tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24322296024259328452024-02-07T10:50:32.258-08:00* Herman and Alan's TravelogueHerman Chinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00909633538211577874noreply@blogger.comBlogger114125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2432229602425932845.post-47200087891654902462014-03-04T23:22:00.000-08:002014-03-04T23:22:29.534-08:00Ahhhhh..... Ice Coffee<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Ice Coffee, along with Ice Tea is very popular in Thailand.<br />
The best, if you can find it, is still made the old fashioned way, filtered through a "sock".<br />
Here in Hang Dong, just on the outskirts of Chiang Mai is "The Coffee Lady" who makes the best Iced Coffee around.<br />
She'll customized it any way you wish (less sugar, more condensed milk, or whichever way you take your coffee) and always with a huge smile.<br />
Her sidekick is always around helping, but rarely smiling.<br />
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<br />Herman Chinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00909633538211577874noreply@blogger.com0Hang Dong District, Chiang Mai, Thailand18.7144097 98.9024603000000318.4737967 98.579736800000035 18.9550227 99.225183800000025tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2432229602425932845.post-75340435944032546642014-03-03T02:29:00.000-08:002014-03-05T02:31:05.569-08:00Cooking while Traveling<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I rarely try to cook while traveling, especially for a group.<br />
It always smacks of "Two Fat Ladies" trying to trap rabbits in the field and cooking around tents and campfires for a bunch of boy scouts.<br />
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Although I have done it in the past, here in Thailand it always seem so easy just to grab something delicious on the street.<br />
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We're staying with our friends Malcolm and Pic at their lovely home in Hang Dong, just outside Chiang Mai. Our friend Ben, who is an excellent cook, has no problem cooking anywhere so on this occasion he chose to whip up some paella for our group of seven.<br />
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It of course involves shopping for a variety of ingredients, many of which are readily available, in fresh supply, here in Thailand. Then there are those few choice items needed for the success of paella which are a little more difficult to find.<br />
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The luxury of a fully stocked kitchen to work in always helps when cooking anywhere.<br />
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The finished product was delicious, served with fresh button mushrooms and green beans.<br />
Well done Ben. I can say I helped, even if it was only a little chopping and cleaning up.<br />
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M&P's home, which was completed last year, is what could be called modern northern Thai.<br />
Beautiful simple lines with Lanna flair.<br />
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Malcolm's orchids are scattered throughout the garden.<br />
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It's always fun to run into friends while traveling. This of course was a planned stop for us and we're enjoying every minute of it.<br />
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<br />Herman Chinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00909633538211577874noreply@blogger.com0Hang Dong District, Chiang Mai, Thailand18.7144097 98.9024603000000318.4737967 98.579736800000035 18.9550227 99.225183800000025tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2432229602425932845.post-77848550983176981702014-02-28T01:37:00.000-08:002014-03-05T01:39:29.680-08:00Wat at Mae Taeng<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A little north of Chiang Mai in Thailand is a small sleepy mountain village called Mae Taeng.<br />
The most significant complex is a Wat there with a conspicuous presence.<br />
The massive complex is growing by the day and our visit there the end of a weekend-long celebration of the crowning of some massive stupas.<br />
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Pilgrims and monks descended on the complex for the celebration. Many were Burmese and some camped overnight within the Wat's grounds.<br />
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A large "money tree" was erected for the ceremony.<br />
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The Wat has just a few resident monks who usually keep the entire complex spotless, probably with the help of some devotees, but on this particular weekend there was plenty of debris to keep up with.<br />
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The abbot's residence on the grounds of the Wat.<br />
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The crowning of the stupa.<br />
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It's rare to see a Wat of this splendor, especially out in what may seem like the middle of nowhere.<br />
The Abbot of the Wat is rather young and much of the money for the construction of the Wat is reported to have come from Burma. The quality and materials are all top notch including large timbres of high quality wood, also probably from across the boarder.<br />
Nonetheless it's an impressive complex and the revered abbott will definitely have a well defined legacy.<br />
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<br />Herman Chinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00909633538211577874noreply@blogger.com0Mae Taeng District, Chiang Mai, Thailand19.2102028 98.88039249999997118.7303238 98.234945499999967 19.6900818 99.525839499999975tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2432229602425932845.post-16531083552577119872014-02-24T01:48:00.000-08:002014-03-05T02:04:47.862-08:00A day with the Elephants<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A popular outing in Thailand, and especially in the north, is visiting an elephant camp.<br />
