Hoan Kiem Lake flaunting the distinctive Huc (or red) bridge is located in the heart of the Old Quarters of Hanoi, around the lake are cute little cafes where you can just sit for hours and watch the people crossing the chaotic street.
Legend has it that Heaven sent Emperor Le Thai To a magical sword, which he used to drive out the Chinese in Vietnam. A golden tortoise emerged and grabbed the sword and disappeared in the lake. Since then, the lake has beem know as Ho Hoan Kiem (Lake of the Restored Sword).
Hoan Kiem’s life is bustling at the break of dawn as serious joggers take on the streets, paths are crowed with people doing taichi.
I’ve been to Bali 3 times in the past 2 decades. Twice for work and once tagging along an incentive trip of an ex. Each time was spent on a beach resort, Nusa Dua to be exact. My first and only time in Ubud prior to this trip was in 1991. A day trip only. Almost 2 decades later, here I am experiencing Ubud like it was my first time.
Ubud is Bali’s cultural enclave, where one can find artists’ studios & galleries, rice fields, ornate temples and ancient historical sites. While it once was an oasis for backpackers, artists and bohos, Ubud is now a popular destination for literati, glitterati, art collectors and connoisseurs. Elegant 5 star hotels and sprawling mansions now stand in the outskirts of Ubud.
So without further hoo-ha, here’s a list of places that deserves a thumbs up (according to me)!
The Crispy Duck of Bebeck Bengil:
Lines were long even at 1pm. Obviously a popular eating joint for both locals and tourists alike. Service was slow and quite inefficient. But the (long) wait was worth it. The duck was very tasty. Crispy yet juicy – fried to perfection, if you ask me. It didn’t look very appetizing but it definitely had me at first bite.
Dinner at Lamak Restaurant and Bar:
Hands down the best meal of our entire stay. Located along Monkey Forest Road, they serve excellent fusion dishes like Tea Infused Duck Broth with dumpling and Sesame crusted Scallop w/ Kung Pao Sauce. And desserts like Orange & Ginger Bruleé, Chocolate Soufflé and Chili ice cream. Nuff said! My dad actually wanted to return for lunch or dinner the next day. 😀
Pura Puseh Temple, Batuan Village:
Considered to be one of the finest and oldest temples in Bali. The temple dates back to the 11th century and has many fine carvings. This Balinese village of Batuan possesses one of the richest cultural legacies on the island. Renowned for some of the finest music, dances and sculptures in all of Bali, it has performances twice a month of the Gambuh, a rare ancient dance drama. Regular performances are held on the 1st and 15th of every month. Nope, we didn’t catch it; it was the wrong time of the month.
Ubud Palace / Puri Saren Agung
Set in the center of Ubud, across the Ubud Central Market. This is the palace of the Royal family that ruled from the late 1800’s until World War II and is essentially the father of other Ubud Palaces or Puri, as the locals call it.
When we arrived, a portion of the palace was closed (for unknown reasons) but the little that I saw of the grounds impressed me. The garden was beautifully kept, the old stone gates and the statue guards in that familiar checkered cloth skirts were main points of interest. Definitely worth a revisit.
The front courtyard is open to the public during the day and a traditional dance performance, the Legong Dance is held here every night. Interesting to note, some of the pavilions have been turned into hotel rooms for those who want a glimpse of the Royal life.
Shopping!!!
Along Monkey Forest Road and Jalan Raya. Fantastic and extremely varied. You can find all kinds from ancient antiques to whimsical trinkets. Shops upon shops filled with sarongs, woodcarvings, paintings, souvenirs, jewelries, incense potteries… It’s a shopping haven even if I had to put my rusty bargaining powers to use. For many, bargaining is an art and is what makes shopping fun… not for me as patience is not my virtue. Wahaha! 😛
Maya Ubud – A Haven of Tranquility
Our home for 4 days. Let’s just say I can afford it because I wasn’t paying for it. If you like the finer things in life and prefer traveling luxuriously as my family does, Maya Ubud is for you.
Reviews says that it is a cut above the rest and rightly so. Located high between 2 river valleys, set in sprawling lawns and gardens, Maya Ubud is indeed a haven of tranquility. All villas face the river, and the sound of the river brings such serenity.
