So this time an internal Travel post !
So since July it seems that the Universe and all the guiding forces have been conspiring to crack me wide open . But not in one foul swoop , no a slow , consistent tapping and then a breaking , sharp fragile edges against which Ive been leaning , pieces breaking and falling when I least expect it - bringing tears in public places , outbursts of rage and unrecognizable , irretrievable words streaming from my mouth .
Thank Buddha some pieces have broken off completely , disintegrated or simply disappeared and not too many were annihilated in the process - in fact no one was - just me - mostly old parts of myself. A merciful breaking - this time around !
July seems to be a time of breaking for me and yet after so many July's I still happen to question my sanity , my path and my choices that I've made and are making . Really ?? , surely this pattern is evident through the years .
But when you are deep within your own internal chaos and navigating the dark corners trying to shine a flicker of light - when no one is around to hold a candle for you , light a match - darkness becomes your friend , sadness your boyfriend and you tend to dwell on the hard sofa of your soul watching the same movie over and over - RePEat !
Mars sits uncomfortably in Cancer in my chart , so July always brings the deep desired fleeing feeling - and in retrospect - many July's have brought me to new homes or new places.
This year I stayed in Beijing , in my apartment , in my room , in my head - which was possibly the worst space to to spend any length of time in. Accompanied by the heat , pollution and 22 million people insanity was coursing through my blood and I kept reminding myself of the insanity lurking deep in my DNA. Was this it , the moment ? This is the end of my story ?
And then there it is - the mess is not so messy , a friend , a helping hand , a kindred spirit , a smile and I feel relieved as I connect and remove myself from my self created separateness .
So now finally as we sweep into October and the mild , forgiving , gentleness of Autumn I feel a clearing , a new space created , Old paradigms broken down and new opportunities to grow riding on the morning air.
Autumns broom sweeps clean I dearly hope or I'll just have to fly off on it - into new horizons ! But not quite ready to be on the road again - some rest , some respite and some nurturing is needed . There is a tiny new flame burning - in the belly - just a spark !
Time to keep building on the dream of my life , write a new story as a new me starts emerging slowly letting the chains of all the old paradigms go - evolving into who knows what will be .
It does not really matter - does it ? Anywhere , everything , all knowing , all is right here , with me , in this moment - showing up . Right now its perfect - Face to face - me , myself and China.
China is not quite done being my teacher - Damn !
Showing posts with label travel blogger. Show all posts
Showing posts with label travel blogger. Show all posts
Monday, 28 September 2015
Monday, 23 March 2015
What the Hell China !?
What the hell China - what is this strange love affair we have ?
Back in bustling Beijing after 6 months in the Southern hemisphere , jumping between South Africa and South America .
Beijing makes me smile despite the pollution , the noise, the traffic - a blue sky day and all is forgotten. An old lady smiles, a child happily singing , a man asleep in the bed in IKEA , the dancing ladies in Nan Guang- there is something deep and mysterious , something normal and familiar , something real and in your face about China.
Each day a new surprise - standing at Dongzhimen station and feeling the vibration through the sidewalk of the subway underneath whilst looking up and seeing birds inspect the first blossoms of spring.
Hello Kitty Balloons stuck in a tree and scraggly feral cats roaming the park and the parking lot near my apartment.
The couple walking their dog all three of them in blue coats , a wedding photo shoot on the steps of the crawfish restaurant , people eating , eating , Beijing is full, vibrant and the epitome of change.
Change , change - flowing naturally like a river.
Beijing such a beauty yet a beast !
Thursday, 18 December 2014
CAFE ORCA - Melkbos Strand - Cape Town - South Africa
CAFE ORCA is situated on the beachfront in Melkbos - about 30 km from Cape Town city. It has a great view set in an old house overlooking white beaches and a big blue African Sky.
Get a table outside ! They don't take bookings for lunch but they do for the evenings.
Lunch is a great time to be there though, sunshine, white wine, good conversation and of course - GOOD SEAFOOD. And you can have a nap in the afternoon ! You'll need it !
There is nothing pretentious about the food - the quality is excellent and the price even more so.
The menu has lots to offer : Creamy blue cheese and bacon mussels ( one of my favourites) , simple fried calamari tentacles( get two sharing these is sacrilege !) , Calamari steaks with lemon butter or cajun spice , Kingklip Meditareanean, West coast sole , Moroccan Line fish , Whole crayfish when available, Prawns , many combination platters , Asian flavours sometimes infuse the special of the day , The line fish can include anything from Dorado, Tuna, Seabass ,Yellowtail, cob or cape salmon.
