Picky Eating in Japan

"I don't want to eat it" are words a parent dislikes hearing at the dinner table. Taking your child who is a picky eater to a foreign country with unfamiliar cuisine is probably one of the concerns for traveling parents. But this isn't one of those blog posts packed with tips for eating globally with your kids. What if your meal suddenly causes you to reevaluate how you view your own self?

"I don't want to eat it." That's all I could think as I gazed down at my plate.

It was my own fault I was in this situation. After a long day of sightseeing in Tokyo, I dragged my family of picky eaters to a yakitori restaurant. Yakitori is grilled, skewered chicken. What could possibly go wrong with that? I hungrily waited for them to bring out our food and watched them set down the platter in the middle of the table.

Almost everything on this yakitori plate looks yummy.

Neat skewers circled the plate. Succulent thigh meat, tasty white meat, chicken wings, and — wait a minute... what's that — chicken innards. Lying innocuously among the morsels that would probably suit my family just fine without complaint was a single skewer with a chicken heart, liver and gizzard. In general, I like a wide variety of foods and consider myself an adventurous eater. But I find offal just awful. (Sorry, couldn't help myself with that pun.) I can take my chicken liver in pâté form, and I've been known to enjoy a deep fried gizzard, but this slender spear didn't look at all appetizing to me. I knew that if anyone else got it, that'd be the end of the meal for them. So, like any good mama taking a bullet for the kids, I grabbed it.

"Eat it," I told myself.

Suddenly, it was as if every single argument my kids had ever given me over food came flooding back to me. All the points I've ever countered with came back, too. My psyche split in half and began a heated debate with each other.

"But I don't like it."

"How do you know you won't like it?

"Because I didn't like it the last time I tried it."

"Well, try it again. It's been a while. You might like it now."

"No, I really don't want to eat it. "

"Sometimes, it takes trying something 20 times before you start to like it."

"No way am I trying this offal stuff 20 times!"

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Traveling in a foreign country brings out a childlike sense of wonder in me as I gaze at unfamiliar surroundings. Not knowing the language, I'm reminded of my early days before I learned to read. I gain a better appreciation of the huge knowledge leaps we constantly ask of our young kids. Apparently, international travel also brings out the rebellious child in me, too.

After moving to Malaysia, we encountered tons of unfamiliar meals when dining out. As the foodie risk taker in the family, I was charged with the task of tasting dishes, identifying what was in it, and then predicting whether it fell within my family's preferences.

My husband once summed up the differences in our reactions to strange culinary offerings. I'm afraid that if I don't try it, I'll miss out on something good. His assumption, on the other hand, is that it's probably something bad, and it's better to be safe than sorry.

Sometimes, my willingness to try new foods gets me into trouble. I vividly remember my first taste of sushi. It was a California Roll, a rather safe initiation into the world of sushi eating. I took a few bites before the food allergies kicked in. My throat began to close up, and my ear canals itched like crazy. I had to stop eating. My reaction didn't reach the level of requiring an EpiPen, but it's always in the back of my mind when we eat at Japanese restaurants.

Perhaps I'm a pickier eater than I thought and just didn't know it. As the Queen of the Household, I'm the one who sets the menu at home, does the grocery shopping and cooks the meals. When I flip through recipes, I bypass the ones that don't interest me and pull out the ones that seem tasty. Basically, I'm never in the situation that I constantly put my kids in. You get what you get, and you don't throw a fit.

My sense of self was beginning to break apart. Am I really who I think I am? Is this the heart-thumping dread my kids feel each time I glibly tell them, "Don't be so picky"?

What if I'm not as adventurous palate-wise as I consider myself to be? How else can I explain why I've always declined my dad's offer of balut, a Filipino delicacy of partially developed duck embryo boiled in the shell, cracked open and swallowed whole. There's something about the tiny beak, semi-formed eyes and miniature, claw feet pressing up against the yolk sack that really turns me off.

Do you push your food boundaries when you travel abroad? Would you fancy a glass of horse milk the next time you're in Paris? Could you match Andrew Zimmerman with his "beating frog heart moments" on Bizarre Foods?

