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Mr & Mrs. Asiaholics

Stalking a Thai celebrity

After years of admiring this Thai TV star, the moment for our paths to cross had finally arrived. I flew thousands of miles just to meet her and I was not disappointed. In person, this Thai star is a charmer…even when asleep! Sadly, she stayed asleep during the entire duration of my visit.

Meet the object of my affection, Lin Ping, the bear that put Thailand in the throes of panda-monium.

Born via artificial insemination in the Chiang Mai Zoo to parents, Lin Hui and Chuang Chuang, her birth was celebrated as a milestone in Thailand. Lin Ping has own special air-conditioned section in the zoo (where you pay an extra hundred baht to visit, by the way) and she is definitely treated like a star. Paparazzis, beware. They’ll cover the flash on your camera when you come for a visit.

My first encounter with Lin Ping started in Bangkok years ago while I was channel surfing in a guesthouse in Silom. In my futile attempt to look for an English cable channel, I stumbled on the Panda Channel. Yes, a 24/7 channel dedicated to all things Lin Ping. While I initially found the whole idea preposterous, I eventually became a convert.

My wife wondered why I was laughing so hard in front of the TV. That was when a baby Lin Ping fell off a tree and landed on her behind. Even when my vacation ended, I discovered that the Panda Channel has a live streaming video on the web so I would occasionally check the site to check out what my favorite panda was up to.

Though I didn’t get to see Lin Ping awake in person (or should I say, in panda), I was still in awe of this adorable star. You still have two years to catch Lin Ping at the Chiang Mai Zoo before she is returned to China. Or if you want to check her antics online, visit http://linping.truelife.com.

Feline frenzy

We thought we’d died and gone to cat heaven when we checked into the Banilah boutique guesthouse in Chiang Mai. The cat-loving owner made every effort to incorporate her beloved felines, live and otherwise, in the guesthouse lobby. Guests can entertain themselves by counting the many cats that inhabit the place. Be extra careful when using their computer or photocopy machine as you might wake the napping cats. Look closer and you’ll find cat magnets on the refrigerator and cat paintings on the doors —among the innumerable feline knick knacks.

Banilah 11 Sotesueksa Road, Changphuek, Muang, Chiang Mai, Thailand www.banilah.com

EVER SEEN AN ELEPHANT PAINT?

A visit to the Maesa Elephant Camp in Chiang Mai was an opportunity for a more personal encounter with the gentle giants. For a very reasonable entrance fee, we were able to hand feed elephants and be entertained by these creatures as they threw darts, dunked basketballs, kicked footballs and painted just a few meters from where we were seated. Good thing we grabbed front row seats so we had the best view.

This was a show worth documenting on video so we took a quick video of an elephant working on its self portrait. The mahout (elephant driver/trainer) would merely be in charge of dipping the paintb

rush in paint but the elephants did the rest of the work themselves. Each one had a different specialty—while others worked on single shade self portraits, others painted landscapes bursting with colour.

Cereal killer

Most visitors to Singapore have hainanese chicken on their list of must-try dishes. However, for us, a trip to the Lion City is incomplete without multiple orders of cereal crayfish.

Contrary to its name, crayfish are actually a cross between a prawn and a lobster in terms of size, flavor and price (read: expensive). We first tried this ubiquitous Singaporean wonder in No Signboard seafood restaurant and we’ve been hooked ever since.

On its own, the crayfish is already deliciously sweet and addictive but when coated in an oat mixture and deep fried, the dish is elevated to a whole new level of scrumptiousness. Our mouth waters even at the thought.

When in Singapore, don’t pass up on this dish . It’s worth every Singaporean dollar lah.

For No Signboard branches in Singapore check outwww.nosignboardseafood.com

CentralWorld: Ode to a giant

As one of the largest malls in the planet, CentralWorld Bangkok provides visitors with hundreds of options to relax. Whether it’s to escape the notorious Bangkok heat or to do some serious damage to your wallet, this is the place to go.

It wasn’t love at first sight with this behemoth of a mall. In terms of layout, CentralWorld dizzying and still takes getting used to despite repeated trips. Through the years though we’ve grown to appreciate its relaxing, youthful vibe and its not too hi-so tenant mix.

Among our favorite pastimes here include scouring the giant B2S bookstore for funky notebooks and rare CDs while Zen department store is our go-to place for fashion forward finds. The impressive Central Food Hall is a destination in itself as it offers a wide assortment of grocery items from around the world as well as a great DIY salad bar. For a healthy and convenient meal, put together a fresh salad here with your choice of ingredients and top with their excellent pumpkin salad dressing. For a heartier meal, the stellar 3-course lunch set at Bar Italia by Gie Gie is a steal. To cap off your meal, try homegrown brand iberry’s unique ice cream flavors like Paradise Tea (an ice-cream version of cha yen, the Thai iced tea) or Horlick’s. Obviously, we’ve spent an inordinate amount of time here.

Last year it was quite painful to see our old friend going through rough times. News coverages featured images of the mall going up in flames during the Red Shirt riots. Yikes. Our favorite Bangkok haunt would never be the same again, or so we thought.

Thankfully, on a recent trip to the Big Mango, we’ve seen CentralWorld literally rise from the ashes— its aisles brimming with happy shoppers once again. To date, the only missing piece in the renovation is that of Zen department store. Once that’s done, a return visit is definitely in store.

CentralWorld, Ratchadamri Road, Bangkok, Thailand

Banteay Srei: Beauty in the details

Cambodia truly lives up to its tourism slogan as a “Kingdom of Wonder” with its many well-preserved historical sites from the heyday of the mighty Khmer empire. Though nowhere near the size and majesty of Angkor Wat, the Banteay Srei temple has a distinct charm all its own.

Banteay Srei means “Citadel of Women” in Khmer and was built in honor of the Hindu god Shiva.

Although Banteay Srei was one of the last Angkorian temples we visited, it was also one of the most unique since it was constructed using predominantly red sandstone so even from afar, we could appreciate the temples’ pinkish hue. Considered by many as having the most intricate carvings among all the Angkorian temples, beautifully detailed apsaras or female deities can be found all over the temple.

It takes approximately an hour to get to this UNESCO World Heritage site from Siem Reap but it’s well worth the trip to see for yourself this “jewel in Khmer art”.

Banteay Srei, north of Angkor, Cambodia