My (Our) Favorite Destination 2013

As the year comes to an end, I'm going to share with you pictures of the most favorite destination 2013. Not only mine but I also ask some of my fellow Indonesian travel bloggers to share theirs.
They are a bunch of travel bloggers that I've been following for quite some time. I love their beautiful travel stories and I'm sure you will too, so please do check their blog. 

Oh! by the way, Merry Christmas! May you be blessed with love, peace and joy :)


Dina & Ryan - Dua Ransel

"

"Your hair is such a mess" I guess that's what has been said by the lady in pink Saree
Because after that, she unravel my braided hair, combed my hair through until it's smooth and re-braided it.That's the thrill dressed in Saree and mingle with the local people in India. I often being stopped to have a chat with them. Hehehe. @DuaRansel



Marischka Prudence - Life Is An Absurd Journey

Maratua Paradise is indeed a paradise. A moment I arrived I just stunned by its beauty. Crystal clear water with white sands at the bottom stretching far away from the coastline, Maratua Paradise is just at the perfect location. Turquoise water is a daily sight during stay on top of this watery paradise. A place I would come back again and again. @marischkaprue



Adam & Susan - Pergi Dulu

Georgia, not the one in the States, is surprisingly our favorite destination in 2013. With lots of old churches dotting its fantastic mountainous landscape, Georgia has to be one of the most beautiful countries on earth. The people, despite generally not being able to speak English, display genuine warmth and hospitality that we didn't experience anywhere else in Europe. Because Georgia is a relatively a poor country, it's also cheap to travel around, making it a perfect destination for budget travelers. @PergiDulu

Fabiola - Jalan2Liburan



In 2013, i had a pleasant and safe trips to: Norway, (revisit) Paris, Portugal, Indonesia (Wakatobi, Flores Overland, Makassar, Bau Bau), Pisa, Cinque Terre, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Kosovo, Albania and Greece. From all of those destinations mentioned, it s hard to choose which one is my favourite as every journey has a different story, however the trip to Norway in winter has a great memories i can't forget.

A good friend referred my name to join the media trip to Norway with Norwegian Seafood Council, it s not only for enjoying the marvellous panorama around Norway, but to see  &  experience the life of a happy salmons in Hardangervidda - one of Europe's largest vast mountain plateau  , and in this trip i had an opportunity to meet a new friends that i consider them now as my new family. @jalan2liburan

Aggy - DEW Traveller

My favourite destination this year has got to be Warsaw in Poland. Although this was the second time I've been there, Warsaw didn't lose its charm. The city is still as vibrant as I remembered it and it was still full of legends and stories that took my breath away. I love the food, the atmosphere and the welcoming smile of the Polish in this town. @dewtraveller

Mumun & Vira - Indohoy

My favorite travel destination in 2013 was the Kei Islands, Maluku, at Ohoililir Beach to be exact. It's not only the fact that the beach was perfect with the softest sand I've encountered to date, but it was also other elements of the trip that made if my fav destination this year. The companions were awesome, the food was great, it was so relaxing, and yet we were actually getting paid to do it. It's hard to describe how good the trip was, wait.. it was kinda heavenly! @indohoy - Mumun

One of my most memorable experiences in 2013 was watching the Pacu Jawi (cow race) in Batusangkar, West Sumatra. It's exciting and a bit tense to see whether the cow couples reach the end point of the muddy arena or burst out to the viewers! Any possibility could happen in just split seconds, and much of it depends on how obedient the cows are to the rider, who gets them start running by biting one of their tails! To me, the excitement of watching Pacu Jawi is not far off from watching a professional Muay Thai fight! @indohoy - Vira

 
Bama - What An Amazing World!

