SINGAPORE: My Short Guide on How to Tour Gardens by the Bay

SINGAPORE: My Short Guide on How to Tour Gardens by the Bay

IF YOU HAVE ONLY 1 HOUR: YOU CAN DO THE AUDIO TRAM TOUR OF THE OUTDOOR GARDENS

Cost of this itinerary: 7 SGD (5 SGD for adult tram tour ticket + 2 SGD for the roundtrip shuttle)

WHY DO THE AUDIO TRAM TOUR:

1. The audio tram tour will introduce you to the different areas of Gardens by the Bay and pinpoint the highlights of the place.

2. It's a short 18-minute tour so if you don't have a lot of time to explore Gardens by the bay, you can see the whole layout of the place and the highlights.

HOW TO DO THIS ITINERARY:

FIRST: Use the MRT and alight at Bayfront MRT Station.

SECOND: After alighting at the Bayfront MRT Station, walk towards the exit that goes towards Gardens by the Bay. When you reach the exit, walk towards your left towards the shuttle station to enter Gardens by the Bay.

After alighting from the MRT, this is the path going towards Gardens by the Bay. Either you climb up the stairs at the end of the path and to your left or take the lift. 

The lift from the Bayfront MRT station

THIRD: Take the Shuttle. Shuttle fee is SG$ 2.00 for 2 trips. Don't get off the 1st stop, which is the Conservatories Station. Get off at the 2nd stop which is the Visitor Center Station. Buy tickets to the Audio Tram Tour.

This is the path going towards the shuttle service. You turn left to reach the shuttle service station

My tips:  

1. It's best to take the shuttle rather than walk because of the heat and humidity in Singapore. 

2. You can only use the shuttle from 9:30 AM - 5:00 PM daily so make sure to visit the park around this time to make sure that the shuttle is available. 

3. Be prepared to walk to the entrance of Gardens by the Bay when a thunderstorm occurs. They stop the shuttle service when there's a thunderstorm

FOURTH: Do the 18-minute tram tour with commentary that will go around the outdoor gardens.

My tip: You can only do this tour from 9:30 AM - 5:00 PM on weekdays, and 9:30 AM - 4:00 PM on weekends, holidays and eve of holidays. So plan your trip accordingly and find out the Holidays in Singapore.

FIFTH: When you end the tram tour, ride the shuttle in the same area where you get off the tram tour to exit Gardens by the Bay. Since your shuttle fee is for 2 trips, you can use the second ride to get out of Gardens by the Bay. Then walk towards the entrance of the Bayfront MRT station and ride the MRT to your other destination.

Shuttle service station at the Visitor Center

Route of this itinerary:

This photo is taken from the Gardens by the Bay website
The purple lines show the route of the Tram Tour
Check out Gardens by the Bay map

IF YOU HAVE AT LEAST 4 HOURS: YOU CAN DO THE AUDIO TRAM TOUR AND SEE THE OUTDOOR GARDENS, THEN VISIT THE TWO COOLED CONSERVATORIES: THE CLOUD FOREST AND THE FLOWER GARDEN. 

Cost of this itinerary: 30 SGD (28 SGD for tickets for both the flower dome and cloud forest + 2 SGD for the roundtrip shuttle)

GET GARDENS BY THE BAY DISCOUNTED TICKETS HERE

HOW TO DO THIS ITINERARY:

DO THE FIRST TO FOURTH INSTRUCTION SHOWN ABOVE, THEN DO THE FOLLOWING:

FIFTH: When you end the tram tour, get off the Conservatories Station instead of the Visitor Center Station so you can visit the cooled conservatories.

SIXTH: Buy tickets for both the Cloud Forest and the Flower Dome. Visit the Cloud Forest First. We spent 1 1/2 hours exploring the Cloud Forest

Why see the Cloud Forest: You see exotic plants that only thrive in high mountains. So if you don't plan to climb a mountain in the near future, this is the only opportunity you may have to see these plants and experience the plants' natural habitat. The Cloud Forest mimics the cold weather conditions of the high mountains

The man-made mountain where most of the plants were planted.

The path that people take to go around the mountain

The height that the path reaches

The fog shows how cold the Cloud forest is

SEVENTH: Enter the Flower Dome. We spent 30 minutes at the Flower Dome.

