Ljubljana

I took an overnight train from Zurich Hauptbahnhof (Main Train Station) to Ljubljana. It was an 11-hour train ride, and it cost me CHF146. Arriving the next morning, I called the hostel to have someone picked me up at Železniška postage (Main Train Station). The hostel is about 20 minutes bus ride to the Old Town Square.

Squeezed between the castle hill and Ljubljanica River, the Old Town has two squares, the Mestni Trg (City Square) with the Robba fountain and the city hall behind it, and, farther on, the Gornji Trg (Upper Square). Well-preserved medieval buildings now house local designer shops, and several popular cafes and restaurants. Although they may look creepy, the perfectly safe narrow lanes can lead to charming little squares and buildings in Baroque style.

This compact riverside city offers the romantic delight and hip underground vitality of Prague, without the crowds. Summer in Ljubljana can be pretty nice. I did not waste anytime since I had plan to stay for only two days, and my first point of interest was to Saint Nicholas Cathedral. Easily identifiable due to its green dome and twin towers, it is located nearby Ljubljana Central Market and the Ljubljana Town Hall. Triple Bridge (Tromostovje) which is just a stone throw away from the cathedral, consists of three separate picturesque bridges located next to one another. They do provide a majestic entrance to the Old Town.  If you are not in a hurry, just sit by any cafe for tea or ice-cream, and watch the world go by. The water from Ljubljanka River does give a very nice relaxing feeling, with tour boats creating small water waves as they slowly move back and forth. Further down from the river, there's the Dragon Bridge. Completed in 1901, it is guarded by four detailed dragon statues from the city's coat-of-arms. One has to be careful around this area, as traffic can be heavy, and being a tourist you might get inattentive to your surrounding. I almost slipped and fell admiring the dragons. 

Between these two famous bridges, is Ljubljana Open Market. There is a flower market, fish and dried fruit on one level, bakery, dairy and meat on another level. There are also stalls selling herbs, spices, and local handicrafts such as baskets, and embroideries. 

Ljubljana has some pretty interesting architectures. Two buildings really stand-out - Ljubljana Town Hall and the National and University Library. The Town Hall is close to St Nicholas Cathedral. It has a combination of Baroque and Classicist style. It has a nice courtyard, and there is a small gallery showcasing its local arts and crafts. The Robba fountain originally located outside the Town Hall was renovated and moved into the National Gallery in 2006. What stands today in its previous site is just a replica. The National and University Library is designed by Jože Plečnik, a famous Slovenia architect. The central staircase which leads to a reading room, set between colonnades of dark stone, is characteristic to his design style. Surrounding the walls outside the reading room, are pictures of famous political figures and inventors. They are the ones who shaped the world as we know today.  There is a souvenir shop by the entrance, and I couldn't help but got myself three printed art pieces. 

I took a bus to Postojna Cave the next morning.  The bus station is just outside the Main Train Station. One way ticket is €6 and it is less than 2 hours trip. The cave is amazing. It is one of the top tourists sites in Slovenia. However, be prepared to pay €19 for the entrance. It is home to the blind endemic olm, the largest trogloditic amphibian in the world. Going into the caves through the tunnel is a 10-minute electric train ride from the cave railway station. Tour starts at the Conference Hall, which is large enough to host meetings and concerts. 

As I was planning to go to Zagreb later the next day, I took the opportunity to visit the Ljubljana Castle. Entrance to the Castle Courtyard, Chapel and Gift shop is free although you have to pay for the funicular railway ride up the hill, and there is a charge for access to the tower. The tower has magnificent views all over the city. After some time relaxing in the Courtyard with a cup of tea, I went back down and head to the Outdoor Market again. 

I had a tomato and mozzarella cheese salad for lunch before my departure. I noticed that the waiters were allowed to smoke while on the job. This was not going to happen in America. It was really nice to be able to see Ljubljana. It came as a surprise to me that for such a small city, there was no deficiency compared to the bigger cities in any way except for its size. 

Off the beaten track in Thailand

Betong is a town in southern Thailand, near the border of Perak, Malaysia. It is often refer to as the 'town in the mist' as evidenced by the mist that tends to bathe Betong in the early morning. Almost surrounded by rubber plantations, Betong is famous for three unusual reasons.

