Trip Report: Ah Hong Kong - Asia’s World City!

I love New York. I also love Hong Kong. Hong Kong is very much my second home (sorry Malaysia). Known as Asia’s World City, or in my opinion Asian Manhattan, Hong Kong is a vibrant city packed with people and filled with life. It is very much the Asian counterpart to the Big Apple. Hong Kong is really where East meets West.

I travel to Hong Kong every year. There is so much to do here. For the urbanites, this is a shopping and food paradise. Clothing wise, there are all these mega-malls, boutique shops and chain stores that you can check out. Among the noteworthy shopping malls to visit are IFC Center resting atop the airport express check-in center in Central, Times Square mall in Causeway Bay, the new Long Hou Fong in Mong Kok and Yau Yat Seng in Kowloon Tong. All are reachable by the convenient and extensive MTR system. You can also get your suits custom-made in many of the tailors available in the city. For antiques and handicrafts, you should check out the stores in Soho area as well as Stanley market. What about electronics, you ask. The shops in Mong Kok should have every electronic item you are looking for, but just be careful with the quality of the merchandise you want to purchase and make sure you haggle for lower prices.

The food in Hong Kong is simply amazing. From western food to the Chinese food of various provinces, you can find restaurants of all kinds to satisfy your cravings. My personal favorites are the wonton noodle shop named Ho Hung Kee in Causeway Bay, Red Ants (Hong Ma Yee) in multiple locations, the famous hotpot offered by Siu Fei Yong (translated as "Little Fat Lamb") in Causeway Bay and the inexpensive hole-in-the-wall Shanghaiese restaurant Yau Yat Dim in Tien Hau. Also check out the famous Jumbo Floating restaurant in Arbedeen. It actually serves very good dim sum despite being a tourist trap.

There are amazing nightlife spots in Hong Kong as well. Bars in the Lan Kwai Fong and Soho area are the most popular among locals and tourists alike,

Besides shopping, eating out and partying the night away, there are also many tourist attractions and activities to do in Hong Kong. The Big Buddha statue in Lantau Island is not to be missed. The new Disneyland you can skip however. It is really small compared to those in California and Florida. Hong Kong is also good for avid cyclists and hikers, especially in its new territory area.

Hong Kong has one of the most spectacular harbor views in the world. Just go to Victoria Harbor in Tsim Sa Tsui at night and enjoy the view of Hong Kong island from Kowloon. You will see tall mountains nestled behind the many skyscrapers with great lighting decorations. Also go up to Victoria Peak at night and see the beautiful city lit up in the dark. Trust me it is very romantic.

Since I speak fluent Cantonese, I feel really comfortable being in this city. But those who don’t speak Cantonese need not fret. Since this city was a British colony prior to the 1997 handover to China, all the street signs and public transportation announcements were made available in English and Chinese (Mandarin / Cantonese). If you are coming to Asia for the first time, I highly recommend coming to Hong Kong first. It will be a very easy transition.

I have a few close friends from college who live in this city. Therefore I see them every year in late December. Incidentally, the best time to come to HK (weather wise) is November – February. Summer is Hong Kong is very humid. All in all, this is a place that I can definitely call home if New York City doesn’t work out for me.

Flight Report: AY0092 Finnair BKK-HKG Service

BKK-HKG Service (AY0091)

Carrier: Finnair

Plane Model: MD11

Flight Class: Business

Sleeper Seat: No

Best Seat in Business Class: 1E/H

Duration of Flight: 2 Hours and 20 Minutes

Date of Travel: Dec 29, 2005



I had never paid for an actual business class ticket before. I had always used my points or my transfer upgrade certificates to fly business class. I purchased my very first business class ticket however for this trip. After all, who could resist a US$300 deal for a roundtrip business class ticket between Bangkok and Hong Kong?

Check in for Business Class at Bangkok International Airport was smooth and easy. I was looking forward to trying the new sleeper seat on Finnair but was told that the seats had yet to be installed on this flight (the airline is installing sleeper seats on all their MD-11s from Dec ’05 to Apr ’06). By the way, Finnair has got to be one of the very few airlines that are still using MD-11s for long haul flights.

Finnair enables its business class and premium frequent flyers to access the Qantas Lounge (since they are part of One World) at the Bangkok International Airport. The interior design of this lounge was really chic. They also offered a great selection of refreshments here. I ran into a really friendly Aussie (Rob) from Melbourne who was heading to India for the first time and we chatted for a few hours and exchanged business card as usual. I was telling him how great living in New York City was. Just doing my bit to promote the Big Apple.

Like check-in, boarding was smooth and easy as well. Even though I was told at check-in that the new seats were not installed on this flight yet, I was still disappointed to come across the old seats. The standard pre-boarding drinks were handed out as well as a wine and dinner menu. The meal selections were as follow:


Appetizer:

Grilled marinated prawns with coriander vinaigerette and green papaya salald



Main Course:

Fried red snapper with mustard butter roasted potato and ratatouille

Or

Roasted breast of duck with oyster sauce stir-fried noodles



Dessert:

Baked ricotta raisin cake and chantilly cream

Coffee, cappucino, espresso and tea

They have a good wine list as well considering the short duration of the flight. I opted for the roasted breast of duck and it tasted great.

