The year was 2019. (Pre-COVID). We took a family holiday to Seoul, South Korea! Here are links to the flight videos.
[Flight Review] Singapore Airlines SQ 602 Boeing 787-10 Business Class SG to Seoul Excellent Flight
We fly Singapore Airlines on their Regional Business Class, Boeing 787-10 for the first time this November! Very exciting. Singapore Airlines was first to fly the Boeing 787-10 and had been progressively taking delivery of these new birds, and retiring their older Boeing 777-200 fleet.
The new regional business class is a huge improvement over the previous. They now offer a 1-2-1 configuration, fully lie-flat bed, compared to the previous 2-2-2 regional business class product with an angled bed. The design and feel is very similar to the long-haul business class product, except that the seat isn't as wide. However, one advantage of the regional seat is that the seat can turn into a fully flat and straight bed at the touch of the console button. The long-haul aircraft require you to manually convert the seat to a bed, which can be a bit awkward and tiresome if you didn't know how to do it.
We received excellent service on board. I figured that the lovely Singapore Girl serving my aisle was a Korean lady, due to her accent. She was in a green kebaya, representing her seniority. Of course, she spoke excellent english too. This flight, SQ 602, departed Singapore at 1445hrs and was scheduled to land in Seoul at 2200hrs. Given this mid afternoon departure, we were wondering what meal would be served on board. Turned out that lunch would be served, but they started the meal service at 1630hrs instead of immediately after takeoff. They must have done this to make the meal closer to dinner time, given that it is pretty obvious passengers would have taken their lunch before boarding the aircraft at 1445hrs. Which then made me wonder, why call this meal lunch instead of dinner?
Anyway, it didn't matter. I had a very enjoyable meal on board (minus the satay, which was not served on this flight). Upon boarding, I took the welcome drink of champagne. Shortly after takeoff, the post take off drink was served - I had opted for the Singapore Sling, which I always do on SQ. A small bowl of nuts was also given. I enjoyed them while watching some movie.
Lunch service was leisurely and unhurried. The first course was some type of prawn. Then I got my Lobster Thermidor (which I had used the Book the Cook Service). Oh, for this flight I had just discovered that you could see the onboard lunch menu some days before the actual flight and even make your selection before the actual flight. I find this very useful because I had always wanted to know in advance what was the onboard catering before I decided whether to use Book the Cook. So this time round, I didn't really care for any of the 4 choices for the onboard catering, so I 'Booked the Cook"!
Prior to the flight, we spent some time at the SilverKris Lounge Business Class section at Changi Airport.
Coming back from Seoul, we flew on Vietnam Airlines in Business Class. This flight was in 2 legs. But before that, we spent some time in the airport lounge at Incheon.
Once inside the restricted area, we made our way to the KAL Lounge, as the CHeck-in counter lady had told us. The lounge is BEFORE the train ride to the Concourse, where our aircraft was (Gate 111), so you have to use the lounge and factor enough time to get to the plane because you still need to take a train to get there.
I read from the internet that this KAL lounge (located besides the Starbucks) was new, opened in June 2019. The signages were not great and we couldn't find it at first, until we asked a member of staff who told us in a deep Korean accent that it was 'besides Starbooks'.
KAL Lounge Incheon Terminal 1 SkyTeam Lounge Vietnam Airlines
VN 409 Boeing 787-10 Vietnam Airlines Dreamliner Business Class Flight Review Seoul to Ho Chi Minh
We were in Seoul for a holiday, and today we begin our trip back to Singapore on Vietnam Airlines, from Seoul to Ho Chi Minh and then onward to Singapore. We arrived at Incheon Airport, Seoul, in good time early in the morning. We wanted to get our tax refund, and after that, check-in was smooth though even at this time (around 0745hrs) the line to clear security was quite long.
After clearing security and immigration, we reached the restricted area of Incheon Airport, which was large and rather crowded. Signages weren't good and we couldn't find the KAL Lounge (which we were told by the check in lady that it was before the train ride to the Concourse), so we asked a member of staff and was told it was beside 'Starbooks'. Here is the review of the KAL Lounge, which was newly opened in June 2019. After getting some breakfast, we made our way to the concourse (had to ride a train) and got to Gate 111 in good time. Boarding hadn't started yet when we got there, so we waited for bit.
Once boarded started, we got on board quickly and found out seats. I had a window seat today. The aircraft used was a rather new Vietnam Airlines Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner. Business class was in a reverse herringbone, 1-2-1 configuration.
Overall, service onboard was very good. Even though the flight was not very long (flight time under 5 hours), it felt like a long-haul flight with a nice amenity kit, pillow and blanket. Welcome drink, I chose champagne. After take off, meal service began.
It started with Amuse Boche, and again I chose champagne for my drink.
For the main meal, they had run out of the Western style appetizer, so I had no choice but to take the Korean-style appetizer, which was fine with me as it was interesting to look at and the taste was good. For the main, I chose the Asian style Beef rib with rice. The beef came in slices, which suited me fine. The taste was good, and the beef was tender enough.
After the main, there was dessert (ice-cream) and also cheese. The stewardess also came around with a tray of sliced fruit, which I chose a few. Overall, it was a wonderful meal, and I enjoyed it while watching a movie on the entertainment system.
Post-meal, I converted the seat into a lie-flat bed, and managed to get about 2 hours of sleep before it was time to land.
Lotus Lounge Ho Chi Minh Saigon Vietnam Airlines Business Class
Vietnam Airlines, Lotus Lounge, Saigon. We fly on Vietnam Airlines Business class, from Seoul to SGN, en-route to Singapore. We landed in SGN in the early afternoon, and our flight to Singapore would depart at 1615hrs. So we had a couple of hours in the Lotus Lounge.
The food offerings were pretty good. Plenty of hot food choices, including local Vietnamese dishes, noodle soup plus porridge. Also plenty of cut fruits, and some desserts. I didn't try the Vietnamese coffee though. We weren't that hungry, since we had a good meal onboard Vietnam Airlines Business Class (Seoul to SGN leg), but we still managed to eat some light food and desserts.
[Flight Review] Vietnam Airlines Airbus A350 Business Class SGN Ho Chi Minh to Singapore
We fly on Vietnam Airlines! This was the second leg of our flight, from SGN Ho Chi Minh back to Singapore. Earlier in the day, we flew from Seoul to Ho Chi Minh.
This leg was short, only about 1.5 hr flight time. The experience was good. We flew on a long-haul aircraft, the Airbus A350-900. This aircraft is used for VN’s long-haul routes, including Vietnam to Paris. Business class was in a 1-2-1 configuration, reverse herringbone, fully flat bed.
A substantial meal was served even though the flight was short. The entire meal came in one tray, which was fine given such a short flight. I chose the fish with rice. You can see from the video that the meal was very nice. The main dish was accompanied by a bowl of crunchy salad and a large chunks of fresh fruit. They even had a bread basket, where I chose the garlic bread. The meal was great with a glass of white wine.
I enjoyed my meal at a leisurely pace and was never rushed. After I finished my meal, there wasn’t much time left on the flight and the plane landed smoothly at Singapore Changi Airport. Vietnam Airlines uses Terminal 4.
Friday, December 31, 2021
Nanning China, Visit in 2019 - Marriot Nanning and more
We visited Nanning, China in 2019. We took GX Airlines (a Chinese Low Cost Airline owned by Hainan Airlines) to and from China.
Singapore to Nanning GX Airlines
Nanning to Singapore GX Airlines
Here are some videos from our visit in Nanning.
China Marriott Hotel Junior Suite Awesome Stay 南宁万豪酒店
Marriott Nanning China! 🇨🇳 We were in Nanning, Guangxi, China! 南宁万豪酒店
Escaped to Nanning, China, for a short break from Singapore. Took GX Airlines (our first time on GX!)
Booked our stay through the Marriott Bonvoy app. They were running a promotion, book an Executive Room and get a free upgrade to a Junior Suite - we did just that! The suite was about 60 sqm in size. It was very comfortable for the two of us and we enjoyed our stay. It even had 2 toilets.
We also enjoyed the Executive Lounge very much, Happy Hour was 5:30pm to 7:30pm every day. Check out my other video for the food selection during Happy Hour.
The location of the hotel was fantastic - directly connected to a very large mall next door, called Han Yang Mall. Also, the subway was nearby (Convention and Exhibition Station on Line 1).
Marriott Nanning Executive Lounge Dinner Hor Fun Soup
Marriott, Nanning, Guangxi China. We stay at the Marriott hotel in Nanning. Booked an Executive Room and got free upgrade to Junior Suite. Super nice.
We had our dinners in the Executive Lounge. Happy Hour was 5:30pm to 7:30pm every day. We were there from 5:30pm, and had a very good dinner every time we went there.
There was a decent selection of hot dishes, as well as cold dishes, and a decent selection of beers and house wine. It was a very enjoyable stay.
Marriott Nanning Breakfast 5 Star Hotel in China 2019
Breakfast! We were in Nanning, and we stayed at the Nanning Marriott for a few nights. Nanning was indeed an up and coming Chinese city. Subway lines were being built at a rapid speed. We came here to take a look at their rapid development.
