Lake Vouliagmeni (vol-jia-MEN-i) is “sunken” like a gem that local would hide from tourists. Swimming in it was magical. One side is shallow and bright, you see rays of sunshine piercing toward the deep end, following your every motion, and make you feel as if you are stationary. The other side, close to the cliff, is deep and dark. I felt a giant sea monster was lurking in that black abyss. There is a mysterious warm current that teased me into a small cove protected by fallen rocks that cut sharply into the water and were covered with slippery green moss. Someone hung a piece of rope on the cliff to give swimmers a break. I grabbed it and found myself facing a pigeon. “You are in my space,” the bird gave me an accusing look before flying away.

Local believe the water is therapeutic and work to keep the lake clean. The water is salty and at constant temperature of 75°F. No one knew the source of the warm spring and adventurous divers died looking. No soaps or shampoo allowed here; bring your own towels too.

This city of Vouliagmeni is a favorite local hang-out. Clubs and restaurants line the street. Expensive ones monopolize the beach, but not the view. Foods are delicious, particularly when the menu shows no English.

Greek have seawater in their blood. Anywhere you turn, there is an expanse of blue water ahead of you. It is magical to look out to the horizon and watch the play among waves, sun, and sky. It is transfixing and soothingly relaxing. It makes every problems fixable. It also makes you wear sandals, and seek friends to enjoy some foods and wines together. The debaters will find solutions to worldly problems. The less philosophical simply go play in the sea. Islands provides variations and some physical excursions, both are invigorating. The athletic will never go home again. There are water-ski, jet-ski, wind-surfing, para-sailing, sail boating, motor boating, yachting, kayaking, fishing, snorkeling, scuba-diving, and, of course, just plain swimming.

Among those ruins, one cannot escape a sense of sadness. The golden era of Greece lasted less than 100 years about 3 millennia ago. Its influence on western civilization was profound, yet discontinued. After Alexander the Great, Greece lost its independence for thousands of years and fought it back from Ottoman empire only about 200 years ago.

Four to five days will be perfect for an Athens vacation: a day in the city for Acropolis and museums; a day for an out-of-city destination, we picked Delphi; a day or two for sea faring; and a day just to hang out on a beach. Hiring a tour guide, or join a group, would worth your money; there are too many stories and legends to study up.

If there is a center of Seattle City, it is probably Westlake park, a triangular park at the corner of 4th Ave and Pine St. On a good day, the artificial waterfall will churn loudly. Somehow, there are always a group of people sitting on various ledges with their dogs. There are also always young enthusiastic people with a clipboard trying to get you to take a survey. Of course, there are street artists doing street artistic things to get you to throw a couple of dollars into their collective instrument. I like the bronze live statue guy. He painted himself as a rusting bronze statue, green and brown even with a bit bird dropping. There is this guy who startles you with a burst of “SHOOSHINE.” I never saw anyone doing shoe shining with him.

This is the favorite place for people to protest. There is a standard “The End is Now” sign; always an extreme religious one “You will GO TO HELL if you don’t love Jesus;” the nice silver-haired lady doing a modest sign of “Abolish Nuclear Weapons;” of course, today is the anti-war protest in the wake of the US’s declaration of hostility against Libya.

Funny that walkers-by paid little attention to the protesters. Cops chatting with each others, chess players concentrating on their games, shoppers checking out their stuff, and eaters enjoying their foods. It is just a nice day, let’s enjoy whatever we come here to do. If protesting is your thing, don’t let me inconvenience you.

This is a good place for urban exploration: hang out, eat, have a cup of Joe, or even do some shopping. It is always better to do this with a companion.

The art is in chopsticking. Pick it up gently and slowly. the friction of chopsticks will do the works; you need to provide the patience. The dumpling will sag like a small water balloon and you will crane it to the vinegar saucer for a light dip, don’t put it down, hoist it to the spoon gently down. You are half-way there. Now pick up several ginger threads that should have been soaking in the vinegar nicely and place them on top of the dumpling. Raise the spoon up to your mouth and bite just a small opening carefully. The steam rushes to your nostrils and you pour the hot juice into your mouth and savor for a while. Then, throw the whole thing into your mouth and enjoy the mixture of dumpling shell, the subtly flavorful filling, and the nice play with the vinegar and ginger. Repeat this process as fast as you can, since they are so good when hot.

I have been a fan of Din Tai Feng for over 35 years by now. Its original restaurant in Taipei started as a literally hole-in-the-wall (still is) dumpling maker amongst hundreds of them in that city. Over the decades, it has become an international sensation. When I moved to Beijing in 2005, I was delighted to find its new branch not 10-minute’s walk away. The family soon was conversing with the serving staff on first-name basis.

You must order the XiaoLongBao 小龍包 dumpling. I recommend the traditional (not soupy) one. have known the menu by heart and can usually order without referring to it. My favorites are their noodle and fried rice. Their sesame filled bao 芝麻大包 is of course must-order whenever.

