I had a very good night sleep in the luxurious Maxims Suite. When it was time to leave, I almost could not get myself out of bed.

Saying goodbye to my room at Maxims

The gorgeous bathroom which I didn't mess up

Catherine and I met at 11am to explore Maxims Towers and try out one of the restaurants in the mall. We settled on Stackers Burger Cafe. A set meal cost here around the same as what a Burger King set meal would cost in Singapore.

We checked out Newport Cinemas too. I regretted not catching a movie there during my stay.

I bought some traditional Ensaymadas back to share with my family. This is a kind of pinoy cheese bun that has it origin from Ensaïmada, a pastry product from Majorca, Spain, made with strong flour, water, sugar, eggs, mother dough and a kind of reduced pork lard named saïm.

Getting to the airport was pretty easy and quick with the RWM free shuttle bus transfer. Before I knew it, I was on a plane back to Singapore.

Newport Cinemas @ Resort World Manila

Photo wall

Stackers Burger Cafe

The menu

Fries

My Pinoy Chili Burger

Catherine's order

Ensaymadas (Pinoy cheese buns)

Bought some back for my family

These four dudes bought matching tees at SM Mall of Asia

Luggage all stacked and ready to go

The last thing I ate before boarding the plane - ended up buying another dozen of these for my family

This post rounds up my 4D3N trip to RWM. I hope you enjoy reading the blog posts. If you are keen to visit RWM and would like to find out more, do check out their official website for room rates and other updated details.

I could not wait to move into the suite at Maxims. Once I have checked in, I spend over an hour lazing around in the room, busking in the comfort of the cosy sheets and exquisite bathroom.

As there’s free Wi-Fi, I promptly set up my workstation and replied a few work emails while chatting with my wife online.

I intended to take a short nap initially, but I got so carried away exploring and enjoying the suite that it was already lunch time by the time I wanted to lie down to sleep.

The beautiful bedroom - it's a pity I am staying here alone

Bedside cabinet with a iPod holder, the switches to all the lights in the room

Dining area

Wardrobe with iron, ironing board, safe box, bathrobes, basically everything one needs

The majestic bathroom

Full set of toiletries

Work table

I promptly set up the my workstation, excited with the free Internet access

View from my room

Lunch was an international buffet hosted at the Genting Club. It was a casual affair with everyone busy mingling and getting to know each other.

As we will be headed out for the rest of the day, I did not ate much for lunch as I wanted to save some stomach space to try some regular pinoy food.

Small starters

Lemon fish on skewer

Chicken dish

Assorted vegetable

My lunch

After lunch, we set off on a city tour for sight-seeing in the earlier part of the day and shopping in the evening.

Our first stop was at the historic Rizal Park, where the remains of the country’s national hero, Dr José Rizal lies within the cornerstone of Rizal Monument. Considered one of the largest park in Southeast Asia, it has an area of 58 hectares which runs from Taft Avenue up to the walls of Manila Bay.

Since the Spanish Colonial Era, the park has been a favorite spot for unwinding, socializing, an urban oasis for family picnics on Sundays and holidays. It is one of the major tourist attractions of Manila.

Rizal Park has been the site of some of the most significant moments in Philippine history. The execution of pacifist Dr José Rizal on December 30, 1896, sparked the fire of the Philippine Revolution against the Spanish colonizers, elevating the martyr as the national hero of the country. The Declaration of Philippine Independence from American rule was held here on July 4, 1946 as well as the political rallies of Ferdinand Marcos and Corazon Aquino in 1986 that led to the EDSA Revolution deposing the dictator.

José Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda (June 19, 1861 – December 30, 1896, Bagumbayan), was a Filipino polymath, patriot and the most prominent advocate for reform in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial era.

As a political figure, José Rizal was a proponent of achieving Philippine self-government peacefully through institutional reform rather than through violent revolution, although he would support “violent means” as a last resort. Rizal believed that the only justification for national liberation and self-government is the restoration of the dignity of the people, saying “Why independence, if the slaves of today will be the tyrants of tomorrow?” (I love this quote) The general consensus among Rizal scholars is that his execution by the Spanish helped to bring about the Philippine Revolution.

