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VIP Orchid Garden (besides Burkill Hall) @ National Orchid Garden [Singapore]

October 2, 2014, 8:11 am
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I was so obsessed with completing my travel posts on Taiwan that i totally overlooked my visit to the National Orchid Garden in Singapore in May! As there are quite a number of photographs, i have made the decision to break it up into numerous entries for this blog! 

Although i have lived in Singapore for well over thirty years, this was my first time to National Orchid Garden! My memory of it came from the television when the newscaster would announce a new orchid hybrid named after a dignitary.

These VIP orchids are housed in the VIP Orchid Garden but given the number of hybrids, i guess only a couple were showcased in the gardens. Either the former or that i was too overwhelmed by the hot sun to do a proper check.

This one was named after former Thailand prime minister; Yingluck Shinawatra during her visit to the little red dot in 2011 - blame it on my ignorance, i could hardly recognise half of the so called VIPs who were accorded the special treatment of having a flower named after them! 

Ascocenda Yingluck Shinawatra - i realised after going through the pictures in this National Orchid Garden album that most orchids seem to have a 'tongue' protruding out. This was exceptionally obvious in Ascocenda Yingluck Shinawatra as the tongue was red.

A pity i could no longer enjoy the heat (like the stone statue above) and prefer to seek refuge in the colonial bungalow next to the VIP Orchid Garden.

Named after the 'two former directors of Singapore Botanic Gardens', Burkill Hall was actually built in 1868 and served as the home to the "garden's superintendents and directors till 1969". 

Many couples seeking wedding venues might have chanced upon this black and white bungalow in their search as it was said to be popular for weddings and special events. For me, it was merely a sheltered premise where i could take a comfortable look at the hybrids created for the VIPs. 

On posters that is. Well, it sure wasn't as nice as seeing the real flowers but it would do for the sake of escaping the heat! The above hybrid was known as Kagawara Megawati Soekarnoputri (she was the former president of Indonesia)! 

Paravanda Nelson Mandela - in honour of the great man who passed away last year. The flower was presented to him when he last visited Singapore in 1997.

Vanda William Catherine - the most famous royal couple in the world who dropped by Singapore in 2012 (a visit noted for the wayang show staged for them in Queenstown)! I am going to stop publishing more pictures as it would be so much better for you to pop by for a physical visit! 

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Location
Within National Orchid Garden 
@ Singapore Botanic Gardens

Price
Free for the VIP Orchid Garden and Burkill Hall but there is an admission fee of S$5 per adult (free for children 12 years and below) to the National Orchid Garden

Additional Information
Those interested to hold an event at Burkill Hall can check out the rates here. 
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Mama Panda Kitchen (熊猫妈妈小吃) - The Expensive Panda Themed Fast Food Restaurant @ River Safari [Singapore]

October 3, 2014, 8:30 am
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Unlike Taiwan, food establishments located in Singapore's tourist attractions are known for their exorbitant pricing. As a consumer, you do have the right not to patronise the restaurants / eateries although i still find it leaving a bad taste in my mouth when the food turned out to be less than satisfactory; which is often the case. 

Today, i am going to write about the panda themed eatery at River Safari, the latest attraction in Singapore that houses the incredibly popular (not to mention, very cute) giant pandas! 

Mama Panda Kitchen features a typical fast food restaurant concept with bamboo framed photos of adorable pandas in numerous poses adorning the walls.

There were a few red lanterns hanging from the ceiling to portray that Oriental feel; i personally thought it was just a feeble attempt to justify the higher pricing for the food.

The major selling point, in my opinion, was more the reservoir view you can get from either dining in the air-conditioned restaurant or at its alfresco section. Anyway, without further ado, let's start on food. 

Giant Panda Cappuccino
Serving largely Chinese dishes, this was one of the few non-Chinese items on the menu. No comment on the coffee (remember, i am more a nanyang coffee lover). Most people would buy it simply for uploading to Instagram / Facebook.

Chicken & Mushroom Bamboo Rice Set
This came to our table a few moments after we plonked ourselves onto the seats. The supposedly spicy soup was more salty than spicy while the hardly filling bamboo rice tasted like it was microwaveable food. Just to clarify, the latter wasn't horrid and it was more the disappointment of paying close to S$17 for the set. 

Even the mango pudding failed to perk me up. Alex liked it although i found the texture to be overly mushy and the flavour a bit too artificial for my liking.

Fried Wanton
These were in fact the best thing i had at Mama Panda; the four of them came straight from the frying pot and were a pleasure to bite into given their crispiness! Filling was seasoned a tad peppery for me and could have been better if prawns are added. 

Shanghai Wanton Ramen Set
Thank god this looked substantial enough for us! The lotus chips were quite nice even though i got the feeling it came from a value pack rather than freshly fried like the delicious, unforgettable ones from Wan He Lou.

Broth was bland and the noodles contained no surprises for me to write anything further on it. The wantons were huge and similar tasting to the fried wantons except for a heavier concentration of chives in the filling. 

Panda Chocolate Custard Bao
No matter how expensive the food / drinks are, it's just too hard to resist the panda-headed buns! At S$2.90 each, the panda baos (with options of red bean or chocolate custard) are one of the cheapest food available in Mama Panda. 

Oozing chocolate sauce which tasted like a less sweet version of nutella, i was quite impressed with the softness of the bun! 'Quite' because it was relatively tasteless and too thick for my liking. Hm.. I should have ordered the red bean one since it would be in line with the oriental theme. 

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Location
Within River Safari (next to Giant Panda section). 
Admission fees to River Safari are still applicable.

Pricing
Giant Panda Cappuccino - S$5.90
Chicken & Mushroom Bamboo Rice Set - S$16.90
Fried Wanton -  S$5.90
Shanghai Wanton Ramen Set -  S$16.90
Panda Chocolate Custard Bao -  S$2.90

Menu
As above
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National Orchid Garden - Definitely for Orchid Fans @ Singapore Botanic Gardens

October 5, 2014, 5:47 am
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I love flowers but like many others, it's their physical beauty that attracts me rather than genealogy, anatomy etc. Therefore, i have never been keen in visiting the unsheltered National Orchid Garden and this reluctance was reinforced when i heard there is an admission fee!

Dad is different; he has the gift of a green thumb and was a proficient gardener when my family was living in the kampong where we had a huge backyard. As such, it seemed appropriate to bring him and mom to check out the orchid garden, especially when they had never been there before too!

It was a surprise to have mom joining us as she has always hated the sun and would usually decline such invitation. On second thought, maybe she was under the impression this garden is similar to the two air-conditioned domes in Gardens by the Bay!

Whatever the case, it was a fine (and sunny) day and mom did come prepared with a brolly, a pair of sunglasses and likely a few bottles of sunblock.

A customary shot of the parents in the midst of orchids!

Given my lack of knowledge about Orchidaceae, i shall refrain from posting any scientific information lest i make a laughing stock out of myself. You shall see plentiful of "this is so beautiful" statement in this post instead.

For a Sunday, it sure wasn't crowded and as expected, i am seeing more foreigners than locals. It's really funny whenever i hear of some friends who always complain that Singapore is boring; by and large, their definition of fun usually doesn't include the sun, the heat and the humidity.

I don't really quite understand the need to install a "photo spot" sign, especially when the entire place is filled with flowers! The backdrop is nice? Take a picture lah! 

Among the three of us, dad was definitely the most delighted!

Mom didn't perform too bad either and gamely accommodated to my frequent requests for photo taking despite the incredible heat that i personally could not 'tahan' as well!

The garden was teeming with life, other than those of homo sapiens and plants. We spotted the active squirrels, elusive changeable lizards and of course, the well hidden garden snails.

Open daily from 8.30 am till 7.00 pm, this garden with the 'largest display of tropical orchids in the world' has in total nine designated highlights.

I can only remember going through six which means for the other three, i could have likely walked past without knowing their existence! Haha, a likely scenario since i can get quite carried away when it comes to taking pictures.

Just like dad (many relatives commented i have inherited his love for photography) although he has an eye for nicer photo spots. In my case, i rely heavily on technology (photoshop etc) to crop and frame the pictures.

An ex-colleague of mine commented that Singapore has one of the worst weather in the world; the high humidity is a major turnout and a sunny day could give way suddenly to stormy weather! This lack of predictability translates into scheduled showers on the plants to ensure they remain in their tip-top condition!

Tan Hoon Siang Mist House - named in honour of a descendant of Tan Tock Seng, this displayed rare orchid hybrids originated from the Garden.

