Tag Archives: Holidays

Travel: Top 25 World Landmarks

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With travel still in my mind, here’s a Trip Advisor list of the top 25 landmarks in the world. How many of these have you visited or are in your bucket lists?

Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Angkor Wat, Siam Reap, Cambodia

Plaza de Espana, Seville, Spain

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Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

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St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City, Italy

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Mezquita Cathedral de Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain

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Taj Mahal, Agra, India

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Duomo di Milano, Milan, Italy

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Alcatraz Island, California, United States of America

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Golden Gate Bridge, San Fransisco, United States of America

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Parliament, Budapest, Hungary

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StaromEstske namEsti, Prague, Czech Republic

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Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Paris, Paris, France

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Corcovado Christ the Redeemer, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

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Eiffel Tower, Paris, France

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Tower of London, London, United Kingdom

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Acropolis, Athens, Greece

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Temple of the Reclining Buddha (Wat Pho), Bangkok, Thailand

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Mutianyu Great Wall, Beijing, China

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Burj Khalifa, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

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Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia

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Santuario Historico de Machu Picchu, Machu Picchu, Peru

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El Ateneo Grand Splendid, Buenos Aires, Argentina

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Notre-Dame Basilica, Montreal, Canada

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Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine, Kyoto, Japan

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Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon (Rangoon), Myanmar

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Travel Bucket List: Sri Lanka

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Shaped like a teardrop, south of India, the nation previously called Serendip and Ceylon and now called Sri Lanka has been on my travel bucket list for some time now. But every time we decide to make a trip there, something happens and the trip gets postponed. But I am not going to give up hope and will get there one of these days.

Sri Lanka has been intrinsically intertwined with the mythological and historical records of India. A major portion of the mythological epic the Ramayana takes place in Sri Lanka and most, if not all Indians would have heard of this country by the time they were in their teens. 

Growing up,  the Tamil Tiger situation in Sri Lanka dominated the news cycle and it was pretty unanimous that this country was not very safe to travel to. Then, there was a time when Indians were not welcome there, probably because of the Indian peacekeeping forces in the island.

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Sri Lanka’s documented history spans 3,000 years, with evidence of prehistoric human settlements dating back to at least 125,000 years. It has a rich cultural heritage and the first known Buddhist writings of Sri Lanka, the Pāli Canon, date back to the Fourth Buddhist council in 29 BC. Its geographic location and deep harbours made it of great strategic importance from the time of the ancient Silk Road through to the modern Maritime Silk Road. 

One of the first written references to the island is found in the Indian epic Ramayana, which provides details of a kingdom named Lanka that was created by the divine sculptor Vishwakarma for Kubera, the Lord of Wealth. It is said that Kubera was overthrown by his demon stepbrother Ravana, the powerful emperor who built a mythical flying machine named Dandu Monara. The modern city of Wariyapola is described as Ravana’s airport.

Now that we have some of the history of the country taken care of, lets go on to the more interesting part, which are the places I would love to visit in Sri Lanka. My ideal trip to this beautiful and lush country would be about ten days to a week so that I can take in as much as I can of the varied landscapes of the country. So here goes my favourite Sri Lanka destinations and spots to visit:

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Sigiriya: Located near the town of Dambulla in central Sri Lanka, this ancient rock fortress is a site of historical and archaeological significance that is dominated by a massive column of rock nearly 200 metres (660 ft) high. According to the ancient Sri Lankan chronicle the Culavamsa, this site was selected by King Kasyapa (477 – 495 CE) for his new capital. He built his palace on the top of this rock and decorated its sides with colourful frescoes. On a small plateau about halfway up the side of this rock he built a gateway in the form of an enormous lion. The name of this place is derived from this structure —Sīhāgiri, the Lion Rock. The capital and the royal palace was abandoned after the king’s death. It was used as a Buddhist monastery until the 14th century and today is a UNESCO listed World Heritage Site.

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Adam’s Peak: Located in a diverse biological site, Adam’s Peak is a tall, pointed mountain in central Sri Lanka. This peak is a 2,243 m (7,359 ft) tall conical mountain, well known for the Sri Pada, i.e., “sacred footprint”, a 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in) rock formation near the summit, which in Buddhist tradition is held to be the footprint of the Buddha, in Hindu tradition that of Shiva and in Islamic and Christian tradition that of Adam, or that of St. Thomas and is a common pilgrimage route. Walking to the top in the early hours of the day will get you to see an unforgettable sunrise.

