Things you probably don’t know about Seoul until you go there (or read this post)

1. Seoul is BIG and hilly / mountaineous

With a population of over 12 million, it is considered as one of the biggest city in Asia currently. Take a look at the extensive subway system….. pretty impressive and mindboggling, eh?

It takes about 1 hour (without traffic) to go from airport to the city centre. My colleague told me everyday she takes the bus to go to the office, and it takes about 1 ½ to 2 hours one way. For people like me, who have been living in Singapore for too long (we really ARE a spoilt bunch, huh?), I would probably move house or move job if I were her…..  

2. Not wheelchair friendly

For a developed city, I find that the city is not very wheelchair friendly. Lots of underground passages with stairs to go up and down, but no ramp, escalator or elevator nearby. Sometimes even to cross the street you need to go underground first and emerge on the other side.

3. Kimchi and Soju

These two things can be found in almost every meal. Kimchi and soju to Koreans is like sauerkraut and beer to Germans, french fries and Coca Cola to Americans, and rice and water to Asians.

And if you think all kimchis and sojus are the same, well, you are totally wrong. Every household have their own special recipe for kimchi, and if you go to the supermarket, you’ll be spoilt for choices.

For soju… the typical soju contains 19.5% alcohol, but there’s soju for women, which is only 18.5%. Soju also comes in many different packaging…… typically we only see the green glass bottles, but there are also other varieties in plastic bottles, and even cartons (please do not confuse them with 'teh kotak' or 'ultra milk' hahaha)

4. The weather is unpredictable (and humid) in summer

It is hot one minute, raining the next hour, and typhoon coming out of nowhere. And surprisingly it is quite humid so be prepared to sweat a lot if you come during summer.

5. Seoul after dark

Seoul is a very lively city at night…… there are tons (thousands, literally) of bars, restaurants, shops everywhere around the city. And it is crowded even on weekdays.  Very very different from Melbourne :P

6. And don’t forget, if you ever lost your way in Seoul, you can always BUY THE WAY :P

And here’s a sneak peek of Seoul through my eyes….

SINGAPURA

Terinspirasi oleh blog posting ini (click here), dan juga karena jumat sore2 hujan2 begini gue lagi kagak ada kerjaan di kantor, mendingan gue ngeblog aja deh hahaha.

Berikut ini adalah observasi gue setelah lebih dari 10 tahun tinggal di little red dot on the map, a.k.a Singapore. Moga2 berguna untuk teman2 yang belum pernah ke sini dan ada rencana untuk datang.

1. Tisu untuk ‘chop’ tempat

Turis2 yang ke sini biasanya paling kaget sama hal yang satu ini. Jadi kalo di Singapore tuh udah kebiasaan semua orang bawa tisu paket sendiri. Tujuannya tuh buat nge-chop (nge-tag / nandain) tempat, biasanya sih di foodcourt.

Jadi kalau ke foodcourt liat di meja ada tisu, jangan sembarangan diambil ya. Itu tandanya udah ada orang yang mau duduk di situ, tapi dia lagi beli makanannya.

Ini pula penyebabnya kenapa tukang jualan makanan di sini jarang yang kasih tisu gratis. Lha wong semua orang udah bawa sendiri hehehe.

Sebenernya sih gak usah pakai tisu, kadang2 suka ada orang yang nandain pake barang aneh2, kayak payung, koran, document2, dan lain sebagainya. Pokoknya kalo ada barang di meja selain piring bekas, itu tandanya ada orang yang udah mau duduk di situ.

