Parks – Maldo Travels

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 SGD¹ 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 Grab² 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.

Beijing – Full Day City Tour

Jean Maldonado — Sun, 08 Sep 2019 21:43:02 +0000

One of the tours we booked online beforehand was a tour of several sites in the city. The travel agency contacts you a couple of days before the tour to arrange for the pick up from your accommodation. The guide had Whatsapp so we were able to communicate with him without issues. We were picked up at 7 AM from our hostel on the pedestrian Dashilan street. We had to walk to the main road where the tour bus was waiting for us. After picking up some other people, we arrived at Jingshan Park at around 7.40 AM. The tour bus left us at the park entrance and we walked up to the main viewpoint. From here, you get a great view of the Forbidden City. We then headed back down and left the park at around 8.20 AM. The next stop is a short 10-minute drive away to Houhai lake for a rickshaw ride around the Hutongs³ in the area. Many were demolished when the city was modernizing but some survive and are now protected. There are several rickshaws lined up by the side of the roads waiting for tourists. The guide paired everyone up and gave the rickshaw driver instructions on where to take us. It was about a 30-minute ride and we went by the scenic lake and through the narrow roads of the residential area. The rickshaw had already been paid for but the guide said they expect a 10 RMB⁴ tip after.

The next stop was the Beijing Zoo which was a 15-minute drive away. We waited for about 5-minutes whilst our guide went to buy our tickets. The zoo is quite big and has lots of animals but our guide said we only had time to see the Pandas. So he took us straight to the area where the Pandas were. There was an indoor section where you could see some pandas behind a glass wall. Going past the indoor section, you get to the outdoor area where there are a couple of pandas lazing about in the shade. They don’t move much and just chill there. There was a young panda who was munching on some leaves and everyone flocked around him to take pictures. It was a quick 30-minute visit before heading back to the tour bus. We then headed to the Olympic Park arriving at around 10.15 AM. The tour bus leaves us at the entrance and we then walk with the guide throughout the complex. He gives us info on the complex and some of the buildings before giving us some time to wander around to take pictures. It was coming up to midday now and it was getting very hot. So we mainly stayed in the shade near the main stadium.

At around 11.15 AM, we left for lunch which was a home-cooked meal at a resident’s house in the Hutongs we visited earlier. The house was decorated with old traditional Chinese furniture and it was a great place for lunch. We were done with lunch at around 12.15 AM and then headed to the Lama Temple. The guide took us throughout the site telling us about its history and how it was originally a palace. We were given some time to roam around to take pictures and were back at the tour bus at 1.30 PM. This was the last tourist destination and we then continue to the shopping stops. First, we go to a textile store where they talk about the process of making their materials and products. The next and final stop is a silk store where we’re shown how the silk is sourced and how their products are made. At the end of the tour, we’re offered to be dropped off at Hongqiao Market or closer to the Qianmen area. We chose the market since the guide told us we could get some cheap souvenirs there.

Milan – Art, Culture and a Fashion Capital

Jean Maldonado — Mon, 22 Apr 2019 22:38:28 +0000

For the UK Easter break, we decided to go on a 4-day getaway to Milan. It’s a short 2-hour flight from London and we arrived at Malpensa Airport at around 10 AM. It’s a small airport so we got through customs quickly and were out by 10.20 AM. The train station is a short 5-minute walk away and buses to the city center are also available at the terminal. Buses cost 8 EUR⁵ and the train is 13 EUR. We decided to take the train and got on the 10.30 AM train to Milano Centrale. The onboard ticket man was very friendly and recommended us to get a daily travel card which cost 4.50 EUR to get around in the city. He also said we could touch and go using contactless credit cards. The train ride to Milano Centrale took about an hour so we got there at around 11.30 AM. The station is huge and there are no ticket barriers to exit so you just make your way out. From the station, we decided to walk to our Airbnb⁶ near Duomo since we had time to spare before our check-in time slot. It should take about 45 minutes to walk but we made several stops for pictures so it took us 1 hour 30 minutes. On the way, we walked through Giardini Pubblici Indro Montanelli which is a garden where the natural history museum is. We also came across the shopping district which has several Gallerias which are like shopping malls.

