May 14, 2013 |
Last night I watched a television show called Scam City on the Science Channel. It’s a show revealing scams perpetrated by con artists in major cities around the world. The lasts few weeks I watched episodes on Rio De Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Prague and last night the episode on Bangkok.
I was super curious and excited to watch the episode on Bangkok because sure I know about the tourists scams. I’ve never fallen for one because you hear so many stories already about getting ripped off by gem stores when they advertise a “last day 30% discount on high quality gems”. Or sex show (never been to one either. Really, I’m not lying) touts promising bottles of beer for 100THB ($3USD) but only find out when the bill arrives a bottle of beer cost 10x more. And if you don’t pay the bar will threaten you with physical harm.
Scam City’s host, Conor Woodman places himself right into the scams while capturing the whole event on hidden cameras. And he’ll have a buddy follow along with another camera filming everything with a DSLR. So it was interesting to see what actually happens in gem shops and sex shows. It’s a whole lot different than reading about it.
Like the gem scam. These scam artists mainly hang around the tourist attractions, like the Grand Palace, National Museum and Wat Pho in the old quarters. They also hang around the commercial districts of Bangkok too, like near the Four Headed Buddha in Chidlom and Silom by Lumphini Park.
The modus operandi is always the same. Thai con artists are neatly dressed. And they can speak conversational English and tell you they are professionals, like accountants, doctors, lawyers, etc. These are ways to lull tourists into a false sense of security. Then they’ll proceed to “fill you in” on special sales of precious gems with a 1 day sale that only occurs every 7 years. They’ll start piling on more BS by telling you can make good money by reselling them back home.
And tourists do fall for this. Matter of fact on the Bangkok Scam City episode, Conor had a video chat with a New Yorker who bought some gems in Bangkok following the suggestion of a con artist. When he took the gems back to the Diamond District in NYC the dealers were telling him the stones were not worth as much as he paid. Even though with all the information out there warning tourists of gem scams, people are still falling for it. Unbelievable.
Anyways, here is my 1 BIG TIP to AVOID GETTING SCAMMED IN BANGKOK. If anyone approaches you in the city, do not talk to them. This is especially true when they can speak perfect English. It’s the same what mom taught you as a kid. Don’t talk to strangers.
Yeah, I know, that advice sounds so anti-social. Isn’t one of the facets of the joy in traveling is to meet new people? Sure, I guess. But we’re not in a story book world like Eat, Pray, Love. It’s a sad fact that if you don’t want to have a scam ruin your vacation in Bangkok then don’t speak to strangers who approach you.
I’ve been approached too by by con artists hanging outside of the Grand Palace. And they’ll flat out lie and tell me it’s a Buddha holiday so the Grand Palace is closed, even when the entrance is just 30 yards away and you see dozens of tourists streaming in and out. I just ignore them. And you should too.
Okay, I don’t want to scare off anyone from visiting Bangkok. Hell, even innocent Thais get scammed, probably a lot more than tourists. Really, I’m not kidding. I hear so many elaborate schemes concocted by Thai con artists that it’s hard to believe. Check out my post on one instance where I got scammed. That happened far from any tourist centric areas.
Fly by night carnivals scam local Thais every night…
And from watching past episodes of Scam City, Bangkok is not that bad. Not that I’m making light of a bad situation. In Buenos Aires, Conor discovered that tons of counterfeit pesos are floating around. And most bogus bills were passed off to tourists from taxi drivers. Even some shop keepers were handing bogus bills and some were short changing tourists. I did some more research and found instances where ATMs in Buenos Aires had counterfeit cash too.
In Rio pickpockets are quite brazen during festivals though this type of crime happens in every tourists hot spot the Brazilians take it to a whole different level. In Prague, depending on which taxi company you choose you can be paying 5 times the normal rate. And if you don’t pay the driver might have a weapon to change your mind. Also in Prague currency exchangers charged fees but you wouldn’t know unless you can read Czech.
Serious crimes against tourists does occur in Thailand especially in the big cities, just like it does in most major cities in the world. Though not as frequently but everyone should be cautious no matter where they go. But from watching episodes of Scam City, Bangkok is quite tame. So to increase your chances to avoid getting scammed, do what your mother taught you long ago and don’t talk to strangers who approach you.
May 11, 2013 |
Smiling cause I was glad I was out of the tunnel…
I’ve been to Vietnam a few times. Mostly traveling on my own on to do a Visa run. Last year though I made a trip over to Ho Chi Minh City with a few friends from Bangkok. And one of them suggested going on a half day tour of Cu Chi Tunnel. I don’t normally take tours but this was the type of place that looked really interesting on the brochure. I was born a year after the Vietnam War ended when the city of Saigon was renamed Ho Chi Minh. And since I watched a lot of Vietnam War movies I though it would be interesting to see a part of the war’s history.