2. It’s OK to wears shorts and slippers everywhere

The main reason for this ya karena di sini tuh panassss dan humid banget. Jadi naturally orang2 pada males dandan rapi2…… the national costume for guys on weekends is t-shirt / polo shirt + shorts / bermudas, dan sendal jepit. Ya tapi at least di sini sendal jepitnya bukan merk swallow, tapi havaianas, atau crocs :P

Mau ke pantai keq, mau ke mall keq, bahkan ke gereja pun kostumnya sama. Kadang2 ya bosen juga, tapi it’s just too damn hot to wear anything else. Lagian kalo lu rapi sendiri, ntar jadi saltum dong :P

3. Jangan lupa bawa payung

Kalau di negara bule ada 4 musim, di Singapore juga gak kalah loh…… 4 musim di sini itu adalah hot, very hot, raining, and raining like there’s no tomorrow. Hehehe….

Maklum lah namanya juga negara tropis…. Kalo lagi hujan di sini tuh bisa heboh banget, lengkap dengan thunder and lightning (di Indo juga sih). Makanya penting untuk kita2 kalo pergi2 bawa payung. Biasanya sih bawa payung lipet aja, jadi bisa dimasukin tas. Gak perlu sampe bawa2 payung golf gitu loh.

Walaupun orang banyak bilang “di Singapore kan semuanya ada underground pass”….. well, that’s not really true. Contohnya tuh mall Paragon yang ada di Orchard Road. Walaupun itu termasuk mall prestigius, dan letaknya percis sebrangnya Ngee Ann City / Takashimaya, tapi tetep tuh kagak ada sambungan bawah tanah ke mana2. Ya kecuali kalo lu nyetir, ceritanya udah beda hehe.

4. Di dalam rumah nyeker

Satu lagi kebiasaan orang Singapore yang beda sama Indo. Kalau di Indo biasa di rumah semua orang pakai sendal...... nah kalau di sini kebanyakan tuh gak pake apa2 alias nyeker. Mungkin alesannya karena kalau pake sendal lantainya lebih cepet kotor, dan kebanyakan orang sini gak ada waktu untuk bersihin rumahnya setiap hari.

Jadi kalau bertamu ke rumah orang di sini, jangan lupa copot sepatu begitu sampai di dalam rumah. Jangan dicopot di luar ya, ntar ilang :P

5. SALE

Jangan terjebak dengan kata2 SALE di sini. Yang namanya sale tuh banyak banget deh di Singapore….. mulai dari chinese new year sale (around jan / feb), trus ada mid year sale (may), trus Great Singapore Sale (juni / juli), national day sale (august), end of season sale (oktober), dan christmas / year end sale (november / desember). So, it’s practically SALE all year long! Jadi kalau misalnya pengen barang tapi gak butuh2 banget, tungguin aja sampe SALE baru beli hehe.

Lagian ada beberapa toko yang dari dulu sampe skrg tulisannya closing down saleeee mlulu, tapi kagak tutup2. Mungkin yang punya toko mikir kan turis paling cuma 1 atau 2 hari di sini, mana tau kalo tokonya gak jadi close down hehehe.

Nah sekian dulu ya tips2 untuk edisi kali ini.

So, next time you’re coming this way….. contact2 ya.... :)

EYE-ARRRRR

Unless you have been living under a rock for the past year, you probably would have heard about the 2 IR (Integrated Resort) that is slated to open in Singapore this year. It has been creating buzz and excitement throughout the island, especially after a gloomy 2009, with the recession and all...

Last weekend me and my boliao friends went to check out the first one that opens its doors to public recently, the Resort World Sentosa. It was mentioned in the news that they have opened 4 out of 6 hotels and also some shops there, including “the only Victoria’s Secret shop outside of the US”. Here are some pictures we took from there.

As you can see, there are still much constructions going on in the area, and there’s really nothing much there now. It’s just another media gimmick to attract people and get some money rolling in first….. so kiasu! Even the VS store is pathetically small, and doesn’t carry the whole range….

Stay tuned for the official opening, where they will have Universal Studios inside the complex….

As for the other IR (Marina Bay Sands), no official date has been confirmed, but here’s a link to see a sneak peek of how it will look like on the inside. Can't wait to see the 'LV Island and Cafe' :)
Click here to see the preview.

