Man-Han Feast of plastic
Out of more than a dozen of canal towns in the Yangtze Delta, Mùdú is definitely NOT the prettiest one. Let me tell you why I enjoyed it nevertheless. Curio time! Mùdú Ancient Town 木渎古镇 lies in the urban area of Suzhou, roughly mid-way between …
Kunshan’s stove mystery
Unless you’ve heard about Kunqu, an important form of Chinese opera, the name of the city of Kūnshān 昆山 might not ring a bell at all. Close to the mouth of the Yangtze and between Suzhou and Shanghai, its location is an undoubted advantage. Kunshan …
What is Shelpek?
Shelpek (шелпек), a round deep-fried flatbread, is often prepared by Kazakh families on Thursdays or Fridays in memory of ancestors. The duties of observing the ‘releasing of fragrance’ (иіс шығару) ritual lies principally with women. Seven shelpeks are prepared. The released cooking oil aroma has …
Koreyskiye salaty
Korean salads (корейские салаты) can be found all over the post-Soviet states. They are the most colorful spots at local food markets. And in Central Asia, there is hardly a single market without them! You may think “kimchi” and you will be only partially right. …
Almaty’s Green Bazaar
Markets are microcosms of local food culture. Whichever new country I go to, I always try to visit food markets. It’s a perfect way to learn about local diet, eating habits, seasonal products, traditions, language and even history. The status of Kazakhstan’s capital belongs to …
Tofu war!
The rules are simple: grab some tofu, throw the tofu, run and laugh. The watery bean curd, greyish-white in hue, flies in the air and splashes on everything. It splashes on cars and buildings, on people’s faces and clothes, on the camera of the local …
Vientiane from stupa to pupa
Laos has two capitals: an official one and a tourist one. While Vientiane is the largest city of the country and its political center since 1975, the much smaller historical capital of Luang Prabang serves as its main tourist attraction. Many travelers go straight there. …
A tale of food, old stones and couch surfing
Oh mighty Buddha and all the Hindu gods combined, how much do I adore Thai food! The big thing to be loved about Siamese cooking, particularly for a traveler, is its street food nature. Of course an haute cuisine incarnation of Thai cookery exists – …
The art of rice noodles
A photo shoot of a noodle workshop in Tha Bo, Thailand. Let me take you to the far northeastern corner of Thailand. Tha Bo (ท่าบ่อ) is a small town in Nong Khai (หนองคาย), a municipality that stretches along the Mekong river and borders the Lao …
The art of wheat noodles
Weishan 巍山 is a lovely ancient town in Yunnan. I walked a little bit away from the crowded main part of the historical center and found myself in a quiet alley. Long strands of noodle where hanging in front of a house. There was a …