The inflight entertainment selection was only moderate compared to other carriers that I had flown on. There were a few channels of documentary, sitcoms and cartoons available. The inflight service was good but not really personable. The service on Finnair reminded me of the American carriers like United and Delta. The flight attendants were more senior than their Asian counterparts.

We arrived a little earlier than scheduled. All was good save baggage handling. They forgot to stick a priority tag on my luggage so it was probably the last few ones that came out. I had to wait for almost half an hour for my checked luggage.

Flight Report: LH 783 KUL-BKK Service

Carrier: Lufthansa

Plane Model: A340-600

Flight Class: Business

Sleeper Seat: Yes

Best Seat in Business Class: 10 D/G

Duration of Flight: 1 Hr 35 Mins

Date of Travel: Dec 28, 2005



Check in at KLIA airport was quick and efficient. There were two separate check-in sections: Business and Economy (this is a two- class flight utilizing the new Airbus 340-600). Lufthansa offers The Premium Airport Plaza Lounge for the use of its premium class passengers at KLIA airport. The lounge was clean, bright and spacious. Like many Asian airport lounges, they actually offered a simple dinner buffet since it was around dinner- time. The food selection included chicken stroganoff, vegetable fried rice and congee (a chinese version of porridge).

Boarding was smooth since there were not a lot of passengers on this flight. The business class seats on this flight were of a 2X2X2 configuration. The best seat in business class surprisingly is not 1D/G since they are too close to the bathrooms on both sides. The best seats on this flight could be found in the back section (there are two business class sections) that consists of only two rows of seat with the same configuration. They are row 10 and 11 (D/G are the best since they are in the middle).

The standard pre-departure drinks of orange juice, water and champagne were handed out before we took off. The plane departed on time. Meals were served quickly after that. No menu was handed out because this is a pretty short flight (this flight would continue to Munich) but we had a choice of Asian fried rice with vegetables or stir-fried chicken with vegetables and potatoes. I opted for the latter and it was tasty. The flight attendants were friendly, polite and attentive.

The seats were the new business class seats that recline into a flat bed but angles at 170 degrees downward. There is an AVOD entertainment system in each seat but the selection of movies, music and games are not as good as those on Thai Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways or Singapore Airlines. The interior of the plane (pictures are posted under the ‘Albums’ section) was of blue, yellow and gray hue.

Overall it was a good flight. We arrived at Bangkok International Airport on schedule and my checked-in bag was already sitting there after I cleared immigration and went to get my bag.

Trip Report: Appreciating The Rose of The North

For those who are a little tired of the hustle and bustle in Bangkok, Chiang Mai is a good break from the City of Angel. Known as the "Rose of The North", Chiang Mai means "New Town" in Thai. Its surroundings are of mist- shrouded mountains and fertile valleys. It is also a religious city with nearly 1100 Buddhist temples. Compared to the locals in Bangkok, the Thais here are more mild mannered and hospitable. Life here definitely takes a slower pace than life in Bangkok. The weather is also much cooler here and it is an inexpensive city to visit (more so than Bangkok).

There are many attractions in Chiang Mai. There are the historical Buddhist temples, handicraft shops, tribal villages, gardens and elephant camps. The Maesa elephant camp was my personal favorite. The elephants at this camp were smart and put on a great show including playing soccer, painting artwork and playing the harmonica while swinging their trunks to the tune (the sight was really hilarious)! I also enjoyed riding the elephants at the Pong Yang elephant camp. Here they offer you a one-hour or two-hour ride. I opted for the one-hour ride with my mom (US$15 per person) and the scenery during the ride was amazing. The elephant took us to the valleys and waterfalls. Even though Pong Yang elephant camp charges a higher fee for elephant rides compared to the Maesa elephant camp, it is much less crowded than the latter.

No visit to Chiang Mai would be complete if you did not visit Wat Phra That Doi Suthep located on Mount Doi Suthep. Built in the 16th century, this famous temple enshrines a relic of the Buddha. Another temple to check out is Wat Chiang Man, the oldest temple in Chiang Mai. It was built around 1296 A.D.. The night bizarre is also an attraction not to be missed when you visit Chiang Mai. At this outdoor market you will find vendors selling things like handicrafts, t-shirts, jewelry and local street food. Of course you need to bargain when you shop here. The golden rule of bargaining is always to take 60-70% off the asking price and walk away if the vendor refuses to accept your proposal. Never compromise!

Among the many restaurants in Chiang Mai offering Thai food, my personal favorite was Tha Nam. It is a traditional Thai mansion located by the river and it serves delicious and authentic northern and central Thai dishes. The address of Tha Nam is 43/3 Moo 2 T. Phardad, A Mueng and the phone number is (66 53) 275-125. The restaurant/guesthouse also has a website (www.kamponglodges.com/thanam).

Besides restaurants, you can also go to any outdoor night market to taste the tasty local Thai food at a fraction of the prices charged at any restaurant in the city. Chiang Mai delicacies include sai-ua (Chiang Mai sausage), mu-yo (Pork sausage) and naem (pork sausage with lime and chili). They definitely love sausages here. You can also get great Pad-Thai at these night markets.

