Ingredients:

A) 200 grams (~1/2 lb) pork fillet
B) Marinade: 1/3 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon oil, 1/2 teaspoon rice wine, 1 teaspoon custard powder (or 1 egg yolk)
C) Pork batter: 5 teaspoons cornstarch, 1 egg yolk, 2 teaspoons water
D) 20 grams (~1/2 slice) pineapple, 20 grams cucumber, 1 tomato
E) Sweet and Sour sauce: 5 teaspoons sugar, 4 tablespoons rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons ketchup
F) 500 gram cooking oil (enough to fill wok/pan with 1" oil)

Note: Portions listed are for 1 person.

Continue reading "Authentic Chinese Sweet and Sour Pork" »

Posted by Aaron at 01:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Spending nearly a total of 3 months in China and its various territories, you'd have to be pretty anti-social or otherwise lazy not to (gasp) talk to some locals. Luckily, my misanthropic tendencies were no match for the crushing mass of 1.2 billion locals. What's more, the surprising gregariousness of our Chinese counterpart generation did a lot to foster some interesting conversations. This is not to say that conversations including one or more of the phrases "Lookee, lookee", "Best price for you", or "Laowai! [old foreigner]" aren't interesting in their own right, but on the whole I think I most prefer the ones where I am treated as something other than an exotic walking changepurse.

Continue reading "Chinese Encounters, Pt. 1" »

Posted by Aaron at 10:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

Hong Kong boasts a skyline more impressive than NYC, which is difficult for a proud New Yorker to admit. After long walks through the streets of Hong Kong and Kowloon for days on end, I think we got a feel for the ultra-modern urban mecca that is still culturally rich in tradition.

Continue reading "Hong Kong and Kowloon" »

Posted by Nelle at 04:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I always had this notion that hitchhikers were creepy, somewhat psychotic, and very likely to injure my person. I can thank Hollywood for this. Hitchhiking in Tibet is nothing like that. First of all, it's so common. It's standard, if slightly illegal, practice to pick up foreigners and locals alike. Secondly, it's so much cheaper and more convenient for backpackers than hiring a private jeep. We had a series of lucky rides that made our journey from Lhasa to the border town of Zhangmu really easy.

Continue reading "Hitchhiking from Tibet To Nepal" »

Posted by Nelle at 04:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

As a foreigner, arranging a trip on the new Qinghai-Tibet railway is not easy. One Canadian we met had a much easier time getting his ticket by paying someone that sought out and solicited him. Because there is not supposed to be foreigner pricing or mark-ups, this is illegal. However, the legitimate route, which we took, is incredibly difficult and frustrating. It seems like China doesn't want foreigners on the train so they create these Catch22 scenarios to stymie your every attempt.

Continue reading "Qinghai-Tibet Railway Tickets Odyessy" »

Posted by Nelle at 02:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

When I think back to the malls of America, one thing sticks out in my mind - PERSONAL SPACE. Except for those infamous times of year like Black Friday or 3 days until Christmas, malls in the suburbs generally provide more space than people. The malls in China, especially now during the back-to-school craze have more people than items of merchandise. So, when I went shopping on Wednesday afternoon at 2:30pm, I couldn't help but wonder why these people weren't at work!

Continue reading "Shopping In Chengdu" »

Posted by Nelle at 01:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Maybe I am just getting used to it, but I'm enjoying China much more in Chengdu. The pollution is less oppressive - not that I can actually SEE the sun, but still. Only occasionally do you trip over litter on the streets, and even the spitting seems to have calmed down. I'm finally becoming more open to the cultural richness and natural beauty of China.

Continue reading "Life in Chengdu China" »

Posted by Nelle at 10:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Hey!

We haven't fallen off the face of the Earth, I swear! We've been in China for 6 weeks and we've only now, in Chengdu, in Sichuan province in southwestern China, found an internet connection that does not filter out this website. Hence, I thought I'd put up a quick post to prove that everything is A-OK and that we are having a great time. We have so much to write about!

Continue reading "Still alive" »

Posted by Aaron at 09:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

After some much needed R&R, Aaron and I are back in action in the capital city of Beijing! Where to start...well, much like China's population, a billion things come to mind. More than any place I've been, this one is alive. It is changing at such a dramatic rate that several times our 2006 guidebook is out of date. Hutongs (or alleyways) are being demolished in favor of wider, more modern roads. The stadium is being renovated in preparation for the 2008 olympics, and nearly all of the prices are rising to meet that occasion as well. Sigh.

Continue reading "Nihao from Beijing!" »

Posted by Nelle at 08:27 AM | Permalink

Continue reading "All trains lead to Beijing" »

Posted by Aaron at 10:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)