First-timers usually don’t quite understand Din Tai Feng. It does not appear to warrant the wait and the price. That’s OK. The power of Din Tai Feng is in its universal appeal and subtlety. No one dish would stand out after the meal. After a while, there will be a craving gradually brewed. Then one day, you found yourself waiting patiently at the door and would stubbornly not consider any other alternatives.

Yes, I finally succumbed and came to its newest Bellevue restaurant. Yes, I walked away satisfied. I am good, for several weeks at least.

I heard that Vancouver, B.C., supplanted here as the world capital of Cantonese cuisine. Before a personal verification, Hong Kong remains my favorite place for Dim Sum. This phrase translates to “a little of the heart” or “touching the heart.” Personally, I advocate a more poetic “small delights.” (Isn’t it a great name for a restaurant?) In Hong Kong, they truly live up to this translation. Every dishes brings a little smile when you sink your teeth into it.

This branch of Chinese cuisine is officially “Cantonese Tea-time Snacks.” Unlike British tea-time, Dim Sum is a morning activity. Most of the dishes are not sweet and bite size for a party of about four. Tradition pays little attention to plating. The tea, usually the only drink offered, is served straight with no sugar or milk. (Rather than complimenting the flavors, the tea is more a palate cleanser.) Dim Sum has evolved to probably the most popular Chinese brunch form. Popular restaurants would expect an hour or even longer wait in the weekend. Everyone would be experts and have his or her favorites. It therefore encourages large parties to broaden experience. This is usually no menu. The staff brings the dishes out on plates or push carts. The guests would point to whatever fancies the eyes to succumb to the recommendation or dares. So that it could be even more gastronomically adventurous, Chefs love to innovate within the tried and proven ingredients, instead of trying new ones, to leave you wonder and savor the seemingly familiar, yet not readily identified, flavors. Of course, there are benchmarking dishes that every Dim Sum restaurants must offer.

This is where Hong Kong’s Dim Sum restaurants stand out. Their benchmark dishes are solidly made: steaming hot, full and balanced flavors, smooth texture, and appetizingly aromatic. Here I sampled tarot dumpling’s (芋頭餃) crisp shell with creamy tarot paste inside; tofu wrap with (腐竹捲) shrimp filling that had a wonderful chewiness; the shumai (燒賣) that was nicely juicy and tender; and, lastly, the sweet-rice chicken in lotus leaf (真珠雞, 就是荷葉糯米雞) that combined minced pork and chicken with a hint of grassy aroma off the lotus leaf. Unconventionally, I had Boddington beer instead of tea.

Oh, the Mango Tapioca (楊枝玉露) dessert was the best I ever had.
I dreaded for this flight that would take two days of my life away. Somehow, this brunch at Hong Kong’s airport hotel (Marriott, Skycity) made it less suffering.

Pioneer Square is a must-visit for Seattle tourists. This historic downtown that is full of character and charm. The best way is to wander around on foot: check out stores and people, grab a bite or coffee occasionally. Try to schedule 10am to 3pm so that you can do a lazy lunch.

Begin at the corner of 1st Ave and Jackson and go east (away from the water) and check out the stores/galleries on Jackson. Proceed to 2nd Ave and check out Klondike Gold Rush Museum. This place is actually in a historical building and is a National Museum. Admission is free and it is worth about 20 minutes (but not more). Turn left at 2nd and find Waterfall Park at Main and 2nd. This is actually the birthplace of UPS. When you exit the Waterfall park, keep going on Main and you will find the Occidental Park. Those big totems are Seattle classics. The other side of Main has many interesting stores too.

This is probably time for break. If you are in the mood of coffee, go to Cafe Umbria near Jackson. If you want a snack, do Grand Central Cafe (behind an arch steel door). If you fancy something different, go New Orleans Creole. Il Terrazzo is a high-end Italian restaurant that you won’t regret the money.

After the meal, stroll to the corner of 1st and Yesler. There is no one location designated to be Pioneer Square. But if there was one, this will be it. Don’t miss the the steel terrace and street lights. They are antiques. There are also Chief Seattle’s bust and another totem. If you are in the mood, take the Seattle Underground Tour, a bit pricy but also entertaining.

Now go west and check out Seattle’s waterfront along Alaskan Way. There are many eateries. Elliott’s Oyster Bar will be a sure winner.

I am envious of Panda. They live such good lives.

(Pictures by Fred Zlotnick)

ChengDu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding is essentially a zoo for only two species: Panda and Red Panda. I am, of course, saw many TV programs on this animal. But I did not realize how playful and, huh, contently lazy, they are. There were two cubs in a cage, they played with each other in a gentle way, rolling over each other, squeezing for toys or attention, and moving around casually. You just couldn’t hold back the smile watching them play.

One adult Panda came slowing toward us in a steady pace. Then, just like that, decided to lay down and take a quick nap. The crowd just burst into laughter. Then, obviously well rested, he proceeded to the destination: an area with a bunch of bamboo on the ground. Unexpectedly, as I thought all four-legged mammals would bow down to eat, he turned around and sat down. Human-like, he reached out and grab a bunch of bamboo, and started to garble those leaves like a kid would a chicken drumstick: holding it with a hand and never mind whatever dripping on the chest.

