Boating around Thailand's Floating Market

A trip to Thailand wouldn't be complete if you skip to experience the floating market lifestyle. 

History tells us that most places in the world become populated because of the presence of water ways such as rivers and streams. 

Canoe trading and motorized canoe for rent

Being adjacent to rivers, populations ballooned because there's economic activity in the area. And that's how Thailand's floating market basically got to be realized. At first, it's not really cultural but a necessity of life to survive through easy access to trade. 
In fact, floating markets can also be found in India, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Bangladesh and Indonesia. Even in the Philippines, during the Spanish era, surviving photos give us glimpses of floating markets along a once grand and clean Pasig river. That bygone era of Philippine floating markets didn't survive somehow due to modernization and eventual demise of Pasig River system.

RAW PHONE VIDEO OF OUR BOAT TRIP

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Back to the case of Thailand, somehow, through a large Chao Praya River river system, Thailand got to preserved this kind of culture as a practical way of life for many people who converted a body of water into bustling market by the riverbank as a point for selling stuff from food to clothing to handmade goods to Thai-inspired souvenirs.

Tourists chose some fruits to eat while boating around the Floating Market

Local map of Damnoen Saduak river (for the map of the district check out below)

 This lifestyle, carried on for generations, is as an undying daily activity that continues to create tourism opportunities for locals and the government of Thailand. Damnoen Saduak Floating Market is one place you can visit if you like to experience a boat ride along a market with vendors selling their stuff. You can also be there just to observe and experience how trade is done via small boats.  

A chit chat between boat traders

How to Get There
Damnoen Saduak Floating Market (google map below) is actually outside Bangkok so if you are billeted in the capital city, you need the assistance from your hotel. We booked ourselves at Montien Riverside Hotel in Bangkok which has a dedicated hotel assistant who speaks good english. He or she will find or reserved you an English-speaking taxi driver to bring you there. Fact: The only challenge if the assistant finds you one with an comprehensible English. Expect a 100km or more than an hour drive from Bangkok to Ratchaburi province where Damnoen Saudak is located. It is the biggest floating market compared to others and the busiest, too.'Along the way, you will see interesting sites such as fields of salt, monks getting free motorbike rides, temples and more temples. 

 Where to Stay? Find Hotels in Bangkok: 
Via Booking.com (click here)
Via Agoda.com (click here)   

Enjoying the ride to the market

Fruits, flowers and veggies for sale

Tip: Before going there, ask or secure a map from the hotel. You can also use your phone's GPS to track the exact location so you can easily know if you're right in time. If you wanted to photograph a lot of boat merchants and tourists engaging in buying and selling at Damnoen Saduk,  then getting up early is a must. The floating market opens at 6:30 am and closes at 11 am. If you go there at 8pm, you will miss a lot of busy activity as vendors tend to go home and rest.  

For the Sci-Fi fans

Refreshments by the river 

Once your in Daemnon Saduk, it's goodbye metropolitan life. Once there, you'll have to rent a motorized canoe  to access the different corners of the riverbank's canal system. Along your boat tour, you will find vendors, manually rowing their own boat, selling fruits, local cuisine, softdrinks, Thai street desserts such as mango sticky rice and coconut rice dumplings, traditional farmer hats, wooden and wire sculpture souvenirs and more. There are also small temples and heritage houses to photograph. You'll also get to observe the daily routines of people's way of life beside the river. If you're lucky, you'll catch some water monitor lizards diving or swimming on water or just resting.

Elephant Rides at the Daenon Saduk Elephant Village

Once you finished touring the river system, there are restaurants located above ground where the Daemnon Saduk Elephant village is located. Elephant rides await those who wanted to explore the place with these lovely asian beasts.

LOCATION MAP

Traveling to Bacolod? Here are 5 Gastro Delights and 3 Travel Gear Guide part 1

Traveling to Bacolod? Well, MassKara season is near and the Capital City of Negros Occidental will once again come alive with beats, colors and flavors that will tickle the senses. 
Here are The Shuttertraveler's  Gastro delights, 5 local fare to test your taste, and  Travel Gear Guide, 3 tangible stuff you may shop and may need carrying around when you travel, work and stay in the City of Smiles. So, let's check what this Visayan city has to offer. "Kari na sa Bacolod!*": 

