersweet taste of authentic Green tea from Uji. The list goes on, I can’t even. Oh god, the pillowy mochi covered with almond powder from Himeji.

I explored the streets of Omotesando Hills in Tokyo indulging in the street scene, artsy fartsy walls and eclectic style of the Japanese. I made friends with the deers in Nara, breathed in the freshest of snow air (I call them snow air because the air near snow smells different compared to the air in the city) while skiing down snow covered hills in Sapporo, walked through rows of bamboo green at Arashimaya forest and got lost along the orange gates/ torii on the way up to the Inari Shrine.