Even if you're not into mahout training or riding you can usually go out to see elephants at one of the many elephant camps located on the outskirts of Chiang Mai.<br />
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Having ridden elephants in the past, we had no desire to do it again on this trip.<br />
So we set out, with bunches of bananas in hand, to one of the local camps.<br />
This particular camp was set up for mahout training. You can take a one day to week-long course for mahout training where you'll learn all about the elephants, clean and feed them, and eventually bond and ride them.<br />
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This particular camp had several mothers who had young with them. They stay very close to their mothers and will come running when the mother calls.<br />
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Bananas are a great treat for the elephants, swallowing them peel and all.<br />
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There are no working (logging) elephants left in Thailand today. There are still pockets living in the wild but the easiest way to see them is at the camps set up to train them for the tourist trade. It may seem cruel for some but for the most part, the camp elephants are healthier and safer than the few remaining in the wild.<br />
As the voices for protection of these magnificent creatures grows, the more humanely they are treated in captivity. No riding platforms are erected on the elephants at this particular camp and the elephants here have plenty of free roaming ground.<br />
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<br />Herman Chinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00909633538211577874noreply@blogger.com0Doi Chang Mae Chaem District, Chiang Mai 50270, Thailand18.7113889 98.358888900000011-6.8106456000000009 57.050294900000011 44.2334234 139.6674829tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2432229602425932845.post-8687242665432001622014-02-18T00:28:00.000-08:002014-03-05T00:44:03.480-08:00Chiang Mai and a little business to take care of<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Chiang Mai</div>
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For a variety of reasons, Chiang Mai is probably one of our favorite destinations in Thailand.<br />
Thailand's second largest city is still dwarfed by the massive size of Bangkok but still offers a lot of charm and Thai culture for visitors.<br />
One of our favorite things to do here is shopping for antiques. Lanna Antiques (shown above) is one of our "must" stops when in Chiang Mai. Although we're not currently in the market for more buddhas, you never know when something may catch your eye.<br />
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The "Silver Temple" has been going through years of construction and there doesn't seem to be a defined end at the moment.<br />
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A break for afternoon coffee and evening mango with sticky rice.<br />
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Catching up with old friends from Sweden who coincidently visit Chiang Mai just about every year.<br />
We first met about 10 years ago in the ancient capital of Sukhothai in central Thailand.<br />
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Then there's the more serious business of some minor dental work for Alan.<br />
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<br />Herman Chinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00909633538211577874noreply@blogger.com0Chiang Mai, Thailand18.787747 98.99312839999993214.939843499999998 93.829554399999935 22.6356505 104.15670239999993tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2432229602425932845.post-1011285594015984352014-02-05T00:16:00.000-08:002014-03-05T00:23:05.324-08:00Phuket 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After a week in Bangkok we were ready for some R & R on the beach so we headed off to Nai Harn Beach on the southern tip of Phuket.<br />
As tourist beaches go, Nai Harn is pretty good, although our last visit three years earlier was full of not so pleasant memories.<br />
We've been to Nai Harn 8 or 9 times over the last decade and have seen development around, and leading to, the beach grow enormously. So much so that much of the sleepy charm we remembered so well on our early visits was gone.<br />
None the less, Nai Harn is still probably one of the better "tourist beaches" left on the island.<br />
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The one advantage Nai Harn has over some of the larger beaches is the fact that jet skis and motor traffic is not allowed. The water is cleaner and clearer with an abundance of sea life.<br />
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The Russians have taken over Phuket.<br />
We first noticed a large number of Russians at the beach community of Jomtien, near Pattaya, just southeast of Bangkok.<br />
On our first week here on Nai Harn this year we were surrounded by Russians, upwards of 80%. Many were younger (20s to 40s) with infants and toddlers in tow. This made for quite a bit of noise on the beach.<br />
Posing for photos seems to be a favorite activity on the beach for many and the Russians were no exception.<br />
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If you don't mind the crowds, Nai Harn still remains a decent beach to visit. We will most likely return but it may not be as regularly as it once was.<br />
