Gourmandize, Laze, Explore - Repeat : A South-East Asian Itinerary (Pt. 1)

Just a sliver under twenty-four hours it took me. But, I finally made it to Kuala Lumpur. My only solace, my gateways to this city was through three of the top airports - when traveling finding free Wi-Fi is like hitting the jackpot and I certainly did at the airports at Hong Kong, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.

My hostel was located near the bustling Pasar Seni (Central market) and Petaling Streets (China Town). But, first things first a shower -and it did not disappoint. I was soon hitting the busy streets of KL and exploring the Independence (Merdeka) Square area.  The juxtaposition of the old and the new is seamless here. From the square you see the KL tower and the iconic Petronas Twin towers but the neo-Moorish architecture of the Sultan Abdul Samad Building across the street and the Tudor styled buildings that sit adjacent to the lawns still garner your attention.

After inhaling some food at the Pasar Seni food court- which was, surprisingly, disappointing - I was exploring Petaling Street and its pirated goods. It was here that the 'bull in a China shop' feeling first manifested itself. The alleys increasingly narrowing, yet the traffic steady. Later that night I met up with a long-time friend who lives in KL, Hetty. We went out to a neighborhood bar to catch-up on the latest, it had been fourteen years since we last saw each other!

The drinks were short-lived as I was still bleary-eyed after close to a day of traveling and another flight approaching in a few hours. I had roped Hetty into going to Koh Phi Phi with me early that following morning.
The last time I was in Phi Phi, it was for a short two-day jaunt and I promised myself then, that I would return at some point. This time we had four days to laze and explore on the tiny spit of land in the Andaman Sea.

Getting to Phi Phi is a bit of a trek in itself; an early morning Air Asia flight from KL to Phuket, then a taxi from Phuket Airport to the Rassada Pier and finally a two-hour ferry to Koh Phi Phi. The ferries aren't very frequent as we learned, we missed the first ferry of the day by five minutes and had to wait for two-and-a-half hours for the next ferry. The Pier isn't geared for stranded passengers, having only a few knick-knack shops and some benches haphazardly strewn about.

We arrived at Phi Phi slightly later than anticipated, due to engine trouble we experienced in the middle of the Andaman Sea. Fortunately, we had music and a small speaker to while-away the two-hour journey.
It helped that I was familiar with the island, as finding our hotel was a cinch. We were staying at the Phi Phi Palm Tree Hotel - affordable & very comfortable.

We went for a walk and found the ubiquitous fish spas that you find all over these parts. I was keen in giving it a try, Hetty was slightly more apprehensive - but she was game nonetheless. I can't quite describe the sensation of having hundreds of tiny fish eat away at the dead skin on the soles of your feet. The best way to describe it is as getting tickled. Hetty was a great sport even though the sensation of fish eating her dead skin was freaking her out. After our half hour was up, the only thing that was occupying my mind was: Hit the Pool! And that's exactly what we did... along with some tasty suds; Chang, Singha or Tiger all being viable options. After some pool lounging our appetites had reached mammoth proportions and we sat down at the beach-adjacent Tonsai Seafod Grill. Chicken Satays, Calamari rings and fried fish were accompanied by some "manly drinks" (cocktails).

After a much needed nap, we headed out to grab some food but to no avail, all the restaurants had closed for the evening - it was past ten o'clock. Instead we went to a beach bar and grabbed some food from a street vendor. This was followed by a few Chang's at the bar. After a few bevvies and people watching it was time to call it for our first day in paradise.

The next day, still feeling the jet-lag I was up early and decided to spend the first few hours reading 'Shantaram' by Gregory David Roberts. It turned out to be an excellent read especially when traveling through South East Asia. This day was spent entirely at the beach and the bar, not specifically in that order. We set out after breakfast at the hotel and perched ourselves at Lo Dalum Bay well into the blistering afternoon sun. The beach was almost empty when we first waded into the shallow Andaman. We migrated between the the calm waters and the icy, thirst quenching Chang's in what seemed like a perfectly choreographed routine. Towards lunch time we ordered some fries with our beers at the beach bar. This is one of my favorite childhood memories from living in Sri Lanka; coming back for a tasty reprieve after swimming in the ocean my parents would have fries, fresh off the fryer, waiting for us and the saltiness of your fingers (from the ocean) and the greasiness of the fries was the perfect blend of goodness. It takes me back to circa 1990 every time.

Another afternoon nap beckoned! After all this was relaxation, in its purest and most unadulterated!

We made sure not to repeat the previous nights' mistake and made it to a restaurant before they closed. For dinner, we had crab in chili oil, prawns in a rendang curry and eggplant all accompanied with some fried rice. The afternoon sun, the seafood feast, 'Cantaloupe Island' by Herbie Hancock all proved too much - I gave into the lulling coma that beckoned. That night I dreamt ...of what I can't remember.

