May 2018 - Vikingess Voyages

Wednesday, May 30, 2018

Why Vivaldi is The Best Browser for Bloggers

10:51:00 PM
A little while back my friend introduced me to Vivaldi, a web browser developed by a team led by one of the founders of the browser Opera. I've been a faithful Chrome user for as long as I can remember, but I decided it was time to try out something new and give Vivaldi a chance.

In this post, I'll introduce my 2 favorite functions that I use a lot when writing blog posts, which I believe makes Vivaldi an ideal browser for bloggers The tile function and the side panel. Although the post focuses on my blogging experience I also use the browser at work to increase my job efficiency.

Sunday, May 27, 2018

Chengdu: The Wenshu Yuan Monastery and Tea House

11:04:00 PM

Buddhazen Hotel
On the inside of the Wenshu Yuan Monastery 
Photo: Anette

With a history stretching back more than 1000 years, the Wenshu Yuan Monastery (文殊院) is known as the best preserved ancient monastery in Chengdu. It also boasts of being Chengdu's largest temple complex, and if you're looking for things to do while visiting the capital of the Chinese Sichuan province you can easily spend a few hours here. During a recent layover in Chengdu my darling and I spent the night at BuddhaZen Hotel, and with only 2-3 minutes walk away from the monastery it was a natural place for us to spend the day.

Thursday, May 24, 2018

Chengdu: Getting the Zen Vibe at Buddhazen Hotel [Hotel Review]

6:02:00 PM

Buddhazen Hotel
A Buddha statue in the hotel courtyard
Photo: Anette

The capital of the Chinese Sichuan province, Chengdu, is a city that boasts not only of hovering skyscrapers but also of century-old temples and a small-townish atmosphere. If you're planning to stay in Chengdu and want accommodation that reflects the laidback atmosphere of the city, the Buddhazen Hotel will not disappoint. Located only a couple of minutes from a Buddhist monastery, the beautiful courtyard inside the hotel will make you feel like you're experiencing a temple stay, but with all the comfort and convenience of a modern hotel at your fingertip. 

Saturday, May 19, 2018

Chengdu: A visit to the World’s First Mabo Tofu Restaurant - Chen Ma Po Dou Fu (陈麻婆豆腐老店)

11:30:00 PM
Above: The entrance to Chen Ma Po Dou Fu 
The spicy dish Mabo Tofu (or Ma Po Dou Fu) is an all-time favorite you can enjoy in many restaurants across Asia, including Japan where I'm based. But did you know that if you find yourself in the Chinese city of Chengdu (成都) in the province Sichuan (四川) you can visit the restaurant where this dish originally originated from?

With the literary meaning "pockmarked granny's tofu" this dish emerged some time in the latter part of the Qing Dynasty (around 1874) when the wife of the owner of this restaurant (then known as Chen Xingsheng Eating House - 陳興盛飯舖) used whatever she had on hand to serve cheap meals to local workers. Her distinguished appearance with pockmarks on her face such led to the name of this dish, and later on the name of the restaurant also was changed to include the name of her now famous dish (now 陈麻婆豆腐老店).

Although the number of Chen Ma Po Dou Fu restaurants have increased (you can even find one of a chain restaurant in Tokyo), the original pockmarked granny's restaurant is still up and running in Chengdu .
Above: The entrance to Chin Mapo Tofu 

About Me

Adventures ofAnette


A modern day shield-maiden who loves to explore the unbeaten paths of the world. From her base in Tokyo, Anette takes on both rural and urban challenges, and goes by the motto "No challenge too big, no adventure too small"!
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