City – Maldo Travels

Porto – Historic Coastal City

Jean Maldonado — Sun, 06 Sep 2020 23:48:00 +0000

Our flight back to London departed from Porto in the evening, so we got to Porto at around 11.45 AM to explore the city. We found a car park near the Câmara Municipal do Porto. There’s a large plaza with several cafes and restaurants in the area. We walked around the area for a bit and then headed for lunch at Kind Kitchen which had excellent vegan options.

Following lunch, we walked down to the river to cross the bridge Ponte Luís I. The roads leading there were narrow and filled with colonial buildings. We also stepped into São Bento Station where the walls at the entrance are decorated with beautiful mosaic tiles. We also passed many old churches and the Cathedral Sé do Porto which is at the top of the cliff near the bridge. You can cross the iconic metal bridge which has pedestrian walkways on either side.

The interesting thing about this bridge is that the tram passes over it rather than local traffic which makes it great to walk across. The bridge is very high up and has great views of the river and the city. It took us about 10 minutes to cross the bridge and on the other side, there’s a cable car which goes down to the riverside. Tickets cost 6 EUR one-way and 9 EUR for return which was a bit pricy so we decided to walk back across the bridge. On the way back, we took a small detour via Jardim Marques de Oliveira and took a little break at a nearby cafe. We then headed back to the car park to make our way to the airport to catch our flight back to London.

Lisboa – City Sites and the Beach

Jean Maldonado — Fri, 04 Sep 2020 23:45:00 +0000

From Canas de Senhorim, it was about a 2-hour 40 -minute scenic drive through mountains and valleys. The highways are great and once in the city, the roads become very hilly and narrow. Our rental was automatic which made driving in the hilly city much easier. We found a car park near Castelo de São Jorge and then walked to Praça da Figueira to have some breakfast. We found a great restaurant that has a tasty vegan menu.

After breakfast, we walked uphill for about 30 minutes to Castelo de São Jorge. We went through stone-tiled roads and several building walls were decorated with iconic tiles. There were also great views of the city on the way. The castle complex is quite large and we walked the perimeter of its walls. We didn’t go inside though and headed to a viewpoint instead. It was about a 25-minute walk to Miradouro da Graça. This is a great spot for unobstructed views of the city and the iconic suspension bridge Ponte 25 de Abril. There are several tables and chairs with parasols here where you can order snacks and drinks. We took a break here for about 30 mins before heading back to the car park. When we got back, we came from the top and found that the car park rooftop was also a great viewpoint of the city. It was about 1.30 PM now so we headed to the beach at Sesimbra.

It was about a 1-hour drive with some traffic getting out of the city. As we arrived at the beach, we got a wonderful elevated view of the sea driving down winding roads. We found a car park a short walk away from the beach. There are several bars along the beach and private spots with parasols that you can rent. There are also plenty of public areas where you can set yourself up. The beach is sandy and stretches for miles. There are cliffs at the far end and it’s a very beautiful place. We chilled here for about 3 hours before heading back to Lisbon for dinner.

There was a lot more traffic on the way back, especially crossing the bridge so it took us about 1-hour 30 minutes. We made a stop at Torre de Belém before heading for dinner in the city. The riverside is a beautiful walk, especially at sunset. You get a great view of the suspension bridge and Santuário de Cristo Rei as well. We headed for dinner at around 7.30 PM and then drover back to Canas de Senhorim.