First it is the Siberian swallows that migrate here every year to perch on the city's rooftops, and weigh down the electricity cables, and not to mention the poop they bring with them to the small town. Secondly, it has the world largest mailbox, located at the Clock Tower Intersection in the tower center. It was built in 1924 by Mr Sa-Nguan Jirajinda, the former head of Betong Post and Telegraph Office and the Lord Mayor of Betong. It has a total height of 320 cm (126"), and it is presently used as an ordinary mailbox.

I came to Betong for the third reason. Betong is home to the Piyamit Tunnels - tunnels excavated by the Malay communists in 1976 to avoid bombardment by the Malaysian government. My brother-in-law, Jeffrey drove me and Jack (a history teacher in New York) to the border between Perak and Betong from Kuala Lumpur. It took about 4 hours in driving. We parked the car in Perak, and hired a taxi to drive us to Betong. 

It took us another hour before we arrived at the Piyamit Tunnels. The entrance fee was 50 bht ($1.50). To reach the bunker, we had to walk up the hills through lush forests where sounds from the insects were deafening. Once we reached the bunker, I could feel that the temperature dropped as the weather became less humid and cooler. The Pyamit Tunnels stretches for over one kilometer (2 miles) in the jungle. The tunnel was dug by the Malay Communists Party fighting for their ideologies in the 70s'. It served as a hide-out with resting and sleeping areas, and a cooking area. There is a museum that displayed the artilleries and communications tools used during the party occupancy. As it was Chinese New Year, firecrackers were set off from a nearby temple for the devotees. 

We met an Ex-Sergeant from the Communist Party, Mr Chiam, who was a survivor from the camp. He was involved in building the tunnel from 1976 till 1987 when the tunnel was eventually closed. Although Mr Chian is a Malaysian citizen, he is not allowed to return because of his involvement. So now he stays there to help run the place. 

Betong is compact and a pretty interesting place to explore. The locals are friendly, and the cuisine is a mix of Chinese, Malay and Thai. Not too many tourists know about the place, but I hope more will do after reading this.

Summer in Zurich

My first visit to Europe was almost 20 years ago, and it was Zurich that I came to love the most at that time. I still do. I went back to Zurich 3 years ago for the Annual Summer Street Parade. Comparable to Berlin's Love Parade, the Street Parade is one of the largest techno parties in the world.

Kelvin, an old friend of mine who lives in Zurich, greeted me at the arrival hall in Zurich Airport. After he handed me the keys to his apartment, he left for his job at the airport. His apartment is at Kempfhoweg, which is about 30 minutes walk to the city center. It is a beautiful apartment with a large outdoor veranda good for barbecue. 

The same day I took a walk along the Limmat River toward the city center. Nothing much has changed in Zurich. But I noticed a few new Starbucks establishments in the city. Bahnhofstrasse is the main shopping area in Zurich. The residents enjoy one of the best qualities of life in the world, and here, you'll find the latest luxury and international brands as well as major departmental stores such as Jelmoli and Globus for the general affluence where shopping is their favorite pastime. Uniquely Swiss-made are the fine chocolates, cheese, Swiss Army knives, watches, embroidery and handmade clocks.

On the top floor in Jelmoli, you'll find delicious cuisines which are self-service and charge by weight. It's a good way to enjoy an afternoon lunch without breaking the bank.

Kelvin and I went shopping (again!) the next day. We took a walk to Old Town, a cobblestones streets with many specialty and antique shops adding to its charm. The three old churches in Zurich are clustered around this area: The Grossmünster ("great minster"), Fraumünster (Church of Our Lady) and St. Peter's Church. St Peter's Church is the oldest. It has the largest clock face in Europe with the minute hand 12 feet long! 

After a day of walking, we went home on the tram.

Public transportation is extremely popular here, and it is one of the bests in the world. Here, you find S-Bahn (local trains), trams, and buses. Tickets are purchased on vending machines which are located at every stop. Like most cities in Europe, ticket agents occasionally check the passengers with valid tickets. If you do not have one, you pay a fine. 