One thing that came in very handy for me when I dined out in Thailand was the handkerchief. Bigger guys like me tend to sweat profusely when eating spicy food, so I would make sure I have one with me when I ate spicy food which was pretty much everything I ate when I was there. Once I made the mistake of not bringing a handkerchief with me and by my third course the server had brought out the pre-moistened towelette and a fan for his super sweaty customer.

In my opinion, Chiang Mai was not as beautiful as I had expected. It is however a relaxing and serene place to spend a few days indulging oneself in the scrumptious food and fun attractions that the city has to offer. So when you go to Bangkok next time and want to breathe some fresh air, you should consider adding a side trip to The Rose of The North. It is only a one- hour flight from Bangkok and there are a few budget carriers that fly to this destination at a very low price, such as Thai Air Asia, Nok Air, Bangkok Airways and Orient Air. The Thai national flag carrier, Thai Airways, also flies here.

Trip Report: Paying The City of Angels A Visit

I have been to Bangkok several times, but never once did I manage to write a travel account. Maybe I was too busy shoving my face with the scrumptious Thai food available everywhere in the city, or I was too busy covering my mouth in order not to inhale the pollutants in the air. Either way I think I should write one since I am quite familiar with this city known as ‘The City of Angels’. My most recent trip to Bangkok was the one I took with my dad, mom and sister (the entire Lim clan) during the Christmas break.

Bangkok is a city founded in 1782 by King Rama I as the capital of Thailand. It has over 8 million in population. Like any typical big cities in the world, Bangkok is filled with modern skyscrapers, luxurious hotels, great spas and world-class restaurants. But like any other big cities, it also has the notorious traffic as well as the infamous smog that engulfs the city save a rainy day. What makes Bangkok different than other major cities is that despite the modern living and the years of exposure to the western culture, the locals still exude the great Thai hospitality. They are pleasant, gracious, polite and attentive (none of these traits I display despite being a quarter Thai myself).

There are many foreigners in Bangkok (the locals call them Farangs). While many of them come to Thailand to enjoy the many attractions and beauties the land has to offer, others come to appreciate the powerful currency of their countries and the service and acknowledgement they get for their skin colors (and money of course). You will find many senior Caucasian men walking down the streets with Thai youths (girls or boys). As an Asian guy, I find this behavior gross and nauseating.

Among the many tourist traps to check out in Bangkok, there are three that are not to be missed; The Grand Palace, Wat Phra Chetuphon, The Pat Pong night market and the Floating Market. Also don’t forget to check out the night view of Wat Arun along the Chao Phraya river. The view is rather breathtaking.

The Grand Palace was established in 1782. Covering an area of 218,000 square meters, the temple houses the royal residence, throne halls, government offices and the renowned Temple of the Emerald Buddha. Founded in the 16th century, Wat Phra Chetuphon is the oldest and biggest temple in the city. It is famous for the world’s longest reclining Buddha statue (46m long and 15m high). Pat Pong night market is located in the Silom area and offers all kinds of merchandise ranging from knockoff bags to tacky jewelry. These items should be bargained hard before purchasing. My rule of bargaining is to take 60%-70% off the asking price, and just walk away when the vendor refuses to accept your proposal. Believe me, eight out of ten times the vendor will chase after you to sell the merchandise to you. Besides the night market, there is also adult oriented entertainment in this area. The shows are quite an eye-opener if you ask me. As for the Floating Market, although the more authentic floating market has been moved to Damnoensaduak in Ratchburi Province, a trip to this floating market in Bangkok is still worthwhile for those who enjoy seeing the canalside Thai life.

I ate like a pig in Bangkok. Thai food has got to be one of my most preferred ethnic food of all that I have tried. The Thai food here is definitely more inexpensive than those you will find in New York. Here are some of my favorite restaurants in the city with low or moderate prices:

Mango Tree, 37 Soi Tanthawan (off Suriwong Road) Phone (0) 2236-2820

Atlanta 78, Sukhumvit Soi 2 Phone (0) 2252-1650

Ban Klang Nam, 288 Soi 14, Rama III road Phone (0) 2292-0175

As for shopping (ah, those who know me well know that shopping is my favorite past time besides eating), Siam Center and the new Siam Paragon Center are not to be missed. The traffic in Bangkok is horrendous so remember to take the BTS skytrain and get off at NANA station to get to these malls.

Congested traffic and polluted air aside, Bangkok is really a fun city to visit. The hospitality of the Thais coupled with the delicious and inexpensive food, great shopping and accommodation of many varieties make this city well worth the 17-hour non-stop flight from New York (Thai Airways operates a JFK-BKK express five days a week – please read my flight report on that service). There are no four seasons in Bangkok but you will find the weather from December – February to be the most comfortable of all months. So check out this city they call "The City of Angels".

Flight Report: TG791 Thai Airways Non-stop JFK – BKK Service

Thai Airways Non-stop JFK – BKK Service (TG791)

Carrier: Thai Airways

Plane Model: A340-500

Flight Class: Royal Silk Class

Sleeper Seat: Yes

Best Seat in Business Class: 11E/F

Duration of Flight: 16 Hrs 30 Mins

Date of Travel: Dec 19, 2005



Check in at JFK airport was quick and efficient despite the busy travel season. There were three separate check-in sections: Royal Silk, Premium Economy and Economy. Thai Airways, like Singapore Airlines, offers Swiss Air Lounge for the use of its premium class passengers at JFK. The lounge was clean, bright and spacious. The breakfast foods offered there however left little to be desired.