Just like the morning before I was up early and continued to make my way through Roberts' 'Shantaram'. "Sometimes you have to surrender before you win." A quote that would resonate with me for the rest of the trip, more on that later.
Today was the day that we had booked our snorkeling trip. Last time I was in Phi Phi, I had no waterproof camera and suffice to say I was cursing that decision. This time though armed with a waterproof camera that took videos as well we embarked on an island hopping snorkeling tour. As we set out from Ton Sai Bay, the clouds looked ominous and sure enough after our first stop at Monkey Beach (so named for the colony of monkey's that congregate at the beach) the heavens opened up. As we made our way to the first snorkeling stop the rain eased for a bit. Snorkeling during a down-pour on the Andaman Sea - cross another off the bucket list. The snorkeling was still great, in spite of the rain. The variety of fish, impressive. The corals, bountiful. The water clarity, at least ten to fifteen feet.
 The highlight of the trip though, was seeing a purple and black stripped sea snake. My first instinct was to freak out, but I remembered from watching too many Discovery Channel shows that although being highly venomous that sea snakes are very docile. I kept my distance but followed it for a little while before deciding to head back to the boat after about an hour of exploring. Next stop was Koh Phi Phi Leh, infamous for having 'The Beach' filmed there. We made our way through the rocky banks and walked across the island and arrived at Maya Bay. Even in the rain it was spectacular, the bay was walled in by limestone cliffs which provide a glaring contrast to the perfect and the sugary white sand. The rain eased as we headed back to Ton Sai Bay. The clouds cleared just enough to see the vespertine colors of the sunset, and the entire boat sat in silence and enjoyed the fried rice that was included with the tour. As we approached Ton Sai the rain picked up again.

The last full day on the island inevitably arrived. The rain from the previous day had given rise to the perfect island day, balmy yet with the odd breeze that provided a brief yet welcomed respite. We lazed around in the morning getting in ample beach and pool time, always accompanied by a cold beer. The real treat came at dinner time, Hetty and I had our hearts set on having lobster, and we satisfied this extravagant craving. We ordered prawns in chili oil, black peppered lobster and thai-styled steamed clams, of course accompanied by fried rice. Barring the odd shell, the plates might as well been licked clean. It was more greed than hunger that fueled our appetites, but it was satisfying to see empty dishes line our table.

The next morning we had to catch the morning ferry back to the mainland. Hetty and I sat in silence for the most of the two-hour ferry ride. We played back the four days we spent on Phi Phi and the great memories that we were taking with us. I still had five days left of my trip, but it was with a heavy heart that I was leaving Thailand - few place have ever tugged at my heart's strings as Koh Phi Phi. As we boarded our delayed flight back to KL, one thought resonated in my mind, "Sometimes you have to surrender before you win."

To Be Continued....

Researching/Planning a trip : SE Asia

Sometimes I enjoy planning for travel as much as I enjoy traveling. That being said, there is a cornucopia of websites that promise to make it seamless and easy. So with so many sites how do you choose which to use? With my trip to SE Asia coming up, I'll cater this post to reflect traveling to this area of the world and how I went about working out the logistics for it.

So first things first, where the heck did I want to go exploring? Head to Laos to explore the fog-shrouded mountains and verdant valleys or make my way through Vietnam and engorge on its fantastic cuisine? Or perhaps, venture through the myriad of Indonesian cultures and islands? This is the beauty of South East Asia- your options are boundless!

Given this, I had trouble ratcheting down my itinerary, so many places I wanted to explore and yet, that eternal conundrum of limited vacation days. I finally settled on making Kuala Lumpur my base. The main reason for this is that Air Asia, a budget airline, has its hub here. Also, I have some childhood friends that live in KL as well - so I'm excited to meet up with them.

I booked my flight to Kuala Lumpur through Singapore Air, not the cheapest but I chose to splurge given the long-haul and I know from past experience, that they are one of the best! Kayak helped narrow down dates, but ultimately brought it directly through the SingaporeAir website.

I perused the State Department website to determine the entry requirements for the various countries in the region. Fortunately, Malaysian entry requirements were kind on the U.S. Passport- no visa required! Winning!
And neither did Thailand. However, both Cambodia and Vietnam required a visa. However, Cambodia offers an online visa process. Score! This, and the fact that Air Asia had a direct flight to Siem Reap pretty much made it a shoe-in. Vietnam, however, was a little more cumbersome. The visa processing wasn't offered online, also given my time limitation I knew I wouldn't be able to dedicate enough time to explore the culinary and cultural wonders of this nation.

For lodging I mostly rely on Hostel World, but given the fact that lodging is nowhere in comparison to exorbitant prices in Europe, you may be able to splurge on a budget. Checkout Trip Advisor for recommended lodgings, and Agoda for specials deals. I found two awesome hostels in Kuala Lumpur through Hostel World (both of which had won the Hoscar awards handed out by Hostel World), both satisfying my criterion of having easy access to KLIA and being nearby the bar/restaurant scene.

I hope this sheds some light onto my thought process, when researching a trip. Don't hesitate to leave a comment on here or follow me on twitter (@SHazDePinto).



