Canh Chua

It's been some time since I've had proper Mummy-cooked-Viet food. While I had been given the recipe for Canh Chua a while ago, I'd never bothered to cook it as it involved going out to get a relatively fresh fish. Also, it is a bit weird and is not usually served in Viet restaurants but eaten in many Vietnamese homes. So I opted to cook it when I was home alone.

In a hurry to get home, I had rushed to Chinatown to buy some fish. Not expecting much, I chose the freshest looking one without a bleeding eye. I was quite surprised that it had looked so fresh. I'm fine for scaling fish, but when I got home I realised the damn fish hadn't been gutted. Dammit.

I couldn't bear the fish looking me in the eye so I had to chop off his head. Too bad it took several blows with the cleaver. Poor fishy. He wasn't too happy after I did that to him.

Next, the guts. Luckily we have a filleting knife and I managed to cut out all his organs. Gross.

Anyway, the fishy made a lovely, crucial addition to my meal. I'm so proud of myself for not screwing up the dish.

Yah huh. I ate him all by myself.

A new Knut?

Yes I'm a Knut fan. Jumped on the bandwagon when I first saw his little button eyes, snow white fur and squishy paws. Now it appears there seems to be a Knut Mark II with the birth of another German little ball of fluff in Nuremberg Zoo.

After reading news articles about a fellow bear (Vilma) at the same zoo consume her two cubs, I was force to think a little more deeply about goo-goo ga-ing about captive cubs. Part of me can't resist the wanna-cuddle-the-furrball factor but then another part of me gets angry at people like myself whose interest was tickled by the cute factor.

The uproar directed at the Nuremberg Zoo for not intervening in nature's ways resulted in mother bear Vilma (presumably) eating her young. While cannibalism is frowned upon in the homo sapien world, people should realise that such an act is not uncommon in the animal kingdom. As much I would've preferred those two bundles of fluff survive (allowing me to goo and ga) unfortunately, nature took it's course.

I'm not pissed off that the zoo made such a decision. I am far more annoyed at the general public for criticising the zoo. The publc's concern probably stems from the fact that it is a polar bear cub - a potentially cute cub - which died. Reptiles eat their young too, as do fish and dogs. Would there be the same media attention and consequent uproar had the animal in question been a snake or a tropical goldfish? I think not.

That is how I realised I could not be a vet. I do not love all animals equally.

Ok, back to the topic. The cub that is now being hand-reared is the offspring of the other mother bear, Vera. The choice was made after seeing her pace around her enclosure with the cub in her mouth, dropping it every so often. Admittedly I gasped every time I saw the cub drop from her mother's jaw (video below). But it angers me to hear that Vera only started pacing when her cave was disturbed by a cameraman and that it appeared that the cub had been well-looked after prior to it's removal from it's mother. I will speculate that the cub, despite being born under the most artificial habitats (captive bear mother, non-Artic surroundings), would have survived past infancy under the care of it's own mother. That is what pisses me off the most. That the zoo interfered, bowing to public pressure and because of a cameraman's selfish desire to snap the first photo.

This could lead into a debate about the roles of zoos in society and the implications of hand-rearing a wild animal. Is there any point of hand-rearing an animal which would be incapable of surviving if released back into the wild? This will eventually lead to a discussion about global warming and then I will start feeling as though I'm not doing enough to help save the world. So I'll end the ranting here.

While I am overjoyed to see that another polar bear cub is to be hand-reared, I can't help but feel a little disappointed in myself. I'm just another sucker for the cute stuff, happy to retreat into my bubble of oblivion.

UPDATE: The cub has been christened 'Flocke' (Snowflake in German). It's a girl and is supposedly cross-eyed and I do wonder if that is from resultant head injuries. Nuremberg Zoo have also given Flocke her own webpage.

Purchases

Hmmm I don't usually do this but I don't think I've ever done a proper shopping post. As much as the shopping in New York rocked, I was extremely disciplined. Yeah I bought some clothes, shoes, make up - the usual stuff. It's hard to resist when the prices are half price when compared to UK and Australia.

Anyway, one of my goals was to get two dresses for the upcoming weddings. I have loved BCBG dresses ever since I stepped into my first store in Singapore and especially more so when I found out that Summer on The OC wore a lot of BCBG. That certainly explains why I really liked her clothes. They're not terribly expensive either. It's a shame that it's not sold in Australia and of course it is double the price in the UK. Damn the pound!

