on the Go with Bo!

Molecular Cuisine at the Shangri-La - Blu

Had heard of molecular cuisine before ... not really understanding what it's about.  Of course this is where google comes in ... 

Molecular gastronomy is a scientific discipline involving the study of physical and chemical processes that occur in cooking. It pertains to the mechanisms behind the transformation of ingredients in cooking and the social, artistic and technical components of culinary and gastronomic phenomena in general (from a scientific point of view).

The key as I understand it, is the very last sentence ... that this type of cooking is akin to a laboratory experiment.  20cl of this, 3.5oz of that, 2 drops of the other, add some liquid nitrogen ... and voila ... a dish is made :-)

Joking aside ... we had dinner at Blu restaurant last night (on the top floor of the Shangri-La Hotel), where the Canadian chef Kevin Cherkas prepared an amazing 6-course meal using the above-mentioned techniques.  We went for the surprise menu and had him select the dishes for us.  The taste of the food was out of this world.  The texture, flavour, method of preparation and presentation were really impressive.  The wagyu beef, the egg dish, caviar waffles ... scrumptious.  And the dessert?  Kevin brings a plastic tree onto the table, with pink puffs pinned onto the edge of all the branches.  What was it?  Cotton candy ... that you picked off the tree yourself.

Did I mention the superb wine selection that comes with the meal?

Let's put it this way ... we were really blown away with Kevin's cooking.  It left us satiated, but not full, and got us thinking of what we were eating ... versus just devouring, as so often happens.

Well done Kevin!

Unfortunately, I have no photos ... was too dark to do anything with my iPhone :-(

Thailand - Bangkok (Jun 2009)

I haven't been to Bangkok in 10 years, and oh my gosh have things changed!  I've had quite a few bad experiences in Thailand over the years, including a local on the gulf islands who pulled a macheti out at me and whacked it passed my head, straight into a wooden beam to the side of me and said 'pay him' ... referring to a taxi driver who was blatantly trying to rip me off.  Of course in my enraged youth, me throwing the Thai baht onto the floor during that incidence didn't help, for with that I insulted their revered king and royal family.

See how this story ends ...

Kids playing in a bubble pool on Sentosa ...

Oh to be 12 again :-)

Sunday dim sum

I still don't know what is the difference between dim sum and yum cha ... For to me they're both the same. Yum Cha restaurant is located smack in the middle of Chinatown ... 20 Trengganu road, just off temple street. Go to the second floor and a world of delicious dim sum will open up. Get ready for the long line-up ... But definitely worth the wait.

Shoes ...

In front of Sri Mariamman temple in Little India

Gotta share what I'm working on ...

for I'm totally excited :-)

Hot-air ballooning over Utrecht, Holland

WOW!!!  I finally did it.  And it was as magical as I expected.  I've wanted to go hot-air ballooning for a long time ... and on May 21, we took Robin's family on this great trip, to see their hometown and the surrounding area from up above.  His parents were just in awe ... to see the city they've lived in for nearly 60 years from 1600 m.

The weather didn't start of the best this morning.  What I've learnt about ballooning is that everything is unpredictable ... because weather is unpredictable!  Thankfully the day cleared up around 1600 ... and as we all arrived to the departure area, which was a big park on the outskirts of Utrecht ... we found out that the wind was still to strong.  So the waiting game began!  And some more waiting ... till finally the 'captain' gave us the green light and we started blowing up the balloon with hot air.  The gigantic balloon started to inflate ... with a massive Virgin logo on it.  I thought perhaps you had to be a virgin to go on it ... I would have been kicked off for sure!!!

As the people in the park were staring in amazement as the balloon inflated fully and started lifting into the sky, we all jumped into the basket ... and up, up and away we went.  It was amazing!  I just love watching the world from up high ... for the beauty is just so undeniable.  What totally surprised me is that the ride was completely silent and smooth.  There was absolutely no noise ... other than us chatting in excitement.  Just the wind blowing us into the horizon, over the evening lit landscape with the sun setting over a perfectly cloudless sky.  Even at 1600m, when you looked down ... no fear!  It's weird for all that you have between you and the emptiness below ... is a basket.  Not much ... but enough I guess.

