OSAKA: GREAT TIPS & TRICKS

This is the unedited version of my sidebar article for the June 2014 issue of Cruising, a Manila Bulletin publication. Thanks again to the editors.

1. Do not miss the foreign exchange counter at Kansai International Airport. You will not miss it due to the queue: 

Step 1: Someone gives you a form. Step 2: Someone checks your form. Step 3: Someone takes your form and money. 

Step 4: Someone releases your crisp Yen bills.

It will be difficult to withdraw from Japanese ATMs and finding a ForEx shop may be difficult.

2. Osaka has two main railway operators at the airport, Japan Railways (JR) and Nankai Namba. It is easy to be intimidated by the ticket vending machines, so approach any staff at the counter beside them for any help, to save time.

3. Breakfast at most high-end hotels can be expensive. Look for the closest Yoshinoya, for a hearty bowl of beef strips (small bowls at ¥280/P120). The rules are simple: sit, eat, go. There will be someone waiting for your seat more often than not. 

4. Soda is expensive. but service water is clean. A small bottle of cola at restaurants is around ¥200/P85.

5. When having Furai (deep fried meat or veggies, different from tempura), you should only dip your stick once into the bowl of sauce, as respect for other diners. The Ebi Furai (deep fried prawn) is a must-try.

6. When paying at a restaurant (or any other establishment), place your money on the small tray beside the cash register. You should also get your change from here. It is bad etiquette to hand your money directly to the cashier.

7. One subway station may have multiple lines passing through them. The easiest way to remember which line you need to take is by remembering their colors. Train tickets start at ¥200/P85. A station may be humongous so remember what your exit number is. Getting out of the wrong one may mean another 15-minute walk back to where you should have been.

8. Taxi is expensive and may only be practical for short distances when there are three to four passengers. A five to ten minute ride may set you back ¥650/P280, so be wise. If it's one to two train stations away, it may be cheaper to take a taxi. Or better, just walk.

9. Trinkets as pasalubong can also be expensive. Decent keychains are around ¥400/P170 and fridge magnets are at ¥500/P210. You can just get authentic gifts for friends from convenience stores like 7-11 or Family Mart.

10. Those working in the service industry do not expect you to tip. If you really want to appreciate great customer service, you may just give them small peso bills and say they are souvenirs from your country. •

My Osaka Opening (Part 2)

It was almost 11PM when we finally settled in. The hotel didn't even have any complimentary water. Yup, we paid almost $200 per night and no water. 

I opened the closet and found a bread toaster. 

"We have a bread toaster?," I asked myself. Elmer walks closer to me to take a peek.

"That's not a toaster!," he laughed. I needed to read what's written on it to figure out.

I was probably really hungry so we put our winter jackets on as it was almost zero degree celsius outside.

Swissotel was located right in the Nankai Namba Station. The tricky part is, there are two Namba Stations, the other being operated by Japan Railways. They're about 15-minutes away from each other by foot.

Without any maps, and thinking it's probably too late, considering it was a Monday, we just followed where our feet will take us.

Across from the station is Doguyasuji, which I think means "cooking tools street". It's more than that; actually it's more of a shopping arcade but most stores are already closed, except for McDonalds and Izakayas, bars that serve both alcohol and food.

We made sure we remember every turn we made as we were getting confused since there were so many pachinkos around. 

Pachinkos look like a video arcade, except that the machines are those you'd find in a casino. It's technically gambling, the same principle applies - you bet so you can win tickets you can swap for prizes. And I heard, you can then sell these prizes somewhere. 

It was really cold and it has started to drizzle. Hungry and wet, we went in one of the restaurants still open at that hour. Lucky for us, there was an English menu.

The Japanese are heavy smokers so it was a good thing we could smoke in here. It was really cold and sitting three meters from the door didn't help. We'd start to acclimate and already feel warm inside when a customer would either come in or leave. And I didn't have to explain how that felt on my back.

We have been scanning the menu expecting sushi, sashimi, maki, and tonkatsu. 

