Once Upon a Time in CHIJMES

Night life! This is not my thing and I’ve never been in a bar before except when I got invited by a childhood friend to watch a Filipino live band at Victoria St., a place where white people hang out, and they call it CHIJMES.

Being a first-timer in a bar made me feel awkward and at the same time curious of what is there inside this dark room filled with colorful lights and people standing next to each other, each enjoying their drinks… Actually, I had zero idea of where we were going that night, after my friend asked me to wear her pair of wicked Charles & Keith wedges [by the way, I’m a flip flop and sneaker gal]. When we arrived at our destination, I didn’t even bother to check how the building looks like outside, and since it was dark, all that stood up in front of my eyes were bright lights… then there were white people, mostly in their 30s to 60s. As we entered the bar, we headed to the counter to order drinks [so then I got my first tequila, yay!].

The live band was playing and people started to muster at the center of the room, each with their own unique moves. Yes, it was a bit noisy and I guess I was the only one that’s quiet [though I giggled at times cause of an elderly couple's amusing dance moves] but I enjoyed watching them, and no there were no explicit moves as I thought is all there is in a bar. May be because these people were professionals – I may have concluded it this way since I figured out that these Caucasian men and women were there in Singapore for their jobs and nothing else. A few Asians seemed to be tourists, and they were well-behaved. So, for an old school like me, I was thankful that my first bar encounter wasn’t a rot, and I called it a night.

Recommended place for a first class night life experience.

Google Maps Generator by RegioHelden

Urban Forest in the Heart of Lion City

There is always such a big thrill when visiting a city and you expect not just what it usually offers – city lights, modern landscapes, luxurious life style, delectable food, etc – but a touch of nature that you’ve thought could only be found in the Amazon. I discovered this myself when I went strolling down the slopes inside Singapore’s Botanic Garden. You think it’s just a mere garden? True, there are a hundred orchid species plus tons of wild flowers, vines, trees, and shrubs but what amazed me was the classic setup where vintage European lamp posts were well-blended with nature.

Aside from lamp posts which are visible in almost every corner of this wide-acre plot, there are also wooden benches fastened at the right spots, so no worries if your feet got worn-out from hiking, you’ve got a place to rest them. And what else could you ask for a rainforest? There were mini torrents that give a total jungle ambience and a man-made waterfall that catches tourists for an incredible snap shot background.

Now let me give you a sneak peak of what I am talking about….

Could you tell that’s epic?
For more travel photos


Botanic Garden admission is FREE. Orchid Garden ticket costs 5 SGD per person.
TIP: It is best to visit early in the morning to avoid extreme heat from the sun.

Why I Love Singapore

At one point in my life I have come to the realization of my childhood dream – to travel the world. Not given the chance yet to explore all seven continents, I am quite happy with what I have already accomplished for the past three years. Amongst the highlights of my journey to Asia is the beautiful Lion City which I know I won’t ever stop visiting, even at countless time. The reason is simply this: I am very much impressed not only with the stunning cityscape but also its sanitation. Apparently, the absence of eyesore such as garbage and beggars in pubic makes the city impressing to both locals and tourists.

May first visit in October 2012 was so short that I was only able to go see the famous Marina Bay Sands and its Sky Park, the spectacular Resorts World Sentosa where the Universal Studios is, and a taste of Arab Street and the East Coast plus a few great places for shopping and night clubbing. However, I was not able to fully explore the city including its grandeur Changi Airport until my next visit a year later.

So in the last part of October 2013, my mission to discover the Changi Airport was accomplished. With my 17-hour lay over prior to my flight to Bangkok, I grasped my chance of horsing around all three Terminals via the Sky Train. It has been one of the most excellent tours I’ve ever had aside from purging my possibility of getting bored waiting for my next flight. Commuting through the hectic Sky Train opened the opportunity for me to take snap shots outside and around the airport. Thanks to the friendly guys at Fans of Changi for their best tips – I got to see the best spots inside and outside the edifice!

Fascinating lanes to Changi Airport
Get inspired and see more of my travel photos on http://instagram.com/gweniskins

World's Paramount Airport - I've Been There!

Six weeks more and it’s off I go!

While making slight preps for my upcoming jaunt, I make sure that all tickets [airline tickets and theme park admission tickets] are set and paid including hotel and tour reservations. I have talked to my host and all itineraries are laid and scheduled, picking up only the best places to see and great food to eat [so to make sure that I won’t miss anything that I would regret in my comeback]. But one issue has left me a dilemma lately – my primary airline rescheduled my flight so instead of a 5-hour stopover, I now have a whooping 17 hours of airport idleness prior to catching up on my next flight. But the good thing is that, I will be taking a break at the World’s Top Airport – the Changi Airport!

See more on SKYTRAX World Airport Awards
If you are a certified nomad, you would have heard the buzz about Changi – possibly from the news, travel blogs and advisories, or even from friends that have been there. As per the record, Changi grabbed the first place in 2012-2013 World’s Top 100 Airports by SKYTRAX. It is Asia’s major aviation hub connecting tons of flights daily to Australia, Southeast Asia, Middle East, Europe, and North America, to name a few. With this, the Changi Group continues to provide all the comfort while one travels. Currently, there are three terminals that compose Changi – Terminal 1, 2, and 3, and an upcoming Terminal 4 is at watch as the administration has demolished the old Budget Airport. Skytrain is used to connect passengers going through and from all the terminals. Inside Changi is a generous selection of shops – designer’s brands, novelty, and restaurants while at the transit area are several gardens that truly ease everyone from a long and tiring flight. What’s amazing is that Changi also offers free rest areas, napping areas [with corresponding fee], transit hotels, cinemas, free WiFi, entertainment zone, and baggage counters. With all these, you can wisely make use of your time exploring inside and leave boredom during your connecting trips.

