#Giant Fruit Lychee

[cat-eye-nebula]

The Erdon Lee Lychee - often known as the Giant Fruit Lychee or the Giant Lychee averages between 50-60 grams in weight but can top 100grams😍🤤 whereas a normal lychee is around 30 grams. The fruit is sweet, juicy and fragrant.

[stardustsomewhere]

it's kind of weird to stalk others blogs and post them when they told you to not interact. just focus on getting your gf out of there and leave the wackos be lol

[rainbowbarnacle]

Please make a tea post so I can save it especially the pineapple ice cubes I need more info

Oh, like, different teas I like to make? Okay! :D

🍍Pineapple Tea🍍

The way I do it is really simple:

Buy a giant jug of already-made tea (I like gold peak!)

Buy a carton of pineapple juice

Freeze the juice into cubes, pour a little of it in the tea for extra flavor

And that's it. That's aaaall you gotta do.

There's all kindsa ways you can dress it up, but nine times out of ten I just do this and drink it by the gallon when it's hot out.

If you wanna get fancy with it, feel free to cold brew your own black (or green) tea, add actual hunks of pineapple fruit in there, add some orange juice, add some honey, add some coconut milk or sweetened condensed milk, whatever sounds good! (Also, pairing pineapple tea with coconut cookies? SO GOOD.) Put mint in the pineapple cubes if you like mint! Add a bit of boiled ginger root or some brown sugar and cinnamon for a little kick! Heck, last summer I used blue peaflower star-shaped ice cubes just because they were pretty.

(Peaflower petals don't taste like much, but they make a GORGEOUS blue, and if you put something acidic in there like lemon juice IT TURNS PINK. :D)

🍓Strawberry Tea🍓

I find this stuff sort of difficult to find where I live, so often I go the same route as the pineapple tea: grab a jug of black tea, grab a jug of strawberry juice, (ocean spray has a really nice cran-strawberry one I like) freeze the juice, mix, and enjoy. Super simple.

If I can't find strawberry juice, I dice some strawberries up and put it in a jar with some water and a bit of sugar for a few hours, then add *that* to the tea. (heck, it's really nice all by itself!)

What goes with strawberry? ANY DANG THING YOU WANT. I am particularly fond of lychee. Jasmine tea and rose petals pair really well with it too. Again, if you like mint, it's *really* nice with strawberry. And you know how if you put black pepper on strawberries they taste even strawberrier? (If you haven't tried this, go do it, it's magic.) Same goes with the tea, add some peppercorns or a teeny bit of chili powder or some ginger.

If you wanna drink it hot or cold brew a batch of your own, here are some brands that are also nice:

1. Strawberry Sensation

2. Adagio Strawberry Tea (this is also where I got the peaflower petals)

3. Any of Lupicia's Strawberry Teas they are HEAVENLY

🍏Apple Tea🍏

As with the pineapple and strawberry teas, it's totally fine to just go find some ready-made tea and mix it with some apple cider or apple juice for tasty low spoons fun. If you drink it iced, a bit of sugar and lemon juice brings out the apple flavor nicely!

I prefer drinking this stuff hot though. You know that Fall Drink post that was floating around? IF YOU HAVEN'T YET, TRY IT, IT'S AWESOME.

☕Chai Tea☕

So here's the thing about chai for me personally: I don't tend to drink it iced or sugary, but if you do like it iced and sugary, there are a couple of really nice chai tea concentrates:

Oregon Chai Latte

Tazo's Chai Latte (Forget the "skinny" nonsense, I just wanted to include an option with no milk so you can add whatever you want to it)

Pacific Chai isn't concentrated, but you can use it to make hot or iced chai and it's really lovely, not too sweet and super easy to work with. As for dressing up chai, I don't tend to! There's already so much going on with all the flavors, I just drink it as-is most days. Play with milk-to-tea ratios or sugar amounts all you like, figure out what's your jam.

I do know that mixing chai and coffee together (or chai and chocolate together) is guaranteed to make a feeling groovy kind of morning, at least if you have two thumbs and you're me. Iiii think that's all the tea blather I can think of for right now. Thank you for asking, anon, it was fun! Anybody reading this, feel free to add your own favorite things to do with tea. :D

[buffetlicious]

Bring home or gift away mooncakes in this pink tower container from Li Bai Cantonese Restaurant (李白) in Sheraton Towers (喜来登酒店). Take your pick from Baked White Lotus Seed Paste with Double Egg Yolk (双黄白莲蓉), Baked White Lotus Seed Collagen Paste with Single Egg Yolk (单黄膠原蛋白白莲蓉), White Lotus Seed Paste with Oolong King Tea and Sunflower Seed (顶级乌龙茶葵花子白莲蓉), Baked White Lotus Seed Paste with Macademia Nut (夏威夷果仁白莲蓉) or Baked Mixed Nuts (伍仁月饼).

Or break away from the tradition baked mooncakes with these lovely Assorted Mini Snowskin Mooncakes (迷你月饼). With flavours like Champagne (香槟), Pandan Coconut Gula Melaka (班兰椰子椰糖), Lychee Martini (荔枝马天尼) and Sea Salt Truffle Dark Chocolate (黑菘露海盐), how can you resist opening your wallet/purse for them?

This limited-edition Jade 15 Treasures Premium Gift Set (玉楼黄金十五月) from Fullerton Hotel (富丽敦酒店) cost S$163.50 even after discount!!! Encased within is a giant baked mooncake, filled with white lotus seed paste and eight golden yolks to symbolise the full moon on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. Fourteen mini baked mooncakes surround this centrepiece, each in a different flavour. Their crusts depict alternating images of a celestial hare, citron fruit, and firefly - signifying bliss, light and well wishes. In case you are interested to know what flavours it comes with, they are Red Lotus Seed Paste (红莲蓉), Orange (橙子), Jasmine (茉莉花), Coffee (咖啡), Rose (玫瑰), Mixed Nuts and Pineapple (混合坚果和菠萝), Black Dates (黑枣), Almond (杏仁), Pandan (班兰), Black Sesame (黑芝麻), Cranberry (蔓越莓), Red Bean (红豆), Osmanthus (桂花) and Green Tea (绿茶).

The Fullerton Classics Baked Mooncakes (富丽敦经典月饼) feature single and double yolks baked mooncakes with reduced sugar, alongside two new creations this year - the Premium Mixed Nuts Baked Mooncake (经典五仁月饼) and the Assam Tea with Lemon, Mung Bean and Raisin Baked Mooncake (阿萨姆茶柠檬丝绿豆馅葡萄干月饼). These mooncakes will be housed in a beautiful deep-red drawer box, emblazoned with a glistening gold imprint of the Fullerton Building’s Neoclassical façade, exuding timeless elegance and refined luxury.

