May 31, 2011

Tours In Thailand




Looking for the ultimate Thailand Tour? Check out our new blog! 
Click on the image above or go to Tours In Thailand
 
Cycle, walk, relax, golf, culture, food, luxury.........It's all up to you! 
 

May 30, 2011

TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence - Saigon Unseen!



Saigon Unseen Motor Bike Tours in Ho Chi Minh City is going great guns, and as co-owner, I not going to be shy! We love being able to show travelers the "REAL" Saigon. Come with us and you WILL see crazy roads, bizarre markets full of even more bizarre things (some you can even eat!!) and the wickedly wonderful people that call this city of 10 million home (and tons more)! 

And this month, we were lucky enough to have received a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence which was made possible because the super cool people that have traveled with us and have been kind enough to take the time to write reviews! So from both Adam and Adam - THANK YOU!

If you are heading to Vietnam soon, know some people heading this way or just like checking out super cool, super funky tours, do yourself a favor and click on the links below.
Well go on...........do it!
Images By Adam Martin





May 24, 2011

Restaurant brings country to the city

At Cuc Gach Quan, eating off old chipped earthenware plates is standard but there's nothing subpar about the food, as Xuan Hiep discovers.

Have you ever dined at an eatery that has no menu from which to choose your favourite dishes?

Well, I did recently at Cuc Gach Quan, where the chef creates a new menu every day.

Owned by architect Tran Binh, the restaurant opened in 2009 but has already acquired a large number of clientele, both Vietnamese and foreigners.

Binh says he was inspired to open the restaurant because of his passion for promoting traditional Vietnamese cuisine.

But equally influential was his 85-year-old grandmother, with whom he has lived since he was a small child.

Binh uses the image of a brick, which in Vietnamese is Cuc Gach, as the logo for his business and restaurant.

A brick, he explains, is a small object but it makes up a wall, a house and other significant construction works. It also refers to a strong foundation of success, he adds.

Cuc Gach captured my attention at first sight. I didn't think I was entering a restaurant but rather a house artfully designed.

The two-storey eatery, only 4.5m wide and 25m long, can accommodate up to 60 diners. Peak time is at noon when office staff at nearby buildings come to have lunch.

One special thing I noticed was the antique look of many items, including fans, a TV, a radio set and other decorative pieces like vases, jars and bottles.

The tables and chairs are also old furniture, bought and redesigned by Binh to make them look even more unique.

I was amazed and, honestly, a bit disappointed at first to see that all the bowls and plates were not made of luxurious porcelain but of old earthenware, many of which were chipped.

Binh told me that all of the bowls and plates were made of earthenware and had been in use for a long time.

"We won't change but will continue to use these old earthenware bowls and places until they are broken, for they represent and symbolise the image of the countryside during economically harsh times," he said.

Another highlight was the traditional music playing quietly, which added much value to the cosy, warm ambience at Cuc Gach.

Focus on ambience: Cuc Gach restaurant was designed by architect Tran Binh, who has a deep passion for promoting Vietnamese culture through its culinary traditions. — VNS Photo Ngo Dinh Truc
In particular, well-known songs of 1970s sung by popular singers like Khanh Ly, Thai Thanh and Leâ Thu helped diners recall old memories.

Of course, since we did not have to order we could relax and eagerly await the standard set of traditional Vietnamese meals, which includes meat, fish, soup and fried and steamed vegetables, together with dessert and iced tea.

Tran Thi Hai Nghia, 31, an engineering consultant who lives close to the restaurant, told me that she had eaten lunch and dinner at Cuc Gach every day for the last two years, other than the weekends.

"Although the meal menus change every day, the food is good and I love the service here," she said.

Most diners are friends of the owner who understand his service concept and approach.

Binh says he wants to create an atmosphere in which all diners are treated like guests.

"I want to cook and prepare the meals in my own way to treat my guests, trying to make them feeling at home. By following this concept, we want to promote Vietnamese culture and traditions that show hospitality to foreigners," he said.

The chef should be seen as a mother or grandmother who goes to the market every day to buy fresh food, and the waiters as brothers of the same family, who are all there to serve the guests.

"We don't provide a five-star restaurant service, but we try our best to preserve traditional Vietnamese cuisine and culture," Binh said.

He also wants to present dishes from the southern countryside, which are a fitting complement to the old tables and chairs, old chopsticks and spoons, and earthenware bowls and plates.

Most importantly, all the food is fresh and authentic. The restaurant makes the tofu itself according to a secret recipe.

Vegetarians can take heart as Cuc Gach serves non-meat menus on the 1st and 15th of the Chinese lunar calendar.

The restaurant has become so popular that Binh opened an offshoot on 10 Dang Tat Street in District 1 in HCM City. The only difference from the first Cuc Gach eatery is that diners can order the meals there.

I was told that the popular American band Backstreet Boys visited Cuc Gach during their first show in Viet Nam in March this year.

