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Beautiful Sydney

2012-01-05T09:00:00.003-05:00

I left the place 15 years ago with the convinced idea that Australian Sydney was the best city on the planet to live in. I returned to it with the firm conviction that this is the best city to have lived in and to leave from.

Opera House, Sydney

It sounds hypocritical but it is not. In reality nothing has changed. Sydney is still a great place to live in, on this planet. Who could refuse such a gorgeous spot, with a languid life style, beaches and natural swimming pool on every corner street, and a decent food and music scene. Not to mention the most (de)lightful NYE fire works I ever seen in my life. Since my last trip way back then, many things happened: an Olympic Game, renovations, gentrifications, new harbor, and a new central district.

St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney

In fact the city has improved even more than what I could have imagined. The economic boom of the last decade seems to have benefited the city and its horde of neo “Bobo”. Poverty has been pushed away from the city, and the famous red light district have tainted pale in the colored rainbow.

St. John's Church in Darlinghurst, Sydney

More international and local tourists are embracing the many attractive attractions that the city has to offer, despite the horrible price hikes. Sydney has now moved to a different scale. The city is now in the same category as other interesting destinations in the world such as Amsterdam, Montreal, Buenos Aires and Singapore.

Manly Beach, Sydney

Old trendy places have moved to new spots. Corky and funky restaurants have emerged from residential neighborhoods. Free shuttle buses run for tourists to enjoy the best parts of the city. Everything seems to look even better, cleaner and simpler than before. Sydney is a great place on the planet. Nothing changed except for the better.

Surfer at Mackenzies Bay, Sydney

What has changed in reality is … me. I wish I had chosen to live there 15 years ago to learn to surf and rock ‘n’ roll, so that today I would have been happy to leave from Sydney ... to explore the world.

Sydney Addresses

2012-01-04T09:00:00.010-05:00

With a population of approximately 4.6 million people, Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and is the state capital of New South Wales. Sydneysiders are the most blessed cosmopolitan populace of Pacific, with the Tasman Sea at their feet and the mountains behind their back. Sydney is one of these few cities in the world that is turned inside out and exist for the beauty of its landscape. In short, Sydney has it all: nature, ocean, hills, cosmopolitan lifestyle. If only if wasn't at the end of the world, it would be the best place on the planet. Actually it might be because it is at the end of the world that Sydney is the way it is today.

The Rocks, in Sydney

On a long weekend trip these are the addresses that could be recommended, but be warned that Sydney like any other cosmopolitan city changes fast, the addresses of today could be the wrong ones the next day.

	Park8 Hotel 185 Castlereagh Street, Sydney 2000, Australia. [Website] [TripAdvisor] [Map] At the corner of two very busy streets (Castlereagh St. and Park St.), the hotel holds all the floors of a corner building. The small entrance leads to small rooms and a cozy ambiance. The diligent and fun staff does not erase the loudness of the street noise and the final bill. This place is too expensive for what it has to offer.
	Pensione Hotel Sydney 631 - 635 George St, Sydney 2000, Australia. [Website] [TripAdvisor] [Map] Also part of the 8Hotels group, Pensione is less central than its slightly bigger sister, Park8. Still based on the same boutique hotel concept (refurnishing an old building into a contemporary hotel), Pensione has more caché and is less expensive than Park8. The street noise has been suppressed with triple-windows. Note that the a free-bus stop is at the doorstep of the hotel, and runs from 9AM to 3PM covering a popular main street route. Convenient for tourists and locals alike.
	Swissotel Sydney 68 Market St, Sydney 2000, Australia. [Website] [TripAdvisor] [Map] Perfectly located at the corner of George St. and Market St., Swissotel Sydney is what you'd expect of a large hotel chain: vast room, great service, solid staff and consistent quality. Would go back to the Swissotel if budget permits.
	The Winery 285A Crown St Surry Hills, NSW, 2010. [Website] [TrueLocal] [Map] The Winery, on Surry Hills' Crown Street is the sister venue to Elizabeth Bay's Gazebo. Whether planning something more large or you're just coming in for a drink, you'll find something on the menu to suit from starters and tapas to mains and desserts. Great tapas, great wine list and great atmosphere. What else to ask for on a Sunday afternoon lunch - early dinner.
	Felix - Bistro and Bar Ash Street, Sydney, Australia. [UrbanSpoon] [TripAdvisor] [Map] In a dark back alley, between clubs lies a French bistro. Menu, wine list and service look all as good as a French bistro could be 20,000 km away from France. Nevertheless the price does not justify the fluffiness of the service. Special mention to the cheese soufflé on the dessert menu.
	Yulli's 417 Crown St, Surry Hills 2010, Sydney, Australia. [Website] [TripAdvisor] [Eatability] Located in front of "The Clock" bar, this vegan place is a must try for your green tooth. Menu is short but consistent and varied, service funky but fast and low key, bill is small but quick and non-biodegradable. Nice vegan spot in Crown St.
	Other Restaurants Recommended Sydney is a nice place for eating-out options. Among the many recommended: SURRY HILLS - Toko (High-End Japanese) [Website] [Eatability] [Map] - Porteno (Barbecue Restaurant) [Website] [Eatability] [Map] - The Norfolk (Tapas Bar) [Website] [UrbanSpoon] [Map] - Longrain (Urban Thai DJ) [Website] [Eatability] [Map] - Bentley Restaurant and Bar (Sitting Classy Dinner) [Website] [Eatability] [Map] - Mahjong Room (Modern Chinese) [Website] [Eatability] [Map] - Trinity Bar (Pub & Cool) [Website] [Eatability] [Map] - The Local Taphouse (Pub & Music) [Website] [UrbanSpoon] [Map] - The Commons (Beer Festival & Bar Food) [Website] [UrbanSpoon] [Map] - The Victoria Room (Smooth Dinning) [Website] [TrueLocal] [Map] - Slide Bar (Show + Set-Menu) [Website] [Eatability] [Map] NEWTOWN - ZanziBar (Roof-Top Tapas Bar) [Website] [Eatability] [Map] PADDINGTON - Bellevue Hotel (Sophisticated Bistro) [Website] [TripAdvisor] [Map] - Darcy's Restaurant (Home Cooking Italian) [Website] [Eatability] [Map] - L'Etoile Restaurant (High-End French) [Website] [Eatability] [Map] - Lucio's Italian Restaurant (High-End Italian) [Website] [TripAdvisor] [Map] - The Print Room at Durty Nelly's (European-Aussie) [Website] [Eatability] [Map] - A Fish Called Paddo (Casual Seafood) [UrbanSpoon] [Eatability] [Map] - Avido Restaurant (International Dinning) [Website] [Eatability] [Map] - Buon Ricordo (Must-Try Italian) [Website] [Eatability] [Map] - Four In Hand (Classy French Dinning) [Website] [Eatability] [Map]
	Artery 221 Darlinghurst Road, Darlinghurst. [Website] [Map] This contemporary art gallery focuses on Aboriginal paintings. They deal with all the artists directly and return all of their profits to charity. You can order online if you want and they can ship. This is the best place in Sydney to buy modern Aboriginal paintings. A must visit anyway.
	Karlangu 129 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia. [Website] [Map] Karlangu is the opposite of Artery. Central, large, with established painters and very expensive. If you want to buy the best of the classic Aboriginal paintings, this is the place to bring your Amex.
	The Clock 470 Crown Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010, Australia. [Website] [Eatability] [Map] A hotel transformed into a giant multi-level bar with a nice terrace from which you can watch passing-by. The happy hour is a fantastic deal in town and is already well known judging by the number of people coming over.

The Terrace at The Clock

	NYE Fireworks [Website] With crowds of more than 1.5 million people, Sydney has the second largest New Year celebrations worldwide, after Rio de Janeiro (over 3 million people on Copacabana Beach). For a nice view of the fireworks, four options for you: [1] know someone with a nice view of Sydney bay; [2] watch it on TV; [3] camp at 10AM for a nice spot and wait until midnight; [4] pay a lot to reserve a cruise, dinner seat or a botanic event place. Whatever you do, don't miss it, it's grandiose.
	Sydney Walks [Website] Sydney is a walkable city with easy public transit access. The diversity of its landscape and the nearby ocean make the walking discovery a must try. Among the places to visit, you should definitely gun for The Rocks - Opera House - The Bridge - Botanic Garden - Darlinghurts - Elizabeth Bay - Potts Point - Double Bay - Woolloomooloo - King Street - Newtown - Gebe - Oxford St - Crown Street - Surry Hills.
	Manly Beach by Ferry Circular Quay, Pier 3. [Map] A nice and quick afternoon trip is to take the ferry from Circular Quay (Pier 3) to Manly. You will be able to see the Opera House and the Bridge from the water, and land a half hour later on the quaint beach of Manly. The Corso has now become a shopping mall for tourists, but if you are ready to walk few hundred yards away from the popular spots, you can have the beach to yourself.
	Coogee Beach to Bondi Beach Walk [Website] [blog] [Map] Take a bus to Coogee beach ("Cuji" as in "Muji") and walk all the way north to Bondi along the bays. You will encounter the beautiful beach of Clovelly, Bronte and Tamarama. A full afternoon, especially if you start with a brunch at Coogee.

Bondi Beach, in Sydney

Sydney is a city surrounded by nature and you should explore everything that the city as to offer, such as parks, ocean, terraces, restaurants, bars and shops. This ultimate modern city at the end of the world is a must try on any traveler's list. Make sure you don't go there for the NYE time, or bring a lot of cash with you because this is very very very expensive.

3XL South

2011-12-31T08:57:00.013-05:00

Aotearoa, which means "Land of the long white cloud" in Maori, brings a strong imagery in people's minds, and most of it is coming from the South Island of New Zealand. Contrary to the North, the South Island is much bigger, larger and deeper. It is almost as if the South was three sizes bigger, an XXXL vs. a L t-shirt.

Queenstown from the Gondola

In this part of the country, Kiwis (named after the flightless bird during WWI) and tourists alike are outnumbered by cows (6 million) and sheep (40 million). Traveling in South Island is like driving across a giant farm with one asphalt road crossing the estate. You don’t actually need a GPS, because [a] it’s usually out of focus and [b] it gives useless info (“Turn Left in 180 km”). No matter how you want to explore the South Island (clockwise or counter clockwise), the only decent road that goes around the country could not be missed.

Lake Wakatipu on the road to Glenorchy

Everywhere where eyes can lay has cattle or sheep in the picture. The good thing about it is, there is nothing bad to say about the lamb rack and other meat meals except that daily intake is a gargantuan delight, and also that portions were sized up for a hungry giant sheep shearer who requests his first meal after a three-week tramping across the mountains. You can gain kilos by just looking at menu. Everything is XXXL, including meals.

Fox Glacier

Volcanoes, valleys, plains, rivers, lakes, glaciers, national parks, and one road. Everything has been designed to enjoy nature at its best. From Queenstown, the adrenaline-pumping city to Wanaka, the-quiet family village, the south part of South Island is covered with world-class trekking and jaw-dropping landscape. Take your time to explore the Southland region even more than the other parts of the islands.

Lake Wanaka

Nothing can beat the things you can see in this part of the world, and it is very difficult to extract one or two places out the many there. But under pressure, one can mention that Queenstown, Wanaka, and Fox Glacier regions are must-do. It will depend on what you prefer, how much time you have and what you can afford to trace your travel plans, but these three destinations must be attacked head first. It seems that even if you spend a life time exploring the region you wouldn’t see everything that nature has to propose.

Queenstown from the Gondola

For me, South Island is reasoning with long drives across fantastic landscapes, cutting though changing weathers, listening to 80’s music, dipping marshmallows in hot chocolate and trying to fit the 360-degree, larger-than-life panoramas inside my tiny camera. It was also a compilation of first-timer experience for me: first time walking on a Glacier, flying in a helicopter, receiving a speeding ticket, and experiencing an earth quake.

Queenstown Sunset

XXXL South Island is a must-do in a traveler's life, and certainly the best way to do it would be to drive around in a camper home to be able to stop on a heart beat to appreciate the landscape.

New Zealand - South Island Addresses

2011-12-30T09:00:00.021-05:00

Even more than in the North, the South Island part of New Zealand needs a lot of time to explore. If you don't have time to do so, you will need to choose from a gigantic list of places and activities.

Many things will be left out, but some need to be seen for sure, such as mountains, lakes, glaciers, wines and oceans. This is what I chose for a one week vacation on the South Island in New Zealand.

New Zealand - South Island Itinerary

Of course by choosing this itinerary, I left out a lot of nice and unforgettable places to visit, but so was my choice. More time could have given me more options though ....

Queenstown
"Speechless" was the first thought I had when entering the beautiful city of Queenstown, and then minute after minute the initial impression faded out to be replaced by another one: "natural beauty". QT is by nature a natural wonder in the New Zealand landscape. Only a few places in the world can combine beauty, elegance, majesty and peacefulness altogether in one shot. It seems to be the central place for serenity in New Zealand. One can stay one year and still not do everything possible around the beautiful city, but a few days must be put aside to enjoy some of the things the city can offer: skiing in the winter and sweating in the summer. If I have to remember only one place in NZ, that would be QT.

	Novotel Queenstown Lakeside Hotel Corner Earl Street and Marine Parade, Queenstown 9197, New Zealand. [Website] [TripAdvisor] The Novotel is just in front of the lake, but don't get too excited as no room has really a great view of the lake. You might have a peak at the water if you lean over the window, but not much. In reality no hotel has a great lake view, since all buildings are pretty low rise for keeping the QT vibe. This small fact aside, the hotel is extremely well located and has everything needed to spent a week ... and more.
	fiNZ Beach St, Queenstown 9197, New Zealand. [Website] [TripAdvisor] At the end of the wharf lies many restaurants facing the pier and the TSS steamboat when it is at quay. Among them is the fiNZ, an expensive and ordinary fish restaurant. Not too sure why so many people were lining outside ... maybe because it was one of the few open for Boxing Day.
	Fergburger 42 Shotover Street, Queenstown, New Zealand. [Website] [TripAdvisor] Do I really have to present the world-famous Fergburger !?! OK, so this is the place to have a giant yet freshly made burger in the city. After 3 days tramping the mountains or a full day of skiing, anything from Fergburger is more than necessary and welcome. Don't panic when you see the line outside, the throughput is phenomenal, plus that will give time to buy Fergburger clothes or look at the pictures on the wall.
	Gondola Brecon St, Queenstown 9348, New Zealand. [Website] [TripAdvisor] It wasn't the luge (although it looked fun), but the view at the top that I came for. The NZ$25, 2min ski-lift made the visit atop worthwhile despite the crowd. If you walk 15 minutes more after the luge you will be at the paragliding takeoff spot with a beautiful view of the lake beneath.
	Sweating [Website] [TripAdvisor] If you are bored in QT, it's because you want to be. I never saw so many different activities offered in one place. It's so big that the visitor center is as big a train station with guides who watch you entering the place with daring looks: "So you are an adrenaline junky? Welcome home !" Going fast, going down, going up, fly high, flying low, running slow, driving down, watching high, surfing fast .... everything is possible at QT, just ask and some has done it before. When the day is going away to give you a chance to rest for the next day, don't miss the sunset on the beach. You won't be alone though. Now if you are into tramping, the Queenstwon Hill (2-3 hours) is supposed to be unmissable, so is the Routeburn Track (2-3 days) or the Milford Track (4-5 days).

Glenorchy
At the end of the road hides a small village, away from the busy Queenstown. Glenorchy is the perfect picture of what could be a village lost in the mountains with 4 streets and 3 cafés. Locals are here to listen to trampers' stories and tourists' questions. A nice place to rest a bit for the next big thing you are going to do that day.

Foxy's Café
Cnr Mull & Argyle Streets, Glenorchy, New Zealand.
[TripAdvisor]
Large portions of protein and lot of space in this saloon. If it was the last open place in town you might want to consider it, otherwise find something else (or pack a sandwich).

Wanaka
Like its sister QT, Wanaka is primarily a resort town but has both summer and winter seasons and is based around the many outdoor opportunities. Considered less upscale, the city kept a grounded touch that make it more livable for tourists. Until when ?

Kai Whakapai
Ardmore St, Wanaka 9192, New Zealand.
[TripAdvisor]
Slow service, great food and large portions make this place a must try in Wanaka. Make sure you have a spot with a lake view, your meal will be even more relaxing.

Fox Glacier
The homonym city of the famous Fox Glacier is a quiet place dedicated to the day tourist. No fancy stuff around this small crossroad in the plains. If you want more action you better go to the next bigger crossroad, the Franz Josef village.

	Bella Vista Fox Glacier Motel 55 Main Road, Fox Glacier, 7859, New Zealand. [Website] [TripAdvisor] Drop in, drop out, car park, plastic shower, cozy sleep, on the main road. The owner is very diligent and ready to answer any questions.
	Pizza Café Nevé Main Rd, Fox Glacier, 7951, New Zealand. [TripAdvisor] No restaurant is open at 4PM in Fox Glacier, so the only warm food was a pizza. I did not expect anything and I got a pizza in return. Was on the expensive side for what it was.
	Matheson Café Lake Matheson Rd, Fox Glacier, 7859, New Zealand. [Website] [TripAdvisor] Sold as the best place in the region to eat, my expectation were high when I pushed the door of the terrace. It is true that the lake view, and the Alps as a side view are great. As for the food I found it a bit too expensive for a below average "sous vide" fish.
	Cook Saddle Café & Saloon 19 State Highway 6 Fox Glacier 7859, New Zealand. [Website] [TripAdvisor] If you are hungry after 10 days' walking in the mountains, you have $10 left in your pocket and you are ready to eat a cow by yourself, then Cook Saddle Saloon is the place for you. Wooden chairs, round tables, and chimney in the back are the decor of the restaurant. As to what is comes on your plate, don't you worry you will have enough to content you and your calorie-burning activities for the next few days.
	Matheson Lake Walk [Website] Lake Matheson offers a 90-minute easy circuit walk takes you through a forest. After the walk, the evening sunset over Mount Cook and Mount Tasman provide unforgettable views at the entry/exit of the walk.
	Fox Glacier & Franz Josef Glacier [Website] [Website] When people think of glaciers, they usually think high mountains, 4,000+m altitude, and long and perilous walks to see a glacier at close sight. New Zealand offers many glaciers, but these two are accessible within less-than-an-hour easy walk. Both are magical and surprising. The one to one-and-half hour walks are both surreal and help grasp what nature can do. This is a must do. Now if you have time you might want to envision walking on either of them. Many shops offer a one day (8 hours) walk up and down the glacier. This is moving ice and must be taken seriously, accidents do occur despite taking a lot of precautions.
	The Helicopter Line [Website] [TripAdvisor] I booked the day before for an early flight in the morning. At 9:45AM I was ready to fly off to see Mount Cook and the two glaciers. The one hour flight was PHENOMENAL above the glaciers, and the landing on Fox glacier was even more magical than I anticipated. Like magic the clouds opened up when we were in the sky and closed after we landed. That day we had the perfect window to fly high in the sky. Helicopter Line was very professional, gave us the security advices, and made our try above ground a unique experience.

Franz Josef Glacier
The Maori name for the glacier is Ka Roimata o Hinehukatere ('The tears of Hinehukatere'), arising from a local legend: Hinehukatere loved climbing the mountains and persuaded her lover, Wawe, to climb with her. Wawe was a less experienced climber than Hinehukatere but loved to accompany her until an avalanche swept Wawe from the peaks to his death. Hinehukatere was broken hearted and her many, many tears flowed down the mountain and froze to form the glacier.

