SINGAPORE

SINGAPORE - the country I'm almost in love with. The country in which caning is a form of punishment and chewing gum is prohibited. You may call this hard-fisted approach, however, when you are in Singapore you will find that everything really works efficiently well. Let alone very safe, the city is spotless and dynamic. You may want to call this a despotic society but my views are real and significant. In this country, the rules are clear and breaking the law will be your nightmare. It is advisable that you rather follow and you're sure to have an experience that is like no other.

Shopping and eating are Singaporeans pastimes. Get to the Orchard Road and you're bound to have that world class shopping experience you've ever wanted. There, you will find a variety of chic and sophisticated shopping malls like the ION. Other shopping malls include the Suntec City, Paragon, Ngee Ann City, Vivo City, Plaza Singapura and Takashimaya. The food is just as haven too. From stylish restaurants to hawker centers, they're all around the island. Food is essentially a delightful experience for anyone in Singapore, tourists or locals alike. When in Singapore, learn how to say this: 'Shiok Man!' when you find something really nice like perhaps the food you just tried and it tasted so good it made you say 'Shiok Man!'

LANDMARKS IN SINGAPORE

The Merlion Park - Merlion is Singapre's national symbol. It is a half-lion-half-fish creation situated at the Marina Bay, where it sprouts water out from the mouth into the river. The lion represents Singapore's roots as the 'Lion City' and the fish represents the nation's close ties to the sea. This iconic statue along the river has attracted millions of visitors per year.





The Merlion Park stretches across the entire front of the Fullerton Hotel at Collyer Quay. Entry to the park is free. The only downside is that you will have to endure the crowd of other tourists and locals who also come to see the Merlion. Perhaps the best time to visit the place is on weekdays if you really want to minimize those unwanted figures that may appear in your own photograph.





The media often touts the Merlion as a legendary creature, however, its true nature is rather more practical. Singapore as an immigrant country did not possess any cultural creation to call its own so during the late 1950s and early 1960s, the government created the Singapore Tourism Board and Mr. Fraser Brunner, one of the members of the  Board, pictured out a character which was a combination of Singapore's traditional name 'Temasek' (from when it was a fishing village) and its new name 'Singapura' (Lion City) and there and then the Merlion was created. Immediately after that, it was successfully accepted as 'canon' by tourists and locals in Singapore. On the note, this grand statue is actually made of cement, plates and teacups.





Till today the Merlion has gained continual attention from foreigners who come to Singapore. And in fact the number of visitors has increased tremendously since its creation.

The Esplanade - Built to be the center for performing arts in Singapore, this architectural landmark with a spiky rooftop is another eye-catching creation. Dubbed by locals as 'Durians', this unique double-domed structure and somewhat fashioned after the Sydney Opera House is known for its state-of-the-art facilities and unique design that houses a 2000-seat theatre, 1600-seat concert hall, recital and theatre studios, meeting venues, library and other arts and lifestyle services. This is certainly another landmark of Singapore that sure to win not just locals but tourists as well.

The Marina Bay Sands - This is definitely the newest Southeast Asian entertainment destination set in the heart of Singapore where you could find a world class casino, sophisticated shopping outlets, accommodations and a Skypark that is shaped like a surfboard on top of the tower, where you can have a 360 view of Singapore and beyond. This new icon looks so grand, it is just a beauty to see at the heart of the city and even standing around the vicinity of the Merlion Park, its sight is just phenomenal. It is currently still undergoing completion but the hotel, casino and the Skypark are already open for visitors.

The Singapore Flyer - The Singapore Flyer is so far the world's largest and tallest observation wheel. It stands at a stunning 165m, like the height of a 42-storey building and some 30m taller than the famed London Eye. Each of the air-conditioned capsule can hold 28 passengers and complete a rotation of approxiately 37 minutes. It also offers a great view of the Marina Bay Street Circuit of the Singapore Grand Prix. Taking a flight on this wheel is a one-of-a-kind experience you surely wouldn't want to miss. 