Selected images courtesy of Sheraton Towers and Fullerton Hotel.

[lonelylonelyghost]

Re-watch of The Spirealm. Episode 23

Nature in all its ominous glory

As far as the last images you see before you die, this is pretty good actually

RIP girl

Nice picture btw. I wouldn't want it on my bedroom wall, but if it was hanging somewhere near the entrance door, to scare the guests and myself occasionally - that'd be pretty cool.

"You stand on the bridge to view the scenery,

and people who view the scenery look at you upstairs.

The moon decorated your window,

and you decorated someone else's dream."

Nothing quite like a piece of cryptic poetry to start off your day

I need to see more of the Mistress's dress, it seems to look amazing. I want official full-body posters...

The Sun, the Death, the Noble Jester, The Giant and the Ghost

A gang

Jawline.

shut up.

He's so worried for his Lingling...

"You should let me leave this world. Me appearing in the game is equivalent to cheating. If you get caught you'll be punished severely."

"As long as you're here with me, I'm not afraid of any punishment!"

The ride or die!...

"I'm offline now. I'll die if I go out. I'm content to just be here with you. I played this game because I was lonely. But I met you. And now I'm not lonely anymore..."

ಥ_ಥ

The red string!!!

I noticed that the show treats Xiong Qi' and Xiao Ke's story is in some way similar to Nanzhu' and Qiushi's, in that they don't state clearly about the nature of their relationship, but make it as intense as possible. Ready to do anything for each other, literally tied together with a red string of fate, so who cares about the labels? They are each other's person, and that's enough. This is by far my favourite kind of m/f dynamic. GIMME MORE

Not to ruin the moment, but I think this is the only instance when the drama can legitimately show on screen Nanzhu getting on top of Qiushi

The RAGE!

Nice

"We both are women. I know how you feel. Many women have been hurt by love. We are easy to be bullied and mentally controlled. I've acted many eye-candy roles. None of these characters are divorced. I envy you. You're going the wrong way, but you've been looking for a way out."

"Is improper behavior also worth to be envied?"

"Of course! One day, you'll reach your solution. The Twelve Sufferings you drew is dreary. I don't like it. I like this one the best. Art and insights don't matter at all. What really matters is your choice."

Tan Zaozao is terrified but still reaches out to the Mistress with kindness. Have I told already that I love her?

The portrait is beautiful

(It looks a bit like it was drawn by Shen Yi)

And she's starting her life anew 🥲

"See you in the next Door"

😭😭😭😭

"Thank you." "And how exactly are you going to thank me?"

"Tell me, what do you want me to do?" "...I haven't decided yet."

"Have a rest. You can think it over once you've recovered."

Well, Qiushi walked right into that one, didn't he

"Don't leave. Stay with me a little longer." "Alright."

COME ON!

"Tan Zaozao, do you think that I'm too weak now to teach you a lesson?"

"Lingling-ge, calm Ruan-ge down, he wants to beat me!"

"What tool do you want to use? The fruit knife?"

You asked the wrong person to defend your honor, Zaozao! ehehe

OK, alright, ok, so....

[unholy screeching]

First of all, I officially will be reminded of THIS moment every time the lychees are mentioned in ANY context for the rest of my life.

Second of all, WHAT. WAS. THAT. Like seriously. How was that filmed? How was that supposed to have any heterosexual explanation? Just bros being dudes, hand-feeding each other fruits sensually? Like, be for real.

And third of all, Qiushi's face???????? Oh, he knows what he's doing and what kind of effect he has on Nanzhu, the amount of power he wields over him. And he uses this power to just take care of him!...

This one (and the Bite Scene TM) are the most homoerotic moments in the history of forever.

I rest my case.

what the FUCK

"Cheng Yixie? How did you know we were here?"

"I could smell you."

I...😳I did NOT remember this bit of the dialogue...

[hcdragonwrites]

Epilogue ( @journey-to-the-au Fic)

This is what happens at the end of Tea trouble. It’s just short but it’s because I wanted to write fluff and cuddles and warmth.

The sun sank slowly into the sea, painting that great swath of liquid to fire. Willow felt the soft weariness sneak into her face as finally, finally her family mounted their heavenly steeds and kept back into the sky. The stars were beginning to appear in the darkening night. Gold, wood, water and fire. They marked the sky with their light as she waved her sisters goodbye.

From the mouth of babes came a second peace, a second chance. Lychee had offered the peach and Winter had taken a bite from it. An exchange and a wave of apologies. Willow had spent that time swapping tales and trading secrets of her home. Of her mountain. With her sisters. They listened attentively. They touched her hand- sought comfort and reassurance they had not lost her forever in their callous remarks. Willow reassured, reaffirmed and rebounded with each of her sisters.

She was exhausted. Willow sighed, itching her scalp. Her hairpins still bothered her, and her clothes felt too heavy. She wanted nothing more then to sleep for a fortnight. Anger was an emotion Willow rarely dove into, rarely utilized and unleashed. Calm rage? Yes. Anger that blinds like this one did ? No. It left her feeling achy and tired and o so sensitive to her skin.

Willow sighed. She was so thankful to the fruit troop, to Pear and Apple, Pomelo and Mulberry. And Lychee. The bravest little mischief maker ever. The first to offer a olive branch to her sisters and to forgive them. No one will talk that way to them ever again.

For now as the sun cast itself into the sea Willow felt her final strength ebb and fade with its light. She took a step back to rebalance herself —

Great large furred arms swung her up and over broad shoulders. She squealed in surprise as Wukong raised her up, growing in size himself.

“WILLOW!” He practically roared as the rest of the mountain followed suit. Thousands of the troop came racing forward, pressing close and reaching up to her from the spot on Wukongs shoulders. The rest of them were crowing and hollering and screaming. Calling her name.

“Gather the softest pillows and blankets ! The night will hold for us all- set the guards to chasing any beasts out of the groves. Light the fire pits! And everyone GATHER YOUR FAVORITE FRUIT!” Willow heard the roar of the crowd as they thundered off. Hammocks were pulled between trees, bundles of blankets and pillows and downy things were dragged and set down in the field. Monkeys lit the fire pits that lined the clearing, the great orange light casting dancing shadows as the sun continued its decent. Willow saw the troop laugh and chortle as they brought fruits out. A veritable second feast of food. Kiwis, grapes, oranges, watermelons, melons and nectarines.