The Landing
SH 6, Franz Josef, 7952, New Zealand.
[TripAdvisor]
This is the place to stop after a long walk. Portions are huge, service fast and bill still acceptable. One advice though - order from the kids menu as you will not finish what they bring to the table otherwise.

Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's third-largest urban area. On 22 February 2011 at 12:51 pm, an earthquake with magnitude 6.3 occurred. The intensity and the violence of the quake was among the strongest ever recorded globally in an urban area. The quake resulted in the deaths of 181 people and in the declaration of New Zealand's first National State of Emergency. Many buildings and landmarks were severely damaged, (e.g., 'Shag Rock' & Christchurch Cathedral), and since then the city center has been declared a "Red Zone" (unsafe to walk in) and waiting to be to be demolished one building at the time (latest news). The city has been totally damaged by the earthquake and it will take a while before normal activities will finally resume, if ever. The remaining question is why rebuild on such a sensitive earthquake ground?

	City Center Motel 876 Colombo St Christchurch Central, Christchurch 8013, New Zealand. [Website] [TripAdvisor] One of the few remaining safe downtown places to spend the night at. Rooms are still standing, very spacious, and the two old ladies that run the place are very diligent and knowledgeable.
	Copthorne Commodore Hotel 449 Memorial Ave Burnside, Christchurch 8053, New Zealand. [Website] [TripAdvisor] The airport hotel you want to have at every airport in the world. Spacious, comfortable, nice room, vast bathroom and free pick-up and drop-off to and from the airport. Might be on the upper side of the price list though.
	Kheo Thai 4 Papanui Rd Merivale, Christchurch 8014, New Zealand. [Website] [TripAdvisor] In a city center destroyed by an earthquake it is hard to find an untouched or still standing place to eat. Among the remaining places around downtown at the fringes is this tucked-in Thai restaurant. Portions are once again huge, service fast and price average. For when hungry.
	Flying Burrito Brothers Northland Mall. [Website] [TripAdvisor] Displaced burrito place from the city center, is now located 20-min drive away in Northland Mall for convenience and safety. The only open fast food chain on a Friday night, the place was packed and therefore service slow. Potions were OK for once, but the bill was not. I guess they drove out the competition.
	The Mud House Winery & Café (Formerly Canterbury House Vineyards) 780 Glasnevin Road, Waipara 7447, New Zealand . [Website] [TripAdvisor] 40km or so away from Christchurch is a nice wine valley for tourists on the go. Among the few wineries there The Mud House also proposes a restaurant. Vast place with a high turn over cannot provide the service that should be deserved. Nevertheless, the wine and food mix was descent and should not be overlooked.

Chicken Salad at Bully Hayes, Akoroa

Akaroa
The French Akaroa is 84 km by road from Christchurch. Set on a beautiful harbor and overlooked by craggy volcanic hills, Akaroa is a popular resort village and in the summer the temporary population can reach 7,000, far over the 500 permanent residents in the winter.

Bully Hayes
57 Beach Rd, Akaroa 8161, New Zealand.
[Website] [TripAdvisor]
After walking the town and checking menu selections and prices at all the restaurants, I settled on Bully Hayes. The restaurant was in a very good location overlooking the harbor and a great place for people watching. Decent seafood restaurant with great selection of snacks. Portions were again huge and prices were accordingly.

In conclusion, besides sheep farming, tourism in South Island is the only thing going on and therefore prices are high and quality average. Hotels in general are OK but standard for the price. Food to the contrary was abundant but poor in quality. Activities when not free, are very expensive. In other words, New Zealand South Island is an expensive tourist destination but with a memorable, unforgettable scenery.

Eruptive North

2011-12-25T09:00:00.002-05:00

When people look at a map of the world, one of the four ends of the planet, on the bottom right corner, is a strange shaped group of islands called New Zealand (Dutch cartographers in 1645 renamed the land Nova Zeelandia after the Dutch province of Zeeland). This large place with only four and half million inhabitants is well known around the world. Immediately pictures of large lakes, high mountains and vast valleys with glaciers come to mind. Nothing is more inaccurate of these images than the New Zealand - North Island.

The Champagne Pool at Wai-O-Tapu, near Rotorua.
65m diameter lake at 62 m depth,
its surface temperature is 74 degrees Celcius.

Three quarters of the population live in the North Island. The smaller of the two islands is in fact the best place to find all the great opportunities that New Zealand has to offer. The north side of North Island has the best beach spots around; Auckland and Wellington are continuously fighting for the heavy-weight best-food-champion title; and the region around Taupo-Rotorua has the best live observable volcanic activity in the Pacific region (must see the Wai-O-Tapu volcanic park, and its daily 10:15am geyser eruption).

Te Awa Winery

But North Island is not deprived of natural beauty and national parks. In fact Whanganui National Park (river canoe, tramping), Tongariro National Park (tramping, skiing) and Egmont National Park (tramping around volcano) are among the most visited and oldest protected parks in the world. Some of the National Park landscapes were used for the now famous “Lord Of The Ring” movie trilogy.

Art-Deco Napier

North Island is very much blessed by Mother Nature. The hilly valleys spread around the southern part of North Island offer fantastic day-trip chances to tie trekking-shoes on and to tickle the camera power button. But also the moderate climate and rich soil provide the basic ingredients for an authentic and powerful wine. From the art-déco Napier to windy Wellington, the long road gives many opportunities to stop and enjoy a delightful lunch with a glass (bottle) of wine.

Te Mata, near Napier

Nothing will be enjoyable without a nation ready to welcome the lost tourist. Both the Pakeha and the Maori are delighted to explain what makes their nation the best nation on earth when it comes to sailing around the world, playing rugby against the world, or taking their time in life despite the world. Maori culture, one of the oldest on this planet, has managed to free itself up to us despite war, germs and colonization. It is depressing to find that the only chance for tourists to encounter the oral Maori culture is around Rotorua in the rebuilt villages (Tamaki Maori Village) or at Te Papa Museum in Wellington. More should be done to recognize what happened then and what is done today.

View of Wellington from Mt. Victoria

Nevertheless it was a very special time around Christmas 2011. New Zealand had just won for the second time the Rugby World Cup (1st in 1987 and 2nd in 2011 both times against France). The entire nation came together to enjoy what was thought to be a well deserved World Cup, since it was played at home. The entire nation was still dressed in All Blacks months after the final victory, recovering from a massive French champagne hangover with large smiles crossing their faces. The sense of pride only equaled their scare they experienced during the World Cup. What if we lose the Web Ellis trophy at home? Once again the rugby gods dropped the ball on the right side and made a rugby nation even crazier about the game, if it was even possible (a TV channel dedicated to rugby!).

Napier's Sunset

One week is not enough to enjoy what North Island has to offer, but a tactical planning, the chance to meet great people, and an enjoyable weather can turn a short stay into a memorable and fun trip.

New Zealand - North Island Addresses

2011-12-24T09:00:00.026-05:00

Unless you decide to spent an entire life exploring New Zealand, one has to choose on where to go and not go for a short vacation trip.

Te Awa Winery at Hawke's Bay

The first big question is to decide between the vibrant and lively North and the immense, scenic South. And then when settled down one has to still choose between mountains, volcanoes, cities, plains, tramping, surfing or sunbathing. This is what I chose for a one week vacation on the North Island in New Zealand.

New Zealand - North Island Itinerary

Of course by choosing this itinerary, I left out a lot of nice and unforgettable places to visit, but so was my choice.

Auckland
Auckland is a city squeezed between two oceans. Anywhere you look at you can see the sea. This is what could be considered as an ideal capital for a fisherman. Low rise houses make it even more manageable for investigation around the place. A nice online resource is the Auckland Big Little City guide, also available in pocket format for free.

	Skycity Hotel Cnr Federal & Victoria Streets, Auckland 1010, New Zealand. [Website] [TripAdvisor] This 4-star hotel has it all. Very central (imagine living at the bottom of the Sky Tower) clean and very spacious, the hotel is in fact the primary destination for all the casino addicts in the city. If you want to enjoy a nice view, you'd better find something else. The convenient idea is that from anywhere in the city you'll be able find and see your hotel.
	SPQR 150 Ponsonby Road, Ponsonby 1011, New Zealand. [Website] [TripAdvisor] I would not have chosen this Italian restaurant unless it was the only one open on a rainy Sunday night on Ponsonby Rd. Despite the large plate and OK service, I would not go back again, especially after seeing the bill at the end of the dinner.
	Revive 16 Fort Street, Auckland, New Zealand. [Website] [TripAdvisor] This unpretentious vegan place could be the hidden gem of the city. Cheap, fast, healthy and large portions are making happy faces around Auckland.
	The Grove Saint Patrick's Square, 43 Wyndham Street, Auckland 1010, New Zealand. [Website] [TripAdvisor] Fine dinning in Auckland. Next to a church, and at the end of a long cul de sac, the 20-table restaurant offers some of the best in the city. Excellent food and service are here to pleased the difficult crowd. Must try and book in advance when on a celebration.
	Sky Tower [Website] [TripAdvisor] You can't miss it. It's right in the middle of the city at the highest point in town. The 360-view from above is nothing short of spectacular. If you want to have a bit of thrill, you can try to walk around the tower on a tiny metal path 300m above the ground. And if this is not enough you can also fall in less than 11 seconds attached to a string!
	City Center & Harbor Auckland is a walkable city and among the many things to do, the newly renovated harbor for the RWC11 and the city center are worth a try. There is a free bus for tourists that can bring you from Britomart Train Station up to Myers Park.

Roturoa
A small country-side city that is worth visiting if you don't know what to do otherwise. This is the place to sleep and explore the neighboring interesting sites.

	Ibis Rotorua Hotel Lake End Rangiruru Street, Rotorua 3010, New Zealand. [Website] [TripAdvisor] Plastic hotel in a lake town next to the most import building of the city: the restaurant lane. Working Ibis hotel with a parking.
	Fat Dog Café 1161 Arawa St, Rotorua 3010, New Zealand. [Website] [TripAdvisor] Unmissable café with its blue and yellow facade. The portion are as huge as the painted dog outside. A safe bet would be to order for one and share with another person.
	Lime Caffeteria 1096 Whakaue Street, Rotorua 3010, New Zealand. [TripAdvisor] Tucked away from the city center, Lime is almost facing the lake a couple of blocks away. Outside tables makes the breakfast experience a delight in the city. Be sure to try all the small cakes in the window before someone else has the same idea as you and take them all. Never had a better idea to start a long day driving than with a hot chocolate at Lime. Must stop by.
	Tamaki Maori Village 1220 Hinemaru St, Rotorua, New Zealand. [Website] [TripAdvisor] Discrete by nature, the Maori culture is all in at Rotorua, and among the best three Maori villages in the neighborhood, Tamaki seems to be the place where the food was acceptable. Taken away by bus, hordes of tourist land in an authentic yet transported Maori village in which tattooed locals are explaining what their millennial traditions used to be. A traditional meal seals the end of the 3-hour evening tour. If you choose Tamaki make sure you end up with Mark the hilarious yet knowledgeable bus driver. The 45-minute drive back and forth will fly fast, guaranteed !!!
	Redwoods - Whakarewarewa Forest Long Mile Road, Rotorua 3046, New Zealand. [Website] [TripAdvisor] If you love the outdoors this area is for you! Famous for its magnificent stands of towering Californian Coastal Redwoods it is just five minutes drive from the city center. Here you can experience some of the finest walking and mountain bike trails in the world. Not to mention taking in superb panoramic views of Rotorua city, lake and surrounding district.
	Blue Lake, Green Lake & Lake Tarawera [Website] Lake Tarawera is the largest of a series of lakes which surround the volcano Mount Tarawera in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located 18 kilometers to the east of Rotorua, and five kilometers to the west of the mountain. The route to see the Lake Tarawera is crossing a Blue and a Green lake where locals enjoy their time off to cool off from the hot city. This short drive represents best of what New Zealand has to offer: mountains, lake and quiet time to enjoy the scenery around you.
	Lake Rotorua This giant lake is the primary destination for tourists hungry for water activities in the region, but there is so many lakes in New Zealand that I would rather go somewhere else, although the drive along the shore to Lake Taupo is impressive.
	Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland Wai-O-Tapu Loop Rd, Rotorua, New Zealand. [Website] [TripAdvisor] The "Sacred Waters" (in Maori) is an active geothermal area at the southern end of the Okataina Volcanic Center, just north of the Reporoa caldera. The area has many hot springs noted for their colorful appearance. Worth noting are the Champagne Pool and the Artist's Palette among the various mud pools, geysers, steaming volcanic lakes and mineral terraces available to see in the 18 sq km park.
	Waimangu Volcanic Valley 587 Waimangu Road, Rotorua 3043, New Zealand (20 mins south of Rotorua). [Website] [TripAdvisor] Self-guided walks and hikes or guided eco tours are available through the world's youngest geothermal system. Created from the massive 1886 eruption of Mount Tarawera, Waimangu today offers a choice of easy walks through volcanic craters, advanced hikes and the Lake Rotomahana boat cruise. Depending on how much time you have to wander through the site, activities range in duration from 45 minutes to over 4 hours. An hourly bus will bring you back to initial parking lot.

Taupo
Taupo is the quieter sister to Rotorua, with more family-oriented activities. If you want to get away from tourists, Taupo would be a better spot for you than Rotorua, although this place is quite a hot spot during the high season.

	Replete Food Company 45 HeuHeu St, Taupo 2730, New Zealand. [Website] [TripAdvisor] Replete Food Company is regarded as a local institution. Established in 1993, it was designed originally to sell a wide range of deli products, anything from homemade Stilton pate to bacon and egg pies, but the shop moved quickly to the next door shop, and opened a restaurant. The main objective, as its name suggests, is to have the cabinet completely stocked with tasty but simple food, and for their customers to feel replete. Guess it's working pretty well indeed.
	Huka Falls [Website] [TripAdvisor] The falls are more like a massive swarm of rapids, a sort of horizontal Niagara Falls, ready to be mastered by crazy water jetboats . The falls area is viewable from an easily accessible bridge nearby. At Huka Falls ("foam" in Maori), the Waikato River which is normally 100m wide, is squeezed through a 20 meter-wide gorge and over a 20-meter drop. Every second, up to 220,000 liters of water gush through the gorge and shoots out over 8 meters beyond to create a beautiful blue-green pool.
	Lake Taupo [Website] With a surface area of 616 sq km, Lake Taupo is the largest lake by surface area in New Zealand, and the second largest freshwater lake by surface area in Oceania after Lake Murray. Lake Taupo has a perimeter of approximately 193km and a deepest point of 186m. Tourism is a major component of Taupo's commercial sector, and the city attracts over 1.2 million visitors per year, specially around busy Christmas and New Year. The lake is in fact closer to an internal ocean than a true lake, and is a must-do for sunset.
	Tongariro National Park [Website] [TripAdvisor] Established in 1887, Tongariro was the first national park in New Zealand and the fourth in the world. It is also a dual World Heritage area, a status which recognizes the park's important Maori cultural and spiritual associations as well as its outstanding volcanic features.
	Tongariro Northern Circuit [Website] [TripAdvisor] [Wikipedia] Hiking (or tramping) is the main activity in the park. It is home to one of the most famous day hikes in the world -"The Tongariro Crossing". The park has numerous huts for those who wish stay overnight in the park doing extended hikes. There are various multi-day hikes available with tracks crisscrossing the park. The famous Great Walk, the Tongariro Northern Circuit, is very popular and takes four days to complete a circuit around Mt. Ngauruhoe.

Really? How So?

Napier
With over 122,000 people, Napier-Hastings is the fifth-largest metropolitan area in New Zealand. On February 3, 1931, the center of Napier was destroyed by the earthquake, and later rebuilt in the Art Deco style popular at that time. Today the city still has a fair amount of Art Deco inspired buildings and is a well situated city to explore the nearby wineries.

	Best Western Fairley Motor Lodge Corner Tareha Street & Meeanee Quay, Napier, New Zealand. [Website] [TripAdvisor] Just outside the tiny city of Napier, the motor lodge is a car park hotel next to the sea. Quiet and clean, this hotel is designed for travelers who want to sleep well between long drives. No stay over for a long period of time despite the kitchenette.
	Restaurant Indonesia Napier 409 Marine Pde, Napier 4001, New Zealand. [Website] [TripAdvisor] It is quite unusual to find an Indonesian restaurant outside SE Asia, and this one has some flavors that could be close to what an Indonesian restaurant would offer outside the motherland. The food is average and price OK, but does not deserve its enthusiastic reviews on TA. I never like it anyway when an owner asks me to write a good review on TA to keep their top spot.
	Café Ujazi 28 Tennyson St, Napier 4001, New Zealand. [TripAdvisor] Greasy, expensive and too-big portions. Only the Maori bread was an interesting experience in this over-raved place.
	Mission Estate 198 Church Road, Greenmeadows, Napier, New Zealand. [Website] [TripAdvisor] Housed in an elegantly restored historic seminary building with sweeping views of Napier, Mission Estate offers visitors a complete wine experience with tasting, visits and restaurant. The backyard is certainly the best place in the city to enjoy a nice lunch and glass of wine under the shade of a vineyard. Special mention to their Cabernet Franc 2008.
	Craggy Range 253 Waimarama Road, PO Box 8749, New Zealand. [Website] [TripAdvisor] Certain places are blessed by their location. Craggy Ranges one of them. At the foot of the Te Mata Peak, Craggy is protected by a giant. The wine that comes out of this spot is unique and rich at the same time. Their restaurant "Terroir" (means "soil" in French) is a immense round living room with a sizable chimney in its middle. The poured French influence (music included) has been well distilled by local owner to provide what New Zealand can give best to the world's wine community. Special mention to their "Le Sol" 2007.
	Te Awa 2375 Rte 50, Hastings 4201, New Zealand. [Website] [TripAdvisor] Te Awa is in the west of Hastings, and is considered to be one of the best restaurants in the region. Wines are OK, but not as rich as what the region [Wine Hawke's Bay] can propose.
	Elephant Hill 86 Clifton Road, Te Awanga, New Zealand. [Website] [TripAdvisor] This is exactly what I don't like in a winery: concept estate (a life-size elephant sculpture in a winery), over designed with white couches and floating curtains, mixed wine to tailor to a vast range of customers. Unless you like tainted wine and bling-bling, you should focus on something else instead.
	Te Mata Peak [TripAdvisor] At the end of a long, curly road stands a giant peak overlooking the valley. Te Mata viewpoint is a must do when you want to have a look at the lovely surroundings.

Hastings
The other city of the "the Twin Cities", Hastings has much less to offer than Napier, and should be skipped if necessary, except maybe for ...

Opera Kitchen
312 Eastbourne St, Hastings.
[Website]
Opera Kitchen is the award-winning place to eat here, with Hawke's Bay's finest produce sourced from roadside stalls to the local farmers market.

Palmerston North
If you need a place to eat, stop or sleep, you might want to consider the tiny Palmerston; otherwise you should go somewhere else more north or south for other options.

Halikarnas Café
99 Dixon St, New Zealand.
[TripAdvisor]
Random Turkish restaurant in a random city. Portions are large and bread freshly made. What else to ask when on a pit stop between two main cities.