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<br />Herman Chinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00909633538211577874noreply@blogger.com0Phuket, Mueang Phuket District, Phuket, Thailand7.8804479 98.3922503999999667.8175334 98.311569399999968 7.9433624 98.472931399999965tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2432229602425932845.post-46301359169159896692014-02-01T23:44:00.000-08:002014-03-04T23:45:57.980-08:00Chinese New Years in Bangkok<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Bangkok has a rather large Chinese community so the Lunar New Year is celebrated in many parts of the city. Here are displays at Paragon Shopping Complex welcoming in the Year Of The Horse.<br />
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Chinatown is bustling with activity with people making their way to the various shrines and temples to beckon in a healthy and prosperous new year.<br />
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A major Wat on the outskirts of Chinatown is Wat Traimit which houses an incredible gold buddha, the largest solid gold buddha in the world.<br />
The 13th century statue is slightly under 10 feet tall weighing five and a half tons. A must see if you ever find yourself venturing near Bangkok's Chinatown.<br />
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Food is always a part of any Chinese celebration and here we have ducks and geese hanging out to cool and dry in the late morning sun.Herman Chinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00909633538211577874noreply@blogger.com0Bangkok, Thailand13.7278956 100.5241234999999713.2342916 99.878676499999969 14.2214996 101.16957049999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2432229602425932845.post-57972508461592508412014-01-30T23:08:00.000-08:002014-03-04T23:10:39.805-08:00Back in Bangkok and into the fire.Back in Bangkok after 10 months and right into the middle of anti government protests.<br />
We're staying at our current usual hotel and the streets in front are closed to traffic.<br />
Arriving into Bangkok late at night, our taxi driver dropped us off about a block from the hotel and pointed down a street blocked by barricades, in the general direction of our hotel, and said "danger".<br />
We made our way down the narrow crowded street towards our hotel snaking through what was usually the night market area. Loudspeakers and video screens were set up on the streets with noise blaring from speeches made during the day.<br />
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We arrived at our hotel and checked-in unceremoniously.<br />
After the long trip over, we were ready for a good night's rest. Unfortunately the loudspeakers blared into the night. It was probably 2 am when things finally wound down, only to begin all over again at 6 am.<br />
We requested to be relocated on the other side of the building where we would be less effected by the street noise.<br />
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We've probably been to Thailand 10 times over the last 15 years and the political situation has had many flare-ups during the last 8 years. Other than the time the international airport was closed, this is the closest we've been to being effected by the protests.<br />
When we arrived, there were 7 encampments of protestors scattered in key locations around the capital city. Unfortunately for us, one of the main camps was just outside our hotel in the Silom/Lumpini Park area.<br />
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Thousands of tents are set up at the Lumpini Park encampment. The PDRC's (People's Democratic Reform Committee) planned protests across the capital is meant to pressure the current democratically elected government to step down, which will probably not happen.<br />
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So far the military has shown no signs that they want to step in and police forces, as directed by the leaders of the government, have not moved in to clear out the protest camps.<br />
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So the ruling party has called for snap elections which the protestors are vowing to boycott and disrupt.<br />
We'll see what happens next.<br />
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Herman Chinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00909633538211577874noreply@blogger.com0Bangkok, Thailand13.7278956 100.5241234999999713.2342916 99.878676499999969 14.2214996 101.16957049999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2432229602425932845.post-55108241138118226102013-05-28T07:57:00.000-07:002013-06-08T07:57:48.531-07:00We begin our Cruise<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After five days in Paris, we're over our jet lag and ready to begin our cruise down the Rhone.<br />
Unfortunately, with all the rains, our original itinerary needed to be altered, and not necessarily for the best.<br />
Dijon is out and they've decided to TGV us straight to Lyon where we board our river boat.<br />
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Vantage has built a brand new ship, the Vantage Discovery II (the largest cruising the Rhone).<br />
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Cabins are nicely decorated and surprisingly roomy.<br />
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So we embark on nine days down the river with our group of eight.<br />
Also in our broader group are six Malaysian friends, traveling loosely with us.<br />
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<br />Herman Chinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00909633538211577874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2432229602425932845.post-68035560090176907012013-05-27T09:16:00.000-07:002013-06-02T09:17:25.682-07:00Patisseries, a good reason to visit France<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We don't usually eat a lot of desserts but with a culture of baking like France has, how can one resist.<br />
