FOODIE FUN in IRAN: CAMEL CURRY STEW

Yazd:  Foodie Adventure in Iran.  Yazd is a big town in the desert. I suppose one might imagine finding camels in the desert, and according to different traditions, camels are part of the local diet. Luckily for me, I had the opportunity to try a very good local specialty. I had been invited by my friend in Yazd to have dinner and he suggested that I try the camel curry. I agreed and enjoyed it very much. Camel meat when cooked in a stew with potatoes looks and resembles beef from a cow, but the taste and texture is a bit different. I think I like camel meat better! I know it is much healthier than beef, as it is leaner and it has a good source of protein. The curry spices were expertly prepared and didn't overpower the taste of camel.

A natural yoghurt drink with some herb which tasted very similar to the Indian beverage "lassie". The yoghurt was made from cow's milk.

When I was living in the Gulf countries, I tried camel's milk. It was fresh and still warm. I found it tasted gamy but delicious. Camel's milk has much more vitamin C and also iron. I wish we could find camel milk and camel meat available outside of the Middle East.

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Abyaneh: Where to Eat

Abyaneh: Where to Eat

Wandering around the living museum town of historic Abyaneh was fun because during the time we were there no other tourists were around. In that town there were no visible places to eat, except when upon leaving the town we came across this restaurant. It seemed to be the only place to eat. 

Inside the restaurant there was a definite feel that it catered to tourists as the servers seemed to have an attitude like those in restaurants which cater to big tourist trap locations. Having said that, there still was a "country feel" to the food, the way it was presented and the taste. I appreciated that aspect of it.

The ubiquitous kabob with saffron rice, but the grilled tomatoes were lovely!

Yoghurt with shallots.

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Iran: Tasting the local brew!

BEER! One of my favourite beverages! I really make it a point in what ever country I travel to that I taste the local brew of that country. Of course I have some favourite choices from around the world, but this time I travelled to Iran. The traditional beer which has alcohol is not legally available and since I don't know the proper contacts, this kind of beer could not be easily found in Iran, and there were no pubs to do any pub crawling anywhere, so I opted out and tasted the non alcoholic version which I found satisfying and, surprising that Iran produces so many with unique flavours! When I was living in the Persian/Arab "Khaleej" countries, I would drink the non alcoholic variety so I was already acquainted with it's palate.

Pomegranate flavoured beer- it was quite good really!

This reminded me of a shandy which would even be permissible for children but was good with the ubiquitous kabob.

 This same brand somehow tasted much better drinking from a glass bottle.

 Coffee flavoured beer (!!) A definitely acquired taste. Never again

 This was really one of the best beers (Delster) which I have come across in Iran and was especially good with an oily and fried dish. I've never seen it sold elsewhere in the country except in this one Tehran restaurant.

This is a famous German beer "Holstein" with lemon. It had a more "German flavour" to it as it had hops .   ( next to it is Zam Zam, I didn't taste that)

This was a nice beer too, and was similar to the "lemon" beers we had above, without the lemon of course!

When I was in Tehran, there is a small provisional shop which was near the Russian Embassy. There I managed to acquire a cold "BALTYKA" in an aluminium can. - non alcoholic of course :(
The can was written in Russian and also Farsi, but also read "Brewed in Russia".  Young guys, when looking at my clear plastic bag, had big eyes and pointed at it when they spied it out among the other tantalizing items I bought! Maybe they had the right idea about good tasting beer like I have and were also searching for the "right connection" as I was??

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Tehran: Dining at famous Pardis ( Pardiso) Restaurant in Fashionable North Tehran

While visiting around the more upscale North Tehran, we went for a nice lunch in the famous "Pardis" (Pardiso) Restaurant on Vali Asr Street. This busy restaurant at first looks like a fast food place as the photos showing the different food choices reminded me of a Taco Bell shop, but when looking at the more well heeled "aunties and uncles" patrons as well as a local celebrity, whose appearance was brought to everyone's attention, we came to learn that this was not an ordinary place to go. 

photo: website

I enjoyed a local favourite which was made with fried aubergine and rice and topped with a nice crusty and crispy rice layer on top. It was very filling, and the local non alcoholic beer really hit the spot. A perfect lunch!

