Travel Photos Series#20-The Marble Temple

One of my favorite photos in Bangkok, Thailand taken few years back. We went to the Marble Temple (known as Wat Benchamabophit) early morning  to avoid the crowd. I was setting up the camera on the tripod to take our family photos when I saw the monk strolling towards the main temple. I managed to snap a few shots of him in motion with the beautiful temple structure in the background.

Many tourists skipped this lesser temple after visiting the more famous temples like Wat Arun, Wat Phra Khew and Wat Pho. I strongly recommend not to do so as you will potentially miss one of the most beautiful temples you have ever laid your eyes upon ;-D.

Photo taken on 3 March 2012.

Related Posts: Bangkok-The Land of Smiles

Touring the Famous Street of Dotonbori, Osaka

Fanciful Dotonbori Street

Our first stop in Osaka was Dotonbori. In fact, we purposefully selected a hotel that was near to this famous street and the plan was to visit it whenever we had the opportunities. Dotonbori is famous for it's countless restaurants and the interesting and life-like mechanized billboards and neonlights that adorned their facade. It is known as a gastronomic street for great reasons. Just name any Japan delicacy, they will surely have it- Ramen, Takoyaki (Octopus balls), Okonomiyaki, Kushikatsu, Gyoza, Tonkatsu-don, Sushi, Sashimi, Udon, Unadon and the list continues on. We were spoilt for choices when our stomachs groaned for food and the usual complaints were the limited capacities they held.

Mascots of Dotonbori

There are many landmarks and mascots one would not miss when visiting Dotonbori. The Glico man (running man), and the moving King Crab billboard of Kani Doraku are the ones that we would always remember. It is impossible to walk through all the interesting destinations we visited in a single blog. But I will be sharing on those that have left us great impression and feel that you shall not miss them when you visit this famous street.

The Glico Man (aka The Running Man)
This was our first stop at Dotonbori. Located near the always busy and crowded Ebisubashi bridge, the Glico Man billboard was stationed here since 1935. For those who do not know, the Glico group is the Company which produced the famous Pocky stick snacks. There are flavors which are unique to Osaka stores only. They will serve as good souvenirs for your loved ones back home . We would take photos with this "celebrity" in similar running posture which earmarked the commencement of our interesting trip. I personally feel this is a "Must"for everyone that visit Dotonbori :-) !

The Glico Man

Kani Doraku (The Giant Moving Crab Restaurant)
There are in fact three of these at Dotonbori. One was situated near the start of the street, one in the middle and the last the end. The famous and prominent one is the restaurant at start of the street with the largest mechanized crab. It is just opposite the Glico Man and I strongly recommend you have at least a meal here during your visit. Kani Doraku serves one of the best and freshest crab cuisine in Japan. It is not cheap but worth every cents that you will be paying. We certainly enjoyed ourselves here and the crabs were certainly one of the best that I have tasted. One tip here is that you have to reserve early (at the counter near the entrance) in order to get a place in this famous restaurant.

Kani Doraku Moving Crab Billboard

Live Crabs

Crab Sashimi

The Ramen Restaurants (Shi-ten-noh 四天王, Kinryu 金龍, Ichiran 一蘭, Kamukura 神座)
Your visit at Dotonbori will not be completed without tasting at least one of the famous Ramen here. I had in fact tasted all the above mentioned and it was a struggle to decide which is the best. After a democratic family poll, we decided our favorite is Ichiran! The average price of the Ramen is about 800 to 1000 Yen per normal bowl. They tasted especially good during the cold weather period and our family had at least 1 Ramen meal everyday when we were here. All the mentioned Ramen restaurants are actually clustered together somewhere in the middle of the street and you will have little problem finding them. The most easily recognizable Ramen restaurant is Kinryu with it's formidable looking Dragon above their outlets.

The Ramen Restaurants

Kamukura Ramen

Charlotte and Alison feasting on Kinryu Ramen

Osaka Ohsho Restaurant (大阪王将)
The store famous for it's Gyoza (dumplings with pork meat) is easily spotted with it's big succulent looking mammoth Gyoza above it's facade. Osaka Ohsho has actually expanded their presence in other countries and we have tried the Gyoza back in Singapore and Hong Kong. But nothing beat trying the real McCoy in Dotonbori, Osaka. We gave two thumbs up for these delicacies and agreed unanimously it tasted better than the ones we tried elsewhere before. The price was around 210 Yen for 5 Gyoza.

