blue backless minidress. slippers from havaianas. locket pendant from charms and memories. Viet Nam handbag from masks art souvenir. location at Hoan Kiem Lake District, Vietnam. FFF
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Friday, May 29, 2015
Tuesday, May 26, 2015
Tech Tuesday: Useful Travel Apps
Tech Tuesday tells about the techie side of me!
Just last night, I told my students that 90% of the worldwide web is junk with the intention of discouraging them to use the internet in their research. For if they do, they can get confused with different numerical values of Physics constants. Sources are just so irritating sometimes, misleading students to the wrong path to knowledge. So it's always far way too better to use books than to google.
But getting the most out of the internet can be a case to case basis. Just like in my case, I've earned through the web, learned, get entertained, made known, and somehow, I have this tiny little space in the blogosphere from which I breathe. So the internet is not 90% junk and I'm guilty for having said that last night.
Anyway, what I'm gonna share to you today are the travel apps I had downloaded for my trips in and out of the country. These apps made my journeys to the unknown easier and more fun so here they are!
App #1: Skyscanner
Book flight tickets from where you are to all over the world! Skyscanner has a complete list of inter-island and international airlines to save you from the hassle. Just enter where you're from and where you're going to with the dates of your trip. Then you will be given all flights of different airlines sorted according to increasing prices. Choose your flight then book. It'll only take you a few minutes depending on how fast your internet connection is.
App #2: Grab Taxi
If you're about to visit Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, and Manila, download the Grab Taxi app beforehand. Once you touchdowned, book your cab or any private car of your choice from SUV to limo. Enter your pick-up point and drop-off point then you will be given the exact cost of your trip. With this, you can prepare the exact amount and the taxi driver won't charge you extra and that's a guarantee. Then you don't have to queue for metered taxi outside the airport 'coz the cab will instantly be right there waiting for you. Additionally, it is also safe because taxis under grab are strictly monitored.
App #3: XE Currency
I had suggested to friends not to convert what they're spending abroad into Philippine Peso once they're already there 'coz they won't be having much fun calculating. Because in my case, I always convert before buying things, entering attractions with fees, and eating which is both a headache and heartache to a kuripot person like me. I even made a vow to myself not to convert anymore but I couldn't help it 'coz there are things that are worth buying without thinking and there are also things that are not worth buying even with thinking. That's why I downloaded XE Currency. This app is always accurate and up-to-date with all the currencies in the world. So I can't go wrong in spending my money.
App #4: Triposo
Whatever country you are, Triposo has a complete list of attractions, places to stay, places to eat, and how to get there tips. It automatically detects your location so you can start with the place nearest you. Aside from that, it also includes reviews from travelers all over the world so you can choose the best places first before the others. Tour packages can also be booked with reasonable prices so you don't have to go to a travel agency and just wait at your hotel's lobby for your pick-up instead.
App #5: Map
Aside from Google Map, you can get a more detailed map by searching "<name of country> map". If you're particular with what country you are, you can get more information even the littlest and discreet corner of a certain place. If you download a map, you can also avoid the looks of the locals telling you that you're a tourist with a handy map in phone than a big paper map making you look like Indiana Jones.
All these apps are downloadable for free and can only take up a few bits of MB's in your smart phone. Hope you get some travel tips from this post. Enjoy searching, enjoy looking, enjoy experiencing! For to travel is to experience! Watch out for more of #tosomtravels only here on The Other Side of Mae! :)
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Tuesday, May 19, 2015
#tosomeats in Vietnam
""Vietnamese Food" is a true adventure story for the palate and an absorbing culinary tour."
- Bobby Chinn (Vietnamese Food, 2010)
I strongly agree with Bobby Chinn, a world-renowned chef, author, restaurateur, and TV personality who lived in Vietnam for 17 years just to discover, learn, and master the art of Vietnamese cuisine. He's half-Egyptian and half-Chinese who was born in New Zealand, by the way. Through his TV shows in Travel and Living Channel (TLC), I was enthralled into eating street food for he is always fond of "eating cheap food next to the locals". So from my #tosomtravels in Vietnam last April, I braved the streets of Old Quarter to taste all (but I haven't considering that I have tiny stomach and intestines to squeeze all food in) Vietnamese delicacies Bobby Chinn featured in his shows.