I adore my villa and the daybed outside my room. I spent a lot of time reading on that comfy daybed. It is pure bliss to be able to just relax and read my book. The greatest indulgence however was a relaxing bathing experience in the privacy of my bathroom. For US$15, I had a personal assistant prepare my bath. When I arrived from dinner, there it was, all ready for me. I just had to slide in and enjoy my book some more before I slumbered off. Now that’s what I call capping the day. And the best part is that they provided an extra set with their compliments and for 2 straight nights I bathe in tranquility. Such is life! 😉
One thing I didn’t get to do was try the award winning spa. It was kinda duh of me but I just couldn’t bring myself to pay for something that I can get in Manila for a quarter of the price. Could anything be that worth it? Regretfully, I’ll never know! 😦
After chemo in 2005, I decided to take a short trip to China to cap this chapter of my life. I wanted to start living “my life” again, the way I used to, even if I had to take baby steps to get back into my groove. (I owe this story about me and I WILL post it as soon as I am ready to share.) Anyway… Chose Yangshuo because it was close enough but it was not your typical Chinese town either. It was still quite off the beaten path where backpackers still abound. You get the same, if not better landscape in a vacation town with a plethora of interesting eateries and little shops as opposed to the big city of Guilin. I like Yangshuo because it was small enough to explore, not intimidating at all. Baby steps…
Outside of eating and shopping in town, the countryside and the Li River has a lot more to offer. You can should do the following:
Ride a bike – wander through the countryside and enjoy the dramatic mountain backdrops. The people are generally friendly. Our guide went the extra mile and brought us to her home in the countryside and cooked us lunch. 😀
Cruise around Li River – take it from Xingping where the best limestone formations starts.
Rock Climbing – if you are into that.
Watch Impression of Lui Sanjie – by far the best thing we did in the 4 days we were there. The show runs nightly during peak season. It features a cast of 500 fishermen and a highly impressive light show performed on the Li River with the limestone formation as backdrop. It was awe-inspiring, simply “goosebumps” amazing.
Credits: Joyful Heart Designs: plain jane-brownish paper
Built in 1818, Vat Sisaket is the only temple to survive a 19th century invasion when the Siamese raged the city and forced most of its people into exile across the Mekong. It continued to function as a monastery during the 19th century despite the depopulation. It is the only temple to maintain its original shape albeit a partial restoration in the 1920s hence the chipped walls.
Vientiane is an ancient city and its history has been recorded largely in its temples.
Came across this meme and found it cool. So here’s my very first attempt on photo hunting. I was in Vientiane last year and Laos has since been one of my favorite Asian destination. Check out other PhotoHunt entries here.
I am blessed. Blessed to be able to explore the world, albeit not as extensive as I want to but I’ve had some fair share of adventure and fun last year. So I’m not complaining. Last year was a good mix of local and international travels, small and big trips. Rounding them up, there were highs and lows, great satisfactions and some disappointments. Here’s a run down of my best and not so best experiences of 2008.
The Disappointment
Donsol – in pursuit of the elusive whale sharks (Feb)
We were ready to jump anytime but the whale sharks were scarce. There were way too many boats, way too disorganized and so we caught a glimpse of its… tail. Oh well… this calls for another trip sometime in the future.
One Miserable Climb
Mt. Pulag – rained out! (Feb)
We started the trek with just overcast clouds, then it drizzled and when we reached the campsite, it poured. It let up a bit just so we can go to the loo and cook our dinner. Then it started again. Rained the whole night and the whole day, next day. Needless to say, the summit was foggy and really, really cold! No sunrise, just slippery, flooded trails. Good thing this was not my first time here and I’ve seen a glorious sunrise in 2002. But we still had fun.
My Favorite Asian Destination (thus far)
Luang Prabang, Laos (Mar)
The jewel of Indochina and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Surrounded by mountains at the junction of the Mekong and its tributary, the Khan River, Luang Prabang to me is a city where time stood still.
It was a wonderful 5 days of various adventures. One day was spent trekking to the Kwang Si falls, another learning to cook Lao dishes. There were a lot of walking, eating (Lao and French meals), sunset cocktails and we even had a taste of a traditional Khamu massage. It was fantastic.
A Delightful Road Trip
Viaje del Sol (Apr) – a blend of good food and the arts. From Kusina ni Salud (for dinner) to Ugu Bigyan (for lunch and his potteries) to Carlito’s (for coffee, mangoes and his sculptures) in one weekend resulting to another follow-up weekend. This time, we stayed in Casa San Pablo, checked out Kinabuhayan Café, and had a satisfying lunch at Sulyap Gallery Café, a restaurant cum antique gallery. There definitely will be a 3rd trip to this Viaje del Sol sometime in the future. Perhaps we’ll try a meal at Kinabuhayan Café, try that famous buko pie locals are raving about and do an overnight at Sitio de Amor.
