Angelstar Christy

Bites of Karma and Masala in Hoi An

By Christina Kim - August 23, 2017

I am not a conventional eater (nor a traveler in that sense) and I am probably one of the pickiest person you would know (you may know of others though, kindly make the introduction).

The saying "When in Rome, do what the Romans do", where to experience the local culture best is to just follow what the locals usually do, does not always nor necessarily applies to me, or perhaps it is me, who just sways away with my own mind especially when it comes to food.

Therefore, if you think that I would have tasted most of the local food when in Vietnam, you'd think wrong.

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against Vietnamese food and I do enjoy quite a number of them during my visit/stay there.
However, the thing is, I am not just a picky eater, but I also tend to be a creature of habit and I just like to stick to my comfort food.

It's hard to break away from my usual fare, and it takes some time for me to be convinced of something new, but the good thing is,when I am, I stick to it, loyally.

It doesn't even matter when I am traveling, I could just go to the same place and order the same thing every single day.
Yes, I am peculiar that way.

One fine example was when I was in Vietnam, and during my trip to Hoi An, I discovered some local gems that I loved.

They turn out to be local favorites and even rank high on the tourist recommendations too.
I am definitely not an outlier this time.

It was not Vietnamese food which got me in the charming historical town, though they are just as good all the same and one is just the hidden gem less visited.

It took me a good 15-20 minutes walk to reach this place from my hotel, and I have to say, given the scorching hot sun burning my skin, I almost gave up.
I am glad I did not.

Karma Waters is quite a hidden gem, and not many would know about it, especially if you are not a local.
Their name is unique and no, they do not serve you water with the karma you deserved as the name suggests (besides, if you have done nothing wrong, you would have no fear of any form of karma, don't you think?)

There is no one in the homey restaurant cafe when I reached, and only the lady owner runs the entire place.

Serving vegan (one of the rare places that offered the much-hyped trend), Karma Waters promised natural and all-organic food.
In fact, the entire menu was filled with really good choices and I have read reviews that their vegan burgers are really good though I did not get to try.

The concept of the cafe was definitely based on the practices of Buddhism, and they even make donations to the less privileged during certain times of the month, every month.
They do not encourage wastage of food; in fact, simplicity and minimalism seem to be the core of the entire business.

There is no air-conditioner, nor fancy menus.
Service is good, though the waiting time for the food, is stated beforehand, a little longer for the preparation upon ordering as it is all prepared by the lady owner personally, or at least, that was the case when I was there.

They do allow prior orders as well and their homemade cakes are highly recommended by some of the reviewers, though you would need to order beforehand.

In all, it is simply authentic and without fancy frills in a cosy and homely environment.

The food, was just as simple; and simply appetizing at a modest price tag.

Crunchy refreshing salad with mint, carrot, cucumber with a twist of citrus.
It was really good to start with this one and refreshing as promised.

These cookie-shapes are made with mushrooms and I couldn't remember the other ingredient (definitely veg), but this is amazing and just so addictive.

I would love to eat at this place everyday, but it was just a little too far and this one time created quite a good impression.
I loved how the place was run and how humble everything was in the business.

We couldn't finish our food and had to take away with a plastic container that the lady owner had to take some time to look for, and she told us that it would be on a rental charge and that when we return, she would just return us that minimal charge (less than a dollar).
I like how recycling was also incorporated, true to the overall concept of the business.

It is truly a gem, and besides suiting my fussy taste buds, the best part is the the peace in the cafe where I truly enjoyed that solitary eating time.

The second place that I would like to mention, and made me go back more than once, is this famous Indian restaurant, Ganesh.
(If you were to run a Google search, you would find this restaurant tops the list in Hoi An in no time).

I am not a regular of Indian food, but this restaurant changed my mind soon after and I enjoyed the authenticity of the cuisine served here.
Service was good and the prices, also honest.

Fish Tikka Masala is worth ordering on repeat.

Turns out, Ganesh is well spread out in the country with branches in most of the major cities, including Ho Chi Minh City.

