JAPAN & EGYPT

The past week had Karl in Japan and Lila in the Middle East. Fortunately we get to spend the weekend together here in Shanghai.

Lila in the Middle East: There’s nothing worse than being sick and traveling. Especially when going through so many airports: Shanghai. Dubai. Cairo. Abu Dhabi. Doha. Shanghai. Can you find those on a map?! The trip started very rough with feeling faint in the hour wait to check-in. I slept the entire flight, and was well enough to enjoy the few hour layover at the airport in Dubai. I really like the airport – it’s perhaps one of the most colorful, diverse, and clean airports.
My meetings in Cairo went really well, even though I wasn’t 100%. One evening we even made it to the Pyramid light show. Last time I went to the pyramids was 1994 with my grandmother. It was really amazing. We also had 1 weekend day – which included some sight seeing in Cairo. It was very special. The trip coincided with the entire regional sales team having a face to face in Cairo. I got to catch up with a lot of old friends. It was really wonderful. After my Cairo visit, I made a day stop in Abu Dhabi for meetings before continuing home.
I did realize that there are times that being an ‘Ibrahim’ is a good thing – like immigration in the Middle East. Although it’s officially my middle name, it stood out enough to always be asked "where are you from?" Trying to explain makes no sense and I’ve learned the right answer is that Dad’s from Lebanon.

Karl - JAPAN DELICACIES
I was in Japan for 4 days – Tokyo & Miyazaki, and will be returning every 6 weeks. Meetings went well, but the real highlight was the food. The sushi breakfast at the fish market in Tokyo was quite good, but dinner was one of the best meals ever at a restaurant recommended by the Imperial Hotel. I decided to build my own 5 course meal...
Course #1: Smoked summer vegetable with creamy anchovy sauce
2: Assorted fresh sashimi (including tuna, egg cockle, sea bream, ark shell, and halfbreak)
3: Grilled tuna cheek meat. Marinated in soy sauce
4: Roasted iberico pork with spicy tomato sauce
5: Tsugihagi special desert (plum cake, campaign gelatin with fresh fruit, chocolate cake, fresh cherry, fruit gelato)
Extras courses since I was sitting at bar: Cream cheese preserved in miso and Tuna liver with onion
Plus two glasses of sake:Azumaichi - Fukui Prefecture and Kakurei - Niigata Prefecture. Then finished with Japanese tea. I have to say this was one of the best meals ever!