It's been a while since I've written here. To be honest I'm not sure if I want to continue this blog since I have a few others. But I guess I'll keep it and update it less frequently.
Anyway, as you would probably have noticed already, I have a pretty extensive list of links to some of my favourite travel websites. I decided to make this post on book travel guides, as there are so many publishers out there and there are some really good ones that remain less known, but pack more quantity and quality than the really well-known ones.
When it comes to travel guides, most of us would have heard of Lonely Planet, and I admit in the beginning I thought they were the main authority on travel. Then when I had a proper look in the bookstores, let's just say... my eyes were opened. So after perusing quite a few different ones, here are my top three travel guide series.
1.
- Time Out -
Time Out does mainly big cities, but you can tell it's their specialty. My favourite Time Out Guides are the ones on London and Tokyo. Also, their Time Out Singapore magazine is really well done. Being a Singaporean myself, I personally think it is pretty small and unhappening there after a while, but the magazine had well written articles that weren't the usual repetitive fare that is usual with Singapore guides. I used Time Out as my main book in Tokyo last year, and I loved it so much because it was jammed pack with info, easy referencing and layouts, and best of all? It was thinner but more substantial than some of the other Tokyo Guides I've seen. It had things for a wide range of budgets, and a good collection of mid-range ones, which is the category I normally go for. I notice most travel guides focus on either budget or high end, and TO Tokyo provided a good balance. I haven't had a chance to use their London guide, but it's supposed to be their strongest one and their website for it looks jammed packed with info. Also, the writing for the articles in TO Guides are quite unique... it's not just shoving facts at you. I actually found the reading of the history and cultural bits interesting... I guess the writers put more personal 'flavour' into the writing?
2.
- Rough Guides -
Rough Guides is a rather new find for me. What attracted me to it was the cover design and the layout of the guide. I haven't really looked at many of them. I bought the Japan one because it is more informative and significantly cheaper than the Lonely Planet one (Japan LP was $59.95 and RG was $39.95 at Reader's Feast). The choice of RG Japan was pretty much a no brainer. One thing I find lacking in Lonely Planet is the use of COLOUR. LP is mostly if not all in black and white, and so it all looks the same and boring. Not that RG is all colourful, but at least they have orange font to distinguish things and some pages of coloured photos. It also had really useful info on places in Japan that aren't found in the 'popular' tourist attraction lists, which is good because I go to experience the culture and daily life atmosphere if you will. I'm not really a trekking off the beaten path with a backpack budget person, but I do like discovering areas in cities and suburbia that may not be known to many tourists.
3.
- DK Travel -
DK~ I find that is it a hit or miss, but they have really stunning visuals and 3D maps, and also their guide to Scotland which I purchased is not big and cumbersome to carry around (*cough insight *cough*)~ I'm using it to plan a possible trip next year. One thing I find lacking is directions to get to a place, but it's good for people who are more visual than readers... not that it lacks in cultural snippets, but personally I'm more of a word person, just that I'm really particular on the text formatting.
Overrated Guides:
Lonely Planet- While still quite informative, I think LP has lost its standing as 'The Guide' since other competitors such as Rough Guides and DK came out. I think they need to have a better layout, and could do some some colour to spice it up. Needs to be more updated in some areas and feature more options. I think that LP is good as a starter guide, but you'd need one or two others just to compare for things that LP might not have included.
Insight- it is really more of a book you read about the country in preparation rather than a guide you tote around with you on your trips. Even though it has some excellent photography (I remember someone's comment that they are like small coffee table books), I think I still prefer DK's compact but visual feast.
OK Guides:
- Fodor's -
I have the Tokyo guide, and I like the fact that they tell you which Exit of the train station to get out for different attractions. I was also attracted to the tips and resources provided in an accessible layout at the end of the book. But I think that the recommendations in here tend to be for people with higher budgets because even their low and mid budget recommendations are not that cheap. Their website, like their guide, has a clean layout, and the people in the forum discussions seem pretty friendly. The Tokyo guide would suit Tourists with a more generous budget, and who don't want to get too much of a cultural shock. That can be seen in the food and hotel recommendations. It makes a good read though, and is not so hefty to bring around. I think that Fodor's would make a pretty good bargain for the first time western traveler.