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Galle: Located around 120 km from the capital Colombo, Galle is a well preserved colonial city with a well preserved fortified fort built by the Portuguese and extensively fortified by the Dutch in the 17th century. The fort is a world heritage site and is the largest remaining fortress in Asia built by European occupiers. The town is full of charming Dutch-era villas and delightful seaside views.  Other good places to visit in Galle include the natural harbour, St. Mary’s Cathedral, the National Maritime Museum, St. Mary’s Cathedral founded by Jesuit priests, one of the main Shiva temples on the island, and Amangalla, the historic luxury hotel and Galle International Stadium, which is widely regarded as the most picturesque cricket ground. Important natural geographical features in Galle include Rumassala in Unawatuna, a large mound-like hill that forms the eastern protective barrier to Galle Harbour. Local tradition associates this hill with some events of Ramayana, one of the great Hindu epics.

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Yala National Park: Yala National Park is the place to go to see big cats in Sri Lanka. The park is home to the highest concentration of leopards in the world, and it is also an important sanctuary for Sri Lankan elephants and aquatic birds. Monkeys, crocodiles, and other critters run around the park’s grassy plains and forest areas. The park is located on the southeast coast of the island, bordering the Indian Ocean. The area around Yala has hosted several ancient civilizations. Two important pilgrim sites, Sithulpahuwa and Magul Vihara, are situated within the park.

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Polonnaruwa: Another UNESCO World Heritage Site, Polonnaruwa has very fine examples of ancient Sinhalese art and architecture. Numerous well-preserved ruins of tombs, temples, statues and other archaeological sites are located in the town. Hundreds of years ago, Polonnaruwa was a capital of the island as well as a busy commercial and religious hub. Don’t miss the historical treasures this World Heritage Site has to offer.

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Kandy: Home of one of the most sacred places of worship for the Buddhists, the Temple of the Tooth holding a very sacred relic – Buddha’s tooth,  Kandy was the last capital of the ancient kings’ era of Sri Lanka. Surrounded by the central highland mountains, this large city which is a World Heritage Site is the place to go to get a taste of Sinhalese culture, especially if you can visit during the Esala Perahera festival in the summer.

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Nuwara Eliya: Another plateau town surrounded by mountains is Nuwara Eliya, also known as Little England for its old British colonial buildings like the Queen’s Cottage and the General’s House. The area holds many natural beauties, like waterfalls, hills, tea plantations, and the towering Pidurutalagala, the tallest mountain in Sri Lanka. Nuwara Eliya is one of many tea plantation areas in Sri Lanka, but it is regarded as the most important spot for tea production in the country.

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Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage: Gaze at the adorable faces of baby elephants bathing in the river at Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage. The orphanage was founded in 1975 to feed and nurse wild orphaned elephants found abandoned in the forests of Sri Lanka. An elephant breeding program was launched at the facility in 1982, and as of 2012, there were 78 elephants living at the site.

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Dambulla: This large town has the largest and best-preserved cave temple complex in all of Sri Lanka, holding five cave temples containing a huge collection of Sri Lankan Buddhist artwork, including statues, shrines, and murals. The paintings and statues tell stories from Buddha’s life—there are a whopping 153 Buddha statues created over 2,000 years ago and very well preserved till date throughout the complex. Other statue subjects include Sri Lankan kings, gods, and goddesses. The amazingly crafted murals cover a total area of 2,100 square meters. Various kings have contributed to this magnificence over the centuries, and King Nissanka Malla had the cave interiors gilded – thus earning the temple earned its name, Rangiri Dambulu (Golden Temple of Dambulla), now a UNESCO World Heritage site.

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Anuradhapura: The city of Anuradhapura was the first ancient capital of Sri Lanka, and it is still a sacred Buddhist religious centre. It lies around 200 kilometres (124 miles) north of Colombo, the current capital. Buddhist worshippers and pilgrims visit the well-preserved ruins of the temples and religious centres along the bank of the river Malwathu Oya year-round. The city is also home to one of the largest and most sacred Bodhi trees in Sri Lanka, believed to be a descendant of the Bodhi tree where Buddha was illuminated. Anuradhapura became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982.

While researching for this post, I’ve now realised that any trip to Sri Lanka can’t and should not be lesser than a minimum of two weeks so that we can soak up everything this beautiful country has to offer. I am now really yearning to visit this country, what about you? 

