When we were landing in Kuala Lumpur, our plane was flying low enough for me to make out some distinctive features.
Something I had seen before, in Chile as well as South Africa.Light coloured pits, surrounded by multiple, irregularly shaped rings around them.Some of them even have water in the bottom.Some kind of mine, perhaps.Of course, these are tin mines, possibly abandoned already.
There are also many many neatly lined up little blobs.As the plane depends, I can see they are kind of green. Trees.Palm trees.These are the famous palm plantations!
What about those square?Fish and shrimp farms.
Out destination was Taylor’s University, where we ran a Teacher Development Course on Service-Learning for their teachers.Their campus surrounds a lake, hence it is called the Lakeside campus.The lake is not big, but very deep.Of course, it used to be a mine!
Each and every one of these features tell us something about the history of Malaysia. This is the fourth time I have visited Malaysia.Except the one time I went to Penang with my family, every time I came, it is for service-learning.Every time I came, I learn something new about Malaysia.Fascinating.
One day, while we were in Kyoto, we went looking for a breakfast place recommended to us, Lorima Kyoto.Like many eating establishments in Japan, this is not a very big place.We had brunch.
My set has grilled fish, sashimi, many types of vegetables, sweet potato, soup, rice, and many things I cannot name.I also tasted rice with grilled corn which is one of their signature.The food comes in small portions, like a lot of Japanese cuisine.But there were enough small portions to make a full meal.The food was really colourful, attractive, and tasty.An excellent way to start a day.That was also the day we visited Higashi-Hongan-ji, the Buddhist temple that sent a monk-spy to Tibet towards the end of the Qing Dynasty - the second Japanese to visit Tibet.Everywhere in Japan, there is history to discover.
Grilled eel with rice is popular in Hong Kong. In Kyoto, near Kiyomizu-dera, we chanced upon a place that specialised in grilled eel.In Hong Kong, the grilled eel is often overpowered by a heavy dose of thick, dark, sweet soy source.Here that source is applied lightly, to enhance the flavour rather than disguise it. The eel is slightly crunchy on the outside but tender inside. really good.
In fact, one can order grilled eel without source applied to it.One can taste the original taste of the eel, and then apply a variety of source as you like.As we walked out, we can watch the chef grilling the eel delicately.Food in Japan is both a meal and a performance.
At a omakase place, we got to eat a number of things we have never had before. Among them angler fish and its liver.Particularly the liver.It reminded me of goose liver, or foie gras.But this is raw, and more delicate, in my opinion.
There was Kawaga beef, olive-fed Wagyu beef.Among the best beef I have ever had.Because 2 of the guests did not show up, we got to have seconds.I now wonder whether those were from Hong Kong. Because I heard something similar have happened with some tourists from Hong Kong - not showing up without cancelling properly.
The meal finished with tow kinds of rice.One with Japanese white radish, and another with succulent oysters, lots of them. We were given the leftover rice to take home.Imagine, rice with oyster for breakfast!We felt spoiled. I think we have to come back.
One of the greatest pleasures in Japan, if not the greatest, is the food, of course.
On our first evening in Osaka, for our very first meal on this trip, we went for grilled beef. Really good wagu beef.The tongue was surprisingly tender.
The meat was even better, more flavourful, rich and juicy. That was a great start, on a cold, wet, windy evening.
The following morning, we strolled through a walking street, eating interesting snacks along the way.We had a plate of very tempting puffer fish sashimi.Of course, puffer fish can be dangerous, and people have died eating puffer fish.We are also told that, when prepared properly, it is quite safe.Indeed I have had it a number of times before, and survived.At one point, I had swallowed puffer fish skin rolled inside out, with the scaled outside of the skin thus wrapped inside. And survived. We survived this time as well.
A few minutes later, we encountered a live puffer fish inside a water tank. It turned to look at me.As if it knew that I just ate his cousin.
A day later we took the Shinkansen (bullet train) to Hiroshima.We went there to pay our respects at the Atomic Bomb Memorial.We also ate some of the famous oysters. I have to confess they do not taste much different from oysters from elsewhere.But it was something that we kind of have to do in Hiroshima.
We watched a show of the making of the shintenchi. It was basically fried noodles with vegetables, eggs, some seafood, pork, spices and sources.But the process of stir frying all the ingredients on a flat hot plate is educational, and fun.
Most impressive was that a multi-storey building was filled with dozens of eating places all serving shintenchi.
Eating in Japan is certainly educational, entertaining, and satisfying adventure.
On a cold winter morning, in blistering wind, we were walking north from Kyoto Train Station looking for a place for brunch, when we spotted a big temple from across the street.
It turned out to be Higashi Hongan-ji.I did not recognise the English name. But the Chinese/Kanji name 東本願寺 sounded familiar.Why was that?Where have I read/heard it before?
It turned out to be a book I read recently as part of my study on Tibet.[藏蒙旅行記] by 寺本婉雅 (Engo Teramoto).
He was the second Japanese person who went to Tibet in 1899, towards the end of the Qing Dynasty. He was a Buddhist monk from Higashi Hongan-ji (東本願寺)!He went to Tibet to learn about Tibetan Buddhism. He wanted to connect Tibetan Buddhism with Japanese Buddhism, specifically with the Hongan-ji Branch of Buddhism.
At the same time, he was spying China, particularly Tibet for the Japanese military. In particular, in those days, Tibet was seeking support from Russia and the British, in its defence against domination from the Chinese.He wanted to orient Tibet towards Japanese instead, through Buddhism.All in the vision of the expansion of Japanese power, militarily, politically as well as culturally.
With this as background, we went inside.The main hall was dedicated to the Founder.
The architecture is exquisite in architecture and workmanship. In subdued dark colours.Awe inspiring.
Inside the cavernous main hall, it was, of courses, very quiet. The environment very conducive to self-reflection.This temple is not among the most popular tourist attraction.Few people are here.And those few are all very respectful.
While a slightly smaller Hall, to the left (south) of the main hall, is dedicated to Amida Buddha. Also known as Amitabha (阿彌陀佛), very popular in China.
I wish I could look through their archives, to see if I can find more about Engo Teramoto, and his excursions to China/Tibet.And any other connections between Japan and China.I do not know the Japanese language.But I believe I can understand part of the literature, because of the extensive use of Kanji (Chinese characters).
The link between Japan and China is not a surprise.But this specific link between Japan and Tibet, the book, and Engo Teramoto is all very fascinating.A very pleasant surprise on this trip to Kyoto.
The bamboo forest (also called Sagano Bamboo Forest 嵯峨野竹林) is rather pale grey-green, rather than bright or dark green.Since this is deep winter.
But very pleasing and enjoyable nevertheless.
When we visited, it was a cold and wet morning. Then snow started to fall. An hour later, the sun came out.At one point, snow was flying in my face while the sun was shining.It was exhilarating.
There were, as always, a lot of visitors, just like other attractions around Kyoto.There are, fortunately, many interesting places covering a big area.
There is the bamboo forest, many temples, a river, an old railway track, dams, shops, …
If one is willing to walk a bit, one can reach the upper reaches of the river, and be rewarded by quiet and tranquility, surrounded by great scenery. Imagine living in small houses on the river, among the bamboo and tall trees, with few neighbours, if any.
Some people come in what seem like kimonos. But not all who wear kimonos are Japanese. Many are foreigners, speaking Putonghua, Cantonese, English, and more.
.jpeg)
