WALK TO THE EDGE

Domo arigato and the latest science...

2012-10-18T22:14:00.001+09:00

Alas, once again this year my best vegan MoFo blogging intentions are being thwarted. In addition to final exams this month, I've also been completing the Korean work visa process. And I'd no sooner written my last exam (yay!) when

I had to take a last-minute trip to Japan. Not complaining mind you. I'd never been to Japan, despite living right next door for over a year. Though I didn't find time to blog while there, I did of course gather photographic evidence of my adventures. Here are the highlights.

Very first taste sensation: grilled avocado. GREAT idea!

Sake, sake, sake, as far as the eye can see...

Yuba chips. Lovin' Japanese cuisine!

Fresh roasted chestnuts at the Nishiki market in Kyoto

And oodles & oodles of noodles.

I ate A LOT of noodles.

Aside from the eating & drinking, the sites & sounds of Japan were delightful too. Particularly Kyoto, which felt a little surreal in it's order and peacefulness. And, perhaps most important of all, I left after 4 days with my Korean work visa in-hand!

In other recent news, check out this study published last month about the link between egg consumption and heart disease. This is seriously damning evidence against the wisdom of ever eating eggs. I think many egg-eaters will be inclined to respond to this news with results from other studies claiming the health benefits of consuming the eggs of other species. It seems we're constantly bombarded with conflicting evidence about the health hazards or advantages of eating some food or another. This newest study is an excellent example of the importance of actually questioning the source of that "evidence". This study was conducted by three renowned medical researchers. And those studies touting the advantages of eggs? Generally sponsored by the egg industry. Kathy Freston spells it all out beautifully here. The quick version: Who are you going to believe? Scientists in "business" to research and protect human health? Or "scientists" in business to protect the egg industry? As always I would say, do what you want -just don't force your eggs on me. But if you are going to choose to consume eggs, let's just call it what it really is. Eat them because you like the taste; but let's not pretend it's because studies show it's medically a good idea; because the valid research reveals that just ain't so.

The End is Near...

2012-10-07T21:35:00.001+09:00

I haven't really fallen off the Vegan MoFo blogging wagon already; I swear. But I'm in the final countdown for final exams, so all other (read as: more fun) activities have to take a back seat until it's all over on Tuesday. That said, in between pulling my hair out over
uncompensated demand curves and economic incentive policy instruments, I do still have to eat. And while I haven't had time to post about said noshing, I have been keep photographic evidence. So, until I've got a little more expendable time for waxing poetic, here are some pix of this weekend's eats.

To celebrate completion of exam #1 on Friday afternoon C & I went for lunch in Itaewon, to Wang Thai. Have heard plenty about it but had never tried it ourselves. It was super awesome, can't wait to return.

Spring roll appetizer and celebration glass of wine.

Oh green curry… Let me count the ways...

C's red curry was awesome too, spicy with tons of veggies.

One advantage of being in exam-prep-hell: you get dinner prepared for you! C's study-break dinner tonight, veggie macaroni topped with Daiya vegan cheese, AND cheese toasts. Carb-a-rific! I'm quite certain this aided my study efforts this evening. That, and the smelly Hello Kitty highlighters.

2012-10-02T20:39:00.000+09:00

Happy Vegan MoFo again! Seems like I was just blogging about this, can't believe it's already been a year. Maybe it's just because I haven't actually written that much since last October -I'm not so hot at this blogging thing. Really, I don't know if it's for me. But, I'm going to give it another try for MoFo anyway, seems as good a time as any, and I love talkin' about all things vegan.

For more MoFo info, I highly recommend checking out their site, they've posted a TON of terrific links. Many MoFo bloggers make up themes for the month and there are some great ones this year, including all-things-Canadian, and Buffy-themed vegan eats! (Those who know me know the latter will be where I'm loitering this month.)

For my own contribution, though I missed posting yesterday (surprise, surprise), I do have pictures of the awesome feast I partook of last night, in our discovery of yet another Arabic restaurant here in Incheon. Actually, this one is Arabic/Indian, and it was delish. The owners are Jordanian, so you know the mutabbel was divine, and the veggie curry wasn't half bad either.