He was oblivious to those shutterbugs clicking and ate with such enjoyment that someone in the crowd said, “I am hungry.”

Done eating, he climbed up a platform nearby. He reached the top where there was a railing, put an arm over the railing, lied down, rest his head on that arm, and closed the eyes. “Awww…,” I want to snug up to him and take a nap.

Panda appeared to enjoy simple lives that all of us wish we could too: wake up, eat, nap, play around lazily, more naps, and repeat. Wouldn’t it be cool if we don’t need to worry all those complexity?

Oh, yes, I would have bamboo leaves for dinner please.

Water views are best contrasted with something: setting sun, big rocks, beaches, skyscrapers, mountains, etc. It is almost always better to look landward, instead of outward, except for sunset. This is why lakes are more beautiful the ocean: there is usually something contrasting.

Lake Union Park gives you a nice vantage point. On this sunny but chilly day, we explore this park the first time. First there is this Center for Wooden Boats, a docking area for many boats. Since we are complete ignorant on this subject, they are quite interesting. There are different styles, sail configuration, and posh levels. Here you can also rent a boat or take a class on sailing.

The sight of all those rich people’s boats is humbling; there are all tourist events soliciting customers. Dog was crazy busy checking out every goose drops in the path. Then we stopped to watch the ducks. They would dive into the water and re-emerge no less than 20 feet away. There are rigs for all kinds of boating activities. Guess that’s what Lake Union is for.

There is a circular pond at roughly the center where people will play toy boats. Most of them are motorized boats of various kinds: tug boats, container boats, yachts, etc. A model sail boat caught my eyes. It is a boat-shaped wood block with two sails. A hand-held remote control works the sails and the rudder. This small boat crisscrossed the water gracefully and easily. The operator was clearly struggling. As we watched and chit-chatted, he even offered me the remote.

I declined. But thought of getting one myself.

Where are the mysteries of wines? When I swirled it in the glass, held up the glass against the light, sip and tasted it. I didn’t really think about them. I have a general understanding on how wines are made, but, honestly, so are cattle are slaughtered or cakes are baked. I have no desire to be too involved with the production of any of them.

Then I came to this unique winery at a suburb of Phoenix, in a strip mall in the city of Tempe. There are no agricultural farm like building, rolling grapevines, rows of barrels in a dark and cool cave, or hours of driving through natural peace. It is a store next to supermarket and beauty supply. It is the only winery in Phoenix.

The owner imports grape juices, crushed and filtered, from Oregon or California in sealed plastic bags. She then mixes in other ingredients, like oak chips, into six-gallon jars. The jars sit on metal wire shelves for three to 12 months and the wine is considered made. She then bottle, label, cork, and sleeve them up, about 14 bottles, for about less than $300.

All of those, plus catered foods and light entertainment, are available from this so-called winery where wine making can be a party activities for amateurs like myself. What’s more fun than coming home with a bottle that you made yourself?

Except that they don’t taste that great. Guess either there are more mysteries to be unlocked, or those grapevines, barrels, and remote locations actually make a difference to the taste. Given the choice of making bad wines myself or buying good wines from a store, I would make the same choice as in beef and cakes.

Spoken In Taiwanese (a dialect of Chinese, very similar to those spoken in southern FuJian Province), Pineapple pronounced like On-Lie, very similar to “Fortune is Coming.” The fruit therefore became a symbol for prosperity and a favorite gift. But fresh fruits are perishable, Pineapples are particularly unwieldy, most importantly, they are not expensive enough for serious gifting. The solution is the delicious Pineapple cake, a snack that is uniquely Taiwan.

First of all, it is really not a cake, more a cookie. Imagine Pop Top with Pineapple filling, but morphed into the shape of a ring box. There are probably hundreds of bakeries in Taiwan making Pineapple cakes. When I was a kid, people would bring those all the way from Keelung city; everyone knew the best was made by Lee Hu (李鵠) then. Nowadays, there will be a Pineapple cake tournament every year and the gold medalists will command great sales for years to come.

ChiaTe (佳德) seems to the latest fad. On this raining day, I arrived at a 300+ feet queue that snaked around the next corner. Polite attendants worked the queue, keeping order, offering bottle water, and reminding everyone the quota: only 7 boxes for each customer. We watched people carrying out large bags and got anxious, “Would there be any left when it is my turn?” It felt like the bakery version of the iPhone debut.

The best ones have light, flaky, and buttery shell that can crumble with the slightest squeeze. The filling must be distinctly Pineapple, a bit chewy, and not overly sweet. Pineapple cakes are a bit dense. A couple will make a wonderful breakfast or a afternoon snack. The perfect companion will be a nice cup of hot green tea that leaves the grassy freshness in your mouth. Coffee will do, but sweet drinks, like soda, will not. I have never tried them with wines. I love to microwave it for 5 seconds first. The filling will be slightly warm and extra fragrant.

Next time you are in Taipei, give it a try.

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.