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All lovely to look at. We need a pastry chef like him in Palm Springs.<br />
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And of course there's bread. and really really great bread at that.Herman Chinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00909633538211577874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2432229602425932845.post-73366965157924314582013-05-26T07:32:00.000-07:002013-06-08T07:32:56.197-07:00Around Paris<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Place De Vogues<br />
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Lunch with great friends at Ma Bourgogne.<br />
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Yummy poached leeks with a light mustard herb sauce and grilled goat cheese.<br />
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Steak Tartare is a specialty at Ma Bourgogne. Served with fries, it was perfect.<br />
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Loud shirts seem to be the current fashion.<br />
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Scents never seem to have gone out of fashion.<br />
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Chilling out at our B&B in the Marais. Small but beautifully decorated, and spotless.<br />
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A night out with "bad boys".Herman Chinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00909633538211577874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2432229602425932845.post-57208393538030585772013-05-25T08:53:00.000-07:002013-06-02T08:59:48.808-07:00A day in the Louvre<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The Louvre hasn't changed much over the years. Yes a pyramid was added years ago and the old palace has been cleaned and restored over the years but pretty much the same inside.<br />
However, the crowds are massive. Best to go early or late. Mid-day swells to unpleasant proportions.<br />
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So we trek through on an abbreviated five hour visit.<br />
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Alan's favorite Vermeers.<br />
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Your guess is a good as mine.<br />
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All in all, a pleasant visit to the Louvre. Especially since it was damp and cold outside most of the day.Herman Chinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00909633538211577874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2432229602425932845.post-63306427348420063632013-05-25T08:40:00.000-07:002013-06-02T08:41:25.364-07:00Monjul in Paris' Marais<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Our friends Ben and Ken arrived today, and of course they want to go out and eat.<br />
On the recommendation of our hosts at Hotel du Haut Marais we went out to Monjul.<br />
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"Mr. Rabbit" Rabbit terrine gears scone with sage, shypon of mustard, quince confit.<br />
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"Cylindrical Paella" chicken stuffed with paella flavors of ice juice of chicken parmesan risotto, shellfish emulsion, saffron tile.<br />
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...and for dessert - Black Forest in a glass and Mon Cheri: whipped cream to popcorn, chocolate kirsch cherries way Mon Cheri.<br />
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You read it right. Popcorn flavored whipped cream.Herman Chinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00909633538211577874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2432229602425932845.post-28435909777174575702013-05-24T07:11:00.000-07:002013-06-08T07:19:11.605-07:00A chilly day of qualifying at the French<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We were last at the French Open in 2001. It was warm and sunny then.<br />
So we return in 2013 and a couple of days before the tournament begins we take in a couple of rounds of qualifying. It's usually fun watching the qualifying players up close and it's quite evident why some players need to play qualifying rounds.<br />
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On this particular day, we were occasionally pelted with corn-sized hail and freezing rain showers.<br />
Luckily they were quick to pass.<br />
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We didn't make it into the main rounds this year but it was great to be back at Roland Garros.Herman Chinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00909633538211577874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2432229602425932845.post-48754163264087095802013-05-22T08:23:00.000-07:002013-06-02T08:25:34.090-07:00Paris, It's still here (as we knew it would be), and yes, it's pretty much the same.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's been a decade since we've been to Europe and what better time for a re-visit, a week after the passing of marriage equality in France.<br />
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The flight(s) over were a bit of a headache with a delay on the first leg and probably the worst meal on an international flight we've ever had.<br />
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We're staying in the 3rd arrondissement for the first time since all of our favorites in the 5th and 6th are now well over $400.00 a night. The Hotel Du Haut Marais is a great find on the northern border of the Marais. We were well taken care of by Didier and Marc in their renovated B&B. Keep it in mind on your next trip to Paris.<br />
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It's cool and a bit damp in Paris. Unusual for this time of year but it's not stopping us from doing what we need to do here.<br />