Yi Ling Caves 伊岭岩 Nanning Guangxi Neon Lights were Fantastic using iPhone 11 Pro Max 南宁
We were in Nanning, Guangxi! Decided to pay a visit to the Yi Ling Caves. The taxi ride took about 45 minutes to Nanning. We got a taxi from our hotel lobby, and the driver said he would wait for us at the attraction. He charged by meter, with no waiting fee, so that was fine with us.
The attraction didn't look busy at all. But we headed here because the reviews on trip advisor were pretty good. We were not disappointed. The part outside was rather tacky, as they were trying to re-create scenes from the Zhuang people (some indigenous folks). Not very interesting. The highlight was to enter the caves itself. Now, be careful, there were many steps to climb, going down and going up. Some parts of the cave were wet, so walk carefully, but overall the path was very safe and half of our group were elderly locals.
The views inside were fantastic. Even though the neon lights made it tacky, it still made for a good show. The guide, dressed in traditional garb, spoke in Mandarin only. So, if you don't understand the language, then all her explanations would mean nothing. Just enjoy the lights!
Stay with the group as the guide will turn on the lights of each cavern, as we moved from point to point. It was a one way street. She repeatedly warned that if you strayed too far behind, the lights would go off, and I guess you would be lost. I don't think she was very interested to ensure that all of us came out, since we were all supposed to take care of ourselves!
Check out the cavern, the neon lights. Video was taken with my iPhone 11 Pro Max.
Green Tea Restaurant Nanning China 南宁绿茶 2019
We were in Nanning, China, for a long weekend. We flew to Nanning on GX Airlines and stayed at the Marriott Nanning. 南宁万豪酒店. There was a mall Han Yang Mall and Subway station (Convention and Exhibition Center) right next to the hotel.
Level 4,5,6 of the Mall had many restaurants. We ate at this chain restaurant called Green Tea. The place was decorated in a Chinese river theme at night. Rather dark place with spotlights on your table.
There were only 2 of us. So we ordered 3 dishes - signature fried rice, grilled chicken and fresh prawns. The food was a lot! Thankfully I was hungry, so I ate most of the food. Yummy and delicious!
MIXC Nanning Mall China plus McDonald’s Angus Burger with pineapple 南宁 2019
Nanning, Guangxi, China. We were at this mall called the MIXC mall, which was the newest mall in Nanning, China. It is also located next to a metro station. We were in Nanning, China. Flew here from Singapore on GX Airlines (low cost). Stayed at the 5 star Marriott Nanning for 3 nights. It was a quick getaway from Singapore. Awesome!
Scenes from Nanning Subway
We were in Nanning, China! The metro system was quite new and still expanding. We took the metro around. Very cool and modern. China is expanding and growing very fast. The year is 2019.
Singapore Merlion Totem Pole in China! Nanning, Guangxi Mt Qingxiu [Unexpected Find]
Check out the Singapore Merlion Totem pole in Nanning China! An unexpected find. We were in Nanning, China. Today, we headed to the Qing Xiu mountain, which frankly isn't a mountain but more like a cluster of small hills.
The Qingxiu Mountain (or Qing Mountain, Taiqin Peak), is situated on the bank of the Yongjiang River and about 9 kilometers away from the southeast of Nanning City, provincial capital of Guangxi. It stretches more than 4.07 square kilometers with an altitude of about 82 meters to 189 meters above sea level and consists of 18 peaks including Qingshan Peak and Phenix Peak. Although not particular high, the Qingxiu Mountain developed as a famous summer resort and scenic spot in this area for centuries. Proclaimed as 'Giant Lung” of Nanning city, it is renowned for its pleasant climate, culture charm and marvelous green scenery for all four seasons. A pagoda was built on the peak in Ming Dynasty and defined as the avatar of Qingxiu Mountain. Surrounded by thick and bosky trees and precipitous rocks, two artificial pools - Tianchi(天池, Heaven Pool ) and Yaochi(瑶池, Jade Pool) afford more enchanting sights than you imagine when walking on the way to peak. More than 1,200,000 visitors flock to the Qingxiu Mountain of Nanning City each year, it becomes one of the most popular tourist destinations in Guangxi.
We spent a few hours here, riding around on an electric bus system (we bought an unlimited one-day ticket). In this video, we chance upon some ASEAN-China garden, and the ASEAN countries were depicted with different totem poles. The Merlion Totem pole represented Singapore.
Singapore to Nanning GX Airlines
Nanning to Singapore GX Airlines
Here are some videos from our visit in Nanning.
China Marriott Hotel Junior Suite Awesome Stay 南宁万豪酒店
Marriott Nanning China! 🇨🇳 We were in Nanning, Guangxi, China! 南宁万豪酒店
Escaped to Nanning, China, for a short break from Singapore. Took GX Airlines (our first time on GX!)
Booked our stay through the Marriott Bonvoy app. They were running a promotion, book an Executive Room and get a free upgrade to a Junior Suite - we did just that! The suite was about 60 sqm in size. It was very comfortable for the two of us and we enjoyed our stay. It even had 2 toilets.
We also enjoyed the Executive Lounge very much, Happy Hour was 5:30pm to 7:30pm every day. Check out my other video for the food selection during Happy Hour.
The location of the hotel was fantastic - directly connected to a very large mall next door, called Han Yang Mall. Also, the subway was nearby (Convention and Exhibition Station on Line 1).
Marriott Nanning Executive Lounge Dinner Hor Fun Soup
Marriott, Nanning, Guangxi China. We stay at the Marriott hotel in Nanning. Booked an Executive Room and got free upgrade to Junior Suite. Super nice.
We had our dinners in the Executive Lounge. Happy Hour was 5:30pm to 7:30pm every day. We were there from 5:30pm, and had a very good dinner every time we went there.
There was a decent selection of hot dishes, as well as cold dishes, and a decent selection of beers and house wine. It was a very enjoyable stay.
Marriott Nanning Breakfast 5 Star Hotel in China 2019
Breakfast! We were in Nanning, and we stayed at the Nanning Marriott for a few nights. Nanning was indeed an up and coming Chinese city. Subway lines were being built at a rapid speed. We came here to take a look at their rapid development.
Yi Ling Caves 伊岭岩 Nanning Guangxi Neon Lights were Fantastic using iPhone 11 Pro Max 南宁
We were in Nanning, Guangxi! Decided to pay a visit to the Yi Ling Caves. The taxi ride took about 45 minutes to Nanning. We got a taxi from our hotel lobby, and the driver said he would wait for us at the attraction. He charged by meter, with no waiting fee, so that was fine with us.
The attraction didn't look busy at all. But we headed here because the reviews on trip advisor were pretty good. We were not disappointed. The part outside was rather tacky, as they were trying to re-create scenes from the Zhuang people (some indigenous folks). Not very interesting. The highlight was to enter the caves itself. Now, be careful, there were many steps to climb, going down and going up. Some parts of the cave were wet, so walk carefully, but overall the path was very safe and half of our group were elderly locals.
The views inside were fantastic. Even though the neon lights made it tacky, it still made for a good show. The guide, dressed in traditional garb, spoke in Mandarin only. So, if you don't understand the language, then all her explanations would mean nothing. Just enjoy the lights!
Stay with the group as the guide will turn on the lights of each cavern, as we moved from point to point. It was a one way street. She repeatedly warned that if you strayed too far behind, the lights would go off, and I guess you would be lost. I don't think she was very interested to ensure that all of us came out, since we were all supposed to take care of ourselves!
Check out the cavern, the neon lights. Video was taken with my iPhone 11 Pro Max.
Green Tea Restaurant Nanning China 南宁绿茶 2019
We were in Nanning, China, for a long weekend. We flew to Nanning on GX Airlines and stayed at the Marriott Nanning. 南宁万豪酒店. There was a mall Han Yang Mall and Subway station (Convention and Exhibition Center) right next to the hotel.
Level 4,5,6 of the Mall had many restaurants. We ate at this chain restaurant called Green Tea. The place was decorated in a Chinese river theme at night. Rather dark place with spotlights on your table.
There were only 2 of us. So we ordered 3 dishes - signature fried rice, grilled chicken and fresh prawns. The food was a lot! Thankfully I was hungry, so I ate most of the food. Yummy and delicious!
MIXC Nanning Mall China plus McDonald’s Angus Burger with pineapple 南宁 2019
Nanning, Guangxi, China. We were at this mall called the MIXC mall, which was the newest mall in Nanning, China. It is also located next to a metro station. We were in Nanning, China. Flew here from Singapore on GX Airlines (low cost). Stayed at the 5 star Marriott Nanning for 3 nights. It was a quick getaway from Singapore. Awesome!
Scenes from Nanning Subway
We were in Nanning, China! The metro system was quite new and still expanding. We took the metro around. Very cool and modern. China is expanding and growing very fast. The year is 2019.
Singapore Merlion Totem Pole in China! Nanning, Guangxi Mt Qingxiu [Unexpected Find]
Check out the Singapore Merlion Totem pole in Nanning China! An unexpected find. We were in Nanning, China. Today, we headed to the Qing Xiu mountain, which frankly isn't a mountain but more like a cluster of small hills.
