The world is our playground

History, culture, and food in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

2012-01-27T14:17:00.002+08:00

It all started in economics class when two of our classmates delivered a presentation on Vietnam economy. They showed this video where the host was trying (rather haphazardly) to cross a motorcycle congested street. Gi turned to me and asked if I've been there; I said no, and the next thing I know we're booking tickets to Ho Chi Minh City! :)

Ho Chi Minh, formerly Saigon, used to be the capital of the French Cochin-China, and then later, the independent state of South Vietnam. For those unfamiliar with Vietnam history, South Vietnam had an anti-communist stand during the Vietnam War. With aid from the US, they fought against North Vietnam and the Viet Cong, but the state was eventually captured on April 1975. Saigon has been renamed to Ho Chi Minh in 1976, but Saigon is still very much commonly used. At present, Ho Chi Minh is the largest city in Vietnam, and is considered as the economic center of the country.

We took an early morning Tiger Airways flight to HCMC. The plane took off a little behind schedule due to heavy traffic in the runway. But having just finished our last final exam for the semester the other night, I was asleep most of the journey. Pro tip: request a window seat on the right side of the plane for an amazing view of the Mekong Delta before touching down Saigon! :) It didn't even cross my mind upon checking in, but thank goodness the kind airline ground staff put me on a window seat!

We arrived in HCMC, around 11am local time. We took a taxi (112,000 VND) from the airport to the city. Carrying our copy of Lonely Planet, and a couple of maps, we set out to explore downtown. Our first stop was Ben Thanh Market to eat and look around. At first, finding our way wasn't easy. For some reason, both the maps we were carrying were inaccurate - some of the landmarks were even located on different streets, but we just asked people and kept walking. We managed to find Ben Thanh and had lunch at a little stall called Ba Thien. I had beef wanton (30,000 VND) and fresh coconut (20,000 VND). The stall being located in the middle of a market is not the poshest eatery you can imagine, but they had the nicest beef wanton I have ever tried!

After lunch, we walked around Benh Thanh a bit and got lost some more. Well, we have heard stories, and even seen from TV how overwhelmng the motorcycle traffic can be in HCMC. What they show on TV is not exaggerated. There are always swarms of motorcycles and scooters on every road at any given time! Unfortunately Lonely Planet does not come with instructions on how to cross the street. Gi and I were stuck in the middle of the road with some other tourists, when a kind caucasian guy helped us cross. He told us to just walk straight, DO NOT HESITATE, as the vehicles will be the one avoiding you! It works, I swear it really does. You get the hang of it after some time, but deep in our hearts we still fear for our lives when we cross the streets, hahaha.

Anyway after some long walking we finally managed to get to the Ho Chi Minh City Museum / Bao tang Thanh Pho Ho Chi Minh (located at 65 Ly Tu Trong, Ben Nghe ward, District 1). Originally known as the Independence Palace, and previously the residence of Ngo Dinh Diem, the last president of the Republic of Vietnam, it now showcases various historical artifacts and war memorabilia. We walked to the famous Ho Chi Minh City Hall, and had our pictures taken in front of the statue. The Notre Dame Cathedral and the Saigon Central Post Office were also a few minutes walk from the City Hall, so we decided to drop by too.

The Notre Dame Cathedral was established by the French in the 1800s. It is located at Duong Nguyen Du, District 1, and they serve Vietnamese and English masses. The facade looks lovely; unfortunately we weren't able to go inside. The Post Office is just beside the Cathedral. Like the Cathedral, it was also built during the time of the French. Fun fact: the post office was designed by Gustave Eiffel! I loved the Post Office - i liked how it is a functioning post office, and how they turned it into a tourist attraction as well. It was nice seeing people writing postcards to be sent back home when they could have just uploaded a photo or something on facebook :) They also sell souvenirs, but can be a little more expensive than Ben Thanh market.

We went to Pho 24 for authentic pho! I ordered Beef Pho (50,000 VND) and coconut (22,000 VND). I love the authentic Vietnamese pho, I can eat it everyday! :D After our quick meal, Gi and I walked to Pham Ngu Lau, the famous backpacker district of Saigon, to book our transport to the Chu Chi Tunnels the next day. We went to Delta Adventure, located at 267 De Tham Street, as recommended by Lonely Planet. We paid 126,000 VDN for 2 way bus transport and guide, plus 80,000 VND as tunnel entrance fee. We saw an old auntie selling Banh mi outside the shop. Bahn mi is a Vietnamese sandwich, made with baguette, pork, sausage, eggs and veggies. At first I had reservations with Banh mi, but after trying, I though it was really good! After our business at Pham Ngu Lau, we walked back to the hotel, to rest for tomorrow's trip.

The next day, we woke up early for our Cu Chi Tunnels trip. The Cu Chi Tunnels are a vast network of undergound tunnels which served the Viet Congs in the 1960s. The tunnels were used as hiding spots, living quarters, hospital, communication and supply routes, and is very important during the resistance to American forces. It has now been preserved as a war memorial park. I had reservations too about going down the tunnel, because it's really dark and cramped. But I saw some bigger guys go down, so heck if they can do it I can do too! You have to do a duck walk because the space is really small; some parts of the tunnels have led lights, but some parts are completely dark. So don't go in if you're claustrophobic. I didn't manage to finish the remaining 20 or so meters because my legs were already having cramps (boo me). The tripod on my back scraping the ceiling of the tunnel is not helping too. I took the nearest exit and gasped for fresh air!

We went back to the city around early afternoon. We visited the War Remnants Museum, located at 28 Vo Van Tan, in District 3. It contains exhibits on the Vietnam War, divided per theme. Some of the photos can be very graphic, just to give you a head's up. I think those who are interested in Vietnam history and Vietnam war should look into this place.

We realized we haven't had lunch yet. Both of us wanted to visit Jollibee, luckily there is one near the museum! I literally jumped out of joy when I saw the familiar logo! See, Jollibee is a famous fastfood in the Philippines, and they don't have it here in Singapore, but for some reason there are a LOT in HCMC! I haven't been to Jollibee in a long long while, so I was really happy to have my chicken joy fix! :)

After our chicken joy and jolly spag binge, we dropped by Saigon Center and Saigon Square to look around. We decided to shop for some Vietnamese food to take back home (I bought this chili sauce for my father, which he absolutely loved :D). For dinner, we went to Banh Xeo, located at 46A D Dinh Cong Trang District 3. Lonely Planet says, it's got the best banh xeo in the city! The servings were really huge! We tried seafood banh xeo (crepe, lettuce, dip in sauce), escargot, and porridge. I swear we were eating all the time in Vietnam! I think I gained a few pounds while in HCMC. Gi and I agreed that Vietnamese food are some of the best :)

The next day, we went to Chinatown, and back to Benh Thanh market to buy some souvenirs. Chinatown is located at Cholon, District 5. I had to leave around lunch time because I am flying back to Singapore the same day. Gi stayed for another day. I feel so proud of us because we survived HCMC just by walking! It was tiring but I appreciated the places, and the people more. It's really different when you travel the city by walking - you can feel more connected to a place when you walk, vs taking a taxi.

Even though it was short notice, I really loved this trip to Vietnam! Sometimes spontaneous trips are more fun, especially if you have a great travel buddy! :)

Temple tour and shopping in Bangkok, Thailand

2012-01-20T23:31:00.010+08:00

A weekend is too short to explore Bangkok, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy it! Me and my friends, Lester and Aris flew to Bangkok last October for some temple tour and shopping. We flew by Tiger Airways, and stayed at the Ratchadaphisek District, near the Thailand Cultural Centre.

On our first day, Saturday, we took a boat to cross the Chao Phraya River to visit Wat Arun. Wat Arun is also known as the Temple of Dawn, because the first light of the morning sun reflects off the surface with a shimmering effect. A Buddhist temple from the time of Rama I, it is one of the most well known Thai landmarks at present. The central prang (in Khmer architecture, a tall carved spire), the main feature of temple is encrusted with colorful porcelain and is said to symbolize Mount Meru (tho those familiar with Asian religion, it is the sacred mountain of Buddhist and Hindu cosmology). The entrance fee is 50 THB per person, and they are open everyday from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm.

