nateniale's travels

Earlier this year, I told myself that I will travel more around Singapore , but I really haven't done much of that! Last weekend, while browsing the Internet to find activities to do in Singapore, I decided that it is about time to take a walk around Kampong Glam. Kampong means village in the Malay language, while the name Glam is from the Gelam tree which grew in abundance in the area. Kampong Glam is the heart of the Arab and Malay communities in Singapore, and right in the heart of Kampong Glam is Masjid Sultan (Sultan Mosque). The area is filled with rows and rows of colourful shops that has been around for years. There are shops selling alcohol-free perfumes, handicrafts, textiles, carpets and many more. There are also lots of restaurants selling Turkish and Middle Eastern food. When your feet are tired from walking and shopping, don't forget to stop by a local shop selling Malay food and have a cup of teh tarik! The quirkiest row of shops are along Haji Lane. Prob...

If you like flipping over catalogues with pretty photos, here's an interesting blog to cheer you up! Catalog Living Here's a taste, taken directly from their website... Pardon my cynicism about your next project Gary, but let me remind you that we have yet to go on that African safari or move into your villa devoted to fancy chairs.

Ukraine was never in my travel radar, but after seeing the photos posted in Mr and Mrs Globe Trot , it is now! The snow covered city of Kiev, the magnificent buildings and the fashionable hats and jackets! { Image from Mr and Mrs Globe Trot }

If you know anyone from Penang, Malaysia, I'm pretty sure he or she would be pretty passionate about food. Most of us Penangites are, and it is not easy to find good Penang food away from Penang. There are a few around, but the quality is usually below the standard in Penang. We went to a relatively new restaurant called Penang Road Cafe in Novena, with open minds. Excited to be having Penang food, and yet, wary that it would probably not be up to standard. We ordered four dishes to be shared among the two of us - Laksa, Hokkien Mee, Char Koay Teow and Chendol. And, we love it!  Hokkien Mee - It is pretty authentic, we could taste the shells of the prawns used to cook the soup - something which the ones in Singapore failed to have.  Laksa - It is probably the best I have tasted in Singapore, though the noodles used are not really the same as the ones in Penang and the soup can be tastier.  Char Koay Teow - With prawns, cockles, Chinese sausages and bean sprout,...

The title says it all. Have a good weekend! { Here are more posts on Singapore } The amazing visual is done by Mr Steve

I have air miles to claim and I don't know where I should go! I am sure there are harder decisions to make than this, but there are just so many places to choose from! Planning for a place not covered by the budget airlines flying from Singapore, which means somewhere further away from Asia, but not too far. So, probably Europe or even Africa. Where should I go? Which city should I fly to? What combination of countries should I plan for? How do I decide? London and around Growing up reading about the British royalty and dreaming of studying in Oxford or Cambridge, England has always been in my travel list. Shall I go around United Kingdom and Ireland? Should I go to London with Paris, Belgium and Amsterdam? Oh, and how about Iceland? Germany There are so many things to do and visit all around Germany that I would definitely want to go there one day. It warrants a trip all by itself. Eastern Europe Czech, Austria, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and so many more! It would b...

Planning a trip to Borobudur on Vesak Day next year - yes 11 months in advance! It has been in our travel list for awhile, and will make it happen next year! Vesak Day is observed by Buddhist all around the world to celebrate the birth, enlightenment and death of Buddha. There are some photos taken on Vesak Day this year in Borobudur, plus many others all around the world in Vesak Day 2011 in The Boston . { Image is by Stuck in Customs , found here }

{ Halong Bay, Vietnam in Dec 2008 } Watching the limestone islands rising above from the water, amidst cool air from the deck of a boat, Halong Bay is magical. Words would not be enough to describe it, nor would the photo above. You can stay on the junk boat, or on one of the islands. There are caves to explore, and other activities like kayaking, but my take is to just sit back, relax and enjoy the majestic view. cheers,  nateniale { Click here for more postcard from...  posts }

{ Venice, Italy - April 2011 } I can't remember when I first heard of this city on water, but as long as I can remember, I have always been fascinated by it. I thought, it must be magical and remarkable. What else would a city built mostly on water be? So, it was the first city that I planned for our trip to Italy. Right after a long 12-hour flight direct from Singapore, we landed in Malpensa's Airport in Milan, took a one-hour train to Stazione Centrale before taking another two and a half hours train straight to Venezia Santa Lucia. About twenty hours after leaving our home in Singapore, we finally reached Venice. And I love it. The canals that cut across the rows of houses, the bridge that connects the alleyways, the gondolas that glide through the water accompanied with songs, the pretty masks that fills the many shops, and the list goes on. Sure, we visited all the must-see places as well - St. Mark's Square and the basilica and campanile, Palazzo Ducale, Galle...

I am not one for buffet - I can't eat a lot in one seating and there is always this tendency to keep eating until you get your money worth. I also believe in quality, rather than quantity, and so, I would rather pay the same price for better food, rather than more food. But one weekend, when we were looking for a good place for dim sum, we stumbled upon this High Tea Dim Sum Buffet at Peach Garden at Thomson Plaza. We have had some dim sum from another Peach Garden branch, and so we knew that the quality is good. As the price of the buffet is also reasonable, we made the call to book a table. The dim sum was superb, with a wide selection. The standard siew mai and har gao are all available, and so are many other choices. The steamed and fried dim sum are all served in a push carts, while certain dishes like porridge, fried rice and desserts are served in a buffet table. We kept ordering and eating, and before we know it, we were too full! I guess, gluttony is not for me. :...

The Shanghai's World Expo has come and gone, and I was there last year in year 2010! The queues were never ending, the weather hot, and the whole expo was huge! It was definitely an interesting experience, and it felt like (in some ways) having the chance to travel around the world in a few days. The above photo was the Mexico's Pavilion, one of my favourite pavilion in the expo. happy travels! - nateniale -