Ox Eyes For Dessert

Boys and Girls,

You know that I have never been one to walk away from a sweet treat, so when I came across a bakery in Mexico I just had to walk in and buy something to eat. 

It is overwhelming when you are staring at racks full of baked goods, all of them covered in frosting and sprinkles, and each one looking more tasty than the next, but when I saw the "ojos de buey" I knew I just had to try it.

It looked so disgusting, I just had to try it!

"Ojos de buey" means ox eyes in Spanish, but if you ask me I think the dessert looks more like ox brains! 

Boy oh boy, was it ever sweet.  Two semi-spherical vanilla doughnuts with chocolate icing holding them together, wrapped in a sugary sweet red paste and then coated in sweetened coconut, my teeth are hurting just thinking about it.  I had one bite of the "ojos de buey" and had to save the rest for later...it was just too sweet.

Something tells me this isn't a healthy snack.

What happens to you when you eat too much sugar?

I hope I can find some more tasty treats to eat in Mexico!

Mr. P

A Kid's Guide to Puerto Vallarta

It is the end of November already, but you would never tell by the beautiful and warm weather here in Mexico.  Today was hot and sunny with a high of 28 degrees Celsius.  I wonder what the weather is like back in Toronto?

I am looking forward to enjoying these last few days of sunshine and warmth before returning home to a Canadian winter.  Here are some of the things you think I should get up to while in Puerto Vallarta.

I Am Here - Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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It’s Beginning to Feel a lot Like Christmas!

While strolling through Union Square I couldn’t help but get into the holiday spirit.  It seems like the city of San Francisco goes all out when celebrating winter festivals.  The shops are all playing holiday music, and they have decorated both the inside and outside of their buildings.  Take a look at the pictures below and check out the wreathes that Macy’s have put up in their windows.  Can you use your skip counting skills to find out how many wreathes there are altogether?

Also getting people excited about winter is the skating rink that has been setup in Union Square.  Families and friends were having fun skating around the ice while looking up at all the decorated trees and shops today.  Have you gone skating at an outdoor rink?

Enjoying the some outdoor activity, these people are skating around Union Square.

Sometimes cities take traditions and change them up a bit to fit in with what they have to offer.  Look at the picture below.  How is this tree different from a traditional Christmas tree?

There is something a little strange about this Christmas tree?

Kid's Guide to Napa Valley

Being in San Francisco I am very close to many wine growing regions, one of the most famous being Napa Valley.  I can't wait to explore this part of California, here are some of your tips.


Alcatraz : The Original Naughty Corner

Boys and Girls,

A long time ago in San Francisco if students didn’t do their homework, they were sent to Alcatraz (the most secure prison in the United States)!  I am just kidding, Alcatraz was definitely not a place for naughty children, but it was a place for some of the toughest bad guys in the United States.  These criminals were sent here because it was impossible to escape from Alcatraz, or so the US government thought.  Sitting on a rock (tiny island) a mile away from San Francisco, there was no way a robber could get out of jail and then get to the main land without dying in the cold, fast moving ocean water.  The bay was impossible to swim.

Sitting on "the rock", Alcatraz looks pretty spooky in the distance.

Visiting Alcatraz is an interesting experience.  It shows you that jail isn’t really a fun place, but it was interesting to see how the men who lived in the cells made the best of a really bad situation.  Even though they were forced to live in a tiny cell alone they found ways to pass the time and make life a bit more interesting.  They would sign books out from the library, paint, play instruments and even knit.  Some of them even took courses and learned how to speak different languages.

A typical cell in Alcatraz no bigger than your bedroom.  Can you imagine
NEVER being allowed to leave your room EVER!?

Of course there are the stories of escape attempts.  In 1962 three inmates used spoons to dig through the cement walls of their cells.  They then climbed out of the venting system and made it to the water.  No one knows what happened next.  They were never heard from or seen again.  Some people think they all drown, some people think they are still alive and living in a place like Mexico.  We will never know what the true story is. 

The building is no longer a prison, but is open to the public so we can see what life would have been like in Alcatraz.

Part of "Seedy" Block (C-D), where some of the toughest criminals had their cells.

Keep doing your homework!

Mr. P

Musée Méchanique

Free to visit, you just a couple of quarters to try out the machines.

I have seen a lot of museums while travelling around the world, but my favourite museum has to be the Musée Méchanique in San Francisco.  Made up of a personal collection of 160 penny arcade machines (video game machines before there were video games and electricity), this museum is as hands on as it gets. 

