Core Activities: Night Safari, City Tour on a breeze afternoon on the red City SightSeeing Bus. Downloaded the Singapore Guide aps (crashed a lot), ate Chinese food throughout the entire journey, since the gals love Chinese food, and packs our time with shopping on Orchard Road.

Food: Chinese resto visit: we’re a frequent visitor of Crystal Jade chain, Din Tai Fung dim sum place so good we went twice and almost ordered everything on the menu.

Knowing the Chinese, they weight everything, this is the working station of the Dim Sum crew.

In contrast to the Crystal Jade resto in Hong Kong, the infamous Xia Long Bao here have crabmeat, something my boyfriend would never be able to enjoy! Poor Christian. While my sister is addicted to her Suan La Tang, I kinda dig the chicken soup, so sweet of the meat, light, and is known for better your skin, dont bother with the meat, just drink the soup.

A note, the hotel might is 5 stars but their room service really bad. I was feeling sick and ordered the pork congee and it’s almost inedible.

Food aside, shopping is as great as ever. And of course the latest skyline in Singapore the infamous Marina Bay Sand. I couldnt get enough of snapping away while on the bus.

The financial district/area is still being built.

Singapore skyline by day

I think I must confess, Singapore still has its shopping madness feel especially when the newly launched H&M store crowded with shoppers of all ages or the ION on Orchard, my friend went nuts. Sitting on the top deck of the bus as the city drive showoff Singapore different areas, including all the new apartments along the canals – remind me of Amsterdam.

And nothing is better then hanging out with your friend and family. My sister became Uyen’s heroine of the Safari night that gave her the chill!

Packing 3 cities in less than a week is tough especially if it’s your first! Bangkok – Chiangmai – Chiangrai – Bangkok

The hotel in Chiangmai really not great. Opposite the ‘magnificent’ Le Meridien is the hotel’s name slipped my mind but the charming atmos outside and the sun shining through our room window. Night fall time to explore the city. Next to the hotel is the bustling night life of the bazaar night stall.

Come from Saigon, the night market resembles what we do have back home so no big surprise but the fact is just being there and walking around, being on the street and walking again is a great feeling. The market filled with many Buddha statues from wood to stone, bronze and gold among all other regular items such as tshirt, spices, souvenirs and of course the food area. Chè in the food court section was generous and cheap. We enjoyed the market so much we came back for the second night. This time we were not disappointed in the seafood fest available. We ordered 4 grilled crabs, massive ones served straight from the BBQ about 1 mill VND, impressive for anon coastal town. And when you’re tired from walking, opted for the 30min foot massage in the market. Or better, take a tuk tuk ride around town, enjoy the cooling breeze,  little cafe on both sides of the canal, reminds me of Siem Riep.

Morning called, 6:30am time to get ready for some temple visiting, well when you’re with 40 ish other people, time is scared. First visit the most popular elephant camp Maesa holding more than 90 elephants in the area.

Tip: dont over feed them or they will ‘cuddle’ you and it was half scary, half funny.

(Credit: Phuc Nguyen)

Regardless of how entertained the show was, I kept thinking it’s pretty sad how these creatures are ‘forced’ to survive and depend on such income to live and are made into ‘amazing’ painters, circus like performers. I bought the cute apron at the gift shop to show my contribution for the likelihood of these elephants. There’s good gifts actually.

A trip to Thailand will not be completed without a trip to a temple.

This temple’s popularity means it’s pretty packed, well people said it’s old and have great influence. I dont know its impact but I do know it’s a dangerous place, many western tourists flock here and some are pretty good looking. Ahem!

Caption: Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep

Leaving Chiangmai behind for the city of Chiangrai on the bus ride, we traveled pass an odd white temple titled Wat Rong Khun. Read more & view wacky photos on TripAdvisor and Google. The ‘artist’ creation has not totally finished but he surely made some heads turn with pop art decor inside the temple, you’ll find popular of today western culture familiarities such as Star Wars, Kungfu Panda, M.Jackson.

and here some of its prayers

Along the road we drive towards the Gold Triangle by the Mekong River meeting Thailand, Laos and Burma. To be honest, there’s nothing to see here including the boat ride to the tiny island across the river in Laos side that offers its tourist some yummy coconut juice and fake handbags of international label alike. Enjoying the riverside simple lunch is probably the best.

