This blog has become a sort of personal-cum-public diary. As for its contents, some are meant for me and my friends and relatives; others are for the public. This blog will have only positive, ennobling, elevating, encouraging and uplifting thoughts/ideas/materials. Whoever visits should feel happy and should be able to pick up some good ideas/thoughts/links. In short, "NOTHING NEGATIVE" is my motto.(Grateful thanks to Jon Sullivan and Public-Domain-Photos.com for the background photo)
Happy New Year 2021
WISH YOU ALL A HAPPY, HEALTHY,
PROSPEROUS AND PURPOSEFUL
NEW YEAR 2020
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KANNUR,
INDIA - During out time in Kerala, we had a chance to learn about the
countryside village life, make a number of outstanding chutneys with the Queen
of Chutney, have an exquisite local lunch, and end the day with a whole goat
prepared Malabar style - a mix of Indian and Arabian flavors and techniques.
#Kerala #India #IndianFood
Thank you to
Seashell Haris Beach Home for arranging everything and setting up this amazing
day. They are doing great things, and I would highly recommend staying there
when you visit Kannur: https://goo.gl/maps/csSupN9Jj9aC7omeA
What I love
so much about Indian food is how diverse it is, and the mind-blowing
combinations of spices, ingredients, and flavors that go into every dish. After
attempting to harvest some mussels and hanging out with fishermen for a while,
we headed back to the village to start cooking. The highlight at the beginning
of the day was a green passion fruit chutney.
Indian food
lunch - For lunch, we headed back to Seashell Haris Beach Home where they
prepared an outstanding local Kerala lunch of a variety of different dishes,
all together with fried pomfret.
Whole masala
goat - Mr. Haris then prepared for us an entire goat, a small but flavorful
goat, rubbed in a huge amount of masala paste - I like to call it the Kerala
spice treatment. It was delicious and a perfect way to end this amazing day of
village Indian food in Kerala!
Friends in
the video:
Ebbin:
https://www.instagram.com/foodntraveltv/
Roshan: https://www.instagram.com/seashellhar...
Joel:
https://www.instagram.com/kru_joel/
MUSIC:
https://www.audionetwork.com/
Grateful thanks to MARK WIENS and YouTube and all the
others who made this video possible
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T-shirts and
caps: https://goo.gl/6WdK1l
Thank you to
Ali (Pakistan Travel Market): https://goo.gl/VY6NjH
I want to
say a massive thank you to Ali (Pakistan Travel Market): https://goo.gl/VY6NjH
Without him, this entire trip wouldn’t have been possible.
Also, thank
you to Hunza Serena Inn (https://www.serenahotels.com/serenahu...) for
sponsoring our stay in Hunza Valley.
The goal of
today’s food tour was to uncover some of the secrets of the long life food of
Hunza Valley. Especially traditionally, people were known to live very long and
healthy lives - a combination of eating seasonally, lots of nuts, and apricots,
and fresh mountain air - we also discovered a few dishes that must have led to
long life.
But we began
our day in Gilgit, and first thing at daybreak, we drove about 20 minutes
outside of Gilgit to start our morning from a strategic viewpoint. There’s a
confluence where three of the highest mountain ranges in the world - Himalayas
(Mount Everest), Karakorams (K2), and Hindu Kush, mountains come together. It’s
a magical place, and we were literally the only people there.
We then
headed back to Serena Gilgit Hotel for breakfast before starting our day to
Hunza Valley. The drive was spectacular from start to finish - you will
literally feel your jaw dropping as you drive and you almost cannot believe the
scenery will possibly get better… and it does.
Chapshoro
Point - Along the Karakoram Highway from Gilgit to Hunza Valley one of the most
famous foods is chapshoro, a meat filled dough pocket. It’s a great tea snack -
and we’d be having a few more of these today.
Total price
- 900 PKR ($6.74)
Hunza Valley
- We arrived to Hunza Valley and immediately checked in to Hunza Serena Inn,
with an almost unbelievable view from our patio.
