Blogger Book Swap Reveal

Last month I participated in the Blogger Book Swap through Chaotic Goddess Swaps. This is one of their most popular swaps and it is held several times a year. I  find swaps to be a fun way to get to know other bloggers out there. Plus I get to give and receive fun things! You can read my original post on the swap here. I was paired with Wendy from A Day In The Life On A Farm. I was delighted to get to know Wendy and found that we had a similar taste in books. 

The objective was to mail three books:

1. One book you love
2. One book you're interested in but haven't read
3. One book from your partners wish list

Here is what I sent Wendy:

A book I loved:

Behind The Beautiful Forevers

By: Katherine Boo

A book I'm interested in:

The Plum Tree

By: Ellen Marie Wiseman

A book from her wish list:

Henrietta's War

By: Joyce Dennys

Wendy made selections for me that were all on my wish list. Here is what she chose for me:

A book she loved:

Hotel On The Corner Of Bitter And Sweet

By: Jamie Ford

A book she'd like to read:

Seriously...I'm Kidding

By: Ellen Degeneres

A book on my wish list:

My Father's Paradise: A Son's Search For His Family's Past

By: Ariel Sabar

 I'm looking forward to reading all of my selections. I hope she is too! What are you reading?

Lemongrass Garden Massage and Beauty Spa

On my last day in Siem Reap, Cambodia I decided to take it easy and enjoy a delicious lunch followed by a relaxing massage before I left town. After seeing reviews on Trip Advisor and walking by the shop numerous times during my stay, I decided on trying the Lemongrass Garden Massage and Beauty Spa for my treatment.

I selected the 90 minute Aromatherapy Massage for $23 USD. I arrived early afternoon without an appointment and I had no trouble getting in right away. I imagine most tourists spend the day touring the ancient sites. 

I was welcomed with a cup of tea to relax on the sofa prior to my treatment. To start, my masseuse brought out a bucket of water and scrub to wash my feet before leaving the reception area. Then she provided me with a pair of clean sandals to use in the salon. This is necessary because Cambodia is very dusty and my feet and legs are usually covered with dirt just from walking along the street.

Asian spas are not typically as modest as in the USA, but here I was provided with a pair of black mesh disposable panties to wear during my massage. My masseuse was very professional and the massage was incredibly relaxing. It was exactly what I needed after two weeks of hiking through ruins, motorbike tours and riding around on a tuk tuk. I recommend trying the services at this spa and I plan to return any time I'm in Siem Reap.      

  

Do you like to indulge in any way during your vacation?

Photo Friday: Lake County Forest Preserve

Lake County Forest Preserve, Illinois

June 2013

Chongqing Cygnet

Foreign tourists visit Chengdu to see the Giant Panda Research Base although the city is famous to local tourists for its cuisine. Chengdu is the capital of Sichuan province and Sichuan food is known around the world to be spicy. Hotpot is also a popular food in China and I'm told the best is found in Sichuan. So during my recent visit I checked out a local restaurant to try out the spicy hotpot. Chongqing Cygnet Hotpot has been around since 1982. It is a local chain restaurant that was located in a shopping center near my hotel. 

From the menu, you choose the flavor of your broth and the assortment of meats and vegetables that you'd like. They also have a larger version of the menu that's mostly photographs. One of the difficult aspects about dining out in China is finding an English menu if you don't read Chinese. Most of the menu is Chinese, but they have adequate photographs of the menu items, so as a non-Chinese speaker I had no trouble selecting the items I wanted.  

I've had hotpot numerous times at this point and I am typically served a sesame paste as the sauce base. In addition, cilantro, pepper jelly, and vinegar are provided to adjust the seasoning to my liking. At Chongqing Cygnet they not only had the basics, but they had an entire sauce bar for me to choose from. I loved experimenting with the different flavors.  

Another aspect that I loved about Chongqing Cygnet is that each person has their own individual burner and pot in front of their seat. That way everyone can order their own broth as spicy as you want and no one has to worry about mixing meats with vegetables if dining with a vegetarian (or vise versa). I went with the three pepper spicy rating on the menu which was perfect for me. 

I ordered a platter with meats, mushrooms and green vegetables. Plus I added sliced potatoes, muer, and bean curd; three of my favorite foods in hotpot. Everything goes into the pot to cook, even the green leafy vegetables. Then you pull it out of the pot and dip it in the sauce to eat. I usually order a spicy broth and add way too much pepper to my sauce so my mouth is on fire by the end of my meal. It's quite delicious though! I ordered way too much food and there was enough left over for at least one whole meal. For every thing, including my drink, the meal was under $15 USD. I loved my experience at Chongqing Cygnet and I will definitely go back again. As a chain, they have locations in other cities throughout China. I look forward to eating a lot more hotpot during my stay.    

What do you think about spicy food?      

Giant Panda Sanctuary

Watching the giant pandas in their natural habitat in China is something I've wanted to do for as long as I can remember. Visiting them at the research base in Chengdu, China is probably the closest I'll get. The facility houses about 83 giant pandas as well as a number of red pandas. 

I stayed at a hotel in the Chengdu downtown area and took a taxi to the giant panda research facility. The cost each way was just under 50 yuan (about $7-$8 USD) and took approximately 30 minutes. The entrance fee at present is 58 yuan (about $10 USD).  

It's recommended to get there before their feeding time of 9-10am when the pandas are the most active. I was feeling a little under the weather most likely due to something I ate, so I arrived around 11am. The red pandas were either eating or sleeping high up in the trees. While some of the pandas were sleeping, many were still eating or walking around so I didn't miss everything by arriving later. 

 There is a trolley that will drive you around the facility and costs 10 yuan (about $1.50 USD). I walked most of the way on my own. Then I paid to have the trolley drive me around to a few places at the back of the property because it was cold and I was tired from trekking all over Xi'an the week prior. 

I loved my visit and I could have stayed all day watching the giant pandas. In January it's still fairly cold in Chengdu and everything is outdoors. My total visit was roughly four hours. 

Check out the short clip I shot below.