Te Apiti Wind Farm
[Website]
Te Apiti is a wind farm located on 11.5 km² of land north of the Manawatu Gorge near Palmerston North. It was New Zealand's largest capacity wind farm until September 2007, when the third stage of the nearby Tararua Wind Farm was completed. The $100 million wind farm consists of 55 separate turbines. Each turbine is atop a 70m high tower. It is fitted with 3 blades each 35m in length.

Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and second most populous urban area of New Zealand, after Auckland. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range. It is home to close to 400,000 residents. Squeezed between nearby mountains and a natural bay, Wellington is called the windy city.

	Ibis Wellington Hotel 153 Featherston Street, Wellington 6001, New Zealand. [Website] [TripAdvisor] Very centrally located, the hotel is very convenient, clean and quiet. Room are small, but the bill is not.
	White House 232 Oriental Parade, Wellington 6001, New Zealand. [Website] [TripAdvisor] No mistake for this dinning experience. All was close to perfect. View, service and food were all excellent. Very nice Christmas dinner indeed.
	Logan-Brown 192 Cuba St, Wellington 6001, New Zealand. [Website] [TripAdvisor] Logan Brown restaurant is a 1920s revamped bank chamber with high ceilings, private dining room and a separated dining booth. In 1996 Al Brown and Steve Logan had a vision. They wanted to take the standards of fine dining in New Zealand to a new level. Today, their success is well deserved and must be tried out to compare with other great restaurants in the region.
	Ambeli 18 Majoribanks Street Mount Victoria 6011, New Zealand. [Website] [TripAdvisor] A detached house transformed into a restaurant, Ambeli has everything to be the best place in town. Nice food, sassy (and sometime long) service, great wine list. If I had to recommend only one restaurant in the North Island in New Zealand that would be Ambeli.
	Mt Victoria Lookout [Website] [TripAdvisor] Atop the nearest mountain in Wellington, the lookout is stunning across two bays. This is a must-do if the weather permits.
	Cable Car Lambton Quay, Wellington, New Zealand. [Website] [TripAdvisor] The Wellington Cable Car is one of the oldest and most popular tourist attractions of the city. The cars run from Lambton Quay in the heart of the central business district, and within 5 minutes whisk you from under the corporate towers of The Terrace past Kelburn Park and Victoria University to the top entrance of the Wellington Botanic Gardens with its magnificent lookout over the city and harbor - Te Whanganui-a-Tara (The Great Harbour of Tara). A great place to watch the sunrise.
	Te Papa Maori Musuem 55 Cable Street, Wellington 6011, New Zealand. [Website] [TripAdvisor] Certainly the biggest and most enjoyable Maori museum in New Zealand, this 5-level museum describes mostly what was their life before settlers arrived, as well as what is New Zealand today. You can spend an entire afternoon in this modern and large museum targeted to adults and kids of all age.
	St Johns Heineken Hotel 5 Cable Street, Te Aro 6011, New Zealand. [Website] [TripAdvisor] This is the place to have a drink after a long museum visit next door. Usually people are lying on the grass in the front when the sun is out.

In conclusion, the North Island of New Zealand is a mix of urban place with some National Parks in between. Large concentrated population gives one a chance to have the best food at reasonable prices in the country. The North is not at vast as the South but is more accessible money-wise and distance-wise. Should not be ruled out if you want to have a complete New Zealand experience. The South island provides the New Zealand scenery.

Taipei for Real

2011-09-27T00:00:00.005-04:00

On my way to C&J's wedding in Taipei, I managed to squeeze few extra days to visit the place. Taipei is the capital of the Republic of China, commonly known as Taiwan. With close to 7 million inhabitants Taipei is the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan and its 23 million people. Founded in the early 18th century, Taipei was a place of constant battle against invaders (Japanese & Chinese), and has therefore developed over the years a sense of pride of being independent.

National Palace Museum

Walking along the streets of Taipei reflects this long lasting battle of independence. Notable above all historical monuments is the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. The controversial military leader outside the island is considered on island as a true hero who liberated the country from both oppressive Chinese and Japanese invaders. Until recently, it was a widespread practice for Taiwanese people to hang portraits of Chiang in their homes.

Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall

For some, Chiang was the national hero who led China to the ultimate victory against Japan in 1945. Some see him as a champion of anti-Communism, and the leader who led Free China against a possible Communist invasion. However, Chiang presided over purges, political authoritarianism, and ruled throughout a period of imposed martial law. His governments were routinely accused of being corrupt.

Longshan Temple

In Western countries, Chiang was often perceived negatively as the military leader who lost China to the Communists. His steady demands for support and funding earned him the nickname of "General Cash-My-Check". The truth certainly lies in between.

Taipei 101 at night

Nowadays modern Taipei (the Financial district and the famous Taipei 101 Tower) and traditional Taipei (National Palace Museum, Longshan Temple and Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall) cohabit together in a charming and peaceful manner for the betterment of Taiwan.

Taipei Addresses

2011-09-26T23:00:00.004-04:00

[[Hotel]]
Majority of the nice hotels are around the central Da'an district. This is the financial and entertainment district (bars, restaurants, parks, ...). Among them

Taipei Fullerton Hotel
[TripAdvisor] [Website] - 41 Fu-Xing S. Rd Sec. 2
The hotel is well situated, next to a MRT station and close to all major destinations. Service is nice, room smalls and breakfast is mixed (Continental/Asian).

Other suggested options in the area are:

Fullon Hotel [Website]
Park Hotel [Website]
Fu Hau Hotel [Website]

Street Food Along Daan Area

[[Restaurants]]
Taipei food is a mixed of "cheap-street" food and "luxury-restaurant".

Din Tai Fung
Xinyi Restaurant
No. 194, Sec. 2, Xinyi Rd., Da-an District,
Taipei City (entrance of Yunkang St.)
[www.dintaifung.com.tw]

If there were only one to go to, that would be the one. The chain is quite large and consistent across Asia, but the original place is a must go to place. Ordering is done outside while waiting "in line". As soon as seated, drinks, dumplings and other Asian delights start arriving and no particular order. Best Dumplings ever had !!!
Shin Yeh
2F, No 112, ZhongXiao East Rd, Section 4.
[TripAdvisor] [www.shinyeh.com.tw]
This authentic institution is a fantastic opportunity to discover the great and diverse food Taiwanese, on a not too expensive bill. Bring your extra stomach.
Sukhothai
2nd floor of the Sheraton Hotel.
No.12, Zhongxiao East Rd. Sec.1
[Website]
Tired of Asian food? What about Thai instead. This black and old restaurant serve huge and exquisite Thai plates. Portion are too big, so is the bill.
Shilin Night Market
This is the place to go when hungry when the moon is up in the sky. No matter what you think you will find something for your stomach, wardrobe, or apartment. Shop, shop and shop.
[Website]

Original Din Tai Fung Restaurant,
on Xinyi Rd

[[To Do]]
Taipei is the Capital of the large Taiwan island. With over 7 million inhabitant in the city, the large parks and avenues help to feel more in a village than a megalopolis. The Mass Rapid Transport (subway) is the best public transport to go from one place to another. If you don't know try a taxi with a Chinese interpreter to help you out.

Take a bus from the airport (www.airbus.com.tw/). It's cheaper and faster, and drop you at the major intersection.

The Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall
Strange to see this gigantic memorial to one of the most controversial (outside the island) leader of modern history. Considered by some Taiwanese as a national hero, Chiang Kai-shek has still a long way to enter human pantheon for being the last freedom fighter in China.
Taipei 101
[Website]
Officially known as the Taipei International Financial Center, this 101-floor, 508-meter high skyscraper is in the Xinyi District of Taipei and is the second tallest skyscraper in the world, and tallest building in Taipei. There is no chance that you can't miss it, since it's usually used as a compass for tourists alike in the city. Go visit at night the last floor to see the damper. Food court is amazing.
National Palace Museum
[Website]
The museum is in Shilin. The nearest MRT station is Shilin, with frequent buses from Shilin heading for the Palace Museum. But it's better to use a taxi to go there. It's a must-see for first time visitors. This is a crowed place and guided tour are done on fast pace.
The world's best collection of Chinese historical artifacts and antiquities. It is the national museum of the Republic of China, and has a permanent collection of over 677,687 pieces of ancient Chinese artifacts and artworks, making it one of the largest in the world. The collection encompasses over 8,000 years of Chinese history from the Neolithic age to the late Qing Dynasty. Most of the collection are high quality pieces collected by China's ancient emperors.
Longshan Temple
[Website]
This temple is where countless generations of Taipei citizens have come to pray and seek guidance at times of trouble. As the temple is dedicated to Guanyin is officially defined as Buddhist, but there is a great amount of folk religion mixed into the fabric of the beliefs at this temple.

Street Food Along Daan Area

Un-annoying Hanoi

2011-05-24T23:37:00.023-04:00

Anything could be said about Vietnam in general and Hanoi in particular, but certainly not “annoying”.

Vietnamese Flag

Since my last trip in the region, four years back, many things happened. The country with 90 million people became the 13th most populous country in the world, kept growing economically despite a severe global crisis and reached the quarter final in the Asian Soccer Cup Finals in 2007.

Traffic Junction

Even the traffic intensity has changed, and not for the better. Most bicycles have been replaced by convenient scooters (Vespa being the leader), which can be treated as a family bus (2 adults + 3 kids), movable grocery store, or even as a sleeping device depending on the time of the day. Impacts are quite huge, [1] the air pollution has becoming quite thick to even breathe properly (although comparable to major Asian megalopolis), [2] speed of the city increased, and [3] traffic crossing became even more difficult and dangerous.

Old Quarter in Hanoi

Life is on literally on the sidewalks of the traffic, transforming houses for sleeping activities and storage capacities only. Depleted colonial government buildings, old churches & temples, and low rising “tunnel” houses (to avoid paying taxes based on the length of the house front) make the Old Quarter a popular place for locals to shop for tomb stones, exotic flowers, or mechanical parts; but also tourists for their old propaganda posters, lacquer paintings and multicolor handicraft gifts. Walking in the Old Quarter is a pleasure that only a few people refuse, and the number of street restaurants, stool-bars and shops on the sidewalk make the exploration of the city a paradise for photographer of all talent.

Kid on a Scooter

50% of the population in Vietnam is under 25 years old. Everybody in the street has a kid at hand, in hand or to give a hand. It is not rare to see two kids on a scooter watching the street going by, doing their homework while moving or smiling at the “gringo” who is taking a picture of them. Kids are playing all the time everywhere, in and outside the school, at main places, around lakes, in their pajamas, shorts or uniforms. Hanoi is like a crazy busy summer camp for kids on steroids.

Street Food

Sidewalks are the arteries of the city life. Everything is happening on the sidewalk: shopping, drinking, and eating. Food in Vietnam starts with a noodle soup at any time of the day, then grill, fried rice, fried noodle, spring rolls (raw or fried) make the best bet for dining. Street food although cheap could be a pleasant surprise, but in the last years Hanoi has upped its game in the high end restaurants. With a French Quarter turning into a business district, restaurants have now ventured outside the five star hotels. You will need more than a long weekend to try out all the best options available to you in Hanoi.

Traffic Video, in Hanoi

It didn’t take long for the Vietnamese to understand how capitalism works. In a short time frame many activities have flourished around the city. Porsche, Bentley and Hummers are now roaming around the city of Hanoi. The French Quarter hosts many international hotel and famous Luxury Brands. Large multinational consumer electronics companies have established warehouses around the international airport (Canon, Panasonic or Toshiba) benefiting from a cheap labor force and high government subsidies. Trickle-down effect is working in a place like Vietnam where everything has to be built, even though only a few will really benefit from it. But it seems for the most part that Vietnam is smiling and the Asian miracle is still alive.

Hanoi is one of these cities that never sleep ... maybe because it’s too noisy and too chaotic.

Hanoi Addresses

2011-05-23T23:27:00.007-04:00

Hotels

Hanoi Elegance Diamond
32 Lo Su Street [website] [TripAdvisor]
Prime location in the Old Quarter, 2 minute walk from Hoan Kiem Lake, boutique in size & style with streamlined service & luxury rooms, elegant decor with modern technology. A plaisant surprise in chaotic Hanoi.
Hanoi Backpackers' Hostel
48 Ngo Huyen, Hanoi [website]
If you are under 30 and you are looking for a backpacker feel in the Old Quarter, this is the place for you. The original place downtown extended to this 5 story high building with the same feeling of backpacker. Note this is the first time I saw a double bed in dorms ($9/night)

View from Hanoi Elegance Roof Top Bar

Restaurants

Quan An Ngon
18 Phan Boi Chau [map] [TripAdvisor]
The Giant Food Court upgraded to a bigger and faster food court. Service is still great, fast and direct. Food is Vietnamese, moderate portion and no so cheap anymore. Don't forget to try the Vietnamese pancake, Pho Bo (beef soup), spring-rolls, any BBQ. Closing at 9:30PM sharp, be there on time otherwise you will only eat noddle and left over shrimps. If it was one, that would the one.
Green Tangerine
48 Hang Be [website] [TripAdvisor]
Imagine a quiet and tuck away nice fusion restaurant where French and Vietnam fuel each other in exquisite delicacies. This delightful restaurant is not for everyone, and must serve well the more delicate pallets.

Pho Bo (Beef Soup)

Green Mango
18 Hang Quad Street [website] [TripAdvisor]
One Vietnamese dish, but what a dish on the menu of the green Mango. The Vermicelli Soup is a delight and seems lost in this western menu. But hesitate to have it and you will be happy for the day.
Koto
59 Van Mieu [website] [TripAdvisor]
KOTO (which stands for Know One, Teach One) is an Australian non profit association that helps street kids to find a job in Vietnam in the restaurant business. What a treat to eat well and do a positive thing that change lives. After your visit at the Temple of Literature stop over for a quick bite or long one if you prefer, that will be for a good move. More over it's good Vietnamese food.

Baguette in the street

nineteen11
01 Trang tien Street, next to the Opera House [website] [TripAdvisor]
Bring your best outfit, best date and best wallet for this luxury dinning experience in Hanoi. The Food is superb, the ambiance fantastic and the service impeccable. No wander why it's in Miele guide ...

Le Pub offers a pitcher of Martini for US$ 3

Shopping

Shopping is difficult in Hanoi because you have basically everything you can get at a moderately cheap price. Quality will be average and counterfeit high. When you add that usually you need to check any change given back to you for fake or used money ... transactions could be plain painful. Now if you like shopping don't hesitate to look around for the best deal in town, it keeps moving.

Kien Boutique
1B To Tich, Old Quarter
Famous for hand made embroidery and tailoring. Great silk scarfs and design top. Average price.
Vietnam Quilts
13 Hang Bac, Hoan Kiem District [website]
This non profit organization helps women selling their craft work for a living. Specialized in hand made quilts, baby products and accessories.

Courtyard of the Green Tangerine Restaurant

Galleries

There are plenty galleries around the city, a few are famous (Apricot Gallery, Maison des Arts, Green Palm, or Viet Fine Art) and therefore expensive. Many are cheap and not great of quality. Among the many I visited, here are the most interesting for a reason or another.

Song Thu Art Gallery (13 Nha Chung)
Hanoi's Smile (12 Nha Tho, 8 Nha Chung)
Ha Noi Gallery (16 Hang Bac)
Goldenart Decor (46 Hangbe)
Hoamai Gallery (??)

Bali Addresses

2011-04-26T00:26:00.014-04:00

Away from the now overdeveloped Seminyak, Bali has other places that propose enough bargain for your bucks. Petitenget, Umalas, and northern Canggu offer the best of the Island of the Gods: shopping, restaurants, and nice hotels next to the beach. To build on the previous blog entries (Part1, Part2 and Part3) here are some more addresses to keep an eye on when next in Bali.

	Puri Madawi [www.madawi.com]Located [map] at the end of a dirt road in Petitenget, Madawi is a group of 10 or so bungalow/suite rooms with a shared garden and small pool to relax. Bungalows have a Balinese outdoor bathrooms, and Suites are on two levels with a net above the queen-size bed.
	Rascals Kuta Square, and Kuta Bali; Tel. +62(0)361 754 253. Rascals has some very interesting batik sets with matching sarong on the very high end of the price scale. Expensive but nice.
	Lucy's Batik [www.lucysbatik.com] Jl. Raya Basangkasa No.88, Seminyak; Tel. +62(0)361 7951275 / 736098. Authentic batik at a reasonable price for all handmade clothing lovers. A must stopover in your shopping delight in Bali.
	Along Jl. Raya Kerobokan, one can find furniture warehouses where teak is the new tic. Among them Ikat Art Galeri is one of the most impressive in size, less so in quality.
	Youri’s Art Shop Jl. Lesmana 105, Oberoi Kuta, Bali; Tel. +62(0)361 731122. This shop in the middle of a restaurant strip is one of the most authentic yet affordable antique shop in the area. Usually filled with old masks, crafts and statues in disarray, the warehouse has also some nice pieces of old furniture from all over Indonesia. Don't hesitate to pop your head in the back of the shop to see their impressive collection of ancient doors and baby beds.
	Ganesha Bookshop [www.ganeshabooksbali.com] Jl. Petitenget 888, Kerobokan (@Biku Restaurant). The bookstore was established in 1986 as a small family business by Ketut Yuliarsa and his wife Anita Scheeres. Ketut Yuliarsa is a well known writer and actor/musician in Bali and together with Anita had the desire to see a bookshop in Bali that would cater to the needs of all the avid readers, collectors and researchers who passed through Ubud, Bali.
	BIN house [www.binhouse.com] - Warung Made II, Jl. Raya Seminyak, Kuta, Bali 80361 - International Departure Lounge - Discovery Shopping Mall, #MG30, Jalan Kartika Plaza, Kuta, Bali 80361 - other places around the world as well. Bin House cloths are one of a kind creation. A piece of Bin House cloth may take many months, sometimes even a year to finish. Individual pieces of fine silk, adorned with intricate motifs, and displaying a harmony of colors, have been the heart of the the Bin House line. In the last 20 years, traditional techniques of cloth making have been revived and combined with modern approach to produce such beautiful cloth. Hand-woven, hand-dyed, and hand finished, these individual pieces are a result of great dedication and care. One of the best batik shop I ever seen.
	Biku [www.bikubali.com] Jl. Raya Petitenget no.888, Seminyak, Bali 80571. Restaurant, bookstore, tea house, tarot booth ... everything one can think is there in Biku to satisfy the never ending stream of visitors. Food is fantastic and there is room for many visits to finish the never-ending menu. A place to visit many times in your visit in the Island of the Gods.
	Chandi [www.chandibali.com]. Chandi is a haute cuisine Indonesian restaurant in the heart of Seminyak. You will need many days and visit to grasp the full length of their menu. The New York City’s most awarded and talked about chef (Nobu, Spice Market, Perry Street and Budhakan) came to Bali to create a Gastronomic Twist on Indonesian Cuisine using Organic Spices and Greens, mostly sourced through Big Tree Farms of Ubud. A must stop over on your food exploration in Bali.
	Other place that need some attention could be the Warung Sulawesi [Jl. Petitenget 200Y, Bali] where the back garden is suppose to offer the best traditional Indonesian cuisine in the neighborhood, but also Cafe Bali [Jl. Petitenget 45] and Trattoria Pizza [website] were always seemingly full with tourists and local expats. Gourmet Cafe [website] or The Tuck Shop/The Corner Shop [Jl. Kayu Aya Petitenget] looked nice and can offer light breakfasts/lunches for hesitant visitors and expats in the search of western food.
	The Living Room [website], La Lucciola, or Hu'u [Jl. Oberoi, Petitenget] have found a magic formula: the restaurant-bar-club. Depending on the time of your visit, you can enjoy a cocktail before a meal, a swim or a dance ... open late until the wee hours.
	Potato Head Beach Club Bali [website] is a competitor to the famous Ku De Ta with a small twist into it. This place is a family place with alcohol, loud music, green space and a swimming pool overlooking the beach. If KuDeTa was for the young, single and beautiful, then Potato Head is for the almost young, already parent and still beautiful.
	Now for those who do not want loud music and expensive bill but still want to enjoy the beautiful sunset, a better place would be to walk along Jl. Batubelig, and hop in any local warung/bar to watch the sun setting above the sea. It's a 5 minutes walk North by the beach of the large hotels in Petitenget (The W, Oberoi, The Legian ...). It will be the same sun at a fraction of the price.

