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| Singapore: Glimpses of Gluttony |
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| Singapore: Chinese New Year in the Chinese Garden |
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Friday, February 10, 2012
Sizzling Singapore
Singapore sizzles in more than one way:
1) the climate (yeah, generally hot, but in the range of 'just bearable' - during the day - and 'very pleasant' - in the evening and morning - while I was there);
2) the economy, along with Hong Kong and Shanghai;
3) the food: spicy and ubiquitous.
The Geylang area, situated east of the city center, not very far from
Changi Airport, does not resemble the Singapore cliche of squeaky clean streets and hurrying business people.
This is the lane at the back of my modest hotel (nothing to write home about, but clean and not too expensive); when I passed early in the evening I had the impression people were drinking ample amounts of beer (the bottles being kept cool in buckets of ice water in the middle of the tables); that this impression was correct was proven all through the night by drunken singing and shouting...
Back to the food: delicious mangosteens (as friend Jim describes them, "purple outside, slimy garlic cloves inside" - but of course they aren't really slimy, and their flavor is exquisite), plus the famous durian.
The durian is being slandered unjustly, in my opinion. Durians are said to be the worst-smelling fruit in the world, and
they are even forbidden in Singapore's metro, but they don't smell
that bad, really. Maybe not my favorite smell, but there is worse - and even if they were the champions in bad smell they would still be the champions in delicious taste!
Right at the entrance of the garden visitors are greeted by this:
The poor pets are doubly discriminated against: they don't just have to stay outside, they are also called pests...
The toilets are literally plastered with hints, explanations, and exhortations:
And when you are done with your business, you find out you've been using a happy toilet!
But whatever you may think of it: this toilet certainly had the most striking signs for 'Ladies' and 'Gentlemen' I've encountered so far.
This one made me smile...
...this one didn't:
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| It's full of jolly eateries and beer pubs |
The Geylang area, situated east of the city center, not very far from
Changi Airport, does not resemble the Singapore cliche of squeaky clean streets and hurrying business people.
This is the lane at the back of my modest hotel (nothing to write home about, but clean and not too expensive); when I passed early in the evening I had the impression people were drinking ample amounts of beer (the bottles being kept cool in buckets of ice water in the middle of the tables); that this impression was correct was proven all through the night by drunken singing and shouting...
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| Dim Sum being prepared |
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| I thought these were chicken feet for connoisseurs, but | a knowledgeable friend tells me they are duck feet (I hadn't looked closely enough!) |
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| hardware store selling good luck charms for Chinese New Year |
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| livingroom-cum-shrine, opening directly to the street |
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| colonial building in a curious mixed style |
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| longans & mangosteens |
Back to the food: delicious mangosteens (as friend Jim describes them, "purple outside, slimy garlic cloves inside" - but of course they aren't really slimy, and their flavor is exquisite), plus the famous durian.
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| mangosteen & durian flesh |
Singapore signs
My visit to the Chinese Garden provided me with plenty of examples for the rules and regulations the city is famous for.
Right at the entrance of the garden visitors are greeted by this: 
The poor pets are doubly discriminated against: they don't just have to stay outside, they are also called pests...
And when you are done with your business, you find out you've been using a happy toilet!
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| Geylang eatery |
...this one didn't:
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| Labrador area power station |
I guess even if you do not understand any of the 4 languages and are half blind, you will get the message anyway.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Round the World in the Sixties
My idea for a 60th-birthday present to myself was a trip around the world;
it did not happen last year, but who says that the 61st birthday isn't worth it?
At 61 you are not old...
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| 1951 Ford |
I had been working on the difficult task of balancing my dream destinations with my budget since I came back from Seattle at the end of August (2011); unfortunately I am just a bit short of frequent flier miles for a free round-the-world ticket (I have been saving up miles since 2008, with this in mind - but I don't have enough, even with buying miles, because there is a limit on how much you can buy in one year). So I have to rustle up about $4000 for the ticket (which I am doing by using savings that I had put aside for a rainy day - I've decided this day has come!); financially things are not working out the way I had planned, but it's not a disaster, and the miles will remain for other adventures.
THE ITINERARY
I've chosen Singapore because I have only been there once very briefly, and because I can travel to various places from there by train or boat (I'm thinking of Malaysia in particular). Originally I wanted to include Sri Lanka as a stop in my RTW-ticket, but it would have made it quite a lot more expensive.
