Malaysia - Kuala Lumpur retreat

friends, see the view of our camp resort in rawang, KL....it is really look better in picture, however, overall it is quite a nice retreat place with right company.

Went for a combined church camp from 17-20 Jun for 245 members last week in MBS Recreation Resort at Rawang in Kuala Lumpur. The recreation centre was supposed to be a golf resort but didnt take off due to its off-site location, and now it became a resort for various type of leisure acoommodation and activities.

It was quite a nice place to hold team activities as there are some 300-bed ( dormitory, chalet etc) with big swimming pool and multi-purpose halls and parking facilities. But it is really deep inside (at least 15-min drive) after the Rawang tol.

The camp programme was quite well organised and have some free time where we can do our own sports and i even went out with KL firends to have a good durian and dinner feast (simple and delicious) and patronised its pasar malam on saturday evening of 19 Jun.

see the scene of the traffic light and sunset

The fruits stall selling tomato at only Ringit 2 per kilo, very nice and crunchy tomatos...susan is selecting the best....

the shop where we have our lovelyunique steam sting ray, deep fried mini-shark and stir fried long beans, very delicious, total cost only Ringit 27 (about S$13.50)


But the journey back to Spore was not as smooth as expected due to tyre of coach punctured 30 min before reaching Tuas checkpoint which resulted to 2 hours delays, then checkpoint long queue where limited coach stations open for inspection (hope Spore cusotms could open for lanes so that visitors in coach dont need to suffer long wait in the bus and on the road). We set off from KL at 2pm, and cleared customs at 12 midnight, goodness!!

in the midst of journey, the Malaysian tour guide did their country a national sevice by bring us to a shop for souvenir shopping (even though it was quite a good break with nice tidbits, but on the hindsight, we should not have gone as it draged from 30-min to 45 min due to long queue at paying counter and contributed to the total jounrney time taken. The consoldation was i have taken some nice shot at the shop cafe for friend Priscilla...

Overall it was a trip worth making with knowledge, sharing and friendship acquired.

World Expo 2010 Shanghai

Never planned to visit Shanghai for World EXPO in such an early stage as always feel that i would only visit it during my own private holiday in Oct after the golden week to avoid the huge crowd and hot weather. But, man can never beat the god who created a chance so early in end May for me (a consolation when he knows that i cant volunteer myself to work there).

I was surprised to hear that i am supposed to go for a regional meeting in Shanghai in end May since we have been on tight shoe-lace budget after the financial crisis in 2009, all budgets were cut including travel. After consulted my advisor, I gladlly accepted the offer and picked up the bag and flew off.

After the official meetings concluded on 28 May noon, i took a cab with colleagues and rush to World Expo site, alighted at Pudong Changqing Road, near Gate 7 which is nearest to the site of Singapore Pavilion.

We went in by using our staff working pass, and i managed to cover 10+2 pavilions from 2 pm to 10 pm, my friends told me that it was really remarkable as not many people can cover so many in 8 hours considering long queue at most of the pavilion. But i told them i was lucky that there isnt queue at some pavilions eg Australia, Turkey, NZ, Denmark etc when we were there at night. The longest queue was 1.5 hour at UK pavilion, and shortest was 20 mins for Italy under light rain with nice breeze. UK's arthitecture design was so spectaular even though there is only one things to see inside, but it was so unique as you will never imagine what is the exhibit that can attract such a big crowd until you see it. To many of the visitors including myself it was worth it as it is nothing but the meaningful seeds which represent the source of relationship, development and culture etc and sow it early on the land of China for nurturing and cultivation.

I like Italy Pavilion best, as it has so much to wow you, the big character "fortune福" on the wall of the entrance, from culture, architecture, to modern fashion, hanging orchestra, and a snap shot of World Expo 2015 in Milan. Even their service staff are in branded Prada uniforms, 2 sets per staff, and they were so courteous and friendly.

We were quite lucky in the way that the crowd was not thick on that day as it was drizzling since morningso it was managable. After having a quick scan of the Spore Pavilion (not much thing to see, quite disappointed), we cant wait to move on to the European zone, and the first one was Finland. We queued for 40 min and got in. They were smart to have Finish staff at the entrance to engage the visitors while waiting and educate us with a few frequently use word in Finish language and created many laughters, so the entire queue journey was not boring...

Taiwan Pavilion is a must visit also even u are seeing from outside. It is especially beautiful at night when it is lit.

Tips to go World Expo:

1. Go during wet days, weekdays (tues to fridays)

2. Take taxi direct to Pudong Chang Qing Road, taxi fare around RMB24, from Huai Hai Road

can also take MRT line 9 to Ma Dang Road station, and there is special compliementary direct bus service No 13 with your expo ticket in hand

3. Wear light attire (prepare light sweater just in case) and sports shoes as there are alot of walking

4. Travel light with one bottle of water (no enough can buy there, RMB 3 per bottle) and cash, dont bring food as there are more than enough choice for your apetite. Nice pizza at cafe opposite Italy Pavilion

5. Go after lunch as morning is too crowded with tour groups

6. Go in a group of 2-3, keep each other company and occupied during queue for pavilion and food. U need to "chop" seat physically not by using "tissue"

7. visit pavilion during meal time to avoid long queue

8. go home before 940 pm (expo close at 10pm) to avoid huge crowd at taxi line and MRT station

There were about 97% Chinese visitors and only 3% foreigners in the expo. And the Chinese know that they are the host this time and most of them have learned to queue. Restrooms are the only place where they dont follow the rule, pushing is common here, hope the expo authority could look into this as restroom is a critical place to show how civilise a destination/country is.

