Four days. Ten photos. One unforgettable country.

Wait. What? Just four days? Err—yes.

I thought my recent trip to Nepal wouldn’t be as solid as a typical Himalayan getaway that fully justifies the awesomeness of this naturally gifted diverse country. I had even prepared myself to the possibility that my backpacking trip would turn out a fiasco for it was the monsoon season when I flew in and my visit was limited to few places only.

Fortunately, my scanty four days proved me wrong. Despite the fact that I didn’t go hiking to Everest or Annapurna this time around, what I had was still a worthwhile jaunt. Nepal is such a wonderful country and it gave me reasons to come back in the near future. See the photos below.

Touchdown

The reason why I chose a window seat on my flight from Kuala Lumpur to Kathmandu is because some friends who flew to Nepal months ahead of me shared captivating photos of frosty mountains taken from their seats. I anticipated the same, but few minutes left before touchdown and there was still no sign of them mountains.

From above the clouds we saw nothing but grey, so I finally gave up and said, “Okay, rainy season indeed“. The moment our plane took the final approach to Tribhuvan International Airport, clusters of run-down buildings surrounded by verdant rice paddies came into view. My excitement skyrocketed.

Chisapani

“We wake up tomorrow at 5 o’clock “, said Nirmal, my trekking guide, before we wrapped up the first night of our three-day Kathmandu Valley trek in Chisapani. I set my alarm to 5 AM and followed what Nirmal said. When I woke up the next morning, I checked the weather from the window of my room only to find thick fog obscuring Langtang Range and the nearby mountains.

I surveyed the surrounding from time to time to check if there’s any improvement in visibility. I stayed at the lodge’s restaurant for a while until the clouds revealed snow-capped peaks. That’s when I rushed to the rooftop.

Latrine

My worst enemy when traveling is my stomach. It’s such a traitor and a spoiler. When I flew to Nepal I had planned to taste most of the dishes the country has to offer, but I ended up devouring only a few—Dal bhat, chow mein, and momo.

One time, on the second day of our trek, I gobbled down two platefuls of Dal bhat for lunch. Trust me, the dish was so good I had no regret finishing it up to the last grain of rice. But on our descent from Jhule I started to feel my stomach rumble. Thanks to my awesome guides, we “trespassed” into a roadside house and used the latrine at the back. Relieved, indeed.

Kiwi

“Hey, what plant is that?“, these were the exact words I said to Nirmal when I saw strange plants down below the hillside road in Jhule. Apparently, Nirmal and Ram didn’t know the plant either so they asked one man who just came from the plantation.

Australian Kiwi! As it was my first time to see a Kiwifruit tree, we veered off the trail and went down toward the farm. The owner is selling the fruit for Rs 1,000 (approx. PHP500) per kilo.

Grandfather

As we conquer the uphill trail toward Nagarkot we came across an old man who was tending his herd of goats. Nirmal, my guide, knew that I’ve been wanting to take a photo or two of a local Nepali in traditional Nepali costume.

The old man that we met was a perfect fit. When we crossed each other’s path, Nirmal politely asked the man if I could take a picture of him. To my delight, he agreed but under one condition: I should give him a copy of the photo. I was more than happy.

Gangharu

In the duration of our Kathmandu Valley trek I’ve seen different kinds of wild plants: cannabis, wild berries, rhododendrons. But there’s one fruit tree that caught my interest: Ghangaru.

Red, crispy, and tiny are how I would describe a Ghangaru (sounds like Kangaroo). We picked a handful of these miniscule edible fruits from a roadside tree en route to Nagarkot. Surprisingly, it tasted similar to guava!

Refuge

I liked the construction of houses in Nepal, especially those found in highland villages. These houses are made of solid bricks and woods equipped with several front doors and shady windows. At least one family resides in a single house.

One morning, as we trekked down Nagarkot, I saw an old man seated by the window.

Friends

The three of us—Nirmal, Ram, and I— never had the opportunity to have a picture together during our Sundarijal-Chisapani-Nagarkot trek. I didn’t have a tripod with me that’s why most of our shots were either solo or duo.

Luckily, at the most scenic part of our descent to Delkot from Nagarkot, we met three Spanish ladies taking photos of the scenery. One of them offered help to us so we finally had a group picture. Those ladies eventually joined our group until Delkot. Awesome!

Watchmen

Basantapur Durbar Square. Five men. Sunday afternoon.

Broiler Chicken

We tagged all the beautiful Nepali women we met as “local chickens”. Likewise, those pretty ladies from other countries were called as “broiler chickens”.

On the last day of my visit in Nepal, I went to Basantapur Durbar Square in Kathmandu. For several minutes I stayed at one place—the spot where tourists feed dozens of pigeons.

There, I saw a broiler chicken.

The post Kathmandu in photos: Highlights of my Nepal trip appeared first on kurtzky.

Traveling across different places in Myanmar with a highly limited time is such a great challenge. Doing it without the aid of a travel agency is another. Our firsthand travel experience in the country is an example of a bittersweet escapade, for what should’ve been a smooth sailing Yangon-Bagan-Mandalay getaway turned a little bumpy when we faced adversaries right before and along the journey.

Posing in Shwezigon Pagoda, Nyaung U

First problem, we were too late to find out that our travel period falls in the final week of Myanmar Water Festival. This meant that inter-province bus trips are not operational in observance of the long holiday.

Because of this, we decided to extend another day in Yangon and compromised our supposed-to-be two-day visit in Bagan by trimming it down to one. Nonetheless, we managed to secure bus tickets for a 9-hour ride from Yangon to Bagan.

The second circumstance was a complete shocker. Immediately upon arrival of our bus in Bagan from Yangon, we proceeded to the bus operators at the station in an attempt to secure our seats for an evening trip to Mandalay on that very same day. To our misfortune, all bus tickets from Bagan to Mandalay were sold like hotcakes due to the large volume of holiday crowd that had been “stranded” in Bagan.

It was a depressing morning back there knowing that we have an outward flight to catch in Mandalay the following day. It felt like my self-built Great Wall crumbled down into dust. I was devastated I actually did an overdramatic facepalm. Seriously.

And we’ve come to a last resort. The option that I did not want to take from the get-go had welcomed us with a giant evil laugh in the end. What was it? A private taxi. Ca-ching!

To patch things up, we negotiated for a private taxi from Bagan to Mandalay, on a distance equivalent to four hours of land travel, for 130,000 Kyats (around PHP 6,000 or USD 135). It was a big sum of money for me but it’s a better choice, the only choice left, than risking our flight in Mandalay the next day.

Supreme Court of Burma as seen from Maha Bandula Park, Yangon

These experiences in Myanmar almost drove me mad. It was frustrating, neck pain-inducing, totally totally taxing.

At the end of the day, I asked myself, “Why should I complain when the truth is we didn’t spend that much on airfare from the Philippines to Myanmar?”

This question, ladies and gentlemen, hit me right on the head. It smacked me so hard I finally let go of all regrets and instead focused on what lay ahead of us back then.

Thanks, low-cost-airline-who-must-not-be-named. Thanks for sending the four of us to Myanmar for less than ten dollars. Thanks for letting me strike-through an item on my bucket list.

Two words. Glitch please . . .

The post Backpacking Myanmar: My kind of bittersweet vacation appeared first on kurtzky.

Many travelers would say that a journey to Myanmar won’t be complete without touring the ancient city of Bagan. Sounds like a broken record, yes? But wait! Don’t leave just yet.

Horse-drawn carriage is a popular mode of transport for tourists in Bagan

If Cambodia has its Angkor, Myanmar has its Bagan. Truly a mystical place made famous by its thousands of centuries-old temples and pagodas scattered across an expanse of arid plains in Upper Burma, Bagan is an essential requisite for a rewarding Myanmar vacation.

We’ve tasted and savored the twisted succulence of Bagan despite its slightly bitter aftertaste. Our trip was a little stressful but it was an added delight. It was fun! The whole experience was a potpourri of emotions . . .

One summer morning, the rays of the sun filled Bagan with a blinding glow and delicate warmth. From Shwesandaw Pagoda, our horses galloped back to Nyaung U town proper as we whiffed the fresh countryside air swirling with mild dust residue.

One of the holy shrines in Shwezigon Pagoda

“We will clean the room first, you wait here [in the living room]“, said the owner of Eden Motel, where our horsecart drivers dropped us after we finished our Bagan sunrise tour. For 30,000 Kyats (USD 30) the owner let us make use of one room until 6 PM of the same day. Can you imagine my soul making an invisible fist pump out of joy that moment? Me neither!

Come past 9 AM, we started yanking our longyi from crisp plastic bags stashed in our backpacks. The garments still oozed with the familiar scent of fabric that just escaped from a textile prison also known as “old stock”. Uncertain how to tie the longyi we bought from Bogyoke Market in Yangon, we draped the wide fabric around our waists and tried to recall how the vendor demonstrated the proper way of wrapping longyi.

The next scene we were driving our horses out of Nyaung U towards our first stop: Shwezigon.

Shwezigon Pagoda at midday

Shwezigon Pagoda is one of the finest pagodas in Mandalay region. Like all religious temples in Myanmar, everyone is required to remove their shoes upon entry for it is a sacred place for Burmese people. If you come here by midday when the sun is directly overhead, might as well prepare your soles to be toasted on open floor tiles. But kidding aside, Shwezigon Pagoda is so gorgeous you wouldn’t mind burning your feet anyway.

The summer heat intensified as our horses clopped towards Thagyarhit Pagoda.

Thagyarhit Pagoda is a beautifully carved stone structure offering a panoramic view of Bagan

Thagyarhit offers a panoramic view of Bagan Archaeological Zone. The scenery from the top is good, but it didn’t live up to my expectation for it wasn’t as captivating as Shwesandaw. But what’s interesting about Thagyarhit is the narrow stairwell that leads to the second tier of this brick-colored structure. Climbing up while squeezed in tight space and ducking under low ceiling is exciting enough to reckon a visit here.

Before lunch time, we stopped at Ananda.

One of the standing statues inside Ananda Temple

Ananda Temple is the most popular temple in Bagan. Housed inside are four standing Buddha statues that face the four directions of the compass: North, South, East, and West. The golden statues are placed 90 degrees to each other forming a big cross. Visitors, especially those who practice Buddhism, come here to offer their prayers. When we came in, we walked to each corner of the cruciform to see all the Buddhas and then came out again to search for food.

For lunch we were led to a buffet restaurant near Ananda Temple. For only 3,500 Kyats per person, we were served unlimited bowls of Burmese dishes with a big serving of white rice. This is the place to be if you want to taste Burmese cuisine at a very affordable price. Though I’m not a fan of Burmese food, I’d still recommend this restaurant.

