To me, this is what makes the world beautiful

The following is just a random video of some friends taking a road trip in Norway.

The young woman diver is Norwegian. And black. And singing along to a Korean song. Passengers include her Norwegian-speaking friends of Vietnamese and Sri Lankan descent.

The mixture of ethnicities, languages, and silly camaraderie brings the biggest smile to my face.

Note: The video cannot be embedded. However, you can click here or below to watch it on YouTube.

She (I wish I knew her name) also speaks fluent English. Her blog is at The Manifestation of Randomness.

What's for dinner? Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

Tonight it's steak, rosemary roasted red potatoes, and salad.

Rosemary Roasted Red Potatoes

• 8 new red potatoes, cut in quarters
• 1/2 an onion, cut in quarters
• 4~5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Glass of wine optional, but recommended ☺

 

Put the quartered potatoes into a bowl

 

Add the onion

To make the garlic easier to peel, microwave on high for 3~5 seconds. The skin will slip right off. CAREFUL: The cloves get hot quickly.

Update: I now recommend just hitting the clove with the side of a knife. The skin comes off easily and you don't need to mess with the microwave.

 

Add the garlic

 

Add the rosemary

 

Add the salt

 

Add the olive oil

 

Mix it all together

Pop it into the toaster oven at 225°C (425°F) for 40~45 minutes. Turn on the top broiling element during the last few minutes to crisp up the potatoes.

 

Marinating the steak in Worcestershire Sauce and Montreal Steak Seasoning (I can't believe I found that in Taiwan) while the potatoes cooked.

 

I'll cook the steak on this little grill, which was a promotional gift at an electronics store. I've used this thing to death.

 

Potatoes are ready

 

A salad completes the meal.

 

Bon appétit!

Penghu Paradise Day 2

Thumbs up for finding paradise! This rock marks the entrance to Nei An (內垵), a secluded beach that I found completely by accident.

More on that later…it's off to day 2!

Click on photos to enlarge

My next stop was the Tongliang Great Banyan tree temple on Baisha Island.

Believe it or not, that is one tree.

This was one of my favorite sites while here. The way nature intertwines with manmade buildings reminded me of the gorgeous Ta Prohm in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

 

This trip was full of random surprises. As I rode through Magong City, searching for a place to eat, a foreigner flagged me down and asked if I was looking for a Tex-Mex restaurant. I said, "Sure, why not?"

His name was Robert—an army brat born in Kaohsiung and raised for the most part in Texas—and  he directed me to his little establishment called Jalapeño's Bar & Grill. Tacos, burritos, homemade barbecue sauce and salsas, mega burgers, and a 200+ cocktail list. What a find, on little Penghu Island!

I had an incredibly enjoyable and relaxing time on Penghu Island, and can't wait to return!