| Feb 25, 2012 |
| You Can't Do Everything (but you can certainly try) in Bali, Indonesia |
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| Today: our first blog correspondence from Matthew, the ToursByLocals staffer who has embarked on a two-month long business trip through South East Asia. He’s managed to meet all the ToursByLocals guides in Bali so far, and is currently in Jakarta, Indonesia. Today he tells us a bit about what it’s like to be a (working!) tourist in beautiful Bali. |
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An Indonesian tourist visa is good for 30 days, longer than the average visitor will spend here, but even with a month at one's disposal, difficult choices will have to be made, and you can't do everything in Bali.
Do you relax at Sanur, replete with its bacchi courts and bicycle paths, where the beach stretches for miles, but you're never far from a Bintang beer and a Rijstaffel spread? Or do you opt for cheap sleeps, shopping and throbbing night life in Kuta? It's a hard choice, but you can't do everything in Bali.
It's 2am local time, and I've been flying for 17 hours. I'm in no shape to make any decisions. The agent stamps my passport and I hustle through Ngura Rai's labyrinth of wood paneling, my hair already curling from the humidity. I step outside and take a deep breath, struck by the loveliness of the airport parking lot. The palm trees drip from a recent thunderstorm, and the air is thick, and sweet with the smell of frangipani spiced with jet fuel.
In a country with 16,000 islands, Bali is the jewel in the crown. At over two million annual visitors, it's Indonesia's most popular tourist destination, and has been for some 80 years. Superlatives abound: It has some of the best beaches, surfing, outdoor adventure, cuisine and nightlife to be found anywhere. The island's ancient Hindu culture is pervasive, with dance, costume, art and design all imbued with religious symbolism. A chorus of wooden bells signal the time for prayer, and with temples on every corner, Bali captivates visitors with its unique spirituality.
There is a local law banning construction of anything higher than a palm tree. The result is that international luxury resorts stretch out on large properties with lush gardens. You can also stay in a traditional Balinese villa, each one a masterpiece of intricately carved stone and wood, where standards of luxury are often even higher. An affordable home stay is a great way of meeting the locals, and you'd be surprised how quickly you can get accustomed to living in a family compound. It's a tough one - but you can't do everything in Bali.
When put to work on the Island, as I am, options are vast, but time is scarce. Would you watch the sunset from the temple at Uluwatu, where well-fed macaques pose among the shrines while the nightly Kecak dance is performed? Or do you catch the last few waves at Suluban beach before perching at a cliff-top bar? It's a weighty decision but then again, you can't do everything in Bali.
But you can certainly try. After a morning of emails, I rented a Vario scooter and set out to conquer. I sampled the break at Legian Beach, then zipped into Denpasar for office supplies. (Though no one really zips anywhere in South Bali - I clawed my way through a vehicular swarm). I scoped out a new lodging at Sanur beach, then broke for lunch at a warung (typical, small, family-owned restaurant) on the way to Uluwatu at the southern tip of the island. I took in the marvellous view and then went for a swim at Suluban, watching from a safe distance the experts surf one of the world's finest left-handers. With the evening's insects peppering sunburned limbs, I sped Back to Kkuta getting thoroughly lost on the way, circling my hotel at least three times.
Enlisting a private guide is the best way to ensure that your time is well spent. I was fortunate enough to visit with every ToursByLocals guide in Bali.
Wayan met me in Ubud, and I got to visit his home, where he lives with 36 members of his extended family, in a compound they've owned for 600 years We sat down to a six-course vegetarian feast!
Putu helped me set up my local phone, and coordinated meetings with other guides. He also arranged distribution of ToursByLocals finery at the end of my visit.
Agung, our veteran guide in Bali, shared his experiences of guiding for us and presented me a with a jar of the world's most sought-after coffee, that which is harvested by the Luwak (civet cat). Read all about it on his guide profile page,
Nyoman Gede, a popular guide who has recently joined ToursByLocals, and his driver, Komang, took me to his home region near Mt Batur, and to the highly enjoyable Monkey Forest. Thanks for a great day!
I had business to take care of all Thursday, so Mully, our most popular Balinese guide of 2011, escorted me on an improvised shopping trip around Denpasar. I would have rather taken one of his highly acclaimed excursions but then again, you can't do everything... |
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| Feb 23, 2012 |
| ToursByLocals Guide Hosts TV Crew in Buenos Aires |
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| Last week, one of our guides in Buenos Aires, Argentina had an extra special Valentine’s Day. Hernan was asked to lead a film crew around the colourful neighbourhood of La Boca to tape an episode of the popular travel TV show Globe Trekker (also known as Pilot Guides). |
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Anyone who watches travel programming has seen the friendly faces of this long-running series’ hosts. Ever since the show was called Lonely Planet, millions of people have watched Ian Wright, Justine Shapiro, Megan McCormick and others take on cultural challenges around the world.
For the Buenos Aires episode, Hernan arranged tango dance lessons for Judith (the host for this show) from a dance instructor in a local milonga. He then spent most of the day exploring the barrio of La Boca with Judith and the film crew. They discussed everything about the historic neighbourhood, from its origins as an Italian immigrant enclave to the history of the Tango, the dance that was born here in the 1870s.
