Dave's Photo & Travelblogue

The World’s Best Beer

Everyone likes something different when it comes to beer. For some, it’s no beer at all. For Germans, it’s beer made only with water, hops, yeast, and barley. But for me, it’s variety and flavor. And, as I like-a the sweets, Belgian beer fits the bill perfectly: cherry beer, forest fruits, coconut, dark, light, strong, sour… every combination is possible.

In August 2007 I visited Brussels with my buddy Pete for a Belgian beer festival called the “Belgian Beer Weekend.” This is a yearly event in the main square, where almost all the craft brewers in Belgium come to exhibit their wares. We tried 27 beers each over a (4?) day weekend, at various restaurants, alley pubs, and beer stands.

We took a tour of the Halve Maan brewery in Bruges. This was one of my favorite photos of the weekend, with a nice, short depth of field:

Notable moments: we wrote down all the beers we tried on Pete’s expired TAN list because it’s the only paper we had. (Except one, which was written on his arm after forgetting the TAN list.) One dude had a bachelor party at the festival – it was 5c to paint a stripe of baby blue paint anywhere on his body. We saw him later on, and he was completely blue. Best quote from an old-time beer poster in French: a mother holds a beer while her baby nurses. “Beer is nourishment! She buys her beer at the brewery, but makes her baby’s drink herself.”

The beers we tried, in order of consumption:

• Hoegaarden
• Mort Subite Kriek
• Petrus Tripel
• Kasteelbier Donker (CRAZY SWEET!)
• Kwak
• Duvel / Belle-Vue Gueuze
• De Silly Abbaye de Forest
• Deus Brut des Flandres
• Hoegaarden Rose
• Lindemans Old Gueuze
• Leffe Blonde / Jupiler
• Maredsous Donker 8*
• Affligem Christmas
• Moeder Overste (Mother Superior)
• Blanche de Brugs
• Timmermans Woudvruchten (Fruits de la Foret) WINNER – tied as best beer of the weekend
• Black Hole
• Chimay Blue
• Bon Secours Brune Perle
• Mort Subite Gueuze
• Orval
• Leffe Blonde
• Brugse Zot Blonde
• Mystic Kriek
• De Garre Tripel WINNER – tied as best beer of the weekend
• Brugse Zot Blonde (should’ve been Brown, but they gave us a free Blonde after the tour, so we drank this one twice)
• Stella Artois

Getting to the Belgian Beer Weekend:

• Here’s the website for the festival, Weekend de la Biere.
• Look here for a Google map view of the Grand Place, where the festival takes place.
• What to do while you’re there besides drink at the festival? There are MANY museums around Brussels, even a sewer museum. I’ve visited a brewery, the comic museum (which is mostly older European comics, NO DC or Marvel superheroes!), Atomium (which was a bit disappointing for the price), and many other sights. But honestly, I was not overly impressed by anything, so don’t get too excited about the city itself. The small city of Bruges was much more charming – and made a very nice side trip for one day.
• Food: eat some mussels with fries, “Moules Frites,” one of the signature dishes of Belgium. I think they eat more mussels per capita than anywhere else? Once when I was there, I was lucky that a mussel festival coincided with the beer weekend – SOO tasty. And of course, you have to try a Belgian waffle with your choice of toppings. I also highly recommend a stew made with dark beer; this common dish always has a fantastic flavor.

Enjoy Belgium and their wonderful beers. There is something for everyone: even those who normally don’t favor beer might enjoy a mild Lindemans peach lambic! Have fun, and don’t drink TOO much…

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Have YOU been crushed by a dolphin?

If you have, please call our toll-free number, 555-DTH-FR-ABV.

I have to tell a story about the guy in this photo, and old friend named Rich.

Rich weighed in a bit heavier than me at the time of this trip, probably around 125 pounds. Now, that’s remarkably small. What’s even more amazing is that Rich could eat anything. Literally. We’d go to the Outback, and he’d devour half a cheese fries, a salad, the 22-oz Porterhouse, and the loaded baked potato. Then he’d proceed to order the coconut-chocolate-sundae for dessert and polish that off, before finishing one or two other sundaes that others at our table couldn’t manage.

