I felt insignificant yet part of something greater than myself. The sun chased us and the waters guided us pass many landmarks; The Wishing Tree where locals would visit every year and the Bamboo ledge where the legend of the healing bamboo sticks may come to life.

Wishing Tree

Bamboo Ledge

This is my third and final week in this little Chengdu community and I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE. Could it be the clear sky and fresh, unpolluted air? Could it be the beautiful spring flowers that I wake up to every morning? Could it be the Mapo Dofu? It's all of the above but most especially, having a family treat me like we are one blood.

I really felt at home, especially in the kitchen, standing next to granny. Watching her put together lunch and dinner was really enchanting；the poise, the confidence and swiftness of her stride. I would watch her transform a small slab of meat into a meal for five. She would dip into her arsenal of pickled veggies and scoop out some secret sauce to give the food that extra layer of flavour that you can't buy in a store.

Pickling jars you can find in every kitchen

And every time I tried to guess the dish , I was usually way off. Like the time she started to slice potatoes. I thought, 'Yea bwoy, granny bad on it! Even fries?' (The islander in me comes out when I'm excited). But then I saw chili and prickly ash pepper and I knew something was different.

Sichuan potato fries

They were actually tasty, partly due to the fact that this combination of seasonings is the only way I'm satisfied. I know in my earlier articles I endlessly complained about having 花椒 in everything. Now, I don't even flinch when I accidentally bite one. Actually, during my first week here, food was absent of this seasoning. Even though this family was born and bred in da South-West, they weren't about that pepper life. So they thought I wasn't accustomed to their cooking. I thought the chopsticks were slowing me down. But one day Mapo Dofu was placed on the table and my chopsticks picked up speed like it was on nitro. That's when it hit us, I had become true Sichuan 人. Since then, granny ensured that there was a pepper-flavoured dish or two during every meal.

Years of wisdom meant that there was always farm-fresh fruit and vegetables, home-made steamed dumplings 饺子, self-made condiments and tasty food. There were no hits or misses. Until we bought popcorn. Call it an experiment of sorts. With the holidays, many kids were at home and popcorn seems like an easy snack to keep their little mouths happy. So when the scent of smoke wafted through the living room, I never imagined I would find my mentor standing over a pot filled with charred kernels.

Then she ask me 'Can you do it?'. I nearly melted. I was getting an opportunity to cook in the kitchen of a master. It was popcorn, yes, but I sure was proud. I made the best bowl of popped kernels ever, with that hand-pressed oil flavour, perfect crunch and colouring. Uh-huh. Thanks to all those cooking at dawn situations.

That moment bonded us. We spent the rest of the holidays together. Her spewing words of Sichuan dialect and me nodding and quickly grasping the Mandarin I did recognize to enable a response. I learnt so much in a short space of time. Including the technique of sealing steamed dumplings. Take a look and guess which were mine.





I freestyled the first and then after Granny's brief demonstration, I tried again and didn't come close. In fact, I kept getting worse, so I watched on, humbled in knowing that in this kitchen, popcorn was all I was made for.

And that, that my friends, is the final instalment of this vacation. I'm on the way back to Chongqing. See you whenever the opportunity to 旅游 arises again.

The Travelling Nutmeg

My time in Changsha concluded with a visit to the walking street (步行街）at Huang Xing Road (黄兴路). Even though there were many high end boutiques around, the traditional charm remains. It kind of reminded me of Beijing.





As in any square or shopping center, there was also awesome street food to choose from: seafood, noodles, bbq, cotton candy and the list goes on.

Steamed buns in the shape of cute rubber duckies

Ready to eat prawns. That 'Make a Line' sign must mean that they really taste good

The Secret to Changsha's beauty

Do I seem rushed? It's because I am. I love Changsha but I've been setting things on fire in Chengdu....LITERALLY.  Walking through the streets of my new home was paradise. I recalled when I was eight years old and the importation of fireworks were banned. Christmas season lost some of its sparkle. All, when you're at that age. So imagine me, when I am shopping with an eight year old girl and the streets look like this:







We just walked around, casually filling up our bags, one 'explosive' at a time. Did I say we? I meant her. I watched safely from a distance. After tons of purchases, I spent the night under the covers like a scared puppy. Just kidding. But I only lit the sparkly ones. Yes, I'm quite the wuss.




The entire square was filled of people just blowing up things for fun. Look at this dude!  I just can't comprehend his courage. And neither can the kid behind him.






