It's already Friday morning here and we are actually on our second part of the tour. Let me say Macau and Hong Kong are like night and day. Macau, although also a big city, still has a lot of older buildings dating back to when the Portuguese controlled Macau. Macau is one of 3 islands that make up Macau region. This largest one now has a bridge connecting it to mainland China. The Portuguese were here from the mid 1500's up to when it was handed over to China in 1999 and this influence is still seen in it's people, the buildings, some of their culture and certainly in their food. We enjoyed a wonderful Portuguese lunch at Antonio's from black-footed ham to baby clams in garlic, an amazing chicken and coconut dish and of course Portuguese wine to wash it all down. To cross over to the Chinese culture, we stopped at a local tea house. More like a takeout tea house. One would tell the lady what sort of ailment and she mixes different blends of tea leaves and for $10.00MOP (about 1.50), you get a big cup of tea. With the help of our tour guide, Alfredo, I suggest something for good digestion thinking ahead. She mixes a few herbs, add some water (I think it was water) and gives me something that looks like sludge. Black, thick and smelly. mmmm - now what. So I tasted it ever so slightly. Heartily offered some to my new travel companions (hoping to get rid of it). Two others took sips and together we concurred it is better to have indigestion. As I'm limited in time, I will fast forward to last night's dining experience. Our hotel - the Mandarin Oriental hosted a Chinese Banquest for us that never quit. Nine - yes nine courses. Of course they were itsy bitsy courses but still so much food and so many different tastes. During each course the chef came out to give a description and explain the ingredients. I was doing really well as each course seemed better than the last. However one course gave me reflection - it was moving. Now many of you know that I sent a notice to the people who extended this invitation that stated very clearly "I don't chase my food around the table". The item - katshiu boshi eggplant roll. Technically we didn't chase it. It was surrounded by thin cuts of eggplant that were lightly fried and little (very little) tenticals were waving to me.
So with that - I must give all of you a wave and prepare for our next course. This evening we are the guests of honor for the opening ceremonies of the Food and Wine Festival where I am told over 1000 different venues of food will be offered (there are over 10,000 restaurants in Hong Kong). I may be charged excess weight when I fly home Sunday.

Arrived Hong Kong where it's exactly twelve hours ahead of Essex, CT. So it's about 7:30PM and we are waiting for 2 hours for the ferry connection to Macau. Ou ferry ride is an hour and then a short taxi and finally to the MGM Hotel - which will be just about midnigh. Our flight on Cathay Pacific was crowded and l-o-n-g. Did I mention long? Almost 15 hours in one of the smallest seats I have ever sat in without an cushion - like sitting on a park bench. But the staff and crew were very gracious and accommodating. They let me sit in a jump seat next to the emergency exit and put my feet up. The feet still swelled but not nearly like other times. It's about 77 outside tonight - unusually warm for the time of year. But I will take it. Thanks for all of your notes and best wishes. More later

I'm off to Hong Kong tomorrow on my first assignment as a member of the Travel Advisory Board for Bon Appetit Magazine. The week long program is sure to include some wonderful delicacies and of course a receipe or two that I will be happy to share when I return. Look for more postings this week.