I looked forward to boarding this Thai Airways (TG) flight. It was the first non-stop passenger flight between New York and Bangkok. This flight was launched just recently and utilized a new Airbus 340-500. Since I took the non-stop Singapore Airlines (SQ) flight between Newark and Singapore last year, I wanted to compare the service and flight conditions of these two non-stop flights to South East Asia and see which one I would prefer more.

There were two flight attendants that greeted me at the door. I was seated in the first row of the Royal Silk Class. By the way, the best seats on this flight in Royal Silk Class were seat # 11E and 11F. The best seats in Premium Economy were the bulkhead seats and the best seats in Economy section were the exit row. Purple was the main color theme of the business class cabin, to match the color of the Orchid, the national flower of Thailand and logo of the national carrier. Flight attendants walked by several times offering pre-departure drinks (the standard water, orange juice and champagne) and reading materials. We departed JFK as scheduled.

Unlike the old business class seats on Thai Airways, the business class seats installed on this flight were the "pod" seats, with AVOD entertainment and a flat bed that angles downward. While the seats were definitely more comfortable than those of SQ (much newer too), the selection of movies/games/audio CDs were not as great as those of the Singapore flagship carrier. There were three meals served (and snacks offered in between those meals) and they were all delicious.

These were the options listed in the menu handed out to the Royal Silk class passengers:


First Serving

Hot Savories

Scallops on a stick and fish cake

First Course

Salmom Salad E-sarn Style

Smoked Duck, Apple and Celery Salad with Hazelnuts

Mixed Green Salad with Thousand Island or Balsamic Dressing

Main Meal

Broiled Tournedos Steak with Port Wine Sauce

Pom-pin Potatoes, Carrot and Zucchini

Or

Stir-Fried Prawn with Sweet and Sour Sauce, Steamed Thai Hom Mail Rice, Broccoli

Or

Salmon in Curry "Chu-Chee", Steamed Thai Hom Mail Rice, Stir-Fried Oriental Vegetables

Or

Grilled Chicken with Tomato Basil Sauce, Penne Pasta, Sauteed Zucchini and Broccoli

Assorted Roll, Garlic Breads, Toast, Butter

Assorted Cheese Tray/ Fresh Fruit

Dessert

Coconut Mousse Round, Tea, Coffee, Espresso, Cappuccino

Mid-Meal Snacks

Noodles Soup and Garnitures or

Assorted Openfaced Sandwiches

Second Serving

Canapes

First Course

Prawn and Prosciutto with Fresh Cocktail Sauce

Main Course

Stir-Fried Prawn with Garlic and Pepper

Steam Thai Hom Mali Rice, Fresh Green Beans and Carrot

Or

Stir-Fried Flat Rice Noodles with Barbecued Pork Char-sew, Broccoli and Pepper

Assorted Roll, Garlic Breads, Toast, Butter, Cheese, Fresh Fruit Tray

Dessert

Passion Fruit Mousse in Chocolate Cup

Tea, Coffee, Espresso, Cappuccino

Third Serving

Mixed Green Salad with Olive Oil Vinegar Dressing

Stir-Fried Japanese Noodles with Chicken (Yakisoba)

Chocolate Pralines

Tea, Coffee

Service on Thai Airways is definitely more personable that that of Singapore Airlines. The flight attendants on this particular flight were not as robotic as those SQ flight attendants. They noticed minor things such as turning on the reading lights for you or even checking back with a passenger to see if they had received what they had requested or had enjoyed their meals. I was very hungry between the first meal and the second meal and the flight attendant that I had requested some snacks from kept checking in with me to make sure that I had enough food to eat and was not hungry for the duration of the flight. They definitely feed you a lot on this flight because it is a long flight.

We arrived at Bangkok Dan Moung airport on time. I quickly went to the Thai Airways’ business class lounge to get a complimentary shower and massage (believe me, both really come in handy after a long flight!). All in all, this was a really comfortable flight. I don’t think you need to be in Royal Silk Class to enjoy the comfort. Economy or Premium Economy classes on this flight are already much better than those of US carriers. It seems that Thai Airways, once the carrier known for its attentive service in the 80s, is making a big comeback and will give other Asian carriers such as Singapore Airlines or Cathay Pacific a run for their money.

Trip Report: Rediscovering My Chinese Roots

Americans give thanks during thanksgiving. This year I wanted to give thanks to my Chinese ancestors. However I did not know what would be the best way to express my gratitude to them. When my childhood and dear friend Irene invited me to accompany her on a business trip to China during Thanksgiving week, I decided this would be a good opportunity to express my gratitude to my beloved ancestors. This way I can rediscover my Chinese roots, get a feel of the country where they used to live and work, and stayed in five star hotels without paying a single dime (this was probably the primary motivator). I did not go to the villages they came from. I believe it is somewhere in the South of China, I went to Beijing, Shanghai and Hangzhou instead. What bad great grandson you say. I know, but at least it is the same country right? Incidentally, my two other friends from New York (Olga and Dede) were visiting the same three cities at the same time when I was there so it was really fun to be travelling in a small group together.