Rizal Monument

Another picture

Rows of flags

Me in front of the Rizal Monument

Guards on duty

Next, we visited San Agustin Church, a Roman Catholic church under the auspices of The Order of St. Augustine, located inside the historic walled city of Intramuros in Manila. Completed in 1607, it is the oldest church still standing in the Philippines. It is also the oldest structure in the Philippines as no other surviving building in the Philippines has been claimed to pre-date San Agustin Church.

There were two consecutive wedding taking place when we arrived and we got to soak into the atmosphere. We then did a quick tour of a museum housing religious and secular art, located within the church premises.

San Agustin Church

The connected adjacent museum

Guard at an opposite photo studio

The church was adorned with flying confetti when we arrived

The first couple

As one couple leaves, another bride arrives

The wedding in process

The radiant bride slowly making her way in

Bride walking towards the centre of the church

A holy female figurine on the left

A holy male figure on the right

Oil painting outside the museum

Large antique bell at the museum entrance

Miniature model of the church compound

Tombstones

One of the exhibition rooms

Rows of religious artifacts

Crucifix artifacts

Another exhibition room

Large paintings like this line the wall of the museum

Large religious artifacts along the corridor

God and Jesus on a cross

Baby angels

Baby Jesus

Black Christ

Walking down the corridor

Patterned grilles

Wedding congregation

Priest addressing everyone

Large arch-shaped windows

Church courtyard

Antique ceiling lamp

The second floor

Tinted arch-shaped windows

Level 2 corridor

After the church, we visited Fort Santiago, which served as the headquarters of the Spanish, American and Japanese colonisers during more troubled time.

The fort is one of the most important historical sites in Manila. Several lives were lost in its prisons during the Spanish Colonial Period and World War II. José Rizal was imprisoned here before his execution in 1896. The Rizal Shrine museum displays memorabilia of the hero in their collection and the fort features, embedded onto the ground in bronze, his footsteps representing his final walk from his cell to the location of the actual execution.

Antique Cannon

Horse carriages for hire

Fort Santiago entrance

Dr Jose Rizal

Close-up of the statue

Dr Jose Rizal was imprisoned here

Preserved ruined area

Antique metal gates

Helpful Alvin

Forever alone

Local kids taking a photo

At the highest point of the fort

Uniformed guards at the fort

Vandalised wall

Underground bunkers

Dungeon where the Japanese tortured people

View from the upper floor

For shopping in the evening, we headed to SM Mall of Asia, owned and developed by SM Prime Holdings, the largest mall developer and owner in the Philippines.

SM Mall of Asia is the 2nd largest mall in the Philippines after SM City North EDSA, 3rd largest shopping mall in Asia and the 4th largest shopping mall in the world. It has a land area of 42 hectares and has a gross floor area of an approximate 390,193 m² and 407,101 m² of total area.

There was no way one could finish explore the whole mall in a single day, not to mention within the span of a few hours.

Hence I had to shop strategically, making a mental checklist of stuff I wanted to buy while walking briskly to cover as much of the mall as possible to get an overview.

In this way, I managed to get all the stuff I needed and was very happy with my purchases. I also managed to try some pinoy food at the food court, though they were not really palatable with my taste buds.

Drop-off point

SM Mall of Asia

Shopping time

Jollibee fast food restaurant

Mall interior

Singing and dancing to entertain shoppers

Taking photo with a shopper

The mall is humongous

Indoor ice-skating rink

The foodcourt

A pinoy food stall

Pizza stall

More food stalls

I ordered my food from this stall

Trying out some local food

Cebu roast pork

Assorted pinoy food

This tastes better than it looks - it's some sort of gluey sweet curry vegetable

Fried pork parts nibblers

Assorted roast nuts

Kids' play area

Me getting a drill to the head at the Children's area

Catherine buying Krispy Kreme donuts

Hermit crabs in colourful painted shells

Lots of design to choose from

Larger hermit crabs

Bought some pinoy souvenirs

A vest for Asher and two pair of pants for myself

Since this was our last night in the Philippines, the Singapore group had our dinner together at Manila Bay, bonding over fresh seafood, al fresco entertainment and beer.

