All the Tea in China

Tian Shan Tea City - Shanghai

One of my favorite experiences in China was on our last day in Shanghai when we visited Tian Shan Tea City. Who knew tea was so complicated!! We sat in the shop of Ms. Lin li Zhen for infusion after infusion of Chinese teas (courtyard, shop # 1250). The 'city' itself looks something like a temple from the outside and has a courtyard of shops and a mall like structure with 3 floors of shops selling tea and any tea related accessory you could imagine.


Finding a tea you like is a lot like finding a wine you like, having a sample of one or two will give you a starting point from which to explore further. There are 4 basic types of tea you will find at the mall. Green tea most people are familiar with, a lightly oxidized tea. Oolong, a semi oxidized tea is often pretty close in flavor to green tea. Red tea, or what we know as black tea, is more heavily oxidized. Pu'er is special tea, actually from a different type of tea plant, and is the top top end for tea aficionados. Aged pu'er teas are sought after and are extremely pricey, running more than 50 rmb per gram. You'll see dinner plate sized cakes of this tea, wrapped in identifying paper, adorning the walls of the shops (pictured below). I didn’t try any of the Pu’er teas, but I did have an aged tea that was…not so great tasting, but it is supposed to be good for you, so I bought it! I have plenty to share, so feel free to come over for a cup or two. Also, there are different grades of tea and different methods of rolling and drying, there are flavored teas (lychee, rose, ginseng, etc... ), herbal teas, etc... and it would take you a solid week of tasting to conquer them all.



A good place to shop for cups and the accessories is Mu Yun (ground floor, shop # 1023), stocked with handmade ceramics and carved bamboo. Their selection is a cut above the rest and many of the items are actual works of art, without being priced accordingly, instead of mass produced look a likes. Even if you aren’t interested in buying a whole tea set, Mu Yun has functional and unique little pieces of art that make great presents. Really the prices in all of tea city were 'real' as opposed to inflated tourist prices. (I also found a very unique chopstick shop in a different part of town…ask me if interested.)



Although not that much English is spoken this definitely won't stand in the way of a very enriching time and, language barrier or not, the shop owners want to share their teas with you and help you understand the richness of the tea experience.

Xian Part 2 - Dumplings

My first Chinese dumplings were the best! A friend who once lived in New York told me where to go...not sure if I found the exact place she was referring to, but I did find at a great little hole in the wall that rocked. The line was out the door and down the sidewalk - always a good sign! For some reason, I can’t seem to find great dumplings in Dallas, so I have to go places to get that dumpling fix – tragic I know!!

Rice was not grown in the Xian region, so the local population relied on wheat and wheat flour products including dumplings, steamed breads and noodles. THE place to go is 'the legendary' DEFACHANG one of the oldest and most popular of Xiann’s dumpling houses. The restaurant specializes in handmade steamed, boiled, fried, and baked dumplings with over 100 different fillings. I only tried 19 delicous varieties– I guess I will have to go back a few times to see which is the best!

OH, and the friend who told me about the dumpling place in NYC, also went to China with me! She is thinking that a trip back to this restaurant is in order too...great minds!

Xian - On and Off the Beaten Path

The Terra Cotta Warriors have made it into the awareness of most savvy travelers, but there is so much more to Xian than just the warriors. Sure, the warrior excavations are the greatest archeological discovery of the 20th century and an absolute MUST when visiting China, but wow, Xian has a lot to offer.

Xian is the capital of China’s Shaanxi Province and is one of the most historic cities in the world – not just in China. The region boasts more than 6,000 years of recorded history spanning 13 different kingdoms and dynastic periods.

My guide for 2 days was Professor Wang Baoping who is one of China’s most knowledgeable archeologists on the Han period (206-220 AD). Prof Wang is the director of the Yangling site – the most technologically advance excavation site in the world and is the result of the collaboration of top archeologists from 8 countries….a very big deal! I won’t bore you with the details here, but if you want to know more, let me know. Truly fascinating.

Essentially, like the Egyptians, the ancient Chinese sought to take some of this life with them into the next. The emperors would start work on their tomb as soon as they came into power. The Terra Cotta Warriors is only a portion of the tomb for the emperor Qin.

The actual tomb of Qin has not yet been opened - just some of the satelite pits which is where the warriors are. The advances in technology continue to grow and the Chinese are just being cautious to optimally preserve the contents.

Amazing area of the world! If you are interested in participating in the excavation work, let me know…I can hook you up!

Also in Xian is The Great Mosque and the Old City - one of the most interesting sites in Xian. It is a great reflection of the history of the Silk Road and the cultural interchange that China and the West underwent in the 8th Century. The Great Mosque was actually built in the late 14th century and given imperial recognition during the Ming dynasty.

