My backpacking experience in Bangkok, Thailand and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam I want to share my recent backpacking experience in two cities here in South East Asia. Straight from my previous workplace, Kazakhstan, I have decided to visit Bangkok for the second time and originally thought of visiting nearby countries after. Bangkok is a busy place with full of backpackers and various kinds of tourists. It was a scorching day when I arrived in the airport, the weather was hot and humid. I have felt the smoky air and heard noises of public buses and public motorcycles they called " TUK-TUK", and indeed I'm back in South East Asia. I had stayed in a clean and friendly hostel in the heart of Sukhumvhit Road near the MRT and the Railway stations. I have met different backpackers from all over the world and we had shared our stories in the common area. I love Thai food , especially Pad Thai , I like spicy food with lots of sauces with the blend of herbs and vegetables in it. I have visited tourists spots in Bangkok like the " Train Night Market", " Yaowarat Road, Chinatown", " Chao Phraya River", to mention a few. I had also tried " The Fish-Spa" and I liked the feeling. After 5 days of staying in Bangkok, I have decided to book a flight to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. I have a few friends who are working there as a teacher whom I've decided to visit, and not to forget my previous online-student here in Italki, who's a local of the city. My student was very hospitable that he grabbed a taxi to bring me from the airport to my hostel in District 1. Not only that, we have met on the same day that I arrived and he brought me to a good Vietnamese bar and we tried local cuisines with some beers with his friends. Ho Chi Minh is a small city with Indochina War remnants and history. Vietnamese food is a mixed of rice noodles and lots of raw vegetables in it. Street food is common and there are a few backpackers streets wherein they called "walking street" . Bui Vien in District 1 is popular for backpackers who want to socialize with some "Saigon" beers until the wee hours of the night. I've also tried Vietnamese coffee and have visited the war museum. I spent 7 days in Ho Chi Minh city as sort of work and travel, wherein I've covered a few English lessons in public school, luckily I got a spare of the moment work offer. I've met my friends, we dined out and they toured me around the touristic city to experience the local life. Definitely, I will be visiting these two cities again sooner or later. I greatly recommend these places.

My island getaway in Borcay Island, Philippines. May island getaway in the beautiful emerald island of Boracay, Aklan, Philippines was indeed an escape to the sedentary and mundane life in the city. There are hundreds or thousands of reasons to be proud of the 7,707 islands of the Philippines and Boracay island would be one of them. It’s November 30 and cool breeze of Christmas is approaching, though it’s cool and sometimes rainy, the humidity is still on high. I have decided to celebrate my son’s 6th birthday on the beach, and Boracay island would be the first on my list. It’s Nov. 29th when I first set my eyes to the Emerald green water of the beach, it was indeed a great experience. Aside from the panoramic view of the beach and the sea, the locals of the island are really friendly and accommodating. Even they speak their regional language, they still able to communicate with the command of the English language. The locals would honestly tell you the best places that you can visit and the best food that you can taste. We have stayed in a guest house with a garden environment. The host of the hostel kuya Joel and its workers ate Perla and a young lass are really friendly and accommodating. They regard their guests as friends. I have tried a few local dishes in the island, I like the buffet meal of the Astoria Boracay Hotel, it’s indeed a satisfying meal we had. Aside from lying lazily on the beach and have some tanning, you can also get the most of your island experience with the day –tour activities such as island hopping, scuba diving, helmet diving, snorkelling, paragliding, and a lot of fun filled water activities. In the evening Boracay has a lot of night out activities such as bar hopping, listening to acoustic music, having candle -lit dinner along the seashore and many more. So, to all readers of this entry I invite you to visit the wonderful Borcay island in the Philippines.

Useful Tagalog Phrases in Restaurants

TAGALOG 101

Useful Phrases /Expressions in Restaurant.

 

What is today's special? -> Ano ang espesyal ngayon?

 

Today's special is:-> Ang espesyal ngayon ay____.

 

Do you have calderetta or Laing?-> Meron ba ka yong Calderetta o Laing?

 

I would like a small/ medium/ large. -> Gusto ko ng maliit/ katamtaman/marami.

 

I like calderetta and Laing. I do not like pork. What else would you recommend? ->

 

Gusto ko ng Calderetta at Laing. Hindi ko gusto ng baboy. Ano pang meron kayo?

 

What do you have to drink?-> Anong maiinom na meron kayo?

 

Can I taste this? -> Puwede ko ba itong matikman?

 

Can I have a sample of this? -> Puwede bang tikpan ito?

 

<pre>Do you have forks and napkins?-> Meron ba ka yong tinidor at tisiyu/ pamunas?</pre>

 

How much is this? (Magkano ito?) <-- Right?-> CORRECT

 

I would like an order of calderetta, laing and lumpia. -> Gusto ko ng isang order ng Calderetta , Laing at Lumpia.

 

Is the rice freshly cooked? -> Bagong luto ba itong kanin?

 

When was the fish fried?-> Kelan naiprito ang isda?

 

When was the bread baked? -> Kelan nahurno ang tinapay?

 

What time do you close? -> Anong oras kayong nag sasara?

 

I'll take 2. -> Kukuha ako ng dalawa./ Dalawa po/ Dalawa nga.

 

I'll take a dozen.-> Kukuha ako ng isang dosena. Isang dosena nga/ Isang dosena po.

 

Give me pepper, please.-> Pahingi ng  paminta.

Give me fork, please ->Pahingi ng kutsara.

May I try that?-> Patikim.

Hey, slow down.-> Uy, dahan dahan.

I'm still hungry.-> Gutom pa ako.

 

Commenting about the food.

too sour-> ang asim

too salty-> ang alat

too bitter-> ang pait

too tough.-> ang kunat

It tastes awful.->ang sama ng lasa.

 

 Making Small Talk in a Restaurant

 

A: Is it good? -> Masarap ba?

B: Yeah , it's good ( just okay)-> Masarap din.

B: Oh, it's good!-> Ay, and sarap!

 

A: I like this.-> Gusto ko ito.

B:You want to try it?- Gusto mong tikman?

A:I don't like it.-> Ayoko.

 

A:Do you want more?-> gusto mo pa?

B:Yes, I want more.->Oo gusto ko pa

B:No, I had enough.-> Hindi ayoko na.

 

A:Water,please.->tubig nga

B:Don't drown yourself.->Baka malunod ka.

 

A:Which do you like best?->alin ang paborito mo?

B: Calderetta is my favorite.->Calderetta ang paborito ko.

 

Ordering in a Cafeteria

** In the Philippines, we have cheap restaurants/ cafeterias that cater Filipino meals, we call them “TURO-TURO”. It means we can just use our index finger to point which food to order.

 

Customer: Give me that, please. -> Pahinga niyan.

Clerk: This one?-> ito ba?

Customer: Yes, that's the one? -> Oo, iyan nga.

Customer: Not that one? -> hindi, iyan

Customer: The other one-> Yung isa.

Customer: Give me that, please.->Pahingi paniyan

Clerk: How much? -> Gaano karami?

Customer: For two persons. -> Para sa dalawang tao.

Customer: to go, please.-> Pakibalot.

Customer: We'll eat here.-> Dito kakain.