Butterflies to me are best to represent this week’s theme, FREE SPIRIT. From the day they acquire wings after being Chrysalis that oftenly mistaken by some as pupae, they freely lord the air, flying from one colorful bloom to another.
This is my entry to Weekly Photo Challenge : Free Spirit. 
Experiencing local cuisine by seeing how a dish is prepared and appreciating its unique flavors and interesting ingredients are a few of the perks of traveling. In our second visit to Thailand’s capital, we planned to immerse our palates to gastronomic offerings available; even sought suggestions from fellows on where and what to eat. One of our great friends of almost 2 decades now, Rob of Sensory Replays highly recommended a modestly famous P Kitchen at Soy 18 for authentic and affordable Thai food which travelers and tourists in Bangkok are raving about. Of course, I already mentioned in my previous posts in this series that our itinerary for this trip was made by Dyan, another friend who’s more seasoned traveler; most of the places we went to were based on her list. However, because we were limited by time and the fact that we always have to prioritize our 7-year-old-son’s food preference, we were not able to sample more than we wished. Gabby’s a little picky now and favors the usual kiddie meals from fastfood joints. Ergo, we usually decide as a family every meal time and it must be agreeable to the 3 of us. Nonetheless, we’re happy and still lucky to savor few authentic Thai dishes without compromising Gabby’s choices.
While Bangkok has been known to many as one of the tourist spots and shopping capitals in Southeast Asia, we had more of food adventures rather than shopping. Undeniably, it’s an epicurean paradise! We tasted few of Thai dishes and indulged in those familiar to our palates. Here’s a rundown of what tickled our taste buds during our recent 4D3N trip in August in the city of Angels in the Land of Smiles… FEAST YOUR EYES, just don’t salivate and drool over your keyboard! 
Flavorful, mouthwatering, fragrant and inexpensive dishes delighted us all on our very first meal in Bangkok. From an eatery in the heart of Chatuchak Weekend Market, we had Shrimp Fried Rice, Pad Thai, Pork Barbecue that we’re missing in Penang, and a few fried goodies for Gabby.
In Siam Paragon Mall, Gabby and I had takeaway favorites from Burger King and ate it in front of a huge fish tank in the middle of the mall’s food court while Tina opted for some bowl of Japanese. We also gave in to ice cream temptation from Swensen’s.
Tina and Gabby shared this sundae..
While I enjoyed and shared with them two of my most loved flavors : Coffee and Chocolate! Yum!
Our breakfast meals were included in the Superior Room package we availed from Mystic Place Rooms in Bangkok..
We ate dinner outside the hotel except for this one when we tried the menu at Mystic Cafe…
Tina had breakfast plate during dinner time while I loaded myself with more Thai flavors in this noodle dish and another serving of Pad Thai, this time it was vegetarian. It felt short for me having no shrimps. The Pad Thai we sampled in Chatuchak Weekend Market tasted way better.
Apparently, this Mac and Cheese classic was Gabby’s plate. But because we forgot to request it shouldn’t be spicy, it was served with pepper that Gabby’s young tongue didn’t like. Tina had to remove the seasoning and what saved the moment was a glass of hot chocolate.
Another mall-recommendation from Dyan was Central World which we all loved! If Siam Paragon Mall has a chic and slick atmosphere, Central World is more relaxed and non-intimidating. We went around the food court level and found a Japanese Pastry Shop called, Bake A Wish. All of the cake slices from Bake A Wish look charmingly delicious, making choices on what to order was the most difficult. Tina and I decided to try their specialty - Crispy Japanese Cream Puffs with various tasteful fillings; we had Chocolate and Strawberry while Gabby preferred froyo from the adjacent store, Buddhi Belly.
We didn’t spoil our huge appetite when we had those glucose-rich servings prior to our early dinner at 6PM in Central World’s 7th floor Taiwanese restaurant, Din Tai Fung. We had dinner with one of my former-post-graduate-review-center-student, Thomas who’s working in Bangkok as a lecturer too for a few years now. We enjoyed catching up over a scrumptious meal of Xiao Long Bao (pork soup in a dimsum), Prawn and Pork dimsum (also steamed with soup), Shrimp Fried Rice, Prawns over a blanched greens that the dish’s name slipped my memory (I can eat it everyday!), Mango Pudding for Gabby’s dessert. The only unsatisfactory to us was the noodle dish that Tina ordered; it wasn’t impressive compared to the other dishes we had.
On our last dinner in Bangkok, we had it at a wrong choice. No offense meant but honestly, we’re not satisfied with what we ordered in Pasta de Waraku, a Japanese fusion restaurant in Central World Mall. We were looking for something that fits in Gabby’s preferences and with attractive display of their menu ala-food-stalls in Tokyo with lots of pasta dishes to choose from, we were lured to enter and dine. The taste of almost everything we had didn’t please our palates. I’m sorry but my opinion imposes a challenge for Pasta de Waraku to improve on their menu. Despite the casual ambiance looks quaint and the service quick, it all boils down to the taste of their offerings. The Carbonara, Pesto with Prawns and Octopus, Okonomiyaki (Japanese pizza) had nothing to rave about. 
And when we saw there’s Pepper Lunch and Bon Chon and KFC in Central World, the more we felt disappointed passing on these sure-choices. So before we head back to Mo Chit Central bus station to depart Bangkok for Hat Yai, we played it safe by eating late lunch at KFC.
The sardonic smile of not-so-impressed diner. *kidding* It’s natural, ya know!
We love LARGE GRAVY!!! FYI, gravy in Thailand and in Malaysia are only used as toppings in mashed potatoes so I always get a peculiar look from fastfood crew when I request for extra gravy for our KFC. They prefer tomato ketchup or chili sauce to go with their chicken. We, Filipinos like those finger-lickin’ goodies to be dunked and submerged in buttery gravy. Sometimes, Gabby and I make it as topping to our rice ala-soup; do you do that too? hahaha! 
For Gabby’s dessert, we found a cheap FRIED ICE CREAM in a food court outside KFC in Big C Supercenter in Bangkok. It’s an affordable alternative to the very toothsome Cold Rock Creamery Ice Cream. This fried ice cream only cost us 50 baht (5 ringgit or 70 Ph pesos).
*We had a dimsum lunch buffet at one of the restaurants inside the hotel where we had honeymoon 8 years ago. All of that and more of Bangkok on the succeeding posts. Stay tuned!
This Blog’s Bangkok 2012 Series includes :
Tina and I chose to be practical and frugal on our recent trip to Bangkok to celebrate our 10-day-paid-working-holiday within 4D3N vacation in Thailand’s capital city. We didn’t have too much cash to spend to begin with, so instead of shelling out 2,000 Malaysian Ringgit or equivalent to almost twenty-eight thousand Ph Pesos or 643 USD for the 3 of us (Tina, Gabby and me) for just ONE WAY airfare tickets from PEN-BKK , we initially wanted to take the train from Butterworth to Bangkok but tickets were already sold out 3 weeks before the Hari Raya holiday (FYI, that sleeper train travels from Singapore-Kuala Lumpur-Butterworth-Hat Yai-Bangkok) We went for the second best thing; we decided to take the van-bus-bus-van route, crossed the Malaysian and Thailand borders and enjoyed our days the way we know how.
We left Butterworth, Penang via bus from our apartment and took the usual-12-minute ferry ride from Penang Sentral Bus Station to GeorgeTown in Pulau Pinang.
Junk foods are necessary for us when we travel. Unhealthy, I know but it’s like reminiscing those good ol’ days of educational field trips in school (lame excuse!). Gabby and I loved what Tina prepared and what we selected from the grocery shelves together. So these were our baon we munched en route to Bangkok.
Can you spot my family on this photo taken inside this ferry?
Komtar building. The tallest structure in this UNESCO Heritage Site. We arrived in GeorgeTown a few miuntes past 7AM, August 17, 2012, Friday (We’re on official work leave, ya know! Holiday at work stretched from August 18th to 26th, 2012; we filed a leave and went a day in advance!).
We pre-purchased one-way tickets from Penang-Hat Yai-Bangkok from one of the travel agencies in Prangin Mall, near Komtar few weeks before our trip for only 120 ringgit each or a total of 360 Malaysian Ringgit for the 3 of us, equivalent to 5040 Ph Pesos or 115 USD (Please do the math on how much we saved, Thanks!).
We were supposed to depart in a 12-seater-van at 8:30AM, but the it arrived and picked us up at almost 10AM. Super late. #iamnotcomplaining #justsaying
It was almost 2PM when we reached the Malaysian border in Kedah. Like what we had last year, the driver parked at a bus stop station for mandatory lunch. There, one could find mini-grocery, toilets, foreign exchange and eateries. We ate but only for the sake of eating lunch. There was not much too choose from. #iamnotcomplaining #justsaying
Tina and I agreed that Penang versions are way too better than Kedah’s. #justtryingtobehonest
My favorite Char Koay Teow but not this plate; It fell flat on my standard. I love CKT from that hawker in Gurney Drive, Penang.
Koay Teow Soup. This should have been good tasting noodle dish but this one didn’t even impressed Gabby.
Finally, we’re about to exit Malaysia.
It was our second time to cross the Malaysia-Thailand borders on foot; our first was last year when we just went to Hat Yai. Obviously, this is the nice traveling experience you miss when you cross borders on board an aircraft.
Someone who will cross borders of two countries must at least have coins from the 2 nations’ currencies. They come in handy when you need to use the public toilet.
The queue at the Imigresen was quite long but manageable. We breezed through Immigration proceedings without a single word, actually. It only took a smile and a passport to pass through.