Cu Chi Tunnel in a way was a North Vietnamese Army (NVA) stronghold against the US military and their allies. The NVA lived, hid , and planned in the tunnels. It’s possibly one of the main reasons why they could outlast the Americans in the Vietnam War. And surviving in the tunnels was not a walk in the park for the NVA. So it would be interesting to learn what they had to go through.
Anyways the price for a half day tour to Cu Chi Tunnel was really reasonable. As I recall it was around $15USD which the hotel arranged to have a van with a driver and tour guide pick us up at the hotel. We stayed at the T. Espoir Saigon Hotel (formerly Truong Hai Hotel) by the way, which is near the popular Ben Thanh Market in central HCMC.
After getting picked up by the van on schedule the driver made several stops at different hotels to pick up more tourists. After that the drive to Cu Chi Tunnel was on the way. But a stop was made to some sort of lacquer factory where artworks were hand made by locals. Yes, it’s the type of joint where the tour guide and most likely the driver makes a commission. But who cares, it’s not expensive and supposedly the proceeds from sales goes to training locals and giving them jobs. I bought two pieces of art and it only cost about $20USD.
On the job training at a handcraft workshop…
This is where they add a layer of lacquer to give the pieces that shiny coat…
All handmade with duck eggshells…
After spending about 45 minutes inside the factory, every one was back in the van and on off to our real destination, the Cu Chi Tunnel.
Our tour guide giving us a preview of a tunnel…
He’s the actual guide that takes tourists into a tunnel…
I’m inside the tunnel trying to be cool…
So before entering the tunnel our tour guide would give everyone a short history of how the NVA survived in the tunnels even though conditions were bad. They had to deal with all kinds of diseases inside the tunnels as well as fight battles. What he didn’t tell everyone was that we were actually going inside of one. Granted the tunnel system we entered was fixed up with some lighting and fumigated to get rid of all the insects and rats. What he didn’t mention is that the tunnel is small and you’d have to either crawl or crab walk through. It’s probably fine for people with small frames and around 5′ and a half feet. But if you’re taller with a bigger frame like me you’re a bit shit out of luck. The NVA were smaller in stature and suited their needs.
Luckily I was directly behind the park ranger who led our whole tour group through a sissified tunnel system. I followed him as close as I could. Because he was moving fast. At least he was nice enough to stop ever so often and take a few pics for me. Lucky I didn’t crack my camera because I was hand holding it the entire time. I have to admit, I was getting scared and looking forward to getting out. I could hear my friends behind asking where was I. Somehow they fell behind along with the rest of the group.
Anyways the park ranger kept going and I believe we crawled through 50 yards until and exit came up. The width of the tunnel was about 3 feet across and 4 feet high. Some points of the tunnel was a few inches smaller. Even though it’s only a few inches, in a space so small already, it was a big difference. Once I was back out the park ranger went back in to get everyone else out. And I was sweating like a pig by then. I’ll tell you, this kind of tour is not for those who are claustrophobic or have a physical disability. The rest of the group along with my friends came back out in about 3 minutes. I had to admit, I was a bit worried for my friends.
We were getting a lesson on how the NVA concealed themselves…
So what else was there besides crawling through a tunnel and getting the wits scared out of you? There’s a shooting range where you can fire off a bunch of bullets on Vietnam war era weapons and you’d have to pay for that separately. I didn’t try it out though but it was kind of unnerving to hear the loud sounds of rounds going off just a few yards away.
Visiting Cu Chi tunnel was a nice little side trip. And I got a chance to glimpse the area just outside of Ho Chi Minh City. One thing that might irk a lot of travelers who join tours is that often most tour companies include stops at a local souvenir shop. Yes, that’s where the tour guide or driver makes some extra cash when someone buys something because the places they bring you to have expensive souvenirs.
I saw quite a few people in our tour group have a “WTF” look on their faces. Sure, I understand, nobody paid to go to a souvenir shop. But that’s just the ways things are with Asian tour companies. I’ve even had tour guides sell stuff on a tour bus while in Japan. Which is why I don’t usually go on tours. At least you don’t have to buy anything. I say just go with the flow. After a short 30 minute stay the guide started dropping off everyone to their hotels.
I had a good time at Cu Chi tunnel. It was a good learning experience about a controversial times in history that I’ve seen so much on television and movies. So I’m glad I went to check it out.
What’s at the end of every tour attraction? A souvenir shop of course!
May 6, 2013 |
For the past 3 return trips I’ve made to Thailand, South Korea’s Incheon airport has been my transit point. For years I’ve switched airlines around, landing in different transit hubs like Hong Kong and Japan. Way before that, Thai Airways used to fly direct from JFK to BKK. Which was the best for me. But Thai Airways discontinued that route because they were losing money. And I had a lot of mile points saved up to but have now all expired.
