Yummy Eats - Japan

A Taste of Northern Japan

Hokkaido is the second largest island at the northernmost part of the Japanese archipelago that is well-known for their fresh seafood, onsens (hot springs) and breathtaking scenery. 

I joined Tashi in Sapporo in the first week of February, that also coincided with the Sapporo Snow Festival. It was an impromptu trip to Hokkaido, having only one week at hand -- the thought of indulging in the food culture and onsens in Jozankei and Otaru was enough to whet my appetite. 

Otaru -- bounty of the seas...the freshest of sashimi and the seasonal cod fish sperm sacs (bottom right), truly a feast for the eyes. 

Central Vietnam

This region is filled with history and unique cultural heritage sites, and the coastal region is packed with iconic beaches, amazing islands and fantastic seafood. 

We went on a three week journey to explore the hidden charms -- took the train from Ho Chi Minh City to Hue, the ancient capital city of Vietnam.  From Hue, we drove to Hoi An, a rich cultural heritage site; celebrated the auspicious mid-Autumn Festival with the local folks, and took a boat trip to the Cham Island before flying back to Ho Chi Minh City.

Hue -- the Imperial Palace site from across the moat surrounded by stone walls. 

Vietnam - Hue & Hoi An

Central Vietnam Cuisine

The central region boasts the country's most unique yet flavourful cuisine with emphasis on fresh produce; from the variety of special fish sauce to the incredible diversity of greens and herbs, and amazing fresh catch. 

We spent three weeks on a feasting journey from mid-September to the first week of October to Hue; stopped in Nam O, a fishing village, and continue to Hoi An before heading back to Ho Chi Minh City. Our impeccable timing led us to join the local folks in Hoi An to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival!

A vendor selling fresh, raw and incredibly plump water caltrop (bottom left) in a small street, on one of my solo alleys walks; far from the madding crowd, in Ho Chi Minh City. An aquatic plant that is rarely seen these days. 

Samosir - A Rustic Paradise

Samosir is the largest island, within an island, located in Northern Sumatra in Indonesia. The island is situated in a crater lake, at an elevation of just over 900 metres above sea level. Samosir is home to the Batak ethnic group that has a fascinating culture. 

The stillness of a daybreak scene -- the orange-grey hued rays splashed across the sky, mirrored in the water of the crater lake, capturing the silhouette of a Batak fisherman in his wooden boat. The December air, at sunrise, is cool, breezy and crisp.  

Indonesia

"Hot and spicy", may be commonly heard from most foreign visitors when savouring Indonesian food. While certainly true, not all Indonesian food will set your mouth on fire. 

On Samosir Island, in the middle of Lake Toba, North Sumatra, lies a sleepy village -- Tuktuk Village is home to the ethnic Batak group of people, that cook up tasty delights for visitors.

The wholesome avocado smoothie, the marquisa (passion) fruit and the seasonal, terong belanda fruit juices are great starters to enjoy before digging into a zesty meal.

Shaanxi Loess Plateau

The Loess Plateau, also known as Huangtu Plateau (黃土高原), is made up of the unique geographical features unlike anywhere else in the world. This vast plateau covers a massive area of about 640,000 square metres; surrounds the upper and middle reaches of China's Yellow River, that stretches across parts of Gansu, Ningxia, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Henan, Qinghai -- and the south-central part of which is located in northern Shaanxi.

Shaanxi is a province in the Northwest of China. Xi'an is the capital, in the south-central part of the province. One of the major ancient capitals of China, Xi'an was known as Chang'an before the Ming dynasty.
The province steep in history and a treasure trove of cultural relics is home to the Terracotta Warriors and the Ancient Silk Road.  

 A stone-built Yaodong in Yan'an Loess Plateau -- a family usually has three to five caves. 

Shaanxi

Shaanxi, a province in the northwestern part of China, is considered one of the birthplaces of Chinese civilization with a rich cultural heritage and a steep history. 

By virtue of Shaanxi's geographical location, the variety of ingredients found here and, the style of cooking, have created a unique food culture that is distinctively strong, flavourful, spicy, sour and fragrant. 

The gastronomic delights of Xi'an and the northern region

Xi'an is the heartland of interesting good food. One popular place to dig into Xi'an's rich food heritage is in the old town, near the Drum Tower, in Huiminjie or the Muslim Quarter. 
There are numerous eateries and food stalls along the main food street, around the corners and the alleyway -- a bustling and colourful flavour of Shaanxi food culture that is uniquely Xi'an.

