San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf is one of the biggest attraction in the city and in this post, we’ll show you some of things you must do when you visit Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco!
1. Seafood of course!
How can one visit Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco without having some seafood? There are many options for seafood ranging from fish to crabs, prawns to the famous clam chowders in bread bowl. This time, we visited Fisherman’s Grotto. (This is after some price comparison with Franciscan Crab Restaurant)
Franciscan Crab Restaurant Fisherman’s Wharf San FranciscoFisherman’s Grotto @ Fisherman’s Wharf San Francisco – Where we had our lunch
Turns out that we made the right choice because Fisherman’s Grotto was the first restaurant to be opened by Mike Geraldi in 1948…
History of Fisherman’s Grotto Restaurant @ Fisherman’s Wharf San Francisco
At San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf, there are 2 things that you should have. Clam chowder and of course the famous Dungeness Crab (especially so when it’s in season). We saw this on the menu and immediately jumped on it. This course is good for 2 to share…
Whole Dungeness Crab with Clam Chowder – Menu of Fisherman’s Grotto RestaurantClam Chowder in a cup with view of the wharf and boats (Fisherman’s Grotto Restaurant San Francisco Fisherman’s Wharf)Dungeness Crab roasted in garlic and olive oil (Fisherman’s Grotto San Francisco Fisherman’s Wharf)
We were really glad that we chose to have the dungeness crab roasted in garlic (had a choice of steamed or garlic roasted). This is because, for a cheaper price, you could have the steamed version at the food stalls all along the street…
Steamed Dungeness Crabs at Fisherman’s Wharf San FranciscoClam Chowder in a sour dough bread bowl
Though the above clam chowder was not bought in San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf (we only managed to try it at Ivar’s in Seattle), do remember to try one along the wharf or at Boudin’s Bakery. Before coming to San Francisco, we did not know what dungeness crabs were. After tasting it, it’s probably one of the sweetest crab (though not the muscular succulent type) we’ve had. (Disclaimer : We had the crabs when it was in season – probably why it tasted especially shiok!)
2. Pier 39 Sea Lions and Views of San Francisco / Alcatraz!
Pier 39 with views of Alcatraz, Sea Lions, Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco’s Skyline
Pier 39 of San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf is a special place. Since the Loma Prieta earthquake in October 1989, sea lions started to arrive at Pier 39. Some thought that it was just due to the herring season and the sea lions would leave shortly after. They never left. Today, as you can hear from the loud noises in the video, they attract many visitors and it’s really quite fun to watch them bask and laze in the sun while having fun teasing and pushing each other around on the docks.
Sea Lions at Pier 39 – they just happened to be there one day and have been there ever since!
From Pier 39, you can also have a good photo opportunity with Alcatraz, formerly the state penitentiary where notorious criminals were held. Golden Gate Bridge is also in sight. The other view we enjoyed was of course the city skyline of San Francisco. With its sloping geographical formations, it forms a city skyline like no other.
View of Fisherman’s Wharf with San Francisco City behind
3. Boudin Bakery and Cafe
As we stayed at the San Remo Hotel, we were just a few blocks away (4 to be precise) from Fisherman’s Wharf. After dinner at Fior d’Italia (America’s Oldest Italian Restaurant), we strolled down to Fisherman’s Wharf to take in the sights at night. The area around Boudin is a great place to hang out and we were pretty much attracted by the smell of freshly baked sourdough bread that’s coming out of Boudin’s bakery!
Boudin Bakery & Cafe – Famous for its sourdough bread (since 1849)Where the smell of freshly baked Boudin breads come from – really smart idea!
Boudin at the wharf is a really cool place to hang out, especially for tourists because you can chill at its bistro and cafe, shop around at its baker’s hall, watch Boudin’s baking process or visit the Boudin museum and bakery tour (which is totally free!)…
Entrance to Boudin Museum at Fisherman’s Wharf San FranciscoJourney overland during from east to west and the well-equipped minerBakery tour at Boudin’s – 72 hours of traditional bread baking from start to finish
Though free, the museum tour was detailed and pretty much covered the whole history of San Francisco (not only about Boudin’s bakery). In this museum tour, we learnt a few things…
– How the journey across continental USA from east to west (due to the gold rush), claimed many lives – conservative estimates of 20,000 deaths.
– How prices soared during gold rush (and lack of food supplies) resulting in prices like $1 eggs (Which is madness considering this was the 1850s and even today, an egg costs only 20 cents!)
– How important live yeast was and during a fire that struck the bakery, the mother yeast was saved and today, we’re still enjoying the same taste from the same yeast.
– How living with the French (then) meant that you would be eating well – cause French at that time in USA were mainly bakers
– How the famous San Francisco cable cars were invented by Andrew Smith Hallidie after he witnessed a horse drawn cart loaded with passengers slipped down a hill causing so much injury to the horses that it had to be shot. On August 1, 1873, Hallidie debuted the first cable car on the steep Clay Street hill between Kearny and Leavenworth.
4. Museums at the Wharf
National Maritime Historic Park – San Francisco
There are many museums at the wharf which includes the National Maritime Historic Park, Maritime Museum, Hyde Street Pier and the maritime library. We especially liked some of the displays along the way which described how life was back then. Fishermen had to continue fishing in the cold and being paid in fish for their hard work…
Paid in fish if you worked at the docks – fish are then sold or exchange for items
5. San Francisco’s famous cable cars
Nope, these are not the cables that we know that hangs over head and transports you with views of an area. Instead, these cable cars were invented by Andrew Smith Hallidie to overcome the steep slopes of San Francisco. Today, these cable cars are preserved and still ply the streets of San Francisco (Hyde Street, Mason Street, Jackson Street, Washington Street, Powell Street and California Street). Though we did not take the cable car (due to the long queue – approximately an hour), we did take some great shots there.
About an hours wait for the cable car (6USD one way) at the edge of San Francisco’s Fisherman’s WharfSan Francisco cable car with long queues
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Ghirardelli Square is also one of the places where you can visit to shop and see the historic chocolate factory (Willy Wonka of San Francisco). We also continued west of Fisherman’s Wharf and eventually arrived at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge. Enjoy your next visit to San Francisco and let us know if we missed any experience or sights from Fisherman’s Wharf in our comments section below!
Having watched “Friends” and remembered how much pizza and beer is part of the American culture (observe Joey in “Friends”), we approached our friendly concierge at Palace Hotel and asked where we could have some pizza and beer in a casual setting, we were referred to Umbria, within walking distance of Palace Hotel.
Entrance to Umbria San FranciscoMenu of Umbria San Francisco where we had beer and pizza
Umbria is located at 198 2nd St, San Francisco, California 94105 and it serves up authentic italian cuisine – the ones where you’ll have a waiter come up to you and introduce the day’s menu and start off the meal with bread and appetizers…
Inside Umbria Ristorante San Francisco
After looking through the menu, we ordered exactly what we came for… Ice cold beer with authentic Italian Pizza…so we ordered 2 Peroni beer (off the tap) with the Pizza Bianca Con Arugula E Prosciutto – Fresh mozzarella, fontina cheeses, prosciutto, arugula, shaved parmesan and white truffle oil.
Menu of Umbria Ristorante San Francisco – we ordered the last itemItalian Peroni Beer from the tap at 6USD each (Umbria San Francisco)Pizza Bianca Con Arugula E Prosciutto – Fresh mozzarella, fontina cheeses, prosciutto, arugula, shaved parmesan and white truffle oil (Umbria Ristorante San Francisco)
Frankly speaking, this was one of the best pizzas we’ve ever tasted! The crust was soft and fluffy with rich aromatic smell (and taste) of the cheeses on each bite. The white truffle oil did not taste like conventional oily stuff eventhough you could see the oil, you taste only the fragrance of the white truffle. And when all these tastes (fluffy crust, cheeses and white truffle oil) came together. It was perfetto and mamamia!
While we were eating at the restaurant, there was also a homeless guy who kept peering at us through the windows. One of the waiters saw this and gave the homeless guy some food and sent him away. Great restaurant with extraordinary heart, we must say.
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So the next time your pizza and beer cravings hit you in San Francisco, head right down to Umbria and cure the hunger pangs. Remember, one pizza is more than good for 2 to share!
We were introduced to Great Eastern Restaurant while we were shopping in Chinatown San Francisco. After getting our souvenirs (mostly magnets and stuff for you guys), we decided to ask the shop owner which restaurant would be a good one in Chinatown. After looking at the time (it was 9 plus in the morning), she thought about it for a while and said that Great Eastern Restaurant was open for dim sum. So we headed right over…
Great Eastern Restaurant Chinatown San FranciscoInside Great Eastern Restaurant with many locals!Tanks at the other end of Great Eastern Restaurant Chinatown San Francisco
What we ate at Great Eastern Restaurant Chinatown San Francisco
Beef Ball with special vinegar sauce at Great Eastern Restaurant Chinatown San FranciscoRice noodle roll with BBQ pork with yummy soy sauce (Great Eastern Restaurant Chinatown San Francisco)Pan fried pau – wanted to try something different (Great Eastern Restaurant San Francisco)Custard in fried sweet potato ballMenu of Great Eastern Restaurant Chinatown San Francisco Total damage of $17USD at Great Eastern Restaurant
The beef ball was taong and chewy yet tender and flavourful. Comparable to that of Tim Ho Wan. The other thing that you should try is the rice noodle roll with char siew. Looooooved the fatty bits with the shiok texture of the rice noodle roll.
The sauce was also not too salty, just nice 🙂 Try not to be too adventurous and steer away from the pan fried pau which had too much flour.
Conclusion
All in all, if you ask me where to eat in Chinatown San Francisco, I would say that Great Eastern Restaurant is a great place to visit for its dim sum. Seeing the number of locals visiting, you’d probably guess that the food is good and the price is reasonable. Even Obama visits…
Obama visiting Great Eastern Restaurant in Chinatown San Francisco
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So enjoy your trip to Chinatown San Francisco (a must visit!) and if you’re wondering where to eat, do check out the Great Eastern Restaurant located at 649 Jackson St, San Francisco, CA 94133!
The gold rush of 1849 has brought about tremendous development in San Francisco. After the great earthquake and fire of 1906, which wiped out 3/4 of the city, San Francisco was rebuilt upon its slopes, producing a city with one of the most amazing street views! This post is a tribute to the slopes of San Francisco!
Lombard Street San Francisco’s Crookedest Street attracting tonnes of visitors daily“Crookedest Street” in San Francisco Lombard StreetCars are advised to park perpendicular to the slope – Haight Park San FranciscoCastro San FranciscoBeautiful view of slope upwards in San FranciscoVictorian Style Houses built on slopes at Haight Ashbury San FranciscoBeautiful city skyline as a result of building on the slopes of San Francisco
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To describe how steep the slope was, as we were driving up Divisadero Street, Kate became scared. Even I was scared. You must know that I have conquered the roller coaster rides (Battlestar Galactica Cylon vs Human) of Universal Studios and that wasn’t as scary. Imagine the same kind of steepness without the safety inbuilt in a roller coaster ride!
Now…that’s scary. It’s almost like bungy jumping without the cord! We could feel as though the bonnet was gonna “lift off”! Ascending the steep slopes of San Francisco was more like ascending to the top of a steep roller coaster ride – really slowly… Enjoy the feeling of excitement on the slopes of San Francisco!
Lombard street IS the “Crookedest Street” in San Francisco and many local residents are annoyed by it. Because of the name “Crookedest Street” (who wouldn’t visit?!), Lombard Street has become one of the main tourist attractions in San Francisco – with it, tonnes of tourists and locals visiting each day!
“Crookedest Street” in San Francisco Lombard Street
How Lombard Street became the “Crookedest Street” in San Francisco
Well, Lombard Street has become the crookedest street in San Francisco simply because it has a very steep gradient. While many streets in San Francisco are steep, Lombard Street has a gradient which was deemed unsafe for traffic. To reduce the inclination of Lombard Street, a series of winding road was created so that cars could “snake” down Lombard Street without toppling over on a really steep road. Do note that Lombard Street is a one way street that starts at Leavenworth Street to the east and ends at Hyde Street to the west.
View from the top of Lombard Street – The Crookedest Street in San Francisco
As a result of this kind consideration for drivers and pedestrians, it has unknowingly created one of the most visited free attraction in San Francisco. Because of this, large numbers of visitors throng the streets of Lombard EVERY SINGLE DAY! As a result, you may see some of the residents posting things like “This is not the crookedest or steepest street in San Francisco” (they usually never state which is) in Tripadvisor or some travel forums. So the “kind consideration” has become an inconsiderate thing for the residents of Lombard Street…
Lombard Street San Francisco’s Crookedest Street attracting tonnes of visitors daily
Other views from the Crookedest Street in San Francisco – Lombard Street
Queues of car heading up to Lombard Street – Took us some effort to climb up the street!Coit Tower and Bay Bridge San Francisco as seen from Lombard Street (Crookedest Street in San Francisco)Alcatraz Federal Prison seen at the top of Lombard Street – Crookedest Street in San Francisco
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Whether you’re taking shots from the top or bottom of Lombard Street, you’ll definitely find many good spots to capture this “Crookedest Street” in San Francisco! Don’t be fooled by comments that it is not because Lombard Street IS the Crookedest Street in all of San Francisco!
During our drive from Vancouver Washington to San Francisco, we stopped by Eureka and this post will tell you what are some of the things to do and attractions in Eureka California!
1. Historic Buildings in Eureka California. With its beginnings in mining, logging and fishing, Eureka grew to become a significant sea port. Many came and established their homes here resulting in many beautiful historic buildings in this city…
Eureka Inn on the National Register of Historic PlacesFacade of Eureka Inn – Stayed here during this tripThe Eureka TheatreMorris Graves Museum of Art EurekaOld Historic Eureka Downtown – Resembles “wild wild west” doesn’t it?
2. Eureka Waterfront Promenade. Eureka has a beautiful waterfront promenade where you can enjoy a relaxing stroll and perhaps even get a glimpse of some wildlife…
Map of Old Town Eureka WaterfrontEureka Waterfront Promenade and Boardwalk
Video of the Eureka Waterfront
3. The Wooden Sculpture Garden of Romano Gabriel. Romano Gabriel was born in Italy but came to USA with his father to be furniture makers. After serving in WW1, he settled in Eureka and started to make wooden sculptures that filled his garden. As he progressed with the hundreds of sculptures he made, many visitors came from far and wide just to see his beautiful wooden sculpture garden. But he would just hide behind his windows and peer at his visitors as he was a little reserved. After he passed away, the garden was preserved and encased for future generations to enjoy…
Description of Romano Gabriel’s Wooden Sculpture GardenRomano Gabriel’s Wooden Sculpture Garden Eureka
4. Lost Coast Brewery. This seems to be the one restaurant that the entire Eureka city gathers at for dinner. While all the streets of Eureka were empty and quiet, Lost Coast Brewery was filled with people and we had to wait 20 minutes before we got to be seated!
Facade of Lost Coast Brewery 4th Street Eureka California – Seemingly quiet on the outsideNoisy and boisterous crowd inside Lost Coast Brewery
We tried the fruit beers at Lost Coast Brewery and totally enjoyed them! Unlike many other breweries that claim to have fruity-flavoured beers, they seldom taste fruity. But at Lost Coast, we tried both Tangerine Wheat and Raspberry Brown and they tasted flavourful and fruity! Yum!
Ordered Tangerine Wheat during our 20 minutes wait, therefore it was half full when we took this photo (3.75USD per pint)
As for the meal, we had the caesar’s salad, Lost Coast Brewery’s famous hot brown and 1 pound of its buffalo wings. Turns out that its buffalo wings were better than Anchor Bar’s original buffalo wings! It was tangy, juicy and tender! Shiok! And when we asked the waitress, she matter-of-factly said “Well, our buffalo wings are hard to beat!”
Caesar Salad $8.99USD (Lost Coast Brewery Eureka)1 pound of Buffalo Wings at $10.99USD (Lost Coast Brewery Eureka)Lost Coast Brewery’s Famous Hot Brown – Generous servings of beef with melted cheese between crispy sourdough bread!Total damage of $38.36USD at Lost Coast Brewery
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All in all, it was a wonderful stopover at Eureka. The food was great and the experience of walking through the historic old town of Eureka while enjoying the waterfront was relaxing as well. Therefore if you’re doing an Oregon scenic ocean drive, we’ll definitely recommend a stopover in Eureka. A visit to Lost Coast Brewery is a must!
First off, the scenic Oregon drive is not just any other coastal drive. If you are somehow on the West Coast of the USA, you have got to take this drive like the one we took from Vancouver Washington to San Francisco California!
The reasons???
We’ll let the videos speak for themselves…
Starting our drive from Vancouver Washington to Eureka California
First glimpse of the ocean at South Beach – see how the waves crashes near the shore!
Enjoying the view of the ocean on US 101 Highway
“12 Apostles” during our scenic Oregon ocean drive on US 101 Highway – Anyone know their actual names?
Driving through Redwood National Park
The entire journey takes about 7 hours on I-5 (Interstate Freeway 5 South) and is about 9 hours on US 101 Highway – the scenic route. We broke up the drive into 2 trips from Vancouver Washington to Eureka California (resting for a night at Eureka Inn) and from Eureka onwards to San Francisco.
If you type this journey and try to get directions using Google map, by default, the map will recommend to you the shortest way which uses I-5. This route is actually the fastest route but on it, you will be seeing nothingness.
So remember to take US 101!!!
There are 3 main reasons why we recommend this drive
1. Unbelievably Amazing Views. If you think that the videos are showing really beautiful views, the truth is that the videos don’t even start to do justice for the views that we saw. It was beautiful and much much more…the drive takes you
Scenic Oregon Drive (after tunnel through the mountains)Through forests – where you’ll smell the fresh redwoods (Redwood National and State Parks)Huge tree house!Scenic Oregon Drive: Views by the OceanScenic Oregon Drive: Breathtaking Sunsets
2. Beautiful Wildlife
During our drive it was the whale migrating season! Kate managed to see the whales as they moved along the coast! I missed it as I was driving 🙁 We managed to arrive at one of the viewing points along the coast. However, we waited for 15 minutes and still no sighting. Nonetheless, we heard “orh orh orh orh”. Lo and behold, we saw them…
Scenic Oregon Drive: Wild Sea Lions!
3. Drive through San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge
Driving through Golden Gate Bridge San Francisco
Finally, at the end of the drive, you’ll pass through the iconic Golden Gate Bridge. The thing about San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge is that it is neither the longest nor the heaviest suspension bridge but it was considered an engineering marvel when it opened in 1937 (longest suspension bridge then) its biggest achievement was being able to build the bridge in the midst of the San Francisco fog and yet be able to withstand wind speeds of 100mph and earthquakes of 8 in magnitude!
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While you’re travelling on the West Coast of the USA, we hope you’ll also be able to rent a car and drive along the scenic Oregon coastal drive. It’ll be an experience you won’t soon forget!
In May 1804, Captain Meriwether Lewis and his good friend Second Lieutenant William Clark started an expedition, commissioned by then President Thomas Jefferson. Today, this trail is known to us as the Lewis and Clerk expedition (not to be confused with Clark Kent and Lois Lane of Superman).
Essentially these chaps were brave enough to cross the vast continent, not knowing what to expect and encountering perils (such as grizzly bears) along the way. Nonetheless, the journey was finally completed in 1806 and the expedition team not only opened up a route from Eastern USA to Western USA, but also discovered many economic opportunities (think natural resources) and most importantly, the Western side to the Pacific Ocean.
It was also on this journey that the original Vancouver (Vancouver Washington, not Vancouver Canada) was discovered and subsequently established several years later. With this long history, it is little wonder that the entire Vancouver Washington is sprinkled with many historic monuments, still maintained in excellent condition, to be shared with visitors like you and me!
Hilton Vancouver Washington with Bell Tower at Esther Short ParkSlocum House – Yes it was an ULTRA MISTY DAY!
