Freckle N Sunshine

The travels and experiences of two foodies.

[frecklensunshine]

Santa Marta in 48 hours

Known as the stopping zone before heading to other enchanting locations such as Tayrona National Park or Minca, the town itself is not the prettiest nor much to do but has great food.

Hotel calzado Del santo

The family room is located behind reception and not the best, the upstairs rooms are better. It’s actually over priced and more like a hostel private room. The best thing was the breakfast but glad that we only had 1 night here.

Value 2/5

Atmosphere 2/5

Service 3/5

Quality 2/5

9/20

Casa Bugambillia

Love everything about this hotel except the breakfast. They only have continental and if you want anything else it has additional costs but minimal prices and most come with small kitchenette to prepare anything you like. The people who work here are amazing though and incredibly helpful. Feel completely safe and the location is awesome! Quite at night but close to the restaurant row. Love the bathrooms and the hot shower.

Value 4/5

Atmosphere 5/5

Service 5/5

Quality 5/5

19/20

Donde Chucho

Recommend by the hotel, it’s a great seafood restaurant with delicious fish in garlic, seafood stew, seafood pasta, lobsters and all your seafood essentials. The prices weren’t too touristy either.

Value 4/5

Atmosphere 3/5 tons of mosquito bites afterward

Service 3/5

Quality 4/5

14/20

Tayrona national park

Love this park but made the right call on daytrip as the windstorms will make the overnight trip challenging. The hike was fabulous and took only about 2 hours to the most famous cabos beach. It’s a jungle hike very hot and you will share the road at times with horses which equals horse crap everywhere but overall fantastic views.

Value 4/5

Atmosphere 5/5

Service 4/5

Quality 4/5

17/20

Ouzo restaurant

After craving octopus since getting to the coast, we finally found a restaurant serving them! Wish it was bigger though :) a pricier restaurant but very busy must get here early if you don’t have reservations.

Value 3/5

Atmosphere 4/5

Service 3/5

Quality 3/5

13/20

Beach

Wow one of the worst beaches I’ve been to. Avoid the one right in town as it’s dirty and smelly, not sure how people can swim but most were just hanging out in the sand.

Value 3/5 free

Atmosphere 0/5

Service 0/5

Quality 0/5

3/20

Exito

The main supermarket in Colombia for you everyday needs but the produce is horrible and limited as most people will go to the markets for their perishable items. The best things to stick up here are drinks-water and beer. Although it doesn’t have the best of beer selection. Also for any non perishable it’s probably the most selections. The best part about this location was a little cevicheria stand inside the store.

Value 3/5

Atmosphere 3/5

Service 1/5 super slow

Quality 3/5

10/20

Central market

Probably the best place to get the chicken or pork soup at a fantastic price that will fill you up. The fruit is not as cheap as Bogotá but will have much better quality than the supermarket. It’s worth a visit but smaller than expected and not the best bargain.. perhaps it’s because there aren’t published prices and we got the tourist pricing.

Value 3/5

Atmosphere 3/5

Service 3/5

Quality 3/5

12/20

[frecklensunshine]

Cartegena in 36 hours

This was our rest stop as we didn’t do much except go on ceviche

Berlinastur bus from Santa Marta

One way cost 48000cop which is a good deal. There are about 3 stops along the way and took 5 hours. It’s air conditioned and although no washroom as it’s a mini van, one of the stops did have pay bathroom.

Value 4/5

Atmosphere 4/5

Service 4/5

Quality 3/5

15/20

La cevicheria

As soon as we arrived we went to this infamous cevicheria that was visited by the late Anthony Bourdain. As usual his choices never disappoints as the seafood was fresh and filling at incredibly reasonable prices. The host was super nice and came to let us know we were ordering too much food... little does she know how much we could eat lol. It was heaven as we stuffed our face with the awaited seafood we have been craving since

Abacus bookstore and cafe

Cute bookstore with a cafe that has the best cold brew by huge Interesting apparatus. Good way to begin the day or to escape the heat for abit while browsing the books.

Value 3/5

Atmosphere 4/5

Service 4/5

Quality 4/5

15/20

Cebiches and seviches

The service is hot and miss as they are not very friendly but pretty decent food and prices and you can get it to go to enjoy the ceviche at your hostel or that midnight craving. They are not very accommodating in changing the types and sauces though.

Value 3/5

Atmosphere 3/5

Service 2/5

Quality 3/5

11/20

Republica del Cacao

Amazing artesian chocolate but the prices will surprise you at 19000 cop per bar! The cold chocolate drinks were yummy though and they had samples of most of their chocolate. Made from town of Choco on the west coast of Columbia.

Value 2/5

Atmosphere 4/5

Service 5/5

Quality 5/5

16/20

Chocolate museum

Not as great as the republica del chocolate in quality but they have delicious corn chocolate drink. Many samples to try as well.

Value 3/5

Atmosphere 4/5

Service 4/5

Quality 3/5

14/20

Peru mar

Feels upscale yet friendly. We had grilled octopus along with ceviche of course. It needed some more flavour on the octopus but liked how it was served on the hot plate.

Value 4/5

Atmosphere 4/5

Service 4/5

Quality 3/5

15/20

Saju at cartegena convention Center

Cute artisan glass holder handmade by one of the aboriginal tribes of Colombia. Although the idea isn’t unique the designs are! Run by couple of friends from Bogotá.

Value 4/5

Atmosphere 4/5

Service 5/5

Quality 4/5

17/20

El Boliche

Fine dining with snobby service but the food is top notch. Definitely the best ceviche with great care but double the prices as other cevicherias nearby. It is touristy as most clientele were English speaking. The detail in the ceviche was beautiful though and I enjoyed every last bite and drop of the sauces.

Value 3/5

Atmosphere 2/5

Service 2/5

Quality 5/5

12/20

[frecklensunshine]

7 days in Jamaica ( Runaway Bay, Ochos Rios, Montego Bay, Nine mile)

Montego Bay airport

After watching some YouTube videos I was expecting the worst. To my surprise the process was efficient although can be confusing. They have automatic system now which made it much faster! We bought one person with the vip service but the fast track line took longer!

Value 4/5

Atmosphere 3/5

Service 3/5

Quality 3/5

13/20

Mobay vip arrival services

Could be a nice service for very busy times but the people without the pass actually got through customs earlier this time due to the line in fast track as there is only one line for this. Not worth it if flight is arriving earlier than 2pm. They hurry you out the arrival club too.