1. Kansi of Tolda's Kansi and Talaba  (two options)

Kansi - all Meat

Kansi - Bone Marrow with some meat

The place seems to be secret hideaway from the city. Located inside a subdivision, this house turned eatery along Zurich St. in Helvetia Heights Subd. is a place to drop by when you need a great tasting Cansi not only during a rainy day. For beginners, Cansi is an Ilonggo beef stew -- it's like Bulalo and Sinigang in one dish and the addition of the ingredient "batuan" makes it more delicious 'til the last drop. Tolda serves their Cansi literally boiling but with tantalizing taste. So take care with your tonque, my dear. You will be asked to choose between meat pieces or bone marrow before the hot-to-the-bone fare will be served. In case, they'll forget, bone marrow is still best but watch out, it's fat.
So after the boiling "boils down"(pun intended), you can share the mesmerizing soup among peers without worrying you'll end up with a only a drop or two. Tip: You can ask for more bowl of Kansi soup. 
How to Get There? Helvetia heights Subd. is just few meters from Lopue's East and the new Robinsons Supermarket. From the entrance of the subd., go left after the guard house and then go right to the first street (Zurich st.) where you can fidn the open space resto after few meters at the right side. (see map locations below)


2.  Cafe Bob's Baby Back Ribs

Imagine a tender pork meat with melting glazed sauce right in front of you. If imagination can't satisfy enough your cravings then you ought to go SM Bacolod. And why? Reality is the place to be. See, there are many restos in Bacolod offering baby back ribs cuisine but nothing beats the best tasting baby back ribs of Bob's SM Bacolod. With a price of 200 plus pesos, the fist-sized back ribs is not only a visual feast of largeness but the taste is purely a delight in every bite. Oh, I forgot to tell you there's a bonus squid ring on top of it in the name of culinary arts. Thanks Bob's :) 
How to Get There: There are numerous jeepneys and taxis using the SM route and Bob's is just in the south side, just in front of National Bookstore, SM. (see map locations below)



3. Mangkas Roast Coffee at Arendo

MangKas Roast packaged in powder and beans

Finishing deadlines and you need a strong drink to perk you up? Need not fret because you can drink free-flowing Mangkas Roast coffee when you cowork at Arendo Coworking, a coworking space located at Ground floor of Roli's Arcade building along Lasalle Ave. The beans of Mangkas Roast are grown and handpicked from rich mountain soils of La Carlota, located in the foothills of Mt. Kanlaon.  It is a native coffee with 80% Robusta and 20% Arabica and it's rightly produced and packaged in powder or in beans form by the owners of Café Norma which is based in La Carlota, a southern city of Negros Occidental. 

How to Get to Arendo Coworking:  There are jeepneys and taxis plying towards the Northdrive road that go inside La Salle Ave. Arendo is at the Ground floor of Roli's Arcade beside a blind massage parlor. When you see the Jollibee and McDonalds, then you're at the entrance of LaSalle Ave. and Arendo is a mere 3 minutes walk from these two restos. (see map locations below)

Where to buy Mangkas Roast in Bacolod? You can buy the coffee packs at Arendo Coworking and outlets like Chefs&Bakers, Kmart (Burgos), Trader Juan’s, Select Mandalagan, Select Taculing & Pendy’s Mandalagan.

If you drive by LaCarlota City, Visit Café Norma (in front of city hall at Yunque st.) for your Mangkas Roast drink or packs.

4. Roli's Special Batchoy

Roli's Special Batchoy

 Roli's Cafe's chic interior

Roli's Diner has stood the test of time. Established in the 1940s, it has become one of the iconic restaurants in Bacolod which many Negrenses came to love since their childhood days.  But the inevitable changes of times and trends saw the closure of some branches like in the old Gaisano mall. Jose Mari Chan was right and I'm referring to his song Constant Change. Well, we can't stop change because it is constant. However, the people behind Roli's learned from these changes and researched for new trends. The result was  Roli's Cafe with a rejuvenated modern concept located just below The Holstery and Residences (just beside Arendo Coworking). With awesome murals and clean chic interior surrounding you, eating a hot batchoy and a tasty burger is a wholesome experience. As for me, indeed, Roli's signature special batchoy never fails to deliver just like in their Lopue's East branch. Its cheeseburger is always a plus! You won't mind the high calories if you eat them together. 
How to Get There? There are jeepneys and taxis plying towards the Northdrive road that go inside La Salle Ave. Roli's Arcade is just a few minutes walk from the Lasalle avenue's entrance where fast food chains Jollibee and McDonalds are located. 
(see map locations below)


