When we hear of street art lanes anywhere when travelling abroad, we usually end up squeezing it into our itineraries. The hidden wall in Mongkok was indeed very hidden. But we’re glad we found it in the end.
Hong Kong: Australian Dairy Company (Cha Chaan Tengs)
I’ve heard a lot about this place. It’s a simple cha chaan teng (茶餐厅) most popular for its scrambled eggs, and steamed egg white pudding with milk. What way to best experience local Hong Kong than in a cha chaan teng. While queues are long at almost all times, the turnover is relatively quick. We soon understood how we got a seat so quickly.
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Singapore: Gardens By The Bay (Evening)
The only time I’d been in the vicinity before was during the Johnnie Walker Circuit Party in the Flower Dome, and seeing we went straight into the venue indoors and didn’t even have time to walk around, I never considered myself as ever been to Gardens by the Bay before. We were supposed to meet a bunch of friends at Indochine@SuperTree that evening and took the opportunity to have a little walk around before.
China: Facebook, Twitter, etc
The moment you relocate to China you realize that it might get a bit difficult to stay in touch with your friends / families / colleagues using your usual known and loved social networks. Facebook, Twitter and many other social network and news sites are blocked in China, and – unless you are rather advanced in reading, writing and speaking Mandarin – the Chinese equivalents like Weibo are not really an alternative :). However, there are of course several ways to regain access to those international sites again.
Shanghai: Qipu Lu (Cheap Shopping)
This is a must for my female guests who love shopping and love a good deal even more. It’s like Chatuchak in Bangkok, except a whole lot cheaper (most of the stuff in Chatuchak is made in China anyway). It’s also a one stop shop for souvenirs. Especially useful for lazy souvenir shoppers like me. Most of these come direct from the factories and is usually where most local clothing stores get their stuff wholesale. You’d have clothes, shoes, and accessories, for adults to babies to even different sized pets here.
Singapore: Gillman Barracks
Gillman Barracks is a newly opened art district in Singapore. It’s spread out along Malan Road and Lock Road, near Alexandra Road. What used to be a military camp (duh, Barracks), is now a street of contemporary art galleries, which was refurbished and opened to the public in September 2012.
Hong Kong: Typhoon Usagi
All flights departing Hong Kong have been cancelled from 6pm on 22 September till 12:30pm 23 September (tentative). If the typhoon persists and warnings still raised tomorrow, flights will be cancelled once again.
Singapore: S.E.A Aquarium
S.E.A Aquarium is located at Resorts World Sentosa’s Marine Life Park. It’s still very new, having only opened late last year. I hadn’t had the chance to have a look before the move to Shanghai, so decided to do so on my recent visit back. (Post Contains Video)
Shanghai: The PuLi Hotel & Spa (Mid Autumn Indulgence)
Happy Mid Autumn Holiday, everyone! 中秋节快乐!
I love Public Holidays – you’re “forced” to take a little breather no matter if you’re staying local or heading overseas. Nobody’s going to give you the “I have to cover for you while you’re gone?” guilt-trip. Time to head out and bask in the company of lovely friends, laze around alone in the company of your-lovely-self, catch up on the films, books, and everything that you’ve missed out on. Yes, I do like them holidays.
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Revisiting Singapore: Haw Par Villa
[Having been back in Singapore for two weeks, I’d decided to squeeze in as many friends, and sights I’ve missed, in my itinerary. And I’ll be journalling some of these places here. My bulkier camera was left in Shanghai and photos were only snapped using my phone this trip. So, forgive the photos.]
I was actually checking out the galleries at Gillman Barracks earlier in the day, with my friend Tim. We happened to see a photo of the “Crab-Man” from Haw Par Villa in one of the galleries’ installations, and Tim then mentioned Haw Par Villa was actually close by. I’ve not been back there since a child of 5. So the idea of revisiting this place after so many years was quite inviting. I was curious to see just how much of it was still similar to memory.