Category: Asia

2013 Travel Summary, Part II

Resuming the travel summary of 2013, the nomadic year… Read part I here.

JULY… Timor-Leste- Gili islands

If you have to leave Bali for a few days, where do you go? Ummm… Timor-Leste? Why not… Practical information online about Timor-Leste is scarce, so I left without any expectations. That might be why I loved it so much. If not because I have a tendency towards raw and unknown places. I enjoyed the fact that it was a trip for “advanced” travellers , I had plenty of new experiences- like eating dog and I met some awesome people. Another destination on my top 10 best trips-list!

stunning landscapes

socialising with the Timorese

Gili islands

Douglas and I took a few days off to meet-up with friends from England vacationing in the Gili islands. I made it a point to visit all three of the islands so I could compare and decide which one to choose for future trips! Read about my findings here. We spent lazy days on the beach, eating freshly caught fish, drinking beers and snorkelling with turtles. It was the ideal lazy beach holiday.

lazy days

happy island kids

AUGUST… Borneo

I spent the last week of August in Sabah, Borneo. You might not believe it, but traveling around so much can get quite tiring. So I did what any burnt out traveler would do; I traveled lazily! I got massages, relaxed at white sand beaches, ate tonnes of fresh seafood, did mountain hikes, saw orang utans in the wild… Finally, I visited a refugee village on stilts, but that story deserves its own post. By the end of my stay in Kota Kinabalu, I had gotten quite a attached to the place. A place which seemed incredibly bland at first glance.

village on stilts

wild orang utang

SEPTEMBER… The Philippines

I had a travel dream. It took me 13 years to make it happen, but at last… I went to the Philippines… and I was not disappointed. I spent most of my time there in Palawan. Every single day, my dear Douglas had to listen to me say: “Look at this!! How is this possible?? I can’t believe this beauty is real?!”

island hopping

driving in the country side

The Philippines are really close to my heart, not only because I loved everything about this flavourful country; the good, the bad and the ugly. But also because of my Pinoy friends who have shown me the true spirit of the Philipino community. If you’ve missed my posts resuming our vacation in Palawan, check out part I and part II.

paradise beaches

Oh yes… and Manila is absolutely wacky!

OCTOBER… Home sweet home, Bali

Peace and quiet in Bali. For the first time in months I spent a full 4 weeks in the same spot. I used this time to explore the island further. I went on diving and snorkelling trips with friends in Lembongan and swam with graciously beautiful wild manta rays. I started practicing yoga and participated in a writing workshop during the Ubud writers festival. I woke up at the crack of dawn to visit Balinese temples minus the tourists. I wanted to learn Indonesian, so I enrolled in a class and finished the course. Now, I’m not fluent, but I can hold my head up high while having a basic conversation. I also know a fair amount of obscene words. What more do you need?

visiting temples

immersing ourselves in the culture

NOVEMBER… Vietnam

Once again I had to leave Indonesia. This time around, I visited South Vietnam on a quest to understand why so many visitors dislike it as a destination. Though I understand why, I only experienced rainbows, sparkles and chocolate covered kittens. I was taken aback by a fragrant cuisine that was new to me. Vietnamese food… WOW! Read about my trip here.

Mui Ne beach front

Vietnamese food

DECEMBER… Sulawesi

I’m writing you from Sulawesi, Indonesia where a couple of friends and I will be celebrating the end of a fantastic year and welcoming a new one. Hopefully a new year filled with laughter, friendship, love, adventure and realisation of goals and dreams. Those are my wishes or you.

Happy New Year, Everyone!

What was the travel highlight of your year?

December 30, 2013
2013 Travel Summary

2013 flew by so fast, I hardly saw the months pass by. In terms of travel, this year was insane! I moved from Europe to Asia and wound up in a place that “forces” me to leave the country and travel at least every two months. Not the worst deal, right?

