Some China trip recaps...

I've been back almost two weeks, right into the thick of it at work. So I'll briefly post a few pictures. The rest of the trip was uneventful, fortunate given all that's going on in China with Tibet, the Olympics, etc. One constant is the good food at least.

 

My favorite side dish - huang gua. Cucumbers in a black vinegar and garlic sauce. Ask for these the next time you go to a chinese place, even if they're not on the menu.

 

The CCTV building nearing completion. I'd be very surprised if it's not finished in time for the Olympics.

 

Szechuan bean curd with spicy sauce. Looks gross, tastes better.

 

The gate in Dubai. The walkway on the right is for the current generation of planes. The higher one on the left is for the Airbus 380. They're way ahead of the curve over there.

 

Air traffic control in Dubai.

 

Dubai from the sky. A lot of desert.

 

A champagne cocktail and mezze, right after takeoff.

 

 

Some neat shots from the plane - pardon the blue cast.

 

As close as I'll ever need to get to this city....

Another great meal in Lang Fang

Our secondary factory - one whom I hope will become our primary someday - took us again to a fantastic restaurant in Lang Fang. Many of the dishes from our last trip were ordered again, they're just that good. But to make you jealous...

 

A spicy fish soup that has a kind of Thai influence.

 

"Chinese pizza" - you can often find scallion pancakes in American chinese restaurants. This is the same dough but with pork inside. Very tasty.

 

Most chinese restaurants have a lazy-susan center so you can spin around the dish you want. This restaurant has one that's motorized, so you tend to horde what you want so you don't have to wait for another full rotation. Not a good way for keeping intake in check.

 

We've got two free days left before we go, though there's still a lot to be done. We just won't go back to a factory again. When I leave China, this is the restaurant and the people I'll miss most. But I'll carry a few extra pounds to remember everything by.

Things I've tried on the trip so far.

Deer tendon - gross.

Chicken feet - not too bad actually, but not meaty enough.

The "true" version of Kung Pao chicken continues to amaze me in how good it is over here.

I'm in the Qingdao area for a quick trip to a new factory - home of the original Tsingtao beer, and Haier Appliances. There's actually quite a German influence here, evidenced in the architecture. I was here on my first trip to China in 2000, as this is where our manager lives, but spent the whole weekend laid up in the hotel sick. Not a problem this time around, however it's cold and rainy while we're here, so any pictures I look to get won't be very impressive.

It's also a huge seafood city, being right on the coast of the Pacific. This is where I had sea cucumber for the first time.

And last.

Airplane food done right

I see no reason to ever fly United Airlines to Beijing again, even with the addition of at least 12 hours total transit time, especially with Emirates (currently) at half the price.

Indian-spiced mini sandwiches with cucumber slices and a little chili sliver. Total nummers....

What amazes me about the food on Emirates is that not only can you get it whenever you want throughout either the 14 or 9 hour flight, but when it's served it does not taste or feel like it just came out of a rubberizing microwave. I don't know how they do it, but the food never tastes like it was made in an airplane.

Back to Lang Fang today....

Hello, Dubai...

Another 24-hour trip to China, through Dubai again. TSA confiscated my hand lotion, because it was not in a "commercial container", or at least one that had writing on it. So I went on a mission in the duty-free area to find something to help my addiction. Found some, but thought this would have made a better purchase:

A $400 bottle of Johnnie Walker.

Maybe next trip....