Trip Report: Enjoying The Charm of Hoi An, Vietnam

A little flu bug did not stop me and my mom from enjoying the charm of Hoi An, a little city in the middle part of Vietnam close to Danang. We really enjoyed the old part of town which is now declared a UNESCO world heritage site. Just take a morning stroll in this town and you'll get what I mean. The smell of burning incense coupled with the sight of old wooden buildings gave me the feeling that I have been transported back to the 19th century.

Hoi An is a significant part of Vietnamese history since it's relatively untouched by the American war. It's essentially an outdoor museum here since you will find many French and Chinese style buildings, wells, family chapels for ancestor worship, pagodas, Chinese and Vietnamese temples, assembly halls for Chinese congregations and Chinese style tombs. You will also find many shops in Hoi An offering inexpensive and quick tailoring service. Suits, cheongsams, overcoats, dresses.. just pick the fabric and haggle the price and you will get the garment of your choice in less than 24 hours. You can also order custom made shoes here. The only thing you won't find here is a grocery store. They do have little bodegas on every street corner however.

Recommended tailors and shoes makers:

1. Ken (tailor)
11 Nguyen Thai Hoc St
Tel: 0510 3910854

2. Trang Tri (shoe maker)
18/34/57/77 Tran Hung Dao St (multiple locations)
Tel: 0510 3911179

There are plenty of activities one can do in Hoi An like bicycling or motor-cycling (only if you dare to ride on streets with no traffic lights!) or even cruising along the Thu Bon river. Not daring to bike in this crazy traffic, I did a walking tour which was fun and educational. I learned about the history and origin of some buildings in this quaint little town.

Food wise, Hoi An has some specialty dishes that I tried and liked. The Cao Lau noodles and White Rose are food unique to Hoi An. Cao Lau noodles is a regional dish made with noodles, pork, and greens and is only found in Hội An. Its unique taste is rumored to be contributed by the water from an undisclosed ancient Cham well just outside of the town. While I liked the dish, I didn't find it particularly unique. It's just a noodle dish. White Rose, on the other hand, is more unique. It is a shrimp dumpling with an undisclosed recipe. I was told that all the White Rose dumplings sold in Hoi An are supplied by one family there.

We stayed at the Ha An hotel (http://www.haanhotel.com/tariff.php), which is an affordable hotel providing great value. Breakfast buffet is included in the room rate and the food choices are plenty, including the famous Pho. The service provided here is also top notch.

Hoi An was such a refreshing destination for us after staying in Ho Chi Minh City for a couple of days. I find this to be a great vacation spot for families, foodies, shopperholics and even history buffs.

Trip Report: The Andalusian Experience II

More pics from the trip.

Trip Report: The Andalusian Experience

The annual Thanksgiving trip that I organize for me and my pals took us to Southern Spain (Granada, Cordoba and Malaga) this year. Unlike the trips in previous years, we only had four people on this trip (Peter, Ein, Alison and myself). Nevertheless, we are the original four who have participated in every Thanksgiving trip since our first one to South Africa. We got along really well with each other and had a lot of fun on the trip.

We took Iberia to Spain and the in-flight experience wasn't as bad as what many had told me about this official Spanish airline. After a rather uneventful flight, we arrived in a warm and sunny Granada which was unbelievable since this was late November. It was so warm that I had to strip down to my t shirt! We checked in at our hotel (Hotel Macia de la Alhambra) and took a quick nap. The hotel was great. Price was reasonable considering the great array of buffet breakfast that was included in the room rate (USD100 per night). The only complaint I have about the hotel is that it doesn't have a gym. I guess Spaniards do not believe in working out, yet they are all skinny bitches, especially the younger ones. Hate them!

Toured the downtown area after our much refreshing nap. Also visited the famous Alhambra the next morning. Alhambra is a must-see sight in Granada. In fact, it is the only reason why people visit Granada. Alhambra is a palace and fortress complex of the Moorish rulers built between 1333 and 1335. It is a very beautiful and historical palace. We enjoyed our visit there. We also enjoyed our brief exchange with the very hot Spanish dude who collected our entrance ticket.

After spending two days in Granada, we took the train to Cordoba. We really loved Cordoba, especially the historic Jewish quarter. We stayed in a small hotel there (HOSPEDERIA DE EL CHURRASCO - highly recommended by the way!). The small cobbled streets were particularly charming. The area was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1984 and I can say it's worth every bit of the recognition.