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It was time for me to take my own motherly advice. Time to stop throwing my silent, mental tantrum.

I slowly took a bite of the heart. Chewy. Gross. Disgusting. Can't spit it out, certainly not in front of the kids. Swallowing it, I pulled my best Meryl Streep, smiled at the kids, and remarked, "Delicious!"


Related Posts:
Japanese Vending Machines
A Lost Tooth, Black Eggs and Japan's Hakone National Park
Epic Day at Tokyo Disney


This post is part of Travel Photo Thursday on Budget Travelers Sandbox. Check it out for more around-the-world travel inspiration.

Hawaii is Dangerous

Hawaii is dangerous. DANGEROUS, I tell you! Yet, people flock there like moths to the flame. What in the world am I talking about? Cautionary signs dot the island. For every breathtaking view or mind-blowing experience, you have to pass by warnings of doom and gloom. But we persevered and pushed forward, keeping a clear head and common sense as we made our way around.

Yes, I do imagine that a coconut falling on your noggin could cause quite a headache. And yet...



Sure honey, go ahead and play right under that coconut tree.
Mokuola (Coconut Island), Hilo, The Big Island

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If you are scared away by all this...

Curse you Inadequate Footwear!

you'll never have a chance to see...

Lava flowing down a volcano as night begins to fall
End of Highway 130 in Puna, The Big Island

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In Volcanoes National Park, Sulphur Banks is quite a sight. Staying on the trail is easy since it's a wooden boardwalk with railings. You'd have to be a fool to climb through it and take off into the smoldering, yellow- and rust-stained landscape.

If you're good on the trail, you'll be rewarded by the contrast of beautiful flowers against a stinky, hellish backdrop. If you don't obey the signs, you'll fall through a crack in the earth's crust never to be seen again.

See the steam rising up from the rocks behind the flowers? How do they survive in all that malodorous gas?
Sulphur Banks, Volcanoes National Park, The Big Island 

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At some places, one sign wasn't enough. Tons of danger abounded everywhere. A few miles north of Hilo, we journeyed through the lush Pepe'ekeo Scenic Drive. At Onomea Bay, we parked our car by these.

What a view! It almost makes you want to do the 20-minute hike to the water's edge, dodge falling rocks, jump in the current, and brave a flash flood. Actually, this was a long driving day, so we just hopped right back in the car after taking a picture. No, we are not cowards — merely in a hurry.

That detached rock was part of a sea arch until it collapsed in a 1956 earthquake.
Onomea Bay on the east side of The Big Island

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Akaka Falls State Park is a great place to stop... IF YOU DARE.

Keeping back is actually good advice since it's a loooooooong way straight down. When taking that picture, be sure not to step too close to the edge.



442 feet down to the bottom of Akaka Falls

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I wonder how many fools have visited The Seven Sacred Pools (a.k.a. Oheo Gulch) on the east side of Maui, south of Hana. Perhaps one crazy person too many prompted officials to post this sign.

 

Oheo Gulch is such an invigorating place all by itself. How about just climbing on rocks and swimming under the falls instead of leaping from bridges and cliffs?

 

How could someone think jumping from that bridge is a good idea?
Oheo Gulch, Maui

  

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Sometimes, the danger that you need to fear is human. (Just think of Bambi's poor mom.)

 

Apparently, it's a non-stop, hunters paradise here.

Have we stumbled into a Hunger Games arena? When we were here, it was 8 years past the posted End date, so we stayed on the trail and continued onward. We were rewarded by climbing the non-native, towering trees of a failed attempt to establish a timber industry on Maui. The trail loops through this alien forest and emerges into native shrubland.

Alien trees at Hosmer Grove, Haleakala National Park, Maui

 

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Other times, the danger came from the fierce creatures that surround Hawaii. No, not sharks.

 

I don't understand why this requires 2 different signs.

 

We couldn't resist the black stone beach of Wai'anapanapa State Park. No one else seemed to be getting stung, so we blissfully splashed in the water without fear. At the end of our visit, we even saw some locals doing net fishing.

