Fish Fish in USA (Pt 3, July 16)

^_^ Good morning everyone. It's a very sunny Monday, with heat and humidity that will try to squeeze every drop of water from your body. *iish*

However, with such extreme weather, I am going to bring you all for a series of "adventure" that fish fish had in USA. Are you ready? Tighten your seat belt... here we go~

We stayed in a family style hotel named St. Vincent's Guest House. How was the hotel? Well, to tell you frankly, I would advise you not to choose it. You'll be able to find a better one with the same price I paid (around US$75 per nite).

My room was nice, with enormous bed. However, it has a weird smell in the room. Something like a mold-growing smell. I supposed it is quite an old building, as it used to be an orphan home.
However, this is not the main reason why I don't recommend it. What made me have a bad impression on it was the very inconvenient of the location. No phone, no place to look for food... and the lady's owner is considered to be a not-too-easy to get along type of person.

They don't have the very basic drinking water supply for you in your room. When I requested for water, they gave me water from pipe. :)

Ah well~ I drink pipe water in Japan too.


They did attach breakfast for the staying. Among the choices, I decided to have a blueberry pancake. This was lovely. It went very nice with the maple syrup. However, the size was too big for me. This was actually my first time to eat such a big proper pancake.

Yap, you heard me. I have eaten pancake not more than 5 times in my life before this. :P


Also, I ordered for a scramble egg and toasts too. Man~ after this very heavy breakfast, I am really bloated.

I like the big guy that preparing breakfast for me. He is a nice guy.

My sensei was kind of disappointed as he thought there would be bacon as choice, but nope.

We decided to take this whole day to walk around New Orleans, instead of using transportation. Just to see more things.


After around 25 min of slow walk, we reached the main street, Canal Street. This is the Canal Streetcar in New Orleans, running along the Canal Street. I didn't try it at all during my stay in New Orleans. Would like to try it next time if I have the chance.

One interesting fact about the block counting in New Orleans. All the blocks start the counting from the one nearest to Canal Street. So, it is actually easy for you to estimate a location as long as you have the address and map.

I used this feature to look for a few optical shops, hopefully they might have an instant ready new glasses for me. Too bad, these shops were not in business for weekends. *sigh*

Instead of making myself feeling stressed with what had happened to my glasses, I decided to just see the New Orleans with a blur blur sight. Tee hee hee...


We came to the longest and largest river in US, Mississippi River. When I was here, it somehow reminded me of the Sarawak River back in Kuching. Nostalgic!


Along the river, you could see people taking their time slowly strolling along with family and friends.

Cruise, is one of the hit you can have in New Orleans. These would bring you to see the New Orleans from Mississippi River.

The photo showed one of the cruise, named Cajun Queen. You can either enter it for pure riding, or with lunch or dinner attached. Another thing I would like to try next time if I come.


Walk and walk... the breeze with mild heat makes one feel like you are really on a relaxing vacation. Too bad, I was there for more serious matter.


Street performance is something very common in New Orleans. As a jazz town, it is easily to spot these talented people doing performance here and there. It somehow made you stop for a while to enjoy the music flowing in the air.


Another cruise was just going to start the journey... Have a nice trip!!

From there, we walked to French Quarter, or Vieux Carre which literally means "old square". It is the most famous and oldest attraction in New Orleans.


Some tourists would take the chance to ride on a horse wagon. I am not interested in this. I am more keen on riding on a horse myself, which is another hope-to-do-thing in my lists before I say bye bye to this world.


Now, could you see the same feature of this photo with the previous one? It's the balconies. The famous "iron lace" can be seen here and there for the buildings in French Quarter area.

Impressive artworks.


Contradictory, you will also find a lot of this modern and fancy souvenir shops occupying the place. If you love Mardi Gras stuffs, you will like to take a good time finding your favorite ones inside these shops.

Know what attracted me the most on this shop? ;) Make a wise guess. It's in the picture. Kihkihkih...


Some street sellers were making money with their handmade things.


While the others were using themselves as a selling item.

This guy impressed me. I wonder how much time he took to put the silver thing all over his body. More, how he could stand such a weather with this costume? He deserved tips from fish fish. ^_^


A corner in French Quarter. My sensei was telling me, New Orleans is indeed a special city in US. It does not give you a US-feeling.


