Vacation Chat

Shanghai Dining Stand-outs

I have been living in a smaller city in China for the past few months, and the city is seriously lacking of the kind of internationally-diverse cuisine we’re used to as Americans. Plus, I missed French fries and bacon, which, as you may expect, are not mainstays in the Chinese diet.

Enter Shanghai. China’s most international city—a title that it has held for a century or more—Shanghai has enough foreigners that you couldn’t throw a stone without hitting one. Hence the international title, these foreigners bring their ethnicities and cuisines to the city to make it truly metropolitan. Here were a few of the highlights of dining out in Shanghai:

Xibo. Named after the tiny Muslim, Chinese minority, Xibo, that live near the Afghanistan border in Manchuria, the food at this restaurant is very similar to Middle Eastern halal foods that you can find in the states. The restaurant itself, however, is quite upscale, but—by Shanghai standards—the prices are very reasonable. I started my meal with a tasty Caipirinha—a Brazilian drink, completely unfitting, I suppose. Then, we followed that with what seemed to me to be similar to a deconstructed schwarma sandwich, with little pieces of lamb and bread smothered with delicious homemade yoghurt sauce.

Din Tai Fung. Many people in Shanghai make quite a quest for the city’s signature soup dumpling, called Xiaolongbao. Shanghaiese will probably make a case for a local joint, but others persist in saying that Din Tai Fun—a Taiwanese import that’s also in Los Angeles and Seattle—does it the best. I would have to agree. The Xiaolongbao that we ate were delicious and beautiful to look at—you dip your dumpling in vinegar and ginger slices, take a tiny bite from the dumpling skin and then sip the broth from inside the skin. So delicious!

Citizen Café. After two Asian experiences in Shanghai and many more throughout the rest of China, we had a hankering for some French food. We found a French bistro experience—if not exactly French food—at one of the most famous cafes in the city. In a cozy, white and tan-walled, red parquet-French bistro setting, we got to revisit cheeseburgers, club sandwiches, French fries and gin and tonics. Plus, the French stuff with a banana and chocolate crepe for dessert. You don’t realize how much you like western food until it’s gone, trust me.

What are some of your favorite restaurants in Shanghai?

Weird things in China

Hint: no one bats an eye.

I am living in China currently. While every day is a new adventure—they sell chicken feet in a tightly-packed package! I can share a meal for four friends for under $3 a pop, there are some things that happen here that I can even begin to explain. As Americans, when we see something that is strange, we know it, and we gawk. If there’s a guy painted silver and dressed in metal armor walking in Chicago’s Millenium Park, he’s probably got a crowd of interested watchers, and more than likely, they’re snapping pictures. We have plenty of weird stuff in America, but we also have plenty of watchers. The weirdest part of the crazy stuff in China? No one bats an eye at anything. Here are a few of the strange things that I’ve seen so far that made me feel kind of insane watching them because no one else around me—sans westerners, of course—batted an eye:

If you hadn’t heard the rumors (which are true), Chinese drivers are completely autonomous, never worrying about arbitrary things like people in the street or speed limits or other cars. It’s definitely the most terrifying thing I’ve encountered so far. But Chinese walkers seem to be just as blasé. As I try to cross busy streets with as much caution as I can muster, I’ll watch Chinese couples, arm-in-arm, stand in between lanes on the thin dotted lines as cars zip by on either side of them. Everyone must walk very near cars as they speed down residential boulevards or nearly hit packs of students on the university campus. I never, never want to learn to drive here.
I was walking home from a class I teach when I encountered a well-dressed woman who had parked her luxury car on the sidewalk (a very common thing here). She had both of the doors of the car opening, and was blaring some sort of talk radio loud enough that the apartment complex next to her could certainly hear. As I walked by, she looked me straight in the face, and then continued her duty, which seemed to be pulling dirt clods from the floor of the vehicle, and then hurling them into the nearby woods. The old woman performing calisthenics in the street and the teens sweeping the sidewalk didn’t seem to find anything odd about her behavior.

Have you been to China? Do you witness any odd occurrences on your visits?

How not to lose your baggage while traveling

Nothing can extinguish that feeling of excitement and anxiety that comes with landing in a new country quicker than realizing your bag is not on the carousel. Losing your bag at the airport may feel like a huge wrench thrown into your perfect vacation plans. But there are a few tips and tricks that will help you overcome this issue if it so happens and allow you to continue on and enjoy your trip.

