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!
Apr 18, 2013 |
Who says old Chinese ladies only play mah jong?
So I’ve had a few weeks to fool around with my new Oly EPL5 along with the Oly 45mm 1.8 lens. As I mentioned in an older post, it’s not as user friendly as my old Panasonic Lumix GF2 which I left back in my place in Bangkok. Along with my 20mm f1.7 prime lens too which I shouldn’t have because it would have made a better addition to my new EPL5.
The EPL5 is hell of a lot better in terms of picture quality of course. And it’s functions and extras outshines the GF2. But that’s not a fair comparison obviously because the EPL5 is way newer. But that’s not my biggest quirk, you see I shoot my photos on aperture mode 100% of the time and on the GF2 there is a dedicated ISO button which I always select on my own. For the EPL5 I have to press two buttons to bring up the ISO selection. Now if there is a quicker way to select ISO on the EPL5 that I don’t know about, please let me know.
Some creamy looking bokeh with the 45mm f1.8…
Okay, to some people that’s not a big deal and you might be calling me a cry baby. But to me ISO is very important and it is just recently that I learned that sensor sensitivity is an important aspect to proper photo exposures. As I mentioned before, learning the art of photography is still an ongoing albeit slow process for me. And mastering of proper ISO settings is critical for perfect pictures. At least from my experience.
Got just a bit too close…
It was quite cold for most of the past week but there was one day where the weather was nice and warm. So all of the pictures you see on this post were taken on the same day. Oh and I have to add all the shots were JPEGs right from the EPL5. This camera is amazing with JPEGs in which the Lumix GF2 is lacking. Yeah I know it’s unfair to compare both cameras since one is newer than the other. I’m just saying that I like the Oly a lot because I don’t have to rely solely on shooting RAW. But anyways since I SD cards with a lot of memory I’ll just shoot JPEG+RAW out of habit.
Taking a picture of a guy taking pictures of a boot…
I hate adjusting pictures. I use Adobe Lightroom 4 and I think it’s a great tool. But to me I just hate opening a picture up and spending the time to tweak the photo. Especially when you take hundreds of photos and especially if you are OCD like me.
Anways I’m going to continue playing around with the EPL5. And I’m still kicking myself over leaving my Panasonic 20mm in Bangkok. I believe it would make an awesome combination with the EPL5. Don’t get me wrong, I still like the Oly 45mm lens (yes I know it’s a portrait lens) but I prefer wider scenes and it’s the only lens I have on hand for the EPL5. So far it is a nice camera and I’m looking forward to learning more about its functions, settings and customizing the camera to my liking.
Apr 15, 2013 |
Nathan Road on Kowloon
I love Hong Kong. It has an incredible energy, especially at night time.
However I really regret that I don’t visit Hong Kong as often as I should. Like in Malaysia I can speak Cantonese and interact better with the locals with no fear of the language barrier. The food is easily recognizable to me and who doesn’t like dim sums. Wontons with egg noodles and cheong funs dripping with sweet and hot sauce with fish balls! Hong Kong is hands down the best places to gorge on those types of dishes. Actually maybe it’s not a good idea to visit as much because I know I’m going to get fat and eat myself to an early grave.
The main reason why I don’t visit Hong Kong as often as I should is because hotels there are pricey. Particularly during Chinese New Years on whatever month it falls on and on October when the conventions roll into town There are people that I can stay with but I really don’t want to inconvenience anyone.
Kowloon is a great place for night photography…
There’s really no such thing as budget quality hotels in Hong Kong and even the pricey hotels have small rooms. At least that’s from my experience. However, when I do find deals for 2 particular hotels on the Kowloon side of Hong Kong I will then jump on the chance to visit.
The first hotel I typically stay in is called the BP International Hotel on Austin Road which is just a short walk to the main artery roadway of Nathan road. The second hotel I stay in when the price is just right is the Prudential Hotel which sits right on Nathan Road and has the Jordan MTR station access right beneath it. Normally both hotels cost around $200USD a night.
Some very famous neon signs on Nathan Road…
However, sometimes you can find up to 50% off or. So there are cheaper places to stay in Kowloon but I’ve been to some and I wasn’t happy. For me as I get older there’s just a certain comfort level that I’m used to. So at BP and Prudential I’m quite happy with their quality and service so I don’t mind paying around $140USD a night whenever either hotel’s rates gets to that level. And the area surrounding both hotels have a crap load of restaurants and many places to pick up quick tasty snacks.
