tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55572426608996381602025-10-15T16:01:41.687+08:00AK71http://www.blogger.com/profile/16832145412062954289noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5557242660899638160.post-56772834905865777482016-07-28T19:59:00.003+08:002016-07-28T19:59:19.296+08:00

There is no free lunch in this world or so the saying goes. Well, once in a while, I get lucky. I was given a ticket to visit Singapore Garden Festival 2016 at Gardens By The Bay and I went today. It wasn't my first time at Gardens By The Bay but it was the first time I saw it so crowded with people! Ignore the people. Admire the flowers. No prizes for guessing what was

AK71http://www.blogger.com/profile/16832145412062954289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5557242660899638160.post-69870594214334432032015-08-15T10:33:00.000+08:002015-08-15T10:33:16.524+08:00

The last time I visited Langkawi was more than 10 years ago. If you like to buy some local stuff, Langkawi is where you get them cheaper because it is a duty free island. So, of course, we joined the shopping tour. Langkawi Fair. A modern mall. My mom bought a pair of sandals here and saved 60%! Some other shops in the mall. What's this? So cheap? Sigh. This duty free

AK71http://www.blogger.com/profile/16832145412062954289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5557242660899638160.post-67275044195080427052015-08-14T12:48:00.003+08:002015-08-14T13:08:46.733+08:00

It has been a while since I last visited Penang. On this trip, I really want to go and have some Penang hawker food. So, we signed up for a shopping tour that would bring us to a hawker centre as well. The tour started with a visit to the second Penang bridge which was completed last year in March. Not many drivers use this bridge because it is twice the length of the first bridge! Start

AK71http://www.blogger.com/profile/16832145412062954289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5557242660899638160.post-34574285413249583642015-08-13T14:09:00.000+08:002015-08-13T14:09:27.812+08:00

A hungry man is an angry man or so the saying goes. Super Star Gemini not only feeds passengers well, they do so in style. Although the restaurants are not as grand as Super Star Virgo's, they are nice enough and the food is very good. Despite visiting the gym a couple of times, I think I put on some weight in the few days I was on board. Look at the photos and you will see why: Chinese

AK71http://www.blogger.com/profile/16832145412062954289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5557242660899638160.post-16331174411015854722015-08-13T11:55:00.002+08:002015-08-13T11:56:28.899+08:00

I would tell anyone who asks that cruises offer good value for money and they are a lot less hassle compared to holidays which require us to take an airplane. Board a cruise ship and we have arrived at our hotel and primary mode of transportation. The hotel travels to different destinations (i.e. ports of call). There is no hassle with airport transfers and moving from hotel to hotel if we

AK71http://www.blogger.com/profile/16832145412062954289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5557242660899638160.post-55362731264698613702015-08-12T23:26:00.001+08:002015-08-12T23:26:42.212+08:00

It was my first time taking a cruise on Super Star Gemini. All my previous cruise holidays were on the Super Star Virgo. The Super Star Gemini is a smaller ship and the interior is not as grand as the Super Star Virgo's. It is also slower and the same 4 days 3 nights could only bring us as far as Langkawi and not Phuket which is a shame because I like Phuket. Super Star Virgo Super Star

AK71http://www.blogger.com/profile/16832145412062954289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5557242660899638160.post-52212410433488791202014-04-26T14:30:00.002+08:002014-04-26T14:31:52.062+08:00

What is a Mikan?  Mikans being sold outside the train station at Wakayama. 5 for JPY100 which is about S$1.25. I thought they were a tad pricey then but I am always more easy going with money when I am on vacation. Bought some to try. They were pleasantly sweet. Well, now, I think they were cheap. Why? These were on sale in NTUC Fairprice supermarket. I thought of buying some but $

AK71http://www.blogger.com/profile/16832145412062954289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5557242660899638160.post-85873595744016952062014-01-10T22:06:00.002+08:002014-01-10T22:06:45.924+08:00

Sharing some photos of Dōtonbori in Osaka. This is also where Luz Shinsaibashi, a mall owned by Croesus Retail Trust, is located. If you are interested, you could read more about Croesus Retail Trust in my investment blog: here. Dōtonbori is a single street, running alongside the Dōtonbori canal between the Dōtonboribashi Bridge and the Nipponbashi Bridge in the Namba ward of Osaka. Source

AK71http://www.blogger.com/profile/16832145412062954289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5557242660899638160.post-10056392533697896522013-12-25T10:54:00.002+08:002013-12-25T10:57:31.374+08:00

