all the uncaterorized things in life
Travel
Hot Pot
Aug 15th
The most famous dish from Chongqing is its hot pot. If you don’t know where Chongqing is, it is located in central-southern part of China, east of Sichuan providence. If i could describe it, hot pot is no different than soup that is constantly cooking, except is extremely spicy. Even though I’m from Chongqing, I can’t clearly tell you what hot pot is made of. One thing I am sure is that is has a lot of red pepper in it.
The most enjoyable way to eat hot pot is with a large group of people. You can order a variety of uncooked food such as sliced meats, potatoes, leafy greens, bean sprouts, tofu, rice noodles, and much more then cook in the hot pot. Once your food is done, dip it in the sauce that is made of a mixture sesame oil, crushed garlic, salt, black vinegar, and even oyster sauce. If you find the food to be too spicy, you can ask for a hot with a non-spicy section in it (like the center section of this hot pot), which is also healthier than the spicy hot pot.
Unfortunately, there is a down side to eating this authentic Chongqing meal. If you are not used to eating really spicy and greasy food, eating hot pot might be very discomforting. If you eat too much, it might cause stomach-ache, diarrhea, and mild fever. 
If you are ever in Chongqing, hot pot is the one thing you MUST try. Hot pot restaurants in Chongqing are like Starbucks in the U.S. They are everywhere. I can’t suggest a particular one to you, because they all taste very similar to me. My tip is to find a hot pot restaurant that is sanitary and where you can request how spicy you want the pot to be.
The Beautiful Jiuzhaigou
Jul 20th
Jiuzhaigou is a valley located in Sichuan providence of China. It is, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful valley in the world. What attracts millions of visitors per year to Jiuzhaigou is its colorful pools of water. It is said that water is the soul of Jiuzhaigou and the mountains are its protector. The name is derived from the Tibetan villages that used to locate there.
It is about 7 hours from Chengdu and 11 hours from Chongqing by car. If you don’t like driving, air travel is also possible, but the plane is almost always late. I remember waiting more than 2 hours to go to Jiuzhaigou from Chongqing. Once you arrive at the Jiuzhai-Huanglong Airport, there are buses and taxis that can drive you to Jiuzhaigou entrance. Buses are only 100RMB for both ways.
I suggest finding lodging at Jiuzhaigou as well. There are hundreds of hotel around, ranging in prices and quality. You want to go in to the park around 8am, so you’ll have plenty of time to go to all the tourists spots in the park, which will take about 8-9 hours. Even though buses are provided in the park, you always have the option of walking. But to warn you, it is extremely tiring because you are practically walking down hill for 30 minutes more at a time.
Juizhaigou Pearl Waterfall
Jiuzhaigou Swan Lake
Jiuzhaigou Five Colored Lake
One of the jokes I make is that you can close your eyes and take a random picture of Jiuzhaigou, and it would look amazing.
Sadly, the park is not free. The entrance ticket is 220RMB plus 90RMB for transportation within the park, but the money is well spent considering how beautiful the scenery.
Spring Break 2012 San Antonio
Mar 14th
When you hear San Antonio, the first thing you hear is The Alamo. Of course the San Antonio area has many attractions, but the area also has a great culture. My point is not to tell you about the obvious places to visit or the things you can do, but to inform you on the culture and cuisine hidden within San Antonio.
The two restaurants I went to is located on the northwest side of San Antonio near I-10 and I-410, about a 10-mintue drive from Fiesta Texas. From observation, I am going to assume it is a minority, middle class neighborhood.
The first restaurant is called Pasha. It is a Mediterranean/Greek restaurant. The menu consists of typical Mediterranean food such as shish kabob, Greek salad, and gyros. The restaurant does not have the greatest atmosphere because it is a bit old, but the food is excellent. I usually love going to restaurants that serves bread for free. Pasha is no different. It served pita with a olive oil dipping sauce (unlimited). The dish I ordered came with a small portion of Greek salad, hummus, and gyro. The lamb was tender and fresh. The price is reasonable. Most all the entrees ranges from $7-$13.
The other restaurant I went to is called Bombay Hall, an authentic Indian restaurant/buffet. You have the choice of take-out, dine-in, or buffet. I would suggest the buffet because it is only $10.95 for all you can eat. Of course, you would expect the usual curried dishes, chicken masala, and samosas. Despite the fact that Bombay Hall is a buffet, its food is pretty authentic. They put so much spice in the food to make you want to go back for seconds. Surprisingly enough, they also had the best rice pudding and mango custard I ever had, it is sweet but not too sweet. It is also very highly rated on yelp.com and winner of two Blue Plate award. Even though it might be one of those “hole in the wall” places, it has one of the best Indian food I ever had.
Other than Greek and Indian, the area also had many other ethnic restaurants such as Mexican, Chinese, and Japanese. Whether you’re visiting San Antonio or a San Antonio native, I would suggest going to the northeast side of the town for some great ethnic food.
