I've Been Away

Well several months have passed since I even looked at this blog, I was beginning to wonder if I was ever going to open it up again.

China 2013

Yup we're in Lijiang, China.

We're in Hong Kong

Yes after 4 long years we are back in one of my favourite cities on Earth. We have 4 quick nights here before moving onto Yunnan and up to the fabled Shangri La for some quality R n R.

Lobster in a roll @ Luke's

I love short menus. I hate long menus. Long menus normally mean the dishes are brought in and normally of a lower quality than if they were cooked on site. Well that does depend on the chef of course.

Some New York Coffee Shops

I always seem to map out where I can get a good cup of coffee wherever I travel to these days.

Although on that 10 week trip through 5 Asian countries with work, a year and a half a go, I never drank such bad coffee on a regular basis before. I vowed it would never happen again.

Saying that, I remember in Chile when I asked for an espresso in a coffee shop, they gave me a tin of Nescafe and a jug of hot water to make my own. Unreal. Apparently I found out Chile is bad for coffee, where as its neighbour and/or enemy, Argentina is quite good.

Bánh Mi

I still have fond memories of one of the first Banh Mi’s I ever ate. A lovely Vietnamese family, who had escaped their home country at some point and settled in Vientiane, owned it the capital of Laos.

New York Tales : Chelsea Market

2 years ago when we were first in New York returning from our year in Colombia, we found Chelsea Market and loved it.

It was relatively unfrequented back then, and finding somewhere to eat was not a problem. Rolls on 2 years, and all this has changed. Chelsea Market is definitely one of the more popular places to eat on this side of Manhattan.

New York Tales : Amy Ruth's in Harlem

Walking around Harlem you can see the majesty it once had, the magnificent buildings and townhouses give an inkling into its once great past and hopefully resurgent future.

It’s a shame we came to Harlem midweek and not on a weekend, as the mood was slightly subdued than what we were expecting, but this did mean we were able to get a table at the institution known as Amy Ruth’s. So not all bad.

New York Tales : The Caracas Arepa Bar

After living in Colombia for nearly a year and being married to one for over 10 years, I have come to appreciate the arepa.

I have to admit it’s not my favourite food. I find it quite bland, but that may just be the Colombian arepa. Their food is rather bland anyhows.

But the wife loves them, if she could she would eat one probably twice a day everyday. Which when she is in Colombia she does.

New York Tales : Crack Pie @ The Milk Bar

The small hole in the wall that is Momofuku’s Milk Bar in the East Village was not what we were expecting.

For some reason after eating in the noodle bar a couple of times, and seeing the other restaurants I was expecting something similar.

So the surprise of finding a small shop with some other bleary eyes people queuing for one thing and one thing only was a surprise but a good one.

New York Tales : John's Pizzeria

New Yorkers claim they have the best pizza or pie (as they call it) in the world. Well they have quite a long tradition of it, with a gentleman called Gennaro Lombardo opening the first Pizzeria in Little Italy in 1905.

We were tempted to sample the pizza’s at Lombardo’s, but for some reason we just never got round to it. As is.

As we were staying quite close to West Village, John’s Pizzeria’s name crept up when we asked the hotel staff where we could get some good pizza close by.

Guangzhou – Too little time

There is really not too much I can write about Guangzhou, as we were there for only 2 nights, and only spent one full day wandering the streets of this Megacity.

It would be a disservice to say that Guangzhou was just another Hong Kong. It isn’t. They really are totally different in many ways, but being so close to each other as cross border neighbours they do have many similarities.

China Videos Part Twelve - Guangzhou

A short video of our even shorter time in Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong province in Southern China.

Foto Friday # 100

I cannot believe I've been putting these fotos up for nearly 2 years now. Wow how times flies.
I thought I'd put one of the best meals I've had since i started travelling. There were too many choices I can tell you.
But I've managed to narrow it down not only to the meal, but also the place and country as well. Everything was pointing to Bali Guling at Ibu Oka in Ubud.
Everything about Indonesia gripped me and i have a burning desire to return and visit many more of its islands, and also to eat some more Babi Guling. 

Foto Friday # 99

Fried fish for sale at the local market in Saquisili in Ecuador. Normally served with rice and/or greasy fried potato's and a simple salad. A very cheap but filling lunch.

Guangxi Province - The Dragons Backbone

This was not our first visit to Guangxi province, this we did on our second visit to China 7 years ago. Unlike some of the other provinces we had visited on this trip,  Guangxi is one of the most touristy areas, but even though it gets far too many tourists for its own good, there are still some stunning areas of natural beauty that have not been spoilt.

China Videos Part Eleven - Ping'an

Ping'an in the Longji Rice Terraces or the Dragons Backbone in Guangxi province is the most visited village in the area, and with good reason. The walks and views from the vantage points are breath taking, during the high season you will be jostling for space amongst all the day trippers from Guilin, but it's a small price to pay for such beauty.

Foto Friday # 98

As this is the Cherry Blossom season in Japan, I thought I'd post to remind me how beautiful it was there.
I still remember those poor office boys having to sit all day on a piece of tarpaulin under a tree, waiting for the rest of the office to arrive later that day for some drinks. 

China Videos Part Ten - Dazhai

A short video of the small, but relaxing hamlet of Dazhai in the Longji (Dragons Backbone) rice terraces in Guangxi, China.
This village is much less visited than its more famous neighbour of Ping'an, but it is definitely worth the extra effort to come here for a day or two. The walks around are amazing.

Foto Friday # 97

Where I'd love to be sitting right now. Just to be away from it all and not have the worries of the world.