National Orchid Garden Singapore

At the National Orchid Garden, there are plenty of opportunities to take photographs of your favourite orchids. It is a popular location for tourists and locals alike in Singapore. Situated in the heart of the Botanic Garden, this beautifully landscaped garden showcases Singapore's national flower as well as a variety of lush tropical plants. So if you have plans to ever travel Singapore in the future, don't miss out this place in your itinerary. It is certainly a place to test your skills in photography! The natural setting is just beautiful and splendid! Below are some of the pictures...

Hong Kong Short Escape

Reminiscing memories of my Hong Kong trip way back in 2009, I have a perfect vision of a place so dynamic and full of energy. Hong Kong was my first ever travel escapade. I don't know why I chose this place but perhaps I have to blame it with my desire to see the most talked about Disneyland in those days. That's really silly but that's just me though. 





First stop of my itinerary was of course a 2-night accommodation at the Disney Hollywood Hotel. Well, it had an inclusive 2-day pass to Disneyland so I was really excited about it. The Disneyland was not as impressive as I had expected it to be. The rides, amusements and fun did not fulfill my expectations of a great theme park experience. It looked quite small and the thrill was just not there. But maybe for those young at hearts or so I call them little folks, perhaps this theme park was just about enough to fulfill their magical dreams. But what had impressed me somehow was the magical light and fireworks show happening at the Disney palace at the stroke of 7 o'clock at night. The palace was just marvellously enchanting and well worth the time to watch. 





So that's about my time at the Disneyland and on the next day, I decided to take a train ride to the city instead. So second stop of itinerary was the Avenue of Stars.  Initially, I was a bit skeptical about the place. I mean how marvellous can it be? But when I saw the Hong Kong skyline from the harbour, I was immensely captured rightaway. 

Avenue of Stars is a place to pay tribute to outstanding professionals of Hong Kong's film industry. Located at the Tsim Sha Tsui along the Victoria Harbour waterfront, it is modelled on the Hollywood Walk of Fame but giving it an Asian twist. There are handprints and signatures of famous Hong Kong actors such as Jet Li and Jackie Chan on sidewalks and pedestrian. There are also metal sculptures of Bruce Lee and film directors. It stretches for about 440 meters along the shoreline. 



The location on the Tsim Sha Tsui promenade offers incredible panoramic views of the famed Victoria Harbour and the memorable Hong Kong skyline. It was raining at night so we missed to watch the spectacular, mighty multimedia show 'A Symphony of Lights'. It is a light and laser show synchronized to music, with more than 40 buildings participating on both sides of Victoria Harbour. So that's just about it for my 3 days, 2 nights Hong Kong trip. Maybe next time, I should be more decisive of the places I want to see and visit.

Dreamworld - Gold Coast

Dreamworld is one of the biggest theme parks in Queensland Australia. The park is so huge even a day will not be enough to enjoy what it has to offer. And, going on peak season can be an additional nightmare as you would have to line up for hours and that would consume most of your time in the park. The queueing can be very tedious and there is a little emphasis on keeping you entertain whilst you wait.





Upon entering Dreamworld, you will find the Main Street first hand. It is the main avenue that leads all the visitors of the park to the actual theme park's rides and adventures. You can also find a few retail outlets and attractions here.





Hop on Dreamworld's Railway train which will take you to your favourite place in the park. It is advisable to get a map with you first to help you with the trail. The "Choo-Choo" train is a real steam train and it can be quite a scenic and relaxing way to get around the place.





Nearby the Main Street, you can try the rides at Dreamworld's coolest kids zone, the Nickelodeon Central zone. Here you can find themed rides and attractions specially for kids based around the main friendly characters and programs on Nickelodeon TV. Some of the examples are the Slime Bowl, Dora the Explorer, Swinger Zinger, Nick-o-Round and Spongebob Flypants. 

