The Grauman’s Chinese Theatre was built in 1927 and resides along Hollywood Boulevard. It is actually a movie theatre and today still holds premiere for many of Hollywood’s most anticipated movies!
Grauman’s Chinese Theatre Hollywood Boulevard
The Grauman’s Chinese Theatre was built by none other than Sid Grauman. He is also credited with the building of the Grauman’s Egyptian Theatre just further down the road.
The reason why the Chinese Theatre is alot of more famous and popular than its Egyptian counterpart is not only because of its uniquely classy traditional Chinese structure, but also because its fore court is home to the various handprints, footprints and signatures of artistes and celebrities.
Donald Duck’s Footprint at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre
Famous characters such as Donald Duck also got their chance to leave their mark at the fore court of the Chinese Theatre. This means that now, not only real life celebrities get to imprint their mark on the fore court of the Chinese Theatre, as long as your’re famous, you might have the chance to do so! *The Kind of Pop, Michael Jackson will also be immortalised on 26 Jan 2012.
Julie Andrews Grauman’s Chinese Theatre
At the fore court of the Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, there is usually a HUGE crowd gathered there. Most are trying to take a photo with the imprints of their favourite celebrities while others are on tours of the Chinese Theatre, listening intently to the stories of their tour guides.
There are several stories as to how this tradition of immortalising handprints/footprints/signatures of celebrities/famous people started. The more common one often refer to a female celebrity who happened to step on the cement of the Grauman’s Chinese Theatre during construction. Sid Grauman thought that this was a good idea for famous people to leave their mark, then started this tradition.
The other version says that Sid himself made the mark and started the tradition. Whatever the story, today, it is a well loved tourist attractions for fans and tourists alike to get “close” to their beloved celebrities.
The huge crowd also presented a problem for Kate as she went about to take the photos. People were everywhere! Hence, this Harry Potter imprint had other avid potter fans in it as well…
Main Casts of Harry Potter Imprints at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre
Besides trying to haunt and hound your favourite celebrities in Hollywood, you might like to try catching them at the movie premieres at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. An easy way to do so is to look up the dates of upcoming premieres at the Chinese Theatre’s website and be there really early to get a good spot. Premieres are usually star studded events and fans will not be disappointed.
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The Kodak Theatre is one of the largest live theatre in the USA. The theatre was designed by David Rockwell and since 2002 has been home to the Academy Awards aka the Oscars.
The Kodak Theatre is also home to the American Idol due to its ability to function at the highest level for live shows.
There are only a few things that we would like to point out about the Kodak Theatre, in addition to the fact that it is a venue for shows as well as a shopping mall.
1. The Kodak Theatre Elephant
The Kodak Theatre Elephant at Kodak Theatre Hollywood Highland Center
The Kodak Theatre elephant is synonymous with the Kodak Theatre. The pair of elephants are so huge and tall that you simply cannot miss it as you see them stand guard over the fountains within…
2. Pillars inscribed with Best Pictures at the Academy Awards
Within the Kodak Theatre are pillars that are inscribed with the names of the Best Picture at the Oscars each year.
Best Picture Kodak Theater (Slumdog Millionaire)Best Picture Kodak Theater (1990s)
Notable winners (translates to films that we’ve watched and enjoyed) in recent times include Million Dollar Baby, Slumdog Millionaire as well as the King’s Speech.
3. Hollywood Walk of Fame
From the Highland Center as well as the Kodak Theatre, you can see the Hollywood Walk of Fame right beside it. There will be able to see “STARS” belonging to your favourite artiste and celebrities.
Hollywood Walk of Fame beside the Kodak Theatre
You’ll just have to take time to spot them…
Star of Elvis Presley along the Hollywood Walk of Fame
So take time to enjoy this world famous destination, who knows, you might just bump into a celebrity or 2…
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You know how the lyrics “Santa Monica, in the winter time” by Savage Garden always conjures an image of a cold chilly city in our heads? Especially when it’s coupled with a hypnotically slow beat tune?
However, this trip changed all that and more!
Iconic rides @ Santa Monica
From our hotel, we keyed in “Santa Monica” into our GPS and reached our destination in about half an hour. We took some time circling the vicinity before deciding to park at a public carpark, placing 2 hours worth of coins into the meter.
The first thing we noticed about Santa Monica were the quaint little shops lining the inner streets from the beach. They range from pubs to convenient stores to shops that sell cute little items. It was quite enjoyable walking down the street not knowing whats in store at the next shop.
As we approached the sea front, we were greeted by the sound of the waves as well as this set of instructions to comply with…
Rules at Santa Monica Beach
As we walked along the beach, we enjoyed the fine sand sifting through our feet as we headed towards the iconic Santa Monica Pier.
Before long, we reached the Santa Monica pier and as we walked along the board walk of Santa Monica pier, we saw sesame characters such as Elmo and Oscar…
Oscar and Elmo at Santa Monica Pier
Kids were given the opportunity to take photos with their favourite sesame street characters.
On the board walk, endless throngs of people traverse along this scenic boardwalk enjoying rides (such as the historic carousel, iconic ferris wheel) from the amusement park, eateries and restaurants along the pier or even just laying back and enjoying the sights and sounds…
Throngs of people passing by the Santa Monica PierIconic solar powered Ferris Wheel at Santa MonicaRoller Coaster @ Santa Monica Amusement ParkBumper Float @ Santa Monica Amusement ParkView of the Santa Monica Beach from Santa Monica Pier
Along the way, we also passed by a shop that is dedicated to the famous Route 66…
Outside of Route 66 shop @ Santa Monica
Here, you can take home some souvenirs and learn more about the history of this iconic and historic route.
At the end of the pier, we took a shot (pictorial) back towards the beach…
View of Santa Monica Beach from end of Santa Monica Pier
As the day drew to a close, we indulged in a cone dog (the person who invented this is a genius!) and enjoyed the breath taking sunset…
Breath Taking Sunset @ Santa Monica
With that, we concluded a leisurely yet thoroughly enjoyable visit to Santa Monica. And with regard to the Savage Garden song, it totally changed our perception altogether. The gloomy image has transformed into a cheerful and family oriented destination!
We’ll leave you now to decide which of these iconic ferris wheel you love best. With lights or without lights?
View of Ferris Wheel and Roller Coaster at Santa Monica (With Light)View of Ferris Wheel and Roller Coaster at Santa Monica (Without Light)
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Following the huge success of the premium outlets franchise, Malaysia opens its own premium outlet in Johor.
Named Johor Premium Outlets or JPO in short, the outlet mall boasts of 80 designer and premium brands at factory outlet prices. Discounts can range from 25% to 65% everyday.
Getting there
Johor Premium Outlets is just a short drive 1 hour drive from Singapore. From the north south highway, take an exit at Exit 253 and follow brown coloured signs that says “Johor Premium Outlets”. It’s quite hard to miss.
After all the hype that Johor Premium Outlets (JPO Malaysia) has garnered in Singapore, Kate and I decided to drop by JPO to take a look. As we have been to the largest premium outlet, Woodbury Common Premium Outlet it provides us with a basis for comparison.
Entrance to Johor Premium Outlets JPO, Malaysia
Entrance to Johor Premium Outlets JPO, Malaysia
At first glance, the look and feel of Johor Premium Outlets (JPO Malaysia) resembles that of Woodbury Common Premium Outlet. As we entered the entrance of Johor Premium Outlets JPO, we did something that would put all shoppers to shame…
Food court of Johor Premium Outlets JPO, Malaysia
Food court of Johor Premium Outlets JPO, Malaysia
We visited the food court first!
Court of Johor Premium Outlets JPO Malaysia
Claypot Chicken Rice at Food Court of Johor Premium Outlets JPO Malaysia
After having our fill of the Claypot Chicken Rice (can give this one a miss) and taking a photo of the food court for our readers…
Internal view of Food court at Johor Premium Outlets JPO, Malaysia
Internal view of Food court at Johor Premium Outlets JPO, Malaysia
We headed to the information office to get the most important thing, the map of Johor Premium Outlets JPO, Malaysia!
Map of Johor Premium Outlets JPO, Malaysia
Map of Johor Premium Outlets JPO, Malaysia
With the map, we can ensure that we cover every square inch of the JPO! After taking a look at the map, we realise that it is actually quite a small outlet mall. There are basically 2 rows of shops for 2 levels and that’s pretty much about it.
In order to discover the best discounts here at Johor Premium Outlets, Kate and I made sure we visited almost every single shop at JPO for our readers! Unfortunately, the sales are not half as good as Woodbury Premium Outlets. Eventhough there were long queues at Johor Premium Outlets such as this one at Coach,
Long Queue outside Coach Outlet at Johor Premium Outlets JPO, Malaysia
Long Queue outside Coach Outlet at Johor Premium Outlets JPO, Malaysia
There werent really many buyers…
Not many people carrying shopping bags from Johor Premium Outlets stores
Not many people carrying shopping bags from Johor Premium Outlets stores
The truth is, once you have been to Woodbury Premium Outlet, you’ll realise that all other discounts are not really that fantastic. However, the bright spot here is that compared to retail prices, Johor Premium Outlets JPO does offer substantial discounts. Which is why we bought a pair of shoes eventually.
After a long day at “work”, trawling through the sales at Johor Premium Outlets JPO, Kate and I rewarded ourselves at Taang Shifu (translated as Master of Soups)
Taang Shifu @ Johor Premium Outlets JPO, Malaysia
Taang Shifu @ Johor Premium Outlets JPO, Malaysia
In order to get a 10% discount at Taang Shifu, remember to flash your Maybank credit card at the information store to get the VIP discount booklet (more like “pamphlet”). The 10% discount is only for ala carte items. We had the abalone mee sua as well as the double boiled pear dessert…
Abalone Mee Sua @ Taang Shifu, Johor Premium Outlets JPO, Malaysia
Abalone Mee Sua @ Taang Shifu, Johor Premium Outlets JPO, Malaysia
Double Boiled Pear Dessert @ Taang Shifu, Johor Premium Outlets JPO, Malaysia
Double Boiled Pear Dessert @ Taang Shifu, Johor Premium Outlets JPO, Malaysia
After discount, the 2 items only cost about $25RM which was quite cheap considering it was a chinese restaurant. Plus, they tasted good as well!
After covering the second level, we decided to treat ourselves to crepes
Crispy Crepes @ Johor Premium Outlets JPO, Malaysia
Crispy Crepes @ Johor Premium Outlets JPO, Malaysia
There was a super long queue at crispy crepes, primarily because of its cheap price at $5.20RM for sweet crepes AND $6.30RM for savoury crepes.
Making of crispy crepes at Johor Premium Outlets JPO, Malaysia
Making of crispy crepes at Johor Premium Outlets JPO, Malaysia
We decided to go for the chicken floss as well as the chocolate banana…
Chicken Floss Crispy Crepe @ Johor Premium Outlets JPO, Malaysia
Chicken Floss Crispy Crepe @ Johor Premium Outlets JPO, Malaysia
Chocolate Banana Crispy Crepe @ Johor Premium Outlets JPO, Malaysia
Chocolate Banana Crispy Crepe @ Johor Premium Outlets JPO, Malaysia
The crepes were super duper crispy! You can feel it and hear it as you land each bite on your crepes. No wonder the queue was so loooooong…
We have also captured a video of the entrance of Johor Premium Outlets, Malaysia just for our readers…
Entrance of Johor Premium Outlets JPO, Malaysia
Verdict
After all the hype about the Malaysia Premium Outlets, Johor Premium Outlets JPO, we must say truthfully that we do agree with most comments online that the sales and discounts are really not that fantastic.
Having said that, we do think that the Johor Premium Outlets JPO can be a good place to spend the weekend to shop and source for great deals. Kids can be “deposited” at the play ground and fed with yummy crispy crepes while parents shop for what they want.
If you have something that you would like to buy in the city, why not hold that thought and give Johor Premium Outlets JPO a go instead? You can be assured that it is at least 25% cheaper than retail prices. 🙂
So yup, our conclusion is that Johor Premium Outlets JPO is still worth a visit afterall!
Before we finally reveal our 2012 Logo – Venturing Forth, here is a recap of last year’s logo – Over the Fence
2bearbear Over The Fence Logo
On May 22, 2011, 2bearbear.com was born and this was the first logo launched for the year 2011. The picture shows 2 bears (Kate and Tom) seemingly looking “Over the Fence”. It signifies the start of the website where Kate and Tom looks “Over the Fence” to see what is in store for them in the blogosphere.
For the year 2012, we are introducing our new logo – Venturing Forth.
2bearbearLogo-VenturingForth
Venturing Forth signifies that the 2bearbear have seen what is over that fence and are willing to venture forth and explore this strange but exciting world of blogging!
We would like to take this opportunity to thank our supporters (those who have enjoyed our content and “liked” us on facebook) for having faith in us. A heartfelt thank you 🙂
Looking ahead to 2012, we would continue to deliver interesting articles to all our visitors. Hopefully, we will be able to expand our services and offer more interesting and exciting content this year!
To our partners, thank you for helping us get on track in the year 2011. We look forward to a continued partnership in 2012. Here’s to partnerships old and new in the year 2012!
The sun? The beach? The people? Or just the image of chilling with a drink while taking it slow?
Well…for many people, California is the state of the movie capital of the world! Hollywood! (Hollywood, California – Rings a bell right?)
And when you think about Hollywood, you would want to see the famous HOLLYWOOD sign!
Hollywood Sign as seen from Mulholland Drive
Today, we are going to share with our readers, the best spot to see the Hollywood sign and that is Mulholland Drive!
Mulholland Drive Scenic Point – Best view of the Hollywood Sign!
Do a quick search on google and you will be able to find Mulholland Drive scenic point. Not only does this lookout point provide splendid views of the Hollywood sign, it also gives breath taking views of Downtown LA!
View of Downtown LA from Mulholland Drive Scenic Point
From Mulholland Drive, you can also have a clear and unobstructed view of the Hollywood Bowl…
View of Hollywood Bowl from Mulholland Drive
The Hollywood Bowl is the largest natural amphitheater in the United States of America!
However, if you are one who just wants to have “been there done that”, the Kodak theatre also provides a good view of the Hollywood sign…
View of the Hollywood sign from Kodak Theatre
Other than that, the Griffith Park Observatory also has an excellent view from the right side of the Hollywood sign.
However, the recommendation from 2bearbear.com is that if you are able to, make a trip to Mulholland Drive and enjoy the scenic, breath taking view that Hollywood has to offer!
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As usual, Kate did ALL the planning! But it is important to note these few points as they can really help you stretch your buck…
Hotels
Did you know that the price differs ALOT if you stay in the same hotel on weekdays compared to weekends? Prices can differ by as much as up to 50%! Usually, hotel rates are cheaper from Sundays to Thursdays (mondays to thursdays for some hotels) and the prices sky rocket over the weekends (for obvious reasons – weekend getaways!)
Also, there are many fabulous hotels that do not cost a bomb. Try searching for hotels in Vegas and list them according to price. You will realise that cheap hotels that have excellent hotel facilities do exist in Vegas. This is because they usually attract tourists with low priced stays and free tickets to headline shows so that you will spend at their “you know what”. So try to snatch those good deals but dont fall prey to “you know what”!