Here is part I of my 2013 travel summary:

JANUARY… Belgium

I started 2013 in my favourite city of all times: Ghent, living and working in the city centre. It was an extremely busy month but an exciting one with lots quality time with friends and family.

frozen city centre

I conquered one of my biggest (irrational) fears: driving. It was a real challenge for me especially since the lessons took place at night, in the snow! Learning to drive has been on the top of my resolutions list for years. I finally pulled through.

FEBRUARY… Poland

I took a short trip to Warsaw with one of my best friends. Poland during the winter is no joke, but the snow embellished the city. We had a great time learning all about the Polish vodka drinking etiquette. I had my first experience as a journalist at a Polish radio station and enjoyed a fab jazz concert.

>Warsaw’s old town square

at Trojka Polskie radio

Exactly 3 years earlier, a British girl hitchhiked from London to Berlin and stopped in Ghent on her way there. We met, we hit it off, we became friends and she continued her journey to Berlin. On her way back to London, she passed through Ghent again and stayed with me for a couple of days. Ever since, she has moved to Australia and we never saw each other again. Until… we bumped into each other on Warsaw’s main square. Magical! We spent the little time we had, catching up over food and coffee!

reunited

MARCH… Oman, UAE, Bankok

I exchanged the everlasting cold temperatures of Europe for the Eastern heat. My voyage started in Oman. A country I had been drawn to for years. When I finally set foot in it, I fell in love head over heels. Oman was everything I hoped it would be and more. I stayed with an awesome woman who introduced me to Omani culture. We partied, gossiped, walked around Muscat, bonded over huge plates of traditional Omani food. During my little road trip I discovered the country’s wonderful and hospitable people, the ancient culture and the stunning nature… I loved it all.

Muscat’s corniche

digging in

United Arab Emirates

After Oman, I made a stop in the United Arab Emirates. Mainly to visit a friend who had just emigrated there. She showed me around the glam of Dubai. I was expecting it to dislike it, but Dubai surprised me. I enjoyed the fancy cocktails and the high class lunches. I loved the sense of safety and the well dressed tourists. Even though I have strong reservations about energy wasting in he UAE and the whole “bigger is better” attitude, one can’t deny it is a unique place on earth, showcasing human ingenuity. If only they could use that ingenuity in an environmental friendly and fair trade kind of way…

Burj Khalifa, tallest building in the world

Bangkok

When my time in Dubai was up, I made way to Bangkok. Again, just a brief encounter which was just long enough to allow me to get a feel of the city. I stayed in a fantastic boutique hostel that blew my mind. Refill Now! is probably the most stylish and clean hostel I’ve ever stayed in. I met some kick-ass ladies whom I explored the city with. I haven’t quite made up my mind about whether or not I like Bangkok. I guess I’ll have to go back to decide.

pool at Refill Now! hostel

Bangkok by night

APRIL… Myanmar

I spent three weeks in Myanmar discovering a country that only recently opened its doors to the rest of the world. It’s without a doubt a fascinating country, untouched in so many ways, but I didn’t LOVE the place. I don’t think it has anything to do with me getting a Buddha overdose, but there was just something that didn’t agree with me. Was it the fact that it was so hot you couldn’t move during the day? Or that the food wasn’t all that? Or was it the fact that I longed to stop traveling and settle down for a while? Or yet again, was I too bothered by the current regime? Either way Myanmar and I just didn’t click. I’m not sure why, I never really understood. All I know is; I won’t be going back any time soon.

beautiful Bagan

transformed into a Burmese lady

MAY… Malaysia-Singapore

In may, I finally got to store away my luggage for a while. Douglas and I settled down in Kuala Lumpur. The stability only lasted a short time as we moved from KL to Georgetown, Penang. Neither cities was the kind of environment we wanted to live in, so we decided to leave mainland Malaysia behind.

view from our window in Kuala Lumpur

getting stuffed in George town

Penang by night

Singapore

Later that month I revisited Singapore and just like during my first encounter 5 years ago, I loved the country/city. Yes, it’s freakishly clean, strict and (too?) organised, but it’s awesome! It’s an especially welcome break after the chaos of Kuala Lumpur. The food is amazing and I love how three very different ethnicities live together, side by side. If the rent in Singapore wasn’t so damn high, that’s where we’d be living right now.

mosque in Arab quarter

colourful facades of Little India

China town

Laksa

JUNE…Bali

Aaah, Bali… I found it just as beautiful as when I left it behind 5 years ago. It has changed a lot, but the essence is still present. The smells of frangipani and incense, the sounds of gamelan, the bright green rice fields… We found Ubud the perfect place to spend a few month living and working remotely. So we moved and started a new life on the islands of the gods.

vanilla pods drying in the Balinese sun

Balinese gateway

Stay tuned for part II of the year!

December 26, 2013
What it’s like to live in Ubud, Bali

I’ve been asked the question dozens of times: “what does your life in Bali look like?” I always answer with a detailed description of Ubud, the beautiful spiritual and artsy town we live in. Either I’m not finding descriptive enough words or words just don’t cut it; the reply usually says: “I still don’t really know what you’re doing there, but you sound happy.”

I guess sometimes, you really need more graphic illustrations…

rice fields around Ubud

We live in a house surrounded by a lush tropical garden where flowers and fruits grow freely.

frangipani, bugainvillea, aloe vera and orchids in the garden

pineapple

banana’s

daily dose of Balinese passion fruit from our garden

It’s cheaper to eat at a local restaurant then to cook your food at home. Since most of the restaurant food is organic and freshly prepared, we eat out most of the time.

gluten free vegetarian burrito

fruit salad with yogurt

tofu and brown rice salad

“healthy” treats

Even though the food is healthy, there are a lot of treats to indulge on; shakes, baked goods, pizza, ice cream, delicious chocolate- approved by Belgians. I try to stay active to minimise the damage. Jogging, dancing and yoga help.

fantastic pizza

We work comfortably from home, every day of the week unless we don’t feel like it; that’s when we “do weekend”.

my office…

The town is quite small and you could walk everywhere, but it gets so hot sometimes, walking is not an options- unless you don’t mind arriving at you destination drenched in sweat. We prefer to drive a scooter.

driving down our car free street

the gas station

Besides work, I’ve been learning Indonesian and taking yoga classes.

Indonesian class

Every now and then, I treat myself to a fancy coffee or a spa treatment.

Sunday capuccino

hot springs

We spend our evenings and weekends pretty much in the same way we used to in Europe: concerts, talks, parties and outings with friends… Only the setting is a little more exotic.

BBQ with friends

dancing at a concert

brunch

a day at the beach

Ubud is an artsy town. Balinese as well as foreigners inspire and get inspired to create.

Blanco museum

anyone can be an artist

The Balinese are very spiritual. They honour their gods with daily rituals and offerings containing food (often rice), flowers, coffee, cigarettes… and incense. Every minute of the day, somewhere there is a stick of incense burning and filling the air with a mystic aroma of frangipani and sandalwood. It leaves you sighing: “Ah… Bali…”

ready for the royal cremation

ceremony

offerings everywhere all the time

A growing New Age community has settled down in Ubud. There are holistic healing centres, energy readings, tantric workshops, Tibetan bowl meditation sessions, energy crystal shops, Kirtan chanting, vegetarian-vegan-raw restaurants. Now, I have an open mind about exploring spirituality and every now and then I join the party, but I must admit I’ve been stunned more than once by some of the methods I hear about in the “neo hippie” community.

event posters

Of course there are some down sides of living in Ubud. Like the construction everywhere, all the time. The traffic jams. The fact that the centre is super touristy-in a cheesy kind of way. The fact that every time I walk down the street, I get at least 10 “taxi maybe?”’s. Just to name a few. That being said, I love living in Ubud and I gladly accept the negatives.

ducks and rice fields

Have you ever lived abroad? Would you like to?

