Relax in Nongkai

It is a nice trip through the Isan roads. The Inquisitor had chosen not to drive via the main highway over Udon Thani towards Nongkai. 'Terra incognita' starts just before Kham Takla at the turn towards Ban Dung. A leisurely speed is necessary because you regularly pass those typical village centers, with schools, with small shops, with slow agricultural traffic. The rice fields are being replaced by forestry in the gently sloping landscape. Especially rubber plantations, but also sustainable types of wood so that the environment is nice and green, very shady too.

After about twenty-five kilometers of enjoyment, De Inquisitor comes into conflict with the route planner. Yes, my love had started it on her tablet unbeknownst to him, something The Inquisitor hates. As always, he had kept himself pleasantly busy the day before: took a map, looked at it, then wrote the route on a piece of paper. Easy right, road numbers and names of larger villages. But here, somewhere in the middle of nowhere, he wants to turn left, while the soft lady's voice in Thai announces that it (right) must. And honey-sweet holds her ground – that modern technology knows it much better than an old man, she says with a laugh. OK, right then, and the note goes into the garbage bag.

We now drive winding north in a sparsely populated area. But beautiful nature, much more untouched now, little cultivated forestry, rubber plantations or rice fields. And ends the long road on the Mekong River in Phon Phisai. Back a dual carriageway that follows the course of the Mekong. De Inquisitor notices that along the shore, on both the Thai and Laotian sides, there are many communication masts. And propaganda: 'welcome to Thailand'. It does something, Laos over there on the other side.

When we approach the center of Nongkai, The Inquisitor pulls out another piece of paper. The detailed route to the hotel. But again in vain, those modern things can do everything. Enter the name of the hotel as the destination and hoopla, the lady's voice will lead you there. Turn left and right a lot, they are small alleys. That hotel, Amanta Nongkai, is a pleasant surprise. In contrast to most other buildings, it is newly built and has a pleasant spatial layout. Smooth reception and beautiful rooms, the stepdaughter quickly disappears into hers and settles in delight in the luxury: the television switches on immediately, she easily sets the air conditioning to eighteen degrees – something she is not allowed at home, twenty-four is the rule and she had already entered the password for the hotel wifi at the counter. Since the ride went faster than expected, sweetheart can get a beauty sleep, which is the pinnacle of vacation for her. The Inquisitor is happy to go out alone, on foot, because there are no Thai companions who would object to that.
Exploring a city for the first time is always a bit tricky. Which direction should you go, where is there something to see? As usual, The Inquisitor first goes in the wrong direction, he walks to the Mekong bank where he suspects that the famous bridge to Vientane is located. But then you walk out of the center, little to see. Then turn around, despite sweating in the sun-drenched thirty-four degrees.

Nongkai is a fairly small city, with a population of just over fifty thousand, De Inquisitor had read somewhere. The streets have a bit of a Pattaya layout. Larger streets run parallel to the Mekong River, with smaller alleys in between. Nongkai feels like a town that had its last boom in the XNUMXs and XNUMXs and then stood still. To date, the weather is slowly awakening. The vast majority of downtown buildings are old, cosily worn. But investors are starting to show up. New construction is underway in some places, not as massive as on the coasts and the country's capital, but still, it's starting. In even more places people are demolishing, nice and old-fashioned, by hand, a fairly dusty affair. It is writing on the wall, if De Inquisitor were fifteen years younger, he would dare to invest here, there are many opportunities at more normal prices. Moreover, the Chinese are coming – via Laos: major investments to gain access to the South China Sea, which will trigger major economic development.

In the early evening, the Inquisitor family gets into a , tricycle. We want to go to the covered Indo-China Market. And that's a nice thing. Much bigger than Mukdahan's Indo-China Market, and much cozier, also a much more diverse range of goods. What is also striking is that all sellers, without exception, are not pushy as in the large tourist enclaves. It is very relaxed, you can look, choose, approve. The prices are also good, not expensive at all so you don't have to be alert to make a bargain, moreover De Inquisitor gradually knows how much the various goods can cost. You can do business here as a tourist. And yes, we are here too. Liefje-sweet is, like every Thai, a community person. Does she like the fact that all three of us have the same T-shirt, which we then have to wear together when we go to a party somewhere. Something that De Inquisitor finds rather embarrassing, wearing the same outfit is very un-Western. But the collection is expanding: after Pattaya, Bangkok, Koh Samet, Koh Samui, Udon Thani, ... and others, there is now also a Nongkai shirt in the wardrobe.

