Week 27: Scotland

This week I had to travel for a client visit, and figured it was a perfect opportunity to spend the weekend exploring another country since my flight was already covered, so that’s how I ended up in Scotland. My friend Natalia and I had 2 free days to see what we could before heading to the client, so we did our best to make the most of it. Our trip began with an evening landing in Glasgow, where we visited their Christmas market. Unlike the cute and festive ones in mainland Europe, this one as more like a carnival that mashed food from a variety of cultures to create a greasy culinary delight for those who attended. Options included crepes (France), waffles (Belgium), Greek pastries, and the traditional sausage and bun that is well known to the United Kingdom.

Saturday we went on a tour of the Scottish highlands, which included some gorgeous scenery from places like Glencoe in the rolling hills to Oban on the coast. Our guide was kind enough to speak a much clearer version of English so that those in attendance could understand-most of the people I talked to would slow down as if speaking to a foreigner and then when another Scot approached promptly switch back to the original brogue. Our trip went from fields to castles and was interspersed with traditional Scottish music, and so we passed a delightful day seeing the country.

Sunday we decided to stay in Glasgow and were not disappointed by the variety of activities there. Along our morning walk we ran into hundreds of people dressed as Santa Claus as they finished a road race for charity. We got some hot chocolate and enjoyed traditional English scones during our ventures, as well as sampling Scottish shortbread and some whisky fudge. After the culinary portion was over, we headed over to the Sharmanka kinetic gallery, an experience that critics described as “grotesque”. It is a collection of sculptures by a Russian artist living in Scotland. However, unlike traditional sculpture, these are connected to each-other and to pulleys and motors, and move in time to a lights and music display. It is an eerie experience to be sure, and one I hardly understood as I am not an art lover. However, it was worth the visit to see some unique pieces and a form of art I hadn’t had the pleasure of viewing before. After this excursion, it was off to client meetings for the rest of my time in the country, so I have nothing more to report.

Week 26: Christmas Revelry and Antwerp

This week the Belgium office hosted their Christmas/winter holiday celebration, a fun event where the entire office (all 6 of us that is!) went out to the Brussels Christmas market for some hot mulled wine and revelry before heading to a restaurant to dine. During our strolls through the picturesque mini-huts that comprise these markets throughout Europe, we discussed different family traditions and learned about the special treats consumed during the holidays in everyone’s home countries. We also admired a lights and music show, projected on the outside façade of the Cathedral Saint Catherine, themed for Japan this year. The dinner that followed was at a traditional Belgian restaurant, so delicacies including mussels and snails were ordered and enjoyed, while I stuck to a more predictable turkey in raspberry beer sauce. It was a merry time to be had by all.

On Sunday, I took a trip to the nearby city of Antwerp, to see what there was to see. Accompanied by a friend, we visited the famed Cathedral of our Lady, an enormous church whose spire towers unmistakably above the surrounding buildings. After a nice walk-through there, my friend and I sought lunch, and ended up walking into a fancy establishment that was full of people strictly over the age of 60. After viewing the menu (and the patronage) we decided it was not the place for us and continued on to a cute bakery full of sandwiches and more age-appropriate food.

Following our meal we took a walk down to the river to admire the water as the sun began to set, and were treated to an excellent view out to sea. Antwerp used to be one of the biggest port towns in Europe, and still functions as a working port today. On our return to the train station I managed to get lost (as usual) but unlike my typical wanderings through sleepy neighborhoods or hip streets, I looked up and found myself in the red light district. There’s nothing quite like admiring a local university’s classroom and empathizing with them about the horrible food probably served there (they had the same meal provider as my college) and looking up to see women in bikinis in windows and a street that only has men strolling down it. Needless to say, I took the opportunity to pull out Google Maps and find my way back to the enormous (and historic) train station for the ride back to Brussels. 

Week 25: Paris

This weekend I decided to take a nice little trip to the neighboring city of Paris, about 3.5 hours driving from Brussels. My first day was spent at the Palace of Versailles, which lived up to all the hype about being enormous, especially the gardens. I was privy to viewing the most famous rooms of this enormous building, including the king’s bedroom (complete with a bed about my height) and the hall of mirrors. Following this tour through the gaudiest of households, I took a trip through the magnificent gardens, the truly spectacular part of the complex. These stretched over an enormous amount of area, and were resplendent with fountains, sculptures, and lots of water, the last of which turned into a prime location for crew practice as the sun was setting. These gardens were also the location of my first encounter with hot wine, a Christmas season tradition throughout Northern Europe. There are few things better this time of year than strolling through the streets of the old city or along the lush garden pathways with a steaming cup of wine.

