the-eclectic-reviewer-blog

[the-eclectic-reviewer-blog]

The SIA Brat Comic Strip: A Mother's Obsession

The SIA Brat Comic Strip: A Mother’s Obsession

The SIA Brat – In Taipei [Liberty Square] For our second Pitchin’ Bitches trip, the four of us made our way to Taipei. Besides eating, a lot. We explored some of Taipei’s more touristy sites. And one of them is Liberty Square. We realised there that the vast square was the perfect place to execute one of our Pitchin’ Bitches traditions – a comic strip. And right there, in front of other tourists,…

[the-eclectic-reviewer-blog]

The Experience

Navutu Dreams Resort & Spa is the perfect hideaway where you can kick back and chill after a long hot day. The 4-star resort is off-the-beaten-path, secluded and relatively peaceful if you don’t count the rooster that crows early in the morning. But more importantly, after a full day exploring the massive Angkor Archaeological Park, it felt great to come home to a clean and spacious room surrounded by lush greenery.

The resort provides all guests with an airport pick up and offers free daily tuk tuk service for up to 12 hours daily which really helps because the resort is a distance from the main road. During my stay there, my transportation needs were taken care of by Meang Chouy, a friendly tuk tuk driver whose service and personality really impressed me. And on top of providing tuk tuk service, you can even book tours and activities with the help of the resort’s concierge. It’s really quite convenient.

The resort is a paradisal oasis tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the dusty and scorching streets of Siem Reap. I stayed in an Explorer Room which is 45 sqm, had it’s own veranda, sitting area, his and her vanity and rain shower, as well as a private garden. The sandstone and pebble wash bathroom floors provided a much need foot reflexology of sorts while I scrubbed off the dust and grime after a whole day of temple hopping.

The Explorer Room reminded me of the cave house I stayed in when I was in Santorini which was an added bonus.

Leaving the golden coconut outside your room signified to the staff that you do not wish to be disturbed.

Lounging on these are actually quite comfy.

Room really reminded me of the cave house in Santorini.

Breakfast can be served at the resort’s open air restaurant or in the air-conditioned comfort of your room. Breakfast is the same every day with the exception of the type of pastry, fruit and Cambodian dish available.

You get two drinks; a choice of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate and 3 types of juices to choose from. You’ll also get an option between cornflakes or museli with milk or yoghurt. Oh, do note that the yoghurt is very thick and sour. Next you can choose between a plate of eggs (however you want it prepared), bacon and sausages or a Cambodian breakfast dish that changes daily. On top of all this, you also get a standard tray of fruit and baked goods.

It didn’t seem like much at first, but it really is quite a filling breakfast. I was curious about Cambodia food so I choose the Cambodian breakfast dish all 5 mornings I was there.

Breakfast tray. Cr: Ashley Yeo

Day 1: Cambodia stif fried noodles

Day 2 & 5: Spinach with rice

Day 3: Chicken fried rice

Day 4: Cambodian noodle soup

On the first day we arrived, we were so tired we didn’t really make an effort to go out for food so we ordered Cambodian dishes at the resort’s restaurant. It was a safe way for us to determine if we would enjoy Khmer style food and the restaurant definitely delivered. We also tried their Khmer Curry and loved it. It was sweet, a little spicy, and served in a hallowed out coconut. We liked it so much, Khmer Curry was a dish we would order whenever we had lunch or dinner. However, we all agreed that the Khmer Curry at Navutu Dreams’ Niam Niam Restaurant, although the priciest, was also the tastiest.

I’m really glad we choose to stay at Navutu Dreams Resort & Spa because we had a choice of three pools to take a dip in. The largest lap pool is a fresh water pool while the 2 free-form smaller pools are salt water pools. We spent a day just lounging by the pool and taking an occasional dip in the water. After our first day exploring the temples, the resort’s facilities were a much needed respite.

The resort also offers three yoga classes daily to choose from and a variety of massage and treatment options at their in-house spa. We tried the Khmer Massage and really enjoyed it. It was much more relaxing that the usual Thai Massage.

As I understand from the therapists, Khmer Massage involves a technique called kneading and works deep into the muscles. Thai Massage focuses on your pressure points and usually more pressure is applied involving a lot of stretching and pulling.

