good travel

Tibet

2011-12-10T06:13:00.000-08:00

Today in the age of information with jet aircraft, highways and computer networks mysterious places are rare to be found; but Tibet is an exception. Refereed as Shangri La, The forbidden Land, The Roof of the World, and by many more, the mysterious Buddhist Kingdom remained long closed to foreigners, exerting a strong hold on the imagination of the world.
For centuries, it has fascinated mankind. It was hardly accessible to the outside world and has been always a challenge to human beings. Tibet, a "forbidden land" not only by man but also by nature, attracted many explorers, scholars, and pilgrims and adventure lovers, all in pursuit of "Real Shangri La".
It is not only the geographical and natural enchants but also a long historical culture and religion that appeal the foreigners to visit Tibet at least once in a lifetime.

Reservations
Deposit of full payment should be made to reserve the arrangements as per the regulation of Tibet Tourism Bureau at least 30 days before departure. Prices are quoted in United States Dollars. All payments must be made in US Dollar.

Method of Payment
All amount of payment should be made by telex transfer to our Account No: 10151A0, Himalayan Bank Limited, Tri Devi Marg, Kathmandu, Nepal, and we are to be advised of remittance by fax. Contact us for paying by Credit Card. Bank Draft and personal checks will not be accepted.

Documentation
You will be required to advise us the arrangement required of clients with details such as Full Name (exactly appears in the respective Passport), Date of Birth , Passport No, Date of issue, Date of Expiry, Sex, Nationality, Occupation and arrival/ departure flight/date information. Clients traveling to Tibet should arrive in Kathmandu at least 2 days prior to departure to Tibet to process the Tibet Visa with Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu as Chinese Embassy is open for visa application from 10 AM to 11 Am every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. If one wish to get the visa in one working day is also possible by paying surcharge of emergency visa fee. We advise to obtain double entry Nepal visa from Nepalese Embassy/Consulate abroad or obtain the same arrival at Kathmandu Airport.

Baggage Allowance
Free baggage allowance is 20 Kg per person.

Cancellation
Any cancellation made up to 10 days prior client's arrival in Kathmandu, 50% of total payment will be charged and if made less than 10 days before tour date, no refund will be made as per the policy of Tibet Tourism Bureau.

Refunds
No partial refunds will be given for unused rooms, meals, sightseeing trips or trekking arrangements for any reason whatsoever.

Risk & Liability
Travelers, who sign up for Tibet trips, will be exposed to health risk because of the nature of terrain and trail in Tibet. In the event of illness, accident or delays beyond our control, Getaway! Tours & Trekking (P) Ltd., or its agents will not be held responsible or liable for damages. Please keep in mind that you travel at your own risk.

Altitude Sikness
Those with chronic health problems should consult their doctor before making travel plans for Tibet. Most people visiting Tibet rarely suffer more than mild discomfort before getting acclimatized. Some people use DIAMOX to prevent the sickness. You will be in the higher passes for about half-an-hour. In fact, you are much less susceptible to high altitude sickness in Tibet, because you do not strain yourself. Please consult your doctor if in doubt . Drink lots of liquids.

Money
Money can be exchanged at Bank of China and its branches in Zhangmu, Xigatse and Lhasa. Hard currencies are exchanged for YUAN at approximately 8 YUAN to the US$ and is re-convertible at the said banks when leaving Tibet/China.

China Customs
Declare money and other valuables like jewelry and electronic goods while entering and also at exit. Any curios must be declared with proper receipts available only from Government Shops when leaving the country.

Responsibility
However, for loss arising from your change, unless reconfirmed by us, you should be responsible for this loss. IT&T has no responsibility for whatever change caused by weather and airliner service. Should there be any additional charges resulting from such changes, the clients are required to pay on the spot.

Time
Nepal Time is + 5:45 of Greenwich mean time and China time is 2 hours and 15 minutes ahead of Nepal time in winter and 3 hours and 15 minutes in the summer.

Road
Road between Kathmandu and Nyalam is bad and it can be disrupted during monsoon. Some parts above friendship bridge and above Zhangmu is not in condition to ply vehicles as such we have to walk about 3 hours above friendship bridge and above Zhangmu road about 2 hours. Porters are provided in these areas. During monsoon, if it rains heavily, road will be flooded with water between Xigatse and Gyantse, so we have to detour via Northern highway. We use Southern highway via Gyantse and Yamdrok Lake. It involves the crossing of a pass Karo - La which is 5010m high.

Food
The food is still bad at Zhangmu and Xegar. Since there are no restaurants along the way, we advise you to take few cans of sardine, dried fruits, biscuits etc. For return journey, you can buy at Lhasa. Also you can take a cup, spoon, tea and instant soup. Every guesthouse or hotel provides a big thermos full of hot water.

Nepal

2011-12-03T17:57:00.000-08:00

Nepal is a country of diversity. There are great geo-physical, climatic and biological diversity that have resulted diverse socio-economic and culture pattern in the country. It is the country that lies in the youngest fold mountain, Himalaya, of the world. It ranges from about 60 metre elevation to the 8848m, the highest point of the world. From the climatic point of view, it ranges from tropical to the tundra from south to north. It has covered an area of 147,181 sq km. This tiny country is yam between the giant nations of India and China but has remained unoccupied by any foreign nation throughout its history. Eighty-three percent of the total land mass is covered by rolling hills and high mountains. The only flat land is a narrow strip (at the widest 40 km) along the northern border of India that is covered by grasslands and sub-tropical forest. This Terai region is home to one-horned Rhino, Bengal tigers, elephants, sloth bears and many other indigenous animals. Nepal is landlocked nation with the nearest ocean port being 1,127 km away in India.

