Awwwwh....... I wish I didn't bring my credit card :(

MRT station.... most MRT stations now have automatic gates to prevent
accidents

January 27..... Not much to say about today.... my shopping day! My brother and I decided not to take Vivian to Universal Studio on Sunday, because it will be crazy busy, especially because there was long weekend in Indonesia (meaning A LOT of Indonesians will be travelling to Singapore, since a lot of LCC flies to Singapore from Indonesia).  So my agenda today, will be to take picture of the Singapore's famous icon... the Singa (Lion), just because, then check out the famous shopping center, Orchard road and meet up my brother there.  My sister and I was gonna go to Garden by the Bay before heading to Orchard Road, but there was no time I guess.  We went to Marina Bay to see the Singa (Lion), along the way I took the picture of the famous Marina Bay Sands hotel.... again :D.  Beautiful architecture, in the past people used to be able to go up to the top and check things out there or take picture of Singapore from the top of the building, but rumor said hotel guests who were paying to stay up there were complaining so tourists not allowed to go up there anymore.  Of course, plenty of expensive shopping around this area...... (-_-)

One area in Singapore where it's all nothing but apartment buildings....

I took picture of the Singa, then we went to checked out Chinese new year cookies at one of the historical landmark of Singapore, hotel Fullerton.  Chinese new year is coming up February 10, I wish I've extended my holiday till after, but that's why from all corners of Singapore there are food fairs of vendors selling Chinese new year cookies and sweets.  It is tradition to give relatives and friends bakings, and only kids get ampau (money inside red envelope).  Usually cookies such as pineapple tarts (nastar), peanut cookies, kue lapis (spekkoek), cheese cookies, will be given to friends and relatives.... Asian culture.... it's all about food!  Yes... speaking of Asian culture.... we love to feed people!  Even celebration like Chinese new year, we don't give gifts as North American do with Chinese new year, but we give food to each other.... and Chinese new year day... oh my lord...... each houses you visit you're given food..... I remember I had the stomach still when I was under 13, but all of the sudden now..... huaaaa.... not enough room in the tummy! Not only Chinese new year, but I remember growing up, when I played at a friend's house the parents always offer me supper or lunch.  I guess it was a habit I carried, so when Vivian's little friend came over I started giving them cookies and food, but my ex husband told me not to because then they gonna come all the time.... I don't see the problem in that :(  .... It's only food ... and food HAS to be shared. So that was part of North American culture of some (since Ukranian babas do like to feed everyone :D) that I still didn't get.  And regarding gifts... I rather someone gave me nice pineapple tarts than some Christmas socks or gifts that I don't need... or donate the budget for my gift ! That's even better!

And the park (^^)

We went for lunch, however, I had a light lunch consist of shaved ice desert with colourful sagoo beads and Chinese crispy shallot pancakes.... SO GOOD..... The amazing variety of ethnic food what amazes me the most, maybe one of those countries with the biggest selection of ethnic foods, all in one little country! We headed to Orchard Road, and by this time I was a little overwhelmed by the amount  of choice for shopping.... or the lack of money to splurge on all :D ! Orchard Road consists of malls where you will find your high end designer brands, or a mall similar to Mangga Dua in Indonesia where things are cheap and you can bargain. We went to dinner at an Indonesian restaurant, we had karedok (veggies with peanut sauce) and I had ketoprak (veggies with peanut sauce, tofu and rice cake).... I was soo excited that I forgot to take the picture :(  .  We ended the night early, and spend the rest of the night hanging out,  whole family together for once (^^)  I think the best part of being here this time was.... everybody was here!

What a small but advance country (^^) Especially culturally, Singapore
is so lively with cultures from all over Asia! 

Marina Bay Sands Hotel

Singa must be sick of staring at the Marina Bay Sands hotel everyday (^^)
poor Singa....

Singa

One of the heritage building in Singapore, the Fullerton hotel

Nice (^^)

Awwwh... fancy...... of course, this was inside Fullerton Hotel :D

My yummy lunch, Chinese shallots crispy pancake and shaved ice with all those colourful sagoo goodies (^^)

Orchard Road

Orchard Road's traffic jam

Chinese new year sweets food fair

Oooooh the crowd...... I was gonna sample ALL the goodies but too crowded to take my time there

Ah... another image of Takashimaya.... just for Shinji.. (^^)

Cendol, Indonesian dessert drink, coconut milk, palm sugar and
cendol, which is the green jelly like thing made of coconut milk,
rice flour and pandan extract which has smell like vanilla
and give it the green colour.... yumm yumm 

Fun travel pics! (Cuz I'm too tired to think of what to write :D )

Uh..... wutttt?? I assumed they sell frappuccino too? :D

Allright, this post would just be about interesting things or things that I truly want people to try when they travel to some of these countries I went to .... my highly recommended food ! 

