Sad to Say Good-Bye Today, it was time to say good-bye to Seattle and to travel up to Canada. My overall impressions of Seattle:
Beautiful scenery (pristine shoreline surrounded by dark green trees) everywhere I looked.
Impressed by the cleanliness (lack of litter along the beaches and roads).
Lots of friendly people.
Days noticeably longer—stays light until 10:30 p.m. or so.
Cloudy weather did not interfere much with my activities.
With its airy, modern décor and unique style, the hotel made for a memorable stay (I hated to leave).
Hotel had plenty of freebies—dvd player and movies, secure parking, and scrumptious chocolate chip cookies.

Before leaving Seattle, I had one last food binge:
Bought various pastries at Boulangerie, an authentic French bakery.
Ate lunch one last time at 全 記 Chun Gei.
Bought 蛋 撻 daan taat and 椰 撻 ye taat at 萬 禧 大 餅 家 Daai Hei Bakery.

After a several-hour drive, I arrived at the U.S.-Canadian border. The border crossing was no problem. They asked me a few questions and waved me on through. Right after the border, I stopped at a tourist info office to get some maps and inquire about the ferry schedule. That’s when I heard that there had been a ferry accident at Horseshoe Bay the day before and that the ferry service had been shut down there. That was not what I wanted to hear, especially since I was scheduled to go to Gibsons on July 1 (Canada Day), and the ferry was the only way to get there. After registering at the hotel (Hilton Vancouver Metrotown), located east of downtown Vancouver in Burnaby, I grabbed a quick dinner at a Korean Restaurant (韓 國 烤 肉 飯 rice plate with marinated Korean beef). Then it was off to bed for an early start the next day.  ¶ 9:00 PM 0 comments

  I Won't Snow You If yesterday’s hike was “the ugly,” today’s was “the good.” The day started off with lunch at Salumi, a small hole-in-the-wall at the edge of Pioneer Square, Seattle’s historic district. The reviews were great for this little restaurant, but I hesitated to go because of their limited hours and even more limited tables (2 large ones). I’m glad I went. Salumi is known for their home-made Tuscan-style Italian sausages and meats. To try a sample, I ordered the hot plate (meatballs, lamb, beef, cold cuts, etc.) and a side order of white beans and prosciutto, accompanied by a hearty Italian red wine (you pour it yourself from the bottle on the table). Although I normally can’t get very excited about meatballs and sliced meats, I have to say that Salumi’s were exceptional. With Salumi’s excellent food and quaint, low-key atmosphere, I can see why there’s such a positive buzz about this place.

After lunch, under mixed sun and clouds, I headed east on the freeway from Seattle. This time my destination was much closer to Seattle—about a one-hour drive, trailhead located right off the freeway at Snoqualmie Pass. On the way to the trailhead, mountain peaks covered with green trees growing right down to the edge of the freeway made a beautiful scene. The trail to Snow Lake (6 miles round trip) was a gradual uphill climb through the forest and over a rock ridge. When Snow Lake finally came into view, I was surprised at its huge size and beautiful, deep blue color. As the sun dipped lower on the jagged, snow-tipped peaks above the lake, I evidently was the only one at the lake. After resting in the peaceful quiet, I returned to my car for the drive back to Seattle. Back at the hotel, I had dinner in my room with some leftovers and extra meatballs from Salumi.  ¶ 11:00 PM 0 comments

  Schrecklich One good thing about staying in the University District is the great number and variety of restaurants, most of which cater to students and faculty. Next to the university is a street that literally is lined with restaurants, pubs, and dessert shops for 6 or 7 blocks. It reminds me a lot of Telegraph Avenue next to UC Berkeley. My choice for lunch today is Ruby, an eclectic little restaurant that specializes in omlettes and rice bowls. I order a rice bowl (Indonesian lamb bumbu).

