Great Hakka Food Culture

                                                               Taiwanese Hakka Food Culture

Taiwanese Hakka of Northern Taiwan have one of the riches food cultures on the island of Taiwan. They are famous for their extraordinary market snacks, and original delicacies found throughout the island has made the night market a famous place to eat. From the kitchens of the Hakka people there is an emerging of a whole new cuisine combining the new, and the traditions of the past. Hakka cuisine comes from a small group of people making up little more than ten percent of the population of Taiwan. Historically they originate from China as nomadic peoples who broke off from the south and took small boats over to the remote island of Formosa Taiwan. From this group of people in Northern Taiwan come a whole new kind of cooking, the treats are new, different, and delicious but with the traditions of the past.

The Hakka are quickly becoming known for it's many textures used in their cooking even with recipes dating back hundreds of years. They like to add strong and aromatic ingredients, and enjoy using fragrant herbs and specialty flowers.  These local flowers add fragrance, color, and subtle flavors to their cooking. Hakka cuisine is outwardly simple but incredibly delicious. Their creations are quickly taking a major spot at the Night Markets, and more people are beginning to enjoy the old comfort food of their past. 

They are simple! They are original! They are delicious!

One of the market favorites is a simple Chicken soup. It is prepared in a rich chicken broth. Added into the broth are bites of tender chicken and pork. Plenty of bamboo shoots and seaweed make their way into this traditional soup. It is warming on a cold and windy winter's day. You often see tender breaded tofu cubes close by, and sometimes added into the soup. 

So when you decide to explore the mountains of Hakka country or some of China or Taiwan's night markets keep an eye out for this, and other original dishes from this unique group of people.

Happy Travels,

ExploreTraveler Team

Yosemite's Mariposa Grove - The World's Largest Trees

While hiking Yosemite Valley is fantastic (I'll certainly write something about it soon), if you're in love with big trees there is another place inside Yosemite National Park you can't miss: 'Mariposa Grove' - one of the last stands of Giant Sequoias with about 100 mature specimen. Today, these forests only exist in a narrow stripe along the western slopes of Sierra Nevada mountain range in California. Unfortunately 'Mariposa Grove' is closed down permanently until early spring 2017 for restoration purposes (how do you restore a forest?), so I think you have to stick with this post in the meanwhile :-)

Giant Sequoias are supposed to be the largest living single organisms in terms of volume. They grow for thousands of years and were notoriously threatened by logging. It was intense when a guy approached me on the beach of Los Angeles telling me the story about the unbelievable human devastation of Sequoias and handing me a small Sequoia seed to plant it when back home :-)

So now let's start our quick walkthrough Mariposa Grove. First, some basic information.

Me standing in front of a "small one" upon arrival. Fascinating. Dwarf. 

Colors from a fairytale - who would want to cut them down?

Looks bad? But did you know that these trees have coevolved with occasional fire and that it is even necessary for the seeds to germinate?

A fallen giant - centuries of decomposition begin nourishing new life. 

The 'Grizzly Giant' - the biggest of all in the grove. If that's not enough visit Sequoia National Park - they got the largest in the world. This woman appears so tiny. 

Some are even suited for cars.

Intricate ecosystem isn't it?

Hope you enjoyed is as much as I did. Dying to go back and visit some of another 60 remaining Sequoia Groves. Feel free to ask any questions in the comment section.

First Impressions On The iPhone 7 Plus From A Travel Blogger Perspective

After picking up my iPhone 7 Plus on Saturday morning, I spent the weekend taking photos in a variety of real world situations to test it and share my review on this new phone with you. The iPhone  is considered one of the most popular cameras in world even though is a phone. Many people use the phone’s camera for pictures that are to be used on social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook. One of the beauties of taking pictures with the iPhone is the speed and the convenience.

