tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48266297086844453482024-03-14T04:24:46.752-05:00A Day in the LifeNova Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12535185617343199685noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826629708684445348.post-45910515621157247352011-08-09T09:31:00.000-05:002011-08-09T09:31:51.710-05:00Cowboys and Gauchos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlOO4Hm7213Mg8c_mgJBoIhNpS_0XxLR-QpxAp6y5HhGhQ8Wv0gSi5H7YmoepqgKE8eY7t9GRawWCJqjqGpdvuqAY_gDgtt9bfP5Yq3CA4pkybsmkF03UXAGYHoDnQxMNpRPTqCQiKxT4v/s1600/Briana%2527s+Visit+027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b>WARNING: CARNAGE (OF THE MEAT-EATING VARIETY) AHEAD! </b></div><div style="text-align: center;">DON'T SCROLL DOWN IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE SCARY PICTURES OF MEAT</div><br />
Texas is a big mystery to me still. It's been eight months since we moved to Austin and I'm still surprised or confused by something almost every day. Take cowboys and gauchos for example. I always thought gaucho was just cowboy in Spanish but it turns out I was very wrong. Evidently there is a big difference in culture, food, and lifestyle of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cowboy">Texas cowboys</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaucho">South American gauchos</a><br />
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I found out about my mistake on the way to a festival put on by <a href="http://www.winefoodfoundation.org/">The Wine and Food Foundation of Texas</a> a couple of months ago. Cowboys and Gauchos was a one day festival at a ranch-style venue a few miles out of town. There was promise of all you can eat meats and flowing bottles of Texas wine. How could we say no?<br />
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On the way out to the festival my husband set me straight on the cowboys vs. gauchos thing. Being a native Texan he got pretty worked up over me not knowing the difference. I thought it was a pretty easy mistake to make, but what do I know?<br />
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I bet you want me to stop boring you with my story so you can see the pictures of carnage don't you?<br />
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Are you happy now? No?<br />
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Still not satisfied? Wow. I thought I was weird...<br />
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Poor little piggy. He was pretty tasty though.<br />
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We weren't disappointed. There was enough meat available to feed at least a few packs of wolves. We had meaty bison sliders, spit-roasted Brazilian sausage and quail dripping with smoky juices, whole roasted pig (buried and smoked in a pile of wood shavings for hours), and of course the lamb and pig splayed out above. It certainly wasn't barbeque. But it was tasty.<br />
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Along with the meat there was an entire room with booths for various Texas wineries (yes they actually grow wine in Texas. Fascinating, I know...) so plenty of people were getting sloshed on that fine Sunday afternoon.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_MW8QZr6pGZtpZt6UsJ28qKUgJE21Sx8h2UdpwekUXjYkNq4idAQtuZdiRdNg_MOofWziqfoufY0_Y3GJrppO6FxncGxK8E34WiqEl0yHoNCr4KUbM4OuYuG5yaZM_11WxH2bP4v9Gonh/s1600/Briana%2527s+Visit+041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_MW8QZr6pGZtpZt6UsJ28qKUgJE21Sx8h2UdpwekUXjYkNq4idAQtuZdiRdNg_MOofWziqfoufY0_Y3GJrppO6FxncGxK8E34WiqEl0yHoNCr4KUbM4OuYuG5yaZM_11WxH2bP4v9Gonh/s400/Briana%2527s+Visit+041.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Probably helped liven up the dance floor - there was no shortage of dancing to the country/western music in the main hall. Adding to the experience were the huge live Oak trees around the property, the girls in beautiful dresses and cowboy boots, and the smoke from roasting meat lingering in the air. Quite an experience.Nova Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12535185617343199685noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826629708684445348.post-57212476385354370792011-03-08T15:48:00.000-06:002011-03-08T15:48:07.175-06:00Two Months in Texas<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Small town Texas</td></tr>
</tbody></table><u><b>Becoming Texan?</b> </u><br />
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The last two months in Texas haven't gotten me any closer to an accent and I haven't bought a pair of boots or cowboy hat yet, but that hasn't stopped me from falling in love.What's not to love about a place where you can eat barbecue, biscuits and gravy, and sushi alike out of food trucks, where you can hang out at an outdoor pub on a Sunday afternoon with your dog, or get all dressed up for a night on the town? I don't even think I've gotten to the honeymoon stage yet, but the activities below have made me feel all head over heels for my new home.<br />
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<u><b>5 Cool Things I've Done So Far</b></u><br />
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<ol><li><u>Music</u> - saw my first concert at Austin institution, <a href="http://www.emosaustin.com/">Emo's</a>. For only $20 we saw three great bands on the outdoor stage. It was cool hanging out in the crisp air, drinking cheap beer, and getting smoke blown in my face. Definitely a must for anyone into music</li>
<li><u>Food</u> - My husband and I celebrated our 9th anniversary in style at <a href="http://www.jeffreysofaustin.com/jeffreys_menus.html">Jeffrey's</a> downtown. What a treat! Foie terrine and duck confit for me, crispy oysters and fillet for him. I only wish I would have taken pictures</li>
<li><u>More Food</u> - A trip to San Marcos a few miles away ended with some of the best barbecue I've ever eaten in a hole in the wall we never would have found without the help of Google. Kip's Texas BBQ off I-35 had brisket that melted like butter when it hit your tongue and cornbread that would make a grown man cry and ask for more (okay, there wasn't really any crying but there certainly were seconds)</li>
<li><u>Shoal Creek</u> - A great off-leash area runs along the creek just a couple of miles from our house. We take our dog Ripley down, let her off the leash and watch as she chases squirrels, plays with other dogs, and cools off by laying in the shallow creek. I love how dog friendly this town is! </li>
<li><u>Shopping</u> - I discovered <a href="http://www.centralmarket.com/">Central Market</a>, also just a mile from our house. This mecca of organic specialty foods is absolutely amazing. The produce section alone could occupy me for whole afternoons.</li>
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<b><u>What's Next?</u></b><br />
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The next couple of weeks are going to be pretty cool here in Austin. Here's a few things I hope to do and blog about:<br />
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<ol><li><u>Farmer's Market</u> - I'm hoping to hit up the local farmer's market for the first time this week. I'll post about all the interesting things I find</li>
<li><u>Mardi Gras</u> - guaranteed to be a blast - I'm sure I'll find something fun to do. </li>
<li><u>SXSW</u> - <a href="http://sxsw.com/">South by Southwest</a> is about to start! Good thing we got wristbands -they'll get us into some of the amazing concerts. My husband, the lucky dog, scored himself a ticket to the interactive portion and will be spending a whole week geeking out.</li>
<li><u>Spring Planting</u> - I know this doesn't sound as cool as everything else but I'm excited! It's been over a year since I've had any sort of a garden and I'm looking forward to getting some dirt under my fingernails.</li>
</ol>Keep checking back for updates! Spring is in the air and my fingers are itchy to tell stories. <br />
<ol></ol>Nova Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12535185617343199685noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826629708684445348.post-19096452727117664602011-02-04T17:21:00.001-06:002011-03-07T14:16:31.177-06:00Snow Day!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHWayceyLpgAuusLuO-sZ9XljBjO5iiDPCqNlShI0w5LH5rLWkbrc-yvA4H3hQmez5tavKfBdbZqm-wxlj7MCKlMzita4qp4O51b5TsTbWd1QFPYujvUUIKreMrkjV_fTUvjSCMSEpMAhyphenhyphen/s1600/028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHWayceyLpgAuusLuO-sZ9XljBjO5iiDPCqNlShI0w5LH5rLWkbrc-yvA4H3hQmez5tavKfBdbZqm-wxlj7MCKlMzita4qp4O51b5TsTbWd1QFPYujvUUIKreMrkjV_fTUvjSCMSEpMAhyphenhyphen/s400/028.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
The snow is already all melted, but this morning felt like a winter wonderland when we woke up. Ripley and I went to play outside for a while and it was all silent and peaceful (except for the kids yelling and throwing snowballs at each other down the street). I think most people took the day off. It wasn't a lot of snow but after living on a tropical island for the last nine months it was kind of surreal. Weren't we just sweating our brains out in Taipei a couple of months ago?<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ripley was cautiously optimistic about the snow until she slid on her butt </td></tr>
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The last few days have been ridiculously cold. I was excited at first but the dog and I started getting pretty stir-crazy mid week. I hope it warms up next week. We found a great off-leash trail (where dogs can run around off their leashes and terrorize squirrels and unsuspecting hikers) only about a mile away from home. I can't wait to take her back so she can get into the creek and bite at the fishes but it's way too cold out right now. <br />
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We're finally starting to settle in to our new home a little more. It was really strange coming back to the states and to a new city but little by little it's feeling like real life again. The highlight of the week (other than the snow obviously) was my first trip to the local library. I got a card and a stack of books. Something I dreamed about many times in Taipei (yeah I'm weird. I longed for the library...)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Definitely not a scene you see in Arizona.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Nova Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12535185617343199685noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826629708684445348.post-89281872589399698812010-11-01T20:00:00.002-05:002011-03-07T14:37:41.591-06:00Barcelona and La Merce<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFC4A70-_s8bCKfYeeuzMmfXQL5mET9oveL9ykZIKYzeKRiHFOiOdI2-9bHQdfVqFBLiDkFD5qEx132ZPn4DFSmxIA5OL4WT2N5P5e1RnNvHoanaXXlul66CU8NFokLnDph50OZ4n9SRJl/s1600/Barcelona+Day+2+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFC4A70-_s8bCKfYeeuzMmfXQL5mET9oveL9ykZIKYzeKRiHFOiOdI2-9bHQdfVqFBLiDkFD5qEx132ZPn4DFSmxIA5OL4WT2N5P5e1RnNvHoanaXXlul66CU8NFokLnDph50OZ4n9SRJl/s400/Barcelona+Day+2+002.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
I know it's been a while since I've posted anything. To be honest I needed some recovery time from all the travel. It didn't seem like it would be a difficult thing to travel for a month straight but it really took a greater toll on me than I expected. I'm just now starting to get in the mood to travel again (to the great excitement of my husband - he didn't get to go to Europe and has been itching for some good travel for a while now). <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Strolling down Las Ramblas</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMudb2M5S3rCJwYlFoBRSLMdtOdC3_CjWZlGH4JqqM2gGXwbawu3ztVGs679kDqBvk5rgCPcgsTMl02xSszssjllwWwAJAbU3L4NhmyuwXCxQKmkyyPzExNJrlriBC2oEXckunCKMc_D9X/s1600/Barcelona+034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>So without further ado, back to Europe! After our <a href="http://novawalsh.blogspot.com/2010/10/petit-france.html">drive through France</a> it was nice to give up the car for a few days and hop a train from the south of France to Barcelona. As luck would have it we hit Barcelona right as the biggest festival of the year was about to begin - <a href="http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.com/en/events/la-merce/barcelona-la-merce.html">La Merce</a>. Because hotel rooms were sold out we ended up renting an apartment which turned out to be a fantastic idea. It was spacious and had a kitchen and washing machine.<br />
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The festival started our first night. We went to one of the big squares and there was a parade of giants. People carried these massive puppets around and made them dance to some really strange music. All night puppets danced around the streets followed by bands. Stages were set up all around the city and concerts started at all hours of the night, one even beginning at 4AM. It was one massive party.<br />
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The next morning all those people who'd just gotten to bed from the partying were rudely awakened by muskets. This is another tradition of La Merce. Older men walk through the streets (followed by drummers) and shoot rounds of muskets to wake everyone up and get them out to join in the festivities again. This was pretty outrageous to experience. It would never be allowed in the U.S. - the complaints of disturbing the peace would be enough to have even the most jovial of law enforcement officers put an immediate stop to the shenanigans.<br />
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After waking up and following the musketeers around for a while, we went on a tour of the city - mainly to find Gaudi. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antoni_Gaud%C3%AD">Gaudi</a> was a 19th century architect and responsible for some of the strangest buildings on earth. The walls of his buildings seem to drip and morph as you walk around them. A very surrealist experience.<br />
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Of course we ate several meals worth of tapas while in Barcelona. The food was incredible throughout Spain. It was a little shocking for me that the best food was without a doubt in Spain and not France, but the flavor and variety was unlike anything you could find in the relatively bland and uniform restaurants of France.<br />
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We ended our visit to Barcelona with an evening trip to the pier and beach. We had a fun time at a beach-side restaurant, sipping sangria and eating nachos (that is until a massive windstorm came up and almost blew the whole place away). Right before going back to our apartment we saw a great fireworks show on the beach (related to La Merce).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbVNgalI0vmU9-ElZh3u63tTPkHnUYJblx4lTY0scOjL_UWXcaj3fox-R5FPIGb1S1uoS7Ulgpu0yHnuahv6mp94LDeNovSkenuvCxpfWMYHlUHd6PmcUyxRcAx70k-Ch0LRuAG61hVuvj/s1600/Barcelona+2+006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbVNgalI0vmU9-ElZh3u63tTPkHnUYJblx4lTY0scOjL_UWXcaj3fox-R5FPIGb1S1uoS7Ulgpu0yHnuahv6mp94LDeNovSkenuvCxpfWMYHlUHd6PmcUyxRcAx70k-Ch0LRuAG61hVuvj/s400/Barcelona+2+006.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Barcelona was an interesting mix of heavy tourism, backpacking/beach-bum crowd, and amazing Spanish culture. We ate some of the best food I've ever had, got used to the lispy sound of the Spanish unique to Spain, and saw beautiful architecture - both old and new. I would definitely recommend Barcelona as a great vacation destination. There is a ton to see and do and eat and experience - not to be missed if you can get yourself there.Nova Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12535185617343199685noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826629708684445348.post-67510878620951804172010-10-14T21:10:00.002-05:002011-03-07T14:38:20.071-06:00Petit France<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh271O-1Lgqx01VZwDUBCQXsyMy5KgHGg4y4grV3TRcHxYpYZpEIwXd9J8JPz_PrHYEH-GFVIlF3mizjgZl0aoYX5XMdF8sfIcZNJjfFFVQQ9tqVJ55ZWyyAtaiQhebfG0zWzAyEoQaWeoG/s1600/France+Day+1+074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh271O-1Lgqx01VZwDUBCQXsyMy5KgHGg4y4grV3TRcHxYpYZpEIwXd9J8JPz_PrHYEH-GFVIlF3mizjgZl0aoYX5XMdF8sfIcZNJjfFFVQQ9tqVJ55ZWyyAtaiQhebfG0zWzAyEoQaWeoG/s400/France+Day+1+074.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>A great thing about driving through the French countryside is that there are plenty of picturesque little villages to stop and see - what I like to call petit France. Yes, there is an actual place called Petit France in Strasbourg (see picture above), but the title seemed fitting for each of the quaint towns we visited on our trip through France.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO6cUF2t5-6n7JTZoqEWWIocmS5ZTCam6ZfwK09mPx661LmOIYh1h2L9guwUrPtUy38KZgJKhlCGAHKu2SFd1f_O_w7owqvRoaQPK48XXZ-pzPkNDiX68fRGuL14SQRbKUl-E5sLPTJ-J-/s400/France+Day+1+050.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="300" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Strasbourg, France - cathedral</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO6cUF2t5-6n7JTZoqEWWIocmS5ZTCam6ZfwK09mPx661LmOIYh1h2L9guwUrPtUy38KZgJKhlCGAHKu2SFd1f_O_w7owqvRoaQPK48XXZ-pzPkNDiX68fRGuL14SQRbKUl-E5sLPTJ-J-/s1600/France+Day+1+050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>Every small town has a cathedral or an old play house or a castle of some kind to see. We started out our drive in Strasbourg, which is part of the Alsace region of France. It has a distinctly German feel to it, being near the border and having been a part of Germany for many years.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4rpBkxVU5klMTLuLX-qfTeKgyVQNkRIDRR8CX2tweBRZGjkr6RGnEQoDLBwlYg58s2X1Wxg6Y6_MSY75CfgnYYFFUektukihOML4f_EmDHF6817Qb5MkXHRo65dwzdZTI2rmDM1wgJrm4/s400/France+Day+1+071.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stasbourg France</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4rpBkxVU5klMTLuLX-qfTeKgyVQNkRIDRR8CX2tweBRZGjkr6RGnEQoDLBwlYg58s2X1Wxg6Y6_MSY75CfgnYYFFUektukihOML4f_EmDHF6817Qb5MkXHRo65dwzdZTI2rmDM1wgJrm4/s1600/France+Day+1+071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>The food in Alsace definitely demonstrates the German influence- some local favorites that we tried (and loved) included spaetzle, sauerkraut, and several types of sausages. Coupled with the cold chill in the air and the smattering of German words throughout the city I almost felt like I was in Germany instead of France.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuhVD5s5oaMR4GnZTWqW6l3mOBUYOVBCD0_EFg0EOiqTFOqUXuHYf8YQb43Uz2CIl5jJFaRqF0Hg_nfn4JXs07YLoPvMPLtwvt4n5K6kbPr-453DfTNYAsQdfS33ibedyohjf_Zrbm1R7f/s400/France+035.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Strasbourg, France</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuhVD5s5oaMR4GnZTWqW6l3mOBUYOVBCD0_EFg0EOiqTFOqUXuHYf8YQb43Uz2CIl5jJFaRqF0Hg_nfn4JXs07YLoPvMPLtwvt4n5K6kbPr-453DfTNYAsQdfS33ibedyohjf_Zrbm1R7f/s1600/France+035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>As we made our way south and into the Burgundy region, the thick dark forest and German architecture of Alsace begin to give way to more rolling green hills and white-washed towns. Dijon was our first stop and we felt warmer already as we climbed out of the car and walked through the mostly empty streets (it was a Sunday and few people were out, almost nothing was open). Some of the German influence was still around here though. It was an interesting mix of the whiter and warmer towns of the south with the darker and colder towns of the north.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzRgkVRlz8we6AZbtLmMAubx5M22FzCEeZjd03J0IISYXypZAgvAERZ-G00oFPHyUlFpG6EErH_VU_N26_ZS849Omtct2q74N7vlsI1HMTypZmsbJw4etXtsoDSFxGSKwDWCFb3BrUIUVL/s400/France+066.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Downtown Dijon, France</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzRgkVRlz8we6AZbtLmMAubx5M22FzCEeZjd03J0IISYXypZAgvAERZ-G00oFPHyUlFpG6EErH_VU_N26_ZS849Omtct2q74N7vlsI1HMTypZmsbJw4etXtsoDSFxGSKwDWCFb3BrUIUVL/s1600/France+066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGbSTgGKSTX0iR0RqiJpJx_msNpq3jzTwaF0TQfu0PyYY8r2x45HdM0kzXFOIP3tqzkOOE4yY-J0u38PNkjxmcRt-yRuVAda3A1cNxi_ySjpfrySeWYb4YhZR9763HIGB07y8-c1_Ov6TX/s400/France+071.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dijon, France</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGbSTgGKSTX0iR0RqiJpJx_msNpq3jzTwaF0TQfu0PyYY8r2x45HdM0kzXFOIP3tqzkOOE4yY-J0u38PNkjxmcRt-yRuVAda3A1cNxi_ySjpfrySeWYb4YhZR9763HIGB07y8-c1_Ov6TX/s1600/France+071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>The white buildings and calm streets of Dijon were a good indication of what we could expect as we made our way through the Rhone Valley to Lyon where we stopped for the night. Much of the German influence was left behind as we entered this light and airy city on the rivers Rhone and Saone.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTo1m6MlhEHxJ7mpoYu5YCBKqVgcPwbBCQzDUs4Un1mxskwGParVveItCfhaTx4munCf8ckAtQJm_M2Pgt3BiG8cC0cYCRUvQ4P3EC4st1H9CfEgJrEIn5BaEx7Avr8Z0SF57gLSZVmj25/s400/France+090.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">River Rhone - Lyon, France</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTo1m6MlhEHxJ7mpoYu5YCBKqVgcPwbBCQzDUs4Un1mxskwGParVveItCfhaTx4munCf8ckAtQJm_M2Pgt3BiG8cC0cYCRUvQ4P3EC4st1H9CfEgJrEIn5BaEx7Avr8Z0SF57gLSZVmj25/s1600/France+090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>We got in at dusk and walked along the river for a while and near the bustling college campus. After walking around we ended up in a nice area with several squares filled with restaurants, their outdoors seating made comfortable by heat lamps and charming lights.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSWikuaWWpPkVHC-bczfgVE0TcwsCc6ZgIF3gq8Q1FsJnmPJuzuoOIjAFAKKkpJDFLGEJPfIAeCVCINdQRylh0a2-Q_W8HKnx3svLwBxRVlwKH1Ponjn8ESQmBaYJJZaO6fdhALU3oABvz/s1600/France+107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSWikuaWWpPkVHC-bczfgVE0TcwsCc6ZgIF3gq8Q1FsJnmPJuzuoOIjAFAKKkpJDFLGEJPfIAeCVCINdQRylh0a2-Q_W8HKnx3svLwBxRVlwKH1Ponjn8ESQmBaYJJZaO6fdhALU3oABvz/s400/France+107.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