The dinner was a perfect ending to a great trip at Resorts World Manila.

SM Mall of Asia by night - it's so huge I cannot get the whole building in a single shot

SM Mall of Asia on the left and Manila Bay on the right

Bumper cars

Kiddie rides

Rows and rows of restaurants by the bay

Pirate statue outside one of the restaurants

We ate at this seafood restaurant

Singapore team group picture

Tucking in for dinner

Chilli crabs

Butter crabs

Soy chicken

Cheese mussels

Broccoli

Grilled prawns

Grilled sotong

Steamed fish

Fried chicken

When we got back to our hotel suites in Maxims, I took a relaxing dip in the bathtub with the bath salt provided.

I had a really good sleep that night. We will all be flying home the next day and I really wish I had a few more days to laze around and do nothing, lapping in the comfort of the Maxims Suite.

Stay tuned to my last post on Resorts World Manila tomorrow.

This was followed by a quick welcome and presentation by a few of the key management staff at RWM on the integrated resort and its attractions.

Passion Restaurant has an interesting Chinese name which means "Wedding Banquet"

Inside Passion Restaurant

Buffet items

My breakfast

The main dining area of Passion Restaurant

An introduction to RWM

Next, we were brought around RWM for a familiarisation tour, guided by friendly RWM staff. We headed to Maxims Tower first to check out their various super luxurious six star suites.

Maxims Tower is the first all-suite luxury hotel in the Philippines. It has a total of 172 suites, each one richly-furnished and equipped with state-of-the-art amenities. Each suite is served by a personal butler; available round-the-clock to take care of every detail.

There are eight room categories in Maxims Tower:

Key Room Amenities include:

- 42″ HD Internet TV with wireless keyboard
- Touch pad room service menu
- All-suite with basic cooking facilities
- Bar facilities
- Massage room

Room booking comes together with 24/7 butler service, welcome drinks and fruits, breakfast for 2, complimentary parking and in-room Wi-Fi.

Yes it is expensive, but luxury and tip-top service comes at a premium.

There are also no hidden charges for Wi-Fi, pay TV and other miscellaneous service fees as everything is covered in the room rates.

We would be shifting over from Remington Hotel to Maxims Suites the next day. After touring the suites at Maxims, understandably, everyone got really excited and wanted to move over as soon as possible!

Cafe Maxims at the lobby

Ballerini by Fernando Botero

Stretch of high fashion retail shops

Even the escalator area is nicely furnished

Casino entrance

Interesting rooftop at Maxims Towers shopping wing

Roof-top pool facility

The swimming pool is an infinity pool

View of Maxims Towers on the roof-top

The pool

Little huts for lazing around and massages

Corridor leading to the rooms

The bedroom

Bathroom in The Villa

Private sun-deck and chair

Jacuzzi area

The Presidential Suite - The Mansion

A personalised butler in each room

Bathroom in The Mansion

Master bedroom

Living room

Dining room

Floor windows

Fresh fruits!

TV area

Private massage room

Cosy beds

Another bathroom

Room view from The Mansion

View from another angle

Best of all - a private infinity pool!

View of the infinity pool in The Mansion from another angle

Next, we visited the five-star Marriot Hotel Manila, also located within RWM. Designed for both leisure and business travelers, the hotel has 342 rooms and boasts exquisite restaurants and bars as well as spa and beauty services. Room rates are available via their official website.

Marriot Hotel reception

Marriot Hotel lobby

Desert bar

Hotel bar at the lobby

Wine chiller

Hotel restaurant

Roast beef

View of the lobby from the second floor

Spa services

Swimming pool

A guest sun-tanning

Checking out the hotel rooms

Living room area

The bedroom

Bathroom

Wider view of the bathroom from the connecting bedroom

Lunch was hosted at The Terrace restaurant, located on the fifth floor of Maxims Tower. We were served a satisfying four-course western meal.

The menu

Amuse Bouche

Traditional French Onion Soup

Sear free range chicken breast with pumpkin risotto and glazed French beans

Vanilla Panna Cotta with Hazelnut Tuile

Up next was some shopping! We left the RWM premises via a chartered tour bus.