But almost everything looked unfamiliar, even with their English translations. 

It was a bit pricey, considering the place didn't look classy. There was even a group of young male workers dragging their drunk friend out of the resto while we watched them laughing.

One at a time, our orders arrived: soba rice (noodles with rice), takoyaki (octopus) balls in a giant cheese taco shell, and a giant fried dumpling. Tonight, we will call this dinner. In the meantime. Didn't want to break the bank. 

We were even "forced" to pay for this pickled veggie side dish (o-toshi). Which honestly didn't taste right for me. Interesting, but I will probably pass next time. 

In the end, the meal set us back ¥3,000 or almost Pesos 1,300.

That included the bottle of cola, as big as what we call Coke Sakto in Manila. It was ¥200. Almost 90 pesos. Two US dollars for a small bottle of cola. We even thought it was refillable, so we positioned the empty bottle on the edge of the table so the waiter could see, hoping he'd grab another bottle for Elmer. Grab he did, but come back with another bottle, nope, he didn't.

They say that experience is the best teacher. So, for the rest of this Japan trip, I just ordered service water. •

My Osaka Opening

Everyone wants to go to Tokyo. Well, at least those I know. But Tokyo was too crowded for me. Too busy. And yeah, too expensive.

So when a budget airline started flying to Osaka, I got very excited. Four years and several seat sales later, I finally booked a real promo ticket. 

Elmer and I landed in the evening at Kansai International Airport. The customs staff stopped us (tough luck, yup, both of us). Now a tip for all those who'd be as unfortunate as we are - if you are never hiding anything prohibited, there is no reason to panic. Try searching Australia's Border Patrol on YouTube. 

The lady asked that we lay our luggage on their counter. She scanned all the contents of my for-a-fee baggage, and said "Thank you. You can go."

Right before we exited the airport, we were stopped by civilian airport police who asked us to show our passports. I was doubtful. What if this was a setup. A scam. Worthy of an episode on Scam City.

"Where are you going?", he asked. He looked harmless but the clandestine act of flashing his badge was a red flag for me.

"Osaka," I said. 

Come on, I was tired and hungry and I wasn't even carrying any drugs. Why the hell would we be stopped, twice, when everyone else seemed to be just breezing through all of the  checkpoints.

"Where are you going to stay?," the guy asked. At this point, I can tell Elmer was really worried. The police already had asked for our passport. Which I didn't want to give him. But i didn't want to spend my night in the airport detention room either. 

Light bulb moment: I took our hotel voucher out of my coat's inner pocket and instead of trying to give him a I-booked-a-hotel defense, I asked, "How do we get to Namba?".

His face transitioned from strict-looking to excited. Like a new tour guide who just got his first client. He pointed us to the train station.

"Just take the elevators up to the second floor, then turn left."

I smiled while he returned our passports. I thanked him and his "Goodbye!" was this country's way of saying "Welcome to Japan!"

Osaka is actually an hour away from KIX. You can take the train. Or the bus. Or a taxi. Taxi is a lot more comfortable and should be fine if you are willing to pay P16,000. One-way. No typo, no extra zero: sixteen thousand pesos.

So, after changing money at the airport, we took the train. The station was right outside the airport's main building. And when we got there, I was totally confused. 

So there's JR. And there's Nanka. 

If there was one thing I hated about my pre-research, it was that I couldn't figure out how the railway systems in Japan work. I mean, Seoul's Subway System looked more complicated than a spider's web but it doesn't take a genius to figure it out.  But Osaka's? You have to experience it to understand it. 

I was standing in front of the ticket machine. Above me is a complicated  train system map. And around me are possibly more than twenty other machines. I looked at the monitor and after five minutes, I concluded that I couldn't figure it all out.

Elmer asked the counter and the staff explained we can buy the ticket from him. Why didn't the machine say so? The ticket to Namba Station, our base for the trip, was 1100 Yen. Around P500. That wasn't bad at all. Considering that we were all alone, save for one guy, in car number 6.