Wukong kept Willow on his shoulders. Willow was too tired to ask why or deny the outward pouring of love from her earthen family. This was just the way they heaped support and love onto her. A veritable jungle of nests and hammocks, of blanketed caves and soft spots to lay soon covered the grass all around.

To tangle and tug and touch was the Monkey way of showing love. Willow sighed, laying against her husbands very soft and large head.

“What did I do ? It was all my fault.”

“Hush you I won’t hear you taking the blame for others ever again.” Wukong admonished. Several of the troop had gathered nearby, dragging a forest of bedding and plush to make nests and enjoy the night. Wukong set himself down in the thick of the troop, taking Willow up off his shoulders and into his lap. His tail coiled around her a hand against her middle. The giant monkey practically swamped her as he chirped and cooed, crooned and kissed her temples and nose.

“Wukong don’t swallow her!” Ba admonished. Willow peered from between the fur of Wukongs neck. She felt like a chick beneath a mother hen, completely covered and warm. She saw Ba setting up a little nest beside them. Beng was busy swinging Pomelo and Mulberry about-throwing them into pillows that bounced them slightly in the air.

“Save some for the rest of us please.” Ba snorted. Lychee was seated on Chestnuts shoulders talking his mothers ear off about his day and how he and his friends had gotten Little Weaver Girl to braid them flower crowns. He still wore his on his brow, eyes bright. They two set their bedding and nesting material down beside them.

“Are we all sleeping out beneath the stars ?” Willow asked. Wukong didn’t say yes with words. He was too overcome with an emotion, a puff of pride that expanded his chest. Here was his Willow Tree. The strong women who had been betrothed to him but had chosen him- heart and soul. Willow who had turned Huaguoshan into a protected area. Willow who had stalwartly sat beside him when he had been burning and boiling and close to madness inside that bronze prison. Willow who had bravely offered herself to the Imposter to save the rest of his family. And it had been Willow again who had chosen his people and family, his friends and loved ones, and had brought to heel celestial who thought they could talk down to him and what was his.

Whatever I did - whatever luck shot through my sky and made my stone sentient - I am glad it made me in time to be with her.

“Yes princess.” He softly whispered to her. “You defended all of us yet again. You brilliant warrior.” For she was a warrior. Not of blades or fists or claws of teeth. Words were her weapon and she used them brilliantly. More accurate then an arrows fall, she pierced Huaguoshan enemies with no bloodshed.

If I had met her when I was seeking my enlightenment … before I sought Heavens recognition… he wondered. Would his life have gone on a entirely new path? Wukong mussed her hair with his teeth, nibbling until she tapped his jaw in play.

His friends settled about them and the rest of the troop began to visit Willow, offering food and comfort. The little bundle of baby fruits ran across the clearing. They had been hero’s and they didn’t even know it.

Wukong lay curled over and around Willow like some large languid cat, tail tucked possessively about her. He became larger still, letting the little fruits climb onto his back in their play. Rin Rin came forward and Wukong allowed her to take Willows hair down, to groom and to ease her scalp.

Rin Rin heard the story as Wukong, Ba, Liu and Beng recounted it. They were now all here against Wukongs side, grooming and offering fruits or each other, to Willow. The love was a warm glow in the night , a glow that came from within and rivaled that of the dying sunlight. Ba kept off his pranks and offered Willow sour green grapes- and his deepest vows of loyalty. Wukong snorted happily, a large hand gently scratching along Willows back. Beng checked their little word warrior over and then gave her a single hardy shake. Ma was blubbering with Rin Rin who simply held on and brushed Willows hair out. Liu bowed and offered his own vows of loyalty- setting Ba to trying to outdo him.

Wukong waited till the stars were bright in the sky, the moon rising now to cast her silver light to whisper and speak praise and words of love. He wanted to drown her in the emotion that beat in his chest. It was a glow as steady as the sun and as wild as the world. It was not the same love Rin Rin or Liu or Ba or Chestnut Or Beng Or Ma experienced.

Forever and always. I will See her days filled with joy and peace. I will topple the very pillars that hold this world up to give her that. Wukong watched her burrow into his side, fingers curled in his fur. He looked to the sky, to the Heavens. To beyond that- to the cosmic sphere of reality. The universe beyond the Heavens.

“Thank you for making her. She’s perfect.” Words failed. Perfect was so silly of a word. Willow was more then perfect. She was victorious, stalwart, kind, compassionate, a stone to rest his back against and the shade that hid him from the burning sun.

“I will keep you. Forever. Until the very definition of eternity crumbles. Thank you Willow, for filling my days with your love.”

Wukong kissed her temple and pulled her into his warmth, pulling several of his with her. Tails and hands, feet and limbs all intercrossed and overlapped. They were tangled, intertwined like the roots of a tree. Grounding the willow tree they all loved to their earth, to their mountain.

[ashipiko]

ASHI’S BIRTHDAY GIRL CARD!

SUMMON: Waaah! This is so hypesies! Teehee, this birthdays gonna be a blast! Lets party, y’all!

MORE VOICELINES UNDER CUT:

GROOVY: [LOCKED]

HOME IDLE 1: My bday fedora…! It’s back! One of the biggest things I missed from back home…! Acey really knows me well, doesn’t he?!

HOME IDLE 2: Leona gifted me a floatie! IG he knows my love for the tropical vibes, huh? This means I’ve gotta pester him at Savanaclaw more often~!

HOME IDLE 3: Eppy gave me SO MUCH CIDER. This is enough for an entire lifetime… I’m gonna have the time of my life with all of this!

HOME IDLE LOGIN: See, I told you today was gonna be hype! My bdays always the best day of the year~

HOME IDLE GROOVY: [LOCKED]

HOME TAP 1: So much food! It’s like a banquet over here! Not that I’m complaining… Food is at the top of my list for faves!

HOME TAP 2: NGL, I never thought hosting a bday party at my workplace could be so cool. Like, who knew Monstro Lounge could be such a sick place for a party?!

HOME TAP 3: You guys brought all my favorite fruits?! Mangoes of all kinds, lychees, jackfruits— MANGOSTEENS?! I’m gonna start crying…!