After exiting Malaysia, we hopped on the van again. About 15 minutes after, we found ourselves on queue at the Immigration counter to enter Thailand this time. Just the same as the process in Malaysian border, it was hassle-free in entering Thailand.
After an hour from the Sadao border in the Southernmost tip of Thailand, we arrived in the travel agency office in Hat Yai. Yes, the Thailand border is an hour away from Hat Yai town proper. The passengers of our van who left Penang for Hat Yai were all Thailand bound but to different areas. Some went to Samui and Krabi for Thai beach and resorts, and it was only the 3 of us who went to Bangkok. All of us were distributed to various vehicles of the travel agency depending on our destination.
A little while later, the lady at the office asked us to go with Uncle (salutation for an old Malaysian man), to ride his car, free of charge or inclusive of the fare we already paid in Penang. Uncle took us to the Hat Yai Municipality Bus Station via his vintage Mercedes Benz. Cool eh?
Uncle first went down his car and bought us bus tickets for our Hat Yai-Bangkok trip. Remember everything was paid at 360 ringgit in a travel agency in Penang. So we only had to wait for the tickets and get on the bus.
This is the bus station in Hat Yai…
Bought this bottle from Tesco Lotus grocery store right across the station. Coke is undeniably refreshing wherever, whenever.
The bus we rode from Hat Yai to Bangkok was unremarkable. It wasn’t a double decker, had little leg room and not as comfy as what we rode going back. The ticket that Uncle from the travel agency bought was priced at 55 ringgit or 550 baht per pax only. It was way cheaper than what I personally purchased for our return. Lesson learned : Do-it-yourself-travel is better unless you’re traveling on an unfamiliar place where you need aid from a travel agent and a tour guide (like in the moon perhaps? hehe!).
Malaysia (and the Philippines) is 1 hour ahead of time in Thailand. We left Hat Yai for Bangkok at around 6PM, Thailand time.
Have I told you the trip to Bangkok from Hat Yai is about 12 hours? We’re on a budget travel, remember? 
We just thought that we’re on a trip from Cubao in the Philippines to its Northern part, say Pagudpud in Ilocos Norte (God, we miss those places!), only that in this journey, we crossed two countries.
Stops at bus stations, eateries and souvenir shops for some shopping and bladder breaks were mandatory. Few more hours to Bangkok, this was one of the stop-overs we had.
At 5AM of Saturday, August 18, 2012, we arrived in Mo Chit Central Bus Station, Bangkok. The first thing I did was to ask my family to sit and wait in one corner with our luggages and bags and I left them to buy our return bus tickets from Bangkok to Hat Yai. It is always wise to secure a return ticket days (or weeks ahead) before your trip. It spells security, convenience and worry-free.
We hailed a cab from the station to our hotel, freshened up, and enjoyed the weekend until the first few days of the following week.
Sawadee Kap!
We maximized our travel by experiencing riding the tuk tuks, taxi cabs and of course, the ever reliable, BTS train…
Oh yeah! We’re proud commuters, baby!
When in Bangkok, ride the tuk tuk!
Then after 4D3N of fun-filled family bonding, we had to face the most difficult part of traveling. Leaving the place where you spent memorable moments has always been a challenge, at least for us Parting, indeed according to Shakespeare, is such a sweet sorrow; separation anxiety with Bangkok kicked in as we arrived again in Mo Chit Central Bus Station at half hour past 3 in the afternoon for our 5:50PM departure to Hat Yai.
Don’t you wish every bus station would look like that of Mo Chit’s or even better?
Try to find my family again on the next photo. This time with that monstrous bag!
Mo Chit Central Bus Station is a few minutes away from Mystic Place Rooms in Bangkok, the wonderful hotel we stayed in. This bus station has ATM machines and our favorite convenience store…
And this was the ticket counter where I personally bought our return bus tickets from Bangkok-Hat Yai. Although the lady at the counter didn’t informed me of the inclusive of the bus fare, I forgave her easily because the purchase was sulit (worth it!)
Cluelessly, we went inside our double decker bus, saw the bus captain and a crew geared like flight attendants. We didn’t expect that the bus ticket fare of 831 Baht or 83.10 Malaysian Ringgit per pax included the following :
A blanket, with seal of laundry shop for assurance
A cup of distilled water and a box filled with sachets of coffee, creamer, sugar, tissues, a couple of wet ones, and a croissant for snack.
Best of all, there’s so much leg room per seat. We loved it! #makakaulit!!!
We all slept on the bus the whole night, we had restful sleep. And at 6AM, Thailand time, we were back in Hat Yai Bus Station. Right across the street was the travel agency where I bought our ticket for a 12-seater-van that took us back from Hat Yai to Penang. Since it was still holiday in Malaysia, they charged us more; a usual ticket of Hat Yai-Penang would only cost 35 ringgit or even less, but we paid for 49 ringgit per pax but it was the earliest trip back to Butterworth at 8:30AM departure; it was OK nonetheless. :)
This Blog’s Bangkok 2012 Series includes :
Of all the things we saw in Chatuchak (or Jatujak) Weekend Market, those three monk-figurines caught my attention the most. It took me few minutes to step away from the shop where we saw them on display for sale before I moved on to the next. The set made me wish I could bring them home as a great souvenir but I held on to my wallet tightly, paused and took a deep sigh and just snapped my cam for posterity and smiled. I think capturing the things on photos, particularly those that you cannot have reduces the negative feelings in a heart beat. I digress. But seriously, this and more things to shop and window-shop keep us coming back to this touristy place in Bangkok. We love Chatuchak; ask my wife, Tina!
18th August 2012, Saturday. Because going back to Chatuchak after 8 long years was one of the major reasons of revisiting Bangkok, we made it a point to go there on our first day of our 4D3N break. Good thing that our chosen hotel, Mystic Place Rooms in Bangkok offers complimentary tuk tuk shuttle service directly to Chatuchak which is a few minutes away; getting there was such a breeze. Saving a few baht for not taking the taxi cab or BTS was indeed welcoming.
Our free tuk tuk shuttle dropped us off right in front Chatuchak…Few steps after, we found ourselves trying to blend with the foreign and local tourists and shoppers; we became instantly preoccupied looking for some great but cheap finds.
Chatuchak Weekend Market in Bangkok may challenge the shopaholic and the tourist in you, so here’s a list of personal tips and a few suggestions for those of you who are planning to drop by for the first time or go back to this shopping heaven. I hope you find them useful.
#1. HYDRATE.
Bring or buy bottles of water and drink a volume before you wander around Chatuchak. Remember that the sun in Bangkok may be scorching hot sometimes and may dehydrate anyone. Don’t worry to fill up your bladder, there are toilets around the market for a minimal fee of 3 baht per entry. So better save some coins too. Go ahead, drink, drink and drink!
Sure, there are bottled and canned sodas from stalls around there but I prefer and suggest to drink distilled water rather than these hypertonic-glucose-rich-fluids. Although a bottle of chilled Coke or Pepsi with Thai labels seems more refreshing to the throat, hehe!
#2. BE VERY CAREFUL WITH YOUR BELONGINGS.
I guess this is self explanatory. As shoppers like you may be overly excited with all those goods per stall, pickpockets may be feeling the same way too! There could be more but we spotted one Police station right outside the vicinity of the market and in my own opinion, that’s not enough to make you feel safe. Responsibility should come from the shoppers’ end of course. Apparently, you can enjoy your shopping more if no untoward incident like losses will happen. In few tourist spots in Bangkok that we went to including Chatuchak, we constantly heard reminders and read warning signs posted all over, to be careful of NON-THAI pickpockets. Regardless of the nationality of the pickpockets, losing hard-earned-money or shopping bags should not be part of the experience. You may also try safe-guarding your valuables by layering your wallets and bags (bag on bag or wallet inside a wallet, get it?).
# 3. BRING REUSABLE SHOPPING BAGS TO CUT ON THE USE OF PLASTICS.
I know. We forgot ours in the luggage. Sorry.
# 4. WHEN BUDGET ALLOWS, BUY IT. THOU SHALL NOT PROCASTINATE.
Forget about comparing prices and canvassing from one shop to the next. With the vast and massive stretch of Chatuchak, chances are you’ll never find your good-finds again once you passed them up to look for cheaper or better ones.
Before you think that we splurged and indulged too much, here are the facts : We only bought 3 colored round neck-T-shirts for Gabby (all for 50o baht), one XXL shirt for me (200 baht), a bag for Tina and my mom (200 baht each), 3 white-sando for Gabby (all for 100 baht) and few baht spent for toilet entries and food (separte Thai food post soon!). We’re happy to spend time on family bonding over a little shopping rather than burn more cash (how we wish we have more!) in this favorite Bangkok Weekend Market. Blessed are those who bring so much budget for shopping, they’ll end up happier.
# 5. APPRECIATE THE THINGS BEYOND THE ORDINARY.
We’ve only been to Chatuchak twice but each experience has been rewarding. Not because we went home with so many loots but by mere seeing this market over again in a differnt perspective was good enough for us. I don’t know with you, but we absolutely enjoy looking at special things that aren’t found on a daily basis.
For those who have gone to Chatuchak, they know and understand how huge it is. To those who have not, prepare to be impressed or worse, exhausted. Think of your local market (probably Divisoria in Manila or Central Market in Kuala Lumpur) times 3 or even 5 times the size. My approximation may sound an exaggeration but it’s really an enormous weekend market that can suck out not only your wallet’s content but energy too.
# 6. TRY OUT THAI FOOD AND OTHER GASTRONOMIC OFFERINGS AT YOUR OWN RISK.
We sampled Pad Thai, Fried Rice and few other things in Chatuchak Market (photos of the other dishes on the succeeding blog posts). We also savored Thai ice popsicles, a chocholate drink made extra-frothy by pulling it up on air, and one of a kind-coconut ice cream served on coconut shell. Since this is a public market, sanitation is always an issue, ergo, savor everything at your own risk.
