This is Asia By Ambra

06/09/2024

08/09/2023

“Did you know that you can enjoy a boat ride, take a tour, attend a cooking class, participate in an art and craft workshop, or go on a cruise for free in Singapore? The Singapore government has a program called SingaporeRewards, offered by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), to provide travelers with complimentary experiences during their visit to Singapore. Are you planning to join? Simply visit the dedicated SingaporeRewards page on the government website, visitingapore.com, register, select your preferred experience, and download the ticket. To qualify for this promotion, you must meet the following criteria:
1. Have never previously used the program
2. Be in Singapore for a short vacation
3. Arrive in Singapore by plane

05/08/2023

Have you ever wondered about the possibility of sleeping while standing inside a capsule at a coffee shop? Well, now you can experience it in Japan!

Even the international brand Nescafé has adapted to local customs, and from August 22 to September 17 (with prior reservation), at its "Nescafe Sleep Cafe" in Harajuku, they will be hosting the Giraffenap, a creation by Koyoju Plywood Corporation, where you can actually take a nap while standing.

Since sleeping while standing is not a natural ability of the human body, the Giraffenap provides some biomechanical assistance. Inside the cabin are pads and platforms to support your head, butt, shins, and the soles of your feet. With these cushions, the designers claim it's possible to reach Stage 2 sleep, a pre-REM condition.

Nescafé Harajuku's "Standing Coffee Nap" experience includes a cup of coffee (they recommend drinking it before sleeping so that the caffeine kicks in right when you wake up) and 20 minutes of sleep, all for $6.

26/06/2023

Today i’ll take you with me at the concert of GMMTV LOL (Love Out Loud) inside Royal Paragon Hall in Bangkok, Thailand.

20/06/2023

Today I tried Wall's Cornetto limited edition for Pride 2023, available only in Thailand and Philippine

02/06/2023

Living a real Korean experience on the Namsan Tower trying Korean typical hanbok

31/05/2023

Exploring the K-pop "temple": SMTOWN museum and theatre in Seoul

30/05/2023

Cruise on the Han River in Seoul, South Korea. This is the boat where they shoot the Korean drama What's wrong with Secretary Kim.

29/05/2023

Aquarium in Seoul, Korea

24/05/2023

12 seconds of pure bliss.
Phuket, Thailand

18/05/2023

Today in Japan, we have a captivating story to share. Last week, the Hyogo prefectural police in the city of Kobe arrested a 22-year-old man who sent 15 threatening letters and a package containing 1,500 origami cranes to his former driving school in a unique display of frustration.
For approximately 5 months, this individual persistently sent letters and origami to a 39-year-old staff member at the driving school. Through surveillance footage, the police were able to track down the suspect and discovered that he was a former student who had failed the driving test.
Upon arrest, the man confessed to the crime and was "angered by their inadequate teaching methods." When asked the million-dollar question of why he sent origami cranes, he simply replied, "Creating this origami helped me calm down."
P.S. For those unfamiliar with the significance of origami cranes, they hold a profound place in Japanese art. There is no more iconic form in the long history of paper folding. It has become an international symbol of peace, thanks to the story of Sadako Sasaki, a victim of the atomic bombing in Hiroshima. Afflicted with leukemia due to radiation exposure, Sadako began folding origami cranes, inspired by the Japanese legend that making a thousand cranes would grant a wish.

17/05/2023

I tried 13 different types of Chinese breakfast.

11/05/2023

Would you go to the cinema with a trash can to fill it with popcorn?
Hold on to your seats, folks, because it's not a joke; this is what really happened in Thailand a few months ago.
A few months ago, SF Cinema in Bangkok took inspiration from a Vietnamese theater and launched a promotion: bring your own container, and for a mere 199 baht (€5.5), we'll fill it with buttery, crunchy goodness!
But oh boy, did the cinema instantly regret it...
The resourceful Thai citizens responded in their own wacky way. They marched into the cinema armed with all sorts of containers - steel drums, cardboard boxes, plastic buckets, and trash cans! I kid you not. One legend showed up with a colossal buffet tray and walked out triumphantly with a jaw-dropping 57 liters of popcorn. Talk about making a popcorn statement!
Naturally, things got out of hand, and the cinema had to tap out early. They had to close the line and end the promotion at a shocking 5 PM instead of the anticipated 10 PM. Oops!
What about the poor souls who waited patiently in line for hours and splurged on movie tickets?
Fear not, my friends, for the cinema had a plan. They graciously allowed those who couldn't snag their popcorn by 5 PM to leave their containers at the outlet. And as a gesture of goodwill, the cinema promised to refill those containers with popcorn and deliver them right to their doorsteps the next day, free of charge.

