Charming Korea

Visited Seoul, Yongpyong and Gjeongju in end March early April 2010, that was a wonderful spring holiday I had in Korea after 10 years, wow, time really flies.

alot of fun and sweet memory of going around on our own, trying to figure out how to take express bus from Seoul to Gjeong-ju, got a little lost of how to get back to our hotel while walking back from Dondaemon to Amigo Hotel and met very helpful Korean man to walk us all the way to the door step. Another very interesting small shopowner tried to help by bring us to take taxi and we "refused" to take as we know we are somewhere near the hotel and back track to find our way home. So intersting and unforgetable.

Amigo Hotel is really quite a good place to stay in addition to its proximity to Dondaemun, its owner, helpful caretaker and cosy room with computer and reception counter just outside our room made us change our mind not to move to another motel.

Will upload the beautiful photos later to share with you the happy time we went through with winter snow and spring flower trials.

Marina Bay Sands and Helix Bridge

within less than a week in April, we witnessed 2 latest spectacular landmark features (Helix Bridge opened on 24 Apr at 9pm and Marina Bay Sands IR soft-launched on 27 Apr at 3.18pm) in Marina Bay were open to public in Singapore. Chruch friends and I visited them the place on 2 May 2010 and had a good time there under the hot sun of high temperature of 34 degree C.

We parked our cars at Marina Square to have lunch and then walked over by waling through the car park entrance Marina Oriental Hotel (to get some shape) and heading towards the Helix Bridge to have a good look of the architecture, the World's First Curved Double-Helix Bridge. The Helix Bridge (螺旋桥), is a pedestrian bridge linking Marina Centre with Marina South, quite a marvellous project completed in about 2 years.

Things really happened as planned and on schedule as I first heard all these projects when I was with a Beijing show business group visiting URA in 2004 where the planners briefed us on the special unique projects to be built around the Marina Bay as the necklace of perals (at that time the IR thingy is still under debate and we know that we are going to do something very differently, we are sure that the site must house something very strategic and key to Singapore) and we have earmarked 2010 will be a NEW Singapore with sparkling projects along Marina Bay. So glad to witness and see for ourselves things happened under our nose with bold vision and committed leadership, mission, determination, will and full-force integrated implementation and execution by all sister agencies. Also thankful to the internatioanl and local investors for their foresights and confidence in our strengths to pour their investments here for their business growth and creating employment opportunities for our people in service sector.

The 280m pedestrain bridge complements other major development projects planned in the area, including the MBS IR, Singapore Flyer, Gardens by the Bay and the 438,000 m² business and financial centre which will be ready by 2012.



The pedestrian bridge is set to transform Singapore's city landscape, and serve as a key link to the MBS. It is centrally located just in between the floating platform at Marina Bay and MBS. When the Promenade is completed by mid 2010, it will form a 3.5-kilometre pedestrian loop around the whole bay. At its entrance is Singapore's first art park - the Youth Olympic Park - where works sit as a symbol of the inaugural games on 14 August. Total cost for all 3 new features is about $83 million.

Many locals and tourists flopped the ground where u can see huge human traffic at these 2 spots. The architectures are spectaular, and it is very rare to see MBS at such a close range and can even view the ERP camera right infront of MBS. Never have such a close encounter with this cash-milking machine under the sunny sun and elegant IR.

The S$7.5 billion MBS looks more classy and unassuming, the unique greens features and full-length glass drew in alot of sunslight which made the lobby brightly lime resulted to some saving on electricity, tastefully done dining facilities right in the middle of the lobby between tower 1 to 3, staff walking on the upper floors look like doing a nice cat walk...

we had a good time checking out the hotels, kids club, sweet spots, browsing on the luxury stores and local delights etc. It was a nice discovery of latest IR development with architectural treats.

We will be back after the grand opening on 23 Jun to dine and enjoy!!