Bunga Raya!! Weeee~~~ somehow a Malaysian like fish fish tend to have special passion on this flower whenever I see it in other countries.

In case you wonder where I took it, this was in the famous Jackson Square in French Quarter. A lovely, cast-iron-fenced oasis of grass and flowering trees located between St. Ann and St. Peter Streets across Decatur Street from the river.


Jackson Square is originally called the Place d'Armes, the square in the past served as both a military parade ground and the staging point for public executions.


Statue of Andrew Jackson standing proudly in front of the Saint Louis Cathedral, the oldest church in Louisiana.

We went into the church. It was quiet... and with a lot of nice artworks inside. We were not allowed to take any photo.


However, outside the church hall, I was attracted towards these dim candles. Those of you who are familiar with fish fish's blog would know I am a fetishist on candles in religious buildings.


Outside the Jackson Square, you would see street arts lay along the place. Some were really my cup of tea, like the one shows in this photo.


It was quite a walk. It was only around noon. We spotted coffee shops... argh~~~ yes, I was very hungry by then.

Time to hunt for yum yum~ ^_^

Fish Fish in USA (Pt 2, July 15)

We reached Detroit Airport safely. Thanks god.


We were very hungry. And so, we decided to have something to eat in the airport. There was a few places to eat. We chose this place that have a few different stalls.


I was thinking of having a pizza in Little Caesars, but I changed my mind for this because of the word "Crazy Bread". Hmm... how crazy could it be?


Bah~~~ This... is the crazy bread. I wonder who was the person that thought of this idea. Got cheated. Ah well~

The portion was huge. Tasted bland even though the top was with parmesan cheese. I decided to add some ketchup on it. Voila!! It turned the bread into much better.

I couldn't finish all, saved half for emergency need which was a wise action.


One design in Detroit Airport that I like very much. The fountain in the middle of airport. Simple, unique and artistic. The water moved in different patterns, making it lively.


It looks really good when coupling with the tram running on the upper part of the airport.


Express Tram... this is the shuttle train that brings you from one end of the airport to the other end. This was actually my first time to see a shuttle train that run on top of my head so visually.


On the Tram, you will get the concept how long this airport can be. I would say this is a unique airport. Not wide, but very long. They have 70++ gates in total, line up beautifully from one end to another end.


This is the waiting room for getting on board. The chairs were very spacious. Comfortable to sit on. I was so tired as I didn't sleep for the whole flying from Osaka to Detroit. I slept like a baby for a short while on one of this chair until barking of puppy woke me up. Geee... puppy in airport!

Ah well~ I decied to stroll around for a bit more.


Dang Dang! Nice sitting style phone booth for you to make call. Now, this is something too comfortable for fish fish. I've never seen such public phone in Japan. The phone size are small. Cute!

We finally get on flight from Detroit to New Orleans.


Heee... just a picture show you how different Northwest stewardess from the Asian airlines. Well, if not because I had warning from friends before I took Northwest, it would be a cultural shock for me instead.

I like the service much more on this domestic flight, compare to the one I had from Osaka to Detroit.


Just for the curiosity on canned drink in America, I ordered this Veryfine Apple Cranberry Juice. Sweet! Ah well, not a bad one, but I'm not much into canned drink.

We reached the hotel by using Airport Shuttle Bus. I'm gonna give you a very good sorry about it later on my day leave New Orleans. Meanwhile, I'll end this post soon today.

Surprisingly, our hotel was very deserted. No place I can find food at night. That's how my crazy bread saved me that time. ^_^


See this King size bed??? It can fit 4 fish fish in a spacious way. I have never slept on such a HUGE bed.

Oh yah~ you bet I slept like a baby fish that night? It was supposed to... but...

"Hahhahahahhaa!!!" (Some drunk lady disturbed my sleep with her laughing voice on the road outside my room.)

#&%@!!

Fish Fish in USA (Pt 1, July 15)

Fish Fish started her journey to USA on 15 July. I would say it was not a nice start at all.

By the time I reached the Kansai International Airport, then I realised my flight was delayed 2 hrs. *iish* We wouldn't be in time for the connection then, so my sensei and me decided to make the connection one flight later, which turned up to be 5 hours later than earlier scheduled. *sigh*
We got extra 2 hrs, so we decided to have lunch in the airport. I wanted to eat omelette rice.