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<br />Herman Chinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00909633538211577874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2432229602425932845.post-67100709277378764222013-03-03T06:34:00.001-08:002013-03-03T06:38:10.369-08:00World Clown Association in Kuching<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Hesitated a little before deciding to do this post on the World Clown Association's annual meeting in Kuching, Sarawak, on the Malaysian part of the Island of Borneo. </div>
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Received some comments from a Facebook post that made me aware some people have a phobia involving clowns. Not sure where this "fear" comes from.</div>
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In any case, we happened onto the Association's weeklong meeting in town and attended their final public "show" at a local shopping mall in town. </div>
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Not sure what goes on at a clown convention but I'm sure there were classes and seminars on things such as face painting, making balloon animals, </div>
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150 or so clowns showed up and entertained the large crowd on hand.<br />
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There was a "Paradeability" competition and other "on stage" performances.<br />
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Clowns are entertainers and they never seem to tire of getting their pictures taken.<br />
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There was a large contingent of Clowns from Asia, but probably from the fact that traveling to Kuching for the annual meeting was less of a challenge for them. I believe the organization's roots are in the United States, and there were plenty of clowns representing the U.S., but there were clowns from Puerto Rico, New Zealand, and other countries as well.<br />
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<br />Herman Chinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00909633538211577874noreply@blogger.com0Jalan Borneo, 93100 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia1.557298 110.350720000000021.555314 110.34819850000002 1.559282 110.35324150000002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2432229602425932845.post-87541205689096522372013-03-03T06:33:00.000-08:002013-03-03T06:52:33.102-08:00Kuching Sarawak on Borneo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Kuching is the Capital City of Sarawak, on the western portion of the Malaysian part of the Island of Borneo. </div>
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It's also known as the Cat city (Kuching) and statues of cats are scattered around the main business district. There's also an extensive cat museum here.</div>
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Kuching is a good city base to venture out in search of Orangutans, or Hornbills. A trip to the Orangutan Rehabilitation Center will give you a good chance of seeing Orangutans. </div>
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Eating on the streets of Kuching.<br />
Eating small meals, as in many parts of Southeast Asia, is a way of life here. Covered, open air "hawker"type eating areas are all over the city.<br />
Several vendors selling a variety of items will share a common seating area, similar to food courts we have back home.<br />
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Alan in front of City Hall, Kuching.<br />
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Kuching, like many of the large cities in Malaysia, have large Chinese communities.<br />
Chinese Temples are scattered throughout the city.<br />
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One of the gateways leading into the main "Chinatown" area.<br />
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The Sarawak River winds through the city.<br />
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Alan in front of the Sarawak Assembly Hall.Herman Chinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00909633538211577874noreply@blogger.com2Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia1.530976 110.344219899999981.0230639999999998 109.69877289999998 2.038888 110.98966689999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2432229602425932845.post-10410084393774177742013-02-28T05:03:00.000-08:002013-02-28T05:03:37.339-08:00While we're on the subject of food...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Traveling and eating go hand in hand. If you travel, meals you've had can be some of the best or worst memories from your trip.</div>
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It's usually a lot of fun to try out the local specialties and sometimes other dishes you feel nostalgic for. Then again, if you love a certain type of cuisine, you'll find opportunities to sample the local way of preparing it.</div>
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Khao Soy is a curry based noodle soup famous in Northern Thailand, served above with the local Northern Thai sausage.<br />
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Fried Dal with Butter served with Kashmiri Nan. Almost a perfect meal. This particular one is from a restaurant in Little India, Penang.<br />
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Some of the best Satay you'll ever have. Two ladies were turing and basting the skewers constantly over the charcoal grill. This is a Malaysian version in Kuching, Sarawak on the Island of Borneo, and delicious. Served with cucumbers and an incredible warm chunky peanut sauce.<br />