5. Bacolod Chicken Inasal 

MassKara Chicken Inasal at B.S. Aquino Drive branch

Chicken and Sisig at MassKara Chicken Inasal

Happy tummy at Nena's Rose C.L. Montelibano Branch 

This chicken oil is a must to eat authentic Bacolod Chicken Inasal

A stay in Bacolod without eating authentic Bacolod Chicken Inasal is a mortal sin. (just kidding). But, of course, it maybe unforgivable for a traveler who forgets to eat this flavorful chicken dish at its home base where Manokan Country is one evidence of how the inasal is a well-loved heritage and cultural pride. 
There are a lot of restaurants worldwide which try to emulate this dish and even use the same name--Yup, "Bacolod Chicken Inasal." But the taste doesn't deliver that Bacoleño authenticity.  Like in the Middle East, some people are tricked to eat a "Bacolod Chicken Inasal" even if it's obvious enough that some elements are missing. No, I'm not talking about unli-rice.
If you're in Bacolod, you have an array of restaurants that offers authenticity and one of them is Masskara Chicken Inasal restaurant and the other is Nena's Rose along CL Montelibano (back of University of St. Lasalle). Either it is "paa" or "pechopak, the suave aroma of the two restos' chicken bbq is already heaven to the senses. It's so good that we ordered more until our tummy is sooo happy.
A group lunch or dinner in one of them can turn into an instant feast when the palatable poultry dish is served with that famous yellow chicken oil. You see, eating a Bacolod Chicken Inasal is incomplete without that golden chicken oil mixed with rice. This complement the already delectable taste of the meat, boosting your gastronomic experience. Other restos that bring good cheer to authentic Bacolod chicken bbq hunters and true justice to the Bacolod Inasal are Chicken Deli, Chicken Haus, some branches of Nena's Rose in Marketplace beside Bacolod Government Center (before NGC or New Government Center) and Shopping (near the Chinese Temple) and of course, some diners at the Manokan country. 
How to Get There? MassKara Chicken Inasal - You can find one of its branches along Shopping Area (B.S. Aquino Driver) near the Chinese temple and Robinson Supermarket - Triangle Plaza at Brgy. Villamonte. Nena's Rose CL Montelibano - There are many ways to locate this resto either from Lasalle Ave or Shopping (Chinese temple). It is just near the I.S. building of Lasalle and the Northside Baptist Church.
(see map locations below)

 ShutterTraveler Suggested 3 Travel Gears:
If you have a coworking lifestyle, you may need this:

*Kari na sa Bacolod = Come to Bacolod

1. Anti-theft Travel Laptop and Camera Backpack from Amazon

If you travel light and need to video document your whereabouts, you may need this:
2. GoPro HERO5 Session

                   

Traveling alone and need more than selfie photos? You may need this:
3. Selfie Stick Bluetooth for most Mobile Phones and Extendable Selfie Stick Tripod (Remote)

________________________________________________________________

 LOCATION MAPS 
via Google Maps

1. Tolda Kansi and Talaba

2. Bob's SM City 

Soon...

3. Arendo Coworking



4. Roli's Cafe



5. MassKara Chicken Inasal

6. Nena's Rose (C.L. Montelibano)

Bahrain: A Haven for Pinoy Pork Cuisine

Craving for a hearty pork meal and you are in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia?
Sorry! In KSA, not a single restaurant offers pork-based cuisine. It's a fact and it's a big No! No! 
Being the capital of Islam, stuff with pig by-products like pork spam, ham, siopao and more  has no place in this Middle-eastern country. Like alcohol (the beverage), it is forbidden or haram in this side of the world. Travel to any place in KSA and not even a single living pig is in sight. The only pig I saw was Piglet, the character from Winnie the Pooh in some children's park painted on wall designs. How cute! However, driving to an adjacent Gulf island is usually an answer to those who miss  the savory taste and tender meat of pork. That island is Bahrain, a haven to Pinoy pork cuisine (and some fine alcoholic beverages, too). Read on, pork hunters...

The Kingdom of Bahrain, with its capital Manama, is a tiny island in the gulf and it's a Muslim country with a mix of Arabs plus a multitude of Western and South and Central Asian expats. Linking Bahrain to Saudi Arabia is the King Fahad Causeway. If you're traveling by car, you can cross a series of bridges and causeways by just bringing your electronic-based passport, iqama or Residential ID/National ID (just to be sure) and a  fully paid exit-reentry visa via online (data will appear on the passport). These are all your ticket to cross the bridge successfully. If you are planning to fly to Bahrain, use the Flight Booking Tool beside of this blog.