Car Rental
It is advisable to rent a car in Las Vegas, simply because walking in the hot Nevada sun is not what you want to do, especially in the summer months.
In addition, with the mobility of a transport, you can visit hotels and restaurants outside of the strip which Kate and I were able to do.
Plus, parking is usually free at the hotels!
You can do so by visiting the car rental companies online and look for cheapest rate available. Also, you can just pop by the car rental booths when you land at the airport. Booking online could be cheaper given that there are deals going on every now and then. You could also save the hassle of wondering whether there are cars in the cheaper categories available.
Btw, it would be good to download USA maps to your GPS so that you would travel easy as well.
Tour Packages
If you are visiting Vegas for the first time (and probably the last time if you are from a distant land), make sure you sign up for the visit to Grand Canyon/Hoover Dam! The prices are relatively acceptable and they offer you a hassle free option to visit these world-renowned locations!
Having given some tips before hand, this is the low down of where we visited…
The Lowdown
Kate and I landed at the McCarran International Airport and got the keys to our car at the car rental booth. It’s a breeze if you have booked it online in advance.
We tried several hotels this time round and spent our first night at Hooters Hotel…
Room at Hooters Resort Las Vegas
The view from our room was awesome as well…
View of New York New York and Excalibur from Hooters Hotel
As it was the summer season, the water in the pool was exceptionally cold! We think it was purposely chilled to make sure that the guests were not chao ta (smelly dry or burnt in hokkien) under the hot sun…
Swimming pool of Hooters Hotel Las Vegas
After a nice refreshing swim and some drinks by the pool, we headed out to see the sights on the Strip…
M&Ms World Las VegasHarley Davidson Cafe Las VegasView of the Strip – Paris and Planet HollywoodAnother View of the Las Vegas Strip Fountains of BellagioExterior of the Hooters Hotel at night
We returned back and enjoyed the famous hot wings from Hooters
Yummy wings with Hot Sauce from Hooters Hotel
**After the first night in Vegas, we actually drove to California before returning back to spend a few more nights in Vegas. We will talk about LA,Hollywood and Santa Monica in another post…
The next day, we headed out to Hash House a Go Go to check out this restaurant as introduced by Man vs Food on travel channel.
Big O’crispy hand hammered pork tenderlion sandwich with Macaroni and Cheese on the side (Hash House a Go Go Las Vegas)
For more about the whole experience, check out the entire post here.
The following day, we checked into the Excalibur (increasingly better hotel each day; and thus the cost)…
Room of the Excalibur Hotel Las VegasView from the room of the Excalibur Las Vegas
At this juncture, we should remind our readers to always try to “negotiate” with the receptionist for a better/higher room with a good view of the strip. They are almost always able to do so on weekdays and off peak periods when occupancy is low.
View of the pool of the ExcaliburExternal View of the Excalibur
At various hotels, they have various affliation with shows about town. At the Excalibur, we were able to get half priced deals for the stand up comedy “Defending the Caveman”…it was pretty much enjoyable although we dont really recall much about the show today…really one of those shows where you want to have a good laugh and let your hair down…
Defending the Caveman by Kevin Burke
The next day, we took the option of going to visit the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Along the way, there was an opportunity to visit the Hoover Dam as well…
Iconic Hoover Dam on route to Grand CanyonHoover Dam SignMajestic Grand Canyon – South Rim’s Widest and Deepest portion
For more about what we did at the Grand Canyon tour, click here.
The last hotel we visited was the MGM. The best of the 3 hotels on our list this time round…
Room of MGM Hotel Las Vegas
There was even a day bed in the room which added to the chic factor…
Spacious living space at MGM Hotel Las Vegas
MGM Hotel has the best swimming pool on this trip to Vegas. It boasts of a 6.6 acre swimming area!! That is about 6-7 football fields!! We had an enjoyable time in the lazy pool and visiting different themed pools which was really cool…
On the way back, we were invited to rate an upcoming TV serial and vouchers were given to us in return. So we set down and were greeted by this…
Device to rate TV serials
It was really quite simple, all of us would watch the show (this time it was Hawaii Five O!) and rate it by turning the knob according the how good each part of the show was.
We recalled that the show was quite raw in that not all the special effects and sound effects had been added in. There were some parts that were quite boring as well (that was when we turned the knob to 0). However, the show eventually screened and is into its second season! 😮
Remember at the start of every MGM movie, there was a lion bursting unto the scene? These are his grandchildren at MGM!
Grandchildren of the original MGM Lion
We understand that they do not reside there but at a nearby facility and brought over to the hotel…
In the evening, we caught a magic show by Nathan Burton…it combined magic with comedy and was pretty much enjoyable.
Magic Show by Nathan Burton
On our last night, we enjoyed the famous fountain show at Bellagio…
Fountains of Bellagio
For more details of the Fountains of Bellagio, click here.
Overall, Las Vegas is a great place to spend your holidays. Food and stays are relatively cheap and plenty of international shows and musicals abound. Just make sure that you limit your time at the tables and you’d surely enjoy the holidays at Vegas!
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As with all famous eat outs, there was a queue at Hash House a Go Go. We waited for about 10 minutes and got our own seats, being shown to our seats by the friendly waiter at Hash House a Go Go.
The first thing we noticed about this restaurant was that there was no pretense and was totally casual. Everyone was having fun, enjoying their food and the company they had.
We browsed through the menu and laid our eyes on the
Big O’crispy hand hammered pork tenderloin sandwich ($13.95) as well as the Sage Fried Chicken stacked with bacon waffle, hot maple caramel reduction and crowned with fried leeks ($16.95).
We waited in anticipation as we saw huge portions of food being served to the other tables and we were not disappointed when ours arrived…
Big O’crispy hand hammered pork tenderlion sandwich with Macaroni and Cheese on the side (Hash House a Go Go Las Vegas)
Have you seen this piece of pork tenderloin? It is HUGE! Have you ever seen a piece of patty that exceeds its bread buns by this much? Check out the portion of the macaroni and cheese as well!
Taste: Just as the name suggests, the pork tenderloin was cripsy and juicy. There was something about the flatness that made the whole sandwich that extra palatable. The mac and cheese also went well as a side. Yum!
Man vs Food Las Vegas – Hash House a Go Go and Nascar Cafe
Our first thought (could be yours now) is that “How can fried chicken go with waffles and sweet maple syrup?!” The answer: YES!
Taste: Again, the fried chicken was juicy and cripsy (telling us why its famous) and the waffle had bacon in it! Take a look at this!
Sage Fried Chicken stacked with bacon waffle, hot maple caramel reduction and crowned with fried leeks (Close Up at Hash House a Go Go Las Vegas)
The maple syrup blended well (not too sweet) with the fried chicken. The fried leeks was for us, the secret ingredient that brought these sweet and savoury food pieces together! Each mouth brought out the aroma of the fried leek (unlike anything we’ve tried) while the tastes of the bacon waffle and fried chicken sort of explodes in your mouth as you chew! Wow!
We’ve got to say that Hash House a Go Go is one of the best restaurants we’ve visited in the states. We were pleasantly surprised by the ingenuity and innovation that the restaurant has placed into its food. Needless to say, the taste also had the ‘wow’ factor and we thoroughly enjoyed our dining experience there.
Nascar Cafe – Closed
Nascar Cafe at Sahara Hotel (Closed)
The Nascar Cafe used to be located at the Sahara Hotel. However, the hotel has since closed and hopefully the cafe has relocated as well. (if our readers do know of the relocation, leave your comments below)
The main reason why we popped by at the Nascar Cafe was because of the challenge introduced in Man vs Food Las Vegas!
In each episode of Man vs Food, there would be a food challenge for host, Adam Richman. In this episode of Man vs Food, the challenge was to finish eating “THE BOMB”!
What is “THE BOMB”? It is actually a 2 feet, 6 pounds burrito…
The Bomb at the Nascar Cafe – MVF Challenge
Coincidentally, we met with a challenger of the MVF challenge and there was even a table allocated just for the challenger. This challenger had finished about a quarter of the bomb and we could see that he was totally “bombed”…and here’s the reason why…
Fillings of “The Bomb” at Nascar Cafe
“The Bomb” is filled with loads of ingredients including fillers such as rice (rice?!), beans, meat and the wrap. On the top, it is covered with cheese, dressing and olives!
Although the price of “The Bomb” is just $19.95 (good for many), we decided to go with the baby burrito (the smaller version of the bomb)…
Baby Burrito @ Nascar Cafe
We were really really glad that we didnt take up the challenge. Not only because if we did not complete the challenge we would have to take a picture wearing a pink T-shirt that says “Weenie”. BUT because we even had trouble finishing this quarter of the bomb! Kate and I both at that!
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Of course, if you can finish the challenge, the prize at that time was to have unlimited rides on the now defunct roller coaster of Sahara Hotel.
Overall, thanks to MVF, we were able to experience 2 unique and memorable restaurants in Las Vegas!
The Fountains of Bellagio is definitely a must see attraction in Las Vegas!
Fountains of BellagioFountains of Bellagio Las Vegas as seen from a distance
Pictures do speak a thousand words doesn’t it? The lightings of the Fountains of Bellagio synchronises with music and the sound of the water jets to create an unique viewing experience!
Take a look at this video of the Fountains of Bellagio and enjoy the front row seats of the Fountains of Bellagio! (We were so close that we could feel the water mist from time to time!)
Fountains of Bellagio Show – Viva Las Vegas
Show Times of the Fountains of Bellagio
Monday – Friday
3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
show every 1/2 hour
7:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.
show every 15 minutes
Saturdays, Sundays* and Holidays
12:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
show every 1/2 hour
7:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.
show every 15 minutes
*On Sundays Fountain show times begin at 11 a.m. and run every 15 minutes for the Fountains Brunch at Jasmine.
Even before one sets foot in Las Vegas, the fame of the Fountains of Bellagio must have preceded! The Fountains of Bellagio is so majestic and massive! It makes a statement from a distance away and even from the aerial view! You would thoroughly enjoy the Fountains of Bellagio if you were taking a helicopter ride down the Las Vegas Strip as well!
However, the best part about the Fountains of Bellagio, is that its FREE!! Visitors can just take a look at the timings of the Fountains of Bellagio and be there about 5 minutes before the start of the shows to enjoy!
The Fountains of Bellagio dance to many different tunes. Famous tunes such as “Fly me to the Moon” as well as “Viva Las Vegas” are favourites of the Fountains of Bellagio. The water jets of the Fountains of Bellagio time their bursts according to the tune of the music and synchronises the sounds and the lightings to create an unique and captivating water show!
The Fountains of Bellagio is definitely a water show not to be missed when you are in Las Vegas!
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Finally, Kate and I got to board the Singapore Flyer! It is currently the world’s largest giant observation wheel standing at a height of 165m!
We are so proud to have finally “flew” on the Singapore Flyer and I must applaud Kate for the courage of taking the flight because of her fear of heights and general dislike for thrill rides (see Busch Gardens and Universal Studios Singapore post)
Before we begin, we know that visitors would like to know the price and opening hours of the Singapore Flyer…
Opening Hours : 8:30am – 10:30pm (With the last admission at 10:15pm) Ticket Sales : 8:00am – 10:00pm
Ticket Prices
Adults (13 yrs and above) : $29.50
Children (3-12 yrs) : $20.65(Children below 3yrs : Free)
Senior Citizens (60 yrs and above): $23.60 (Singaporeans/PR)
Getting There
Of course, the most straight forward way is to call a cab and tell the cabby to take you to “Singapore Flyer”.
There are also buses where you will need to alight at Temasek Avenue. The buses are 106, 111, 133.
But we prefer the MRT (Mass Rapid Transit). You have basically 2 options. The first is to alight at Promenade MRT Station which is just a 5 minutes walk from the Singapore Flyer.
We prefer option 2 though. And on this trip, we took this option and really enjoyed the walk. Taking this option meant that you would alight at City Hall Interchange and walk along City Link Mall, cross over to Esplanade and walk along the River Front. This is about a 20 minutes walk…but along the way, you will enjoy these views…
View of the Singapore City Skyline @ Marina Bay
View of the Singapore City Skyline @ Marina Bay
To allow our readers to see the benefits of this walk to the Singapore Flyer, here is a video of the views of Marina Bay…
As seen in the video, you would be able to take pictures of the Marina Bay Sands, Artscience Museum, Helix Bridge, Singapore City Skyline, Fullerton Hotel as well as the Singapore Tourism Icon – The Merlion!
After this nice leisurely walk, we were greeted by the Singapore Flyer…
The Singapore Flyer
The Singapore Flyer
We got our tickets in advance and headed straight to the entrance of the Singapore Flyer. There are scans as you enter so it may take some time during peak hours (i.e. sunset, school holidays, morning tour groups).
You would first be led into the Journey of Dreams. The Journey of Dreams is inclusive in the ticket price of the Singapore Flyer and it is basically a series of exhibits and multimedia interactives that allow visitors to know more about the Singapore Story as well as the Singapore Flyer itself…
3D Map of the Singapore Flyer and its vicinity
3D Map of the Singapore Flyer and its vicinity
Did you know that so many parts of Singapore is actually reclaimed land (Those in green are reclaimed land)
Did you know that so many parts of Singapore is actually reclaimed land? (Those in green are reclaimed land)
Fragment of Dreams – Use the “torch” and reveal portions of the screen!
Fragment of Dreams – Use the “torch” and reveal portions of the screen!
Reservoir of Dreams at the Singapore Flyer
Reservoir of Dreams
At the Reservoir of Dreams, you will see 3 giant spheres that are basically artistic displays. The first one is Oneiroi’s Orb that depicts the Flyer’s spherical shape through circular artifacts. The next is The Planet which is the first inflated PufferSphere using internal projection in Asia…
Description of the Planet @ Singapore Flyer
Description of the Planet @ Singapore Flyer
The Planet @ Singapore Flyer
The last is the Numeric that displays all numbers (Facts, Figures, Physique) associated with the Singapore Flyer.
After the Journey of Dreams, you would enter a tunnel that has numbers on the side that blinks 5,4,3,2,1 that is somewhat like astronauts entering the tunnel to their space flight with the numbers signifying the countdown to blast off!
As you approach the capsules, please note the curvature of the platform so that you wouldnt trip and fall. Recently, a dad did not hold on to his stroller and the kid was caught by the safety net…
The other thing you would notice is that smaller wheels (like tyres) that are used to rotate the Singapore Flyer itself. This is the mechanism used to turn the larger wheel (Singapore Flyer) using smaller wheels (tyres)…
Mechanism of turning the Singapore Flyer
Mechanism of turning the Singapore Flyer
Though it is not really clear, but you can also vaguely see the demonstration of the smaller wheels turning the Singapore Flyer here in this video…
Mechanism of turning the Singapore Flyer
You can also at this moment, opt to board a flyer with lesser people, but it really depends on the people who are enjoying the Journey of Dreams. If they stay there and you let the passengers behind you board first, you might just have a whole capsule of the Singapore Flyer to yourself! In our case, we shared with 2 others which was very enjoyable and private 🙂
At the top of the Singapore Flyer, you will enjoy basically 2 views…to the east, the shipping lanes and ALOT of HDB flats (HDB flats are Singapore’s public housing) and to the west, the Marina Barrage, Marina Bay Sands, parts of the port. And of course, a breath-taking view of the Marina Bay itself…
Residential Buildings to the East
Residential Buildings to the East
Marina Bay Sands seen from the Singapore Flyer
Marina Bay Sands
Shipping lanes and Gardens by the Bay
Breath-Taking Views of Marina Bay Singapore
Breath-Taking Views of Marina Bay Singapore
An Artistic Shot of the Singapore Flyer Capsule
An Artistic Shot of the Singapore Flyer Capsule
We’ve also captured a 360degrees view from the top of the Singapore Flyer for our readers…
360degrees view from the Top of the Singapore Flyer
We were also able to see the aerial view of the marina bay where the wishes of Singaporeans are written on round inflated balls and lined up in the waters. Still cant figure out what it is meant to shape like though…(The island of Singapore maybe?)
