Epilogue

Unless something interesting pops up in my aging mind in the near future, this will be my last post for this particular blog.   Here are some of my impressions of this trip.

Food
If you are a "foodie" and really enjoy great food at reasonable prices, you have to visit Hong Kong and Singapore.  Both cities have their share of haute cuisine restaurants but they also have numerous inexpensive eateries that serve up delicious food for a fraction of the price.  In Hong Kong, you can wander into practically any neighborhood and find wonderful restaurants that serve up delectable food at relatively cheap prices. 

For example, we found a marvelous noodle restaurant simply by strolling around the area by the Mong Kok MTR station exit D3.  The noodles were superb, the Chinese beef stew was tender, and the dumplings were quite good.  For dinner, the four of us each had an entree, shared 4 additional entrees, and had several bottles of beer for the equivalent of $50 USD.  Deducting the cost of the beer from the bill, we paid roughly $4.50 per entree.  Here is a photo of the restaurant in Mong Kok.  As it is located on a pedestrian only street, it is a very easy to walk from the MTR station to it in a minute.

In Singapore, I really enjoyed the Tian Tian Chicken Rice.  For a meal that Anthony Bourdain has highly praised and that people regularly line up for, I paid the equivalent of $2.80 USD for a plate of delicious chicken, flavorful rice, broth, and the accompanying chili sauces.  When you consider that a McDonald's Value Meal here in California would cost around $6.50 USD, you can really see it is quite a deal.

Transportation
Transportation in both Hong Kong and Singapore was quick, efficient and cheap.  The longest single ride we took in Hong Kong was to Tai Po Market in the New Territories which took 45 minutes, 3 different lines, and 2 transfers and it still only cost us the equivalent of $1.25 each way.  Many of our other rides were a $1 or less round-trip as well.  Moreover, the MTR trains came by at approximately 3 to 5 minute intervals depending on the time, commute or non-commute.  Compare that to San Francisco's Muni where you can stand and wait for 20 minutes or more for the light rail train or bus you want to come by.  BTW I notice that the Hong Kong folks will queue in line for a bus on busy Nathan Road, unlike here in San Francisco's Chinatown where it is survival of the fittest in boarding the 30 Stockton.

In Hong Kong, you can even use the Octopus electronic fare card, similar to Translink or as it is now called - Clipper, at 7 Eleven stores, snack shops, vending machines, etc.  Thus we used up the remaining balance in our Octopus cards by buying cold drinks, candies, etc. before we left Hong Kong. In Singapore, we found ourselves taking a taxi to many of the places we visited instead of the Singapore MRT system.  However, we were able to get a cash refund of our remaining balance as we each had around $50 left on each of our EZ-Link cards.

Language

We found that most people speak at least some English in Singapore with many speaking it quite fluently.  In Hong Kong, most people in the tourist areas will speak at least a little English.  In the Hong Kong and Singapore eateries that cater to the local people and not the tourists, you can always point at the pictures on the wall to order even if you do not speak or read Chinese.  Of course, what you get may not be exactly what you expected.  But you're on a trip, be adventurous. Who knows?  You may love what you just inadvertently ordered.  :-)  Overall, I had no problem communicating with people even when Teri was not around to translate. 

Hotels

When you are in a foreign city, you may find it easier to stay at a familiar American hotel such as the Marriott or the Sheraton.  But you do pay dearly for the "comfort" of being in a familiar hotel.  For example, the Harbourview room at the YMCA Salisbury went for about $130 a night while the Marriott Harbourview offers a comparable room for about $250.  You have to be the judge as to whether or not the extra $120 a night to stay at a Marriott is worth it.  BTW, the Marriott Harbourview Hotel is on Hong Kong Island so the view is nowhere as grand as it is from the YMCA Salisbury, located in Tsim Sau Tsui in Kowloon on the other side of the harbor (note photo below).  For the 8 nights we stayed in Hong Kong, this came to a savings of $960 + tax.

