I miss you. I love Baltimore, but I miss your mountains, your peaks, your sea, and your Buddha. I miss your lovely people – great friends. I miss so much. Oh, Hong Kong, please remember me as Ii remember you. I hope to see you again someday. There’s really nothing quite like you.

Love,
Charissa

Oh my. I just tried making Vietnamese BUN for the first time, and it was delicious. I didn’t follow a recipe exactly, and I made far too much of the sauce for my taste, so here’s the closest guess to what I’d try next time.

It’s not Nha Trang, but it’s yummy!

Ingredients
1/3 cup boiling water
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 teaspoons chile paste
1/2 garlic clove, minced
1/2 3-4 cups cooked vermicelli
1/2 package (5 oz) slaw mix (cabbage, carrots, etc)
1-2 cups fresh bean sprouts
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
4 Hoisin-Marinated Pork Chops, thinly sliced, marinated overnight, and grilled

Preparation
Combine boiling water and sugar, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add juice, fish sauce, chile paste, and garlic. Set in refrigerator to cool.

Prepare noodles according to package directions (soak in hot water); drain. Combine noodles, slaw mix, and next 3 ingredients in a large bowl. Add juice mixture. Toss in pork.

Or should I say “Honk Kong” which is what I keep typing on Facebook.  I am one week away from leaving for the biggest, baddest trip of my whole life.  Ten days, no phone, no pets, no work, and one 34th birthday. GULP.

I am anxious and excited, and I can’t believe that I’m doing it.  I will forever be changed… and now it’s just 7 days away (and counting)…