Freedom fighting* in Singapore

Most posts would point out how expensive Singapore is.  While I prepared for my short stay in Singapore, I wanted to test my budget/backpacking traveling skills in this aspect.  How far can you truly stretch your pocket for a two night and one day trip?

1.  Couch-surf.  Though I was traveling with two other friends, we managed to ask a friend to welcome us to his house for free.  This included free breakfasts and a welcome dinner at a fastfood chain. Cost: token from the Philippines with much of  news and listening...

Our first lunch was in this heritage place 

2.  Borrowed transport card.  It was very convenient to be handed out a transport card by our host. The card brought us to the sights that we wanted to see.  We used it for the bus and the train. We just topped it up.  I thought of buying a Tourist Pass but since we didn't make up our mind of where to go, we just settled for the transport card. Cost: 10 SgD

You can't surely miss the skyline...

The background may all look modern but they took a pose at 

 Finally meeting the Merlion!

Lost in the arts...

Goofing around at the Flower Garden

Reunion with friends to cap the day...

Singapore by night...

These tourists need some downtime too!

3.  Sightseeing.  Since we only had a day to go around the city, it was very difficult to point out places that we want to go.  We settled for getting a feel of the city in the most inexpensive way.  We stopped at Orchard station and walked through the buildings and the sights.    We went around the marina for 4 hours!  We went to some of the museums and gardens.  At the Bay Garden, we were lucky enough to get free tickets from a friend.  That was very impressive and would surely give you an idea on how much the country invested on tourism.  Cost: Free + some tokens from the Philippines

4.  Meals.  We were hosted by different sets of friends from different 'lifetimes' and circumstances in Singapore.  They re-introduced me to different Singaporean vegetarian dishes and fare.   Spicing it up with cryptic updates and stories, the meals shared were superb.  And oh, please don't skip the local ice cream sold just by the streets.  This ensures that you help the local economy. Cost: 15 SgD (Tip: Take a water bottle with you from home if you truly want to keep it low)

5.   Freedom fighting.  Simple, you simply enjoy what is shared for free!

6.  Airfare. We took the Cebu-Singapore flight of Cebu Pacific.  It costed us 1,800 (exclusive of taxes).  It was a stopover trip on my way to Indonesia.

Travel Light

Traveling light is traveling in style.  You breeze through check ins and head straight to your destination upon arrival. You are one happy person squeezing through the public transport system, saving a lot of money.

Some tips:

1.  Plan very well, analyze the nature of your trip.
2.  It pays to wash clothes.  What is a 10 minute washing compared to an eternal lugging in of oversized luggage?
3.  Traveling for a week, a month or even months sounds the same to me:

         A.  2 pairs of pants (the first pair is worn on day 1)

         B.  2 lightweight clothes 

         c.  4 tops (shirts or blouses)

         d.  2 leggings

         e.  underwears 

         f.  microfiber towel

         g.  sarong

         h.  toiletries. & laundry soap

         g. camera

         h.  traveling adopter.

4.  wear the bulkiest clothes and footwear at the airport or in long journeys.

5.  Maintain a good disposition.  Be happy!

Respecting the Place

The 'mainstream' traveler visits places to fulfill their bucket lists.  Others get lucky to find a good airfare deal at the right time when their credit cards are not yet maxed out.  However, there are those lovers of adventures who just can't get enough of cultures and peoples.  They hop from one place to another simply to look for the right mix and the right blend of thrills.  To which category you belong to is not my topic here.

I would like to talk about respect of the place.  Of course, there are those social norms that you can't do without especially if the laws of the place demand it.  When the show of flesh is frowned upon, I hide behind my shawls and my loose clothes to play it safe.

Another point that tugged my mind is on the issue to splurge and how much?  When the exchange rate is too low, one gets the 'false' notion of being a millionaire. When poverty reeks to the point of shock, how much tip do we give to service providers?  What about gifts?

What about the norms to observe in visiting houses and villages?  Normally, I go visit these places only when am ready and is genuinely interested in meeting others.  I need to be fully present, breathe into the newness of the place and culture and to be sensitive to what they want to show.  Being invited to someone's home is an honor.

What about photographs?  I don't click much in my travels.  I am prepared to store memories in the heart.  While we may have our own dream photographs in mind to take, I normally ask permission to take photos.

The best way to ensure 'unobtrusive' travel is to be with a local.  They give you signs when rules can be broken and what norms to truly follow.

Temple of Literature

It was a walking morning for us.  My colleague was longing for a bottle of water (almost up to obsession), I guess she failed to notice some of the sights.  I was very excited to go to the temple of literature to pay tribute to my first love -- academia.

Indeed, the Temple of Literature stood out as a place of learning and growth.  I was very impressed by the landmarks installed to pay tribute to the doctors of education a few centuries, way before our generations.

One of the gates: Open Sesame!

Those carved wood is just anywhere

one can find your corner anywhere

Paying tribute to Confucius

In honor of the PhDs in that time...

Awesome One Pillar Pagoda

After walking around Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, we headed off to get our cameras. One can simply breathe into the photogenic sights all over the compound.

I was also very excited to pay tribute to an architectural landmark called One Pillar Pagoda. At first, I thought it was just another overhyped touristic area where goods are alternatively sold. I wasn't prepared that locals flock to the place to actually pray there!

