Opus Citatum

Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts

Phnom Penh Sore Hari

Sekitar Istana Raja, Sisowath Quay dan FCC

Four tips for Dealing with Tuk Tuk Drivers

The Tuk Tuk (wiki’s definition: a motorcycle with a cabin attached to the rear), as you are aware, is a viable alternative of transportation in Phnom Penh, only second to 'Moto' (aka Motorcycle) in terms of price. I always wonder where the word Tuk Tuk comes from. But let's not discuss it for now.

I would like to propose you four ~~Principles~~ tips in dealing with Tuk Tuk drivers:

Bargain first, then ride. There is no fixed price and there's no meter. If you ride first and pay later, be prepared to pay more.
When you give the address and they say "yes", that does not always mean that they understand and know where to go. "Yes" is more like an expression of "I agree to take you into my Tuk Tuk". So make sure that they get your point. They are equipped with map, so you can point your destination in their map. Visual is always better than verbal.
The average price (distant or near within the city center) is 1.5 dollar. I heard some people can get 1 dollar, but they speak Khmer.
A moving Tuk Tuk is generally cheaper than a stopping Tuk Tuk. There is probably a behavioral economics explanation to this, but my evidence so far is anecdotal :)

Picture: inside a Tuk Tuk

Ruang Terbuka Hijau di Konya, Turki

Saya terpesona sekali dengan banyaknya ruang terbuka hijau di kota Konya Turki, pusatnya para sufi. Bahkan di depan Masjid Alaaddin ini, ada taman besar dengan teater terbuka dan mainan anak-anak yang bisa dikendarai serta kereta api kereta api. Tidak jauh dari taman itu adalah Kebab Haji Sukru yang saya pernah bahas di postingan sebelumnya.

Di depan pertokoan ada pelataran pelataran besar tempat bangku bangku untuk orang duduk. Di Mesjid depan makam Rumi juga ada taman untuk orang beristirahat sejenak. Konya kotanya tidak besar, tapi tamannya banyak.

Senam Malam di Taman Kota Phnom Penh

Soal ruang terbuka publik, Jakarta harus belajar banyak dari Phnom Penh. Disini ada banyak kegiatan senam setiap sore menjelang malam yang dilakukan di taman taman kota. Entah siapa yang memberikan dana, tapi banyak orang berdatangan beberapa membawa speaker dan salah satunya jadi instruktur.

Puppet Show at Sovanna Phum Arts (Phnom Penh)

We went to Sovanna Phum Arts last weekend to watch a Puppet Show. The entrance ticket is USD 5 per person and we get to play with the instrument after its over. The Tuk Tuk cost from Wat Langka to this area is around 1,5 USD. You can ask the Tuk Tuk driver to wait for you or to return after the show is over so that you pay 3 USD all in all.

Click here for directions.

From Collages Public

Restaurant Sumatera (Indonesian Food, Phnom Penh)

This afternoon Mulia and I went to Restaurant Sumatera located near the Russian Market.

The food is absolutely delicious, I would recommend the Rendang and Fried Chicken. Next time I will have tempe balado and ducks. This was the first time I ate with bare hands after using fork and knive for the whole year when we were back I Europe.

Prices are dead cheap. The majority is around 2.5 to 3.5 USD per portion. They serve menu not found in Warung Bali, namely sop buntut goreng (fried oxtail soup), fried ducks, grilled ribs. Bakso (Meatballs) are also on their menu but hasn't been served for a month, the waiter said.

The place is quite hidden, and they put no sign whatsoever on their fence, so I took a picture of their front terrace. Here’s a link to google map.

Call Markus, the owner, at 016561980 if you are lost :)
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone

Warung Bali, authentic Indonesian Cuisine (Phnom Penh)

This restaurant is quite well known among Indonesian communities in Cambodia. Foreigners often come here too, if they are somewhat connected to Indonesians. But because they don't have a website, Warung Bali attract visitors mostly by word of mouth.

