Beijing Adventures - Day 3: Wangfujing at Night, and Street Food, Too

 There are a lot of people on this food street.

It closes around 7 or 8 p.m.

      Our guide said that there's a night street food stalls located in the Wangfujing area, very close to our hotel.  So, my friend and I went out to see what the buzz was all about.  I've seen tons of pictures of those creepy crawlers on stick, and I was so excited to finally see those in real life.

     What creepy crawlers? Anything you can imagine.  In fact, it was not limited to creepy crawlers, but even those which you don't think would end up as a street food ended up as such in Beijing.  Even starfish!  Look!

     

     Of course I didn't buy any.  I didn't want to eat a starfish. Who can eat that?  It's so cute, I couldn't eat it. But I've seen some caucasians eating one of those, though.  Probably just for the sake of tasting something exotic.  Even if I could have eaten some other street food, like broccoli and cauliflower on stick, I didn't.  I didn't even eat those sugared fruits on stick though they looked so yummy.  I don't really have a sweet tooth, so even if they look cute, my tooth aches just by looking at them.  Heehee.  And yeah, I thought the red balls on stick was sausage.  I mean, here in the Philippines, in Cebu to be particular, the local chorizo is small and round, just like the ones in the picture below.  And, there's one that looks a little paler, but similar, in Taipei, which is a sausage, too, but it turns out, the one in Beijing was a candy. 

      So, how does Wangfujing looks at night?  Well, it looks pretty, but it isn't something that'll blow you away.  There are a lot of malls on the strip, and a lot of people, and I would have wanted to watch Harry Potter at the malls but the movie tickets cost way more than what a 3d movie in the Philippines cost.  There's also this mall with a huge Christmas tree and light bulbs outside.  It was so cute...I even had the audacity to take pictures of a stranger who was trying to have her photo taken.  Heehee.

Thoughts: Cebu Pacific to Launch Budget Long-Haul Flights in Q3 2013

     Wow!  Cebu Pacific will offer long-haul flights by the 3rd quarter of 2013.  I hear one of the flights includes Australia, and that info has been known to me since last year.  I wonder, though, what is taking so long to launch this new destination.  As for the others, expect flights to the Middle East, and perhaps London or Italy, too, where most of the OFWs are working.  And yes, 3rd quarter of 2013 is still far away but I'd better start saving money right now.

     Here's Cebu Pacific's press release quoted in full from their website:

Cebu Pacific to launch budget long-haul flights in Q3 2013

The Philippines’ largest national flag carrier, Cebu Pacific (PSE:CEB) will commence long-haul flights in the 3rd quarter of 2013. The airline will lease up to 8 Airbus A330-300 aircraft to serve new markets beyond the range of CEB’s current fleet of Airbus A320 aircraft.

The Airbus A330 has a range of up to 11 hours which means CEB could serve markets such as Australia, Middle East, parts of Europe and the US. The aircraft is one of the most commonly used wide-body aircraft in operation today, given its highly reliable operating statistics.

“The A330-300 will give us the lowest cost per seat, allowing us to drive long-haul fares 35% lower than those currently offered by other airlines, and as much as 80% lower when CEB offers promo fares. This aircraft type is very well suited to the kind of network we want to build and the routes we want to launch,” said Lance Gokongwei, CEB President and CEO.

“We are exploring serving cities where large Filipino communities reside --- Europe, Middle East, Oceania and the USA. Data indicates that more than half of Filipinos deployed in these regions take multiple stops and connecting flights because no home carrier can fly them there non-stop,” added Gokongwei.

Gokongwei cited Saudi Arabia as an example, where only 165,000 passengers flew direct non-stop flights from Manila (Civil Aeronautics Board 2010 data), compared to 293,000 Filipinos deployed to Saudi Arabia in the same year. This means that nearly half of Filipinos who flew to Saudi Arabia in 2010 had to take multiple flights to get to their destination. With CEB’s long haul operations, the budget airline will provide more affordable, direct flight options to Filipinos overseas, a population estimated to be 11 million worldwide.