March 4 Singapore - Christchurch - Blenheim, NZ
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| Blenheim |
I'll be visiting two fun-loving Servas ladies - my age - who were my guests in Istanbul. We got on like a house on fire, and I'm greatly looking forward to traipsing around Kiwiland with them (Lorraine has a camper van big enough for the three of us, and Caroline is an avid ballroom dancer: we'll have loads of fun, I know!).
March 18 Blenheim - Auckland - Vanuatu
Including this in the RTW, again, would have been expensive - I was hoping for a frequent flier ticket instead, but that did not happen either. (Unfortunately it's not easy to obtain those tickets, because although the airline alliances like to have faithful customers by tempting you with free tickets "anywhere in the world" they make it extremely difficult to actually book one, particularly if you don't depart from your home country).
Vanuatu is one of my absolute dream destinations (because a very good ethnologist friend who has lived and worked in practically all of the Pacific island states, says "If you have the chance to visit just one Pacific island, take Vanuatu" - and I trust she knows what she is talking about). So I bought an extra ticket from Air Vanuatu...
April 1 Vanuatu - Auckland, on to Honolulu on April 3
Fortunately I was able to include my second dream destination in the RTW. I'll spend as much time as possible on the Big Island and go to all the magical snorkeling places (again) that are described in a guidebook I used in 1998 (I circled the whole island, following this guidebook: some of the best snorkeling ever, including the Banda Islands, Indonesia, which were pretty amazing).
April 25 Honolulu - S.Francisco - Seattle
4 months (of dancing) this time!
Folklife Festival: contradance
Seattle parks: Dancing 'Til Dusk
Century Ballroom: Swing & Lindy
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Aug. 26 Seattle - Frankfurt - Munich
I have to report for 'work' on Sept. 1 - I won't actually have to teach, but I have to be present in Austria, for various reasons.
Home, sweet Home...
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| Lake Weissensee |
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| Lake Millstatt |
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Blossoms in February at my house
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How did I decide on this itinerary? Well, NZ and Seattle are the fixed points - in between I had a long list of places I would like to visit or re-visit, from Mauritius or Maledives to Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Philippines, Borneo, etc. etc. - obviously it's impossible (for me, anyway) to "do" all of them in one trip (because I want to spend at least 2 weeks in every place), so I just had to make decisions. Sri Lanka, Vietnam, etc. are fairly easy to reach from Europe, but I don't think I'll be going to the South Pacific or to Hawai'i that often, so I thought I should spend more time there. The destinations are mostly tropical or subtropical, with places for swimming and, most importantly, snorkeling, which is one of my favorite activities.
Another reason for choosing only warm climates is that I want to travel very light, with just a small carry-on and a daypack.
....just a carry-on and a daypack: My Travel Companions
The backpack, customized by a local shoemaker, has now wheels to be rolled along if smooth surfaces are available.
The backpack can be turned into a bag, with the wheels and carrying straps hidden away to protect them from airport baggage handlers.
Weight: backpack 9.5 kg, daypack 5kg
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Viva Art Nouveau!
Please click on the photo to see all
5 days in Barcelona are too short, of course: this is why I did not see much more than the obvious tourist attractions - but I was lucky enough to have wonderful Hospitality Club hosts (who, being intelligent and inquisitive individuals from Peru and Argentina respectively, probably know more about Barna than the average local - thanks, Claudia & Pato!)
Mercedes and Marc, another HC couple (from Barna and from Britain, resp.) , who had also kindly offered to host me, played the guides for a day and showed me some special places: thanks to you, too!
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| Barcelona - Barna - Barça - BCN: March 2010 |
Mercedes and Marc, another HC couple (from Barna and from Britain, resp.) , who had also kindly offered to host me, played the guides for a day and showed me some special places: thanks to you, too!
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Vienna for Insiders
This is the type of photo people associate with Vienna:
Johann Strauss monument, Stadtpark
However, Vienna has been depicted by so many excellent photographers who I could never hold a candle to - that's why I do what nobody else can do: show MY VIENNA (or some aspects of it).
PLEASE CLICK ON THE PHOTO TO SEE ALL:
However, Vienna has been depicted by so many excellent photographers who I could never hold a candle to - that's why I do what nobody else can do: show MY VIENNA (or some aspects of it).
