New Shan Travel Blog

Bali - Relax and Chill...

2012-01-04T13:29:00.010+08:00

We decided to take a short trip to Bali for relaxation before the final charge to the last quarter of the year. Since it was to recharge, the trip went slow. Laid-back for a few days? Totally necessary.

We stayed in Pan Pacific Nirwana, a resort with an amazing view of the famous Tanah Lot. The resort feel suited our objective to relax.

Pan Pac Nirwana

Pan Pac Nirwana - View of Tanah Lot

On Day One, we relaxed by the hotel poolside and had spa in the hotel. In the evening, we went to one of the best places to watch the sun set on Bali, Uluwatu.

Uluwatu

Uluwatu - Sunset

When there, we were told to watch out for our loose belongings, for example hat, scarf, spectacles and even necklace. There were many monkeys ‘plying their trade’ all over. They snatched loose items from tourists and to get the items back, the victims needed to pay a local about 2,000 rupiahs (SGD 0.30), who would, in turn, offer the monkeys bananas to get back the items.

Uluwatu - Monkeys

We proceeded to watch a traditional Balinese Kecak Fire and Trance Dance. The dramatic dance attracted many tourists and lasted until night fell.

Kecak Dance

We then met up with a few local friends and had our feast on seafood and wine at Jimbaran. The setting – dining on the beach with the sound of the sea and the occasional low-flying aircraft, combined with the beautiful soothing songs played by a few locals along the seashore – was simply romantic.

Seafood Dinner - Jimbaran

The next day, we went to Ubud where we bought a few nice wood craft and house ornaments.

Street of Ubud

Street of Ubud - Furniture

We visited the Antonio Blanco Museum, where artwork, paintings and collage were on display in a beautiful house.

Antonio Blanco Museum - Entrance

Antonio Blanco Museum - Interior

Antonio Blanco Museum - Garden

On the way to have lunch, we stopped by a padi field for photo-taking.

Padi - Ubud

Lunch was the crispy duck at Bebek Bengil (dirty duck diner). The duck was indeed crispy and delicious. No wonder the restaurant was busy with customers. And at the restaurant, we met some friends from Singapore!

Bebek Bengil

Padi Field in Bebek Bengil Restaurant

Being foodies, we didn’t let up on the chance for the babi guling (roast pig) at the famous Ibu Oka restaurant. We proceeded to Ibu Oka right after lunch! With a traditional restaurant setting, customers at Ibu Oka sat on the floor and ate from a low table. The babi guning was good but interestingly, it was even better when we ate it with our bare hands!

Ibu Oka

Babi Guling

Preparation of a Rite Outside Ibu Oka

We spent the morning of the third day at Tanah Lot, one of the most famous temples in Bali. Holy Water or Holy Ulur (snake)? We chose none of the offerings at the temple. We only wanted to walk around and enjoy the sea, breeze and the sight of the grand Tanah Lot.

Tanah Lot

Tanah Lot - Ritual

Tanah Lot - Seaside

Seminyak was next. After visiting a few niche shops and bought a few unqiue Ts, we chilled out at Potato Head. With a glass of wine in hand and the sea view in front of us, we felt life was beautiful.

Potato Head - Entrance

Potato Head - Chill...

Day Four. Time to leave Bali. We left recharged, and vowed to return. Hopefully, soon enough.

Bali in October

*Photos and content contributed by Martin Tong, an expat working in Singapore.

*The views and opinions expressed in this article are that of the writer and do not represent the views of New Shan Travel.

Love in Europe

2011-12-30T12:38:00.043+08:00

When you think of Europe, you picture the various notable cities, from the most romantic city of Paris to the breathtaking Swiss Alps, beautiful Florence and the Eternal City of Rome. The places to visit are endless, each filled with its own cultural beauty and diversity.

Europe has always been a dream destination for me and I had the opportunity to live the dream when I travelled across the globe to meet my boyfriend, who was then studying in UK.

Summer in Europe was lovely and great, and with the sun setting at 9pm every night, the opportunity presented us with an abundance of chances to explore every possible corner during the long daylight hours.

Paris - Shopping is usually a MUST for ladies and what better place to shop than the Galeries Lafayette and the chic boutiques of the Champs-Élysées, where you can explore beautiful statues and monuments. A visit to this romantic city would not be complete without a visit to the iconic Eiffel Tower.

Eiffel Tower - Day

Eiffel Tower - Night

Love Lockets on the Bridge

It was the first Sunday of the month and the Louvre Museum was opened to the public for free. The queue was so long that we decided to forgo the idea and instead we took a slow stroll along the Pont des Arts Bridge towards the glorious Notre Dame Cathedral.

Panoramic View

Seine River

Parisian Stalls

The rest of the afternoon was spent sitting in cafes to people-watch and cycling around Paris - a great way to feel the pulse of Paris and to get up close to some of its finest monuments. It was so romantic and refreshing at the same time. We cycled past Eiffel Tower; the Seine River where there was a man-made beach to Napoléon's Tomb, Musée d'Orsay, Tuileries Gardens (the former royal garden) to the Alexander III Bridge.

We spent our last night in Paris taking a romantic stroll, hand in hand, around the Eiffel tower and watching a cabaret live musical show to take in all that Paris had to offer.

Lucerne, Switzerland - An amazing place to visit. Every spot is a picture-perfect opportunity, from Lake Lucerne to the surrounding mountains. The view will simply take your breath away.

Chapel Bridge

We started the day with a morning walk to explore the quaint town of Lucerne and the market around Chapel Bridge. Seeing the locals go about their daily marketing, from getting fresh seafood from the local fish market and buying fresh and beautiful flowers, to picking the best cheese and locally-produced vegetables, was indeed a great way to immerse yourself in the beautiful environment and enjoy the slow pace of the life of the locals.

Rosti and Sausage

After the walk, we took a boat ride across the pristine waters of Lake Lucerne and hopped onto the tram up to Mt. Rigi.

Quiet lovely stroll along Mt. Rigi

View from the Mountain Slope

Italy is such an amazing place to visit. From Florence to Rome to Venice, there are still so many unexplored territories that this beautiful country has to offer.

Pisa, Italy - The Leaning Tower is one of the most remarkable architectural structures still standing today from the medieval Europe period. The tower is one of the four buildings that make up the cathedral complex called Campo dei Miracoli (‘Field of Miracles’) or Piazza dei Miracoli (‘Square of Miracles’).

The Leaning Tower of Pisa

Florence, Italy - The city, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982, is a major centre rich in historical roots and the arts. We started the day walking around and admiring unique beautiful buildings and the many amazing churches. We passed by the magnificent Duomo (‘Florence Cathedral’) and crossed the beautiful Ponte Vecchio bridge, admiring past legacies of legends such as Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci. This is a city that is home to around one-third of the world's great art treasures. The rest of the afternoon was spent shopping for Italian leather goods for which Florence is very famous for, and enjoying yummy gelatos in the perfect summer weather.

Yummy Gelatos

In the evening, we set off for the Tuscan Hills countryside for a wine tour.

Tuscany is home to some of the oldest wine-producing regions in the world. We explored the winery, listened to the owner telling us about the process of wine-making, and enjoyed a fabulous day learning the art of drinking wine. We enjoyed an al fresco dinner of home-cooked delights coupled with remarkable Italian wine.

Family-run Winery

Home-cooked al dente Pasta

We ended the evening by enjoying a breathtaking sunset view from the Piazzale Michelangelo on a hilltop with magnificent panoramic views of Florence.

Sunset - Florence

Panoramic Sunset View of Florence

Rome - We were very excited to finally reach Rome as it is home to the famous Vatican and 2,000 years of history, not to mention a stunning array of sights and historical sites. It is a city where the ancient and modern intertwine, and undoubtedly one of the world's great destinations!

Must-see sights include the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, towering Victor Emmanuel II Monument and Pantheon, to name a few.

At the Trevi Fountain, there is a legend that one must toss a coin over your right shoulder. The first toss signifies good luck and health. Second toss is to bring you back to Rome and the third toss is for marriage within the year. Guess how many coins we tossed into the Trevi Fountain?

Trevi Fountain

Colosseum is probably the most impressive building of the Roman Empire and was completed in AD 80. Known as the Flavian Amphitheater originally, it was the largest building of its era. The structure has fallen into ruins, but even today it remains a beautiful sight.

The next stop was the Vatican City, which is considered a different country altogether. It houses many paintings and art pieces that date back thousands of years ago and are still in good condition. The Vatican Museums is the world’s second largest museum and one of the highlights is the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican. The ceiling in the chapel was free-hand painted by Michelangelo and other famous painters. No superlative could describe my admiration of the fine artwork.

Colosseum

Interior of Pantheon

Beautiful Paintings

Venice, Italy - A city consisting of an array of small islands, interconnected by countless beautiful bridges. Venice is the one and only unique place on earth where you navigate your way around by using a network of canals.