#7. FORGET ABOUT WORRIES. JUST SHOP, EAT, AND HAVE FUN!
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This Blog’s Bangkok 2012 Series includes :
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The very first thing that popped out of my mind when I learned that the theme for Weekly Photo Challenge is URBAN was this. A photo of traffic jam I captured during our recent leisure trip in Bangkok. It reminded me of the few cities I grew up with in the Philippines. Major thoroughfares are usually congested during rush hours or as ordinary Filipino would put it, “bumper-to-bumper-traffic” Obviously, traffic jam is one of the hassles of daily urban living that one has to deal with.
Have you ever experienced staying in 3 different rooms in 1 boutique hotel with 36-themed-room-choices, impeccable service, accessible location at a very affordable cost? Those ideal qualities are absolutely difficult to find in one accomodation but very possible. Ask TripAdvisor.
When Tina and I decided to revisit Bangkok for our weeklong Hari Raya holiday from work and Gabby from school, we narrowed down the list of hotels that we thought would best cater to our budget and needs. From the existing blogs and tripadvisor reviews available online, we finally made a choice a few months back, to book at Mystic Place Rooms in Bangkok for a 4D3N accomodation.
I immediately received a response from Mystic Place after I reserved a room by emailing them directly. That was an early-plus-points for the hotel and left a very nice impression of the team. Customer service to me, should never be compromise at all times, regardless if it’s expensive or otherwise.
Fast-forward to August 18, 2012, Saturday, we arrived at Mo Chit Central Bus Station in Bangkok from Penang-Hat Yai route (I’ll have a separate blog post for our trip on this series) at 6AM, Thailand time (Thailand ‘s clock is an hour late of Malaysia’s & the Philippines’). We took a taxi cab from the bus station to Pradipat Road where Mystic Place is located. The trip took less than 10 minutes only for a fixed rate of 150 baht (most of our taxi fares in this Bangkok holiday were metered except for this).
It was Taz who’s on duty at the reception when we arrived. He welcomed us warmly and knew my name even before providing him my passport for check in. We didn’t expect either of the two rooms we reserved to be available at that hour since I didn’t notify them of an early arrival. Nonetheless, luck was on our side after learning from Taz that there’s one available room for us to check in and to freshen up. With assurance that our luggage and bags will be transferred to our chosen room at 12 noon despite we’re out, we’re grateful to avail of the early check in at a reasonable additional charge of 500 baht.
After we checked in at the reception, we’re led to our temporary room passing via the breakfast nook, computer lounge and to the stairs. Because the two buildings of Mystic Place only have 3 floors, there’s no lift; but it’s not a big deal and wasn’t a hassle to us; seeing the quirky designs in each level actually made the going up and down the stairs more interesting and healthy actually!
The lounge and breakfast area has that charming atmosphere; it can put anyone into relaxed mood instantly.
I personally liked the fact that Mystic Place features functional recycled arts and materials. Case in point – those handmade curtains, they’re made of plastic red beads and old pages of newspapers and magazines…
The package we availed for 4D3N accommodation all in Superior Rooms plus the additional charge for early-check-in was only less than 6000 baht and it came with complimentary services :
How wonderful was that? It’s a steal if you ask me.
We’re happy even with the breakfast they provided. The buffet spread had fried and scrambled eggs, BACON (honestly, this made our Bangkok stay glorious!!!), sausages, ham, noodles, fried rice, a vegetable dish, cereals -much to Tina and Gabby’s delight, choices of bread with jams and garlic butter spread (it’s our favorite!!!) plus fresh fruits, yoghurt, free-flowing juices and a cup of coffee. We had buffet breakfast for 2 mornings and on our last day, a set meal was offered and something similar on the spread. Everything was delicious!
Now, the rooms.
Availing of the early check in at another room that we did not book only made our experience even better. Besides the expected 2 hotel rooms to try, we ended up sampling 3!
Our Mystic Place Rooms in Bangkok # 1 : Room 408 (No name yet)
Obviously, Gabby was overjoyed. He tried to pose as meditating…
Then I asked him jump onto the bed, he obliged effortlessly…
Then his personal bliss or must be the room suddenly possessed him! Tell me, this boy has pure talent! hehehehe!
All the 3 rooms we had have split-type air conditioning units. You don’t get that in other budget or even other boutique hotels, much more in backpackers inn, do you?
Let the photos speak for this room with no name yet…
How do you like to take warm or cold shower with those eyes on the planks and Marilyn Monroe watching you?
Here’s my family after few hours of rest and freshening up, all set to go to Chatuchak Market! (It will be on a separte blog post!)
FREE shuttle tuk tuk service to Chatuchak Market and/or BTS Train station. The ride only took few minutes; it certainly spelled convenience!
As we value location in choosing hotels other than affordability, Mystic Place is 10 minutes away by foot and less than that by tuk tuk or taxi cab from BTS -Saphan Khwai Station. From there, BTS took us to a few malls and sites we visited.
After a little shopping for good finds and great eats in Chatuchak Weekend Market, we arrived at the reception of Mystic Place and was informed that our luggage and bags were already transferred by the very reliable bellboys to our reserved room. This was our second room!
Our Mystic Place Rooms in Bangkok # 2 : Room 403, TRASH CHIC
Again, we love the fact that rooms in Mystic Place has those split type air conditioning units! Comfortability at its best! The beds also have a great size (could pass as king-size beds or maybe larger than a bit), it’s even bigger to fit the three of us; perhaps Mystic Place thought of the length or height of non-Asian tourists. We love it! Now, how do you like the interiors made up of recycled materials put together to come up with Trash Chic Room?
The walls were made funky and edgy with those sacks of rice in various local prints. Also remarkable things were those side tables made up of crumpled soda cans on the left, and on the other side, crumpled Heineken beer cans.
The bed cover laid over the immaculate white comforters and sheets were made of various colored zippers…
Despite this room is located roadside, we’re never disturbed by any noise whatsoever. A small veranda opens from the room to a view of the busy Pradipat Street.
The doors in Trash Chic…
The advocacy of recycling and artistic expression continue to to the toilet and shower. That small bag made of sack of rice contains the toiletries. They provide the essentials like conditioning shampoo and body shower gel in pleasant scents, comb, toothbrushes and toothpaste, shower cap and cotton buds. Hot and cold shower is available too! What more can you ask for?
Rooms also have 2 bath robes in atypical prints. Tina and I tried these on; she even posed as Sadako in one of the photos I have yet to post publicly.
The only downside of Mystic Place for Tina and I was the lack of sachets of instant coffee; we’re coffee lovers more than tea drinkers. Tea making facilities and complimentary bottles of drinking water were there but no coffee. Good thing we brought some and bought Gabby a few sachets of instant chocolate drink at the nearby convenience store.
On our 3rd and last night in Bangkok, we slept in a room called Tropic Cool located at the second level of the other building of Mystic Place. Of the 3 rooms we tried, this one’s our favorite!
Our Mystic Place Rooms in Bangkok # 3 : Room 201, TROPIC COOL
This is the toilet of Tropic Cool room and if you go few steps up, you’ll find its shower (go find the shower curtain in the next pic) Cool eh?
Mystic Place Rooms in Bangkok also has Mystic Cafe located adjacent to the breakfast nook and lounge; it offers breakfast, lunch and dinner. We enjoyed one dinner here (food photos on separate blog post soon!)
As for customer service, the team of Mystic Place exceeded our expectation. They deserve a salary raise, in my humble opinion and Mystic Place should keep them forever. They define Thai hospitality and honest service. Imagine Nok, the lady receptionist with very chic short hair and high heels, hailing a taxi cab for us in the street due to the absence of the bellboy who probably was busy tending to other guests. As mentioned earlier, the male front desk receptionist, Taz was also warm in receiving us despite we arrived early in the morning. Transferring from one room to the other was never a problem too; we only needed to pack and prepare our things at night then they took care of carrying them to our next hotel room. And because their tuk tuk driver was not around for some reason on our last day, they offered to call and pay for our tuk tuk to shuttle us to our desired destination.
What do you think of Mystic Place Rooms in Bangkok?
As for us, we give it our thumbs up and Gabby his high jump, hehehe!
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To the very friendly team of Mystic Place :
Taz, Nok, Ploy, Sun, Joy, Elle, Vut,
Maraming Salamat!
Terima Kasih!
ขอขอบคุณคุณ
Thank you, for making our entire stay in Bangkok
pleasant and memorable!
We hope to come back soon!
~Doc Gelo, Cristina & Gabby
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MYSTIC PLACE ROOMS IN BANGKOK | 224/5-9, 224/11-18 Pradipat Rd., Phayathai, Bangkok 10400, THAILAND | Check out the location map and other details of the hotel –> HERE!
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This Bangkok 2012 Blog Series includes :
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19th August 2012, Sunday. Sawadee Kap from Bangkok! My family and I arrived in the City of Angels in the Land of Smiles by bus via Penang-Hat Yai-Bangkok route on the early morning of Saturday and we’ll be here until first few days this week. Tina and I are currently savoring days off from work and Gabby from school on August 18th-26th, yay!!! Thanks to Malaysian holiday for Hari Raya celebration (end of Ramadhan season). Revisiting Bangkok felt like a homecoming; time flies so fast that it has been 8 years after our very first trip to this incredibly charming city back in January of 2004 for our honeymoon.
