More on Vintage Ports

Posted by golfkat on February 23, 2021
Posted in: Cultures, Food, Travel, Wine. Leave a comment

I love ports, so here is a great introduction for you port beginners.

1961:  Vintage of the latest release by Taylor Fladgate of Single Harvest Vintage Port. Only 65 cases of this extraordinary 60-year-old Port are available in the U.S. for $395 per bottle. To put the age of this Port into perspective, it was made from a single year’s harvest as the first man in the world went into space, and it has been aging in oak casks ever since. Besides Vintage Ports, Taylor Fladgate also holds some of the most substantial reserves of aging Tawny Ports in the world. 


So, let’s define Port for those of you who are either new to Port or unwilling to give it a try.  Let’s use Wine Folly as our expert navigators.


Port: This fortified sweet wine is made with a blend of red grapes from the Douro River Valley in Portugal. It’s often enjoyed alongside desserts (especially with chocolate) or, more modernly, served as an aperitif over ice with a simple garnish. Since there’s always a reason to have a bottle of Port on hand, here are several tips to help you enjoy it to the fullest.

Straight: The most sophisticated way to enjoy Port wine is to serve it straight up, or “neat,” in a proper Port glass. Of course, not all Port wines are fine enough to be enjoyed in this manner. Vintage, Late Bottled Vintage (LBV) and Tawny Port that is more than a decade old are the styles to look for (with a few special exceptions).

Cocktails: Port cocktails are a simple, fun, and delicious take on this very classic wine. The styles to seek out for cocktails include White, Pink, Ruby, and Tawny Port.

Cooking: Port wine reduction sauce is amazing drizzled over steaks and roasted meats, but it also works well when served ontop of ice cream or used in rich, layered chocolate cake. Although all styles of Port work well for cooking, the most economical option is a Ruby Port, which just so happens to have a long shelf life too.My preference is straight, of course.  And while the vintage ports are exquisite, they are pricey.  My suggestion is to try something around $20 to$25 the first time, and see how it goes.


Port is a great way to end a meal, with either some dark chocolate, or cheese and almonds.  It is best served at room temperature.  On hot summer evenings, a little ice might be okay, as long as you don’t tell anyone!


This I did not know, but vintage ports are best served within 5 years of release, or AFTER 20 years of bottle aging.  Truth be known, Mr. Mike and I bought several when we were golfing in Portugal, back in 2002.  And as of today, they have not been opened, to the best of my knowledge.


Most port wines last for about a month after opening.  Even then, it is often too much for one person.  My suggestion is to have a Port Party!!


And a local note:  Ficklin Vineyards in Madera has several excellent ports.  Their Ruby Reserve is only $40, and for a splurge, try the 2010 Vintage Port for $75.  They even have a 1957 Vintage Port for $620!!!


I have tried, over the years, to get many of you, my friends, to at least try some port.  Once you do, I think you will thank me.  In fact, you will wish you tried it much, much sooner.

Many a Frightening Flight

Posted by golfkat on February 22, 2021
Posted in: Action, Travel. Leave a comment

The recent United flight from Denver per CNN:  The pilots issued a mayday call and, after turning back to the airport, landed the Boeing 777-200 plane safely. Remarkably, there were no reports of injuries either in the air or on the ground. Still, interviews with passengers show the incident provided a huge scare for everyone involved.


This has never happened to me, fortunately.  But I have experienced several “close” calls.  But never have any of mine involved the engine.


My first bad experience was on a flight with my kids to Spring Training in Arizona.  We were on a Southworst flight from Oakland, and somewhere over the mountains, a Midwest style heat lightning storm came out of nowhere.  We got hit, and it sounded and felt like the entire plane would fall apart.  Even the flight attendants were shocked.


My kids took it in stride, as we were forced to divert and land in San Diego.  We stayed on the plane as they inspected it, and after an hour delay, were sent on to Phoenix.  I must tell you that I did not feel very comfortable on that last leg of our flight!  But we arrived in Phoenix safely, with our golf clubs, and expectations of a great spring training.