Our first stop was Beijing. Beijing is the cultural and historical capital of China. Founded in 1057 BC., the city took on many names before Emperor ChengZu from the Ming Dynasty chose the name Beijing in 1421. Beijing has a whole area of 6500 square miles, stretching 160 kilometers from east to west and over 180 kilometers from north to south.

There are many great attractions in Beijing to visit. The Forbidden City, The Great Wall of China, Summer Palace, Tiananmen and The Imperial Gardens just to name a few. The Forbidden City and Great Wall of China are attractions every visitor in Beijing cannot miss. Known as Gu Gong in Chinese, The Forbidden City served as the palace of imperial power during the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911). It is located north of Tiananmen Square and is the world’s largest palace complex. When visiting the Forbidden City, I suggest that you rent an audio guide which will guide you through each palace as you approach them. Olga and I spent half a day touring the Forbidden City. We also spent half the day warding off the pesky and persistent locals who approached us for money or were all fascinated by Olga’s fair Caucasian skin and wanted to touch and feel it. Some also took pictures of Olga as I took pictures of her at the Forbidden City. Simply hilarious!

Beijing pales in comparison to Shanghai in the culinary arena. However, you have to try the famous Peking Duck when you are in Beijing. One famed restaurant in Beijing that has served over 5 million ducks (yes they do keep a count at the restaurant and display the number proudly) is the Quan Ju De Peking Duck Restaurant located in Qian Men area (No 32, Qianmen Avenue, Phone – 86-010-6710-1379). The website address for this historical restaurant is www.quanjude.com.cn/. It was established in 1864 and many famous celebrities and politicians had frequented that restaurant when they visited the Chinese capital.

Next stop, Shanghai. Located on the estuary of Yangtze River of China, Shanghai has got to be the most commercial city in China. The city is much hyped by the media around the world as the fastest growing city in the world. However, my impression of this city is that there is quantity but not quality. Even though you have many people with names like Cleopatra providing you customer service at places like hotels and restaurants, the quality of service lags the level that you receive from other world class cities such as Hong Kong, New York and Tokyo. Shanghai has neon lights and billboards everywhere. It is very much like New York’s Times Square spanning an area of 2,239 square miles.

Unlike Beijing, Shanghai does not have as many attractions as Beijing. The Bund (nothing spectacular if compared to the Hong Kong harbor view) is one of the top attractions here. Tourists can also visit Nanjing Road, the busiest shopping street where vehicles are prohibited. For pottery, antiques and artwork, you should visit the artsy neighborhood on Taikang Road. Here you can find potters, fashion designers and artists working side-by-side in restored factories.

But food in Shanghai does taste much better than food in Beijing. Shanghai has a great variety of restaurants serving world class cuisine. Among the restaurants offering local Shanghaiese food, here are my favorites:

Ye Shanghai (located in Xin Tian Di – a section of restaurants, café and bars in the city)

- My favorite dish here is the raw hairy crab (seasonal) and the minced chicken and pine nuts served with crispy pockets of sesame bread. Tel 6311-2323

Shanghai Uncle (located in Pu Dong), Yan’an Dong Lu 222, Tel 021/6339-1977

- The most authentic Shanghaiese restaurant in the city.

Restaurant in the historical Peace Hotel

- Shanghai dumpling is my favorite entrée here.

Kommune

- Café in the artsy Taikang road district. Here you can get a hearty breakfast of eggs and sausages.

For nightlife, Park 97 located in Fu Xin Park appears to be a popular choice on the weekends. I went there on a Saturday night and really enjoyed the music there. The crowd was also very pleasing on the eye. Expats, visitors and locals mingle at this spot until the wee hours of the morning. You will also find a hip gay bar named Home Bar down the street from Park 97. Of course it really pales in comparison to those gay bars in the Big Apple.

We took a day trip to Hangzhou from Shanghai. The city is a three- hour train ride from Shanghai. It is one of the seven ancient Chinese capitals, famous for its historical and cultural heritages. The city has a history of more than 2200 years since it was established as a county by the First Emperor Qing. The most renowned attraction in Hangzhou is Si Hu (West Lake). It is noted for the scenic beauty that blends naturally with many famous historical and cultural sites, such as The Solitary Hill, The Mausoleum of General Yue Fei, The Six Harmonies Pagoda and The Ling Yin Temple. Irene and I went for a boat ride on the lake for a couple of hours. The weather was exceptionally beautiful that day.

Off all the three cities I visited, I prefer Beijing the most. You can still sense communism in Beijing but not Shanghai. The people in Beijing also appear friendlier and more cultured than the Shanghaiese. The Shanghaiese seem to have huge egos and attitudes. A little disturbing considering they live in a city that, albeit expanding rapidly, lacks the standard of a world class city.

In all it was a great trip. This trip reaffirms that I like Chinese food and lots of it, and that I am not ready to live and work in Shanghai yet (I was entertaining that idea for a while). But I am still a three-quarters Chinese at heart and I am so glad I could visit the very country that a majority of my ancestors had originated from. I also had a lot of fun with the three girls that I was traveling with: Irene, Dede and Olga. It is nice not to travel by myself once in a while.