Nathan Road
One thing I also regret is not visiting Hong Kong Island enough. I’ve been to Victoria Peak and the southern side of Hong Kong particularly the over touristy Stanley Market. But I really don’t mind just hanging out on the Kowloon side of Hong Kong. For one thing it’s really easy to get around. And I love taking photos up and down Nathan Road. All those neon lights add that extra bit of energy that I love so much about Hong Kong.
Apr 2, 2013 |
Before my making the decision that Thailand is the place to run out my clock, I seriously considered retiring in Japan or Malaysia instead. Both countries are special to me though I am more than happy to have made the decision to retire in Thailand. Of course I still visit Japan often but I visit Malaysia even more frequently because it borders west of Thailand.
So why do I love Malaysia? To start off I’ve only been to Kuala Lumpur and Penang. I know, it’s a big country. But just those two areas alone has made a huge impact on me. To me KL is like New York City. It’s one big huge melting pot with people of different ethnicity co-mingling, sharing and eating some of the best food on the planet in one spot.
Bukit Bintang – a very popular tourist center in KL…
Also as I’m able to speak Cantonese which is used in Malaysia the country imparts a sense of homey feeling that I am glad to be in touch with. Plus living in Thailand my Cantonese is beginning to get rusty. So it’s good to head out to Malaysia and start conversing in the language of my mother and father.
Safety is a big concern for me while traveling, especially when my wife is beginning to enjoy traveling to different countries. She prefers road trips all over Thailand for holidays at first. If you don’t know many Thais you’d be surprised that many don’t like to leave their own nation. They would rather visit different regions of their country instead of getting out of the country.
I don’t blame them. After all Thailand is a beautiful country with a lot of natural beauty. So after coaxing my wife (more like nagging) for a year or so she decided to join me on my visits abroad. This was the first trip ever for my wife by the way and she was impressed by KL as well.
KL’s tourist centric areas meets my safety criteria for a populous city and I never had any concerns whether walking the streets day or night with my wife. And traveling around KL is easy. We mostly made use of the monorail system and the fares are not expensive. Taxis are not expensive also but since we were staying in the Bukit Bintang area we came across a lot of drivers who quoted us rates instead of using the meter. Those bastards. Though even with the quoted rates we probably paid a little over $1USD extra. Which isn’t much to cry about but it’s the principle right?
And simply walking around to get to the sights and attractions near our hotel is a cinch because there are plenty of signs in English. It’s a totally visitor friendly city with a lot of hotels in the 3 star range with affordable rates. And food in Malaysia is incredible. Indian, Chinese and Malay plus Middle Eastern food all in one corner of Bukit Bintang close to the hotel I always stay at. Man my waistline is in some serious problems if I ever stay in that area for too long.
And my wife was never too keen on trying out different food. Again, Thai food is equated with national pride, so no matter what, Thai food to a Thai is the best. Better than the best dishes a chef from Cordon Bleu can dole out. Anyways there’s a restaurant right near out hotel that sold falafel and I’ve been ordering falafels from there for the longest time. I let her try one and she damn near took the rest off of my hands. She didn’t say nothing as she merrily munched on my lunch but I knew from the twinkle of her eye she liked it but never admits it to this day
Indian buffet galore…
Then there’s this Indian buffet restaurant with so many trays of spiced meats, curries and vegetables with rice. The food so delicious I’d pay to live inside. Hell I’d pay to inhale the aromas coming off the trays of food.
As I mentioned whenever I’m in KL I always stay an area called Bukit Bintang. This place is filled with a lot of hotel choices and shopping centers. The hotel I stay at is called the Piccolo (today it’s called ANSA). It’s a 3 star hotel with no bells and whistles but if you want a clean quiet room with friendly hotel staff plus top location, the Piccolo will not disappoint. But I mainly chose this hotel and location because of the KL monorail is only a 3 minute walk. I use this train to get to Sentral station where I catch the cheap buses to the low cost carrier terminal because I always fly Air Asia.
A nice hotel right in the heart of Bukit Bintang…
Less than a minute walk left of the Piccolo’s doors is a big mall called Lot 10. Make sure you check out the food courts in the basement level called the Malaysia Gourmet Heritage Village. That’s the place to go to find a lot of Chinese/Malay foods to satisfy your cravings. A nice little supermarket is also in the same area if you need to pick up some odds and ends.