Our first stop was at the Greenhills Shoping Center, a shopping centre in the city of San Juan. There are over 2,000 stores and the area epouses an “indoor-outdoor” theme, with the shopping centre having the appearance of several distinct buildings that are all interconnected through pathways and bridges.

I find the place much like Chatuchak Market in Bangkok, but with items going at lower prices, probably due to the differences in exchange rates.

I bought quite a fair bit of stuff here for my wife and son. Best of all, the total bill came to only around S$60+.

Our drop-off point at Greenhills

Security check before entering the shopping zone

Lots of stalls selling all sorts of stuff

Angry Birds merchandises everywhere

Women's wears

Men's tee shirts

Filipino foodstuff

Pink salted eggs

Dried goods

I tried one of these - chocolate ice cream infused into a long, thin waffle cone

Stuff I bought for my family and myself

Next, we headed to the Greenbelt Malls (Ayala Center), located in the middle of the bustling Makati metropolis. Owned by Ayala Malls group, it is a three-hectare park punctuated by cascading landscapes and water features. Things here are more upmarket and cosmopolitan. Much like the usual shopping districts in major cities like Orchard Road in Singapore and Siam Square in Bangkok.

Usually I do not shop much at the these cosmopolitan malls as they generally offer the same few global brand name stores which are likely to be widely available in Singapore at better retail prices. Instead, I will hit the supermarkets and restaurants to check out the local food, buying some back to share with my family and friends.

Likewise in Greenbelts, I headed straight for the supermarket at the basement of Landmark shopping mall and bought a cart of local tidbits and snacks.

In the Greenbelt area

View from atop a pedestrian bridge

Lorry-bus

Spotted a colourful McDonald's version

The Landmark shopping centre

Entering Landmark shopping mall

Tidbits heaven

Crazy tidbits shopping - we went for all the local brands and favours

Catherine paying for her basket load of tidbits

Tidbits I bought

After an evening of intensive shopping, we headed back to RWM for dinner and to retire for the night. Dinner was hosted within the super exclusive members-only Genting Club with live band performances.

The lifestyle club is designed particularly for Manila’s elite. Photography is not allowed in the club, hence I can only share photos taken at Taps, the performance area in Genting Club which we ate at.

Seated and ready for dinner

Snazzy club lights

Live band performance

Lead singer

Sushi items

Beef salad

Sheperd's pie

Chawanmushi and little spoons of octopus

Apple pork

Fishcakes

Chicken liver pate

My dinner

After dinner, some of us headed back to our hotel rooms for an early night while others went to check out the live entertainment at Bar 360, located within the casino on the ground floor. There were also some who went to try their luck at the casino which is open 24-7.

I explored the casino a little and then tucked in and slept early, looking forward for more exploration the next day (and also to checking into Maxims Suite). Stay tuned for my next post.

* Information are accurate as of blog entry publish date; please check RWM’s website for latest rates. 

Resorts World Manila (RWM) is one of the premier leisure brands under the Genting Group. It is one of the group’s flagship integrated leisure and entertainment complex featuring three hotels including a six star all-suite Maxims Hotel, an iconic shopping mall, 4 high-end cinemas and a multi-purpose performing arts theatre.

This is my first trip to the Philippines and Manila city. Two other bloggers, Camemberu and Sheila Mandy were hosted together. Both of them were also visiting the Philippines for the first time.

We flew by Philippine Airlines and arrived at Manila at around 3pm (there’s no difference difference between Singapore and Manila). Resort World Manila is located very near to the airport and it took just around 1 hour plus to reach there, depending on the traffic condition.

At the airport in Manila

Shuttle transfer to RWM

For the first two nights, we checked into Remington Hotel, a budget hotel targeted at transient travelers and those who prefer save on travel accommodation.

Standard rooms at Remington Hotel cost Php3,900++ (S$115) a night while service apartment rooms cost Php4,900++ (S$144) a night.*

The main differences between the service apartment and standard room are the absence of cooking facilities, a microwave oven and refrigerator in the latter. We were hosted in the service apartment rooms though there really wasn’t a need to utilise the cooking facilities with so much good food available 24-7, within RWM itself.