If only they would someday expand to our country too, but I am sure, there are hidden gems like these in my own country which I have yet to discover.

My choices of food seem unconventional, but I think my picky tastes have never done me wrong.

I don't always do what the Romans do, rather, I choose to go where my heart takes me, and I take that on repeat.
Go ahead and judge me.

As long as it's good until the very last bite, it doesn't matter.

Restaurants mentioned in this post
1. Karma Waters
213 Nguyễn Duy Hiệu, Cẩm Châu, Tp. Hội An, Quảng Nam, Vietnam
Opening hours: 10am-8.30pm

2. Ganesh Restaurant
24 Trần Hưng Đạo, Sơn Phong, Tp. Hội An, Quảng Nam, Vietnam
Opening hours: 5-10pm

*Author's Note:

This is not a sponsored/promotional post, and solely based on author's personal opinions and do not represent the general public.

Experiences vary from one individual to another.
You do not have to agree with me.

Art Direction and Photography Styling by Me.
Photos/Videos all belong to me and are copyrighted.
Please kindly ask for permission if you need to use any of my images.

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Architecture

Dreaming of a Royal Staycation at the Summer Palace

By Christina Kim - August 22, 2017

There are so many beautiful places to visit in Beijing that I wished I had more time in the city, that I could spend more than a day in each and every one of them.
I would love to go back to take in each and every brick and tile in details, and get lost in the histories of places.
If I could, I would even love to stay within these buildings that I can just visit every single part of the historical buildings, and take my own sweet time exploring around.

If only such stays exist.

But they do, only if I travel back in time.

To the time when the Summer Palace was built.

A place which went through several stages of constructions, surviving different eras of ruling dynasties and taking on changes of identities from original visioned.

Summer Palace, at the end of the day, became the resting place for the royal family.
A place of retreat.
The place where the royals rest and relax.

From its conception during the period of the Jin dynasty, Summer Palace's most finalized version was during the reign of Qianlong, one of the most prominent rulers of the Qing Dynasty; who pursued the establishment of the palace for his mother, Empress Dowager Chongqing.
It was meant as a birthday gift for the Empress Dowager on her 60th birthday.

Summer Palace suffered destruction throughout time, and constantly underwent restoration, though one of the best was during the reign of Empress Dowager Cixi, who splurged on the palace despite restrained funds for her 60th birthday.
(Sadly, it suffered damages again following the attack of the Eight-Nation Alliance , but Summer Palace was restored again in the following two years).

There are just so many buildings located within Summer Palace, and the architectures are just impressive, befitting of its royal image.

Walking on the grounds of this royal retreat palace can be exhausting, and I could only imagine the ordeal of the imperial maids and eunuchs back then as they are the ones who would be going back and forth, on foot.

At the same time, the scenery greeting at every spot, though, was just worth that effort.

Summer Palace is also known as Yiheyuan (頤和園); a name which was designated in 1888 during the time of Empress Dowager Cixi, and remained to present day.

The grounds of Summer Palace is large, and the design is said to emulate the Chinese mythological three divine mountains in the Eastern Sea; and for that purpose, three islands are made on the vast Kunming Lake (昆明湖) surrounding the palace to represent those three mountains.

In fact, the Kunming Lake in Summer Palace is said to be inspired by the famous West Lake from Hangzhou.

As in most Chinese naming conventions, most of the buildings and places here bear auspicious names and well meanings.

Longevity Hill, Garden of Harmonious Pleasures, Pavilion of Precious Clouds are just to name a few.

It is fitting too, considering the purposes and the intent the entire place was built in the first place.

I love the view from every spot in Summer Palace, and I could just reminisce the scenes from television dramas where the royals make their retreat or take a vacation at the Summer Palace.

When I was here, I experienced a series of changing emotions.

From pure excitement on arrival, to the anxiety of anticipation of exploring the place, I was just impatient that I want to rush into every single part of the Summer Palace immediately.

Then the heat from the sun set in as I started climbing the Longevity Hill, clambered around the landscaped rocks to the Pavilion of the Precious Clouds.