All around the resort, we would see lots of these folded lotus flowers and the receptionist who saw that we were fascinated by them asked if we wanted to learn or watch them fold these in the morning at around 9am.

We never got up early enough to learn, but a friend who was also staying at the resort did. The flowers she folded look so vibrant and beautiful! Try your hand at folding these at the resort when you stay there.

Photo Credit: Petra Lee

The resort is all kinds of wonderful not just for its food and facilities. Navutu Dreams Resort & Spa is an excellent choice for travellers because of the service staff.

Sarah, the General Manager of Navutu Dreams Resort & Spa, is a lovely lady who’s very accommodating and patient. She also helped suggest and pick out restaurants in the city that we can dine at. The ever-friendly front desk receptionist and attentive restaurant staff also made this stay a truly memorable one.

The SIA Brat recommends you book a stay at Navutu Dreams Resort & Spa for a great relaxing home away from home while on holiday.

Videos

Resort

Niam Niam Restaurant

* These videos were produced by the resort and do not belong to me.

Accessibility

3.1 km from Pub Street & Old Market 4.4 km from Musée d’ANGKOR 10.4 km from Angkor Wat 14 km from Angkor Thom 15.5 km from Siem Reap International Airport 27.2 km from Cambodia Landmine Museum 49.4 km from Kampong Khleang (Tongle Sap)

Facilities

Niam Niam Restaurant Navutu Spa Full Service Bar 1 Fresh water Lap Pool 2 Salt water Lagoon-Style Pools 1 Kids Pool Air Conditioned Exercise Room Air Conditioned Yoga Studio

Standard Inclusions

Pick up from the airport Private Tuk Tuk daily (Siem Reap/Angkor Wat) Fruit Platter in room upon arrival Western/Asian Breakfast Two bottles of water daily Turn-down Service Coffee and Tea Facilities in room Room Service Wireless Internet room & resort Swimming pools and gym

Rates

(Click image to zoom in)

Awards

2015: Top 25 Small Hotels — Cambodia (TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards)

2014: 15 Luxurious Honeymoon Hotspots (Condé Nast Johansens)

Star Rating

4 star

Hotel details

Photo Source: Google Maps

Navutu Dreams Resort & Spa Angkor High Schoold Road, Salakamroeuk, Siem Reap 0082, Cambodia T: +855 (0) 92141694 E: reservations@navutudreams.com W: http://navutudreams.com/

Click here to follow The SIA Brat on Facebook

The Brat Reviews Navutu Dreams Resort & Spa (Siem Reap, Cambodia) The Experience Navutu Dreams Resort & Spa is the perfect hideaway where you can kick back and chill after a long hot day.

[the-eclectic-reviewer-blog]

Siem Reap Snapped!

The SIA Brat – In Siem Reap, Cambodia 5 days into the new year I set off to Siem Reap, Cambodia. I wasn’t sure if I was going to enjoy my time there as I received some very bad news just before the start of 2016. Without any context, this post would not make any sense, so here the story. A time line of the events so far. December 29: Due to restructuring in the company, my position was made…

[the-eclectic-reviewer-blog]

Live Like We're Dying by Kris Allen (2009)

Live Like We’re Dying by Kris Allen (2009)

Photo Source: Wikipedia Performed by: Kris Allen Album: Kris Allen This song is infectious. While I was hitting the gym today this song came on and I couldn’t stop moving to its beat and lip syncing along. But of course I controlled myself as best I could as I was the only girl at the gym and didn’t want to come across as nutty. So I did the next best thing. I went to the girls toilet and danced…

[the-eclectic-reviewer-blog]

Now And Then (1995)

Now And Then (1995)

Photo Source: Wikipedia Directed by: Lesli Linka Glatter (1) Cast: Demi Moore (2), Rosie O’Donnell (3), Rita Wilson (4), Melanie Griffith (5), Bonnie Hunt (6), Janeane Garofalo (7), Hank Azaria (8), Christina Ricci (9), Thora Birch (10), Ashleigh Aston Moore, Gaby Hoffmann (11), Devon Sawa (12), Brendan Fraser (13) My favourite quote – “Things will happen in your life that you can’t stop. But…

[the-eclectic-reviewer-blog]

Time flies. Another year has passed. On the last day of 2015, my mum and I spent the morning and afternoon together. And I’m a little embarrassed to say, but the last time I spent quality time alone with my mum was in 2011, when we went to Europe together.