That night we stayed in to watch the opening of the Summer Olympics 2008 in Beijing. Zhang Yimou choreographed the spectacular opening sequence. It was an eye opener to the rest of the world. China is finally here to stay.

The following day was the Street Parade. We went out early to Odeon Cafe off Bellevue. A popular hangout among locals, Odeon Cafe has a classic art-nouveau interior with outdoor sittings as well. The cafe was already packed when we got there. Crowd was jamming the streets, and people were dressing up to their favorite characters. It reminded me of Halloween in America. Parade of floating trucks moved slowly along the road by Lake Zurich with people dancing and drinking with techno music blasting away from the speakers on each truck. 

After hopping from one place to another, we finally ended up back at the apartment for a barbecue. And to end the night, we proceeded to the bar to drink. It was fun as we bumped into some old friends that I have not met in years.

Zurich is a leading global financial center in the world. Most of the research and development centers are concentrated in Zurich. According to several surveys, Zurich is constantly ranked among the wealthiest cities in Europe with the best quality in life. I can't think of anything unsatisfactory about the city. As I left the city the next night to Ljubljana, I was already looking forward to my next trip in Zurich.

Whose Battleground Is This Anyway?

The Big Apple

Love it or hate it. New York City is one of the most recognizable cities in the world. It is known as the fashion capital of the world. It's well-known for its international cuisines. It has more Broadway shows play at anytime than any other cities. It is the place movies like 'Spiderman' and 'Batman' call home, and  it is 'Sex And The City' that put it in the world map as the place to be for guys and girls with dreams to succeed. With world class museums, galleries, and theaters, it is the most visited tourist destination in the United States, and it is constantly ranked among the top ten cities in the world.

I have lived and worked in New York City for the last eight years. The city that never sleeps is constantly evolving. 

Known as the crossroad of the world, Times Square is the official site for the annual New Year's Eve ball drop. It is intensely lit with megawatts of animated neons and signboards. It's made into a traffic free zone a few years back, and most recently, it is also made into a smoke free zone. The Radio City Music Hall is located here. It is home to the Radio City Christmas Spectacular since 1933, which features the women's precision dance team - the world famous Rockettes.

Of course there is Central Park, which receives approximately 25 million visitors annually. Its 843 acres of artificially created lakes and ponds, walking tracks, the Central Park Zoo, a Conservatory Garden, wildlife sanctuary, swimming pool in the summer and ice-skating rink in the winter, is the most visited urban park in the United States. And, not forgetting Strawberry Field: Central Park's dedication to the late John Lennon, is another popular tourist destinations here.

Close by is 5th Avenue, which has one of the highest retail space at cost per square foot in the world. It is home to well-known designers' boutiques and high-end departmental stores, and it is constantly ranked among the most expensive shopping streets in the world. Many of these stores feature spectacular window displays during Christmas Seasons – some of the bests in world.

New York City is the world's 'melting pot'. It has a high population density and is exceptionally diverse with a multitude of different ethnic groups. People come here from all over the world. There are more than 150 languages spoken in the city and today, more than 40% of the city population is foreign-born like myself.

Take a walk down Chinatown in lower Manhattan, and you feel like you are somewhere in Asia. Or take a train to Jackson Heights, Queens and you think you are in Central America. Or further down Williamsburg in Brooklyn you might think you are in a tiny town in Poland. What makes the city so great is that its inhabitants are very tolerant of each other's religion, culture, and race, although every once in awhile you might find someone who is not. 

Getting around the city is very easy and inexpensive. The Mass Transit System is one of the few in the world that runs 24 hours a day and 365 days a year. The subway system is the fourth busiest transit system in the world. Its 'one price fits all' system is one of the cheapest in the world; it does not matter how far or short the distance is, you can go anywhere in the five boroughs for just one price! 

Love it or hate it, everything about New York is one of the bests in the world. No matter where you are, if you said you live in New York, it seems like people have a lot of respect to the ones living here cause if you can survive in the Big Apple, you can survive anywhere in the world. And, I'm proud to say I am a New Yorker.

2011 Destinations and Beyond: Singapore in a (less than) day

2011 Destinations and Beyond: Singapore in a (less than) day: "What can you possibly do if you have less than 7 hours in Singapore? Not much. That's how much time I had when I decided to take an early mo..."