Quito – El Panecillo & La Libertad

Jean Maldonado — Thu, 09 Jan 2020 18:14:00 +0000

When in Quito, if you wake up to clear skies, you should immediately head to a viewpoint of the city. There are several viewpoints around the city, but the most popular and touristic one is probably El Panecillo. The hill is located just south of the colonial city center making it accessible no matter where you’re staying in the city. The surrounding area is notorious for thieves and known to be dangerous, but the hill itself is safe and patrolled by tourist police. The easiest way to get there is by car, so it would be best to take a taxi or an Uber¹. There are parking spaces available and there’s a local guard who charges 1 USD². Another option would be to take a tourist bus which normally departs from the park La Carolina. The hill has a statue of an aluminum winged Virgin Mary which costs 1 USD to enter. The museum details its history and construction. You can then head to the balcony for a view of the colonial city center. It’s not necessary to have access to the balcony for a great view of the city since you get unobstructed views throughout the hill. There are several stalls at the site with benches to rest on. It’s a popular site with the locals and on some days, there are planned events organized by the municipality.

Across from El Panecillo on the slopes of Pichincha, you can find La Libertad. There is a museum there called ‘Templo de la Patria‘ (Temple of the Homeland) dedicated to the heroes of the Battle of Pichincha. Once again, the surrounding area is known to be dangerous so it’s best to take a taxi or Uber there. The entrance is gated and you have to leave your ID with the guard if you’re parking there. The use of the car park is free and there is no cost to visit the museum. As you walk to the museum, you get a spectacular view of the city. You’ll be able to see the colonial city center, the start of the modern north, and also parts of the south. If the skies are clear, you’ll be able to see the peaks of the volcanos in ‘La Avenida de Los Vocanes’ (Volcano Avenue). When entering the museum, you’ll need to sign in at reception with your ID/Passport number. You’re then free to roam throughout the museum and learn about the history of the Battle of Pichincha. There are painted murals, tombs, and many artifacts from the battle on display. You can also get to the terrace which serves as another excellent viewpoint of the city.

Quito – Middle of the World Monument

Jean Maldonado — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 22:15:00 +0000

The capital city of Quito sits between mountains so it is long and narrow. Choosing how to get to Ciudad Mitad del Mundo will depend on where you are staying in the city. The official website lists several options which include a tour bus, public transport, or taxi/Uber³. The site has a guarded parking lot so going by car is also an option. The entrance ticket costs 5 USD⁴ and gives you access to all the museums and facilities at the site.

The highlight of the site is the monument at the center of the complex. Inside the monument, there is a museum that starts with a history of how the equatorial line was calculated. There is then a science section with interactive experiments concerning the Earth and equator. There are then several floors that display the different ethnic groups and cultures in Ecuador’s 3 main regions; coast, mountain range, and east. After climbing through these floors, you then reach the viewpoint at the top of the monument. From here, you can enjoy views of the surrounding landscape and city.

After visiting the monument, you can visit other museums in the complex or the planetarium which runs a show every hour. People start queuing for it about 15 minutes before the show starts so head there early as there are limited seats. We were at the end of the queue and didn’t manage to get in, so we decided to leave instead of waiting an hour for the next show.

Singapore – A Modern Multicultural City

Jean Maldonado — Sat, 28 Sep 2019 22:16:52 +0000

Coming from Bali, it’s a 2-hour 45-minute flight and we landed at 11.45 AM. Getting through customs is quick and after collecting our bags, we went looking for transportation options into the city. The airport has free WiFi so you can get a Grab⁴ or head to the taxi stands. Since we were going to be in the city for a couple of days, we decided to get a 3-Day Tourist Pass for unlimited access to the metro and buses. Our hotel was in Bugis, and the quickest public transport option from the airport was a 45-minute bus ride. After settling into our hotel, we went for a walk to nearby shopping centers and grabbed some food. At around 6 PM, we headed to Boat Quay where there are several riverside bars and restaurants. There’s a nice atmosphere here and lots of locals seem to come here after work. At around 10 PM, we headed to Arab Street where there are some middle eastern restaurants and bars. It’s a nice area and there was some live music entertainment here as well. At around midnight, we walked back to the hotel to get some rest.

The following day, we headed to the Singapore Flyer by bus which was 20 minutes away. Tickets cost 33 SGD⁵ but we just took some pictures of it. We then took a bus to Chinatown which went via the Marina Bay Sands hotel. We walked around the streets of Chinatown and got some souvenirs from there as well. Next, we headed to the Marina Bay Sands since we booked a stay there which you can find out more about here.