Trip Report: I Bet Even The Greek Gods Frolicked Here

When I traveled to Athens last year, I liked the city so much that I had promised myself that I would make a trip out to some of the Greek Islands soon. Sure enough, fifteen months and a few trips to other destinations later, I took a number of connecting flights out of JFK International Airport and ended up on the famous island of Mykonos. I met up with my childhood friend Irene and her beau Dave there.

Mykonos is known by the locals as the "Jewel" of the Aegean Sea. It is perhaps the most famous of the islands in Greece and one of the world's most popular holiday resorts. The island is a grand example of unique cycladic architecture set around a picturesque fishing-village bay. Totally whitewashed organic cube-like buildings fit closely together to form a kind of haphazard maze of narrow alley- ways and streets. Interestingly, these streets and alleys were built this way to fool the German pirates in the olden days. The earthen colors of the bare hills which surround the town's gleaming whiteness is set between the aura of an incredibly blue sky and even deeper blue sparkling sea, creating such a breathtaking sight for passengers aboard a ship approaching the island.

Mykonos is also an island famous among the Italians. Every year from early August to early September, you will see Italians on every corner of this island. This would help explain why besides Greek foods, you will find a great variety of pasta dishes and pizzas offered by the restaurants on this island. Because of its widespread popularity, Mykonos is more costly to visit than other Greek islands. But there is also more to do here than other islands. From the beautiful beaches to the bustling nightlife, Mykonos is an island not to be missed if you want to take a vacation on the many islands of the Aegean Sea.

The beaches in Mykonos are beautiful and lively. Among the beaches on the island, the prominent ones (at least with the tourists) are Paradise Beach, Elia Beach and Super Paradise Beach. I witnessed a long stretch of bars and restaurants located along these beaches and most bars blasted club music every afternoon while patrons danced on the bar. But since nothing is ever perfect, I also witnessed an eyesore - an 80 years old grandpa with a semi see-through leopard- print sarong wrapped around his waist dancing on one of the bars as he wrapped his arms around girls of his granddaughter’s age!

Close to Mykonos is an island called Delos. A twenty minutes- boat ride from Mykonos will take you to this island filled with ancient Greek buildings and sanctuaries. According to mythology, Delos was the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis. We took a half-day trip there, took a lot of pictures and came back just in time for lunch.

After spending four days in Mykonos, we boarded a five-hour ferry to Santorini. While Dave and Irene were busy reading their novels, I was busy chatting with this couple from Sydney who was coming to New York for their first time after their trip to Santorini. After we exhausted all of our conversation topics (including aboriginal tribes in Australia and the pesky roaches in my apartment), I took some time to enjoy the view of the deep blue Aegean water and the various islands that we passed by. The view of Santorini as we approached the island was most impressive- villages with whitewashed cube like buildings sitting on the cliffs of the mountains. Frankly, the island offers one of the most breathtaking landscapes in the world. It actually sits on the rim of a volcano that exploded about 1600 BC.

Santorini offers the most beautiful views (its sunset views are definitely a must-see), it also offers some interesting beaches, such as the black sandy beaches like Perissa Beach and Kamari Beach or the red sandy beach like Red Beach. While you will find restaurants and bars along some of the beaches here, Santorini does not seem to offer a nightlife as lively as that of Mykonos. It is a vacation spot that is more suitable for couples such as Dave and Irene than for a single guy like myself (by the way, you cannot even find a gay bar on this island!).

Three books, a couple of sunburns, a few embarrassing incidents (experienced by either Irene or myself – these I will save for great conversation topics at Parties) and forty- something bottles of Mythos (a famous Greek beer) as well as Heineken later, it was time to go home. Leaving with a heavy heart, I knew I would miss the beautiful weather and the fun times I had with Irene and Dave. I also would miss the great people that I met on this trip, including this Italian couple who stayed at the same guest- house that I was staying at in Mykonos. If you have not been to the Greek islands before, consider going to one of them soon. Be it Mykonos, Santorini, Peros, Naxos, Ios or any other Cyclades islands, I am sure you will have a great and relaxing time there. I believe these islands were once where the Greek gods let their hairs down and frolicked with joy. With such beautiful weather and scenery, who could blame them?

Trip Report: Eat, Sweat and Feel Like A Royalty in Saigon…

With minor exhaustion (at least on my part), Vanessa and I boarded the budget carrier Tiger Airways bound for Ho Chi Minh City (a.k.a. Saigon) from Singapore Changi Airport. I had flown for about 20 hours from New York and had arrived in Singapore the night before. Vanessa is a friend of mine from elementary school and had traveled from Kuala Lumpur to meet up with me in Singapore. We both love to travel and had decided to pay a visit to the economic capital of Vietnam that is quickly becoming a favorite holiday destination of many travelers.

After two hours on the new Airbus 320 with in-flight service that will put any American carrier to shame, we finally arrived at Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC). The first thing that greeted us as we stepped out of the airport was the intense heat. The humidity was so thick that a knife would not do the job of cutting it. You needed a cleaver to do so. I was sweating within seconds of stepping out of the terminal (not surprising for those who have seen me eating spicy food before).