Diner Philipp Essl, 32, from Austria, was impressed with the fresh and healthy dishes. "It's very pleasing to me to learn about Vietnamese culture through its unique cuisine," he said.

I left Cuc Gach Eatery with wonderful memories. It was obviously not the most luxurious gastronomic experience, but it made me even more proud of the country's culinary culture and traditions, and left a lasting impression on my mind.

Cuc Gach Quan

Address: – 92B Thach Thi Thanh St, Dist 1, HCM City (087 3077261)

– 10 Dang Tat St, Dist 1, HCM City (01657101010)

Hours: 9am-11pm

Tel: 04 6296 1946

Price: VND50,000-150,000

Opening hours: 10am - 23pm

Comments: Authentic southern cuisine, unique decor, antique-like decorative items, reasonable prices, friendly staff.
Source: VNS

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May 23, 2011

State Of Origin 2011 - Boomerang Cafe, The Cresent

It's that time of year folks, when AFL fans wished they followed the NRL!

Yeap, State of Origin is just around the corner and 2011 is primed to explode on Wednesday night as NSW fights to stop QLD racking up an unbelievable 6-0 run!

If you're hanging out in Saigon and looking for samewhere to yell at the TV and enjoy a few coldies, head out to Phu My Hung in South Saigon. Boomerang Cafe at The Crescent is running a live stream. For more info check out the poster below

Telecast starts at 4.30pm. See you there and go the Blues! 

Predictions From The Noodle Soup Stand
Game 1 - NSW by 8! 







Exotissimo Travel Deals - Book and Save!

Thinking of traveling soon? Looking for the best travel deal to Asia? Then be sure to do yourself a favor and look at the tours on offer at Exotissimo.com. There's a huge range and same great savings to be had as well. Below a few goodies from around Asia! (terms and conditions apply) 





 

May 20, 2011

Thousand-year-old pagoda in northern village

Hai Phong Province is home to a historic thousand-year-old pagoda in the village of Tra Phuong of the Thuy Huong Commune in Kien Thuy District, built during the Ly Dynasty in the beginning of the 11th century.  

According to monk Thich Quang Man, the pagoda was initially known as Ba Danh. The most ancient vestiges of the Ba Danh pagoda are three pillar bases that are made of stones with skillfully carved lotuses. Each of the pillar bases weigh several tons.

The pagoda was located north of Tra Phuong Village on six hectares of land on an isolated hillock full of lush green trees, three kilometers from the Che Mountain.

In the 16th century, the Ba Danh pagoda was rebuilt and renamed Thien Phuc Tu, when Mac Dang Dung was enthroned in 1527. Legend has it that the pagoda once protected Mac Dang Dung when his enemies had tried to kill him.

Queen Vu Thi Ngoc Toan who was from the Tra Phuong Village also contributed to the restoration of the pagoda. According to epitaphs in the pagoda, the new pagoda was built 200 km from the old one, which is Thuy Huong High School now.

The new pagoda became a Buddhist centre and a famous landmark in the region at that time. Today it stands in present day Hai Duong Province and Hai Phong City.

When the Mac Dynasty collapsed, Le - Trinh mandarins and soldiers destroyed many of the architectural works built by the Mac Dynasty including the Tra Phuong Pagoda.

Until early 20th century, a woman named Ngo Thi Dinh from Hai Phong donated towards rebuilding the pagoda, as it exists until now.

In 2007, the Ministry of Culture and Information recognized the Tra Phuong pagoda as a national cultural architectural monument.

The present pagoda is shaped like 丁, a hand script, and comprises of five forecourts and three harem spaces with skillfully carved wooden pillars.

On the Buddhist temple, there are hundred of statues of Buddhists and avatars and two stone statues of  King Mac Dang Dung and Queen Vu Thi Ngoc Toan, which researchers say are very rare and beautiful sculpture works remaining from the Mac Dynasty.

After burning incense in the Buddhist temple, visitors should not forget to visit the epitaph house where there are stone steles written about the process of building and restoration of the pagoda from the Ly to Mac Dynasty and afterwards.

Under the shade of hundred-year-old trees in the pagoda yard, visitors will see two stone crocodiles in front of the corridor leading to the epitaph house. The stone crocodile statues date back to the 16th century.

Source - VietNamNet Bridge




 

Saigon Unseen Video


This short video was put together by Saigon Unseen's Adam Martin. Adam is good at making video's, but he's also a darn GREAT photography. 

Don't believe me? Never heard of him? Then see for yourself


If you like adventure, madness and a ripper of a day out, check out Saigon Unseen's Urban Kaos Moto Tours. A half day tour will have wanting more..............!



Culture and Cuisine - Cambodia






Our 'Culture and Cuisine' tour takes you on an insightful journey to explore the legacies of a bygone era as well as the modern glory of Cambodia.

