Euro Travel & More

Well, instead of looking into my auto insurance quotes – i got distracted by the fare sale announcement from AirTran.  Starting from next Tuesday – AirTran is having a huge airfare sale on all its destination till November 16.  Lowest fare ever seen in the travel industry but you are required to purchase your ticket 10 days in advance and watch out for those blackout dates like Memorial Day.  So if the children are visiting the grandparents or if you are thinking of taking a summer break to Milwaukee or even to Washington – take advantage of the fare sale now.

With the Universal Studio in Singapore officially opened – the Casino resort is also up and running from what I hear.  My reading up on joint health supplements had to hold because someone commented on a forum that Singapore was working hard on increasing the amount of tourists that comes into its country.  For someone from Singapore – it’s a really funny comment because isn’t Singapore full of tourists already?   Anyhow – coming back to the Singapore Casino resorts – i am wondering if they are anything like Las Vegas where rooms are not that expensive to entice the people to come gamble?

The Crockfords Tower is also home to Resorts World at Sentosa’s Casino, where private gaming rooms, lavish suites and a sweeping designer gaming floor offers guests the chance to live the high life and enjoy pampering hospitality and the city’s finest cuisines.

Brussels at this time of the year is cool and beautiful – the people are just friendly and they loved a tourist whether you are chinese or from United States – many never asked if we are from Canada though – hahah!!  If you love historical building and structure or even luxury shopping – Brussels is the place for you.  While  doing some colon cleansing reviews – i came across an old picture of shopping at the Galeres Royal and that sure brought back lots of good memories of Brussels.  If you are thinking of Belgium waffles – don’t be too disappointed that they don’t taste very much like they look though.

But you’ve gotta love the chocolate and truffles there – even for someone who is not very into sweets – I love seeing them.  Of course, the spouse who loves chocolate couldn’t contain his excitement and bought a few boxes.  They were ex..!!!

Brussels at nite is not only beautiful but bright – the city is just so vibrant.

Alot more magnificent than Tienanmen Square that’s for sure.

While going thru’ my emails and reading up on some atro phex reviews i cannot helped but was in awe when the girlfriend who just came back from Phnom Penh send some pictures it.  Phnom Penh had changed so much since i was last there – the last time i was there some 20 yrs ago,  i had to be evacuated by a special task force because of a civil war there.   It is a feeling of exhilaration and also sadness because alot of the old charm of Phnom Penh is phasing away as new buildings like the ones on top are sprouting up just about everywhere in Phnom Penh.  Soon Phnom Penh is gonna look very much like Ho Chi Minh city with lots of tourists, pollution and also lots of vehicles.

The thing that really troubles me is that all these mega buildings are constructed and financed by China – they are to be the art of facilities and technology equipped and this convention center that i keep hearing and reading about is also financed by China.  One has got to wonder whats up with the deal there eh.  Phnom Penh is not gonna be the old and cheap, easy place that we go to for the weekend anymore – soon i see Phnom Penh as another over populated tourists destination – if you are looking for the old charm – you won’t find it here that’s for sure.

When we were in Amsterdam – we stayed at the Grand Hotel Krasnopolsky – unfortunately the spa there did not do any anti wrinkle treatments when i enquired, so i was unable to book some spa time there.  But this hotel is located centrally and has 400+ rooms and right in the middle of Dam Square.  It was pretty convenient to get to everywhere – for they have shops and eateries around the hotel.  Although my travel agent said it was a 5-star hotel – i beg to differ but it is not the prettiest hotel in Amsterdam as we later learned.  The rooms were alright and nothing to shout about – and i was pretty glad we didn’t stay there for too long.  For reasonable price and a better hotel i wouldn’t really choose Hotel Krasnapolsky anymore but the being centrally located was actually a good thing.