It was our first real French feeling meal, starting with an apertif then three courses (heavy on the cream!) accompanied by a beautiful bottle of wine and finished off with a digestif. We felt very French as we walked back to our hotel, ready for a good night sleep before hitting the road again.<br />
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The next morning we passed through a town called Orange, small but with immense old ruins of a play house right in the center of town.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_D_Ez-xCxWmw7mv_DgNJQaoVSEY41hDYvNBVEmz_Er4erkZzPdTT-ThDH6TNpl4JzxYVZpZHtTU-yU_YDMO8OvSc4TJnpp00dkMMZ0iXemN5gQqzUTn18ErRqfxN-SFVdbayaxdDtwoGa/s1600/France+129.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_D_Ez-xCxWmw7mv_DgNJQaoVSEY41hDYvNBVEmz_Er4erkZzPdTT-ThDH6TNpl4JzxYVZpZHtTU-yU_YDMO8OvSc4TJnpp00dkMMZ0iXemN5gQqzUTn18ErRqfxN-SFVdbayaxdDtwoGa/s400/France+129.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>After Orange we visited the walled city of Avignon to see the <a href="http://www.palais-des-papes.com/anglais/index.html">Pope's Palace</a> and walk on the old cobblestone streets. The Palace was beautiful and definitely deserving of its <a href="http://www.worldheritagesite.org/sites/avignon.html">world heritage site</a> standing.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4xdKKhDcrWetXs7xrKfI-5at8iyUXsIe1BTB2F-ZqAObP-HSAUwgGxqVoLe_pUB1k7-aMBqp8zLOTyTwBz2m5z2UWVJ07SgxfKgu_saJ1bnS-4EQmU-EWKOyUoAHT1Jip7eJ-5rJQ5mEf/s400/France+152.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palais_des_Papes">Palais des Papes</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4xdKKhDcrWetXs7xrKfI-5at8iyUXsIe1BTB2F-ZqAObP-HSAUwgGxqVoLe_pUB1k7-aMBqp8zLOTyTwBz2m5z2UWVJ07SgxfKgu_saJ1bnS-4EQmU-EWKOyUoAHT1Jip7eJ-5rJQ5mEf/s1600/France+152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>The cream colored old buildings towered over the small streets and tourists crowded everything.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNxVCg7Y4vq_2fVOp-JWGZzRqTB2IKrI2OF090xrTPXD5y42KqmUEiawG9a4jkl1gJ46Au29OVglKPuXkINnsie6IEONcVWsVAbcwn1FlzpwQKbxgEjkWZLeuim-n1gHChvqZZko4H65vI/s1600/France+143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNxVCg7Y4vq_2fVOp-JWGZzRqTB2IKrI2OF090xrTPXD5y42KqmUEiawG9a4jkl1gJ46Au29OVglKPuXkINnsie6IEONcVWsVAbcwn1FlzpwQKbxgEjkWZLeuim-n1gHChvqZZko4H65vI/s400/France+143.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>We spent the night in a small town in Provence, enjoying a great gourmet meal and a peaceful morning under olive trees soaking up the earthy smell of the land. We started the day in Aix-en-Provence to walk in Cezanne's footsteps.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYHUaUoAJSKg-cg6szztpySA4jHwbthCEglHJjgkcIFMxG73hGO6BbRo5KS1SiKr9ofCp3RrB5DQB8i7R81dmAkuP9SHPMAS47r5wfi5A2pHNLG2TuITf_cLbf5qz6KZM6fiJ5aAdIVkz4/s1600/France+250.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYHUaUoAJSKg-cg6szztpySA4jHwbthCEglHJjgkcIFMxG73hGO6BbRo5KS1SiKr9ofCp3RrB5DQB8i7R81dmAkuP9SHPMAS47r5wfi5A2pHNLG2TuITf_cLbf5qz6KZM6fiJ5aAdIVkz4/s640/France+250.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>Then to Marseille, but only to drive through because the driving was so awful we were afraid we would never find parking, and finally to the end of our road trip, Montpellier.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJCVPJ46AFEGbniqtc_BW_xhRkAGDBjIB6q7f9w8HvXDHi9qkjFm_mXsSIcUdO7g7DOCmnKuQrBL4DjfPCHcgir7yK5IrB0clXrDdJNj7A7btRE-hKep7wCM9RgcjrJMDLGa6-xXtQ0ZE/s1600/France+282.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJCVPJ46AFEGbniqtc_BW_xhRkAGDBjIB6q7f9w8HvXDHi9qkjFm_mXsSIcUdO7g7DOCmnKuQrBL4DjfPCHcgir7yK5IrB0clXrDdJNj7A7btRE-hKep7wCM9RgcjrJMDLGa6-xXtQ0ZE/s400/France+282.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Each small town is so unique, and has something different to offer. The regions are all very distinct with their own dishes, wines, customs, and architecture. Driving through petit France I got to see the incredible variety that makes up this beautiful old country.Nova Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12535185617343199685noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826629708684445348.post-25034119001315128332010-10-11T03:13:00.003-05:002011-03-07T14:40:02.676-06:00Hey, What Happened to the Lane I Was Just In?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgKBW15GukUDK4LynWJ7XMteRvsv1laiRbv_843OJVmoFVaeJkZlSWxAVbiS5-2hwwszlrpdy8RGfHXG8zhPyUzGyrwQAqemunZp4REEeIUXSQ3z16rrgRPRepn3V93SzgkaJTerfZqaJ-/s1600/France+067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgKBW15GukUDK4LynWJ7XMteRvsv1laiRbv_843OJVmoFVaeJkZlSWxAVbiS5-2hwwszlrpdy8RGfHXG8zhPyUzGyrwQAqemunZp4REEeIUXSQ3z16rrgRPRepn3V93SzgkaJTerfZqaJ-/s640/France+067.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
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I'm finally back home after spending almost all of last month away. I had a great time visiting Hong Kong, Macao, France, and Spain. My Hong Kong trip was early in the month and I never got a chance to write about it so hopefully soon I can fill you all in on the great stuff I did there. But for now I want to talk about my Europe trip while it's still fresh in my mind.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnGtGziXSCDRfD-1L7tJWSnzRw3hBp1xcm89caqHypdQ-g9RpaL2LiFmvzzcWIxICmLxOVw8z63_qeU9czUC1mvU0tUL-D3D18ZWOoyhtPim_koY21PNupwnPd1-de7Sfb7EJMmAndm9-1/s400/France+056.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Are these really turn lanes?!? I'm confused..</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnGtGziXSCDRfD-1L7tJWSnzRw3hBp1xcm89caqHypdQ-g9RpaL2LiFmvzzcWIxICmLxOVw8z63_qeU9czUC1mvU0tUL-D3D18ZWOoyhtPim_koY21PNupwnPd1-de7Sfb7EJMmAndm9-1/s1600/France+056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>For most of our trip my friends and I decided it would be a great idea to rent a car and drive instead of taking the train. It cost a lot less for one thing, especially when since we were all sharing the costs. And it was faster, so we could see more. Instead of taking the train to a couple of different cities, we could drive everywhere and see loads of cities! What a great idea we thought. And so economical of us.<br />
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Things didn't turn out exactly as we'd planned however. First, about the cost. Yes it's cheaper when comparing the price of the car rental to the price of train tickets. But then you have the other fees - 10 euro a day for GPS, extra for an under 25 driver (we decided only I would drive - I am, ahem, slightly older than 25), tolls throughout France and Spain (we easily spent at least 100 euro on tolls) and gas - probably another 150 euro or more on gas. So in the end, I don't really know if it was any cheaper than the train.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqDX8LKFXVDn-4N6AZhVX0Ly_d-XRZwgyb57r9_8EYBNGya0ycwWGbtQDD4VkvgHopD5cSQEIsZokFTS3u0KjCzclEUDW0T9G3eTELT0KiEg1pj0zeA51BZ9JMlbrxZWjQ5_Mi51Vh8Lf9/s640/France+128.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I sure hope this is a one way street because my big lug of a car takes up every inch of space!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqDX8LKFXVDn-4N6AZhVX0Ly_d-XRZwgyb57r9_8EYBNGya0ycwWGbtQDD4VkvgHopD5cSQEIsZokFTS3u0KjCzclEUDW0T9G3eTELT0KiEg1pj0zeA51BZ9JMlbrxZWjQ5_Mi51Vh8Lf9/s1600/France+128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br />
We definitely did pack in the cities though. In our 15 days on the road between France and Spain we visited 14 cities. This too had some ups and some downs. We saw a lot but after a while it all seemed the same and ran together. And we only had a little time in each place so we didn't really get a feel for most cities we visited, sometimes only having enough time to stop for a meal before we were back on the road.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2aKwLjNepd9DEXCwMdwVh5uYpZTS9uSRNYBZ7cMMnFuv8kqtBLVb-I8VcNXDGnPGuSwctHazrPHBeQrJV7U8Nc2HqSZL19W19kLkwwfksg7sGRZMZ9u1C8ipxFSYuSNdsLBnb8yxGHaON/s400/France+055.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Where the heck am I going?</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2aKwLjNepd9DEXCwMdwVh5uYpZTS9uSRNYBZ7cMMnFuv8kqtBLVb-I8VcNXDGnPGuSwctHazrPHBeQrJV7U8Nc2HqSZL19W19kLkwwfksg7sGRZMZ9u1C8ipxFSYuSNdsLBnb8yxGHaON/s1600/France+055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>Speaking of roads... there's nothing like driving into a walled city in a big Dodge SUV, worrying about scraping the side mirrors on 500 year old stone walls. Until we started making our way through the tiny streets of Avignon and through the parking garages where 3 point turns were necessary just to make it up the ramps, I had wondered whether the rental car company was being nice to us by upgrading to the SUV, or whether maybe they were messing with us a little bit. NEVER try to drive a big car in Europe - it is a curse I hope to never encounter again.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3or9HV1DKPjnsK-aNtb9g736T-Bm8tD5fTI-PFyxCxk_lLUedUP36WbzHrFR4EiKeQp7nOYnuSkFJzZ0501m0hgzaTP-0r4MTWmDWtpZfLENp4UOC8TgG_1ygi8EH4XLzID-87nsOER_U/s640/France+059.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You want me to drive where?</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3or9HV1DKPjnsK-aNtb9g736T-Bm8tD5fTI-PFyxCxk_lLUedUP36WbzHrFR4EiKeQp7nOYnuSkFJzZ0501m0hgzaTP-0r4MTWmDWtpZfLENp4UOC8TgG_1ygi8EH4XLzID-87nsOER_U/s1600/France+059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>Part of the trouble can be blamed on the GPS. It was truly both a blessing and a curse. Trying to navigate the tiny and confusing streets of any of the small French cities we went to would have been hell without that ridiculous female British voice, but she did take us on some pretty horrible roads. It was her idea to go through the walled city for example. And likewise up one of the steepest dirt roads I've ever been on, taking us the back way to the tiny town in Provence we were supposed to spend the night.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh5EVwD6GQxZcTxR5cJH9vVgbw760GhdsxMIDtauogo6YC_CiQxd_9uNlS_NoyuMqbs1QM30Culyg_JXB6xKTHVZB9Z62txWgqrghEkXV7cgm4dyNGuwFDaHiWZ_y_qAFbtkbJ6xZXO0TB/s400/France+248.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At least I know how to circumnavigate a round-about!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh5EVwD6GQxZcTxR5cJH9vVgbw760GhdsxMIDtauogo6YC_CiQxd_9uNlS_NoyuMqbs1QM30Culyg_JXB6xKTHVZB9Z62txWgqrghEkXV7cgm4dyNGuwFDaHiWZ_y_qAFbtkbJ6xZXO0TB/s1600/France+248.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>The worst experience of all was in Madrid. We changed cars in Spain and got lucky with a beautiful BMW 3 series from the best rental car company I've ever used - <a href="http://www.sixt.com/">Sixt Rent a Car</a>, which I definitely recommend. I don't know what I would have done in Madrid with that big boat of a vehicle we'd had earlier in the week. Even with the BMW I was frazzled after 2 1/2 hours of driving, trying to find parking on a Saturday evening. The title of this post is inspired by the time I spent driving in Madrid - it became my new favorite phrase as lanes would appear and disappear, funneling lines of cars into nowhere, needlessly creating congestion. After a while I stopped asking "what happened to my lane," and replaced it with the shorter and more to the point "what the hell!" or just a few honks, fitting right in with everyone else.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilVpW_A5TT9apQjtdLsf5QXsU8nMnVglNZcw91XjcuTVpidifCZCIU9CgUpt8SCn7RaJfDHNqz1oqh6MQrsTFyQu6P-hHEaua4zPqBxxluOAZZuU4Tz9uLSk79EFRmQnbtmYpEOXBWYuxP/s400/Spain+007.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Madrid looks deceptively peaceful on a Sunday morning - no remnant of the hellish driving the night before</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilVpW_A5TT9apQjtdLsf5QXsU8nMnVglNZcw91XjcuTVpidifCZCIU9CgUpt8SCn7RaJfDHNqz1oqh6MQrsTFyQu6P-hHEaua4zPqBxxluOAZZuU4Tz9uLSk79EFRmQnbtmYpEOXBWYuxP/s1600/Spain+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>I'm not sure if I would do it again. We definitely got to see some amazing things we wouldn't have seen had we taken the train, and we did visit a lot of smaller towns we would have skipped otherwise. But the stress of it definitely put a damper on my fun (and left me craving a drink as soon as I got out of the car every night just to calm my nerves! Bring on the Sangria!) I think it might have been a less stressful and more enjoyable trip if we'd just visited a few cities and spent longer in each one. I definitely could have used a few more days in Madrid or Lyon. On the brighter side of things, I definitely feel like I could drive anywhere now.<br />
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<b>Have you ever driven in a foreign country? If so, did you find it difficult or did you have a great time? Leave a comment and tell me about your experiences! </b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>If you're crazy enough to try driving in Europe:</b></u></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Drive-Around-Provence-Cote-dAzur/dp/1848480547?ie=UTF8&tag=thepalpro-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="Drive Around Provence & the Cote d'Azur, 3rd: Your guide to great drives. Top 25 Tours. (Drive Around - Thomas Cook)" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=1848480547&tag=thepalpro-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thepalpro-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1848480547" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Frommers-Great-Drives-Spain-Driving/dp/047056041X?ie=UTF8&tag=thepalpro-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="Frommer's 25 Great Drives in Spain (Best Loved Driving Tours)" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=047056041X&tag=thepalpro-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thepalpro-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=047056041X" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Drive-Around-Dordogne-Western-France/dp/1848480148?ie=UTF8&tag=thepalpro-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="Drive Around Dordogne & Western France, 3rd (Drive Around - Thomas Cook)" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=1848480148&tag=thepalpro-20" /></a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Frommers-Great-Drives-France-Driving/dp/0470423366?ie=UTF8&tag=thepalpro-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="Frommer's 25 Great Drives in France (Best Loved Driving Tours)" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0470423366&tag=thepalpro-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thepalpro-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0470423366" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />Nova Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12535185617343199685noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826629708684445348.post-6072987281529530192010-10-03T03:17:00.001-05:002011-03-07T14:41:30.202-06:00This Week in Pictures<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
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Is it really time for another photo of the week post? The weeks have just been flying by - but I guess that tends to happen when you visit 7 countries in one month. I'm finally heading home - I've loved my time in France and Spain and especially loved hanging out with friends, but all my clothes are smelly, I miss my own bed, and I want to take a really good shower with something other than hotel bottles of shampoo.<br />
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This week was especially cool and it's going to be tough picking one picture as my favorite. The week started out with Barcelona and more La Merce activities, then Madrid for a couple of days of eating, drinking, sight-seeing and flamenco, on to Granada for Moroccan food and the Alhambra. And finally we finished up the week in Paris.<br />
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And the winner is...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLKyEkhWHgEeNMPmnqxzF1tqKOlp6NhiF5AO-DEnbqj6MPM70i0jFRVGuIrpL3JW9PGDup0uWWCfIuymVYvAdTwEYJhxDdMpg2ajteZch93wmx1rNZucyIRF_ymyXjuHZqjoLmrkjoBAK5/s400/Paris+3+007.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Louvre, Paris<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thepalpro-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B002HE1IBM" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> early in the morning</td></tr>
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<u><b>Some great pictures from Spain</b></u><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Madrid Palace</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvtOa9vvqd5UCdffRuR8ELFZcnJ3nC4pTq7ZX4n0x1N1Der2DR2rBZrTV8bVgB3PXuG3O2bJEF1kS8RITTeqavRjjJNcVjRfOMBLvH7G0_OQFcDAni2CWddEF_1KxDvlejq1JWufwNd8wk/s1600/Spain+048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYxa68xKhhb1ke3CMklEhfEk9Y2u4kPj6vA6n8AtmQPYeV-wzwVZNtG-K7W2vxaXp1kCOAaCvTvOIlaP-S5DUAMWNH04UY88iT-GJx0Zc5it7iatNyxFP0o0RBsnIpH1IbwtcVe8ZurwME/s400/Spain+153.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Olives growing in the Spanish countryside - all the little dots on the hills are olive trees</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYxa68xKhhb1ke3CMklEhfEk9Y2u4kPj6vA6n8AtmQPYeV-wzwVZNtG-K7W2vxaXp1kCOAaCvTvOIlaP-S5DUAMWNH04UY88iT-GJx0Zc5it7iatNyxFP0o0RBsnIpH1IbwtcVe8ZurwME/s1600/Spain+153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2RpvVBJHPQOkTCs09ock7G28HHhqUQgO-JEp8IxWhEaMRGKUD2YXqF_KfTS3XV73_e_39P09DYSLovxefSepFbRLlMfUqcS9RmKOx4aKcFuB98117c7mL11v0dmkOwK9uHGCCZGC0WoCj/s400/Spain+243.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">La Alhambra, near Granada</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2RpvVBJHPQOkTCs09ock7G28HHhqUQgO-JEp8IxWhEaMRGKUD2YXqF_KfTS3XV73_e_39P09DYSLovxefSepFbRLlMfUqcS9RmKOx4aKcFuB98117c7mL11v0dmkOwK9uHGCCZGC0WoCj/s1600/Spain+243.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGf8KEJcNIkyQseVZRYRvOYQAVOStV7gSzFEZr4R4ZtLE5iyj_cJCIwal78u9F96qJsbtJQ10RyNIensMC8vzAUkhmUEHXpa_fUKjaemoTh8yVd7cXiZEnVeQrueOXxhkOqAnyp15d6B0e/s1600/Spain+265.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHP6TsdqIPNKoUw4_cNDETOss6YmKR9uPvOPtllgMKZn9_CMLdrG6fxNH1oL8GeeXrXM4JP97Xh4u9R2outW5PS8kteDRMkEFrbNx4sjapwb3h_2_Jk1Cg-7s6S1plDrpSsL1u8phmddiX/s640/Spain+265.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alhambra</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHP6TsdqIPNKoUw4_cNDETOss6YmKR9uPvOPtllgMKZn9_CMLdrG6fxNH1oL8GeeXrXM4JP97Xh4u9R2outW5PS8kteDRMkEFrbNx4sjapwb3h_2_Jk1Cg-7s6S1plDrpSsL1u8phmddiX/s1600/Spain+265.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJYt7vyVdrF2VTp1U89ZSvQA8BSxT6MVXg1GFx2sAKLafYmQLX2YYcxC8A2DjhEOyfZvK074bXE453Y80JLRI0QwdzTuwx2yCEijmDzFxV-L7EMoQs2e_hVuE6LoMZe9hShh_niBtI8sQb/s400/Spain+275.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of Granada from Alhambra</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJYt7vyVdrF2VTp1U89ZSvQA8BSxT6MVXg1GFx2sAKLafYmQLX2YYcxC8A2DjhEOyfZvK074bXE453Y80JLRI0QwdzTuwx2yCEijmDzFxV-L7EMoQs2e_hVuE6LoMZe9hShh_niBtI8sQb/s1600/Spain+275.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX6Yu5JcjMLX9HRijGA8z_lATOvIVkgg15c3FOZAyo9ykH2eLLM2xMjTPyVLCpCDNKO3-qV0VEImIqtW5n1otMHGNwpGMwUprIc02bnZYQ31bc-2e6-dwaSxTuhcgc-kWgddu0bly0LZ-A/s640/Spain+304.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Granada cafe and cathedral</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX6Yu5JcjMLX9HRijGA8z_lATOvIVkgg15c3FOZAyo9ykH2eLLM2xMjTPyVLCpCDNKO3-qV0VEImIqtW5n1otMHGNwpGMwUprIc02bnZYQ31bc-2e6-dwaSxTuhcgc-kWgddu0bly0LZ-A/s1600/Spain+304.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br />
