JUST BECAUSE

Presently toying with Picasa 3 and enjoying time immensely. Creating collages is TBW’s  choice of activity at the moment.  And because my posts are inexcusably delayed, a trio of collages of photos taken from a recent trip to China was made to make-up for the absence.  Mind you, these are pretty much very basic.  Nothing spectacular at all.  They were created just because…..

Nanjing breakfast buffet fare. Noodles stir fired & with soup, buns with all sorts of fillings, almond milk, sweet jellies, cut fruits

Stop over at Guangzhou airport...RBT for crème brûlée, tea with aloe vera, prunes & more

A stand alone fresh fruit market at the airport for last-minute fruit shopping.

Still unsure which TBW font to use for the photos.  Please help moi and let me know which looks best…font of photo #1, 2, or 3. Thanks !

MASSAGE MASSAGE WHEREVER YOU ARE

Massages are the best to soothe weary bodies, untie stress knots, calm nerves and relieve all sorts of aches and pains.  I know of many who have to have 1- 2 massages a week to get by.  A very good friend who was gone for 14 months arrived the other day and first on her agenda was a massage.  Massages are a way of life nowadays.

 When traveling, where walking and shopping are must do’s, a trip to a massage center, whether done by hand or fish, is an important part of the itinerary.  

Dominador having an outdoor fish massage in Siem Reap.

Go fish go! Many aquariums of this kind are found around Siem Reap. Often, people in groups sit around & have their feet in while drinking complimentary beer, having the paaarty vibe!

Relaxed and smoother feet =)

In Nanjing, we went to a foot massage center patronized by China's top government officials and celebrities.

A reception counter is found at the lobby where one "checks-in" for a massage.

You are then taken upstairs to your room. It is interesting to see on walls, strewn framed photographs of famous people who have had massages there.

Guess who ?

And...? We wanted our photos taken and displayed at the lobby entrance. The Chinese attendants laughed at us and thought we were joking. We were not =) hahaha

Inside the private room, comfortable massage chairs, tea and fresh fruits are found. A plasma TV is at the center for viewing Tv shows and movies. Like in a restaurant, a menu is presented to guests. This has a list and description of the different massage services available.

Once order has been given, a wooden barrel lined with plastic is brought in for feet to be soaked in warm water infused with salts and herbs. A back massage is initiated by well-trained therapists while soaking. First step of weary relief.

And massage it was for 90 minutes. Bliss!

After a relaxing respite, it's back on the road again........on the road again......on the road again......

FAMILY DINNER INSIDE AND OUT

Lest dear readers be “China’d out” from reading successive posts about this country, TBW will temporarily set aside a couple of China drafts  for future use and redirect focus on other topics but still centering on food =)

Having casual dinners at home with the entire family and serving some of our favorite food is unfailingly a joyous moment for all.

Appetizers: Portobello mushrooms drizzled generously with evoo and grilled 'til tender. No other marinade or seasoning. Let the mushroom's natural juices ease out & mix with the olive oil. Unpretentious delight.

Norwegian smoked salmon with dill sauce.

Table staple: Sheep cheese

Santi's had no lamb pastrami available so beef pastrami it was instead.

Brought from Nanjing, China, soy roasted duck, hygienically vacuum packed and sealed for easy transport.

Soy roast duck vacuum packed.

Actual duck, approximately 1 kilo in weight.

In the absence of hoisin & plum sauce, try having roast duck with cranberry & caramelized red onion chutney for that sweet & savory tastes Available at Wine depot Alabang

Angus rib eye for the carnivores in the family. Just add salt & pepper. Pan sear in evoo. Serve au jus.

A wondrous discovery! Slice potobello mushroom that was grilled with evoo and position on an iceberg lettuce leaf. Sprinkle grated goat's cheese and add a dollop of home-made ceasar dressing. Wrap, hold with hand and bite. O dear me....the taste combination is remarkably divine! Even the different textures contribute to its divinity. One has to experience this to know what I'm talking about. From the first to the 6th or 7th bite, I'd stare into space and savor its delectableness. Pure palate pleasure.