Since its inception in 1996, CEB has posted a good track record in stimulating short-haul travel of Filipinos working and residing overseas. Passenger traffic to and from Hong Kong, where a lot of Filipinos reside and work, grew by 88% since CEB started operating flights from Manila in 2001.

“We want to do the same for long-haul traffic --- offer the lowest fares possible and drive a significant increase on demand for air travel to regions outside of Asia. This is truly an exciting time for CEB as we continue to be of service to the 11 million strong global Filipinos, wherever they are in the world; and to their families back home,” Gokongwei said.

“As CEB develops long-haul routes and opens new destinations for a Philippine flag carrier, we will be creating an important enabler for increased trade, tourism and foreign investment.”

The airline currently operates 10 Airbus A319, 19 Airbus A320 and 8 ATR-72 500 aircraft. Its fleet of 37 aircraft – with an average age of 3.6 years – is one of the youngest aircraft fleets in Asia. Between 2012 and 2021, Cebu Pacific will take an additional 23 Airbus A320 and 30 Airbus A321neo aircraft.

CEB operates the most extensive network in the Philippines with 34 domestic destinations and hubs in Manila, Cebu, Clark and Davao. It also offers 19 international destinations, namely Bangkok, Beijing, Brunei, Busan, Guangzhou, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, Hong Kong, Incheon (Seoul), Jakarta, Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur, Macau, Osaka, Shanghai, Siem Reap, Singapore, Taipei and Xiamen.

Beijing Adventures - Day 3: Riding the Subway During Rush Hour, the Bird's Nest and The Water Cube

     

     I had this idea to go to the Bird's Nest and the Cube via the subway.  I  mean, there's a subway station going to the Olympic Sports Center, so, might as well try riding the subway.  Well, it turned out to be a not-so-great idea.  You see, from our hotel, the Wangfujing Station is like a 15-minute walk, or so it seemed.  Then, it was rush hour, around 5:00 p.m.  The subway's clean and all, but it was packed!  We managed to get into a train even if it seemed impossible to get into an already full carriage.  It was so filled to the brim!  It's like the MRT along EDSA during rush hour, with thousands of passengers more who do not seem to cease coming.  It's an incessant and constant flow of people.  

     While it was as tight as inside a can of sardines, personally, I didn't get squashed, pushed, pulled or bodily harmed intentionally or not.  In fact, even if there seemed to be no more room at all, people still made way for the new passengers to get inside.  I felt the people in Beijing are far more polite and chivalrous because of that.  If there was anyone who tried to push and squeeze her way out, that would have been me.  But the people in the carriages didn't mind to be accidentally pushed, squashed or pulled.  It was as if it was part of their daily commute.

     We had to change lines a couple of times and there was this one station where we had to pass through a funnel-like entrance that people had to walk side-by-side, with slow, little steps, until we reached the other side.  It was such an experience.  I can proudly say that I've ridden the subway during rush hours on a work-day and I survived!  It was such a feat.  Heehee.     

     Well, too bad that I wasn't able to take pictures because you see, time is of the essence.  Everyone was scurrying.  The stream of people would not allow for a leisurely pace and for snapping pictures.  That'll be rude to those who are on a hurry to head home.  I was able bodied so I didn't have a reason to be slow.

    We reached our end station and we walked a considerable distance to the Water Cube and the Bird's Nest.  Both structures are stunning at a distance; moreso at a closer look.  The one looks fiery; the other looks calm.  The reds and the blues.  There were a lot of policemen on duty, so again, I felt so secure.  I felt more secure in Beijing than here in Manila, really.

     I think it was almost 7:00 p.m. when we reached the Olympic sites.  My friends were hungry and tired.  I think we only spent about an hour there, and we asked a policeman where we could go and hail a cab.  We don't know if he understood us but he motioned to the sort of highway that passes in the middle going to the other end of the Bird's Nest.  We dutifully followed the directions given us and it was also a long walk, and a little farther would have brought us to a huge hotel.  But thanks to that, I was able to get a better view of the Bird's Nest.  

