The train to Hua Hin in July may be the most artistic market in Thailand

Hua Hin is a seaside town, 195 kilometers from Bangkok, about three hours by car. It has beautiful scenery and developed Tourism. It has been a summer resort for the royal family since ancient times. It is the closest coastal city to Bangkok. Moreover, most domestic tourists choose islands such as Koh Samui, Phuket, and Pattaya, and few people pay attention to this place. If you don't want to see Chinese people all over the streets in Thailand, this is undoubtedly an excellent choice.

The flight was scheduled to arrive at 3:30 p.m. Thailand time, and arrived half an hour early. Originally, I was so nervous about filling out the customs form, passing through customs, and exchanging money. It was actually very simple to get a taxi at the airport. It was nothing more than queuing up in a crowded place. I lost 300 baht at the airport exchange rate, and was sweating in the stuffy taxi hall. I was too nervous and took the taxi on the highway. While enjoying the high-speed speed, I silently felt sorry for the toll. I was anxious waiting for the minibus in front of the Victory Monument... Bangkok taxis are colorful and lively, with a slight sandalwood scent on the car. Looking at the frangipani outside the window and smelling the Buddhist incense makes people feel peaceful.

The Victory Monument has a less politically correct origin, and it is as dull and tacky as countless monuments that symbolize power and ambition. It's better not to see it. I came here mainly to wait for the bus. The minivan will take us to tonight's destination-Hua Hin.

Hua Hin has an airport and a train station, but there seems to be no direct domestic flights. The best way to get from Bangkok is to take a minivan from the Victory Monument. There is no airport bus from Don Muang Airport to Victory Monument. It costs about 350 THB to take a taxi via the highway, and about 250 THB to take a taxi without taking the highway. Of course, you can also take a taxi and then take the subway to Victory Monument, but if you are not particularly saving money, there is no need to go through so much trouble. At Victory Monument, you can take a mini van for 160 THB per person. The Journey takes about three hours. The bus runs from 7 am to 8 pm, and there is a bus every half an hour. No need to book a ticket, just leave when the bus is full.




Victory Monument is a transit point, but it looks more like a wholesale market. The countless backpackers and cheap clothing vendors on the street are dazzling, and the street graffiti sweeps away the shabby feeling of the old city. Female students in school uniforms chattered by, the coconut milk with tender coconut meat was delicious, and the fashionable Thai beauties looked proud. Bangkok's evening rush hour surrounded the entire city and made it suffocate. This dull and spicy feeling reminded me of the Chinese city of Wuhan.

After a long wait, the minibus finally set off, and the sunset quietly fell. The minibus carried a box of strangers and went straight south along the coastline. Unlike the domestic roads, the roads in Thailand are not deserted after leaving the town. They are brightly lit and crowded all the way, giving people the illusion that they will never get out of the city. The driver stopped halfway and bought two strings of fragrant flower garlands. Someone hugged the big bag tightly and was anxious. And I looked at the unfamiliar scenery outside the window, but somehow I felt very peaceful.


Map of Hua Hin, a small coastal city

At nine o'clock in the evening. Someone said that I am so hungry that I can eat a pig. The driver with a fierce look finally drove us out of the car, and the world became brighter. We were still a little puzzled when we got off the car. There were several blond and blue-eyed foreigners sitting or standing on the roundabout island with Thai style. A thin Thai aunt quickly surrounded us and asked enthusiastically if there was anything we could help with. I originally just wanted to take a taxi, but I didn't expect that the aunt took us to sit... a motorcycle taxi Orz. If you can't get off the pirate ship, then get on it.


Blurry photos, feel the speed of the motorcycle

Two thin aunties, each riding a motorcycle, were as light as a swallow, and led us through the city at lightning speed. Have you ever tried running wildly in a bright and unfamiliar city without a helmet? The neon lights and the crowds around me brushed past me, and the wind whistled on my face, making my supporting hands tremble a little, for fear that I would fall and die under the wheels if I was not careful.

The aunties wore numbered uniforms and helmets with flower patterns, and a hint of durian occasionally seeped into the air. All the anxiety caused by sitting for a long time was washed away, and I was like the protagonist of "The Perks of Being a Wallflower", "Thelma and Louise" or "Titanic", driving the direction of the wind's breath, and willing to be crushed and conquered in front of all the magnificence.