Despite the throngs of tourists, the place is well-maintained and the place kept to its solemn atmosphere. Also, the guidebooks were correct in saying that it truly is an architectural landmark.

And by the way, I only spent around 15,000 dong for entry and some drinks.  

Backpacking Maldives

It is true.  In just one glance, the seas of Maldives blends into several colors of blue and green.

It is also a fact that it is a pricey place.

Another fact to add is that you can see nothing much of Maldives in Male.  But the the different sea colors can drown you into ecstasy.  But nah, it is prohibited to show off your priced swimming gears.

Here are some tips to survive Male.
1.  Couchsurfing.  Although it is not so common out there, you can actually try your best.  This can save much.
2.  Visit during low season.  This gives you more mobility.
3.  When traveling South Asia, include it in the itinerary.  As it is a honeymoon place, it is prohibitively expensive to go straight to Maldives from wherever you are.  However, going to Male from Colombo or any city in India is very reasonable.
4.  Survive immigration.  Dress respectably (not too shabbily) at the airport.  You can breeze through it with a smile or undergo much questions regarding your capacity to holiday in that lovely isle.
5.  Respect the place.  Please observe the dress code.  Showing of 'flesh' may be tolerated to some extent but not much when you're a lone traveler.
6.  Leave porky and spirits behind.  In order not to catch much attention and controversies, don't take pork products and alcohol with you. 
7.  Replenish supplies before boarding the plane.  Maldives is expensive.  Especially if you traveled in South Asia for sometime, you get a shock to the high price of goods.  Also, the products are limited.  If you are fussy with a particular type of shampoo or bar of soap, secure one before boarding the plane.
8.  Take canned goods or food with you.  If you get lucky, you can barter it with a good hangout or acquaintance.  You get lucky to be cool.

Happy trip everyone!

HO CHI MINH MAUSOLEUM: prohibitively exciting

Friends said that it is in the must-go list.  The guidebook put it on the top list.  I almost veered away from the normal route.  I’ve been to the Ho Chi Minh Museum in Saigon and I thought since I’ve been to one, there is no need to go elsewhere.  However, I was indeed happy that I didn’t skip this route.

I can’t give a detailed photograph of the museum as my camera was taken in custody. This gave me more focus to breathe into the experience and remember everything.  

I can’t forget the long line.  The queue was impossibly long at 8:00 AM.  The locals and the foreigners were there, fully observing the dress code!  Although the line was long, people were much disciplined.  The presence of the museum guards (must be military) also subdued the atmosphere.  They were very much in command that there glance or frown made one stand on the line on a hushed tone.  (Yeah, I did the same! J)

Stepping into the mausoleum was just very quick.  However, the atmosphere was very solemn.  He was indeed revered as the father of the nation.  I’ve seen a local shed a tear and lowered her head with a bow at the mere sight of the body of Uncle Ho.  I was also kept silent looking into how he managed to inspire Vietnam to fight against the colonizers and made one great country humble.

I wonder if my country would also ever produce one leader that would ever rally us to a change beyond our own personal interests.

A friend 'smuggled' her i-phone into the mausoleum.  This is the only photo she prohibitively took.  It was the Presidential Palace that we took and not the mausoleum though...

Hanoi Drinks

Tops in my list are the fresh fruit juices.  I can't get enough of them

All of the fruits displayed here are convertible to juices :-)

Another shift to cold coffee and dilmah tea

it still looks like cocktail

A generous mojito

how adventurous can you be?  pick your choice...

I can't get enough of the drinks in Hanoi.  The beer is available anywhere.  But since I resolved to cut down on my spirits, I zero my choice to the fruit juices.  In just any corner, you can have them as fresh as it can be.

In one of the evenings in Hanoi, we went to City View Cafe.  The mojito in the picture is prepared by the bartenders there.  They are too generous on the alcohol.  You get your money's worth...

The Blue Mansion

One of the must-visit sites in Penang, Malaysia is the Blue Mansion.  Located just at the center of Georgetown is this amazingly blue-painted mansion of superior heritage and stories to tell.  One needs to come in one of the four guided tour schedules in a day to know more about the place.  The guides display love of the place and guards the area (no photos inside) like it were theirs.  Here are some photos of the place.

A vigilant personnel (he sees to it that no one clicks photos inside the mansion)

The guardhouse

First section of the house

the bikes

Ching, trying out a pose

my colleagues in their final pose

the 'upstairs'

the door

the guide explained about feng shui.  i was half listening

the gate

enjoying the bluish background

Those colorful foods with beautiful people

I was surprised that most of my friends had a long list of food to eat when in Penang.  Mine was on a different agenda.  It was simply to maintain a vegetarian diet while I was there.  That literally meant  15 meals…

How did I survive?  The photos would show.  

brekky vegetarian meal

rothi canai at old town

non vegetarian meal

laksa -non vege

eat-all- you can veggie lunch

Indian lunch

 Where are the wonderful people?

after a long walk, it was a feast of spirits and junk foods

breakfast meal

drinks for the wi-fi

Disclaimer:  I took photos of non-veg meals for the sake of art.  I didn't order it.  Those were included in the long list of craved-for foods by these wonderful people...