I opted to feature our family’s Bangkok adventure in this blog series randomly. The second day of our holiday started at almost 10AM in the grounds of the majestic Grand Palace. It was our very first time to experience its Anna-and-the-King-like-splendor; everything seemed like just in the movies!
As everyone knows, traffic in Bangkok can be very notorious but not last Sunday. We reserved taking the BTS and rode a taxi cab instead from our hotel in Pradipat Road in 10 minutes at 100 baht; affordable to me when compared to taxi fares in Penang and Manila. Reaching the Grand Palace was certainly hassle-free. We immediately enjoyed the necessary tourist thing called picture-taking! Few minutes after, we found ourselves at the ticket counter of this must-visit-Thailand attraction paying the admission rates of 400 baht each; quite expensive but our experience after proved it’s worth every cent!
A few months back, I asked my friend, Dyan to do an itinerary for this short break, the same way she did for our Singapore vacation last year. With her practical suggestions, I heeded almost all her words. I told Tina that Dyan reminded me that dress code in the Grand Palace is strictly observed. Ladies should flaunt no skin and must be in long skirts. My wife’s almost covered-everything-outfit even received a comment from the lady at the gate. “She should have sleeves.” Tina showed the sleeves of her cardigan that she wore over her dress; she was even ready with a shawl to cover every inch of her integumentary system, hehehe! The lady at the gate smiled and said, “Oh!” and allowed us in.
Men should not wear shorts and bermudas when visiting the Grand Palace. However for tourists who would come in inappropriate attires, the staff provides Thai-wrap-around skirts for female visitors in skimpy outfits and Thai-cotton-pants for males all for free but with refundable deposit.
The very first thing we witnessed inside the Grand Palace was a display of something spectacular. Faith of devotees was beyond amazing!
Here’s my lavish visual synopsis of grandeur, splendor and beauty of Grand Palace in Bangkok… Enjoy!
My two precious were surrounded by gold! Moments were made extra-special!
Hail to my prince and queen…
Everything’s a headturner. No detail left unnoticed. Every spot is picturesque! The photo-enthusiast in me was in a bliss!
Stunning is an understatement! My amateur photo skills didn’t do justice apparently. I did my best and enjoyed capturing the magnificence…
Despite the sun was so unforgiving, our visit to Grand Palace was another uniquely wonderful family experience! I’m glad Tina and Gabby enjoyed every minute!
One of my personal favorites are the volume of colored garuda! I love the contrast of the mirror mosaic gem-colored tiles against the gold! It’s a visual feast!
Doing the necessary : That tourist-thing!
More acts of devotion in front of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha…
We asked Gabby to mimic what the others were doing. He got a long stemmed lotus, dipped it in the brass bowl with water and sprinkle some to his head. Correct me if I’m wrong, it must be a sign of purification if not, a blessing.
Photography and taking videos aren’t allowed inside the Temple of Emerald Buddha for this is of course, a sacred ground. I respected not to snap a photo of the altar in spite of the fact that it’s so tempting. Visitors should also remember that hats must not be worn inside the temple and footwears should be removed and left on the racks at your own risk prior entering the temple. Another thing NOT to do is to point your foot toward the image of the Buddha; better sit on crossed legs instead.
Deep and vibrant colors of various gems and jewels are done in great details!
As Tina became busy with her very own videography done via her ipod touch, she noticed it’s nice to capture images mirrored on those colorful glass pillars. The effect is a kaleidoscope! Try to find me on the next photo!
We left the Grand Palace before high noon, crossed the road to Au Bon Pain for some croissant, soup in the bread bowl, cheesecake muffin and cups of smoothies (separate Bangkok food post, soon!). Refreshing! Following our light lunch, we headed to Wat Pho (to be featured on another separate post).
Indeed, a trip to Bangkok is definitely incomplete without a visit to Grand Palace! It’s an ultimate delightful experience!
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This is my very first entry in the Weekly Photo Challenge. I finally thought of joining the league! With this week’s theme, Merge, I am posting the photo of one of the corners of the boutique hotel room where we’re spending one of our nights here in Bangkok. The room is called Trash Chic and it merges a lot of concepts! Recycling and functionality. Innovation and creativity. Art and tourism. One of Thai artists who was commissioned to do this room among the 36 rooms in this beautiful and fascinating boutique hotel used various colored sacks of rice for the walls and upholstery for the furnitures without compromising function.
What do you think of my entry?
This is one of the 3 rooms we’re sampling in our 4D3N accomodation here in Bangkok!
Unearthed from my files : Our Bangkok Honeymoon photos…
Our very first trip to Bangkok dates back to 2004; it’s few days after the wedding. More than 9 months later, Gabby was born. Fast forward to 2012, Tina and I are very excited to celebrate a weeklong paid holiday (it’s the end of Ramadhan or Hari Raya here in Malaysia) and we cannot wait to return to Bangkok; this time with our little prince. We badly need this break. This weekend and the following days shall be epic!
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Apparently, food taste, ambiance and service must be impeccable to complete either a casual or a fine dining experience. But have you ever considered the importance, or at least the impact of a decent menu to a restaurant or even to a modest eatery?
I wonder if people appreciate menu in any restaurant before savoring their orders.
Whether the menu is on a thick, laminated or fancy paper, written in chalk on a board, simple or stylish, a volume of ordinary diners are usually more concerned on what’s listed on the menu, rather than how it looks. Well, guess what? I was thinking the same way too! This was before my family and I dined at Chicago Ribs in Plaza Gurney Mall, Penang last month.
Just before heading to Hard Rock Hotel Penang to grace their invitation for a 3D2N accomodation & to sample & review their food & beverage, Tina, Gabby and I had to fill up our tummies for late lunch. It was almost 2PM and our stomachs were all growling. Borborygmi (stomach sounds) became audible even without stethoscopes, hahaha! Tina and I wanted to grab quick bites but not from any fastfood because we had enough for that week. I suggested for us to try for the very first time, Chicago Ribs and the two loves of my life agreed.
After the wait staff handed us their menu, a very long moment of silence lorded on our table.
Looking like a serious family of foodies here.
We liked their menu! We also appreciate food places that offer separate menu for kids!
With Chicago Ribs’ broadsheet-themed-menu in full and vibrant colors and written in readable fonts, it dawned on me that a restaurant menu is as essential as its contents. It seems like the most integral ingredient to any dish that any restaurant could offer. Menus are reflective of the cuisine, ambiance and overall style of the food place, thus it should be enticing enough and compelling for diners to order and order more!
Enough with the cheap thoughts; let’s get down to business. Here’s another shameless display of what we wolfed down in Chicago Ribs.
Tina had a gorgeous plate of seasoned salmon and coleslaw while I sampled bacon and cheese burger and onion rings; both platters were served with generous amount of french fries. Our little prince enjoyed his four-cheese-pizza; Gabby’s a purist when it comes to one of his favorite junk foods, he doesn’t want any toppings on his pizza. Over all, we’re satiated and satisfied with our orders. But where’s the ribs? The name of this American restaurant and its fantastic menu boast of Chicago Pork Ribs! We should have tried either their ribs or steaks. Perhaps, next time!
August 10-12, 2012. Our weekend officially kicked off at home last Friday night with a mug of coklat (pronounced as choklat, “chocolate” in Bahasa Melayu)-flavored ice cream. Look how Gabby spruced up his own mug.
The morning after, Tina, Gabby and I took 2 bus rides and trooped to Sunway Carnival Mall, one of the few malls in mainland Penang (the others are in the island). We were supposed to watch the movie, The Bourne Legacy. We first went to the cinema counter and found out that the said movie was rated R18; Gabby’s not allowed obviously. The next best thing was the Dark Knight Rises (which was rated PG13 but with violence too! Good thing that Gabby understands never to pick up bad elements from anything he watches and most importantly, he listens whenever advised); we purchased tickets and pyched up ourselves to be in Gotham City.
Before Batman movie, we needed to chow down. The decision was unamimous. Burger King topped the list.
Yes, those two large onion rings were my order! The kid-in-me longing for onion rings was satisfied happily! While I am a self-confessed onion-ring-monster, Gabby enjoyed his Grilled Chicken burger meal and Tina savored her Double Mushroom Melt burger combo. I also surrendered to Double Whopper large combo which I didn’t finish and had to take home or as they say here, takeaway!
We liked The Dark Knight Rises. We liked the twists and turns of the plot. Unpredictable! There was no scene that left us yawning. Bane was a very powerful and compelling villain! With Anne Hathaway as Catwoman, the movie’s more than enough to keep me awake. And with those last parts of the movie, we could only anticipate for a sequel. Despite we’re all entertained, I was still yearning to watch The Bourne Legacy and I know Tina wants it too.
We went to the grocery to shop our supplies for the coming weeks. Soon after, we’re hungry again. We kept it low and simpler this time by choosing the affordable restaurant, IloveYoo. We had the fried bread, yoo tiao that’s too perfect to be dipped in warm and fine bowl of congee, so we had dry scallop-flavored congee, some taho or what they call here, too foo far (did I spell it correctly?), chilled soya drink and a piece of lotus ball. Solb!
Last Sunday was even more memorable for the three of us, specially for Gabby. It was his very first dental check up. We know it should have been done at his younger age, but as they say, better late than never. It was Tina who made all the arrangements with the dentist whose clinic is located accessible to our place. The appointment was set at 10:30AM but since punctuality runs in our blood, we’re all there few minutes past 9AM. Excited lang perhaps!
Probably like children of his age, Gabby was a bit anxious to go to the dentist. Because it was his first time, he was not afraid nor hesitant but very curious with many queries! Tina and I brought him there for consult and we decided, if and when the dentist would find a tooth for extraction or filling, we would just bring Gabby back to her clinic. After a quick but thorough dental exam, the dentist cleared Gabby as he doesn’t need even dental cleaning; his set of teeth is clean and fine!