After getting back to Paris, I went to the Montmartre neighborhood to see Basilica of the Sacre Coeur at night. I was not disappointed by this view of the magnificent building at night, with lights gleaming off the white exterior. I was also treated to a view of the city overall, as the basilica is on top of one of the highest hills in the city. While this did mean walking up a good number of stairs, it did not disappoint!

Sunday I went for a morning walk along the canal near my hostel. I felt very French as I munched on a Croissant and found myself in a weekend market that took up a small park between the buildings. After packing up, I made my way to the Avenue Champs-Élysées and walked down to the Arc de Triumph for the best view of the city. Once I had secured my requisite pictures of the Eifel tower, I continued back along the avenue toward the Louvre, pausing at the Parisian Christmas market for more hot wine and to admire the stalls and buzz of the area.

My walk continued through the central park and past the Louvre to the Cathedral de Notre Dame, and then up to a neighborhood recommended by a friend. From a small corner diner I enjoy the traditional Croquet Madam and watched a yard sale-type market happening right outside the window. Upon finishing my French delicacy, I walked through this charming market, observing the excellent habit Europeans have of sitting together, drinking wine, and enjoying their lives in a way rarely experienced in the United States. I also treated myself to more hot wine, which is an excellent way to keep off the cold as I traveled. 

Week 23: Morocco

This week I decided to use up some of my remaining vacation days to visit a country that has intrigued me since I first ate Moroccan food in Spain several years ago. The goal was to visit, seem some cool stuff, and eat my way through the country. I can say I achieved these goals remarkably well, and enjoyed a relaxing week away.

My first stop was the ancient city of Fes, known for its crafts and for being a university city, where people would come to study Islam. The medina (marketplace) is an incredibly convoluted collection of streets within the walls: this area is said to have over 1,000 streets within a tiny space, all curving and intertwining in the most unexpected and confusing ways. Due to my tendency to get lost, I went on a guided tour through this maze my first day, including stops at a craft shop where they hand make Berber rugs and blankets, and the well-known tanneries where they have been treating leather using the same methods as when the city was born.  We also saw a man turning pieces of bone into combs and families of craftsmen pounding metal into plates, bowls, and trays out in the open air.

The tiny streets are exceedingly crowded and it’s not unusual for a motorbike or a donkey to intercept your path as you are admiring the food and crafts. Our guide stopped along the way to greet the seemingly thousands of people he knew as we went, and even got some shopping done, buying pigs feet for his wife to cook. He later learned he had made a mistake in choosing the hind legs rather than the front ones: apparently the former have better taste! We also saw buckets of meat mixed with animal fat, a historic way of preserving the protein in the desert, where refrigeration is non-existent.

My second day in Fes brought a beautiful day to walk up to the old city fort for a view of the town and surrounding mountain landscape. This was followed by a traditional Moroccan meal of soup with bread, chicken tagine, and some sweets popular throughout Morocco. The food is simple but delicious, typically cooked in a vessel called a tagine, which looks like a pot with a pyramid lid. A “tagine” dish can be anything prepared in this cooking device: I had everything ranging from chicken with veggies to couscous to an omelet that were all served to me as ‘tagine’.

One of my best experiences was a visit to the local Hammam, or bath. I went there on advisory of my hostel, with no particular expectations-they told me to go in, pay the lady 100 dirhams (about $10) and then follow instructions. The baths are the same as they were back when the city was first built, and work similar to the Roman baths: there is a cold antechamber before the hot steam room inside, complete with water for bathing. They’ve made a few upgrades, including buckets for water and stools for sitting, but in essence it’s the same as many years ago. My host had had me purchase a small kit before going, which included soap, shampoo/conditioner, and a washcloth glove made of lightly abrasive material. After sitting in the waiting area alone and mildly confused for a while, I was beckoned to strip down and go to the hot room. There, it was indicated to me (since we had no common language) to later myself with soap. I did so, then waited for about 20 minutes for further instruction, observing the other ladies around me. The baths are an exceptionally social experience, with women chatting and washing around then entire perimeter of the room: a practice that would probably never happen in the US, and especially not in these modern days. However, most Moroccans go to the public baths at least once a week to clean up band socialize.

Once my steam time was complete, a middle aged woman came, put on the glove thingy, and started scrubbing me down. She literally peeled off the top layer of dead skin, giving me disapproving looks as it came off. Though this sounds slightly disgusting, it didn’t hurt at all and left me feeling clean and refreshed afterward, and maybe even a bit lighter! She also poured water on me as I washed my hair, which was akin to standing under a gentle, warm waterfall. Overall it was a completely unexpected by relaxing experience that I would highly recommend.