Always fresh and offering a good wine list to compliment sunny sunshiny days !
I love it here - and what makes it more special is the people who love to share this place !
Eating Peru ! Some more pics !
Uruchate restaurant Ollantaytambo - Excellent steak with 3 Peppercorn sauce and Mashed potato !
Tuesday, 16 December 2014
Peru -the Land of Carbs !
Corn - Potatoes and those pesky Pisco sours !
Corn , the most sacred re-hispanic crop is found in as many colours as potatoes .Corn was used as food as well as a commodity to barter with - often in the streets and sometimes ladies hop on the bus selling hot corn (choclo) with slices of white andean cheese (queso) and sometimes chilli sauce. The purple corn here is converted into a drink called Chicha Morada and the quality varies from place to place-it can be served hot or cold and is definitely an enquired taste. Not for me !
Corn survived the Spanish conquest as many other grains was banned by the Vatican and disappeared from the Peruvian diet .
Potatoes ! Called Papas here , they say Peru boasts at least 200 varieties - although a chef I met says at least 4000 varieties.
Farmers will grow many varieties in their fields .Potatoes come in various forms, colours - and even dried !
Purple inside and out , yellow small potatoes , there are even frost resistant potatoes that can keep for up to 4 years . There are too many dishes to even mention with potatoes - from fried, mashed, stuffed with vegetables, cheese , meat. Potatoes , potatoes everywhere !
In cultural tradition potatoes are ritually stuffed with coca leaves and then buried as an offering to the earth in ope of a good harvest. So much respect here for the earth and its bounty !
The chilli peppers here are hot - be warned - even for me !
They often dry the peppers and use in sauces etc. There are many varieties and are used especially to spice up potatoes.
Let’s drink !
And of course - it wouldn't be right if they didn't make beer from the corn here in Peru. In
ancient Inca times the Chosen women in the court would make the beer - the beer was drunk as well as used in ceremonial work as an offering to Pacha Mama ( mother earth )by pouring it onto the earth doing ritual alongside other offerings.
This beer is thick - off white and looks like soup - many little hole in the wall cafes serve the beer in LARGE glasses . Sometimes it looks like a strawberry milkshake , thick and pink with a thick white foam top. MMMMmmmmmm - not so sure !
I’ve enjoyed the Quinoa beer of Bolivia more and Cusquena - a pilsner like beer made in Cusco.
Then there is Pisco - Is it sad to love this drink - too easy to ingest - tastes like a margarita but better ! That's a lot for me to admit to ! Sorry tequila - I will make it up to you !
Pisco is the national drink - it is a distilled brandy usually drunk as a cocktail called Pisco Sour. Although Chile also claims the fame of the Pisco brandy - Im here in Peru and I give it to them - they know how to make this one good .
The cocktail is made with Pisco, lime juice,egg white and simple sugar syrup - garnished with angostura bitters.There are many variations of the Pisco sour and my favourite is the Passionfruit Sour - or called Maracuya Sour - DELICIOUS!
Fried corn snacks are popular to drink with your beer or Pisco and are called cancha.
And one acquired taste is Mate de coca - tea made with coca leaves - helps with the altitude ! There are many cafes serving fantastic jugos' ( juices) as fruit is plentiful here !
So you want to eat the meat ?
I must admit despite many meaty temptations in Peru , the vegetarian options have been phenomenal .Especially Cusco boasts amazing restaurants which are either vegan or vegetarian with world quality food in presentation and flavour. And as there are many on ayahuasca diets or other plant medicines diets - the restaurants especially in the Sacred Valley cater for those on these limited diets . Convenient ! As its a no salt , no sugar,no spice and a another long list of not have ingredients !
Often seen next -to- the- road BBQ ’s offer anticuchos - beef hearts - like a shish kebab of beef heart! Ive tried chicken hearts in Beijing and don't really feel comfortable eating any heart of any animal . Chewy and feels slightly barbaric !
For the more adventurous there is cuy - guinea pig - served with head, paws etc . In the sacred valley on the road to Urubamba there is a massive statue of a guinea pig and a half dozen so stalls serving BBQ guinea pig on a stick .
Alpaca features strong on menu’s as an alternative to beef and in Pisac I saw lamb on the menu for the first time. LLomo Saltado is a traditional dish and popular dish made with strips of beef,onions,tomatoes,spices,rice and french fries.