On our cab ride from the airport to the hotel, we saw throngs of locals riding their motorcycles without helmets. Like Hanoi, this is definitely a city of motorcycles. We saw families on it, we saw women in their farmer hats and Ao Dais (traditional Vietnamese wardrobe for women) on it, we even saw three guys sitting on it (yes the Vietnamese men are skinny – ugh!). Also like Hanoi, the challenge in this city, besides the heat, is crossing the streets. These motorcycles will fly by without slowing down, and it seems like they have the right of way more so than the pedestrians do. Vanessa and I had to adopt the local way of crossing the streets quickly within one day of being there – just keep walking and the motorists will swirl past you and avoid hitting you. The locals didn’t even look as they crossed the streets. Amazing to say the least.

HCMC is located by the river and is divided into a few districts. District 1, the oldest district, is known as Saigon. This is also the unofficial name for the city preferred by foreigners. HCMC is a city with about 7 million people. It is here where the rapid economic changes sweeping Vietnam, as well as their negative social implications, are most evident. There were not many sights to see in HCMC, nor were there great places to shop (clothing wise), but there were many great restaurants serving very inexpensive and scrumptious Vietnamese cuisine for those who love them.

Vanessa and I love to eat. So the highlights of our trip were the many great restaurants we went to, ranging from a hole-in-the-wall restaurant selling Pho (traditional beef/chicken noodle soup) to a five-star French restaurant with bad dressed waiters. The cost of food was unbelievable too. We had appetizers, entrée, desserts and beverages at an upscale restaurant and the check was only US$18 including service charge for the two of us. A glass of fresh fruit juice would cost US 50 cents or so. A manicure would cost US$2. A pedicure, US$3.5 (don’t ask me why I know this). I remember tipping the bellboy at my hotel 20,000 dong (US$1.30) for carrying my bags and he was so happy and appreciative. I later learned that amount could be half a day’s wage for a local here. A dollar can really go far here.

Besides eating, Vanessa and I did manage to do some sightseeing (only some, since our primary focus was on the food). We went to the Cu Chi Tunnel, the Ben Thanh Market and the War Remnants Museum. Cu Chi Tunnel is definitely a must see for tourists who visit this city. The tunnels of Cu Chi were built over a period of 25 years that began sometime in the late 1940s. They were the results of a poorly equipped peasant army trying to beat the high tech ordinance, choppers, artillery, bombers and chemical weapons of its enemy (namely the Americans). It is located about 40 miles from the city so we hired a tour guide to take us there (transportation and tour guide for, get this, US$10 a person including tips). After touring the sites and climbing into the narrow tunnels that I could barely fit in, it dawned on me that in order to be successful in guerrilla warfare, you will need a typical slim Vietnamese body. After all you cannot be agile in the tunnel if you are five feet eleven and weight two hundred pounds like me. Jokes aside, I really have a lot of admiration for Vietnamese people after touring the tunnels. These people are tough. The tunnel army really demonstrated wit and perseverance.

The War Remnants Museum was quite an unforgettable visit too. Looking at the pictures of the victims from the Vietnam War was gut wrenching. This was once known as ‘The Museum of the Chinese and American War Crimes’ but was later changed to its current name in order not to offend the Chinese and American tourists. Vanessa didn’t have the stomach to view those pictures and documentaries so she was sitting outside checking out other more important objects (like guys) while I learned the ugly side of war. I could not believe some of the atrocities coming out of this war. Wonder if Iraq will have a similar museum a few years from now.

Ho Chi Minh is a city of great fun, if you look past the heat and the typical setbacks that a developing country would have, like women offering you messages on every city block, kids selling you chewing gums, or panhandlers grabbing your arms and asking you for money. You don’t really come here for the sights, but you come here for the food, entertainment and the experience to live like a royalty without burning many holes in your wallet.

Trip Report: Love The Danish.. And I Don't Mean The Pastries!

When I first learned that I could travel to Copenhagen, Denmark for a mere $360, thanks to the wonderful offer by SAS (Scandinavian Airline System), I was simply elated. After all, you usually pay that amount to fly to Los Angeles or San Francisco from New York. So it was between the choice of seeing my friends in either one of the two Californian cities or befriending tall blue eyed and blonde haired guys named Gukki or Per. Clearly that was a very tough decision to make.

Disappointingly, after spending four days here, I didn’t see many tall, blue eyed and blonde haired guys. Apparently I got the countries mixed up. It is Sweden that breeds those high cheekbones, model-like specimens. I did see a lot of sunshine and picturesque sites however. Believe it or not, the weather was nice throughout my stay here. In fact, I got a tan on my last day here. Yes, a tan from a Scandinavian country in early April! The weather was chilly (40s-50s) but the sun kept shining.

Being the first country to legalize gay marriage back in the early 80s, Denmark is a liberal and progressive country that has always adopted a "live and let live" policy. It is a country with approximately 6 million people. About 2/3 of them live in the capital city, Copenhagen. There are no must see monuments or structures here, but the city is definitely worth a long weekend trip. From sitting in a café to walking around the old city, you will experience the side of Copenhagen that the locals seem to enjoy.

Danes love to bike. You will see bicycles everywhere. It is very much like Amsterdam in that regard. It also has a few canals, but nothing that rivals those of Amsterdam. But what makes this city so special is the friendliness of its people. In fact, many Danes would claim that they are the friendliest people of the three Scandinavian countries. According to them, perhaps a tad biased, the Norwegians are reserved and the Swedish all have attitudes (after all, they all look like models so they must act the part too). You will also find it easy to communicate with the Danes since most speak English fluently. You can even find a few English channels on the Danish telly. This was very much unlike Turkey, where I had a VH1-like Turkish channel on 24/7 and fell in love with one of those Turkish dance tunes that were overplayed.