A generous sprinkle of chilli, pepper and salt over beef or lamb skewers to spice up your taste buds!

Guge, The Lost Kingdom

After my Mount Kailash Kora followed by a walk on the shores of  Lake Manasarovar in July 2002; the onward journey across the high and vast western Tibetan Plateau took us to a world of awesomeness -- the ruins of the Guge Kingdom.

I stood in awesome silence before this imposing, Guge, The Lost Kingdom

Vietnam - Yunnan 2007

In November, we travelled to North Vietnam to Sapa Town in the Hoang Lien Son mountain range and through the cross border town of Lao Cai in northern Vietnam to Hekou in South Yunnan; journeying beneath the surface to have a glimpse of the colourful ethnic groups and their culture in the border regions of northern Vietnam and southern Yunnan. 

Jinping ethnic market --  the boy sat quietly alone, waiting for his mother

2006 - Yunnan

A Live Land Art and Land Sculpture by the Hanis

A dazzling yin-yang landscape on a cold December evening

Lhamo Latso, Tibet - 2004

Lhamo Latso Lake is also known as "The Life-Spirit-Lake" of Palden Lhamo, the guardian spirit of The Lake and the protector deity of all Tibet. 

Traditionally, the Dalai Lamas have made pilgrimages to Lhamo Latso to seek visions that appear on the surface of the oracle lake. 
This is where senior Tibetan monks, far and near would make a pilgrimage once in their lifetime to meditate and seek vision. The Tibetans pilgrims would do likewise. 

Lhamo Latso is one unusual trek rarely visited by foreign travellers. 

I had Sherrap to help arrange a two week journey to south eastern region, to include the five days trek to Lhamo Lhatso lake.

The Seasons of Jiuzhaigou Valley - 1996 to 1998

If a picture paints a thousand words...say no more...need look no further than this bewitching landscapes of the four seasons.

Soaring at almost 4,800 metres above sea level in the Min Shan mountain range, stretching over 72,000 hectares deep into the valley, this fairyland is home to Nine Tibetan Villages, amazing unique wild life, floral and fauna... 

An explosion sea of colours of the numerous calcified pools, ribbon lakes...

Hiking in the valley each day, feasting my eyes on the beauty all around me  -- climbing up and down the slopes, the nooks and crannies; at times, following animal tracks...

2014 - Vietnam

The Beauty of Chau Doc

Chau Doc, a small sleepy town in An Giang province of Vietnam that borders Cambodia exudes a warming charm. 

I travelled from end of October to mid-November to soak up the landscapes of the flooded paddy fields, rowing paddle boats to visit the fishing villages, took a short motorbike ride followed by paddle boat journey into the bird sanctuary in the Cajuput forest and had fun on a jolly 'xe loi' ride experience to immerse in the local lifestyle. What's more? Savouring the authentic local street food and cuisine with a distinctive flavour, unlike any other places in the Mekong Delta region. 

Life in the flooded rice fields of the Mekong River Delta

Sunset over the flooded rice fields

Yummy Eats - Vietnam

Southern Vietnam Cuisine

Simple yet scrumptious -- they are generally light, non-greasy and colourful with a mix of flavourful ingredients like garlic, shallots, ginger and lots of fresh herbs! 

Preserved sweet, sour and spicy produce at Chau Doc market

Mount Kailash 2002 -- The Year of The Horse

The Sacred Mountain

Mount Kailash is one of the sacred mountains in Tibet located in the wild west of the plateau.  It is the most sacred to Tibetans, Buddhists, Jains and Hindus – for them to do the “kora” or circumambulation and to the shamanic religion of Bon-po -- the one mountain top that is forbidden for climbers. 

Guzhangjie in Xijiang Village, Guizhou - 2010

Guizhou -- 2010

Guzhangjie Celebration of the Xijiang Miao Ethnic Minorities 
The most auspicious festival held once every thirteen years!

贵州雷山县, 西江鼓藏节日

Guzhangjie, also known as the Tibetan Drum Festival is the most auspicious festival of the Miao ethnic minorities in Leishan county, Guizhou province.

2011 to 2013 - Guizhou, Tibet, Shanxi, Jiangxi, Hangzhou, Xinjiang

Xinjiang - 2013

The Land of Adventures and Wonders 

This incredible journey took me to Northwest China – Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

While this province is popularly known as the ‘Land of Fruits’ (melons and grapes) and “Home of Songs and Dances”,  it is a land full of adventures. 