The stairs leading to the central prang were very steep! I didn’t manage to reach the top because I was carrying a tripod and slr. I just stayed behind and cheered for my friends, haha. Lester and Aris got bragging rights for reaching the top. Anyway, til the level where I managed to climb, the view of the Chao Phraya River is very wonderful, so I'm not complaining!

Wat Arun

After visiting Wat Arun, we went around Chao Phraya by boat. The Chao Phraya River (Thai translated in English as the "River of Kings") is an important body of water in Thailand. It passes by several cities, including Ayutthaya, Pathum Thani and Bangkok. These cities are some of the most historically significant settlements in the early days of Siam due to their access to the river (ie, major transportation for trade, commerce, and source of irrigation for rice paddies). The river runs through several more cities and empties into the Gulf of Thailand. We passed by numerous wats (temples) while crusing the river. The floating market was closed though due to the rain. There were occasional sellers in boats who were offering souvenirs, drinks and grilled food, but they can be a bit expensive, so try to haggle nicely if you can.

After the Chao Phraya tour, we headed to the Grand Palace. They say you haven't been to Bangkok if you haven't seen the Grand Palace. The Grand Palace used to be the official residence of the Kings since 1782 until 1925. The whole palace area is a big 218,400 square meters walled complex, and is divided into several quarters. The complex is a series of buildings, halls, pavilions and courtyards. The combined entrance fee is 400 THB per person, and they are open daily from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.

By the way, the Grand Palace has a strict dress codes. Only Lester and I managed to get inside because Aris was wearing shorts! Women mustn't wear sleeveless and short shorts, while men should wear long pants and shirt, no sleeveless. Well, there are sarongs for rent at the entrance, but the queue can be very long. So I suggest to please mind your clothes. Oh and don't wear heels too! There will be a lot of walking.

Grand Palace

Wat Pho, or the Temple of the reclining Buddha is just a few minutes’ walk away from the Grand Palace, so we decided to drop by too. Fun trivia! The temple is said to be the birthplace of traditional Thai massage, according to Ron Emmons! Upon exiting, we noticed a line of bronze bowls in the corridor where people can drop money to help the maintenance of the temple. The admission fee is also 50 THB per person, open from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm daily.

Wat Pho

We then headed to Siam Square for dinner. We had pizza and pasta, and green tea ice cream for dessert. Afterwards, we walked around Siam Paragon, one of the biggest shopping centers in Asia. The place reeked of luxury haha. There weren't even many people walking around, even on a Saturday night. Anyway, it also houses the Siam Ocean World (Underwater world), but we did not have time since it's already evening. We took a train back to Ratchada, supposedly to go to the night market but we found out it was already closed, so we went back to Robinsons in Ratchada for dinner. It was funny because we kept telling ourselves that we’ll try authentic Thai food while in Bangkok, but we never really got to. We stuck with the usual fastfood – pizza, ramen, KFC.

Siam Paragon at Siam Square

The next day, Sunday, we only had the morning to explore Chatuchak, because our flight back to Singapore was later in the afternoon. We took the subway from Ratchada to Chatuchak Park. The Chatuchak Weekend Market is the largest market in Thailand, offering a variety of products from collectibles, souvenirs, clothes, food, even animals. Do not underestimate the massiveness of Chatuchak market. Bring a map and water! There are money changers in front of Chatuchak gates, so if ever you run out of Baht for shopping you know where to go. My friends and I decided to split so we could go the stalls we wanted and not have to waste time waiting for each other. We just agreed to meet two hours later.

It was weird walking alone in Chatuchak! Three years ago, I was there with my boyfriend, and now I was there walking alone. I dunno it just felt kind of sad because everything was so familiar in Chatuchak, at the same time it feels like something is missing! Humongous cheese but it's true! :( Anyway, I just bought some funny tees and souvenirs and went to rest at the benches near the clock tower. When my friends arrived, we went back to Ratchada for a quick lunch and then to the airport for our return flight to Singapore.

So, temple tour in Thailand is ticked off from my list. Next is Ayutthaya! :)

A weekend of watersports and cycling in Bali, Indonesia

2012-01-12T00:11:00.005+08:00

My colleagues organized a weekend trip in Bali last July. I am sure you guys have an idea about Bali, but here goes anyway. Bali is the largest tourist destination in Indonesia; it is located in the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java and Lombok. Unlike most of Indonesia, Bali is majority Hindu. When walking the streets of Bali, one can notice small basket offerings called 'canang sari' scattered almost everywhere. These baskets are daily offerings made to thank the gods. They can be found in temples, small shrines in houses, but around Kuta where we stayed, they can be found scattered everywhere on the ground.

We flew by Air Asia from Singapore, and stayed at Agung Putra Inn Apartment in Jalan Poppies, just walking distance from Kuta Beach. On our first day, we just walked around Kuta Beach - no one really wanted to swim. The waves are really big; very ideal for surfing! There were lots of people sunbathing; the whole place was packed and very busy. The beach was nice, I just thought it was very tourist-y and very commercial. Well, as my friends told me, "you are in *Bali* what do you expect!"

After walking around Kuta Beach for a while, we drove to Ayung River, the longest river in Bali, for white water rafting. It was my first time rafting! I'm not really a watersports person, and some of the rocky turns and falls in the river almost had me a heart attack, but overall it was fun! Boats tumbling, people falling / slipping off the boat. I can proudly say that I never fell from the boat; although I almost had my paddle taken away by the current! The whole course was 12 km, which we finished in around 2 hours. The scenery along the way was beautiful: there were waterfalls, wild monkeys, different kinds of birds, and beautiful rock carvings on the side of the river.

After the rafting trip, we had to climb 2km (or more) worth of slippery, mud + stone steps to get back to the hut for food. It was more exhausting than all the raft paddling we did earlier! After the very late lunch, we headed back to Kuta to explore the night time Bali. I'm also not a night person so I really do not appreciate the bars; I find them noisy, and I absolutely dislike secondhand cigarette smoke! We didn't go in any, we just walked around the city to shop, and looked for a nice place for dinner. I can say though that it's very lively in Bali at night, and the crowd can be very hyper!

White river rafting

Bali at night

The following day, as expected, all of our legs and calves were aching from the 2km climb the previous day. We met early, had quick breakfast at McDonald's and drove off to Ubud for a cycling trip! Despite having enough sleep the other night, I was still very tired, hence I was mostly asleep during the long drive to Ubud. I cannot say much about what I observed along the way, but Ubud is definitely far different from Kuta.

When we reached our destination, we boarded our bikes and pedaled the hilly countryside of Ubud. While Kuta is very busy and tourist-y, life in Ubud is slower paced and more relaxing. Cycling around Ubud early in the morning is an amazing experience. It sounds corny, but I loved the feel of the cold air on my face as I pedaled; the green fields and mountains were also a sight! They kind of reminded me of Central Philippines. We had several stopovers, and on one of them, we visited a traditional Ubud house. We also visited a ricefield, and looked at some small temples. Everyone's really friendly and helpful in Ubud! After the cycling trip, we had our lunch, and then we drove back to Kuta, and then to the airport to catch our late afternoon flight.

Ubud

I enjoyed Bali, but I really, really wanted to visit the Tanah Lot and Pura Agung Pelaka temples. Sadly we cannot accommodate them anymore in our itinerary. To think that Tanah Lot is just a short drive from Kuta! I will be back in Bali with my boyfriend someday, and we'll take many, many pictures together! :)

An unfortunate but memorable Kuala Lumpur trip

2012-01-06T19:00:00.025+08:00

The second time I visited Kuala Lumpur happened to be July 9 last year. Tho those who still remember, there was a mass protest in the central area regarding electoral reform (read the BBC article here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-14076424).