Have the mindset that you will lose your bags

I know it sounds a bit glass-half-empty, but packing items that you are able to lose for a few days (or more) is better than packing expensive designer jeans and toiletries. Instead, pack your essentials, like a map, any medication, tooth brush, extra pair of clothing, in a small carry on. This way, if worst comes to worst, you still have the ability to brush your teeth and but on a clean set of clothes while you wait for your bag to arrive.

Use labels

Nowadays, I wait by the baggage claim carousel and see Gucci and Louis Vuitton luggage bag make their way around. While it’s good to personalize your luggage and distinguish it from the rest, try not to slap a huge “steal me” sign on your designer luggage. Also, it’s not best to present your name and address on a full faced label that everyone can view. Instead, fold these papers and stick them in the label holder where they’re a bit harder to see. And, if you’re planning a multi-visit trip, you may consider putting the address of a few hotels you plan to stay at so your baggage can arrive where you are.

Insurance

Although we usually forgo this while flying domestic, if you’re going abroad, and especially for the first time, I would strongly recommend getting baggage insurance. Even if your luggage is never found, and the airlines refuses to reimburse you (get this in writing) you can still file a claim and retrieve some monetary satisfaction.

The Amazing Race: Turin, Italy

Eating salami in Italy.

On The Amazing Race this week, the contestants traveled to Turin, Italy, which—according to what the show tells us is home to a tall steeple, a multiplicity of salamis and a museum of old cars.

The Border Patrol guys start off first, vowing once again that they ought to come in first through every leg of the race. They head off to the travel agency to book their flights to Italy, followed in short order by the rest of the contestants. They all need to wait until the next morning to board their flights across the ocean.

Sadly, the Kentucky boys misread their clue, and head off to the airport before securing their tickets at the travel agency. By the time they turn around, the tickets on the earlier flight—that the rest of the contestants will be on—is full. They have to take a flight that’s an hour later.

When the contestants first arrive in Italy, they have to drive their own product-placed Fords throughout the confusing city.

The Border Patrol, still in first place, as promised, perform the Express Pass Challenge, which allows them to skip all of the remaining challenges, and move straight to the finish line. One of the team members—I don’t know who; they look just alike—has to land a mechanical helicopter onto a tiny landing pad on the other’s head. It takes them a little while, but they eventually are successful. They win this leg of the race, too, earning themselves five thousand dollars apiece.

The remaining teams have to ricochet down what seems to be an extremely tall parking garage, grabbing a clue on their ways downward. This clue sends them to an automobile museum, where they’re told to find a 1916-model of the Ford that they’re driving. In the car is a penny with a building on it—they’re supposed to find the building to claim their next clues. At the building, they are given a choice whether they want to wash down an old statue with a power washer or eat and name a variety of salami choices.

In the end, Bopper and Mark—the Kentuckians—can’t make up the time they lost in taking the later flight. Phil tells them they are the last team to arrive. Before Phil can say more, the Border Patrol tells the Kentuckians that they will split their $10,000 prize with them, so that Bopper can pay for health treatments for his daughter. It’s kind of sweet, kind of weird when Phil interrupts, saying that the week had been a non-elimination leg.

Amazing Race: Bottle Dance

A difficult leg for all.

Last week on The Amazing Race, contestants raced to Buenos Aires, Argentina. There, the goofiest and most interesting team was eliminated, so now we only have pretty people left to root for.

This week, the army couple gets to leave first. Their clue sends them to Paraguay, and they race to the international airport. Once there, they find that there are no more seats on the most time efficient planes, so they put themselves on a waitlist. Before the earliest plane departs, the army couple, the border patrol agents, the Federal Agents and the Kentucky best friends make it aboard. The rest of the teams get on a plane that leaves two hours later.

Once in Paraguay, the teams have to find their next clue in a wild playground with random metal parts—a challenge that proves to be deceptively easy.

Their next challenge, however, proves to be deceptively difficult. Most of the teams choose to start stacking hundreds of watermelons onto a huge pyramid. They have to transport the watermelons from a truck onto their pyramid. The other challenge is to untangle a number of harp strings and then restring a harp to the harp conductor’s liking.

Most of the teams choose the watermelon stacking first, but aside from the border patrol, most fail miserably and choose the other task.

Their next task is to learn a Paraguayan dance that is performed with a glass bottle on one’s head. This dance proves to be quite difficult, and the army couple can’t finish it. He breaks all of the bottles provided which meant that they needed to incur a two-hour penalty.

The border patrol guys make it onto the mat first—with a huge lead—and decide to gloat about it and say that they ought to win every round. They are steadily gaining enemies. Four more teams make it onto the mat before the army couple. Phil says that they are the first team not to complete a challenge and live to see another week on the show.