We visited the great mosque of Cordoba (The Mezquita), walked on the ancient Roman bridge and shopped in the more modern part of the city. When you are in the company of Ein and Peter, you shop. Actually it's more like waiting for them in the store while they shop. These two shopaholics find a reason to shop anywhere they go. They can even drop a fortune at museum gift shops!

We ate a few places in Cordoba that are worth recommending:

La Albaceria
Corregidor Luis de la Cerda 73
Close to La Mezquita. Good and affordable tapas.

El Caballo Rojo
Cardenal Herrero, 28
Close to La Mezquita. Fine dining restaurant serving Moorish dishes based on medieval recipes.

Bar Santos
Across from La Mezquita. Casual cafeteria with limited seating area (patrons usually take the food and go). The best tortilla espanola I have ever tasted!

Our last stop was Malaga, where it's overrun by the Germans and the Brits. The weather was by far the warmest in Malaga of all the three cities we visited. Since this is the birthplace of Picasso, our first stop after checking into our hotel (Hotel Molina Lario) was the Picasso Museum followed by the house where he was raised. We also hiked up the hill to the Gibralfaro castle to enjoy a complete view of the city which includes the view of Plaza de Toros, the famous bullring of Malaga.

In Malaga you have to go to El Tapeo de Cervantes, a place that serves traditional and not so traditional tapas. The address is C/ Carcer, 8-29011 and the phone number is +34 952 60 94 58. Interestingly, the owner came from Argentina. It is one of the best tapas we tried on this trip and the price was very reasonable too.

After spending almost a week in Southern Spain, Peter and Ein extended their trip to visit Barcelona, Bilboa and Sevilla while Alison and I headed back to NYC. To me, the three cities we visited all hold their own and are very different from each other. My favorite of the three is Cordoba. The charming historical setting of the city, coupled with the hospitality of our friendly and cute hotel manager Pedro, make me want to return to Cordoba tomorrow (only for a visit however since I know I will be bored out of my skull living in a small city like this).

Viva Espana!

Trip Report: Eating My Way Through Taipei

Street food rules in Taipei. It is said that you can go up to 30 days trying all the street food here without having to repeat eating anything. While I very much would like to put this statement to the test, I only had a few short days here so I tried my best to pack in as much street food as possible. I also had a few restaurant meals which were equally good. Here are some of my favorites.

1. Soymilk, Sticky Rice Roll and Fried/Baked Dough

There is nothing like some greasy fried/baked dough, sticky rice roll and savory soymilk to kickstart your day. The common form of the fried/baked dough are dan bing (egg pancake) and shao bing (charcoal baked pastry). The sticky rice roll (Fan Duan) has a bunch of things in it, like meat floss, egg and a very crispy dough. The soymilk can be eaten sweet or savory. This is probably what heaven is made of (for me at least). There are many places in Taipei that you can get this kind of breakfast, like Si Hai Dou Jiang (literally translated as "Four Seas Soymilk") which has many locations including one in the LA area. My personal favorite is Fu Hang Dou Jiang located on the 2nd floor of a market called Hua Shan Market on Zhong Xiao Dong Lu (East Zhong Xiao Road), a couple of blocks from the Sheraton Taipei. The line can get really long here and they usually sell everything out by 9am or so.

I also recommend a place that specializes in sticky rice rolls (Fan Duan). The rice roll pictured above may not look appetizing at all and may look like your doodle after one too many glasses of grape soda. but it's actually nutritious and tasty. This is a sticky rice roll made of purple-black colored grain, one of the many varieties of Fan Duan sold at Liu Ma Ma Fan Duan ("Mother Liu's Sticky Rice Roll") located on 88 Hang Zhou Nan Lu (88 South Hang Zhou Road), not far from the Gu Ting MTR stop (take exit 6 then walk 3 mins)

2. Noodles and Dumplings

There is this noodle that I particularly liked called Yang Chun Noodles that you can get from many street vendors in Taipei. I enjoyed eating it with the freshly made pork dumplings.

3. Buns, Buns and Buns

img_1740 img_1760

Here in Taipei, you can get all kinds of buns (actually, more of the baked ones than the steamed ones). My personal favorites are Xie Ke Huang (literally translated as "Crab Shell Yolk") and Hu Jiao Bing (peppered pork buns). The former usually comes in three varieties. Spring onion filing makes up the savory variety while black sesame and red bean filing make up the sweet varieties. There is just one kind of Hu Jiao Bing. Its juicy peppered pork filling is so good that it will make you crave for another one even though you have just had the first bite of your first one. That's how good it is.