After the flight, remember to disembark with care as there is curvature of the platform that you would need to look out for.
Kate and I then proceeded to the Singapore Food Trails for a sumptuous meal!
Singapore Food Trail at the Singapore Flyer
Singapore Food Trail
The Singapore Food Trail is actually a project undertaken by the Singapore Tourism Board to recreate the old street food hawkers of the 1960s…
Stalls at the Singapore Food Trail
Stalls at the Singapore Food Trail
Alot of effort (and money) have been placed into recreating the feel of the 1960s. The design of the stalls, the furniture and even the floor (made of tarmac to represent the road) have been meticulously thought through.
The best part about the Singapore Food Trails is its food!! It has a collection of some of the best hawker foods in Singapore! What’s more, the price is still within the acceptable range (though it is of course cheaper at the food centres)! Given that you just have to go to one destination to taste all the best hawker food in Singapore, the price is really well worth it. Today, we tried the following…
Drinks from authentic chinese cups of the 60s
Drinks from authentic chinese cups of the 60s
Fried Hokkien Mee at Singapore Food Trail Singapore Flyer
Satay Beehoon from Singapore Food Trail at the Singapore Flyer
Satay Beehoon
Orh Lua (or Fried Oysters) Singapore Food Trail at the Singapore Flyer
Orh Lua (or Fried Oysters)
During this festive season, if you ride on the Singapore Flyer, you can also enter this snow dome to take some pictures with Santa!
Life Size Snow Dome
Snow Dome
All in all, we thoroughly enjoyed the Singapore Flyer and all it has to offer! The views were splendid and the ride was enjoyable! Remember to pop by the Singapore Food Trail when you’re there, you’ll enjoy it as well!
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There are actually several options to tour Grand Canyon…
But first, to whet your appetite, this is what you will get to see when you visit Grand Canyon!
Majestic View of Grand Canyon
South Rim Tour of Grand Canyon
This was the tour we took, primarily because it is usually cheaper and the weather is usually better on this tour to Grand Canyon. This tour also allows you to make a stop at Hoover Dam to take some picturesque moments before moving on to see the majestic Grand Canyon!
Majestic Grand Canyon – South Rim’s Widest and Deepest portion
The bus ride from Las Vegas was about 5 hours. Of course Kate slept along the way. I even got to snap pictures of her drooling!
Our first stop was at Hoover Dam.
Iconic Hoover Dam on route to Grand Canyon
The ride around the dam was amazing. It seemed as though you are transported into “Transformers” and imagine this futuristic structure (Hoover Dam does look futuristic doesnt it?) sitting right in the middle of a vast desert.
We also managed to grab a magnet at the souvenir shop there. Remember to take a picture with this Hoover Dam sign as well!
Hoover Dam Sign
We were also told by our guide that Boulder City was actually built for the workers so that they could continue with the construction of Hoover Dam.
We made a stop over at the Grand Canyon visitor centre where visitors can watch an IMAX film of the Grand Canyon. We also had our chinese takeaway lunch here. Not bad for food out in the desert 🙂
Next was the Grand Canyon itself!
Grand Canyon – South Rim
We were given 2 hours to walk ourselves. It was different. You get to find a spot, enjoy the vast range of the Grand Canyon and really just feel the tranquility. At times, you might even hear the call of the eagle!
West Rim – Sky Walk
The West Rim offers the world famous Sky Walk which is a horse shoe shaped platform allowing you to “hang over the cliff” of the Grand Canyon. With a transparent platform, you can have that feeling of walking over the Grand Canyon as well. We didnt choose this option because of the price and also mainly because Kate did not like the transparent floors. But Im sure visitors on this tour would have a great time as well. ______________________________________________________________
Other Options – Helicopter and Boat Ride
There are also other options to see Grand Canyon. The Helicopter ride offers you an aerial view and also descent into the valley whereby you can enjoy a boat ride on the famous Colorado River.
Of course, the helicopter ride, sky walk and boat ride will cost a little bit more.
However, whatever your choice may be, a visit to Grand Canyon will surely be one of your most memorable moments you’ll have.
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Through our travels, we have noticed a few outstanding McDonald’s restaurants…
Broadway McDonald’s
Iconic McDonalds with many light bulbs at its entrance NYC
This McDonald’s was featured on the travel channel’s McDonald’s special. It is easily recognised by the light bulbs used to show the red and yellow colours of McDonald’s. When you actually stand below these bulbs, you can really feel the heat! We wonder what’s the cost of lighting up these bulbs annually…perhaps its time to switch to LED for energy savings!
The Original McDonald’s
The replica of the Original McDonald’s @ Downey, California
This particular McDonald’s has 2 stories to tell. For one, if you look closely at the top of the M, there is a mascot that most people do not recognise and associate with McDonald’s today (unlike Ronald McDonald). His name is Speedy and was the first mascot used by McDonald’s before he was replaced by Ronald McDonald.
The other thing particular about it is that it is a replica of the original McDonald’s at Downey, California. This was taken along the way on one of our trips around USA. Immediately, we stopped by and had to take a photo of it. Again, this was also featured in the Travel Channel’s McDonald’s special where the arches, if you notice, have not yet combined to form the golden arches (M) we know today. Although from a distance, when the arches overlap, the golden arches can still be seen.
If you have seen other outstanding McDonald’s restaurants, do share it with us through your valuable comments below!
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Saizeriya is a Japanese owned Italian-styled family restaurant.
No wonder it seemed so familiar when we first saw its sign from a distance away. The green and red colours of the logos immediately reminded us of the same chain of restaurants we saw in Japan…Now Saizeriya has hit our shores in Singapore as well!
The thing we love about Saizeriya is its price! It is truly a family oriented restaurant with budget of the family as its priority. Pastas, pizzas and dorias average about $8 and there are some that go as low as $4-5 bucks!
There are also lots of sides for the family to choose from, such as the chicken wings and escargots
Popular Saizeriya Chicken Wings
Popular Saizeriya Chicken Wings
This Saizeriya we went to is located at Liang Court. It is usually crowded during meal times but the crowd clears very quickly because of its no frills eat-and-beat-it concept.
Saizeriya has recently installed a new system that allows customers to call for the waiter/waitress when they’re ready to order…
System to call for service
System to call for service
Much like the bell you use onboard planes or for that matter in hospitals, once you press the bell, a ring tone would be heard and your table number flashed on a board, informing the waiter that you are calling for them. This system of course makes it more efficient but it can get kind of irritating sometimes. But, the cheap and good food more than make up for any discomfort of this sort 🙂
A quick look at the menu…
Saizeriya Menu
Saizeriya Menu
We ordered the pork and beef meal as well as a spinach pizza ($7.90 nett for the pizza). We also ordered a pasta as well as the wings (we really cant remember the rest of the prices but rest assured they are competitively priced).
Pork and Beef Meal
Pork and Beef Meal
Spinach Pizza Saizeriya Singapore
Spinach Pizza
Pasta Saizeriya Singapore
Pasta
We thoroughly enjoyed the meats, pasta and pizza. Though the pasta may look simple, it was full of flavour and the texture of the pasta was perfect! Not overcooked and still slightly springy (QQ as the chinese would say) in texture. Yum!
The pizza was also overlayed with generous portions of the spinach! The meats were again generous and juicy, not dried unlike some restaurants.
The highlight of eating at Saizeriya has got to be its drink bar where you can have coffee, milo, juice and other soft drinks, FREE FLOW for around $3! Hence, it is a good place for friends to have a meal and catch up over a cup of coffee (or many cups for that matter) without burning a hole in the pocket.
Drink Bar in Saizeriya
Drink Bar in Saizeriya
Overall, Saizeriya definitely rates highly for price and serving portions. The food at Saizeriya can be considered cheap for a restaurant, yet the portion and standard it delivers is comparable or much better than most other restaurants! Whats more, the price you see on the menu is the price you pay! Because there is no GST or Service Charge on top of the price you see on the menu, all prices are NETT prices!
The only setback would be that it could get rather noisy during peak hours. Other than that, Saizeriya is definitely a great place to hang out with friends or to have a no-frills meal with your loved ones!
There are so many things to do and attractions in Las Vegas! Let’s find out what are the things to do right here in Las Vegas! Las Vegas is really an amazing place and should be one of your places to visit if you havent been there. It is quite literally an oasis, an entertainment capital right smack in the middle of a desert!
There are of course many things to do (besides the obvious which we at 2bearbear.com do not advocate) in Las Vegas, so check out what we have recommended here…
1. Las Vegas Strip aka The Strip
Things to do and Attractions in Las Vegas
The Las Vegas Strip itself has become an icon synonymous with Las Vegas. Affectionately known as The Strip, the main street in the city of Las Vegas boasts of many well known structures around the world such as the Statue of Liberty, Eiffel Tower and even the Pyramids. All these right in the middle of a desert!
2. Grand Canyon
Grand Canyon
If you are a fan of nature, the Grand Canyon will not disappoint. The majestic combination of ridges and ranges is a beautiful sight to behold. You can also have the option to walk over the Canyon @ the Skywalk or even descend to its valley via a helicopter tour.
3. Hoover Dam
Hoover Dam – Side Trip from Las Vegas
The Hoover Dam is one of the most well known dams in the world. Having appeared in movies such as “Transformers” and “Superman”, it gives you a sense of familiarity. Yet you would be awe-struck by its sheer size.
4. Fountain Show at Bellagio
Fountains of Bellagio
At the front of the Bellagio Hotel, there is a fountain that comes to life and dances with the music daily! Enjoy the spectacular fountain show that has captivated the many visitors to Las Vegas.
5. Good Food
Man vs Food Las Vegas – Hash House a Go Go and Nascar Cafe
There are so many buffets, good eateries and fine dining here in Vegas. Take your pick and you’ll be spoilt by the choices the city of Las Vegas has to offer.
6. Musicals and Performances
Banners of Musicals and Performances in Vegas
Not to be outdone by Broadway, Vegas regularly brings in international acts and musicals to be at the centre stage of Las Vegas. Remember to check out the discounted tickets and discounts from the hotels you stay with when attending these shows!
There are of course many other attractions and things to do in Vegas such as visiting the MGM (descendants of the world-renowned MGM lions – the one that roars when you watch movies), ridiculously huge swimming pools / man-made beaches (described in hectares!) and even rides such as that at the Stratosphere hotel!
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There are so many things to do and attractions in London! Let’s find out what are the things to do right here in London! Be it history, monuments, musicals, river cruises or just plain old attractions, London has it all! It is ranked right up there with New York and (of course, our beloved country) Singapore as truly, the world’s metropolitan/cosmopolitan city!
Kate and I caught a train from Paris to London this day and were pleasantly surprised by the speed of the trains (in excess of 200km/h). Within 2 hours, we were transported to London!
There are many hotels and hostels here in London, so fret not! Our recommendation would be to pick a clean, cosy room, no frills. This is because there are simply so many things to do that the only time you’d be back in your room, is when you really need to rest!
Here are some of the top attractions we visited!
Tower of London
Tower of London
Tower of London
Discover the rich history (over 900 years) of the Tower of London as a palace and also its showcase of the royal crown jewels!
The London Eye
The London Eye
The London Eye
The view from the London overlooks the Thames river and all other attractions along it (Big Ben, Tower Bridge etc.). Once the world’s tallest observatory (now of course it’s the Singapore Flyer! 🙂 it boasts of panoramic views around the city of London.
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
Why not try your luck at catching a glimpse of the royalties at Buckingham Palace? There’s also a daily change of guards, not to be missed!
Big Ben
Big Ben – Clock Tower
Big Ben – Clock Tower
The clock tower synonymous with the city itself is an icon known throughout world!
Tower Bridge
Tower Bridge (not to be mistaken with the London Bridge)
Tower Bridge (not to be mistaken with the London Bridge)
The Tower Bridge has got to be one of the most iconic bridges along the river Thames. With its hydraulic raising mechanism, it allows ships to pass through this shipping channel. Another fun fact is that, this iconic Tower Bridge IS NOT the London bridge often mistaken by tourists. The London Bridge is in fact the next bridge upstream.
Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey London
Westminster Abbey London
Affectionately known as the Abbey, it is also where Prince William and Kate Middleton recently wed. Its unique Gothic design places it right up there with Notre Dame.
River Thames Cruise
River Thames Cruise
River Thames Cruise
Not to be missed is a cruise along the River Thames. Not only can you enjoy the leisure ride as you enjoy the cooling breeze, you can also see all the attractions along the river such as Big Ben and The London Eye. Talk about killing 2 birds with one stone (chinese saying)…
Harrods
Harrods London
Harrods London
If shopping is your forte, the world renowned Harrods is definitely your place to hang out. At Harrods, you should be able to find almost all gifts for all occasions. Even if you have nothing you want to get, why not take home a Harrods bear for the little ones or just a Harrods recyclable shopping bag?
Others
There are of course many other things to do and attractions in London such as musicals, bar hopping, Hyde Park and free museums (British Museum, National Gallery). Take time to explore this grand old dame, reinventing itself as it prepares for the Olympics in 2012!
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“Yay! The motel we are going to stay is super near the airport! We can walk there and save money!”
To our horror, we arrived at the “wrong” airport at Niagara Falls, NY! (I blame the auto-complete function on most websites these days). Our trips have usually been well-planned and without hiccups, but this time round, we got to experience the mistake possibly many travellers made when they choose to fly to visit Niagara Falls.
I knew Niagara Falls was in Buffalo…so when I had to select the flight from Las Vegas and did not know which airport to go, I typed in “Buffalo”, and the auto-complete function “told” me that I will land in Buffalo Airport. We arrived there and was looking forwards to the walk to our motel when we discovered that we are more than 70km away from it!!!
The nice old man at the information counter produced a map and gave us our bearings. We were supposed to fly into Niagara Falls International Airport, not Buffalo Airport!!! He then told us there was a bus that comes every 45mins and it would cost us about USD20 per ticket to get to Niagara Falls State Park. We panicked as we happened to miss the last bus (and it was already 4pm). So we did some calculations and we decided to rent a car instead.
