London: 12 May

I thought I could wear a skirt and show off my henna tattoo in London but we arrived in London on a freezing 2 C morning. I wore a camisole, two T shirts and two sweaters--all the clothes I brought on the trip.  It took us 3 hours to get to a friend's place even though he was there to get us on the metro. Turned out that a train derailed somewhere. I've never heard of that, a metro train derailment. Aren't these things super efficient and precise?

Then we got to the metro and I thought I was back in 1943 and going into an underground shelter. (Btw, I thought I was in India when we got to the immigration at Heathrow. Of the 20 or so immigration officers, 18 were Indians. And Terminal 3 at Heathrow is worst than KK's old airport.) The London subway is unbelievably run down, dirty and old. I don't even remember New York subway being like that. The trains screeched all the way like they were running with brakes on. And basically, that was how London was to me in the two days I was there: old, run down and way past its glory. Before you bash me up for saying that, I must admit that I need to re-do London before passing final judgment and so I will, on the way home in July. And if it rains again like it did when I was there, I'm not going to be kind.

Armed with my notebook of must-eat places, we set off to Geale's at Farmer's St in Notting Hill. First of all, I was disappointed with Nottinghill. I guess movies always make things look better than they really are. Or maybe I didn't go to the right part of Nottinghill.  Then the fish and chips at Geale's, which one travel guidebook said is the best in London, turned out utterly utterly disappointing. I can declare without fear of reprisal or legal action: avoid Geale's fish and chips!!

Geale's looked quaint and cosy, located behind Nottinghill Gate. Since we weren't familiar with fish and chips prices, the £9.95 per pax set lunch seemed reasonable. We were seated between a young French couple and two young Brits businessmen, the tables one foot apart. And that's something I find very uncomfortable here in Europe where tables are so close to each other you can hear everything your neighbor says. One of the Brit at some point talked about  living with his mom and his girlfriend. I chose that moment to talk in English (from Chinese) and  the fella went back to talking business. That was when it struck me again: the advantage of speaking many languages.

Hub's choice of deep fried white baits was great and we were excited as little kids, grateful to Lonely Planet for such a find.

My crab chowder was thin and tasted of cream only but no matter, I didn't come here for that.

Hub's rib eye steak was tender and tasty, and we were thrilled. Finally 'London's best fish n chips' came:

It was a very large piece. I took a bite. The batter was very crisp but the fish was not what I wanted. I wanted meaty, large flakes of very fresh white fish but the haddock was thin and fell apart too easily. But that wasn't the bummer. I gave Hub a large bite and asked if he detected (he's known for not having a good nose) any peculiar smell. He did and I pulled the coating apart and sniffed at the fish (no bad smell) and then at the crisp coating. There was a strong disgusting stink of ammonia or baking soda which surprised me because I thought only dodgy Asian restaurants add ammonia to their food. We left the fish alone. I looked at the two Brits. They had finished their fish and their chips. Oh dear. Have people gotten so used to bad food that they can't tell? I looked at the French couple. They made a good choice; they were having the mushroom tart. Our side order of peas didn't come. There was only one waitress who seemed too busy. Also, when the space is so confined and every mutter is heard, I prefer to not draw attention. We paid and left.

How can Geale's fish and chips be best in London? I refuse to accept that and I will be back to check it out but not at Geale's.

After that, we went to the famous Portebello Market (where was everybody and what's the big deal?) and the West End area. I love musicals and theatres and was excited to see so many shows available. We ended up unintentionally at Chinatown. London's Chinatown is so small, I wouldn't have noticed it if I didn't look out for it. The restaurant prices were shocking and we picked up a couple of polo buns (about £1 each) at Kowloon Bakery. They were surprisingly dry and hard.We went back to N's place for a simple delicious home cooked meal and yummy dessert of mixed berries and ice cream. I fell asleep straightaway, jet-lagged and tired.

Dubai:11 May 2010

(If I could do Dubai again, I'd be there for 3 days so that I can make a day trip to Abu Dhabi. Check the weather though because certain months are hotter than sizzling. The nice thing about Dubai is its sleekness, cleanliness, affordability (cheaper than European cities), safety, the people speak excellent English and places are never crowded, due to the low population.)




