so we went overseas last weekend. it was an impromptu decision - actually the kids have been looking forward to it, except that i couldn't pre-plan a date. it was a pleasant drive without getting stopped by traffic cops & going thru customs/immigration was a breeze.
after checking in, the family had a head-start at orchard road while i met up with an ex-colleague from my training days at the Sheffield Registrars' Rotation in UK. K has since joined private practice & we met at.....
now that's a name i've not heard for ages. years ago when i was at the Holland Village outlet, they served a most sinful blueberry cheesecake & milkshake, & as these were sadly not on the menu this time, i settled for the set lunch which turned out to be quite formidable:
full-flavoured home-made mushroom soup.....
a mean honey-glazed beef rib &.......
ben & jerry's cherry garcia ice-cream...mmmm!
caught up the good old times & i'm glad he's doing well. lunch was on him but he knows when he comes a-visiting, he'll be treated to a scrumptious ikan bakar meal, the likes of which s'pore can never hope to emulate.
caught up with the family at suntec city. i think shopping's a cinch for guys. i was at the sports shop & selected a pair of trainers for just SGD39.99 within 20mins, while the girl is still searching for that elusive pair of sketchers. now she said i must take her to 1-utama to get them.
it's really easy to figure out why tourists flock here. 1st, you just can't miss the visitors' centre along orchard rd.....
then they take you on a free tour......
on an open-top bus .....
to catch the x'mas trees, lights & decorations.....
needless to say, the street was teeming with people. some were out to make a quick buck like.....
the statue man....
the gimmick man....
musicians from china.....
& latin america.
guess what else was seen on tour? the beginnings of a new mall, right smack in the middle of orchard road..
the future Ion Shopping Complex.
sometimes the heart rules over the head. that's why the next morning we started out at
instead of the Science Centre, because the girl was still looking out for that dream pair of shoes. the boy didn't mind as long as he got his ride...
it helped that Vivo City is near Sentosa Island, because an LRT operates between the two..
included in the ticket price is a tram-ride around Sentosa...
& one reason why tourists feel safe here.....
is the obvious presence of tourist police patrol. just like orchard rd, it's never enough & there's evidence a new attraction is being constructed....
for all the attractions & distractions, amidst the vibrant yuletide activities, it's reassuring that the true spirit of christmas was not lost....
for me, the only pleasure i derived at vivo city was a brief sojourn at Ben & Jerry's....
so, how would a triple-header of cherry garcia, raspberry chocholate chunk &...
new york fudge chunk grab ya??
so, what's new about s'pore??
(1) when a local bank opened a new branch, they go all out...
(2) some of the bus-stops have display screens that indicate the ETA of the next bus...
(3) at the local toy store, monopoly now comes in electronic banking version....
and (4) despite its squeaky clean image, people still flout traffic rules...
i learn new things all the time.
17 comments:
*jaw drops*
I LIVE in Singapore and I've never seen or heard of half the things you mentioned... I need to get out more often...
Oh dear, I feel unworthy of the PR-ship granted to me. (yep, we've gotten it already)
I've never even eaten at Ben&jerry's.
I have to say though, the last time I was at Billy Bombers, the food wasn't good and the service was awful and the place was so cramped that we vowed never to go back again. Not to mention the big price.
And may I also say that I think your daughter is gorgeous?
(I'm straight, yes, but that doesn't mean I don't check out girls as well)
LOL.. the flouters may be Malaysians. :p
So nice to really feel the spirit of holidays.. unlike me who is having exams...
anastasia,
billy bombers happened to serve ben & jerry's that day, so when i chanced upon the outlet at vivo city, could i refuse? but i have to admit i can't tell the difference between they & haagen or baskins.
as for the girl, i also think the guys will come a-calling in the not-too-distant future, but for sure there will be 2 gate-keepers.
& yes, you are definitely not doing that PR any justice!
jems,
you could well be right!!
lynnx,
you will have your turn when the exams are over. all the best!!
wow!... nice shots for the trip to Singapore... especially the night shots... Make me wanna to stick to my plan :-p seems like lots of people go down Singapore for X'mas.
Initially my plan is to leave KL for Singapore on Dec 20th 2007 and back to KL on X'mas day after the street party @ Orchard on X'mas eve. But plan change as my dad wanna to celebrate X'mas @ Penang with my uncles and aunties...
Hope you had a great time in Singapore !
I have yet to see the Christmas lightup in Singapore, but I saw the ones at Sunway Resort in your country and It was beautiful too!
Now, we have one thing in common, at least! We were at Orchard Road for two consecutive years! Next year? I'll be there, God's willing.
:)
tz,
some of the pictures were taken with Treo 680 - those weren't very sharp but, for me, it's ok for the purpose of blogging.
family always comes 1st, so spending xmas with dad & uncles/aunties is the right thing to do. the s'pore lights will still be there next year.
SATM,
yes, we had a good time in s'pore - could have been better had we stayed longer.
hope you enjoyed your time in KL.
yan,
it's strange what power Orchard Rd has on us during Xmas. yes, if i am still around, i'll probably be there with the family again next Dec.
Reading about what you said about your son.....boys are so easy to please
Daughter knows her mind and what she wants...are you sure 2 gatekeepers are enough?
just me,
the boy is much younger, so he prefers immediate gratification, like the rides, burgers, etc.
the girl looks for medium to long term gains.
i assure you, the 2 gatekeepers are very fierce!!
Delighted to know you had a good time in singapore. Must stay longer the next time. The zoo and the bird park would be an experience for your children.
ah, Iml!
you have been MIA for some time now.
yes, must stay at least 2 nites the next time. the girl has already been to the zoo, bird park, science & discovery centres already when we were staying in s'pore years ago.
it should be the boy's turn soon.
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