The protests didn't cause our troubles directly. The trip was a series of unfortunate and funny events from the very beginning, starting at Golden Mile Terminal in Singapore. One of my friends forgot his phone at his house and had to go all the way back to retrieve it. The usually quick bus queue at the immigration became more than two hours. In total, we spent almost nine hours sitting on the bus due to traffic and other mishaps. The footrests were not working. The food at the stopover was unbelievably expensive and unpleasant. We happened to buy biscuits which tasted like plywood. Taxi drivers we encountered were rude. I could go on and on, but despite all these, I still had fun with my friends. Even if the only things we managed to do with our limited time in KL were eat at KLCC, and visit the Skybridge. Thank god for friends.

Petronas Towers at night

Inside KLCC

Petronas Skybridge ticket

View from the Skybridge

I discovered that buses no longer load and unload passengers at Pudu Raya Terminal. They now have Terminal Bersepadu Selatan located at Bandar Tasik Selatan, Jalan Terminal Selatan, which commenced operations on January 1, 2011. The actual terminal was organized and neat; it almost looked like an airport. Bus companies have their own booths where you can "check in" and have your ticket verified. There were big screens flashing bus routes, schedules and gates numbers, which were really helpful. But I thought TBS was too far from the city. That, and traffic considering, I think I'd prefer taking the plane. There are budget airlines which fly daily to KL after all. To be fair the TBS is well connected to the city by train; we were just too tired at this point to figure out the train routes so we opted for taxi. Speaking of taxi, the BTS taxi stand needs improvement too; it was a bit confusing, unorderly, and too far from the main terminal.

I also discovered that the Petronas Skybrige now charges RMY 10 per person, and that they allocate groups of tourists per schedule. It used to be free, and I remember that tourists could come anytime within the day. My friends and I almost did not manage to get to the Skybridge because they gave us a 3PM viewing session, and our bus back to Singapore leaves at 1PM! And we had to queue for two hours!! I can sense tempers were already rising (hey, we were tired and hungry), but orderly ensued. We had to plead with the ticket man to please swap us at 11AM, to which they thankfully allowed!!

This trip was so unfortunate, it was almost hilarious. Anyway it was fun being with friends whom I rarely see nowadays, so overall this trip was still memorable and worth it. But please remind me never to take a bus going to KL again!

A long weekend with friends at Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia

2011-12-13T14:00:00.002+08:00

My high school best friends and I went to Kota Kinabalu last July for a short break. I am writing this five months late, as I have been stuck between work and school deadlines for a while. So, yay for Christmas break! Anyway, we chanced upon an Air Asia promotion in November last year and we thought it would be a good opportunity for all of us to have a nice vacation out of the country. See, this is our first trip together abroad! We've more or less had our own lives since graduating. It is hard enough for all our schedules to match, so occasions where we get together like this are quite rare and truly memorable.

My friends who are based in the Philippines paid less than PHP 3,000 for round trip tickets from Clark to Kota Kinabalu. Meanwhile, Singapore to Kota Kinabalu round trip tickets were also around that price; I roughly remember paying S$100+.

Kota Kinabalu, formerly known as Jesselton, is the Capital of Sabah State Malaysia. It is located on the west coast of the island of Borneo, which is also shared by Indonesia and Brunei. Kota Kinabalu is named after Mount Kinabalu, the tallest peak in Crocker Range, situated just about 50 kilometers away from the city. Kota Kinabalu is a major tourist destination in Sabah, also hosting numerous national, regional, and international conferences and trade fairs annually.

We arrived in Kota Kinabalu, Friday night to a downpour. Aris and I took a taxi from the airport to our hotel (MYR 30.00 one way) where our friends who arrived from the Philippines earlier were already waiting. We stayed at the Imperial International Hotel located at D-G-28 Block D Warisan Square, Jalan Tun Fuad Stephens. Val paid a total of USD 200.37 for three nights, which we split between four of us, so I just paid USD 50.09 in total for the hotel -- not really bad. The hotel's location is very convenient as there are nearby malls and food stalls around it. It is also just 10-15 minutes walk from the night market.

The next morning, Saturday, we went to Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park. We got a tour package from the Hotel, total of RMY 85.00 per person inclusive of boat and hotel transfers. Our first stop is Mamutik Island, where had to pay an additional RMY 10.00 upon arriving. After we had our quick lunch, we did some watersports. Some of us went snorkeling first while waiting for our parasailing and banana boat arrangements. A speedboat was finally assigned for our group to go parasailing. It was my first time parasailing and it was awesome! The harness can accommodate two people so we went by pairs. Aris went with Lester, and I went with Val, while Jacq didn't go parasailing. I think it was around 10-15 minutes per trip. The view was amazing, and parasailing isn't as scary as I thought it would be; I didn't like the occasional dips in the water though :P Jacq and some of her friends went banana boating while the rest of us waited at the beach to collect shells and take pictures. After Mamutik Island, we went to Saphi Island for more snorkeling. We were still supposed to go to one more island but it was late already, so we went back to the hotel afterwards for shower and some quick rest before heading out for dinner.

For dinner, we went to this nearby place as recommended by the boat operator we met at Mamutik. I saved the name in my phone but can't seem to find it. I guess the food was nice, but the service was absolutely terrible. I didn't eat my food because they got my order wrong. I ordered for chicken chop and they gave me sweet and sour chicken. I have an aversion for anything sweet and sour because I had this food poisoning from sweet and sour pork a few years ago -- can't tell if they're spoiled or not. We went to McDonald's to buy me a cheeseburger, and then we went around the night market to buy souvenirs. We were surprised because the little girl who sold us keychains know how to speak Filipino. Apparently, their family was from the Philippines, but she was born and raised in Sabah. We walked around some more, and called it a day at past 10pm.

The next day, Sunday, we spent the whole morning at the hotel, just being lazy. We went to La Manila Cafe for lunch, and then headed to the Atkinson Clock Tower and Signal Hill Observatory Tower. The Atkinson Clock Tower can easily be missed, so watch out for it. From there, we walked all the way to the observatory tower. It was a tiring uphill climb but the view was worth it. It was very difficult to get a taxi around this area, so we started to walk downhill. Luckily a taxi passed by and we asked the driver to drop us off at the Muzium Sabah. We were unable to get there in time as it was closing time already. To make out the most of our trip to the museum, we just wandered the garden and took silly photos! Afterwards, we went to Pizza Hut for dinner to celebrate Lester's birthday, and then had coffee at Starbucks.

The next morning we bid goodbye to Kota Kinabalu. Lester flew back to the Philippines, while Val went to Singapore with Aris and me. Jacq, her boyfriend and friends stayed behind for a couple more days. It was a fun trip, but it would have been more fun had we been complete. To our friends who did not make it this time, we missed you! And I hope there are more trips in the future like this to be shared by us :)

Revisiting your childhood at the Singapore MINT Museum

2011-12-11T21:50:00.005+08:00

The Singapore MINT Museum (Moment of Imagination and Nostalgia with Toys) opened in 2006, is the world's first purpose-built museum for toys. The private museum which belongs to Mr. Chang Yang Fa, displays around 50,000 pieces of vintage toys and childhood memorabilia from more than 40 countries and is considered as the largest collection in Southeast Asia. There are currently four exhibitions separated by themes: Outerspace, Characters, Childhood Favorites and Collectables. EAFQ59U8H9H8

Some familiar pieces are Disney's Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Tin Tin, Popeye, Betty Boop, and Batman among others. Coming from another generation, most of these vintage toys were different from the ones I grew up with. Nonetheless, there is something elegant and fascinating about vintage toys. I can imagine our grandfathers and grandmothers as little boys and girls playing with them, during a time which was much simpler. All kids have today are PSPs, iPhones and various fancy gadgets enough to keep them entertained. I almost never get to see kids play in the streets anymore, which is kind of sad.

Aside from entertainment and aesthetics, the various toys also tells us about the cultures and values of the countries and period where they were made. My particular favorites in the museum are their Beatles and Monkees collectibles collection from the 1960s.

