Kuliner Manado

Kata teman saya, orang Manado makannya banyak. Begitu saya sampai di sana, saya baru percaya. Gimana ga suka makan kalau makanannya enak-enak begini? Benar-benar bukan tempat yang tepat buat diet!!

Discover Santorini

I forget when and how it started. But when I saw the view of Santorini island, Greece, I was instantly falling in love. Santorini is an island in the southern Aegean Sea, about 200 km southeast from Greece's mainland (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santorini).  According to http://www.travel-to-santorini.com/ 

We refer to it as one, but actually it is a complex of five islands. Santorini (Thira) is the main island and around it Thirasia and Aspronisi (parts of the ancient Stroggili) and the two volcanic islands Palea Kameni and Nea Kameni.

For me, it is about the beautiful blue sky and sea, the architecture of white painted buildings, the landscape of the mountainous area, and the streets which create a sense of friendliness in the neighbourhood. 

One day, I would love to go there. And I believe, I will go there!

Singapore...lah!

Singapore...one of the most sophisticated countries in South East Asia. Since it's located very close to Indonesia, going to Singapore is probably similar to going to another island in Indonesia. Many people go there just to go shopping...or even going to see a concert.

This year, I finally got the chance to see why Singapore is one of the most favorite tourist attractions for Indonesian people. The blend of different cultures is great, the city planning is wonderful, and the public transportation is terrific! And what is more fun, you don't get lost easily in Singapore. The Mass Rapid Transportation (MRT), which comes every 5 minutes, covers almost all parts of the city. You just need to find a map of MRT and you will easily be able to plan your journey, no matter how bad you read a map.

Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for the people. I am not amazed with people's attitude in Singapore. They tend to always be in a hurry and ignorant. But fortunately, it is not a shock for me since I'm already familiar with people's attitude in Jakarta.

But still, I understand why Singapore is one of the most favorite places for Indonesian people. It is a modern yet relaxing city, and for people who like shopping, it is probably the best place to go (I wouldn't know, I didn't shop a lot in Singapore).

Clockwise: Marina Bay Sands, Orchard Road, The Merlion & a wafer ice cream 

Makassar: a food paradise

I've been a FANATIC fan of Es Pisang Ijo (a traditional food from Makassar) since I lived in Yogkakarta more than 5 years ago. The mixture of the banana wrapped in green dough, the white sauce, and the syrup is addictive.

In Yogyakarta, you can find a small Makassar food stall that sells Es Pisang Ijo along with Es Palu Butung and Coto Makassar. The stall only sells those three food but it is always packed with customers. From the stall, I knew the taste of those food and I like them.

But when I got to Makassar, I realised that traditional food from Makassar are more than the three I mentioned above...and all are sinfully delicious. No wonder my friend used to say, "Makassar is a food paradise. No way you'll be able to lose weight there!"

Here are some food I tried in Makassar. As I said, they are sinfully delicious....because it's meaty and...well, basically you need to check you cholesterol and sugar levels after you consume them ;p

Es Pisang Ijo

Sop Konro

Sop Saudara

Palu Basa

Coto Makassar

Becoming Miss Saigon

With a cheap return flight ticket of IDR 1,121,000, I decided to go to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Some of my Vietnamese friends asked why I didn't go to Hanoi instead. Well, going to Hanoi is definitely going to cost more and create more problems to me because it's winter there. It is interesting how weather can be so different in north and south Vietnam. In Ho Chi Minh City, the weather in January is similar to Jakarta. On the other hand, it is winter in the northern part, such as Hue and Hanoi.

Ho Chi Minh City…or some of my Vietnamese friends would prefer to call it Saigon…is not that much different from Jakarta and other cities in Indonesia. I can feel the atmosphere of Mangga Dua district in Jakarta, Semarang, and even Bantul in Yogyakarta.

However, this city has its own uniqueness. The rickshaws, the traditional dresses…they brought new excitements to me. It is great to see other cultures of another country, no matter how similar they are to your own culture.

The remnants of Vietnam war can still be seen in some parts of the countries. Cu Chi Tunnels is one of the examples. You can experience how it feels like to crawl through the tunnels during the war. But believe me, if you are claustrophobic, don't even bother to try.

More info on Cu Chi Tunnels

Another unique thing about Vietnam is Mekong Delta and the traditional boats. It was a great fun to be able to wear the traditional hats and riding the traditional boats. Somehow you feel like a Vietnamese already.

More info on Mekong Delta

Unfortunately, for most Vietnamese, English is still a great barrier. It is very difficult to communicate with taxi drivers, hotel staff, and other people we met during our visit. Thank God we have our tour guide who had a very good English. And luckily, there was no problem communicating with the traders in Ben Thanh Market (they even understand some Indonesian language).

If Vietnam can overcome the language barriers, I believe this country can become a great tourist destination. They have amazing cultures which can be a great asset for tourism.