Then there was the time he ate a 48-oz Porterhouse at Shula’s. We only heard about that after the fact, but it was from a reputable source who would never exaggerate his eating prowess (his wife!). For those metric folks, 48 oz of beef is a 1.36kg steak, minus the bone in the middle. So this guy can really eat.

Well, on the trip to the Bahamas where I took this amazing dolphin jump photo (with a Canon Rebel film camera, probably in 2000), Rich got sick. Some kind of food poisoning. It was the first time in the six years we’d known each other when I out-ate him. I believe I was flipped the bird when I pointed that out…

But, to Rich’s credit, we kept adventuring around the Bahamas. Within a day, he was able to demolish the $50 dinner buffet at the Atlantis hotel (which to this day remains the most amazing buffet I’ve ever been to). Thereafter we snuck into their marine habitat, and had a great time wandering around the nearly-deserted tanks (which I believe, at that time of night, were only open to resort guests). What an awesome trip!

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Get yourself a passport!

If you’re among my non-American or expat friends, you probably don’t need to worry about this. But a lot of Americans do NOT have a passport! It takes a while (up to a few months) to receive one. If you don’t have a passport, you might never muster courage to book an overseas trip.

Passports are pretty robust. I never got a cover for my first one; just moved on to the second one when the original expired after 10 years. No worries, you get to keep the old one, all those stamps are a nice memory of where you’ve been:

How to apply for a passport

The US Government passport website is so simple, I’m not even going to explain it. Just go there, find the nearest place to apply (probably a Post Office), and bring the things they list on the website.

Hmm, passport photos: most photography studios do them; that’s probably the most difficult part, aside from locating your birth certificate… haha.

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What to pack?

Since the last travel post, I upgraded (exchanged) from a 50L pack to a 65L model. With the Osprey Atmos 65, I was able to fit in everything I need, at a weight (so far) of 28 pounds. I expect that’ll go up about 2 or 3 pounds before I leave. Here it is so far:

Packed into the backback (including the “small” 30L day-pack):

Am I missing anything vital?

On the list so far:

• Osprey Atmos 65 backpack
• Osprey pack cover for the time it spends on a plane
• Deuter 30L daypack
• REI 45 degree down sleeping bag
• Camelbak water bladder
• 1L Sigg bottle (not sure yet)
• D-SLR camera with mini tripod
• 70-300mm lens for the D-SLR
• 13″ laptop with power adapter & plug adapters
• 2 pairs of long pants (one convertible to shorts)
• 1 pair of shorts
• 3-4 short-sleeve shirts: one Smartwool, one normal high-tech fabric, 1-2 quick-dry button up
• 2 long-sleeve shirts: one Smartwool, one quick-dry button up
• 1 Smartwool lightweight sweater
• 1 Windstopper vest
• 1 waterproof/breathable shell
• 1 Microfiber towel
• 1 mesh sack to hold clothes
• 1 stuff sack for dirty stuff
• 3 pairs Ex Officio quick-drying underwear
• 2 pairs REI light wool hiking socks, 2 pairs light quick-dry socks
• Swimsuit
• Teva sandals
• Suntan lotion
• Mini pocket camera
• iPod Touch
• 50′ rope (clothesline, extra shoelaces, etc)
• Swiss army knife, chosen over a Leatherman due to size, price, and having a corkscrew
• Zipka headlamp
• Earplugs and eye covers
• Mobile phone
• Bag o’ chargers
• Sunglasses (2 kinds, one for use with contacts)
• Toiletries kit (contacts, razor, toothbrush, soap, ibuprofen, antacid, etc)
• Sewing repair kit
• Cap with brim
• Thin liner hat
• Travel money belt
• Lightweight walking shoes with mesh for quick drying
• 1-3 hangars to dry button-up shirts on (?)
• Zip ties
• Luggage lock for hostels (standard, or cable lock?)
• 18-200mm lens to replace 18-55mm + 70-300mm?
• Another short-sleeved Smartwool or Icebreaker?
• Mini umbrella?
• Belt
• Safety pins
• Plastic bags
• Woolite
• Insect repellant?