<u><b>And some more great pictures from Paris</b></u><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwtGJCizRRd56sE03_zIcLq9HM7q7q-f8Pm-WN7M67EH1aHrqUihPT1tfUKOEPdvjUm4pVkXZw6StgN5r8hPAeg1BhbAeVrqI6GMEdM162tOWP48gfgBhIE0XPSj2A7yQXzj8KPLVOJMpy/s400/Paris+2+018.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Notre Dame</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwtGJCizRRd56sE03_zIcLq9HM7q7q-f8Pm-WN7M67EH1aHrqUihPT1tfUKOEPdvjUm4pVkXZw6StgN5r8hPAeg1BhbAeVrqI6GMEdM162tOWP48gfgBhIE0XPSj2A7yQXzj8KPLVOJMpy/s1600/Paris+2+018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMZWykYDUEqGaLiCtFEVZ6J34oH5bWX6Hlc4JiXfrDz52fdBftEkKQqxhkm_3vUefcU-CqormeaLy6UGJCuRrFUKhMuzDdJSsd17VcFyTZ91RvbjxRDrghWMl6BMyda64Q_vhBhlCbwPUV/s640/Paris+2+086.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eiffel Tower and a neighborhood</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMZWykYDUEqGaLiCtFEVZ6J34oH5bWX6Hlc4JiXfrDz52fdBftEkKQqxhkm_3vUefcU-CqormeaLy6UGJCuRrFUKhMuzDdJSsd17VcFyTZ91RvbjxRDrghWMl6BMyda64Q_vhBhlCbwPUV/s1600/Paris+2+086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlgC1MAS-6e-987Zpfyutf8swISZwtdERIdYRnvgTannjYV8-hsRwuB7evzk6GHy_nSz32ohm0TrCbKitL1Xxgg_hLF0qgdfx_V_-CaqVUX9Mj63CZN1XRdZYBh1jYMOfpG3zfQJhQt8GR/s1600/Paris+2+095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlgC1MAS-6e-987Zpfyutf8swISZwtdERIdYRnvgTannjYV8-hsRwuB7evzk6GHy_nSz32ohm0TrCbKitL1Xxgg_hLF0qgdfx_V_-CaqVUX9Mj63CZN1XRdZYBh1jYMOfpG3zfQJhQt8GR/s640/Paris+2+095.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcrqv_3Uo_7IbT38cf7OahBrWLk9mKO_V_QgpOMY86MgLlSpmhZtwm9iQwrUoY_FwJLz1tNR8_3Pbtiwp_apknbNc6KCJgzYrkl80aMTjz6IYSLjnilZIgJqrXDiEnvk-TZ07FkygUaCkh/s400/Paris+2+125.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eiffel tower view from the Siene</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcrqv_3Uo_7IbT38cf7OahBrWLk9mKO_V_QgpOMY86MgLlSpmhZtwm9iQwrUoY_FwJLz1tNR8_3Pbtiwp_apknbNc6KCJgzYrkl80aMTjz6IYSLjnilZIgJqrXDiEnvk-TZ07FkygUaCkh/s1600/Paris+2+125.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHZP_oZpyS6Jov5rom-SoZrlrxyV_hJ2grxKNBs4YInC7xharW8ybbBAob0ugq2H2rHMfxJlL1YQjEnvYEGv6Q_Ck0CGZj8LYN921G7OB1BAOwb2UBb4puLtS_rNWspTEFkImUPc9D8x6X/s400/Paris+2+169.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Parisians (and tourists) taking in the sun at the Tulieries garden</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHZP_oZpyS6Jov5rom-SoZrlrxyV_hJ2grxKNBs4YInC7xharW8ybbBAob0ugq2H2rHMfxJlL1YQjEnvYEGv6Q_Ck0CGZj8LYN921G7OB1BAOwb2UBb4puLtS_rNWspTEFkImUPc9D8x6X/s1600/Paris+2+169.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOMMoFFJ46LJGdwacviai7c3BbHuIEo6aOxXgHnh5brmwvbhDsoJzMr4JWk43CsI9Bf5dCEtkj_wf1QNXjyc6ciDbkga72dHtH1MzLNkodSuV5uvEth-eiBrhalG6iVpb3D40S7P3_XAl4/s640/Paris+2+199.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tulieries Garden</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOMMoFFJ46LJGdwacviai7c3BbHuIEo6aOxXgHnh5brmwvbhDsoJzMr4JWk43CsI9Bf5dCEtkj_wf1QNXjyc6ciDbkga72dHtH1MzLNkodSuV5uvEth-eiBrhalG6iVpb3D40S7P3_XAl4/s1600/Paris+2+199.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZGPG8SmW14oRTmvsUMP0LW2wRTDtEGB3mZ7cQZer-hOVFtCsIucZsi758J2JuRPAuAPo6B0V2K5GNMrIiOm0Kf3HjU4Zl5KSYqAhh4R4KKx5YhyphenhyphenWRZOzM4LQz-cGh2UIpiUPfNBAkSLUI/s400/Paris+2+228.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another view from the Siene</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZGPG8SmW14oRTmvsUMP0LW2wRTDtEGB3mZ7cQZer-hOVFtCsIucZsi758J2JuRPAuAPo6B0V2K5GNMrIiOm0Kf3HjU4Zl5KSYqAhh4R4KKx5YhyphenhyphenWRZOzM4LQz-cGh2UIpiUPfNBAkSLUI/s1600/Paris+2+228.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>Nova Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12535185617343199685noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826629708684445348.post-6860502964797882542010-09-28T09:33:00.001-05:002010-09-30T02:00:24.698-05:00This Week in PicturesAnother belated picture of the week post - it's been really hard getting internet access in Spain. I'm surprised by the lack of internet cafes and wifi (although we finally did discover that McDonald's has free internet - go figure). So here's my favorite picture from this last week. This one is from Barcelona which we were lucky enough to visit during one of the biggest festivals of the year - La Merce.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgenUDEYL5nIgq9PbwelcGnvqIKWcp7vGK7OIeIdnznjSEJUdItsnRUtPwJ5bjP-qilrxQCttI5Gu_TyOuhV71GepmkQspFytZhK5o3y9eczQla1EqlX8hA6GD00qJTk6YXbWJbPCrGQ5de/s1600/Barcelona+106.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgenUDEYL5nIgq9PbwelcGnvqIKWcp7vGK7OIeIdnznjSEJUdItsnRUtPwJ5bjP-qilrxQCttI5Gu_TyOuhV71GepmkQspFytZhK5o3y9eczQla1EqlX8hA6GD00qJTk6YXbWJbPCrGQ5de/s640/Barcelona+106.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
A few more great pictures:<br />
<br />
<u><b>From France</b></u><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-z82z6Xt68Ys8vbTKp-7cr10rCLBMm4gxl5ZfqEKPrWssAOx5PEYDgHwOkF3OM-5pDgkyywG6rhyphenhyphen-5EkRBWU5Gg57-D_jZMRUgTFqjcJ-9rO-sBokjoPb8a8PFQ4Op-mx-DDT6mPuhJxe/s640/France+100.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lyon France - River Rhone</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-z82z6Xt68Ys8vbTKp-7cr10rCLBMm4gxl5ZfqEKPrWssAOx5PEYDgHwOkF3OM-5pDgkyywG6rhyphenhyphen-5EkRBWU5Gg57-D_jZMRUgTFqjcJ-9rO-sBokjoPb8a8PFQ4Op-mx-DDT6mPuhJxe/s1600/France+100.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWgsRzvRAIePL-ayo38FMRYe8og6xay5IRCiPjk07g0_L4Lkp_HcCpj9UN96PVAtj6c7UaesPlFibGiS3m0ZADS-iQQxZoHfhwV9jq-JpFJ9-JCy8qg2Xc1vjZdeo6HDtF8S1pWFIrHjhx/s640/France+110.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lyon France at Night</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWgsRzvRAIePL-ayo38FMRYe8og6xay5IRCiPjk07g0_L4Lkp_HcCpj9UN96PVAtj6c7UaesPlFibGiS3m0ZADS-iQQxZoHfhwV9jq-JpFJ9-JCy8qg2Xc1vjZdeo6HDtF8S1pWFIrHjhx/s1600/France+110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZi5BPeeC8EsPxoO5lb7cP-RuGUc4oY5OJlOarw0i2lbecxRDn5XoB_T_fgBiBhJNAJX0LbT11gvnHR8wTxiFfO9Ws_EoX5Hgf3efBzxnSzr8t0_JKuJ4mwWILbUQvf-DuToaqiDTWyS_a/s640/France+135.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Avignon, France</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZi5BPeeC8EsPxoO5lb7cP-RuGUc4oY5OJlOarw0i2lbecxRDn5XoB_T_fgBiBhJNAJX0LbT11gvnHR8wTxiFfO9Ws_EoX5Hgf3efBzxnSzr8t0_JKuJ4mwWILbUQvf-DuToaqiDTWyS_a/s1600/France+135.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br />
<u><b>From Barcelona</b></u><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM0oXKjXWUJwyxbe9A8ztnpzaF8syUQweSdpZDGgR_EZlmXZXI7OzLTOhkJN0l150MaXmSc75Dm-TcoH4-XB4Ff-6yUs2JNUY01c6fbRiMepQRQSEV_01-NvO21_Q8qEEBN-zF9v1koYz0/s640/Barcelona+030.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Afternoon coffee and people watching in the square</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM0oXKjXWUJwyxbe9A8ztnpzaF8syUQweSdpZDGgR_EZlmXZXI7OzLTOhkJN0l150MaXmSc75Dm-TcoH4-XB4Ff-6yUs2JNUY01c6fbRiMepQRQSEV_01-NvO21_Q8qEEBN-zF9v1koYz0/s1600/Barcelona+030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdEH5KkQKTaGwT9hRk1ZiKcXycso4CFLQN1PysgMNuG5fjzrQ2bXbsJqNXcJn5hsLI4ovJnoFAuo1Dp8Hkt9ody3s3wneK6iSR-pxIQPQPmugQRjX5BC2KzQnRMiMRkkgzFWh4IcjlJZ0l/s640/Barcelona+034.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Strolling Las Ramblas, Barcelona</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdEH5KkQKTaGwT9hRk1ZiKcXycso4CFLQN1PysgMNuG5fjzrQ2bXbsJqNXcJn5hsLI4ovJnoFAuo1Dp8Hkt9ody3s3wneK6iSR-pxIQPQPmugQRjX5BC2KzQnRMiMRkkgzFWh4IcjlJZ0l/s1600/Barcelona+034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTVwOhtdjQW2RljRa_A5DcSC2Udkgn4jwBQvczn7G8xfyRtAaH-uabH7KWkxpJDKyi-E7CTYG7WtrFXjDo8Uz-cDIxyExmOwHQ6tCshAsnIjx_nAb7t5B9Xkb2UTMNBmnGViIg8GuL7vk1/s640/Barcelona+086.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">People trying to catch a glimpse of the giants for La Merce</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTVwOhtdjQW2RljRa_A5DcSC2Udkgn4jwBQvczn7G8xfyRtAaH-uabH7KWkxpJDKyi-E7CTYG7WtrFXjDo8Uz-cDIxyExmOwHQ6tCshAsnIjx_nAb7t5B9Xkb2UTMNBmnGViIg8GuL7vk1/s1600/Barcelona+086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br />
<span id="goog_750979632"></span><span id="goog_750979633"></span>Nova Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12535185617343199685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826629708684445348.post-47489511987548007372010-09-21T03:36:00.000-05:002010-09-21T03:36:09.467-05:00Picture of the Week<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I know it's been forever - it's been a very busy couple of weeks for me. Hopefully I'll get some time to post soon about my adventures in Hong Kong, Macao, France, and Spain. For now though, a much belated picture of the week post (from last week).<br />
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Again there are too many to choose from, but here's my favorite - a view from the top of the tram in Hong Kong.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyAmfoBKgZTio39LGlug_J7yrPalm0CgaAgxkFuoij5d7jwYAXyQdPgOOx9tpV1r-kRqatvb0i6C3C6SSCIA14yffw1j2NwPqte5nrhznnGfJrG0Mmwwxzf26qTe-63zZyya5v96-cCmaU/s1600/Hong+Kong+309.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyAmfoBKgZTio39LGlug_J7yrPalm0CgaAgxkFuoij5d7jwYAXyQdPgOOx9tpV1r-kRqatvb0i6C3C6SSCIA14yffw1j2NwPqte5nrhznnGfJrG0Mmwwxzf26qTe-63zZyya5v96-cCmaU/s640/Hong+Kong+309.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
And a few more good ones:<br />
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<u><b>From Macao</b></u><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1iUf276F7QDWo3cmdN1MhlqsHcue2_Iy45ASzQ0dwhrqALFfHVcsykVLDiqBfdF_9VVNrKhemQRTRQQ4LgIr8EPMS0nP4Z6iXUOFM-3ipZ_wW4HYU2ZFm8Baetza1xPbt-K6KVCNQ8Iko/s1600/Hong+Kong+293.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1iUf276F7QDWo3cmdN1MhlqsHcue2_Iy45ASzQ0dwhrqALFfHVcsykVLDiqBfdF_9VVNrKhemQRTRQQ4LgIr8EPMS0nP4Z6iXUOFM-3ipZ_wW4HYU2ZFm8Baetza1xPbt-K6KVCNQ8Iko/s640/Hong+Kong+293.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh42E9RWVlPDz-aZB_EHaLPUmEyYqBYZ1P9CbGv02xK5vXDRncvw4w8tw_i1u9-0quBojlXAToDtzW8nZCb33LT26G_SpduvcE-M9tCje2bzjO7OG3TcXCTOamg8DMFLFCsU_ioiMrgJRSO/s1600/Hong+Kong+229.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh42E9RWVlPDz-aZB_EHaLPUmEyYqBYZ1P9CbGv02xK5vXDRncvw4w8tw_i1u9-0quBojlXAToDtzW8nZCb33LT26G_SpduvcE-M9tCje2bzjO7OG3TcXCTOamg8DMFLFCsU_ioiMrgJRSO/s640/Hong+Kong+229.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<b><u>And from Strasbourg France</u></b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOKs1QWiSRMaENJKtWciHL0056dUDxBLzwHUruT7CiCi8M3z-QFhGg5xRR9Z3Lg-D8Z_qnBBTM5t-5dvwWWMUl5jEDuqXwn8_m98j3cXbbQXEDUk278xfKigocnPjWsa3aLX953jyBJunu/s1600/France+Day+1+057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOKs1QWiSRMaENJKtWciHL0056dUDxBLzwHUruT7CiCi8M3z-QFhGg5xRR9Z3Lg-D8Z_qnBBTM5t-5dvwWWMUl5jEDuqXwn8_m98j3cXbbQXEDUk278xfKigocnPjWsa3aLX953jyBJunu/s640/France+Day+1+057.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw9rqJST1tXgPU_t86Rk03rS_gPN2bUNRb6YfzG_rFyf3U2pVZCsMlMcfoOU5Va9_E2HeTl_hvR12OuKki-WcRq7qF2oH5Ch_-9zQfOjgrPqzK_ePUwgRKZ25ubP1vjOvzqb0MDbxtvK_m/s1600/France+Day+1+078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw9rqJST1tXgPU_t86Rk03rS_gPN2bUNRb6YfzG_rFyf3U2pVZCsMlMcfoOU5Va9_E2HeTl_hvR12OuKki-WcRq7qF2oH5Ch_-9zQfOjgrPqzK_ePUwgRKZ25ubP1vjOvzqb0MDbxtvK_m/s640/France+Day+1+078.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtxE-BdnN4eAQV9pFDnVQNcW217iv6S5qP8blsA2CTIv5CCxUESAqt9OXvSyVnFCEf_jOzWEMdHXPyPXpzz1c7GuhAxI_wpkM-viAHlbdC3U0RqL4L54lvkqzeRC_J4kakPXDpQQPgXdNs/s1600/France+Day+1+018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtxE-BdnN4eAQV9pFDnVQNcW217iv6S5qP8blsA2CTIv5CCxUESAqt9OXvSyVnFCEf_jOzWEMdHXPyPXpzz1c7GuhAxI_wpkM-viAHlbdC3U0RqL4L54lvkqzeRC_J4kakPXDpQQPgXdNs/s640/France+Day+1+018.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>Nova Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12535185617343199685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826629708684445348.post-5441174845698508292010-09-09T20:52:00.001-05:002010-09-09T20:54:04.059-05:00Picture FridayFrom Cebu to Taiwan and Hong Kong, this has been a busy week! I've taken so many pictures it's hard to choose one to be top for the week, but here it is!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiId9c09tjvB0EU-_orQIXcDubhBuBzkx_HpMWM_794-ZMIRVVdAesXhlgqJ-YTrdvV3X8ENHylMBjbHphgbrGbrDa_UsdkY50eltIEktwe9zk5p4RCfVzd5TPevsx3cNMvW1Mcowc2Yei/s1600/Dragons.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiId9c09tjvB0EU-_orQIXcDubhBuBzkx_HpMWM_794-ZMIRVVdAesXhlgqJ-YTrdvV3X8ENHylMBjbHphgbrGbrDa_UsdkY50eltIEktwe9zk5p4RCfVzd5TPevsx3cNMvW1Mcowc2Yei/s640/Dragons.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
And here are a few of the runners up:<br />
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<u><b>From Cebu </b></u><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpwtOrhUFDWGN4paz_tGjB2W1Zn1u09enmm_4xXZzDSuvNR-pAYhWsGpbxvYLzADxyZkwo6ykoe2v92tM8XE8u1IglXYjoWv633gJV2IJWZSjubs3-an48yMAfslitGa7SMuEH8BlfCWae/s1600/Cebu+028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpwtOrhUFDWGN4paz_tGjB2W1Zn1u09enmm_4xXZzDSuvNR-pAYhWsGpbxvYLzADxyZkwo6ykoe2v92tM8XE8u1IglXYjoWv633gJV2IJWZSjubs3-an48yMAfslitGa7SMuEH8BlfCWae/s640/Cebu+028.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Downtown Cebu</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj07apj5S0WmSV-06gMlhCu9i-aCT-WbqmdfbDQIS82blzBxvQzaLPzufjGqJNIyamrA14rLbbtDW0tqhqc0qI_ZXCg5CQb14Hfo0gUGnY5MIdPPv8Hf2d40I9-EdiJB-UrvLRUOuT2z_G8/s1600/Cebu+043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj07apj5S0WmSV-06gMlhCu9i-aCT-WbqmdfbDQIS82blzBxvQzaLPzufjGqJNIyamrA14rLbbtDW0tqhqc0qI_ZXCg5CQb14Hfo0gUGnY5MIdPPv8Hf2d40I9-EdiJB-UrvLRUOuT2z_G8/s640/Cebu+043.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taking a break</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFoltnLoRrJHRIZjCQ8EBTF0crH3J5pGeshblqO-slPXUeZPkENUXgRrgnP_gCvgQGkobw1mW7LujHmOd1lC7W3Zg-TxcmKGGVvPF9sq-PVdBBOpP8Gn-6MOGIOc68T33UCdSf13zZgcj8/s1600/Cebu+094.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFoltnLoRrJHRIZjCQ8EBTF0crH3J5pGeshblqO-slPXUeZPkENUXgRrgnP_gCvgQGkobw1mW7LujHmOd1lC7W3Zg-TxcmKGGVvPF9sq-PVdBBOpP8Gn-6MOGIOc68T33UCdSf13zZgcj8/s640/Cebu+094.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wild ride</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnndUozzHbidv9isErSLU7PFVD9IxmQ3sjOVip00qaEBGNgiOYdrVXOmr15dHd7OXGGW_-t1lf3EhDEHZFRngmWSknyw99QwdwmAIxGbFhGjE5wDswYE8Yv7-cVEv6L8OaiZmV-g3ch4kQ/s1600/Cebu+037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnndUozzHbidv9isErSLU7PFVD9IxmQ3sjOVip00qaEBGNgiOYdrVXOmr15dHd7OXGGW_-t1lf3EhDEHZFRngmWSknyw99QwdwmAIxGbFhGjE5wDswYE8Yv7-cVEv6L8OaiZmV-g3ch4kQ/s640/Cebu+037.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Island hopping</td></tr>
</tbody></table><u><b>From Hong Kong</b></u><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyeAkR1ccK0KBkYY6J3n-z7iBrpEib3sQ7ka7Cu-E0kqeHKcHqMab6d4qqHYhCW1UTGxcEFDokXMOgnK5ZeylS_1-gAH7PfKqtP5WwB0aEaWSoIHSjve1ye1T_sF7X8Cg_0zb8UtYzJsZU/s1600/Hong+Kong+007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyeAkR1ccK0KBkYY6J3n-z7iBrpEib3sQ7ka7Cu-E0kqeHKcHqMab6d4qqHYhCW1UTGxcEFDokXMOgnK5ZeylS_1-gAH7PfKqtP5WwB0aEaWSoIHSjve1ye1T_sF7X8Cg_0zb8UtYzJsZU/s640/Hong+Kong+007.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A very strange spotted building in Central, Hong Kong</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5XVPoYW-9uobqSN0jrACyrzhi5Dq7_ZelXKxLPy2StwEqmigywY6apLWsjcGmiOnerHce-YbPbMGQqEsRoAaeGhksHEqNrtVyXcgkMXy-Cn6FeypN7VTlU9voAwsOt-AsKZ_YaMng-7jN/s1600/Hong+Kong+020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5XVPoYW-9uobqSN0jrACyrzhi5Dq7_ZelXKxLPy2StwEqmigywY6apLWsjcGmiOnerHce-YbPbMGQqEsRoAaeGhksHEqNrtVyXcgkMXy-Cn6FeypN7VTlU9voAwsOt-AsKZ_YaMng-7jN/s640/Hong+Kong+020.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Central, Hong Kong</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk1hUH1_rxDA-5j34T-Bw6GqbTZ0pwW2nRwlqJajJod8F2GlG5-3l-QlIjBgcUc_oY0jNjRd6yBMXNmIyaVjzI7O-YNtLKI5V9nlWq_jG8q5XFzEm3wSB-ljAFXVxsDvopNadZVWqU5tkR/s1600/Hong+Kong+060.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk1hUH1_rxDA-5j34T-Bw6GqbTZ0pwW2nRwlqJajJod8F2GlG5-3l-QlIjBgcUc_oY0jNjRd6yBMXNmIyaVjzI7O-YNtLKI5V9nlWq_jG8q5XFzEm3wSB-ljAFXVxsDvopNadZVWqU5tkR/s640/Hong+Kong+060.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crazy traffic in Central, Hong Kong</td></tr>
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<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fnovawalsh.blogspot.com&layout=button_count&show_faces=true&width=450&action=like&colorscheme=light&height=21" style="border: medium none; height: 21px; overflow: hidden; width: 450px;"></iframe>Nova Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12535185617343199685noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826629708684445348.post-25279003388870034342010-09-08T21:54:00.002-05:002010-09-09T02:45:27.705-05:00Another View of Cebu<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgprOTkB8CkKGNB4VSL3OVBF4Ccp68rfLTO9DAoT8v8yHXxdkMtiZUQqzuZXl5NqlV2nPaYKovgjZV-s7khzcXIq6hkfhIOF2ARrg0HTc9TJ-qScd4XMkFPLcQ9B_mYlZB6_YDjJ7Q2Ic4P/s1600/Cebu+060.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgprOTkB8CkKGNB4VSL3OVBF4Ccp68rfLTO9DAoT8v8yHXxdkMtiZUQqzuZXl5NqlV2nPaYKovgjZV-s7khzcXIq6hkfhIOF2ARrg0HTc9TJ-qScd4XMkFPLcQ9B_mYlZB6_YDjJ7Q2Ic4P/s640/Cebu+060.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Cebu on day two was a very different experience from our hectic and sad view of the city the day before. We were picked up at the hotel and went straight to the dive shop where we were fitted with snorkel gear. Our boat crew consisted of three guys, the one who picked us up probably spoke the best English but it was still really difficult to converse with him. The other two didn’t say anything to us the whole trip. One operated the boat and the other was seemingly along for the ride. I think at one stop he even snorkeled with us – not as a guide or anything. Just enjoying the ocean.<br />
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We walked down a long and scraggly pier where little kids climbed on the railings and jumped off into the ocean naked or in underwear. Whole families swam between the boats that pulled in and out of the dock. I couldn’t help but think about the sectioned off pristine beaches right down the way. Locals have to settle with swimming in murky water and dodging boats because their beaches have been saved for the tourists who can pay.<br />
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We finally sailed off in a large motorized boat that probably could have held 20 people but only carried us. Salty water sprayed us as we flew over the waves, the water so shallow and clear that you could see straight to the bottom. The company we used allowed us to choose our islands – you can do anywhere from 2 to 10 in a day. We chose 4 but so much snorkeling was pretty exhausting – I think we would have been better off doing just 3, spending more time at each. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A boat just like ours</td></tr>
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The snorkeling was the best I’ve ever experienced. Corals fanned out all along the bottom, blue fingers, wavy light pink fans, yellow corrugated mushroom-like blobs, housing fish and countless other unseen life. Angel fish with long head fins darted by, and thousands of blue, green and yellow fluorescent fishes floated all around us. We were given bread to feed the fishes on every stop and it was a surreal experience, having thousands of fishes suddenly swarming you all around and underneath where you can’t even see them, grabbing chunks of soggy loaf away from each other.<br />
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We did snorkeling at three islands – two of them were marine sanctuaries where locals aren’t allowed to fish (they do anyways but can be fined or jailed for it if they are caught). The diversity of life was outstanding. I’ve been diving and snorkeling before but have never seen so many different kinds of fishes in one trip. <br />
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In between the snorkeling we landed on a beachy island for lunch. A small grass hut was rented and our guides told us to go check out the beach while they got our lunch ready. We walked along the perfect white shore and waded out into the water. The water is so shallow around these islands that fishermen stand up on the bottom out in the middle of the ocean - a strange sight. <br />
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The meal was the best of the trip. Our table was overloaded with grilled milkfish, pork, squid and chicken legs. Accompanied by a box of rice for each of us it was definitely too much for two people, but after all the snorkeling the grilled tender meat and seafood were perfect. To top it off we had mangoes and bananas. I don’t know what the difference is between mangoes from the Philippines and elsewhere but they are perfectly sweet and tender without any of the bitterness that mangoes can sometimes have. It was my favorite food find on our trip. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMmY2gixJ6jo-VpVLf-i-q0f1-OQsViNKgNjgNvow67OVn1WY8pZxdWVqP64okyVrn_bud5kpfqY8-be8VgdPH5iKgy2uTUJs4ql4cOhGEeSUBbBylEy9Jf4e1BotmoIcZd1ERqqVmNhje/s1600/Cebu+069.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMmY2gixJ6jo-VpVLf-i-q0f1-OQsViNKgNjgNvow67OVn1WY8pZxdWVqP64okyVrn_bud5kpfqY8-be8VgdPH5iKgy2uTUJs4ql4cOhGEeSUBbBylEy9Jf4e1BotmoIcZd1ERqqVmNhje/s640/Cebu+069.jpg" width="640" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Pz8n4fL8jEG6j3KAlNm0RGq6pFi4koOFbF6nqpU7f77PW0GSqvs_cc2QsFw549iW9d4uEtuJIgBn-13VjmSZdjdXtY9LdPvgQEhpJ_i9Hg0-tcQjwNG4Xr9xeGuWJOsZ-mWQNguRjKID/s1600/Cebu+073.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Pz8n4fL8jEG6j3KAlNm0RGq6pFi4koOFbF6nqpU7f77PW0GSqvs_cc2QsFw549iW9d4uEtuJIgBn-13VjmSZdjdXtY9LdPvgQEhpJ_i9Hg0-tcQjwNG4Xr9xeGuWJOsZ-mWQNguRjKID/s640/Cebu+073.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