A little over half an hour later, past the suburbs, we got to Osaka's Namba Station in the Minami Area.

It was a good thing our hotel was right at the station. We could even call someone to pick us up from their special kiosk at the station. But we were in a hurry to check in. 

Now, the hotels in Japan do not come cheap. I mean, you can get hotels for as little as P2,000++ but that'd mean living in a matchbox. And with the amount we paid (about P7,500 per night), we got a bigger room. A great view of Osaka. A couch. A bath tub. And a bed that can sleep twenty people. Okay, I was exaggerating, but it was really big. 

The only problem I have with paying close to $200/night is that the rate does not even include breakfast. No, not even one piece of a teeny weeny Takoyaki Ball. •

The FlashPacker's Busan Top Six

This post is the un-edited version of one of two articles published on CRUISING | GOING PLACES, a Manila Bulletin publication, in September 2013. I'd like to thank the editorial board for this dream come true •

Busan is to Seoul, as Cebu is to Manila. Refusing to pale in comparison to its more metropolitan sister, Busan, though a lot more laid-back, has its own charm. If you are tired of how busy Seoul is, but still want to experience Urban Korea, Busan is the place for you. Never miss these top attractions, all within minutes away from each other.

1. Shinesegae Department Store, Centum City

Connected to the Centum City subway station, the world's largest department store, is just three train stops away from Haeundae. The humongous building has at least 14 floors of shopping, which include four floors of golf driving range, multiple floors of restaurants and cinemas, and luxury boutique stores. Men's wear is on the fifth floor and ladies' wear, well, is everywhere else.There is a dedicated wall near the cinema that looks like one giant tablet. You can play with the touch screen, so you take a photo, and see your picture floating with others’, minutes after.

2. Rodeo Outlet, Haeundae

There is very limited information online about this shopping complex near Haeundae Beach. In fact, you may even miss it if you just stay in the areas around thebeach. Take the subway's green line, get off at Jung-dong Station. The outlets are a five-minute walk from E-Mart, a giant 24-hour supermarket. Just follow the bike path towards the beach. It's a great shopping alternative to Gwangbokro, Nampo-dong’s crowds (Busan's equivalent of Myeongdong), with rows of outlet stores from Calvin Klein to DKNY, to a popular local clothingbrand Basic House, which could just probably be South Korea's Giordano or Bench. Outlets mean rock-bottom prices, with Basic House ladies' tops starting at W5,000/P200 and men's button down shirts from W10,000/P400. Patience is necessary as you rummage through a pile of surplus clothing.

3. Jagalchi Fish Market

Ajummas (older, usually married women) dolled up in purple eye shadows sell today's catch from the sea, fromwhale meat to 10-inch giant prawns (W10,000/P400), in South Korea's largest seafood market. It's their local version of Dampa and you can bring your latest purchase upstairs to have it cooked, your style. 

4. BIFF

Not too far from Jagalchi is the BIFF Square (Busan International Film Festival). The film fest is usually held during Fall, but there's a lot to do here all year round, in case you miss this annual event.

BIFF Square has its own version of the Walk of Fame.There is also an outlet store selling Zara overruns near the entrance (men's shirts start from W5,000/P200).

Don't forget to try Korean street food too, especially Ssiat Hotteok, a popular pancake filled with sunflowerseeds.

5. Haeundae Beach

Busan's massive beach, Haeundae, is actually South Korea's largest. 

Accommodation range from beachside hotels (Haeundae Centum Hotel W400,000/P16,000) to motels behind the main roads (Sugar Motel W50,000/P2,000). If you are not particular with big windows and sea views, you can just walk into the alleys behind the more expensive hotels and choose from several love motels, which include facilities at par with hotels, like a big flat screen TV, water dispenser, PC with ultra-fast internet, and a whirlpool bath. 

Haeundae gets crowded in summer with tourists competing for personal space by the sea, since Busan is considered as South Korea’s summer capital.

If you are missing Western Food, head to Friday's TGIF), which offers fantastic views of the beach across the street. The staff will happily sing Korean songs, complete with musical instruments, if it's your birthday. If it’s not, you can always pretend that it is.