We can’t wait to see the show air later this year, and will be sure to share video clips of it online once they’re available. We’re especially grateful to Hernan for his enthusiasm and participation in this unique project! If any travelers are interested in following in Globe Trekker’s footsteps, you can contact Hernan through his guide profile page. |
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| Feb 21, 2012 |
| Berlin in Winter |
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| On this cold and rainy morning in Vancouver, it made me smile to read about a sparkling winter’s day in Berlin. Our local guide Penelope (or Pen, as she is usually called) sent me a beautiful written memory that illustrates the spontaneity, creativity and community spirit that embodies what it means to be a Berliner. If someone can convince me to travel to a city, even when that city is in the middle of a historic cold snap...well, it must be someplace special! |
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The last month has been seriously cold here in Berlin, hovering between minus 14 and minus 8 or so every day. But while these kinds of temperatures mean less people visit this wonderful city in winter, it is also a unique and special time to be here. About a week ago it was a cold frozen Sunday, a glorious 'big freeze' day with pale clear sunlight and blue, blue sky. My partner and I and our 2 yr old son wanted to get out of the house, so decided to meet a friend and go for a walk in Treptower Park – a massive park in former East Berlin, right on the edge of the river Spree.
We covered up in our thermals, waterproof boots, wool layers and down jackets, bundled my son into his lambswool lined pram, and took off on the (heated) train. After 15 minutes we were in a winter wonderland. Tramping through the snow, we watched ducks navigate their way through frozen ice slabs on the river, whole flocks of gulls launching themselves into the air as joggers puffed past with ice in their beards. We set a comfortable pace, but fast enough to keep ourselves warm in the low temperatures. We were heading for a cove, a part of the river hidden by a peninsula of land that you wouldn’t be able to find if you didn't already know it was there. We knew by now it would be frozen over, and we would be able to do that special thing of walking on a frozen river. My son, snug as a bug in a rug, fell asleep in his pram.
When we rounded the corner, the scene was quite extraordinary. The Berliners had taken to the ice in droves. People were ice-skating, or even just clearing sections of the snow to have sliding competitions on the ice. People had cleared makeshift ice hockey rinks, people were playing football on the ice, or simply walking around on this massive, frozen landscape. A few enterprising Berliners had set up little stands to sell warm mulled wine, sausages, and homemade cakes. (The mulled wine was a welcome addition at this point!) When my son awoke, we headed to a nearby restaurant for a light meal – which was buzzing with customers coming in to warm up from the ice).
When we headed out again, it was late in the afternoon and we were stopped by the sound of music drifting over the ice. Someone had brought out a set of decks, a small generator and speakers and was playing some really fabulous dance music. As we lingered, more and more people started bobbing, then dancing to this great music on the ice. My son was entranced, as were we all. The scene was so beautiful – the sun clear and beginning to get low in the sky, blue skies, white snow on a frozen river and a spontaneous dance party on the ice. This was no organised event. There were no licenses required, no applications made or approvals given. This was a spontaneous gathering of Berliners who knew a glorious winter’s day like this deserves to be celebrated. This for me is part of the unique spirit of Berlin – this spontaneous creativity and ability to think outside the box combined with an active community spirit and a sense of immediacy that comes with living in a city which is reinventing itself every day. |
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| Feb 20, 2012 |
| Where (and what!) to eat in Beijing |
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| "Chinese food" as we eat it in the West is a pale shadow of the rich and complex flavours that exist in China itself. Our tepid stir-fries and chop-suey simply don't hold a candle to the real deal. But knowing what to eat once you've arrived in China can be a challenge: how do you pick from the vast array of regional cuisines, sauces, and preparations...? How do you know what restaurants will offer you the best, most authentic dining experience? |
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Today our guide Janet from Beijing offers you her favourite places to get a great meal in the Chinese capital - and what dishes to try while you're there!
To visit Beijing, you are not only going to want to enjoy the city's highlights and experience Chinese culture, but also to satisfy your stomach. This means that it is important to choose some good restaurants in which to eat. Beijing-style food is eaten throughout Northern China, and emphasizes light and subtle flavors and the best ingredients.
Here I’d like to give you some suggestions about popular local restaurants in Beijing.
1. Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant.
Beijing (Peking) Roast Duck dates back 300 years, and is now a popular meal in many parts of China. It gives a perfect combination of color, aroma and taste, a crisp thin skin, and a mouth-melting, delicious flavor. This is a great place to the classic meal.
2. Manfulou Hot Pot Restaurant
Hot Pot was created during the Yuan Dynasty, over 1000 years ago.The main ingredient of the modern version of Mongolian-Style hot-pot is prime mutton taken from tiny sheep raised in Inner Mongolia. It supplies sliced beef, chicken, potato, mushroom, spinach, etc, and is considered very healthy. At Manfulou, they will serve you different kinds of sauce as your request, such as green onion, chili oil, shrimp sauce (paste), salt, salted leek buds, and more.
3. Jindingxuan Local Flavor Restaurant
Jindingxuan will serve you 80 kinds of Chinese dishes: Stir-fried chicken, Stir-fried beef with rice noodles, Dim Sum, Sour and spicy noodles, fishes cooked in different way - and many more. Please check the pictures at the top of this article for more details!
4. Xibeiyoumian Restaurant
This restaurant serves you in a nice atmosphere, with the traditional decorations inside. The raw food material is sent from the northwest which gives you a unique regional taste. They cook beef, lamb, fish and chicken in a light way, so you will not find it oily or greasy.
5. Family Cooking
It will be special to have a meal with a local family. You are welcomed to share a meal with a local family as your host; they will cook the food for you, and explain the different ingredients. You can visit with the family, talk together, and they will show you how to cook Chinese food. (If you'd like, you can also show them how you prepare one of your dishes from home!)
Thank you Janet! Dining out tips like these are invaluable for Westerners visiting your city for the first time. If any travelers are headed to Beijing in 2012, consider getting in touch with Janet for more great local insight into the Chinese capital (and to help you arrange an unforgettable meal with a local family!) |
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