     We hailed a cab on the main street; there were not a lot of people; well, just us and some others.  And there was this one freak, a young local it seems, who was shouting something in English; something like, "Hey missy!  Do you understand English?"  My friends didn't hear him call because they were busy hailing a cab.  I didn't think he was speaking to us; he was on the other side of the road for crying out loud.  As we got into the cab, I heard the freak started shouting, "Fuck you!"  I was like, was he talking to us?  Was he insane talking to girls like that?  Then I remembered what @ commoner  over at Pinoy Exchange Beijing thread once said. Guess it might be one of those overly-enthusiastic English-speaking locals who approach tourists...he's probably up to no good.  I mean, why the heck would you call out to someone from the other side of the freaking road and then then tell them to fuck off? Geez!  I was so damn pissed that I wanted to get out of the cab and kick the prick in his groin.  I think he thought we don't understand English because we weren't paying attention to him, so he started cursing at us for fun.

     Finally, there is another thing that I learned during our adventure to the Olympic site; procrastinators have no place in Beijing.  One must really walk, endure, walk and then walk some more whether or not you use a cab or the public transportation.  Either way, we walked a lot.  The same goes true with the other famous places in Beijing, like the Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, among others. 

Seat Sale - Air Philippines' Express Sale [Travel Period July to 30 Nov 2012]

     The Express Sale we've all been waiting from Air Philippines is finally here!  And I should say that I am a little disappointed with the sale for Singapore.

      I know that fuel prices are really, really high right now.  But a fuel surcharge of Php 3046 is a little off-putting, especially when the earliest travel dates are five months away.  Last year during their similar express sale in early January, I was able to book Manila-Singapore round trip tickets for only Php 3,600 (if I remember correctly; it could be lower).  Now, it costs Php 5,896.00.  Hmm.  Well, it is a little disappointing but it is still lower than PAL, and competitive with Cebu Pacific's sale fares.  After all, Cebu Pacific's fare for their Manila-Siem Reap flights costs about Php 5,300.00.  So, it's still okay, I guess.  Anyway, we should blame the high fuel cost for the higher fuel surcharge.

     But the domestic flights are okay.  It's less than Php 1,000 round trip, say for example, Manila to Tagbilaran.  Fuel surcharge for domestic is around Php 700.00 for flights originating from Manila.

     So, happy travel planning!

Screencap of the mock-booking I made for Singapore.

Beijing Adventures - Day 3: Quanjude in Wangfujing

    

     Our driver and tour guide chauffeured us to Quanjude in Wangfujing.  I have read raves about this restaurant, presumably, it serves one of the best Peking ducks in Beijing.  Of course, we're in Beijing, and it's a must to eat this delectable dish.

     So, it was around 1:00 p.m. when we got to Quanjude.  We thought that we would not have a table, but to our surprise, there were vacant tables.  Yay!  It's not that there weren't any diners, mind you.  Rather, the restaurant is just huge.  It's like a ballroom of a hotel; it's that expansive.  The restaurant seems really classy, with those beautiful chandeliers and red and gold table cloths.  There is also a stage, what for, I don't know.  I slipped out of my coat and I hung it over my chair.  Immediately, a waiter came, placed a cloth cover over the back of my chair, and another one over my belongings which I stashed on top of the chair beside me.  Viola.  No coats hanging that skews the aesthetics of the place.  Very effective. 

     We ordered of course a Peking duck, well, half a duck, as well as the pancakes and the side dishes.  We also had dessert, I couldn't remember what it was, as well as another dish.  We just had Peking duck the night before but what the heck. The only complaint I have is that the tea is not free.

     So, a couple of minutes later, a chef with a cart came near our table and proceeded to prepare the duck.  I was really amazed with the look of the duck.  Although the one we had the night before was tasty, it was nowhere near the beauty of the duck laying there before our eyes.  Quanjude's duck looks moist, full, smooth, and huge.  Also, the skill of the chef in slicing the duck is superb.  Having witnessed two separate preparations, Quanjude makes it better. The slices are thin and even.