A friend who lives in Singapore told me to check out the indoor waterfall at the airport before getting my flight back. So I headed to the airport about 3 hours before my 10.45 AM flight to have some time to find it. Some airlines have early check-in so that you can drop off your luggage whilst wandering around the airport. Four terminals surround the mall in the middle called Jewel where the waterfall is located. We first walked over to the mall and in the early hours, only the lower half of the ‘water wall’ is turned on. At 8 AM, they turn on the upper half of the waterfall and it’s an amazing sight. You can also take the free monorail between terminals which goes through the Jewel and right next to the waterfall. Surrounding the waterfall, there is a multilevel indoor forest with many trails leading to viewpoints. The Jewel has lots of stores, a cinema, food options, and activities for kids keeping any tourist busy before a flight.

Singapore – Gardens and Rollercoasters

Jean Maldonado — Fri, 27 Sep 2019 23:46:00 +0000

When walking around Chinatown, we came across a Visitor Center that sold discounted tickets for Universal Studios and the domes at the Gardens by the Bay. The tickets for Universal Studios cost 71 SGD⁶ each and tickets for the domes cost 26 SGD each. The theme park is located on Sentosa Island and is accessible by public transport. We were coming from the Bay and it would normally take about 40 minutes to get there by public transport. Since we left quite late, we decided to get a Grab⁷ instead which is much quicker taking about 15 minutes and costing 10 SGD. We got to the park at around 11.30 AM and first went to some self-service machines to print out our tickets. We then picked up a map at the park entrance and planned which rides to go on. The park has several different sections with different themes. We decided to go through the park in a clockwise direction. The queues for the rides weren’t that long and on average, we waited about 30 minutes. There were rides for all ages and the themes throughout were great. At around 5.45 PM, the park begins to close and the guards begin to cordon off the queues directing people to the exit. After leaving the park, we decided to cross the boardwalk since it was a scenic walk. Overall, it was a fun and eventful day at the theme park.

After crossing the bridge, we got a Grab from the Vivo City mall to Gardens by the Bay. It was a quick 10-minute drive costing 14 SGD and we got there at around 6.45 PM. The park is huge and we mainly wanted to see the supertrees. We followed signs for Supertree Grove and got there before sunset. We then walked to Dragonfly Bridge where you can get some great pictures with the Marina Bay Sands hotel and the Singapore Flyer. The bridge can get quite busy with tourists though so you have to be patient to take pictures. At around 7 PM, we headed to the domes which was a 5-minute walk away. It’s a nice walk through the gardens with lots of photo opportunities. With our tickets, we had access to both of the domes and we first went to the Flower Dome. Inside, there are trees, plants, and flowers from all over the world in picturesque arrangements. We walked around taking pictures for about 20 minutes and then continued to the Cloud Forest Dome.

This dome is opposite the Flower Dome and upon entering, you arrive at a man-made waterfall. We then walked around the ground floor and as you look up, you can see a mist being emitted from some sky walkways making it look like a cloud. Some lifts take you up to these sky walkways where you can get a view of the dome from above. Inside the central structure, there is also a small museum and exhibits with information on the site. We spent about 40 minutes at this dome before heading for some food. There is a popular outdoor street food area called Satay by the Bay which is a short 10-minute walk away. There are lots of tasty food and drink options here in a great atmosphere. We were done with food at around 10 PM and then walked over to the Helix Bridge. At night, the bridge is lit up with colorful lights and makes for great pictures with the Marina Bay Sands in the background. From here, we then headed back to our hotel to get some rest.