But it wasn’t easy either. Tom had to go from counter to counter to check what were the available cars left for the day. Thank the Lord there was a economy car at Hertz going for USD50/day! It was the only small car left at the airport. Phew~
We quickly loaded our luggage and relied on the GPS to get to our accommodation for the night – Swiss Cottage Inns. We drove across this bridge…
Bridge to cross to Niagara Falls
before we arrived at our motel…
Swiss Cottage Inns enroute to Niagara Falls
The motel “boasted” of an outdoor swimming pool, a microwave in the room (that is how we heated up our leftover buffalo wings; see Original Buffalo Wings post), and provided pastries for breakfast.
Decent bed with microwave and fridge @ Swiss Cottage InnsOutdoor Swimming pool @ Swiss Cottage Inns
The friendly owner told us about the fireworks on Fri/Sat nights during the summer months. As we arrived on a Friday and we rented a car, we were excited to catch the fireworks!
We parked at Seneca Casino, hoping to enjoy the buffet dinner but we were denied entry because we left our passports in the motel. Tom was totally devastated and we made our way to the State Park. We managed to grab a bite at the food court.
Seneca Casino @ Niagara Falls (USA side)
With a full stomach, we leisurely strolled down to the Falls. We could hear the loud roar and we enjoyed the cool breeze and mist as we approached it. The rapids looked amazing and mystical with the special lightings. Finally, we reached the Falls, and hurried to get a good spot for the fireworks. What a great way to end our first night at Niagara Falls! 🙂
Rapids before the Niagara FallsIlluminated American Falls (Niagara Falls at Night)
Niagara Falls Lights Up with Fireworks!
Day 2 @ Niagara Falls
We were planning to take a ride on the Maid of the Mist, and as “kiasu” (scared of losing out) Singaporeans, we woke up early to ensure that we were the first few at the ticketing counter. The ticket costs USD13.50 for each adult ticket. We thoroughly enjoyed our ride even though it left us cold and wet. The Falls was truly majestic and we felt energized as we left the boat.
Maid of the Mist (USA side of Niagara Falls)Tourists @ Maid of the Mist (Niagara Falls USA)Approaching Horseshoe Falls Niagara Falls via Maid of the Mist FerryAwesome American Falls (Niagara Falls as seen from Maid of the Mist)
We then spend the morning lazing on the grass, having a small picnic (ice cream and chips!) and challenging each other in a round of word game that cannot be named. We even managed to catch a pretty rainbow! (where is my pot of gold? :P) Visiting the Niagara Falls in the day and in the night indeed allowed us to experience two unique and wonderful aspects of the majestic Niagara Falls!
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Ever wondered what is the origin of the world famous buffalo wings?
On our trip to the Niagara Falls, Kate and I thought that since we’re so close to Buffalo city, perhaps we could taste the world renowned buffalo wings?
So a quick check on google led us to Anchor Bar on Main Street…
Mdm Teressa Bellissimo credited to have created the buffalo wings (Original Buffalo Wings Anchor Bar)
Legend has it that one day the son of Mdm Teressa Bellissimo (who created the world renowned buffalo wings) returned one day with his friends. In order to feed her hungry guests, she deep fried some wings (in those days, in the 60s, wings were meant for the broth of soups) and covered them in a special sauce and served them with a cheese dip. Voila! The buffalo wings was born!
Legend of the buffalo wings below Mdm Teressa’s statue (Original Buffalo Wings Anchor Bar)
Kate and I keyed in the address into our GPS and headed over to Anchor Bar. We were there earlier than our usual dinner time in order to avoid the peak hour crowd. However, there was already a queue for dinner at about 6pm!
Inside Anchor Bar (Home of the Original Buffalo Wings)
We parked our car (glad we came early, when we left, there were no lots left!) and took some time to look at the menu and placed our order. It took us about 20 minutes before we could get in!
We ordered the buffalo wings and seafood supreme with a couple of drinks. By the time we were seated down, it did not take that long for the food to arrive.
Yummy Seafood Supreme Pasta $17 USD (Anchor Bar Buffalo)
You know we always give our honest to goodness reviews to our readers so that they get the most informative source right from 2bearbear.com.
However, this time, we have got to say that the buffalo wings were a let down. The wings were overly fried and completely lost its moisture. The meat was tough and to be honest, this was one of the worst wings that we’ve tasted. The steep price (almost $1.20USD per mid wing) did not help as well. The sauce and dip did help somewhat but the meat itself was beyond salvage.
Disappointing Buffalo Wings from Anchor Bar (Home of the Original Buffalo Wings)Over-fried Crabcakes Anchor Bar (Home of the Original Buffalo Wings)
2 things came to rescue our night though;
1. The Seafood Supreme pasta was surprisingly good! The creamy sauce left one craving for more. The shrimp was also a highlight of this dish. It was really fresh and succulent! Although the serving was a huge one, Kate and I wiped it clean to the bowl!
2. There was live jazz music that set the mood for the evening. We remembered a young musician joining the team for the first time that evening and he played mightily well. Everyone in the audience cheered him on and that made the night really memorable.
We think that the buffalo wings must have been good before, perhaps given the crowd, the wings were fried in bulk and in advance. Hence, the poor texture.
When you’re in buffalo, give it a try though. If you experienced the lousier version, at least you could boast and say that you have tasted the original buffalo wings at Anchor Bar, Buffalo, New York!
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Have you ever wondered why New York is also known as the Big Apple?
According to our guide, it was said that New York used to be a great orchard. However, another saying goes, there were many “apples” or race courses in and around New York. Jockeys who wanted to race there often referred New York as “the Big Apple” or the mother of all race courses.
Whatever the real deal, we love New York! There is just so much life and energy in New York wherever you go! Needless to say, there are also many things to do and attractions here and we will go through with you what we have enjoyed at the Big Apple!
The Empire State Building
The Empire State Building often leaves a certain stature in your mind at the mention of it. It could be because King Kong somehow managed to get on top of it or because it is the meeting place of many many Hollywood screen couples (think Sleepless in Seattle, An Affair to Remember).
Entrance of the Empire State Building ESB
There are 2 observatories on the ESB, the 86th Story (Outdoor,320 metres) and the 102nd (Indoor,370 metres). Kate and I visited the ESB at about 11pm this evening (opens till 2am with the last lift up at 1:15am). Tickets costs about 20USD for adults and the queue can take quite a while. We waited for about half and hour that evening before we arrived at the observatory.
Long Queues at the Empire State Building
It was really nice and cooling at night. Though it is a little difficult to see all round at night, we were able to spot a few iconic places in New York…
The Chrysler Building New YorkBroadway as seen from Empire State Building New YorkHudson River as seen from ESB New YorkThe Brightly Litted Times Square as seen from Empire State Building New York
Aircraft Carrier – USS Intrepid
USS Intrepid – Sea, Air and Space Museum Complex
The next morning, we arrived early at the USS Intrepid to set our feet on the air craft carrier. It was the first time we’ve ever been onboard an air craft carrier. The feeling was just fantastic. To top things off it includes entry to Growler submarine which was our first time onboard a submarine as well!
The Growler submarine was located at the entrance and since there was not much of a crowd we decided to head over first. Inside, we experienced the cramped spaces that the sailors had to endure onboard a submarine…
Rear of the Submarine – Cramped spaces!
The Intrepid itself was a huge ship! We didnt even manage to go through the entire craft of exhibits!
Aircraft displays on the flight deck of USS Intrepid
It is definitely worth a visit to USS Intrepid as you will get to learn about the history of Sea, Air and Space crafts as well as some lessons on the wars that the the crafts have seen. In addition, we also got to see some actual parts from the World Trade Center after 911 (Ground Zero)…
Metal from the World Trade Center (Ground Zero) after 911
Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty was completed on October 28 , 1886. Originally, we were told, that Ellis Island was where the immigrants would have to go through to enter New York by ship. When the Statue of Liberty was completed, it also meant that immigrants thereafter must have seen the same Statue as they entered US with their renewed hopes and dreams…
It is important to prepare yourselves if you want to visit the Statue of Liberty because the queue is REALLY LONG!!
Long Queues for Ferry to the Statue of Liberty
Eventhough the entry to the Liberty State Park is free, you would have to pay $13USD for the ferry to take you there. There is a queue on every part of this journey! From queuing of tickets, to queuing to get onboard the ferry, to queuing to get off the ferry and queuing to get back!
But once you’re onboard, you’ll be rewarded with views of the New York City skyline as well as the Statue of Liberty herself…
New York City SkylineThe Statue of Liberty as seen from the Ferry
Once you’re on the island, there’s actually a souvenir shop and a very nice walk all around the island and fantastic views of Manhattan as well! But of course, you’ll be awed by her majestic stature up close as well…
The Statue of Liberty up close
New York City Walk About
We took a short walk around the city and visited the following places…
The world renowned NYSE (New York Stock Exchange)
We passed by Wall Street and took a photo of the Trump Building
The Trump Building New York City
We then had dinner at the seaport where we had a fantastic view of the Brooklyn bridge. The lobster sliders and Avocado Eggroll were delicious!
Lobster Sliders New YorkCrispy Avocado Eggroll New York
Rockefeller Centre – Top of the Rock Observation Deck
Rockefeller Centre – Top of the Rock Observation Deck
Tickets to the Top of the Rock costs $25USD per person. This time, we visited Top of the Rock in the day so that we get both night view (from ESB) and day view from Rockefeller Centre. The good thing about visiting the Top of the Rock is that from here you will be able to capture the iconic Empire State Building!
View of Empire State Building from Top of the RockCentral Park from Top of the Rock
The view from the Top of the Rock was simply fantastic and indescribable. If there’s one building you have to top in NYC, it has got to be the Top of the Rock!
Warwick New York Hotel
There was a deal which Kate got online and it was actually to book a 4 star hotel in the heart of New York City. The catch was you wont know which hotel it was until you book it. However, we were both happy with the choice because for $185USD (inclusive of tax) we stayed here…
Warwick New York City HotelClassy Bathroom in Warwick New York City Hotel
We even got to enjoy great tasting turkish food from the roadside stall downstairs. There was always a queue for their food!
Chicken on Rice from Turkish Shop Downstairs
New Jersey
There are 2 things you would need to do when you take a short visit to New Jersey…
Enjoy the splendid view of the Manhattan Skyline from HobokenVisit Cake Boss in Hoboken!
From New Jersey, you would be able to catch the best of the New York City Skyline. Here, take your time to take in the sights and perhaps enjoy a cuppa while time (and people) pass you by…
Visiting Cake Boss is also a treat. Though you may not want to join the queue, it is always nice to wander around and see if you can catch a glimpse of the man himself…
Long Queue outside Cake Boss Hoboken
Broadway Musical
It is definitely a must to see at least 1 broadway musical when you visit New York City. It is important to note that you are able to buy discounted tickets right in the heart of Times Square…The TKTS booth at Times Square sells tickets for performances that day. Hence it is important to be there early to get the seats that you want.
Times Square New York City
Just as we were minding our own business and staying in line to queue for our tickets, guess what happened? Justin Bieber did a flash mob appearance at the Ruby Red Stairs singing “Baby”!
Justin Bieber Flash Mob NYCAnother view of Justin Bieber’s Flash Mob at NYC
He just appeared and started singing out of nowhere! Kate and I were both taken by surprise as we scrambled take a snap of him live in person. And just as sudden as he had arrived, he left as quickly as well.Before long, we were left only with screaming girls and crying fans. They actually cried!
Soon, the booths were opened and we got our tickets for $61.50USD each. We then took the opportunity to of course taste some New York Cheese cake and chocolate cake before our show…
New York Cheesecake $9USDSkyscraper Chocolate Cake $11USD
As we left our dinner, we caught a glimpse of Times Square at night.
Times Square at Night (New York)
The city just exudes so much life and energy especially right here at Times Square. A few walks down were where we caught Mary Poppins beside this iconic McDonalds.
Iconic McDonalds with many light bulbs at its entrance NYC
As we were not allowed to film or take pictures during the performance, we took a picture of the curtains before the start of the show…
Opening of Mary Poppins Broadway
The performance was absolutely captivating. The story was about a family with kids that would not behave. They of course did when Mary Poppins became their baby sitter. There were some real magic and flying around the theater that kept the audience thoroughly glued to the show. The singing by the lead was also unbelievably beautiful. Overall it was a great show for a great night in NYC 🙂
Walk about NYC 2
With some spare time in NYC, we went to the central park…
Central Park New York CitySummit Rock , Central Park NYC
We then searched for the Serendipity Cafe that was featured in the Romantic Comedy of the same name – Serendipity.
Scenes off the movie Serendipity movie in New York CityEntrance of Serendipity New York City
We also visited another movie venue in NYC, FAO Schwarz Toys – Home of the Legendary Toy Company!
It was here where Tom Hanks did the dance at the Big Piano in the movie “Big”
Actual Big Piano from the movie “Big” that starred Tom HanksMuppets Workshop in FAO Schwarz Toys
The staff at the Big Piano was answered almost immediately when I asked “Is this…” (didnt manage to complete “the piano from the movie?”) when he replied “Yes, and there will be professional dancers here 3 times a week to perform the actual dance from the movie”. Think he must be so used to guests/visitors asking the same question over and over again.
The Big Apple definitely lives up to its name and is probably one of the most Cosmopolitan city in the world. The energy and vibes it exuberates even in the wee hours of the night makes a city that truly never sleeps.
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Seriously, we did not know that the World Orchid Conference (WOC) was already into its 20th year but we were pleasantly surprised by the splendid showcase of orchids by various groups from all over the world…
20th World Orchid Conference (WOC)
Logo of the 20th World Orchid Conference WOC
At the entrance…
Wall to the entrance of 20th World Orchid Conference WOC
Tickets cost $15 for adults and $9 for senior citizens or students. There are also 10% discounts for ntuc, passion, safra (among the cards we can remember). The cost of this price also includes a preview of Gardens by the Bay, Flower Dome (an air conditioned indoor display of plants and vegetation) scheduled to open in 6 months time in 2012.
Ticket to 20th World Orchid Conference WOC (includes preview of Gardens by the Bay)
There is also complimentary shuttle bus service from Marina Bay MRT to Gardens by the Bay to the Marina Bay Sands, Sands Expo and Convention Centre (looping in that order)
Complimentary shuttle service from Marina Bay MRT to Gardens by the Bay to Marina Bay Sands , Sands Expo and Convention CentreEntrance to the 20th WOC World Orchid Conference at Marina Bay SandsMap of the 20th WOC (World Orchid Conference) at Marina Bay Sands
Before we start, perhaps we should learn more about orchids and its origin…
Parts of the OrchidWords in the gents…bet you didnt know about this!
