There is quite a large area to cover, so we got pushbikes to ride around it, which was fun in itself. There were hardly any tourists around; it was just so serene and tranquil. The way it’s meant to be.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Sukhothai
Sukhothai – an ancient city without the tourists or souvenir stalls. This might be my favorite historical sight so far. Not only was it beautiful, it was also enjoyable .
There is quite a large area to cover, so we got pushbikes to ride around it, which was fun in itself. There were hardly any tourists around; it was just so serene and tranquil. The way it’s meant to be.
There is quite a large area to cover, so we got pushbikes to ride around it, which was fun in itself. There were hardly any tourists around; it was just so serene and tranquil. The way it’s meant to be.
Food, glorious food!
The last few days we've taken a trip from Bangkok to the north of Thailand. Chiang Mai is a city famous for its temples - apparently it has over 300 of them. I have nothing against temples, but there is only so many of them you can see before you get "templed out". To my untrained eye, knowing absolutely nothing about Thai architecture, they all look pretty much alike after a while.
The real highlight of Chiang Mai was our cooking course. We started at the local market, where we were shown all the local fruit and vegetable, and tubs of shrimp paste, desiccated coconut etc. Then we spent then entire day cooking, and eating the result of our labors. It was delicious and by the end of the day I was completely and utterly stuffed.
The course has given me a lot of confidence in coking Thai (which I love) without the pre-packed sources. The quality of Thai food relies on the fresh, good ingredients, and not any complicated cooking methods. Most dishes are ready in minutes, and no dish takes more than 30 min to prepare. That includes curries where we made the curry paste from scratch. Can’t wait to try it at home!
The real highlight of Chiang Mai was our cooking course. We started at the local market, where we were shown all the local fruit and vegetable, and tubs of shrimp paste, desiccated coconut etc. Then we spent then entire day cooking, and eating the result of our labors. It was delicious and by the end of the day I was completely and utterly stuffed.
The course has given me a lot of confidence in coking Thai (which I love) without the pre-packed sources. The quality of Thai food relies on the fresh, good ingredients, and not any complicated cooking methods. Most dishes are ready in minutes, and no dish takes more than 30 min to prepare. That includes curries where we made the curry paste from scratch. Can’t wait to try it at home!
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Can anyone help identify this lizard?
We are quite curious. In Bangkok atm, we walked to Chinatown and stopped to have lunch by a rather filthy canal. Idly watching the rubbish floating by, we noticed a BIG lizard in the water. Then it climbed out onto the stairs and people started throwing food at it and laughing at our excited chatter and attempts to film/take picture of it.
Before long, there was another one, and another one, and we counted five really BIG lizards just in that little section of the canal we were sitting by. They must feed on food scraps, because I don't think any fish can survive in that water. Anyone know what it is?
Before long, there was another one, and another one, and we counted five really BIG lizards just in that little section of the canal we were sitting by. They must feed on food scraps, because I don't think any fish can survive in that water. Anyone know what it is?
Georgetown, Panang Island, Malaysia
Georgetown is a UNESCO world cultural heritage city, and one can really see why. There are basically two cities here - Chinatown, Little India and the Colonial District is one city. Ugly high-rise development etc is built so separately it's like another city, and you never have to see it except from a distance.
Once upon a time the East India Company sailed in, took over the island with some false promises to the local sultan and didn't give it up for 300 years or so. Typical colonial story. They also brought in the Chinese and the Indians to "stimulate trade".
As a result, the best way to enjoy Georgetown is to just walk around and soak up the atmosphere. There are so many colonial buildings, Chinese temples, and Hindu temples here you don't need to go find them, they will find you.
Once upon a time the East India Company sailed in, took over the island with some false promises to the local sultan and didn't give it up for 300 years or so. Typical colonial story. They also brought in the Chinese and the Indians to "stimulate trade".
As a result, the best way to enjoy Georgetown is to just walk around and soak up the atmosphere. There are so many colonial buildings, Chinese temples, and Hindu temples here you don't need to go find them, they will find you.
Kuala Lumpur
KL was a lot nicer and cleaner than I remembered. I was here for the first time in 2000, and I think I have done so much travel since then my perspective has really changed. This time I saw it as a city you can enjoy yourself in - good food, easy to get around, everyone speaks English etc.
I really liked the Islamic-style buildings, in pastel colours and fanciful arches and spires. They look like light, airy castles.
The twin towers (Petronas Towers) were pretty cool too, although we missed out on going up to the connecting bridge.
I really liked the Islamic-style buildings, in pastel colours and fanciful arches and spires. They look like light, airy castles.
The twin towers (Petronas Towers) were pretty cool too, although we missed out on going up to the connecting bridge.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
It's nice when things just work
Singapore was such a contrast to Indonesia, we were in culture shock. For the first day I was marvelling at the presence of:
- Sidewalks
- Pedestrian crossings
- Traffic lights
- Barriers separating people from holes you can fall into
The second day I was marvelling at:
- Efficient metro system (why can't we have one like that in Melbourne?)
- Amazing customer service
- Restaurant quality foodcourts (instead of the other way around in Indonesia)
The third day it was getting a bit too expensive, so we left for KL.
My take on Singapore is that it's a very livable city of you can take hot and sticky weather all the time. It's somewhat sanitised... you feel like if anything broke or went wrong it would be rectified within the hour. I mean, how can a city not have a single run-down looking building? And there are signs regarding "gracious behavior" and trains and other public spaces everywhere. I found them funny, but I must say I enjoyed the results :)
- Sidewalks
- Pedestrian crossings
- Traffic lights
- Barriers separating people from holes you can fall into
The second day I was marvelling at:
- Efficient metro system (why can't we have one like that in Melbourne?)