The southern belt is almost plain land and the northern belt is rocky and mountainous where there are thousands of snow peaks. \the Mahabharata range that lies in between these two belts is the gently sloping land having river valleys and Tars. This belt is gently sloping in the eastern part and more steep in the western part.

The country is mainly drained by the three major river systems namely Koshi, Gandaki and Karnali from east to west respectively. From the economic point of view, the Terai is the extensive agricultural belt, the midland is the fruit and grain crops growing area and the northern part is a very beautiful area suitable for tourist activities and livestock farming as well. In this way, diversity has been reflected in economic, social, cultural and other aspects of life. These make Nepal a unique country in the map of the world.

The average literacy rate of Nepal is 53.7%. Vast different exists between the male and female literacy rate. Out of the total male, 54.5% are literate whereas only 25.0 percent female are literate. Kathmandu is in the first position with 70.1% literacy rate. The lowest literacy rate is in Kalikot and Humla with literacy rate of 19.6% in each case.

History
According to myth, once upon a time the Kathmandu Valley was a great lake in the middle of which a brilliant flame burned from a lotus flower. Manjushri, a Buddhist from China, smote the lake with a magical sword and the water was drained from it. It is said that Swayambhu appeared in the flame when the Valley was formed. But according to the Hindu religion, Krishna created the valley, hurling a thunderbolt at the lake to create the Chorbar gorge.

The rivers of the valley do indeed flow southward through the narrow gorge and scientists agree that the valley was once submerged.

The recorded history of Nepal began with the reign of the Kiratis from the eastern part of the country. Yalamar, the first of their kings, is mentioned in the Hindu epic, The Mahabharata. During the Kirati period, Buddhism was introduced to the country.

Krakuchhanda Buddha, Kanak Muni Buddha and Kashyapa Buddha visited the Kathmandu valley to worship Swayambhunath. After Kiratis, the Lichhavis ruled from the 4th to the 7th century. The temple of Changunarayan was built in Licchavi period, and can still be seen today.

The Malla period was a golden era in Kathmandu valley, when great art, statues and temples were created. During the 147th century, Malla ruled for a total of 568 years. The country was divided into many small principalities and kingdoms, and the Kathmandu valley was divided into three states; Kantipur, Lalitpur & Bhaktapur.

In the tiny Kingdom of Gorkha, halfway between Kathmandu and Pokhara, the Shah dynasty gradually extended their power. In 1768, King Prithivi Narayan Shah defeated the Malla kings and Nepal has been ruled by Shah kings ever since. Our present king, His Majesty King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev is the eleventh king in the shah dynasty.

Physical Feature of Nepal

Nepal has diverse geo-ecological setting. It is the country of diversity. On the basis of altitude Nepal is divided into three divisions. These are Mountain, Hill and Terai. The Mountain lies in the northernmost part. It covers about 35 percent land area where only about 7 percent-cultivated land and about 8 percent population are found. The mountain lies above the altitude of 300 metre where there are a large number of magnificent snow-covered mountains, including the highest peak (Mt. Everest, 8,848m.) of the world. The Hill lies just below the Mountain. It covers about 42 percent land area, 44.5 percent population and 37 percent cultivated land. It lies between 600m to 3000m altitude. This region comprised several attractive peaks, fertile valleys and river basins. The Terai lies in the southern part of the country. It is elevated up to 600 meters from the sea level. It comprises 23 percent of the total land area, 49 percent population and 56 percent cultivated land. It has been formed out of alluvium brought and deposited by rivers. The land is fertile for agriculture where wide varieties of crops are grown.

Physiography refers to the study of surface landform characteristics. Physiograpy of Nepal has been mainly divided on the basis of river, relief, structure, altitude and geographical distribution. Nepal is a mountainous country ranging from 60 metre to the summit of the world (Mt. Everest 8848m.) There are thousands of rivers flowing from north to south forming gorges, rivers and valley. There is a maxium relief, steep slope and rugged terrain. It has diverse geological and geographical structures that have resulted distinct landforms and topography. For the sake of convenience, the physiography of Nepal has been divided as High himal, High Mountain, Middle Mountain, Siwalik and Terai and Terai from north to south. Terai lies in the southern part. It is the palin land of altitude below 600 metre. The alluvial deposit froms it. The churiya lies just north of Terai, formed with conglometrates. Then the Middle Mountain extends widely. It lies between 900 to 3000 metre altitudes. It has spurs, hills river bvasins and valleys like kathandu and Pokhara. The High Mountain also has steep and dissected landforms. The High Himal is in the northernmost part where hundreds of snow peaks are found.

The elevation of Nepal ranges from about 60 metre to the summit of the world, Mt Everest, 8848 meters. Nepal is known as the second largest country after Brazil for water resources potential. They are Koshi, Gandaki and Karnali. Koshi with seven tributaries is the longest river in Nepal. Gandaki that flows in the central part also has seven main tributaries. Similarly, Karnali flows in the western part of the country.

The mountain, Hill and Terai regions have varied geological structure. The above map shows the distribution of about 30 different types of minerals. Most of the minerals are concentrated in the hill areas of the central and Western Development regions.
Nepal has given high priority to conserving and preserving the nature. There are eight national parks five widdlife reserves and four conservation areas in Nepal. The national parks, wildlife reserves and conservation areas have occupied 10144, 2398 and 11742 sq km area respectively.

