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Ah Hoe Mee Pok - The Branch Managed by Japanese (Mother-Son) @ West Coast Block 713, Clementi West Street 2

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Having tasted the original Ah Hoe Mee Pok, it's time for me to check out the man's disciples who have set up two separate branches in the West Coast district.

The amazing story scope was that his disciples were Japanese who didn't mind the back-breaking work required from hawkers! Their dedication was especially commendable as even locals shun the occupation preferring comfortable, air-conditioned environment.

Unlike the torturing close-to-45 minutes wait standing in the queue, the wait at this mother-son branch was made sitting down at our table; i have never been that grateful for this technology!

At first glance, this didn't appear too different from the one served at original Ah Hoe but before i start with the bowl filled with mee pok and its company, let's talk about the soup which infused with a richer flavour.

On ingredients - have you noticed the difference? This one at the Japanese branch was added with meat balls! Boy do i love meat balls! 

Noodles at this branch were better cooked and i must say the noodle-cooking skill from the young Japanese man had definitely surpassed its master! The taste of vinegar was also significantly stronger yet not to the extent of overpowering although as a whole, the overall combination was in fact nicer. 

Now, i wonder if the last branch, the one consisting of father and daughter from the same Japanese family, would be even better. Anticipation awaits! 

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Location 
Block 713, Clementi West Street 2, 
One Kitchen Coffee Shop, 
Singapore 120713

Map 
As above

Menu
As above.

Pricing
Mushroom Minced Meat Mee Pok - Minimal S$4

Update for Sukhumvit Soi 38 Food Street (Night) in 2016 @ Bangkok [Thailand]

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I am a food loyalist and if i like something from a specific place, chances are i would make a special trip just to curb my craving; just last year, i had a great time at Sukhumvit Soi 38 Food Street and decided to drop by for dinner in April 2016. 

Same street but my mind was telling me something was amiss. 

A row of shophouses was demolished and there laid a void that changed the atmosphere. I am not an avid believer for Feng Shui but it's hard not to notice that the crowd was exceptionally thin throughout my short stay.

We went back to the same food cluster (sheltered) visited in 2015 and there appeared to have more stalls. Maybe those stalls along the street where the shophouses used to stand have moved in.

Feels like a typical coffee shop / non-air-conditioned food court and i was thinking, along with Alex, if we would be better off dining at Pier 21 instead.

Mango Sticky Rice - in 2015, this was amazing! This time, flavour appeared to be lacking. Now, when it comes to food, it's hard to maintain a hundred percent, guaranteed consistency unless everything is prescribed to the precise timing, portion etc.

Satay - no complaint although i would prefer some fats in between the lean meat. More commendable was the pickled onions and cucumber slices; tasted somewhat like our local achar. Sorry i didn't make a mental note for the prices for both dishes! 

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For location and the way to get to Sukhumvit Soi 38 Food Street
please click here

To read more on my relaxing 6 days, 5 nights Bangkok itinerary, please click here. :)

Joyce's Birthday 2016

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I was thrown to be the videographer for Jovyn's birthday and that means i didn't take any photograph to commemorate her 5th year of birth! Whatever the case, i am not going to miss the next family's birthday; that of my elder sister, Joyce.

Now that i have my own convention oven, it makes perfect sense for us to bake a birthday cake although my skill at the moment is still limited to cake mix and preferably, cupcake style. Introducing to you red velvet cupcakes with whipped cream and rainbow sprinkles! 

Here's the birthday girl with her two kids and our mum. 

People have commented that as Jovyn grows older, she bears an uncanny resemblance to her mum. This differs from her younger days when she seemed to look more like my younger sister when she was a toddler.

Let the 4-version singing begin! Look at the direction of Jovyn's eyes when we reached almost the end of the happy birthday medley; no prize for guessing what she was going to do next! 

She had to kill steal by blowing the candle before the official birthday gal could do so! Gosh, when is she going to outgrow that?! Jerald had already come to terms that only the birthday boy / girl has the privilege to blow the candle(s).

They had a good, hearty laugh though! haha

The candle was relighted so that my sister could have the time to make her wish! The brat was still eyeing the candle with enthusiasm and couldn't resist grinning! 

Well, at least both brats waited for a split second before joining their mum to blow out the candle. In their haste, i can literally see their saliva spitting out onto the cupcakes! 

Global Carnival Amusement Park by Chang Beer @ Bangkok Lumphini Square (Next to Neon Fest) [Thailand]

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We were expecting a neon extravaganza but chanced upon a large scale fun fair similar to the Uncle Ringo funfair we used to see in Singapore about 20 years ago!

Known as Chang Global Carnival, i think you would know who the main sponsor is by looking at the two neon-green elephants on the sides! I wasn't keen to enter given the hefty pricing; entry fee is 90 baht and that's not even including the ticket for the individual rides! 

As expected, the never-grow-up Alex insisted and i only relented when he offered to pay! It was a Tuesday and the place was rather deserted; a situation preferred by a local TV production company that was checking out the place. 

Remember, the RFID tag would act as your electronic wallet whenever you take a ride and you should keep wristband on you until you leave the carnival.

This neon-top container would be the only way for you to top up your tag with cash. Even though Alex was willing to fork out the money, kind-hearted me couldn't ignore the fact that the rides were too expensive and chose to be the photographer instead. 

Fantasia - simply put, it's an electronic merry go round for kids. I couldn't imagine if the two brats were with me; it's with utmost certainty i would leave with a much lighter wallet.

Wave Swinger - another merry go round but for adults and with the ability to make one soar to the skies! okay, maybe just a few meters higher. 

A kid's version known as Mini Swinger was available too! 

River Rafting - with a tagline "ready to get wet", this would be one ride we would hate to take without an extra set of clothing and i doubt it would be as exciting as the ones at Adventure Cove

Booster - Uncle Ringo had a similar ride and i think it was called Top-Gun. Now that i am taller (compared to my pre-teens) and older, i am under the impression this was much higher than Top-Gun! 

I was tempted and would have proceeded if not the screams and green, about to vomit, expression from two riders who gamely took up a dare. The rotation was insanely fast, resulting in a pull that's likely to force the soul out of your physical body! 

The movie that came to mind was "Final Destination" - not a good omen. 

Dark Ride Horror House - a haunted dwelling that's getting too lame in the contemporary era we live in. None of us took it as i assumed it would be similar to the one we encountered at Taiwan; Swiss Castle (古堡怪談) @ Yun Hsien Resort, Wulai.

Galeone - another iconic ride for old school amusement park. I loved this when i was young; until i chanced upon an incident that a rider vomited halfway through. Ugh!

Maybe i should consider the kiddish version; Mini Ship. 

See the Booster in action! Compared to the rest of the rides, this proved to be the most enthralling and surprisingly, the most popular too judging from the screams i heard ever so frequently from the sky. 

The fast moving, motion sickness inducing Musik Express; boasting a maximum 12 revolutions per minutes which translated into 5 seconds a round, i can guaranteed a merlion output if i ever take it. 

As the rides were pricey, Alex took his own sweet time to decide which ride to take. Eventually, he decided to go with the classic - the Wave Swinger! 

I wasn't allowed to post his photo so let's replace the dickhead with a smiley face! :) Anyway, there was a similar ride at the outdoor theme park in Genting Highlands before their demolition and Alex will take it every time he was there.

For me, i don't take well to rides that go in circles. As someone prone to motion sickness, unless i am the driver, i would not want to spoil my overseas vacations! 

Operator for the Wave Swinger - yes, you suspect correctly; his control station was in the eye of the storm! Personally, i thought it is a safety hazard! 

Stern Von Rio - this seemingly harmless looking ride was in fact the ultimate motion-sickness inducer and i didn't realise it until it started moving.

The twists and turns may appear nothing to you but i can assure you it would be a different story when you are on it. There was one at Berjaya Times Square theme park in Kuala Lumpur and the whole bunch of us who took the ride had to rest for at least half an hour and that didn't even result in full recovery. 

Kangaroo - a family fun ride that again was quite the same with another ride in Universal Studios Singapore. Could you guess which one? It's Dino-Soaring

Dodgem - our classic bumper cars. 

Ferris Wheel - another mainstay in traditional amusement parks even though this was a lot shorter than the one in Asiatique the Riverfront at Bangkok

Wasn't 'open for business' though. 

Freij's Euro Star - a rollercoaster attraction that i enjoyed very much when i was younger and there wasn't Universal Studios Singapore

Now that we have a few such rides in Universal Studios Singapore with Battlestar Galactica towering the others with heart in your mouth exhilaration and the unforgettable G-Force, i can honestly tell you that this would pale in comparison.

Toys for Kids - it should be renamed Toys for Boys as the vessels are the typical motor vehicles not well liked by the fairer sex; namely, "fire trucks, buses, police cars, racing cars and even motorcycles".

Brucomela - a family themed roller-coaster that would result in many yawns for seasoned adults like me. Oh well, i will pretend to be thrilled when i am with the kids.

