Running to our gate after arriving in Detroit, made the journey feel ever more surreal....am I being taped? Is this a Lifetime movie? Seating on this airline was a bit more like individual cubbies, very self contained. This was great for our girls, each had their own space to stretch and their own TV screen to choose movies, tv shows, and even video games.
Olivia jumped right into the luxury, but played it cool as any "tween" might, and Mia was cautious at first to use the controls, but once she mastered all her buttons lived it up by rocking out lots of video games.Rosie was so excited she barely slept, she was the Queen of her own little castle, with somebody to wait on her hand and foot, bring her drinks, meals and even ice cream. The staff was beyond excellent, so even Chris and I got to catch a few naps and enjoy a movie or two!
After our 13 hour flight we arrived in Seoul, South Korea and after checking in and grabbing the tickets for our last leg into Qingdao found a great little play area equipped with miniature toilets and sinks...we were cracking up! I don't know if it was exhaustion that caused these little fixtures to be so entertaining, We couldn't help but snap a picture.
On to our first week....
We have made daily trips down to the sea walk here, some to swim and some just for exploration. When the tide goes out you can find locals in the rockier areas searching out lunch or dinner by gathering kelp and little soft shell crabs. We enjoying hunting for the little crabs too, but since we are not brave enough to eat them yet, we build them crab houses.Mostly we gather the littlest ones so that we are not stealing anybody's dinner! :) The girls love to body surf the waves, but despise getting any water in their mouths. To quote Rosie, "Mom!, It's nasty! It tastes like salt, pepper and dirt!"
The girls and I have braved grocery shopping as well. We gather lots of stares and smiles as we shop. I have asked the girls to wave and say, "Ni hao" if they notice somebody looking our way, because even more than usual we stand out in the crowd here. For me it serves as a tension breaker, otherwise the constant looks can be intimidating...it's my way of saying, "We come in peace". The foods here are different but similar enough and we are fairing well. Here are a few of the things we have found and you might recognize...I think my favorite label has got to be the "Sanitarium" brand cereals. I can think of a number of inappropriate slogans to blend breakfast with insanity! "Handcrafted for those CRAZY school mornings!"
I also have a fruit and fish market nearby, and enjoy the thought of supporting individual families. I was able to get 5 ears of corn, 24 apples, 5 clementines, and 2 dragon fruit for around 10 US dollars. I should probably try to barter a bit, but hopefully when they begin to see me often and I know more language I can get more for my money. The fish market is quite the sight, and to our girls looks like a petting zoo instead of dinner, styrofoam tanks with ice water, filled with crabs, sea cucumbers , eels, and clams that squirt at you. The locals ogle us as we ogle their wares, hopefully I can make an acquaintance or two to teach me local cuisine.
However, it is clear when it comes to chicken that somebody has moved my cheese. ( if you don't catch this reference check out - http://www.whomovedmycheese.com/ ) Mia and I are sub par carnivores, but that doesn't stop me from cooking a nice meal for the rest of the Colozza's with caveman inclinations. My chicken came with all the bells and whistles. The head and feet still attached, so we named him Fred. I am working past the trauma removing Fred's less than desirable parts.....I'm so sorry little chicken. I really prefer to cook meat that I haven't had to look in the eye. Enjoy the pictures below....blah blah blah... graphic picture warning.....they can be summed up in one phrase, "Ew."
It's all fun and games until somebody loses an eye....or a head. Poor Fred....Dearest Fred, I hope you make good soup. Kind Regards, Me :(
Well that wraps up most of our first week here! We send our love to those back in the US, and look forward to sharing our adventure with you!
OMG.... LOL... poor Fred (although I think he looks more like an Earl). Love the pictures and all the fun descriptions. Can't wait for more. Luv you!
ReplyDeleteSounds like you guys are settling in nicely!! So glad you decided to blog!! I would become a vegetarian if I had to buy "Freds"and decapitate them. Poor little guy!! Love the photos!!! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for the update and the giggles! Poor Fred! and (Danielle!) Oy! I have to ask...did he make a tasty soup?
ReplyDeleteGreat catch up post, Danielle. Great pics, You could have resold or given away the feet and head, very cherished parts of Fred. Have you seen birds nests yet? they are used for soup too,lol. Enjoy the adventures! ST
ReplyDeleteDanielle, you silly girl, you are supprised to save the feet and fry them! It's a delicacy! Actually, it's friend DUCK feet that are the delicacy but I've eaten friend chicken feet in my day as well. ;-) If the clams that were squirting out you looked like giant .. ahem.... large arms, they were likely Goeyduck Clams which are famous on the Pacific Northeast.
ReplyDeleteFor you, the sub par Carnivore, I highly recommend finding out how to ask for Miso paste. Eevn though it is a Japanese food origfinally, it's quite popular in China. I prefer white Miso Paste but you may only be able to get red. it makes an excellent soup base is is made from fermented soybean curd and wheat flour. it's loaded with vitamins and trace minerals. Make the broth, add some fresh ginger, noodles of your choice and some chopped tofu and ummmmm, heaven.