The next day I got off my overnight bus in Merzouga, a small town on the outskirts of the Sahara desert that caters to tourists who want the true camel experience. Our tour started at the house of a native to the area, who served us breakfast and lunch and taught us about the desert. Apparently a dune made of ‘solid’ sand (which does not blow away with the wind) has a hidden water source underneath, which keeps the sand moist enough to remain packed together. The place we traveled and camped fit this description, as you could (with difficulty) walk up the dunes and enjoy the views from the top. This was an excellent way to experience the sunrise and sunset for two days, when I was camped among the rolling dunes.

The desert is very cold and very quiet at night, perfect conditions to sleep soundly and enjoy the stars. We were treated to camel rides, followed by a tagine dinner and a traditional Berber drum circle. While I’m certainly untrained in the ways of African drumming, it was amazing to see how the various participants were able to listen and respond to each-other, changing rhythms and beats every few minutes without pause. They also had a few desert songs they entertained us guests with before turning in for the night.

My second day in the desert included another camel ride to an abandoned Berber village. The people had left the previous generation because there were no longer jobs for them in the desert. However, a few brave souls remained to cater to tourists. When we were ready to leave, our guide told us that we could either wait at the house or accompany him to go find the camels: when we had gone to explore the city, he had left our camels untied to graze, and they wandered off! Apparently this is the furthest they’ve ever gone, but we ended up on quite the trek across the black desert to find the animals behind some distant hills. There is speculation they were trying to escape into Algeria! The “camel massage” on the way back was less than pleasing, but we finally made it back to camp to hike the great dune for star gazing and nighttime sandboarding. From the top of the dune we could see the surrounding towns and a million brilliant starts, a beautiful way to pass time in such a deserted place.

After our escapades in the desert, we took a bus through the gorgeous and gut twisting Atlas Mountains to get to Marrakesh. There, I explored an even bigger medina, complete with a central square that was as crazy at night as New York’s Time Square. Unlike Fes, this complex had exotic creatures like monkeys on leashes and snakes for picture posing. I had the opportunity to visit a complex that used to be a dormitory for scholars, and greatly admired the gorgeous architecture and decoration of the building.

My final days were spent on a train ride back to Fes and then some shopping in the Medina before my plane departed. I managed to secure some nougat with peanuts, a local sweet treat that became a quick favorite. You know you have the best vendor by the number of bees surrounding the nougat, enjoying the sweetness. The nuts and dates were also extremely popular and cheap, so I stocked up for my trip back. Overall, a relaxing and adventurous way to spend a week I’d say.

Weeks 21+22: Brussels and Bruges

The first two weeks in Belgium have been a nice adjustment to the European way of life, with the Particular restrictions or having cool fall weather to compliment the changing leaves. While I have not explored too much outside of Brussels, I've had the pleasure of starting to familiarize myself with the city that I'll be calling home for the next year.

My first weekend included a trip to the center of Brussels, the Grand Place. There, my coworker overtook me on a tour of the popular places, zoals the third peeing statues of Belgium, the museum row, and the Delirium bar, famous for having the biggest selection of beers in the world. The Latter Has A menu the size of a small textbook, with beers from across Belgium and around the world. In my attempt to assimilate to the culture, my friend recommended a Kreik bear. This beverage tastes mostly of cherries, but is a good way to pass an afternoon in good company.

The next weekend I Decided I Should Be Formally more acquainted with the city, and did a walking tour of Brussels center. While we saw many of the same monuments as before, I was enlightened of the myths and histories of Brussels as well as a few fun facts about the city and the country of Belgium overalls. I was ook fully educated on the correct way to consume waffles, fries, and beer, the three primary perks of Belgium. (When I brought` up chocolate as the most Important Belgian delicacy, my tour guide threatened to throw me out of the tour! Apparently bear ranks higher.)

Each weekend I try to take a trip to one of the local markets to get my fresh produce and meats and cheeses for the week. These range from cute neighborhood markets to sprawling booths reminiscent of an Asian bazaar, providence and a variety of foods at very reasonable prices. My favorite places at thesis is the chicken trucks: theyhave entire food trucks That Are dedicated to roasting chickens on the go, complete with fully functional striker and cages to roast the separated pieces of meat. I have yet to purchase an entire chicken from one thesis or trucks, but They smell delicious as you walk by so it's on the list.