We got to our Airbnb at around 1 PM and after settling in we went looking for food. We soon found out that most of the local places close the kitchen between 2-3 PM. We managed to find a place that said they could serve us if we ordered quickly. After lunch, we headed to the historic city center. The main site is the Duomo and it is a truly magnificent cathedral. The building is huge and it has many columns all with great detail. The plaza also covers a large area and is great for pictures. We walked around the area and got back to the Airbnb by 7 PM.

Our next two days we took day trips to Como and Verona which you can find out more about from the links. On our last day, our flight was at 8 PM so we explored the city throughout the day. In the morning, we went to Sempione Park which is one of the biggest in Milan. We got off at the Cardona metro station and walked towards Castello Sforzesco which serves as an entrance to the park. It is free to enter the open areas of the castle and tickets are available for the museum. The park has gardens and a lake which make for a picturesque walk. We walked through the park and got to the Arco della Pace which is an arch dedicated to peace. From here, we went to get lunch and then to the Duomo.

There are several tickets available to visit the inside of the Duomo; cathedral only, cathedral plus stairs to the top, or cathedral plus lift to the top. We chose the ticket with lift access and it cost 37 EUR. Tickets can be bought online or at the ticket office. The queue for the lift was quite long and we waited for about 30 minutes. The stairs queue was practically empty so it would have been quicker and cheaper to go by stairs. Also, the lift entrance is around the back of the Duomo. Once inside, the lift takes you to the terrace area. The level of detail in the stonework is mesmerizing and there are several balconies that make for great pictures. You walk across the terrace to the front and climb a couple of stairs to get to the top. More impressive views from here and you can walk over to the other end of the cathedral. Watch your footing as some of the stonework can be slippery. Once we were done, we headed down to visit the inside of the cathedral.

The inside is massive and there are many tall columns throughout. It’s very gothic in style and nice to walk around. At the entrance of the cathedral, there are some stairs which lead underground. Here you’ll see some tombs and the original baptism pool. This is a museum-like area and there are several artifacts on display. When finished with this, the ticket also gives you access to the museum opposite the Duomo. Do keep in mind that the museum closes at 6 but the last entry is at 5 PM. So we couldn’t get in as we got there at 5.10 PM. Following the Duomo, we went for a quick walk around the area and came across the Leonardo da Vinci statue. From here we then headed to the airport for our flight back to London.

Santiago – A Modern Latin American Capital

Jean Maldonado — Sun, 30 Sep 2018 21:09:49 +0000

Coming from San Pedro de Atacama, it’s possible to do the trip by bus. However, after looking into it, the journey time was around 24 to 30 hours which is a bit too much for me. So we opted to take a flight from the nearby city of Calama. We booked the flight in advance, but we still had to get a bus transfer from San Pedro de Atacama to Calama. We tried getting a ticket on the day we arrived, but all buses were full in the agency we asked. They said another agency would open its offices the next day, so we came back then, and luckily they had seats available to leave in the morning which cost 3,000 CLP⁷ each. The bus journey only takes 1-hour 30-minutes and dropped us off at the Turbus terminal. We still had a couple of hours before our 6.30 PM flight, so we headed to the Mall Plaza Calama which was a 15-minute walk away. We spent some time here before taking a taxi to the Airport. It was a 15-minute drive and cost 5,000 CLP. It’s then a 2-hour flight from Calama to Santiago. Our hotel was near Estacion Central (Central Station) and since it was quite late, we took an Uber⁸. It took about 20 minutes and cost 12,689 CLP.

The City

Since we got there on a Saturday night, we decided to check out the city’s nightlife. The Uber driver who took us to our hotel told us the party zone was in Pio Nono street, in Barrio Bellavista. There’s a couple of bars and clubs in the area, but what’s interesting here is what I can only think to describe as outdoor canteens. It’s a large open space, some under a large tent, and there are rows of tables and chairs. You come in, sit down, and a waiter will come around to take your order of drinks. It’s also quite cheap compared to the clubs. It looks like most people come here for drinks before heading to clubs. Overall, it was a great night out and the clubs stay open until around 6 AM.

