• Golden Week 2: Archery

    Golden Week 2: Archery

    Picture yourself looking up at a blue sky peeking through a huge canopy of leaves on a perfectly clear day in Kyoto. As the faint sound of Japanese flutes recedes softly into the background, it’s […]

  • Magnificent Petra

    Magnificent Petra

    At long last, I made it to Petra. Petra is a place that’s intrigued me since before I even knew its name – since I first saw Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade as a […]

  • Dare to Dream

    Dare to Dream

    Somewhere around six months ago, I was sitting in my apartment talking on the phone with my mom. From just outside my window I could hear Buddhist monks chanting at Ninnaji, an enormous wooden temple […]

  • Kyoto Drift

    Kyoto Drift

    You know how I’m always seeking out new and interesting experiences? Well last weekend I went drift racing. One of my coworkers, Miki, is extremely into cars. He has a Limited Edition Impreza (one of […]

  • Mostar

    Mostar

    Although I’d suspect that most people have never even heard the name “Mostar,” a relatively small town in the Herzegovina region of Bosnia-Herzegovina, it turned to be one of the most intriguing places I’ve ever […]

  • Thaipusam: Masochistic Mayhem

    Thaipusam: Masochistic Mayhem

    Warning This post contains some graphic images. If blood makes you queasy, you may want to skip it. I’ve mentioned a few times how, although I do travel mostly without plans, I also do so […]

I was last seen 5 months ago in Los Angeles, .

A Fine City

 Public, Singapore  14 Responses »
Sep 212011
 
Singapore: a glimmering beacon of progress.Singapore: a glimmering beacon of progress.

Singapore is a pretty amazing country. Occupying just 268 square miles it’s less than a quarter the size of Rhode Island, the smallest state in the US. Yet its per capita GDP is the 3rd highest in the world – even its total GDP ranks in the top 50, despite being among the 50 smallest. It’s an affluent, high-tech, glistening beacon of progress – the only place I’ve ever been that’s even half as clean or as safe as Japan.

The spotless and orderly subways reminded me instantly of those in Japan.The spotless and orderly subways reminded me instantly of those in Japan.

From the moment I started planning my visit I found myself intrigued by nearly every line I read. How on earth could such a tiny speck of geography have managed to achieve so much – and so quickly?
Continue reading »

Fish Head Breakfast

 Public, Singapore  19 Responses »
Sep 202011
 
Breakfast/Lunch at The Banana Leaf Apolo.Breakfast/Lunch at The Banana Leaf Apolo.

The next morning I checked out of my room at 11 and just barely managed to drag myself down to the beanbags in the lounge. Although I’d hardly slept at all, my flight to Thailand wasn’t until 6 so I figured I could snooze just long enough to power myself on to the next evening’s lodging.

…Or so I thought. Somewhere around 2pm Sankar’s brother called and invited me out to lunch; he’d actually done so the night before but I figured he’d simply forgotten or overslept. Nope! And by total coincidence, his restaurant was only a few blocks from where I was staying 🙂 Continue reading »

Round Two

 Public, Singapore  12 Responses »
Sep 192011
 
Crammed in a party bus to the Marina Bay Sands.Crammed in a party bus to the Marina Bay Sands.

I started my first Saturday in Singapore alone in a dilapidated backpacker’s hostel. I concluded it at a private party on the rooftop of the Marina Bay Sands with a group of Indian millionaires and Bollywood movie stars. And before saying goodbye at nearly 10 in the morning, we all exchanged info and promised to meet up for round two on Wednesday. It was one of the main reasons I chose Thursday to return to Bangkok; aside from the length of my Singapore “To-See” list I wanted to make good on my word.

Well, Wednesday night was finally here 🙂 Continue reading »

Tidal Wave

 Public, Singapore  6 Responses »
Sep 182011
 
Making my way from the station to the start of the walking tour.Making my way from the station to the start of the walking tour.

After finishing up at Orchard Rd, I really wasn’t sure what to do next. I was feeling pretty lethargic due to the heat and humidity, plus the weather was going downhill once again (completely overcast with unpredictable spurts of drizzle). I kept on trying to wait it out but the showers seemed to come and go without end. Eventually I decided to drag my feet over to the one remaining Lonely Planet walking tour, a nearby area called Joo Chiat.
Continue reading »

The Raffles, Orchard, & Emerald

 Public, Singapore  8 Responses »
Sep 172011
 
The famous Raffles Hotel.The famous Raffles Hotel.

In my experience, hotels that double as tourist attractions almost always tend to be a let-down. More often than not they’re just capitalizing on reputation – but have little to offer in the way of real, actual interest. One of the only exceptions I’ve personally visited is Hostel Celica in Slovenia – a former political prison renovated by an artist and turned into one of the most spectacular places I’ve ever stayed.

The Raffles Hotel in Singapore is another. It definitely lives up to the hype.
Continue reading »

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