Although the town is on the river, there is only a single restaurant boat on the water. And that is exactly what De Inquisitor wanted to eat: fish from the Mekong, freshly caught, freshly prepared. A rickety thing, a bit rusty, but there are a lot of people. With three ladies and two men they guide us to a nice table on the aft deck, close to the railing. The meal is a feast: fish, fish and more fish. Baked, roasted, boiled, steamed. With many sauces, from pleasantly surprising to too spicy. A gentle breeze relieves sweating as it is still warm after sunset. The mosquitoes, frequently present through the water, are combated with a kind of burning substance in a container on the ground. The sweet was provided, she was wearing long pants. In contrast to De Inquisitor and daughter who, despite that stuff, are slowly eaten by the legs. So leave quickly after the meal, we'll take dessert elsewhere. It didn't happen, all a bit tired and back to the hotel.

Saturday morning, a nice breakfast. The only Western dishes are eggs in all versions, including delicious small sandwiches, the rest is Thai / Lao cuisine. And De Inquisitor makes a mix of everything, sweetheart has to laugh when she notices that he also took a rather spicy soup and turns out to appreciate it. Are we going out as real tourists? The Inquisitor has already noticed that there are quite a few of those in Nongkhai. He is guided by love and so Sala Keaw Ku is the first target.

The car does not want to take The Inquisitor, too lazy. But on the street are the several of which were lurking last night, disappeared. Well, it is already ten o'clock, later than an average tourist sets out, they will already have their clientele. With love nearby, never a problem. She simply enters a nearby shop and asks for transportation. And look, those people also have such a thing and are willing to bring us for sixty baht. Very little because the ride takes half an hour, through alleys, left, right. Crossing a busy thoroughfare far too slowly, but it ends well. Sala Keaw Ku is a strange thing. You just have to look that up in a travel guide, but De Inquisitor enjoys the fantasy developed by the designer(s). And also of the huge fish in the ponds, nearly two meters long. Turtles that are hopelessly pushed down when they try to enjoy the bread we give, they can't handle such a mass of large fish.

We stay there longer than expected, it is nice and cool under the roof at the ponds. Because the weather is fantastic, clear blue skies, a blazing sun and the temperature quickly goes over thirty degrees. But again the tricycles have disappeared in the large parking lot at the entrance. When one finally shows up, The Inquisitor fears an exaggerated price because there is no other way to get away. And he can't compare with the outward journey, we want to go to Nongkai aquarium, no idea where and how far. And wow, he just asks for three hundred baht. Consultation necessary, argue, but the man does not change his price. Consider going back to the hotel first, we know the amount. Yes, that is sixty baht, the man reports. So a fair price that three hundred? We'll do it, because it includes a return ride - he's waiting on site.

Had The Inquisitor known, he would have gone to fetch his car. An hour in such a loud sputtering thing, over potholed roads, first through the city and then oh so vulnerable on highway number two – that is suffering. Despite the wind you get, it quickly gets very hot under that plastic roof, the benches are so narrow and hard that your butt hurts, you sit on the edge of your buttocks. Your back is tormented by the steel tubes that are mounted at the wrong height. Ergo, a little further there are road works. Dust, dust and more dust. But eventually we get there. Quickly find a tap, rinse hands and face, a coke at a stall. In a plastic bag with more ice than Coke. A stepdaughter was clever enough to tie a knot in The Inquisitor's straw while he was smoking a cigarette. Both ladies have fun again because it took him a while to realize why he couldn't suck up a coke.

