Singapore: The New Majestic Hotel
At first glance, the clean white walls and structured exteroirs of the New Majestic Hotel might have been another example of the rigid conforminty that represents Singapore. But once I entered the lobby - with a nude and kneeling Quinn warrior copper statue, exposed ceilings, restored vintage Compton fans, glass panels and glass baubles hanging from the ceiling, and sleek modern room furniture mixed with retro vintage pieces -I knew this was not your average hotel.
A quick tour and I soon learned that it had 30 unique rooms with different quirky themes, such as the Aquarium, where one bathes in a glass encased area in the middle of the room while a giant goldfish mural floats around you, tricking the eye with visual play. In the Hanging Bedroom, the bed levitates above the floor and is creatively illuminated from underneath. Panels of mirrors run from the floor to the ceiling in the Mirror Room while the Loft Room has a resting attic chamber and twin vintage bathtubs in its bathroom. There are also rooms designed by local artists in which whimsical touches like upside down anmorphic messages which can only be deciphered when lying down in a certain angle to it. Another room has pop art murals mixing Eastern and Western icons. The Pussy Parlour room designed by Pussy Daniel, a fashion show producer, was my favorite. I was told that it is the most outrageous room in the hotel. The room had splashes of fuschia and turqoise as accents, opulent French chandeliers, a striking brass bed, neon lights and mirrors all over the room. The bathroom is designed with mosaic tile art. This over-the-top party den was inspired by the photography of celebrity lensman David Lachapelle.
Aside from the rooms, the hotel boasts of superb Cantonese Cuisine by award winning chef-owner Yong Bing Ngen. I had a taste of the crispy wasabi prawns and Peking duck served with pan fried spiced foie gras, braised live lobster in a creamy milk, grilled rack of lamb, and sea perch in a fine Champagne sauce.
This luxury hotel is a stop anyone traveling to Singapore should not miss. Everything about this hotel is a novelty. Think sensual overload. Who would have thought that such decadence would thrive in the heart of Singapore?
A small town right smack in the center of the metropolis is Pasig City's townproper, called Pasig "bayan". In this quaint old Spanish-inspired town lies one of the most famous markets in the Philippines, the Mutya ng Pasig market which recently has opened its second floor to merchants to put up stalls for their midnight market sale.
The market has a very interesting variety of local products from baskets, to native abaca and other wooden products, home accessories, rich fabrics from the north and south, RTW, secondhand clothing designer wear, trinkets, novelty art pieces, costume jewelry, "chinelas" (slippers/flipflops), pottery, and all sorts of collectibles sold at bargain basement prices.
I found myself a funky vase made from blown glass, a wonderful color of canary yellow with pink stripes that I got for only Php100 ($2.00)! There are items below $1.00, nice ones you could take home as presents or souvenirs. Although the merchants tend to raise the prices when they see that you aren't a local which is where one's haggling prowess needs to be put to good use. That and a little research would help you know your way around the value of the different types of items in the market. The shops stay open from 12 midnight to 6am everyday.
Tips and Reminders
- The market is a busy area located in a remote place within the town so keeping your cash in your pockets is the best way to protect yourself from pickpockets (there are plenty in the area).
- Try to blend in, wear casual clothing fit for tropical climates.
- Carry around bottled water since going around the market could get you tired and thirsty.
- The travel guide to take along would be Lonely Planet, it's got information on everything you need to know when traveling around the world. It's the quickest, easiest way to learn the ropes and get acquainted with the country and the culture of the people when you travel to different countries.
Halong Bay in Vietnam
This is one of the most beautiful places to travel to in Vietnam. It is no surprise why folks have tagged it as the 8th wonder of the world. The bay is enchanting. I was awestruck by the sheer beauty and calming effect of the bay. All across the bay lay hundreds of limestone islands that stood tall above the water.
Lush green vegetations cover the islands lavishly. Many of the islands have caves with large stalactite and stalagmite formations inside. You can take a tour of the islands aboard a boat where you can rent an airconditioned cabin with its own bathroom. You can either have your meals at the boat's canteen (which is crowded mostly) or in floating fishing villages on some of the islands that offer a sumptuous array of fresh seafoods. They serve seafoods that you usually pay a lot of money for in gourmet restaurants or in hotels around the world - I could not believe my eyes when I saw the spread of seafood delicacies on my table!
After 2 days and 1 night on this tour, I disembarked at the dock and took a bus back to travel to the city of Hanoi. As I left Vietnam a week after my Halong Bay tour, on my way to boracay island (Boracay Philippines), I knew that my Halong Bay experience was indeed the most memorable part of my Vietnam vacation and that the memory would stay with me for a very long time.
A Little History
Halong Bay, when translated in Vietnamese means "Bay of the Descending Dragon". The myth says that the lush green crops on the bay were formed from the jewels and jade that came from dragons' breaths to protect the villager s that were under attack. It is believed by locals that the mother dragon settled in the bay to protect Vietnam forever.
The bay is located in the Gulf of Tonkin close to the China border; in northern Vietnam some 170 kilometers north-east of Hanoi. To travel to Vietnam, a travel guide or a travel agency would help you get around better since English is not widely spoken there (unless you speak Vietnamese or French, you won't be able to talk to locals).
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