Jamaican in China!

Ever since my escape from America in 2006, and since arriving on Saipan and launching my nomad travels, I’ve had a few milestone culinary experiences that stand out in my mind.

The first was finding a box of healthy, wheat-free, dairy-free cookies amid the sugar-laden treats at Joeten supermarket. Second, was discovering that the Payless supermarkets on Guam carried a range of health-food items including Ezekiel bread! (That was a game changer) which led to me having the good folks at Joeten order it for me here (as chronicled in the Bestseller bestseller Jamaican on Saipan, now available at Bestseller bookstore next to Joeten)

The third–which was actually in China–was discovering a vegan restaurant in Beijing during my first few days of being Jamaican in China! (as chronicled in Guess Who’s Coming to Dim Sum: Jamaican in China)

Fourth, was discovering the vegetarian paradise of Singapore!

Well, now, with Lara bars, Terra chips and soy yogurt available here on Saipan to satisfy my decadent packaged-food cravings, I’ve been content to continue preparing my own natural meals–whether in coffeepots or woks–as I’ve done for years.

Perhaps one of the last meals I’ll prepare for myself!

I’ll share a secret: The fact is, I’ve never actually eaten at a restaurant on Saipan. Well, actually, a few years I did have a meal at the now defunct Magic Lamp Restaurant because Victor and Linda were aware of the style and requirements of my daily diet and prepared something special that was not on the menu. Well that, my friends, may be about to change.

A few days ago, I discovered something that left me speechless! After returning from a two-year detour in New York, I discovered (thanks to my friend, Joe Hill) that Saipan has made a significant change. This change, I tell you, this newest milestone in culinary and dining experiences on Saipan may trump all others combined! Are you ready? Wait for it now.

A few days ago, during day 6 of my water fast, I discovered TROPICAL BLENDZ!!! That’s right! Tropical Blendz Restaurant/Juice bar on Middle Road. From the brief conversation I had with partner, Svetlana, they’ve been on island for about a year, opening up while I was gone.

Svetlana and me

So, what’s so special about a little juice bar cafe on Middle Road?” you ask.

Well, I’ll tell you!

This is not just any juice bar/health food cafe. They’ve got fresh juices using local fruits, protein and fruit smoothies with spirulina, moringa powder (malunggay), maca and other superfood names I never thought I’d hear anyone else utter here on Saipan! But that’s not all! They’ve got meals–veggie burgers, salads, soups, wraps and more! They’ve got desserts–wheat free, dairy-free, raw desserts! My heavens, I think I’m in heaven!! If I weren’t in the middle of a fast at the time, I would have purchased just about everything on the menu! Heck, I might be camping outside the door every night waiting for them to open up the next morning!

Svetlana, herself, is a raw foodist, so she understands the lifestyle of fanatic vegans like myself, and even takes it a few steps further by advocating enzyme-rich, uncooked, raw food for sustenance! Finally, (as a tear rolls down my cheek), someone who understands me!

This is the sort of establishment I’ve always wanted to see on Saipan. It’s the sort of restaurant I would open and run myself if I weren’t addicted to my nomadpreneur lifestyle running around Asia! I’d rather support them and share the news and encourage you to pay them a visit. Tropical Blendz is across Middle Road from Sugar King Park (the same street (Gold’s Gym and the park are on the east side of Middle Road, and Tropical Blendz is o on the west side)

The view from the inside

The view from the outside

Wow! All this excitement and I haven’t even eaten there yet! But that, too is about to change. Now that I’m going into Day 10 of my fast, and will probably start transitioning back to solid food over the next several days, I’m looking forward to writing another post about specific dishes! Get your cameras ready! If you stop by and see me there, you’ll get one of the only photos of me actually sitting and eating at a restaurant on Saipan! Stay tuned! More to come!

Contact Tropical Blendz at (670) 233-8809 or by email at tropicalblendzsaipan@gmail.com. Monday to Saturday 9-6pm; Closed on Sundays. Tell them Walt sent you!