Dinuguan in the island

Crossing the Kingdom of Bahrain on a weekend is like going to Cloud 9 to many Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who miss the taste of dinuguan, liempo, pork barbecue, sizzling pork sisig, pork chop, pork siopao and more. Yum! Meanwhile, porkhunting expats from other countries miss their bacon and other pork-based cuisine, too. The pork are not produced in Bahrain however but are imported from European countries. There was news in 2016 that a certain Bahraini lawmaker tried to ban the import and sale of pork in his country but the government rejected his proposal. In turned out that Shura members, the highest parliament, argued that the ban would have been a violation of the human rights of the non-Muslims who lived in the kingdom.

Lunchtime for The Blue Thobe  travelers at Bahay Kubo resto in Gudaibiya

In Gudaibiya, Bahrain, many Filipino restaurants like Bahay Kubo has its famous lechon belly dish. At BD 10, it's  good enough for five to six people. With my travel companions, The Blue Thobe, we got a hearty eating session of it for lunch before we went for a relaxing dip at a nearby magnificent terrace hotel and resort by the beach called Art Rotana Amwaj Islands where an acquaintance and his family were staying. For the record, the lechon belly was only for the four of us. It's a deep fried pork belly that's golden in color and evenly chopped and served on a wooden cutting board, now it's the the trend in culinary presentation. Adding to its tasty flavor is the stuffed lemon grass, onions, and a special seasoning  made by the resto using secret ingredients. When served on the table, these culinary stuff is indeed an instagrammable delight. Bahay Kubo resto closes at 10 p.m. but one can call the resto and order a take-away/take-out meal. (continued below)

Where to Stay? 
Find Hotels/Hostels in Bahrain if you plan to travel there soon:

Manama 
Via Booking.com (click here)

Via Agoda.com (click here)

Bahay Kubo Location Map

Your gastro-Pinoy-pork-adventure doesn't stop right there though. There's another resto called Hot Pot located also at Qudaibiya, Manama, Bahrain. It's just a few meters away from Bahay Kubo. Good thing, this diner closes at 3 am so if you got stuck at the Saudi-Bahrain causeway border for a long time due to traffic, there's still chance you can have your cravings satisfied even early in the morning. Parking is only the problem as most corners are full of parked cars owned by building tenants just beside the diner.(continued below)

Late night dinner for The Blue Thobe travelers at Hot Pot Resto

Hot Pot Resto Location Map

Lastly, If you're staying over in a friend's house or in a hostel with ovens for in-house cooking  and you want to continue pampering your pork cravings the next day, you can purchase pork meat in an approved market like Al Jazeera Supermarket that sells them in kilos. You can have adobo as breakfast,  menudo lunch and the rest of the meat could be grilled for a night mini-bbq party. There are more Pinoy restos in Bahrain that offers an array of pork cuisine in their menu. Hopefully, in my next travel in the future, I can visit them too and have a taste of something different from the ones we ate at those two popular restos. 

SHUTTERTRAVELER SUGGESTED GEAR
You May Check this Video Stabilizer 
for your travels and video productions:

Zhiyun Smooth 4 3-Axis Gimbal from Amazon

Beyond Tomb Raider: What Happens When the Sun Rises at Angkor Wat?

The early bird catches the worm.

It's true when you apply it with your photography session at Cambodia's most famous landmark that is featured on their national map, the Angkor Wat. This massive temple has become so popular because it was used as one of the filming locations of the movie Tomb Raider starring Angeline Jolie. The 12-century ancient complex is surrounded by a moat and inside is another moat that you'll mistaken as a lake with water lilies on it. It is here that an entire fake lake village was built for Lara Croft to ask for an international calling service from a monk and a day praying with more Buddhist monks. So now, what happens when the sun rises at Angkor Wat?

According to our tuktuk driver and the owner of our hotel, it was that movie that opened  tourism  opportunities for Siem Reap, once a sleepy town and was still healing from the bad history and terror it experienced from the hands of Pol Pot and his Khmer Rouge regime. 

But I will not talk about that sad history. I will start from where Angelina Jolie transformed into Lara Croft who sprung from temple to temple fighting bad guys.

TIP: To not mix reality and fantasy, I suggest you watch the movie first before you come to the locations so you can compare what are the changes or what scenery where added by the producers.  