In an attempt to see more of Belgium and enjoy a gorgeous day, I overtook a daytrip to Bruges with a friend: this is a small town built along a canal, about 1 hour by train from Brussels. It's truly worthy of being a tourist destination, as the scenery was gorgeous, Especially in the sunshine. My favorite part was the myriad of chocolate shops That Are famous in this town: noteworthy samples included Cabernet Sauvignon chocolate, chocolate whipped cream, chocolate and cannabis. All in all a day well spent visiting an adorable, Typically European city in Belgium. 

Weeks 19+20: MY to TH to BE

These past 2 weeks have been a flurry of travel as I spent my last week in Malaysia before heading to Thailand for a client meeting, and then finally going to Belgium, which will be my destination for the next year!

On my last day in the Malaysia office, I brought my co-workers an all-American breakfast of pancakes and maple syrup, imported from New Hampshire. I also included some apples with peanut butter, which I had been eating for breakfast the past few weeks but a flavor combination which none had heard of before. I got mixed reviews on the latter: some thought it quite tasty, others will never eat it again, but we had fun breaking bread together. Before I left my coworkers also brought some traditional Malaysian food and Aunt Annie’s pretzels to share as an afternoon snack. It was a bittersweet goodbye, as I was sad to be leaving such amazing people and wonderful friends, but it was time to move to the next place. Luckily, I had one last night in Kuala Lumpur and was joined by a few of these friends for my final dinner at a local cafeteria. This is a picture of me drinking juice from a bag: in Malaysia, they give you drinks to go in a plastic bag expertly tied with a straw, something that I had never seen before. I was told that this is great for motorcyclists, who can hang those bags from their handlebars and lean down for a sip at stoplights!

Next stop was a 5 day layover in Thailand to meet with my client there. While it was fairly uneventful, I did enjoy the company of my colleague Vivien (from China) and we got some foot massages while talking over the day’s progress. The client also surprised us with some Mango Sticky Rice, my favorite Thai dessert, amidst all the delicious Thai food I was privy to eating. They also gave us desserts in the shape of ducks which were like gelatinous coconut milk. Sadly, the king of Thailand passed away on my final day in the country, so there is now a historic event to mark my departure from one of the most beautiful and friendly countries I’ve had the privilege of visiting.

Finally, I arrived in Belgium and was greeted warmly by my coworkers there. We enjoyed a delicious lunch of bread and cheese (which I had been missing greatly while in Asia) followed by remarkable Belgian chocolate, before I headed to my apartment to fight jet lag. I will be spending a full year in Belgium, working as usual but going on adventures in the Europe area now. Because I have longer here, my weekends will no longer be packed with a trip every weekend, so my blog posts will continue, but less frequently. However, stay tuned as I plan to seek out the history and culture of this continent to the best of my ability, so this is not the end!

Week 18: Bali

This week I was surprised with a 3 day weekend (thank you extensive Malaysian holidays!) and decided to use my extra time to travel to Bali. I picked this destination because my aunt, uncle, and cousins who are currently spending a year living in China were vacationing there, and so I’d get the double benefit of spending time with family. I especially enjoyed my visit because I got to be goofy and try out activities I never would have experienced otherwise, so a special shout-out to the Gee/Robinson family!

The first day in Bali we rented a car to go see significant sites around the island. These included a temple that was reminiscent of Indiana Jones and some tiered rice paddies that had the most vibrant shades of green that you’ll ever find. The highlight though, was a visit to a valley that had 5 waterfalls, tucked away in the back roads of the island. It was a gorgeous hike down through the jungle, where our guide taught us about all the local fruits and even pointed out a clove tree, which smelled distinctly of Christmas. At the bottom, we were instantly cooled in the mist that sprayed off the waterfall, and even ventured into the refreshingly cold water for a dip. The natural beauty of Bali is incredible and this waterfall was no exception to that rule, despite the inevitable carsickness when getting there via narrow, windy roads.

Day 2 I managed to convince one of my cousins and my aunt to rise before the crack of dawn for a sunrise hike up a famous and spiritual volcano. The early morning wakeup call was well worth it: we were treated to spectacular views of the other mountains and the surrounding valley as the sun came up. At the top our guide provided us with a breakfast of bread, fruit, and some eggs that had been steamed in the volcanic gasses. This turned out to be exceptionally tasty, and a good respite before the trek back down. Later that evening, my uncle and I went to see one of the traditional Balinese dances. This was one of the most unique performances I’ve been privy to watch, as the music was all provided by a vocal chorus of men or women. The dance told an ancient story and portrayed these tales using dance and characters in exceedingly detailed masks. The grand finale was a bonfire of coconut husks that a man in a trance danced through and kicked around in his bare feet. I’m not sure how he managed to do that night after night, but it was certainly spectacular!

