The sharper edge to traveling in Asia

Archive for the 'By Country' Category

Military clashes with redshirts at Bangkok’s Sukhumvit Soi Nana intersection as bomb explodes

Early Friday morning at approximately 3 am, UDD red shirts, beginning near the BTS Nana skytrain station, began an attempt to take over Sukhumvit-Ploenchit Road, thereby extending the protest area now bounded by the BTS Chitlom station to the north. They were rebuffed by the Thai military and chased out of the area, which included […]

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Mt. Pinatubo lahar’s path to destruction

In June of 1991, Mt. Pinatubo on the Philippine island of Luzon blew its stack, sending up a giant plume of ash 25 miles high. Most of the destruction in human terms, however, came with a typhoon, in which a deadly mixture of water and ash caused massive lahars to wash over a huge amount […]

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Vigan: the Philippines’ jewel of colonial architecture

The picturesque west Luzon town of Vigan is relatively little-known, probably because it’s so damn hard to get there. A good 8 hours north by car from Angeles City-Manila, this town of fascinating colonial homes and two-wheeled carriages was founded in 1572. It makes for a wonderful 2 day stop, and if you can plan […]

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Grilled buffalo penis Thai delicacy has westerners scratching heads, animal rights groups on the warpath, and Chinese visitors asking for more

Thai animal rights groups are up in arms over the proliferation of hot spiced buffalo penis  snacks on the outdoor grills located in Bangkok’s adult entertainment zones. Rot kan cart owners generally agree that Khun Mot’s grill just outside of Nana Plaza on Sukhumvit Soi 4 was the first to offer this delicacy, which is […]

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The rice terraces of Malecong, near Bontoc, Philippines

Perhaps the most-visited ancient rice terraces in northern Luzon are those near the city of Banaue, but few would disagree that having this bucolic setting pretty much to oneself makes the experience more personal. The terraces of Malecong are 30 km north of Banaue, 7 km north of the city of Bontoc up a winding […]

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Tough Bessang Pass provides real challenges in traveling to the Bontoc-Banaue-Sagada area from Vigan

The lack of proper driving maps for northern Luzon, Philippines is one of several challenges in driving the island. Still, there’s much to see in the north, from the colonial architecture at Vigan to the spectacular rice terraces in the Bontoc and Banaue areas. This post will help you to avoid a tough road situation […]

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Deadly Mt. Pinatubo lahar becomes new beach hot spot for bathing beauty

The terrible damage and destruction caused by the spectacular lahars resulting from the volcanic action at Luzon’s Mt. Pinatubo in the Philippines may result in miles of new beachhead for western Luzon. While we were documenting the current situation in the lahar area, WoWasis researchers ran into a young woman clad in beachwear, who informed […]

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Beware underage girl and Bar bill padding scams in Angeles City, Philippines

  Two scams have been identified as becoming more and more common in Angeles City these days. The Underage Girl scam represents a significant con that can cost you plenty. The Bar bill padding scam is an annoyance that unfortunately can get you beat up and in the hospital. Here’s how they work:  1)      The […]

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Classic scam in Manila, the calesa carriage rip off

A scam has been going on for years near the waterfront in Manila with regard to taking a tour in one of the quaint two-wheeled horse carriages called calesas. We wanted to see first hand how it worked, and it was a classic! Before we tell you how the scam works, here are a few […]

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Adult Nightlife in the Ermita section of Manila: small, but interesting

Aside from a few expensive hostess bars on Mabini Street, just south of Pedro Gil Street, there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot going on in the Ermita section of Manila, Philippines, with the exception of the LA Café at the corner of Salas and MH del Pilar Streets. The few others bars running […]

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