MERRY CHRISTMAS

It is the time of year again where we deck the halls with red and green, gold and silver, tinsels and mistletoes of every color. Bingo! It is Christmas time again just around the corner. There will be snow and sleet in other parts of the world but here we celebrate under the beauty of the tropical sun. However, the spirit of Christmas is still prevalent with many shopping malls bringing out their grandest and tallest Christmas trees. This is the season of shine and glitter. It is also the season of spreading peace, love and joy throughout the world.

Christmas has always been a season where extra care and special thoughts are part and parcel of the celebration. The painstaking of choosing, buying and wrapping every single gift is the cherished effort that both giver and receiver are delighted and happy. This is also the time for eating, drinking and be merry.

The Christmas dinner will never be short of stuffed turkeys, mince pies, Yule log, Christmas pudding, fruit cake or even warm egg nog. You can even put to test your culinary skills to cook up anything way out of the norm to impress your guests. If all these seem impossible or tiresome, there will never be short of choices of hotels and restaurants that you and your family can enjoy in.

May it be a tropical Christmas with Santa Claus riding on a bullock cart or a white Christmas with reindeers pulling a sleigh, I would like to wish all my readers who have supported me all these while a Merry Christmas.

MAY PEACE, LOVE AND JOY…
SHOWER YOU THROUGHOUT A NEW YEAR!
MAY THE NEW YEAR BRING YOU…
HEALTH, WEALTH, SUCCESS, CONTENTMENT AND TRANQUILITY!
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

UNFORGETTABLE VEGETARIAN CUISINE EXPERIENCE

Every year during the first ninth day of the ninth month of the Chinese lunar calendar, the Chinese Buddhist will celebrate the return from heaven to earth of the Nine Emperor Gods’ spirits. Devotees will flock to the temples throughout the country for the nine days during this religious festival. At the same time, they will be on vegetarian diets.

Today is the ninth day of the celebration and it is also the birthday of Tao Bo Hood (also known as Ma Zu, Matsu, Da Mao, Tian Hou), the mother of the Nine Emperor Gods. She is the Chinese form of Buddhist Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. Sometimes she is known as the Thousand-Hand Guan Yin.

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I went to pay my homage to Tao Bo Hood and at the same time had a wonderful experience with the different kinds of vegetarian dishes presented on the table during lunch. The different array of food and taste were amazing. I do not think that I would get such wonderful choices from any vegetarian restaurants that I have been to. Thanks to the contributions and culinary skills from each of the devotees that made my meal unforgettable. In fact, the taste of the food still lingers in my mouth now. Let me share some photos of the vegetarian food with you.