¡Feliz Año Nuevo !

This is Spanish. The meaning of this is happy new year. :) This is a kind of Spanish cocktail. The name of this is Sangria. :) Today is my Dec. 31. Sunday. Yes, a day to rest. But, I still have my Spanish class to go. Here in Taiwan, we do not pay much attention to this new year, usually. We, Chinese, of course we have our own new year and of course we celebrate that day. But, nowdays, we celebrate this new year, too. Many live concerts and "final count down" almost in every citiy. "Commericalized", that's the only thing I can say. Why? because in this day, maybe you will need to buy gifts for friends or famlies. Or you will need to go out and have a big dinner. Maybe need to book this dinner long long time a go.(spend money and businessmen earn a lot)

How to make this delicious drink? a bottle of red wine and a bottle of orange juice. Mix together and add some sliced tengerines, ice cube and a little bit vinegar. (if you like acidic mouth feel, you can add vinegar more & sliced lemons)

The name of red wine my classmates & I drank is "la mancha" . What's the meaning of that? "Don't know". ha ha ha~~~ But, it's really good. This is prepared by my cute little Spanish teacher. "Muchas Gracias" !

Why my ducky apear again? Because my ducky's original "owner"'s father like to drink sometime. Maybe he knows the meaning of "La mancha" . :)

Well, this ducky is the luckiest duck in the world. Cause she was born in Europe. (I can not find any "made in China" or "Made in Malaysia" tag in this ducky ) Now she is in Asia. She traveled a lot in Europe and she have started her trip in Asia 2 months ago. (With me, to Bei-jing) She will go to Malaysia with her new mother(me, of course), aunty (my roommate) and 2 uncles( Seven & James) on Feb. 17th. Ducky also will have to eat her dinner with a bunch of people on airplane at our Chinese New Year's Eve. Also, she will go to hotel at very early morning on Feb. 18 in Malaysia. Nice trip? Must be a interesting trip to ducky.

That means I need to fininsh writing my Bei-jing trip before Feb 17. Otherwise, I can not write my trip in Malaysia. :)

Cooking class II:Chinese food, finished dish

What did I do in my 1st pic? Testing the temperature of oil. This is a trick taught by my mother. Just need to put your wooden chopsticks into hot oil. If you see those little bubles, then the temperature is ok for scramble. I mean, for cooking Chinese food. Remember, use wooden chopsticks , not metal or plastic ones.

After the tempurature is ok for cooking, add meat first. Because meat needs more time to cook. Then, add mushrooms. Final one is sweet pepers. Before you turn off the fire, add a little bit salt. (If you want to eat salty) Remember to scramble during cooking. Then, you can have your Chinese dish now. :)

Cooking class I :Chinese food, materials

Of course I can cook. Of course, good in Chinese food. But, why do I need to do it myself? It's not expensive to eat out here in Taiwan. I mean, if you do not want to eat formal dinner in a big resturant. We have a lot of night markets here, cheap & convenient. Also, we have a lot of 24 hrs convenient stores. So, it's really very easy & cheap to eat out. Or, you can just buy a package of instant noodles. We also have a lot of kinds instant noodles you can choose. So, can you find a reason for me to cook? ha ha~~ well, when I studied in Taichung, not lived with my parents and when dinosaur walked near by, I cooked. ha ha ha~

This is a dish I ate in Bei-jing. Mushrooms. I also ate a kind of soup made of this kind mushroom in U-nan. Mushroom is a kind of famous food material in south-easten provinces of China. Also, a kind of traditional Chinese medicine. Well, same as you know, in the time when dinosaur still walked by, people used natural herb medicine. So, food, of course, a kind of natural medicine.

This dried and packed mushroom is the one which I bought in Bei-jing. Easy to buy, just go to supermarkets. Dried mushroom? so, you need to rehydrate it before you cook.(See my 1st pic) According to the instruction outside package, I need to rehydrate it at least 30 mins. My 2rd pic is after 30 mins. But, you need to cut off the end of mushroom before you cook, this is not told. Why? relate with wood. Think by youself.

My 3rd pic is sliced meat. Well, according to my mother, it will be taste good if you add some garlic, ginger, soybean sauce and peper before you cook. Why? those spice you add can let the bad smell of pork dismissed. Onion can add some in, too. That's the trick for you to cook meat of Chinese style well. Btw, at least let meat soaked with those spices more than 30 mins.

My 4th pic? familar with you? sweet peper, yes. But, sliced it as thin as possible. My mother's demand. :(

western food resturants in Bei-jing

There are many western food resturants in Bei-jing. Not only Mcdonald's and KFC. There of course not only thses restureants. The reason for me to take these is to make fun of their Chinese name. Sometimes, Chinese translation in PRC is really funny.

