The Fullerton Bay Hotel

I have passed by a huge Cai Shen with the 12 horoscope prediction for the year 2013 near the Rochor Food Centre at the beginning of the year. Being born in the year of the pig, I headed over to the pig’s section to read my fortune out of curiosity. According to the prediction, it isn’t promising for the pigs in this year of the snake but I shrug and thought, ‘Oh never mind, I am not a pig, I am a wild boar anyway.’

Time flies and taking a good half of 2013 along with it at a blink of the eyes. Looking back at the past six months, I saw myself waking up smiling on some good days and frowning at the setbacks on bad days. i have my fair share of happy and not-so-happy moments but overall life has been good and I count my blessings to enjoy a little beach holiday retreat in Phuket in March, a pack and go trip to Taiwan in April, a stayaction at Fullerton Bay Hotel in May and last weekend, took my sister and her two little ones on their first trip to Genting Highlands in Malaysia.

Singapore is a tiny island and it probably takes less than an hour to drive from one end to the other but Singapore is also a beautiful island with lots and lots of hotels peppered within that makes escaping from the usual scene and holidaying at our own backyard very tempting. I love stayaction and have greatly enjoyed the hospitality of Wangz Hotel, Park Regis Hotel and Orchard Hotel but then stayaction can sometimes be even more expensive than hopping over the neighboring country for the weekend and thus, I especially treasured this precious opportunity indulging the weekend at The Fullerton Bay Hotel.

the walk towards the hotel

view from the rooftop pool

The Fullerton Bay Hotel
Strategically located within the CBD, The Fullerton Bay Hotel  is being named one of the World’s Best Hotels by Travel + Leisure USA and the Best New Business Hotel Worldwide by Business Traveller UK magazine. Stylishly built alongside the spectacular view of the Marina Bay Waterfront, we were pampered luxuriously by the hospitality of the hotel.  We simply love our plush and  spaciously comfortable room and especially enjoyed the quiet moments watching sunrise and sunset by our balcony that overlooked the glittering water of the river.

With Marina Bay Sands, Marina Square, Suntec City, The Esplanade and Raffles City all conveniently around the corner, shopping and other activities outside the hotel vicinity are aplenty but who would want to leave the comfort of the hotel when there is a luxuriously self-contained room, an immaculate rooftop gym, swimming pool and jacuzzi pools that offer a glorious city scrape view, plush restaurants for exquisite dining experience and wireless Internet access anywhere within the hotel all awaiting for your access? Seriously we don’t and we have enjoyed every single minute of staying in.

love the bed!

fun time

Clifford Restaurant

With the grandeur of very high ceiling and plush interiors, Clifford luxuriously serves European, French and Western Cuisine with a view overlooking the waterfront and we have the pleasure of enjoying a set dinner and breakfast here.

Our set dinner had scrumptiously consists of:

Bread basket – besides the warm mini baguette, we love the generous portion of tuna spread. 

Appetizer: Lobster & Scallop Carpaccio w Lime Black Truffle Dressing & Fragrant Shiso –  the thinly sliced lobster was good but the raw scallop takes time to appreciate.

Soup: Soupe d’Onions Gratinee – a rich and tasty traditional rich onion soup with melted gruyere cheese croutons. 

Main: Signature Duck Confit with truffle potato mousseline, black garlic sautéed broad beans field greens

Desert: Lemon Tart with Lemon cream, black berries, Italian meringue

Petits Fours:  Kueh Lapis, Mini Macarons, Black Sesame Chocolate and TWG Tea 

The gastrointestinal dining experience aside, my husband was extremely impressed by the attentiveness of one really sweet and beautiful waitress. This dynamic Korean lady was one of the waitress serving our section during dinner the night before and we were quite surprised to see her doing her round during breakfast the next morning. With the restaurant almost full and so many guests to handle, we didn’t expect that her to remember us, yet she had cheerfully stopped by our table for a quick chat and greeted us by our first name!

the beautiful Korean waitress – hubby’s nomination of the best service award

the night is still young..