From Ananda we whipped our horses towards Mahabodhi Temple to get a special afternoon treat—sunscreen! Thanaka is a special regimen made from the bark of thanaka tree and is commonly used as a sunscreen in Myanmar. When in Bagan, most small groups go over to Mahabodhi Temple just to avail of this regimen from humble shops found outside the temple. We wanted to experience the regimen so we gave it a try. Oh, did I already mention that it’s free?

Afternoon rest at Mahabodhi Temple before we smeared our faces with thanaka

As the afternoon passed by we felt a bit templed out. Seeing almost the same thing one after the other while exposed to the warm climate almost dragged us to sleep. That’s why when we headed to Buphaya near the bank of Irrawaddy River, we only took quick snapshots and came back to our carts immediately after doing so. Thankfully, there’s an afternoon refreshment near the temple: pure sugarcane juice freshly squeezed from cane stalks and swimming in ice cubes. Trust me, it’s one of the best thirst quenchers ever known to mankind!

Then we moved to the next temple . . .

Shwegugyi Temple gives a dramatic touch to a simple photo

Shwegugyi Temple, nestled in the heart of the plains of Bagan, has earth color stone walls meticulously carved to utmost perfection that make the ensemble a righteous place to relax and spend an afternoon break from temple-hopping. From the upper deck of Shwegugyi you can see the nearby temples of Thatbyinnyu and Dhammayangyi.

Thatbyinnyu as seen from Shwegugyi

From Shwegugyi our horsecarts drove towards the white temple of Thatbyinnyu, but we opted not to get off our carts and continued driving to Sulamani instead.

Sulamani Temple

Another colossal structure with intricate exterior is Sulamani Temple. This giant Buddhist temple constructed with bricks has a striking similarity to Thatbyinnyu, although the latter has a diminishing white coating. They say that Sulamani Temple also got the best frescoes in Bagan, but we didn’t get to see them as we scurried to our last destination for the day.

These are only some of the countless pagodas spread across Bagan

Our short-lived one-day horsecart journey across the plains of Bagan ended on a high note with an incomparable panorama of Bagan countryside from the top of Bulethi Pagoda.

NSFW: No, this ain’t bird watching!

An ideal place to watch the sunset, Bulethi is among the top visited spots in Bagan to watch the sun to dip in the horizon. But since our trip couldn’t wait further for sunset, we just savored the remaining moment around the uppermost stupa, absorbing the scenery that our eyes could see.

Lovely afternoon in Bagan from Bulethi Pagoda

Finally, our horse-drawn carriages drove back to Nyaung U one last time . . .

Leaving for Nyaung U

The post Temples of Bagan: More Than Meets The Eye appeared first on kurtzky.

The guy in the lower bed opened his eyes to the sight of a young lady comfortably cocooned in thick blanket in the adjacent bed.

The guy, still lost in between sleep and wake, wandered his weary eyes around the dark room and examined the amount of clutter in what seemed to be dungeon in an outcast medieval castle: red-orange lights beamed on electronic chargers stuck on wall sockets, big backpacks scattered on the cold sticky floor, and smelly clothes of other travelers hung from upper bunk beds. He drew near the windows and pulled the curtains to view the weather outside. Raining.

The guy was me. I was in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Getting dirty in the muddy bus station of Kathmandu

I checked out of Alobar1000 at 8 AM to meet my trekking guides in the adjoining travelers’ desk: Dal Bhat Power Adventures. I was formally introduced to Nirmal, my primary guide, and Ram, Nirmal’s cousin and “apprentice”. Our main agenda: three-day Kathmandu Valley trek from Sundarijal to Chisapani to Nagarkot.

Nirmal re-iterated our plans for the first day. He checked my backpack, carried it to test the weight, and gave an OK sign of approval.

While on the public bus going to Sundarijal

The rain finally stopped. From our hostel near Thamel area, we walked for about 20 minutes towards the central bus station. Nirmal said it is much easier to walk than to catch a taxi going to the terminal. Fair enough for at least I had some sort of warm-up and sightseeing in quaint Kathmandu.

Then we took a public bus going to Sundarijal. The fare I didn’t know, but we traveled for at least one hour from Kathmandu until our bus reached Sundarijal at 9:50 AM.

Beautiful stream as seen from the restaurant of Side View Hotel in Sundarijal

At Sundarijal, Nirmal asked if I already had my breakfast, and when I said not yet, he led me to Side View Hotel and made me order a set meal. The place was shabby, more like a lodging house with very very basic facilities, but the breakfast was simply perfect and the view of the stream beneath was fantastic. And nope, I didn’t pay anything for the food, care of Nirmal.

See that long staircase? We’re not even a kilometer away from Sundarijal when we climbed that

When we departed Sundarijal at 10:30 AM to kick off our climb, my heavy backpack defied my body’s strength. We’re not even a kilometer away from where we started when a daunting flight of staircase greeted us.

Our sudden ascent had me perspire earlier than expected, and those tiny forms of liquid trickled on my forehead down to my pits and to my back before finally lingering in my cotton shirt. Cotton, huh. That marked the death of the meal I had for breakfast.

At around 11 AM we arrived at the entrance to Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park. To the left was a waterfalls which was truly inviting, and to the right was another cascading freshwater gushing down to the stream towards Sundarijal.

Ram and I in front of the waterfalls at the entrance to Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park

And so we climbed. And climbed. And climbed. Since we left the waterfalls all we did was climb up another series of serpentine staircase nestled in a dense Kathmandu rainforest.

Until we reached the ticket booth of the national park. Fudge. After walking for quite some time, we had just arrived at the ticket booth, which meant we’re not yet even halfway to our destination!

Cannabis (marijuana) dominated the trail to Mulkharka

We followed the trail to Mulkharka, an indigenous village somewhere up the hill where we will stop for lunch according to Nirmal. Happy like a famished dog, I obliged and moved forward in full gastronomic delight. Actually, I could have eaten all the wild cannabis plants we met along the way, but lunch sounded better, so yeah.

And we finally made it to Mulkharka. A small community with an overlooking view of the city, Mulkharka has a strong feel of heritage to it.

Breathtaking view of Kathmandu from the rooftop of a restaurant in Mulkharka

For lunch we stopped at a “restaurant” serving traditional Dal Bhat and Chow Mein. When the food was brought to our table, I was amused with how the meals were presented. Much more to my surprise, Nirmal and Ram poured all the vegetable and lentil soup onto their white rice, mixed them together with bare hands, and shoveled the mishmash down to their throats. Looking at the food mixture I was like “Dull what?” but then I followed suit. Eventually, the outcome was delicious!

Crashed into a random house in Mulkharka

It’s about the mountains after all

At 2 PM we left Mulkharka. The trail from then on became more challenging for we were ascending more forests and climbing more staircases. Portions of the trail even resembled those in Middle-Earth where intertwined branches of mossy trees connect to other tree branches as if they were corporate leaders exchanging handshakes in the heart of the forest.

The weather condition was unstable as well. In some parts it was sunny, others it was rainy. We popped our umbrellas open and trekked unfazed, climbing like a boss.

I wouldn’t dare to walk in this forest alone

This time I was already sweating profusely. It felt like a never-ending assault.

The nearer we get to our destination, the more tired my body had become. I mean, I’m always like that. We’re always like that. Drawing close to the finish line was more arduous than when we were still in the beginning.

Nirmal (L) and Ram (R) taking rest in a shed while heavy rain was pouring

Rice terraces covered in afternoon mist. Few kilometers from here is Chisapani

Then at one point of our trek, heavy rains suddenly poured. We took shelter in a shed which miraculously popped along the trail and I somehow thought the rain was a supreme-given obstacle to let us rest for quite a while.

At the final segment of our trek, we finally met the main road. Victory was within our grasp. We pushed further despite the slippery ground. When we made it to Chisapani, a rainbow came into view. Truly, there’s always a rainbow after the rain. Ha!

Perfect cup of hot Dud Chya (milk tea) after trekking for six hours

As soon as we arrived in the restaurant of our hotel, we dropped our bags to the floor and ordered warm drinks to calm our trembling soggy bodies. I had me some Dud Chya (milk tea). Delicious Dud Chya. It was the best hot milk tea I’ve tasted as of this writing!

When Nirmal led me to my assigned room, I immediately shut the door and lay in my bed to rest. I hid myself in the comfort of the blanket and let my body adjust to the temperature.

I was tired. I was about to get ill.

And I died. Figuratively because of the Dud Chya I had . . .

The post Kathmandu Valley Trek: Sundarijal to Chisapani in 6 hours appeared first on kurtzky.

According to Lao Tzu, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

But to me, “A journey of a thousand steps begins with a single smile.”

1,237 steps to be exact and a brittle smile.

Warning: This mountain is not for the faint of heart

“Excuse me, is this the way to Tiger Cave Temple?”, I asked a white lady (not the white lady) seated on a bench near the staircase at the foot of the cliff.

“Yeah.”

“Is it difficult to climb?”, my follow-up question.

“Uhm, I don’t know because I didn’t go up. My boyfriend is still there and he hasn’t come back yet”, she was laughing.

“Oh, okay. Thanks!”, I answered wryly. Geez, that made the trail sound like it’s really tough to ascend. I gave her one final smile then started climbing the ladder up Tiger Cave Temple.

A new Buddhist temple being built near the main temple compound

Preview of what it’s gonna be like at the top

The cliff casting shadow over the community down below

Breathtaking view of Krabi Province from Tiger Cave Temple

It was pretty tough. The staircase is not long, it’s super long. The trail is steep, so steep as if the stairs were compressed and arranged in a way that only demigods can effortlessly ascend.

So yeah, I braved the steep stairways up Wat Tham Seua (Tiger Cave Temple) on a karst peak with an altitude of 600m. And I can say that the scenery at the top is worth the effort.

Up there are spectacular views of Krabi Province. There’s a Buddhist shrine, with a Buddha statue and a gilded stupa, where you can relax, meditate, and inhale the free-flowing fresh country air of Krabi Province.

Take your time to rest, for the way downstairs will be another test . . .

The uppermost shrine in the temple

Holy Buddhist figures

Giant Buddha overlooking Krabi countryside

Well-crafted sculptures encircling the gilded Buddha statue

Practical Tips

• Bring bottled water. There’s no store at the top where you can buy food and beverage. But hey, there’s a drinking water source. If your tummy is not sensitive, you can take a slurp from the faucet right at the end of the stairway
• Make sure you’ve eaten a meal before ascending. Not a super heavy meal though or else you’ll throw up along the way
• Depending on your stamina, the peak usually takes 30-45 minutes to reach
• Ideal time to climb is late afternoon, between 3 PM – 4 PM, when the sun is less harsh

How to get there

From Krabi town you can hire a private taxi to Tiger Cave Temple for 350 Baht. Make sure to negotiate with the driver.