 

Wai'anapanapa State Park's beaches are covered with black pebbles, not fine white sand.
No stingers here! 

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My favorite sign was the one that reminded us to reflect on the moment and immerse ourselves in the peacefulness of nature.

 

Along the Waikamoi Nature Trail, The Road to Hana

Take time to smell the roses (hibiscus in Hawaii?) and examine the tree bark.

The perfectly named Rainbow Eucalyptus Tree

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Are the people of Hawaii being overly cautious popping up these warning signs everywhere? I don't know. There's something about island life that makes your worries and your common sense drift away. They need to bring you back to reality every now and then.

For instance, we were eating lunch outside in Maui at high noon when I noticed a perfectly circular rainbow around the overhead sun. "Look at the sun!" I exclaimed. This was quickly followed by "No! No! Do NOT look at the sun! Never look directly at the sun!" My family thought I was bonkers to say the least. So, I took this photo instead and let them enjoy it on the camera screen.



The rainbow colors were a lot more distinct in real life, but you would have burned your retinas while staring  at it.
Consider yourself warned.

Related Post:
U.S. National Park Week: Part 2

 

 

This post is part of Travel Photo Thursday on Budget Travelers Sandbox and Friday Daydreamin' at R We There Yet Mom? Check them out for more around-the-world travel inspiration.



Mother's Day Brunch at the Shangri-La Rasa Sayang, Penang

Beautiful cakes at the Shangri-la Rasa Sayang's Mother's Day Brunch Buffet

As the mama of the family, most of the household responsibilities fall on my shoulders. That's how I ended up being in charge of booking my own Mother's Day Brunch last year. In my opinion, I deserve the very best. Right? So, I reserved us a table at the Shangri-La Rasa Sayang's Spice Market Cafe which turned out to be fantastic. It is by far the best buffet I've had in Penang, even beating out Christmas Day brunch at the E&O Hotel. I'd even say it's one of the best buffets I've had in the world because of the abundant, high quality food, the service, and the extra child-friendly touches that kept my kids from asking when were we going to leave. The effort they put into keeping the kids entertained was truly a bonus on Mom's special day. The boxed takeaway cake decorated with "Happy Mother's Day" that greeted me at the table was also a nice touch. Why mess with success? We'll be dining there again next week for Mother's Day 2013.

One of the things I really like about the Shangri-La chain is their commitment to the environment. They've decided to eliminate Shark Fin Soup, a Chinese delicacy, even though many of their guests demand it. Instead, they offer Mock Shark Fin Soup. While I'll tell you outright that it doesn't come close to duplicating the cartilagenous crunch of real shark fin, no sharks had their fins cut off, leaving them to sink to the bottom of the ocean to die. That's a win in my book.



Mock Shark Fin Soup with Crabmeat

The rest of the buffet covered the varied cuisines of Penang — Malay, Chinese, and Indian — plus Western food and freshly made Japanese sushi. The selection was huge. Luckily, the buffet lasts 3 hours, so you can cover a lot if you pace yourself and don't care about calories.

Dagin Temasik, Itik Kerisik, and Deep Fried Prawn with Ginger Chili

With so much food on the tables, I tried to prioritize and pick out what was truly special at this buffet. That's why I skipped over the roti which I have every week and made a beeline for the chilled seafood station.

Yabbies, or Crawfish as we Americans call them

Slipper Lobster

If you are thirsty, the buffet includes free-flow house wine, beers and soda. They also offer a variety of fresh juices to refresh your palate. I always like mixing them up in my glass into new flavor combos.

Juice Bar

If you know anything about me, you realize that desserts are my downfall. I am a sucker for a good dessert bar, and the Rasa Sayang did not fail me.

So much chocolate, so little time
Skewered marshmallow twists and dried apricots for dipping

Made-to-order Crepes with berries, apples and peaches as filling options



Cotton Candy or Candy Floss, depending on who you ask

This one lady was making all the crepes and cotton candy while also scooping ice cream for the sundae bar. I'm hoping they hire her a little help this year.