The Qingxiu Mountain (or Qing Mountain, Taiqin Peak), is situated on the bank of the Yongjiang River and about 9 kilometers away from the southeast of Nanning City, provincial capital of Guangxi. It stretches more than 4.07 square kilometers with an altitude of about 82 meters to 189 meters above sea level and consists of 18 peaks including Qingshan Peak and Phenix Peak. Although not particular high, the Qingxiu Mountain developed as a famous summer resort and scenic spot in this area for centuries. Proclaimed as 'Giant Lung” of Nanning city, it is renowned for its pleasant climate, culture charm and marvelous green scenery for all four seasons. A pagoda was built on the peak in Ming Dynasty and defined as the avatar of Qingxiu Mountain. Surrounded by thick and bosky trees and precipitous rocks, two artificial pools - Tianchi(天池, Heaven Pool ) and Yaochi(瑶池, Jade Pool) afford more enchanting sights than you imagine when walking on the way to peak. More than 1,200,000 visitors flock to the Qingxiu Mountain of Nanning City each year, it becomes one of the most popular tourist destinations in Guangxi.
We spent a few hours here, riding around on an electric bus system (we bought an unlimited one-day ticket). In this video, we chance upon some ASEAN-China garden, and the ASEAN countries were depicted with different totem poles. The Merlion Totem pole represented Singapore.
Thursday, December 30, 2021
Chin Huat Live Seafood @ Sunset Way Clementi Street 12
Chin Huat Live Seafood @ Sunset Way. We go to this restaurant for lunch now and then. The set is not bad. Videos below give a glimpse of what we ate.
2019 - Seafood and beef dinner.
The dishes we had included:
1. Lobster Bee Hoon (Bee Hoon was full of wok hei!)
2. Crabs, cooked in 3 ways - pumpkin sauce, chilli crab, salted egg yolk, plus man tou
3. Coffee infused spare ribs (tender and fatty!)
4. Fried squid
5. Wagyu Beef slices
6. Roast Chicken
7. Yam Ring
8. Tofu and Veggies (2 types)
9. Dessert was Pudding with Ice cream in Fresh young coconut.
2021 - we started to eat their set lunches.
2021 - Silver Seafood Hor Fun
2021 - Pork with Rice
2019 - Seafood and beef dinner.
The dishes we had included:
1. Lobster Bee Hoon (Bee Hoon was full of wok hei!)
2. Crabs, cooked in 3 ways - pumpkin sauce, chilli crab, salted egg yolk, plus man tou
3. Coffee infused spare ribs (tender and fatty!)
4. Fried squid
5. Wagyu Beef slices
6. Roast Chicken
7. Yam Ring
8. Tofu and Veggies (2 types)
9. Dessert was Pudding with Ice cream in Fresh young coconut.
2021 - we started to eat their set lunches.
2021 - Silver Seafood Hor Fun
2021 - Pork with Rice
Premier Inn UK December 2021 Holiday Video Clips
We stayed most at the UK hotel chain called Premier Inn for our Dec 2021 trip to the UK. On this page, I'll put up the Youtube videos of the Premier Inns that we stayed at.
Bristol City Centre (King Street) Premier Inn
On the day of arrival, we picked up a rental car and drove 100+ miles to Bristol. We stayed at the Premier Inn Bristol King's Street for one night. This video shows you the room and the breakfast. This hotel is next to Bristol Harbourside with stunning views of the river. The restaurant was next door.
This Premier Inn had no on-site parking, so I had to park at a nearby Bristol Queen Charlotte Street NCP Carpark.
Ebbw Vale, Premier Inn
The next Premier Inn we stayed at was in Wales, at Ebbw Vale, for 2 nights. There was free on-site parking for this Premier Inn. In fact, from the parking lot, the surrounding views were excellent. We were in some sort of Valley, as you will be able to see. With a rental car, this Premier Inn was quite convenient as there were supermarkets and fast food chains nearby (within 1 to 2 miles).
For our dinners, we opted to get takeaways from a nearby Chinese Takeaway called Smiling Valley. For the first night, we walked there! Check out my video.
to be continued...
Bristol City Centre (King Street) Premier Inn
On the day of arrival, we picked up a rental car and drove 100+ miles to Bristol. We stayed at the Premier Inn Bristol King's Street for one night. This video shows you the room and the breakfast. This hotel is next to Bristol Harbourside with stunning views of the river. The restaurant was next door.
This Premier Inn had no on-site parking, so I had to park at a nearby Bristol Queen Charlotte Street NCP Carpark.
Ebbw Vale, Premier Inn
The next Premier Inn we stayed at was in Wales, at Ebbw Vale, for 2 nights. There was free on-site parking for this Premier Inn. In fact, from the parking lot, the surrounding views were excellent. We were in some sort of Valley, as you will be able to see. With a rental car, this Premier Inn was quite convenient as there were supermarkets and fast food chains nearby (within 1 to 2 miles).
For our dinners, we opted to get takeaways from a nearby Chinese Takeaway called Smiling Valley. For the first night, we walked there! Check out my video.
to be continued...
Crave Nasi Lemak over the years Singapore
This blog page is to showcase all the videos I've made on Crave Nasi Lemak over the years. I just realised that I have made a total of 9 videos so far! Let me start with the oldest to the newest.
2016 Crave Nasi Lemak @ Orchard ION
2018 Crave Nasi Lemak from Orchard ION (again!)
2018 Crave NASI LEMAK stall at NUH Kent Ridge Wing
2020- Nasi Lemak from Crave plus Chee Cheong Fun from Qiji 29 Feb 2020
2020- Day 31 of Circuit Breaker Star Vista Mall CRAVE Nasi Lemak and Long Queue at Phoon Huat!
2020- Day 41 of Circuit Breaker Crave Nasi Lemak Nene Korean Chicken and Heavy Rain in Singapore
2020- Chicken Cutlet Nasi Lemak Crave Nasi Lemak Singapore
2021- Crave Nasi Lemak Curry Chicken! 2 for $10 Offer in Dec 2021
2021 -Crave Nasi Lemak Chicken Cutlet
ENJOY!
2016 Crave Nasi Lemak @ Orchard ION
2018 Crave Nasi Lemak from Orchard ION (again!)
2018 Crave NASI LEMAK stall at NUH Kent Ridge Wing
2020- Nasi Lemak from Crave plus Chee Cheong Fun from Qiji 29 Feb 2020
2020- Day 31 of Circuit Breaker Star Vista Mall CRAVE Nasi Lemak and Long Queue at Phoon Huat!
2020- Day 41 of Circuit Breaker Crave Nasi Lemak Nene Korean Chicken and Heavy Rain in Singapore
2020- Chicken Cutlet Nasi Lemak Crave Nasi Lemak Singapore
2021- Crave Nasi Lemak Curry Chicken! 2 for $10 Offer in Dec 2021
2021 -Crave Nasi Lemak Chicken Cutlet
ENJOY!
Tuesday, December 28, 2021
Difference in Flying COVID versus Pre-COVID - Singapore Airlines Airbus A380 Experience 6 years apart!
We fly to London during COVID! December 2021. Ever wondered about the difference between flying in COVID and pre-COVID? I highlight the differences in the 2 SQ317 Airbus A380 flights we took, comparing the 2015 flight versus the 2021 flight. Wow, 6 years apart! Watch this to find out more!
Alright here is the full flight review of these 2 flights.
First, the more recent one - SQ 317 London Heathrow to Singapore in December 2021. We had the chance to do some travelling during COVID to the UK. This was our flight home. Enjoy the flight!
And, the flight from 2015 on the SG50 Airbus A380. A blast from the past!!
Part 1
Part 2
Boarding the Singapore Airlines SG50 Airbus A380 Aircraft!
Alright here is the full flight review of these 2 flights.
First, the more recent one - SQ 317 London Heathrow to Singapore in December 2021. We had the chance to do some travelling during COVID to the UK. This was our flight home. Enjoy the flight!
And, the flight from 2015 on the SG50 Airbus A380. A blast from the past!!
Part 1
Part 2
Boarding the Singapore Airlines SG50 Airbus A380 Aircraft!
Sunday, September 1, 2019
Hong Kong Protests 2019 Video Compilation
Hong Kong in 2019. This year will forever be remembered, for the year that HK exploded into protests, week after week after week. Stay tuned to this blog page for more videos, from the ground!
I must say whether you agree or disagree with the HK protestors, they started out very peacefully and showed great discipline in the early stages. In June 2019, protestors turned out in force, in a most disciplined manner.
But unfortunately, the situation quickly got out of hand. Public opinion started to turn against the protestors when they decided to shut down Hong Kong International Airport, without warning, in early August. Hundreds of flights were cancelled, and in this poignant video below, a Caucasian woman was begging the protestors to let her through to her aircraft gates.
This video shows you the scale of the protests at the Airport. The protestors were very organized indeed.
And, as if disrupting Airport operations weren't sufficient, they also disrupted the Subway system, as seen in this video. They wanted to choke the economy perhaps?
Normal day to day living was getting disrupted. In this case, protestors surrounded a black car and started to bash it.
I must say whether you agree or disagree with the HK protestors, they started out very peacefully and showed great discipline in the early stages. In June 2019, protestors turned out in force, in a most disciplined manner.
But unfortunately, the situation quickly got out of hand. Public opinion started to turn against the protestors when they decided to shut down Hong Kong International Airport, without warning, in early August. Hundreds of flights were cancelled, and in this poignant video below, a Caucasian woman was begging the protestors to let her through to her aircraft gates.
This video shows you the scale of the protests at the Airport. The protestors were very organized indeed.