Osaka Ohsho Restaurant

Queue to buy my favorite Gyoza

Can you resist the succulent Gyoza?

Acchichi Honpo Takoyaki 

Do not tell people you have come to Osaka without trying their trademark Takoyaki (Fried Octopus Balls). Takoyaki is basically a fried wheat flour ball with octopus meat inside. There are in fact many outlets selling Takoyaki at Dotonbori but the one we always saw with the longest queue was Acchichi Honpo. It is located near the Dotonbori canal where tourists board the boats for the Tombori River Cruise. We could smell the aroma of the Takoyaki from the store at a distance and inevitably queue up for the delicacy. The rest was history :-) (I remembered one serving of 8 Octopus Balls was around 500 Yen. Their most popular flavor is the soy sauce mayonnaise taste Takoyaki)

Acchichi Honpo Takoyaki in the background

Waiting for the sizzling hot Takoyaki

Be Careful! They are HOT!!!

Tombori River Cruise

This cruise offers a 20 minute boat ride down a length of the the Dotonbori River. The ticket booth and boarding point are near the Acchipi Honpo Takoyaki outlet.  During our ride, there was a Japanese narrator onboard who seemed to explain us the history and the landmark of the river. We did not understand what she was saying but her humorous gesture and expression won our applauses. I recommend to take this ride at night when the buildings are illuminated by the colourful neonlights with their wavering reflection cast on the river surface. Ticket fee is 900 Yen per adult and 400 Yen per child.

Tombori River Cruise

River view during boat ride

Family Photo in boat

As mentioned before, one article was too limited to cover Dotonbori. I just stated on those that I felt you must try if you plan a visit here. This will serve as a good guidance when you are mesmerized and wondered where to start in the maze of restaurants and shops.

Special notice: Have a huge craving for the piping hot Ramen or the succulent and adorable Sushis back at home and cannot do anything about it? 

If you are in Osaka, an avid fan of home cooked Japanese food and desire to learn the skills, you can visit airKitchen which offers up to 125 Best Osaka Cooking Classes. Click this link to find out more!

Related Posts: The Osaka, Kyoto and Nara Trip

  

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Travel Photos Series#17-Sika Deer at Nara Park

Sika deer at Nara Park

This is one of the many deer photos I captured at Nara Park, Japan. The hundreds of free roaming sika deer are the main draw of this popular tourist site. Together with the lush greenery, magnificent temples and shrines with their decorative statues and sculptures as the backdrop, the ubiquitous deer offer great photo capturing opportunities for the enthusiasts.

My family thoroughly enjoyed our day trip here. Charlotte loved feeding the deer with the deer crackers and has been asking me when we are returning to the park again :-).

Photo was taken on 26 Nov 2015.      

Why We Travel?

Scenic Sagano Train Ride at Arashiyama, Japan

I always admire those travelers that have the courage and determination to give up what they had and went to explore the World. It was and will never be an easy decision. Although I am unlikely to do this in my lifetime, I will always try to see the other parts of this planet whenever I have the opportunities.

The older generation of people used to share with us that we shall work hard and earn lots of money when we are young. When we grow old, the money will enable us to enjoy life and travel the world. My philosophy of life is actually exactly the opposite. I think all of us shall see the world when we have the health and physics to do so. We may have the money to travel but our bodies and legs will let us down at certain stages of our life.

I remember very clearly when I visited the Great Wall of China many years ago. The whole bus was overjoyed when we finally set eyes on the magnificent structure. I was determined to climb a section of the Great Wall which would take me to a hill top and a breathtaking aerial view of the surrounding. Almost everyone had left the bus apart from these old couple who huddled together at the back of the vehicle. "Are you coming down to join us?" I asked them. The old man replied me: "The weather outside is too cold for us. Our frail bodies will also not allow us to climb the Great Wall." These words still rung clearly in my ears and acted as a good advice for me to do things whenever I have the abilities and capabilities to do so.  