Room booking comes with FREE shuttle bus transfers including roundtrip transfer between the airport and the hotel; city shuttle service to-and-fro Binondo, Ermita, Quezon City, Makati, Taguig, San Juan Pasay and Psasig. These are good savings on transportation and save the hassles of haggling over fares with dishonest taxi drivers.

Security is tight to enter the hotel

Remington Hotel lobby

View of the lobby from the opposite direction

Check-in counter

Cosy bar and reception area in the lobby

Welcome pineapple juice

Hotel corridor

My service apartment room

A personalised letter from RWM and some meal vouchers greeted me in the room

View from my hotel room - Star Cruise Centre, the head office

Kitchen area

Bathroom

The bed

TV and moveable partitions to separate the bed area

Lounge area on each floor for meal breaks and gatherings

View of Remington Hotel by night

My room at Remington was simple and no-frills. Pretty much what I would expect for a budget hotel. The room was very clean and the housekeeping staff friendly and on-the-ball. I believe just cleanliness and service standards would satisfy most guests.

After checking in, we had dinner at Mercado Buffet Restaurant, situated on the ground floor, within the RWM Casino. Buffet prices range from Php299++ (S$9) for weekday breakfast to Php699++ (S$21) for weekend dinners.*

Mercado serves Filipino cuisines and have a seating capacity of over 200 pax. I had a great dinner at the restaurant, but am unable to post any photos as it is situated within the casino, a strictly no photography zone.

The buffet at Mercado includes a rich spread of Filipino favorites ranging from staples like Adobo and Pancit (stir-fry noodles) to delicacies like Sisig (chopped pig’s head and liver) and Kare-kare (Oxtail and vegetables in peanut sauce).

Resorts World Manila

Outside Maxims Tower where the RWM Casino is located

Maxims Tower by night

Right after dinner, we were treated to a spectacular musical performance of The Sound of Music at the Newport Performing Arts Theatre:

A promotional ad for the musical on the stairs at Maxims Tower

Newport Performing Arts Theater

The Newport Performing Arts Theatre was designed and built to host a wide variety of events from stage productions, concerts and award shows to parties and other functions. It can seat up to 1,500 pax and has a vestibule for 300 people.

Equipped with stage-of-the-art facilities like big onstage LED walls for dynamic backdrops and tip-top audio and visual controls, these added much to the enjoyment of the musical to the fullest.

I love the musical. Filipinos are very talented in entertainment and this production which boasts of an entirely Filipino cast and ensemble bears testament. Hearing old favourites from The Sound of Music like “Do-Re-Me” and “So Long, Farewell” makes me want to learn them again to sing to my son Asher, together with my wife. Sweet.

Ticket prices range from Php1000 (S$30) for balcony seats to Php2000 (S$60) for VIP seats.* I find this quite worthwhile and would recommend visitors to RWM to sit through a performance, especially if it is a full Filipino production.

After the musical, I returned early to my room to tuck myself in for the night, conserving my energy for the long day ahead the next day. Stay tuned for my next blog post on my stay at RWM.

* Information are accurate as of blog entry publish date; please check RWM’s website for latest rates. 

Peter Lim Sin Pang and Ng Boon Gay in the headlines of Lianhe Wanbao today (24 Jan 2012)

Who are these two dudes?

They are currently in the news for the wrong reason this Chinese New Year.

Via a report in Chinese evening papers, Lianhe Wanbao today, the Commissioner of the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), Peter Lim Sin Pang, 51, has been suspended from work since last month.

Other than him, Central Narcotic Bureau (CNB) Chief Ng Boon Gay and six other SCDF officials are under investigation by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB). Two SCDF officials who hold senior ranks are amongst the six under investigation.

Quoting reliable sources, Lianhe Wanbao stated that the case is linked to money and women. There are no further details on the case.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said that both Mr Lim and Mr Ng are on leave for now. MHA is due to issue a statement tomorrow.

Meanwhile, let’s get to know these two important guys better through their official resume.