The worst experience with a flight, again weather related, involved trying to land in Denver during an ice storm, at old Stapleton Airport.  As the plane tried to land, we were thrown and tilted almost 90 degrees to the ground.  I looked out the window and saw the ice and snow on the runway.  I thought our wing would scrape the ground.  


The pilot aborted, and was told to try again.  Better judgement prevailed, and we were diverted to Colorado Springs.  We were then bussed, after great delay, back to Stapleton, thankful to be alive.  I would say that was the closest I have come to a near death experience.


My third experience occurred on a flight from Bangkok to Taiwan.  Due to heavy fog in Taipei, we were diverted to Hong Kong.  To this day, I don’t see how the fog was any less in Hong Kong than Taipei.  We landed as hard as I have ever landed, in a big 747.  We were forced to stay on the tarmac while they inspected the plane!!


Several hours went by before they decided what to do with us, either fly on to Taipei, or stay the night in HK.  But before they decided, the pilot came on the intercom, asking if we had a doctor on board.  Sheri volunteered me.  The head flight attendant asked me if I would attend to a passenger who was dying back in coach.


Long story short, he was a 90 year old man, who passed out from too much booze.  Even though I could not get a pulse, we lowered the oxygen mask and brought him miraculously back to life.  A former army medic and I save his life!!!  We were the great American heroes, with an ovation as we walked back up to First Class!


The story concludes in a rather interested way.  We had to deplane, and stay the night in a flea bag HK business hotel.  But we got to the airport very early the next day, and traded our China Airlines tickets for First Class on Singapore Airlines!!!!  It was a great flight home, even though it was almost 36 hours later.


So, will this keep me from heading to another trip?  NO!

How to Pair Cheese

Posted by golfkat on February 22, 2021
Posted in: Cultures, Food, Travel, Wine. Leave a comment

I have long professed that sparkling wines go with just about any food.  We call this “food friendly” for good reason.  And cheese is one item I seem to pair with my sparkling happy hour before dinner.


You know my favorites, brie, camembert, gouda, Cotswold, and Havarti.  But it really does not matter which cheese you prefer.  The cheese can be paired with other food, AND with a sparkling wine almost 100% of the time.


For some cheese wisdom, I looked to Thrillist and Cat Thompson, who had some great insight into cheese pairings.
Here:  

Cheese is already good on its own, but what if there was a way to make it better? Enter cheese pairing—the process of partnering different cheeses with jams, nuts, fruit, meats, or anything else you can think of that might improve the experience of eating cheese or coax out new, unimaginable flavors. 

“The best-case scenario is when a flavor combination of a pairing far exceeds the flavors of the individual elements,” Greselda Powell, head cheesemonger at New York City’s Murray’s Cheese, explains. “Think of it as one plus one equals ten! Not only is the flavor of the pairing totally different than the components but it also has a taste that is both amazing and unexpected.” Powell provides an example, saying that the combination of Red Rock cheese with kimchi was reminiscent of a Coney Island Nathan’s hot dog. Don’t you just love the term, cheesemonger??


Here is a simple guide:

Guiding Principles to Cheese Pairing

What grows together goes together
“Pair items from the same geographic region since they share the same terroir. Chances are that they will pair well together,” Powell says. A couple examples of this that Powell provides includes aged Manchego with jamona serrano from Spain, or parmigiano reggiano with prosciutto di Parma from Parma, Italy. You can consider the fruits, nuts, and even beverages from the region you’re sourcing your cheese from. 

Opposites attract
“The key concept is ‘contrast’,” Powell explains. “Not just contrast in flavor but also texture.  Varying flavors and textures provide for a more interesting pairing experience because one is engaging multiple senses.” For this, think about soft cheeses paired with crunchy crackers, chips, nuts, and cornichons—or hard cheeses with spreadable jams and quince. 

Like with like
This concept seems a bit confusing next to opposites attract, but it’s about finding a unifying flavor note. “Pair a cheese with an accompaniment that shares the same flavor notes. For example: Idiazabal is a Spanish, aged sheep’s milk cheese with smokey and nutty flavor notes.  Pair this with a smokey meat like bacon or a smokey salami.” When pairing flavor notes, Powell says to be cognizant of pairing strong flavors with delicate ones—as you don’t want to overwhelm any single component.