Since I have already mentioned about the best airport in the world, let me just revisit another huge aviation core in Asia – the Hong Kong International Airport which ranks as the 4^th. Hong Kong International Airport is currently the world’s busiest cargo gateway and one of the world's busiest passenger airports. It is the home for the renowned Cathay Pacific, and the rest of Hong Kong and Asian airlines that cater flights to London, Sydney, Tokyo, Singapore, India, Osaka, Seoul, and more.

When I first stepped on the floor of Hong Kong International Airport, I felt especially different ambiance with the huge area topped with luxurious lounges, restrooms, interior finishes, and train that connects within the premises. Because the airport is enormous, expect some confusion and possible lost when you are a first-timer and are poor with directions. However, this technologically-advanced airport along with its congenial Immigration Officers made me revisited the city a year later.

As a traveler, I get to appreciate the airports that I got to set a foot on, and gladly, I’ve been to the best airport in the world, and will be there again in the near future. See you soon Changi!

Which airport have you been to? Share me your stories and photos.

Throwback 2012: All-rush in Singapore

October 20-22, 2012 – After booking my plane tickets on mid-July I was then wound up for my next trip, destination – Singapore! I know it was a very short visit so I anticipated the itinerary to be hectic – thanks to my tour guide, my good friend, Adel who was very organized with our day-to-day schedule.
First stop was at the renowned Orchard Road, where the centre of commerce is, and where people from different walks of life merge. From Orchard I was brought to not only see but enter the lobby of the most famous building in the city, the Marina Bay Sands. Inside is a spectacular architecture of modern concept savored with shops of the most expensive brand names. The Casino is amongst the highlights of the structure, and I was privileged to go inside where complementary bottled water is everywhere!

Move on to the second day – a roam to the Resort World Sentosa! Took the hop-on hop-off tram, I went to see the beauty of Singapore’s coast featuring the Palawan and Siloso beach resorts. As I recall, the weather wasn’t wonderful that very day and so we got caught in the rain and off we headed to the Waterfront, just next to the Universal Studios. Hard Rock Café was very tempting where me and my buddy ended up eating our lunch at that spot. Shopping inside the café was also a one-of-a-kind experience for me – I got souvenir shirts and a cap for an amount that I do not want to learn how much the equivalent in Philippine currency. The rest of the day was spent in Vivo City and it was a shopping spree for the shopaholic me!

Last and final day – we arrived at the Marina Bay Sands Sky Park and enjoyed a fascinating view overlooking the city. What we missed was the guided tour to the infinity pool – my ultimate goal, but it was all okay, I was able to sneak at it and snapped some shots. After the sky-hopping activity, we took a walk with another grade school friend at the Sentosa Boardwalk and headed to the Universal Studios. We were there just on time so we took our stuff off and jumped in the most crucial rides – the Battlestar Galactica and the Revenge of the Mummy – all worth screaming rides! I walked around the theme park alone while my buddy took a rest that lead me to capture some good shots of the Far Far Away Land, the Madagascar, and the rest of the attractions. Of course, shopping is always part of the trip so here we go – souvenirs, yay!

My final hour in this lively city wasn’t over yet. I needed to web check-in so I can be at the airport even an hour before my flight, and to close the wonderful deal, we got free passes to the Singapore Flyer, courtesy of Uncle Noel – what an awesome night to be seeing the colorful lights of the tall and awe-inspiring buildings in the surroundings.
To sum it up, my Singapore short visit was as amazing as ever. I missed some great places such as the Gardens by the Bay, Clark Quay, Botanical Garden, and Merlion but overall it was a superb experience. Until next time, SG!

Some tips when visiting Singapore:

• Try not to convert every SGD to PHP, you will end up not wanting to buy even a bottled water.
• Go to big supermarkets and find the Cadbury chocolate bars, they are five times cheaper than those being sold at the Duty Free shop.
• Prepare an EZ Link card for easier transportation mechanic, it works both on bus and train.
• Never forget to load your camera with at least 4GB memory card, everything in SG is worth taking picture of.
• Do not crave for a chewing gum especially when in public areas such as park, mall, and transpo if you don’t want to get caught and fined.
• Always address the taxi driver with respect, call him "uncle" [as if you are kins lol].
• Finally, no worries about pick-pockets, there is NONE in Singapura.

gwenisworld is Having a New Look

Since the 10^th of July 2006, gwenisworld has been up and publishing posts about my interests as well as my first local travel experiences. Years passed by and I got to realize that traveling is the strongest awareness that I desire. So from this day on, let me give a facelift to my blog site and call it plainly a travel blog, which will serve as a documentary of my previous travels and my upcoming journeys. It will also feature must-see places, must-do things, must-eat foods, and a lot more...

The main goal of this blog site is to give helpful information to all my fellow travelers and the aspiring ones, and to share the awesome experiences that I had as each post will be peppered with wonderful images that can tell their own stories. Enjoy the site and be inspired!