This is probably a good place to talk about the food in the Philippines. Being a die-hard foodie, I did a lot of research beforehand about the local food. Lechon (grilled whole pig) seemed to be the big thing in the area. I had a pretty hard time finding much else and decided to just wing it when I arrived. Fast food seems to rule the islands and it’s hard to find a restaurant that looks safe enough to try. We did find one place offering lechon and it was pretty good – the skin crispy and chewy at the same time – almost like candy. It was served with a vinegar and red onion condiment which balanced out the fattiness of the meat well. Besides the lechon and the grilled meat on our snorkeling trip there was no other meal worth mentioning. The biggest disappointment of the trip was the food. I don’t want to suggest that Filipino food has nothing to offer. We just couldn’t find it on the island.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWnGMgmfmtETPEX1i8gfdJ1y4Yj_7bnrEPAKD-eRXi8pp6uc-jdlsnlCJxDCGXVK0w1jQwooQwgeX8mKxNo_g7ZqOSFBUshCR6vlMVvu48JqEwjV5sGmp-OGrrqvzrlB0pSwko47iXmITQ/s1600/Cebu+028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWnGMgmfmtETPEX1i8gfdJ1y4Yj_7bnrEPAKD-eRXi8pp6uc-jdlsnlCJxDCGXVK0w1jQwooQwgeX8mKxNo_g7ZqOSFBUshCR6vlMVvu48JqEwjV5sGmp-OGrrqvzrlB0pSwko47iXmITQ/s640/Cebu+028.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Overall day two was a good experience. It was a little strange to have the whole boat to ourselves but the water and the fish and the beaches were so relaxing, all I could feel was comfort and peace, a totally different feeling from the previous day wandering in the city.<br />
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I’m not sure I would go back to the Philippines. It’s a good place for people looking to be pampered or hoping to lay on a beach and drink cocktails, or for those wanting great diving. But if you’re looking for a memorable local experience and great food there are better places I can think of visiting. In fairness I only saw two small parts of one island in a country made up of over 7000, and I didn’t experience any of the waterfalls and nature hikes in the mountains. I didn’t see the small fishing villages. These could be totally worth it.<br />
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If you've been to the Philippines or had a great experience with the food and want to share your thoughts, please leave me a comment. I'd love to hear how others found the islands.<br />
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<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fnovawalsh.blogspot.com/2010/09/another-view-of-cebu.html&layout=button_count&show_faces=true&width=450&action=like&colorscheme=light&height=21" style="border: medium none; height: 21px; overflow: hidden; width: 450px;"></iframe>Nova Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12535185617343199685noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826629708684445348.post-54769806686154721482010-09-06T19:50:00.001-05:002010-09-06T19:51:49.600-05:00The Two Faces of CebuI wasn't sure what to expect when I booked our trip for Cebu. I knew very little about the Philippines but the resort websites made it look pretty outstanding. Pictures of white beaches and descriptions of diving in marine sanctuaries and staying at resorts that cater to every whim made Cebu seem like it would be a heavenly place.<br />
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The view from the taxi window as we pulled out of the airport showed a completely different picture however. Dilapidated wooden shacks covered with graffiti and coca-cola signs lined the road. Bare-footed kids ran alongside the busy street, darting in and out of abandoned fields and over piles of trash. Goats and dogs wandered into the street and the speeding motorcycles and jeepneys swerved to avoid them. It was chaotic and dirty - extremely poor. <br />
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I'm not usually a resort kind of traveler. I'd rather get out and see the places I'm visiting - eat local food, talk to people, see what the city has to offer - than lay by a pool and get a massage (which I can easily do at home) but as we hurled through the narrow streets, the city didn't look too inviting. I started to think that maybe this trip would just be a resort type of vacation - a disappointing prospect to me.<br />
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We set up a city tour with a guide for Saturday so we could see Cebu. What we were hoping for was a person that would show us the real Cebu, maybe take us to some local places and share some insight on what it's like to be Filipino. Unfortunately our "guide" turned out to just be a driver that took us to all the canned tourist spots and barely spoke.<br />
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The "tour" started with a stop at Magellan's cross. Magellan, the Portugese explorer and adventurer, died in battle in Cebu. Several markers and memorials about Magellan can be found around Cebu and Mactan Island, the island adjacent to Cebu. They are mostly crosses, but some have fierce looking statues of the warrior Lapu Lapu who killed Magellan.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lapu Lapu</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A shrine commemorating Magellan's death</td></tr>
</tbody></table>After this we headed into Cebu proper, to see the <a href="http://basilicasantonino.org.ph/">Basilica del Sto. Niño</a> and another shrine to Magellan. This was where the poverty really hit me. As we stepped out of the car, swarms of stick thin men tried to sell us cheap trinkets and kids, some not wearing much more than underwear, pulled at us begging us for money. People all around tried to sell us candles and shells.<br />
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Inside was a beautiful old church housing a religious relic that people from all over come to visit.<br />
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In the courtyard hundreds of people gathered to light small red candles and place them into one of thousands of holders and pray. When Magellan came to the island he brought with him Catholicism and it took hold quickly. 93% of Filipinos are Christian, most being Catholic. <br />
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After the Basilica we visited <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_San_Pedro">Fort San Pedro</a>, built sometime in the 1600s and used by the Spanish and later the Americans. It was really peaceful inside, with a big grassy area and plants all around. An old man sat in the corner and played guitar and it was easy to forget about the crazy streets just outside these gates.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi44LlQmIjqp7REpyGL7nvgY2nmgkSR3EnjRIufdMjK6es9yztsW-61Aye9KZNt_Z69BYrhN2mKzp3bxT6xV2ogHtjtt9oF373La42z6HbX-uGQVWfEUEf6Tuwcor7y1pbWo-JAa7eS2J7Z/s1600/Cebu+129.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi44LlQmIjqp7REpyGL7nvgY2nmgkSR3EnjRIufdMjK6es9yztsW-61Aye9KZNt_Z69BYrhN2mKzp3bxT6xV2ogHtjtt9oF373La42z6HbX-uGQVWfEUEf6Tuwcor7y1pbWo-JAa7eS2J7Z/s400/Cebu+129.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
After we left we visited some really bad museums, which basically charged us a lot of money to look at a few plaques and pieces of paper. I don't think I'd really recommend any of the museums in the area. One more quick visit to a monument, called the Heritage of Cebu rounded out our "tour".<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdQq8zk0rGLtJ28JNS-ZsxoEVCVClGaF4v41qUN1fu_Gyw2yoowEZq6FKOO4oLl9xoNDFbFY0XbOh6OVadgYwYQUt_k9J-lcjBwu2LNUaj3hQrb0zk-SDrD8lh68yxNoFzRDqIxt2rcBLc/s1600/Cebu+148.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdQq8zk0rGLtJ28JNS-ZsxoEVCVClGaF4v41qUN1fu_Gyw2yoowEZq6FKOO4oLl9xoNDFbFY0XbOh6OVadgYwYQUt_k9J-lcjBwu2LNUaj3hQrb0zk-SDrD8lh68yxNoFzRDqIxt2rcBLc/s400/Cebu+148.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
In some ways I guess I did get a bit of a feeling for the real Cebu. As we drove through the streets I saw people getting together at tiny tables set outside shacks to eat. I saw a few men jostling with a whole roasted pig on a spit (lechon) trying to get it up onto a counter by the side of the road. I saw kids playing and women washing clothes outside their homes.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRdQUvGzshmU2ZMT4t_zEuio73NvFvgwmWHwqmWDItVwSJxDn97l1HCJkN8bnyVwaJ9UzH3mtLqG9SWB9nt7riUE7HHtuCvzXbadMnrc-xLjSg9mtZBEDGZ3xzVPjTZpqWJ6q_OUPj9aYj/s1600/Cebu+163.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRdQUvGzshmU2ZMT4t_zEuio73NvFvgwmWHwqmWDItVwSJxDn97l1HCJkN8bnyVwaJ9UzH3mtLqG9SWB9nt7riUE7HHtuCvzXbadMnrc-xLjSg9mtZBEDGZ3xzVPjTZpqWJ6q_OUPj9aYj/s400/Cebu+163.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> I also got to see where Cebuanos worship and how important a part religion plays in their lives. I saw young teenage boys praying by their lighted candles. I saw old women standing in a line that had to be at least an hour long to visit the relic. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihB8vf2wTJmA5NbJrwSFRTIh_s86g3EyEsi38MEIpsvTo5q09SXJarsZ5gYRAm3fCnfhkJ8XTSwXaGsH3aYTvEjpP0l6L4QNrLsUBX6BIIKde1Ze-KoFkKXwhdSOaL1iwRwkSziceiB8nY/s1600/Cebu+099.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihB8vf2wTJmA5NbJrwSFRTIh_s86g3EyEsi38MEIpsvTo5q09SXJarsZ5gYRAm3fCnfhkJ8XTSwXaGsH3aYTvEjpP0l6L4QNrLsUBX6BIIKde1Ze-KoFkKXwhdSOaL1iwRwkSziceiB8nY/s400/Cebu+099.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
Overall I got a picture of Cebu that was very different from what the resort and tourist websites represented. There is so much more to Cebu than beaches, scuba, and massages. It doesn't seem like a particularly safe place, and many people are definitely lacking what I would consider to be necessities. It's hard to see the poverty and not feel guilty when you know you have a high end luxurious resort to go back to right down the road.<br />
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This is only one face of Cebu however. We decided we would give the other side a chance so we booked an island hopping tour for Sunday and planned on resting and relaxing - doing the resort thing - to see if the place really deserves the title of <a href="http://www.cebucitytourism.com/">"third best island in Asia"</a> In my next post I'll talk about our experiences as island-hopping resorters.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzLzSctpbVak8Jt45f7ITgkvHZHXJhMx_ssevujrUfk_mU8bHWB8yEFiSdiGxEXUSCcWDCp2WrL3iRKYPYNLxGXZb8Lh36JJWIuwcSKxEaAtOnPi6DThnupDxEajDLCqxoRjaDmkcDluES/s1600/Cebu+164.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzLzSctpbVak8Jt45f7ITgkvHZHXJhMx_ssevujrUfk_mU8bHWB8yEFiSdiGxEXUSCcWDCp2WrL3iRKYPYNLxGXZb8Lh36JJWIuwcSKxEaAtOnPi6DThnupDxEajDLCqxoRjaDmkcDluES/s400/Cebu+164.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A jeepney - the top transportation choice in Cebu</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fnovawalsh.blogspot.com/2010/09/two-faces-of-cebu.html&layout=button_count&show_faces=true&width=450&action=like&colorscheme=light&height=21" style="border: medium none; height: 21px; overflow: hidden; width: 450px;"></iframe>Nova Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12535185617343199685noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826629708684445348.post-83317088782053586022010-09-03T19:15:00.002-05:002011-03-07T15:11:58.264-06:00Picture of the WeekThis week we didn't get out a whole lot. The rains have been relentless although I think we're safe from typhoons for now. Last Saturday we did head out to buy some electronics at a huge outlet here called Nova (yes that's my name too!) It was quite an experience - a ton of little shops all within a 4+ story building selling cell phones, computer parts, and anything else you might imagine.<br />
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Walking back home we saw this scooter. This isn't an unusual sight here. Everybody takes dogs and kids and large packages and whatever else they need to transport. We were just lucky enough to catch it on camera finally.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg-CIrkCuTK3XItd9jNsG8kFJ12aBxt7l90yIKRcZCAZKCKe_dg1qr4rfQHtxeDyFHMJ-cY0WKZi8fb5Ix5Y6ZxHHeyfxGhVu0T_3uzR3X-lQfSmLjHw8khcjKb5YE_DOrI4QTdTdHXkuj/s1600/Penang+028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg-CIrkCuTK3XItd9jNsG8kFJ12aBxt7l90yIKRcZCAZKCKe_dg1qr4rfQHtxeDyFHMJ-cY0WKZi8fb5Ix5Y6ZxHHeyfxGhVu0T_3uzR3X-lQfSmLjHw8khcjKb5YE_DOrI4QTdTdHXkuj/s400/Penang+028.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
I wonder if our dog Ripley would like to ride on a scooter. Not quite the same thing as sticking her head out the window :)<br />
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I'm also going to post a new video for this week. Every weekend in Taiwan you can find kids getting together for dancing competitions. I don't know how many times we've seen something like this. The video quality is a little bad, and I think they were just warming up so I'm not too sure about the quality of the dancing either.<br />
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<object height="385" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2tTqZZh_FRI?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2tTqZZh_FRI?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="550" height="385"></embed></object><br />
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What was the best thing you saw this week?<br />
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<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fnovawalsh.blogspot.com&layout=button_count&show_faces=true&width=450&action=like&colorscheme=light&height=21" style="border: medium none; height: 21px; overflow: hidden; width: 450px;"></iframe>Nova Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12535185617343199685noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826629708684445348.post-34009873671931761222010-09-02T03:34:00.000-05:002010-09-02T03:34:37.718-05:00Food!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmiIU9UeoFc-f4sgiKWkNmoJ-ZUdkpjh7QWAtcEDLVF_yHdHW-Bq8iAYWULnhakkEaf6JMc64rkyuBh36lVKcD_tV8PNq_3w71LqBgUp5C-49IcfPUu5_XEmP2nTg7IO2HZn8dxyrX8mjX/s1600/Penang+019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmiIU9UeoFc-f4sgiKWkNmoJ-ZUdkpjh7QWAtcEDLVF_yHdHW-Bq8iAYWULnhakkEaf6JMc64rkyuBh36lVKcD_tV8PNq_3w71LqBgUp5C-49IcfPUu5_XEmP2nTg7IO2HZn8dxyrX8mjX/s400/Penang+019.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>A new post is up on my food blog <a href="http://rainingpotatoes.blogspot.com/">Raining Potatoes</a>. Read all about my new favorite - tonkatsu, pure Japanese deliciousness - on my new post <a href="http://rainingpotatoes.blogspot.com/2010/09/you-had-me-at-sushi.html">You Had Me at Sushi</a>. It will make your mouth water and your stomach ache. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm2gahWFELT1y1fgnpUh0UxJNcu8cUIsz2d9M4RP8c3qCMhS6mV76j2KmBoyUguFLIs_EPkXFgd36DRRTfxrCQ-OS4AaEzQocdHOf8dguJ1cvZhynLe8B8XWFM3-S9jf8McbtN_lrRgbI_/s1600/Penang+004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm2gahWFELT1y1fgnpUh0UxJNcu8cUIsz2d9M4RP8c3qCMhS6mV76j2KmBoyUguFLIs_EPkXFgd36DRRTfxrCQ-OS4AaEzQocdHOf8dguJ1cvZhynLe8B8XWFM3-S9jf8McbtN_lrRgbI_/s400/Penang+004.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Nova Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12535185617343199685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826629708684445348.post-90433590493571259612010-09-01T02:02:00.000-05:002010-09-01T02:02:56.906-05:00August Wrap-Up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Overall August was a pretty slow month here in Taiwan. It started out with a fantastic and eye-opening trip to Malaysia (you can read about it in my four part series starting <a href="http://novawalsh.blogspot.com/2010/08/penang-food-story-day-one.html">here</a>). We ate ourselves silly, saw some sights, and had a great time with old friends.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb2E2jOrTxLYAg-E2N0giq0jYpKxBYnvBzZsYpWfM7t8E51s1aI7ftL0_hA4aH-tW2b_rd2-mwRouuIg9xau7T0dVEynEZaYGbFCsRiE5krwu39jtM47TAShVS_Z7zwDvE745OWWQRsPyy/s1600/Penang011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb2E2jOrTxLYAg-E2N0giq0jYpKxBYnvBzZsYpWfM7t8E51s1aI7ftL0_hA4aH-tW2b_rd2-mwRouuIg9xau7T0dVEynEZaYGbFCsRiE5krwu39jtM47TAShVS_Z7zwDvE745OWWQRsPyy/s400/Penang011.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hawker center - Malaysia</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We spent the rest of the month in Taiwan trying to stay cool. It was definitely hot in a way this Arizona girl was not used to. We only ventured outside when we needed food. We did find several new good restaurants near our house which was fun, although I'm hoping next month I can be braver and try out some of the less English friendly but very yummy looking food stands by us. I've developed a strange addiction to all the bottled drinks you can get at the convenience stores around here. Milk tea, green tea, jasmine tea, juices of every variety. What's not to like? I'll definitely miss this when we go back home.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUXi3FjHvHH8Db1fOuXnFin1rSuO8JAOMDr0Vf8cXfZLyNpwo8FQM6jMekZ43OdGV-JNCMXHiUzMsPgyc8qqephLrrMTP-HSjaFaUDbNEX-KfrWzno82WfTLIEFVGzVK1aW8yMK_F2Lw8L/s1600/Misc+024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUXi3FjHvHH8Db1fOuXnFin1rSuO8JAOMDr0Vf8cXfZLyNpwo8FQM6jMekZ43OdGV-JNCMXHiUzMsPgyc8qqephLrrMTP-HSjaFaUDbNEX-KfrWzno82WfTLIEFVGzVK1aW8yMK_F2Lw8L/s400/Misc+024.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubble_tea">Boba </a>and Lemon Teas - two more new favorites</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The month ended with almost a full day without power. I've never appreciated air-conditioning so much in my life. At one point we sat around in our underwear and stared at the ceiling. We also decided it would be a great idea to trudge down our 17 flights of stairs to go to the grocery store, stupidly thinking the power would be back on for sure when we got back. It wasn't and I got to fulfill a long standing dream of being a shirpa, lugging our bags back up the 17 floors. (I exaggerate a bit. It really wasn't that bad).<br />
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September is looking like it's going to be one heck of an exciting month! Right now I'm scheduled to hit 6 different countries. We're leaving this Friday for the Philippines, where we'll be doing some island hopping and daiquiri drinking on the beach, then a quick trip to Shanghai to see a friend and check out the <a href="http://en.expo2010.cn/">world fair</a>. Three days later it's off to Europe for me. I'll be meeting two girlfriends and driving through Germany, France, and Spain, eating and drinking and sightseeing and doing other generally girly things. It's my first girlfriends-only trip which I'm really excited about it. What a month I have planned!<br />
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Keep reading - I promise to update whenever I can (assuming I can get internet in all these places). And have a good September! Here's hoping for cooler weather.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i784.photobucket.com/albums/yy122/novawalsh/Public/Countries/USA/101-0152_IMG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://i784.photobucket.com/albums/yy122/novawalsh/Public/Countries/USA/101-0152_IMG.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A girl can dream can't she?</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fnovawalsh.blogspot.com&layout=button_count&show_faces=true&width=450&action=like&colorscheme=light&height=21" style="border: medium none; height: 21px; overflow: hidden; width: 450px;"></iframe>Nova Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12535185617343199685noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826629708684445348.post-9218193367668286022010-08-31T02:14:00.002-05:002011-03-07T15:12:35.429-06:00My Favorite Place in the Universe<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i322.photobucket.com/albums/nn427/MRdacosta/New%20Mexico%20-%20August%202010/DSC_0210.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://i322.photobucket.com/albums/nn427/MRdacosta/New%20Mexico%20-%20August%202010/DSC_0210.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://s322.photobucket.com/home/MRdacosta">MRdacosta - Photobucket</a> </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<b>This post has been entered into the <a href="http://www.travelocafe.com/">Travelocafe</a> blogging <a href="http://www.travelocafe.com/2010/08/1-travelocafe-competition-free-ad-space.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+%24%7BTravelocafe%7D+%28%24%7BTravelocafe%7D%29&utm_content=Google+Reader">competition.</a></b><br />
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If you had to choose just one place you've been to claim as your favorite which would it be? Tough question right? When I first saw this competition I wasn't sure it could be done. My mind flipped through all the beautiful places I've been - Ireland, Belize, Malaysia, London. Not to mention all those other places I haven't made it to yet, which would certainly make the list.<br />