The Spa Artisan

No stayaction is complete without a pampering spa retreat and we were blessed with a couple’s Japan Spa Journey at The Spa Artisan over at the historical The Fullerton Hotel. With fresh plants lining the walls of the hallway and soothing music piping at the chic and cozy lounge area coupled with the skillful hands of the masseuses, it is little wonder why The Spa Artisan has been awarded the Best Luxury Boutique Spa from the World Luxury Spa Awards 2013.

After choosing the essential oil for our massage, our 2.5 hours Japan Spa Journey began with feet soak, a head to toe scrub, shower before falling asleep under the healing touch of the therapist to conclude a memorable weekend at the hotel.

Taipei ~ 台北之行

名字叫台湾

四月十五日二零一三年，中午十分的我满怀期待的踏出挑园机场。托着行李在机场公车站等着车的当儿我赫然发现台北的天空並没有很蓝，人们也没有想像中的亲切但空中飘来的冷风卻令我振奋非常。

在接下来整个钟头摇摇晃晃的车途中， 我望着窗外，脑海浮现的是林青霞、秦汉、秦祥林的＜我是一片云＞的电影片段、岑凯伦以及琼瑶唯美言情小说的各个情节；而耳边也仿佛响起了潘安邦的＜外婆的彭湖湾＞和追着＜阿美阿美＞的刘文正。毕竟我是产于七十年代的孩子，而这些就是我对台湾最初的认识。尽管经过岁月的洗礼、时代的变迁，台湾始终是我自懂事以来最向往的地方。

 

爱客发酒店
在上机下机、上车转车，下错站、走错街折腾了大半天后，终于抵达了下榻的旅店。座落在西门町的爱客发商务旅店在网上广受好评，而当初选择这旅馆的理由就是贪图它的地点方便。虽然刚踏进门时对于无窗无柜的房间感到有些许无所适从，但逐渐习惯了以后就觉得living in a suitcase 其实也没什么。人的基本需求其实可以很简单，房事原来可以是一张被单一张床就足够了。

 

台北夜市

去台北怎么能不逛夜市呢？我们到了台北的第一站就去了士林夜市。从西门乘地铁到台北车站再转站到剑潭， 我们到达士林夜市时以是夜幕底垂，人潮汹涌而逛夜市的指定动作就是吃小吃，所以我们入乡随俗，沿街边买边解馋；把蚝仔煎、蚝仔面线、豪大大鸡排、胡椒餅、炸章鱼等著名街边小吃通通往嘴里送。在绕了一圈又饮了仙草、泡泡荼饮料等，后很快的我们又发现原来那里还有个底下美食坊！唉，只可惜这时我们的肚皮都快涨暴了！

在台北第二晚我们也去艋舺夜市逛了一圈；尝了综艺节目介绍的甜不辣也体验了在街边吃牛排的滋味。与士林夜市相同，街边小吃多，游戏档子多，人潮旺，但这一区似乎有更多年长者在活动。

著名的甜不辣

NT130 的街边吃牛排, 还附送汤哦!

北投温泉
从北投到新北投的捷运不但外观鲜艳逗趣，每个包厢都有不同的主题，真的好kawaii！

 

北投温泉区的温泉旅馆与澡堂众多，我们卻选择了千禧汤作为我们的泡澡初体验。较便宜的费用倒是其次主要还是为了想真实的体验一下当地人的平民生活情趣；毕竟旅行的意义就在于此嘛！公共温泉的设备很简单，就仅有有一排淋浴室、一排排自助寄放箱以及数个不同温度的汤池。少了隐私，不识水性又非常在意满身赘肉的我其实要在众目睽睽下穿着泳衣泡汤实在感有点变扭，所幸几乎每个人都沉浸在自己蒸气腾腾的世界里而亲切友善的工作人员也让人感觉很自在。浸泡在40度c的汤池里，我一边享受悠闲的泡汤之乐，一边看着工作人员穿梭在来若不绝的访客中，友善的向第一次光顾的顾客讲解须知、热情的和老顾客们寒暄，感觉很温馨。