Kuala Lumpur – 1 Day Layover

Jean Maldonado — Mon, 16 Sep 2019 22:52:27 +0000

Our flight from Hong Kong was scheduled to depart at 11.50 AM. We took a public transport bus from Causeway Bay to the airport which cost 40 HKD⁸ each and took about 1 hour and 30 minutes. We were there during the protests so there was heavy security at the airport. It took us about 20 minutes to get into the airport, but once inside, checking our bags and going through the usual security was quick. It was then a 4-hour flight to Kuala Lumpur and we arrived at around 3.45 PM. Going through customs was quite quick and then we connected to the airport WiFi to call a Grab⁹. Our hotel was about an hour away near KLCC Park and cost 74.80 MYR¹⁰. Having been to Kuala Lumpur before, I decided to spend a little more on a hotel with a view since the ticket for the Sky Deck Observation Tower was quite pricy. We stayed at the Expressionz Suites which has an infinity pool with a view of KLCC.

After checking into the hotel, we headed up to the pool to catch the sunset. At the reception, they told us there were 2 pools; one with the view of the Petronas Twin Towers on the top floor, and the other on a lower floor. We were told we first had to go to the pool on the lower floor and get a ticket for the pool on the top floor since there was a limit. There was a 10 person limit for the infinity pool with a view and we were about 20 in the queue. We waited in the lower pool for about 2 and a half hours and got to the infinity pool at around 8.40 PM when the sun had already set. It was still a great view but we only stayed for about 15 minutes to take pictures since it was getting a little chilly. We then headed out to the Alor Night Market to get some food. A Grab cost 9 MYR and took about 15 minutes to get there. The market was very busy with lots of options available. After some food, we headed a shisha bar on the main road which had a happy hour going on.

The following morning, we went for a walk around KLCC Park. On my last visit, access to the Petronas Twin Towers was closed for a public holiday, but this time it was open. It was a cloudy day but we decided to get tickets anyway which cost 80 MYR each. The tour of the Petronas Twin Towers first goes to the Sky Bridge. We get about 10 minutes here to take pictures and there are information panels with a map of the surrounding buildings. Next, we head to the observation deck on the 86th floor. There’s a small exhibition here with information on the project of building the iconic towers. We got some great views from up here despite the foggy weather. We were given about 15 minutes to go around the floor taking pictures before getting on a lift back down to the lobby. It was a nice visit but felt quite rushed as we are given a very limited time to go around.

We then walked from KLCC to the shopping malls in Bukit Bintang via the air-conditioned passageways. We grabbed some food there before heading back to the hotel to pick up our bags. Our flight was scheduled to leave at 7.35 PM so we left at around 4.30 PM to avoid the rush hour.

Hong Kong – Scenic Island City

Jean Maldonado — Sun, 15 Sep 2019 10:42:00 +0000

From Beijing, it’s a 3-hour 30-minute flight to Hong Kong. Our flight was scheduled to depart at 3.30 AM so we took a taxi to the airport for 130 RMBRenminbi.'>⁹ plus a 10 RMB airport toll. Since there was no traffic, it was a short 40-minute drive to the airport. In these early hours, the airport was very quiet so checking our bags and getting through customs was quick and easy. We landed in Hong Kong at 7 AM and once again went through customs and security quite quickly. There are bus and train options to get from the airport to the city. We connected to the airport WiFi and got an Uber¹¹ since we wanted to get into the city quickly. It took about 45 minutes to get to our hostel in Causeway Bay and cost 332 HKDHong Kong Dollar'>¹². Our room wasn’t ready yet so we left our bags and set out to explore the city.