Back to Bangkok with little time to spare, the perfect way to relax is joining the ChaoPhraya river cruise mixed with the local groups, buffet and outlook to the side lights on river, great company and the live band performance closed the night behind.

Rain fall putting me off more sight seeing and I quickly resorted to the perfect ritual of a comos city: shopping. When you’re not on the tour bus and walk around, exploring the city at your own pace, acquaint yourself with the public transport system you feel like you starting to understand or at least being a true visitor of a new city.

I have to admit, I skipped on purpose some of the usual tour must have activities just to blend in some time to adsorb it all in. When you’re in the new city, military holiday style gives you a glimpse and invites you to a second visit of things, places you like to explore further it’s almost like an espresso!

I’m not an art person, nor a person who understand much or appreciate high art or even something arty. But it’s kinda inspire me and well fun to look at, coz you’ll hardly get bored, your  mind is busy trying to figuring out what the heck went on those artists mind. So here are something caught my eyes. The art fair is quite intensive with 2 big areas: upstairs for the more bold, young, out there, show kind of thing while downstairs was a gallery display with some serious money and buyers alike. Well you can even tell by the type of people who went.

Good thing is you see all different perspective and ideas from different country. For Japan they had a lot of soft drinks lying around.

How contrast the couple compare to the dress?

My friend said this reminds him of food dish that we always have at the hot pot place – tủy bò. Maybe it was inspired from that! Who knows, it’s art, you got all the excuses.

I kindly like the contrast in this: paper roses and these statues. They look scary.

And some of the more cute, lighthearted pieces

This is one of my fav shot during the entire art fair, a banquet miniature inside a big giant red upside down-ish lamp and the detail is amazing.

The art fair attendees were surely of all classes but all well dressed I was wondering if you need to dress art to attend art. I was getting bored for a moment and starting to notice people’s feet and judging their ‘art’ feel style and sense of style through these shots. Kindly funny. And yes, a lot  of well-off people, so you do need to have a dress code for such occasion.

What an interesting place to host a work conference.

How small are our boats? And by the way those white ones are probably belong to some rich billionaire of Hong Kong, undoubtedly one of the richest of the rich of China? Talking about capitalism and wealth right there!. I love the decor and how it mixed in with the tall apartment complex in the back.

To me this picture is lovely. Inside it looks like it’s dark night lid by the red, hot colours of the boat decor and outside that sun ray glaring through. It was nevertheless a great location to hold discussion, work meeting. Although my comment on the food has been: well, I did not expect to eat steak on this jumbo restaurant!

As we’re stepping out, greeting the dust, these dragon heads figures – the all mighty – lid me up, at least I was hungry! They looked so fierce, right on the spirit, we just finished a ppt karaoke section with lots of laughters! Although Im not a big fan of blacks and whites, I do enjoy stretching the picture a bit, making it more dramatic. The atmos here is pretty quiet, from the noise of the city. We actually found that the aircon here makes more sound than our speakers! I will always remember those colours! Marvelous

I’ve seen poor areas, under-developed countryside in the south, waiting out loud for an economic re-bounce or some investors coming to get the people and the place out of the misery. But nothing like this. The entire area, as the bus approaching is so bizarre. The land is so dry, houses on both side of the road are half built, minimal trees and greenery. The kind of feeling where one is about to enter a dusty desert.

The resort is literally at the end of the main street. Normally when you arrive at a beach town, it kindly make you feel beachy and want to jump out of the car and run naked down to the beach. This one on both pavements and sidewalk leading to the beach, it’s deserted. Say compare to Vung Tau, this is the total opposite. Plus there’s nobody on the beach.

Pretty isolated I say but good for company bonding session. Resort room is a bit odd with doors that cant be shut probably, and I mean both room doors and toilets! The ocean is dull and very sad. Perhaps it’s still winter in the north.

