Yingxian Wooden Pagoda, Datong, China

 

We visited this the same day we did the Hanging Temple.  This pagoda was built in 1056 during the Liao Dynasty (916–1125) and is not too far from Datong. It is the oldest all-wood pagoda in China, as well as the only Buddhist temple that was totally built with wood.It is also called Sakyamuni Pagoda of Fogong Temple.  Clocking in at 220 Feet, it is the tallest all wood pagoda in the world.

As a masterpiece of Chinese timber construction, Yingxian Wooden Pagoda is octagonal in shape, and was built without the help of a single nail, screw, or bolt. Its unique construction employs fifty-four different kinds of bracket arms.  It is one of the most complex examples of roof construction in China, and, indeed, in the world. Certainly, it is the most complex example of roof construction of any building constructed during the Liao Dynasty.  This pagoda appears to have five floors from the outside. But actually it is nine-story. There is a hidden floor every two floors.  Each floor is adorned with a plump and amiable statue of Buddha. The four-faceted Buddha symbolizes the infinite knowledge and wisdom of Buddha. It is said that his gaze can pierce any object, or "see through" appearances to the core, as it were.

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The Mule (2018)

About a month ago I had a protracted travel day and watched this on a plane en route from Chicago to Los Angeles, which somehow seemed the perfect venue in which to watch Clint Eastwood's latest movie.  Much like Robert Redford's last effort, is based on the incredible true story of an octogenarian.  This is one who became an unlikely drug mule, transporting staggering amounts of cocaine for a major Mexican drug cartel.  He is a cranky old man, not much liked by his family because it seems to be true that he in fact prioritized flowers over family, and cash strapped.  He meets his new employer at a BBQ for the wedding party of his daughter's upcoming nuptials.  One of the bridesmaid's dates recruits him based on his unobtrusive truck and his spotless driving record to be their latest transportation method.  Trying to stop him is the ATF, with solid performances from both Laurence Fishburn and Bradley Cooper, but he is hard to catch because he is so unpredictable.  The first drug lord understands that this is his super power and lets him be, but when the new drug lord in town threatens and intimidates him, things start to spiral downward.  It is a good story, with lots of good driving turns, and grappling with things Eastwood is known for, namely regret, forgiveness, and the inescapable reality of mortality.

Weijin Tomb, Jiayuguan, China

 

These tombs are located on the endless expanse of the desert, 20 km away from the northeast of Jiayuguan and while only one is open to the public for exploration, there are 1400 brick tombs of Jin and Wei Dynasties scattered here. They are the famous JinWei Tombs, and they were reputed as world’s largest underground art gallery.

Jiayuguan Pass, constructed in 1372, is the western starting point of Ming Great Wall. Under the administration of Suzhou Garrison, it is also one of the nine important frontier towns in China in ancient times. In late Han Dynasty, there was called Yushizhang, while during the Five Dynasties, it was called Tianmen Pass. Jiayuguan was a place of strategic importance in every dynasty in ancient China. Until Wei and Jin Dynasties, there were lots of wars, especially in 310, the forth year of Jin Huai Emperor. Locust disaster, pestilence and wars all happened in this year. People were starving and ate grass, leaves and even furs of cattle. Many people died of starving. And the tombs in Jiayuguan were just built during this hard period (220-589).

The tomb itself, which is about 10 meters underground, consists of an entry, where the tile murals depict the work and everyday life of the tomb owner, then a kitchen area which shows food preparation on the tiles, and finally a bedroom, where the couple are buried.  The man is buried after death, but his chosen wife is murdered in order to join him in the afterlife.  Perhaps a reason not to be the absolutely favorite wife. 

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The Bactrian Camel

While in Dunhuang, on the edge of the Gobi desert, we not only rode one of these camels, we

-->saw them running wild, or at least completely on their own, unfenced and unmonitored.  The only truly wild camels that still exist are Bactrian camels. These herds survive in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia and China. 

Bactrian camels have two humps rather than the single hump of their Arabian relatives. The humps function to store fat which can be converted to water and energy when sustenance is not available. These humps give camels their legendary ability to endure long periods of travel without water, even in harsh desert conditions. As their fat is depleted, the humps become floppy and flabby.  They could go 40 days without water over the Gobi desert, making them a popular pack animal during the hey day of the Silk Road.

Bactrian camels live in Central and East Asia's rocky deserts. Temperatures in these locales are hot—over 100°F-- in summer. Yet they can also drop to –20°F in winter. They have developed special adaptations to allow them to survive in such a brutal environment. One is a thick, shaggy coat that protects them in winter and falls away as seasons change and temperatures rise.  They rarely sweat, helping them conserve fluids for long periods of time. In winter, plants may yield enough moisture to sustain a camel without water for several weeks.  Like Arabian camels, Bactrians' nostrils close to keep sand at bay, and their bushy eyebrows and two rows of long eyelashes protect their eyes. Big, flat footpads help them navigate the rough rocky terrain and shifting desert sands without sinking under their own massive bulk or the weight of heavy packs.