Today’s main activity is a hike in the North Cascades, a mountainous area located about and hour and a half north of Seattle. Using the hiking book that I bought yesterday, I select a hike that sounds like fun. Under heavy clouds, I drive north from Seattle and take the exit to Sedro Wooley, the gateway to the North Cascades. After stopping at a fruit stand to buy some local fruit, I continue on the road to Baker Lake. From the directions in the hiking book, I have no trouble finding the hydroelectric dam where the dirt access road begins. From there, it’s about 10 miles to the trailhead. Within a mile from the dam, the road steepens as it climbs up the side of a mountain. As I drive higher on the mountain, I see a pretty view of Lake Baker and the surrounding forest. But I soon enter a cloud layer where everything is shrouded in fog or mist. Visibility is poor, and the road is hard to follow. It stays that way until I finally reach the trailhead.

The first thing I see after getting out of my car is a small sign warning of bears. Having gone that far, I am not about to back out. But it feels spooky hiking in a remote, foggy location with bears around. I leave a note in the trailhead register and start on the trail to Watson Lakes. Fortunately, it’s only 2½ miles to the lake. The trail is wet and slippery with a lot of up and down. As I reach the last hill overlooking the lake, the fog breaks and I enjoy a clear view of a secluded lake surrounded by trees and large rocks. Hurrying back to my car before it gets dark, I leave the following message in the trail register: “out safely, cheated by the fog, very wet.” From the dam to the lake and back, I do not see a single person or bear. The only things I see are two female grouse, which strut and make loud noises to warn me away from their small chicks.

By the time I get back to Seattle, it’s about 10:00 p.m., and most of the restaurants are closed. Ruby is one of the few places still open, so I go there for dinner, ordering a rice bowl (East Indian curry with New Zealand lamb).

Back at the hotel, I watch a movie (Shrek) on the DVD player. As I watch the movie, which I had seen once before, I recognize most of the pop songs. However, I hear one—“Hallelujah”—that I do not recognize. The song comes at a sad moment in the movie when the princess is preparing to marry someone that she does not really love and when Shrek (ogre) is regretting that he did not express his love to the princess. Here are the lyrics (warning: this song paints a depressing picture of love):

I heard there was a secret chord
That David played and it pleased the Lord
But you don’t really care for music, do ya?
It goes like this, the fourth, the fifth
The minor fall, the major lift
The baffled king composing hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Baby, I’ve been here before
I know this room, I’ve walked this floor
I used to live alone before I knew you
I’ve seen your flag on the marble arch
But love is not a victory march
It’s a cold and it’s a broken hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
And all I ever learned from love
Is how to shoot at someone
Who outdrew you
And it’s not a cry you can hear at night
It’s not somebody who’s seen the light
It’s a cold and it’s a broken hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah

The music and the lyrics make such an impression on me that I decide to research the song online. What I find surprises me—Hallelujah lyrics and meaning. As I read the complete lyrics of the song, tears well up in my eyes. Although my life generally is happy, that shows that love’s wounds are lurking beneath the surface and that something is missing from my life.  ¶ 11:59 PM 0 comments

  Feeling My Loss Walking around the University of Washington campus in the morning, I saw lots of classic, brick buildings lining open plazas with beautiful landscaping. The architecture had a European flavor. Dropped into the East Asian Library to check it out and to ask whether they teach Cantonese (they don't). The main library, which has at least 3 stories, was especially impressive. One large reference room was loaded with wood carvings and stained-glass windows. It looked more like a cathedral than a library. After walking around an hour or so, had lunch at a Vietnamese pho restaurant. The rice noodles with beef hit the spot and were a great value.

Back at the hotel, I asked X for a recommendation on where to go to see a good beach along Puget Sound. Judging from X's appearance, she was Asian and in her early 20s. But what I also noticed was the tremendous cleavage that X was showing. For me, this was pure torture. Two years ago, my wife lost both her breasts to breast cancer surgery (double mastectomy). It saved her life but took away one of the greatest pleasures in my life. Now, whenever I see a woman with beautiful breasts, especially one who resembles my wife (from Hong Kong), it reminds me of my loss and the first time that I kissed a woman's breasts. Sometimes, I get depressed wondering when I will have that pleasure again.

I'm glad I told X that I was willing to travel some distance to see a really good beach. Having grown up in Tacoma, about 50 minutes south of Seattle, she recommended a beach near her home town. Following the directions that X printed up for me, I found myself cruising along the shoreline road by Tacoma and Rushton, stopping to buy smoked salmon and halibut and enjoying beautiful views of Puget Sound. My destination was Point Defiance, an historic area of beaches and forests. After watching the ferry "Rhododendron" cross to nearby Vashon Island covered with trees and houses, I started to walk along the beach at the water's edge. The beach was long and clean with lots of shells, seaweed, and sealife (clams and jellyfish). Varying from small rocks to gravel to sand, the beach stretched for miles and gave beautiful, peaceful views of the dark blue water, forested islands, and winding passages of Puget Sound. Nearing the end of my beach walk (about 2-3 miles one way), I noticed that the beach was bordered by a tall, vertical cliff that appeared to be hard clay. Many lovers had carved their names into the cliff, which was at a particularly secluded, romantic, and scenic section of the beach. I couldn't help but wonder whether X had guided me to a special place that had romantic memories for her!

On the way back, driving through Tacoma and Federal Way, I admired beautiful homes, historic buildings, sawmills, and more spectacular coastal views along the way. Later in the evening, I ended up at an Italian restaurant (Mamma Melina's) recommended by the hotel staff. The place was still crowded near 9:00 p.m. However, the meal turned out to be a complete dud--non-descript pasta with bland sauce and not enough at that. With the good reviews and the staff's recommendation, I was expecting something much better. Oh, well, you can't win them all.  ¶ 10:00 PM 0 comments

  So Far So Good Heading to the airport at about 4:30 a.m. to catch my 6:00 flight, I felt like a zombie–severely sleep-deprived from last-minute work and packing. After a short, smooth flight, during which I slept most of the way, the plane landed in Seattle under heavy clouds. Leaving the airport in a rental car, my first stop was Chinatown, an area that stretches for 4 or 5 blocks on both sides of I-5. Stopped in a fruit market to buy some Rainier cherries & tangerines and to ask for a restaurant recommendation. They recommended 全記麵家 (chun4 gei3 min6 ga1), a congee and noodle shop located in Chinatown on Maynard Avenue S. What a great recommendation and what a popular place! Had to share a table (撘檯), and people kept coming in. Ordered 荔灣艇仔粥 and 水餃墨丸麵. The food was excellent--fresh seafood, tasty soup stock, slightly-crispy noodles, no MSG. After lunch, I wandered into 萬禧大餅家, a bakery located on S King Street around the corner from 全記. The owners come from Hong Kong (銅鑼灣). Their pastries had just come out of the oven, so I got a couple of 蛋撻 and 椰撻 and sat down to enjoy them while they were still warm. With lunch out of the way, it was time to check in at my hotel--the Watertown, a unique, modernistic hotel located a few blocks from the University of Washington. Judging from their website and the reviews, the Watertown was supposed to have large rooms with lots of natural lighting and custom furniture and artwork. It didn't disappoint! More on that later. After taking a much-needed nap, I decided to go to an Indian restaurant for dinner--Cedars Restaurant on Brooklyn Avenue NE. Ordered Madras chili masala (lamb), shahi korma (chicken), plain nan, and spinach nan. Before going to Cedars, I previously had eaten excellent Indian food in Hong Kong (International Curry House, Wanchai) and the San Francisco Bay Area (Shalimar, Fremont). But I have to say that the food at Cedars was a cut above. The sauces seemed richer and more complex, and the nan was softer than usual. What a spectacular meal! A pleasant walk back to the hotel, and I jumped into bed, ready to explore Seattle the next day.  ¶ 10:00 PM 0 comments

  Last Minute Preparations I’ve been busy all day preparing for my trip. Went to the Oakland Chinatown library today to return some books. Borrowed a new book about the history of Hong Kong’s eastern section (Wanchai, North Point, Shaukiwan, etc.). It will be interesting to read this book, and it may yield some blog-worthy material. Afterwards, went to Café 88, a Hong Kong-style café 茶餐廳 located downstairs from Peony Restaurant 牧丹閣. Had a quick lunch of 清真羊片 (stir fried lamb slices with leeks), 海南雞飯 (Hainan chicken rice), and 蒜蓉菠菜 (stir fried spinach with minced garlic). While driving around running errands, I was listening to Radio Viva, the coolest Latin music station in the San Franciso Bay Area, which plays "pop/rock y reggaetón." Heard a cool song--"Chica Bom Bom" by Joselito from Mexico. Great beat, totally danceable, sounds like rap or hip hop but with a Latin beat. I'm bringing my Cantonese book with me on the trip to study. See you later. Or should I say 再見 (joi3 gin3)?  ¶ 6:51 PM 0 comments

  Feeling Down When I Should Be Up Getting ready to go on a ten-day vacation to Seattle, Washington, and Vancouver, B.C. On July 1, which is Canada Day, I’m scheduled to attend a parade and play in Gibsons, B.C., with some friends known as the “Lost Canadians.” My plans also include sightseeing, hiking, and of course checking out some good restaurants. The last time I was in Vancouver, I didn’t make it to Richmond, which supposedly is the largest Chinese area in Vancouver. I definitely will visit Richmond this time. It will be interesting to see how it compares with San Francisco and Hong Kong. Stay tuned for my report.

Before I go on vacation, work has a tendency to pile up, but this time seems worse than usual. Today was one t-o-u-g-h day at work. Even though I busted my neck to get a big project done, I got hassled over some little stuff. What did I do to deserve this? At a time when I should be feeling good about getting away for a few days, I’m feeling down instead!  ¶ 8:35 PM 0 comments

  The Juk's on Me Went trail jogging today with my two friends, W and B. We have been exercising together over lunch hour for years. Today, we took a longer route that we call “property line,” because it goes to the boundary of the park. It felt good to get out in the fresh air and to see the river scenery from up in the hills.

After returning from my exercise, I had a dessert that I especially like—黑米粥 (hak1 mai2 juk1) or 黑糯米粥 (hak1 lo3 mai2 juk1). Made with purple-colored rice (紫米) and coconut milk (椰汁), this dessert is the same consistency as regular 粥 (congee), but it’s served at room temperature rather than hot. It’s not easy to find 黑米粥 in Chinese restaurants, and I wonder whether it actually comes from Hong Kong or Southeast Asia (Malaysia-Singapore). Does anyone know?  ¶ 10:00 PM 0 comments

  Wild about Chaozhou Food Went to Peony Restaurant 牧 丹 閣 with friends on Sunday (June 19). Can you tell that it’s one of my favorites? This time it was for dinner, not yum cha 飲 茶. In addition to the regular weekend crowd, there also was a large wedding party, which made the place more packed and noisy than usual. Despite that, the service was pretty good. Manager Yeung 楊 took our order himself, which doesn’t happen very often. Here are the dishes we ordered:

蔥 爆 牛 肉 (beef with scallions)
馬 拉 棧 雞 蓉 茄 子 煲 (Malaysian hotpot with minced chicken & eggplant)
潮 州 煎 蠔 烙 (Chaozhou style fried eggs with oysters)
葡 國 咖 哩 雞 (Portuguese curry chicken)
潮 式 紅 燒 豆 腐 (Chaozhou style braised tofu)
桂 林 風 味 蝦 (Guilin style shrimp)

Of the many Chinese restaurants in the San Francisco Bay Area, Peony is the one that most reminds me of Hong Kong. One time, I was talking with the main chef, and he told me that the original Peony Restaurant was in Hong Kong but that it had gone out of business. I feel lucky to live in an area with Chinese food that can compare with Hong Kong’s.  ¶ 10:00 PM 0 comments

  Musical Surprise Have you ever gone to a concert to see the main band and ended up liking one of the opening bands more? That never had happened to me before, but it happened on Friday night (June 17).

One thing that makes San Francisco so special is the local music scene. Friday night found me at The Fillmore, one of my favorite venues. I especially like two things about the Fillmore. The first is the layout–midsize, open dance floor in front of the stage, sparkling chandeliers, and ruby curtains. The second is the collection of posters and photos that line the walls reflecting the incredible history of all the famous bands that have played there. I feel excited every time I go to the Fillmore because I know that I will be able to stand real close to the stage.

What brought me to the Fillmore on Friday was the main act–the Del McCoury Band, one the best bluegrass bands in the U.S. I had seen them perform several years ago, and their high energy and virtuoso playing had blown me away. True to form, the Del McCoury Band put on a great show Friday night, playing many of their hits to an adoring audience.

But as good the main act was, what really blew me away was the second act–the Waybacks, a high energy, genre-defying, acoustic band from San Francisco. One minute I was hearing progressive jazz. The next minute it sounded like newgrass, Eastern European, or even Latin music. But whatever the style, the playing was tight, harmonious, and unbelievably skillful. Looks like I found myself a new favorite band right here in my own backyard!

Whenever I listen to Cantonese radio (星島中文電台) in the Bay Area, I try to listen to Cantopop songs from Hong Kong. Next year, when I go to Hong Kong, one thing I really want to do is attend a Cantopop concert. Unfortunately, I don’t know that much about the Hong Kong Cantonese music scene. I enjoy a few songs by 王菲 (Faye Wong) and have heard that 容祖而 (Joey Yung) is real popular. All you Cantopop fans—what singer or concert would you recommend to me? If I want to hear the best that Hong Kong has to offer, who would it be? I eagerly await your recommendations.  ¶ 6:00 PM 0 comments

  Maintaining Sanity and Fitness This week was a hectic one at work, mainly because I had an important board of directors meeting on Thursday evening (June 16). To take a break from the stress, I went out trail jogging over my lunch hour on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. I typically jog about a mile to a park on the hill, hike the steepest slopes up to the ridge, jog along the ridge and downhill back to the park, and then jog along the street back to my office building. When I’m alone, I like to stop briefly at two special places up on the ridge to say prayers for the loved ones in my life. Working out (i.e., trail jogging, biking, etc.) is an important part of my life. Without exercise, my job stress (attorney) and my love of food would get out of control.

When I visited Hong Kong in 2001, I hiked a narrow, hidden trail from Bowen Road (半山區 寶雲道) up to Wanchai Gap (灣仔峡). Although not far from the highrises of Wanchai, the trail was very secluded and had great views. I didn’t see another person until I reached Wanchai Gap, where I jogged downhill back to Wanchai. Next year, when I go to Hong Kong, I plan to try this trail again as part of my exercise program. Maybe I’ll see you on the trail.  ¶ 6:00 PM 0 comments

  Itching to Get Away This is my inaugural post. After encouragement from my webfriends S and C, I have decided to take the plunge and start blogging. I hope that this augurs well both for my personal life and my professional life.

In San Francisco, right next to Chinatown, there is a well-known bar/cafe called Vesuvio. Every time I walk by there, I notice the colorful sign above the door that reads "We are itching to get away from Portland, Oregon." Well, San Francisco is one of the coolest places on this planet. So I definitely am not itching to get away from here. But there is a place that I am itching to get to–Hong Kong. If all goes according to plan, I will be studying Cantonese there from May to August next year.

Did a couple of short hikes on the weekend. Saturday (June 11), I hiked the Lafayette Ridge Trail and Briones Ridge Trail. This is one of the most peaceful, scenic hikes in the East Bay with lots of beautiful oaks and other trees and great ridgetop views. Enjoyed a post-hike dinner of 清 蒸 塘 虱 (ching1 jing1 tong4 sat1/steamed catfish) and 腐 乳 通 菜 (fu6 yu5 tung1 choi3/ong choy with bean curd). Sunday (June 12), I went to 飲 茶 (yam3 cha4) at Peony Restaurant 牡 丹 閣 in Oakland. Their 馬 拉 糕 (ma2 laai1 gou1), 蝦 餃 (ha1 gaau2), 曉 賣 (siu1 maai2) and 咖 哩 魷 魚 (ga3 lei1 yau4 yu2) are as good as any I've tasted. Finished up the day with a short hike at Diablo Foothills Regional Park. The buckeyes, with their dark green foliage and white flowers, were in full bloom. The rock formations as usual were spectacular. Right at the end of the hike, I saw an unexpected sight--a beautiful buck deer with velvet-covered antlers (two prongs). It looked like a reindeer and made me think of C.  ¶ 10:00 PM 0 comments