And here is some guy working at the resort!

The Labour holiday weekend begun with another Phnom Penh invite, with a friend of mine. So off we went, 6 hours on the bus of which 1 dreadful hour at the border gate and the soaring heat of April really made the trip a bit daunting.

We arrived at last at a nice boutique hotel, called Villa Langka on street 282 – descend cozy hotel with a home feel to it, and decided to hit straight to our usual suspect of local cafe, pubs, resto. Eager to show off to our first time Phnom Penh visitors, we head down to chill and enjoy sun-downer at FFC bar & restaurant after our pool lounging session. On the foursquare check in suggested FFC is over-priced and have a tasteless curry (over priced maybe, curry was average but not that tasteless, the flavour is mixed and a bit under-seasoned) but the menu does cover a variety of international dishes esp their pizza oven by the bar! As the night drawn we decided the agenda for tomorrow – how about waking up at 5:30 and taking the tuk tuk drive to Oudong for some ‘site-seeing’?, well it’s on the list of what the tuk tuk driver offers anyway: ‘Outside the City Tour’.

Caption: Early risers of Phnom Penh

Off we went on the tut tut to the place was once capital of Cambodia, 40km outside of city center, where the Cambodian countryside unveiled. Our driver was nice, spoke good English and on the plus side he doesnt talk too much.

Caption: Countless temples along the way.

The breeze started to hit our neck and face as the tuk tuk driver put his feet onto the accelerator, the air seemed fresh and the roadside filled up with morning households activities: kids getting dress, men having early coffee on little stalls, wives bargaining at the fresh water fish market, old people sitting in their wooden bed looking out into the street – perhaps waiting for something exciting to happen. We traveled pass a ‘cham’? area where mosses dominate the spiritual norms. Big, small, tiny, new or worn mosques and women covering their heads strolling down the local street, carrying on their daily life activities, making me wonder Cambodian are pretty tolerate kind.

We reached the destination an hour later after ‘suffering’ through a few rough patches on the road – do carry your shades and scarf to ease the flying dirt and dust – entering a smooth long pathway leading to the temple. A wave of cool, light, refreshing breeze racing behind our back, thanks to street sides ‘hugging trees’ as we enter the sacred temple.

We were warned there’s 500 ish steps to reach to the top.

Beware of the annoying children who are trying to offer their ‘touring’ services for money, shoo them off or they will keep verbally abuse you and irritate the holy place – in my opinion. And once you are at peace and realized how unfit you are by the time you reached to the top, here is the view. Honestly, I’ve been through worse.

I dont know how the history of this place come about, but given what it’s known for an old capital I think the place deserved more attention and care. Nobody seems to be guarding the place, leaving 2 females, 2 males (probably couples), and a few children trying to sale soft drinks and making it home for themselves: a loosely built shed cling onto the cliff side at the far end of the old temple part, bamboo mattress placing in between the Elephant God, and the ‘lack of’ descend offering make the entire place felt abandon. Ah there’s 2 dogs seem to be guarding the place, barking at us for a while then give up.

Surprisingly a group of monks turned up, one carry a broom and all starting to choose a spot to carry their ritual praying. Another religious group turned up, this time the nuns whom were in white outfit, obviously not sharing the same spots with the monks. They looked grumpy esp the eldest one – probably towards a young laughing monk who has seemed to forget his prayers – and quickly settled down.

There’s not much to see really. The hotel staff suggested we start our visit at 8am. If so by the time we reach Oudong, we will probably end up sweating like a pig with a full crowd, hopefully paying some tribute to the temple.

Not many in-depth search result for the information on Oudong, perhaps being built in the 17th century and suffering through the civil war do not help Oudong’s state. The view is key here. Everything is flat when you’re on top of a small mountain. Below are bushes, trees, red dirt, countryside houses, patches of green here and there, and a temple nearby. As we’re leaving on our tuk tuk back to town, the security guard put out the entrance fee signage greeting the first few cars driving in. Good thing we got there early and still managed to get back to Cafe Fresco for tasty breakfast.