Wild Mouse - layout was quite similar to the Caribbean Splash at Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village without the water element. The difference was actually quite wide as the cars would spin around when moving; again, unsuitable for motion-sickers! 

Another two rides for the kids - you can still find them in Singapore and usually in bigger scale pasar malams. Jovyn and Jerald love them and i usually push the payment to my younger sister who dotes on them!

Alex wanted another ride and despite my strong endorsement for the Booster, the scaredy cat opted for the lesser-thrill; the Extreme. 

I am taking back my words for calling Alex a scaredy cat as the ride was no joke and i applauded him for his courage even though he had no inkling how bad it was! Hahaha. 

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Location
Corner of Lumphini Park

Nearest MRT Station
Lumphini MRT Station, Exit 1

Map of Carnival
As above.

Pricing for Rides
As above.


Neon Fest (Closed) @ Lumphini Square [Bangkok]

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My intention was to share my experience when i chose to visit the Neon Fest in Bangkok on a weekday. Alas, the festival has since shut down for good but i couldn't just cast my photos aside since they are tied to my Bangkok 2016 travelogue

The visit was a Tuesday and i was already suspecting something was amiss when the usual crowd was missing when i stepped out of the MRT station. Things worsened when i got nearer to the supposed location of the fest.

With lights still switched on for the main signboard, it gave one the impression that everything was "business as usual". 

Sad fact was that there wasn't much activity and there were other clueless people like who decided to check out the place even though it was a weekday. 


Some stalls were open although limited to mainly F&B. As i was more interested in retail shopping rather than F&B, there's honestly nothing much for me.


A tad interested in the butter beer but hardly sufficient motivation for me to actually sit down and enjoy a mug of beer popularised in the Harry Potter books. 

Alex, on the other hand, had his eyes glued to the amusement park next to the Neon Fest. It's the Chang Beer Global Carnival which, as of today, is still operational! Check out the link here for the rides available in the funfair

Spotted this when i left for the station; damn, so the neon fest was only open from Thursdays to Sundays! In a way, i kind of regretted not landing in Bangkok on a Thursday to stretch out the "weekend" for more night markets. 

As mentioned right in the beginning of this post, Neon Fest has CLOSED for good until further notice. Even the facebook page has since been taken down.

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Sampeng Lane Wholesale Market @ Bangkok Chinatown [Thailand]

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I cannot remember when my last visit to Sampeng Lane was and this revelation came as a shock to me given how much i love the wholesale market in the past; so much so that my accommodation had to be in Chinatown then!

Sampeng Lane isn't visible from the main Yaowarat Road (the main artery of Chinatown) but it isn't difficult to find; just follow the human traffic. On a side note, do keep in mind that the wholesale market generally closes at about 4-5pm.

My recommendation is to go at about 1-2pm, do your shopping and once that's done, maybe about 2-3 hours later, it would be about time for an early dinner at nighttime famous eateries like T&K!

As the heart of Bangkok for Chinese commercial entities, it's a given to find shops selling Chinese herbs and medicinal products. My mom ever hauled back a kilogram of dried fish maw; i didn't know there's a non-puffy version!

Chinese temples attract my attention whenever i am overseas although i am mindful of my company; Alex dislikes the waste of time whenever i want to check out temples. As a superficial human, i would see if the facade is interesting before deciding the insistence level.

There are over 70 photographs and faced with such a long post, i would have to apologise in advance in event i get out of topic or sprout really nonsensical stuff towards the end.

Many things were up for sale even though the scale couldn't compare to Chatuchak Weekend Market. In addition, this was essentially a wholesale market and a price for one can differs a lot if you buy three or more of the same item.

Hence, don't bother bargaining unless you have the quantity or you are certain that the shop isn't into wholesale marketing.

One giveaway sign for wholesale marketing - the lack of / simpleness of decoration and the magnitude of items on display!

I am thankful and grateful that i am a man as many things for sale were catered more for the ladies. Just a handbag of the same style can have so many colours! I would get frustrated just thinking which one i should get.

Cute pouches for the kids; i have mentioned this many times before, verbal and written, that Sampeng Lane is a great destination for parents to buy cheap yet good gifts!

Coin pouches - i am missing the one my sister got for me which came in handy when i am overseas, especially towards the end when i can just dump all the foreign coins to buy some snacks at the convenience store.

Otah on bread or its lookalike. Befitting Bangkok's image with street-lined food hawkers, there were food hawkers every now and then along the lane.

Hats! I do respect the decision by store owners in disallowing people to try their products. Photography, however, is a bit hard to stop nowadays with the advancement of technology! If anyone really has that conviction to copy your style, they can do so easily without the big ass camera i had in my possession.

Bags of soft toys! I don't know what the trend is nowadays but when i was in kindergarten, it's common to have the birthday boy / girl distributing goody bags to their classmates and it could include erasers, chocolate wafers, pens, sweets etc. 

Pretty key chains at 50 baht each; i think. 

Some sections along the way maybe unsheltered so do bring along an umbrella in case it rains. As it was a super hot period when i visited, there wasn't a drop of rain throughout the six days!

Umbrella would be helpful to shield those UV rays! My mom is always prepared with a brolly in her handbag in the event she feels a tinge of warmness on her face.

Plastic containers to organise your house / office; judging from the dimensions, i am inclined not to buy anything that's not expensive yet can substantially eat into my baggage space.

More photos for your viewing pleasure; fake flowers that can be made into a flower garland, ribbons for the presents, necklaces that came with pendants and hairbands! 

Sampeng Lane cuts across a few roads and you have to be prepared to look out for traffic!

Not enough luggage? Get these old school plastic / nylon bags for lighter items like clothes! I bought one before in Bangkok and it lasted me quite a few years.

As the market's main customer base is Thais from all over the country, it makes better sense to use the Thai language. Nevertheless, the vendors do see a ready stream of tourists and simple English can still be accepted. In case all fail, take out a calculator and use basic sign gestures.

I have always wanted to buy sunglasses but it's hard for me to wear them as i wear prescription glasses and seldom go for contact lens. 

Dreamcatchers! 

Lifelike dolls that give me the creeps! I don't understand the fascination people have with dolls; wouldn't it be scary if you hear them talk or see them move? I think i should cut down on horror movies like Annabelle.

The lane can be narrow but because it's a straight line, i don't get as confused with the navigation compared to Pratunam area! 

OK Station - it's a one-stop station for you to buy things for your kids or their friends! And you know what's the most attractive thing about the shop? It's air-conditioned.

With home-sewing machines gaining slow yet steady popularity, maybe you can find the fabric you want from the massive selection available! 

Hello Kitty stuff - with such economical pricing, please don't expect the brand to be legitimate. The same goes for quite a few other notable cartoon characters like those from Frozen.

Or Doraemon.

Beads for craftwork; Alex's had a wide range interest to occupy his mind and one was making bracelet / necklace from beads. I suck in craftwork.

Face masks - remembering that Joyce had specifically asked me to buy a few from China when i was in Gulin last year (and couldn't find them), i took the opportunity to buy a few for the kids!

Watches - those who know well will know i don't wear any accessories and that include the watch. Reason is that i sweat profusely and the watch strap tends to stink after a while! 

With the kids growing exponentially year by year, i am finding it more and more difficult to buy clothes for them! For Jerald, he can already fit into my young sister's tee shirts!

Neon vests for emergency workers etc. As a member of the fire safety committee, this brings back memory from Singapore as i am expected to wear a luminous green vest when an emergency hits!

Cosmetic jewellery, watches, undergarments and more garments! 

Crowd thinned as we advanced further and further away from the main Chinatown buzz. 

Fabric stickers - from what i recollect, these have never really taken off in Singapore but this is hardly surprising as the little red dot isn't known for the fashion scene. Food binds us much better!

From far, i thought they were real gold!!! 

I should have purchased a few meters back to Singapore so that i can get a tailor to make my office pants! Given my short stature, normal off-the-shelve pants are just too long for me! :( 

Food hawkers along the lane. I remember a cafe in the past although i didn't chance upon any in my recent trip. 

Without looking closer, you wouldn't have noticed the pedestrian crossing button! If this happens in Singapore, nothing would be done yet the news would likely make it to the social media. 

Crossing another main road cutting through Sampeng Lane.

A new schoolbag for your kid? I almost wanted to buy one for both Jerald and Jovyn and decided not to as i don't really have an eye for such things. Actually, i do get frustrated buying presents as i am worried the recipient would not like it and i would spend my money for nothing. Better to give cash sometimes. 

More photographs for your viewing; shops selling laces, flower-print tablemats, cushion covers, plastic hairbands and children pajamas and swimsuits (i think)! 

Are you still using handkerchiefs instead of tissue paper? There are a few things that have gone obsolete in my generation and i presume handkerchiefs would be gone soon. 

Oh my gosh! The kind of clothes my grandmas wore in the past! My mom said once in her early 40s that she would wear this traditional attire when she turns 60. Nope, thankfully it didn't happen!

Need special buttons to adorn your shirt / dress? Look no further!

Shimmering beads for craft-work! The lady manning the store was so nice as she kindly allowed me to take photographs! 