I could have picked pristine beaches of Lombok, idyllic small villages of Orchid Island in Taiwan, or magnificent historical monuments in Istanbul as my favorite travel destination this year. However I pick Mount Rinjani instead, not because I had a nice and easy time there but quite the contrary it was the toughest and most challenging thing – both physically and mentally – that I’ve ever done in my life, so far. Beauty can be unforgiving sometimes, and Rinjani proved that just right. A long and arduous 3-day hike was paid off by the breathtaking view of Bali and Sumbawa from the summit of Indonesia’s second highest volcano. @harindabama

Timothy - Mixed Up Already

My favourite destination in 2013 would be Melbourne where I watched the Australian Open. It was the first time I watched a Grand Slam, and it's in Rod Laver Arena! Who can imagine that I could watch Novak Djokovic played live in front of my eyes? ;-) @timothywpawiro

Firsta - Discover Your Indonesia

My favourite destination in 2013 is Ubud, Bali, because I got the chance to witness the royal cremation of Puri Agung, from the Ubud royal family. It is so amazing to know that culture is still such a strong part of the local society in Bali. @discoverurindo



Ariev Rahman - Backpackstory

A couple of elderly were smiling in front of man's greatest erection for a woman, Taj Mahal. With its resources, I nominated India as my fave destination in 2013. In India you can see great building such as Taj Mahal, feel dirty environment in Varanasi, and meet many people including cheater, cheater, and cheater. Magically, the combination of those, had made want to visit India again, and again, and again. @arievrahman

Tesya - Tesyasblog

Travel begins with a dream.

We made our kiddos dream come true by visiting Hongkong Disneyland in February 2013. The Disney Parade was really amazing that kiddos had requested to see it twice. I still remember kiddos' happy face when they met their favorite Disney's character during the parade, they were so excited! Now we are ready to  make our other travel dreams come true in 2014. @tesyasblog

Cumilebay - Perjalanan Tak Berujung

After been waiting for 5 years, I did a trip to Tinabo Island in Takabonerate in 2013.  it became my toughest trip with my friends because to reach this place, it took about 15 hours from Makassar (5 hours by car then 2 hours by ship, then 3 hours by car then continue 5 hours by ship).
Takabonerate is the third largest area with cluster of coral reefs. white clean beach with a lot of baby shark, stingray, turtles in the edge of the beach in Tinabo Island and it become an attraction itself. @Cumi_MzToro



Nursastri - Sastri

There are tens thousand temple in Thailand but rarely people know, where was it originally come from? Sukhothai Historical Park in Sukhothai City, 8 hours bus ride from the capital Bangkok, has the answer. This park consist 193 ruins of the first kingdom in Thailand: Sukhothai. Renting a bycycle is the best way exploring the park. The temples lay in greeny landscape dotted by lotus ponds. @saastrii

Anida  - Nona Ransel

Laos is indeed one of the poorest country in Southeast Asia, but its beauty lies in its simplicity. No Starbucks, McDonald's or any other franchise network in sight, which for me that is refreshing. Nature lovers will be thrilled with abundant of unspoiled landscapes from rows of hills, caves and mountains to blue lagoon and turquoise waterfalls. Back in the cities, you'll get this unique vibe as a result of Southeast Asian culture mixed with French influence. Don't forget to ride on the right side of the road. @nidnod

Wira - Wira Nurmansyah

I love the crystal clear water, powder-white sand, azure bays, world-class diverse coral beauty, endless rain forest, and adorable local people of Raja ampat. This photo is a kid trying to catch a fish with just a string. As she fished in the homeland of fish, she got a lot! @wiranurmansyah

Fahmi Anhar - Destination Anywhere

My favorite destinations for 2013 were the beaches south coast of the island of Bali. Why? Because the trip was not just travelling for fun, but in order to run the project team Save Sharks Indonesia which is observation shark fishing along the beaches on the southern coast of the island of Bali. We aim to collect data for shark rescue project in Indonesia. Let's # SaveSharks!!

More info about Save Sharks, please visit www.savesharksindonesia.org @fahmianhar

Last but not least.....my fave destination

I had zero expectation before my trip to Bosnia & Herzegovina. But as soon as I walked into the old town of Mostar, I was charmed by its beauty. The crystal clear river, buildings made of stone, colourful Turkish ornaments and friendly people - just blew me away. I've made myself promise to come back here again, one day.

So how about you? Where's your favorite destination in 2013?

Travel Insurance - Yay Or Nay?

"Travel insurance? Nay, I don't need that! After all, nothing is going to happen during my journey."