On the back of the bike, 20 km out of Da Lat central, passed Trại Mát, a great ride with the cool breeze, enough sun light and beautiful landscape. People of Trại Mát really like BLUE and GREEN colours and paints. All of my below shots are done while being on the bike, I cant help but thinking this must be a cultural thing if not a practical thing. How come the colours are so vibrant, so peaceful in a greenery way (does this sentence make sense?) It makes me think if all these houses are intentionally decorated this way. The mixture of blue and green shades with personality such as brown, white curtain, lime colours all come together in a eye-catching way. Under the harsh heat of spring/summer, they actually make me feel at ease.

Notice: on the left hand side is a 4-wheel drive vehicle. Perfect colour combination!

Somehow the cheese pink floral curtain works with this pale faded blue.

Love for the passion for nation, a feeling of patriotic here. Again these houses roofs are a joke, not even brick but they want to stand out.

Love the contrast of brown…

Is it for real or somehow just draw a picture and paint those border?

Again, obsession with blue and white. I couldn’t stop shooting.

Lime baby lime

Below are a few that ‘donot’ follow the colour scheme!

What a view, looking over the valley! Or having your own sanctuary. Would it be nice to have a holiday home here? Somewhere in the valley, for your own retreat from the hot summer day traffic horrible air of Saigon?

April is not a bad time to visit Da Lat actually. The soaring heat of Saigon makes Da Lat a much desirable location to be. Cool breeze with a touch of sun heat in the day time, around 23 ish degree and drop down to 18degree from late afternoon to evening. Spring in Europe I’d say.

Here are some snaps from my Iphone. My first time using WordPress aps on the Ipad to write a blog. So I wont spill out everything as most of the fab pics are in the Canon.

Above: resort Ana Mandara, a tiny bedroom for two lovers.

Above: a drive out to explore. This cafe sits on a high hillside above the Da Lat bus station called Dalat Nights.

Above: Nghe Sy (artist) cafe along the popular main road next to the Da Lat Market. Their ginger tea is not too bad.

Above: and this is me, with Christian’ s obsession with the Hipstamatic during a lunch with a family friend whom we accidentally ran into on our first dinner night at the resort. Resident of Ha Noi, Laurent – a French , with his perfect French speaking wife and an one year old kid Hugo.

One could never want to justify that spending.

I reckon it’s totally worthy it.

While waiting at the reception area, an open space outlook to the panoramic view of the calm blue ocean at the far end while in the contrast to the right is the bushy hilly, in the middle lies the villa complex, blend right in as part of the nature surrounding. I have never felt so much relaxed as I did, for a hectic gal like me, I surrender.

On the way to the Ocean Front View villa, there’s areas dedicated to all what ‘slow life’ philosophy of the resort is about: an outdoor ‘Saigon’ market with little stalls and linen umbrella, a rustic bar with ‘bed-style’ massive sitting areas  and a simple restaurant that serves light, modern Vietnamese cuisine, a man-made fresh water pond underneath a pale charcoal bridge connect the villa area to all the resort facilities.

Stepping inside the villa was the natural light and sun-ray that shine from the left side of the room, an elegant sliding glass opened to an infinity pool by the front part, connect directly to the ocean, open yet private. Other details of the villa are just, well put it this way, bare minimalist, spacious, green, and earthy. The kind of luxury that exudes simplicity at its best. My intention was clear, to lazy around all day, non stop and doing absolutely nothing. Although should you have the courage to explore and be active, be my guest, the resort provides a full Life Activities booklet that cater to anyone needs: water activities, island related exploring options, sea-sport, romantic dining experience, and even for your kids.

A few simple actions: looking out onto the beautiful sea, jumping into that water, dipping back into the pool, sipping the Con Dao cocktail served at your room, tasting the Con Dao shrimp, and sleeping with the ocean sound as your music soundtrack. Walking and strolling the beach were another slow activities I totally enjoyed.

