The Mini Traveler
- Amber
- I take mini adventures occasionally and share them here. (:
- However due to limitations of my finances, I can MAINLY share local adventures unless I go overseas. ;)
- May you enjoy your little bloghop adventure! Cheers! ;)
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Saturday, November 21, 2009
The other side of Singapore
The Kallang Bus Terminal located in Geylang. Certainly a very different bus terminal from the rest of the bus terminals. (: Very scenic view from where I was standing with the blue skies. Too bad it rained in the end.
Beautiful entrance into the old airport. Extremely grand. Too bad the picture of the tour bus spoil it. (too lazy to crop it hehe!) I always passed by here wondering what's inside and now I finally got to walk in. The answer is: A deserted road and a beautiful river. (pretty muddy but the whole flora is pretty much untouched). The only people there are bus drivers (of tour buses), random people and canoeists. It's pretty deserted though, wouldn't say it's very safe for one person to go alone. I only wandered in there because I was lost. Thankfully that sick uncle didn't follow me in there.
The path where the canoes go. Lovely pathway into the river with lovely plants to accompany it. The rocks are uber bumpy, super fun for balancing. Teehee! (:
Pity these are probably going to be torn down sooner or later.
AmBeR at 9:17 AM
Going back to the past
Today, Sharon, Joshua Poh and I went back to the past in Chinatown. The heritage center was awesome. The whole display set is simply so realistic, we were transported right back into the past in Chinatown.
Sharon the domesticated housewife who is hanging clothes. (:
ME WASHING MY HANDS! Whee!
The whole museum allows me to feel extremely blessed being born in such an era. We always complained how difficult life is for us just because of minute obstacles that seemed to get in our way. We never really thought of the small houses that used to house 10 people and yet we complain about how we have to share rooms. We complain about cold water, dirty toilets but the toilets in the past doesn't even have a flush system. We complain about how we have so much to do, nothing to do, whatever, we won't stop complaining. Have we ever thought of the lifestyle of those who had built up this comfortable for us? Sure, maybe some of us aren't as lucky as the others but I think we ought to feel blessed for what we have now.
I can't say that this is going to be easy though because with all the expectations we have, all that is expected of us, and the fast-paced lifestyle in the society. I guess we can just try complaining less. (:
Next, we went to Kampong Glam (near Bugis Area) and we actually went to view a mosque. In my entire 18 years of living, I have never stepped into a mosque. Stepping into the mosque was probably one of the most memorable things that I have done during this holiday. I was extremely enlightened (with information) by the guide's thorough explanation of their culture. I was also awed by the entire structure of the building and how they devote themselves so much to their religion. It definitely gave me newfound respect for Muslims.
It started raining and we tried to get out of Kampong Glam to Bugis Junction. So we found many shops (actually mainly boutique stores) at Arab Street or Haji Lane. I cannot resist but to snap a picture of this:
AmBeR at 8:36 AM
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Raffles Biodiversity Museum
Think that Singapore has no natural museum? Think again! After reading the Sunday Times article about the gigantic Whale bone that used to hang from the ceilings of the Singapore museum. I happened to read about the Raffles Biodiversity Museum. Apparently, it's a really small museum in Singapore but cool enough!! Being inspired from the biology classes on Ecology that week, I decided to check out the museum located at a pretty secluded corner of NUS. To my surprise, it is extremely informative. (:
A tapir.
A gigantic turtle found off a coast of Malasia.
A leopard. I almost thought it was a cheetah.
Giant Clams found off the coast of singapore. (:
AmBeR at 11:40 PM
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Bangkok- Chinese New Year 2009
Hello my dear readers,
I apologize TERRIBLY that I have not update this blog at all. In fact this is a post that I have promised everyone months ago but failed to blog it because I just have so much things to do, being an IB student like the Extended Essay, ToK Essay, countless IAs and every other nonsense. So I am so sorry! But the good news is that the post that everyone has been waiting for (or maybe not) is finally here! And the second piece of good news is that since it is the June Holidays, I have more time to spare to walk around Singapore and update this blog more often. Say "Yay!" because it's a super long post! I took like a damn long time to upload and squeeze my brain juice to write this!
To anyone who wants their blog/ blogshop/ website linked, just tag me on my Chatbox. (: Remember to leave your link.