I chose mushrooms and eggplant omelette rice with white sauce. It was a good one. The white sauce went very well with the rice. There was also a free cup of soup too.

Ah well~ my last meal before I took my flight. I would say it was a good one. A treat from my sensei. Kihkihkih...


This was the flight that brought us to USA. The flight was a continuation from Taipei, so there were a lot of Taiwanese speaking Mandarin in the flight.


My 1st meal in the flight. I would give 4/10 for this meal. I love the portion of fresh veggies that served. The fetuccini was kind of overcook. Ah well~ I never put high expectation on in-flight food.

The steward that served me the food kind of gave me a cultural shock. Know what?? He was chewing gum when he was serving the passengers. I've in fact never seen this kind of service before.

All the stewards and stewardesses in the flight were all veterans. Later only then I know they work until their retire age. Hmm... this is something very hard to be imagine in a Asian airline.


We flew through a very nice sea cloud. It was a very pretty one.

Soon, the day became dark very fast. And before I knew it, the day turned bright again. Wow!! A night time with only 3 hours. The shortest I have ever experienced. ^_^


When we were still blur blur... stewardess gave one of this to me. I have no idea whether it is for tea time or morning snack. I was totally out of time concept.

I ate the whole thing, though it was just so so. Well, I must say the portion of the food was quite stingy. In fact, a small appetite person like my sensei also was complaining the food portion was too small. So, just imagine a glutton fish like me, it was a hard time for me to stand the starve.


When I flipped up the window cover again...

Wah~~~ I was so excited. I've never seen such big pieces of mosaic-looking farms. In fact, I was very curious how they actually can survive in such a deserted area. More, how these people can managed to take care such a huge piece of land.

I must say I really salute!!


Then, we flew through mountaineous area. Those black spots were the sign of burnt forest. Geee... must be very dry and hot in this area. Can't imagine how it might turn into a bigger disaster if the fire is not put-out quickly.


I finally seen a very long and big river. I wonder if it is the Missisippi River. Maybe not.


Now, can anyone explain this phenomenon to fish fish please? This white line of cloud was like continuing for mile and mile. I am very curious to know how this can happen. Thank you.


The 2nd main meal in the flight. The first one tasted better. I would rate this one 2.5/10. The gnocchi texture kind of unattractive. So do the tomato, too sour. This is indeed a meal for me just to fill up my hunger.

Know what? Bizarre things happened again. The steward this time now was holding a toothpick in between his teeth when he was talking and serving us!!! OMG!!! I really couldn't believe this. What more, he was distributing food to passengers with only one hand. He didn't look like someone who is doing his duty at all to me. I should have take a picture of him, but I don't think that will be a polite move.

My sensei and me couldn't help but kept laughing. I wonder what will be the response if I write a letter of complain.

"Fish Fish, you are lucky. All my time I took Northwest Airlines, this is the first time I see this." Sensei was saying this to me.

Yah right! Lucky huh. -_-"


Even more lucky, our meals were served in such a dark condition. Man~ Northwest Airlines should be very happy with such considerate crews that they have, help them to cut cost. Hmmm...

Another strange thing. A tall young lady sitting in the front row of us... while waiting for her turn to go to the washroom, she suddenly turn off my air-con and smiled at me. She was saying something to me which sound totally alien to me. Sensei and me look at each other and put a big ??? mark in our face.

"This is her air-con. Yours is in front." Sensei was telling her. However, she seemed to not understand what my sensei said.

After a while, I went to the washroom. When I back, I didn't know how my heavy butt broke my glasses. By the time I realised, half side already broken into pieces.

I was speechless... yah~ dumb dumb fish.

Tell me... what would you do when all these things happen to you in a same flight?


How glad I was when the landscape of Detroit finally imposed into my eyes. It was kind of a fresh feeling to see how the housing area in Detroit is plotted. So spacious, like many centipedes. Totally something you wouldn't see in Japan.

The flight was very shaky and up-down during the last 30 min flight, until made me feeling nausea. I was glad I brought my minyak kapak. If not, I think I have vomitted like an ugly-looking fish liao.

Finally...


Ah~~~ I've never feel so good when I see an airport. USA, you sure gave me a very hard to forget 1st experience.

To be cont...

I am back in Kyoto!! ^_^

Ohayo!! Everyone~

I am still alive. The moment I reached my room at 10pm last night, I gave a long sigh. I am so glad I can see my home sweet small room again.