As I mentioned, the child-friendly touches are what really made this place stand out. They brought in Birthday Castle Entertainment to handle everything. (If you need someone to plan your kid's party, these are the people to ask.) A happy clown went from table to table creating balloon sculptures. A small area outside had a kids' movie showing on TV for when the children were finished eating but their mamas still wanted to linger (remember the free flow wine and the chocolate fountain). They even had table where children could create a "World's Best Mum" sash to adorn their dear mother.

What balloon creation would your child request?



An adult supervised the kids watching the telly.



My boy is grinning devilishly because the sash has an anagram that reads "World's Bum Stem."

I've already booked us a table for May 12, 2013. Perhaps I will see you there. Bonus: The family is so stuffed from brunch that mama can skip cooking dinner, too.

Mother's Day Brunch at the Spice Market Cafe, Shangri-La Rasa Sayang Resort
Batu Feringgi, Penang
Noon to 3 p.m.
RM120++ adults
RM60++ children
Includes free-flow house wine, beer and sodas and bracelet making for the kids.
Call 04-888-8788 to make reservations (essential)

Regular Sunday Brunch if you can't make it Mother's Day
RM98++ adults
RM48++ children
This does not include free flow drinks.
A clown entertains the kids every Sunday.

Freakishly Excited about Wendy's

Oh how we've miss you, Wendy's.

If we were living in America, dining at Wendy's wouldn't warrant a blog post. But that's not where we live. In the entire 18 months that we have been in Malaysia, we had never seen a Wendy's here. Sometimes, I start longing for the ease of grabbing a salad at the drive-thru. It's strange what you begin to miss about home when you are an expat.

In March, we decided to take our second trip to Kuala Lumpur. While visiting the Petrosains Museum in the KLCC Suria Mall, my oldest son noticed that someone had left behind a balloon with the Wendy's logo emblazoned across it. Surely there must be one nearby! Armed with nothing more than that small clue, we began to search the mall for a Wendy's when dinner time rolled around. We rounded the corner and saw it. "Freakishly excited" is really the only way to describe our reaction.

Our eyes darted back and forth across the menu to see what the Malaysian version of this American restaurant would offer. Frosty's, chili, baked potatoes, burgers, fries, chicken nuggets... There were lots of familiar items on the menu. We also saw some local offerings like the Fried Chicken Homestyle Rice. Well, I'm assuming it's local. After all, it's been a long time since I've been in an American Wendy's.

In the end, we ordered the food that we've been missing. The Kids Meal bag with instructions in both English and Spanish, not Malay, was quite amusing. They just use the same ones that are printed in the USA. This dinner reminded us of America and was such a welcome treat.  Seasoned with a dash of homesickness, my baked potato with chili and cheese sauce has never tasted better.


This post is part of Friday Daydreamin' at R We There Yet Mom? Head over and check it out for tons of other around-the-world travel inspiration.

It's the Great Penguin, Charlie Brown

One of the things I truly wanted to see on Kangaroo Island, South Australia was a wild penguin. While most people head to the Penguin Centres in Kingscote or Penneshaw on the eastern side of the island, I was convinced that I could stay cozily ensconced at Hanson Bay on the southern side and still see one. The rocks along the bay are supposedly a favorite roosting place, and Nikki at the blog Brave or Just Crazy happened to have a penguin walk out of the water and right up to her feet while she was taking pictures of her sons fishing at this bay. How awesome is that?

Come this way. There's sure to be penguins here.

Are you familiar with the classic TV special, It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown?  In it, Linus remains perpetually hopeful that the Great Pumpkin will rise up out of the pumpkin patch on Halloween night even though, year after year, this pumpkin fails to make an appearance. Well, I began to feel a lot like Linus. Day after day, I'd head over to the beach in the hopes that I would one day find a penguin. Time after time, it never happened. At least I got some great pictures while I was fiddling around with my camera to pass the time.

Clouds filled the sky at the end of this day. No stargazing tonight.