Once considered the most elegant homes in Vancouver, this Italianate villa’s ornate details including a cupola, elaborate cornice, scrolled brackets, and a widow’s walk on the roof. Built by Charles and Laura Slocum, it was nearly lost to development in the 1960s. Activists saved the home from demolition by moving it a block north. Today the building is home to the Old Slocum House Theatre Company, which stages a number of theatrical productions annually at this historic site
Lloyd Dubois House Vancouver Washington
This Queen Anne-style home, originally owned by the editor and publisher of the city’s newspaper, features a broad, wrap-around porch supported by turned posts, jigsaw brackets and a balustrade.
Langsdorf House Vancouver Washington
This Craftsman Bungalow with its flat wall planes of brick, low pitched hip roof, and unusual porch is influenced by the Midwestern Prairie style rarely seen in Clark County.
Kettenring House Vancouver Washington
This residence is characterised as an American Foursquare with classic Craftsman elements and ornamentation and retains the original multi-paired windows and curved rafter ends. Fred Kettenring moved to Vancouver in 1901 to take charge of the Great Northern Railroad’s construction and later became the City Engineer.
Chumasero-Smith House Vancouver Washington
This American Foursquare is the oldest known home in Washington to be built by a Filipino-American. The structure features classic columns supporting the heavy cornice on the porch, diamond shingles on the front dormer and a steeply pitched, hipped roof.
Post Office Vancouver Main
This brick post office with front columns is representative of Classical Revival architectural style.
St James Catholic Church Vancouver WashingtonW. Foster Hidden House Vancouver Washington
Lowell Hidden’s son, Foster, built this two-story Colonial Revival home with Flemish bond brickwork, a columned portico, heavy corner quoins and an elaborate cornice with block modillions.
Lowell M Hidden House Vancouver Washington
Lowell Hidden, owner of the Hidden Brick Company, built this two-story Queen Anne-style home with ornamental brick patterns, stained glass windows and a corbeled chimney.
Kiggins Theatre Vancouver WashingtonUS National Bank Vancouver Washington
Tall, fluted columns on projecting plinths frame an arched entrace to this five-story building that is an example of early 20th century Commercial style.
Evergreen Hotel Vancouver WashingtonVancouver National Bank Building
Originally made of molded stone construction the facade of this building was covered with the current terra cotta design in 1926.
History of Officers Row Vancouver WashingtonOfficer’s Row Vancouver WashingtonGrant House along Officer’s Row – Now a restaurant
For more than a century, the 21 buildings along the north side of Evergreen Blvd housed soldiers, officers and military families stationed at Vancouver Barracks. Three of the more notable properties are the Grand House, built in 1849, the General O.O. Howard House, constructed in 1879 and the Marshall House built in 1886. The homes are characterised by high ceilings, large foyers, sweeping staircases, bay windows, multiple fireplaces and numerous rooms which housed company or field grade officers.
Vancouver Barracks in front of Officer’s Row
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Remember, Vancouver Washington was named “Vancouver” before Vancouver Canada. This also means that for a travel destination that is rich in heritage, history and monuments, Vancouver Washington would be a great place for you to explore. There’s also great natural formations in Vancouver Washington too!
Nature is one of the biggest draws in Vancouver Washington and in this post, we’re gonna show you what an awesome travel destination, Vancouver Washington (not be confused with Vancouver Canada) is! We knew that there are many natural formations along Columbia River and we were also told about some of the more famous ones such as Multnomah Falls and Beacon Rock, so we decided to start a drive from Vancouver Washington along Columbia River and cross at the Bridge of Gods ending with the visit at Multnomah Falls on the Oregon side…
Starting our drive along Columbia River from Vancouver Washington
Columbia River : Great River of the WestOur first scenic point – Cape Horn : Along the Lewis and Clark HighwayAnother shot from Cape Horn and the gorgeous gorgeBeacon Rock – the remaining core of a young volcanoBeacon Rock close up
Because of its height in the region of the Columbia River, it is often used as a navigation mark. Hence, the name, Beacon Rock. As we ventured closer, we also realised that there’s a trail up the rock. But Kate was startled by how eerie the path looked and we only managed a shot and left…yikes!
Path up the NW face of Beacon RockBonneville Dam
As we journeyed along, we came by Bonneville Dam. The dam served to generate sufficient electricity for the area while still keeping the balance of nature (including migration of fish) through careful planning…
Fish ladder allowing fish to migrate safely through the dams – but we did see a few sea lions lurking to feast upon the fish that passed through
Coming to the Bridge of Gods, we crossed the Columbia River (toll of 1USD), took a break and journey back towards Multnomah Falls…
Bridge of Gods as we drove on it, crossing the Columbia RiverColumbia River from Bridge of GodsMural depicting the past and present and how the original bridge of God was likeOriginal Bridge of Gods was formed from an avalanche which corroded away paving way for this man-made versionHood RiverAnother shot of Hood River Vancouver WashingtonPassed by Horsetail Falls before coming to Multnomah FallsArriving at Multnomah Falls – visited by 2 MILLION PEOPLE A YEAR!Multnomah Falls with the sign – 2nd highest all year round fall in USAAwesome Majestic Multnomah Falls
Enjoy Multnomah Falls Oregon
Heading back, we finally got to enjoy a wonderful view along the River Columbia near downtown Vancouver
Interstate Bridge connecting Vancouver to PortlandBoard walk beside Columbia River – path we took from Beaches back to Hilton Hotel
View from Boardwalk of Columbia River at Vancouver Washington
Yay! First view of snow cap on Mount Hood in the distance!
Sunset at Columbia River with Mount Hood in the back!
But there was a shot that we didn’t manage to take and it was Mt St. Helens. We managed to only stay outside the visitor’s center because it was Christmas Day. On top of that, it was ULTRA MISTY which meant that we did not manage to see it. But to do it justice, here are some official pictures from Visitvancouverusa!
Mt St Helen’s Visitor Centre – Closed on misty Christmas Day
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We hope you’ve enjoyed our coverage of all the wonders of nature that you can enjoy as you travel along the Columbia River. Hilton Hotel Vancouver Washington makes a great base to enjoy all of these and remember to rent a car like we did to have the flexibility to visit all of these spots along Columbia River!
Catching Portland Winterhawks in action was an excellent story to tell. This is because it was the first time EVER that we watched an ice hockey match! But before we get to the match proper, we’ll talk about the meal we had at Burgerville first…
After parking our car at Rose Quarter for $8,
Parking Ticket at Rose Garden ($8USD) for Portland Winterhawks Match on New Year’s Eve
we approached the ticketing booth to find out how to get to our seats.
Winterhawks match at Moda Center also home to NBA team Portland Trailblazers
At the same time, we also asked where we could get our dinner. We were told to head towards Multnomah Street. As we headed in the general direction of where the cashier pointed, we started to see several Winterhawks fans walking in the same direction as well. After about a 6 minutes walk, we finally arrived at Burgerville…
Dinner at Burgerville Multnomah Street
Following a hawks fan to BurgervilleNope, we’re not stalking this hawks fanMenu at Burgerville
After much consideration, we finally settled for the half pound colossal cheese burger with a basket (which actually means a meal – with fries and drinks) for 9.89USD…
Colossal Cheese Burger from Burgerville ($9.89USD) – Tasty US Beef!
The fun thing about our trip to Burgerville was this machine…
Cool touch screen drinks dispensing machine at Burgerville
The really cool thing about this machine is that it actually dispenses over 100 different types of drinks! From this machine, we had coke lime and vanilla root beer! For each drink, you’ll choose the primary taste (i.e. Coke, Sprite, Root Beer etc.) then a secondary choice of raspberry, lime, lemon etc appears! With these combinations, you can enjoy over 100 different drinks through just this one machine! Cool huh?!
Pre-match Activities inside Moda Center
Before the start of the match, there were many things going on…
Waha 50 50 pot – 50% of the pot goes to the winner while the other 50% goes to support youth / hockey initiativesBought a ticket – Did not win though 🙁Watch a Portland Trailblazers match or buy a Winterhawks jerseyRose Bud Cheerleaders gave out posters to show which Winterhawks players graduated to play for NHL teams
Speaking of NHL, we then confirmed that we were actually watching a WHL (Western Hockey League) and not NHL (National Hockey League) game! Turns out that Winterhawks is made up of players from 15 to 20 years of age and this posters showed some of the past players that went on to play for NHL teams. The funny thing was that eventhough it was sort of like a high school match, there were more than 10,000 fans that turned up for the match! So much more than S-League! 😮
Crowds starting to fill the stadium in Moda CenterIntroducing the players of Winterhawks into the arena at Moda Center
Portland Winterhawks vs Kelowna Rockets
Teams warming up before the match
Into the thick of action between Portland Winterhawks and Kelowna Rockets
We really enjoyed the game because of the fast paced, adrenaline-filled, action-packed, testosterone-charged game! There were many occasions where the players really slammed each other into the glass and got into fights! But the game itself was really exciting…Watch…
Can you see the puck?!
Players changing during ice hockey match
The match that we watched was the New Year’s Eve 2013 match between the Portland Winterhawks and Kelowna Rockets. As we watched the match, we realised that we were actually surrounded by Rockets fans, in particular 2 really cute kids who sat behind us. Although the home team was the Winterhawks, the kids behind kept shouting “Go get ’em!”, “Go Rockets Go!” , “Fight Fight Fight!” …it was as if we had live commentary right behind our seats! The match was eventually won by the Rockets 9 to 3. However, on the few occasions that the Winterhawks scored, the stadium went crazy! Watch…
Portland Winterhawks Celebration
There’s also a funny side story going on here. Notice the boy in the video who turns behind while celebrating? He was particularly agitated when the Rockets scored against his team and especially so when the boys behind cheered really loudly. So when the Winterhawks scored, he turned and celebrated as if to say “Take that you Kelowna Rockets supporters!”
What you can expect during intervals of ice hockey matches
Chuck-A-Puck at Moda Center Portland Winterhawks
Chuck-A-Puck is a game where fans are asked to purchase rubber pucks and during this segment, they would have to throw their puck as accurately as they possibly can towards the bulls-eye in the middle of the ice hockey rink! The puck closest (or inside) the bulls-eye will win the cash prize!
The Kiss-Cam at Moda Center for Portland Winterhawks Game
Finally got to see the kiss-cam as well! The kiss-cam is actually just a little game whereby once the camera features a couple, they would kiss for the screens! As simple as that! If you remember, during the movie anger management, Adam Sandler and Jack Nicholson kissed because they were featured on the kiss cam! This night, all couples except 1, kissed for the screens. The “couple” which didn’t? Was a feature of a young man sitting next to an old lady, the young man just shaked his head…
Rose Bud – Cheerleaders of the Portland Winterhawks
And of course, the Rose Bud – Cheerleaders of the Portland Winterhawks came on for performances during intervals as well.
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All in all, we had a wonderful experience of watching an American ice hockey match “LIVE”! The match itself was really exciting and the fringe activities also got the fans interested as well! We will definitely try to catch a NHL game if we can for our next trip to the USA (along with NBA and MLB games)!
McMenamins Brewery Or…Beaches Restaurant and Bar Vancouver Washington?
On our first night in Vancouver Washington, we originally wanted to visit McMenamins because of its brews. However, when we told by our concierge at Hilton Vancouver, that the service was not so good and the food was not fantastic either. Instead, we were recommended to visit Lapellah or Beaches.
We actually visited Lapellah first but as it was Christmas Eve, it closed at about 4pm. So we headed off to Beaches which opened till 630pm that evening.
Inside Beaches Restaurant and Bar Vancouver Washington
What to eat and drink at Beaches Restaurant and Bar
Although we did not make reservations that evening, we were thankfully able to quickly have a seat eventhough the restaurant was almost full. Seemed like we took the 2nd last table (table beside us was soon taken up as well). After browsing through the menu, we decided to go for the honey crisp apple wheat cider and Coor’s Light first…
Menu at Beaches RestaurantDrinks Menu Beaches Restaurant Vancouver WashingtonBar area of Beaches Restaurant Vancouver WashingtonHoney Crisp Apple Wheat (4.95USD) and Coors Light (3.95USD) in Beaches Restaurant Vancouver Washington
Kate chose the Shock Top Honey Crisp Apple Wheat while I had the Coors Light (to lighten the guilt since we’re having the “Guilty Burger”). Turns out that the crisp apple wheat cider was an excellent choice. Our waiter also told us that he preferred this version of the apple cider because it was not too sweet and had a soothing after taste – totally enjoyed it. For a dollar more, you should go for the cider as well 😉
Next, we decided on the food. We spared no expense as we were from thousands of miles away and we’re definitely gonna get some good food this evening. So we went for the Guilty Burger and the Baby Back Rib
Guilty Burger at Beaches Restaurant and Bar (11.99USD) Baby Back Rib of Beaches Restaurant and Bar (20.99USD)
The Guilty Burger really makes you guilty. It is just a monster of a burger! There’s pulled pork, grilled beef (seriously? 2 different heavy meats in a burger?!), loaded with cheese, eggs and veges. The part we love about the burger is its grilled beef. It was tender and had a flavourful smoky taste to it.
We noticed how the chefs do the burger patties. They would flip them and place sort of like a lid over it, allowing it to simmer with its own flavours, locking the juices in. That explains the tender, juicy bit of the grilled beef.
But the highlight has got to be the baby back rib. Probably the best ribs we’ve had. BETTER THAN CAFE CARTEL’S St. Louis’ Pork Ribs. It’s true. The meat literally FALLS OFF the bones just with a gentle flick. The smoky caramelised bits and lightly sweetened (not too sweet kind) BBQ sauce topped off this dish.
Did we mention, it’s probably the best ribs we’ve ever had?
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The last time we were in USA, we kept seeing Red Lobster’s advertisement on TV but did not get the opportunity to try it! This time…hahaha (sinister laugh for the lobsters) we finally got to savour some fresh seafood from Red Lobster!
Facade of Red Lobster – We went to the one near Westfield Mall in Vancouver WashingtonInside Red Lobster RestaurantAnother view inside Red Lobster
What we had at Red Lobster Seafood Restaurant
For starters, we had the mussels and the salad…
Salad from Red LobsterMussels as starters at Red Lobster USA
So we had the mussels with butter garlic sauce and the signature salads. While choosing the dressings for the salad, we were given a choice of about 8 dressings to choose from. In the end, Tom chose the most unhealthy ones (ranch and blue cheese) while Kate initially had the idea of just going light with vinaigrette dressing. Unhealthy Tom decides!
As for the mussels, it was baked a little too dry and we don’t think the mussels were “fresh out of the tank” fresh, though some of the mussels still tasted good. The other thing we didn’t like about this starter was that the bread was really salty! Have some drinks on hand to curb the overpowering toasted salty bread!
Red Lobster USA: Wood Grilled Lobster Shrimp and Scallop – $25.99 USD
As for our mains, we went for one of the signature seafood combos – the Wood Grilled Lobster Shrimp and Scallop. Recommended by our waitress, we decided on it since there was “lobster” in it. Can’t go to Red Lobster and not have lobsters right?
Turns out that the recommendation was spot on! Every single one of the seafood on this plate was fresh! The lobster and shrimp was succulent and firm, yet crunchy and bouncy on the bite. Same goes for the scallop and the taste was sweet and natural – YUM!
Pumpkin pie in a jar 5.49 USD (Red Lobster USA)
Since it was the holiday season, we went for one of the holiday treats – Pumpkin Pie in a Jar. We didn’t really enjoy this dessert simply it was too overpowering. Overpowered by the cinnamon, whipped cream and much too sweet for our liking. Didn’t really taste the pumpkin as well. Sad…
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All in all, we were happy that we finally got to eat at Red Lobster. The mains were really good but the rest of the dishes were sort of disappointing. If you ask us, we’d probably not return to Red Lobster again. But as for its neighbour – Olive Garden, we’ll definitely go try the other dishes when we return to USA.
Art on Royal is an auction house that auctions art on the high seas aboard ships from Royal Caribbean Cruises. But is selling art and having art auctions on the high seas an elaborate scam by Art on Royal to con innocent cruisers on Royal Caribbean Cruise ships? This post will give you a better idea of how art auctions are done by Art on Royal during our recent cruise aboard the Mariner of the Seas – one of the 22 ships from Royal Caribbean Cruise that works with Art on Royal.
Tom, the Art Director from Art on Royal, during a Champagne Art Auction on Royal Caribbean Cruise
How does Art on Royal operate on Royal Caribbean Cruise ships
As you may have read from our Royal Caribbean Cruise (Mariner of the Seas) post, you would know that we have bought the art piece “Lovely” by Romero Britto during the Champagne Art Auction for $650USD. After purchasing the piece, we did some googling of our own (a bit too late right?) and found out the following information which you may find useful while attending these Champagne Art Auctions by Art on Royal aboard Royal Caribbean Cruise ships.
1. Free Champagne. As Tom (the cruise director, not me) would say, “a drinking crowd is a buying crowd”. The free champagne given out by Art on Royal are usually cheap ones which (again) Tom would say “just drink it when it’s chilled” and the alcohol may give rise to clouded judgement and ultimately a purchase that you don’t really want.
2. Assurance. Tom would usually start off with assurances of buying with Art on Royal. This would include
– “30 day money back guarantee”. If for whatever reason at all, maybe you were too drunk, repainted your house (such that the colours of the art don’t match) or simply because you don’t like the art anymore, you can return the art and they’ll even pay for shipping (both ways) and return your sum of money.
– One of the biggest art auction houses. Tom cited 2 other art galleries that possibly have more art pieces sold (in terms of quantity and dollar value), making Art on Royal the “3rd largest art auction house in the world” or “largest art auction house on the high seas”
– Cheaper because… You may then start to wonder why the prices of the art onboard are cheaper. He then allay those concerns by saying that the art is cheaper because unlike “brick and mortar” art galleries, they do not sell art back ashore – meaning they have cheaper overheads. But more importantly, Art on Royal buys directly from the artists themselves so they are able to obtain cheaper pieces that are ONLY available during the cruise.
3. Start with a cheap piece of art and freebie giveaway. To get the crowd excited, Tom will usually start by giving away freebies by drawing raffle tickets which you have placed into a bucket just before the start of the auction. A free bottle of champagne or a dinner for 2 are usually given away in the first instance, stirring interest in the crowd. In addition, he will often start with a piece that “usually goes for 300USD in galleries” that has a starting bid of perhaps 20USD to get the crowd going.
4. Professional Art Terminologies. During the introduction of each art piece, Tom will use art terminologies like “editions”, “strike the plate” and “embellishment” to emphasise the value of each art piece. He will also describe various accolades (one of the top artist of the year, previously worked with disney, sells in major art galleries across the world) that the artist has achieved, again to emphasise the value of the art.
5. Priced at a steal. Just before he announces the auction price, he would say that something along the lines of “all day long, you would expect to get this piece from $2000 to $3000 in art galleries around the world”. Then he will say that “we’ll start this piece at $400” – usually about 1/3 to 1/5 the “all day long price”.
Why Art on Royal at Royal Caribbean Cruise may possibly be a scam
After bidding for our art piece (btw Romero Britto did many art pieces at Sentosa you know?), we decided to start googling whether this was some kind of an elaborate art scam and here are some of the information we’ve gathered from various cruise and art forums
1. Art on Royal only does auction on sea days. If you notice, art auctions only occur on sea days. According to one of the forums, this means that they are not legally binded to any state laws while out at sea. International laws on art auctions at sea? Iffy at best.
2. Late or no delivery. If you do a quick google on these art auctions, you’ll find that there are MANY who receive their art pieces late or some of them simply “magically disappear”. Because of these many instances, art auctions at sea have been clouded with much prejudice about their authenticity.
3. Same techniques to generate interest in bidding. No matter which art auction at sea you attend, you’ll realise that they use the same techniques of free flowing champagnes, freebies, low prices to lure you into making that bid for a “valuable” art piece worth “more than $5000”.
How you should prepare for Art Auctions on Royal Caribbean Cruises
After all the information above that says Art on Royal may POSSIBLY be an art scam aboard Royal Caribbean Cruise ships, what should you do to prepare yourself?