Dave and I spent the first ten years of our marrriage shopping almost eclsuively at what is called The Great Mall of China in a Chinese Suburb and we're pretty familiar with the foods you have available. If you can find those extremely long green beans, they are really yummy when steamed and then tossed in a wok with water chesnuts, chunks of firm soybean curd (tofu) or Seitan (A cheap meat substitute made from wheat gluten that takes on the flavor of whatever it stews in). To that you add what is called Oster Sauce. Now it is not really made from oysters, but rather oyster Mushrooms. ANother yummy meal is stewed chinese cabbage with bok choy shredded along with shredded apples, some chinese cooking wine, easily found in the markets there, about a half cup of white sugar if you can find it, honey if you cannot and a little bit of star anise. That is the spice that is filled in barrels looking like little starfish but smelling of licorice. You would serve that with seafood of some kind or pork. To be continued......
and here's another piece... While it is true, must poultry there comes with everything attached, it is so nothing goes to waste. The organ meats are stewed into broths or diced and stir-fried with bean sprouts over either wide noodles or glass noodles (The ones made from rice flour) There is a Thai shrimp paste from Thialand called "ha jeung" in Cantonese. I never quite got the hang of Mandarin even though I studied it. I believe you live in a Mandarin speaking area, correct? They share a spelling system but they are two different languages. China has so many! The shrimp paste can be used along with crush lemongrass to make a spicy curry dish.
ReplyDeleteFor sweets, your girls would probably like sweet bean cakes. It's like a puffy pancake filled with a red bean paste (Azuki Beans) that has been lightly sweetened. IN Japan, these are call Imagawayaki. IN most parts of China, they are only available as Moon cakes but you're in luck, it's the Moon festival right now! I think plain red bean cakes outside of the Moon festival aree called "hóng dòu gāo". The entire Month of August is a celebration of ancestors and moon cakes are part of that. Depending on your region they might be available fresh or frozen. Red Bean and green tea Ice Cream covered in a light rice cake is also a common treat or it is served by itself. Seafood is a staple of the Chinese diet so if you can handle prawns (shrimp), learn to love them. Same goes for other large fishes that are poached in flavorful broths and serves whole. Being allowed to eat the eye is a privilege.
One thing that might get you by easily is peanut soup. If your area likes it, it's nutritious and easy to find. it's also very easy to make. A breakfast food called Congee is something you will learn to love. it is rice porridge, the Chinese oatmeal and it is topped with whatever a person likes from sweet fruit conserve to meats. Get used to eating Mung Bean Sprouts because they are an inexpensive but healthful staple. Kids usually don't mind them because they're crunchy when rinsed and served raw or tossed with a little sweet dressing along with shredded cabbage.
and the last bit..... I have one word of cuation for you - no matter how tempting it sounds, and no matter how curious you are, do not EVER attempt to open or bring into your home a DURIAN fruit which look like green spikey grenades but when ripe, are filled with a shcokingly pungent limberger cheese smelling custardy fruit that is runny and smells like dirty feet that danced in Limberger cheese for a hundred years. I was brave enough to try it and understood the attraction. it has a Brie Cheese like consistency but the flavor and odor are SO STRONG that the fruit is forbidden in most hotels or anywhere a tourist most go. They are also usually forbidden to be carried on public transport. The thing is, the fruit gains that smell and custard texture because it is rotting. My chinese friends who adore it accuse me of being two-faced becuase I eat certain strong cheeses such as sharp cheddar which they find massively offensive is smell and taste. They point out to me that cheese is, basically, rotted milk under controlled circumstances and Durian is no different. Yeah well, they don't forbid cheddar cheese in hotels all over the world as they do Durian so I'll stand by my warning.
ReplyDeleteI love you all. My Mom and Dad say Hello. MY dad is especially interested in your adventures and he's so proud of you for giving your kids the chance to see and learn about the world at an age when it really matters. They will have a real advantage over other American kids when they are in their 20s because of this time spent abroad.
I hope my suggestions were helpful. Can we sent you actual letters? h I forgot to tell you the magic words Cha siu baau (Cha Shoo Bow in cantonese in mandarin I would guess Char shiu bao) - those are steamed BBQ pork buns and are heaven on earth. They look like fluffy dumplings. They are usually sold by street venders who have them in stacks of bamboo steamers. They do make vegetable versions you just ask for Bao and say "Vegetable?" and if they have them, they'll say yes. The CHinese in Hawaii make Ube Baau out of purple yams (oo-bay Bow).
I hope some of this helps! If need be, I can call a chinese friend for help and advice. Love Lisa Pollison. your Cuz
:) Ni Hao all! I definitely could have saved Fred's parts for a Chinese friend, but I don't have one yet...I love hearing from you all! Letters are still tricky, because I don't speak enough Chinese to send and receive through China Post, we have been told to send things to Chris' work however they request that it have the address in characters for China post and I am waiting to receive an email friendly form so that it can be printed out. Email is a great way to keep in touch! colozza@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteFor the record, I love miso soup, and am generally a big fan of Asian cuisine :) We have tried the Azuki Bean buns and the kids didn't really love them. I didn't mind them. There are Azuki Beans in all sort of foods here, even popsicles with a milky out side and bean paste center. They do lovely things with eggplant here, and I have had the long green beans, they several varieties at our local market. We see a lot of fish and seafood here. I have seen but not yet had congee....
We are close to and have sizable Korean population here as well, so we also have a good deal of Korean influence on food in our area. We are definitely finding enough to eat!
I know well of the Durian fruit, we have avoided it so far, but it is prominent in our area, and you can purchase packed bits as well as whole fruits, poor Olivia practically gags when we pass the area in the markets and stores. It is definitely unpleasant....maybe I will brave a taste in the next two years? lol