If you are a solo traveler, you can take a motorcycle (not tuk-tuk) for only 100 Baht one way. Going back to town is somehow difficult as there’s no regular trip of public transport. But you can opt to walk to the main highway then catch a passing bus or sorng-taa-ou (similar to jeepney) to Krabi town.

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When someone asks me what benefits do I get from trekking and climbing mountains, I can’t give explicit answers in return for it is one of those questions that often get cheesy responses. To me, I just feel that setting out to nature fuels my wanderlust, gives me a higher dose of positive energy, and provides me with eye-opening backdoor encounters. See? It’s cheesy.

The second day of our Kathmandu Valley Trek started in Chisapani at 8:30 AM and finished in Nagarkot at around 5:30 PM over a distance of 27 kilometers

And now it seems that my tub of adventure has filled to the brim and gone a little out of hand, which makes me think I got badly bitten by the travel bug. Even the initial reaction I received from close friends when I told them I went hiking in Nepal for 9 hours over a distance of 27 kilometers was more like, “Dude, go home, you’re crazy.”

27 kilometers in 9 hours? Insane. But truth be told, trekking that long is definitely no laughing business. It came off a bit easier than our first day, but it still brought my calves to death and my pits to the state of bottomless sweat.

With the help of my phone’s GPS, I tracked our journey from Chisapani to Nagarkot and ended up surprised not only at the time and distance we covered but also at the amazing scenery. . .

I woke up at 6 AM and went alone to the rooftop of our hotel, Dorje Lakpa, to get an early morning view of the mountains surrounding Chisapani

Nepal is known to have the world’s highest mountain ranges; partly visible in this photo are the snow-capped mountains of Langtang, and they say that the view is much better on a clear sunny day

After breakfast, I came back to the rooftop to take another set of photos of the mountains as I just can’t get enough; this time I was joined by Nirmal and Ram, my trekking guides

Shortly after leaving our hotel in Chisapani, we started our descent to Nagarkot; these bikers also headed off downhill

At 2,100 meters above sea level, there’s a considerable drop of temperature in Chisapani; lodging establishments, as seen in this photo, don’t even need air conditioning units

Come 9:15 AM, my trekking guide led us to a hidden pond, which is only a short walk off the main road

We met these children selling goods in a waiting shed at the intersection of trails going to Jhule and Sundarijal

Our trek did not only involve walking on hillside trails; we also spent some of our time in the forests, that’s why we caught leeches on our pants and shirts

At 12:30 PM we stopped at a restaurant/lodge near Jhule; this refreshing view of the mountains was taken from there

I must say that this was the best Dal Bhat meal I’ve eaten in Nepal; the lentil soup was so good I had to go second round

We’re now descending Jhule at this time

Since we spent more than half of the day walking on dirt roads, my excitement dropped when we met the paved road

This is my photo with Ram, taken before we ascended again to Nagarkot

On our way to Nagarkot, we met an old man who was tending his herd of goats; I got fascinated by his attire so I asked to take a photo of him, which later on I sent to his home through the help of Nirmal

This is the last village we passed before Nagarkot, taken at 4:45 PM

I was expecting a clearer sky in Nagarkot but this is what I saw when we arrived

Another hotel, another room, another Wi-Fi password; this is where we stayed in Nagarkot

The post What It’s Like to Hike for 27 Kilometers in Nepal appeared first on kurtzky.

What sucks about living in a hostel as a solo traveler is one day you get to meet amazing people, the next you’re back in your shell of solitude. Backpacking is fun, yes, but the cycle of finding and losing your perfect circle can make you feel lonesome. It transpired on me for a number of times now—the most recent one was in Krabi.

When I first entered my dorm in Pak-Up Hostel, I knew I would easily get along with my roomies for there was such a strong wave of free-spirited and like-minded young adults scattered in that 10-bed Arts enclosure. On that very night of eating, drinking, and secondhand smoking I came to ask the gods of travel, “Can we be like this for the rest of my stay here?”, and somehow, I became the horde’s overly attached member.

Line of longtail boats in Ao Nang

The next morning, I strayed from the group to join a Phi Phi Islands Tour. I stealthily left the room, careful not to disrupt the sound sleep of roommates dwelling in alcoholic nirvana, then I went down to the common area to await for the tour’s pick-up van. I sat on the wooden chair, swiped my smartphone, ran to the toilet, sat back again, and stayed oblivious for 20 minutes because the van came late.

When the van finally arrived I jumped on to its back and joined the then half-full crowd. I felt like a timid goat thrown into a container of ferocious Siberian tigers; that feeling of estrangement was funny because I didn’t know how to open up a conversation. I fired my hi’s to the first people I made eye contact with then I got vague smiles in return. Awkwaaard. For 30 minutes from Krabi to Ao Nang I did not attempt to break the ice. Not yet time to get uber-friendly.

This is our group heading to our designated speedboat

Upon reaching Ao Nang, we were divided into different groups per tour package. Phi Phi here, Four Islands there, James Bond Island somewhere. I listed my name on a Phi Phi roster sheet, stuck a green Barracuda sticker on my shirt, and climbed onto another van bound for the port area. This time, a rowdy pack of Malaysian travelers were already in the pick-up—all of them men in early thirties—and so busy switching between smartphones and selfie pods. I tell you, it was a funny scene to watch.

At the beach area before our speed boat, this Thai guy named Alex introduced himself as our primary island guide and he held a sort of mini-orientation on what should we expect, how long is the tour, and how much will we pay should we come back to our boat beyond the allotted time (5 Baht!). Once he’s done with his blab, we walked along the shore towards our speed boat and I was the last person to embark.

Okay, now here’s the thing. It was my first speedboat ride. Being the last guy to get on the boat meant I had no other choice but to sit on the last empty seat, which I found in front near the bow. Joining me on that circular cushioned throne were travelers from Germany, Thailand, and Myanmar. Pretty sure we all expected a smooth ride.

Tourists sit on a driftwood facing a bunch of speedboats in Bamboo Island

The sandy portion of Bamboo Island

This dilapidated building on the far edge of Bamboo Island remained partly submerged in water

Shortly after setting off towards Phi Phi, our boat hovered on crashing tides and hurled us off into the air, pulled us back to our seats as if we were non-living things, and threw us off again, leaving uncomfortable churning sensations in our stomachs. Not only it was literally a pain in the ass, it also hurt our vertebrae so bad. I checked the rest of the passengers at the back and they remained composed, not sharing the same agony as ours. The driver seemed to have forgotten us. I would never take that ride again, goddammit.

Our 45-minute ride to Bamboo Island was the longest 45 minutes ever. And there we were, jumping off to the shore for the first time since we almost broke our backbones on the boat. Bamboo Island is named such because it used to have many bamboo trees prior to the infamous 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

When we docked, the place was teeming with tourists and I had no idea how to spend our 40 minutes so I decided to just walk on the island rather than to swim in its not-so-clear water. And somehow I was thankful for doing that because, finally, I got to talk to two of my tour mates, Franziska and Marie, both from Germany. (Note: From this point of the story onward, “we” refers to the three of us.)

Waters of Phi Phi Leh, near Viking Cave

A boatman in Viking Cave assists his friend get off the speedboat

Speedboat in Loh Samah

Alas, we were among the first people to return to the boat. We secured the rear seats instead of going back to our former seats, and all of those who sat in front transferred and swapped seats with them Malaysian guys. As we hovered towards the lagoon, we could hear those in front bawl in pain similar to what we experienced from the get-go.

Moving on, we had our snorkeling sesh in Loh Samah Bay. Its blue-green water wasn’t as clear as crystal, perhaps because it was the monsoon season, but fishes could be seen about two feet from the surface. It was fun, but it didn’t meet my expectations. Or maybe because I expected too much.

This is the lagoon in Loh Samah Bay. I wonder why we weren’t given time to swim here!

Off to Maya Bay

Then we came to Maya Bay, the beach popularized by the film “The Beach” (Ha! Get that!) To be honest, I haven’t seen that movie so I couldn’t relate to the frenzy that was happening in the boat, like everybody was so giddy to jump and take pictures of the area. But to me, it didn’t quite deliver. The place was too busy, iron-clad boats occupied the bay, and gazillions of tourists walk past each other on that narrow strip of white sand. And guess what, we were given 30 minutes to swim. How do we do that?

After Maya Bay we came to see Monkey Beach and were only allowed to take pictures of the monkeys on its shore. Yet again, we didn’t take a swim.

Maya Bay, the “highlight” of the islands tour

Gigantic limestone rocks and turquoise waters are what make Maya Bay a favorite destination

This group takes a dip in Monkey Beach

To cap off the tour, we went to Phi Phi Don for lunch. We were led to this restaurant about 10 minutes walk from the main pier. The long queue of tourists in line for buffet came as a surprise, but the served meals were all deliciously good, heavy, and very Thai.

Many travelers go for an overnight stay in Phi Phi Don, shunning the fact that everything here comes with a premium. Take a pee, 10 Baht. Take a sit on a beach chair, 100 Baht. We’re glad that we came here only for a quick visit. Franziska, Marie, and I spent our last extra time on the other side of Phi Phi Don before returning to our boat.

Longtail boat in Phi Phi Don

That small blue warning sign stuck on the post says “Tsunami Evacuation Route”; that building behind is where we had our buffet lunch

The pier in Phi Phi Don

Need rest? Pay 100 Baht to use one of these wooden beach chairs

Our tour was over. From Phi Phi Don, our speedboat zoomed towards Ao Nang. Everyone was tired and sleepy in the boat. Somehow, the tour fell short for its rate of 1,200 Baht per person.

By 4 PM, we were back in Ao Nang. I kept my company with Franziska and Marie until we were all dropped in Krabi later that afternoon. I bade farewell to them and we parted ways to our respective hostels.

Those are the Malaysian travelers who were on the same boat; this time they were checking some souvenirs

Serene afternoon in Ao Nang

I couldn’t wait to share my Phi Phi Islands experience to my roommates in Pak-Up. I scurried to Arts room at the second floor and giddily turned the doorknob. It was locked. When the door swung open, the room was vacated.

Charlotte, Kornelius, Becky and his brother. Long were they all gone. Looking at their empty beds pulled me back to the state of desolation, back in time when I first came to this hostel. Our room that once was lively turned quiet, dark, and cold. Everyone but me had checked out of Pak-Up and it’s sad to know that I wouldn’t see them again. Ever.

After rinsing in the shower, I went downstairs to the common area to find something to cheer my mood up. As I sat on one of the bean bags, I saw two familiar faces passing by the main door. Franziska and Marie!

The rest of the evening was spent on talking, eating, and laughing with them in the Night Market. For one last time, I gave my final goodbye and let the clock tick its final hours. I opened the piece of paper given to me by Marie; hand-written on it was their email addresses.