MINT Museum is located at 26 Seah Street, Singapore 188382. Nearest MRT stations are CC2 Bras Basah. CC3 Esplanade, and EW13/NS25 City Hall. It is just a few minutes walk from the National Library Board Building. They are open daily, and admission charges for adults are S$15, and for children S$7.50. Visit their website at http://emint.com.

Terracotta Warriors The First Emperor And His Legacy at the Singapore Asian Civilisations Museum

2011-12-09T15:29:00.002+08:00

The Terracotta Warriors graced the Asian Civilisations Museum last June 24 to Oct 16, 2011. According to the Straits Times, this is the first time the terracota army was exhibited in Singapore.

The Terracotta Warriors were discovered in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China in 1974. They are a collection of warrior sculptures made entirely of clay, depicting the armies of China's first emperor Qin Shi Huang. As a form of funerary art, they were buried with the emperor in the belief that they will protect him in the afterlife. If you look closely, the figures actually vary in height, depending on their designation. The tallest and more ornate are usually the generals, and the simpler clad ones are the foot soldiers. Aside from the soldiers, there are also horses, chariots, various spears and weapons sculptures. If you are interested on how the army was sculpted, Universitat Pompeu Fabra Barcelona has an article available online. Read it here: http://www.upf.edu/materials/huma/central/abast/ledder.htm.

I saw a documentary about the Terracotta Warriors when I was still I kid; I think it was National Geographic. Or maybe History Channel. I made a mental note to visit them in China when I grew older. What do you know, they come to Singapore! The figures looked so fragile, I wondered how they were transported to Singapore. The Strait Times reported that they were transported from Xi'an to Shanghai by truck and then flown from Shanghai to Singapore. They were packed carefully in wooden crates with supports to secure them in place.

Aside from the Terracotta Warriors, the Exhibit also features plenty of historical artifacts from the Qin State. There were earthenware, pots, jewelry, coins, ornaments, daggers, among others.

I have been to the exhibit twice, and both times it was packed with visitors -- parents and children alike. It was very nice to see young kids interested in history! The Asian Civilisations Museum is one of my favorite museums in Singapore. It is by the way located at 1 Empress Place Singapore 179555. Nearest MRT station is Raffles Place Interchange. Visit their website at http://www.acm.org.sg.

NUS Southeast Asia in Context 2012

2011-10-01T13:52:00.003+08:00

I decided to join the NUS Summer School Poster Design Competition again this year! Here is my entry. Nothing really flashy but I think I did the best I can with the given time :)

Anyway, so more info about the Programme. NUS will be having it's Summer School Programme from June 16 to July 21 next year. Students from IARU (International Alliance for Research Universities) like NUS, Copenhagen and Yale will be there! This is a great opportunity for foreign students who want to learn more about Southeast Asia, and meet new friends from all over the globe as well.

The Compulsory Module is Southeast Asia in Context (SE2222), while the Elective Modules are Southeast Asian Social History (SE2211) and Southeast Asia’s Cultural Mosaic (SE2880A). The Summer Programme also has a two week fieldtrip in Cambodia and Thailand. Applications will commence mid‐January 2012, and forms and guidelines can be downloaded from
http://www.fas.nus.edu.sg/sea/undergrad/summerSchool.html during the said period.

For enquiries, please contact:
Dr. Pattana Kitiarsa
Summer School Coordinator
Department of Southeast Asian Studies
Blk AS3, Level 6, 3 Arts Link, Singapore 117570
Telephone: (65) 6516‐6558
E‐mail: seapk@nus.edu.sg

Prambanan, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

2011-06-28T13:22:00.010+08:00

Prambanan is one of the two most famous temples in Yogyakarta, and the biggest temple complex in Java, Indonesia. It was built in the ninth century as dedication to Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. The individual temples of various sized are decorated with intricately carved reliefs and statues. According to the UNESCO website, it was abandoned, crumbled down and collapsed in about 1600 AD. It was rediscovered by Collin Mackenzie in 1811, but remained neglected for many decades. Reconstruction started in 1918, and in 1991 it was listed as a UNESCO World heritage site. Restoration is still ongoing at present.

I went to Prambanan, after staying a couple of days in Borobudur. I took this time to go around the city as well to shop for souvenirs. I decided to look for a hotel which is nearer the airport since my flight back to Singapore the following day is very early in the morning. I checked for hotels near Adisucipto International Airport and I found Grand Quality Hotel. I got my twin bedroom for S$70.00 per night. They offer complimentary drinks, free breakfast, free internet, and free airport transfer! The reviews are okay and the price seems reasonable so I booked it through Agoda. After checking in, I was already on my way to my room and waiting for the lift, when someone came running after me. I was surprised to see the uncle from the front desk. At first I did not understand what he was saying, but it turns out I left my purse at the counter and he chased after me to return it! *faith in mankind has been restored* Thank you pak! :)

After setting down my things, I went to Prambanan. It is about 15 to 20 minutes drive from the hotel. The entrance fee for foreigners is $15 and $7 for students. Since I'm a student, I only paid $7 but they require a valid school ID to be presented and photocopied. The temple complex is magnificent! It took me around three hours to go around the whole place. You can climb the temples, and go inside to see the statues. It could be quite dark so be careful! I enjoyed looking at the reliefs the most. They say that the reliefs tell a story, but I am yet to research some readings on that. The complex is really big, and aside from the temples, there are also museums and dance performances inside.

Reliefs from Prambanan

I bought some souvenirs downtown, and then went straight back to the hotel later in the afternoon to rest (and work on my school papers). I flew back to Singapore the following day recharged and ready for the final exams! Yogyakarta is a truly wonderful experience! It's a safe place and the people are very friendly and helpful. Borobudur and Prambanan are equally amazing as well! I'd really love to return to Yogyakarta with my friends next time :)

Borobudur, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

2011-06-27T17:38:00.018+08:00

I went backpacking in Yogyakarta last April, during reading week just before our final exams. It's been pretty hectic since then, hence this late post. I was a bit hesitant about going to Yogyakarta alone. I usually travel with friends, and this is the first time I am actually all alone so I was a bit nervous. I wondered if it was safe for solo female travelers, I was worried about the language barrier and how to get to places considering my 'geographic impairment' (haha) and about how far Jogja is, but then I thought what the heck, and just went :) I've always wanted to see the Borobudur sunrise!

Yogyakarta is a historic place, located on the Indonesian island of Java. Jogja is a well known center of classical Javanese art and culture. It is almost synonymous to batik, wayang and gamelan; and is also very well known for various forms of Indonesian visual arts. It is in fact, the second most important tourist destination in Indonesia, next to Bali. Just a heads up though, Mount Merapi, one of the most active volcanoes in Indonesia is located very near the city of Yogyakarta. It's last eruption was just in November 2010. Check the local conditions first before you make your trip to be safe :)

Panorama of Borobudur

Borobudur is an 8th century Mahayana Buddhist Monument, which comprises of several platforms adorned with reliefs and Buddha statues. It has been mysteriously abandoned and became covered with jungle growth and ash until it was rediscovered centuries later by Stamford Raffles. It has been listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991.

I got a great airfare deal at Air Asia. My roundtrip ticket was only S$112, taxes included! Air Asia has these promotions regularly, so keep an eye ;) I spent four days in Jogja, and my first stop was Borobudur. I stayed in the Manohara Hotel, conveniently located inside the Borobudur grounds. It is just about 200 meters from the temple entrance, and there is a nice view of Borobudur from their restaurant too. It took me more than an hour from the airport to the Borobudur grounds by van. I really recommend Manohara. The staff were really nice and helpful! I opted to book directly instead of using Agoda, because you only pay when you check in. They respond quite quickly to emails as well :D Their website is http://www.manoharaborobudur.com. Breakfast and regular entrance to the temple is already inclusive. Their standard twin bed hotel room is 675,000 IDR per night :)

Manohara Hotel

Manohara Restaurant

I bought the Borobudur Sunrise package and since I was already staying at Manohara, I only paid 175,000 IDR. For those staying in other hotels, fee is 320,000 IDR per pax. I had to wake up at 3am; call time was 4am at the lobby. The fee is inclusive of torch (flashlight, actually and you get to keep it) and light snacks. A staff guided us until the main entrance of the temple. It's pretty dark and quite spooky at 4am. Good thing there were other tourists too, so I wasn't all that scared!