Close to the entrance are the VIP orchids such as this named after Nelson Mandela
Orchid named after Nelson Mandela
and of course our national flower – The Vanda Miss Joaquim
Vanda Miss Joaquim at 20th WOC (World Orchid Conference)
The organisers have put in much effort to bring in different orchids and their hybrids from all over the world…
Orchids from all over the world at the 20th WOC (World Orchid Conference)
Unique orchids include…
5 petaled OrchidBrown OrchidsHybrid Pitcher Orchid PlantsOrchid that looks like a crib with a baby inside2 Petaled OrchidTriangular Shaped OrchidArty Farty Close Up Shot of really small Orchids
There are also displays from different societies and countries from all over the world such as
Orchid displays from IndonesiaOrchid Display from the UKOrchid displays from Malaysia
There were also real pitcher plants…
Real pitcher plants
a huge one at that…
Huge pitcher plant
as well as flower arrangements…
Orchid Bridal Hand Bouquets
the winner…
Winner of Orchid Bridal Hand BouquetWinning Flower ArrangementOther winners of flower arrangementAn appeal for aid to Japan
There are also displays for competition at the schools and junior levels…
Displays after the competitionOne of the winnersYet another winnerCute Theme
The standing categories…
Shaped like the flyerThe winner…
Some walkabout videos at the 20th WOC (World Orchid Conference) at the Marina Bay Sands, Sands Expo and Convention Centre…
Walk about Part 1
Walk about Part 2
Walk about Part 3
Revolving Petronas Tower
Gardens by the Bay
Next we headed to the Gardens by the Bay via the free shuttle service. The tickets to the WOC included a complimentary preview to the Gardens by the Bay! The shuttle bus came at a high frequency (i.e. short waiting time) at least during our wait. We waited for only about 5 minutes eventhough the expected waiting time was about 10-15 mins.
Map of the Gardens by the BayIconic Supertrees at Gardens by the Bay with Marina Bay Sands as the backdropIconic outer view of the Flower DomeEntrance to the Flower Dome
As we entered, we were awed by the huge strange looking trees and cactus. The temperature was quite cold (around 23 degrees). The temperature and humidity is strictly controlled in here for these vegetation and plants to flourish…
The Flower Dome is about 45 metres high and spans 1.2 hectares. The most eye catching plant in the Flower Dome has got to be the Baobabs. The bulbous trunks (looking like a prenant tree) helps the tree to store water during dry seasons. They are also known as bottle trees.
Throughout the Flower Dome, there are other gardens such as the Succulent Garden (mostly cacti), the Australian Garden, the South American Garden, Mediterranean Garden as well as the Olive Grove so do take time to check them out as well!
Another view from withinView of the trees with bulbous trunks that store waterView from the highest point in the flower dome
We were directed by the staff to make a loop to the highest point in the Flower Dome, before heading downstairs where the exit was. The overall feel was as if you had entered an enchanted garden. It was amazing to see Singapore having such an attraction!
Here are some videos from within for our readers…
Preview of Gardens by the Bay Part 1
Preview of Gardens by the Bay Part 2
Preview of Gardens by the Bay Part 3
Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands and Helix Bridge
Before we left the Marina Bay area altogether, we took some shots at the Shoppes as well as the Helix Bridge overlooking the Marina Bay…Enjoy!
The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands
The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands
View of the Marina Bay from Helix Bridge Part 1
View of the Marina Bay from Helix Bridge Part 2 (The other end of the bridge)
Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed the 20th WOC as well as the Gardens by the Bay. The organisers have indeed put in alot of effort to make it all happen and here at 2bearbear.com we would like to congratulate them for a job well done!
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We hope you have enjoyed our coverage of the 20th WOC World Orchid Conference!
To round up our list of things to do and attractions in Philadelphia, we are going to cover Independence Hall, Liberty Bell, Betsy Ross and the American Flag as well as all the yummy stuff at Reading Terminal Market!
We start our historical trail at the independence hall and it all starts here, at the independence square…
Picture of the Independence Square Philadelphia
While we were there, the independence hall was under renovation…
Independence Hall Philadelphia (under reconstruction)
We were led into the hall where the declaration of independence was signed…
Hall where the declaration of Independence was signed
We were told by the tour guide (who by the way is very very knowledgeable) that there are currently 2 actual pieces of articles from George Washington’s time. The rest of the tables and chairs re-modeled to resemble what it was like during that time. So the two articles were…
The painting seen here taken with our Philly Bear from Radisson Hotel
Painting from George Washington’s time
and the chair which George Washington sat on…
Chair with a sun that George Washington sat on
We were told by our guide that George Washington often questioned whether the sun was a rising sun or a setting sun. The answer was obvious…a rising sun…
Next, we were told a piece of information that even most Americans would not know. The declaration of Independence was actually completed on the 2nd of July 1776! Then why was the declaration of independence only signed on 4th of July 1776? According to our guide, it was time taken to amend from the version that Thomas Jefferson had originally drafted. Some of the things like abolition of slavery as well as the mention of the tyranny of the king were removed from the final version…
Next we were led upstairs…
Going upstairs of Independence Hall
The long room upstairs of Independence Hall Philadelphia
Other stuff upstairs…
Piano Independence Hall PhiladelphiaStudy Table Independence Hall PhiladelphiaThe arms in the Ammunition Room @ Independence Hall Philadelphia
The signer was fashioned to commemorate the fore fathers who signed 2 important documents in the history of America – The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States.
The statue of the Signer PhiladelphiaPlaque of the Signer Philadelphia
What we really like about Philadelphia is that life in the city is so delicately interwoven and intertwined with its history. Just a few blocks away, we are along the historical trails where we arrived at the Betsy Ross House. We were just in time for the daily flag raising ceremony at about 10am.
Flag raising ceremony Betsy Ross House Philadelphia
You would almost certainly notice that there are only 13 stars on this flag. This was because it represents the number of states then that participated in the movement…
Betsy Ross Flag with 13 stars
Next we visited the liberty bell with its infamous crack…
The Liberty Bell Philadelphia
Well we didn’t exactly catch the crack (because of the crowd) as we took it from the back angle. There were many stories in the hall that leads up to the bell which tells of why the bell cracked what happened when they rang the bell when the declaration of independence was read and so on…
Hallways of stories about the Liberty Bell
There were many recollections and many interesting snippets about the Liberty Bell, do spend some time reading them!
Next we headed to the famous Reading Terminal Market!
Reading Terminal Market Philadelphia
The reason why we were here was because of Man vs Food (MVF)! At that time, we were still having our Starhub Cable TV, so we watched MVF every Wednesday. This episode recounted the French-Dipped Sandwich of DiNic’s!
Dinic’s Roast Pork and Beef @ Reading Terminal Market
We took the liberty of ordering both the Pork and the Beef sandwich topped one with roasted pepper (Jalapeno – chilli pepper) and the other with Spinach.
Beef Sandwich topped with Roasted Pepper and Pork Sandwich with Spinach @ DiNic’s
We didnt regret it! In fact, even as we’re writing this post, we’re feeling hungry!! The roast was tender and flavourful while the peppers really packed a punch (definitely not for those who do not take chilli). The spinach also complimented the sandwich really really well.
Not only was the food good, there was some eye candy for Kate as well…
Handsome Owner of Dinic’s
As we ventured along the walkways of Reading Terminal Market, we stumbled unto another gem…
Walkways of Reading Terminal MarketBassetts Ice Cream – America’s Oldest Ice Cream Company
The ice cream was o so good! It was because of the high content of butter in Bassetts ice cream, so do take note – especially for those who are watching those calories! The ice cream parlour also packs in alot of history, being established in 1861 and serving in this same spot for a long long long time now…
Peanut Butter Swirl with Rum and Raisin @ Bassetts Ice Cream
There was also chocolates galore here in the Reading Terminal Market…
Chocolates Galore at Reading Terminal Market PhiladelphiaChocolates Galore again at Reading Terminal Market Philadelphia
After the delights, we took a walk along the river and caught a glimpse of the USS New Jersey
USS New Jersey PhiladelphiaOlympia Steel Warship and Becuna Submarine Philadelphia
Along the banks, we saw the Olympia (World’s oldest steel warship afloat today, since 1892) and the Becuna Submarine used during WW2.
Olympia and Becuna Comparison
Further on, we walked by other memorials such as these Vietnam and Korean War Memorial…
Vietnam War Memorial PhiladelphiaKorean War Memorial Philadelphia
On the last day as we walked about town, we came by the famous Philadelphia Stock Exchange…
Philadelphia Stock Exchange
Rounding up the trip, there was just one last thing we had to do…that is to enjoy a Philly Cheesesteak!
Philly Cheese Steak
Philly Cheese Steak from the road stalls, the way the locals have them
Road side stall for Philly Cheese Steaks!
Philadelphia has got to be one of our favouritest place in USA. It has got a rich history, modern architecture and great food. It is a must visit place when you are in the USA!
You can read about the other 2 Philadelphia Posts here…
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There are so many things to do and attractions at Kota Kinabalu! Let’s find out what are the things to do right here in Kota Kinabalu! We thoroughly enjoyed the weekend stay there! Attractions range from Island hopping, getting close to nature or even really really good shopping!
Kate and I managed to accumulate enough Krisflyer points in exchange for 2 tickets to Kota Kinabalu. Quite worth it to join the programme. For this particular trip, we flew on Silkair…
After a 2hrs 20 mins flight, we arrived at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport which looked quite new. From the airport, we took a taxi to Novotel. The taxi was $50RM and it is a fixed price. You will have to purchase a ticket from a shop within the terminal. The good thing is that it is a standard price and you save all the haggling that may be needed for “rogue” taxis.
Again, Kate was the one who arranged the entire trip. It is important to anchor a good location of your hotel so that will be the base where all your activities start. Kate found a relatively good deal on Klook where we stayed at the Novotel @ 1 Borneo Kota Kinabalu for only $70SGD per night.
The good thing about staying at the Novotel is that
1. 4 Star Hotel. It is smelly smelly (hokkien for at least) a 4-star hotel at an attractive rate, offering full hotel service and even a swimming pool for you to chillax under the sun.
2. Close to attractions. It is located away from the city but in the middle of the route to Mount Kinabalu, something that must NOT be missed when you visit Kota Kinabalu. Hence, it is a good location as a base for the attractions, yet still within a 20 mins travel time from the city.
3. Shopping. Located beside One Borneo (nowadays there are alot of One something something sprouting after the One Malaysia concept was introduced), it is currently the largest shopping mall/centre in East Malaysia. Though in a couple of years, it will be overtaken by One Sulaman (yet another One)
4. Free Shuttle Service. This is one of the most important aspect to why Kate chose this location. With the free shuttle service to the city, we could get to and fro for free. The only catch is that you will have to register early for your bus ticket. Priority is also given to guests of hotels in and around One Borneo shopping mall.
Novotel
The hotel itself also exceeded our expectation.
External view of Novotel Kota Kinabalu
The room was spacious and even had a transparent glass that allowed guests to enjoy a bath and watch TV at the same time. For couples, this would be pretty romantic as well.
The King Size Bed Novotel Kota KinabaluTV Console and Fridge Novotel Kota KinabaluBathroom Novotel Kota KinabaluBathtub Novotel Kota KinabaluBusiness Desk Novotel Kota Kinabalu
The swimming pool was also very welcoming, with views of the Crocker Range. Crocker Range is essentially a series of hills. Though they may look tall, locals still regard them as hills.
Kids Pool Novotel Kota KinabaluSwimming pool with water feature that can do shoulder massages at Novotel Kota KinabaluView of Crocker Range from the Pool Kota Kinabalu Novotel
The next most important thing after checking out the room is to check out the bus timings!
Free shuttle bus timings from Novotel Kota Kinabalu
The area to wait for the shuttle bus is at the other end of the One Borneo shopping mall. You can ask for directions at the information counter. It is important to note that this timing is merely a gauge and should be confirmed with the personnel issuing the tickets as timings varies over weekends and weekdays.
Night Market
Known as Pasar Malam (Market Night) in malay, the night market offers locals an avenue to shop for their daily necessities and also to solve their hunger pangs as there are many stalls offering fried noodles, rice, simple malay hawker fare.
Night Market Kota Kinabalu
Our initial plan on the first night was to catch the sunset at the city. However, we were slightly late as there was a traffic jam on the way (remember to buffer time if you are catching the sunset). The sunset timing is more like 6pm than 7pm in Singapore. So bear that in mind.
We also enjoyed some chicken murtabak (indian fried dough with meat , or for those of you who knows prata, it is like prata with meat $2RM) and a refreshing chilled coconut ($4RM)…
Special Murtabak and Coconut from Kota Kinabalu Night Market
Back at the place where we dropped off (Warisan Square, opposite Waterfront) we caught the 9pm bus back to the hotel…
Breakfast @ Novotel
Daily buffet breakfast is included at Novotel. The spread is more or less the same each day. However, they do cater to different tastes so most palates would be satisfied here.
Morning View of Crocker Range from Novotel Kota KinabaluThe buffet spread at Novotel Kota Kinabalu Breakfast
The spread includes noodles or rice, sausages, eggs, grilled tomatoes, baked beans, vegetables, nasi lemak and curry chicken. There are also pastries and breads with various spreads to choose from. Waffles, pancakes, cereals,porridge were available as well.
Appetisers at Kota Kinabalu Novotel Breakfast Buffet
At the appetisers corner, there were various juices such as guava, orange and apple juice to choose from. Milk and soya bean milk were available as well. Fruits and appetisers such as pasta salad, salami, smoked salmon were available on different days.
Overview of the breakfast restaurant at Novotel Kota Kinabalu
It is strongly recommended for visitors (2 or less) to take the tours. Each person costs $180-200 RM that includes, lunch, guided tour, return trip, mount kinabalu park, pekan nabalu (small village/town where you can get the best view of the mountain),poring hot springs,tree top walk,dr fish spa and nature trekking.
The package is a day tour that starts from 8am to 6pm (depending on traffic). Really well worth it we must say. It is also important to follow an experienced agency and in our case, we chose Exotic Borneo. They arranged our time to cover Kinabalu first knowing the local weather that it may drizzle or pour in the afternoon. True enough, it did!
Our first stop was Pekan Nabalu, a small town that has really sweet pineapples, souvenirs and of course, stunning views of the majestic Mount Kinabalu.
View of Mount KinabaluClose up view of Mount Kinabalu
Do not miss out on the pineapples. They cost $2RM a packet and is really as sweet as it gets, we thought perhaps they might have been dipped in sugar syrup! But of course not, it tasted naturally sweet. Enjoy!
The next stop we headed to was a private garden from the locals where we saw the largest flower in the world, the Rafflesia!
The largest flower in the World – The Rafflesia
The thing about the Rafflesia is that it occurs naturally. Even when scientists wanted to cultivate them, they were unable to. It is a parasitic plant that feeds off the vine like a tumour. It also blooms only 4 to 6 weeks a year and you really have to be at the correct time to see them.
When the flower is in bloom, banners would be placed outside these private gardens and costs $30RM per visit. For this particular garden, we travelled about 5 minutes, crossing a small river before we got there.
“Treacherous” Journey to see the RafflesiaBlooming process of the Rafflesia explainedThe Rafflesia in bloom and its bud Kota KinabaluThe Rafflesia disintegrates after its bloom
Because of its rarity in bloom, the locals will protect the area around the Rafflesia to prevent wild animals from feeding on them. According to our guide, Andy, the flowers occurred naturally in abundance in the past. However, locals did not understand their uniqueness and importance in research. When the flowers were in the bud stage, they would kick them about like a soccer ball!
The flower also gives off a pungent smell, much like rotten meat. But this time we did not smell it, could be due to the wind direction. Still, if the flower is in bloom, do drop by a take a look. Helps in preservation by contributing to the locals, and also gives you an experience to enjoy the largest flower in bloom!
Poring Hot Springs
Next, we headed to Poring hot springs, of course, naturally occurring, where Kate enjoyed her book while dipping in the waters of the hot spring.