The Dating Divorcees and the Twins who nobody talks to are stuck on their respective challenges. The Dating Divorcees take until night to finish the watermelon stacking, while the twins have a lot of trouble in finishing their harp stringing. At the bottle dancing challenge, the Dating Divorcees finish first, making them the eighth and final team. The brothers are eliminated.

Are you watching The Amazing Race?

Plan your vacation around your next meal

If you’re like me than one of the greatest pleasures in your life is food. Finding uncommon restaurants (or holes in the wall) that serve unique and delicious dishes is the highlight of your day. So, if you’re planning your next vacation it only makes sense to plan, in part, around the food that’s available in your destination. Eating the traditional plates of a given place are sometimes the best way to encounter and learn about a culture and its history. Here are a few great destinations that offer some of the best foodie options and a taste of the world.

Cairo, Egypt

Cairo is a vegetarians dream. Many of the dishes served in this city, and throughout Egypt are comprised of legumes and vegetables. For instance, one of the most common dishes is grape leaves stuffed with rice or baba ganoush, an eggplant dip typically served with pita bread. Also, many plates incorporate the fava bean in some form or another, such as dips and even fried fritters. For those who need meat, meat kofta and shewarma sandwiches are common dish. And for those wanting to get down right traditional, seek out a quality restaurant serving stuffed pigeon. People raise these feathered friend and have been doing so since antiquity. This dish dates back many hundreds of years.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Talk about a melting pot of foods. Malaysia offers a fusion of all types of asian cuisines and their dishes are a party of flavors in your mouth. Street food in Kuala Lumpur is a large part of the culture and many locals derive their snacks and lunch from these open air carts. Gulai alam (chicken curry), iyan bakar (grilled fish), and ulam ulam (uncooked vegetables with a sambal dip, or common favorites. These carts are open very late, catering to the partygoers and will continue to serve noodles, roasted duck, and meat kebabs into the wee hours.

Morelia, Mexico

Consider Morelia, located in central Mexico in the Michoacan area, as the avocado capital of the world. Avocados are grown here year round and they, in some form, are in almost every dish served in our around Morelia. For example, before every meal, a side of sliced avocado sprinkled with lemon juice and salt is a light snack to get you started. Also, located in Cupatitzio National Park, is La Terrazza de la Trucha, a restaurant that specializes in various avocado dishes, drinks, and soups.

For more foodie getaways see here.

Lions, tigers and bears. Oh Safari! Tips for first timers

You can take many directions when planning a South African safari tour. You can pay the big bucks to lodge in a high end resort and jump in your guided jeep the next day and see the wildlife. Or, you can save and rest your head in a more secluded bush camp. You’ll need to take the time to really create your own safari adventure and here are a few tips to help you get started.

Best time to safari

Many Europeans go on safari during the summer months (December through February). This period is ideal for taking pictures of lush green countryside. Howevever, if it’s animals you came to see then winter (June through September) is your best bet. During these months, trees are sparse, as their leaves have dropped, and spotting wildlife is easier. Also, because food is also limited in winter months, you have a better chance to see the animals hunting and drinking at watering holes. Also, if traveling in the winter months be sure to bring warm clothes and temperature drop low in the evenings.

South African National Parks

South Africa boasts as many National Parks as is does varieties of wildlife. In all there are about 600 parks and they each cater to differing tastes, such as cost, location (secluded or populous), guided tours or independent tours etc. Look into both Kruger National Park and Hluhluwe-iMfolozi. Both are popular parks and offer various safaris, accommodations, and recreational activities that meet different budgets.

Guide or Not?

For your first safari it’s best that you hire a guide or find a spot on a guided tour. You’re very likely to miss the sights and animals if you don’t know what you’re looking for. And, you don’t need to be wandering in the African bush along with the lions and leopards. However, guides and tours can run a pretty penny so be sure to do your research way in advance and book your reservations early in order to find the cheapest prices.

Hot Caribbean destinations

Planing a trip to the Caribbean anytime soon? If so, make sure you pick yourself up off those white sand beaches long enough to explore the towns, as these are most often the cultural and historical epicenters of the islands, often dating back to the days of Christopher Columbus.

Cuba: Havana

It’s becoming remarkably easier to travel to Cuba these days and on anyone’s travel itinerary should be the city of Havana. Visiting the city is like a warp in time. You’ll find yourself walking the streets lined with 1950 style cars and antique tenements. During the day you can pop into a small coffee shop for a pick-me-up. Coffee is local and is as fresh as it gets. Although old, many hotels have been restored to accommodate increasing tourism and just because Havana seems as if it never ages, that doesn’t mean it’s a less than comfortable place to explore. At night, if you have the moves, don’t forget to drop in on a little salsa dancing.