As of this writing, I haven’t received any responses from them since I dropped an email about two days after I came home. And it dawned on me that whatever happened in Krabi will forever stay in Krabi . . .

The post How to Lose Friends in Krabi: My Phi Phi Islands Story appeared first on kurtzky.

Several months have passed since we traveled to South Korea but I’ve only recently realized that I haven’t yet posted a blog containing the breakdown of our expenses. Many of my friends have asked me how much we spent in our 5-day Korea trip and all I could provide was a rough estimate without giving a bigger picture of what our daily consumption as budget travelers was like. Now that this post is long overdue, allow me to show you how we survived Seoul with only Php20,000 per person.

But wait, 20k? Are you kidding me? That’s already a lot of money! It really is, at least for Filipino standards, but this allowance for a week-long Korean getaway actually lies in the middle of the spectrum; this sum of money can either be short or a bit too much to you. Remember that budget is subject to change depending on your choices of accommodation, food, shopping, transport, and other activities.

Anyway, I think I’m talking too much, so here it is! Please note that this rundown doesn’t include our Manila-Seoul return airfare. You’ll also notice that there are optional items on this list, such as cosmetics, clothes, and various sundries for the mother—if not for her, our expenses could be much lesser. Haha!

Travel Period: March 19-23, 2014
Conversion Rate: 1 PHP = 24.2515 KRW

The post How to enjoy a 5-day Korea trip for less than P20,000 appeared first on kurtzky.

Railay Beach in Krabi Province

For three years in a row I’ve spent my birthday outside my own country to pamper and break free once in a while from the bondage of the corporate world.

This year, I traveled to Krabi Province in Thailand, and what makes this trip extra special is the funny fact that it’s my first time to swim in a saltwater beach outside the Philippine territory, and I never thought the water will be as saline as ours!

Kidding aside, my solo trip to Krabi has let me—yet again—meet short-term friends, experience bittersweet travel moments, and learn life lessons I can ponder on moving forward.

This is how it went off …

Boat ticket counter in Ao Nang

Mind afloat in utter slumber, I kept tucked in the chunky duvet of my humble bunk as I rest my body from the strain of yesterday’s Phi Phi island hopping tour. Slowly I was awakened by the noise of crumpled plastics, clasped buckles, and zipped nylon backpacks; my new roommates, who just came in last night, were packing their clothes, rummaging and stuffing some more, and soon leaving the room for check out. I went back to sleep as if nothing happened.

My alarm finally sounded off at 8 AM. I moved to the edge of my bed, yanked my things from the berth above me, and squeezed all my belongings into my bigger bag. Now it’s my turn to leave, and I’m leaving on my birthday.

Longtail boats anchored in the waters of Ao Nang Beach

From Krabi town I took a passing songthaew (shared cab) to Ao Nang, which is about 30 minutes away. Somehow I’m excited and nervous at the thought of moving to a new place, new hostel, and new set of room mates. Once our cab has made a full circle around Ao Nang town, I was dropped at Slumber Party Hostel at 10 AM.

Extraordinary rock formations are a common scene in the coasts of Krabi

As I was too early for check-in, Sara, the receptionist on duty, told me to wait until 2 PM to get my room key. Since my time is running out and I still have to go to the beach, she let me leave my belongings in the common area while I’m beaching around in Railay.

Okay, so I walked from my hostel to the beach. It was like an endless walk, perhaps about two kilometers non-stop underneath the midday sun. If it wasn’t for the 50 Baht fare for a short ride from Slumber Party to Ao Nang port, I wouldn’t mind walking that long. But man, 50 Baht can feed me already, so yeah.

Upon reaching the port I headed to the ticket booth and got my roundtrip longtail boat tickets to Railay Beach for 200 Baht. We waited until we met the minimum of eight passengers before we set off for Railay.

Longtail boats from Ao Nang dock at West Railay Beach

Boats from Krabi town, on the other hand, arrive and depart in East Railay Beach

Our boat docked in West Railay. It was very hot that time, not ideal to cool down, so I continued walking to East Railay on the opposite side where the viewpoint is located.

Railay is well-known for rock climbing, thanks to the towering karst formations that surround the peninsula. For hardcore climbers, a special place awaits them. For beginners like me, there’s an easier version of rock climbing sans the aid of harnesses and carabiners—I’m talking about East Railay Viewpoint.

The climb to viewpoint starts with a sudden assault. Ropes are installed to assist climbers since the rocks can be slippery. As I was serious about doing this, I wore a pair of trekking shoes just in case the rocks can be sharp and jagged. Indeed they were, but my shoes handled the pain for me. After 30 minutes, I reached the top with a breathtaking panorama of Railay.

This is the starting point up the viewpoint; I’d personally suggest to wear appropriate clothing and footwear when doing the climb

Nothing compares to the spectacular view of Railay peninsula from East Railay viewpoint

Rugged coastline of Railay peninsula

Phra Nang Beach is usually packed with tourists such as this one in photo

The cliff of Phra Nang is also a top choice for rock climbing; somewhere in between those rocks is a top rope installation

Another point of interest near the viewpoint is what they call the lagoon. From my perch, there’s a trail that connects going there. However, since I was walking alone in that eerie hilltop forest, I didn’t have to courage to get down the lagoon so I backed out halfway and diverted back to Phra Nang Beach.

Down in Phra Nang Beach I stayed for more than an hour. I took shelter under the shade of a defoliated tree, observed passing tourists in revealing swimwear, and dipped in the water whenever I feel the need to. The beach isn’t as enticing as what I pictured it, but bumming in the area is a great way to pass time. I didn’t care about getting burnt anyway.

This monkeys look too cute but they can be aggressive; one monkey stealthily made his way close to me, immediately grabbing the box of shortbread I put on the ground while I’m busy taking pictures

Another wonderful moment of seeing a monkey living safe and sound in its habitat

After Phra Nang, I came back to West Railay Beach to spend my last hour in the place. This time I was getting thirsty, so the first thing that came into my mind was to grab a bottle of ice-cold Singha beer from a beachfront bar. I did, and it was like the best beer ever brewed in human history!

Afternoon bliss in West Railay

Beer selfie!

This is the kind of birthday that I’ve always wanted: easygoing, carefree, and full of adventure. This kind of birthday, deflecting from traditions and customs, allows me to appreciate the simplicity and honesty of life without the requisite to throw festive shindigs for acquaintances, distant relatives, and neighbors. For as long as I’ve kicked off the new chapter of my life on such a high energy, everything will be right on track for the rest of the year.

Here’s a final look of Railay before we returned to Ao Nang

The sun is about to set now. Prior to its complete disappearance over the horizon, I walked on the sandy shore of West Railay towards the boat queue, leaving the bottle of beer and my footsteps behind.

The next scene, I was traveling by foot back to my hostel …

The post Krabi Mentality: Quarter-life Celebration in Railay appeared first on kurtzky.

Monk-cum-photographer slings a professional camera from his shoulder while he wanders inside the complex

The Buddhist temple complex of Wat Pho is among the top tourist attractions in Bangkok, Thailand.

For first-time visitors in Bangkok, getting to Wat Pho is like an obligatory task to do when in the capital, and visiting here requires your time, energy, and iota of patience.

Considered one of the highly recognized structures in Thailand, Wat Pho (or the Temple of the Reclining Buddha) is home to a giant gold-plated Buddha statue famed for its comfortable reclining position.

Seeing the humongous Buddha image is definitely the highlight of your visit to Wat Pho—and it can be done in at least one hour.

Wat Pho Admission Fee: 100 Baht (for foreigners)

The exit gate of Wat Pho complex is “guarded” by two big statues

Yet another artistic creation in Wat Pho is this statue of a human

Gold-plated: This is the prominent feature of the reclining Buddha

The gilded upper body of the Buddha taken from the other wing of the temple

This Buddha is so big it’s hard to fit in a single camera frame

Main hall of the reclining Buddha from the outside

A young girl prepares for a festival event in the complex

Colorful banners adorning the courtyard

Gorgeous intricate stupas surrounding the courtyard of Wat Pho

Due to our very limited time on our first visit in Bangkok, we haven’t got the chance to fully explore this immense religious complex. Upon our entry to Wat Pho, we went straight to the main hall where the giant reclining Buddha is found, then we made a quick tour around the big room, and immediately went back to the main courtyard. After that, we had some quick photo ops and then hurried back to our hotel for us to catch our outward flight to Myanmar that afternoon. Easy peasy!

The post Wat Pho: Home of the Giant Reclining Buddha appeared first on kurtzky.

Six countries, numerous cities, zero savings—this is how I would scribble down my year 2014, striking through it some streak of neon green Stabilo Boss then flipping my hour glass of wanderlust to reset for another upcoming year.

2014’s been one helluva ride with priceless travel experiences put together to form what seemed to be a modeled clay of funny stories across Asia—from pretending to be part of an injured entourage just to escape the massive New Year’s Eve crowd in Yogyakarta, to being mistaken for a cannibal in Kathmandu as per a young Nepali street tattooist.

Like what I always say, every year’s getting better, bigger and brighter, and 2014’s the best year thus far. Below you will find my whereabouts in 2014 and how I transitioned from an ordinary yuppie to a grown man badly bitten by the travel bug.

Java, Indonesia (December 30 – January 6)

This was my first solo trip beyond five days. On this traveI I flew in to Jakarta; hopped on a six-hour train to Purwokerto; rode a shabby bus to Wonosobo to Dieng Plateau; zigzagged downhill to Yogyakarta; badly trapped in Jogja’s crazy New Year’s Eve crowd; slept on a (very) cold overnight train to Malang; tried homestay accommodation in highland Ngadas; trekked for three hours to Cemoro Lawang then caught fever afterwards; and lastly, stuck in a terrible flight delay in Surabaya airport returning to Jakarta.

Oh, did I mention that I lost my ATM card in Surabaya? And someone in Cemoro Lawang stole my underwear and a pair of socks I was sun-drying outside of my guesthouse?

Minalungao National Park, Nueva Ecija (January 31)

We drove all the way from Manila to Nueva Ecija to shoot for my sister’s music video school project. That’s all.

Cebu, Philippines (March 1-2)

The most impulsive trip of this year, my flight to Cebu was booked only eight hours before departure thanks to AirAsia’s credit shell system. It just dawned on me one Friday night while sitting at a bookstore that I wanted to try freediving in Cebu ASAP. When I went home that evening, I asked Edwin of Lakbay Diva if they have a freedive session the next day. Upon receiving confirmation, I immediately booked the earliest flight for the day, and voila, I made it to the Queen City of the South and swam in the waters of Mactan together with Nikka and Owen of Two2Travel. The rest of my weekend was spent on food hunting around Cebu City—from trying La Marea’s warm brownie cup to finding the best danggit and chorizo in Taboan Market.