1. Educate yourself. Like many experienced stockbrokers will tell you, don’t buy into a stock that you don’t know. Likewise, learn more about a particular art piece before you “invest” in one. You may wish to find out more about an artist, his collaboration with the cruise, his works and whether they really have certain value for editions or only investment value for originals.
2. Prove of Authenticity. If you watch Neal Caffrey from “White Collar”, you’ll know that there’s always some way to prove whether an art piece is authentic. The artist may have a stamp, have certain trademarks, leave a sign that’s intertwined into the art work or simply sign his name in a particular way. In addition, go for art pieces that have AP or GP (Artist Prove and Gallery Prove respectively). These will almost surely give you an assurance that the art piece is good to go.
3. Buy it only if you like it and worth the price. Do not buy an art piece because you think that the value may rise after all that the auctioneer has said. Buy it because you like it. Buy it because it is a piece that you will place at home. Buy it because you think the piece is worth the price that you’re paying AND if you like it. Because after all, art (or beauty) is in the eye of the beholder and if you really appreciate the piece, chances are someone out there may appreciate it as well.
Conclusion
As what we have written in our post on the 8d7n Mariner of the Seas Cruise, the best way to enjoy such Champagne Art Auctions is to
1. Firstly, keep away the bidding card (tear it up if possible – discreetly) 2. Learn a thing or two about art (like we have) 3. Drink to your heart’s content 4. Hopefully win some freebies from the raffle tickets giveaway
Otherwise, do follow our recommendations above if you really intend to bid on a piece. If you’re reading this post now, just to let you know, we have not received our art piece as yet. But we’ll update and let you guys know once we’ve received it.
Final Update : We received a mail that indicated Art on Royal was not able to deliver the art piece. Nonetheless, we managed to get a refund on our payment. Thankfully!
Having not gone for a cruise since 2011 (3 years already!), Kate and I decided to indulge in a long cruise with Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas from Singapore to Laem Chabang (Thailand) and Phu My (Ho Chi Minh Vietnam)!
Mariner of the Seas – Royal Caribbean CruiseMariner of the Seas and Romero Britto’s Surfer Boy (Royal Caribbean Cruise)
We chose the 8D7N cruise from Singapore to Laem Chabang, Thailand and Phu My, Vietnam mainly because it gave us an opportunity to visit Vietnam and Thailand without having to spend on airfares. Of course, we were really impressed by Royal Caribbean’s programmes, food and service the last time we sailed aboard the Legend of the Seas to Semarang, Lombok and Bali so we decided to go again with RCC to check out the Mariner of the Seas.
Speaking of the Mariner of the Seas, it is RCC’s biggest vessel yet in Southeast Asia. Previously, the Legend of the Seas (from the Vision Class of ship) was 70,000 tonnes, 264 metres long and 32 metres wide. But with the Mariner of the Seas (from the Voyager Class of ship), the specifications “increases” to 138,000 tonnes, 310 metres long and 48 metres wide, making it a larger class of ship which equates to better facilities. In the next section, we’ll show you deck by deck what is inside the Mariner of the Seas!
Deck Layout of Mariner of the Seas Royal Caribbean Cruise
There are 15 decks onboard the Mariner of the Seas (well, 15 that are accessible to passengers) and we’ll start our coverage from deck 15! Do note that for each deck, we’ll be introducing from the aft to the forward part of the ship in the section headings in bold.
Deck 15 : Skylight Chapel
Skylight Chapel located at the mid/aft of deck 15 onboard Mariner of the Seas
The Skylight Chapel is a venue where solemnisation of weddings can be done at deck 15 (highest deck of the ship) with a seating capacity of 40. Wonder if anyone has really done their solemnisation aboard yet?
Deck 14 : Viking Crown Lounge , Ellington’s Jazz Club, Cloud Nine, Seven Hearts, Diamond Club
Viking Crown LoungeEllington’s Jazz ClubSeven Hearts (left), Cloud Nine (right)
As you can see from the picture, the Viking Crown Lounge offers a great view overlooking the pool deck and jogging track. Next to it is Ellington’s Jazz Club where you can chill and listen to some light soothing tunes. The Seven Hearts and Cloud Nine are essentially gaming rooms for mahjong, poker etc. Last but not least, the Diamond Club is an exclusive lounge for Crown and Anchor Society members who have attained Diamond status and above.
Deck 13 : Mini Golf, In-line Skating, Basketball Court and Rock Climbing Wall
Overview of the Sports DeckRock Climbing Wall Mariner of the SeasBasketball Court Mariner of the SeasIn-line skating track Mariner of the SeasMini Golf Course Mariner of the Seas
Technically, the Rock Climbing Wall is one deck higher than the rest of the facilities shown above. But they’re all located at the aft part of the ship, so you can easily move from the mini golf to basketball and to the rock climbing wall. At the Rock Climbing Wall, Tom managed to reach the top (Yes! Because he failed miserably during the climb aboard Legend of the Seas) by following 2 simple tips from the instructor. Firstly, think of it like climbing a ladder, most of the weight will be on the legs and not on the arms. Secondly, following the pink path – yes, it’s the easiest path! Ringing the bell at the top of the wall was indeed an awesome feeling! Kate and I also played basketball almost daily. Because we were on a “retirement cruise” (most passengers were above 50 years of age), the basketball court was almost always available. There were 3 balls (1 had more air than the other 2) left on the courts all the time and you can just enter to play. Likewise for Mini Golf, the clubs and balls were left near the start of the course so you can just pick them up and play. Table tennis was also available on the same deck (3 tables in all) with plastic bats and ping pong balls readily available beside the tables. As for the in-line skating, we did not try it this time round due to the bad sea state (surprisingly bad this time as compared to our previous cruise on the smaller Legend of the Seas) but you can just get the skates from the instructors and skate away. There’s also a golf simulator (available at a cost) on the same deck beside the mini golf. If you have tried it, tell us how much it was and whether it was any good in the comments section below.
Deck 12 : Fuel Teen Disco, Adventure Ocean, Johnny Rockets, Video Arcade, the Living Room, Nursery, Jogging Track, Vitality Spa (Ship Shape) and Fitness Centre
Fuel Teen DiscoAdventure Ocean Johnny Rockets Hamburger Restaurant Mariner of the Seas Royal Caribbean CruiseInside the Video Arcade of Mariner of the SeasThe Living RoomRoyal Babies and TotsAquanauts 3 to 5Ship Shape Spa
On deck 12, the aft part of the ship belongs to young cruisers from age 0 to 17. Fuel Teen Disco and the Living Room are areas where the teens can hang out (with soft drinks ONLY) and play gaming consoles. The Adventure Ocean is also a play area designed for kids from 3 to 17 to play games and have some fun activities. For the much younger cruisers, there’s the Aquanauts and Royal Babies and Tots where parents can “deposit” their kids in the good hands of the trained professionals aboard. Like what cruise director Gordon says “When kids have fun, you have fun!”. The video arcade is one of our hang out areas , mainly because of 1 game (Guitar Hero) and 1 song (Yellow , yeah, we don’t know all the other songs in that game). This time, Tom managed to complete the “hard” level! An achievement from the usual “easy” level that we’d play. In addition, we also ventured into “Deal or No Deal” which we played quite miserably with only 30 tickets won out of 2 games (a possible of 400 tickets!)
On the forward part of the ship is the Vitality Spa also known as Ship Shape Spa. Here, you’ll be able to do your usual massages, facials, wraps and even hot stones. A salon is also available to really keep you in “ship-shape”.
Johnny Rockets is an American burger joint, famous for its awesome burgers and milk shakes. We were hosted by Royal Caribbean Cruise (thanks Michelle!) for a meal here and we totally enjoyed the food there. We’ll cover what we ate in the sections to follow.
Deck 11 : Windjammer Cafe, Jade, Chops Grille, Giovanni’s Table, Pool Deck, Pool Bar, Solarium, Fitness Center, Peek-A-Boo-Bridge overlook
Entrance to Windjammer Cafe, Jade, Chops Grille and Giovanni’s TableBuffet Style Dining at Windjammer CafeJade – a part of complimentary dining together with Windjammer CafePool Deck with Romero Britto’s Surfer Boy Sculpture aboard Mariner of the SeasOpen air Solarium with whirlpools aboard Mariner of the SeasGym at Deck 11 Fitness Centre, Mariner of the SeasOpen area beside the gym for seminars, dance classes or aerobicsWhirlpool inside Fitness Centre (indoors), Mariner of the Seas Royal Caribbean CruisePeek-A-Boo Bridge Overlook
Starting from the aft, you’ll have the restaurants on deck 11. Windjammer and Jade are complimentary dining areas where buffet-styled meals are served. During the evenings, Jade serves sushi which Tom looks forward to when cravings come a knocking. Giovanni’s Table ($20 USD per person) and Chops Grille ($30 USD per person) are not complimentary and you will have to pay a small sum to enjoy the italian fare at Giovanni’s and premium steaks from Chops Grille. Again, we did not have an opportunity to try them. If you happen to have tried at these restaurants, do let us know how it was in the comments section below!
The Pool Deck is where we usually hang out on sea days. The weather would be nice (ship usually steers away from dark clouds and rainy patches) and sunny, particular suited for a nice dip in the sea-water pools. You can also grab a drink from the pool bar while relaxing at the pools. Remember to sign up with the Crown and Anchor Society! **We are not paid to do this advertisement, but it is free to join the C&A Society and even at Gold (usually after 1 cruise) you’ll get some perks. This time, because we had already attained Gold status, we were able to enjoy 1 for 1 drinks – which means you really do not need any drink packages, that is unless you’re a really “fierce” drinker.
The Solarium aboard Mariner of the Seas is slightly different from the Legend of the seas. It is outdoors. There are 2 huge whirlpools and the one of the port (left) side is usually nice and warm. The starboard (right) side one is HOT.
Moving further forward on deck 11, you’ll arrive at the Peek-A-Boo Bridge Overlook where you can see the crew of Mariner of the Seas at work at the Bridge. Out at sea, it is usually on auto-pilot so you will unlikely see someone on the helms. But there will always be a lookout and an officer of the watch always keeping vigilant watch to ensure the smooth and safe sailing of the ship.
Deck 8 : RC Online
Noticed that we skipped to Deck 8 after Deck 11. This is because there are only staterooms on deck 10 and a concierge club (available only to Grand Suite cruisers and Diamond Plus/Pinnacle members). RC online (located at Mid/Aft of the ship) is actually like a business center where you can use the internet, do some printing and get some light administrative work done. Remember not to overdo it since you’re on vacation!
Royal Caribbean Online
Deck 7 : Library
Library aboard Mariner of the Seas
There’s a really small library located on the mid/aft part of Deck 7. Not much selection to choose from but if you have brought your own, this is a nice quiet spot to do some light (emphasis on the word “light”) reading.
Deck 6 : Next Cruise
Next Cruise : Make your next cruise booking here
Next Cruise is the venue where you can make bookings for your next cruise. Sometimes, depending on dates and availability, the prices may be better onboard. We did ask for a couple of prices and we realised that for departures to and from Singapore, it is usually cheaper for Singaporeans. We tried to ask for cruises from Sydney and New Zealand it was more than 250 per person per night for N staterooms (cheapest available) but for Singapore departures, it can go as low as 140 per person per night. While you’re here and if you’ve enjoyed your cruise, you may also wish to put a deposit of $150 for your next cruise which can be used for any future bookings and if you do so, you’ll receive $25 for 3-5 nights cruises, $100 for 6 to 9 nights, $150 for 10 to 14 nights and $200 for 15+ nights. DONT BE MISTAKEN that it will automatically be $200 onboard credit for your next cruise! It will be awarded according to the number of nights you book!
Deck 5 : The Sound of Music Dining Room, Guests Services, Shore Excursions, Royal Promenade, Cafe Promenade, Connoisseur Club, Lotus Lounge
The Sound of Music Main Dining RoomGuests Services and Shore ExcursionsRoyal Promenade Mariner of the SeasCafe Promenade Mariner of the Seas Royal Caribbean CruiseThe Connoisseur ClubLotus Lounge Mariner of the Seas
Deck 5 is most probably the “most happening” deck. This is because starting from the aft, you have the Sound of Music which is your complimentary main dining area for lunch and dinners. Guest Services and Shore Excursions are also usually crowded, especially just before calling at a port. You can arrange to get your passports, do some currency exchange or even get sea sick pills at Guest Services. At Shore Excursions, you can make bookings for trips when you call at the next port. We recommend to make the bookings online so that you can avoid all the hassle of queuing up. Sometimes, the queues may be quite long especially when you first embark and when you’re close to the next port of call.
The Royal Promenade is where all the shops are at. You’ll see shops selling sunglasses, watches, jewelry and even a Coach store. Bazaars will usually take place during sea days with discounts right in the middle of the promenade. Walking past the promenade, you’ll arrive at Cafe Promenade where there’s complimentary snacks around the clock such as pastries, pizza, coffee and water. Next to it there’s a cafe where you’ll have to pay for gourmet coffee and Ben & Jerry’s ice cream.
There’s a Connoisseur Club before you arrive at the Lotus Lounge. Frankly speaking, eventhough we walked inside, we still do not know who and what it is for (anyone knows?). We just saw that there were cigars and hard liquors scattered inside but no one else was inside when we entered.
The Lotus Lounge is where events are held. Bingo and our favourite – Champagne Art Auction are held at this venue. We’ll talk a little more about the Champagne Art Auction by Art on Royal later in this post.
Deck 4 : Top Hat and Tails Dining Room, Boleros Lounge, Casino Royale, Schooner Bar, Savoy Theatre
Top Hat and Tails Maining Dining AreaRetail (Starboard Side)Boleros Lounge (Port Side)Casino Royale Mariner of the Seas Royal Caribbean CruiseSchooner BarThe Savoy Theatre
Tip : If you have not already noticed by now, all the food places such as Windjammer and complimentary main dining areas are at the aft of the ship. The main dining areas of the Sound of Music (deck 5), Top Hat and Tails (deck 4) and Rhapsody in Blue (deck 3) are actually all part of a HUGE dining area at the aft of the ship. The other tip to orientate yourself is that the Theatre / Screens are at the forward part of the ship and the “space ship” (aka Viking Crown Lounge at Deck 14) also faces the forward part of the ship.
Deck 4 is where Casino Royale is located, right smack in the middle of the deck. Forward and Aft of the casino are bars and lounges where music and trivias are played at Boleros and Schooner respectively. There’s also a retail outlet where you can buy memorabilia from Royal Caribbean. Alternatively, you can, like us, buy “Cocktails of the Day” and receive the glass for free 😉
At the forward part of the deck is the Savoy Theatre. This is where all the nightly shows takes place. Also, one of the more interesting aspect of the Savoy Theatre is that it can screen 3D movies with Dolby surround sounds as well! We caught part of “Turbo” here and thoroughly enjoyed the 3D experience!
Deck 3 : Rhapsody in Blue, RCTV, Art Gallery, Photo Gallery, Studio B, Dragon’s Lair, Main Entrance of Savoy Theatre
Rhapsody in Blue Main Dining Area Mariner of the SeasRCTV Mariner of the Seas Royal Caribbean CruiseArt and Photo GalleryPortraits & Group Photos taken at Photo GalleryStudio B – Ice Skating Rink
Rhapsody in Blue is the lowest level of the 3 tier main dining room of the Mariner of the Seas. At the Art and Photo Gallery, you can purchase photos and pictures taken by the professional photographers throughout the cruise. Do note that prices are usually cheaper at the start of the cruise. So decide early if you want to be featured in the “cruise in review” DVD and buy early to get a better price. As for the Art Gallery, we bought a piece of art called “Lovely”, a really cute dog, done by Romero Britto – the same dude who did colourful artworks in Sentosa.
Studio B is another venue for shows. The welcome back party (for second time and above cruisers) as well as the ice show “Ice Under the Big Top” were shown at Studio B. At deck 3, is the lower level or the main entrance to the Savoy Theatre.
Deck 2 : Conference Center, Screening Room
Conference Center Mariner of the SeasScreening Room Royal Caribbean Cruise Mariner of the Seas
At deck 2, there’s only a conference room where you can hold seminars or meetings. We also collected our passports at the conference room when they missed out our request for passport collection at Guest Services (for our overnight stay at Pattaya). Screening Room is the alternative movie screening venue onboard the Mariner of the Seas.
In the next section, we’ll be showing all the fun programmes that you can look forward to when cruising with Royal Caribbean Cruise!
Cruise Compass (aka Programme Sheet) for 7 days aboard Mariner of the Seas Royal Caribbean Cruise
In this section, we’ll show the 7 days of programme from the Cruise Compass and we’ll also highlight some of the more interesting things to do for each day…
Royal Caribbean Cruise Mariner of the Seas Cruise Compass Day 1
On the first day, all guests had to be aboard by 4pm. The usual practice is to conduct the assembly drill at 4:30pm just before set off at 5pm. The assembly drill is required by international laws (especially after the Costa incident) for you to be familiar with where to go to during an emergency. In addition, the staff will also show you how to don a life jacket during the assembly drill.
At 5:30pm, the Dream Works characters had the “Move it move it” parade where Shrek, Po, Gloria, Alex the Lion and King Julien danced at the Royal Promenade to welcome you onto the Royal Caribbean Cruise.
We watched the Welcome Aboard Showtime for all guests at 7:15. This is usually when the cruise director will tell you how many guests and from which nationality they came from. For this cruise, we had well over 3000 guests (in addition to the 1200 crew), of which 1200 came from Singapore! Yay! Our first show was by Tamara Guo (of Chinese descent but now lives in Sydney). She was able to sing hits from Teresa Teng and even Whitney Houston (I will always love you) with such power and precision! Perfect start to an awesome cruise!
After dinner at the Sound of Music (1st seating at 5:45, 2nd seating at 8:15 – ours was 2nd seating), we headed to Studio B to try ice skating onboard a ship! How cool is that! We even wanted to go earlier because we heard from our friends that it would be crowded and you had to get a queue number for the slots you wanted to skate at. However, when we reached there, there wasn’t anyone. In fact, the instructors told us that there was only 3 people who skated in the last 2 hours! Perks of joining a cruise with a different demographic 🙂
Royal Caribbean Cruise Mariner of the Seas Cruise Compass Day 2
On sea days, Kate and I would usually jog about 10 rounds on the deck (approximately 3km) and play a little bit of basketball before heading to windjammer for breakfast. Interesting events (well, for us) on day 2 included the Morning Dancercise, Formal Hair demonstration, Champagne Art Auction, photo taking with Dream Works Characters (using your own camera) and of course the nightly event – “Gallery of Dreams” by the Royal Caribbean Singers and Dancers.
As mentioned earlier, during sea days, we’d attend the Champagne Art Auction from 2 to 3pm. This is because
1. There’s free champagne! As Tom the Art Director would say, “Tastes fine when its chilled” 2. Art Appreciation. You’ll be able to learn some terms about fine art such as “editions”, “strike the plate” and also “embellish”. 3. Freebies. You’ll be given some raffle tickets to participate in a draw to stand a chance to win champagnes (which we won), posters (which we won also) and dinners at Johnny Rockets (sometimes milkshakes are even thrown in!) and Giovanni’s!
**Tip: But the key here is that you just sit in for the above. Try not to bid for anything, not even the cheap ones that the ship wants to clear. And the best way to do this? Keep your bidding card! Well, this is just our advice, if you really find something you like, by all means. BUT, there’s always a “BUT” isnt it? From the other forums we’ve read, they will always tell you how reputable they are and how good they are with their 30 day money back guarantee. But the truth is, since the auctions are done “on the high seas”, they are technically not under any state laws. So unless you are rich or want to be like one aunty we saw, bid $2750USD for a piece of art, keep your bidding cards and you’ll enjoy the champagne, learn some stuff and perhaps walk away with some freebies!
Royal Caribbean Cruise Mariner of the Seas Cruise Compass Day 3
On day 3, we arrived at the port of Laem Chabang at noon and we had to option over staying overnight. So the ship stayed in Laem Chabang Thailand from 12pm on day 3 to 8:30pm on day 4. This was when we took the opportunity to stay at the Royal Cliff Hotels and was hosted to a stay at the Mini Suite Plus of the Royal Cliff Beach Hotel. On the night of day 3, we were also informed by the cruise director that traditional Thai dancers came aboard for a performance.