Since the park is really huge, you really need to take the steam train to take you to your next adventure. If you're taking a toddler with you, it's better to drop by the Wiggles World, the zone specially suited for toddlers. If your appetite is on spine-tingling, knee-knocking adventure, Gold Rush is the place. This is where you can try death-defying Big 6 Thrill Rides in Dreamworld including The Cyclone Rollercoaster, Giant Drop, Tower of Terror, The Claw, Wipeout and Mick Doohan Motocoaster. You can have a skydiving-like experience on the tallest free-falling ride in the world according to the Guiness Book of World Records -The Giant Drop. Within seconds you'll be plummeting 120 meters at terminal speed! If you are in for the fastest rides in the world, try riding the Tower of Terror, which will accelerates its passengers to a massive 160kph in short seconds before it climbs to almost 38 storeys high and suddenly drop to a free-fall landing! If you're a rollercoaster fan, try riding one of the tallest high-speed gravity rollercoasters on the planet! It is about 13-storey high with a heart thumping twists that make you scream at its sidewinder and 360-degree loop.

One of the most beautiful thing about Dreamworld is their Australian Wildlife Experience. It is a place to find approximately 800 native Australian animals. It showcases some of the most famous animals in Australia like the kangaroos, wombats and koalas. Never miss to visit the Tiger Island as well as this is where you'll come face to face with the rare Bengal gold and white tigers.

Golfing on Awesome Gold Coast

Avid golfers holidaying in Gold Coast Australia are well catered for with dozens of world class courses including resort courses. With most courses within few minutes drive from the center of the Gold Coast, you will be sure to find a course that suits your needs. Visit Gold Coast and get to experience the 18-hole championship golf courses designed by the famous golfers like Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman and Arnold Palmer to name a few. Some of the best and beautiful courses that you may wish to check out are the Robina Woods Golf Course, Meadow Park Golf Course, Emerald LakeGolf Course, The Colonial, Coolangatta and Tweed Heads Golf Course and many more.





In fact, Gold Coast hosts golf events like the PGA Masters, Palm Meadow Cup, Australian Ladies Masters and many more. I'm sure you will enjoy a relaxing holiday with an abundance of quality golf while on your fabulous Gold Coast holiday.

For entertainment purposes only, I would like to share some of the golf one-liners... Here they go...

GOLF IS LIKE CHASING A QUININE PILL AROUND A COW PASTURE...^_^ by Winston Churchill

THESE GREENS ARE SO FAST I HAVE TO HOLD MY PUTTER OVER THE BALL AND HIT IT WITH THE SHADOW...^_^ by Sam Sead

AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, IT'S STILL EMBARRASSING FOR ME TO PLAY ON THE AMERICAN GOLF TOUR. LIKE THE TIME I ASKED MY CADDIE FOR A SAND WEDGE AND HE CAME BACK TEN MINUTES LATER WITH A HAM ON RYE...^_^ by Chi Chi Rodriguez

BUNKERS HAVE UNNERVING HABIT OF RUSHING OUT TO MEET YOUR BALL...^_^ Unknown





Those one-liners are a bit corny but I hope you'll enjoy it somehow. If you have some jokes to share, i'll be glad to hear it here....Do share!

Surfers Paradise, Australia

Above is a video shared by 'iwakwak' on youtube about Gold Coast and Surfers Paradise in Queensland Australia. It is a video featured from the Travel and Living program called the 'Best Activity Beaches' and Gold Coast came in number three on their list. Please view the video to see and hear what the place is exactly like...





December through to March are undoubtedly some of the best months to visit the Gold Coast. With temperatures averaging 19-29 degrees, there is no better time of year to enjoy the beautiful beaches, theme parks and nature that the Gold Coast has to offer. "It's very GC!" - the way people have come to describe Australia's famous holiday coast. It has a casual to glamorous style of beach and a laid back to ultra chic kind of ambience plus its mood is always good fun!