Charlotte and Japanese Gal

Seeing the World, taking great travel photos, experiencing other culture, savoring great and exotic food, making new friends etc are always common and good enough reasons for our travel trips. But sometimes without realizing, there are also other great reasons for us to do so. I like to share with you on my other reasons here:

Bonding & Learning the Other Sides of Your Family and Friends

Be it traveling with family and friends, traveling together will always help to create the extra cohesiveness among your traveling partners. You have to consider each other interests and feelings when planning the itineraries. Your traveling members may also show you a different side of themselves which you never expect to see in your normal life.

Tet, Bayee & Paulo at Terrace of The Leper King at Siem Reap, Cambodia

For example, during my recent trip to Japan, I was discussing with Alison at a Osaka's train station on the best route getting to a planned destination. We were still in the midst of sorting out the way when Charlotte suddenly pointed to the map and said: "Daddy, I think we shall take this route to our destination. It seems the most direct and shortest." We were really taken aback as we did not expect any input from our young daughter. The  biggest surprise was that she had pointed the solution to us! I would learn later that she had been picking up the  knowledge since our first family trip to Tokyo two years back and would put them to good use for the later trips. Rather than just discussing with my wife, I always want to hear Charlotte's opinions also after this incident!

Dad, Mum and Paulo at a Thrilled Ride at E-Da Theme Park at Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Another good example happened during our trip to Taiwan together with my aged parents. I had included E-Da theme park at Kaohsiung for my daughter but was worried that my parents would be bored. But how wrong I was to be. They (especially my father) thoroughly enjoyed their day and took on the challenging rides whenever they had the chances. This was something I did not expect to see from them.

Knowing Where and Who We Are

It's important to know where and who we are in the planet. This applies especially to the privileged children of our country. They are born with no worries for the basic necessities and are comfortable with their life. Many of them have taken this for granted. Instead of always planning trips to the developed countries, I also try to plan at least a trip per year to visit the less developed countries. These trips served as eye opener for Charlotte that there are less fortunate people in the World and life is not a bed of roses.

Children playing at a ruined temple at Siem Reap, Cambodia

During our trip to Indonesia, Yogyakarta, Charlotte had the chance to see young children working hard under the hot sun to earn a living. She saw children almost the same age as her or some even younger helping out their parents at their stalls or pestering tourists to buy souvenirs from their self-carried stocks. She would then question me: "Daddy, shall these children be studying at this time of the day? Why are they working?"  I took the opportunity to tell how lucky she is to be not working but having a good education at this stage of her life. Not everyone in this world enjoy the same privileges. I feel this is very important and send a strong message to our young ones that they shall strive hard for themselves if they want to have a fruitful life in the future.

Taking Well-Deserved Breaks

When I mean well-deserved breaks, I really mean WELL-DESERVED BREAKS!  I am referring to holiday that really help me recharge my often drained biological batteries. I made mistakes in my early travels and often cramped the itineraries like a can of sardines. In the end, I felt more tired as though I had not taken a holiday at all. The experience taught me to be more relaxed and accommodating when planning for my trips. I learnt that it's perfectly OK not to see everything when visiting a country. The key thing is to enjoy and recuperate. More importantly, Alison and Charlotte would minimize their complaints on my hectic traveling schedules :-P !

Alison and Charlotte at The Fisherman Wharf, Macau

Satisfaction

Nothing beat the Satisfaction that I had after every travel to see that everyone has enjoyed the trip. Though I have invested days and sometimes even months to do research and plan for the trips, it is always a happy feeling that we have benefited from the breakaways. The smiles that my parents wore on their faces after the Taiwan trip, the grateful thanks from my traveling mates after the Cambodia venture, the sweet dreams that Charlotte has after the Japan travel, the unending recollection of the good traveling memories with Alison are good enough reasons for the efforts put in to arrange a great trip for everybody.

Sweet Family Photo taken at Umeda Sky Building at Osaka, Japan

So what's your reasons to travel? Do share them in the comment column :-) 

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2015 Wrap Up-Year of visiting the UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Year 2015 has been a great year for us and we nearly lost count of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites that we got to visit during our travel.

Borobudur

In March, we finally got ourselves to Borobudur, the largest Buddhist monument in the World. For those who have followed my blogs closely would know that I have been wanting to visit this religious site for the longest time. The plan had been postponed due to various reasons and being finally able to visit it was a fulfilling experience. I strongly recommend the sunrise experience if you visit Borobudur.

