Chiang Mai: Last dinner

This is the last instalment of my over stretch Chiang Mai travel. Anyway, I walked passed this shop every day, it was along Singharat Road, on my way to and fro the hostel. I finally got around to have a meal there on my last night ni Chiang Mai. I love it, though I was rather wary of mosquito bites.

Basil Fried Rice with Pork, 30 Baht

Banana shake, 25 Baht

Not exactly a big glass of shake but tasted good. I don't know the name of the shop though, unfortunately. It was in Thai and it didn't have English signage to the shop, the menu however was in English.



Side note: I love long weekends :)

Japan: 9 days itinerary in Hokkaido

This is the index page for my 9 days trip in Hokkaido. 


Pre-travel
Overview of trip and some GPS codes
6 layered soft serve ice-cream

Tokyo
Day 1: Arriving at Haneda Airport

Noboribetsu
Day 2: Getting around Noboribetsu, Noboribetsu Onsen, Jigokudani and Porotokotan

Lake Toya / Showa Shinzan / Usuzan
Day 3: Getting around Lake Toya, Sculptures and Lakeside Path, Fireworks, day trip to Showa Shinzan and Usuzan

Sapporo
Day 4: Getting around Sapporo and day trip to Otaru
Day 5: Around Odori Station and Shiroi Koibito

Sapporo / Asahikawa
Day 6: Getting to Asahikawa and around

Asahikawa / Asahidake
Day 7: Day trip to Biei with JR Twinkle Bus Biei Takushinkan Course and Nakafurano for Lavender Farm
Day 8: Day trip to Asahidake

Tokyo
Day 9: Asakusa and Ginza


Side note: Just doing some organisation of old posts

Six layered soft serve ice cream

Regretfully I only found this out after I left Hokkaido, that is why I'll have to be contented with putting up a photo on a piece from a free Hokkaido magazine.

No question, I would've obviously greedily pounced on the 6 layered soft serve ice-cream rather than the 5 layered ones. In fact, this was even cheaper than what I paid for the 5 layered soft serve.

So there you go, I missed the chance of getting one when I was there (or get it the next time when I am back in Hokkaido), but if you are planning or going to Otaru, do check it out :)




Side note: Wish they have it here, especially during this hot summer in Melbourne!

Chiang Mai: Bosang Umbrella Village

I only take the picture, it does not represent my opinion

Bo Sang is one of the famous tourist spot in Chiang Mai fame for its fine products - umbrella, Thai Silk and cotton. It is about 9 km away from Chiang Mai City. I was a little apprehensive on how interesting or exciting the place would be but there are a lot of good reviews on this village and I thought I'll give it a go.

As my attempt in renting a motorcycle was unsuccessful, I was back to public transport. I don't fancy walking the whole 9km under the scorching sun and please don't suggest running to reduce the time, either did I want to entertain the thoughts of hospitalisation due to heat stroke.

So I was back to public transport, or taking a day tour. I was hovering in Warorot Market for a bit contemplating after deciding that renting a songthaew was a little too pricey. I remembered reading the public songthaew could be taken from around the flower market on Th Praisani, near the footbridge.

I found a songthaew heading towards to San Kamphaeng, and there was a Caucasian couple in the songthaew. I confirmed that the songthaew would bring me to Bo Sang and the man was very nice, telling me that it cost 15 baht. When I asked the person in charge (not the driver), I was told 20 baht.

Ok, to get things straight, 5 baht is about 50 cents in Malaysian Ringgit, 15 cents or so in Australian currency. It is obviously not over the top but if another person is charged 15 baht, then I shouldn't be charged 20 baht. I haggled and finally the person in charge asked the songthaew driver, and agreed that I was to pay 15 baht. ^_^V

Main road in Bo Sang

There wasn't much in the village, of course, there are umbrella making centres or homes, heaps of umbrella souvenirs shops and I make the most of the trip. I make sure I checked out every single "red spot" of places on the map, here are the evidence.

 

 

 

 

Sure the umbrellas are beautiful, but truth to be told, Bosang disappoints me. I don't find it as interesting or fascinating as it was described to be. I was glad and much relieved that I didn't fork out extra on the transportation to Bosang. I would've kick myself if I actually sign up to join a day tour to get there.

Oh ya, the transportation back to the city. So you see, most people either take a day tour or rent a songthaew to get there. If you see an empty songthaew with or even one with a driver standing waiting, it is most probably on hire by someone. To get back to the city, walk back out to the crossroad and wait at the road side, the side with a police station (not police box). I waved down a songthaew, I believed it was a white colour one and it brought me back to Warorot Market area, and the driver charged 15 baht. I didn't even have to haggle for that price.