The Help:

Flights:
Kayak.com
Skyscanner.net
AirAsia.com

Research:
Wikitravel.org
Travelfish.org
travel.state.gov/travel

Lodging:
hostelworld.com
agoda.com
tripadvisor.com

Less than 36 hours in LA/Pasadena, CA

Disclaimer: this post is less about LA/Pasedena and more about relishing the companionship you revel in while traveling/eating/drinking.

Southern California, LA, the city of Angels. The mere mention of it causes every inch of my being to let out a sigh, as images of smog-filled valleys and concrete snakes that invade into every direction of by-gone scenes of serenity take over my psyche. Now this may be embellishment, high melodrama, but you know for the most part this is true.
Lately though, I'm discovering a different Los Angeles . It's up and coming downtown area, with the many foodie-enticing restaurants to the always chic shops.

I was in LA this time around to meet-up with my cousin, who was visiting from Melbourne with two of his mates. In fact, one of them I had gone to school with when I lived in Melbourne, Australia. I took a very late flight out of the Bay Area on South West Air, as usual the flight attendants were hilarious! South West really knows how to get folks to pay attention during the in-flight safety walk-through. Sarah, a friend from college picked me up from LAX and we were off to meet up with two of my cousins (one is a LA local). They had found a watering hole (Far Bar) in Japan-town. The wings here are some of the best I've had; they were perfectly crispy, spicy and not drenched in sauce like those other guys'. After copious amount of beverages we decided to call it a some-what early night.

The next morning, we decided to head to the Griffith Observatory while we waited for my cousin's two mates to arrive from Las Vegas. It was a perfect smoggy LA day- downtown LA was barely visible. At least, I could see the Hollywood sign from the Observatory. Besides the smog, it was an otherwise gorgeous day, it was in the seventies and I was enjoying wearing shorts at the beginning of January. Yeah, Southern Californian summers are brutal. 
While my cousins went to LAX, Sarah and myself were dropped off in the city of Alhambra. We found a bar and waited till the rest of the group arrived. We were heading to the legendary Boiling Crab for a late lunch. As usual though, in spite of Alhambra having two locations, the wait was immense. Having promised the Aussies this legendary meal, we were hesitant to ditch Boiling Crab. Fortunately, there is another fine establishment that has modeled itself after this concept and is a stones-throw away. BoatHouse had no wait and gave us essentially the same great cajun-styled seafood that Boiling Crab serves.

For those of you who haven't been, Boiling Crab/BoatHouse is the epitome of casual eating. First a paper table 'cloth' gets laid on the table, bibs and rolls of paper towels provided. The menu is mainly seafood with various types of seasonings offered in a varying spice level depending on how much pain you're willing to endure. Being that most of us at the table grew up with spicy/hot food - we ordered the X-Spicy option.

First the pitchers of beer arrived on the table then followed by raw oysters in the half shell. Then the serious stuff started rolling in: First the clams, this was my first time having clams in Cajun seasoning - probably one of my favorite ways to eat clams now! The spice and garlic combo played off well with the salty/gritty-ness of the clams. Next up was the Crawfish (or Crawdads) and 'Shrimp' (or Prawns which, I argue is the correct terminology-but I'll spend more time on this in a later post). Both, a favorite and staple that we always get. The cold beer did a good job at keeping the pain bearable and conversation flowing. The usual talk about the exorbitant cost of living in Australia and how much cheaper goods are in America is a popular topic and is whenever we have guests from that part of the world. Sarah, my cousin from Melbourne and myself were in Sri Lanka a year ago, so we were re-living some of the highlights of that and my trip to  Melbourne in March of 2011 was also a talking point. All in all, the perfect recipe to serve up plenty of laughs.

The clams were so good another round is ordered along with another pitcher of beer. All of us had reached that point where we had achieved a comfortably full feeling, but we all chose to ignore it and keep chomping down on the greasy seafood goodness. Besides the seafood the corn and sausages are also excellent as side orders.

Shortly before sunset we left the BoatHouse. A brief respite before the evenings festivities in old-town Pasedena got underway. I was craving a nap after that coma-inducing meal, but sadly to no avail.

Sarah and I, met some of her friends who live in Pasedena for a few drinks before the bars and a couple mates of mine from Santa Monica joined us as well. The first place we went to was more of a club sort of place and was immediately nixed by the majority. Instead we went to Barney's Beanery next door, which offers a diner/sports bar feel. The conversations continued amongst more food and drinks. We ended the night at King Taco- the ubiquitous late night spot for greasy concoctions. It was sometime after two in the morning and I had a flight to catch in six hours, so thinking it to be the wiser choice I decided to part ways with the group. Sarah and I had a bit of a walk too back to her apartment too.

Fortunately, I didn't sleep through my alarm clock and Sarah was gracious enough to drive me to the airport at this god-forsaken hour. The rest of LA/Pasadena agreed and the ride to LAX was done in record time as there was no one on the road.