HOME TAP 4: Apparently there’s gonna be a giant show happening, hosted by Acey! Kinda looking forward to it, though I feel like it’s gonna be so goofy…

HOME TAP 5: My rizz really is unmatched, huh? So many prezzies and so many people! Hehe, it’s the Ashi charm, I’m telling you~

HOME TAP GROOVY: [LOCKED]

[bunnymajo]

Went ahead just filled out that whole OC ask prompt for Quake the Elephant :P

Get to know her better! She'll be competing in the @sonic-oc-showdown going on right now!

You can vote here!

Name: Quake the Elephant

Species: Asian Elephant

Type: Power

Alignment: Good

Home: Sol Empire (wanders)

✨How did you come up with the OC’s name?

Since Blaze & Marine have very on-the-nose names based on their powers I wanted a similar kind of name for her. So I thought of a bunch of earth-related names that I thought were cute, Quake I was on the fence about but after talking with some friends (shout-out to the bumblekast server) who liked it I started warming up to it too. 

🌼  - How old are they? (Or approximate age range)

Late teen/young adult. Older than Blaze

🌺- Do they have any love interest(s)?

Not currently. 

🍕  - What is their favorite food?

Anything Lychee flavored. Tropical fruits are always a hit in general. Never eats meat.

💼  - What do they do for a living?

A traveling oracle, she can pick up vibes and premonitions from certain gemstones or rock formations. People seek out her help for advice or if there’s land that needs excavating

🎹  - Do they have any hobbies?

At her core Quake is just a big rock nerd. She likes learning and going to museums if there's any kind of exhibit about geology

Also all her jewelry is handmade so she's good at metal craft, all her rings are melted down ores & metals she's collected. There's a story behind each one.

🎯  -What do they do best?

Crush rocks. Look at rock. Know where rock came from.

🥊  -What do they love to do? What do they hate to do?

She loves to just sit and enjoy her surroundings, no drama, only sitting

She hates shopping for herself. She doesn’t mind it if it’s a gift, but clothes shopping for herself in particular she’s just really uncomfortable with the whole experience (look around, looking at sizes, trying them on, figuring out if she likes it enough to wear more than once, standing in line to buy it. etc. )

❤️  - What is one of your OC’s best memories?

I could be cheesy and say when she made friends with Blaze & Marine, but other than that she's always traveling she doesn't usually spend time with other people on her birthday or holidays - but one time a town she was staying at found out and threw her a small surprise party and she still cries when she thinks about it.

✂️   - What is one of your OC’s worst memories?

Sometimes picking up & and experiencing the memories of an old rock aren't always pretty. She doesn't like to talk about them.

🧊  - Is their current design the first one?

There’s a few initial sketches I did to get the overall idea going, but currently she’s on her 1st finalized design

🍀  - What originally inspired the OC?

I like powerhouse ladies and I like plus-sized representation in my favorite media, Blaze currently doesn’t have that in the Sol dimension so I took that as a challenge to see if I could make one. Sega also (currently) isn’t really keen on large mammal designs like elephants or horses, so I wanted to see if I could make a large hooved animal fit into the Sonic template. 

🌂  - What genre do they belong in?

I picture her fitting right into a kung-fu movie, as either a wise mentor or the hero's traveling companion, or even a mini boss depending on the situation.

She would hope she fit right into a cozy slice of life drama or a hallmark movie though, but she has too much of a fantasy character presence

💚  - What is your OC’s gender identity and sexuality?

Identifies as a girl, she/her/they pronouns, Ace Lesbian

🙌  - How many siblings does your OC have?

Currently 0. She views Marine as what it would be like to have a little sister though.

🍎  - What is the OC’s relationship w/their parents like?

Parents? In Sonic’s world? Ha!

Her oracle powers can be traced through her lineage though. I imagine she would view them with respect.

🧠  - What do you like most about the OC?

She’s cute and she can punch a rock in half

I also just like gentle giant characters. She's oc comfort food.

✏️  - How often do you draw/write about the OC?

Not as much as I should but I really want to change that, I think there’s so much potential to explore Blaze’s world and it’s just sitting there.

💎  - Do you ever see yourself killing off the OC?

Absolutely not. Even if there was a dire situation where death seems like the only way out, I’ve seen enough magical girl baloney to know there’s always another way. Blaze & Marine would snap her out of that “I have to end myself here to save everyone” mentality, but that's the only kind of scenario where I'd even think about that.

💀  - Does your OC have any phobias?

Claustrophobia, including feeling closed in by big crowds 

🍩  -Who is your OC’s arch-nemesis or rival?

In a playful manner, Blaze as a rival. 

🎓  - How long have you had the OC?

About 5 months :’D

Thanks for reading!

[deanaferal]

one of my favorite chapters of my life was when I ran a fruit stand out of an old orange grove in a little hut that was full of kitschy old florida memorabilia and I got to lounge around all day and eat fruit and read books and then chat it up with old people from all over the world that grew their own cultural plants and would barter sugarcane and lychee with me for grapefruits and fresh squeezed orange juice. There were cows in the field behind the orange stand and I would feed them apples every day. There was a little pond that my brother would stop by to fish in. We cut from plywood, painted and hung a giant strawberry and a giant orange outside of the building and it was the cutest little market. I have hopes of creating something like that again because when I dream of it I wake up happy.

[stshloop]

I really like hornets.

Personally I’ve never really get why people are so afraid of these little guys (that is under the circumstance they never had bad experiences/phobias). They’re just bees just less fuzzy. Usually i find them hanging around flowers, maybe pick up on some fallen fruit, or collecting plant material for nest building. In winter, they wander around barbecue and camp sites, in search for something sweet. They aren’t out for our blood or property, simply born with a sweet mandible.

This fellow, is a yellow-legged hornet. They are one of, if not the most common species of hornet out of the 8 we have around.

They love feeding on nectar, and sometimes get pollen stuck on her little setae, though maybe not as good as bees.

Yesterday, I saw them feeding on the lychee that fell from the trees. They can be slightly intimidating in numbers, but they’re just busy getting the sustenance they need.

Another species that also enjoyed the sweet fruit is the black-tailed hornet (not to be confused with the similarly-coloured Southern giant hornet, which can be identified by much larger gena, or “cheeks” than the black-tails), more of an uncommon sight here in Hong Kong. Much bigger and more fearsome than the yellow-legged hornet, but a sweet treat is always welcomed. In fact, adults only feed on sugary food, and they hunt and scavenge meat mainly to feed their young.

There are also some other less note-worthy species when it comes to observations include the black-shield hornet and the lesser banded hornet. They are all found foraging in flowerbeds.

