Thailand: Visit to the Grand Palace - "Some practical tips"

Some tips on your visit to this Palace of complex buildings  with intricate architecture:

1.       Have greater appreciation on what you expect to see. Read up before going. There is a free tour guide brochure  available at the ticket entrance but usually, it may be too late to do your reading if already there.

2.       As Palace is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Thailand, expect this place to be very crowded with both local and foreign tourists. Come early to avoid the crowd and the heat.  Palace is open from 8:30am to 3:30 pm every day.

3.       The whole of the Palace is picturesque. Make sure you bring your camera and is fully charged.

4.       Come in proper attire (shoulders and knees must be covered). You will save time in lining up to borrow a sarong or polo shirt with a deposit of Baht 200 ($8).  There are also long lines when you return to get your deposit.

5.       As you will be moving around under the sun, bring your hat or umbrella plus drinking water.

6.       You will pay Baht 500 (approx. $15) per person as entrance free (Thais enter free). Better to bring cash but credit cards are accepted. This fee entitles you to access other facilities within the Grand Palace.  Use them if you have enough time.

7.       Be careful with your children and keep them on sight; beware of pickpockets

8.       Recommended duration of visit: 2-3 hours

9.       Be careful for over-charging and scams caused by taxi and tuk-tuk drivers

10.   Parking is whole area is a problem.  If you are driving you can use paid parking at Navy Club and take a short tuk-tuk ride to the Grand Palace.

(July 2016)

China: Visit to Nanjing Confucius Temple - "A great place to visit in Nanjing, China"

Perhaps the main tourist attraction in Nanjing City.  The place is better seen in the evening when colored lights reflect on the river.  This is a good place to visit and stroll where you will find lots of shops, restaurants and sights.  Don't forget to visit the Confucian Culture Center located within the Temple with tickets of only RMB 30 (US$4) per person.  Also there is an adjacent small park which is worth visiting too.  Allow two or three hours to visit this place and don't forget to bring your camera. (November 2016)

Thailand: Or Tor Ko (Otoko) Market, Bangkok - "The best fresh food market in Bangkok"

I always like going to this market because I believe this is the best fresh food market in Bangkok (Otoko is ranked the 4th best fresh marked in the world by a famous travel guide). It is said that all fresh food from Thailand is distributed through this market from vegetables, fresh and dried fruits, fresh meat and seafood to cooked Thai food and some regional products from Thailand. 

Where to find Otoko

Otoko Market is located very proximate to the famous Chatuchak weekend market of Bangkok. Get the BTS up the end-line Mo Chit BTS station.  From there, you can take a tuk-tuk to Otoko Market or take a 15-minute walk passing through the Chatuchak weekend market.  From Sukhumvit, the Center of Bangkok, BTS ride to Mo Chit Station is approximately 20-25 minutes only. 

What to expect

Market is a must see. It is amazingly clean and it will be a pleasant experience to walk around. The Market is open from 6am to 8pm each day. Paid parking is available.

Market offers nicely presented fresh fruits, vegetables, meats and seafood. Dried fruits and Thai confectionary/ sweets are also available. There is a section of cooked Thai food stalls with a small area with tables where you can eat and dine. The food stalls can cook fried oyster pancakes, pad thai and various soups for you as you order. There is also a dry good section that sells shirt and dresses normally coming from nearby provinces of Thailand.

Compared to other fresh markets in Bangkok or Thailand, Otoko prices are slightly higher but certainly worth the difference in terms of quality. 

Practical Tips

1. To avoid the crowd, especially if you are driving, go early.
2. There are abundant taxi just outside Otoko.  As in many places in Bangkok frequented by tourists, taxi drivers will also ask you for a flat rate and will disregard the use of meters.  Make sure you negotiate if this happens.
3. If you have time, try hopping into Chatuchak Weekend Market with is just a few minutes walk from Otoko.  This market is only open on weekends. However, JJMall, which is adjacent to Chatuchak is open 7 days a week (10am to 8pm)  and it has good eateries and restaurants in it.

Philippines: Prado Farm in Lubao, Pampanga - "A quiet place to relax"

Prado Farm is located in Lubao, Pampanga just two hours drive from Manila. The farm resort is quiet and relaxing enough with its gardens, architecture, art exhibits, infinity swimming pools, farm house,  free carabao rides and bicycles. There is a nice souvenir shop and kiosk at the main entrance of the farm where you find the resort’s registration desk.  You can tour the whole farm anytime on your own or by joining the free scheduled daily tour. Staff are very friendly and helpful. Visitors need to make a short walk inside the farm to their rooms (of course, there is  concierge service for your luggage and other things).

Rooms

Rooms are clean and air conditioned with basic hotel facilities but one should know that rooms come without television, refrigerator and room safety vault.  Room rates start from 3,500 pesos(approximately US$70)  per night for a double occupancy with breakfast. 