Value 1/5

Atmosphere 2/5

Service 2/5

Quality 2/5

7/20

Jewel paradise cove

Major cons with few pros.

Cons- loud resort not that people are partying type as many are older crowd.. but they insist on blaring music till 2 am and we got no sleep! Stay away from building 3! There are also obnoxious people screaming at midnight every night.

The staff is a kid some friendly some very unfriendly. Although it’s suppose to be all inclusive true Hilton style they like to Nickle and dime you not providing earplugs which are like 10 cents! They try to make you get bottle of wine for charge, other dinners at charge. I also never had hot water during my stay.

Pros the free falls tour although it could of been way shorter. The tour around the ground was boring. Luckily I stayed during the week they offered free yoga and other fitness classes which were great but it’s not offered normally. We were celebrating birthday but no acknowledgement even though they ask you in check in form. The other pro is they offer transportation from airport which is crazy expensive. Jamaica is not cheap!

I would not stay here again.

Value 2/5

Atmosphere 2/5

Service 2/5

Quality 2/5

8/20

Nine mile bob Marley museum

Pretty cool tour but also sounds better than it is. It’s about 1.25 hour from Runaway Bay through towns and lush forests with great views of bay but the museum itself is very small. As soon as you arrive vendors will try to sell you bob Marley weed quite expensive at $20usd for a very fat joint and $30-$55 for slice of special brownies. Not sure what the going rate is elsewhere since I don’t partake but most visitors were smoking throughout the short tour. You see the house he was born and where he is buried. Did not realize his dad was some old English guy in 50s when his teen mom got pregnant so he only knew his father with a photo. Don’t understand why this tour is so expensive! It should’ve been 1/2 of the cost!

Value 1/5

Atmosphere 4/5

Service 3/5

Quality 2/5

10/20

Koroko falls

In Ochos Rios a cool waterfall to climb. You will get wet and the guides take care of you finding the best way up. It’s a lot of fun and once at top you will be rewarded with a beautiful view. The garden tour takes too long and could be shorter.

Value 3/5

Atmosphere 4/5

Service 3/5

Quality 3/5

13/20

Sandals Carlyle inn

I was hesitant about booking here with so many mixed reviews. I can understand the reason for some of the mix. First the service is very friendly and everyone is quick to say hello and introduce themselves. Yes it’s small and not much to do but the quietness we actually enjoyed. The rooms are definitely hit and mix and if you are in the old unrenovated rooms I can see people complain, they need to upgrade this resort! The older rooms are simply not acceptable for sandals. The renovated rooms are fine, and I think it’s a good compromise for the savings although I think it can improve it’s not horrible as some has reviewed if you get the renovated rooms. Our first rooms was full of bugs but they were quick to accommodate us to change rooms right away and manager even came to apologize next day which I thought was nice. The drinks are fabulous and love the espresso machine. I think with a little renovation they can make this place amazing as it’s service. The food is rather disappointing but you can just hop over to other resorts for the restaurants.

Value 3/5

Atmosphere 3/5

Service 5/5

Quality 3/5

14/20

Sandals Montego Bay

Probably the favourite resort of the 3 play in all resorts in Montego Bay sandals. The watersport is fun but pools are small more to just dip in. The stewfish dinner was fine but over cooked the lobster which was disappointing. The French bayside had excellent food but service could be slow. The buffets are pretty average and the gelato shop is cute touch but not the best. Although it says they will do lessons for windsurf they seem lazy and constantly say there’s no wind for windsurfing as the sail is in the back and they don’t seem to get it..

Value 3/5

Atmosphere 4/5

Service 4/5

Quality 4/5

15/20

Sandals Royal Carribean

The cool feature here is the little island you can go to for some jerk chicken during the day and Thai restaurant for dinner. The main area is just ok with the gym needing new machines and the food average at best. It’s ok resort better for older quieter crowd. There doesn’t seem enough room or things to do here. I also found it least friendly of the 3 for the cost.

Value 2/5

Atmosphere 3/5

Service 2/5

Quality 2/5

9/20

[frecklensunshine]

48 hours in LA

Day 1 Culver city and Redondo Beach

Quality seafood

I love this place the poke and lobster ceviche is amazing and reasonably priced. Although everything else especially the beer is overpriced. The lobster ceviche was best I had that I got 2 tubs! You can also get clams, oysters, fish, uni, and more.

Value 3/5

Atmosphere 3/5 very busy

Service 3/5

Quality 5/5

14/20

Fun factory

This place is so much fun! Play ant arcade games from quarter to 50 cents and they have all the favourites skeeball, mini basketball, DDR , ping and so much more. We had a blast and donated our prize ticket to the first kid we saw. She was happy. Sadly saw the sign they are closing down dec 2019! Hope they stay open! Please go visit!

Value 5/5

Atmosphere 5/5

Service 5/5

Quality 4.5/5

19.5/20

Redondo beach pier

Fabulous spot for sunset! We saw the sun disappear into the sea. It’s a great way to spend the day or just few hours with tons of seafood and other treats available. Very romantic views of the sea.

Value 4.5/5

Atmosphere 5/5

Service 4.5/5

Quality 4/5

18/20

Ananta spa

A great Thai spa with couples massage for $99 . It’s a mix between traditional Thai massage and regular massage where they are stepping on top of you but you are not in traditional Thai wear during the massage but just covered under the sheets.

Value 4/5

Atmosphere 4/5

Service 4/5

Quality 4/5

16/20

Baldwin hills scenic overlook

What I expected was a long hike to the top but realized it’s only 15 minutes up the stairs. Nonetheless it was great views of downtown and rest of LA. There is a juice truck and fresh fruit stand near the entrance which is a plus!?wish it was a little longer!

Value 5/5

Atmosphere 5/5

Service 5/5

Quality 5/5

20/20

Day 2 downtown and Torrance

Feria de Los moles in front of LA city hall

Depending on when you are visiting there are many festivals in LA so make sure to check the schedule. Never realized there are different types of mole sauce including green and red! Awesome way to try all the variety and top it off with mole cupcakes yum!

Value 5/5

Atmosphere 4/5 wish it was bigger

Service 4/5 long lines

Quality 4/5

17/20

The last book store

Super cool bookstore with art and used books. Book lovers can spend hours in here and they have cool sculptures from books as well! Remember to check in all bags at front.