Political Division of Nepal

Nepal has six tiers structure of the administrative division. Three structures from top to bottom are: Development Regions, Zones, Districts, llakas, Village Development Committees/Municipalities and Ward. In Nepal, there are five development regions, 14 zones, 75 districts and 3913 VDCs. There are 16 districts in EDR and 19, 16, 15, 9 districts in the CDR, WDR, MWDR and FWDR respectively. Out of 14 zones, karnali is the largest and Mahakali is the smallest in terms of area. Similarly, Dolpa has its own headquarters. Dhankuta, Kathmandu, Pokhara, Birendranagar and Dipayal are the regional headquarters of the Eastern, Central, Western, Mid Western and Far Western Development Regions respectively. Similarly, zones and districts also have their headquarters. Each VDC has its own VDC office.

Climate of Nepal

The generalization of climatic condition of Nepal is too difficult. It is varied within same altitude and latitude. This variation is resulted by the physical diversity of the country. Like the winter season, the temperature zones in summer also runs in east-west direction parallel to the topographic features. May, june and july are the months recording highest temperature.

Culture and Customs
Nepal is host to two main religions - Hinduism and Buddhism, two races, Caucasoid and Mongoloid and two civilizations, Indic and Sinic. Each ethnic group has its distinct identity. Although legislation banned it in the sixties, Polygamy is stilled practiced in some areas.

On entering a Nepalese home it is polite to remove your shoes. Some westernized Nepalese might not do it, but it is much appreciated. Many Hindu temples do not admit westerners to enter. Always walk clockwise around Buddhist stupas, chortens or mani walls. Shoes and any other leather items such as belts and bags must be removed before entering a Buddhist or Hindu temple Public displays of affection are not considered polite. Nor should you think of swimming naked in our rivers and lakes. In the northern hill area, polyandry, the custom of a wife having more than one husband, was also practiced till recently. For a widow to re-marry was not socially acceptable in some groups. An ethnic group such as the Brahmins were prohibited from drinking alcohol and sometimes practice vegetarianism. Brahmins met their spouse for the first time on the day of the wedding.

Religion
Hinduism and Buddhism share between them some 86.5 and 7.8 percent of the total population respectively. Their sense of fellow- feeling and bonhomie is evident in their worship of common deities and the joint celebration of many festivals. Buddhism was introduced in Kathmandu valley by Emperor Ashoka of India around 250 BC. Later, around 8th century AD, the ancestors of the Sherpas emigrated from Tibet bringing with them a form of Buddhism known as Ningmapa.

Gurungs, Tamangs, Serpas and Newars in the Kathmandu valley also follow Mahayaa Buddhism and the famous temple of Swayambhu in Kathmandu and the “Golden Temple” or the Hiranya Varna Mahabihar in Patan are visited mainly by Buddhist Newars.

A few people have adopted a complex blend of both Hinduism and Buddhism known as Bajrayana, which is mainly practiced in the Kathmandu valley. Apart from the Hindus and Buddhists, Muslims (3.5%) form the third largest religious group. There has also been an increase in the number of Christians in Nepal in recent years, now around 40,000 - about 1% of the population and 1.2 percent of other religions.

People

Nepal is a multi ethnic, multi lingual,secular, democratic country.. She has population of more than 26 Million, made up of an assortment of races and tribes, living in different regions. They live under quite diverse environmental conditions from the low, nearly sea level plains at the border of India, northward through the middle hills and valleys and up to the flanks of the great Himalayan range where there are settlements at altitude of up to 4,800m. Farming practices are therefore equally diverse along with life styles and social customs.

Tibetan speaking people are found on the high Himalayan region. Life here is delicate balance of hard work and social merrymaking, tempered by a culture deeply steeped in ancient religious traditions. The best known of the high mountain peoples are the Sherpas who inhabit the central and eastern regions of Nepal. The Sherpas have easy access to Bhot (Tibet) for trade and social intercourse and therefore Tibetan influence on their culture and civilization remains distinct. The midlands are inhabited by various Tibeto-Burman and Indo-Aryan speaking hill and valley people, for example the Brahmins, Chettris, and Newars. While the Brahmins and Chettris are widely distribute through out the country, the Newars are mainly concentrated in the Katmandu Valley and other towns.

The Rais, Limbus, Tamangs, Magars, Sunwars, Jirels, Gurungs, Thakalis, and Chepangs are other Tibeto-Burman speaking Mongoloid peole found living in the middle hills. They each have their own distinct social and cultural patterns. The Dun valleys and the lowland Terai are inhabited by people such as the Brahmins, Rajputs, Tharus, Danwars, Majhis, Darais, Rajbansis, Statars, dhimals and Dhangars. Though Nepal is a veritable mosaic of dozens of ethnic groups, they are bound together by their ideas of peaceful coexistence and religious tolerance to form one unified nation.

Among the low Caste groups Kumals are also a integral part. The world is in 21st century but the condition of these people is not better than the people of 16th century. In the age of science, this people are still fighting to get their actual place in the society. These people are ignored, dominated by the upper Caste people.

Although the caste system still exists, particularly in rural Nepal...it is weakening. There is an increasing desire among many Nepali people (particularly the younger generation) to see the end of this discrimination. And it will happen...in fact, is happening?but it takes time to change 2500 years of tradition.