Finally, I don't have to rush up and down like a fly without head anymore. I must say this is one of the most bizarre trip fish fish has ever had. You will agree with me after hearing my story then.

Meanwhile, I'll just keep this post end short and simple. I have jet lag now... slept at 12am, but woke up at 4.30am. Very awake now.

Ok, first incident that happened to me...

Started with a 2 hrs delay of my flight from Osaka to Detroit... which I saw some very weird things, that I will be telling you all tomorrow.

One thing that made bme sad the most... this stupid clumsy fish broke her glass in that flight.

And her whole trip??


She looks something like this. *iish*

Till tomorrow~ *muak*

Greeting from Amherst

Hello~ everyone. ^_^

Ai yar~ fish fish know it has been so unusual for me to be silent for so long. I've been missing you all a lot. I am now in Amherst, Massachusetts, my last stop.

I have been travelling here and there after New Orleans for academic purposes. This first journey to US gonna be one of the most hectic journey I ever had. Definitely the most unforgettable as well. Full of painful and stress experience, so do the very sweet and lovely precious moment. I really wanna thanks all the wonderful people that I have encountered. Oh well, so do those suck ones... they made my life more colourful too. I think I've become more mature through this trip. Oh yah~ I saw one Mu Yang Quan... oh man~ it is soooooo adorable. I wish I can kidnap it home. Kihkihkih..

Anyway, tomorrow I'll be going back to Japan early in the morning, and will reach Kansai the next day.

I will do a full report about my New Orleans trip when I back and after a good rest. I am like a half dead fish now.

So, see you all then. Muak~~~

New Orleans, here I come~

^_^ I'm flying to New Orleans tomorrow for IFT Annual Meeting + Food Expo.

Very exhausted lately for the preparation. Been seriously lack of sleep. But I am exicted now. *Oops, I haven't done my packing yet -_-"*

I'm going to do an oral presentation on 18 July. Wish me luck, ok?

Well, I'll do short updates when I have time there then. Heee... you'll be able to know what US is like in fish fish's eyes then.

Gonna miss you all.

*muak*

Tata~

Momo Chan

This season making fish fish wanna "mo" Momo. Heeee... it actually refers to peach. But in Japanese, it has a very cute name - Momo. Ever heard of Momotaro? Did you know the original story line was not Momotaro came out from a Momo? Instead, it was about how a very old couple that found and ate a "magic momo", and became young 20++ yo handsome guy and pretty lady. That night, the 2 of them was having heavy wind strong rain non-stop. And 10 months later, Momotaro was born. However, as Momotaro is a famous story to teach to kids in primary school, it will be too complicated to explain if the kids ask further and further, so to avoid that, they decided to simplified the story. ;) Now...

I ate a Momo this morning. (Cheh~ it didn't make me turn prettier and younger. -_-") Too bad, it was too soft. I miss the nice momo I had in Yamagata prefecture 2 years ago, when I was travelling with Wai Wai in Tohoku area.

So, let fish fish brings you to the pink pink momo world of 2 years ago. ^_^

Time machine back!!

*swirl~~~*



Ever seen a Momo tree? This... is a Momo tree. The momo on these trees very red, that was actually the first time I see such a red Momo.


Wai Wai and me were too excited. We were really sakai and screamed out loud the first moment we saw large orchard of them. Too excited.

So, we took 30 min just to take the picture of this momo, and try to sniff those nice smell as much as we can. It was one of the nicest smell I have ever had. Cannot eat, smell also good enough liao lar~



See my hand and the Momo? Yes, these Momo in Yamagata super big. It is one of the prefecture with best Momo in Japan. In fact, I love Yamagata. The best Sakuranbo also produced here.

Girls in this area have very fair and smooth skin. Must be the water and these fruits. In fact, Wai Wai and me were the 2 naked ladies with darkest skin when we took bath in Ofuro that time. So embarassing. :P



Ok, something weird here. Have you ever heard of graveyard for Momo?

Amen~~~



That day, we were very lucky. We saw the farmers were selling their fresh momo. Without hesitation, we bought one box of it.

Know how much it is?

Super cheap!! It was for 800 yen... not one, but the whole box.

That night, word couldn't explain how we felt after we ate the Momo. *in heaven~*

Woooo~~~ this making me wanna go to Yamagata again liao~ *myak*