孤芳自賞
May 15, 2019
Posted by hslu in China, Travel.
Tags: 玉龍雪山, 藍月谷, 雲南, 麗江
雲南麗江北邊20公里處的玉龍雪山藍月谷湖邊的一朵盛開的鮮花。
我不知道它的名字，也不知道它在寒風中爲誰開的這麽的燦爛，這麽的無邪，這麽的無辜，這麽的美麗，這麽的無憂無慮，這麽的自由自在。
難道它知道路過的行人會痴心的駐足觀賞？
難道它知道飛過的蜜蜂會高興的流連忘返？
難道它知道吹過的微風會默默的對它微笑？
難道它知道天上的白雲會悄悄的迴避過它？
我不知道有多少人會因為看到這一朵花而高興萬分，至少，it made my day.
Posted by hslu in Travel.
Tags: Kuala Lumpur
Tourism income rose by 2.4% in 2018 compared to the 2017 figure. Tourism income reached USD $20.7 billion in 2018. Not a small change.
Well, while we were there, we saw a lot of tourists all over the city.
Here are more photos from our 5-day Kuala Lumpur trip in late April to early May, 2019:
He is a famous Chinese actor called Jay Chou. His Chinese name is 周杰倫. He isn’t here in person. He is the official sponsor for this restaurant selling chicken wraps using scallion pancake. Very few customers.
Live band performance at Bukit Bintang walk in the evening.
The famous fountain at the main entrance of the Pavilion Shopping Center. Every tourist will stop by here to take a picture.
Malaysian food on display at food court of the Pavilion SC. Spicy hot, heavy seasoning, yellow curry and bold tastes are their specialties.
The stairs to the center court of the PSC. We were having a good time at The Dome, a sidewalk bar.
A view of the KLCC park from the Chili’s on the fifth floor. Banks, financial services and international companies are the major tenants. ExxonMobil Malaysin office is the second building from the right.
Petronas Twin Tower.
Water show at the KLCC Park.
KLCC park in the night.
This Hakka restaurant is right across the street from the Pavilion Shopping Center. It has probably 300 seats and it was almost 80% filled when we were there. It’s been there for ages according to the locals. Hakka means 客家.
The main entrance to the Pavilion Shopping Center on Jalan Bukit Bintang.
PNB118 to be finished in 2025 or earlier.
Area in the vicinity of PNB118. Low level buildings like this one line the street. Chinatown used to be nearby. It has moved to the area close to the Central Market. This area is occupied by foreign workers now.
Outdoor shops at the Central Market. It is a Shopping Paradise if you are looking for bargains. The building to the left houses the indoor shops. It also has a food court on the second floor.
A view of the inside of the Pavilion SC. I believe it has six floors and a basement. There are probably 120 restaurants, food stalls, coffee shops and ice cream parlors. Parkson is the anchoring Department store. It in on par with the Macy’s.
One end of the sixth floor is Toyota Street. It has about 20 small shops selling Japanese goods and several Japanese restaurants.
The Royal Selangor Golf Course is in the center of this picture. It is about 15 minutes to the east of the Pavilion SC by car.
The Suria KLCC is the shopping center at the Twin Tower. It is small and old. Several spaces are empty and it feels like that it has already seen its glorious days.
The Sky Bar on the 58th floor of the Banyan Tree Hotel in central Kuala Lumpur, a high end hotel with many international branches.
今非昔比
May 12, 2019
Posted by hslu in China, Travel.
Tags: 相思菜, Dali Yunnan, erhai, 雙廊, 雲南, Suanglang, 大理, 弓魚, 洱海
昨晚腦袋有問題吃了實在是不應該吃的東西。
今天嗎，新的一天，新的開始，多少得節制點。你說是嗎？
今天早上從大理古城坐小巴去雙廊。雙廊在洱海的西北邊，是一個風景優美的小城。以前是一個漁村，現在是大理的觀光勝地。它面對洱海，遠望蒼山。湖光山色，美不勝收。大陸的美女名人楊麗萍的家在這裏。
雙廊咱們以後有時間再寫。現在，你先看看我們在雙廊的中飯都吃了什麼。跟昨天那一餐晚飯有什麽不一樣。
洱海的海風輕輕的吹來。路邊的野花盛開的綻放。年輕的美女慢慢的走過。這就是陪伴著我們在雙廊吃的一餐中飯。
清炒茭白筍，菊花菜。
右邊是古几島，左邊是小菩提島。遠處是點蒼山，中間是洱海。
下關風，上關花，蒼山雪，洱海月。清淡的風花雪月啤酒，默默的酒香，漂亮的瓶子，健康的蔬菜，細緻的弓魚，美麗的洱海，蒼勁的蒼山。
含情脈脈的”牽手”在我身旁。無憂無慮。
大飯桶。
弓魚是洱海的特產。細緻清淡的魚肉。很好吃。
我問年輕的老闆這是什麼？他說這是相思菜。我請他炒一盤給我們。
相思菜。吃了相思菜就不再相思了。
Posted by hslu in China, Travel, 中國.