Then there are also two other malls which are even bigger nearby if Lot 10 doesn’t satisfy. There’s the Times Square Mall and the luxury shopping center called Pavilion Mall. Now I’ m not a big shopper. But my wife is though we noticed a lot of the items she was interested in she could easily pick up at a mall in Bangkok.
Of course there’s a lot more to KL than simply shopping. The city has plenty of attractions and side trip options like the Batu Caves.
An unmistakable Kuala Lumpur landmark…
So if there’s one place to see in while in KL it’s probably the Petronas. Now I’ve been to KL for many years and I’m sure if a Malaysian heard me say I’ve never been up their Twin Towers before they might say shame on me. And they would be right. In my defense I tried going up last year in 2012 but the visitor sections of the buildings were under renovation. So no visitors were allowed at the time.
However, this year since my wife came accompanied me on this trip it was as good a time as any to go up the mighty Petronas Towers. And I’m glad that we shared our first time together. Because it is a true marvel to be all the way up there on the Sky Bridge and Observation Deck and get a panoramic view of this wonderful city.
Since our time was short in Malaysia due to some business obligations back in Bangkok we couldn’t visit other parts of the city. Batu Caves on the outskirts of KL was a place I wanted to take my wife to but because it was raining a lot we decided to go up to Genting Highlands Casino instead. She really enjoyed the gondola ride up the mountain.
I love KL and Malaysia is truly awesome. I’ll be going back for years to come.
Apr 1, 2013 |
It can be cheap as chips ordering a meal out on the streets of Bangkok. That’s what most locals do too because most apartments or even condos don’t have full kitchens. But you’re still going to need groceries to stock your fridge and keep some non perishable foods tucked away in the cupboards.
Good news is that supermarkets in Thailand, especially in Bangkok, is that I can find a lot of my favorite brand name food items, like Doritos and Spam, yummmm… not eaten together of course.
Yummy Doritos imported from the US, cost $4 bucks which is not a bad price…
Bad news is prices can be more expensive and even though there are sales and discounts you don’t really save that much at all. There are of course substitutes but if you’ve eaten a lot of Spam in your lifetime you will know that Hormel, the original maker of Spam is king and all other brands are just cheap imitations.
And being and Asian dude finding my favorite Asian groceries is not a problem at all either. But again, some of the Asian grocery items I can’t live without are Nissin Ramen Noodles. I can’t live without my favorite packaged ramen and as much as I like it, I’m not going to spend a little over $1USD for one pack in Thailand. While a pack back in NYC cost .50¢ at a Chinese supermarket. So when I’m back in NYC I usually stuff around a dozen before my flight to Thailand.
Almost $1 for a pack…
Again, there are of course a lot of other different brands of ramen that are much cheaper in price. Not sure about taste though since I haven’t tasted them all. But I’m not going to risk going over an MSG overload just to find a new and cheaper ramen in Thailand. And old habits die hard so I prefer Nissan brands because I’ve been eating it since I was a kid.
Now in a past post I eluded that it if you are searching for an apartment in Bangkok it is a smart move to choose one near a supermarket. One that is ideally in easy walking distance or easily reached by local cheap transport like a bus or a motorbike taxi. Taxis are plenty and cheap in Bangkok too and I suppose you can use one every time you go grocery shopping. Personally I don’t mind taking a short stroll while carrying my newly bought goodies because that’s what I have always done in NYC.
All Central branded malls have a Tops Supermarket inside…
So there are quite a few large supermarkets in Bangkok. The ones I live in walking distance to are called Villa Market, Tesco Lotus and Tops Market.
Of the three mentioned Villa Market carries the most brand name products that would be familiar with Americans. Most of them are frozen foods though like TV dinners and such and even though the prices are higher they are reasonable given that most of the products traveled all the way from the US.
Even though I like Villa Market, I do about 90% of my grocery shopping in Tesco Lotus and Tops Market. The reason why is the latter 2 markets are in a busier location and closer to each other. I enjoy eating at the Ichiban Ramen Restaurant inside the same building as the Tesco Lotus. And Tops Market has an awesome food court in the basement level of the Central Ladprao Mall.
By the way, you should sign up with Tesco Lotus and Tops Market member cards. It’s free and if you’re going to be shopping at those two places, why not earn some points for future discounts. You should certainly sign up for the Tops One Spot Card. Those are great because you can earn points in any Central branded mall, Robinson’s Mall, Zen shopping centers and Power Sports. Believe me, those points add up fast. I always use up my points whenever there’s a big sale on clothes inside Central Malls. It’s way worth it and should be on your check list so remember, sign up for Tops One Spot Card.
