May 16, 2013 |
It was a gloomy day while I was there but still a nice place…
From my experiences, there are not a lot of Asian countries that take care of their environment. I know that has a lot to do with social-economic situations of every Asian country. A rich nation though doesn’t guarantee a green environment however. Case in point China.
South Korea’s got cash too. And they’re doing right by making their cities as clean, green and friendly.
Seoul’s Cheonggyecheon Stream is a prime example. It’s a long river that cuts through most parts of central Seoul, connected the Han River. Before 2005 Cheonggyecheon Stream was covered up with a highway overpass and after that for around 50 years the stream ran dry.
Lots of shops and offices on both sides of the stream…
So the government pumped $900 million bucks to bring the stream back to life and it was a colossal urban renewal project. Water had to be pumped back into the stream and since the highway was removed traffic had to be directed elsewhere. With that huge dollar amount you can bet there were a lot of complaints. So was it worth it?
From this traveler’s opinion. Yes. I have no clue if there are anymore complaints from the locals but I am sure that millions of South Koreans and tourists from around the world are enjoying Cheonggyecheon Stream. It’s a great place to chill out. If I had a job in Seoul near the stream I would certainly eat lunch there every afternoon with my shoes off and feet dangling in the cool, crisp clean water. It’s a great area to jog around too and I know South Koreans love to keep fit. Plus festivals are held by the stream which many Koreans go to experience and enjoy with families.
And the cool running water cutting across the city helps keep the temperature down when the weather gets hot. It’s environmental friendly and pleasing to the eye.
Geez I’ve got some chubby cheeks…
Cheonggyecheon Stream is 6km long, about 4 miles which is long. I’ve never tried walking the entire extent but I will be in Seoul on in July for another 13 hour layover. Now I’m deciding if I should try to walk the entire length of the stream or try and visit 5 major palaces in Seoul instead. So much to do in Seoul. So little time. God I love this city! I mean even the name of the city sounds so cool!
But since July is supposedly a hot and rainy month I’m just going to have to play it by ear. Until then, I can’t wait. I do love Seoul and can’t say it enough.
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 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.