And, as if disrupting Airport operations weren't sufficient, they also disrupted the Subway system, as seen in this video. They wanted to choke the economy perhaps?
Normal day to day living was getting disrupted. In this case, protestors surrounded a black car and started to bash it.
Monday, August 12, 2019
Majulah Singapura by Ramli Sarip National Day 2019
National Day 2019 will now be forever remembered for the incredibly emotional and moving rendition of Majulah Singapura by Mr Ramli Sarip, widely known as the Papa of Malay Rock.
Watch, and watch again. Majulah Singapura!
Here are other National Day 2019 Videos.
Mobile column, featuring Leopard 2SG Main Battle Tanks and much more!
Chinook Helicopter National Day Parade Singapore Flag Flypast and F15SG Vertical Climb!
Red Lions Landing
Majulah Singapura Finale and Fireworks!
NDP2019 Fun Pack Unveiling
Happy National Day Singapore!
Watch, and watch again. Majulah Singapura!
Here are other National Day 2019 Videos.
Mobile column, featuring Leopard 2SG Main Battle Tanks and much more!
Chinook Helicopter National Day Parade Singapore Flag Flypast and F15SG Vertical Climb!
Red Lions Landing
Majulah Singapura Finale and Fireworks!
NDP2019 Fun Pack Unveiling
Happy National Day Singapore!
Saturday, June 15, 2019
Arriving in Guangzhou - Shamian Island, Baiyun Mountain, Up Down 9 Street and More
This trip was back in late 2017. A short trip to Guangzhou, China. We flew on SQ and stayed at the China Hotel (A Marriott Hotel). It was a free and easy trip, with the objective to rest and relax. Though we didn't see very much, it was still fun.
All Fours Movement
The first video here is something odd I witnessed at a park. Check out this new 'All Fours Movement' (coined by me). Elderly crawling up hill on all fours? This was at Yue Xiu Park, Guangzhou. Quite bizarre, but they seem to know what they were doing.
We flew to Guangzhou on Singapore Airlines. We arrived in Guangzhou in good time. When we were researching on where to stay, we decided that since this was a short getaway, and prices in China were still relatively inexpensive (compared to hotel prices in Singapore), we decided on a nice hotel chain, and landed on the Marriott - A China Hotel.
This was a 5-star Marriott hotel, but it was one of the earliest (if not the earliest) 5-star hotel in Guangzhou. Hence the property was a bit old. Booking online, the rates for a Club Room was reasonable (about $210 SGD), so we decided to go with that. Further research revealed that we could take the Guangzhou Metro from the airport, all the way to the hotel. It looked very simple, and it turned out to be very easy indeed.
Of course, if you have large luggage to lug around, then it would be harder. But since this was a short trip, our luggage was light and easy to push around. So after landing, we got a China SIM card near the baggage carousel, and then made our way to our hotel via the Metro. The video below shows you this experience, from collecting our luggage, to buying the SIM card, walking to the Metro station, buying a 3-day METRO ticket, and riding the Metro proper. It really was very easy indeed.
When we arrived at the Yue Xiu Park metro station, (where the Hotel was located), we decided to go grab a bite at the nearby McDonalds first. We were hungry. Here is the video of the snack we had at McDonalds. We shared a Spicy Chicken Fillet Burger.
Guangzhou Metro Map
Here is the Guangzhou Metro map. You can easily find this online. The airport station is on Line 3, at the North of the map, called Airport South. (or was it Airport North, either way one of the airport stations isn't opened yet). Taking Line 3 southwards, we changed trains at JianHeWangGang to get onto the Blue Line, towards Yue Xiu Park, for our hotel.
On our first day, after arriving and getting to the hotel, we set out using the MRT to get to Shamian Island. To get there, we took the Metro to HuangSha station, which is on the western side of the map. At the Huang Sha station, exit via Exit F, walk via an overpass to get to the island. Here are two video clips on our experience.
Part 1 - Guangzhou China, Metro, Walk to Shamian Island
Part 2- Walking around Shamian Island, in Guangzhou.
Next Morning - Bai Yun Mountain
Next morning, where we had a full day, we decided that we should do the Bai Yun mountain as early as we could. Bai Yun (White Cloud) mountain is actually just a hill. Highest point is 382M. After doing our research, we decided to try taking the public bus #24 from Yue Xiu Garden (which is near where we stayed) to the foot of the mountain. It took a while for us to find the correct bus stop, but we found it. While waiting for the bus to arrive, I spotted this vehicle going past. Was it cleaning the road? I wasn't sure. The video was taken at the bus stop where we were waiting for #24. In the distance, you can see the Marriott Hotel.
Taking the public bus
First bus was too full. We managed to get on the second bus #24 that came along. Fare was 2RM per person and the driver doesn't give change. Since I didn't have small notes, I used 10RM for the both of us. It was a fairly tight squeeze along the way, but the bus was air-conditioned and it was a fairly comfortable ride, even though we were standing. When we reached the terminus station, we got off, followed the crowds to cross a road, and walked up to the ticketing area. This video shows you snippets of the journey. The ride from Yue Xiu Garden to the bus terminus was about 20 minutes.
Once we reached the cable car station, we got to the ticket line for cable car tickets. Pleasantly surprised that the line wasn't too long. After all, this was the Golden Week in China. We had done our travel research and decided that we should take the cable car up, and then look for the electric cart to take us up to the summit. Buying the tickets was very straightforward. I asked about the return ticket, and the counter staff said that return ticket could only be purchased up the mountain. Ok, then. We go up first. The next video shows the cable car ride upwards. As there was already a small crowd, they squeezed 8 pax to a car. The ride was fairly long.
Electric Cart
After we alighted from the cable car, we walked around a bit (this wasn't the summit yet) and found our way to the electric cart station. You could walk to the summit from here, but it would be an uphill 2km walk. I highly recommend taking the electric cart, at 10rmb per person. You will see from the video that there were many people walking up, so the walk is do-able but I think quite tiring.
Even after we reach the Moxing Summit station (where we get off the electric cart), it was still a good 5 minutes uphill climb to the summit proper. Therefore, unless you feel like walking many steps uphill, I would strongly recommend taking the cable car followed by the electric cart.
Walking back to Cable Car Station
We spent around 30 minutes at the Mo Xing summit. It was rather warm. Soon, it was time to make our way back down. Recall we took the electric cart here. This time round, we decided to take a walk back to the cable car station. Walking downslope wasn't difficult. On the way, we saw many people walking up, including young and old.
We had to buy tickets to do down via cable car, which we did. The whole place was getting more crowded as we approached mid-day, with more and more local tourists coming up. But we were done with the visit and on the way down. The next video shows you the cable car ride down. Check out the crowds at the base station!
Taking Public Bus Back to Hotel
We decided to take the same public bus #24 to head back to where we started. Here is the walk from the cable car station back to the bus station, and some snippets of the bus ride.
The rest of the time in Guangzhou, we were exploring, either on foot or via the metro. Here are some more video footage. Somehow, we found ourselves walking through some backstreet alleys of Guangzhou. We had veered off the main road. However, we were not lost, simply following Baidu maps.
QingPing Market
Also walked through a bit of Qingping market. Famous place for all types of medicines and dried goods.
QR Code Bus Station
Walked past a bus station. First time I saw such large QR codes printed on the wall. Later, I realised that their people were buying bus tickets to various destinations using their mobile phone.
Li Wang Plaza Guangzhou
We found our way to Li Wan Plaza Guangzhou, which was a wholesale center. This place was huge! All the shops were opened, but we hardly saw any customers. Later on I figured that they were all wholesalers and traders, taking much of their orders over the phone, or internet.
Dian Du De
And we had some food at this place called Dian Du De. This place was super crowded! We had read about it online and came to check it out. Full of locals. We ordered, and had way too much to eat! The portions were extremely huge (we didn't know).
Thanks very much for following my blog!
All Fours Movement
The first video here is something odd I witnessed at a park. Check out this new 'All Fours Movement' (coined by me). Elderly crawling up hill on all fours? This was at Yue Xiu Park, Guangzhou. Quite bizarre, but they seem to know what they were doing.
We flew to Guangzhou on Singapore Airlines. We arrived in Guangzhou in good time. When we were researching on where to stay, we decided that since this was a short getaway, and prices in China were still relatively inexpensive (compared to hotel prices in Singapore), we decided on a nice hotel chain, and landed on the Marriott - A China Hotel.
This was a 5-star Marriott hotel, but it was one of the earliest (if not the earliest) 5-star hotel in Guangzhou. Hence the property was a bit old. Booking online, the rates for a Club Room was reasonable (about $210 SGD), so we decided to go with that. Further research revealed that we could take the Guangzhou Metro from the airport, all the way to the hotel. It looked very simple, and it turned out to be very easy indeed.
Of course, if you have large luggage to lug around, then it would be harder. But since this was a short trip, our luggage was light and easy to push around. So after landing, we got a China SIM card near the baggage carousel, and then made our way to our hotel via the Metro. The video below shows you this experience, from collecting our luggage, to buying the SIM card, walking to the Metro station, buying a 3-day METRO ticket, and riding the Metro proper. It really was very easy indeed.
