Have you ever eaten a lone green bean?

So this update comes from India where I’ve been bouncing around between Bombay, Delhi and Bangalore.  Next to Thai food, I probably have to put Indian near the top of the list.  The type of food is very different between the south (where it tends to be VERY spicy) and the north (where it is less spicy, but more oily).  All of it is incredible – especially to someone who loves curry – me.

Anyway, with my fish curry meal on Tuesday night, there was a single green bean sitting on top of my rice.  You know what I mean?  I think they call them haricot beans back home.  It’s about an inch long and cut at both ends.  I have to admit that I thought it was a little strange that they serve one lone green bean with the meal, but when in India … As soon as I put it into my mouth and crunched down, my Indian colleague remarked on how brave I was.  I think his exact words were, "Wow.  I don’t think I’ve eaten one of them since I was 12 years old."

It wasn’t a green bean.  And I can still feel it burning a hole through my intestine two days later.  🙂

Eating here is a bit of an adventure!  You don’t realize how inept you are at eating until you try to eat all the food with only your right hand and your left hand in your lap.  Pity the poor person who is left handed.  It is considered very bad taste to touch food with the left hand (or to accept business cards or anything else for that matter).  Regardless, the flavors are fantastic and I highly recommend the … things that I’ve eaten this week.  Just watch out for the lone green bean.

This summer has brought some really incredible diving.  Last week, I was able to explore a 102′ tugboat called the Baleen that sunk just outside Boston harbor after catching fire back in 1975.  While the wreck was largely intact, you could see evidence of the fire in and around the wheelhouse.  Sitting down at 170 FSW, I have to add this to one of the top 3 wrecks in New England.  Of course, hanging out on decompression for twice the length of the bottom time is a bit of a hassle, but the plant and ocean life are unbelievable.  To top off the dive, we had a whale breaching alongside the dive boat on the way back in … I would LOVE to actually dive with one of these.  Unfortunately, I have no pictures to show for it because my camera is only rated to 140′ and I didn’t bring it along.

Then of course, there are the interesting people you meet on the boat.  This time, I was heading out with one of the top executives from CSL Group (Canada Steamship Lines) who was born in Canada, but has lived all over the world and is now down in the Boston area.  CSL is actually owned by Paul Martin (21st Prime Minister of Canada) and this he had worked with Mr. Martin for more than 20 years.  Very fascinating …

Now it’s off to Las Vegas for a few days and then two weeks of vacation in Nova Scotia.  Yay!  Smile. 🙂

Back on Friday July 12, 2002, Mats told Heidi that she had a long way to go before she lived with me as long as he did.  You see, I lived with Mats for 2 years at Billings Bridge, 2 years at 30 Sutton and I’m sure they’re still getting mail for me from the 2 years I lived at 32 Sutton Place.  Six years he had to put up with me …

Ding ding.  Guess what?  This past Saturday marked anniversary number six – the anniversary of candy and the anniversary of Heidi surpassing Mats for years putting up with me.  It seems like yesterday that I forgot to button my tux.

To celebrate, we had Melita come and stay with the kids while we headed downtown to stay at the Marriott Custom House (gotta use up those points).  I have to say it was one of the more incredible Marriotts – built in 1847 with amazing 360 degree vistas from the observation tower.  Very impressive indeed!  In true Danny fashion, I had booked tickets for us to see a show that night, and we were perplexed to show up to find the venue quiet and the door locked.  Apparently, I was a little date challenged when it came to remembering our anniversary.  The tickets were for today … Hmmm … we ended up giving them away.  Oh well, it was memorable, relaxing and wonderful way to spend our sixth anniversary.  Sorry Mats.  Smile.  🙂

This is the third straight day of temperatures exceeding 95°F.  Driving home today, the car’s thermostat registered 100°F, although the billboards at the side of the road all registered 97°F.  Tomorrow is supposed to keep the trend going with a forecast of 99°F.  Woo hoo.

The first week we moved into this house, the temperatures were up in the crazy range and I decided then and there that central air was on the "need to have" list.  I would 10X rather die of cold than die of heat.  Anyway, I have to say that it’s one investment that makes it possible to work at home …  Another way to cool off?  Jump on a dive boat and drop to 100 FSW where the water temperature is still in the high 30s.  Now THAT is the real way to cool off.  🙂

Three weeks ago I was in Orlando and went to a seafood restaurant that has been consistently rated in the Top 10 of America.  I had a piece of Chilean Sea Bass that indeed was delicious …

However, I might have to rethink my recommendations now when it comes to seafood restaurants.  There continues to be no doubt in my mind that the best fish chowder in North America is sold in a hole-in-the-wall restaurant down in Gloucester, MA.  I’ve been there half a dozen times and each time I go, the bread and the chowder just keeps getting better and better.  It’s not my fault that people coming through Hudson, NH only stay long enough to say "hello" and keep on moving.  Stay here for three or four days and we’ll swing down to the Causeway Restaurant.

This brings us the dilemma of fish.  A few weeks ago I would have said that the best piece of fish I had was down in Orlando, but now I’m not so sure.  You see, we stopped at Howard’s Pub on Ocracoke Island and I ordered the local grilled tuna sandwich.  Costing almost one tenth of what it cost in Orlando, it was certainly the best piece of tuna I’ve ever eaten, and might even have surpassed the sea bass for flavor.  Tough call on that one.  When you factor in the cost, it takes the award hands down.

This leads us now to beaches.  For 2007, the beach on Ocracoke Island won the award for the number one beach in America, and that included Florida, California and Hawaii.  Going there, I have to say I understand why.  It’s not going to get any awards for crowds or things to do, but amazing white sand for miles, combined with not a soul in sight, was truly amazing.  The weather hovered in the mid to high 70s, the water was in the 70-71 range, and no one around …

Top Ten Indeed.  Anyone want to join us next time?  Smile!  🙂