ADVENTURE NOTES

[adventure-notes]

Fruit of the Week #2 - Rambutan

Native to Malaysia and Indonesia, rambutan is also widely available all across Southeast Asia. Rambutan fruit shares the same name as its tree, and many say it is comparable to the lychee and grape in taste and texture. This fruit is one of our favourite fresh market indulgences!

To open up the rambutan, use a knife or your nail to make a shallow slit down one side of the skin. Unlike the seed, the skin is not edible.

Give either side of the skin a gentle squeeze to dialate the opening and let the inner fruit pop out.

Like a big grape, the rambutan is very sweet and juicy, and it also has numerous health benefits, including, but not limited to, an excellent source of calcium (see, whoever said you needed to drink milk from another animal to get your calcium?). Once believed to be toxic unless roasted, the seed of the rambutan is actually very safe to eat raw and claimed to be good for your skin.

If and when the hairs on the skin turn blackish, make sure you refrigerate the fruit and eat within two days. Enjoy!

[adventure-notes]

TURTLE RESCUE

During one of our trips to the local fresh market, we passed through the meat and fish stalls and were halted by the sight of some live animals being sold for consumption- eels, large unidentifiable fish, and small turtles. Their conditions were cruel, stored In large plastic bowls, and they were in poor health.

Back at home we researched what these animals were generally used for, and we found that the turtles' futures were the most grim- likely to be sold to Chinese restaurants and boiled alive. We spent the night sleepless and decided to return the next morning with plans to buy two and take them to a nearby park with a fresh water source.

Upon arrival at the market we discovered them to be cheaper than expected, and so we could afford to buy four. The stall holder, without a second thought, piled them into a plastic carrier bag on top of one another and tied the handles up tightly. We rushed back to the car and opened the bag, the turtles were gasping for air and some had simply recoiled in defeat- we let them into Fred's large open rucksack for the rest of the journey. Three of them were Malayan Snail-Eating Turtles, and the fourth was a very tired Southeast Asian Box Turtle.

Our friend, Kim, drove us and the turtles to big local park with a large enough lake that, after researching the species of turtles, seemed ideal. We laid the turtles one by one onto the soft grass and watched them slowly gain the courage to take a peek around.

Quickly having relaxed in their surroundings, we took them in turns to the water's edge and lowered them to the surface- they did the rest, kicking away and diving deep into the lake to join the several other species of turtle that were already craning their little heads above the water to get a good look at what was going on.

This little monster couldn't wait his turn to explore their new home.

We were sad to have to buy into an industry which we ultimately think is unnecessary, cruel, and unsustainable, but we couldn't bare the thought of passing up the chance to save a few little lives. Seeing them in their natural environment reinforced the absurdity of selling these creatures on for a cruel death and human consumption (we also read that they produce very little meat- it's more of a novelty food than anything else). We were also aware that, oddly enough, some people in Thailand sell live animals to be released however a chat with a couple of locals proved that these animals were intended as food. Happy swimming little buddies, enjoy life!

[adventure-notes]

Fruit of the Week #1 - Santol

The Santol has got to be one of the most misidentified fruits on the internet! Most wikis and blogs that mention it wrongly refer to it as a Wild Mangosteen, a variant of the Purple Mangosteen (”The Queen of Fruits”). This misidentification is probably the result of too much confidence in online translations, and ironically if you look at the French translation you do get “faux mangoustan”. Once thought to be two separate species of red and yellow, the Santol is in actual fact one species of two variant colourations, Sandoricum koetjape. The Santol is a Medium sized fruit, its rind firm and the skin possessing a slight fuzziness similar to, but more subtle than, a peach. The fruit grows on a fast-growing tree with pink or yellow flowers, and it can reach 150ft in height. Origninally from mainland Malaysia, the Santol has become naturalised across South and Southeast Asia.

To open the Santol for consumption, take a reasonably sharp knife and cut about half an inch into the rind all the way round the centre of the fruit.

Once you have partitioned the rind, twist the two halves in opposite directions to help separate the inner flesh from the exterior husk.

Break apart the the fruit like Rafiki about to paint the forehead of a newly born Simba.

You can eat by hand or spoon, but watch out for pips- the larger fruits tend to have more whilst the smaller fruits tend to have fewer or none at all. It is difficult to describe the taste of the Santol as it is entirely unique and unlike anything we have ever tasted before. It’s texture is light and tufty, and feels like lychee/watermelon combination in your mouth. Our advice is to eat it for desert, as it has a gentle citrus flavour and could even be considered nature’s sorbet. Enjoy!

[adventure-notes]

VEGAN THAI ICED TEA

Since moving to Thailand, Thai Iced Tea has become one of our favourite things to order at restaurants, cafés, and anywhere else we can get our hands on a dairy-free version! We thought we’d share a little recipe that we’ve adapted to using at home, that’s easy for anyone to re-create.

Note: Twinings do their own Ceylon tea, but if you can’t get your hands on some then use black tea and a splash of vanilla extract instead.

[adventure-notes]

Sathorn Unique Tower - “Ghost Tower” - Bangkok 2015

Last week we managed to climb the infamous Sathorn Unique Tower in Bangkok's Sathorn District. Known more commonly as Ghost Tower, Sathorn Unique stands at 47 stories tall and holds the title as the Third Highest Abandoned Building in the world. Designed by the talented MIT graduate, Rangsan Torsuwan, the building was intended to add to Bangkok's growing number of condominium complexes in the 1990s, a far cry from the metropolis that stands today with condos littering every twist and turn. The design unique, with row upon row of intricate seashell balconies, and the location primary to the brand-new BTS Skytrain station that was due to open shortly after the building, Sathorn Unique's future was glimmering, and guaranteed to generate a lot of money. However, Sathorn Unique Tower was abandoned from construction in 1997...

