Shock. That was what I felt the first time I looked up at the upper façade of this coffee shop and restaurant. Its name was emblazoned boldly across the front, striking from the main road. The signboard, perhaps made of stainless steel, gleamed in silver. The sunlight reflecting off it was bright enough to irritate…
Category: The Communist Grasshoppers
An English version of my Indonesian book “Belalang Komunis”.
Drowning in Beer in Vietnam
There are many ways to be lulled into a pleasant stupor in Vietnam — especially if you find yourself in Hội An. The town is undeniably beautiful. Small, yet capable of captivating your heart until you are reluctant to leave. Even long before it was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999, Hội…
Tran and Pork Ribs
A friend came by. He kindly brought me two books by Tran Duc Thao — two books I had been searching for, for quite some time. As a gesture of thanks, I asked him to sit down and try the Manado-style spiced pork ribs I had cooked. Since the two books he delivered are of…