In the sections to follow, we’ll tell you more about the ports of Laem Chabang and Phu My so that you can get a head start in planning for your excursions at these ports!
Royal Caribbean Cruise Mariner of the Seas Cruise Compass Day 4
Did not really do much aboard on Day 4 except dinner. Also, we were pretty glad that we came aboard for dinner as well, this was the first time we met Mr Ng, a semi-retiree. Our table is actually a 6 seater, which means that 3 couples would be seated together. On the first night, there was a couple from Austria. However, they were quite private people (Emerald members of more than 55 points) and when we arrived for dinner, we could sense that there was an air of awkwardness between them and the waiter. For the 2nd time we were there (4th night), we were told that no one else came, so it’ll be likely that we would be having the table to ourselves!
Random thought : On a side note, 55 points meant that you’d either stayed 55 nights with Royal Caribbean or have accumulated double points if you stayed in suites (i.e. 2 points for each night of stay in suites, 1 point for each night of stay in balcony staterooms and below). This would also mean that IF you happen to stay at the cheapest rates of about 100USD a night, you would have to pay 5500USD to reach 55 points (minimally!). Yeah, this meant that the Austrian couple is rich.
Well, back to Mr Ng. He is a very humorous man with vast experience to share. When he laughed, he sounded ALOT like Eric Tsang (曾志偉) and we really enjoyed his company. There was one important thing that he shared with us about gambling. He asked, “Do you know of anyone who gambles for a living?” which is quite true. You’ll have friends who are teachers, saleman, businesses etc. But you really do not have friends who gambles for a living right? So…the lesson here is DON’T GAMBLE! OR just treat it as a form of entertainment. From Mr Ng’s wife, she heard from some of the aunties who played that they lost thousands of dollars and there was one in particular who had to sell her HDB flat to repay the ship! 😮
**So Tip: DON’T GAMBLE on cruise ships!
RCC is so gonna ^$$#@ us for recommending not to gamble and buy art… :p But truth be told to our loyal readers of 2bearbear.com right? 🙂
Royal Caribbean Cruise Mariner of the Seas Cruise Compass Day 5
On day 5, which is yet another sea day, we took many photos with Dream Works Characters, shopped around for sunglasses at the bazaar of the Royal Promenade and sat in for a trivia, where we learnt that you’d be fined for flushing the toilet after 10pm in Switzerland. Of course, we sat in for the free champagnes at the Champagne Art Auction. Today, we chilled by the pool and utilised our Gold status of 1 for 1 beers. At night, as part of the crown and anchor society member, we were invited back for a welcome back party as well. Again, we had more booze (champagnes, whites, reds and cocktails) and enjoyed music by the Dynamic Duo. We’ll highlight some interesting facts of the Royal Caribbean Cruise Welcome Back Party below…
Royal Caribbean Cruise Mariner of the Seas Cruise Compass Day 6
On Day 6, we arrived in the port of Phu My in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. We took the shore excursion bus arranged by the ship and the “all aboard” time was 7:30pm at night. Again, we returned for dinner and caught up with Mr Ng again.
Royal Caribbean Cruise Mariner of the Seas Cruise Compass Day 7
On the last day at sea, Tom did some rock climbing and finally managed to conquer the rock climbing wall of Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas! Yeah, he failed to do it when we sailed aboard the Legend of the Seas so he was ecstatic when he finally rang the bell at the top! We then proceeded to the Arcade to play Guitar Hero to finish up the money left in our cards. This time Kate played “medium” while Tom played “hard” levels and we managed to complete the song Yellow! Yay!
For lunch, we went to the Rhapsody in Blue and had a table set for 2! It was really nice because the setting of the main dining area was grand and we got to sit in a private corner by ourselves, attended by 2 waiters! 😮 Food was good and we especially enjoyed the rum cake with coffee ice cream and the laksa. *slurp slurp*
Random thought : The other thing about sailing so many days is that you really start to miss Singapore food! When we were disembarking the ship, we overheard an aunty saying that she’ll go for fishball noodles the first thing she gets home!
As usual, we attended the Champagne Art Auction and this time, there were many art pieces that were auctioned at cheaper prices. The gallery wanted to clear some pieces to make room for other art pieces. Again, remember to heed our advice above! We then headed for our ice show “Ice Under the Big Top” at 4:30 which was quite spectacular. Though there were some slips, I would say that the skating skills of the performers were indeed quite good. At 7:30, we headed for the “Farewell Spectacular Showtime” featuring the Ballet on Shoulders and also Gordon, our cruise director who sang a couple of songs! He was actually quite good! This made us wonder if he started out as a Royal Caribbean Singer as well…hm…
To end off the evening, we soaked in the tub and watched the ending of Burlesque under the stars. Shiok!
In the next section, we’ll be showing some of the highlights of cruising with Royal Caribbean Cruise!
Highlights aboard Mariner of the Seas Royal Caribbean Cruise!
Dream Works Welcome Aboard “Move It Move It” Parade
Fairy God MotherPuss in BootsHigh Five with the Penguins – who actually high fived back!Another shot of the penguinsAlex the LionShrek and FionaPo – our favourite character during the parade!Gloria from MadagascarKing Julien
To let our readers have a feel of how the party was like. Here’s a video of Po and the Penguins up close!
Headliner Show – Tamara Guo
Poster ad for Tamara Guo’s performanceTamara Guo in person during performance
Tamara is a very humorous individual and she sings as well as she entertains! Be sure to catch her performance when you sail with Royal Caribbean!
Johnny Rockets lunch aboard Mariner of the Seas Royal Caribbean Cruise
Thanks to Michelle, we were hosted to a meal at Johnny Rockets (milkshakes included!). Johnny Rockets is a American burger joint that is famous for its milkshakes and hamburgers. It is also one of the venues onboard where you’ll just pay a small sum for a great meal. At $4.95 per person, you’ll be able to order ANYTHING on the menu (drinks excluded) and milkshakes cost about $5USD each.
Menu of Johnny Rockets Royal Caribbean Cruise Mariner of the SeasJukebox on tables (not working though) at Johnny RocketsDeco inside Johnny Rockets Mariner of the Seas Royal Caribbean CruiseFries with Chili & Cheese, Fries with Cheese & Bacon, Onion Rings and Fries with Tartar sauceStrawberry Milkshake of Johnny RocketsSmoke House Burger Johnny Rockets Mariner of the Seas Royal Caribbean CruiseRoute 66 Burger Johnny Rockets Mariner of the Seas Royal Caribbean Cruise
If there’s one burger you’ve got to have at Johnny Rockets, it’s got to be Smoke House Burger! It was juicy and tender, double patty with crispy onion rings on top! I really wanted to go for seconds because the quality of the burger is SOOO different from the ones at Windjammer! For burgers at this quality, you’d typically pay 20sgd and upwards. Onion rings were also great with the tartar sauce. Go light on the fries. We thought that all the combinations for fries above was quite normal, nothing particular good to shout about.
As for the milkshake, it lived up to its reputation. There’s only 1 word to describe it. SHIOK! Got to order yourself one! In addition to the great food, the Johnny Rocket servers even does a dance, observe how good the server closest to the camera dances!
Johnny Rockets Dance Mariner of the Seas Royal Caribbean Cruise
Photo Opportunities with Dream Work Characters
Photos with Po Puss in Boots King Julien and more!
In-Room Breakfast
Breakfast delivered to your stateroom!
Every morning, you can have the option of have breakfast delivered to your room. All you have to do is fill up the breakfast menu (usually right behind your door) and hang it outside your door by 3am each day. If there are things that you see at the breakfast (breakfasts pretty much the same everyday) but is not on the menu, you can actually try to write something there and see if the service crew brings it. We wrote down chocolate milk and were served eventhough it was not on the menu! Talk about good service!
Crown and Anchor Society’s Welcome Back Party
It’s pretty simple to join Royal Caribbean’s Crown and Anchor Society. By sailing 3 nights, you’d be given Gold status for your next cruise, along with the perks and even be invited to the Welcome Back Party!
Gold level perks Royal Caribbean Cruise Crown and Anchor Society
There’s really nothing fancy about the Gold level perks for the Crown and Anchor Society. But we particularly liked the 1 for 1 beers/wines/sodas and milkshakes at Johnny Rockets. This effectively means at 50% savings. Not bad eh?
Welcome Back Party Crown and Anchor Society Royal Caribbean Cruise – Entrance at Studio BWelcome Back Party Crown and Anchor Society Royal Caribbean Cruise – Hotel Director, Cruise Director and Captain Greeting you at the EntranceWelcome Back Party Crown and Anchor Society Royal Caribbean Cruise – Free flow of wines, champagne and cocktailsRoyal Caribbean Cruise Crown and Anchor Society – Pinnacle Club
At the bottom left of this picture, you’d see a well-dressed man in bow tie. Together with his wife, they’re Pinnacle Club members. Which means, they have already accumulated 750 points and above! According to the Captain, not all cruises have Pinnacle Club members cruising and we were very fortunate to have witnessed that these members do exist! As mentioned above, if they had gone for the cheapest rates (which we doubt), they would have at least spent 75,000 per person to reach the Pinnacle status or $150,000USD for the both of them to be Pinnacle Club members! 😮
At the Welcome Back Party, the Captain formally welcomed the members back onboard and talked about the number of members onboard the cruise this time round. About a third were returning cruisers for this particular cruise. Over 800 Gold members and only 2 Pinnacle Club members. The C&A manager then proceeded to talk about the perks of being in C&A and of course advertising about the onboard credit if you made an open booking (for future cruises) onboard the ship – which we did!
Dinner at Main Dining Room – The Sound of Music / Top Hat and Tails / Rhapsody in Blue
Dinner aboard Royal Caribbean Cruise has always been something that we look forward to. Not only is the food excellent (well, most of the time), service is personalised and ambience is just so classy…
3 levels of Main Dining Area at the Aft of the Ship Royal Caribbean Cruise Mariner of the SeasDinner Menu Mariner of the Seas Royal Caribbean CruiseDessert Menu Mariner of the Seas Royal Caribbean CruiseStarters of Crab Cakes, Escargot (always a favourite), Prawn cocktail and fresh warm breadAntipastiLamb ShankLagsaneChicken and fried riceGarlic Tiger ShrimpChocolate Cake with Ice CreamMousse CakeTiramisuBread Pudding with Ice CreamDessert Selection
Most of the food were delicious but we were quite surprised that the Garlic Tiger Shrimp was not fresh during our last dinner meal. In fact it was smashy and soft. So we requested for the lamb instead. According to our waiter, the shrimps came all the way from US, which explains why it was terrible. We were actually looking forward to it because we were recommended to have more of the Tiger shrimps during dinner. Nonetheless, all other food, especially the desserts (chocolate cake and tiramisu!) tasted great and had excellent presentations – that of a fine dining experience 🙂
Champagne Art Auction
Champagne Art Auction Art on Royal Mariner of the Seas Royal Caribbean Cruise
This is typically how the Art Auction onboard Royal Caribbean Cruise looks like. Do attend the sessions and if you follow our rules (of enjoying the champagne, learning about art and faithfully placing in your raffle tickets) above, you’ll definitely have a good time at the auction.
Ice Show – “Ice Under the Big Top”
Before the start of the showEntry of the ice skatersIce skating mixed with dance movementsCircus on iceKids can even go for a ride on the ice (see the choo choo train in the middle!)
Our Ocean View Stateroom aboard Mariner of the Seas Royal Caribbean Cruise
Large Bed inside Ocean View StateroomToiletShower facilities, towels and complimentary shower gelView of Sunrise as we arrived at the port of Phu My in VietnamTowel Art
We particularly enjoyed our stay in our ocean view stateroom aboard Mariner of the Seas. The room was spacious and the window view was good enough for us to peer out for ocean views and even the sunrise as seen above. Room service was also great. It always amazes us to see how our room “transforms” after we come back from the day’s programme. Sometimes, towel art such as the monkey above is arranged specially by our stateroom attendant just before our return!
Taking the Bubble Lifts inside Mariner of the Seas Royal Caribbean Cruise
Just for fun, we’ve also taken a couple of videos from inside the bubble lifts of the Mariner of the Seas. Enjoy!
In the last section, we’ll be highlighting some important port information at Laem Chabang and Phu My. We’ll also show some of the things to do at these ports!
Royal Caribbean Cruise to Laem Chabang Thailand and Phu My Vietnam
In this section, we’ll talk about some of the essential information that you’ll need when visiting the ports of Laem Chabang (Thailand) and Phu My (Vietnam) via the Royal Caribbean Cruise
Laem Chabang – Gateway to Bangkok and Pattaya Thailand
Port of Laem Chabang (C0) where Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas Berthed
This excellent shot taken by Kate shows the port of Laem Chabang as we entered C0 (thats Charlie Zero) at the terminal. As you can see, the excursion buses are already waiting to take the guests out and there are also private transportation ready to take you out as well. Small tents with stalls are also setup to sell souvenirs to you upon arrival. Now to the most important part – the transportation.
**Note : We headed to Pattaya because of the unrests in Bangkok during our cruise with Royal Caribbean
During our overnight stay at Laem Chabang, we stayed a night at the Royal Cliff Beach Hotel Pattaya. If you go through the hotel to make transport arrangement, it costs about 2000 baht (80sgd) for one way (WHAAAAAT?!). If you go through the internet, there are one way transportation from Laem Chabang port to Pattaya for 1000 baht (smaller WHAAAT?!). But if you go for the private transportation at the wharf, it costs only 600 one-way and 1200 for return. We took the complimentary transport arranged by Royal Cliff Hotels (thanks Maria!) and returned via taxi for 700 baht. Transport time takes between 30 to 45 minutes depending on traffic conditions.
So what’s there to do at Pattaya?
Things to do in Pattaya
Infini Pool (aka Infinity Pool) at the Royal Cliff Beach Hotel PattayaBeautiful sunset over the Gulf of Thailand Walking Street PattayaWalking Street Pattaya Pubs, Restaurants, Massage parloursBeach Activities – Island Hopping at PattayaSoaking up the sun in PattayaShopping at Royal Garden Plaza Pattaya – Right in Front of the Beach!Enjoying a Starbucks Caramel Macchiato at the top of Royal Garden PlazaCentral Festival right next to Hilton PattayaBest mango sticky rice at only 80 baht! Look inside the supermarket of Central Festival downstairs
In addition, we also did a massage for a mere price of 200 baht (8SGD) for 1 hour! Although it was cheap, the skill of the masseuse was pretty good and we thoroughly enjoyed the massage. The other thing you ought to try are the Thai food. We tried the fried rice and coconut chicken Tom Yum soup at the hotel while we had beef noodles and fried shrimp flat noodles at the food court of Central Festival Pattaya. Not to be missed is the mango sticky rice! Best we’ve ever had! The mango was sweet and juicy while the sticky rice was firm, chewy and fragrant. Yum!
Phu My – Gateway to Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam
Port of Phu My where Royal Caribbean Cruise Mariner of the Seas Berthed
Another excellent shot taken by Kate at the port of Phu My when we arrived in Vietnam. When we tried to google to find out whether we could catch private rides out of Phu My to Ho Chi Minh City, we could not really find much information, except that the port was out of bounds to private taxis. Hence, we decided to go for the Ho Chi Minh City On Your Own – essentially a bus transportation arranged by Royal Caribbean Cruise. The ride was 40USD per person for two ways and the ride takes 1.5 hours. Originally, the ride takes 2.5 hours but because there’s a new expressway that just opened in February 2014 from Long Thanh to HCMC, the ride is faster. According to Mr Ng, he says the rides could be as fast as 45 minutes if the drivers were willing to push a little.
As for taxi rides from the port, if you notice the building at the top right hand corner of the picture, you would have to walk out of the port for transportation to Ho Chi Minh City from Phu My port. We asked around and the starting price is about 50USD one way per car. We think that you can bargain a little further. This option is suitable for parties of 4. Great for those who have also made friends onboard and are willing to travel together. Otherwise, the bus arranged by Royal Caribbean from Phu My to Ho Chi Minh is a good option in Vietnam.
Our transport tickets at Phu My in our stateroom when we entered on the first day
When we reached Ho Chi Minh City, it was about 9:30am and we had to be back at the drop off point (Rex Hotel) by 4:20pm. It was sufficient time for us but if you’re travelling on your own, don’t forget to check the “All aboard” timing. This time it was 7:30pm. We arrived back at the ship at 6pm sharp.
To thoroughly enjoy Ho Chi Minh City, just follow this small little map that we used. Attractions are circled and they are all within walking distance although taxi in Ho Chi Minh is quite cheap. Remember to use metered taxis of Vinasun or Mai Linh while travelling in Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam.
Rex Hotel – Drop off point of transport by Royal Caribbean CruiseCity Hall Ho Chi Minh City VietnamOpera House Ho Chi Minh CitySaigon Square Ho Chi Minh CityInside Saigon Square Ho Chi Minh City VietnamBen Thanh Market Ho Chi Minh CityInside Ben Thanh Market VietnamLunch at this stall inside Ben Thanh Market Ho Chi Minh CityVietnam Coffee and Grilled Pork / Spring Roll Vermicelli for a total of 100,000 dong about 5USDNotre Dame Ho Chi Minh CityThe Post Office Ho Chi Minh CityReunification Palace also known as Independence Palace Ho Chi Minh City VietnamPrawn and chicken spring roll Saigon Centre Cafe TerracePork Vermicelli Saigon Centre Cafe Terrace
In Ho Chi Minh, we recommend shopping at the Saigon Square. Here you can get good quality bags and jackets at a fraction of the prices back home. But do remember to bargain. If you’re unsure of the prices, you can check out the items at a few other stalls before deciding. This is because, we have ever encountered one of the stalls quoting double the prices of other stalls and if you buy from a stall like this without bargaining or checking, you’ll be buying at a much higher price.
Getting to and fro Marina Bay Cruise Centre to board Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas
Embarking the Mariner of the Seas Royal Caribbean Cruise
Marina Bay Cruise Centre Visitor CentreBag drop off at the entrance of Marina Bay Cruise CentreQueue to clear immigration inside Marina Bay Cruise CentreFirst look at the Mariner of the Seas Royal Caribbean Cruise – HUGE!Crossing the gangway to enter into the ship
We took a cab and if you’re coming from AYE (West) via MCE, take exit 2 at Central Boulevard. If you’re coming from ECP (East) via MCE, take exit 3 at Marina Coastal Drive. Do note that you are going to the Marina Bay Cruise Centre. As it was our first time there, we almost alighted at the ferry terminal instead. Look out for the HUGE Mariner of the Seas, you wont miss it!
As we were Crown and Anchor members, we skipped some of the queue and got our sea pass card rather quickly. The entire immigration took about 30 minutes.
Random thought : The Sea Pass Card is the most important card you’ll need on the cruise. It pays for everything onboard and is also your form of identification to disembark and embark the ship.
Disembarking the Mariner of the Seas Royal Caribbean Cruise
Taxi stand upon disembarking from Royal Caribbean Cruise
Disembarking took a rather long time. We took approximately 1.5 hours in total to leave the ship, clear customs and get to our taxi. One tip would be to leave slightly later (10am would be perfect) and once everyone clears from the ship, you’ll be able to clear customs and get your cab rather quickly as well 😉
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Phew…we actually took more than 10 hours to complete this post! (see how much we love you all? 😉 ) We hope that you have enjoyed reading this post as much as we have writing it and hopefully, it will be the comprehensive guide to your next Royal Caribbean Cruise aboard the Mariner of the Seas!
Royal Cliff Hotel in Pattaya Thailand was our choice of stay during our stopover at Laemchabang while cruising with Mariner of the Seas (Royal Caribbean Cruise). Thanks to Maria and the Royal Cliff Group, we were invited to a stay at the newly refurbished Mini Suite Plus of the Royal Cliff Beach Hotel!
