a month in taiwan, 2019 - part 1

Part 1 was in Taipei, arrived from a flight from Portland, connecting in Vancouver to Taipei via Air Canada. This series of posts are foodie photo heavy, and light on text.

led lighting for brunnhilde - part 2

Spring is only 60 days or so away. Time to plan ahead for some maintenance and long due enhancements for Brunnhilde. Many are small projects that I wanted to do for a while. Some of these are due to mission changes such as towing of a car trailer, as well as the types of camping.

sichuan water poached beef 四川麻辣水煮牛肉

With a lot of Asian dishes this is one dish the name can so easily lost in translation. If translated word for word, this dish would be called water cooked beef which does not sound too appetizing. It was nearly 10 years ago in a business trip to Dalian that I had my first taste of a sister dish of Sichuan water poached beef - Sichuan water poached fish. When the fish was presented to the table in a large shallow ceramic bowl there was this half inch thick of orange chili oil. Very intimating. I was immediately perplexed with the name as the abundance of oil gave me the impression that the slices of fish were more likely poached in hot (as spicy hot) oil rather than cooked in water as the name suggested.

airline serving cart as furniture - part 2

I have been wanting an airline serving trolley ever since I first saw them sold in Hong Kong 5 years ago. Upon returning home I checked on and off here but the prices had been sky high. Recently I have been thinking about traveling again and my desire for one.

cross country trip to pick up the car trailer - part 3

Finally I made it to Toronto. Naturally for someone in Portland is to catch up with the much better Chinese food there as here the best are one that I make. Still the world is in constant change and quality and selection of food is no exception. Even in TO, bad Chinese food is aplenty and buyers aware. In truth, of the countless restaurants we went only two that I feel is worthy especially in a metropolitan that has the choosiest of Chinese cuisines.

cross country trip to pick up the car trailer - part 2

Each trip I return to Toronto I revisit my college to take stock of the changes, and to reminisce the college life. I happened upon the university's open house day of sort for prospect freshmen as well as future freshmen.

cross country trip to pick up the car trailer - part 1

There was no room for error to prepare Brunnhilde for a cross country trip to pick up the Trailex open car trailer. I planned my trip to also visit my family in Toronto.

asia trip, 2011 - hong kong

It is such a distant memory now. As far as I can recall this was my last top of my Asian trip in the winter of 2010 and 2011.

asia trip, 2011 - xian part 3

Most of these photos were taken in the Muslim Quarter in Xian, with many taken in the Muslim temple. The folks in the temple were camera shy but they were very kind. Muslim is one of many religious minorities in China.

asia trip, 2011 - xian part 2

The lighting conditions were most difficult at the terracotta warriors excavation sites. Given the significance and the extreme labor intensive excavation and restoration work that is on going for the decades to come, I feel each photo that I took is precious. My composition, setting of the DSLR, and the pressing of the shutter is so trivial compared to the men and women that devote their lives for the preservation of some of the most important history of humanity. Each of these clay figure is life size and uniquely made after a live person.

asia trip, 2011 - xian part 1

I cannot understate the significance of seeing many of these most historic significant sites, and recalling the Chinese history classes and text books. Of all China's provinces, Xian has to be one of the most significant.

asia trip, 2011 - bangkok

asia trip, 2010 - Suzhou part 2

There are 75 photos in this post. I only wished we stay longer in Suzhou.

asia trip, 2010 - Suzhou part 1

Suzhou has some of the best specimens of China's architecture and gardens landscaping. Many are sublime and lucky to had escaped destructions from the Cultural Revolution.

asia trip, 2010 - Shanghai part 2

Just before leaving Shanghai via high speed train to Suzhou.

asia trip, 2010 - Shanghai part 1

asia trip, 2010 - beijing part 3

There are 74 photos so knock yourself out.

asia trip, 2010 - beijing part 2

There are 70 photos in this post.

asia trip, 2010 - beijing part 1

We were there in the mid of winter, and it was bitter cold.

asia trip, 2010 - kyoto part 2