Falafel, mutabbel, biryani rice & taboulleh

Curry and naan. The serving dishes reminded us of living in the middle east.

Though I'm in the midst of final-exam-hell, I'm oddly keen on experimenting with new recipes lately (some call it procrastination -I prefer study therapy). Made a scramble with the new Vegg last weekend, but I screwed up the proportions and it was a total flop so I shall speak of it no more. Tonight however, I whipped up a delightful corn salad sandwich, adapted just slightly from Vegan Stoner's recipe, which was a total win.

In other, only slightly related news, C & I spotted this in Gyeongridan last weekend, just opened up.

They do have a "veggie poutine", though of course it's not vegan (vegan cheese cannot be had in Korea ☹). But they sell Canada Dry!

Stay tuned… persimmon season in Korea is nigh!

Happy Canada Day

2012-07-02T11:21:00.000+09:00

Happy Canada's 145th birthday to all! Hope you had some friends, flags and fireworks to celebrate July 1 today. I celebrated by
waking up for the first time in my cabin on Lake Manitou. Yesterday was moving day, we now officially live in our cabin for the summer(s). We've been working towards this for the past 2 years so it's a pretty big day. There's still plenty of work to be done, in some ways we're still "camping" (solar panels & water pump not hooked up yet, so no lights or water in the house). But the fridge (wine), stove (coffee), bbq (veggie burgers) and toilet (well, you know…) work. And we've got wifi! In the middle of the woods! On an island in the middle of freakin' Lake Huron! Life is good. So, finally, here are a couple pix.

Reunited. Two of my favourite things: my Jeep and the lake.

Moving day!

My astoundingly comfy king size bed: Which I bought 6 years ago with the first paycheque from my awesome UofC job: then 9 months later put into storage when I moved across the planet.

View from the our bedroom.

Last night we sat by the water and did this for a couple hours.

Let me know if you're in the neighbourhood, there's room for company ☺

Rainy Mac'N Cheese Day

2012-06-28T12:47:00.000+09:00

Rain today, good day for homework, of which I did plenty. Fought with
Google Docs (now Google Drive), learned about Jing and practiced Voice Thread. And, key to all this, successfully tested the new wifi hub at the cabin. We now have internet at the lake!

Puttered about sorting "stuff" for moving in; C dismantled the bbq. But since the re-mantling was not forthcoming, I left to go make dinner elsewhere. Limited veggies in the fridge and my personal summer cheese consumption goals led to baked Mac'N Cheese tonight. It sure is too bad that C wasn't home to share.

Is it wrong to eat the entire thing myself?

Seriously, this was so good.

Tomorrow we're headed back into Sudbury overnight, but I will post some lake pix. I've taken them already, just not downloaded. In the meantime, cheesy dreams...

Island Time

2012-06-26T12:37:00.000+09:00

Yesterday was a travel day, from Alberta to Ontario, and although it all went perfectly smooth, I did not manage to photograph any of it. But, since my
photo-a-day summer project has been more like 2-photos-a-day, I think it's all balancing out in the end. Today was a day of chores, rewarded at the end by finally arriving on Manitoulin Island. We were welcomed by big skies over big water.

Setting sun, Manitoulin style.

As further reward, my presence online this minute confirms that our new wifi hub does indeed provide internet in this former deadzone. I love my nature getaway; but I also love my world wide web. And some of us still have homework to complete all summer.

Hope to post more island pix tomorrow. In the meantime, the following are for all my Korea expat friends. I swear I'm not bragging, but I know you can relate to my excitement over avocados & watermelon at Costco today.

Same Costco bag of five: half the price

These are more like ⅓ the price!

Last Day

2012-06-24T17:14:00.003+09:00

Rainy last day in Calgary, but that didn't slow me down any. The vast majority of the day was spent on
17th Ave downtown. C & I took the roommate for lunch to Coup, the greatest vegan-friendly restaurant in town, then moseyed on over the The Ship for an afternoon cocktail and some Euro football. Enroute, we discovered this

Poutine, eh!

The food outlet isn't new, but the vegan poutine listed on the menu is.

Greatest. Food. Combination. Ever.

Usually I have to wait until Toronto for vegan poutine. Yeah Calgary!