Anyway, I managed to get two BCBG dresses for US$130 each at Woodbury Common. Wow, it was so cheap! I'd never be able to buy a dress with tulle, lace, boning for that kind of price elsewhere in the world! Well except maybe less developed countries where you exploit the poor seamstress and then worry about your ethics.

My two bargain dresses.

I didn't want to whinge but I will. Technically the black lace one has thin straps and the ruffle one is strapless. But I'm not going to kid myself - they are very similar and are clearly based on the same design. Not only that, but the colour is similar. Unfortunately beggars at an outlet mall can't be choosers and while I would have preferred maybe a halter neck or something else, none of my other choices were available in my size.

It just so happens that this weekend I bought another dress at Harvey Nichols hahahaha. I didn't mean to - really I didn't! We were meant to be searching for a dress for J, but I ended up finding one for myself, which I've decided I will wear to Meme's wedding. It was £50 marked down from £200 or something.

I will say it does looks crap on the hanger.

Hmmm other essential stuff I got - a Nintendo DS Lite. Well actually I didn't really want to buy one and it wasn't even on my list, but the same argument goes - it was half the UK/Aust price! I'm even happier that I got the limited edition crimson/black one.

I've named him 'Ninny' cos I'm so original. I put on those red glasses just to match him.

Finally, I thought I should show you what I bought from Berlin Zoo. A child's tshirt, size Large and a cloth Knut bag. I do fit the child's t-shirt and there's a slim possibility that I can pull off wearing in the street. Maybe.... maybe.... The cloth bag is for you Moo. Your make up is actually inside it in this photo. I also bought a plush toy but he didn't walk into the photo in time.

On a totally unrelated topic, I am still reading that Bill Bryson book. Well actually no, I haven't touched since for nearly two months. I'll try to finish it, but I'm tempted to write my book review already.

ML's Birthday Drinks

ML had her birthday drinks tonight at Beduin bar. Drinks were surprisingly cheap. We got up to the usual antics and a bit more.

It's a crime. Our girly photos are looking the same. Leesh arrived later from another party and unfortunately after our happy snapping.


J and MF with her new, hot hairstyle.

Lil Miss J doing something with Bao's clutch.

The best way to end the night? Fried egg and spam on toast.

Happy New Year!

Well, I've been the slobbiest of slobs for the past few days since getting back from Berlin. All that jetlag finally caught up with me and I was so glad to get back into my own bed. I slept for about 17 hours straight, waking up at 6pm the day after returning from Berlin. Even I surprised myself at how sloth-like I was!

Of course that ruined me. I didn't sleep until 6am but still manage to get up by 10.45am to watched 'Enchanted' (excellent for fairy-tale Disney movie-lovers) and 'I am Legend' with Kt. You would've thought that my sleep pattern would return to normal but no.... For the three following days I woke up at either 3 or 5pm. Mmmm lazy. There was one episode of late night vacuuming.

Anyway, this is the HAPPY NEW YEAR post!

I had dinner with a few others in Covent Garden where the dinner began at 7.30pm and ended at 11pm. Service was far too slow.

That kinda ruined our plans a bit to return to Old Kent Road Party House to view the fireworks from the rooftop. An hour would normally suffice but this was NYE.

We managed to finally get onto a tube and then force ourselves onto an overcrowded bus at 11.55pm, while the boys opted to run back.

You can predict what happened next. The clock struck 12 and the first firework exploded while J, SuBoo, J's friend and I were on the bus. Yay-frigging-yay. People wished each happy new year on the bus half heartedly.

Luckily our stop was next, so we ran across the road and all the way up the stairwell to see the last 5 minutes of the fireworks bonanza.

It is now that I suspect someone tried to pickpocket me on either the tube or the bus and stole my Napoleon skin primer. A little disappointing for the thief but very annoying for me! I can't find it anywhere and I do distinctly remember seeing it at dinner. Grrrrrr

At 2am, Munabuna decided that it was time to light some fireworks that he bought from the local supermarket. I totally understand why these are illegal to purchase in Australia. Fireworks + stupid people = bad things.

The offending objects.

Fireworks are meant to be planted into the ground. Since there is no 'ground' on a rooftop, the boys use an upside down outdoor table. Smart.

Our own fireworks display was very pretty though. One of other strangers on the rooftop demonstrated the supreme act of stupidity by holding one of the fireworks as it ignited. I was waiting for a spare arm to fly off.

I would like to say that there were some consequences from the stupidity, but then if there were I probably wouldn't be posting it up on a blog because it would probably involve a terrible injury. That would be just bad taste. Stupid people are also lucky people too.