A market I always go to in Central Ladprao Mall…
Since both are larger supermarkets I can find more choices and options plus since I have so much spare time I don’t mind strolling around the aisles and discovering new goodies much to the detriment of my diet.
Almost $3 bucks for little over half a gallon of milk…
One thing that I have noticed is that in Thailand, dairy products are expensive. Particularly milk and cheese. Half a gallon of milk in Thailand cost $2.88USD in today’s current exchange rate. Now in NYC I can buy a gallon for $3.50USD plus tax. I use a lot of milk for cereals and smoothies in NYC and I will never complain about prices here again. Though not quite sure why yogurt is more reasonably priced in Thailand, however it is still cheaper in the States. A small container cost me about .50¢ and the serving size is smaller than what I am used to in NYC.
Bologne and ham section in Tesco Lotus…
Sliced cheese is ridiculously expensive. Not sure what the current price is now because I stopped checking until someone at a Thai cheese factory comes to their senses and bring the prices down. Ham is equally just as expensive. This is bad news for a guy like me who loves and enjoy sandwiches way more than he should. I guess it would make sense though for ham and cheese to be a bit pricier since it’s not something you would find in an average ordinary Thai household.
About $35USD for 32ozs of steak, kinda pricey…
I miss cooking a lot while in Bangkok. Aside from cooking my ramen noodles with Spam and eggs with one of those induction stove tops. But I only make that meal as a treat. What I really miss is cooking a full on meal like grilling a steak. I love big juicy steaks especially those 160z USDA prime rib eyes I used to buy in BJs where a 5 pack cost $35USD. Here in Bangkok a 32 oz will set me back the same price. I also miss cooking up a pot of beef stew.
But as I mentioned elsewhere, residential buildings are not equipped with gas pipes so no gas stoves. And propane tanks no matter what size in general are not allowed in apartments and condos. So I picked up a induction stove top and an oven for baking, both running on electricity.
So you can bet when I get a home in the next few years I’m going to make sure I build up a nice big outdoor kitchen and getting myself one of those really nice Webster grills for cooking up some Flintstones sized steaks.
Mar 22, 2013 |
It cost 1900THB to get a 30 Visa extension…
On an older post I wrote about the Thai tourist visa I mentioned that you can extend each entry to 30 days for a total of 90 days. To get the 30 day extension you have to make your way to your nearest Thai immigration office. In Bangkok I head to the Chaeng Wattana office, which is about a 20 minute taxi ride if you’re coming from the Chatuchak area.
It’s a pretty straightforward process, as long as you have everything ready. You’ll need:
- 1 Passport sized photo
- A copy of your passport photo page, tourist visa page, departure card and entry date page.
- Tourist visa extension from which you can get at the office
- 1900THB which is the fee for extension. Kind of pricey don’t you think?
The Thai immigration building is huge and there are many government complexes nearby. You’re goal is to make it to Building B which is the immigration office. There are free buses withing the grounds that take you to building B or you can take one of the motobike taxis. They only charge 20THB which isn’t a bad deal at all.
As I said it’s a big building but there are many information kiosk all over the area so people can point you to the right way easily. There are photo copy and passport photo services on the floor below, just use the escalators. Photo copies cost 1 Baht each, don’t remember how much the passport photos cost but it I believe it’s around 200THB for 8 or 10 photos. Lots of coffee shops, stores and a big decent food court can be found there too.
The immigration office opens at 8:30am and closes from 12pm to 1pm for lunch. I believe the office closes at 4pm – 4:30pm. But as long as you have a numbered ticket on your hand they have to service you, even when the office officially closes.
So how long does it take to get the tourist visa extended? From my experience it takes about 2 hours, which is from the time I finish filling out the visa extension form, get my ticket number, get my application reviewed by the immigration officer and finally getting my passport back with a 30 day extension stamp.
But here are a few tips to avoid getting delayed and waiting longer at the immigration office.
Make sure you put down the address you are staying in Thailand clearly. And include your mobile telephone number. Avoid visiting the Thai immigration office before and after a major Thai national holiday where government offices are closed.
I once made made a visit to the immigration office after a big holiday and man, I had to wait like 4 to 5 hours. What made it even worse is that traffic is really bad in the area when 5pm rolls around.