I was already regretting the King Taco choice last night (but it was so good at two in the morning!), I boarded my South West flight back home with a middle seat that was empty, SCORE! I was hoping to get some sleep but a conversation with the person on the aisle seat ensued. It was probably one of the best conversations I've had on a plane with a stranger. I'm always uncertain whether to engage in this type of conversation. I feel like most people want to either sleep or tune out by watching movies/or listening to music. But, there is also this exotic notion of meeting someone, a stranger, who by chance sat next to you and discovering pleasantly similar takes on life. I know we all have dreamed or imagined this type of scenario; a person whom you hit-it-off with, someone you would've never met if not for this flight. This flight was said scenario for me. We talked mainly about travel, and discovered that we were both ravenous travelers. We traded tips on must-sees around the world. We did The List- this is where you count the number of countries you've visited. I confessed to being hungover, and hope she didn't smell the alcohol from last night, she was returning home from a wedding of a friend. We discussed career goals, something that often gets in the way of traveling and how we side-step and at the same-time seamlessly mesh the two often opposing poles. We discussed cultures and the habits of its people. The short flight, went by even quicker and we continued chatting till we were curbside. Now the moment where it becomes a little awkward -do we exchange contact details, do we let this be a the perfect encounter never to be ruined. Or do we not chance fate and see this through?  This, eerily seemed like a Jack Peñate song being played out......

Resolutions of a travel-junkie and potential travel destinations of 2012

Dear Friends (i.e. itchybrownfeet readers),

Happy 2012 to all of you out there in the blogosphere!! I start this new year slightly different to how I've spent in the last three or four years....in my own home, in my own bed! For once, I decided to bring in the New Year with some close friends in the Bay Area.

As many others, I found myself in retrospection of all that was achieved in 2011 and subsequently the goals I had for myself in 2012. In the spirit of this blog here are my travel related resolutions for 2012:

1. Make it to South America - the last frontier (not counting Antarctica) in my jaunts around the globe.
2. Angkor Wat...you heard me.
3. Avoid paying baggage fees on domestic routes (Got myself a Mileage Plus Explorer Card so that should ease up the baggage squeeze on United flights)
4. Coachella...yes please!
5. Bring in 2013 on a beach, a warm one at that! :)

There you have it, those are my top five.
That being said, my first trip is in the works, I'll be heading to South East Asia: Angkor Wat, Bali and Malaysia/Singapore being worked into that itinerary.

I hope to catch up with all of you soon. Stay tuned for more itchybrownfeet in 2012 - please don't forget to follow me. First travel post of 2012 (from 2011) will be uploaded soon.

All the best for 2012 and a toast to all the memories that await us this leap year! I hope that I'm fortunate enough to be part of your year in some way or form.

Yours,
Shaz

Spelunking in the Rio Camuy Caves

We take risks not to escape Life... but to prevent Life from escaping us.

I came upon the Aventuras site while looking up what I was going to do in Puerto Rico. I dismissed at first, deeming the caving adventure too expensive, even though it was rated by National Geographic as one of its 500 of the World's Greatest Trips. However, after mulling it over for a few days and the encouragement of my roommate I changed my mind and booked their Caving adventure (they also do a Canyoning adventure).

The 5:45am pickup time is kick-you-in-your-groin jarring, it is brutal for being on holiday. The only ordinary part of the day you will encounter is the check-in with the guides for the day. Then before you know it a red carpet is rolled out, the Indiana Jones theme music blares, a faux megaphone beckons you to board the bus and we are off on this adventure. I don't know what the guides put in their coffee but they are inconceivably bubbly at this god-forsaken hour. Our guides at the pick-up were Rossano Boscarino (Lead Guide) and Anibal Reyes(Chauffer, Guide and Comedian). Both Rossano and Anibal make the drive to the caves unforgettable, Anibal provides an amazing array of noise-effects that compliment Rossano's jokes. The constant Indiana Jones references almost convinces you that you are embarking to the Temple Of Doom.

A local bakery, serves as the halfway point pit stop before we hit the entrance of the cave. Here we pick-up the sandwiches Rossano ordered for us from the bus and any additional water/drinks.

A discrete pathway off a rural road is the starting point of our adventure. Aventuras has a station setup, where you can leave your belongings, take showers and change. I was first off the bus and made my way to the backpack lockers, I almost laughed at what welcomed me at the locker - a snake. I thought it was one of the many gags that the guides had been playing on us since the bus. After seeking confirmation from Johnny (another guide who had joined), it indeed was real and fortunately non-poisonous. Suffice to say I made sure all the pockets in my back pack were zipped-up!

From here we were off to the get our training in repelling/zip-lining and climbing the via ferrata (Italian for "iron road") at the staging area that Aventuras has setup. The initial decent to the staging area also serves as a gauge for the physical abilities of each individual.