I've forgotten the name of this place but it's a beautiful area of shopping malls, hotels and mansions surrounded by water. The weather in Dubai is hot (mid-30s C) but more pleasant than Malaysia because the humidity is low. We didn't sweat a drop despite being in the sun.

So much to see, so little time. We had to make painful choices. One of them was to forgo going to the top of the world's tallest building, the majestic Burj Khalifa, which only opened early this year:



Awesome. Some friends tell me they have no interest in places like Dubai which is all steel, concrete and artificial. I used to think the same until I went to Dubai and it changed my mind. For those who prefer Roman ruins, remember that the ruins were also artificial and man made. Ancient or new, these 'Babelic' structures attest to man's amazing capabilities and achievements.



Palm Jumeirah is one of the three (I think) massive man-made islands being developed off the coast of Dubai. The islands are shaped like palm fronds and one of them is famously shaped like the map of the world. If I'm not wrong, Palm Jumeirah is the first island to be completed. The buildings are not just humongous, they are beautiful. Every corner, every room, every balcony, every turn gives a picture-perfect view of Arabian decor and architecture.



Our first stop in Palm Jumeirah was Atlantis which houses a 6-star hotel, aquarium, water theme park and high end shops and restaurants, including Nobu. You have to pay Dh25/RM20/US$6 to get in and that allows you into the complex and see only one aquarium. The decor of the aquariums is the mythical city of Altlantis. To see all 22 aquariums, you need to pay Dh100. We skipped that, and took the train ride around the Palm, Dh15 per pax one way to the exit. We found entrance fees in Dubai very reasonable except for Burj Al Arab.



Miles and miles of beautiful mansions are built along the fronds, giving each house a private beach. It truly is amazing, the scale of the development in this desert. I found myself asking if I was on earth or somewhere else.





Because the Burj Al Arab charges an entrance fee of US$100 (which can be redeemed for food or shopping), we decided to dine nearby at the Madinat Jumeirah, one of the two 5 or 6-stars hotels in Palm Jumeirah, which gives a good view of Burj Al Arab.  I found the whole Palm Jumeirah complex just as amazing as the Burj Al Arab anyway. The following photos don't give justice to the Madinat Jumeirah; you just have to be there to feel the wonder of the place.









The lunch buffet (Dh150/RM120/US$36 per person, I think) was scrumptious. I started with a Caesar salad made to my order, topped with white anchovies and Himalayan pink salt. It was the best Caesar salad I've ever had.











Yes, I ate all the above and got very sick. I stumbled out of the hotel's restaurant, giddy, nauseous and full of regret for over eating. On the way home, we passed by the old quarters of Bastakiya and it turned out to be abandoned, so don't go there. We went to creek point in Bur Dubai, where textiles and Arabian hand-made shoes are sold, and got on an abra (a wooden dubai boat) which crossed the Dubai Creek in 5 minutes to the Diera City Centre for only Dh1!





There's so much publicity about Duabi's airport and here it is. I wasn't impressed but that was before I saw Heathrow. After Dubai, London was downright disappointing.

p.s. when in Dubai, take the metro. It is cheaper than taxi, gets you to many destinations and is easy to use. And the bonus is it's super sleek and clean. Get a metro card for Dh20 (Dh6 is deposit for the card which you get back when you return the card) only which can last you 3 days or more.

Dubai, 10 May 2010

Dubai is very clean and sleek, with new buildings and roads like how Singapore was in the 80s. In the two days that we were there, I was awed by the scale of the development and the high standards in design and structure. If we thought Petronas Twin Towers are great, there are hundreds of grander, more majestic buildings in Dubai. All I knew about Dubai was the Burj Al Arab, the Burj Al Khalifa and the man-made palm islands.