We walked through quaint alleyways across piazzas and admired the colourful houses along the canals and at the same time, mesmerized by the gondolas, bridges and canals.

Canals and Bridges around Venice

Colour Houses - Venice

Gondola rides in Venice is a must-try. We sailed through the Grand Canal and soaked in the romance of Venice. Seeing the city from a gondola, which is being maneuvered about in these small canals by a handsome Venetian man with only a gondola stick was an beautiful experience.

Vicinity of Grand Canal

We visited a local lace school and admired the delicate masterpieces created by the locals, and we learnt about the time and effort put into the handmade sewn laces. We finished our walk in St Mark's Square with its magnificent basilica and the rest of the evening was spent getting lost in the endless alleys of beautiful Venice.

Venetian Masks

Austria - This destination did not pop up immediately to us when we first reviewed the places to go in Europe. But surprisingly, after a visit to Austria, this place ranked as one of my personal top destinations to visit in Europe.

Being a Singaporean, I craved for the quiet and scenic ideals of a holiday and Austria proved to be a perfect choice with its quiet, stunning Alpine scenery.

We opted for paragliding and after seeing how the gliders came down one after another, I got really scared and skeptical about going ahead with the idea. Luckily, my boyfriend managed to calm my nerves and although my legs were all ‘jelly’ just before takeoff, once I was up in the air, the experience was really unbelievable. The view from up above is guaranteed to take your breath away and the experience will be totally worth it.

Paragliding

An absolute MUST-TRY as the experience was really so fun and you would really feel like a bird with astonishing views.

To sum up our amazing Europe holidays in a few pages would be doing injustice to the fun we had experienced. You have to travel to Europe to discover the various gems of individual countries. Try the different cuisines, meet friendly locals, and see and feel a different world of its own. Visit Europe, for an experience of a lifetime.

*Photos and content contributed by Ida Chia

*The views and opinions expressed in this article are that of the writer and do not represent the views of New Shan Travel.

A Soulful Experience in Seoul

2011-11-15T16:08:00.003+08:00

Who can forget that timeless scene of Jun-Sang kissing Yu-Jin in Winter Sonata? Who can ignore the superhuman performances of Park Ji-sung with Manchester United in sweeping away their opponents in the British Premier League? Who can neglect the wave of K-pop and Korean culture sweeping the world contagiously? It does make one curious about the enigma of South Korea, doesn’t it?

One fine day in July, on a sudden whim, I decided to visit the country I have always wanted to, and which almost everyone else had already visited. I took a Singapore Airlines midnight flight and arrived on a summer Saturday morning at Incheon International Airport. My friend picked me up and the first stop was to hit the Korean version of spa called Jjimjilbang, the perfect cure for an overnight flight. There, I showered and slept till noon. What is a real holiday without sufficient rest?

My friend told me I have not been to Seoul if I were not to try the “Best Beef BBQ” in South Korea. A long queue had formed by the time we reached at 5.30pm. Luckily, my friend knew the service staff and we were quickly accommodated. This shop is called Seo Seo Galbi. It is located near Sinchon Street, a famous university area bustling with youthful energy. No reservations can be made at Seo Seo Galbi, and when the ingredient runs out, it closes shop. There is no seat either; you have to stand around a BBQ cylinder to do the grilling. The cooking process is simple. Just pour the secret sauce with garlic onto the marinated beef, and whilst waiting for the beef to be cooked, you can chomp on the non-spicy green chilli. Once done, you dip it into the secret sauce again. I must confess that this was by far my most satisfied meal in Seoul!

Shopfront of Seo Seo Galbi

Yummy, isn't it?
Combination of high-quality charcoal, expertly-marinated beef, secret sauce
and the standing-while-barbecuing process makes for an unforgettable experience!

After dinner, we took a short walk to Sinchon Street for coffee. Sinchon Street is surrounded by three universities, and thus you can feel the vibrancy of the area. There are many cafes, restaurants, pubs, shops, Hyundai Department Store and internet cafes (called “PC Bang”). It is a place for young people to chill out.

Sinchon Street by day.

Sinchon Street by night.

Day 2. Being an avid history fan, one of the main objectives of this trip was to visit the Demilitarized Zone or DMZ. I have long been fascinated by the origin and history of the 38th parallel that separates DPR Korea and South Korea. It is one of the last remnants of the Cold War. The journey from Seoul to Panmunjom took 45 minutes. When I got off the car, the realization that I was less than five kilometers away from DPR Korea hit me. I visited the Freedom Bridge, the only bridge over the Imjingak River connecting DPR Korea and South Korea. The bridge got its name when 13,000 war prisoners shouted "Hurray Freedom!" as they returned home crossing the bridge following the Armistice Agreement in 1953.

Across the bridge lies DPR Korea.

A bullet-riddled train used in the Korean War.

The Third Tunnel is a tunnel under the border between DPR Korea and South Korea. It was the third tunnel to be discovered running under the border between the two Koreas. Only 44km from Seoul, the tunnel was discovered in October 1978 based on information provided by a defector. It is 1.7km long, 2m high and 2m wide. Its depth is about 73m below ground.

This sculpture symbolizes the wishes of the people on both sides for reconciliation.

We left Panmunjom for Seoul to have a late lunch. My friend introduced me to a special dish called Andong Jjimdak. The name literally means “steamed chicken of Andong”. It originated in Gyeongsangbukdo, Andong. According to a source, in 1980 at Andong Market’s Chicken Town, chefs began adding a variety of ingredients into their roasted chicken, and Andong Jjimdak was born. It is a large-plated dish that is ideally eaten in a big group. Other than generous portions of chicken, I saw potatoes, crab meat, mussels, mushrooms, onions, vegetables and Chinese flat rice noodles. The brown sauce was sweet and flavourful. You can literally taste the goodness of the ingredients in the sauce.

Seafood combination version.

Original chicken version.

N Seoul Tower is the tallest point in South Korea. It is a communication and observation tower located on Namsan Mountain in central Seoul. Namsan Mountain is 243m high, and N Seoul Tower is 236.7m tall, so the tower tops out at 479.7m above ground. I took a bus up and walked approximately 60m up a steep slope to the base. For a fee, you can go up to the four levels of observation decks at the top, where you enjoy breathtaking views of Seoul. There are numerous cafes where you can enjoy your coffee and the panoramic views. If you are tired of walking, you can choose to take a cable car down the mountain.

From N Seoul Tower, it is only 193.6km away from Pyongyang.

Singapore is 4,651.9km away.
Assuming a constant driving speed of 100km/h, you will take 47 hours. Not that unachievable. isn't it?

Across the Han River stands the "63 building". At 249m high, it became the tallest building outside North America when completed in 1985, but a few months later, the title went to OUB Centre in Singapore. Now it is the 3rd tallest building in South Korea. Its attraction lies in the fact its golden facade shimmers during sunrise and sunset.

Panoramic view of Seoul

Famished, we headed for a Korean seafood dinner.

On the right is a dish of live squid. Live squid is considered a Korean delicacy. The dish in the middle is raw fish.

The soju on the left goes very well with the seafood.
Unfortunately, I forgot the name. If you know Korean, you can read the name for yourself.

Day 3. Today is Myeongdong day! Myeongdong is a name associated with shopping, chilling out, mingling with the youth of Seoul, and checking out the latest fashion. I took the subway and stopped right in front of Myeongdong. This place reminded me very much of Harajuku of Tokyo. You see Starbucks, Coffee Bean, Krispy Kreme, Adidas, The Body Shop and so forth (which are all international brands), and you see a high ratio of local eateries and shops. The majority of the shops are selling facial and skin care products. It takes at least half a day to fully explore the area. Luckily for me, there were many cafes for me to chill out at every now and then.

Shop galore!
Myeongdong is a place people keep going back to, for shopping, eating, chilling out, or simply to see and be seen!

If you like shopping at wholesale rates, you need to head down to Dongdaemun. Spread over a wide area, you can choose from the over 30,000 specialty shops. You can shop in an air-conditioned building with floors and floors of small proprietor stalls selling silk, fabric, shoes, leather goods, electronic goods, accessories, beads, curtains etc, or you can shop outdoors à la ‘Pasar Malam’ style.

8 stories of shops in the building complex.

Outdoor 'Pasar Malam'.

Outdoor eateries.

After a hectic day of shopping, it is time to wind down at the romantic Cheonggyecheon Stream. It is a stream that cuts through the middle of the busy business district, from Gyeongbokgung Palace past Seoul Plaza, Namdaemun, Dongdaemum, Insadong Street and so forth. I was at Changdeokgung Palace (which is also near the stream) and wanted to go to Namdaemum, so I took the subway to a transit station for the train to Namdaemum, taking 45 minutes in total. When I got out of the station, I realized I was just beside the Cheonggyecheon Stream that led to Changdeokgung Palace. I could have easily walked 15 minutes to my destination instead of taking the subway! That was when I realised that the stream was really connected to many attractions.