Travel Bucket List: Kyrgyzstan

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764367Recently a dear friend of mine moved to the mountainous central Asian country of Kyrgyzstan for work. So my Facebook feed has been filled with gorgeous pictures of amazingly blue skies and picture-perfect pretty lakes and meadows as she settles down in her new home. Seeing those pictures, I got intrigued by this country, whose name I couldn’t even spell and decided to find out more about this gorgeous place.

Wikipedia tells me that Kyrgyzstan is a landlocked, mountainous country in central Asia with a 2,000-year-old recorded history which encompasses a variety of cultures and empires. Because of its highly mountainous terrain, it has been able to preserve its ancient culture and because it has been at the crosswords of several great civilizations as part of the Silk Road, it has also absorbed those cultures which have passed through it. When the Soviet Union came into existence, Kyrgyzstan became a part of it and achieved sovereignty only after the break up of the erstwhile Union in 1991.

193389644ea17718c4e3ccf969e7f1e5-kyrgyzstanEthnic Kyrgyz make up the majority of the country’s 6 million people, followed by significant minorities of Uzbeks and Russians. Kyrgyz is closely related to other Turkic languages, although Russian remains widely spoken and is an official language, a legacy of a century of Russification. The majority of the population are non-denominational Muslims. In addition to its Turkic origins, Kyrgyz culture bears elements of Persian, Mongolian, and Russian influence.

The best time to visit Kyrgyzstan is between May and October, with the peak trekking season happening between June and September. The summers are extremely hot and dry, while winters (between November and March) are very cold and snowy. The climate is more moderate in the Issyk Kul Lake region.

Some of the places which are on my bucket list include:

1200px-ala-too_square_in_bishkek2c_kyrgyzstan2c_2007-09-11_28color-corrected29Bishkek: The capital city and the place where my friend is currently based in. Bishkek borders Central Asia’s Tian Shan range. It’s a gateway to the Kyrgyz Ala-Too mountains and Ala Archa National Park, with glaciers and wildlife trails. The city’s arts scene encompasses the monumental State Museum of Fine Arts and the collonaded Opera and Ballet Theater. The vast, central Ala-Too Square features the Manas monument, honouring the hero of the Kyrgyz Epic of Manas. The Soviet-era State History Museum, next to the presidential White House, explores the country’s history and ethnic groups. Dubovy Park is known for its oak trees and sculptures, while the nearby M. V. Frunze Museum preserves the birthplace of Mikhail Vasilievich Frunze, a prominent Soviet military leader who was born in the city. West of here, sprawling Osh Bazaar features traditional costumes and Kyrgyz produce. East of Bishkek, the intricately carved Burana Tower and its adjacent ruins mark the site of the 9th-century city of Balasagun.

issyk-kul-northIssy-Kul Lake: Issyk-Kul means “hot lake” translated from Kyrgyz. It is a salty and mineral rich lake that does not freeze even in the coldest of winters. More than a hundred rivers flow into lake yet not one of them flows out. It is the second largest mountain lake in the world, located at an altitude of 1607 meters and at its maximum, a depth of 668 meters. To give you an idea of the scale of the lake, it takes about nine hours to circumnavigate by car. If you take a tour of Issyk Kul, why not stop at Balykchy, Bokonbaevo, Barskon, or Cholpon Ata? Wherever you stop, you can’t fail to notice the stunning backdrop. Issyk Kul is surrounded by the Ala-Too Mountains, part of the Tian Shan range. There are several local legends about how the lake appeared, but we won’t spoil the surprise.

kyrgyzstan_ala_archa_national_park_03Ala Archa National Park: Just around half an hour away from Bishkek’s suburbs is a magnificent alpine national park. You can get closer to the mountains that form the backdrop to the city. The highest peak in the national park reaches 4895 meters and the Ala Archa range has more than fifty peaks. It is a favourite local haunt for picnics as well as being popular with tourists looking to do short hikes.

burana-towerBurana Tower: Built in the 11th century, the Burana Tower was once part of a flourishing Silk Road city called Balasaghun. Originally the tower was a minaret reaching over 40 meters in height and the earliest of such towers in the whole of Central Asia. Sadly, an earthquake in the 15th century destroyed the top half of the tower. Today it stands just over 20 meters high and you can even climb up it! Near the tower, you can also take a look at the small museum and have a look at some ancient stone carvings known as balbals.