Mar 15, 2013 |
Hua Hin – One of our favorite beaches in Thailand…
The last time I visited Hua Hin was about 4 years ago with my wife and her younger sister. So my wife and I was thinking its about time to go back and check out one of Thailand’s fast growing seaside resort. We went to Cha Am last week where I made a review of Puktien Cabana Beach Hotel too and since I have just a week to go before I head back to the NYC why not enjoy the first reason why I came to Thailand the first place, its wonderful beaches.
But this time we wanted to invite her best friend and two kids who were on school vacation. It’s the very first time we had young rambunctious kids in our car on a 4 hour drive. So we’ll take this chance as a practice run for our own kids.
We decided to book the same hotel we stayed in 4 years ago. Its called Casa Del Mare Hua Hin (Update 2018 – Casa Del Mare is now called Escape Hotel Hua Hin) and the hotel is located right on the main road and about a short 5 minute walk to the beach accessible by the hotel’s beach entrance.
When were first stayed at the Casa back then it was newly renovated. And quiet too. We felt like we were the only a few handful of guests. On this latest visit we noticed a big difference. Lots of local and foreign guests this time.
We booked 2 rooms that were next to each other and when into our rooms on the ground floor with a terrific view of the pool. The rooms were in great condition, neat and clean and quite spacious. Everything was in perfect working order.
Though 4 years ago when I booked 2 rooms next to each other, we were given rooms on the second floor and the balconies had a door to join both rooms. Which is great for families so everyone can hang out in one large space right on the balcony with comfortable seating area.
Our room…
Our room…
Our room…
Our room’s porch…
There’s no joining door on all of the rooms on the ground floor
However, all of the rooms on the ground floor have porches that swing open and locked with a simple wooden latch. So guests on the ground floor have quick access to the pool.
That’s one of the best things of all I like about Casa Del Mare. All of their 46 rooms have a view of the beautiful pool and garden. There’s no need to pay extra just to have a room to sleep in with a view of the pool like you would have to in most other hotels. I paid about $110 USD a night which includes a buffet breakfast coupons for everyone.
Compared to other hotels in the area where we stay by Hua Hin’s beach a room at the Casa is an absolute bargain. It’s peak season rates now and a superior room with breakfast will set you back about $140USD which was the rate I found on the hotel’s website.
However I found discount rates for Casa Del Mare’s superior rooms with breakfast included through Agoda.com that were about $30USD lower than booking through the hotel’s directly. With taxes and all I ended paying $110USD per room.
Literally right next door is the 5 star Intercontinental on the same beach and staying there would cost 3 to 5 times as much. So the Casa Del Mare is a 3 star shining gem in a patch of diamonds and I highly recommend staying there.
Speaking of the pool the kids couldn’t wait to jump in. Barely 10 minutes after check in, I heard the kids out in the pool squealing and splashing around. And I gladly joined in too. My wife and her best friend didn’t join because they didn’t want to tanned because it’ll darken their skin. So you’re wondering why bother going to a pool or beach if one is afraid of getting dark? Don’t bother asking, it’s just a Thai thing. I’ve learned to stopped asking questions a long time ago.
After an hour in the pool the sun was coming down a bit so we all decided to take that short stroll to the beach. When the ladies parked themselves on the beach chairs the kids and I went over to the beach. It was loads of fun. And it reminded me of the times my dad used to take my brother and I to Coney Island. In hindsight sure Coney Island’s beach and water couldn’t hold a stick to Hua Hin. But being with my dad made a world of difference.
The kids and I had a blast in the water as we we’re getting tossed around by the rolling waves as the surf came.
And I was amazed that they were not afraid of going deeper even though the water to me was shallow to them it was quite high and getting higher with each successive wave. Just an hour ago the little girl name Mew didn’t believe his brother Dew when he told her the kiddy pool was shallow. Both were getting bolder while the waves were coming in more frequently so I decided to call it a day so for safety. We stayed at the beach for a t
But the timing went down perfectly because the weather got a little cool and everyone was starting to getting hungry. There was one place to go where everyone else headed at night and that’s the Hua Hin Night Market right in the center of the city.
We decided to hire a taxi which in Hua Hin is basically the common 3 wheeled tuk tuk with no meters. The drivers quote a rate which is usually based on distance. But the average is around 100THB. Casa Del Mare provides a one way complimentary shuttle service too but the service ends around 7pm. So we were too late to take advantage of the free service and we didn’t want to drive either since we were worried we couldn’t find parking. So we just hired a taxi who charged us 120THB.
