Cruising On Costa

This year, we celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary at sea and as a family. This is the first time we are sailing on Costa Victoria cruise and we did not have very high expectations after reading the not-so-favorable reviews. However, it turned out exceeding our expectations.  

If I were to compare the Costa Cruise with Royal Caribbean and Princess Cruises in terms of service, food and entertainment, the Costa may be ranked lower. But the cabin room was better than Princess as we had a comfortable double bed instead of two separate single beds which were hard and too narrow.

Like all cruise cabins, our ocean-view porthole cabin was quite small, bathroom was very cramped and we often knocked our elbows against the side during shower. Food was acceptable but it was nothing compared to the exquisite food on Princess Cruise. The fine-dining was quite a nightmare due to the long queue to enter and sometimes long wait for the food to arrive. Even the plain water tasted weird on board Costa. The only memorable part about the food were the signature lobster dish, which was delicious, and the exquisite desserts such as chocolate fondant cake, orange sherbet and wild-berries mousse. 

Compared to the friendly and attentive serving staff at Princess, the Costa's serving staff hardly smile except for a couple of them who will chat with the passengers and asked them about the food. Most of them just took the orders and served with a straight face. 

We discovered a small chapel on board the ship. It was a Catholic chapel with the statue of Mary and Jesus on the cross. There was also a room probably for confessions. The chapel would be ideal for those who might want to hold a private wedding on board the cruise.

If you thought the Turkish Bath on board Costa was some exotic spa, you might be as disappointed as I was. It turned out to be just a normal steam bath. I did not try the spa there but went for a skincare talk which turned out to be quite average. 

There were also not many facilities on board Costa compared to Royal Caribbean and Princess which had ice-skating rink, mini golf course and rock-climbing wall. But I had a memorable time at the karaoke where I sang a song "Can't help falling in love" to hubby as a dedication for our wedding anniversary.
 
Fine dining has always been the highlights for cruises but on Costa, we were quite disappointed at the poor coordination of the fine-dining crew and unruly passengers who shoved and jostled rather than queued orderly to get into the restaurants. It was not a very pleasant experience. 

With so much competition from the other cruise ships, Costa Cruises would have to improve on their services to capture the return of repeat passengers.

Perth Revisited

The first time I visited Perth was over a decade ago. Now with my family in tow, I've decided to revisit this small, laid-back Australian city with fresh eyes. After a red-eye flight, we took a Transperth bus from the airport to Perth city and then transferred to two more shuttle buses before we finally reached the Murray Hotel. 

Though it is more like a bed-and-breakfast inn than a hotel, it has everything including a small pool and a cafe. The room is very simply furnished but clean and cosy. The beds are also very comfortable. My only gripe is the bathroom is rather small and tight, the shower area is separated by a curtain instead of a glass door and the sink has no counter to put all our toiletries. There is also no lift in this motel so it would be wise to ask for a lower floor, especially for the elderly and those with very young children, prams and luggage in tow. The good thing about this hotel is that the free city bus is just at the door-step, and there is even a happy hour where free beer, wines and apple juice for the little ones are served.

Our motel is a few bus stops away from the Watertown Brand Outlet, which used to be named Harbour Town. Other than the name change, not much has changed compared to a decade ago. There is a good mix of ladies' and men's apparel, as well as kids' wear, sports shops and even pharmacies. You can get some really good discounts here. Eateries are quite limited though. 

As we arrived on a Friday, we decided to check out the Twilight Farmers Market, which only happened on Fridays, to soak in the atmosphere. It did not disappoint. There were so many food stalls selling a myriad international foods from the more common Korean, Spanish, Thai to the more exotic Moroccan and Argentina cuisines. After our hunger pangs were satisfied, we walked around the area, watching buskers performed in the open-air market. The cold night air was chilling so we didn't stay long and headed back to our cosy hotel. 

Breakfast at the hotel's only cafe was a simple affair. There were only cereal, toasted bread and a pancake-making machine that churned out piping hot, delicious pancakes in a minute! My girl loved it so much she could lap up six pancakes at one seating! 

