WanderingSalsero: Travel

Entries categorized "Travel"

April 06, 2011

What's the connection between Bangkok and Galveston?

Image by Galveston.com via Flickr

There's a connection between the Galvez Hotel (and also the Tremont House) in Galveston, TX. and Bangkok, Thailand (City of Angels). Do you know what it is?

The connection is that both cities have hotels owned by Dusit International in Bangkok, Thailand.

Dusit International is a large hotel conglomerate founded by a Thai businessman which over the last 60 years has spread around the world. Not only do they own many premium quality hotels in the Far East but they also own several unique hotel properties in the US.

The Tremont House and the Galvez Hotel, both in Galveston, both share one unique characteristic: they're both historical landmarks. They're not famous because they're big or ultramodern but rather because of their history and their historical environment. That's why they're both members of www.historichotels.org.

The Dusit Thani Hotel in Bangkok, which I suppose is the corporation's original property, is one of the nicest hotels in Bangkok, Thailand. I've been in before....many years ago. Thailand and Bangkok has changed a lot since then but the Dusit Thani Hotel is still one of the prettiest hotels on the landscape there in Bangkok.

There's also a Dusit Thani Hotel here in Manila. It located right in the middle of the Makati City area of Manila (also known as the 'Wall Street' of Manila). I attend a church fellowship that meets there in one of the meeting rooms on the mezzanine.

Right across the street from the hotel is SM Mall, a huge shopping complex with, among other things, a huge food court and a large and diverse selection of stores to shop in.......everything from groceries to computers to clothes to pets. It's also within walking distance from two of Makati's salsa venues, La Dolce Vita Restorante and Pub and Greenbelt 3.

I took a bunch of pictures there recently and I'm going to post some of them here over the next few days.

Posted at 01:39 PM in American Culture (or not?), Travel | Permalink | Comments (0)

March 30, 2011

Amazing Singapore

Image via Wikipedia

Singapore isn't just keeping taxes the same. They're lowering taxes. Such is the news from Simon Black, author of www.sovereignman.com. Here's the article where Simon shares some impressive states of how entrepreneur friendly Singapore is.

Posted at 02:21 PM in Business, Travel | Permalink | Comments (0)

March 26, 2011

The real situation in Japan

Here, from an 'expat' blog, is news about the real situation in Japan. I don't live in the States so I can't be sure what US news media is telling the 'folks at home'....but I'm suspicious that it's not the whole truth.

Click here for some info actually from Japan.

Posted at 08:54 PM in Travel | Permalink | Comments (0)

Jane Guardame...apartment broker in Manila

Image via Wikipedia

Jane Guardame is the building manager and broker of not only the big condo where I'm staying in Manila right now but she's also very active in other areas of Metro Manila real estate brokerage.

Jane handles deals for apartments, homes, business spaces and pretty much anything that a true professional real estate broker should do for you.

Posted at 12:53 PM in Travel | Permalink | Comments (1)

March 05, 2011

Beijing Airport...kinda dull

Enroute to my new digs in Manila and right now in a several hour layover in the Beijing Airport.

It seems kinda dull. Very few people around.

And...I wanted to find a shop with a small screwdriver to tighten one of the screws that's coming loose on my litle Casio camera. Nobody had one. Everybody in the shops and counter staff said they weren't 'allowed' to have such things because they were too dangerous.

Go figure.

Also I notice that on their public internet here that I can't get Facebook. Stuff like that is the reason why I never had any great desire to teach in China. Of course....not that the US is much better nowadays.

Posted at 04:59 PM in Travel | Permalink | Comments (0)

January 30, 2011

Apartment renting in Manila

Image via Wikipedia

Here's a website. I'm sure it's not the only such one. But it's the one that I just found. What's interesting and valuable about it is that it shows what some apartments cost in Manila.

More specifically, it shows that some one bedroom efficiencies go for around $550-600.

Wait!