I couldn't find much explanation although i read from a brochure (after my visit) that there was a fragrant orchids corner with a species which emits a chocolate-like fragrance! Whatever the case, the orchids in this house were indeed unique and very pretty,

Like the above which could have been mistaken as white orchids splattered with blood in a murder scene!

Instead of a 'lip' typical of most orchids, this has a shoe!

There were numerous moss-covered cultural artifacts said to be from countries that have distribution centres for orchids. Blame my lack of knowledge; i could not recognise most of them!

The above is from... Philippines? No?

Professional photograph slowly composing the shot! I have a tripod yet i am seldom patient enough to bring the tripod whenever i go. Furthermore, it's very tiring to lug the tripod along!

Glare from the morning sun! Lighting is an incredibly important element when it comes to photography and using natural light shining on the spot is always the best!

Yuen-Peng McNeice Bromeliad Collection - sponsored by the late Lady Yuen-Peng McNeice, the bromeliad is not in the same family as orchid! An example of a bromeliad would be the commonly seen pineapple. 

Nothing of interest to us actually; guess we would be more excited to see pineapples. Come to think about it, biting into a slice of sweet pineapple on a hot weather would be so damn shiok! 

Arches with overhanging ferns in between Tan Hoon Siang Mist House and Yuen-Peng McNeice Bromeliad Collection; this area should be quite mystical at night. 

We were halfway through the Garden and what we severely needed then was a cool temporary respite from the sun! The Cool House to the rescue! 

To get there, walk through the elevated boardwalk! It was a pity there wasn't much to see beneath the boardwalk except for trees and foliage. 

Anyway, it was only a short walk and you can so imagine our exhilaration when this building, covered in condensation, loomed in front of us! 

Dad was happy; mom was glad; i was thrilled to have air-conditioning! By the way, the cool house was meant to simulate a tropical mountain forest and have you noticed this is a similarity with another attraction in Singapore? 

The amazing Cloud Forest Conservatory at Gardens by the Bay! I think it is obvious my affection is with the one at Gardens by the Bay; bigger in scale, taller in height and a much better replica for a mountain forest. Click here to check out "Cloud Forest"!

Random pictures; guess you can recognise a sun dial when you see one. 

Climbing the stairs to check out another highlight; one that i really was looking forward to seeing! Do note that the National Orchid Garden is wheelchair accessible; so please do not hesitate to bring along your grandparents who might be having difficulties in walking! 

The flower plot next to the left of the lady was my aim for the visit that day.

Vanda Miss Joaquim - the national flower of Singapore! This is my first time seeing it in its natural form, complete with stems and leaves. 

Honestly, i never found it to be exceptionally beautiful but looking at a whole bunch of them that day, my opinion has changed! Appearance aside, Vanda Miss Joaquim was also chosen as the national flower due to its resilience and year-round blooms. 

There were also very charming and befitted the name of White Fairy! 

A group of Thai tourists was hogging this spot for like more than ten minutes! Tourists (including Singaporeans) are the same everywhere, regardless of whether they are in Taiwan or in Singapore! 

Mom finally got her chance. 

For my separate post on Burkill House and the VIP Orchid Garden, click here! 

Flowering banana tree! My colleagues laughed at me recently when i told them it was only in the last year or so that i am aware bananas are grown within the flower! Apparently, i should have failed my science.

Once again, mom in the photo and this time surrounded by loads of orchids. Orchids have a special place in Singapore; those who collect currencies would know the first currency note series to be circulated in independent Singapore is the Orchid series. For more information, click here. 

Entering a "bird cage" enclosure.

Last photo for the day! 

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Location
Within Singapore Botanic Gardens
[Enter from Tyersall Avenue]

Garden Map
As above.

Admission Fee
S$5 for adults
S$1 for seniors & students
Free for children below 12
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[Update] Reply from Orchid Live Seafood!

October 5, 2014, 10:56 am
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For those who are interested to know what the hoo-ha is all about, check out my blog entry at http://cavinteo.blogspot.com/2014/08/culprit-caught-for-plagiarising-my.html.

I had in fact waited patiently all this while (close to two months now) for a reply and finally gotten one via my instagram account! Happiness was written all over my face when i read the first line "Hi, I'm the person in charge @ orchid live seafood. Kindly note that that website that you are referring to does not belong to us. Our official website is orchidliveseafood.com.sg."

That elated expression quickly dissipated when i continued reading. "We hope that you do your due diligence in your investigation before commenting without getting your facts right. We reserve all right to sue you for defamation for affecting the reputation of our restaurant. Pls kindly remove your insensitive post and direct all complains to the specific website".

Now, now, now lady. You are telling me it's two different websites not managed under the same company yet with content that are similar?! Just to protect myself, i have taken screen shots to compare the similarities. 

Same logo.

Comparable menu & pricing.

Same addresses & contact number

To be honest, i thought it is way more damaging to your reputation to have an alternative website promoting the same two restaurants under your care! Shouldn't it also be your social and moral responsibility to sue the alternative website rather than concentrating your effort on a blogger with minimal financial capability (honestly, my earnings are all spent on travelling)?

I am a great support for the lobster porridge at Orchid Live Seafood but after this incident (largely due to the horrendous PR reply), i doubt i would ever find myself in their premises again.

p.s. anyone can provide legal advice? I am too broke to take on the lawsuit, despite the injustice. :( 

Okay, i am less pissed off now after receiving a second reply following my response (within a few hours after i posted it). The person in charge has written "Still, thanks for pointing this out. We will definitely look into the creator of the other website. Have a good week ahead."  

Further to this, i received a really nice email from Jason, the owner of Orchid Live Seafood at 9.15am! I thought it's best to publish the correspondence for the benefit of everyone! 

"Hi Calvin This is Jason, the owner of orchid live seafood. 

We are terribly sorry for the distress we caused you regarding the plagiarism thing. We have actually known about the "rouge website" for quite sometime but we did not really bother much about it since it merely just gave our customers an alternative website with more information of us. We were not aware that it had infringed any copyright rules or downright taking your content without your consent. We are so terribly sorry for that. 

I have personally took care of this matter and have instructed the person responsible for it to take down all the images he used without consent and at the same time contact you at this email address for an apology or whatever damages you deem fit to ask for compensation from him. 

Kindly let me no if he did not get back to you within a week by either email me at this number or contact me directly"

Such a polite and professional email! I shall reply after i get back from my karaoke session. What's more important is to update this post so that everyone is aware of the update! 

Thanks everyone for hearing me rant! 

Now, who wants to join me for a lobster porridge meal?
Gang of Four? :)
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My 3 Days 2 Nights Itinerary in Bangkok [Thailand] 2014 - Too Short &Hectic a Trip!

October 6, 2014, 8:24 am
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For any journey that involves taking an airplane, i have always maintained a minimal of five days stay in order to make full use of the more expensive air ticket! 

The rule wasn't broken until i embarked on a recent trip to Thailand that lasted only three days! :( Well, i shouldn't be complaining since the trip was sponsored by a personal friend (you know who you are; thank you so much)! 

With only about 550 photographs, i was initially not too very motivated to create this itinerary entry, especially when i had been to Bangkok countless times! Looking back however, i didn't have a single day-to-day travelogue and that's an injustice for the country i have grown to love! So here goes! 

Day One (04 September 2014)
[11.13 am Singapore Time] Departed from Changi Airport Terminal 1; there was a slight delay to the Airasia flight which was supposed to leave at 10.55 am.

I requested nicely from Alex to swap his window seat with me so that i can have a better view of being high up in the sky, surrounded by white clouds that reminded me so much of cotton candy!

Despite my fear for height, taking a plane has never been very stressful and i would definitely ask for a window seat if i could, even if the view could be obstructed by the engine and wing. 

To me, it's way better to see the outside than the inside where passengers are likely to be catching up on sleep, reading a book or playing games / watching movies on their mobile devices.

At times, i could even spot impressive structures like the above! Departing from traditional Thai temple architecture, the controversial Wat Phra Dhammakaya is the "largest temple in Thailand in terms of inhabitants"!

[12.20 pm Thailand Time] Arrived on time at Don Mueang International Airport! I might have been to Bangkok numerous times but this was the first time i am entering through the old airport.

After clearing migration, it's time to take a cab to our hotel in downtown Bangkok! Note: there is a taxi queue (with a 50 baht surcharge) to the left side of the building when you step out. Don't be misled by those people manning the supposedly "tourist" counters who would tell you to take their "taxis" at exorbitant pricing!

[2.10 pm] Traffic, as usual, was nasty and coupled with a driver who wasn't familiar with our hotel, we only managed to reach P2 Boutique Hotel after almost an hour on the road! For my review on the hotel, click here. 