When we arrived at the Yue Xiu Park metro station, (where the Hotel was located), we decided to go grab a bite at the nearby McDonalds first. We were hungry. Here is the video of the snack we had at McDonalds. We shared a Spicy Chicken Fillet Burger.
Guangzhou Metro Map
Here is the Guangzhou Metro map. You can easily find this online. The airport station is on Line 3, at the North of the map, called Airport South. (or was it Airport North, either way one of the airport stations isn't opened yet). Taking Line 3 southwards, we changed trains at JianHeWangGang to get onto the Blue Line, towards Yue Xiu Park, for our hotel.
On our first day, after arriving and getting to the hotel, we set out using the MRT to get to Shamian Island. To get there, we took the Metro to HuangSha station, which is on the western side of the map. At the Huang Sha station, exit via Exit F, walk via an overpass to get to the island. Here are two video clips on our experience.
Part 1 - Guangzhou China, Metro, Walk to Shamian Island
Part 2- Walking around Shamian Island, in Guangzhou.
Notice from the videos that the visitors were all locals. Plenty of local folks out for a walk today. We also spotted people taking wedding photographs on the island.
About Shamian Island (https://www.travelch...mian-island.htm)
Shamian Island, previous known as Zhongliusha or Shicuizhou, is an elliptic sandbar in the Liwan District of Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province. The island's name literally means "sandy surface" in Chinese. Surrounded by water, it is just like a giant ship mooring alongside the wharf. Get further and one will find that the island is carefully planned. Three east-west avenues, Shamian Avenue, Shamian North Avenue and the South Avenue, and five north-south streets, Shamian Street 1 to the Street 5 divide the whole area into 12 parts, with various buildings, namely White Swan Hotel, Shamian Hotel, and Poland Consulate in Guangzhou, scattered around.
After roaming the island a bit, we headed off (using Bai Du maps) to walk around. I think we made it all the way to the up-down 9 street - ShangXiaJiu street or 上下九步行街.
Next Morning - Bai Yun Mountain
Next morning, where we had a full day, we decided that we should do the Bai Yun mountain as early as we could. Bai Yun (White Cloud) mountain is actually just a hill. Highest point is 382M. After doing our research, we decided to try taking the public bus #24 from Yue Xiu Garden (which is near where we stayed) to the foot of the mountain. It took a while for us to find the correct bus stop, but we found it. While waiting for the bus to arrive, I spotted this vehicle going past. Was it cleaning the road? I wasn't sure. The video was taken at the bus stop where we were waiting for #24. In the distance, you can see the Marriott Hotel.
Taking the public bus
First bus was too full. We managed to get on the second bus #24 that came along. Fare was 2RM per person and the driver doesn't give change. Since I didn't have small notes, I used 10RM for the both of us. It was a fairly tight squeeze along the way, but the bus was air-conditioned and it was a fairly comfortable ride, even though we were standing. When we reached the terminus station, we got off, followed the crowds to cross a road, and walked up to the ticketing area. This video shows you snippets of the journey. The ride from Yue Xiu Garden to the bus terminus was about 20 minutes.
Once we reached the cable car station, we got to the ticket line for cable car tickets. Pleasantly surprised that the line wasn't too long. After all, this was the Golden Week in China. We had done our travel research and decided that we should take the cable car up, and then look for the electric cart to take us up to the summit. Buying the tickets was very straightforward. I asked about the return ticket, and the counter staff said that return ticket could only be purchased up the mountain. Ok, then. We go up first. The next video shows the cable car ride upwards. As there was already a small crowd, they squeezed 8 pax to a car. The ride was fairly long.
Electric Cart
After we alighted from the cable car, we walked around a bit (this wasn't the summit yet) and found our way to the electric cart station. You could walk to the summit from here, but it would be an uphill 2km walk. I highly recommend taking the electric cart, at 10rmb per person. You will see from the video that there were many people walking up, so the walk is do-able but I think quite tiring.
Even after we reach the Moxing Summit station (where we get off the electric cart), it was still a good 5 minutes uphill climb to the summit proper. Therefore, unless you feel like walking many steps uphill, I would strongly recommend taking the cable car followed by the electric cart.
Finally, we were on the brink of reaching the summit.
To recap, first we took the public bus #24 (2rmb) from Yue Xiu garden to the mountain bus interchange. Next, we bought the cable car tickets (25rmb) which brought us up to a large, busy area. Then we found the electric cart station, and took the electric cart (10rmb) to the Moxing Summit. The final leg, we have to walk. But first, another 4rmb entrance fees. And we are finally here! (Prices correct as at Oct 2017)
This is probably the fastest way to get up. I realised that while many locals took the cable car up, they didn't take the electric cart. You could do that too, but check out my earlier video to get a sense of how far you would need to walk (uphill). I think the 10rmb was well worth the money.
Walking back to Cable Car Station
We spent around 30 minutes at the Mo Xing summit. It was rather warm. Soon, it was time to make our way back down. Recall we took the electric cart here. This time round, we decided to take a walk back to the cable car station. Walking downslope wasn't difficult. On the way, we saw many people walking up, including young and old.
We had to buy tickets to do down via cable car, which we did. The whole place was getting more crowded as we approached mid-day, with more and more local tourists coming up. But we were done with the visit and on the way down. The next video shows you the cable car ride down. Check out the crowds at the base station!
Taking Public Bus Back to Hotel
We decided to take the same public bus #24 to head back to where we started. Here is the walk from the cable car station back to the bus station, and some snippets of the bus ride.
The rest of the time in Guangzhou, we were exploring, either on foot or via the metro. Here are some more video footage. Somehow, we found ourselves walking through some backstreet alleys of Guangzhou. We had veered off the main road. However, we were not lost, simply following Baidu maps.
QingPing Market
Also walked through a bit of Qingping market. Famous place for all types of medicines and dried goods.
QR Code Bus Station
Walked past a bus station. First time I saw such large QR codes printed on the wall. Later, I realised that their people were buying bus tickets to various destinations using their mobile phone.
Li Wang Plaza Guangzhou
We found our way to Li Wan Plaza Guangzhou, which was a wholesale center. This place was huge! All the shops were opened, but we hardly saw any customers. Later on I figured that they were all wholesalers and traders, taking much of their orders over the phone, or internet.
Dian Du De
And we had some food at this place called Dian Du De. This place was super crowded! We had read about it online and came to check it out. Full of locals. We ordered, and had way too much to eat! The portions were extremely huge (we didn't know).
Thanks very much for following my blog!
Friday, June 14, 2019
Terracotta Warriors in Cling Wrap - I Kid you Not! - Taking Public Bus to see the Terracotta Army
We were in Xi'An, China! Today, we visited the Terracotta Warriors Museum. This was on our 'bucket list' coming to Xi'An, so we were definitely excited. After all, this is arguably the most important reason why tourists visit Xi'An in the first place!
Feeling adventurous, we decided to take the public bus. After researching on the Internet, we realised that it wasn't difficult. You just need to find your way to Xi'An Main railway station (not to be confused with Xi'An North High Speed Rail station). Unfortunately, there wasn't any metro stop near the main railway station, so we took a taxi from our hotel (Sheraton Xi'An North). The ride didn't take too long, about 15 minutes.
After alighting at the taxi stand, it was a short walk across a public square to a bus bay, where there were many tourist buses waiting. There were several companies, but they bring you to the same destination, i.e. Terracotta Army Museum, albeit some have slightly different stops. The bus fare was 7RMB or 8RMB per adult each way (7 or 8 depending on the company you take). You can pay the bus conductor in cash.
The ride took about an hour. Once you get off at the bus terminus, it was quite easy to find your way to the visitor entrance (just follow the signs). Buy your tickets and get yourself in!
The video below shows you from the time we arrived at Xi'An Main railway station. We got on a bus (it was blue in colour) and made our way to the Terracotta Army museum. En-route, we did stop at another tourist site, but that's for another blog post.
The Terracotta Museum itself was huge. Apparently, the crowds can get overwhelming (just look at the size of the entrance, and the barricades). Fortunately, it wasn't that crowded when we were there. We got our tickets easily (very short queue) and made our way in.
Pit 1 is the most famous pit. Take all your pictures there!
Some photographs to follow. After buying our tickets, this was the main entrance. Quite intimidating isn't it!
A photo of my ticket. We paid in cash.
From the main entrance, you still had to walk about 1KM to get to the main museum proper. There was some electric cart buggy you could ride (for a fee of course), but I think the ride wasn't worth it. The ground was very flat and it was an easy walk. The vast majority walked.
Inside the main Terracotta museum grounds, there are essentially 3 pits that you must visit. You can find all the detailed descriptions of these pits when you google, so I won't repeat them here.
As many of the reviewers have noted, Pit 1 is the most awesome and most famous. This is what it looks like. The scale is mind-boggling. Terracotta Army Pit 1 is an east-west rectangular pit, measuring 230 meters (252 yards) long, 62 meters (68 yards) wide and 4.5 to 6.5 meters (15 to 21 feet) deep. It is said to contain 6,000 warriors and horses.
Another view of Pit 1.
Yet another angle. You can see the soldiers all lined up. Obviously, when they uncovered this gigantic pit in 1976, it wasn't so neat. Hey, after being buried for 2,000 years, it ain't going to be so neat.
Take all your photos here, because Pit 2 and Pit 3 have far fewer warriors. Here is Pit 2 - also very large, but they are still excavating.