Yup! It’s been that long.

This occurred to me when we came across a llao llao branch at Tampines Mall. Why? Because before llao llao took Singapore by storm, my mum and I had already had a taste of llao llao in the country it came from – Spain.

The year was 2011. We were exploring Europe together and Spain was our first stop. We visited a city called Sitges and were given some time by the Viator tour guide to explore the streets. After walking for close to an hour, we got tired and happened to see a natural frozon yoghurt shop and decided to take it easy and have a dessert before meeting the rest of the tour group.

I remember thinking that it was quite tasty which surprised me as the yoghurt I had before was usually very very sour. llao llao I found was tangy but not too sharp.

It only dawned on me early this year, when I blogged about buskers in Spain and looked through the photographs I took there, that before llao llao became such a hit in Singapore, my mum and I had already tried it!

Then…

And now…

My mum drinks from a fountain of youth I swear! She looks the same! In fact, I think she looks younger and slimmer now!

So anyway, what is llao llao?

llao llao, pronounced ‘yow-yow’, is a natural frozen yoghurt made from skimmed milk. You can either order a cup and add your favourite toppings from the choices available, order a smoothie, or go for a Sanum, which consists of yoghurt, a choice of fresh fruit, crunchy toppings, and sauce.

For the health conscious, 100g of llao llao is said to be 103 kcal, and contains 175 mg of calcium, 20 g of carbohydrates of which 11 g is sugar, 3 g of proteins, 1.6 g of fat, and 0 g of trans fat. It’s also gluten free.

The first shop opened in 2009 in Dénia, Alicante (Spain) and it now has around 150 outlets in 16 countries. Impressive isn’t it. And it’s just frozen yoghurt!

What do you think? Do you have a then and now photo to share? Have you tried llao llao before? Did you like it?

RELATED ARTICLES

5 infobites about llaollao: pronounciation, origins & more! (amiehu.com)

9 Beautiful Places To Visit In Spain (thecambelles.com)

2015 in Pictures and Now (melanie-kemper.de)

Living…Now! (senkaustav.wordpress.com)

Past, Present or Future? (travelwithintent.com)

Now is the time (littlegirlstory.wordpress.com)

Weekly Photo Challenge – Now (soundofsummer.org)

Click here to follow The SIA Brat on Facebook

Challenge Accepted [Daily Prompt: Now] Time flies. Another year has passed. On the last day of 2015, my mum and I spent the morning and afternoon together.

[the-eclectic-reviewer-blog]

December 31 and January 1 are 2 days when people think about their plans for the future the most. Now, more than ever before, I need to take stock of all that’s happened and plan for the tough days ahead.

This year has been rough. I believe my blood pressure shot up countless of times. The saying “feel my blood boiling” is something I thought I could feel happening to me. My body temperature shot up and my face would turn red from all the blood rushing to it. My blood didn’t actually boil, but it sure felt like it.

For the first time in my 33 years, I actually “felt my blood boil” so to speak.

But 2015 is over. And what matters is now.

What do I want to do next? Good question. I had 2016 all planned out, but now, it is something I have to think about.

The year has been full of changes. In a span of 12 months, Travelzoo AE said good bye to a Senior Producer, a Sales Manager, a Sales Director, a CEO, and a Co-CEO. All these changes that started from December 2014 really affected me emotionally and cumulated to events of December 30.

But it’s not all doom and gloom.

2015 was the year I got engaged and started doing my wedding preparations. I had lots of fun choosing an engagement ring designer, picking from the hordes of photographers out there, and thinking about my future home with my partner. In fact, exactly one year ago today, my partner and I put the down payment for our first home together.

But it’s 2016 today. It’s time to do a quick stock of 2015 then I can dive straight into 2016.

Travel this year has been greatly reduced. I only travelled to one country – Taiwan. But it’s about quality not quantity right?

Going to Taipei with my Pitchin Bitches was as expected, awesome. Last year’s trip proved that our ability to travel well together was no fluke.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

There will be more entries about my Taipei trip with them on my blog so do look out for them. But if you want a summary, click here.

So what does 2016 hold for me with regards to my travel plans?