Cheonggyecheon Stream attracts many couples at night. Walking down the stream, you can see murals on the walls, dip your feet in the cool stream, or climb out of the stream to chill out at the numerous cafes and pubs that line the stream.

No less than five couples asked me to take photographs of them as i walked down the stream!

Day 4. Insadong represents the focal point of Korean traditional culture and crafts. Stores in Insa-dong specialize in a wide variety of goods that are uniquely Korean: hanbok (traditional clothing), hanji (traditional paper), traditional teas, pottery, and folk crafts. You can find painters, craftsmen, and art lovers setting up shop along the narrow alleys, making it a unique place full of folk crafts, pottery, and paintings. Various art events and festivals are regularly held along the street.

You can find a variety of traditional Korean craft and culture at Insadong.

You can also try traditional snacks alongside modern cafes.

No visit is complete without visiting Gyeongbokgung Palace and Changdeokgung Palace. Built in 1395 and reconstructed in 1867, Gyeongbokgung Palace, otherwise known as “Palace of Shining Happiness”, is located in northern Seoul and is arguably the grandest and largest of all five palaces built by the Joseon Dynasty.

Changdeokgung Palace, otherwise known as “Palace of Prospering Virtue”, was the second royal villa built in 1405 following the construction of Gyeongbokgung Palace. It was the principal palace for many of the Joseon Kings and is the most well-preserved of the five remaining royal palaces.

Changdeokgung was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. The palace was used to film part of the hugely popular Korean drama Dae Jang Geum (“大長今”).

The entrance of Gyeongbokgung Palace.

Gyeongbokgung Palace in the far background in the evening.

Entrance to Changdeokgung Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Known as Injeongjeon Hall, it was used for major state affairs,
including the coronation of a new king and receiving foreign envoys.

Vast expanse of Changdeokgung Palace grounds.

Interior of one of the many halls.

The National Palace Museum of Korea is located next to Gyeongbokgung Palace and was opened in 1992 to display relics from the Joseon Dynasty (1392 to 1910). Over 20,000 royal relics from Gyeongbokgung Palace, Changdeokgung Palace, Changgyeonggung Palace and Jongmyo Shrine are on display. It is a two-storey building with a basement, and all three stories contain historical records such as royal symbols and records, ancestral rites, palace architecture, ancient science instruments and life in the palace.

Entrance to The National Palace Museum of Korea.

Depictions of the life of a royalty.

These two majestic cars were used by the Royal Family in the early 20th century.

Night fell. It was time for the Bibap show! The 80-minute performance was about two chefs vying for honours. In doing so, the audience was treated a spectacular of break-dancing, beat-box, martial arts and comical manoeuvres. Each of the 8 performers possessed a unique skill-set: 2 actors were the best B-boy dancers I have witnessed; 2 actors had the ability to mimic any sound, noise, beat and rhythm possible; 2 actresses had soprano-like singing abilities; the 2 lead actors had such comical acting skills that it was practically impossible to avoid laughing and falling off your seat. The show was interactive and involved the audience. I commend them for putting together such a highly entertaining act. (Note: For the ladies, one of the B-boys was very cute and athletic. Besides his boyish looks, he could actually grab a pole and hanged himself horizontally for a good 5 seconds. What fitness!)

Returning to the grounds of Gyeongbokgung Palace, I went to the National Folk Museum of Korea where over 4,000 historical artifacts that were used in the daily lives of ordinary Korean people were on display. Here, you can learn about Korea’s traditional domestic and agricultural lifestyles, and cultural beliefs.

National Folk Museum of Korea.

An inscription that describes how King Sejong, who felt compassion towards the illiterate, invented
the Korean language in December 1443. The Korean language is the only language in the world
with a clear purpose, known inventor and known time of creation.

Transcripts of Chinese alphabets being translated to Korean alphabets.

Displays of explaining the origins and different types of kimchi. Kimchi is a wonder dish.
It can be made into a soup, enhance the flavour of other dishes, or be eaten raw.

Day 5. Namdaemun, which literally means “South Gate,” was once the southern gate of the ancient walls that protected Seoul. Now, it is one of the busiest markets in the country. Whether you are looking for traditional medicine, leather goods or clothing, Namdaemun is the place to go. You can also find lots of stalls selling Korean seafood and local delicacies. It is located in central Seoul and you can easily reach there by subway.

Street teeming with shoppers and stall owners.

Korean seafood hawker-style

The gate at the main thoroughfare.

Jokbal is a Korean dish consisting of pigs' feet cooked with soy sauce and spices. Usually eaten wrapped in lettuce.

After taking the above Jokbal pictures, I met another friend for dinner. Never did I expect that he would treat me to a Jokbal dinner! It was a cosy and small restaurant and packed to the brim with office executives in suits. From their looks, it is obvious that the locals enjoy eating this dish very much.

Jokbal served with clear soup. As Jokbal can be quite greasy, it is usually eaten
with lettuce and accompanied by clear or vegetable soup.

Jokbal in its full glory. Goes very well with soju.

After dinner, my friend recommended me to visit Hongdae area near Hongik University. This place was packed with clubs, pubs, restaurants and cafes. At 1am, the area was still bustling with party-goers and supper addicts. 90% of the crowd were university students, and the area is well-known for its nocturnal activities. I spotted a TV crew filming an amateur student rock band performing in the street, and although the performance was average, the student crowd simply threw in their support and rocked hard with the band. Certainly an area not to be missed if you are a night owl.

Shops selling clothes, beads, accessories etc.

Numerous cafes and pubs lining the streets. One is spoilt for choice here.

Taken at 1am on an early Thursday morning, a TV crew was filming a student rock band performing.

Day 6. I watched the afternoon NANTA show in Myeongdong. The musical was about three cooks attempting to prepare a wedding banquet within a strict time limit while the manager installed his incompetent nephew among the kitchen staff. The show involved acrobatics, magic tricks, comedy, catchy beats and audience participation. Most of the sounds created were derived from cutting boards, water canisters and kitchen knives. The performance was almost completely non-verbal. NANTA is the longest-running show in Korean history.

In the evening, I took a stroll along Hangang Park located by the Han River. It was a very relaxing place where couples strolled hand in hand, families had their picnics and people jogged or were on roller-blades. The imposing structure of the 63 Building loomed in the background, with its golden façade reflecting the shimmering rays of the sunset.

Imposing structure of the 63 Building

A relaxing riverfront avenue for all walks of life.

Supper beckoned and I went to Myeongdong in search of food. I chanced upon an alley full of people apparently ordering from the same restaurant, and thus I assumed the food must be excellent. I ordered the dish that was common on all tables. It is a wonderful combination of vegetables (sliced cucumber, leeks etc.) and fresh seafood (mussels, abalone etc.), topped with a refreshing clear sauce. I still have not figured out the name of the dish, but if you know Korean, you can see the name in the picture.

A seafood-vegetables dish that has a very delightful taste.
One serving feeds 2-3 people. Goes wonderfully well with beer.

Korean name of the dish.

The alley was packed full of customers and office executives
who knocked off late at night, typical of the Korean corporate culture.

Facade of the restaurant.

Day 7. It is time to say “Annyong-hi kashipshio” (“Good bye” in Korean) to Seoul. I will be back for sure.

Hotel Capital was where i put up. Located in Itaewon, an area famous
for its night scenes and frequented by foreign tourists,
it is a four-star hotel located near the Noksapyeong subway station.
There is a Starbucks outlet and convenience shop just outside the hotel.
Note: Please bring along your own toiletries. Seoul is dedicated to its environmental-friendly initiatives.