Seoul, Korea (March 19-23)

Who would forget their first snow experience? I wouldn’t! When my mother and I traveled to South Korea for her birthday, it was during the early part of spring so the post-winter cold can still be felt across Korea. Coming from a tropical country where snow is non-existent, our first sight of real snow was heavenly. It was surreal. Traveling to a place with temperature below 10 degrees is already a highlight. Watching snowfall is another.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (April 21 & July 23)

I’ve been to Kuala Lumpur thrice this year. First was when we made an airport connection to Bangkok (is it valid?), second when we came back from Bangkok on that same weeklong trip (consider it valid LOL), and third when I had a 24-hour layover to Nepal. Kuala Lumpur never felt different from our very own Manila—KL may have much better infrastructure and transport system, but the lifestyle and the city vibe are the same as here.

Of all three visits to KL, I never made it to Jalan Alor!

Bangkok, Thailand (April 16)

Part of our Malaysia-Thailand-Myanmar trip was an overnight stay in Bangkok. Me, my mother and my younger siblings have never been to Thailand before, so Bangkok was a total stranger to us. Coming from an airport transit in Kuala Lumpur, we arrived in Don Mueang, took a public bus to Mo Chit, and hopped on the BTS to MBK Center for—you guessed it—shopping. On the next day we did what normal tourists do in Bangkok: temple-hopping!

Myanmar (April 17-20)

“Ang init!” (It’s so hot!) were the first words we uttered upon exiting Yangon International Airport. Not that we despised it as we grew up in a warm country and we are used to high temperatures, but the hotness in Myanmar is something really comparable to an outdoor sauna.

We loved Myanmar. We loved the temples of Bagan, the dusty roads of Mandalay, and the modernizing city of Yangon. What’s bad was when my sister got reprimanded by a bank security guard when the latter saw her taking pictures of me while withdrawing cash from the ATM. That’s probably her worst experience abroad to date! It was scary and fun at the same time.

Kathmandu, Nepal (July 24-27)

Many people are under the impression that Nepal is a piece of land abundant of snowy mountain caps and alpine landscapes. True enough, a big number of travelers are dying to see Mt. Everest from up-close on a special chartered flight, if not climb it by foot.

When I came to visit Nepal I had this mindset of being surrounded by mesmerizing highland terrain, only to be spoiled by the occasional monsoon rain. Despite this shortcoming, I got to enjoy trekking for six hours on Day 1 of my Kathmandu Valley trek, then nine hours on the second. Thankfully, a tiny sliver of snow-capped mountains came into view one morning in highland Chisapani, so my three-day trek paid off.

Krabi, Thailand (September 25-29)

My second time in Thailand, my Krabi trip was as good a birthday vacation as my previous ones, although this time around I spent it on the beach. I met new dorm friends, gorged delicious Thai foods, and tried new solo adventures while being a cheapskate at the same time. Thailand has much likelihood to the Philippines, so I didn’t feel far from home. Amazing Thailand!

Mt. Batulao, Batangas (October 12)

My only climb in the Philippines this year. We started off the trek a little lax, more like a walk in the park on a breezy Saturday morning. But right after lunch at Camp #5, the weather suddenly shifted and transformed the area into a dreadful playground. Who would’ve thought we’d be placed in such a situation where torrential rains combined with sharp flashes of lightning and loud roars of thunder come our way as we hold on slippery rocks and pray for dear lives to be spared while soaked in a mixture of sweat, rainwater, and possibly pee. Our day hike to Mt. Batulao was probably the defining moment of our hiking career.

Hundred Islands, Pangasinan (November 1)

This year I never been to many places in the Philippines as I invested for distant trips out of the country. Last Halloween, while everybody’s off to cemeteries, we took the chance to visit Hundred Islands in Pangasinan. We’re actually surprised with the volume of tourists that were there, considering that it’s a day of observance for the dead. Fortunately it was lesser than normal, so we had the opportunity to own an island even for a short period of time.

So yeah, that’s how my 2014 went off so far. I have one more trip this year and if you wanna know where I’m going, you can check my social media accounts. See you around! I still have to finish packing my bags! :)

The post Year 2014 in retrospect: Where have I been? appeared first on kurtzky.

Traveling to mainland China is every nomad’s fantasy. Great Wall, Terracotta Warriors, Forbidden City—we all dream to see these beautiful places in China. But it won’t come too easy as we need to get first a tourist visa.

While visa application goes as smooth as silk to most travelers, a significant number of Filipino tourists feel that they have to go through the eye of the needle to successfully acquire a visa to China. There’s still this notion that getting a Chinese visa is like going through the mill, so Filipino travelers are afraid to take chances especially now that there’s some territorial disputes going on between China and the Philippines. China, for some, is nothing but an elusive dream.

Good news is, China is actually within our reach; it’s neither harmful nor difficult to get there. I myself took the risk and got hold of my tiny speck of certainty of being granted a Chinese tourist visa. And tell you what, I finally got it! In this post you will find the simple steps on how to apply for a China tourist visa here in the Philippines.

Step 1: Prepare the basic requirements

Basic visa requirements include:

1. Passport valid for at least another six (6) months from the date of application and with at least one blank visa page. Submit the original passport and make sure to include photocopy of the passport’s information/photo page and emergency contact page.

2. Visa Application Form filled out truthfully and completely. Do not leave any field blank. If the question does not apply to you, write N/A. You can download the visa application form online.

3. Colored Photo with white background, recent and front view, in 48mm x 33mm size, and must be glued to the appropriate field on the application form. Do not staple/tape/clip the photo.

4.1 Invitation letter if you are staying at a friend’s or relative’s house in China. It must contain the following information:

• Applicant’s full name, gender, date of birth, etc.
• Purpose of travel, places to visit, relationship of the inviting person to the applicant, who will be paying for the trip expenses, etc.
• Information on the inviting individual, such as name, contact details, address, official stamp, and the like. The consular officer may require the applicant to submit the original of the invitation letter, but the invitation letter can come in the form of fax, photocopy or printout.

4.2 If you do not have an invitation letter from China, you must submit the following:

• Travel itinerary indicating the dates and activities for each day. A space is provided on the application form, but you may type it on a separate paper if necessary
• Round-trip airline tickets
• Hotel reservation if you are staying in a hotel. Printout of your booking confirmation or voucher will do.

Additional requirements for first time China visa applicants include:

• Bank Certificate to prove that you are financially capable for the trip
• Certificate of Employment for employees, with details of salary and length of employment, and your most recent BIR Income Tax Return or Form 2316.
• Business Registration Certificate for self-employed individuals

If you could not provide the aforementioned documents, a letter of explanation is required.

Step 2: Submit your visa application

You can submit your visa application directly at the Consular Section of Chinese Embassy in Makati. It is advisable to be there before 8:30 AM for faster processing. A staff by the door will check your requirements and will give you a queue number. Wait for your number to be called, go to the assigned window, submit your papers, and wait for your pink claim slip. Submission of visa application is Monday-Friday from 9 AM to 11 AM only. Their office address is at 2nd Floor The World Center, 330 Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City, Philippines.

Another option is through an accredited travel agency. This is a more convenient choice than to do it on your own. I originally planned to have my visa processed by an agency since I had doubts with my papers, but later on I decided to apply independently for the sake of experience. I’ve reached out to Uni Orient and Pan Pacific, both established travel agencies, and they were pretty responsive to my queries. Avenix Travel also helped me on the initial stage. A minimal service fee will be collected by these agencies on top of the actual visa fee.

Step 3: Pay the visa fee and claim your passport

If you have directly applied at the embassy, you must return to the same office on the date indicated in your pink claim slip. While having this slip means that your documents have passed preliminary screening, it does not warrant an approved tourist visa, so there’s a chance that your passport will be returned to you with or without a visa in it. Almost the same steps apply as in Step # 2: go to the Chinese embassy from 9 AM to 11 AM, get your queue number from the officer at the front door (this time, you’re queuing at the passport pick-up window), and wait for your number to be called.

If you have submitted your application through a travel agency, there’s no need for you to go the embassy unless deemed necessary. Your provisioning agency will be the one to give you updates on the status of your application.

Regular visa processing takes four (4) working days. Visa fee are as follows:

• Single Entry – PHP 1,400
• Double Entry – PHP 2,100
• Multiple Entry (for 6 months) – PHP 2,800
• Multiple Entry (for 12 months) – PHP 4,200

The post How to apply for a China tourist visa in the Philippines appeared first on kurtzky.

An impressive edifice, a steel-clad structure that typifies modern architecture came into view when I exited from the subway station. Shadowed by the handsome building was a seamlessly tiled plaza packed with a busy afternoon crowd all wrapped in generous layers of winter garb.

As I drew nearer to the structure, my eyes looked for some familiar signs. Tickets. Exit. Ah, Entrance. The challenge to find common English words roused my excitement. I followed the movement of the crowd, now being filtered by steel barriers, as they trudged towards the main door. Identity check. I handed my ticket and passport, entered through a strip of fridge curtains, and poof!, I’m inside the train station. An X-ray scanner. Security check.

I’m now at the concourse. From my perch I could see coffee shops, fast food restaurants, and specialty boutiques. Above was a bright LED screen listing train departures and assigned loading bays, switching contents in a matter of seconds. Most of the words were written in foreign characters but my eyes managed to interpret which gate we are boarding from.

Welcome to China, brain said.

Long-distance trains are an affordable option to travel across China, that’s why majority of the Chinese population prefer to ride them than airplanes

Scoring the best bed on a Chinese sleeper train is like winning the grand prize at the lottery. Seat and bed assignments are randomly selected by their automated ticketing system. That’s what makes China trains even more exciting!

Varied cultures

The escalator brought me to the upper floor of Shanghai Railway Station. My thoughts were pretty mixed up this time. So many questions piled up in my mind as I dragged my stuff along. What if my baggage exceeded the allowed weight? Should I go down to KFC to buy dinner? Why is it already dark outside when it’s only 4 PM?

Dozens of passengers gathered at the waiting area. I secured a seat in the middle of the hall, amid groups of rowdy passengers on smartphones and instant noodles. The crowd didn’t seem to mind as I waded through their bags crammed with personal items and other whatnots. The room was filled with crescendos of laughter followed by unexpected hawking and spitting, vehement but friendly discussions, and back to series of laughter.

This is China. Culture shock has kicked in.

Same timezone but no Filipino time

When the boarding gates finally swung open, we strode down to the train platform towards our respective carriages. All I could hear then was the sound of wheels, the noise of bags pulled by hasty passengers. I walked—no, I almost ran—to our carriage when I felt the Chinese train was too long to gauge. As I made it to our door, I showed my ticket and passport to the steward and scurried to my assigned berth. Finally, bed!