A nicely decorated hat / cap shop. 

Traditional biscuits in a tin. Now that i have my own house, i think i should pay Biscuit King a visit to stock up the snack cupboard. Back when i was in my parents' house, i am hesitant to buy as my younger sister can easily finish half a tin in one sitting!! 

I think we call this fruit Salak (also known a snake skin fruit); couldn't quite remember how it tastes like even though i am sure i have eaten it before. 

The end of the wholesale market was easy to spot as you would have to reach a canal and with a cement pedestrian crossing.  

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Location
Bangkok, Thailand

Map
Highlighted in yellow. Nearest MRT station is Hualamphong.


Blooie's Roadhouse Bar & Grill @ The Aquarius (Science Park II) [Singapore]

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Those working in NUS and would like to have a colleagues-only night should consider the Blooie's Roadhouse at the nearby Science Park II - my colleagues drove but i did notice a bus stop for service number 183 which stops at quite a number of bus stops along Clementi Road. 

This was taken on a Friday evening and there was hardly any customer, making the roadhouse a perfect spot for chilling out among friends and close colleagues. 

Having beer and liquor, unfortunately, were not on our to-do list and i guess we were more inclined to partake in another bar activity; a game at the pool table! 

Deep Fried Button Mushroom
Food was more important obviously and we got this to share. Freshly fried, the batter was crispy yet wasn't thick enough to overshadow the juicy button mushrooms within. Now, i am wondering if i am able to emulate the same dish right at the comfort of my own house!

Roadhouse Pork Chops
Even without the paw print (for chef's recommendation), i know for sure i would order the pork chops as it's not common to find pork chops on Western Cuisine menus

For S$19.90, it was two big and thick chunks of pork goodness, drenched in a special sauce that was honestly too bland for me and could have been replaced with something more zesty. And boy do i love the delicious fats by the edge of the chops! 

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Location
21 Science Park Road, #01-01
The Aquarius (Science Park II)
Singapore 117628

Operating Hours
Sundays to Thursdays - 12pm to 11pm
Fridays to Saturdays - 12pm to 1am
Eves of Public Holidays - 12pm to 1am

Website

Prices
Deep Fried Button Mushroom - S$13.50
Roadhouse Pork Chops - S$19.90
(Subject to GST and Service Charge)

Dong Po Colonial Cafe (东坡茶室) - Superb Kopi @ 56 Kandahar Street [Near Bugis]

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Most people would proceed to Ya Kun, Toastbox, Fun Toast to fix their craving for local kopi and traditional toast as their sheer number of outlets made it extremely convenient. 

Dong Po Colonial Cafe, however, was situated in an inconvenient location stuck in between Bugis and Lavender MRT stations. I know because i had to walk there on an early Saturday morning! 

As the name suggested, the interior design of the cafe was planned towards the period before Singapore declared independence although there was still the modern comfort; the very much needed air conditioning in the premise. 

Since we are on decoration, let me show you the interesting tables with hollow compartment that's covered with a glass top; interesting relics of that era were placed within the compartment and each table had different items! 

I don't belong to the generation that has seen the 50s or 60s but i am sure my parents didn't use the Chinese chess pawns as replacement for pool balls. 

Items found in the homes back then were placed at wooden bookcases near the cashier. My era doesn't have the charcoal iron but i do remember the wooden clogs my mom would wear when we were living in the village! 

With so much money presumably sank in for the decoration, i seriously expect chairs that are wooden instead of plastic! It just doesn't make sense to have noticeably plastic chairs destroying the "nostalgia feel" even if they are lighter (hence, easily stacked up for ease of cleaning).

Nevertheless, my mantra dictates that food matters more than decorations and in Dong Po, we are talking more than the toast!

There were many cakes and pastries to choose from with some that i have never even heard of in my life despite the fact that most had existed for more than half a century; one example, what the heck is a lamington?!

Breakfast isn't a meal i required although a cup of kopi will be essential to kick start my day! I really enjoyed the coffee which had just the right level of sweetness, wasn't bitter and featured the addictive fragrant buttery flavour! 

Given that it's an arranged meet-up session with friends on a weekend, it's necessary to order more than just beverage! A bit too much if you ask me as there were only four of us and two of them couldn't even manage a normal-sized meal.

It's been a while since i last had such good kaya butter toast; lightly sweetened kaya and amazing butter even though the crisp was a result of machine rather than traditionally charcoal toasted.

Less impressionable were the pastries including apple crumble tart and bostock even though my friends enjoyed them way better than i did.

No complaint about the eggs but i bet Alex the soft boiled egg guru would love them for being the perfect texture. 

The ladies were done and there were still so much food left! Would i be back? Definitely and i would bring along my parents; psst, my mum was already aware of this place and had already dined there before i did.

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Location
56 Kandahar Street

Map 
As above from streetdirectory.com

Operating Hours
Sundays to Thursdays - 8am to 8pm
Fridays to Saturdays - 8am to 10pm

Facebook Page

Set Menu
As above

Eastern House of Seafood Delicacy (東味鮮美食閣) @ 55 Chai Chee Drive [Singapore's Bedok]

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Celebrating Mother / Father's Day shouldn't be an annual affair and my family have always maintained that if one is filial, everyday is a father / mother's day! 

In relation to the aforementioned statement, we generally don't make a big hooha on both heavily-promoted events and choose instead to have a bonding family meal a week or two before / after said "day". For Father's Day this year, our choice for lunch fell onto the lap of Eastern House of Seafood Delicacy.

The recommendation came from a friend who commended on the good yet economically-priced dishes she had; two important factors when it comes to treating my stingy dad. Without further ado, let's start!

Salted Egg Chicken
My craving for salted egg chicken had intensified recently and although this wasn't as nice as the one at Singapore Polytechnic, it's sufficient to rein in the desire. Now that i have my own kitchen, maybe i should consider making my own! 

Fried Bee Hoon w Pig Trotter
As the signature dish, i knew i had to order it for the benefit of my family members. Unlike the amazingly good one at Melody's Kitchen, it was way too oily with a strong pig trotter flavour; absolutely not my cup of tea.

Four Treasure Tofu
By the time i took a bite, only the a few pieces of tofu were left. The texture and taste didn't disappoint and i remember it was filled with ingredients! The thickened sauce was flavourful and should be drenched onto your bowl of plain white rice.

Assam Fish Head
Another must order even though i was hesitant as i mentioned in many occasions; i am not a big fan of fish given their high pricing and i realised that with an oven, cooking frozen cod was a breeze!

Nevertheless, my parents matter more and i was glad i did order! The fish was fresh, meaty and most irresistible was the appetising sauce that had both spiciness and sourness perfectly complementing each other! Mix them into your rice too!

Dry Roast Sotong
It's been a while since i last had such good sotong. Aside from boasting an extremely tender texture, the seasoning used resulted in an enhanced taste that set it apart from its competitors. 

Dinosaur Pork Rib
Don't order this if you are expecting Chinese style pork ribs! This dinosaur pork rib had the appearance of ang mo pork ribs and tasted like one too! The meat fell off the bones easily and this feature would likely attract a few fans. I still prefer my traditional Chinese pork ribs; coffee, marmite etc.

Trio-Egg Spinach
I honestly thought this was a soup as it was too watery! Taste was bland but alright although i think a thicker consistency would help push up its popularity.

Butter Crab
Promotion was 2 crabs for $40 and you can only choose one style. Do note that the crabs were not big and you do have the choice to request for the bigger, more expensive crabs. For us, we were more than happy to take up the promotion and the style shall be.... butter! 

The butter was overshadowed by the garlic and i honestly felt this was underflavoured for a butter crab that should be wetter and with a chunk of tasty, sinful flavour.

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Location
55 Chai Chee Drive,
#01-174, Singapore 460055

Location Map
As above

Operating Hours
11am to 10pm

Menu & Pricing
As above. 

I couldn't find my receipt but my family was totally blown away by the price! I think in total, including rice and drinks, the 6 adults + 2 kids didn't pay more than S$150 for the entire meal! 

Eastern House of Seafood Delicacy (東味鮮美食閣) @ 55 Chai Chee Drive [Singapore's Bedok]

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Celebrating Mother / Father's Day shouldn't be an annual affair and my family have always maintained that if one is filial, everyday is a father / mother's day! 

In relation to the aforementioned statement, we generally don't make a big hooha on both heavily-promoted events and choose instead to have a bonding family meal a week or two before / after said "day". For Father's Day this year, our choice for lunch fell onto the lap of Eastern House of Seafood Delicacy.

The recommendation came from a friend who commented on the good yet economically-priced dishes she had; two important factors when it comes to treating my stingy dad. Without further ado, let's start!

Salted Egg Chicken
My craving for salted egg chicken had intensified recently and although this wasn't as nice as the one at Singapore Polytechnic, it's sufficient to rein in the desire. Now that i have my own kitchen, maybe i should consider making my own! 