梦迴阿凡达

2011-10-07T07:58:00.001+08:00

感觉…
九寨沟的美像是大家闺秀的，
而张家界的美则是小家碧玉的；
所以别问我哪个比较美？
总而言之，
张家界的山，九寨沟的水，
都是能让您为之惊艳的。

张家界，
这幅美丽的风光，
一直默默竖立于中国湖南省西北部…
直到全球第一部3D影片《阿凡达》的热播；
人们疯狂的争议着那美轮美奂的“哈里路亚山”在哪里？
它，才慢慢的苏醒于全世界人类的眼球里。

武陵源景区门口

踏进张家界武陵源风景名胜区，

我们乘搭景区的环保车抵达了百龙电梯口。

老实说…

如果这世上真的有Transformer（变形金刚），
我会真的以为Decepticon（狂派）来到地球，
很愚蠢的伪装成电梯藏身在山林里…
因为真的太突兀了，
但相信这就是为什么他能号称世界第一电梯。

围绕着百龙电梯周围的是被称为“神兵聚会”的张家界著名景点之一。

百龙电梯，果真气势恢弘，垂直高度335米，

不需2分钟的时间就把我们运送到了山顶；
据导游说，从前从水绕四门到达天子山和袁家界至少费时4个多小时。

先进的科技真的方便了人类不少，

缩短了一个地方和一个地方间的距离，
但却疏远了人与人之间的距离。

蒙上一层白纱的天子山风光

三分形像，七分想像；
越想越像，不想就不像。
旅游过中国的人应该常听见导游说这话吧？
来到了张家界，上到了天子山，
您能更深切的体会到想象力的美好。
这里每一处都是美丽的风景及雕像，
抬头一望，你会遇见情深的夫妻、私语着的姐妹、吟着诗的屈子…；
也许你还可以自己去发现还有哪些人也来到了张家界。

袁家界的精华景点—天下第一桥，
真让人不得不惊叹大自然的鬼斧神工。

湖南，人杰地灵，
自古名人、英雄多；
毛泽东、刘少奇、雷锋、朱镕基…
还有，中国十大元帅之一的贺龙也都是湖南人。
天子山上，就建了一座贺龙公园。

或许你也和我一样，
搞不懂什么十大元帅、弄不清谁是贺龙，
但没关系，贺龙公园一样是您必须来到的地方，
因为这里是天子山西海的最佳观景点。

你看到纳威人骑着飞龙前往潘多拉了吗？

出发前就听人说，
天子山像位害羞的小姑娘，
常常蒙着白纱，不愿让人看见她的真面貌。
这次就算在山脚天气是如此的晴朗，
上到了天子山真的不知道是该看景，还是看雾。
同伴友人突然很感触的说：
“雾里看花，花最美。”
的确，在现实生活中，
有许多事情朦朦胧胧最美，
太清楚反而会显得现实是丑陋的。

悠哉悠哉的走走看看，
彻底忘记工作上的压力，
这才是旅行的意义吧~

沿途我们还发现一个奇怪的果实，
因为只有在腊月才有，所以叫做“腊果”。
很奇怪的果实，而且很酸、很酸。

下午，我们终于带着不舍的心情，
乘搭缆车下山了。

回头再望望天子山、袁家界，
突然想起一首诗：
“谁人识得天子面，归来不看天下山。”
说的可就是我当下的心情。

潘多拉很远，张家界很近。
如果有机会，
我还是会再来的。

(Contributed by Daphne)

Experience the wonders of Zhangjiajie like Daphne! Join our Dreaming Avatar tour now!
Special dep on 24 Oct 2011: http://www.newshan.com/tour/PackageTour/China/8DCSXOCT24.html
More dep dates at: http://www.newshan.com/tour/PackageTour/China/8DCSX.html

My Hokkaido Trip

2011-10-04T15:00:00.006+08:00

I have been dreaming of going to Hokkaido for ages. I remember watching Japan Hour that featured Hokkaido’s beautiful natural sceneries, world-class and family-friendly winter skiing facilities and activities, and mouth-watering fresh seafood caught from the cold deep waters off Hokkaido. My lust for Hokkaido was fuelled by friends regaling me with stories of their wonderful trips to Hokkaido, and never once did I hear anything negative about that place.

An opportunity surfaced to visit Hokkaido on a familiarization trip, and I smilingly ticked off one of the major items on my to-do list.

As the plane descended on New Chitose Airport on a cool autumn afternoon, I began to feel a sense of achievement, like realizing one’s dream. The drive from the airport to my hotel in Niseko took about 2 hours. What struck me on the coach journey was the wide roads in Hokkaido (in contrast to the typical narrower roads on mainland Japan) and the smaller number of cars on the roads. Without the Japanese signs, I would have thought that I was in Australia. We reached Niseko Northern Resort, An’nupuri at 7pm, just in time for a sumptuous Japanese buffet dinner consisting of sashimi and sushi.

Tempura, Sashimi, Chawanmushi and Miso Soup!

The next day, we proceeded to take a gondola ride up to Mt. Niseko Annupuri where we enjoyed sweeping views of Niseko, Mt. Yotei and Hirafu. By the time we got down, it was time for lunch. As you know, every meal in Japan can be an exhilarating experience.

After inspecting the ski facilities at Hirafu, we checked into Hotel Piano at Kiroro. Behind the hotel, there was a Hokkaido-style BBQ restaurant that serves the best BBQ seafood I have had.

BBQ seafood - Hokkaido Style

Next stop – Otaru Canal. In the early 20th century, this canal was part of the port area where larger vessels unloaded their goods onto smaller boats, which then flowed along the canal to unload the goods at warehouses located along the canal. When the unloading process became mechanized, this area was redeveloped into a beautiful canal and the warehouses were transformed into museums, restaurants and specialty shops. With traditional gas lamps lighting up the area, coupled with drizzling snow in the winter nights, it is a very romantic place for couples.

Otaru Canal on an autumn day

The Otaru Music Box Museum features the development of music boxes or “orgel”, as it is known in Japan. The main building can be recognized by its brownish-red brick walls and renaissance-style arch-top windows. You definitely will not miss the Steam Clock just outside the museum. Made in Vancouver, the Steam Clock is powered entirely by steam, chimes every 15 minutes and blows the main-steam whistles on the hour. In the museum, you will see one of the largest collection of music boxes or orgel in all shapes and sizes. You can even customize your own music box for a small fee.

Otaru Music Box Museum

Just three minutes walk away from Otaru Music Box Museum is Kitaichi Glass Museum. Founded in 1901, it was then known as Asahara Glass. The first president, Hisakichi Asahara, began to produce kerosene lamps in Otaru. Kerosene lamps were part of life's necessities because electricity supply was unknown at that time. In 1910, he began to produce floating glass balls for fishing and the rest is history. Their exquisite handmade glassware in many shapes and forms can only be made by skilled craftsmen. It also has a workshop where the manufacturing process can be observed.

Kitaichi Glass Museum - Fragile! Be careful. Once broken, considered sold!

Sushi music boxes! So real, you will want to eat them!

Maneki Neko or 'Fortune Cat' music boxes

Along the same street as Kitaichi Glass Museum, you will find many shops selling ice cream, confectionery and seafood. One shop that caught my eye was the one that was selling gigantic Hokkaido Crabs! The pictures on the left tell a thousand words.

These Hokkaido crabs are actually bigger than what the pictures suggest

There was no time to check out Ishiya Chocolate Factory so we headed to Odori Park where the landmark is the Sapporo TV Tower. Odori Park is situated in the centre of Sapporo City and is a green-belt area that provides a breather to the city dwellers. There are many shops around the area.

Odori Park with Sapporo TV Tower in the background

Dinner time beckons! We were going to have Shabu-shabu, which is a Japanese variant of the hot pot. The dish is related to sukiyaki in style, in that both use thinly sliced meat and vegetables and are usually served with dipping sauces. As you can see, we had many servings of the freshest beef slices and generous refills of the soup base and ingredients. Service was top-notch as the waitresses replied “Hai!” to every request and fulfilled our whims and fancies within 2 minutes. Such shabu-shabu restaurants can be found in many places, and they are consistently good.

Next on the stop is shopping! We were brought to Mitsui Outlet Park in Sapporo. It is really huge and many international brands can be found there. For foodies, I particularly recommend the supermarket there where local farm produce can be freshly bought. It is called “Farm Village”.

Shabu-shabu, Japanese Hot Pot with thinly sliced meat

Aurora Town is an underground shopping mall with plenty shops and eateries

The many international brands available at the Mitsui Outlet Park

With an excellent shopping harvest, we checked into the airport hotel in order to catch the early morning flight home via Tokyo. With a heavy heart, I bid farewell silently to Hokkaido, but not before I ended my trip with a sumptuous sashimi dinner.

A sumptuous Sashimi dinner to end the trip!

