Tag Archives: Southeast Asia

Sharing Cultural Heritage in Southeast Asia, Through Blogging

Posted on April 3, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Blogging has become an important communication tool for the world and the passionate voices that emerge from this not-so-new venue inspire, enlighten, educate, amuse, inform and give hope. For some it’s a set-in-stone format and for others simple on-line diatribes with no rules. Grammar, format, photo layout be damned! This is one of the things that inspires me, because anyone can be a blogger and be heard…even me.

'Fellow' BLOGGERS inspire!

‘Fellow’ BLOGGERS inspire!

As I’ve rather recently jumped into this amazing arena of new wave journalism, I’ve met many people and seen the vast world through their eyes. Those real voices speak to me much louder than fluffy reviews or advertorials, especially when it comes to restaurants, hotels, sightseeing and even spas.

What tales will these people share of their travels?

What tales will these people share of their travels?

In fact a recent ‘review’ of a spa convinced me to go there only to be sadley disappointed when the polish immediately rubbed off my toes and my newly manicured finger caught on fire the next day! Ouch indeed on both accounts. So yes, I give much more credence to the ‘real’ voices that are emerging these days through blogging. I also try to adhere to those guidelines myself, without being unkind with thoughtless words and criticisms.
*Just a note, I did return to that particular business to politely inform them, but they didn’t seem as shocked as I was or offer a refund… go figure right?

I really appreciate good food, friendly staff and great customer service.

Having read far more blogs these past couple of years than any advertorial journalistic pieces in ‘tourist’ rags, I’ve learned of some of the best inside scoops on travel, food, culture and society. And I applaud any country that takes their blogging community seriously, especially when it comes to tourism and travel.

Reading people’s first hand travel experiences can be priceless information.

And the beauty of tourism and travel is that they embrace every nuance of the world, from architecture to food, from customer service to culture. Those aspects get me excited about travel, cultural experiences and especially meeting new people!

And I love meeting new people!

And I love meeting new people!

Malaysia has in the past two years embraced their blogging community with two successful blogger conferences and social media events, Malaysian International Tourism Blogger Conference & Awards 2012 and 2013. I attended both MITBCA events and was honored to be a guest speaker in 2013. Am I inspired? You bet! Has it raised my desire to see and do and blog even more? Absolutely!

Embracing the many aspects of local culture inspires me.

As I do my daily search on line for usable content for my website and social media endeavors, I often find hidden gems. A link in one place leads to a link somewhere else and my morning path goes off in many directions, all filled with glorious information. Time consuming but a fascinating look at the world around me. May sound corny to some, but I love it!

Social media rocks, no?

Social media rocks, no?

And that’s how I met Asianita, the spokes diva for Air Asia, one of the sponsors of  the ASEAN Blogger Festival 2013 event…
Screen Shot 2013-04-03 at 1.25.47 PM

As I went to Facebook ‘message’ a fellow blogger , I noticed another blogger had told him about a blogger conference coming up in Indonesia..hmm, how come I hadn’t heard about that? And as I  investigating further, I found an entire community of bloggers were converging in Jakarta to celebrate their unified Southeast Asian voices at  ASEAN Blogger Festival 2013, set for May 10-12, 2013.
asean
ASEAN is the brain child for a unified Southeast Asia ‘region’; a region rich in culture and history. Do I want to participate in this event? Absolutely! To put faces to the many ASEAN blogger voices will be further inspiration for my own ‘voice’ as well as how I see Southeast Asia. And I plan to see a lot more of Southeast Asia, because thanks to Air Asia, now everyone can fly, even me!

 

 

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Posted in Ponderings, Southeast Asia

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Kristiani(Abiesha)Cleaners, Langkawi Luxury or Affordable Practicality?