 

离开温泉时天色已渐晚所以错失了观赏北投林泉内里和湖山里的温泉源头的机会让我有点小失望不过我还是很庆幸体验了有生以来第一次的在露天温泉池泡汤饿滋味。

新北投的捷运站

千禧汤

淡水
因为张淸芳的＜men’s talk＞，让我对淡水满是期待。

去淡水那一天没有太阳；天空朦朦的，有种雾里看山的诗意。走在淡水街道上，我发现这小镇布满了异国风味浓厚的建筑物而这一座座古建筑物都彷彿在诉说着一个故事，一个历史。徒步到了提边，正在钓鱼的老伯伯笑问我从那儿来，我要他猜，他猜了老半天也没猜着。我说我是新加坡人，他却睁大眼睛摇头说没可能。哈！

相较于台北夜市，淡水的小吃更趣致；特长的冰淇淋、各式口味的铁蛋，还有黑黑的墨鱼香肠、口感特别的虾子香肠，这么不叫人垂涎三尺呢！看着在河边公园嬉戏的小朋友和悠哉溜狗的居民们，这样的淡水我好喜欢！

在提边钓鱼的老伯伯

冰淇淋巨无霸！

 

渔人码头
说实在的我对于渔人码头没有什么深刻的印象，或许是因为我们到访的时间是中午而没法目睹它在黄昏，在夜晚的美吧。感觉在渔人码头

跟我们自家的Punggol Marina 有点相似。我倒很喜欢那段从淡水到渔人码头沿途的风景线，很小镇、很实在。

九份

九份，因为电影<悲情城市>而成为一个广受欢迎的观光景点。我没有看过<悲情城市>但我却在从台北乘火车到瑞芳再换乘巴士到达观海亭后就即刻爱上这个山城迷人的景色。

 

沿山路徒步往基山街；发现这頂蓬店宇相接，店与店紧邻，4米不到的老街，其实蛮商业化的，做的是游客的生意。既然来到九份怎么能不尝一尝赖阿婆芋圆和其他具有特色小吃呢？不过说实在的其著名的芋圆或是花生冰淇淋都能有满足我挑剔的味蕾；我倒是喜欢在沿街而上那里的许多茶坊以及边饮茶边赏景的乐趣，而从茶坊居高临下望出的那幅美如画的夕阳五彩的黄昏浪漫美景也让我久久不能忘怀。

往基山街的路

依山而建的小城

美如画的景色

著名的赖阿婆芋圆

花生冰淇淋

 

后记
基本上我觉得台北城市的生活和我们的没差，同样的行色匆匆也个个手机不离手。不过我倒觉得台北的人们在公共场所很自律；比如说会在乘自动浮梯时会靠右、在等捷运时会排队、不舒会带上口罩，超赞！台北人的环保意识强，街道和洗手间都很干净、交通系统也很健全方便，我尤其喜欢中央商业区的自行车出租的概念！一点令我纳闷的是为什么像西门町这么热门的旅游旺区里的商店都迟至11、12点才开门呢？

中央商业区的自行车 

虽然这一趟我终于圆了我逛诚品书店一梦，但我始终对没能在那有限的时限里游览更多的地方感到有点懊恼；所以我更期待九月份再次游台湾。

诚品书店

台湾我们到时再见咯！

Random Pics in Taiwan

Name is Taiwan

a quiet moment in the city

bicycles for rental within the CBD area, I like that idea!

Beitou

Also in Beitou and one of my favorite shot

extra tall ice-cream in Danshui – fun but melts too quickly

Phuket, here I come!