Another super exclusive thing we got to do was go to the Shaanxi Provincial Museum for a private viewing of the frescoes taken from Tang Dynasty (618-907) tombs with conservator Wang Jian Qi. Amazing. We couldn't take pictures there, but the frescoes tell the story of the Tang Dynasty period and have been invaluable to historians.

Most people only give Xian 1 day...maybe 2. It is really worth more time if you are at all interested in history. This too is where the dumpling originated...more to come on that.

Walking the Wall

The Great Wall of China – it is just an amazing thing really. The wall is the longest man-made structure on earth, built over hundreds of years. When visiting Beijing, an outing to the wall will undoubtedly be on your itinerary.

There are actually several sections that can be easily accessed from Beijing... typically, tourists go to the Badaling section of the wall. Since we are not typical, we went to the Mutianyu section – far less crowded and a ‘newer’ (Ming Dynasty) section of the wall so it is in much better condition than Badaling.

The Mutianyu section has a cable car that will take you from the ground up to the wall – or you can hike if you like. Then walk several miles to a bobsled to take you back down to the base. Great fun. Or you can hike down…if you like.

Late October to early November is a beautiful time to visit as all the trees are turning. We were just on the tail end of the Fall color, but still had a gorgeous time walking the wall.

Singing and Dancing and Skipping Rope

This is Sunday morning in Beijing!

My first day was a beautiful sunny day and I set out on my own to find my way to Jingshan Park from the Peninsula - no small feat. I think the walk took almost an hour, but it was well worth it. I saw so many wonderful scenes along the way.

Jingshan Park is on the North end of the Forbidden City and is a hub of activity. The park itself is beautiful, but it is the people that make the experience. At first, all I saw were the ladies doing line dances in the main courtyard, cute. Then at every turn, there was some other activity. There were groups singing at the top of their lungs - apparently it is virtuous to be a good singer and they do take it very seriously.

Clusters of people playing chess or cards, haky sack, jumping rope, people playing instruments, acting troups, etc...it was a beautiful day. I am very very tired, so this is not the most eloquent of posts, but here are some pictures.

The Perpetual Souvenir

When traveling, I find that cooking classes are a great way to get to know a piece of a culture and have something to take back with you that can be shared over and over again.

Now there are full blown cooking schools and then there are simple ½ day classes as well as variations in between. All are beneficial and fun, it just depends on how much of your travel time you want to devote to this one aspect of the travel experience.

Some popular cuisines for cookery schools are French, Tuscan and Thai, but really any where you go has something unique to offer.


All four of the following are excellent schools offered by Orient Express hotels.

Tuscany -
http://www.villasanmichele.com/web/ovil/cookery_courses.jsp

England -
http://www.orient-express.com/web/olem/olem_c5a_introduction.jsp

San Miguel -
http://www.sazon.com/web/osaz/osaz_a2a_home.jsp

Venice -
http://www.hotelcipriani.com/web/ocip/ocip_c7d_cookery_classes.jsp

Each of these schools offer both shorter and longer, more involved classes. There really is something for everyone – including children.

I also love the classes offered at the Mandarin Oriental in Chiang Mai: http://www.mandarinoriental.com/chiangmai/leisure/culinary/ .

It is a fairy tale hotel beyond description and the classes are fantastic.

Local restaurants will also typically provide ½ day courses. Want to learn how to make the best BBQ in St. Louis or the best bread in Provence? Every destination has a culinary gift to offer. Restaurant based classes are great too because you will usually walk to the local market with the chef, learn about the local ingredients while shopping, then return to the restaurant to prepare a meal. And then of course, the best part, you get to eat!

Wherever your travels take you, consider a cooking class as a part of your experience. It is a souvenir that you can share with your friends and family over and over again.

Bon Appetite!

Zoe

My Office Mate Zoe

I recently moved my office from Preston Center to my home. The transition has been good in many ways and I am thankful to not be driving so much. If you know my driving record at all, you would understand.

Anyway, I have a new office mate - and she is great!

Zoe is her name and she is a joy to have around.



She has her corner of the office, I have mine. It works out well for both of us I suppose. She is usually really encouraging and playful and fun, but sometimes she gets a little demanding. I of course oblige her demands.


What a joy to have a beautiful view doing the perfect job with such a delightful office mate!

Order?

I traversed this intersection in India on foot and lived to tell about it.

For someone who loves order and systems and things that all work together, India challenged every fiber of me. The funny thing is that there really is order to this seemingly chaotic mess.