After we were equipped with the appropriate apparatus for zip-lining and repelling we were off (yours truly volunteering to go first). The thrill of zip-lining across a jungle sinkhole is like no other. The smells emanating from the jungle flora, the dew filled air being disturbed by your being and your iris' adjusting to decipher each of the many hues of green coming from the jungle floor and the canopy above is a sensory overload. There are four zip-lines on your way to the entrance of the caves. Each being as spectacular as the last. Next up was a repel down the cliff over-hang of the caves entrance, at this point you begin to soak up the humidity in the air around you.

Once at the entrance of the cave, the humidity is so abundant it makes photography almost impossible.

After the entire group had gathered we were off into the belly of the cave. Not even five minutes into the we were faced with our first jump - a relatively small ten foot drop into the river makes sure you are drenched for here onwards.

As we meandered through the caves, the occasional fruit bat would fly-by or the helmet flashlight would spot a scorpion, or the alien-like spiders. The roaches were the most wildly abundant, and I would not suggest this to the roach phobic! But, the beauty of the calcite deposits are all-around and could be easily missed in the damp, dark environment. The calcite deposits that form the stalagmite formation on the floor of the cave are so course, at one point we were able to scale a wall of calcite without using any ropes. At the decent of this same wall was the 'Lake of Nutella', as Rosanno described. At one point, the cave was flooded by a huge tropical downpour and once the water seeped through the porous rock it left behind the type of mud that has an appetite for all kinds of shoes. To overcome losing our shoes, we were instructed to run, run like hell. The scene that followed went something like this: imagine beams of light bouncing off walls, mud being kicked up in all directions- sometimes settling precariously closed to an open mouth that is sucking in every bit of the dense, heavy air. The inevitable happened, someone lost a shoe, albeit momentarily - he was one of the lucky ones - usually the shoes are never to be found.

After conquering the Lake of Nutella, everyone paused for a moment to catch their breath. Next up was the blind 20' jump, everyone shuts off their helmet lights and gets to experience this exhilarating jump. Next up was the sump that we were warned of earlier- indeed the sump was the reason why we set out on our caving adventure so early in the morning. Before we move on, a Sump is the passage in a cave that is submerged under water. This particular sump was navigable without oxygen tanks during the morning, prior to the downpours of the afternoon. Fortunately, we got there with about a foot of air between the roof of the sump and the water level.

After navigating these obstacles we stopped for lunch (sandwiches we had bought earlier at the bakery). The Aventuras team does a great job in setting this up- the location for lunch is in a huge opening in the cave, the acoustics are incredible and they are at the ready with some soothing music and lanterns that light-up the huge concert hall-like cavern. Padding is provided for both comfort and to keep us away from any Guano that may be present on the cave floor. After lunch, we were back were headed back stopping to marvel at some huge calcite formations and then there was the Lake of Nutella to be tackled. This time no shoes were lost.

We floated out of the cave the same way we entered and then it was onto conquer two more zip lines and the via ferrata. on the way back to Aventuras outpost to clean-up after the muddy and drenching excursion.

It is definitely one of my top ten moments of all my travels. It is exhilarating and the camaraderie that is fostered during a relatively short period of time is a testament to the effort the guides put into ensuring this.

Back in the outpost were replenished with some snacks and shared battle stories. And then, before we knew it, it was time to head back to San Juan.

Everyone was still in a buzz, adrenaline still running high. Eventually though, most people gave into the tiredness, the lack of sleep including myself and the bus quietened down. Some fell asleep, some listening to music in retrospect of what was achieved that day in the Puerto Rican jungle.

For anyone going to Puerto Rico, I highly advise doing this! It is truly a rewarding and unlike any other way to spend your vacation.

Contact AventurasPR at:

info@aventuraspr.com or their website at http://www.aventuraspr.com/

Besides Rossano and Anibal the Aventuras team consists of:

Johnny Rodríguez

Iván Cruz

Tiri Rodríguez

Jazmin Ruiz 

Huge Thanks to the entire team in making the Caving experience so unforgettable!

Puerto Rico > Oahu!

I love Red-Eye’s, not the eye ailment, but the flights that are known so ubiquitously. No matter how much other travelers despise them, I have an affinity for them. They allow me to work a full-day and yet be at my destination the following morning (within reason/distance of course) ready to explore. Now, this may sound foreign to those readers in Europe and elsewhere in the world. But, for us in the American workforce we know what a luxury each day of paid-time-off is.

 
My most recent red-eye took me to the shores of the Caribbean. Puerto Rico to be exact, known in Spanish as Isla Del Encanto (which translates into "the island of enchantment”). Having slept through the majority of the first and half of the second flight (I had to connect at EWR) I was feeling as refreshed as you can be after an eleven hour sojourn cross-country. Any sleepiness that lingered was quickly extinguished while landing. We actually experienced what they call a ‘hard landing’. I knew something had gone awry when I heard the engines rev back-up upon touch-down. So, after a failed landing we took to the skies once again and circled Luiz Munoz International Airport. 