Value 4/5

Atmosphere 5/5

Service 4/5

Quality 5/5

18/20

Bradbury building

Famous building where Bladerunner was shot but not much to do but take some photos and check out the stairways. Interesting architecture and free admission.

Value 5/5

Atmosphere 3/5

Service 3/5

Quality 3/5

14/20

Grand central market

Food galore come hungry! Also need to get there early as lines were crazy especially at egg slut! Fun way to try different types of ethnic variety in one place.

Value 3/5

Atmosphere 4/5

Service 3/5 slow

Quality 4/5

14/20

Alpine village

Cute German village in middle of Torrance area where they celebrate Octoberfest all weekends from sept 30 through October. Cute shops and great German market. Stick up on your sausages and German goods.

Value 3/5

Atmosphere 4/5

Service 4/5

Quality 3/5

14/20

Seiwa market

I love checking out ethnic grocery stores. This Japanese market is quite small but has most of your essentials with decent pricing. The sushi bowls look great but cooked items looked old and not the most appetizing.

Value 3/5

Atmosphere 3/5

Service 3/5

Quality 3/5

12/20

[frecklensunshine]

Krabi in 4 days part 3

Day 4

Private driver to Tab Kak Hang Nak hike 2000 -1340 = 660

Arranged a private taxi which was definitely a good call as they will wait for you as you go up for the hike as it will be very difficult to find a taxi back. The hike was fabulous and mostly covered which was great else it would have been difficult to make it up. It was about 2 hour up and 1.5 hour down. The view at the top was spectacular with many viewpoints but follow the trail as there are several roots around a small lake. There are also bathrooms at the start point where you must register on the way in and out.

Value 5/5

Atmosphere 5/5

Service 5/5

Quality 5/5

20/20

Fruits 200

Krabi Night market noodles and rice salad 80

Maharaj food market 30

I was impressed at how organized this market was as each section is separated with signage such as beef, poultry, pork, condiments, fruits, flowers etc. The meat portion is also separated by glass to avoid cross contamination. A great place to grab some local bites for the local price as well. Just a warning they do not speak English here.

Value 5/5

Atmosphere 4/5

Service 4/5

Quality 4/5

17/20

Total 970

[frecklensunshine]

Krabi in 4 days part 2

Day 3

Krabi private tour 2500/2

Used KrabiPrivateTaxi service for 8 hour tour which is a great deal especially if you have 2 or more people in your party. We were able to go where we wanted for as long as we wanted for the duration and even switched hotels for different pick up and drop off location.

Value 4/5

Atmosphere 4/5

Service 4/5

Quality 4/5

16/20

Tiger temple

1260 steps will bring you to a great view of Krabi but be careful of the most aggressive monkeys I have ever encountered. If you go early and there aren’t many tourists around you may not even make it up the stairs as tens of them will guard the stairs and grab your belongings. Put all plastics away and limit your pack and climb as a group!

Value 4/5

Atmosphere 3/5

Service 3/5

Quality 3/5

13/20

Khao Pra Bang Khran wildlife sanctuary blue pool 20

underground pool carrying amazing emerald colour with crystal clear water at 41 degrees Celsius. Unfortunately you are not allowed to swim but the colour is truly breathtaking. It’s also abit of trek to get here about 40 minutes but along paved or wooden planks.

Value 5/5

Atmosphere 5/5

Service 5/5

Quality 5/5

20/20

Outdoor Hot springs 150

This is a great casacading hot springs pool all natural outdoors. The water is quite hot but very relaxing if you get one of the pool to yourself but I can see it could get very crowded. Definitely worth the visit to soak the aches away.

Value 4/5

Atmosphere 4/5

Service 4/5

Quality 4/5

16/20

7-11 water and snacks 30

Lunch street noodles, papaya, coconut 110

Amity poshtel 1322.10 amex

The check in is strange as it’s couple doors down at outside stand and the private room was mediocre as it had no windows therefore very stuffy. We had the most expensive room wishing they called private balcony room which was useless. I would try to find another lodging but the location was great.

Value 3/5

Atmosphere 2/5

Service 2.5/5

Quality 2/5

9.5/20

Pakarang bbq buffet 230

Located under the Amity Poshtel it’s a great all you can eat bbq and Thai food. Definitely a bargain and you get the meat yourself from the fridge and it also includes desserts, pad Thai, fresh papaya salad!

Value 4.5/5

Atmosphere 4/5

Service 4/5

Quality 3/5

15.5/20

Krabi night market fruits and shakes and snacks 190

A great market but mostly just for food but delicious snacks at amazing prices. There are great dried mangos, coconut desserts, fresh juices and so much more. The clothing was more like flea markets and not much to look at.

Value 4/5

Atmosphere 4/5 very busy

Service 3/5

Quality 4/5

15/20

Total 2170

[frecklensunshine]

Krabi in 4 days

Day 1

Andaman ferry from phi phi to Krabi 400

Chachada house 2781 visa

Very friendly welcome with mango juice and accommodating staff. They even lend beach towels but the bed is too soft and my preference is firmer bed. The place was clean and pretty convenient location.

Value 4/5

Atmosphere 3/5

Service 4/5

Quality 4/5

15/20

Fon bakery 120

Worse food we had in Thailand. Salty and super spicy and I can handle spices but my mouth was burning. From this point on we had to ask every place to not use salt

Value 0/5

Atmosphere 1/5

Service 1/5

Quality 0/5

2/20

Tadaron spa Massage Nang o 772 visa - 350

Love this place! Clean, offers shuttle and great rooms and massages. Another bonus they accept credit cards what more could I want!

Value 5/5

Atmosphere 5/5

Service 5/5

Quality 5/5

20/20

7/11 15

Coconut 60

James food center 130

No nonsense food stalls mostly selling similar foods but able to customize which was great!

Shopping Pants 250

Ladyboy photo 100/2 tons of ladyboys handing out fliers to their show and will ask if you want a photo but it will cost you 100 afterwards.

Total 1447

Day 2

Bus to pier 20

Cute little pick up truck which you can flag down for a ride along the Main Street ands jump on to canopy back with benches seats that could fit about 8 people.

Railey beach long tail boat taxi 200 roundtrip

Quick 15 minute ride from Ao Nang pier will lead you to Railay Beach or Pranang beach. We got off at Pranang first and visited the caves and the fertility shrine which was interesting. The sand is soft and the backdrops are gorgeous. Next we walked over to Railay East to get some lunch.

