Friday, September 3

OK, brace yourselves...the malls are open!

Thailand's Covid case numbers have been decreasing for the last two weeks or so, so on September 1, the government allowed for an easing of restrictions in some “dark red” areas, including Bangkok.

This means the malls and parks can reopen, restaurants can reopen with limited seating capacity, hair salons can reopen for haircuts only (no color), and massage parlors can reopen (for foot massages only). The 9am-4am curfew remains in effect, and gyms and bars and schools are still closed.

But we were able to go to the mall to get a new laptop for me and to look at cameras for Roman, and I got a hair cut at our nearby salon (wearing two masks, as required).

We also ate our first meal in a public, indoor location! We went to the food court at Terminal 21, where I ordered three vegetable dishes from the vegetarian cart, and Roman got stir-fried noodles with squid and shrimp.

We also had fruit smoothies while we waited for the mall to open to get my laptop (we'd forgotten malls aren't opening until 11:00am).

And we got bowls of pork tom yum for lunch on Friday:

 

I think this is how Roman thinks influencers pose?

During the week, I also continued to make meals from the organic farm box we got on Sunday...this is a dinner made with heirloom tomatoes marinated with garlic and basil, arugula, fusilli, and parmesan:

I used half the giant farmstand avocado to make avocado toast—some with local goat cheese, the rest with roasted garlic and black lava salt.

I made two lunches with the Northern-style sausage that came in the farm box (it was made with lot of lemongrass and lime leaves and was delicious), basil garlic sauce, organic morning glory, and sticky rice one day, rice noodles the next.

We still have meals at the cart outside our apartment...

And we still take many long walks in the neighborhood...here are some old-style Thai houses on Phetchaburi Road:

And here I am modeling one of the dresses Emma gave me before she and Sean headed to the UK...

Although many places are still closed, there is a glimmer of hope that things may be changing...it will all depend, of course, on whether those case numbers continue to decrease, and people can get access to vaccines and medical treatment. Here's hoping.