“Do you see that out there?
The strange, unfamiliar light?
It's called the sun.
Let's go get us a little.”
― Nora Roberts,
The Hollow
There are days where I am just amazed at the beauty of light and how it falls perfectly through leaves, and this was one of them. This place is one of my favorites because you step in and everywhere you go, you are shaded by a canopy that lets in the most gorgeous light, no matter what time it is. This day was spent for exploration and just soaking in soft, morning light while surrounded by tall trees and winding pathways.
I got to enjoy the pretty little things again, with great conversation thrown in. Our location scouting turned out to be the mini-portrait session that we had talked about a year before, but this one was totally unplanned. Still, it turned out great. Conversations with Ann just flow, whether we're in a cafe or walking through a mini-forest and stopping to marvel at yellow berries. We even reached a point when we both realized that a three-hour coffee chat is often far from enough, since we usually last well into the night, even if we met up for lunch! It's probably because she's one of those people who is tuned in to the same wavelength as I am, and we prefer quiet talks over loud, group conversations. But the laughters are always easy to hear! It's always a wonderful time when you can take pictures and laugh with such heart. Plus the light! The light was beautiful that day, soft, glowing and fresh.
If you want to go to a place where it's quiet, beautiful and peaceful, you might want to visit Father Tropa's Zoo. It's one of my favorite places because the light is just so beautiful, even when the sun is shining its hardest! The place stays cool, you can hear the sound of birds and the rustling of the leaves, and if you're lucky, you get to see leaves turn yellow, brown and even red. Plus, the animals there could really use your donations. :)
“Do you see that out there? The strange, unfamiliar light? It's called the sun.
Let's go get us a little.”
― Nora Roberts
The Hollow
I love working freelance. I think it's the only job I know, and it's not by accident. When I was younger I had this vision of myself with a wooden house by the beach with a large, wide balcony, a dozen or so dogs, and an open living room with my office in the corner, where I had the perfect light and view of the beach. Isn't that just the life??? And although I don't live in a beach house (not yet, anyway!!!) I do love just waking up and walking to the next room and firing up the day while having my morning coffee. It beats having to dress up and show up for the boss any day!
However, there is on
“Do we really want to travel in hermetically sealed popemobiles through the rural provinces of France, Mexico and the Far East, eating only in Hard Rock Cafes and McDonalds? Or do we want to eat without fear, tearing into the local stew, the humble taqueria's mystery meat, the sincerely offered gift of a lightly grilled fish head? I know what I want. I want it all. I want to try everything once.”
― Anthony Bourdain,
Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly
So there's this really small noodle shop just around the corner from where we live in Chongqing and it serves the best spicy beef noodle soup! The meat is soft, the noodles firm and it is the right amount of spicy. This place is where I really learned how to eat noodles with chopsticks. For the longest time, I have shied away from learning how to use chopsticks because I thought I can live with dishes that do not require eating with them, but that was all before I tasted their noodles.
The place is fairly small, with just about six or seven tables and there's only one person behind the counter. She takes your order and prepares it in the kitchen. But the service is fast and the noodles are always done right when she serves them. Gaaah, my mouth is watering just thinking about them! This shop is one example of local eats that make this place really interesting to be in. There's a McDonalds, a few Western style bakeshops and even a Seven Eleven nearby, but after some time, you get bored with fastfood (and it makes you sick!) and you want to try out what the locals are having. For those who want a tamer version of Chongqing's hot and spicy fare, a visit to this small noodle shop is a must.
travel, travel, travel, travel, travel, travel, travel, travel, travel,