For those who want to find out what's going on in Bali, a quick look at BeatMag [www.beatmag.com] will save them some precious hours of online research.

Relaxed Langkawi

2011-03-28T04:30:00.002-04:00

For a quick beach weekend gateway from Singapore, there is quite a few places you can go to: Bali, Phuket, or Bintang. But all of them present a major inconvenient: they all packed with tourists and all the annoyance that come with massive sightseeing. On the other hand Malaysia has been quiet for a very long time with its beauty and its richness on the international scene, but very loud with its regional clientele. This actually, might pay off in the long run.

Langkawi is an archipelago of 99 islands (104 at low tide), on the north east side of main Malaysia, next to the Thai Border. If Krabi, Phuket and others Koh Phi Phi are not to be presented anymore to the international scene, Langkawi has yet to be. Just few kilometers south of the major Thai gateway, the group of islands has an international airport with direct access to fantastic 5 stars resorts and cheap rental with view on the beach. Jungle and rice pady on the back door and warm sea on the front, the 2 km long of Pantai Cenang street is a delight for the tourist on search for relaxing time.

Cheap food, drinks and accommodations since Langkawi is duty free, the islands are a paradise for budget conscious traveler who do not want to compromise with quality or activities in their vacations. It is then normal to see some backpackers who wanted to expand their island hoping experience up to the south side of the marvelous Thai jewelries.

Of course, one can always complain about the slowness of the islanders and the lack of services that one can find in the area, but in reality, Langkawi is a descent compromise for those in search of relaxing relaxed time on the low side of the wallet with some sun and good food. And what is Langkawi could be the next hot spot to discover on the Asian side of the planet?

Langkawi Addresses

2011-03-26T03:52:00.009-04:00

Langkawi is an archipelago of 104 islands at low tide and 99 island high tide in the Andaman Sea, some 30 km off the mainland coast of northwestern Malaysia, and on the border with Thailand.

The best way to reach the main island is by plane from Penang, KL or Singapore. Some ferries from Thailand and mainland Malaysia also could be a nice and slow entry or exit point from the island.

Hotel

Basically you have 3 mains options to go to.
[a] Or you prefer a reclusive all inclusive resort and the further away the better it will be for you. The only thing you will do then will be moving from the swimming pool to the restaurant and finally to the room.
[b] The capital Kuah and its duty free mall and ferry
[c] 2 km long beach along Pantai/Cenang

False Ads !?!

Tengah/Cenang beaches offer a certain vibe where you could almost decide where you would want to eat and do for leisure.

Villa Molek (Pantai Tengah)
[website] [TripAdvisor]
12 bricks Villas with bedroom/living room/kitchen to spare your luggage. Nice, quiet, clean, and elegant with some Ikea touch sometimes. Breakfasts are copious with mix of western and Malay (Nasi Lemak & Roti Prata). This location is on the high side but is clean and well located for couple only (no kid allowed).
Casa Del Mar (Pantai Cenang)
[website] [TripAdvisor]
This all inclusive is probably the best located 4/5 stars of all hotels. Right on the beach yet quiet, the clientele seems to be over 65. Recommended only if this is the last resorts available.
Bon Ton Resort (Pantai Cenang)
[website] [TripAdvisor]
Reclusive, Exclusive, Elegant. Voted among the best hotel in Malaysia. If money is not an issue, highly recommended even if it's close to the airport (the 10 or so daily flights will not spoil your stay) and not on the best beach spots.
Beach Garden Resort (Pantai Cenang)
[website] [TripAdvisor]
Swiss chef, German Beer, International clientele. If you want to play it safe and still have the villa on the beach, close to nature experience, this place is for you. (next door to the Casa Del Mar) .
Sunset Beach Resort (Pantai Tengah)
[website] [TripAdvisor]
Off the beaten track, this small place and its 20 or so small cabanas next to the ocean offer an quiet retreat away from the "noise" of Cenang. The beach is nice but has a wild side to it. If you have kids and do not want to spend the entire days worried about the current and the waves better go somewhere else.
Malibest Resort (Pantai Cenang)
[Agoda] [TripAdvisor]
The resort itself is a low profile bungalows next to each others, except that they have 5 tree houses and 2 wooden villas sitting in front of the sea. If your deal is see the ocean sunset from your tree, this is the only place you should at. Make sure you ask for Semarak villa, Meranti, Cengal, Jati (Menpar is a tree-house but behind Meranti and does not have an ocean view).

Restaurants

The 2 km long beach along Tengah/Cenang are your best best for good food on the island.

View from Beach Garden Resort

Kantan (Pantai Tengah)
Next to the Sun Spa on Pantai Tengah
This Malay traditional house serve Malay traditional food. All you can imagine is there. Although we find out that they rae still looking for a chef, waiter and bartender (which is never a good sign for a restaurant). Good Malay but not extraordinary
Unkaizan (Pantai Tengah)
Next to the Ishan Malaysian Spa on Pantai Tengah
[website] [TripAdvisor]
This Japanese restaurant has been rate among the best restaurants in Malaysia since 2005. The food is fresh and the sushi excellent. A true Japanese experience in a Malay island. If the awkwardness does not bother you, don't hesitate to seat on the top floor overlooking the sunset with a platter of fresh sushi or sashimi.
Beach Garden Resort (Pantai Cenang)
[website] [TripAdvisor]
Swiss chef, German Beer, International clientele. Food is consistently good and large in portion with a western side of it. Comfort food is so comfortable that with a beer at 4.5 RM (happy hour) and your feet in the sand, this is the best place to over com your sunburn.
Red Tomato Garden Cafe (Pantai Cenang)
[website] [TripAdvisor]
This place is also very popular among the tourist in Langkawi. Watch out with a copycat name Tomato is this one is not that great !!!
La Chocolatine (Pantai Tengah)
next to Chill Out Bistro
[TripAdvisor]
Orange shop with some Paris posters on the walls, this place try to recreate an atmosphere that some Parisian would not find unfamiliar. Now when it come to food, all patisseries you can have are true to the letter of what could be found back in France at a corner store of every village. Special mention to the Eclair (both Coffee and Chocolate) and the Mille Feuilles. Everything is good. If there is one place to go to in Langkawi that would be the one.

To Do

This island is a paradise for those who wants to relax essentially.

Wooden Bungalow at Malibest Resort

Shopping is almost mandatory when you know that there is not sales tax on the island. So everything you want is there at a very low price. Alcohol, clothes, or handicrafts everything is a stiff discount. Many Duty Free mall (no tax) are along the main road, and the capital Kueh is just a long road of discount mall after another. Gaya Minami [website] is probably the most interesting of all handicrafts shops.
Cable Car: The view is fantastic on top of the highest point of the island ... is its not raining of course.
Any Water Sports under the sun: Scuba diving, wake boarding, jet-ski, ....
Tanning of course !!!
Flying Of : Firefly [www.fireflyz.com.my] is a new regional airline company that propose interesting inter-cities flight at a discounted fares.

Coasting South Africa

2011-02-28T06:49:00.004-05:00

Few countries in the world transpire palpable history as much as South Africa does these days. Everywhere one turns his or her eyes to, one can see evidence that this country has been through a major paradigm shift in it own narrative.

Cape Good Hope

South Africa has been known for years as the country at the bottom of Africa that has two oceans melting at the famous Cape of Good Hope; but it has also been flagged as a country that has produce light wines, a strong rugby, and a distasteful apartheid. Then a strong and dedicated man, stood up free after having spent 27 years in jail to become a symbol of modern human history.

Vineyards in Franschhoek

Recognized as living hero in our world history, Mandela is in reality in South Africa acknowledged as an icon placed above all, a guiding star in the dark day of the past and a moral trustee in the hopeful days of the future. Men of reconstruction are usually not the men of (re)action, but in this particular case he was, and because he is still alive the icon Mandela has impacted more his country that one could have hoped for, by managing his own legacy.

Little Karoo Road

Today the country is firmly standing on the ground of free speech and reconciliation, economic growth and judiciary equality, and on past achievements proudness and future mistakes fear. Even though few people are mixing cultures to embrace a new newness, people are respectful of the other side, not in fear of the unknown but much more on a tacit acknowledgment that it will be better for the nation to change the course of action and become a rainbow nation (all colors are put side by side but not mixed together) as oppose as a melting pot nation. The next generation will take care of the rest later on, as long as no one will avenge himself or herself on the wrong basis of inequality.

Franschhoek Panorama View

Because South Africa has everything it needs to growth, the country can become a light in Africa, the same way Mandela was and still is a light in South Africa. It seems that Mandela's sense of honor and courage has transpire over an entire nation, and the entire nation sensitive to his sacrifice has decide to stand up and become free of the past fear and hopeful of the future.

Every conversation or discussion I had the chance to have made me feel that I was in between two oceans of overwhelming sensations: a dark past still marching on the footstep of the country shadow and the bright hope of an exhilarated future ahead. This ambivalence made me feel right at the center of mankind history in which you could fail over one side or the other, feeling alive and reflected at the same time, part of the present and the past, but also part of the present and the future.

Cape Town Panorama View

Still there is a long march ahead for South Africa to overcome the major disparities that exist in the country (economic, racial, ideological …) but the future seems brighter at the end of the trip than at the beginning of it. My wish would be that Mandela vision will survive his already considerable achievements, and let the next generations to continue walking on his legacy.

South Africa Addresses

2011-02-27T03:29:00.032-05:00

Here is the list of addresses from the southern part of my South African trip.

So True !

Port Elizabeth
This city is not a great spot to stop over if you want some entertainment. The city is in fact a large regional airport with a ferry dock attached to a pier.

	Carslogie B&B [http://www.carslogie.co.za/] 15 min away from the airport, this well rated B&B deserved a particular note. Rooms are comfortable and clean, while the breakfast generous and fresh. A nice place to start a trip.
	Ginger [http://www.ginger-restaurant.co.za/] The restaurant is well located, next to the Boardwalk entrance facing the ocean nearby. Plates are as large as the service, and the place should be recommended only if you do not feel picking in others “local” restaurant nearby.
	The Boardwalk Put together many shops, restaurants and entertainment on the way to the casino entrance and you have an open mall concept that only a post 70’s, seaside, depleted touristy village can dream of.

Trip Journey

Knysna
This city is the right spot to explore the Garden Route, tucked inside an unusual bay, the area is a natural habitat to grow oysters. Thanks to the recent World Cup, large sum of money was invested to upgrade, renovate and create entire districts, shopping strips and activities. This tourist paradise will certainly grow bigger despite its distance from larger cities.

	Protea Hotel [http://www.proteahotels.com/protea-hotel-knysna-quays.html] [TripAdvisor] The Protea Hotel is nicely located at the tip of the pier, next to the restaurants & shopping area with a back door entrance. Pool is small, and so are the rooms. Nice and clean makes this place a must-do stopover for large tour group and family-oriented vacation time. If you prefer having a nice view and quiet time, investigate rather a B&B on the hills of Knysna, a property facing the ocean or the Thesen Island instead.
	34 South [http://www.34-south.com/] Between a warehouse and a local market, this concept chain restaurant has managed to attract the lonely tourist on his way to dinner. Portions are huge and bill moderate. This is not fine cuisine but who cares when hungry. Fresh oysters are by number on a plate of ice and could be eaten with Tabasco or lemon.
	L’ile De Pain [http://www.iledepain.co.za/] The first time I encountered L’ile de Pain was at 6 AM on my jet-lagged morning picture hunt. The smell was filling the entire island and it was really easy to spot the source of my stomach butterflies. Anything you can think of is spot on, and comparable (if not better) to most French boulangeries in France. A must try!
	The Drydock Food Company [http://www.drydock.co.za/] This restaurant was recommended to us [TripAdvisor] for oysters and seafood in general (closed for lunch).

Addis in Cape Set Menu

Oudtshoorn
This "ostrich capital" of South Africa was once a beautiful place to live for the feather farming millionaires before the high plumed ladies hats went out of fashion (thanks to the invention of cars - the hats would blow away). In the middle of the Little Karoo, the city is the central point to explore the area. Hot and dry most of the year, the city has some to offer those who want to explore. Farm visiting, cave exploring, lodge watching, restaurant eating and B&B sleeping are all the main activities that tourists are faced to do in the once upon a time capital of the expensive feather.

	88 Baron van Reede [http://www.88bvr.com/] Probably the most welcoming B&B I had on the trip. Zoe & Huw Thomas' knowledge of the region is as good as their enthusiasm to share it with anyone. Rooms are spacious, clean and quiet. This is the place I would recommend to stay in the region.
	Kalinka [http://www.kalinka.co.za/] Make sure you have a place outside in the veranda or on the terrace to watch the stars when dining at Kalinka. The best restaurant in town is usually packed with tourists and locals who have time to go over a large menu of delights. Food is great and service impeccable. A must try in the capital of ostrich.
	Jemima’s [http://www.jemimas.com/] It used to be the place where people had to travel from far away to taste the imaginative menu. It seems that the restaurant had dipped a bit recently; nevertheless food is interesting, surprising and fresh. Where else can you eat an ostrich-foie gras burger or a fried camembert with springbok anyway?
	Buffelsdrift Game Lodge [http://www.buffelsdrift.com/] The artificial dam attracts the wild life around when the sun is setting (before 7PM). You do not need to rent a private lodge to watch the animals, go there for a drink or dinner and enjoy the peaceful time watching the wilderness.
	Ostrich Safari [http://www.safariostrich.co.za/] Out of the few ostrich farms in the region, Safari was pointed out to us for its simple, dedicated and low key environment. It was a nice experience and enjoyment to see, touch and ride ostriches. Don’t forget to buy at the shop any ostrich leather artifacts if you wish since anywhere else it will be prohibitively pricey.

Mali South, Cape Town

Franschhoek
Franschhoek ("French Corner" in Dutch) is a small town in the Western Cape Province and one of the oldest towns of the Republic of South Africa. It is about 75 km from Cape Town. Thanks to ideal summer weather, snowy peaks in winter and proximity to Cape Town, the village began experiencing a boom since the 1990s. The city is notable for having some of the top restaurants in the country and is now rightly considered to be the "food and wine capital" of South Africa.

The best way to explore and taste wine is to grab a map of the valley (vineyards had better maps than the Franschhoek tourism office) and settle down on a few. I used the Platter's South African Wines 2011 guide which compile and rate over 1000 South African wine producers, and only selected the 4.5 and 5 stars (out of 5) of the valley.

	Le Ballon Rouge [http://www.ballon-rouge.co.za/] A stone's throw away from the best restaurants in town, the Ballon is a simple yet cozy B&B to stay. Make sure you ask your questions before 6PM otherwise nobody will be there to answer you since the place closes early.
	Le Quartier Francais [http://www.lequartier.co.za/] The Tasting Room at Le Quartier Francais is ranked 31st in the world by the San Pellegrino "World's Best Restaurants" ratings in 2010. If you cannot have a table at this Relais & Chateaux restaurant, you should definitely envision spending the night at the Common Room instead where tapas like plates will content any hungry stomach and refine the palate. One of the best tables I had during my SA trip. You must book one month in advance if you want a table. Must try!
	Reuben's [http://www.reubens.co.za/] Considered by locals to be the best restaurant in the valley, Reuben's is a fantastic place to have dinner. Any item on the menu is a delight for the taste buds and a joy for the eyes. You must book one week in advance if you must try.
	La Petite Ferme [http://www.lapetiteferme.co.za/] This place was mentioned to us as a great dinner place with breathtaking views, gourmet cuisine and luxury accommodation situated on a working winery.
	Craft Market Among all the shops around, only few could be mentioned for their good quality-price ratio. In general it is way too expensive for what it is and you will find better and cheaper somewhere else. Only the outdoor craft market could be a good place to stop if you want to chat and bargain some of the displayed traditional African artifacts.
	The Delaire Graff Estate [http://www.delaire.co.za] The estate is nicknamed the "Vineyards in the Sky" for a good reason. Suspended on top of the valley just between Franschhoek and Stellenbosch, the view you have of the winery is fantastic. Certainly the best view of the region. The wine tasting room is open, spacious, and breezy. Wine itself is great, with special attention to it rosé. This is the place to go if you want to eat at a nice restaurant and enjoy a great view.
	Boschendal [http://www.boschendal.com/] Boschendal is one of the oldest wine farms in the valley and has gained many acclaims in South Africa and overseas. The wine tasting room is located far away from the main warehouse, but is quiet and refreshing under a giant tree. On the other side of the mansion lies a quiet area where picnic tables under pine trees are disposable for visitors to enjoy. Special mention for their Sauvignon Blanc & Shiraz.
	Graham Beck [http://www.grahambeckwines.co.za/] The estate has recently been renovated and presents a new face to its public. Mixing also art and wine, the tasting room is square and dark ... a little bit like its wine. Special mention to the Cabernet Sauvignon & Ad Honorem
	La Motte [http://www.la-motte.com/] La Motte is the total opposite of Graham Beck estate: clear, fresh and large. The wine tasting room (inside or outside) offers simple but very nice wine in the region. One of my favorite Chardonnay in the valley.
	Boekenhoutskloof [http://www.boekenhoutskloof.co.za/] Simple and small the Boekenhoutskloof tasting room offers a simple selection to choose from but still propose its best. The Chocolate Block is a strong and nice wine to drink.
	Rupert & Rothschild Vignerons [http://www.rupert-rothschildvignerons.com/] At the foot of the spectacular Simonsberg mountain in the Franschhoek Valley lies the historic French Huguenot farm Fredericksburg, established in 1690 and now home to Rupert & Rothschild Vignerons. The Rupert family and Baron Benjamin de Rothschild of France share this prestigious partnership in wine production. This not possible to wine taste, but still easy to buy bottle in the area. Special mention goes to their Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot.

L'ile De Pain, Knysna

Cape Town
What everybody knows about Cape Town is that the city is squeezed between two oceans and a mountain at the end of the African continent. What not a lot of people know about the city is that it's a great place to live. Imagine a city that can have four seasons in the same day, with nice restaurants between white sand beaches, surrounded by wineries, and still manages to have a convenient size to be able to move around easily.

The city is very walkable and still offers great day trips in the region for everyone to enjoy. My only hope would have been to have less windy weather for a short while so that I could have seen the city from above the Table Mountain, but I guess you always have to leave something behind come back to. For me that something in Cape Town would have been the Table Mountain Cableway.