The following morning, we decided to check out the city via public transport since our hotel was close to a metro station. To use the metro, you need to purchase a Bip card which costs 1550 CLP. You then need to top up the card. An off-peak journey costs 640 CLP and since you can use 1 card between 2 people, we topped up 5400 CLP to get us through the day. On this Sunday, there happened to be a parade in the city center, so the subway wasn’t stopping there. Therefore, we had to take a bus which was stopping near there. The same Bip card works on the bus as well. We first made our way to the Plaza de Armas which is the city’s main central square that has a Cathedral and the Museo Histórico Nacional (National History Museum) as well as some colonial buildings in the area. We walked around for a bit and then headed to a viewpoint at Cerro Santa Lucia.

There’s an arts and crafts market opposite this viewpoint where you can get cheap souvenirs as well. Other than the main viewpoint in Cerro Santa Lucia, which is a hilltop castle called Castillo Hidalgo, it’s a nice place to go for a walk and also visit a couple of gardens. Once we’d finish walking around, we headed to the Mercado Central. This is a market known for bringing in fresh seafood. There are several restaurants there and it’s popular among the locals. After the market, we went to another viewpoint at Cerro San Cristobal. To get to the top, we decided to take the funicular which started from the end of Pio Nono street in Barrio Bellavista. There are several different ticket options and we went for the Funicular plus Cable Car which cost 4220 CLP each.

This viewpoint is a lot higher than the one at Cerro Santa Lucia, so you get a much better view of the city. Once at the top, you can walk up a little further to the statue of the Virgin Mary. From here, you can see the snow-topped Andes Mountain Range in the distance, or maybe I didn’t notice it earlier. It’s a great site unlike any other I had seen before. From the top, we then took the cable cars which takes you around the park. The park is huge and looks like it would have been fun to explore, but since we didn’t have much time, the cable car was a good way to get a good view of the park. The park was closing at around 7 PM, so we had to get off at a different park exit. From here we made our way to a metro station and headed back to the hotel. Overall, Santiago is a beautiful city and I wish I had another day to spend there, but we were scheduled to go to Valparaiso the next day.

Lima – A Coastal Capital

Jean Maldonado — Sat, 01 Sep 2018 22:54:00 +0000

When we first got to Huaraz, we looked around for overnight buses to Lima. We chose to go with Transportes 14 since it seemed to be relatively cheap for their VIP option at 100 PEN⁹. Our bus left at 10.30 PM and we were not disappointed. There was plenty of legroom and the seats reclined well back; whilst not 180 degrees, it was comfortable enough to get some sleep throughout the overnight journey. The route to Lima is along winding roads which took a little getting used to, but I dozed off shortly after departure. Total travel time was about 7-hours 30-minutes arriving at a bus terminal below the historic city center. From here, we took an Uber¹⁰ to get to Miraflores which only took 15 minutes since it was 6 AM and there was no traffic. At check-in, we were told our room wasn’t going to be ready until 2 PM, so we left our bags and went for a walk by the sea. We ended up walking for about an hour through the beautiful modern neighborhoods of Miraflores and Barranco. We took some rest at the relaxing park where the Puente de Los Suspiros is located. Next, we walk back towards Miraflores for about another hour, stopping at parks and the Arts and Crafts Market.

We were in the vicinity of Huaca Pucllana, so we decided to visit this pre-Incan archaeological site. Entrance tickets cost 12 PEN or 6 PEN if you’re a student. After purchasing your ticket, you may have to wait a little before the next guided tour begins. It’s not possible to roam around the site on your own, but you can visit the information center while you wait. Once the tour begins, the guide will take you around explaining the culture of the Lima people who inhabited the site. They are thought to have been around between 100 AD and 650 AD. The Lima people were experts in irrigation and proven to grow crops in desert climates. The site is believed to have been an administrative site and is built from clay and adobe. The stepped pyramid is deemed to have been used for religious rituals. Human remains have been found at the site but considered to belong to the Wari culture who took over around 700 AD. The site also has workshops and a small farm with livestock the Lima people would have had.