Tags: Dali, Dali Ancient City, Iceland Cafe, Yun Nan, 冰島咖啡, 大理古城
你看看我們今天晚上在雲南的大理古城都吃了些什麼：
2 French crepes with honey in between liked the way I asked for. Easy to digest. Simply satisfying to eat. Detrimental for the group of people who are deemed san gao. Should be avoided at all times.
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- Sweet green peppers stir-fried with shredded beef over rice,
Locally grown green peppers added a level of freshness, a bit of kick and a hint of sweetness. Stir-fried the shredded flank beef with garlic and ginger, added green peppers and then a generous amount of black bean source, soy source and cooking wine. The simple yet inviting dish paired so well with rice. However, the center of every grain of the rice had a tough center because Dali’s average elevation of about 7,000 feet kept water from boiling at 212 degrees F. Water boils at anywhere between 9 to 13 degrees lower than 212 degrees F.
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Things are kind of going downhill from here:.
相當不錯的黑啤酒。德國的啤酒就是與眾不同。For some reason I ended up with too much foam on the top. Well, when we visited Amsterdam last year, I didn’t pass the beer pouring test at Heineken Brewery. I got a C last time but I royally flunk the basic skill this time.
It didn’t take long for us to finish the 500 cc bottle of beer after spending 3+ hours touring “The three pagodas of the Chongsheng Temple in Dali”, 大理崇聖寺三塔, on foot in the sun. We walked at least 7940 steps in that 3+ hours span with very little rest.
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Strong coffee taste. People in China and Taiwan called this 奶昔.
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Nothing more to say when dealing with something like this killer dessert. If you have any ounce of guilty conscience, stay away, please. Period. There is nothing positive to say about it except a few minutes of pleasure of the imaginary nature in your mind. Should you think about 因果 while enjoying your drink? Your decision.Iwould be the first one to admit thaa terrible combination!What the heck, we were on VACATION! And we averaged 18,707 steps every day so far in the first 11 days in May.But, in the back of my mind, I dared to guess how many calories and how many pounds of fat we added to our already bloated bodies.Well, the final saving grace was that we didn’t finish all the rice. About 1/4 of the pancakes was untouched. We didn’t finish the milk shake and there were some left over of the chocolate ice cream. The trimmings were untouched.To be fair to us, we justified eating a “BIG” meal like this because we’ve had a very long and exhaustive day.We used Didi (滴滴打的) to get to 崇聖寺三塔 from the Dali Ancient City（大理古城）at around 3 pm. On the way back at 7 pm, we hitched a ride with a 黑車 back to the Foreigners Street（洋人街）in Dali Ancient City.
By the time we arrived at 洋人街，we were hot, tired, thirsty and hungry. After a few hundred steps we saw Iceland Cafe（冰島咖啡）and quickly decided to have dinner there because it offered a very wide variety of dishes: from the traditional Dali cuisines to pizza to fried rice to pasta and, surprisingly, pancakes.
We stayed at the Iceland Cafe for more than an hour after dinner because starting from 8 pm till 11 pm, Iceland Cafe featured local singers such as this lovely young female singers called 小雨.
Well, it’s about time to head back to our hotel: 大理一山精品酒店 in the 山水間 community. Even though we didn’t have our breakfast until 9 am at the lovely hotel and didn’t head out at around 2 pm, we were tired after walking 21,500 steps.
I suggested didi but she said that she could still walk even though Didi only cost ￥10 and about 5 minutes to the hotel.Total steps walked today, 5/10/2019 in Dali, Yun Nan was:
Maybe this kind of walking justified a dinner like the one we had tonight.
吉隆坡見聞
May 10, 2019
Posted by hslu in Travel.