Baltit Fort
- We quickly hiked up to Baltit Fort, a spectacular and iconic fort within
Hunza Valley and then walked down for a quick bite to eat.
Hunza Food
Pavilion - Just a small little cosy restaurant, yet so inviting and so many
good aromas coming out of the kitchen. We ordered chapshoro again, and daodo
soup, both of which were amazing.
Total price
- 630 PKR ($4.72)
Osho Maraka
- Hunza Serena Inn - We then headed back to the hotel where they wanted to
prepare a local Hunza Valley food lunch for us. The food was good, a little on
the plain side for me, but very fresh and local ingredients.
Eagles Nest
- Next we drove up one of the main mountains of Hunza Valley for the view.
Although we were late for the sunset, the view was still spectacular.
Traditional
Hunza Valley food - In the evening is when the real authentic Hunza Valley food
and cultural learning began. We were invited (thanks to the Gilgit Baltistan
tourism ministry for setting it up) to a 400 year old home for a time of music
and local Hunza Valley food. The old home was beautiful, and they immediately
started playing amazing local music. The food was authentic and local - lots of
whole grains, walnuts and almonds, and plenty of apricot oil. One of the
dishes, a tortilla like bread filled with walnut paste and apricot oil was one
of the secret dishes of longevity - so I was told! Whatever the case, the food,
people, and experience, was outstanding.
By this time
I have to stay I was tired, cold, and ready to go back to the hotel to sleep,
but they said, we need to stop at one more place.
It was
completely dark, and looked abandoned.
But we
stepped inside a home, and there were at least 20 people huddled in the house,
waiting for us.
I was blown
away and humbled.
They made us
tea and a few local pancake like snacks. It was beyond special.
Thank you to
everyone involved, and to the families for their amazing hospitality and
kindness. Another absolutely incredible day of food and people in Pakistan.
Watch the
entire Pakistani video series: https://youtu.be/Xdya8eym9nM
Ali:
https://goo.gl/VY6NjH
Joel:
https://goo.gl/5AkWm6
MUSIC:
https://us.audionetwork.com/
Logo:
https://goo.gl/VhaLp5
CAMERA GEAR
I used to make this video (these are affiliate links):
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Microphone:
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Drone:
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Thank you
for watching!
Grateful
thanks to MARK WIENS and YouTube and all the others who made this video
possible
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Alappuzha
(also known as Alleppey), India - The Backwaters of Kerala are one of the
biggest draws to Kerala, and before going, I had no idea why. After visiting, I
now know that the Backwaters are one of the reasons why Kerala is known as
“God’s Own Country.”
After
arriving in Alappuzha (Alleppey), we headed straight to the house-boat, a
luxurious floating house-boat on the Kerala backwaters. The boat was beautiful
with four full bedrooms, a full upper deck with dining room and viewing
platform, and most importantly, a huge kitchen with private chefs to cook us an
Indian seafood Kerala meal of your dreams! #IndianFood #Kerala #Backwaters
Ebbin had
arranged for a huge seafood meal on the boat. As soon as we started sailing on
the Backwaters, the amazing chefs started cooking. There were over a dozen
different dishes, seafood extravaganza. The meal was absolutely incredible, and
the scenery of the water, lakes, rivers, and lagoons, were spectacular.
For the rest
of the afternoon, we relaxed around the boat, and eventually docked for the
evening in a small village. For dinner we had a simple Kerala meal of rice
porridge, with a few different chutneys, and green gram, mung beans.
Sleeping on
the boat was fantastic, so quiet and peaceful, and it was a joy to wake up in
the morning ready to go again. For breakfast, they made one of the best egg
curries I’ve ever had in my life - one of the reasons I love Kerala so much,
curry for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Thank you to
Alleppey Houseboat (https://alleppeyhouseboat.in/) for giving us a great deal
on a house-boat, and for the amazing food and service. An incredible
experience, and truly God's Own Country!
