Neighborhood: Haw Par Villa Also Called: Queenstown, West Side Pros: It’s peaceful and quiet. It’s quite safe, though that’s true of much of Singapore. You can see how people actually live, rather than just the touristy spots. It’s close to the Harbourfront (where Sentosa is) and a wholesale market for produce, along with several hawker centres. Cons:…
Here is what surprised us most about Singapore: Food: There are Hawker Centres, which are like a cross between a giant market and a food court. They have many food options there, along with produce, toiletries, decorations, and even things like farm equipment. We bought everything from a pair of shoes to a toothbrush at…
For a while now, I’ve been wanting to try ‘Dining in the Dark,’ the idea of eating out in complete darkness. There are restaurants that offer it in SF, LA, San Diego, New York, Dallas, Boston, London, Paris, Barcelona, St. Petersburg, Seoul, Kuala Lampur, and in Singapore. We happened upon the one here and decided to give it a try. The…
We were in Sihanoukville, a beach resort town, for a week. Tubing: The end of Otres 1 Beach closer to town (as opposed to the end closer to Otres 2) has a bunch of kiosks for water sports. (One of them even has these boots that make you hover in the air using hydraulic pressure;…
We really enjoyed London, though the standard tourist to-do list had very little to do with that. Here are the things that made the biggest impressions on us: B’s List The subway system, and how frequently trains (and buses) came. It changes how you live your life in a city. Going to a party at a…
Neighborhood: Boeung Keng Kang 1 (BKK1) Also called: N/A Pros: Not as many guesthouses, which means that you can see how people actually live and the level of pestering (for things other than tuk tuks) is lower. The food is more authentic, especially from the local market (which you won’t find in any guidebook or site). It’s not close to the Russian…
We have now been traveling for eight months straight, so we’ve tried quite a few airlines, train and bus companies, hotels, apartment rental sites, and everything in between. Here are our honest, un-sponsored loves and hates: Loves Airlines: Turkish Airlines, Vietnam Airlines, China Southern – All three served us meals and allowed us to check baggage, two of…
This is our first trip to Asia, so much is new to us. But a lot isn’t, because – despite what you might suppose or see on TV – people are very similar, all over. Here is a look at some of the similarities and differences. Comparisons of child-raising, sanitation, cooperation and public welfare, off-the-books activities, and driving…
Neighborhood: Otres 1 Beach Also called: N/A Pros: Many nearby restaurant options, so you can go to a different one for every breakfast, lunch, and dinner – if you wanted to. (Otres 2 options are more limited.) Close to Otres Village, which is fun to explore, especially for the Night Market. (This is also true of Otres 2.)…
These are ranked in the order I liked them in, based on food and ambiance. B’s ratings would be different, I’m sure. Moorea Beach [Otres 1]: We got comped drinks here after our island tour, because the outing was supposed to include breakfast, but didn’t. After that, B ordered the mixed salad, which was made of…