Mini Suite Plus Royal Cliff Beach Hotel Pattaya
Mini Suite Plus Royal Cliff Beach Hotel Pattaya
About Royal Cliff Hotels Group
The Royal Cliff Hotels Group is actually made up of 4 hotels, namely, Royal Cliff Beach Hotel (Casual Luxury), Royal Cliff Beach Terrace (Exotic Luxury), Royal Cliff Grand Hotel (Formal Luxury) and Royal Wing Suites and Spa (Ultimate Luxury).
Map of Royal Cliff Hotels Group Pattaya
Map of Royal Cliff Hotels Group Pattaya
Legend to the above map of Royal Cliff Hotel Pattaya
Legend to the above map of Royal Cliff Hotel Pattaya
As you can already guess from the names of the hotels, Royal Cliff caters to mainly 4 different groups of clientele…
Royal Cliff Beach Hotel – Suitable for beach goers (like ourselves) who wants to just relax and enjoy the panoramic sea views and stunning sunsets from Royal Cliff Hotel. Closest access to the new addition – the Infini Pool (aka infinity pool)
Royal Cliff Beach Terrace– For honeymooners who wants some exclusivity and romantic setting, the Royal Cliff Beach Terrace offers couples a relaxed atmosphere PLUS the closest access to 1 of 2 private beaches of the Royal Cliff Hotels.
Royal Cliff Beach Terrace Pattaya
Royal Cliff Beach Terrace Pattaya
Royal Cliff Grand Hotel – The choice for businessmen at Royal Cliff, the Grand Hotel offers several dining venues (perfect for closing those deals) and is the only other hotel (besides Royal Wing Suites and Spa) that has the Cliff Spa located within the premise of the hotel – a perfect place to unwind after a day of conferences and meetings. You can also take one of the shuttle buses from the hotel lobby to reach PEACH (Pattaya Exhibition and Convention Hall) within minutes.
Royal Cliff Grand Hotel Pattaya
Royal Cliff Grand Hotel Pattaya
Lobby of Royal Cliff Grand Hotel Pattaya
Lobby of Royal Cliff Grand Hotel Pattaya
Royal Wing Suites and Spa – The ultimate in luxury and exclusivity, the Royal Wing Suites and Spa is the only hotel with its own private beach, which the other 3 hotels CANNOT access (yup, that’s how private and classy the hotel is). In addition, it also has its own Cliff Spa within the hotel premise. If you want luxury and exclusivity all in one venue, the Royal Wing Suites and Spa offers the perfect getaway. To give an idea of how extravagant guests here are, an Indian wedding was held here during our stay and the couple spent $500,000USD for the 7 day event, complete with fireworks and rotating cube banners! Suites start at $3000USD a night during promotion periods.
Exclusive Tour of the Facilities Amenities and Suites of Royal Cliff Hotel
Reception area of Royal Cliff Beach Hotel
Reception area of Royal Cliff Beach Hotel
Another view of the reception area of Royal Cliff Beach Hotel
Another view of the reception area of Royal Cliff Beach Hotel
Thanks to Maria and Nooch, we were given a tour of the hotel’s premise with exclusive insights to the much-sought after suites of the hotel! We met at the reception area of the Royal Cliff Beach Hotel and started our tour at Breezeo (Be Yourself Dining) where you can actually concoct cocktails of your own. IF guests like it, you will be able to enter the “Wall of Fame” of Breezeo!
Casual dining at Breezeo, overlooking Ko Khrok Island
Casual dining at Breezeo, overlooking Ko Khrok Island
Royal Cliff’s Private Beach next to Royal Cliff Beach Terrace
Royal Cliff’s Private Beach next to Royal Cliff Beach Terrace
Walking past the Royal Cliff’s private beach next to the Beach Terrace, we arrived at the Sunset Terrace Lobby and Bar.
Sunset Terrace Lobby and Bar Royal Cliff Hotel
Sunset Terrace Lobby and Bar Royal Cliff Hotel
As the name suggests, Sunset Terrace Lobby and Bar offers spectacular sunsets over the Gulf of Thailand and you can choose from its range of cocktails, sipping and enjoying the company of friends as the sun sets over Ko Khrok Island. The cocktails were amazing and the sunset seen here was simply spectacular! The only gripe we had was that the bar does not serve finger food and the only available option was complimentary nuts. Bar snacks such as chicken wings, onion rings or cheese fries would have be a great complement to the drinks and stunning views…
Sunset Terrace Lobby and Bar at sunset
Sunset Terrace Lobby and Bar at sunset
Cocktails at the Sunset Terrace Lobby and Bar
Cocktails at the Sunset Terrace Lobby and Bar
Us chilling while enjoying the marvelous sunset
Us chilling while enjoying the marvelous sunset
Tours of the suites then started at Royal Cliff Grand Hotel, starting with the Regency Suites…
Regency Suites at Royal Cliff Grand Hotel
Entrance to Regency Suite Royal Cliff Grand Hotel
Entrance to Regency Suite Royal Cliff Grand Hotel
What we really loved about the suite is its frontage. There are 5 balconies in this room that have sea views! Can you believe that?! Depending on whether you choose the 1BR or 2BR Regency Suite, the size of the suites ranges from 100 to 130 sqm!
Balcony overlooking the private beach of Royal Cliff Hotels
Balcony overlooking the private beach of Royal Cliff Hotels
Master Bedroom with huge attached bathroom & bathtub
Master Bedroom with huge attached bathroom & bathtub
Grand Sea View Plus Suite at Royal Cliff Grand Hotel
Sea View Plus Suite Royal Cliff Beach Hotel
Sea View Plus Suite Royal Cliff Beach Hotel
At Royal Cliff Beach Hotel, any suite with a “Plus” means that it has been newly renovated. The Sea View Plus in particular has a bathtub with glass panels which allows you to soak in the waters while taking in the sea views.
Next, we moved on to the highlights of our tour – the Presidential Suites
Presidential Suites at Royal Wing Suites and Spa
We have visited the Presidential Suite (Raffles Suite) of the Raffles Hotel when we were invited to a staycation, so a visit to the Presidential Suite of a hotel is nothing new. Nonetheless, what the Royal Wing Suites lacks in tradition, it certainly more than makes up for it with style…
Presidential Platinum Suite
Entrance to the Presidential Platinum Suite at Royal Wing Suites and Spa Pattaya
Entrance to the Presidential Platinum Suite at Royal Wing Suites and Spa Pattaya
There are 2 themes for the Presidential Suites at Royal Wing and they are the Presidential Platinum and the Presidential Heritage Suites. The Presidential Platinum is the modern take (and more expensive one) on how a Presidential Suite ought to be. For us, the jacuzzi overlooking the sea definitely trumps many other Presidential Suites out there…
Jacuzzi inside the Presidential Platinum Suite of Royal Wing Suites and Spa
Jacuzzi inside the Presidential Platinum Suite of Royal Wing Suites and Spa
During promotions, prices of the Presidential Platinum Suite starts at $3000USD. With 220sqm of space, you’ll be spoilt for choice in which part of the suite you’d want to be in!
Jacuzzi inside the Presidential Platinum Suite of Royal Wing Suites and Spa
Master Bedroom with Sea View
Guest room of the Presidential Platinum Suite
Guest room of the Presidential Platinum Suite
Living area with fridge and bar counter
Living area with fridge and bar counter
HUGE semi-circular sofa with sea views as centre piece of the Platinum Presidential Suite
HUGE semi-circular sofa with sea views as centre piece of the Platinum Presidential Suite
Presidential Heritage Suite
On the other hand, we were told that the Presidential Heritage Suite, because of its tradition design and feel are usually used to house Heads of States from various countries. At $2000USD a night and a total area of 220sqm, the Presidential Heritage Suite certainly offers businessmen a huge space to entertain, think (study room) and also host private meetings in. The traditional colours also gives a warm feel to the suite.
Entrance to Presidential Heritage Suite Royal Wing Suites and Spa (Royal Cliff Hotels)
Entrance to Presidential Heritage Suite Royal Wing Suites and Spa (Royal Cliff Hotels)
Living area Presidential Heritage Suite Royal Wing Suites and Spa
Living area Presidential Heritage Suite Royal Wing Suites and Spa
Bar Counter of the Suite
Bar Counter of the Suite
Master Bedroom Presidential Heritage Suite Royal Cliff Hotels
Master Bedroom Presidential Heritage Suite Royal Cliff Hotels
Returning to the Royal Cliff Beach Hotel, we visited the Theme Suites of Sukothai and Ayutthaya
Theme Suites at Royal Cliff Beach Hotel
Entrance to Theme Suites of the Royal Cliff Beach Hotel
Entrance to Theme Suites of the Royal Cliff Beach Hotel
The Theme Suites at Royal Cliff Beach Hotel offers a traditional Thai-designed suite with fantastic sea views and sunsets overlooking Ko Khrok Island. The woody design and intricate carvings on the walls of the room instantly transports you to a warm and inviting traditional Thai/Oriental atmosphere.
Master Bedroom of the Theme Suite at Royal Cliff Beach Hotel
Master Bedroom of the Theme Suite at Royal Cliff Beach Hotel
HUGE living area of the Theme Suite at Royal Cliff Beach Hotel Pattaya
HUGE living area of the Theme Suite at Roal Cliff Beach Hotel Pattaya
FITZ Club
FITZ Club is the in-house fitness centre of the Royal Cliff Hotels. In fact, it is more like a club and even has members that visit the club for its gym, tennis and other recreational facilities…
Swimming pool at FITZ Club – Don’t forget that there are 6 pools, 6 POOLS in the entire premise of the Royal Cliff Hotel!
Swimming pool at FITZ Club – Don’t forget that there are 6 pools, 6 POOLS in the entire premise of the Royal Cliff Hotel!
Tennis Courts at FITZ Club Royal Cliff Hotels
Tennis Courts at FITZ Club Royal Cliff Hotels
Squash Courts – Where the hotel will be hosting its first ever Squash Tournament
Squash Courts – Where the hotel will be hosting its first ever Squash Tournament
Gym at the Royal Cliff Hotels
Gym at the Royal Cliff Hotels
Putting Greens at FITZ Club
Putting Greens at FITZ Club
Play area for kids – which has been sort of superseded with the opening of Funtasy
Play area for kids – which has been sort of superseded with the opening of Funtasy
Royal Grill Room and Wine Cellar
Entrance to the Royal Grill Room and Wine Cellar
Entrance to the Royal Grill Room and Wine Cellar
Inside the Royal Grill Room and Wine Cellar
Inside the Royal Grill Room and Wine Cellar
For some top grade steaks and excellent selection of wines, the Royal Grill Room and Wine Cellar offers just that with a touch of heritage. In addition, you may also wish to know that the restaurant has won accolades for being one of the best restaurants in Pattaya!
Royal Cliff Beach Hotel’s Mini Suite Plus
Back to our stay at the Mini Suite Plus of the Royal Cliff Beach Hotel, we want to especially thank Maria for this room because of its fantastic combination of sea views and pool view!
Balcony with Pool and Sea view in the Mini Plus Suite of Royal Cliff Beach Hotel Pattaya
Balcony with Pool and Sea view in the Mini Plus Suite of Royal Cliff Beach Hotel Pattaya
Mini Suite Plus Royal Cliff Beach Hotel Pattaya
The King Sized Bed
Small living area beside the balcony
Small living area beside the balcony
Cable TV and kettle facilities
Cable TV and kettle facilities
Video Tour of the Mini Suite Plus of Royal Cliff Beach Hotel
We also tried the room service menu of Thai-Styled Fried Rice and Coconut Tom Yum Chicken Soup which was both yummy and had authentic Thai flavours (watch out for the spiciness of the soup!). If you’re staying here, be sure to try it as well!
Breakfast at Panorama of the Royal Cliff Beach Hotel
As for breakfast, if you’re staying at the Royal Cliff Beach Hotel, then breakfast would be served at the Panorama. According to Maria, the restaurant is so named because of its panoramic views overlooking the Gulf of Thailand. Indeed the views were great and many guests “vie” to be seated at the window seats (inside) or the terrace (outside).
There was also a huge variety of choice available ranging from chinese to indian and the continental breakfasts…check out the breakfast spread at Royal Cliff Beach Hotel…
Breakfast setting at Panorama with sea views
Breakfast setting at Panorama with sea views
Selection of bread and pastries
Selection of bread and pastries
Egg and omelette station
Egg and omelette station
Another egg preparation station
Another egg preparation station
Healthy selection of cereals, oats, yogurts and pancakewaffles
Healthy selection of cereals, oats, yogurts and pancake/waffles
Hot foods including noodles, rice, congee
Hot foods including noodles, rice, congee
Small selection of vegetarian Indian dishes
Small selection of vegetarian Indian dishes
Continental breakfast of cheese, hams, fruits and cold dishes
Continental breakfast of cheese, hams, fruits and cold dishes
Various juices and milk available
Various juices and milk available
Kanom Krok Station – Traditional waffle like dish
Kanom Krok Station – Traditional waffle like dish
What we ate at Panorama Royal Cliff Beach Hotel
Fried noodles, rice, pasta salad, egg, fish and chicken
Fried noodles, rice, pasta salad, egg, fish and chicken
Pancake and crepes – remember to add maple syrup! Kate did not see it though it was just beside the waffle station!
Pancake and crepes – remember to add maple syrup! Kate did not see it though it was just beside the waffle station!
Healthy fruits to round up the meal
Healthy fruits to round up the meal
During breakfast, we also noticed that there were many Russian tourists here. Perhaps the hotel has some collaboration with Russian tour groups. In fact, we also noticed many Russian and Eastern Europe tourists while walking along the streets of Pattaya. Might be useful to pick up some simple Russian such as “spatz see bah” (thank you) and “natz dro via” (cheers)!
Last Words
Yes, we have saved the best for last…
Infini Pool (aka Infinity Pool) of Royal Cliff Hotels
Infini Pool (aka Infinity Pool) of Royal Cliff Hotels
Sunset by the Infinity Pool of the Royal Cliff Hotels
Sunset by the Infinity Pool of the Royal Cliff Hotels
We have travelled the world over and been to many a hotel swimming pool. But the infinity pool at the Royal Cliff Hotel is unlike any other we’ve ever been to. There are 3 “spa” areas in the pool that gives you the option of lying down or sitting down and various orientations as well (pick the one with sunset view!). We also went to the pool again at night and this time because of its various mild illuminating colours inside the pool, it transforms the feel of the pool altogether! Because of these reasons and the views you see above, we definitely rank the infinity pool at Royal Cliff Hotels in the top 3 of our list!
You’ll also be delighted to know that you can actually walk to the Pattaya Walking Street from the hotel! We took a shuttle to the entrance of the hotel and turned left along the road. You will then come to a path like this…
Path that leads to walking street in Pattaya
Path that leads to walking street in Pattaya
Along the way, we met 2 old gentlemen and they told us that if we took the cobbled stairs (extreme right of the picture), we would save approximately 5 to 10 minutes. All in all, we took about 25 minutes to get from the hotel to the walking street.
There’s also the option of taking the bus for a fee of 100 baht that takes you to the city centre. But the catch is that it only starts operating at 12pm , once every 2 hours. Walking gives you some flexibility. 😉
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All in all, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Royal Cliff Beach Hotel. No matter what your preference is (be it business, honeymooners, beach bums or exclusive luxury), Royal Cliff Hotels will definitely be able to meet your preferences and more! We’ve enjoyed our stay in Pattaya and we hope that you will as well!
** Special thanks to Maria, Nooch and the Royal Cliff Hotels for hosting us for this stay at the Royal Cliff Beach Hotel!
Inn at the Market Seattle was our last hotel during our US West Coast trip and when we chose Inn at the Market, it’s all about location, location, location! Check out this video taken from Pike Place Market…
Inn at the Market highlighted in yellow in the video
If you take a look at the video, you’ll realise that we literally stayed AT THE MARKET!! Less than 30 seconds walk to be precise :p From the hotel, you can see the famous Pike Place Market, the fish throwing boys and of course the very first Starbucks in the world. The famous sea feast at Crab Pot is also a short walk away!
Map of Seattle with Pike Place Market in the backgroundFresh sea food at Pike Place Market SeattleEntrance of the original (aka very 1st) Starbucks Coffee in the World (Seattle)The Crab Pot – Home of the famous Sea Feast SeattleLocation of Inn at the Market circled out
In and around Inn at the Market Seattle
The first thing you should note is that parking in Seattle is a hassle. This is especially so if you’re parking at Pike Place Market. But there’s no worry at all if you’re staying at Inn at the Market. This is because there’s a special valet team that works round the clock for your convenience. So all you have to do is just leave your car at the side and your friendly “man in black” (yes, they’re in black uniforms) will whisk your car away – a little tip when you get your car again would be nice 🙂
Lobby of Inn at the Market SeattleFireplace and Christmas Decoration at Inn at the Market Seattle
The next thing we noticed was that the reception team at Inn at the Market is SUPER DUPER FRIENDLY!! Whenever we entered or left the hotel, they would say hi to us and would always be on hand to help when necessary. When we checked in, we were greeted by Noelle. She was so vibrant and lively and she welcomed us with such positive energy that you almost forgot it’s 5 degrees right outside!
Noelle – Friendly and Lively receptionist who welcomed us to Inn at the Market Seattle
The other place you ought to check out is the Roof Top Garden. From here, you can enjoy splendid views of the bay, Pike Place Market and of the Seattle Great Wheel (Ferris Wheel) too. Great place to chillax while soaking in the sun!
Roof Top Garden at Inn at the Market SeattleView of Pike Place Market, Seattle Great Wheel and the Bay from Inn at the Market’s Roof Top Garden
City View Room Inn at the Market Seattle
We really liked the colours of the room. Neutral colours with the bright orange arm chairs as the centre piece of the city view room. The toilet also comes with a bathtub (always a plus) and of course a pretty arrangement of toiletries.
Inviting King Size Bed of City View Room at Inn at the Market SeattleBright orange arm chair with views of the city streets from Inn at the Market SeattleBathroom in City View Room Inn at the Market SeattleArrangement of toiletries at Inn at the Market
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This is part of our coverage of San Francisco, Seattle and Vancouver USA. Check out these posts if you’re visiting the West Coast of USA!
The San Remo was the 2nd hotel we stayed in during our recent visit to San Francisco. We were invited by the tourism board of San Francisco to 2 hotels – Palace Hotel as well as the San Remo hotel.
Facade of the San Remo Hotel San Francisco
History of the San Remo Hotel San Francisco
The history of San Remo hotel goes something like this…
On 18th April 1906, San Francisco was hit by a devastating earthquake and fire which literally levelled the city. Massive works were required to build the area. Hence, A.P. Giannini, founder of the Bank of America thought of an idea to build a hotel to house the men who were expected to rebuild the area. The New California Hotel was thus founded. Over the next few years, the hotel was home to sailors, fishermen and even chocolate makers from Ghiradelli’s chocolate plant. In 1922, the New California Hotel was renamed to San Remo Hotel.
Warm cozy yet rustic corridor of San Remo HotelPay phone with a retro looking sign above (San Remo Hotel San Francisco)
Instead of just staying in your room at San Remo, you should really take a walk about the hotel. Just wander through the stairs and its corridors, you’ll realise that there’s alot of history in store for you. There are pictures of the founding family, people who used to work in San Francisco and also the quaint rustic feel of the entire hotel.
In addition, the receptionists here are really cool as well. They know their stuff and can easily direct you to where you want to go or arrange transportation on your behalf. Alex was our receptionist when we checked in and he was knowledgeable in telling us where to go and what to do and when we needed an airport transfer the next day, he immediately made the arrangements. Quick as a jiffy!
Our friendly receptionist Alex when we checked in at San Remo Hotel San Francisco
Room of San Remo Hotel San Francisco
As the premise is actually quite small, you’ll need to know that toilets and common facilities are shared in this hotel…
Common toilets with shower areas in San Remo HotelWash basin near the toilets San Remo Hotel San FranciscoTV Lounge Area San Remo Hotel San FranciscoLittle chillax area with a massage chair (San Francisco San Remo Hotel)
You may also wish to know that there’s an area where drinks and coffee is available. However, do note that the water is not replenished in the evening. In the morning, it may run “dry”. Good to squirrel some away before you sleep! 🙂
Coffee Tea and Water close to the reception area (San Remo Hotel San Francisco)
Another thing which you may want to take note is that since the reception is located on the 2nd floor and rooms on the same floor or higher, you will have to carry your luggage up one flight of stairs. A relatively narrow one as well. So try to pack light if you’re staying at San Remo Hotel.