Watch the
entire Kerala, India food video series here: https://youtu.be/WYk5yyHvpvE
🎥Street
Food in Tibet - Ultimate Tibetan Food Tour: https://youtu.be/kJ90asUCVko
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Thank you to
https://www.travelchinatibet.com/ for hosting me on my trip to Tibet!
SHIGATSE,
TIBET - Along with Lhasa, Shigatse is one of the most important and largest
cities in Tibet. We had the honor to explore Shigatse for the day, learn about
the city, eating Tibetan food, and learn about the amazing Tibetan culture.
#Shigatse #Tibet #food
Tibetan
breakfast - There’s nothing better to eat for breakfast in Tibet than tsampa -
roasted barley flour, mixed with yak cheese, yak butter, and sugar, and formed
into small hand-squeezed balls. It grows like a loaf of bread in your stomach -
it’s so hearty and filling. The best part of the experience was eating it in a
local home and watching them as they made it for breakfast, the common way they
do everyday for breakfast. The butter tea was excellent.
Tibetan food
lunch - We went to a local family restaurant for lunch we we tried a number of
Tibetan, and specifically Shigatse foods, including dumpling in soup, a fried
bread stuffed with yak, fried sheep lungs, and Tibetan blood sausage. It was a
heavy and meaty lunch, and the food was delicious.
Tashilhunpo
Monastery - As the palace of the Panchen Lama (second most important spiritual
figure in Tibetan Buddhism), the Tashilhunpo Monastery is one of the most
sacred and important sites in Shigatse. After walking around the temple complex
in the morning, we then went into the temple complex in the afternoon.
It was a
great day of food, exploring, and learning in Shigatse, Tibet.
Thank you to
Travel China & Tibet (https://www.travelchinatibet.com/), they sponsored my
trip to Tibet, and they did an amazing job to cater to the exact things I
wanted to do. Highly recommended when you visit Tibet.
🎵MUSIC:
https://www.audionetwork.com/
Grateful
thanks to MARK WIENS, all involved in making this video and YouTube.
👍
100% Real Durian Chips - Order Here: http://pixelfy.me/uY4K5z
Koh Surin (หมู่เกาะสุรินทร์) - In March
2020, we spent about a week in the Southern Thailand province on Phang Nga - I
absolutely loved it - from the food to the people to the natural scenery and
beaches. We decided to go to Koh Surin (หมู่เกาะสุรินทร์), a national park island, known to be one of the most
pristine islands in Thailand. And since it wasn’t as busy with tourism as it
typically is, we were able to get a booking at the National Park lodge on the
island. In this video I’ll share this entire experience of getting to Koh
Surin, and staying in the bungalows.
Greenview
Tour Speedboat -1,700 THB ($52.44) per
person, roundtrip - First you must get to Koh Surin (หมู่เกาะสุรินทร์) island,
and the fastest way to get there is by speed boat which takes about 1 hour 10
minutes. The boat left from Khura Buri (คุระบุรี) pier, in Phang Nga province. The boat ride was
surprisingly smooth and we arrived to the island, to the amazingly pure and
clear waters of the islands.
Buffet lunch
- 750 THB ($23.13) per person - There aren’t too many food options - or let me
say, no food options other than the National Park headquarters canteen. But you
can choose to order from the menu, or you can eat the buffet that lots of
snorkeling trips eat on day trip to the island. Since the buffet was ready and
we were really hungry, we just ate the buffet. It’s not the greatest Thai food
you’ll eat, but it was ok.
Bungalow
Price - 2,000 THB ($61.69) per night - Bungalows are basic, but comfortable,
with AC and self contained. I thought they were great.
The best
things for me about staying at the bungalow overnight is that Koh Surin (หมู่เกาะสุรินทร์) can be
busy during the day because most people take day trips to the island, but head
back to mainly by 3 or 4 pm. So being there after hours, it was so quiet, so
peaceful, and so relaxing. That was the best.
Thank you
for watching and hope you’re having a fantastic day!
Grateful
thanks to Mark Wiens, MARK ABROAD and YouTube.
