Minneapolis

I was very fortunate to reconnect with an old high school friend and attend her wedding in Minneapolis last month. Only a week before the terrible disaster that overcame the city with the bridge collapse, I walked the streets of Minneapolis and St. Paul, crossed the Mississippi waters and delighted in the past-times these two cities afford the newcomers on a warm summer's day. I cannot speak for the cold winters, when the many sky-walks, or bridges that connect one building or block to another, afford pedestrians some manner of protection from the -40 degree Celsius temperatures. However, on a sunny July day Minneapolis is a real treat, and a non-publicised little treasure.

Being the outdoorsy girl I am, I quickly signed up for the kayaking in one of the numerous lakes dotting Minneapolis. I loved the way they were connected by canals, giving my hesitant Mother and I - she feared I would tip the kayak - a chance to enjoy different atmospheres and touches of light over the water. We even left our kayaks on the sandy banks of one lake for a well-deserved and very refreshing dip. Who would have known, all the way up near Canada, eh!?

The Scandinavian influence in the city is notorious and evident in the many tributes to art and architecture. The bride and groom had organised a tour of the 'twin cities' and we thoroughly enjoyed guessing the price or imagining ourselves living in one of the many extraordinary mansions lining the shores of the lakes. No matter how grand the house, it is not hidden behind dark gates or thick hedges but lies open to view. In Minneapolis in particular, the shores of the lakes have been kept public purposely so that everyone can enjoy their own piece of nature. Many a cyclist or skater passed us as we approached the Mississippi river banks to see the ruins of the very famous mills, like Pillsbury or General Mills, that brought money to this city at the turn of the century. These are now being turned into trendy apartments or else recovered and turned into exhibition halls or museums of the city's heritage. Despite not being a big fan of Picasso, I thoroughly enjoyed the exhibition at the Walker Museum. It showed some works of Picasso that inspired similar art by his group of followers, and of course displayed the works of these 'other' artists who so fervently admired and based their style on this icon. Aside from the exhibition though, I must mention the awesome array of cool gift ideas available in the museum store (worth a visit on its own)! Of course, the terrace restaurant run by renowned chef Wolfgang Puk is also worth a visit alone for a mouthwatering, Asian-inspired lunch at very affordable prices, sun-drenched views of the city and the sheer pleasure of being served by very friendly staff who know what they're doing and know the menu inside-out. A couple of other buildings stand out in my memory for their appearance, style and the way in which they blend strikingly well with their surroundings. For those of you who have been to Bilbao, the Weisman Art Center building will remind you of Bilbao's Guggenheim Museum, as it was drawn up by the same architect, Frank Gehry. The other one, the Minneapolis Guthrie Theatre, is an astounding tribute to the arts, with more than 3 stages, a staggering history of award winning performances and a fascinating addition to the neighbouring old factory skyline. Here are some pictures.

And, well, you know me. No place misses a 'Teba' culinary review. In this case, we were lucky enough to feast on the quirky Hell's Kitchen's breakfast a couple of mornings. Highlights? Their toasted sausage bread - made with bison meat, spices, dried fruits and coffee - was one of those things I had to try, only to be able to comprehend what the ingredient list would taste like in my mouth. It was, indeed, a winner especially when accompanied by spoonfuls of the house chutneys and jams, which put any farmhouse preserve to shame. Their bison burger was scrumptious and although I craved a bowl of their famous Mahnomin porridge, made with native harvested wild rice, I ran out of time so there's another great reason to return!

Here are some websites for those of you who want more info on what's mentioned above:

http://www.hellskitcheninc.com/HellsKitchenMenuBreakfast.html
http://www.weisman.umn.edu
http://www.walkerart.org/index.wac
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=337753

I dedicate this entry to all those living in Minneapolis who have suffered a loss in the terrible bridge collapse last month.

Fresh Buko

Growing up, I never liked coconut; mind you, I grew up in the mountains of Spain so I could hardly taste the real thing. It was either dessicated flakes placed on cakes or desserts attempting to imitate the flavour, in a sickeningly sweet way.

My first encounter with fresh coconut was at the kidney cleanse I did in Chiang Mai. I was becoming delirious after days of no eating and drinking mostly parsely juice, when the staff brought out a dripping cold glass. It had near freezing fresh coconut water with slabs of fresh coconut floating inside. I remember feeling bliss as I put it to my mouth but then again, I was starving and delirious so anything seemingly sweet and fleshy would've felt like heaven anyway, right?