Also went for dinner and a movie with a dear friend, and can give 2 thumbs up to Snow White & The Huntsman. With the exception of the last 30 seconds of the film, it was a great retelling this Brothers Grimm fairy tail.

This trip "home" has been one of the best. Admittedly, I wasn't able to squeeze in all the visits I hoped; really I never can. But the time spent walking my old streets and visiting with dearly missed family and friends has lifted my spirits and fed my soul. It is wonderful to be reminded that the time apart does not matter, it is the time together that makes all the difference. I am so truly grateful for the amazing people in my life.

Friday!

2012-06-23T15:18:00.000+09:00

Today was jam-packed; marked by lots of visiting and the discovery that
Canada has finally relaxed it's commi mobile phone regulations. For a nominal fee, I can apparently FINALLY buy a Canada sim card to use in my overseas phone, without signing over my soul for 3 years. I also reunited with my dear friend and former student from Doha, who is now living and studying at UofC in Calgary.

Afrah and I catching up after 2 years

And, for dinner: barbequed portobello mushrooms with vegan havarti cheese melted on top. Summer vacation day 3 = 2 thumbs up.

Cure For Jet Lag

2012-06-22T14:17:00.001+09:00

Day 1 of summer holidays (which is actually 48 hours in) always brings jet lag. Which I really don't mind so much. Waking up at silly o'clock
makes me feel like I'm getting more out of my day. And I do love napping. So really it's win-win. Today I used my longer day to eat! C & I headed out for coffee around 6am, then went for an epic walk around my old 'hood. By 7:30 we were jonesin' for breakfast. We stopped at Galaxy Diner, which is an institution here in Calgary, and dined with the on-the-way-to-work crowd. While their menu isn't exactly vegan-friendly, I ordered a combination of sides for a very generous death-by-carbs breakfast.

Did I mention they serve bottomless hashbrowns!?!

Later, I made my first-of-the-summer trip to the grocery store; specifically Community Natural Foods downtown. Since I'm only in town for 4 days before I have to pack everything onto a plane again, I just picked up the necessities: almond milk, yogurt and cheese.

The cheese didn't make the photo… because I was eating it!

I have missed yogurt SO much since moving to Korea. I've tried to make it myself a few times, with very little success. I plan to consume unholy amounts of it this summer while I'm home. The soy stuff is everywhere and pretty good, but the best are the almond and coconut milk varieties.

After napping, we took in some of the Sled Island Music Festival taking place right now in town. Slates, my cousins punk rock band, was playing at Palomino's.

My uber-talented cousin the drummer.

After the show we went to eat! This time we went to Glory of India for… you guessed it, Indian food. While Glory has long been one of my favourites, C & I both agreed that our Indian feast at Moti Mahal last summer still takes first place. We'll try some place new next year.

Tomorrow I have another full day of visiting and errands planned. And probably lots of eating too; but I'll try to post pix of something else!

Summer 2012

2012-06-21T20:41:00.000+09:00

In an effort to not suck so much at this whole blogging thing, I've decided to attempt a picture-a-day from my summer vacation this year. While an already jam-packed vacation may not seem like the best time to add a blogging commitment, I am
nonetheless going to give it a try. I'm not promising poetic waxing; but, at the very least, a photo representing something about the day. I think I can manage that much.

I actually have 2 pix to post today (a fortuitous beginning)! Vacation started with our flight being delayed by almost 2 hours. We made the most of it in the lounge.

I really must get better at this self portrait thing

First stop this summer is my hometown Calgary for 4 days. Seeing the mountains always means I'm almost home.

Somewhere between (and over) Vancouver & Calgary

Stay tuned for some likely food pix… I have big plans for vegan cheese & ice cream this summer.

Big Fun In The Big City

2011-11-18T15:07:00.000+09:00

With a 3 week break in Korean classes, I have a little extra time on my hands right now. So two weekends ago I headed into Seoul for a little market shopping. Shopping is everywhere in Korea, but the markets in Seoul are the best. Everything is available, and the prices are so much better than Songdo where I live, out in the burbs. I'd been meaning to get back to Bangsan Baking Market, and
it was also time to explore the fabric market, with the arrival my new toy.