Pedestrians yield to bicycles,
bicycles yield to motorcycles,
motorcycles yield to cars...then the size of car matters too,
cars yield to trucks.
Everyone yields to cows and the oxcart just takes its place somewhere in all this.

For some reason what appears to us to be chaotic here actually does have order. This can be true in any situation – what may appear as chaotic or dis-orderly, really may have order…I just can’t see it.

India is a good reminder to me to look beyond what is in front of me and patiently try to understand. It is also a reminder to pray and trust in God's protection and direction through any intersection in life.

My Boys Do Love Baseball!!

Baseball IS just so very American isn’t it! Keith & Michael have really enjoyed going to some of the historic parks of baseball and cheering on their favorite teams. They aren’t necessarily favorites for the team that they are today, rather for the legends that come out of the parks.



Yankee Stadium for the Subway Series – how cool is that! My boys hold that experience high on their list of favorites. The iconic stadium, the iconic teams, and the iconic series, all perfect ingredients for a ‘pinch me’ moment for any baseball fan!

Probably as famous as Yankee Stadium is Fenway Park in the heart of Boston. The Boston fans generate an iconic baseball experience – no matter who they are playing! The atmosphere at a Red Sox game just makes you love baseball all the more. The music, the chanting, the energy is just really not describable. You have to go to know what it is to be a Red Sox fan!

We plan on hopping up to Wrigley Field this summer and add another great baseball experience to our list. Chicago’s not such a bad place to visit either!

A great way to share in an American experience together as a family and create memories that last a lifetime.

Otro dia, otra aventura!

Another day, another adventure!

I am now embarking on the adventure of 2 high schoolers! The challenges are different than I expected as are the rewards. I am so proud of my kids I just ooze delight. I know you don't want to hear the droning of a proud parent, so I will stop there.

Yesterday was the first fabulous day of school - Michael's Senior year, Rachael's Freshman. Both had a fantastic start to what looks to be an adventurous year!

Adrenoline Deficiency...

If I could drop everything right now to do anything....

I would find the biggest baddest river I could...and take it on!



This one is pretty tame, but its the best picture I have....

OR, I would like to learn extreme kayaking! I can manage smaller craft on the rivers, but have never gone solo in a kayak...that would be awesome. I am feeling a bit of an adrenoline deficiency right now and the need to run a river....

The Floating Rock

I just had the most delicious egg rolls ever! We have a new neighbor – a single man – who rang our bell this evening and delivered a packet of freshly made Cambodian egg rolls. Amazing! His family is visiting for the holiday weekend and his mother has been in the kitchen cooking up a storm. What a treat.

Those egg rolls reminded me of a gem of a restaurant outside the Boston airport in Revere, MA - The Floating Rock.

Last summer when we spent our holiday in Maine and Boston, our first stop was for lunch at this family operation owned by Mouy Kim and managed by her son, Johnny Chook, whose wife and sister also help run the business. (All pictured here with grandma as well.)

It's not a place frequented by many Americans; probably 80 percent of the customers are Cambodian, another 10 percent are different extractions of Southeast Asian, and the remainder is everyone else. It is really easy to get to from Logan, and close, so it is really worth the effort.

As in other Asian cultures, rice and fish are staples of the traditional Cambodian diet, and beef, pork, and chicken dishes also are common. Hot peppers, lemongrass, ginger, and mint are prevalent seasonings, as is prahoc, a spicy fish paste. In many ways, Cambodian food is a blend of Thai, Chinese, and Vietnamese cooking.

Much of the menu will be unfamiliar to Americans, but just go for it! We had the Tiger Tears appetizer (pictured here) and it was full of flavors that perfectly worked together...it was a cold dish that had a slight crunch to it. For our main course, we ordered a fish – whole – delicious as well with a lot of lemongrass, vegetables and other spices. The fish reminded me a bit of some of the better Thai restaurants – crispy on the outside and flavorful on the inside. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

If you are in Boston be sure to make this a part of your schedule. If you need help finding it, let me know.

Monumental Checkbox

Sacre Coeur in Paris is an iconic landmark in the city. ‘I climbed the steps to Sacre Coeur’ is a check on the life’s to do list (or at least the ‘visit to Paris to-do list’). Europe is packed with one massive church after another - all full of opulent history and high church yet seemingly devoid of Christ. As in Costa Rica, at the center of every French town was the church building…yet the French people seem predominately agnostic.

I asked a few random people about faith, the buildings, Christ, the universal church, etc…almost unanimously, the church is a relic of the past. How sad! True the buildings themselves represent so much that was wrong with the organization of the church over the centuries, and that actually hasn’t changed much over time, but how grievous that a people group once rooted in Christ now sees faith as historic and irrelevant to today.

