Thai Romance vs. Reality

Romanticism can sometimes cloud authenticity. The idea eclipses reality.

I traveled a year ago to Mae Hong Son, Thailand as part of a walkabout. I sought an authentic Thai experience after the chaos of Bangkok, the charm of Chiang Mai, and the backpacker haven of Pai. Mae Hong Son was in the far northwest of Thailand so I arrived in a search for a truly authentic Thai experience.

I stayed in a hut. Rustic. Spare. I reveled its simplicity when the rain first started hitting its tin roof. I greeted the first stray bug in the (recently installed) bathroom with curiosity, As the rain turned to a storm, the night grew noisy. As the night grew darker, a new menagerie of bugs would greet me each time I visited the bathroom. This was authentic, yes, The question is: Did I enjoy it more than a traditional brick and mortar house or hotel?

I likewise visited a restaurant for their Khao Soi, a Thai dish with Burmese influence. Such flavor! This is what I was talking about, true Thai food without catering to a tourist palate, I continued devouring mt meal and then encountered the gristle, the shards, and the bones. The culinarian in me knows that flavor comes from the fat and the sociologist in me knows that peasant food will use every bit of an animal to feed its people. The American in me however would have appreciated some editing in its execution. I was once again faced with the question of whether authenticity delivered a better experience.

MHS was amazing. The people were kind but not scripted to cater to a foreign ideal of tourism. I found yet another aspect of an amazing country after seeing so many Thailands in the prior weeks. What I was contending with however was the romance of authenticity in contrast to the reality of preference. It's given me an appreciation for how our industry can take inspiration from a culture then adapt it to fit the tastes and expectations of our our customers. The execution then builds upon the idea.

Romance is wonderful, but romance isn't reality. Romance represents the potential for something beautiful.

Authenticity won't be perfect, but it will be real.