     The chef first sliced off some duck skin, and it looks so crispy!  The waitress brought a small plate to our table. When we ate it, it was full of fatty oil from the skin.  It was yummy but oily.  A little later and another plate was filled-up with duck meat.  It was delicious!  We weren't disappointed, not in the very least.

     And I met my second future husband here, too.  He was with his grandparents, I suppose.  Well, they may be his parents.  Like my first  future husband, he's tall, but he's more of a risk-taker when it comes to fashion.  He's wearing a pink sweater and cool sneakers.  If he's wearing bright pink and remains manly, then, he's so comfortable with his sexuality.  I took a photo of him.  He can be seen, too, in the second photo board.

This photo doesn't do him any justice.

He looks way better in person.

He's carefully checking the bill while waiting for his parents/grandparents.

Thoughts: Puerto Princesa Underground River Named as One of the New 7 Wonders of the World

     A big yay to the Philippines!  Our very own natural wonder made it to the coveted New 7 Wonders of the World!  Congratulations!  Serious campaigning for voting worked!

     ETA: I didn't know that the voting was done via texting.  I'm very curious about it.  I mean, text votes?  Seriously.  The Philippines is at the forefront in terms of texting.  It's like, "pagbubuhat ng sariling bangko" as Filipinos love to vote for ourselves, or our representatives or anything which relates to the Philippines.  So, I guess, congratulations, Philippines, for winning by texting.  Love your own.  ;-)

    Here's the entire article lifted from the New 7 Wonders website:

PPUR officially confirmed as one of the New7Wonders of Nature

By Eamonn Fitzgerald on January 28, 2012 in Puerto Princesa Underground River

Manila/Philippines, Zurich/Switzerland: Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR) is now confirmed as one of the New7Wonders of Nature. Making the announcement in Manila, Bernard Weber, Founder-President of New7Wonders, congratulated the people of the Philippines for supporting their national finalist in the global campaign.

“When your very own President Aquino came out in support of the PPUR campaign, I knew that this country was taking the New7Wonders of Nature seriously,” said Weber. “Fans of PPUR all over the world responded to his call for action by voting in record numbers and today’s confirmation is the well-earned reward for this extraordinary display of enthusiasm,” he added.

Mr Weber was speaking during a meeting with Edward Hagedorn, Mayor of Puerto Princesa, Nardz Villafranca, PPUR campaign coordinator and Jean-Paul de la Fuente, New7Wonders Director. Subjects discussed included the arrangement of the Official Inauguration events and the implementation of the strategic plan for promoting PPUR using its title as one of the New7Wonders of Nature. 

“This confirmation is wonderful news for Puerto Princesa, and a great example of how now its more fun to be in the Philippines,” said Mayor Hagedorn. “World-wide exposure of our natural beauty on this level is critical both for tourism and for our image nationally and internationally.”

Puerto Princesa Underground River is located some 50km north of the city of Puerto Princesa, on Palawan island in the Philippines. It consists of a limestone karst mountain landscape, several large chambers containing significant formations of stalactites and stalagmites, and an 8.2 km. navigable underground river that winds through a cave before flowing directly into the West Philippine Sea. At the exit, a flawless lagoon is framed by ancient trees growing right to the water’s edge.

In alphabetical order, the provisional New7Wonders of Nature announced on 11 November 2011 are: Amazon, Halong Bay, Iguazu Falls, Jeju Island, Komodo, Puerto Princesa Underground River and Table Mountain. Following Jeju Island, PPUR is the second to be confirmed on a preliminary basis, as New7Wonders has now completed the telephone voting validation in the Philippines. The remaining five provisional New7Wonders of Nature are currently undergoing the three steps of the verification process, namely the national voting validation, the global voting calculation confirmation by an independent audit firm, and the preparation and implementation of the Official Inauguration ceremonies.

