Lessons from the Road: It’s All About Attitude

 


This article was published first in Travel Awaits on Oct. 13, 2019. It was republished in this blog on March 26, 2021. I have updated it today. 

 
Franklin D. Roosevelt once said: “I think we consider too much the good luck of the early bird and not enough the bad luck of the early worm.” Yes, unfortunately, luck has two sides to it. For travelers who put themselves in foreign or new lands and in the middle of many unfamiliar activities, luck comes into play many more times than normal. Sometimes a travel day turns out good. Sometimes it turns out bad. How do we navigate such differing situations?

You Can’t Control Everything

One of the worst days of our life happened in 2018. My husband and I were at Washington Dulles International Airport in Washington DC to board a flight bound for London where we were to catch a connecting flight to Ljubljana, Slovenia. Our tickets had been bought at the unbelievably discounted price of US$250 per person but we ended up paying more than ten times that, even after the refund.

While we were en route from Phoenix, our airline Primera declared bankruptcy. All its flights were immediately canceled. Understandably, I was terribly upset. And you don’t want to be near me when I am! But my husband said, “It’s just money.” When we arrived in London, he immediately looked for an English pub at the airport. The Scottish/Irish fellow delighted in a classic English breakfast he had been missing. Clearly, he had already put everything behind him.

Don’t Be Stymied. Go Ahead with Your Travel Plans

Without hesitation, we went ahead with our travel plans because the Slovenia trip could not be postponed. It was dependent on the schedule of our two hosts whom we met on the road in the Philippines a few years earlier. In fact, we hosted them in the US two years later.

The apartments they had reserved for us were fully booked before and after our visit. Our room at her B&B was at the foot of the Ljubljana Castle, in front of the huge daily farmer’s market in Old Ljubljana. In Bled, his apartment was right on the famous lake with postcard scenes from the balcony. We couldn’t have asked for more. And it was a reunion of great friends. Our week in Slovenia was priceless, even if it cost us $3,000.

Be Easy on Yourself: You Are Allowed to Make Mistakes

From our base in Innsbruck the following week, we wanted to explore more of Austria. We decided to take the four-hour train ride to Vienna, stay overnight, then stop at Salzburg, midway on the way back, the next day. At the Hauptbahnhof, I got a brochure from the ticket counters while Bill bought a bottle of water at the store. Mixed signals gave us almost zero time left when we finally found each other again. That’s how we got on the wrong train, the one going in the other direction. Instead of Vienna, we found ourselves in Munich.

In short, we got to Vienna mid-afternoon instead of before lunch as we had planned.  I was so stressed. And you don’t want to be near me when I am! Dear husband said, “Charge it to experience; we’re allowed to make mistakes.” We made it to St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the Mozart House, the Opera House, Karlskirche, the Hofburg Palace, and the Museum Quartier, missing only Schonbrunn Palace from our Vienna bucket list.

But we had to “run” from place to place. It was great that they were so close to each other. We even ended the day with dinner complete with sacher torte at a Viennese Coffee House. We preferred to go to the Hotel Sacher for the original but, as luck would have it, they have an outlet in Innsbruck, Café Sacher. 

There Are Many Good People on the Road

Our next base was Oberstaufen, Germany. This is where bad luck started to turn into good luck. After one of our long day trips, we missed the shuttle bus back to our resort. Tired and hungry, I must have looked so desperate when I found out the next one was an hour away. And you should not be near me when my tummy grumbles!

Without being asked, a German couple, who were also waiting at the station, rounded each of the stops, reading each poster (all of them were in German), and looking for an available alternative for us. They didn’t find any, but it didn’t matter. With the gesture, I totally forgot I was hungry.

The following day, we decided to look at Hotel Ludwig with its two rows of unique windows in Steibus, a village close to Oberstaufen.  It turned out that the couple we met were staying at their vacation condo right in front of the RV campground we found next to the Hotel. They invited us in for drinks.

The interesting thing was the man spoke very little English and my husband spoke very little German, so the wives were gesticulating a lot. Before we parted, they extended us an invitation to visit them at their home in Uberlinger, Germany.

The day before we left for France, we found the chance. At their deck overlooking the legendary Bodensee Lake, we enjoyed a typical German lunch. Then we toured the resort city which was hardly touched during WWII because of treaties. An hour of hunger was such a small price to pay for this GOOD LUCK in capital letters.