Why see the Flower Dome: To see exotic plants all over the world. This is the "zoo" version of flowers. 

EIGHTH: After exiting the Flower Dome, you can take the shuttle at the Conservatories Station to go to the Bayfront Shuttle Station, which is short walking distance to the Bayfront MRT station.

GET GARDENS BY THE BAY DISCOUNTED TICKETS HERE

Adidas Outlet Store at C5, Taguig: Is it Worth the Trip?

Adidas Outlet Store at C5, Taguig: Is it Worth the Trip?

I love my Adidas Supernova Glide 2. It has the perfect cushion for my feet. I haven't found any other running shoe that fits me so well, that made running or walking so comfortable. I survive day-long walking tours during our trips without feeling any foot pain. Thanks to the Adidas Supernova Glide.

I bought mine at 50% off (around 2500 pesos) last January 2012 at an Adidas Store at Ali Mall. I thought that was cheap so I've been looking for the same discount ever since. I didn't want to shell out 5000-6000 pesos for a shoe so I tried scouting for  a discounted Supernova Glide at the different Adidas stores I chanced upon. But I was unsuccessful. 

Then my husband brought me to this great Adidas outlet store at C5, Taguig. He's been telling me about it but I didn't think it was worth the trip to go all the way to C5, especially since I only frequent the Quezon City area which I felt was too far from this outlet store. But this time, I was with my husband when he made a side trip to this store before our dinner date. So I decided to browse around the store and look for my Supernova Glide.

Lo and behold, I found my Supernova Glide. It's not even an old Supernova Glide 2 like my old one but a newer version which is a Supernova Glide 4, released only last 2012. The price I got it is at 70% off or only at 1798.5 pesos (original price is 5995 pesos). 

For those who do not think it's' worth going all the way to C5 Taguig to visit, I disagree. With the possibility of getting large discounts for a wide selection of  relatively newer edition of Adidas shoes, it's worth the hassle and the traffic of going all the way to this store. The store is 2 floors, with the men's selection at the ground floor and the women's and kids' selections at the 2nd floor.

My receipt shows that I bought the Supernova Glide 4 at 1798.50 pesos only.

My brand new Supernova Glide 4 in the box showing its original price.

The latest edition Supernova Glide 5 in Singapore priced at SG $199.00 (or 6875 pesos)

 

My tip: 

If you know the exact model of the shoes you want, you can call before you go to find out if there's a size for you.

Adidas Outlet Store C-5 Taguig (at Petron Gas Station C5 northbound lane)
Address: Corner of C-5 and Diego Silang Avenue, Brgy Ususan, Taguig

Contact numbers: +632 8289296
Store Hours: 10:00 AM -10:00 PM Daily

How to get there:

View Larger Map

PAMPANGA: My Tips on How to Visit Betis Church (also known as the Sistine Chapel of the Philippines)

PAMPANGA: My Tips on How to Visit Betis Church 

(also known as the Sistine Chapel of the Philippines)

Betis is Church is officially called the Parish Church of St. James the Apostle. It is called Betis Church because is situated in the Betis area, one of the four sectoral areas of the town of Guagua in the province of Pampanga, Philippines. This church is famous for being the Sistine Chapel of the Philippines therefore worth the visit when you're visiting the province of Pampanga.

My Tips:

1. Know the Mass schedule.

REASON: The Church is not open when there's no Mass going on. You can approach the guard or anyone in the parish office to open the Church but to avoid the hassle of trying to find someone to open the church doors, better time your visit

Sunday Mass times is as follows: 6:00 AM, 7:30 AM, 9:00 AM, 5:00 PM

Call the Parish Office at  +6345 9000022 for more information.

2. If you want to make sure you can enter the Church even when there is no Mass going on, ask permission from the Heritage Chairman and the Parish priest by making a letter requesting permission to visit the Church and the Betis Museum. 

The request letter must state the following:

a. The date of visit

b. The number of persons visiting the Church

c.  Addressed to the Heritage Commission Chairman: Ms. Myrna Bituin, and the the Parish Priest: Rev. Fr. Reynaldo D. De la Cruz.

Then email the letter to jmbituin@yahoo.com.