After a successful second landing, grabbing my luggage and renting my car for the duration of my stay I found my out of the airport and headed towards the Condado area. I checked into my studio apartment that I had rented for a steal, considering the location, from Airbnb. I proceeded to walk the well-manicured, ocean and lagoon straddling main-drag of the Condado area of San Juan. Within steps of my apartment were many eateries, bars and luxury hotels with casinos and more restaurants. Famished, I went in search of some local fare. First up was a Medalla (local beer) and some Ropa Viejo (shredded flank steak in a tomato sauce base) Mofongo. Mofongo is a Puerto Rican staple made from mashed up fried green plantains. After satisfying my satiety, next up was a swim in the warm Caribbean waters that were lapping onto a small strip of beach adjacent to the Conrad Condado Hotel. It was by no means the best beach, but it sufficed and I was enjoying the tropical, salty breeze that almost had a lullaby affect. 

After sunset I headed back to the studio and rested, being that it was a Friday night I wanted to save some energy for the nightlife. 

Boriquans don't go out till late - with dinner also being a late affair. Even at 8 o'clock the restaurants were relatively quiet. I went to a Peruvian/Puerto Rican fusion restaurant (Puerto Peru) for dinner - my waiter a Dominican transplant and like many locals was friendly and even gave me a list of all the hot spots to check out. That night I tried mofongo again, this time the prawn variety, it went down well with the strong Mojitos that were being served at this very fine establishment. :) The streets slowly started to get busy, with many a local crowding the streets to what is the equivalent of the 'joy ride' or 'jerk ride' as it was explained to me by a very friendly taxi driver.

That night I ended up first in Old San Juan's Nuyorican Cafe, it's more dance club than a cafe. That night they had a live salsa band and many of the patrons were getting their salsa groove on. However, my highlight from the San Juan area that night was a hole-in-the-wall bar adjacent to Nuyorican Cafe. It was, from what I gathered, an all local crowd drinking rum concoctions and listening to Reggaeton. Randomly though, this bar actually had a ceremonial mask that can only be found in Sri Lanka. After a couple hours here and getting to know some locals I headed to Club Brava at the San Juan Hotel. After another Mojito and some people watching I was back heading towards Condado. It was close to 4:30am when I decided to call it quits. 

Saturday was Discovery of Puerto Rico day, unfortunately I slept-in till late. I did catch some festivities in Old San Juan late in the afternoon. It was a great day and the locals were enjoying the celebrations of their history. Old San Juan is also a great spot for all types of photogs and I was enjoying the various photo opportunities that presented itself, especially in the waning daylight. On the recommendation of some friends I went to Barrachina - the birthplace of the Original Piña Colada. Honestly, the Piña Colada wasn't my cup of tea (this was my very first). The pineapple and coconut cream mixture takes some getting used and after one of them I switched back to Mojitos. While I was waiting on my dinner, Bistec Fortelaza (Skirt Steak stuffed with ham, Swiss cheese, onions and peppers covered in mushroom sauce), I was chatting to an Australian couple who attested that the Piña Colada here was indeed the best in San Juan (at least by their standards). C'est la vie. Tonight, I headed back to the studio early. For tomorrow I'd be going on an adventure, an adventure that is rated Top 500 by National Geographic! 

Early in the morning, 5:45am we were off to the Rio Camuy Caves for some Caving/Spelunking. (More on that to come). The Caving adventure was probably one of my favorite excursions I've done in all my travels and I'd highly recommend it anyone that is visiting Puerto Rico. (www.aventuraspr.com)

I was so tired after the physicality and the lack of sleep from the previous night that I passed out for a few hours back at the studio. That night I was keen to go out, but I had another early morning planned with a snorkeling excursion the following morning. 

Monday morning, I was off to the coastal town of Fajardo - about an hours drive from San Juan. I had booked a snorkeling excursion with a local outfitter just south of Fajardo. Unfortunately, the swells were preventing us heading towards Culebra. I was keen on Culebra because its Flamenco Beach is highly recommended by travelers and locals alike. Instead, we were off to the uninhabited island of Icacos. As soon as we were given the all clear I was in the water. While the rest of the folks were still loitering on the boat!!! While the snorkeling didn't compare to the snorkeling I had done earlier this year in Thailand it still was amazing. In my opinion the higher salt content of the Caribbean makes it easier to snorkel for a long period of time. In fact, I had stayed out in the water the entire time we were in Icacos. Saw some really awesome marine life; including a trumpet fish that camouflaged itself amidst the sea weed and an extremely shy octopus that I happened upon for a brief second. There was a Blue Tang that followed me around the reefs off Icacos and another that kept me company on the reefs of Palamino later (our second stop). Most snorkeling outfitters provide lunch and unlimited rum punches and other beverages. 