[3.00 pm] Not wanting to waste any more time, we ventured out to our first destination in Bangkok shortly after checking in to the hotel; Platinum Fashion Mall! Lunch was a disappointing meal at Fuji Japanese Restaurant on level six of the popular shopping centre. Do click the links for the details.

[7.00 pm] On our way to Chit Lom BTS station and strolled past the famous Erawan Shrine. No time to drop by for even a short visit as we were going to a riverside mall which i have yet to patronise.

[8.13 pm] Took a train, walked a bit, took the shuttle boat and we finally reached Asiatique The Riverfront! For more details on this slightly upmarket and organised pasar malam, click here. Dinner was fulfilled at Kamlangsib Fried Chicken Rice! It was close to 10 pm when we decided to take a cab back to the hotel. 

Day Two (05 September 2014)
[10.05 am] Woke up, showered, had my breakfast, took a dump and it's time to get out of the hotel! The power lines in Bangkok never fail to fascinate me; there were just so many of them! 

Chanced upon a homeless man sleeping on the bridge. Everyone of us has a story and i wonder what it would be for this man... 

This dog was so chubby!!!! I almost wanted to run my hands over its tummy just to gauge on the extent of its overweight condition! 

[10.29 pm] Finally, Erawan Shrine. 

[10.44 pm] Brought my friends to the humongous Centralworld. Anyone still remembers the violent protest a few years ago when half the mall was burnt down?

Toy dogs are allowed into the shopping centre, provided you have a pet pram (if i understand the notice accurately). Who the hell would bring a cart (i am thinking it would be made of wood) with a dog?!

[1.20 pm] At Soi Sukhumvit 53 Sukhumvit Road where i would be checking out a very special cafe.

 A designated no dog pooping / peeing zone! When a dog has to go, you have no choice but to see it go! It would make more logical sense to either have "no dog is allowed along this road" or "clean up after your pet"! 

Something is lacking for this signage; the word "jiao" after "bolan". Wahahahaha, By the way, the complete word is a Hokkien vulgarity, so don't anyhow ask your fellow Chinese friends okay!? 

[1.30 pm] Awwwwww.... the unique Purr Cat Cafe! Click here for the details of this cat themed cafe and be prepared to be overwhelmed by loads of pics on the adorable felines! 

A few doors away from the cat cafe was a dwelling with an unkempt yet super friendly shihtzu! 

Although there was a difference in fur colour, it reminded me so much of my old dog, Rubee, who was always very excited to see humans! 

Right turn to "Little Beast"? Huh? Anyway, we decided to take a cab after leaving the cafe as we would be meeting up with a few friends to Yaowarat; Chinatown of Bangkok! 

Terrible traffic! It was only six BTS stations away yet it took us close to an hour to reach Platinum mall, where we had arranged to meet up! 

[5.30 pm] Arrived at T&K Seafood in Chinatown after an exciting Tuk Tuk ride! 

Unlike previous visits, i wasn't satisfied with what i had except for maybe the tomyam soup. Flavour was lacking in the fried rice, sharks fin soup, and even the fried squid (i had better ones at Taste of Thailand for the latter). Fish was fresh though. Maybe i should give the red-shirts a chance in my next visit. 

[7.40 pm] After purchasing a few packs of kau sai (a delicacy made of pork floss), we thought of checking out Chatuchak market which was said to be open for business on Friday evenings. Kenna cheated lor (very limited stalls were open and even so, it was more in preparation for the weekend the next day). We could have explored the wrong section as i noticed this was the "newer" region. 

[8.20 pm] Took the tuk tuk to Centralworld (ya, our second time that day) where we had fun taking photographs with the artwork and shopping at the supermarket before retiring for the night! 

Day Three (06 September 2014)
[9.00 am] Arrival: Mo Chit BTS. Purpose: Short battle at Chatuchak Weekend Market! For an updated entry of the market (including a map with higher resolution), click here! 

Adventurous? You can consider having your meal at these road side stalls with vegetables piled up highly for your consumption! Frankly, this doesn't seem hygienic at all!

Picture of a tuk tuk! Can you imagine we manage to squeeze five persons into such a small space the day before? It's not just a one-off incident; five of us endured three separate journeys in one tuk tuk on the same day! 

[12 noon] Went back to Platinum Mall to get some stuff for mom when i noticed these vending machines outside the washroom. Sanitary pads, tissue papers... There was a dispenser for pregnancy kits?! 

[12.30 pm] Got back to the hotel to wait for our taxi to pick us up. Right beside P2 Boutique Hotel is a local foodstuff outlet where you can do some last minute shopping for "kau sai"! 

Starting pouring on our way to the airport. 

[2.25 pm] Reached Don Mueang International Airport. I could not quite remember how much we paid in total but it should hover around the range of 650 baht, inclusive of highway toll.

I was famished and was worried i could not get much options! Please be assured there are quite a few places you can dine at the department area; Fuji Japanese Restaurant, MacDonald's, a shop with a concept similar to Nando's, and Krispy Kreme! 

[4.19 pm] Last call was made over the PA system and we made a mad dash for the shuttle bus which would bring us to the plane! 

Since we were the last few to board, we were the first few to enter the plane when the Airasia bus opened its doors! I actually prefer to enter without the aerobridge, so long the weather is good! 

[4.38pm] Lifted off seven minutes before the official departure timing of 4.45pm! Stormy weather for Bangkok that day! Notice the pockets of sunlight? 

- The End - 
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RWS Invites - Crediting this blog for the use of photograph!

October 7, 2014, 8:55 am
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A package addressed to me was received in the mailbox earlier this evening and i was puzzled to see that it contained an RWS Invites magazine. 

From my understanding, my membership has already lapsed and even if the company has erroneously sent me a complimentary copy, the address should have been printed rather than handwritten! 

Anyway, the main cover was on a topic i am very interested in; "Singapore's most haunted" and the first thing i did was to flip the pages and read the content. 

Now, where have i seen this picture before?!??!!? Memories of the recent incident with a famous seafood restaurant still remain fresh but i could not help feeling suspicious that this photo seemed to have been taken from my post on the red house in pasir ris!  

Before i could react further (likely with irritation), i suddenly recalled an email sent by a Mr Savid, Senior Art Director, requesting for the use of the picture! Upon closer look, yes, there was a credit to this blog! 

*pleased*

 Thank you for sending me a copy of the magazine, Mr Savid! 
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Squirrel Monkey Forest (松鼠猴生态林) @ River Safari [Singapore]

October 8, 2014, 8:29 am
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I was born in the zodiac year of monkey and from young, i have always felt a great affinity towards primates in general although i never had a close encounter with any of them.

Until my recent visit to the Squirrel Monkey forest at River Safari; this visit granted us ample opportunities to get really close to these small animals native to Central and South America!

Many a time, such enclosures tried to emulate the natural surroundings of the animals and this often create problems of them hiding in camouflage or too far out for us to take a better look!

It shall not be an issue here as these adorable squirrel monkeys were generally quite curious! 

Their smallness does contribute to a certain level of cuteness; so much so that i would be really interested to keep them as pets especially when a weight of a typical squirrel monkey is not more than 1.1 kilogram! No more sore arms! 

They were also said to be incredibly intelligent, blessed with the "heaviest brain in proportion to body mass" among primates! That means easier to toilet train; a major pet peeve for any pet owner.

Nevertheless, i still think they are better off in the wild. You may call me anthropomorphic but to be caged up for the rest of my life does seem stressful and boring! 

It was, however, still a heart tugging moment when a squirrel monkey held on to my finger! My very first time touching a primate (i believe so)! For that few seconds, i was like the happiest person in the safari! 

Next moment i knew, it jumped onto my dad! Darn creature was using me a "stepping stone"! Do i look like a boulder / branch to you?!?!?! %$#$%@$%@# 

Dad was of course delighted to have two monkeys clamouring for his attention! It did appear they were more engrossed with his graying crown. 

I didn't have the heart to tell my father that the squirrel monkeys have the tendency to wipe their body and tail with urine in order to mark their territory... Oh well, sometimes in life, it's better not to know too much! 

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Location
Within River Safari

Price
Free so long you have purchased a ticket for River Safari.

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Top 10 Fishball Noodles - Ru Ji Kitchen (如记小厨) @ Holland Drive Hawker Centre [Singapore]

October 10, 2014, 8:30 am
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When friends ask if i am a food blogger, i would say no since i am not that adventurous when it comes to food and once i stick to one stall, it's hard for me to switch to another unless the one i like is closed or when it is inconvenient for me to travel that far to fix a craving. 