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In the end though it could only be New Mexico. I spent most of my childhood in the barren, windblown beauty of the place - the vast stretches of sagebrush, the canyons and arroyos carving out pieces of the earth, the mud of the adobe buildings standing tall against the harsh sun - and my heart still lies there.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii92/jbeare/New%20Mexico/December2006021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii92/jbeare/New%20Mexico/December2006021.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://s262.photobucket.com/home/jbeare/index">jbeare</a> - Photobucket</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The beauty is hard to see in the cities, but head up north towards the towering mountains that smell of pine, aspen leaves shocking yellow and white against green, or to a Native American reservation where colorful dances still take place to the beat of ancient drums, and you begin to get a feeling for what New Mexico really has to offer.<br />
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The rushing Rio Grande surrounded by Cottonwoods always stimulates - raft it if you dare, or just stand on its muddy banks and watch the cold water swirl past.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://media.photobucket.com/image/rio%20grande%20new%20mexico/jbeare/New%20Mexico/DSC_0009.jpg?o=11" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii92/jbeare/New%20Mexico/DSC_0009.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://s262.photobucket.com/albums/ii92/jbeare/New%20Mexico/">jbeare</a> - Photobucket</td></tr>
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Red chili ristas hang reminding you of enchiladas. Posole and biscochitos, those round cinnamon and anise Christmas cookies all us New Mexicans know so well, are ultimate comfort foods. The blue corn up north and the Hatch green chile down south stimulates even the most uninterested appetite.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii214/virginijakliukinskaite_photos/New%20Mexico%202008/IMG_2545_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii214/virginijakliukinskaite_photos/New%20Mexico%202008/IMG_2545_1.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://s265.photobucket.com/home/virginijakliukinskaite_photos/index">virginijakliukinskaite_photos's</a> - Photobucket</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Go see New Mexico for yourself. Watch the autumn balloon fiesta, the bubbles of hot air rising above the river, or visit one of the pueblos to see how Native Americans still live on the land they've called home for centuries. Walk down the quiet streets of Santa Fe. You might see the magic that I do.<br />
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<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fnovawalsh.blogspot.com&layout=button_count&show_faces=true&width=450&action=like&colorscheme=light&height=21" style="border: medium none; height: 21px; overflow: hidden; width: 450px;"></iframe>Nova Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12535185617343199685noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826629708684445348.post-51575236417620749932010-08-27T21:37:00.001-05:002011-03-07T15:12:52.089-06:00The Long and Winding Road<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM8pcKxN7WSxnB1LAcF2UfQS1eW5tisB_lfveZkxPDvYRhirNWj2FciET0RkXfYGu1sZbJlMw24CpKJxZuB9Os_suLdK1gKNKIdP90coYi_8vThI9xfySSFSWVTmagtGgadcqqwYkIKkIh/s1600/Misc+003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM8pcKxN7WSxnB1LAcF2UfQS1eW5tisB_lfveZkxPDvYRhirNWj2FciET0RkXfYGu1sZbJlMw24CpKJxZuB9Os_suLdK1gKNKIdP90coYi_8vThI9xfySSFSWVTmagtGgadcqqwYkIKkIh/s400/Misc+003.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
When we first moved to Taipei we had a hard time remembering how to get home from the subway. There were so many little alleys and turns. All the noodle shops and parks and neon signs in Chinese looked the same. What should have been a 10 minute walk usually turned into 15 or 20 as we got lost and took wrong turns.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie1fGlcVmQCeunqIhHRmtoSxGFyG01o7zHElTgdBczbXWmBHRQkPK5PGodiXDAnxeoqZeyDgNODo-trAcbyEzotDTp8rOFs_ztC5Qd-PmPrQRBJRBIFLfa3NqwEBtwl7OAhBm5064iB7Cx/s1600/Misc+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie1fGlcVmQCeunqIhHRmtoSxGFyG01o7zHElTgdBczbXWmBHRQkPK5PGodiXDAnxeoqZeyDgNODo-trAcbyEzotDTp8rOFs_ztC5Qd-PmPrQRBJRBIFLfa3NqwEBtwl7OAhBm5064iB7Cx/s400/Misc+001.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My route</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Of course my husband and I found different directions home, each of us <i>knowing</i> that we had the fastest route. We debated it, timed it, and never really came to a good consensus. It eventually started coming down to the details - my walk had more food options so if we were hungry it would be a good way to go, but if we used his route it was much less likely that we would be hit by a maniacal scooter.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0kh4RSKL0FvIjxEIBn39Ol6rWlTsDLFCiweP4y_7HDI1smRmZ9DsFNIfCwGE1ZTCvepNMg2XxwIxzthg6to2Y-g_7MdLubgVFRvRUXXI9Hs_9FTcm7Qi6hMosV0C-Ucko2Mt4EC8AaGUR/s1600/Penang+579.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0kh4RSKL0FvIjxEIBn39Ol6rWlTsDLFCiweP4y_7HDI1smRmZ9DsFNIfCwGE1ZTCvepNMg2XxwIxzthg6to2Y-g_7MdLubgVFRvRUXXI9Hs_9FTcm7Qi6hMosV0C-Ucko2Mt4EC8AaGUR/s400/Penang+579.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">His much more peaceful route</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I like my way even if my husband's is safer because there's so much to see. Walking home in late afternoon there are always people shopping at the fruit stall or at the butcher where raw cow hearts sometimes hang from hooks over a bucket to catch the blood.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i784.photobucket.com/albums/yy122/novawalsh/Taiwan/Taipei/The%20Neighborhood/Misc003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://i784.photobucket.com/albums/yy122/novawalsh/Taiwan/Taipei/The%20Neighborhood/Misc003.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Some days old men gather in the park to sit on the wooden benches and gossip or play mahjongg, the tinkle of tiles hitting together and their low Chinese conversation filling the hot air. There's always the same guard dog watching the junk shop. He's scrawny but looks infinitely loyal.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i784.photobucket.com/albums/yy122/novawalsh/Taiwan/Taipei/The%20Neighborhood/SanFrancisco2010041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://i784.photobucket.com/albums/yy122/novawalsh/Taiwan/Taipei/The%20Neighborhood/SanFrancisco2010041.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
In the beginning I had a list of little landmarks to watch out for so I could get home. There was the first turn at the Family Mart (a local 7-11 type store) and then the Boba tea shop and the husband and wife making rice triangle packets wrapped in banana leaf.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i784.photobucket.com/albums/yy122/novawalsh/Taiwan/Taipei/The%20Neighborhood/Misc005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://i784.photobucket.com/albums/yy122/novawalsh/Taiwan/Taipei/The%20Neighborhood/Misc005.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Once I got closer to our place things changed. There were high-rise apartment buildings that all looked the same. Every one of these buildings had guards in uniforms - more for show than anything else (Taipei is the safest city I've<i> ever</i> been to - I don't think these guards see any real action). As far as I can tell, their main duties are to open doors and say hello to people, and to help cars turn out of the underground car parks (totally unnecessary in my opinion - our street is pretty quiet). <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i784.photobucket.com/albums/yy122/novawalsh/Taiwan/Taipei/The%20Neighborhood/SanFrancisco2010050.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://i784.photobucket.com/albums/yy122/novawalsh/Taiwan/Taipei/The%20Neighborhood/SanFrancisco2010050.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
I started remembering which way to go by getting to know these guards. There was the young guy who sat in his booth and watched Chinese tv. There was the tall thin man who always smiled and bowed and said good morning or good afternoon to me. And the one who obsessively pruned the small plants in front, walking back and forth along the planters, watering and bending over to pick out minuscule weeds.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Bswgv8uRaQxTCmvt-kjByzZAsvrQLKCpJVx5HL_j0Vw3EhZ2_kJN0f4N7iO_KAXAkW7-5ckvQMpC6nqrhwpM9IlihgQMlLxZMx1jSEMHE7KxT32XeaBiIhXC1envXhZf-hJNu8C2HemT/s1600/Penang+580.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Bswgv8uRaQxTCmvt-kjByzZAsvrQLKCpJVx5HL_j0Vw3EhZ2_kJN0f4N7iO_KAXAkW7-5ckvQMpC6nqrhwpM9IlihgQMlLxZMx1jSEMHE7KxT32XeaBiIhXC1envXhZf-hJNu8C2HemT/s400/Penang+580.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
Finally I would see the huge park by our place - the old ladies walking their tiny dogs, the teenagers in school uniforms lighting up cigarettes and holding hands - and I would know I was almost home. I'd only have to pass by the 7-11 on the corner and two other apartment complexes before I reached ours (by the way - going my way I pass 3 convenience stores. See my post about <a href="http://novawalsh.blogspot.com/2010/05/convenience.html">Taiwan Convenience</a> to learn more).<br />
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I know my way home now without even thinking about it. Sometimes I change things up to see what's going on down the other streets in the neighborhood, but I usually stick to my noisier crazier way. You never know what you might see around here.Nova Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12535185617343199685noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826629708684445348.post-88245138027575017092010-08-26T18:12:00.014-05:002011-03-07T15:13:08.484-06:00Picture of the WeekI've decided to start doing a picture of the week post. Every Friday I'll post my favorite picture from the previous week. These will be filed under <a href="http://novawalsh.blogspot.com/search/label/Pictures">Pictures</a> and the country they are taken in. Enjoy!<br />
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<u><b>NOODLES!</b></u><br />
I found this week's favorite on Tuesday while walking around taking pictures of the Ghost Festival. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheMOa6_jMIuPaIHMNLoG5aSwjqqYxrgCXWbfQER_oydscVN1PQ9k4UkWN_h_QGnPYSTVM6DyxERw4n-9tnDTlXstZqdtJ5C_nl0Q-rnhj2WlkijlRyF_s9jdMfKNtnXn1wie4E1AR5aBjW/s1600/Penang+566.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheMOa6_jMIuPaIHMNLoG5aSwjqqYxrgCXWbfQER_oydscVN1PQ9k4UkWN_h_QGnPYSTVM6DyxERw4n-9tnDTlXstZqdtJ5C_nl0Q-rnhj2WlkijlRyF_s9jdMfKNtnXn1wie4E1AR5aBjW/s400/Penang+566.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Normally I'm not a huge fan of graffiti but this tag really touched my heart. Noodles! Who wouldn't want to sing their praises everywhere?<br />
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So tell me, have you ever enjoyed a piece of graffiti? Found it to be artistic and thoughtful?<br />
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<u><b>If You Want to Know More</b></u><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Graffiti-World-Updated-Street-Continents/dp/0810980495?ie=UTF8&tag=thepalpro-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="Graffiti World Updated Edition: Street Art from Five Continents" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0810980495&tag=thepalpro-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thepalpro-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0810980495" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Graffiti-Planet-Best-Around-World/dp/1843172801?ie=UTF8&tag=thepalpro-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="Graffiti Planet: The Best Graffiti from Around the World" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=1843172801&tag=thepalpro-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thepalpro-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1843172801" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Noodle-Terry-Durack/dp/1579590705?ie=UTF8&tag=thepalpro-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="Noodle" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=1579590705&tag=thepalpro-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thepalpro-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1579590705" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thepalpro-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1155863259" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Classic-Japanese-Recipes-step-step/dp/1844764559?ie=UTF8&tag=thepalpro-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="70 Classic Japanese Recipes: From sushi to noodles, from miso soup to tempura--authentic dishes explained step-by-step with 250 color photographs" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=1844764559&tag=thepalpro-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thepalpro-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1844764559" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />Nova Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12535185617343199685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826629708684445348.post-81578316031222413772010-08-25T08:12:00.001-05:002011-03-07T15:13:38.524-06:00Ghost Month<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpQttl6lSalVl6grrd-Al4Wq3peW6SeaewMrv9ea8tava0rhQOGoaOnMepPT3rFogvOGp55U0-I5WJo8gpe3c4VdjsptU-B3hCC_wyKFv5ymPNvgcretD22O4n6nerZhE_onx16gmzdIDF/s1600/Penang+545a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpQttl6lSalVl6grrd-Al4Wq3peW6SeaewMrv9ea8tava0rhQOGoaOnMepPT3rFogvOGp55U0-I5WJo8gpe3c4VdjsptU-B3hCC_wyKFv5ymPNvgcretD22O4n6nerZhE_onx16gmzdIDF/s400/Penang+545a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Most of August is Ghost Month here in Taiwan. Ghost month is actually the entire <a href="http://kalender-365.de/lunar-calendar.php">seventh lunar month</a> of the year so the dates change but it usually falls at least partly in August.<br />
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Ghost month is all about celebrating (and appeasing) the spirits of Taiwanese ancestors. During the first day of the month the gates of the underworld are opened and ghosts can return to this world and wander around for the whole month until at the end the gates close again and ghosts return to their place until next year.<br />
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All sorts of rituals are performed to make sure these ghosts don't overstay their welcome (and probably also as an act of worship). Especially during the Ghost Festival, the 15th of the lunar month, people make serious efforts to keep the ghosts at bay, lighting paper money and incense in front of homes and shops, offering all sorts of snacks from produce to cookies to alcohol. This is done in hopes that the ghosts will stay outside the home or shop, enjoying themselves, and forget to come inside and take up residence.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj42XcEcdso5w5r7hugeD5LRmDDgfzMPKNUi7vJQxHbnGm69Cs9wDMc7yvUi3s0W0hHesaywk4O20Cmx4sHXeIvGtEECWkhxYfLuk0UC7WtNYoCdaoW3QALA3pNMG3BJE4IPPMpiFKNlm1Y/s1600/Penang+582.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj42XcEcdso5w5r7hugeD5LRmDDgfzMPKNUi7vJQxHbnGm69Cs9wDMc7yvUi3s0W0hHesaywk4O20Cmx4sHXeIvGtEECWkhxYfLuk0UC7WtNYoCdaoW3QALA3pNMG3BJE4IPPMpiFKNlm1Y/s400/Penang+582.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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Walking around yesterday, I saw a lot of tents set up outside large office complexes and apartment buildings with rows and rows of tables. I couldn't figure it out for a while, but on my way back home I stumbled on this.<br />
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Obviously these were set up to let people perform their Ghost Festival rituals in an orderly way. I guess it would be pretty chaotic if all these people set up their own little tables with cookies and incense and juice. Best to keep it all in one confined space.<br />
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Money burning is another important ritual. No not real money. Buddhists buy stacks and stacks of fake paper money that they burn in small kilns. I've heard ghost festival referred to also as National Pollution Day.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwto2qIXGc3pN7uMBPxj8nl_cko8-2Bmn4g913KqTW1TvxqyrxAR2Jq1C3VM8NI-xlsK_qx9V_wsqueUUxkMkzVehdJtUxrdD_9U8KEClXhSoquzuIIbGhce800ZgFbX-5R5F1mo3SWNdS/s1600/Penang+529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwto2qIXGc3pN7uMBPxj8nl_cko8-2Bmn4g913KqTW1TvxqyrxAR2Jq1C3VM8NI-xlsK_qx9V_wsqueUUxkMkzVehdJtUxrdD_9U8KEClXhSoquzuIIbGhce800ZgFbX-5R5F1mo3SWNdS/s400/Penang+529.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
I walked through a produce market and was kind of surprised that more people weren't buying fruits and vegetables after reading an article in <a href="http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan-business/2010/08/23/269702/Fruit-prices.htm">The China Post</a> about the cost of produce rising 20-30 percent over the weekend ahead of the Ghost Festival. Maybe everyone had already stocked up.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg90_xl193cxzHXRMlpqcIqVwa1g-mS4j2eOHnv3ajPwQG62Yu_OTBchgy5-pa7qPloFxW84VYkAxIA5TVu14bGyeqYXYfECJx6DdrWatXjfTj6zMvg5HpNRmtl8DuzTNw1aBO0H11eWFCB/s1600/Penang+561.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg90_xl193cxzHXRMlpqcIqVwa1g-mS4j2eOHnv3ajPwQG62Yu_OTBchgy5-pa7qPloFxW84VYkAxIA5TVu14bGyeqYXYfECJx6DdrWatXjfTj6zMvg5HpNRmtl8DuzTNw1aBO0H11eWFCB/s400/Penang+561.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
Obviously I wasn't the only person confused by the lunar calendar stuff. Making my way through an underground shopping center on my way to the temple, I ran into this.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSkmrWNq6ByonPst1Pqv8Z9SWFrXzzfTNovd4doY2h9sU2BKdSPDPCFiBwUC2SSEuznXPLddYtEL_HXEn-NPDcN_kGRd3JSJ6PQo_q912vgZFcH81jGw_Er6b40yjppK8kj4in7sR-KVWv/s1600/Penang+524.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSkmrWNq6ByonPst1Pqv8Z9SWFrXzzfTNovd4doY2h9sU2BKdSPDPCFiBwUC2SSEuznXPLddYtEL_HXEn-NPDcN_kGRd3JSJ6PQo_q912vgZFcH81jGw_Er6b40yjppK8kj4in7sR-KVWv/s400/Penang+524.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Nova Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12535185617343199685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826629708684445348.post-87853583847911806782010-08-23T03:03:00.002-05:002010-08-26T21:39:26.514-05:00Penang: A Food Story - Day Four<div style="text-align: center;"></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQhtQlalTYncss8B3Xfinx7ZDQGxp0hqSz3_DOYN7x9L0eb_oyoUOMnie5wF4u0WdAsXKviQUL6Ncg11lNgUEpBtB-NJnma4-1YrYyDPhpEtqb3OtNpAQ82aypB6X6OMMoxAcsBhzX4vm-/s1600/Penang+441.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQhtQlalTYncss8B3Xfinx7ZDQGxp0hqSz3_DOYN7x9L0eb_oyoUOMnie5wF4u0WdAsXKviQUL6Ncg11lNgUEpBtB-NJnma4-1YrYyDPhpEtqb3OtNpAQ82aypB6X6OMMoxAcsBhzX4vm-/s400/Penang+441.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of Penang from Bukit Jambul hiking trail<span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt;"></span></td></tr>
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By now you're probably all tired of hearing about Penang - the glories of the food, the prodigious diversity, the intriguing sites. I sympathize, but hang in with me just a little longer. We have one day to go still on our culinary adventure.<br />
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To be completely honest, our fourth day seemed a lot like the others. I think by this time I was in information and experience overload. It all kind of started running together and I felt like I needed to hide in a dark cave for a while and just process. But travel and eating waits for no woman.<br />
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We slept in late - finally checking out of the hotel around 1:00PM. I think this was the only time in the trip that we failed at our primary objective to never be hungry, which we'd all talked about on our first night in Penang. But chicken rice finally did come and save the day.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_3pHsmOiBsYXYcaWdElySmDIE04ugS2c2UkXOsUXn_h4Fc8a2XNRlCZ0BpnBldsvao9eDdErOzD2nSdfUt7PJ0wt_uHUdwQhE4Hlz5Hp0Zlw4Ms2_HS5n8KKO23KGbPq3bpHre9rkvkHT/s1600/Penang+358.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_3pHsmOiBsYXYcaWdElySmDIE04ugS2c2UkXOsUXn_h4Fc8a2XNRlCZ0BpnBldsvao9eDdErOzD2nSdfUt7PJ0wt_uHUdwQhE4Hlz5Hp0Zlw4Ms2_HS5n8KKO23KGbPq3bpHre9rkvkHT/s400/Penang+358.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