Peter Lim Sin Pang

Peter Lim Sin Pang rubbing shoulder with Singapore's favourite president

Mr. Peter Lim first joined the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) in 1987 as a Fire Safety Engineer. In the course of his career, Mr. Peter Lim assumed various leadership and key management appointments, including Division Commander, Head of the Operations Department in Headquarters, SCDF, Director of the Civil Defence Academy, Assistant Commissioner of the General Staff and Deputy Commissioner of SCDF.

On 20 May 2009, Mr Peter Lim was officially appointed as the Commissioner of SCDF by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Mr Peter Lim graduated in 1986 from the University of Applied Science, Hamburg, Germany with a Bachelor Degree in Mechanical Engineering. He has also participated in the Columbia Senior Executive Program in 2003 and the Stanford Executive Program in 2008.

Ng Boon Gay

Ng Boon Gay smiling at our Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean

Mr Ng Boon Gay, 44, joined the Singapore Police Force in 1991 when he was awarded the Local Merit Scholarship. He graduated from the National University of Singapore with a Bachelor of Science 1st Class Honours in Mathematics. He also holds a Master of Business of Administration. In his 19-year career with the SPF during which he rose to the rank of Senior Assistant Commissioner, he has held amongst others, key appointments as Commander Tanglin Police Division and Director Manpower Department.

Mr Ng was appointed Director of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) (刑事侦查局局长) in April 2008. Under his leadership, major crime cases solved include the murder and the recovery of a decomposed body at Lor Sesuai; the highly publicized abduction case at Chiltern Drive; the Kallang knife attacks case and, most recently the Woodlands murder case.

To fight the menace created by the unlicensed moneylending activities, Mr Ng had directed stepped up enforcement actions which resulted in the busting of numerous syndicates and arrests of close to two thousand offenders in the last two years.

Mr Ng had also played a key role in cleaning up the streets from sleaze in Singapore.

In the area of development, Mr Ng has reviewed and enhanced the capabilities of the CID crime and technology forensic capabilities to better support investigations.

As a staff authority in investigation, Mr Ng had reviewed and proposed changes to the set up of the Investigation Branches in the Land Divisions so as to better equip frontline investigators to deal with new challenges.

Mr Ng was involved in the recent amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code and has put in place preparation plans for its implementation.

Last but not least, Mr Ng also oversaw the setting up of the Casino Investigation Branch to deal with cases related to the casinos in the Integrated Resorts.

LATEST UPDATE – MHA MEDIA RELEASE ON PETER LIM SIN PANG AND NG BOON GAY:

24 January 2012
SCDF and CNB Officers assisting in CPIB investigation

Former Commissioner Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) Mr Peter Lim Sin Pang and former Director of the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) Mr Ng Boon Gay are currently assisting the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) in its investigations into allegations of serious personal misconduct.

2 Investigations began in end December 2011 in the case of Mr Ng Boon Gay and in early January 2012 in the case of Mr Peter Lim Sin Pang. Both officers were placed on leave from their duties when the investigations commenced. Their duties have been covered by their respective deputies. Taking into account the current status of the investigations, both will be interdicted from their duties with effect from 25 January 2012, pending disciplinary proceedings.

3 The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has also decided to appoint Mr Eric Yap Wee Teck and Mr Ng Ser Song to assume command of the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) respectively with effect from 1 February 2012. This is to ensure leadership continuity of both organisations.

4 MHA expects Home Team officers to uphold the highest standards of duty and integrity. MHA views allegations of misconduct seriously. The Ministry and the two Home Team departments and relevant officers will continue to give their fullest assistance and cooperation to the CPIB in its investigations.

5 As investigations are ongoing, MHA is unable to comment on the details of the case. The investigations will establish the facts, and the officers will be accorded due process and a fair hearing in accordance with the civil service disciplinary process and the law.

Ministry of Home Affairs
24 January 2012

Here are a few photos of the two of them taken on the first day of Chinese New Year (年初一 ) at Kelly’s home:

Take 1

Take 2

Take 3

Take 4

Take 5

Alvinology family

This year, we have a new addition to the Lim family – my son, Asher Lim Yu Yi, 5 months old! This is Asher’s first reunion dinner. We dressed him up in a Nepalis costume and shoes given to him by my mother-in-law. I wore a matching Nepalis shirt to accompany him.

