Shanghai, China (上海)

Oriental Pearl TV Tower (东方明珠电视塔) is the landmark of Shanghai, located at Pudung Park at Lu Jia Zui (陆家嘴). My family and I joined a local tour for the boat experience on the river. We seem been cheated because they delayed the schedule and late to pick us up after the ship arrived to the terminal. Anyhow, I was surprisingly to capture quite a good view of the scene of oriental pearl tv tower on a moving boat. The ship went around the city area for sight seeing of night scenery. You will see The Bund (外滩), the attractive ancient building in the city lighting up along the river, you can't take it out of your sight.

 

 

The height of the tower is 468metres, contained a meseum, 2 sightseeing floors and a rotating restaurant. We travelled up to the top sphere by lift. We were so excited when we saw the tempered clear-glass floor in this high rise tower. It is a bit scary yet funny. I don't even dare to step on it, however, I done it quickly because I've been travelled along way from Malaysia, there wouldn't have the second chance for me to come up here again. You could spot all buildings surrounded you, watching people underneath your feets. You're on top of the Shanghai!

Information - http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/shanghai/oriental_pearl.htm  

 

 

The Bund, 外滩

The Bund, 外滩

Many tourists visit Shanghai Xin Tian Di (新天地), which is an urban tourist attraction that holds the historical and cultural legacies of the city. Shanghai Xin Tian Di is a fashionable pedestrian street composed of Shikumen and modern architecture style. The building embodies restaurants and retail shops, I was so relaxing and comfortable while walking through the buildings.

Xin Tian Di , 新天地

Xin Tian Di , 新天地

YuYuan Garden (豫园), where the temple (城皇庙) located.  There are temples inside the garden, you have to pay admission fee to enter to the temple, for making a wish or praying. The buildings are so stunning especially when the light up. There are six main scenic areas in YuYuan garden: Sansui Hall, Wanhua Chamber, Dianchun Hall, Huijing Hall, Yuhua Hall and the Inner Garden. 

Nanjing Road, is one of the famous shopping arcade in Shanghai. (南京路，步行街). The British buildings have been reconstructed and transformed into retail shops.

Food is one of the to-do-list in Shanghai. Especially xiao long bao (小笼包). The picture below is the bund filled with soup and served with straw. Do not suck the straw immediately because it is really hot.

Here is the recommended local famous xiao long bao,  Jia Jia Tang Bao. It is cheap and served with many xiao long bao in big cage. There are various flavour of Xiao Long Bao such as pork, crab meat, prawn and others. You should try on it!

 

Huangpu,  ^黄浦区黄河路90号(近凤阳路)^

 

Hong Kong Delight

It was my second trip to Hong Kong. Thank you Margaret brought me around Hong Kong. I have totally no idea how to take buses to destination, especially the local bus, they called it 小巴 (xiu ba) in Cantonese. Well, schedule of the day was flexible and planned by my Hong Kong's friend, Margaret. We took this bus to Stanley, gone through hill road, bangalows on the hill, familiar beaches always shown in TVB dramas.

 

 

We were enjoying walking around Stanley Market and We also had our pleasant lunch at one of the spanish restaurant. A very good and comfortable weather surrounded me, sitting outdoor of the restaurant designed with relaxable environment.

 Then, we took a tram up to the peak near by Central (中环), visited the wax museum with lots of famous celebrities and politician, most of them are Hong Kong celebrities. The concrete jungle night light sight seeing viewed from the hill is really amaze. Vision across the Hong Kong island, sea and mainland city. It's really a magnificient sight.

View from The Peak.

Art design on the street, represented the culture of 80's Hong Kong.

Ip Man.

Andy Lau.

Leo Ku.

The Harbour night view  from Avenue of Stars, along the Tsim Sha Tsui (尖沙咀）Promenade. I spent day to night time at Avenue of Stars, enjoyed a cup of Green tea Frappracino at Starbucks with my sisters. She had a portrait sketch experience in Hong Kong. The sky turned dark, it is the time for the photograph section. It was really my hard time to capture the Hong Kong night view without a tripod, but I tried my best. The colourful lighting on the building were celebrating the coming Christmas, the scenery is really............. there is only a word in my heart - "beautiful".

One of my favourite dessert is the Mango dessert from 许留山. Maybe mango is my favourite fruit, I will always have mango as my dessert when I see it. It sounds a bit crazy, but I love it.

 

Subway Station.

The transportation in Hong Kong are very convenient included Subway station, Ting Ting Car, Local bus, Public Transport, and Taxi. Those public transports are not expensive, it could be affortable. You also could purchase an Octopus Card to travel everywhere by touching the machine. The card also could be use at convenient stores and restaurants. It's very convenient. 

Here is the infomation- http://www.hong-kong-travel.org/Octopus/

Ting ting Public Transport.