After lunch we drove further around North Tehran and visited the White Palace, a former palace of the Shah and Queen which was away from the busy city. The air was clean, and the temperatures were somewhat cooler.  We also went to a favourite haunt where modern young Tehranis would go to hang out, smoke hooka pipe and take a lift to the top of a mountain where one could see a bird's eye view of Tehran. It was windy and dusty, but a great view of Tehran! ( and all it's smog!)

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SRI LANKA: Experiencing the Wild North East

SRI LANKA: Experiencing Sri Lanka's Wild North East.

I've been coming to Sri Lanka for many years. Each time I would go I would stay in the South West or South as a civil war was raging on in the Northeast for years. This was my first time to venture with my very special, life long friends to the Northeast, former "Elam" territory as the civil war ended "officially" and there being relative calm in the area. When we crossed into the area it was like entering another world! 

Travelling on the Colombo- Ratnapura- Wellawaya- Batticaloa Highway (CRWB Hwy) we passed places with names which were all written in Tamil only. Street signs were in Tamil, and only some advertising signs in Singhala were just recently posted which looked out of place.   We drove past eerie abandoned villages, which were all burnt out, and the area was leveled for as far as the eye can see!

 It resembled a "ghost town" like in Western movies. Ramshackle structures with large signs reading UNHCR were posted on them were built here and there. A few times a police road block  would appear, and the police made us stop and which we were involuntarily made to allow a couple of passengers to ride along with us to the next town. 

We spent the night in a town called Passikudah. This town was trying to re emerge as new resorts were being built, but there was a definite tension felt in the air. Electric was on only a short time so we experienced the town mostly in the dark. We were the only visible ones with a motor vehicle driving in the town as everyone else used bicycles or went by foot.  My friend couldn't sleep well that night thinking that we would have uninvited encounters at night. He swore that he heard gunfights at night as there were still small pockets of armed resistance smoldering in different areas nearby.

My friend told me when we were standing in the queue at the liquor store that some of the customers rubbing elbows with us there were ex combatants! Signs warning of un-detonated mines were posted in many areas of the town in small cordoned off areas in barb wire, even on street corners.

When we were driving in the main street we would see some guys on bicycle riding in the middle of the street in a reckless fashion purposely defying the rules of the road, showing us that they were the ones in charge. Only a few people were able to speak, or attempted to speak Singhala when we asked for directions. Our other friend could speak some Tamil luckily so communication was not a problem.

Driving in the  town's unlit streets brought interesting experiences which I have never had before. A long procession of guys, with a few of them carrying a casket on their heads were walking along side the street going to a funeral. The thing I noticed more clearly was the brightness of their white sarongs waving as our vehicle headlights quickly flashed on them.

When we left the Northeast area a few days later we drove toward the interior of Northern Sri Lanka closer to Trincomalee and stopped off in a quaint restaurant made in a traditional grass hut building. We celebrated with some nice food and, of course many cans of beer!

The second half of our adventure took us to a lake in a very remote place, really in the middle of nowhere. Here we found a man who would ferry us with his small row boat to a special place in the middle of the lake where some hot springs were located. The name "hot springs" were really taken literally here as the naturally heated water came from deep under the earth and was near boiling point! There was a chart listing all the various minerals in the water and the rejuvenating effects it would have on the human body.

One would have to mix in a plastic bucket some cooled water with the water from the cauldron and soak your limbs in that bucket. It was still hot but felt good in a somewhat masochistic way!

Believe me, my legs and feet really felt remarkably better from soaking there for a while. It was worth the drive getting there!
I made it a new hobby of mine wherever in the world I travel to visit natural thermal springs and enjoy soaking for a few moments in them.

Whenever I visit Sri Lanka I get a different experience which makes that wonderful land of serendipity new each time. I look forward to my next adventure soon!

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THAILAND: Venturing off in Thailand's North

Venturing off in Thailand's North.

The north of Thailand has a very different character and feel compared to Bangkok and the south. This area was called "Lanna", one million fields, in the historical years. The people speak a special dialect and the cuisine is different than other regions of the country, with influences from neighbouring Burma and Lao. My favourite foods being Khao Soi, a Burmese inspired crispy noodle soup flavoured with a coconut curry. Nam Prik Ong is a sauce or dip made from pork and ground chilies and tomato!  Sai ua, is a local spicy pork sausage with local herbs. It has an exotic flavour and I like to eat it as a snack! Gang Hung Lay is a spicy pork curry which also has a Burmese influence to it as it has ginger, garlic and tamarind. I am starting to feel hungry remembering all the food as I am writing about them now!