See it for yourself! Click Here for Exotissimo's Cambodia Culinary Tour

 

May 04, 2011

Top 10 Leisure Travel Gadgets of the Year 2011

By Param Saran

Headed to an escape this summer? Whether you're making your way by plane, train, automobile, or even your own two feet, no trip is complete today without digital accessories.Traveling for business, pleasure or both, travel accessories aim to make travel less tiring and more enjoyable. Travelers likely think they already have the best travel accessories and gadgets to make their trips easier and bide their time until they get to their destinations, but stylish and useful travel accessories are coming out all the time. From electronic gadgets to compact luggage, the right travel accessories can make a travel, a flight and the time spent in airports much more bearable. Get around in style and with ease, here is some sidekick to help make the journey memorable.

Best Travel Gadgets of the Year 2011

Motorola Xoom - With Google's next generation of Android, Motorola's knack for great hardware, and Verizon's promise of 4G network compatibility, the Xoom tablet technically offers a more powerful, more capable substitute to Apple's iPad. Sporting a 10.1-inch screen, front and rear cameras, HDMI output, a dual-core processor, Google's Honeycomb Platform, and 1080p HD Video Content Support, the Xoom tablet wars with guns blazing. Motorola XOOM redefines the tablet device category by providing more ways to have fun, hook up with friends and stay productive on the go. It allows the clients to experience HD content right on the device, supports 1080p HD video and HDMI output to display content on larger HD screens, and plays video and other rich web content seamlessly with Adobe® Flash® Player. Motorola XOOM features a front-facing 2-megapixel camera for video chats over Wi-Fi or 3G/4G LTE, in addition to a rear-facing 5-megapixel camera that captures video in 720p HD.


BlackBerry PlayBook - It is a tablet device that supports web browsing Flash Player 10.1 and HTML5 for browse graphics and animation. The Blackberry PlayBook is equipped with a 7-inch multitouch screen, a 1GHz dual-core CPU -as the fastest tablet ever, 1GB of RAM: and 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB of storage, 3 mega pixel camera on the front as well as there being a 5 mega pixel camera on the back, which will enable video - conferencing. The Blackberry PlayBook is equipped with a 7-inch multitouch screen; a 1GHz dual-core CPU; 1GB of RAM; and 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB of storage. This device has two HD cameras along with high-quality speakers and a mini-HDMI port. Blackberry Playbook also allows multi-tasking.

Panasonic S10 - In the world of computing, only the Panasonic S-series provide you an all-day, on-the-go, AC adapter-free, desktop power, solution in ruggedized chassis--all from 2.49 lbs. Panasonic S10 is the advanced Camcorder for a terrific photography experience. Camcorders are too big to compete with pocket cameras, and cameras too small to hold the storage requirements of video. The Panasonic SDR S10 is ultimate for shooting portrait, sports, surf & snow, color night view, low light and spot light. The user friendly options put in to the appeal of the Panasonic SDR S10.

Chevrolet Volt - Chevrolet Volt is the 2011 'World Green Car'. It is a plug-in four-door hybrid hatchback that seats four passengers. It is been voted as the most fuel-efficient car. Volt is more responsive and substantial than any other hybrids. Good braking and brake pedal run smoothly as a conventional set and regenerative braking. Volt also has a tremendous get-up-and-go for hybrids, mainly when fully charged. The interior of the Volt likely will be ranked very high. Interior features comprise dual-zone climate control, backup camera, USB port, OnStar, Bluetooth, cruise control, heated front seats, leather upholstery, leather-wrapped steering wheel, and stereo CD. A hard-drive navigation system is also available as an option. Standard equipment safety car the Chevrolet, include stability control, front airbags, side airbags full-length curtains, OnStar telecommunications service, and anti-lock brakes.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH27K, HP Pavilion dm1z,Flip MinoHD, V-Moda Vibrato, Able Planet Clear Harmony NC1100b,GPS: Magellan eXplorist 710, E-Reader: Amazon Kindle, Samsung 9 Series, MacBook Air 11-Inch, External Battery: Mophie Juice Pack Air, Bluetooth Headset: Jawbone Era, Motorola Atrix 4G, Apple iPhone 4, BlackBerry Bold, Canon Powershot D10, Casio EX-H20G,Nikon D3100, Olympus Pen E-PL2,Tablet: Apple iPad 2 are the other trendy leisure gadgets for gizmo freaks.

Leisure wings India pvt ltd is a full service travel management company whose business philosophy is based on superior quality service, Innovative approach and total client satisfaction, Leisure Wings outstanding success is firmly rooted in its total commitment to providing innovative travel services and the highest quality customer relation keeping in view total satisfaction and superb value for money for its customers.

Leisure wings India pvt ltd is a full service travel management company whose business philosophy is based on superior quality service, Innovative approach and total client satisfaction, Leisure Wings outstanding success is firmly rooted in its total commitment to providing innovative travel services and the highest quality customer relation keeping in view total satisfaction and superb value for money for its customers.


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