Asher in Nepalis costume and shoes

Doing push-ups

Asher with mum and with dad

We were happy to be able to secure a table at the main branch of Putien restaurants at Kitchener Road. The food was good as usual and the service excellent, despite the large dining crowd. We met and exchange greetings with the friendly boss and some old staff who are friends with my parents.

Prepping the Yu Sheng

The Yu Sheng is ready for tossing

Lou Hei!

Me tossing to health and harmony

Shark's fin soup

Sweet and sour lychee pork

Crispy chicken

Abalone with broccoli

Fried yam cubes - Rachel's favourite

Steamed fish

Garlic prawn

Signature Heng Hwa noodle

Tang Yuan with black sesame filling in red bean soup

My bowl of Tang Yuan

Asher was very excited to be out today and managed to stay awake throughout. Once we got home, he concussed in bed like a little piglet.

Asher with my mum and dad

Asher loves to look at fishes

Asher was very awake the whole dinner, observing his surroundings

While most people wishes for luck and fortune, Rachel and I will be very contented with a happy family, good health and harmonious relationships in 2012. Happy New Year everyone! May you have a great year ahead in 2012!

Album Cover (image via Apedown.net)

Blast from the past. Presenting 小虎队 & 忧欢派对:

Happy Chinese New Year everyone!

Here’s an updated 2011 cover of the same song for the younger folks:

A butler in the capsule going through the itinerary for the Singapore Flyer Lou Hei

Thanks to the folks from Singapore Flyer, I got to experience their in-capsule Canapés “Lou Hei” Flight to usher in the year of the Dragon. Each flight can accommodates up to 24 guests and comes with a personalised butler service. More information on the package is available via the Singapore Flyer website.

The Yu Sheng is laid out earlier as time is precious in the capsule

Getting ready to Lou Hei as we reached the highest point of the Singapore Flyer

Reaching the highest point of the Singapore Flyer

Huat ah!

My toss to good fortune in 2012

Enjoying the Yu Sheng

View of Marina Bay Sands

Canape items

Small dessert items

Giant gong to throw coins at for the Auspicious Trail (coins will be collected and donated to charity)

Chinese calligraphy is available at the Singapore Food Trail

Tang Yuan to round up the day

There’s a special Chinese New Year promotion now; simply purchase a full-priced adult flight ticket and receive*:

- 1 x Singapore Flight to embark on the Signature Auspicious Trail journey
- Free limited edition red packets
- Free 1-for-1 voucher for a return visit in March 2012
- Get a chance to win $888 cash for every $150 spent at Singapore Flyer (including flights and participating tenants)

Other than the flyer itself, there are a slew of different activities lined-up, ranging from their Signature Auspicious Trail to a God of Fortune Goodie Bag Giveaways to a Chinese traditional wedding culture exhibition.

Planning for something to do together with your friends or family members for this Chinese New Year period? Perhaps you can consider ushering in the year of the Dragon with good luck, prosperity and fortune at Singapore Flyer, the world’s largest Giant Observation Wheel.

Vijayakanth striking a macho-man pose

As an actor, Vijayakanth was nicknamed Captain after the 1991 movie Captain Prabhakaran, his 100th film and is well-known in Kollywood for his macho-man movies.

That’s Vijayakanth’s formal bio. Informally on the Internet, he is known for his superhuman, unintentionally hilarious videos on youtube, many defying the law of physics and science.

Very unflattering movie review for Vijayakanth

Below are a few of his amazing videos. Watch and enjoy.

Vijayakanth uses his gravity-defying twirl attack on 12 thugs:

Vijayakanth bounces off a bullet with willpower:

Vijayakanth making a thug fly into the air by simply twirling his mustache:

Vijayakanth demonstrating his superhuman strength in one of his many epic fight scenes:

Vijayakanth teaching gangsters how to behave as a fighting university professor:

Vijayakanth hacking a computer by typing a document in Windows Media Player:

Vijayakanth giving electric current a shock instead of the other way round:

Vijayakanth using mobile phone technology to perform open heart surgery: