Weekend Getaway to Ancient Capital of Vietnam

We enjoyed glorious weather yesterday. Thank god for that. After two days of planning, we were on our way to our weekend getaway in Hoa Lu, the ancient capital of Vietnam.

A boy holding a Hoa Lu (Lu flower) branch.

According to folklore, the ancient king used the

Hoa Lu branch to practice swordsmanship. The ancient

capital was named after the Lu flower.

It took about 2 1/2 hours to travel from Hanoi to Hoa Lu by bus, inclusive of a 20 minute rest stop at a souvenir gift shop.

Our APT Travel Coach

On arriving in Hoa Lu, we entered through a majestic gate (unfortunately, the bus driver did not stop, so I could not snap a picture of it).

A trip to Hoa Lu includes visits to the King Dinh and King Le temples. Many Vietnamese still pray to the ancient kings at this temple. They still believe that their prayers will be answered by the spirits of the dead kings.

Entrance to the King Dinh and King Le temples	Just outside King Dinh temple
Alter to King Dinh	Devotee praying for divine assistance

King Le temple

After the temple visits, we went for our buffet lunch. Not inclusive of drinks, which we paid for ourselves. It was a large spread of crackers, rice, fried noodles, french fries, salad, chicken and pork cooked in different ways, and fruits.

Originally, I was worried that the food would not suit my vegetarian friend. However, he found enough variety of vegetables and fruits to satisfy himself. A 'crisis' was averted - he had made an earlier request for vegetarian food.

After the satisfying lunch, we embarked on our boat trips to Tam Coc, famous for its 3 caves.

Tourists waiting at Tam Coc Wharf

Getting onto the boat

Off they go!

The boat trip was the most memorable part of the trip.

The boats can accommodate up to 4 or 5 passengers. But if you are a tourist, your travel guide may tell you that each boat can take up to 2 passengers.

The boatwoman started off by peddling with both oars. Then she did something unexpected. She decided to peddle with her feet instead.

Our capable boatwoman pedding with her feet!

She did so for most of the boat ride, except at the start and end of the boat ride. I observed later that many other boatmen and boatwomen also did likewise.

My friend and I also helped to row the boat with oars. It was definitely good exercise under the bright sun.

Majestic mountains

More scenic views

Deep crevices in the mountain face

I could not have asked for anything better: sunny weather with occasion cloud cover, luxurious greenery, great scenery, enjoyable boat ride and friendly boatwoman. The highlight was undoubtedly rowing through the largest and longest cave, when we were greeted by a refreshing cool breeze.

Cool refreshing boat ride through the largest cave	It's good fun to pit your rowing skills against others!
Fishing in Ngo Dong River	Captive monkey - it sometimes bear its fangs when taunted by onlookers
Rest stop after passing through the 3 caves - convenience does not come cheap.	Rowing our way back to Tam Coc Wharf

How to get to Hoa Lu-Tam Coc

You can enquire about travel options to Hoa Lu-Tam Coc at the numerous travel agents around the Old Quarters, Hanoi.

1. By private car - you can arrange for a private car for USD 135 with an English-speaking guide. That works out to USD45 per person for a party of three persons.

2. By package tour - There are standard, superior and deluxe options.

• Standard tour: priced at USD 17 - USD 18. You get a set meal valued at VND30,000. (USD 1 = VND 22,000 today).
• Superior tour: priced at USD 22 - USD 26 (depending on the number of persons, and your choice of travel desk). Caters for 14 to 22 persons on a single tour bus. Includes a buffet spread valued at VND100,000 per person.
• Deluxe tour: priced at USD 27 - USD 30. Coach is supposed to be better than for the standard and superior tours. The buffet spread is supposed to be better than that for a superior tour.

You can also opt for a bicycle ride from Hoa Lu to Tam Coc. The additional cost varies from USD 3 to USD 5.

I used the Sinh Cafe at 100 Ma May to book a tour for a party of 4 persons. I only realised later that the APT Travel agency is just a stone's throw away along the same Ma May street.

Booking a tour through a hotel's travel desk may be dearer by USD 3 to USD 5.

Universal Studios Singapore resumes Battlestar Galactica rides

"Screams back as Battlestar Galactica ride re-opens"

I can only read this piece of news with envy.

When I visited the Universal Singapore Studios last Friday, the Battlestar Galactica Cyclon and Human rollercoaster rides were still closed for repairs.

My friends who visited the rides before their closures said that these were the star attractions of the theme park.

In any case, I still managed to enjoy myself during that last visit. My best experience was on the Jurassic Park Rapids Adventure in the 'Lost World' section. Be prepared to get wet. In fact, the person sitting directly opposite us was half drenched at the end of the ride. I escaped with minimal 'damage' after the watery ride, due to my seating position in the circular raft.

My other adventures included (in order of decreasing satisfaction): the Canopy Flyer (also in the 'Lost World' section), Shrek 4D Adventure ('Far Far Away' section), and Revenge of the Mummy ('Ancient Egypt').

Universal Studios Globe at entrance of Universal Studios Singapore

Easy access to Automated Teller Machines

Welcome to Hollywood!

As for food, you can refer to my earlier post 'Welcome to sunny Singapore'.

I will have to wait until my next visit to try the Cyclon and Human rides.