Hanson Bay is a wild and rugged place. Like most of the island, it's pristine, relatively undeveloped and just a wonderful place to commune with nature. Wading into the chilly water, it marked the first time we set foot in the Southern Ocean. (This ocean wasn't on the map when I was a kid. I first heard of it when I helped my boy study for a geography quiz. As they say, the world keeps changing.) If you had the superpowers to swim directly south from here, the next land you'd hit would be Antarctica.

A beautiful January summer day at Hanson Bay

I never did see any penguins, but the kids and I had a good time playing on the beach. I'd try to persuade them to hang out a little longer, but they were less convinced that the Great Penguin would make an imminent appearance. On the other hand, we did spot these colorful arcs in the sky.

Double Rainbow and a chance to play around with photo software filters

We did see some other avian life...

Seagulls

Hooded Plovers
Fewer than 200 plovers are left on Kangaroo Island which means I captured 5% of the population in this photo.

Another night, we were eating dinner in our cabin having given up on seeing penguins that day. Suddenly, my son remarked that the sun was setting and that it looked pretty. I turned to gaze out the window behind me and saw the crimson and golden rays streaming out over the hilltop. Dropping our forks, we ran out the door and up the hill to get a better look at the view, making sure to grab the kids before they ran right off the tall cliff. Breathtaking.

While seeing a wild penguin would have been the icing on the cake, the cake was pretty awe inspiring all by itself.


Related Posts
Kangaroo Island's Koala Walk
Major Fail: Sitting Together on the Airplane
Kangaroo Island Highlights (YouTube)


This post is part of Travel Photo Thursday on Budget Travelers Sandbox, Photo Friday on Delicious Baby and Friday Daydreamin' at R We There Yet Mom? Check them out for more around-the-world travel inspiration.

Travel Tip: Staying Cool & Dodging Flies

Do I look ridiculous? Yes. Do I care? No.

"Bring a Scarf." How many times have you seen that tidbit of What to Pack travel advice? It's a fashion accessory. It's blanket. Yada, yada, yada. Like many other traveling women, I carry a scarf for all those many reasons. I found a couple more good uses when we went on a bush walk around Australia's Uluru (Ayer's Rock).

Staying Cool
Uluru was hotter than Hades when we visited, hitting highs of  45°C (113°F). Even starting out on our hike at 7 a.m., the heat radiating up from the baked earth was getting to us. Scarf to the rescue! Wet it and wrap it around your neck. You'll be amazed at how much cooler just doing that makes you feel.

Dodging Flies
The flies at Uluru followed me around like I was a buffet that had been sitting out for hours. A cloud of them whizzed around me, trying to gain access to my nose, ears and mouth. I never really pictured myself hiking around this amazing landmass while wildly waving my hands in front of my face in a futile attempt to fend off airborne insects. I began to regret passing up the flynets for sale at the resort giftshop.  That's when I uncoiled the scarf from around my neck and draped it over my hat and around my head. The gauzy fabric was easy to look through and kept the flies out. Problem solved. Sure, I looked ridiculous, but all the other hikers were too distracted with their own fly swarm to pay me much heed. I bet this works great for sandstorms, too.

Other Uses
Just in case if this is the first time you've ever heard the Bring a Scarf tip, other uses are:

• Jazz up your outfit with a scarf (the original use, so not exactly ground-breaking)
• Keep warm by wrapping it around you
• Cover up bare shoulders when entering a temple or cathedral
• As a head scarf when entering a mosque so you don't have to use the loaner headscarf
• Roll other clothes up inside it to turn it into a pillow
• As a towel
• Wrap it around your waist for privacy if you have to pee by the side of the road.
• Emergency First Aid sling, bandage, or (God help you) a tourniquet
• Wrap it around ice for an ice pack
• Attach your small child to you 
• Bundle up all your belongings, tie it to a stick and pretend you're a hobo
• Superhero cape

If you forget to bring one, it sounds like it's time to go shopping for a souvenir scarf.


Related Post:
The Allure of Uluru (Ayer's Rock)


This post is part of Travel Tips Tuesday on Walking On Travels and Suitcases and Sippy Cups. Check them out for more great travel advice.