20/04/2023

Get ready to perplex your taste buds because Korea's Himnanda Burger has concocted a burger that will make you question everything you thought you knew about flavor combinations. Introducing the mint and chocolate burger, topped off with mint Oreo cookies.
That's right, they took a perfectly good beef burger and threw on some cheese, onions, and a sauce that sounds like it should be drizzled over ice cream instead. And just when you thought they couldn't add anything more, they went ahead and threw in some minty Oreo cookies because why not, right?
The menu price for this culinary adventure is 7,800 won (€5.35), but the actual cost may be to your taste buds. This burger is the brainchild of a collaboration between the Himnanda Burger chain and the YouTuber 요리용디 Yori Yongd, who apparently thinks that mixing mint and meat is a good idea. He even has a cookbook, folks!
Let's just say that some brave souls who have ventured to taste it have called it a crime against chocolate and meat. So, if you're daring and want to try something new, give it a go. Just don't say I didn't warn you!

18/04/2023

Do you remember how China used to be? I had the opportunity to explore Macao in April 2013. I arrived by bus from Hong Kong and flew to Shanghai when it was time to leave. Even though I was only there for three days, I spent two and a half of them at the casino.
While I was in Macao, I was fascinated by the mix of cultures and languages. The official languages are Portuguese and Mandarin Chinese, but the locals mainly speak Cantonese. I even discovered the Creole language called "patois Macanese," that's based on Portuguese and has influences from Cantonese, Malay, and Sinhalese. Unfortunately, UNESCO has classified patois Macanese as "endangered," with only 50 speakers remaining.
I stayed at the Venetian Macao, owned by Las Vegas Sands. The hotel and casino are massive, with 39 floors, 3,000 suites, and an enormous 980,000 square meters of space. It's a replica of the Las Vegas Venetian, which is, in turn, a copy of Venice itself. You can book a room starting at 215 euros per night, including breakfast. The Venetian Macao is the second-largest casino in the world, the largest single-structure hotel in Asia, and the tenth-largest building by area. There are concert areas, a gym, a golf course, a spa, and a gondola ride.
I took some photos of Macao, including the hotel, local dishes, and the street where the opening scene of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom was filmed.

25/03/2023

This is a must try late night snack in Xiamen and Taiwan. It’s royal cheese potatoes with a lot of toppings. Have you ever tried it? It’s delicious.

16/03/2023

Let’s try Thai hot pot.
Literally the word chim chum derived from two Thai words: chim and chum. Chim is to dip in, while chum is to drop something down quickly, briefly in, or into liquid. The name chim chum comes from the way we cook and eat this popular hot pot. Chim chum is an earthenware pot on a brazier at table top. The pot is filled with broth and to this, you add various supplied vegetables and herbs. The herbs are often pulled from trees the selection criteria being as broad as bitterness to health aspects. Some dishes place a flower in the pot which is a unique bitterness.

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15/03/2023

Have you ever tried the hot pot in Thailand? You must eat Jim Jum once in your life. It’s lovely. I found it lighter than Chinese hotpot but still very tasty.
I went to จิ้มจุ่มสุทธิพร รัชดาซอย 3
Jim Jum Suthiporn Ratchada Soi 3 in Bangkok. It’s a very local place and the price are very cheap.

14/03/2023

Business and first class lounge of Shanghai airport

13/03/2023

Gotia,
GOTIA is a bar that "theoretically" changes its theme every month. Still, since it opened last year, it has always had Harry Potter as its theme. The menu looks like a magical book, and the cocktails are themed.

943 King's Cross
943 King's Cross is a multi-level cafe that offers various experiences on each floor. Admission is free, but a minimum spend of 5000 won is required. Many themed drinks and desserts, including the famous "hapee birthdae" cake. Fun fact: The themes of the floors are B1 Floor "Hog's Head (Pub&Cafe), 1st Floor "Ollivanders (Wand Shop), 2nd Floor "Wizard Cafe," 3rd Floor "Banquet Hall," 4th Floor "Wizard Dormitory."