After what felt like an extremely long time in the back seat, the friendly motorcycle ladies took us to the hotel in the next alley. The communication was not smooth and I could only thank them and pay. Fortunately, it was right next to us, so I walked over.

The destination was Stone Head Hua Hin, which was opened by a cute girl. I really liked the loft style. I was in a hurry when checking in, but I still checked in. Although our English was very poor, I was still touched when she smiled apologetically when she didn't understand, and tried hard to tell us that there was free tea and coffee in the living room with gestures. Really, it was so cute.





I like to call this place Chanyi Market. When I first saw this name, I thought the person who came up with it was a genius. Simply put, this weekend night market is a gathering place for young people. All vendors use white tents, white houses and white lights in the designated area to sell all kinds of cute and creative little things.

Creativity and business: half sea water and half flame



This is a paradise for girls! There are countless cute cat and dog dolls in soft and cute shapes, small animal ceramics, original postmen, forest-style small cloth bags, floral hats, bracelets and necklaces... You can't move your feet when you see them. You really want to play with each one carefully. There are also glass animals fired on site, hand models made on site, watercolor postcards painted by an uncle for 8 yuan each, various creative T-shirts... Hippies from all over the world gather here! With the dexterous mechanical dance of the skinny guy dressed in Japanese style in the square, the whole scene is like a dream and unreal.





After praising the atmosphere, let's talk about the Thai government. I admire the officials of the Thai Ministry of Culture very much. The idea of ​​using art to drive tourism and consumption is very right, and the planning and design of the entire market is of a very high standard. Among the green grass and trees, white stars are like cicadas. Such a large-scale planning is organized and step-by-step. The venue is also very clean and the atmosphere is lively. The management has made an indelible contribution.




The concept of cicada is also very good. The cicada chirps in the summer, and the little cicada also wants to make a sound that shakes the world. The cicada lives for seven years for only seven days of glory, which also refers to the efforts that artists have made secretly for the market. The Chinese word for cicada is homophonic with the word for Zen, which adds an unspeakable interest to this Buddhist country. Gather together! Young artists from all over the world!





The Cicada Market is only open on weekends. We went there the day before, around 10pm on Friday night, and it was almost over, so there weren't many people. On Saturday night, as soon as it got dark, we couldn't wait to visit the Cicada Market again. If the Cicada on Friday is a small literary market, then the Cicada on Saturday is... a literary market. Because there are so many people!


The eating and drinking area that was empty the day before is now full of people.

Yesterday we came late and it was Friday, so the snacks were basically closed. Today, the food was open, and with the help of an unknown live show next to it, the atmosphere and the flow of people were completely different! The large picnic tables were all occupied, and Thais, white people, and Chinese families came here to eat and drink.


Vouchers

You need to buy vouchers before buying food. 100 vouchers may not even be enough for a dish. Barbecue, grilled seafood, sushi, grilled dried squid, ice beer, oyster omelette, fried rice and the art of the outer circle are in harmony with each other. What is surprising is that although this is a food market, the venue is surprisingly clean! The floor is white and clean without any oil or garbage, and there are few chewing gum marks. The vendors all wear white hats and white masks to give people a sense of hygiene. Although there is a large flow of people, there is no mountain of garbage, and the cleaning staff also move very quickly. To be honest, this is the first time I have seen such a clean food street since I was a child, and I am really shocked.



I had too much shrimp for dinner and I wanted to have some clams. A large plate of mussels for 150 yuan, they were so juicy that they were grilled directly with ice without waiting for the water to dry. I admire them very much. The sauces include a stinky and slightly bitter chili (fish sauce?) and a hot and sour sauce, all packaged separately, which may be one of the reasons why they are clean.

Thai people seem to attach great importance to cleanliness. Even the roadside stalls are packed very carefully. All the seasonings are packed separately, with small bags, plastic paper, paper bags in the middle, and bags outside. Even drinks are given a special bag. They are not afraid of trouble for cleanliness. This is something I had never thought of before.



Let's talk about eating. Freshness is king. Even cheap shrimps and clams taste good when cooked fresh. The clams are full of sea juice, and they are smooth and refreshing after being dipped in two dipping sauces. I was so bored that I kept stacking the shells to form an armored monster... I felt satisfied after eating twenty clams in a row!