There’s nothing complicated at this part of the island. Wrapping by the high hill at the back while facing the ocean, built to the curve of the island path, Six Sense standing there, existing as part of what shapes this section of Con Dao, and the kind of ease and private spirit, well raw and wild I would say. No places Ive been have the ability and power to calm me down like this before. It overpowers me, drawn me in, and take my breath away.

Throughout the year, should I ever feel down, should I ever feel like mountain on both of my shoulders, I shall retreat to Six Sense to loose it all, to be with nothing yet everything, to experience another me again.

Chưa bao giờ tôi có ý nghĩ Hồng Kông là một nơi dễ sống và làm việc. Khi nói đến Hồng Kông, tôi luôn liên tưởng đến một thiên đàng mua sắm sầm uất cho những shoppers sành điệu, nơi các tín đồ nghiền ‘shopping’ tụ hội thỏa thích và hưởng thụ không bao giờ dứt. Cho đến khi dịp gần đây được công tác trọn vẹn 2 tuần tại Hồng Kông, tôi bỡ ngỡ nhận ra rằng đây là một thành phố đầy thú vị, cực kỳ lí thú, thỏai mái và có đầy đủ các ‘tiêu chuẩn’ cho một lối sống thành thị hiện đại.

Đối với doanh nghiệp đi công tác ngắn hạn, khu vực đường Hollywood được xem là nơi ở lý tưởng nhất. Phố Hollywood là một trong những nơi đa dạng nhất trong khu vực trung tâm, trải dài 3 khu vực riêng biệt nổi tiếng: khu đồ cổ với hơn 70 cửa hiệu đồ cổ lâu đời, đền chùa linh thiêng Man Mo xây dựng từ nhữnng năm 1842, khu vực ăn uống sầm suất So Ho, một dãy cửa hiệu nội thất hiện đại và ngay cả khá đông các phòng trưng bày nghệ thuật & tranh đương đại khu Trung Tâm Tây. Khu vực phía bắc phố Hollywood là trung tâm Sheung Wan với chợ hải sản khô nổi tiếng. Quán café tôi yêu thích có tên Classified Café với các món ăn Âu lạ và ‘đặc sản’ như bánh mì đút lò phô mai ăn với rau sà lát trộn dấm balsamic, món pasta ý nhà hàng tự nấu hoặc món xúp bí đỏ ăn cùng với bánh mì ngũ cốc nâu. Diện tích quán Classified khá khiêm tốn và bàn ăn bên ngòai khách phải tự phục vụ.

Chỉ tốn 15 phút đi bộ mỗi ngày từ khách sạn Central Park đến văn phòng ‘đủ số’ lượng bài tập thể dục tôi đang cần. Có điều ở Hồng Kông, rất nhiều hẻm nhỏ dốc trải dài xen kẽ những đại lộ to trong khu vực trung tâm. Bạn nên mang theo dép lê để không khéo làm hỏng các đôi giầy cao gót sành điệu của mình.

Ăn trưa tại Hồng Kông hơi vất vả, và nếu chưa quen bạn sẽ còn bị sốc. Nếu bình thường giờ ăn trưa, thì bạn đã quá trễ để chiếm được bàn ăn ở những nhà hàng đông đúc nhất tại trung tâm Hồng Kông, đặc biệt là các quán ăn mỳ hoành thánh nổi tiếng quanh phố Wellington. Dân Hồng Kông có văn hóa xếp hàng khi ăn trưa và các quán ăn rất ‘chảnh’ yêu cầu khách xếp hàng trật tự trước cửa chờ đúng giờ. Lưu ý là các nhà hàng sẽ không cho bạn đặt trước đâu nhé, vì vậy nên rời văn phòng trước 15 phút nếu không bạn sẽ phải tốn 30 phút tìm được một nhà hàng ăn với đồng nghiệp. Các nhà hàng chuyên bán mỳ hòanh thánh trong khu vực trung tâm cực ngon và đa dạng. Từ những quán ăn rẻ tiền như Marks in Central, quán mỳ và cháo Wong Chi Kei cho đến các nhà hàng đầy đủ lựa chọn, phục vụ các nhóm khách đông như quán Ser Wong Fun (món vịt quay ngon tuyệt), hoặc các nhà hàng quốc tế, quán Nhật như Misocool, nơi mà chắc chắn rằng bạn sẽ phải ngồi chung bàn với người lạ.