Oh, and just in case…. Assuming you didn’t know about the IRs, maybe you don’t know what Avatar is all about too, so here’s a quick recap for you….

Survival Instinct

It's amazing what people can do when they are pushed to the limit and survival instinct kicks in.

Last week I had a long weekend getaway to Medan (3rd biggest city in Indonesia). I've never been there, and I have a friend who offered me a place to stay... so, why not? I just board the plane with absolutely zero knowledge about the place, and I had no plans on what to do there whatsoever. So I didn't really pack a lot of things, just necessities like condoms, undies, sandals, t-shirts, and shorts.

I'll blog about my overall impression of Medan when I'm not lazy, but for this post I will be focusing on a particular experience....

On the 2nd day I was there, my friends took me to a small nearby city called Brastagi, which is about 2 hours drive from Medan. It is a popular weekend getaway place for Medan people because it is located higher up in the mountains, and the weather is cooling and nice.





You can also drive another hour to Simalem, and from there you can get a glimpse of Lake Toba, which is the biggest lake in South East Asia.

Between Medan and Brastagi, there is a small village called Sibolangit. There is a boyscout camp there, and recently the local people discovered a waterfall in the jungle called the "two-colored waterfall". I have been warned that the journey will take 3 hours in and 3 hours out trekking through the jungle. I'm not sure what I was thinking back then (hmmm.... must be something in the water in Brastagi :P), but I said OK when my friends asked me if we should go there.

We reached the start point at about 9.30 in the morning, and it was blazing hot, so we decided to take our jacket with us to avoid sunburn (I didn't pack my sunblock as I was not expecting trekking to be part of the itinerary). BIG mistake..... because once you go into the forest the trees will provide shadows and the jacket just becomes a burden that we have to carry.

The first half an hour was OK... there were proper tracks, we pass through some small streams.... very enjoyable..... until the tracks kind of disappear and it becomes really muddy. At this point of time sandals are completely useless and there was no choice other than to go barefoot. Let me make it clear that I am a big city boy and not exactly an outdoor / nature loving kind of guy. When my friend told me to go barefoot, I was thinking to myself "WHAT??? ARE YOU NUTS??". But then I see a lot of other people (girls and old people) who are also taking off their sandals and keep going on. So ego kicks in and I thought.... oh what the heck.... let's do this!



Well, turns out that it was not that bad.... Yes, I walked much slower than everybody else, and I did curse and swear to myself during the whole journey, but I made it. All the way in and all the way out. Totally barefoot. I was very proud of myself after I get out from there. But if you ask me if I'll ever do it again...? The answer is "Weeeellll...... not really, no, thank you" :P

So here are some thoughts and things I learned based on the whole experience :
1. Havaianas sandals are NOT made for walking in the forest.
2. When barefooted, rocks and tree branches are slippery, and the best track is pure soil.
3. Proper planning is necessary, so you can pack the right stuff in your luggage (fortunately I forgot to bring my new LV sunglasses..... can you imagine me wearing that in the forest? :P)
4. Never underestimate fat or old people. I was so amazed by the people whom we met along the way..... gives me strength and stamina..... If they can do it, so can I!



Thanks to all my friends in Medan who have been very accomodating and making the trip a memorable one! :)

The Italian Man Who Went To Malta

An old post..... but for the benefit of those who have never seen this, here you go... :)

Indonesia (Jakarta / Bandung) Culinary Excursion

Last week I went back to Indonesia for Chinese New Year. It is traditionally very important for families to gather together during Chinese New Year…. sort of the Thanksgiving for chinese. Plus it was due time to take a break from hell work.