India

2011-12-03T17:40:00.000-08:00

India is set apart from the rest of Asia by the Himalayas, the highest, youngest and still evolving mountain chain on the planet. The subcontinent as it is rightly called, touches three large water bodies and is immediately recognizable on any world map. This thick, roughly triangular peninsula defines the Bay of Bengal to the east, the Arabian sea to the west, and the India Ocean to the south.

India holds virtually every kind of landscape imaginable. An abundance of mountain ranges and national parks provide ample opportunity for eco-tourism and trekking, and its sheer size promises something for everyone. From north to south India extends a good 2000 miles (3200 km), where the island nation of Sri Lanka seems to be squeezed out of India like a great tear, the synapse forming the Gulf of Mannar.

Himalayas, the world's highest mountain chain and Nepal as its Neighbouring country dominate India's northern border. Following the sweeping mountains to the northeast, its borders narrow to a small channel that passes between Nepal, Tibet, Bangladesh, and Bhutan, then spreads out again to meet Burma in the "eastern triangle." Apart from the Arabian Sea, its western border is defined exclusively by Pakistan.

North India is the country's largest region begins with Jammu and Kashmir, with terrain varying from arid mountains in the far north to the lake country and forests near Srinagar and Jammu. Moving south along the Indus river, the North becomes flatter and more hospitable, widening into the fertile plains of Punjab to the west and the Himalayan foothills of Uttar Pradesh and the Ganges river valley to the East. Cramped between these two states is the capital city, Delhi.

The states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, and part of the massive, central state of Madhya Pradesh constitute West India. Extending from the Gujarat peninsula down to Goa, the west coast is lined with some of India's best beaches. The land along the coast is typically lush with rainforests. The Western Ghats separate the verdant coast from the Vindya Mountains and the dry Deccan plateau further inland.

India is the home of the sacred River Ganges and the majority of Himalayan foothills, East India begins with the states of Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa, which comprise the westernmost part of the region. East India also contains an area known as the eastern triangle, which is entirely distinct. This is the last gulp of land that extends beyond Bangladesh, culminating in the Naga Hills along the Burmese border.

India reaches its peninsular tip with South India, which begins with the Deccan in the north and ends with Cape Comorin. The states in South India are Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala, a favourite leisure destination. The southeast coast, mirroring the west, also rests snugly beneath a mountain range---the Eastern Ghats.

The main way to travel to India from furthest countries is flying. The shortest international flight to India is 148 miles. There are four main airports in India, including Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata, and plenty of minors, such as Bangalore, Hyderabad, Amritsar, Ahmedabad, Calicut, Cochin, Coimbatore Airports and number of others. These airports are working with a lot of airlines (over 80 air companies) that provides their service for different prices, so if you want to get the cheap flight to India, you should take interest in special offers of air companies. In addition to this, the multiple airline flights are also the possibility to get cheap flights to India. There are event 354,672 weakly international flights to and from India.

Moreover, if you are looking for cheap flight to India, you should know that airports usually has their own fees, so sometimes flying from the smaller airport is the cheaper choice than taking the flight from the main airport in the country. By the way, it is observed that the cheapest tickets are some months before the flight and they are getting expense with every day closer to the date of departure. So the travel specialists advise to plan your travel to India as early as it is possible.

Taipei

2011-11-24T06:23:00.000-08:00

Sunset

Missing those days when I don't work at night,
just staring from my window and enjoying
the Sunset.

Quail Eggs

One of the street food in Night Market

Plum

First time to see Plums

Here are Plum Trees

Nangang MRT Station

The latest Metro Station in Taipei

The Beach

2011-11-22T05:55:00.000-08:00

I seized the moment to mix work with pleasure. Thus, the beautiful white sand beaches and the clear blue sea of Philippine's famous Boracay island.

Behold the beach!

Early morning beauty of Boracay!

This is Paradise! the other end of Boracay!

Lishan and Wuling Farm

2011-11-17T07:15:00.000-08:00

Hehuan Villa
and its surroundings
view just outside Hehuan Villa, that is how high we are!
Lishan's surroundings, with the many different colorful flowers decorating the area

little puppy that disturbed me while i was waiting for bus haha
Wuling Farm surroundings

another close up of a butterfly
peaches!
and pears!
Wuling hanging bridge
the tall and slender Wuling Waterfall

the forest trails
forest spa is good for health!
a meter or something they use to warn about forest fires

Wuling Farm and Taipei...

