Wednesday, 25 July 2012
So much for the Olympic mascot...
Tuesday, 24 July 2012
Looking for a Venetian mask
On a recent trip to France, I walked all of ile st Louis in Paris searching for a Venetian mask. I had been told about the mask place, but I was not given specific directions on how to get there.
I went into some 20 stores asking for directions in French and English because I thought they did not understand. Everyone said they have never seen the shop or that they are not from the island... Of course!!
After an hour of walking I gave up and walked to a cafe. Low and behold the mask shop was next to the cafe!!
I went into some 20 stores asking for directions in French and English because I thought they did not understand. Everyone said they have never seen the shop or that they are not from the island... Of course!!
After an hour of walking I gave up and walked to a cafe. Low and behold the mask shop was next to the cafe!!
Trip to Ireland
While we were in Ireland, we rented a van to tour around on our own. As you know, cars in Europe are mostly manual. There were 6 adults on this trip and all of us know how to drive manual and yet none of us could figure out how to reverse the vehicle. Putting it in reverse does not mean it would reverse! It took us two days to finally figured it out, and that's only after asking a local for help! There's a button/lever of sort that you need to push before putting the car in reverse! Lesson learned!
Attached is the photo of what we had to do the first two days of our trip every time we need to reverse.
By Virginia contact
Attached is the photo of what we had to do the first two days of our trip every time we need to reverse.
By Virginia contact
Friday, 20 July 2012
My Best Crazy Travel Story: The Time I Ate Dog in China
I was backpacking around China in 1997 after having been an English teacher there. I was in the city of Guangzhou (formerly known as Canton), which is across the bay from Hong Kong and famous for the weird food they eat. Insects, dogs, cats, etc. I walked around a market that was
selling all those things for food – I’m not sure I’d have believed it if I hadn’t seen for myself.
Well, I figured “When in Rome, do as the Romans do…” So I wanted to try some dog. You can probably guess that I am not overly bothered by the whole “pets-as-food” thing. Anyway, I was pretty clueless about touring around, and had no luck finding a place that might serve dog.
So there I was in the hostel, lamenting my inability to get the “real” Guangzhou experience,when in walks a very well-dressed, very attractive Asian woman. The kind you do not ever see staying in a 16-bed communal hostel. She promptly announced (in English) that 1. she
was a reporter for a Hong Kong TV station, 2. she was doing a story on the weird food they eat in Guangzhou, 3. she was going out that night to find a place and see if it would be good for
filming, 4. she had an expense account from her station that was paying for everything, and 5. did anyone want to go with her? Basically I was handed an all-expense-paid ticket for the exact
travel experience I wanted.
Six of the other travelers, myself, and the reporter all took a cab to some restaurant she’d found. On the way there, the cab driver told us to be careful, because dog was very delicious but expensive and if we weren’t careful we could spend too much money. He said he liked to eat it
while watching football. What did it taste like? Not good, actually. Very stringy and gristly. There was hardly any meat to speak of. I don’t know what breed it was, but I guess dogs are not really made for consumption. I did think it tasted kind of like the spare ribs at a Chinese restaurant – I wouldn’t be surprised if they use the same spices. But I wouldn’t eat it again.
After that, we went to some club that was playing the entire Bob Marley box set over the loud system, and drank and had a good time until closing. I thought I saw a girl there from my
college whom I had heard was in China, but I wasn’t sure. Anyway, a very weird, fun, and wild evening. Although dog lovers probably think I’m going to hell.
P.S. There was another dish called “Tiger and Dragon”, which is a mix of snake and cat meat, but alas, I didn’t get to try that one.
By, DC correspondent
selling all those things for food – I’m not sure I’d have believed it if I hadn’t seen for myself.
Well, I figured “When in Rome, do as the Romans do…” So I wanted to try some dog. You can probably guess that I am not overly bothered by the whole “pets-as-food” thing. Anyway, I was pretty clueless about touring around, and had no luck finding a place that might serve dog.
So there I was in the hostel, lamenting my inability to get the “real” Guangzhou experience,when in walks a very well-dressed, very attractive Asian woman. The kind you do not ever see staying in a 16-bed communal hostel. She promptly announced (in English) that 1. she
was a reporter for a Hong Kong TV station, 2. she was doing a story on the weird food they eat in Guangzhou, 3. she was going out that night to find a place and see if it would be good for
filming, 4. she had an expense account from her station that was paying for everything, and 5. did anyone want to go with her? Basically I was handed an all-expense-paid ticket for the exact
travel experience I wanted.
Six of the other travelers, myself, and the reporter all took a cab to some restaurant she’d found. On the way there, the cab driver told us to be careful, because dog was very delicious but expensive and if we weren’t careful we could spend too much money. He said he liked to eat it
while watching football. What did it taste like? Not good, actually. Very stringy and gristly. There was hardly any meat to speak of. I don’t know what breed it was, but I guess dogs are not really made for consumption. I did think it tasted kind of like the spare ribs at a Chinese restaurant – I wouldn’t be surprised if they use the same spices. But I wouldn’t eat it again.
After that, we went to some club that was playing the entire Bob Marley box set over the loud system, and drank and had a good time until closing. I thought I saw a girl there from my
college whom I had heard was in China, but I wasn’t sure. Anyway, a very weird, fun, and wild evening. Although dog lovers probably think I’m going to hell.
P.S. There was another dish called “Tiger and Dragon”, which is a mix of snake and cat meat, but alas, I didn’t get to try that one.
By, DC correspondent
Wednesday, 18 July 2012
TSA comes to England
England is expecting about 4 million people to come to London (of the 8 million resident already inhabiting area), no wonder they have called in back up help.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2174634/American-officers-drafted-Heathrow-British-airports-help-security-Olympics.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2174634/American-officers-drafted-Heathrow-British-airports-help-security-Olympics.html
Tuesday, 17 July 2012
Hair colour or nose job?
My travels are never boring...
On my recent trip from Turkey, I was asked by the officer if the photo on my passport was really me. Well that should be rather obvious, or else I would be a fraudster. When I began explaining that I dye my hair, pointing to my roots, he laughed and then asked me if I had had a nose job. I was flabbergasted, so I asked my mother to vouch for me. A nose job really?!
Below is a photo from the airport.
On my recent trip from Turkey, I was asked by the officer if the photo on my passport was really me. Well that should be rather obvious, or else I would be a fraudster. When I began explaining that I dye my hair, pointing to my roots, he laughed and then asked me if I had had a nose job. I was flabbergasted, so I asked my mother to vouch for me. A nose job really?!
Below is a photo from the airport.
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