Tom on the other hand was given a tour by Andy on route to the Tree Top Walk.
Map of Poring Hot Springs Kota KinabaluOld bridge that linked to Poring hot springs in Kota KinabaluNew bridge (Concrete and not swaying) to Poring Hot Springs in Kota KinabaluPoring Hot Springs Kota Kinabalu where Kate dipped her feet and enjoyed a book
Kate complained about missing stoppers at the hot springs. So she had to “prey” on other visitors and as they left, Kate would “take over” their territory…
At the same time, Tom followed Andy on a little trek towards the tree top walk. It is quite steep at the beginning so make sure you anticipate this if you are going for the tree top walk.
Along the way, we saw these interesting parts of nature…
Can you see the spiderwebs galore?Ferns on top of a tree looking like an umbrella in Kota Kinabalu Forest
Huge Bamboos in Kota Kinabalu Forest
Possibly the World’s largest Ants!
Furry Caterpillars emerging from beneath the leaves
First Bridge at Tree Top Walk at Kota Kinabalu
We must first state upfront that the tree top walk is not for the faint of heart. Bridges are interconnected from TREE to TREE. The bridges also sway from side to side and for tall dudes like Tom, there’s a real possibility of falling over the side. What Tom did was to bend his knees while walking such that the netting would still be at the shoulder level.
Of course, at each stop of the tree walk, you would be greeted with amazing views such as this…
View from Tree Top Walk Kota Kinabalu“Winnie the Pooh Tree” in Kota Kinabalu
Andy told us that bees build their hives on top such trees because bears are not able to climb the trunk of these trees. The smooth surface do not provide the grip for the bears, thus giving safety to the bees. If you observe closely, it is like the tree in Winnie the Pooh!
Looking down from the tree top walk at Kota Kinabalu
To give our visitors a feel of the tree top walk, here it is…
“Death Defying” Tree Top Walk!
We ventured back to Poring Hot Springs to pick Kate and left for Kipungit Waterfall. The waterfall was about 400m high and had Dr Fish as its inhabitants! Free foot spa!! Yay!
Kipungit Waterfall Kota KinabaluDr Fish feeding off dead skin on Tom’s feet at Kota Kinabalu Kitpungit Waterfalls
From there, we took a half hour ride to Fair Garden Restaurant for lunch. The food was very good and portions were great for 2 people. Best of all, it was included in the package!
Fried Rice with Soup at Fair Garden Restaurant Kota KinabaluCrispy Chicken at Fair Garden Restaurant Kota KinabaluSweet and Sour Fish at Fair Garden Restaurant Kota Kinabalu
The food was definitely Chinese restaurant standard and there were also vegetables, fruits and Chinese Tea as well.
We then headed to the Botanical Gardens where we did the forest trail, the shortest one was Silau Silau Trail (to Bukit Tupai) that took us about 40 minutes. Kate and I enjoy such trails but according to Andy, most tourists dont take these trails.
Along the way, we saw what could possibly be the world’s smallest fern!
Possibly, the world’s smallest fern found at Kota Kinabalu
Andy then led us to this roadside stall that sells black pig (RM5), it was delicious especially with the home made sauce concocted by the owners…
Black Pig BBQ at Kota KinabaluThe BBQed Black Pig with Sauce at Kota Kinabalu- Yummy!
Thanks to Andy from Exotic Borneo, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves!
At night, Kate and I caught Johnny English 2 for only RM9 each!
On Sundays, there is a large market being put up by the locals in the city. Known as the Gaya Market, it offers locals and tourists alike, an avenue to shop!
Gaya Sunday Market Kota Kinabalu
We took a video for our visitors to have a feel of the market itself. There was also a musician playing on the gong which we thought was interesting…
A walk through Gaya Market
Musician on Traditional Gong at Gaya Market
Nearby, we were told that Signal Hill offered a marvelous view of Kota Kinabalu City. The starting point was at the Atkinson Clock on the top right of this picture…
Gaya Market to Atkinson Clock Kota Kinabalu
After 15 minutes, we arrived at the Atkinson Clock…
The Atkinson Clock Kota KinabaluDirection to Signal Hill Observatory Kota Kinabalu
Following the road for another 5 minutes or so, we were greeted by this view…
View of Gaya Island from Signal Hill Observatory Kota KinabaluView of City from Signal Hill Observatory Kota Kinabalu
Breathtaking View from Signal Hill Observatory
After all that walking, Kate decided to reward herself with a foot reflexology at Suria Mall. It was only RM48 for 1 hour of foot reflexology and foot bath.
We then had lunch at the famous Kuo Man restaurant of the Suria foodcourt. The beef noodles was yummy. Noodles were Q (springy) and the beef was flavourful. The view of the islands from the food court was excellent as well…
Kuo Man Restaurant Kota KinabaluBeef Noodles from Kota KinabaluView of Gaya Island with boardwalk Kota Kinabalu
Planning for the next day of island visits, we headed to the Jesselton Point
Jesselton Point Kota KinabaluView from Jesselton Jetty Kota KinabaluTicketing booths for ferries at Jesselton Point
From there, we decided to go for only Manukan Island. Gaya Island being the largest is the most touristy. So it was out for us. It was then down to Mamutik, Manukan or Sapi. Manukan and Sapi was recommended for snorkelling. So Mamutik was out. Of the 2, we chose Manukan because Sapi had deeper waters (not good from the safety point of view). So by the process of elimination, we decided to go for Manukan!
An island ferry costs RM20 per pax and costs an additional RM10 for each additional island. You would also have to pay a conservation tax of RM7.20. At the island, there is also an entrance fee of RM10 for foreigners and RM3 for locals.
In the evening, we headed back to One Borneo shopping mall for more shopping! The deals were great especially because Parkson was celebrating its anniversary and giving out crazy deals!
Parkson Department Store Kota Kinabalu
We bought shoes, pants, shirts, dresses among other things that were 70% off! In the shopping mall, there is a Giant Hypermarket as well as many other small shops for you to explore!
Giant Hypermarket Kota KinabaluCentral Atrium Kota KinabaluSouth Atrium Kota Kinabalu
Island Visit – Manukan
It was pouring in the morning and we thought that our day of island visit was over. However, the “storm” cleared and we did enjoy a sunny day at Manukan!
Got our tickets from Beach Bums to visit Manukan Island
When we bought the tickets from beach bums, lifejacket (RM5) and snorkelling sets (RM20) were also available for rent.
The ride out was a bumpy one and Kate kept holding on to Tom’s arms leaving finger marks when we arrived at Manukan!
Boat Ride to Manukan Island
Bumpy Boat Ride from Kota Kinabalu (Jesselton) to Manukan Island
Map of Manukan Island Kota Kinabalu
The island was beautiful and by the time we dipped into the water, the sun came out! The waters were clear and we were able to see the fishes and enjoy sand playing at the beach…
Jetty of Manukan Island Kota KinabaluThe Beach at Manukan Island Kota KinabaluClear Waters at Manukan Island Kota Kinabalu2bearbear.com Sand Castle at Manukan Island
On the ride back, we were also able to see Mount Kinabalu from a distance!
Mount Kinabalu on route back from ManukanClose Up View of Mount Kinabalu
After we got back, we decided to catch the sunset again this evening. We still had about an hour to spare so Kate decided to go for the classy Rafflesia Spa @ Warisan Square (RM55 + 6% tax) while Tom waited at Shamrock Pub (Irish).
Sunset from Shamrock Pub (Waterfront)Beautiful Skies as seen from Shamrock Pub Kota Kinabalu Waterfront
Beautiful Sunset – See how the colours of the skies change
Dinner was at the Irish pub as well and we enjoyed the Homemade Beef Burger and Irish Stew (RM30 each).
Homemade Beef Burger Shamrock Irish Pub Kota KinabaluIrish Stew with Sides Shamrock Irish Pub Kota Kinabalu
The next day was a chill out at the pool for us. All in all, it was a thoroughly enjoyable trip to Kota Kinabalu. Check out all these things to do and attractions in Kota Kinabalu and be sure to leave your comments back here!
We shall now leave you with a view from the our Silkair flight as we left the Kota Kinabalu International Airport…
View of the islands from the plane (Sunset Included)
Halloween Horror Nights @ Universal Studios Singapore (Resorts World Sentosa) has got to be the best Halloween-themed event we’ve been to!
The tickets not only allow visitors to be frightened at 5 different scare zones, there are also 2 haunted houses and 4 attractions rides (including battlestar galactica Cylon/Human) to keep visitors entertained from 8pm till 12 midnight.
The prices of the tickets costs $60 each and if you pay an additional $20 dollars, you would be able to enjoy the express pass to all 4 attractions (Battlestar Galactica Cylon/Human, Accelerator and Revenge of the Mummy). If you had recently applied for Maybank credit cards, you would have also received a pair of free passes to the event.
So, the plan was, to head directly to the attractions and take a few rides before the crowd overwhelms these attractions (by the time we left, the waiting time for battlestar galactica was 90minutes). However, the catch was , you would have to be the first few to navigate through the first 3 scare zones….
Event guide to Halloween Horror Nights Universal Studios Singapore
Map of Halloween Horror Nights Universal Studios Singapore
Looking at the map, you would notice that in order to reach Battlestar Galactica, you would have to navigate through the first 3 zones – CarnEvil, Post-Apocalyptic Rage as well as the Void…
CarnEvil
Since we were very focused, Kate and I were among the first to make a beeline to Battlestar Galactica. It was scary…
Entrance to CarnEvil
Since we were the first ones to enter, the scareactors have no one but YOU to scare, they would all turn their focus on YOU! So, there are basically 2 ways to navigate pass CarnEvil
1. Act like you’re on the phone. This was taught to us by an American kid who was here the previous week. When you seem uninterested or pre-occupied with something else, the scareactors will normally let you off.
2. Stick to the sidewalks. For CarnEvil, the sidewalks are still pretty much the merchandise shops or restaurants, so they are still very safe from the actors.
So that was what we did, stuck to the sidewalks and move on. We managed to take a video of the CarnEvil Ring Master who was game enough to strike a pose for us…
The Director
Having passed CarnEvil, you would be greeted by the Director. Yes, he is the one who is on the cover of the advertisements and brochures of Halloween Horror Nights. Scary dude…
The Director @ Halloween Horror Nights Universal Studios Singapore
Kate managed to catch a picture of him looking at our camera! Spine-chilling eh? He is also constantly on the lookout for other ‘victims’ as they pass by…
Post Apocalyptic Rage
This zone is easily the scariest of all zones at Halloween Horror Nights. The scareactors are really on. Not only that, when we finally navigated past CarnEvil with a few others, everyone (about 10 of us) were too scared to enter because the fog restricted our view and we really do not know what was ahead…
But in order to enjoy Battlestar Galactica , we had to brave this zone….though we really should have let others go ahead first…take a look at how one victim was scared by an ‘undead’ scareactor…
Imagine 10 of such actors ‘attacking’ Kate and I as we navigated past them! They were all closing in on us just like in the movies! So, we literally ran! (P.s. there were no side walks here). The fog also hindered our flight and we ran into more ‘undead’ as we tried to exit this zone!
The Void
The Void is a zone where a mad scientist has created ‘freaks’ such as frankensteins with brains exposed. The 2 zones (The Void and Post-Apocalyptic Rage) were almost joined, so barely after we exited one, we entered another…and still, we were the first ones and all the scareactors came after us! Ahh!!! So we had to “ask direction” from one of the staff (they are wearing their normal black Polo-Ts) so as to seek refuge from the scareactors!
Yup, we continued running! Close to the end of the zone, we saw the mad scientist performing an experiment on his next victim…
Battlestar Galactica Cylon/Human
Finally, after fleeing and fighting monsters for 3 zones, we got to Battlestar Galactica! Yay! We were the first ones there and therefore enjoyed front seats of both rides (Human and Cylon) before the crowd came.
Battlestar Galactica is actually a roller coaster ride that launches side by side, of course one of them represents Cylon (overhanging roller coaster) and the other Human (seated rollercoaster).
Battlestar Galactica
Entrance to Cylon
Cylon. First we visited Cylon, the overhanging ride. We were able to get the front row seat as we’re the first to arrive! The ride first propels you (not climb slowly) up to the top of the first peak as you drop down free-falling down the highest point of the ride. The rest of the ride makes you feel as though your dangling legs are going to hit the structures. Another highlight of the ride were the twists and overhanging portions where you navigate several seconds of the ride inverted. The last highlight of the ride has got to be one where the ride brings you at full force towards a white platform and as you think you’re not going to hit the platform, you’re wrong! You go straight into it! The ‘white platform’ is actually a water mist section, so as you emerge, you would heave a sigh of relieve…phew…didnt crash land there…
Human. We’ve got to say that both rides are enjoyable. But the ride that has a more thrilling effect on the first and highest peak has got to be Human. This is because it’s a seated roller coaster, and as you drop, the roller coaster “drops with you” , making you feel as though your heart’s dropping as well. Unlike Cylon, the overhanging ride pulls you up as you descend so you feel a little ‘safer’. Also because you can grab hold of the overhanging safety secure that covers your chest but you cant do that for Human as it secures you from bottom up, essentially leaving you without “cover” from chest up. The other highlight has got to be a almost 90 degrees turn that made us feel the G effect as we negotiated the bend.
Conclusion: Both rides are cool! May the best species survive…
The Edge of Darkness
After leaving Battlestar Galactica, there were still few people around (must have got stuck at the first few scare zones) so we decided to go for “Revenge of the Mummy”. Guess what, we had to navigate past the scareactors at the entrance of The Edge of Darkness. There was an “undead”, werewolf lookalike and a skeletal wizard. Of course they scared us as we were the first ones there…
Entrance to Revenge of the Mummy
As we entered the ride, we had to go through a long maze for about a minute before we reached the ride. While walking, we didnt see no one and it was getting kind of scary. (Tip for USS : if there was a scareactor along the queue, it would have upped the scare effect) We were the only ones on our ride again! The ride was especially scary when there’s no one else. The ups and downs of the roller coaster was done in pitch darkness so that was somewhat enjoyable as well (not knowing what turns or drop to expect next).
Leaving the ride, we entered the last zone which was the disco arena, 44Sins.
44Sins
The entrance was guarded by scareactors and we were really deciding whether to enter. But there was a lady who offered us a promotion to have free flow of Tiger Beer (on draft) for $30 which she said would grant us the courage for the night ahead. So we took the offer which by the way came with a shot of orange vodka.
Free Flow of Beer in Halloween Horror Nights Mug that blinks!
As we entered, the skeletal guy and muscular Eyptian man scared us but really, as you enter 44Sins, it is the ‘safe zone’, the scareactors here are really dancers and it’s quite funny when you see skeletal guy and ‘undead’ rocking the dance floor. Even the DJs were in masks…
We were also in time to see a dance performance put up by the scareactors…
We missed the 2 haunted houses (Vengeance of the Matriarch and The Pestilence) because we had enough frights for the night navigating through the scarezones as the only visitors. So we chilled and danced the night away at 44Sins…
On the way out, we had huge slice of Hawaiian pizza at Louie’s. It was $9 bucks but totally worth it as the crust was fluffy, something unique from normal pizzas. Do give it a try…
All in all, Halloween Horror Nights @ Universal Studios Singapore has been an excellent event and must be one of the most happening place for the Halloween theme.