Ton Tai beach

You can take the jungle route to get to this area which is a fun track but lots of bugs so ensure to bring bug spray! It’s about a 30-40 minute walk and you will come to a little jungle village with a small beach.

Value 4/5

Atmosphere 4/5

Service 4/5

Quality 4/5

16/20

Heart restaurant Railay East 215

So far the best meal in Thailand! We had the curry powder crab which was delicious as well as some wonderful noodle soups. The staff are super friendly and honest.

Value 5/5

Atmosphere 4/5

Service 5/5

Quality 5/5

19/20

Bhu Nga Thani resort Railay East

A very fancy hotel with a nice spa but quiet pricey as in same price as back in North America but it’s a nice way to get away from the heat.

Value 2/5

Atmosphere 5/5

Service 5/5

Quality 5/5

17/20

Dragon fruit shake 40

Tadaron spa 1421visa - 690

7-11 40

Sareefah restaurant 100

Horrible restaurant with very salty food and many items on menu are not available. Avoid!

Total 615 +1421 visa

[frecklensunshine]

36 hours in Shanghai

Day 1 Shanghai late arrival

Shanghai International airport

It’s madness with long lines at immigration but luckily if you are applying for the 72 hour transit visa go to far left for a shorter line. On the way out it was disappointing with limited food options shockingly but could be our terminal.

Value 2/5

Atmosphere 2/5

Service 2/5

Quality 1/5

7/20

Shanghai Metro

Only 7yuan to take the metro to the bund area. The metro was very good, safe and clean and got us to our destination quickly.

Value 5/5

Atmosphere 4/5

See 4/5

Quality 4/5

17/20

Blue Mountain Bund Hostel 440cny

We got a private room but check in was not very good. Long wait then they claimed their credit card machine was broken(at first they said they don't accept it even when their website clearly stated it does)

We were very low on cny and reluctantly had to pay cash then they wanted another 100 deposit which was our dinner money before going to get more cash. She settled for 50 so we can get food.

The hiatal itself was dingy and not the best but at least I didn't see bugs. The photos look so much better.

Value 3/5

Atmosphere 2/5

Service 1/5

Quality 2/5

7/20

It was pouring rain and all restaurants near the Nanjiang shopping area started closing and we ended up one in side streets with extensive menu very cheap but nice ambience. The food wasn't the best our xiao long bao was bland, schezua ribs full of bones.

Dinner 61

Day 2

Street food breakfast wrap 6

You will find these little wraps early morning from street vendors. Like a naan/crepe filled with veggies and eggs, it was a little bland yet salty depending on the bite. Not my favourite but super cheap way to grab a fast bite.

Value 4/5

Atmosphere 3/5

Service 4/5 fast

Quality 2/5

13/20

Walk around Bund river walk

The views of the Shanghai tower looks amazing from all angles nestled among other unique buildings. A must do in Shanghai!

Value 5/5 free

Atmosphere 5/5

Service 4/5 bathrooms available

Quality 5/4

19/20

East Nanjing shopping street

Miniso

Wang's dumplings 38

Wish we had more time to enjoy this shopping street as there is a huge food mall or various food malls to try everything you would want. Unfortunately, we wanted to head to Poutong area so just stopped at couple places for dumplings, spicy soup etc

Value 4/5

Atmosphere 5/5 awesome that no cars are allowed

Service 4/5

Quality 4/5

17/20

Taxi 21 + 32

Metro 3

Tian zi Fong Watch 15

Really cute neighbourhood with ancient China atmosphere. Wonderful food stalls, souvenirs and anything else you can want. I really enjoyed getting lost in the alleys as there are so many shops to discover and food to try. You will definitely get lost inside all the alleys but also easy to figure out a way out to the main roads. If you arrive in evening it is even more spectacular with the lantern lights.

Value 4/5

Atmosphere 4/5 very busy

Service 4/5

Quality 4/5

16/20

Four seasons Poutong

I love the Four Seasons and their service styles. We booked club room to get access to the lounge which was definitely a smart choice as it included breakfast and happy hour. The gym has all you need although it needs bigger yoga area or even better a yoga room. The pool is fine but if it’s busy it would be difficult to do laps. The view from the lounge is incredible where you can see the interesting buildings of Poutong closeup including the Shanghai tower. Day to splurge and relax! Walking distance to shopping centres via over walking bridges.

Value 4/5

Atmosphere 5/5

Service 5/5

Quality 5/5

19/20

Day 3

Taxi 27+ 18

Big crab dumpling 30

Yu Yan Garden

Another must go locations in Shanghai with amazing juicy dumplings filled with crab juice! It’s so big they give you a straw to drink the juice! You should go with someone who can speak Mandarin to avoid the long lines as there are actually two lines one for Xiao long bao huge line and other shorter one for the crab dumplings but it’s madness and unless you can get through the crowd, no way you can get to the shorter window.

Value 4/5

Atmosphere 4/5

Service 3/5

Quality 4/5

15/20

Painting souvenir 50

Maglev train to airport 100

[frecklensunshine]

