Last time I was here, it was literally hell. Furious blaze swept through the land and ended all lives in its path. The smoke was so thick that I cannot see the Grand Teton when I stood right in front of them. We escaped Yellowstone, choking, as the park was closing down. Later, it was known to be the fire of 1988.

Today, many 22-year-old skeleton trees still stand silently, some long ago fell. Saplings spawn among tall grasses, some young trees have reached about half of their ancestors’ height. Had we known that trees took so long to regenerate, would we have “let it burn” then?

Bison addiction was powerful and contagious. People will stop the car, jump off, and start snapping pictures whenever a bison come in-sight. This fever became uncontrollable when a herd of several hundred decided to come enjoy the sun in Hayden Valley. Old, young, male, and female bison were everywhere and literally stood in the middle of the road posing for those cameras and camcorders. If the rangers weren’t shooing people, they would try to pet those bison.

Deer, Black Bear, Grizzly, and possibly a Coyote we also saw. Moose definitely not and Elk was questionable, too far to tell. Whoever planning on a visit should bring a pair of high-power binoculars or a serious telescopic lens.

Beside Old Faithful, Yellowstone is good for at least two to three days of just sightseeing and light hiking. There are the upper and lower falls at the Grand Canyon (of Yellowstone), the Terrace at the Mammoth Hot Spring, and many geysers close to Old Faithful. The Yellowstone Lake is beautiful and offers many boating and water activities. For those who are serious hikers, horse-back riders, or bikers, then this park can easily fill a week’s time. Reserve the lodging probably a year early. As far as I can tell, only the Old Faithful area has cell phone reception. I did not see a TV anywhere and probably no Internet either.

The logo said, “Hand Forged Doughnuts” with a picture of a blacksmith hitting an anvil. Hmm…

A boy sat down next to us. His legs dangled happily, too short for the chair. His cute eyes trained on his dad who eventually came with a glazed one with colorful sprinkles all over the top. The boy held up the doughnut and buried his head into it. A while later, he reached for the milk and smiled at his dad. A few more bites and he handed his dad the half-eaten doughnut. He then put his hands to the face, inhaled, and gave a smile that was so satisfying. Daddy put the doughnut in a bag. They walked out of the door hand-in-hand.

Does it get better than this?

At 9am of this drizzling Saturday (this is Seattle), there were more than a dozen people waiting in line to get their doughnut fix. I bit into my Bavarian Chocolate Filled one and understood. The dough makes the difference. It was light yet with the right texture. The dough must balance the sweetness. It needs to give just enough substance so that it is a doughnut, instead of a piece of cake, bread, or just sugar.

Of course the coffee must be right too. This is Seattle so that’s a safe bet. It was strong and flavorful. With my companion, this makes it a near perfect breakfast.

When I was ten, we lived in a suburban town called Yong He (永和). On weekends, Mom would leave change on the table. Brother and I would take the money to this place down the street to have breakfast. There was a grinder that liquefy soy beans into a giant pot. The pot-belly guy would stir the pot with a big ladle constantly. What I wanted would be the freshly made bowl of soy milk.

There are two kinds of soy milk then. The sweetened version taste rich and silky. A popular variation required an egg, pre-beaten before pouring in the boiling soy milk. The result was extra buttery and yummy. The soy sauced version has a crescendo of flavors that came from many condiments. I usually had a hard time deciding which one to get. Legend had it that Mr. and Mrs. Chiang Kai-Shek frequented the very same store. We were having royal foods just next door! They were not even expensive.

The standard companion to the soy milk is the Chinese pita. The cook will moisture their hands (to protect against the heat) and stick the raw pitas inside of a clay oven. Later, they would skillfully pry them off with an iron stick. The standard filler for the pita is the fried flour sticks (kind of like churros, but not sweet, pictured above) It was fascinating to watch the flour sticks expand ten-fold when dropped into the fryer. They come out fluffy like croissant, only crispy. When served with the Chinese pita, the cook would open the pita, fold the fried sticks into it, and press down to crush the sticks inside. When you bite into this thing, the hot bread and sesame aroma rushes into your nostril, the pita will have a nice crust outside and soft inside, the sticks will add the extra chunkiness to the texture.

Yong He has long became just a memory. My favorite soy milk place would be at the corner of FuXing S. Rd. and RuiAn St. (復興南路, 瑞安街). This Saturday, we woke up early just for it. There was a long line at the door. “7:45am. Really?” Wife asked. Fortunately, it was the to-go line and the eat-in area had no wait. We shouted out our orders and sat down. When I had the first bite, I sighed silently and almost closed my eyes. How I did not know those childhood memories can come back so vividly?

Bless his heart. Mayor Mike McGinn of Seattle wanted to improve the city and polled his citizens for ideas. The most popular two ideas were to legalize Marijuana and to extend the light rail system. And the third one? Yep. Nude beaches.

San Francisco is famed for its Bay to Breaker run that features extravagant outfits, or the lack of. Thousands of people lined the street to watch those runners, including several of my co-workers years ago. They were young and shy Asian girls. The sight of a group of port-belly, mid-aged, buck-naked men running down the street traumatized them for many years. (I did not go. Someone took lots of pictures.)