The Farm Village is a supermarket that offers fresh local produce

欧洲游记

2011-03-16T09:04:00.001+08:00

巴黎的城市格言:漂浮而不沉没。这个神秘而烂漫的城市对于我来说有着极其大的诱惑和吸引力。来到巴黎后，真的就仿佛进入了一个巨型的博物馆，他每一个建筑物，每一个设计，都有着浓郁的艺术气息，让人不敢相信他的真实性。虽然面对这个硕大，陌生的城市，可是一点都不会让我感到无助，因为全程的导游和领队人都很亲切和热情。

还记得那天黄昏的塞纳河畔，温柔的阳光金灿灿地撒满了长椅。当你坐在上面，看着静静流淌着的塞纳河，在阳光的照耀下五光十色，异常的绚丽夺目~；随后，夕阳西下，看着朦胧夜色之下的河畔，灯火通明的油轮在河面上缓缓行驶过；看着人潮汹涌的街市，在夜里这般的热闹；看着璀璨的街灯，美丽的夜景，感受着一天逐渐的落幕。然后，感叹：“时光如梭啊！”但就算这样坐着欣赏巴黎的美景也不会觉得乏味，因为这里真的是个神奇的国家，她的魅力是无法用言语来形容的，只能你自己去慢慢体会那种美好和奇妙的意境。
只记得到埃菲尔铁塔时，才上午10点不到。但这里却早已经聚集了很多的游客。他们排着长长的队伍，等待着买票，乘电梯上铁塔上俯视巴黎市的全景。来到埃菲尔铁塔下面，真的会让你为她感到震撼，她是为了1889年在法国举办的世博会而建造的。卢浮宫，当我走进卢浮宫的时候，我的心便被这座古老，雄伟壮观的建筑给震撼了。能够参观这样一座呕心沥血的艺术结晶，也是我人生一次难忘的经历吧。
香榭丽舍大街，街道两边是修建得很整齐的法国梧桐树。给行人带去一些树荫下的清凉。尤其是他两边的精品名牌店，式样繁多，样式新潮，简直就不负“购物天堂”的美誉啊，逛的让我流连忘返，实在是太好逛了。
巴黎凯旋门，高: 49.54米, 宽: 44.82米, 厚: 22.21米；中心拱门高: 36.6米, 宽: 14.4米。凯旋门四面的都有门，门内刻有拿破仑远征的386名将军和96场胜仗的名字。他总共有273层台阶，爬上去真不件容易的事，但我还是坚决要爬上去… … N分钟之后啦，我终于“爬”到凯旋门顶部的平台上，可以一览无遗的欣赏巴黎俯视的美景了。什么叫成就感，这个就是啊，虽然爬的我累的半死，但能够这样观看巴黎，真的是相当的值得。

透过明亮的车窗。外面的美丽画面在不断地起伏，变化着，让你不敢相信我已经置身于这个浪漫而神秘的国家——瑞士。那漫山遍野的蒲公英，金灿灿的有些耀眼，有些不真实。蓝天下，长满青草得山坡，还郁郁葱葱的小树林；那冰凉清澈的湖泊，那覆盖着少许积雪的山峰，无边无际金花的油菜花海。眼前所有的一切都让心感觉到宁静和祥和。瑞士的春天真的很美丽，漫山遍野的野花中，覆盖面积最大的还要数这黄色的花海，蒲公英了。我好喜欢它们。从花丛里走出来的时候，才发现，竟然也沾染上了一身的花粉。只希望不要有蝴蝶，蜜蜂什么的飞来我身上啊~

站在伊尔河畔的古城:斯特拉斯堡（Strasbourg）的某一座小桥上。默默环顾人来人往的四周，络绎不绝。再看着那些坐在路天餐厅或酒吧，正在就餐的或是喝东西的人们；正大声的渲染着他们的热闹和沸腾。一切的一切，正如此刻的阳光一样灿烂，会让人的心也晴朗的，向阳。斯特拉斯堡位于莱茵河注入伊尔河的地方。它的历史文化中心坐落在被两条伊尔河两条支流环绕的大岛。那里保留着着很多中世纪时代建筑的哥特式或者罗马式的古老教堂。及很多最早文艺复兴时代的彩色玻璃。除了这些古老的建筑以外，游人们还可以站在步行桥上，观赏沿河的小法兰西区上的那些黑白木框架结构的街景。
欧洲真的很小！清晨，还呼吸着瑞士那带着青草芬芳的空气。下午就又站在被誉为小法兰西的古城斯特拉斯堡看沿河的风景和独特的木结构建筑。而途中，还有一个多小时，则是在德国土地上，穿越了一个又一个小小的城市和村落。黑白木框架结构的房子和街景，随处可见。它们也是这里最有特色和代表性的建筑。喜欢欧洲味很浓郁的街灯。想着，夜色阑珊时候，它们散发出的昏黄而温柔的光线。在黑暗冷清的街头，也许，会让某些失落的人，感觉到一丝温暖吧！！！

The Day Korea Imprinted Itself on Me…

2011-03-16T09:03:00.001+08:00

We went to Nami Island after we have checked into my hotel. The journey was fine for me, cos I slept on the journey to Nami Island.

Anyway, was quite excited when I reach, cos it’s Winter Sonata’s filming location! I’ve been wanting to go there for ages, and finally, I got to see where BYJ filmed his drama! The place was beautiful, and I almost wished that I could build a snowman with BYJ!

We left for Hahyangjung Farm after a while, and learnt how to make kimchi, and dress up in the Korea traditional costume, the hanbok. It was nice, at least better than the kimono in my opinion. Kimono just has too many layers! The hanbok is simpler I think.

Went back to the hotel after having a wonderful time at Hahyangjung Farm, and had bibimbap for dinner. It was quite “chewy”, (I really didn’t know a better word for this) and my jaws were tired from chewing it. I think it looks better than it tastes. However, I love the side dishes! There were a variety of kimchi, and there’s this potato thing that is just so delicious! You can refill the side dishes as much as you want! You can imagine how full I was from just eating the side dishes.

On the second day, we woke up early in the morning for breakfast, and travelled to a water theme park, where there are lots of Jacuzzi, beach pools, slides and sauna for our entertainment. It was super fun and tiring as well, cos I tried every single “attraction”. It was a great experience, cos you won’t be able to experience this kind of water theme park in Singapore.

And at night, we went to Dongdaemun, the largest market in Asia if I’m not wrong. Anyway, I nearly got lost there! There were so many shops and I just lost myself to those fanciful accessories and clothes. I spent like almost SGD$300 there cos I just couldn’t resist buying all those cute stuff!

So finally, we went back to the hotel after we realised that we simply do not have enough hands to carry any more shopping bags. My legs were tired and sore, but it was totally worth it, as I’ve gotten whatever I need and want. And I couldn’t wait for tomorrow, cos we’re going to see the cherry blossoms!

The next day, we woke up feeling extremely tired, cos of the playing and shopping done on the day before. Anyway, I managed to crawl out of my comfortable bed cos I was dying to see the cherry blossoms. The cherry blossoms were even prettier than in pictures, and I took a crazy lot of pictures. The weather was great, and the clear blue sky makes it an even better background for me to take the cherry blossoms. It was as if the cherry blossoms know that I was going to be there, and they posed themselves in a very nice position for me to take pictures of them.

After seeing the beautiful cherry blossoms, we went to Yongin Everland, which is the largest theme park in Korea. I love the rides, and I totally enjoy myself! The theme park is really big, and I wondered if I managed to finish all the rides that I want. I’m so going to go there again! I didn’t buy much stuff there though, cos I spent too much yesterday in Dongdaemun, so I need to exercise some self-control here. We went back to the hotel and were really tired, so we decided to just stay in the hotel after dinner to chill and relax.

To be continued…..

Beautiful Hokkaido

2011-03-16T09:01:00.000+08:00

We were filled with excitement and anticipation while on our flight to Japan. Upon arrival at Narita International airport, we proceed for our dinner. We had a sumptuous seafood dinner. Oh my, the seafood was very fresh, especially the giant fleshy prawns. We proceed to the romantic town of Otaru. It is a lively port city which is famous for its canal and glasswork shops. We get to admire the art of hand blown glassware and ancient antique lamps displayed at the historical red brick building (Otaru Music Box Museum).

I went back to my five stars hotel for a night rest and soaked in the hot spring bath. It was so relaxing that i instantaneously placed all my troubles to the back of my mind. After a good night rest, I woke up early in the cold morning to take a stroll along the street of Otaru canal. After having the breakfast in the hotel, we went to Ishiya chocolate factory for an opportunity to learn how to make delicious chocolates. We also visited Sapporo beer factory which is the only beer museum in Japan.

We went to Asahikawa which is one of Japan's gourmet towns. I was amazed by the number of restaurants available in the area. We had a fabulous lunch which includes the nationally famous Asahikawa ramen noodles, mutton barbecue (Genghis Khan) and the popular Otokoyama sake.

It was one of the best meals that I had for a long time. After some photo taking session, we went to Otokoyama sake brewery museum. It has a rich history of sake brewing and we got the chance to taste some of the most famous sake in the world.

To be continued..