Why is Sathorn Unique Tower abandoned?

Contrary to the information available on Wikipedia, conversations with locals about the rich history of the site reveals a very different story surrounding its abandonment. Hint: It wasn't anything to do with the Asian Financial Crisis. Rangsan Torsuwan, owner and designer of the building, had been contracted in the 1980s to design a department store in central Bangkok for well-known Thai aristocracy, Utain Taechaphaibul. Though the shopping centre was completed and opened in 1990 under the name World Trade Centre, the building was replaced only a few years later with a new design and overhaul (now known as CentralWorld, the location of the bombing on 17th August 2015 that took 21 lives). With a strong team of lawyers, Torsuwan took Utain Taechaphaibul to court for the replacement of his design, and Taechaphaibul was forced to pay out a hefty 200,000,000 THB. In 1997, Rangsan Torsuwan was unexpectedly arrested for allegedly arranging the assassination of a judge, Pramarm Chansue, and was sentenced to prison for 20 years. It is then that the construction of Sathorn Unique Tower, only 80% complete, was halted. Torsuwan denies he committed the crime, and it is common knowledge in Thailand that his arrest was most likely a direct result of Utain Taechaphaibul's power within the police force and legal system.

What is the Ghost Tower’s status today?

Today, Sathorn Unique generates its popularity from Urban Explorers and tourists with a spare afternoon and willingness to give themselves one hell of a leg workout. YouTube is a host to many videos documenting different experiences of the tower- this includes, but is not limited to, some men throwing themselves across the ruins and coming close to falling to their death in this awesome free running video, and a lot of slightly more sinister takes on the topic, with commentary focusing on the unfortunate suicide of a gentleman in December 2014 that took place in the building. We have been lead to believe that this event is the reason for its nickname, Ghost Tower.

How can I climb the Ghost Tower?

Various blogs gave different information regarding gaining entry to the tower- some claimed there was a wall to jump over, others a security guard that needed a bribe, others that they climbed across from an adjacent building. This is our experience, true as of September 2015:

Keen to climb the tower, we arrived with our Thai friend around 15.00 in the hope we could secure some exterior shots before going inside, but were hailed by a security guard in uniform who quietly asked us to return at 17.00 if we wanted to climb the tower. We took some shots from a park opposite and waited for another friend of ours to arrive. We returned at 17.00, and the security guard opened a gap in a construction barrier along the East side of the building (West if you are looking directly at the building from Sathon Tai Road). We were met with two more security guards who had set themselves up inside the foyer with garden furniture and a radio, smoking and playing cards. The guards told our Thai friends that they had to pay 300THB each, whilst farang (white foreigners) must pay 500THB each. The double pricing system is at work across all of Thailand (even in regulated tourist attractions) however the 200THB difference is minimal compared to some attractions we have come across... no qualms!

Bypassing large spaces where the lifts were once due to be installed, we were instructed to climb a staircase which had been fitted with a rudimentary lighting system made up of a series of battery-powered lamps every other floor or so. The staircase was fairly narrow (clearly intended to be a fire escape) and there were no hand rails. With a little bit of common sense, there isn't much risk for an accident. Comfy shoes with decent grip are helpful. We stopped about every ten floors to explore the condominiums and take photos across the city, each stop more beautiful than the last. The climb took about an hour, including the stops along the way to ogle at the view.

If you have the time whilst you are in Bangkok, we highly recommend climbing the tower. The experience was certainly unforgettable and we are so grateful to have been able to share such a breathtaking view with friends in this crazy city.

[adventure-notes]

ACTs of Green

Whilst spending an afternoon in Asok's Terminal 21 shopping centre, we stumbled across a store that, as new lifestyle-Vegans, caught our eye. ACTs of Green is a small clothing company which stocks solely environmentally-friendly designs, ranging from vibrant t-shirts, to organic scarves, to beautifully woven ethical shopping bags.

The designs are tasteful, eye-catching, and leave you wanting one in each colour! We each bought a t-shirt, and were pleasantly surprised to find we had a choice of cotton, multi-purpose bags to take our shirts home in. The shop we visited at Terminal 21 was a small, boutique set-up, though its flagship store in Ekamai's shopping centre, Gateway, is brighter and more spacious.

They company strive to question the sustainability of the human effects on the environment, and offers a green, positive message that allows the public to challenge our poor habits. Unfortunately despite our efforts we cannot find a website for ACTs of Green, but their Facebook page implies that their only stores are here in Bangkok:

- Gateway Ekamai, Urbano 2 Fl. (Room 2148B-2149) Tel:[phone]

- Asiatique the River front ,Warehouse 5 (Room No.5029-30/5041-42) Near Ferris Wheel. Tel: [phone]

- Terminal 21,London zone,Street 1 (Room No.2134) Tel : [phone]

Instagram @actsofgreenshop

Their Facebook page even states they are open to international delivery enquiries, so you may not need to be in Bangkok to enjoy their products. Please support this fantastic company by visiting their Facebook page for a 'like' and following them on Instagram!

Just a quick note- this totally sounds like we've been paid to say these things, but we honestly have just stumbled across this wonderful company and wanted to express our love for it.