photography

Food Trip in Historic Malacca, Pt1

May 30, 2012 by Bino 7 Comments

I was recently invited over for a food-filled weekend in Malacca, courtesy of a bloggers event hosted by people from the Asia Food Guide.

the chinese-inspired architecture of kampung kling mosque

It was not too long ago when I last visited this UNESCO World Heritage city on a daytrip. Nevertheless, I was really looking forward to this “revisit” as Malacca is well-known as a food-lover’s paradise – especially when it comes to Nyonya cuisine – and I didn’t really get to try much during my last visit. I was staying overnight this time so I reckoned I would have more time to see and appreciate more of the nooks and crannies of this historic town.

This is probably mentioned before – the general friendliness of people in Southeast Asia never fails to be an added plus to me during my trips. My host this time around were true exemplars of the warm Malaysian hospitality, making sure that we were alright and trying their best to make the event enjoyable for all (which they succeeded in doing!). It was great to again have the chance to venture someplace much friendlier, and Malacca proves that it needn’t be far.

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Eleven Places to See in Southeast Asia

May 22, 2012 by Bino 15 Comments

It took me over a year to post Part 2 of my Southeast Asian roundup, my little ode to this dynamic and diverse region which I call home. One year on and I still find myself traveling around Southeast Asia though now it’s mostly for work, transit or for back and forth trips between Manila and Singapore. More trips are certainly warranted in the future.

As my “tribute” to this region, I am choosing my top 11 sights from the 11 countries that make up Southeast Asia. To avoid being concentrated over a particular nation, I am picking one sight out of each of the 11 countries – my personal favorite from each.

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Favorite Travel Photos – My 7 Super Shots

May 12, 2012 by Bino 20 Comments

One of the things that led me to start this blog some years back is my hobby of taking photos. A few years on and I am still an amateur photographer by any sense of the word, but the interest sure lives on!

I have taken thousands of photos over the years, thanks to digital cameras but I never got to share my favorite ones all in one place. Because of this, I am really happy that Aleah of Solitary Wanderer tagged me in Hostelbookers 7 Shots. This is like a mini lookback of sorts, at some of the places I have been to over the years and my favorite shots – at least those fitting a certain theme – from these trips. The idea is to choose 7 travel photos that fit a certain theme and then to tag five other travel bloggers to do the same. So here goes!

#1 – Takes my breath away

in Coron, Philippines

This comes from one of my trips this year to Palawan, Philippines. I am a sucker for limestone rock formations, and I have seen quite a few elsewhere, but none left me in as much awe as this particular scene, on the way to Kayangan Lake in Coron Island. The island is believed to be sacred by the native tribe that inhabits it and only a small portion of it is actually open to visitors.

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Paradise on Earth: Malcapuya and Banana Islands

May 7, 2012 by Bino 15 Comments

Its diving reputation often takes precedence but Coron has quite a few idyllic outlying islands that are worth exploring for some tropical r&r. In between our excursions in the main town and Coron Island, we devoted an entire day to venture into a few beaches farther afield. These are Malcapuya and Banana Islands, Coron’s version of a beach paradise.

one word – WOW!

These outlying islands lie several miles off the main town, and are actually situated near the open sea. Some of those who have been there fondly call one of these islands as Boracay 2 due to its long stretch of fine white sand beach, sans the crowds. To get there, we had to take a 2-hours journey by hired boat from the main town of Coron, and we went past several other islands along the way.

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Coron, Palawan: Otherworldly Land & Seascapes

May 4, 2012 by Bino 14 Comments

Up until I first visited Palawan some two years ago, I was not exactly that fond of visiting beach destinations. ‘A beach here can be like a beach anywhere’ or ‘swimming can be done in the pool’ were the first two things that usually came to mind. But all it took to change this was that one trip. It’s been a few years but I still remember our small boat being anchored into one of the uninhabited islands in Honda Bay. Seeing the azure waters of the Sulu Sea on a fine summer morning, where the water clarity made the sea seem like a chlorine-free swimming pool that stretched for miles, really changed the perception. I had never seen anything like it up until that point. Of course, it also helped that the marine life was abundant and of great variety.

bird’s eye view of the town of coron

Due to this, perhaps it is no surprise that my summer trip this year again brought me to Palawan, the elongated Philippine province that stretches itself from Luzon in one end and to Borneo in another. I chose to go to Coron this time in the northern part of the province. Aside from the great water quality, I am also fascinated by limestone rock formations such as those found in Ha Long Bay and Guilin, and I heard Coron has lots of those.

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The Silk Road Journey Pt4: Shimmering Samarkand

April 28, 2012 by Bino 24 Comments

Just when I thought that Bukhara epitomized all there is to be seen in terms of mosques, madrasas and mausoleums; we venture into another such place – perhaps the most well-known among all the silk road cities – Samarkand.

the majestic registan square of samarkand – one of the most fascinating architectural ensembles I have seen

Unlike the more atmospheric Khiva and the more religious but understated Bukhara, Samarkand differentiates itself in grandeur. Also known as the “jewel of Islamic art,” the city was the capital of Tamerlane’s empire (the man responsible for bringing together the Uzbek identity) in the 14th century. Today, the city has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, credited as a “crossroads of culture” due to its pivotal role in bridging China and the West during the silk road era.

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The Silk Road Journey Pt1: Welcome to Uzbekistan

April 14, 2012 by Bino 20 Comments

Mention the country Uzbekistan and more often than not, one gets a mixed reaction. What is there to see? Why go there? Where is that? These were the most common responses I received when people heard that I was going to Uzbekistan. Ask me my opinions on Uzbekistan 5 years ago and I would probably ask the first two questions as well.

As one of the -Stans (i.e. Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, etc), people normally associate it with vast cotton fields, cold, impersonal Soviet architecture and perhaps tall, blonde receptionists all seemingly named Svetlana. In more recent times, Borat came into the picture to portray what is a backward and inaccurate depiction of the -Stans (notably Kazakhstan). Nevertheless, it did put this rarely explored region in the limelight.

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Bukit Timah Hill – Conquering Singapore’s Tallest Peak

April 1, 2012 by Bino 6 Comments

Few major cities in the world can lay claim to having relatively undisturbed tropical rainforests lying within the metropolis. Places like Rio de Jaineiro and Mumbai come to mind. There is another city, which very few people outside of it would include in the list I just mentioned. Surprise, surprise. That place is Singapore.

the long and winding trail…

Despite dubbing itself as a “Garden City” and filling almost every road, bridge, overpass and even airport with greenery, no one would usually make the logical leap and think of finding jungles here as well, much less an authentic one. The zoning of new land leaves less open ones as years go by but one place has remained untouched despite the rapid urban development and limited space – a nature reserve called Bukit Timah. Now measuring a mere 1.64 square kilometers, this was once part of a larger forest where tigers and many other indigenous animals used to roam.

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