Side note: The long day time makes me keep on eating = ="

First Birthday in Melbourne

I relocated to Melbourne closed to 6 months ago, prior to my trip to Hokkaido and Chiang Mai but there wasn't any hint on this blog. It probably still looked like I am still living in Sydney. To be fair to Melbourne, the supposedly most livable city in the world, I'll start posting on Melbourne, not as a short trip but as someone who actually is staying in this city.

Melbourne, said to be famous for it's food, be it coffee, cafe, restaurant. So I shall start on some of the eating places I've been, on Little P's treat.

Izakaya Hachibeh
143 Bourke Street Melbourne VIC 3000
03 9078 9909

I am quite keen on finding some good Japanese food. If Melbourne is famed for its food, it should have some good Japanese food. Sydney has had some cheap but good ones. Sad to say, I have yet found one in Melbourne.

Initially I wanted to try Izakaya Chuji but it was closed for the holidays season when we wanted to go. I found another izakaya to try out - Izakaya Hachibeh. To be fair, the food are pretty good, but somehow I prefer the ones in Sydney, thus far.

Ume Chuhai - this somehow as very, very salty.

Buta Syoga Yaki

Spicy Nasu Soboro

Soft shell crab roll

Pappa Rich

Melbourne CBD

Shop 11, QV Square, QV Building, Melbourne VIC 3000

03 9654 2682

It's pretty good food but I can't tell if it's similar to the ones in Malaysia as I've never been to one in Malaysia. Though I would prefer the nasi lemak if it is spicier and without the curry chicken. I kind of feel the curry chicken is little off, Little P remarked that if it was rendang or some dry curry, it would probably more suited. 

I'm not a food critic, far from one in fact. I have limited vocabulary to use to describe food but I prefer my pisang goreng (banana fritters) to be thinner so it is crispier. Like the ones sold by makciks on the road side :D Anyway, I like my desserts and it is not a bad one :D

Nasi Lemak... can do with one now...

Semi slaughtered tau fu fah...

Overweight banana fritters

Also, thanks to Little P that I don't have to buy my own birthday cake.

And thank you all for the lovely birthday presents... 

Side note: Doumo for Gong Cha and Hobbit as well :)

Money back guarantee

Thought I'll break the monotonous of all travel posts with some other things.

Little P introduced me to this evil thing, and gave it a money back guaranteed seal. Said that if I don't like it, she would be glad to finish them up and refund me for it. Indeed I wasn't keen initially as I tried some chips on honey soy chicken flavour thingy in the past and I didn't like it. I didn't even finish the chips. Oh well, if something is not nutritious, it should at least taste good, isn't it? Lol.

Anyway, back to this baked not fried shapes - I finished it in 3 sitting (or should it spelled as seating?). The only consolation I could give myself is that at least it is baked, not fried. :D


 Side note: I'm peckish...especially on weekends...

Chiang Mai: Warorot Market

My "refuge" for a couple of minutes

Despite my very lengthy posts, in fact it is so lengthy that I manage to break them into a few posts, I could give a very brief description if need to. I would put it down as 4 markets, 1 mountain and many temples.

This is the last "installment" of the markets. Warorot Market makes me feel like the market for everyday life. As in, it is not for tourist but more for people living in Chiang Mai, and I like that.

Warorot Market is about 2 minutes walk north from Chiang Mai Night Bazaar. It opens daily early in the morning and closes after dark.

As usual, I walked. The initial plan was to rent a motorcycle for the day so that after visiting Warorot Market, I could take the bike to Bosang Umbrella Village which was about 9 km away from Chiang Mai city.

I had even googled for recommended motorcycle rental place and such. The hostel I stayed at does provide motorbike for rental but does not include insurance, to which I was a little apprehensive. Not that I am a poor motorcyclist, but more so of worrying it broke down or worse, stolen.

After deciding not to go ahead with renting a motorcycle from the hostel, I walked towards the east side of the city again, towards Tha Pae Gate. I can't remember the name of the shop I went to, after all I ended up leaving without a motorcycle anyway.

On my walk to the motorcycle rental shop, a man came over and talked to me, telling me that he came from the south of Chiang Mai, asking where I came from and such. It ended up with him asking if I could spare him some money. Unfortunately for him, he has probably picked the poorest traveler on the street, it was my last full day in Chiang Mai and I didn't bring much in the first place.