song_kul_bannerSong Kul Lake: Song Kol Lake is a vast summer pasture, accessible only from June to September. Nomads graze their animals there as they have been for millennia. It is located at an altitude of 3016 meters, but don’t expect rugged peaks – it actually looks pretty flat. Song Kul is a freshwater lake that stretches for 29 km in length and about 18 km in breadth. Its maximum depth is only about 13 meters. If you head up there, you’ll enjoy sleeping in real yurts and feeling free just like your nomad hosts. Central Asia with yurts

kyrgyzstan-2016-139_newTash Rabat: Tash Rabat is a historic stone caravanserai. These were places used by merchants and their caravans on the ancient Silk Road. It is one of the best preserved of such places in Central Asia. You can sleep in yurts nearby or go horse riding. It was originally built as a Nestorian monastery and then turned into a caravanserai.

kyrgyzstan-oshOsh: Osh is the oldest city in Kyrgyzstan, celebrating its 3000th anniversary in 2000. It lies in the heart of the fertile Ferghana Valley. The centre of the city is occupied by Sulaiman-Too. This is a sacred mountain that has been continuously worshipped for millennia. You will see women sliding down stones in the belief that this practice will increase their chance of giving birth to healthy children. This is one of those perfect examples of longstanding traditions of the Silk Road, that combine prehistoric, pre-Islamic, Islamic and local beliefs into one holy site. Sulaiman is the local pronunciation of Solomon. It is thought that the throne of Solomon was once located on this mountain; some legends go so far as to say that he was buried there. Another important site in Osh is the 16th-century mosque of Babur, the founder of the Mughal Empire.

peak-lenin-base-camp-tour-2-430832_1528384755Peak Lenin: Peak Lenin base camp is around one to three hours away from Osh, situated on the border between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. At its highest point, it reaches 7134 meters. It is considered to be one of the easiest ascents to over 7000 meters by climbers. If you cannot get that high it is impressive even to enjoy the view of the peak from the first base camp which can be reached by car. Even in the hottest summers, you can admire the snow-capped peaks of the mountains of the Trans-Alay Range where the Tian Shan & Pamir Mountain systems come together.

alakol_lake_karakol_kyrgyzstanKarakol: Karakol is the administrative centre of the Issyk-Kul region. However although it isn’t located right on the shores of the lake, it’s easy to make day trips to the lake or to the nearby mountains. In the 19th century, it became a strategic point separating the Russian Empire from China and an important Russian military settlement was established there in 1869. It also attracted Chinese Muslims fleeing oppression in China. These two important events of history can be seen in Dungan Mosque and Karakol’s Orthodox Church.

broken_heart_at_djeti-oguz_28397671740629Djeti Oguz & Altyn Arashan: From Karakol, there are numerous opportunities to go for a hike or go horse riding. Local favourites include the Djety Oguz valley with its red cliff formations and Altyn Arashan that reminds people of Swiss mountain valleys. Djety Oguz means seven bulls. The colourful cliffs are the setting for beautiful and tragic local legends that you can hear during our Kyrgyzstan tour or other Central Asia adventures. Altyn Arashan offers one of the most beautiful Kyrgyz trekking routes and best of all, it’s easy enough that anyone can do it.

a22Sary Chelek Biosphere Reserve: Few places hold a candle to the Sary Chelek Biosphere Reserve. This 23.9 sq km piece of wilderness is remote, virginal, and spectacular. Untouched by the rest of the world, Sary Chelek contains 7 pristine alpine lakes, 157 bird species, deer, long-horned mountain goats, porcupines, and wild boar. Sary Chelek is located in the province of Jalal-Abad in between the Chatkal and At Oynok Mountain Ranges.

Writing this post has made me see just how beautiful Kyrgyzstan is. I really want to take a few weeks off and perhaps do some solo travel to this beautiful, but very underrated country. I do want to do this soon, before my friend’s tenure here ends and she goes back home! So are you having a serious case of wanderlust like me?

Travel to….Hanoi?