The post “What it’s like to live in Ubud, Bali” first appeared on Travel Cake.

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December 23, 2013
8 Days in South Vietnam

My trip to Vietnam was somewhat of a failed mission. Over the past few years, I have heard so many negative stories about the country and the hospitality of its people. I had heard about absurd scams, aggressive vendors, rigged taxi meters…

The large majority of Vietnam travelers I met, told me horror stories and/or found it the least likable country in Southeast Asia. Then I found out Vietnam had a returning rate of only 5% where as in Thailand for example, the returning rate is 50%.

What gives? I wanted to experience this first hand, to understand. I was ready to face the madness and let my overly assertive alter ego scream back at anyone scolding me for not buying their goods. I wanted to scam the scammer. So I flew to Saigon, eyes wide open to spot the scams, claws out, ready to scratch back.

So what did I find? Nothing of such sorts. I didn’t get scammed, mugged, scolded nor pushed into doing something against my will.

What I found were friendly people who, as opposed to neighboring countries, do a lot less “ass kissing” towards the tourist. I found this attitude rather refreshing, much more natural.

My “mission” didn’t fail entirely; the trip did allow me to get some insights on why so many people have negative experiences in Vietnam. But that should be a blog post on its own.

Meanwhile, I had a “jolly good time” in South Vietnam.

Here is how I spent my 8 days in South Vietnam

Drinking Vietnamese white coffee

Strong black coffee with condensed milk and ice. I wouldn’t normally go for it, but I had no idea what I was ordering. I guess I was just intrigued by the name. Wow! I was immediately hooked and had a least two white coffees a day, every day.

white Vietnamese coffee, an intense pick-me up

Strolling around the old quarter of Hoi An in the evening

Brightly lit lanterns, motor free streets, wishing candles by the river… Even without a love interest around, the streets scream ‘romance’ and had me daydreaming the following days.

lanterns

Hoi An by night

Admiring colourful dilapidated walls

It took my travel partner a short while to understand my fascination with these walls, but in the end she was enthusiastically pointing out these alluring walls to me. “Have you seen that one? What a beauty…”

Contemplating a meal at every street corner

It’s clear that Vietnamese love to eat and preferably do so on the streets. Every other corner, I was greeted by the mouthwatering smells of a steaming bowl of food. All I needed to do was grab one of the tiny chairs, join the locals and dig in. I tried to restrain myself as often as possible, but… They say you should have 5 meals a day, right?

street stall

street dining

puppies love street food

Getting lost in Hoi An’s tiny streets

Of course I didn’t have a map. And I loved it.

narrow streets

Waking up at the crack of dawn to visit the hustle and bustle of the morning markets

surprising popularity of the conical hats

fresh herbs used royally in every dish

“I love the smell of duck and nicotine in the morning…”

the one that got away

Being in awe of the dramatic landscape changes

From the mountainous greenery to flooded rice fields to quiet beaches to… Impressive sand dunes and red dirt! I couldn’t have suspected I was still in Vietnam. Unfortunately, the dunes were partially ruined by mass tourism. Standing among the tall yellow dunes could have been -and probably once was- a mind boggling experience. But the dozens of deafening quads zooming by killed the marvel. The dunes of Mui Né are still worth a visit though.

from coastal villages…

…to sand dunes covered in quad tracks

Discovering a new kind of stress free work ethic

no clients? no stress!

fruit stall napping

taking a break from work

“I’ll be in my hammock, if you need anything”

Exploring the Mekong delta by boat and by bicycle

an easy float on the Mekong

Mekong by bicycle

Indulging in Vietnamese cuisine in Saigon

I met up with a “foodie friend” of mine who has been living in Saigon for ten years. She took me from one incredible restaurant to the next, sampling Vietnamese cuisine, one dish at the time. Vietnamese food was new to me and was an incredible revelation. It tickled my taste buds and I’m hungry for more.

food sampling in Saigon

Downing shots of “cobra eats scorpion” liquor

You read that right. Strong alcohol infused with a dead cobra and scorpion. To make the drink more spectacular, the scorpion’s tail is inserted into the cobra’s mouth. Way more impressive! It tasted like rotting fish eaten out of the stomach of an alcoholic. I paid a heavy price for my curiosity; hours on the loo with severe cramps.