After breakfast, we decided to take a leisurely stroll around the city centre. We stumbled upon the Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts and decided to pop by to see the interesting art exhibits. It was quite an eye-opening experience seeing how the humble sugar could be moulded into beautiful, multi-colored sparkling candy sculptures in various interesting shapes and sizes. 

Those who love chocolates would not want to miss the Margaret River Chocolate Concept Store. We have had a great time sampling the various different kinds of yummy chocolates and candies. My girl was most excited, flitting around like a happy butterfly sampling chocolates and candies to her heart's content. 

We love visiting traditional cathedrals when on vacation, so it was a delight when we stumbled upon this beautiful Anglican church while strolling around on a quiet weekday afternoon. Both the exterior and interior architecture of the cathedral were magnificent and very well-maintained. I especially loved the stained glass windows, the wooden pews and the beautiful altar. They even have the main traditional organ with huge trumpet pipes which we would not find in many modern churches these days. It was a rare gem!

Although I had been to Fremantle over 10 years ago, this time visiting Freo (nickname for Fremantle) with my family was a totally different experience. We took a train from Perth city to Fremantle. It was quite a long journey, about 30 minutes, but we just relaxed and watched the scenery outside. 

 

The E-Shed Market @Fremantle still looked the same as 10 years ago. We had fish and chips for lunch before heading to the bigger and busier Fremantle Weekend Market. It was really crowded with locals and tourists. There were so many stalls selling souvenirs, handmade crafts, scented soaps and even a caricature artist at work. There were also many food and fresh produce stalls selling delicious piping hot food, as well as fresh fruits and vegetables.

 
Since we were in Fremantle, we decided to drop by the Australian Museum of Shipwreck Galleries to have a look. It turned out to be quite interesting as we learnt about the history of some shipwrecks, among which the Batavia shipwreck stood out with its macabre tale of brutal mass murder, sex slavery and eventual retribution for the culprits. We also saw the broken hull of the Batavia ship and many remains left behind in the shipwrecks like old coins, broken bottles, ceramic wares, spices and even weapons like swords and cannon. 

If shopping is your cup of tea, make a trip to Hay Street and Murray Street malls including the signature Tudor-style London Court. There are several quaint and bespoke shops there. We had wanted to visit the Western Australian Museum but when we reached there, we were disappointed to find it was closed for major renovation and would only re-open in 2020. 

As the Perth City Library was nearby, we decided to drop in to take a rest from all the shopping and sight-seeing and to browse some books. The library was such a cool respite from the scorching 37 degree Celsius outside. We were so comfortable in the library that we almost missed the Bell Tower visit. 

By the time we arrived there, it was half an hour before closing time. As we had missed the last bell-ringing at 2.30pm, we didn't get the unique personal experience of ringing the bells. However, we did get to hear the beautiful chiming of the bells and to view the stunning 360 degree Perth city view on the observation deck. We also learnt much about the history of Bell Tower and saw for the first time the various ancient church bells and temple bells from different countries. As the Swan River was just a stone's throw away, we took a leisurely stroll to the jetty and took in the beautiful scenery of the Swan River.

The last day of our holiday was spent visiting a suburban mall to soak up the up-coming Christmas festive atmosphere, and catching up with our relatives over dinner.

Revisiting Perth brought back a lot of memories. Some of the places might still be the same, but the loved ones who have now shared these memories with me made a difference. 

Surfing Gold Coast

There were several firsts on our June vacation to Gold Coast, Australia this year. It was our first family vacation to Gold Coast; our first time flying with Scoots airline; and the very first time we encountered a rare thunderstorm on our vacation overseas.

On the first night we checked into the Mantra Legends Hotel, which was a stone's throw away from the famous Surfers Paradise beach, the wind was howling so loudly outside and banging noisily on the hotel windows that I was jolted awake several times in the night. Due to the heavy thunderstorm that swept across Gold Coast that night, all the beaches in Gold Coast were closed to public. 

