Tuesday, March 15, 2022

Virtual Mainland China: Xinjiang


 

 
 
Today we begin here.

The Province of 

Xinjiang

(pronounced shin-jong)

It is located in the far NW of China.
 
Close to Central Asia.

The province is huge.

620,000 square miles.

About 25 million people call it home.
 
Its borders are mountainous.
 

You are here.
 
The land is filled with mountains
meadows
grassland
rivers and lakes
and even a couple of deserts.


Crossing China's Largest Desert

https://youtu.be/L8hP9XSQEHk


Drone View

https://youtu.be/xM_2_MrMblA

The desert name of Taklimaken translates to "...you can get into it but you can never get out..."

Yeah...that's comforting.

You will note that the sands here are not reddish or brown...but more of a golden yellow.

This made up part of the ancient Silk Road.

And there are Silk Road Tours.

https://youtu.be/HGFUO13AOLk

https://youtu.be/LowP8zYHDYA

Frying an Egg in the Heat

https://youtu.be/ikGbY7IRwaI

The people here are known as Xiyu and are composed of many nationalities and religions. 

Buddhist and Sunni Muslim are the most prevalent.

Next time we will explore some of the Temples and Mosques.

Until then...



 

Sunday, March 13, 2022

The War...Mr.& Mrs. Mahomes...and More


 

 

Nothing says "BADASS" like Ukrainian soldiers playing chess/checkers with Molotov Cocktails at a check-point.

This is Day 18 of the Russian Invasion of Ukraine.

Putin thought 72 hours at most.

After that was over he upped it to 15 days.

Now it is Day 18...Zelenskyy is still President and has balls of steel...Kyiv is still standing...

My morning routine is

Feed the Cat.

Check on Zelenskyy

Cup of Coffee


Oh and the Ruble is less than 1/2 cent.

The Russian Stock Exchange is STILL closed...to prevent collapse.

It seems EVERYONE has strong sanctions against Russia.

Ports and airspace are closed to them.


Bang up job, so far, Vlad.

 

The loss of life ((both sides) has been appalling. Even Journalists.

The shelling has destroyed hospitals and schools and some whole towns.

and a cat story has emerged.

                                              "I have seen some shit, Dad."

I did not get the name of this grey and white survivor.

The man pictured above lost his daughter, son-in-law, wife and mother-in-law together in an instant as the mortar strike flattened his home. 

The only survivor his cat...which he found outside.

Both of them just look traumatized. 

Slavia Ukraini!


 

Uplifting News this weekend...Patrick and Brittney are now Mr.& Mrs. Mahomes.

Married on Hawaii...with his brother as the best man and family and teammates and friends present.

Finally finished Obama's book on Friday.

It was wonderful...and expectedly verbose.

Interesting to read his inner thoughts as his climb to the top progressed.

Impossible not to hear his cadenced voice while reading it.

Having read this and Michelle's Becoming Michelle some time back...I must admit I enjoyed her book better...but this is still very good and worth the read.

 

Sofi is back to normal after her heat.

 

"I LOVE Everybody...."

                                 Sofi


I made a HUGE mistake in the midst of it all...with a smart-assed joke that backfired spectacularly.

I looked up Tom Cats yowling on You-Tube...because you know they had to be there.

Needless to say she thought her Prince had come.

It was just horrific. Took hours to settle her down.

Take it from me...not worth the three minute laugh.

 Not even close.


 "Lovin' my new house, Mom!"

                                                Gadget









 

Hope everyone had a great weekend!


Thursday, March 10, 2022

Virtual China: Overview- The Mainland

 


Next week we will begin Mainland China.

The People's Republic of China covers 3,700,000 square miles and is home to almost 1 and a half billion people.

The country is divided into 23 Provinces....which we will explore this year. Seeing the unique things each has to offer and sampling cuisine from all of them.

China has officially been The People's Republic of China and under the Chinese Communist Party since 1949 after their Civil War.

There are many religious practices here...the main language is Mandarin and the writing is Simple Chinese characters as opposed to traditional.

We will spend the rest of the year exploring all China has to offer...seeing the sights and wildlife...mountains and rivers...people and religions and languages...and of course, The Great Wall.

Come Along!





Tuesday, March 8, 2022

Virtual China: Finishing Taiwan

 

 

And my Tea Egg II

The marbling effect finally worked...but it is still rubbery and disgusting.

Today we will finish Taiwan...not with the omnipresent neon city-scape...but instead part of Old Town...and some much needed green-space.

First up...Old Town.

Juifen...just outside of Taipei harkens back to a time this was all under Japanese Rule.

https://youtu.be/sD72M6q4eF0]

https://youtu.be/YnTvFrcgUNY'

Walking Tour

https://youtu.be/V0gokBNbLBQ

https://youtu.be/3qJy-1XdqjY

The last video showing what a beautiful island Taiwan really is...and the third video a lot claustrophobic even for me...just too narrow streets and alleyways with way way too many people.


and the famous A-mei Tea House.


Tea House and Night Walk

https://youtu.be/b1n7jJDw8EQ

onward to the best National Park of Taiwan

Taroko
 

The park covers 355 square miles encompassing Taroko Gorge.

It has everything for everyone...from the glitz and gloss of neon and amusement park rides...to breath-taking scenery from suspension bridges...

and even caves and caverns.

Tour

https://youtu.be/POimlO9u0ts

(best video...if you only watch one...watch this)

 

Next time we will do an overview of the Mainland.

Until then...


 








Saturday, March 5, 2022

March...Gardening...Betty White's Final Book & More


 

The 60's and 70's have arrived and Spring is just around the corner!

Trimmed my nails back and spent the first day of digging in the soil, yesterday planting pre-chilled bulbs that arrived this week.