There are also restaurants like this

Grilled vegetables and meat skewers, fruit beer and Asahi. There is an open-air music live next door. Although tickets are required, the sound does not prevent the scene from drifting in and adding a carnival atmosphere of a music festival. Everyone is very nice and everyone is very high. The alcohol content is not high, but I don’t know why I am a little drunk. With the casual drum beats and the atmosphere of many people but not noisy, it makes people feel dizzy and comfortable.

And there are many handsome European and American guys here. Along the way, I saw many 5-25-year-old boys who were very pleasing to the eye. There was a boy who bought beer and was so handsome that he looked like he came out of a movie. There was also a little boy who bought barbecue with golden curly hair like the male protagonist in Death in Venice. We stared at them shamelessly for a long time, and then silently said in unison, "Oh my God, why are you so handsome?"



Not only were there food in the middle, but there were also various performances outside the snacks. A teenager who looked like Liang Yifeng was playing the electronic piano to raise money for tuition. A child who looked only seven or eight years old won rounds of applause with his skill of hitting empty bottles. When the child was concentrating, the audience held their breath nervously, and if he accidentally knocked over a bottle, the audience would sigh.


Watercolor Uncle's works for sale

Thinking of the postcards sold by the watercolor uncle the day before, I hurried over to see them. The uncle was busy packing the largest wave watercolor painting, and it seemed that he had found a buyer. While packing, we chatted with another uncle who looked like a Chinese next to the stall. This uncle, who had a very good English pronunciation and didn't feel like a Thai at all, told us that he was the one who bought the painting... The watercolor uncle was too busy to deal with us, so we stood aside and chatted with the buyer uncle.

This is probably the Thai who speaks the best English I have met in Thailand. The uncle said that he is a local and has been to Taiwan. The T-shirt with Chinese printed on it was bought in Taipei. He was surprised why we chose to come to Hua Hin, where there are not many Chinese people, and we were also surprised at his wide knowledge and authentic English like an American TV series. After expressing our helplessness towards noisy tourists together, we smiled knowingly. In the end, he left with the huge painting, and we also bought two hand-painted watercolor postcards (40 beads each) and returned home happily.

We met by chance and had a great time talking. Fate is really wonderful. It is the golden song of Hua Hin Night Market.



After we went out, we saw a band performing. There were three yangqins, a bass, a guitar and a hand drum. The live performance was quite high. The yangqin guy on the far left was so devoted to waving his drumsticks that he looked like a drummer of a death metal band.

It was really nice music. We thought it was a Thai original post-rock band at first. We saw that they were selling CDs and even wanted to buy one. When we took it, we found out that they were playing a remake of a classic song. It would be strange to hear the original song in this literal smashed version of Hotel California! But because it was not original and the cover design was quite... ugly, we did not buy the CD. We put 20 beads to express our gratitude.

Thinking about how technology is so advanced today, we still can't listen to a speculative unfamiliar band and ask for Facebook or Twitter to follow them at any time. If you miss it, you miss it. I still feel a little sad. Cheers to the golden songs of Hua Hin Night Market! I hope to see you again in my lifetime.




In front of Chanyi Market are several bars with prosperous business, singers singing in the open air, white old men and women drinking cheap beer and chatting happily. There is a small snack street next to it, and many vendors have gone home after work as the sky gradually darkens.



I bought a portion of shaved grass jelly. I just bought it casually to quench my thirst, but the taste was quite amazing. The milk tea was very mellow, authentic Thai spice milk tea, made with pure milk and tea, and the taste was amazing! It's just a roadside grass jelly, don't be so dedicated! The grass jelly tastes very hard and has bones, the translucent kidney beans are crystal clear, and there is also a fragrant coconut fruit. After a big cup, the whole person is very explosive.

The consumption in Hua Hin is slightly more expensive than Chiang Mai, and it is probably about the same as in China. Drinks and snacks are generally 10~20 yuan per portion, but they are clean and hygienic, and the quality and quantity are guaranteed.



Next to it is a stall selling grilled squid. After grilling, cut into squid rings and put in dark green Thai dipping sauce. Someone took the first bite with a very complicated expression. After struggling for half a minute, he said: "Amazing. But not delicious amazing..." I tasted it and it was amazing... all because the dipping sauce was authentic Thai sweet and sour spicy. I thought of sour and spicy, but I never thought it was sweet! The sweetness of Thai sweet chili sauce! Please imagine the feeling of lemon juice, chili and a large spoonful of sugar. Don't be too sour. But once you accept this setting... it's quite delicious. The cuttlefish tentacles are very satisfying after being dipped in the sauce.



