Travelling with Elderly Parents

Last month, our parents made a visit to USA. My husband and I planned a self-drive USA / Canada trip for them. In this vacation, we took them to the east coast of the America continent. The destinations include Niagara Falls, New York City and Quebec City. We had also made a trip to the national parks of America West. The national parks include Yellowstone National Park, Mt Rushmore National Monument and Grand Canyon National Park.

In our original plan, my husband and I had intentions to savour the French influenced cuisine in Quebec City. We had also intended to explore each national park in great detail. To fully appreciate the beauty of the national parks, the best way is to hike the numerous scenic trails.

Yellowstone National Park

However, when we embarked on our great vacation, things did not go as planned. We had to make special arrangements to accommodate to the needs of our elderly parents. Our ideal plan to savour all the authentic local dishes went out of the window. Our elderly parents have a limited palate for western cuisine. Our French influenced cuisine in Quebec City turned into Chinese stir fry in an unknown restaurant picked up by our GPS. The quest for New York styled cuisine turned into a trip to a Malaysian restaurant in Chinatown.

Laksa, Chinatown New York City

Nasi Lemak, Chinatown New York City

But the food was great, and everyone enjoyed the dining experience very much. While searching for Asian cuisine we unexpectedly found Singapore/Malaysian food in various cities. This satisfied our craving for home food, especially since we have not had Singapore food in a while.

Our dream to hike the scenic national park trails for a complete experience became impossible too. Our elderly parents do not have the stamina to go on these trails. The sulphuric stench in Yellowstone National Park is too strong. The heat in Grand Canyon National Park made it very exhausting from them. It was near impossible for the whole group to go on a long trail. Once again, we made special arrangements to accommodate to their physical condition. We chose easier trails that gave us the best national parks experience. It was not an easy feat to accommodate to everyone's wishes, however it is important to try to understand everyone's abilities and needs. For a family vacation involving elderly parents, it is crucial to make special considerations for them. An altered itinerary can be made equally enjoyable and adds a touch of spontaneity. They have enjoyed the vacation and have had as much fun as we did!

Your Travel Beacon,
Joanne

Eating around the world Part II

More food from around the world….continued from previous post

An enjoyable part of travelling is that you get to try the different cuisine from around the world. Admittedly, I am rather picky with my food and my palate is not as adventurous as I would like it to be, but I have made it a point to at least taste the different cuisine from different places.

Streetfood in Finland. These small fried herring found at the Market Square in Helsinki, paired with reindeer meat soup, was my lunch on one cold finish afternoon.

What do you eat when you are in Frankfurt? Frankfurters! I must have ate at least 3 frankfurters everyday when I was in Frankfurt.

Freshest catch at 4am at Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo! Love it. Awesome.

Another fresh catch.  Succulent lobsters on the island of Maldives. Great food, great location, an experience I definitely want to relive.

How can you not eat Fish and Chips in London?

The original Sacher Torte from Hotel Sacher in Vienna.  Vienna is a really nice place with lots of mouth-watering pastries. This small piece of chocolate cake with apricot under its icing is something everyone should try when they are in Vienna.

 

Polish food at Krakow.

Czech cuisine borrows the tastes of Germany and Hungary's schnitzels, strudels and goulashes, but adds the culture's own unique twists. This plate of Roast chicken with Czech’s cabbage (slight difference from the German’s sauerkraut) was one of my best meals in Prague.

Quesadilla in Mexico. This corn tortilla filled with a savory mixture of cheese and other ingredients, then folded in half and fried is common dish you can find in a typical Mexican’s eatery,

In a Costa Rican meal, one would expect black beans and rice (gallo pinto). This simple, standard dish, often referred to as comida tipica, is the backbone of Costa Rican cuisine.

In Guatemala, many traditional foods are based on Maya cuisine and prominently feature corn, chiles and beans as key ingredients.

I enjoyed Peruvian food a lot.  It was in Peru that I tasted al paca meat, guinea pig meat and chicken hearts. I loved Peruvian cerviche  and its Chicha Morada – a purple drink made with the ears of purple maize. It is no doubt that Lima was declared gastronomic capital of Americas.

These are Coxinha - Brazilian Chicken Croquettes, a common Brazilian street food typically enjoyed for lunch or as a mid-morning or afternoon snack. I was initially quite surprised to find them in Brazil as they reminded me of something you would find in a HongKong DimSum place. They  tasted pretty yummy as well.

Bowls of Pho which our Vietnamese host cooked and delivered to our room every morning. We did not have much of an appetite in the morning but forced ourselves to eat at least half the bowl so as to not hurt her feelings.

Your Travel Beacon,
Cindy

Eating around the world

One of the best things about travelling is that you get to try different food. I grew up in city where food is well-loved and eating is the nation’s pastime.

Think Boston, and you think of Boston’s lobsters. As the oldest restaurant in Boston and the oldest restaurant in continuous service in the U.S. , the Union Oyster House serves a scrumptious meal of lobsters and oysters.

Lobster meal at The Union Oyster House

 Lobster bisque at Fisherman Wharf in San Francisco. This warm bowl of soup was especially delicious after spending almost the entire day walking around a chilly San Francisco.

Yummy Lobster Bisque at Fisherman's Wharf

These 3 cups of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream may look ordinary. But these were bought fresh from the Ben and Jerry’s ice cream factory in Vermont, making them extra tasty!