I found Copenhagen to be a very expensive city. To experience the warmth of the Danes you will have to put up with the super high cost of visiting the city. A hotel room the size of a closet costs US$70 a night, a cup of small regular coffee costs US$3, a lunch with three open-faced sandwiches and a small bottled water costs US$30, and a train ride that lasts up to half an hour costs US$22. In fact, this is one of the countries with exceedingly high income and sales taxes. But some locals told me that when they retire, the government would take care of them. So the high taxes are all worth a secured retirement I guess.

I also found Copenhagen to be a very safe city. Of my four-day visit here, I only saw a handful of homeless people. You can walk on the street in the wee hours of the morning without being mugged, but most people would rather pay the high cost of taking the cab because it is usually too cold to be walking outside.

On the third day of my visit, I took a half-day trip to Malmo, Sweden. I was hoping to meet some tall blonde Swedes but unfortunately, due to its proximity to Copenhagen, many people there looked like the Danes. There was really nothing spectacular in Malmo. They had some streets for shopping and a couple of town squares. There were also some museums and palaces that were not that historically significant. I guess you have to travel up north to meet the stereotypical Swedes or flip open a fashion magazine.

All in all, I enjoyed my short and costly trip to Copenhagen. For those who are interested in going, check out the SAS website for off-peak season fares that start at US$360. Off-season periods are anytime with the exception of late spring and summer (May-Sep). Even then it could be a little breezy in Copenhagen, or any Scandinavian cities for that matter.

Trip Report: Istanbul, A Mystical and Historic City

Hi folks, hope all of you had a great President’s Day weekend. My five-day getaway to Istanbul was definitely worth every penny that I had paid. The city was such a mix of Eastern and Western Civilization. It was not as inexpensive as I had thought however. For example, a can of Pepsi would cost about a dollar at the grocery store but would go up to about $2.50 at a restaurant and $4.00 at the cafeteria of a tourist trap, like the Topkapi Palace.

After going on a number of trips by myself in recent years, I think I am getting the hang of traveling by myself which frankly worries me a little. As those of you who have visited Istanbul would agree, this is such a picturesque city, rich with history and culture. There is nothing like being able to travel from Europe to Asia in ten minutes, or find a historic mosque with the dilapidated mural of Virgin Mary or Jesus Christ with his compatriots. During my brief stay in Istanbul, I visited all the must-see sites (Blue Mosque, Haghia Sophia and Topkapi Palace), cruised up the Bosphorus (the throat shaped river separating Europe and Asia, hence the name in Turkish), shopped at The Grand Bazaar, ate at great century old restaurants serving Ottoman dishes and paid a visit to the main city on the Asian shore, Uskudar (which I find a tad more conservative than its European counterpart). I also did a fair amount of nightlife activities in the Taksim Square area (it’s expensive to club in Istanbul by the way!). Of course, an Istanbul experience would not be complete without visiting one of its century-old Hamams (bathhouses). However it is important to note that the messages and scrubs I got from these places were not equivalent to those offered at a full service spa. The strength applied by these big sized Turks (most of them exhibiting great sumo wrestling potentials) would make you scream for help (the trick is, never resist, always give in).

Like any major cities, Istanbul has its fair share of recent immigrants whose sole mission in life is to annoy and harass the tourists. Since I stayed at the tourist-heavy Sultanahmet area, I was approached by these persistent plebians every five minutes on the street, offering me anything from escort services to knock-off colognes. I swear if I had a dime for everytime when these people asked if I came from Japan or Korea (they are common Asian tourists there), this trip would be entirely paid for! Fortunately being the savvy solo traveler, I quickly came up with a few effective ways to fend off these people:

1. Wear your headphone and pretend not to hear them calling you (thank you, I-pod)

2. Pretend you speak no English. Answer them in one of your native languages or simply make one up.

3. Pretend you are mute and just smile at them

Believe me, all these tricks worked for me so you should give it a try if you happen to be in this situation next time.

Besides these aggravating street traders, Istanbul has its fair share of robbers and thieves as well. This Belgium guy that stayed at my hotel was robbed after he followed some young Turks home. Not a smart move, if you ask me (What was he thinking!?).

I find the Turks to be warm and generous people but given a choice, they would not want to have our current President at their dinner tables (who would blame them honestly?). I was pretty cautious with my safety when I was there so I decided to tell everybody I was from Malaysia (which was not a lie really). That was undoubtedly well received. I did tell this Australian that I met on the cruise that I was from New York. We got into this disagreement about which city was the most international of all. While I highly proclaimed it to be the Big Apple, she said it was Geneva, to which I promptly asked, "why, do they hold fashion weeks there?". I did not argue further in order not to perpetuate the negative stereotypes they already have on Americans.

Aside from the expensive soda/alcohol and the pesky people who harassed me on the streets, I had a really great time at this wonderful city which is a crossroad between Europe and Asia. I spent my last night in Istanbul at a local bar near my hotel. As I conversed with the locals and smoked my hookah, I thought to myself, "this is life, I have got to do this more often!"