Koh Tao in 48 hours Lompraya ferry from Koh Phangan The ferry from Koh Phangan for this company is not efficient at all! First of all ferries were delayed 1.5 hours and tons of people stuck in outdoor waiting area away from the pier. They actually shuttled everyone to the ferry getting in and out of squeezed buses with all their luggage. Why not have the office at the pier? The wait was exhausting in the heat. Value 3/5 Atmosphere 2/5 Service 1/5 Quality 2/5 8/20 Motorcycle taxi to viewpoint 150/2 = 75 Make sure the drivers know exactly where you are going as our driver didn’t know where and sent us to some hotel viewpoint rather than the John suwan and we had to track another 20 minutes to get to the right place. Freedom beach 50 Odd that there is an entrance fee to the beach even during the day which is annoying. But you just go through to get to the viewpoint but it’s very peaceful with hammocks everywhere. Value 4/5 Atmosphere 4/5 Service 4/5 Quality 4/5 16/20 John Suwan viewpoint 50 A quick climb to a beauty viewpoint not sure why they charge for it perhaps for all the ropes to help with the climb but it’s all worn out. The viewpoint is worth it though but I imagine the restaurant viewpoint on the other side will also have similar view from a different angle. Kind of weird they charge a fee but hopefully they maintain the trail with it! Value 4/5 Atmosphere 5/5 Service 3/5 Quality 5/5 17/20 I love salad restaurant 190 A westernized health food restaurant with awesome veggie burgers and non veg items but we have had better healthy food on our trip. Value 3/5 Atmosphere 3/5 Service 3/5 Quality 3/5 12/20 7-11 38 + 63 = 121 + 20 = 141 Total 516 Day 2 West coast viewpoint and Tanote Peak hike It’s a moderate hike and you will need some running shoes not flip flops to make it to the top. It’s not too bad going up but could be very slippery on the way down. Luckily we met some nice people who were able to bring us back down on their bikes else not sure how the downward trail would have been. The view is not as nice as the other trails we have been on but a good cardio workout in mostly covered trail. Value 3/5 Atmosphere 3/5 Service 3/5 Quality 2/5 11/20 I love Kao Tao restaurant 70 coconut water Great viewpoint and reward from the hike to the west coast viewpoint but they will ask you to buy a drink! It’s totally worth it as you can also get some cute signs with the amazing background of the island. Value 4/5 Atmosphere 5/5 Service 4/5 Quality 4/5 17/20 La Carotte Qui Rit 120 rice noodle green curry A vegetarian restaurant with very good curry. I don’t recommend the Chinese stir fry type but order the curries instead as it’s delicious with lots of vegetables. Their salads are not exactly salads as they are served hot and it’s cooked. Value 4/5 Atmosphere 3/5 Service 4/5 Quality 4/5 15/20 Koh Nhang Yuan water taxi and entrance fee 325 + 100 This is as must do at Koh Tao! A little island just off Koh Tao has wonderful viewpoint and crystal clear waters for snorkeling. Make sure not to bring plastic bottles as they will confiscate at the entrance of the island. Value 4/5 Atmosphere 5/5 Service 4/5 Quality 5/5 18/20 Sairee Beach 50 A wonderful beach for sunset as it’s on the west coast and the bustling location of the island with many bars and restaurants. It’s the busiest area and if you want the action then this is probably the best area to stay. Value 4/5 Atmosphere 4/5 Service 4/5 Quality 4/5 16/20 VegetaBowl restaurant 230 wellness bowl and homemade lemongrass ginger ale This place is amazing! I can eat this everyday and wished I could take some for tomorrow but best eaten fresh! The bowl is filled with great veggies and their sauces are to die for! Definitely need to recreate these dishes back home! All to wash it down with refreshing lemongrass ginger ale. Value 4/5 Atmosphere 5/5 Service 5/5 Quality 5:5 19/20 May & Co General Store 1030 visa Super cute store with many organic natural products as well as hand made pottery. We spent an hour in here looking at each of their products, trying their local ginger and honey products. Value 3/5 Atmosphere 4/5 Service 5/5 Quality 5/5 18/20 Shopping 690 Seatran Ferry to koh Samui This was a very rough ride and almost unbearable. All the suitcases were being thrown around on the lower deck and it was much better to sit at the top open deck for some fresh air. Perhaps Lompraya would be better choice? Value 3/5 Atmosphere 3/5 Service 3/5 Quality 3/5 12/20 705

[frecklensunshine]

Phuket in 48 hours Day 1 Airport bus 100THB Big orange bus that you cannot miss leaving from the domestic terminal. If arriving from international terminal take exit 6 and walk over to the next building then the bus should stop across the street of gate 2 if the domestic terminal. It’s a long ride but cheapest ride to Phuket town as there are no minivans to town. Value 3/5 Atmosphere 3/5 Service 3/5 Quality 3/5 12/20 DTAC SIM card 400 7-11 Water 16 Raya restaurant 430 One of the locals favourite but also on the pricey side and very spicy. We found morning glory vegetables are everywhere in this area so easy to price compare restaurants. Here they charge 200 for the veggie. Our dishes were very spicy especially the fish curry soup I couldn’t even eat the soup and I love Spicey food! Value 2/4 Atmosphere 3/5 Service 3/5 Quality 3/5 11/20 Kim’s massage 340 Very nice place with clean setting and iced tea before treatment and hot tea afterwards. My massage was pretty good. Value 4/5 Atmosphere 4/5 Service 4/5 Quality 4/5 16/20 Tee Pak Dee resident Clean no nonsense hotel with a good sized bathroom. Walkable everywhere with fabulous location. They provide free use of coffee machine for lattes etc and purified water tap. The tours were expensive so we booked elsewhere though. Value 3/5 Atmosphere 3/5 Service 3/5 Quality 3/5 12/20 Total 1286 Day 2 Phuket city tour 700 Kata view point, big Buddha, Chalong temple, honey farm, cashew nut factory, souvenir shop and coffee, visit baby elephant. Half day tour from 8am to 1pm Pineapple 25 Mangosteen ice cream 40 Patong Market Fruits 225 Shake and morning glory lunch 80 Watson’s 149 Coconut ice cream 30 Patong has many shops and markets which are catered to tourists rather than locals as the prices are much higher than the norm. I was so impressed with the fruit and seafood market at first but quickly realized it’s very pricey compared to the other towns. Value 2/5 Atmosphere 3/5 Service 3/5 Quality 3/5 11/20 Shopping creams, dress 250+300 Bus from Patong to Phuket town 30 A local bus runs from Phuket beach about every 30 minutes and will take about an hour. You just flag it down on beach side, as it is local bus they do not have ac and last bus is at 6pm. Value 4/5 Atmosphere 3/5 Service 4/5 Quality 3/5 14/20 Keychain 29 One chun restaurant 715/2 The food was good but quiet spicy we had their signature dish of fish curry wrapped in banana leaf as well as crab coconut curry and morning glory. The wrap was very spicy and would have been better if we had rice. Overall a unique experience. Value 3/5 Atmosphere 3/5 Service 3/5 Quality 3/5 12/20 Kim’s massage different location 380 This location was not as good as the other one. No cold tea at beginning of treatment and some of the masseuse are not very good. No wonder the other one is packed and this one feels empty. Even the foot scrub was barely washing the feet and they do not go out to wash their hands after foot massage. Value 3/5 Atmosphere 3/5 Service 2/5 Quality 2/5 10/20 Total 2586

[frecklensunshine]