PS.
I don't pay much attention to maps in travel guidebooks as I'll go and buy a seperate more detailed map of the region I'm travel to~ for example I have a fantastic bilingual street directory of Tokyo which I highly recommend, despite the slightly hefty price. It even shows underground tunnels with were really useful for rainy days~ I buy seperate city or town maps because guide books tend to only show the main streets, and I like to know the names of everything.
The directory in question is the Tokyo City Atlas by Kodansha, my favourite bilingual publishing house~
Travel Guides (books)
Emerging Writer's Festival
Melbourne has quite a few literary festivals and perhaps the biggest one you'll have heard of is The Melbourne Writers Festival which is around the September period.
But what if lets say, you can't make it to the Melbourne Writers Festival?
For a lesser known alternative, why not try the Emerging Writers' Festival? It is going to be held this weekend (9th-11th May), at the Melbourne Town Hall, and will have many exciting and informative events, such as panels and talks by authors from different levels of experience, a 48 hour play generator event, scrabble night, zine stalls and more! The EWF original started as a more youth orientated writing festival, but has since branched out to cater for writers of all ages and experience.
Not to mention the EWF has a great goodie bag for all who attend; packed with tons of information on manuscript services, writing courses, and free issues of literary zines like Overland, Monthly, Voice, etc which gives you a good idea on the Melbourne writing scene- the goodie bag alone is worth coming for! - how I know this? I'm a volunteer and helped to stuff them ^_^
So if you're a writer looking for a place where you can hear from people in the writing industry, or are simply a reader looking out for new creative voices aka reading material, come and check it out!
For more details, vist:
http://www.emergingwritersfestival.org.au/
Cheap Hot Drinks
Some people may wrinkle their noses at the idea, but for a quick coffee/tea/hot chocolate fix that is cheap, you can always try the machines at 7-Eleven. For $1.50 a cup its worth the price. It sure saves spending twice as much the amount or more at the usual coffee cafe chains like Star Bucks and Coffee Bean. Not saying that you have to skive off cafe coffee totally, but buy in moderation. That way you can use the money saved to buy something you want, like a dvd or book. Save about $3 a day and you can buy a movie ticket in less than a week!
Even better, get your own coffee powder or beans at supermarkets and make it yourself! You can buy gourmet or cheap brands depending on your budget, and make it to your own liking!
Tip: For fast hot milk, heat some in a microwavable cup or bowl.
Medieval Manuscripts Exhibition
The State Library of Victoria is putting up an exhibition of Medieval and Renaissance Illuminated Manuscripts contributed by Cambridge and various institutions around Australia and New Zealand.
An Illuminated Manuscript is a text which has been decorated with gold and/or silver. The decorations range from border illustrations, to elaborately scripted initials. Most of these texts are religious. Very few texts from before the Middle Ages have survived.
Pre-modern history buffs out there, this should make an interesting day out. It's definitely something you won't see often, and best of all, it's free! I'm definitely going to check out The Prayer Book and some other texts I've come across during my past history studies.
The exhibition entitled "The Medieval Imagination" will run from 28th March till 15th June 2008. There were be various activities held in conjunction, and in May, an international conference: Imagination, books and community in medieval Europe will also be held at the State Library of Victoria.
Website for more details:
http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/programs/exhibitions/kmg/2008/medieval_imagination/
Ps.
I would like to plug the talk on medieval prisons. It's given by an ex-professor who inspired my interest in history and medieval studies. She's awesome.