The major cities in Thailand's north are Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai.

Chiang Mai was once a sleepy provincial town which later grew to become Thailand's second largest city. I must say, at times the small town feel still exists there when you really get to know the area. Chiang Rai, a half day drive through mountain forests and past green paddy fields from Chiang Mai, it is still a sleepy town.

This is the place to go if you want to have a reprieve from the humidity and heat, and less pollution. It is easier to step into nature here as there are small villages, jungles, mountains and countryside which start immediately outside both cities. It is perfect to go for a hike and start exploring!

Chiang Mai is has a famous market called Night Bazaar. I've never purchased anything from this market but enjoyed wandering through it. Chiang Mai is blessed with many small hotels, guest houses and even luxury hotels and resorts. Each time I stayed in Chiang Mai I stayed with friends. 

If you've had enough shopping in Bangkok and Pattaya then you'll want to see the temples and feel the local history. A famous temple named Doi Suthep is a good place to start. Climbing to this mountain temple will give you good exercise, as well as opportunities to meet and talk with new friends who are also climbing the steps along side you! 

Chiang Mai  and Chiang Rai have a playful gay scene with several dance clubs, massage parlours for men, gay bars and outdoor cafes, but on a much smaller scale than in Bangkok or Pattaya. Since there is more or less a lack of a homophobic feel in this area,  Chiang Mai has a large gay expat community. Many settle down with a local partner!

If mountain villages and nature are of your interests, Chiang Rai surrounds are a great place to explore!  Outside of Chiang Rai in the mountains, past tea plantations and other small historic places, there are various hill tribe people. There are different ethnic peoples and many are not Thai citizens. Some hill tribe people are Akha, Hmong and Lisu among many others. Most live in traditional ways and still wear traditional costumes. A visit to these villages are a rewarding experience.

If going north of Chiang Rai, the famous landmark called the Golden Triangle will be found. Here is the geographic location where Thailand meets the borders of Laos and Myanmar (Burma) and also not far from China. 

Possibilities are endless when exploring this unique part of Thailand!

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GREECE: Magical moments together on Lesvos

Magical moments together in Lesvos

Everyone agrees that Greece is a wonderful place to escape to as a tourist, and even the LGBTQ tourist can enjoy comfortably and safely. Places like Mykonos are a hopping, "in" place, with never ending  gay friendly excitement and activities during the high season months.
We sought to venture, far from the parties and wild nightlife, and to be even away from the beach, and experience a more quieter, and "local" experience. We boarded an overnight ferry and sailed to the isle of Lesvos. This is one of the more remote islands and is closer to Turkey than to the  other Greek islands. 
Being off season, we experienced a different Greece, with weather similar to England with showers and gray skies and a jacket was needed when going out.
We stayed in a wonderful B&B run by a Greek family who were kind and included generous Greek style breakfasts in the very reasonable price of our room. We had a kitchen where we cooked our own food which we bought from the local grocery stores, which allowed us to try all kinds of interesting Greek local foods, and fresh produce, fish, Greek coffee, Greek wines which are reasonably priced, and Ouzo! Ouzo is a delightful aperitif which has an anise flavour and is what the locals drink too!

A view from our ferry as it approaches Mitilini on Lesvos. We enjoyed wandering around towns like these, and other wonderful picturesque towns with names like Molyvos, which has a ruin of an Ottoman castle. One of the many reminders of the Turk's long time control of Greece.

We savoured our  intimate walks together on uncrowded streets, wandering into small shops, having conversations with the friendly shop keepers, not being swamped with tourists yet, allowing opportunities to know each other more. Our unhurried and unplanned course allowed us a better insight into local Greek ways of life, which we wouldn't be able to easily learn during the busy high season.

Chris, in the photo above enjoying the village as the local people do.

We would often walk down back streets and admire how the small neighbourhoods looked.

In the town we stayed there is a landmark Orthodox church which was built on top of a huge rock. We got our exercise on our meditative climb to the top of the rock to admire the church, imagining how lively it would be during major festivals like Pascha or Christmas.

Greece has hundreds more enchanting islands for us to explore, unhurriedly, savouring every bit of local culture and flavour.