Even if you're not into modern buildings, Dubai is a must visit. I was amazed by what they have achieved and I can't think of any other city, not even Shanghai or New York, that has such unbelievably modern and magnificent buildings. If Rome is the prime example of the skills and craftsmanship of men thousands of years ago, Dubai's buildings are testimonies to modern man's architectural and engineering skills. And financial prowess. Dubai shows that money can buy anything, at least materially. There's no lack of water even though it's a desert. There are trees and flowers and the malls have man-made lakes and one mall even has a 'ski resort', complete with ski lifts and snow. With a population of about 2.2 million, of which more than half are foreign workers mainly from India and The Philippines, the number of buildings in the city is unjustified as most buildings are unoccupied. The metro just opened about 9 months ago and is the sleekest, most classy metro I've ever seen. It's also the world's first unmanned metro. From Dubai, we went to London and I was totally shocked and disgusted by London's metro. I was certain, at many of the stops, that Sherlock Holmes or Charles Dickens or Jack The Ripper would appear.

We only had two days and 3 nights in Dubai so we set off exploring the city immediately. Our hotel, The Dusit Princess, is a small 150-room modern hotel in the 'old' area of the city, Deira. I thought old meant ancient but most parts of Deira are newly built with buildings not taller than 10 stories, unlike the new part of Dubai where all the mega malls and sky scrapers are.

The gold souks and spice souks were the first places we went, and I was disappointed because I thought they were open markets. I guess there are no more real souks left, since there are so many classy buildings in Dubai where these businesses can move to. The amount of gold jewelry was astounding. Most of the jewelry looked like they were made for Arab princesses or Pharoah's girls; the design and workmanship were gorgeous. I failed to get a couple of gold bangles because they weren't cheap (and I don't like 22K gold; too yellow for me) and we were rushing to get back to the hotel for the safari tour.  As for the spice souk, forget searching for it. It's nothing like what you see in photos of the spice souks in  Marrakech. Dubai's spice market is very small but the spices are plentiful and very fresh. I did buy some sumac and green cardamons (the best cardamons are green, I read somewhere) but was mindful about our baggage limit.

Shawerma, a wrap of veg and roasted meat.

We thoroughly enjoyed the desert safari. For US$55 per pax (google for Hormuz Tours), we were driven in a convoy of five 4 wheel drives into the desert, less than an hour from the city. I hate coaster roller rides but wanted to experience sand dune bashing, which is a terror ride up and down and along the ridges of the dunes. The driver was definitely crazy and sadistic, bringing the 4-wheel up sharp dunes and plunging down, sending the car flying off the dunes. I hated it most when he drove along the side of the dunes, tilting the car to a 45 degree. We all stayed still in the car  (I held my breath) just in case any shift of our weights would overturn the car. I thought I would die in the Hatta Desert. After a while though, it got less scary.

After the sand bashing, we were brought to a camp in the desert where we  snacked on shawarma, had our hands and feet henna-painted, rode the camels, watched the desert sunset, wore bedouin costumes, smoked shisha and feasted on a delicious Arabian buffet. The highlight of the evening was belly dancing and guess who were the first couple to be lead to the dance floor? We did a lousy job of course, with the belly dancer grabbing my shoulders in a frustrated effort to loosen them up. I felt like I let down the whole Asian community with my clumsy awkward shaking, until two Filipino girls joined the belly dancer and gave her a run for her belly, er, money.

I didn't realise that the camel is much taller than the horse.

I enjoyed the buffet. Dubaian cuisine seemed quite veggie-based. The green salad (tabbouleh?) in the middle of the plate was chopped parsley in a vinegar dressing, very refreshing and tasty.

She not only balanced the rod on her boobs, she could make the rod jump even when she wasn't moving. Her skills in controlling her muscles were most impressive when she did the same on the side of her hips, contracting her hip muscles which gave tiny vibrations that made the rod jump; you don't see any movement but the rod was jumping. Not only was she skillful, she was also graceful, blithe and funny and sexy. Everytime she pranced by, I got a waft of her perfume. I think it was frankincense or myrhh, and during the rest of the time in Dubai, I caught the same exotic scent here and there.

The desert cooled instantly when the sun went down. I laid on the throw pillows on the red desert sand (the desert sand is red in some parts and paler in others) and looked up at the sky, clear and full of stars, in disbelief. I'm in a desert. The henna lady painted a beautiful motif on my ankle (included in the tour package) which lasted for more than a week. I skipped to the waiting 4-wheel (the henna hadn't dried yet), very happy.