Let the Good Times Roll

“When it rains, it pours” had turned into “Let the good times roll.”  Bad luck turns into good luck, sometimes as quickly as it comes. And when our hearts fill with gratitude for the good luck, more of it happens!

In Paris, France we were even gifted with a fabulous upgrade from a studio to a one-bedroom apartment. For one romantic week, this elegant Parisian home was the base for many of our day trips to the highlights of Paris. In Brussels the following week, we didn’t expect to add another level to our travel experiences. I was always just for sightseeing. But in this Belgian capital, I turned into a food tripper: beef carbonnade, moules frites, fondues, waffles, chocolates, and beer.

What matters most, and what we can control, is how we react to others, things, and situations.  When bad luck strikes, we should quickly pick up the lesson and move on. And when good luck happens, we should give free rein to express our gratitude. It also helps to travel with people who remain positive. As you can see, I am blessed to have the best traveling companion...and husband.

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TRAVEL AWAITS: 7 Delicious Dishes That Taste Better In Their Native Country

The original article was published in TravelAwaits on Sept. 25, 2022.

Travel usually means marveling at spectacular sceneries. But many of us stepped up to a new level in our journeys when we noticed how food tastes so much better in its country of origin. That they are is quite understandable because outside, the exact ingredients may not be readily available, or the recipes have been modified to cater to local tastes. So, for those who truly love good food—we don’t have to be gourmets or the next Anthony Bourdain—we have to travel to taste the real thing.

Hainanese Chicken Rice

Singapore and Malaysia

This is one of my all-time favorite dishes. I discovered it in Singapore at Hyatt Regency Hotel (now Grand Hyatt Singapore) in the early 1990s, when I was still traveling the world for corporate work. Reports are that the hotel chefs have perfected the recipe over the past thirty years and that it is where they now have the best Hainanese Chicken Rice in the world.

Originating from Hainan in southern China, immigrants brought the dish with them wherever they eventually settled. So the dish is also widely available, for just a song, in hawkers’ centers. In fact, it has become Singapore’s unofficial national dish and Malaysia has also adopted it as a culinary staple.

It’s full of flavor and healthy, especially when served with sliced cucumbers and steamed bok choy. I have a poor man’s version, remaining true to three key secrets: poaching the chicken slowly at low temperature, cooking the rice with the poaching broth, and using the poaching broth as the base for the three sauces (garlicky, sweetened soy, and spicy).

Pro-Tip: The KL International Airport 2 has a branch of the well-known Malaysian chain “The Chicken Rice Shop” that is built around the dish. Don’t miss it on a layover!

Spanish Paella con Chorizo

Spain 

On a week in the Andalusian region of Spain, we took day trips to the historic Alhambra and Generalife in Granada and the Plaza de Espana, the Alcazar, and the Catedral in Seville. But we were based in Malaga right on the beautiful Costa del Sol, relishing the beach and the sun, and building fancy sandcastles for hours.

Every waterfront restaurant was peddling its version of the world-famous Spanish Paella. My husband fell in love with the dish, so I had to learn how to make it! I discovered that the secret ingredients are: 1) Spanish chorizo sausage, 2) expensive authentic saffron, and 3) special short-grain rice. They were cooking them in plain view. I saw that the chorizo slices were first fried to release its savory oil which is then used to cook the rice together with the sauteed garlic, onions, tomatoes, and bell pepper. Lastly, chicken or seafood previously fried with the same oil is used to decorate the top. I have found a special kiosk to buy good Spanish chorizos in Phoenix, use either cheaper imitation saffron or substitute with turmeric, and source the rice (paella, arborio or sushi) from the grocery. Bless my husband. Even if what I make is passable and not the real thing, he loves it.

Pro-Tip: Never use another type of chorizo, especially not the Mexican version. Mexican cuisine is very different from Spanish.

Desserts with Just a Hint of Sweetness

Slovenia

We hosted two friends we met in the island of Palawan in the Philippines in the US and they returned the favor by hostingd us in Slovenia. Our girlfriend’s family owned an Airbnb property at the foot of the castle in the Old Town of the capital Ljubljana. The National Slovenian Cuisine Restaurant was a tenant on the ground floor; we stayed in a unit on the upper floor. At a dinner she hosted there, we had Slovenian sausages paired with special buckeye wheat dumplings. But what we loved best was the prekmurska gibanica,  a layered pastry filled with poppy seeds, cottage cheese, walnuts, apples, and cream. It had just the hint of sweetness we needed. This dessert experience was repeated in beautiful Lake Bled where our other friend had a waterfront condo unit where we stayed. He was also proud of kremna rezina, the famous Bled cream cake, another such kind of pastry.