The more you put down your fear, you will begin to realise the beauty of these buzzers. Caution should of course be exercised still, but I hope you find a new appreciation for them too :D

[xtruss]

Centuries-old cypresses, planted by royal decree, still line miles of the Shu Roads in the lush hills of northern Sichuan. The roads were built about the same time as the Romans built the Appian Way. Photograph By Paul Salopek

​This Ancient Marvel Rivaled Rome’s Intricate Network of Roads

​Remnant slabs of stone laid more than 2,000 years ago pave forgotten trade and military byways across the mountains that divide northern and southern China.

— By Paul Salopek | Aril 21, 2023

Sword Gate Pass, Sichuan Provence, China“Over there!”

Discovery: For a decade, National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek (Pictured above) has been walking the routes of human civilization worldwide. Now in China, he has stumbled upon remnants of an ancient network of roads. “They unspool like gigantic question marks over miles of jagged landscape,” he writes. Photograph By John Stanmeyer, National Geographic Image Collection

It is my walking partner Li Huipu. Li points to a line of cypresses near a highway that booms with the inescapable red cargo trucks of China. (All of modern China is a construction site.) A few miles farther on, she peers down from a concrete bridge into a steep, rainy mountain gorge. “It’s down there!” she calls out again. “See it?” She is a resourceful hunter. She a woman of Shu.

We are stalking the old Shu Roads.

What are Shu Roads—the Shǔdào?

They are squared slabs of stone—of slate? of granite?—about the size of small tabletops. Placed by hand in times long past, and numbering perhaps in the millions, they pave forgotten byways that cross the mountains dividing northern from southern China. Antique but sturdy paths. They unspool like gigantic question marks over miles of jagged landscape. They start and stop and fade into shadowed forests. Time machines. Broken mazes plied by phantoms. Sparse and solitary and moving. We try to walk them, Li and I, through the uplands of Sichuan Province.

In this way, we hopscotch through centuries. We skip between the chaos of the Warring States Period in Chinese history, circa the fourth-century B.C., and the distractions of the dynasty of TikTok.

Builders of the Shu Roads in Shaanxi Province confronted jagged obstacles such as Mount Hua Shan. Photograph By Tao Ming, Xinhua/Getty Images

The laying of the Shu Roads began when the Romans built the Appian Way—some 2,300 years ago—and for the same purposes: military control and trade. The vast Eastern Zhou empire was cracking apart. A subject kingdom called Qin, occupying much of modern-day Shaanxi Province, rose to power. It pushed new roads across the 12,000-foot Qin Mountains to attack a wealthy southern rival—the kingdom of Shu—centered in today’s Sichuan. Rich in salt, silk and iron, Shu expanded its own roads to better defend its mountain frontiers. But Shu lost in 316 B.C. And all these stone-paved roads, improved with post offices and caravan stops, became arteries of imperial integration. This was when China’s center of gravity lay in the highlands of the west, and not (as today) in the hot, low plains and cities of the east.

A hundred generations of traders commuted along the Shu Roads. They pushed “wooden oxen”—wheelbarrows. Armies fitted in leather armor marched atop the branching network of flagstones. Sometimes, they torched wooden sections of the road—miles of extraordinary plank walkways suspended from canyon walls—as they retreated. Farmers hustled their goods along the roads. (One segment was called the Lychee Road, dedicated to a royal concubine’s fondness of the fruit.) Poets and sages walked the roads. So did deposed kings, refugees, addled foreigners, and elderly farm women tacking against gravity under bundles of firewood. (A few last of these still walk the trails today.) In China’s relict wild mountains, giant pandas, red pandas, gnu-like takin, and six-foot salamanders also prowl the Shu Roads. Today these weedy paths go mostly nowhere.

A reconstruction of plank roads—an engineering feat more than two millennia old—hangs above Mingyue Gorge, in Sichuan Province.​ Photograph By Paul Salopek

We Start Our Trek in Li’s hometown, Chengdu, the ancient capital of Shu and the southern pole of the Shu Roads. Today it is a megalopolis of 16 million set in the lush Sichuan Basin. (This agricultural zone is exalted in classical Chinese literature as Tiānfǔ zhi Guó—the "Country of Heaven.") Li walks me by her childhood apartment. By her primary school. (“It’s much smaller than I remember.”) By the first McDonald’s in her neighborhood. She points out newer layers of Chinese franchises including Mixue Bincheng, a low-market bubble tea outlet launched with a $438 loan from the founder’s grandmother and now a billion-dollar company whose mascot, a rotund snowman, sings “I love you, you love me, Mixue Bincheng sweety!” to the public domain melody of “Oh! Susannah,” the minstrel song composed by Pennsylvanian Stephen Collins Foster in 1848.

Left: Eighth-century poet Du Fu spent years wandering the Shu Roads. Illustration Via Pictures From History, Bridgeman Images Right: Map

The Shu Roads welded north to south China. They also became tangents of longing. They delivered art. In the eighth century, Du Fu, a titan of the gilded age of Chinese classical poetry, survived on boiled tree leaves in a hut in Chengdu. Exhausted from escaping rebellions, constant joblessness, and years of itinerant wanderings along pitiless Shu Roads, Du Fu mocked his so-called-poet’s life:

Far from the market, my food has little taste,

My poor home can offer only stale and cloudy wine.

Consent to have a drink with my elderly neighbour,

At the fence I'll call him, then we'll finish it off.

His contemporary, the traveling bard Li Bai, lamented his journey into exile along the slippery roads up the Qinglin Mountains:

The Shu Road is as perilous and difficult as the way to the Green Heavens.

The ruddy faces of those who hear the story of it turn pale.

There is not a cubit's space between the mountain tops and the sky.

In Chengdu, the Shu Roads dream mutely under asphalt. Li and I hike toward their northern terminus some 400 miles away, to Xi’an, the capital of Shaanxi Province.

— Tracing 2,000-year-old byways through rugged terrain in western China.

Near Minyang we cross the ghostly path of a British traveler in a long Manchurian dress.

Sometimes Isabella Bird walked. Sometimes Bird rode a chair hauled by laborers who cushioned their aches with opium.

“A thousand years ago it must have been a noble work,” the British traveler wrote of a still-bustling Shu Road in The Yangtze Valley and Beyond, a record of her travels in western China in 1897. “It is nominally sixteen feet wide, the actual flagged roadway measuring eight feet. The bridges are built solidly of stone. The ascents and descents are made by stone stairs. More than a millennium ago an emperor planted cedars at measured distances on both sides, the beautiful red-stemmed, weeping cedar of the province . . . Each tree bears the imperial seal and the district magistrates count them annually.”

