Author Archives: rob

dusit thani indulgence

Posted by rob on

the last time i was on days off i made a room reservation at dusit thani manila, a five-star hotel located in the heart of makati central business district. it used to be named as hotel nikko manila before it was acquired by dusit thani, a bangkok-based hotel and resort company. i invited my blogger-friend, chyng to join me on this indulgent stay.

i did my room reservation directly on their website where they offer their best rate. as much as possible, i always reserve directly on the hotel website to avoid hidden charges that i have met on certain online hotel reservation services.

though we had to wait for a few minutes to have our room available, we stayed on the hotel lounge near the bar and had our complimentary welcome drinks served.

near the entrance to the elevators was a woman playing a traditional thai stringed musical instrument called as the khim, where it produces a soothing and dramatic sound while being played. i have seen one before when i visited bangkok last year during an open-air cruise dining at loy nava, along chao phraya river.

we then proceeded to our room at the 10th floor.

the room is spacious with russet colored wooden furnitures.

a comfortable king-sized bed awaits a restful sleep. a sofa, separate work desk and lcd flat screen television (also in the living room) are available.

there is a bar counter with fully stocked mini bar and in-room coffee and tea making facility (watch out for the P500.00 half litre evian bottled mineral water!).

here’s the immaculately clean, brightly lighted toilet and bath. there is also a small washroom near the living room.

luxurious french toiletries from l’occitane en provence.

chyng and i had dinner at basix, an all-day dining restaurant at dusit that serves asian and international cuisine. i actually have two 50% off vouchers that i purchased from cashcash pinoy that was all worth it. it wasn’t my first time to buy a discounted deal from them. i never had any problem using it, i was only required an id, a signature and off we go to the dining area.

it was my first time to dine at basix. i chose roasted chicken, aglio olio pasta and some grilled shrimps and crab in butter that i shared with chyng.

though there were many dessert choices like a variety of cakes and crepes, i resorted on having some native rice cakes and halo-halo that i miss most when i’m at work in the middle east.

the room rate includes a strong and good internet wireless connection.

divinely dusit.. using gifts of heaven to create heaven on earth.

spa service is available at devarna spa, at the second floor of the hotel.

we returned the next morning to basix restaurant for the buffet breakfast included in the grand room package.

black coffee to start up the day.

the DFiT fitness centre which is on the same floor as devarna spa provides guests a complete array of fitness equipment and facilities.

the outdoor swimming pool.

overall, dusit thani is a taste of thai hospitality at its best. more of dusit from chyng’s blog post, staycation at dusit thani manila.

indonesia chronicles: surabaya street

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surabaya street is a well-known flea market in central jakarta.  after hearing mass at the cathedral, i took a cab and told the driver to drop me off at jalan surabaya.  the indonesian driver was a cheerful local who speak english started a small conversation asking where i was from:

me: well, guess where i’m from.

driver: singapore? (maybe a lot of tourists in jakarta are singaporeans?!)

me: nope.  guess once more.

driver: taiwan? (is he serious?!)

me: wrong.  i’m from the philippines.

driver: ohhh…  christian bautista! (lmao! was he that famous in indonesia?!)

we reached surabaya then i handed him idr 15,000 (was idr 11,000 in the taxi meter) for the fare and thanked him.  a few tourists were also looking for bargains as i walked beside the shops where the locals are seated at the curb either polishing brass or fixing items that they are selling.

there were a lot of items being sold like these antique-looking brass items.  my ma actually have a small collection of small brass vases but hers came from india.

i am not sure if the stuff they sell are authentic, anyway i was only there to look and take pictures.  one caucasian woman actually bought one of these supposedly world war II diving helmet made of copper and brass material.

then i passed by these wooden stick puppets which caught my attention.

i was hooked.  though i never had any plan to buy anything, these puppets are too artistically crafted that i wanted to bring one back home.

for idr 300,000 (about $30.00) i got these wooden stick puppets of rama and sita.  i think it was worth it having one for myself.

indonesia chronicles: makanan tempat

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one of the things that i appreciated when i visited indonesia was their cuisine. i actually liked their dishes that i was able to taste which satisfied my fondness to slightly spicy food. here are some of the “restoran” i visited during my solo travel.

black canyon coffee

i was searching for a place to have dinner after my leisurely walk at kuta beach and noticed this nice looking restaurant in discovery shopping mall in jalan kartika plaza.

black canyon coffee is originally from thailand. this one in bali is the only branch they have that is operating in indonesia.

my first impression about black canyon was that it only serves typical menu that one will find in a coffee shop like sandwiches or other quick-fix food but i was surprised when i checked out in their menu that the place is actually a restaurant that offers extensive choices of food.

they have what they call “indonesia favorites” where local dishes are served in a different zest.

i ordered some sweetened black iced tea.

and nasi pedas, where the spiciness of the dish is just right for my taste. their restaurant have thai dishes but i was more interested with their indonesian specialties. rice dishes, pasta, noodles, curries and soups are also available

nong jma

there is a foodcourt in sarinah mall in jakarta where i ate at nong jma.

the set-up is that there is a buffet spread where you can choose a variety of local dishes.

you pick what you want and how much you want it in your plate and pay for that.

fried fish and tofu, spicy anchovies (loved it!), string beans with mongo sprouts and brown rice cost me only about idr 20,000 – like $2.00!

tomodachi café

this restaurant is at the ground floor of fave hotel where i stayed in jakarta. i had my dinner here before my flight back to manila.

it is a french-oriental fusion restaurant.

the restaurant has a very modern feel.

i ordered “ayam betutu”, half chicken grilled with traditional balinese spice, served with steamed rice, sambal matah, and piecing kacang panjang.  the dish was beautifully presented though the food itself, i can consider as average.

makanan tempat means food places in bahasa.