A place with over 40 years of history sells one of the best Xie Ke Huang in the city. It's called "Su Hang Dian Xin Dian" located on 14 Luo Shi Fu Lu Er Duan (2nd part of Luo Shi Fu Road), close to the Gu Ting MRT stop (take exit 7 then walk 2 mins).

My recommendation on where to buy Hu Jiao Bing is a little corner shop next to the Shuang Lian MRT stop. It doesn't seem to have a shop name but you can see people waiting on line to buy the famous pastry. The address is 64 Min Sheng Xi Lu (Min Sheng West Road). Take exit 1 at the Shuang Lian MRT stop and you will see it.

4. Fried Chicken

Who doesn't like himself some frrriiieeeed chic-ken (with a southern drawl)? In Taipei, you can get Xian Su Ji (literally translated as "Salty Fried Chicken") on almost every street corner. Beside the Xian Su Ji which comes in bits, the vendors also sell chicken chops and other heavenly fried food.

5. Steamed Buns

Known as Ge Bao (which literally means "cut buns"), it's a steamed white buns (think soft tacos but much thicker) with pork slices, preserved cabbage, peanuts bits and cilantro in the middle. There is a place called Lan Se Ge Bao ("Blue House Cut Buns") located close to the Gong Guan MRT stop that is known for this traditional bun.

Famous Japanese ramen places in New York like Momofuku and Ippudo were inspired by it and started offering similar items on their menus at ten times its price.

6. New Age Szechuan Cuisine

Many Taiwanese celebrities open restaurants, but the most popular of the bunch is a restaurant opened by a former Taiwanese female singer called Kiki that serves new style Szechuan cuisine. The restaurant has multiple locations in Taipei so check out its website (www.kiki1991.com). I highly recommend the Cang Ying Tou dish (a chives dish literally translated as "The head of the fly") and a special steamed fish dish.

7. Braised Pork Rice

Lu Rou Fan (braised pork rice) is perhaps one of the most popular street and restaurant food in Taipei. It comes in a bowl of white rice (sorry health nuts, no brown rice is served with this) topped with tasty bits of pork braised in a brown sauce. It usually goes with side dishes like braised eggs and tofu. You can get Lo Rou Fan in many places, but the one that I frequent is this restaurant located within walking distance of the Shuang Lian MRT station (two mins walk from exit 2). The address is 5 Shuang Lian Jie (5 Shuang Lian Street).

8. Bubble Tea

Bubble tea and other tapioca based beverages are still very popular here. Right now the most popular one is called Qing Wa Zhuang Nai which literally means "frog hits the milk". What makes this beverage such a hit (no pun intended) right now is its tapioca, which is made with palm sugar and is more chewy than the regular tapioca. The milk simply enhances the taste of the tapioca. There is this place near the Gong Guan MRT station that usually has a long line of people waiting to order this drink. It's located on Luo Si Fu Lu (Luo Si Fu Road).

9. Longan Walnut Muffins (Gui Yuan Xiao Dan Gao)

Think Banana Walnut Muffins without the banana flavor and bits. They have been replaced by Longan (literally translated as "Dragon Eye"), a topical fruit that belongs in the same family as Lychee. You can get this muffin from any bakery in Taipei since it's very popular right now.

A majority of the food or beverage items that I mentioned above can be found in any of the outdoor night markets in Taipei, including the famous Shilin Night Market. Just make sure you starve yourself for a day before you go there!

Flight Report: All Nippon Airways (NH5) LAX-NRT

Date: Sep 5, 2009

Travel Class: Business

Flight Time: 10 hours 50 minutes



Check in at the Tom Bradley International Terminal was a breeze. I had booked a first class award travel ticket but only business class seats were available for this sector when I made the very last minute booking (had to go to Taipei for a funeral). I inquired with the check-in desk supervisor if she could move me up to first class if there was a seat available. Unfortunately there wasn’t. However, the apologetic supervisor blocked the business class seat next to me to make sure I have a good and uninterrupted rest during the flight. Great service from the ground staff!

Headed straight to the Star Alliance lounge (which is relatively new) after check in. While the facilities are top notch (including shower and free wireless internet access), the food choices have some room for improvement.

Boarding was carried out in a quick and orderly fashion (must be the Japanese culture). Surprisingly, no on-board drinks were handed out. It was done only after take off, followed by handing out of the menu. The menu features a Japanese set meal and several Western selections for the meal service after take off. There is also a light meal option that passengers can order up to one and a half hours before landing at Tokyo Narita airport.