Platform 1094,
Platform 1094 is a -themed restaurant in Singapore. The restaurant's interior is designed to resemble Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, with attention to detail that transports guests into the magical world of Harry Potter. The menu features a range of fusion of Western and Asian dishes with playful names inspired by the world of wizards, such as "Hagrid's Lasagna" and "Poisonous Pesto Pasta of Professor Snape." Guests can also indulge in various Harry Potter-inspired drinks, such as the "Potions Master's Brew" and "Butterbeer."

9 ¾ Cafe, Hong Kong
The cafe is inspired by the iconic platform from the Harry Potter series. The cafe's interior is decorated with elements from the magical world, handles and broomsticks mounted on the wall, portraits of witches and wizards, and fake candles. The menu offers a wide range of dishes and drinks. Some popular items include "Wizard's Waffle," " ", and "Polyjuice Potion." Visitors can also take part in interactive experiences, such as wand-making lessons. Fun fact: Their Facebook intro reads, "Prepare enough money to come! (Minimum spending 80 HK$)". Warner Bros. sued the cafe in 2019 for copyright infringement.

Wizarding World Harry Potter Cafe, Tokyo
The cafe, which opened on the first floor of the Akasaka Biz Tower, features a menu full of magical foods, drinks, and desserts inspired by the world of Harry Potter. The most famous snack is a toast served with four different fillings depending on the other Hogwarts houses. Reservations must be made through their official website to enter. Fun fact: This is the only cafe authorized by Warner Bros.

Always Cafe, Hanoi
Inside the bar, you will find a menu full of different types of coffee, cocktails, and smoothies. The drinks are named after those found in Rowling's books, including Butterbeer and Polyjuice Potion. Inside the store are memorabilia from the saga, from framed pictures of Hogwarts characters to banners of the royal houses. The back of the cafe is full of various murals dedicated to Harry Potter. The bar provides wands and clothing for photos.

11/03/2023

Step into a world of color and sound with INSIDE, the immersive theatre experience at Shanghai's Temple of Light.
Their inaugural production, INSIDE, is a 40-minute visual and auditory experience featuring two digital works by Danny Rose: "Mutation" and "Ukiyo-e Visions." Utilizing Epson 3LCD technology and Meyer Sound's ULTRA-X20 spatialized sound system, the entire space is transformed into a canvas for the projection of these works.
In "Mutation," viewers are treated to a barrage of rapidly changing shapes and colors that appear from all room angles, merging, connecting, and mutating at a dizzying pace. "Ukiyo-e Visions" transports viewers into the world of Japanese woodblock art, beginning with a display of giant paper fans that gradually transform the space into a series of breathtaking natural landscapes, such as forests, waves, and flowers, providing an unforgettable sensory experience.

10/03/2023

A tour of my apartment in Bangkok.

06/03/2023

Do you remember when we talked about their strange habit in Japan a few weeks ago of giving a funeral to record player needles? Well, that's not the only weird funeral they do.

Today let's see what other memorial services are held around Japan...

At a temple in Fukui Prefecture, a driver's license memorial service is held to honor the driver's licenses returned by the elderly.

Anything in the shape of a doll can be taken to one of the many temples that host a doll memorial service, regardless of the type or material. At the temple on the day of the funeral service, after the funeral, the doll is burned. Some temples accept the dolls to be sent by mail. But you'd be cruel not to show up for your favorite doll's funeral.

On August 4, wand day, some temples hold a funeral for old wands, broken wands, peeling paint, etc.

A memorial service is held in the memorial tower of the Megane Kaikan for old glasses that are no longer used. But this nonsense has a charity following. The still usable lenses are sent to developing countries to be donated to the poor.

February 8 (December 8 in some areas) is Hari Kuyo Day. A memorial service is held for old, broken, or rusty needles that can no longer be used.

Don't want to throw away your old shoes? Rest assured; they will be treated with respect until the end of their "career," thanks to a memorial held at a shrine in Yanaka, Tokyo, for those reluctant to throw away their old shoes.


#日 #い #日本

06/03/2023

Khao soi, a delicious Northern Thai dish, has roots dating back to the 15th and 16th centuries. It's believed to have evolved from Chinese Muslim traders during the Burmese reign. Though the dish has evolved over time, the basic ingredients remain the same - soft egg noodles in curry broth with a choice of meat and crispy fried noodles on top. Coconut milk is used in the curry, and small side dishes such as lime wedges, pickled cabbage, shallots, and dried curry paste are served to adjust the broth's flavor. Eat with chopsticks and a spoon.

05/03/2023

Dreaming with your eyes wide open in Malaysia.
Nature's beauty right outside a door in a hotel