Going out for an impromptu dinner on a weeknight to a nearby, tried and tested restaurant is always a fun thing to do.

Alma de Cuba's (along Aguirre st. in BF) fried rolls filled with chunky mashed potato served with sour cream & tomato dips.

Grilled pork steak with java rice, corn on the cob and 2 sauces on Alma de Cuba's huge signature plates. The boys also had their favorite BBQ rib platter.

Cross order from Songkran next door. Spicy beef salad.

Super favorite shrimp cakes of Songkran. Crunchy- outside-and-tender-inside patties flavored with lemon grass & other herbs. Sweet & salty syrupy dipping sauce is the perfect accompaniment.

The family that eats a lot together, gains weight together….hahaha but true!!!!!!

STREET FOOD NAMED DESIRE

TBW can have fine dining food and street food with the same level of excitement and feeling of ease. Never was street food disregarded on any trip except perhaps for lack of time for it is an absolute desire to have them.  Not a worry at all as anti-acid and other stomach aids are always in my carry-on just in case =)

An array of skewered goodies in Nanjing. Lamb, chicken wings, intestines & cartilage, sausage, beef meats and different types of vegies.

Ready to grill

Two types of spices are sprinkled for added flavor and umph!

A view to a grill

Freshly grilled products: Potatoes and lamb skewers. Yum!

Fried pork roulade swimming in a sweet sauce. Behind are steamed dumplings & buns.

Fried, boiled & grilled delicacies for the taking.

Grab a pet bottle or tetra pack juice. Peach juice is a must =)

Simple desires.

RAIN FLOWER PEBBLES

Yuhua Shi or Rain Flower Pebbles are souvenir items unique to Nanjing.  They are hard compounds of jade, opal, agate and flint quartz that can be made into pendants, rings and earrings.

As written previously, legend says a Buddhist master named Yunguang held ceremonies on a large hill and through his powers, made flowers fall from the sky that turned into colorful pebbles when they finally touched the ground thus calling them Rain Flower Pebbles.

Another story narrating its origin is that rain flower pebbles were formed 12 million years ago.  Natural agate contained in volcanic rocks around Nanjing were washed by the Yangtze River for millions of years and gradually developed into colorful patterned pebbles.

Many rain flower pebble stores and stalls are found around Nanjing.

Every rain flower pebble is unique with a different and natural design as seen by one’s imagination.  Most rain flower pebbles are usually found with their design beauty already revealed so there is no need to cut, polish, tumble, carve or slice them.  The pebble’s surface has a high degree of luster as it has been polished naturally by water action.

Rain flower pebbles displayed submerged in water.

The stones are best presented for viewing by placing them in a small white container of water. When the pebbles are placed in clear water, tiny cavities on the surface are filled with the water molecules, producing deflected light that turns the natural color mosaics into various pictures and patterns such as animals, plants, landscapes, celestial objects, and human figures.

NANJING: AN ANCIENT CAPITAL OF CHINA

Nanjing, presently the capital of the province of Jiangsu has a prominent place in China’s history. Nanjing used to be the capital of China being one of the seven ancient capitals and was one of the earliest established cities. It has an abundant amount of history covering dynasties, revolutions and massacres (the Nanjing massacre in 1937 by the Japanese).

There are many places of interest and they are organized and maintained very well by government.

Giant stone statues representing martyrs at The Yuhua Terrace, Nanjing's cemetery of the Martyrs. Resting place of the communists and enemies of the Kuomintang or the Chinese Nationalist Party.

One of several religious images displayed within the temple.

Legend says a Buddhist master named Yunguang held ceremonies on the largest hill in this area and through his powers, made flowers fall from the sky that turned into colourful pebbles when they finally touched the ground thus calling them Rain Flower Pebbles (more on this on next post).

More than 100 steps to reach the top of this scenic structure.

View from the top

Lush greenery. A rare sight to see in a busy city like Nanjing.