More to come...and these will eventually look like this...


Soooo nice to feel the soil in my hands again!

And the garden shoppe already has the seed racks out.


The Cookbook has arrived.

It is amazing. Has traditional recipes from all 23 provinces...ingredients to buy...and a bonus section of some of the herbs I can grow myself to prepare these dishes!

I LOVE my new cleaver...but have a healthy respect for it.

...maybe even a little fear...

It is the sharpest (biggest) knife I have ever used in the kitchen.

Cuts through everything as if it was butter...this includes meat and bones.

I don't know what I have done without it.

Next week we will finish Taiwan and start Mainland China.

...and see if my second attempt at a Tea Egg works...

Still having an adventure of self-discovery (and re-discovery) with the Sixty & Me Group. 

One day was all about exploring what we used to love/be interested in (our passion) before life got in the way.

Jobs.

Husbands.

Kids.

The day-to-day stuff...

I found while examining this, things that I loved, that I had literally forgotten or set aside for years.

...not any more...

There was an entire day devoted to independent lives after 60.

Also keeping up with current trends and events...Seated Yoga and Tai Chi to keep flexible.

...I even understand NFT now...though I don't see myself creating my own...

I've probably kept up a little obsessively with the on-going Invasion of Ukraine this week...now at 10 days...

Honestly, I have never seen people with the indomitable spirit of the Ukrainians.

...and have had a few laughs, too...

Today's Best

Russian troops who were taking an elevator to the roof of a building to secure a position.

Ukrainians cut power to it while they were inside.

(...I am dying over here...)

The look on his face says it all!

"I told you guys we needed to  take the stairs..."


 

And maybe my favorite joke from the conflict so far:


An elderly Russian man goes to a corner stand daily, and buys the newspaper.

For three days straight he looks at the front page...curses in Russian and tosses the paper in a nearby rubbish bin.

The fourth day this happens, the paper seller cannot contain himself and asks what the old man  could possibly be looking for...

"An Obituary" replies the old fellow.

"Those aren't on the front page...they're inside." the vendor explains.

With a gleam in his eye...the old man chuckles

"This ONE will be."

 

This Week's Book:


 




 


The Final Memoir by Betty White.

And it was everything I thought it would be, and more.

Finished it yesterday sitting outside on the patio with fresh air and a glass of sweet tea after tucking my bulbs in.

I think an unexpected pleasure was hearing her voice as I read.

She was funny, witty, engaging throughout.

This is a must read!

Also finished the 8 episodes of Jack Reacher from Amazon.


Having seen Tom Cruise in this role earlier...and being more than a little dissatisfied-

...Cruise is too small to play Reacher...


Alan Ritchson is perfect.

The instance when he flexes and removes the plastic tie-cuffs was just great!

This is one series you won't want to miss.

Can't wait for Season II.

Amazon has confirmed one, but will not reveal the release date yet.

We will be there.

...thanks for turning me onto this, love...

And last, but not least...our furry kids.


"I think she is talking about us!"

                                               Sofi


"Go 'way...I'm napping."

                             Gadget


"Dad finally finished building the new house Mom got for me...I supervised."

                                                                                                    Gadget

"Hey...I think I'm going to LIKE this!"

                                                        Gadget



"Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz"

Have a WONDERFUL Weekend!

 

 






















Friday, March 4, 2022

Invasion of Ukraine...

 

Day 9...

The above bit of missile shrapnel found outside the Presidential home with a quip by Zelenskyy

"Missed Me!"

He has survived 3 assassination attempts this week, and continues to fight alongside his troops. 

Total badass.

And (it seems) so are the average Ukrainian people.


 

Moving a live landmine without removing the cigarette from your mouth.

Stealing tanks with tractors.

And maybe my personal favorite-

Grandmas making Molotov Cocktails...or as they are called here

"Ukrainian Smoothies" 

I have to admit I have been inordinately fascinated by this 72 hour blitzkrieg of Putin's that is now entering its ninth day...

Following The Kyiv Independent closer than some Ukrainians do.

And, like Burgess' A Clockwork Orange (where he used pidgen Russian in the book...which you could read and understand by the ending) 

Using translation with the Kyiv articles is very similar.

In addition to my base couple of words

(basically Nyet and Da)

Now I recognize

Slavia Ukraini

as Glory to Ukraine

Putin Khuylo

(...Putin is a dickhead...)

And this one...

"Путин, пошёл на хуй"

Translating roughly to Putin, Go Fuck Yourself.

Who said the Internet isn't educational??? 

Anyway...it is Day Nine. Zelenskyy has achieved a hero status...not only here, but throughout the world. The President has balls of steel and his people would follow him through hell...and are.

The Sanctions seem to be working...as are the seizures of assets.

Yachts and Personal Jets.

Volkswagen, IKEA, AirBNB, Nike, Panasonic, Microsoft and others are removing their businesses from Russia. 

Airspace and flights and ports are being closed to them.

The Ruble has went under 1 cent on the USD...and the Russian Stock Market has lost >50% of its value now.

At this point Vlad is in a no-win situation.

Even if his troops manage to eventually take Ukraine...the sanctions and economic collapse of Russia will persist.

Already there is a run on the Russian Banks much like the USA in The Great Depression.

I have to believe watching what is happening to Russia is the catalyst for this morning's announcement by Belarus that they will not be joining Russian Forces...and will stay neutral...a reversal from several days ago.

We will see how this plays out.

Putin calls this the Denazification of Ukraine.

It is beyond me to understand why he thinks children in orphanages, kindergartens, playing ball in the street, et al have anything to do with Nazis.


 

Besides he bombed a famous Anti-Nazi Holocaust site here.

WTF???

 

Slavia Ukraini  



 





Handling Looters Ukrainian-Style