Ibis Singapore Novena Hotel Part 3 - OOpen

Location: Novena, Singapore

Note: This is an article continuing from Ibis Singapore Novena Hotel Part 2 - Entering the Room

As is the norm for hotels, Ibis Singapore Novena Hotel comes with its own restaurant cum cafe with the curious name of OOpen. Guests of the hotel for the night could enjoy 2 complimentary breakfasts, so off we went to grab our breakfast in the cafe situated at a side off the lobby.

Fact is that I do not know what is the name of the cafe until I browsed the web. Fancy as it is, sometimes a design just doesn't get a point across to the user.

Ibis Singapore Novena Hotel Part 2 - Entering the Room

Location: Novena, Singapore

Note: This is an article continuing from Ibis Singapore Novena Hotel Part 1 - Getting There & Experience with A Cab

I was particularly impressed by how the room was designed. The first point I bring forth is one against Ibis Singapore Novena Hotel though - the available floor space. At first glance, the room looked spacious, with high ceilings as well as tall window panes. But the fact is that taking a circuit around the room and placing your luggage open will tell you how much space you really had.

Ibis Singapore Novena Hotel greets you!

Ibis Singapore Novena Hotel Part 1 - Getting There & Experience with A Cab

Location: Novena, Singapore

With a long break from this blog and without any new edited photos ready, I dug out some of my past photos for learning new Photoshop tricks. I vividly recalled my accommodation in Singapore during my initial days of arrival - Ibis Novena Hotel of Singapore.

The hotel itself is not particularly easy to find, and it was for this hotel that I experienced my first difficulties. I was careless in my preparation in not looking carefully at the direction to the hotel, and couldn't find the hotel when I arrived in Novena MRT station. Even so, I thought that the cab drivers would know of the place. How wrong was I. 

This became my first lesson for traveling in Singapore - cab drivers aren't aware of the major buildings around the area they queued for passengers. Despite the fact that Singapore being a small island nation, the buildings are still numerous enough that the cab drivers aren't aware of every nook and cranny available. So be advised - always bring the detailed address, down to the street name and nearby landmarks, with you while traveling in Singapore. This will aid the cab driver in getting his bearing around.

And not all cab drivers are friendly by the way. But at least they aren't rude. Not all of them anyway.

The usual expected room rate for Ibis Novena Hotel. Price will fluctuate according to season but still affordable for a couple or a family spending a few days in Singapore.

Pizza Hut's Ocean Catch

Wandering into Singapore's Pizza Hut and wondering what to choose, it occurred to me that there were a few offered choices which were not available in Malaysian branches. Of all those that were different, Ocean's Catch was a particularly tasty item on the menu which I would like to recommend.

Pizza Hut had not much choices on its menu which could draw my attention, and Ocean's Catch is one of those rare few.

Singapore Food Blog - Ambush @ Jurong Point

Location: Jurong West, Singapore

Passing by this small and cramped area in Jurong Point shopping mall, I always wondered what it was to dine within such a confined area, with crowds able to see what it was which you ordered, as well as the look on your face when you sampled a bite off the steak you sawed through.

The catchy name of Ambush was quite intriguing, as well as the range of choices it offered off its menu. The dining joint had a well-deserved boast of offering a taste from Europe, as it was one of the few restaurants which offered truly something from different corners of the continent at a price affordable to us poor middle-class workers. Its slogan said it all - A piece of Europe on your plates.

Seated within the open restaurant allowed one to look around at the frenzy of shoppers, but you will need to learn to ignore the open stares directed to your dish. Otherwise, the small place with its chic design does seem to bring a piece of Europe with it.

2012 HK Trip - Xia Mian Guan (夏麵館)

Location: Diamond Hill, S.A.R. Hong Kong

Finding my second day in Hong Kong around the area of Diamond Hill and in search of lunch, I pulled out the list prepared prior to my travels and looked for this shop in the area. Since Hollywood Plaza is right at the exit of Diamond Hill MTR station, it wasn't difficult in finding this shop within the mall.

A snap off their menu, with the colors of autumn... (what's the color of summer anyway?) Their motto: there's good food/dish/meal in the shop...

2012 HK Trip - Knowing Hong Kong through MTR Stations Part 3

Location: S.A.R. Hong Kong, China

Note: This is an article continuing from Knowing Hong Kong through MTR Stations Part 2.

New Territories ( 新界 )

Traditional Chinese: 新界

Simplified Chinese: 新界

Cantonese Jyutping: san¹ gaai³

Pin Yin: Xīn Jiè

Pronounced as: saan gaai

The New Territories are, interestingly, the least interesting in the minds of most tourists. But the fact that it makes up over 80% of Hong Kong's territory crowns it as the largest region within the island S.A.R. If one  is unsure of what this region could offer, it should be reminded that Lantau Island (大嶼山), which served as the base for Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) and Hong Kong Disneyland, is also a part of this region.

Sunny Bay
Traditional Chinese: 欣澳
Cantonese Jyutping: jan1 ou3
Pin Yin: Xīn ào
Pronounced as: yaan ou

If you were to visit Hong Kong Disneyland, then you will need to transit between MTR on this station. Basically there isn't anything around this station.