Many loves,
Amber
(Personally one of my favorite pictures of the murals found at the Golden Palace, Bangkok. The monster is really cute no?)
Day 1:
We arrived at Thailand, Bangkok Airport. The strangest thing is that I actually led my parents around the airport because it's their virgin trip there but my second time in Bangkok Airport. (my first time was in 2008, transfer flight to Chiang Mai)
Upon arriving at the airport, swarms and swarms of taxi drivers, travel groups literally swarmed around us, asking us if we needed a tour or a taxi. Unfortunately for them, we had to find the tour agency who will send us to our serviced apartment-- Centrepoint. This got us waiting for 2 hours in the airport because the other family had forgotten about finding the tour agency and went for duty-free shopping. So finally the family was found and we set off from the airport and into BANGKOK CITY! :D
What amazes me is the blending of the periphery and the urban areas in one city. That's certainly one thing that you cannot see in Singapore. Upon hitting the core of Bangkok, I had the opportunity to snap photos from the mini van due to a heavy jam that left us stuck in the same spot for 10 minutes! >.<
A roadside stall shot from inside the van. Nice eh? I love how the stall just stores everything. There are many of these roadside stalls in Bangkok and I must say some of them do actually look quite yummy! And they are actually quite crowded too. I wanted to try them but then my mum got pretty ill so we didn't try any of the stores in the end.
Back to the serviced apartment, it is located in a very shabby corner of Bangkok. I love how we are able to exit the serviced apartment through a shop. It's so private! And not to mention, the serviced apartment we lived in is just so classy and the pool and sauna is really lovely! I suppose serviced apartments are actually much more cosy as compared to hotel rooms. Hotel rooms have that certain foreign feel about it whereas the serviced apartment just seems so welcoming! And not to mention, the view from our apartment during the sunset is just superb! The only thing that seems unpleasant was the fact that we are facing a shabbier apartment next to ours. Not that it's an unpleasant sight, I just puzzle over the huge contrast.
The view of sunset from the balcony of our serviced apartment.
I guess we did not do much in Day 1 because by the time we reached the serviced apartment, settled down and stuff like that, it's pretty late. :( So we walked to the nearest shopping mall and ate at the food court there. As how all food in food courts are (ok I know I am stereotyping but...), the food was not that nice. :( And by the time we finished eating, all the shops were closed and everyone was going home. So we walked back home and bought fruits (oh the Jackfruit is certainly the best I ever tasted!) and I saw my favorite food: STEAMED CORN! The corn is so BIG, SWEET and JUICY! I wish we actually have more of that in Singapore because it's really delicious! :D I don't know if it's chemically treated or not but I never tasted corn like that before.
Day 2:
Nothing much! Shop! Shop! Shop! Shop! Shop! We memorized the terrain of the city and we walked our way from shopping center to shopping center. In the morning, we took the Tuk-tuk (ok I don't know how you spell it) around the city area. However, we realized that we were not brought to our destination so we ended up in some secluded area and walked back to the city in the end. Oh wells. I guess it can be that scary when you are alone in a foreign country. And don't get me wrong, the driver was not some baddie or anything, I think he just didn't know what we wanted. I love the Paragon though. The sports section just made me melt so much. They have so many sports equipment ranging from running (the usual) to even DIVING! Diving equipments in a department store! How often do you get that? So we walked until our legs almost break before we head for dinner. Dinner is a pleasure! We ate a Teo Chew Restaurant. The food is so good that we almost want to come back next year just to eat it (but no money ^^)
Day 3:
I guess out of all the days, day 3 is actually the most fruitful day of all! We actually engage a taxi driver to drive us around the scenic places in Bangkok since we are all sick of shopping. :D I am just going to upload pictures and caption them because this is starting to feel like some extended essay on Bangkok.
The Golden Palace
2 handsome demons guarding the entrance/ exit. They are really really huge! :D
Yet another 2 guarding the entrance. A bit like the 2 lions you see outside every temple eh? And now you should know why it is called the Golden Palace. The main building is just covered with gold. It is amazing that it is so well-preserved. :) And that my friends is called sustainable development.
