makadto

Thai Yakult Lady

Leave a comment Posted by Lana on February 4, 2015

Beverage, Thailand Bangkok, probiotic, Yakult, Yakult lady system

Siam Call Box

Leave a comment Posted by Lana on February 3, 2015

It’s only in Bangkok that I’ve seen this sort of call box design. I tried lifting the phone receiver and it works.

Duo design

Fixture, Thailand Bangkok, call box, payphone, phone booth, Si Lom, TOT

Thai Curiosities at a Race in Khao Yai

2 Comments Posted by Lana on February 3, 2015

Last January 31, I found myself in Khao Yai, Pak Chong about 200 kilometers from Bangkok for some running related journey. Runners from 40 countries participated in this quite popular Asia Pacific trail running race series organized by The North Face.

Waiting for the race briefing the day before the race, while seeing several trail ultra marathoners with smooth head but in an appealing masculine way.

I have previously participated in the Philippine and Singapore editions of this series. This time I joined the Thailand edition.

The author finished at 3:10:48 in 12th place out of 225 women participants (6/118 in age category) of the 25 km distance race.

The event was terrific. Furthermore, the local flair of this race was noteworthy where at gun start (actually squeeze horns were used), a Buddhist monk stood at the starting line and blessed the runners with some sort of holy water as we started to cross it. And where the rising sun was seen as prominently round, with yellow-orange color above the hills as we ran on reddish dry dirt including some nonrunnable ascent to almost 600 meters above sea level. And where the trail passed through chilli and cassava plantations.

Post race buffet of Thai dishes of which the author partook to her heart’s content, seasoning her rice with Thai patis

And where the post race food was a buffet of khao pad, pad thai, unidentified Thai macaroni dish with accompanying condiments such as Thai fish sauce with chillies, and local fruits – banana, watermelon, and guava.

Thai massage on hay beds

And for a post race treat – signature Thai massage by local women on hay beds.

The mighty songthaew as the runners’ shuttle

With regards to ferrying runners from nearby hotels to the race venue and back, there were those ruggedly handsome songthaews. As for the necessary amenities, they have those portalet trucks with theme park look but with practical toilet configuration, and this has become my favorite race portalet as of today. And of course, the run on the trails of Thailand as well. Kob kun mak ka.

Portalet trucks: Each truck has door for female on one side and male on the opposite side with six cubicles for each gender plus a wash sink

Thailand Khao Yai, notes, Pak Chong, running, songthaew, TNF 100 Thailand 2015, trail running, ultramarathon

On Traveling Light

Leave a comment Posted by Lana on January 28, 2015

My pack is 5 kilos only for 5 days including my race gear and I don’t even have to use my allotted 30 kilos for check-in baggage. Though I’m very fond of my lightweight Highland duffel bag, this time I’ll be hopping on buses and trains of which I imagine that I may need to be hands-free most of the time, hence a backpack. This is not Japan, in other words the conditions may not be as precise and predictable. And I’m not fond of wheel bags. It’s too cumbersome, there is no freedom of movement, and you need a bit more space around you which is not practical at times in public places. Aside from that, the concept itself is plain boring. I believe that I must be fit and strong enough to carry my personal stuff for it is an indication that I can do more, travel far and be flexible enough for spontaneous decisions.

What I routinely do in my everyday life, I can afford to eliminate when traveling. If one’s reason for traveling is to have some diversion now and then, then one can do away with daily rituals and this varies from one person to the next. It may be all sorts of body creams and beauty regimen for some, fancy shoes and clothes, or electronic gadgets for others. Without these, then one may realize that it is easy to pack light after all. But if you absolutely cannot do away with creams and extra fancy clothes, then objectively, maybe that kind of traveling is not the same as what I have in mind. Or presumably, you are not that cute as you think you are.

Essay travel

Edible Winter Ornamental Plant

Leave a comment Posted by Lana on January 27, 2015

I have noted the presence of potted kale in various places in Japan this winter. From what I gather this vegetable is frost resistant and that is why it is pretty common at winter time though not for eating but for the beautification of their doorsteps.