Hotel Monterey Grasmere is in Namba, Osaka. A full size tub. Not bad. With three double beds! City view from hotel room. Not a bad size for a hotel room in Japan. Board rates. Go to ZUJI for better prices. I did. This pass gives access to our floor and our floor only. Security is good. Corridor. Nice! This is a first for me. A chapel on level 22 where

AK71http://www.blogger.com/profile/16832145412062954289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5557242660899638160.post-22571704621681435922013-12-04T20:43:00.003+08:002013-12-04T20:43:57.932+08:00

Was away recently for a few days. My second time visiting the Philippines. A nice change from Singapore.

AK71http://www.blogger.com/profile/16832145412062954289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5557242660899638160.post-31507032204356947582013-06-18T22:00:00.002+08:002017-05-15T12:34:29.886+08:00

The last time I stayed at the Ibis Hotel in Northpoint, Hong Kong, was in January 2011. On a trip to Hong Kong this month, I stayed at the same hotel and was given a room on the 31st floor, the highest floor of the hotel. The room was smaller than the one I stayed in back in 2011, if you can actually imagine that but I got a spectacular view of the harbour! That is more or less the size of

AK71http://www.blogger.com/profile/16832145412062954289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5557242660899638160.post-1038348828063565542012-12-25T13:38:00.000+08:002017-05-15T12:34:47.678+08:00

Browsing through the photos in one of my SD cards, I found photos taken of Holiday Inn Express in Hong Kong earlier this year. It was my first time staying in a Holiday Inn Express hotel. This hotel in Hong Kong is located in Causeway Bay and just next to Times Square! Yes, it is right in the middle of all the hustle and bustle of city life. Of course, the MTR station is conveniently

AK71http://www.blogger.com/profile/16832145412062954289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5557242660899638160.post-22080171957463953902012-12-20T09:55:00.000+08:002012-12-20T09:55:45.853+08:00

Another set of "staycation" photos. These are of Hard Rock Hotel in Resort World Sentosa. Toiletries in the bathroom. The guitar shaped display unit was a nice touch. Posters of "Police" above the headboard? I think I recognise "Sting". No? View from the window at the end of the corridor. The corridor was very long and we got a room near the end. So, it was a long walk to and from the

AK71http://www.blogger.com/profile/16832145412062954289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5557242660899638160.post-36303686371225746682012-12-15T23:00:00.000+08:002012-12-15T23:00:05.652+08:00

Here are some photos of Marina Bay Sands and the surrounding area at night. I took these photos with my trusty IXUS when I went for an evening walk after supper. Taken from the other side of ECP. The Supertrees, giant concrete and steel structures, at Gardens by the Bay. Taken from the bridge connecting Gardens by the Bay to Marina Bay Sands. The Singapore Flyer is in the distance.

AK71http://www.blogger.com/profile/16832145412062954289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5557242660899638160.post-82117940542578093792012-12-13T21:42:00.000+08:002012-12-13T21:42:53.210+08:00

Here are some photos of Marina Bay Sands, a world-class luxury casino and hotel in Singapore. The hotel is capped by Sands Skypark. Photos were taken during a recent "staycation" with my family. Our Deluxe Room. Balcony with a view of Gardens by the Bay. Bathroom. Sands SkyPark Infinity Pool, located 57 storeys above the ground. The SkyPark is longer than the Eiffel Tower laid

AK71http://www.blogger.com/profile/16832145412062954289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5557242660899638160.post-6151710852122665572012-12-11T09:23:00.000+08:002012-12-11T09:23:07.528+08:00

Recently, I went for a "staycation" at Marina Bay Sands and I took photos of Gardens by the Bay from the balcony of our hotel room at three different times. Afternoon: Night: Morning: Gardens by the Bay brings to life NParks' vision of creating a City in a Garden. The Gardens captures the essence of Singapore as the premier tropical Garden City with the perfect environment

AK71http://www.blogger.com/profile/16832145412062954289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5557242660899638160.post-25014021643525676052012-12-10T10:46:00.000+08:002012-12-10T10:46:04.014+08:00

It has been a long time since I last visited Las Vegas, Sin City. The major attractions of the city are the hotels and casinos. Look at the following photos and you will know why. Caesar's Palace. The Venetian and the Venezia. An older hotel, Treasure Island. I really like this shot! Quite pro, don't you think? Palazzo, Venetian, Casino Royale, McDonald's and Harrah's.  The