We each got a plate of rice and soup to share for the table. The soup was a thin vegetable stock - one bowl with lotus root and one with a gourd or melon. Then came the meat. A large plate of roasted chicken, its dark crispy skin giving way to thin strips of flavorful fat. Another of roasted duck, also with crunchy skin but a more aromatic spicy flavor to the meat. And the best of all, roasted pork. The chopped up pork was a mixture of textures, some bacon-like crispy pieces, others more of a succulent and juicy bite.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizeFh8xdthiJWdR3WpDwJGxD94S_5HX9M5KEB7TkPY4g8W9V-N9OmC-YunkukC-K5gTkua3__lWAKYmshdoKGhdOEBeBhdFSSjooIOg7aaalXlaPqTtDOsRnOxl-CyxO0T53Bk8X6RXOPU/s1600/Penang+364.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizeFh8xdthiJWdR3WpDwJGxD94S_5HX9M5KEB7TkPY4g8W9V-N9OmC-YunkukC-K5gTkua3__lWAKYmshdoKGhdOEBeBhdFSSjooIOg7aaalXlaPqTtDOsRnOxl-CyxO0T53Bk8X6RXOPU/s400/Penang+364.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
After eating we stopped by a haunting old cemetery to take some pictures. It was a Protestant graveyard which held most of the pioneers and missionaries that came to the island during the 18th and 19th centuries. The place was dark and peaceful.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Um6pQiFxfmx0v1xZByFjaMcIsoFl4L-Xj8tJHJtiYUGx5e2C70I8Yht1mpytd-m32jPnzsJakmlZsJhKV6mDG87sU_z5KDFO2X3C0p4abbqDwnvCChC5vSFq6ctk7ArxhW8nT9gXQZMP/s1600/Penang+368.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Um6pQiFxfmx0v1xZByFjaMcIsoFl4L-Xj8tJHJtiYUGx5e2C70I8Yht1mpytd-m32jPnzsJakmlZsJhKV6mDG87sU_z5KDFO2X3C0p4abbqDwnvCChC5vSFq6ctk7ArxhW8nT9gXQZMP/s400/Penang+368.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
The strangest thing about it was the young couple taking wedding photos around the graves. Wedding photos are a big thing in Asia, couples sometimes setting whole weekends aside to travel to foreign countries and get dressed up in outrageous outfits for pictures. An entourage of camera crews and makeup/wardrobe people follow the couple around, primping them and positioning them in awkward poses while the cameraman bounces around, smokes and throws fits, generally acting like the artist that he surely is. It was bizarre to see them taking pictures in the cemetery (especially considering how superstitious people tend to be in this part of the world) but our friends told us people do it all the time. It seems like an unusual choice to me.<br />
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After the graveyard it was off to a local market to get some more of the delicious roasted pork we'd liked so much at lunch. I wrote about the market experience pretty extensively on my food blog - <a href="http://rainingpotatoes.blogspot.com/2010/08/penang-market.html">Penang Market</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXGsyd2rgE9SUbxY0BgVHVWHaeot_5Eooz_PncMKWcqJqfeYnuyLJlKJJ_MaHndu7JK7EaQOvK4XPMcBn1tfKBpBwQYTo3GlavJOsJIJWA7TapcM6foO4QSOhfKEH9CDTWxegzKOuGl6Pp/s1600/Penang+407.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXGsyd2rgE9SUbxY0BgVHVWHaeot_5Eooz_PncMKWcqJqfeYnuyLJlKJJ_MaHndu7JK7EaQOvK4XPMcBn1tfKBpBwQYTo3GlavJOsJIJWA7TapcM6foO4QSOhfKEH9CDTWxegzKOuGl6Pp/s400/Penang+407.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
We spent a good amount of time at the market while our friend did some shopping. We took pictures of the seafood, vegetables, fruits and flowers that were for sale and watched as people shuffled in and out around us haggling over their dinner ingredients. <br />
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Finally we headed back towards the area where our friends live. We stopped for afternoon "tea" and had coffee, snacks and ice cream sandwiches at a Malaysian chain called <a href="http://www.oldtown.com.my/">Old Town White Coffee</a>. The coffee originated in a city called Ipoh and reminds me of Vietnamese coffee - the beans are roasted in oil as they are in Vietnamese coffee and its mixed with condensed milk. <br />
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The ice cream sandwiches were very soft ice cream layered in scoops in between toasted bread. It sounded really weird when we ordered it but ended up being fantastic. I wish they'd open up these shops back in the U.S. I'd probably be there every day. They would certainly give Starbucks a run for their money (if they got onto the merchandising bandwagon that is - we wanted to buy a coffee mug but were only able to get instant coffee packets)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLrq6dL0zufDp66Cleqp9rAC3erIUYz2z1imaQVkLriA-SrpiSG9pzmlqkLt-iyuMRGfPmpZMz5py7Jp1izhb6Cgh0qDK-jRJQUwYpTBjNKY5vhNrYGryWioqEtX0RMkVqZduY5UJyTBkJ/s1600/Penang+432.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLrq6dL0zufDp66Cleqp9rAC3erIUYz2z1imaQVkLriA-SrpiSG9pzmlqkLt-iyuMRGfPmpZMz5py7Jp1izhb6Cgh0qDK-jRJQUwYpTBjNKY5vhNrYGryWioqEtX0RMkVqZduY5UJyTBkJ/s400/Penang+432.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Late in the afternoon, after eating most of the day, we agreed to go on a hike. If we had only known what we were getting ourselves into! The hike kicked our butts! It was one of the steepest hikes I've ever been on, the trail winding through deep jungle. Mosquitoes were everywhere and our sweat drew them to us like we were the promised land. We finally got to the top of Bukit Jambul to see the setting sun over Penang.<br />
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We took a quick break and a few pictures then headed back down quick. It was already starting to get dark and I wasn't looking forward to trying to make my way through the dense trees and uneven path in the fading light. Who knew what was in that jungle. We made it out alive, but by the time we got back to the car the sun was gone.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0yKLsU1zD8TmAtSuAdggiTGECKSmSKoE7zjdvexY7Z7rgp0LXxhJtG3kBGX5TdvWe0bwOkYv0xQhcoLrEc3gDZ8OdAzJ7icPSPciDXIiIvjPtsEEo2wV0iHPccd39tCTR9b95Ny6mB1UD/s1600/Penang+449.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0yKLsU1zD8TmAtSuAdggiTGECKSmSKoE7zjdvexY7Z7rgp0LXxhJtG3kBGX5TdvWe0bwOkYv0xQhcoLrEc3gDZ8OdAzJ7icPSPciDXIiIvjPtsEEo2wV0iHPccd39tCTR9b95Ny6mB1UD/s400/Penang+449.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
Which leads me to the last meal of the night. Of course we chose Nasi Kandar, the South Indian food we'd had the first night. It was my husband's favorite of the trip and we all wanted to go back for a little more curry, okra and roti. We even gave in and ordered one of the long dessert cones.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMIhOjIDzkhb7eMBGJAwj2Pq8MLhZo6ojiuLkHCq01adRVaAXH_BHxRyzuGsuotUsboWZg5G3fTrhSLhYyQK-jFYYSXQ7HN6jREYV3199NG_YraY4dN5HiVL7ubGqn55fTbnxf52reWmyD/s1600/Penang+456.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMIhOjIDzkhb7eMBGJAwj2Pq8MLhZo6ojiuLkHCq01adRVaAXH_BHxRyzuGsuotUsboWZg5G3fTrhSLhYyQK-jFYYSXQ7HN6jREYV3199NG_YraY4dN5HiVL7ubGqn55fTbnxf52reWmyD/s400/Penang+456.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
It was a pretty rowdy Sunday night at the Nasi Kandar place. A football (er, soccer) match was on - Manchester United vs. Chelsea. Malaysians are really into English soccer. They have a team of their own but we were informed that they weren't very good so everybody watched the English teams. People jostled for tables, many wearing the jerseys or at least the blue or red colors from one or the other team.<br />
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And so we come to the end. Penang was an overload for the senses. It was an experience like no other. I found a whole nation of foodies. I found diversity like I've never seen anywhere else. I found a place I might be satisfied with forever. People who know me well know that's saying a lot. I don't settle down very well. I get antsy fast. But I think Malaysia has a lot to keep a person occupied.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">* * *</div><br />
But what about those last two meals? That only takes us to 18 - I claimed we'd eaten at least 20!<br />
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The next morning on the way to the airport we stopped at a hawker center for one final feast of three more dishes. I guess it depends on how you define a meal, but by our count that pushes us past twenty.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i784.photobucket.com/albums/yy122/novawalsh/Malaysia/Penang/Penang007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://i784.photobucket.com/albums/yy122/novawalsh/Malaysia/Penang/Penang007.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hokkien Mee</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoAYiO5V-0QPpJFTjKX2aSgYTtJ15_tLkXTm_rKF3eOWfNTikBlLZxe1B9ZgXpJBPsgtGU5k84X0O2xEW7f1toeTHWtKBhXxKcDlnuLpiGL5NHinKsoe6mnv9-BucDgdhrAmdOEx1HlnIq/s1600/Penang+468.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoAYiO5V-0QPpJFTjKX2aSgYTtJ15_tLkXTm_rKF3eOWfNTikBlLZxe1B9ZgXpJBPsgtGU5k84X0O2xEW7f1toeTHWtKBhXxKcDlnuLpiGL5NHinKsoe6mnv9-BucDgdhrAmdOEx1HlnIq/s400/Penang+468.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Curry Mee</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWB9uhG8TVlGfmTD5ipqdrkULlNlXjkknmoXmW5ppLhbwYe0n7L6abq8nINPILpoz9pCqEVE2iwDgo_VQ_JqzL2iOQtjq6HVY_0NkwO8EOdmWGijGLdJ3dvV9uMq_dcZ8nLVZTqbumLO9w/s1600/Penang+465.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWB9uhG8TVlGfmTD5ipqdrkULlNlXjkknmoXmW5ppLhbwYe0n7L6abq8nINPILpoz9pCqEVE2iwDgo_VQ_JqzL2iOQtjq6HVY_0NkwO8EOdmWGijGLdJ3dvV9uMq_dcZ8nLVZTqbumLO9w/s400/Penang+465.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kuih Lapis and other steamed sweet cakes with a variety of textures and tastes</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<b><u>The Final Food Talley:</u></b><br />
Meals Previously Eaten:14<br />
Meals Eaten on Day Four: 4<br />
Meals Eaten on Day Five (on our way to the airport):3<br />
The Total: 21<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><u><b>All Posts In This Series: </b></u><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://novawalsh.blogspot.com/2010/08/penang-food-story-day-four.html">Penang: A Food Story - Day Four</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://novawalsh.blogspot.com/2010/08/penang-food-story-day-three.html">Penang: A Food Story - Day Three</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://novawalsh.blogspot.com/2010/08/penang-food-story-day-two.html">Penang: A Food Story - Day Two</a></div><a href="http://novawalsh.blogspot.com/2010/08/penang-food-story-day-one.html">Penang: A Food Story - Day One</a><br />
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fnovawalsh.blogspot.com&layout=button_count&show_faces=true&width=450&action=like&colorscheme=light&height=21" style="border: medium none; height: 21px; overflow: hidden; width: 450px;"></iframe>Nova Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12535185617343199685noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826629708684445348.post-76163714861415221072010-08-21T05:55:00.002-05:002010-08-26T21:39:51.080-05:00Penang: A Food Story - Day Three<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrWtLXuliXI3zZQ4PhWwpc8HBZVQ3VfZztEnrlJsj6V1QjE6vt0BH3VjWGPaHcV-dxs21dlkH1UgvLZGaxG2Y64voKAQVZaIDuLejXTiel89kbYN9SLlYSB5wdBHDTgBD2Cu068gmb-Cqp/s1600/Penang+139.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrWtLXuliXI3zZQ4PhWwpc8HBZVQ3VfZztEnrlJsj6V1QjE6vt0BH3VjWGPaHcV-dxs21dlkH1UgvLZGaxG2Y64voKAQVZaIDuLejXTiel89kbYN9SLlYSB5wdBHDTgBD2Cu068gmb-Cqp/s400/Penang+139.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little India, Penang</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<u><b>The Day Begins</b></u><br />
I woke up on day three wondering if I could really keep up the pace, if the stamina that had gotten me through days one and two was going to help push me through this frenzy of eating and seeing and doing. I could feel all those previous meals sticking to my bones just where I didn't need them. My body wanted more sleep, needed time to process all those calories. A hangover from the beach bar the night before wasn't helping convince me to get moving but eventually I roused myself out of bed and made my way down to the lobby.<br />
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Day three began with rain, but it was a really nice relief. It cooled everything down for a while and made our morning really pleasant. We made our way to a Malay buffet for breakfast and I was so glad I got myself out of bed! It was my favorite meal of the entire trip (and with a final count of more than twenty meals, that's saying a lot!) It seemed a lot like Indian to me with the curries and the rice, but the flavor was definitely unique.<br />
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You get handed a big plate of rice, then make your way around the buffet picking out whatever meats, curries and vegetables look good (which for me was a little of almost everything). Then you walk over to a large bubbly woman in a dark headscarf. She looks over your plate, mostly to see how much meat you have, and charges what she thinks fair. You can go back and get more curry for free if you want, but if you get anything else you have to pay again. The taste was amazing. Deep and complex flavors soaked into the chicken and lamb braised in the curries. I will never forget it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitFXQx3VifckjLOwVuKpATW6mXoFge4vQpXza5txZG07W6I2bfeR9VhQFpSSuA4_3llhLAen45Q88aFFHktOBkAgDs2F7bR2MAvDvPh0oEbYq4wyKpdJ36pGWQKAnob5E6MJIJkD261MQe/s1600/Penang+133.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitFXQx3VifckjLOwVuKpATW6mXoFge4vQpXza5txZG07W6I2bfeR9VhQFpSSuA4_3llhLAen45Q88aFFHktOBkAgDs2F7bR2MAvDvPh0oEbYq4wyKpdJ36pGWQKAnob5E6MJIJkD261MQe/s400/Penang+133.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Malay Buffet</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<u><b>Walking the City </b></u><br />
After breakfast we started our walk around Georgetown. The rain was still coming down in a light drizzle, but as we moved through Little India I completely forgot. I've never been to India but I've always been infatuated with its culture - the beautiful saris, the amazing food, the intricate gods and goddesses - so this was a real treat for me. We walked into stores selling spices and bangles and down narrow streets where <a href="http://www.live365.com/web/index.live?cont=gen">Hindi and Bollywood</a> music blared. The dress shops with their beautiful bright fabrics captivated me.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMD4U2ntcVdjKqdZaYbED9KyNNLJktvoCxLkTUgGQ_zA90kYPcbAvDyXzR1OextGX5dyzdsnsXljjgChMreOTLPgQTIMJC_MOOHcUBmvX058HsRV4-x3YWvR8gDu79Xn6ONhSbWV0uOnc-/s1600/Penang+142.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMD4U2ntcVdjKqdZaYbED9KyNNLJktvoCxLkTUgGQ_zA90kYPcbAvDyXzR1OextGX5dyzdsnsXljjgChMreOTLPgQTIMJC_MOOHcUBmvX058HsRV4-x3YWvR8gDu79Xn6ONhSbWV0uOnc-/s400/Penang+142.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A dress shop - Little India, Penang</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
A fortune teller sat on the sidewalk helping two young men learn their fates. Spices lined the sidewalks in big burlap bags, spilling out onto the street in waves of smell and crunch. Stalls at the intersections sold an array of snacks - pumpkin filled samosas, fritters, and pakoras - and incense that blew all around scenting the air.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmdZxIgQ4oWKxo_9XtQOzQuxmU-75soLC1cGkngQ5fdke52lMIUEuRJnRYNH3T7czdTOH1pv3VQk0mLZYBphKkJtOJ_m1mceBXw1WdH19HDIlnRV_pbqD4yTjBVzZKfSagmyg8GKknwF_Q/s1600/Penang+150.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmdZxIgQ4oWKxo_9XtQOzQuxmU-75soLC1cGkngQ5fdke52lMIUEuRJnRYNH3T7czdTOH1pv3VQk0mLZYBphKkJtOJ_m1mceBXw1WdH19HDIlnRV_pbqD4yTjBVzZKfSagmyg8GKknwF_Q/s400/Penang+150.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Fortune Teller - Little India, Penang</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEhOhKGT_jqayVe2pmDb887UhFEJEzF4bB2rGY9C6WVM7HusbkdPAtIQ1Xf6Pga7JgeVJrYhYeO_vSAEFNnYu8-Fu1buN2JVmV7a0jjodtKFkrG7tG6wqwg8p5Ieqj0MgOsYZDj7srJxXJ/s1600/Penang+145.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEhOhKGT_jqayVe2pmDb887UhFEJEzF4bB2rGY9C6WVM7HusbkdPAtIQ1Xf6Pga7JgeVJrYhYeO_vSAEFNnYu8-Fu1buN2JVmV7a0jjodtKFkrG7tG6wqwg8p5Ieqj0MgOsYZDj7srJxXJ/s400/Penang+145.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
In 2008 UNESCO declared <a href="http://www.worldheritagesite.org/sites/melaka.html">Georgetown</a>, along with Melaka, a world heritage site. A lot of beautifying and preserving has taken place since, and we visited several of the buildings, including the Goddess of Mercy Temple, the Pinang Peranakan Mansion (yes the same Peranakans with the fantastic nyonya food from <a href="http://novawalsh.blogspot.com/2010/08/penang-food-story-day-two.html">day two</a>) and the Hindu Sri Mahamariamman Temple. The most amazing thing about these sites was the intricacy of all the buildings. The mansion was covered with detailed ivory and woodwork, the temples had tiny figurines and statues covering most surfaces. They all seemed lovingly taken care of (or at least lovingly refurbished).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhykMI0XqykNZ3RN4oBqtbe_OQqCVGBq0Wg4lzDPbKZme2jO_XWbrJbiX5z0ZNuM-xXPIKsHcEAHOyVVj-DZ9Vj7_KQdHlBoh0t-0ga6qdBwBfqEEm_quuYB2jRQrYi7GzckbSF-bvzUMxk/s1600/Penang+187.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhykMI0XqykNZ3RN4oBqtbe_OQqCVGBq0Wg4lzDPbKZme2jO_XWbrJbiX5z0ZNuM-xXPIKsHcEAHOyVVj-DZ9Vj7_KQdHlBoh0t-0ga6qdBwBfqEEm_quuYB2jRQrYi7GzckbSF-bvzUMxk/s400/Penang+187.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sri Mahamariamman Temple. This gateway is home to 38 Hindu deities - Penang.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYe5eGIfXcZvD1LfnjvmSRpjrJhwJJrhwY6K5baeoHZxQ8YeX1Vk5oHqF83gXE1FU0n2XOYCmCVuMyzSCOvIxVPZ9HLZfJ-BW94FEW3RTL0rE-rkAnLJkZ-liMBW63apO6Uf3t7BBqxLQm/s1600/Penang+222.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYe5eGIfXcZvD1LfnjvmSRpjrJhwJJrhwY6K5baeoHZxQ8YeX1Vk5oHqF83gXE1FU0n2XOYCmCVuMyzSCOvIxVPZ9HLZfJ-BW94FEW3RTL0rE-rkAnLJkZ-liMBW63apO6Uf3t7BBqxLQm/s400/Penang+222.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pinang Peranakan Mansion - Penang</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<b><u>The Food Frenzy Continues</u></b><br />
All the walking made us hungry again of course, so it was off to find the second best meal of the trip, the <a href="http://novawalsh.blogspot.com/2010/08/penang-food-story-day-two.html">Char Koay Teow</a> I've mentioned in previous posts, made by this man - a true artist. In less than three minutes he'd made three plates and handed us one. Talk about fast food! We stood right on the street, trying not to fall into the deep gutter behind as traffic passed, and ate our hearts out. I'm still craving another plate of this stuff - it was street food at its finest.<br />
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<u><b>Bad Monkeys! </b></u><br />
We took a quick stroll through the Botanical Gardens after our snack. It was nice to get out and get a little exercise after all the eating we'd done. The park was beautiful - full of rare and interesting plants. A large population of very hungry monkeys ran all around trying to beg or steal food from visitors. These monkeys can turn vicious quickly, hissing and even biting if you don't give them food so I was surprised to see some tourists sitting with them, taking pictures, feeding them right out of their hands. It was a bad idea and we got out of there before we could witness the mob scene that would surely follow once the food was gone.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_of3kcrfBqNuTv1SqKP0GmWleG3RWJQdztcCupOACwUVcsjaLGxtOLqx25DPrzSBeaNXNkTkgMCWdwTfWiIzvyC7okK-uhvDxdlD4v2s-Qjnt4ciXeMma0-EHHSZQFXMuiwGvLjOxbeAo/s1600/Penang+288.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_of3kcrfBqNuTv1SqKP0GmWleG3RWJQdztcCupOACwUVcsjaLGxtOLqx25DPrzSBeaNXNkTkgMCWdwTfWiIzvyC7okK-uhvDxdlD4v2s-Qjnt4ciXeMma0-EHHSZQFXMuiwGvLjOxbeAo/s400/Penang+288.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A minute after I took this picture the monkey rummaged through the front basket on this motorbike and found something he liked. He quickly lifted it and took it up a tree.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<u><b>Shopping </b></u><br />
Afterward we headed back to the hotel for a break. My husband and I rested for a while and then decided to go to the night market just outside our hotel. The night market was different than the ones here in Taipei - a lot more like what you might find in Thailand. It's much more tourist oriented - tiny buddhas, pillow covers, obviously fake and cheaply made Louis Vuitton purses - that vacationers want to take back with them instead of the more utilitarian clothes and shoes that the Taiwanese buy. I guess it comes down to the fact that Taiwan is just not a tourist destination (yet).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><u><b>Another Perfect Ending </b></u><br />
The night ended with another fantastic meal - my third favorite of the trip. We went to another Indian place which was very different from the Nasi Kandar we had the first day.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7SsIkRF85WvsYZoRWYZv3tMNPC7tReSxyRp177XGP48KlD3D3BuAjZv6Z-hsYXxl-fUkhHVP0nwIjmOhRoY-DDFu8wS6brdAcn95sLKmCb2k5ZokILwQ4BvVVw3xeo8sWPcbwbu2qErr8/s1600/Penang+332.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7SsIkRF85WvsYZoRWYZv3tMNPC7tReSxyRp177XGP48KlD3D3BuAjZv6Z-hsYXxl-fUkhHVP0nwIjmOhRoY-DDFu8wS6brdAcn95sLKmCb2k5ZokILwQ4BvVVw3xeo8sWPcbwbu2qErr8/s400/Penang+332.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Day three was my favorite overall. Not only did I get to try the three dishes that topped my list for the trip but I got to experience a little taste of India. Most importantly I got a better feel for the cultural diversity that makes Penang the vibrant place it is and the tolerance that allows it to thrive. It's strange that coming from America, a country that touts diversity every chance it gets, it took seeing a place like Malaysia to really understand what diversity is all about.<br />