It has been quite a while since our last stayaction. 11 months to be precise. That was when mum had recuperate for a month after her operation so I thought it will be good to bring her out of the house but she had developed high fever the very same night that we have checked into Orchard Hotel and that has made me feel bad till now.

Anyway, the reason I say stayaction is because apart from a wasted trip to Phuket Town which my hubby had followed the other tourists and alighted at the closed market, we have basically had hang around our resort and its nearby vicinity, particularly the stretch of Patong Beach and on the streets.

Phuket, here I come!
Upon touching down, I was amused by the immigration officer who tried to impressed me by saying “I LOVE YOU” in Chinese when he saw my EAT, PRAY, LOVE passport cover.  The touting taxi service outside the arrival hall was a little overwhelming but what has irked me a little was how one operator followed us and tried to convince my hubby that the Airport bus to Phuket Town does not operate on Sundays! Then as we wait for the bus, I witnessed how a tour operator harshly told two Indian tourists off because they have
delayed the group. At that instance, the image of Thais being warm, gentle, polite and friendly vanished into that hot, smoky air of Phuket. However, when I realized that I have left my LEVI’S LADY sunglasses at the checkpoint counter and dashed back into the arrival hall, the security at the gatehelped to stop the human traffic and allowed me raced against the flow to retrieve my sunnies! At that point, the good impression of Thais came back and I though, hmm..the people here aren’t bad after all!

While hanging around waiting for the bus, I approached the information and was told about the mini-bus service to Patong Beach. It sets to go with 10pax in a vehicle and costs 180 baht per person. It seemed reasonable as opposed to what the taxi operators asking of 800 baht but the catch, that we soon realized on the vehicle, was that it stopped halfway at its tour agency and the agency staff would sat us down and tried to sell us their tour packages individually. Not quite ethical if you asked me but the rest of the journey was a smooth ride. The passing streets from the mini-bus’s window somehow reminded me of Bali and my hubby couldn’t agree more on that.

Patong Beach
Located at about 15km from the Phuket town, Patong Beach is the most developed beach in Phuket. It is an interesting sight to see hotels after hotels, new and old resorts, little tour booths dotted all over the place, make-shift massage tents by the beach, rows and rows of tuk tuk, motor cycles and other vehicles lining on the street touting for passengers and Ang Mohs peppered everywhere. A lot of them were Aussies and French as well and you could find them lying on the hotel loungers, sun worshipping at the beach, walking on the streets, riding a rented motorcycle and particularly everywhere, all looking uniformly blushed and having a good time.

Look at the clear blue sky and the white sandy beach!

a neat row of tuk tuk along the beach

A leg for rent, anyone?

Massage, Manicure, Hair Braiding and more!

The sky was blue, the sand was glittering, the water was clear but then the heat was killing! Being a sweat baby, I was perpetually drenched in my own sweat the moment I stepped out of our hotel and while I admired those lobster red folks having their time under the sun, I, on the other hand, would be miserably wriggling around to get whatever shelter that I could find but the consolation is that Patong is much more than just the sun, the sand and the sea.

Sure, the daytime activities with the water-sports and all are primarily centered on this 3km beach, the streets however, would magically come to life when the night curtain falls. More people of different colors are flooding in by now convincing me that I am not the only one who’s afraid of the sun after all.  Seafood fresh from the ocean are piling high on ice awaiting to be served for dinner/supper, the night market is up and Patong’s liveliest party zone, Soi Bangla is closed to traffic and ready for action! By then many of those beach goers would be chilling over ice-cold beers at the pubs and the bars would be completing for business with jamming music, exotic performances and way-over-the-top ladyboys shows and the party goes on…

A Russian dancer showcasing her move on the second floor of the bar

Hot babe or ladyboy? You decide..

