Siracha ain't got shit on this stuff.

I finally had some Pho today. FOR BREAKFAST. Man did I underestimate my taste buds. I can handle the spices in the U.S. from Thai food to chicken wings (when I feel like it anyway.) We stopped at my dad's best friends, daughters, restaurant today and ordered the soupy goodness with translucent noodles, beef, oxtail, and lots of bean sprouts. Just like at home I start adding my lime juice, a little bit of pepper, little bit of soy sauce, some chili sauce... then there is this jar.. I'll just call it:

THE JAR OF HELL. (I completely forgot to take a picture. Mental note.)

It had this nice dark red color with little chili seeds (I don't even know what kind of pepper it was) and membranes and guts of the chili in it. From a distance it looks black with a jelly consistency. Of course I helped my self a couple heaping spoonfuls. Thinking oh this will be delicious. It looks like spicy hoisin sauce. (I have a love affair with hoisin,) not even thinking that maybe... just maybe.. I should've tasted it first before putting all these sauces in there.

Sunny who practiced a similar procedure with his food... 10 minutes later... he's sweating bullets. I already ate what I could and traded my dish for my moms non-spicy rice, pork, and veggies with a side of iced coffee AND tea for my devastated buds.

My parents decided to tell us that we only need a tip of spoonl of that sauce (since it's concentrated as all hell.) after we ate. Laughing at us. Them bastards did it on purpose.

Toilet Alarm Clock + Swollen Glandulars

Location: Grandma's house & Ruby Pailin Hotel

I woke up to loud noises this morning.

Those loud noises consisted of my dad destroying the toilet, after a night of drinking lots of beer with his best friend (who happens to be the lieutenant of one of the largest Thai armies in charge of patrolling the border and in charge of land control [neat huh!) so you know he was well taken care of.

During the poopacades,

I couldn't help but chuckle a little bit, only to have my mom in the next bed over join me in the chuckling over my dad's beer shits. Little did he know, the bathroom has three nice slits above the door and you can hear every little echo and sound of every bit of "business" you're doing in the bathroom. After my dad does his deed, he comes out and I'm wide awake now and he starts telling me

"in case there's no toilet paper there is a nice little hose next to the toilet (make shift bu dae [sp?]) to "clean yourself out". I give him my thanks, as I'd much rather use toilet paper. That was my pleasant morning before having breakfast.

Today was kind of a hang out day. I said my goodbyes to my relatives and my sweet grandma who taught me a few words in Khmer. I also was offered some jack fruit from my aunt before departure. It was freshly picked from the tree and tasted so delicious and sweet. Un till' I got this tickling sensation in my throat and mouth... that slowly turned into an itchy uncomfortable feeling to swelling of my lips, mouth, and throat.

I panicked but kept' quit... thinking what if my throat closes up and I can't breathe... and I die.

I thought for a second, I would have to go to the emergency room and use an epi-pen or something along those lines. I started going pale and my dad is freaking out asking me what's wrong. I finally told him. I guzzled down some water, hot green tea, and kept' spitting hoping to get the freshly cut juice out of my spit glands. The top my my throat started drying and I think the swelling finally went down. Phew. Why is it? I want to enjoy some naturally cut fruit that it almost kills me. I'm all for organic living... but it's actually dangerous to me. Haha. Last time i used organic shampoo, i broke into hives and it burned my eyes.

This is crap.

Well, early tomorrow morning, I'll be catching the bus and hitting up the city Siem Reap and visiting one of the natural wonders of the world. ANGOR WAT. I'm excited as hell.