2011 Migrationology Overview: 7 Countries and lots of Street Food

By Mark Wiens 25 Comments

2011 was a year of slow paced travel and a constant buffet of street food!

As a final closing on the year of 2011, I just wanted to give you a quick re-cap (with photos) of all the destinations I visited along with a personal favorite dish I ate while there.

Happy New Year 2012 and Thanks for supporting Migrationology.com!

1. Tanzania, East Africa

I started the year of 2011 off in Dar Es Salaam, on the coast of Tanzania.

Though there are a lot of interesting sites and sounds around town, the early morning Dar es Salaam fish market was one of the most thrilling places!

Zanzibari Mix – Tanzania

This intricate concoction of pure delight was mixed together by Mama Mumtaz. The basic ingredients included deep fried spicy potato balls covered in thick coconut milk curry and garnished with chutney and tomato hot sauce!

2. Thailand, SE Asia

About 1/2 of my time in 2011 was spent in my home base of Bangkok, Thailand. The beginning of the year was normal, I was even able to publish a monster list of 101 things to do in Bangkok.

However, in October, flood waters began making their way through the city and disturbing 1000’s and 1000’s of residents. As detrimental as it was (and still is), my apartment and neighborhood was spared.

Larb Pla Duk – Thailand

Bangkok is a city I can’t get tired of, and a contributing reason is its vast quantity of delicious Bangkok street food. The dish pictured above is made from a smoked catfish that’s deboned and mixed with some tasty herbs and spices!

3. Myanmar, SE Asia

With only a few weeks and some visa issues to work out, I spent most of my time in the city of Yangon. It was an amazing trip that included a few visits to the vibrant Thiri Mingalar market and going to a bunch of places to shoot the Yangon travel video!

Laphet Thohk – Myanmar

Though there were loads of scrumptious things I ate in Burma, the green tea leaf salad known as Laphet Thohk, was one of my favorite dishes of Burmese cuisine!

4. Laos, SE Asia

Having been to northern Laos a number of times, this year I visited the south of Laos. The 4000 Islands offered some wonderful relaxation, but Wat Phou was what really impressed me.

Here’s a Video of the 4000 Islands if you’re interested.

Sandwich – Savannakhet, Laos

It’s not everyday that you encounter the best sandwich you’ve ever had – but for myself, I can honestly say this baguette filled with marinated beef, chilies, green onions and a runny egg was the best sandwich ever.

5. China, Asia

Yangshuo, China, was one of the coolest outdoor paradise destinations I visited in 2011.

While I was there in September, the weather was perfect everyday for taking bike rides through the rice fields, hiking the karst mountains and taking dips in the Yulong River!

Check out this Video of me biking in Yangshuo.

Shuizhuyu – Sichuan Dish in Yangshuo, China

Being half Chinese, there’s no denying that Chinese food was born in my blood – but I had no idea this masterpiece of a dish existed until eating Shuizhuyu for the first time in Yangshuo.

This Sichuan influenced hot pot was loaded with fish boiled in an immaculate blend of dried chilies, herbs and spices to create one of my favorite things to eat worldwide!

6. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

In previous years, I had spent a significant amount of time in KL, but in 2011 it was just a brief stopover that included an all out 12 hour street food binge!

Nasi Campur – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

There’s hardly anything more comforting than a mixed plate of Malaysian nasi campur. This plate of food (which disappeared within seconds after taking this photo) consisted of curry fish, chili tofu, coconut milk vegetables, some eggplant and a scoop of soybean tempe.

7. Sri Lanka, South Asia

On my final trip in 2011 I spent about 3 weeks on the beautiful island of Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is a relatively small country, but there are so many things to do and places to see that I’ll have to return again in the future.

Sri Lanka is easy on the budge; While having a great time, I managed to get away with only spending $10 a day traveling!

Sri Lankan Rice and Curry

Rice and curry is the staple and common Sri Lankan food to eat – and it’s delicious!

Thank You!

With that I wrap-up another year of travel and street food here at Migrationology.com!

Thank you very much for following along on the adventures.

What was your favorite destination this year? What was your favorite food you ate this year? I’d love to hear from you too!

Thailand's most dangerous temple in Bueng Kan

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