Bellingham, WA hike -Lookout Mountain Preserve Easy hike through the green moss covered woods about 1.5 hours to the Watcom lookout and back. First there is initial 1 mile trail to get to the main trailheads then There is a loop trail about 2 miles and another .4 miles to the lookout. The hike gives some shade but not fully covered so if there is rain you will definitely get wet! It’s fairly easy with gentle climbs to the lookout and due to the tall trees the view wasn’t as great as I pictured but still a great hike meandering through the forest. It is very muddy in the wet months with some permafrost near the top. Value 5/5 Atmosphere 4/5 Service 4/5 Quality 4/5 17/20

[frecklensunshine]

Koh Samui in 72 hours Day 1 Lompraya ferry and bus from Krabi to Koh Samui 800 visa very good service and the buses were even comfortable with reclining seats. The pick up times were punctual and offered free drop off services. Value 4.5/5 Atmosphere 4/5 Service 4/5 Quality 4/5 16.5/20 7-11 68 Lunch make own with fresh produce 100 Local market Mangosteen 60 We had a kitchen at the AirBnB so was able to make some homemade dishes with the ingredients from the nearby local market! Fishing village Bophut Night market Pad Thai 50/2 Really enjoyed this area as it’s has some amazing resorts and very pricey restaurants along with lots of shops. Definitely worth the visit. Coconut 25 Shopping 400 Fishing village Bophut to Cheweng beach songtew Ride 100 Quiet expensive for a short ride as normally it’s 50 THB per person but as soon as the sun goes down they raise it to whatever they want! Manicure 300 AirBnB ride and electricity 125 Total 1303 + 800 visa Day 2 Transfer 150 The spa garden 1953/2 visa Lamai food market 95 There’s only one stall that has sit down so had glass noodle soup with vegetables and egg tofu and coconut from the stall next door finished with coconut dessert. It was bland but they make everything fresh. Value 3.5/5 Atmosphere 2.5/5 Service 3.5/5 Quality 3.5/5 13/2 Herbs massage 200 Worst massage on this trip! Don’t be filled by these 200 THB massages as they will try to up sell you and if you do the standard it sucks and so noisy as they are talking to each other the whole time being distracted. I wish I stopped the massage as I think she made it worse! Value 3/5 Atmosphere 0/5 Service 0/5 Quality 0/5 3/20 Lamai night plaza Very small and expensive not worth going out of your way but if nearby you can get little trinkets but wait for the weekly market for better things and better pricing. Bamboo restaurant 425 Ate so much black pepper crab, coconut seafood curry inside coconut, noodles, papaya salad and steamed fish. Everything was very fresh and delicious. As we came in the dark no views but it’ll be nice when there’s some light as it’s right in the beach. Our favourite was the seafood curry inside the coconut with the coconut meat. Yum! Value 4/5 Atmosphere 4/5 Service 5/5 Quality 5/5 18/20 7-11 98 Total 968 + 976.50 visa Day 3 Rey’s massage 300 Thai yoga massage. One of the best as I was literally sweating during the massage with the stretches but she really worked on the kinks and I felt so much better! Value 4/5 Atmosphere 2/5 they don’t clean sheets each time Service 5/5 Quality 4/5 15/20 Lamphu Thai Botanical Samui health shop 990 amex Very expensive organic goods and skincare but couldn’t pass up the black garlic honey. Lamai Sunday night market 570 + 140 Octopus, squid, rice chicken roll, fried chicken and some bikini shopping. Tons of food choices although some were a miss it’s very cheap. Value 5/5 Atmosphere 4/5 Service 4/5 Quality 3/5 16/20 Lamai fresh market Jackfruit, fried chicken, veggies, coconut water, chive dumplings, taro dumplings 200 7-11 60 Tesco market 684.50 amex It’s similar to a Walmart or Target and a good way to find your goodies, snacks, spices. Airport transfer 500 visa Koh Samui transportation is very expensive and again 25 minute ride is not exactly fixed as there is no fixed standard pricing on this island! Total 1270 + 2147.50 amex/visa

[frecklensunshine]

Palawan in 5 days Day 5 Coron ultimate island tour 1300php The water was amazingly calm as if we were out on a huge lake. This was by far the best tour we had so far in terms of value and food. Wish our El Nido tour was completed as snorkelling was much better in El Nido. We visited Kayangan lake, Siete Picados, Twin Lagoon, Skeleton wreck, Atwayan Beach and Cyc Beach. The best was the Kayangan lake with amazing turquoise water and the short hike. A must do when in Coron! The snorkeling is better in El Nido though but I preferred this island feel more relaxed and better quality. The staff were very professional and so amazing even they didn’t talk much and very quiet. The marks are only deducted because we had very slow start almost 2 hours from pick up to get everyone on board and leaving. Otherwise it was a fabulous day out! Value 4/5 Atmosphere 5/5 Service 4/5 Quality 4/5 17/20 Firefly tour 900php - 1000php Another tour cancelled by the agency. This time they said the boat was broken but not sure if that’s true or not. Value 0/5 atmosphere 0/5 service 0/5 quality 0/5 0/20 Hot springs entrance 200 Fruits 75 Tricycle to hot springs 350php/2 The hot spring was actually much further than we had originally thought and driving to a remote place about 40 minutes away from town on dirt roads… The tricycle ride was bumpy on the uneven roads but we managed to get there. The entrance fee is actually steep for what you get. The water was 40 degrees and very hot and you can smell a little faint of sulphur. The atmosphere is actually romantic minus all the crowd and there are about 3-4 pools but all hot. Wish they had a cold plunge pool to go back and forth. Once you get in the water, you do get used to it and makes your skin super soft afterwards. Value 2/5 atmosphere 4/5 service 2/5 no showers quality 3/5 11/20 Buzz restaurant 380php + 38php This is a fusion restaurant with mostly americanized food and healthy veggie bowls. The bowl was super filling and very large portion (american size) we should of shared a dish and appy. The price does not include service charge which is on top - very rare for Philippines and also the wifi did not work very well. Funny as they had a huge free wifi sign to attract the tourists but this seemed to be the norm in Coron. The bowl was just what I needed though it was delicious and so healthy! Value 2/5 atmosphere 3/5 service 3/5 quality 5/5 13/20 Total Day 6 Coron airport 150php shared van + 100php departure terminal fee Had 7:30am flight and told me van would pick up at 5:30 but it was about 5:50 when it arrived. Nonetheless the ride was smooth through the countryside. Once at airport there was a huge line just to get into the airport and barely made it through as they do nor honour online booking and had to line up for counter which was painfully slow. It was gong show and the scanner inside to gate was actually broken with a sign.. Totally a ghetto airport but at least we boarded quick and off on time! There is 100php departure tax you have to pay in cash if not going to another destination outside Philippines. Value 2/5 Atmosphere 2/5 Service 1/5 Quality 2/5 7/20

