Saturday, February 21, 2015

Puerto Princesa and Port Bonbonon

I realize that this is a little behind but better late then never. A cousin asked for pictures, so here are a few. No pictures from the passage. Who wants to see lumpy water all around, with no dirt showing anyway.

First couple from the Yacht Club restaurant in Puerto Princesa. (For you grammar nazis, that is really how they really spell it here.)

Looking west from Abanico Yacht Club restaurant deck.
That is our boat way out there. Nice when the music was loud at the club, but a long way in the rain or wind. It is really shallow up close to the club. We often watched fishermen waking waist deep with hand held scoop-nets there.

North from the yacht club.
The dinghy dock, a bamboo contraption. But it worked, didn't fall threw even once. There were usually 8 to 10 dinghies with the painters tangled when we would come back from shopping or the Sunday buffet here.

And a few pictures from Port Bonbonon.

Looking south at the entrance channel.

 This would be our backyard here. The wind has blown continuously from the north-northeast so we seem to face the same way all time.

West, the side yard.
Only 3 of these boats have people on them. This is a popular place to leave the boat for trips, or to die. Six boats are from old sailors who passed away while moored here. And several more are abandoned and/or for sale.

Center on shore is one of the 3 restaurants that serve a weekly buffet. It is a very social bay.

North, our front yard.
One friend we met in Majuro 7 years ago says we have the best view of the mountain from here. I would have settled for the shortest row to shore. the second restaurant is the little white triangular peak roof left third of the photo. The third is just around the right edge. Sunday, Wednesday and Friday are the buffets and sometimes a happy hour thrown in. Almost cold beer is about 90 cents USD, only one brand and no wine.

The shore is close by to the east.
A small coconut plantation on the near shore between the huts. So I guess it could look like paradise.

Thursday, February 5, 2015

Purple Kraut

One of the few good things about the high average 'room temperature" here is that it only takes 5 days to make a jar of sauerkraut. We ate the smaller jar from last week. It was great.

I recalled someone saying they once had purple kraut. The grocery store had really bad looking green cabbage yesterday, but the purple cabbage looked nice. And only about $4.50/head! Ha! ONLY! But what the heck. So here it is.

A little dark for pictures.
 I keep forgetting to take pictures during the process. Maybe next time. Again, just slice it up thin, add 1 1/2 tablespoons salt per pound and mash the salt into the cabbage till it starts making juice. Then into the jar with a little weight to hold it from floating up out of the salt water. We use a small plastic bowl crammed in the neck of the jar. Then let it set in a cool place till done. Taste it every few days( every day at 90 degree "room temperature") and put it in the ice box when you like the taste. Or just eat it.

Last weeks big jar, sea salt and the fresh purple kraut
Trinda put some crackers in the salt cause it was damp when she bought it... didn't help. The humidity is too high for bulk salt, but that is the only salt without iodine available.

The foam in last weeks jar is normal, just skim it off. If it has an unpleasant order, then toss it. If some of the cabbage gets above the water and molds, just skim it too.