Now all this happened around 9 pm after we ate the last dinner of the year and the adult members of the family were busy watching the National Chinese New Year Programme. Click here for deets! Soon I returned home and was off to sleep, pretty silly of me, in hindsight. About 11:58pm, the sky suddenly erupted with colours. I don't know if they were trigger happy or my clock was slow but either way, the noise jolted me out of my sleep. It was then I realized, it had been about 3 years since I've been close to Chinese fireworks. During my first CNY, I was surrounded by dudes who would throw firecrackers in your room. The horror had returned. I couldn't sleep until 3 pm.

But the next morning, things seem to returned to normal...or did they?

Catch me next week to find out!

I spent the past couple days in Changsha, Hunan province. As I prepared for trip, everyone said ignore the weather forecast, it's always wrong they said. Scenario: I packed for 0 degree Celsius weather and ended up in 25 degree Celsius. But complain about sun has no island girl done ever so I spent it out and about.

First things first, I had to stock up on some food. My rule of thumb is find as many nourishing fruits as possible. Longyan龙眼, oranges橙子 and bananas香蕉 are easy to carry and peel/consume and are quick refreshers after a long journey.

If you think that I am referring to the potatoes, you are by no means a naturalista

With only a short period in transit and a tummy to feed, my visit in Beijing became sort of a hunt. I needed something tasty, hygienic and I was hoping at least 20% healthy. I came across an alley of street vendors in Sanlitun 三里屯 that offered quite an array of foods. There were 15 RMB Mojitos, fruit bowls of pineapples, watermelons and cantaloupes, home made fries and these...





all ready to be grilled to my 'delight'. I have yet to come across extremes such as larvae and oysters in Chongqing so it being 2014 and all, I got excited. Then I remembered my trip in a couple hours and thought of how an upset stomach would reek of embarrassment. In other words, I punked out. Yup, I know ... shame on me. Now I'm left to wonder what could have been.

However, I did find something tasty, hygienic and 100% healthy. Freshly squeezed and bottled fruit juice.

This particular vendor offered Orange, Pomegranate or a mixture of both. No added water or sugar. For my blend, he squeezed 5 of each fruit and after straining, capped my bottle with tight, factory precision. This meant that this juice could last at least a week unopened.  Give me this over a sidewalk Mojito anyday! And did I mention how smooth and sweet it was? Better than any drink on the shelf. Although I did miss grilled frog and its accompanying belly ache, this was definitely a worthy drink for a worthy cause. Check out the juice making process below!


Which would you have chosen, grilled delicacies or 100% pure juice on the sidewalks of Beijing? Let me know below!

It is Valentine's day and no matter how much you try to ignore it, passing couples, pink and red decor and cravings for chocolate will be around every corner. So I give in and I celebrate with my partner in crime...good old faithful 肚子 Dùzi (belly).

These are some of the cherished moments we have spent over the past couple of weeks.

Breakfast:

Bang Bang

He loves a traditional breakfast of Bang Bang. Bang Bang is a local flat bread made from cassava after it has been grated, fermented and washed. It's then shaped and roasted. After eating one of these with a cup of cocoa tea, he is so satisfied, that I have to call him at lunch time. Sometimes, we skip it all together.

Lunch:

Falafel Pita at Umbrella's Beach Bar

Lunch is a new twist on an old favorite. He loves Chickpeas (Garbanzo beans), so this Middle Eastern dish hits the spot. The falafels are spicy, covered in greens and super healthy. Perfect for any vegetarian.

Snack:

Fruit plate

A fruit plate of sweet paw-paw and tart carambola coupled with fresh coconut water and jelly is easy on Duzi without being too filling.

Dinner:

Fish and Chips at Le Chateau Restaurant

Fried Fish and Chips is a classic Grenadian dinner. He isn't fooled by the extra greens on the side that attempt to make this look healthy. But it's pleasure eating, so he loves it anyway.

Dessert:

Banana Split at Le Chateau Restaurant

A local banana split featuring a favourite, nutmeg ice cream. Local chocolate sauce and peanuts seal the deal.

Moko Jumbie

This delightful treat is not just ice cream and brownies. Moko Jumbie is a stilt dance made popular in Trinidad. This dessert makes you feel like you can climb those stilts and dance all the way down Maurice Bishop Highway. If you are in the area, check Umbrella's Beach Bar on Grand Anse Beach for sweet bliss.

Trinidad Moko Jumbie Dancer

My tummy had more than enough treats since visiting Grenada and this is an experience that neither of us will forget.

But in all seriousness, don't forget to spread the love with everyone around. And not just today, Valentine's day. Everyday take the opportunity to show others you care. You will be one step closer to making the world a brighter place.