Wonderfully Surprised
Dolphins Galore at Puerto Bay (May)
Didn’t even know that they had a lot in Puerto Princesa, Palawan. There were tons of ’em. What we didn’t see in Donsol, these dolphins made up for. We didn’t even need a spotter as they were all over the place. Never saw so much in my life. Tons and tons of them. Hope to dive there someday.
A Junk Experience
Cruisin’ Halong Bay, Hanoi (Jul)
When in Hanoi, one must experience cruising along Halong Bay in a junk at least once. A UNESCO World Heritage site, the bay features calm water and thousands of limestone karsts and islets in various shapes and size. Something like Palawan.
Even if he wasn’t around, I was excited to be there. Totally am infatuated with this celebrity chef of Travel and Living’s World Asia Café series. And the food did not disappoint. Maybe because I’m so infatuated. Hee Hee! Expensive but superb. Sorry but no photos of the food and the place except from across the street. It was a treat from DBF to cap our Hanoi adventure and we agreed no cameras, besides the place was too dark to get even one decent photo.
Great Amusement
Watching the traffic of Hanoi at the Old Quarter (Jul)
We spent hours atop a restaurant sipping beer, relaxing and watching the traffic below with amazement. The chaos of Vietnam traffic just amused us no end. Watch and be amused.
The Best Reunion Ever
A San Francisco get-together with my high school buddies (Aug)… some I haven’t seen in 26 years. It was a trip down memory lane but more importantly, it was literally a food trip as well. Our friend and classmate, JT, now a chef cooked a superb dinner for us! They’re actually planning another one this year… a US trip 2 years in a row is out of my budget if I want to explore other new places as well, so boohoo for me.
A Cove Truly Breathtaking
Anawangin Cove (Sep)
This could pass as my runner-up for the Most Miserable Climb too. I am a clumsy person and more often than not, I fall and hurt myself. So during the trek I was already asking “why do I do this to myself”? when I banged my knee in the course of what I thought was an easy trek. I’ve seen beautiful pixes, read and heard so much about this “not so secret” place and finally am hours away from it. Thrilled and excited as I started the 7.3 km trek to Anawangin Cove, I was 3rd to arrive at the saddle (which had an awesome view of the cove, by the way). Not bad, if I may brag… Many months of lifting, walking on a machine (that goes nowhere), puffing and pushing is finally paying off. THEN… without warning, I slipped and fell about 30 minutes through our descent, all because I was not paying attention to the trail. It was agony from then on. Let’s just say that I trudged downhill, passing rocky streams for another 2+ hours before I reached the camp… From 3rd to last! Thirsty, tired and in pain but dampen my spirits it did not as it was indeed so BREATHTAKINGLY BEAUTIFUL! Picture this, Agojo (imagine pine trees as it looked so much like it) forest on the beach with a meandering fresh water stream that flows out to the sea. And that is why I keep doing this to myself.
An Adrenalin-filled Birthday Weekend
Rafting the Chico (Oct)
Been doing this for almost a decade but never on my birthday. So that’s new. If you’ve never tried this, you should! You will experience one heck of a weekend, a totally worked out upper body, and the thrill of a lifetime. Contact Anton Carag of AEPI for bookings.
An Incredible Underwater Experience
Mantas and Sharks up close in Yap (Nov)
Amazing… is all I can say. An experience of a lifetime. Read more about it here.
I am often asked when I start babbling about Angkor Wat – a fascinating temple in Siem Reap, Cambodia and the largest religious site in the world. It is one of a hundred or so monuments that remained scattered over an area of 300 square kilometers. Built by the Khmer kings in different times during a span of 4 centuries, it was abandoned and hidden by thick tropical foliage. The ornate architectural details and exquisite stone carvings are masterpieces. It is humbling to know that there were people before us who were capable of producing structures that would present a major challenge to architects and engineers today.
The most interesting structures are Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, The Bayon, and Ta Prohm. My personal favorite: Ta Prohm, deliberately neglected by perservationalists and looks rather like the complex must have appeared in the 19th century — overgrown by jungle foliage.
Angkor Wat has become a major tourist destination as evident during my visit in 2004. Restaurants and all sorts of accommodation from 5-star to hostels abound.
Credits: Digital sketch by Jen Caputo (http://jencaputo.typepad.com) available at Scrapbook Graphics; Jessica Sprague Echoes of Asia kit: Green Argyle paper (inner circle), Green Bamboo paper (background), Green Solid paper (scallop), Red Floral paper (fold), Red Solid paper (outer paper)
my adventure odyssey 