The midnight snack started with pickled strawberry smoothie. It is not uncommon to have freshly squeezed juice, and it is not uncommon to make smoothies with fruits and ice, but it is the first time I have seen pickled strawberries used to make smoothies after strawberries are out of season. As a fan of pickled strawberries, I said that the sour, sweet and slightly salty taste of the smoothie is very unique~



The banana-flavored Indian flying pancakes at the entrance of 711 are not unfamiliar to Yunnan people. For some reason, this flying pancake seems very sweet, the kind of sweet that is greasy. The characteristics of Thai snacks and drinks are first, ice, and second, sweetness. A cup of drink is 80% ice and the remaining 20% ​​is sugar. Maybe people in tropical countries are used to eating sweet tropical fruits, and their taste is different from that of people in temperate zones.



PS 711 comics rack. The cover of the Thai version of the story of the boss falling in love with me has an inexplicable sense of humor~ Auntie Zhe's sticky rice: Start the morning with mango sticky rice



After wasting an hour, I got up. The sun in Hua Hin was already blazing at nine o'clock, and the streets and alleys were quietly dormant. In tropical countries, people always start their day at noon. I took a tuk-tuk to the Hilton Hotel, which is the landmark of Hua Hin and the city center. Of course, I came here so early for a purpose. The "Auntie Zhe Mango Sticky Rice" here is famous far and wide, and is known as the best mango sticky rice in Hua Hin. It is located on the small street in front of the Hilton. Even in the early morning when it was just opened, there was a queue of more than ten people, which shows its popularity.



Auntie Zhe is short, quick, and speaks with authority. She peels and slices the mango skillfully. Put the glutinous rice into the lunch box, cover it with plastic film to prevent the smell from coming out, put the mango, fried nuts and boiling coconut milk on it, and cover it with another layer of plastic film.

After coming to Thailand, I have to sigh at the prosperity of its roadside stall culture, one of the manifestations of which is the professionalism of packaging. Whether it is 711 or any other roadside stall, drinks have special handles, snacks are clean and tidy, convenience stores are packaged separately, and even the packaging process of yesterday's banana flying cakes can be called art. Although it is a roadside stall, it gives people a very comfortable feeling.

Sprinkle nuts and coconut milk on it and taste the glutinous rice. The glutinous rice is cooked crystal clear like eight-treasure rice, sweet and slightly salty, and paired with crispy nuts (I really don’t know what seeds they are... Gorgon fruit?), the sweetness and sourness of mango cleverly neutralize the sweetness of the glutinous rice, and the layering is very prominent. In fact, it is delicious without coconut milk. Coconut milk is very sweet. It is just right when added to mango, but it is too sweet when added to glutinous rice. However, its richness adds a different taste to the glutinous rice.



I ran to the shopping mall to avoid the air conditioning. Village Market, the first floor was holding a durian festival, and the supermarket was full of durians. The whole one was 180 to 230 pieces per kilogram, and the cut pieces were wrapped in plastic wrap and packed in a box of 180 pieces, which was about half a kilogram. It was the first time I ate so many fresh durians in one go, and I became a durian.



By the way, I ordered a milk tea at the food court in the basement of the village market. It was very delicious. One-third cup of condensed milk plus a tablespoon of sugar, then pour in strong tea, finally add milk and stir, then pour into a full cup of ice. I have to say that Thai people are very generous with sugar and ice. The taste of this milk tea is quite similar to Hong Kong silk stocking milk tea, with a strong tea fragrance and not astringent, but it is a little greasy because of the extra sugar. In Thailand, you must repeatedly emphasize less sugar, otherwise you will be sick of it (spreading hands)



Green mango with chili peppers, this dish is also available in Yunnan but it was my first time to eat it. After sprinkling it, I realized that what I thought was salt and chili peppers were actually salt, sugar and chili peppers - a sweet and spicy Thai dish. But after mixing it, it tasted good. The green mango was not sour and had a sweet flavor. The whole thing was refreshing like the papaya salad in Thai cuisine.