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The school holidays are almost here and instead of a planned trip to India, I am now thinking of other options. One destination which keeps coming to mind and which I have been looking at for a few years now is Hanoi and the Halong Bay cruise. So what should we expect from a few days in Hanoi? Read on…

Located on the banks of the Red River, Hanoi is one of the most ancient capitals in the world. Colonised by the French in 1873, the city was the administrative centre of French Indochina from 1883 to 1945. Because of its French colonial past, the city filled with broad, perpendicular tree-lined avenues, well-preserved colonial buildings, ancient pagodas, and unique museums within the city centre. After the reunification of Vietnam in 1976, it became the capital of the country. October 2010 officially marked 1,000 years since the establishment of the city.

Hanoi is known for its two main neighbourhoods, namely the French Quarter and Old Quarter. Both are packed with attractions, but easily accessible on foot. Of course, not forgetting the iconic Ha Long Bay which is the main reason for planning a trip to Hanoi. Some of the sights I want to really see, do and soak up in Hanoi are…

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Photo by Huy Phan on Pexels.com

The Old Quarter: The prominent district of the Old Quarter is relatively pedestrian-friendly compared to other cities in Vietnam – on weekends and evenings, the streets are closed off to motorised vehicles to make way for bia hoi bars and food stalls selling a variety of Vietnamese food. For a feel of rich old Vietnamese customs, you can also stroll along ancient commercial streets surrounding Hoan Kiem Lake, which are named after their original businesses dating back about 1,000 years. Located on the northern end of Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi Old Quarter’s most popular attractions comprise mostly quaint Buddhist shrines, street markets, and traditional Vietnamese arts.

Imperial Citadel of Thang Long: The Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, is an intriguing relic of Vietnam’s history and, signifying its historical and cultural importance, was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010. Also known as the Hanoi Citadel, many artefacts and items dating back to between the 6th and 20th centuries were excavated in 2004, including foundations of old palaces, ancient roads, ponds and wells. On top of these discoveries, archaeologists also found bronze coins, ceramics and pottery from China and many places in Asia, all of which demonstrate a close trading relationship in the area. Visitors should head for the display room that features interesting excavated items and mock-ups of the citadel itself. The site also has more modern resonance as the home to the D67 Tunnel and House, the headquarters of the Vietnamese People’s Army, from which war was waged from 1955 to 1975.

 

 

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Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum: The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is a place of pilgrimage for many Vietnamese people who come to pay tribute to “Uncle Ho”, the man who led the fight for an independent, unified Vietnam. Queues to see Ho Chi Minh’s embalmed corpse can stretch for hours outside the gigantic mausoleum, and once inside talking, photography and hands in pockets are banned.

 

Hoan Kiem Lake: The Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi attracts tourists and locals looking to get away from the noise and frenetic pace of the city. Peaceful and quiet, the lake surrounds Ngoc Son Temple, a pagoda sitting in the centre on a small island. The temple attracts many visitors and was built in commemoration of the 13th-century military leader Tran Hung Dao who was renowned for his bravery in the battle against the Yuan Dynasty. Homage is also paid to scholar Van Xuong and Confucian master Nguyen Van Sieu. The island on which the temple is built is known as Jade Island and is accessible by the iconic Huc Bridge or Rising Sun Bridge which is a charming scarlet-painted wooden bridge of classical Vietnamese design. The pagoda is also guarded by two towering posts decorated with Chinese writing. The lake and temple are probably the most famous places in Hanoi city in which to rest and enjoy the view and are a great place to sit back and watch the locals.

Water Puppet Theatre: The world-famous Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre in Hanoi has its roots in an art form that dates back to the 11th century. The tradition of water puppet theatre stems from a time when rice paddy fields were flooded and villagers would make entertainment by standing in the waist-deep water with the puppets performing over the water. Using large rods to support the puppets it appeared as if they were moving across the water with the puppeteers hidden behind a screen.

 

Don Xuan Market: Dong Xuan Market is the largest market in Hanoi and has a wide array of products for sale over four floors. Located on the northern edge of the Old Quarter, it is an imposing Soviet-style building, surrounded on all sides by merchant shops and stalls. It is a rough-and-ready type of market (some might even say ‘dirty’), especially in the ground floor wet market area. However, head up the stairs and you will find cheap items available at wholesale prices. It is quite an experience, even if you only leave with a pair of cheap sunglasses and a Vietnamese conical hat.