Another traditional thing to do for Indonesians staying overseas who are going back home is to savor all the yummy food that cannot be found outside of Indonesia. Since Indonesia is a very big and diverse country, the term “Indonesian food” cannot be really explained. Each city/area has their own specialty. Ask any Indonesian and I bet you he/she will boast about some kind of specialty food from their hometown that will make you wet (I know what you’re thinking….. I meant your mouth, you pervert!)
For this trip, I was lucky to have my flatmate (who is pure-bred Jakartan) to show me around his favourite eating places in Jakarta. So, without further adue, here’s the lowdown of what I managed to stuff my tummy with when I was there :

Mie Ayam Abadi
One of the specialty food in Jakarta is mie. Mie is noodle, or 面 in chinese. Whatever you wanna call it, it is a staple food for chinese anywhere in the world.

Main dish : noodle. Side dish : pirated DVDs.

Rating : 3/5
The noodles in Bandung (where I grew up) are smooth and thin, while people in Jakarta likes them thick and a little rubbery. Overall it’s still good (and cheap) food, but not my favourite.

Mie GM (Gajah Mada)

Rating : 5/5
If you only have time to eat 1 food in Jakarta, then this has to be it. It has been around for generations. My father was originally from Jakarta, so we go to Jakarta quite often, and we almost always eat this everytime we go there. Now it has become a chain and there are many outlets in shopping malls.

Sop Kambing (mutton soup) M.Sani

Rating : 3/5
Not really a big fan of kambing (mutton) since it’s very heaty and can shoot your cholesterol level up to the roof.

Cold Rock Ice Creamery

[picture]

Rating : 3.5/5
Good ice cream (there’s an outlet in Holland Village, Singapore too), but our tummy were already a bit too full to enjoy the yummyness :P

Kwetiaw A Chiap

That’s babat (cow’s intestine skin), in case you’re wondering…

Rating : 5/5
Although it was already 10.30pm (and ate tons of food during the day) when I ate this, it is by far the best kwetiaw (rice noodle) I have ever tasted!! There are 2 kinds of kwetiaw : fried and non-dry (I don’t think there’s an English term for this composition). The specialty here is the non-dry type. Definitely a die die must try.

There’s only so much food that my tummy can take in one day….. by the end of the day my waistline has grown by another inch…. OH NO!!!

The next day it was my turn to show my friends what my hometown (Bandung) has to offer. But, before we left, it was breakfast time, and my flatmate insisted to stuff my tummy with another must try mie.

Bakmi Aboen

Dodgy alley where the shop is located. Not recommended to wear nice shoes here.

Rating : 4/5.
Good choice for breakfast. The only downturn is the quite remote location.

Arriving at Bandung, the first food that we tried is….

Ikan Bakar (grilled fish) Pak Chi Met

Rating : 4.5/5
I’ve always liked this place. Nice, relaxing ambience with equally nice food. Love the different kinds of sambal there.

For dinner, we had traditional Sundanese food at my house, but unfortunately we were too eager to eat and forgot to take pictures….

The next day for breakfast, it was time for Bandung’s must try mie…

Mie Naripan
This noodle place has been around since I was an innocent young boy :P



Rating : 5/5
Still as good as I remember it…..

Afterwards, we stop by another Bandung’s landmark bakery…. Sumber Hidangan. This bakery shop has been around since the colonial times, when Indonesia was still governed by the Dutch. It is still very very traditionally decorated on the inside, and the taste is still very very nice.




Next stop is Kampung Daun (leaf village, literally), which is a restaurant/café right in the middle of a cliff. When it first open back in 2000, it was the place to be. At that time, you need to make reservations in advance, otherwise you won’t get a place. It’s not that crazy nowadays but is still a popular destination for tourists and locals alike. The main attraction is, of course, the ambience (the food is not that great). Very cozy and relaxing… you’ll feel like you don’t want to go home….





Last stop before my friends head home is a rather new and popular place to sample all the famous local food in one place. At this place, we tried the ever-popular Bakut Ahon (pork ribs soup).




Rating : 3.5/5
Not too bad, but not as good as I remember it…

And that ended the crazy 48 hours - 12 meals culinary tour. And the chinese new year feasts has not even started yet……. I think I need to buy a bigger size jeans.