I looked forward to the Tower of Buddhist Incense, which had been so popularized in its image that it is always the image used for the Summer Palace, that one would think that it is the main or only building in Summer Palace itself.

The building is beautiful and I enjoyed the resting spots to catch my breath, as I wiped off my sweat and pranced around looking for that best location to capture my best shot of the building and architectural designs.

Patience is definitely focal, as with most tourist attractions like these, warding off all the eager tourists like myself, as they posed or zoomed into the iconic parts within the grounds.

Awe was next when I stood at the highest point, right outside the Tower of Buddhist Incense, on the Longevity Hill, as I enjoyed the spectacular and panoramic view of the famous Kunming Lake.
It was a little hazy though, and while the view was not as clear as seen in most of the images, I still loved the impressions of the lake, from that angle and on that height level.

Moving on from the main and foremost buildings, I was keen to explore more of what Summer Palace had to offer, but it was definitely more than the stored levels of my energy.

I was soon depleted but I was quite persistent, and I am glad I did, because I made it through the Long Corridor, to get to the most iconic Garden of Harmonious Pleasures and also the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity.

I am sure these places would be familiar as they are often depicted in tv series where the Empress Dowager is seen, well, at least, in those that I have watched.

I forgot about exhaustion when all these places came into view, and I was just enthralled beyond words.

Thankfully, there were lots of resting spots as well, and the grounds are well-shaded around the gardens and the lake.

I did feel like I was back at West Lake when I was looking out to Kunming Lake; that atmospheric feeling created by the soft rustle of the trees and soft breeze, though the willow trees at West Lake was nothing to be compared to.

The Summer Palace is in our modern day and terms, the place for a staycation and in all its glory and splendor, just perfect.
I don't think any place would exceed that of Summer Palace.

For the royals that is, complete with palanquins and escorting fans and shades.

I would think that is the perfect idea of relaxation, or it would probably be a workout getting from one place to another.
Then again, you can take your own sweet time.

After all, we are not on royal duties, are we?

*Author's Note:

This is not a sponsored/promotional post, and solely based on author's personal opinions and do not represent the general public.

Experiences vary from one individual to another.
You do not have to agree with me.

Art Direction and Photography Styling by Me.
Photos/Videos all belong to me and are copyrighted.
Please kindly ask for permission if you need to use any of my images.

LIKE my Facebook Page

Follow Me on Twitter @Angelstar

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Check out my Pinterest @Angelstarc

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Architecture

Exploring the Charms of My Son

By Christina Kim - August 15, 2017

The Chams were one of the earliest civilizations in Vietnam, branching out from the ancient Champa kingdom who had settled in this part of the Indochina region following their establishment.

The majestic kingdom of the Chams was formed back in the 192 AD, following the fall of the Han dynasty in China; from a population of seafarers who were the early settlers on the mainland of Southeast Asia, the land which they have found via Borneo from which they traversed.
The Chams were also linked to the Sa Hyunh culture which existed during that time; believed to be the predecessor to their civilization.

The seafaring background and experiences are to account for their physical strength and aptitude in trading, for the Chams were strong warriors and also excellent traders; making them one of the strongest kingdoms and one that flourished with wealth from their trades.

The Champa Kingdom is known to the Han Chinese as Linyi (林邑); which is pronounced as Lam Ap in the Sino Vietnamese language.

Hinduism and Buddhism dominate the religious beliefs of the Chams; and much of that cultural influences can be seen on the remains of the ancient architecture left behind in the sites of which they had settled.

For more than ten centuries, the Chams' presence left quite an eminent legacy in Vietnam and there are many architectures remaining in the country to prove that.
Most of the remains of the Champa kingdom can be found throughout the country, especially in the central to southern part of Vietnam, and I have personally visited one in Mui Ne myself; the beautiful and awe-inspiring Poshanu Cham Towers (read about it here).