Martabak.... Indonesian pancake.  Instead of baking powder or baking soda, they used yeast to raise the batter.... filling could be peanuts, chocolate, cheese, or  all!!  Usually a night time snack (since the vendor only sells this at night) but at my age.... maybe I shouldn't be eating this at night, but oh well.... once a year :D  Highly recommend it and best eaten with tea and shared with a bunch of friends also looking for munchies !  However, you might wanna tell the seller to use less butter and sugar than usual ('jangan kebanyakan gula sama mentega' > write this if you're planning on trying :D)

Free bicycle rental in Nakatsugawa.  It's a motorized tricycle. I think in Saskatoon it will be a great idea (especially the fact that the place is flatter than pancake ) to promote bicycle rental like this, because riding the bike along Meewasin trail was fun thing to do, however, I think this idea was already done and wasn't too successful ... too bad.... such an environmentally friendly idea and fun.... 

My high recommendation actually is for this wakame udon, had it when I was in Japan (d'uh).  Wakame is fresh seaweed.... tasted soooo good and so healthy for you.  The meal was simple but filling, however it doesn't leave you with this feeling of bloatedness..... maybe we all should eat like this in North America and throw away all those frankenGMOcrap and ugly ugly fast food chains we have there.

Awwh ^^ somebody name the burger place after meeeee.... that makes my heart feel good (^^)

The perpetrator food that caused me my first degree burn to the lip..... SOOO good though but I recommend wait for a bit before you chow down :D  I had this in Thailand, it is similar to what we called kue pancong in Indonesia.  Yumm yumm despite the first degree burn.... 

For the curry lover, especially vegetarian, this is the meal to have in Indonesia.... It's called lontong sayur. Lontong is rice cake, served with curry soup of vegetables such as chayotte and snake beans, served with flour crackers like above.  Vegetarian friendly, spicy and soo yummy.... and this is breakfast food in Indonesia..... Highly recommend to try this too if you are planning to stick around in Jakarta (I know a good seller for this :D )

Hmmm?  We saw this in one of this cafe in Magome , Japan and we weren't really sure... are they.... opem? :D

The same cafe when we were trying to look at the menu.... :D

A highly recommended Indonesian gorengan (fried snack).... My favorite is tahu isi or stuffed tofu. First you take a bite of the chilli pictured above then you eat your tofu.... The tofu only stuffed with vegetables therefore... another vegetarian friendly snack!  When I was little, this was mandatory to have after swimming :D 

The store called Village Vanguard  and I went to this store when I was in Nagoya, Japan.... Just the strangest things I found here.........

I believe that's a plate?

An ashtray.....

Okay... I guess this ashtray not too bad :D

Oh my lord that's a lot of stuff there ....... (Village Vanguard)

I dare someone to eat this.... 

Yes, Onigiri (rice ball) vending machine in Thailand's Don Mueang airport 

Bus ad in Singapore.... so I assume this is a common problem? 

Yumm, I wish we had this vending machine in the hospital :D

oooooooookaaaay...... who's uniform is that?!?!  At Nakatsugawa station , Japan

hahaha  :D (Singapore) ... 

Japanese vending machines.. oh.... never shortage of them ..... 

Ummmm.... any vegetarian option? :( 

Shaved ice with sagoo ummm.... I dunno how to explain it in English :D ..... they're just good (^^)

Not sure why, I love taking pics of Japanese restaurants where ever I go..... 

One of the Chinese New year sweets... no no no... not real fish.... 

This one just for Shinji I took.... I was in Singapore and guess where I hung out? :D I got more pics of this if you wanna see :D kidding :P

Hmmm.... maybe I should introduce this in North America? 

Typical warung in the neighborhood.... owner sells cigarettes, small packs of shampoo, etc... usually a hang out place for locals too .... I used to hang out in one too :D 

Picture courtesy of my brother.... Raincoat vending machine at the Universal Studio Singapore. This is for the Jurassic Park themed ride

Another highly recommended for those who wish to travel to Indonesia, not vegetarian friendly , though you can pick vegetables, tempeh and tofu.  Nasi padang... very delicious and spicy!  Padang (Western Sumatera) very famous for their heavily spiced dishes, not only in terms of spices but also hotness of the food.  Recommendation?  Ayam padang and rendang for those who aren't vegetarian 

EWWWWH ..... 

Ummmm.... what kind of special feeling? (0_0) (at Don Quixote, Japan)

Yes we know wasabi is green (-_-) (near Osu, Nagoya, Japan)

My other highly recommended food..... Shisen ramen.... obviously I love my wakame eh? (^^) The soup made of sesame paste, so it was spicy, and some sort of sprouts.... very delicious and I highly recommend this! 

School of wuh?

Bibimbap.... I can eat like this everyday...... (at Incheon airport, South Korea)

Slurpee in Japan's 7 11 !  

Another aftermath of snow in Tokyo :D 

D'uh..... (-_-)

OOOOOkayyyy.... Gundam cafe..... isn't it obvious where it is? :D