They still do.

To locate old Shu Roads, Li and I seek out colonnades of big trees linking village guesthouses and gritty truck stops. They aren’t cedars. They are cypresses (Cupressus). A few are 800 or more years old, and each one is tagged by the Sichuan reforestation bureau. In the wet mists of Sichuan their massive black boughs drip their own rain.

Isabella Bird wrote sympathetically of rural Chinese. She did complain about the 19th-century bureaucracy. Qing Dynasty officials demanded her passport every few miles, she grumbled, copying her particulars on clipboards of slate. This also still happens. At Wulian, an empty inn cannot host us. They aren’t registered to receive foreigners. Two police drive us to their station. They help us fill out the necessary paperwork.

“Why are you walking?” the older cop asks, skeptically.

“It's a walking project,” the younger cop reminds him. He rolls his eyes at his square partner. “It’s about walking.”

Marco Polo may have paced off Shu Roads in the 13th century. He supposedly journeyed from Beijing to Chengdu: “Having traveled those twenty stages through a mountainous country, you reach a plain on the borders of Manzi . . . where you see many fine mansions, castles, and small towns. The inhabitants live by agriculture. In the city there are factories, particularly of very fine cloths and crapes or gauzes.”

The first and only empress of China, the supremely brilliant and capably ruthless Wu Zetian, may or may not have been born on a Shu Road five centuries earlier. The northern Sichuanese city of Guangyuan claims her in any case. Its museum of mannequins celebrates the world’s “top 10 queens.”

We trudge on, Li Huipu and I. Stone paths scalloped by the hooves of long-dead pack horses point us north through dozy river towns and hamlets of geriatric farmers. Local place names contain characters for the words yi (post station) and pu (market station), suggesting waypoints along a great, dissolving road system of antiquity.

At Sword Gate Pass, we climb a Shu kingdom fortress so famed it has spawned its own Chinese proverb: “One man at the pass keeps 10,000 at bay.” Standing at the summit, I scan the green hills once again for telltale lines of cypresses, knowing that the world they once shaded came undone a century or more ago because no fierce battlements could keep out the whine of a car, or the thin wire of the telegraph.

[laptopcamper]

HOJI Tea Community, 1271 E Green St, Pasadena, CA 91106, Score: 29/50

This new boba shop opened near Pasadena City College. It’s smaller and currently has a limited soft opening menu. Toppings include brown sugar boba, crystal boba, black & white boba, lychee jelly, aloe vera, and OREOs. Add-ons include house cream and real fruit bits.

Score: 29/50

Food: 0/5 –  There isn’t any food

Coffee: 4/5 – It’s a boba tea shop though they have one coffee drink. They’re known for their matcha. The drinks are good quality and some include fresh fruit bits, fresh taro, avocado, etc. The house milk is whole milk. The menu is currently limited. I liked the black milk tea – it was richer and not bitter.

Wi-fi: 5/5 – Free, unlimited, ask for the password

Ambiance: 4/5 – Minimal but nice, all off-white and modern looking

Noise: 3/5 – Pop music, for a small place, it’s on the louder side

Plugs: 0/5 – Didn’t see any

Parking: 3/5 – You might be able to park in the lot, otherwise the street parking is free but limited to an hour

Comfort: 3/5 – The place is smaller with one giant communal table in the middle, curvy built in benches, and one counter with chairs. None of the seating is padded.

Bathroom: 0/5 – Didn’t see one

Art: 3/5 – Nothing on the walls but the place is cute

Tips: Drinks come in one size. Seating is limited.

“Laptop Campers Unite!”

[formeryelpers]

HOJI Tea Community, 1271 E Green St, Pasadena, CA 91106

This new boba shop opened near Pasadena City College. It’s smaller and currently has a limited soft opening menu. Toppings include brown sugar boba, crystal boba, black & white boba, lychee jelly, aloe vera, and OREOs (sadly, they do not have grass jelly). Add-ons include house cream and real fruit bits. They’re known for their matcha.

It’s a drinks only place. The drinks are good quality and some include fresh fruit bits, fresh taro, avocado, etc. The house milk is whole milk. I believe they use teas from Taiwan. You can specify the amount of ice and level of sweetness. I believe the drinks come in one size.

Onyx black milk tea ($5.95): I liked the black milk tea – it was richer and not bitter. It tasted like they added some cream to the drink.

There’s free wi-fi but no outlets and no restroom. The place is smaller with one giant communal table in the middle, curvy built in benches, and one counter with chairs. None of the seating is padded.

Service was friendly.

[farzanatradingcompany]

Exotic Fruits and Vegetables: Bringing Variety and Excitement to Your Plate  

The world of fruits and vegetables has a wide variety of colors, shapes, and flavors waiting to be discovered. Familiar produce like apples and carrots are kitchen staples, but stepping into the world of exotic fruits and vegetables opens a world of culinary excitement and nutritional benefits. In this blog, we go on a journey with Farzana Fruits Wholesale Distributor UAE to discover and discover the wonders of exotic fruits and vegetables that bring variety and a pinch of excitement to your table.  

Dragon fruit: A tropical gem  

Dragon fruit, a member of the cactaceae family, is visually pleasing with its bright pink or yellow skin and mottled flesh. Rich in antioxidants, vitamins and fiber, this exotic fruit has a subtly sweet flavor that will enhance the flavor of your breakfast bowl or fruit salad. Jackfruit: the universal giant  

Considered the world's largest fruit, jackfruit is a versatile ingredient that can mimic the texture of pulled meat when cooked. Mild and sweet in taste, jackfruit can be added to curries and tacos, or enjoyed on its own as a meat substitute.  

Kiwano (horn melon): Natural curiosity  

 Kiwano, which resembles a prickly orange cucumber, is not only exotic and quirky, but also highly nutritious. It's rich in vitamins and minerals, and its mild, cucumber-like flavor adds a refreshing touch to salads and desserts.  

Chayote: Edible pear  

Resembling a wrinkled green pear, chayote is a versatile vegetable with a crunchy texture. Whether eaten raw in salads or cooked into stir-fries, chayote adds a delicate, refreshing flavor that makes it a delicious addition to your cooking repertoire.  

Rambutan: Natural lychee  

Rambutan, with its hairy appearance and juicy, translucent flesh, is a tropical fruit that closely resembles a lychee. This exotic, sweet treat is perfect for snacking or adding to fruit salads, adding a tropical touch to your palate.  