My Son (pronounced as Mi-Sohn) is a an hour's drive away from Hoi An; and while this ancient site was believed to be the capital of the Champa kingdom, it is actually more prominent as the religious, cultural and ceremonial site for the Cham rulers.

Surrounded by mountains, the natural terrains and topography of the region made the site rather hidden thus creating a rather mysterious aura about it.
The mountainous range and the valley that runs through it made this a suitable site for burial s and My Son became the grounds where most of the royal families and the warriors of the Chams laid to their rest during their reign from the 4th to the 14th Century AD.

Originally a site of much greater magnificence with more than 70 structures erected here, it was rather unfortunate that most of them have been destroyed in the devastating Vietnam War, one that left unforgettable scars among the people besides crippling the entire nation, to the extent that they are still struggling to recover until this very day.

To date, there are only approximately 20 structures which remained on the site of My Son, with some of them merely resembling a pile of rocks.

The lackluster number of the remains did not affect the significance nor the splendor of the majestic former kingdom; and most of the structures which stayed intact are living testaments of that.

The influence of Hinduism is evident on the architectural styles and the stone carvings on the buildings, which are mostly of the Hindu gods and deities worshipped.
A deity of such prominence would be the Lord Shiva; believed to be the Supreme Being, being the creator, protector, transformer and the destroyer of the universe and of all beings and is one of the most important deities in the beliefs of Hinduism.

There are also hints of Buddhism on the structural remains in My Son.

There are much of the Cham's history on the site of My Son; obviously from their rule of more than ten centuries on this very spot.
It takes historical insight and an eye of interest to be able to fully enjoy My Son beyond what meets the eye, though its visuals are already inspiring to begin with.

The buildings displayed the wits of the Chams back then; with the method of firing bricks incorporated into the construction, as seen on the seamless joining of the bricks and walls of the buildings themselves. The Chams were believed to use tree resins from those that were of the region's origins to seal the bricks together, rather than mortar, and their strength far surpassed that of modern methods judging from the way the bricks are still held together to this very day.

There may only be a cluster of the remains from the ancient religious site left here, but just like other ancient sites I have been to, or that of similar origins such as the Poshanu Cham Towers, My Son is still and just as impressive in its own way.

My Son is also named a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999.

While many would compare it to Cambodia's Angkor Wat, Indonesia's Borobudur, Thailand's Ayutthaya or Myanmar's Bagan, to which My Son was said to pale in splendor, it is still not quite just to make of what My Son holds.

I, for one, would not make that comparison for each of the ancient/historical architectures hold their specialties on its own and there is really none that could be truly inferior.

It all comes down to the understanding of the history and the origins itself, which is where it all began; to the cultural influences and way of living.

Just like each and every one of us, we have our own stories, our own backgrounds and our own strengths and weaknesses; it is the same make of history and of these ancient sites as well.

My Son is not Angkor Wat nor is it Borobudur, but it is not any less spectacular, for My Son is just as distinguished as it is, in all its dignity and glory.

I would not mind spending the whole day admiring these ancient remnants, listening to the stories they have, as the wind blows and the sun shines through; breathing that air of mystic around the site; a site which holds the remains of the royals and great warriors of Champa, along with their beliefs, their lives and their stories which will live on, along with the great legacy of their magnificence.

The magnificence of the Champa Kingdom.

*Author's Note:

This is not a sponsored/promotional post, and solely based on author's personal opinions and do not represent the general public.

Experiences vary from one individual to another.
You do not have to agree with me.

Art Direction and Photography Styling by Me.
Photos/Videos all belong to me and are copyrighted.
Please kindly ask for permission if you need to use any of my images.

LIKE my Facebook Page

Follow Me on Twitter @Angelstar

Follow my Google+

Stalk me on Instagram @AngelstarChristy
Check out my Pinterest @Angelstarc

Subscribe to my YouTube

Follow me on my live updates on my life, happening on SNAPCHAT @angelstarchrist

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Bites of Karma and Masala in Hoi An

Dreaming of a Royal Staycation at the Summer Palace

Exploring the Charms of My Son

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