Two of the classic machines that you can use and be entertained by.  The white machine
is a movie machine that you have to crank by hand.

You can actually still use all the machines (some are over 100 years old), from strength testers to dancing puppets, it is amazing to see how each machine is different.  The machines aren’t being stored behind a thick layer of glass, quite the opposite they are all out and waiting to be explored.  Pop a quarter into the fortune telling machine and wait for your fortune to pop out on a card. 

For only 25 cents this fortune teller will give you some very wise advice.

Feeling tired of today’s flashy, fast-paced video games?  You can revisit some classic video games like Pong and Pac-man here at the museum.  I think the real reason I enjoyed this museum so much is that each machine made me feel like a kid again, especially the strength tester, it told me I am as strong as a little boy!  Now that isn’t very nice.

The Santa Claus Work Shop comes to life and all the little elves start hammering
away when you insert a quarter into the machine.

Chinatown in San Francisco

Home to 80,000 Chinese, San Francisco has one of the largest Chinese populations in the United States.  With all these Chinese people living in the city it should come as no surprise that San Francisco's Chinatown is impressive and worth a visit.

An archway leads into Chinatown in San Francisco.

Covering just a couple of city blocks, walking into Chinatown is like walking into a different country.  The streets are lined with red lanterns, there are dragons protecting shop doorways and vendors selling a number of interesting items, like live frogs.  These sights are just like the ones you would see in Chinatowns around the world.  Have you ever been to Chinatown in Toronto?  Have you ever seen these sights there?

Red lanterns decorate the streets in Chinatown.

It is interesting to see firsthand how immigrants can influence an area and bring their culture to life for visitors.  If the Chinese didn't come to San Francisco (or decide to stay) we wouldn't be able to experience the rich culture of China here in this city.  Dim Sum for breakfast, assorted Chinese herbs and medicines for sale and beautiful arts and crafts like fans, lanterns and kites all available in Chinatowns across the country.  I am lucky to be visiting such a diverse city!

Some of the buildings look just like ones you might see in China.

A Kid's Guide to San Francisco

Your guide is amazing.  I love all the colours you used, it feels just like San Francisco.  Just to let you know, I have just been here a day but I have already had dim sum in Chinatown and a sandwich on Columbus St. in North Beach.  My ticket for Alcatraz has been purchased, and if it stops raining I will bike across the Golden Gate Bridge tomorrow.  Can't wait to share my adventures!



I Am Here - San Francisco, California

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The Aloha Shirt (aka. The Hawaiian Shirt)

It should come as no surprise that the first Hawaiian shirt was made in, well, Hawaii.  In the 1930's a Chinese immigrant, Ellery Chun, started making these shirts by sewing brightly coloured pieces of leftover kimono fabric together.  Mr. Chun labelled his creation "aloha shirts" and sold them to visitors.  The popularity of the shirts gradually took off, and they are truly now a symbol of the islands.  Usually covered in patterns like palm trees, the ocean and sunsets, these shirts are available all across Hawaii and worn by visitors and locals alike.

Now, my trip to Hawaii wouldn't be complete without buying an aloha shirt to take home with me, so I need your help.  Which shirt should I buy?  Here are the choices:

Green shirt

Red shirt

Black shirt

Blue shirt



Humuhumunukunukuapua'a

Try saying that ten times quickly.  Well if you can’t, that’s okay, because I can’t either.  What is a humuhumunukunukuapua’a anyhow?  Well it is the state fish of Hawaii...and today I got to see some up close.

If you look carefully at the water in Hanauma Bay you can see darker patches. 
Those patches are alive!  They are coral reefs.

My fish hunt began in Hanauma Bay, a great place to visit in Oahu if you want to go snorkelling.  With more than half a million fish for you to spot in its reefs, Hanauma Bay is a snorkeler’s paradise.  I spent the day floating around, face down, taking in as many of the amazing sights as I could.

Mask, snorkel and flippers all in place, I am ready for some fish spotting.

As soon as I started floating over the reefs I realized something, “Hey, this is just like being at an aquarium!”  Seeing all the colourful fish swim around made me think back to being in Malaysia and visiting the KLCC Aquaria.  There was one main difference. Today, it was like I was in the tank with them too!

A fish snacking on some of the reef.

With over 500,000 fish to see, I had a lot of work to do if I was going to see them all.  I have a challenge for you.  Take a look at the pictures I took, then use the guide below (I was given it at Snorkel Bob’s today when I was renting my snorkelling gear) and see if you can match any fish to their names.  Can you identify any of the fish I saw today?

Use this guide to label some of the fish I saw today.

