What do you prefer? I drink my medium roast coffee with a splash of skim milk in the morning, and in the afternoon any kind of tea hits the spot. I like the jolt of caffeine that coffee provides when I wake up, and enjoy the head clearing clarity of tea in the afternoon.
shareI prefer coffee in the morning, americano or long black.
Tea, for me is for drinking in the afternoon, even English Breakfast.
Hi action
Serious question...im not being a jerk
Are you from outside the US?
I like tea quite a bit...its not bad at all really
But here in the States its just not as big as coffee...there seems to be no competition between the two
Tea is great but everyone i know only has it every so often
Coffee...we slug that stuff down
No, I'm not from the US. I live in a few countries around Asia my whole life. My wife is a Taiwanese Chinese. My favorite movies are American movies though. Americans make the best movies.
But not the best coffee. Starbucks' americano is great though. My favorite is Luwak coffee from Indonesia or Vietnam. You should try it.
I've tried many many kinds of coffee from around Asia. Indonesian coffee has the most diverse cultivars. Toraja coffee is also one of my favorite. Very exotic.
My least favorite are the Malaysian and Chinese coffee. They mostly taste like burnt rubber. But that maybe because I haven't tried a lot. Chinese tea varieties, on the other hand, are absolutely lovely.
Thai teas are very popular in South East Asia. Just not my cup of tea (ha!).
You might want to tell Yonkers the full process of Luwak coffee, some people are put off by it π
shareWell now im going to google that...im a bit nervous though!
shareTree skunks eat them and then shit them out. That shitted out bean is then dried and that's your basis for the Luwak coffee.
It's to do with their digestive tracts helping break down the coffee bean into a particularly fine state for making coffee. It does make a really great tasting coffee.
Furthermore you get caged creatures or free range creatures and, funnily enough, the free range Luwak coffee tastes better.
I'm sure if Starbucks sold it they'd stick on an ethical tax on top of that to really milk that last penny out of the process.
Im never going to try that
But thank you very much for the info
Jeez...that sounds really gross and im pretty open minded
F' that
Yucko!
Yeah, I figured it wasn't for everyone and didn't want you trying out something without full consent as to how it is made.
If you find yourself drunk though, and someone's offering it, take the risk - it's delicious!
If im drunk ( which isnt a rare thing ) im going to skip the poo coffee and have another cocktail
But thank you
You are always polite Reality...i appreciate that;)
Thanks for saying so Yonkers!
I don't think everyone would agree with you but it is nice to hear it, even if it requires inebriation at your end πΈ
I function best Under pressure...
You have been very witty, fun and punchy since i first met you
I think we may have had static on one or two ocassions...
No worries...i like your company
Sorry if i was a dick
I often am...but i mean well
If we've ever had any tensions it's all water off a ducks back at my end Yonkers.
Disagreement can be fun, challenging our outlooks is the whole point in conversing.
I'm often a dick too, but some charm and a touch of vulnerability usually makes up for it.
Here's to a new year filled with disagreement and appeasement!
Could not have said it better pal
Glad all is well
Buds!
Interesting
Many thanks friend!
I love the coffee and like the tea...nice to chat with a fellow that knows way more than me
Tea seems to be the king in The UK and parts of Asia
Btw...You and i have 'interacted' several times before and you are always a gent
I will look forward to seeing you around
Interesting. I will be in SE Asia in Feb: Vietnam, Cambodia and Bangkok, Thailand. I'm really looking forward to it.
Any suggestions, recommendations, or cautions? I'm a Yank BTW.
π
Flying into Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh?
If you are starting your trip in Vietnam is makes a lot of sense to know whether you are up the North or down South for arrival.
Phnom Penh and then Siam Reap is pretty standard for Cambodia, cheap as hell but that comes with its own problems.
Thailand is the best place to finish up. Safe, clean and incredibly friendly. Like Vietnam it is best to know which areas you are hoping to visit but I'm sure you'll be flying out from Bangkok Suuvanniboom (sp?), outside the International terminal and on the far left near a garden is a lovely little restaurant the staff use to eat. It's open to the public and it is delicious and cheap and local - visit that instead of the franchises inside the airport if you arrive early enough to eat.
Have fun either way!
Sabai di pi mai! π
Thanks.
I fly into Ho Chi Minh City, and will join the tour group there. We will then see Ho Chi Minh City, Danang, Hoi An, Hue, Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Siem Reap, and Bangkok. (Hopefully there will be a chess tournament which I attend.)
And yes I am flying out of Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) in Bangkok, but I didn't realize that until just now. I'll try to eat at the restaurant you recommend if I have the time. I'm all about eating local and not at franchises.
Thanks for the tips, and sabaai-dii. Are you Laotian?
π
Nope, just a Scot who is lucky enough to travel the world quite a bit π
I could give you tips about all those places but the one I think you should certainly do if you get the chance is to hire a moped/motorbike when in Hoi An and take a day's trip out into the nearby countryside West. Lots to see and some wonderful little nooks and crannies that aren't on any maps. When returning into Hoi An come up from the South and across a relatively new bridge there at sunset. What a wonderful view you get and it is truly stunning.