And pit 3 - which is supposedly a command pit. Pit 3 is the smallest, by far. Built in the shape of the Chinese character “凹”, the Terracotta Army Pit 3 measures 17.6 meters (19.2 yards) long from east to west, 21.4 meters (23.4 yards) wide from north to south and 4.8 meters (15.7 feet) deep. It can be divided into three parts: chariot and horse chamber, northern wing room, and southern wing room. It is thought that the northern wing room was used to pray for victory and the southern one for collecting military tactics. A total of 68 lifelike terracotta warriors were excavated from this pit, 42 from the southern wing room and 22 from the northern one. Sadly, many of them are missing their heads. The archaeologists also found a lot of well-preserved bronze weaponry, as well as gold, stone and bronze decorations, inside Pit 3. A distinctive chariot equipped with four horses was discovered inside the chamber of the pit.
https://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/shaanxi/xian/terra_cotta_army/pit_3.htm
It doesn't really take that long to do the Terracotta Warriors museum. If you want to speed things up a bit, you could hire a driver, or get a taxi, instead of the public bus. Obviously that would cost you more.
Thanks for reading my blog!
Other Xi'An Links:
1) Mt Hua Shan - Up the West Peak
2) Longmen Grottos - from Xi'An to Luoyang Longmen
3) Sheraton Xi'An North Hotel - Club Room and Executive Lounge
4) China Eastern Airlines Business Class Singapore to Shanghai to Xi'An Adventure!
5) China Eastern Airlines Business Class Shanghai to Singapore Flight Review
Feeling adventurous, we decided to take the public bus. After researching on the Internet, we realised that it wasn't difficult. You just need to find your way to Xi'An Main railway station (not to be confused with Xi'An North High Speed Rail station). Unfortunately, there wasn't any metro stop near the main railway station, so we took a taxi from our hotel (Sheraton Xi'An North). The ride didn't take too long, about 15 minutes.
After alighting at the taxi stand, it was a short walk across a public square to a bus bay, where there were many tourist buses waiting. There were several companies, but they bring you to the same destination, i.e. Terracotta Army Museum, albeit some have slightly different stops. The bus fare was 7RMB or 8RMB per adult each way (7 or 8 depending on the company you take). You can pay the bus conductor in cash.
The ride took about an hour. Once you get off at the bus terminus, it was quite easy to find your way to the visitor entrance (just follow the signs). Buy your tickets and get yourself in!
The video below shows you from the time we arrived at Xi'An Main railway station. We got on a bus (it was blue in colour) and made our way to the Terracotta Army museum. En-route, we did stop at another tourist site, but that's for another blog post.
The Terracotta Museum itself was huge. Apparently, the crowds can get overwhelming (just look at the size of the entrance, and the barricades). Fortunately, it wasn't that crowded when we were there. We got our tickets easily (very short queue) and made our way in.
Pit 1 is the most famous pit. Take all your pictures there!
Some photographs to follow. After buying our tickets, this was the main entrance. Quite intimidating isn't it!
A photo of my ticket. We paid in cash.
From the main entrance, you still had to walk about 1KM to get to the main museum proper. There was some electric cart buggy you could ride (for a fee of course), but I think the ride wasn't worth it. The ground was very flat and it was an easy walk. The vast majority walked.
Inside the main Terracotta museum grounds, there are essentially 3 pits that you must visit. You can find all the detailed descriptions of these pits when you google, so I won't repeat them here.
As many of the reviewers have noted, Pit 1 is the most awesome and most famous. This is what it looks like. The scale is mind-boggling. Terracotta Army Pit 1 is an east-west rectangular pit, measuring 230 meters (252 yards) long, 62 meters (68 yards) wide and 4.5 to 6.5 meters (15 to 21 feet) deep. It is said to contain 6,000 warriors and horses.
Another view of Pit 1.
Yet another angle. You can see the soldiers all lined up. Obviously, when they uncovered this gigantic pit in 1976, it wasn't so neat. Hey, after being buried for 2,000 years, it ain't going to be so neat.
Take all your photos here, because Pit 2 and Pit 3 have far fewer warriors. Here is Pit 2 - also very large, but they are still excavating.
And pit 3 - which is supposedly a command pit. Pit 3 is the smallest, by far. Built in the shape of the Chinese character “凹”, the Terracotta Army Pit 3 measures 17.6 meters (19.2 yards) long from east to west, 21.4 meters (23.4 yards) wide from north to south and 4.8 meters (15.7 feet) deep. It can be divided into three parts: chariot and horse chamber, northern wing room, and southern wing room. It is thought that the northern wing room was used to pray for victory and the southern one for collecting military tactics. A total of 68 lifelike terracotta warriors were excavated from this pit, 42 from the southern wing room and 22 from the northern one. Sadly, many of them are missing their heads. The archaeologists also found a lot of well-preserved bronze weaponry, as well as gold, stone and bronze decorations, inside Pit 3. A distinctive chariot equipped with four horses was discovered inside the chamber of the pit.
https://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/shaanxi/xian/terra_cotta_army/pit_3.htm
It doesn't really take that long to do the Terracotta Warriors museum. If you want to speed things up a bit, you could hire a driver, or get a taxi, instead of the public bus. Obviously that would cost you more.
Thanks for reading my blog!
Other Xi'An Links:
1) Mt Hua Shan - Up the West Peak
2) Longmen Grottos - from Xi'An to Luoyang Longmen
3) Sheraton Xi'An North Hotel - Club Room and Executive Lounge
4) China Eastern Airlines Business Class Singapore to Shanghai to Xi'An Adventure!
5) China Eastern Airlines Business Class Shanghai to Singapore Flight Review
Monday, June 10, 2019
Mount Hua, Hua Shan, West Peak and South Peak from Xi'An
We were in Xi'An, China! Today, we decided to make a day trip to visit Mount Hua, or the famous HuaShan.
Mount Hua (simplified Chinese: 华山) is a mountain located about 120 kilometres (75 mi) east of Xi'an. It is the western mountain of the Five Great Mountains of China, and has a long history of religious significance. The mountain is classified as five main peaks, of which the highest is the South Peak at 2,154.9 metres (7,070 ft).
Before this trip, we read a lot (and I mean a lot) about Hua Shan, from various bloggers and I tried to watch all the youtube videos on Hua Shan that I could find. We were supposed to be a on a leisurely trip so we were looking for the least effort way to get up the mountain. From our research, it was evident that there were numerous approaches. The hardest way is to hike up the mountain (takes 5 hours if you are fit). Apparently this was a common route up by many locals, and even some overseas visitors (and bloggers). I have no doubt that the sense of achievement would be greater if you hiked up the mountain, but we weren't up for such a strenuous activity.
This Trail Map of Mt Huashan gives you a good idea of the timings required to get from peak to peak. Take note the following:
1. Famous plank walk (or plank road) is between South and East Peak. We didn't go there, but many people do. (many Youtube Videos too)
2. There are 2 cable cars - to the North Peak and to the West Peak. For both cable cars, you will need to take an internal shuttle after you enter the park at the Tourist Service Center (or Visitor Center).
3. All reviews say that the walk from North Peak, to Middle Peak, is extremely strenuous as you are going uphill. Think of it as a 1-hour uphill climb. From what I have read, the steps are well cut, so safety shouldn't be too much of an issue. You just need to be physically fit.
Our Final Route
4. For us, the least physical effort route would be to go up and down West Peak cable car. Once we reached the West Peak cable car station at the mountain top, we first walked to the West Peak summit (it was still a 20 minute climb as you can see in my video and pictures below).
5. And then from the West peak summit, we headed to the South Peak summit. Take note, West to South is uphill. As the infographic correctly highlighted, it takes about half hour. Steps were well cut, so you don't have to worry about falling off the mountain.
6. After we viewed the South Peak, we headed back to the West Peak (downhill), and then took the cable car back down. We then had to take the internal blue shuttle bus back to the visitor center, and then a taxi to the HuaShan High Speed Rail (30RMB), and finally HS rail back to Xi'An North.
Our Trip Begins! Public Transport to Mt Hua
We went by ourselves, by public transport. It was an interesting journey, with many transfers. Sequence as follows:
1. Take the Xi'An Metro from our Hotel (Sheraton Xi'An North) to Xi'An North High Speed Rail Station
2. Buy High Speed Rail ticket, take the High Speed Train to HuaShan north Station (120km)
3. From station, took a taxi to visitor center. Along the way, taxi driver brought us to a tour agent to buy our tickets, as the price was the same, and we would be able to skip the queues at the visitor center.
4. Arrive at visitor center, entered the gates, take the blue bus to West Peak Cable Car base station.
5. Arrive at West Peak base station - it was a very long uphill walk (many stairs) to the cable car proper! We took the chair lift to go up.
6. Then we finally get onto the West Peak Cable Car, which brings us to the West Peak.
7. From here, it is on foot - we only visited West and South peaks. We only spent about 2 hours on the mountain top.
West to South peak was an uphill walk. So walking back from South to West was downhill. We headed back to the cable car station and went down to the West Peak base station. Then you need to take the blue bus back to the visitor center. From there, we took a taxi to the Hua Shan north High Speed Rail, got our tickets, and took the High Speed rail back to Xi'An North, and then the Xi'An metro back to our hotel! Mission accomplished!