Another of my favorite mural on the wall. Very mystical and well preserved. I love how these murals tell a story. (:
I love how they use colored mirrors around the whole palace. It just makes it look so sparkling and grand! And just look at how intricate the carvings are! :D
I guess I am lucky enough to catch this scene of a woman praying. Kind of culturally significant. HAHA!
One of the guards. They aren't exactly what I would call "happy" people. But that's their job of course. HAHA. :D
And this is my favorite part of the palace. It's new and modern and yet the old architecture is still preserved and maintained. I love how the colors blend in so well with each other. Don't you?
The River Ride
Our boat! The best boat ever! Our boat uncle can steer very well! Wheeee!
The obaa-san from the wet market. I actually bought a lot of souvenirs from her! But then my mum misplaced it at the spa and then we lost them ;'( Sorry people, that's why I bought elephant magnets for you guys. >:( But kind of cool when you actually come so close with her sailing back from the wet market. When all else fails, maybe I shall migrate there and sell stuff there too! :D
It is after we met her when we actually saw a dead alligator. *shivers* I wonder what will happen if the boat capsized. I think we will be eaten alive by alligators. And the water is so murky, it's impossible to see what's beneath you...
Look! A river shop! :D So cute right? I wonder how people park their boats and buy stuff.
And looking at this just makes me feel quite horrible about myself. To think I complain my head off when people are living in conditions like that. Ok it may look like big houses but it's just a squatter site. So people, don't complain about how life is a bitch when things don't go well for you.
And it amazes me how they still are able to enjoy life...
An extremely old sofa, and newspapers as shelters. And they are a friendly lot waving at out boat too! :D What a simple, happy life!
From the river ride, they stop us at a very very dilapidated zoo. I guess my favorite animal is the Bengal Tiger but I am unable to take a picture of it because it is pretty much locked up in meshed up wires. But it's really really handsome. Rawr! I want to date a Bengal Tiger now. xD
The dead reptile thing we saw in the river is approximately the size of this. Do you know why I shudder at the thought of our boat capsizing now?
Now there Mr. Iguana, don't be a grumpy old dude! BAHHH! SMILEEEE! :D :D :D It refuses to smile and only allowed me to take one good shot of it before scampering away. Hmph :/
And then we u-turned and took a ride back to the jetty! Certainly the best river ride I ever been too. :D I learnt so much about Bangkok after this ride.
And then comes to the last night in Bangkok, we watched the Cabaret. The taxi driver managed to get tickets for us even though I was underaged to watch it. And the reason I am underaged to watch it is because it is not a normal cabaret but it is a cabaret performed by transvestites. How exciting! And the disturbing part is that those "women" really put normal women to shame. They are absolutely stunning! Sigh... The magic of PLASTIC SURGERY!
Very grand right? I love the setting, it's like going back to the 1940's Shanghai to watch a show. I love the ambience!! :D
The opening act. And remember, whatever that is female WAS male.
My favorite act! He is so funny! This is unfortunately for you, male. He just cross-dresses that's all. He is extremely funny and I was just laughing away at his acts. :D Wish I took a picture with him at the end of it but I was a little too shy. :D
Something about the legends in Thailand. I love the costume! It's so exotic. But somehow it reminds me of some ghost story. Hmm, I wonder why.
I love the setting! The pink flowers are just so pretty! :D And it's not melodramatic at all. (:
Day 4:
Very unfortunately, we have to catch the plane back to Singapore early. So the taxi driver fetched us back to the airport and we board the plane back. And I must say that I like Cathay Pacific more than SIA. :D Next time, I shall take Cathay Pacific planes. ^^
AmBeR at 4:11 AM
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Sorry for not Updating
Hello people!Sorry for not updating for such a long time. (:
You see, school has reopened and I have no time to go trekking. Even if I did, I bet everyone will be bored of my Henderson wave bridge thing.
But bear with it. I will post here asap when I get back!. (:
AmBeR at 5:46 AM
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Another Walk
Hello dear readers, I had another walk at the same place again. I think soon I will be pretty sick of that place. But I must say that I would rather walk through the same place again and again, see the trees again and again than go SHOPPING. Shopping is boring unless I really need to buy stuff. Of course, I have my own time where shopping therapy actually helps. (:
And as you know, my camera died off on me, so I am left to snap pictures with my phone. The results are not as good as my old camera of course. My phone is only 2 megapixels and my camera is 7 megapixels. See the difference?