Right on time, the engine started and the train propelled towards the direction of faraway Beijing. As if on cue, passengers grabbed their plastic bags of food provisions and started opening them right away. Someone, somewhere, a newcomer was staring blankly at the window, watching the night devoured the final trace of short daylight. He thought, “Is the sunset too early in China or is it always too late in the Philippines?”

Facade of Beijing Railway Station, with some parts under renovation

China has become synonymous to factories and other manufacturing facilities. Seeing something like this is a no brainer

Taking the train gives you a bigger opportunity to get a real feel of China, to see people from different walks of life, and to observe how travelers interact with fellow travelers

Made in China

Memory tried to refresh itself: the last time I took a long-distance train prior to China was in Indonesia, which was about a year ago, and obviously, the latter doesn’t come close to the former. Kudos to the Chinese sleeper train: the efficient use of space, the breadth, the idea of putting six beds in one small compartment. The washroom, albeit very basic, was cleaner than I thought it would be. I was impressed. I wished the same for my country.

Come next morning, when the train steward turned on the lights to wake us up, things started to get busy at the corridor—first half of passengers would line up at the washroom to freshen up, the other half would go to the other side of the carriage to get their share of scalding hot water. Everyone was back to their regular programming: beyond instant noodles, cucumbers, cigarettes, and boisterous conversations. Back to business, the Chinese way.

Train passengers arriving at Harbin Railway Station. China trains tend to be crowded (and noisy) at times

Being different could make a difference

“You. Handsome”, a middle-aged Chinese man on the opposite bunk said to me in broken English. We were aboard the Shanghai-Beijing train. “I’m—what?”, I chuckled. I thought I heard something strange, something new to my sense of hearing. Of all places I’ve been to, only in China did I hear such compliment. Or was it even a compliment? “Your face”, he drew a face around his to affirm what he had spoken. “Oh, thanks!”, I smiled and drowned the thought in my sleep.

You look very handsome. These were the exact words written on the smartphone of a girl in her early 20’s assigned on the bunk above me. We were traveling from Beijing to Jilin. She could not speak English fluently so she used her phone to do the Pinyin-English translation for her. Strike two of being handsome. Seriously, what the hell is going on here? “Your eyes. Big!”, she added. I smiled. I laughed.

As fast as a bullet

Our 2-hour bullet train ride from Jilin to Harbin happened too fast I never had time to collect my thoughts!

Our train stopped at this railway station five hours after we departed Harbin for Shanghai. It took us more than 24 hours to reach the latter

While most Chinese travelers prefer to bring their own food, vendors like her sell food items on the train so that passengers won’t be left hungry throughout the journey

A taste of real China

Take a long-distance train if you want to get a real feel of China. Many Chinese travelers prefer to travel by train across the country, so chances are you’ll meet different people from different walks of life in there. This could give you a better opportunity to have an insight of China’s diverse culture, to meet new instant friends, and to get a fresher appreciation of the country.

When taking the train, one cannot escape the fact that there’s somebody out there who would try to talk to you despite the all-too-familiar language barrier. Chinese are expressive people: they would try their hardest, even if they literally run of out words, for as long as they get their point across albeit poor English construction. Tell you what, if it wasn’t for them, my journey across China would have become boring and less interesting.

Beyond boundaries

The moment I stepped onto our train bound for Jilin from Beijing I told myself I had to finish the book I brought with me on the trip. I won’t talk to anyone for a few hours, I said. I lay on my bed, flicked the reading light, and turned the pages of my book. I’ve finished a few pages when I saw the two guys at the opposite lower berth—both happened to be sharing a meal of sausage, chicken feet, and some cans of beer—looking at me. One of them broke the ice and spoke to me in Chinese. I gave him a puzzled look, and I said I’m from the Philippines. “Oh, Philippineee!”, they were so delighted they offered me a Yanjing beer. I stopped my reading and popped the can.

Now here comes the interesting part. Territorial disputes might have transpired between China and the Philippines, but I could say that the treatment of Chinese people towards Filipinos remains genuine. “Ah-chee-no! Your president. We love his mother, what she did for your country”, said the older guy. I didn’t see it coming. I was in awe when he mentioned Aquino—even if he mispronounced it—and Marcos. This guy probably got high marks in world history.

Even thick layers of snow have formed outside, it was still business as usual at Jilin Railway Station

Territorial disputes might have transpired between China and the Philippines, but I could say that the treatment of Chinese people towards Filipinos remains genuine

Close to home

My great grandfather was a refugee from Amoy, now known as Xiamen, in the province of Fujian. That makes me one-eight Chinese. I suppose it’s safe to say that there’s a tinge of Chinese trait in my blood, and probably the reason why I could easily get along with them pure Chinese regardless of the inevitable communication problem in between.

When I was aboard the 25-hour train from Harbin to Shanghai, my vision extending beyond the scenic Chinese countryside, I felt like I don’t want to come back to the Philippines yet. While half of me would like to go home, the other half would say, “No, China is home for now…”

The post Tales from the rails of China appeared first on kurtzky.

As soon as winter in China sets in, thousands of tourists flock to Harbin for a one-of-a-kind winter scene.

Beginning mid-December, China’s northern city of Harbin, Heilongjiang Province transforms into a festive winter wonderland that exhibits splendid sculptures, magical castles and inviting outdoor slides, all made of ice.

Sun Island, specifically, holds the Harbin Ice and Snow World which offers an impressive display of assembled ice embellished with bright multicolored lights. Ice and Snow World draws the biggest volume of crowd among other attractions in Harbin during the ice festival.

But with temperature plummeting to as low as -20°C, Harbin can get very cold during winter. Since all activities in the ice festival are held outdoors, visitors must come ready for the subarctic climate by bundling up with layers of warm clothes to prevent frostbite and hypothermia.

When I went to Harbin Ice and Snow World on New Year’s Eve, I was like a frozen meat. I had to do quick runs to the toilet to thaw my then frozen self. Many a time I had to return to a warm enclosed space—in most cases, the toilet—after spending about 30 minutes outdoor so as to sustain my body temperature.

I simply couldn’t withstand the cold. Perhaps my longest exposure outside was when I was queuing at the ice slides and my body parts had gone senseless—the feeling that they’re there but not there. My hands, covered with thermal gloves, felt numb. My feet were anesthetic. My face felt like it was being peeled apart.

Then at some point I realized, “Ginusto ko ‘to, eh!” (I wanted this!)

I came to Harbin Ice and Snow World at 4:30 PM and stayed until closing time at 9:30 PM. Five hours of exposure to Harbin’s severe cold is nothing compared to five hours of pure happiness.

While a part of me misses the frosty wonderland, the thought of freezing back there gives me the chills.

Needless to say, I enjoyed it. It being made in China.

The post A frosty visit to Harbin Ice and Snow World appeared first on kurtzky.

Road music drowned my ears and a pair of sunglasses concealed my heavy eyes. The brain would command my senses to hibernate for a while, but the auditory nerve would send back familiar tunes to dear brain, as if enticing the latter to keep me hooked to the songs as we travel the road from Pasay to Nasugbu. I was in awful shape and all I needed then was a decent sleep.

Many times I would topple to a snooze, but the bus would suddenly brake and swerve and overtake. It wouldn’t stop; I never slept. Within the next hour, our bus was ascending to Tagaytay. Up, up, and finally we were cruising through the highland haze. Down below, Taal Volcano was hidden from view; the trees that flanked the highway looked unhappy; the town seemed to be subdued by the sluggish amihan morning. It wasn’t full of life, so to speak.

Contour of Mt. Batulao from afar

Our bus drove further afield until we reached Evercrest, our destination. Wedged between the towns of Tagaytay and Nasugbu, Evercrest is the starting point of hikers to Mt. Batulao, to which new-goers like me would ask, “Ano ba yung Evercrest?”

Along the highway were homes-cum-shower areas, modest canteens with cheap eats, and sari-sari stores with various merchandise. On the opposite side was a small roundabout with an offshoot road to where we were set to begin the trek. While some hikers prefer to walk from the main road to the jump-off, our group of six opted to take it easy, hence the tricycle ride for about 10 minutes.

I’ve never been to Mt. Batulao in the past but I’ve heard great things about the place. I’ve also seen photos of its beautiful rocky ridges—I kind of liked it even in pictures. And to be honest, I was expecting a pleasant surprise on our day hike to Batulao, but never did I anticipate that the said trek would be the defining moment of our mountaineering career, if there’s any. You’ll know why.

The first part of the trek was like a walk in a farm. Even a five-year old will consider it a playground

But when we stepped on the grassy ridges, we braced for a more serious business

Walking through these thick bushes could give minor scratches. What more if you’re dashing through them

Here’s where the dirt path to Mt. Batulao split into two: Old Trail to the left and New Trail to the right

My friend examined the area as if she’s doing an ocular inspection of her future land

Couldn’t sense any adventure yet? How about this makeshift bamboo bridge over a stream?

By this time we’re already sweating gallons so we decided to take rest under the trees at Camp #1

We wanted this climb to be different. We originally planned to cook cordon bleu and carbonara at the campsite, but we ended up sauteing corned beef, dried fish and scrambled eggs instead. Haha!

Right after lunch at Camp #5, the weather shifted and transformed the area into a dreadful playground

Sudden downpour drenched us in sweat and rainwater while en route to the summit

Who would’ve thought we’d be placed in such a situation where torrential rains combined with sharp flashes of lightning and loud roads of thunder come our way as we hold on to slippery rocks

What an unforgettable (mis)adventure that was!

Soaked in a nasty amalgam of sweat, rainwater, and possibly pee, we had nothing to do but pray for dear lives to be spared

The erratic weather might have put us to a test, but at the end of the day we all emerged as victors

Now we could go back to our playground and listen to the sound of grass blowing in the wind as if nothing happened

We pushed through towards the New Trail and finished the whole Batulao hike in 7 hours

If you’d ask me what it’s like to climb Mt. Batulao, I’d say it’s a piece of cake. Mud cake.

Ever had that experience in grade school when the rain suddenly poured and you had no raincoat to cover with? That same shuddering wetness, that feeling of being soaked in the rain, was what we felt during our climb to the summit of Mt. Batulao.

Will I ever come back? Perhaps yes, but not soon.

The post Mt. Batulao: I’m not coming back soon appeared first on kurtzky.

“Ano nga ulit ang lambak? O sige, si Kurtzky”, for some reason, a friend in the van asked me to describe what a valley looks like. Lambak. Oh shoot, hold on. A short pause, my mind spiraled down a helix of brain data and combed through a clutter of loose memory threads till it finally plucked from my knowledge shack remnants of Sibika at Kultura. Like tiny bubbles rising from the pit of a convulsed soda, my adrenaline shot sky high as soon as I remembered the descriptive words for valley. Eureka!