PLEASE CLICK ON THE PHOTO TO SEE ALL:
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| Wien ist anders - Vienna is different |
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Island in Thailand: Ko Kradan
Warning: this was written as a guide to Kradan Island and contains accommodation details etc. that may be boring for people who have no intention to go there!
Before I arrived on Kradan I experienced an entertaining transfer from Phuket (see the chapter "Thailand/Krabi").
Why did I pick Kradan?
Before I left Austria I had googled "snorkeling straight off the beach", and Kradan was among the places recommended by fellow snorkelers. I liked it so much that I did not go anywhere else once I was there, contrary to my original plans.
Tigerline's website
http://www.tigerlinetravel.com/index.php?cat=lineboat&new_language=1
makes it look as if there was a ferry service all the way from Phuket to Langkawi, but unfortunately that is not the case (although they may be thinking about establishing it). True, they do sell you tickets from Phuket to any of the islands mentioned in the timetable, but the fact that 6-8 hours of the journey will be by minivan and only 1- 2 hours by boat is hidden away somewhere in the depths of the website. During my farcical trip Phuket - Krabi - Hat Yao I met several passengers who had booked online and were highly disappointed that they weren't going on a leisurely cruise, but a cramped minivan trip.
When I go to the Andamans again (and I'm pretty sure I will) I'll fly to Trang or Krabi and avoid the tiresome transfer from Phuket. But maybe they will have managed to establish a ferry connection between Phuket and the islands in a few years...
As of Dec. 09 there were 6 resorts; all of them are roughly the same standard (simple bungalows, no swimming pool), apart from the upmarket Seven Seas.
One new resort is under construction right at the Tigerline disembarkation point.
On the main beach (the east side of the island):
Kradan Beach (formerly Paradise Beach): closest to where you disembark from the Tigerline ferry, in the middle of the main beach; their reception also functions as reservation booth for Tigerline tickets, and they change money in their restaurant.
http://kradanbeachresort.com/index_en.html
Adjacent is the new and expensive Seven Seas Resort, the only one with a swimming pool.
www.sevenseasresorts.com/about_resort.asp
Further north is Kalumé, opened recently by an Italian (overpriced in my opinion, both bungalows and restaurant).
www.kalumekradan.com/2008/11/island
The northernmost resort is Kradan Island, which was the best value for money in Dec.09 (the exactly same kind of bungalow was 500 Baht at Kradan Island and 900 B. at Kalumé; the Kradan Beach bungalows are a bit better, but more expensive). I thought the food at their restaurant was delicious, and really cheap. The resort belongs to a local Thai family.
www.kradanisland.com
On the southern beach (west of the National Park area):
Ao Niang Resort, run by a Thai gentleman from Trang, is situated in a beautiful cove by itself; at high tide it's accessible by boat only (unless you want to wade through waist-high water). Accommodation and restaurant prices are about the same as at Kradan Island Resort.
In a clearing in the forest southwest of Kradan Beach Resort:
Wally's Paradise Lost (Wally, a sailor from Hawaii, is famous among Andaman Islands connoisseurs - his resort used to be the only one on Kradan until not long ago). Prices and quality of the bungalows are similar to Kradan Beach; the restaurant boasts large portions (at relatively high prices).
The location in the forest is very pretty as such, but I would not want to stay there because there is no sea view, and no pleasant breeze in the evening to keep the mosquitoes at bay (not that there were many when I was there).
http://www.kokradan.com/
The southern part of the main beach is taken up by the Anantara Beach Club (formerly Amari) - a fancy structure for day-trippers from the luxury Anantara Hotel at Si Kao on the mainland.
The southeast corner of the island is part of the Hat Chao Mai National Park, and it grieves me deeply what I have to report about it: the only architectural crime on the island was committed by some corrupt N.P. officials or affiliates!
A number of ugly concrete cabins were constructed illegally and abandoned when the offense was detected. Now the ruins blemish one of the most beautiful spots on the island.
The island is popular for diving + snorkeling trips, but the boats never arrive before ten am, and are usually gone by 4 pm; I was there over Christmas, which is supposed to be high season, but if there were three tour boats at the same time the locals would mutter "busy today"...
You can walk the whole length of the island - it's only about 4 km - if you watch the tides (several of the sandy beaches will be covered completely at high tide). Wading is no problem, however, because the water is body temperature.