“cobra bites scorpion” infused liquor

Having sandals custom made

As it turns out, it’s not simple to chose a design, material and colour. Hats off to designers out there! After nervous contemplation I put together the elements resulting in some very cute sandals. The shoe maker drew around the soles of my feet and measured each foot individually. Fifteen dollars bought me a pair of sandals that fit me like a glove. However, with the shoe being made in only a couple of hours, I wasn’t surprised to get footwear of dubious quality.

existing models to chose from and customize

Trying a new and exciting kind of “exotic meat”

After my dog story in East-Timor, you might be aware of the fact that I love trying unusual foods. So when I got this new opportunity, I seized it with both hands. I must admit, I had doubts about this one, I even had to sleep on it. Once again, my curiosity got the better of me and I ordered a portion. It was simply delicious! What it was? I’ll tell you some day.

the mystery meat

Have you been to Vietnam? Is it on your bucket list?

The post “8 days in South Vietnam” first appeared on Travel Cake.

December 15, 2013
Myanmar: land of infinite Buddhas

Myanmar is often called “land of a thousand pagodas”. Thousand is definitely inaccurate. It surely feels like ‘a thousand’ should be replaced by “hundreds of thousands”. The Burmese dedicate their lives to honouring Buddha and constructing pagodas/stupas/temples. Each stupa or temple is filled with relics or statues of Buddha. Building a stupa ensures the believers of Myanmar several extra karma points, allowing them to be reincarnated on a higher spiritual level in their next life and eventually reach “nirvana”.

Traveling through the country, I noticed that the Burmese have a unique way of practicing the Buddhist religion. In this version, there is a heaven and a hell. Hell is depicted as a dark place deep under the ground where sinners reside temporarily before being reincarnated. Terrifying monsters spend their days torturing said sinners. Heaven is portrayed as a beautiful setting in the sky where there is no hunger, no pain and no sadness. It’s both a mental and physical nirvana.

very graphic depiction of hell

Back to the stupas and why there are so many. Constructing a stupa dedicated to Buddha clears off a large amount of committed sins. It was confirmed to me that most people in Myanmar believe that building and sustaining several temples outweigh a lifetime of thieving, cheating, misconduct or even murder. Although the latter would require an extra large amount of temples. One still has a good chance of crossing the gates to the afterlife paradise providing he/she has enough cash to build a couple of pagodas.

I can’t help but wonder if that’s the reason why everywhere you turn, there are stupas, temples and absurd amounts of Buddha statues. Is this evidence of unacceptable behaviour of the rich and powerful throughout the ancient and modern history of Myanmar? I wonder…

grave Buddhas

After 3 weeks in Myanmar, I remember thinking: “how is this even possible?!” We would be in the middle of nowhere, not one human soul to be detected, yet there it was… A temple emerging from the untamed wilderness, covered with thousands of tiny Buddhas. Mind blowing at first, overly predictable later. I found out the hard way there is such thing as a “Buddha overdose”. I could no longer be bothered to enter another temple or look at another Buddha.

Places of prayer are one of my favourite points of interest in foreign countries. I have seen countless temples in India and Nepal, huge amounts of cathedrals in Europe and a large number of mosques in the “Arab world”, but never have I seen this many houses of prayer in one country.

ancient Buddhas

tiny wall Buddhas

32 storey Buddha

Buddha highway

can you spot the 15 Buddhas?

the smaller the Buddhas, the more you can fit in one temple

reclining Buddha with bizarre entrance location

accidental Buddha

Even though by the end of the trip I had seen enough Buddhas for the next few years; I enjoyed getting to the point of disinterest.