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It's not always Pho in a Vietnamese restaurant and although there was Pho on the menu at this restaurant, it's not the main reason people come here. All the finger foods (above) are the big draw here and served with plenty of greens for wrapping. There are a variety of sauces for dipping and single clove garlic (eaten raw).<br />
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Here's a Chinese/Malaysian noodle dish available just about anywhere in Kuala Lumpur. Simple as boiled egg noodles, tossed in a brown sauce and topped with BBQ pork and greens.<br />
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Nyonya Cuisine is probably one few have heard of. It's a mixture of Chinese, Malaysian and Peranakan food. Above is a typical appetizer served in little fried pastry cups. A good thing to try while in Malaysia, and particularly in Penang where we sampled it.<br />
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Also in Penang, Malaysia, we found this great outdoor restaurant serving up an eclectic array of Asian dishes. Plenty of seafood but we opted for pork ribs cooked with Guinness Stout, Gai Lan with oyster/cognac sauce, tofu with lobster sauce and watercress soup.<br />
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And finally Hainan Chicken. Chicken and Rice restaurants are everywhere in the big cities in Malaysia.<br />
Typically served with a bowl of soup (broth) and sometimes with boiled bean sprouts.<br />
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Many locals swear by certain restaurants serving the "best" Hainan Chicken in all of Kuala Lumpur and they wouldn't eat it anywhere else. We're not as picky but there are some that serve up a mean chicken and rice dish.Herman Chinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00909633538211577874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2432229602425932845.post-1167576320421190742013-02-28T04:17:00.001-08:002013-02-28T05:04:05.314-08:00Eating simple in Singapore<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Singapore is a great eating town and it seems you can get just about anything you want any time of the day.<br />
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Hawker stalls are organized in clusters throughout the city and are very popular for locals and tourists alike.<br />
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Alan and I love Indian food and Singapore has a very distinct "Little India" with a wide variety of Indian cuisine to choose from. Sad to say but we didn't try the Curry Fish Head Promotion (above). It does look good though and I can imagine all the tastes and flavors involved.<br />
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Masala Dosas are one of our favorites and Alan, yes, eating with his fingers (above) can never get enough of it. We came here twice in our brief four day visit this time.<br />
Not to worry though. Sinks with soap and paper towels are located nearby for washing up before and after.<br />
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Our dear friend Casey took us to Bak Kut Teh restaurant near the downtown area. It's a local treat and very popular.<br />
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Buk Kut Teh involves pork bones boiled for hours creating a wonderfully flavored broth. You eat the meat off the bones and take as much soup as you'd like. Servers will continue to top off your soup until you tell them to stop.<br />
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<br />Herman Chinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00909633538211577874noreply@blogger.com0Singapore1.352083 103.819836000000010.84410599999999991 103.174389 1.8600599999999998 104.46528300000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2432229602425932845.post-63995665220817783222013-02-22T19:26:00.000-08:002013-02-22T19:26:34.048-08:00Chingay 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Chingay 2013 in Singapore. The 41st Chingay Parade and this year's theme is "Fire In Snow".<br />
Yes, there were hundreds of woks filled with flames lining the entire parade route, and "foam" snow during the finale.<br />
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As usual, plenty of colorful, energetic, people of all ages in the parade. This year 10,000 in the parade and 150,000 spectators on hand.<br />
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Chingay is the largest annual parade in Southeast Asia. Some liken it to Mardi Gras or Carnival.<br />
It's a multi ethnic celebration celebrating the end of the Chinese New Years celebration.<br />
Chingay is roughly translated as "Masquerade".<br />
It's a two day event so we'll return tonight for more and hopefully some better pictures.<br />
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Plenty of performers hanging around before the big parade begins.</div>
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<br />Herman Chinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00909633538211577874noreply@blogger.com0Singapore1.352083 103.819836000000010.84410599999999991 103.174389 1.8600599999999998 104.46528300000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2432229602425932845.post-62817238499979074112013-02-18T23:55:00.000-08:002013-02-23T18:29:51.836-08:00Penang's Zacharevic Murals & Steel Rod musings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As you wander the streets of Old George Town in Penang you'll come across Steel Rod Sculptures mounted on buildings throughout town.<br />
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Originally commissioned by the city of Penang to depict specific historic or characteristics of "Old & New" Penang, they were first deemed to be too "Chinese" in their depictions. But over time, most people feel these caricatures of "Old and New" Penang are for the most part "charming".<br />