There's a third reason - the emergence of a long queue right outside the stall, which was exactly the case for Ru Ji during my first visit. Back then (not more a month ago), i got my hands on the noodles but not their famous homemade fish balls! 

I was back again (with my trusty DSLR this time) to check out the stall located within Holland Drive Food Centre. Just to be sure i am getting my fish balls, i dropped by way before lunch at 10.30am.

Got it! I should review the noodles first - the mee poh (flat noodles) was totally lacking in flavour and had too tough a texture; maybe it's my fault for not requesting tomato and chilli sauce together and taking too long with the photo taking, 

Now on the highly acclaimed fish balls - very Q, juicy and soft. The taste had a hint of fishiness although it was the kind that wasn't excessive for us to brush off as being too fishy. What i enjoyed more were the fishcakes which had a thick, solid bite and extremely tasty! 

Noodles need to be improved but as far as fish balls and fish cakes were concerned, i was very satisfied. :) 

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Location
44, Holland Drive, #02-28, 
Holland Drive Market And Food Centre

Price
Fish Ball Noodles - Minimal S$3
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Close Encounter with Inuka the Polar Bear @ River Safari [Singapore]

October 11, 2014, 8:30 am
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Nothing's indicated on the attraction map for the above viewing panel right outside the exit of the house of kai kai and jia jia. Given their privileged status, my heart would not miss a beat even if someone told me this was constructed for the black and white giants!

That's when i noticed a white figure swimming towards us; bloody hell, this was the humongous abode for Inuka, "the first polar bear to be born in the tropics"!

I have in fact touched on Frozen Tundra before, when i last visited the Singapore Zoo earlier this year! You may click here for more information. As River Safari is located right next to Singapore Zoo, it does make absolute economic sense to share the attractions! 

Compared to Frozen Tundra, we had a much more intimate encounter with Inuka in River Safari! See how close my dad was even though i am aware the glass separating us from the polar bear was likely to be super duper thick. 

Are you aware that despite their supposedly cute and friendly disposition, a standing polar bear can tower over a full grown human with male adults reaching an average height of 3 metres?

Reading about the size of the paws and actually seeing them for real is simply an eye popping revelation; the paw was almost the size of my dad's head! 

You would have a higher chance to bump into Inuka in the morning as i understood from one of the staff members that it is his routine to swim "laps" before noon; the viewing panel is used as his touch point for the 'turn'. 

Amazing right?! It appeared as if Inuka was diligently training for the 2016 Summer Olympics! Either the aforementioned or he simply has nothing better to do. 

The above gentleman was more in awe of the manhood of Inuka, as his action showed. Please lah, what Inuka has, you have too; size differs though! Wahahaha.

Dad was more mesmerized by the close proximity he had with Inuka. I don't think he has ever been this near to a polar bear before and boy was he excited. 

His lucky star was shining on him that day at River Safari; besides Inuka, he even managed to have squirrel monkeys climbing all over him!  

Like me, these small kids were wondering what the viewing panel was for; unlike me, there were loads of shrieks and cries when Inuka appeared. 

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Location

Website

Price
Free but admission tickets to River Safari still apply.
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NOM Bistro Bakery Cafe & its Signature Rainbow Cake @ Macpherson Community Club [Near Circuit Road]

October 11, 2014, 6:32 pm
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A fellow colleague was gushing to me one day about an absolutely marvelicious rainbow cake at this cafe known as NOM. I was totally expecting it to be a cafe themed after the ultra adorable character in "Cut The Rope".

Featuring both indoor and outdoor seating, i couldn't have been more wrong. NOM is actually an abbreviation for No Other Meaning! How cool is that sia?! It is humble sounding yet impactful; doubt i would ever forget its name. 


Anyway, it was my second visit on Friday evening. The first time i dropped by on a weekend afternoon, we were seated only to find out that the last slice of rainbow cake was already reserved for another patron! :( 


With their signature rainbow colour adding to the vibrancy of the cafe, the decor of the cafe was overwhelmingly plain. And white. Very young kids would be pleased to know there is a teeny weeny playground right inside the cafe. 

Vanilla Pops with Toffee Nut
This was terribly addictive and in my opinion, similar to a refreshing glass of melted vanilla ice cream with just the right amount of nutty essence! Rest assured that it was watered down and wasn't as sweet as melting your own ice cream at home. 

Yuzu Pear Blossom Tea
From Gryphon Tea Company, this was the most expensive beverage we paid that day. Flavour wise, more yuzu than pear and didn't come by as exceptionally memorable unlike its Tomatino and Azteca D'oro.

Chocolate Rainbow Cake
Finally, it's time for the star! I think we took the last slice although i have to add that we were one of its last customers at close to 10am. 

Of course, for something so pretty, it's hard not to have everyone take dozens of photographs for uploads to social media. Honestly, social media has contributed to turnaround time for customers in dining establishments.

On the chocolate rainbow cake, it was definitely much better than the one i had at W39 Bakery and Cafe; at the very least, it was moist, helped by the thick chocolate coating on and between each colourful layer.

As a sponge cake, i thought the flavour was nice but still lacked that additional oomph to impress me further. The taste was also quite similar to the chocolate sponge cake we sometimes see at the Malay stall in pasar malams. 

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Location
400, Paya Lebar Way,
#01-02/03/03, Macpherson Community Club

Opening Hours
11am to 11pm

Must Try!
As above

Food Menu
As above. Right click and save as for the full resolution image.

Price
Vanilla Pops with Toffee Nut - S$4.90
Yuzu Pear Blossom Tea - S$6.90
Chocolate Rainbow Cake - S$7.90
[No GST & Service Charge]
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River Safari Cruise - Nothing Insightful for a Local Singaporean @ River Safari [Singapore]

October 12, 2014, 8:30 am
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With the boat ride for "Wild Amazonia Quest" undergoing a routine annual maintenance, Alex insisted on forking out S$5 a person to try out the river safari cruise although i had the feeling it would be pretty boring! 

You are talking about a short cruise within Upper Seletar Reservoir; an area i am too familiar with as i grew up in the kampong very near to it. Whatever the case, i am a follower so long someone paid for the ticket! 

We were asked to board the boat (that looked like catamara) at pier number 2 in the hot and sunny and humid and sweaty afternoon. As you could have probably guessed, i wasn't too pleased with Alex's suggestion and insistence. 

To look at things with a positive light, the boat was at least sheltered! The reservoir was found to have crocodiles around a decade or two ago; if we are lucky, we might just spot a couple in close proximity! 

Dad was looking terribly relaxed. 

The interior of the boat; the management appeared to take safety very seriously. The number of life jackets on board could probably serve two is to one passenger. 

Start of the journey that i wasn't looking forward to! The guide stationed in front started to talk about the ecosystem of the reservoir, including information that has escaped my memory for now. 

As the boat continued its journey, my attention switched to seeing rather than listening. Taking millions of photographs, no matter what, is my forte.

This building houses kai kai and jia jia, the giant pandas and is probably the largest structure in the entire River Safari. I thought the design could have been improved to make it more integrated with the natural theme of the surrounding.

Nestled right smack in the middle of Singapore Zoo and Night Safari has given River Safari some fringe benefits; one of which is tagging on both attractions to perk up the interest of the passengers. 

Giraffes, rhinoceros were spotted, albeit not as near as we would have wanted. Scenery of the reservoir wasn't spectacular; to be fair, it could have been the early onset of the recent haze. 

Rocket Tower at the other side - climbing up the tower was my favourite childhood activity on weekends! For more pictures of the tower, click here. 

In addition to showing us real animals along the cruise, it was also necessary to let us "touch"! Here comes the giraffe hair which felt like wire! Okay, that did make me perked up a bit. 

Cruising along the night safari border this time. 

Lasting about fifteen minutes, i am of the impression that it was a total waste of my time (except for the giraffe hair). There was definitely some educational value but i guess it would be better suited for foreigners. Furthermore, this should be included as part of the admission ticket and not priced separately! 

Enjoyed my ride?
Not for me.

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Location
Within River Safari
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Economically Priced China Cuisine @ Pin Xiang Yan (品香筵餐馆) - Jurong East MRT Station [Singapore]

October 14, 2014, 8:30 am
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Whether you like it or not, the various regional cuisines from China are here to stay and to be honest, i am not complaining; for us consumers, their forays into the competitive food industry in Singapore would simply translate into more food options whenever we dine out!

Pin Xiang Yan Restaurant (品香筵餐馆) - i first heard about this place from the Great Kon and to have him visiting the restaurant almost once every week said a lot about his opinion on the food. 