Melaka Travel Adventures - Day 1: DIY Tour to A Famosa Fort, Maritime Museum and Others

     It made perfect sense to start our DIY walking tour from the Dutch Square going up to Stadthuys.  It was an easy climb, as the walkway uphill is paved, to St. Paul's Church and an easy descent from there to A Fomosa Fort.  Had we reversed our starting point, we would have to climb many, many stairs to reach St. Paul's.

     Anyway, the A Famosa Fort looks more like a small chapel rather than a fort.  Well, like St. Paul's Church, it is in ruins and only a small portion remains.  And, as with St. Paul's, I fell in love with it, too.  I don't know but I'm quite fascinated with ruins.  I find ruins quite lovely; ethereal but melancholy.  I like to touch every stone possible, perhaps even cling onto those stones for a while.  Literally, it's touching history with one's finger tips.  

     I don't know much about A Famosa except that it's old dating back to the 1500s and that what remains is a small gateway of some sorts.  Well, all I can say is that it's achingly beautiful against the late afternoon sun.

     My mother and I just walked around until we reached a park with old trains and aircrafts in open display. It was teeming with people.

This one is really cute.  You sit down on it and pedal, like a bike, as shown above.

     Then, we got out of the park, just wandering aimlessly until we reached Dataran Pahlawan, Melaka Megamall.  As it name suggests, it is a shopping mall and its name stuck with me because of "pahlawan", like the Philippine's "Palawan" province, and "Megamall", like our own "SM Megamall."  We saw a McDonald'sand had our snacks there.  I wanted to eat chicken with rice but they only serve spicy chicken without the rice.

     After taking a break, I dragged my mother to the sort of galleon ship I've been seeing from a distance.  It's an attraction, included in the Maritime Museum, and the entrance fee you'll pay will be good for 3 attractions/places.  I forgot how much I paid for the tickets.  We didn't check the other parts because I was lazy.

     

     Anyway, footwear is not allowed to be worn inside the wooden ship.  Don't worry; you'll be given a plastic bag for your shoes or sandals so you could carry it with you (if you're not comfortable without your designer shoes near you), or you could just leave it at the designated storage place.  If you want to reach the topmost deck, you'll have to climb into a very steep staircase.  It's easy going down but it's trickier going down as the steps are placed quite far apart.

     After my Capt. Jack Sparrow moments on deck, my mother and I started walking back to our hotel.  This time we took the river side where we found a couple having their nuptial pictures.  The groom was wearing a mariachi-esque suit and the bride was in a layered gown with lots of ruffles.  The bride was so pretty!

All I can say is, lucky guy!

     Our last stop was the Melaka Fort.  There really isn't much to see, except perhaps the river behind it.  Anyway, the you can find the Melaka Tourist Information Office in there.

In ruins, too.

This cannon looks fairly new.  A replica, I suppose.

Riverside!  It's clean and there are ares where you could sit and enjoy the sunset.

The famous Hereen House

     Wondering how Melaka got iss name? This tells it all:

Caption says:

"Parameswara looking at how one of his hunting dogs thrown into river after being vivaciously [it really says 'vivaciously'!]kicked by a white mouse deer. Later on, he named his empire "Lelaka" after the tree Pokok Melaka in which he was sitting under."

Travel Tips: Taiwan's Free Half-day Tours for Transit Passengers

     A member of PEX posted a query in the Taiwan travel thread about what to do during a stopover in Taiwan with 3 to 4 hours to spare.  I said I think a visa is still required, unless exempted.  As for things to do, I really am not sure since Taipei is an hour away by bus from the Taoyuan International Airport.  What I do know is that Taiwan, as other countries, have free half-day tours for transit passengers courtesy of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau for transit passengers, but only for those with at least 7 hours to spare.

        I copied the mechanics from the Taiwan Tourism Bureau website below for quick reference:

Transit or transfer passengers with 7-24 hours before their next connecting flight, and who have a valid R.O.C. visa or come from countries eligible for visa-exempt entry can participate.
Countries eligible for visa-exempt entry: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,the Vatican,the U.K., and the U.S.A..