Llama jerkey or salted Llama is widely available in the markets and the very odd appearance of donkey snouts ……. and pots of hot boiling frog soup !
In the higher altitude areas there are more stew like dishes and on the coast duck,goat is eaten. As Ive not visited these regions I have not tasted any of these dishes.
In the jungle piranhas are popular as well as a fish called - paiches. Piranha - once you get over the fact that its staring at you with its teethy grin does not offer much to eat but as their volume in the rivers are huge make a good option for food .The paiche fish is wrapped in banana leaves and baked in the coals but can also be fried or boiled served with yucca, palm hearts and freed bananas. In the Jungle the following are also popular.
Sajino- roasted boar - Juanes - a tamale stuffed with chicken and rice - turtle soup and of course bananas , bananas - fried !
Ceviche - the coastal regions are more safe to enjoy ceviche - here they use white fish marinated in lemon, onion and hot hot peppers! Its served with yucca and corn traditionally and also potatoes. I tried it at my brief volunteering position at the Portal of Light restaurant . I must admit Ive enjoyed scallop ceviche in Scotland more !
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| Chef at Portal of Light preparing Ceviche |
Purple corn - Beautiful
Potatoes ! 
An oven on wheels filled with baked bananas !
Wednesday, 3 December 2014
Magical Peru - Gentle calibration of the heart
A gateway to much magic - The portal to travel to magical Macchu Picchu - a portal for those seeking plant medicines, a place for healing, learning and growth.
The cobbled stones, the market places, the food, the plaza's , the friendly smiles,the steep walkways, beautiful cathedrals and life, life, life - its easy to succumb to its charms.
I start out at Kokopelli hostel which is set in a 200 year old building-its beautiful , the vibe is good, the food excellent but I need more peace.Especially after a 16 hour bus journey from Puno which should have taken 7 hours - but due to protests and roadblocks we were stuck.Yet another lesson in patience and surrender.
On the way to find the meditation group at the Healing House I meet Enrique - a small recognition in this street artist selling his beautiful stones set in silver.Im not sure what attracts me to him but the whole time we converse in broken English and some Spanish - I feel a faint recognition -like in a dream - an earth angel . The same day I meet Leita - who incidentally (or not )met Enrique earlier the same day. Humble soul - connecting others .
On the second day in San Blas I run into him in a different ancient alleyway and gift him with my turquoise and leather bracelet - Ive not been able to wear it for some time now - and it seems right to give it away.He is astounded at my generosity - a small gift for his open heart.
These connections come fast and thick in Cusco - Peru is magical - its all heart - and its all very real - the illusion is shattered here - for some and most I hope.
Vipassana meditation at the Healing House leads to a sacred ancestral sound journey - I am moved into a space of knowing that I have to move to this house to rest, rejuvenate and re align myself with my true being. Somehow here it seems simpler. Two days later I move to the Healing House .
My space is serene. I feel content. There is room to be and meditate .Yoga.Healing circles,massage,reiki.And fabulous beautiful , happy, shiny people - Not all - but hey this is reality !
I meet new friends as we cook together, eat together , share celebrations and heartfelt moments.
The garden is bright and the light catches the red tiled roofs of San Blas . Im at peace - this is harmony - this is what I want for my life now. This moment is perfect.
We spend thanksgiving - in gratitude - feasting - simple beautiful vegetarian food, laughter and good company.The days here seem so long and bountiful - Is it a dream ?
But then its time to go - heading to the sacred valley - where my choices are quickly re aligned to suit my path - to aid my growth and my current process. All so effortlessly- let this be a lesson in trust and surrender and not planning absolutely everything.
Thursday, 13 November 2014
Dare I eat the fish ? Rurrenbaque
It starts raining and the sound of the rain on a tin roof accompanied by bolivian music is perfect - also the smell coming from the kitchen adds to the moment.
I'm hungry , it's humid I'm in the Amazon basin and it feels like I'm at a beach !
My hair looks lion like as the humidity plays havoc with it , thank God it's dark.
The fish arrives tightly wrapped in leaf , Smelling sublime served with mashed potato and steamed vegetables. It's delicious ! The mashed potato rivals the ex's and the vegetables are perfectly cooked. The fish is white and chunky , flavored with garlic and chilli and juicy with a slight BBQ flavor! For the sticks it's pretty damn amazing! The owner takes time to come and show his customers the look of the fish we just ate.Weird looking and tastes nothing like a river fish ! 
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