Epicurious: Time Out Cafe
A big trend in Melbourne's food scene are what I like to call Cafe-Restaurants. These places range from simple roadside stalls with a few tables next to their business (the bare bones), to semi-classy places that serve food that can rival some posh restaurants, and at much more affordable prices! Aside from pasta and pizza (the main staples in these cafe-restaurants), many of them offer a selection of finger food, fresh daily made cake, as well as a decent selection of coffee and tea, making it a great place to hang out after work or in between university classes. You can sit there through three meals and they probably won't chase you away as many of these establishments open straight from breakfast to dinner.
Time Out Cafe is a cafe-restaurant located in Federation Square, a prominent landmark of Melbourne City which will deserve a post on it's own when I can get time to do it. To find Time Out Cafe, one just has to look for a sea of orange umbrellas behind the Tourist Information Center.
These are the cushier seats in Time Out Cafe. The layout of the place itself makes it an eatery you won't mind sitting in a little longer in to chat with your mates ones you've finished your meal. Simple, clean, using basic black and white, chairs and tables are nicely spaced out so you don't have to worry about pushing your chair into your back neighbour's seat.
And the most important part - the food! I was there with my mom for a late lunch (around 3), and we had drinks, pizza and cake.
An absolutely gorgeous pizza. I think it was Turkish Lamb.
I'm a sucker for sticky date pudding. This one would've been better without the additional chocolate chips in it. Personally I feel that chocolate on everything is not necessarily a good thing.
My Mint Tonic drink. It was refreshing but I'd have preferred it with something other than grapefruit. Not too fond of grapefruit.
Another view of the interior. I really like the clean white theme going on there.
Service there was quite fast and efficient compared to some other places; the portions were generous, and the food looked and tasted great!
Price range: Average/mid priced meal (see this post for price rankings)
Overall rating: 4/5
Time Out Cafe's website:
http://www.timeoutmelbourne.com.au/home.php
Suzuki Night Market
The Suzuki Night Market is what I'd call a mini-Summer fest. of sorts, as it takes place during the summer period in Australia, which is from the end of November to the end of February. This event, held in Melbourne's famous Queen Victoria Market, has being attracting thousands of people, both local and foreigners, over the past 10 years.
~ Assault of the Senses ~
The first sight that met our eyes was the crowd. Never had I seen so many people in one small area since my not too long ago experience of Shibuya Station, Tokyo at rush hour. At the entrace, people are milling around, sitting on white plastic chairs and tables that have been specially set up for the night market. Many of them are sitting and waiting for their friends and family to come and join them, while the listening to the strains of a street band and drinking to distract themselves from the dry summer heat.
Inside the night market, the air is stuffier and smoky from the twenty or so food stalls that offer a tempting array of international treats. Fried Chinese noodles in boxes, German sausages, Italian pasta with a generous amounts of seafood, Greek pitas wraps, Australian meats (kangaroo or emu anyone?); it seems like the whole world was represented in this little market. There was even a African themed stall with offerings like zebra and ostrich meat.
Eventually, we manage to find a seat and I set out on my quest through the long snaking lines in search of food. I settle on a basic but delicious dish of Risotto Porcini (a type of mushroom), and a glass of cool hand-made lemonade to quench my thirst. Dessert came in the form of cute honey dumplings with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream, drizzled with honey syrup. Yum!
After dinner, we go to walk around the other part of the market, a collection small but interesting stalls selling an assortment of things from scarves to jewellery, designer fish tanks, tribal handicrafts and even eco-friendly clothes.
(witches fly on their brooms overhead, as if guarding the sparkling gems in this trinket store)
We end the our little night adventure by watching some happy crowd members trying to salsa to the music from a band playing what sounds like latin music.
(Although, calling it a night market is a little strange, as at 8.30 pm, the sun is still gleaming at us from his place in the cloudless sky).
(once again, food, music and dance transcends cultures and generations, bringing everyone together)
For more Information on The Suzuki Night Market, you can visit:
http://www.qvm.com.au/night_market.php
