Bethlehem essentials
A handful of photos from Bethlehem, Palestine. Some with commentary. Have a nice walk. The immortal combo of coffee and cardamom – the smell of the Middle East! Broad beans are another regional favorite. To beer or not to beer? Haram or halal? While the …
Jerusalem essentials
Simply put, Jerusalem is one of the most interesting cities of our planet. The incredibly rich and complex history, the endless number of beautiful buildings and the terrific eclectic cuisine… I will let the photos speak for themselves, just occasionally throwing in a sentence or …
Hainan: foodie reconnaissance
A large island on the South China Sea, just slightly off China’s southern coast ––– Hainan. Not only is this the geographically southernmost part of the Middle Kingdom, it is also culturally tied to other southerly southern areas of South China: historical links to Fujian …
In olive grove
All photos taken in Lovište, a very small town on the tip of the Pelješac peninsula in southern Croatia. Enjoy. If you would like to see how olive oil is extracted, I prepared a separate blog entry about it – with both photos and a …
Trogir
I arrived to Trogir with three objectives: seeing the old town, eating pašticada and eating rafioli. Just look at those tender pieces of beef in dark, rich, sweet and sour sauce, served with gnocchi (njoki). Pašticada is a trademark Dalmatian dish – or, better said, …
Korčula
Korčula is a picture-perfect town built on a promontory that shoots off the namesake island on the Adriatic. Narrow stepped streets laid with stone form a monolith with the handsome late medieval buildings, towers and city walls. Rich architectural details attest their history. But just …
Liuzhou 柳州
Every Chinese city boasts with pride about its cuisine. Some go next level and build food museums. Liǔzhōu 柳州 has three. But even aside these establishments, this city has one pivotal magnet for foodies – a dish that single-handedly immortalizes Liuzhou in gourmet minds: snail …
Realm of Hainan Noodles
Upon stepping on the island, you quickly realize that you have entered the realm of Hainan Rice Noodles, Hǎinán fěn 海南粉. Throw a handful of rice noodles into a bowl, add an assortment of toppings – such as fried peanuts, pieces of meat, chopped scallion, …
Dongshan Ridge 东山岭
I scrambled onto one of the many large boulders tucked on the jungle-overgrown slope to use it as a vantage point. While scoping the hills, I heard some bleats and saw movement in the bushes below me: silhouettes of a goat or two. I quickly …
Hainan: tea vs coffee
China is an empire of tea. You normally don’t associate her with coffee, unlike the neighboring Vietnam. Yet, tucked nearby where these two countries border on the South China Sea, is an island where both Camellia leaves and Coffea beans play a culture-forming role: Hainan. …