In a few days, I will travel to Cambodia and check off Angkor Wat from my travel bucket list. Then in March I’ll finally be heading to Phuket to utilise a deal I negotiated and produced. In August, the Pitchin Bitches head Down Under and I can play tour guide in Brisbane and Gold Coast where I studied for 3.5 years. And finally in October and November, I’ll be heading to Chiang Mai for my wedding photo shoot.

My travel plans are practically full for this new year. So now I have to plan the rest.

Change IS the only constant in life. 2015 has taught me that and more. We can only hold on to our socks and live in the now, because no one knows what could happen tomorrow.

Unless you’re psychic.

Happy New Year everyone!

What do you think? How was your 2015 and what is in store for you in 2016? What would be your year in review look like? What did you learn from 2015? How will 2016 be different for you?

Click here to follow The SIA Brat on Facebook

Good Bye 2015, Hello 2016: A Year In Review December 31 and January 1 are 2 days when people think about their plans for the future the most.

[the-eclectic-reviewer-blog]

Taipei Snapped!

The SIA Brat – In 九份 (Jiu Fen), Taipei Before I went to Hong Kong with the Pitchin Bitches, I had the impression that Hong Kong’s food was superb. I was told I could walk into any dim sum place in Hong Kong and the food would be good. That is so not true! Not all food places are made equal. When the Pitchin Bitches decided to go to Taipei next, Shuping, who’s practically a local there, told us…

[the-eclectic-reviewer-blog]

So just a few weeks back I went to S.E.A Aquarium with my colleagues. It was supposed to be a Christmas treat of sorts. A team bonding outing similar to the one we went on in Malaysia.

While Malaysia’s Legoland was not as exciting as Universal Studios Singapore. I liked our Legoland outing more than the S.E.A Aquarium one. You see, it’s not about where you go, it’s about who you go with.

Anyway, back on topic – S.E.A Aquarium, the world’s largest oceanarium until the one in China opened. An adult ticket costs $28 for Singapore Residents and a child ticket is $15. Tourists pay $32 (adult) and $22 (child) and there’s also a $2 charge if you want to check out the Typhoon Theatre where you’ll get a 4D experience of what a typhoon is like. So is it worth the money?

That is a trick question.

Let’s start with an easy one. Typhoon Theatre, worth the time or the money? In my opinion, no. Coming from a media background I know how expensive it was to hire actors and animators to create the visuals for this 4D show. However, I have to be truthful and say I didn’t think it was worth it. $2 is not expensive, true. However, I was underwhelmed by the effects and the visuals.

I had experienced a Category 4 typhoon in Taipei during this year’s Pitchin Bitches annual trip. And what I experienced in the 4D show did not feel like the real thing AT ALL. I feel that if you claim to simulate what a typhoon feels like then go all out and do it well.

Because I knew what a real typhoon was like, even before entering the theatre, I asked the staff there if I was gonna get drenched or very wet. They said ‘no’. I was a bit confused and did not believe them at all. When we were in Taipei, the winds were so strong that our wet hair would whip our faces and the rain would beat down on us like small paintball pellets.

I had also been to a hurricane simulator in Universal Studios in USA before and while the staff said we would only be a little wet, their idea of ‘little’ was not the same as mine. I would not be fooled again. This time, I didn’t want to take my chances so I stuffed all my electronics into my small handbag.

But it turned out that S.E.A Aquarium’s Typhoon Theatre is just a little wetter than Shrek’s 4D sneeze.

And now for the main attraction, the aquarium itself. Is it worth the money?

That depends on what you like or do not like. Do you like attractions that will get your adrenaline pumping? If you do, then obviously the S.E.A Aquarium is not for you or worth $28. If you are the patient quiet sort who can stare at fishes all day long and like the feeling of being surrounded by water then you’ll enjoy the S.E.A Aquarium.

The Little Mermaid is my favourite Disney animation film and I like the feeling of being surrounded by underwater creatures so I thoroughly enjoyed the S.E.A Aquarium. The place feels a bit small for $28. But, if I took the time to slowly enjoy the place and admire the undersea life on display at the attraction, I believe I would have felt it was worth the price. I was like a kid in a candy store.

I went around snapping photos of these amazing creatures. I spotted Bruce, Dory, Nemo, Marlin and Gill, the Moorish Idol.