Well, my full fledged love affair and veneration of fresh coconut has happened in Siargao. The coconut trees grow all around and so, when we want a fresh one, Romeo, who works here, climbs up and picks them off from underneath the tall palms! Now I understand why the trees have these step-looking cut slabs in the trunk. They are young, smooth and green on the outside. (I learn the hairy brown ones just mean they're old). They are filled with water and the meat is smooth and delicate - sometimes like a thin film. And so we grab a knife and slice the top off. Water spurts out and we collect the overflow in a bowl to chill for later. And with a special knife we cut the insides in circles to make fresh spaghetti-looking shapes. As I look out onto the clear waters before me, and the mangroves surrounding the house, I eat fresh coconut, or buko, as it is known here. Breakfast, dessert, snack ... it is a pure and healthy indulgence I feel I cannot live without now. How lucky to be able to drink nature's juice as it was intended.

Xiushui Market, bargains and anecdotes

We spent the best part of our last 3 days in Xiushui market - a covered building with 5 floors full of stalls selling everything from shoes, to silk PJ's, to Louis Vuitton bags to Custo shirts to North Face Ski gear & luggage...the list is endless. Most everything is a knock-off and the law of the land is "haggle, haggle, haggle!"....so we did! Maica has become the world's best negotiator. She had a whole system going, with some very funny set phrases she soon realised did the trick to get her silk robes reduced from 1800 RMB (180 euros) down to 125 RMB (12.5 euros!!!) Incredible. I have to say the fact that my bag was packed to the rim and that I am traveling for 3 months was a shopping buzz killer, otherwise I would've ended up with half the market packed in various suitcases. This is the only place we could actually make ourselves understood. We shopped to the anxious cries of sales girls, most under 18, enticing you to their stall via comments such as "Hola amiga, balato balato for you amiga. You very sexy amiga...very nice". Ha!!! I got my butt felt up by various women on various occasions and Maica had a girl literally pulling her top up to take a good look at her boobs!!! It was pretty funny. They were soo cute and they spoke so many different languages that one couldn't help but feel comfy around them.

The Chinese are the most industrious people I have ever known. They work non stop all day, every day. And EVERYONE works...men AND women, unlike some other countries I've visited. I believe there must be at least one restaurant and one clothing shop for every 5 people in this city. You're spoiled for choice. The fun starts when you land yourself in a place where the staff not only speak ONLY Mandarin, but where the menu is all Chinese characters. Take the mandarin phrase book out, attempt to pronounce and see what happens: usually, a look of "what on earth did you just say?". However, the Chinese people we've come across are REALLY patient and very eager to help. So eventually, you end up getting more or less what you thought you'd asked for ... well most times.

So, here are some anecdotes about things that have surprised us. Aside from how friendly and hard working they are, the Chinese love to advertise everything in large, colourful banners, and always have red lanterns outside their stores/restaurants, without exception. They drive like mad and the car is king, so even if you are on a bike and it's your turn to cross, beware of the left turn drivers who ignore their light completely. We did find however that it was OK to drive against traffic on the bike lane. Nobody says anything, not even the police. Little kids are super cute. We did find some of them with a rather peculiar attire: a pant outfit that had a slit right up the butt. I wonder whether it is to allow them to pee more comfortably? I don't see a lot of diapers around here and this is, after all, a more natural and eco-friendly way to potty train. Public toilets ... ah, the public toilets!! Hey, at least they're everywhere, especially in the 'hutongs' or traditional neighbourhoods, so we gathered it was because there were none within the households. Your average toilet is a squat toilet; not much of a surprise after my trip to India 2 years ago. And, I've been told squatting is the body's natural way of , ahem, 'releasing' , if you know what I mean, so all good. We taped a hilarious video one night when Maica got stuck in one of these. Anyway, thanks to the sage advice of my Mother and my friend Heather, the wet wipes have come with me everywhere. Whereas in India at least there was a faucet handy, here, there is just the hole... looking straight at ya! Wipes: I cannot think of a better invention for the modern day traveler! I went to the Temple of Heaven Park today and saw a choir of Chinese men and women singing traditional song in the middle of the afternoon on a very cold but sunny November day. They were surrounded by 50+ men and women playing chess, cards and other board games. There was a whole section beside one of the paths that recommended healthy lifestyle through a series of large banners spanning about 500m length. I don't read Chinese but the pictures were quite telling. Eat healthy, cut down on wine & cigarettes, run or walk daily, etc. We also get to see staff in restaurants and other places doing jumping jacks on the side walk, early in the morning and dressed with their uniforms. At the end of the day, the staff eat from the restaurant leftovers. We were privy to one such event in Datong. They all brought their tin pots and chopsticks out, gathered en masse around a huge table and picked from their favourite dish.

Anyway, my taxi is here to take me to the airport. I fly out to Kunming tonight and will be staying at the Camellia Hotel: Mom: here's the number> +86 0871 316 3000 Many kisses to all. Will write more soon.