Ben & Jerry's at Waterbury, Vermont

Ben & Jerry's Factory Tour

 Famous Sally's Apizza at New Haven, Connecticut. This pizzeria was ranked amongst the top 10 on Travel channel’s American Top 100 Food. Just a few stores down the same street, there was Pepe's Pizzeria – a rival Pizzeria. Of course, we had to try pizzas from both pizzeria on the same night!

Sally's Apizza at New Haven, Connecticut

In Chicago, you have to try its famous deep-dish pizza. Different from its New York’s thin crust pizza, Chicago-style pizza has a buttery crust up to three inches tall at the edge, slightly higher than the large amounts of cheese and chunky tomato sauce, acting as a large bowl.

Giordano's deep dish in Chicago

In Philadelphia, the famous Philly Cheesesteak is a must! A sandwich made from thinly sliced pieces of steak and melted cheese in a long roll – the Philly Cheesesteak is simply delicious. Pat's and Geno's Steaks are some of the best you can find in Philadephia.

Philly Cheesesteak in Philly

 This is what people flying first-class on US Airways eat. I was upgraded to fly first-class after my original fight was cancelled because of a snow storm. While the rest of the people on the flight only had water to drink, we were served real food on real plates!

US Airways First Class Meal

Your Travel Beacon,
Cindy

A Culinary Adventure in Borough Market

As the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton’s gradually unravels in the frenzied media coverage, a particular article immediately catches my eye – the royal menu.

The mention of British Food primes my nose for the whiff of Fish and Chips, Yorkshire Pudding, Bangers and Mash, Shepherd’s Pie, Hot cross buns …. and I am immediately brought back to my culinary experiences in London. To date, Borough Market remains one of my favourite places in London.

London’s oldest market is full of traders selling an eclectic mix of produce, from traditional breads, uncured meats to artisan cheese. Borough Market is separated into: Crown Square, Green Market, Jubliee Market and the remaining shops/restaurants that line the perimeter of the Market. The huge range of food and drinks available at the market makes it a wonderful gastronomical experience.

My personal favourite at the Borough Market has to be Konditor & Cook. Their Curly Whirly, a chocolate sponge covered with rich vanilla frosting, was simply an explosive treat for the taste buds. In fact, I enjoyed Konditor & Cook so much, that I visited Konditor & Cook every single day of my stay in London. It is so good that even Nigella Lawson ranks Konditor & Cook among her personal favourites.

Another must-try is the famous chorizo sandwich with rocket and roasted peppers from Brindisa. Brindisa’s hand-carved Serrano and Ibérico (Pata Negra) hams are simply mouthwatering as well.

Chorizo sandwich from Brindisa

Of course, there is no lack of Fish & Chips at the market as well. Fish!kitchen was one of the many shops that was teeming with people.

Beer-battered Fish and Chips

On April 29th, while common folk like us can’t partake in the royal feast (which includes hot and cold canapés, snoked salmon on beetroot blinis and quail eggs sprinkled with celery salt etc etc), a little culinary adventure awaits in Borough Market.

Your Travel Beacon,
Cindy

Romance, Wine and Art - Hawkes Bay (New Zealand)

The Hawkes Bay region is situated on the east coast of North Island, New Zealand. It is the home of New Zealand's oldest and second largest wine region. The region is well known for its award winning Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec and is also New Zealand's leading producer of red wines.

My husband and I are so in love with the region's wine. We are saving a bottle of 2007 Brookfields Malbec for this year's Valentine Day. It would have been better if we could visit Hawkes Bay now to bask in the warmth of summer, savour good food and sip rich bodied wines.

Visiting Hawkes Bay was a romantic getaway for us when we lived in Wellington, New Zealand. Hawkes Bay's moderate winter and long warm summer make the region a perfect place for growing fantastic grapes for wine making and also a perfect year round vacation destination.

To visit the vineyards, we chose to self drive along the country roads surrounded by picturesque hills and clear blue skies. We shared many memorable moments and took many beautiful pictures along the scenic route.

Church Road Winery

Besides award winning wines and delicious gourmet food, Napier and Hastings - cities in the region are known for having the highest concentration of Art Deco buildings. Many of these buildings were designed by New Zealand architect Louis Hay, whose style was influenced by well known American architect Frank Lloyd Wright. The strong presence of the local Maori culture had also shaped a style of Art Deco buildings that is truly unique to New Zealand.

There are many ways to marvel at this piece of unique architecture. We have chosen a self guided walking tour. It suited our need for relax pace and our theme - a romantic getaway for two. We strolled along the streets of Napier and Hastings hand in hand, admiring the splendor of the Art Deco buildings. Occasionally, we chanced upon a nice shop selling local art pieces and jewellery. We stepped in and took our time to browse. When we got tired, there was no lack of good coffee shops for us to stop by, sip coffee and enjoy a slice of cake while watching the stories of the cities unfolded itself.

Iconic Napier Art Deco - T&G Building & The Dome

This romantic trip to the Hawkes Bay region arrive at its highlight when you check into one of Napier's finest luxury accommodation - The Dome. The Dome offers stunning oceans views and is only a few steps away from the city's fine restaurants and soft sandy beaches.

The Hawkes Bay region takes you away from the bustle of city life whilst offering an extensive selection of fine vineyards and restaurants, unique Art Deco buildings and luxurious hotels stay for you to enjoy that magical moment with a special someone. Hawkes Bay is definitely one of my favourite romantic getaway destinations.

Your Travel Beacon,
Joanne