Khi màn đêm xuống, khách du lịch và dân địa phương tụ hội tại công viên Victoria trên khu Causeway Bay thưởng thức lễ hội trung thu với nhiều đèn lồng đua nhau tỏa sáng cả khu vực. Hoặc bạn có thể đến khu vực Cảng vào lúc 8 giờ tối mỗi đêm để thưởng thức Bảng Giao Hưởng của các Vì Sao ở khu trung tâm Đảo Hồng Kông, từ bên này sông ngắm nhìn hệ thống đèn chiếu hòang tráng chiếu từ các tòa nhà trọc trời.

Khi có dịp ở Hồng Kông dài hạn, nên tranh thủ ra khỏi thành phố thăm quan những khu vực lân cận thí vụ như viếng thăm tượng Phật trên núi đảo Lantau. Bắt tàu từ cảng số 6, đi thông qua trung tâm mua sắm nổi tiếng IFC ghé vào siêu thị cao cấp City Diner mua các lọai thức ăn khô và nước uống, ngủ một giấc trên phà là đã đến nơi. Tại đảo Lantau có xe bus công cộng dẫn khách đến chân núi. Nên dành khỏang 3 tiếng đồng hồ tham quan và đi dạo trong công viên lân cận và leo đỉnh đồi tượng Phật ngắm cảnh. Kết thúc một ngày họat động ngòai trời ‘cực nhọc’ với một vài ly rượu champagne ở khu vực So Ho.

Ngược lại bạn có thể đón chiếc búyt nội thành Trung Tâm chạy dài khu vực mua sắm trong thành phố, ngồi trên cùng của chiếc xe búyt mui trần, hóng gió và ngắm cảnh. Đến chiều tàn, xếp hàng mua vé lên đỉnh Victoria Peak nổi tiếng, mua một ly cà phê tại Pacific Coffee ngồi nhìn ra kính ngắm cảnh thành phố chuyển về đêm, khi mặt trời và ánh sáng thiên nhiên nhường chỗ cho sư hào nhóang lộng lẫy của hệ thống đèn tỏa ra từ các nhà cao tầng trọc trời của Hồng Kông, từ đây nhìn cả thành phố Hồng Kông từ đỉnh đồi cao nhất. Nếu còn năng lượng buổi tối nên thả lỏng mình vào nhịp sống của các quán bar, vũ trường sành điệu và sang trọng nhất Hồng Kông. Đối với tôi, DragonI là nơi không thể không đi, vì cứ 2, 3 người bạn tiếp xúc sẽ là các người mẫu hot nhất Hồng Kông hoặc ngay cả ca sĩ và diễn viên nổi tiếng.

Chuyến công tác tại Hồng Kông của tôi chỉ dừng lại ở ngày thứ 14, nhưng tất cả ký ức vẫn còn như hôm qua. Hồng Kông có tất cả. Hồng Kông có nhịp sống năng động, phong phú, nhiều sắc màu và hơn hết ‘passion’. Trong một giây phút nào đó bạn có thể dùng cả ngày để mua sắm thỏa thích trong các cửa hàng trung tâm cao cấp đầy hàng hiệu quốc tế nhưng cũng có thể đi bộ xuống phố đàn bà tìm cho mình ‘bargain’ vừa túi tiền ở khu vực chợ trời Tsim Sha Tsui. Leo núi hoặc đi bộ tại các công viên hoặc nghĩ ngơi và tận hưởng một ngày đẹp trời tại các quán café sành điệu. Kết thúc một ngày cuốc bộ xuống cảng ngắm thành phồ về đêm hay vui cười cùng bạn bè đồng nghiệp tại khu ăn chơi ồn ào náo nhiệt. Tôi muốn quay trờ lại Hồng Kông để sống lại những kỹ niệm khó quên và khám phá thêm những điều kỳ diệu đang chờ đợi.

More pictures on http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=290248&id=683795019&l=dad22942c1