	The Westin [http://www.westincapetown.com/] Well situated at the end of Long Street and next to the convention center, the Westin is a nice place to stay (if you can afford). Breakfasts are amazing and the view form the top floor is stupendous. Too bad highways are too close to the windows.
	Hudsons (The Burger Joint) [Kloof Street] A burger joint that offers decent finger food for you to upload some calories on your way down Kloof Street.
	Aubergine [http://www.aubergine.co.za/] Sophisticated fine dining in Cape Town, this place has been ranked among the top restaurants in the city for many years. Service, wine and atmosphere are all here to prove that food is not the only thing that matters when you want to have a nice dinner. Make sure you book in advance for dinner. On the contrary lunch is usually easy to show up at the last minute … if it's between noon and two.
	La Colombe [http://www.constantia-uitsig.com/] La Colombe is ranked 12th in the world by the San Pellegrino "World's Best Restaurants" ratings in 2010. What to say, except that this was the best restaurant I went to during my trip. Everything was excellent. If there was only one restaurant to choose from, this would be the one. A MUST TRY!
	Africa Café [http://www.africacafe.co.za/] This traditional restaurant in the city centre serves communal feasts consisting of traditional Ndebele, Xhosa and Zulu dishes. The only option to choose from is from the wine list. The rest will come as a set menu (14 courses) and by waves of different taste. At the end of the dinner, all waiters came together to sing traditional songs for guests. Typical café to eat when visiting Cape Town.
	Addis in Cape [http://www.addisincape.co.za/] Addis is an Ethiopian traditional restaurant with a large platter to share the different short and very tasteful dishes you can select from the menu. Unroll your injera bread and dip it in the various foods on the communal platter. Make sure you have time for the traditional coffee ceremony at the end.
	Pan African Market [76 Long Street] A large house converted into many shops to sell art & crafts at a more decent price than many other markets in town. Don't forget to bring time and a bargaining tongue while there.
	Greenmarket Square [Between Short and Long Market Streets] You cannot visit Cape Town and not visit one of its oldest markets. This is where Capetonians have been buying their clothing, jewellery, sandals, crafts and knick-knacks for years. Don't miss it or you would have lost a classic tour. Don't forget as well to look around the square in the shops in which you could see fantastic pieces of art at more expensive prices.
	Waterfront Craft Market [http://www.waterfront.co.za/] Recently built (with Dubai money), the waterfront area is a brand new place for the young & wealthy to play the shopping game. Malls, restaurants, shops, museums, art and crafts are all there to make any visitor happy. Prices are not that funny though.
	Mali South [90 Long Street] This place is a delight to stop by when you have time. The owner will explain everything in his shop and can make your day by telling you all the stories you want, including the one in which he sold 41 Obama print shirts on New Year's Eve to American tourists.

Wine Tasting at Delaire

More Comments

Hermanus is on the Garden Route and is only 1.5 h away from Cape Town. If you want to see whales or Great whites (check the season) that is the place to go.
Addo Elephant National Park [http://www.addoelephant.com/parks/addo/] could be a nice alternative to see wild life if you are not into private lodge, national parks and mosquitoes.
Robben Island Museum [http://www.robben-island.org.za/], where Nelson Mandela spent most of his prison time, is a half day visit from Cape Town by ferry. Must get tickets in advance [http://www.webtickets.co.za/robbenisland/] though.
Rental cars are the best way to see most of the country. Main providers are the usual suspects: Budget, Hertz and Avis. Only Hertz accepts an English-translated driving license, the other two require an English language driving license or International driving permit. TravelJigsaw can help you make your rental car search.
Cape Heritage Hotel [www.capeheritage.co.za] in Cape Town was highly recommended with a great location, and an excellent staff.
Hop-On-Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus [http://www.citysightseeing.co.za/] is a great way to visit the city.
The Blues Restaurant [http://www.blues.co.za/] at Camps Bay is a nice seafood place.
It takes one full day of driving to visit Cape Point from Cape Town.
The best way to drive around the Cape Peninsula is to go around clockwise. Start at Kalk Bay, then go along Fish Hoek and Simon’s Town, all the way to Cape Point (Lighthouse + Cape Point). Drive along the western coast to Hout Bay, via Chapman's Peak Drive for amazing cliff views and look-out points. Then come back at sunset along Camps Bay for dinner.

New York City with a blanket

2011-01-18T11:37:00.006-05:00

Few cities in the world are more famous than the country they reside in, and among this small list only few of them are not a capital of their own country. I can only think of four major cities that are tag along this line: Sydney, Shanghai, Montreal and New York City (I am sure that there is more out there, but I am using these four as examples for my entry since I had a chance to visit them in my life). The communality of this four fantastic is that they all are (or were) a financial center of their country and an art reference of their own regionally if not globally. It is almost if by refusing political power, theses cities had to find another form of power to exist, and money and arts were the only two available.

Empire State Building

When traveling to one of the four fantastic, people often do not mention the country first and circle down to the city, but say it simply as a trademark or put it reverse if some misunderstanding is still lagging. We go to New York, or Montreal. We do not go to China - Shanghai, or Australia - Sydney. The four fantastic are standing by themselves alone and are magnets for urban adventurers.

Central Park Snowed Out

But among all of these fantastic cities, New York City is a very peculiar city itself. Build around villages, all urban tribes reside in the city. If you prefer roaming around money, the Financial District is for you; if you prefer the trendyness, Williamsburg in Brooklyn is for you; if you prefer X, Y is for you. Each and every urban tribe has a place to draw its boundaries against the others ones, and define it own identity.

Brooklyn Bridge

Spending time in each and every borough of New Yrok City gives you an understanding of what mixity, mixture and mixed could result and influence on each other. No judgments is passed on you because you like of prefer certain things, everything exist and survive if enough people would like to congregate around a common desire. These places are a unique center of exploration and tolerance for self discovery among a group of people.

MoMA

And because everything exist under the sun in a city like New York City, accessible all the time, and a tip of a toe, the city has manage to change and behave like the world is doing, Responding to the rhythm of the world and filling it. Big Apple is in a certain way a mini planet where everything is possible if you spend enough time doing it. It is because specifically everything exists, that people who can handle the megalopolis urban life will end up living into it. New York City is not for everybody, but New York City is everybody.

New York City Addresses

2011-01-17T09:47:00.002-05:00

To add from the previous list of addresses

[[Hotels]]

Four Points by Sheraton Manhattan SoHo Village
66 Charlton Street [Link]
Very centrally located hotel, in the middle of SoHo and between TriBeCa and Chelsea. The small rooms are a bit pricey and could maybe be upgraded to a higher standard for Sheraton standard.

Bubby's

[[Restaurants]]

Bubby's
120 Hudson Street [Link]
This restaurant in TriBeCa is an institution in New York City for brunches. Plates are not only good, but also large and tasty. Line up over the weekend is much larger than the menu and don't expect to still a table with a smile, bring a portable chair for your waiting at the entrance. Think laterally and go there at 8AM or 10PM for brunches. Must Try.

Blueberries Pancakes at Bubby's

The Odeon
145 West Broadway [Link]
Titled mirrors, red velvet banquettes and high ceilings make this place a typical French restaurant in the middle of TribeCa. Better make a booking call than showing up at the door without a reservation. No wonder why this restaurant has been there for so long.
202 Restaurant
Inside Chelsea Market [Link]
One of these restaurant that sell clothes, accessories and wines. This large place with small tables is a perfect setting for drinks and discussions.
The Harrisson
355 Greenwich Street [Link]
Modern French Cuisine with old style service in TriBeCa.

Best Cheeseburger in NYC
is at Corner Bistro [331 West 4th Street]

[[Bars]]

Apotheke
9 Doyers Street [Link]
Don't get repulse by the strange window and push the door. A large bar at the back provides ample of drinks for the small tables disperses around the place. Cocktails are listed as cures for health conditions but go much better than any remedies I took in my life.

[[Ice Cream]]

The Original Chinatown Ice Cream Factory
65 Bayard Street [Link]
What's wrong with a homemade ice cream in Chinatown ? Maybe because the ice cream is warmer than the weather outside, but beside this small detail must try it.

4-0 in Paradise

2010-12-16T20:57:00.006-05:00

Crossing a line is always exhilarating and it is usually the result of hard work, detail planning and skilful execution. When I cross the 40 years old cross line I experience nothing of this. I was more filled with happiness or contentment than complacence or comfort. I realized that I made a mark on a calendar for other people to look at rather than a mark in life to look after. In fact I consider that my real life was finally beginning, and my training life was lastly ending.

Maya Bay at Phi Phi Leh

With my wife and my family at my side, my 40 year old birthday took place in paradisiac Thailand. Never in my life I would have imagined that [a] one day I would be in Thailand [b] all the persons I love would be around me for a birthday, and [c] cross the 40 years mark. It runs in my family that men have a tendency to rush to the finish line earlier than most of the rest of the population, and therefore I would also be part of the family ritual. Nothing was certain, but it always lay low in my mind that this is something that could happen not expected though.

Chaise Longue on Khai Nai Island

My early years of my life were therefore dedicated to collect as much as possible for the maybe later stage … if it ever happen. And then the time made its mark, I realized that I could go on longer and maybe faster than most family habits. After careful investigations, deep explorations, and evitable detours I encounter what I consider to be my solid foundation in my new next stage in my life: my wife.

Khai Nai Island

In picture perfect Thailand, next to the beach chaise longue and under the equatorial sun, my decision was made clear then. In my next 40 years I will build on what I was doing so far, enjoying traveling around the world, and build on a new family of my own so that one day someone could also take the person he or she loves in a unique place to celebrate a 40 years birthday.

Elephant at a Farm

In reality 40 is not a big number, not even scary when it passes next to you. It doesn’t have a weird face, large shoulder and strange accent. 40 is in fact a plain normal number. It is what you have decided to do with it that could be big.

Phukhet Addresses

2010-12-15T20:56:00.005-05:00

[[Hotel]]

Boomerang Village
9/11-13 Patak Rd | soi 10, Kata, Phuket 83100, Thailand [TripAdvisor] [Link]
On top of the hill of Kata, 15 minutes away from the beach, resides a hidden place full of bugallows and large smiles. Rooms are simple yet clean and spacious. Views are certainly the best of the place and should be given to anyone in town. A safe place in paradise.

[[Restaurant]]

Kampong Kata Hill
4 Karon Road, Kata, Phuket, Thailand [TripAdvisor] [Link]
The service is as good as the place and the food combine together. This must try place in Kata is a sea food place where the best meet the greatest. Among all the best things on the menu, curies and fish are the most rewarding entertainment plate out.

KL Per Hour

2010-10-04T03:40:00.007-04:00

There is nothing worse than coming back from a weekend trip with food poisoning … except maybe starting a weekend trip with food poisoning already. This is what happened to J. unfortunately, on our weekend escape to Kuala Lumpur (KL).

Twins

On a Thursday night, out of a sparkling moment of joy we decided to change our busy weekend routine to take a flight out of Singapore on a run to the nearest destination. After few clicks and quick investigation, the capital of Malaysia seemed to be a fair deal for the buck: major food capital of Asia, with large and new shopping centers and the famous Petronas Twin Towers.

Twin View from Aside

Hotel was booked, flights were locked, camera was charged, and bag was for once almost packed the day before and all of that within a couple of hours. Nothing could spoil our weekend well deserved after all the work we have been putting in lately. But it all started early in the morning and the breakfast did not stay long enough in the stomach to make a lasting impression on J. With some careful planning and smart logistics we both managed to reach the hotel lobby with less than more damage. Legs were weak and stomach light, but nothing that a long and comfortable night could fix, right?

Smile at the Twins

ERROR #1
With no strength to move around the bedroom of the hotel, it was certainly not possible to explore one of the most humid and hottest cities in the world. The goal was then to trick the beast, and to charcoal the bug while refueling fluids to keep a minimum of energy level. The scam seemed to work out perfectly. We squeezed just enough time for the two of us to explore the shopping center district and its AC-ed promise land, and to visit the Petronas tower from afar.

Twin Towers at Night

With so much rebound joy and with the largest Malay food menu in front of you, no one could resist the temptation, and the cooling night at Bijan was a parenthesis in the life of the traveler with a bug. The immediate refueled energy out of the marvelous dinner at Bijan lasted just enough for us to take few pictures of the fantastic tower at night from underneath and from afar at the SkyBar. The night of dancing that we planned before at the nearby Zouk was replaced instead by a mocktail at the hotel Sky Lounge watching the outside line-up growing longer by the night club under a light rain.

Twins under the Spotlights

ERROR #2
J. spent instead the long night dancing in the bathroom while I was inconsiderately sleeping my food off in the bedroom. The next day, after a long flight back of 45 minutes fighting against crowd, delays, traffic, low budget airline and bureaucracy we both made it on time back in Singapore for a scheduled recovery in bed and hot congee.

Clouds Stuck in Towers

No traveler with a bug can recover in 24 hours and food poisoning should not be taken lightly at all.

As for KL, the city seems to be as good as it looks. Food seems great, shopping interesting and the city has even some surprising places to entertain the pleasing crowd at night. KL looks like what Singapore was maybe 20 years ago with some pockets of modernity here and there, but in of serious urban planning. We have to go back there to make sure we have the right impression and this time with no bug inside!

Kuala Lumpur addresses

2010-10-03T03:37:00.007-04:00

Even though downtown Kuala Lumpur (KL) is small in size, it is quite difficult to move from one district to another. Highways and construction sites prevents tourists from jumping from one spot to the next unfortunately. The best way to discover the city would be to use taxis or the over pass monorail that cross the city from North to South.

[[Hotel]]

Hotel Maya
[http://www.hotelmaya.com.my]
Off the main road, in front of the tower, Maya Hotel is a brand new modern 20+ levels where you can find design room for your taste. The glass bathroom is as big as the bedroom overlooking the space. Make sure to bring your earplug since you are squeeze between the highway, the Muslim cemetery, Zouk and the main road to the towers.

Sky Lounge @ Maya Hotel

Traders Hotel Kuala Lumpur
[Link]
Opposite the Towers, across the KLCC park, the Traders host not only the famous SkyBar but also nice restaurants and large room for your stay. Not easy to find but quiet and reclusive. If price is not an issue then Traders will suit you.
Nikko Hotel KL
[http://www.hotelnikko.com.my/]
From outside, the giant chandelier overlooking the entrance is a mark of what bing-bing China could have exported around the world. But for business or leisure Nikko is at an ideal location for any stay in KL.

[[Restaurant]]

Bijan Restaurant
[http://www.bijanrestaurant.com]
If I had to choose one, that would be the one. Not that I try any other restaurant in KL, but this one was nicely placed, decorated and delivered. Malay cuisine at its best with fantastic taste and great presentation. Bill was on the high side but was fine to swallow.

Bijan Restaurant
Jalan Alor (Street Food)
Less and less food stolls survive the KL's Mall Frenzie nowadays, but the best of the rest are only in on place: Jln Alor. Ask any taxi driver to drop you off at Alor Jln, at night and you will enjoy a great time of pick and choose before you move.

[[Shopping]]

Pavilion Kuala Lumpur
[http://www.pavilion-kl.com/]
Once enter in the mall, you forget that you are in KL, but wonder if you haven't landed in Dubai or USA. Large space with great inventory shops with plenty of light and seats along the way to make you stay as long as possible to spend your few $. The food court (Food Republic + others restaurants) is a true alternative to street food.
KLCC Suria Mall
[http://www.suriaklcc.com.my/]
Under the Petronas Tower reside a large shopping mall where all brands compete to display their latest inventory. Nice stay over after the visit of the Towers
Bukit Bintang Street
Along the shopping commercial street you will fins all the new and modern mall that you could imagine. Since KL is in constant make-over, don't be surprise to see a 30 yrs old shopping mall next to the latest one.

[[Bar & Dancing]]

Sky Bar
[http://www.skybar.com.my/]
At the Level 33 of the Traders Hotel Kuala Lumpur’s international hotel seat a Bar overlooking the KLCC and the Twins Tower. Be sure to come between 8PM and Midnight to enjoy the lights on the Towers and the techno lounge music at the same time. Too bad that the swimming pool could not be converted into a dance floor at night, because it is taking too much of the nice Sky Bar space.

Sky Bar @ Traders Hotel
Zouk
[http://www.zoukclub.com.my/]
The sister (or mother I should say) ship in Singapore has an international reputation crossing the ocean. The on in KL has also a fantastic line-up and a splendid location. Saturday night is a fight to get in and a move your body on the dance floor. When on the road to KL do not forget your dancing shoes, that would be a mistake to skip this place.

Ski, Sauna & Sushi

2010-03-16T20:55:00.006-04:00

The first picture that came to my mind when my friend Y. proposed a few weeks ago to do some skiing in Japan was the now defunct indoor ski slopes at Japan SSAWS dome that you can see when you are taking the bus from Narita airport on your way to downtown Tokyo. Not very exciting, yet interesting to try for a day or so; but I was willing to get myself into trouble for the sake of swallowing some snowflakes.

[Niseko Ski Resort]

The problem was that the last time I spent more than two days skiing in a row, George W. Bush Senior was president of the US, and my skis were bigger than me by a large 20cm. I was a bit anxious to find if the latest technical advancement, the ones called the “curved ski” could fit my feet the same way I remember the large and heavy flat pieces of wood did. Nonetheless I was extremely pleased to picture myself falling in the snow powder, and finally put my four months' of new routine daily running to a more useful goal than the one I found so far: impress the two dog walkers I have met so far in the park.

[Bus Ride to Niseko Ski Resort]

My Japanese friend Y. convinced us that the best place to ski in Japan was to go as far away from civilization as possible. Niseko in the northern Hokkaido Island would be the place to spend five consecutive days for the winter ski vacation. A red-eye flight plus a local connection flight and a bus trip later helped all of us reach safely the lost hotel, which was covered by snow, ready to be spoiled by human giant feet named ski.

[Old Hokkaido Government Building
(Akarengo), Sapporo]

Although Singapore is not the reference on the planet to do winter gear shopping, we managed just before the plane take-off to do a weekend shopping for the minimum equipment needed for enduring the cold days of Hokkaido. To my surprise all of our winter equipment was almost adequate for the trip, but was definitely lacking the sex appeal that now winter sport-men and sport-women inflict upon each other. We neither had flashy pants nor flamboyant jackets; just few supposedly water repellent outfits that might protect us from the lubricious snow which always finds its way down to your underwear no matter how many layers you put on.

[Sapporo Beer Museum]

On my first day on the slopes I was shocked by what I saw around me. Looking at the crowd confirmed that I was now part of the second last generation, and the only way to confirm my age would be now to use the carbon dating technique. I was barely the only skier around with this awkward instrument named skis, everyone around me had snowboards. The over supply in skis at the rental place should have alarmed me, but I was blinded by my over-excitement of going down the slopes again. Details exist to be paid attention to and I should have been more careful. But I didn’t care and confronted the entire planet; and like a pine tree in a snow storm I was ready to bend but not give up. Ski was my decision; ski will be my tools of enjoyment.

[Sapporo Beer]

My first runs were a delight in one of the best powder I had ever had the pleasure to scar. Long curves in a light and dry snow powder were my winter happiness under the sun of Hokkaido. It took me a few slopes to adjust myself to the new style and put back in mind the memory muscle I had built over my young age of downhill race competition across the French mountains. Like a Grandpa would say, “the new skis are easier to turn with and less difficult to manage. In my days…” The first three days were a compilation of hot chocolate drinking, slope runs swallowing, picture and video taking under the glorious sun of Niseko in Japan. With a small caveat though, my fellow winter snowboard companions were complaining more often than usual about sore muscles and weak leg ligaments. And the double intake of Onsen (Hot Spring and Sauna) at the hotel was becoming insufficient to heal the daily effort and contusions. My revenge was touting around the forest of pine trees.