Escape to Pulau Bintan

Escape to Bintan Island, away from the hustle and bustle city to experience an unique beach side lifestyle for a nights. Pulau Bintan is just located at the south east of Singapore by an hour ferry. "Pulau" means Island in Malay or Indonesia. Departed from Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal at Singapore. Ferry ticket has to make early reservation (just like airticket), have to reach the terminal one hour before boarding. When arriving at the Bintan Ferry Terminal, we taken by the driver to our accomodation. We stayed at Shady Shack, which is private hut for backpackers budget. It cost SGD12 per person, and we occuppied the two-storey hut.

Accomodation Website: http://www.lobo.kinemotion.de/index.html

   

 

Shady Shack Accomodation are built by natural tree trunks, a very local and traditional style. Sometimes, we got stabbed by the materials. The house is installed with hanging dim light, without fan/air condition, beds covered by mosquito nets. The accomodation is lobo's family business in Bintan. We experienced the totally country side lifestyle, even the bathrooms were very old and tradition way. We even have to wait for the water supply to the water tank. I would said, it was really different experience for the young people who live in the city. But, it is not suitable for those people who cannot get used for it, you also could find some of the resorts in Bintan, which is really nice and comfort.

 

We rent motorcycles and drove along the island. We stopped at fishing village and some of the beautiful beaches. Although the rain was annoyed during the journey, we enjoyed playing kites, swim and drinking coconut along the riding journey. I felt very natural.

I woke up early in the morning for photograph section. The strong sunlight, local people was in camping tent, a friend was enjoying sun bathing by wearing clothes. Very beautiful, peaceful and natural. I love it. After taking breakfast, we heading to an island which I believe is an private island that without a name in google map. Crytal clear sea water, soft sand, under the sun with natural wind. It was so amazing. We did Kayaking and swimming. I do not really like to do kayak because I felt very uncomfortable floating and swinging by the waves. Well, I would only have one experience in my life.

 

One thing that I don't really understand that why Bintan Island is using Singapore Dollor instead of Indonesia Dollor? Anyhow, we ended our journey with happiness and tiredness.

Bangkok - Girl Shopping trip

Day 1: Journey for food
We took a taxi cost us Baht450 directly transfer us to Citin Pratunam Budget Hotel from Suvarnabhumi Bangkok Airport. There are taxi counter outside the airport at the same level of arrival hall. You could tell them your destination and they would tell you the cost for the journey.

hotel website- http://www.citinpratunam.com/
The hotel located in the heart of the city, which is very convenient. The condition is clean, friendly staff and it could be recommended. It costs around Baht1500 per night.

After putting down our luggages, we went down to search for food. There are so many road-side stalls along the tiny and narrow roads. We tried the Pah-Thai and Fried rice which is really good tatse. My favourite are Mango Salad and the Fresh Sour Mango.


Day 2: Crazy Shopping Day
We went to Chatuchak Market for a crazy shopping. Cheap and nice dresses, shoes and bags could be found there. Chatuchak Market is a shopping heaven. There are selling antique sculptures and traditional thailand accessories. There is Coconut Ice-cream stalls at the market. The ice-cream taste delicious and it could relieve the heat under the hot weather!


We had great experiences on riding "tut-tut" motorcycles. We took "tut-tut" to Chatuchak Market from Citin Pratunam just cost us Bath20. It is because the driver is sponsored by those jewelly shop, the driver brought us to the shop before sending us to Chatuchak. We were so excited to get a cheap rides and meet a nice driver to bring us somewhere. Riding on a tut-tut is really fun yet dangerous. The driver could simply squeezed into the cars and turning here and there easily. We were surrounded by cars and our hair gone mess during the rides by the wind.


At night, we went to King Power - the largest Duty free Shop. Some of the branded clothes are consider cheap compared to others outlet. Please bring along your passport to shop at King Power. (It is only for tourists).


Day 3: The worst experience
We woke up early in the morning and scheduled to visit Wat Phra Kaeo, a very famous temple in Bangkok. We was like loving to ride "tut-tut", so we took this again. The driver committe to give us Baht60 to reach there, we agreed. We thought it would be like yesterday bringing us to a shop before sending us there. However, we met a bad driver! He brought us to many shops that we were not willing to go. We told him that we don't want to go because we were rushing out of time but he still bringing us to go to those shops because he wants to get fuel sponsor from the shops. We were so depressed and angry, we left the driver and paid him Bath60. We don't want to waste our time, we will be leaving Bangkok in the evening, finally we reach Wat Phra Kaeo by a taxi.

We had our quick brunch and visit Wat Phra Kaeo. The temple's staff stopped us because we are wearing shorts. We knew we couldn't enter and we just want to try to enter, but we failed. So we getting scarf (to cover our legs) which you could get it from the stall at the road side.

We rushed back to hotel by 12pm to check-out. We leave our luggages at the hotel and we continue to shop for the last chance! We went to Platinium Mall which is doing whole sales and selling cheap stuffs. It would be very interesting place for the shopping lovers.

We ended up our trip by taking MRT from Ratchaprarop Station to Survanabhumi Airport. It is only costing Bath12 per person at this station.

* Tips on taking tut-tut:
1)Talk to the driver where is your destination clearing and telling him that you do not want to go to the shops. 2) Bargain for the cost. 3) Some of them are kind and could speak basic english.