April 15. 2008
Los Angeles, CA
I had some friends over last night to help quiz / prep me for this radio interview I have tomorrow. Evan Kleiman of Good Foods on KCRW is gonna interview me about Wok the Dog for a segment of her program.
I was glad to have the practice, cause something a simple question is not so simple. For example, how did it turn into a series? The answer is long and complicated and not really radio friendly. The exercise almost made me feel as if I didn’t know how to answer the most basic questions about my projects and what I do. Its a strange experience.
I wonder if we should get back to the travel story at all, the rest of the journey through Tibet and China? We are already planning for the next trip, June, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos.
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maybe I should…
December 5, 2007
Lhasa, Tibet
We have been to the top of the world! and now we have returned to Lhasa. I was eager to seek out this lamb kabob vendors for dinner. Before we had left for EBC, we ate with them every night we were in Lhasa. They set up a medium size tent with a small characol stove in the center with tables and chairs around them forming a U shape. They only sell lamb kabobs, for 1Yuan you get one metal stick with 4 tiny bits of lamb meat on it with 1 piece of lamb fat in between. It was seasoned with a mixture of spices but coriander was a predominate flavor. It was delicious and cheap! We would have about 10 sticks each with a biscuit to share and we would be happy and satisfied.
We got to talking with the Lamb Kabob couple quiet a bit these evening when we ate at their stalls. They were Tibetans from a province that was south of Lhasa, they have a 6 year old boy that they left at home with their parents. They sent money home every month cause they can make better money selling Lamb Kabobs on the street than they can working their farms back at home. They live in a one bedroom apartment near the Portola Palace and only gets to go home once a year to visit their parents and see their boy. The couple can sell kabobs from 5pm-6am in the summer time and make as much as 6000 Yuan a month. In the winter months, they sell from 6pm-3am and may only bring in 2000 Yuan monthly.
The couple were as nice as they come. Warm, welcoming, friendly, open – I really liked them. Salt to the earth! I liked visiting with them every night and hear about their lives. It made me sad that they don’t get to spent much time with their child but this is not the first time where I have heard similar stories in my travels.
We eagerly went down the ally heading to the delicious lamb kabob stall that we have been thinking about all day – at last – they are not there!