Tags: Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Pavilion Shopping Center, Petronas Twin Tower, PNB 118, Tun Razak Exchange
我們在吉隆坡停留了五個晚上。雖然時值四月底，五月初，吉隆坡已經是炎夏難當。 我們的司機先生跟我們說，再下來的兩個月更是無法忍受。不過，八月開始就是雨季，溫度就會降下來一些。
這是我們第二次來吉隆坡。上次是三年前了。我們跟雄獅旅遊團來的。去了飛機場南邊的兩個海邊度假村，然後在吉隆坡住了兩個晚上。這次是自己跑，只留在吉隆坡。
經過這兩次短暫的停留，吉隆坡給我的印象是一個正在高度發展的城市。四處都在建設，到處都是高樓大廈。蓋房子的起重機跟竹子一樣長在樓房的屋頂上。除此之外，地鐵也在增加，還要幾年才能做好。
從 Pavilion Hotel 往東看，Jalan Bukit Bintang 這裏會有一些新的建築物。
The Petronas Twin Tower is in the background
城裏面的交通簡直是無法忍受。一個紅綠燈把整條街的車子都堵住了，根本無法動彈。計程車，私家車再加上不要錢就能坐的大巴士把個吉隆坡塞的死死的。
Looking down from the sky bar of the Banyan Tree hotel in the heart of Kuala Lumpur.
Jalan Bukit Bintang in the evening looking towards East from the Pavilion Hotel.
Free ride bus used by the locals and tourists. We took a ride from the Central Market to the Pavilion SC. The bus was packed and it took only about 10 minutes. About 30 people waiting to get on the bus at the Pavilion SC stop.
在市中心的幾個熱鬧景區裏，旅客就跟流水一樣，無處不在。越到晚上，街上的行人就越多。路邊的餐館都是興高采烈的客人。年輕的少男和標緻的少女從世界各國來這裏遊玩。他們個個容光煥發，大聲說話，大口喝酒，輕盈的目光，輕浮的舉動，透漏了雙方愛慕之情。
Bukit Bintang Walk.
Bukit Bintang Walk was packed in the evening until probably 2 in the morning.
The main front entrance of the Bukit Bintang Shopping Center.
我們住在市中心 Jalan Bukit Bintang 的 Pavilion Hotel。它就在吉隆坡最熱鬧的 Pavilion Shopping Center 的緊隔壁。從旅館坐電梯下到第三樓就到了。Pavilion SC 很大，六層樓高，地下室是美食街，大概有五六十家。最上面有許多正式的餐館，還有一個日本村。
Bukit Bintang 和另外一條交叉路是吉隆坡的星光大道。這裏有好多街邊小店：賣吃的，賣喝的，賣用的，賣穿的和許多便利商店。我們在便利商店買了 SIM card。很便宜。店員還幫我裝起來，省的我摸東摸西的。這些店員很多是印尼，菲律賓，巴基斯坦或印度人。他們的膚色一般來說都比較黑。不過他們說的英文我不怎麽聽不懂。當然我的英文他大概也莫宰羊了。wifi 也還算普遍。費用也不高。
在 Pavilion Shopping Center 對面有一個 68 層樓高的旅館 The Banyan Tree. 在它的屋頂有一個開放式的酒吧。它非常受來吉隆坡旅遊的遊客的喜愛。我們也去湊熱鬧，去喝杯啤酒，吃點簡單的下酒菜，看吉隆坡的街景，還能享受吉隆坡的日落。我們也去坐了兩個鐘頭。吉隆坡的夜景不錯，日落也很美。
At the Sky Bar on top of the Banyan Tree Hotel. The open space bar has a 300 degree view of the Kuala Lumpur skyline. The Twin Tower is on the north.
The Kuala Lumpur Menara Tower is to the west. Beautiful sunset view at about 7:30 pm. The bar opens at 6 pm. We got in at quarter till.
The TRX building is near completion. It is on the south east direction from the Banyan Tree Hotel. In the surrounding area, about 20 more buildings will be built in phases. Prudential building is almost finished. HSBC’S Malaysian HQ is under construction. The entire complex will have a Shopping mall. Commercial offices and residential apartments.
High rise buildings around the twin tower.
View of the city on the east of the The Banyan Tree Hotel. The wide and dark area on the other side of a major highway is the Royal Selangor Golf Course. Mountains are about 45 miles away. The building in the center of the picture is the Prince Court Medical Center.
Looking Southwest from the Sky Bar. On the edge of the picture is the PNB 118 building. It is under construction and will finish in 2025. It is funded primarily by private businesses. TRX is funded by government money after the former PM was found to have embezzled $1+ billion from the project. He and othersare under investigation.
The Sky Bar of the Banyan Tree Hotel.
The Tun Razak Exchange (TRX) building on one side of the picture. The Royal Selangor and the Prince Court MC on the other end of this picture.