These were taken in the embassy area of Bei-jing. Well, PRC has many "friends" in United Nations, so, of course, there are so many not-Chinese people in China. Where is the place for most of foreigners need to go? Of course, international airport & embassay area. That's the reason for there to have so many wester restureants together. Of course, there are also other countries' resturants, such as Russian, Jananese, Korean and etc.

Another reason is there are so many communities for embassadors & their families to live in. Just inside the we so called embassay area.

100 kinds of Dumpling in Bei-jing

The name of this resturant is 100 kinds of dumpling in ten-jing. But, the resturant we went is located in Bei-jing. Branch resturants. :)

My 2nd picture is their manu. I did not count the numbers. Maybe there really 100 kinds of dumplimgs. Seefood, vegetables, chicken, beef and etc. Really nice to eat. I saw the picture of Bush's wife. (hanged on resturant's wall) They told me that she ate here before. So, maybe it's also good to eat to western people.

Dumpling is also a kind of traditional Chinese food in norther part of China. Usually, during our Chinese Lunar New Year People, people who live in norther part of China need to eat dumplings. It's a tradition to them.

People who live in souther part of China usually eat rice. It's about weather. South is warm enough for rice to grow. So, souther people can have a lot of rice to eat. But, to me, I like to eat dumplings. Rice? not so delicious to me. I , of course live in the souther part of China. Well, this is defined by PRC, not by ROC. Well, politics again. Not interested in this.

Next time when you have a chance to visit Beijing, go to eat at this resturant. Choose the one you like. Cause dumplings are look the same outside, I did not take pictures of what I ate. But, inside dumplings? It's really different.

Tollgate in Bei-jing

This is a tollgate in Bei-jing. I do not know where it really is. Why? My sister's husband drove and I just needed to sit in back and done nothing. I do not need to know where it is. My sister's husband knew the place we wanted to go. Of course, my sister's home. See the middle blue board which was hanged on the top of rollgate. The meaning of those Chinese words there is Bei-jing. Is this tollbgate so Chinese? Specially enough?

السلام عليكم As-salaam-aleykum

This is my lunch today with my classmates of arabic class. This is an Iranian resturant here in Taipei. Is the food good? well, same as you probably know, to me, food is not so important. What is so important to me? The one or the ones who eats or eat with me. With my classmates & teacher? good. Of course.
(The website of this resturant http://www.persian-heaven.com.tw/ )

Tell you a joke. It happened, really. One of my classmate who's arabic name is Ali. He walked to the counter and wanted to ask for bill. There was a Iranian man behind the counter. Ali spoke Arabic to him. "i s mi Ali. Anta? " (That means my name is Ali and you?) Do you know the answer of that Iranian man? "I don't know" (he spoke in Taiwanese, this is the funniest part. We tried to speak Arabic to him and he spoke Taiwanese to us. We are Taiwaneses.) Cause the official language of Iran is not Arabic. So, that cute Iranian man maybe can not understand much in Arabic.

Today, we had an exam in Arabic. In the begining, we all thought it should be the same as last time. 4 answers of each question written by our teacher already and we just need to pick the right one. But, when we saw the questions, we needed to write our own sentences to answer those questions. That means we need to write in Arabic, not just see & choose this time. So, "Can we take the exam next week? "

The answer of course is "NO". So, we asked our teacher to let us "open book " and tried to find answers in our textbook. But, still hard to find. So, the answer of mine is in shaw al law. That means "if Allah allows" (allows me to pass that exam) ha ha ha~

These are "how are you " in Arabic, Korean & Spanish.

السلام عليكم
안녕하십니까? (안녕하세요)
Buenos dìas (o buenas tardes o buenas noches o hola)

Do you like this?

He is a very famous king of the Qing dynasty and his name is empire Qian Long. (乾隆) This picture was taken in his tomb. He must slept in that "box".

Do you like this? I took a lot of this kind things while in Bei-jing. If I have time, I will tell you the history of the Qing dynasty. But, it's very hard for me. Why? first, I need to "remember" it again in Chinese , then translate it into English. I am not so good in history. So, wait ~~~ for ~~~ a ~~~ long ~~~ time ~~~ ha ha ha~~~

What do you want to see in Bei-jing?

What do you want to see in Bei-jing? Him? He is that famous one. Chairman Mao. His picture is hanged up there all the time. To people of PRC, he is a very important person. More like a GOD. Well, to me? He is a "place" I need to visit. Well, not taking a picture with him, can I say that I've been to Bei-jingu. I was in his land. Could I not have a picture with him? ha ha ha~~~

People of PRC call him Chairman Mao with respect. But, me? a young lady from Taiwan, what do I call him? old Mao. Ha ha ha~~~ Of course, I won't call him this in RPC 's land public.

There is a his memorial hall in Te-an men square. Not far. But, there always many people in Te-an men square. It alse need to buy ticket to go to the memorial hall. So, did I buy? Of course, not. I am not so interesting in seeing him & his "history".

