My campaign of immersing myself in the culture of other nations continued at the weekend with a visit to an early Christmas Fair at the Finnish Church of London (or, Lontoon Suomalainen Kirkko, to call it by its awesome Finnish name). There was no hiding the fact that this was a money-making scheme. You could tell by browsing the large supermarket they had set up in the church itself. A medium jar of Cloudberry jam cost £9.50! I’ll let them off though as it was an enjoyable excursion (plus I imagine it costs a fair bit to import everything) and my first opportunity to experience anything relating to Finland.

After balking at the high prices of all the goodies (Moomin-shaped biscuits, rye crackers, dark chocolate, liquorice etc.) I heading for an adjoining tent where food was being served. I passed at the £6.50 sautéed reindeer (I wanted to try it but I couldn’t quite justify the price) and enjoyed a dollop of silky smooth mash with a fat scandinavian-style sausage and rye bread. To wash it down, a cup of Glögi (mulled wine) with a “glog” of vodka.

Upstairs were craft stalls and a cafe where I had to try one of Finland’s traditional Karelian Pies; a rice-filled soft rye crust with chopped egg on top. I enjoyed it for its cultural significance, not for its taste which was barely detectable.

Before leaving, I stopped by a stall giving out free samples of Finnish Pâtés on rye bread (no surprises there). I could have gone for salmon or elk, but I decided upon trying bear. The issue of whether bear meat is ethically and sustainably farmed aside, bear has a predictably strong meaty flavour that is otherwise difficult to describe. It wasn’t horrible by any stretch but I won’t be rushing to Helsinki to buy more of it.

“We expect political democracy. Why not economic democracy too?”

I’m keen to avoid getting too political in this post, particularly as I don’t feel I’m terribly clued up about what the Occupy movement is all about and thus, airing my views about economic equality isn’t going to be useful to anyone. So, I simply present these photos as a way of documenting my visit to the OccupyLSX camp that is currently sat outside St. Pauls Cathedral in London.

I was impressed by how well organised the camp was. As you’ll see in my photos, the protesters have gone to great lengths to make themselves comfortable as well as making the camp as inviting as possible for curious visitors. There were people from all walks of life reading the posters and leaflets, taking photos and listening & engaging in (sometimes heated) debate. It was obvious to me that one of the camper’s aims is to disseminate their opinions. Judging by how many people were wandering around, at least this part of their campaign could probably be consider a success.

As well as in Info Tent where passers-by were encouraged to go in and learn about the Occupy movement, the campers had set up a kitchen and, directly opposite a branch of Starbucks, StarBOOKS a library of fiction books and campaign literature.

While I wandered and snapped, I noticed well-known human rights activist Peter Tatchell posing for photos before recording an interview. He was interrupted part way through by the bells of St Pauls. Despite early nonsensical reaction from the Church of England, it’s now business as usual at London’s most famous cathedral.

One of the more remarkable excursions during my week in Hong Kong was to the Ngong Ping Plateau on Lantau Island where the Po Lin Monastery nestles in mountains draped in thin wispy cloud. Getting to the monastery is an adventure in itself. The ride by gondola takes 25 minutes.

Of all the religions, Buddhism surely has the best merchandise.

The main reason people go to the monastery is to high-five Big Buddha. He certainly meets up to his name. He’s a big fella! But how big?

Tian Tan Buddha is a whopping 34 metres (112 ft) tall, weighs 250 metric tons, and was the world’s tallest outdoor bronze seated Buddha prior to 2007. Between you and him are a mere 240 steps.

Stairs, humidity and altitude aren’t the best mix. Phew!

The monastery itself is everything you could possibly want from a monastery. Beautiful and peaceful. Big Buddha oversees the monastery and ensures the peace is maintained.

The main entrance to the monastery. wonderfully well kept to maximise the experience of pilgrims and tourists alike.

The ride back down is just as exciting as the ride up.

Please stand to attention and salute the magnificent culinary chaos that is before you. Eating hotdogs in Denmark is almost a national pastime. Wherever you are in the country, you won’t be far from a ‘Pølsevogn’ or hot dog stand, where delicious and inexpensive treats await. Though an ordinary hotdog is certainly nothing to be sniffed at, the Danish thought they could better the concept, inventing many variants on the familiar sausage in a bun idea we’re all so used to.

Here is one such example, which was presumably created on a particularly warm day where everyone was feeling a little light-headed and lethargic. This is a sausage, wrapped in bacon, with ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard and remoulade, fried onion, pickled onion and pickled gherkins, all stuffed neatly into a bun. I ate this in Kongens Nytorv (King’s New Square) in Copenhagen a few years ago. The hundreds of commuters who were cycling home around the square that evening would have been no doubt perplexed upon seeing a lone man eating his dinner noisily and messily, whilst grinning at it.

Feel free to salute once more if you see fit. I am.

Funky, modern, good value accommodation for students and travellers on a budget.

Having spent 5 weeks staying in dorms and hostels in Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand, I needed to treat myself when I arrived in Hong Kong. I needed some space, some privacy and some comfort. Money was getting tight though, so I also needed somewhere that offered all of this but for as little money as possible. After a lot of review reading and price comparison, I found Y-Loft at Youth Square.

Taking up the floors 12, 13 and 14 of the Youth Square building in the Chai Wan district of Hong Kong Island, Y-Loft calls itself a hostel, but really this is a hotel that happens to have a few large dorms. The rest of the rooms are large, private, twin ensuite rooms that are comfortable, clean and funky! If you’re not a fan of bright green and orange, best stay clear of this one.