That's what I used to say every time I was asked to buy a travel insurance. Every time I travel , I had never bought travel insurance because I think it 's just a waste of money . But my opinion has changed after some unfortunate events such as the loss of my luggage during a flight from Amsterdam to Rome and when Dad was sick so he had to be hospitalised during our trip in Canada . I wish I did buy a travel insurance so I did not have to spend a lot of money to pay the hospital and also I could claim my lost luggage. 

I didn't have clothes and camera charger for days in this beautiful city :(

 

spending a fortune on the hospital bill in Canada :(

Why I was so skeptical about this insurance thingy? Because I didn't really understand about how it works and  I've heard the story from some  friends who had to go through a complicated process when claiming their insurance. But lately I came across to an article in LiveOlive (it's a bilingual website by the way, both in Indonesian and English) about the importance of buying a travel insurance and I found out that the insurance actually will provide many benefits for us even before the departure of our trip. Of course it's not like we are expecting something bad to happen during our trip *knock on woods* but you know, just in case. Because believe me, feeling panic while facing an emergency situation in a place which is foreign to us,  is no fun at all.

Nowadays I'll make sure to get a travel insurance when I buy a flight ticket. I also felt relieved that the price is not as expensive as I thought before. One thing to remember though, that there are several type of travel insurance depends on the location of your destination , length of trip , as well as your health condition . So take some time to learn before deciding which one is the best for you. Choose an insurance company that provides a 24hours emergency hotline.
Because by the end of the day we all want is to enjoy our holiday feeling relax and at ease, right ? 

enjoying the gondola ride in Venice

Serenity Spanish Bar & Restaurant

I'm not a Spanish food expert. In fact even when I was travelling to Spain couple years ago, I have only tasted a few of them. Thus when I was invited to a newly opened Spanish restaurant in Bali, I gladly accepted. Hoping that I'd learn (and taste) something new there.

Serenity's Sangria & Paella

Tapas / Small Savoury Dishes 

Patatas Bravas

We started off with Patatas Bravas which is roasted potato topped with Romesco sauce and Allioli sauce. The potato has a fluffy textures inside with a crisp outer. Romesco sauce is a nut and red pepper-based sauce from Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain. The texture is a bit like chutney and tasted rich, tasty with a hint of a fiery kick at the end from the paprika powder. While the Allioli sauce which made from olive oil tasted mild and complement the Romesco sauce pretty well.


Ensaladas / Salad

Ensaladas de Colores

The salad consist of lettuce, fresh tomato, onion, sliced olive and sour cream with salsa sauce which tasted tangy and sweet at the same time. Then it's piled on top of crispy tortilla chips. I love the blend of flavors fresh salad with the tasty and crispy tortilla.


Plato Principal / Main course
 

Costillas de Cerdo

BBQ pork ribs served with baked potato topped with Spanish Romesco sauce.
The ribs is tender, juicy and fall-of-the bone while the taste is sweet with a smoky aroma and slightly spicy kick from the black pepper. I think this succulent BBQ ribs will be one of the favourite menu there.

Paella Valenciana

Paella is a rice dish originally from Spain and is traditionally cooked in a "paellera" - a round flat pan with two handles - which is then put on the table . Commonly it uses the bomba variety rice which is almost round rice grain from the eastern coast of Spain. The paella that they served me consists of chicken, chorizo, tiger prawn, squid and mussels. The colour of the rice is yellow from the saffron and it tastes savoury from the seafood broth. It's a great dish to share with family or friends.
 In many Spanish villages, they use a giant paellera to cook a paella on festival days which is big enough to feed everybody. That sounds fun, right?

Chocinillo Asado

The chochinillo asado – a whole Roasted Suckling Pig is a signature dish at Serenity Spanish Bar & Restaurant. The presentation alone is a highlight – the piping hot suckling pig is brought to the table on an enormous wooden platter, and swiftly portioned into smaller pieces with the use of a small plate. The piglet is so tender and can be cut with a plate instead of a knife.  As the plate slices through the crispy skin and meat, you get to witness the tender and juicy pork before even savouring it. Traditionally, Spaniards throw the plate used to cut the pig on the floor or into a wooden box believing it will throw all the bad luck and accumulation of good luck . Small 2Kg to 3Kg piglet is marinated with sherry wine, white wine, vinegar and herbs and slowly roasted it for more than 6 hours. It is great for sharing between family and friends. Serenity’s Signature Suckling Pig is available in ¼ portions, ½ portions and whole.