The City

We stayed in Hong Kong for 4 days and other than checking out some viewpoints, we explored the city. There’s a very well organized metro system which makes getting around the city quick and easy. The fares depend on how far you’re traveling on the metro and you can check on the machines which can be set to English. We stayed in the Causeway Bay area which is bustling with lots of shops and restaurants. It’s also a short ride on the metro to Central where there are more malls among many skyscrapers. There is also a lively nightlife in Central with many bars and clubs in the area. Central also has ferries to cross the bay or for a day trip to Macau. Ferries to the mainland at Tsim Sha Tsui cost 3.70 HKD. At Tsim Sha Tsui, there’s a nice boardwalk called the Avenue of the Stars which goes along the bay. It’s a good spot to catch the sunset but we decided to catch the sunset at the Sky 100 observation deck in the International Commerce Center building. We bought our tickets for 135 HKD each and found that it’s cheaper to buy online rather than at the ticket office. Back on the Central side, there is also an Observation Wheel at the AIA Vitality Park which costs 20 HKD each. Overall, Hong Kong is a beautiful city that can be explored at your own pace via public transport.

Victoria Peak

This viewpoint is easily accessible via a funicular and its cheaper to buy tickets online. You get great views on the journey up to the peak and once at the destination station, there are several viewpoints. There are also some shops and restaurants there as well as the Madame Tussauds wax museum. From the station, there is another viewpoint along a trail that goes down the mountain which is a short 10-minute walk away. After taking some pictures there, we followed Google Maps for the Victoria Peak viewpoint. We got a bit lost and ended up at Victoria Peak Pavillion which was also a nice viewpoint. We then had to make a bit of a U-turn to get to Victoria Peak. The route is mainly along narrow roads with a couple of cars occasionally passing by. The last 5 minutes of the walk is along a dirt path going through trees and bushes. Once at the top, you get a great view of the city and the bay. The way back down to the station took us about 25 minutes so it’s not that far away.

Suicide Cliff

Another hike to a viewpoint is the infamously named Suicide Cliff. Although the path can be a little treacherous, it’s a fairly straightforward hike up to the viewpoint. There are several trails to the viewpoint and we chose to do a long one starting at City One metro station. We followed the directions on this site and they also have a handy Google Maps route. It’s a scenic hike with several views of the city along the way. From City One, we walked along the road towards Lion Rock Country Park. Once inside the park, there is a dirt trail going through trees. There is a small stream along the way to fill up your water bottle if you have a filter. It was very hot when we went with temperatures reaching 34 degrees. The route goes through Kowloon Peak Viewpoint which has great panoramics of the city. It’s possible to get a taxi/Uber here if you’re not into hikes. From this viewpoint, the route continues into the mountain and there is a warning sign saying it’s not safe. This is when the hike gets more difficult as the trail goes through overgrown grass and bushes. I was wearing shorts and got a couple of cuts from the bushes. Eventually, the trail leads past some antennas of the radio station and arrives at Suicide Cliff. The views of the city’s skyline from here are amazing. Overall, the hike was very tiring taking about 4 hours and 30 minutes to get to the top but with rewarding views. It was then another hour to go down to the main road. We were looking to get an Uber but it was about 5.30 PM now and the traffic was horrendous. So we decided to walk another 30 minutes to Choi Hung metro station to get back to our hostel.

Macau – The Vegas of Asia

Jean Maldonado — Thu, 12 Sep 2019 18:59:00 +0000

Ferries leave from the piers at Sheung Wan which is one stop away from Central. When we arrived, there were 2 ticket offices open selling tickets and the Cotai operator was cheaper with tickets at 171 HKD¹. We saw someone reselling tickets for 150 HKD but only took cash. The ferry was scheduled to leave in 15 minutes at 11.10 AM. Going through security was very quick and we managed to board the ferry on time. The journey takes about an hour and we arrived at the port in Taipa which is next to the airport. Going through customs and security here is also quick and easy. Once at the arrivals hall, we set out looking for tours and an ATM. We met a tour guide offering his services for 150 HKD each. He took us to several casinos using the free bus transportation between casinos. At the casinos, he took us to the areas where they have timed shows. At Wynn Palace, there was a water fountain show like the Bellagio in Las Vegas. You could also tour around the water fountain in a cable car for free.