​Brie pairing:  Similarly to blue, there are a lot of brie and brie-style cheeses to choose from that vary in texture and flavor—but for the most part, popular American brie flavors lean towards buttery. “A buttery flavor profile allows for a versatility of pairings,” Powell says. “One can pair a buttery brie with the traditional fruits jams and honeys. However, I like to go a bit unconventional—I think about pairing items that taste good with butter, such as roasted vegetables.”  I put my brie on a rice cracker from Trader Joes.

And for gouda:  One of Powell’s favorite types of gouda is called Roomano, a hard cow’s milk gouda that has sweet, nutty, and butterscotch notes. “The texture is hard with a bit of crystallization from the aging,” Powell explains. “One of my all-time favorite pairings is Roomano with chocolate covered almonds. It reminds me of a Butterfinger candy bar.”  ​Since I am not a big chocolate fan, I like my gouda with fresh fruit or a baguette.

Please refer to her article in Thrillist for other pairings.

Bottom line, do not be afraid to try combinations of your own.  If you like spicy, try the hot pepper spread.  And if you like sweet, try your favorite jam or jelly.  I also like the salted, cured meats (like George Costanza). 

My preference is to keep it simple.  You will, no doubt, find pairings that are unique and offbeat.  And always with my favorite sparkling wine!!

Salt in Your Wine?

Posted by golfkat on February 20, 2021
Posted in: Cultures, Entertainment, Travel, Wine. Leave a comment

Per Winespeed:
As most wine drinkers know, wine can taste pleasantly salty—even when there’s no actual sodium chloride in it. Certain grape varieties, for example, can taste a bit salty (sangiovese is one), and wines made from grapes growing near a sea coast can, too. So maybe it was only a matter of time, but several winemakers in France and Portugal are now experimenting with adding salt to their wines, a practice that was described in ancient Roman texts. In particular, adding seawater was typical since it helped preserve the perishable beverage, in the same way that salt was used to preserve meat. Contemporary vintner Hervé Durand’s family estate, Mas des Tourelles, in the southern Rhône Valley, stands atop the remains of a Gallo-Roman winery. Known for his “Archeological Roman Wines,” Durand makes a version of Turriculae, a wine made from an ancient recipe that includes seawater as well as ground fenugreek and iris flowers. In Portugal, Port producer Dirk Niepoort learned of the practice from a traditional wine producer in the Azores and convinced fellow vintners Anna Jorgensen and Anselmo Mendes to join him in experimenting with salt. Filling their fermentation vessels to 1% seawater, they found the results had a tangy, saline flavor that gave “more life” to the wine without overly diluting it. “As it is common with food, a pinch of salt is important to ‘awaken’ other flavors,” says Mendes. He has a point.


Per WTSO:  For the ultimate wine and chocolate fun, try a blind tasting. Place a few bottles of wine in bags to cover them up, then place different types of chocolate chunks like milk, dark, and semi-sweet into bowls. (Tip: Tape the label to the bottom of the bowls so you don’t forget which is which.) Taste them individually or together to find different aromas and flavors. Pick your favorite pairing, and try to guess the correct answers without peeking!  My suggestion: a Cab, a Bordeaux, a Sirah, a Zin, a Malbec, and most importantly, a Port!


Per Winespeed:  A staggering 12.9 million wines listed by online wine and spirits retailer Vivino, since its founding in 2010. Even if the pandemic hadn’t boosted internet wine sales, consumers can now find an exponentially larger selection of wines online than in bricks-and-mortar shops. Free shipping from online merchants is driving larger orders and attracting new customers. Old school store fronts who’ve established an online presence report that up to 65% of their web customers are new to them.  Personally, I use a website, called Wine Till Sold Out (WTSO).  I buy most of my wine at Trader Joe’s otherwise.