Nemo and Marlin’s relative

Hello Gill! You’re no Grissom are you.

I hope this regal blue tang doesn’t suffer from short term memory loss.

Oooo! From this angle, it really looks like Dory!

I didn’t see the exact type of starfish featured in the film but I really like the ones I did see.

I love this shot! Wallpaper worthy don’t you think? =P

A starfish, chiling in the tank.

But my all time favourite at the aquarium was the jellyfish! They’re so pretty! Check out these moon jellyfish!

The first tank we saw had colour changing lights so the jellyfish would either be blue, green, white or magenta! It was so cool! I could have stayed there watching it for hours methinks. It was so soothing watching them.

There’s also these cute ones that are a little less graceful – the white spotted jellyfish. They look so unique I had zoom in and get a close up of the jellyfish.

This last one is quite deadly from what I understand. I think its a sea nettle. One of the deadliest jellyfish in existence. The pain will be excruciating, so I read. Though not as bad as the box jellyfish.

I love how it suddenly disappeared when it wasn’t under the spotlight. Scary if you encounter them but fun to watch when you’re safe behind a thick aquarium glass.

The other creature I had fun watching as it swam in the tank were the seahorses! Can you spot them in the photo below?

Their tiny fins reminding me of the fluttering wings of a hummingbird. I feel like they’re working overtime in order to help it to move.

I’m not sure what type of fish this is but I love stripes and the pattern of this fish really caught my eye.

Other than the fact that there didn’t seem to be many exhibits, I really had quite a bit of fun. We didn’t get to see the dolphins though. So that was a bummer. And we didn’t queue to experience the touch pool.

Overall, I think the S.E.A Aquarium is worth a visit at least once. But my advice is to take your time and really admire these amazing creatures at a glacial pace. I would go again once more and really take my time to enjoy these lovely sea creatures. It’s quite soothing and since it’s indoors, you’ll enjoy the attraction in air-con comfort. The attraction may have one of the largest volume of water for an aquairum but the areas to walk really isn’t very big so don’t be too disappointed. At least its easy to explore.

What do you think? Have you been to Singapore’s S.E.A Aquarium? How did you find it? Is there another aquarium you’d recommend us?

Related articles

World’s largest oceanarium opens (travel.cnn.com)

Going Behind the Scenes of the S.E.A. Aquarium Ocean Dreams Experience (passportchop.com)

Ocean Dreams – Sleeping with the fishes at SEA Aquarium (theoccasionaltraveller.com)

SEA Aquarium RWS review (thewackyduo.com)

10 Must-Visits At The S.E.A. Aquarium – A Guide To The World Under the SEA (thesmartlocal.com)

Click here to follow The SIA Brat on Facebook

The SIA Brat Becomes A Local Tourist: S.E.A Aquarium So just a few weeks back I went to S.E.A Aquarium with my colleagues. It was supposed to be a Christmas treat of sorts.

[the-eclectic-reviewer-blog]

See You Again by Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth (2015)

See You Again by Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth (2015)

Photo Source: Wikipedia Performed by: Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth Musical: Furious 7: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Tis’ the season to be reflectin’ man. Yup. Christmas and New Year had always been the time when most people look back and think about the past year or more. I’m no different. But why is that the case? Oh probably cos we all have time during the Christmas break to take…

[the-eclectic-reviewer-blog]

Taipei 360 ° : Round 'N' Round We Go

Taipei 360 ° : Round ‘N’ Round We Go

I like traditions. And since we documented our Hong Kong trip with wefies taken at each MTR stop we alighted at, I wanted to do wefies again. And thankfully the Pitchin Bitches were as excited about it as I was. Here’s our first wefie together when Chewie finally made it to Taipei. I thought we could do MRT station names again like in Hong Kong but the ones in Taipei weren’t as nice the ones in…

[the-eclectic-reviewer-blog]

Last year we documented our trip with wefies taken at each MTR stop we alighted at because the iconic 3D MTR names were too pretty to ignore. This year, in Taipei, we went around collecting stamps. Well, at least I did.

It’s not as visually exciting as our wefies, but it was still kinda neat. I was unprepared as I didn’t know that these stamps existed at all. But now that I know, on my next trip to Taipei, I’ll be sure to collect all the stamps at each MRT station I stop at.