Surfers Paradise is where so much of the buzz of the Gold Coast emanates. With its cluster of hotels and apartment towers, alfresco cafe precincts, stylish shopping galleries and glittering nightlife, no wonder Surfers Paradise has become the hub of the Gold Coast. Climb the tallest residential tower at Q1 Observation Deck and you'll get views that are everlasting.





Getting around Gold Coast is pretty easy and friendly too with their coach transit services that will take you between Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Obtain the Gold Coast Super Pass and you'll have unlimited return travel on the coast and to major theme parks. If driving is your passion, rent a car for only a minimum of $25 for small cars and $45 for bigger ones, per day.





Hope you'll put Gold Coast on your list as a place to travel in the future. It's really an awesome place!

Gold Coast Beach, Australia

GOLD COAST - stunning beaches, exciting theme parks, sun-kissed locals, sophisticated lifestyles and lots of fun the whole year round. Gold Coast is a city in the Australian state of Queensland, 100 km south of Brisbane and 850 km north of Sydney. It is known for surfing beaches, high-rise dominated skyline, nightlife and many more.

Surfers Paradise is the most central and famous neighbourhood in Gold Coast - the best-known stretch of the Gold Coast and the perfect swimming beach. The crystal clear waters are always an invitation to take a dip. Though the sun is extremely hot during summer, the breeze is really cool and atmosphere is just amzing. It is a hive of all kinds of adventures, entertainment, night clubs, restaurants, luxury and sports.

I had the perfect opportunity to stay around the vicinity of Surfers Paradise. I stayed at the Azurra hotel, a newly-built hotel around the place. The hotel was just a stone throw away from the beach so that's made it more fabulous. You could walk in your swimming trunks or bikinis anywhere along Surfers Paradise neighbourhood. No fuss! No one would stop you..it's the trend and the lifestyle there. It was the most perfect beach getaway, sad to say I was a no-bikini-figure:) My regrets! I should have kicked my butt off and visited the gym religiously. But I would love to really go back to Gold Coast in the future. On the left is a picture of me with the background of a building named Q1, the world's tallest residential tower hope I'm right about it:) It looked absolutely stunning along the coastline facing the beach. You could have a 360-degree view of Gold Coast on top of this building. Sadly, though we didn't experience it.

D's 4th Grade Texas Project

D made a mobile for her first Texas History Project. It had to have four official symbols of Texas.

This is the eco-friendly portion of the project, a recycled Texas shaped Lone Star Flag from 3rd grade! I'm glad it was still tacked to my kitchen bulletin board - this was the easiest part of the project.

This was the most time consuming part of the project, she made the armadillo from papier mache.

Beautiful Metropolis - Shanghai

The Bund is the most beautiful architectural symbol of Shanghai. It is often referred to as 'the museum of buildings'. Different styles of European buildings can be found in here. It houses 52 of them some of which are the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) building, Customs house, the Bund Financial Center, Peace Hotel and many other business buildings and hotels. It is brightly lit at night and the most popular destination for tourists and locals in Shanghai. People from all walks of life gather at the Bund to snap pictures of that beautifully-lighted architectural scenery. The Bund is oftentimes packed with visitors at night.

From the perpetually packed promenade of the Bund, there are excellent views of Pudong's modern skyscrapers just opposite the Huangpu River. That certainly gives you a strong contrast between modern and classic architecture. Pudong especially features the most magnificent skyscraper standing amongst the many tall buildings, the Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai's famous landmark..

The best way to view the Bund and Pudong's skyscrapers are by Huangpu river cruise or ferry and through the Bund tourist tunnel - a slow-moving tram of a low-tech, antique tunnel of the 80's era or also known as the 'Sightseeing Tunnel'. 

A Visit to the Petronas Twin Tower in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia

On the eve of Christmas of 2009, I visited the capital city of Malaysia - Kuala Lumpur. I specially wished to visit the most impressive architecture which was almost recognizable from anywhere in the city, the Petronas Twin Tower.

