Day 1 - Back in Thailand

One of the reasons I love coming back to Thailand is the fresh delicious tropical fruits. I love the variety of fruits that I can pick up at any local market in the area for pennies….one of my favorites is the wax apple 

The wax apple (which actually considered a berry) is common throughout Southeast Asia and can take on a wide spectrum of colors from black to a light whitish green. The most defining characteristic of this fruit is its cool refreshing feeling after biting in. It’s followed with a slight sweetness which reminds you that you’re enjoying a fresh piece of fruit. It's day 1 and I've quickly made it to the market to buy 1 kg of wax apple (little more than 2 lbs) for 30 bhat (what they call money here), equivalaent to a dollar! In comparison, 1 lbs of apples in the US can run you close to 3.50 (about 100 bhat). Who says eating healthy has to be expensive?

Anyway, it is half way through my first day here, and I’m excited to be back. The weather here is hot and the air is heavy. This heaviness is pronounced while training. As I was catching my breathe between rounds this morning with Kru Teow, the heaviness of the air made me aware of the strong flavor and unique style of this country, as far as I have been exposed to it. There’s a certain sharpness in everything here. The martial arts are marked by some of the most powerful techniques a human being can wield. Displayed in the ring, combatants smash one another’s bones to bits. The food,  intense, flavorful, delicious, hot….something unexpected in a country sweltering with heat all year round…you’d think the theme would be mild…instead, the people have designed one of the spiciest cuisines across the globe. If you're not careful, it can tear you apart from the inside out. I know well from experience...Being able to eat Thai food ain't the same as eating like a Thai..

A lot of great practictioners at the gym from all around the world training at Sityodtong, Sweden, Italy, Russia,  America. Most are talkative and friendly and some appear more reserved, possibly due to a lack of common language to communicate. All have come here seeking different things but with a similar theme, to get better, in whatever way that means to them, mentally, physically, technically….punching, kicking pads, running in 90 degree weather isn’t much fun without a purpose. However, with an individual vision, direction, and meaning, this place can be one's paradise.