我的假期，北京之旅

2010-12-01T15:31:00.000+08:00

等了这么久，我终于有机会去一次北京了，我感到非常的兴奋！
坐了好几个小时的飞机，终于到达了中国的首都国际机场，看到这里人山人海，让我的心情更加激动！！
出了关口，我们乘坐专车去到了酒店，酒店的房间好大哦，放下行李，休息了一下之后，我们就享用了团安排的欢迎晚餐。然后好好休息~~
虽然北京的冬天对于我来讲有点冷，但是还是盖不住我对这座城市的热情。

第二天，我们去到首都博物馆。从外观看来它非常宏伟，而且还有小小现代化的感觉，我本来还想象以为首都博物馆就像那种外形古老的建筑。进到里面更是富丽堂皇，这里陈列着中国各个朝代的展品，还有一些来自外国的历史文物，真是多不胜数。

到了下午，我们去参观了颐和园，据历史的记载它是明清皇室的避暑胜地行宫，这地方山清水秀，难怪这是古代皇室的专用之地啦，不过现在也可以让我们这些平民百姓来游玩，真是人生的一大享受啊！

这一天，我们终于来到了期待已久的万里长城。

远远望去，长城就像一条蜿蜒而上的巨龙，看到这宏伟的长城让我想起，这是中国古代人民智慧和艰苦的结晶。经常流传一句话“不到长城非好汉”，虽然北京冬天寒风呼啸，但也抵不住我要踏上长城的激动的心情，今天终于让我踏上万里长城了！我是一名好汉啊！！站在长城上，我觉得自己是多么的渺小，但是当我踏上长城的高处，又有一种居高临下的感觉！啊！感觉是多么的奇妙啊！

以前我以为中国只有哈尔滨那些非常寒冷的地方才能滑雪，想不到，原来北京也有滑雪场。
这里的滑雪场还分不同的等级呢，有初级，中级，高级。尽管我是第一次滑雪，什么都不会，这边也有专业人士指导。另外还有其他的娱乐设施等。

我兴奋地穿上雪服，脚踏着滑雪板，戴上帽子跟滑雪眼镜，手拿滑雪棒。我的滑雪旅程开始了！刚刚滑的时候，还不太会，所以常常跌倒，在雪地上感觉自己有点像小企鹅，左摇右拐的！时间不知不觉地过去了，肚子开始咕咕叫了，我们就找了一家在滑雪场里的餐厅吃东西。

餐厅里的选择可多呢，我选了一个中式套餐，虽然看起来跟家庭菜差不多，但是在这寒冷的冬季吃上这暖热的菜肴实在添加了一丝丝的温暖！饭后，我们来到了这边的一家薰衣草茶寮，这里充满着各式各样的花茶，还有咖啡等，我就当然是品尝这里最出名的薰衣草茶啦，嗯，闻起来清香扑鼻，喝在口中淡淡的花香，在雪地品尝热茶的感觉确实不同！感觉很轻松，很轻松的！这里真令我流连忘返。玩得好开心哦！

之后的日子，我们参观了“鸟巢”，这是北京奥运会的主会场，以前只有在电视或照片上看过，真正看到的时候才知道这真的是一个巨型的“鸟巢”。还有游泳馆“水立方”，外表晶莹剔透，方形水泡图案设计独特，就像一件艺术品。

之后我们到达了天津的街头，这里跟中国古代风格不大相同，街道两旁都是西洋的建筑，原来这里以前是法国的租界，难怪这里的建筑风格都是充满着西洋风。走着走着，我们就到了一条长长的美食街。在天津，当然不能错过这里最出名的美食“狗不理包子”。听说了这么久，今天终于有机会品尝一下了。其实它看起来跟普通的包子差不多，但是当你一口咬下去的时候，包子里的暖暖的汤汁流进口里，里面的肉香甜香甜的，真是齿甲留香啊！

在这里除了吃以外，还有很多民俗工艺品的小店。那些物品精致优雅，千奇百怪，泥人公仔，各式各样的剪纸，木制的小摆饰等，而且很多都是店主们自己的手工精品，这里的人民真是心灵手巧。我当然不会放过这买手信给朋友的机会啦！

时间过得好快哦，不知不觉旅程将要结束了，今天我们就去游览天坛。据说天坛是世界上唯一一座不用铁钉建成的建筑，这里也是中国古代皇帝祭天的地方，以前只有在看一些古装片的时候才能看到皇帝祭天。现在我也能像皇帝一样来到天坛祭天了！默默地许下自己的心愿，希望能梦想成真！

这天是在北京的最后一天了，充满依依不舍的心情。早上，我们去到了天安门广场，这里人来人往，还有一些妇女在跳集体舞，真热闹啊！沿着天安门广场，我们走到了中国古代的皇宫“紫禁城”现称故宫。从它的模型图上看大大小小的宫殿多得数不清。故宫的正门叫“午门”，午门是皇帝下诏书、下令出征的地方。之后进入乾清宫，乾清宫在故宫内庭最前面。殿的正中有宝座，内有“正大光明”牌匾，真是金碧辉煌。再往里走，走到了坤宁宫，坤宁宫是皇后的寝室，在坤宁宫北面的是御花园。御花园里有高耸的松柏、珍贵的花木、山石和亭阁。环境优雅，能住在这么美的地方真让人羡慕！故宫宫殿是沿着一条南北向排列的，三大殿、后三宫、御花园。真是怎么走也走不完。

午餐过后，收拾好行李和我们的“战利品”我们就踏上回家的路途了，巴士在通往机场的路上，这几天的旅程真让人难忘。再见了，北京！我一定会再回来的！

Tips by Detective Newton!

2010-11-01T11:33:00.001+08:00

Hot Deals Alert! Fly to Beijing / Shanghai at $568, Los Angeles / San Francisco at $1508, New York at $1808, Vancouver at $1948, Toronto at $2208 via Cathay Pacific! All inclusive of taxes!

Tips by Detective Newton!

2010-11-01T11:32:00.000+08:00

Hot Deals Alert! Fly to Bangkok at $258, Hong Kong at $409, Taipei at $518, Seoul / Busan at $588, Fukuoka / Haneda / Osaka / Tokyo / Nagoya at $588 via Cathay Pacific! All inclusive of taxes!

Random Tip

2010-11-01T10:36:00.001+08:00

If you are going to Grand Canyon at the United States, remember not to feed the animals in the park as it is unhealthy for them and they may bite you!

Do you know?

2010-10-29T09:12:00.001+08:00

Do you know the first living thing to cross the bridge at Victoria Falls in South America was a leopard?

Guess who am I?

2010-10-28T09:22:00.000+08:00

There is only one truth... The truth will be revealed at www.newshan.com today!

Airfares Retreat

2010-10-28T09:21:00.001+08:00

Keep your eyes open for our year end airfares retreat! Stay tune at www.newshan.com! Book your holidays now!

Random Tip

2010-10-27T09:28:00.000+08:00

If you're going to Australia, it is better to learn a little of the local slang before your trip, as their dialect can be a little tricky to follow and understand.

Random Tip

2010-10-26T11:17:00.001+08:00

Use google to search for weather reports for the country that you are visiting, as it helps to keep you well prepared and avoid disappointment.

Random Tip

2010-10-25T11:36:00.001+08:00

Try to plan your travel vacation out of the travel peak season as it will cost less and you can have more money for other things.

Random Tip

2010-10-23T10:14:00.001+08:00

If you are backpacking, opt for single rooms in backpackers hostel rather than shared accommodation. In that way, your valuables can be safe.

Random Tip

2010-10-22T10:33:00.000+08:00

Make sure you have a few pieces of clothings and basic essentials in your carry on luggage. In that way, if you ever lose your main luggage, you still have an emergency backup.

Random Tip

2010-10-21T09:39:00.001+08:00

If you are travelling on a budget, try to opt for B&Bs rather than hotels as it is considerably cheaper and offers a similar, if not slightly less, level of comfort and luxury.

Random Tip

2010-10-20T10:03:00.001+08:00

In order to pack more clothes into your luggage, especially when you're coming back from overseas, a good way would be to press the folded clothings down to force the air out and flatten them more. Or you could sit on them and you would be able to fit in more layers of clothes in your luggage.

Random Tip

2010-10-18T09:40:00.001+08:00

If you want to avoid the extra cost of calling for room service, or paying for the food provided by the hotel's fridge in your room, a great idea is to find the nearest local supermarkets, and stock up on your favourite snacks and other food.

Random Tip

2010-10-14T10:04:00.001+08:00

Choosing small, local food establishments is not only a great way to explore the country you’re visiting, but it will also be friendly on your wallet.

Random Tip

2010-10-13T14:49:00.000+08:00

When packing for your cruise holiday, be sure to take all possible weather conditions into account as the weather at sea can be unpredictable, so take at least one or two jackets or sweater with you.

Random Tip

2010-10-08T13:33:00.001+08:00

Always make sure that you have comprehensive travel insurance when you're overseas. You never know when you may need it.

Random Tip

2010-10-07T10:27:00.001+08:00

Take public transport when you're visiting foreign countries because it allows you to see more of the place that you are visiting. Walking between train and bus stops, or even in pedestrian zones is a great way to see more of the city.

Random Tip

2010-10-06T14:50:00.001+08:00

Search for local weather reports for the country you intend to visit. You would not want to find yourself stuck in torrential rains or seasonal storms in foreign countries.

Random Tip

2010-10-05T09:54:00.001+08:00

You can make significant savings on airfares if you just book the right dates. For instance, flying on a weekday instead of on a weekend can reduce the overall cost of your airfares.

Facebook Flight Search Engine

2010-09-30T17:59:00.000+08:00

Flight search engine is now available in our facebook!

http://tinyurl.com/355m9g5

visit www.newshan.com to search for cheap airfares, great hotel deals and exciting tour packages!!