In fact, after the trip, I read up about these stamps and found out that stamping stations all across the country! You can specially buy a notebook to collect these stamps in Taipei and the stamps are colour coded. Stations that link to multiple lines will have black ink pads. Brown for the Wenhu line, green for the Songshan-Xindian, orange for the Zhonghe-Xinlu line, red for the Tamsui-Xinyi line, and blue for the Bannan line. Which, by the way, coincides with the colour of the lines on the MRT map.

It’s a good thing that these stamps are relatively easy to find. You just need to get to the correct control station booth and it’ll be somewhere close by.

Here’s how they look like.

Some of the stamps are pretty worn out. So press down hard.

The cool thing about these stamps is that each design features something unique about the area that the stamp can be found at. For example the Chiang  Kai-Shek  Memorial  Hall is featured in the design of the stamp at the Chiang  Kai-Shek  Memorial  Hall  Station. Duh right! And at Tamshui, the lovers’ bridge that the area is famous for is part of the design of its stamp.

If you want to find out more about the design of each stamp, click here to find out.

While I didn’t collect all of the stamps, here are the ones I did.

The one at Dongmen is my favourite. The design is simple and reminds me of all the awesome food we had in Taipei!

Oh! Do look carefully before you put stamp to paper too. As you can see, the stamp made at Chiang  Kai-Shek  Memorial  Hall  Station was upside down.

Anyway, it was still loads of fun even if I was the only one excited about ’em stamps. Well Chewie was too, a little. She helped me collect them all by offering her notebook for all that stamping!

What do you think? Did you know about these stamps? Would you go around collecting them? Which is your favourite?

Related articles

30-Something Things You Might Want to Know About Taipei Before Moving There (roboppy.net)

TRTC to Offer Unique MRT Commemorative Stamps at Each Station (english.gov.taipei)

 Taiwan Travel Mini // Part II (inacreativebubble.blogspot.sg)

Macy’s Top Ten Taiwan travel tricks and tips (theislandergirl.com)

Taipei MRT stamps collection (midori-japan.co.jp)

Taipei Stamps Last year we documented our trip with wefies taken at each MTR stop we alighted at…

[the-eclectic-reviewer-blog]

Before photography came into existence, people had their portraits painted. Now, we remember moments in our lives through photographs. Do people really go through their wedding photos years later? Or do those chunky photo albums get shelved or packed into old boxes and kept in storage?

Eventually, my wedding photographs might be neglected or even forgotten. But even so, I know that I want to have that day captured and remembered forever. So that whenever I do want to take a walk down memory lane, I have a visual reference to help me remember.

Wedding photography is a massive industry because many couples feel that having a good photographer is very important. So couples spend a lot of time looking at portfolios and meeting wedding photographers. Great care is taken when picking a photographer. Because the photographer you hire has only one chance to capture special moments on your big day.

Pre-wedding or engagement photography is also very popular, and for me, finding a pre-wedding photographer that I can connect with is the most important thing. Of course I must also like the person’s body of work and someone I can afford.

So I started looking out for photographers whose work I liked.

After going through the works of over 30 wedding photographers, maybe more, I realised that I liked photos which showcase wedding details, tender moments, interesting compositions, high concept dramatic or comedic pieces, and storytelling style.

After carefully and painstakingly going through so many photographers’ portfolios, here is my short-list of photographers and my favourite works from their portfolio.

(PS: These photos belong to the respective photographers, not me)

In alphabetical order we have…

Androids In Boots

Pre-Wedding

Actual Day

The pre-wedding photos are of real-life couple, Christabel and Joal. It was a styled shoot done at USS for Androids in Boots. You can see more of the photos taken and read more about it here.

In general, I really like their attention to details and their ability to capture fun and tender moments at a wedding and during the pre-wedding shoot.

Email: enquiry@androidsinboots.com Website: http://www.androidsinboots.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/androidsinboots Instagram: https://instagram.com/androidsinboots/

Bloc Memoire Photography

Pre-Wedding

Actual Day

Bloc Memoire was already on my radar, but when I found out Pitchin Bitches’ Pamy’s pre-wedding photos was taken by them and they would be taking their actual day wedding photos as well, my interest was further piqued.