Fried Bee Hoon w Pig Trotter
As the signature dish, i knew i had to order it for the benefit of my family members. Unlike the amazingly good one at Melody's Kitchen, it was way too oily with a strong pig trotter flavour; absolutely not my cup of tea.

Four Treasure Tofu
By the time i took a bite, only the a few pieces of tofu were left. The texture and taste didn't disappoint and i remember it was filled with ingredients! The thickened sauce was flavourful and should be drenched onto your bowl of plain white rice.

Assam Fish Head
Another must order even though i was hesitant as i mentioned in many occasions; i am not a big fan of fish given their high pricing and i realised that with an oven, cooking frozen cod was a breeze!

Nevertheless, my parents matter more and i was glad i did order! The fish was fresh, meaty and most irresistible was the appetising sauce that had both spiciness and sourness perfectly complementing each other! Mix them into your rice too!

Dry Roast Sotong
It's been a while since i last had such good sotong. Aside from boasting an extremely tender texture, the seasoning used resulted in an enhanced taste that set it apart from its competitors. 

Dinosaur Pork Rib
Don't order this if you are expecting Chinese style pork ribs! This dinosaur pork rib had the appearance of ang mo pork ribs and tasted like one too! The meat fell off the bones easily and this feature would likely attract a few fans. I still prefer my traditional Chinese pork ribs; coffee, marmite etc.

Trio-Egg Spinach
I honestly thought this was a soup as it was too watery! Taste was bland but alright although i think a thicker consistency would help push up its popularity.

Butter Crab
Promotion was 2 crabs for $40 and you can only choose one style. Do note that the crabs were not big and you do have the choice to request for the bigger, more expensive crabs. For us, we were more than happy to take up the promotion and the style shall be.... butter! 

The butter was overshadowed by the garlic and i honestly felt this was underflavoured for a butter crab that should be wetter and with a chunk of tasty, sinful flavour.

====

Location
55 Chai Chee Drive,
#01-174, Singapore 460055

Location Map
As above

Operating Hours
11am to 10pm

Menu & Pricing
As above. 

I couldn't find my receipt but my family was totally blown away by the price! I think in total, including rice and drinks, the 6 adults + 2 kids didn't pay more than S$150 for the entire meal! 

Bibigo Hot Stone - Korean Healthy Fresh Kitchen @ Raffles City Shopping Centre [Singapore]

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Although i love to eat, i seldom provide suggestions on the venue whenever there's a gathering among friends; reason being i honestly don't mind trying something new and the bonus is that i might even be able to blog about it! 

Hence, i was delighted when Vanessa proposed trying out Bibigo! I have always wanted to try out this Korean casual restaurant but there were just too many temptations at the basement level of Raffles City.

Never one to care much about the history of a company as times could dictate the change for many factors, you may check out Bibigo's website if you wish to know more. 

I am going to dive in straight to food as it's about midnight now and i am facing blogger's block. With a main dish ordered, you would be guaranteed of side dishes typical of Korean restaurants.

The one before the above photo, spicy seafood soft tofu stew, belonged to Vanessa but mine had the same side dishes. Among all, i was most impressed with the squid which tasted similar to the Japanese's Chuka Idako Chinmi; albeit with a spicier punch and in strips! 

As mine was a rice dish, i was also given a separate bowl of soup that was too bland for me. In this instance, i would have opted for the seaweed soup if it is available. 

Braised Pork Bibimbap - frankly, it didn't look much and i thought i could mix in the spicy kimchi in the event it falls short of expectation. Surprisingly, this turned out to be the most delicious bibimbap i had in recent times! 

The braised pork was the major game changer as it tasted different, in a good way, from the usual bulgogi yet complemented perfectly with the rest of the ingredients once mixed in! I am not so much into healthy-tasting food but this literally took my breath away. 

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Location
252 North Bridge Road, #B1-74, 
Raffles City Shopping Center, 
Singapore 179103

Nearest MRT Station
City Hall (next to the shopping centre)

Website

Pricing
Braised Pork Bibimbap - S$16
Iced Water - Complimentary
(Subject to GST & Service Charge)

Day Number Four of My Relaxing Six Days, Five Nights Bangkok Trip!

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Before hitting the street at 10.30 in the morning, i had already exercised in the gym, drunk a cup of Old Town 3-in-1 coffee, read the newspapers and even booked for a massage at Urban Retreat

Want to make a guess on where we had breakfast? Yes, the boring yet trusty Pier 21 food court in Terminal 21; the tram in the photograph was a strong enough hint. 

Taking the train as the area i stayed in was an interchange for BTS and MRT; two modes of convenient transportation within Bangkok! 

I think this is something Singapore should learn from; at one glance upon exit from the gantries, tourist like i would immediately know the exit to take.

Hua Lamphong railway station - despite its historical significance, i have yet to step into the building and i sure hope i would do so the next time i visit the capital city as the railway is still an inexpensive way of travelling within Thailand. 

Second Q&A for the day; do you know where we were going? Hint, the Chinese characters on the usually only-Thai signboards.

Against the blue sky with white cloudy patches, this photo of a golden-spire building was indeed stunning! It houses the "world's biggest solid gold statue" and you may read more here

Kind of lost my way as i got to an iconic traffic circle, with a traditional Chinese arch, bordering quite a number of roads. 

In such cases, especially when you are overseas, don't panic and don't be shy. Ask for directions from the local; you would be surprised by the level of willingness and friendliness.

The destination; Chinatown - have you guessed it right? 

I used to count Chinatown as a must-do in my early visits to Bangkok and had in fact stayed there on quite a number of occasions in this hotel known as White Orchid. Seems like a new management had taken over and the name is now Hotel Royal Bangkok @ Chinatown. 

Nevertheless, my intention wasn't to reminisce my accommodation and the final destination still require a walk of a hundred meters or so. Did you notice the two posters at the stall? One showed the moves for Thai boxing while the other attracted more interest from me as it shows the steps for Thai massage! 

Regretted not buying that poster as it had English instructions and i thought i could learn the moves from the "illustrations" and practice them on my mom who totally enjoys Thai massage. 

Salted fish - i could never understand why people can like it so much and i absolutely couldn't stand them in claypot rice! 

Lotus roots - if i am with my mum, i would worry if she were to hover around the stall as there's a pretty high risk she might buy and bring it all the way back to Singapore! To be fair, i think i have inherited some of her genes as her true-blue biological son! 

Main objective fulfilled - revisiting Sampeng Lane, a wholesale market that cuts across a few roads and a must visit for those who didn't shop enough at Chatuchak the weekend before! 

There are a list of things i would definitely buy when i am in Bangkok and once of them was the menthol plaster for muscle aches! I would usually buy a box and this seller from a pharmacy quoted me 280 baht a box after haggling over what i thought to be an expensive 300 baht. 

Bought two boxes even though i had received "orders" from friends and needed at least another two boxes. Whatever the case, the journey continues. 

No offence; panties at 7 for 100 baht! Although i used to be shy and embarrassed in the presence of lady panties, life has toughen me up. Life in this instance consists of a mom and two sisters in the family. Nowadays, i wouldn't even bat an eyelid if you ask me to purchase sanitary napkins. 

Roasted chestnuts - a favourite of my youngest sister even though you wouldn't likely see her in Bangkok as she dislikes the heat and detests sweating!  

Strolling back to the start of Yaowarat Road, the main artery of Chinatown that runs parallel to Sampeng Lane. I was craving for a bowl of bird's nest soup! 

Unkempt building that's aplenty in other countries; in Singapore, such derelict building would be tagged as haunted with thrill seekers checking it out when the moon is out. 

Would you dare to try Thai durians? In Singapore, the majority of durians come from Malaysia given the proximity and Thai durians actually taste different.

Yogurt drink - my first bottle for the trip as the weather was too hot! I would usually buy one large bottle and place it in the hotel's bar fridge but i didn't this time as plain water, no matter what, is less harmful than sweetened beverage. 

Crossing the road to the other side which appeared to be vibrant and happening give that more shops were open for business. 

Why didn't i buy this for the kids?!?!?! As it was at the tail-end of the water festival, some vendors were still selling this nifty gadget that can transform your 1.5 litre water bottle into a water gun! 

Plastic googles; not sure if i am reading it correctly but 12 baht would be insanely cheap! Should have asked my dentist friend if he wants any for his clinic! 

Should i decide to stay at Chinatown in future, the grand dame along Yaowarat Road; Grand China shall be my topmost choice. The only problem it faced was the lack of BTS / MRT within a comfortable walking distance. 

Naraya? Nope, this is Nantita! 

Road works taking up one lane of the forever busy Yaowarat Road; making the road even more congested. Oh well, the pain is required before the benefit can kick in. 

Exercise caution as there's no safety barrier! One wrong move, one rash action and you would find yourself in the mud. Mud would be the best scenario as there were sections with just holes and metal sticks sticking out of the floor. 

A goldsmith; one of many in Chinatown. There's a certain level of obsession with gold among the Chinese. Another race with as high an obsession would be the Indians! 