After what seemed like forever (and A LOT of help from a native Korean), my new sewing machine finally made it through customs. I've always wanted a Brother (lol), and this one is quite computerized, very hi-tech! So, off the the market I went…

The metro stop outside the baking & fabric markets has the most wonderful little fruit & veggie stand.

Even though it meant hauling them all the way back to Songdo, I couldn't resist the cherry tomatoes.

Enroute to Bangsan, one also passes Gwangjang Market food alley. And if "one" is me, then you also go in, just to look...

But of course, that never happens. One look at all those nokdu bindatteok (mung bean pancakes) and fried tofu, and I'm sitting down for a snack.

Nokdu bindatteok, fried tofu, potato & zucchini.

Of course I couldn't finish it all, so I ordered take-away and the rest went into my backpack with the tomatoes, for the journey home.

After a quick spin through the baking market, where I found the baking pan I was looking for (and resisted the Hello Kitty ice cube tray that I wasn't looking for), I finally arrived at fabric shoppers paradise.

The rows of fabric go on for blocks.

If you can't find the trim you're looking for here, I would like to propose that it doesn't exist!

Quite possibly the best part of the entire excursion, however, was being able to conduct most of my business in Korean. Mercifully the words for wool, cotton and polyester are the same as English. I successfully purchased fabric for 2 dresses with matching lining. Next visit, the home decor section.

On a slightly unrelated, yet no-less important note, I found out that, despite earlier suspicions, Koreans truly do understand veganism. Maybe better than anyone else. Turns out the literal translation for "I'm a vegan" (전 철저한 채식주의자예요) is "ideal-" or "perfect-vegetarian". Nice!

MoFo Day 31, Happy Hallowe'en!

2011-10-31T21:56:00.000+09:00

Holy last day of Vegan MoFo! I can't believe it's the end of October. Partly because the weather is still so lovely here. But mostly because I meant to post so much more during the month, and now it's gone! Nonetheless, while I haven't been posting, I've still been
keeping busy, and a few exciting things have recently happened. To start, my first iherb.com order arrived last week. Before anyone gets too excited, no-it's not THAT kind of herb store… They bill themselves as "natural products & more". Of course, "natural" on a label means nothing these days. But they are largely organic, and carry tons of vegan essentials. I started with a few things I cannot find anywhere in Korea. Except the PB: that is readily available here, but I hadn't tried the Earth Balance version yet. I've already placed my next order!

Looks like soup & cookies this fall!

So the other night we were itchin' for a new dinner experience, and I suggested a Korean buffet a friend recently suggested. I usually don't care to buffet: so often I'm relegated to the salad section, & honestly I'm just not physically capable of eating enough food to make it worth the hefty price tag anyway. But, I'd been told there were plenty of veg*n options, and we're still into trying any & every-thing new here. Imagine my surprise when we arrived to discover it was a seafood buffet! Of course, CW was delighted, and since it was my suggestion in the first place, we stayed. I am now officially the best vegan fiance ever.

As it turned out, I fared quite well, for a seafood buffet anyway. While I don't generally care to dine around that much dead animal, I did enjoy some awesome vegan options.

SEEfood buffet

Clockwise from the top: Silken tofu in sesame soy sauce; mashed sweet potato with raisins and slivered almonds; roasted garlic and gingko berries; bamboo steamed rice; and tofu pockets stuffed with glass noodles. YUM.

My fascination with autumn here continues. Even though it's NOVEMBER TOMORROW(!), there's still no snow and the colour of the trees is unreal. This one looked like it was on fire:

Speaking of nature and beauty, here's what vegetarian Albert Einstein had to say:

"Our task must be to free ourselves...by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty."

Happy Hallowe'en!

Catching Up, MoFo Day 17

2011-10-17T17:50:00.001+09:00

Good grief: internet went down for a couple days, then I just plain procrastinated. Now there's so much to catch up on!

I'll start by saying that for me, personally, Vegan MoFo is going just fantabulously! In large part because
I'm getting better at ordering food in Korean. Which means I can ask for the vegan versions of dishes, instead of just picking out the dead animals. So I'm feeling quite clever about all that, and enjoying eating out here even more. For example, this is my new favourite, Soondubu:

Specifically, this is Bean Sprout Bibimbap Soondubu. Which means, rice with bean sprouts (red bowl) and a sizzling bowl of spicy tofu stew (black bowl). And, of course, all the banchans (side dishes) that come with every Korean meal (little white dishes). I LOVE soondubu, and, I LOVE that I can now order it without beef, seafood or egg!