Supplies
for the island
have arrived
Longtail boats
The entire island is densely forested, with a steep ridge running along the middle (see map):
http://www.sevenseasresorts.com/map.asp
The western shore is largely inaccessible on foot (too steep and overgrown); there are three small sandy coves that lost a large amount of their sand to a recent storm so that there is practically no beach left at high tide (but a fisherman told me that it would not take very long for the sand to be deposited again by the waves). Unfortunately the waves also deposit heaps of garbage, and as there are no resorts that keep cleaning up, all three coves could be called "Garbage Beach".
The southern one is called Sunset Beach, however, and can be reached on a steep trail from Wally's Paradise Lost; at the top of the ridge a short trail branches off to the left, to a driftwood bench erected at a spot called "Sunset View".
The middle one is also "Sunset Beach" and can be reached from Kradan Island Resort; the Italians at Kalumé called it "Flip Flop Beach" - very apt indeed, because you wade through thousands of washed-up flip-flops before you get to the beach (while plastic waste is getting recycled now, they have not found a solution for rubber flip-flops yet).
The northern one is quite far away and difficult to find; my directions were "after the very big tree on the beach look for the ropes leading up on the left", and although you can't miss the big tree you really have to look for the ropes concealed in the undergrowth. The beach is different from the other two, because behind the sandy part there is a wide flat area with wild banana trees - the reason for some people calling it "Banana Beach".
Before I arrived on Kradan I experienced an entertaining transfer from Phuket (see the chapter "Thailand/Krabi").
Why did I pick Kradan?
Before I left Austria I had googled "snorkeling straight off the beach", and Kradan was among the places recommended by fellow snorkelers. I liked it so much that I did not go anywhere else once I was there, contrary to my original plans.
Beach just round the corner from Hat Yao
Hat Yao Pier is the small port where Tigerline's fast ferries depart for the Andaman Islands; there are several other piers in the area where longtail boats offer their taxi boat services from the mainland to various islands. The Tigerline ferries are faster than the longtails and make island hopping possible; they service Lanta, Ngai, Kradan, Mook, Laoliang, Lipe, and Langkawi just across the border in Malaysia.Tigerline's website
http://www.tigerlinetravel.com/index.php?cat=lineboat&new_language=1
makes it look as if there was a ferry service all the way from Phuket to Langkawi, but unfortunately that is not the case (although they may be thinking about establishing it). True, they do sell you tickets from Phuket to any of the islands mentioned in the timetable, but the fact that 6-8 hours of the journey will be by minivan and only 1- 2 hours by boat is hidden away somewhere in the depths of the website. During my farcical trip Phuket - Krabi - Hat Yao I met several passengers who had booked online and were highly disappointed that they weren't going on a leisurely cruise, but a cramped minivan trip.
When I go to the Andamans again (and I'm pretty sure I will) I'll fly to Trang or Krabi and avoid the tiresome transfer from Phuket. But maybe they will have managed to establish a ferry connection between Phuket and the islands in a few years...
Approaching Ko Kradan
There are no roads and no motor vehicles on the island, except for Wally's sidecar-motorbike; no ATM, and only a tiny shop offering a very limited range of goods.As of Dec. 09 there were 6 resorts; all of them are roughly the same standard (simple bungalows, no swimming pool), apart from the upmarket Seven Seas.
One new resort is under construction right at the Tigerline disembarkation point.
On the main beach (the east side of the island):
Kradan Beach (formerly Paradise Beach): closest to where you disembark from the Tigerline ferry, in the middle of the main beach; their reception also functions as reservation booth for Tigerline tickets, and they change money in their restaurant.
http://kradanbeachresort.com/index_en.html
Adjacent is the new and expensive Seven Seas Resort, the only one with a swimming pool.
www.sevenseasresorts.com/about_resort.asp
Further north is Kalumé, opened recently by an Italian (overpriced in my opinion, both bungalows and restaurant).
www.kalumekradan.com/2008/11/island
The northernmost resort is Kradan Island, which was the best value for money in Dec.09 (the exactly same kind of bungalow was 500 Baht at Kradan Island and 900 B. at Kalumé; the Kradan Beach bungalows are a bit better, but more expensive). I thought the food at their restaurant was delicious, and really cheap. The resort belongs to a local Thai family.
www.kradanisland.com
my bungalow at Kradan Island Resort
view from the bungalow porch
the beach in front of Kradan Island Resort
Ao Niang Resort, run by a Thai gentleman from Trang, is situated in a beautiful cove by itself; at high tide it's accessible by boat only (unless you want to wade through waist-high water). Accommodation and restaurant prices are about the same as at Kradan Island Resort.