Saint Eustatius: Oranjestad

This small island, often called Statia, is home to only about 3,400 residents. Although the island is pint size, ruins are scattered across its landscape and in its waters, which harken to colonial days. in 1776, Statia became the first “foreign” country to recognize the new nation of America. In the main part of the town Oranjestad, you can view the ruins of the 18th century synagogue or Dutch church. Popular for its ideal snorkeling waters these days, have a dip and explore the ruins that lay just offshore. Also while on Statia, take a days hike up Quill, the non-active volcano that offers spectacular views from atop its crater.

Turks and Caicos: Cockburn Town

Cockburn is the capital of this multi-island nation. Grand Turks is only 6 miles in length and boasts a population of about 5,500 people. This is a quick stop for many cruise ships making their way through the Caribbean waters yet if you’re smart, you’ll abandon ship for a while and explore Cockburn Town. This is the reported site of Christopher Columbus’s landing but there’s more to this island than history. Walk along the vibrantly colored colonial building that line the narrow streets of the capital city. The beaches at Pillory and Corktree are often sparse with visitors and you can take a scenic bike ride to reach the white sands.

Indulge in the world's greatest guilty pleasures

Here’s a list of some the best places in the world to indulge in the greatest guilty pleasures for the year of 2012.

Beach Party in Thailand

Every year, the island of Ko Pha Ngan hosts a massive beach party that makes spring break in Cancun seem like child’s play. This small island off the coast of Thailand is already a bustling and vibrant location and swarms of foreigners land here in order to let their hair down and partake in activities that would land them in the slammer if there were anywhere else. The Full Moon parties of Ko Pha Ngan is one of the largest beach parties in the world. Travelers can buy Thai whisky and a multitude of other mind twisting substances and party throughout the night in their swim wear. And where you pass out (on the beach) will be the best place for recuperation the next day.

Shish! This is some good stuff

In Cairo Egypt, men young and old gather in restaurants to play cards or just chat as well as smoke a little shisha. With a glass waterpipe and a long curling hose, men will sit for hours sipping at the end of the hose and drawing in the hazy smoke. Tourists can get a true taste of Egyptian culture by ordering a hagar (stone) of the sticky tobacco. Try the apply flavor, it’s liked by most foreigners and wash down that tasty smoke with a cup of tea or coffee.

Nothing like some horse milk at the end of a long day

If you happen to find yourself in Mongolia and are invited to someone’s tent (ger) you’ll probably be invited to drink the local moonshine which is made from fermented horse milk. You’ll probably be handed numerous mugs of the sour and potent stuff before you’re able to leave and rest assured you probably won’t be leaving on your own two feet. This stuff has a kick so watch out.

For a list of more guilty pleasures see here.

Australia's large road side attractions

I think most would agree that we American’s like stuff BIG. We love our large trucks, hearty meals, and..well...we even have a state (Texas) that prides itself on all things large. What screams American are the quirky and large attractions that have dotted the American highways since the days of old. For some reason we continue to be attracted to these large and mostly useless objects but it seems we’re not the only ones. We’d be fooling ourselves if we thought we were the only country in the world that appreciates “big”. If you’re planning a trip to Australia, you may soon find that those Aussies are fascinated with elephant sized things as well. On your next Australian road trip, make a detour to see some of these odd and large attractions.

Gumboot

As one of the most arid and hottest places on earth, it’s rare that two cities would compete for wettest city in the country. But in Queensland two such cities, Tully and Babinda are vying for for the title. Every year, the annual Golden Gumboot Festival celebrates the rivalry. The town of Tully has erected a large replica of a golden gumboot with a tree frog climbing up its side, in order to celebrate its 150 days of average annual rain fall. Babinda is expected to match their rivals by building a massive umbrella.

Large Lobster

Along the southern coast of south Australia, some of the largest and tastiest lobsters are caught and cooked. In the town of Kingston, in order to pay tribute to the delicious sea creature, a large steel and fiberglass lobster was erected, overseeing the coastline where his buddies are caught daily. Built in the 1970s, this lobster is true to form and even has 17 meter long antennae that raise from his head. The giant lobster even has his own website: www.thebiglobster.com.au.

Big Banana

The most famous of Australia’s large items is the Big Banana, located along the Pacific Highway in Coffs Harbour. The banana was revealed in 1964 and has been bringing drives to a halt along this busy highway ever since. Duck into the banana’s complex for... you guessed it, all types of banana goodies, including banana milkshakes, banana jam, and plain bunches of bananas.

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