If you're on a tour then I'll guess you'll be on the strip of hotels at the shore front there leading up to Da Nang, there's a little Irish pub/hostel on the way which has a pool table and plays Jamiroquai if you ask, nice fellas that run the place - into antique cars if I remember correctly.
Also definitely check out the riverside restaurants earlier rather than later. They all close at around 10. There's pubs and clubs closer into town and there's more than a few overpriced places by the hotels at the shorefront. Lap it all up and definitely try an eggwhite coffee when you get the chance.
But your entire trip sounds awesome, how long do you have for all of it?
A Scot eh? Aye, you have one beautiful country there. I visited it and Ireland in 2015. I even tracked down and killed my very own haggis. He was a great burly bastard, but I got him with my trusty bow and arrow.
Thank for all of your tips. I will try to take advantage of them, but you don't always get a lot of free time on tours. That's one of their drawbacks.
The trip is from Feb 2 - 20. Ironically enough (for a Yank) I'll be in Ho Chi Minh City on Superbowl Sunday (American Football).
π
I don't do tours due to their nature of having a rigid schedule which fits in a lot but doesn't allow for many moments of solace. I've nothing against them, they supply the backbone which makes my ragamuffin meandering easier, but often you don't get to take in the people and the culture of the place they visit.
I've often had tour guides ask me what there is to see and do locally, even in Hoi An there was a Dutch guy who bought me a beer for a quick blast of local sights to see and history lesson - free beer, wht could I say?
It sounds like you'll have a lot to see on your trip, stick to the tour as I'm sure it's not cheap and it will have you seeing plenty. Ha Long Bay gets very busy with ships, if you get an overnight on the boat you'll get to see it mostly empty and clear come morning, if it's a one day trip it's still beautiful but expect to be kept moving along from point to point.
As for Superbowl Sunday I have no idea what it is or how it works but I'm sure I'll be in a sports bar somewhere enjoying chicken wings and drinking beer with people who are passionate on the subject π
I do tours sometimes, and sometimes I go solo. I usually go solo in Europe, but in third world countries like Vietnam, India, Nepal, Kenya and Tanzania, I like the security of a group. Thanks for the additional tips.
As to Superbowl Sunday, a lot of Europeans don't know what that is. If you see it on the Telly, just ask an American (if you can find one), and he'll explain it to you.
π
Wow, jealous! Sounds like one hell of a trip. Check out the Food Ranger on Youtube. He's basically devoted to authentic street food and I think he has a few South East Asia videos. Just leave your MAGA hat at home...lol JUST KIDDING!
What part of Nepal did you visit? I've always wanted to go there.
Thanks, I'm definitely looking forward to it after watching Ken Burns' excellent series on the Vietnam War. I will leave my red MAGA cap at home. I usually try to keep a low profile when I'm traveling in other countries. Oddly enough, in Europe I've seen lots of NY Yankee hats worn by natives.
I took a 17 day tour of India and Nepal back in 2015. We were in Kathmandu for three days. Three weeks later the earthquake happened. It hit me pretty hard, because I had just been there and met a lot of nice people. I also visited numerous temples and shrines which were now in ruins. Out of our group of 13, I was the only one who climbed this one nine story tower made of wood. Nobody will ever climb it again.
BTW, Kathmandu was fascinating. I bought my favorite souvenir of all time: a set of metal cymbols on a leather thong. I keep them next to my computer, and I like the sound they make. I think I bought them for 200 rupees, which was equivalent to about two dollars at the time. I would love to visit again to see what the place looks like now.
π
Really is a shame about the earthquake. I actually haven't heard much about the recovery and apparently its still slow going. Hopefully it doesn't turn into another Haiti situation, unless it already has.
Sounds like a cool knick knack you found. Cheap too! Close to 10 years ago I ordered a Khukuri from Nepal. The BhojPure in particular. It was designed for villagers and farmers, much heavier than something the Gurkhas would carry.
Nepal still has a thriving hashish tradition. Used to be totally legal until Nixon threatened to cut off Aid. There's some really unique genetics in that country too that haven't been tainted yet. Thankfully there's people who are preserving it. Lots of villagers rely on it to put food on their table. Same deal in the Himalayan region of India.
Yes it is.
π
This sounds as if you're the one that's actually been there.
shareMostly tea, but I do like both. Cold and hot. I don't really drink much of the stronger coffee. But I do like the frappuccino from Starbucks at times.
shareI have one large cup of Dunkin Donuts coffee almost every morning and I end up drinking 3/4 of it. I also have their ground coffee but it never tastes the same when I brew it at home.
shareTea in the morning.
Coffee in the afternoon.
In a dark blue bottle... Katy Perry perfume. I love them.
shareI prefer tea over coffee, but for some reason I can't really handle hot beverages in the morning. So I prefer something like juice.
shareAny Yerba Mate fans? Interesting stuff. If you like green tea, give it a try.
share