The secret to Slovenian cuisine is that very little sugar or salt is added. They depend on the natural sweetness or salinity of the ingredients. In fact, every Slovenian house has a small garden where they plant their favorite vegetables and fruits. Water comes from crystalline sources, aplenty in the green country.

Pro-Tip: Usually, dishes have no names at authentic restaurants. Instead, menus list all the ingredients used in a dish.

Vegetable Tempura

Japan

My husband and I are in our 70s, and we have committed to eating as healthy as possible; vegetables are now center stage for us. It is generally believed that Japanese cuisine is one of the reasons for long lives in Japan. Thus, we try to serve delicious and healthy Japanese dishes at home, also a good way to reminisce about the awesome places we have visited in the beautiful country.

One of my favorites is tempura. I always order it at Japanese restaurants because it has this light and soft breading that’s difficult to replicate. The dish usually consists of seafood, meat, and vegetables that have been coated and deep-fried to perfection. It was introduced by the Portuguese (who had settled in Nagasaki and introduced their fritter-cooking technique of the 16th century). The name comes from the Latin phrase quatuor anni tempora, historically the Ember Days, when no meat is supposed to be consumed. Thus, tempura must really have originated as a vegetable dish. And that’s how I choose to make it—from sweet potato, carrots, broccoli, eggplant, and onions. Here’s my humble version.

Pro-Tip: I can now make it at home, almost like the way they make it in Japan, with this tempura batter mix from Amazon because it is always out of stock at the grocery where I shop. Use the air-fryer for a healthier version!

The Belgian Waffle

Belgium

We were hugely impressed by the absolute grandeur of Grand Place (it was awesome to be among the glittering old buildings) and the Atomium was a spectacle to behold in Brussels, Belgium. But what struck us most was how food is celebrated on every corner with Belgian culinary specialties. Beer and chocolates can be easily packaged to reach our homes in their original distinct flavors.

But you have to celebrate Belgian waffles in Belgium. I am a waffles (instead of pancakes) girl; it has a better texture. But our waffle maker at home makes the traditional kind, much thinner. At first, we had a tough time deciding which waffle place to enter and which ones to order. But soon we learned to choose the least sinful. The waffle itself is a treasure, made with a yeasted batter that makes it extra light and fluffy yet crisp on the outside. Baking powder and/or baking soda have been used of late but it’s better the original way. Larger than regular waffles, they are made in a special iron with a deeper grid pattern and finished with crunchy sugar. Choose to load up with healthy toppings.

Pro-Tip: If you are in Belgium, don’t forget to sample moules-frites or fried mussels. I do not normally eat them, but this dish I do!

Cornish Pasty

England

When we are in England, my husband usually looks for Cornish pasties. I soon learned how different they are from meat pies. This British pastry was associated with the mining industry and Cornwall. It is made by placing an uncooked filling—of beef, potato, and the buttery vegetable swede (yellow turnip or rutabaga), seasoned with salt and pepper—on one half of a flat pastry circle, folding the pastry in half, and crimping the curved edge to form a seal before baking. There are variations in Australia, the US, and elsewhere. Pasties are different from the meat pies from other cuisines and cultures like the Spanish empanadas, pirogis of Eastern Europe, Indian samosas, etc.  They are much larger and has more veggies. 

Pro-Tip: The West Cornwall Pasty Company is the UK’s largest pasty maker and is #51 of the UK’s top 100 Companies. Their pasties are available in UK groceries and cafes. 

Dim Sim

Australia 

My daughter’s first home was just a ten-minute walk to the South Melbourne Market, whose Food Hall delighted me no end. I was there at least once a week, food items like Hot Jam doughnuts. But I also loved the famous Australian dim sim, a snack that dates from 1928. Like dim sum, it’s also a Chinese-inspired dumpling-style snack food. Popularized by a Chinese immigrant in Melbourne, it consists of minced meat, cabbage, and seasoning encased in a rectangular wrapper. It’s very much larger than the traditional dim sum but also served deep-fried or steamed and dipped in soy sauce.  I have not seen them outside Melbourne so this one, you may have to go there to taste it! 

Pro-Tip: The South Melbourne Market is the birthplace of the even larger circular version, commonly known as the "South Melbourne Dim Sim.”

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