With the vehicle constantly moving towards Pico de Loro, I understood why my friend asked about valley and some other land forms: from my seat I could now see dozens of swaying trees, traces of wooded hills, and an all-too-familiar winding road reminiscent of Bitukang Manok. The van then meandered gently through the twisted road overlooking the sea, descended gracefully towards the foot of the hill, and followed the remaining bends down to the main entrance of our destination.

Facade of the seven-storey Pico Sands Hotel

After two hours drive from Manila, we arrived at Pico de Loro Beach and Country Club in Nasugbu. Like BGC is to Taguig and Ayala is to Makati, Pico de Loro Cove is to this immense piece of land in Batangas, wedged between the echoes of the jungle and the ripple of the sea. Even before the vehicle drove further inside the exclusive property, my eyes were already fixed on the upscale buildings encompassing the Hamilo Coast development.

View of the lagoon and residential clusters from our room’s balcony on the fifth floor of Pico Sands Hotel

The tranquil lagoon as seen from Pico Restaurant

Our van made its final stop at the front door of Pico Sands Hotel, our home for the night, and then we headed right away to the reception area for check-in. Pico Sands Hotel is a seven-storey hotel that has 154 spacious rooms equipped with modern amenities offering impressive views of the mountains and the lagoon. Our room on the fifth floor gave us a refreshing sight of the lagoon and nearby residential buildings.

Our bedroom in Pico Sands Hotel

Equipped with a flat screen TV and unlimited Wi-fi access, we wouldn’t want to leave our room on the fifth floor

My friends and I met again downstairs once we had refreshments in our rooms. Hungry from the two-hour car travel from Manila, we agreed to grab some snack first at Pico Restaurant located at the lobby of Pico Sands Hotel before we went for an afternoon stroll.

Pico Restaurant specializes in Mediterranean cuisine. What could’ve been a light afternoon snack became an early dinner feast for we ordered different kinds of pasta dishes, two types of thin-crust pizza, an assortment of smoothies and shakes, and a saucer of mozarella sticks. Of all these dishes on the table, Milo Dinosaur and Penne Inigo were my ultimate favorites.

Interior of Pico Restaurant

My ultimate favorite, Penne Inigo

Four Cheese Pizza

Spaghetti Shrimp Diablo

After merienda, we took a shuttle from Pico Sands Hotel to Saint Therese of the Child Jesus Chapel, an all-glass structure perched on a hill overlooking the coast. A friend’s sister had her wedding at this chapel, and based on the look of it, it is indeed an intimate spot to have a Catholic wedding ceremony. Plus, a glorious sunset awaits over at the deck!

View deck at Saint Therese of the Child Jesus Chapel

From the chapel we went down Pico de Loro beach. Lined with wooden loungers and filled with powdery sand, the coastline was inviting for a swim, but since it’s getting dark and little windy, we opted to just take pictures of the blue hour.

The beach at Pico de Loro Cove

Facing the shore was a beach-side bar called Reef Bar, and adjacent to it is the exclusive Pico de Loro Beach Club. My friends and I agreed to have our dinner at Reef Bar, and so we ordered food in advance before we return to Pico Sands Hotel to get another quick rest.

En route to Pico Sands from Reef Bar, we slowed down a bit as we took a walk to get our stomachs ready for dinner that’s gonna happen in the next hour. We walked past the condominium buildings facing the lagoon, towards Pico de Loro Country Club, and finished the loop at the hotel.

Blue hour over at Reef Bar

Bowling area at Pico Country Club

Come dinner o’clock, we returned to Reef Bar by shuttle. And even though we could still feel the weight of our afternoon merienda, we couldn’t resist the sumptuous, mouth-watering dinner meal of grilled liempo, chicken, tilapia, and prawns served at Reef Bar. For dessert we ordered Pan Choco Gateau, a flourless baked chocolate cake served with strawberry syrup, vanilla ice cream and custard sauce. It was top-notch!

Aaah, prawns!

Grilled chicken

Pan Choco Gateau

The night ended on a high note at the veranda of Pico Restaurant where we lazed under the Pico sky, imbibing local beer by the bottleful. Our chat was so riveting we didn’t notice we finished in the wee hours.

Buffet breakfast at Lagoa

The following morning, our buffet breakfast was served at Lagoa located at the ground floor of the nearby Pico de Loro Country Club. With a relaxing landscape of the pools and surrounding palm trees, having an early meal at Lagoa definitely translates to having ‘breakfast with a view’. Here, one would enjoy a cup of coffee while watching other guests bask in the morning sun.

Heavy breakfast of tinapa, egg, longganisa, bacon, garlic rice, and fresh fruits

View of the pool from Lagoa

Of course, our stay at Pico de Loro wouldn’t be complete without us plunging into its state of the art swimming pool. Minutes after our heavy breakfast, we tossed our stuff onto the loungers at the side of pool and finally frolicked in its bright turquoise water.

Other guests having a morning swim

Look how lovely the pool is!

As soon as we finished our morning swim, we all headed for another walk to Pico Beach Club where we would spend the rest of the day. Upon arrival at Sun Coral Cafe, the restaurant at Pico Beach Club, we immediately ordered our lunch for we were all famished.

Time for some selfie by the lagoon

Breezy noon at the lagoon

Glimpse of the residential buildings in Pico de Loro Cove

Short hanging bridge leading to a man-made islet

Unlike other restaurants in Pico de Loro Cove, Sun Coral Cafe serves mainly Filipino dishes. For lunch we had typical Filipino fare including seafood sinigang, sinigang na liempo, pork binagoongan, kare-kare, and crispy pata. And tell you what, Sun Coral Cafe has got the best-tasting kare-kare dish I ever had! Seriously, it was really good, so flavorful, and so Pinoy!

Crispy pata, you like?

The pool at Pico de Loro Beach Club

Sun Coral Cafe, where the best kare-kare can be found!

As the hours came by we would just want to sit outside Sun Coral Cafe and enjoy the breeze of the sea. While some friends went on a dip in the beach, others stayed at the restaurant’s veranda. And when it was time for us to prepare for check out, we took a shuttle back to Pico Sands Hotel and readied ourselves for departure.

Having a fancy weekend getaway does not need to be far from home. After spending a couple of days in China, I thought that our weekend trip to Pico de Loro was an early taste of Philippine summer and my sweet respite from the bitter Chinese winter. Absolutely pleasing!

Membership at Pico de Loro Beach & Country Club

The Pico de Loro Beach & Country Club is the closest world-class private beach club to Metro Manila. With the most extensive land- and sea-based recreational facilities in the Nasugbu area, membership at the Pico de Loro Beach & Country Club means unrestricted access to all Beach & Country Club facilities that can be extended to immediate family members.

Membership Inquiries

Costa del Hamilo, Inc. – Sales Department
4F One Ecom Center, SM Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City, Philippines
Phone: (+63 2) 945-8000

The post Pico de Loro Beach & Country Club: Sweet escape from Metro Manila’s hustle and bustle appeared first on kurtzky.

When I booked my round-trip flight to China from a low-cost carrier six months ahead of my travel date, a big part of me wasn’t really sure whether my trip will happen or not. Back then, I had a lot of doubts. My ultimate concern was getting my Chinese tourist visa. What if I can’t amass the required proof of funds as some online sources would point up? What if my visa application gets denied? What if I don’t make it to China ever?

Great Wall of China at Jinshanling-Simatai

A couple of years back, I traveled to Hong Kong, one of China’s administrative regions. It being my first international trip, it had me asking to push further, to go beyond Hong Kong and cross the border to mainland China. I swore to myself that in due time, I’ll make it to mainland.

Then I got the chance. I was able to score cheap airfare to China. I had six months to prepare for the said trip. I did a lot of research, I stocked up some cash in my bank account. In six months I read travel guides, searched for visa tips, and browsed photos of beautiful places in China. So, when I succeeded in acquiring my Chinese tourist visa, I was totally stoked that I immediately drafted my China travel budget!

Saint Sophia Cathedral in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province

I traveled across China for 10 days. I flew in to Shanghai, took an overnight train to Beijing, made another connection to Jilin, then up to city of Harbin before coming back to Shanghai aboard a 25-hour sleeper train.

Guess what? The entire trip cost me approximately PHP 34,000 (around USD 770) including round-trip Manila-Shanghai economy flights, four long-distance train rides, hostel accommodations, food expenses, park admissions, everything! If you’re wondering how I survived with such amount, here’s the outline of my expenses.

Travel Period: December 25, 2014 – January 4, 2015
Conversion Rate: 1 CNY= 7 PHP

The post 10 Days in China: My China Travel Budget appeared first on kurtzky.

A dim sum basket arrives on your table and you see wisps of silver smoke escaping through the holes of its bamboo lid. Slowly, your excitement grows, your eyes widen, and your mouth gapes as your arm reaches for the top cover. You remove the lid, steam subsides, and you finally see what’s inside.

A moment of silence and you’re heavy breathing. You pick up your pair of chopsticks and you gently pull the food out of the basket. You take your first bite and you suddenly feel the urge to get another one. Second bite. Third.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is what we call the Chinese dim sum effect. Those cute little creations, albeit simple in presentation, never fail to gratify our gastronomic desires. They tickle our palates; they taste so good. They are so yummy we can binge on them without feeling guilty.

FRESHLY MADE. Skilled cooks of Yang’s Dumplings in Shanghai prepare the restaurant’s signature dumplings

In China, dim sum is very popular. A country with a massive land area capable of supporting roughly 20% of the world’s population, there’s no denying that China is home to the world’s finest dim sum staples. As a matter of fact, they can be easily found in restaurants and food stands scattered across every Chinese neighborhood.

When you come to visit Shanghai, China’s most developed megalopolis, don’t forget to try the indigenous dim sum delicacies that are generally sold here. One of Shanghai’s popular food streets is Huanghe Road where you can find some of the best-tasting steamed and fried dumplings Shanghai has to offer. Two restaurants along Huanghe Road that I’d personally recommend are Jia Jia Tang Bao and Yang’s Dumplings.

EVERYDAY SCENE. Customers line up outside Jia Jia Tang Bao along Huanghe Road in Shanghai

Jia Jia Tang Bao

What to try: Crab and Pork Xia Long Bao
How much: CNY 27 (basket of 12)

Jia Jia Tang Bao 佳家汤包 is your typical Chinese sit-down restaurant. It’s unpretentious, noisy and packed. Most of the time you have to queue outside before you can order your food and get served. The restaurant mainly serves steamed stuff buns, locally known as xia long bao, best paired with shredded ginger and special vinegar. Prices vary from CNY 13 to CNY 99—the most expensive is the one with pure crab fillings.