2011-11-17T07:14:00.000-08:00

went out for a early morning stroll in the forest and farms...before i realise it, i was going to be late for my bus to Yilan (宜蘭) from where i will take train back to Taipei...quickly pack up and then begin to walk that damn 5 km to the bus stop...walked about 1km and saw a lorry driving down the same direction...thinking that i might be able to hitchhike, i stopped the lorry and they were kind enough to let me mount the back of the lorry for a free ride...phew...no more walking with my heavy backpack haha...the back of the lorry was filled with cabbages...lots of them...probably freshly harvested from their farm...reached the bus stop and thanked them for their wonderful help...met a old couple at the bus stop and chatted with them...realise they are from China and has bought a piece of farm land and build a house here to prepare for their retirement...how i wish i could be like them when i am old to be able to retire in such a wonderful environment...bus came and took around 2 hrs odd to reach Yilan...another wonderful bus ride thru magnificient mountains sceneries...from there i took the latest train back to Taipei...went back to Taiwanmex Guest House again since i really like it there...got back the same room i lived before i left Taipei that time...but this time, i have the whole 4 person dorm to myself wahahaha...chatted with a Canadian guy in the living room...he is actually my age and has came here to teach english for a year...in fact, many foreigners do come Taiwan to teach english and they do get quite a good salary for just working few hours a day...went to window shop at Taipei and Zhongshan underground mall before hitting Wufenpu and Raohe Night Market again haha...this time i manage to walk till the end of Raohe NM and stuffed myself with lots and lots of foods lol...once again someone asked me if i wanna work at her shop...wtf lol...went back to Taipei Station and exited thru the south entrance...there is actually this little square compound there and there are numerous pillars that glow in different light color...kinda nice...and there are also a few caucasians skateboarding there...so i just sat and watch them perform various stunts while enjoying the mini lightshow...wented back to hostel...a group of people crowded around the living room...it was ladies night and they were going clubbing and ask me along...but i kindly reject since i was really tired and my legs were already hurting from the trekking and walking haha...finally bought my return flight to singapore on 31st July since i needed to do my module bidding then...else i will have stayed longer!

strange maple tree whose leaves were still red now...something wrong with its biological clock maybe haha
Wuling bus stop
farmers working hard

Taipei 101 And Shilin Night Market

2011-11-17T07:12:00.000-08:00

went to the majestic Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall (國立中正紀念堂) in the morning, just in time to see the change of guards ceremony...it was really formal, but their creative drill patterns are definitely worth looking out for...there is also a museum dedicated to Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石) where you get to learn about his life and how he became the 1st president of Taiwan...the whole compound is actually very big and includes the National Theatre (國家戲劇院) and National Concert Hall (國家音樂廳) with a gigantic square in the middle of the 3 buildings...there were many students and teenagers around the complex too...some practising their dance routines while others perfecting their Chinese calligraphy...then headed to the awesome Taipei 101...standing at incredible height of 509m, it is the tallest building in the world then and was built to resemble a stalk of bamboo...walked around, some window shopping and had a light breakfast there...mainly branded stuffs there...so not for a poor man like me =/...stopped by at the Sun-Yet-Sen Memorial Hall (國立國父紀念館) and a art gallery that was on-going there before going to SOGO to help my friend buy some stuffs...but it was closed due to a fire that broke out the day before...zzzzzzzz...how unlucky i can get!...went to Shilin Night Market in the late evening and spent almost like 4 hrs there lol...shopping and eating...bought lots of clothings =p...tried 考香雞排...tasted just as nice as 炸香雞排 or maybe even better...check out lots of pet shops there too...and the American Shorthair cats really caught my eyes...they are really cute and active haha...really wish i could have one at home...went back to the hostel and chatted with the owner whom we call Xu xiao jie...she told me there was actually a 6.1 scale earthquake early morning that day...strangely i didn't felt it...damn...maybe i was in the MRT or something...we also talked about traveling around the world and stuffs...and she really has good knowledge about the different countries since she probably had met countless foreigners from all over the world...really a wonderful woman she is!

Gate of Great Centrality and Perfect Uprightness (大中至正), front entrance to the big square compound of C.K.S. Memorial

outside of the majestic C.K.S. Memorial Hall

there is a total of 89 steps, which symbolises the age of Chiang Kai-shek when he died

inside of C.K.S. Memorial Hall where you can see a big bronze sculpture of the man himself
the 3 main themes of the Chinese characters at the back are Ethics, Democracy and Science

view of the big compound from the top

here come the smartly-dressed guards

changing of guards ceremony

performing some fancy stunts with their rifles

Taipei 101, the tallest building in the world then

Taipei 101 as seen from Sun-Yat-Sen Memorial

Sun-Yat-Sen, the father of modern China

Wulai and Danshu

2011-11-17T07:08:00.000-08:00

went to Wulai (烏來) in the morning, taking bus from Xindian (新店) MRT...went to the aboriginal musuem for a look...very interesting where you get to know the history of the many different tribes and their culture...their tattooed faces are especially unique...took a short train ride to the Wulai waterfall...like the 3rd waterfall or something i have seen already in this tour...so nothing impressive...walk around and explore the village abit...there is also this cable car u can take to higher ground for a higher view...ate lunch at a little shop just by the river, the view from there was nice and i could see people "swimming" or rather struggling in the river with their floats, following the strong current down the river...kinda funny i thought haha...left Wulai and went shopping at Taipei underground mall again...saw lots of toy models...so tempted to buy 1 set of samurai swords model cos it was really nice but expensive too haiz...rested a while before going to Danshui again...lots of people there maybe because the next day is the Chinese Valentine Day...damn, where is my valentine? =p...eat lots of stuff again...tried the freshly caught and cooked squids...u can eat it just like that and u can really taste the freshness of it...went back hostel...met up with alot of new people who just came in...a Mexican family...people from Korea, States and more...the living room is really busting with life haha...and i shared the room with a new comer, Steven from Canada who is here on holiday too.

Wulai waterfall
beautiful sunset at Danshui
night view of Bali
lots of people!
few art pieces displaying at the Zhongshan underground mall that caught my eyesthis was titled "Top Rated Betelnut"...u probably get what it means ya haha

Inti Raymi in Cusco and Corpus Christi

2011-11-17T07:01:00.000-08:00

I am not a very religious man and although I very much believe there is more to life than meets the eye, I have tended to stay away from institutionalized religion due to some authority issues, which sadly have stood in the way of my enlightenment. That does not mean I do not see the beauty in the history and rituals of some religious habits and festivities, and part of the attraction of Latin America certainly lies in its cultural heritage, and therefore also in its divine celebrations.