To start with, let's check out what's right next to our block. At the back of Hanoi Bluemoon Hotel where we stayed and adjacent to Masks Art Souvenir at 40B, Đinh Liệt, Phường Hàng Bạc, Quận Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội is an eatery serving breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks in between where we frequented. Actually, I was a bit guilty of eating twice or thrice in one eating house only 'coz I made a vow to eat in different eating houses for every place I visit. But for Com Que, I couldn't resist!
Com Que serves you the most aromatic and most delicious rice in Vietnam (by the way, com means rice in Vietnamese). Aside from the tasty rice (of course), they also serve a myriad of dishes from vegetables, tofu, seafood, to meat of any kind. Just point your finger to what you like and it will be served to you fresh and hot. A complete meal here only costs 40,000 VND or 80 PhP only. Great value for your money, huh?! You'll get bloated once you get out from the eatery. Hehe......
Now can you guess what are these? Looks very yum yum and familiar, right?
These are phở and spring rolls, signature dishes of the Vietnamese cuisine. Phở is not just an ordinary noodle soup that we often get in Chinese-influenced countries. It has a different taste from the mix of savory broth, rice noodles, meat of your choice, green veggies, and herbs. There are thousands of phở varieties in Vietnam depending on a person's choice as they say, "there is no phở alike" because you will be the one to choose the ingredients you would want for your phở. On the other hand, the spring rolls are wrapped in rice paper with filling of vegetables, rice vermicelli, shrimps, herbs, and spices. They are crisp and a bit caramelized on the outside with a heavenly delight on the inside. These are best eaten with the tangy garlic sauce which adds zest to the intense flavor of the rolls. And where did we find these authentic Vietnamese dishes? Only at Cơm & Phở 12 Rice and Noodles where we only paid 150,000 VND or 300 PhP for our feast in the above photo!
If you're on a diet, you can skip too much carbohydrates from the rice and noodles without sacrificing your taste buds. There's this kind of salad in Vietnam that can also be served as one complete meal. We actually mistakenly had it for lunch thinking that it is already the real thing, the main course that is. Hehe..... We just ordered not knowing what we were eating and just asked from a Vietnamese front line associate in a money exchange outlet what it was and she gave us the name through our picture. It was nộm bò khô or dried beef salad.
Nộm bò khô is made of green papaya, seasoned, cured, and dried beef, my fave sweet bakkwa, herbs, and topped with nuts. The dressing is a mix of vinegar, sugar, fish sauce, chili, and other seasoning that gives you a flavor of distinct piquancy. Honestly, I couldn't understand its taste at first (I only liked the nuts and bakkwa) but eventually, I was captivated by the sweetness and tanginess of its dressing that I gingerly sipped like soup. Hehe.....
We only spent 45,000 VND or 90 PhP for our salad and iced lemon tea at Long Vi Dung (see address in the photo above) so this is also a must-try once you're in Vietnam.
From humble eateries and street pongko2x (Cebuano term for sitting without chair), let's proceed to high-end restos. There's this fancy French bistro at 48 Hàng Bè, Hàng Bạc, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội, the Green Tangerine Cafe & Restaurant.
My blogger idol Patty Laurel-Filart went and ate here so I also went and ate here! A fusion of both French and Vietnamese cuisine is being served so that's also experiencing a bit of romantic Paris while in humble Hanoi. As a charming colonial-style villa in 1928, the place has turned into a reputable resto that most expats and foreigners highly recommend. A 5-course meal here starts at 400,000 to 500,000 VND or 800 to 1,000 PhP. That's a bit affordable compared with posh restos in The Fort in Manila or Ayala Terraces in Cebu.
On the other hand, stunning night lights of Hoàn Kiếm Lake can best be enjoyed from a bird's eye view at Avalon Cafe Lounge along 73 Cầu Gỗ, Hàng Bạc, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội. That's right in front of our hotel.
Food prices are cheaper here compared with Green Tangerine but what we only cared for was a bottle of beer to end our first night in the city.
Go sky-high in their 5th or 6th floor verandas where you can observe the city from up above, talk, and do some muni2x. Checking this place out only cost us 100,000 VND or 200 PhP.
And now, let's move on to Vietnam's sweets. Hanoians are health conscious so fruits and vegetables are always part of their diet. There's this healthy dessert they serve, the hoa quả dầm. This is the equivalent of our halo2x but their's is a mix of fresh fruits, milk, and coconut milk with separate serving of crushed ice. It's up to you if you will put more or less ice to your fruit mixture.