My co-tourists, just like snipers positioned their tripods and SLRS to the east, patiently waiting for the sunrise. I was fun watching them set up their gear, and figuring out the brands of their cameras and lenses, haha. I honestly suck at timing and couldn't just stand there waiting for the sunrise, so I walked around savoring the fresh air and touching the great stone walls and sculptures while waiting for the sunrise. I have no decent pic of the sunrise; not that I would have taken a great one even if I waited patiently anyway. I'm such a noob with setting the camera.

Sun is almost up!

The sunrise was amazing! It's quite an experience. I wished you were there :)

After basking in the sunrise, I walked around and climbed to the upper stupas. I'm always almost walking the temple by myself, bumping into other tourists occasionally. It was very nice to walk around by yourself, taking pictures, touching the reliefs, and just appreciating everything. I kept thinking, wow I'm standing exactly where Javanese from hundreds of years ago were also standing.

Borobudur is more than a temple -- it is a monument full of symbolisms. I read a chapter of a book by Prof. John Miksic, Borobudur: Golden Tales of the Buddhas, where it says that the ancient Javanese used to the temple as pilgrims. For those familiar with Buddhism, this means that Borobudur provides Buddhists as place where they could physically and spiritually pass through the Buddhist stages of development to make them Boddhisatvas. The reliefs have purpose aside from aesthetic decoration. They tell stories, and follow a sequence. A lot remains undeciphered though.

Here is a curious depiction of G.B. Hooijer, reconstructing the scene of Borobudur during its golden years.

Buddha facing the sun

Panorama of the upper stupas

View from the fifth level platform

I really recommend going for the Borobudur sunrise. The temple becomes crowded later in the morning. It's nice to walk around by yourself. Furthermore it also gets quite hot approaching noon time. At around 10am I went back to my room to sleep a bit before having lunch. I checked my email and relaxed a bit before going back to the temple later in the afternoon. I walked around, climbed the stairs, and just appreciated the temple and the whole compound until closing time.

I'd love to visit here again

Wall reliefs

Upper stupas

After a tiring afternoon, I went to the Manohara restaurant to grab a some snacks before going back to my room. I fixed my stuff and slept early, as I had to go to Prambanan he next morning :)

Singapore Art Museum: Negotiating Home, History and Nation

2011-05-22T11:14:00.005+08:00

I dropped by the Singapore Art Museum to visit the exhibit promoted by our department, Negotiating Home, History and Nation: Two decades of contemporary art in Southeast Asia 1991 - 2011. I have delayed visiting it until now, which I kind of regret since most of my classmates are now on vacation. It would have been more fun with them -- we could have discussed each of our own country's affairs, exchange opinions, and compare discourses of Southeast Asian Nations.

Featured artists come from Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines and Vietnam. The pieces exhibited offers insights into Southeast Asia's contemporary socio-political developments. Enthusiasts or those who have a background in Southeast Asia History will find this exhibit interesting ;)

Negotiating Home History and Nation

Suzann Victor (Singapore). Expense of Spirit in a Waste of Shame, 1994.

Manit Sriwanichpoom (Thailand). Horror in Pink Series, 2001.

Vasan Sittthiket (Thailand). Committing Suicide Culture, 1995.

Nguyen Van Cuong (Vietnam). Porcelain Diary, 1999-2001.

Apotik Komik (Indonesia). Under Estimate, 1999.

Vu Dam Tam (Vietnam). RienCarNation, 1999.

Jose Legaspi (Philippines). Untitled, 2009.

Nguyen Minh Thanh (Vietnam). Untitled, 1999.

Nindityo Adipurnomo (Indonesia). Hiding Rituals and the Mass Production 3, 1997-1998.

Truong Tan (Vietnam). Here very dark, 1995.

Manit Sriwachichpoom (Thailand). Masters, 2009.

Mella Jaarsma (Indonesia). Costumes, 2000-2001.

Eko Nugroho (Indonesia). Jembar, Negarane, Cuper, Pikirane, 2007.

Briccio Santos (Philippines). Heritage Tunnel, 2009.

The exhibit runs until June 26. Visit the Singapore Art Museum website for more details: http://www.singaporeartmuseum.sg/exhibitions/details.php?id=66. SAM is located at 71 Bras Basah Road Singapore Art Museum, Singapore 189555. Telephone number +65 6332 3222.

Penang, Malaysia

2011-02-20T04:58:00.015+08:00

I'm taking a Malaysia module this semester and our professor, hailing from Penang, mentions it a lot which made me keen about visiting the place. Incidentally, our outing for January was set in Penang, so it was like a mini educational trip for me. Penang was once part of the Straits Settlements, together with Malacca and Singapore. It is currently the eighth most populous state, and one of the most developed and economically important states in Malaysia.

Holiday Inn Penang. From my room, I could see people parasailing at Batu Ferringhi Beach

Walking around and enjoying ice kacang!

Hello :)

We took a plane from Singapore to Penang. It's around one and a half hours away. We stayed at Holiday Inn in Batu Ferringhi. On our first day, we drove around Gurney Drive and Georgetown. After having local cuisine for lunch, we tried the local Kacang. We went to the Chocolate Boutique as per request of one of my colleagues. I wasn't really planning on buying anything, but in the end after trying their Tiramisu Candy and their Vanilla White Coffee, I just had to take back with me some!

Burmese Buddhist Temple

Wat Chayamangkalaram

The sleeping / reclining Buddha inside Wat Chayamangkalaram

We went to the Burmese Buddhist Temple, and the Wat Chayamangkalaram temple where the Sleeping Buddha is. An uncle was selling coconut ice cream outside. We tried it with peanut sprinkles and we all liked it! Afterwards, we visited Kek Lok Si (Temple of Supreme Bliss), the largest Buddhist temple in Southeast Asia. The place is nice, and it has a beautiful view of Penang below.

Kek Lok Si

Panoramic view of Penang from Kek Lok Si

After dinner, we went to the night market, just a few minutes walk from Holiday Inn. There were a lot of stuff there, but mostly relatively pricey compared to other places in Malaysia. I liked this particular stall selling lamps, but having travelled with cabin baggage only, I suppressed the temptation of purchasing a set for my room!

Penang Night Market

On the second day we met at around noontime, walked around a bit, had our lunch at a foodcourt in Batu Ferringhi, and proceeded to the Butterfly Garden afterwards. Admission is RM 27.00 per person. I loved the butterfly park in Penang. I think it's better than the one in KL.

Penang Butterfly Park

Penang Botanic Gardens

We went to the Botanic Gardens to explore. The place is huge, and there was a little waterfall inside. There were also a lot of monkeys roaming around! It's fun watching them, but we were advised not to feed them. We went to Queensbay Mall to have dinner before heading out to the airport to catch our evening flight.

Overall I was impressed with Penang. I liked how they preserved their colonial-era buildings. The streets and business districts are not congested. The roads and infrastructure are fairly impressive too. I liked their buses. Some parts of Penang feels like Singapore, only less crowded. The beaches are on the average, but still worth visiting. I hope you guys get a chance to visit Penang as well. It was ranked by Yahoo as 8th in its "10 Islands to Explore Before You Die" list http://travel.yahoo.com/p-interests-37926474. That's one down in the list for me :)

On an unrelated note: Oooh Easter Island is on the list. I've always been fascinated about Easter Island, after I read a National Geographic article about it when I was still in elementary. I sometimes dream of going there someday. I wonder if I'll have the chance to visit it in this lifetime :)

NUS Southeast Asia in Context 2011

2011-01-19T15:49:00.016+08:00

This is a poster I submitted for NUS Summer School (aka Photoshop practice slash good distraction during finals week!) this was actually my first attempt to do an 'actual' poster -- I mean sticking to proper size, resolution and all. Didn't win first place, but they still gave me a few borders bookshop voucher for participating. thanks, NUS!