AK71http://www.blogger.com/profile/16832145412062954289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5557242660899638160.post-28943672577086487722012-11-20T20:10:00.000+08:002012-11-20T23:00:49.830+08:00

I just came back from a trip to the USA and it was my first time using Minneapolis - St. Paul International Airport. I must say that I was impressed. I read good reviews about the airport but seeing is believing. It was really cold. The short walk through the aero bridge from the plane to the terminal set my teeth chattering. It was snowing but stopped by the time I took this

AK71http://www.blogger.com/profile/16832145412062954289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5557242660899638160.post-40240619000798558972012-01-18T21:08:00.000+08:002012-01-18T21:08:13.952+08:00

The beach in the foreground. Enoshima in the distance. We can see the Enoshima Observation Lighthouse perched on the island too. "Enoshima is a small island at the mouth of the Katase-gawa River that flows into Sagami Bay. The island is approximately four kilometers, and it is linked with the opposite shore of Katase by the 600-meter-long Enoshima-ohashi Bridge." Source: Japan National

AK71http://www.blogger.com/profile/16832145412062954289noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5557242660899638160.post-78121319520801262362012-01-04T00:49:00.003+08:002012-01-04T01:08:38.075+08:00

I stayed in a pretty well located hotel in Shinjuku. I booked 3 months in advance and got a pretty good price from ZUJI. I also stayed for 6 nights or more and got a 30% discount. Take the Airport Limousine to the hotel from Narita Airport for JPY3,000 per person. Airport Limousine ticketing counter at Narita Airport. My ticket. My "limousine". Hotel Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku. Room

AK71http://www.blogger.com/profile/16832145412062954289noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5557242660899638160.post-58764660503660751462012-01-03T20:45:00.002+08:002017-03-11T09:26:27.808+08:00

We made a day trip to Hakone. As recommended by my friend, we bought Hakone Freepass round trip tickets from Odakyu Electric Railway Co., Ltd. It cost JPY5,000 per adult (from Shinjuku). This is really good value for money as you will soon find out. The counter at Odakyu in Shinjuku. My tickets. Both tickets had to be inserted at the same time at the turnstile gate. It got us on a

AK71http://www.blogger.com/profile/16832145412062954289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5557242660899638160.post-20660744798176439312011-12-30T09:40:00.000+08:002011-12-30T09:40:15.694+08:00

My recent holiday in Tokyo was somewhat expensive because of the very strong Yen. I have been to Japan a number of times over the last 15 years but the Yen was never so expensive. It was almost S$17 to JPY1,000 this time round. The first time I was in Japan, it was S$15 to JPY1,000. 5 or 6 years ago, it was S$13 to JPY1,000 and that was really quite comfortable. From $13 to $17 is a 30%

AK71http://www.blogger.com/profile/16832145412062954289noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5557242660899638160.post-87081894182666919502011-12-09T21:39:00.000+08:002011-12-09T21:39:32.419+08:00

The last time I was in Ocean Park was almost thirty years ago when I was a boy. This not for profit theme park has evolved nicely. How to get there: Take bus 629 from Admiralty MTR Station. It is a dedicated service to Ocean Park. Get there as early as you can. The park gets really crowded in the afternoon. And I was there pretty early! First time seeing pandas live! The very

AK71http://www.blogger.com/profile/16832145412062954289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5557242660899638160.post-26959911114007284092011-12-06T22:03:00.000+08:002011-12-06T22:03:26.819+08:00

Hong Kong is a place where anyone can visit free and easy because of the very good public transport network. Get an Octopus card (which is like Singapore's EZ Link card) and use it for cashless payments for MTR rides, ferry rides and tram rides, amongst other things. The trams in Hong Kong have a long history but since my first visit to Hong Kong in my primary school days and on my many

AK71http://www.blogger.com/profile/16832145412062954289noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5557242660899638160.post-5022278441303936542011-12-05T22:08:00.000+08:002011-12-05T22:08:07.480+08:00

Hong Kong is a shopping paradise. However, Singapore is also a shopping paradise. So, I didn't really buy anything for myself on this trip but I did buy some presents for my family at Citygate Outlets Mall. Lots of branded stuff there at amazing prices. I bought a CK blouse for my sister at a discount of more than 80% and an Alfred Dunhill shirt for my dad at a discount of 40%! Oh, there is

AK71http://www.blogger.com/profile/16832145412062954289noreply@blogger.com0