After visiting a couple of casinos, our guide took us to the historic city center. There are many colonial buildings and pedestrian streets which make for great walks. We walked through Senado Square, St. Dominic’s Church, and the Ruins of St Paul’s. We passed through some markets as well which were good for picking up some cheap souvenirs. We then head to a couple more casinos which include Studio City, The Parisian, and The Venetian. The guide also arranged for us to buy our ferry ticket back to Hong Kong with one of his friends. He got us first-class tickets for 200 HKD and we met up with his friend in the afternoon to pick up the tickets. We were done with our tour at around 7 PM and the guide dropped us off at the port.

Beijing – Experiencing A Different World

Jean Maldonado — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 21:09:00 +0000

It’s a long 10-hour flight from London to Beijing. The airport is huge but getting through customs at Beijing Airport is quick and easy. Once I exited the airport, I tried connecting to the WiFi but it didn’t work for me. I found an information desk to get directions to my hostel which was close to Qianmen. One of the staff spoke English and directed me to the train station where I could buy tickets at the machines. He also handed me a map of the subway and marked the route I had to take. The train station was a short walk away crossing a footbridge. The ticket machines can be set to English but they only took cash so I headed back into the airport to look for an ATM. To get back in there is a security checkpoint everyone has to go through. I found 2 ATMs but they didn’t work for my card so I went to a Currency Exchange office to buy RMB¹³. Once I had cash, I headed back to the train station and bought an Airport Express ticket for 25 RMB. My train was about to leave and there’s another security checkpoint to enter the train station. It didn’t take long to get through and I managed to get on the train before the doors closed. The journey to Dongzhimen station where I had to change to the metro took about 30 minutes. It’s quite easy to follow the signs for the subway lines as they’re in English and also color-coded. There are ticket machines at the barriers but I went to the ticket office since I wasn’t too sure what to buy. A single fare cost 4 RMB and I made my way to the platform. I had to take the Number 2 line which is a circular route and the direction with the next stations is clearly illustrated on the platform. It was about a 20-minute journey on the subway and everything is well organized with the trains arriving on time.

After leaving the station, I tried to follow the screenshot of the map I had to get to my hostel from the train station. However, I quickly got lost so I approached some police officers to try and ask for directions. Most of them didn’t speak English and some were quite rude waving me away. I ended up walking aimlessly for about an hour in 30-degree heat asking police officers. I found a McDonalds and tried to connect to the WiFi but my phone just wouldn’t connect to the internet. I managed to find an offline email that had the hotel address written in Chinese characters which I showed police officers. That’s when I figured they couldn’t read Latin characters¹⁴ and I was gradually pointed in the right direction. Also, the younger police officers seemed to speak more English than the older generations. After another hour, I managed to find my hostel and got some rest. At the hostel, I managed to connect to the WiFi and found that some of my apps didn’t work as usual. So make sure you download any important info beforehand. In the evening I went for a walk around the area. I was staying on Dashilan street which is a popular commercial street. There were lots of restaurants, bars, and shops on this street and it was quite busy in the evening and night. It’s very well lit up but I wouldn’t wander off into the dark side roads.

I stayed in Beijing for 4 days and had booked tours online beforehand. In the time after the tours, we went about exploring the city. There are many parks and shopping districts in this huge city. In the area we stayed in, we saw that it can get very cramped. Many narrow passageways which only fit one person walking through them lead to houses. We also saw that several communal bathrooms were shared by several residents. On one of the days after a tour, we went to a Kung Fu Show at the Red Theater which I’d highly recommend. The tour dropped us off at the Hongqiao market which was a 20-minute walk from the Red Theater. There was a show at 5.15 PM and we enquired about tickets at the ticket office. However, they were more expensive than the prices we saw online. A tour guide overheard us and offered to help us buy discount tickets for 150 RMB for good seats near the front. We agreed and he made a call for someone to buy online and then picked up the tickets from the ticket office. We were very close to the stage and the show was well worth it. Overall, Beijing was a great experience and it was like stepping into another world where everything is new and different from the world of the West.