Baguio City, Philippines

2011-01-05T16:23:00.004+08:00

Baguio is located in the Cordillera Administrative Region of the Philippines, roughly 6-7 hours by road from Manila. It is a bustling city atop the Mountains of Northern Luzon. Over the years, it has become a center of business and education. Because of its relatively cold weather compared to other parts of the country, it has been hailed as the Summer Capital of the Philippines. They just celebrated their 100th year as a chartered city last 2009.

Baguio City holds a special place in my heart :) Believe it or not the very first time I climbed Baguio was just in 2006! This was with my boyfriend and some of our friends. Ever since, I have visited Baguio countless of times, each one of them always together with my boyfriend. We usually spend the Christmas and his birthdays in Baguio too!

We usually drive a car to Baguio coming from Tarlac, but since it's a long way from Manila, visitors may opt to take a bus. I know there used to be a Manila to Baguio plane route, but it has already been discontinued. Anyway, Victory Liner has hourly Baguio Bound buses. They have bus terminals in Pasay and Cubao, both along EDSA (+632 7274534/+632 8335019 - 20). Dagupan bus also has hourly Baguio bound buses. They have a terminal in Cubao (+632 9296123).

There are many hotels in Baguio. You can choose from the more high end ones like The Heritage Mansion (4 stars, located at Kisad Road thru Abanao Extension Corner del Pilar Street) and Baguio Burnham Suites (4 stars, located at Kisad Road), to the more barkada and family friendly transient houses. Transient houses are available almost everywhere, it's not hard to spot them :) It's also not a problem going around as there are plenty of taxis, and for the more adventurous people, you can take the jeepney. Although personally I am not one for jeepney because even if I have been to Baguio so many times, I am still not familiar with jeepney routes. The people here are very friendly, so just ask around if you need directions. I should also say that based on my experience, taxi drivers in Baguio are among the most honest in the Philippines.

Burnham Park

A sorbetero at Brunham Park

Some of my favorite places in Baguio are Burnham Park, Mines View Park and Session Road / City Area. Burnham Park does get very crowded and irksome during holidays such as Christmas. But I like Burnham Park because I love to observe people :) There are many elderlies strolling, families having picnic, children running, ice cream vendors pushing their carts, pets running around, and couples walking hand in hand -- watching them is already fun! There are also curious items on sale at the sides of the park, such as jewelries, keychains, bags, and colorful traditional hats. We also regularly visit the Mansion and Wright Park.

The Mansion

Wright Park

We always go to Mines View Park, but I've never seen Doglas the Dog. He is a biiiig St. Bernard, and he's quite famous! Most of my friends who have been to Baguio have pictures with him. I'll try to spot him next time I'm in Baguio. Good Shepherd is also just a few minutes away from Mines View. We always buy pasalubong here. Their ube jam is a favorite of my parents :) The Botanic Park is also a must, but to be honest I've only had the chance to visit it last December. It usually gets ignored or scratched off from our Baguio list, but I was surprised because the place is actually nice :)

Botanical Garden

Most of the city activities are in Session Road. There are many restaurants here and shops selling various things. I also had this huge obsession over ukay ukay (second hand clothes) a few years ago. I always used to find good buys in Baguio. In fact I learned and perfected the art of haggling there! We always go to the Old Bayanihan Hotel. The whole building is all ukay ukay. I've never been back for ukay ukay lately though. It's been popular with tourists, the prices have increased.

I love Baguio!

I love Baguio. I love the city lights, the fog in the morning, the smell of pine trees and cold pillows. I don't know, but probably my most favorite about Baguio is the driving? I love the scenery along the way -- the trees, the vast green fields backdropped by mountains, and the blue sky; also because of the long conversations, listening to our old songs playlist, and just being in the passenger seat. It's just beautiful :)

National Museum of Singapore: Singapore History and Living Galleries

2010-09-30T22:05:00.001+08:00

The National Museum of Singapore is one of my favorite museums! :) I took my boyfriend to visit it before heading off to my class. Below are some pictures I took of the Singapore History and Living Galleries.

The National Museum of Singapore is located at 93 Stamford Road, Singapore 178897. The nearest MRT station is Dhoby Ghaut.

Genting, Malaysia

2010-09-29T12:04:00.006+08:00

My boyfriend and I went to Genting Highlands, no not for the casino but for the amusement park! Genting is an integrated resort, located between Pahang and Selangor, Malaysia.

We took a bus from Golden Mile Complex, Singapore to Genting Highlands. Travel time was more than five hours. I actually had an essay due that week, and I attempted to read during the ride -- I failed haha. How can one read when your boyfriend is beside you and there is interesting scenery outside the window :) Screw the essay, I'm gonna enjoy this trip!*

We arrived in Genting a little after lunch time. We booked at First World Hotel. I wasn't really expecting much from the hotel considering the reviews I read from the internet, but I thought the place was really quite okay. I just hated the long waiting time to check in. It took us two hours to be called from the queue so we could get our keys. I'd probably be very grumpy if it was as humid as Singapore. But yeah, we managed to joke around, make fun of random things, and rest a bit. It was reaaaaally cold in Genting. I did not anticipate it would be *that* cold in September. I assumed it would just be as cold as Baguio, but no. So don't forget to bring your jackets!

After setting down our things, we went downstairs to First World Plaza to walk around and grab dinner. It is a mix of shopping mall and indoor amusement park. There are world landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty, etc scattered around the place. There were also free performances on stage.

The next day, we went to the amusement park. The entrance fee for both outdoor and indoor theme park is 51.00 MYR for peak, and 59.00 MYR for off peak. Most rides are suitable for children, but there are also some rides catered to the more adventurous ones. I'm not really one of those adventurous ones -- my boyfriend had to drag me to get me to try the Flying Coaster! I refused to try the Cyclone and Corkscrew even if he pays me :))

It was a fun day. We walked around, and since it was cool it wasn't very tiresome. Unfortunately, it rained during the afternoon so we had to resort to First World Plaza. After grabbing late lunch at Pizza Hut, we went to Snow World, and tried the indoor ferris wheel. We had ice blended at our favorite, The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, and then went around and looked at the shops before calling it a day.

We went back to Singapore the following day :)

* I wrote my essay a day after our Genting trip. I managed to pass it on time, and still got a respectable grade yaaay!

Inside First World Plaza

I didn't get the name of this ride. This is like Flying Fiesta back in Enchanted Kingdom

Cyclone - Malaysia's 1st roller coaster. Wait... how old is this thing?!

Never got to try because the queue was very long

Flying Coaster -- my boyfriend had to drag me to try it

So foggy!

Some random shots of the theme park

Pirates Train -- sort of like the Horror Train back home. LOL

Pirates Revenge

Vigan City, Philippines

2010-06-27T22:46:00.002+08:00

My boyfriend and I braved faraway Vigan armed only with maps, a wikitravel printout and a white car. Vigan is a UNESCO World Heritage site located in Ilocos Sur, Northern Luzon. It took us six gruelling hours to drive from Tarlac to Vigan. It would have probably taken us faster but since it was our first time going there, we were extra careful -- we might miss a turn or something so we had to consult the map a lot!

On our way to Vigan. Beautiful sunset :)

Plaza at 10pm

The driving was the stressful part. Although the view of the South China Sea along the highway was so beautiful, it makes up for all the road rage! :P We finally reached Vigan past 9pm. After eating a quick dinner, we decided to walk around and explore Calle Crisologo :)

We stayed at the Vigan Plaza Hotel along Mena Crisologo Street, just very near the plaza. It's a bit pricey but the place is really impressive! Service, room, amenities and facilities, all impeccable! It cost us 3,000.00 PHP for a Superior Double Room but it was really worth it. Their website is http://www.viganplazahotel.com if you want to check it out. Wikitravel also lists several hotels you could choose from depending on your budget, you may also want to check it out.