What is Oechsle?  Ok, the German was something of a dead give-away, and this wine question was a bit nerdy we admit, but Oechsle is a scale which measures the weight of the grape juice or must before, during, and after fermentation. Developed in the nineteenth century by the physicist Ferdinand Oechsle, the scale gives an indication of ripeness and potential alcohol. The ripeness categories (Kabinett, Spätlese, etc.) of traditional German wines are based on Oechsle levels that are specified for each grape variety and each wine region. Other sugar measurement scales used in winemaking around the world include Baumé, favored in other parts of Europe and Australia, as well as Brix, used in the U.S.


I find some of these less well-known facts about wine so interesting.  I hope you do as well.


PS:  I would strongly suggest subscribing to Winespeed for her Friday emails.

Make Sense of the World

Posted by golfkat on February 19, 2021
Posted in: Entertainment, Travel. Leave a comment

From National Geographic:

MOST OF US have a rough map of the world in our minds that we use any time we think about places. But these mental maps aren’t necessarily reliable. In fact, many of the maps in our heads share the same errors, some of which are quite large—and surprisingly resistant to correction.  Maps distort four basic characteristics:  size (area), distance, direction and shape.

For instance, we all know that South America is south of North America, of course. But you may be surprised by the fact that virtually the entire South American continent is east of Florida. There are lots of possible reasons for geographical misconceptions like this one, says cartographer John Nelson. Mental maps are necessarily simplifications, and Nelson suspects the misplaced Americas may be partly a result of their names. After all, it’s not called Southeast America.

Another commonly misplaced continent is Africa. North Americans tend to think of Africa as a located almost entirely in the southern hemisphere, similar to South America. But in reality, around two-thirds of Africa is north of the equator. “Africa actually extends northward to about the same latitude as Norfolk, Virginia,” the paper’s authors write.

Europe is also often placed much farther south on mental maps than it really is, appearing directly across the Atlantic from the contiguous United States. But it actually lines up better with Canada: Paris is further north than Montreal, Barcelona is at a similar latitude as Chicago, and Venice lines up with Portland, Oregon.Mercator maps distort the shape and relative size of continents, particularly near the poles. This is why Greenland appears to be similar in size to all of South America on Mercator maps, when in fact South America is more than eight times larger than Greenland.

As my erstwhile provocateur and expert dermatologist pointed out, most of India lies north of the Equator.  Once you gain the proper map knowledge or perspective, the weather in the major cities and countries seems to make more sense.
Thinking about the world in two-dimensions also distorts our ideas about how to get from one place to another, says geographer Anthony Robinson of Penn State University. If you draw a line on a flat map from Washington D.C. to Shanghai, China, the most direct route appears to be due west over the United States and the Pacific Ocean. But Robinson says he’s been on plenty of flights to Asia where people are surprised to hear the pilot say they’ll be flying over the North Pole. When looking at a globe instead of a flat map, it makes sense. “That’s far and away the shortest way to get there,” Robinson says.

Whatever the reason, these mental map errors are so pervasive and stubborn that even professionals have them. A 1985 study of mental world maps found that geographers had the same misconceptions of the relative latitude of cities in North America and Europe as everyone else. Cartographers aren’t immune either. The “eastiness” of South America still surprises Nelson sometimes. “I really have to look again at a map and be like, is that really the case?” he says. “And sure enough it is.”

Some other common map misconceptions:
The Nile is longer than the Amazon (false)

Krakatoa is east of Java (false)

The Statue of Liberty is located in New Jersey (true)

Africa is a country (false, it is a continent)

Greenland is bigger than Africa (false)Iceland is covered with ice (false)

The Missouri is the longest river in the US (true)

Maine is the easternmost state in the US (false) Aleutian Islands of Alaska

Florida is the southernmost state in the US (false)  Hawaii

Florida has the longest coastline in the US (false) Alaska

Canada is the world’s largest country (false) Russia


I could go on for days, but I think you get the idea.  Try using a globe instead of a Mercator map.

Great Vegetarian Japanese Soup

Posted by golfkat on February 15, 2021
Posted in: Cultures, Food, Travel. 2 Comments

I enjoy a version of this soup from time to time, primarily for lunch, on a cold day.  Feel free to add or subtract ingredients.  I regard tofu as the main ingredient.  The seasoning with kombu (seaweed) is a key factor in the overall taste.  If you need help, please let me know.