As for the rooms, we must say that they are well decorated. Beautiful bedsheets, traditional curtains and wooden furnitures really brings out the feel of a historic hotel. Our room came with a wash basin which was a plus! There’s also a portable heater which worked really well and kept our room nice and warm 🙂
One of the rooms with a painted mural window at San Remo Hotel San FranciscoOur room with a queen sized bed (San Francisco San Remo Hotel)Comes with an attached sink, toiletries and an actual window in San Remo Hotel Room
What we really loved about staying at San Remo Hotel San Francisco
1. Fior d’Italia, America’s Oldest Italian Restaurant is located at the ground floor. Upon arrival, we noticed that there’s an italian restaurant located at the first level of the hotel. It even has a sign that says “America’s Oldest Italian Restaurant”. With this sort of signs, you’ve got to try it right? Food must be good for it to survive this long. Sure enough, we did not regret our decision…
Facade of Fior d’Italia – America’s Oldest Italian RestaurantLinguini with meatballs at Fior d’Italia – Possibly the best pasta ever eaten! (17USD)Risotto Funghi at Fior d’Italia – Confirm the best Risotto ever tasted (16USD)Ricotta Cheesecake paired with Dessert Wine at Fior d’Italia San Francisco
Ok, the pics don’t really do justice to how good the food was (blame it on the romantic lightings! :p) The mains we had were simply some of the best italian food we’ve tried. No wonder it’s still around after so long. Pure simple, great tasting food. Yummy! Oh, you’ll also get a 15% “Neighbour Discount” for staying at the San Remo Hotel, remember to show your room keys when paying!
15% discount for dining at Fior d’italia if you’re staying at San Remo Hotel
2. PRIME LOCATION. What we really REEAAALLLYYY love about San Remo Hotel is its location. It is just 4 blocks away from Fisherman’s Wharf! We were even able to grab some supper from the wharf which is about a 7 minutes walk away (inclusive of waits for traffic lights). From there, you’ll be able to grab some of the freshest seafood around and see the sea lions at pier 39!
Steamed Dungeness Crabs at Fisherman’s Wharf San FranciscoSea Lions at Pier 39 – they just happened to be there one day and have been there ever since!
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Palace Hotel San Francisco together with San Francisco Tourism Board (SanFrancisco.travel) invited us for a stay at this gorgeous hotel while we were travelling in the West Coast of USA (yes, it was the Golden Gate Bridge that brought us back to USA).
Entrance of Palace Hotel San Francisco
We have to be honest here. Our first impression of Palace Hotel was that it could be just a normal hotel with the usual gym and swimming pool facilities. Little did we know that we were actually invited to a grand old dame of San Francisco!
Night view of Palace Hotel San Francisco
Established in 1875, Palace Hotel has undergone several restorations especially after the great earthquake of San Francisco in 1909 (although only 9% of the hotel was damaged) and after the 1989 earthquake of a 7 scale earthquake. When Palace Hotel reopened in 1991, its 1909 glory was restored at a cost of more than $150 million!
The cool thing about luxury hotels with a history is that
1. They are usually in the city centre. This is because cities build outwards from its centre and as it grows, the older buildings which are originally close to the city centre would then become prime locations! For Palace Hotel, it just a stone’s throw away from Union Square and the world famed, San Francisco Chinatown
2. Many famous people stayed here before. Famous personalities who stayed here before included Mark Twain, Thomas Edison (would you believe it?!), Oscar Wilde, Winston Churchill (seriously?!), Presidents of USA (including Franklin Delano Roosevelt) and more recently actress and comedian Whoopi Goldberg.
Due to the festive period, the lobby of the hotel was brightened up with some decorations of its own…
Christmas Decorations in the lobby of Palace HotelHuge Christmas Tree in the Garden Court of Palace Hotel San FranciscoEntrance to the Garden Court with 2 Nutcrackers DisplaysReception area of Palace Hotel San Francisco – Morey on the left who assisted us during check in
As with our stay at Hilton Vancouver Washington, we were actually anticipating a package from San Francisco travel. Although it was not there upon our arrival, our receptionist Morey, helped us by checking through the records again (twice) and going back to the storeroom (twice) just to confirm that our package was indeed late. In addition, he also gave us advice to get the package tracking number (if available) and to contact SF travel again. All this while, maintaining his professional attitude and service. With such great attitude and service, it is no wonder that Palace Hotel ranks highly in their reviews as well.
Before long, Morey passed us the room keys saying
“There you are. Enjoy your stay at the Deluxe King Suite!”
So we wondered to ourselves, a suite? Perhaps, we just heard wrong. Better not put our hopes too high just to let them fall smack down right? So we got our stuff and headed to our room, walking past this BEAUTIFUL hallway…
Beautiful Hallway of Palace Hotel San FranciscoStaircase of Palace Hotel San Francisco
Deluxe King Suite Palace Hotel San Francisco
As we entered into our room, we were pleasantly surprised by the sheer size. The room had an entrance area, living area, study area, bedroom, couch in the bedroom as well as a bathroom complete with bathtub. In one word – HUGE!
Here’s a video tour of the Deluxe King Suite at Palace Hotel San Francisco…
And so, our ears were not wrong when we heard Morey tell us about the Deluxe King Suite. A pleasant surprise for us indeed!
Study area in Deluxe Suite Palace HotelLiving area Palace Hotel San FranciscoKeurig Coffee Machine – Though coffee is available in the lobby in the morningsHuge King Size Bed in Suite of Palace HotelComfy Couch in the Bedroom Palace Hotel San FranciscoBathroom of Deluxe King Suite Palace Hotel San FranciscoBathtub in the Deluxe Suite Palace Hotel San FranciscoShower Gel and Bath Salts Palace Hotel San Francisco
What we love about the room is its privacy. Because of its entrance (small little area where you leave your shoes), you have a distance away from the other rooms, giving you tranquility in your room. The other thing we love about the room is of course its size. We had ample space on the desk for our nightly summary, snack and watch some TV in the living room and lie down on our bed, again with the TV on! Yeah, sometimes we wonder if we’re travelling or just going to US to watch TV :p
Facilities at Palace Hotel San Francisco
Gym and swimming pools are a common fare at classy hotels such as the Palace Hotel in San Francisco. But the cool thing about the fitness centre at Palace Hotel is its sunroof…
Gym overlooking swimming at Palace HotelSwimming pool on 4th floor of Palace HotelAnother view of the swimming pool with gym in the background (Palace Hotel San Francisco)
The sunroof also makes the entire pool area really inviting during the day time!
In addition to the facilities, Palace Hotel has 2 other cool hang out places at the ground floor of its premise. Known as the Pied Piper Bar & Grill, it is named among the 7 finest bars IN THE WORLD! This is along the ranks of Ritz in London, the 21 Club in New York and the La Floridita in Havana. In that respect, the Pied Piper Bar sets the standard in opulence and elegance, definitely a place you want to check out when you’re in San Francisco.
Of course, the other venue is the Ghirardelli Chocolate Company right round the corner of the building. We had the Sea Cliff “Treasure” Sundae (with cookie at the bottom) and it was definitely one of the best sundaes we’ve had. With the rich chocolate from Ghirardelli, it totally puts a different spin to the common term “Chocolate Sundae”.
Sea Cliff Sundae with warm Ghirardelli cookie at the bottom of the sundae
Created in 1852, Ghirardelli is today a familiar name for gourmet chocolate in San Francisco. Here’s a quick snapshot of the history of Ghirardelli…
History of Ghirardelli Chocolate Company
Conclusion
After staying at the Palace Hotel San Francisco, you’ll realise that there’s really few places that can compare with this hotel that mixes history, class and luxury all in one. What’s more, the location of the hotel is simply unbeatable – walking distance to Union Square, Chinatown and along the Market Street where the historic F-line plies.
A hotel recommended for all visitors to San Francisco!
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Ok, straight up. Heathman Lodge Vancouver Washington has got to be one of our best hotel stays EVER!!
We were invited by Visitvancouverusa.com and Heathman Lodge for a stay at their premise. Before our stay, we did a check online and found great things about the hotel (great environment, delectable food) and of course some funny comments such as “the fake ski lodge next to Westfield Mall”.
Well, as it turns out, this “ski lodge” definitely has more to offer and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay here…
Entering Heathman Lodge Vancouver Washington
Facade of Heathman Lodge Vancouver WashingtonA quaint sitting area outside the lobby of Heathman Lodge
It was a cold day (about 5 degrees celsius) when we arrived at Heathman Lodge. But with its warm, “wooden” facade, we kinda felt right at home as we entered into its cozy lobby
Lobby of Heathman Lodge Vancouver Washington along with Christmas DecorationsA small gift shop named Trading Post at Heathman LodgeAnother view of the lobby, reception and Hudson’s Bar and Grill of Heathman Lodge
There was a slight hiccup as we were checking in at the lobby. Apparently, we were placed on a different name by the tourism board (no fault of the hotel’s) and it took a while before the air cleared and we were checked in.
Special thanks to Marcie from Heathman, who was ever so patient, putting on that great smile all the way and also to Jacob from Visitvancouver for confirming our stay almost instantly, after calling him at his desk. We were slightly concerned as we came in at about 3pm not knowing if Jacob was still in and when we heard his friendly voice on the line, we knew that this would be solved in a quick time and it was! 🙂
The team that received us at Heathman Lodge (Marcie in the centre)! Thanks you guys!
Deluxe Suite at Heathman Lodge Vancouver Washington
We were told by our friends at the reception that we were on the 4th floor business level where amenities such as the daily reception (which we’ll talk a little more later) were…
Level 4 with access to Hospitality Suite ReceptionCorridor of Heathman Lodge with birds chirping!
As we walked along the corridor to our room, we were surprised to hear birds chirping! At first, we thought (or at least Tom thought) there was some birds on the loose at our level! But upon closer inspection, it was a recorded sound projected through one of the speakers. The reason we’re mentioning this is because the sound was light and sounded at intervals – very surreal sounding. It was as if we had really entered into the woody redwood forests! Even as we left our room each time, these sounds from the birds really perked us up. A great touch by the hotel!
So as we finally approached our room at 408, we were still not sure what was in for us (good move by the reception team to only mention the room number and let us be surprised by what the room has to offer). Words cant really describe why we’re ranking the room as one of our top hotel stays ever and so here’s the video tour…
Video Tour of Deluxe Suite at Heathman Lodge Vancouver Washington
Did you see the fire place, the balcony, the space of the living room and of course the IN-ROOM JACUZZI!?!
Let’s check out what we saw as we explored the room before the “Oohs”, “Wows”, “Wahs” and “Bearbear, come see!” came a sounding…
Ice chilled water, snacks and welcome note at the deluxe suite of Heathman LodgeIn-room coffee machine, oven and sound system which we used as we rounded up each eveningSpacious living room, comfy sofa, balcony and fire place in Suite of Heathman LodgeCloser look at the gas-operated fire place (so it’s safe!) and balconyFirst view of the king-sized bed Heathman Lodge Vancouver WashingtonAnother view of the king-sized bed with tempur mattress Heathman Lodge Vancouver Washington
At this juncture, we want to ask you (our readers), which picture of the bed was a better taken one? We shall not skew your opinions by telling you who took which. But the thing we really want to mention is that the hotel spared no expense on luxury in this room with a king-sized TEMPUR MATTRESS! Yes, it is the foam-memory mattress and when we slept on it, we thoroughly enjoyed every inch of support on our bodies! Even as we were lying and enjoying programmes on TV (which is another story to tell), we could feel our joints being supported, especially my elbows, the feeling was great! Makes me want to get a Tempur in our place, sponsors anyone? :p
As we entered the final part of our “exploration”, this was where the real “Oohs” were let out… an IN-ROOM JACUZZI!
In-room jacuzzi in Suite of Heathman Lodge! Probably the most luxurious bathrooms we’ve ever been to!
Yes, because of the in-room jacuzzi, the room has almost immediately been bumped up to the top few hotel stays ever. With the attached TV and mirrors around the jacuzzi, no matter which side you’re facing (one or 2 people), you can still watch TV and enjoy the jets of water massaging you as you relax – all in the comfort of your room!
Perfect for honeymooners and couples who prefer a little bit more privacy!
Vintage wall paper with attached TV!Wash basin and hair dryer Heathman Lodge Washington Vancouver
Facilities of Heathman Lodge Vancouver Washington
As with all great hotels, there’s a gym which overlooks the pool area. A jacuzzi beside the pool as well. Yeah, we enjoyed our jacuzzi in the privacy of our room 🙂
Gym at Heathman Lodge overlooking the indoor heated poolIndoor heated pool Heathman Lodge Vancouver Washington
There’s also a business centre where we printed out our tickets to the Winterhawks Ice Hockey Match on New Year’s Eve. It was the very first time we caught an ice hockey match and boy was it cool! (We’ll talk more about it in our subsequent posts).
Our Tickets to watch the Portland Winterhawks live in action at the Moda Center
PLUS! It’s walking distance to the Westfield Shopping Mall with over 150 stores here! Yes, Kate had a great time shopping here!
Westfield Shopping Mall Vancouver Washington
As mentioned in many of our hotel staycation posts, we mentioned about afternoon cocktail receptions and Heathman Lodge offers its guests at level 4 entry to the Hospitality Suite (formerly a presidential suite) for breakfast and cocktail reception!
Hospitality Suite at 442 for cocktail reception and breakfast at Heathman Lodge
There were beers, wines for you to choose from. Finger foods included tacos (with a warm tub of cheese!), salsa, nuts and healthy celery and carrots. Though we have seen more exquisite cocktail receptions, the fresh celery (with blue cheese – yes alot of cheeses during this trip!) and carrots were a refreshing change.
Snacks at the cocktail reception of Heathman LodgeA good selection of wines and beers (both bottled and tapped)IPA with nachos and vege at Heathman Lodge Lounge
You can enjoy this in the common area, watching TV and sipping up good times or go to the next room for a more private conversation…
TV area during evening reception at hospitality suite of Heathman LodgeA small lounge next door for a more private conversation
Oh, we forgot to mention that when we first entered, the room had a fresh oven-baked cookie smell and there it was, the freshly baked chocolate chip cookies! We wanted to have more but we had a dinner at Red Lobsters which we were looking forward to that evening.
Freshly baked chocolate chip cookies!
Breakfast at Heathman Lodge Vancouver Washington
Breakfast at Heathman Lodge was interesting with the self-made waffles.
Freshly made waffles with maple syrup for breakfast at Heathman Lodge Vancouver
The key to making a good waffle is
1. Remember to spray the waffle spray next to the waffle machine. It helps to spread the heat a little more evenly and prevents sticking on the sides
2. Dont be greedy! If you put more than required, it will overflow and create a mess! (not that we did…) Just 3/4 cup full as the instruction says and you’re good to go!
Our self-made waffles with freshly baked breakfast bar with coffee and banana Heathman Lodge Vancouver WashingtonBagel with cream cheese and grape jamBreakfast spread at Heathman Lodge Vancouver WashingtonYoghurt, juice, milk, soy milk, parfait and fruits in the fridge
The best part of our breakfast was actually meeting Audrey. She was a friendly staff in the Hospitality Suite who attended to all our needs (also reminding us to press the blue button – guests here will understand what we mean!)
We started a conversation with Audrey and she told us all the beautiful sights that Vancouver had to offer. Told us all about Beacon Rock and Multnomah Falls which we visited the next day. Thanks to her great service, we had an enjoyable and informative breakfast! Thanks Audrey!
Audrey who was friendly and helpful when we had our meals at the Hospitality Suite!
Hudson’s Bar and Grill – Heathman Lodge Vancouver Washington
If you’re staying at Heathman Lodge, you have got to visit Hudson’s Bar and Grill at its first level. Many people across town come here just for its food and after trying its brunch menu, we think you should too!
Hudson’s Bar and Grill at Heathman Lodge Vancouver – before dinner time. Yes it usually gets CROWDED!
As it was the festive season, only the brunch menu was available. But nonetheless, we were thoroughly surprised by the standards of the meals that we were about to have…
Dungeness Crab Cakes Benedict – 14 USD (Hudson’s Bar and Grill Heathman Lodge Vancouver Washington)Smoked Salmon Skillet – 11 USD (Hudson’s Bar and Grill Heathman Lodge Vancouver Washington)
In terms of value, these must have been the best egg benedicts ever! How can 2 HUGE pieces of Dungeness Crab Cakes together with 2 perfectly crafted egg benedicts only cost 14USD?! The crab cakes were fresh and had a light crisp on the outside of the crab cakes. We’ve had crab cakes before and were thoroughly disappointed but with this, it totally revived our confidence in crab cakes once again! In one mouth, you can taste the crisp on the edge of your tongues and when you go in for the bite, fresh crab meat (meat only, no shells) just fills your cavities! Yummy! Simply the best crab cakes ever!
For the salmon skillet, we were quite skeptical that it costs only 11USD, the salmon must be no where to be seen right? WRONG! The salmon came in HUGE CHUNKY PIECES and coupled with the sauce and sourdough bread? Mamamia! Remember to let the yolk ooze unto the sourdough bread and enjoy it with a huge piece of that fresh grilled salmon yah?
Bloody Mary for 10 USD (Heathman Lodge Hudson’s Bar and Grill)
As for the drinks, we went for the Bloody Mary which was recommended by many patrons. When we ordered, we did not know it was 10USD! For us, it was a little too expensive, but the taste was great. You could taste the fresh tomatoes, lime and celery mixed into it. Very different from the BMs that we drank before. Tasted healthy actually 🙂
But truth be told. For the price, we would have gone for the beers on tab instead.
Conclusion
After visiting Heathman Lodge, we cannot imagine a visit to Vancouver Washington without visiting this quaint hotel.
Whether its for the stay, for the service, for its great location (for Westfield and Columbia River side trips) or simply for great food and company, Heathman Lodge has got to be your choice of stay during your visit to Vancouver Washington!
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Eureka Inn was our next stop after our stay at Hilton Vancouver Washington. We decided to take the Oregon Scenic Drive via US Route 101 to Eureka before continuing our drive from there to San Francisco. The drive time from Vancouver, WA to San Francisco would have taken 10 hours but we decided to take a stop at Eureka so that we could enjoy the scenic drive and really just take in the sights. To give you an idea of what you can expect on the Oregon Scenic Drive, check this out…
Beautiful Ocean view on Oregon Scenic Drive via US 101
We set off at about 8am in the morning and finally reached Eureka at about 5pm. The original 7 hours drive became a 9 hours drive because of the breaks we took along the way. Well, with such views, you’ve got to stop somewhere and take it all in right?
Inside Eureka Inn California USA
Facade of Eureka Inn – Stayed here during this trip
After parking the car in the carpark right behind the hotel (parking is complimentary for guests), we headed into the lobby of Eureka Inn
Christmas Tree and Fire Place of Eureka InnLobby of Eureka Inn with view of the 2nd FloorLynette who was the receptionist upon our arrival
We were promptly greeted by Lynette who was on duty that evening. She warmly welcomed us and introduced us to the facilities of the hotel including drinks and live music at Palm Lounge
Palm Lounge with Jazz Music from 9pm onwards
Offers at the Bristol Rose Cafe (drinks for a penny! – with some orders of food of course)
Bristol Rose Cafe Eureka InnInside Bristol Rose Cafe – notice its classy interior deco
And the ballroom which JF Kennedy once held a party…
Actual Chandelier in Eureka Inn ballroom since 1952
Not to mention an outdoor swimming pool, which was too cold for us to swim at this time of the year
Outdoor pool area of Eureka Inn which must be really cool to hang out at during summer months
There’s also alot of history that the hotel is famous for. In fact, when it opened in 1922, it was considered a very classy place, which is why it is now given the name “Grand old dame of Eureka”. We also saw several interesting items scattered in the hotel…
Actual Telephone Switchboard used to connect calls between rooms
You literally “plug and play” to talk to the next room…
A really cool retro phone in our roomOld lift with old buttons in Eureka Inn
Queen Bedroom of Eureka Inn
Corridor of Eureka Inn
When we were checking in, Lynette introduced us the newly refurnished room for an additional 30USD but we decided to stick to the “original”. Though we saw many bad comments on Tripadvisor about the rooms, we did not see the “cracks” and “dirty bathtubs” that were described. The room and toilet looked fairly clean as well.