I can’t believe that all this weighs in at just about 30 pounds!

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Around the World

After a lot of time and effort, I’ve saved up 200,000 frequent flyer miles on one carrier. Say what? Yes, that’s a lot. Enough for a coach-class “round the world” fare with 5 stops.

Some equipment (jackets, pants, Tevas, D90 D-SLR) I already have, but I’m loading up on gear this week while I’m in the States where the stuff is cheap. So far I picked up this pack, an Osprey Atmos 50:

Plus I’ve found:

• a lightweight down sleeping bag (perfect for hostels)
• short and long Smartwool shirts, 150 weight
• merino socks
• headlamp with AAA’s
• slimline money belt
• in the plans: lightweight shoes

What critical pieces of gear would you recommend? I have super short hair so can skip the shampoo, but I need to bring a beard trimmer. I hope one charge on my Braun will last 2-3 months, hehe.

Possible stops after I depart Munich:

• somewhere in South America
• Hawaii
• Japan
• Australia
• New Zealand
• Asia… Korea? Thailand?

Where have you been? What was the BEST hostel you ever stayed at? (For me it was the AF Chapman ship in Stockholm). I’m definitely open for suggestions. I’m planning a couple of side trips from my main itinerary with separate airline flights or train trips. And I’m aiming for warm climates, as I won’t bring full winter gear.

Let’s see what happens — maybe I meet a few of you on my travels!

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Ironman lives – in Vienna!

I randomly stumbled upon Ironman while walking near the Rathaus (City Hall) in Wien. He’s cool, but a bit dense.

Paraphrasing from the plaque next to the Wehrmann in Eisen, or the Iron Soldier:

First put up in 1915 in Vienna, people could donate money to drive a nail into the wooden statue, with proceeds supporting widows and orphans of dead WWI soldiers. Nail count: about 500,000. Later, in 1934, it was set up again to collect funds, and nails were driven into the new pedestal instead of the statue. Finally it was set up in the alcove where it stands now. Seems that it’s just been renovated.

Getting there:

• Check out this Google maps link which shows where the Wehrmann in Eisen stands watch. I believe it’s either this building or the one to the right of it, along Felderstrasse (to the north of the Rathaus).

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George Clooney at the Votivkirche?

This seems like a fitting post for Christmas day.  When I was in Vienna last week, I spotted this massive advertisement on a large cathedral that is being restored.

What is this… the Votivkirche, sponsored by Nespresso? Is George Clooney inside to serve me a latte while I check out the stained glass windows? (Which are stunning, by the way). Actually, it was d*mn cold (and snowing), so I could have used a nice cappucino…

This is a cool cathedral, which is unusual coming from an agnostic/atheist such as myself who has been bored by hundreds of big churches across Europe. They seem to have some sense of humor here, judging from the big Clooney out front. Maybe they’ve seen this Nespresso ad,

If I read one of the signs inside the cathedral correctly, it said that they thought the chandeliers were iron, until cleaning them sometime mid-20th century, to find they were beautiful and shiny underneath (bronze?). Imagine that!

The classical view from the back of the cathedral…

In the entryway, this really got me… and it proves the sense of humor. There are two postcard dispensers, and as you can see, one of ‘em is empty…

I guess the sinners in hell won’t be sending any postcards!

Getting there:

• Simple. First, go to Vienna. When you’ve got a free hour, here is the Votivkirche on Google Maps.
• It’s also right next to the Sigmund-Freud-Park, where there are some interesting pieces of sculpture art.

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Vienna Christmas Markets

Here’s a quick update from Vienna (Wien, auf Deutsch)!

Go to the Christmas Markets if you’re here before the 24th of December. They are fantastic! Lots of great food, drink, and crafts (for those into that kind of thing). Here’s the view of the Rathaus (city hall) from the city’s main Weihnachtsmarkt / Christkindlmarkt, although there are many others as well.

