The craziest place on the planet...

Don't believe me? It gets trippier..








This park was built by one of the Aw brother's who created Tiger Balm. The park was dedicated to the memory of his family, friends and the various statues depict ancient legends and stories with strong moral values like loyalty and especially dealing with tempation...What I find insane though is how Chinese legends personify animals and make them do seriously weird stuff...like the pig in his knickers? Or the tea-turtle or crab-lady...Bizzaro!

Despite the strange-ness though, did you like the photos? I've had time to play with my camera and really hope I'm slowly getting better at lighting, composition and such...

Better run, only a few more days in Singapore!
Big hugs...

xoxo
Miss Deb

Clarke Quay, Bugis Street & Fort Canning...

Mushi mushi lil critters...

I hope you're not getting bored of these post yet...After all, exploring is meant to be my main duty at the moment...let me know if you do tire of these though then I'll put my thinking cap on and fabricate a parallel universe...it could be fun..tee hee hee

So last Wednesday was ladies night...girls got in for free and got 5 free drinks, guys got in for S$15 before 11pm and got 2 free drinks so off Dean and I were to Zirca - said to be one of the top party spots. Yeeyah, all dressed up with somewhere to go!
I managed to score this strapless number for S$40!


I think it would normally be quite different but that night they had an MJ special...yes he was a legend and yes he will be missed but I think it's only humanly possible to hear Billy Jean so many times...we heard it live by that night's cover band, danced to by a group of MJ impersonators, sang and played acoustic styles and then the music video was played on the big screen! We decided what we needed was a few drinks but those sneaky buggers didn't make it easy for girls to get the 5 free drinks - I had to join the massive queue of ladies after 11 and before 12 AND I could only redeem one drink at a time...I was very tempted to take my first drink and rejoin the queue...I didn't of course...instead Dean and I went for a wander and came across this...


Very cool I thought...

We then followed the sound of some thumping tunes and came across Rebel...now that was fun. Had a good boogie then went to explore the rest of Clarke Quay - it's sorta like a village by the river with restaurants, cafes, bars...you name it! The cover charge we paid meant that we could get into Rebel and Lunar for free...Lunar was a Asian Fusion Bar. Yeah I didn't really understand what that meant until I stepped inside. There was a live band singing Chinese songs but the decor was absolutely brilliant...they had a massive red Chairman Mao figure at the front door then heaps of Asian Betty Boop stuff...the floors were transparent fibreglass displaying coloured lighting and pretty stones, paintings adorned the ceiling - like I mean literally, it was like looking UP into an art gallery! I couldn't get a shot of all of that so I hope these ones will do...:)




All in all, a super fun night..I highly recommend Clarke Quay, we're planning on going for dinner there sometime before we leave!

Days later we decided to head to Bugis - The Largest Street Shopping in Singapore! Don't believe me?




Yeeyah, baby...it's busy but the bargains are definitely worth it! I bought some cute-sie ballet flats and a pair of 3/4 length jeans..You'll see me sporting both items in the photos below...

At the end of a long hard shop, Dean got a reward for being the best boyfriend ever - some would've not made it through such ardous shopping missions! He got Burger King...



Anyhoo...we were getting a little tired of shopping malls (I never thought I'd see the day that I would say that) so a day later we planned a trip to Fort Canning. First stop, Istana Park where we pigged out on our BLATs!


Actually we only stopped there because we thought Fort Canning was opposite it but when we were stopped by the guards who told us that that wasn't Fort Canning but the President's house. No wonder they looked at us like we were nuts when we said, so we can't have lunch in there? Oopsie!

So after a bit of food we decided to try and find Fort Canning. We underestimated how far it was and how hilly and ended up walking 4km...it was worth the trek though!






So beautifully green...crazy how it's smack bang in the middle of the city too!

Lady Gaga's playing here on the 12th of August!

Anyhoo, tummy's a-rumbling so I'd better get some dinner in me!

Giggles and winks,
Miss Deb

Orchard, Vivo and Far East

So my little chickadees, how's it?

Thought I'd try and be a wee bit more disciplined with the blog posts..I have been terribly slack I know!