I will have to be honest and say I have never witnessed either of the two important religious festivals I am about to describe here. Not sure as to why, as I have certainly not shunned them, I’ve simply not been in the right place at the right time I guess, as is always a possibility when one tries to get to know an entire continent. I was asked to give some reflections on these two events as they are coming up, so I did a little research. I must say that after all I read, I may change my travel plans for this year and make sure to be in Cusco on June 24^th and anywhere in Brazil, Peru or Ecuador roughly 50 days after Easter…

Inti Raymi

The Festival of the Sun was a religious ceremony of the Inca Empire in honor of the sun-god Inti, one of the most venerated gods in Inca religion. According to chronicler Garcilaso de la Vega, Sapa Inca Pachacuti created the Inti Raymi to celebrate the winter solstice and a new year in the Andes of the Southern Hemisphere.

Today, it's the second largest festival in South America. Hundreds of thousands of people converge on Cusco from other parts of Peru, South America and the world, for a week long celebration marking the beginning of a new year - the Inti Raymi, the Festival of the Sun.

During the Inca Empire, the Inti Raymi was the most important of four ceremonies celebrated in Cusco, as related by Inca Garcilaso de la Vega. The celebration took place in the Haukaypata or the main plaza in the city. The ceremony was also said to indicate the mythical origin of the Incas, with nine days of colorful dances and processions, as well as animal sacrifices to ensure a good cropping season. The last Inti Raymi with the Inca Emperor's presence was carried out in 1535, after which the Spanish conquest and the Catholic Church suppressed it. Some natives participated in similar ceremonies in the years after, but it was completely prohibited in 1572 by the Viceroy Francisco de Toledo, who claimed it was a pagan ceremony opposed to the Catholic faith.

In 1944, a historical reconstruction of Inti Raymi was directed by Faustino Espinoza Navarro with indigenous actors. The reconstruction was so popular that it was repeated a number of times and the Inti Raymi festival has now been reestablished as a much looked forward to yearly event.

Corpus Christi

Latin for Body of Christ, this is the holiday when Catholics commemorate the institution of the Holy Eucharist, or communion. It’s held either on a Thursday or a Sunday roughly 50 days after Easter.

The appearance of Corpus Christi as a feast in the Christian calendar was primarily due to the petitions of the thirteenth-century Augustinian nun Juliana of Liège. From her early youth Juliana revered the Blessed Sacrament, and always longed for a special feast in its honor. In 1208 she reported her first vision of Christ during which she was instructed to plead for the institution of the feast of Corpus Christi. The vision was repeated for the next 20 years but she kept it a secret. When she eventually relayed it to her confessor, he relayed it to the bishop. Sadly, the celebration of Corpus Christi became widespread only long after St. Juliana had died.

Throughout Latin America, Corpus Christi is celebrated every year and it is considered one of the most important religious holidays after Christmas and Easter. Decorating the streets with colorful carpets made from wood shavings and other materials is one of the highlights of this celebration of the faith.

I hope to have given a more or less adequate description of both festivals, which as I said I have not experienced myself thus far. I truly hope to be able to make the time this year or next to go and witness them - let me know if you’re thinking of going too! Also, if you have any first-hand stories to share about any of these festivities then I’d love to hear them.

Thanks again and happy trails

Bungalows Ubud , Bali.

2011-11-15T05:49:00.000-08:00

The Sri Bungalows Ubud is located along the Monkey Forest street of Ubud town, Bali.
After about 1 hour 20 mins journey from Kuta.
But the distance from the lobby to our bungalows was about 400 meters! My goodness! But we were satisfy once we saw the room setting...

The entrance to our bungalow unit

The King size bed

The spacious bathroom with bath tub

The staircase to the upper level...

The 2 queen size beds...

There was no air-condition on the upper level, only equipped with one ceiling fan. But it was cooling enough.

The second balcony of our room...

Our room at Sri Bungalows Ubud

The main entrance to Sri Bungalows Ubud

We were satisfied with the bungalows and the services provided (free Wifi to the room). I did noticed the security guard patroling the bungalows area every hour in night time till morning, that made us feel safety! Great!
There are many bungalows around the Ubud area, we will try to stay at some others bungalows in our next visit!

Don't fool by the outlook of the main entrance, the beautiful scenery is behind it.

Places to visit in Malaysia (Selangor)

2011-11-14T05:46:00.000-08:00

Places to visit in Malaysia (Selangor), Malaysia is a list complied from the latest updates on tourism related products from around here. Over the years, many have seen the state as a major shopping and business hub but there have been much improvements in the tourism sector here where many new products have been launched. Some of them include Eco-Tourism activities while most of them are natural places of interest.

According the the latest numbers, a total of 13.5 million domestic tourist visited Selangor from the year 2007 to April 2011. The bulk of visitors came mainly from Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Selangor for sight seeing, food, shopping, Eco-Tourism, adventure and many other related reasons.