Posted on November 15, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Another trickle down effect of growing up with American television in the 60’s was that hiring household help was a luxury indulged by the wealthy. But later down the road of adulthood, more and more of my ‘blue-collar‘ co-workers were indeed becoming big fans of this luxury. Eventually biting the bullet and giving it a try, it became apparent that it wasn’t just a luxury but an affordable practicality. and had nothing to do with class system. But after moving to Singapore, that whole premise flew out the window.

NOW I CAN WRITE MY OWN

Prior to my overseas employment in Singapore, I’d read as many Culture Shock and over-seas-survival books as possible. Probably having been written years prior by bored Embassy wives, some of these books encouraged readers to hire ‘maids’ because it was expected and it helped the community monetarily.

I don’t know if I ever saw ‘maids’ that were actually Singaporeans, but certainly plenty from other Southeast Asia locations. But witnessing a barely-out-of-her-teens girl wash a garage-parked car at 5am as one of her daily chores or the helpers (complete with uniform T-shirts) following their high-heeled employer down a busy street carrying her small boutique purchases? I had to rethink the whole class system thing.

KRISTIANI SPOKES-MODEL

Later when staying in Malaysia, I found fighting the elements vs. clean house ‘battle’ on a daily basis exhausting, yet those images from Singapore were way too fresh in my mind to even consider seeking assistance. But I eventually did hire a stay-at-home-mom neighbor as an excuse to help her  earn some extra income. I’m not saying it’s true everywhere, but hiring a neighbor ‘friend’ is not a great idea, especially in the household help arena.

The relationship line from friend to employee is too easily muddled. It also opens the door for their friends to drop by and visit them on ‘the job’. And then the all to often requests to “borrow” this or “can I have” thats?, can be an exhausting exercise in cultural politeness.

UNIFORM AND ADVERTISING IN ONE BRILLIANT PACKAGE!

Having to basically un-hire my neighbor and finding my daily schedules busier and busier, my house was beginning to look like the home of a wild bachelor. I was in dire need of a professional cleaning service that was to my knowledge, non-existent in Langkawi. So when I first spotted the  Kristiani Cleaning Service postings  on Facebook my heart soared. At the time of my initial contact I was told that services were only available in Kuah with plans to expand, but it still gave me hope. And indeed good things come to those who wait.

“AUNTY” IS A WELCOME ADDITION TO MY SATURDAY MORNINGS

I kept contact with ‘Kristiani’ and watched them produce not only an active  Facebook PAGE but also a BLOG and being a big fan of folks with creative initiative, I love promoting enthusiastic self-promoters.  I especially like seeing them succeed. Their efforts eventually brought them enough clients outside of Kuah, where they now have a growing number of additional satisfied customers. Which includes of course me!

I can’t speak highly enough of their services and ability to tackle even a house like mine efficiently and in a timely manner. And they’re willing to clean per your particulars, just ask and you’ll receive. I feel very comfortable with these ‘strangers’ in my house, because of their professional demeanor, yet now they’ve  become my friends as well. They do have free reign and aren’t shy, so any questions they have are asked…

THE SMILING FACE(S) BEHIND KRISTIANI CLEANERS

And Kristiani herself? Well, that’s actually the name of the company. The sole mastermind behind this much-needed Langkawi business is a young mother named Evelyn. With a husband and two under-school-age children, this powerhouse manages to juggle many balls and yet always smiles. That attitude trickles down to the rest of the team and it shows in their excellent services.
Kristiani Cleaners is actually an affordable and practical Langkawi luxury!

 

**In March 2013, this wonderful cleaning company had to change their name to Abiesha Cleaners, for a few odd reasons.
Same crew and same great people!

KRISTIANI CLEANERS ( AKA Abiesha)
tel: 49668292 / 0172770170
email: kristianicleaners@gmail.com
blog: kristianicleaners.blogspot.com

 

 

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Suriwathi Hotel: Kuta, Bali

Posted on August 20, 2012 by | Leave a comment

On my recent trip to Kuta, Bali I had planned to stay in a 15USD a night private room, found via web search. Arriving at 11pm and finding no one at the airport to meet me (as I had requested), I took it as a ‘sign’. So I negotiated with a few too eager taxi drivers and went looking for a place to stay.