Today was another triumph, though not of the food-ordering kind. Today I finally baked cookies in my convection all-the-buttons-are-in-Korean oven. And… complete success! Just to up the ante, I even used a recipe I've never tried before. I localized it a little though, on account of the ingredients available here. So I've renamed them Spicy Korean Chocolate Cookies.

Hello dinner!

I did make more than just 6. I actually made this many:

There would've been a few more, but I taste-tested quite a bit of cookie dough during the process. Another joy of vegan cooking: you can safely eat the raw dough!

Finally purchased a bottle opener, so we can return the one we "borrowed" from the school 3 months ago. I know that no one who works there follows this blog, so I can confess that here. Feels good to get that off my conscience, though I will also confess that I bought the opener primarily because of the packaging.

Note the fine print on the label:

My thoughts exactly…??

I continue to think that, once my Korean improves, I should seek employment in marketing as a translator here. Or, maybe that would spoil some of the fun. In the meantime… Stay in the wine!

The translations may be off, but one thing they really get right here is Autumn. I took these on my run Saturday morning.

October 15th, and there are still flowers in bloom! That might seem ordinary to some, but to this Calgary-girl, not so much.

I'll end with a quote from vegetarian, Thomas Edison.

"Non-violence leads to the highest ethics, which is the goal of all evolution. Until we stop harming all other living beings, we are still savages."

MoFo Day 9

2011-10-09T22:33:00.001+09:00

Today's quote comes from vegetarian Albert Schweitzer; a Nobel prize winner and remarkably accomplished human being. Though there's no evidence Schweitzer was a vegan, he expressed a reverence for all life, as detailed in his prize-winning work, The Ethics of Reverence for Life. The German title, Ehrfurcht vor dem Leben" translates literally to, "To be in awe of the mystery of life". I think that's really nice.

""Until he extends the circle of compassion to all livings things, Man will not himself find peace."
--Albert Schweitzer

Tomorrow… gobble gobble.

MoFo Day 8 and the Best Translation Ever.

2011-10-08T22:41:00.000+09:00

I am constantly flattered by the Korean's faith in me to learn their language. Sadly, I disappoint, as my vocabulary is still painfully small. But my Charades skills are top notch and, combined with their broken English, we always manage. But I am no match for the linguistic genius of Google Translate.
I finally stopped at the plant shop for some greenery. It's just a small beginning, but already the flat feels more lived in. Here's what I've got so far:

The selection was great, as were the prices and, after wrapping each one, the salesgal attempted to provide me some caretaking instructions. Upon realizing my vocab did not include the finer points of horticulture, she turned to her computer for translation. I was promptly informed that the little ones (the cacti) would "make a prayer for water once each month" ☺

Even more promising, we came up this sign in the parkade the other night.

Who knew? It's here, in South Korea!

In order to compensate for missing the first week of Vegan MoFo, I've decided to also post some of my favourite words of wisdom on the topic, in addition to just posting about AWESOME VEGAN FOOD. Today's quote is taken from Eating Animals, by Jonathan Safran Foer. http://www.eatinganimals.com/site/book/

The book was a gift from one of my students last year. It was actually recommended summer reading for students at Yale, where she would be attending in the fall. I really enjoyed the author's style, which I felt was very accessible to any reader; not only those already familiar with the subject. He approached the topic with an open mind, not one already certain of the outcome. Ultimately, rather than conclusions of should vs. shouldn't, Foer focused on the question of compassion, and invites the reader to answer for themselves, because compassion is a choice. His ideas mirror my own feelings about veganism, which is not simply an opinion about right vs. wrong, and it's certainly not just a diet. It's about deliberate consideration of actions that impact all aspects of being.

"But compassion is a muscle that gets stronger with use, and the regular exercise of choosing kindness over cruelty would change us".

On a yummy note, tonight we went for Japanese and polished off this plate of delightful deep-fried goodness. (I said yummy, not necessarily good for you…!)

