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We had planned for this holiday to celebrate Chloe's birthday which falls in end June. However, due to overwhelming work commitments, the trip finally took off in Sept 2006. It was a free and easy trip and we planned our own accommodation and tour itinerary. The hotel we selected - The President serviced apartment at Sukhumvit Soi 11, turned out to be a pleasant choice. At 2000 Baht a night, we didn't expect 5-star service and facilities, but nonetheless the room was clean and the location excellent! We soon found out that the area was happening. It
was about 10 minutes walk to the highly efficient BTS Skytrain - Nana station. As we walked along the road to the BTS, there were several interesting restaurants and nightspots - Contrazzi, Bed Supper Club, Zanzibar, Cheap Charlie's etc.
As this was a purely shopping trip, we spent time visiting most of the shopping destinations including the famous but hot & stuffy Chatuchak market, the ultra lux Siam Paragon, Siam Centre, the affordable Siam Square, the Bangkok version of Sungei Wang Plaza - Mabunkrung (MBK), Central @ Chidlom, etc. Also took the opportunity to visit the watch fair at Emporium Central Chidlom.
Shopping was good but could be better if we had more money! We bought lots of stuff - for him, for her, for our families. Food was in my opinion rather bland. The Thai food back home taste better! Not much choice, Thai food was all hot & spicy.
It was my first visit to Beijing, the metropolitan capital of China. I was thrilled. We were here at the courtesy of Zenith. Just like the luxury watch brand, everything about the trip was sheer luxury ! We were put up at the 5-star The Peninsula Beijing and were treated to the best food at 5-star restaurants serving the best Beijing cuisines. Unfortunately, I was not really a fan of Beijing cuisine as I found out during the trip. Beijing cuisine as I came to realized was very different from my regular diet of pork, seafood and chicken. Instead, there were duck's tongue (local delicacy), alfafa grass, cold yam, fish dipped in oil, & the very famous Peking duck!
Food aside, we visited a number of key tourist sites - the not-to-be missed Tianammen Square and the Forbidden City, the Great Wall of China at Badaling. Most importantly, we visited the Zenith boutique at the Beijing Grand Hyatt. It was the first Zenith boutique ever ! Elegant and modern, it reflected the Zenith spirit. We also visited some famous mausoleums of past emperors on the outskirts of Beijing.
Didn't expect much shopping but I was wrong! Wangfujing Street was like Orchard Road of Singapore, 700 years old and 1.6km long, the street is filled with shopping centres and small retail outlets selling mostly fashion items. For a good bargain, we went to the famous Xiushui Street shopping centre - the place for all your shopping needs, from souveniers to sneakers, from silk to watches, you get it and you get it cheap.
It was certainly an enlightening and enjoyable trip, opening my eyes to one of the world's largest cities!
It was my first visit to Langkawi. The Four Seasons Langkawi as you can see is a paradise. Facing the white sandy beach, the resort comprising mainly of individual 2-storey villas is surrounded by palm trees. Each of us had our own villas equipped with our very own backyard jacuzzi. The room was certainly a honeymoon suite with a view of the beach. A pity Chloe wasn't there with me. We stayed a night and had dinner at the restaurant by the beach. Well, forgot to add, I was there for work ! It would be great if it was for pleasure and I love to go back, if only the villa didn't cost RM1,800 !
January - the month I get reminded how fast time had passed in my lifetime. This January is memorable as I have someone special to share my candle blowing moments. To celebrate the occasion, we treated ourselves to a night of private indulgence at the Avillion Resort in Port Dickson. It was truly magical to be able to share your special day with someone who really cares.
