Bye for now Cambodia, I'll be back

Fantastic visit to Cambodia. Despite today's searing heat (104°F) today was good. 

In total we saw Siem Reap, Battambang, and Phnom Penh. Beautiful country and kind people. 

Bye!

Jakarta

Phenomenal visit to Jakarta. As I've said PD lived here twice for a total of five years. Lots to see, do, eat, and drink. 

Amazing thing was the transportation system. Jakarta's traffic IS worse than Manila but they are biting the bullet and building an MRT. Headaches now for benefits later. 

The best way getting around Jakarta in my opinion? No, you didn't ask. The scooters. 90% of the scooters younseem in this picture are for hire via an app. Uber, Go Jekk, and Grab bike. All are great and super inexpensive. 

Well off to Siem Reap, Angkor Wat, and Cambodia. Meeting up with Truk and Mason. Should be a blast!

Cheers!

Jakarta and P. Deeks' B-Day

We wrapped up in Bangkok, bid Truk adieu, and jetted over to Jakarta , Indonesia. PD lived there two different times for a total of @ five years. 

We arrived into Jakarta and you can tell PD was excited to be "home". Her Bahasa (the language of this area of Indonesia) was magnificent, she was cracking jokes with the drivers and hotel staff. Like any place you leave and go back to visit there are changes and she noticed them. 

We got around the city on Grab scooters.  Grab is transportation app like Uber. It's all over Asia. In Jakarta they have a scooter option. You order on your app, out in your location and destination, the driver shows up with a helmet and you are you off! It's easy and cheap. The scooters manage their way through Jakarta's infamous traffic easier than the cars do. Great way to get around the city. 

We met friends, ate great meals, lounged by the pool listening to the call to prayer, and generally had a lot of fun. 

Happy B-Day PD!!!

City Mornings #Bangkok

Being a teacher I wake up earlier than most, even on vacation. That can be a negative. I choose to view it as a positive. 

I love early morning in cities, especially big cities. I love watching the city "wake up". Shop keepers opening their stores or kiosks. You see the city without the tourists, the every day natives who clean up or spruce up the city.

Bangkok and Chatachuk Weekend Market

Fantastic morning exploring Chatachuk Weekend Market in Bangkok. So much to see and buy, easily one of the best markets I've ever been to. 

We met up with Truk who finally arrived after some delays in Shanghai. Payton, Truk, and I wandered around. P and I bought some items and then we enjoyed some ice cold Beer Lao at Viva 8, a fun and pleasant little cafe in the market. 

Stopped by an art area of the market and ate a late lunch Cafe Ice. 

Spring break #2017

I love being a 46 yr old who still has spring break. I have two weeks off and the wife and I are headed out around SE Asia. Meeting up with old roommate and seemingly lifelong friend Stacy P. In Bangkok till Wednesday morning. 

Payton and I will jet off to Jakarta for her to show me around her old stomping grounds. On Saturday we part ways for a week as she heads back to Manila and I head to Cambodia to tour Siem Reap (Ankit Wat), Batabambang, and Phnom Penh with Stacy and Mason D. 

Pub Quiz, Über, and Manila traffic

Payton and I headed to Makati for a pub quiz a couple days ago. I always enjoy. In fact some of our first dates were for trivia nights. The first occasion was definitely a "vetting" night for a small group of her friends. I scored some key questions for the group in history, sports, current events, and even answered a Taylor Swift question. Judge all you want but YOU spend nine years teaching 8th grade at an all girls school and tell me you won't pick up some T Swizzle knowledge.

Makati is a part of Manila that is located adjacent to Bonifacio where Payton's place is located. Maybe about 10-13 km away. That is a 45 minute ride in rush hour my friends. To say that Manila's has a traffic issue is a massive understatement.

Driving rules in Manila are not exactly strict. It is nothing compared to harrowing taxi rides of Shanghai, Wuhan, and China in general but they certainly give one pause. Left hand turns happen anytime and from any lane. I would NOT want to drive here at all.

How to get around you ask? Buses are decent, Jeepneys are a mainstay(more on this adventure later) and taxis are easily accessible. If you cross the nexus of rush hour and rain then you should be prepared to negotiate and wait.

The good news is that taxis are cheap. One time I had a 1 and 1/2 hour cab ride. You read that correctly, distance traveled seven miles, time 1:30. That trip cost me 650 phps (Philippine pesos) or about $15 US. That was a VERY expensive for Manila, but when you consider that we were driving in knee high water and the guys fan belt was about to go out, I consider it money well spent.

Über is joining my google (alaphabet) overloads as must have technology. Even though my phone is on airplane mode I can order Über when I have wifi and it works fine 90% of the time. It's cheaper than cabs (even during most surges) and there is no haggling.

Sometimes the tech fails and you end up with images like below from the other night after trivia. It seems that our driver will be making the Filipino version of the "Kessle Run" in one minute.

Btw, the two person team of Payton and I took on teams of 6-10 people and help our own. Favorite category, "Google Doodles". They showed ten of them which included ones with international origins that aren't seen in the US. Very cool.

Legazpi Sunday Market

After a nice brunch at Wildflour Cafe in Makati City with some friends of friends (Via S.A.I.S. Mafia) Payton and I took a rainy walk to Legazpi Sunday Market.  When visiting foreign cities I have always loved outdoor food markets.  They really show off the culture of the city.  Sunday Market was foreign food market meets DC hipster farmer's market.  

Corn on the cob grilled over an open flame.

Ok, the "German Sausages" for sale, a bit out of place.

Despite the rain the market was great, Need to come back when I haven't recently eaten.

Filipino hipster drum circle.  

Check out the guy in the stoking hat and shades. It was @ 88 F with like 100% humidity.

Yes, that says pierogis.  If I was recovering from some tummy issues I would have dove in.