The food is absolutely delicious and dead cheap!, even for Cambodian standard, which is the reason why you tend to always see Indonesians at the restaurant. The Chef was a former chef for the Indonesian embassy here.

My favourite food is the Balado Beef, which is that spicy fried beef with chilli sauce. They also serve rendang, sop buntut, some balinese cuisines, nasi goreng and the like.

Warung Bali Restaurant is located very near to the national museum and the King's Royal Palace, hence, right at the heart of Phnom Penh.

Its owners and chefs are Pirdaos (0085512967480) and Kasmin (0085512831528)

Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone

Konak Hotel dan Konak Taksi

Rupanya Konak dalam bahasa Turki artinya rumah atau akomodasi.
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone

Firin Kebab Haji Sukru (Konya, Turkey)

One of Konya's traditional food is said to be the Firin Kebab. This type of Kebab is not like the one you usually taste in Europe.

Firin Kebabi is made of a young sheep. The meat is therefore very tender and succulent. You can eat Firin Kebab in almost every restaurant in Konya but according to the local, Haji Sukru's Kebab has been speacialzing in making Firin Kebab since quite a long time. I did saw some newspaper articles featuring the restaurant on display in the shops' 'Salonu'.

The location is not too far from Alaaddin mosque. You will have to walk through past the nice looking park and fountains, straight to the direction of the mosque. The cost is 14 lira. They gave a free cay, ask them to do the same to you, perhaps by showing them this article :p

Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone

Travel: Review of OTEL TUR, Konya, Turkey

4 star for budget hotel called OTEL TUR in Konya. Address: Mevlana Caddesi Aziziye Mahallesi, Es'arizade 1 Sk. No. 9 Konya, Turkiye. Tel: 0332 351 98 25, fax: 0332 352 47 65, email: oteltur@hotmail.com.

The hotel (otel in Turkish) is situated on a small road exactly accross mevlana museum (the mosque), after OTEL CINAR. The hotel is clean, the breakfast is good, the room is equipped with real hotel facilities (bathroom inside, toilet with seat, hair dryer, tv, air cond, heater, towels, etc). These facilities are rather old and not shiny/new like in real hotels. But they are clean.

The hotel staff are really nice. Not all of them speak English, but you can always borrow their computer to type on google translator what you want to say. (I wish I had given the room cleaner a tip since he was very helpful, but I was running out of lira back then).

The hotel rate is perfect if two or three people are traveling together. The shared cost will be like 20-35 Turkish Lira per person per night. If you travel alone, you may have to pay for 40-50 Turkish Lira per night.

I really enjoyed staying there. And would definetely recomend couples or triples who need a clean well equipped place to stay without paying more than 12-15 euro per person per night.

However, we heard places outside Mevlana museum may offer cheaper price. And since there are not many more places to visit in Konya, staying outside Mevlana area can be a good idea to save money. You can easily move around using mini busses for 1-3 Turkish Lira (depending on the distance).

Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone

Some tips (and theories) in buying souvenirs when travelling

I have learnt that tourism business is mostly about information asymmetry. Travel agents can charge you more since you don't have enough information on the actual costs. Sellers are no less different. Had you have similar information base, your losses can be mitigated. In Europe, they sell everything with a fix price. But not in many other countried. So, here is some tips:

1. Buying souvenirs when travelling are most likely to be a one-time game. That is to say, the relationship between the sellers and the buyers is not a repetitive one. Once you buy the souvenir, there is a minimal probability for you to return to the seller and complain for product defects or that he charge you too much. The itinerary is just too tight. Especially if you are travelling with a tour, the seller knows that within minutes, the tour leader will drag you back to the bus. Hence, you are a perfect target.

2. Never show that you are eager to purchase the goods. For you, its about the goods and your loved one. For the seller, its about the money. Different values are at stake. To get it on par, play with the game. Care not the stuff that you are buying, but about winning the negotiation. If you look too eager, you are on the hook.

3. If you look confuse, they will ask, "how much do you want to pay"? This means that their initial offer is absolutely still a high price. Don't immediately answer this question. See the next tip.

