The Coronavirus quarantine really makes me miss travelling. Hence, my past travel photos come to the rescue! The further the country is, the better it is mending my travel bug bites. Some foods are better eaten on the spot than be delivered, really… this inspired me to write about Палкинъ (Palkin), an amazing restaurant in St. Petersburg, Russia, where you can find the best beef stroganoff. Beef stroganoff is one of the Russian traditional dishes, made of strips of beef and mushroom in a creamy sauce. The dish is served with potato, rice or noodles. If you’re a fan of carbonara or creamy dishes, it’s a must-try when in Russia!…
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A Stranger in Moscow
A rainy day reminded me of Moscow back in 2018 and one of my favourite Michael Jackson songs, “Stranger in Moscow”. After the 4-hour bullet train ride from St.Petersburg to Moscow, my tour group was welcomed by a heavy storm and 4ºC weather. However, the weather didn’t stop us to explore the city, especially the Red Square thus we continued with the walking tour #dedication During the tour, the song “Stranger in Moscow” kept playing in my head. I feel it’s beautiful and emotional… although up until now I don’t remember the lyrics. One thing I knew, I was cold! Even when it was raining heavily and the wind pierced…
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A Rainy Day at Penglipuran, Bali, One of the World’s Cleanest Villages
Two reasons that make Bali so enchanting to tourists even Indonesians are the culture and architecture. The architecture boasts a centuries-old style of design that’s heavily influenced by Bali’s Hindu tradition, especially the temples. If you’ve seen most of the temples in Bali, I encourage you to visit Penglipuran, Bangli, Bali. Recognised as the World’s Third Cleanest Village 2016 alongside Giethoorn (Netherlands) and Mawlynnong, the small village will definitely charm you. I heard about this village from my mom, who has been urging me to visit it. After a year or two, finally, I managed to see it with my own eyes. And with a plus-one 😉 Penglipuran derives from…
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Love Travelling to Jogjakarta? You May Want to Send Your Kids to Study There, Here’s Why
Yes, I skipped a blog post last week. Chinese New Year season made me embrace the art of doing nothing – except nibbling some cookies, hehe! This week my mind takes me back to good ol’ school days in Jogjakarta. I spent two years there separated from my family and boy, I thanked my parents for it! Jogjakarta, Yogyakarta or Jogja is a small city in Indonesia located on the island of Java. If you’ve travelled there, you will know the city for its cultural heritage, Borobudur Temple, Mount Merapi and Malioboro Street. But the locals know the city better than Kota Pelajar aka the City of Students. Children from…
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Why Malaysians Should Visit Venice Before It’s Gone
If you’re a Malaysian and never take a chance on your visa-free entry to Italy, you really should visit Venice before it’s gone. The news and videos about the Venice acqua alta (flood) are very heartbreaking to me. Yes, I’ve been there before. But every time I see the news and videos, my heart sinks a little deeper for the city that I love the most. Although it isn’t the first time the acqua alta hits Venice, in normal conditions, the tides reach around 80-90 cm. But last Tuesday, 12 November 2019, the water level reached 187 cm at night – the worst in 53 years. Venice Before the Flood…
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How Sharing While Travelling Makes You Happier
I’ve lost count of how many times the church sermons inspired me to write a new blog post. Today, they talked about being grateful and the joy of sharing — which I can truly relate to as an avid traveller. By the way, my dad thinks it’s weird that I go to two churches every Sunday (Catholic mass in the morning and then Anglican mass in the afternoon). I’m not a super religious person but it sparks joy because each has a different ritual style. You get to sing a different kind of songs as well! Ok, back to the topic. When I was a kid and lived in Indonesia,…
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Why You Should Make Oktoberfest 20234 an Autumn Getaway
As the name itself explain, some of you may be wondering why I’m writing about Oktoberfest 20234 this week. It’s still September, isn’t it too early? Nope! In fact, Oktoberfest 2024 – the world’s largest beer festival and traveling funfair, starts between September and October. Therefore, I’m giving you enough time to book the flight ticket and accommodation should you want to make it your autumn getaway…. one day? Every year, around six million people from around the world will fly to Munich for the beer festival. It will be crowded, but don’t worry. You won’t be smashed like tuna in a can. The queue may be long, but the…
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I’m Not Snobbish, Here’s Why I Avoid Jakarta
If you think by earning Ringgit you’ll live like kings/queens in Jakarta, you’re wrong. On top of the surprise, be prepared to sit for hours in the car thanks to the traffic jam. My aunties and uncles often ask me why I seldom return home, don’t I miss the food and so on. As someone who has only 14 days of annual leave, I choose my travel destination wisely and the capital city of Indonesia is, to be honest, a place I avoid. Don’t get me wrong. I’m from Jakarta and with the statement above, I hope you won’t think I’m snobbish. I just prefer to use my annual leave…