Gabby to us : “Mommy, Daddy, nagulat ba kayo, clean ang teeth ko?” (“Were you surprised to know my teeth are clean?”)
Tina and I were laughing our hearts out!
And because his teeth are in good condition, we celebrated our late breakfast at the hawker-restaurant several steps from the dental office.
It really looked like his teeth are in good condition, don’t you think so?
After that hearty meal of Koay Teow Soup and Pork (Sio)Pao, we all walked towards our apartment. Because Gabby can’t be admitted to The Bourned Legacy and Tina had to watch him over at home plus she had to do some chores and acquire much needed weekend rest, I got an approval from them for me to watch The Bourne Legacy alone in the island. Tina and Gabby bid me goodbye then I hopped on the bus and went my way to the cinema.
I am certainly not a movie critic but just like the food I eat, I know my taste so well.
As I posted on facebook and twitter, it’s incredibly amazing to watch Manila portrayed as Manila in a larger than life Hollywood film! It’s high time the Philippines gets the spotlight. Gone are the days when the Philippines is shown as Vietnam or Thailand on the big screen. I’m not sure if you remember that 1999 movie, Brokedown Palace which starred Claire Danes, Kate Beckinsale and Bill Pullman. It was also shot in Manila but depicted as Thailand. Although to some, it may be versatility, I found it weird and unacceptable to watch my country’s capital city back then, shown as other place. At least now, Manila is Manila in The Bourne Legacy. I agree with one of The Bourne Legacy’s bit players, John Arcilla, who’s a Filipino stage and character actor, when he commented on one of his interviews about the movie that ”it’s surreal!” According to him, it’s unbelievable to see himself as a part of a Hollywood movie with jeepneys and all, filmed in the streets of Manila.
I swear the movie almost made me lost my blinking reflex! From that airport scene where the characters of Rachel Weisz and Jeremy Renner had to enter NAIA’s Immigration counters, to those breathtaking motorcycle chase scenes shot in the cities of Pasay, Manila and a public market in Marikina, until the movie ended in one of the Philippines’ paradise islands, Palawan, I was absolutely stunned! It was an awesome movie that I will repeat over and over again. I hope Tina and I get a chance to watch The Bourne Legacy together next time!
Have you seen it already? What’s your take on the movie?
How’s your last weekend?
The next weekend will be more exciting as our family will engage on a much needed loooooong holiday! It’ll be Hari Raya here in Malaysia or the end of Ramadhan on 18th August and the vacation from work extends until August 26th! We’ll be crossing borders of two countries once more! We cannot be grateful enough. It’ll be another weekend of family, food and fun! ;)
Catching up with someone whom you have not seen for several years is like watching again your favorite movie or TV show that you grew up with; it certainly brings back memories of the old days.
I’m glad I gave a nod to my college classmate’s invitation to meet her and her family in Singapore. And because my 4D3N trip was packed, I had to arrange the schedule and ask Rochel (or Rocel to us back in college; I didn’t know her name suffered from a glitch in birth certificate documentation) if it’s fine to have an early dinner with them on my last day in the Lion City before I head back to Changi Airport to catch my 10:40PM flight back to Penang. She candidly agreed, so I met her and her husband at the facade of Raffles City Mall that sunny Sunday afternoon on mid-July. Meeting her after 1997 seemed like going through a time machine in a heart beat.
It actually felt like we’re back to one of our classrooms inside the Science Building or in the canteen of Far Eastern University in Manila (that we fondly called, Tayuman because we’re only provided then with cocktail tables less the seats, so we’re used to eat standing, hence we coined, Tayu-man!). Rochel and I were classmates from 1993 to 1997 when we’re taking up Bachelor of Science in Biology; we belonged to 2 different sets of friends (or in the Philippines, we call it barkada) -she’s with all-female-barkada who were all very studious in every sense of the word (I actually described her group to her husband as nerds to seriously mean their unparalleled devotion to studies, they’re mentally competitive!). We lost contact after graduation. It was only few months back that I found her on facebook.
It’s unbelievable how we squeezed 15 years in a casual and friendly dinner at Din Tai Fung. One thing’s sure -it’s always nice and easy to talk about those college days; everything sounded like they all happened just yesterday. Those were the years with less worries and almost no priority, at least for me.
Fifteen years went by and I heard nothing about Rochel. While waiting for our food, I did not expect that she would ask me about how studying Medicine was like. At that moment, I wasn’t sure whether she went to Med school or not; worse, I was clueless that Rochel became quite depressed soon after her father told her that her dream of becoming a doctor had to be shelve due to their financial difficulty back then.
I told Rochel, she never missed a thing.
She and her husband have been very blessed and they’re financially stable now in a country more progressive than one could imagine.
I think that’s all that matters.
We both believe that Lord has His ways of leading us to our own paths as we live our own lives.
And Rochel’s gratitude to God for everything that happened in her life is inspiring!
Not that I regret becoming a General Physician and a Lecturer of 8 years but going through Medical school robbed me of my social life -anyone who went through the same path could attest. Attending special occasions like birthdays, holiday celebrations and reunions like Christmas and New Year’s day were not always possible during those gruelling years in Medicine; it was books before anything else. A lot of things were sacrificed, tons of efforts were exerted. In my case, there were times that I felt I had studied enough but everything seemed like the lyrics of a James Ingram’s classic song, “I did my best but I guess my best wasn’t good enough!”. Days got even tougher when we’re having those unforgettable 24-36 hour duties in various private and public hospitals for 2 consecutive years (4th year in clerkship, and another year in completing Post-Graduate Medical Internship). It was all about efforts and sleepless nights in exchange of 2 letters added to your surname after graduation, plus a license after passing the board exams and registration. Nonetheless, if there’s one thing I am most thankful of my years in Medicine was the day I met my lovely wife (yeeehaaa!).
Some of Rochel’s bestfriends even went to Residency or Post-Graduate trainings and became specialists. She continued sharing a piece of her life by relaying that during those times that most of our college batchmates and I were in Med School, she worked and earned money to send herself to study another field that offers a more lucrative career. She studied computers and all about Information Technology. She landed a job in the Lion City; made a beautiful family and the rest, as they say is history.
Cliche as it may sound but there are reasons for everything.
We have different fates.
We live different lives.
And everything is attributed to a cause greater than ourselves.
This is Rocel and her husband, Alvin. Rochel has been based in Singapore for 6 years now and the couple have been doing great on their jobs. They have one beautiful daughter, Audrey who was left at home with the nanny during our dinner. Despite my time was limited, our meeting was warmer than what we chow down! They gave me a paper bag with 4 bottles of Belacahan and Chinchalok Chilli sauces and even sent me recipes of how to use the sauces. According to Rochel, she noted that my wife Tina, loves to cook. The gesture was really thoughtful! Thanks for the dinner treat, guys! It was delicious! Hope to meet you again when my family and I get to visit Singapore again.
On a lighter note, here’s a run-down of what we savored on that early dinner at Din Tai Fung.
Rocel ordered Stir-fried Spinach with Garlic
*”A deceptively simple dish made with only premium young, tender shoots. Every batch of specially selected vegetables is almost identical in length and quality, and is cut with precision before being tossed in the wok with just a teaspoon of sunflower oil.”
She also had Fried Rice with Shrimps & Eggs 虾仁蛋饭
“*An extremely popular dish, the ingredients are pared down to simple rice, shrimps, eggs, and spring onions, creating a taste of familiar comfort. Each plate is of a certain weight and minimal seasoning is used so that the natural fragrance of the eggs and spring onions shines through.”
Rocel’s husband, Alvin simply had Beef Noodles
And as I sincerely trusted their taste, so I submitted myself to their choices for me to sample…
Truffle Xiao Long Bao 松露小笼包
*”A paragon of fine taste, an award-winning steamed dumplings laden with the finest truffles. Served only to foreign dignitaries and very special guests in Taiwan, bask in the fine aroma of truffles.”
See how the Art of Making Din Tai Fung’s Legendary Xiao Long Bao HERE!
Fried Rice with Fried Pork Chop
“*Munch away on this scrumptious dish of deeply marinated pork chop, which is deep-fried to perfection. The meat is juicy and tender, making for a wholesome gastronomic experience at Din Tai Fung.”
It’s fifteen years after graduation and I never expected a simple reunion would be in Singapore. Looking back, it’s a wonderful feeling that we passed those days of going through college and eating our food while standing in the canteen during recess and lunch breaks.
PS : I personally asked Rochel to review the draft of this blog post prior publishing in this site. I’m glad she gave me a green light and a happy note! Thank you so much, Rochel! May you and Alvin receive more blessings for you to continue to be a blessings to others!
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Locate Din Tai Fung in Singapore HERE! and in Malaysia HERE!
With their height of 25 to 50 meters, comparable to 16 storeys high and almost trying to reach the sky, no explanation is needed why these amazing installations are called, Supertrees. They’re one of the spectacular attractions in Gardens by the bay; one of the reasons why Singapore’s literally blooming these days.
I was fortunate to pay it a visit on the last day of my 4D3N trip to Singapore last July 2012, barely few weeks after Gardens by the bay officially opened to the public. I was even luckier because my Singapore-based Filipina friend, Gina, who’s a former colleague back in Manila, accompanied me and offered to treat me to Gardens by the bay, Marina Bay Sands and all the way to Sentosa. It was Gina’s suggestion for us to see Gardens by the bay first thing in the morning so we could maximize my last hours in the Lion City.