[Sorry, no pretty pictures in this one!] In preparation for an upcoming trip, I decided at the last minute to do a water fast. I stopped eating solid food on Thursday at 5pm, so now, I’m in the middle of DAY 8 of eating nothing solid, and consuming only water and lemonade for the past 8 days.

I’m doing the Master Cleanse, which you can read about here, which is part of my Yesterday’s You! How to Reverse Aging, protocol. It’s now 3:20am on Friday morning, I had planned to officially end the fast yesterday at 5pm which would have concluded 7 full days. However, still feeling great and starting to notice some of the STAGE 3 changes described below, so I might continue! I was ALSO going to share my fasting log of how each day was proceeding, but perhaps I’ll link to that later. Meanwhile, for those of you who may be considering fasting for health, detoxing and rejuvenation, here are the Stages of Fasting from a post on Curezone.com.
(And, very important, the protocol I’ll be following to BREAK the fast is here:

http://mastercleansesecrets.com/blog/after-the-master-cleanse/what-to-do-after-the-master-cleanse/105/)

Stage 1 (Day1-2)
On the first day of fasting, the blood sugar level drops below 70mg/dl. To restore the blood to the normal glucose level, liver glycogen is converted to glucose and released into the blood. This reserve is enough for a half day. The body then reduces the basal metabolic rate (BMR). The rate of internal chemical activity in resting tissue is lowered to conserve energy. The heart slows and blood pressure is reduced. Glycogen s pulled from the muscle causing some weakness. The first wave of cleansing is usually the worst.Headaches, dizziness, nausea, bad breath, glazed eyes and a heavily coated tongue are signs of the first stage of cleansing. Hunger can be the most intense in this period.

Stage 2 (Day 3 to 7)
Fats, composed of transformed fatty acids, are broken down to release glycerol from the gliceride molecules and are converted to glucose. The skin may become oily as rancid oils are purged from the body. People with problem-free skin may have a few days of pimples or even a boil. A pallid complexion is also a sign of waste in the blood. Ketones are formed by the incomplete oxidation of fats. It is suspected that the ketones in the blood suppress the appetite by affecting the food-satiety center in the hypothalamus called the appestat. You may feel hungry for the first few days of the fast. This effect is temporary. The desire to eat will disappear. Lack of hunger may last 40-60 days.
The body embraces the fast and the digestive system is able to take a much-needed rest, focusing all of its energies on cleansing organs and the lungs are in the process of being repaired. Periodically, the lymphatic system expels mucoid matter through the nose or throat. The volume excreted of this yellow-colored mucus can be shocking. The sinuses go through periods of being clogged, then will totally clear. The breath is still foul and the tongue coated. Within the intestine, the colon is being repaired and impacted feces on the intestinal wall start to loosen and are autolyzed.

Stage 3 (Day 8 to 15)
On the latter part of an extended fast, you can experience enhanced energy, clear-mindedness and feel better than you have felt since childhood, On the downside, old injuries may become irritated and painful. This is a result of the body’s increased ability to heal during fasting. If you had broken your arm 10 yrs before, there is scar tissue around the break. At the time of the break, the body’s ability to heal was directly related to lifestyle. If you lived on a junk food diet, the body’s natural ability to heal was diminished.
During fasting, the body’s healing process is at optimum efficiency. As the body scours for dead or damaged tissue, the lymphocytes enter the older-damaged tissue secreting substances to dissolve the damaged cells. These substances irritate the nerves in the surrounding region and cause a reoccurrence of aches from previously injured areas that may have disappeared years earlier. The pain lasts as the body is completing the healing process. The muscles may become tight and sore due to toxin irritation. The legs can be the worst affected as toxins accumulate in the legs. Cankers are common in this stage due to the excessive bacteria in the mouth.