6. Dwaeji Gukbap

Dwaeji Gukbap or Pork Soup Rice is actually a historical dish. During the Korean War, galbi or beef was too expensive, so refugees had to substitute it with pork. The result was Dwaeji Gukbap, the Korean version ofgoto, which you eat with side dishes and Saeujeot, fermented baby shrimp sauce, which tastes like patis.

If you happen to land in Busan on a cold night, head to the Gukbap Alley near Seomyeon Station in the Green Subway Line for an authentic Busan gastronomic experience! •

Death in Cambodia: The Finale

Old Khmer women preparing the flower boxes
a few days ago

He was picking flowers a few days ago, while standing on a stool, beside the pool, trying to keep his balance. No wonder your breakfast, for the past week, though amateurish for the trained eye, has been intricately plated, everyday.

Theara has been working for a long time in Petit Villa. He strikes you as super-friendly, the kind of guy you want to hang out with, on a Sunday afternoon at Starbucks. 

It's your last day in Cambodia. You wake up to monks chanting. Theara knows your morning fix: iced coffee. He brings two glasses and lays them on your poolside balcony's table. He does the Sam Peash, the Cambodian act of holding two hands together, in front of the chest, to thank you for the 20 Thai Baht tip. It's your last day, so you've spent almost all your USD and all you have are small bills from other countries.

"Looks like the weather will be fine today", you tell yourself while looking at the sky and lighting a stick of Marlboro Lights. You take a sip of coffee from your glass and see one of the staff walking towards your room.

"Good morning," he greets you. His name is Sophea, the owner's nephew. You notice he looks a bit sad, "Grandma died last night."

You were shocked. A few days ago, there were just ceremonies next door to pray for her health. 

You could only say, "I'm sorry."

Sophea continues to apologize, "So sorry for the ceremony", referring to the chants of the monks, "Grandma died at 2AM. Her son from Phnom Penh has arrived too. She was already breathing through her mouth, and not her nose earlier."

You continue to give your condolences and assure him that the chants do not bother you at all. He retreats back to the front desk, still a little shaken from the recent family tragedy.

At the restaurant with TC. Theara teaching
you how to do the Sam Peash

At the restaurant, Theara brings your breakfast: fried rice, fruit platter, and brewed coffee. You briefly talk about the "Sam Peash". He explains that Cambodians use this gesture to say "Okun" or Thank You and even "Welcome".

You wanted to borrow his traditional costume for a photo op, or probably ask where you can get it. You are a little surprised with what he said.

"These are the traditional clothes of rich people," he explains.

"Wow, you're rich", you jokingly respond.

"No," he flashes a sincere Cambodian smile, "This is made in Thailand. Everything here, we usually buy from Thailand. It's a lot cheaper. If we make it," he holds his sleeve, "it will be a lot more expensive."

You start stirring your coffee and light a cigarette.

"Did you like the chocolates?," you ask Theara. Yesterday, you made sure you give out all of the food left in your luggage, including the Cloud 9 bars Theara got. Bringing Philippine-made sweets has been a tradition whenever you travel.

"Yes, I like it a lot!", he happily exclaims, like a kid. Unfortunately, chocolate bars can be expensive in Siem Reap as they do not have locally made candies like this, according to him.

"What will happen to grandma?," you ask him curiously.

"Oh, we will pray for three to four days. Three to four since the hotel owner is rich. Usually, if you are poor, it will just be two to three days. Then, on Saturday, we will bring her to the pagoda to either burn or bury her."

It's a sad conversation. Theara mentions that the body will back in the house this afternoon. In Cambodia, they do not embalm the dead. You didn't ask anymore where she is, but you wanted to pay your respects too.

"Can I go there later? At their house?", pointing to the big house beside the hotel.

"Yes, yes. You can".

You learn that your shirt and shorts are okay after explaining that in your own culture, you should at least wear pants when visiting the dead.