Prambanan Temples

We also got to visit another UNESCO World Heritage Site-The Prambanan Temples in the same trip. The ancient Hindu constructions made us felt like Dwarfs among the Giants. We paid a visit to the unpredictable Mount Merapi in a jeep tour and witnessed the destruction it has wreaked during it's past eruptions. The tours at the Sultan Palace (The Kraton) and Water Castle (Taman Sari) at Yogyakarta have given us an insight on the luxurious lifestyle of the royal families.

Singapore Botanic Gardens

I am very proud to mention on one of the newly-promoted UNESCO World Heritage sites that we re-visited in July. It was our very own Singapore Botanic Gardens. Though we have already visited it for numerous time, it was a special feeling to visit it with the new status. Congrats and a big thank again for those putting their utmost efforts to make this happen.

Kyoto and Nara

In November, we traveled to Osaka, Kyoto and Nara in Japan. This trip took us to more World Heritage Sites-Toda-Ji temple and Kasuga-taisha shrine in Nara, Kiyomizu-dera temple, Nijo Castle, Kinkaku-ji temple, Ryoan-ji temple and Tenryu-ji temple in Kyoto. These were on top of those not listed as World Heritage Sites but equally impressive temples and shrines like the Tofuku-ji temple and Fushimi Inari-taisha shrine. November end was a great time to visit Japan as we got to witness the beautiful autumn foliage at the temples and shrines gardens. More of these in my coming blogs.

Thanks for following my blogs and I wish everyone a Great Travel Year in 2016!!!
      

Travel Photos Series#15-Sunset at Kiyomizudera Temple, Kyoto

Sunset at Kiyomizudera Temple

I captured this photo at one of my favorite temples-Kiyomizudera Temple at my most recent trip to Kyoto, Japan. We did not intend to visit the temple on that day but never regret our decision to do so. We were just in time to witness the amazing sunset embracing the surrounding ravishing autumn red leaves and ancient temple structure.

The first time Alison and I visited this temple was  more than a decade ago during the Sakura blossom period. It was a different setting but similarly beautiful. We had never forgotten this temple since. It was really a wonderful feeling to be back here this time with our daughter-Charlotte.

Photo taken on 28 November 2015.  

Travel Photos Series#10-Marina Bay Skyline, Singapore

Marina Bay Skyline

Took this picture from Marina Barrage last week at 30 Aug 2015, Sunday. It was amazing to see how much Singapore has transformed. Captured in this photo were the Singapore icons-Marina Bay Sands, Gardens by the Bay and the Singapore Flyer. We always love to visit here as a family as there are many amenities around for us to enjoy. This is also a great place to enjoy the fabulous sunset at the Marina Bay Skyline.

Related Posts: Visit Singapore on a Cheap Budget (Part 1), Visit Singapore on a Cheap Budget (Part 2), The Singapore Flyer

Mount Merapi Jeep Lava Tour

The Jeep that brought us around

Touring Mount Merapi by a jeep at close proximity was not part of my initial plan for this trip. When Yanto suggested to me to visit the (in)famous still active volcano, my thought was that we would be watching the fiery mountain from a safe distance. Added bonus would be under the shelter of a restaurant, just like when we admired Mount Batur in Bali.

But I felt something was amiss when he pointed at the 4 x 4 jeeps bumping their ways through the rough terrain of lava rocks (created by Merapi's numerous eruption) during the way to our destination. My instinct was proven right when we reached a place parked full with the jeeps we seen earlier. When I questioned Yanto in more details, he told me Merapi must be visited by a jeep to "see better"in his halting English. When I shown hesitations, he referred me to the photos  displayed near the ticket booth. I scanned through the photos and was somehow impressed by them. Most of them were pictures of the past visitors with the jeep and Merapi as the backdrop. After some self convincing and the difficult part of convincing Alison (Charlotte was always adventurous and needed no sweet talk :-P), we agreed to take up the 1.5 hours tour around Merapi. The price was RP 400 000 for a jeep (I read up later and understand you can get one for Rp 350 000).

The moment the jeep started moving, I knew "we were in for a ride!" The designated roads for the jeep was littered with rocks and we were bumping up and down on our seats. We were "clinging for dear life"at times on the uneven roads and there was no safety belt on board. The driver tried to communicate with me in Indonesian but I could understand little of what he say. Luckily, we still could get through each other with universal language (sign languages :-) ) and the help of a brochure which shown details of the jeep trip in English.