Another Chinese chestnut street hawker- known as gao luck among the Hokkien in Singapore, my family used to buy charcoal roasted one until my sister explored cooking them using a rice cooker! One major advantage; we don't get burnt gao luck anymore! 

Usual me would go gaga over steamed crabs but not when i am overseas as i am too accustomed to sanitised environment. Furthermore, did you see the flies ON the crabs?!

Some safety barricades along this stretch of road work. Hm... didn't see any workers so far; maybe because it was lunch hours.

Thai durians again - so what are the differences? There are a few key ones; namely, the lack of strong, pungent aroma, the over-sized fruit and a taste that wasn't as rich and in my opinion, as delicious as their Malaysian cousin.

Remember the menthol plasters i mentioned earlier? I found the same brand here at Nithiya Wanit Store with a later expiry date and it only cost me 250 baht a box! The couple in the previous shop had the audacity to tell me there's no way i can find it cheaper anywhere else. *pissed* 

Ehh..... don't tell me the road would look like this after all the road works? 

T&K Seafood - a pity it wasn't open for business yet and i had to make do with another restaurant to satisfy my craving for bird's nest and shark fin's soups. 

Lunch at Lao Li Shark's Fin Restaurant (海外天); to read more on my review, please click here. The pot of chrysanthemum tea was too much for us and of course stingy me will not waste the thirst quenching drink; refilling our empty mineral bottles was the way to go.

Another item struck off my list of things to buy in Bangkok; dog shit! Known affectionately / disgustingly as gow sai (which mean's dog shit in Hokkien) given the appearance of the compact pork floss, my quantity just for that one item stretched to ten packets. 

Including other items, it was too much for us to carry in numerous plastic bags! Thankfully, the operator will provide carton boxes and help you to box them up for ease of carriage. Normally, i will buy from the other shop a few doors down but that shop served the evening crowd patronising the seafood restaurants (like T&K Seafood) that opened to the wee hours. 

However, they seemed to belong to the same company and marketed under the same brand (合记林真香). Anyway, my purpose of showing you the above photograph was that the lady boss speaks both Mandarin and Teochew! That's not all; you can change your Sing dollars with her and the exchange rate of 2,580 baht for 100 Singapore dollars was the best i had encountered!

Taking the cab and noticed a jam even though it's only 3.16pm!

Despite showcasing both the new and old in the picture, that pixelated tower was the one pulling all the attention! Named MahaNakhon, the 314-meter skyscraper with mixed retail, hotel and residence is slated to open only at the end of this year.

Cab fare of 109 baht; there's no way you would see me lugging a few carton boxes on the streets, taking the trains and then walking back to Park Plaza hotel. Paying a few dollars to save precious time is a necessity as one gets older.

After dumping our purchases and taking a well deserved shower to remove all the stickiness from my body, the clean and refreshed us were out in the open again an hour later. 

We wanted to take the BTS to Phrom Phong and upon checking the map, realised it was only a stop away! Remembering that the distance between BTS stations is walkable and there were likely shops to look at along the way, i had to work my persuasion skill on Alex. 

Soi Cowboy - a street with a large signboard noticeable even from Asoke BTS station. It's famous as a red light district and some of you may remember this street from a scene in the movie "The Hangover Part 2".

Alex was persuaded; what i didn't expect was that the distance between Asoke and Phrom Phong was actually quite long and before long, our impatient Alex was voicing out the question "are we there yet?"

Walking past the Dinosaur Planet theme park located in prime land! If you are interested to have it in your itinerary, i guess it would be helpful for you to check out the website here

EmQuartier - the latest large scale shopping mall to hit Bangkok with big brand names taking up retail spots. I didn't know why i put this in my itinerary since i don't go for branded goods.

The place was relatively deserted for a new mall and i felt sorely under-dressed in my bermudas and slippers although it's the typical Singaporean dress style in a country with hot and humid climate. 

Crystal-encrusted containers that shimmered so beautifully under the white light; took a picture before i was stopped by a security guard who said "no photography here". 

Pop-up beach in the outdoor space of EmQuartier.

Man made waterfall that cascaded down five floors; interesting information on reading material but in reality quite a disappointment. 

Tried my best to identify a good stall for dinner yet couldn't find any we were comfortable with. I did manage to get my hands on the famous Bake Cheese Tart that had people queuing for hours in Singapore! No queue in EmQuartier and if you are interested to read more, click here

One side of Phrom Phong BTS was EmQuartier and the other side was the Emporium built in 1997! We eventually explored that side in search of food. 

Our famished Alex couldn't bear the hunger anymore and insisted on having Burger King! Why why why?! It's not as if there's anything special from the Burger King in Thailand! 

A better view of EmQuartier.

Hunger had an impact on human's thinking and i decided to go with my gut feel; take the BTS to Thong Lo which was just a station away! Not intending to walk this time just in case i were to misjudge the distance. 

Dinner at Sukhumvit Soi 38 Food Street! I have provided an update on the food street here; just to give you a heads-up, my meal wasn't as good as 2015.

Took the wrong exit at Lumphini MRT station; i commented to Alex that people here appeared to be on the way back home from work / school rather than casually dressed for a night market.

Neon lights beckoned us and i knew this should be the right exit to Neon Fest

We were happy too soon as Neon Fest only opened from Thursdays to Sundays! The fest has since closed for good but if you are into old-school amusement parks, do check out the Global Carnival Amusement Park by Chang Beer

The itch for shopping proved to be too intense and we went back to Suan Lum Night Bazaar! Unlike most night markets, Suan Lum opens everyday i think! 

My post on Suan Lum Night Bazaar actually covered photos on Day Four too except for this one on watermelon juice served aptly in a watermelon! 

Queued for it although we eventually had to give a miss for two reasons; there wasn't a noticeable queue and i did see the amount of sugar added in to the juice at the point of blending! Can't deny it's instagram value though.

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Postings for the Day (click to read more) 
  1. Sampeng Lane @ Chinatown
  2. Bake Cheese Tart @ EmQuartier
  3. Sukhumvit Soi 38 Food Street (Night)
  4. Neon Fest (Closed) @ Lumphini Square
  5. Global Carnival Amusement Park @ Lumphini Square
  6. Suan Lum Night Bazaar

Visit to the Tiger Zone in Super Hot Weather @ Dusit Zoo [Bangkok]

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The day was especially hot and i was slapping myself mentally in my head for acceding to Alex's request to visit the Dusit Zoo in Bangkok! A few hundred photographs were taken and i had to break them up for ease of sharing, on my side. 

Here's the one for Tiger Zone which featured reinforced glass for visitors to be closer to the ferocious felines. There's the irresistible urge to tempt the animals towards you for a close-up, next-to-you picture that you can boast to everyone. 

I didn't have that luck although i did chance upon a rare sight; the tiger basking in the pool of yellowish water. Not swimming, not frolicking; just simply sitting with its butt submerged.

At that point, i was green with envy as my perspiration was non-stop and i so wished i could be back at the pool on the roof of Park Plaza Hotel. The only key resistance was the colour of the water; maybe the cat was peeing.

Maybe noticing my eyes fixated on it, the tiger gave a look of annoyance as it stood up. If not for the glass separating me from it, i should have been worried for my life. I stared back with confidence and equal irritation.

Not one to feel threatened by a mere human who is below the world average for male's height, i believe it felt that i am just not worth the effort of potentially pushing up its temperature and did the rational thing; it walked off. 

Could anyone tell me what's the name of the tiger? Weirdly, the other tigers must have hidden themselves quite well as there's only one i spotted so far.

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Location
Tiger Zone, Dusit Zoo,
Bangkok, Thailand


Feeding Catfish & Water Monitor Lizards @ Dusit Zoo [Bangkok]

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We were puzzled by the business concept for the above bread counter as the bread was sold by the loaf and you don't get much of a variety; be it wholemeal, softmeal, wholegrain etc. 

But put the counter right next to a bridge over water and it didn't take long for the reality to hit us; instead of packets filled with nutrient-packed pellets, the vendor used the traditional cheap feed for people to purchase for the residents in the water. 

By residents, i am referring to the water monitor lizards and tortoises! There were so many of them; i personally felt that this spot should be made an attraction within the zoo.

Alex had to buy a loaf to show his dominance over the animal kingdom; albeit to selected greedy species that couldn't resist food.

I knew there were fishes in the water although i was still caught off guard by the high proportion of catfishes, most of which were humongous in sizes! 

They were violent in their quest to get as much bread as possible using their wide mouth and the only one able to break their fight was the water monitor lizard; it obviously wanted a piece of bread too!

Neither a stream, nor a river - i don't even know what you would call this bed of water that stretched rather far down and god knows what other creature lurks in the cloudy water. 

There's one way to find out - buy more loaves at 20 baht each! 

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Location 
Dusit Zoo, Bangkok, 
Thailand 


World War 2 Air Raid Shelter @ Dusit Zoo [Singapore]

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Should i be surprised to see an air raid shelter in a middle of the zoo? Apparently not as Dusit Zoo has been around for more three quarters of a century and this is not even counting the period when it was a royal garden!