BEAUTIFUL GROUNDS OF SURIWATHI HOTEL

Knowing that I was rather at the mercy of my taxi driver and his potential ‘arraignments’ with area hotels, I anticipated a late night tour of the city. But surprisingly he seemed to remember a particular hotel as an after thought and delivered me to Suriwathi Hotel . And surprisingly he had no commission arraignment,  just one of Bali’s many hospitable  people.

A SMILE LIKE THIS EVEN AT MIDNIGHT!

I was pleasantly surprised to find this small ‘resort’ had standard rooms  for 25-35USD a night, with aircon, hot and cold showers, television and breakfast included. Their upper end villas and bungalows  were also reasonably priced. Unfortuantely no WIFI is available in the rooms at this time, but it is fast, free and efficient  in their open air restaurant.

COZY BUNGALOWS WITH RELAXING GARDEN VIEW

The open air restaurant is next to the pool and bar and feels more like a lounging area than a ‘hurry up and eat’ stuffy restaurant. There’s free breakfast for guests and a choice of four set meals from 8am-11am. You can also order from the regular menu until 11pm at night: Western, Indonesian and delicious salads
(the chef salad is especially nice).

POOL CONVENIENTLY LOCATED NEXT TO BAR AND RESTAURANT

The staff at Suriwathi Hotel all  speak English and are eager to ensure guests’ comforts. Obviously a compliment to Manager Madi  Widane, who is quite a charming host as well. Any arraignments you need assistance with, they will do their best to take care of.  And with a genuine smile.

CHARISMATIC MANAGER MADI WIDANE

The gardens at Suriwathi are beautiful and quiet, although adjacent to a rather popular street. It is within walking distance from an ATM, money changer, mini markets and a variety of restaurants. It’s also only a few blocks from the beach, where there are plenty of people renting or selling anything from cold beers to Indonesian kites.

ONE OF THE GARDEN SHRINES

Kuta is  one of the nearest stops after landing in Denpasar,Bali. For me it’s an excellent base camp. Although it may seem like crazy chaos to a new arrival, after a few days in town you can feel the balance of a solid community. The people of Bali are helpful and genuine, being respectful to them will indeed get you respect back. And my best tip? Although tempting as it is to immediately start ‘shopping’, wait a few days when your newness isn’t so apparent.

 

Suriwathi Hotel
Sahadewa Streat No 12 Legian – Kelod
Kuta Bali – Indonesia
 Tel: +62 361 753162
Fax:  +62 361 758393
suriwathi@yahoo.com

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Posted in Bali Places to Stay, Indonesia

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Langkawi Night Markets

Posted on May 7, 2012 by | 2 Comments

With my first trip to Southeast Asia , I discovered those magical Hawker’s Stalls and Night Markets. I had never seen or experienced anything like it.  It can be a bit intimidating for ‘new’ travelers to the region, but usually the warmth and curiosity of the locals can make for an easy transition.

There were times, in my early travel days, when I’ve turned down unique foodie experiences, due to my undeveloped sense of adventure or feeling like a bit of an intruder at a ‘local’ hotspot.

But I’ve changed that mind set in recent years with more ‘road’ experience
as well as living side by side with locals, in Langkawi.  My neighbors have encouraged me to try more local food. I’ve been invited into their homes
for meals and friends have even hand delivered food as a neighborly gesture!

I’m in awe of their unique cooking skills, as well as their use of local plants and herbs that can often be found growing wild on the side of the road! Knowledge that has been passed down from generation to generation.

The increase in more ‘foreign’ travelers and workers, especially in the past
10 years , has resulted in a huge number of travel articles being published. Giving even National Geographic a run for its money!