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Capernaum (2018)

This is not for the feint of heart.  It is blisteringly clear on just how undervalued children are in many a society.  It is miserableness personified.  The movie is set in Lebanon, where the heartache of the underprivileged is on such interminable display that you feel the physical hurt.  Life holds no promise, no ability to escape one's cast, which the parents tell their volume of children on a daily level.  This is the best you can hope for they say cruelly and often, expecting the children to support them rather than vis-versa.
Zain, an undocumented 12 year old, is at the center of the film.   He is both a competent problem-solver and a perceptive observer.  Early in the film his eldest sister gets her period.  She doesn't understand it at all, but he sees that once she crosses over from child to woman that she will be sold.  He tries to hide it, he tries to stop it, and when he can't he runs away.  But it is out of the frying pan and into the fire.  He gets adopted by an illegal Ethiopian woman and her one year old boy.  When she gets picked up by immigration, Zaid is left to care for her child and himself, and things go about as well as you might expect.  In the end, Zain is pushed too far, and comes up with an unusual remedy to the problem that his parents brought him into. 

Ode to Penzeys Spice Mixes

I am a cook who has always had some trouble understanding why you would choose a mix for something that is relatively easy to put together from scratch.  For example, making pancakes is so easy to do that I don't understand why one would purchase Bisquick.  Even when planning a camping trip, we would put together a bag with the ingredients already mixed, and then how much wet ingredients to then add.
The only exception to this rule is the Penzeys spice mix.  I have come to be fairly reliant on a wide range of spice mixes to flavor roasted vegetables.  My favorites that are not spicy are the Tzardust Memories, Turkish, and Greek mixes, and the Bangkok,iVindaloo, and Berber.  In addition, I use their chili powder, pie spice mix, and Chinese five spice.  They are just exceptional, easy to make delicious food, and to my mind, also time saving.  In addition, they have been quite vocal about their support of a democratic government that provides a social support for all it's citizens, which is something I can get behind as well.

Dumpling Making in Datong, China

 

There is an old saying in Shanxi province which states: “China has the best flour-based foods in the world, and Shanxi province has the best flour-based foods in China”. For over 2,000 years, the people of Shanxi have used their skill and imagination to develop more than 1,000 different kinds of flour-based dishes.  I would love to try them all, but settled for this typical dumpling of the area.

In Datong, the dumplings, Jiaozi, are one of the most popular staple foods. Different from the ancient times when people only had dumplings on important festivals, they now eat whenever they want. But still, making and eating dumplings is an important activity for most families on the Eve of the Festival of Lights.

Starting in the capital Chang’an, the current Xi’an in Shanxi province, in the north of China, in the Han Dynasty, two thousand years ago, it was thought that eating  jiǎozi would bring luck, wealth, and happiness.  Maybe this was because they were shaped like ancient gold ingots, or maybe just because a meat that tasty was bound to bring luck and wealth.

Pictured is the dumpling making at a restaurant we ate at.  The ease with which the women made and then steamed
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What Men Want (2019)

I have been traveling for a couple of weeks, and have been watching things that are available on planes that I have not seen.  In other words, this is not a movie that I would have necessarily cued up, but I enjoyed.
This is the opposite situation of the Mel Gibson movie, where a man acquires the ability to hear what women think. In this movie, Ali is a sports agent in a male dominated world.  She is driven and somewhat annoying, so when she gets to hear what men think her first thought is that it will help her to land a superstar and gain partnership in her agency.  What she learns though, in addition to a lot of unwanted information about men cheating on her friends and that the one night stand bartender that she brought home is actually a really great guy, is that she is the one who needs to change.  She starts to see herself as others see her, and she doesn't much care for the view in the mirror.  All told, she uses her superpower mostly for good, and learns about herself in the process.  I found this very likable as a movie to watch on a plane.

Melk, Iowa City, Iowa

 I was very pleasantly surprised to find that I very much enjoy a restaurant that focuses largely on breakfast cereal (which in this particular eatery is served all day.  It is not just for breakfast any more).
The restaurant was started and is run by a young man who put together the interior of the restaurant in an Ikea like fashion that is very pleasing.  It is your typical bowling alley set up, but the lay out of tables and booths is nice.

So you walk in and are optimistic.  And not unreasonably so.
I tried the chicken tenders covered in Cap'n Crunch.  You might be thinking that this sounds truly awful, but is actually delicious.  Plus, as is true of most breakfast cereal, it is gluten free, which is a huge advantage for people with Celiac's Disease who want to eat things out that are hard to make at home.  Like fired chicken.  So that is reason enough to return, in my opinion.  You can get that with a delicious kale salad or with waffles and maple syrup if you want to go healthier or more Southern.  Then my kids say that the cereal milk shakes are another reason to return.  Check it out.

In a Sunburnt Country by Bill Bryson

I was so disappointed in the last Bill Bryson book that it didn't occur to me to read this, but when it came through a few sources that this would be a good read for someone going to Australia, and I was indeed going on said vacation, that I decided to read it and was happy to do so.
And I was rewarded for listening to my spouse.  This is a book full of what I would call fun facts, that are in part a way to demonstrate just how unique a place Australia is and in part a cautionary word.  This place is full of dangerous insects and reptiles on land, and equally problematic sharks and jellyfish in the ocean, interspersed with geographical challenges like riptides and desert.  Just be on your A game when it comes to being a tourist.  That is all tempered by his unbounded enthusiasm for the country. He loves the people and the places, he has flown and driven and ridden the rails, so he really says that from a sense of knowing.  His only foot note to all that goodness is the past and current treatment of Australia's incredible indigenous people, the oldest known immigrants out of Africa, and who have a remarkable history all their own (which is left almost completely uncovered in this book).  Highly recommended for anyone traveling there.