I am curious enough to see what's it all about! In the past, such historical structures intrigued me but as i mature and step into the reality of working life, i crave more for the relaxation that comes with overseas vacation.

Okay, it's a lie; i just needed a place to cool myself down. Why why why did i allow Alex to persuade me to visit the zoo in that bloody, insanely hot weather?!

The shelter wasn't lighted and i stopped for a moment to toggle the control on my control so that the flash would activate with each shot. Oh, please be assured that i didn't capture any paranormal images; luck has not been on my side recently. 

Hm...................... That's it. I was under the impression the shelter served the public and hence, would be larger in capacity. From the look of it, it would be hard to squeeze in more than 50 persons in this tiny space. To be fair, there could have been other air raid shelters nearby and they might already have been demolished.

I turned back for a second shot and got the hell of a shock to see life sized statues of a huddled-up family; honestly, my pee almost came out! Alex had a good laugh as i am usually the one teasing him for his lack of guts! 

Those interested to know more about World War 2 in Thailand can consider checking out the photo exhibition in the same attraction. As Singapore was treated worse than Thailand in the war, i didn't bother and instead, ventured out for more animal sightings. 

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Location
Dusit Zoo, Bangkok, 
Thailand



Cleaning the Crocodile Den @ Dusit Zoo [Bangkok]

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Do you know your crocodilians well? I know there are differences between an alligator and a crocodile but many, including I, do not put gharials, false gharials and caimans into the equation! 

Today, our focus is on a sub species of the freshwater crocodile family; the Siamese crocodile which is a relatively small croc with a "relatively broad, smooth snout and an elevated bony crest behind each eye". 

It reminded me so much of the diminutive Yangtze alligator i saw at Singapore's River Safari even though the latter exuded ultra cuteness; so much so that i would very much love to have it as a pet.

Anyway, i have my reason for creating a separate blog post and i assure i am not going to bombard you with academic writings on the crocs; it all started because of a commotion we heard as we neared the crocodile zone.

The shouts, the "cloaking" taps of the bamboo pole, the water splashes - attention seeking sounds that were not as shocking as seeing a few men IN the crocodile enclosure! A death defying stunt? Why can't they just stick to the "normal" animal feeding instead?

Within long, we got the full picture; the guys (obviously zoo staff) needed to get the crocs out of the water so that they can proceed to change the water and remove the floating dead leaves. 

Personally, i am wondering if such actions would be stressful for the reptile and at the same time, dangerous for the zoo employees. For zoo visitors, the experience was also extremely alarming (albeit with a tinge of excitement).

Maybe it's better to schedule such cleaning and maintenance works to after-operation hours. In the unfortunate event that something did happen, at least visitors (especially children) can be spared the torment. 

Even though the Siamese Crocodiles might not be as humongous as some of their cousins, i presume their bite can still be as life threatening and if i recall correctly, crocodiles can actually move quite fast on land.

You just need a split second for accidents to happen.

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Location
Dusit Zoo, Bangkok,
Thailand


Koala Exhibit @ Dusit Zoo [Bangkok]

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Aside from the black and white giant panda, another mammal that i would love to cuddle would be the fluffy and adorable koala! 

I miss out on the koala mania exhibition in Singapore Zoo that ended early this year but i am glad to find another one in a foreign country; Bangkok, specifically in Dusit Zoo.

It was a huge enclosure and despite squinting my eyes to catch that slight movement in the midst of leaves and branches, i simply couldn't catch a glimpse of the marsupial! Something was amiss and it dawned on me that the entire area was sheltered and the koalas would likely die of sunstroke.

They were housed in very much smaller air-conditioned enclosures and there were just two of them. As expected, they were snoozing like they haven't caught a wink for ages! Is manicure part of their royal treatment? This koala here should honestly get his / her nails trimmed. 

Unlike Singapore's exhibition, the koala enclosure should be a permanent fixture since one of the koalas is borne in Thailand. In case they couldn't survive the heat, i believe you can also find koalas in the cooler highland of Thailand; Chiang Mai, since five koalas hailed directly from Chiang Mai Zoo.

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Location
Dusit Zoo, Bangkok
Thailand


Bangkok Lobster Tom Yam Noodles - With Directions on How to Get There @ Pee Aor (Walkable from Phaya Thai BTS)

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The first time i saw the mouthwatering photograph of lobster tom yum kung noodles popped up on the Facebook news-feed, i made a mental note to check it out in my next trip but the intention only intensified upon strong endorsement from a polytechnic schoolmate! 

Problem was; directions to Pe Aor were quite fuzzy and for the benefit of my readers, i am going to share the step-by-step directions at the end of this post. So go all the way down if you drop by this page due to a google search on "directions to bangkok lobster tom yam noodles".

Coming to Pe Aor - it had its kitchen functioning right outside, facing the street in full view of customers, just like Bangkok Soi 19 Special Wanton Mee. However, unlike the famous wanton mee stall, there wasn't a queue when we arrived even though it was lunchtime then. 

We got seats almost immediately and i am dead afraid this would turn out to be overrated; Alex didn't take too kindly to the walk under the hot sun and those who knew him well should know spicy food isn't his cup of tea. 

Fried Shrimp
Got this in case Alex couldn't stand the spiciness and they were addictive with a crunchy bite arising from the spring-roll skin and the prawns tasted fresh and sweet! Dip them into the Thai chilli for that additional oomph! 

Lobster Tom Yum Kung Noodle
One look at Alex's expression and i noted a high chance i might have to finish the entire bowl myself! To think that i ordered the smallest possible option priced at 699 baht! By the way, the options of S, M, L and XL don't translate in portion size but refer to the size of the lobster! XL was three times more expensive at 2,000 baht. 

Spiciness was honestly quite manageable even to Alex and for those die-hard tomyum fans, this might disappoint you as it didn't have that signature spicy numbness and there's a creamy sweetness which was totally fine (desirable in fact) for me!

The flavourful broth made a helluva difference though and i was darn impressed with the salmon that had been soaked so thoroughly! Beside it was the stuffed squid stuffed with minced meat.

Squid was cooked just right with meat that remained soft yet spongy enough for a satisfying bite. I could make do without the minced meat stuffing but they did make the squid visually more appealing. 

Aside from lobster, there's also the crab head with the same minced meat stuffing as the squid. Take a spoonful of tom yam with everything as it enhanced almost everything i put into my mouth. 

Noodles seemed to be the glass noodle type even though the taste was suspiciously that of instant noodles; nevertheless, slurped them up for that utmost delicious experience! I mentioned "almost everything" in the last paragraph for a reason; the lobster, being the main star, tasted fishy. Disappointing. 

However, i simply couldn't forget how delicious and flavourful the tom yum soup was and how the rest of the ingredients (including mussels, egg) managed to complement so well with the soup. 

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Location
68/51 Soi Phetchaburi 5, 
Between Soi 5 – 7, Phaya Thai, 
Ratchathewi, Bangkok,
Thailand

Opening Hours
Mondays - Closed
Tuesdays to Sundays - 10am to 9pm

How To Get There?
Take Exit One from Phaya Thai BTS station. Note the building on the left.

Walk towards the direction of that building and you should notice a passage that's for cars. Pedestrians can continue to walk along the passage. 

It's actually a carpark and links the commercial building known as Phayathai Plaza with Payatai Condominium. Continue to walk straight.

See the big tree? There's a gate next to it that you can walk through.

Turn left once you step out of the gate and walk straight again. 

That orange-blue building on the left shall be the indicator that you should turn right into the street. 

This shall be the street where Pe Aor is located.

Just keep a lookout for the above sign on the right and you have reached your destination! 

Prefer a map? As above! 


For an overview of my relaxing 6 days, 5 nights Bangkok itinerary, please click here. :)

Reptile Terrarium House @ Dusit Zoo [Bangkok]

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The reptile exhibit at the Singapore Zoo used to give me the chills but that never stopped me from bravely entering into the realm of horror because we should always face our fear. 

Needless to say, i am as enthusiastic about the reptile terrarium which housed a good number of snakes, lizards, turtles / tortoises and also crocodiles! 

The comprehensive list above would give you a better picture although it wasn't exhaustive. I remember seeing spiders too. Strangely, i thought that there were only the Siamese crocodiles; guess i must have missed out certain sections. 

Dead reptiles shall welcome you upon your grand entrance; skeletons of snakes, crocs, well preserved snakes in the jars and taxidermied reptiles. 

Aforementioned would be better placed in a natural history museum. In a zoo, the appeal lies in the existence of live, moving creatures! 

Okay, not really moving even though i believe the Macklot Python was still alive, at least at that point of time. Many reptiles are nocturnal; hence, such display is not uncommon. 

King Cobra, the "largest venomous snake" with the ability to "inject more venom" than other snakes, was wide awake then. Only when it's threatened that you would see it showing its signature hood! 

Walking in a reptile exhibit doesn't conquer your fear and i actually had the intention to purchase a non-venomous corn snake (species was said to be docile) when i was younger. I eventually replaced it with a more fluffy animal; Rubee the Shihtzu

Out of nowhere, there's suddenly an exhibit for the Savannah Monitor. I dislike the inconsistency although in my personal life, inconsistency can result in a less boring life. 