So as you know I've been laxing in Singapore for a few weeks now..the lovely boychum finally got his behind here so we've gotten to explore heaps!

We are currently staying at my bro's service apartment that is a 5-8 min walk from Orchard Road...shopping central of Singapore! Poor Dean! There's probably a shopping mall for every 2 steps you take...it's nuts!


There's heaps of construction going on Orchard Road too...they really utilize every square inch!


This is the Paragon...fancy pants shopping mall with an awesome food court in the basement...


This is Ion...extremely cool building at night as all those panels light up...



It's even fancier than Paragon with brands like Louis Vuitton, Guess and CK...the official opening's on the 21st...we just might have to see what the fuss is all about tee hee hee!

My favourite mall on Orchard has to be the Far East Plaza...not to be confused with the Far East Shopping Centre...hehehe...This place is affordable and has extremely cool vintage and indie boutiques! I'd say there are at least 100 shops in this one building and it was absolute bliss...so much so that I didn't take many photos as I was too pre-occupied...


We had lunch at a Korean Restaurant with my bro and his wife...:)
I had the stir-fried pork Bento box and it was YUM as!



A few days later Dean and I decided to catch the MRT to Vivo City...it's a little further out of town but the weather forecast predicted thunderstorms so that was the best indoor activity we could think of...

Super stoked about my Chicken and Barbecue Pork Rice..


Mmmmmm...nom nom nom...



Then off for a wander around this super-mall..


It had it's own fountain...not bad...

It had it's own playground...


But then it started hosing down so we jumped back on the MRT and headed home...

Pretty boy and sunset..tee hee hee


Off to the pool for a swim now...leave me a message won't ya...hope alls well with you!

xoxo
Miss Deb

Singapore, Family and Peanuts!

Hi dee ho little bunnies!

Yes as the title suggests we are now and have been in Singapore!

It took us ladies a wee while...hard long bus rides and such..hehehe..(my sis is posing with my brand spanking new super sampler...yay!)


But it was all worth it as we managed to get the whole family together! I'd not been back to Asia since my sister's wedding 3 years ago and that was the last time all 3 siblings were present too! It was epic...family's are awesome...I love mine!


Cheers! Here here...

So we had a family photoshoot the next day...where Mr Pro Photographer himself a.k.a. the big brother got to show off his skills...


Go the floral shirt, don't cha think?

Had heaps of fun and as usual the us kids had a blast just getting to hang out...


We were just about wetting ourselves here because we were trying to link arms and do the can-can but we just couldn't tell our left legs from right legs, well my brother couldn't fulfill simple instructions and I couldn't stop giggling so we kept bumping into each other...

That night we went to the premiere of Transformers 2.
The autobots were obviously trying to get in touch with us...


They'd left us a secret trail to follow hehehe...

Check out this old school movie poster at the cinema...I think it's perfectly rad...darn digital printing ruined all the fun!



A few days later we headed off to the famous Raffles Court for a look-see and a drinkie...Mmmm I got to try the Singapore Sling...way too easy to drink and seriously deadly...


It just oozes Colonialism doesn't it?

Where we had our drink used to be the old hang out for the British...each table had a big pot of peanuts...really yummy peanuts actually...


But the crazy thing is that you're meant to chuck the peanuts shells on the ground!! I ended up with a pile on the table because I just couldn't bring myself to do it but apparently they were trying to preserve what people used to do in the old days...crazy huh? I felt a little dirty because everywhere you walked your feet crunched into peanut shells....

Aside from the crazy peanut shell littering habits they were trying to uphold, I did like how they had maintained a lot of the old fixtures of the building...like this beautiful spiral stairway..


Well, I guess that'll be all for today puppies...

Here, take a moment and have a peanut...you deserve it for reading this far tee hee hee!

Hope life's treating you well...

Lots of love
Miss Deb

Eating and Fish Spas in KL

Hello lovelies!

After Gareth headed back to NZ I headed to KL to meet up with my mum and sister for a bit of a shop...

We stayed at the Heritage Station Hotel which actually used to be...you guessed it...an old train station! The lighting wasn't the best so unfortunately I only have one interesting shot of the place which I can't even remember which way is up...hahah! I'll share anyway...