 I personally prefer to use my iPhone as a camera to avoid carrying a heavy object as it is very practical and easy to use anywhere I travel. After hearing about the new camera of the iPhone 7, I had to get it and upgrade my phone as it is perfect for me! I believe that travel bloggers will love this phone and its camera especially if they were already using the previous versions as it has improved features. Here are some images taken with the iPhone 7 Plus:

The iPhone 7 Plus features a 12 megapixel camera on the rear and 7 mega pixel on the front commonly used for selfies. It also features a f/1.8 aperture that allows more light to make low light pictures cleaner. The Quad LED True Tone flash in this phone is 50% brighter and provides more of a natural light than the harsh light from the previous iPhones. The phone also comes with a 12 megapixel telephoto zoom. The colors are accurate and vibrant from what I noticed on the images I took and has a good dynamic range.  The autofocus improved on this phone as there is less delay in the time it takes to capture a good photo. The digital zoom however takes away from the detail  for macro photos. This is something that still needs some work on. I was reading about the features of the phone and it is said that you can take advantage of the fast lens and take 3 photos on HDR setting  for great shots. Even though the camera is designed to deal well with dark and light objects in the same photo I need admit that Samsung Galaxy S7 still does a better job taking night or low light pictures than the iPhone 7 Plus.  Through telephoto lens, zoomed images are much sharper so I was happy to see this and also that images are less distorted.

Accesories for  iPhone 7 Plus

• 5 Watt Power Adapter
• Quick Start Guide
• Apple Stickers
• Lightning Cable 
• Lightining Connect Ear Pods
• Adapter for traditional Headphones

Overall, I do recommend the iPhone 7 to those who already enjoy talking pictures with a smart phone and like the convenience of it while still obtaining great images. I am not a professional photographer, I am more of an aficionado who loves to take pictures of travels and share them so this works for me! I do love the new features of the phone as well such as the extended battery life, stereo speaker, dust and water resistant, brighter display and 4K video recording to mention a few, but my main focus for this review is the camera, which I do recommend. some people did complain about the removal of the headphone jack, but to me this was not a big deal as the phone comes with the wired headphones plus the adapter in case I want to use the traditional headphones. Overall is a great upgrade from the previous iPhone 6 Plus!  Hope this review is helpful. Thank you 

Why I Want to Leave The US

I’m currently living in Phoenix, Arizona, and I love a lot of things about living here. Some of my closest friends are here, it’s rarely cold, the scenery is beautiful, and there’s never a shortage of things to do. The weather is usually gorgeous and I take advantage of it by mountain biking and hiking on dozens of trails that are just minutes from home. I can drive twenty-five minutes and be on a lake paddleboarding, yet in the winter, a ski resort is just a two-hour drive away. That being said, I think the benefits of leaving the US outweigh those for staying.

Why I Want To Expatriate

Economic Outlook

I steadfastly believe the economic system as we know it is completely unsustainable. With record debts and massive bubbles throughout the economy, the future looks bleak. When the house of cards comes crashing down, it’s doubtful I (or anyone else for that matter) will want to be around.

Entitlement

The feeling of entitlement is a disease that’s spreading like the plague in the US. Record numbers of people are collecting welfare and food stamps. People used to come here seeking freedom and opportunity, now many of them come here looking for handouts instead. Being around people who think they deserve something for nothing is mentally draining. I want to see people with motivation, work ethic, and passion, which I feel is lacking here.

Disassociate from the atrocities of the US government

For years, the US government has had a detestable foreign policy. They go around the world acting like they know what’s best for everyone, and millions have died from their actions, be it sanctions or wars. These people aren’t just numbers either; they were real people, with real families, and real friends, all of whom suffered a tragic loss. I want nothing to do with the government’s abhorrent activities.

Taxes

The US has some of the highest taxes in the world along with an incredibly complex and convoluted 70,000-page tax code. Additionally, every year I spend a week or two sorting through mountains of paperwork to file taxes for my business. It is a total waste of time and resources.

Nationalism

A friend told me he didn’t like Sydney Crosby (professional hockey player). I asked him why and my friend replied: “Because he’s not from the US.” I said Let me get this straight, you don’t like him because he was born on the other side of an arbitrary imaginary line? That is possibly the dumbest reason I have ever heard dislike someone. Similar nationalistic fervor consumes many Americans.

What's next?

