Xiamen, China-Scallion Pancakes and Grapefruits
Xiamen, China is a port city across from Taiwan and it reminded me of Singapore with lush trees and long strolling avenues. As I walked through shops along the port, I spotted the fried scallion pancakes prepared by a nice family. I was excited to eat a pancake since I was intrigued about them from...
Dinner prepared from Bangkok Market
We arrived in Thailand through a very busy working river. The shoreline was dotted with colorful Buddhist temples, old shanties and floating fishing boats. I thought to myself, this is just what I have seen in pictures and I’m slowly cruising past it. Once docked in Klong Toey, a port in Bangkok, a small group of people (including us) soon left on...
Flowing River of Food, Wine and Chocolate
Colorful tulips, buttery coffee cakes and local wines were just the beginning as I was welcomed on board my river cruise. 7 days of sailing and I was ready to partake of as much as possible, and why not? It was vacation and more highlights were about to unfold. Boarding usually begins in the afternoon,...
Fish and chips plus ice cream
East Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh, below the castle is the park where people take leisurely lunches while eating crispy fish and chips from Scott’s little walk up cottage booth and enjoy the sunshine on the grass. Graham and Angela serve ice cream with my favorite Cadbury chocolate flakes from their family business, Mitchell’s ice cream. I love...
Petticoat shortbread and oatcakes
Crossing the Forth Road Bridge over the Firth of Forth and arriving into Fife, is an 18th century mansion where Jenny Thomson lives with her family and holds cooking classes. Jenny ran her own restaurant for 15 years using fresh and seasonal ingredients and after selling her restaurant, began teaching classes in her home. Jenny...
Feeling royal in the surroundings
Prestonfield House Edinburgh, has changed from being a monastery hundreds of years ago to a 5 star hotel where Winston Churchill, Margaret Thatcher, Sean Connery and Elton John have dined. It’s a house full of old character and quite proper surroundings. Each night is the very entertaining Taste of Scotland Scottish Show with a fabulous dinner...
Hamburger rather than haggis
Darn, Permanently closed The Purple Turtle,Invergordon, serves a very filling burger made with fine Scottish Dornoch beef with homemade fries and onion rings. Michael cooked my burger lunch for me which sounded more appealing than Cockburn’s haggis, homemade mash and buttery neeps! Free wi-fi too. #thepurpleturtle
Stonehenge of Scotland
Isle of Lewis, Scotland, where the Callanish standing stones have been erect for 4,500 years. There are many unconfirmed theories about the origin of the stones and it’s surmised the circular shape mark the lunar stages. One stone may even have a face on it. It’s cold and windy on this moor and it’s the...
Isle of Skye
Isle of Skye, Scotland, where the MacLeod Clan ruled for 800 years and has been memorialized with a Scotch whisky in their mighty name. Their Dunvegan Castle and Gardens had moats and bridges and brings to mind knights in shining armor. Remains of the MacLeod cemetery are evident while traveling north through Loch Bracadale, Glen...
Under my wing in Glasgow
We docked in Greenock, Scotland and I took the train to Glasgow to meet special friend Sheila O’Connor. Sheila used to live in Calif and took me under her wing as a new travel writer and then moved back home to Glasgow. We got caught up over breakfast at The Counting House, an old bank....
Kinsale, Ireland full of charm and sweetness
The rain was coming down in sheets in County Cork,Ireland but it didn’t stop the devoted golfers from getting drenched on the emerald green courses. I, on the other hand, journeyed to Ireland’s gourmet capitol, Kinsale. First stop was Kinsale Chocolate Boutique, to buy a macaroon and watch people on the street who are used...