Queen size bedroom in Eureka Inn – Non renovated roomsVintage arm chairs and curtains with cable TVClean bathroom and bathtub of Eureka Inn
Everything was above expectations, possibly because we lowered it due to what we saw on Tripadvisor. But there were some small things we noticed…
1. It took a REALLY LONG TIME before hot water came out of the taps. 2. If you look REALLY CLOSELY, there are indeed some parts that were old and needed to be changed (unless its intended to be there for the “rustic” feel which we do not think so) 3. The bed was too springy and whenever I rolled, Kate rolled too.
But nonetheless, for 90USD (including taxes), the room was really decent along with a great location. Within walking distance to the historic downtown and of course Lost Coast Brewery.
Why stay at Eureka Inn?
Historic Old Town of Eureka
Eureka Inn on the National Register of Historic Places
Eureka Inn is placed on the National Register of Historic Places and from here, you can check out all the historic landmarks of the city…
Old Historic Eureka Downtown – Resembles “wild wild west” doesn’t it?Morris Graves Museum of Art EurekaThe Eureka TheatreRomano Gabriel’s Wooden Sculpture Garden Eureka
Romano Gabriel was a carpenter from Italy who settled in Eureka after WW1 and built at least 6 houses in the town of Eureka. His greatest “marvel” was building wooden sculptures that covered the front yard of his Eureka home. As time went by, he built more little objects and visitors came by just to see his front yard. Being an introvert, he would peer from his home, happy to see these visitors enjoying his work of art.
Map of Old Town Eureka WaterfrontEureka Waterfront Promenade and Boardwalk
Lost Coast Restaurant and Brewery
Facade of Lost Coast Brewery 4th Street Eureka California – Seemingly quiet on the outsideNoisy and boisterous crowd inside Lost Coast Brewery
The other highlight of our stopover at Eureka was our visit to Lost Coast Restaurant. That evening, the restaurant was PACKED! We had to wait about 20 minutes (which is a long time considering the size of the town) before we were seated down. But the wait was well worth it. Let’s first talk about the beers…
Ordered Tangerine Wheat during our 20 minutes wait, therefore it was half full when we took this photo (3.75USD per pint) Lost Coast Brewery Eureka
Unlike some brewery at some well-known microbreweries in Singapore, you can ACTUALLY taste the fruity flavours of the fruit beers here. The tangerine and raspberry tastes were very apparent, much to Kate’s delight. But the highlight for us was the food…
Caesar Salad $8.99USD (Lost Coast Brewery Eureka)1 pound of Buffalo Wings at $10.99USD (Lost Coast Brewery Eureka)Lost Coast Brewery’s Famous Hot Brown – Generous servings of beef with melted cheese between crispy sourdough bread!
We decided to have some vegetables to aid the “you know what” so we ordered the Caesars. Turns out that the portion was HUGE which really helped the “you know what”, if you know what I mean…
Well, that is true. But truth be told, this was MUCH BETTER! The meat was tender, chunky and juicy. The sauce on the other hand was tangy and appetising. When we told the waitress that it beats Anchor Bar’s original Buffalo Wings hands down, she just replied a humble
“Yeah, our wings are pretty hard to beat!”
By the time we reached the hot brown, we were already very full. But the beef was really juicy and packed in so much flavour that we didnt mind bloating ourselves up that evening. The sourdough bread made the sandwich all that more unique.
Total damage of $38.36USD at Lost Coast Brewery
Well, the best part was that the total damage was less than 40USD (tips not included yet)! At this juncture, if you are vexed about how to tip in the USA, our rule of thumb is 10% + 1USD. This means that for this meal, we tipped 5USD. Do note however, that 10% means that you don’t really like the service but is still ok. Which means that our general rule of thumb doesn’t really please the waiter/waitress but don’t piss them off as well. Which makes it a good balance 😉
Breakfast at Eureka Inn
Inside small dining area of Eureka Inn for breakfast overlooking the poolBreakfast at Eureka InnCoffee juices and milk at Eureka Inn
Nothing much to shout about for breakfast. It does keep you full and provides you with coffee to kick start the day. One gripe we had was that the microwave oven was not working and we were not able to warm up the cakes and croissant which would have made the breakfast more enjoyable.
Eureka Inn California USA
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All in all, we thoroughly enjoyed our stopover at Eureka during our Oregon scenic drive. It is afterall the largest city between Portland and San Francisco on the west coast. If you want to have a nice place for stopover during this drive, do check out Eureka Inn!
Hilton Vancouver Washington was one of the hotels that we were invited to during our visit to USA. It is important to note that this Vancouver is the one in the state of Washington, in the United States of America and not the one in Vancouver Canada. But here’s a little known fact, Vancouver Washington was in fact the “FIRST Vancouver” to be founded in the West of the continent of America. Which is why the tourism slogan for the city is
“Discover the Original”!
Hilton Vancouver Washington with Bell Tower at Esther Short Park
We arrived at Hilton Vancouver Washington on a cold Christmas’ Eve. However, as we entered the lobby, the ambience perked us up almost immediately and soon we forgot about the bitter cold right outside the doors of Hilton…
Lobby of Hilton Vancouver Washington
Our receptionist Leesa made our first impression of the hotel even better with her warm smile and kind gestures (she introduced us to this really great restaurant called Beaches, which we will talk a little bit more about later). Before long, we received our key and made our way to our room at level 6
Friendly Staff of Hilton Vancouver Washington – Leesa in the middle provided us with helpful info about VancouverLift Lobby of Level 6 in Hilton Vancouver WashingtonHallway down to our room at Hilton Vancouver Washington
Hilton Vancouver Washington’s Deluxe King Bedroom
Hilton Vancouver Washington is actually the only 4 star hotel in downtown Vancouver. Hence, it was no surprise to us that the room had all the amenities that we usually see in a 4/5 star hotel room.
Large inviting King-Sized Bed in Hilton Vancouver WashingtonSpacious Interior with Cable TV an executive deskToilet with Bath Tub – Hilton Vancouver Washington Deluxe King BedroomNeat Toiletries of Hilton VancouverCoffee machine with coffee bean powder Hilton Vancouver
Video tour of Deluxe King Bedroom of Hilton Vancouver Washington
There were 3 really cool things that we liked about the room.
1. The Coffee Machine. Kate and I are coffee people and coffee, especially in the mornings, help to “kick start” our day. The coffee machine (with coffee bean powder no less) gave us fresh coffee each morning that brightened our day (and also kept us warm on a cold winter’s day)
2. The Executive Desk. For most people, the executive desk seemed redundant. Afterall, you’re on a vacation right? But for travel bloggers like ourselves, it gives us a proper place to go through the photos of the day and jot down comments on our computer so that we can blog about them when we return. Otherwise, we would have to sit on the floor and type which may result in backaches, especially for oldies like us ;p
3. Room with a View! When we first drew our curtains, we were greeted with this view…
First look outside our room from Hilton Vancouver
We were like “Whaat?!”
From this view, what do you see? Nothing except buildings and perhaps even a factory right? At that point in time, coupled with the mist, we were pretty sure we were surrounded by factories!
But as the skies cleared up the next morning, we soon realised why we were given this corner room…
View of the Columbia River from our room at Hilton Vancouver Washington
We had marvelous views of the Columbia River and the bridge that leads to Portland!!
Facilities at Hilton Vancouver Washington
In addition to the in-house restaurant, Gray’s at the Park and Esther’s Coffee Bar, Hilton Vancouver Washington offers the usual facilities such as the gym, swimming pool and jacuzzi…
Fitness Centre opens 24hrs Hilton VancouverSwimming pool Hilton Vancouver Washington opens from 6am to 10pm dailyThere’s even a Jacuzzi by the Swimming Pool at Hilton Vancouver
What we really liked about Hilton Vancouver Washington
Besides it being a 4 star hotel, there are 2 things that we really liked about the location of Hilton Vancouver Washington
1. Proximity to the Waterfront Park. Hilton Vancouver Washington is just a short walk away from the Waterfront Park. From there, you can have easy access to the relaxing board walk by the river as well as the excellent restaurants such as Beaches, Mcmenamins and Joe’s Crab Shack
2. Proximity to Historic Venues of Vancouver. If you’re into the history of USA, Hilton Vancouver Washington offers a great base from which you can visit historic locations such as the Officer’s Row, Fort Vancouver Historic Site, Pearson Air Museum as well as the many historic Monuments of the City (such as Slocum House built in 1867)
All in all, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Hilton Vancouver Washington and here’s a sneak peak of the marvelous views we enjoyed along the Columbia River…
Can you see the snow-capped Mount Hood in the distance?
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* Thanks to Visitvancouverusa.com for making the trip possible. Special thanks to Natalie and Jacob who assisted us endlessly through the planning phase of our trip!
** Special thanks also to Leesa of Hilton Vancouver Washington, who told us up front to visit Beaches Restaurant where we enjoyed great service and food that was MAMAMIA!
AMOY Hotel Singapore is a newly refurbished boutique hotel launched by Far East Hospitality, right in the heart of the CBD area. We were invited by AMOY Hotel for a stay and this post will tell you why you should stay here during your next visit to Singapore!
Checking In at AMOY Hotel Singapore
Checking in was a breeze and we were warmly welcomed by the friendly staff of AMOY Hotel. While I was checking in, Kate took some shots of the lobby of AMOY hotel…
Lobby of AMOY Hotel with breakfast area at the rear end20 common Chinese surnames at the reception area of AMOY Hotel
As we were checking in, we also received our welcome drinks which eased us into the vacation mood. But there was one other thing we noticed while we were checking in…
Chinese paintings done manually in the hotel’s lobby!
We saw someone actually painting the artwork on the furnishings of the hotel lobby! To add to the “wow factor”, we were told that this person, painting the artwork, is actually from the housekeeping department! We were told that the hotel has ideas that stems from artistic creativity, but seems like the idea has also permeated to staff of the hotel as well. Kudos to the management for allowing its staff to engage in these small improvements of the hotel!
Welcome drinks and the staff of AMOY Hotel – Apple and Lina
Special mention must be made of Lina. Throughout our stay, she offered impeccable and personalised service that made our staycation that much more special. After our check-in, she showed us all the way to our Deluxe Double Room. Talk about personalised service! Along the way, we were also told that the 20 most common surname are sprinkled across the hallways of the hotel.
20 most common Chinese surname sprinkled across the hallways of AMOY Hotel
After showing us to our room, Lina also walked through some of the features of the room, which we will show you in the next section. Thanks Lina!
AMOY Hotel Singapore Deluxe Double Room
Our first impression of the room is its modern design which still intertwines with Chinese artistic flavours. The view of the open concept wardrobe shows what we mean…
Open concept wardrobe of AMOY Hotel
There are a few things that we loved about the room. Firstly, the tea and coffee selection which offers yummy flavours like Oolong caramel tea and Kimono tea. Secondly, though the room is small (20 sqm), it has a rain shower facility!
Lastly, the modern yet warm design makes one feels welcome for a stay 🙂
Selection of coffee and tea at AMOY Hotel SingaporeBathroom with rain-shower facility above (not shown)Modern yet artistic appliances in the roomThe bed Amoy Hotel Singapore – notice the chinese art-inspired stool used as a bedside tableCable TV Amoy Hotel – where we caught up on “How I Met Your Mother”Windows overlooking Ju Chun Yuan Chinese RestaurantOverview of the Deluxe room in AMOY Hotel Singapore
Breakfast at AMOY Hotel Singapore
Although many have said that the breakfast at AMOY Hotel is not that fantastic, we actually think that it was adequate. The spread though small, meets the requirements of a continental breakfast of cereals, bread, cheese/ham and coffee!
Simple but thorough spread of breakfast at AMOY HotelCereals anyone?Fruits and retro platesPastries and gourmet coffee – there’s a coffee machine that makes cappuccino!Cool serviette dispensers Amoy Hotel Singapore
We recommend that you go for 2 different toasts at breakfast (play with the cool toaster!). One with cheese and ham and the other with kaya and butter. Washed down with a cup of gourmet cappuccino! You can wrap up the meal with some fruits or yoghurt for a healthy touch 😉
Why you should stay at AMOY Hotel Singapore
Frankly speaking, the room is not the main draw of AMOY Hotel. “Then what is?” you may ask. It’s all about location, location, location! AMOY Hotel is so superbly located that you can walk by foot to the CBD area, Singapore River, Chinatown, Club Street and many famous hawker centres to try out local flavours! But before we go there, let’s talk about the heritage of the Far East Square area
1. Heritage. You’ll soon notice that in and around the hotel, there are many monuments, displays and signs that shows the historical heritage of Singapore. This is because Telok Ayer ran parallel to the original shoreline (hard to imagine right? so much land reclamation has been done!) and many immigrants used to land around this area. They set up living quarters and also temples and mosques to give thanks to their gods for the safe passage to Singapore.
The history around AMOY StreetSigns pointing to the temples and mosques in the Telok Ayer areaChinese Immigrants to Singapore – notice the long pigtails belonging to the era of the Qing Dynasty (and no, the guy in the middle is not supposed to be wearing a shawl) Kids enjoying a game of capteh – simple games of the past when there was no PSP, XBOX or IPhonesAbout Chia Ann Siang one of the early immigrants to Singapore Ann Siang Hill Park named after him
2. Excellent Location! From our hotel, we could walk to Chinatown, Singapore River, Club Street and more!
Chinatown with Chinese New Year decorationsTemple Street cordoned off only during the Chinese New Year periodThe Singapore RiverChillax at Red Dot by the Singapore RiverClub Street (cordoned off for al fresco dining at night)More dining establishments at Club Street
3. Food Food Food. If you’re a foodie like us, you will certainly enjoy your stay at AMOY Hotel. This is because, if you’d like to try some local food, AMOY Street Food Centre and Maxwell Food Center (famous for Wanton Mee and Hainanese Chicken Rice) are within walking distance. In and around Far East Square, you’ll find food establishments at Pekin and Nankin Street. For dim sum buffet, Ju Chun Yuan just downstairs offers a good selection at an affordable price. Of course, for more classy joints, Club Street & Boat Quay is just a stone’s throw away!
Amoy Street Food CentreWanton Mee Stall – also offers great chicken curry meeWanton Mee at $3 – Generous on the ingredients (5 dumplings in total), char siew was slightly tough this time – had traditional flavours though (aka 古早味）Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice at Maxwell Food Centre – Look at the Queue!Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice $3.50 – Delicious, tender,flavourful chicken with an excellent texture to tasteDining options in and around Far East SquareFood joints at Pekin StreetMore food joints at Nankin StreetPub crawlers enjoying a shot at Nankin StreetJu Chun Yuan – Famous for Buddha Jumps Over The WallGood selection of dim sum buffet at affordable price at Ju Chun YuanDeli Food at South Bridge Road – Good selection of food ranging from Chinese to Indian Muslim to WesternNice traditional decoDO NOT ORDER the salted egg sotong else you’ll end up with this…Remnants of the dish – tze char from this stall was not that good but cant beat it if you want variety, it has EVERYTHING
How to get to AMOY Hotel Singapore
Like many visitors before us, you’ll probably find it a little challenging to find the entrance to the hotel. So to make the process that much easier, here are 2 ways to locate AMOY Hotel at Far East Square.
Fuk Tak Chi MuseumAMOY Hotel is located opposite Telok Ayer MRT Station
Fuk Tak Chi Museum actually fronts the entrance of the hotel. If you’re walking along Telok Ayer Street (opposite downtown line’s Telok Ayer MRT Station), look out for the the facade of the Fuk Tak Chi Museum and bravely walk into it. You’ll notice a glass side door, enter it and you’ll arrive at the lobby of AMOY Hotel.
Alternatively,
Entrance to AMOY Hotel from Far East Square
If you are already in Far East Square, look for the above entrance opposite Mr Teh Tarik. This entrance is close to Ju Chun Yuan restaurant and next to Tung Lok Teahouse.
In Conclusion
The excellent service and great location is a huge draw to stay at the AMOY Hotel. At night, we were also given a good night note from the staff of AMOY Hotel…
Personalised good night note from team of Amoy Hotel!
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For your convenience, we have arranged for the best hotel deals at AMOY Hotel Singapore right here! Enjoy warm and friendly services while soaking in the sights and sounds from a centrally located hotel!
**Special thanks to Mike and Far East Hospitality for making our stay at Amoy Hotel possible!
When we think of Bohol, we think “ah…” and its simply because of the things to do and attractions in Bohol Philippines! In this post, we’ll tell you the “ah…” things to do in Bohol!
Things to do in Bohol
1. Bohol Countryside Tour
You may think that Bohol is only about beaches and clear waters? A Bohol countryside tour will change all of that perception and you’ll be thrilled to see some of the interesting things on this tour…
Rice fields Bohol one of the 2 main agriculture of bohol the other is fishing 4 sidelines include tyre recycling pottery jam making and bolo
Lush green fields of Bohol
Everyones favourite iconic chocolate hills Bohol
The famous Chocolate Hills of Bohol!
Close up of Tarsier in Bohol Tarsier Conservation Area
Cute nocturnal tarsiers
View of the mountains along loboc river
Loboc River Cruise
Can you see the picture of saint pio formed under weathering at Baclayon Church Bohol
Baclayon Church – Can you spot a face on the walls due to weathering?
2. Bohol Dolphin and Island Hopping Tour
Dolphin watching and Island Hopping is most probably the single most MUST DO thing when you’re in Bohol. On this trip, you’ll be able to chase after the dolphins (have them dance right before you), snorkel with the turtles, laze on the sandbar and just enjoy the deep blue waters of Bohol!
Finally! Whole school of dolphins sighted!
Chasing schools of dolphins in Bohol!
Snorkelling off Balicasag Island – Our guide diving in basketball jersey!
Snorkeling with corals and turtles
Temporary stalls at the sand bar of Virgin Island
Temporary stalls at the sand bar of Virgin Island
Our Guide at Balicasag who worked very hard to steer our boat and look for interesting fish turtles at the edge of the corals
Our guide at Balicasag with deep blue waters and clear blue skies
MUST STAY hotels in Bohol?
3. Peacock Garden Bohol
Peacock Garden in Bohol easily ranks among our top 5 hotels we’ve ever stayed in and here’s why (we’ll let the pictures speak for themselves)
Welcoming bed at the peacock garden premier infinity and sea view
Celebrating our anniversary at Peacock Garden Bohol
Peacock Gardeb – right in front of the infinity pool and ocean view
Awesome view of the ocean and infinity pool
Peacock Garden Infinity poolCan you see where the infinity pool ocean and sky starts and ends
Mojito and Apple Pie at Heidelberg Restaurant of Peacock Garden Bohol
Mojito and Apple Pie at Heidelberg Restaurant of Peacock Garden Bohol
What we love about Amorita Resort Bohol is its close proximity to the Alona Beach. From there, we were also able to book our private day trip for dolphin watching and island hopping. The hotel had a summer vacation resort cum Hawaiian feel to it. Simply relaxing…
Flower deco for anniversary at Amorita Resort Bohol
Anniversary celebration at Amorita Resort
View of the beach from the pool at Amorita Resort
Pool of Amorita Resort Bohol with day beds
Alona Beach from the garden deck of Amorita Resort
Alona Beach next to Amorita Resort
Marvellous view of the setting and evening of the beach at Amorita Resort
Marvellous view at sunset with sumptuous seafood BBQ buffet
Things to do and attractions in Bohol
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You may think that Cebu is only a base for side trips in the Philippines but there are actually many things to do in Cebu! In this post, we’ll show you the top 6 things to do and attractions in Cebu Philippines!