 

Do you think this is a Threadfin or a Pyramid Butterfly Fish?



Can you label this fish?



The USS Missouri

The last battleship ever built by the US, the USS Missouri is now a museum for visitors to enjoy.

Today I got a chance to explore a real life battleship.  The USS Missouri was the last battleship to be built in the United States and it now sits in Pearl Harbour next to Ford Island in the state of Hawaii.  During World War II, not only was the ship used in battle, but it was also where the signing of the Terms of Surrender by all fighting countries happened.  It stands in the harbour not as a symbol of war, but one of protection and peace.

The USS Missouri was armed with nine powerful 16 inch guns that could fire as far as 20 miles.

During World War II the USS Missouri was attacked several times by Japanese Kamakazi jetfighters (pilots that would fly their planes directly into enemy targets).  As you can imagine some of these attacks left dents in the ship.  You can still see these dents today.

Sleeping quarters of the sailors.  Bunks stacked up 4 beds high.  The USS Missouri was
home to 2700 sailors during World War II.

It was emotional hearing the stories of the young sailors who left home back in 1944 (some as young as 18) to fight for peace aboard the USS Missouri.  For some of these men it was the first time they had ever left their rural communities, and they were always overwhelmed once they found themselves aboard the 209 foot tall battleship.  I can’t even imagine what would have been going through their heads.  I am glad that the ship now acts as a symbol of peace.  Hopefully all the soldiers in the world currently fighting for peace will be able to share their stories one day.

Standing outside the canteen with my empty tray waiting to be fed.

Mr. P Visits Sandy Beach (aka. Break-Neck Beach)

One day Mr. P decided to explore the beaches of Oahu.  "I know," he said to himself, "I will visit Sandy Beach".  Mr. P had read all about Sandy Beach.  He knew it was a favourite beach with locals, and also exciting was the fact that it was a popular beach for bodysurfing. "I can't wait to try that!" he exclaimed.  Bodysurfing, when you glide along a crashing wave, seemed like loads of fun. 


A local teenager bodysurfing at Sandy Beach.

When he arrived at the beach the water was full of young surfers all enjoying the waves.  What Mr. P didn't notice was that there were warnings posted on the beach "Caution: Dangerous Shore Break, When in doubt, stay out"  The signs were warning Mr. P of the dangerous waves that were crashing on the shore, and having never bodysurfed before, he should have stayed out of the water. 

It didn't take long for Mr. P to learn a very valuable lesson about water safety.  As soon as he entered the water one of the powerful waves swung over his head and knocked him over, picking him up and flipping him upside down.  Just as he was trying to stand up another wave hit, again spinning him round and round.  Lucky for him he wasn't alone and his swimming buddy was on hand to make sure he was safe (because you should never go swimming alone).

Water and sand rushing all around Mr. P as he is tossed around by the waves.  Not so much fun.

"Wow," Mr. P gasped.  "Those are some pretty powerful waves."  He then heard the voice of the lifeguard over a megaphone (probably talking directly to him) "If you aren't familiar with the powerful current and shore break on this beach please stay out of the water.  Sandy Beach is well-known for causing neck and back injuries.  Please come and see me if you need directions to a safer beach."  So from that moment on Mr. P read all signs on the beach, and always made sure a lifeguard was on duty before entering the water.  So the lesson of the story boys and girls is: When in doubt, stay out!

 

Having learned his lesson Mr. P enjoyed the show from the safety
of the shore which still made for a fantastic day.



All Aboard the Pineapple Express

On my way to the North Shore today to watch some professional surfers take to the waves, I decided to visit the Dole Plantation (which is home to the largest maze in the world!  And get this, the maze is shaped like a pineapple).  A company started by Mr. James Drummond Dole in the early 1900's, Dole is responsible for making pineapple popular not only in Hawaii, but across the world. 

The very challenging maze left me scratching my head.  It was impossible!

Mr. Dole showed the world how sweet and delicious pineapple could be.  He would pick the pineapples when they were perfectly ripe, peel and cut them up into pieces and then preserve them in cans.  When these cans arrived in homes across the world the pineapple tasted just as fresh as the day it was picked.

All aboard the Pineapple Express!

I took a tour around the Dole Plantation on the “Pineapple Express” and on my ride I learned a lot of information about the plants that grow in Hawaii.  An interesting fact about pineapples is that they don’t get any riper after they have been picked.  They get all their sweetness from the plant’s stem so once they are picked they stop ripening.  That means when you bring a pineapple home from the supermarket it is best to eat it right away because it won’t get any sweeter on your kitchen counter, it will just start to rot.  If you want to keep it a few days you should put it in your refrigerator.