In Singapore this time, we stayed in the Signature Club at the Millenium Orchard Hotel, located one long block west of the Singapore Marriott.  On a previous trip, we stated at the Executive Club level at the Marriott.  We found that the Club Level at both establishments to be comparable.  Both had rooms on the high floors, offered Executive lounge privileges including breakfast, non-alcoholic drinks and snacks throughout the day, free Internet, upgraded room amenities, complimentary cocktail hours each night, special check-in desk, etc.  But the Singapore Marriott rate was $320 a night while the Millennium Orchard's rate was only $180 a night.  I must confess that the Singapore Marriott was located directly above the Orchard MRT station while we had to walk a long block to get to the MRT station from the Millennium Orchard Hotel.  Moreover, I would say that the alcoholic drinks at the Marriott were more comprehensive, including mixed drinks, while the Orchard only had beer and wine.  However, saving a $140 each night amounted to $700 + tax for our time in Singapore.  Thus I deemed the Orchard to be a much better deal.  Besides, I would have had to consume quite a few mixed drinks to make up the $140 a night difference in price.  :-)

Visit Hong Kong and Singapore

All in all, I highly recommend a trip to either Hong Kong or Singapore, especially for those of you who have never been to Asia.  Both cities provide an opportunity to experience Asia culture by venturing away from the tourist areas and at the same time, be in very cosmopolitan cities.  In fact, many of the shopping malls have the exact same stores you would find in a typical American shopping center (i.e.,  The Gap, Abercrombie and Fitch, Pacific Sun, etc.)  In a way, it is sad to see the growing homogenization of global shopping.  But I assure you, you will also find quaint shopping areas where the local citizenry shop if you go off the beaten tourist track. 

Regarding food, if you do not wish to venture off of the well traveled path, you can always find eateries that cater to tourists such as Outback Restaurant, Black Angus Steakhouse, Hard Rock Cafe, etc.  I would guess that every fast food company in the United States has outlets in both Hong Kong and Singapore.  I saw far too many fast food outlets such as Burger King, McDonald's, Pizza Hut, KFC, Popeye's Chicken, etc. while roaming around both cities. 

"If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay at home." -- James Michener

But why travel abroad if you are going to stay in familiar hotels, eat at familiar outlets, and only be with people who can speak English, etc.? You might as well just stay home and watch the Travel Channel. If you do choose to be adventurous and travel abroad, learn something about the local culture and customs, research the places you want to visit, and most importantly, learn basic phrases as people will really appreciate your effort. Heck, when I was last in Paris, one of my stock phrases in French, translated here into English, was "I apologize for my poor French".  The Parisians appreciated my effort and were much more patient with me as I tried to communicate with them. 

Do not travel abroad expecting everything to be exactly as you find in America.  If you insist on visiting a "foreign" city and at the same time, want it to be "completely" American, I suggest you visit El Paso, Texas, located on the Mexican border, where Spanish is spoken as much, if not more than English, and it is a completely American city.  :-)

"Hitler didn't travel. Stalin didn't travel. Saddam Hussein never traveled. They didn't want to have their orthodoxy challenged." -- Howard Gardner

Challenge yourself, travel abroad, learn new ways, meet new people, experience different cultures.  Learn about the cities you visit and look at everything with open eyes.  As Henry Miller said, "One's destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things."

"Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter." -- Izaak Walton   Thanks to Teri, Patrick and Kacy for the pleasure of their company during this trip.  Without them, the trip would not have nearly been as enjoyable. 

May your eyes and heart always be open to new sights and experiences --  John Lim.  :-)

Good to be Home Once More

"We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open." -- Jawaharal Nehru

"Once you have traveled, the voyage never ends, but is played out over and over again in the quietest chambers. The mind can never break off from the journey." — Pat Conroy

I have truly enjoyed our recent travels.  Although we took some wrong turns in trying to find various places, they were truly not wrong turns as they allowed us to experience something unanticipated.  Many people helped us find the right path after we got lost.  But as Lawrence Block wrote, "Our happiest moments as tourists always seem to come when we stumble upon one thing while in pursuit of something else."  

However, I will confess that one of the more amusing moments was while we were trying to find the 10,000 Buddhas Monastery in Sha Tin.  Two Britons overheard us speaking in English and asked us for directions to the monastery.  :-)  I had a rough idea due to my Internet research and invited them to come with us. To my surprise, they were expatriates who had been living in Hong Kong for 3 months. I was shocked that I knew more than they did about the 10,000 Buddhas Monastery.

But before I become too smug, I owe it all to the Internet.  :-)  Without the 'Net, I would not have found out about many of the sights and eateries that we enjoyed.  Heck, without the 'Net, Google Maps in particular, I would not have even been able to find many of these places.

To see our relatives in Hong Kong once more, especially "Gooh Paw", was rewarding.  Finally meeting Daisy, the National University of Singapore's coordinator for the University of California's Education Abroad Program, after many Emails was fantastic.  Seeing new sights, eating new foods, and meeting different people were all part of the mosaic of our voyage.