Here’s the menu:

Kaiseki Course

Zensai

Simmered prawn, Golden brown scallop, Salt-grilled saury fish, Fishcake with beans, Flowery sweet vinegared turnip.

Kobachi

Braised tofu and vegetable patty in savory daikon radish soy sauce

Shusai

Braised duck breast and vegetavbles in special soy sauce

Sunomono

Octopus and surf clam salad tossed with Tosa vinegar

Steamed Rice

Miso Soup and assorted pickles

Dessert

ANA’s original parfait, mixed berries a la mode

Fresh seasonal fruit

Cheese

International Course

Starter

Pork pate Provencale withy marinated artichoke and fresh garden salad

Entrée Choice

Pan-fried beef tenderloin with onion confit and demi-glace

Sesame crusted sea bream withy herb olive sauce

Autumn vegetable quiche with creamy broccoli puree

Two kinds of bread with a choice of flavorful premium Isigny butter or extra-virgin olive oil

Dessert

ANA’s original parfait, mixed berries a la mode

Fresh seasonal fruit

Cheese

Light Meals Anytime

Light Dishes and Snacks

Bowl of hot Japanese udon noodles with kitsune garnish

Warm, homey rice ball with caramelized kombu kelp filling and miso soup

Dim-sum Chinese (two kinds of steamed chicken dumpling)

Toasted port cutlet sandwich

Cup of hot consommé soup

Petite Japanese Set

Bowl of rice topped with seasoned salmon flakes and soy-cured salmon roe

Assortment of Japanese delicacies

Fruit yogurt

Petite International Set

Classic beef stew in red wine sauce

Bread roll

Fruit yogurt

I opted for the Japanese meal set and it was delicious. For mid-flight snack, I ordered the warm, homey rice ball with miso soup and the Chinese dim-sum and they were equally delicious. Before we landed, I ordered the Petite Japanese set (yes, I was hungry) and that was delicious too. I was too busy eating to take any pictures of these meals. Sorry.

AVOD choices were comparable to other top Asian carriers. There was a good number of English, Japanese and world movies and TV programs to choose from. I watched “State of Play” starring Ben Affleck and Russell Crowe and the plot was riveting. It was bed time after my meal and movie and I slept for four solid hours. The seat cushion was comfortable compared to other angled lie flat seats in the airline industry.

The inflight service was not as attentive as that of Asiana Airlines or Singapore Airlines. However, it was far superior than that of the US and European carriers. I did notice that the Japanese cabin crew was much more conversational with the Japanese passengers than other passengers. Perhaps they felt more comfortable speaking their native language than English.

I also had the opportunity to check out the Premium Economy seats which consisted of two rows (2X3X2 configuration) between the Business Class and Economy Class section. The seats looked pretty comfortable and there was plenty of legroom compared to Economy class seat.

All in all this was a good flight. I would highly recommend this airline for your future travels to Japan and other Asian countries.

More pictures of the inflight cabin including the seat.

Trip Report: 10 Things I Like About Nagoya, Japan

Did a quick stopover in Nagoya, Japan before I wrapped up my brief summer break here in Asia. Nagoya may not be as fascinating as Tokyo or Osaka, but there are things tourists will like about this city. Here are the 10 things I like about Nagoya:

1. Historical Nagoya Castle

One of the very few must see tourist sights in this city. This castle was built in 1612 on a flat land. It is surrounded by a well landscaped garden. In the castle you will see what/how the royal family used to eat, live and sleep and how their help used to slave their asses for them. With the admission price of only 500 yen (approximately USD5.00), it’s definitely worth a visit.

2. Uncomplicated Subway System

Being a smaller city than Tokyo and Osaka, Nagoya has a simple and easy to navigate subway system. It only has 4/5 lines instead of the tens of thousands you will find on a Tokyo subway map. An average fare is about 200 Yen (USD2.00)

3. Delicious Miso Katsu

Red miso is very popular in Nagoya, so it’s not surprising to find it to be part of the ingredient for some Nagoya’s popular dishes. Miso Katsu (miso flavored fried pork chop) is not to be missed. Yabaton serves the best Miso Katsu and has several locations in Nagoya. If you don’t read Japanese, just look for the sign with a pig wearing a red apron (I am not talking about chef Gordon Ramsay). One convenient location is located in the underground mall of Nagoya train station.