Garden, Japan, Seasonal container garden, Gokayama, kale, Plant, Takayama, vegetable, winter

New Year Ornaments in Japan

Leave a comment Posted by Lana on January 26, 2015

Kyoto street posts with pine branches and tiny pink round balls

In the Philippines there is absence of New Year ornaments. We celebrate the event with fireworks, noisemakers, and food, including trays of round fruits on New Year’s Eve. But there are no traditional decorations unlike in Japan where in the days leading to this event, one can see ornaments like bamboo, rope, round pink balls, and pine branches. This was a curiosity to me that I took few snapshots of the ornaments.

More tiny pink round balls in this shopping street

New Year decoration at Randen Arashiyama streetcar station

Ropes as New Year ornament too

Japan, Seasonal bamboo, New Year, ornament, pine, rope

Narazuke

Leave a comment Posted by Lana on January 24, 2015

Narazuke (cucumber fermented in sake lees)

Tasted so good that I wish I wasn't itinerant so I could have bought some

Food, Japan, Market cucumber, fermented vegetable, Kyoto, narazuke, Nishiki Market, pickled vegetable, sake kasu, sake lees, tsukemono

On Itinerary

Leave a comment Posted by Lana on January 23, 2015

In relation to the traveling I have done, often times I would get polite requests for itinerary. Itinerary is non-existent in my realm. I do have an idea what kind of stuff I want to see, and what sort of place I want to immerse myself that my decisions were largely based on that. I think I do it on purpose to go on a trip unprepared, sort of. Without some extensive pre-journey notes afforded me with observations and discoveries entirely my own. Several people may tread the same path, may perceive things the same way, may do things the same way, but I may see things differently if my mind is independent.

Walking about for some Kyoto enlightenment

Moreover, without itinerary there is no timetable to follow as this is something that I truly have an aversion to. Something repulsive as: 5 AM: Wake-up call; 7 AM: Hotel breakfast; 8:30 AM: Temple hopping; 10 AM: Off to this museum ; 12 PM: Lunch at resto X; 2 PM: Photo-ops at this tourist spot; 4 PM: Souvenir shopping; 6-8 PM: Free time; 8 PM: Dinner at resto Y.

Spontaneous decision on what to do and where to go is more fun. And when time is not micromanaged, ideas flow freely. Learning becomes more profound when you check out certain curiosities and make discoveries in an unhurried mood, thus making your trip an exceptional one.

Essay itinerary, travel

Kyoto and its Yellow Garbage Bags

Leave a comment Posted by Lana on January 22, 2015

About 8:00 in the morning of Dec 29, 2014, in the course of the long walk towards the streetcar station, I saw several garbage bags in front of homes and in designated pickup spots. Obviously, that day was the assigned day for collecting yellow garbage bags.

As noted, each bag was neatly tied. Apparently, yellow bag must only contain burnable trash (e.g. kitchen trash and paper trash). Garbage not placed inside the official yellow colored plastic bags will not be collected on the scheduled yellow garbage bag collection day.

Several days after in another place, I saw colorless transparent garbage bags with all sorts of bottles – presumably, another category of garbage. With this, I must say that Kyoto’s color-coded garbage collection system is such a neat idea.

Very neat like in a queue

May look like a small dump truck but it has the ability to crush garbage bags thereby making it compact

Japan garbage collection, garbage disposal, Kyoto, urban planning

Footwear as Rope Floater

Leave a comment Posted by Lana on January 21, 2015

This rope is used to secure small bancas (like those in the photograph below) by the beach. When the tide comes in, the rope remained visible owing to the attached floaters such as the ala Crocs footwear.

Small bancas

Improvisation, Repurposing banca, footwear, reuse

Of Santo Papa and Banca

Leave a comment Posted by Lana on January 20, 2015

Walking by the shore of Pundaquit days ago, I saw this banca while the Santo Papa was in Manila. So I thought about the pope and nothing else

I imagine that one day the Santo Papa might ride a banca to visit the fisher folks like how I often visualize Jesus Christ – mingling among the fishermen including Simon. Simon later on became Peter the Apostle, the first pope in history. So perhaps the banca is better suited as popemobile, at least symbolically.

Seasonal, Transport, Zambales Jesus Christ, Pope Francis, popemobile, Pundaquit, Santo Papa

Plying Subic Bay for Seashell Shoppers

Leave a comment Posted by Lana on January 19, 2015

As much as I want to buy from them for their livelihood sake and for those pretty conches, I can’t bring myself to do that. It may encourage this kind of damaging trade.