Among the top tourism spots in Selangor, they are listed in no particular order as;

* Blue Mosque in Shah Alam
* Bukit Melawati Hill in Kuala Selangor
* Sepang Gold Coast
* Batu Caves in Gombak
* I-City in Shah Alam
* Sunway Lagoon in Sunway, Petaling Jaya
* Firefly Park in Kuala Selangor
* Dong Zen Monastery in Jenjarom
* Galeri DiRaja Sultan Abdul Aziz in Klang
* Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) in Kepong
* Kanching Recreational Forest in Rawang

Below are some of the growing tourist attractions around Selangor;

* Gold Coast Morib
* Little India in Klang
* Agro Tourism in Sekinchan
* Tubing and White Water Rafting in Hulu Selangor
* Rabbit Fun Land in Seminyih
Indian Pottery of Kuala Selangor
* Mah Meri Orang Asli Handicraft in Pulau Carey Island
* Songket and Batik Makers of Shah Alam and Sepang

While Selangor still remains one of the top destinations for food and shopping especially with the growing number of Shopping Malls in Petaling Jaya, many other niches are available or being created in and around the state. One of the upcoming places to visit would be Little India in Klang where a Heritage Walk has been developed to promote the many historical and heritage sites here. Old pre-war buildings don the streets while many different places of worship can be found in this entire area. The place is also well known for the Indian culture and charm.

Cha Ca La Vong Restaurant in Hanoi

2011-11-11T06:14:00.000-08:00

Cha Ca La Vong Restaurant in Hanoi is one of the must visit places if you are the foodie type of traveler. Located along the famed Cha Ca Road in Hanoi's Old Quarter, you will find this 104 year old business along one of the shabby shoplots on this busy street. There are two Cha Ca La Vong Restaurants in Hanoi. One of is rip off of the original while the other is the real deal. To tell the difference, the real one has 'Charcoal Stoves' and dining is only on the first floor of the restaurant while the fake one uses an electrical stove and you can dine on both floors. Visiting the original restaurant was an adventure by itself as once there, you needed to climb a 45 degree wooden staircase to get to the first floor. The restaurant up top was no larger that a deluxe hotel room with about 8 dining tables. It looked more like an antique store with heavy wooden floorboards and a huge prayer alter mounted on one wall.The green colour on the walls make the place look like some sort of bar from twenty years ago.

So, what is Cha Ca La Vong? It is actually a fish and vegetable dish that was handed down from generation to generation. The art of preparation is done by the chefs and a waiter or waitress brings the raw dish to your table and cooks it on the spot showing you how its done before attempting to do-it-yourself. Mind you that there is only one dish and this is it. People come here for the experience so do not expect much. As a travel foodie.

Grilled Fish with herbs and vegetables dish at the restaurant

The unique dish is prepared with a hot coal stove brought to your table while bowls of raw food and condiments are accompanied. Whitefish pieces, local vegetables, turmeric, herbs, Pho (Vietnamese Noodles), Onions and Peanuts with a local sauce and oil is placed on your table. As the person cooks it in front of you, the strong aroma of the fish and vegetables fill the entire room while the condiments are slowly placed in. Finally after about 3-5 minutes, the dish is ready and served to you in a little bowl with the Pho noodles. You then attempt to do the next round yourself which can be an exciting adventure all together.

While doing a search on the internet, you will find a lot of reviews and comments about Cha Ca La Vong and about 80% of them claim that this place is a rip off, cheat or nothing great. Well, to be very honest, I doubt these people have really traveled much to be able to pass such opinions. So what if the experience was expensive, that's what you pay for when you want to try something authentic in another country. The funny thing is travelers nowadays are very opinionated and sometimes for all the wrong reasons.

Cha Ca La Vong Restaurant - Preparing the meal video

Video of Cha Ca La Vong Restaurant in Hanoi

Cha Ca La Vong Restaurant Address
14 Chả Cá, Hoan Kiem
Hanoi, Vietnam
Telephone Number: 84-4/825-3929
Price: VND120,000 per person

Food in Penang

2011-11-09T05:51:00.000-08:00

Food in Penang is definitely one of the must try local foods that everyone should experience when you are visiting this former British ruled island. As Penang Island or Pulau Pinang is located on the northwest of Malaysia on an island which houses over two million Penangites (what locals from Penang are called), there are many ways to get there which are by self driving, bus, train, ferry or by flight.

Kung Fu Fast Food in China

2011-11-08T07:48:00.000-08:00

As such, I still have a soft spot for QSRs (Quick Service Restaurants - or fast food joints if you prefer) and whenever I see or go into one I am judging the operation in terms of QSC (quality, service and cleanliness) and in terms of the business itself. I must admit that I also get excited when I discover a new brand.

Today was one of those days when I had my first encounter with Kungfu.

They are a modern QSR serving Chinese food, their point of differentiation was the fact that the food was healthy (steamed meats, soups and quick boiled vegetables), and they have Bruce Lee on everything!

Service
The service was very quick and attentive, however it was very haphazard. We ordered and the cashier was very friendly and helped us with the menu, but when we ordered at one cash register he walked back to the middle of the counter and punched in the order. Then over the top of all the customers he yelled over to Sabrina the amount that was due. She then had to fight her way through the lining up customers to get to the register to pay. Not a nice experience.

The other problem was with the disclosure of what was in certain dishes (this is a common China problem). Sabrina doesn't eat pork, so we ordered a beef and a chicken meal with an egg custard dish on the side. Once we got the egg custard dish, there was a funny grey meat in it. After quizzing the staff it turned out that it was pork. The food providers in this country need to get their act together and disclose the contents of some products. This is particularly crucial for the upcoming Olympics and World Expo 2010 as it will drive hundreds of thousands additional visits over the next 10 years, many of these people will be Jews, Muslims, Hindus etc with particular beliefs. It would be very easy to ruin someones experience in China with an innoculous egg custard.