Wax apple with sugar and salt, about 80 beads per box. Wax apple is actually a bit light, but it tastes surprisingly good with sugar and salt. There are also mangosteens sold on the roadside, 30 beads per kilogram is very cost-effective.

The seaside and the small town of Hua Hin, after eating glutinous rice, continued to wander around, and inexplicably came to the beach. Two idiots who have never seen the sea happily rushed over, stepped on the hot sand, one foot deep and one foot shallow, trying to see the water vapor, only to find something wrong - there was no one on the beach! The beach temperature at noon is suitable for practicing iron sand palm and roasting bird eggs. No one will come to play in the water at this time.

So idiots like us struggled to move towards the sea in the weird green stains while struggling: "You can touch the sea soon!" "It will be cooked when you walk over!" "Hold on, there are small crabs on the beach." "The crabs are hiding because of the heat. They are smarter than you..."
Okay, okay. But we finally saw the sea




Back to the coastal street. The neighborhood around Hilton is a crisscross of dozens of alleys, dotted with countless bars, cafes, Thai food and sea food. The sun is blazing, and the plants are so lush that they seem to be submerged if you are not careful. The nightlife area, which has not yet woken up, is quiet at this time. Walking between the green bar and the Buddha statue, it is quiet and there is no one around.





The painter also looks lazy. Maybe he is the one who sets up a stall in Cicada at night?


When it comes to art, everyone will think of Chiang Mai. However, Hua Hin's unique coastal scenery is as peaceful and beautiful as Chiang Mai.



The sun was too strong at noon, so I went to get a massage to cool off. It was my first time to get a massage. I was afraid of foot massage because I was ticklish, so I chose an essential oil massage this time. There are many massage parlors on the street with ambiguous pink lights and suspicious special offers. The one we chose looks quite formal, with a huge store and a small bridge and flowing water on the three floors.

The essential oil massage was very comfortable. I was sTripped half naked in a private dark room and rubbed all kinds of things (｡･ω･｡) Someone asked for a Thai massage, which has a similar name but completely different content. It is said that I was very painful in a big bunk bed, and I felt like I was beaten up when I came out. I sympathize with this first experience of getting a massage...

The overall consumption in Hua Hin is more expensive than Chiang Mai. In the massage parlors in Chiang Mai, Thai massage costs 200 beads per hour, while in Hua Hin it costs 250 beads, and essential oil massage costs 300 beads. But the service quality is very good, probably all of them have been trained uniformly.

Food: Japanese, Indian and Thai food, Greek food in Thailand. Lunch time. With the idea of ​​"sea food" and "Thai food" in mind, we walked around the small street three times. I understand the reason, but why are there French, German, Greek, Norwegian, Spanish, Italian and Indian food on the same street! Am I in the center of the universe or in the United Nations! After a major breakdown of choice difficulty, we chose a Greek restaurant that didn't look very authentic.





The Mediterranean-style decoration is very refreshing, and the boss is a virtuous Thai woman as expected. Greek dishes are naturally just for show, and the Thai dishes sold are the focus. Everything looks delicious. We ordered seafood salad, red curry seafood, and coconut milk seafood soup. The salad prawns are very refreshing, the red curry is rich and mellow, and the coconut milk is delicious and the rice is simply amazing! In short, it was a very refreshing and refreshing lunch, and the mood that was twisted by the sun finally recovered a little.

Eating Indian food in Thailand, a friend has a complex about Indian food. When he saw it, he kept thinking about eating it. The Indian guy looked like he was airborne from Bangalore, and his Indian English was very funny when ordering. Tomato shrimp red curry, lamb curry, Indian milk tea, onion-flavored baked naan. After eating, I felt... Indian food is really authentic! The taste is almost the same as that, of course, it is delicious. Shrimp curry is more sour and sweet, suitable for bibimbap, and lamb curry is more fragrant with naan. It is worth mentioning that the scallion-flavored baked naan is really awesome, probably the best naan I have ever eaten. The Indian tea is also very fragrant, comparable to Thai milk tea.






The third floor of Village Market is full of restaurants, two-thirds of which are Japanese food. Although I have heard that Thais like Japanese food and there are 711s everywhere, I was still shocked to see it with my own eyes. From set meals, ramen shops to buffets, this one specializes in teppanyaki.