The Good

• Large, clean, private rooms, many with balconies facing into a central courtyard and all with ensuite facilities
• Modern custom furnishings with a zingy colour scheme.
• Big flat-screen tv with a couple of English language channels showing mainly boring British and American imports (except Big Bang Theory which is brilliant).
• Unusual room design. Enormous sink in the bedroom, separate from the rest of the ensuite bathroom.
• Direct connection to a shopping mall with shops and eateries open until late. Great if you have a late-night hankering for tiramisu.
• Power shower! Perhaps the most powerful shower head in the history of mankind. Was literally blown about the shower cubicle.
• Kettle and mugs in the room but bring your own tea bags and milk.
• Staff spoke good English and were very approachable and helpful. They could book tickets for you and had good local knowledge.
• Very quiet. No street noise at all.
• On-site laundry was spotless, easy to use and cheap. Buy tokens from reception.
• Free on-site gym looked barely used. Equipment was top of the range.
• Free Wifi in all rooms.

The Bad

• A bit of a slog to get to. The building is directly connected by flyover to Chai Wan Station on the MTR Island Line (well signposted), but to get to Hong Kong Central takes around 30 minutes.
• Finding the reception for the first time is a complete pain and navigating the building itself will make you want to punch your way through a wall to save yourself time and effort. Read my advice in the verdict below if you need some help.
• The Youth Square building has four lifts, but they always seemed to be in use when I needed them. I often had to wait several minutes for one to become available.
• Firm bed. Very firm bed. Don’t jump onto it on arrival. You’ll snap your neck. Took a little getting used to but I did so much sightseeing, I still slept like a sloth.

The Verdict

Every box ticked as far as I’m concerned. Y-Loft was comfortable, clean and modern. On the negative side, a degree of patience (and maybe a degree) is required in getting to and from the building and navigating the building itself, but this problem is almost negated by the hotel’s many positives. In other words, it was worth the hassle. Price wise, Y-Loft was a complete bargain. Book through dedicated hostel booking websites for the best deals.

Where’s The Reception?

I’ve never had to write a ‘Where is the Reception?’ section before, but for Y-Loft, it is completely necessary. Finding it for the first time is a nightmare if you don’t do some research beforehand.

I’m assuming that you’ll be traveling to Y-Loft in the MTR. Take the train to Chai Wan, the last stop on the Island Line. Upon alighting, follow the signs for Exit A. Go through the doors into the New Jade Shopping Centre. Pass through the centre, veering right and pass through a second set of doors leading outside. Walk along the footbridge, then take the first right. Look up. That’s Youth Square. Look down again. You’re approaching a bizarre, user-unfriendly entrance to the building. Head straight on by stairs and slopes (not the escalator) and find the lifts. Call any lift and head for floor 12. Upon alighting the lift, turn right. Reception is just around the corner. Phew!

Where’s My Room?

Really? You’re kidding!

Nope. Listen carefully to the instructions given to you by the person on reception about where your room is. This building makes no sense whatsoever.

Contact Details

Y-Loft at Youth Square
238 Chai Wan Road
Chai Wan
Hong Kong

A cool, comfortable, clean & convenient base for your explorations in the island state.

Searching for somewhere to stay in Singapore actually took longer than I expected. What I was looking for was somewhere that offered me a lot for my restricted budget. My accommodation searches revealed that on the whole, you get what you pay for in Singapore. It seemed the cheaper the place, the less comfort and amenities you got. I quickly learnt that what I needed to find was somewhere that offered value.

Hangout @ Mount Emily had precisely that. A hostel/hotel geared towards young travellers and backpackers who need just a little extra comfort for their money.

The Good

• Staff were happy and helpful. Smiles were easy to find (actually, smiles were easy to find all over Singapore). Questions were always answered thoroughly & knowledgeably.
• Rooms are generally a good size. The two rooms I stayed in had ample room for two people. Good sound proofing.
• Big buffet breakfast included in the room price. Some strange choices (early morning lasagne anyone?) but much appreciated.
• Laundry facilities on-site. Really useful and cheap. I don’t know why more places don’t offer washers and dryers.
• Free unlimited use of internet-enabled computers and building-wide wifi.
• Large common room with pool table and big screen tv.
• Awesome rooftop terrace with a nice view of the city centre and a shower pool to splash about in.
• Cleanliness in rooms and in all public areas to a high standard.
• Dorms are nicely laid out. Custom-built lockable cupboards separate each bed offering a bit of extra privacy.
• Quiet neighbourhood with a small, leafy park right on the doorstep. Away from the hustle and bustle of the city. It was lovely to come back to after a busy day of sightseeing.
• A general feeling that the place is well-run and that the staff care. Comforting for nervous travellers.
• Air-con! Wonderful, wonderful air-con!

The Bad

• I wasn’t bothered by it, but some may find the short daily walk and MRT ride to and from the hotel a little tiresome.
• Due to its hybrid setup, it’s not the best place to meet people and make new friends.
• Plain rooms. Lots of Ikea furnishings.
• Some private rooms don’t have windows.

The Verdict

If you’re on a tight budget but require a few more home comforts for your money, this is the place for you. Ignore any concerns about the location. It’s really not that far a walk and you’ll be glad of the peace once you get back after being on the go all day. For the money, you could only really expect the hotel to be clean and comfortable. It is, yet you also get free wifi, free breakfast, a funky common room and rooftop terrace to hangout in, helpful staff on call 24 hours a day, big, airy rooms with air-con, laundry facilities and even bikes to hire. What’s not to like? Book far enough ahead, and you could bag yourself one of the biggest bargains Singapore has to offer.

Hotel Information

Hangout @ Mount Emily
10A Upper Wilkie Road
Singapore 228119
http://www.hangouthotels.com/
More reviews on Tripadvisor