The next day, the rain was still pouring but we decided not to let the rain ruin our holiday. We proceeded as planned to the Dreamworld theme park since we had already bought the tickets. But to our utter disappointment, all the rides in the theme park were shut down due to the thunderstorm even though the park remained open. Undeterred, we walked around the park for a while, trying to take shelters here and there in the rain. There were not many people at the theme park, only a couple of busloads of tourists who were equally disappointed as we were. Fortunately, our 3-day park tickets allowed us to come back again the next day. 

Although the first day of the vacation in Gold Coast was slightly marred by the unexpected thunderstorm, the next day turned out surprisingly bright and sunny. We have had fond memories of slurping up piping hot dumpling noodle soup at Dumpling Noodle On Circle at Cavill Avenue Mall in the winter-cold weather, savouring one of the best kebab wraps I have ever had at the Greek Street Grill, and chomping on no-frill fish-and-chips and gigantic fries while watching seagulls flapping around at Ben's Fish & Chips at Surfers Paradise beach.

After dinner, we strolled along the beach and watched some surfers brave the waves at sea. On some weekend evenings, there are makeshift beach markets touting interesting home-made products such as braided personalised name bracelets, scented soaps and candles, beautiful hand-painted glass and ceramic ware, even T-shirts in flashing neon lights.

On the night we were there, we even saw a busker painted in glittery silver from head to toe in a still 'sitting' posture with his pet crocodile. The audience were all amazed at his ability to sit on air for such prolonged period! If you like beach markets, don't miss the Broadbeach art & craft market. It seemed to have more varieties than the one at Surfers Paradise.

Gold Coast is more than just surfing and shopping. It also boasts three theme parks with different focus: Dreamworld, Movieworld and Seaworld. We only went to Dreamworld and even though I found the attractions a bit lacklustre, we still managed to have a whale of a time trying out the various rides. We especially endeared to the DreamWorks characters and attractions like Kung Fu Panda, Shrek and Madagascar. Those with preschoolers should check out the ABC Kids World and Wiggles World which is full of imaginative play areas for the little tykes.

Your little ones can also get a glimpse of the Aboriginal culture and catch some sheep, cattle, kangaroos, koalas and other rare Australian native wildlife in action at Corroboree Sanctuary inside Dreamworld. We also saw some tiger cubs wrestling with their handlers in a glass enclosure. For more adrenaline pumping experience, hop over to the WhiteWater World just next to Dreamworld to try out their wet and wild slides and rides. Take note that it would be freezing cold if you were there in the winter months.

Another highlight of our Gold Coast vacation was the stunning 360 degree panoramic views up 230 metres above sea level at the SkyPoint Observation Tower. On the 77th level of the observation deck, we were treated to a beautiful sunset of the Gold Coast skyline and beyond. For the more adventurous, you can attempt the ultimate SkyPoint Climb lasting about 90 minutes. Opt for the twilight climb so you can enjoy the breathstaking sunrise or sunset at the same time. Just make sure you do not have high altitude phobia.

Travelling within Gold Coast is rather convenient with the Gold Coast go explore card, which you can use on any TransLink bus or tram services. But if you plan to go beyond Gold Coast to Sunshine Coast or Brisbane, it may be better to hire a car and drive at your own leisure.

Cruising On Princess

This is our second time on a luxury cruise liner but the first time on Princess Sapphire. The 16-deck luxury ship is in its 50th year of voyage experience. Compared to the Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Seas, the Princess ship is smaller. There is no ice-skating rink, the performing theatre and fine-dining rooms are also smaller. The cabin we had is relatively tiny compared to the other cruise ship.The single twin beds are also not as comfy. But they kind of  made up for it by surprising us with different mini chocolate treats on our beds every night.

We had a relaxing first day on board the ship, going round from deck to deck to explore the cruise liner. After a sumptuous buffet lunch, we took an afternoon nap before preparing for an early pre-booked fine dining at 5.30pm. Food and service were impeccable -- the main courses were nicely presented and tasted as good as they looked. I especially loved their desserts. Yummy!