What to do in Cebu?
1. Cebu City Tour
We hired a local driver by the name of Long (yes that’s his name!) who took us on a private Cebu City Tour!
Cebu MonumentThe Magellan CrossFort San PedroView from Tops. Mactan Island
2. Shopping at Ayala Mall
Ayala Mall is one of the main shopping malls in Cebu City and we got to shop, watch movies and play some arcade. Things that the locals do in Cebu! 🙂
Ayala Mall 4 storeys of shopping
What to eat in Cebu?
3. Golden Cowrie Restaurant
For authentic Philippines food, look no further than the Golden Cowrie Restaurant. The setting and ambience is warm and welcoming. The waitress who attended to us was also very patient, introducing us to the delicacies and translating the various dishes to us. Price was reasonable and the taste was great. Definitely a must-go-to place for great local tastes…
Interior of Golden CowrieGolden Cowrie Small crispy pata 295Golden Cowrie Squid in coco sauce 179
4. Ipar’s Authentic Spanish Restaurant
Across the street from our hotel was a banner that read “Authentic Spanish Restaurant”. We decided to head over to Ipar’s Spanish Restaurant and thoroughly enjoyed the authentic Spanish flavours!
Deco in Ipar’s Authentic Spanish RestaurantIpar’s churizo 200 peso garlic bread 120 pesoIpar’s sangria big carafe 450 peso
5. CnT Lechon – The Best Lechon in Cebu
If you’re in Cebu, you must try the lechon (roasted pork) there. If you ask the locals, more often than not, they’ll point you to CnT lechon – possibly the best lechon in Cebu. The truth is, the meat was normal but the star of the show? The skin! Crispy, full flavoured and of course sinfully fatty! Which is why it went really well with rice. You can actually have mouthfuls of rice with 1 sice of skin!
Half kg of CnT lechon. crispy skin.juicy meat. 200 peso
6. Breakfast at Bo’s Coffee
Enough of Starbucks, try out the breakfast at Bo’s Coffee and you’ll soon realise that this local coffee joint can also give its US competitor a run for its money! Good coffee and food at a reasonable price. Ambience to match at that!
Bo’s Coffee mushroom and cheese omelette with toast 150 pesoBo’s Coffee corned beef with scrambled eggs and pancakes 175 peso
Where to stay in Cebu?
7. Castle Peak Hotel Cebu
Castle Peak Hotel in Cebu was the first hotel we stayed at in Cebu and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay because of its spa!!! Made us go like little chicks…”cheap cheap”, “cheap cheap”…
Huge bed in Deluxe room of Castle Peak HotelBath Tub in Deluxe room of Castle Peak Hotel
8. City Suites Ramos Tower
There are several reasons why we enjoyed staying at City Suites Ramos Tower. Firstly, the room was more like a 1-bedroom condominium. It has a small living space, kitchen and even a balcony overlooking Cebu City. We could also see Tops from our room!
City Suites $73 double super single bedsSunset from our room at Ramos Tower City Suites orangey skySunset and Tops Hill seen from our room at Ramos Tower City Suites
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SATS Premier Lounge is one of the lounges where you can enter free simply by signing up with the ANZ Travel Card!
SATS Premier Lounge T2 Departure Transit
SATS Premier Lounge T2 Departure Transit
There are essentially 2 ways of gaining entry into SATS Premier Lounge for free via the ANZ Travel Card. Firstly, when you apply for the card, you will be given 2 vouchers for complimentary entry into the lounge. The second way? Spend on the card! By accumulating a spending of $1500 (you’ll easily achieve this when you purchase your long distance air tickets), you’ll also get complimentary entry to SATS Lounge.
What’s Inside SATS Premier Lounge?
For the sophisticated travellers, lounges are part of air travel. You can grab a drink, have some snacks, catch some shut eye or even have a quick bath before your next flight. At SATS Premier Lounge, you can do all that and even enjoy a massage on one of the massage chairs available in the lounge…
Massage Chairs in SATS Premier Lounge – According to Kate, go for Sequence “5”!
Massage Chairs in SATS Premier Lounge – According to Kate, go for Sequence “5”!
There are also showering facilities in the bathroom if you would like to enjoy a hot shower before your flight. But what do we enjoy the most? The food and drinks of course!
Coffee Machine, Wine and Hard Liquor in SATS Premier Lounge
Coffee Machine, Wine and Hard Liquor in SATS Premier Lounge
A good selection of food and drinks (in the fridge) in SATS Premier Lounge – T2
A good selection of food and drinks (in the fridge) in SATS Premier Lounge – T2
Chicken Rice, Lemon Chicken and Ramen with Gyoza
Chicken Rice, Lemon Chicken and Ramen with Gyoza
We actually had ALOT of food at SATS Premier Lounge. We had the chicken rice (which is something you should have – thigh meats with chili!), lemon chicken, ramen, pasta, cup noodles, naan with chickpeas, banana, cakes, beers, wines and coffee! Phew…that was quite a list!
But the other thing that we enjoyed? Reading CRISP NEW MAGAZINES!
Wide selection of magazines and complimentary use of internet
Wide selection of magazines and complimentary use of internet
TIME, Fortune, Travel Magazines and international newspapers are available for your reading pleasure. As travel bloggers, we enjoyed every single bit of the travel magazines which were literally BRAND NEW! The feel is really different when you read it brand new as opposed to crumpled ones where 1 million and 1 people have read it before you right?
Lounge area in SATS Premier Lounge
Lounge area in SATS Premier Lounge
Well, one of the things we liked about SATS Premier Lounge is that eventhough entry was free, it was still relatively exclusive (as you can see from the picture above). During our stay here (about 2 hours – yes, very KS we know), there wasn’t any time that we felt it was overcrowded or too noisy. Everyone just came in for a rest, a bite and off they went. Adhering to the “do not disturb OTHERS” policy.
After our maiden visit to SATS Premier Lounge, it seems like lounges will pretty much feature in our upcoming travels. Whether you’re a sophisticated traveller or simply a gian peng Singaporean like us, SATS Premier Lounge would be a rest stop you’d want to check out before your next flight.
Remember to sign up with ANZ Travel Card!
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If you’re transiting in Singapore, why not check out the Crowne Plaza Hotel, a 5 star hotel, right beside Changi Airport?
Every year during the lunar new year period, Singapore’s Chinatown ‘springs’ into live! (If you do not already know, the lunar new year is actually a celebration of the arrival of spring that is why the lunar new year is also known as the spring festival). This year, during our staycation at Amoy Hotel, we visited Chinatown and enjoyed some of the atmosphere of Chinese New Year in Singapore!
As the coming year is the year of the horse in the chinese zodiac calendar therefore, the decorations in Chinatown is made up of many running horses also known as 万马沸腾 in Mandarin…
Decorations with horses for Chinese New Year at Chinatown Singapore
Decorations with horses for Chinese New Year at Chinatown Singapore
Chinese New Year Decorations in Chinatown
Chinese New Year Decorations in Chinatown
Singapore’s Chinatown unlike other chinatowns in all other parts of the world, is not known as 唐人街 (Chinese Street) in Mandarin but 牛车水 (literal translation : Bull Cart Water). The reason is because in the early days, before the establishment of a water distribution network, the bull-cart (really driven by bulls!) was used to distribute water to the households in Chinatown.
During the Chinese New Year period, in addition to the usual row of shopping streets, additional shops are set up at Temple Street (the street is cordoned off) for sale of chinese new year goodies. And the streets? CROWDED!!
Usual row of shopping at Chinatown – Just outside Chinatown MRT station
Usual row of shopping at Chinatown – Just outside Chinatown MRT station
Crowded Temple Street during Chinese New Year in Singapore
Crowded Temple Street during Chinese New Year in Singapore
Another view of Temple Street
Another view of Temple Street
Opposite view with People’s Park Complex (珍珠坊) in the background
Opposite view with People’s Park Complex (珍珠坊) in the background
View of Temple Street in the night
View of Temple Street in the night
Chinese New Year Decorations in the night
Chinese New Year Decorations in the night
Besides the decorations and experiencing the CNY mood, many also flock to Chinatown during the Chinese New Year period to do some shopping!
Chinese New Year Goodies!
Chinese New Year Goodies!
Decorative plants sold during Chinese New Year
Decorative plants sold during Chinese New Year
Taiwanese fruit jellies
Taiwanese fruit jellies?
I think we have not visited Chinatown during Chinese New Year for a really long time! There were 2 HUGE stalls selling Taiwanese fruit jellies and they were giving out free samples with slogans such as “来来来，走过别错过” (translated as “Come! Don’t let this (opportunity) pass by!”) and “All can try, 有买没买 nevermind!” (translated as “Sample all the freebies! We don’t really care if you buy or not because we are already making tonnes of money by selling just one box! Hahaha!” (in the style of semi-sinister laughter))
There is however one stall that many would spend endless hours queuing for during the festive season. And that is Lim Chee Guan’s Bak Kwa (local barbecued pork). We did not take any photos as there were simply too many people in a cramped area. The queue can easily reach about 100 (as far as we could see – could be more!)
To sum it up, whether you’re a local or just visiting Singapore during the Chinese New Year period, remember to visit Chinatown to soak in the atmosphere, take some beautiful photos and sample some Chinese New Year goodies!
This is our last day in Cebu and we were determined to make the most out of the last 5 hours here! We went to Bo’s Coffee for breakfast and time passed surprisingly slowly as we had time to people-watch and use the free wifi to keep in touch with family back home.
Drip Coffee (10 pesos with any order of mains), Mushroom and Cheese Omelette with Toast (150 pesos) & Corned beef with scrambled eggs and pancake (175 pesos)…
Bo’s Coffee
Bo’s Coffee mushroom and cheese omelette with toast 150 pesoBo’s Coffee corned beef with scrambled eggs and pancakes 175 peso
We then head back to the hair salon of the first floor of the Ramos Tower to get our hair done! I had a haircut and wash for only 100 peso, and Kate had a “hair spa” for 250 peso. We will really miss the massages, facial and hair treatments in Cebu when we are back in Singapore.
Though we were not hungry yet, we NEEDED to try the spanish food at Ipar’s Authentic Spanish Restaurant! Or rather, Tom needed. Haha. We had a satisfying lunch at Ipar’s and we had to drag ourselves back across the road to get our luggage and check out.
Starters of Churizo, Garlic Bread and a Big Carafe of Sangria at Ipar’s…
Deco in Ipar’s Authentic Spanish RestaurantIpar’s tapas menuIpar’s meats menuIpar’s churizo 200 peso garlic bread 120 pesoIpar’s sangria big carafe 450 pesoIpar’s fillet of fish in famous parsley sauce 350 pesoIpar’s breaded pork chop 200 peso but not as nice as peacock garden’s.
We arrived slightly early for our flight and the flight was delayed! 🙁 An advice for our readers: You do not need to arrive at the airport 2 hours early like how you would normally do for international flights because the airport in Cebu is really really small. And once you go into the waiting area, you have to sit on the cold metal seats to wait for your flight. But of course having said that, please do not be late either!! Please be considerate to your fellow passengers and not be the one who delays the flight 🙂
We hope you have enjoyed reading our posts as much as we have enjoyed our time in Cebu/Bohol and blogging about the trip!
Today we are leaving Bohol!!! Boohoo 🙁 But before we left, we enjoyed our breakfast in Saffron (we did not get to eat in Saffron the day before because of the dolphin and island hopping tour). The spread was decent but we still prefer the breakfast in Peacock Garden 🙂 But we need to comment on the added special touch at Amorita Resort – the waitress will put a fresh frangipani flower by the ear of female guests during breakfast and this makes the ladies feel pretty and extra special 🙂
Omelette Station and Buffet spread at Amorita Resort…
Amorita Resort Breakfast Egg stationAmorita Resort Breakfast Salad and cold cutsAmorita Resort Bread and cereals selectionAmorita Resort Breakfast Cheese, tuna and mushroom omeletteLast shot of pretty waters and soft sand from Amorita Resort
Our checkout was again fast and smooth. There was no hiccups with the bill and there was even a small box of cookies as a parting gift! I love the confectionery at Amorita resort! Keep it up! 🙂
Soon we were on the ferry heading back to Cebu. Boohoo again. After we alighted, we queued for close to 30 minutes before we managed to get a taxi to City Suites Ramos Tower. The fare was only 90 peso. We quickly checked in, left our luggage in our room, and walked out to the city. We shopped and ate around the Fuente Osmena Circle for a couple of hours before we filled our spare travel bag with local goodies and souvenirs for friends and family back home.
Lobby of City Suites Ramos Tower CebuCity Suites $73 double super single beds
Shopping at Fuente Osmena Circle Cebu
Our first visit to Jollibee in Cebu!Spaghetti meal with one piece chicken and coke at Jollibee
To end the day, we indulged in a “All Meat Pizza” and San Miguel beer while watching the sunset from the balcony of our 20th floor unit.
All meat pizza and Turrones de Cebu for dinner while enjoying the sunset view at the balcony…
Turrones De Cebu for 75 pesos but the one at Amorita was better and crunchierHuge all meat pizza and 4 SMB for 448 pesos cheaper than dominoes. Thin crust and yummy!Sunset from our room at Ramos Tower City Suites orangey skySunset and Tops Hill seen from our room at Ramos Tower City Suites
Kate dozed off while I watch the Matrix Trilogy!
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It was an early start but we were not at all tired as we were looking forward to this trip to the islands and to spot dolphins! 🙂 Below are the highlights from the Dolphin and island Hopping Tour in Bohol…
Headed towards Balicasag island catching the dolphins first then going to the island for snorkeling followed by sand bar at Virgin islandAfter hanging around and searching high and low for the dolphins to appear…Finally! Whole school of dolphins sighted!Dolphin showing us its tummyClear blue water at Balicasag IslandSnorkelling off Balicasag IslandSnorkelling off Balicasag Island – CoralsSnorkelling off Balicasag Island – Our guide diving in basketball jersey!Our Guide at Balicasag who worked very hard to steer our boat and look for interesting fish turtles at the edge of the corals
Virgin Island Sandbar with locals selling coconuts and sea urchins…
Temporary stalls at the sand bar of Virgin IslandSmall shops on the islandFried Bihoon at 200 pesos and coke at 30 pesos
We were back in Amorita Resort at around 2pm and we can’t wait to laze in the pool and sip our drinks! Wait a minute! Isn’t this what we already did yesterday???!!! 🙂 This time round we had Mojitos but the bartender took really long to make the drinks and they were greenish in colour. Hmmm…not the usual Mojitos we normally drank. Perhaps most people here go for the beer and the cocktails are not ordered that often. We also felt peckish and ordered a few dishes, but one at a time so that we can enjoy the food while it is still warm. Sorry, no photos of the food because we’ve kept the camera back in the room 😛 We highly recommend the pizza – the thickness of the crust was just right! 🙂
When we went back to the room, we were pleasantly surprised by the pastries in the room for the turndown service. We decided to order a cup of cappuccino (smiley face!) to go with the pastries, as well as the Turon de Bohol which turned out to be the nicest dessert we have eaten. Check out the photo!
Turon de bohol – Banana Jackfruit Springroll with caramel sauce and ice cream (210 pesos)
Turon de bohol – Banana Jackfruit Springroll with caramel sauce and ice cream (210 pesos)Room service cappucino… smiley face
We did remember to brush our teeth after the sweet treats. Heh. Good night world!
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Too soon, it was time to return to Cebu. We spent a couple of days in Cebu to round our trip before returning home to Singapore. Stay tuned for day 7 of our Cebu/Bohol trip tomorrow!
Day 5 is a lazy day for us. We woke up late and enjoyed the wonderful breakfast at Peacock Garden Bohol.
We had some time to stroll around the compounds of Peacock Garden again before we packed our bags. We really cant bear to leave this place 🙁 Soon, we were at the reception checking out and paying the bills. It was a fast and smooth process. As the reservation included 2 way transportation, the car was ready to bring us to our next destination, Amorita Resort.
Lobby and surroundings of Amorita Resort…
Lobby of Amorita ResortVillas of Amorita ResortWeather forecast beside Saffron restaurant Amorita ResortFlower deco for anniversary at Amorita Resort Bohol
The weather for the day was a cloudy 25deg Celsius and it was a nice walk along the beach. There were many local and foreign tourists enjoying the warm waters and very very soft sand. Many people were doing “mud bath” in the shallow waters, and some experienced locals were looking for sea urchins. I was offered to taste one…fresh from the sea! A new experience! However, my tummy wasn’t feeling too good that night though. Kate enjoyed an one-hour foot massage for 300 peso. It was soooooooo relaxing to lie on the beach, feeling the sea breeze, and getting the soles of your feet rubbed. After that, we went along the beach to share the joy with the kids by giving out our helium balloons. Many kids were thrilled by the balloons 🙂
Swimming pool and view of Alona Beach from Amorita Resort Bohol…
View of the bohol sea from the infinity pool Amorita ResortView of the beach from the pool at Amorita ResortAnother view of the pool with the day beds at Amorita Resort BoholAlona Beach from the garden deck of Amorita Resort
After washing the sand away, we dipped in the pool and enjoyed happy-hour priced San Miguel Light while watching the sun set before our eyes. We felt thankful for what we have been blessed with, and can’t wait to spend the brand new day ahead together.
To end of the day, we had a hearty meal at Saffron.
Grill Buffet Dinner at Amorita Resort…
Grill Buffet Dinner for 750++ at Amorita ResortThe Grill at Amorita Resort
Romantic Dinner for 2 at the Deck overlooking Alona Beach…
Setting at the Garden Deck for our dinner at Amorita ResortMarvellous view of the setting and evening of the beach at Amorita ResortBBQ dinner at Amorita Resort: Grilled sotong pork ribs which was VERY tender bone fell off succulent and fresh prawn shrimp macNcheese meat on stick cheese croquette and favourite adobo drumletsHalo Halo was quite nice got alot of liao including jack fruit banana agar agar atapchee corn chick pea toasted oat meal topped with shaved ice and yam ice creamWhite chocolate mousse anniversary cake placed in our room when we went out for dinner SURPRISE!
We slept early that night as we have to be at the beach gate at 5.30am the next day for our Dolphin and Island Hopping Tour! 🙂
What a lazy day indeed! Stay tuned for day 6 of our Cebu/Bohol trip! More beach activities and clear blue waters ahead!
After a good night’s rest in the premier infinity and seaview room at Peacock Garden, we were curious what was going to be offered for breakfast by the hotel. We were pleasantly surprised by the choice of food especially the sides to go with the main course. We had sufficient time for a slow breakfast, enjoying the native sweets with our hot coffee, as our Bohol Countryside Tour started at 10am.
Healthy and yummy breakfast at Peacock Garden Bohol…
Peacock Garden Breakfast menu. semi buffetPeacock Garden Breakfast Cereals, nuts and juicesPeacock Garden Breakfast Cheese and cold cut. gherkinsPeacock Garden heartshaped jamsPeacock Garden Breakfast Salty cream dory with tomato, mushrooms, ham and cheese omelette and pancake
Bohol Manmade forest 800haChocolate Hills Bohol named so because during the dry summer months the greenery wont be there revealing the brown hillsEveryones favourite iconic chocolate hills BoholRice fields Bohol one of the 2 main agriculture of bohol the other is fishing 4 sidelines include tyre recycling pottery jam making and boloButterfly Park – Bohol: Bear flying off as tinkerbell!Tarsier conservation area BoholTarsiers mate for only 3 to 5 secondsClose up of Tarsier in Bohol Tarsier Conservation Area
Besides the main attractions of Chocolate Hills and Tarsiers of Bohol, we also visited the Baclayon Church, Blood Compact Memorial, Manmade Mahogany and the Loboc River Cruise!
Loboc river cruiseView of the mountains along loboc riverPerformance by the Natives and Beautiful scenery enroute the Loboc River CruiseWaterfalls at the end of the river before turning backOriginal pulpit where the message was said the structure on top was said to be like an amplifier at Baclayon Church BoholCan you see the picture of saint pio formed under weathering at Baclayon Church Bohol