The Natural History Museum by Maria-Theresienplatz (where there is also a Christmas Market) is very cool. Though I warn you, it’s huge. If you follow the normal path you’ll pass halls full of minerals, meteorites, exhibits about the planet, dinosaurs, then up to Level 2 for… (I only had 10min left for this part after spending 2+h on Level 1) microorganisms, insects, reptiles, birds, and mammals. There is a stuffed version of EVERY (former) LIVING THING in this museum. Vegetarians and taxidermy-haters, this is not for you. Finally, at the moment there’s a cool Darwin exhibit (very scientific, and not very creationist), and a small vivarium with fish and a few lizards.

Here’s my pick from Natural History (I only took a dozen photos). Jurassic Park will start its first location in Vienna, with the city’s collection of amber-ized bugs:

Seriously, I think in the mid-1800’s they just got bored and decided to collect one of everything known to man. Rocks, fossils, taxidermied this and that… unbelievable how big this place is.

Lastly, if you need a REAL deep cleaning, better call ASS. Their website URL speaks for itself… doesn’t it? No, it’s not what you think. It stands for Anlagen Service System. This really is a mobile service for (I think) pressure washing and building cleaning.

Restaurant pick: Asahi Restaurant (Japanese), Burggasse 18, 1070 Wien. 01/522 71 40. 48a St. Ulrichsplatz or U3 Volkstheater. Tasty sushi, and among the cheapest sushi I’ve found in Europe. Octopus salad for 5 euro was a bit chewy but otherwise good, and sushi / sashimi / maki combos for 8-12 euro are a steal.

If you want some tourist advice, I recommend the guidebook brand that my parents brought:

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Weekend in Singapore

During a long business trip, I was able to escape to Singapore for the weekend.  On the way there in the car with a colleague we saw some crazy stuff, like mopeds driving on the Malaysian highways at night with no lights (cars whizzing by with a differential of 100 km/h… nice!).  Luckily they drove in the shoulder to avoid guaranteed instant death.

The only hotel my company allowed in Singapore was the Swissotel Stamford.  Not bad, as it’s the tallest hotel in South Asia and has a great view!  Hotel guests can to go the top floors for free, while tourists have to pay a bit.  The view at night was amazing, although with my mini Canon SD1000 I couldn’t get the greatest night shots.

View from Swissotel The Stamford

This shot wins the prize as “most vertical viewing angle onto a cathedral”

View of St. Andrew's Cathedral from Swissotel The Stamford

From a balcony near my hotel room, here is a view of the Esplanade theaters, also known as “The Durian” to locals.  The spiky exterior looks a lot like this legendary fruit, which smells like rotting flesh, and tastes… well… let’s just say “interesting.”

"The Durian" concert hall

The Botanic Garden is a fun attraction to visit.  Just be sure to bring your suntan lotion as you’ll be out in the heat for quite a while.  I loved the orchid exhibit; Singapore is well-known for orchids, and with good reason!  Here’s an artistic shot: you can see a bit of wildlife along with the orchid.

Orchids in the Singapore Botanic Gardens

Sentosa Island has a lot of tourist attractions, though I mainly went for the view (just some hours before departing).  I arrived at Sentosa Island via cable car (you also have fantastic views from the car!); it departs from the HarbourFront Centre.

View of Singapore from Sentosa Island

Sentosa island also has a replica of the original Merlion, which is the symbol of Singapore.  You can pay to go up to the top and get a nice view, although I didn’t have time for that.

The Merlion on Sentosa Island

Surely there’s a lot more to see and do in Singapore, and it’s definitely on my list of places to visit again.  But I hope these great sights will get you started, give you the bug to buy a plane ticket, book a hotel, and fly there.  Have fun!

Getting there:

• Public transport in Singapore is good, but many people have a car (it’s somewhat of a status symbol).  Taxis are quite cheap compared to the west, and many locals use them regularly.  If you find that you are far from an MRT station or bus, I recommend to just get a taxi rather than walk several kilometers in the sweltering heat.  You’ll get to the next attraction sooner, and not be wiped out for the rest of the day due to overheating.
• Even if you’re not staying there, go up to the top of Swissotel The Stamford for a great view!
• Here is a Google maps link to Singapore Botanic Gardens. In my opinion, the orchids are by far the best part.
• Google maps link to Sentosa Island, showing HarbourFront Centre and the Merlion.  Here’s the Sentosa page about how to get there; take note that the cable car is unfortunately closed for renovations until mid-2010.
• Eat at No Signboard Seafood at the Esplanade: I sat outside with a colleague and had an excellent Chilli Crab!
• East Coast Seafood Centre is another place to have great seafood.  I had a Chilli Crab there as well, at Jumbo Seafood.  Sooo tasty!