My excursions for the day hadn't finished, next on the schedule was kayaking in the bio-luminescent bay (La Laguna Grande) north of Fajardo. There are two-trips that each outfitter plans for the night, one right after dusk and the well into the night. I headed out on the later excursion. None of the review could prepare me for this experience. You set out in pitch black conditions, the only thing to guide you are small LED lights on the guides kayak. The entrance to the larger lagoon is through a mile-long strip of water that is fenced in by mangroves. Before getting into the lagoon proper you could spot hints of the single-celled bioluminescent dinoflagellates as oar broke the serenity of the water. Some kayaking ability is required as there are many kayaking outfitters that lead tours into the lagoon and the opportunity for crashing with other kayakers is high. Once in the lagoon you can run your hand in the water, and it would seem your hand was 'on fire' underwater. This is one place you would hope for a brief tropical shower, imagine seeing the water light-up as each droplet disturbed the surface. The whole excursion takes about an hour and a half. The darker it is, especially moonless nights are the best to go out onto the lagoon.

My last full day in San Juan (and Puerto Rico) and I was hell-bent on making the most of it. I had to, had to, eat some BBQ-ed pork! After hearing so much about La Ruta del Lechon (the 'pork highway') from Anthony Bourdain and Andrew Zimmern I was sure it'd be on my to-do-list. However, there was a place right in San Juan that could rival the lechoneras of Cayey, Bebo's. So for lunch on Tuesday I was at Bebos, just before the locals got off for their lunch break. I ordered both the BBQ pork and some flavored rice. What was most impressive was that the pork wasn't doused with many a spice, but held up all on its own. All I can say is, you have to go to Bebo's when in San Juan. All BBQ pork should taste like that. To avoid a food coma I was off to old San Juan to catch the ferry over to the Bacardi Rum factory. The ferry is really cheap to Cataño, 50 cents one way. It also allows you a different view of San Juan, especially the huge cruise ships that come into the harbor to dock. The neighborhood around the Bacardi rum factory is dodgy - especially right outside the ferry dock. I enjoyed the tour of distillery and the two free drinks that comes with the tour. Although, I don't know if it's worth taking a taxi over to it ($35, one way). I'd only suggest it if you have extra time to spend in San Juan. I took the ferry back to Old town San Juan and spent the rest of the afternoon and early evening walking around the fort and the cobble-stone streets of the old town. 

That night, I wanted to try the up-scale restaurant at the Conrad Condado called Pikayo. It was pricey but the food was good - I had the jumbo prawns and pork belly sliders and many a mojito to wash it down. I finished the night off smoking a cigar and sipping some eight year old Bacardi rum at a open-air restaurant (Via Appia) facing the 'window to the sea' park. It was the perfect end to my Puerto Rican adventure - Rum, Cigar and Pork being the common thread that wove this trip together.

The next morning after checking out of my studio I was back heading towards Bebo's for a final BBQ pork and ribs combo before heading to the airport, across the street). The perfect send-off to an enchanting place. 

I know the title of this post is startling but in all honesty I had a blast in Puerto Rico. It still maintains its own culture - something I missed in Hawaii. I hope you all give Puerto Rico to enchant you. I know it certainly left a lasting impression on me.

Finding Serendipity Pt.1

Serendipity: an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident.

It had been five years since my last visit, I was in college then.
This time, just as all the previous times, I found myself picturing the various locales, people and the food - oh the food! Next to the people, the food is what I miss most about Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka, has been known by many names over the years. Most recently as Ceylon (like the tea - the only remaining industry that uses it) and Serendib for millennia before that. It is the root for Serendipity.

After enduring the thirty-four hour journey from San Francisco, I found myself at Bandaranaike International Airport, just after midnight. I was due to meet-up with a college friend, Kim, who was gallivanting across South-East Asia for the past four-months. Kim was on her last leg and the timing worked out so that she could meet me in Colombo for five days before she headed back stateside.

I tried to sleep-in but the adrenalin and jet-lag meant that I was up at 8am. Kim was already adjusted seeing as that she just arrived from Kuala Lumpur. We spent the rest of the acclimatizing and spending some time with my Grandma.

The next day we were outward bound to the north-east corner of the island; our first stop stop being the Habarana in the heart of the Cultural Triangle. Habarana is the gateway to Sigiriya, a UNESCO world heritage site, and declared by the same as the 8th Wonder of the World. Sigiriya (directly translated to "Lions rock") is an ancient rock fortress having a vast network of gardens, rock structures, reservoirs and frescos. Sigiriya has an interesting history and is a relatively medium difficulty hike up to the top.

Sigiriya Rock

Kim and I started our climb just before lunch - this is the first place where we would experience the two-tiered pricing system; one for the locals and one for tourists. Fortunately, I was able to get the local price. Kim couldn't pull of the local look in time. After crossing the moat, we stopped briefly to get some sunscreen on - we let our guard down briefly before a cheeky little monkey almost made off with Kim's backpack (which had her passport). In hindsight, the image i have of her having a tug-of war with a monkey is quite amusing. After seeing this for a few seconds I stepped in and gave the monkey a gentle yet stern kick which surprised it and Kim was able to wrest control of her backpack! You can't make this stuff up. :)

Having safely navigated the monkey we were making quick work of the relatively easy hike. We encountered both tourists and locals alike. Some local women choosing to make the climb in Sari's and heels!! We made a detour through the restored frescos and The Mirror Wall and made our way to the top through the "Lion's mouth". The view from the top was breathtaking. The lush rainforests below looked like they spread as far as the horizon, only briefly interrupted by a solitary ivory white statue of a standing Buddha and distant lakes.

