American Airlines (meals) December 2013

Took a couple of American Airlines flights recently, my carrier of choice. The airline has instituted a “select your meal” type of plan, which I find very helpful. You get to make a choice between a couple of entrees, which certainly leads to a more satisfied customer. So, on the first leg, I chose the “tortilla soup.” Below you see the whole tray:

American Airlines tortilla soup.

American Airlines tortilla soup.

This was a tasty, lighter selection. A couple of small cheese wedges came with the grapes and crackers. Nice treat! During the second flight, I went with the chicken salad that you see here:

American Airlines chicken salad.

American Airlines chicken salad.

Again, I found this to be tasty, lighter fare when it comes to airlines meals. The salad was packed with pecans, slices of pear, and plenty of greens. In general, I think airline food has been improving recently. At least, I have found the food to be better than it was. Sit back, relax, enjoy the flight, and please follow ALL crew member instructions. They are there to make your trip safe.

Published in: on December 31, 2013 at 11:58 am  Leave a Comment  
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Salsa Pica, Aruba (December 2013)

There are many Colombian people in Aruba. Naturally, the local cuisine is influenced by their tastes. On the table at the Colombian and other local restaurants, you’ll frequently find a small cub containing a spicy sauce usually referred to as “salsa pica.” Here’s a look:

"Salsa pica" or Colombian spicy sauce as seen in Aruba.

“Salsa pica” or Colombian spicy sauce as seen in Aruba.

The sauce is fortified with Madam Jeanette peppers as well as onions, carrots, peppers, and a few other treats. It has a sort of bulk to go with the heat, traits that I find particularly appealing. Put a dab on your meat or fish of choice for a surprising taste. You might like it. Bon dia.

Published in: on December 28, 2013 at 11:24 am  Leave a Comment  
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Yemanja, Aruba (December 2013)

Another great meal at Yemanja, a wood-fired grill restaurant in Oranjestaad, Aruba, DWI. This place gets things right from start to finish. There are various seating options including inside, outside, and at the bar. Have a look:

Seating at Yemanja restaurant, Aruba.

Seating at Yemanja restaurant, Aruba.

And here’s the bar:

Bar area at Yemanja, Aruba, DWI.

Bar area at Yemanja, Aruba, DWI.

You can have a nice drink there before or after your meal. Moving on to the food… as mentioned, this is a “wood-fired grill” place, so there are some great meat options. But let’s start with our greens, namely the salad with prosciutto that you see in the next photo:

Salad with prosciutto at Yemanja, Aruba, DWI.

Salad with prosciutto at Yemanja, Aruba, DWI.

If you’d like a salad with scallops, well, take a look:

Mixed salad with scallops at Yemanja, Aruba.

Mixed salad with scallops at Yemanja, Aruba.

Those are just two ways to begin a great meal. There are other options that you’ll find on the menu to satisfy various tastes. Now, for a couple of meat choices, you might like the rib eye that you see here:

Yemanja, Aruba serves this rib eye.

Yemanja, Aruba serves this rib eye.

Or, you might like the filet mignon that is served in two pieces, which is a favorite of mine.

Filet mignon at Yemanja, Aruba.

Filet mignon at Yemanja, Aruba.

I like the french fried onions as a garnish, just the right flavor kick. Service here is excellent and mindful of all things, including my water glass. Sorry, no room for dessert, maybe next time. There will be a next time, because Yemanja is on my regular list of places while in Aruba. Hope to make a video there soon. Bon dia.

Published in: on December 26, 2013 at 1:24 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Learning Languages

Languages are fascinating, if a bit difficult to learn, especially when the characters are completely different. Here in Aruba, there are many Chinese people, and they operate various businesses, including restaurants. Each December they give away calendars for the new year coming. An example of a particularly nice example is seen below:

Calendar with Chinese characters.

Calendar with Chinese characters.

That’s a nice looking hand out that serves the usual purpose of keeping the days of the week. But you can also use it to learn Chinese characters for months, days, and numbers. Take a closer look at the numbers here:

Chinese and western style characters on a calendar.

Chinese and western style characters on a calendar.

The western style numbers and Chinese equivalents are side by side, giving you the opportunity to see and learn them easily. Not that it is all that easy. You have to write them regularly to make them stick in your mind. Here’s a close up of more:

Detail from a Chinese calendar with western characters as well.

Detail from a Chinese calendar with western characters as well.

By trying to write the characters and pick up a few words in the course of a meal, you’ll be surprised how much you learn. Plus, it’s lots of fun. Not to mention, it would come in handy depending upon where you travel and who you encounter along the way.

Published in: on December 22, 2013 at 9:51 am  Leave a Comment  
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