Euro Travel & More

I haven’t been back home for 10 yrs and every now and then – i get pictures from family and friends of the recent changes in Singapore to entice me to go home for a holiday.  I so wanna go – but because of our business – and no extra help or trustworthy ones – we have no choice but to stay put for now.  I hope in the later years to come – i can go home for a long visit.

This is the famous durian building – hahah!  actually it’s not called that – it is actually the Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay.  Some 30 years ago – the Esplanade didn’t look like that – and about 10 yrs ago – when i was leaving for Canada – they started building this.   600 million SGD it cost and it was completed in 2002 – i never had a chance to visit the new Esplanade yet – but you can be sure i would when i visit home.

The Merlion hasn’t changed much – still same looking but it seems like there are more building in the central business district now.    But there is more in Singapore – to tell you about – tell you about the awesome food next!  look forward to it – because like Hong Kong – we have yummy food home!

The girlfriends from Asia were invited for the soft opening in April and had shared these pictures with me.  As we all know – if it is a 5 star hotel in Singapore – it has be a  good hotel.   The Marina Bay Sand  owns by Las Vegas Sands is complete with a casino, conference/exhibition hall, business center  and shopping center in its 55 storey high hotel.  2650 room later – the hotel costing i heard $8 billion – excluding the cost of prime land.  Grander than the Westin Hotels when it opened in the 90s – if you are in Singapore – its a must see place.

The big business center/convention/exhibition hall.

Interior of the hotel

Entrance to the hotel – more about the stay at Marina Sand Bay Hotel in the next post.  Did i tell you they have a food court in this hotel too?

For those who don’t know this Singapore is my home and me being in Canada doesn’t mean that I don’t know a thing or two about the happenings in Singapore.  The niece who was invited to the launch recently sent me some beautiful pictures of her and her friends – the beautiful people of course – during the launch party.  I asked her if i could use a few of her pictures for this blog – to show you all what a beautiful and amazing place Singapore is.

This is an outdoor pool i think – and the rates are at USD $400 a nite.

Feeling a little nostalgia and also mostly because I’m missing home a lot lately – the cousin sent me some recent pictures of Chinatown from home.  And home is not in China – where most people here in Canada thinks i am.  I guess – when they see a Chinese – they just assume we are all from China – hahaa!  but just like the Westerners thinks we all look alike, the Westerners look very much the same to me too – unless they are people I know very well.  So when i was reading about  herbal phentermine one day and a customer walked in asking about something – i had mistaken her for the spouse’s cousin – hahah!

Truth be told – i rarely go to Chinatown when i was home – i never really appreciate the beautiful and restored buildings but as you can see – they are very beautiful building and the government of Singapore tried to make every inch of Singapore look as beautiful as possible for both the tourist as well as the residents in Singapore.

Some people only goes there once a year for Chinese New Year but many older folks i know goes there every morning for a brief walk – a – bout and then coffee in the clans near the temple.

It is very interesting to see the many temples in Singapore – but i never go – because my mum wasn’t a believer and she never really allowed us to go into temples.  How i wished i could turn the clock around and won’t take these beautiful statues for granted.

The inside of the temple as you can see – is very beautiful as well.  In Chinatown, they not only have temples for the Chinese but mosques as well for the Muslims.

I’ve walked this passageway before – i hope soon – i can bring my kids home with me.

Ahh! Pulau Ubin ! kinda nostalgia for me – you see when we were going to school as a kid – so carefree and no need for prevera times – our school would bring us to Pulau Ubin for class trips all the time.  In fact, I think we go for a class trip every now and then to Pulau Ubin but I’m guessing that it’s only because it’s darn cheap to go there.

Pulau Ubin is an island near Singapore – and you can make a short trip with a bum boat for less than $2.50 or hire the whole bumboat for $30 with friends.  Is there much to do at Pulau Ubin ?  not really that much if i remember correctly but it was fun for it’s like bringing you back to another era.

Very quaint right?  Sure brings you back to the 60s in Singapore – the mainland i mean.  But what else can one do in Pulau Ubin I hear you asking? cheap bike rides – cheap seafood – but make sure you get out before 4pm because the last bum boat goes off then.

Life in Pulau Ubin is pretty simple as you can see.

But getting away from the hustle and bustle of the city is kinda cool once in a while – although the kids may not like it that much.  But where would you get to rent a bike for the entire day for $2 eh.

Don’t forget to get to CheK Jawa – where you can go for nature walks and do all sorts of sight seeing too – check out the 21 meter Jejawi Tower.

the broadwalk

Don’t forget to bring your sunscreen and most importantly – BUG SPRAY!!

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.

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.

A little further than Las Vegas but definitely worth every penny .. and the time.. if i have to say so myself.  If we didn’t own our own business… i would be getting individual health insurance right now.. and flying off just about now.The Singapore Skyline has changed so much, I am wondering if i will recognised most of the buildings when i go home for a visit.

Simply beautiful.. and it’s making me miss asia .. very much.  I missed all the convenience.. of shopping .. food .. and entertainment.. that i don’t get here.

Business class hotels with no frills didn’t just happen overnite.  In fact, i know so .. because i used to work for an important group of hotels back in Asia some 15 – 20 yrs ago.  When i moved from a 5 star hotel.. and worked for this new brand of hotel.. everyone thought i was crazy .. but little did they know that the no frills hotels are the way to the future not only for the hoteliers & share-holders of the hotels.. but also for the tourist and the frequent traveler as well as businessmen.

Yes, unlike the Orlando vacations that we take now that we are living in the West,  one definitely can fall in love with these Business Class Hotels with no frills.  Why..?? not only are they cheaper.. but they are actually a branch from a bigger hotel – meaning a sister hotel to a chain hotel.  Definitely value for money.. especially if you join their club floors.. where breakfast and cocktails in the evenings are free.  Free use of the club floor room for your business meetings and etc.  So if you hear hotel with no frills, donch get the wrong idea.. that the hotel isn’t good.. they are just as good. except .. to expect an empty mini-bar.. but you can always request for them to fill it up.. if you are on company’s account.

Many had asked me about my migration to Canada from Singapore and my experiences thus far.  Of course, I have lots to tell.. and loads of story to share.  From making the big step to going onto the plane and now settling in Canada after 9 yrs.  Immigration procedures .. and all that I’ve faced .. with different culture .. different work ethics .. and even moving from one town to another using moving trucks instead of getting help from family and friends, is all new to me.  But i can tell you one thing for sure .. and that is migrating is no fun.. and even though it is an adventure.. it was an emotional ride for me.  More stories later.