Just to give you a heads-up, the restaurant was actually a cordoned area within a food court and although there was hardly any ambience to speak off; at least i wasn't worried of being ripped off.

Write your order on the list, make payment at the counter and then wait.

Only the drinks need to be self-collected; for your food, they would be delivered right to your table. Make sure your order label is displayed prominently! 

Signature Fried Rice
财神炒饭
Served almost cold, the rice was oily and lacked the wok-hei (essence) that Singaporeans are accustomed to in fried rice. Having said that, the flavour was still quite tasty with a peppery aftertaste. If only it was served piping hot! 

Cabbage Pork Dumpling
白菜水餃
Honestly, these were normal. Personally, i am more into thin-skinned dumplings like xiaolongbao whereas the ones in Pin Xiang Yan had too thick a skin! 

Twice Cooked Pork Slices w Hot Sauce
川香回锅肉
Said to be double stir fried, i found the meat to be overly porky and a tad too dry for my liking! The co-stars, in this case the vegetables, tasted comparatively better after being coated with the delicious meat juice. 

Fried 3 Vegetables
地三鲜
This would be the second time i had this dish and it has yet to disappoint! Known as the three fresh vegetables from the ground, the ingredients are supposed to be potatoes, capsicums and eggplants. Over here, the capsicums have been substituted by green chilli. Nonetheless, the flavour was still incredibly appetising and savoury; certainly a dish you should eat with rice! 

Crispy Golden Prawn
黄金开边虾
One look and my heart told me this would be the worst of the lot. The truth was far from what i thought! It was in fact salted egg yolk prawns peppered with bits of chilli padi. Though the prawns used were not the meaty type we preferred, we could still vividly taste both the fresh seafood goodness of the prawns and the sinful richness of salted egg yolk! 

Signature Grilled Fish (Sea Bass)
农夫烤鱼
You can see this on almost every table! 

Some of you might remember i am not a great fan of fish when i am dining outside as it is often exorbitantly priced and if given a choice, i would go with the nicer tasting crabs or prawns. For S$28, the sea bass was of a good size and very fresh! 

You might want to forgo the rice as there were some kind of glass noodles alike stuff within the sauce. Speaking of the sauce, we had to cater to Alex who doesn't like spicy food. In its original spicy form, i believe it would be damn shiok to have! 

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Location
10, Jurong East Street 12, #01-01B,
Kopi, Jurong East MRT Station

Reservation
Call 9642-0322

Price
Signature Fried Rice - S$5.00
Cabbage Pork Dumpling - S$5.00
Twice Cooked Pork Slices - S$8.00
Fried 3 Vegetables - S$8.00
Crispy Golden Prawn - S$15.00
Signature Grilled Fish (Sea Bass) - S$28.00
[No GST & No Service Charge]
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Giant Panda Forest - Saying Hi to Kai Kai & Jia Jia @ River Safari [Singapore]

October 14, 2014, 7:19 pm
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A visit to River Safari is never complete without saying "ni hao" to Kai Kai & Jia Jia, the giant pandas from China that are currently on a ten-year loan to Singapore! 

It would not be my first time seeing a giant panda though; i had the fortune of catching them in action in my recent trip to Taiwan and a few years ago in Beijing. 

There was a preview session costing S$5 a person when they first arrived, mainly because River Safari was still in the midst of completion. Back then, i really don't see the point of paying that kind of money just to see two pandas! In Beijing, i could see a dozen for only one Singapore dollar! 

Anyway, here's a photograph of dad with the two chubby pandas. Guess this is the nearest we can go unless there are plans to tour Sichuan (a province in China) where you can have a photo opportunity right next to a live giant panda.

Two other animals are housed within this large S$8.6 million enclosure since this area is also promoted as the Yangtze River zone; one of which is the Golden Pheasant.

Like their peacock cousins, the males are the ones with a brightly coloured plumage. The very first time i heard of this bird, it was through a drama known as Journey to the West; the golden pheasant in the show was a demon that has been training for thousands of years to attain human-form! 

The other animal shares one half the name of a Giant Panda yet not really closely related to it; the cat like red panda which has a closer scientific relationship with raccoon. 

Looked very huggable right?! Not when the nails appeared to be super sharp! 

Despite having a carnivorous gut, the giant panda's diet is almost exclusively bamboo. In captivity, they would however be supplemented by food other than just bamboo. There is also the occasional steamed snack known as Wua Tou. 

Entering the realm of Kai Kai! 

View from another angle. Kai Kai was born in 14 September 2007 at Woolong Giant Panda Research Centre and was transferred to another research facility in Ya'an after the devastating 2008 earthquake, 

Lazy ass was sleeping!!!

Okay, he woke up! Not sure if you noticed but his nose seemed discoloured. From the many displays of the pandas for River Safari, the nose was totally black!

Didn't realise he had such long eye lashes! 

I went back to his enclosure after my lunch and this time, he was seated in a position that was so Po in the animation movie; Kungfu Panda! 

Another photo.

He was panting in this picture. I am not a vet or an animal behaviorist but in dogs, this is often said to be an expression of nervousness or stressful. I would be if i am caged up for life. 

As i was exiting, there came a flurry of excitement; inactive Kai Kai has climbed up a tree! 

A classic "Po" posture! 

Hm..... in the movie, i don't remember seeing something sticking out in between the legs. It could be a tail for all that matters! 

Well, i might be wrong judging from Kai Kai's happy expression. Maybe it would not be long before we hear of a new birth in the Giant Panda Forest. 

Before stepping into the world of Jia Jia, the female giant panda, you have to walk through the information filled section. We had a group of young kids with us who were participating in a Giant Panda activity. 

It's amazing how something so small at birth can grow into something that humongous when fully grown! Anyway, don't you think a newborn panda looks like a baby rat? 

Dad again! When i was young, he would be the one asking me to pose for his camera. Roles reversal now since i am the one requesting him to do it for my DSLR! 

About to enter! 

Do note the "don'ts"! No flash photography is a well-known rule but you are supposed to keep quiet too given how shy and timid the giant pandas are. 

Where is Jia Jia?!?!? 

Searching for jia jia can wait; a customary photo of dad shall take precedence. 

I noticed an access point to the great outdoors (meaning hot and humid) and wondered if the pandas have ever attempted to go out of their fully air-conditioned enclosure. 

Wide walkway to accommodate the visitors; during the S$5 a person time, viewing was limited to only 15-minute block with a maximum of 150 persons! 

Awwwwwww, there's our beauty! 

Date of birth - 03 September 2008 at Ya'an base of China Conservation and Research Centre for the Giant Panda; the same one that Kai Kai went to after the earthquake! 

Shy in nature, some of my friends who have been to River Safari told me they didn't manage to see Jia Jia except for a CCTV screen showing her in a separate private room behind the open enclosure. 

Guess we were fortunate then although she was just walking around in circles. Quite sad actually; that's the dilemma of animal lovers. We would like to see animals walking free yet we could not resist having a closer look at them in a safer environment. 

The photogenic Jia Jia.

How come the butt so dirty!?!?! 

Three types of reptiles were also on display even though most visitors' eyes would be drawn to the television screen right on top.

'Private den' of Jia Jia! Frankly, it looked more like a jailhouse to me! Might help to have some 'toys' for her; for example, a yoga ball!

As expected, the last section of the Giant Panda Forest would be a retail shop selling everything and anything related to the cute cuddly black and white giants! 

A video of Jia Jia to end this post! 

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Location
Giant Panda Forest within River Safari.
[Admission ticket to River Safari applies]
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Out of Singapore - to South Korea!

October 19, 2014, 8:23 am
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As some of you are aware, the lack of update in this blog is not because of my waning interest; I have actually flown to South Korea last Wednesday and in fact could not wait to tell all of you about the experience I have! 

Anyway, i shall be back on Wednesday (yes, this is a short trip) and will have a post that would surely catch the attention of my family and friends. Look out for it!

Till then, annyeong! 
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Car Accident in Jeju Island [South Korea] & What Should Have Been Done.

October 22, 2014, 3:33 am
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The original intention was to write a day-by-day itinerary of my just-concluded South Korean trip but i think the above subject shall take precedence given the impact it has on me and my family.

I had a car accident in Jeju Island. 

In a nutshell, i dozed off and the next thing i heard was my sister exclaiming where the heck i was going. *BANG* the car went up the kerb and hit a signpost. Airbags exploded out of the steering wheel (and the dashboard) and the car came to an abrupt stop!

Shocked doesn't quite describe my emotion then. 