[frecklensunshine]

Palawan Phillipines Day 3 Canopy walk 400php Open from 8am to 5pm we thought it was an hour but ended up a short 10-15 minute up to the top but the views are definitely worth it and safer than climbing the Taraw peak which was closed due to the thyphoon that passed by. A guide is also provided but wish it was longer climb. They provide helmet and rope you in for the scary suspension bridge cross. Value 3/5 Atmosphere 5/5 Service 4/5 Quality 4/5 16/20 Nacpan beach transfer 600php + 50php entrance Athenas 420php Greek restaurant with great fruit juices had the apple carrot lemon ginger with stir fried veggies and rice. Love the view from this place as it's like a postcard with breeze of water. Value 3/5 Atmosphere 5/5 Service 3/5 Quality 4/5 15/20 Shwerma shake stand Mango shake 90php They put in 1/3 mango which is not enough and it was very blend and disappointing. I was looking forward to the fruit shakes but none of the place met my expectations as even fruit in general is not ripe not sweet here. Value 2/5 Atmosphere 2/5 Service 3/5 Quality 2/5 9/10 Apple 30php Water 30php Water backpack 250php Souvenir 35php Total 1905

[frecklensunshine]

Palawan Phillipines Day 2 Valencia 2 go tours island tour combo A snd C with Alessysa tour 1500 php - 1300php + 300 snorkel and kayak The tour started out promising as we got picked up at 830 and realized it would be only 8 of us on the tour! Some of these tours can be up to 26 people jammed. We met 3 couples who were funny and great company that made a very bad turn of events still fun. The combo tour was to hit 8-10 locations but after our first stop at 7 commandos beach (try the tree swing) our boat engine started having issues and we stopped a few times then we completely stopped as they tinkered with it. Each time we go 5 minutes, it would stop again. We were getting a little annoyed but had another passing boat drag us to our next destination the little lagoon. They said someone was bringing a small part and we would be on our way. We rented the kayak for 400php and made our way to the lagoon which was beautiful and serene. When we returned hoping to be on our way all fixed, we waited again as parts were not delivered yet.., time was passing by and we probably wasted 2 hours. Finally some old guy in tiny boat brought a bag of the supposed part we needed. Only to discover it didn't fit and they jiggled around for another hour. Some of us were getting very annoyed at this point and wanted a new boat. The guide wasn't telling us what was happening and just saying it will be fixed soon. They managed to get it started again and we moved on to big lagoon for lunch which was fine. Then after more engine issues we started again to a snorkelling site because it was now 3pm and we still haven't seen 1/2 of our itinerary and not happy. The snorkelling spot was amazing with swarm of sardines and many other tropical fish all around the coral. We finally thought we could still hurry to finish this even though now we have lost 3-4 hours. All of sudden engine was in smokes and we stopped again! We did not them want them trying to fix this anymore as we were worried about safety at this point with do much smoke and it could catch on fire. The guy first lied and said they were going to send another boat which was 2 hours ago and now was saying no one will come. We were fuming as we don't think they ever asked for a new boat when it first broke and we have been floating in open water with waves crashing. We waited another hour or so to have someone rescue us and another boat towed us again back to big lagoon and we had to wait again for another boat to take us back now. The tour was not going to finish, at this point we will be lucky to make it back shore. None of us was happy as we did combo tour to maximize our times as we all had short time here. They told us we would get full refund at our original agency we paid but once we got there they wanted to give back 300 php back which was unacceptable since they already said they would fully refund. After an hour of disputing, phone calls etc they finally gave us most of it back - the environment fee of 200php but we were very upset about the lies told. At the end it wasn't about the money at all but principal of their promise and how we were being treated with lies. It was very unfortunate and we can't prepare for bad weather or engine issues at times but how you service the clients can make or break the experience. Sea Jane resto bar Veggie stir fry and beer 200php I was still in my hunt for squid and finally saw this one restaurant grilling squid as we settled down and ordered I found out they ran out of squid now... Argh bad day. I ended u just having veggies but it was drenched in oil. My companions had grilled fish and shrimp. The fish was good, shrimp seemed ok. The restaurant was very busy and warm though. Not very friendly service which we are finding common. Value 4/5 Atmosphere 3/5 Service 2/5 Quality 3/5 12/20 Total 700php

[frecklensunshine]

LA in 48 hours

Southern Smoke BBQ and Brewhouse

Situated in a little quaint town of Santa Clarita downtown area. Their BBQ portions are huge and amazing.  You also have a selection of BBQ sauces on the table to enjoy the succulent brisket with.  One of the best collard greens I’ve yet had. It’s an upscale BBQ joint with great prices, no wonder it was packed! The service was super attentive and the manager came by to every table making sure everything was to your delight. If in the area, definitely will be back.  The hoe cake was delicious and must try this recreation at home. Honey corn cake - yes please.

value 4/5

atmosphere 5/5

service 5/5

quality 5/5

19/20

Nate’s Korner

You know you are in the US when the size of one sandwich can feed 2-3 people. The portions of the burritos are huge and very filling. A great find for breakfast. It’s fast food no nonsense place, place order wait get the food and out the door or find your spot in one of the 4 tables (never cleaned as they are probably too busy).

Value 4/5

atmosphere 2/5

service 3/5

quality 4/5

13/20

A Snail’s Pace Running Shop

A small running shop but they have everything you require! Great selections of insoles, compression socks and knowledgable friendly staff! The prices are average and comparable to other places.

Value 3/5

atmosphere 3/5

service 5/5

quality 5/5

16/20

4th Street Market

This place is awesome. It’s basically an indoor food truck market with all types of yummy goodness to try.  It was difficult to decide what to try and we ended up sampling a few of the options offered. The tacos were my favourite as well as the natural popsicles. on a rainy day you are covered and on a hot day you are in air condition. What a great concept!