After saying 'no' he slowed down but was continuing walking behind me. It could be that he was heading towards the same direction but I was uncomfortable with the thought that he didn't overtake me but following behind me. After a short while, I turned into one of the temple along the street (the picture above) and waited till he walked passed. He looked inside the temple when he passed but continued his walk. I was relieved and after making a short prayer, I continued my walk... to the motorcycle rental shop.

I was told to leave my passport as part of rental procedure, as guarantee. I refused and asked if there was any alternative. I was told I could pay a deposit of at least $100 USD (if I remember correctly) or 4000 Baht. I tried to negotiate by putting a deposit of AUD $50, that was the maximum I had with me but they told me, only USD or Baht. I politely told them to cancel the rental, as the lady has started to fill up the form as I actually brought much lesser than 4,000 Baht on my little getaway. Grin.

So, I was back to walking again, off to Warorot Market. There was a Chinese temple outside one of the entrance. It was said that you can buy almost anything from Warorot Market. If you are after something, look around and you'll probably find it in Warorot Market. Despite I have only uploaded three pictures, I can assure you there are more things on sale than just these.

Dried and Canned Food

Chilli goodness

Tea or Tea or Tea? LOL

Yummy colourful rice crackers

"Chap fan"

There are stalls at the back and side streets around the Warorot Market selling Hill Tribe products as well as textiles and cloth shops.

 There's also a flower market next to Warorot Market.

I didn't get the cooked dishes but grabbed some snacks to try in pretense that those food would be sufficient. Ha ha. Both snacks were very good but silly me didn't ask for the name in Thai. Darn.

Some sort of pie - 6 Baht each

Coconut Jelly Pie - refreshing and yummy

Coconut Yam Kuih 20 Baht for 5

Watermelon Shake 15 Baht

The watermelon shake was cheaper but not enough watermelon and ya, I forgot to take a snap till almost finished :P

I thought the snacks could substitute as lunch but who am I kidding. I left Warorot Market for Bosang Umbrella Village but had a late lunch after returning. I'll put up a post on Bosang Umbrella Village after this but lunch was a nice chicken noodle soup. Umm.. it was a hot day and noodle soup make me sweating buckets but it was worth it.

Chicken Noodle Soup 30 Baht

I thought I'll give those colourful drinks a try, I pointed to one which I thought I'll try but it ended up to be longan drink that was wayyy too sweet. Overly sweet that I couldn't finish. :(

Side note: I need a longer weekend!

Chiang Mai: Night Market and Bazaar

The Segway looks fun...wonder if I would fall if I am on one

This... is the 3rd market - first being Saturday Wu Lai Market and second, the popular Sunday Night Walking Market.

This Night Bazaar is located outside of the moat area, at the east of the side of the city. I walked out of the east gate, Tha Pae Gate. This night bazaar is along Thanon (Road) Chang Khlan but unlike the Sunday Night Walking Market, Chang Klan Road is not closed to traffic. This Night Bazaar is open every day of the year, from dusk till around midnight, regardless of weather.

Wooden stuff

Street vendors set up their metal stalls close to dusk, and their are lined up side by side on the footpaths down both sides of the main road.

Blurry shot of Anusarn Market... not on purpose, unfortunately

There are also 2 other markets nearby - Kalare Night Bazaar and Anusarn Markets. All 3 of them selling mostly clothing, belts, shoes, jewellery, DVD's and CD's. One can see the similarity to Petaling Street in Malaysia, unlike the two weekends market.

Kalare Night Bazaar is an arcade style bazaar, there is also a food court inside this bazaar. The food court run on ticket system.

Likewise Kalare Night Bazaar, there were food stalls and restaurants located inside Anusarn Market. I had my dinner at one of the stalls in Anusarn Market. I feel food in the night markets are pricier comparatively to the Wu Lai Market and Sunday Night Market.

Duck Rice 40 Baht

Ok, it taste better than it looks. Fried Chicken 15 Baht

Yup, I had my usual customary one main meal, one snack and a cold drink shake. Lucky I wasn't staying in Chiang Mai for long term, or I would've become a fatty by now.

Rum & Raisin Ice Cream Shake 20 Baht

The ice-cream shake was not from any of the markets, but I caved in and got it on my walk back from the bazaar to the hostel. The shop's name was called "My Friend"

Among the 4 markets I've been (the post on the fourth market would be up soon.. hopefully) this is my least favourite. It feels overrated, somehow.


Side note: Super bao bao...