 

Hang Gai Street: Hang Gai Street is the best place in Hanoi to shop for high quality, fashionable silk materials, traditional Vietnamese apparel, and home furnishings. Also known as Silk Street, the entirety of this 300 metre-long street is lined with fashion boutiques and local tailor shops that have been operating for decades, where you can also order personally tailored suits and dresses that are made to measure. Set on the edge of Hanoi’s Old Quarter near Hoan Kiem Lake, Silk Street is renowned for its quality and choice of craftsmen.

 

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Halong Bay: You can do Halong Bay either as a full day tour or as an overnight one. I am leaning towards the overnight tour as that will give us an experience of sleeping in the cruise itself. Hanoi is only 170 kilometres west of UNESCO-listed Halong Bay, so just about every tour company in the city offers excursions at varying price points. A full day tour to Halong Bay is usually inclusive of roundtrip hotel transport, lunch, tour guide, and cruise along through the incredible scenery of the bay. You also get to explore some of the most popular limestone caves, floating villages, and islets such as Cat Ba Island and Bon Hon Island. Food may be a big issue with us (because we are vegetarians) and so this is something I need to figure out beforehand.

We all love coffee and so I am excited to try Vietnamese coffee at its very source! All in all, this post has made me excited to start planning our holiday to Hanoi. Has it whetted your appetite to visit this lovely city too?

 

Chillin in Batam Part 2

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Part 1

 

The South entrance of Nagoya Hill Mall

We dumped our stuff in the hotel room and decided to explore the Nagoya Hill Mall and also grab some lunch since it was almost noon in Batam, which meant it was 1 pm in Singapore and our stomachs were growling with hunger. After asking the hotel reception the best way to the mall, we reached there and entered by what we later learnt was the south entrance. This entrance is right at the small alleyway which houses a number of spas and massage parlours. It was also here that there was an A&W restaurant, but both BB & GG were not interested in the root beer which was no longer available in Singapore. They said they’ve had it before and that it tasted like toothpaste!!

 

 

Food Street on the first floor

We entered the mall and walked to the first floor which was like a food street with many food stalls and restaurants. After walking the length of the food street, we realised we could not eat anywhere as none had vegetarian options and we ended up at Pizza Hut which was our last choice place to eat. There was not much option at Pizza Hut also, so we ended with some pizza, garlic bread, waffles etc which didn’t really fill our stomach.

 

After lunch, we walked around the mall and brought some manga toys for GG, then some fidget spinners for both BB & GG and then while walking, saw a shop selling some fake bags. The children brought some backpacks and I got a fake Longchamp bag. The quality was quite good and for the price (around SGD 10) quite worth it. After that we went to see the theatre, there was just The Mummy and Pirates of the Caribbean running so opted not to see at the moment. Then decided to explore the mall more and went into their anchor department store, Matahari. Since it was the month of Ramadhan, the store was running a lot of promotions and tee shirts were on a buy one get one offer.

Another anchor tenant was a hypermarket called Hypermart where we went next to stock up on water and some snacks and drinks and also check out what was available. After that we were quite knackered, so decided to stop for some coffee for the adults and bubble tea for the children. After this was time to spend money on massages, one of the big reasons to come to Batam. While having coffee, I looked around and saw a spa called Thai Odyssey.

 

A cute elephant at Thai Odyssey Spa

I remember reading some good reviews about Thai Odyssey, which is an upscale spa in Malaysia so decided to do our first massage there. We all wanted a foot massage, so went for the 60 minutes one which cost Rp 180,000 each. They started with washing our legs and then giving us slippers to wear. After that, we were asked to put our bags (except handbags) into a locker, the keys to which was handed to me. Then we were asked to change our bottoms to their own which would help them massage. Then we went to the massage room and they served us some ginger tea after which the actual massage started. We were also offered some eye shades if we wanted to relax. The massage was great but at Batam prices, slightly expensive. We walked back to the hotel to relax a bit before venturing out for dinner.

 

 

The handles in the cupboards at the ‘pantry’ area of our room, which I was very taken up by

Back at the hotel, S rested and slept awhile and the children and I chilled and watched some videos. Sometime slightly before 6 pm, we left to try and find an Indian restaurant I had found was close to the mall. The restaurant is called Taj Indian Delight and I thought we could reach it from the other side of the mall. You exit from the side of J.CO and get out of the mall completely. Walk to Nagoya Hill hotel and at the main road there, turn left. Walk for around 5 minutes and at the traffic light, cross the road. At this point, you see the road turns right. Just follow the road and at this turning, you see the restaurant. We had a nice Indian meal there. All of us took the Bombay Meal which included one chapati, a huge bowl of rice, a small cup of aloo jeera, a soup bowl full of Dal fry, a soup bowl full of chana masala and a papad. They also gave us a small cup of mango ginger pickle. The portions were quite generous and the meal came to approximately SGD 6 per person, inclusive of a drink each.