Gooh Paw waving goodbye at us from the sixth floor

Special kudos to Kacy who went everywhere and tried everything without a complaint.  As this was her first trip to Asia, I am sure she found many of the meals, sights and sounds to be vastly different from what she is accustomed to.  But through it all, she always had a smile and was always in a good mood.  More importantly, she put up with Patrick  :-)

Thanks to Patrick for showing us the many places he enjoyed during his time in Singapore.  With his insight, we experienced Singapore almost as if we were native Singaporeans. Also thanks to his unerring navigational skills as we could have easily ended up lost without him both in Singapore and in Hong Kong.

Many thanks to Teri for ordering for us in the many eateries in Hong Kong that were not used to having English-only speakers as customers.  Without Teri's knowledge of Cantonese, we would have been totally bewildered as to what to order and would not have enjoyed many of the meals that we did.  Last but not least, thanks to Teri for bearing with me as I can be grouchy at times, especially in the morning hours.  :-)

I took many photographs but there are far more images and experiences within my mind.  Although it may sound ostentatious, this most recent journey is but the latest chapter of the book of my life.  As Saint Augustine wrote, “The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.“ I plan to have more journeys and more experiences as time goes by.  But until my next journey, it is good to be home once more.

"No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow." -- Lin Yutang

Good to be home among friends and family once more. :-)

The Next Generation

At the dinner with our relatives in Hong Kong, we met the latest additions to our extended family, three young boys.  I can hardly wait until "Parker", my soon to be born grandson, joins them.  :-)

Residual Effect?

Hmmm, you do not suppose the real reason that I am feeling bleary eyed and zoned out is due to the residual effect of consuming copious amounts of beer on our last night in Singapore?

Before I am lambasted for behaving in a drunken manner with Patrick, let it be made clear that Teri consumed the contents of at least one of the cans.  Who knows?  Kacy may have drank the contents of one can as well.  :-)  Thus Patrick and I were not completely responsible for all of the beer that was consumed that evening.  Besides, it takes a stone cold sober state of mind to construct the pyramid of beer cans.  :-)

"Taste every fruit of every tree in the garden at least once. It is an insult to creation not to experience it fully. Temperance is wickedness. "  Stephen Fry

Bleary Eyed and Zoned Out

Today is my second day back from Hong Kong and Singapore.  Even though I am bleary eyed and somewhat zoned out, I am feeling better.  I still get hungry and sleepy at odd times.  However, I am able to catch up on laundry, do some chores, surf the net and periodically post on my blog.  I do have a few more posts to do and will conclude this blog shortly.  I may not be bright eyed and bushy tail but I will be back at work on Wednesday.  I can see myself consuming countless cups of coffee tomorrow.

YMCA Salisbury Hotel in Hong Kong

 The YMCA Salisbury Hotel with the venerable Peninsula Hotel on the right

In Hong Kong, we stayed at the YMCA Salisbury.  I confess that the appellation of YMCA conjures up an image of bunk beds with shared bathroom facilities in a spartan dormitory room setting. However, the hotel is worthy of being considered a three to four star hotel.

The hotel's location is great for easy access to the Tsim Sha Tsui MTR subway station and the Star Ferry, across the street from the Hong Kong Cultural Center and the Museum of Art, and last but not least, an easy walk to 3 different Starbucks.  Starbucks may not be the connoisseur's idea of a good coffee shop but when we landed at 6:30 AM Hong Kong time, we simply wanted caffeine period.

Furthermore, the views from the Harbour view rooms and suites are on a par with those of the world renown Peninsula Hotel.  However, the Harbour view rooms at the Peninsula start at $750 nightly while a room with a comparable view at the YMCA Salisbury starts at $130 while a corner suite with a Harbour view starts at $230.  Needless to say, the furnishings at the Peninsula are far more opulent and the service is certainly far more attentive.  But with the money you save, you can splurge on dinner or on shopping.  :-)  See the photos below of a Harbourview Room and the view from our Harbourview Suite in 2008.  For information, note the following:  YMCA Salisbury Hotel