Petronas is Malaysia's national oil company. At the base of the tower is an opera house attached to a chic and sophisticated shopping mall complete with cineplex known as 'Suria KLCC'. Each tower consists of 88 floors and somewhere in the middle on the 41st and 42nd floor levels it is connected by a Skybridge which is open for all visitors for free viewing of the city's skyline. But admission to the Sybridge only allows 1700 visitors per day so tendency is you have to wake up really early to get to the ticket counter to obtain the free admission tickets. The ticket counter opens at 8:30 a.m. and it's a first-come-first-served basis so it's always advisable that you go there early before all tickets are snapped out.





The viewing on the Skybridge only allows 10 minutes so better grab that camera and take as many pictures as possible.





The twin tower is just magnificently beautiful especially if you are standing just right beneath it and then you look up... and the next thing is you're lost for words...You will just be awed by its beautifully designed glass pagodas that you will feel an instant excitement to find the best spot to take the best picture of that whole twin tower immedately.





Here are some memorable photos:

Tiananmen Square, Beijing China

Tiananmen - The massacre, 20 years on



Please click on the link above to know more about Tiananmen Square massacre. The above images and video are courtesy of a file shared by the onlinecitizen.com which I felt I had the need to share it on my blog to help me understand what's the importance behind Tiananmen Square that made it one of the places of interest in China. I had finally seen the place during my trip to Beijing on June of this year. The place was actually a very huge open space which was large enough to accommodate an assembly of one million people.

Tiananmen Square has been the site of a number of political events and student protests. It is widely remembered for the protest of June 1989 which resulted in the massacre of Chinese protesters in the streets to the west of the square and adjacent areas. About a hundred thousand people mostly university students have gathered to join the demonstrations in support for democracy.

The tension among protesters had actually escalated after the death of Hu Yaobang, a reformist, who served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of China from 1980 to 1987. The government officials were unhappy with Hu's advocation for social and political reforms so he was forced out of office in January of 1987. He died of heart attack on April 15, 1989 but the government at first did not plan to give him a state funeral so it ended up in furious reactions from university students across Beijing. The students marched on Tiananmen Square calling out for the rehabilitation of Hu's reputation. A delegation of student petitioners who patiently waited to speak with someone for three days  at the Great Hall of the People on April 19 was unfortunately not received by the Government officials which eventually resulted to tremendous tensions from the protesters. It became chaotic then and the next thing happened was that the military repeatedly opened fire on the unarmed citizens. It was not known exactly how many people died but it was only learnt that bloodshed of few thousands people lay dead within that time.

Istana Open House

It's quite a long hike towards the Istana building from the entrance.

So I stopped and posed for a moment..:)

Along the way, I stumbled upon a Big Gun....

Then admired a nine-hole golf course...

Had seen the Istana Villa....

And, spotted the Istana building where the President receives and entertains states guests.

Making dreams a reality

I remembered a quotation from an early Greek literature that reads: "Hold on to your dreams, for if dreams should die, life is broken-winged bird that cannot fly." Indeed, the mind is capable of dreaming very profound things. If someone had a dream and holds fast to it, his mind will find a way to bring it to reality. The ability to dream is a beautiful human faculty which often leads to amazing results. Once it becomes focused on something, it can break limits and surpass expectations leaving no stone unturned to make dreams into reality.



We achieve because we dream. There are many successful people in this world who dreamt big and whose dreams changed their lives and also inspired others. Take for example, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, founders of Apple Computers and Microsoft respectively. Besides bringing fortune to themselves, they have also revolutionised technology, brought great convenience and progress to mankind.



But to dream and make those dreams into reality are not just by a wink of an eye. These people are of great character - strong and determined - which enabled them to face challenges of any sort. Like any human being, they failed many times. But, they didn't give up and instead they continued to dream and work hard to make their dreams come to reality. We should take them as inspirations in our every endeavour.



Though it is human nature to cry out in anguish at all life's failures, we will always see ourselves in a much better light if we take a look around us and see that the most successful people in the world are those who have learnt to dream and struggled to fulfil their dreams, often against odds.