The Ruins of Chiang Mai's Chedi Luang Temple

The ancient Wat Chedi Luang with its partially collapsed chedi.

For centuries, Wat Chedi Luang towered over ancient Chiang Mai. Construction began in the late 14th century, and by 1481, the Lanna-style chedi (pagoda) reached up 82 meters (246 feet) to the sky. Imagine what a humbling sight that must have been back then. Varying accounts have popped up to explain how the top of the chedi partially collapsed. Some say that it was an earthquake in 1545 while others claim it was caught in cannon fire when  King Taksin recaptured Chiang Mai from the Burmese in 1775. Either way,  I found it to be one of the more interesting temples in the old city.

 

No building within Chiang Mai's walled city are permitted to be taller than Wat Chedi Luang (60 meters/180 feet tall).

The Emerald Buddha used to reside within this temple until the Laotian king took it to Luang Prabang, Laos around 1545. That buddha is now in Bangkok's Wat Phra Kaew, but a black jade Buddha carved in 1995 sits in its place in the eastern niche. Other Buddha's are located all around the Wat, and a wire and pulley system is in place for pouring spiritual cleansing water over the ones at the top of the stairs.



Incense sticks in front of the Wat's many Buddhas.

A couple decades ago, the Japanese government and UNESCO contributed money for a restoration of the temple. However, no one knows what the original chedi looks like, so that was left untouched. The work that was completed has been controversial because some have declared it to be done in the central Thai style instead of the more authentic, northern Lanna style. In any case, it's quite easy for even a novice like myself to spot the restored versus untouched sections.




Left: Original brick and stucco elephant
Right: Cement restorations

 

 

Statues of Naga, a mythical serpent beast that sheltered Buddha while he was meditating.

 

 

This temple is also one of the most significant within Chiang Mai as it holds the city pillar, and is thus considered to be the home of the city's guardian spirits. The building is only open during the annual Inthakin festival in May, and only men may enter. At that time, blessings of peace, happiness and prosperity are invoked for Chiang Mai and its people.



 

The city pillar inside this building protects the city, especially from Burmese invaders.

 

The viharn (sermon hall) near the street entrance was built in 1928 and holds a large, standing 14th century Buddha with a disciple on both sides who are known for their mysticism and meditation. Everyone is welcome in this building, but please exhibit proper manners such as never pointing your feet at Buddha. Don't sit straight-legged! Sit "mermaid-style" with your legs curled around to the back. 

 

 

Inside the Sermon Hall

 

If you want to donate to the temple, numerous containers are located around the temple grounds.

 

A different pot for each monk.



 

This is the most secure donation box I have ever seen.

Monk Chat

A monk chat club is open every day from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the northern side of the grounds. Drop in to chat with them about Buddhism, a monk's life, Thai culture or other relevant topics. They get to practice English, and you get face time with a Buddhist monk. (Ladies, be sure not to touch them as it is taboo.) As their sign says, "Don't just stand looking from afar and walk away."

 

Dress Code

Please remember to show respect when visiting temples by dressing demurely and removing your shoes at the entrance to buildings. Ladies, despite how hot you may feel touring Chiang Mai, spaghetti straps and short shorts are big no-nos. You can fashion a skirt coverup out of a sarong and bring a wrap for your shoulders. They didn't seem to mind knee-length shorts on me. It is also forbidden for females to climb the corners of the moat structure around the chedi.

Keep these Do's and Don'ts in mind.

 

Kid point of view:

My kids would like me to let you know that they think this place is boring. My oldest son has done a Buddhism unit in Social Studies, and both boys have done field trips to the Thai Buddhist temple in Penang. They have a background understanding of temples but were still completely uninterested. So, I resorted to the age-old bribery trick. I traded a cultural morning of my choices for an afternoon of paintball and go-karts.

 

 

 

Related Posts

Visiting the Long Neck Tribe

Getting Lay's in Thailand

 

 

This post is part of Travel Photo Thursday on Budget Travelers Sandbox and Friday Daydreamin' at R We There Yet Mom? Check them out for more around-the-world travel inspiration.