Random Tip

2010-09-29T18:05:00.001+08:00

Make sure you have things like sweets or hand held games to keep your children occupied during the flight.

Random Tip

2010-09-28T15:20:00.001+08:00

Being updated on the latest news on the economy in foreign countries can give you an indication on impending events such as transport worker strikes, power outages and how affordable your stay there will be.

Random Tip

2010-09-27T11:41:00.001+08:00

When shopping in a foreign country, always take a calculator with you to calculate the actual cost of an item in SGD. You will be surprised to find that those bargains you thought you were getting weren’t as cheap as you think.

Random Tip

2010-09-25T09:33:00.001+08:00

If you are intending to rent a car while you're overseas, make sure you check before signing a deal with a car hire company, or you might be paying double. If you already have a car insurance and a credit card, then you might already have some insurance cover on rental cars.

Random Tip

2010-09-24T13:49:00.001+08:00

Try to break your overseas road trip into short sections of driving, which are around four hours a day. If you drive too long without stopping, you can get over exhausted mentally, which is very dangerous for driving!

Random Tip

2010-09-23T10:09:00.001+08:00

A good travel guide book is a critical tool when you’re overseas. Good guide books have detailed information on the country, districts, villages and towns of interest. They will include general information on languages spoken, currencies, transportation and other pertinent information. Some may even have a section with commonly used phrases.

Random Tip

2010-09-22T09:57:00.000+08:00

Roll your clothes, especially t-shirts, when you're packing your luggage as it takes up less space, and roll your socks into balls, and put them in closed shoes. This helps to save space and keep the shape of your shoes.

Asia Newsletter

2010-09-21T14:23:00.001+08:00

Check out our Asia Newsletter for the latest promotions! ^^V

Random Tip

2010-09-21T14:14:00.001+08:00

Try not to have any of your valuables on display when you're travelling, as it might spell trouble. Carry a simple bag instead, to put your camera, cell phone and other things. Keep cash to a minimum too.

Random Tip

2010-09-20T10:03:00.001+08:00

Find out emergency numbers in the country that you will be visiting before you leave on your trip, and store them in your mobile phone or in a piece of paper in the wallet. That way, if something goes wrong, you won’t be stranded without help.

Random Tip

2010-09-16T15:01:00.001+08:00

If the hotel or accommodation you're staying in does not have a laundry service, hang slightly wrinkled clothes in the bathroom while you shower. The hot steam will smooth the wrinkles in your clothes.

Random Tip

2010-09-14T15:13:00.001+08:00

Prepare sweets to chew to prevent your ears getting hurt by the pressure while the aeroplane is taking off or landing.

Random Tips

2010-09-13T14:51:00.001+08:00

Solutions to cure jet lag:
1. Get yourself exposed to the sun as much as possible for around 20 mins.
2. Drink plenty of water.
3. Get some exercise outdoors.

New Shan Travel's Latest Airfares Promotion

2010-09-09T10:40:00.001+08:00

Hi Guys,

Here's our latest airfares promotion as advertised on Today newspaper on 8 Sept 2010. Do check out our website for more promotional airfares! Visit www.newshan.com now!

Travel tips of the day!

2010-08-25T09:17:00.000+08:00

Travel Tips of the day!

2010-08-11T16:52:00.000+08:00

欧洲游记

2010-07-23T17:41:00.000+08:00

Launch of Multi-Stop Airfares Search

2010-07-07T15:43:00.000+08:00

The Day Korea Imprinted Itself on Me…

2010-06-16T17:00:00.000+08:00

北京~ 北京~

2010-06-16T16:37:00.000+08:00

从北京回来的那天我就告诉自己一定要把这次在北京游玩的八天六晚全部都记录下来,但是可能是因为回来后就要继续做工了,一直拖到现在.不过还好.当时游览这个历史古城的确是给我留下太多的回忆.所以还是可以写下来,留做永久的记忆.

当时NATAS的时候原本是跟家里人一起去九寨沟的,不过后来实在是被北京的那种古朴跟悠然吸引到叻.所以就报名参加了北京的旅行团,足足有八天六晚.(因为光飞机上的时间就要将近一天,那么久飞过去,一定要多玩两天,要不然,我岂不是亏了.)

中国我这是第3次去了,以前只去过香港跟云南.那天坐上飞机的那一刻起,我的脑海中就已经有了无限的幻想.北京应该是我想得那样子吧.

经过大概几个小时的飞行,我们在傍晚抵达了北京,这里的天气跟新加坡果然是不一样,但是确没有想象得那么糟糕.包里的衣服也没有多拿出来更换.可能事因为太饿了吧,或者是因为对北京的烤鸭垂涎已久.所以一下飞机,我们就集体奔向了酒店附近的一家餐馆.虽然那时候已经很晚了,但是参观的招待却还是很周到的.而且当他们拿上菜谱来的时候,我就惊呆了.足足有十几页!~原本饿得咕咕叫得肚子现在一下不知道该吃什么了.不过也没办法,导游跟我们说,未来几天还有许多可以品尝美食的时间,今晚先大体的适应一下北京的味道先.然后菜没过多久就上来了.虽然很多都不知道叫什么名字,但是味道却是好吃的不得了.后来到了酒店后我通过问导游才知道,我最喜欢吃的那个叫卤煮烧.哈哈~等以后在新加坡碰到的时候一定要再尝一下~
晚上住的酒店叫寰岛博雅.酒店真的蛮美的.而且据说北京的酒店每年都会整修装潢好几次,所以说不定我下次来的时候就不认识了呢.哈哈.
可能是因为当天实在过于兴奋了吧.我躺在床上看着窗外的夜景,一直看了好久才睡着...

DAY2

我们首先参观的地方竟然就是我早已慕名已久的天安门广场.
路上我就在仔细观察,原来北京的道路真的好宽,但是由于车太多了.所以经常会在上班高峰搞得堵车.我们路过的这个街足足有上百米宽.我还是第一次见呢~
到了天安门,我才发现北京的味道就在这里.天安门真的好大.我也不知道该怎么描述,而且周围全都是鼎鼎有名的建筑.中间的人民英雄纪念碑.周围有中国革命历史博物馆,毛主席纪念堂,人民大会堂...所以我的相机一直没有停下.所以没多久就几乎没有电了.-.-||
今天阳光好亮，忘记带帽子真是失误。
下午还去了故宫,感觉上就像到了大陆拍电影的现场.故宫据说就是北京的最中心位置了.古代的所有的皇上大都住在这里.
晚上的秀..这个应该是我去北京的第一个大惊喜吧,实在太棒了.以前去其它的国家也有看过秀,但是看完这些杂技跟武术表演之后,我才相信原来电视上那些都是真的.

DAY3
哈哈~我早上起的特别早,因为今天要去长城了.
谁知道道了之后才发现,早上吃饭的时候应该多吃一点,以为是在是太高了.而且每个楼梯都是用石头那样子排列起来的.没走多远,我就已经不行了,所以只能站在城楼里吹着风,看看景色,一会大家都需要休息了.我们就回去饭厅,等待午餐.
下午去了明皇蜡像馆,除了大,没感觉什么特别的.不过里面的蜡像真的是有时让你觉得自己是在做梦.
然后我们去了颐和园跟鸟巢.值得一说的是,鸟巢真的很壮丽,我特地多拍了几张照片.而且我们只是参观了一下外面就觉得里面一定很美了.而且现在还有很多地方都在整修.不过时间有限..我只能期待下次机会了.（还有水立方真的不错，好漂亮～）

DAY4

据说今天要去欢乐谷，我昨晚特地给自己做了个全身按摩，才刚玩２天我一经发现我自己像游览了整个中国一样．哈哈．
不过我们的车先带我们去的是一个城楼，正阳门，这地方我以前没听说过，不过来了之后才发现，如果这个地方我不来的话，我真的会后悔的，因为这个地方有一个很奇特的现象，这边由于建筑地形的关系，你如果对着墙壁喊话会有回音．哈哈．我还对着这个墙说了很多悄悄话．据说这个地方是以前皇帝祭天的呢．
然后又去了中国国家大剧院，很漂亮的一个地方．也是好大..我还在这买了一个中国结．挂在iphone上叻．看，漂亮吧．
随之我们就去做三轮车，这个好像bugis观音庙那边的．都是一些老uncle登车载着我们在小胡同里绕阿绕．胡同里面都是一层的楼，里面有的甚至住了四户人，share一个院子．．想想应该感觉不错．．后来又去了全都是复古装潢的前门明清一条街．．很有feel．．
哈哈最后终于来到了欢乐谷，虽然这个没有香港的迪斯尼出名，但是这也是北京乃至全中国最出名最有特色的主题公园呢，显然我在来之前已经在网上做足功课，这里可是白天晚上都可以玩，而且有好多个主题．．我真是玩的脚酸心都不甘阿．．哈哈～可惜相机没电了.真是太遗憾了.