[JR Tower West View, Sapporo]

With an angelic smile and honest suggestion, I proposed to my snowboard friends (yes I have snowboarder friends) to teach them a more easy way to endure the runs, but that would require them to sacrifice their cool factor and switch to the ancient practice of skiing. I think that the curiosity of using a depleted technique as well as the extreme state of pain they put themselves into, pushed them to accept my proposition for the last two days of our winter vacation. I have to say that I was quite impressed by the progress they made over such a short period of time, but it took them only few runs to handle the antique practice of ski and enjoy themselves in a far easier way that the one they were doing prior.

[JR Tower South View, Sapporo]

I was not alone anymore. We were now three skiers on the slopes of Niseko. It took me a few days to convince two snowboarders to switch to ski, and now, only few million left to go.

Sapporo Addresses

2010-03-15T20:45:00.012-04:00

Sapporo is the fifth-largest city in Japan by population and the capital of Hokkaidō Prefecture. Sapporo is best known outside Japan for hosting the 1972 Winter Olympics, the first ever held in Asia, and for the annual Yuki Matsuri in the city, internationally referred to as the Sapporo Snow Festival, which draws more than 2 million tourists from around the world.

English maps are usually accessible at every tourist office and is a must have to wander around this small city of northern Japan.

[[Hotel]]

Among the central hotels under 5,000 yen a night, some reference-able ones are:

Hotel Gracery Sapporo
[Rakuten] [TripAdvisor]
Centrally located in front of the JR Train Station, the hotel is known locally by the elderly taxi drivers as the Sapporo Washington Hotel (its previous name). Rooms are small yet modern and clean. Nothing can beat the location and the hotel will give you everything you need for a short stay. The electronic check-out kiosk is a must try if you never did it before.
Aspen Sapporo Hotel
[Rakuten] [TripAdvisor]
Another under the 5,000 yen a night per person hotel, centrally located but less modern than the Gracery. In case the previous hotel is full.
Richmond Sapporo Ekimae
[Rakuten] [TripAdvisor]
Back-up plan if you cannot find a rooms in previous spots.

[[Restaurants]]
Sapporo is well known in Japan for its fresh Seafood (Hairy Crab, White Crab, Sushi, etc...), locally produced Beer and Ramen culinary expertise.

Ebikanigassen (Ph: 011-210-0411)
F45 Bldg.12F,S4,W5,Chuo-ku,Sapporo

In this well established place which does more than 70 types of prawn and crab dishes, the view is nice overlooking the Susukino. “All-you-can-eat plan,” which is offered at reasonable prices is very popular among locals and tourists. “Ebikanigassen party course,” which is also substantial and reasonably priced is winning great popularity, even among local people.
Kikuzushi (Ph: 011 511 9357)
Minami 5 Nishi 3, Grand Taiyo Building, Sapporo, 064-0804 [TripAdvisor]

This sushi restaurant has been in continuous operation since the Taisho period (1912-26), and it is considered to serve the some of freshest fish and seafood in the whole of Japan. The extremely reasonable priced Omakase (which will let the chef choose your meal) includes both miso soup and as much green tea as you can drink. Also renowned for its huge selection of Japanese sake, the restaurant always delivers on what is consider the best place to eat sushi in Japan.
Sapporo Noodle Zero (Ph: 011-219-5200)
Chuo-ku Minami 2, Nishi 1-chome, Sapporo (Tanuki Koji, 1-chome)
5-min walking distance from South Station subway line 5

Sapporo Noodle Zero Ramen Restaurant

Sapporo has two main Ramen streets, the Ramen Alley and the New Ramen Alley to choose from. But a nice Ramen place called Noodle Zero lived up to its local recommendation. Before you sit, pay at the machine by push-button selecting the item you want, give the ticket to the waitress and wait a few minutes to have the bowl of hot noodle in front of you.

[[Drinks]]
Usually located around the Susukino district (Sapporo's version of Tokyo Ginza), bars are everywhere if you look for them. Sunday sees bars closing at midnight and only few places offer some late drinks.

eight Ricefield cafe (Ph 011-531-4681)
The place was one of the few that was open late at night serving food and drinks. An interesting concept at the time was the all-you-can-eat or all-you-can-drink for a limited amount of time (90 minutes usually). A great idea to load up on carbs or alcohol before going to the next step.

[[To Do]]
Sapporo is a walking city. Make sure you are located next to the train station for your shopping experience or at Susukino for your night life experience. If you are in one of these two spots the cab transfer between places will never go over 1,000 yen.

Don't miss the annual, seven-day Sapporo Snow Festival that takes place in early February. Ice sculptures will be displayed around the city for your eyes' delight.
Clock Tower, Former Hokkaido Government Building, Sapporo Dome, JR Tower and the Ski Jump are the must-stop tour guide references.
But a much deserved long stop at the Sapporo Beer Museum will take you along the process of making beer from collecting flower to drinking a variety of flavors.
Susukino night life.
More information, and some more information as well.

[[Transfer]]

The best way to get to/from New Chitose Airport is by train. It's cheaper, faster and always on time. The map gives you an easy point of reference for future transfers to the Sapporo Train Station.

Niseko Addresses

2010-03-14T06:36:00.007-04:00

Niseko is the one of the most popular winter resorts in the Hokkaido island in Japan. The area is known for some of the lightest and driest off-piste powder snow in the world. Among the over 500 ski resorts in Japan, Niseko is a unique place that will make every skier or snowboarder happy no matter what the weather or snow conditions.

Although it is divided up into four linked areas, Annupuri, Higashiyama (also known as Niseko Village but not the main base area), Hanazono and Grand Hirafu, making it the biggest ski resort in Hokkaido, Niseko is essentially one large mountain. The all-mountain-pass provides access to all the areas with the exception of Moiwa, a smaller resort on the western side of Annupuri. A free shuttle bus service for all-mountain-pass holders runs every 30 minutes linking all the main resorts.

Skiers are able to use the 38 lifts and gondolas, over 47km of slopes, several terrain parks and many half-pipes. Hirafu's night skiing is accessible with the all-day passes at no additional cost, and is considered to be one of the best and largest night skiing in the world.

The bottom lift starts at 280 meters and the top lift goes to 1200 meters. The summit at 1308 meters is accessible after a 15-minutes hike from the top lift, and offer an amazing panoramic view of the Japan Sea and the Niseko area, including the ever-present volcanic cone of Mt. Yotei considered as Hokkaido’s Mt. Fuji.

The best option is to get your hands on the Niseko Area Guide from the Niseko Promotion Board. The guide will give you all the latest options for food, bar, shopping, hot springs, and activities.

[[Hotel]]

Kanronomori Hotel

Hotel Kanronomori is a boutique Ryokan style hotel located 10 minutes away by bus from the bottom of the Annupuri ski slopes. The hotel provides free bus transportation from and to Annupuri (every hour) and to and from Grand Hirafu (twice a day) for ski activities. The hotel also provides ski/board rental at a moderate price.

The best part about the hotel is neither the modest yet convenient and quiet rooms, nor the giant Western and Japanese breakfast buffets, but the natural Onsen (hot spring public baths) that will help you to manage the very long days on the slopes. I cannot imagine what would have been my trip without my morning AND evening hot spring bath to wake or relax my muscles. A must-do if you want to enjoy a long stay in Niseko. [TripAdvisor]
Higashiyama (also known as Niseko Village) is hosting the famous Hilton Hotel, and is certainly a very convenient but slightly remote place to stay. If you want to sleep in style and have your ski lifts literally at the bottom of your hotel stairs, Hilton will be the place to go. Please notice that commuting time (20 minutes - 3,000 yen by taxi) to Grand Hirafu could be a problem if you wish to enjoy night life.

For more action-based and less commuting time (30 minutes - 4,000 yen by taxi), a a better bet would be the Grand Hirafu ski resort area. You will find many restaurants, bars and many more accommodations to make your stay more enjoyable. An interesting combination would be a place with an Onsen at Grand Hirafu.

[[Restaurants]]
The food in Niseko is usually fresh and amazing. It's quite difficult to find a bad place to eat but you can always try. Some of the places I tried during my stay in the area:

Steak Rosso Rosso (Ph: 0136 21 7100)
Hidden in a side road of the lower Grand Hirafu village, this classy steak restaurant offers a great option for a carnivore on the roll. Salads are huge and make a great side dish for your choice cut of meat. Plates come with a round heated stone disk for you to adjust your meat's level of 'done' taste in case of need.
Sekka Dining Bar (Ph: 0136-21-5022; Email: reservations@j-sekka.com )
Sekka is a restaurant within J-Sekka. Located in one of the four corners of the main crossroads of the Grand Hirafu village, J-Sekka is a concept building where you can find a bar as well as a bakery on the first floor, large luxurious apartments and two restaurants in the basement. Mixing Hokkaido products with Western presentation, world-class chef deliver one of the most high service restaurant option in the region. For those who wants to splurge themselves with a credit card around their neck.
Senchou 2 (Ph: 0136 22 5454)
Situated in the upper part of the Grand Hirafu village, the sister restaurant of Senchou 1 is one of best and freshest seafood restaurant in the area. For those who wants to eat sushi and sashimi, shellfish, fish, crabs, anything from the sea without bargaining on the quality. Fairly cheap, great and well-located, what else can you ask for?

[[Drinks]]
Niseko is not the most alive place in Japan when it comes to night life, but after a full day (and sometime evening) of ski, one might just want to sleep to recoup for the next day. If you feel that you wish to swallow a couple of drinks to help you fall in the arms of Morpheus, here are some places you should check out.

Paddy McGintys' Irish Pub (Ph: 0136 55 8020)
Located on the main road of the Upper Part of the Grand Hirafu village, the pub has some Guinness over the counter and some extreme ski movies projected on the wall to help you eat the crackers served at your table. Only if you need an Irish drink.
Mina Mina (Ph: 0136 23 4771)
In a back alley close to the center of the Upper Part of the Grand Hirafu, the 5-table restaurant turns at night into a convivial bar where locals and foreigners mix for few shots. A great place to hang out before going to the next place.

[[To Go]]

The best way to go to Niseko is to land in Sapporo's New Chitose Airport, and from there take a bus or a local train to Niseko. Most of the hotels, pensions or accommodations will organize a transfer from Chitose, or if not, will point you to the best way to knock on their door.
Skybus for a private transportation (Ph: 011 788 4994) or privates buses (Chuo and Donan lines, see option 2, or this map, and some more explanation here) are common use to go back and forth between Chitose and Niseko. You can buy the bus ticket at the airport counters on the last minute.
Train Hypermedia website (www.hyperdia.com) gives a full explanation for every train trip in Japan. Don't forget to look at the JR Train Pass if you wish to go further away in Japan by train in the peninsula.
Niseko itself is quite spread away between the villages in terms of distance and if you do not rent a car, the best way to move around would be by taxi. Most of them hang around at Seico Mart the main and only supermarket of the Grand Hirafu village.
The most convenient Tour Operators to book for Japan are your local JTB (Japan Tourism Board) [Singapore] or local JNTO [Singapore]. They usually offer great promotions and will help you book and translate for you at the next destination you plan to visit.
New Chitose Airport is a great last (or even first) minute shopping. Everything you need to by is at a finger tip for your friends to enjoy.

Balinese Delicacies

2010-02-17T22:13:00.010-05:00

Bali is said to be "the island of the Gods", I would agree with this statement as it makes all its visitors less divine persons than heavenly happy people.

Tana Lot Temple

In an island more spiritual than religious, temples are everywhere, under different forms and for different reasons. Family temple in the back yard or in the front of the shops, community temple in the center of the villages or historical temple (like Tana Lot Temple for example) in amazing and astonishing place in the island, all have a purpose and a place in the Balinese society.

Temple after Ceremony

They could be use as one of the nine directional strikes, for life ceremonies (wedding, burial) or just to appease the devils and gods of the island for a prosperous day, all temples have a reason and the daily offers in the small banana leaves square boxes, filled with colorful flower, holy waters and perfumed incense stick are there to reminds each and every visitors that the island had been bless by the gods at every step of the way.

Food at Hotel Tugu

Bali has also been touched by the cooking Gods. Most street corners have a local eatering (Warung) where more often locals than tourists mix for a quick snack on a wooden bench. Sharing a meal or sometime even the physical plate is the important time to share stories and relax before re-exploring the island.

Dreamland Beach

Bali is an Indonesian island surrounded by coral reefs. Beaches in the south tend to have white sand while those in the north and west have black sand due to volcanic activities. What is surprising in Bali is that depending on what you like doing (snorkeling, sunbathing, surfing) you can always find the right spot for your activity, you just have to go where the elements are setting the stage for your convenience today. Too windy in the West for scuba diving, move to the North; too flat for surfing in the East move to the South.

Girls Smiling

Paradise would not be without smiling faces, and Balinese have been blessed by the smiling Gods. Each and every inhabitants of the island has been graduated from smile school, and the large smiling banana is given for anything and everything: a picture, a hello, a joke. Nothing is good enough for not smiling.

Rice Paddy

The island is also land of multiple seasons all at once: from the cold night at the Mount Agung peaking at 3,142 m, to the 75km of the Ayung River sleeping over the Sea of Bali, the island is giving more opportunities to enjoy life than any long or short vacation could sustain.

Monkey Alley

When all is put together into one divine place like Bali, visitor could only enjoy their paradisiacal vacation. Just wondering how would that be to be less of a tourist and more of a local.

Sunset at Uluwatu Temple

Bali is truthly the island of all the Gods.

Bali Addresses

2010-02-16T22:09:00.024-05:00

[[Hotel]]

Teka-Teki House
Jl Drupadi 1, Gg Puri Kubu #23, Seminyak
Phone +62 81353 204 204 , +62 3619 285 828 | www.tekatekibali.com

From their website to their warm Goodby farewell, everything is great and unique at Teka-Teki House. The B&B experience is much closer to going to a friend's house than going to any accommodation complex that flourish along the coast. Everything is there to make you feel at ease. Ideally placed in Seminyak, the house is quiet, clean, friendly, spacious and comfortable. It's one of these secret places to give only to your best friends and tell them to not tell anyone (which of course they immediately spray around). No wonder why Teka-Teki House is rated #1 B&B on TA. The place to sleep at Seminyak for a quiet and friendly vacation, especially if you like banana pancake.
Desamuda Village
Jl. Raya Basangkasa No 30A
Seminyak Kuta , Bali- Indonesia
Ph +62 361 733 088 | www.desamuda.net
US$ rates, US$ service for US$ rooms. Could be an alternative stay in Seminyak if you have of course ......... US$.
Hotel Tugu
Jl. Pantai Batu Bolong, Canggu Beach, Bali-Indonesia
Tel. +62 361 731 701, or +62 8786 1838 680 | www.tuguhotels.com
No need to present it anymore. The missing link between serenity and earth. A detached and distant place from the rest of the island. Must stay ... if you can.

[[Restaurant]]

Made's Warung
Jalan Raya Seminyak - Bali - 80361
phone +62 361 753039 | www.madeswarung.com

Times is long gone when Made's Warung was a road side eatering. The dirt road has grown to become the shopping highway, so be the place. Established in 1969, it is now a social eating and meeting venue for locals, expats and tourist alike. The food is clean, copious and safely prepare for an introductory course to the rich and complex Indonesian food. The few stores around the court yard propose expensive but sophisticated and high quality items for the visitors. Tango demonstrations at night for those who like watching while eating.
Cafe Moka
Jalan Seminyak
Seminyak, Indonesia
phone +62 (0)36 173 1424 |
The now everywhere Cafe Moka is an official institution in the touristy spot of the island, but will still offer the western breakfast and pastries you want to have for a quick start surfing day.
Aroma
Kedonganan Beach, Jimbaran Bay Kuta - Bali
Phone : (0361)708481 | www.aromabumbubali.com
It's quite difficult to choose from the Jimbaran restaurant strip the one to sit from and watch the sunset while having seafood, but Aroma is right at the entrance of the main road and as a formula that works well. Choose the sea food by kilos and the way you want to be it cooked. Few minutes later it will come with some seafood spinach and rice to your table. The local Mariachi, beers, and grilled corn will entertain you if ever been bored. Expensive but safe and efficient.
Ku-De-Ta
Jalan Hotel The Oberoi
Kuta, Indonesia
Phone (0)36 173 6969 | www.kudeta.net
Beautiful people watching other beautiful people. This Easton Ellision place is the epicenter of the watching been watched game, where the white dressed expats and party goers meet the local tribes. Service is as great as the view, but food less important. Bring your sunglasses if you want to be seen.
Mozaic
Jl. Raya Sanggingan, Ubud, Gianyar - Bali 80571, Indonesia .
Phone & Fax. (+62 361) 975 768 | www.mozaic-bali.com
You only have 4 menu choices: the classic, the vegetarian, the chef's recommendation, and the chef's surprise. No matter which one you choose from the 8 menu course will be a delicacies adventure for your taste bud, mixing common ground yet subtil flavors with intricate local ingredients. You should bring an empty stomach along with your check-book (and credit-card ... and you extra cash) when you stop at Mozaic for a great food experience. One advice thus, book in advance!

[[Shopping]]
There is countless shops in Bali to satisfied any professional shoppers, even the more advance one. You can shop until you drop on your knees if you want, and the truth of today will not be the one of tomorrow. Now if you engage in a shopping expedition be prepare for a rough battle with blood, sweet and tears (of joy).

Among some of the interesting shops seen in Seminyak

Lucy's Batik
Jl. Raya Basangkasa No.88, Seminyak - Kuta - Bali
Tel. +62(361) 7951275 or 736098 | www.lucysbatik.com
Vast variety of batik choice with interesting design and pattern.
Just Jen's @ Made's Warung
Jalan Raya Seminyak - Bali - 80361
phone +62 361 753039 | www.madeswarung.com
The Jewelry collection is one of the best designed seen in the island.
The Bali Antique Shop
Address | www.bali-antique-shop.com
With a couple of spot in the shopping distict, The Bali Antique Shop proposes fine and interesting items at no so interesting price anymore. For rich wallet or enriching experience.

You can skip the 3 villages (Wood Carving, Painting, Gold & Silver) where prices are inflated and design locally touristic. Bargaining as well as smiles are mandatory (should be able to divide the price by 3).

[[Art]]
If you have one gallery to go to in Bali, you should stop at

Neka Gallery in Ubud (Jalan Raya Campuhan , from 9:00AM to 5:00PM. Phone +62 361 975034 | www.nekagallery.com). The gallery was built in 1966 by Mr. Suteja Neka, an art connoisseur and his wife, Mrs. Srimin Suteja in the then small village called Ubud. Still at the same place, the gallery has outgrown the original rooms, but still proposes fantastic paintings from all art works by Balinese artists, Indonesian artists, Asian artists as well as European born artists such as Arie Smit. Their paintings was inspired by natural beauty, people and culture of Bali.

[[Transport]]
A good driver make all the difference between seeing Bali and driving through Bali.