Finding Jia Jia Tang Bao is a bit of a challenge for non-Chinese gastronomes as the name of the restaurant outside is in full Chinese characters. It doesn’t have an English menu either; everything is written in Chinese and all of the staff speak Chinese. If you’re a non-Mandarin speaker like me, sign language will do, but a little help from English-speaking diners would be better.

HOT SOUP. This delicious crab and pork xia long bao costs CNY 27. Be aware of the hot soup filling inside!

JUXTAPOSE. Customers line outside while others wait for their food to be served inside

Yang’s Dumplings

What to try: Pork and Shrimp Dumpling Mix
How much: CNY 11 (four pieces)

Just across the street from Jia Jia Tang Bao is another dumpling haven called Yang’s Dumplings 小样生煎. The signature dish of this restaurant is the fried version of xia long bao. The buns are filled with seasoned meat, pan-fried until perfection, and sprinkled with sesame seeds for added flavor and texture. While the golden color of the dumpling when cooked is irresistibly inviting, be aware that the bun has a scalding soup filling. Nonetheless, it’s delectable!

HUNGRY. Here’s my order of Yang’s Dumpling (CNY 6) and Pork/Shrimp Dumpling Mix (CNY 11)

SECRET INGREDIENT. The pan-fried dumplings are sprayed with water during cooking

So, if you’re craving for street snacks in Shanghai and you don’t know where to go, better head out to Huanghe Road and discover a feast of local food finds available therein.

How to get to Huanghe Road

Take Subway Line 2 to People’s Square. Take Exit 8 then cross West Nanjing Road. Follow the sidewalk to your left and turn right at Huanghe Road. Continue your way through Huanghe Road past Fengyang Road until you see the aforementioned restaurants.

The post Best Street Snacks in Shanghai: Jia Jia Tang Bao and Yang’s Dumplings appeared first on kurtzky.

Having lived most of my life in the south, I always find it a struggle to travel to Metro Manila’s farther north. As a commuter who experiences each day the burden of our transport scheme, I couldn’t find efficient means to travel through the cities in between.

After I attended the wedding of a former officemate in Malabon, I chose not to come home and rather stay with traveler friends in Quezon City. This way I could avoid the long journey from the tip of EDSA to the end, and still have the luxury to chill and party with kyusi friends.

We checked in at Brentwood Suites, a newly opened business hotel located along Dr. Garcia Street, only a few steps from the busy Quezon Avenue. While the nine-story hotel is ideally for travelers on business trips and conventions, it is actually also a go-to place for those who are into pure leisure and relaxation like us.

The reception area of Brentwood Suites has a comfortable sofa where guests can wait and spend time to relax

This stainless letter piece stands on the reception desk of Brentwood Suites

Our spacious Premiere Twin Room has two separate beds equipped with soft pillows and mattresses covered with clean linen and stylish bed quilt

Our room also has a sleek working table furnished with a contemporary table lamp

Complete custom toiletries provided in the bathroom

Despite being hungover from the previous night’s beer session in Timog, we woke up early the next morning to make it on time for the buffet breakfast. We gathered at the hotel’s in-house restaurant, Cafe Elements, and indulged in its array of oriental dishes.

After breakfast, we were joined by one of the staff in checking the rest of the hotel facilities.

Cafe Elements is the in-house restaurant of Brentwood Suites

Filipino breakfast at Cafe Elements

Premier King Bed

The living room of Junior Suite

Deluxe bedroom

Junior Suite comes with a bigger bathroom

The fitness center at the penthouse of Brentwood Suites

I could live forever in the Deluxe room if given the chance

Compact dining area and kitchen of Deluxe room

Here’s one of the 3 function rooms where guests can hold business meetings and conventions

Brentwood Suites is located along Dr. Garcia Sr. in Quezon City

To be honest, Quezon City used to be one of the areas that are beyond my comfort zone. I regarded QC as too crowded, chaotic, and unsafe for my type of conventional travel in the past.

But later on, the more I visited QC, the more I adapted and finally considered it as just another home city. Brentwood Suites is another positive contributing factor to it.

The post Brentwood Suites, Quezon City: New Home on the Block appeared first on kurtzky.

“Great Wall Tour!”, summoned the receptionist on duty at Peking Yard Hostel. I immediately raised my hand when I heard her call then I stood up, grabbed my backpack from the side of my seat, and marched towards the reception desk. “The bus is coming”, she said as she turned me over to an elder guy at the front door. The hostel gate swung open and the elder man and I walked through the quietness of the morning at Wangzhima Hutong.

It was 7°C in Beijing. While I could actually just curl up in my bed, warm and cozy the whole day, I chose to gear up for our Jinshanling-Simatai Great Wall activity. “Am I the only one from Peking Yard?”, I asked the elder man. “Yes”, he nodded. He was a fluent English speaker, so our conversation went on until we met the main road.

Waiting for our tourist bus at the end of Wangzhima Hutong

We stopped at the side walk. I could now feel the winter seeping into my face. After about five minutes, a fair-skinned lady in her late 20’s could be seen scurrying towards us. The man waved to her and she beamed back. When she stopped in front of us, she was introduced to me as our tour guide for the day. On cue, I bade my farewell to the old man and joined the lady as we crossed the street towards the tourist bus parked next to a curb.

All eyes on me when I walked down the aisle of the bus. The seats have already been occupied by other tourists and I felt uncomfortable as I searched for a vacant seat. When I saw one along the aisle, I carefully took my backpack off my shoulder and squeezed it into the cramped leg room before I sat down.

Stopover at a gasoline station outside Beijing

The tour guide introduced herself and ended her spiel by giving each of us an orange baller. After providing a brief background of Jinshanling-Simatai Great Wall tour, the bus set off at 8:55 AM. Except for one stopover at a gasoline station at an outskirt of Beijing, our bus traveled continuously over expressways fringed with scenic views of the Chinese winter.

We arrived at Jinshanling visitors area exactly three hours since we departed Beijing. The arrangement of our Great Wall tour is that the bus would drop us off at the starting point in Jinshanling section of the Great Wall and would pick us up later in the afternoon at a different location close to our ending point in Simatai.

Our tour group gathered outside the main gate of the Jinshanling section of the Great Wall

From the parking lot we traveled by foot to the main gate. Our tour guide reiterated the scope of our Jinshanling Great Wall hike. She mentioned hints on which watchtowers would we feel exhausted the most and which parts are the easiest to accomplish. She emphasized that we should be at the final watchtower before the guards lock it at 3 PM, and that we should complete the hike as fast as we could without compromising our sightseeing. Our guide didn’t join us in the hike—she only gave us instructions on where would we end up.

Our short hike to the first watchtower

We started at 12 NN. It took us around 10 minutes to walk from the ticket gate to the foot of the Wall. The wintry mountain air brushed through my exposed neck and I thought I would succumb to the cold for the rest of the hike. But as soon as we found ourselves climbing the steps up the first watchtower, my body acquired enough warmth—too warm that I began sweating even at the first part.

Outline of the Great Wall

When we emerged from the watchtower, we finally saw the picturesque scenery over at the Jinshansling section of the Great Wall. The rugged brick structure undulating over hilltops, the scenic contrast of Earth and sky tones, the entire tranquility of the place. It was surreal. I couldn’t believe I made it to this side of the planet. It was beautiful.

Sudden assault to the next watchtower

The length of the Great Wall was intimidating but the glorious scenery kept us going

Winding up over mountaintops

The Great Wall at Jinshanling is said to be the best to visit among other spots

So close yet so far!

Ruins at the Wall

Shadow selfie at the Great Wall of China

The tourists from my group were fast hikers. Two possible reasons: maybe I consumed so much time taking pictures, or I was really a poky hiker. I couldn’t make it up to their speed. Most of the time I was behind the pack. Is it because my limbs were shorter than theirs? Maybe. Or is it because they’re all seasoned climbers? I don’t think so.

The Great Wall at Jinshanling is said to be the best place to visit among other Great Wall sections due to the least volume of visitors it receives on a daily basis. Being remote and far from Beijing, only those joining organized tours flock to Jinshanling and they can have the entire stretch of the Wall to themselves.

Moving on to the next watchtower

Some parts of the Great Wall at Jinshanling have undergone restoration

Jinshanling Great Wall is the place to be if you want to avoid the tourist crowd

A watchtower standing on a rugged cliff

Taking a short break from the hike

Are we there yet? Nope!

The ruins at the Great Wall give a sense of rawness to the place as a whole

Hole in the Wall

Here comes the difficult part of the trek

I was sweating profusely. I could feel that my shirt was already dripping in sweat. My windbreaker jacket effectively fought the winter cold, but at the same time caused my sweat glands to loosen up too much. I decided to take a couple of stops along the wall, removing my jacket to let fresh air flow through my wet tee shirt.

Then I was famished. We started our trek exactly at noon, and we didn’t have the luxury of time to grab some lunch before the hike. We were informed beforehand to bring our own food so we could eat our meal whenever we feel the need to. I waited till we reached the most difficult portion of the trail, and I stopped at a watchtower midway to have my light lunch. I threw my backpack to the corner, removed my heavy jacket, and opened my can of tuna paella and breads.

I spent a quarter of an hour enjoying lunch inside the ruined watchtower. That’s the very least I could do to let my shirt and jacket go dry after several minutes of sweating at the Wall.

Fellow tourists clambering up the ruins of the Great Wall

Such a perfect place to relax

The moon could already be seen up above

We’re all dead tired this time around

Almost near the final watchtower

Few more steps and we’re there!

A tower guard sits next to a cliff

We were so pumped up we didn’t notice we went beyond the last watchtower until someone told us to go back. If I’m not mistaken we should stop upon reaching Tower 22 but I didn’t count the towers from the start, that’s why. So, when we made it to the end, we felt more than satisfied. It was totally fulfilling I could print my own certificate of completion.

After minutes of rest at the last watchtower, we descended an offshoot trail leading to the highway where we would meet our bus once again. My legs were a bit shaky now, and my shirt was still wet. I thought I didn’t have to bring an extra shirt for I expected it would be too cold at the site, but I was wrong.

After finishing the tour, we followed a path down towards to the main road

Hooray, we finally reached the endpoint!

A few more turns and we saw our bus. Hooray, we’ve conquered the Great Wall! Err—no, only six kilometers of it. But at least it was a memorable journey.

As a kid I used to believe that Great Wall of China could be seen from outer space. This belief was crushed after I read that it’s hardly visible to the naked eye as it matches the colors of the surrounding land. I know, I was fooled by the myth, but it didn’t stop me from admiring this monumental work of ancient engineering. For one, it’s still the Great Wall of China.

And I conquered it…

The post Hiking the Great Wall of China from Jinshanling to Simatai appeared first on kurtzky.