Thailand's Silom Village and Rose Garden

Coming back from Bangkok, we gave our friends, Bob and Olive, some souvenir photos from Thailand.

The picture below are Thai dancers.  On weekdays they are working girls but on weekends, they perform their exotic Thai classical dances at Silom Village.

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The picture below is from The Rose Garden Village.  The place is fantastic, almost mythical.  (http://www.discoverythailand.com/bangkok_the_rose_garden.asp).

The pond that is the central point of the place  makes it very picturesque.  The hubby kept saying, this is a place to relax, to rest. 
Thailand's Rose Garden Riverside is a place you'd like to go back to again and again and again.

My Favorite Couple's Pictures

They are Chris and Marie, who just celebrated their first wedding anniversary.  They are also our models for the ebook, Intercultural Relationship.    Aside fromthe above picture, I am also giving them this picture below.

Last Breakfast in Bangkok

On our last day in Bangkok, the hubby ate this for breakfast - Club sandwich, topped with French fries.  We were lucky that in the hotel where we stayed, Aiya Residence and Sports Club,  they also  have a very good restaurant, A1 Smile Restaurant.  Their food is always excellent, whether it's Thai food or American food.  We had our fill of delicious Thai food for more than a week and in our last meal in Bangkok, the hubby opted for the familiar - club sandwich.  It was very good too. 

To me, Phad Thai is my comfort food.  I know how to cook it.  Phad Thai has many versions as there are many restaurants.  Whatever the Phad Thai version of cooking is, some ingredients can't be changed like flat noodles, bean sprouts (in this version, the bean sprouts is fresh), ground peanuts.  Some would use ketchup, this version did not. Eggs are always present too.  Just like Spaghetti Carbonara, some use eggs, some don''t....but's that's another blog entry :))

The day before, I bought from a street vendor  sour fruit in skewer.  I was feeling adventurous and I bought that small fruit above.  It's about 1 inch in diameter, with seed taken out, sliced in two, sour like batwan if you know that fruit,A which  is also sour, found in south of the Philippines.  Anyway, in Bangkok, this sour fruit in skewer  is eaten with chopped small chili peppers and sugar and salt.    Yummy.  The hubby likes it for an aperitif for something.  I ate it while drinking draft beer :)

One of the  things  I like in Thailand is  - food.  they know how to use spices there, they know how to make the food hot and spicy :))  Very flavorful, herby and spicy.  I love the food! 

Afternoon Nap

We were with the Hash Group, but since my heel spur was acting up, I decided not to do the hash run.. I stayed behind, read a book.  One of our friends had a different idea - an afternoon nap!  

Kung Hei Fat Choi

Below is a sweet delicacy from Iloilo as given by my sweet sister, Jo. It is called baye-baye, it is sweet, it is sticky - just right for the start of Metal tiger New Year. May we stick together, may we find sweetness in our life, may we have delicious moments with our loved ones always :)) Kung Hei Fat Choi, and Happy Velentines too! ">

Chris and Marie

Here's another picture of my new favorite subject:s, the newly weds Chris and Marie.  marie was clowning around after a 'serious' photosession for a book cover. 

The World's Smallest Banana

Above is the world's smallest banana found in Kota Kinabalu Biological Gardens.  For more about Kota Kinabalu, visit my other blog, Silver Litehttp://msilverman.blogspot.com/2009/11/kota-kinabalu-in-tropical-island-of.html

Grande Island

Grande Island, Subic Base, Olongapo, Zambales, Philippines.

Red Rock Canyon

When we were in Las Vegas, we went around visiting friends.  My husband who is a hike enthusiast did  not miss the opportunity to see an 'old friend', the Red Rock Canyon.  I have blogged about our unforgettable experience there: http://swimmingandfloating.blogspot.com/search/label/Red%20Rock%20Canyon

According to Redrock.org., the Red Rock Canyon area is, arguably, the most beautiful area in Nevada—perhaps the southwest. Whether you are a rock climber, a hiker, a rock hound, or just appreciate the beauty of wild horses, bighorn sheep, and wild burros roaming free, this part of Nevada is just for you. 




 

 

Red Rock Canyon from afar

 

The Colorful Rocks of Red Rock Canyon

Dried Squid at a Kota Kinabalu Market

Do you like dried squid? It's one of my favorites.  It's like eating an exotic bubble gum, but you could actually swallow or eat it!  My husband hates the smell of dried squid.  I guess eating dried squid is an Asian thing?  In other western countries, in Mid East contries, they hate the smell of dried squid when you're cooking it.  Neighbors could actually call and complain to  the police when you fry dried squid, dried fish.  I am not into dried fish (I have allergies when I eat dried fish) but dried squid is - yeah baby!

Some like it dried and shredded, calling it dried shredded squid.  Some call it cuttle fish instead of squid. 
do you know that dried squid is so rich in zinc?  Here's the nutritional information of dried squid:  How do you process dried squid?  Below is from Wikipedia:

Preparation

Thumb sized single strand

Ojingeochae bokkeum, a Korean dish stir-fried in a sauce based on gochujang (chili pepper paste).

Northern Pacific Squid is separated into different parts and skinned, cooked at 65-80C for 3-5 minutes, cooled, grated and seasoned at a temperature below 20C for more than 4 hours. Sugar, salt, sorbitol, sweetener, and organic acid is added.^[2] They are then dried at 40-45C for 12-20 hours until it reaches a moisture level of 40%. It is then aged in a cold room for 2 weeks or longer, then dried at a higher temperature of 110-120C for 3-5 minutes.^[2] It is then machine-shredded and seasoned for a second time, dried again to a reduced moisture level of 25-27%. At this phase the color is yellow or brownish. The amino acids on the squid are revealed by the increase in brown color over prolonged storage time. Vacuum packaging or nitrogen-filled packaging also increase browning. Consumers generally do not want excessive browning.<sup>[2]

Some claim that dried squid is not healthy, as some would put arsenic on it.  In the Philippines, fresh squid are simply dried in hot sun and packaged - no chemicals at all.</sup>  

Nutrition Facts
Amount Per 1 oz, boneless
Calories 98.87 Calories from Fat 13.35
% Daily Value * Total Fat 1.48g 2%     Saturated Fat 0.385g 2%     Polyunsaturated Fat 0.563g       Monounsaturated Fat 0.115g   Cholesterol 250.41mg 83% Sodium 172.25mg 7% Potassium 264.41mg 8% Total Carbohydrate 3.31g 1%     Dietary Fiber 0g 0% Protein 16.74g 33% Alcohol 0g
Vitamin A 1 %     Vitamin C 8 % Calcium 3 %     Iron 4 % Vitamin D 0 %     Vitamin E 3 % Thiamin 1 %     Riboflavin 18 % Niacin 11 %     Folate 1 % Vitamin B-6 3 %     Vitamin B-12 22 % Phosphorus 24 %     Magnesium 9 % Zinc 11 %     Copper 102 %
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Corregidor, Bataan

My Favorite Couple

 They are Chris and Maricel Haug on their wedding day.  The bride used to be the member of the group,  D (Heavenly) Bodies.  She is a singer and an actress, while Chris is a retired U.S.  Air force man.