DAY5

今天我们去承德，不过上午我们去了另外一个地方－－天坛．
天坛，我也不知道为什么叫天坛．
但是据说这个天坛是没有用过一个钉子的做出来的，我到现在也是不相信，一直到后来回来后也不知道不用钉子这些是怎样把这个盖起来的．
然后当然是要去到避暑山庄．
承德气候比北京凉爽好多，难怪叫避暑山庄． lol
（不知道这个地方在冬天会不会超级冷的．．）
这边很多建筑都是仿江南造的，所以我感觉有点穿梭时空的样子．哈哈

DAY6

今天回北京，要去布达拉宫．噢不，是小布达拉宫．大的没去过，看了下小的，据说是根据布达拉宫仿制而成．
随后去了雅秀市场．这个地方让我哭笑不得．一共有三层的大楼，好多好多东西卖．里面的东西同样价格，从５０－５００都有可能．有的甚至问你要，当然如果要再这种地方买东西的话，一定要学会砍价．先５０％　然后再６０％　然后再７０％　基本就可以啦．．哈哈．这是导游教我的．
晚上刚回酒店．就下了大雨．睡觉睡得好舒服．

DAY7

今天是去天津．
天津看的有两条街：文化街及食品街
天津据说在很久以前就是一个港口了．
所以有一些洋人在此地从事买卖建的洋房，（这一点好像跟新加坡有点像。）
这边的建筑屋形式各异．很有意思．
而且据说每一个的屋主都大有来头的。

食品街卖着各式的食品，而且大多数我都没有见过。
最出名的还是"麻花"
味道真是多种多样，而且好大一粒．
另外一道菜就是狗不理包子
这个超级好吃．．真是超级好吃．．

傍晚我们乘坐高速铁路回来．１００多公里．　２０多分钟就到了．．神奇． -.-..

DAY8

早上吃的饱饱的．整理了一下这几天的战果，看着大家脸上又疲惫又开心．哈哈，不知道什么滋味．．
坐上飞机，最后在飞机透过窗户看着这个古城的时候，我决定记下这一切.回家喽．．

台湾我来了~

2010-06-16T15:18:00.000+08:00

序：这次的台湾游是我规划以久的行程。台湾对于我来说是一个相当具有吸引力的地方，来新加坡快2年了，周边该玩该去的都已经玩腻了。对于此次台湾之行总的来说，还是安排的周密得当，导游和司机的服务也很热情周到。在台湾，吃、住、行、游，娱，购都十分令人满意。台湾之行让我感受到美丽宝岛的风光之美、物产之丰、人情之浓。可谓“好山、好水、好人情”。所见所闻，的确值得体味珍藏。

台湾我来了~
5月11日上午10点，我乘坐中华航空CI752，怀着澎湃的心情开始了我的宝岛之旅... 当天晚上到酒店附近的饶河街夜市大吃一顿，这里的食品较士林夜市集中，台湾小吃如蚵仔煎、担仔面、药炖排骨、生煎包、猪血糕等一应俱全。

今天是登上宝岛的第二天，行程比较紧张，一天遍览了台北“故宫博物院”、野柳风景区和花莲的海岸风光，宝岛的风光和风情让许多游客有点乐不思蜀了。纪念堂园区内的花圃栽种有五颜六色的各种园艺花卉，设有假山、水池、小桥，成为婚纱摄影取景猎影的好景，对称立于瞻仰大道前端的国家戏剧院及国家音乐厅，则属台湾岛内文艺演出活动的重镇，一年约演出860场次。近年不少举世闻名的演奏家、指挥家亲临此处演出，往往造成一票难求的热烈景象。国父纪念馆门前的台阶，是拍照台北101大楼的最佳视角。下午2点多钟，离开野柳风景区，前往花莲县丽格休闲饭店，路上经过了全长12.9公里，亚洲第二长、也是世界第五长的公路隧道——雪山隧道。比较有意思的是，因为隧道太长，为了避免司机在里头无聊而失去警觉，隧道被分成了12段，每段都竖立一个活泼的生肖图，司机可以方便地知道自己在隧道里面走了多远。

登上宝岛已是第三天，上午趣味盎然地游览了台湾著名风景区——太鲁阁大峡谷。太鲁阁以险崖、幽谷著称，可以称得上是台湾最雄奇的自然景观。从花莲市北行25公里，就到了太鲁阁峡口。进得峡谷内，就见断崖深谷，临空飞瀑，处处让人感叹大自然的鬼斧神工。岩层是极其陡峭的，一片连着一片，显得十分险峻、壮观。遥望山谷露出的天空，蓝得让人心醉，而浓郁的森林遮住了群山，瀑布便从那林海、山巅奔流而下。据介绍，在台湾，旅游大巴行驶在台湾的公路上，尤其是贯穿南北的纵贯线或沿着东边沿海的苏花公路。每隔几十米就会有一个几平方米大小的玻璃亭子。亭子里设施相当简单，只有一台冰柜、一张桌子、一个高脚凳。但里面一两个穿着暴露的年轻姑娘顿时让这个亭子变得暧昧、热闹起来，她们就是卖槟榔的“槟榔西施”。

第四天，我们的行程已经玩去一半了，我要隆重介绍的是一个位于台南的休闲农场——大坑休闲农场。已经有些疲惫的我们一进到这里就感到了仿佛来到了世外桃源般的感觉，周围都洋溢着鲜草的气息，放眼望去一片嫩绿“小桥流水人家”，描写的应该就是这样的美景吧。午后，在<伊鲁巴船屋>这个拥有南洋风情的咖啡屋，喝上一杯以香草植物为其主调，全台南最著名的咖啡；暖暖的阳光洒在身上，听着悠悠的音乐，自己仿佛置身于仙境般的感觉。对于这里的一切的一切皆叹为观止“此景只因天上有，人间能有几处寻！”

宝岛之行第五天，今天的行程依然是在台南将会去到延平郡王，安平老街，东埔帝纶温泉等。几天的游玩一些年龄较大的团员稍显疲态，而当导游告诉我们晚上会在东埔帝纶温泉区一番畅浴之后，很多人又精神焕发了。东埔帝纶温泉饭店位于南投县信义乡，居阿里山与日月潭之中间点，紧邻玉山国家公园，海拔1120公尺，东埔四季如春，冬暖夏凉。南投东埔素以温泉闻名，泉质属弱碱碳酸泉,PH值:7.5~8.5无色、无味、可饮用，来南投旅游，除可享受东埔温泉浴，还能远眺玉山之美。刚好前一天落枕，一泡到温泉竟然马上改善，神奇啊!温泉确实令人放松呀，很是舒服，突然觉得这个行程安排的相当的完美，简直是无懈可击啊。

第六天，昨天泡的温泉真的是相当有作用的。今早，起床时，神清气爽，一身轻松，几天疲惫的感觉一扫而空，又开始了我们新的旅程。
前往日月潭，孔雀园，文武庙等。日月潭景色优美，“双潭秋月”为台湾八景之一。日月潭风景区有：拉鲁岛、涵碧楼、玄光寺、玄奘寺、慈恩塔等景点。在拉鲁岛码头准备下船上岛游览时，正值雨越下越大。船老大见我没有拿雨伞，热情地将自己用的雨伞拿给我。并开玩笑说：可别忘记还给我啊！还有一个让我印象深刻的是日月潭边的公共厕所，处在隐蔽的山角，无人管理，在我的印象里这样的厕所让人方便的时候都会浑身难受，屏住呼吸，但是让我奇怪的是里面很干净，洁具竟然是TOTO的。而后，沿6号高速公路北行至台北市晚餐。晚餐后，前往台北最为鼎盛的“士林夜市”，领略台北夜市生活。士林夜市是在一个巨大的大棚内，人流熙熙攘攘，游客摩肩擦踵，一片人声鼎沸。在夜市，品赏了台湾当地著名“蚵仔煎，臭豆腐”等小吃。去了台湾几个夜市真是感叹，台湾人太幸福了。

最后第二天，今天我们有半天的自由活动，我去了每次只能在电视中看到的——渔人码头。我们坐船去渔人码头，当然你也可以选择坐公车，但还是坐船比较有感觉吧！买了船票上船，我坚持一定要坐船底，这样可以看海,当船发动的那一刹那，哇！好快喔，吹着海风，好舒服呐，呵，感觉超棒的...也许是我太久没坐船了，太兴奋啦。下船后，看到情人桥和码头呈现出一幅很美丽的景致，我赶紧拿出相机拍了下来，然后坐在码头边，吹着海风，看着人来人往，心情也都跟着好了起来... ...最后去了西门町，看到许多可爱的小饰品和新潮的服饰，完全沉静在其中，当然也感叹，台湾真的是相当美丽，干净，和谐，安宁！

Beautiful Hokkaido

2010-06-16T14:22:00.000+08:00

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