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"Little Girl in Blue"<br />
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Young Lithuanian-born artist <a href="http://www.penang-traveltips.com/ernest-zacharevic-george-town-murals.htm" target="_blank">Ernest Zacharevic's</a> wall murals around George Town, Penang.<br />
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Several murals painted on sides of buildings around the Unesco Heritage Site of Penang in conjunction with the 2012 George Town Festival are known as the "Mirrors George Town" project. See them before they're faded, worn, and gone.<br />
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"The Awaiting Trishaw Paddler"<br />
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"Reaching Up"<br />
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<br />Herman Chinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00909633538211577874noreply@blogger.com0George Town, Penang, Malaysia5.41792 100.329597000000045.2914559999999993 100.16823550000004 5.544384 100.49095850000003tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2432229602425932845.post-80529088153876085712013-02-18T06:29:00.000-08:002013-02-18T23:57:03.712-08:00Hokkien New Year in Penang<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The Hokkien New Year is celebrated on the ninth day of the new Chinese calendar each year.<br />
The enormous ethnic Chinese Hokkien community in Penang, Malaysia celebrates in grand style.<br />
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Offerings of food are laid out to beckon good luck and fortune for the New Year.<br />
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Glutinous Turtle Cakes<br />
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The main celebration here in Penang took place this year at the Chew Jetty.<br />
Hokkien are predominately boat people and live close to the water. Several family clans have elaborate homes built on the jettys.<br />
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We joined thousands of others in the celebrations which began at dusk.<br />
An enormous rainstorm hit just about two hours into the celebration and we took cover in a small open air bar (although covered) called Amigos. The downpour lasted 90 minutes. We made our way back to our guesthouse as the weather cleared and the fireworks began.<br />
<br />Herman Chinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00909633538211577874noreply@blogger.com0George Town, Penang, Malaysia5.41792 100.329597000000045.2914559999999993 100.16823550000004 5.544384 100.49095850000003tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2432229602425932845.post-10005196610427575732013-02-10T00:23:00.000-08:002013-02-19T00:28:51.522-08:00Happy Chinese New Year<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Happy Chinese New Year<br />
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It's the Year Of The Snake and both Alan and myself (Herman) were born during the Snake year so we're hoping for a great year.<br />
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We're celebrating as we did two years ago in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur.<br />
The city hasn't changed much in two years.<br />
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Malaysia has some of the best Lion Dancers in the World and they will seldom disappoint.<br />
The only disappointment was that we didn't see nearly as many Lion Dancers as we saw two years ago.<br />
But nonetheless KL is a great eating town and we did our fair share of it.<br />
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We arrived from Chiang Mai on Chinese New Years Eve and our hotel in the Bukit Bintang area was charming but right in the middle of where a huge party was going on.<br />
There was non-stop music, firecrackers, lion dancers, and some very bad karaoke going late into the night.Herman Chinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00909633538211577874noreply@blogger.com0Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia3.139003 101.686854999999922.885326 101.36413149999993 3.3926800000000004 102.00957849999992tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2432229602425932845.post-17930985278670372792013-02-02T01:02:00.000-08:002013-02-02T01:02:46.296-08:00More CM Flower Fest and Parade<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The second of three days of celebration of the Chiang Mai Flower Festival included a parade snaking its way through town, and yes, creating a massive traffic jam in its wake.<br />
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Prizes were awarded and presented to the winners the day before and everything was displayed beautifully for all to see.<br />
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Here we are with some of the very elaborate, flower decorated floats used in the parade.<br />
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<br />Herman Chinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00909633538211577874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2432229602425932845.post-83669129959925827102013-02-01T20:07:00.000-08:002013-02-01T20:07:22.614-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's the Annual Chiang Mai Flower Festival taking place this weekend (1-3 Feb 2013).<br />
May be one of several happening during the year but we're glad this festival is going on now.<br />
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The Orchids are incredible and so many varieties we haven't ever seen before.<br />
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Hard to judge but there seems to be plenty of ribbons awarded.<br />
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<br />Herman Chinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00909633538211577874noreply@blogger.com0