Amazonian Tree Boa - well hidden in the artificial leaves, the boa is the most commonly seen snake in the amazon basin and despite having a triangular head, its bite isn't poisonous.

The piece of information pasted on the glass enclosure was helpful so long you know the 'legend' showing what the pattern and icons mean.

At one glance, i would know that the banded krait is venomous and i better stay clear of them should i encounter any in my hiking trips even though i will likely stay far far away if i ever spotted a snake.

Yellow spotted kell back - a rather small snake (red arrow is pointing to its spot) said to have venom yet not dangerous; danger is a relative term as it was known for its aggressiveness and "bites quickly"! 

Malayan Pit Viper - another dangerous snake one should steer clear of and this message is especially important as it is endemic to Southeast Asia!  

Frankly, there's another reason why i like to step into the snake exhibits - we are sheltered from the sun and there is a higher chance the facility might be air-conditioned! 

This cute thing is the Monocled Cobra - its venom yield is even higher than the king cobra and renowned in Thailand for causing the highest fatality for snake venom poisoning in the nation. 

Boa Constrictor - the second largest snake after the anaconda; thankfully, the species is limited to only the South America continent. 

White-lipped Pit Viper - with some having a colour similar to the common tree snake, i believe many people have been mistaken before!

I am often sympathetic to animals that were caged up in zoos as i treasure freedom and think they would be better off in the wild. The same principle is not applied throughout as i would prefer all snakes to be caged up! p.s. i am aware of the ecological importance of having snakes in the wild. 

Brazilian Rainbow Boa - nothing rainbow about it. :P 

A random green tree monitor; i usually associate monitor to monitor lizards and thought the smaller kind should be generally termed as lizards. Oh well, i am no herpetologist.

This beauty is the black rat snake! It's not black likely due to a genetic mutation known as leucism which will result in a white body with black eyes and is different from albino.

The above shall explain better.

Golden Thai Python - even though it has the word Thai in it, it is the same species as the Burmese python and according to the information pasted on the enclosure, it is rarely found in the wild. 

Blue-tongued Skink! Frequent readers of this blog should remember the skink incident i had in my office earlier this year and till now, i have not seen it resurfaced! 

I have no idea what is the name of this cute little fellow! The head reminded me of Arlo from "the Good Dinosaur" movie. 

Albino Siamese Cobra relaxing in the plate of water. 

Green Burmese Python - how many snakes are sleeping in the container? 

The species is known to be one of the "five largest snakes" in the world and i wonder if such a small enclosure is appropriate for so many Burmese pythons!  

There are different categories for snake venom; one affects the nervous system (neurotoxin), another will prevent the blood from clotting (haemotoxin; you die by bleeding to your death) and the last one destroys the muscles (myotoxin)!

No more shelter as we proceeded to another section. 

The iguana / lizard zone - when i was contemplating on keeping a snake as a pet, the green iguana was also under consideration as this reptile is not only docile; it is a vegetarian too! 

Next up would be the section on crocodiles. I thought there's only one species even though i was more amazed by how the zookeepers chase the crocodiles away in order to clean up their dens! Click here for more pictures. 

Now coming to tortoises and turtles!

Chinese pond turtle - it has that look of an ancient old man! The species is threatened by overhunting but surprisingly thrived well in captivity. 

Didn't take the photo of the information panel and guess this is the African spurred tortoise? I am quite impressed by its movement speed! 

A creep of giant tortoises hiding from the sun; yes, the collective noun for tortoise is creep which is really weird with no relevance! Slow / steady might be a better collective noun. 

Aldabra Giant Tortoises - world's second largest and can weigh on average, 250 kilograms. Largest tortoise is of course the Galápagos tortoise which can top an impressive 417 kilograms! 

Other tortoises - these appeared similar to the red-eared terrapin that many people are keeping as pets due to their inexpensive value and ease of care. 

The lizard enclosures featuring the smaller reptiles. I am not that scared of lizards as i am of snakes even though i would still resist touching them. 

No prize for guessing correctly what this tiny little enclosure contained. 

A spider, specifically tarantula, of course! I sometimes wonder why the spiders can survive in such small space. However, thinking back of my childhood days, we used to keep our fighting spider in a matchbox! 

Australian freshwater turtles - the last exhibit before leaving the reptile house. No sea turtle but i would strongly recommend you to pay a visit to notable beach destinations if you wish to see them! Perhentian Islands would be a good choice! 

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Location
Within Dusit Zoo,
Bangkok, Thailand

House Rules
As above

Map of Reptile Terrarium House
As above.


Dusit Zoo (สวนสัตว์ดุสิต) - Full Post on Thailand's Oldest Zoo @ Bangkok

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This shall be a photo-intensive entry as i have way too many pictures despite breaking them up into bite-sized posts. To think that i was in the zoo for less than three hours!

So, let's now start with my photo entry on Dusit Zoo; a last minute decision made by our dear Alex as he wanted to do something more than just shopping and temples.

I, on the other hand, wasn't super keen as the weather was insanely hot and this vacation was labelled as one for relaxation using shopping therapy. In addition, seeing animals being caged up may distress rather than relax me, especially if living conditions were deemed to be less than favourable.

Whatever the case, a decision was made and there's no point in complaining; instead of doing that, i might as well be positive and for all you know, there's a chance i might really enjoy this attraction in the heart of Bangkok.

Tickets were purchased at 150 baht (equivalent to about S$6) per adult; it wasn't as cheap as Taipei Zoo yet when compared to our world famous Singapore Zoo, it's like an 80% discount!

Zoo map for your reference - i didn't cover the zoo in its entirety as the temperature was just too high for me to bear as the time neared to noon; bird island, as an example, wasn't visited.

Designed with the intention to replicate a Savannah, it shouldn't be too hard for one to guess exactly which animals would be housed within; from the photo, you should have noticed the giraffes and zebras!

Although i am already 36 years old, i remained in awe of the towering giraffe; how could an animal reach such a towering height, most of which was due to the neck?!

Taking the stairs to the sky walk as i have always preferred a vantage view when taking photos.

Nothing much to see except for a row of fake animal statues overlooking the main road we entered from; most of which would require a new coat of painting.

The unsheltered link way brought us to the next attraction; the monkey enclosures!

Information on the long tailed macaques that are relatively common in Singapore's nature reserves; what i didn't know was that the macaques have cheek pouches in their mouths, similar to hamsters, where they store food.

Sad eyes from a douc langur; as primates ourselves and a strong believer in reincarnation, i understand the educational benefits of zoos but i do feel for the animals themselves as they are no longer free per se, at least in anthropomorphic terms.

Of course, one can have the old argument if animals indeed have feelings and even if they do, the "sacrifice" of a few would result in a greater good; passing valuable information to young humans, in the hope they could do more to protect the species when they are older.

Singapore Zoo is unarguably one of the better zoos in the region with their aim to emulate the "real" surrounding, where possible even though it is also constrained by space given how small Singapore is.

Nowadays, reputable zoos are trying to do the same as Singapore Zoo does. Dusit Zoo is no exception although in the above case for the pointy-eared caracal, maybe too well as there were too many shrubs and trees!

I am a confused human myself; on one hand, i couldn't stand animals being cages up and placed in hard, cold metal cages yet on the other hand, i will grumble if i don't see the animals!

Due to the hot weather, i believe the orang utans would likely be staying in their sheltered dens where they can be shielded from the sun.

Signs informing visitors not to feed the animals. It's a perennial issue anywhere; in Singapore Zoo, i remember a sun bear that would happily "beg" you for sweets; a truly adorable sight, i admit.

Tiger zone! Please click here to read further on the time i felt so envious of the tiger sitting in the pool of water. Photoshop the photos a bit and you may see a tiger going through a relaxing, onsen experience.

Water park - think it's yet to be completed. Nowadays, in order to attract families with young kids, it's quite common to have such facility. In Singapore, even shopping centres are resorting to reserving a big space specifically as a playground for kids.

Leopard, cheetah or jaguar? The spots on the feline would give you the answer.

White lion exhibit - as indicated in the poster, white lions are not albino. I have mentioned before on the term leucism in my reptile posting; check it out here.

Basking in the sunlight - i would do the same thing if i am at a beach!

Could you spot the black panther?

The zoomed in function and with a little help from photoshop, to increase the brightness, i can see that the panther had me in his sight; likely as prey

On quite a number of occasions, i couldn't see the animals housed within and sometimes, the enclosure could be rather large and there's like only one animal.

In this instance i spotted only one chimpanzee and it appeared to be snoozing!

Information in braille for the visually impaired.

Trams for those who were too lazy to walk / couldn't manage long distance. As cheapo individuals, we prefer to use our two legs.

What relevance would you draw from the dinosaur statues? Reptiles! This is the spot for the reptile terrarium exhibit which includes crocodiles, snakes, tortoises, lizards etc. To read more, click here.