Accessibility’s definitely not a problem even to a first-time-visitor-commuter like me; locating it was such a breeze. Coming from Oasia Hotel in Sinaran Drive, Novena area, I walked my way to the MRT station right across it and took the train going to Marina Bay Sands. I alighted at Bayfront Station and strolled my way to Gardens by the bay.
My good friend, Gina and I agreed to meet up at the ticket counter. We individually walked through the path from Bayfront MRT at Marina Bay Sands and thankfully, the weather was at its finest, the sun shone its brightest. I only regret 2 things in this visit, one of them was forgetting to bring the 3-fold-umbrella that my wife prepared inside my luggage which I left in the hotel’s concierge and the second one was failing to capture the grandeur of Gardens by the bay at dusk. Anyway, at least we didn’t have a downpour and there’s always a next time to further explore this unique botanical park on our future visits.
Few days prior to our visit, I personally saw and captured the vast stretch of this garden in the city as I first appreciated Gardens by the Bay’s Conservatories and Supertrees from the Sands Skypark at Marina Bay Sands…
Gardens by the bay is attractive from a bird’s eye view, even more impressive up close. It’s a showcase of Mother Nature’s most colorful blooms and lush greens amidst progressive city. However, due to limited time, Gina and I only opted to visit the two conservatories, the Flower Dome and Cloud Forest. What I love the most about these two conservatories is the fact that they’re airconditioned; they’re kept cool to maintain the required temperature for the flowering plants to thrive. Most on the display are imported species from *Mediterranean regions like South Africa, California and parts of Spain and Italy. Home to a collection of plants from deserts all over the world.
Flower Dome is the cool-dry conservatory while the Cloud Forest is the cool-moist conservatory.
This blog has never published a volume of photos of flowers after my blog post about Shibuya in Tokyo back in 2010 (blog post HERE!). Be ready to be overwhelmed!
FLOWER DOME
*Facts from their website : “The world’s largest columnless greenhouse, the Conservatories’ glass sits on a steel grid that acts like an eggshell. With 3,332 panels of 42 varying shapes and sizes of spectrally selective glass, the Flower Dome is like a giant puzzle! Air is cooled at the lower occupied zones through chilled water pipes in ground slabs, while warm air is vented out at the top.”
Now, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls,
meet my beautiful and intelligent Singapore-based-friend,
Gina! (applause!).
Of course, everyone agrees that she best complements those bed of flowers, doesn’t she?
(note: she’s presently available and unattached *just trying to play cupid here!*).
It has been two years since Tina and I last met Gina in Manila. We’ve been keeping our lines open via where else but facebook. She remains to be the same old charming and thoughtful friend we used to know. One thing’s sure, I noticed that she gained extra skills and talents in being host to tourist-guest like me. She wanted to update Tina so using her iphone, Gina immediately checked in our location via facebook and began taking our photos and tagging my wife who was left in Penang with Gabby. I even lost count of the times she asked me if I wanted to be photographed the whole time we’re inside the conservatories. I burst into laughter a few times and told her that I am used to clicking my cam to shoot photos and not otherwise. In the end, I gave in; she won in capturing this…
I know. It’s neither I nor Gina who’s the star of this post. We’re not worthy! Indubitably, the spotlight for this blog post is directed onto those vibrant petals. Here are some of my shots that I hope could make you smile or at least, lighten up your mood even a bit. Enjoy!
Those yellow creeping beauty made me remember Gabby while inside the Flower Dome. Spongebob’s color is Gabby’s ultimate favorite. And he’s correct; yellow brightens up any mood. I smiled instantly when I saw it.
Then, God created pink…
I am recommending Flower Dome to people who wish to pause and smell the flowers, literally! Time, inside the Flower Dome could stand still effortlessly. It’s a perfect venue for those worry-free-forget-about-all-hassles-moments!
After we felt we’ve savored enough, we exited the turnstiles and headed to the second cooled conservatory located right across. It’s the Cloud Forest!
CLOUD FOREST
Gina liked it better than Flower Dome. I thought so too. Whoever made the blueprint and constructed Cloud Forest must have been so inspired by the fantasy world in the movie, Avatar! To me, there’s that avatar-ish mood inside! I felt like I stepped into a new foresty world of another dimension! Or perhaps, it’s just my imagination. I must have over imagined it because there’s that lovely mist when we entered Cloud Forest and it made the entire atmosphere inside cooler and fresher! The moist-loving plants are anchored to a mountain-like installation. There’s that tall waterfalls that greets every visitors at the entrance. There are lifts and escalators that bring visitors to various levels of the Cloud Forest; there’s even one level devoted to crystals and crystal-mountains! And walking through different levels, admiring the many species of orchids, bromeliads and other exotic and vibrant flowering plants made our visit to Gardens by the bay really worth it! If visitors have to choose only one from the two conservatories to visit, Gina and I are both recommending, Cloud Forest!
It was almost noon time when we left Gardens by the bay. We left the appreciation for those Supertree groves to our future visit. We felt our stomachs growling and the urgent need to fill them up. We strolled our way back to Marina Bay Sands and trooped to its food court.
I offered to pay the bill for our lunch, but Gina was so generous and didn’t allow me to pull out my wallet. She treated me to one of the restaurants at Marina Bay Sands that has the mood of TGI.F but was noted to have originated in Korea. The food place’s called, Kraze Burgers. We thought we need to sample the KB Original Burgers so we ordered two, plus a plateful of french fries generously topped by chili-con-carne and 2 glasses of iced tea to wash everything down. Everything in that burger tasted fresh! Our lunch was satiatingly good!
From Gardens by the bay to Kraze Burgers at Marina Bay Sands, we rode the MRT and cable car all the way to Sentosa. And since I have another Singapore-based friend to meet for early dinner, Gina was even thoughtful and more than willing to accompany me to my next meeting place before she took her own way to hear mass that Sunday.
I hope I could bring Tina and Gabby back to Singapore and visit our friend, Gina once more.
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Happy 47th Birthday, Singapore! Happy National Day!!! | 09 August 2012
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Gardens by the bay | 18 Marina Gardens Drive, Singapore 018953 | Outdoor : 5AM – 2AM daily, Free | Conservatories : 9AM-9PM, daily, S$ 8 to S$ 28 | OCBC Skyway : 9AM-9PM |For more details, click THIS!
Kraze Burgers | Kraze Burgers @ Marina Bay Sands is located at 2 Bayfront Ave, #B2-54/55, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore 018956 | For more details, click THIS!
*sourced via Gardensbythebay.com
One of the highlights of my recent trip to Singapore was to personally appreciate the city in a different and higher perspective. Fortunately, opportunity presented itself as almost everything was provided for FREE by friends and sponsors except for one. It was only my second visit to the Lion City and it’s awe-inspiring to see her from greater heights literally. Singapore is immensely beautiful from the ground, even more stunning from various vantage points!
1-ALTITUDE BAR
When I met fellow bloggers at the Welcome Dinner at Landmark Village Hotel for 2012 Singapore Blog Awards hosted by OMY.Sg and Far East Hospitality Hotels, I asked a few of them if they’re doing anything on Saturday night after the event. I was glad to receive a positive response that they’re also interested to experience the newest bar in the city. We’re already in Singapore, might as well maximize the moment despite and in spite of everything. And because I only drink occasionally, my main intent was to capture the fireworks at 8PM from Marina Bay Sands and to see Singapore from its highest platform.
It took us two rides on the lifts to go up to the 63rd floor of One Raffles Place and a single flight of stairs to experience this breathtaking 360 degree-view of Singapore skyline from 1-Altitude Bar. Arguably the hippest bar in Singapore, 1-Altitude Gallery Bar stands at the peak of 282 metres, stretching 61st to 63rd floor of One Raffles Place and provides an unparalleled spectacular bird’s eye view of Singapore. My photos don’t do justice to the grand display of sights.
Marina Bay Sands and Singapore Skyline viewed from 1-ALTITUDE BAR
SANDS SKYPARK at MARINA BAY SANDS
This lavishly beautiful hotel needs no detailed introduction; it’s iconic as the country’s Merlion. Although I and my family have yet to experience its luxurious accomodation in God-knows-when; I’m grateful to be invited by MBS’ Social Media Officer, Ms. Philicia Tan to savor the incredibly beautiful Sands SkyPark views from its public observation deck and tour the MBS’ Infinity Pool. It was one of those fantastic moments!
SINGAPORE FLYER
Luck was indeed on my side because the venue of #SBA2012 was in Singapore Food Trail at Singapore Flyer. I was not surprised when they announced that each blogger-attendee shall have one FREE ticket to ride the world’s largest Giant Observation Wheel at the height of 165 meters from the ground. I felt the ultimate thrill-like-a-kid before taking the flight that spans 30-minute-revolution inside that 28-person-capacity-capsule that’s comparable to a bus or a size of a small classroom. The ride did not make me nauseous nor dizzy but unexpectedly sleepy and relaxed. The panoramic view’s breathtaking!
CABLE CAR RIDE TO SENTOSA
Thanks to one of our sponsors, Far East Hospitality, particularly Elizabeth Hotel for providing us FREE tickets to Cable Car ride to Sentosa. I invited and brought my Singapore-based friend and former colleague, Gina and together, we enjoyed another height in Singapore. It’s another wonderful first-time-experience for the kid in me. We boarded the cable car from the Singapore Cable Car Station at HarbourFront Tower Two after a hassle-free-MRT-ride. Because Tina, Gabby and I failed to go to Sentosa last year, I know nothing of the place; didn’t even expect to see the luxury cruise liner, Superstar Virgo on the shores below us. The ride inside that Angry-Bird-themed cable car was definitely one for the books! Best, it’s free!
For more details about Cable Car to Sentosa, click HERE!