On the positive side, the manager happily replaced the offending egg custard with another dish, so full points for service and customer care after the fact.

Food
The style of food would be described as modern casual Chinese. It consisted of steam rice with mushrooms, noodles, soup, beef with rice, soy milk etc. You can see more here.

The food quality was great. Everything was hot and fresh and tasted very good.

We had to wait for the beef noodle soup, but it was delivered quickly.

The boiled lettuce in strange brown sauce was ok - a bit more up Sabrina's alley than mine.

The food was all served in branded melamine bowls with lids - even the spoons were melamine and had the Bruce Lee image. This kept the food hot and made the eating experience more like that of a traditional restaurant (ie cutlery and crockery) although the chopsticks and cups were disposable.

The prices were reasonable, 16 RMB for a meal with some steamed chicken & mushroom, rice and soy milk - and only 6RMB for a small bowl of beef noodle soup (and it wasn;t really that small).

Decor & Cleaniness
The decor was great. The colours, furniture and lighting was very modern, acctractive and comfortable. The store was absolutely spotless. There was not an uncleared table in the store when we entered, not a mark on the floor or the windows. What I could see of the kitchen was clean and tidy as well.

Branding
They have certainly positioned the name and imagery to capture the youth market. Huge Bruce Lee pitures abound and his iconic image appears on everything from the signs, cups, bowls to the tray mats (I wonder about the licensing of his image!?).

The Bruce Lee images made me think of them running birthday parties with a martial arts host instead of a clown. Might catch on!

The quality of the branding and the image they portrayed overall shows that a great deal of money and developmenbt time has gone into these stores.

The Bund in Shanghai

2011-11-08T07:30:00.000-08:00

The Bund in Shanghai. Taken on a very cold April night in 2010, I personally would like to revisit Shanghai again due to how impressed I was with this metropolitan city. We then hit The Bund (外滩)to see how beautiful it was at night. A little bit of history here - The word "bund" means an embankment or an embanked quay. The word comes from the Hindi-Urdu word band, which has Persian origins and meant an embankment, levee or dam.

Famous for the old buildings and wharf which is just beside the famous Huangpu River, this place divides the old and new Shanghai which is Pudong. In the early days, this was the main financial hub of China with many multi national banks and trading houses having their businesses here. What remains now is the beautiful architecture of an era gone by. For those visiting to catch the beautiful lights at night, please take note that they shut the lights off at around 10pm. Another place to have a fantastic view would be from across the Huangpu River and from one of the bars up top the tallest buildings in the world where you can see the entire stretch of The Bund in Shanghai.

Yu Yuan Gardens in Shanghai

2011-11-08T07:27:00.000-08:00

Yu Yuan Gardens in Shanghai. I visited Shanghai back in 2010 on a personal holiday for nine full days exploring this amazing metropolis. One of the many interesting places I found very unique was the Yu Yuen Gardens 豫园 where the traditional Chinese architecture was still maintained here after hundreds of years. It is also simply known as Yu Gardens and is located in the center of the old city of Shanghai. Opened to the public in 1961, the gardens date back to the year 1559 where it was built by Pan Yunduan to please his father during the Ming Dynasty.

Yuyuan Garden which translates as Garden of Contentment also occupies an area of 2 hectares which is split into a shopping and bazaar district and beautiful landscaping. If you like touristy spots, this is one of Shanghai's most famous places while you should expect thousands of tourist there. Mostly locals. There are some famous food places here while one would have to line up for at least 20 minutes to try the famous Soup Dumplings (Xiao long bao). You can also get lovely souvenirs here but take note, it would be much better if you went with someone who spoke Mandarin in order to get the best price.One of the interesting items to buy here would be the Chairman Mao Red Handbook. They sell originals and also copies of it so please ask before purchasing.

Time to walk around here can easily set you back a few hours as it took me about 3 hours to explore the place on foot. You can get to this place using the metro and stopping at the Yuyuan Garden Station in Shanghai.

Panda Bear at Shanghai Zoo

2011-11-08T07:20:00.000-08:00

Panda Bear at Shanghai Zoo. I visited Shanghai in 2010 but never got around to posting my many articles on this amazing city. One of my highlights of visiting Shanghai was the local zoo here. They had brought in 20 Panda Bears for the World Expo from Chengdu, and while awaiting the opening of the expo, the pandas were kept in the Shanghai zoo for viewing in a special enclosure. These juvenile panda bears were hyper and always up to no good pouncing on each other and rolling about. A sight I never imagined I would chance upon, I spent a good hour videoing and photographing these beautiful creatures.

If you are visiting Shanghai, getting to the Shanghai Zoo is quite simple as it is in the city area, the place is huge and you can expect a good 3-5 hours there but do not expect to see these cute and adorable panda bears as they have been sent back to Chengdu to the Panda Bear Conservation there. You will only see the lone Giant Panda at the Shanghai Zoo.

Panda Bears in Shanghai, China

2011-11-08T07:13:00.000-08:00

Panda Bears in Shanghai, China was taken by me a month before the 2010 World Expo. but totally forgot about them therefore here they are, three of these cute little black and white bears which were specially brought in for the expo in Shanghai. These bears were also displayed in a special enclosure which had reinforced plastic walls so everyone could see them.