My final day in Bali was one of relaxation. My aunt and uncle treated me to a day at the spa, including a full body Balinese massage and a soak in a private hot tub, all overlooking a river that provided the ambiance for the experience. It was incredibly relaxing and refreshed me in preparation of going back to work the next day. In the afternoon we enjoyed lunch while the skies opened up around us, then proceeded to a local monkey forest. This was a nature reserve area where you could observe and interact with the monkeys, including feeding them bananas and other fruits for sale. Though not my favorite activity (which should not come as a surprise to those who know me well), my cousin’s enthusiasm and excitement made the experience very enjoyable, so I clearly picked the right people to travel with. Thus my long weekend came to an end, but it was relaxed and refreshed that I returned to Kuala Lumpur for my final week in Malaysia. 

Week 17: Melaka

This weekend I had the pleasure of a custom tour around the historic city of Melaka, brought to me by some coworkers who were determined to be exceptionally hospitable. (Everyone I work with is nice and welcoming, but unlike some other countries, they insist on going above and beyond to take me places of interest on the weekends. It’s really fun, if unexpected.) The goal of the weekend: eat lots of local food. Mission accomplished.

Our first stop was at a sea turtle research facility, where they observe these creatures and educate visitors about them. We got to enjoy these creatures swimming about lazily in front of a gorgeous ocean view. Continuing our trip, we witnessed the newest phenomenon in hotels: old busses were converted into themed hotel rooms, complete with indoor plumbing! While they wouldn’t allow us into any of the rooms (busses?) you can read all about this new craze online. The coconut shakes at the nearby lot of busses turned stationary food trucks did not disappoint however.

Our next stop was the downtown and historic area of Melaka, a port city previously colonized by Western forces including the Portuguese and the British. We were able to board a model ship and learn about trade in the area before we headed on to Jonker street (pronounced like a New Yorker “Yonker”) for lunch. This street is full of the Chinese Malays and their shops, restaurants, and mannerisms were very reminiscent of being in China itself. We stepped into a popular food store that was like a Chinese Harry and David’s for some treats (unfortunately no Moose Munch!) before heading on our way to see more of the old town. I admired a lot of the tri-shaws along the way; these are bicycle driven carts that compete with each-other for the most flamboyant designs and themes. Everything from FROZEN to Hello Kitty to SuperMan to Pokemon could be found, and to put the cherry on top many had speakers that would blare pop music as the car rolled away.

We wrapped up a fun day with a trip to the top of the hill in the center city, where we were treated to a beautiful view amid ruins of an old church from the days of colonization. Following this, we headed to a beach for an impromptu photoshoot (to provide pictures for the company newsletter, of course!) and to enjoy some local food before heading home for the night. It was a lot of fun and I feel so lucky to have coworkers who would go out of their way to take me on adventures within their home country. 

Week 16: Cameron Highlands

Since I had another day off (thank you for having a million holidays Malaysia!) and Emily was still in Malaysia, we decided to take a trip to the Cameron Highlands for the weekend. This is a smaller town up in the mountains that used to be a stronghold for one of the colonizing countries in Malaysia, but has since become a bustling tourist trap for people who want to get away from the heat of the city, breathe some fresh air, and drink a nice cup of tea. The temperature at the top of the winding roads was blissfully cooler than what we had been experiencing in Thailand and Kuala Lumpur, an added bonus for our trip.

Upon arriving, we promptly went to lunch to enjoy the local delicacy, a Steamboat. This is essentially a hotpot with a special lid which has a funnel at the top, thus emitting steam like a smokestack as your food cooks. While it wasn’t especially spectacular, it’s always a treat to sample local cuisine. Following this, I decided to walk to one of the local strawberry farms. Unfortunately it was not the right season for picking my own berries, but I was treated to some of the freshest, juiciest berries I’ve had in a long time and I returned to our hostel with delightfully pink lips. Unlike in the US where you need to bend down in fields to pick strawberries, the farmers in the Cameron Highlands have made these beds more convenient for tourists by stacking plants along tiered shelves within their greenhouses. Clearly not as authentic, but there’s something to be said for not having a sore back at the end of the day!

The next day we ventured to Boh tea plantation, one of the most famous in Malaysia. The way they grow tea plants on the rolling hills is breathtaking, as you can see in some of these photos. We were educated on the tea making process and even enjoyed some fresh beverages while overlooking the view. My highlight was strawberry cheesecake that actually contained some of the plantation’s tea within it-it was quite delicious. After our educational and filling excursion, we ventured on one of the many walking paths that the Cameron Highlands are famous for, and managed to spot a waterfall and some other tourists who were also enjoying a beautiful day in the sunshine.