I was more worried for both my sisters! Joyce appeared to be fine and Louise, seated at the back, was in a daze and asked what happened. Another Hyundai, 66구 6173, stopped in front of us and three ladies (a mother with her two daughters) dashed out to check if we are alright. So nice right?!?!?

As i was about to say "we are fine", one of the daughters pointed to my sister and gave a muffled scream. I turned to see Louise literally dripping blood! No picture as i absolutely think it is inappropriate; the safety and well being of my sister shall come first!! 

An ambulance came swiftly (everything happened so fast and i didn't really time; i was in a daze and honestly unprepared on what to do next) and all three of us were brought to the nearby Seogwipo Medical Centre. Darn, i didn't even mange to express my gratefulness to the three ladies!! 

Louise was found to have a laceration near her eyelid that eventually required eight stitches but just to play safe, the attending doctor (a Dr Cho who thankfully could speak English) recommended a CT-scan which we agreed. Everything was cleared and i heaved a sigh of relief! 

Condition of my sister's injury as of 19 October 2014; currently, there are some bruises around her eye which would likely subside in the next few days. 

Deservingly, i also had some injuries; second degree burns on my right arm, bruises on my well hidden fat tummy and abrasions on my neck and left arm. 

I wasn't too concerned about myself and chose to seek medical treatment after Louise; I am filled with endless guilt as i couldn't shrink away from my responsibility as the driver as well as the culprit for this accident! :(

The patch of skin was gone and even though it didn't look too bad at that point; raw pinkness has set in and it kind of reminded me of the pink middle of a medium-rare steak. 

Wrapped arm as seen on the second day of the accident. The dressing was a pain in the ass since it deters me from washing myself efficiently! Even the supposedly waterproof opsite dressing failed miserably. 

Total medical bills came up to be ₩664,670 (roughly S$800). No police report was made as we didn't hit any other vehicle / person. That's another big relief. 

Sidetracked a little, i totally love the way the medications were being dispensed in the hospital! Each sachet (printed with my name) has all the medications i would require in one sitting; hence, it is just a matter of tearing it up, dumping the pills into my mouth and swallowing them with a mug of water!  Convenient right!? 

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Given this unfortunate experience, i think it would be good to share some afterthoughts. First and foremost, never tire yourself out! If you know you are sleepy, park the car at the car park and take a snooze! 

Second, note the emergency number!! In South Korea, the ambulance number is 119. From what i remember (not sure how true that is), emergency numbers would work even if you have no roaming services! In case i am wrong, always opt for roaming when you are overseas.

Lastly, the major issue i faced in Korea was the language barrier. In my honest opinion, i have heard better Mandarin than English from some of the Koreans. Therefore, note the number for voluntary interpretation service.

For the ladies of vehicle 66구 6173, i am really, really indebted to your help and assistance. Without the three of you to calm us down and follow up with contacting the ambulance and car rental company, we would definitely be in a nervous fix! 

Thank you, thank you and thank you! p.s. i would try to contact the car rental company to check if i could have their contacts but in case anyone can help, i would be most grateful too! 
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7 Days 8 Nights South Korea Trip 2014: Summarised Itinerary for Seoul - Jeju Island - Seoul

October 24, 2014, 8:20 am
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It might be my first trip to the Land of the Morning Calm but i surprise myself by taking only about 3,500 photographs which i further pared to 2,500.

Personally, i feel it has something to do with my non-existent knowledge of the Korean language and the fact that in Seoul, it was mainly shopping rather than immersing myself in historical / cultural sites.

Nevertheless, it's time to post a summarised itinerary on this vacation! As with my Taiwan itinerary, click the hyperlinks for more detailed postings (reviews on restaurants, hotels etc)! Bookmark this entry and check back periodically as it would likely take me months to complete everything!


Day One (15 October 2014)
Singapore - Seoul
[3.18 pm] Departed from Changi International Airport which was supposed to leave at 2.55 pm; like the traffic / public transportation system in Singapore, you couldn't really second guess the traffic!

[10.30 pm] Arrived safely at Incheon International Airport and we had to immediately rush to the Airport Railroad Express (AREX), buy a ticket and take the train to Seoul Station, where our hotel was located.

[12.20 am] After about an hour on the express train, the teo siblings, tired yet goofy, finally arrived in Seoul Station! Our ordeal had yet to end; the underground routes were a tad confusing and it took us close to thirty minutes to find c!

[1.00 am] Took a much needed shower and it's time to sleep!


Day Two(16 October 2014)
Seoul - Jeju Island
[8.00 am] View outside my room; how did we manage to spend thirty minutes to get to the hotel when Seoul Station is literally right opposite us?!

[10.15 am] Left the hotel to check out the surrounding after accompanying my sister to the gym! I should consider signing up for a gym membership to tone my fat-covered abs.

[10.33 am] Namdaemun Market (남대문 시장) was superbly near the hotel! I didn't know how close we were then since we walked all the way to Sungnyemun Gate before making a turn.

[11.39 am] Had an early lunch at a Korean restaurant along a street next to the hotel! Unsure about the name since I am hopeless in the hangul written script; shall check out and publish the romanised name in due course!

[12.30 pm] Left the hotel for Gimpo Airport via AREX again!

[3.13 pm] Our next destination? Jeju Island; the Island of the Gods! There are quite a number of airlines using the domestic routes from Seoul to Jeju; i bought my tickets from Jeju Air as the website is available in English.

[4.13 pm] Landed at Jeju International Airport! The first thing i did upon collecting my luggage was to register myself at the car rental booth before taking a complimentary shuttle bus to another area to collect the rented car which i reserved two months ago!

[5.38 pm] With a lot of apprehension, double checking & triple checking (Korea practices left hand driving), we finally got to Yongduam Rock (Dragon Head Rock) (용두암)!

[6.18 pm] Time for the famous black pork street in Jeju! Said to be one of the island's specialties, we had to give it a try! Had such a full meal; we swore off pork for the rest of our trip.

[9.00 pm] After roaming a short section of the Dongmun Market Place, i took to the road again and finally arrived at Galeum Guest House, our accommodation in Seogwipo district for the next few days, in one piece.


Day Three (17 October 2014)
Jeju Island
[8.00 am] An early start of the day - attempting the "easiest" yeongsil trail on Mount Hallasan (한라산) at Hallasan National Park!

[12.37 pm] Had the best ever green tea latte at OSulloc Tea Museum! Green tea fanatics would be able to indulge themselves crazy on items with green tea content, including but not limited to green tea based desserts.

[2.37 pm] Shopping at one of Jeju's notable hypermarkets; Emart! For those guys who have been through national service, this emart is different from the emart we have in Singapore and sells a wide variety of merchandise.

[4.20 pm] Oedolgae Rock (외돌개) - gained regional (or even global) recognition because it was featured in a scene of a very famous period drama; Daejanggeum (大長今).

[5.12 pm] Relaxing at Cheonjiyeon Falls (천지연폭포), had some bread and coffee at Paris Baguette cafe and checked out the illuminated Saeyeon-Gyo Bridge before returning back to the guest house. Slept at around 10-11pm!


Day Four (18 October 2014)
Jeju Island
[4.00 am] Woke up at an ungodly hour so that we can make it on time to catch the sunrise at the world famous Seongsan Ilchulbong Peak (성산일출봉). Failed obviously, the sun was already at the horizon twenty minutes before we even reached the attraction's entrance.

[7.40 am] Whatever the case, it was a journey we persevered to the end and the peak was conquered after climbing for close to 40 minutes, with a break in between where i had a bottle of yummy banana milk and a few slices of egg-batter bread.

[8.16 am] It was not yet time for the Jeju Woman Diver performance but i figured it would not do the ladies any justice if i don't pay them a visit!

[10.00 am] Hiked through the chilly Manjanggul Cave (만장굴) which is one of the world's top 10 longest lava tube! We covered only about a kilometer since the rest are closed to the public.

[12.00 noon] Trick Art Museum! Singapore has one too even though you may wish to note that the ticket pricing in Jeju was only about 50% Singapore's pricing!

[2.00 pm] Car accident! Read about it here.

[4.38 pm] Got a new rented car and our famished tummies were gunning for a delicious bowl of abalone seafood soup and abalone porridge at a Korean restaurant next to Cheonjiyeon Falls.

[6.30 pm] Went Emart again; after which would be back to the guesthouse to do our laundry and have a good night sleep at about 9 pm. Lesson learnt from the accident; sleep early!!!


Day Five (19 October 2014)
Jeju Island - Seoul
[6.00 am] I know it's still pretty early; we had no choice as instruction from the hospital was that both my sister and i would have to be back that morning to change our dressing! Given the limited time, we checked out and proceeded directly to the hospital. p.s. very pretty nurse and she was extremely gentle with us!