Arya was able to provide not only a safe driving experience, but also was knowledgeable on where, what, when and how to do thing around the island. His patience was as good as his driving experience: impeccable. Made Arya, HP 081 338 537 036 | +62 81 338 537 036

[[ToDo]]
In whichever order you like: Sunset watching, Temples visiting, (Uluwatu & Tanah Lot), Eating, Shopping, Smiling, Sunbathing, Walking, Drinking, Dancing, Sleeping, Resting ... no wonder why Bali is called the island of gods.

If you want more Bali addresses from previous' Mintalo trip, follow the [[click]]

Encore Wat

2010-02-10T20:45:00.008-05:00

Three years ago, my previous and first visit to Angkor temples left me … speechless. But I was certain of one thing that I would be back and visit this unique place on the planet again. This time, with only one full day in my hands, the visit was organized in a very different way.

Sunrise @ Angkor Wat

It all started very early in the morning at around 5AM to see the sun rising above the Angkor Wat temple. I bought the entrance ticket the day before to avoid having to line up at the main gate entrance. I was onsite at around 6AM with 1,000 others people ready to photo shoot the main event. Unfortunately the sun rose faster than I expected and the sky did not that sparkling colors that one might have seen in picture poster around the tour operator offices.

Young Girl Smiling

Nevertheless the spectacle (in the crowd and in the sky) was surprising enough to kick start the day of adventure. Around 7AM when the sun was high enough, I started to linger in the Wat temple, walking up and down the stairs, visiting places quiet and empty with particular lighting above the horizon line.

Stone Carving @ Angkor Wat

Sometime in the cool shade of the ending night, sometime in the uplifting heat of the early morning, most of the stone carvings started to propose new 3D pictorial effect in which suddenly forms in the long epic painting started to dance, move and change along the sun lights. Angkor Wat is the most imposing temple of all by its nature, in the middle of the water with large symmetrical and concentric organization. When I arrived at night the overwhelming feeling that one has when seeing and walking toward the site could not occur (similar effect happen at Taj Mahal as well).

Angkor Wat

Instead after discovering slowly the site in-situ, the eyes are used to the almost human size and undercut the woah effect. But what happened was a different experience, more settle this time where everything was reachable by sight and therefore more details like were revealed. Wat became more familiar to me, although more unpredictable because of the early morning lighting.

Monk @ Angkor Wat

At its peak around 1,000 AD, Angkor had been the largest pre-industrial city in the world, with an elaborate system of infrastructure connecting an urban population of over 1 million people, sprawl of at least 1,000 square kilometers, equivalent to modern Los Angeles (closest rival is the Mayan city of Tikal in Guatemala with between 100 to 150 square kilometers). It only last so long before the first tourist buses arrived in the most popular temple of all in Khmer kingdom. Perfect time to move to the next visit.

Banteay Srei

On the other spectrum of the temple experience is the less preserved yet easy access temple of Banteay Kdei. The 12th century Buddhist temple is less complex and smaller in size than sister Ta Prohm, but give a unique sense of what early discovers were facing when encounter a new temple eaten alive by the jungle. Roof on the floor, stone carving destroyed by the centuries of collectors and ideologists, and trees growing inside walls. Still some colors have been preserved and one can imagine how amazing would have been a solid and colorful temple at the time.

Girl

Out of the majors temples restricted and preserved mostly by foreign institutions, Angkor temples are the refuge for local people. It’s quite common to see a line up of sellers and other gifts merchant at the entrance of different site, but most surprisingly is to find a shave head widow or a young boy guarding, cleaning and taking care of the main statue of the temple.

Boy

Part of no official organizations the guardian of the temples just stay there days in and days out, and in exchange for a couple of dimes explain you the good luck praying ritual. My last visit, I followed a young girl across the corridors and she shown me a Vishnu statue defended by a widow, this time the young girl moved to another destiny, leaving behind Vishnu and his widow.

Ta Prohm (Tom Raider)

The second most emblematic temple is Ta Prohm, more well know for its movie-picture artifacts in Tom Raider than for its architecture. The trees growing out of the ruins are perhaps the most distinctive feature of Ta Prohm, and the newly restored part of the temple by the India government is a delight for the eyes and the cameras.

Ta Prohm (Tom Raider)

Small corridors, wooden path, and other centennial trees make this place a must see temple with a camera in hands. The large trees that shoot from the ruins and the tropical forest near by make the site shadow, and give lines of lights and darkness to perfect picture taking. Ta Prohm is design to become the new star of the Angkor temples visit, and frankly I could not argue more (no sign of Brangelina).

Bayon @ Angkor Thom

A last stop at the capital Angkor Thom was the perfect ending of temple visit. The Bayon's most unique attribute is the large multitude stone faces. The temple is also known for two sets of stone carving bas-reliefs, which present an unusual combination of mythological, historical, and mundane scenes, and it was a great place to watch the sun setting among the different 4-faces head.

Sunrise @ Angkor Wat

After four showers and four shirts (personal record), walked from sunrise to sunset, and filled a 4Gb memory card of pictures, I was templed-out and needed a well deserved meal at Meric. Never to say, Angkor temples are impressive to visit and like few others place in the world is the perfect witness across time that no matter how strong and imposing a civilization is at its peak (Inca, Mayan,…) nature can take over and eat it alive. So could be ours.

Siem Reap Addresses

2010-02-09T22:03:00.007-05:00

[[Hotel]]

Sokha Angkor
National Route 6 (Airport Road)
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Phone (0)63 96 99 99 | www.sokhahotels.com
The centrally located Sokha Hotel is a luxurious 5 stars in the middle of the city. As soon as you step out of the chaos of the main roads, the hotel offer quiet and piece after a day of excursion. Pleasant staff will give you all the adequate services you wish for. One interesting point is that the hotel is part of the industrial group that manages the temples, and can sell you passes in advance. Food see next section.

[[Restaurant]]

Meric
Hôtel de la Paix, Sivutha Blvd. Siem Reap, Cambodia
Phone: 855 63 966 000| Website

This is the ONLY restaurant you should go to in Siem Reap (breakfast, lunch and dinner). The service is as good as the atmosphere, and a quick pick at the open kitchen will tell you that Kmer cooking can easily yet imaginatively be integrated with French classic food delicacies. Everything is a must on the menu and after a long day of temple visit a refreshing towel is a great opening for a night of enjoyment.

[[Shopping]]

Amatak
Mundul 1 Khum Svay Dnag Kom, Siem Reap (near the old market)
Phone 063-963-194 | amatak@bloom-ing.net
A small boutique that offers a large variety of jeweleries and local artifacts for your gifts at home.
La Petite Boutique @ Hotel de la Paix
Hôtel de la Paix, Sivutha Blvd. Siem Reap, Cambodia
Phone: 855 63 966 000| Website
The gift shop has a wide variety of cultural items including jewelery, handbags and purses, stone, silk, wood and silver artwork and souvenirs plus some period photographs and prints for guest and non guest to enjoy. A nice stop over to dinner.
McDermott Gallery 2
The passage between pub street & old market
Phone: +855 (0) 12 274 274 +855 (0) 63 760 | www.mcdermottgallery.com
In front of a french library lays a 2 storeys Gallery in a house. The photos exhibition are always interesting to see and it should be a good stop over on your way to the old market.
Old Market
This is the place to do your gift shopping, nowhere else. Take your time and bargain hard you will be surprise by the patience and interesting items you might be presented to.

[[ToDo]]

No matter how long you will stay in Siem Reap, you will be able to see all the temples. Choice is the key, but hiring a good driver is even more important. Now if you have only in day, this could be the order I would choose:

Sunrise at Angor Wat Temple
Visit Angor Wat Temple while it's still cool (no trees in Wat)
Banteay Srei
Ta Prohm (Tom Raider)
Bayon @ Angkor Thom
Sunset at Angor Wat Temple

Scary Thaipusam

2010-01-31T06:33:00.008-05:00

BEWARE, this entry blog contain sensitive pictures.

The first time I saw Thaipusam was two years ago on my way back home without knowing anything about the procession. A year later I made sure I was available to document what I was able to see, but my camera was not working well under such extreme condition (poor lights and crowded streets).

This year I had everything ready to take the best pictures I could and share with the world this unique devotion procession that happen once a year in Singapore, and some other region where the Tamil communities reside across the planet … at least this is what I though.

Devotees Destination

The 3.2 km from Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple to Sri Thendayuthapani Temple is usually a 40 minutes long walk even on the sunny side of the street, but during the Thaipusam the distance seems way much longer for obvious reason and could sometimes takes up to six hours for participants to reach their final destination.

Spiky Shoes

The word Thai-pusam is derived from the month name Thai and Pusam, which refers to a star that is at its highest point during the ceremony which commemorates both the birthday of the youngest son of god Shiva, the Tamul's God of War, Murugan (also Subramaniam) and his wife Parvati. The legend said that the wife Parvati gave Murugan a spear so he could defeat the evil spirit Soorapadman.

Woman with Pot of Milk

Devotees usually take a vow to offer a kavadi in return for an asked favor or granted request to the God Murugan. The kavadi is usually an metallic instrument to inflict pain that has to be carried over a long period of time in recognition to Murugan.

Lime Display

Before the celebration devotees have to prepare by cleansing themselves through prayer and fasting, taking only pure food, once a day, while continuously thinking of God. Usually on the day of the festival, disciples shave their heads, covered it later on with an orange powder, before undertake the pilgrimage along the same set route between the two temples.

Tongue Piercing

Accordingly to the request granted or asked by the fan, various physical pains are undertaken during the pilgrimage. It could start with a simple iron pot of milk carried on the head, hooking lemon to the flesh, carrying a wooden temple on the shoulders, or pulling the same temple on wheel with hooks attached to your bared back skin. But the real deal is the metallic skeleton weighting 20kg minimum, surmounted by heavy iron circle to which is attached multiple spikes hooked back to the devotee flesh

Another Tongue Piercing

Mortification of the flesh by piercing the skin, tongue or cheeks with long spikes is also very common, reminding constantly of God Murugan and preventing from speaking and complaining while gives great power of endurance. Usually the greater the pain the more god-earned merit is granted.

Men with a Pot of Milk

Along the way, family and friends who have decided to help the devotee provide food and drinks, but also chants and encouragements to facilitate the contrition. It is not rare to see a group of dozen of fans dancing around drums to which the devotee respond in spinning onto himself in a frenzy painful dance.

Dancing with a Kavadi

More often than usual, spike flee out of the human flesh and land on the side walk, picked up by watcher as a souvenir for maybe another time if courage will join. What stoke me the most during this parade were on one side the quietness of the crowd fascinated by the exercise, and on the other the absence of visible blood and slow motion of the devotees.

Body Piercing

No scream, no blood, only visible pain on the face of the people who could after a while (usually many hours), under the hot and humid weather of tropical Singapore, bearably walk with their torture instrument attached to them. Watching someone suffering is never pleasant, but watching someone who self inflict pain is shamefully fascinating.

Pulling the Temple

The contrast that exists between the clean Singapore and the painful procession is striking. One of the Singapore's minorities is taking the lead during one full day over the other ones, but what they are demonstrating is residing essentially around pain, suffering and religion. Spectacular I conjure, but shocking brutal.

Back of the Flesh

Singapore is not the only place that celebrates Murugan. The temple at Batu Caves in Malaysia is a place that attracts usually over one million devotees and many more tourists for this very special public suffering procession. It is mentioned that the more impressive the more sure the wish will be granted, leading to sensational escalation of public suffer.

Corporate Sponsorship

I have to confess I was more intrigued by what I was watching but my reporter job. Maybe next year I will be able to capture better shot to render what the Thaipusam is really about. At the same time I am just wandering what the ceremony near Kuala Lumpur might look like.

Extremely India

2010-01-04T06:21:00.016-05:00

Whatever is said about India will be subject to fierce commentaries from anyone loosely involved with the Land of the Hindus. In an attempt to save my email inbox and the rest of my overseas friendships, I am raising a full disclaimer about this travel blog entry in general and my (few) unenthusiastic commentaries in particular.

Colorful Sarees, Jaipur

This experience is solely mine and is only reflecting my observations during my tiny ten days' travel in the North of India (Golden Triangle, expanded with Udaipur visit). I do understand that I could not understand anything within such a short amount of time, and will not try to pretend so (I am not sure either that one life time would be sufficient enough to grasp India; maybe that's why Hinduism has invented reincarnation). So if you abhor, dislike, detest, despise, disagree, differ, diverge, deviate, oppose, contest, dispute or simply loathe what I wrote about my Indian travel experience, please don't waste your time sending me an email, I will not respond to it.

Now, let me start travel blogging.

Mosque, Delhi

Two weeks after returning from my trip to India, I was still thinking about it, trying to figure out the best way to describe my journey in a blog entry until recently. I am usually softly enthusiastic and moderately resourceful in how to tackle a recent travel experience and translate it into words, but this time I was simply paralyzed. My ideas, recollections, and feelings about my trip were turning in my head without them being able to find their right spots in my memory shelves. This constant chaotic mindset was essentially mimicking my own experience back then. My mind was still unwinding slowly from India, and I am now left with two constant opposite pictures in my mind for every aspect of my trip. This constant duality is what I experienced of India.

Fatepur Sikri, near Agra

On one hand India is one of the poorest countries of the planet. It has the largest concentration of poor people in the world (42% below the poverty line of $1.25 a day in 2007), the highest rate of malnutrition among children under the age of three (46%, in 2007), and one of the highest rates in the world of underweight children (47%, nearly double the rate of Sub-Saharan Africa, in 2008). But on the other hand India is one of the richest countries in the world; with an average annual GDP growth rate of 6% for the past two decades, its economy is among the fastest growing in the world. India's GDP is above US$1.2 trillion, which makes it the twelfth-largest economy, and has joined recently the restricted circle of "above trillion dollar" countries in the world.

Entrance Gate at Agra Fort

By no means, the first few minutes you've been thrown into the face of India, you realize that the country is very complex, in its culture, in its societal organization (try to ask anyone to explain you the inter-caste marriage rules), or in its process (administration, business, …). But after some time, you can decipher among the constant chaos what people have in mind in their daily lives. Everyone is rushing to get an extra, be it an extra day, dollar, hour, or business contract. This simple rule for an "extra" makes the entire society stand together and move toward the same goal, (c)leaning chaos into a marching order for the extra bit.

Live Advertisement, Jaipur

India has one of lowest literacy rates in the world (61 %, 2009), well below the world average (84%, 2009). Despite large government investments, India's illiteracy rate had only decreased slowly since its independence in 1947, and a 1990 study estimated that it would be beyond 2060 for India to achieve universal literacy at then-current rate of progress. From its 113 universities and 2,088 colleges, India produced nearly 350,000 engineering graduates in 2005. All of Europe produced the same year, 100,000 engineering graduates, and America only produced 70,000. Although the poor quality of these engineers has been debated in many occasions, the sheer amount of graduate student is a living proof that India, like China and its 600,000 engineers a year, is already a major brain hub for the world. If you are familiar with numbers provided by Asian official sources, you would be inclined to think that the actual reality is way different; nevertheless the multiple headquarters recently created in Bangalore by giant US IT companies is a very good indicator that India has a large number of very well educated people at its disposal.

Street Boy, Udaipur

A close look at a map may make you think that traveling in India is an easy task and many interesting sites could be reached within a close range at the point of a pen, raising your travel expectations to a very high level of dopamine. The reality is quite different, and a short commute can easily turn into a very distant and delicate travel experience. Train could only be booked by foreigners at special office counters, which are widely imitated in signage by local tour operators, making the simple ticket booking a bundle of negotiation joy. Flight delays are so common that airports stop announcing them and propose instead a time bracket for departure. Roads are moving at the tail of the monsoon deluge, and final destinations are never quite reached unless extra money (see point above) has been asked for journey completion.

Lake Palace Morning Light, Udaipur

The immaculate palaces and other spotless museums are in absolute contrast with the outside street life. The clean hotel lobbies cannot make you forget that at the corner of the same street live entire families under temporary makeshift shelters in the dirtiest conditions imaginable. This contrast between palaces and temporary homes is equivalent to the crowds of street kids in major cities, knocking at expensive door cars for few rupees all day long.

Dhobi Ghat at Sunset, Udaipur

The primary reason that comes to my mind to explain how come India had stick together for so long despite its extreme complexity is its omnipresent spirituality. Acceptance of faith and the circle of time are the two components that make the Indian societal miracle happen, while its extremist counterpart, religions try at each possible occasion to spark the light of disastrous populist rebellions.

Dhobi Ghat, Washers, Udaipur

With an estimated population of 1.2 billion individuals, India is the world's second most populous country after China, and is estimated to be the largest by 2030. In 2001 there were already 35 million-plus-population cities in India, with the largest cities having a population of over 10 million each, being Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata. The large population has in reality a counter intuitive impact; with so many people, the only way to survive is to watch out for yourself, and become a unique individual fighting for your survival. This duality of individualism within a group-thinking culture is the gas fueling the new economic paradigm shift that has been reported about India. Entrepreneurship is the most successful profession in India, and is a simple result of lack of support or opportunity from every force in the societal equation: family, government, private or public institutions, religious groups, or companies. In the densest group of human beings, one must think individually to survive.

Lake Palace, Udaipur
Where James Bond's
Octopussy (1983) Was Shot

Where to start when one must speak about food in India. From its vegetarian diet in the South to its extremely rich culinary feast from the North, the Indian foods have constantly impressed generations of royal families and the not-so-imperial herd of tourists. But one must know that if Indian food is a joy for the palate, it is usually much less for the stomach. Various stories of tourists being victim of food poisoning can only underline the difficulty of travel in India. With my two weeks' post-travel recovery finally ending, I am unfortunately another statistical number in the bumpy road of taste bud exploration of the Indian continent.

Future of India

India is the world's most culturally, linguistically and genetically diverse geographical country in the world. India's culture is marked by a high degree of cultural pluralism. The country has managed to preserve cultures and established traditions while absorbing new customs, traditions, and ideas from invaders and immigrants and spreading its cultural influence to other parts of Asia, mainly South East and East Asia. Bollywood is today a close second to the well oiled Hollywood entertainment industry (Nollywood being third place, and Hong Kong fourth), and has reached far beyond its original Asian markets. On the other hand the commercial success has not helped to raise the quality of the screen plays and basic raw emotions have only been permitted only to appeal to the largest audience possible.

School Boy at Red Fort, Delhi

More often than necessary, friendly conversations started on innocuous, trivial topics. Although the majority of the touters went to the "where-are-you-from" school, a very simple test to qualify how much money you can extract from a tourist victim, usually the discussion was carried on happily despite my often evasive answers. On few occasions, each time too early for me to be able to entertain a local talkative fellow, I decided to make the conversation short or counterproductive by challenging the source of the fact (Oh really, why do you think that UK is not part of Europe?). Every time the outcome was loud and clear. The friendly talk moved rapidly into an argumentative monologue with eyebrow and voice raising. Objection was endured as an offensive defamation from someone who could never be able to understand the meaning of India. A lack of both passive and active exposure, and continual shortcoming of capacity in every single domain force people to heavily and uniquely rely on close connections, proximity communications and word-of-mouth conversations. Novelty or divergence in opinion is perhaps usually perceived with a pinch of spice.

Elephant in the Street, Udaipur

I could go on and on … about putting together two dual opposites to illustrate my point, but I guess that I would only manage to suffocate you, my dearest reader, with a feeling that sometimes travelers experience in India. Unprepared tourists in India (don't know if anyone could ever be prepared) might choke simply by the sheer amount of overwhelming opposing experiences being thrown at them, (sometimes at the same time), and this constant information assault force mono-tasking human beings to position reactively and violently after a while in front of the experience. So you love it or you hate it.