Get a load of the size of those mushrooms on top!

MoFo

2011-10-07T11:18:00.002+09:00

Wow! Sure did fall off the update-your-blog wagon. Well, not forgotten, just gone for a little bit, but I'm still here. And, just in time for VeganMoFo. Well, I'm a week late for that, too, I guess, but, better late than…

What IS VeganMoFo you ask??? The idea is,
for the month of October, to blog as much as possible about vegan food. Ergo: Vegan Month of Food. For more info see http://www.veganmofo.com/about-3/ . So I've missed the first week, plus a million other things I've been meaning to post, but I'm doubly determined to make up for it. Not that I intend this to be a vegan foodie blog. There are far too many great ones already out there to compete with (see the "Blogs I Know" in the right hand column). Just a small sampling of my love of all-things-vegan for the rest of the month, in addition to the usual notes from around.

Autumn in Incheon

I've heard so many Koreans say that autumn is the best time of year in Korea and, so far, I have to agree. It's pretty freakin' fantastic. Perfect temperature, lovely scenery, and the produce section is brimming with beautiful bounty, and great prices. This week, it's persimmon season!

Persimmon? Sharon Fruit? Kaki???

I LOVE persimmons. I discovered them when I lived in Prague in 2005; but the ones I bought once back home in Canada never tasted as good. And they really didn't taste good in the Gulf. But Korean persimmons are fantastic. And rightfully so: apparently Korea is the world's second highest persimmon-producing country! Who knew? I picked up the lovely bunch shown above for 2 bucks at my corner grocer. I won't be regaling you with recipe ideas though. I just pull off the stem, slice 'em into wedges, and gobble them up. I imagine they'd go nicely into my morning smoothie, but they always seem to go directly from the cutting board into my mouth instead. That said, as pumpkin puree is a little hard to come by in these parts, I may try my hand at this persimmon pudding for Thanksgiving dessert http://thatpainintheassvegan.blogspot.com/2009/10/fall-aint-fall-without-persimmon.html. Stay tuned…

Oh, and in Korean they are called: 홍시 [hong-si]. Here is a cool afternoon sky, seen on my way to Korean class a few weeks ago.

Selamat Datang di Bali

2011-08-20T23:15:00.000+09:00

After only a quick 24 hours in Kuta, Bali, I feel qualified to say that, Kuta is krazy! True to all the guidebooks and stories, this is "where the party is". The beach is beautiful, and
the live acoustic set at the hotel bar last night was awesome. But, the road upon road of cheap tourist crap-bars-KFC-hotels-McDonald's-Polo stores(???) just didn't feel… authentic to me. Of course, that's totally ethnocentric of me, and tourism is Kuta's culture. I guess I'm just eager for a little more... tradition, a little less Starbucks.

Beautiful sand, sky & surf on Kuta Beach

This evening I relocated to Ubud. Having now driven from Kuta to Ubud, I no longer think that the driving in Kuwait is crazy. The driving in Kuta is krazy! All the way through to about Batubulan actually, the traffic is unreal. My driver assured me there are very few accidents, which is good fortune for all the scooters and motorbikes on the road. But in Ubud, it's peaceful. The only traffic going on outside my room is the cricket & frog chorus. While I'm hoping the mosquito nets surrounding the beds don't mean there's going to be heavy mosquito traffic tonight, it's quaint nonetheless. I'm surrounded by rice fields, no golden arches in sight. Apparently there's a traditional batik class I can take on Monday.

I did spot these 2 today. Don't know what they're advertising, but they're cute and I like their message.

Raining Again...

2011-08-14T18:25:00.000+09:00

Today was a stay-inside-all-day day, it's raining again. I'm not complaining. After 4 years in the Gulf desert, I'm a pretty big fan of rain. Though, I believe the locals are a little sick of it, it's been raining for 2 months. But it makes for some cool
pictures:

Where did the rest of the buildings go???

This is only half the building!