Millennium Orchard Hotel in Singapore

We stayed at the Millennium Orchard Hotel at 442 Orchard Road, the main shopping area of Singapore.   We took advantage of the amenities afforded by the Signature Club level at the hotel.  Per its website, "The Signature Club rooms at Orchard Hotel, offering you the ultimate boutique resting paradise are exquisitely designed by world-renowned French interior designer - Pierre Yves Rochon. Contemporary and classy, in a design of Oriental decor and European styling, you may revel in the luxurious Regal Red (frankly, I found the Red to be more of a Brothel Red than Regal Red), tranquil Ming Blue or the soothing Celadon Green room. The Signature Club room is a cosy 28sqm retreat filled with modern indulgences for a delightful stay. Enjoy the perfect relaxation with technological refinements such as mood lighting, invigorating rain showers & hydro-massage jets in the bathroom as well as a BOSE wave radio with full iPod connectivity for your musical entertainment."  Among the other amenities, the Signature Club level also provided a free breakfast with eggs cooked to order and a complimentary evening reception from 6 to 8 PM.   :-)  Toss in free laundry for two articles daily (i.e.,  slacks, shirts, etc.), it was quite nice.

We found the staff at the hotel to be very friendly and helpful.  The rate for the Signature Club level room was in line for all of the privileges that were included.  BTW, I requested a Ming Blue room :-)  For information on the hotel, click on the following:  Millennium Orchard Hotel

Belated Post on Yo:Ha and Boon Lay area in Singapore

While in Singapore, Patrick wanted to show us his National University of Singapore student housing, Yo:Ha, short for Your Habitat.  Here are some photos of his home neighborhood while in Singapore, the bakery where he bought one of his favorite snacks, waffles, and the place where he got his haircuts despite not being able to communicate well with the hair cutters.  :-) 

 The Yo:Ha hostel itself and Patrick by the front door to his former apartment

As seen from the floor that Pat lived in for almost 6 months

Belated Post on Little India in Singapore

We went to Mustafa Centre, a 24/7 mall, located in the Little India neighborhood of Singapore.  Specifically, Teri and Kacy wanted to purchase saffron and curry.  All bags have to be surrendered before going into the Centre.  As we did not wish to leave the valuables in our bags out of our sight and possession, Pat and I were standing outside in the sweltering heat and humidity waiting for Teri and Kacy to complete their purchases.  Here are some photos I took of Little India.

McSpicy Burger in Singapore

 

On Pat's recommendation, I decided to try the McSpicy burger, a chicken burger with a thick thigh chop prepared with a special spicy zest, in Singapore.  The burger was not bad but it was not as spicy as I had anticipated.  Apparently I could have added more spice to it via the chili sauce dispensers that are commonly found next to the ketchup dispensers.  However, I just scarfed up the McSpicy without any additional zest or zing.  :-)

Kacy and Pat also enjoying McSpicy burgers

Belated Post on Banana Leaf Apolo in Singapore

 As both Anthony Bourdain and Andrew Zimmern of the Travel Channel savored the fish head curry at Banana Leaf Apolo, we decided to go to Little India and taste this delicacy ourselves.  We ordered one medium size fish head curry along with individual Indian dishes for our lunch.  Somewhat surprising to me, I even enjoyed the fish meat that was to be found in the fish head curry dish.  :-)   We enjoyed the guava juice as well although I also drank my usual Tiger beer.

We ate on banana leaf place mats.  Although we were given a fork and a spoon, we chose to eat in the traditional manner, with our fingers only.  According to Pat, my technique for using my fingers to place the food and the rice in particular into my mouth was horrendous.  However, I figure as long as the food gets into my mouth, I consider it to be a success.  :-)

The famous fish head curry in the photo below

Singapore Transportation

We often found that it was much easier and far quicker to take a taxi in Singapore instead of using the MRT, the rail and subway system.  The drivers are very honest and the fares are reasonable, especially when there were four of us.  The fares are metered and are closely monitored by the government of Singapore.  Moreover, we were usually able to hail a taxi within minutes.  There is a surcharge during commute hours that makes the ride more expensive but we still found taxis to be quite affordable.

To and from the airport, we decided to reserve a van as most taxis in Singapore are Toyota Corollas.  Thus it would have been difficult, if not impossible, to take all four of us with our assorted luggage and carry-on bags in one taxi.  Not wishing to use two different taxis, we simply reserved the van for about $35 American each way.  The van driver met us at the Arrivals Gate and quickly whisked us to our hotel in Singapore.  For information, note the following:  Merz Cab Singapore

Getting to the Singapore Zoo and the Night Safari is a rather complicated process using public transit.  As a result, we decided to take the Singapore Attractions Express Bus to the Zoo instead.  The bus stop was right outside our hotel and the fare was the equivalent of $6 round trip.  I highly recommend this if you are planning to visit the zoo in Singapore.  The link is Singapore Attractions Express Bus to Zoo