Breakfast was included at my hotel. It was a buffet style meal with--and I'm guesstimating here--probably over 100 different dishes. Included in the breakfast were items from a myriad of cuisines: hash browns, french toast, panckakes and omelets: sushi and ramen soup; dim sum; tropical fruits; croissants; naan and curry; and many other items. Not surprising, given that Singapore is an amalgamation of many different cultures. Each morning when I sat down, a waiter would come to me and ask … [Read more...]
September 13, 2013 4 Comments
September 13, 2013 5 Comments
9/12-9/13 – Day 7 to 8 – Exploring Ubud, biking in rural Bali, … and ending up at the hospital
"Money has never made man happy, nor will it, there is nothing in its nature to produce happiness. The more of it one has the more one wants." -- Benjamin Franklin // My German friend and I woke up and hired a driver to take us around Bali island for the day. We arranged the driver through our hotel, and it turned out he was the brother-in-law of the hotel owner. Such was our introduction into the importance of family and community to Balinese people, which I'll discuss in a different … [Read more...]
September 13, 2013 2 Comments
Singapore – Chili Crab and Singlish
One evening in Singapore I met up with a friend from undergrad and his fiancee to get Chili Crab. In case you didn't know, Chili Crab is one of the most popular dishes to get in Singapore. Amidst a pool of spicy chili sauce, a succulent whole crab is cooked to perfection. Thanks to a custom in Singapore in which napkins are often not provided for meals (though moist towellets are), this is probably one of the messiers meals you can have. Think BBQ ribs, and multiply the messiness by a few … [Read more...]
September 11, 2013 6 Comments
9/10-9/11 – Day 5 & 6 – 2 (long!) days traveling by bus to Bali via majestic Mt Bromo, and lost amongst rabid dogs in Ubud
After a shower in the morning alternating between freezing cold and scolding hot, I left Yogyakarta for Bali, via a 2-day bus tour east through Java with an overnight stop at Mount Bromo. What could have been a peaceful journey through Java was instead me gripping the seats and trying not to watch as my driver weaved in and out of traffic using maneuvers I have only seen before performed by stunt drivers in action films. Come to think of it, if I committed a crime and was trying to outrun law … [Read more...]
September 9, 2013 2 Comments
9/9 – Day 4 – Amazing temples and a painful massage – Yogyakarta, Indonesia
On Monday I woke up to my alarm going off at 3:30am -- I was getting up early for a sunrise tour of two temples in the area, Borobudur and Prambanan. As Borobudur is one of the few regions in Indonesia with maleria, I was wearing long pants and a long sleeve shirt despite a very hot weather forecast. A German couple I met who was staying at my hostel were also on the tour, and we sat around complaining about it being early until our driver came. Upon getting picked up we drove out to a view … [Read more...]
September 8, 2013 3 Comments
9/8 – Day 3 – A visit to the Sultan’s Palace and bird market – Yogyakarta, Indonesia
On Sunday 9/7, after having a delicious breakfast included at my hostel of banana pancakes, I headed back to the Sultan's Palace, which had been closed yesterday. This time I was able to get in and was treated to a performance by the Sultan's orchestra, who were playing some traditional Indonesian music. It is enchanting in its own way, and very repetative. After enjoying the music for some time, I headed into the courtyard to explore the Sultan's collection of artifacts. On the way I was … [Read more...]
September 7, 2013 3 Comments
9/7 – Day 2 – Balik art school, water castle, Ramayana ballet – Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Yogyakarta is still under rule by a sultan. So, the next morning I decided to pay a visit to his palace, which is located near the city center and open to tours. Despite it being very hot out, I decided to walk. Along the way I met a German couple who were also there to see the palace. Unfortunately, we were informed that the temple was closed that morning to visitors, but the extremely helpful employee proceeded to spend 10 minutes providing advice on other areas to explore and see during … [Read more...]
September 7, 2013 4 Comments
Inspiration from Singaporean cab drivers
My favorite thing about Taxis in Singapore has to be how friendly the drivers are. A close second is the fact that the lights on top of the cab will tell you if if a cab is empty or occupied, unlike in Chicago where the lights don't really mean anything. Taxis are an important means of transportation for those living on Singapore island. Owning a car is discouraged, due to the high population density, through the mandatory purchase of a Certificate of Entitlement (COE) which costs about $100K … [Read more...]
September 7, 2013 Leave a Comment
Museums, Kite Festival, and Night Safari — another day touring around Singapore
I woke up Sunday, refreshed and ready for another packed day of touring to see the sites. If you happened to read my previous post, you'll recall that I forgot my sunscreen at home (amateur move, but hey, it was my time out during the day--rather than night--when you really feel the heat of the tropics). I wasn't going to let that stop me from taking advantage of my day off from project work, though, so I decided to hit up a few museums. First, I took the MRT from my hotel over to the … [Read more...]
September 6, 2013 10 Comments
Day 1 – Singapore to Yogyakarta, Indonesia
I departed Singapore last Friday (Sep 6). At my employer, I turned in my laptop and company credit card. At my hotel, I piled up my work clothes in my room with a note -- "I no longer need these clothes; please feel free to keep, donate, or throw out." I took breakfast for the last time in my hotel, grabbing a newspaper to get the latest update on the Syria situation and reading about the flooding that had occured yesterday in northern Singapore (away from but not far from where I was staying … [Read more...]
