Arriving Jakarta

This is my late post on my holiday to Jakarta Indonesia for the first time.

I managed to arrive at Changi terminal quite early as planned since I only took the mrt on the way there. Since it was my first time to take the train as I always took a cab to the airport. Arriving at the airport

My trip to Jakarta Indonesia

I went out of Singapore last weekend for a 4-day sightseeing trip to Jakarta. Friday was national holiday and Monday was my off-day so it was a four days of free time not to waste. I took the mid-afternoon flight and as I want to arrive in the capital before night time. Just like Vietnam, Indonesia timing is 1 hour behind Singapore. I stayed at Sparks Hotel in Mangga Besar Dua road, it is not an ideal location but the hotel itself is nice, clean and cozy, a value for money for a 51 dollars a night. I booked the room in advance thru agoda.

To sum up my four days trip, I was able to explore the old town, climbed up the national monument, visited the museum, shopping centers, and yes tried the night life too. And also I found out that the city has a Cathedral that dates back 1901 and has a distinctive spires and built in neo-gothic style architecture.

Tagaytay City Trip

I woke up late the following day since I slept around 4:00am the night before. So instead of going to Corregidor as planned, I travelled up south to Tagaytay City and the trip was my ninth time already. There was no particular reason why I chose Tagaytay except to accompany someone who has never been there before. I never get tired coming back to Tagaytay as I love the weather and the scenery especially the view on top the Palace in the Sky. 

View from the unfinished building terrace

Inside the Reunification Palace, Saigon

One of the places of interest in Ho Chi Minh City I have visited was the Reunification Palace. Formerly the presidential palace of South Vietnam which turned into a museum. The museum has been kept largely as it was. It was also here where the official handover of power during the fall of Saigon was held. The museum is open for a fee, I cant recall how much did I pay for the entry ticket.

Actually I had difficulty locating the place, because I was coming from behind the complex so I really can't pinpoint the building itself though I am within the vicinity. When I noticed a massive fence and assumed to be the one I was locating, I walk alongside and when I reached the corner of the frontage did I spot the building. Approaching the main gate a coconut vendor walk along with me and offer me one for free! I was astounded by his offering because by looking at him he cannot afford to sell his ware for free, though glad for the offer I refused his offer and said thank you with accompanying touristy smile. I sensed something fishy as he was very insistent so I double pace walking and only until I reached the gate that he stop pestering me.

Long weekend

I still have not blog the things i have done on the trip I made to Vietnam. I am supposed to do that as a third entry but I cant find time to really make one. Lately I find it hard to compose a detailed entry, the reason maybe is that my mind is not there and was pretty occupied with work. Though the building upgrading job is not demanding technically but more so on physical aspect that keep me distracted from blogging. As our work is concentrated on residential flats where there are residents in it. The job while requires you to supervise thoroughly the ongoing construction but more so on the safety and convenience of the residents occupying the building undergoing construction. Mind you its a challenging work, whoever might say it is an easy job compared to a normal construction site must experience it firsthand, as the responsibility is more like to hell freezes over thing heheh.

Anyway last saturday is Deepavali and it's a national holiday, so it was busy weekend for me. And since Monday is my off day too, I have three days to spend last weekend.

Istana Open to public

Being Deepavali, the Istana, the official residence of the president of Singapore, was open to the public for the whole day. So I spend the late morning around the palace grounds and toured inside the palace, though not all but portions of the ground floor only. These were the Banquet Hall, the room where the president receives state visitors, and the main lobby. At the banquet hall, instead of foods on the dining tables, the items the presidents receives from other head of states are the ones on display. Its quite interesting to see the items as it is labeled by the giver country and groups according to items received. The gifts were really reflects the identity of the country were it came from. Too bad taking pictures were not allowed inside the palace.

But outside you can free to do anything that pleases you, I mean you can take pictures as what I did, picnicking, kidsplay, things like that. I have the grand time taking pictures.

Arriving Ho Chi Minh City

It's my first time to travel to Vietnam yet I have no apprehension whatsoever for the travel. I booked the flight 3 months ago so though I have to wait that long, it didn't cross to my mind to feel fear for the trip.

My flight was scheduled 7:35 in the morning, so I was at Changi terminal 1 at 5:45 and waiting for boarding at gate C15 by 6:30. My ticket says I will arrive Ho Chi Minh at 8:25am, which means the travel time will be less than an hour. Considering how far apart the two countries are, I thought it's a mistake, but was confirmed by the check in counter personnel that Vietnam is one hour behind Singapore.

By 6:55am, the line for boarding started. My assigned seat is 3A so I belonged to the last batch to be boarded.

theJetstar plane that will bring me to Saigon

My Ho Chi Minh Escapade

I just came back from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. A holiday trip to this southeast asian city. To sum up the trip, it was an exhausting yet educational trip indeed. Upon arriving home, it was the Ho Chi Minh City leg of the amazing race show currently playing. Nice, it was exactly what I did, sort of.

Enjoy the photos.

Binh Tay Market

An afternoon spent in Johor Bahru, Malaysia

I spent my tuesday off in Johor Bahru, Malaysia with no particular reason. My place is just a stone throw away from the causeway which link Singapore to southern gateway of Malaysia. Traveling time to Johor is shorter than say going to Orchard Road. As what I mentioned here, I just want to escape and maybe to break the monotonous life I have been in weeks. True enough the feeling of traveling to another country is quite ahh say overwhelming heheh. Though no flying involved, in fact I just took a regular bus and travelled two bus stop and then I was there already at the border gate, but the fact that you have to pass immigration and present the passport really have a different feeling.

