Last Madrid photo

The "futbol" mania has died down, Real Madrid's magical 4-1 win from behind after normal time over Atelitico Madrid is all history.

Last evening meal at a small cafe in Madrid's La Latina or Latin quarter; time was around  8pm, very early by local customs. I had paella and Kay had ensalada (salad), like what we had many many times over the past month.

We look forward to going back to Singapore and Sydney for won ton, Thai beef salad, char kway  teow, curries, laksa and perhaps finishing off with chendol and ice kachang.

Spanish food

Spanish delicacy of white beans, blood and rice sausage and pig's ears.

Farewell to Camino

Pulpo (octopus) is a local delicacy. Sarria's CH Hotel served a delicious pulpo risotto.

Trees removed

We had the tree men in to deal with a few trees. One was a tall camphor laurel that we had topped years ago and left it standing but still covered with monstera, while the other was an ugly and sickly box elder (acer negundo). They also took out a cypress pine.

The men arrived the first thing in the morning together with a large crane that took up all of our front yard.

One man was lifted high to begin on the monstera; perhaps he was least afraid of heights.

First the monstera creepers were pruned and then the old trunk of the camphor laurel was cut up.

The tree trunk was cut into large sections and each lifted out to be shredded by the other men.

Tree removal April 2014 from Kin-Mun Kan on Vimeo.

That was the end of the old camphor laurel trunk and monstera.

Next they worked on the box elder (Acer negundo) in the same way.

Tree removal II April 2014 from Kin-Mun Kan on Vimeo.

By noon, there jobs were done.

After a few days of wet weather

After a few days of wet weather, something popped out on our gravel driveway

Mushrooms.

This gives a better idea of the size.

W Africa and Norway - more . . . . .

Here are some video clips that are worth sharing . . .


Sierra Leone cultural dance show

Freetown (sorry about the screech in the background, the PA system in the coach I was in was faulty)


Freetown (Sierra Leone) street scene.

On the Hurtigruten - sailing into the man-made Risoyrenna Channel.


Norway - sailing into the Risoyrenna channel

Milan Revisited

On the way back from Norway, we had a stopover in Milan primarily to visit Leonardo da Vinci's "Last Supper". It was not easy to catch a glimpse of the famous but fast deteriorating painting on the refectory wall at the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie. Not only is the viewing restricted to certain days of the week but also in the number of viewers permitted at any one time, such that the time slots are usually heavily booked. We had to join a Milan tour (that covered places that we had already been before) just to get a 15-minute audience. But of course it was worth it. Besides, we rediscovered Milan, a rather elegant city and enjoyed especially the food and shops.

Leonardo's Last Supper on a refectory wall at the Santa Maria delle Grazie.

The Milan Duomo

These were actually edible chocolates.

Outside the Monastery where the Last Supper is located.

Pilaf or risotto?

Exotic cuisine.

For more photos click here.