 

The next day, all of us woke up early despite being on a holiday and so went for an early breakfast which was a big disappointment to us. We know that usually in hotel buffet breakfasts, we can probably eat around 30% of the food available, but here, we could eat less than 10% given that there was hardly any options which were vegetarian friendly.

We reached the mall around 10 am and started looking for a spa which seemed wallet friendly. We chanced upon Eksa Spa and Wellness which also had good reviews on Trip Advisor and so when we went in and checked, we found the rates for a massage seemed reasonable and so S and I did the deep tissue massage for one hour. The price stated was Rp 170,000 per person which became Rp 187,000 per person when they added the taxes. During the massage, we had to disrobe except for underwear and they give women a sarong to wear while guys get a pair of pants. The massage area is actually a screened-off area and we got the ‘couple room’. The massage started with some dry massage and then the therapist started using some oil to do really deep and hard massage. It was quite good and after the massage, we were given some delicious ginger tea.

Post massage we went into the mall and looked for a nail place for BB and me to do a pedicure. Found one near the movie theatre. The cost for a classic pedicure was Rp 98,000 per person and while we were doing it, the boys went to find out the next show timing and then play some arcade games nearby. After the pedicure, we went to look for them and it was time for lunch which we did at the same Indian place we had dinner. After lunch, we decided to go and see The Mummy. We had two Rp 30,000 vouchers from Matahari from the previous day so this meant two tickets were free and we only paid Rp 60,000 for four movie tickets (SGD 1.50 per person). We were tired by the time the movie ended, but I didn’t want to go back to the hotel because knowing myself, I wouldn’t come back if I did that. So I decided to go for a facial and before that we finished all our shopping. GG decided to wait for me while BB and S went back to the hotel to keep back the things.

I did the facial at Eksa again. It was some whitening and hydrating facial for dry skin. The therapist started with cleansing my face and then a scrub was applied. After that, she applied some toner and then used some vacuum thingy to suck the pores and blackheads. I have like a gazillion pores and blackheads and this was not painful at all. She then next extracted the blackheads using the blackhead extractor and I can say she was quite skilled as I hardly felt any pain at all. I am usually in tears at this point in a facial and there are times I want to ask the therapist to just give up and that I will live with the blackheads. But she did it in such a way it didn’t pain at all, even at the most which is the worst area. Next she toned it and started massaging my face which was quite wonderful. After the massage was some sort of a metal which she said was a high frequency machine. After this she put in a mask and waited for it to dry. While drying, she also massaged my neck and shoulders. After the mask dried, she peeled it off and then applied serum and moisturiser. Then a drink of ginger tea and I was done.

After dinner at the Indian restaurant again and a leisurely walk back to the hotel, we asked our hotel reception to see if we could change our ferry tickets to an earlier one. This was because our helper was sick in Singapore and I wanted to go earlier to see if she needed to see a doctor. I had taken her to the doctor before our trip, but during my daily calls to her, she still sounded sick, hence the decision to go earlier. We were told we would have to pay Rp 30,000 per person since they had already issued the boarding pass to us when we booked online. Initially we were not sure, but the next day, we decided to go ahead with paying the fee and leaving earlier.

On our last day in Batam, we went back to the mall after a slightly late breakfast and brought some o their famous layer cakes and honeycomb cakes to take back home. Then came back to the hotel and after making sure we had left nothing, checked out and took a hotel taxi to the ferry terminal. The process to change the boarding passes at the ferry terminal was quite simple and since we still had an hour to boarding, we decided to check out the mall next to the terminal to catch a bite to eat before boarding. The ferry going back home was a single decker one and we sat in the back. Our bags were kept in the luggage rack at the entrance of the ferry and I was a bit worried about them since it was not locked and Singapore has very strict drug laws and so made some check the luggage periodically. So that ended our two day holiday in Batam. I am quite tempted to make day trips there, especially to do some spa treatments as they are cheap compared to Singapore as well as shop in the hypermarkets where some household goods and toiletries are a real steal if compared to stores here.