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My First Book: Private Travel Diary

Private Travel Diary

Now Available for download and purchase

$1.99

Buy on Scribd

"I have finally decided to release my personal and nostalgic years of travel. This edition covers the special times in the Middle East, Africa, and Thailand. Meet Washington, my Kenyan friend as well as my group of guy friends from the Arab Gulf. I hope you like reading my private travel diary."

"My friends would come by my flat in their big flashy cars, asking me to go out with them. Usually a group of 2 or 3, sometimes more. Once leaving the city centre, away from the secret police and judging eyes, one is greeted by the desert. My arab friends would take me to the desert for an evening, sometimes an overnight tent camping party."

Vagaybond Private Travel Diary by JT

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Verona: Wandering back in time

Verona is a beautiful city straddled along the Adige river, in northern Italy. Supposedly one of the major tourist destinations in Northern Italy, having visited Firenze a few weeks before coming to Verona, and also coming during the tourist low season, we found Verona refreshing and in many situations our own personal city to wander through, as we enjoyed the city before the throngs of tourists arrived.

We were blessed to stay with our lovely friends who live in Verona, so we had a more intimate, insider's approach to the area, and experienced the local culture more intensely and better than if we had done on our own, or even with a tour for that matter.

Having visited Firenze earlier, we weren't visiting the museums and as for any of the "must see" attractions, if they were in the path of our very casual strolls around the city, then we visited them, but felt no pressure or obligation to find them and tick them off a checklist. Rather, we had a luxurious coffee at a chic cafe in the old town, a place where one would find a celebrity making an appearance at, getting lost down the old narrow street and walk ways; the kind of walk ways people look at in glamourous travel magazines with enviable wishes to go there themselves, and best of all, with no tourist crowds!

We wandered into quaint wine shops where the wine merchant would get nervous as we spent a long time studying the wine bottles, ( Chris is a true wine aficionado), wander into cathedrals where a concert would be playing, and when we felt a bite to eat, wander into a friendly shop and sample local specialties, which we had friendly and kind assistance once the owner of the shop came to know we spoke English, it was her opportunity to practice some with us.

Having stayed with local friends in the city, we were taken to their favourite places in the city as well as around the environs away from the cultural attractions like a Roman  town Soave nearby, which was indeed very fun to wander those ancient streets in that town as the sun set.

Some of the fun attractions included a visit to a local olive oil factory where we got a personal tour from the owner as well as a sampling of locally grown and pressed olive oil,

 a local winery which had amazing wine, an all you can eat pizzeria , ( all you can eat for 10 Euros) which gave opportunities to meet our friends other friends, as this pizza place had a party atmosphere. We had a great time looking over our friend's shoulder as he cooked a famous noodle dish, and  since we were hanging around his informal and friendly kitchen, he would open up favourite special foods which are found only in the Verona region and have us sample them. Other friends of his would come over bringing some of their own home made specialties and contribute them to a huge banquet which we all thoroughly enjoyed, of course with plenty of wine flowing, the next morning taken to a famous pastry shop for breakfast and coffee! We are extremely grateful to experience everything from our friends there.

Being taken to a local Verona Farmer's market was a special treat as we came to know how local people supported the local farmer's in the community. We bought some goat meat salami, some local cheese and our friends bought organic vegetables, as we continued to wander and learn where local food in Verona comes from.

Verona, although being famous and old, was a very clean city, and felt like a giant museum. One could immediately sense that people were proud of their city, taking great care to keep it up and looking its best.  Verona had a good transport system,but since we were staying near the old city with our friends, and the city having a compact feeling, we chose to do how local people got around, and that was by walking. We walked everywhere and enjoyed every moment of  who and what Verona had to show us!

( We are enacting the part of Romeo and Julliet at Julliet's "grave")

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Beer/Porter: Żywiec Porter. Good taste and good feeling!

This is one of my favourite porters. Żywiec is a town in southern Poland. It would go really well with some bigos or some smoked kiełbasa. I couldn't wait to have some as soon as I opened the bottle. When this Polish porter is poured, it comes into the glass very dark but but opaque brownish/black in the glass with a lovely foam head! I could definitely taste chocolate, maybe some caramel and coffee grinds- and the more I taste it, the more of a good feeling I get!  Even after I had finished the whole glass I was able to sniff the burnt coffee charcoal aroma left behind! okrzyki!  na zdrowia

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