The chef grilled beef in front of me, and the beef was medium-rare and juicy. The sashimi was similar to that in China, but fortunately it was cut thicker. The best Japanese food in Thailand is probably in Bangkok. If the Japanese food in Hua Hin is at the mainland level, then the Japanese food in Bangkok is at the Hong Kong level. Of course, the price is much cheaper than that in China, so don't worry about it. By the way, BK and DQ here are also very cheap. BK's hamburger is 69 balls, and DQ's matcha sundae is 45 for a large cup. It is still quite touching to eat food of similar quality at half the price in China.

Chao Lay: Guo Jingming's lobster is as high as that of McDonald's in Thailand. Someone ate a McDonald's in Thailand and said that it was exactly the same as McDonald's in China. He still wanted to eat Thai food, okay. For Thai food and sea food, we came to Chao Lay, a famous seafood restaurant.



As expected of an old restaurant, three small villas stretch from the roadside across the beach all the way to the seaside. You can choose a popular seat by the sea and finally enjoy seafood while enjoying the sea breeze.





Fried shrimp spring rolls, garlic lobster, coconut curry shrimp, lobster bisque. When we reacted, we realized that we ordered a lot of shrimp again, okay. There are three kinds of lobsters. In fact, what I want to eat most is the super-large lobster, one is half a meter long, and the big blue one feels almost as tall as Guo Jingming when standing up. But that kind of lobster is very expensive. Other restaurants charge 2,300 lobsters/kg, and this one charges 4,000 lobsters/kg...poor people can only wait until they die. So we ordered giant lobsters (I wonder if they are mantis shrimps?), one as big as a Samsung 7-inch mobile phone, with a square head like an armored robot, very Pacific Rim Kaiju feeling, tied with tiger prawns for poor people's favorite.

There are many locals here, and they prefer to eat a small hot pot with all kinds of fish, shrimp, crab and shellfish. The natives and tourists are having fun together, and the whites and Thais are flying together. Drinking wine in the sea breeze, it seems that I have forgotten that I am poor (laugh)

Hua Hin is a bit expensive. A seafood meal costs about 800 baht, while a casual meal in Chiang Mai and Bangkok is only about 500 baht. But once converted into RMB... it's less than 200 yuan! What's there to be afraid of? Just eat whatever you want~

By the way, the Chinese penetration rate in Hua Hin is very low, and restaurants generally only have English menus. It's okay to deal with it at ordinary times, but when eating seafood, all kinds of strange shrimp, crab, fish and shellfish nouns are beyond the reach of most people. It's a hard truth to bring a dictionary with you to check at any time~



Hua Hin Railway Station is said to be one of the oldest railway stations in Thailand and is also known as the most beautiful railway station. The sun was scorching at noon, and I was hot and tired walking all the way with someone. I was not in a good mood, but the railway station itself was very eye-catching.




Opposite the train station is a yellow old train model. The entire train station is very wide, and the red and white style is very eye-catching. There is no access control and no tickets required, so you can visit it even if you don't take the train.




Behind the gate is the ticket hall, and through the hall-like hall you will arrive at the backyard-like platform. On one side is the extremely retro railway office, and on the other side are the fluttering Thai flags, golden poinciana flowers, and a cute blue and orange train. It is truly a picturesque scene.





This train station and the tracks are still in use, and the green carriages across the two tracks are also models for taking photos. The whole scenery is very nice.




Chatchai & Chatsila Night Mkt. Chatchai: Go for the seafood food stalls! Thailand is a country that lives in the nightlife. When the lights come on and the heat dissipates, this city really wakes up.



Chatchai and Chatsila are two adjacent streets. Chatchai has all kinds of small toys, snacks and fresh seafood food stalls. I bought a mini Lego of Snow Miku at the door, and a small pendant with the Hua Hin logo as a souvenir. The Chinese name of Chatchai is Chacai Night Market. It seems that because of the unlucky name, it is not popular among Chinese people. Wouldn’t it be better to change the translation? Isn’t the Chaichai Night Market very good╮(￣▽￣)╭




There are many seafood restaurants here, with lobsters, tiger prawns, flower crabs, scallops, etc. thrown right in your face. The guys soliciting customers at the door are all very enthusiastic. And the price is much cheaper than seafood restaurants. Tiger prawns can cost 1,700 pearls, 900 pearls, or even 550 pearls per kilogram. Although poor people can't afford big lobsters, they can still try palm-sized tiger prawns.