4. Always bargain at least half price or less. They will frown at you, but it is price discovery that you are doing. If they frown, its a good sign. It means you are getting closer to the actual production cost and the reasonable profit margin. If they still talk much, praising you, trying to speak using your language, saying you look fancy and handsome when wearing the stuff, that's a bad sign. The price is still too high. If they look a bit upset that is a good sign.

5. Pretending too leave is a good tactic. But always leave the impression that you are serious of buying and willing to negotiate.

6. When you are absolutely sure you are near the reasonable price, "show him the money". Say that if you sell Y for X, you will pay now. But if not, you will browse around, think a bit more and return. A good seller knows that once you leave their stall, you are off the hook. Thus, when you are that serious (already showing the money looking ready to pay) you are giving them a good blow. However, do this only when you are certain, preferably after making some comparison with other stall.

7. Sellers which sell similar types of items (same type of bags, different colors, likely originated from the same producer) with large quantity will likely to sell cheaper with those selling similar type of goods with lower quantity. This is because there are economies of scales in their purchasings and that they can cross subsidize the goods they are selling (sell 1 bag cheap to me, sell 1 similar bag to you with higher price).

8. The best times for buying: first thing in the morning when the shop has just opened, in the afternoon or night near the end of the business hour and when the rain will come. Study the market behavior. In some traditional market, when the rain pours, lesser people will come to the market because the street will get muddy, or simply because people won't have the mood to shop. The seller tactics sometimes is no longer in making profit but in mitigating losses.

9. If you are travelling with style: wearing gucci, LV bags, posh T shirt, sellers might have higher expectations. If you have a backpacker style, they might lowe their expectations.
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone

Nevsehir, Goreme and Kaymakli (Cappadocia, Turkey)

Lonelyplanet advises on the 'annoyance and dangers' a tourist might face at Nevsehir Otobus Gar. It is true that the first time we arrived there we were greeted by a bunch of tours agent and we decline their offers, being mindful of lonelyplanet's advice.

However, upon our return we had a chat with someone working at a tour agent in the Nevsehir terminal, who said that his company offers a one day tour (from 10 am to 5 pm) for 60 lira, with 7 point attraction, museum tickets, guides and lunch included. We can't confirm if this is true, but if it is, it is indeed a very good price, because if you have to go on your own, you will spend at least 15 lira for a museum (so that's 30 lira if you visit two), 20 liras for the guide, at least 10 lira for lunch, including otobus fares (around 2 to 3 liras). Check www.rocktowntravel.com

If you decide to go on your own (which we did) from the Nevsehir Otobus Gar, you can take a free ride to the town centre of Nevsehir. Nevsehir appears to be the hub of Cappadocia ('Kappadokya') which connects it to the neighboring village. There is a minibus that will take you to the town centre for free. Just tell the driver you are going to Goreme and he will drop you off at the right bus stop.

The minibus to Goreme costs 2 liras per person. It will take you to the Goreme bus station. If you are going to the open air museum, get out from the station and follow the path upward, until you see a bridge and then turn right. You will see plenty of cafes, motorcycle rent and air balloon hires along the way. Turn right and go uphil until you find sign of entrance to the open air museum. The ticket cost is 15 liras per person.

From there, we went to the underground city at Kaymakli. You have to go to Nevsehir to catch a van to go there. On the way to Nevsehir you will pass Uchisar, which according to some reviews worth a visit, but unfortunately we do not stop there. Just ask the bus driver to drop you off at the van bus stop that goes to Kaymakli. The trip there takes around 30 minutes, don't forget to ask the driver to drop you off at the underground city. There are 3 underground city but the one in Kaymakli is the one adviced. It is worth hiring a tourguide there (we paid 20 liras) because the labyrinth is quite complicated and there is no audiotour.