After a quick shower, we went straight for the show. But we were only 15 minutes late and the whole theatre was full with no seats at all. So we stood around, like many others, to watch. First night was a Caucasian singer who could belt out Mandarin songs with almost perfect pronunciation and pitch. When the show finished, the night was still young so we headed to Club Fusion for karaoke. Most of the patrons were senior folks who sang the evergreen Mandarin songs. With the hubby's ardent support, I plucked up courage to sing Sarah McLachlan's 'Angel'. 

The next day after a satisfying buffet breakfast, we sent Girl to the Youth Club for kids aged 7 to 12, then took a leisurely walk on the ship's deck. In the afternoon, we decided to disembark at Penang for some sightseeing around the vicinity. The sun was scorching hot and as it was a Saturday, most shops were closed. But we came across a quaint little shop, Goh KaKi Childhood Museum, that makes and sells traditional childhood toys like paper kites, skipping ropes made of rubber bands and the wooden rocking horse, amongst other board games that are already extinct. Walking through the shop was like taking a trip down memory lanes.

We also visited the renowned Pinang Peranakan Museum which was voted 2015 Winner on TripAdvisor.

After a culture-filled and perspiring afternoon, we were quite relieved to make our way back to the docked ship to have a good cold shower. We were looking forward to the Magic Show that night, so we decided to forgo fine dining and opt for a quick and fuss-free buffet dinner so that we could go to the theatre early to get good seats in the front row. The magic show didn't disappoint. Girl enjoyed it the most.

On our 3rd day at sea, we didn't disembark at Port Klang. Just spent the day soaking in the hot jacuzzi tub  and swimming. Surprisingly, the pool water wasn't salty sea water like the Royal Caribbean cruise ship. We also watched an in-house movie 'Ant Man' and took a short nap in the afternoon. After dinner, we were entertained by the ship crew's song-and-dance show 'Born to be Wild' at the theatre. The show wasn't exactly Girl's cup of tea. After the show, we decided to head for some supper since it was the last night on the ship. We had yummy chicken satay, fried chicken wings and some fruits before retiring to the cabin to sleep.

In a nutshell, taking a cruise vacation is much less stressful than self-drive holidays. Everything, including food, is taken care of. There is no packed itineraries to rush from place to place, no worries where to find food or restrooms. It's the perfect vacation for those who just want to chill out, relax and have a carefree time bonding with the family without the hassles of planning a scheduled holiday.

Lego Wonderland

Our first visit to Legoland Malaysia was marred by the super heavy traffic at both the Singapore and Malaysia customs. The supposedly short journey to our holiday destination turned out to be a 7-hour excruciating journey of waiting to clear customs.

All frustration was forgotten when we reached the Lego Hotel, which was every child's dream and every adult young-at-heart's fantasy. Lego, Lego everywhere. Even the facade of the hotel looks like it was built from Lego blocks.

The hotel itself was very child-friendly. Even the room has a child-sized sink, toothbrush set, bathrobe and room slippers for the little ones. The Kingdom room is quite spacious for our family of three. Our girl chose the upper deck of the bunk bed, which has a pull-out bed at the bottom. The king-sized bed for the adults is very comfortable and spacious. There is even a sliding door for privacy.

The hotel's pools on the 5th floor comprise of an adult pool and a kiddie pool with huge Lego blocks floating around in the water. It was fun watching the kids having a whale of a time playing with the Lego blocks in the pool.

Since the theme park and water park close rather early at 7pm and 6pm respectively, there are special performances and movie nights on every night to entertain the hotel guests. Early bird catches the worms. Be sure to go for breakfast before 8am to avoid the long queue. The breakfast buffet at the Bricks Family Restaurant was a sumptious spread, with great varieties, ranging from Asian to Western. You will definitely find something for your taste buds.

Hotel guests have the privilege to enter the two theme parks half an hour before opening time at 10am. Surprisingly, there were not too many people queuing at most rides, so we were able to catch most of the rides, and even watched a 4-D Lego movie at the Lego Studios. Don't miss getting a bird's eye view of the entire Legoland from the Oberservation Tower!