The world is a huge place, and I’ve only encountered a small portion of it; I want to explore while I’m still young. To learn new languages, immerse myself in different cultures, and see things from other people’s perspectives. I hope to do things I’ve never done before, see stuff I’ve never seen, and experience things most US residents never will.

After traveling and finding the most enjoyable places, I want to live in a home on the ocean for less than the cost of my apartment in Phoenix. Wake up in the morning, and sit on my patio while a read a book and listen to waves crashing onto the shore. Then head to the market where I buy organic produce from the farmers who harvested them that morning.

Not everything will be “sunshine and roses,” and I will certainly dislike some places I visit. However, you never know what you’ll like until you do it.

Although she wants to travel and explore, my girlfriend @sharingeverybite isn’t fully on the same page. I hope we eventually find a place we both love and can make work. We’re trying to attend Steemfest in Amsterdam, and hopefully, that will be a prelude to many future journeys.

A Journey Through Northern Italy

  I only briefly passed through Italy, so there are fewer pictures here than my last post. Personally, I enjoyed Vienna a lot more than any of the cities in Italy I saw, but these are all definitely worth a visit! So, let's get started.

---

The Canals of Venice

    Venice, of course, is well known for being a water-based merchant city, being built on an island range that was merged together by human intervention. Thus, there isn't much nature in the city, but hey, I found a tree!

---

Flowers In the Windows

    More of the canals, even the "back alleys" are actually water alleys. It's quite fascinating to see, and some of the people still take care of the back sides of their homes, planting flowers in their windowsills.

---

The Grand Canal

    Here's a shot also overlooking the Grand Canal. This is the main canal running through the city, separating some of the districts from each other. The ferry boats actually go along this canal, and they are kind-of like public transit, but with a much, much better view!

---

The Back Alleys

    More of the back alleys. Residents park their boats all over the place, it seems like it would be a bit of a mess to find yours and go, but it's a neat thought compared to using cars -- as there are no cars in the city.

---

Venetian Canal Boats

    These rowing boats are a classic Venetian style, they are actually called "Gondolas". If you have the time to hang around in the city, I'm sure it's worth a ride in one, but they are a bit slow compared to a motor boat...

---

Goodnight Venice

    That was about it for looking around Venice. I spent the whole day walking around the city -- it starts to get tiring after a while! The sun is starting to set in this shot, as I started heading home for the night.

---

Hello Florence

    The next day I was off to Florence. This shot is a classic; a grand view of Florence and the Arno river, from the Piazzale Michaelangelo.

---

Piazzale Michelangelo

     Here's the Statue of David at the Piazzale Michelangelo, which you would see if you turned around from the point of view of the previous image!

---

Housing Style of Florence

    I didn't spend too long downtown in Florence (mostly just for lunch, to get some wonderfully delicious pizza), but here's a quick glimpse at what architecture style of housing they have in the city.

---

Basilica di Santa Maria Novella

    Also downtown, is the Basilica di Santa Maria Novella. This church was being restored on the other side, so I took this shot to cleverly hide the construction behind the trees!

---

The Leaning Tower

    I mean, of course. I was passing through Italy, so I couldn't miss seeing this guy. Caught the Leaning Tower of Pisa just before the sun started to go down, and I think the lighting had a cool effect on the tower here!

---

Out with the Old...

    Almost through Italy, the last big city to pass through on the way to France was Genoa. Another historical merchant city, but the city felt a bit industrial and old in the middle (this is facing towards the center of the city). This old building however had a cool effect, in the windows, you can see the next shot.

---

... And in with the New.

    If you turned around from my last photo, here's what was being reflected in the old building. New apartment developments with a lot of colour, being built into the hillsides, which I thought was absolutely fascinating!

---

---

    That's all for today! For those of you interested: Camera is Sony NEX-7, with a Zeiss 16-70mm lens.

    Click an image to enlarge to the 1920px version! They are, of course, down-sampled from my original copies, we can chat if you're interested in any full quality versions. As always, these are my original photos, and I maintain the copyright.

     I will keep posting picture stories! Next up, will be the continuation of this trip, into France, so don't miss out!

---

A quick note: Steemfest?