Olongapo Baloy Beach, banca, conch, ornament, seashell, Subic Bay, vendor

Zambales Waters

Leave a comment Posted by Lana on January 18, 2015

Beach at Pundaquit in San Antonio, Zambales

Baloy beach in Subic Bay

Pundaquit

Pundaquit

Olongapo, Zambales archipelago, Baloy Beach, Pundaquit, Subic Bay

Traveling Beach Salesmen

Leave a comment Posted by Lana on January 17, 2015

Sunglasses for sale are displayed on a wooden panel and carried around by vendors. Notably I haven’t seen at least one successful sale transaction so far.

Olongapo, Pinoy Way of Life ambulant vendor, Baloy, beach, Subic Bay, sunglass, traveling salesman

Snow Related Warning

Leave a comment Posted by Lana on January 14, 2015

I think what the sign is trying to say is that we should watch out for snow falling from the roof.

Japan, Signs, Typography Shirakawa-go, snow, village, warning

Ainokura Village

Leave a comment Posted by Lana on January 13, 2015

Ainokura is one among the three villages with gassho-style houses that was inscribed on the World Heritage List (two others are Shirakawa-go and Suganuma ).

Ainokura is home to about 80 residents who are working together to preserve their priceless cultural properties. This village and the gassho-style inn where I stayed has now become my most favorite place outside Philippines.

Map given to visitors

Ainokura has 20 gassho-style houses

Illustration of a gassho-style architecture

The inn. I’d rather stay a night here than a thousand nights at The Peninsula Tokyo

The walk to the bus stop on a snow covered road on the day I left the inn

Ainokura bus stop

Bus schedule

Signage on the highway as seen from the bus stop

Japan, Structure Ainokura Village, gassho-style, Gokayama, inn, Toyama Prefecture, UNESCO World Heritage Site

Kyoto Bird Control

Leave a comment Posted by Lana on January 12, 2015

Bird control spikes

Apparatus, Japan bird control, bird spikes, Kyoto

Old World Monkeys at Mount Arashiyama

Leave a comment Posted by Lana on January 10, 2015

Almost at the summit of Mt Arashiyama

Mount Arashiyama in Kyoto is one such location for seeing Japanese macaques. Referred to as the monkey park, this place is a great way for fellow primates to bond (humans and non-humans).

Macaques roam freely while the humans are caged

These red-faced old world monkeys that reminded me of Borneo’s Proboscis monkeys are native to Japan, hence my interest in visiting them. The walk up the mountain at winter, though chilly, is generally a short and pleasant hike as long as you’re fit.

Caged cabin for human primates to rest, warm themselves or feed the non-human primates

Interacting with the macaques can be brought to an intimate level wherein visitors are allowed to feed them by hand, provided that you are inside the cabin. The idea is that the macaques can roam freely while the humans are caged.

The proper way to feed by hand is to put food in one's palm for the monkey to reach out for it

Other than meeting these relatively good looking fellows, the top view of Kyoto City from here which is as tall as the Kyoto Tower is my kind of high altitude sightseeing, that is, hiking up in a natural setting rather than riding up an elevator towards the roof of a skyscraper, or steel tower. Generally, no matter how grand those steel towers or glass skyscrapers are, and no matter where they are, I feel nothing for them. No fresh air, vegetation, earth, exercise and sometimes red-faced primates.

Path on the way up to the monkey park

View of Kyoto at Mt Arashiyama

My daughter wrote those and insisted I do this

Creature, Japan Iwayatama, Japanese macaques, Kyoto, monkey park, Mount Arashiyama

Of Japan’s Winter and Kerosene Heater

2 Comments Posted by Lana on January 9, 2015

To maximize the heat at the top, use it to warm some water

Kerosene heater is the most endearing winter necessity in Japan. It’s a pretty common space heating device in homes and shops other than the kotatsu.

Most common kerosene heater design

Throughout my temple stay in Hida-Takayama and mountain village stay in Gokayama in Japan Alps, multiple kerosene heaters are the primary source of heat indoors where outside temperature ranges from -1°C to -7°C.