Theara continues, "Only relatives have to wear VYE."

"What?", you clarify.

"Vye," and he holds his shirt again, as if explaining that it's his shirt's color.

You understood him right away. Only relatives have to wear white. In French, a popular language after years of colonial rule, W is pronounced as V.

The hotel owners sent this
rice porridge straight to your room

Hours pass. And after a lazy day of just hanging out in your balcony, taking a short swim, and trying the local goto version which the grieving family sent you, Theara picks you up from your room to go to grandma's house.

The hotel owner's home is just right next to the hotel. Almost everyone is wearing white and you suddenly feel out of place. Theara introduces you to the hotel owner, Sokthy, who is grandma's son, who is seated in the garage, with relatives around him, all paying their respects.

"Good to meet you," you extend your hand. He shakes your hand while you hand him a white envelope. All the people around you are wondering who you are. And though what's inside the envelope is not much, he does the Sam Peash. Not knowing what to do, you just bow a little, and say welcome.

Sokthy instructs Theara to lead to the house. You remove your slippers, among several other pairs, before proceeding to the living room.

You hesitate to pass through the door. From the house's balcony, the first thing you notice is the casket. It is gold and red, with intricate trimmings around the top. Grandma should be at peace now, as she is surrounded by her photos with family, boxes with yellow candles and banana hearts, and big, beautiful bouquets of yellow and white daisies.

"What do I do?," you ask Theara.

Goodbye Grandma

"We kneel first," and he continues to show you how it's done, making sure you were sitting on your calves. "We light some incense. We pray.  Then, we bow."

You take three yellow incense sticks and light them. As you sit there staring at Grandma's photos, not knowing what you were doing, you start wondering what kind of life Grandma had. One of the owner's nephews told you about the sad story that they used to be poor. But Sokthy worked hard after getting a hotel management scholarship in Europe. He worked his way up in a big hotel in the city. And after saving enough, he put up the resort. But as the nephew explained, "It was sad that when their lives started to get better, Grandma also started getting sick."

Theara whispers, "Are you finished praying?".

"Yes," you replied, not knowing if what you did was praying, when all you were thinking is for Grandma to get to heaven.

"Now, you bow," Theara instructs you.

With the incense sticks still burning, producing a fragrant whiff, you bend your entire body in front of Grandma's framed photograph. Another old lady behind you gives you instructions in Cambodian but you don't know what you are doing wrong. You turn your head to Theara, who clarifies you need to bow three more times, maybe because the number 4 has always been associated with death in most Asian cultures.

With a strained back, you pull yourself up for the last time. "What do I do next?", you ask Theara.

He smiles, "Now, you say goodbye to Grandma." •

 T H E   E N D

DEATH IN CAMBODIA Part 3

Angkor Wat

"What do you call this?", you point to the photo on your phone, asking the waiter where this big tree is. Though you didn't see Angelina's Tomb Raider.

"Ta Prohm," the Angkor Cafe waiter says and instructs you to just tell your tuktuk driver its name and you should be there in 15 minutes.

Above: Make sure to catch the
sunrise in Angkor Wat

Below: The Giant Tree
in Ta Prohm

Yes, you thought Angkor Wat was just one big complex, with all the temples and the Tomb Raider references. An hour earlier, you were just looking for it (that big tree) in Angkor Wat, but apparently you were wrong. The "Angkor Wat" we know has multiple sites, and public transport may be a hassle, so better hire a tuktuk. You got yours for $12, with pickup from the hotel at 5am, returning after lunch.

You get to Ta Prohm and the tuktuk can't drive you past the gate anymore. TC starts snapping photos again, and the sound of Cambodian music starts to fade in. After 10 minutes of walking, you see what could be the tallest tree you have seen in your entire life.

You and TC take turns in taking each other's photos, with you avoiding to offend the monk in the background. Earlier though, you took some photos of monks, beside the house you believe they live in. You're still in shock though, after seeing a smoking monk.