Back to Nevsehir, I found a good restaurant that only charge 10 lira for a complete Adana Kebab (large portion, with the salad). The place is Kebabci Mustafa at Aksaray Cd, they seemed to have 2 branches at Nevsehir. This is quite a good deal and one of the value for money food I have found so far. You can go to donner shop for 8 liras which is cheaper, but the portion is small.

One last tip: if you go to a restaurant without price menu on display, ask for the price first and ask what the menu looklike. Once we ordered for a shish kebab, but were given a small cut pieces of fried meat which they called 'Shish Kebab'.

Below is the pic for Kebabci Mustafa's address, the typical van used for transport from Nevsehir to Kaymakli and the tariff for such transport.

Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone

Hamil Collection

Photo taken in Konya, Turkey.
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone

Restaurant menu at the TCDD train (Istanbul to Konya)

The TCDD trains from Istanbul to Konya has a restaurant cart. The price, as you can see, is quite reasonable. The food is not bad either. There are peddlers hopping on and off the trains, so you can buy things on board if you are hungry. Be sure to keep your belongings safe when going to the restaurant wagon.
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone

How to get to Hydarpasa from Istanbul/Sultanahmet

The train station at Hyderpasa connects Istanbul with the remaining part of Turkey and the rest of Asia.

There is a train station is Sirkeci, near the harbor, but there is no train connection between the European Istanbul with the Asian Istanbul.

However, most hotel and tourism objects in Istanbul rests on the European side. Hence, if you want to take the train from Istanbul to other Turkish cities (Konya, Cappadocia, etc) you have no option but to cross the Bosphorus strait with a ferry to Hydarpasa station. The crossing takes 15 minutes.

If you are travelling with tram, stop at Elmeneu which is one stop after Sirkeci. The tram door is on the right (Tram price: 2 TYL).

From Elmeneu, you have to pass several docks until you find the dock with the ship that will take you to Hyderpasa. Make sure you ask if the ferry goes to Hyderpasa. At the left hand side of the entrance there is a ticket machine, the coin costs 2 Turkish Liras. Wait for the ferry to arrive. From my experience Hyderpasa is the first stop after Elmenou but be sure to ask someone in case the itineraries change.

Below is the picture of the commuters on the ferry. They work in Europe but lives in Asia and has to cross the strait before cacthing a tram at Hyderpasa. But the trip is convinient, so, no worries :)

One more tip: The station restaurant at Hydarpasa is quite expensive. If you are budget-travelling I'd advice you to eat somewhere else. But, the back side of the restaurant is very beautiful. You can watch the busy port from the back.

Do leave me a message at the comment section if you have any question.

Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone

Lonely Planet Middle East vs Turkey

When I backpacked trough middle east few years ago, I was helped a lot by the Lonely Planet Middle East. The book gave me valuable tips on where to stay, how to get to places and where to eat. The book also gave me clues on what to expect in each places, how to behave, even historical insights. In short, I love Lonely Planet Middle East.

Since then, I started to use Lonely Planet to travel in Indonesia and Cambodia. So I had great expectation on Lonely Planet Turkey, as this time I am traveling in the country. I do get assisted in searching for places, understanding the history and to some degree on what to expect from each venues and performance I visit. However, I must say the book is not so much for backpackers. It does not list adequate numbers of budget hostels, restaurants or options to enjoy the country for budget travelers. The book sent me to expensive restaurants, tours and bad rated hostels. I am lucky as I sometimes triple check the recommendation with tripadvisors and other traveler forums.

But then again, if you are a middle upper range traveler, you would probably like the book. The places and sugestion they give are practical. It will help you make the best of your holiday.

As Mova and I are middle range traveler, so we don't find the book very helpful to pinch our wallet during the trip. Unlike Lonely Planet Turkey, Lonely Planet Middle East can provide me with best deals of hotels, transport and meals. The history and information about places worth visits are also written uniquely. I felt like the authors are the same type of traveler like me, who enjoy people, culture, unique experiences, adventures and cheap deals :) :)

Just a thought to share, hope you'll find it useful.

Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone

Opus Citatum

Labels