LOCATION:

Parish Church of St. James the Apostle

Address: Betis, Guagua, Pampanga

Parish Office Contact Number: +6345 9000022

Directions: Go to the North Luzon Expressway, take the San Fernando Exit and go towards Jose Abad Santos Avenue, then turn left towards Bacolor Municipal Hall going straight until reaching Betis Gymnasium and Betis Church.

How to choose a Mobile WiFi Device for a Family of Six: A Mom's Review of the ZTE MF 65

How to choose a Mobile WiFi Device for a Family of Six: 

A Mom's Review of the ZTE MF 65

If you have four kids like I do who are heavy users of the Internet for school work, you'll understand what it means not to have Internet for the past 12 days. I subscribed to plan 1995 of PLDT's mydsl to get speeds of up to 3 mbps. But on July 22, exactly as Pnoy (President Aquino) was delivering his State of the Nation Address (SONA), our dsl line was cut off. PLDT explained that they're doing a nationwide speed enhancement. I complained that they should have warned their subscribers about it since they have previous knowledge that this will occur. It's not as if it's an emergency repair of some sort. As of this writing, our dsl line has not been restored.

Anyway, this is not about my PLDT complaint. It's finding an alternative to my dsl WiFi connection. As an emergency measure, I activated my broadband plug it stick but it requires my kids to take turns using it. With four kids who need to accomplish assignments and submit it online at edmodo.com and coordinate with classmates on Facebook for projects and group work, taking turns with the plug it is not feasible for long periods of time. So I found this great mobile WiFi device that suits our needs. If you're in a similar situation like us, this may be helpful to you.

So what did I look for in a mobile WiFi?

1. It should be unlocked. 
 

REASON: If the mobile WiFi device is unlocked, you can use any broadband SIM of any network operator and choose the one with the better signal at your location. Even when you're in a different country, you can use the device by simply inserting any local broadband SIM.

2. The range of the device signal should reach at least 3 rooms in the same floor.

REASON: In our case, the master's bedroom, girls' room and boy's room is located in the same floor. We all do our work in our bedrooms so at the very least, the mobile WiFi signal must reach all of us. I was thinking of purchasing a Smart Pocket WiFi when the ZTE was out-of-stock in the first computer shop I asked, but the salesman informed me that the signal's range is for one room only.

3. I should be able to connect at least 6 devices.

REASON: Since we're six in the family, we must be able to connect at least one of our devices. Most mobile WiFi devices I found online can only connect 5 device so I had to do more research to find a WiFi device that can connect more than 5 devices.

4. I should be able to charge it in the car, aside from a wall socket and a laptop.

REASON: Although my initial purpose for finding a mobile WiFi device is as a temporary alternative to my disconnected DSL, if it can be charged in a car, it will increase its mobility and use.

ZTE MF 65 FEATURES I LIKED

1. It is unlocked.

2.The WiFi signal of the device reaches 2 floors of the house: the 3 bedrooms on the 2nd floor, until the dining room and living room on the first floor.

3. The maximum number of devices you can connect is 10, and you can set the limits to lower than 10 by going into your device's IP address.

4. You can charge it in the car, the laptop and the wall socket because the cable included is a USB cable with a separate wall charger. To be able to charge it in the car, you have to buy a USB car charger.

5. The speed is fast enough for browsing. That's more of the broadband SIM issue than a device issue. The fastest I experienced is 3mbps in the mornings but the signal fluctuates. The lowest speed still allows reasonable browsing speed.

COMPLETE OFFICIAL SPECS (taken from villman.com)

Manufacturer : ZTE

Model : MF65

Unlocked : Fully unlocked. ready to use with global internet providers

Network Bands : 3G-4G HSPA+/HSUPA/HSDPA/UMTS (WCDMA) - Band IV 1700/1900/2100MHz

2G GSM / GPRS / EDGE - 850/900/1800/1900 MHz.

Wi-Fi Standards : 802.11b/802.11g/802.11n

Connectivity Interface : SIM-Card Slot

Data Speed : Download up to 21.6 Mbps, Upload up to 5.76 Mbps

Memory : Micro SD card slot up to 32GB.

Ports : Micro USB

Display : New screen with OLED Display.

Antenna : Internal Antenna. External antenna interface (antenna sold separately).

Security : Wi-Fi Security supported (see details below).

Battery : 1500mAh Li-ion battery. gives up to 100 hours standby

Dimensions : Size: 99.5 x 53.7 x 14mm Weight 75g.

