I was never a fan of Anthony Bourdain. By the time I heard of him he was already a published author, I probably watched a dozen or so episodes of parts unknown, I did relate to his point of views on almost all of subjects, but mostly on the travel and food. Here I am years later and I am living like he was… without the booze and dope and the air of arrogance he seemed to have. I am older now 66 to be exact and I have only been traveling for the past ten years primarily to Thailand because my wife is from there and we have a home and family there, but from the very first trip I did the best thing anyone who travels can do, I opened my mind and my heart to whoever I meet wherever we are. The best way to learn any culture is through their food. I can honestly say I am addicted to Thai street food, the dirty food cart on the side of the road or in a back alley where the meat is questionable, but smells so good you can’t wait to eat it. The fresh vegetables and noodles and a touch of spices and I am in heaven, even this time of year when the temperature is in the hundreds every day so you’re always sweaty but still willing to eat hot spicy soups. When we went to Vietnam it was the same behavior, walk past the restaurants that look like a chain restaurant in search of that little hole in the wall with five or six tables with plastic stools or chairs plastic bowls and napkins that are half the size of American ones. In Paris it was sidewalk cafes, coffee and pastries and history, a shit load of history. I felt it was a not so safe city and have no desire to return, which was unfortunate because I would have liked to spend more time there visiting more museums. The shopping was breaking the bank and I found the people who work there to be rude and intolerant to tourists even though they make up most of their business. The servers at restaurants ask for tips because tipping isn’t done there. Switzerland was awe inspiring the mountains are so high that we both got a touch of altitude sickness, totally worth it the views are breathtaking and the history is right up my alley. We toured the popular cities and villages even the village that’s name after William Tell and the story is a little different than the one I learned in elementary school but to see and hear it there was a whole mind blowing experience. The food of the country is for filling your body with fat to survive the long winter so my wife began looking for Thai restaurants and wouldn’t you know there are many due to the population of Thai people there thank GOD for small miracles I couldn’t live on the diet of cheese, bread, pasta and more cheese. Our time there was fantastic and we will be returning soon, in the meantime I will enjoy meals made at home or the occasional barbecue restaurant with all the fixings.