The aquarium itself is quite nice - if you are interested in it. Instructive about all fish species: marine, fresh and brackish water. And especially what is going on in the Mekong, you immediately understand why there is so much protest about the Chinese plan to dam that mastodon of a river. Moreover, De Inquisitor manages to take a look behind the scenes: the filters, which he wants to see. The pump system, the filter materials used. Always nice, the people who work there behind the scenes are quite proud of their job and have no problem at all with the fact that De Inquisitor has stepped through an “only for staff” door.
Our we have to wake up, how he manages to go crazy on such a narrow bench. Same miserable ride back and we arrive at the hotel around three o'clock in the afternoon. Hungry, thirsty but relaxed. So room service, that's vacation. Then, after a balmy shower -oddly enough, there is an inspiring wall-length mirror in the large tiled shower cubicle-, a nice cool sleep in the air conditioning. Soon we will go to the Saturday evening market on the boulevard along the river. Well, night market: they set up from five o'clock, and close around eight o'clock.

Bravely we step back on one , but we know it's not far. Twenty baht per person seems like a flat rate for everything you do within the city limits. We are a bit too early, too few stalls are open. And behold, The Inquisitor notices a small German restaurant. He can't pass that up, German food in Thailand is always good. And after all that fish, he sometimes wants some meat. The menu is rather meager, just a schnitzel. With fries, a Belgian cannot ignore that. Afterwards we cheerfully step onto the dike, there are now a lot of people out and about.

A cozy atmosphere there: the many small, but bright and bright white lights at every stall create a pleasant atmosphere, and there is a strange offer. It seems as if it is the Nongkai people themselves who are holding a street sale. You can't imagine if they sell it. Like everywhere in Thailand, disturbing mopeds navigate between the walking masses, not a cat that bothers except an American who makes a lot of noise about it. Well, his problem. The love buys a beautiful sarong, the daughter a fashionable counterfeit sunglasses from a well-known brand that would never offer them at such a low price. The Inquisitor only comes into action when the dining area is reached. What an offer! So many scents and colors! And De Inquisitor tastes a lot: sushi, crab and smoked salmon, delicious. Some kind of sweets, coconut with egg, mmmm. Because of the smell of baking: a few satays with a delicious sauce hanging around. A refreshing fresh fruit juice (pineapple). It pleases it dear, that appetite of her dear. Who suspects her of not liking anything more than getting a little fatter.

At the end of this food market, we have been away from the river bank for a while, there is a temple. Aah, no! Yes, we have to say thank you for the nice time we are having. Lap, fifty baht on a flower and a candle, dirty knees. But the love and daughter are happy, that makes up for a lot. In the street that we suspect leads to the hotel, there are a number of bars. Farang bars. And yes, there they are. Looking sadly at the passage, as if they've had it all. A joke aimed at an over-aged barlady who responds with an experienced-bland response. Televisions hang on: Formula 1, football from a week ago. No, honey, I don't feel like beer. I enjoy, I relax, we go to the room. They get to keep their bars.

Sunday morning we wake up much too early, which messes up the planning. After another strange mixed breakfast we head towards the highway to Udon Thani. The plan was to get there around noon, now we're there at ten o'clock. Mai pen rai, there, an Index! Going to look at furniture and gadgets, walking slowly in the cooled air. A Home-Pro, The Inquisitor is tempted to buy an electric hedge trimmer, he is tired of that manual hassle, the thing is on 'promotion' – like almost everything in Home-Pro. We also visit a Thai garden center, and see, what nice figurines they have here: mini (buffalo), in dark brown wood. Well, don't, 'Farang', our enterprising dog male, will undoubtedly sink his teeth into that. And so we make the time pleasantly full until a little after twelve. On to the Thomas resort for delicious German food, here they have a very extensive kitchen.

We arrive home around three o'clock in the afternoon. The shop remains closed and De Inquisitor wants to test that hedge trimmer, of course. But with sweetie-sweet, this ends in a solid pruning job until five o'clock, the entire east side is done ... . While De Inquisitor is having his first beer in three days, sweetie-sweet goes to her brother. There is bumblebees in the Piak family. Taai is in a slump, has posted everything on Facebook and the family is alarmed. The Inquisitor wisely decides to avoid this, he will soon hear it during the traditional bedside conversation. But has involved. And that creates tension in the Inquisitor's house, but that may be material for another blog.

Nongkai, recommended – for a day or two or three. No longer. And with not being too demanding about western food, forget it there. Next time De Inquisitor first gets a re-entry to combine it with a day or two of Laos, Vientane.