So that's the interesting story behind their signature dish that the owner shared with me. They went to Spain and stayed there for couple months to learn how to cook from the expert. About the taste, of course it's different from Balinese suckling pig (Babi Guling) which uses a lot of herbs. Chochinillo asado tastes milder and soaking the juicy tender meat in the broth is the best way to eat it. My favourite part would be the savoury crispy skin, it's so tasteful!


Postres / Dessert

La Pina Gazpacho

And then when  my tummy was about to explore for being too full, they presented the dessert. Not only one but two plates of desserts. The first one was pineapple with Spanish sweet wine served with vanilla ice cream.

Peras al Vino Tinto

The second dessert was pears poached in red wine served with vanilla ice cream. I guess Spanish people really love liqueur that they infuse some alcohol beverages into their dessert. Both of the dessert tasted lovely and not overly sweet, just the way I like it.

*I was invited as a guest. But opinions, happy tummy and the dancing taste buds are all mine.



Serenity Spanish Bar & Restaurant 
No 27A, Jl. By pass Ngurah Rai, Sanur, Bali, Indonesia
Reservation Tel: +62 3619298820
Open Daily 11.00am to 11pmwww.serenityindonesia.co.id

Ngee Ann City - Takashimaya - Singapore
Serenity Spanish Restaurant
391 Orchard Road, #05-32 Ngee Ann City Takashimaya S.C
Reservation Tel: 62359989
Open Daily 11.30am to 10pm

VivoCity HarbourFront - Singapore
Serenity Spanish Bar & Restaurant
#01-98/99 VivoCity, No1 Harbourfront Walk
Reservation Tel: 63768185
Open: Sunday to Tuesday 11.00 am to 11.00 pm
Wednesday to Saturday & Eve of Public Holiday 11 am to 12 midnight
www.serenity.com.sg

Montenegro: A Few Hours In Budva

Budva, August 2013

the view of Budva

Before I'm taking you for a city tour in Budva I'd like to share the latest update from KLM. Recently they launched a crowd-sourcing challenge in Asia, in which it asked video creative to communicate the wide variety of mobile and online services it offers. Because as you know, nowadays people are relying on their ultra modern gadget to make their life easier. And for us, travellers it means we don't need to move our lazy bum to get flight tickets and we even can do online check in from our mobile phone to avoid some hassle in the airport.
The contestants of this challenge came out with some creatively funny videos, and all of them deliver the same important messages: with KLM, you can take full control of your trip with your mobile. This "Chopsticks" video is one of them, please do watch this. You might find it amusing like I do.

*this video has been sponsored by KLM

                      


Okay! Now let's move to Budva, shall we? I've seen enough beautiful pictures of Montenegro which convinced me that one day I'd have to visit it. So I was thrilled when last summer during my Balkan trip, I finally had the chance to tick it off my bucket list. I was staying a couple nights in Dubrovnik, Croatia and it's possible to make a day trip to Montenegro. That means I only had half day to explore. Unluckily it was over 33C that day which was too much to handle for a snow girl like me, I was literally melting. The sun was so fierce and scorching that my pale skin turned into sexy golden brown colour and the next half an hour became burnt and crispy. That moment I realised that karma does exist. I love eating crunchy skin of roasted pork and I was turning into one under the unbearable heat.
Pardon me, I digress. What was I talking about before? Right, about Budva!

the alley

Budva is a coastal town in Montenegro with buzzing beaches and sparkling nightlife. Its Old Town which ages 3500 years old is the oldest town in the eastern of Adriatic coast. As I was strolling along the maze of cobbled street, I discover that each corner has it's fascinating history. The Venetian architecture which some of them are covered with green plants and the laid back ambiance made me forget about the heat for a while. Even though Budva Old Town is a very touristy place, it was a bit quiet that day so I could walk with ease without having to jostle with others.