Stage 4 (Day 16 to 30)
The body is completely adapted to the fasting process. There is more energy and clarity of mind. Cleansing periods can be short with many days of feeling good in between. There are days when the tongue is pink and the breath is fresh. The healing work of the organs is being completed. After the detoxification mechanisms have removed the causative agent or renders it harmless; the body works at maximum capacity in tissue proliferation to replace damaged tissue. While a short fast will reduce the symptoms, a longer fast can completely heal. Homeostatic balance is at optimum levels. The lymphatic system is clean except for a rare discharge of mucus through the nose or throat. After day 20, the mind is affected with heightened clarity and emotional balance. Memory and concentration improve.

Stage 5(Day 30 to ?)
(Breaking the Fast with the genuine return of Natural Hunger) Shelton.
The Breath, which during all or most of the fast has been offensive, becomes sweet and clean.
The Tongue becomes clean. The thick coating which remained on it throughout most of the fast vanishes.
The Temperature, which may have been sub-normal or above normal, returns to exactly normal, where it remains.
The Pulse becomes normal in time and rhythm.
The Skin reactions and other reactions become normal.
The Bad Taste in the mouth ceases.
Salivary Secretion becomes normal.
The Eyes become bright and eye sight improves.
The Excreta loses its odor. The Urine becomes light.

The primary indication that the fast is to be broken is the return of hunger; all the other indications are secondary. Often one or more of these secondary signs are absent when hunger returns, but one should not refrain from breaking the fast when there is an unmistakable demand for food, merely because the tongue, for example, is not clean. Inasmuch as all the signs do not inva
riably appear in each case, do not hesitate to break the fast when hunger returns.

Have fun!
Okay, okay! Since you asked, and since this IS Saipan, after all! Here’s a pretty picture of how I spend my days while fasting.

[Text from Wikipedia; Photos from Saipan Nov 17, 2013!]
[wikipedia] Loi Krathong (also written as Loy Krathong or Loy Gratong, Thai: ลอยกระทง, IPA: [lɔːj kràʔ tʰoŋ]) is a festival celebrated annually throughout
Thailand and certain parts of Laos and Burma (in Shan State). The name could be translated “Floating Crown” or “Floating Decoration”,
and comes from the tradition of making buoyant decorations which are then floated on a river.

Full moon over Saipan

[wikipedia] Loi Krathong takes place on the evening of the full moon of the 12th month in the traditional and they do this all evening on the 12th monthThai lunar calendar. In the western calendar this usually falls in November.

Thai girls and guys and friends gather at the fishing dock

Loi Krathong are lit and readied

[wikipedia] Loi means ‘to float’, while krathong refers to the (usually) lotus-shaped container which floats on the water. Krathong has no other meaning in Thai
besides decorative floats, so Loi Krathong is very hard to translate, requiring a word describing what a Krathong looks like such as Floating Crown, Floating Boat, Floating Decoration.

Jamaican joins the ceremony

A prayer before launch, while the candles from other Loi Krathong shimmer on the water

[wikipedia] A small coin is sometimes included as an offering to the river spirits. On the night of the full moon, Thais launch their krathong on a river, canal or a pond, making a wish as they do so. The festival may originate from an ancient ritual paying respect to the water spirits.

For more about Loi Krathong in Thailand, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loi_Krathong

NEW YORK TO SAIPAN!
In our previous episode, we left Jamaican on Saipan, Walt Goodridge, on a layover in Hong Kong. Following a four hour flight to Guam and another 4 hour layover, we resume our adventure with the final leg of the Escape from America reprise: The Return to Saipan…2013!

A few highlights of the past 4 days:

On the tarmac toward the last plane to Saipan.

Saipan from the sky! a secret little rock in the middle of the Pacific! Just a few seconds more!!!

RECAP: I left my apartment in New York at 7:15am Saturday NY time. Fly from New York to Hong Kong to Manila to Guam to Saipan. I arrive 8:05am on Monday Saipan time. Saipan is 14 hours ahead of NY. Hmmm…now with the 14 hour time difference …. carry the 2….that makes exactly 35 hours from door to door! Whew! I know, I know, but it feels sooooo good when you land!

Based on the above, here’s my idea for a new tourism marketing campaign:
“Welcome to Saipan. You can’t get here by accident!”
What do you think?

