Foot and Fire

  Here are the videos and representative photos of the two university friends whom I thought rared to taste my cooking last December 2018 that they traveled from faraway but only to end up cooking heavily FOR ME, making 2018 as my year with the longest running birthday celebration. Ohlalalala! Thank you my friends. The Gal came all the way from Malaysia while The Guy came from China. All had their interests set on the table. The Tapalan (Chopping Board) Wars began. The Tasters are my mom, two university friends and my sister plus my two Demi-Korean friends in the evening. Dreams do come true for us for being able to convene and cook and heartily eat!!!

I can't believe I was not able to churn out something about Xi'an in my blog.  So here is my late blog of my February 2012 Xi'an trip. Xi'an is the old capital of China. This is a photo of me with the thousands of dug terracotta army behind me. This is literally a complex of terracotta army and horses as well as weaponry.  The digging is not yet complete and it is still being continued. This is how a human can go only to assure of his immortality. Contrary to some grumbling by foreigners, I don't mind that these armies are far from the touch and smell of the tourists since  these images are centuries old, and so they should be preserved very well.  And even if preserving them means keeping them meters away from the tourists.. *** An army and his horse in a glass casing, for up close scrutiny of the tourists. *** Encased kneeling army. *** Close up photo of the digging. *** Unfinished diggings. ...

XI'AN, CHINA 2012. Behind me is one of stone tablets in a museum that houses tablets which date back even B.C. The painstaking carving of the handwriting centuries ago now forms part of the Chinese history. This visit validates my personal belief that something written now counts years after. On the occasion of renewing my commitment in keeping this blog alive, I am transporting my worthy notes in Facebook here as I feel I should be sharing them with everyone outside the networking site and into this bigger blogging world. We humans easily forget. That is why, writing is a device we needed to remember, to be reminded. I myself always take awe over the fact that  an archive write up which I wrote years ago speak to me at present as if I have not written them a long time ago. The feeling of "I-wrote-it-then-and-now-I-read-it-as-if-it-spoke-to-me" is euphoric. A year ago, as an introduction to the inspiring write up of WCW, I wrote, "A writer is everywhere...

The Terracotta Army of Xi'an China (at my back) represents our quest for immortality but it quickly reminded me of our mortality. Hence, I shall give life to Life.  Dear Friends, Next to my cooking blog, Before Six Diet , which houses my recipes and some kitchen (mis)adventures, I wished to maintain my Foot and Fire blog which I originally apportioned for my itchy feet and sharp-eyed shots.  However, aside from my travels and travel photos which stand for the word FOOT, I decided to house here my poems and essays which may or may not revolve around travelling but as to other aspects of my daily life that likewise fire me up. Hence, FIRE.   I always wanted this blog to celebrate what I am (a sister, a daughter and a friend) and what I do everyday (from buying curtains to cooking to lawyering) because I love what I do and it gives me some sense of purpose and understanding on what Life is all about and How it should be lived. Given these reasons, I...

Yes, I was able to climb that tower on top! The see the grandeur of the Great Wall of China up close has always been a dream. But it did not come true of course when I get to get closer to the famed wall. First, anyone cannot just be in all entries of the wall at a time and second, the climb was such a challenge for those who have fear of heights. And oh, the third thing is, it was near the end of winter. This point of entry to the Great Wall is Juyungguan, a less known entry than Badaling and Mutianyu. See other entries here.  It was in February this year when we went there so the weather which approaches the end of winter limited our mobility bun not the fun and the opportunity to meditate as to the beauty of the historic landmark which can be seen from the moon. They are going down already... A portrait on top of The Wall. The winter beauty of The Great Wall. Just can't believe it that I was there! The beauty and the grandeur. Here I am!!!! ...

While we were treading the subway heading to the train stations, my friend bought me an English-language newspaper called China Daily which he wanted me to pose with while riding the train. I was just able to read it lately and this February 15, 2012 issue of the paper somehow introduced me to China. *** Obviously (What we have an idea of) 1. It is obvious in the headline that day that China is an economic giant : BEIJING LENDS A HAND TO EUROPE  (Premier offers help but says only eurozone can solve its debt crisis). 2. China is eager to take the lead by giving importance to international relations. 3. Learning foreign languages is a serious business for people in China and its leaders as well. 4. Death penalty for drug makers/traffickers (there is a chinese businesswoman in the news penalized with it) 5.No facebook in China, we know that. Another disappointing news for foreigners already using this service: Sina Weibo which is a twitter-like service required Chine...

By GERLIE M. UY stir-fried beef, green peppers, and vegetables  Just guessing: Tufo in bean sauce Just Guessing: chicken and mushroom in bean sauce must thin slices of pork with cucumber and egg, but loved this sans the pork; they are cooking it with cucumber. chicken in chili oil, i surprisingly loved this. appetizer, a cold jelly in fresh chili-peanut sauce. steamed pork my favorite of them all, what's inside must flat chives with egg Topping my list. Stewed Yang rou (lamb) with Nang (bread)... so love it.   One caution: Watch out how you pee smells after having this... hahahah random photo of street food random photo of street food, scorpions and other bugs... random photo of street food must be fried tufo balls adeptly moved around with chopsticks must taste great than hotel food near to bland experience of hotel food fish I ate at the hotel loved the fresh veges in my tuna sandwish  wow... farthest, the manto is like a pocket where the vendor puts the filling while ...