While on a bumpy ride to town with the bus trembling at snail speed and warm air ruffled my hair, my mind somehow channeled back to the tsunami in 2004 and the thought of the tragedy destroying the town and causing many deaths and homeless sent a shiver down my spine.  When the news broke out, my heart went all out to the ill-fated town but initiating a donation drive within the office was the only thing I could do at that point of time and I regretted for not doing more for the survivors. People don’t talk about it anymore and it is good to see that the strenuous recovery has left no trace of the tragedy and the town is bustling with more activities and even vibrant nightlife than ever.

The Phuket – Patong bus

Burasari Resort
The driver had alighted us at the main road and with directions to our
resort which was a short distance away from the beach. In any case, most of the hotels and resorts are within the vicinity of the beach.

Our welcome drink at the resort

A view of the resort from our balcony

A cozy corner of the restaurant

Another cozy corner – at the poolside bar

Also at the pool side bar

The resort consists of three levels and the fortunate guests on the ground level suites would get the privilege of accessing the two outdoor swimming pools and sun loungers directly from their terrace! How nice is that! But I am not complaining though, because I am just as contented with our spacious room on the 3rd floor. Besides the regular facilities and the huge King size bed, I was delighted to find a large daybed at our balcony that overlooks the swimming pool and my hubby must have had a great eye candy feast with the view of nearly bared bodies lazing on the sun loungers everyday. The mirror-tile decorated bathroom is really cool, it is well-spaced, bright and I really appreciate the bathtub for a good soak after a hot day out under the sun.

I love the bed, so big and comfy!

The day bed – hubby’s favorite corner

Bathtub – I get to soak and watch TV through the blinds..

Apart from the faulty kettle in our room, almost everything else was perfect and it was very thoughtful of the hotel to grant us 2 wifi access so we didn’t have to wrestle over the internet connection.

While I couldn’t say that the hotel’s breakfast spread is sumptuous, it
does have a good variety to cater for all. As for me, I am happy to have porridge with an egg omelette everyday, as always.

Porridge – they called in rice soup with prawn 🙂

Service wise, the majority of the crews, especially those from the
housekeeping team have fared better than those handling the reception. Besides the chirpy  ‘Sawadee Ka’ greetings whenever we passed by a staff, the guard at the entrance has even volunteered to help to take a picture of us without being asked! Anyway, we don’t care if the reception were friendly or not but it pissed me a little when one of the reception staff has granted us to check out at 1pm but at a quarter after 12pm, we got a call from them claiming that they have guests checking at 2pm and insisted that we have to vacant the room immediately for housekeeping.

Bye Burasari, Bye Phuket!

Bye Phuket!
Since we have to check out at 12 and our flight was at 9pm, we decided to kill time (alright, it was because I have wanted to save some money too), we took the bus to Phuket town bus terminal for the airport bus. Unlike the bustling Patong Beach where the lanes are narrow but flooding with human traffics and vehicles, the roads around the bus terminal are wide but the streets were empty. The shops were closed and the terminal itself was dim and vacant.

The almost empty bus terminal

While waiting for the bus, we walked over to Royal City Hotel for a quick munch and perhaps we were both hungry, we simultaneously opted for grains.  His choice was Seafood Fired Rice and mine was Beef Fried Rice but we both felt that the fried rice from this restaurant was undoubtedly the most delicious proper meal we had in Phuket. Oh, by the way, our first meal in Phuket has happened to be fried rice too and that was Pineapple Seafood Fried Rice + Seafood Tom Yam Gong + Coconut Drink.

beef fried rice

Due to the infrequency of the airport bus service, we have to take the one at 4.30pm and reached the airport before 6pm but besides a bite at Burger King, there wasn’t much left for us to do except waiting and wasting time away.

The Phuket – Airport Bus Timing

I tried to catch a little nap but my mind was flown to Kalim, the northern end of Patong Bay that I have regretted not visiting for its magnificent view of sunset.

Already dreaming of the next trip at the airport..

Well, perhaps the next time..Till then, Phuket, I gonna miss you!