Traversing the Causeway

It was raining that day so I spent most of the afternoon inside the City Square mall located adjacent to the Malaysian Customs building. I opted for late lunch inside the mall as combing the streets for local food is just not possible.

After that I explore the mall. There is nothing much choices actually. I was looking forward for some cheap but nice shirts. As the rain stopped I got some time to check the streets.

Some interesting buildings

Sultan Ibrahim building- the state government house

Rows of stalls selling jasmine flowers for Hindu worshippers

Indian temple

City streets

After that I went back inside the mall, have my haircut, buy a new headset, phone case and few shirts plus my month toiletries to take advantage of the 100 singapore dollars = 242 malaysian ringgits.

Definitely this will become a habit :)

Visiting Malaysia

I finally got the chance to go back to Malaysia and spent two days reminiscing the place. I travelled by land going and took the plane in coming back to Singapore. This arrangement was made because my itinerary was to pass by Malacca then proceed to Kuala Lumpur. Kuala Lumpur was my home for over three years years back.

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The Beach experience

After spending 4 hours in Tanjung Pinang, I compelled not to stay overnight as there is not much to explore. I have noticed that there is no indication that there will be life comes night time. When I asked around how much will be the transportation cost going to Trikora beach I was surprised what I gathered, the fare's expensive considering the distance is just 40 kilometers from the town proper. So I proceeded to the tourist information center to confirm what I have learned. The local guy manning the center informed me that it is not advisable to just go there by taking the transportation on my own but instead contact a resort where I am going to stay and have the hotel pick me up from the center. I was hesitant at first since my plan was to explore the whole stretch of the beach and from there will I then decide where to stay, but he advised otherwise as according to him though there are few cheap resorts but in the end I still have to pay more for the transportation. I succumbed, so he recommended Bintan Agro Beach Resort and true enough in ten minutes time I was on the road to Trikora.

The highway that will lead us to Trikora. Still within the Tanjung Pinang area, this will lead to an old and narrower road soon as you leave Tanjung Pinang.

Outside the reception area.

Here's my room. It's clean, bed is comfy, the comfort room has complete toiletries and clean!

At the reception I was told my room has I breathtaking view of the sea, this is what I got. Does he know what breathtaking means?

Ahh I have to go out of my room, and stand on my door to experience it.

After I settled in, I ordered merienda. The fishball soup was okay, but the mee goreng was tasteless and greasy!

Then I went out to check the vicinity and gone swimming.

The beach looks dirty up close and too narrow from here, so I move towards the end part of the beach area. Its too shallow! I keep going further until I was 50 meters or so, still the water was knee high.

After an hour of just lying in the beach I decided to transfer to the pool. The moment I stepped on the steps I almost slipped as it was slimy. It seems that it was never cleaned in ages, but the water was clean.

Dinner at the seafood resto I end up ordering grilled chicken :) Gonggong was good with the peanut sauce.

I slept early that night and woke up just before the sun rises.

Breakfast here was breathtaking as the sun rises.

I planned to go snorkeling, but was told would not be possible because of this, and have to wait until 3pm for the water to rise.

Practically I slept the rest of the day as I have nothing to do, I intended not to extend my stay so at 12noon I woke up by a call informing me that my time was up and have to leave the room immediately.

In the end, its still awesome trip.

Destination: Tanjung Pinang, Bintan

Last weekend, I decided to spend my long weekend out of Singapore - in nearby island of Bintan in Indonesia. I applied friday as offset for the vesak day holiday weeks ago.

I woke up early last friday and managed to leave home before 6 in the morning but arrived at the Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal at 9:00! The reason was that I dropped at a wrong bus stop. The lady I inquired on misunderstood my query, so I have to wait for the next bus which arrived 30 minutes later.

I took the ferry that will first to depart that day. The terminal is spankingly clean and yes there is a duty free shop too. It is the opposite of the terminal in Bintan and once you go out of the terminal it was chaotic more as there were plenty of touts from drivers to hotel personnel who will follow you around non-stop!

This is the ferry that will bring us to Bintan.

A view from afar of the Sri Bintan Pura ferry terminal at Tanjung Pinang. As Asean citizen, I don't need to secure visit visa, but the port is a visa-on-arrival port, so you any foreign visitor can still have one for a fee upon arrival.

Just outside the Port, noticed the motorcycle bikes? Called Ojek, it is the mode of transportation here aside from the white mini vans.

I did not make prior reservation for the trip as I planned it to be a free and easy tour. My plan was to explore the whole town first and proceed the next day to the beach which is around 40 kilometers from the town center.

After I arrived I immediately explore the town, and I was quite surprised to find out that is quite a progressive town. This one is their own version of the Baywalk and becomes busy from late afternoon until late in the evening as mobile food stalls were set up and become a huge hawkers center. I am not sure if this happening everyday or only on weekends.

On a typical day.

On late afternoon.

A typical street alley.

A government house I supposed.

The Raja Haji Fisabillah monument, named after a national hero.

I took my lunch in a local restaurant. The food display is arranged on top of each other forming a pyramid, a unique to the island

The food preparation is pretty much the same to any asian country yet has a very distinctive taste though a bit similar to malay food. The food cost me 31,000 rupiah! Around 4 singdollar or 135 pesos :). Take note it came with the local softdrink and a bottled water. I want to live in this island!

The malls. There are three of them, aside from the ones populated at main streets in the old commercial district. A store names are quite interesting. Armani Exchange, D & G, Fendi, you can find them there!

The one and the only one western fastfood you can find in the island, lol!

Next stop, the Trikora beach!