- Amazing customer service
- Restaurant quality foodcourts (instead of the other way around in Indonesia)
The third day it was getting a bit too expensive, so we left for KL.
My take on Singapore is that it's a very livable city of you can take hot and sticky weather all the time. It's somewhat sanitised... you feel like if anything broke or went wrong it would be rectified within the hour. I mean, how can a city not have a single run-down looking building? And there are signs regarding "gracious behavior" and trains and other public spaces everywhere. I found them funny, but I must say I enjoyed the results :)
Monday, June 8, 2009
The rest of Indonesia
I thought I would be conscientious and finish my spiel about Indonesia. Unfortunately I can’t put up any of my own photos as my SD card has a virus on it or something… anyway I am sending it back home for my brother to fix. But I will download some for your viewing pleasure.
Java was our last island. We didn’t end up going to Sumatra as we simply ran out of visa time. I think anyone wanting to come here either needs to fly around (lots of people do as airfares are cheap) or come for 2 months as the barest minimum.
Java….
- Is by far the wealthiest and most developed island in the archipelago. Mercifully we were able to get off the buses and onto trains!
- Is mostly devoid of jungle, which has been cut down to make way for huge coffee and tea plantations and has lots and lots of people
- Practices a very mild form of Islam. Some women wear a headscarf, but not the majority from what I can see. No one actually seems to pray at prayer time. Everyone is busy trying to make money instead
The main sites in Java are the volcano of Gunung Bromo and the Buddhist temple of Borobudur.
Gunung Bromo is cool, but has been developed in the most hideous way. The standard thing to do is take a jeep up to the top at sunrise. So you think: “excellent, it will be nice, just me and the sun and a few other tourists marvelling at the power and magnificence of nature”. Wrong! After you park down the road from literally 50 or so other jeeps, you then brave your way through an avenue of tourists shops anxious to rent you a beanie, mitts, rain jackets etc (if it’s not stinking hot the Indonesians tend to think it’s freezing, in fact it’s milder than most mornings in Melbourne winter). Then you get to the viewing platform, which turns out to be an amphitheatre full of hundreds of people milling about, waiting for the sun and trying to avoid hawkers. This is the view we are meant to have seen:
However what we saw was more obscured by mist & cloud than that. It’s still an impressive sight, but I just wish it didn’t have to be such a corny tourist experience.
We were more lucky with Borobudur as we went on a weekday and although there were other people there, you weren’t tripping over them. Very impressive temple:
Unless you have a wide-lens camera you can’t actually take a photo like this, which encompasses the entire temple. It’s huge!
Jakarta was a shithole. Don’t go there.
Java was our last island. We didn’t end up going to Sumatra as we simply ran out of visa time. I think anyone wanting to come here either needs to fly around (lots of people do as airfares are cheap) or come for 2 months as the barest minimum.
Java….
- Is by far the wealthiest and most developed island in the archipelago. Mercifully we were able to get off the buses and onto trains!
- Is mostly devoid of jungle, which has been cut down to make way for huge coffee and tea plantations and has lots and lots of people
- Practices a very mild form of Islam. Some women wear a headscarf, but not the majority from what I can see. No one actually seems to pray at prayer time. Everyone is busy trying to make money instead
The main sites in Java are the volcano of Gunung Bromo and the Buddhist temple of Borobudur.
Gunung Bromo is cool, but has been developed in the most hideous way. The standard thing to do is take a jeep up to the top at sunrise. So you think: “excellent, it will be nice, just me and the sun and a few other tourists marvelling at the power and magnificence of nature”. Wrong! After you park down the road from literally 50 or so other jeeps, you then brave your way through an avenue of tourists shops anxious to rent you a beanie, mitts, rain jackets etc (if it’s not stinking hot the Indonesians tend to think it’s freezing, in fact it’s milder than most mornings in Melbourne winter). Then you get to the viewing platform, which turns out to be an amphitheatre full of hundreds of people milling about, waiting for the sun and trying to avoid hawkers. This is the view we are meant to have seen:
However what we saw was more obscured by mist & cloud than that. It’s still an impressive sight, but I just wish it didn’t have to be such a corny tourist experience.
We were more lucky with Borobudur as we went on a weekday and although there were other people there, you weren’t tripping over them. Very impressive temple:
Unless you have a wide-lens camera you can’t actually take a photo like this, which encompasses the entire temple. It’s huge!
Jakarta was a shithole. Don’t go there.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Bali and Lombok
We have been through Bali and Lombok Islands in Indonesia. What to say without sounding negative – they can both boast of immense natural beauty, and in a way it was a big relief to get to a place where you can make yourself understood and are able to eat things are you familiar with. But I have to call it as I see it, and it’s no longer the tropical paradise it might have once been. In a way I think places like these can become victims of their own success. Tourists come, which provides commercial opportunities for the locals, which in turn makes the tourists happy as they have somewhere to stay and something to eat. But you can get too much of a good thing, and most of Bali has been massively overdeveloped. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed it, but it’s definitely not the chilled out sun beach and surf experience it once might have been. Would I come back? I think not, prefer to go back to Fiji.
This cultural side has been interesting though, Bali is the only Hindu island in Indonesia (Lombok, Sumatra and Java are Muslim, and Flores, Sumbawa and Timor are Christian). The architecture of the temples is impressive and reminds me a lot of what I saw in Nepal. Here is one temple that has been carved out of rock about a millennium or so ago:
This cultural side has been interesting though, Bali is the only Hindu island in Indonesia (Lombok, Sumatra and Java are Muslim, and Flores, Sumbawa and Timor are Christian). The architecture of the temples is impressive and reminds me a lot of what I saw in Nepal. Here is one temple that has been carved out of rock about a millennium or so ago:
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