At Trang Tri along Hang Gai Street, hoa quả dầm is only 20,000 VND or 40 PhP which by far cheaper than the halo2x we have here in the Philippines. Hello to our Vietnamese table mates who entertained us well while they were having their avocado coolers! :)
Another sort-of-halo2x dessert is also popular in Vietnam which is chè ngon. This is a mixture of dried coconut, sago, lychee, milk, coconut milk, crushed ice, and leche flan as the main ingredient.
In Huong Hai, they serve carmen (leche flan) of various mix that's only 20,000 VND or 40 PhP, same as the hoa quả dầm.
Finally, street food!!!!! I eat street food of all sorts, may it be balut (egg with duck's embryo inside), isaw (chicken intestines), betamax (pork blood), etc. My aunt doctor always discourages and "reprimands" me into eating such food for I might get sick of diarrhea or hepatitis but God forbid! I just love strolling around with street food in hand! That's how low-maintenance I am. I'll just bring Loperamide with me then. Hehe..... And what I found out in Vietnam is their penchant for hanging out in the streets with these am ams (my foodie niece's word for food):
All of the above pica2x are best eaten with iced lemon tea. Vietnamese prepare and drink tea of all kinds everyday. In fact, it is part of their culture to offer tea to visitors and Vietnamese siesta time means tea-ing time along the sidewalks of Hanoi.
During night markets, Korean street food dominates the scene! But the line of stalls is not as long as Jalan Makanan's in Singapore. They have tteokbokki which tasted more authentic than Cafe Tiala's in Cebu,
and other Korean goodies.
Finally, street food!!!!! I eat street food of all sorts, may it be balut (egg with duck's embryo inside), isaw (chicken intestines), betamax (pork blood), etc. My aunt doctor always discourages and "reprimands" me into eating such food for I might get sick of diarrhea or hepatitis but God forbid! I just love strolling around with street food in hand! That's how low-maintenance I am. I'll just bring Loperamide with me then. Hehe..... And what I found out in Vietnam is their penchant for hanging out in the streets with these am ams (my foodie niece's word for food):
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| Peanuts, Shredded Dried Squid, Seashells, and Sunflower Seeds (Photos Grabbed from Web) |
During night markets, Korean street food dominates the scene! But the line of stalls is not as long as Jalan Makanan's in Singapore. They have tteokbokki which tasted more authentic than Cafe Tiala's in Cebu,
crunchy tornado potato artistically skewed in a stick,
and other Korean goodies.
And of course, we didn't miss Em2x's favorite hotdogs!
Aside from tea, Vietnamese prefer fresh fruit juices than sodas
and sugarcane juice from this cutie (Vietnamese boys are really cute). Hehe.....
Since we've reached the drinks already, let us now explore Vietnam's night life. A street in Old Quarter is designated for this. Bars do line up and thugs thugs thugs can be heard all around! You can even stomp your feet to the beat on the street while walking 'round. But Vietnamese enjoy simple living and only foreigners (mostly Koreans) call the shots!
So cheers from the world's 2nd beer-drinking country (Germany being #1)!
And these are my #tosomeats in Vietnam! A country rich in flavors and aroma that enticed foodies from all over the world. I really enjoyed eating there because food is not just sumptuous but also affordable. And don't forget our Ha Long Bay cruise lunch.
To be reminded of the taste of Vietnam, I also brought some of their delicacies home causing us excess baggage in the plane. But who cares? Me and my family are still enjoying Vietnam's yum yums until now.
Finally, this is the end of my #tosomtravels in Vietnam. I really reserved this post to be last because it's the best. It took me 2 days to finish this lengthy write-up 'coz I want this to be thoroughly written to also entice you to go and eat in Vietnam. (I'm sorry for not keeping my word in this post last Sunday.) It's just a one-of-a-kind experience you'll surely enjoy and I guarantee you that!
Saving up on Asian tour? Make Vietnam your first! Thank you for following my Vietnam journey, my dear blog readers! :) 'Till next time of our #tosomtravels and #tosomeats!
Aside from tea, Vietnamese prefer fresh fruit juices than sodas
and sugarcane juice from this cutie (Vietnamese boys are really cute). Hehe.....