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It's not about expecting newcomers adapt to our way of life while pretending that we're open to diversity because they get to keep their religion (as long as it doesn't look too threatening). It's not about having kids sit in mixed-race classrooms. It's not about saying we're diverse while kicking out people determined to speak their own language instead of quickly embracing English.<br />
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It's about taking in all the insanity and chaos that comes along with being truly diverse. It's about eating a cheeseburger alongside someone eating chicken feet and not being grossed out. It's about being comfortable on the beach with women in burkas and women in bikinis. It's about not only tolerating other languages, but trying to learn a little Chinese or Spanish or Malay ourselves. It's about tolerance of different opinions (although not necessarily acceptance). That's the kind of diversity I hope we can all embrace.<br />
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<b><u>The Food Talley:</u></b><br />
Meals Previously Eaten: 8<br />
Meals Eaten on Day Three: 6<br />
The Total So Far: 14<br />
Meals not listed above: a stop for pakoras and samosas on the street in Little India, two meals at a hawker center where we tasted another noodle dish called Mee Goreng and Poh Piah - an eggroll of sorts with prawns<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><u><b>All Posts In This Series: </b></u><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://novawalsh.blogspot.com/2010/08/penang-food-story-day-four.html">Penang: A Food Story - Day Four</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://novawalsh.blogspot.com/2010/08/penang-food-story-day-three.html">Penang: A Food Story - Day Three</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://novawalsh.blogspot.com/2010/08/penang-food-story-day-two.html">Penang: A Food Story - Day Two</a></div><a href="http://novawalsh.blogspot.com/2010/08/penang-food-story-day-one.html">Penang: A Food Story - Day One</a><br />
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<u><b>If You'd Like to Know More</b></u><br />
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<u><b>Books </b></u><br />
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<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thepalpro-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1741044855" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thepalpro-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=9812617892" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thepalpro-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=9814276030" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thepalpro-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1741792339" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thepalpro-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0470447214" style="border: medium none ! 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important;" width="1" /><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thepalpro-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=9812328068" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Authentic-Recipes-Malaysia/dp/0794602967?ie=UTF8&tag=thepalpro-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="Authentic Recipes from Malaysia (Authentic Recipes Series)" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0794602967&tag=thepalpro-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thepalpro-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0794602967" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/World-Heritage-Sites-Complete-UNESCO/dp/1554074630?ie=UTF8&tag=thepalpro-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="World Heritage Sites: A Complete Guide to 890 UNESCO World Heritage Sites" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=1554074630&tag=thepalpro-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thepalpro-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1554074630" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/India-Word-Image-Eric-Meola/dp/1599620499?ie=UTF8&tag=thepalpro-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="India: In Word and Image" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=1599620499&tag=thepalpro-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thepalpro-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1599620499" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thepalpro-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003JEJTZ6" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thepalpro-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000QOOD8K" style="border: medium none ! 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<u><b>Music</b></u><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thepalpro-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003JEJTZ6" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /><br />
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<div></div><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Behene-De-Mujhe/dp/B003JEJTZ6?ie=UTF8&tag=thepalpro-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="Behene De Mujhe Behene De" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=B003JEJTZ6&tag=thepalpro-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thepalpro-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003JEJTZ6" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Chaiyya/dp/B000QOOD8K?ie=UTF8&tag=thepalpro-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="Chaiyya Chaiyya" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=B000QOOD8K&tag=thepalpro-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thepalpro-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000QOOD8K" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sajdaa/dp/B0031Q73IC?ie=UTF8&tag=thepalpro-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="Sajdaa" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=B0031Q73IC&tag=thepalpro-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thepalpro-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0031Q73IC" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tujh-Mein-Rab-Dikhta-Hai/dp/B001KWR5GY?ie=UTF8&tag=thepalpro-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="Tujh Mein Rab Dikhta Hai" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=B001KWR5GY&tag=thepalpro-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thepalpro-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001KWR5GY" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />Nova Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12535185617343199685noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826629708684445348.post-24775789310402344962010-08-19T20:13:00.010-05:002010-08-30T23:12:55.616-05:00Penang: A Food Story - Day Two<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i784.photobucket.com/albums/yy122/novawalsh/Public/Countries/Penang/Penang031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://i784.photobucket.com/albums/yy122/novawalsh/Public/Countries/Penang/Penang031.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The heat hit us as soon as we walked out the door on our second day. Humidity is a strange thing - it hangs on you, weighing you down. Your brain feels a little sluggish, like there's water collecting in there, sloshing around. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Something as unimportant as a little weather could never deter us from breakfast though. As bad as it is in the sun, a lot of the heat dissipates when you walk into the open-aired food shops that cater to the local Penangites. Sometimes fans swirl overhead, moving the air around enough to trick you into thinking you're cool.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i784.photobucket.com/albums/yy122/novawalsh/Public/Countries/Penang/Penang037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://i784.photobucket.com/albums/yy122/novawalsh/Public/Countries/Penang/Penang037.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our first meal was a parade of several local dishes. We had our second taste of Hokkein Mee, a delicious but somewhat fishy tasting soup with noodles, prawns, boiled egg, <strike>cockles</strike>, and a Chinese spoon full of chili paste. Next came our first taste of Char Koay Teow (one of my top three dishes of the trip), and Chee Cheong Fun, small rolls of wide rice noodles served with sweetish and sticky dark sauce and sprinkled with sesame seeds. </div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We ended breakfast with my very first taste of durian. Durian is a Southeast Asian fruit (although you can get it all over Asia and even in American Asian markets, flash frozen and flown over) that many locals are crazy about. Durian has its own culture, rules to be followed (such as don't eat durian and then drink beer - you're asking for trouble), and varieties to choose from. People are so empassioned about the fruit that they get into arguments over which are best, and even climb into the mountains to collect durians freshly dropped. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I had no idea what I was getting myself into. All I knew up to that point about durian is that foreigners hate the texture, which could be described as custard-like, and the smell, which resembles the sweet putrid smell of a long unwashed floor of your local downtown convenience store.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i784.photobucket.com/albums/yy122/novawalsh/Public/Countries/Penang/Penang033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://i784.photobucket.com/albums/yy122/novawalsh/Public/Countries/Penang/Penang033.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm still not sure how to describe the experience. It was at once good and horrible. You take one of the lobes out of its container and it immediately begins to squish and slide in your fingers. There's a large pit to work your way around. The texture is very creamy, kind of like cream cheese, but not in a bad way. The taste is a little tougher to describe. Some parts of it were kind of sweet and similar to a banana. Then you'd get an unbelievably bitter bit - you'd be eating the sweet stuff and then bam! You'd hit something really more like aspirin. Not the most pleasant experience. I think the worst part of all was the aftertaste. The bitterness of it clung to my mouth for hours after.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But I must press on - we have a lot of ground to cover still. Next we did a little shopping at a local supermarket where we picked up some fruit and snacks for our hotel room (including local fruits like <a href="http://www.rambutan.com/">rambutans</a> and <a href="http://www.mangosteen.com/">mangosteen</a>), and some spices to take back to Taiwan with us. After the shopping we stopped for lunch.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our second meal of the day was a sampling of nyonya food, a cuisine culturally linked to the descendants of a mix of Chinese and native Malay people (also referred as Peranakan.) Around the 15th or 16th centuries many Chinese were fleeing economic troubles at home and seeking out new lands. They settled all around Southeast Asia, especially in the Malaysia/Indonesia/Singapore region, and many intermarried with the local people resulting in the culturally (and culinarily) different Peranakan.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Peranakan family in traditional dress. Picture from peranakanmuseum.sg</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore all have nyonya food, but each has a different spin on things because of the local flavors that got incorporated. Our meal was the Penang version of nyonya, which resembled Thai a bit. Fluffy pillows of pastry shrouded delicate ground pork in one appetizer dish. A dish of eggplant covered in a thick and sour red sauce (the sourness coming from plum paste) followed. Then a plate full of tiny strips of cuttlefish, carrot, and some other root vegetable that gets wrapped up in a lettuce leaf, a little like lettuce wraps you might find at P.F. Chang's, but oh so different. We tried so many dishes here that the waitress cut us off and didn't let us order anymore.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i784.photobucket.com/albums/yy122/novawalsh/Public/Countries/Penang/Penang038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://i784.photobucket.com/albums/yy122/novawalsh/Public/Countries/Penang/Penang038.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Immediately after the nyonya experience, we headed to a roadside coconut vendor. We hopped out of the car while our friend parked down the road. Several others were waiting around for this thin man to whack their coconuts apart and let them drink the sticky sweet liquid out of the husk with a straw. One man pulled up in a van while we waited, blocking traffic behind him. A coconut was cut and drained into a plastic bag and passed to him with a straw. Coconut husks were piled all around, falling out into the streets and littering the ditches with discarded bits. We waited our turn and watched in amazement at the deftness of this man's hands. One false whack and his fingers would be gone. But he's an old pro. I bet he's been doing this for years.</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After the coconuts we made our way down to the beach to check into our resort. Our friends got lucky and got a room at the same place even though they hadn't planned on staying. We took some time to rest and walked on the beach a little before dinner. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i784.photobucket.com/albums/yy122/novawalsh/Public/Countries/Penang/Penang062.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://i784.photobucket.com/albums/yy122/novawalsh/Public/Countries/Penang/Penang062.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The beach turned out to be a very unique experience. There were a few of the traditional sunbathers in bikinis and young people playing and flirting in the sand. Then there was the large group of people you might not expect to see at the beach. Women in full black burkas, or the lighter colorful head coverings, riding horses, watching children play, walking along the sand. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i784.photobucket.com/albums/yy122/novawalsh/Public/Countries/Penang/Penang080.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://i784.photobucket.com/albums/yy122/novawalsh/Public/Countries/Penang/Penang080.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After the much needed relaxing, we headed out for a seafood dinner. Being an island full of foodies, Penang has incredible seafood. We went to Bali Hai, a restaurant where you can pick your own fish while it's still swimming if you want. We feasted on many little creatures and had a fantastic time. If you want to know more about it, you can read about the experience on my food blog entitled <a href="http://rainingpotatoes.blogspot.com/2010/08/going-fishing.html">Going Fishing</a>.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i784.photobucket.com/albums/yy122/novawalsh/Public/Countries/Penang/Penang091.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://i784.photobucket.com/albums/yy122/novawalsh/Public/Countries/Penang/Penang091.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our night ended at a little bar on the beach. It was our friend's birthday and a few of his friends met us out. One of them had just eaten two or three durians all by himself and said he couldn't have any beer for a while. This sparked an intense discussion about durian, everyone arguing about which varieties were best, filling us in on the rules and how to tell if one is fresh. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After so many meals throughout the day I found it funny that we'd come full circle - back to the king of fruits (one of its nicknames). The aftertaste of the durian I'd eaten was gone, but the experience of being surrounded by so many passionate foodies isn't going to fade any time soon.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><u><b>The Daily Food Talley:</b></u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Meals Previously Eaten: 3</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Meals Eaten on Day Two: 5</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Total So Far: 8 </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Meals not mentioned above: <img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thepalpro-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1741044855" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />(a fruit stand where we sampled local guava and pineapple)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><u><b>All Posts In This Series: </b></u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://novawalsh.blogspot.com/2010/08/penang-food-story-day-four.html">Penang: A Food Story - Day Four</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://novawalsh.blogspot.com/2010/08/penang-food-story-day-three.html">Penang: A Food Story - Day Three</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://novawalsh.blogspot.com/2010/08/penang-food-story-day-two.html">Penang: A Food Story - Day Two</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://novawalsh.blogspot.com/2010/08/penang-food-story-day-one.html">Penang: A Food Story - Day One</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fnovawalsh.blogspot.com&layout=button_count&show_faces=true&width=450&action=like&colorscheme=light&height=21" style="border: medium none; height: 21px; overflow: hidden; width: 450px;"></iframe>Nova Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12535185617343199685noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826629708684445348.post-14293645011869473832010-08-16T04:51:00.002-05:002010-08-26T21:40:09.251-05:00Penang: A Food Story - Day One<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I wanted to start out with a post that didn't include food - talk about the sites and the people and what we did. But I've realized that I just can't separate the two. Food is so integral to Malaysia that to exclude it would be like telling a story without a main character. So for those of you who aren't foodies, who are just following this blog for the travel stuff, bear with me. Hopefully this post will help you see that only by experiencing the local food can you really get a taste for a new place.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hawker center- Penang</td></tr>
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After four days and twenty meals (that we can remember), almost all of them street food, I think I have a better idea of what it's like to be Anthony Bourdain (although I don't understand how he stays so thin). Our trip to Penang can best be described as an eating frenzy, full to the brim with amazing meals in what surely one of the foodie capitals of the world. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The best Char Koay Teow in the city. This man has been doing business in the area for years</td></tr>
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penang">Penang</a> is made up of two sections, one on the northwest coast of mainland Malaysia, and the other a small island connected by a bridge to the mainland. We spent our entire time on the island, first staying with friends, and then moving on to the beach/Georgetown area for a couple of nights in a resort, returning finally for one last night with our friends and then a flight home.<br />
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Immediately after being picked up from the airport, we were whisked away to our first food stop of the weekend. We were just in time for tea (one of the many daily Malaysian excuses to snack), which for us meant Laksa. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our first meal from a Laksa vendor on the side of the road</td></tr>
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Laksa is a slightly sour and spicy but delicious soup in a fish stock with tamarind and lemongrass. We sat at a small table with little plastic stools and slurped our soup as cars passed by only a few feet away. The heat and humidity in Penang is pretty intense (although not as bad as Taipei), but the shade of a big tree and a little breeze made it comfortable. Surprisingly the soup even helped cool us down a bit.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A bowl of Laksa. Ours had ginger buds on top (the pink stuff) - a new food for me. It had a strange paper like texture and a little bitter/sour taste. A perfect accompaniment to this soup</td></tr>