I’m a very proud Singaporean living overseas (Canada) today – why? because there is a Universal Studio in Singapore!!!  woohoo!! the next time I go back home – you know where my kids and I will be heading to.  I know if I do return – I would be needing  some good diets for quick weight loss because of all the good food but the Universal Studio is definitely a plus for enticing the kid to fly 28hrs on the plane.

My best friend was invited for the soft opening in February – therefore I had a sneak peak of what it looked inside.  It’s pretty amazing eh .. such a small tiny weeny country – a red dot – has a universal studio.  When Disneyland opened in Hong Kong – I felt quite sad that they didn’t choose Singapore .. but Universal Studio is just as good if not better.

They looked exactly like the ones I’ve seen in Australia and Orlando but now Asian kids don’t have to travel to USA to see what Universal Studio looks like.  While the Japanese and Hongkies have the DisneyLand – we have the Universal Studios to call our own.

I don’t think it is going to be cheap.. but you definitely save on the airplane tickets eh.

Check out the Princess Belle’s castle is a must for my kid.

Some souvenirs anyone?

A taste of Egypt anyone?  Going home is looking more and more enticing these days.

Kennebunkport is a well-known small town because it houses Bush Senior’s summer home and his Backwoods cigars I heard. Kennebunkport is a coastal village and I’d enjoyed the many small shops in the area and if you are in Kennebunkport – don’t forget to drive by the summer home of the former President of United States.   But first take a walk around the town as it is a wonderful seaport – we got lots of souvenirs home during this trip.

We were there during the fall and there weren’t too many tourists around at that time – but we did get to eat our lobsters, visited some historical building and even spotted some known celebs.

Yummy lobsters from Maine.

Hanuama Bay Park is one of the best places we’ve been to for snorkeling – a girlfriend of mine told me the other day that life was short and unpredictable – unlike something you can put in catalog printing, therefore – one has got to make the best of life and cherish your loved ones.  How true and it set me thinking that we should make another trip this time with our daughter to Hanuama Bay Park in Hawaii.

The beaches are beautiful and the people are definitely friendly and the crime rate is so low – one has got to love it, especially when one has kids. So what can one do at the Hanuama Bay Park ?  you can go to the underwater park and you can scuba dive and snorkel and para – sailing.  The beach goes on and on and great for sunbathing, relaxing and if you wish – a picnic would be nice.  There are many breath-taking views at the Hanuama Bay Park – and guess what there are lifeguards everywhere.   Oh don’t forget to check out the living coral too.

The pink hotel that we stayed in was called the Royal Hawaiian Hotel.

It wasn’t too expensive if i can recall correctly and be warned that some hotels can be very expensive.

I don’t write very much of Glasgow or not enough because I had been in Glasgow for 4 yrs to finish my college some 20 yrs ago – and at that time – I just wanted very much to go home and not learn about  medical equipment or anything related to medical stuff.   I did like Glasgow – don’t get me wrong but if i was only there for a brief period .. i think i would have enjoyed Glasgow a lot more.

Like the above Art Gallery and Museum that I’ve been to only once – now looking back at its picture – i wished i had spent more time at the Kelvingrove.  Their collections were pretty amazing if I recalled correct and there was some performance on too – so if you are in Glasgow – don’t forget to check out the gallery and museum.  Don’t forget to check out the Art Lover’s cafe that is wrong the corner too or the Indian restaurant – awesome Indian food there.

Can’t got to Bangkok this weekend?  don’t fret – head over to Chiang Mai for it is just as beautiful and lots to shop for too.  From diamonds to silk products and the hotels are great and the ppl are even nicer there.   Plus it’s a lot more quieter in Chiang Mai.  Chiang Mai is known for the world’s biggest jewellery mart occupying as much as 2 acres of land just for the factory and showroom.

I love Chiang Mai because it is less crowded and less touristy – everything seems to be relatively cheaper as compared to BangKok but not like Bangkok is too expensive either.   Don’t forget the handcrafted gifts and souvenirs to bring home when you are in Chiang Mai.