I know that's a lot. I know it's more than, say........what the rates probably are in Houston (for example). But consider two things:

First....the units that advertise on sites like this always represent the upper segment of the market. These are the units that can afford to advertise. And second.....if this is what advertised units cost then you know there's other, cheaper, places to be had if you've got the time to look for them.

Plus.....for lots of people, i.e. people with a little cash....these prices wouldn't be out of line if they wanted to live in a really upscale area. Manila does have a lot to offer if you've got some money. A lot of people in the US could afford apartments like this and I'm sure they would enjoy living in Manila.

I just think it's really interesting to contemplate lifestyles and living costs in different areas of the world.

Posted at 10:08 PM in Travel | Permalink | Comments (0)

More information on the cause of Philippine poverty

Image via Wikipedia

I'll bet those of you who know that the Philippines has a lot of people living below the poverty level (according to this linked article....about 70%!)....I'll bet you didn't know that as recently as the 80'2 they were a net exporter of rice and some other stuff and that they were cosidered on of the most prosperous counties in SE Asia.

I didn't know that. But this article, linked by text below, squarely discusses the root cause of poverty in the Philippines. It's pure and simple political corruption.

Ya know....watching all the stuff going on over in Egypt lately...it makes one wonder why something like that couldn't happen in other countries. Like maybe the Philippines.

Maybe it could. I don't know.

I do remember reading some positive statistics about positive growth of the GDP, or GNP, in the Philippines lately. If so, that's a good thing because it seems to me the Philippines has so much potential for being a happy, prosperous, enjoyable and English speaking oasis in SE Asia. Maybe even moreso than Singapore.

Here's the article. It's short but good:

Exo. 23:8 And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.

Posted at 09:28 PM in Geopolitics, Politics, Travel, World News | Permalink | Comments (0)

Poverty in the Philippines.....how kids cope.

This video about kids in the Philippines that scavenge garbage reminds me of reading also how lots of teachers who teach in Cambodia develop a real appreciation for the positive attitude that most Cambodians have toward their life of relative poverty.

In the Philippines, everybody who lives there for any length of time comes to appreciate the incredibly positive attitude toward life that Philippinos have even if they don't have much material wealth. The strength they get from their family togetherness is really very impressive.

And I know something about that myself from involvement with some Filipino friends of mine here in S.Korea.

I still don't totally understand why a country that's so beautiful and has such industrious people, and where English is a second language.....why they have such poverty. I've heard that corruption has something to do with it. It just reminds me that corrupt politicians are the best justification for vigilantes.....and the best use for trees and rope.

My heart really goes out for little girls like in this video. Look and listen to how positive she stays in spite of how economically disadvantaged she is.

Posted at 09:15 PM in Economics, Politics, Travel | Permalink | Comments (0)

January 29, 2011

Chile... a very long and very unique country

Anybody who reads this blog much at all knows I really like Simon Black's site, www.sovereignman.com. He's a traveler, an entrepreneur, a global patriot and a good writer. His recent post (currently on the 'top' at his site) is another one about one of his favorite countries, Chile.

This time he's talking about is geographical and climatological diversity. It's a good read.

consider the difference between Tijuana, Mexico and Ketchikan, Alaska… then reflect it upside down across the equator, and you have Chile.

He also makes some other comments that about Amerika and Obama. Of course people like me and people like Simon.....we don't like Mr. the Great Deceiver at all. But Simon had some literally creative and colorful words to describe Mr. Is-He-or-Isn't He's recent antics.

"The entire concept of today’s “career politician” is based on the idea that constituents exist to support them, not the other way around."

"politicians make things worse, not better. The sooner people take matters into their own hands and declare their economic independence, the better off they’ll be."

"The United States government is not the center of the universe that it thinks it is… and perhaps the most telling sign was the market’s next-day reaction: flat, dollar decline. They have no credibility with anyone but themselves."

Simon also comments on the life and work styles made possible by the internet and other tools. I totally agree with his opinion there. Simon is one of a growing number of people who are proving it's possible to enjoy life under 'multiple flags'. I'm all for it too.