Commercial entities, including KFC! Remembering Alex had the tendency to crave for fast food when he's overseas, i needed to divert to his attention.

And in this sunny weather, nothing's better than ice cream! It's ridiculously that Singaporeans are paying so much for their ice cream; a magnum here in a tourist attraction was halved the price we paid at home!

Chocolate would be too heaty and we went with our childhood favourites; the lime with vanilla ice cream that gave us the sourness, followed by sweetness. Shiok!

Asiatic Black Bear - it looked disturbed and seemed to be gauging the distance across the water moat. If i am it, i would also be thinking on how to escape this small place.

Meal diet for the asiatic black bear - the problem with science is that most things are prepared according to your nutritional requirements although in the real bear world, i doubt they would seek out boiled chicken thigh and cooked eggs.

Take a picture with the bears; fake ones though.

According to the panel, this was supposed to be the sun bear exhibit but despite looking left to right, i couldn't catch a glimpse of the world's smallest bear.

What i did find was a murder of crows! Crows are considered as pest issue in many countries and they are said to be very intelligent. Metaphorically speaking, humans might be considered as pests too in an environment with cleverer species.

Poor sun bear was hiding in a corner; either it was frightened of the aggressive crows or that meal time was coming.

Hippopotamus - one of Africa's top five most dangerous animals!

The close proximity of the zoo to roads with constant traffic. Unlike Singapore Zoo which was about one or two kilometers away from the main road, i believe the noise level at Dusit would likely affect the well-being of the animals; imagine having hyper sensitive hearing.

Another two more hippos! There were three in Dusit (Mali, Ma-Kham and Tua-Dang) of which the latter two were borne in the zoo. In one of the information panel, it was said that Ma-Kham, when frightened, will "shake the body and run away with her mouth wide open"! That must be quite a funny sight!

Underwater water viewing gallery for the hippos.

I think i did mention before that due to the similarity of hippo's skin to braised pork, there were a few years i didn't dare to touch dishes with braised pork. Just in case you are wondering if hippo's meat is edible; it was said to be delicious!

World War II air raid shelter in the zoo! Click here

Marine Monsters! What creatures do you think are lurking inside? For an answer, click here. p.s. i bet you would be sorely disappointed, as i was.

Malayan Tapir with its iconic snout!

The list of 15 reserved animals in Thailand - elephant, the national animal of Thailand is surprisingly not included. By reserved, it meant "prohibited by law to hunt, breed, possess or trade any of such species".

Fea's muntjac - one of the reserved animals and said to be a rare species of the barking deer.

Something else stood out as i panned my camera to the fea's muntjac's enclosure; a white deer! Named "petch", she was claimed to be the world's first albino and presented to the Queen by the Tak province.

A game counter for kids to answer easy questions in exchange for free gifts. You know what, Alex went ahead to participate too!

Eld's Deer - it was mentioned that in captivity, eld's deer are often "alarmed by the smallest disturbance". I don't know but judging from the observation, maybe it's best to release them in the wild?

Lake in the middle of Dusit Zoo where you can partake in boat paddling! As modern humans have too many electronic gadgets on them, it's inherently a risk to take up the activity!

Birds' droppings on the floor!

A mini kid's arcade - kind of weird to have this in a zoo; wouldn't the often-deafening noise from the rides be disturbing to the most important stakeholders? The animals.

Fountain; how i wish i could soak in its water.

Dusit Zoo Gallery; it's air conditioned and henceforth, warranted a visit by two men who were on the verge of collapse due to sunstroke.

It's a photo gallery showcasing old photographs; the one with the hippos appeared to be taken in the 80s when i wasn't even a teen. Back then, visiting the zoo was a huge treat and without the internet and limited access to books, we were literally blown away by the extensive display of live animals, many of which we didn't know the names to.

Another playground for the kids.

Judging from the top to bottom metal mesh, i presumed this was the aviary and i was hoping we can go into the compound and sing with the birds.

There's an entry point but access was granted for zoo employees only. :( Oh well, i can still see the bats pretty clearly from the outdoor pavement on the side and if i choose to sing, no one would complain as we were the only two lonesome humans around.

Oriental Pied Hornbill - those in Singapore can see this beautiful bird in the great outdoors at Pulau Ubin. I chanced upon two of there in my 2012 cycling trip.

Peacock - i can imagine him being full of envy as he would love to get out too! You can get plenty of peacocks roaming freely at Sentosa; just don't provoke them as they can be quite territorial.

Bactrian Camels - the strange thing about this camel species, aside from its double hump, is that there are only about 1,000 of them in the wild yet in the domestic / captivity world, there are about 1.4 million of them.

Another view of the zoo's lake - someone had paid for the paddling boat!

This neoclassical building was in sharp contrast with traditional Thai architectural-style buildings and upon checking google map, i got to know that it is the completed-in-1915 Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall.

Unknown birds (herons, maybe) on top of the tree that should be near to the Bird Island - the attraction we skipped. 

Familiar? Local Singaporeans might draw comparison with the supertrees we have at Gardens at the Bay. It's been a while since i last visited; maybe i should bring my parents for a revisit soon. 

Elephant House - housing Thailand's national animal. For a national animal, i am quite befuddled by the way elephants are being treated in Thailand as i thought they should revered but instead, there were many stories on cruelty meted by the mahouts. 

All the while, the elephants i have seen with my own eyes belonged to the Asian species. The African species was taller with larger ears!

I expected a lot more elephants even though this might not be an elephant sanctuary but counting my fingers, there were only two. 

Kuay Ethnic Exhibition - a group of people famed for their skills in training and taming elephants and the above was a typical Kuay dwelling. 

Originally thought to be a building feature to cater for flooding, the elevated house had a more noble purpose and that's to shelter their elephants!

Another aviary.

Wombat Exhibit - i love this marsupial as they looked really cute and cuddly even though i doubt there's a chance to have them as pets. 

NOTHING AT ALL - thanks to a sign which pointed to the caves with a reminder that wombats would likely to be in the caves on a hot day. And it was a hot day.

Here it is! 

Cassowary - known as the world's most dangerous birds, there's a strange fact i gathered from the informative panel; the cassowary eggs are naturally green in colour! 

Petrified Wood - guess the wizardry world has already dropped by for a visit. 

Museum of Thailand's Zoological Park Organisation (ZPO); in my honest opinion, this would be the natural history museum of Thailand with stuffed animals and skeletons. 

Remember the game that Alex played together with the kids? His prize was a bag pin of the Malayan Tapir and he proudly showed it in the above picture. 

Penguin House - from memory, the penguin enclosure had always been the coldest place in a zoo / bird park and i was so looking forward to be cooled down. 

I happily jumped up the stairs and this was the scene ahead of me. It's obviously not an air-conditioned facility and you should have seen the disappointed expression on my face. :( 

Reminded me of Mumble from Happy Feet.

Limited penguins in the enclosure; i did notice a few near the water appeared to be making the pool their personal latrine with a few shots of white poo. 

Spotted Deer.

Seal show but we missed the timing. Another controversial issue with zoo is the animals shows although the cruel fact is that visitors love it and to have them might make it easier for the zoo to pass down the conservation message.

Beware of bees - i am unsure if the word "bees" in this case are used correctly as many a time, the hornets are the one nesting in the vicinity! 

Let's go for some live action; feeding the water monitors and the humongous catfishes! For more photographs, click here

Budgerigar - known affectionately as budgies by pet lovers, this was also in my pet-consideration as the size was rather small and you can in fact teach them to talk! 

By the way, we had arrived at the children zoo! Twenty over years ago, the children zoo concept was particularly well received due to a closer proximity to animals and sometimes, the possibility to touch them too! Do exercise caution as the animals might not like you to touch them! 

Capybara - largest rodent in the world! 

Noticed that seemingly missing horn in the middle? That's one of the scent glands known as morillo with males featuring a much larger morillo. 

Guinea pigs - commonly kept as pets, i used to sell them when i was working in pet lovers centre. They vocalised loudly, especially when they were hungry! 

Tanks and tanks of fishes.

You can feed the goats here too at 20 baht a bottle; the same pricing as the one we saw outside esplanade mall (near to the Ratchada train market)!  

Nocturnal animals in the house - mixed feelings as i know the place would likely be an arena of coolness yet the low light environment would mean i couldn't taken decent photographs, at least not with my amateur skill. 

Photo for bat-eared fox turned out okay. 

Other than that, everything else turned out to be a blur! 

Pygmy hippopotamus - in relation to their much larger cousin, the pygmy hippo was unknown until the 19th century as it was concentrated in a smaller part of Africa and reclusive in the wild. 

Nyalas - Horned is a male while the other could be female or a young. See that stripe in between the eyes? Known as chevron, both male and female nyalas have that. 

Ending the post (finally) with the meerkat! 

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Location
IBT No.71,Rama 5 Road,
Dusit 10300, Thailand

Ticketing Price
Adult - 150 Baht
Kid - 70 Baht

Dusit Zoo Map
As above


For my relaxing 6 days, 5 nights Bangkok itinerary, please click here. :)
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