Also eligible are citizens from India, Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia who hold a valid visa — or permanent residency — to the U.S., Canada, Japan, the U.K., any Schengen Convention country, Australia or New Zealand. Citizens of the five Asian countries meeting the above qualifications and having never been employed in Taiwan as blue-collar migrant workers are eligible for the tours, but must first apply for visa-exempt entry by registering on the National Immigration Agency’s website: http://www.immigration.gov.tw/. Registrants must also print out a confirmation, which they must present at check-in before boarding their flight for Taiwan.

	Terminal 1	Terminal 2	Return to Airport（Depending on traffic）
Departure Time	08:15	08:00	Before 13:00
Departure Time	13:45	13:30	Before 18:30

Note:
1. Each tour is limited to 18 passengers on a first come, first served basis.
2. As there is no room for luggage on the bus, please store all luggage at the airport baggage service counter (fee required) before boarding the bus.

Tourist Service Center, Airport Arrival Lobby
TEL: 03-398-2194, 03-398-3341 Or dial 2194 or 3341 from the airport’s courtesy telephone
Service Hours: 07:00~23:30

A: Passport valid for at least six months
B: Completed Immigration Embarkation/Disembarkation Card available at Immigration counter

*The Tourism Bureau reserves the right to cancel tours in case of inclement weather.

A short trip to the lush countryside southwest of Taipei brings you to Yingge, where hand-painted replicas of elegant Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) vases, along with other types of artistic and functional ceramics, are produced. The small town is Taiwan’s pottery center and its narrow streets are lined with shops selling everything from earthenware tea sets to delicate statues.

(when museum is open)
The Yingge Ceramics Museum, the first pottery museum in Taiwan, is a modern, glass-walled structure that imparts sense of limitless space and the beauty of simplicity. It presents 200 years of ceramic evolution and folk culture in Taiwan. It is a symbol of history and cultural as well as a place to find peace of mind.

 

Sanxia, about 22 km southwest to Taipei, is a bustling town with narrow, winding streets and brick buildings, many over a century old. The main attraction is Zushi Temple, built in honor of Song Dynasty (960–1279) loyalist Chen Chao-ying. Chen was a famous general knighted as “Protector of the Country” for his achievements and valour. This temple was in ruins at the end of World War II, and a meticulous restoration project has been underway for some forty years. The temple is known for its intricately carved stone and bronze columns and statues, especially the temple’s unique bird art. There are also carved stone lions, camphor wood carvings, and exquisite bronze bas-reliefs.

Taipei 101 stands 508 meters high with 101 stories on a site area of 30,278 square meters. The development comprises an office tower, a shopping mall and an observatory. It was certified to be the world’s tallest building and when it was opened to the public on December 31, 2004.

Taipei is home to many temples. Of these, Longshan Temple is the oldest and most famous. It is also one of Taiwan’s finest examples of temple architecture.

The building which houses the Office of the President of the Republic of China was inaugurated in March 1919, about seven years after construction began. Its architectural design features an elegant and majestic symmetry. Inside the building there are tall pillars, refined ornaments, long corridors and exquisite arches, all Baroque characteristics which prevail in the Renaissance period. Since the central government was relocated to Taipei in 1949, this building has been used as the Office of the President.

The Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall is an impressive monument built in commemoration of the late President Chiang. The majestic hall towers over 25 hectares of landscaped gardens, graceful pavilions, and ponds. A statue of the late President Chiang looks out over the city from the main building.
The elegant Ming Dynasty-style arch at the main entrance is flanked by two classical buildings–the National Theater and the National Concert Hall. The square between the two buildings is a popular gathering place during festive occasions.

This is an excellent example of classical Ming dynasty architecture, dedicated to the fallen heroes of China’s wars. There is an hourly changing of the guard ceremony at the entrance, which many people find interesting.