Catching up with friends. Me and attorney Joe Hill, Saipan at
the restaurant formerly known as Bobby Cadillac’s

Joe is the reason my initial transition to Saipan living back in 2006 was so smooth! Thanks, Joe!

Picking Malunggay (Moringa) growing fresh, raw and wild a short walk from my apartment.
Wonder how much this would cost back in the states?
Will chop and sprinkle raw with the evening meal.

Noni grows on Saipan
Noni just an arm’s length away from on my bedroom balcony.

Returning to my favorite contemplation and cooking spot on Saipan
Just as I left it

Contemplation.

Cooking.

COOKING???? Yep. Ahem. Let me explain:
An easy-to-follow recipe for Jamaican Turnover
Take one medium-sized Jamaican (recently refrigerated)
Peel outer covering
Place on hot rocks in oppressive heat
Let bake for approximately half hour.
Turn. Repeat.
Remove when rejuvenated.
Voila!
Serve hot and enjoy at leisure!

Note: works just as well for other flavors of travelers and nomads

What’s cookin’ inside? Chopping locally-grown pumpkin, curried cabbage, boiled green bananas

Hafa Adai Shopping center in Garapan

The world famous Thursday Night Street Market at its new location on Beach Road

Canton Restaurant’s stall at the Street Market, Saipan

While walking through the Street Market, the event emcee, and all-around nice guy, Gordon Marciano, spotted me in the crowd and gave me an on-mic shout out and welcome back! Pretty cool, except that my cover of anonymity and secrecy is now blown!

Yep! This is what I like. A slow, simple life with friendly faces, warm weather, beautiful “distractions” where everybody knows your name. It feels great to be back!

NOTE: To receive future emails and follow this continuing nomadpreneur adventure and experience Walt’s unique experience of a lifestyle you can create by following your passion, join the mailing list at www.Jamaicaninchina.com!

[QUESTION: "Walt. Are you going to continue referring to yourself in the third person as if we don't know you're the one writing this?"
ANSWER: Yes, he will]

There are people–average, everyday folk–who, when they travel, manage to pack their suitcases the night before, or perhaps even days before, so that when the day of departure rolls around, they can wake up as usual unhurriedly, sit in their living rooms, comfortably, while chatting or sipping tea leisurely as they wait for a taxi. Um, I would NOT be one of those people.

As it happens, this morning–the day of my 10:00am “Escape from America” take 3 flight from New York back to Asia (have to be at the airport at 7am, they advise), I found myself up at 4:00am cleaning the apartment, packing my bags, and then by 6:00am I was heading out the door and down the deserted streets of Queens, New York on my way to the Home Depot (ran into my friend, Steve D., who works there) a few blocks away. I had to purchase some special flood lights for the apartment before I left. Then, from there, it was off to the Rite Aid Pharmacy where I had to pick up some toiletries for a friend on Saipan. It’s always like this. Now, is it just me?

Well, I finally head out at about 7:15am, walk to the train station with bags in tow, hop on the JFK airTrain, and arrive at Kennedy Airport’s Terminal 7 for my Cathay Pacific flight to Hong Kong…

waiting in JFK

The flight route

…And now, one long 15 hour flight later, I’m in the Hong Kong airport for a 2 hour layover, awaiting my connecting flight to Manila, Philippines (Total JFK to Hong Kong to Manila: $788 one way) FYI: There’s free wi-fi in the Hong Kong airport!

So, let the adventure and festivities begin anew! The Jamaican in China (aka “The Passion Prophet”) rides again!

I have a record collection of approximately 2,000-3,000 vinyl lps and singles. If you recall from an earlier post, my good friend, Tony, was gracious enough to give them a home in his garage in New Jersey. There they have languished while I traveled the world being Jamaican on Saipan, Singapore, Laos and China!