For sometime, I’ve been using which ever airline had the best ticket prices. But now, I just stick with one airline to pick up a bunch of miles for upgrades. And that airline is Korean Air. I even got myself a co-branded Korean Airline and Visa credit card to rack up even more points. And they are a great airline with reasonable priced tickets and excellent service.
Anyways, Seoul is also a really cool city I love visiting. It’s easy to get around and I mainly use their subways to check out a lot of attractions in the city like the palaces, museums and eclectic districts.
I use the Arex Trains from Incheon Airport to Seoul Station which is the downtown section of the city. The one way fare is around $4USD which is very reasonable and the ride takes about 1 hour. And I always have carry on luggage but you can always leave it at the airports left luggage centers. And there are 3 different companies located in the departure and arrival terminal. I usually stick with the company called HANJIN Express. So I leave my large backpack there and it only cost about $6USD. Not a bad price to pay at all for exploring Seoul unhindered.
Keep in mind there is a possibility that these left luggage centers become filled to capacity. Which means they will not accept anymore luggage. This almost happened to me once at HANJIN but luckily I was the last customer. But there are 2 other companies in Incheon airport to check out.
Another thing I like about visiting Seoul through it’s subway train system is the public lockers. I don’t exactly remember the fee for using one but it’s not expensive. I usually carry a small sling bag I use to carry my camera. Sometimes even the little things can way me down. So I take out my camera and lock up my bag and I’m off.
So from now on I always pick a flight with a long layover to take advantage of a short trip into the wonderful city of Seoul.
Apr 28, 2013 |
Shinjuku lit up at night…
When I first started planning for my trips to Japan the first thing I noticed were the expensive hotels. Sure there are cheaper hostel and capsule type accommodations for around $50USD. But I’m too old for hostels and too big for capsule styled hotels.
I think a lot of people are scared off from visiting Tokyo because of expensive hotel prices. It’s no surprise after all since Tokyo is ranked as the #1 most expensive city in the world according to the Economist.
But even without that mention from a published magazine, I think everyone knows that Japan is an expensive country to visit. It’s a reputation Japan has held for the longest time.
However, if you can afford to spend in the neighborhood of $100USD per night you can find a good place to stay which is what I did in Shinjuku Tokyo. And the price for eating out is quite reasonable too. To me, it’s not much more than having meals out in NYC.
In Shinjuku facing Kabuchiko a tame red light district…
After looking through Tripadvisor and Lonely Planet I finally decided on Shinjuku, one of 23 wards in western Tokyo. Besides being one of the areas where I found affordable accommodations, Shinjuku is a good travel hub with plenty of train stations nearby to get to other parts of exciting Tokyo. You can catch the train to nearby Akihabara, Asakusa or Rappongi Hill in south Tokyo.
From Shinjuku station you can always make a side trip as well outside of Tokyo like I did to Kamakura. The NEX (Narita Express) airport train is a great way to get to the airport fast and easy and you can catch one at Shinjuku station.
Hanazono Shrine near Meiji Dori Avenue…
For anyone who loves to explore on foot like me, you can easily visit popular parts of Tokyo like trendy Harajuku, the serene Yoyogi Park and even to the magnificent Meiji Shrine. I’ve stayed at a few hotels right on Meiji Dori Avenue. And if you walk straight down you’ll come up upon those 3 areas of Tokyo I mentioned. As I recall the walk from my hotel at Meiji Dori Ave to Harajuku took about 30 or 40 minutes. It was a slow stroll because it was a beautiful sunny day at the time. Forgot to add that Shinjuku Gyoen National Park is a wonderful place to chill out and take in the fresh air and it’s not far from the heart of the district.
I’ve stayed in 2 hotels in Shinjuku district of Tokyo and both are on Meiji Dori Avenue so the hotels are easy to find.
My room at Sunlite Shinjuku Hotel…
The first is called Sunlite Shinjuku Hotel and it’s a 2 star business hotel. It’s a bit old and the rooms decor is grey colored so it’s a bit depressing. But you know what? From my experience, the best thing about Japanese Hotels is that they are always clean.
And the hotel staff always try their best to make their guests happy no matter how many stars are pinned to the hotel’s name. Goes without saying that most budget hotels in Japan have small rooms.
But I didn’t mind because I paid around $80USD per night for a room at the Sunlite in a city where it’s normal to find rates 3 times as much.
My room at Hotel Sunroute – I’m so embarrassed I forgot to put away my underwear…
The second hotel I had stayed at is not far from the first. It’s called the Hotel Sunroute Higashi Shinjuku, a 3 star business hotel. Its newer and shinier with bright and cheerful designed rooms.