Kudos to the USS producers , choreographers and scareactors!
There are so many things to do and attractions in Philadelphia! Let’s find out what are the things to do right here in Philadelphia!
Venturing on, we passed by the Franklin Institute where we caught a glimpse of Benjamin Franklin seated near its entrance…
The Franklin Institute PhiladelphiaStatue of Benjamin Franklin Philadelphia
There were also tonnes of statues along the way, commemorating different people and events (Philadelphians, care to help us name them?)…
Statue PhiladelphiaGeneral Tadeusz Kosciuszko Statue PhiladelphiaEakins Oval statue philadelphiaClose up of Eakins Oval statue philadelphia
We then saw an iconic structure…the Philadelphia Museum of Art
Philadelphia Museum of Art
It was here where Rocky (in the movie) ran up these steps (known as “Rocky” steps) as he trained…which is why the Rocky statue is also situated nearby…
Rocky Statue Philadelphia
We had a refreshing view of the river along the Schuylkill River Trail…
Along Schuylkill River Trail Philadelphia
Near the waterworks was a familiar figure…
Abraham Lincoln Statue Philadelphia
Although not nearly as large as its Washington counterpart, but just as iconic.
On the way back, we also saw a statue of Joan of Arc…
Statue of Joan of Arc Philadelphia
as well as the St. Paul and St. Peter Church…
St. Paul and St. Peter Church Philadelphia
We also caught another view of the City Hall as well as the Independence Hall which we intend to visit the next day…
Another view of the City Hall PhiladelphiaIndependence Hall Philadelphia
A wonderful sunset drew the day to a close as we ended our dinner at Elvez, a mexican modern restaurant…
Sunset Philadelphia USAElvez – Mexican Modern Restaurant Philadelphia
To our surprise, the restaurant was fully packed for dinner and we were advised to return an hour later. We didnt make a booking because we didnt know if our hunger would over come us. Still, we saved the space in our tummies and returned to Elvez at about 8:30pm. It was still very crowded but the friendly staff gave us a cosy table for 2…
There are several famous foods at Elvez and we tried the 2 Nachos, namely Macho Nachos as well as Nachos with Guacamole…
Macho Nachos El Vez Mexican Restaurant Philadelphia
Macho Nachos has got to be the best Nachos we’ve ever tasted. All the ingredients used were fresh and the flavours bursts in your mouth literally as you enter for the first bite. Hints of lime, mighty cheese, a little bit of spice,olives,fresh tomatoes and the meat all blended together to give that WOW taste…you’ve got to try it if you’re there!
Next, we also tried the famous original Elvez Guacamole Nachos…
Original Elvez Guacamole Nachos
Again, the ingredients were fresh and the portions were huge. The taste of the guacamole didnt disappoint and went interestingly well with the Nachos. Another favourite here…
We accompanied our dinner with a couple of drinks…
Cocktails at Elvez PhiladelphiaSangria at Elvez Philadelphia
In our next post, we will give the details of the heritage trails (independence Hall, liberty bell, betsy ross house)
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There are so many things to do and attractions in Philadelphia! Let’s find out what are the things to do right here in Philadelphia!
Philadelphia is one of our favourite city in the United States. It is really the amalgamation (combination) of all things great for a tourist.
The city is rich in history, with the liberty (declaration of independence), liberty bell and the american revolutionary war as its background. However, a few blocks down you will see modern buildings such as the Comcast Centre, One Liberty Place and Two Liberty Place. There is really a good intertwine between the modern facade and history of the city. Walking in the historic district makes one feels like you are walking back into colonial times as well. For more about colonial USA, click here.
But to a traveller and tourist , a complete coverage of a city comes with its food! (well at least that’s true @ 2bearbear.com) Philadelphia is famous for….drum rolls….Philly Cheesesteaks! We’ll also visit some of the other famous eateries in Reading Terminal Market and of course features from Man VS Food (MVF)!
We started our drive early this weekend once again. The drive was approximately 4 hours and we were able to stop by the Jefferson Memorial (something we missed when we visted Washington DC the last time).
The Thomas Jefferson MemorialThe man himself – Thomas Jefferson
Did you know that Thomas Jefferson was not only one of the founding fathers but also the main author of the Declaration of Independence?
As we approached our hotel (Radisson Hotel Philadelphia), we were greeted by this building and awed by the city hall on the horizon…
Starting to feel the colonial flavour in PhiladelphiaColonial-era Structures in Philly?Philadelphia City Hall on the horizon!
We were somewhat misled by the GPS as we entered the central business district (CBD), the tall buildings must have clouded out the signals. However, we did eventually arrive at our destination – Radisson Hotel Philadelphia!
Elegant Lobby of Radisson Hotel PhiladelphiaIntricate paintings on ceiling of Radisson Hotel PhiladelphiaChandelier in the Lobby of Radisson Hotel Philadelphia
We were also pleasantly surprised by the room which was spacious yet had the cosy feel to it…
Comfortable Bed of Radisson Hotel PhiladelphiaBath tub of Radisson Hotel PhiladelphiaDressing table of Radisson Hotel Philadelphia
We quickly unloaded our stuff and headed out towards the city hall and we were greeted by him!
Phillie Phanatic in Philadelphia
All over town we could see many many different versions of him wearing different costumes and designs. We then took several pictures around the city hall area…
City Hall PhiladelphiaStructures around the City Hall area in PhiladelphiaIntertwining history with modern structures – Philadelphia
Soon we entered the much talked about Comcast Centre. Not only because it is the tallest building in Philadelphia, but also because of these magical screens…
Comcast Centre PhiladelphiaComcast Centre Screen as part of the wall….
The screens displayed images so realistic that without looking closer, you would have thought the screens were part of the wall…(Note that the lines between the screens are also part of the screen) then it happened, it began displayed videos and animation. The smaller screens were integrated as part of a larger screen…
Black Screen on Comcast Center PhiladelphiaAnimation at Comcast Center PhiladelphiaVideo with piano keys at Comcast Center Philadelphia
In our next post we will show you more of Philadelphia!
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deal.com.sg, goCrazy.com.sg, gobbler.com.sg, groupon.com.sg etc etc etc…there are so many online discount coupon/vouchers sites these days! Initially Tom and I were skeptical about these so-called “good deals” and we were worried about pushy sales people, so we let these deals slipped by. But one night as I was bored and surfing the internet to pass time, I came across this “$199 2D1N Philea Resort” deal. The photos of the resort look really inviting and I decided to check out the resort’s official website. Philea Resort was completed and officially opened in August 2010. Since it is still fairly new (it was Feb 2011 when we checked out the resort), we decided to book a weekend trip to Philea Resort Malacca in May 2011.
Philea Resort Malacca (Melaka) – Doesnt it look inviting
Our experience was marred by a 2 hour traffic jam at the Malaysia customs, and we arrived at the resort at about 3pm instead of the scheduled time of 1pm. We were hot and tired after the long bus ride but thankfully the check-in was smooth and there were welcome drinks and cold towels that quenched our thirst and refreshed us.
Refreshing drinks at the lobby of Philea Resort MelakaBuggy that transported us around the Philea Hotel
The hotel staff then helped us put our bags onto a buggy (is it pronounced as “Bud-gy” or “Buggie”?) and drove us to our room. On our way up, we could see the landscape of the resort, the tranquil swimming pool, and the spa facilities. We quickly settled into our room, checked out the amenities in the room (free pretty slippers!), and head down to the pool for a swim.
Front of our “cottage” roomBathtub Philea MelakaRain Shower Philea Resort MelakaCoffee Tea and Mineral Water in the roomThe inviting and comfortable bed! Philea Resort MelakaSculptured Lamp Shades in the room that depicts famous attractions in Melaka (Malacca)Bathroom Amenities!Waterfall Feature by the Pool Philea MelakaOpposite the Waterfall – Chill out lounges Philea Resort MelakaFront View of the Waterfall – Chillax by the pool Philea Resort Malacca
As it was a Saturday night, there was a seafood buffet dinner deal! Only RM69++ (approx $33SGD) per pax! The spread was awesome (esp the desserts for me, and the seafood for Tom), and we ate so much that we could hardly move. We even able to eat 2 whole snappers by ourselves and it was fresh and tasty! The BBQ corner also included other seafood such as prawn and crayfish. Yum! The quiet stroll back to our room on a cool night aided with the digestion, and we enjoyed the peaceful evening away from the crowded city life.
Table Setting at the buffetCooked Food SpreadCharming appetisers Philea Resort MelakaSeafood Spread + BBQ area with grilled snapper, crayfish at Philea Resort MelakaChocolate Fondue Philea Resort MalaccaDesserts!Complimented with fruits
The next morning, we woke up early to walk around the resort and take in the fresh air. Soon we were hungry and we made our way to the restaurant where the breakfast buffet (included in the package) is served. Once again, the variety of food made us happy. With chefs at the different stations to cook roti prata, waffles and pancakes on the spot, and the spread from an international buffet, we were really spoiled for choice 🙂
Roof with Water Feature at Philea Resort MelakaPhilea Resort Melaka Breakfast BuffetMore Food!Pastries and Yoghurt
After breakfast, we lazed by the pool and got a nice tan. It was a relaxing weekend, and we were all ready to conquer another week at work! 🙂
P.S Go visit Philea while it is still rather new and clean!
P.P.S Remember to plan activities for the bus trip eg card games or dvd to watch in case you get stuck in a unexpected traffic jam.
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This weekend, Kate and I decided to attend the Singtel Formula One F1 Grand Prix Night Race Street Circuit Singapore (what a mouthful!). As mentioned during a previous post, we are not really fans of F1. However, the main attraction for us this time round was Rick Astley and Shakira! (With hits such as Together Forever, Never gonna give you up, Hips dont lie, Waka Waka)
However, in order to catch them in the Fan Zone (dedicated area in front of the stage at Padang), we had to arrive at 3pm (gates open at 3pm) to get the Fan tickets that allowed us to enter the Fan Zone. It was quite fun to see that as soon as the gate opened, there were many people running towards the Padang Stage to get the fan tickets. We estimated that it was about a 200 metres sprint. Many faltered along the way, at the escalators and at the stairs.
For future fan zone tickets, it is worthy to note that even after most have gotten their fan zone tickets, there were still extra. So it really was unnecessary to run….
The first place we headed to was the Esplanade to catch the Rick Astley concert! There was already a long queue when we re-entered at 5pm! We entered from gate 3 because it was easily accessible via the City Hall MRT station/interchange.
Along the way, we got to catch the Porsche race as well…
However, we were slightly late for the Rick Astley concert
See how crowded it was!
Hence we had to settle for a bird’s eye view and enjoy an unobstructed view of the city…
Are you able to spot the energetic dancer in this clip? Clue: He is in white…
Next we headed to glutton’s bay to quelch our hunger. The prices were actually jerked up for the F1, fried oyster can cost up to $12 and people actually ordered it!
Of course we had to rush our dinner to ensure that we had a good view at Shakira’s concert…thankfully, there was a extension right in the middle of the stage that allowed Shakira to get closer to the fans in the middle. This was where we caught an excellent view of her.
Halfway through the concert, an enthusiastic fan just mounted upon his friend and bashed their way closer to the stage! But we could see he was a fan, being able to sing all the songs in Spanish as well…
After the performance, we are convinced that she is actually a very good performer live…take a look at these clips…
Shakira Dancing to the beat of the drums
Shakira on the harmonica and performing “Gypsy”
Shakira also did perform Hips Dont Lie and Waka Waka after the encore chants from the fans. This was how the concert ended, with mini fire works and confetti…
After the concert, we hurried back to catch the qualifying…however we were only able to catch the Q3 and final lap by the time we were seated (it took quite a while before we could leave the concert area at Padang)…
It was another long wait to leave the Bay Grandstand. However, we did enjoy this year’s F1 Race. We think that with all the festivities (sourvenirs, tents for food and drinks as well as concerts), it makes Singtel Formula One Singapore an unique event and one that is really prominent on the F1 calendar.
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After planning for so many holidays, we at 2bearbear.com have decided to share some of the things to look out for to successfully plan your own holiday and vacation.
1. Plan early. This is especially so when you are going away for long holidays during peak periods. Planning early for your vacation can help to ease some of the last minute anxieties. Removing these anxieties can help to ensure your holiday will be a stress-free one. Not only so, here are some of the other benefits of why you should plan early for your next holiday or vacation…
a. Better Prices for air fares / hotels. Planning early can help you lock in the low prices especially when you know that you are travelling during peak seasons , summer vacations, special events. You might have noticed by now that when you travel during these peak seasons or special events, prices are radically higher closer to the season. If you book 2 to 3 months earlier, chances are you would have locked in a lower price. Of course there are last minute flights/hotels kind of deals, but you really know that these are good for off-peak periods.
b. Personal arrangements. Planning early can also give you time to make personal arrangements. For instance, you may want to lock in your leave period so that you can de-conflict the timings with your colleagues. Also, you can have time to ensure who is looking after the house/kids/pets while you are away.
c. Anticipate. Of course, the best part of planning early is that as you go about your busy schedule each day, knowing that you will be rewarded with a well-deserved holiday not far from the horizon. In fact, studies have shown that one derives substantial happiness by the mere fact of anticipating an upcoming holiday. So go on, plan your next holiday early and start deriving the joy of happiness now! 🙂
2. Budget. It is important to tie down your budget early when you start planning for your next vacation. You will need to run through how much air fares, hotels, daily expenses (including that splurge on a posh dinner), souvenirs (all the toys,candies,biscuits etc for your kids, family and colleagues), transport and miscellaneous stuff cost.
These small little items can sometimes over run your initial budget estimate. And when you over run your budget, that’s when anxiety sets in to disrupt your holiday. Hence, it is always important to include all of these in your budgeting. The last thing you want on your mind when you go on your holiday is to always think about conversions and how much to spend/save. Before you know it, your holiday would be long gone and you might have to contend with the bills thereafter.
It is therefore wise to think ahead, if you’re only buying gifts for mum and dad, then stick to it. Enjoy the holiday and vacation knowing that you have planned ahead for the expenses along the way.
3. Know what you want to do. Unlike joining tour groups or programmes of travel agencies, the flexibility of planning your holiday is that you can pretty much go wherever you want and do whatever you want during your holiday. Having said that, it is always important to know what you want to do there. This pretty much depends on your objectives.
Say for example, you just want to laze at the beach, then there is not much that you need to plan for except that sun tan lotion / UV protection. However, if you are going to visit theme parks, museums and famous attractions, then it is wise to pen them down and decide when you’re gonna visit them. Dont forget the transport time as well.
However, if you are unsure of what you want to do but still want to visit that country/location, you are pretty much recommended to visit the country/location with a travel group/agency for the first time. Thereafter, you can plan for a second visit on your own.
4. Things will go wrong (Murphy’s Law). It is always important to keep an open mind when you are travelling. According to Murphy’s Law , whatever can go wrong will go wrong! Bottom line is – things will go wrong!