Value 4/5

atmosphere 5/5

service 4/5 a bit slow

quality 5/5

18/20

Santa Ana Farmer’s market

Was expecting so much more but basically a parking lot with a few stands.. so disappointing in selection but what they did have was actually pretty decent. They had a cold brew tea/coffee which was out of this world and some great guacamoles.  Wish it was bigger…

Value 3/5

atmosphere 1/5

service 3/5

quality 4/5

11/20

Orange outlets

One of the calmer outlets where you can actually go around the store and try things on.  It has great selections such as the rack and off 5th as well.  The downside is if you want food, expect long lines It appears rather shopping people are busy eating ere.

Value 4/5

atmosphere 4/5

service 4/5

quality 3/5

15/20

[frecklensunshine]

3 days in Palermo, Sicily

Day 1

Trenitalia from Catania centrale to Palermo Centrale

Bus or train? Many locals prefer the bus as its about 20 minutes faster and runs frequently. For 20 minute difference and no exact time having to be at Palermo, we opted for the train. It was a pleasant scenic route and got to the station on time without delays ( Italy is known for slow delayed trains). If you are not in a rush take the train for more comfortable ride. There are trenitalia vending machines in English once you get the ticket make sure to validate the ticket via a little machine on wall before getting on the tracks.

Value 5/5

Atmosphere 4/5

Service 4/5

Quality 3.5/5

16.5/20

Bisso Bistro

An old bookstore/liberia converted to a bistro with simple Sicilian favourites. It's very popular among the local crowd. Had both lunch and dinner, the menu she same but they have specials off the menu for dinner. Strangely even though the menu is the same for lunch and dinner, they stop service from 4-730 and only offer drinks. The lunch service was fabulous and friendly, the dinner was not..strange as it appeared to be same staff but just tired.. The food had hits and misses. The stuffed squid was great, the beef stew was lukewarm..the seafood fry was good with light batter but fish was so salty couldn't finish it. The pumpkin ravioli was divine. Cauliflower balls and stuffed pepper was ok not the best.

Value 3/5

Atmosphere 4/5

Service 2/5

Quality 3/4

13/20

lido supermarket

Located in the old town a great place to get some of the necessities but lacks variety.  Prices are cheap and you can definitely get your water etc but for any fresh cheese/veg/meats etc, go visit the Ballarmo market instead only a few blocks away for better quality.

Value 4/5

atmosphere 3/5

service 3/5

quality 2/5

12/20

Vucciria market

Apparently this market only comes to life at night time for the night street food - we passed by in the afternoon and it was small, limited and dark.  If you can, try to stop by after 10pm to try the local goodies in the streets.  It’s more of a flea market during the day with some vegetable stands.

Value 3/5

atmosphere 2/5 in afternoon

service 2/5

quality 2/5

9/20

Spinnato Bar

We were told this is one of the oldest cafe serving the best cappuccino in town and delicious cakes. Honestly it was just average and the Bar Touring is so much better with a local feel.  One plus it had was a nice little outdoor sitting to people watch in the busy shopping area and get a little breather.

Value 2/5

atmosphere 4/5

service 3/5

quality 3/5

12/20

Day 2

Mercato di Ballarò

The oldest market in Palermo and actually smaller than I expected but fantastic prices for veggies and fruits. We bought a kilo of oranges for 1 euro!! Fresh squeezed OJs yum.  We also stocked up on salami, olives, tomatoes etc all super fresh.  There is also fish market/meat market, condiments you require etc.  It’s worth having a kitchen in your hotel/accomodation to make some creations yourselves.  Although most vendors didn’t speak English they were all very friendly!

value 5/5

atmosphere 4/5 very crowded

service 4/5

quality 4/5

17/20

Bar Touring

A very busy cafe with the best macchiato I think i ever had.  The barista will even do different latte art work such as bear, tree, heart etc.  They had gigantic arancine which they are famous for but the seafood salad and the porchetta panini were all fabulous.  It was very busy with locals getting takeout of various items and seeing is limited.  The only downside is the cashier is on one side and you order on the other side and with so many people it gets very confusing.

Value 5/5

atmosphere 4/5

service 3/5

quality 5/5

17/20

Cicco Passami L'olio

The best pizza we had in Sicily. The crust and the bread they serve is out of this world.  The menu is extensive and the prices are very affordable as the pizza is quiet large that you can share one.  We shared an appetizer and a pizza and the pizza was so good, we took one to go as they only open for dinner at 8pm.  That was probably the hardest to wait for dinner till 8pm while travelling gin Siciliy. They have buffalo mozzarella section in the menu and i recommend to choose from that menu.

Value 4/5

atmosphere 5/5

service 5/5

quality 5/5

19/20

Day 3

Mount Pellegrino hike

Due to the bad weather in Catania, I wasn’t able to visit Mount Etna so sad so was excited to discover a local hike in Palermo.  From the old area it’s about an hour walk to the base of this little rocky hill then the hike begins on cobble stoned pedestrian/bike only road up the mountain with amazing views of the city.  It’s very quiet - i only saw couple of bikers pass and tranquil with birds chirping and later a herd of sheep.  The signage is a little confusing as you reach the church at top and I missed the church to take the bus back and ended up at top of the mountain where the huge towers are.  Trekked back to the church to catch the bus back to the city as it was getting dark.  The hike is only about an hour and fairly easy. The buses do not run frequently - about every 90 minutes but there are a few coffee shops by the church.  The town has a pilgrimage walk to the mountain each year so if you happen to be in town during that time, you can join the hundreds of people on the voyage.

value 5/5

atmosphere 4/5

service 3/5

quality 3/5

15/20

Ke Palle arancine

One of my favourite arancine place in Sicily! They have so many varieties and even have baked or vegan options for those making healthier choice.  They also have savoury and sweet flavours.

Value 5/5

atmosphere 4/5 take out/fast food

service 4/5

quality 5/5

18/20

Touring Cafe

After a fantastic lunch at Bar Touring we found this little sister cafe close to town; however, compared to the Bar Touring the coffee was mediocre.  The menu was similar but not hectic as the other one.  It’s a little more formal looking with nicer setting and more seating but quiet empty.  Take a trip to the Bar Touring instead to get the local feel and the vibe.

value 4/5

atmosphere 3/5

service 4/5

quality 3/5

15/20

Palermo Airport

A very small airport. Once you pass security there is not much inside so I suggest you get your food before security or enjoy the little balcony area with amazing views.  Wow this airport has the best views of any airport with open concept! Just wish they would have some nice lounges or sitting area as the metal seats are quiet uncomfortable.

value 3/5

atmosphere 4/5

service 3/5

quality 3/5

13/20