Cricket Fever Grips Indian Subcontinent

Large crowds stood around coffee shops. Loud cheers rang out from time to time. Police officers were present to maintain crowd control. That was the scene at Little India in Singapore last Saturday.

That day marked the first match of the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup. The 2011 Cricket World Cup is the tenth edition, and is being hosted by India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

On that day, India was playing Bangladesh. According to ICC Cricket Test Teams Rankings, India is the world's top- ranking cricket playing nation, while Bangladesh is ranked 9th. India eventually won by 87 runs.

If you are an avid cricket fan, you may be interested to know the schedule of the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup.

You can also catch the Cricket World Cup Live Streaming here.

The cricket fever that has gripped the cricket-crazy nations of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka has also spread to the Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan communities in Singapore.

Little India is a popular place among Indian, Bangladeshi and Pakistan nationals, working in Singapore. On this occasion, it was not surprising to see them congregating at coffee shops to share in the moments, as the match was being played out on big screens, or broadcasted on radio.

Chinese New Year Sights and Sounds in Singapore 2011

This majestic towering statue just outside the Fu Lu Shou Complex represents the God of Prosperity. As we enter the Year of the Rabbit, the Chinese believe that their fortunes will change, according to their Chinese zodiac signs.

The base of this God of Prosperity statue is 12-sided, with 12 different panels, each carrying general advice in terms of fortune, prosperity and luck for the 12 zodiac signs.


Chinese New Year is a time of shopping for auspicious decorations, foods, flowers, and new clothes. Chinatown is especially busy and crowded just before the Chinese New Year.

Buying red melon seeds for blessing of having many children	Taiwanese sweets stall - Buying sweets helps to sweeten up one's life	Auspicious Chinese New Year banners
A German selling German sausages at Wuerstelstand	Shopping at Chinatown before Chinese New Year	Preserved Chinese sausages ("lap cheong")
Pomelo stall. Pomelo is a symbol of good luck and prosperity	Crowd thronging through the streets and alleys of Chinatown	Pumpkin stall. Halloween? Pumpkin seeds symbolise a wish for many male children

We bring you a clip on the highlights of the Chingay procession in Singapore.

Singapore Buzzing with Record Tourist Arrivals

The Singapore Tourism Board is definitely proud of its latest achievement - a record 11.6 million visitor arrivals in 2010, with Indonesia, China, Malaysia, Australia and Indonesia being the top 5 sources of visitor arrivals.

According to the news bulletin, these visitors spent a total of $18.8 billion, with the majority of tourism receipts being generated by shopping, sight-seeing, and entertainment.

Singapore is obviously a magnet for tourism. Here is my list of top 5 reasons for visiting Singapore, a few of which are already so obvious, as they have been mentioned above:

1. Invest-tourism: Despite cooling measures taken by the Singapore Government of late, significant drop in property prices is unlikely. When I visited the Altez condominium project launch showroom at Tanjong Pagar (right in the heart of Singapore's Central Business District) three days ago, the direct promoter from the property development firm confidently told me that prices will not come down. In fact, the property development firm will ensure that the price of the next unit sold will be higher, if not at least equal to the price of the last comparable property unit sold.
   
   Singapore's properties are definitely up for grabs, and with no foreign ownership restriction, a stable government, a clean and safe environment, these properties represent attractive investments.
   
2. Shopping: Orchard Road is traditionally associated with shopping in Singapore. After a SGD40 million overhaul over the course of 2+ years, starting from 2008, Orchard Road pedestrian walkways have been expanded, and there are Urban Green Rooms, to be used for art exhibitions, mini performances, and major events like Chingay. New retail malls have also sprouted up, including ION Orchard, Orchard Central, TripleOne Somerset, and 313@Somerset. You can check out the list of Orchard Road shopping malls here.
   
   But this is fast changing. You can also check out shopping malls at Marina Bay, HarbourFront, Vivocity, and even in the heartlands.
   
   If you are shopping for electronic gadgets, do pay a visit to Sim Lim Square.
   
3. Entertainment: The opening of Universal Studios Singapore in the Resorts World Sentosa integrated resort has brought the magic of Universal Studios movies to Singapore. You can now experience the thrills of rollercoaster rides, and other movie-themed attractions.
   
   If you are itching to try your luck at gaming, you can visit Resorts World Sentosa or Marina Bay Sands.
   
   You can also enjoy cultural and artistic performances at the durian-shaped Esplanade Theatre.
   
4. Sightseeing: The popular attractions include Chinatown, Little India, Kampong Glam, Arab Street, Sentosa, The Singapore Zoo and Night Safari, Jurong Bird Park, Chinese Garden and Japanese Garden.
   
   A recent attraction is the Singapore Flyer, which is a significant landmark in Marina Bay. Inspired by the likes of the Eiffel Tower in Paris and the London Eye, the Singapore Flyer is the world's largest observation wheel, offering passengers views of the beautiful Marina Bay skyline, and glimpses of neighbouring Malaysia and Indonesia. You may like to read about the use of feng shui in deciding the direction of its rotation.
   
5. Eco-tourism: For those into eco-tourism, you might want to explore the nature trails of Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, explore the unspoilt Chek Jawa wetlands on Pulau Ubin (one of Singapore's offshore islets) or bird-watch at Sungei Buloh Park.