Arriving at Bei-jing

Well, it's also a big thing to Bei-jing. I mean, 1st direct flight from Taipei to Beijing at Mid-autumn festival. Mid-autumn festival to our Chinese is like thanksgiving to you foreigners. A day for families to renuin. So, when we arrived at Bei-jing airport , of course, there were many people waiting in a line to welcome us. Do I know them, of course, not.

Bei-jing airport is not as big as Shang-hai international airport (the one in pu-dong). So, they could not have a large space to welcome us. But, red cloth written with welcome words? of course, they must hang it up.

See my 1st pic, there is a camara man. He works for a tv company in Hong-kong. The woman who held a mic in her hand was a Bei-jing local reporter. She was interviewing that old lady. That old lady is my mother's friend and lives near my home.

When we arrived at Bei-jing, there were so many reporters. But, they all went to find old people or handicap persons to have an interview. Why? a good timing to promote PRC.(People's Republic of China) So, my mother said this to me : "Next time I will dye my hair white" ha ha ha~~~Can my mother do that? of course, she won't. Because this time, I was the one who wanted to take pictures and took a lot of pictures for her during our trip. When we were in our airplane, I asked my mother to give her camara to me. My mother did not understand my meaning and did not believe that we would have a big welcome by PRC. But, in fact, we had. And pictures told you. * _ ^ !!

Special seeing off

Can you read in Chinese? The meaning of those words on that red cloth is the first time we have direct flight from Taipei to Bei-jing at Mid-autumn festival. My mother asked me the reason for me to go Bei-jing at this time. Why? Why? Why? Because I had no chance to take direct flight to China before. I should have. At the very frist time when we had direct fleight from Taipei to Shang-hai, I was not qualified. Thought my sister works in China, her boss is not a Taiwanese. I mean, the company is not owned by a Taiwanese. So, I could not take the direct flight last year during our Chinese New Year.

Remember that? I was in Shang-hai at that time, too. I took regular flight. That means I need to tranfer at the 3rd place. Time wasting. At that time, the fleight was delay. (Bad weather) So, when I arrived at Shang-hai, it was 7:00 pm. (I shall fly at 10:00am here in Taiwan. Do I need to fly 9 hours to Shang-hai?)

Also I needed to wait in a long line to pass the custom. I saw there was 4 empty "gate" for direct flight passagers. But at the time when I arrived, no direct flight from Taiwan to land in Shang-hai. 4 "gate " still empty. I still needed to wait in a long long line. So, next time I must take direct flight. (That's what I thought at that time. ha ha )

I do not know those people in my 2nd pic. Who are they? They must be some very important people who works for airline company. I could not go there and pass the bloom brige. Why? because that's for 1st class passengers. I, the poor younger sister who has no money and only can sleep in my sister's floor, just can offer the econimical class ticket. So, bye bye bloom brige.

my 1st day trip to Bei-jing

This was taken in the airport here in Taiwan at the 1st day when I stared my trip to Bei-jing. This is my ducky. Why she "sleeps" in my sleeping bag? No~~ Not for hiding her. She can go with me and sit with me, no need to hide her. Why I bring a sleeping bag? Because my sister has no empty bed for me to sleep in her home in Bei-jing. Poor younger sister, I mean, Me. That' the reason for me to carry my sleeping bag.

The 2nd pic is showing the counter we need to go. This was a big thing at that time. Because that was the first time we had direct fleight to China at our Moon festival. (We had direct flight during our Chinese lunar New Year, but no direct flight during other time)Usually we need to tranfer at the 3rd place when we fly to China. I mean, for Taiwanese and people who want to fly to China from Taiwan. About politics again. No need to say this.

Of course I can choose other time to go, but, at that time, the price of direct flight toBei-jing from Taipei was cheapper than the usual ones. I can save time & money. Why did not go? But, at the same time, the price of direct flight from Taipei to Shan-hai was more expensive that the usual ones. Tricky?

Because many tourists wanted to go to Shang-hai and those tickets were under control of travel agents. But, to Bei-jing? Not so many Taiwanese want to go there. Why? 1 reason is it's the capital of people's republic of China. Not as free as Shan-hai. Shan-hai has a name which is ecnomical capital of people's republic of China. So, which one do you want to go? Of course, Shang-hai.

But if you like old things and construction of China, I suggest you to go to Bei-jing. Which city do I like to go? Shan-hai or Bei-jing? My answer is where my sister stays, I go there. ^_ * !!

Another toilet in Bei-jing

This one was taken in a gasoline station somewhere near Bei-jing. In fact, the government does a lot of things and rebulits a lot of constructions for the really big thing in the year of 2008.