Berlin - Day 4 - Pergamon, Berliner Dom & Knut

This was our final day in Berlin. The walking tour that we had originally booked was still on the cards. Lil Miss J and Kt having missed the last leg of Mike The Hottie's tour opted to make their money's worth. J and I deciding that there can be only ONE tour of Berlin took it upon ourselves to see some of the other sights of Berlin. First stop was the Pergamon Museum to see if the Germans were as good as the British and the French at plundering other civilisations.

Outside the Pergamon Museum and the altar indoors.

The Ishtar Gate.

Judging from that one museum, the Germans weren't good plunderers. But what they did take was massive. We can start that whole size versus quantity debate.

Next was the Berliner Dom, a cathedral. Kinda reminded me of St. Peter's in Vatican City.

Being the hungry hippos that we were and with a Christmas market located conveniently opposite (it's Boxing Day and it was open!), we had more bratwurst.

I had come to accept that the short time we were spending in Berlin would not be sufficient to visit my beautiful-but-not-so-little-anymore polar bear Knut :D at the Berlin Zoo. It was a little upsetting that I was so close, yet so far and there was some uncertainity about the zoo being open. I was so happy that J and I had time to visit the zoo and more importantly, it was open! Knut was begging for me to visit!

I hadn't seen any recent photos of Knut, now that he is quickly growing out of his puppy-like cub phase and lacking the photogenic qualities and money spinning publicity. I do feel like a mother to a child who is watching her cute, cuddly dependent approach the ugly early teenage phase. A mother will love her child, no matter how ugly - that's how I feel about Knut. It is somewhat crazy.

Here's the important bit - photos:

Me so happy to pose near Knut.

After about 20 minutes of ogling and urging Knut to do something, J and I left. We then walked past the wolves, heading towards the nearby souvenir store so I could voluntarily be sucked in to buying stuff that I would never need nor use but was Knut-related nonetheless.

It was then I noticed about 50 metres away a small crowd of about 10 people near another enclosure. I decided to delay the souvenirs. We moved closer and to my heart-stopping horror I realised that I had spent 20 minutes lavishing love and wasting photos on THE WRONG BEAR. Do you understand?!?!?! IT WAS THE WRONG BEAR!!!

F*#K

I was sooooooo upset with myself, I wanted to cry. I was a mother who didn't recognise her own flesh and blood. While snapping shots of the other polar bear, I did think that Knut had aged kinda rapidly since any last photos I'd seen, but I justified my thoughts with the fact that animals do grow quickly. Then other thoughts ran through my head. Had I instead chosen to go directly the souvenir store, ignoring my innate Asian behaviour of following the crowds, I would not have seen my beloved bear!! *cry*

Damn the Berlin Zoo for having only Eisbär signs and no signs which pointed directly to Knut!

The sign which made me realise my grave error.

Yes, yes, yes, this bear was Knut!

Now I was really happy to be near Knut.

There was no point sulking any further. At least I found my bear. I made the most of the situation and snapped some more photos. Unfortunately, the grey skies and setting sun meant that they weren't that great quality.

Now this bear was much more like what I was expecting. This clearly was a cub moving into early adolescence, still retaining the playfulness of what Knut is adored for. Jade and I could have watched him for ages - chewing on a teething toy, watching him walk towards a bird, falling over on his back and pretending to be human. Knut's a little bit dirty but I assume that is because his zookeeper is no longer permitted to interact with him anymore for the fear that Knut's cuddles may kill him. So no manual bathing for Knut :(

Chewing on his toy.

Oh hey, where's it gone?

Yes he's much bigger, but still adorable. Please pat my soft belly.

I managed to get two fairly ok videos :D

You can clearly hear J and I discussing whether his chew toy was a piece of poo and also cooing over his belly.


He's so cuddly and even pretends to be a dog in this. Such a show for the cameras.

Happier, we went back to the souvenir store. I am proud of myself for refusing that Knut calendar, postcard book, keyring and children's book in German. I still want this book and I was so disappointed the Berlin Zoo only had the German version - maybe I will get one from Amazon. After spending 20 mins in a store the size of a small ensuite, I left happy with my carefully chosen souvenirs.

I left the zoo a happy girl :D The other animals? What other animals?

Of course the question was posed to me - Mike The Hottie or Knut? Well duh, Mike of course! Sometimes you have to make sense of the situation and I choose man over beast.

With a Christmas market across the road from the zoo, it was the perfect way to end our time in Berlin.

We jetted back into London tonight without any problems but Berlin is a destination I will be visiting again!