Actually, my family did consider going for a cruise on this passenger liner instead:
However, I chickened out after I found out that I had to spend about S$2,000 for our family of 4 to go on a 2-night cruise-to-nowhere that would last less than 40 hours. And at that price, they were giving us a quad-sharing inside-room (which is a room with not even a porthole so you can't tell weather whether it is day or night outside or what the whether weather is like outside). Moreover, we don't gamble so I see little point in going for the cruise.
Make no mistake - a stay at the hotel was not cheap either. A seaview room cost S$290++ which came up to S$338 nett. It was priced S$40++ more than a hillview one and a full 4 minutes was all I spent at the balcony to take some photos like this one:
My wife seldom plans ahead for holidays. This break was actually decided only 2 days beforehand. (Chris, who sits next to me in the office, can vouch for me as he heard me make a phone booking for the hotel room.) Because of the late decision, cheaper options like Costa Sands (whose rates are less than 1/3 that of the hotel) were fully booked. Moreover, we had to contend with a hotel room number which everyone else had rejected:
It is also the World Cup (WC) season. Of course, the hotel's TVs were showing the live matches according to schedule:
Celebrity blogger Kenny Sia had a recent post here in which he took a dig at the WC Teamgeist soccer ball and how its logo seemed to be inspired by an item which most women aged 50 and below use once a month. (My sincere apologies to Chun See if I am found to be hosting contents which are deemed 'not so suitable' for the 'not so young at heart' in my blog yet again):
But I have to agree with Kenny that the resemblance is unkenny uncanny. Even the hotel seemed to condom condone this practice. It had a mural of a similar-looking object on its 9th floor lift lobby:
Hmm... the mural must have been erected in honour of the World Cup, in particular, the Teamgeist soccer ball.
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14 comments:
We stayed at the Beaufort for 2 days recently. Also cost us around S$300 nett. The hotel is low-rise and has an overall spa-like environment. Very relaxing.
Victor, if you come to Ipoh, u can stay at my house free. Highway toll is approx RM80 one-way and petrol probably less than $100 for Scenic. But u have to drive 600 km from E. Spore. Nothing much to see tho, unless you want to take photos of old cars for your blog.
hi Vic, how come you seem to link cruise with gambling..i have holidayed on a cruise before (the cheeper type) and i find it relaxing.. alot of food, sun, sea and breeze.. and i didn't even know if got gambling on board or not.
the mural at the lift lobby looks like a peanut to me... haha..it didn't remind of the thing you have in mind....
What's $338 for a bonding time with your family? Mine was lagi "cheap" - about $50 inclusive of bicycle rentals, parking charges and lunch. Hee.
As for the $2000 price tag for a family of 4 going on a cruise, why not wait for the IR to be up? By then, the gamblers will flock to the IR rather than the cruise for their gambling fix. So the cruise operator would have no choice but the reduce their price :P
The Diva - Welcome to my blog. I think the Beaufort is now known as Sentosa Resort & Spa. I saw the photos on the web and must agree that it has a very tranquil setting. Must try the next time.
Chun See - My wife has a phobia of going up north, thanks to all the adverse bad press about the MSC (not Multimedia Super Corridor but what the MM uttered during the Tang Liang Hong saga some years ago and had to apologise for it). So I have not set foot in M'sia for about a decade already.
Frannxis - You didn't know that cruises are associated with gambling, I mean gaming? Then you probably didn't pay close enough attention to our PM's speech at the last National Day Rally when he mentioned about the pros of building the IRs. I believe that the attraction of the onboard casino is one of the main reasons why cruises are so popular.
Chris - Cycling? Why pay for it? I just did it downstairs in the park with my family for free. As for a cruise, I found an alternative to Star Virgo - The Singapore Omar - only $198 nett for a 3D2N cruise-to-nowhere. Check it out here. Hurry, offer till July only.
BTW Frannxis, what peanut? On second look, that thing looks more like a green condom to me. Not much better than a sanitary pad. :p
OMG victor, i absolutely enjoy reading this post!! its so funny and u really hv a wicked sense of humor. i'm really laughing when i read this...its F-U-N-N-Y, and you are too!!
keep those great entries coming!
hey victor, regarding what u asked me in my blog. i havent tried crystal jade la mian & xiao long bao, so i cant judge. however, i've tried another one, that is asian kitchen @ citylink mall. it sucks. the pork had a weird smell, and the service is rather poor. can u imagine the waiter actually FROWNED when we took our orders & subsequently asked for refill of our water. im not sure how it is now, probably he's been given the boot. but one bad experience was enough. however, i will try crystal jade & let u know =)
as for me opening a shop & being a pattiser rite...u r not the 1st person who asked me that. i did hv this intention (not to open a shop but maybe do freelance that kinda thing), taking orders from friends & relatives etc, but i really don't know where to start. first of all i havent been baking for that long. i started in january, 2b exact. then i'm not sure if my baked goods taste that fantastic. actually all that u seen in my blog are first attempts. i normally don't bake the same thing twice unless its an occasion. but i followed the recipe closely so i guess i shd b 99% sure it taste like what its supposed 2b. and its a really personal thing as in everyone's tastebuds are different. however i did let my family & some of my friends try the pineapple tarts, cheesecake, fruit tarlets etc and they said its quite good. they said the "standard" is there, but maybe less/more sugar that kinda thing to suit individual. so, where do u think i shd start if i intend to go into this line? any suggestions? i don't dare 2b too ambitious for now. i might wanna take up a few classes juz to seek professional "help". what do u think?
Evan, if you have a regular job and are serious about freelancing, then start small. (Anyway, with a full-time job, that's the only way to start.) I am sure your colleagues and friends have tried your products. If they liked them, you can then sound them out about your idea and sort of do a market survey to see if they will be your pool of potential and regular customers. If they take orders, then you got started already. If the orders grow too much for you to handle, then you can go full-time on to business and open shop liao lor.
In my office, there's a colleague who always takes cake orders (for kueh lapis and other types) just before Chinese New Year. He's doing it for a relative of his. He can get quite substantial orders each year. You can also get your good friends and relatives to do the same for you once you are in business. I think Begawan Solo also started out this way.
hmmm eh... evan has a job now?
i wish i can have some break too..
hmmm eh... evan has no job now? then evan better... she has nothing to lose by trying freelancing as a pattiser..
Victor, I found your blog. Saw Evan's comment on starting home bakery. I am already in this line. I used to work with my sis who owns a patisserie in Hong Kong. I started homebakery about a year already. Evan, You can start by offering/sponsoring your bakes to friends at parties. It's a very good advertising tools. Now I have constant orders from church gathering, schools, small parties etc. Sometimes I have to "outsource" my orders especially during X'mas and CNY period. It's a good "part-time" job if you want to be a home maker.
Hi Kenn, thanks for visiting my blog. (A gentle reminder - you still haven't given me your blogsite yet leh.)
BTW, do you know that flogger (food blogger) Evan has a blogsite too? Do visit and offer your comments too. I am sure Evan will appreciate it. You can see for yourself that her baking skills are first class. If you are based in Singapore, you can even consider outsourcing your jobs to Evan too lor, provided she doesn't mind and has the time.
errrr hi kenn. actually thx for yr suggestion but the thing is, hobbies that come with responsibilities isnt really my cup of tea. i did think of wanting to go into a little venture but alas, i think im gonna hv to give it a miss. its just no fun having to stress out over orders. moreover, the part where u said "Sometimes I have to "outsource" my orders especially during X'mas and CNY period". i definitely don't want this to happen to me!
but then again, maybe i shd just bring a few cakes to parties :p that sounds good. its not all about the money is it?
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