Tag: religion

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Blog Snacks

Mount’s Bay, Cornwall

Our motorhome travels around Cornwall, in the south-west corner of Britain, have now brought us to Mount’s Bay.

St. Michael’s Mount is visible all around the Bay, from Marazion to Penzance in the west. It is an ancient castle and sacred site high up on an island, accessed via a causeway at low tide, as shown in my photo below. It’s a path well-trodden down the centuries by pilgrims and travellers.

Low tide was early morning when we visited, and the mist around the Castle had yet to fully clear. I clambered across the sand to get a dramatic picture of the Mount reflected in this rockpool.

By the time we had crossed and climbed the steep cobbled lanes to the summit, the mist had cleared. There were terrific views back to Marazion, the sun now glinting on the stone causeway snaking its way across the golden sand.

We returned ashore again before the sea flowed back, a few hours later. Anyone leaving the journey too late will receive nature’s reminder that time and tide wait for noone.

The stretch of the South-West Coast Path around the Bay is also a cycle trail. We were treated to more scenic views as we rode it all the way to Penzance.

Arriving in Penzance, I enjoyed a swim in the Jubilee Pool, a vast, open air saltwater lido. It dates from the 1930s and has an art deco design.

The main pool is filled directly from the sea, and was a bracing 16C (it’s, er, ok once you’re in and moving around!) I then warmed up in the Jubilee’s star attraction, a large geothermal pool heated naturally by an underground spring to a much more amenable 30C.

After all that walking, climbing, cycling and swimming, I reckon I had earned another Cornish Pasty.

These ones had a traditional filling of chopped steak, potato, onion, swede and black pepper, in a buttery, flaky pastry crimped together at the edge. They really are the most popular street food here, with thousands baked fresh every day by little independent bakeries. Warmed up that evening in the motorhome oven, it was delicious and filling.

Time for the next track on the ADK Playlist. Those misty, early morning images of the Mount kept reminding me of the lyrics in this track by Led Zeppelin ….pack your bags for the misty mountains, where the spirits fly….: This is Misty Mountain Hop.

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Blog Food

Kampong Gelam

Here in Singapore, the district of Kampong Gelam (also spelt Glam) is the traditional heartland of the city state’s Malaysian community. Our visit there, in search of some traditional Malay food, coincided with the start of Ramadan, the period where people of Muslim faith fast during the hours between sunrise and sunset.

We hadn’t been in this part of town during the daytime – that was spent in Chinatown and the Botanic Gardens. Due to the fasting though, I’m guessing that daylight business might have been a little slow for the local catering sector.

However, as Alex Turner of the Arctic Monkeys once (nearly) said, it changes round here when the sun goes down 🙂 .

As we arrived, the wailing sound of the call to prayers was all pervading, booming out across the network of tightly packed streets from the local Mosque.

The religious service inside was being broadcast live on a large screen, and very well-attended it seemed to be. After a day of fasting, it’s no surprise that the hungry worshippers were ready for some great food, as they spilled out on to the streets afterwards.

And how well served they were! There was traditional Malaysian food, like Satay…

…alongside a range of Turkish, Lebanese and Middle-eastern outlets.

The already numerous restaurants and takeaways were supplemented by the Gemilang (meaning Glorious) Festival, bringing even more food options through abundant market stalls.

I was keen to try a Malay dish I had read about called Nasi Lemak. We found it in a small restaurant that has made it their signature dish, and earned themselves a Michelin star, no less, in the process. For the record, the place is called Nasi Lemak Ayam Taliwang, and you can look them up in the Michelin Guide.

The food arrived as shown in my main photo at the top of the post. The undoubted star of the show was the mysterious green parcel to the side of the plate.

The wrapping is a pandan leaf, used in south-east Asian cuisine to add fragrance to food. It is secured at either end by bamboo skewers. These are unpinned, and the parcel unfurled to reveal steamed, soft, fluffy jasmine-scented and coconut-flavoured rice.

The rice is served with tender chicken that falls off the bone and a spicy peanut sauce. There is a side of crispy peanuts and anchovies, and soft roasted aubergine.

An interesting and satisfying meal was rounded off with a glass of fresh, chilled coconut juice, that complemented the food well.

There’ll be another post from Singapore in a few days. In the meantime, let’s have some more suitably themed music for the ADK playlist. Here’s the mighty Asian Dub Foundation with Fortress Europe.

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Blog

Dorset Calling

This week, while staying close to the English south coast, I enjoyed a day in the old town of Wimborne in the county of Dorset.

At the centre of the town is the impressive Minster, a church that has stood here since the 12th Century, no less (see my photos above and below). It is still in service and visitors can enter for free to explore its charms.

The surrounding market town is home to many other very old buildings, some dating from the 15th, 16th and 17th Centuries. Many are now independent cafes and delicatessens, with an accent on food and drink produced locally.

Unable to resist its foodie charms, temptation got the better of me and I came back with a reasonable haul of local produce.

Initially I was looking for some Dorset Blue Vinny, a well-regarded local cheese, but opted instead for the less well-known Cranborne Blue from the Book & Bucket Cheese Company. A local producer, they started up during Covid to make use of a nearby farmer’s milk surplus. They are now thriving and winning awards.

I am slowly working my way through the complete range of Dorset Tea, a company with its origins in Bournemouth, and bought some of their Mint Tea blend on this occasion.

Apples feature strongly in foods around here (it is said that Dorset was once home to 10,000 acres of apple orchards). I picked up a Cider Chutney from Southbourne producer Dorset Made Food , and a can of Muddy Scamp from the Purbeck Cider Company.

I couldn’t leave Wimborne without a can of Corbel, a West Coast IPA from the town’s own craft brewery Eight Arch Brewing Company.

Here’s a shot of all this Dorset booty – a memory of a very enjoyable day.

You’ll see that I have included links to the websites of these local producers, so do please feel free to check them out.

I’m pleased to report that, since my previous post (see Cranberry and Pistachio Cookies) the sun has indeed come out again, and that I have been back to the beach for more sea swimming. Music wise, I was ecstatic to get a ticket for Queens of the Stone Age when they tour this November. I have seen them three times before and they bring a lot of excitement to the stage. You can expect this to be the subject of a future post.

All in all, this seems an aptly titled track to add to the ADK Playlist (I can’t recommend the nutrition-free diet that Josh Homme sings about, however): QOTSA with Feel Good Hit of the Summer.