Eco-Friendly Shopping Bags: Not Necessarily Cheap

by Jamie Rhein on

When we lived in Taiwan and Singapore we would head to the market with our cloth bags. We bought most of our fruits and vegetables from individual sellers who we returned to week after week once we discovered who was best for each item we were after. Our bags were nothing special. They had handles. They opened and when we put things in them they wouldn’t break. These days there are more shopping bag options to consider.

Designers have gotten in on the eco-friendly grocery shopping option. A shopping bag might just be a shopping with a utilitarian use–or you could make a statement, and not necessarily just an “I’m environmentally friendly” one. There’s an article by Lisa McLaughlin in this week’s Time magazine that goes into several of the details about shopping bag politics (paper, plastic or canvas). The bag she mentioned as creating quite the ruckus is the Anya Hindmarch’s version that says, “I’m NOT a Plastic bag.” What struck me about the article’s subject was how high end a shopping bag can get.

There’s the Stella McCarthy $495 version and the Hermes $960 version. Or, if that’s not quite rich enough, how about Louis Vuitton’s for $1,720? If you’re looking for something cheaper and you happen to be in Taiwan or Singapore, look for some sort of closely woven plastic sort of bag. I seem to remember a plaid sort of design. If you can find them, they work great and are cheap. I’m pretty sure we bought ours at the market. A famous designer did not make them, but hey, they’ll get your vegetables and fruit home. Isn’t that the point?

Po Chai Pills and Other Items of Interest

by Jamie Rhein on

When I was reading National Geographic Traveler, I came across an essay by Daisann McLane, an American living in China who writes the blog, Learning Cantonese and is the “Real Travel” columnist for the magazine. Her essay was about getting sick and taking some mystery pills, meaning she didn’t know what they were exactly, but the doctor- told her-to-take-them pills. They were called Po Chai and they worked. Daisann’s experience reminded me of my own.

Getting medicine from in Asia facinated me when I lived there. In Singapore, the doctor I went to had an office in an apartment complex. This is typical in Singapore. Mega apartment complexes often have grocery stores, beauty parlors and a doctors office for anyone to use. You don’t need an appointment, you just show up. The doctor I went to was excellent. After she found out what was wrong with me,( nothing much really), she sometimes gave me a prescription.

Before I went on a trip, I’d also head to the doctor to get a supply of pills for stomach ailments. She’d count some out and put them into a tiny zip lock bag. By the end of the trip I never could remember which pills were for what problem. Once in awhile, I’d take my pill stash to her so she could again tell me what was what.

In Taiwan, the doctor, also a walk-in type, gave pills in a strand of packets, each packet a separate dose. If there was a 10-day dose, there would be 10 little pouches attached together. When you got to the last pouch you were on the last dose. If two or more pills were to be taken together, and there always seemed to be two or more, those were in the same pouch. There was never an indication of which pill went to which purpose. The advantage of this method is there weren’t a lot of bottles to keep track of. The disadvantage is those packets could take up a lot of room.

Daisann’s subject matter goes beyond medicine, each month she adds new essays with photographs, and provides some language lessons besides. Her recent essay, “Hong Kong is Always With You” is linked to another essay she wrote that was recently published in Slate.

Stuck in an Airport: The Best Ones

by Jamie Rhein on

When I flew back from Taiwan on my way to Albuquerque, N.M., I had a scheduled eight-hour (or more) layover in Minneapolis, Minn. The best part was the convenience of the rented luggage cart. Pick up was right where the bags came off the conveyor belt. Drop off was at the gate of my connecting flight. In between my landing and takeoff, I spent a good deal of the time sleeping with my feet propped up on my carry-ons piled on the cart. It doesn’t take much to make me happy.

There are airports that crank it up a notch or two to create great layover spots. These are the places recently named as the best of the best for places to be stuck for a while in Forbes Traveler. Click on each link to find out what’s the reason. If you happen to be somewhere bored of waiting, take photos. That’s what nashsnazzy did. I like the black and white.

Buddha Day: Birth, Death and Enlightenment

by Jamie Rhein on

If you missed Chinese New Year and the celebrations that go along with it, there are more opportunities. Buddha Day, also called Vesak Day, falls on the full moon in May. This is a time where Buddhists honor everything Buddha-his birth, death and enlightenment. When exactly events are happening is sketchy. Dates I found are scattered throughout May

You could do some temple hopping to see what’s being celebrated. Finding out exactly when that day isn’t the easiest thing. In Singapore, Chinatown will be lit up with lights starting May 19 and there’s a parade on the 30th. On May 31st head to Lian Shan Shuang Lin Temple in Toa Payoh or Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Temple on Bright Hill Road. According to the Singapore site I found Vesak Day is the 31st.

In Seoul, Korea, Buddha’s birthday is part of the Lotus Lantern Festival that starts today and goes until the 20th. The actual birthday is listed on the 24th. Head to Jogyesa Temple and Jongo. The Parade of Lanterns in the evening is a highlight. In addition to the parade, the festival has lantern making workshops, food, music, dancing. Here is a slide show that’s pretty cool. It’s one of those inspirational types with quotes and photos of festival activities.

In Taiwan, you could head to Dharma Drum Mountain. This is a Buddhist center in Taipei County with events going on every weekend. Everyone’s welcome. This is more of a ceremonial place but it might be interesting. The Web site explains symbolism associated with this day and has photographs of various happenings.

Asia is Turning into a Gambling Hot Spot

by Jamie Rhein on

Soon, there may be yet another way to come home from that trip to Japan with less money than you anticipated–or if Lady Luck is smiling at you, you’ll end up with more.

Japan is pondering casino gambling Las Vegas-style. According to Bloggingstock.com’s wordsmith Tom Barlow, casino investors are eyeing the gambling investment pay-off in Macau to see if Japan will be lucrative for raking in the dough as another gambling hotspot. Disneyland worked in Japan, so why wouldn’t Las Vegas, the adult version of an amusement park, be a winner?

Singapore, always looking for ways to bring in money, already has gambling–I think I won about $2 Singapore dollars at the horse races once. Wheee!!! A casino project is already underway at the resort island Sentosa. And, according to the info Tom presented, Taiwan may also become a place for a gambling vacation. Recently, sports gambling has been voted in.

As a person who hates to lose money, I don’t think I’ll get a big win by gambling the next time I go to Asia. But, if there are free drinks at casinos as long as one is gambling, like is a common practice in Las Vegas, I might dig into my pocket to unearth some quarters. Because alcohol is so expensive in Singapore, a free drink might be worth a few pulls on a slot machine. Besides, three cherries do come up once in awhile and what a lovely sound that makes.

For gambling options in Asia check out World Casino Directory. There are 10 countries in Far East Asia with gambling already. Here is a place to find out where the best casinos are and how betting is done in each one. Good luck.