Nope. Nude beaches do not mean Sports Illustrated models or the Birth of Venus.

I guess the arrival of summer, and the dry season, is an major event for those who endured the long and gloomy winter in this city. I checked. Sun light at this altitude does little harm to the health. (It also does not generate enough Vitamin D.) Before Mayor McGinn finds a way to fulfill his citizens’ desire, people can simply participate the Fremont Solstice Parade, held on the weekend before summer solstice. It features dancers, floats, foods, and nudist cyclists. Several hundreds of them, usually wearing nothing except paints, would ride down the street to roaring parade watchers.

What if it rains on the parade? Hmm…

The best way to come in town is via the Link Light Rail system, if you can drag your luggage through about 600 meters or so paved and sheltered path. That’s less than half a mile.

After you get leave the secure area, you need to find one of the sky bridges across the road to the parking lot. If you have luggage, that will be one level up after getting them. After passing through the sky bridge, look for a sign “Link Light Rail.” It should point left.

There are six sky bridges forming the spokes and the parking lot is the hub. Follow the sign and eventually reach sky bridge number 6.

Then there is this semi-open pathway with a grill-fence on the right. You are close.

When you reach the end, there is another sky bridge like tunnel. Yes, this is the last stop. Well, almost.

Look for the ticketing kiosks. There are four, two on each side. Approach any one of them, touch the screen, and choose a station. For those going to downtown, it should be one of Pioneer Square, University Station, or Westlake. Pay with credit card or whatever ($2.50). There are two escalators, go up.

Most of the time, a train is there. Press the button on the door and it opens. Sometime, there are two trains. If you cannot figure out, there should be someone with a bright yellow jacket around.

It takes about 40 minutes to reach Westlake, the last stop. Most stops in downtown are underground. You can find an elevator or go through the escalator to find the surface. Hopefully, someone is waiting to hug you on the platform already.

Sunday, 8am, woke up hungry. The refrigerator was empty, like the rest of the apartment. I needed to feed. Internet showed the way. So I braved into Seattle’s cool morning and find Bauhaus Books and Coffee. The street sign said, “less cold than elsewhere.” Ah. Sunday morning cannot be much better than a cup of good coffee, a big and tasty muffin, and the cartoon pages of Seattle Times.

Isn’t it great that so many stores allow pets? Even Metro buses are OK with them.

I grew up surrounded by rice paddies, trees, and farm animals. When I was 10, we moved to the dazzles of a big city. I remembered the thrill when I got my first wheels, a beat-up 100cc motorcycle that was the coolest thing ever. Then I emigrated to American suburban to raise a family. Now the city seems to be calling me. This one-bedroom apartment gives me a 10-minute commute, in public transportation. I keep a pair of office shoes and change into walking boots for the road. Of course I would have a light water-resistant jacket and the iPod.

The Westlake shopping area is kind of like San Francisco’s Union Square. Down the street comes the famed Pike Place Market, a tourist attraction and a local favorite too. The labyrinth excites new explorers and makes old acquaintance at home. There is enough foot traffic for every specialty stores to thrive. Their uniqueness, in turn, brings more foot traffic.

I have liked Seattle for years but couldn’t find the reasons. I think her size is just right: large enough for standardized services and conveniences that come with the economy of scale, yet small enough for characters and charm to survive the great equalization.

Come to think of it, that describes my new gig here too.

Had I not live in Beijing for three years, I wouldn’t have dared to re-pot myself again. Five years ago, I had an anxiety attack on that final “one-way-trip” to Beijing with the entire family in tow. I was leaping into darkness with nothing more than a faith. The family trusted me. Should they?

Seattle’s public transportation really impressed me. The light-rail connects SeaTac to downtown (about 15 miles) in about 50 minutes, with a fare of $2.50. The whole downtown is “ride free zone,” one can jump on and off any bus, street car, or light rail, for free. The water-edge, the east shore of Elliott Bay, has a special bus that runs free all day along the Alaskan Way. Ferries come and go from the terminal near the King Street Station that has Amtrak and other rail transportation too. There is a down town tunnel that allows buses and light-rail train to traverse without other traffic interference. My commute is less than 10 minutes one way.

Speak of Seattle and pouring scene from the movie comes to mind. People thought of grey sky, wet clothes, and chilly winds. Yes, the city gave me all those during my first week, but sun showed its face most of the days. The rain did not bother me much. I was under-prepared for the cold, though.