Singapore in a (less than) day

What can you possibly do if you have less than 7 hours in Singapore? Not much. That's how much time I had when I decided to take an early morning bus from Kuala Lumpur to Larkin, Johore Bahru. Then I took a Singapore Causeway bus at Larkin to Bugis Street. Bugis Street was once famous for its nightly gathering of transvestites, a phenomenon which made it an iconic tourist destination in Singapore in the 1970s. Today, it has turned into a retail complex of modern shopping malls, restaurants and nightspots mixed with roadside vendors. 

From there, I took the MRT to Orchard Road. Orchard Road has an extensive underground infrastructure, including underground pedestrian walkways between shopping malls running underneath the street. The air-conditioned walkways between shopping centers is the way to cool off in the hot steamy condition in Singapore. As I alighted from the Orchard station, I went straight to ION Orchard, a new addition to Orchard Road's list of shopping malls in 2009. It has upmarket flagships such as Louis Vuitton as well as affordable options like Uniqlo.  

With only two hours left before I met some friends that I have not seen in almost ten years, I decided to try some local food in the food court at Takashimaya. I had a pulut (glutinous rice) in brown sugar with coconut. It was delicious. I tried the fruit rojak (salad) as well which turned out pretty good too. 

Food is becoming an important part of Singaporeans' lifestyles today. From local food fares at hawker centers to high-end international cuisines at 5-star hotels, there is an endless list of different cuisines to suit your taste and budget. Char kway teow, chicken rice, and fish head curry are local favorites while French and Italian are served at posh classy restaurants for the ones who like to be pampered.

However, the city-state has a lot more to offer besides being a food and shopping paradise. If you are a nature lover, there are lots of parks to choose from. Two come out tops among tourists - The Jurong Bird Park and Night Safari. The Jurong Bird Park is the largest bird park in the world, and it has more than 8,000 birds from 600 species. The Night Safari is nestled in 40 hectares of lush forestry, reputed as the world's first nocturnal zoo.

If you are feeling lucky, and you're yearning for some Ka-Ching, you might like to visit the Resorts World Casino and Marina Bay Sands, two gambling casinos legalized by the government in Singapore in 2005. Integrated between these two casinos are world class hotels, Universal Studio Singapore, Marine Life Park, Maritime Xperiential Museum, FestiveWalk and many other world-class attractions.

In most Asian cities like Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, and Bangkok traffic during rush hour are horrendous. This is not the case in Singapore. In fact, it is home to one of the world's best airports, and it has one of the best public transportations in Asia. Its Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) has more than 75 stations, and there are more than 300 bus servicing all parts of Singapore operated by SBS Transit and SMRT Corporation. Its average daily ridership is almost 2 million and rising.

As my clock on my ipod hit 6.00 pm I knew I had to hurry to meet Siou Ling, an old friend. A text message came from her, and there she was waiting at the information counter at Ngee Ann City. It seemed like we just met a week ago. We decided to go for a bite at one of the cafes in the mall. Erni Susanto, another friend of ours joined us later. Siou Ling and Erni Susanto came from Malaysia and Indonesia respectively. Both got their permanent residence a few years ago. They are very happy with their work, and most importantly, they are very happy with life at their adopted country. I could see why.

Singapore is one of the most enjoyable cities in Southeast Asia. It is one of the four Asian Tigers. It has one of the busiest ports in the world and it is the world's fourth largest foreign-exchange trading center. The World Bank ranks Singapore as the world's top logistics hub. It is a popular travel destination, totaling more than 10 million in 2007. Where else in the world can you dip into cultures of China, India, and Malaysia all in one day, against a backdrop of ultra-modern Western commerce?

Time was ticking away and I had to leave for the bus in Bugis Street for my bus (again) in Larkin, Johore Bahru to Kuala Lumpur. I managed to get the last bus leaving Kuala Lumpur at midnight. It was really wonderful to see my friends again after so many years, and please do not attempt to see SIngapore in (less than) a day. The city-state has so much to offer in such a small place. It has a bit of everything other cites in Asia have just like the rojak I had earlier at Takashimaya.