I’ve always mentioned that when I escaped from America in 2006, that I sold or gave away most of my possessions before jetting to Saipan. I lied. Because Tony is a friend, “giving” him the records was not really that difficult, since I knew that I could reconnect with them if need be. Well, that might be about to change–sort of. Tony wants his garage back, and as I’m about to escape from New York again to head back to Saipan, I’ve got to find them a new home, and cut the final tether. What to do????

And then, it hit me. Those records were accumulated while I was the on-air host of “Reggae Riddims” on WKCR-FM–Columbia University’s radio station. Perhaps I could donate them to the station! It seems like a good idea! They would have a good home. Rather than sitting in a garage, they could be providing enjoyment to many. And, if I set the terms of the donation correctly, I could have access to them at some point in the future without fear that they’d be sold or discarded.

I contacted the current student board of the station, and will likely have an initial meeting next week with the show’s current DJ for him to check out what I’ve got and to assess the offering! Stay tuned!

However, I’m still keeping my options open. If anyone wants to bid for a collection of Reggae from Jamaica/UK/Japan from the 70′s to mid 80′s–classics, collector’s items and rarities, send me an email! Well, I’ll probably keep some of the rarities for myself, but I can be bribed!

It’s been in the works since July of last year when the first cruise ship customer contacted me! It’s true! The Jamaican in China will be returning to Saipan once again to conduct a special tour for visitors from a major cruise line! The last once we did was a raging success! This one will be better!

If you’re one of the passengers scheduled to arrive on Saipan, CLICK HERE to arrange your day tour of Saipan! I can arrange a special World War II tour, and private tours for even a single person, so there’s no excuse!

An article on today's BBC.co.uk website claims to be able to explain track star Usain Bolt's speed using a mathematical model. BWA-HA-HA-HA-HA!

Scientists, writing in the European Journal of Physics talk about body mass, air temperature, drag coefficients, and the aerodynamic shape of his body. It's a nice little effort. (You can check out their findings here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-23462815) And while it may explain WHAT is happening when Usain runs, it does little to explain WHY it happens. It does not explain why Jamaica produces so many world champions in track and field. For that, you'll have to ask different questions unhampered by the linear-minded constraints most (but not all) scientists labor with.

Fortunately, you have the good fortune to be on my mailing list, and so I will steer you in the right direction. 

Several months ago, when I was in Beijing, I was contacted by Dr. Rachel Irving, co-author of Jamaican Gold who asked me to review her book. Within the pages of this fascinating book (read my review here: http://www.jamaicaninchina.com/jamaican-gold/), is the secret that the UK scientists have overlooked; something they'd likely never consider; something that perhaps only Jamaican scholars would know to include as a critical factor….curious?….

Find it on Amazon!

Riza Oledan-Ramos is a children's book author living on Saipan. A while back, she attended one of my "saipanpreneur" workshops and expressed to me her desire to publish her first book. She became my client, and a few months later, after a few coaching sessions, she launched her website and published her first book, The Boy Who Dreamed to Be With His Parents on Saipan,  a unique based-on-real-life children's story that even adults have found compelling and emotional.

The book is available in paperback from her site, as well as on Amazon.com and BarnesAndNoble.com in Kindle and Nook formats, as well as in Bestseller Bookstore on Saipan.

Last week, Riza, now a published author with her book on Amazon, and in two languages, made her book signing debut at the public library on Saipan! And, while I'm sorry I couldn't be there to share the moment with her, here are a few photos of the event she sent me! Enjoy, then pick up a copy to support a new author! http://www.rizaramosbooks.com

If you're going to do an outdoor book signing, there's no nicer place than a tropical island!

"Sign my copy, please!"

Greeting the public!

Sharing the book's original art by Rodante Guardia! Great idea, Riza!

We also translated it into Spanish!

Celebrity smile!

The kid's arrive!

Sharing the spotlight with other authors: Seated: L-R- Riza Ramos, Honora Tenorio, Jose Sanchez; Standing L-R- Joanna Aquino, Lino Olopai, Catherine Perry, Kurt Barnes (names and spellings not verified)

Photos by Riza’s coworker, Lilia! Thanks for capturing the moment!
 

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