Of course this is the Starbucks city. Within 50 paces, you are sure to spot a Starbucks, sometime more. I have been conditioned to like Peet’s but never dislike Starbucks. Honestly, Pike Place Roast is quite drinkable. It is quite nice that Starbucks defines the lowest quality here. Pretty much all coffees here are quite good. I fear that the coffee here will spoil me like Beijing’s Chinese foods. I have developed an aversion to Chinese restaurants ever since I came back. Sigh…

回北京前说要如此这般，飞机六点下地七点多进酒店，外面是刺骨的负5度，两人相望，“你要吃什么？”好像没家可以够值得出门的。商量已毕，全身重冬装备，两人硒硒嗦嗦，走了15分钟，进了亮马河边的印度小厨。点了烧鸡，Masala羊，印度豆腐，当然一堆的Nan及Parota，吃得不亦乐夫。精神和吃饭前完全不同了。

第二早上睡到日头，行步走到Kempinski的面包房，咖啡，面包，汤，甜点，当然是早午饭一起就打发了。下午办完事回到酒店后两人都累了，也没有太多与北京冬天奋战的心情。就下楼到酒店的西餐厅，打五折，不贵。做的挺好，服务也行。是个补充精神的一顿。

一夜无事，起来后中午有个茶宴，朋友问起，“回北京后吃了什么了？”我们厄然以对，头三餐居然没一顿中国菜。于是乎晚上大伙齐集日檀边的宏源涮肉，满桌的菌菜牛羊，一打烧饼，大大过瘾一番。回家一秤，重了4斤。

又个老北京朋友来电要请客，指定我选餐厅。想想说“川办”，居然北京还有我说得出的餐厅他们没吃过的？带了个孩子来，把菜单的都点完了。孩子一面吃一面叫好，一群人吃到撑，还带走了一大口袋。我们又聊到五点才散，回到酒店倒下就睡，八点才起来去鹿港小镇随便吃，加了个冰山。

过了两天，她说,“我们总要吃次鼎泰丰吧。”两人一车到东直门店，当然点了特色小笼，还有素饺，蟹粉小笼，蛋炒饭，芝麻包。这餐厅不是要不要来吃的问题，而是要吃几次的问题。

离京前的最后一餐，定了苏浙汇。目的是鲥鱼，其他菜也美味可口，干拌面尤其爽口。

上了飞机，她说，“你居然没吃烤鸭。” 奇怪，想都没想呢。

The best things to do in Hong Kong are shopping and eating, no fun without a company. When I learned that I would have a weekend free, we arranged to stay with an old friend and she was a great host and tour guide.

Tai Ping Shan (太平山）, overlooking downtown, is prime residential area. Rent average is about 5 to 10 times higher than ShangHai or ShenZhen. The city built a long and winding escalator chain (中環扶梯) cascading to about mid-level, along side the old punishing stairs. The escalators are all one-way. They go downhill before 10am and switch to uphill for the rest of the day. There are hundreds of bars and western restaurants along this winding path: pubs, Spanish, Mexican, burger joints, etc. I could breakfast, lunch, dinner, and drink here for a whole month without getting bored.

IFC (International Finance Center) is really a huge mall. In addition to the normal variety of stores, there are also several nice restaurants. Shoppers do not come to Hong Kong for bargains anymore. Instead, this island offers probably the store and selection density. Within a city block, it has unbelievable number of stores selling unbelievable number of goods. All accepting your credit cards with impeccable smiles. It is pleasant to shop here, just wear comfortable shoes and also bring a porter to carry the bags.

Ice House Street (雪廠街) has several historical gems. There are four street lamps, still burning gas, at the corner of a lovely flight of stairs. Half way up is a Starbucks (yes, sorry) in a historical Ice House (冰室 Bing Sutt). Old pictures and posters on the wall give this chain store some unique personalities. The coffee, of course, tasted exactly the same.

Our host brought us to an authentic tea restaurant (茶餐厅): neighborhood diners that serve comfort foods. These pragmatic establishments focus on speed and high-quality ingredients, instead of decor or services. They fill a gap in Hong Kong’s over-populated life; no one has a decent kitchen or time to cook. These tea restaurants feed Hong Kong, cheaply and quickly. The menu reflects Hong Kong’s melting pot culture. We saw spaghetti in Chinese broth. Noodles with sides of sunny-side up eggs and toasts.

In the morning, we bid farewell to the friend and boarded the ferry back to ShenZhen. I am probably 5 pounds heavier from all those decadent indulgences. No regrets. So nice to have an old friend in Hong Kong.

I have been tempted by Kindle since its debut — I read reasonably avidly: books, magazines, and newspapers; I am comfortable with gadgets; I have enough discretionary income; I travel frequently; and I don’t shelf read books (they go into a box in the garage).

Paper touch and ink smell do not particularly appeal to me. But I like doodling on the margin or title page. I was always delighted to re-acquaint thoughts and feeling that were so intimate long time ago.

Recently I re-read a book bought more than 20 years ago. As I finished it, I wondered if any of the eBook format or reader would survive even five. What’s going to happen to my collection when the format changed or the reader broke? Do I care? Really?

I read a fair amount of Chinese books, in both simplified and traditional Chinese. Are they available? I keep several classic around and re-read them all the time. Those are books published several thousand years ago. Would I find them on catalogs? Would I need to pay for them?

On my recent trip, I saw a fellow traveler buried in her Kindle and another in a hardcover The Lost Symbol. I was tempted to strike up a conversation with the book reader (but did not). So the paper version is more a social tool. I am sure the Kindler has been so annoyed by the same line, “So, how do you like the this gadget?” Or other usability inquiries.

My nightstand has my reading list and the queue size is four now. I wouldn’t consider any eReader until I have cleared my paper inventory. In the mean time, I will wait for the price war between Amazon, B&N, and Sony.