Dining

Food and drinks from outside are not allowed inside the Farm. There is a nook just bedside the hotel lobby that offers flowing free coffee and tea all day.  Many visitors come for a day trip but those staying overnight can enjoy the nice breakfast that is available in the main dining room located just beside the hotel. Breakfast is good and we like their native dishes like crispy danggit (local fish), spiced pork and chicken adobo, beef tapa and with array of organic fruits and vegetables. 

Visitors can also opt for their delicious buffet dinner of organic dishes (served from 7pm) at 450 pesos (approximately US$9) per head.  There is a standard corkage of 300 pesos for each wine bottle brought in. All is well except for the drivers’ quarter (costing 450 pesos per night) that can stand lots of improvement. 

Farm/Resort  Facilities include hotel rooms, dining rooms and restaurant, infinity pool, conference and meeting rooms, air-conditioned common lounge area in a private room where you can rest and take a nap, farm house, tree house,  snack and coffee bars, among others. There is free use of bicycles within the Farm. There is also free WIFI but it needs improvements. 

Free Tour of the Farm/ Resort - two ways:

• Guided Tour in English (11am and 3pm) - give advance notice to the hotel desk; walking tour is approximately 1 hour
Carabao Tour (11:30am to 12:30am; 2:30-3:30pm) - first-come-first-serve basis; tour is approximately 20 minutes; give advance notice to the hotel desk; carabao cart can take 4-6 persons; small gratuity to the carabao trainer will always be appreciated

Practical Tips

1. Our driver complained that the common room for drivers is small, without AC and the toilet and shower are not working well. Check with the Front Desk if this has improved when you do your booking.

2. When booking your stay, also inquire if there are meetings or seminars on the days of your visit. It is best to avoid those crowds if you want a quiet and relaxing stay. 

3. You may want to consider also trying local dishes for lunch in a nearby restaurant outside the Farm. Try APAG Marangle - A Kapangpangan Restaurant, which is 15-minutes drive from the Farm.  You can ask the concierge for direction. 

Travel to Tokyo, Japan

Best way to travel from Narita International Airport to Tokyo City  (as of October 2017)

Upon advice by a Japanese friend, I took the Airport Limousine from Narita to go to Tokyo City Air Terminal from where I took a regular (metered) taxi to my hotel destination.

1. Purchase your ticket for the Airport Limousine at the ticketing counter located at the main lobby of the arrival area in Narita.  Expect some queue. Ticketing staff speak good English and you can tell them your final destination and indicate the time that you wish to arrive in your destination. The ticketing staff will suggest the bus that you can take and the schedule of trips available for the day.

2.  Ticket cost from Narita to Tokyo City Air Terminal is 1900 Yen (approx. US$20).  You can pay in Japanese Yen or use your credit card.

3.  Upon issuance of your ticket, the ticket agent will tell you which bus terminal stop to take. Bus terminal stops are located just as you exit the arrival area. Signage have English translation.

4. Proceed to your designated bus terminal stop and queue for the bus. While waiting for your bus, Airport Limousine staff will tag you luggage which will be loaded to the bus compartment. Keep your claim stub for claiming your luggage when you reach Tokyo City Air Terminal. Note: you are allowed to have one small hand-carry inside the bus.

5. Travel time from Narita to Tokyo City Air Terminal is approximately 1 hour depending on the traffic.  Buses are clean, air-conditioned and comfortable (but no toilet and no wifi). You are allowed to quietly eat and drink inside the bus.

Returning to Narita using the Airport Limousine

1.  It is best to take the Airport Limousine to Narita from one of the hotels that the bus regularly services.  Ticket costs are standard but will vary depending from your point of embarkation. (In my case, I took the Airport Limousine from the New Otani Hotel. Return ticket cost was Yen 31,000 - approximately US$30).

2. It is advisable, especially during peak travel season, to make your advance booking for your ticket from the hotel where you intend to embark.

Suggested Hotels in Tokyo  (still best to do your advance booking via the internet)

1.  The New Otani Hotel Tokyo, 4-1 Kiocho, Chiyoda-ku Akasaka, Tokyo, Japan 102-8578

• Five-star hotel
• Starting approximately US$200 per night
• walking distance to Sophia University and the shopping district

2. Tokyu Stay Yotsuya, 2-1 Yotsuya, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-0004; Tel. 03-3354-0190; email: yotsuya@tokyustay.co.jp

• Three-star hotel; comfortable hotel recommended for business travelers 
• Approximately US$120 per night (with breakfast at adjacent restaurant - Jonathan's Coffee and Restaurant)
• Hotel is fitted like an apartment with small kitchen and facilities like washer/drier, ironing board, microwave oven, etc. 
• five minutes walk to Sophia University; 3 minutes walk to Tokyo Metro Nanboku Line/ Tokyo Metro Maruouchi Line Yotsuya Sta.

Suggested Restaurants

1. Pizza Salvatore Cuomo, 1 Chome-24 Yotsuya, Shinjuku, Tokyo Japan

• good Italian food including pizza and risotto
• located at the ground floor of Mitsui Garden Hotel in Yotsuya