[9.47 am] Jeju International Airport - to board the 11.55 am plane back to Seoul! Jeju has been an unforgettable experience (for better and for worse) BUT i would love to be back again! And, i would still opt for self-drive.

[2.40 pm] An hour of plane ride and 30-minute of train ride via AREX, we were back to Hotel Manu! We got smarter this time and crossed the road from Seoul Station instead of taking the underpass.

[4.00 pm] Gwangjang Market (광장시장) - strongly recommended for those who enjoy the vibe and atmosphere of a local market! Plus point - plenty to eat!

[5.40 pm] Soaking in the atmosphere of Dongdaemun; note, unlike the nearby Gwangjang Market, this area focused more on shopping centres and wholesale markets. By the time we got back to the metro, it was around 11.30 pm! Both sisters can really shop; they actually dumped me in a cafe for an hour!


Day Six (20 October 2014)
Seoul
[10.00 am] Stepped into a rainy, gloomy day at Seoul! After a few days of sunshine at Jeju, this was definitely a marked difference! Mixed feelings about the weather as i did prefer the lower temperature although the rain was a hindrance to photo taking!

[11.30 am] Korean fried chicken was said to be something tourists die die must try when they are in Korea; we did at Two Two Fried Chicken.

[12.33 pm] Crossed the road and Myeongdong (명동) was right ahead of us! This is the place where ladies would go crazy over the many cosmetic shops lining the streets!

[4.37 pm] Cut across Namdaemun Market on our way back to our hotel. Yes, you can walk from Myeongdong back to Hotel Manu!

[9.00 pm] Following a snack-shopping spree at Lotte Market, we were back at Myeongdong! Koreans are night owls i think; the vicinity appeared more vibrant and happening when the sun set.

[10.30 pm] Late night dinner at Yoogane Dak Galbi (유가네 닭갈비); totally didn't regret having this meal! By the way, they have a branch in Singapore!

Day Seven (21 October 2014)
Seoul - Singapore
[11.39 am] Hotel was fully booked that day and our request for late checkout was rejected. Preparing to check out and store our luggage at the hotel as our flight would only take off at midnight.

[2.34 pm] Split ways with the sisters after lunch at Lotte Mart food court; they shall continue their last minute shopping while i check out Insa-dong (인사동), a cultural district. Yes, it's again another rainy day. :(

[4.23 pm] Had a bowl of ginseng chicken from a restaurant known to serve the best in Seoul; Tosokchon (토속촌). 

[5.30 pm] Got lost and found this pretty little garden. I enjoy getting lost when i am overseas as it often brings nice little surprises! Note: i have been lucky so far. 

[6.42 pm] Back at Seoul Station well before the time i was supposed to meet up with my sisters. Had a cup of jujube tea at a nearby cafe and took the private shuttle to Incheon International Airport at 8.00pm.

[11.40 pm] Reached in an hour's time; checked in our 86 kilograms of luggage; completed our tax refunds; shopped at the 24-hour duty free shop; took the internal shuttle train to the departure gate and it's time to board SQ603. 

[5.34 am] First thing i did upon arrival at Changi International Airport - purchased dressing for the wound; a gift from Korea that would likely remain permanently etched to my skin! 
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Hotel Manu near Seoul Station & Namdaemun Market @ Seoul, South Korea

October 25, 2014, 12:39 am
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Unlike previous arrangements for free and easy travel, i was not actively involved in the selection of accommodation in the recent South Korea trip; my younger sister had the full control as the sponsor! 

Beggars can't be choosers but knowing my younger sister, the hotel she booked should not be too bad as she is pickier than me when it comes to sleeping! Hence, let me introduce to you the four-star Hotel Manu! 

Since the first night was for transit as we would be departing for Jeju Island the next day, i shall touch on the room that was assigned to us when we returned back to Seoul for two nights. In all honesty, i prefer the cozier "corner suite" over the tighter "triple room".

The above would be the corner suite; size is the same as triple room at 28 square meters although the layout appeared to give us a sense of more space. I have no idea why they add in another single bed since there are only three of us! We not that fat what! 

Basic room amenities; flat screen TV (Korean brand of course) which we didn't even both switching on, electric kettle for my three in one Old Town white coffee, a mini fridge that had three bottles of mineral water, safe for our valuables, slippers etc. In addition to the aforementioned, you can also find bathrobes and extra pillows in the closet! 

3-pin plug!!! USB charger!!! Essential for our contemporary lifestyle involving loads of electronic gadgets! The standard power socket in Korea has a weird design that may not be suitable even with an international power adapter; therefore, i am really happy to see the above! 

A unique feature of the hotel is actually the jutted out windows which provides the hotel with a very artistic facade; if you thought they are merely for decoration and serve no other purpose, you are so wrong. 

My sister used it as a little space to drink her morning coffee and people-watch! I am not sure if the enclosed platform can take a human weight but since there wasn't any notice warning guests not to do so, we figured it would be safe. 

The heart skipped quite a few beats when i chanced upon this box later! Upon reading the text (which was thankfully in English), it seemed to be a mechanism for guests to escape from the windows if there is an emergency like fire. 

Now let's talk a look at the bathroom. There was a bathtub, unavailable in the triple room we stayed in, and a toilet bowl with bidet functions! 

*love* i really miss my toilet with the non-electronic bidet whenever i am overseas! Nothing beats the satisfaction of clean water washing my asshole! 

Bathroom amenities; besides the common shower gel, shampoo, lotion conditioner, long-haired individuals might also be pleased to note that it came equipped with a hair dryer. 

Louise is a gym fanatic - from my understanding, one of her priorities for selecting a hotel is the availability of a gymnasium! Though small, the gym in Hotel Manu had quite a good selection of equipment.

I had a fun time using them and am seriously contemplating signing up for a gym membership to tone my body and get the abs that i have always wanted! 

An ironing room is located right next to the gym. Those who could not stand using conventional iron can also opt for the clothes steamer. 

Two laptops and local newspapers (only one was in English) were available at the hotel lobby for us to surf the web and read the local news respectively. For those who are using the hotel as a transit like we did, you can leave your heavier luggage with the hotel and bring along a lighter one.

In our case; as our flight home was at midnight, we also left our entire luggage with the hotel upon checking out at 12 noon and returned to collect them at around 7.30pm. 

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For a four-star hotel, i would have expected marvelous service from all counter staff. Sadly, there was hardly any smile in our three-night stay except for the lady on the last day who was extremely helpful to our request. 

To add insult to the counter staff, the housekeeping staff were the ones who would cheerfully greet us at the start of each day; to which we responded with an equally great smile and a chirpy "annyeonghaseyo". 

Location
84-16, Namdaemunno 5ga, Jung-gu, 
Myeong-dong / Namsan, 
Seoul, South Korea

Map 
As above. The recommended way was to take exit 4 or 7 from metro line 1 (dark blue); 4 has an elevator which is helpful if you have loads of luggage and 7, despite being the nearest to Hotel Manu, is known for being a sleeping area for the homeless after sunset. 

I have a better suggestion; walk directly from the main entrance of Lotte Outlets (Seoul Station) to the hotel! You can even see Hotel Manu from where i took the picture (which was also outside exit 1 of metro line 1). Only problem; rain. 

Website

Additional Information
Too much luggage? Ask for Kim's airport shuttle service! Information as above; i am not sure if the price would be cheaper if you contact Mr Kim directly via his email reservation@kimsshuttle.com. 

Manu Therapy Massage services for those who have time. 
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The Interesting Amazon Flooded Forest - with Manatees, Piranhas and Giant River Otters @ River Safari [Singapore]

October 26, 2014, 1:14 am
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The Amazon rain forest is noted for being the largest of its kind in the world and despite a wide range of available information about it, i wasn't aware of the fact that for six to nine months during the wet season, the forest would be flooded by as high as 10 meters of river water! 

This air-conditioned attraction at river safari seeks to let visitors experience that very underwater scene and i must say it was a pretty neat concept although it does remind me somewhat of the S.E.A aquarium at Sentosa. 

After walking through that underwater tunnel (which didn't appear to have any activity), we walked along the cavern-lookalike path where there were pockets of aquariums. 

There was the electric eel, with powerful electricity capable to stun a horse. Attempts to take pictures of it failed miserably with not one picture good enough for uploading.

I had better luck with the piranhas; don't be deceived their diamond-speckled body and minuscule size, their spiky teeth can bite through "steel fishing hooks"! 