Supported Systems : Windows XP (SP2 or later), Windows Vista, Windows 7/8, Mac OS (10.4 or later), Linux.

WHAT'S INCLUDED IN BOX

1 device

1 usb cable

1 usb wall socket

manual

WHERE I BOUGHT IT

Citylight Computer Shop, SM Marikina Cyberzone

Price: P2990, with free Smart Bro SIM with100 pesos load and 1 year ZTE warranty

UP DILIMAN: Chocolate Kiss Cafe at Night

UP DILIMAN: Chocolate Kiss Cafe at Night

There is this nice cafe at Bahay ng Alumni at UP Diliman, Quezon City, that serves home-cooked meals. It's frequented by students and professors by day. By accident, I visited it at night. I never thought it's a nice place to hang out at night. The ambience is totally different at night, with dim lights and a fantastic duo playing the violin and piano while you quietly dine and enjoy their home-cooked meals.

These are the things I enjoyed most when I dined there at night while waiting for my daughter to finish her meeting:

1. The reasonably priced meals that has a flavor of  a home-cooked meal. 

Below is the sample menu: 

I ordered the spaghetti carbonara

2. The music

I was surprised that there was music at night at the Chocolate Kiss Cafe at night. It can be a venue for a date night for people who want reasonably priced meals and a romantic ambiance . Below is a sample of the music that Royce and Gary played that Thursday night. I actually enjoyed it so I'm sharing it with you: 

Apparently, music is played every Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Below is the schedule I got from their website. Music is played from 6:30 PM - 9:30 PM at the Second Floor of the UP Kiss Cafe:

Tuesday:

Bong & Bobot
guitar duet

Thursday:

Gary & Royce
keyboards & violin

Saturday:

Rudy at the piano

Where it is  located

View Larger Map

2nd Floor Magsaysay Avenue, Ang Bahay ng Alumni, UP Diliman, Quezon City 1101

(02) 433 9183 ‎ · thechocolatekiss.com


Other photos of the venue:

At the main entrance, where most cakes are displayed

The inner part of the cafe

The announcement at the front door as to who's playing tonight

Royce and Gary playing at the inner part of the cafe

Food Tripping at UP DILIMAN: The Dynamite at Vinzon's Hall

Food Tripping at UP DILIMAN: The Dynamite at Vinzon's Hall

What is the Dynamite?

The dynamite is green chili stuffed with cheese and few pieces of ground meat, wrapped in lumpia wrapper and fried. The green chili used is the chili used in sinigang and dinuguan, which Filipinos call siling mahaba (long sili) to differentiate it from siling labuyo (hot chili).

This is how they fry it.

The finished product with dipping sauce. 

What's inside: The green chili, the cheese and some ground meat

How much is the Dynamite

One serving of dynamite is 4 pieces for 24 pesos.

My verdict

I took a bite with the dipping sauce and it was a great combination of spice and creaminess. It's like eating spicy cheese sticks. And for 24 pesos, it's a very cheap and filling snack.

Where to buy the Dynamite

At the stall in front of Vinzon's Hall at UP Diliman. It's at the right side of the sloping road leading to the entrance of Vinzon's Hall

This is the stall. You can see at the extreme right is the College of Education building.
At the left side of this stall is the sloping road leading to Vinzon's Hall

A close-up of the stall and their food choices

View Vinzon's

SYDNEY: How to Choose Your Hunter Valley Wine Tasting Tour

SYDNEY: How to Choose Your Hunter Valley Wine Tasting Tour

Australia is known world-wide as a wine region. If you're visiting Sydney, Australia, the nearest wineries you can visit is located in Hunter Valley. Hunter Valley is around two hours drive from Sydney. 

I'm sharing with you what I discovered as I search for the right wine tasting tour for my husband who's visiting Sydney. You may have different tastes or preferences so I'm sharing with you the options I found so you can find the right wine tasting tour for you.

After looking at all the possible options for a wine tour in Hunter Valley, I realized there are three (3) styles of wine tasting tours that are currently available.

1. FIRST TOUR: Visit 5 different wineries in one day, taste 6-8 wines per winery, then go to a cheese shop and a chocolate shop.