Since we've reached the drinks already, let us now explore Vietnam's night life. A street in Old Quarter is designated for this. Bars do line up and thugs thugs thugs can be heard all around! You can even stomp your feet to the beat on the street while walking 'round. But Vietnamese enjoy simple living and only foreigners (mostly Koreans) call the shots!
So cheers from the world's 2nd beer-drinking country (Germany being #1)!
And these are my #tosomeats in Vietnam! A country rich in flavors and aroma that enticed foodies from all over the world. I really enjoyed eating there because food is not just sumptuous but also affordable. And don't forget our Ha Long Bay cruise lunch.
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| Lotus Nuts, Salt Chili, Cashew Nuts, and Sunflower Seeds |
Saving up on Asian tour? Make Vietnam your first! Thank you for following my Vietnam journey, my dear blog readers! :) 'Till next time of our #tosomtravels and #tosomeats!
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Sunday, May 17, 2015
Feeling at Home in Old Quarter
Surrounding Hoàn Kiếm Lake is Old Quarter, Vietnam's old Hanoi. This is the country's business center where trade and commerce take place 24/7. It is comprised of 36 narrow streets which were named according to the street's merchandise and are filled with shop houses. These are old slender buildings of ground floor shop and second floor house that are not as colorful and impressive as Haji Lane's in Singapore.
We were glad that Rulyn's Travel Hub booked our hotel here in the name of Hanoi Bluemoon Hotel. It is conveniently located amidst the shops, restos, cafes, and bars. So all we had to do was take a few steps to anything we need.
Bed and breakfast in backpacker hotels like this only cost 250,000-400,000 VND or 500-800 PhP per pax per night.
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| The Narrow Dining Area Leading to Our Room |
The hotel lobby also serves as a travel agency so that's shooting two birds in one stone! That's total convenience to all travelers especially those who are first-timers. Visit Hanoi Bluemoon Hotel along 90 Cầu Gỗ, Hàng Bạc, Hoàn
Kiếm, Hà Nội 10000, Vietnam.
Just around the block, we found the cheapest deals and steals of Vietnamese coffee and tea as well as souvenirs and food pasalubong to bring home.
Aside from licensed merchants' shops, there are also hundreds of street vendors and peddlers roaming around Old Quarter selling different merchandise.
Just be careful for they do overcharging. They trick you into paying plenty of Vietnamese Dong for their goods that are not worth your money. Just like us. We were fooled by two Vietnamese manangs who made us pay 150,000 VND or 300 PhP just for these photos.
Weekend nights at Old Quarter become more lively and bustling with its very long line of tiangge along Hàng Đào Street.
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| Viet Nam Coffee at Đinh Liệt, Phường Hàng Bạc, Quận Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội |
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| Masks Art Souvenir at 40B, Đinh Liệt, Phường
Hàng Bạc, Quận Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội |
Thanks to the very cute girl of Viet Nam Coffee and the lovely young couple of Masks Art Souvenir who became our friends! :)
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| An Art Shop in the Corner |
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| Souvenir Shop at Hoàn Kiếm Lake |
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| Tea Sets Along Old Quarter's Sidewalk |
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| Deaf/Mute Group's Handicrafts Display Along Hàng Gai Street |
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| Yummy Vietnam Delicacies for Pasalubong |
Just be careful for they do overcharging. They trick you into paying plenty of Vietnamese Dong for their goods that are not worth your money. Just like us. We were fooled by two Vietnamese manangs who made us pay 150,000 VND or 300 PhP just for these photos.
But for the next lady peddler, we were already wise that we took photo first and didn't pay much for pineapples anymore for she didn't agree with our price. The load was quite heavy and that shows in my face.
And for the second next, a Vietnamese girl selling red roses to a police officer while me photobombing. Hehe.....
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Watch out tomorrow for more of Vietnam's night market as I take you to the country's best eats!
And don't forget to take the cycle rickshaw as you sightsee around Old Quarter. But negotiate with the driver first 'coz some of them also do overcharging.
With the humble backpacker hotel, souvenir and pasalubong shops, pungko2x eateries (that I'll be writing about tomorrow), and tiangges in night market, I really felt at home in Old Quarter! For your guidance, Old Quarter is just like Divisoria of Manila and Colon-Carbon of Cebu so beware of pickpockets too. #tosomtravels
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Hoi Hoi Hoi Hanoi!
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Hanoi's Historical Sites Series: Văn Miếu
Hanoi's Historical Sites Series: Nhà thờ Lớn Hà Nội
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