Vigan Plaza Hotel

The next morning, we rode a calesa to explore the place. The rent is 150.00 PHP per hour. You really don't need to book for one since the calsesas are all lined up along the plaza already. You just have to approach them. But if you need help I'm sure the hotels will be happy to assist you. We visited the Bantayan Bell Tower, Gov. Chavit Singson’s Baluarte, and the Barangay Pagburnayan, the home of stoneware jars, Crisologo Museum and the Ayala Museum which used to be the Home of Fr. Jose Burgos. There are a lot of eating places around, but Cafe Leona is a must! They are kinda slow on orders but the food is really worth it (I am now craving for daing na bangus and bagnet as I type this)! After dinner, we headed again to Calle Crisologo for a walk.

Manong Kutsero

Crisologo Museum

Cafe Leona

What I loved most during this trip is our late night walks along Calle Crisologo. It's not as much crowded and tourist-y as during daytime. We almost had the whole Calle Crisologo stretch to ourselves, except for the occasional tricycle and stray cats.

Calle Crisologo

Before heading home, we bought some souvenirs and food. My father specifically asked me to buy Vigan longganisa for him. I think I bought 2 1/2 kilos, haha! We were supposed to go to Pagudpud after Vigan, but the plan did not push through due to time constraints. We're planning to go to Pagudpud some other time, so I'll make sure to stop by Vigan again :)

I <3 Vigan

On our way home!

Visit the Philippines! http://www.tourism.gov.ph :)

Mt. Pinatubo, Philippines

2010-06-25T23:55:00.001+08:00

Mt. Pinatubo is located at the intersection of Zambales, Tarlac and Pampanga in Central Luzon. Before the 1991 eruption, Mt. Pinatubo was originally inconspicuous and unknown to most people in the surrounding areas. The magnificent bluish-green Lake Pinatubo was a result of the post eruption formation of a large caldera filled with water by monsoon rains.

I have always wanted to visit Mt. Pinatubo, but my schedule doesn't usually permit. I now live outside the Philippines and only get to fly home every now and then :(We had to plan the trip months in advance and could only pray for fair weather on the day of our trek. Thankfully, weather was pretty much cooperative that day.

My boyfriend and I were already in Tarlac so it just took us more or less an hour to drive from Paniqui to the Pinatubo Spa Town in Capas. We left at 6am, had a quick breakfast at Chowking Tarlac City, and made it on time for our 7am schedule. If you are coming from Manila, I estimate travel time to Capas via public bus would probably be about 3 hours. Or maybe faster since you will be travelling very early in the morning. Victory Liner (Pasay and Cubao) and Philippine Rabbit (Avenida) have Tarlac bound buses. They usually leave after every hour but you may want to check and call them first:

Victory Liner: Cubao +63 (02) 727 4688 / Pasay +63 (02) 833 4403

Philippine Rabbit: +63 (02) 734 9836

At Pinatubo Spa Town, we were asked to fill up some forms before commencing with the tour. The package costs 1,500.00 PHP per person inclusive of the 4x4 vehicle, driver, tour guide, use of shower and locker facilities, and a choice of either Filipino or Korean lunch. We also had to pay an extra 250.00 PHP each for the Pinatubo Lake Boat ride.

Pinatubo Spa Town: +63 (45) 4930031

You have to travel by 4x4 vehicle to what they call the "Crow Valley", a vast terrain of rocks and ashes, before you get to the actual trekking route. The scenery along the trekking route are remarkable. We encountered yellow streams of sulfur, various colors of sands and rocks (geologists please correct me!) and dense almost forest-y growth of plants near the end of the trail. Trekking until the crater is around 40 minutes to an hour.

The Crow Valley

Yellow streams of sulfur

Trekking! :D

Finally, the crater! It is magnificently beautiful. I've never seen anything like it. The bluish-green water is very clear and warm. The tour guides warned us not to wander too much since the water gets really deep after just a few feet. We rode a boat to what the tour guide called the "active side". He noted the very warm temperature of the sand and water on this side of the crater, and lack of living plants. The tour guide said it's OK to swim, but we opted not to. We walked around for a half an hour to explore and went back to the the huts to rest before trekking down and back to Pinatubo Spa Town by 4x4. I think it took us an hour and a half via a different route. Pinatubo Spa Town only provides free soap, so I suggest you bring shampoo and conditioner, and plenty of it! After cleaning up, we had our (late) lunch, finished at around 4pm and drove back to Paniqui. Pinatubo trekking is great for barkada bonding, if you guys have a chance you should try it too! :)

Crater Lake

Rode a boat to the active side of the crater...

... where the water was boiling

The crater!

Malacca, Malaysia

2010-05-11T10:06:00.001+08:00

Went to Malacca, Malaysia for a quick weekend trip with my colleagues. It took almost five hours to get to Malacca by Bus coming from Singapore. Malacca is a World Heritage site since 2008. It used to be a Portuguese base, later captured by the Dutch, and then ceded to the British. I've always been interested in visiting Malacca because of its rich history and well preserved architecture.

We stayed at the Baba House Hotel somewhere in Jonkers Street. It was a renovated colonial shophouse turned into a hotel. The interior design is beautiful, and the place is really cosy. The staff were friendly too! Being a former shophouse, some of their rooms have no windows. I got a room with no windows -- I didn't mind at all, but some people might find a windowless room creepy or suffocating, so make sure you indicate your preference when you make a booking. Their website is: http://www.malacca.ws/babahouse.

The Baba House

We tried the famous chicken rice ball at Chung Wah as recommended by some friends. A lot of people were queueing up in the shop! I heard that they are usually sold out early in the afternoon, so you should be there quite early. We also tried the local Kachang and Chendol, after which we headed to town for Thai Massage. This was actually my first professional massage ever. After the whole ordeal.. err session, I felt like I was wrestled, haha. It not as expensive as massage here in Singapore so it is also worth a try! :)

Ice Kacang

Pick your choice!

We also went to the famous Christ Church, but I was too shy to rent a rickshaw so I just took some photos of the square, walked around and had ice cream with the group afterwards. We weren't able to try the Melaka River Cruise and go to the Malaysian Navy Museum because everyone was too tired at this point already :(

The Red Square

Malacca River

Colorful rickshaws

A night market is held every weekend along Jonker Walk. There are many interesting and curious stuff to be seen -- from old books, jewelry, medicine, toys. There are uncles performing too! Jonker gets crowded so be mindful of your important stuff!

Jonker Street

Night Market at Jonkers Walk

It rained the next day, so it was quite uneventful. We headed back to Singapore after having Peranakan lunch. I had fun, but I wasn't able to explore the place well so I am hoping to visit Malacca again in the future :)

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

2010-04-02T11:36:00.005+08:00

After living in Singapore for more than two years, I only managed to visit Kuala Lumpur in 2010. I wanted to visit KL with my boyfriend because he used to live there, so he's quite familiar with the city :) We went there during the Holy Week break for a couple of days, before spending the rest of our holiday back in Singapore.

Kuala Lumpur is Malaysia's capital, and the most populous city with 1.4 million people. We took a plane to Kuala Lumpur International Airport, instead of taking the bus. Believe it or not the bus fares were significantly higher than the plane tickets, so we opted to fly instead. It was a mere 40 minute ride from Singapore by air. I think we just reached our assigned altitude, and then we started descending already, haha!

We took the train from KLIA to KL Sentral, and took a taxi from there to Ampang. We stayed at Corus Hotel which is only around 5 minutes walk to KLCC.

At Changi Airport waiting to board our plane

Interior of KLIA

View of KL from the Menara observation deck

After checking in we headed to Menara Tower (also KL Tower) to go up the observation platform for a view of the city. There are also a mini zoo and mini museum inside the compound of Menara Tower. Instead of flagging a taxi to get to our next location, we caught the Hop on Hop off bus at the exit :D We toured the city, and went to the Butterfly Garden and Bird Park.

We went back to Ampang to have dinner at McDonalds, rest up a bit and then we headed back to KLCC to take pictures.