Buddha wallpaper

Have you ever gotten insensible to a local custom or curiosity while traveling?

November 26, 2013
5 Quirky Things To Do in Manila

Manila is a vibrant city where everything seems to be possible. People are loud, full of life and know of no embarrassment- at least that’s what it looks like to an outsider. I only spent a couple of days in the metropolis, but I immediately LOVED it. It’s fun, hectic, crazy and weird. There’s no other place quite like it. So I put together a list of the quirky things I did in Manila, hopefully it inspires you to discover some of Manila’s quirks!

1. See the pro’s at work after a cockfight

Although cockfighting is popular in several countries, there aren’t many places where it’s perfectly legal to do so in the foreseen cockpit arena’s. In these arena’s the cock’s fight till death.

But what happens to the wounded winner? I always thought they were put out of their misery, plucked and prepared for dinner. But that’s not the way they do it in Manila! The wounded winners are brought to the “cock surgeons” who patch them up quite professionally. Their wounds are examined meticulously, cleaned up with antiseptic and carefully sown up… All right outside the arena. And here I thought the excitement of a cockfighting arena was quirky enough… These improvised surgery stations haven proven to be even more so.

at the arena

cockfighting as a national sport

the doctor will fix it

cleaning up

closing up the wounded winner

TIP: “La Loma cockpit” in Quezon City is a great place to see the fights and the surgeons at work.

2. Be a rockstar for a night with “Rockeoke”

Why would you settle for regular karaoke when you can have a live band headbanging while accompanying your singing? Filipinos take their karaoke very seriously and have taken it to the next level. A live band plays the requested songs and all you have to do is (get drunk first,) look fabulous and sing your heart out.

anyone can be a rockstar…

TIP: during the past decade, at least half a dozen people in the Philippines have been murdered after singing Frank Sinatra’s “My Way”. The ‘my way murders’ have even caused the song to be banned from some karaoke bars. You’ve been warned!

3. Visit the Chinese Cemetery, where graves have toilets and air-con

The Chinese like to treat their dead well. VERY well. Their graves are mind-boggling! Most are equipped with at least a toilet and a mailbox- how else would you send letters to your deceased family members? Some have air-conditioning, others are two stories high. Some have jacuzzis and wifi, others even have a full time guard standing by their “entrances”… Most of these graves are bigger and more luxurious than my house!

It’s not everyday you get to roam around endless streets of “fancy shmancy zombie cribs”. Visiting this cemetery is not only quirky; it’s a real eye-opener on cultural differences regarding the after-life.

basic toilet and sink

wo storey church-like grave

personalised simple graves

mansion graves with pet dogs

TIP: the cemetery is enormous. You could walk around for days and still not see everything. Hire a guide at the entrance for a maximised experience. They are caretakers of the cemetery and know the area by heart. They will show you the most impressive graves and will tell you all about the why’s and the how’s. Besides they are hilarious, in true Filipino-style.

4. MC for a night at a Midget Boxing Match

Yes, midget boxing… It’s a thing. A humorous show where little people get into the boxing ring and smash each other’s faces. Cheering on the fight is the crowd, which consists of one more-or-less lost, older tourist and 30 prostitutes working at the bar. They cheer on their favourite fighter and laugh like the world will end if they don’t. ‘Weird’ doesn’t even begin to describe this. As soon as the fight is over and the “staff” notices you’re not there to get a girl, the prostitutes go back to their seats and continue doing what they were doing before you entered; looking incredibly bored. Four of them enter the ring and perform some badly choreographed dances, similar to the ones you did at a 3rd grade dance recital; very PG.