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ON A SERIOUS & PERSONAL NOTE | Except for the ascent to 1-Altitude Gallery Bar, I didn’t actually plan to go to different high places in Singapore prior to my recent 4D3N-July 2012-visit. And admittedly during the entire trip, I was having hassles at work (now resolved, I think) so it was like I’m physically present in the Lion City but my mind was focused in Penang. Imagine the feeling of being in the best heights in Singapore while facing a towering problems. I just prayed and kept my faith and strengthen my belief that everything happens for a reason. It was an effort for me to deviate my attention from unpleasant happenings, more so the guilt of experiencing all this without Tina and Gabby. But after everything’s settled, I realized that adventures are best lived when we never know where life will take us. We may wonder what happiness-amidst-challenges means and we may not understand all things in a blink. What matters most is to firmly stand on the ground despite the challenges are sky-high.
“It is in the compelling zest of high adventure and of victory, and in creative action, that man finds his supreme joys.”
~Antoine de Saint-Exupery
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If my memory serves me right, it was only my third time to travel solo abroad; the first was back in 2010 in Tokyo for 14 days and followed by my departure to Penang for work on the same year. This was my second time to be in Singapore. Tina and Gabby were with me last year when we visited the Lion City; it was definitely merrier and triple the fun! Mushy as it may sound but it feels incomplete to go somewhere for leisure without my family in tow. Nonetheless, I’m grateful to the invitation of 2012 Singapore Blog Awards, OMY.Sg and Oasia Hotel Singapore for this 4D3N trip.
After a smooth 1 hour-and-20-minute-travel-time from Penang to Singapore via Air Asia (no-delays, thankfully!), I arrived at this tiny but charming and productive city at 1:20PM, Thursday, July 19th, 2012. Due to personal and social commitments, my arrival was a day earlier than the call-time for the events. I knew I had to fight the little homesickness without Tina and Gabby so as not to spoil my days packed with schedules. With my 20-kg-luggage, a backpack with laptop and DSLR inside, plus a suitbag for my jacket (which I didn’t wear!) and fedora hats (Yes, I’m collecting them now. And apparently, I don’t have the skills of traveling lightly; I’m guilty as charged! hehehe!), I appreciate my uneventful airport procedures from Immigration to finding the Skytrain and MRT the very first time (truth is, we were fetched by a Benz limo from Quincy Hotel last year, so I’m really a bit clueless where to go).
Budget Terminal | T1, Changi Airport, Singapore | 19 July 2012
From Terminal 1 of Changi Airport, I had to ride the Skytrain to go to T2 where the Changi MRT station is. As I alight the escalator at Departure Hall of Terminal 1, my attention was caught on a whim by this fantastic mobile and musical installation.
This Kinetic Rain Sculpture made up of 1,216 aluminum droplets coated in bronze located at Departure Hall of Changi Airport Terminal 1 mezmerized me. With soothing music, these silver teardrops float and dance, moving up and down, forming different shapes like hot air balloon, magic carpet and whatnot, providing free entertainment to people in one of the best terminals in the world. I thought little details like providing free fox’s candies wrapped and packaged in Changi Airport branding is already noteworthy of Changi Airport, but with this Kinetic Rain as a new addition to its attractions, this multi-awarded terminal proved that it has so many things to tickle the fancy in everyone!
As a first timer to take the MRT from the airport, I considered myself lucky for not getting lost. However I would not mind if otherwise happened as I can easily shrug it off and consider it as part of adventure. I relied on no one but my instinct and reading signage ability, hahaha! After getting off the train from Terminal 1, I walked through Terminal 2 and thought of going down the escalator; et voila, I found the MRT to the city.
I saw a long queue of tourists buying EZ link card to use in bus and MRT trips. Without asking anyone, I did the same and bought my own EZ link card, topped it up with S$25 for my 4-day-commuting around the Lion City. It pays to be a keen observer! #gaya-gaya, LOL!:)
EZ Link card spells convenience and efficiency in transportation in Singapore. I used it in few of my bus rides and in my frequent MRT trips during my 4D3N in the Lion City.
I took the train from Changi MRT station (Terminal 2) to Tanah Merah. Hopped of the MRT and transferred train the opposite line (East West Line; the green line) that took me to Lavender station and to my budget hotel on my first day (I checked in to Oasia the next day, Friday, July 20th to 22nd, Sunday). After going online in the hotel to check my emails, I went my way to Haji Lane and Arab Street to meet a Filipino Award Winning Travel Blogger for dinner.
Alighting from Bugis MRT Station at around 4 in the afternoon, I found my way towards Haji Lane and Arab Street. My dinner schedule’s at 5:30PM hence, I savored luxury of time in capturing some scenes from Haju Lane and Arab Street.
H A J I L A N E
Undeniably colorful and fascinating, this narrow alley amidst the Muslim area in Singapore is boasting with vibrant hues and quaint shophouses where young Singaporean entrepreneurs showacase their hip and edgy clothing apparels. Other than those boutiques that surely attract the fashion-conscious ones, the spectacular murals found in Haji Lane are enough to convince any traveler and tourist that it’s one of the must-visit-spots in this part of Southeast Asia.
A R A B S T R E E T
As I immeresed myself in the colors of Haji Lane, the next best street adjacent to it drenched me with sights, taste and textures. Arab Street provides an irresistible colossal visual treat!
Stunning Turkish lamps from Sufi’s Corner Traditional Handicrafts. I love these lamps, I want to own a dozen one day, hahaha!
Sultan Mosque, Arab Street, Singapore.
And look who I had dinner with at Sufi Corner Cafe in Singapore….
Beyond Toxicity x Just Wandering. Sufi Corner Cafe, Arab Street, Singapore. 19 July 2012
The one and only (drum roll please!), Nuffnang Asia Pacific Blog Awards Best Travel Blog Winner, Nina Fuentes of Just Wandering.Org.
Incidentally, Nina and I first met in an intimate-bloggers’ event conducted by Contact Singapore held in Heritage Hotel back home. Who would have thought that our casual reunion will be in the country that was a topic of the event we attended 2 years ago? We planned the friendly dinner via facebook, and I must salute her for being organized and resourceful; she did research of what we must sample in Singapore (she deviated from Singaporean local dishes as we’ve tasted most of them already), even sent me the menu in pdf of Sufi Turkish Corner Restaurant in Arab Street. I trust her so as she has traveled to UAE and Morocco thus, she’s more familiar with Mediterranean cuisine. Her choices from the menu were nothing but excellent! I want to go back to Sufi, seriously!
Babagannus | Sg$ 6.5 | “A favourite meze from Southeastern Anatolia. Eggplant, capsicum, and crushed red peppers cooked with butter and mixed with a touch of garlic together with homemade yogurt.”
Babagannus, take 2. Same plate, still addicting!
Shrimp Casserole (Guvec) | Sg$ 18 | “Guvec style shrimp casserole of Istanbul.”
Shrimp Casserole’s generous servings! nom, nom, nom, nom!
Turkish Mint Tea, Iced | Jug: Sg$ 8.00 | Refreshingly good!
Kebab on a sword! I honestly forgot if it’s mixed kebab or lamb. Its beautiful taste put me on a spell to forget it, hahaha!
Told you that Kebab was on a sword!
From my solo-adventures at the airport and MRT stations, to the fantastic sights in Haji Lane and Arab street, to that engaging catching-up-dinner-with Nina, I knew I was in for another remarkable Singaporean weekend!
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Indulgence is a must when spending quality time with the family or with friends. My family and I are very grateful to the people of Hard Rock Hotel Penang for they perfectly know how to pamper their guests across all ages by providing A COMPLETE SENSORY EXPERIENCE.
You’ve probably read my first post about our family’s grand experience (blog post HERE!). Now, here’s the conclusion of my 2-part-blog-series about Hard Rock Hotel Penang; I’m ending it with everything that satisfied our digestive tracts. WARNING : FOOD PORN AHEAD! You may want to drink a glassful of cold water first before scrolling down this post. FEAST YOUR EYES! ENJOY! *wink*
OUR FRIDAY DINNER @ STARZ DINER : THE GREAT AMERICAN BUFFET with A TWIST
Shameless dispaly of indulgence. My plate # 1 : Fresh green salad, prawns, crayfish, salmon sashimi and cheese on a biscuit. Nom nom nom!!!
My plate # 2 : Mini Lamb Burger, Chicken Fingers, Mashed Potato, Chicken Wings and the most delicious and tender Smoked Beef Rib I’ve ever tasted! Tender. Delicious. *sigh*
Sarsi Longgan, anyone? Surprisingly, I liked it. It’s light, fruity and refreshing!
Our little-big-boy’s preference : chocolate fondue goodies!
HAPPINESS!!! …Can you imagine a world without ice cream?
This trio melted all my worries away, seriously!!!
Res Ipsa Loquitor means the evidence speaks for itself. Here’s a proof that Hard Rock Hotel Penang is beyond rockstars and adult-fun. People of HRHP are certainly KID-FRIENDLY TOO!
The next day was made for another gastronomic adventure in epic proportions!
OUR SATURDAY BREAKFAST BUFFET PLATES @ STARZ DINER
LOVE! This platter on the buffet spread is just love. Smoked salmon and salted fish are so right in the morning!
My plate obviously. Smoked salmon FTW!
Tina sampled the do-it-yourself-congee.
Our kiddo is a cereal-monster!
Apparently, Gabby’s Don’t ask me if appetite is hereditary. LOL!
Early Weekend Morning Look! hahaha!
Dim sums in the morning? I had it for 2 consecutive weekend mornings. First in Singapore, then at Hard Rock Hotel Penang. It’s habit-forming and I’m not complaining! :)
Fiber-rich fresh fruits : A must for digestive process. Nutritious too!