After visiting the site, we headed to the nearby Kennedy Park. This park is also known as the ‘cat park’ since you’ll be able to see several cats roaming around freely. By this point, it was around 2.30 PM so we headed back to the hotel. After freshening up we headed back out to the historic city center. An Uber from Miraflores to Plaza San Martin took about 30 minutes and cost 11 PEN. We walked around the plaza and towards the river. The riverwalk is filled with people and street entertainment. We continued walking around here and crossed the bridge to the other side. There are several restaurants and bars in this area as well. We then went back across the bridge and towards the park Circuito Magico del Agua. At this park, they have a night light show. They light up fountains and areas in the park. The main spectacle though is a video projection on the main fountains. A very unique and impressive presentation. The park also has some funfair rides and food stalls. Once done visiting all the lit-up sites, we headed back to the hotel for some rest before checking out the nightlife. We were quite close to an area called Calle de Las Pizzas which our Uber driver said had several bars and clubs. The main strip has many bars with live music and deals on drink buckets. The music was good and the drink prices reasonable at around 15 PEN for a beer. We didn’t stay too late to check out the clubs since we were leaving the next morning for Paracas, but the nightlife was certainly energetic.

Mexico City – Sightseeing By Bus

Jean Maldonado — Wed, 02 May 2018 21:55:00 +0000

Mexico City is massive. The official population stands at 9 million, however, it has grown so much that its city limits have joined with towns in its outskirts which to the locals, are considered to be Mexico City. A guide mentioned that the estimated population stood at 20 million and it continues to grow. The city has metro lines and buses to get around, however, I’d recommend taking a tourist bus. Tickets were between 180 and 200 MXN¹⁰ and can be purchased online but it is a little cheaper at the stalls the operators have in the Zocalo plaza. The operators have bus stops in all the popular tourist destinations which is why this service is ideal in contrast to taking the bus or metro. You will likely not be able to cover all the tourist stops in one day given the size of the city and traffic. Also, avoid taking the tourist bus during peak hours since we were stuck in a 1-hour bumper to bumper traffic which is normal during those times periods.

Bosque Chapultepec

If you’re short on time like I was, then getting off at Bosque Chapultepec is one not to miss. This is a huge park home to memorials, museums, lakes, a zoo, and a botanical garden. If I had to choose one site in this area to see, then it would be the National Museum of Anthropology adjacent to Bosque Chapultepec. A modern indoor and outdoor museum with excellent artifacts and exhibits. The museum is masterfully laid out for you to explore different civilizations following a chronological timeline as you progress throughout the museum.

Bosque Chapultepec is divided into three sections and most of the attractions can be found in the first section known as Bosque Chapultepec I. A key highlight is Castillo Chapultepec at the top of the hill. A former fort where the last of the Mexican resistance fought US forces before surrendering. This fort has now been converted into a national museum and has great panoramic views of the city. There is also a monument at the park entrance dedicated to those who gave their lives to protect the country.

Mexico City – History And Culture

Jean Maldonado — Tue, 01 May 2018 18:09:00 +0000

Ciudad de Mexico was the beginning of what became almost a six-month journey of adventure through Central and South America. A five-hour flight from New York City and similar or less for the rest of the US, it’s a convenient short vacation getaway to a land that is rich in history and culture. The Benito Juarez International Airport is in the city itself with a number of transportation options to all parts of the city. The cheapest is public transport, followed by bus/shuttle, and the more expensive taxis. Uber¹ is also available, however, the driver will ask you to sit in front as it appears it hasn’t been completely legalized yet. There are several cash ATMs in the airport and they charge between 18 and 30 MXN² to make a withdrawal. The airport also has a 15 minute free WiFi session which I took advantage of to order my Uber to my hostel in the Historic City Center in Zocalo.

A 30 minute Uber ride later and I was at my hostel two blocks from Zocalo plaza. Other than the plaza and Metropolitan Cathedral, there are several sites and attractions that are walking distances from the Zocalo area. Around the corner from the cathedral lie the Aztec ruins of Templo Mayor. The ruins are visible from a balcony like structure but there is also a museum and guided tours of the excavation work done on the site.

From the Zocalo plaza, there is a nice walk down Av. Francisco I. Madero which is a pedestrian-only zone. There are several high street shops, restaurants, and bars on this road which leads to the Alameda Park. In here we can find the El Palacio de Bellas Artes and La Torre Latinoamericana. From here, it is also a short 10-minute walk to Plaza Garibaldi also known to the locals as the “Plaza de los Mariachis”. However, you should probably take an Uber to this place as the walk was through an area which is very run down, deserted, and didn’t feel safe.