After walking around a bit at the Hua Hin night market we picked the same restaurant we ate in 4 years ago. Somewhere along the way, the restaurant’s food quality went downhill. Or it could’ve been the head chefs night off. The fish we ordered wasn’t fresh. And the large plate of khao put buu had only a few pieces of crab.
The biggest mistake was ordering the steamed whole crabs. We’ve never ordered crabs there in the past so we had no clue that the crabs were going to be terrible.
They steamed the crabs not to order but have it cooked way beforehand. Fresh cooked crab won’t have a strong fishy taste and a shell that literally tears apart like paper. Well we learn something new every day. And that is to avoid any restaurant that displays precooked crabs out in front of a restaurant.
Afterwards we did another quick stroll and ended up at the 7 Eleven where we bought a bunch of ice creams and then roti from a stand to drown out our dinner disappointment. It was getting a bit late and the kids had to get some rest as well as the grown ups from the long day so we took a taxi back to our hotel.
The kids wanted to stay in our room and play with our iPhones but we told them it was late and time to get some sleep. And besides, my wife’s best friend is deftly afraid of ghost. To make a long story short, Thais probably believe in evil spirits more than others and the prospect of someone committing suicide or a murder in the exact same room she was staying at is a high probability. Lucky the kids didn’t put up much resistance and went back to their mother’s room.
One thing certain about at any room in any Thai resort is that you will come across mosquitoes. Housekeeping staff keeps the doors wide open so there is plenty of chance for the blood sucking invaders to enter the room. There is nothing more in this world that hate more than mosquitoes who seem to have a personal vendetta against me.
After squashing as much as I could before sleep there were a few hidden away in Ninja mode. As soon as the lights go off they come out and sucked some blood from my knuckle. Doesn’t it feel worse when they bite you anywhere near a bone joint? So in the middle of the night I turned on the lights and waking my wife up from her restful sleep. It always happens, mosquitoes never bite her but go straight for me, what’s up with that?
So she tells me there’s a mosquito zapper in the closet. She only noticed it when she opened it to get the hair dryer. I’ve never used a mosquito zapper which basically shocks the little bastards. It’s shaped like a small tennis racket and is battery powered with a light beaming out to spot the suckers easier.
It took about a good 30 minutes to find the Ninja mosquito and when I did, I used the zapper. I lined up the electric net, pressed the button to activate and tapped the sucker. It fell right on my bed where I crushed disposed of it. There was no more after that so it was the last. Sweet victory.
This mosquito zapper is awesome…
Casa Del Mare gets major kudos for keeping these mosquito zappers around. It has made it’s way to my Top 10 most important inventions of the world behind toilet paper. I even made note of it on their comment cards in which now someone from the hotel is looking at and thinking I’m an idiot.
When morning rolled in we were woken up by the kids knocking on our porch door. It was breakfast time and they were hungry and ready to storm the breakfast buffet. And there was much improvement on the variety of food choices compared to 4 years ago. They have french toast, pancakes and of course eggs cooked to order. Fruits, yogurts, breads and Thai food were also available.
After breakfast, what else was there to do? The kids knew, they were already in their bathing suits and right after eating they went straight to the pool. Forget about waiting after eating and swimming. Check out time at the Case Del Mare is 12pm so they had a few hours to play before we headed back to our rooms at around 11pm to pack up and head back to Bangkok.
Sign leading to the Casa Del Mare on 25/2 Petchkasem Road…
Recommended by Agoda and Tripadvisor…
I like this hotel and I’m quite the creature of habit so whenever my wife and I visit Hua Hin we’re definitely going to stay at Casa Del Mare Hotel again. They provide free wi-fi internet access too I have to add. And the connections are quite good. There is a spa which we’ve never tried though on arrival we were given 20% off vouchers. Maybe next time. Casa Del Mare has a lot of great reviews coming not only from me but from Agoda customers and tripadvisor. And their kudos are well deserved.
Through the years Hua Hin’s beaches and slow pace has not only attracted the attention of Thai middle class but many foreigners who have chosen to run out their clocks and retire in Thailand. There’s a decent hospital plus plenty of sun and affordable condos and houses. I can see why one would choose to uproot themselves from whence they came and decided to plop themselves down in Hua Hin’s sunshine and surf. I can see why one would want to buy a second home there. I’m tempted too. But maybe sometime down in the near future.