Frescoes along the way to the top of the Rock

After making our way down we headed to our hotel where we would relax before heading to the north-east coast town of Trincomalee the next morning. Trincomalee boasts one of the world's deepest natural harbors and unspoiled beaches. This is mainly due to the civil war that ravaged until 2009. Thankfully, that chapter of Sri Lanka's history is just that, history.

Before heading to Trinco we made a detour to Polonnaruwa- one of two ancient kingdoms in Sri Lanka's history and formerly a capital city. The ancient city is also a UNESCO World heritage site and was used by Duran Duran as the back drop to their video of "Save a Prayer". The three forms of the Buddha, Standing, Meditating and Sleeping are giant statues and are both a religious and historically relevant site for locals. The ruins are well preserved and date back to 1070A.D. The giant stupas, the intricately carved stone statutes and decorative passageways sheds light into a civilization that compares with many in the region, well worth a visit.

Ruins at Polonnaruwa

A giant Stupa (Temple)

Sleeping Buddha ( 1 of 3 giant stone Buddha structures in Polonnaruwa)

On our way back we to the road to Trinco, an Asian elephant decided to enthrall us on the road-side while almost scaring a Tuk-Tuk driver off the road, all this while a giant Standing Buddha overlooked this truly Sri Lankan of a scene.

In the past few months the rain had been unrelenting in Sri Lanka and the roads told that story being riddled with potholes. The rented car bearing the brunt of this. We were on a road that was constructed on the lip of a dam and this wear the trip turned into an adventure. Both Kim and I were admiring the view that the lip of the dam offered one minute and the next the driver was trying to trying to figure out the rattling noise that interrupted this serene view moments earlier. In minutes, on what seemed a stretch of road that was a few miles away from any town we had a mechanic that had come to the scene of the breakdown. It was quite amazing. For the moment our spirits were high, we still had about 2 liters of water and some crackers and cheese as sustenance. After performing a quick-fix on top of the dam we found a Garage in the middle of nowhere, which had no cars in sight that looked in working condition - which proved to be a rather ominous sign. It finally took five hours to get back on the road. At the end our high spirits were doused and then briefly lifted once we were on the road. All in all it took us five and a half hours to travel 34km! The hunger and the heat really starting to take it's toll, especially after we missed lunch, we were now some 9km from the hotel (Nilaveli Beach Hotel) when the car decided to breakdown once more. At this point we had to abandon it and hailed one of the many Tuk-Tuk's passing-by to take us this last stretch. We, at last, checked-in to the hotel just as dusk was giving way to the night. I was on edge the entire time, and offering many an apology to Kim who had endured through this with me. Lesson learned.

After a nice cold shower the next thing we wanted to remedy was our hunger. Thankfully the hotel's dinner buffet did not disappoint. Any assumption of a cuisine that is ubiquitous island-wide is quickly doused, as the chef at Nilaveli showcased the South-Indian influence in this region during dinner and the rest of our stay.

The following morning was glorious as it could only be in the tropics. I was as anxious as only an island-born could be when I saw the cyan blue hues of the Indian Ocean. Soon after breakfast, I was in the water - . It was as perfect as a Corona advertisement. Before long the usual late afternoon tropical shower cut the sun-basking short. My parents, sister, grandma and some family friends joined us later that afternoon.

The next morning, after breakfast we headed back to Colombo. All the while hoping that a repeat of our adventure of car breakdowns didn't continue. Fortunately, even with the rain, we made it back to Colombo without any breakdowns.

After a bit of a rest we headed out that night with some of my friends. Friends that I've knows since I was five or six years old. We headed out to a place called R&B (Rhythm & Blues). It's a smart-casual kind of spot with a dance floor - pretentiousness was non-existent, so I was quite happy here. Since we were with a large group the usual M.O. in Colombo is to order a bottle or two. Invariably it ends up being cheaper than buying individual drinks. I know this is unheard of in the US. After a raucous night Kim and I made our way back to Battaramulla, where we had been basing ourselves since our arrival. The following morning was rough - local hangover cures includes drinking King coconut juice. Which actually has been catching on in places like Australia and UK and even here in the US. The amount of electrolytes found in this miracle juice is twice as many as found in your run-of-the-mill sports drink.

After nursing the hangover, Kim and I set out to the shops. Kim wanted to pick-up some local souvenirs as she was departing Sri Lanka and heading home later on that night.

I was at a family friends' place for dinner that night and called it an early night as tomorrow another friend of mine would arrive on this island, my island, to seek serendipity.

To be continued....