Although it’s more an act than an actual fight, it’s bizarre enough to be funny. They might offer you to MC the boxing match. Go ahead if you dare!

welcoming sign right outside the bar

midget boxing

we have a winner!

If you care to see a short video Midget Boxing Manila

TIP: you’ll find this place in the Burgos area. The entrance is free but the drinks are very pricy so order a beer and consider it your entry ticket.

5. Slurp up the embryonic juices of a young duck

Walking around in the streets, you will hear vendors shouting: “Balut! Balut!” Street food that’s worth a try, a true delicacy in the Philippines. It’s a developing duck embryo that is boiled alive and eaten in the shell. Add salt and vinegar, slurp up the broth surrounding the embryo, then eat the embryo. Not for the faint of heart!

TIP: eating this peculiar snack can get pretty messy if you’re not a seasoned balut-eater. Have something ready to wipe your hands and face with.

note the staring eye

A special thanks to my friend Aubrey Aliguyon for pointing me in the right direction for a quirky Manila experience

Do you enjoy doing quirky things while traveling?

The post “5 Quirky Things To Do in Manila” first appeared on Travel Cake.

November 4, 2013
Eating dog in East Timor

It was no mistake, but a conscious choice I made under the motto: don’t knock it till you’ve tried it!

There I sat, in the hostels’ common room, chatting away with all the interesting travellers who were exploring a relatively unknown destination: East-Timor.

As we discussed our experiences in the country so far, a new found friend mentioned he had stumbled upon a canteen that served dog meat. I was intrigued! Especially when the Chinese girl sitting across me affirmed that it was a must-try dish! She described vividly how good dog meat tastes and how it’s served in the form of pudding in China. Wide-eyed, I listened and grew more and more curious. I’m the type of person who will try any food once -maggots and cockroaches being the only exceptions. I felt compelled to try it. I wasn’t likely to ever order it off a menu but now the opportunity laid right in front of me… slow cooked in a red and green chili sauce, just waiting to be eaten.

Hey, don’t judge…

slow cooked in red and geen chili

Maybe a little bit of background first. East Timor – officially Timor Leste– underwent a long and painful bloody invasion that only ended 16 years ago. The country suffered from famine during the long lasting war and people were left with no option but to eat anything edible they could lay hands on, such as dogs.

Once the situation improved, people had gotten accustomed to the taste of dog meat and truly enjoyed it. We spoke with a local Timorese who explained that even though they would see the dogs eating the human corpses lying on the street, they’d still choose eat the dogs. Partly out of necessity and partly because they liked meat.

first bite is the hardest?

Since 2002, Timor-Leste is recognised by the UN as an independent country and things have been looking up. Even though the economic situation is still deplorable, dog meat is no longer a necessity. Yet, many Timorese still enjoy a good serving of dog while others refuse to consume it, as it reminds them of bad times…

Timor-Leste is a catholic country where a significant amount of muslims reside; Indonesians, Indians, expats and locals. Since dog is ‘haram’ in islamic culture, the Timorese keep the dog meat (RW) in a separate cabinet, so it wouldn’t ‘contaminate’ the rest of the food.

know your meats… “RW” is no chicken!

Anyways… I ate dog stew. How was it?

The sauce was delightful; it had a nice little kick to it but overpowered the gamey flavour of the meat, which was tough and chewy. Its texture was comparable to that of an old piece of beef you find at the bottom of your freezer. This wasn’t a beautifully cut steak I got, just some random squares of meat, consisting mostly fat and skin… I wanted to be brave and I didn’t want to waste food, but… I couldn’t finish my plate. With every bite, I couldn’t help but picture myself nibbling on one of those scabby streets dogs. So, I put down my fork and drank a litre of water. I’ve tried it and now know for sure; I do not like dog meat.

What’s the most unusual meat you’ve ever eaten?

The post “Eating dog in East Timor” first appeared on Travel Cake.