local delicacy

who says tennis must be played between 2 people?

old and new

the museum is closed :(

Too bad the archaeological museum was closed. It would have been interesting to find out what life was like in this part of the world from ancient time until the end of the 19th century. The Old Town is famous for the earthquakes it suffered in 1979, where the whole town had to be rebuilt; it took eight years for it to be finished. But actually outside the old town, I didn't see many historical building. Instead, much of the city consists of new age Mediterranean-style buildings, or private modern houses. So I spend the rest of my afternoon getting lost in the maze and browsing around those cute shops and cafes within the Old Town area, before crossing the border back to Croatia.

having coffee with friends

the church in Old Town

Oh! By the way, I have another freebies for you. It's some stuff that I bought last month during my trip to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. I will draw 5 lucky winners and each person will get a package of T-Shirt + keyring + postcard

How to join? It's easy!

1. Make sure you have already followed my twitter @twitdebbzie and like my FB page My Time Capsule
2. Tweet this sentence or share it on facebook >>> T-Shirt, keyring and postcard from Malaysia for you, let's grab it on www.debbzie.com! cc: @twitdebbzie
3. Don't forget to leave your email address and twitter on the comment box below.

 Closing date will be on Thursday, 12 December 2013. Good luck!!! (closed)

Winner: @@indonesianholic, @suseliasu, @earlynnzzz, @duabadai, @jooeenii

A Letter To Myself

Dear DebbZie,

I've been waiting the right moment to write a letter for you and since today is your special day, I'd like you to read this...
I often see you as a person who's not comfortable with yourself. You lost your confidence because of  mean things people said to you since your childhood. You were struggling to grow up in a community where people judge based on appearance.
"You are Chinese but your skin is so dark, are you adopted?"
"You're short and chubby."
"Your mom is beautiful. How come you don't look like her at all?"

darkest skin among the family

Their comments hurt your feeling very deep and it has changed the way you think about life. Suddenly all those trophies you've won from various competition didn't matter anymore. You ignored all the achievements you've accomplished.You started taking diet pills from a very young age. That's because you grew up with an idea that beautiful means skinny body, fair skin and long straight hair.

As you're getting older you often feel lost. You look at your reflection on the mirror and thought you actually are not ugly at all, but nasty comments keep coming and saying otherwise.
"Why are you still single? You're getting old and you're expiring soon, you know?" (as if you are some kind of canned food which has an expiry date).
"You're fat. You must lose some weight if you want to get a boyfriend."
"You will be lonely for the rest of your life."
The wound in your heart is getting deeper and deeper. You're very sad yet you refuse to show it to the world. Cheerful smiles never faded from your face, little did they know you have spent countless times crying and feeling shattered.

Dear DebbZie,

Please stop being too hard to yourself. You may not skinny, tall and have a supermodel face but believe me, you're beautiful just they way you are. You just need to love yourself more. Even though you're very stubborn person, rebel, forgetful, moody and undisciplined, still you deserve to be happy. You should appreciate all the good things you've done. It's fine to focus on more useful things than just your appearance and worrying about other people's thought. It's your life, you don't need to prove anything to anyone. Just do things that make you happy, like rescuing and feeding the street dogs or visiting the orphanage. They never fail to put a smile on your face, right?

adorable kids at the orphanage

taking the hit and run victim to the animal hospital

they're happy to have a place called home

don't be sad, let's play with us!

my new bed is so comfy

 And don't you forget about some accomplishments that you should be proud of. Earlier this year you were invited to be one of the speakers of a cool travel event called Wego Hangout. As a person who's lack of self confidence, you dread public speaking. But you fought it and braved yourself to share your stories in front of the audience. You were also interviewed and featured in Joy magazine and some of your works have been published on book and magazine. 

nervous but you did it!

awesome people

featured in magazine

  

When in doubt, just remember all these good things that happened in your life. Ignore the people who have negative influence in your life and stick to those who always support you no matter what. 

Happy birthday to you! Wishing you many fabulous travel adventures ahead. Let's repeat your mantra every year. Age is just a number and you are as old as you feel.

taking a nap on the roof of Milan Cathedral

I love you, myself
           D