We planned to go to the Petronas bridge the next morning. However, by 11am the free tickets to Petronas bridge were already finished, so no bridge sight seeing for us. You need to be there really early, especially during weekends. We flew back to Singapore later in the afternoon :)

Petronas Towers at night

Inside KLCC

Grafitti somewhere near KLCC

I love my Canon 50mm lens

Phuket, Thailand

2010-02-13T12:28:00.001+08:00

Among us friends, I usually do the research and bookings when traveling so this trip to Phuket was a change. My friend arranged everything -- from the flight bookings to the sightseeing itinerary. All I did was just show up :))

Phuket International Airport

Phuket is located in Southern Thailand, around one and a half hour by plane from Singapore. Once we arrived at Phuket International airport, we took a van to get to our hotel. The airport is an hour by car to Patong. We saw a lot of rubber trees and interesting shops and sceneries on the way.

One of the hotel decors

Patong Beach

We stayed somewhere near Patong Beach. The beach is just around ten minutes walk from our hotel. As per request of my friends, we had local food for lunch. The tom yum soup served in Thailand tastes different than the one served in Singapore! My friends liked the authentic taste of the Thai tom yum. I like neither, as I generally have an aversion to spicy food.

After resting for a bit, we went to Asia Safari to try the famous elephant ride. It was awesome but a bit scary also. The elephant assigned to us is really friendly, and while we were trekking, the guide tells us stories about their elephants, and life in the safari. We went through the jungle -- it was not the smoothest ride. Some roads are steep, it's quite nerve wracking. Although, there was this spot at the top of the hill where we stayed for a while to enjoy the scene. It was beautiful. You could see Phuket and the beaches below, backdropped by mountains in the distance. After the elephant ride, we watched a group of elephants perform and do tricks.

Later in the evening, we went to Simon's Cabaret to watch the musical floor show performance of Thailand's ladyboys. Omg, they are prettier than actual ladies! Sometimes I couldn't tell the difference. The costumes, stage decoration, lighting and performances are really great. They lip-sync popular songs from other countries around the world, traditional and contemporary. Some ladyboys also impersonate celebrities such as Tina Turner, the Wonder Girls, etc. Cameras are not allowed so I have no pictures to show you :(

Afterwards, we tried tuktuk! It is quite similar to the Philippines' tricycle, only bigger and more badass!

The next day, we went to the Phi Phi islands. We allocated one whole day for island hopping. We hired a speed boat for 3,000 Thai Baht per person. Refreshments and lunch are inclusive so I think this is a reasonable price. The tourguide's English is OK, but do not expect too much. They are friendly and very helpful though.

Waiting for our speed boat

The Phi Phi islands, surrounded by the Andaman sea are so beautiful. We stopped by Ko Phi Phi Don first. I forgot other islands names already, but I think there were total of four stopovers. We snorkelled, and fed fishes. I did not swim because no one will look after my camera :( I just explored a bit and took pictures.

Viking Cave

We also saw the Viking Cave, where the popular bird's nest soup are gathered. We decided not to go to the Monkey Beach, as there were no monkeys at the time, instead we headed to to Ko Phi Phi Leh, the island in Leonardo di Caprio's movie "The Beach". It's really very beautiful. The water is very clear and white sand is like powder. The rock formations are very marvelous as well. Although I couldn't totally appreciate the place because there were a LOT of tourists. The area is very very crowded :(

Phi Phi Islands

We went back to the hotel later in the evening to rest. We shopped for souvenirs a little, and then rested for our flight back to Singapore the next morning. I wish we stayed longer in Phuket. One day is not enough for island hopping :( I wish I could visit Phuket again, next time with the boyfriend :)

View of Thailand from the plane. The island below looks like an elephant :)

Bintan, Indonesia

2010-01-23T13:44:00.001+08:00

I was at Bintan Indonesia over the weekend for a trip with my colleagues. Bintan is part of the group of islands of Indonesia's Riau archipelago, and is only a 40 minute ferry ride away from Singapore. Unlike Batam, the ferry terminal for Bintan is in Tanah Merah. My colleague was the one who arranged the trip so I couldn't give any tips how to get there! I am not sure what buses stop at the ferry terminal because we took a coaster. If you are coming from somewhere around Singapore, you may want to check Streetdirectory http://streetdirectory.com.

I usually don't get dizzy when I travel, but this time was a very rare exception. The waves were really big, and tossed the ferry around a lot. I felt sick just after 20 minutes! I felt sooo dizzy I used up two sickness bags. I suggest you may want to take some travel sickness medicine at least an hour before boarding. I was already fine when we reached the Bintan terminal though ;)

Bintan Lagoon Resort

Selamat Datang!

We stayed at Bintan Lagoon Resort. They regularly run a bus to fetch arriving visitors and send them off to the hotel, so no worries for the ferry terminal transport. Bintan Lagoon Resort is impressive. When we alighted the bus, a group of people clad in traditional clothing welcomed us by performing a local dance. There were also complementary refreshments served.

More please!

The rooms were spacious and clean. I think most rooms were still quite new as I saw some areas still being renovated. After setting down our stuff, we had buffet lunch at the resort restaurant. We rested for a bit, and then rented bicycles to explore the resort. I swear, biking (with your colleagues) looks lame, but it's really challenging because there are a lot of uphill slopes (which we never expected by the way). One of our colleagues felt really unwell, he had to stop halfway and take the bus back to his room. Anyway, the resort was really something. We biked past well manicured lawn, cottages and a huge golf course. Seriously, this place reeks of luxury. I wouldn't probably be able to afford visiting Bintan if it wasn't sponsored :P

Sunny Bintan

View of the swimming pool

Golf course

We went downtown to shop and explore. We hired vans because they were convenient, but there are probably cheaper forms of transportation. We went to Pasar Oleh Oleh to buy some souvenirs and to explore a bit. The price in Bintan is quite higher than in Batam. It is almost comparable to Singapore, and actually the shops expect you to pay in Singapore dollars. After shopping, we had seafood dinner at Kelong, a Chinese restaurant located above the sea via stilts. We headed back to the resort, everyone exhausted, but full.

The following morning, my colleagues went to the pool to swim. I didn't join them because I wanted to walk down the beach alone (emo much, haha). No, seriously I wanted to take pictures... and dig my feet into the sand! :D The waves were really big, so no one was swimming that morning. It was breezy and not very sunny yet, so the walk was very enjoyable.

Take me to the beach~

I met with my colleagues by noontime. We had quick lunch as we had to catch our afternoon ferry back to Singapore. This time I took some travel sickness medicine, and yay I survived the trip back unscathed and composed :))

Work resumed the following morning! :(

Bangkok and Pattaya, Thailand

2008-07-30T13:15:00.006+08:00

I flew to Bangkok to spend a few days with my boyfriend and his family :) It was my first time in Thailand, and I was traveling by myself so I was one nervous little girl! My boyfriend picked me up from Suvarnabhumi International Airport. We took a taxi to the city, and my first impression was that Bangkok is not much different from Manila! We dropped off my things in their apartment and then we had lunch at a Japanese restaurant, then we took the MRT to Emporium.

Suvarnabhumi International Airport

Central Mall

The next day, we went to Nong Nooch Tropical Garden in Pattaya http://www.nongnoochgarden.com. It is around one and a half hour drive from Bangkok. The place is very big, and it is divided into 'themes' such as the French Garden, European Garden, Stonehenge Garden, Cactus, and so on. They recommend to spend one full day, but it is possible to see the whole garden in half day's time, since shuttle services are also provided for visitors. Inside, we also watched the famous elephant show and Thai cultural show.

Elephant show in Nong Nooch

Cultural show in Nong Nooch

Nong Nooch gardens

We went to Chatuchak market in Bangkok. It was one huge market! I probably would have gotten lost had I been by myself :)) Chatuchak offers a variety of products, from clothes, handicrafts, housewares, souvenirs, etc. I also saw some old cameras along the roadside! I regret not taking a look at them :(

Chatuchak market

I went back to Singapore the next day. It wish I could have stayed longer. I hope to visit Thailand again. Next time, I will dedicate a trip for wats and temples in Bangkok!