That's when Bas exclaims ... it's like watching Google Earth!  Today's youth :-)

After over an hour, and with the sun having had dipped into the horizon, it was time to start our descent back to mother earth.  The sky was ever-changing from a yellow, to a burning orange, to an indigo blue ... to ever darker colours.  As we descended you could see the houses, people having dinner outside in their backyards, the dogs barking at us, cows staring with a bewildered look, rabbits running through the fields, foxes dodging the shadow of the balloon ... and I could go on and on.  I just couldn't help smiling.  I was happy!

We were told to hold on for landing ... for it's a bit bumpy.  So we all got ready ... with our backs facing the direction that we were travelling in ... and suddenly thump, bang ... and back into the air ... and another wack into the ground, a jump, a hop ... and our basket finally came to a stop.  Beautiful!  And somewhat rough!

A side-story ... I've had these Prada sunglasses for years, for which I paid a small fortune, and I've been thinking recently how it would be great to loose them so I could justify buying a new pair.  Dont' get me wrong, I've loved these glasses, and they've done me well ... but you know, it's time for a new pair!  Wouldn't you know it that on the first thump into the ground with our basket ... the sunglasses flew off my head and into the field below.  Finally ... I thought!  God is telling me ... go buy yourself a new pair!!  Yooohoooooo!  you see ... nature takes care of everything :-)

The funny thing about landing in a hot-air balloon, is that you never quite know where you're going to land ... and actually our landing spot couldn't have been better.  Right by a small country road, on a field that looked barren.  Until ... the owners of the land came to pay us a visit.  An older couple:  stern, angry, sour, distant ... and displeased that we ruined their field!  They said that they had just planted grass seeds and that we ruined everything with our landing.  Hardly!!  They finally extorted 50 EUR from us!!!!!  I assume for replacing their grass seeds.  More likely though ... to have a drink at the local pub!!

Oh ... and wouldn't you know it ... my nieces and nephews wanted to go see if they could find my sunglasses.  They were all clamouring for them.  I said fine ... first one who finds them ... keeps them.  So off we all went.  We're all searching in very little light, for the sun had set a long time ago ... till the captain calls us back, for the farmer was complaining that we're trampling even more seeds.  As I turn back, I make my first step to return ... and right by my foot ... my Prada sunglassess.  Damn!!!!  I picked them up, put them on my head ... and realized that nature is telling me ... don't spend money on a new pair just yet.

To book a ride on a hot-air balloon in Utrecht, contact Sky Promotions at www.virgin.nl

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Boating on Loosdrecht Lake (Netherlands)

The countryside between Utrecht and Amsterdam is very picturesque.  Small Dutch style houses, perfectly manicured gardens, bicycle paths and plenty of rhododendrons blooming in the spring weather.  Plus, there are many beautiful canals in the vicinity of Utrecht, the river Vecht lined with several grandiose mansions and the big lake of Loosdrecht.  Given that Holland is the land of water and canals, there is no better way to see this country than from a boat.  It's very typical to see groups of Dutch cruising down the canals in their open-design boats, weather permitting of course.  It's somewhat like having a picnic on the water: people sitting and standing in their boats, sipping rose and eating a variety of canapes ... with the customary assortment of delicious Dutch cheeses, cold-cuts and desserts!  It's a beautiful way to get to know Holland ... right from the water.

To read more on Utrecht, Netherlands ... and its surroundings ...

Russia - Moscow (May 2009)

Gosh I laughed!  Silly laughing!!  Love laughing on the plane.  Just finished watching 'Bridal Wars' enroute to Moscow ... and although the movie is totally ridiculous ... I laughed!

What will also be ridiculous is the Eurovision Song Festival finals that we're going to see this Saturday.  That is our raison d'etre for coming to Moscow.  Plus one must see the Red Square and the Kremlin at one point.  If you're a European you will know what Eurovision is.  Otherwise, I doubt you've heard of it.  It's basically a song competition between all the European countries, where each country first has a national competition to select the song that will represent them at the finals.  And then through a very complex judging system, a victor is selected during the final show, which is always hosted by the country of the previous year's winner.  Thus last year Russia won ... and now ... Moscow!

Read on ...