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After "tea" we took a walk around the neighborhood and were followed by a pack of stray dogs that wanted to be our new best friends. I think it's because we smelled like Laksa. Then we hung out trying to stay cool, and eventually went to a hawker center and then Nasi Kandar restaurant for our second and third meals.<br />
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A hawker stand is a uniquely Southeast Asian thing (at least I've only found them in Southeast Asia), and one of the best food related inventions I've ever come across. The idea is to have several small food stalls, each specializing in one or a couple of things. These stalls surround a group of tables where you can sit and order from any stand (or a number of stands) you feel like eating from. Someone usually comes up to the table for drink orders, and food is brought from each stand to your table. Once you're done eating you just get up and leave, and presumably all the vendors get the correct dishes back.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg08FSjpn-cgKjrshXsBC0rMdqey-3rPNF0UHi4DS4PvRqtBqp-6QqSAM7byVul7s4A6-PHCHDeIe5hqIbadw7vbxlsATPhgoZXKFZUvBeQxriqkRUrHzw8kIFrdq44Cgsyp5D4aWB8TB0e/s1600/Penang+275.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg08FSjpn-cgKjrshXsBC0rMdqey-3rPNF0UHi4DS4PvRqtBqp-6QqSAM7byVul7s4A6-PHCHDeIe5hqIbadw7vbxlsATPhgoZXKFZUvBeQxriqkRUrHzw8kIFrdq44Cgsyp5D4aWB8TB0e/s400/Penang+275.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A vendor at one of the hawker centers we visited</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Our arrival at the hawker center coincided with one of the daily calls to prayer from the nearby mosque, a haunting but beautiful sound. Islam is the official religion of Malaysia and it's hard to go anywhere without hearing or seeing its influence. Five times a day the call to prayer is sung out over loudspeakers. Residents say they get used to it and don't even hear it anymore, but I had a hard time not being captivated every time I heard it. Below is a great video of one of these calls in Kuala Lumpur. <br />
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Our third stop of the night (what our friends called "supper") was Nasi Kandar, which ended up being one of our favorite meals of the entire trip. It's south Indian cuisine made popular by the Muslim Indians that have settled in the area. It's halal (the same kind of concept as kosher but for Islam) meaning no pork products and no alcohol served. There are probably other restrictions that I don't know about it.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWU5I6GB4M1TzFdVJWvUq2dUGJxiA91xGmNcpYlSuKBJy5dLmTk8JzVkecTGDLgcDxMqSS0dcFi_r2bU8x76WwZfzY4w-2fnag-wH-lYJrahyqfeuj89c3dzU_BS3CGgBaT9fe7rLm0hmk/s1600/Penang+017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWU5I6GB4M1TzFdVJWvUq2dUGJxiA91xGmNcpYlSuKBJy5dLmTk8JzVkecTGDLgcDxMqSS0dcFi_r2bU8x76WwZfzY4w-2fnag-wH-lYJrahyqfeuj89c3dzU_BS3CGgBaT9fe7rLm0hmk/s400/Penang+017.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roti stand at Nasi Kandar. The buttery fried bread comes either in small squares of layered dough, or stretched out into unbelievably long cones coated with sugar and condensed milk</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
The food was more than amazing. Any number of things are available, including rice soaked with flavor-packed curries, fried chicken, chicken in curry, okra in curry (one of our favorites) and roti canai, an Indian bread that is irresistible, especially when dipped in any of the curries.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnGG9kGPx2yNJGElr7q7H_5OwKtAVH4-f69z9xt_-ou-CIs88RdMuy354k4oZ1FMaIFVLXPKV__fwKPfk0pJfWCONJ8KhzyAEevfrUZhH50agxRlRUHWxrghj1ItyOc7frZIXEU3u-Zeq_/s1600/Penang+013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnGG9kGPx2yNJGElr7q7H_5OwKtAVH4-f69z9xt_-ou-CIs88RdMuy354k4oZ1FMaIFVLXPKV__fwKPfk0pJfWCONJ8KhzyAEevfrUZhH50agxRlRUHWxrghj1ItyOc7frZIXEU3u-Zeq_/s400/Penang+013.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Large plates of rice are soaked in these curries then, if you wish, accompaniments such as chicken or okra are added</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Our perfect first night ended with some late night drinks and talk back at our friends' house. We got caught up (after not seeing each other for over two years), talked some about politics, travel, and differences between Malaysia, Taiwan, and the U.S. I had trouble going to sleep that first night. The vibrancy of the place was infectious.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><u><b>All Posts In This Series: </b></u><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://novawalsh.blogspot.com/2010/08/penang-food-story-day-four.html">Penang: A Food Story - Day Four</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://novawalsh.blogspot.com/2010/08/penang-food-story-day-three.html">Penang: A Food Story - Day Three</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://novawalsh.blogspot.com/2010/08/penang-food-story-day-two.html">Penang: A Food Story - Day Two</a></div><a href="http://novawalsh.blogspot.com/2010/08/penang-food-story-day-one.html">Penang: A Food Story - Day One</a><br />
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<span id="goog_58662743"></span><span id="goog_58662744"></span>Nova Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12535185617343199685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826629708684445348.post-20458356176011874192010-08-03T22:43:00.001-05:002010-08-25T04:34:46.251-05:00I Left My Heart in San Francisco<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijeSVBeTb0g9JluIZPUYbk3sfgVMNfW9L5KcnGTnMC1y5yBRNOHuXVDtYNgViPtPCPGwo2tRTtSNXZV-wH7DtyyaMGb6fwlTW2LJrfqOlpDHcg-Png7quK8VEMZz7ko-_f8_nkobscs8kB/s1600/San+Francisco+2010+067.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijeSVBeTb0g9JluIZPUYbk3sfgVMNfW9L5KcnGTnMC1y5yBRNOHuXVDtYNgViPtPCPGwo2tRTtSNXZV-wH7DtyyaMGb6fwlTW2LJrfqOlpDHcg-Png7quK8VEMZz7ko-_f8_nkobscs8kB/s400/San+Francisco+2010+067.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
I've been in a funk since our trip back to the states. It's hard to go back home and then come back here. Just a little tease to remind me of what I'm missing. A little time with family to pull at my heart-strings. A little taste of American (and Mexican and Indian and Thai and Italian...did I mention Mexican?) food to leave me craving more.<br />
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I'm not saying I don't like it here. I really do. But after a while you realize this really isn't a vacation, that you've really decided to live in another country for several months (and abandon your precious little dog), and simultaneously remember that there's no place like home.<br />
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So it maybe wasn't the best idea to go back home when we were already feeling a little homesick. But the trip really was fun.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD1IBxWedzpCwYgYNLvtgmZfqsTd5R-eKHHMNdnGtRJtIqj-1MynssKETibbm97-oqcOXtWSTknr6Ja6GLg2iwkj6q4O_ioo2aOFaOtbSCW2aa6IGPWcLxT462O8l1dEIeOQy9GcWMh8bQ/s1600/New+Pictures+108.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD1IBxWedzpCwYgYNLvtgmZfqsTd5R-eKHHMNdnGtRJtIqj-1MynssKETibbm97-oqcOXtWSTknr6Ja6GLg2iwkj6q4O_ioo2aOFaOtbSCW2aa6IGPWcLxT462O8l1dEIeOQy9GcWMh8bQ/s400/New+Pictures+108.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
I spent most of the time in Reno, NV, visiting my parents while my husband worked in California. It was really good to spend some time with them, and be out in big open spaces again with a lot of nature and cool temperatures.<br />
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The last few days we spent in San Francisco, and had a really great time. One day we went to Muir Woods and hiked around in the massive old trees. It was so peaceful - a much needed rest from this hot smelly crazy big city kind of life.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCdyf2G0HqpTPx8ugKSyGJqhxWjHBZgB-eHF0OnLslyWwof9iuc5bUYHp-tztSt3bIesrvo0rBlT2tF5R6NAjTeGCTIS0OaEgzmjRaj6O2xXYZjhg-C3cmcV9I4S4mqv3fR9cXfTGAzTAt/s1600/San+Francisco+2010+073.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCdyf2G0HqpTPx8ugKSyGJqhxWjHBZgB-eHF0OnLslyWwof9iuc5bUYHp-tztSt3bIesrvo0rBlT2tF5R6NAjTeGCTIS0OaEgzmjRaj6O2xXYZjhg-C3cmcV9I4S4mqv3fR9cXfTGAzTAt/s400/San+Francisco+2010+073.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
In the city we spent a lot of time just walking around. We did some shopping (which was fantastic! Oh how I've missed stores with clothes that fit me!), and a lot of eating and drinking (more about this in a minute), and people watching, which is always fun in crazy San Francisco.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnMxMSJUHkI73dBhDF8wir46OYime-MKsrTReYLLxuB__Gav9dNWWuwRiuOKb-gYFV3-zqotLAxDC2GR_M_FbAAjnpzfIXp1Pq_R-VM3pxR-HbHv6aHJSEGrVuhhF2nPDM88wqwaXNzcMw/s1600/San+Francisco+2010+066.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnMxMSJUHkI73dBhDF8wir46OYime-MKsrTReYLLxuB__Gav9dNWWuwRiuOKb-gYFV3-zqotLAxDC2GR_M_FbAAjnpzfIXp1Pq_R-VM3pxR-HbHv6aHJSEGrVuhhF2nPDM88wqwaXNzcMw/s400/San+Francisco+2010+066.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
We spent one entire day and night walking around the town on a mini pub crawl. My sister-in-law and her husband joined us and we sampled libations in bars all over the city. We hadn't planned on going to this one, but when we saw the sign hanging outside the door, we had to stop in.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCx3Ns8JmPE0JA-W73nDXnrrCc1mDf3hKqb8pbQtLiMwyl70oDVz9Xlq57S64kgZ7K7FBAKWze07zsxDNkn5wS3aFalzPuIrdqVWfSch5EjMmWl1md-VbJSmuPxynBYi_0MMngfRugdlKh/s1600/San+Francisco+2010+077.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCx3Ns8JmPE0JA-W73nDXnrrCc1mDf3hKqb8pbQtLiMwyl70oDVz9Xlq57S64kgZ7K7FBAKWze07zsxDNkn5wS3aFalzPuIrdqVWfSch5EjMmWl1md-VbJSmuPxynBYi_0MMngfRugdlKh/s400/San+Francisco+2010+077.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
We also finally made it to Jack Keruoac Alley, which I've been wanting to see for years, but even after living in the bay area hadn't ever made it to. It was worth the trip. There are some seriously funky little bars up in this part of town, and some seriously funky people hiding out in them. Unfortunately by the time we made it this far, it was a little hard to take a clear picture. Here's what I managed to get.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYcmUY1nNn5npNWhfg9Q4zlDPcfAIeYvF_yO4mmkTXdFGENZmk1bqG5ZwZRTI3Lb12FST6RgaDfItmHnydUEe9l4S5NvMJmokIUfnH2dopJAEtTTMRjZ9RHK0OYaIeTdNFPak3z8Z6EVJp/s1600/San+Francisco+2010+087.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYcmUY1nNn5npNWhfg9Q4zlDPcfAIeYvF_yO4mmkTXdFGENZmk1bqG5ZwZRTI3Lb12FST6RgaDfItmHnydUEe9l4S5NvMJmokIUfnH2dopJAEtTTMRjZ9RHK0OYaIeTdNFPak3z8Z6EVJp/s400/San+Francisco+2010+087.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Jack Keruoac Alley</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifYf5SFtMURV7fES2vBplW5u2ykdtBOHssK-WkEvtWBwAgM4_lzVrV0Hax3DVMpw7kME9eRFvMu05zJOql2CTcIgEm00mMDFq2B5ssn_RapnnMvjEDrQC-y3BCKAASthOglqKgvN9_8zMY/s1600/San+Francisco+2010+081.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifYf5SFtMURV7fES2vBplW5u2ykdtBOHssK-WkEvtWBwAgM4_lzVrV0Hax3DVMpw7kME9eRFvMu05zJOql2CTcIgEm00mMDFq2B5ssn_RapnnMvjEDrQC-y3BCKAASthOglqKgvN9_8zMY/s400/San+Francisco+2010+081.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Spec's Bar - there were definitely some seedy elements lounging around the bar. Wouldn't really want to see this place at night.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh-t-_-xjcRktxR0Ufg2xvz0ZJKlFDgMJr1eU8qJsxcT-ofoomWZhk3uJlV9kUaESOQf4UBCs60VZ-flc5ymGVdHa2Uo0L-s4vx9Zh7hQyb5OT2bsMp2rGdg3Ee5W5wxkFMjLZet3FWUeJ/s1600/San+Francisco+2010+085.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh-t-_-xjcRktxR0Ufg2xvz0ZJKlFDgMJr1eU8qJsxcT-ofoomWZhk3uJlV9kUaESOQf4UBCs60VZ-flc5ymGVdHa2Uo0L-s4vx9Zh7hQyb5OT2bsMp2rGdg3Ee5W5wxkFMjLZet3FWUeJ/s400/San+Francisco+2010+085.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Obviously this is where I began losing my ability to take pictures. <a href="http://www.vesuvio.com/index2.html">Vesuvio</a> was really cool though - it was old and smelly and had creaking wood floors and angry waitresses. Supposedly this is where the beat generation did a lot of their finest work (</i><i>which is probably why none of it came out much better than my picture)</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">We spent the next day recovering, walking around the Fisherman's Wharf area. More people watching, more eating, more drinking ensued.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcTOaGzNwthycuwHuF_i8UjZHc46EiwldWDeywouvUzvIu8TC1_wFsFeM8IvrXmm8npg2SrZEIwf97FLn7TLmfmkcURJcmduh566Ytw8gyf4jTDtih-PHymwPcWROXBHgpLAuI_0sUAgtU/s1600/San+Francisco+2010+091.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcTOaGzNwthycuwHuF_i8UjZHc46EiwldWDeywouvUzvIu8TC1_wFsFeM8IvrXmm8npg2SrZEIwf97FLn7TLmfmkcURJcmduh566Ytw8gyf4jTDtih-PHymwPcWROXBHgpLAuI_0sUAgtU/s400/San+Francisco+2010+091.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Even though it made me miss home even more, I'm glad we got a chance to go back home for a little while. It's been a week since we left, and I think we're finally starting to get our groove back again, starting to get back in the mood to experience Asia. Tomorrow we leave for Penang, Malaysia for a visit with friends and some beach time and great eating. Stay tuned - great pictures and stories are on their way! I'll leave you with one of my favorite pictures from San Francisco - a quote on the ground (I think it was in or near Jack Keruoac Alley but I could be wrong. My memory of that day was a little fuzzy)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq61Y6qYO0suV37vL4lYc8OEIc2ip_uqNmVcEJ2I4dNX3XzODRtrxFvLtHcAyDXIRTlsnqhhUFDnby8Pzkod0ZyWsCf8MTzWNriMGjqQS-6rU587DED2m-USTrZSn1IUwNPKkS81-P0V0q/s1600/San+Francisco+2010+088.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq61Y6qYO0suV37vL4lYc8OEIc2ip_uqNmVcEJ2I4dNX3XzODRtrxFvLtHcAyDXIRTlsnqhhUFDnby8Pzkod0ZyWsCf8MTzWNriMGjqQS-6rU587DED2m-USTrZSn1IUwNPKkS81-P0V0q/s400/San+Francisco+2010+088.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Nova Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12535185617343199685noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4826629708684445348.post-24067615819539427212010-07-24T07:11:00.001-05:002010-08-25T04:35:06.579-05:00Shilin Night Market<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkfrekYabS0gXh4tvnMASFwkwUqbbp5bVB0oqXS_kYvoHb0RFL2j50rhizSkRo-4gHc1jeeJGtMIYtLmFwrzjyfqxV64V8Bh5LHUPKp-MJw-GoBJd3lS12Bca9vHQeAP4KN5owytYqkR7S/s1600/Misc+170.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkfrekYabS0gXh4tvnMASFwkwUqbbp5bVB0oqXS_kYvoHb0RFL2j50rhizSkRo-4gHc1jeeJGtMIYtLmFwrzjyfqxV64V8Bh5LHUPKp-MJw-GoBJd3lS12Bca9vHQeAP4KN5owytYqkR7S/s400/Misc+170.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
I know it's been <i>forever</i> since I last posted anything. I am a little ashamed at the lapse. I've started writing my first novel and it's taking over my life. I can't seem to pull myself out of it long enough to do much of anything else - obviously including blogging. We also just got back from a much-needed two week trip to the U.S. We went to California and to Reno. I'll (hopefully) post some pictures from our time in the states soon.<br />
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For now I'm going to do a post that I've been thinking about doing for about a month now, which is how long it's been since we went to the night market with a couple of friends. The night market was great, if a little hot and crowded. In Taiwan there are several night markets, each specializing in different things. I'm pretty sure the Shilin night market that we went to specializes in tourists. It's the most famous of the night markets and always crowded with tourists and locals alike, eating the food and shopping for the goods and just creating extra heat.<br />
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I don't know what these streets look like during the day, but at night they are bustling with activity. People selling bags and shirts and umbrellas in the middle of the street, shoppers chomping on food, haggling with sellers for better prices, and just strolling through, and food vendors yelling to the crowd to advertise their crispy chicken, pork blood cake, and fruit.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2DZy3EfxYr1wq8VwKN6TtbJ8oOsSIsZvaw4xdhDzFquihSv-GWCmcM0jHC_IQOCWkrvT1lAqeH_DYtTGd-OHaExhrFzLniXvwVJDZ3LeVcsLHNbmbE9FADncf3_UpHpB0SXcJG3C6SNg6/s1600/Misc+155.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2DZy3EfxYr1wq8VwKN6TtbJ8oOsSIsZvaw4xdhDzFquihSv-GWCmcM0jHC_IQOCWkrvT1lAqeH_DYtTGd-OHaExhrFzLniXvwVJDZ3LeVcsLHNbmbE9FADncf3_UpHpB0SXcJG3C6SNg6/s400/Misc+155.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> We hit up the food section first for some dinner before the shopping bonanza began. The food section is in a whole separate building before you get to the market proper. Stalls crowd a huge warehouse, and heat and the smell of cooking oil hangs in the air.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMK15FXQnaO4SNG-Fs8ts6O3dtCml-G_HPX6sS6zHNeWHkam3LryDm99o-nY1cc60GZZ6kBkvGHbeOUpdfjA12X8v8zD7hw007zQYiRmMW7qWDT9euGp1KoIPA8X2q0wQM-Eh1KQYVxz63/s1600/Misc+132.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMK15FXQnaO4SNG-Fs8ts6O3dtCml-G_HPX6sS6zHNeWHkam3LryDm99o-nY1cc60GZZ6kBkvGHbeOUpdfjA12X8v8zD7hw007zQYiRmMW7qWDT9euGp1KoIPA8X2q0wQM-Eh1KQYVxz63/s400/Misc+132.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
We tried oyster omelette, which was good but a little on the slimy side, and Keelung tempura, which is a special deep-fried fish cake. The fish cake and pickles were pretty good but the bright pink sauce on top was a little strange.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbV0FCaMHjuRT3O858NpIJuVk4qLJXCQVv_RzIRZone5xj9mizr-gkfdd4xr3IX9zICWnRfXzTjroGE0zyxYNK-nJoa7qG3c8X9WlpboHET61xQfOA0kumf2AVJKsufk6T4ZDti5f0wiPs/s1600/Misc+139.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbV0FCaMHjuRT3O858NpIJuVk4qLJXCQVv_RzIRZone5xj9mizr-gkfdd4xr3IX9zICWnRfXzTjroGE0zyxYNK-nJoa7qG3c8X9WlpboHET61xQfOA0kumf2AVJKsufk6T4ZDti5f0wiPs/s400/Misc+139.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Oyster Omelette</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnhYAucT_6EPtqdwwW-FoAd_XalJdob5Z9PIQMzafjOmoycHWOAytPH5x88PDWAKdIi9g4_Eyae-N3z69IhFk61cshpYsWpGWG4nQwtmeEGnFMeXHEYdPQXeNbDS635PTHr-VecPL0xNTu/s1600/Misc+144.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnhYAucT_6EPtqdwwW-FoAd_XalJdob5Z9PIQMzafjOmoycHWOAytPH5x88PDWAKdIi9g4_Eyae-N3z69IhFk61cshpYsWpGWG4nQwtmeEGnFMeXHEYdPQXeNbDS635PTHr-VecPL0xNTu/s400/Misc+144.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i> Keelung Tempura</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i> </i>We walked through the stalls and watched some pretty interesting food in the making, but eventually couldn't stand the heat anymore, and made our way to the shopping section of the market.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">And of course in the shopping section, we ate more food. I tried pig's blood cake, which sounds pretty strange I know, but it wasn't bad. It was a little on the bland side. It almost reminded me of congealed malt-o-meal on a stick, covered in peanuts and cilantro, but of course with that small little detail about the blood. You really can't taste much of anything though.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyiTMsvQ2JuhZjWbZv34ZCF3jt3mW7gAMilLggFgfHo44pRRyX6wjgsyczJllgkI7epKtLnjvYo1fY4ixbsl4YYvDT6Z-Qctd8IxBzFIbm89AQDvnI7MTAwYJaQeBlHV1JTYB-QAidp5iV/s1600/Misc+164.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyiTMsvQ2JuhZjWbZv34ZCF3jt3mW7gAMilLggFgfHo44pRRyX6wjgsyczJllgkI7epKtLnjvYo1fY4ixbsl4YYvDT6Z-Qctd8IxBzFIbm89AQDvnI7MTAwYJaQeBlHV1JTYB-QAidp5iV/s400/Misc+164.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The market itself is lined by two sides of shops selling mostly clothes, shoes, and handbags, with the occasional hair supplies, $1 store equivalent, or business card holders. In between the two sides of vendors are more vendors - mostly food (fruit stalls, pork blood cake carts, etc.) - and people crowding all around, trying not to bump into the vendors in the middle.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc3fJ50TpV727uNuFK5eqWJOORiOXtDovLc_0hQGnTkqPoltiPFYFcZbaG32mk5oBVXO82krCvnKdJR6iqShsk9uzONYQ59s3qLeMkiADCUmr5_nNsRadYz5F7d3W-ndRDok7YlJKbmded/s1600/Misc+159.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc3fJ50TpV727uNuFK5eqWJOORiOXtDovLc_0hQGnTkqPoltiPFYFcZbaG32mk5oBVXO82krCvnKdJR6iqShsk9uzONYQ59s3qLeMkiADCUmr5_nNsRadYz5F7d3W-ndRDok7YlJKbmded/s400/Misc+159.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Even though it was inhumanely hot, and crowded, and not a single piece of clothing in the country could possibly fit my large American frame, we had a really good time at the market. We did a lot of people watching, tried a lot of new food, and got a good feeling for the night market experience. Now that it's gotten even hotter here, I can't imagine going back anytime soon, but I'm sure we'll find our way back to a night market eventually, if for nothing else than just getting some more massive deep fried chicken breast (sorry, no picture of this one available!)</div>Nova Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12535185617343199685noreply@blogger.com3