    Revisiting this trip, and selecting and editing these pictures, has made me oh-so-desire to see Europe again. I originally thought I wouldn't be able to go to due to previous obligations, but it actually is possible now -- so I feel like if I get sufficient monetary support for me posting my previous trip to Europe, I will be able to justify flying to literally the opposite side of the world for only three days. :)

    So, should I go?

A steemian's world food journal: Nha Trang (Vietnam) Part 1

Hello everybody,
Last night I had a call with my best friend, we’ve known each other for almost ten years when studying in Sydney. After getting married, we both left our hometowns to follow our life partner. And now I’m living in Germany and she’s living in Nha Trang – a coastal city in Southern Vietnam. Talking to her reminds me of our unforgetable trip in Nha Trang last summer, and I think to myselft that why can I not blogging about Nha Trang, with all the amazing food that we had eaten ?

It’s hard for us to meet up and on a beautiful day I told her that I booked flight ticket to Nha Trang to visit her. You know what? She was so happy that she danced all day long LOLLLL. Her husband at once called me and said “My wife loves you more than me!”. Both of us think that TRAVEL always goes with FOOD, which explains why we ate a lot of food in this trip. Let’s see our stunning food journey in this coastal city!

View of Nha Trang from my hotel

Like heaven on earth – blue sea, white sand and...

AWESOME and FRESH SEAFOOD
Nha Trang is famous for its amazing beaches and there are no doubt that the seafood here is abundant and fresh too. There are some kinds of fish that you’ve never seen before. I bet that Nha Trang’s seafood is the best in Vietnam, with a surprisingly cheap price.

Jelly Fish Salad ($2)
This is Jelly Fish Salad. Trust me! You’ll fall in love with this dish. It includes green mango, onion, carrot, basil leaves, chilli, smashed roasted peanuts and the most important ingredient – jelly fish. Coupling with all these ingredients is sweet and sour fish sauce results in a lovely taste that will awake your stomach.

Sea urchin (uni) sashimi for only $1.5
You can find a lot of sea urchins (uni) in Nha Trang with very cheap price. You can order grilled uni, uni sashimi or fried uni with eggs.

Hey! Look at this photo! Can you guess what it is? It is red-spotted grouper sashimi, which is often served in luxurious seafood restaurant and the price is rather expensive. However, it’s easy to eat red-spotted grouper with reasonable cost in Nha Trang.

This is my favorite dish – Grilled Abalone with scallions. Grilling on a charcoal stove is one of the most delicious ways of eating abalones because it remains fresh, light and sweet flavor.

This fish is “Ca Bo Hom”, so sad that I don’t know its English name but I swear the fish meat is extremely tasty. The locals tell me that it’s not easy to get this species of fish everyday! How lucky I am . To get the best taste you have to keep fish scales to grill on charcoal. Let’s remove scales and enjoy it with rice wrappers and vegetables and dip it into sour and sweet fish sauce ^^

Roasted Crab with Tamarind Sauce

Steamed Squid

Seafood heaven in Nha Trang

Varieties of clams and snails

I feel something missing here, let me think over. Maybe it’s lobster. Right, I haven’t mentioned lobster in this post. If you are a big fan of lobster, Nha Trang is exactly a MUST-VISIT city for you.

Steamed lobsters
Lobsters are everywhere – seafood stalls, food street vendors, luxurious restaurants.

Grilled lobsters

Are you scared of snails? If not, you can stop by this stall in Ngo Duc Ke street, most of the dishes are snails with very cheap price: 1$/dish for any kinds of snails.

The snails here are cooked in different ways, for instance stirring, steaming and grilling, and they all taste incredible. The special part is the sauces. There are various types of sauces here: tamarine with garlic, butter garlic, and also chilli. People use the sauces to stirr the snails. I just love this way of eating snails, it would be a big mistake ignoring snail dishes when you are in Nha Trang.

I think I should stop here since it is 11pm at my place, and looking at these pictures makes me so hungry. Okay okay I should really stop before it is to late, eating at this time will definitely help you to gain weight lol. Thank you for reading and I will come back soon with the next part about Nha Trang <3<3<3

PS: All photos are taken by myself, do you think I’m good enough to be a food photographer?