Delft, Fiori Zucca & Haring

I've finally arrived in Delft from Roma. The easyJet flight was delayed by an hour, I missed the Delft stop on the train, couldn't find a taxi in Delft and walked to the town square dragging my luggage. Finally took a bus to the uni where Yi lives and got off at the wrong stop. Walked all the way to her residence, feeling so miserable and sorry for myself. It's tough to be so far away from home and comfort. First thing I did was cooked a bowl of instant noodles with beef slices and a spring veg called postelein. Then got into bed for much needed sleep. The weather's perfect, cool and comfortable, unlike a month ago when I first came to Delft.

Woke up at 10 pm and the sun just went down. Dinner was whatever was available: spaghetti with tomato sauce and beef strips and something special: fiori di zucca fritti (deep fried zucchini flowers). In Rome, I wanted so much to try Roman specialties such as fried zucchini flowers, carciofo (artichokes) alla romano and the rare spring veg puntarelle but every restaurant I asked said it's officially summer after 1 June and these veggies are no longer available. Lucky for me, we went to the Piazza Testaccio yesterday and I found a stall that had the flowers. I bought a bunch for €1 and hand carried it to The Netherlands. At the baggage check point in the Fiumicino Airport in Rome, the lady who checked my bags saw the jar of white truffles salt and said it made tasty pasta and then when she saw the zucchini (courgettes) flowers, she told me to stuff them with mozzarella and something else. She turned to her colleague who didn't know the word in english too but I guessed it was anchovies because that often pairs with mozzarella. That this lady would tell me how to cook while checking my bags impressed me on the passion the Italians have for food.

Zucchini flowers, fiori zucca

Stuffed with buffulo mozzarella, anchovies, dipped in batter and fried.

EasyJet was super strict about hand luggage and my hangbag was considered an extra piece and I had to stuff it into my luggage. The flowers were compressed and wilted by the time I got here. Yi has rudimentary kitchen utensils. There's only cutlery and settings for 1 person. No flour too, so I made her borrow some (supermarket is closed plus she's working on her model) and she came back from next door with 1/4 cup of rice flour. I had to make do with whatever available. 

The fried fiori zucca were absolutely delicious cooked this way. Absolutely. Ask Yi, she gobbled 4 of the fried flowers within 30 seconds. The mozz, anchovies, flowers and batter were a perfect culinary match. What a simple and brilliant way to cook flowers! If I had ordinary flour, the fiori would turn out like tempura and would taste even better than absolutely delicious. Wow. I've decided that I'm going to plant my own zucchini for the flowers. I wish Hub is here to taste this. He's in London eating boring English food. 

I'm so tired from one month of intense travelling. I am going to bed now because I don't want to miss the Saturday market tomorrow. The main reason, other than enjoying the farmer's market, is that I have developed a liking for raw herrings dipped in chopped onions, a Dutch specialty. It doesn't matter that I have to stand in the square, throw my head back like a seagull and chomp at the fish dangled above my head. It's a little odd-tasting at first but when I was touring other parts of Europe, I suddenly craved for raw 'haring'.

Grab the herring by the tail, dip into chopped raw onions...

...hold the fish over your mouth and chomp.

 

The fish is cold, fishy, soft, slightly salty, smooth and tasty. Most of the bones have been removed except for the tail bones.

We are in Rome,our last night here. As I type this,I'm wishing that Hub would agree to going to the Trevi Fountain now (it's 9:10pm and the sun just went down) because it's supposed to be even better at night. But it's chilly today and we've been walking everyday for the last 3 1/2 weeks and that's REALLY walking,from morning to midnight. When I finally get to bed, my thighs hurt so bad.

Yi and her friend Cheryl arrived in Rome on 30/5,a day earlier than we did but they left this morning. We love Rome. I think Paris was great, with lots to see but if I had to choose, I'd do Rome again. More on that in later posts. Hub leaves for London tomorrow for a couple of days before getting home while I go Delft and sit my time out waiting for Yi to finish her exchange semester 3rd week of June and then we'll be touring Spain, France and Italy until mid-July.

Am sick of sandwiches, weiners and pizzas. I have to agree with my two older kids--western food can be boring. Chinese food is best :)) I'm longing for home-cooked food and especially noodles, congee and soup. When I get to Delft,I'll be blogging daily. Until then, cheers!