The Jeep trip was mainly divided into different stations where we would stop to visit and take photos. The 1st station was furthest away from Mount Merapi whereas the last station was the nearest. I would narrate our adventure based on the stations that we had visited.

The House of Memory

Our first stop was at a village that was destroyed by the recent Merapi's eruption. It resembled some kind of museum which displayed the things that were over-ran by the destructive lava. We could see potteries that were melted and became out of shape, a set of cattle's skeleton (obviously killed by the eruption) and the photos taken during and after the eruption. The most eye catching display was a clock that was jammed and shown the time of the eruption.

Ruined Village

Warped glasses and cups 

Cattle's Skeleton

The Jammed Clock

The Alien Rock

The "star"of this stop was the "Alien Rock". It was part of Mount Merapi till being tossed a few kilometers to this location during the eruption. From a certain angle, the rock looked like a giant Alien's head. You could see how big it is from the photo we take with us standing beside it. From this vantage point, we could also see the lava channel all the way from Mount Merapi. From our photo, you could see how massive it is by observing and comparing to the small yellow lorry within. Imagine red hot molten lava flowing through the channel during the volcano's eruption!

Family Photo with Alien Rock

Alien Rock from another angle

See the massive Lava Channel behind us!

The Burning Lava Rocks

With the help of cigarette's ashes and some fanning motion, our driver was able to "reheat" some of the lava rocks. I was asked to hold some of the rocks to feel their heat. The heat became unbearable after a while and I had to release them from my hands. Note that the last eruption was about 5 years ago in Year 2010 but yet we could still feel it's heat after such a long period of time.

Our driver digging out the active lava rocks

Burning Lava Rocks

The Bunker

This was our last station and the closest distance to Mount Merapi (about 1 kilometers). During it's heyday before the destructive eruption, many photographers and adventurers would make this place their base to take beautiful photos or climb the holy mountain. It was now in a state of ruin. Our driver shown us an underground bunker which was meant for people to hide during any eruption. But it failed it's purpose when two person died of suffocation by the fumes after using it during the last eruption.

The Bunker

Close proximity with cloud-covered Mount Merapi

We were kind of relief after completing the trip and returning back to the jeeps'base. This trip was not for the faint-hearted and I recommend you read my tips before deciding to "take the plunge". Alison had a fall during an uphill climb and my heart was in mouth when the driver almost drive over the edge of the road which would bring us almost 30 meters downhill! Only my shout alerted him and he steered the wheels to safety in the nick of time.

Ride with us!

Experience our bumpy ride!

Tips for Mount Merapi Jeep Lava Tour

1. I had mentioned this ride is not for the faint-hearted. I would not recommend this ride for young children (below 8 years old) and the elderly.

2. For those who have motion sickness, please do not take this ride. The jeeps are travelling on uneven and bumpy rock-strewn paths and can make you real uneasy. The area is also very dusty. If you have breathing-related illness, this ride is also not recommended for you. A mask will be issued to protect you from the dusty environment.

3. Bring lots of water. This is a volcanic area and the lava rocks are still emitting heat. The hot weather at Indonesia does not help the situation. Drinking water will keep you hydrate.

4. Wear comfortably with long pants/jeans and flat heeled shoes. You are required to come down from the jeep to explore the different stops. Some of the stops would require you to perform climbing up slope. Wearing flat heeled shoes would make your climb easier and the long pants/jeans would minimize your injuries if you trip and fall.

5. Always be on the alert. Although the Jeep's drivers know their way and are experienced, do not let your guard down. You are acting as a second pair of eyes for him. Do not hesitate to shout out warning in advance if you foresee something risky on the roads.

6. I use yogyadriver for my trip around Yogyakarta. Write a comment and drop your email address (I will reply you) at the comment column below to enjoy up to 10% discount off the normal rate if you decide to use their service.

Have you taken the Mount Merapi Jeep Lava Tour before? Share with us your adventure!

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Travel Photos Series#9-Rickshaw at Kawagoe, Japan

Kawagoe

Took this photo on 9 June 2014 when we visited Kawagoe, Japan for it's famous ancient architectures from the Edo period. Saw this rickshaw driver pulling an old couple along and I quickly snapped a picture of them with the Edo's buildings in the background. This is one of my favorite photos taken in Japan and I hope you enjoy it.

Related Posts: The Tokyo Trip