Just behind that building was the current train station where we waited patiently for our train to take us to Midvalley Shopping Mall - yeeyah!


Funky mosque tower...


I think train tracks are pretty cool...


It's here...off we go...


First stop...food court...Mmmmm...


Each plate of food would've been RM4 which is a little less than NZ$2...I kid you not...

Anyway, we went for a wander and came across what is meant to be quite a common thing in Asia...essentially it's a foot spa with a twist..a fishy twist..


Can't quite tell what that is? Here...


They have these aquarium's with these fishies that eat dead skin off your feet...the fishies don't have teeth so it's more like a ticklish sucking motion but alas I wasn't brave enough to give it a go...what's next? Having a bathtubful of suckerfish so you don't have to have to bathe yourself? Tee hee hee

I did come across less weird and way cooler things...Check out this little food stall...they re-use can's to make this awesome light fixture:


As if that wasn't enough, I was blown away by their ceiling...


It's made out of old doors!

Anyhoo, that's all for now folks...heaps more exploring to do so stay tuned!
Hope alls well with you...

xoxo
Miss Deb - who's busy posing with yummy roasted meats...

Thinking of you..

Hey everybody,
Just wanted to pop up a quick post to say hello and to apologise for the lack of posts. I've had a bit of a mental block lately...maybe too many things going on so I don't even know where to start. I'm currently in Singapore...awaiting the arrival of the boychum which I'm super psyched about.

I'm still reading all my fave blogs and thank the god of internet at least 3 times a day because I'm sure I would've lost my sanity a while ago had it not been for you...

Big hugs

xoxo
Miss Deb

Sweating like a pig...oink oink, a happy one of course!

Hello everybody...
Finally I get a decent enough connection to tell y'all that I arrived in one piece!

I got in about a week ago but boy does it feel like I'd never left. Got greeted at the airport by a very excited mother, my dad, my sister and the sweltering heat! Don't get me wrong, it's nice to not be cold but I find myself sweating out of places I didn't even know had sweat glands! Hahaha...

Aside from my perspiration stories, all is good in the world. Mum's cooking is the bomb and I managed to catch up with my bestie Doris last night! Linzhi, we missed you!!! We basically parked our behinds down in a cafe and didn't leave for ages...it always feels like we'd never been apart at all. It's a bummer that both my girls are so far away but very reassuring that they always have my back no matter what and where they are.

It was quite weird walking into our family home the first day though...everything felt little...After being away for so long and being the lilliputian in New Zealand where everything from shelves to clothes lines are always so much taller than me it was interesting to feel bigger/taller. Maybe it was a bit of a mental thing too, I'd never really been back to live after leaving in 2004 so I think there was quite a shift in me as a person since then. I'm still getting my head around everything but I'll keep you posted when my realizations hit. :)

Aside from that, we had a family gathering (rellies from dad's side) on Saturday that was complete with lots of yummy food and games. We've been to a traditional Malay wedding reception and gone for lots of drives to see what's been done to Miri since I was last back. Had actually some really nice photos of this new restaurant's that overlooks the sea and has a deck that stretches out into the water's edge. I was especially impressed by the walls and walls of intricate Indonesian carvings.

I also got to open a bunch of presents today from my sister-in-law Tracey, and my bro as well I'm sure...they sent me a massive pile of...you guessed it, only the best thing ever...like teaching me to fish rather than giving me a fish...drum roll please.....SOCKS!! So I guess the obsession continues, regardless of where I am in the world. Hahaha!

YAY! My bestie Gareth gets in this Thursday so at the mo I'm busy getting lots of travel info together so he can simply point to what he'd like to do while he's visiting. A whole week of Gareth madness, I'm stoked!

Have also made plans to meet up with Dean in Singapore end of this month which I am seriously looking forward to.

Gah...don't think I'll be able to post photos up this time 'cos I can't seem to find a USB slot for my passport drive on the computer at this internet cafe...Boo...

Anyhoo my lovelies...know that I miss NZ and all it's awesome habitants! I really miss my life in Auckland...but i gotta love this adventure I'm embarking on!

Big hugs!

xoxox
Miss Deb