Vegetarian Japanese hot pot recipe (nabemono)

Ingredients1 piece dashi kombu (roughly 3×3″) piece (very important)

4-5 cups water (or vegetable stock)

3 Tbsp (gluten free) soy sauce, more to taste

Sake to taste (optional)

Splash of mirin (optional)

4-5 napa cabbage leaves, chopped

1 Japanese leek, white base only (daikon)

1/2 pack of enoji mushrooms (optional)

1/2 pack shimeji mushrooms (optional)

Handful shiitake mushrooms, stems removed

1/2 large carrot, sliced (optional)

8 oz extra firm tofu

1/2 pack konnyaku (yam cake), drained, rinsed and sliced

Leftovers can be added as well.

1. Begin by preparing your ingredients and slicing into bite sized pieces.

2. Prepare your stock, using water and dashi kombu or dashi stock.

3. Arrange ingredients inside of the nabe then pour your liquid over the ingredients and fill the pot.

4. Cover, bring to a low boil and enjoy once veggies are tender! Season to taste.All items can be purchased at your nearby Asian grocery store.  Some ingredients are available at your regular supermarket as well.  And some are available on Amazon.

Gerry

Valentine Bloopers

Posted by golfkat on February 14, 2021
Posted in: Cultures, Entertainment. 2 Comments

We need some laughs during this pandemic.  My suggestion, “have a heart!”


Top 10 Funny Valentine’s Day Bloopers by English Students
Here are the Top 10 funny mistakes and bloopers by  English Language Students, about love and romance, for Valentine’s Day.
(We all make a lot of mistakes learning a new language, and some are going to be a little humorous to native speakers of that language.  For instance… )

10. I fell in love with her the first time I sawed her.

9. He had such a worm heart.

8. We were two sheeps passing in the night.

7. We have hated each other for so long. I want to borrow the hatchet.

6. My dentist makes me blush twice a day.

5. I don’t know if he will propose, but I am expecting.

4. I have something exciting to tell you. My girlfriend and I got enraged last night!

3. The groom was wearing a very nice croissant.

2. He lifted the veal off her face and gave her a big kiss.

1. I think she is really glad she got marinated.

Some other innocent mistakes from new English from the pages of InnocentEnglish:

Recipes: Next, chop all the vegetarians into little pieces.

Health: It is dangerous to smoke while you are becoming pregnant.

Sports: It was so exciting to watch! The cheerleaders threw up high into the air.

Politics: The President got off the plane and gave a big kiss to the first ladder.

Grammar: Should I have a coma in the middle of this sentence?

Music: When he was through singing he had a standing ovulation.

Food: Do you like this food? I made it from scratching!

Parents: My bed has three blankets and a large guilt my parents gave me.

Weather: Rain makes old cars lust. So be careful about that. Once a car starts lusting, there’s no way to stop it!

Travel: You can’t sleep with me because it is too crowded. But you can probably sleep with my sister. That’s what most of my friends do when they visit.

Tonight is the first annual Seargant Gerry’s Almost Lonely Hearts Club Champagne Party at 7pm. 

A Mistake Visiting Myanmar?

Posted by golfkat on February 13, 2021
Posted in: Action, Cultures, Entertainment, Food, Travel. Leave a comment

Last week’s events in Myanmar are deeply disturbing.  It leads me to question my visit there a few years ago with Mr. Mike.  We had a great experience, met some interesting people, and thought we were helping locals become employed in the tourist infrastructure.  But now, I wonder if our visit did anything but help the ruling junta?


Here is some information from the Washington Post:  The leader of the democracy, Aung San Suu Kyi, has made headlines, after winning a Nobel prize, held under house arrest, then leading the agonizingly slow move to a more democratic government.  The latest, rather disturbing news, is that she has let the military junta have their way with ethnic minorities.  Many were either killed or forced to flee to Bangladesh, of all places.  You can google her, or Myanmar, or Burma, or Rangoon (Yangon).


The politics of a region or country tend to play a big part of our visits.  For years, we avoided military dictatorships, places like Venezuela, Bolivia, parts of Africa, and even SE Asia.

We started in Rangoon, or as locals prefer, Yangon, the capital.  We had an excellent, English speaking guide who not only gave us an insider’s tour of Yangon, but answered a plethora of questions about life in Myanmar from us.  Mostly, we saw people enjoying their leisure time, as restaurants in places such as Chinatown were bustling into the wee hours of the night.  The revelry would remind anyone of Bangkok, Hanoi or Singapore.  We enjoyed the atmosphere immensely.


We stayed at the nicest hotel in Yangon, drank our fair share of cold beer, and enjoyed some really tasty local cuisine.  And although the locals were nice, there were certain questions they would not answer.  And they had even more questions about life in America.


Yet, despite uncensored books being sold on the streets, the heavily armed military was everywhere.  It feels and acts like a Third World country despite the new found democracy and freedom of speech.  Mike and I did not encounter any problems, fortunately.
Maybe because we were Americans, they viewed us differently.  People were friendly, spoke enough English, and we always felt safe.  Apparently, we only saw the surface.  Perhaps out in the countryside, we would get a better glimpse of life here.  We spent most of the afternoon on a nearby island with mostly local people, very few tourists.  Again, everyone appeared happy, though living conditions were challenging, to say the least.

On the road to Mandalay, things changed a little.  The famous Moustache Brothers (google them) perform nightly in a comedic dance, satire, and musical farce. Two of the three brothers served about seven years hard labor in prison for their antics.  They are allowed to perform only for tourists, and remain under house arrest!  Yet the show goes on nightly.  So, for about $10, we got a glimpse into national politics through comedic satire, bad music and dance, and some history.


But we saw fewer armed military out here.  The pace of life outside Yangon was slower, peaceful, yet guarded.  We were only allowed to go to many sites, always under the watchful eye of guards or military.  Even the religious shrines and temples were heavily guarded.  The only exception was a huge monastery that I visited, with about a thousand monks in training.  Even in its simplicity, it was an amazing sight, lining up for lunch in long rows.  For myself, I had a difficult time trying to connect the stifling military dictatorship with the heavy dose of religion.

The highlight of the trip was Inle Lake, home of the one-legged rowers.  The lake is a conglomeration of several communities, who live on and around the lake.  The local market operates daily, moving to a different village each day of the week.  Farmers bring their produce, craftspeople bring their wares, tourists like us buy a few things, and marvel at their way of life.  Yes, we stayed in very nice cabins above the water, visited a cigar factory, several schools, silk weavers, and opium dens (not really).


Most of the other tourists we met were also just as curious as we were, about the military dictatorship, and the move to democracy.  Again, we were only allowed to see and visit certain places.  Many signs were posted about limited photography! Everyone was on a tour, nobody seemed to be traveling solo or independent.


Now, with the teetering democracy and military junta is delicate balance. what happens next for this country?

Top Selling Souvenirs in Europe

Posted by golfkat on February 12, 2021
Posted in: Cultures, Entertainment, Food, Travel, Wine. Leave a comment

The map is very interesting.  Have I purchased any of those items?  See below for the answers.

Again, I tend to buy very little these days, but I still buy T shirts and refrigerator magnets, wine, and some candy, like Turkish Delight, wine gummies, and chocolate.


But you will see that over the years, I have purchased some things that I still have.

United Kingdom  Yes, I have an umbrella from Wimbledon, as well as a cap, polo shirt, tennis ball, and coffee mug.  I went a little crazy.  Stick to strawberries and cream!


Netherlands  I have brought home gouda, a collar for Lexi from the van Gogh Museum, a cycling jersey, and a hashish pipe (back in 1971).

France  Wine of course, from Bordeaux, and Champagne, cookies, and many insults from the French people (back in 1971).

Germany  Would you believe I bought a place setting for four of Rosenthal stainless?  Long story, I shipped it back home for an old girlfriend.

Spain  I have a great pair of leather golf shoes from Valderama, along with great memories of the topless beaches on the Costa del Sol.  All great pairs!

Finland  I bought some chocolate coated raisins for my brother.

Iceland  Yes, more raisins for my brother, as he works in the raisin business!

Ireland  I drank everything I bought there, except for the Templebar T shirts.  I did buy a sweater, but gave it away in Istanbul.

Austria  My waitress at the restaurant wanted me to bring her home, but I could not afford her.

Italy  I brought back plenty of heartburn from the food and terrible pizza.

Portugal  Would you believe I brought back several bottles of great, affordable single malt Scotch, along with a few vintage Ports?

Poland  After visiting the Madame Curie Museum, I may have brought back some radiation!

Turkey  I discovered Turkish Delight, and brought back a kilo!  I wish many kilos. Nothing grander than the Grand Bazaar.

Czech Republic  I would say Czechers, but you would not believe me.  I discovered pork knuckle.

Hungary  Yes, I brought back palinka, but gave it to my sister in law.  How about tokiaji?

Romania  After visiting Dracula’s Castle, I brought back the curse of Ion Tiriac (Ilie Nastase’s doubles partner and the richest man in Romania).


Switzerland  Only memories of the best Grand Marnier fondue ever.  I found out most of the world’s chocolate comes from Ecuador!

Scotland  Plenty, golf shirts, golf jackets, wind shirts, balls, and great memories of St. Andrews, Carnoustie, and Turnberry.

Again, you may conclude that the memories and magnets last much longer than any trinkets.  But I do have a suggestion.  Just buy one or two items, of the highest quality possible.  Do not buy junk!  For those of you who collect things, just remember, someday you will downsize, and nobody wants your stuff!!!

Best Selling Souvenirs in Asia

Posted by golfkat on February 11, 2021
Posted in: Action, Cultures, Entertainment, Food, Travel. Leave a comment

Take a look at the clever map.  These are the souvenirs the travel experts suggest buying when visiting.  On my dozen or so trips to Asia, I tend to buy fewer items on each visit.  My only vice remains refrigerator magnets.  I probably have several hundred now, and nowhere to display them!  If you have a fairly new refrigerator, you know the exterior have very little or no magnetic surface!  Oh, and lots of T shirts, but who knows where they are?


Anyway, here is what I have purchased, despite their suggestions.


Japan  My best purchase ever in Japan was in Kyoto.  I bought the world’s best tofu.  Of course, I had to eat it there.  You may recall my email about finding the world’s best.  It was delicious!


Thailand  Rather than harem pants, I had several nice wool suits custom tailored, along with some shirts that I never really cared for.


South Korea  Only a magnet, sorry.  I was obsessed with the Korea Airline flight attendants, who were perfectly dressed and coreographed.


Russia  I did buy the famous matryoshka dolls in Moscow.  But my best purchase was smoked omul at Lake Baikal in Siberia.  Skip the cheap vodka!


Singapore  Only a magnet, everything was very expensive, even the famous Singapore Sling at the famous Raffles Hotel.


China  Well, Hong Kong instead, but nothing but great memories of young ladies out for an evening of dinner and dancing with stilettoes trying to negotiate the steep hills of the city.


Cambodia  One of the greatest gifts is getting to visit the famous Angkor complex, with Ta Prohm being my favorite.  I have lots of magnets!!

Malaysia  I have a fake Rolex that still works!  The seafood here is simply the best in the world.


Vietnam  I love the art work here, whether their hand cut greeting cards, or silk woven art work of local people and country life.


Laos  Despite seeing all of the opium being grown on the roadside, the best was a cup of coffee, filtered through an old tube sock at a local wet market.


Nepal  After being invited to lunch at our guide’s modest home, we gave him all of our cash upon departing Katmandu.  It was a fair trade!


Myanmar  We visited a tobacco shop and bought local cigars and cigarettes at Inle Lake.  So very strange, since neither Mike nor I smoke!

You can most likely conclude that I don’t really buy much.  But back when I was managing many people, I managed to always find something to bring back.  One year, it was knock off designer scarves from Bangkok.  Some years, not as generous.


For myself, aside from magnets and T shirts, my heavy shopping days are over.  I am trying to think of some of our “great” purchases.  It seems most were either food items, or great memories!  Which do you prefer?