Also, the information for making reservation to see pavilion like China, Taiwan, Saudi etc are not clear and comfusing..... visitors are also not allowed to go into the pavilions even when it is empty, which to us is a waste of golden opportunity to the country and defeat the purpose of wanting to showcase themselves to attract as many visitors as possible and create word of mouth for their country and pacilion set-up.

For example the China Pavilion, it was quite empty when we were there at around 9 pm, but the guard said that we cant go in because we have not done reservation (the reservation tickets have already completely distributed and dont know where to make reservation also, too troublesome, u cant do it online also. Why cant they allow on-line reservation?).

So China missed the opportunity to let those wanted to see their best display and tell the world how good they are. Unlike Australia and NZ, they open their door wide when there isnt queue and send ushers at the entrance to broadcast to all visitors that they are all welcome and no queue is needed........so many just walk in graciously and enjoy the concert inside.....Just feel that Chinese way of doing things in China, Taiwan Pavilion etc is not the way to treat your guests from overseas who flew all the way here......and this is not the hospitality culture of Chinese also, ........why cant China and other pavilions do the same like Auz and NZ etc when the crowd is thin near to closing time and rainy days.....

This is really worth the Expo Bureau to think through seriously whether they should just be so rigid to follow all rules by the BOOK or be flexible and more forthcoming in their invitation..there is a critical learning process and improvements needed by the Expo Authority.

Seoul - flowers trail

I didnt have any intention to see and experience Sakura blossoms during our trip to Seou and Gyeongju, but somehow, it turned out beautifully like a flower trails for us. This is just like the chinese saying "无心插柳柳成荫“

Sakura didnt really blossom in Seoul as it was too cold till we arrived in Gyeongju in early April, then our flower trails started and from the photos you can see how happy we are.

this is the flower i lucked from the GJ Museum, it was so pretty that i brought it back to hotel and pin it up on the wall.

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!!

Rare gathering

After some 1.5 year, Sheo Be and I finally have the long-awaiting gathering organised at Tung Lok Classic with Sam Gooi today. We met each other at a government mission to zhejiang in mid 2008 and have been wanted to catch up but window just couldnt be sychronised until today 14 April 2010.

It was a wonderful lunch with nice company included Standchart Dr Fong and a PRC Chinese undergraduate PC Zong from Nanjing University who is in Spore for a 4-month exchange programme with NUS. Our lunch discussion topics were wide ranging, from real estate investments to problems and issues faced by elder workforce, world expo, religions and numerous "creative" jokes. The attentative service staff at Tung Lok has made our gathering a bleeze with a beautiful poem. Here are some photos to share with all my readers and fans.

Taiwanese friends visitng Singapore

Just a few days before CNY, i was so surprised to receive a phone call at 9 pm from our taiwanese good friend Uncle Gen Hu informing that his daughter Teresa and son-in-law Cheng Hsun will be visiting Spore in end Feb and wish to call on Neo Chian and family and hope that i could help to do the facilitation and link-up. I agreed happily because i valued their frendship very much especially when he took extra care of me to bring me strolling around visiting the famous Yang Ming Shan in a rainy day (plus eating frozen pig-blood cake) when i was in Taipei in Feb 2005. Subsequently, he bringht me home to visit his wife and daughter Teresa and we went for a sumptous mushroom buffet lunch at Baigu Yuan (hundreds mushroom restaurant) in Tainmu.

Neo Chian was more surprised than me to learn about this long distance call and happily awaiting their arrival

2 Recalled getting acquaintance with Gen Hu and his wife was as far back as 1995/6 when he visited Singapore and called on Neo Chian as JTC CEO, and i helped to arrange part of their social programme in Singapore. The couple was so warm, thoughtful and kind to me (no air at all unlike other generals) even though i was just an officer and left me with a very deep impression.

3 Visited them again in Dec 2007 when we went to Taipei for the NTOs annual meeting. Gen Hu was extremely happy to learn about Neo Chian's visit after a gap of some years) and prepared well in advance for a special dinner to welcome him (4 of us accompanied Neo Chian were so glad to enjoy the extension of this warm hospitality and his sharing/wisdom of words at dinner 我们沾了Neo Chian的光). The next day, while we had our meeting, Mrs Hu and Tersea brounght Mrs Lim out for lunch and tour. And even brought us nice and thoughtful gifts to keep us warm.

4 This Feb is my golden opportunity to do my part to make them feel at home and have a wonderful holiday i n Singapore. I met them at their hotel a couple of days before a joyful reunion lunch and gathering/sharings was arranged on 27 Feb at Novena Square and subsequently went to visit our lastest offering - Resort World Sentosa over the weekend. See the happy pictures of all of us...