Rainy days make for good relaxation. Who says you always have to be going somewhere and doing something? On today's relaxed list:

Coffee with my love
Extended yoga session
Extensive internet surfing

The latter offered several wonderful discoveries:

http://www.onegreenplanet.org/lifestyle/understanding-neocarnism/

I love these ideas. Not just because they're vegan, but because they challenge me as a vegan to be more compassionate to those with ideas different than my own. Aren't we all just trying to survive, best we can?

http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2011/08/12/science-fanged-frogs-evans.html

I love nature, and that she still has so much to show us. I also love how you can see the baby tadpoles inside the eggs!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z19zFlPah-o

Some people are SO talented (and clearly dedicated). I never get tired of being inspired by the amazing Danny MacAskill.

Oh, and here's a picture of the rest of the NEATT building and 1st World Towers, across beautiful Central Park, on a sunny day!

Northeast Asia Trade Tower

Let's try this again...

2011-08-13T17:59:00.000+09:00

Settling into my new home in Incheon, S. Korea seems like as good a time as any to make a renewed attempt at blogging. And, as a f/t student once again, I have a little more disposable time for such hobbies. So, to start, here's one of the views from our amazing 15th floor flat. This is the
empty grassland across the street from our building.

Apparently they'll build on it some day, but right now we're enjoying the green space, and so are many local urban farmers.

Upon closer inspection, one can see this isn't a neglected field of weeds. Edibles are planted, in neat rows, and growing like mad!

I think this is SO cool. Folks just show up, shovel in hand, and claim a space of their own. Everyone lives in highrises here, so garden space like this is truly a luxury. I wish this happened everywhere, and governments encouraged citizens to take farming, and greening, into their own hands. Koreans are cool.

And then the rains came...

2008-01-18T14:50:00.000+09:00

It will amuse several of you to know that it is freakin' freezing now in Doha. In a million years I would've never believed it could get this cold in the middle of a desert. I was warned but did not believe it. Now, I am the proud owner of 2 space heaters and am actively seeking more, as it is not enough to heat my oversized, un-insulated villa.

Winter in Qatar means rain. It reminds me of Vancouver; only with palm trees and more oil. Interestingly, though there are elaborate ceremonies to pray for rain in December, they are remarkably ill-prepared for it when it comes. The sun did come out again yesterday though. And while I've conceded defeat and started wearing my jacket, until there is snow I refuse to put on socks.

I'm not making this stuff up!

2007-12-04T01:35:00.000+09:00

Well this is certainly the first time I've seen this! I passed this guy on my way to work this morning, almost drove off the road reaching for my camera. I know: this isn't so different from the trailers carrying cows, horses and chickens I've seen on Canadian highways all my life... But seriously! This is a camel! Anyway, easily the funniest thing I've seen all week.

2007-07-08T01:20:00.000+09:00

Vegan in Paradise

Just in time for the First Annual Al Zahoor Vegan Stampede Breakfast, I found the vegetarian/vegan section at the MegaMart this weekend. Insignificant to some, but this really was the jackpot. I found things I can’t buy in Canada, and things I’ve never even seen before. I even bought Hemp. In Qatar. Oh, and chocolate covered Sesame Snacks. Why didn’t I think of that?

And as if this wasn’t enough, I even found a c’boy hat on my way outta the mall. Happy Stampede.

I believe this photo speaks for itself

2007-07-07T04:44:00.001+09:00

Sheika Angela

2007-06-25T00:55:00.000+09:00

At long last (actually, only 3 weeks) my RP has arrived. I am officially a number in Qatar: I am a resident. This enables various other perks, like a driver’s license, car lease, liquor license, and exit visas. I’m looking very forward to the freedom this brings, but mostly I think I’m enjoying the permanence of it all. I’ve been here 7 ½ weeks now and feel so at home, I can’t imagine a time when I didn’t live here.

RIP

2007-06-04T02:09:00.000+09:00

It's a sad day at villa #15. Today we lost Gibson. He passed away peacefully in the kitchen - where we first met 2 weeks ago. There was a small burial in the garden out front. Guess it's time to get a cat.
On a more amusing note, Turkey Curling got a 2-page pictorial in the Qatar Tribune today. That's right: for the 2nd time in under a month, I've made the paper. Bizarre. I also got my VOIP phone today, which is very exciting. It'd be even more exciting if Q-tel would come hook up my internet, so I could use said phone. So close...