October 15, 2013
Part II. The best of Palawan

A couple of days ago, I started listing the 20 best things of Palawan, the Philippines. Today, I’m finishing off the list (Read part I here)

In no particular order,

What else makes Palawan so great?

11. Motorcycling through the country side

Hire a motorcycle/scooter in El Nido or Coron and drive off into the horizon. Feel the wind through your hair while taking in the beauty of the landscapes, the villages… Kids on the side of the road scream ‘HELLOOO!’ or put their hands out for a full driving speed high-five. The motorbike gives you the freedom to stop anywhere you like; an unexpected mangrove river or a little-visited kingfisher park… Beware of the half-finished roads full of potholes, especially right after big rains. If you don’t drive, you can always bat your eyes at someone with a motorcycle and get a ride. Yes, even guys might get lucky! Do what ever you can, because it’s a ride not to be missed!

red dirt roads

mangrove river

a minimum driving skills needed

12. The seafood curry at “Squido’s”, El Nido town

It’s huge, it’s messy, dirt cheap and absolutely delicious. The curry paste used for the dish comes straight from Madras and the seafood is as fresh as can be. With “Squido’s” being a French-Philippino fusion restaurant, guess what the curry is served with? Mashed potatoes! A surprising combo that leaves you wanting more. Check out this portion for two…

“fruits de mer curry”

13. The warm smiles

Smiles are not thrown around all the time, everywhere for no apparent reason, like in some Asian countries, but they are warm, wide and genuine. It’s the ideal place for portrait photography. Especially since people in the Philippines love to strike a pose!

a child’s smile

photo as requested by these girls

14. Sleeping and working in beach shacks

I don’t know about you, but I’m crazy about beach shacks. To me they crown the beach life experience. Sleeping on the beach is fabulous, so what about working with the sounds of nature in the background?

The internet is not all that on Palawan, but if you can do without, it’s the perfect place to get some work done or draft a couple of thesis chapters.

getting some work done…

15. Waterfalls and hot springs

Two of my weak spots. When I hear either of those words, I interestedly spring up, ready to make my way there. There are several waterfalls and natural hot springs across the island, most of them are low key and little visited.

low key waterfalls

no pushy tourists

16. It’s Jurassic Park, minus the dinosaurs

JP is real and it’s in Palawan! OK, technically, it’s not; the film was mostly shot in Hawaii… Either way, I often saw myself in a Jurassic park scene and that’s just too exciting!

approaching jurassic park

17. Finding paradise around every corner

You walk and all of the sudden…

You drive your bicycle and all of the sudden…

You row your kayak and all of the sudden…

surprise!

…A little corner of paradise surprises you and welcomes you to sit back and relax…

18. The snorkelling

Those who don’t dive or don’t have the budget to do so, are also in for a treat in Palawan. The snorkel sites are at least as impressive as the dive sites. The coral is in excellent shape, colourful tropical fish are abound and the water is crystal clear. Sometimes you don’t even need to snorkel to admire the underwater world, you can just look down from the boat and get a glimpse of what lies beneath. As discussed in my previous post, there are a few shipwrecks you can discover by snorkelling.

wreck ready to be snorkled

if you don’t feel like hitting the water, just look out of the boat

19. Having a cool beer on a deserted beach

Even if you are in the middle of nowhere in Palawan, chances are, there is a small house or shop nearby, the owner has a cold beer in his fridge and he’ll sell it to you for a reasonable price. This means you can have your ice cold beer in a deserted area! If you’re lucky, they might even throw in a couple of salted peanuts…

cold San Miguel on the beach

20. The insane sunsets

I still can’t get over how intense these were. Just for that, I’d return to Palawan. The following picture has not been altered in Photoshop! This is real!

sunset over El Nido

There you have it, the 20 best things about Palawan. Why have you not booked your ticket yet?

Which travel destination has blown your mind?

The post “Part II. The best of Palawan” first appeared on Travel Cake.

October 9, 2013