4. Mouth Watering Charcoal-Grilled Eel

Another popular dish in Nagoya. Also the one that officially put me over the recommended weight limit by CDC (after a week of eating, eating and eating). The most famous grilled eel dish to get is Hitsumabushi (charcoal grilled eel on rice), and the place to get it is Atsuta Horaiken located at 2-10-26 Jingu, City Center (tel: 682-5598).

5. Reliable Train Service

The Japanese have such a reliable train system. Every train leaves and arrives on time (unlike that faulty train system that I am used to back in New York). The Japanese are also a considerate bunch. Even the train window has blinds that you can draw to shade yourself from the sun. A train ride from the airport to city center will set you back by 800-1200 Yen (USD8.00-12.00).

6. Amazing Takashimaya Food Court

At the basement of the Takashimaya store in Nagoya Train Station, there is a huge section that sells all kinds of prepared food like traditional Japanese food, Japanese sweets and Western sweets. Don’t come here hungry or you will end up spending a ton of money on these visually appealing offerings! It’s undeniable that Japanese are experts in product packaging.

7. This structure infront of Nagoya Train Station

A funky structure I must say. Though I have to admit that the guy on the moving billboard helped accentuate its aesthetic appeal!

8. The Ramen Alley In The Nagoya Train Station

Nagoya is not exactly known for its ramen but if you crave for one you can find a wide selection of it in the “Ramen Alley” located in the train station. Make sure to get the ramen with a red miso soup base, like the one I had.

9. The Vending Machines Selling Beverages

This is a common sight in Japan. With these many types of beverages available, no one will ever get thirsty in Nagoya.

10. Travel in Style on Singapore Airlines

Ok, this one has nothing to do with Nagoya but there is nothing like traveling in a 2- week old aircraft to get there. Singapore Airlines provides exceptional inflight service to its passengers as usual and I really liked the new and comfy seats on this flight.

In short, Nagoya is a great place to visit. However, since it doesn’t have a lot to see, I would do this as a side trip when I visit bigger cities like Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto. Nagoya is only a 90 minutes train ride away from Tokyo.

Trip Report: A Quick Trip to Bali, Indonesia

I am one of those travel whores who can’t sit still in one place for too long. So when I was in Malaysia celebrating Chinese New Year with my folks, I took the opportunity to visit my friend Emily in Bali for a few days. Emily was living in New York City until recently when she decided to become a full-fledged surfer chick in Bali.

What is my overall impression of Bali? Frankly I have been to better places. The beaches there were dirty (save those in Nusa Dua and Jimbaran) and the food was nothing to write home about. The weather sure didn’t help. it was pouring like crazy most of the time during my stay there. But Bali had some things that appealed to me as well. I liked Bali for its super inexpensive massages (I got one everyday when I was there) and the warm and friendly Balinese people. I also got to spend some time with my friend Emily and that was worth the trip.

In terms of where to hang out, I would recommend Ubud for the artsy and laid back folks, Kuta for those who like to party (and enjoy the risk of getting bombed by the terrorists) and Nusa Dua for those who are into all kinds of water sports. Bali is worth at least one visit, and it’s really inexpensive for those who are using US Dollars.

Here are some of my recommendations for Bali:

1. Hotel (Le Meridien Nirwana Golf & Spa Resort)

For those who enjoy peace and quiet. It’s located next to the beautiful Tanah Lot temple. A great place to view the sunset with your lover but it’s quite far from everything.

2. Spa (Zen Spa, Bali)

Located in Ubud, this spa is very famous with the frequent visitors to Bali. I did a treatment consisting of a massage, scrub and a flower bath for 15 USD! Heck, you can’t even get a decent glass of wine in New York City for that price these days.

3. Specialty Food (Warung Babi Guling on Jalan Raya Teges, next to the Palace)

Located in Ubud and famous for its suckling pig (‘Babi Guling’), this place is a tad run down so don’t go there expecting the restaurant at Four Seasons. You have to sit on a floor mat to eat so don’t wear anything that can expose yourself easily in that sitting position.

4. Food & Bev (The Poppies Restaurant)

If you need to take a break from the hustle and bustle of Kuta, this place is a great oasis for you to do so. The restaurant serves a great fresh mango juice. The food there was also pretty good. They serve a mix of Indonesian and Western food.

5. Transportation (Gede Palawa, Mobile: 081-338-547-523)

Friendly and reliable taxi driver you can contact if you need to get anywhere. He speaks good English.