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Bangkok – floating market
Every time when I prepare a trip I try to find a local market because in my opinion nothing else reflects as accurately social life and people’s behavior as it. Certainly the most interesting bazaars are in Asia and Arabian countries. Besides a wide range of exotic products sold there, we could feel that unique, local atmosphere. I heard a lot of bad opinions about sellers importunity, especially in Arabian countries. Indeed some people can be really exhausted after a trip in such a place. But then again it’s really well worth trying to put aside our prejudice and open to this new cultural experience. It’s an ideal occasion…
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Thai cuisine part II
First meeting with Thai cuisine can be very shocking especially for foreign tourist. As a matter of fact, Bangkok streets are a one big canteen but this doesn’t mean that this city smells tastefully. The number of food stalls is comparable to cars on Bangkok streets. As a result beautiful aroma of Thai dishes with predominating fresh smell of lemongrass is mixed with exhaust fumes. In a word, our ideal picture of aromatic Thai cuisine came to grief just after getting off crowded metro. But this aroma is a quintessence of Bangkok and similarly to it, one can love it or hate it. It doesn’t mean that we worn…
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Thai cuisine part I
Cuisine is an inseparable element which characterizes the culture of the country. Nowhere else it isn’t as visible as in Thailand. The way of eating and preparing dishes reflects Thais customs and history. A lot of books and TV shows about Thai cuisine were created but none even the best recipe won’t taste the same as those courses which are prepared hastily on improvisational stalls on Bangkok streets. Street vendors specialize in few dishes so that the teste of Pad Thai prepared by elder Thai is comparable to the experience on grandma’s dinner. Four tastes: sweet, sour, salty and spicy are the base of every Thai dish. It’s impossible to…
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Hoi An – a peaceful meeting place
Hoi An is by far my favorite place in Vietnam. Its name means “peaceful meeting place” and in a fact this translation describes this place accurately. Apart from quite a big amount of tourists, it’s a very peaceful place where you take a break from the noise of mopeds. Hoi An is an exceptional place, where influences of different cultures mix together. Between 15th and 19th century, the town was an important port on the so called “silk route”. A lot of sailors from Asia or even Europe called at this place. However, sailors from China and Japan were the largest group here, that’s why they had major impact on…
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Russia – Sankt Petersburg
Famous Sankt Petersburg is an exceptional city. It’s a mix of everything what’s the most beautiful in Russian and European architecture. This city was tsar Peter’s the Great dreams. During his voyages through Europe he wanted to build from scratch a city – the symbol of modern Russian empire. One thing we’ve to hand to Peter, he did quite a good job! The most important historic events for the Russian empire took place in Sankt Petersburg: Bloody Sunday, the Russian Revolution or 900-day siege during WWII, when almost 640 thou. people died of starvation Sankt Petersburg is a city located on the area of at least 40 islets connected by…
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Temples of Bangkok
„One night in Bangkok and the world’s your oyster” Murray Head sings about the capital of Thailand. In fact this place attracts like a magnet a lot of tourists who want to experience unforgettable night. Famous district Pat Pong, illuminated by red lanterns, massage parlors (not only this traditional), ping pong shows or the sight of young, sometimes even juvenile Thais going arm in arm in the accompany of foreign tourists. Actually it’s hard to judge equivocally who is supported, girls who barely standing on a mountainous heels or old chaps. In a word every possible taboo in this Buddhist country seems to be broken. On the other hand in…
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Cappadocia
The value of Cappadocia for Turkey is the same as Rome for Italy. However in distinction from the Eternal City which was built by a man, this fabulous realm was created by forces of nature, especially volcanic processes. Varied Cappadocia landscape is made of tuff (volcanic ashes morphed into rocks), which has been being eroded by water and wind for a long time. The effect is surrealistic almost moonscape scenery. There you can see interesting rock formations, glens and caves. Popular Rose Valley, called also The Great Canyon of Cappadocia fascinates with its pastel colors. Early in the morning, a lot of balloons fly over it which makes this view unforgettable.…
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Recipe – How to prepare Vietnamese coffee?
To prepare Vietnamese coffee, you need special coffee maker called Phin, but you can also use coffee filter. Phin is a very simple device. It consists of a jug where coffee is placed, lower land upper lid. We also need Vietnamese coffee and sweet condensed milk. Fill the cup with small amount of milk. Warm the phin up in hot water. Then add 4 teaspoonfuls of coffee. Coffee should be very strong so this amount is for one cup. Next screw the lower lid. Pour boiling water but only to the lower lid. When coffee soaks, add the rest water and put upper lid on it. Coffee percolates form 3 to 5 minutes.…
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Vietnam – paradise for coffee connoisseurs
Coffee is mainly associated with countries like Brazil Or Columbia but in fact Vietnam is the second largest producer of coffee in the world. Being a hopeless case of coffee drinker I could write about Vietnamese coffee endlessly. It’s a very thick and aromatic beverage with inimitable taste which combines a little coffee bitter taste and the sweetness of caramel and chocolate. But it’s not the end… The process of roasting is unique. Sweet, chocolate taste is the result of adding butter or vegetable oil. Beans roasted in this way have a little bit greasy, glistening texture with intensive brown color. Taste can be intensified by adding sugar, vanilla or…
