A simple hug and a simple smile, to the end of 2015

The Christmas in this place is just simple with some white bears for you to hold.  Nothing fancy and nothing electronic.  Smile is a smile.  

小月度麵 - 度小月台南擔仔麵，北京王府井新東安廣場

清末年間，民生不好過，大地東南之濟， 有一大島，每遇七至九月颱風天，島上漁民出海作業的日子少了，故稱七至九月為小月。 為謀生計，中南部一姓洪漁民，提著擔挑賣麵，小碗麵上有鮮蝦一隻，肉燥加小蔥，鮮香撲鼻 －就為世人所知的擔仔麵。 日子雖難過，但總也想法子去過。洪老先生，你這小碗麵，度過那些小月，却教人好好面對生活任何難關，寓意深遠。今天小月度麵，回歸大地，好讓十三億小口，一嘗百年前洪老先生這碗擔仔麵。

除了擔仔麵，還有鳳梨苦瓜排骨湯，鹽酥骨，南瓜泡菜，小紅茄，全都不負小月其名。

On 102/F

A cross

A wedding, on a sunny fine day.

I was very happy to see this wedding and so the couple was given happy blessing along on the road.  Apparently they welcome my photo taking for them and I used my single right hand to press the shutter while my left hand waved for my happy sound for them.

June in Cannes, Cote d'Azur, French Riviera

The first time out of the past many times that I could have visited this city in summer time.  It was so hot to 30 degree celsius.  The city has become so different - vibrant, crowded and lively (more shops opened and a crowded beach).

Jian Guo Road and East 3rd ring, Beijing

15 years ago, I came here pretty often.  Back then there weren't such high rise buildings as on all the below photos (except the Soho modern town - photo 2).  Wet market and furniture places were around here.  A very rapid growth.

April, 2015, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

This city has changed so much that over the past 20 years it's been surrounded by many high rise buildings.  Behind the modern glamour, the city has become less safe than 20 years ago.  I was warned from not showing my personal belongings in the street.  Yet, more and more taxi drivers asked for a flat fee instead of metered charges.  After all, I still enjoy my time in KL, especially in seeing some old friends.

Swissotel the Stamford, Singapore

Had a tough time with the room for a bathroom problem that the toilet bowl had some influx of dirty water coming in from another pipe.  So the front office promptly upgraded to this suite, but another "water" problem came - the wall cried over night (photo 6).  Quite sad to see this hotel running down in this way.  Was once my preferred choice and in the old days I could just pay S$130 (when it's still 2.5 to US$).  Back then it was a Westin managed hotel.  However, the convenience is still a factor for me to choose this one after so many years.

凍咖啡，熱咖啡，學進心屝裡

每天早上習慣喝一杯熱咖啡， 今早却來了一杯昨夜剩下一半的凍咖啡。 原來妳知道我一直絮絮不休對著週遭朋友說著凍咖啡與熱咖啡相反的食療效益，甚至對著一些洋人也這樣說。

這凍咖啡只不過是你所述說的其一， 先菜後肉，低溫烹調等等，都早巳在我心頭上。 

感謝那年妳的凍咖啡，祝妳一路好走，洽似妳的名字，如金一樣的好，閃耀87個年頭！

A meal I often enjoy at home

I'd prefer cooking some simple dishes during festivals so that we can remember where we came from.    So I made steamed spare ribs in garlic and black beans and stir fried celery with pan fried fish patty in slices.  This year I made some sticky rice dumpling as dessert.  So many years ago I used to make it a lot for my grand ma.  

Coffee Alley, Chung Hsiao E. Road, Taipei

The coffee culture and western cuisine have been growing rapidly in Taipei but I really can't appreciate this kind of food and drink places.  Apparently the menu and the deco. resembles The Classified.  I'd prefer the classic style of Taiwanese tea house.  This coffee alley has been a talk of town in HK with long lines.  After I tried this one in Taipei, I found it very disappointing.  The coffee is too milky and their signature berry frosty drink too sweet (and the funny thing the shop waitress warned me of this drink being very sour as it's a berry).  The waffle isn't good either - the inside isn't done well and the outside is just a look as if it was quite crispy.  It wasn't at all.  I'd just go back to those classic Taiwanese restaurants.

Central Embassy BKK