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Weekend in Kuala Lumpur

While on my business travels to Malaysia, I occasionally had a chance to get to Kuala Lumpur, or just “KL” as the locals say.  My last trip there was short, but I did get to see quite a bit.  Here are a few select photos of some attractions in Kuala Lumpur (from the days before I got my D90…).

One place you have to see is the Petronas Twin Towers, once the tallest buildings in the world (surpassed by Taipei 101).  There’s a huge mall on the bottom floors called KLCC, which I suppose is great if you want (ahem) non-fake goods.  I must admit, I’ve actually never been up it!  The Renaissance Hotel has a good view of the towers from its upper levels.  As I remember I got a free upgrade to club level…

The Petronas Twin Towers from the Renaissance Hotel

For cheap wallets, handbags, clothes, etc… check out Petaling Street, another must-see attraction.  Be sure to haggle with the sellers to get the best price.  My advice is to walk away at least once or twice during any transaction.  If they call you back to give you a lower price, keep going.  If they don’t call you back, then chances are you’ve come close to their real “best price.”  Come back 10 minutes later and say you’ve changed your mind.  Of course, if you can take a local with you (as I did) you’ll get better prices than what any Caucasian tourist could achieve.

The KL Tower is a famous monument with a great view.  I believe its peak is actually above that of the Twin Towers because it starts on a hill (although the structure itself is shorter).  The rotating restaurant at the top runs about €30, rather pricey considering the average-quality buffet food.  But the view is fantastic, so I recommend trying it if the weather’s clear and you have cash to spare (I was lucky to be invited).  Just don’t get your hopes up about the food quality; I thought it was decent but have seen some really BAD reviews.

The tower is also the annual home of legal B.A.S.E. jumps as part of an organized series around Malaysia!

KL Tower at night, home of a rotating restaurant

Batu Caves is a limestone formation with multiple large caves.  One holds several Hindu shrines, while others contain statues, art, and animals in a small zoo.

Statue of Murugan next to the 272 steps to Temple Cave

The interior of Temple Cave is impressive, if you can handle 272 steps to get there.  One area of Temple Cave is open to the sky.

Inside the Temple Cave: the far chamber is open to the sky

There are also lots of monkeys.  This young one liked to play with visitors, and also drank soda through a straw… nice!  Just be careful not to get bitten, as the monkeys are protective of their territory.

Macaque monkey at Batu Caves

There’s a lot more to see in KL.  But I’ll let you search out a few more Kuala Lumpur destinations on Wikipedia or at the Malaysian government’s tourism site.

Getting There:

• Petronas Twin Towers .gov.my site: they are visible from almost anywhere in the city.  There is a limited quantity of passes for visiting the bridge; you have to wake up early in the morning to get one.
• Batu Caves (Wikipedia): Admission was not expensive (though I can’t recall exactly; 5-10 euro I believe).  Here’s a Google map to Batu Caves.
• KL Tower .gov.my site: also visible from almost anywhere in the city.  Go during the day for the best view of KL, and at night for a lit-up view and buffet food.
• Petaling Street (Google maps): Also known as the “night market.”  Please, do be careful of pickpockets; they are everywhere.  Have some fresh fruit (lychees or the infamous, smelly durian) or Chinese food while you browse and haggle.
• Advice to avoid pickpockets: Keep your wallet in a zipped pocket (or better yet, leave it in the hotel safe).  Hold any cash you plan to spend in a separate zipped pocket so you never have to take out your wallet.  Be watchful of any purses or backpacks (thieves slice the straps, then grab & run).  Especially true on Petaling street!  I usually keep my wallet in a front pocket in KL, or zipped in my front vest pocket, and never had a problem.
• If you need a hotel in Kuala Lumpur, I can recommend the Renaissance, though any good hotels website could probably find a cheap deal for you.

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