Can you believe that Kate and I actually landed in a wrong airport before?! But it is important to just pick up the pieces and embrace it with an open heart. Thereafter, we enjoyed a well deserved meal and continued to enjoy the rest of the holiday. On a smaller scale, you might have forgotten your shaver or even your mobile or lap top. It is not the end of the world, your holiday is still awaiting. Enjoy what you have planned! Looking back, it is just fun for us to recall the incident and the memory sticks with us. If it had not gone wrong, we would have just continued with our holiday without another memorial incident.
5. Enjoy! Last but not least, enjoy the holiday! Enjoy the thrill of anticipation and the holiday itself!
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To learn more about the history of USA, look no further than a visit to Colonial Williamsburg.
Kate and I looked upon this trip with much anticipation because we were told that this is a town re-constructed to be like that during Colonial times. We were also told that not only the structures were colonial, even the actors in Colonial Williamsburg dressed as a person during those times. So we were fascinated to just take a step back in time and history into Colonial times through Colonial Williamsburg. Actually, towns like these pretty much reminded us about the Village by M Night Shyamalan. Cool!
We parked our car at the designated car park and bought our tickets at the ticketing counter. At the entrance, there was a huge 3-D map of the entire Colonial Williamsburg!
3D Map of Colonial Williamsburg
Pictures of what you would be expecting at Colonial Williamsburg.
Collage of scenes at Colonial Williamsburg
As we proceeded to the town, there were little milestones on the floor that leads you into thinking that you have been magically transported back in time….
Away from 21st Century…
Famous Quotes of USA Nation Makers along the way
J F Kennedy “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country”Rosa Parks Colonial WilliamsburgHenry Ford Colonial WilliamsburgThomas Edison Colonial WilliamsburgAbraham Lincoln Colonial Williamsburg
After a short walk, we “magically” arrived at Colonial Williamsburg
Pathway to the townTowards The Town Hall in Colonial WilliamsburgAuthentic Horse-drawn Carriage Colonial Williamsburg
We first took a short visit to the armoury to see all the weapons stored there. The armskote was telling a story about how they prepared themselves for the battle. It really sounded as if you were right there getting ready for the revolution!
Armskote telling stories at the Armoury
We took out the programme sheet and headed for the first “show”
Programme sheet at Colonial Williamsburg
It was very exciting to be part of the show! The actors addressed all the audience as if they were villagers during the colonial times…
Addressing the “Villagers” at Colonial WilliamsburgArrival with music at Colonial Williamsburg
When the “traitor” spoke, actors that were planted in the audience jeered and all the audience jeered along as well!
Jeering at the “Traitor” at Colonial Williamsburg
A pastor sharing during the Colonial times and the imminent battle…
Pastor from Colonial TimesAnnouncing the arrival of the Hero!
And the Hero is none other than General George Washington himself
General George Washington addressing the Villagers at Colonial Williamsburg
After all that drama and fantastic show put up by the actors of Colonial Williamsburg (really inspiring speech from Washington), we headed to the “local bakery”!
Products at the local bakery @ Colonial WilliamsburgTouch screen cashier at the bakery
As it was right after the show, everyone headed out for lunch. Good thing Kate and I targetted the bakery early and we arrived amongst the first at the queue (sigh…kiasu Singaporean nature). Here, we enjoyed the chocolate chip cookie, ginger bread as well as the root beer!
But Kate forgot to ask to open the root beer, so we had to queue again to get it opened….ahh…thirst quencher…
Thereafter, we took a short walk around the rest of the area. There are buses that take you from one place to another, but you can also choose to walk. We also realised that there are lodges where you can totally immerse yourself in colonial history!
High class eating places at the Market Square of Colonial WilliamsburgA Church in Colonial Williamsburg
All in all, we totally enjoyed ourselves. The actors immersed in their roles and that brought the characters to life, bringing/ transporting the audience back in time!
P.S. We visited Philadelphia later and learnt that the declaration of independence was actually completed on 2 July! There were things such as the abolishment of slavery and tyranny of the king included in the first draft, therefore it took 2 more days for refinement. Hence, the 4th of July. Picked this piece of information from the tour guide at the independence hall! Interesting!
P.S.S After we returned the car this particular weekend, we had a bad encounter at the 7-11. We were told by the cashier that 2 hotdogs were on offer at $2.50 but when she keyed into the cashier, we were charged $2.50 per hot dog! Sigh…so we piled on the cheese, radish and onions to make our hotdogs more hua…
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From Kate’s extensive research, Woodbury Common Premium Outlet is the “must-go” when you are in New York. It boasts of iconic brands and labels from all over the world. Girls go crazy there.
So we set off really early in the morning (at 3:15am, 15 mins behind schedule) as it was a long drive (7 hours). Something I’ve got to do to please the other bearbear. So Kate as usual gave me my shoulder massages and fed me as we drove…
Setting off at Dawn to Woodbury Common Premium Outlet New YorkFirst Stop at Royal Farm
We also got to catch the sunrise!
Sunrise on route to Woodbury Common Premium Outlet
Along the way, there were hefty tolls (amounting to $44.30 to and fro!) but there were also nice bridges to look at…
Bridges along the way to Woodbury Common Premium OutletBridges along the way to Woodbury Common Premium Outlet
Finally, after hours of driving and getting my butt all achy, we reached our destination!
Signboard of Woodbury Common Premium Outlet
By the time we got there, it was 10am. I was dead beat while Kate was raring to go at the shops! The whole area looked like a little village nestled in a Valley (literally – Central Valley). Look at the hills at the background of these pictures…
Valley of Woodbury Common Premium OutletCarpark of Woodbury Common Premium Outlet New York
We soon realised that items here were really cheap compared to back home in Singapore. This is especially so for USA goods such as Polo Ralph Lauren, Levis, DKNY, Kate Spade and Coach. I bought 2 pairs of jeans (Levi’s at $20USD while DKNY at $15 USD – 70% off!) and a Polo Ralph Polo T-shirt at $30USD.
Kate bought so many bags from Coach and Kate Spade that I really lost count. But after taking a look around in the stores (especially Coach Store) I realised that Kate was actually quite sane. There were many ladies who were screaming, talking at the top of their voices saying how cheap things were, really turning the Coach store into a market place!
All this while I was psychoing Kate to buy whatever she likes since we were unlikely to travel back here again (all the way from Singapore?), or in my own words “buy lah,buy lah, since we’re never coming back here again, just buy lah, so cheap right?”.
The Chinese Tourists were buying the bags in truckloads. They even paid up in cash and we were able to see stacks of US dollars as they queued to pay up. It was fun to see the eyes of the ladies light up as they entered these bag stores…
Many Shoppers at Woodbury Common Premium Outlet
In the end, we bought so much stuff that I became paranoid about whether we would get robbed and lose all the stuff that we bought. So I waited in the car with the goods (under the hot sun) while Kate continued to shop hands free.
Soon, we had to say goodbye. However, this trip taught us (or at least me) a few things
1. Never buy branded USA goods in Singapore. They are so overpriced in Singapore! We bought most of the bags , jeans and tops at more than 50% off Singapore prices!
2. Bags and Shoes are a girl’s best friends. You know they’ve always been saying that bags and shoes are a girl’s best friends. It is especially true if you had seen how their eyes glimmered with brightness as they laid their eyes upon their favourite bags, now with an additional 20% off!
3. Do something for the girl you love. Sacrifices are necessary. Kate knows how much I had to endure driving to and fro for more than 12 hours. But it’s nice to see the look on her face as she got the stuff that she wanted (also knowing that it is at a good price).
So…if you ever pass by New York and will be in the vicinity in the future, do drop by Woodbury Common Premium Outlet and experience the trill of how you can really shop till you drop!
P.S. The drive back was 9 hours because Tom was dead beat and had to drive in the dead of night.
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We were told by our friends that Doumar’s was a local cafe in Virginia that invented the world’s first ice cream cone! Of course we were excited to visit it, not only because it invented the first ice cream cone in the world, but also because it is a first hand experience of American-styled diners (not your usual Billy Bombers, New York New York kind). The authentic American-styled diners!
As we approached the place, it was not that easy to find Doumar’s, it sort of like blended into the neighbourhood. We were expecting it to really stand out, i mean, it’s the INVENTOR OF THE WORLD’S FIRST ICE CREAM CONE!!
The Signboard of Doumar’s
The restaurant was full when we got there. As it was our first time there, we really did not know if we should queue or eat in the car like many other diners in the parking lot (they actually serve you at your car! ) But we thought that we came all this way, we should just dine in.
The wait was quite fast (compared to some wanton noodles stalls in Singapore) and we were seated within 15 minutes. Doumar’s felt homely and was somewhat close to what we had expected. People were chatting happily, enjoying their burgers, shakes and ice cream. The current owner, (still a Doumar) walks around like a celebrity (we reckon he is in his 80s) with many diners wanting to have a photo with him.
We had the cheeseburger and meat with slaw burger which were reasonably priced at $2.4 and $4 respectively. We also had 2 large cups of Banana and Strawberry Milkshake! Yum!
Cheeseburger with Fries Doumar’sMeat with Slaw Burger (Doumar’s Ice Cream)Thick Strawberry and Banana Milkshake. Yum! (Doumar’s Ice Cream)
We shared one ice cream cone thereafter and we were happy that we were now part of history! Of course we took a photo of the machine that took the world by storm – The world’s first ice cream cone machine!
World’s First Ice Cream Cone Making Machine at Doumar’s
We were told that this manner of ice cream cone making is still the same today! Talk about lasting inventions!
We would definitely recommend going to Doumar’s for a bite if you are in the vicinity of Virginia. It is a homely American Diner’s with lots of history minus the pretentious hype when restaurants get famous. Opened since 1904, we’re happy that popularity did not influence this wonderful diners. Definitely worth a trip to be part of history!
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One of the most memorable quotes we heard during this trip was when one of the kids shouted
“This is the best summer ever!”. The kid’s not wrong. In fact he’s absolutely right and Busch Gardens is in fact voted as one of the best amusement park in the world! And here’s the reason why…
Map of Busch Gardens Williamsburg VA
1. Huge. The whole place is huge! It has separated itself into different regions using names of different countries. Hence, as you enter a “different country” you will see a change in the “theme”. These countries include Germany, France, Italy, Scotland, England and Ireland.
2. Wild Crazy Exciting Rides! There is no shortfall of rollercoasters at this amusement park. Boasting some of the wildest rides, even the names of these rides at Busch Gardens makes one stand in awe. The famous rides include Alpengeist, Loch Ness Monster and Griffon. If you want some wet rides, head for the Roman Rapids and Escape from Pompeii at Italy.
3. Fun for the whole family There is pretty much something for everyone here at Busch Gardens. For the kids, there’s Sesame Street Forest of Fun where you can meet all your favourite Sesame Street characters such as Big Bird, Ernie, Bert and Elmo. For those who fear the rides, there are performances all over the park. As Kate has some fear for the rides, we pretty much covered all of the performances in Busch Gardens. As for food, you can savour all the different delicacies from the different countries. So there’s really pretty much something for everyone here at Busch Gardens.
As Kate and I drove for our weekend getaway at Busch Gardens, we pretty much anticipated it with excitement because of the excellent reviews from our friends. As we arrived at Busch Gardens, we pretty much anticipated free parking. However, to our dismay, the parking costs $13USD per day!
The price of the admission tickets to Busch Gardens was about $65USD per adult. This translates to about $80 SGD but is totally worth it and you will see why.
The queue was relatively short as we timed our arrival to the opening of the park.
Entrance to Busch GardensSouvenir Shops at Busch Gardens
We ventured into one of the many souvenir shops and saw the miniature of the Griffon roller coaster ride.
Miniature of Griffon Roller CoasterThe Actual Griffon Roller Coaster
Kate and I headed first to the Sesame Street Forest of Fun re-live our childhood memories!
Sesame Street Forest of Fun @ Busch Gardens
We were just in time for the performance by the Sesame Street Characters and we even got to have photos with Big Bird and Ernie.
Sesame Characters performing at Forest of Fun Busch Gardens
As we’re afraid of rides with “too much excitement”, we took the Elmo “mini giant drop” (See the Elmo King in the background) as well as the Oscar wormy ride, sort of like a Viking for the kids…
Oscar Viking Ride
The most exciting ride we had for the day was Escape from Pompeii. It’s actually like a log ride that brings you through the ruins of pompeii (complete with fire and everything). Then as you finally “break out” of the darkness and as the window panel opens, you see light but you’ll also be able to see the far distance, there’s when you know you’re dropping down!!!
Dropping down from the Escape from Pompeii
To save on the walking, Kate and I decided to cover the park via the “skytrain” which circles round the whole park. There’s even a river in the middle of the park!
All aboard for the Train ride round Busch GardensLa Belle Maison in “France” as seen from the TrainEscape from Pompeii as seen from the Train
After circling round the park within 20 minutes, we decided to have an early lunch at “Germany” where Kate and I shared the Das Alpine sandwich which was huge! The sweet tea was not that fantastic though. Both Kate and I thought that the portion was huge enough to share as we noticed many tables not being able to finish their food. So share and dont waste food!! There was also live performances put up by the actors similar to that of Oktoberfest!
Inside Das Festhaus in “Germany”Queuing up for foodA Beer GardenDas Alpine Sandwich at Busch GardensOktoberfest PerformanceOktoberfest Performance II
The performance was really professional. The musicians played really well and brought the audience alive with its lively music. The performers were able to do traditional Bavarian dances and some acrobatics that really engaged the audience. Of course the singers were great as well.
As we headed out of the festival house, we saw the haunted house – Curse of the Darkastle!
Curse of the Darkastle at Busch Gardens
There was also a Carousel as well as a “Land of the Dragons” in “Germany”
Carousel in “Germany”Land of the Dragons in Busch Gardens
We then headed to “Ireland” where we caught a musical as well as some street Buskers
Intricately designed structures at Busch GardensIrish Musical Busch GardensSong and Dance at “Ireland”
Again, the performance was excellent. The singers and dancers did really well. Particularly enjoyed the tap dancing portion 🙂
Busking in the Hot Mid Day Sun
In order to cool off, Kate and I decided to head to “Italy” for the Roman Rapids. Unfortunately, we cant show pictures of the ride as the ride was really wet and drenched our whole body. But it was really refreshing especially when the weather was 35 degrees celcius!
Then we headed for the last performance of the day at Teatro Di San Marco and saw a vibrant performance of singing and well synchronised dancing.
Teatro Di San Marco at Busch GardensWell Choreographed and Synchronised Movements
However, what really made the tickets worth it was because in the summer, 2 things happens. It is called Illuminights because there was fireworks display as the amusement park closes. In addition, there would be guest performers and this week, we happen to catch The Bangles!!
Open Air Concert – The BanglesThe Bangles performing Manic MondayThe Bangles still looking young!
It was really nice to reminisence in hits such as Manic Monday and Eternal Flame. The Bangles still looked like there’re in their 30s eventhough quick calculations tell us they should be more like in their 50s.
Overall, Kate and I thoroughly enjoyed the day and given the chance again, we would definitely head to Busch Gardens and discover it all over again. Perhaps this time we would conquer Alpengeist , Loch Ness Monster and Griffon! 🙂
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