What was once a place for the people of God to gather and worship Him is now a monumental checkbox.

And so...

Climb the steps to Sacre Coeur....Check.

Places of Worship

In 2002 we took a few weeks to explore Costa Rica and there began my photo diary of ‘places of worship’. No matter the size of the town in Costa Rica, at the absolute center was the soccer field flanked by the church. Interestingly, this order directly reflects the priorities of the people too...But we WERE there during the World Cup, so everything was all about soccer.

Anyway, I was so intrigued by these churches – they were all very different architecturally and usually very colorful. Since 2002, my diary of pictures has grown and spans the globe.

The whole process has been encouraging...discouraging... interesting...perplexing and ongoing.

Some places of worship are really monuments – empty, ornate, massive, costly. While others are sincere....regardless of size or appointment.

As time allows, I hope to start sharing some of my collection here.

In The Press

If you don’t already have the May issue of Condé Nast, then read this article about Hawaii online.

http://www.concierge.com/cntraveler/articles/12198?pageNumber=1

When you get to the very very end, you will find little me.... A very small mention, but very thrilling for me to see my name in my favorite magazine.

The article is great, Debi did a fantastic job of leading us to a different, more authentic Hawaii.

Enjoy!

The BEST Dog Ever!

The thought of a hot dog doesn’t really thrill me…what exactly is in it anyway?

Despite the mystery, a great dog is to be savored and thanks to a friend from Kansas City, I think I have found the BEST. Or at least my choice for best…

Poipu is where we find this unlikely champion. Tucked back in a tourist shopping center on the South end of Kauai is the Puka Dog stand. The sweet buns are lightly toasted from the inside (too much to explain here..), you can choose from a Polish or Veggie dog, choose your level of heat, choose your fruity island relish and finally the mustard ( I liked the Lilikoi the best, maybe because it is the most Hawaiian) and voila ! Bliss ! The combination of flavors is perfect. I hope you get to enjoy one soon.

www.pukadog.com

Istanbul

Of all the cities I have visited recently, Istanbul captivates me the most. It is a contrast of time and cultures where the 'Clash of Civilizations' is epitomized. As you cross the straight between Europe and Asia or cross the street from Jewish to Muslim to Christian places of worship, you can not help but to feel the history.

Hagia Sophia is not to be missed. Go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hagia_Sophia to read all about it. (Isn't wikipedia great!) The thing that makes you pause is the plaster falling off the walls. When the Ottomon Turks converted it to a mosque, they plastered over all of the Christian mosaics. That plaster is now falling away and can not be repaired because it is a protected site. The mosaics are typical Byzantine. The message...

As we walked the social district at night, there were literally thousands of people in the streets. Small, make shift tea cafes along the alleyways, restaurants, street musicians, book stores, and even nightclubs. Taking it all in. What a treat!

With friends Natalie and Andrew, we had to experience one of the cafes and enjoyed an apple huka with apple tea. I really wanted to jump in on the chess game going on next to us, but maybe next time. Wonderful way to watch the night go by.

The Dream Team

What is it about the French?! They just really understand hospitality…maybe it is genetic.

I recently enjoyed time at four hotels across France – and visited at least 20 more. They were all wonderful and each offers something unique for each person. From Le Meurice in Paris, to Chateau Eza in the village of Eze, France offers a plethora fairytale hotel experiences. The one that I would return to tomorrow if I could would be La Villa Gallici in Aix-en-Provence.

We arrived late – around 8:30 in the evening - the welcome was overwhelmingly warm and generous. Flowers, fresh fruit and water were in our room to refresh us from the day. Nicholas (pictured on the left), is the delightful person responsible for guest relations - though he is more like your personal attaché while at Villa Gallici. He is quintessentially French and unbelievably vivacious. Dominique (pictured on the right), the charming General Manager, works tirelessly to insure every guest has a picture perfect and truly Provincial experience. Anette, the beautiful front desk clerk went far above and beyond with discretion and joy. The waiter, the night clerk, the day clerk, all were flawless and clearly love being a part of such a delightful hotel.

The commitment at La Villa Gallici is to making you feel as if you are at home (a grand home…) in Provence. This ‘Dream Team’ is truly doing it very well!

Definately a MUST DO while in France!

http://www.villagallici.com/

A Moment of Peace

In finding the perfect shell, my normally bickering children found something to appreciate together and a moment of peace. Combing the beaches for what we can find can be a very cuious thing. Bits of bottles, string, lost shoes, sunglasses...everything has a story. Don't you ever wonder where those bits have been?