Past the very organized tour group of Koreans, all obediently following their guide's instructions, you navigate back to the entrance of the compound to say goodbye to your "Angkor Wat" experience, though technically, again, this is not Angkor Wat.

It's just about noon, and while tourists marvel at the history of all these Siem Reap temples, you thought of a different thing to do. While Superman navigates the highway linking  the temples to town, you ask your tuktuk driver while the motorcycle engine roars, "Can you bring us to a market where no tourists go?". He agrees.

Fried Crickets, anyone?

Half an hour later, you and TC try to find souvenirs in a local market in the middle of nowhere. No tourists, save for a Caucasian couple who may have had temple overload too. Everything costs $5, at least that's what the storekeepers tell you. You, however, don't bother how much edible crickets your five dollars could get you. •

DEATH IN CAMBODIA Part 2

TC in a local Siem Reap Market

The Ei8ht Hotel owners, Jason and Kifi, respond to your email that they do not have a pool. And you'd think they will end their reply abruptly with a "Thank You". But you are wrong:

After reading your email, it’s best for you to stay either at the GB Resort or V Hotel (hotel names changed). Both of these 2 places are near to the city center and have swimming pools. They may cost a little more but we are pretty sure you and your companion will  have a really good time there. 

TC at Ei8ht Bar, which is another story

It doesn't end there. They have attached maps, brochures, and other links you and TC may enjoy. And as the Ei8ht Hotel owners say, "There is more to Siem Reap than temples."

You walk to Petit Villa's front desk by the pond, aftet taking a refreshing bath. While TC prepares for today's unplanned adventure, you try to reserve a tuktuk for half of the day. The tuktuk cost can be put on your bill but the receptionist Boray suggests you pay the tuktuk driver directly. He adds, "If you pay him directly, he can buy food for his family before he goes home." So $12 for four hours is not bad. At least you can just roam around the city, wherever you feel like it.

Superman's Tuktuk

Superman, your tuktuk, is already ready by the time you and TC exit Petit Villa. 

Time for another unplanned adventure!

Tuktuks on Pub Street

Khmer Lunch at Pub Street

First stop is to grab lunch at Pub Street. You really, really wish you were as adventurous as others when it comes to food. You didn't try kangaroo or snake last night, though it could have been an experience. You settle for something familiar - rice, and curry, and spring rolls. It's a little expensive, at $20 for two, but it is Pub Street - where backpackers, mostly Caucasians, stay up till the wee hours to party the night away. 

Snake or Kangaroo?
At one of Pub Street's Restaurants

Next stop is the post office to send postcards to your friends who love receiving snail mail. The post office is tucked away in a quiet part of the city. By the river. Scrap that, by the brown river. Scrap that again: By the DARK brown and murky river. And with the closest seaside being about eight hours by bus away, maybe not a good idea to order fish on this trip.

You ask Superman to bring you to the mall. Petit Villa's manager mentions that there IS a mall in Siem Reap. 

Pinoy Products in a Cambodian
Supermarket

Lucky Mall is about ten minutes away by tuktuk from the hotel. It's not much - Lucky Supermarket on the ground floor, Lucky Burger and Lucky Cafe on the second, and random shops on the third. Everything in the supermarket, well almost, is imported, mostly from Thailand. But it was interesting when you found found Skin White, Purefoods Sisig, and MaxiPeel in the supermarket shelves.

Upon your return to Petit Villa, you ask Superman to pick you up for lunch the next day, TC's birthday.

And so he does. Superman is pretty early for lunch. 

The DARK brown river

You at Neary, a Khmer Restaurant

Deep Friend "Serpant" Fish
 and Shrimp

Superman, highly recommends Neary Restaurant, while driving his tuktuk towards the outskirts of the city, past the DARK brown and murky  river. He'd probably get a commission for bringing us there, which us fine by us. 

Lo and behold, TC, who is celebrating his birthday, orders "Serpant Fish Deep Fried", off the menu. 

TC asks if you want to have some. You just smile, imagine where the fish used to live, and imagine how the serpant fish tastes. Welcome to Cambodia •