The Sky Bar was filled with tourists attracted by the stunning view of the views of the Petronas Twin Tower and surrounding areas. Many people stayed here for a beer or two, took the pictures and leave. The bar only has a limited selections of bar food.
The Menara Tower stands tall in the west of the Kuala Lumpur night skyline.
Pavilion SC 很大，比 Tysons I & II 加起來都大。吃飯的，喝咖啡的，喝茶的，吃蛋糕的，大大小小恐怕有八十幾家。其他賣東西的我沒有興趣，也不去看。後來有人告訴我們 Pavilion SC 裏的 PDI 在搞活動，大減價好幾天，因為馬來西亞人的新年再過幾天就要到了。馬來西亞的東西便宜，再減價那不是更合算了嗎？結果我買了一件長袖的，沒有領子，橫條子的便衣和一件花的格子襯衫。太太嗎跟檢到寶一樣，一進去就如魚得水，到處流竄，結果提了好幾樣出來。一面付錢，一面說：不能再買了。箱子都裝不下了。要不是我死拽活拽的往外拉還不知道會造成多麽大的損失呢。
吉隆坡的遊客從許多地方來，所以他們的餐館也是各式各樣，種類繁多。我們在吉隆坡吃了好幾餐；便宜的，貴的，奇怪的。有的還可以，有的其難吃。
Menu of the Tapas Club restaurant on display. We had most of our meals here including Thai, Indian. All-you-can-eat Japanese shabu shabu, Hakka, Malay, Hamberger at the Chili’s, Cantonese, Mama Kwan’s, Cold Stone and a few others. Quality of food from restaurants in the food court was second class at best. Try formal restaurants if quality is the most of what you care about. There are simply too many selections.
wild mushrooms stir -fired. Mama Kwan’s.
Curry Chicken. Mama Kwan’s.
Stirred fried flat seafood rice noodles. Not my favorite dish at Mama Kwan’s.
Durain dessert. Can say that I liked it even though it didn’t smell like a rotten egg.
Salad at the Chili’s. Chili with beans was great. Tasted like what we used to have in the States.
Seafood fajitas at Chili’s.
Looks like snake skin.
Free breakfast at courtyard of the Pavilion Hotel, Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur. It was May 1st and we had to wait to get a table at about 9:00 in the morning.
She found her calling at the 5 day sales at Pandini at the Pavilion SC. The cost was 1/3 to 1/2 of what you can get in the States.
All you can eat Shabu Shabu. I was making udon noodles.
Beers and nuts. The Sky bar on the 58th floor of the Banyan Tree hotel, Kuala Lumpur.
Relaxed and happy. We had a great time in Kuala Lumpur.
The Tun Razak Exchange. More buildings are being built in the surrounding area. However, no building is allowed to be taller than 50 floors.
Posted by hslu in China, Travel, 中國.
Tags: Dali, 雲南大理古城, Yun Nang
我們在大理古城裏最熱鬧的人民街上看到了這個商店的招牌，免不了照張相片給我們在紐約曼哈頓的女兒和兒子看看。
The term 便利 here is somewhat different from the 便利商店, such as 7-11. 全家, we are so used to in Taiwan.
The 晶晶便利店 is a very small version of a grocery store selling daily necessities including some vegetables.
7-11s and 全家, instead, make people’s lives easier and indeed more convenient (便利) because they are ubiquitous, sell teady-to-eat packaged food, carry many styles of instant noodles, provide hot water for the instant noodles you just bought so that you can consume it inside the stores, sell coffee, bottled water, iced tea and cold beers. What makes Taiwan’s 7-11 and 全家 unique is that they collect taxes and fees for the government, be it property tax, car tax, utilities and other fees I don’t know about.
They are the real convenient stores.
Posted by hslu in China, Cold War, Military, Russia, Trump, U.S. Foreign Policy.
Tags: America hegemony
A US detente with China and Russia would boost the world economy – https://www.cnbc.com/2019/05/06/detente-with-china-and-russia-would-boost-world-economy—commentary.html
The reason for that logic is very simple: China’s astonishing rise over the last three decades has rattled the U.S. policy makers and has threatened America’s hegemony.
America, an imperialist country judging by its actions in the past several decades, realized that China one day will take the throne away from America and it is doing all it can to prevent that from happening.
What can the only reason for having 100+ military bases around the world be except to maintain total supremacy over all other nations primarily Russia during the Cold War era and China now?
Robust world economy accelerates the growth of less developed countries’s GDP. That by default, is a no no for the U.S. and is inherentally not something the U.S. wants to see.
xiaohua 