In a clearing in the forest southwest of Kradan Beach Resort:
Wally's Paradise Lost (Wally, a sailor from Hawaii, is famous among Andaman Islands connoisseurs - his resort used to be the only one on Kradan until not long ago). Prices and quality of the bungalows are similar to Kradan Beach; the restaurant boasts large portions (at relatively high prices).
The location in the forest is very pretty as such, but I would not want to stay there because there is no sea view, and no pleasant breeze in the evening to keep the mosquitoes at bay (not that there were many when I was there).
http://www.kokradan.com/
The southern part of the main beach is taken up by the Anantara Beach Club (formerly Amari) - a fancy structure for day-trippers from the luxury Anantara Hotel at Si Kao on the mainland.
The southeast corner of the island is part of the Hat Chao Mai National Park, and it grieves me deeply what I have to report about it: the only architectural crime on the island was committed by some corrupt N.P. officials or affiliates!
A number of ugly concrete cabins were constructed illegally and abandoned when the offense was detected. Now the ruins blemish one of the most beautiful spots on the island.
National Park beach
Fortunately the reef is undamaged, and that part is still the best for snorkeling.The island is popular for diving + snorkeling trips, but the boats never arrive before ten am, and are usually gone by 4 pm; I was there over Christmas, which is supposed to be high season, but if there were three tour boats at the same time the locals would mutter "busy today"...
You can walk the whole length of the island - it's only about 4 km - if you watch the tides (several of the sandy beaches will be covered completely at high tide). Wading is no problem, however, because the water is body temperature.
North eastern shore at high tide
On my way to the northernmost tip of the island I met a few fishermen - the only other people living on the island beside the resort employees.
Flora and Fauna:
Flower and seed pod of a tree that is common on the island
Buttressed trees on the way to the "Hidden Cove" (my name for it) at the southern end of the island.
There is a short overland trail, or you can swim/wade from Ao Niang Cove.
This lovely guy shared my bungalow (and my fruit) with me
(he's a long-haired rabbit)
Crabs stranded in a tidepool at low tide
The Kradan Island Resort Christmas tree (!)
I don't have an underwater camera (yet), so no snorkeling pictures of my own, sorry! I wish I had had one for my snorkeling highlights: a luminescent squid with two young, and several moray eels with spots like leopards. There are plenty of colorful fish and also a variety of both soft and hard coral, but I was not lucky enough to see large fish or sea turtles.
At low tide the shallow area along the main beach becomes (almost) dry; you can walk the approximately 70-100 m out to the reef edge, where the snorkeling is good.
In the National Park the reef is very close to the shore, and the best coral can be seen right there.
Supplies
for the island
have arrived
Longtail boats The entire island is densely forested, with a steep ridge running along the middle (see map):
http://www.sevenseasresorts.com/map.asp
The western shore is largely inaccessible on foot (too steep and overgrown); there are three small sandy coves that lost a large amount of their sand to a recent storm so that there is practically no beach left at high tide (but a fisherman told me that it would not take very long for the sand to be deposited again by the waves). Unfortunately the waves also deposit heaps of garbage, and as there are no resorts that keep cleaning up, all three coves could be called "Garbage Beach".
The southern one is called Sunset Beach, however, and can be reached on a steep trail from Wally's Paradise Lost; at the top of the ridge a short trail branches off to the left, to a driftwood bench erected at a spot called "Sunset View".
The middle one is also "Sunset Beach" and can be reached from Kradan Island Resort; the Italians at Kalumé called it "Flip Flop Beach" - very apt indeed, because you wade through thousands of washed-up flip-flops before you get to the beach (while plastic waste is getting recycled now, they have not found a solution for rubber flip-flops yet).
The northern one is quite far away and difficult to find; my directions were "after the very big tree on the beach look for the ropes leading up on the left", and although you can't miss the big tree you really have to look for the ropes concealed in the undergrowth. The beach is different from the other two, because behind the sandy part there is a wide flat area with wild banana trees - the reason for some people calling it "Banana Beach".
Trail (with ropes) down to Banana Beach
(doesn't look at all precipitous in the photo, but it is!)
(doesn't look at all precipitous in the photo, but it is!)
Sunrise seen from Kradan Island Resort
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