Romanesco: Fractal vegetables  

Resembling a lime green cauliflower with a mesmerizing fractal pattern, Romanesco is not only beautiful to look at, but also rich in vitamins and antioxidants. Roasted or steamed for a nutty, slightly sweet flavor that adds a unique touch to vegetable dishes. Passion fruit: tropical spice  

Passion fruit is surrounded by a tough outer shell that contains a juicy, seed-filled pulp with a unique tangy flavor. You can also use the pulp in desserts, cocktails, or simply scoop it up for a refreshing dose of tropical goodness.  

Purple sweet potato: Colorful variations  

In addition to the traditional orange color, purple sweet potatoes also bring a pop of color to your plate. Rich in antioxidants and fiber, these potatoes can be baked, mashed, or roasted for a nutritious and visually appealing side dish.  

Buddha's Hand: The Miracle of Fragrant Citrus  

This type of lemon resembles several yellow fingers radiating out from a central base, resembling the hands of the Buddha in prayer. Known for its intense citrus aroma, it lends a special flavor to sweet and savory dishes and is a unique eye-catcher in the kitchen.  

Amaranth greens: A nutritious leafy snack  

With its bright colors and delicate leaves, amaranth green is a highly nutritious plant rich in vitamins and minerals. Saute it, steam it, or add it to soups for its earthy flavor and health benefits.  

Embark on a journey to discover exotic fruits and vegetables and expand your culinary repertoire with their rich flavors, textures and nutritional benefits. These unique and aesthetically pleasing ingredients not only add variety to your plate, but also give you the opportunity to enjoy the rich diversity of the world's cuisines. Experience the excitement of trying something new and let the world of exotic produce awaken your taste buds to a realm of culinary possibilities. 

[neopoliitan]

Oh boy, two whole new teams! I didn’t have it in me to finish the fully posed art so you’ll have to make do with the concept sketches.

Team PLUM was created as a magical girl style first-year student team by @mercurryblack​ based on female protagonists from romantic Chinese folk tales. 

As soon as I saw them, I was like “so we have a team of magical girls who are named after purple fruit who allude to female protagonists from Chinese folk tales. How about a team of manwhores named after yellow fruit who allude to their love interests?” And Team LMON was born to be PLUM’s boyfriends. A Team of 4 dating a Team of 4. 

Details under the cut:

PLUM:

Plum Shantung:

The leader of PLUM. Fun-loving and quirky, but possesses a nasty jealous streak verging on the yandere. If another girl talks to her boyfriend, Mango, it’s at their own peril.

Her semblance, “Medium”, allows her to bond with one person - making both of them able to see through each others’ eyes.

Her weapons take the form of Hook Swords.

She alludes to the Weaver Girl from The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl.

Lychee Nolina :

Originally from Avon, Vale, Lychee is the older of two half-sisters via a shared father. Her mother is financially well off, allowing Lychee to attend Haven Academy while her half-sister languishes in Avon’s second-rate combat school. Lychee is still coming to terms with being passed over as leader of PLUM, her mother's self-entitled influence having worn off on her somewhat.

Her semblance, “Medium”, allows her to shed a layer of her aura, removing the damage and healing her slightly, as well as making her feel refreshed. Is dangerously vulnerable in the first few moments after it is used. Acts as a sort of second wind.

Her weapon is named Altissima.

She alludes to Bai Suzhen/Madam White Snake.

Umecho Sekinetsu :

From one of Mistral’s more prestigious families, Umecho has a lot to live up to - her elder sister won a Vytal festival ten years ago and she hasn’t heard the end of it. The “mom” friend of Team PLUM, Umecho doesn’t take into account how much she pushes herself while taking care of her team or attempting to live up to her sister’s glory.

Her semblance, “Swarm”, projects light-based butterfly shaped homing projectiles.

Her weapon is named Metalmark.

She alludes to Zhu Yingtai from The Butterfly Lovers.

Mei Xanadu:

Mei is a curious case; despite her diminutive stature and complete lack of muscle definition, she is somehow one of Haven’s physically strongest students. What she completely lacks in terms of brains, she makes up for in her ability to lift a car above her head. Mei is literally so dumb that she found a way to speak with Every Word Capitalized, and is often found with her eyes glazed over after having forgotten to exist.

Her semblance, “Breakthrough”, makes her able to detect or ‘feel’ weak points in inanimate objects.

Her weapon is a pair of gauntlets named Blockbuster.

Alludes to Lady Meng Jiang.

LMON:

Limon “Li” Nikau:

Li is easily the smoothest customer on Team LMON. Confident without seeming vain, comfortable in any scenario - and he’s bold enough to pull off the Male Boob Window/Leather Pants combo. There are very few people in the world who can find anything to hate about Li, and he’ll easily win over anyone with a grudge.

His semblance, “Air Burst”, allows him to “fire” compressed air from his body like an air cannon, 

His weapons, Albedo, take the form of folding swords (think a giant switchblade) that turn into dual pistols.

Alludes to Liang Shanbo from The Butterfly Lovers.

Mango Marula:

Easily the cockiest of Team LMON, Mango is a self-proclaimed heartthrob. Despite his confidence and decent looks, he always had trouble with getting a date - until he met Plum. Now he thinks he’s a god amongst men because his girlfriend is so devoted to him, ignorant of her willingness to destroy anyone who threatens to drive them apart.

His weapon is named Zest, and takes the form of a shepherd’s crook/grappling hook/hunting rifle.

He doesn’t have a defined semblance, but it’d be something to do with bridges - either metaphorically or literally.

He alludes to the Cowherd from The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl.

Yuzu Ogonkan:

Broad, Big and Built, Yuzu is a man of few words. Many are entirely unsure if he can even speak outside of throaty growls and wordless roars in combat. Strangely his wordlessness led to a bond (and eventual romance) with Mei Xanadu who can’t seem to stop talking. Perhaps her deceptive strength earned his respect, as he is deathly loyal to the brainlet, the only person he lowers his walls for.

His semblance, “Cobble,” allows him to summon small rocks to his body to form a sort of rudimentary armour.

His weapons, Rind, are two huge bladed knuckles. Imagine Wolverine’s claws mounted on gauntlets.

She alludes to Lady Meng Jiang’s... husband. Who got crushed by the Great Wall.