We will cook it for you after weighing it, and you can choose the cooking method. Two big tiger prawns cost 50 yuan, and one big flower crab stir-fried with curry crab costs 40 yuan. The lobster meat is very chewy and tender, which is completely different from the crispness of a large plate of 250 prawns. The tenderness of the shrimp meat is completely incomparable to that of crayfish. After grilling, it is served with sour and spicy dipping sauce, which feels better than yesterday's big lobster.



I bought wheatgrass juice at the night market. Someone said it tasted like cucumber juice, but I thought it was delicious. I also bought coconut ice cream. The coconut was split in half, and the coconut meat was pulled out and served with ice cream balls, sprinkled with chocolate sauce and nuts. It felt very unique. Chatsila Night Mkt: County Art Market



Chatsila Night Market is next to it, and is famous for its cultural and creative products. But if you ask me, it is not as good as Cicada in terms of literature and art, and not as good as Chatchai in terms of market life. It is neither good nor bad. The only advantage is that there are fewer people. There are uncles drawing sketches on the spot, and there are also people selling cute earrings, and doge pillows.





After we came out, someone said there seemed to be a night market ahead, so we walked and walked. Passing a crossroads, a flock of birds returned to nest on the electric poles. The chirping sound at the intersection of two electric poles was so loud that it could be heard 500 meters away. It is amazing that the ecology is so good.



After that, I visited a localized county market. From the restaurant style to the variety of small commodities, it was very similar to the county markets in China. Even the aunt selling wax apples was addicted to TV dramas and looked lazy. The service awareness was completely different from that in tourist areas. The streets were also a bit dirty, quite like the domestic vegetable markets. Sure enough, markets outside the tourism industry would be more relaxed...

Tips:

1. The serious attractions in Hua Hin include the Palace of Love and Hope, Santorini Park, Swiss Sheep Park, and the shopping mall Little Venice, and the farther Khao Wang Palace. The Palace of Love and Hope is the original palace of the King of Thailand. It was built in 1923 by Rama VI in the hope that his concubine could give birth to a little prince for him. The drive is about 1 hour. Khao Wang Palace is the filming location of the movie "Anna and the King". It is a distance away from Hua Hin and the drive is about 2 hours. Santorini Park is an amusement park built in the style of Santorini Island in Italy. It is opposite the Swiss Sheep Park. The ticket is very cheap, but the fare is very expensive. There are few buses and it is difficult to find. It costs about 2,000 round trips to charter a car, and the journey is about 1 hour. Little Venice is a Venice-themed shopping mall, which is also relatively remote.

2. If you want to play on the beach and see the sea, it is better to go to Cha Am Beach near Hua Hin. Cha Am is a small town north of Hua Hin in the direction of Bangkok. It takes about 1 hour by car. You can get there by mini van or charter. Santorini Park and other places are also in the direction of Cha Am.

3. Hua Hin is not a big city, with a long and narrow coastal terrain. The main means of transportation in the city is tuk-tuk, and the fare is 100 baht no matter where you go (sometimes it will cost 150 baht). There are guides saying that you can also rent bicycles and motorcycles, but there are not many people renting cars, and it is very troublesome if you don’t know the road. On the way back to Bangkok, you can ask the hotel to help contact the mini van to pick you up at the hotel, so as to avoid the trouble of finding the place to take the bus. Google map can be used in Thailand, but it is not very convenient and there is no need.

4. The exchange rate between RMB and Thai baht is about 1:5, and the price can be divided by 5, which is easy to calculate. ATM machines are everywhere when you come out of the lobby of Don Muang Airport, and there is one next to Exit 8 for taxis. The handling fee is 50 baht per transaction, but you don't have to exchange money at the airport at an exchange rate of 4.2. You can withdraw money at 711 ATMs in Hua Hin, which are everywhere. Many restaurants also accept UnionPay cards.

5. As I emphasized before, Thailand is sweet, so it's best to eat less sugar when eating snacks and drinking beverages, otherwise you will definitely choke. The Chinese penetration rate in Hua Hin is very low, and you can hardly see Chinese people on the streets. Service staff can speak simple English, and Sawadee Ka, how much and thank you are enough for daily conversation. But it's best to bring a dictionary when ordering food, because proper nouns are difficult to deal with~