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Published: March 3rd 2006
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After yesterday's long battle with the elements we slept like clubbed baby seals well into the sunlit hours of the day. Yes, that's right, behold the sun actually making an appearance all by itself on a clear blue sky. I have gotten so used to the constant twilight in Beijing that every breakthrough is a wonderful and refreshing little moment to embrace. Still, our agenda for the day does not consist of walking down winding trails in the vegetation, but reaching the nearby Japanese Ito Yokado supermarket to stock up on amenities, as Kay has promised to cook that lovely Tom Yam shrimp soup for us. It is also time to sample the various Swedish foodstuffs I brought along. So far the gingerbread was a storming success (they sure disappeared quickly), but the rice porridge I offered for breakfast was sceptically referred to as babyfood.
The supermarkets in Beijing are of course world class, they are well stocked with various products, customers battling with their mini trolleys and a myriad of angry staffers with SARS-style face masks disliking people taking pictures. Kay and I were amused and baffled to see the amount of fresh foods available, and I stared with
disbelief as a young couple holding hands came up and examined the still living tied up crabs, or the snapper turtles floating around in a big water filled tray. Our mission accomplished the sun was already coming down so we grabbed a bus back to the flat. The bus stop at Joanne's block is filled with street vendors offering various kinds of hot snacks and foods, one of Kay's biggest weaknesses, but before she could grab an exotic bite Joanne whisked us away to the safety of processed foodstuffs. Kay looked a bit disappointed and secretly told me we should return here later... She did however manage to grab an exotic type of burger just outside the convenience store in our block while Joanne went inside to complete the purchase list with the one missing item. I tasted it but it didn't live up to the glory of the snacks we tried out in Shanghai or other Beijing food courts.
Back at the flat Kay soon got busy with the much longed for Tom Yam soup while we completed it with chicken, potatoes, Swedish herring in marinade and fresh salad. I had also brought some concentrated Glögg, the mulled
wine that is a centerpiece on the Swedish Christmas table. We mixed it with red wine and after tasting it the girls complained that perfectly good wine was being wasted on the sweet beverage, while I think it is a perfect way of masking sour grapes... The herring was a big success though, especially the one in the classic onion marinade. The Tom Yam soup was delicious of course, and I think even spicier than last time. After pushing my eyes back into the sockets from the initial shock I gladly helped myself to some more though.
Later that evening I noticed that Kay had found the package of deep red and slightly sour concentrated lingonberry juice I had also brought along and was sampling the juice in front of the TV. I asked her if she liked it and she nodded happily. You did mix it with water?, I asked, and got a blank stare in return. After I explained how to mix with water and her having tried it I think she was more happy drinking the unmixed concentrate...
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Lady Red
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Bahasa!!!
Hati-Hati!!! man, he used this bahasa word in somewhere else...i guess now he talks bahasa...Pak Rehn!!!