One of my shots without distractions (no heads from other tourists) as I'm in the front just beside the mini-lake (moat)

A Tomb Raider movie still superimposed on my photo

- Angkor Wat (they converted the moat into a boat village complete with wooden houses and markets and the movie staff disassembled them after use) ABOVE PHOTO

- Bayon (temple with many faces) story/blog entry soon

- Ta Phrom (Lara Croft saw a young girl here. Ta Phrom seems to be eaten by massive trees slowly.)  story/blog entry soon

Woke up early morning to buy a day pass

Now back to the sunrise hunting. 

We were told that the usual activity by tourists on their first day is to wake up early at 5 am, drive down to the Angkor-Pass outlet and purchase an Angkor- Pass ticket counter. (Now at 37 usd - price as of 2018 for a one day pass). Available at the counter also are 3-day (for $ 62) and 7day pass ($72). It's non-refundable and non-transferable.  The ticket is your unlimited pass to explore as many temples as you want. Without it, you don't stand a chance entering temples. But, since it's a day pass, the next day, you need to buy a new one. 

Tip: Be careful not to lose your pass. If lost or forgotten in your accommodation, guards will not let you enter. You'll pay for penalties for a lost ticket.

Suggested Hotels to Search: 
 - Check these Siem Reap hotels out for your trip -

Via Booking.com
1. Oasis Siem Reap
2. Panpan Saga Villa and Hotel
3. More Siem Reap Hotels to choose (click)


Via Agoda.com
1. Royal Angkor Hotel   (2.56 from city center)
2. Silk D' Angkor Boutique Hotel   (0.09 from city center)
3. Saem Siem Reap Hotel (0.21 from city center)
4. The Privilege Floor by Lotus Blanc  
5. Golden Temple Retreat - A 4 star / 4.5 star hotel inside city center

I'm obviously not alone

After purchasing the Angkor Pass, let your tuktuk driver send you to the gates of Angkor Wat where Angkor Park staff will guide with minimal flashlights. They will bring you the secondary moat for a "sunrise view extravaganza" along the ancient ruins.  Since it is so dark when you enter, you need to walk carefully and hold your guide  tightly as if you're holding on to your dear life. The darkness is part of their stragety and a way to boost the mystic feeling to tourists. So it seems people who enter are in for a surprise when the sun rises.

Behind the scenes (literally, at my back)

The scene at my right side (I spare you with my left side)

Once you're near the moat, try to find your sweet spot to capture temple where the sun rises from its rear side. If you come early, just like the "early bird" I told you, you can capture the place without any distractions since you can position yourself just beside the moat and the scenery is yours to capture. Aside from the serene feeling I experienced, the surprise seems to be just lurking behind me -- a large flock of fellow tourists has already mushroomed. It's like an early street party to celebrate of the birth of a new day minus the dancing and the DJ. The people are so plenty that it's hard to find a place when you come in late. It's not easy to reposition yourself or not easy to find another comfortable dry area for your tripod to stand without some heads protruding in your camera frame. The chances that you'll gonna plunge on the mini-lake or stuck on its muddy soil is higher when you are in the front row. Some people, equally excited to capture the sunset, might push you down accidentally. In this case, just be ready with your moves ala Lara Croft when it happens.

Once the sun rise was over, we got a chance for our solo photos too

Tips:

1. Be an early bird to purchase the Angkor Pass and see the sunset at Angkor. Wake up before 5am and let your tuktuk driver fetch you. Tuktuk drivers knows the ticket counter. 

2. Hire a good and honest  tuktuk driver for all your trip and who will not charge you more.

3. Bring  a flashlight, water, and some biscuits (the complex is huge)

4. A tripod is a must for timelapse and hand  rest from bringing heavy gear

5. Charge you camera and phones beforehand (there's no charger there)

6. Bring an umbrella in case if it rains.

7. Familiarize the Angkor Map so you can go to more temples in one day if your schedule in Camdbodia is tight.

8. There's a resto outside and in front of Angkor Wat complex gateway called Blue Pumpkin Angkor Wat Cafe (nice place to drink hot beverages and eat Cambodian cuisine and noodles) after an hour or more of exploring Angkor Wat. (See map below)

9. Don't lose your Angkor-pass. There are penalties for every kind of pass.

10. Wear a something that covers your knees (some temple guards/guides will not allow tourists in shorts)

Maps:

A cozy restaurant just in front of the Angkor Wat Complex Gateway:

Map of the Angkor Wat temple complex