And all those fabulous family recipes are being highlighted and shared throughout the world. So maybe us ‘outsiders’ are not so unique anymore,
but the food retains its regional individuality.

In Langkawi, there is a Night Market (or two) every night of the week. They’re scattered around the Island in prime locations.  They usually start around 5pm. It’s a not to be missed experience.

I recently went to the Night Market at Kedawang (near Pantai Cenang).
It was actually my 1st time to this particular Night Market and I was wowed
by the variations of food and so many people. The choices were almost
overwhelming, but a great opportunity to try everything!

Going to these areas and asking a local, “Mana pasar malam?”, will usually get you pointed in the right direction or just ask your taxi driver. Bringing your own tiffins, containers and reusable bags is most appreciated and helps keep Langkawi green. Bon appetite!

 

The Langkawi Night Market schedule is as follows:

 

Monday : Ulu Melaka   also   Pekan Rabu Mall (Kuah) 
Tuesday : Kedawang
Wednesday : Kuah
Thursday : Bohor Tempoyak
Friday : Air Hangat Roundabout
Saturday : Kuah
Sunday : Padang Matsurat

Can get more details ( HERE )

 

*And! For more info on going GREEN :  ME BLOG NATURE

 

 

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Posted in Langkawi Food

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The International Art of Busking

Posted on April 20, 2012 by | Leave a comment

I recently met a couple of young tourists from England, Kydd Fire and Kat who had come to Langkawi for a Fire Dancing gig. Unfortunately, the venue
was changed and the gig vanished. They had budgeted their money with that particular gig in mind, so where did that leave them? Tight on cash and  a
couple of weeks before their scheduled flight back to England.

FIRE KYDD

So what do independent travelers like this do? They busk! Now, I had never heard that word before, so I had to look it up. Busking is street performing.
An international art form that has stood the test of time.

THE DUNNE BROTHERS OF IRELAND

As a kid, I spent much of my childhood in New Orleans and that was my first experience with busking. From the monkey grinder, whose monkey was dressed in a tiny suit, to tap dancing children with bottle caps on their shoes.  As time went on, more musicians landed on the street to entertain tourists in exchange for a few extra bucks. This really added another special quality to the already lively New Orleans scene.

 

TAP DANCING KIDS IN NEW ORLEANS

 

When I got to San Francisco in 1990, the ‘Summer of Love’ had already come and gone, but the busking continued. Not only in Haight Ashbury, but also in other parts of the city. Some like the infamous Bushman , who has been scaring tourists for years at Fisherman’s Wharf. But others, like Officer Bob Geary , brought along his ‘dummy’ partner on patrol. Meeting and greeting the community in a friendly fun way.

OFFICER BOB GEARY & BRENDAN O’SMARTY

Of course not everyone appreciates street artists. Some insist on making them have special permits or licenses. Yet, it seems that begging for money or just looking destitute with your ‘donation’ jar is ok.  But I for one appreciate anyone with creative talents that they can share with the world. 

BUSKING “UNCLE” IN SINGAPORE

I don’t care where they’re from, because when I run into street performers it brightens my day. Street performers are great photo opportunities for tourists and even the most dismal place can become more magical with the echoing sound of a violin, drum beats, tap dancing kids,  even people pretending to be statues.

BEING A STATUE IS NOT EASY!

To me art is art and anyone with creative abilities should be embraced. So maybe they get lucky and make a few bucks, you never know the whole story. Are people really worried that they are making so much money they’ll skip out on their taxes? It’s basically free entertainment and  street performers will usually enhance any location visited by ‘tourists’ or the public in general. 

MALAYSIAN BUSKERS

I’ve seen famous musicians playing the ‘streets’ with other buskers, simply because they enjoy it.  It’s not always about money. So next time you encounter a busker, consider donating to the arts. These are people like you and me , and they are sharing their talents around the world.

 


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Posted in Art and Culture, Southeast Asia

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