Dhobi Ghat, Bath, Udaipur

Looking back at my travel experience, I think that I have experienced it the very best way, in the face, roughly, constantly challenging my values, and during my ten days there I experienced a bluntly raw and extremely extreme India.

Untouchable

If China has been described as the Middle Empire, India should be defined as the Extreme Empire.

The Taj Mahal

2010-01-03T05:58:00.010-05:00

Bigger than a dream and more accessible than eternity, the Taj Mahal was one of the few magical experiences that I wish to see again in the hopefully distant day my entire life will go by before my eyes.

View from Great Gate (Darwaza-i Rauza)

The Taj Mahal was a unique and extra-ordinary experience, certainly the most astonishing construction built by human beings I was given to contemplate in my entire life. Described as "One tear-drop...upon the cheek of time" by Rabindranath Tagore, or "the embodiment of all things pure" by Rudyard Kipling, everyone recognizes the giant white marble structure, nearby the Yumina River, surrounded by gardens and with enough space around to grasp the complete shape despite the thousands of people around you. But only when on-site, can people finally embrace the sheer size of the mausoleum and the constant changes that occur before their eyes, which are what make Taj Mahal unique and magical, and could never be captured by photos.

Reflection

The day before, from the Agra Fort surroundings, in the middle of the river bed next to a camel carcass, we had distinguished the white monument surrounded by its red walls from far away, and it already gave us a sense of superlative. We were very excited about seeing the well renowned iconic beauty from a close distance, and the early wake-up call was not as hard as I thought it would be. After all, one has only one chance to see the Taj Mahal for the first time. The line-up at the West Gate was already long at 6:40am when we arrived, but that did not discourage the scammers floating around the tourist line with by-pass cards, back door entrances and other special treatments. Cold morning, line-up growing and time ticking, everything was in place for a great morning.

Boy Dreaming

Split up for the long security check in a lady line and a gent line, we finally reunited to arrive at the Great Gate (Darwaza-i rauza) together at around 7:30am, past the sunrise, and with hundreds of people already marching everywhere to have a clear photo shoot. Nevertheless, the magic was still in front of us. The construction was emerging few hundred meters away from the dark gate in the early mist of the morning, and the first sign is as joyful as unwrapping the biggest present on Christmas day. The surprise comes only later, when we enter the gate and for a few minutes watched the mausoleum from the gate. Across from us were the vast garden, the water pools, the white marble platform in the middle and finally the construction above the rest.

Minaret of the Great Gate (Darwaza-i rauza)

The walk towards the white marble edifice took us many hours, peacefully and quietly like if we didn't want to break the magnificent lucky charm spell casted on us. We looked at the Taj Mahal, then walked a few meters, took a picture, then moved aside, took another picture, then moved forward again, took another shot, and so on. Finally we reached the middle platform from where all pictures are taken from and we indulged ourselves, filling as much as we could our memory (cards).

The Iconic View

We later explored the Mosque in the West, the Jawab in the East, and the Mausoleum (Rauza-i Munauwara) taking pictures now and then, smiling at each other in this now warm winter morning. Around 11 am and after some lengthy contemplation, it was time to give back the monument to tour operators and large families for their own discoveries but on the way out, looking again at the beast one last time, we decided that was not enough and we should do something about it. At the exit sign we decided to come back the next morning to have it, even for few seconds, only for ourselves one more time.

2nd Morning, Awakening from the Mist

The next morning we arrived at the East Gate foreigners' ticket booth at 6:10 am that time, and were among the front liners of the expedition, armed with cameras and fully equipped for a morning of discovery. At 6:30 am the ticket booths opened and we luckily snapped our two entry tickets at the foreigner line (the Indian lines were blocked by an Englishmen who claimed to be Indian since he was paying taxes in India). The East Gate has this peculiarity to be in a warm closed office but at a far distance from the actual entrance (over one kilometer). The fight was on for securing seats in the electric transfer bus, but a young lady stepped out just before us and we instantly jumped on it: Indian style.

Clear Shot for a Second Only

At 7:00 am sharp the three gates finally opened, we passed through security, and were among the first to discover in front of us, nothing but a large cloud of mist. Taj Mahal had disappeared under a warm white blanket of mist for the night and nothing could be seen. Experienced from the day before, we ran to the spots we preferred, without stopping. The closer we moved, the clearer it became. The structure once hidden, finally made its shape from the top to the bottom.

J. Warming Up

We were positioned at the Mosque in the West of the Riverfront Terrace (Chameli Farsh) for a well deserved sunrise. And for the next 30 minutes we watched the sun rising between the minarets and the domes, with waves of mist coming and going from the river nearby. Every second was different from the previous and the white marble edifice offered us a fantastic entertainment sometimes revealing itself, sometimes not, offering shape and colors never seen before. Only a few people were around us, mostly foreigners ecstatic of the show in which a grandiose monument built by humans was floating above ground on a cloud of mist.

Sweeper

For many minutes, the only sound that could be heard was the camera clicks and the monolithic noise of the early sweeper man in front of us. For once, noisy India became silent, colored India became black & white, and filled India became empty. The sun ultimately rose above the river mist, liberating the path for thousands of tourists to cross over the secluded zone we selfishly had for ourselves for a few hours.

Mist Around the Taj Mahal

Filled by happiness we reached over the sunny side of the mausoleum to discover that during all that time, the Taj Mahal was presenting to us its sleepy misty side, but on the sunny side, the white marble walls turned pink. Monkeys were flying off the surrounding walls and people were marching on the mausoleum by waves of thousands, and time was up again to give back the Taj Mahal to the others.

The fact is the Taj Mahal does live up to expectations, and one must see it in one's lifetime. I just hope to never forget this sunrise in my life.

Indian Video

2010-01-02T13:30:00.007-05:00

According to Mr. D our driver, there is 3 things that a good driver needs in India:

Good Brakes
Good Horn
Good Luck

This is something that is easily believable in crowded cities over the India Sub-Continent.

Here are some short video from North India Trip to capture the livelihood of the place, like the Taj Mahal at sunrise and with the crowd around, the RickShaw (yellow motorcycle that goes everywhere in India), famous Snake Charmers and the surprising encounter you can make at the bump of any road. Missing in reality some elephants, camels, cows, monkeys, and dogs to complete the urban zoo in the street of India.

Taj Mahal

The Panoramic shot is a the first step with the monument, but can be overwhelming with so many people surrounding you for taking a picture with their small camera phone.

Taj Mahal at Sunrise

If you have the chance to enter the site early enough, just before the sun rise above the horizon line, you can see the star behind the white monument emerging from the near river's mist. A magical entrance for a magical human construction.

Taj Mahal at Sunrise Again

Another video shot with almost nobody around you. The few people at that time where exchanging contemplative smile with each other, a sign that usually says that the magical moment is appreciated by everyone.

RickShaw in Jaipur

The best way to move around is by rickshaw, a motorcycle with a bench in the back that can go everywhere and full speed. It's noisy, polluting and sometime scary, but the best way to see the city street life.

Snake Charmers, Amber Fort

They do exist, and snake charmers are consider a full time profession by Indian standard. Kids loved them.

Dhobi Ghat in Udaipur

The clear sound of the bat on clothes in the early hours of the morning, next to the not so clear water of Udaipur Lake.

Udaipur at Sunset

Named as the most romantic city in the world by Leisure and Travel Magazine (Indian edition !). Nevertheless there is something about it at sunset with the white palaces at shore and in the middle of the lake.

Goat on the Road

You never know what you could encounter at the end of the road in India.

This is a longer section RickShaw journey. With many more people watching and animals in the middle of the road.

Many more video could be watched, but nothing will replace the 360 degrees experience that you can have if you book yourself a return ticket to see the Taj Mahal.

North India Addresses

2010-01-02T00:17:00.014-05:00

Here is a compilation of recommended spots in the Golden Triangle Deluxe version: Golden Triangle (Delhi; Agra-Taj Mahal; Jaipur) & Udaipur.

Mintalo.com is urging everyone who wish to travel to India to cross-check and reference many times with multiple sources the different addresses below since places might change name, address, and certainly quality.

[[Sleeping]]

Delhi

Hotel Palace Heights
[Website], [TripAdvisor]
The place to stop over on your way to Delhi. Small, casual, convenient, clean and very central. The spot to get if you can.
The Taj Mahal Hotel
[Website], [TripAdvisor]
Do I have to mention this 5 stars hotel for its quality of service and its central city location? The spot to get if you can afford.

Agra, Taj Mahal

ITC Mughal, Agra
[Website], [TripAdvisor]
Well situated, prefered place to stay in Agra, not to mention that they do have a descent restaurant as well that can help you discover the local cuisine as well as the western breakfast
Trident
[Website], [TripAdvisor]
Far away from the main traffic, so quiet and difficult to move around. For families who wish to take a break from the Taj Mahal frenzy while not compromising on standards. Used to be the Hilton hotel, but downgraded recently and rebranded on Trident.
The Oberoi Amarvilas
[Website], [TripAdvisor]
Quiet and close to Taj Mahal, this nice luxury option in the area have some rooms with a direct view over the UNESCO site. For once in a life time experience of Maharadja travel style.

Jaipur

Golden Tulip Jaipur
[Website], [TripAdvisor]
Very nice option away from crazy Jaipur. Would recommend anytime, with nice room, good service and delightful restaurant. The place to go in Jaipur.

Udaipur

Panorama Guest House
[Website], [TripAdvisor]
Cheap, clean and quiet until 7 AM and the next door temple bells.
Amet Haveli
[Website], [TripAdvisor]
With a direct view of the Lake Palace, and City Palace, the hotel is a good bet for a relaxing vacation. Would recommend staying on the first floor in room 15, 16 or 17. Especially the last one.
Jagat Niwas Palace Hotel
[Website], [TripAdvisor]
Jagat Niwas Palace Hotel is a early 17th century haveli, situated in the lively but quiet streets of Udaipur. Rooftop restaurant experience is a must even though you are not staying at the hotel.
Hotel Udai Kothi
[Website], [TripAdvisor]
UdaiKothi is a modernish hotel, with all facilities and amenities you wish to have, expect that everything comes in small sizes. Small room, small swimming pool, small food portion, yet large bill. The romantics views from the rooftop again is great.
The Karohi Haveli
[Website], [TripAdvisor]
Great hotel, on the quiet side of the lake, usually filled with tour operator. Excellent backup plan if on the back burner.
Taj Lake Palace Udaipur
[Website], [TripAdvisor]
The palace from the Octopussy, James Bound movie is the ultimate experience in Udaipur, with private garden on the island. The white palace is usually booked in advance and for security reason does not allow non guest to have a cocktail or dinner at their restaurants anymore. Once in a life time experience.
The Oberoi Udaivilas
[Website], [TripAdvisor]
On the other side of the lake, the 5 stars hotel has the best view on both Lake and City palaces. Should be an option if you can fit the bill
Trident, Udaipur
[Website], [TripAdvisor]
New and modern hotel that seems to be even more grandiose than the Udaivilas according to the local legend.

DO NOT GO TO

Hotel Udai Niwas
[Website], [TripAdvisor]
Poor service, poor quality, cold water and over expensives. Staff are far more interested in your cash than actually propose any kind of service. Need to be skipped all together

[[Eating]]

Delhi

Bukhara @ ITC Hotel the Maurya
[Website], [TripAdvisor]
World famous for its North-West Frontier cuisine, Bukhara is referenced in the world for its traditionally cooking prepared in a clay oven (tandoor). Rustic ambiance but the only imporatnt thing will be the food. Order the Lamb Leg and the Black Dhal. Rated amongst the top 50 restaurants in the world and the finest restaurant in Asia by "Restaurants" magazine. Hours : 12:30 PM - 2:30 PM; 7:00 PM - 11:45 PM
Varq @ The Taj Mahal Hotel,
[Website], [TripAdvisor]
In your face cooking as oppose to in your plate cooking, but this modern Indian cooking restaurant has a reputation for not deceiving adventurous gourmet. Impeccable services.

Jaipur

Golden Tulip Jaipur
[Website], [TripAdvisor]
Pleasantly surprise by the quality of the Indian cuisine at this new hotel, although should be working on the service sometime and try to see the difference between serviceable and casual experience. Don't make the mistake to eat western, but venture instaed in the A La Carte menu.

Udaipur

Ambrai @ the Amet Haveli
[Website], [TripAdvisor]
Ambrais is a fantastic place to watch the sun setting or rising on the city of Udaipur, does not hurts that the Indian food is actually tasty and good, maybe slightly heavy.
Jagat Niwas Palace Hotel
[Website], [TripAdvisor]
The view from the rooftop over the Lake Palace is astonishing. Service is great and food causally comfortable. A nice spot to celebrate any occasion.
Café Edelweiss
[Website], [TripAdvisor]
German Bakery & Coffee Shop.
Address: 73 Gangaur Ghat, Udaipur, Rajasthan; Phone: 941/423-3573
The breakfats place in the city filled with foreigners and ... more foreigners in constant search for comfy food. If you want a good coffee, a cappuccino, or a cinnamon roll without questioning the origin and wander the impact, this is the place to seat for a while.

[[Shopping]]

Multiple Locations

Anokhi
[Website], [US Website]
Anokhi is a socialy responsible company with a mission to preserve fabric, design, and jobs in India. The company is known as an alternative role model for good business practices, and the ongoing revival of traditional textile skills. One of the few shops that has Indian fabric & pattern in Western design & size.
Rajasthali
[Website]
Government shops that help you to avoid the constant bargaining that occurs outside markets. Prices are fix, as well as quality and variety. At least one Rajsthali in every city in Rajasthan

Udaipur

Sadhna
[Website]
Old Fatehpura. Phone: 91 294 2454655. Fax: 91 294 2450947. E-mail: sadhna@sadhna.org, sadhna@sevamandir.org
Sadhna is a Women’s Handicraft Enterprise registered under the Mutual Benefit Trust Act, and was started under an NGO in 1988, with the aim of providing an alternative means of livelihood to the women of rural, tribal and urban slum areas in southern Rajasthan. Starting with just a small group of 15 women, now it has grown to a large family of 625 women artisans. The ownership of the organization lies in the hands of these artisans and the entire surplus earned goes to them only. Quality, variety and design are all authentic but the small shop is part of the Fair Trade in India and Europe now. Prices are worth the good cause. RECOMMENDED
Ganesh Handicraft Emporium
City Palace Road,. Telephone: +91-294-523647. Email: ganeshemporium@yahoo.com. Indian supplier of, Clothing, Soft Furnishings, Bags, Cases, Furnishings, Handicraft Products, Handicraft Supplies, Craft Products, Skirts, Sculptures, Cushion Covers. This Ali Baba's cavern is a delight to be lost into. Prices are there to confess that original Radjasthani cloths and fabrics have a value in the market, but the quality is amazing so are the colors. Like Ali Baba's cavern, the Emporium is hard to find, but if you ask around you will find the use warehouse behind the small front store.
University of Arts
166 Jagdish Marg, City Palace Rd. Phone: 294/242-2591. Mr Durgesh Gurjargour, Email: DurgeshGurjargour@yahoo.co.in. Friendly people providing qualiy painting work. Worth the time to spare.

Sai Arts
Mr Shyam Kumar Gothwal, and Ms Vimala Gothwal. 91, Near Jagdish Temple, Gangour Gat Marg, Udaipur. Mobile: 92521 77461. Nice gentlemen in a tiny shop in a busy street. Should stop at least to say hey!

Jaipur

Gulab Chand, Jaipur
[Website]
102-105-106, Ground Floor, Mall-21, Opp. Rajmandir Cinema. Phone 0141-2363320.
Kuta shopping frenzy, with millions of designs and size for every women of the planet
Roop Lakshmi, Jaipur
181, Johari Bazaar, Jaipur 302003. Tel: +(91) (141) 566520/564060/444520; Textorium M. I. Road, Jaipur 302001. Email:support@ranasarees.com.
The Saree place in Jaipur for those interested in buying expensive and high quality product (have a wedding soon?)

[[Transport]]

Train is the best way to travel from Delhi to/from Agra. Seat61 has a great explanatory tutorial about Trains in India. Online Booking should be done way in advance at IRCTC website [http://www.irctc.co.in/]. Note that foreigners have dedicated and pre-reserved seat numbers in majors train. Make sure you check your waiting status few hours before departure, you could be surprise to have a seat even though you are in the double digit waiting list.
Rajasthan Four Wheel Drive
[http://www.fourwheeldriveindia.com/], [http://www.rajasthanfourwheeldrive.com/about_us.htm] Mr. Anil Sinha @ mobile: +91 98297 66640, +91 98292 48899
Mr Sinha is the person to call if you need transportation in Radjasthan. In one phone call, and a SMS confirmation back, driver and car could be arrange anytime anywhere. Price are high, but what can you say when you have the master of the "defensive driving" method in front of view. Would RECOMMENDED anytime
Falcon, Udaipur. "Faster Than Faster"
[http://www.falconcabsindia.com/]
Friendly staff who could arrange some trips around Udaipur, and even in Rajasthan if you insist.
Proto Travel Concept, Agra
KD @ mobile +91 97566 03702. Used his services to go around the city of Agra.
Puja Tours & Travel, Jaipur
[http://pujatourandtravels.com/]
Mobile +91 98291 52067. Ok service for an airport pickup or drop off.
Perfect Holiday Travels, Delhi
[www.perfectholidaytravels.com]
Ok service for an airport pickup or drop off.

[[Recommendations]]
Mintalo recommend to

Land in New Delhi
Visit the Red Fort & Old Mosque near by in Old Delhi
Take an early train to Agra
Visit Fatepur Sikri near Agra
Visit the Taj Mahal in Agra (twice)
Fly on to Udaipur
Transfer to Jaisalmer (Fly + Train, or Fly)
Should avoid Jaipur and Jodpur if possible

Rex Cinema, Little India

2009-11-10T09:51:00.004-05:00

At the stop of the city of Singapore, crossing over another land on its way to Little India, lays the 63 years old building Rex Cinema at Mackenzie Road.

Cornered by a parking lot on its left and a Hawker Center on its right, the now movie hall has reemerged once again from its ashes.

All day long, the three screens are blabbering all the Singapore official languages (English, Mandarin, Malay and Tamil) with an inclination for the South Indian's, 3-hours, dance & song features.

The building has reinvented itself many times over the years, going through many transformations, from a skating rink, to a church and lately a nightclub, but went back to its original movie passion what it was designed for in the first place.

The cinema's 70s look enlights the whole area, echoing the coloring that the Little India of Singapore vibrates with so vividly.

Like a guarding tower on the side of an entrance, the building is not here to prevent you from crossing over the next land, but rather warn you about the colors you will see along the way.

Inside the experience is far away from the one at any village. People seat on chairs, eat Chinese food, and drink American pop. You have been warned to not eat betel nut and or spit leaf on the floor.

But as soon as the lights fade away, the drama movie takes you to mother land India where movie are watched outdoor with an entire village to help you laugh and cry.

It is said that Mr. Narayanasamy Muthu the owner of the local film distributor Mega Movies was helped by Mr. Murugan Suppurayan, who runs a film distributing company in Malaysia, to reopen the Rex Cinema.

Some saying that they put together more than S$1.5 million in the building in renovation.

Sure thing that it clicks and splashs in the night.