2. SECOND TOUR: In the morning, visit an old and established winery (1850s era) in the Hunter Valley region, taste around 16 wines in said winery, visit the vineyards and see the wine-making process in a working wine cellar, then have in-depth wine tasting lessons with a wine expert. In the afternoon, visit a post 1960s winery, to taste 5 cool climate wines.

3. THIRD TOUR: A visit to the Walkabout Wildlife Sanctuary to see kangaroos, wallaby's, emus and koalas, then wine tasting at 3 small boutique wineries, then visit a chocolate factory, cheese shop and local brewery.

If you have an idea what tour you wish to explore, below are more details to help you decide:

FIRST TOUR by  Hunter Valley Wine Tasting Tours

Website: http://www.huntervalleywinetastingtours.com.au/

Price per person: $125 internet price

Price inclusive of: round-trip transfers from Sydney (listed hotel and non-hotel pick-up points), wine tasting, cheese tasting, chocolate tasting and gourmet style lunch at Hunter Resort, You cannot bring your own lunch.

Maximum Number of Guests per tour: 14

How many hours: 11 hours (4 hours round-trip travel from Sydney, 7 hours tour)

Itinerary:

MORNING: 6:30 AM pickup at listed hotel and non-hotel pick-up points, stop at a coffee shop for morning stop before Hunter Valley, wine tasting at 5 wineries (6-8 wines per winery), lunch at Hunter Resort

AFTERNOON: Visit a cheese shop and chocolate shop, then return to Sydney by 7:30 PM.

Traveler's reviews: Trip Advisor review link

Who should do this tour: People who would like to taste 30-40 wines from different wineries. They can't inform you beforehand the wineries they will visit because the tour guide decides what wineries to visit only on the day of the tour. Therefore, it will depend on what bus you are assigned to at the time of booking.

SECOND TOUR by Wine Country Tours of Richard Everett

Website: http://www.winecountrytours.com.au/

Price per person: $150 

Price inclusive of: round-trip transfers from Sydney (pick-up at your hotel or accomodation), morning coffee, tea and baked goods at Pepper's Guest House, all wine tastings. Lunch at your own expense.

Maximum Number of Guests per tour: 2-8 guests

How many hours: 9 hours (4 hours round-trip travel from Sydney, 5 hours wine tour and tasting)

Itinerary:

MORNING: 8:00 AM pickup at your hotel or accomodation, stop at a coffee shop for before going to Hunter Valley, wine tour and tasting lessons at Tyrell's (16 wines to taste), lunch.

AFTERNOON: Visit Hungerford Hills to taste 5 cool climate/high altitude wines. 5:30 PM return to Sydney

Traveler's reviews: Trip Advisor link

Traveler's blog showing how the tour was conducted: Hunter Valley with Wine Country Tours by Wine Monologues dated April 2013

Who should do this tour: Those who want an in-depth tour conducted by wine expert Richard Everett, which includes visiting and walking through the vineyards of Tyrell's, one of the oldest wineries in Hunter Valley, seeing the wine-making process at a working wine cellar, and having private sit-down wine tasting lessons conducted by a wine expert.  This  includes tasting 16 wines from Tyrells (1850s era winery) and 5 high altitude or cool climate wines from Hungerford Hills (post 1960s era winery).

THIRD TOUR by Kangarrific Tours

Website: http://www.kangarrifictours.com/

Price per person: $ 99

Price inclusive of: round-trip transfers from Sydney (pick-up is at designated locations), morning tea at Walkabout Wildlife Park, 3 wine tastings, cheese tastings. Lunch, chocolate tasting and beer tasting is at your own expense. You can bring your own lunch.

Maximum Number of Guests per tour: 13 guests

How many hours: 10 hours

Itinerary:

MORNING: 8:00 AM pick-up at designated locations, morning tea at Walkabout Park to meet kangaroos, wallaby's, koalas and emus. Visit Hunter Valley chocolate factory. Visit 2 wineries and a cheese shop. Lunch

AFTERNOON: Visit a 3rd winery and a brewery. 6 pm return to Sydney

Traveler's reviews: Trip Advisor link

Traveler's blog showing how the tour was conducted: Hunter Valley Wine Tour with Kangarrific Tours by Diary of a Yorkshire Expat

Who should do this tour: Best tour if you have kids with you. They allow kids 7 years old and above to join the tour. The price is the same as the adult price.