Everyone was crowding in front and i wondered if this would be the place where i can marvel at the chubbiness of the manatees. But strange though; i thought they would likely be housed in the enclosure said to be "the world's largest freshwater aquarium".

Awwwww, the super adorable giant river otters! Deviating from our local otters, this species can grow up to 1.8 meters (yes, taller than me) and prey on piranhas! 

Right opposite the giant river otter aquarium - "the world's largest freshwater aquarium"! Measuring 22 meters by 4 meters, it is a child compared to the humongous exhibit at the S.E.A aquarium.

Key attraction here is the manatees! Now, who can tell me the difference between manatees and dugong? Honestly, i thought they were the same species with varied regional names like spring onion and scallion. 

Physical difference; the tail! A dugong has a split tail like a fish whereas a manatee has a broad shaped tail similar to the beavers! A dugong also lives exclusively in marine waters and can be found even in Singapore. There were quite a few manatees in this exhibit but they were all busy gorging on food! 

Walking up the enclosure; the route actually starts from the bottom and leads to the top by circling the aquarium which allows visitors to have different viewing angles. At least at this point, i am able to spot a manatee swimming past us in that ever slow, graceful movement. 

Top of the exhibit - an overview of the flooded forest from above the water.

The manatees' buffet section. You can't really see them although you can see their moving snouts sucking in the cabbages. 

At this level is also the above view of the giant river otters' exhibit. 

For only three otters, i must say the enclosure is a luxury! If some of you can recollect from the news, one of them is currently still a kid and holds the title of "Asia’s first giant river otter baby"! 

The way they are enjoying the water under the hot sun made me want to jump in together with them! Maybe not as the giant river otters are known to be ferocious and have made attacks on bigger animals like caimans! 

Last picture before i end this post. 

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Location 
Within River Safari. 
[Admission ticket to River Safari applies]
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Day One [Singapore -> Seoul]: Korea 2014 Trip

October 27, 2014, 7:22 am
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I can never imagine why travellers would want to wait until the last minute before they check in; in my opinion, check in should be allowed even up to six hours in advance so that i could truly check out the world class Changi Airport, from the inside! 

Alas, i could not really do that in my recent trip as it already took us more than half an hour to flag a cab to bring us down to Terminal 3! By the time i cleared custom, it was almost time to line up in queue to board the plane. 

Whatever the case, it was a full-serviced airline and for sure i am guaranteed to have the comfort (a blanket, pillow etc) that budget airlines would not be able to match at the face value of their ticket!

Look, i am not complaining; without budget airlines, you would rarely see me flying out of the little red dot! There are some frill benefits to taking Singapore Airlines (like the USB port where i can charge my iPhone) but with the advancement of technology (especially iPad), i believe many of us can self entertain without the TV screen in front of us. 

Having said that, my heart could not help fluttering towards the many recent blockbusters listed on KrisWorld (Singapore Airlines' in-flight entertainment system)! Transformer: Age of Extinction, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, How to Train Your Dragon 2; all of which i have yet to catch!!! 

As expected, i sacrificed sleep (cannot sleep anyway since it was day time when we departed) to watch the movies and manage to catch three of them just for this leg of the plane ride. 

The aeroplane had to divert to the runway at Terminal 2 before it could take off. Saw the road? That was the exact same road that brings us to the airport. It is quite an impressive sight to see gigantic planes moving across the bridge whenever i drive past. 

Took off at Singapore Time 3.19 pm; a delay of close to 25 minutes! 

Hm..... What is the government building again this time? Oh! I think this would be the new site for terminal 5, said to be one of the "largest terminals in the world" when completed with the capability to handle 50 million passengers a year!  

Time to take off the seat belt (captain recommended everyone to keep it on though). The announcements were made in English and Korean (duh); the most interesting one i have heard so far was a hokkien version when i took a flight to Xiamen.

Menu of the day! 

I requested for the beef bulgogi with meat that was a tad too chewy yet flavourful enough for me to clean up the entire rectangular plastic bowl. Dessert was a disappointing Magnolia Mag-A-Cone; had Magnum then when i was on a SQ plane to Beijing a few years back. 

Like this photo as it seems so vintage!

6pm with the setting sun; so long i am given an option to choose my own seats, you would likely see me opting for the seats not facing the sun! Taking photos would be a pain to the eyes!

Most passengers started dozing off, including my two sisters. I was glad to have a window seat and an empty seat next to me! 

30 minutes to reaching Seoul - temperature outside was a freezing -36 degrees celcius?!!?!? No way would you see me ever climbing Mount Everest, which is at about the same altitude. 

Insufficient time to catch a fourth movie, i started playing a game i used to enjoy; Zumba (not to be confused with the Zumba fitness dance). 

Taking the shuttle train to the main passenger terminal where we can have our passports chopped! Both sisters looked so fresh because they had sufficient sleep on the plane! 

Upon clearing the custom, it's time to seek out the Incheon Airport Railroad Express (also known as AREX). p.s. just a normal train with all-stop or express options. Express option (more than double the pricing for an all-stop) would bring you directly from Incheon Airport to Seoul Station. For more information, click here.  

Not that i want to scare you but in Seoul alone, there are nine metro lines with many intersection points! Do check your navigation before you proceed. For us to get to Hotel Manu, we had to exit from Seoul Station Exit 2, towards Metro Line 1 / 4. 

For that one metro line (1 in this case), there are already nine bloody exits! An online directional guide was a failure in navigating us to the hotel and we were lost for about ten to twenty minutes even though we exited correctly! 

Thank god i am pretty good when it comes to reading maps! Another turn and voila, there's Hotel Manu right in front of us! Given the state of my tiredness, it didn't take me long to drift into dream land right after i took my shower. 

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For the summary of my inaugural South Korea trip (including Seoul and Jeju Island) and details of the respective days i was there, click HERE. 
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Seoul Go Gi Jib (Seoul Meat House) - A Surprise Find Right Behind Our Hotel @ Seoul [Korea]

October 28, 2014, 7:29 am
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My lack of understanding for the language means many of the striking signboards with Korean characters failed to attract my attention when i first explored the area outside my hotel.

But the stomach was growling and severely in need of nourishment. We walked past the restaurant a second time and caught one of the kitchen staff cutting up a humongous lump of delicious-looking omelette!

That concluded our search and we strolled right in! Thankfully, they had someone who can speak in halting Mandarin and it didn't take us long to order a kimchi stew with luncheon meat for two persons, a bowl of rice and of course, that omelette which appeared on almost all the occupied tables.

The side dishes, four of them, were simple and unexceptional save for the kimchi which tasted sweeter and crunchier than those in Singapore. Joyce, being on a carbo-restricted diet, was extremely pleased with the side dishes though.

I was wondering why a bowl of rice would cost us ₩2,000 (about S$2.40) until this was placed on our table. There seemed to be a light purplish tinge on the rice and the aura it exuded (together with the ginkgo nuts, red dates, green peas etc) was definitely a healthy one! 

Sadly, the grains were unlike the rice we are accustomed to and given the generous amount, it was a bit too much for us to stomach! The ahjumma kindly helped to soak the half eaten rice in water even though we were prepared to just leave it aside! 

Kimchi stew with luncheon meat - we were given the option of either luncheon meat or pork and the minimal serving was for two persons. What caught us off-guard was the piece of instant noodles! 

We were prepared for only the broth and that's primarily the reason why we asked for a bowl of rice! Anyway, i thought it was similar to army stew, without the cheese. 

The stew was spicy (i found it too overwhelming for my taste buds though) yet especially shiok in the cool weather. What i liked most was the luncheon meat which had a flavour similar to a specific range of Maling luncheon meat before it was banned in Singapore due to high levels of Nitrofurans! 

Omelette roll is a must-order! Well, most omelette tasted rich of egg anyway but this took the cake for two reasons; one, the insides were slightly runny and two, the satisfaction of having such a big piece of omelette! 

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Did we regret making our choice? 
Of course not! Could do with less carbohydrate though.

Location
Along Sejong-Daero 2-Gil
[next to Hotel Manu]

Map
As above.

Price
Healthy Rice - ₩2,000
Kimchi Stew with Luncheon Meat - ₩14,000
Omelette Roll - ₩7,000

Additional Information
The restaurant filled up really fast when the clock hit 12 noon (which said a lot about its popularity and likely, authenticity). We were lucky to have stepped in at 11.45 am as a queue has already formed outside the establishment by 12.05 pm. 

I don't know how to recognise / pronounce the name of the restaurant. If you are proficient in the language, you may refer to the name card as appended above. 


For the summary of my inaugural South Korea trip (including Seoul and Jeju Island) and details of the respective days i was there, click HERE.
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