Category Archives: Tour guides

Steeplechase Race

Posted on November 18, 2015 by sinyaw

James Madison, president #4 for the US, lived at Montpelier, VA. It was a fine estate — rolling meadow, probably over a hundred acres. And there is an annual horse racing early November: Montpelier Hunt Races. Fall, on the US … Continue reading →

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(Pretend to) Learn Cooking

Posted on November 6, 2015 by sinyaw

Among corporate team building themes, cooking is a popular one: everyone must eat (and drink) anyway, the skills involved are manageable, everyone can contribute and must collaborate, and it is not really work related. There are also many professionally trained … Continue reading →

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$28 Bowl of Beef Noodles

Posted on July 31, 2015 by sinyaw

Beef Noodles are must-eat when you visit Taipei. In those poor old days, these were special treats for occasions. As the society got more affluent, chefs started to innovate. Since everyone love beef noodles, at the level of burgers in … Continue reading →

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Olympic Penisula

Posted on May 10, 2015 by sinyaw

Few people realized that Seattle is probably more than 100 miles from the Pacific Ocean. On her west is the magnificent Olympic Mountain that, on clear days, I can see from my balcony. The snow capped shines brightly in the … Continue reading →

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SiMaTai: the Sequel

Posted on March 24, 2015 by sinyaw

Edit on Mar 16, 2015. Original post on Oct 2nd, 2008. Must be due to the popularity of my original post :-), this section of the Great Wall has become more popular. For unknown reasons, the official has blocked the … Continue reading →

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Leavenworth, WA

Posted on February 21, 2015 by sinyaw

In the 60s, the rail road company moved about 20 miles to Wenatchee. Losing its largest, and probably the only, employer, this city was to become another rail road ghost town. The mayor went to Solvang, CA, and the new … Continue reading →

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Yet Another Monument in China

Posted on August 22, 2014 by sinyaw

The 2008 Olympics marked nearly the end of the great monuments rush of China. Beijing’s Olympic Park, the “Bird’s Nest” stadium, and the “Water Cube” swimming stadium are the pinnacle of those monuments. The new airport terminal, T3, was the … Continue reading →

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再遊蘇州

Posted on August 15, 2014 by sinyaw

好些年前來蘇州過,重點是貝律銘設計的博物館,稱是一代大師的閉門作. 幾個園林古鎮當然也看了. 感覺蘇州是個可順道一遊的地方,而不是個重點目的地. 從南京去上海,不如加一站蘇州,頗理想的. 夏天的蘇州,中午時無風酷熱,汗流不停. 過一陣子清風帶著雨意吹來, 然後一劈雷,大雨傾盆. 我搶著雨前晃逛完了平江路. 說來也頗豐盛,先吃個臭豆腐,逛了”耦園”,吃個小吃午飯,再聽聽”彈唱博物館”的節目. 跳上個公交車,一路回酒店. 先沖個涼,再看窗外雨景. 彈唱博物館的巷口有個小吃叫”弄堂口”,居然有自釀黑啤,來了一扎,配上小籠包. 一人邊吃邊看鄰座遊人. 也自得其樂. 博物館今天的節目是說書,我興匆匆買張”狀元座”,結果是蘇州話,我一字聽不懂. 但是發現看他說書也很有娛樂性. 表情豐富,語調上下,不時還離座手腳表演一下. 我傻瓜聽書,還邊聽邊笑呢! 在耦園看到個對聯,上聯”耦園住佳耦”,下聯”城曲築詩城”,橫批”枕波雙隱”. 這多幸福啊! 這園是清朝個按察使修的. 一宅二園,故名”耦”. 出差行程中多了一天,在蘇州晃晃. 決定正確!

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It’s the Bread!

Posted on August 9, 2014 by sinyaw

“The best clam chowder!” claimed so many cities: San Francisco, New Orleans, Boston, and, of course, Seattle. In fact, this is almost like hamburgers: every city has its best. I happen to be a clam chowder fan and, poisoned by … Continue reading →

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小楊生煎

Posted on August 2, 2014 by sinyaw

從蘇州去香港,路過上海,住南京東路的酒店. 旅途近盡頭了,沒什麼興致. 只想填個肚子,然後回房宅著. 登記入住的小女孩,挺熱絡的,就問她隨便的話,吃什麼? 她看看旁邊的同事,異口同聲,”小楊生煎”. 上海的七月天,站著都流汗. 回房間換成T恤短褲夾腳,踢踢拖拖找去. 就幾百米路,居然三次被問,”先生要按摩嗎? 漂亮的!”第三個還來”高壓推銷”,蒼蠅樣跟著. 問個不停. 看來這南京東路,有百般生意. 只是納悶,為什麼我會碰到三回呢? 難道我看來就像嗎? 不解. 店在”第一食品商城”的三樓. 六元一兩,四個煎包. 生意好得很,一鍋出爐,客人一個接一個. 我買一兩是最基本的. 大多買好幾兩,現吃再帶走. 這家煎包皮薄底厚,煎的剛好焦.面上灑些青蔥頭提升香氣. 一口咬下, 湯汁燙舌. 鮮美味濃, 香氣撲鼻. 好吃! 三下兩下, 四個結束,意猶未盡. 只是這是個平價食堂的環境, 要去先買票,再上攤位領東西,然後自己找個位子坐, 餐巾紙自備. 桌面的一點油漬,也就將就點得唄. 走出食堂,看到”南翔鰻頭”,買個甜蟹殼黃. 邊走邊吃的下樓. 這頓飯,十元有找. 滿意度特高. 待會的咖啡癮,大概要花三四倍的銀子. 我這是什麼中國式消費? 對著自己搖搖頭. 回房沖沖涼宅著嘍. 不然在街上晃著,流汗又惹蒼蠅.

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