But of course, my camera is said to have SCRATCHES and a DENTED BODY when I sent it for repair today. And then the guy was pointing at the dent and saying: See your camera has a dent. Make me feel so bad about myself. BUT, I never dropped my camera once. And I treat my camera with absolute care. It cannot help it if my camera has gone through every damn rough trip (excluding Chiang Mai) and been inside the sea with me holding it. So of course, after 3 years, my dear camera is feeling a bit exhausted. (: Poor camera.
Enough talk about my camera. It gets me heartbroken. And I better get on with the pictures. (: And description.
Love,
Amber
I guess the walk was really good. The terrain was rough enough to make me feel exhausted (and even happy to get out of that place).
But all in all, the scenery, and the kind of wind that you get at the top of the hill (or at least 78m above sea level) is nothing you can enjoy at ground level, rather I should say at the city's hustle and bustle. I would definitely say it's worth every step I take.
Despite knowing the fact that whatever surrounds the trees are actually buildings, I think just a change in environment is actually quite refreshing- to be surrounded by trees instead of shopping malls, to be freshened up with oxygen and wind instead of the air conditioner, and to hear the insects sound (even though I do not appreciate the very existence of insects at all) instead of car horns and what have you.
And on with pictures:
A landscaping shot. I really just love this place. We suntanned here on our way back and that explains my red rudolph nose. The bridge is just AWESOME, AWESOME, AWESOME, of course, a distance must be walked before you can just experience how beautiful and wonderful this place is.
I love the forest that you see behind this bridge. But there is no real road that lets you trek through the whole thing. How sad is that? Sighs, I wish I can just walk through the whole jungle. But oh wells. (:
And on the other side is the CITY. Somehow the word URBAN SPRAWL has to keep popping up in my head. The roads look kind of nice from the top view though (even though I don't fancy the city much) Looks like SIM city eh? HAHA. A reality version of course.
Random Random
Found this really cute! (: Teeheehee!
And this is Dorothy! HAHAHA, she looks so absurd. Made out of pots and sunflower eyes. HAHA. I love the grey dog. I forgot it's name. But Dorothy ahahha LOOKS WEIRD!
The scarecrow... BOO CROWS!
HAHA, big head LION. Reminds me of the chow chow somehow.
My favorite of the rest <3
And the EVIL WITCH!!!
Nature shots of some plants: (to those who enjoy nature, here it is for you)
(: I love this tree. Don't you just love the ferns? Isn't it pretty? Gives me a very christmassy feeling. Teeheehee!
I just love this flower. It's so pretty! It looks like those plants where fairies will sit around and um gossip? HAHA! I just love this plant. It's going to be my favorite plant!
This flower looks really plastic. Looks like it is made out of plastic strings. Oh wells. (: Still love the flower above?
P.S will anyone give me the names of these flowers?
And I will sign off with my zennish picture. I took a very long time to get this picture taken. Like 3 shots and lots of stumbling and falling. But (:
Teeheehee!
Cheers and happy adventuring! (:
AmBeR at 5:11 AM
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Walk and Another Walk
As my camera is spoiled, I cannot offer much pictures. But here is a shot of nature from my phone. I was walking at Mount. Faber and I saw this HUGE spider and my father wanted to take a picture of it with his phone. HOWEVER, his phone being new, he doesn't know how to use it, so I was forced to snap a picture of the spider and edited it. So yeah. the only picture of the day I can leave on my blog. (:
Just in case you ask:
I went to the same trail- park connectors from Kent Ridge all the way to Mount Faber and walked to and fro. Then I took a cable car from Mount. Faber all the way to Sentosa. And the cable car was so rocky I almost slept inside. ZZZZZ.
Another walk
Date: [please discuss]
Time: 0930 (excluding breakfast)
Meeting point: Harborfront MRT Station Control Station
Starting point: Marang Trail
Ending point: Kent Ridge Park
Walk back from Kent Ridge Park to Harbourfront MRT
To trail: Earth Trail
Fro trail: Canopy Walk
Please wear long pants because the earth trail is disgustingly full of insects.
And bring at least 3 bottles of 500ml bottles.
AmBeR at 12:11 AM