High Speed Rail to Hua Shan North
I made four videos to give you a snippet of the entire experience. In this first video, we take the High Speed Rail from Xi'An North, to Hua Shan north. Then, we take a taxi to buy tickets and then the blue bus to the West Peak Base station. (#1 to #4 in the list above)
Chair Lift (and roller coaster ride back down)
In this second video, it shows you the chair lift. It was 30RMB per person, each way. A bit steep for such a short ride but it was well worth it because we didn't want to tire ourselves out even before we got to the mountain top! In the video, you can see how many steps you need to climb.
Cable Car Ride up to the West Peak
In this third video, it shows you the cable car ride (almost the full ride) up to the West Peak station. It was scary! But the views were breathtaking. Check out the hole in the mountain as the cable car approached the West Peak. Yes, they had to blow a hole in the mountain in order to build this cable car station.
Our Destination - Hua Shan West and South Peaks!
In this fourth and final video, I show you the West Peak and South Peaks. Gives you a good idea of the walking (and stair climbing) that you would need to do, when you go up the mountain. It was crowded, but some told us that the day we were there was already considered not crowded at all! We believed them because we didn't have wait much at all for the cable car. On some days, people wait up to 2 hours to get on the cable car. Scary.
Thanks for watching my videos! Below are some pictures too.
After arriving at Hua Shan north, we took a taxi, to a travel agent to buy our tickets and then to the visitor center. The journey by taxi took about 15 minutes. I think it is worth it to take the taxi (even though there is supposedly a free tourist bus from the Hua Shan North High Speed Rail), as it would easily save you 30 minutes of commute. The fare wasn't expensive, 20 RMB. If you buy tickets from the travel agent (that the taxi driver will bring you to, if you wish, but it helps to speak the local language), he earns a commission and will only charge you 10RMB. The tickets from the travel agent are genuine - they work. The price is the same as you would get at the visitor center.
Large scale, this place. Walk towards the mountain! The highest peak is the West Peak, though I cannot tell which peaks were in front of us.
We entered via the 'Tour Group' entrance, as we bought our tickets from a tour agent. No problems at all. After that, we took the blue bus, which brought us to this place.
You would think that you had reached the cable car station. Not yet! There were many more steps to climb. We were greeted by this beautiful archway. Look beyond, at all the steps leading upwards!
So, we decided to take the chair lift to save us some walking. Very few people took this chairlift, because it wasn't cheap. 30RMB per person, one way.
Now, even after the chairlift, you had to walk up this steep flight of stairs, in order to finally reach the West Peak cable car station!
Fortunately for us, the line for the cable car was very short. We hardly had to wait. The cable car ride was rather long (20 minutes) and the views were simply spectacular.
We reached the station, which was literally carved out of the side of the mountain. Look at the barricades, to cope with the crowds.
We were at the West Peak! You can't get lost up here. Many people. Well sign-posted.
People buy locks and ribbons. Quite a sight.
To get up the West Peak summit, this was the most challenging part. Ladder-like steps cut into the road. You need to use your hands to pull yourself up the chains.
Thanks for reading!!
Other Xi'An Links Below
1) Mt Hua Shan - Up the West Peak
2) Longmen Grottos - from Xi'An to Luoyang Longmen
3) Sheraton Xi'An North Hotel - Club Room and Executive Lounge
4) China Eastern Airlines Business Class Singapore to Shanghai to Xi'An Adventure!
5) China Eastern Airlines Business Class Shanghai to Singapore Flight Review
6) Terracotta Warrior Museum - Go by Public Transport!
Before this trip, we read a lot (and I mean a lot) about Hua Shan, from various bloggers and I tried to watch all the youtube videos on Hua Shan that I could find. We were supposed to be a on a leisurely trip so we were looking for the least effort way to get up the mountain. From our research, it was evident that there were numerous approaches. The hardest way is to hike up the mountain (takes 5 hours if you are fit). Apparently this was a common route up by many locals, and even some overseas visitors (and bloggers). I have no doubt that the sense of achievement would be greater if you hiked up the mountain, but we weren't up for such a strenuous activity.
This Trail Map of Mt Huashan gives you a good idea of the timings required to get from peak to peak. Take note the following:
1. Famous plank walk (or plank road) is between South and East Peak. We didn't go there, but many people do. (many Youtube Videos too)
2. There are 2 cable cars - to the North Peak and to the West Peak. For both cable cars, you will need to take an internal shuttle after you enter the park at the Tourist Service Center (or Visitor Center).
3. All reviews say that the walk from North Peak, to Middle Peak, is extremely strenuous as you are going uphill. Think of it as a 1-hour uphill climb. From what I have read, the steps are well cut, so safety shouldn't be too much of an issue. You just need to be physically fit.
Our Final Route
4. For us, the least physical effort route would be to go up and down West Peak cable car. Once we reached the West Peak cable car station at the mountain top, we first walked to the West Peak summit (it was still a 20 minute climb as you can see in my video and pictures below).
5. And then from the West peak summit, we headed to the South Peak summit. Take note, West to South is uphill. As the infographic correctly highlighted, it takes about half hour. Steps were well cut, so you don't have to worry about falling off the mountain.
6. After we viewed the South Peak, we headed back to the West Peak (downhill), and then took the cable car back down. We then had to take the internal blue shuttle bus back to the visitor center, and then a taxi to the HuaShan High Speed Rail (30RMB), and finally HS rail back to Xi'An North.
Our Trip Begins! Public Transport to Mt Hua
We went by ourselves, by public transport. It was an interesting journey, with many transfers. Sequence as follows:
1. Take the Xi'An Metro from our Hotel (Sheraton Xi'An North) to Xi'An North High Speed Rail Station
2. Buy High Speed Rail ticket, take the High Speed Train to HuaShan north Station (120km)
3. From station, took a taxi to visitor center. Along the way, taxi driver brought us to a tour agent to buy our tickets, as the price was the same, and we would be able to skip the queues at the visitor center.
4. Arrive at visitor center, entered the gates, take the blue bus to West Peak Cable Car base station.
5. Arrive at West Peak base station - it was a very long uphill walk (many stairs) to the cable car proper! We took the chair lift to go up.
6. Then we finally get onto the West Peak Cable Car, which brings us to the West Peak.
7. From here, it is on foot - we only visited West and South peaks. We only spent about 2 hours on the mountain top.
West to South peak was an uphill walk. So walking back from South to West was downhill. We headed back to the cable car station and went down to the West Peak base station. Then you need to take the blue bus back to the visitor center. From there, we took a taxi to the Hua Shan north High Speed Rail, got our tickets, and took the High Speed rail back to Xi'An North, and then the Xi'An metro back to our hotel! Mission accomplished!
High Speed Rail to Hua Shan North
I made four videos to give you a snippet of the entire experience. In this first video, we take the High Speed Rail from Xi'An North, to Hua Shan north. Then, we take a taxi to buy tickets and then the blue bus to the West Peak Base station. (#1 to #4 in the list above)
Chair Lift (and roller coaster ride back down)
In this second video, it shows you the chair lift. It was 30RMB per person, each way. A bit steep for such a short ride but it was well worth it because we didn't want to tire ourselves out even before we got to the mountain top! In the video, you can see how many steps you need to climb.
Cable Car Ride up to the West Peak
In this third video, it shows you the cable car ride (almost the full ride) up to the West Peak station. It was scary! But the views were breathtaking. Check out the hole in the mountain as the cable car approached the West Peak. Yes, they had to blow a hole in the mountain in order to build this cable car station.
Our Destination - Hua Shan West and South Peaks!
In this fourth and final video, I show you the West Peak and South Peaks. Gives you a good idea of the walking (and stair climbing) that you would need to do, when you go up the mountain. It was crowded, but some told us that the day we were there was already considered not crowded at all! We believed them because we didn't have wait much at all for the cable car. On some days, people wait up to 2 hours to get on the cable car. Scary.
Thanks for watching my videos! Below are some pictures too.
After arriving at Hua Shan north, we took a taxi, to a travel agent to buy our tickets and then to the visitor center. The journey by taxi took about 15 minutes. I think it is worth it to take the taxi (even though there is supposedly a free tourist bus from the Hua Shan North High Speed Rail), as it would easily save you 30 minutes of commute. The fare wasn't expensive, 20 RMB. If you buy tickets from the travel agent (that the taxi driver will bring you to, if you wish, but it helps to speak the local language), he earns a commission and will only charge you 10RMB. The tickets from the travel agent are genuine - they work. The price is the same as you would get at the visitor center.
Large scale, this place. Walk towards the mountain! The highest peak is the West Peak, though I cannot tell which peaks were in front of us.
We entered via the 'Tour Group' entrance, as we bought our tickets from a tour agent. No problems at all. After that, we took the blue bus, which brought us to this place.
You would think that you had reached the cable car station. Not yet! There were many more steps to climb. We were greeted by this beautiful archway. Look beyond, at all the steps leading upwards!
So, we decided to take the chair lift to save us some walking. Very few people took this chairlift, because it wasn't cheap. 30RMB per person, one way.
Now, even after the chairlift, you had to walk up this steep flight of stairs, in order to finally reach the West Peak cable car station!
Fortunately for us, the line for the cable car was very short. We hardly had to wait. The cable car ride was rather long (20 minutes) and the views were simply spectacular.
