The disappointments of travel: Burger King at the Night Market
Our first night in Chiang Mai we thought we’d hit the Night Market then grab some dinner from the local vendors who have stalls in the markets in the surrounding streets. While the Night Markets get a bit samey after a while, all pedaling the same cheap t-shirts, fake DVDs and Thai handicrafts, the wonderful thing about the food stalls in Thai markets is that there are always a couple of stands with something interesting that you won’t find in other parts of the country. One of the first things we noticed as we started our Night Market window-shopping, however, was a sign: ‘Burger King now at Night Market’. And then we noticed another. And another. The illuminated street signs for Burger King were everywhere. Could there be anything more depressing? Maybe those travelers suffering from Bangkok Belly might disagree, but we didn’t come to Chiang Mai to eat at Burger King. The same way that we didn’t come to Thailand to sip Guinness at Mary O’Shea’s. Why do some travelers feel that they can’t visit another country without the ‘comforts of home’? Would you rather refuel at Burger King or buy a tasty Thai snack from this woman?
Our first night in Chiang Mai we thought we’d hit the Night Market then grab some dinner from the local vendors who have stalls in the markets in the surrounding streets. While the Night Markets get a bit samey after a while, all pedaling the same cheap t-shirts, fake DVDs and Thai handicrafts, the wonderful thing about the food stalls in Thai markets is that there are always a couple of stands with something interesting that you won’t find in other parts of the country. One of the first things we noticed as we started our Night Market window-shopping, however, was a sign: ‘Burger King now at Night Market’. And then we noticed another. And another. The illuminated street signs for Burger King were everywhere. Could there be anything more depressing? Maybe those travelers suffering from Bangkok Belly might disagree, but we didn’t come to Chiang Mai to eat at Burger King. The same way that we didn’t come to Thailand to sip Guinness at Mary O’Shea’s. Why do some travelers feel that they can’t visit another country without the ‘comforts of home’? Would you rather refuel at Burger King or buy a tasty Thai snack from this woman?