We wanted to try the seemingly exciting Dino Island ride which features a towering steep water slide but it was closed for repair, much to our disappointment. But the thrilling roller coasters - The Dragon and Project X more than made up for it. As the weather got hotter in the afternoon, we went back to the hotel to rest and shower.

After a brief rest, our little girl was raring to go for the Water Park. It was much smaller compared to the main theme park. It was wet everywhere. We especially loved the water slides that plunged you down twisting and swirling tubes into the water! Also loved the man-made wave pool, if only the weather wasn't that hot.

Overall, it was a great escapade from the busyness of our mundane life. I was overawed by all the great Lego brick works in various designs. Star Wars fans will be delighted to know there are a lot of Star Wars-related miniature displays.

My favorite part of Legoland is the Miniland -- where a myriad ASEAN countries in miniatures
are displayed. We took several pictures at the Singapore miniature in all its SG50 glory! It was amazing how those Lego creators/builders are so creative and skillful with their hands.

Legoland is definitely a happy place where all childhood dreams come true! Even if you don't grow up with Legos, seeing so many Lego brick works in various shapes and designs will definitely put a smile on your face.

Malacca Magic

As this year's church camp was in Malacca, we decided to drive up instead of taking the coach. It took us about 4 hours, after clearing immigration customs and with only one rest stop, to arrive at the Equatorial Hotel in Malacca.

The Premier Suite was larger than we expected. It was very spacious and comfortable with a queen bed and a cosy day-bed by the window for Sweet Pea. The day-bed even came with drawn curtains for added privacy!

After checking in and freshening up, we immediately headed to the nearby Pahlawan Mall, which is just across from the hotel, for a late lunch. The mall was having a Peranakan themed promotion, so there were interesting displays of Peranakan's historical artefacts like the colorful beaded slippers and hand-weaved basket.
 

After dinner and sermon service, there was satay and chendol supper. Even though we were still filling full from the dinner, we could not resist the yummy chicken satay and chendol.

The second day was filled with sermon service and discussion sessions right up to 4pm. After that, it's free and easy and we headed to the famous Jonker Street for some sight-seeing.

As it was already late afternoon, it wasn't as scorching hot as the previous day, so we were able to take a leisurely stroll to the Dutch Square or Red Square as the historical structure and surrounding buildings are painted red. It is also known as the Stadthuys (which means city hall in Dutch). We also strolled past the Malacca river which had old houses alongside the river. If you had time on your hands, you could take a river cruise to have a scenic view of the old Malacca town.

If you were in the moods for a ride on the good-old trishaw, you would be spoilt for choice. We saw several trishaws heavily decorated in Disney designs such as Frozen complete with Elsa, Anna and Olaf plush toys. There were also Hello Kitty and other popular Disney characters. It was an interesting sight seeing these trishaws zipping around with light flickering and music blaring in the background!

Jonker Street was actually like the Ladies' Market in Hongkong. It got very busy and packed with both locals and tourists in the late evening and night. The street stalls were aplenty, selling all kinds of goods and even local foods like barbecued cuttlefish and even yoghurt ice cream. We stopped for dinner at the renowned Peranakan Nancy's Kitchen, and had to queue to take a seat inside. And what better way to wash down the spicy meal than with a bowl of delicious chendol!

One gem of a shop we discovered along Jonker Street was a pretty boutique named Sweet Summer Cottage that specialize in handmade soaps of various scents and designs. They also conduct classes for those keen to learn how to make soaps from scratch.

If time were not an issue, there were many interesting shops that can be explored at Jonker Street. But it could get very crowded when night fell.

It started to drizzle after dinner, and we had to quickly made our way back to the hotel. As the night came on, the crowds became thicker and it was really sardine-packed and sweaty to walk in the crowds. We were relieved to finally reach the hotel to have a nice, warm shower.

Malacca is a nice quaint town if you like its Peranakan history and culture, and of course the rich Peranakan foods. I would like to be back.