What Gabby does to express happiness.
Tina’s.
My world revolves around them. End of story.
OUR SATURDAY LUNCH @ PIZZERIA
There’s so many nice things to experience in Pizzeria at Hard Rock Hotel Penang. For one, diners get to enjoy watching the chefs tossing and flipping the pizza as per order. It’s entertaining in its own way! The wannabe-chef in Gabby and me enjoyed it a lot! Having an open-air-ambiance, located few steps by the beach provide a very relaxing and casual dining feel; it’s non-intimidating. Italian dishes on the menu look and taste authentic too! Highly recommended, a really must-try in HRHP!
Watching the chefs prepare those hand-tossed pizzas is an extra special treat!
Antipasto combo includes that tender baby octopus, mushrooms and diced eggplant that are complimented by that mayo-based dip.
All about Pizzeria’s pizza : I liked the thin crusts and the fact that toppings are served generously!
My family’s (Gabby’s) choice : Pizza Contadina, 14 inch for sharing. Tomato-based topped with chicken, mushrooms, onions, the works!
My plate : Pasta Aglio Y Olio (spaghetti with garlic, olive oil and chili peppers- very Italian? eduate me!). My verdict : I liked it except that my tongue does not favor too much spice, nonetheless, I finished the entire plate.
Gnocchi for Tina. If you must know, this pasta dish called Gnocchi is made of potato-pillows. Those worm-like-pasta are actually made of potatoes and starch.
Hot chocolate for Gabby on a hot weather. Why not.
Our blogger-fellows from Penang and Kuala Lumpur, Isaac, Chris and Emily with their companions savored these Italian goodies…
Gamberi pizza. Prawns in tomato base.
Calzone = folded pizza. Can’t get enough of that Pizzeria pizza-goodness! I’ve tasted this and I gave a thumbs up!
Tomato-based spaghetti.
Calamari. Classic.
Pizzeria also offers local Malaysian dishes…
Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce. One of Malaysia’s favorite dishes.
BEVERAGES compliment tasteful dishes best. Either alcoholic-based or otherwise, Sand Bar and Pizzeria in Hard Rock Penang, as well as Hard Rock Cafe have a long list of choices from their beverage menus. There’s something special for everyone; even Gabby was happy with his Hot Chocolate and Chocolate Smoothies drinks.
Fellow Blogger Chris’ choice : Mojito
For our Saturday Lunch : Watermelon and strawberry-based smoothies for me, Tropical Paradise, a fruity shake for Tina, and Hot Chocolate for Gabby.
On the very first weekend evening that we met the invited Malaysian awesome bloggers, Isaac, Chris and Emily with the very hospitable people of Hard Rock Penang, we had a few drinks at Hard Rock Hotel Penang’s Sand Bar, a very apt spot in the resort to chill out and watch the gorgeous sunset.
Gabby had his Chocolate Smoothies from the Sand Bar. While admittedly, Tina and I are non-alcoholics (and non-smokers too), we’re not kill-joy-junkies when an occasion calls for it. I made Tina sample the drink from Sand Bar’s menu called, PICKLED TINK which is an infusion of Smirnoff Raspberry Vodka, Pina Colada Mix and Fresh Strawberries Served Frozen and garnished with two Maraschino Cherries.
Guess who had what. ;)
OUR SATURDAY FAMILY DINNER @ HARD ROCK CAFE PENANG
Didn’t I tell you that the entire Hard Rock Hotel Penang including Hard Rock Cafe is very family-friendly? Gabby’s delighted at the sight of specially tailored menu for kids his age. He immediately scan it and made his choices. Oh and by the way, he had two cups fresh milk that went perfectly with his preference. Can you believe Hard Rock Cafe has fresh milk for kids? They have actually! :)
Gabby’s choice # 1 : Ceasar’s salad
Gabby’s plate # 2 : Mac and cheese. This is a favorite-kid-friendly-plate. Agree?
The scene early that evening. It became packed with hungry diners in a blink.
I went up the mezzanine of Hard Rock Hotel Penang and a volume of Rock and Roll memorabilia are on display too to delight the music-loving patrons. Can you spot that Madonna costume?
Now, I have a confession to make. It’s a lame excuse, I know but because of my hectic schedule from my social media commitments for two consecutive weekends (Singapore Blog Awards 2012 and this Hard Rock Hotel Penang invitation), not to forget the stress that my wife and I are currently getting from work, I committed an isolated glitch. It slipped my memory that we’re instructed to try the “Hard Rock Cafe Eats Platter” special offering from HRC during the Fasting Month (Breaking of the Fast or Buka Puasa during Ramadhan) and for that I’m really sorry. What I remembered from the invite they sent in pdf via email and a printout form was the phrase that made me smile ear to ear : “if you wish, you may order other stuff.” I forgot to memorize the phrase that came before it (“After the platter,” ) toinks!!! We came earlier at Hard Rock Cafe that Saturday evening than our fellow blogger-buddies, thus my family and I were done with the last meal of the day earlier too. I immediately emailed Ms. Danielle Fung of HRHP to explain and verify everything after our sumptuous dinner. And I must say, they’re really generous. Everything’s waived and we didn’t pay a single ringgit. THANK YOU SO MUCH, HRHP & HRC! I just had to be honest about it. Now, continue to feast your eyes on our dinner that Saturday night…
Tina ordered this thick prawn-based soup. It could have been better if it’s not too salty.
Gabby got MILK. Fresh Milk. Two Cups. From HRC Penang!
We did not expect it too be in HUMONGOUS servings! I ordered JUMBO APPETIZER COMBO that includes Fried Spring Rolls, Chicken fingers, Potato Skins, Onion Rings and Buffalo Wings with respective dips! SEDAP, SARAP!!! The HRC EATS PLATTER that my family and I failed to sample (please see posted below) has similar offerings except it has Mini Lamb Burger and the others.
DISCLAIMER : Tina and I did NOT finish everything we ordered; we had most of them as takeaway (or in our words, take-out, take-home). It’s good that our seaview deluxe room in Hard Rock Hotel Penang has a personal fridge to temporarily store those delicious leftovers. We literally took them home the next day after check out.
Tina was astonished with the serving size of her order. TRIO COMBO. BBQ flavored Chicken, Beef Ribs and Roasted Beef Brisket (Believe me, it’s the most tender beef dish that I’ve tasted! Flavorful too! We loved it! The chicken’s OK too however, it’s so frequent for us to eat chicken so the beef ribs and roasted beef tantalized our taste buds effortlessly. )
My HRC Surf and Turf dinner plate : NEW YORK BEEF STEAK with PRAWN SKEWER. I had it medium well and I lost superlatives to describe it. I finished the side dishes that were also remarkably delicious plus the prawns, a personal favorite! I had the rest of the steak as to go.
I just had to take one more shot. Beautiful plate, isn’t it?
What’s a rock and roll meal without a sweet ending? DESSERTS we had included this CHOCOLATE MOUSSE, it’s Gabby and Tina’s choice. I liked it too!
My choice from the HRC dessert menu : Haagen Dazs Sundae Trio. Simply divine!
OUR SUNDAY BREAKFAST BUFFET @ STARZ DINER
Our last meal enjoyed at Hard Rock Hotel Penang during that 3D2N sponsored staycation was our breakfast buffet at Starz Diner. There’s a vast selection of bread for those who want to have carbo-loading. There’s a station for free-flowing morning drinks -from coffee, tea, fruit juices, fresh milk and chocolate. The difficult part was choosing what to chow down! So many food, so little time and limited gastric pits! Nevertheless, I’ll state it again that we’re very blessed to experienced all this. Thank you, God! Thank you, Hard Rock Hotel Penang!
I told you, that smoked salmon got my taste buds seriously. I love it to bits.
Tina and Gabby’s Roti Canai, one of Malaysia’s famous breads for breakfast, actually, it’s all good anytime of the day!
There’s only one thing that Tina and I regret of not doing in Hard Rock Hotel Penang and that’s failing to watch the Filipino Live Band called, Tiempo who plays at Hard Rock Cafe at 10:30PM that (every) weekend. We like watching live bands however the show’s strictly for adults 21 years old and older and Gabby didn’t allow us to sneak out leaving him in the room, even for an hour. Oh well, parenthood duties!!! We’re not complaining. At least it became one of the reasons to go back to HRHP and HRC in the near future.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, HARD ROCK HOTEL PENANG!
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Part one of this 2-part blog series : http://docgelo.com/2012/07/31/our-rock-roll-family-weekend-hard-rock-hotel-penang/
Buka Puasa & Hari Raya Buffets | Hard Rock Hotel Penang offers a wide array of dishes specially prepared and cooked by their rockstar chefs in time for Buka Puasa (breaking of the fast during Ramadhan season) and Hari Raya.
Buka Puasa at Starz | Starz Diner | Mondat to Thursday | 6:30PM till 10:30PM | RM 60++
Great American Buffet With A Twist | Starz Diner | Friday & Saturday | 6:30PM till 10:30PM | RM108++
Buka Puasa & Hari Raya Barefoot BBQ | Pizzeria | Sunday | 6:30PM to 10PM | RM60++
For reservations call +604 8811 711 ext 8703 or email fb.penang@hardrockhotels.net
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Hard Rock Hotel Penang
Batu Ferringhi Beach | 111oo Penang, Malaysia
http://penang.hardrockhotels.net/
Take the Hard Rock Hotel Penang VIRTUAL TOUR HERE!
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*Thank you to Ms. Danielle Fung of Hard Rock Hotel Penang for making this grand family weekend experience possible.
OPINION COUNTS…