So, most of toilets in Beijing are not like this. Most of them are like the one you go in your cities, I mean, with door, whole door, not half one (I went to a toilet with half door in China before) So, when I found this, "happy" was the only word I could say. But, same as you think, I need to wait for a long time to take this picture. Because, so many people come in and do their No.1 or No.2.

This place can "offer" 3 people to do their No. 1 at the same time. Is that also strange for you to do your No.1 while others are doing? I mean, you can see what they are doing and talk to them face to face. Without opening doors. Can you? I can not. But, people in China they do not feel strange. I mean, even I was there,(of course, not showed my camara) they came in and took off their paints and of course done their No.1 or No.2. Can you? The first time when I went to China, I could not do this. Of couse, my roommates could not do, too.(I went with my roommates) So, I stood outside and did not let people go inside. After my roommates finished and went out, I started let people to go inside. But, now, I will do my No. 1 or No.2 quickly as I can in this kind of toilet. But, I still can not do this with people I know together. Can you?

Toilet in China again

I like to take pictures of toilet in China. I should say, I like to "compare" the toilets in different countries. Also, I like to wirte about the "developement" of toilet. ha ha.

This time when I was in Bei-jing, I did not have a chance to go so "countryside" places. So, I did not have a chance to take a picture of the toilet which is full of shit and shit is not only full of a toilet but also fill up the path to go to the toilet.

These pictures were taken in the eastern tomb of the Ching dynasty. Not so many tourists to go to this place. Many people like to go to the tomb of the Ming dynasty. Because, that one is convenient to go. This is a toilet located in the princesses' tomb. There was a famous pricess who had nice smell of her body and the king loved her very much at that time. She was berried in this tomb with other princesses. I think this toilet is rebuilted. Because, we all go there and to do our No. 1 & 2. I waited for a long time to take this. Because, can I take a picture while others are doing their No. 1? * _^ !!

Can you guess how to do you No. 1? The 1st pic is almost the whole view of that toilet. The 2nd one is the place for 2 people to do their No. 1. Now you can understand how to do your No.1 in that kind of toilet. * _^ !!

To me, this is not the one I want to take. Not so "classical" . ha ha ha ~~ That means "shit is not enough" ha ha ha~~~

Simatai great wall

Same as I told you before, there are a lot of sections of the great wall. I really do not have too much free time right now, otherwise, I can show you my trip in Bei-jing more. I took 675 pictures. Of course, I deleted a lot. But, I still have around 600 pictures. Especially a lot pictures with my ducky. Well, "she" just fits the size which I can put in my bag. (do not tell the animal protective association *_^ !!) So, she will be my "best friend" to go any place with me. Probably you will see her a lot in my blog in the future. ha ha ~~

What are those words in my 1st picture? Sorry, they are written in Chinese. The meaning of that is "the great wall is the best thing in the world and Simatai great wall is the best section of the great wall". I think it will be better for you to go to this section. If you do not like so many tourists.

See, there is cable car behind me.(right side) You can take this cable car to go to the top.(not so top, you still need to climb for a little distance. But, save a lot of time) So, if you like to walk, it will take you couple hours to go to the top.(depends on how fast you can walk) Of course, I choose to take cable car. Why? I went with my mother. She is not so good in her knees. You maybe get this in your mind. "EXCUSE"

The 2nd one was taken near the Tian-an men square. This is an advertisement. But the view they chose to shot is not bad. That's the reason for me to take this. This also can tell you one thing: Simatai great wall is not hard to find and also famous in China. *_ ^ !!

Tibet food in Bei-jing

These pictures were taken when I was in Bei-jing. This is a Tibet resturant. I do not know the address of this exactly. But, I know that this resturant is located in embassy area of Bei-jing. What do they do? They will sing first, from table to table. Or area to area. Then, they will have peronal shows or special tibet dance. Usually, after 9:00 pm every day.

What is the function of the white cloth they carry? The white cloth usually made of silk. (or human made silk) The meaning of that is honor, happiness, lucky and good. So, when they sing around customers in the resturant, they will give the white cloth to customers. Of course, not all of customers. Then, after they start they personal show or tibet dance at the stage, you can give that cloth to the one you think is best. It's a little bit like we give flowers to singer we like. But, the true meaning of that white cloth is not so simple in Tibet.

I thought that man's voice is good. So I gave my white cloth to him and asked my sister to take picture for me. In fact, they did not give me the white cloth. I "borrowed" it from my sister's husband. But, at that time, my sister did not take picture for me. "Forget" ~~~ So, I went to next table and "borrowed" their's.

Food in that resturant is good. See, there are two we so called "foreigner" in my 1st picture. They sat on the sofa. According to my sister's saying, there are many we so called "foreigners" like to there. So, maybe next time when you have a chance to go to Bei-jing, go to this Tibet resturant and try tibet food by yourself. *_^ !!