2013 - Xinjiang

The Land of Singing and Dancing

All ethnic groups in Xinjiang love to sing and dance. Singing and dancing has been part of their culture since ancient times. 
This group of solely male musicians perform, using the local musical instruments to play, sing and dance in a local restaurant in Urumqi. It was a fun evening joining them to dance!

Yummy Eats - Xinjiang

Xinjiang cuisine

The variety of food represents a part of the Central Asian culture and reflects the different ethnic groups where their cooking styles though rustic are unique. The Uyghur is the largest ethnic group in this region. 

Traditionally, meat and dairy products are the mainstays of their diet. Roasted mutton, milk and yoghurt are most popular though now they have added flat bread (nang) and noodles as well. Fresh fruits such as the famous Hami melon and the amazing variety of grapes, dried fruits and nuts are in abundance. 

A typical starter meal consists of seasonal fresh fruits, dried fruits, nuts, fried snacks and sweet milk tea. This is Uyghur meal at a restaurant in Urumqi.

2014 - Guangxi ( journeys )

The Dream Destination –  “The Most Beautiful Scenery Under Heaven”

Xianggong Hill – the mesmerizing view of the snaking gentle Lijiang River, a moon-like arc of karstic frames peaks fading off into the distance. 

The vista -- the better time to visit is between 5:00 am to 7:00 am if you want to lose yourself in the sea of clouds, clouds and mists hugging the karst mountains and, the first ray of morning glow peeping through the misty clouds at sunrise. 

2014 - Guangxi

Guilin “Zhuang March” Traditional Festival

“三月三” 八桂欢 -- 'sanyue san' festival

Traditionally, the ethnic folks of the Zhuang Autonomous Region would gather together on the third day of the third lunar calendar month to enjoy merrymaking with songs and dance, food and wine and participate in various activities.

This is the first year the festival “Zhuang March” has been declared a public holiday for all in this region. The Miao, Yao, Dong and various sub-ethnic communities joined in the festivity to welcome the spring season.

It was an explosive colourful festival with songs and dance, ethnic folks displaying their traditional craftwork and so on.
My discovery of 'Yongfu' county's good fortune has certainly brought on a good many unexpected 'wow' surprises on this recce journey!

Yummy Eats - Guangxi, China

When it comes to food, the better way is to travel to the different destinations and have a taste of the most popular cuisine where the local folks go. 

China is the most populous country in the world with 1.35 billion people. It has 55 ethnic minorities living in the different regions offering a colourful and tasty palate of good eats.

I enjoy new experiences in savouring the pleasant surprises that I find along my recce journeys to China -- from a simple bowl of noodles to comfort food in the village home, from drinking the purest 'dri’s' (female yak) milk in the Tibetan mountains to tasting the natural wild finds and, from the distinct flavours of roast fowls to an imperial meal once enjoyed by the empress dowager at a simple hutong place.

Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region

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The best roast goose in Guilin

Chunji Roast Goose Restaurant at Diecai Branch (椿记烧鹅叠彩店) 

This spacious restaurant is very popular with the locals. You need to make reservation otherwise, you have to wait to get a table. The other option is to go there at about 5:30pm before the crowd picks up. 

The skin is my favourite part of the goose. It is crispy and non-greasy. The meat is succulent. 

The roast goose dish goes by weight of CNY42 per 500gm. For 2 – 4 persons, standard of quarter portion at about CNY55 (USD16)

2014 - Sri Lanka ( Journeys )

The Resplendent Island

The 15-day trip in January to February took us to the Cultural Triangle, Kandy and the Hill Country – the tea plantations and vegetable farms, Kitulgala – wild life, the coastal region of Galle, from Merissa – the cinnamon farm to Unawatuna – the traditional fish trawling to Negambo, the fish market at sunrise.

2014 - Sri Lanka

The Abundance Golden Rice Fields of Sri Lanka

Yummy Eats - Sri Lanka

Local breakfast meals -- string hoppers, coconut roti, dhal curry, boiled sweet potato with freshly grated young coconut and Ceylon tea.

My Yummiest

2014 – Naturally Inspired...

Jolly Xmas Eve Dinner

I have had so much fun preparing a delectable rustic sumptuous meal!