Pineapples growing on plants very close to the ground.

Another interesting fact is that pineapple isn’t indigenous to Hawaii (it hasn’t always grown in Hawaii).  It is a plant that was brought in by visitors a long time ago.  Most likely brought to Hawaii from South America by Europeans, the tropical climate in Hawaii made it a perfect place to start growing pineapples.  Pineapples grow very low to the ground, so they can keep safe from the harsh winds that blow over Hawaii.  They also benefit from the soil in Hawaii that is rich in iron (that is why it is red), a mineral that helps the pineapples grow and ripen.

Delicious DoleWhip (pineapple flavoured ice cream) covered in fresh pineapple.

You can find just about any pineapple flavoured food or candy in Hawaii, but the best way to enjoy pineapple is simply to eat it fresh.  Do you like eating pineapple?  The next time you are in the supermarket look at where the pineapples come from.  Are they from the Dole plantation in Hawaii?

Oh, no!  I ate so much pineapple, I turned into one.

Breakfast at the Market

The market is a busy place where you can find local goods for sale.  Everything from fruit to flowers.

Every Saturday morning in Honolulu there is a Farmer’s Market that attracts visitors from all across the island of Oahu.  You can buy coffee, chocolate, fruit, vegetables, baked goods and just about any other delicious food you can think of.  It was a great place to start the day. 

I had a truly organic Hawaiian breakfast, an açai bowl.  Açai is a berry native to Brazil, but it grows beautifully in the tropical Hawaiian climate.  An açai bowl is when you take açai pulp and freeze it making a yummy berry sorbet.  You top this with granola, flax seed, and bananas (all organic and all local) and call it a breakfast.

A fresh breakfast I would love to have everyday.

Also exciting were the K­alua pork sliders on hand made by the students from the Culinary Institute of the Pacific.  I just had to support the students and their stall so I bought two sandwiches.  I could have spent all day eating my way through the market, but there was a beach calling my name.

The purple taro bun makes this Kalua pork slider extra special.

A Kid's Guide to Honolulu

I am excited to be in Hawaii.  There is so much to see and do.  Can't wait to explore the island of Oahu and try out some of your suggestions.

I Am Here - Honolulu, Hawaii

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A Kid's Guide to Osaka

Getting around Japan is very easy with all the highspeed trains you can take.  If you have some extra time while in Japan why not check out Osaka.  Here are some things you might consider doing:

No Ordinary Garden

In the middle of Tokyo, the gardens around the Imperial Palace are a great place to find some peace and quiet.

Just take a walk through a traditional Japanese garden and you will quickly realize why these are no ordinary gardens.  With beautifully landscaped grounds, ponds of brightly coloured koi and statues scattered all around, there is a peaceful charm to a Japanese garden.

Koi are famous for being the longest living veterbrates, they can live to be over 200 years old.

The garden around the Imperial Palace in Tokyo is a great place to start your exploration of a proper Japanese garden.  With all the elements you would expect to find, this garden is a great place to read, picnic or simply stroll.

By a trickling waterfall, this stone lantern sits ready to light the night.

Think of your community.  Is there a garden that you like to visit?

Kabuki: Japanese Theatre

I couldn’t leave Japan without spending a day at the National Theatre of Japan.  There I watched some Kabuki, a special kind of Japanese theatre known for its colourful costumes, ornate makeup and exaggerated acting. 

Standing outside of the National Theatre of Japan. I was so excited to watch my first Kabuki performance.

The play I watched was called Kokusenya Kassen (The Battles of Coxinga) and was written by Chikamatsu Monzaemon, the Shakespeare of Japanese theatre.  The play was originally written in 1715 for Bunraku (a puppet performance) but it was later adapted for the Kabuki stage. 

Kabuki is unlike any theatre you will see on a Canadian stage.   The acting is larger than life and the peformers exaggerate every little movement which might seem a bit silly for those not familiar with Kabuki.  The performances are also a lot longer, usually lasting four or five hours.   Another interesting fact about Kabuki is that there are no female actors, all the parts, even the female roles, are played by men.

A statue of a Kabuki actor in the theatre's lobby.  Look at the dramatic makeup and costume. 
Do you think this character is a hero or a villian?

Not anyone can become a Kabuki actor, and usually actors in Kabuki performances come from an acting family (their father and grandfather were Kabuki actors before them).  Take a look at the video below, do you think you would enjoy watching a Kabuki performance?