Xun Ningmeng:

Where Yuzu is a terrifying eight feet tall, LMON’s resident Manlet is barely over five feet. Xun is a studious, sensitive young fellow, which caught the eye of the more bold Lychee Nolina. Eager not only to date Xun but to help him more combat-viable, Lychee convinced Xun to take up more physical training - Xun agreed... on the condition he could have free rein of her wardrobe, and now she keeps finding him wearing her thigh high socks.

His semblance, “Standby”, allows him to go into a meditative stasis-like state where he doesn't think, feel or perceive the passage of time.

His weapon is a pair of beartrap-like jaws on chains, named Flytrap.

Alludes to Xu Xian.

[itsmoonpeaches]

New Raya and the Last Dragon trailer? New cultural influences breakdown! Please note that this breakdown comes from a SEA who comes specifically from a Filipino background. Most, if not all, of the below information will be from that lens.

Seaport/night market

The scene above looks to be heavily influenced by many on the sea towns you see in SEA. Most notably, Vietnam. However, there are many towns like these all over the SEA region. The lights and lanterns give it a night market feel, which is a concept that is seen throughout Asia in general.

We see Raya’s hat which seems to be influenced by a Philippine salakot, but it is possible that it has influences from other SEA cultures. The architecture is akin to the weather that you typically see in the region which is more humid than East Asia, and more rooted in the sea. More things here are made from bamboo and there are nipa roofs. 

Ignoring the blurry con baby, let’s take a look at the clothing. In this scene we see colorful golden zig zag patterns which you typically see more to the southern part of SEA, but there are similar patterns throughout. Here, the skirts and clothing seems to have much influence from Malaysia, Indonesia, and the southern islands of the Philippines.

Oh what a scene! This is such a great view of what a typical SEA rural fishing town might look like: on the water, with houses and stores even on the water. There are narrow boats and coracles with baskets of food of all kinds of fruits and vegetables that people row around. You can see the nipa roofs really well from here, and might I add--a great looking bamboo bridge. 

I have no idea how I caught this but just wanted to point out that these fruits that Raya cuts up look to be either lychees or rambutan which are found in SEA as well.

Taking a moment to paste in this still from Entertainment in the same scene to note the fish in the basket to the left and the green star-shaped lantern that really gave me Philippine parol vibes. All the lanterns in the sea town look to either be made from paper or from capiz shells and dyed different colors.

Lands and architecture 

The grand looking building on top of this island looks to be influenced by architecture from Brunei. Specifically, the dome shapes. A better shot below:

The building in the middle of this island is obviously an exaggerated, fantastical version of what it was influenced by which looks to be a mix between Cambodian and Thai. All that gold...very typical of many countries in SEA. I’d also love to point out the rice terraces!!! Love them! While rice is a staple throughout Asia, it’s so nice to see it represented here. It kind of reminds me of a miniature version of the Banaue rice terraces in the northern mountain region of the Philippines.

It’s also nice to see that some of the lands seem to be influenced by the tropical, humid climates of much of SEA. The palms and the thick forests are typical in much of the region.

Oh the rice fields. Raya and Sisu are standing here on one. We can see the mountainous background, reminiscent of the northern Philippines, the rain which just looks so typical that I’m kind of impressed by this particular setting. 

Other cultural touches

At first glance, you might think this looks like a lotus flower, but I think it’s actually either a plumeria or a jasmine flower. Both are abundant in the region, and just imagining the fragrant smell of a jasmine flower here fits more as a story set in SEA and not in East Asia.

This is not an opinion post, so I won’t state my opinions on the final (non-statue) design of the dragon, but I can analyze what it’s most likely based after. 

Unlike dragons in East Asia, SEA are often depicted with a long horn at the front. This is most prominent in Thai depictions. In many countries of the region, this dragon is called a naga. While a naga is also in South Asian mythology, they are a bit different here. Naga are so important within SEA cultures that we have multiple places (and a river) named after them all over SEA and particularly a few times in the Philippines. 

What I can tell you is mostly the Philippine version, but a naga is a serpentine creature that lives deep in the ocean, and are often associated with water. Sometimes they are depicted as having the upper half of a woman. A more famous naga (or a naga-influenced dragon), is Bakunawa--the great sea dragon that devours the moon and causes eclipses. It is said that Bakunawa is a naga, and sometimes the names are interchanged. 

In the southern islands of the Philippines, depictions of naga are seen carved throughout buildings, particularly on roofs. A typical dance movement where you keep your hands curved and your fingers bent toward yourself is called “naga hands” and is supposed to be reminiscent of a naga’s graceful claws.

Highlighting here how cool it is to see that this is indeed a water dragon which is consistent with a naga. It’s also nice to note that it shapeshifts with water. Naga are supposed to have influence over earthquakes, the sea, rainfall, storms, and the like. They can also sometimes shapeshift into humans.

Remember what I said about naga influencing rainfall?

And then we have the shape-shifting into a human!

Raya’s sword is a wavy blade called a kris blade. Found throughout many countries in SEA, the one I am most familiar with is the Philippine one. From what I know of it, they are blades that are wavy because when they pierce someone, it is more painful when they are withdrawn. 

Her fighting style is also influenced by Philippine martial arts. Notably arnis and escrima. They are fighting techniques that rely on shifting your opponent’s weight around, using their force against them. They also have a lot of quick footwork and practitioners are usually skilled with weapons such as swords and kali sticks. (Fun fact: I’ve heard some people say that the footwork from arnis may have influenced the quick steps of the national dance of the Philippines, tinikling.) To see more on that, check out the first teaser trailer where she uses kali sticks, and my first analysis. That analysis also goes into the clothing influences.

THE GOLD. Gold is so, so important in SEA. This was a big glaring problem after seeing the first teaser trailer...there was not enough gold! Here, we can see that there is in fact, gold. The architecture here looks like a mix of different things, but I’m seeing perhaps...Thai?

And here we have Tuk Tuk who is probably named after a tuk-tuk--a motorbike with a side carriage like a rickshaw--seen in SEA. “Tuk-tuk” is what this rickshaw is called in Thailand. In the Philippines it’s simply known as a tricycle. They are vehicles for hire, which is kind of funny since Raya rides Tuk Tuk.

Also of note, Tuk Tuk the animal is a giant pangolin. While I don’t know of any this size, they are found in SEA as well as other parts of the world.

Tuk Tuk looks like he’s eating a pink pomelo (grapefruit)? Not entirely sure, but that would fit the mold if he was in the Philippines. For some reason, grapefruit seems to be a popular fruit item.

That’s all I got! If you come from another SEA culture or noticed any other things (or things that I got wrong), feel free to add to this post!