We reached the station, which was literally carved out of the side of the mountain. Look at the barricades, to cope with the crowds.
We were at the West Peak! You can't get lost up here. Many people. Well sign-posted.
People buy locks and ribbons. Quite a sight.
To get up the West Peak summit, this was the most challenging part. Ladder-like steps cut into the road. You need to use your hands to pull yourself up the chains.
From West Peak, we headed to the South Peak. It was uphill. South Peak was the highest peak.
It was like a party, climbing up to the South Peak. It was crowded, it was noisy. Some even turned up in party clothes. Check out my video to see the crowds, which were supposedly quite thin on the day we went up!
The South peak was even more crowded than the West Peak. There were even Chinese tourists having a huge quarrel. Thankfully they didn't start finding. Only raised their voices (very loud).
The din aside, the views were gorgeous. Here is a view of the West Peak, from the South Peak.
After we reached the South Peak, we headed back to the cable car station. Essentially you back-track, downhill - the cable car station is very near the West Peak. Another view of the West Peak Cable Car Station. Cool stuff. There is a photo booth there and they take a professional photograph of your group. You can choose to purchase the photo when you arrive at the bottom. We decided to buy our photo, as it looked pretty good.
Thanks for reading!!
Other Xi'An Links Below
1) Mt Hua Shan - Up the West Peak
2) Longmen Grottos - from Xi'An to Luoyang Longmen
3) Sheraton Xi'An North Hotel - Club Room and Executive Lounge
4) China Eastern Airlines Business Class Singapore to Shanghai to Xi'An Adventure!
5) China Eastern Airlines Business Class Shanghai to Singapore Flight Review
6) Terracotta Warrior Museum - Go by Public Transport!
Sunday, June 9, 2019
Longmen Grottos - From Xi'An to Luoyang Longmen to see the Buddhas Carved into Rock - UNESCO World Heritage Site
We were in Xi'An, China! We stayed at the Sheraton Xi'An North hotel - a wonderful stay. Today, we would be visiting the Longmen Grottoes. Longmen what? The Chinese name is 龙门石窟 Lóngmén Shíkū , or literally Dragon Gate Caves, or Grottos. (So nothing to do with Longman Jeans)
In 2000 the site was inscribed upon the UNESCO World Heritage List as “an outstanding manifestation of human artistic creativity,” for its perfection of an art form, and for its encapsulation of the cultural sophistication of Tang China
Now, getting to this UNESCO World Heritage site would be interesting. It was located near the city of Luoyang. The distance between Xi'An and Luoyang was 380km (236 miles). This distance was farther than Singapore to Kuala Lumpur (which is about 350km).
How to get there? High Speed Rail of course! The journey time would take us about 1.5 hours. To achieve this, the train would have to achieve an average speed of 253km/h. Not bad at all! This would be our first time on board a China High Speed Rail train. Excited!
I made 2 videos to remember this experience. Here they are, followed by some pictures.
In this first video, we make our way from Sheraton Xi'An North, via Xi'An Metro, to the Xi'An High Speed Rail station. After getting our tickets, we got into this huge station (the largest in Northwest China). As we had a bit of time, and also because our train ride was 1.5 hours long, we decided to get some food to eat on the train. I got a KFC burger - easy to eat! The train ride was very smooth and punctual. In the video, I also show you the toilet in the train. It was clean.
In this second video, I immediately show you the highlight (the most famous cave) of Longmen Grottoes - this huge rock carving of a giant Buddha and many other figures. You can find a full description of what this place is about on this Wikipedia entry. We don't believe in Buddha, but we were here to admire the rock carvings! Overall, it was quite a sight Pity, however, this place has been badly destroyed and mutilated over the years. We were told during the Cultural Revolution, the damage was super extensive. So we saw many empty caves, headless statues etc. We didn't spend too long here, but managed to see the most famous cave which is at the start of my video below.
Pictures
As promised, some pictures. Xi'An North High Speed Rail Station was huge, the largest station in Northwest China.
2nd class cabin, it is in a 2-3 configuration. Comfortable, and trains were punctual. The seats weren't very wide, but the incline was very good! Can easily take a nap.
Toilets were clean. This one was a squat toilet. My video shows you more of the train toilet. (yes, I went to do a toilet inspection.)
We brought our own food and water to eat and drink on board. Doing so allowed us to head to the tourist site immediately once the train arrived at Luoyang Longmen. Didn't want to waste any time finding food.
From the High Speed Rail station, we took a taxi to the Visitor Center. At the Visitor Center, we bought our tickets to enter the site. There was an optional electric cart. Having read earlier reviews, we took the cart as well. It wasn't expensive, and the ride was rather long. Saved us plenty of walking. You can see snippets of this ride in the second video.
After we reached the main site, there was naturally plenty of walking and stair climbing to do. Didn't want to tire ourselves so early! These are the steps with the wooden/golden handrails that would bring us to the most famous cave. This is featured in my second video.
\
Unfortunately, the Longmen Grottos haven't been well preserved. Plenty of damage. Oh well.
This angle shows you the steps to climb up, to see the various 'holes'. Frankly, more holes than statues now.
This shows you the interior of one the larger caves. I'm sure when it was first carved, it would been quite splendid as a piece of art. But, the wear and tear is really quite bad. Still, you can make out the statues.
Overall, it was an interesting visit, and only made possible by the very impressive and reliable China High Speed Rail system. So the lesson for me, for this field trip, was not so much this UNESCO world heritage site, but more of just how well connected Chinese cities are now with their High Speed Rail system!
Thanks for reading my blog.
China Eastern Airlines Business Class Xi'An to Shanghai to Singapore Review
China Eastern Airlines Business Class Singapore to Xi'An Adventure!
Sheraton Xi'An North Club Room and Club Lounge!
In 2000 the site was inscribed upon the UNESCO World Heritage List as “an outstanding manifestation of human artistic creativity,” for its perfection of an art form, and for its encapsulation of the cultural sophistication of Tang China
Now, getting to this UNESCO World Heritage site would be interesting. It was located near the city of Luoyang. The distance between Xi'An and Luoyang was 380km (236 miles). This distance was farther than Singapore to Kuala Lumpur (which is about 350km).
How to get there? High Speed Rail of course! The journey time would take us about 1.5 hours. To achieve this, the train would have to achieve an average speed of 253km/h. Not bad at all! This would be our first time on board a China High Speed Rail train. Excited!
I made 2 videos to remember this experience. Here they are, followed by some pictures.
In this first video, we make our way from Sheraton Xi'An North, via Xi'An Metro, to the Xi'An High Speed Rail station. After getting our tickets, we got into this huge station (the largest in Northwest China). As we had a bit of time, and also because our train ride was 1.5 hours long, we decided to get some food to eat on the train. I got a KFC burger - easy to eat! The train ride was very smooth and punctual. In the video, I also show you the toilet in the train. It was clean.
In this second video, I immediately show you the highlight (the most famous cave) of Longmen Grottoes - this huge rock carving of a giant Buddha and many other figures. You can find a full description of what this place is about on this Wikipedia entry. We don't believe in Buddha, but we were here to admire the rock carvings! Overall, it was quite a sight Pity, however, this place has been badly destroyed and mutilated over the years. We were told during the Cultural Revolution, the damage was super extensive. So we saw many empty caves, headless statues etc. We didn't spend too long here, but managed to see the most famous cave which is at the start of my video below.
Pictures
As promised, some pictures. Xi'An North High Speed Rail Station was huge, the largest station in Northwest China.
2nd class cabin, it is in a 2-3 configuration. Comfortable, and trains were punctual. The seats weren't very wide, but the incline was very good! Can easily take a nap.
Toilets were clean. This one was a squat toilet. My video shows you more of the train toilet. (yes, I went to do a toilet inspection.)
We brought our own food and water to eat and drink on board. Doing so allowed us to head to the tourist site immediately once the train arrived at Luoyang Longmen. Didn't want to waste any time finding food.
From the High Speed Rail station, we took a taxi to the Visitor Center. At the Visitor Center, we bought our tickets to enter the site. There was an optional electric cart. Having read earlier reviews, we took the cart as well. It wasn't expensive, and the ride was rather long. Saved us plenty of walking. You can see snippets of this ride in the second video.
After we reached the main site, there was naturally plenty of walking and stair climbing to do. Didn't want to tire ourselves so early! These are the steps with the wooden/golden handrails that would bring us to the most famous cave. This is featured in my second video.
Unfortunately, the Longmen Grottos haven't been well preserved. Plenty of damage. Oh well.
This angle shows you the steps to climb up, to see the various 'holes'. Frankly, more holes than statues now.
This shows you the interior of one the larger caves. I'm sure when it was first carved, it would been quite splendid as a piece of art. But, the wear and tear is really quite bad. Still, you can make out the statues.
Overall, it was an interesting visit, and only made possible by the very impressive and reliable China High Speed Rail system. So the lesson for me, for this field trip, was not so much this UNESCO world heritage site, but more of just how well connected Chinese cities are now with their High Speed Rail system!
Thanks for reading my blog.
China Eastern Airlines Business Class Xi'An to Shanghai to Singapore Review
China Eastern Airlines Business Class Singapore to Xi'An Adventure!
Sheraton Xi'An North Club Room and Club Lounge!
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