The price for a standard room isn’t so bad, only $120USD was what I paid. And the room was slightly bigger and much more modern than the Sunlite Shinjuku.
If you have the money to spare, I would definitely choose the Sunroute which also has a Tokyo Metro train station directly beneath the hotel. Other points of interest near the hotel are Korea Town, Golden Gai (popular for bars) and Kabukicho the red light district. Bear in mind the rates for both hotels do fluctuate with the season and are priced as of writing.
Korea Town in Shinjuku Tokyo…
Though Kabukicho is rather tamed as a red light district because there are plenty of locals even families strolling around. Funny thing happened though while I was walking around that area. Some guy comes up to me and spoke to me in Mandarin.
The entrance of Kabuchiko red light district…
I can’t understand Mandarin and I don’t make a habit of speaking to strangers so I just ignored him, even though Japan is one of the safest countries to visit. Then he switched to Cantonese which I can understand. He mentioned something about going somewhere to see girls.
Well he’s a pimp. I just smiled and kept walking away wondering how of all the hundreds of Asian faces surrounding me he could pick me out as a China Man??
I noticed that food prices in Shinjuku are reasonable. Most restaurants though with the best prices are geared to people eating in groups. As a solo traveler my best best to score a tasty yet affordable meal were these Japanese styled fast food restaurants. The type of places where there big pictures of dishes of food with numbers. You punch in the number of the menu item you want into a vending machine, pay the amount and voilá a ticket pops out.
These fast food restaurants are all over Tokyo and a real life saver in an expensive city…
You hand the ticket to a cook and if your order has soba noodles they’ll ask if you want hot or cold. Don’t worry. These guys will know that you can’t speak Japanese but they’ll figure out a way to explain it to you.
About every 3 or 4 blocks in Shinjuku you’ll find these type of fast food restaurants though mostly tucked away in small streets. Smaller meals cost about $5USD but you can buy bigger set meals for around $10USD. It’s quick, cheap and quite tasty. I could eat in these restaurants everyday but if I did I’d be 250lbs because the pricier set meal portions are big.
Hot bowl of soba noodles with fried chicken and rice – only $8USD at the time – it was awesome!…
Though if you’re in Japan you might as well eat Sushi too right? And you want the top grade stuff too right? But that would cost an arm and a leg right? To save money on top grade sushi I went to Isetan Department Store. It’s on the corner of Shinjuku Dori and Meiji Dori avenue.
This sushi set cost around $10USD after a big discount after 7pm at Isetan Department Store…
Isetan has an awesome food center in the lower levels featuring Japanese cuisine. Starting around 7pm a lot of the food items go on sale before closing time which I believe is 8pm. So a lot of the stalls want to sell everything out at a discounted price. And that’s where I strike like an eagle spotting a fish in a pond. It get’s really busy around that time as you can imagine. You’ll be up against Japanese housewives who’ve been waiting, watching and jockeying for position to get the best looking sushi and sashimi.
Okay, so it’s really not that cut throat. But you should be ready to grab what you want before it gets taken as the stuff sells quick once the clock hits 7pm.
If you think a visit to Japan is out of your price range, it’s not really. Okay, so you might have to save up a bit more at home by eating ramen noodles every night, just to scrounge enough money for a dream visit to Tokyo. It’s still worth it.
But as you can see, hotels are not as expensive as Hong Kong which are just as expensive but the rooms are not crap. And the cost of food isn’t that bad as you can get by with as little as $5USD per meal. Or head over to Lawson convenience stores and you can load up on a lot of inexpensive food, albeit junk food, but nonetheless still strangely satisfying.
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Apr 26, 2013 |
At the Ayutthaya Floating River Market…
The mighty elephants are still revered today in Thailand. But sadly not as much as before. Back in the days elephants were used to build ancient Thai cities and were even ridden to defend them from invaders afterwards. Some special temples were even built specifically on the spot where one dies. Sadly today many Thai elephants are killed for their tusks. Or young elephants are towed into cities as a walking, hulking curiosity where their handlers charge money to let tourists have a photo souvenir. Such ‘street elephants’ are often mishandled and drugged so as they do not spook easy and run rampaging through crowded streets.
I’ve always admired elephants ever since I read that they actually mourn when there is a death in the herd. And they will try and comfort a sick elephant up until its final moments. And upon death the herd will dig a shallow grave and cover their lost member.That really says a lot about an elephant’s nature. Because if compassion is also a trait in elephants then we should hold them in high regards.
Fortunately there are many organizations that run elephant camps where they are well cared for. The best elephant camp that I know of is up north in the city of Chiang Mai called Maesa Elephant Camp. There you ride elephants around a trail and even become a Mahout where you’re taught the basic commands to lead an elephant and give it a bath. And that’s a souvenir you’ll never forget!