Also, while I was going through photographers’ portfolios, I didn’t see as many church weddings being featured. However, Bloc Memoire really caught my attention because they didn’t just take photos of the couple, they also featured the facade of the church. And not just any church. One of the photographs I came across featured multiple shots of the church I was going to get married in. The fact that they’ve already shot a wedding at my church before was a major plus for me.

Email: bloc.memoire@gmail.com Website: http://www.blocmemoire.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlocMemoire Instagram: https://instagram.com/blocmemoirephotography

Bobby Kiran

Pre-Wedding

Actual Day

I first noticed Bobby Kiran way back when he shot Kelly Latimer’s wedding. I know Kelly from when I did the Youth Olympic Games and when I help out at the S League matches. I loved the angles he shoots and how he captures sweet and comedic moments at the wedding itself. And I also really like his pre-wedding photos especially the ones with the coloured power.

Email: info@bobbykiranyeo.com Website: http://bobbykiranyeo.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyKiranPhotography Instagram: https://instagram.com/bobbykiranyeo/

Colossal Weddings

Pre-Wedding

Actual Day

Colossal Photos was recommended by a cameraman I worked with when I was at MediaCorp. I really like the photos taken at Adam and Rae’s wedding and the fact that a professional cameraman praises the professionalism and work of the photographers at Colossal Photos really puts me at ease.

Email: info@colossalphotos.com Website: http://www.colossalweddings.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/colossalweddings Instagram: https://instagram.com/colossalweddings/

Ksana

Pre-Wedding

Actual Day

I can’t remember how I chanced upon Ksana’s works. But I was quite deep into my research when I discovered her. I love her attention to detail and find that her shots really evoke a lot of emotion. Unfortunately, as she is also getting hitched in the same month as I will be, she cannot be my actual day photographer.

Email: hi@ksana.co Website: http://ksana.co/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ksanaco

Feldberyl Images

Pre-Wedding

Pre-Wedding of Shere and Chen Yi

Pre-Wedding of Shere and Chen Yi

Actual Day

Wedding of Jason and Cara

Wedding of Jason and Cara

Wedding of Jason and Cara

Wedding of Marius and Wanwen

Wedding of Marius and Wanwen

Wedding of Simon and Mary

Wedding of Wai Quen and Poh Ling

Wedding of Wai Quen and Poh Ling

After seeing so many talented photographers’ works, it becomes harder and harder to impress me. I noticed Feldberyl much later in my research and Wan Sheng comes highly recommended by a friend who mingles with many professional photographers. Love the composition of his photographs and the way it clearly draws your attention to the subject matter that’s most important.

Email: wansheng@feldberyl.com Website: http://www.feldberyl.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/feldberylimages

Lightedpixels Photography

Pre-Wedding

Actual Day

My cousin hired Lightedpixels for his wedding a few years back. But even before that, I had already noticed them. I feel that the photographers with Lightedpixels have a good eye and especially love their composition in pre-wedding photographs I’ve seen. Even with their actual day photography, I find that they have a knack for taking great tender moments and fun snapshots.

Email: info@lightedpixels.com Website: http://lightedpixels.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Lightedpixels Instagram: https://instagram.com/lightedpixelsphotography/

Raymond Phang

Pre-Wedding

Actual Day

Raymond Phang’s pre-wedding photos are so much fun! I love the concept photos however it’s not for the faint hearted. You have to be ‘gung ho’ and totally let loose. The couple has to be daring enough to act the part.

With the actual day photographs, I love that Raymond is able to find cool and unique ways to capture details. He also manages to capture wonderful moments that truly showcases every aspect of a wedding.

Email: contactme@raymondphang.com / raymondphotography@gmail.com Website: http://raymondphang.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RaymondPhangPhotography Instagram: https://instagram.com/raymondphangphotography/

Said & Meant

Pre-Wedding

Actual Day

Simple and classic. I love the interesting angles Kenneth takes and how his photos doesn’t distract from the focus – the couple.

Email: hello@saidandmeant.co Website: http://www.saidandmeant.co/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/saidandmeant Instagram: https://instagram.com/saidandmeant/

Styled, With Love

Pre-Wedding

Styled, With Love is a new kid on the block and focuses only on styled pre-wedding shoots. I like that they provide a proper theme and set it all up for you. My favourite is the one of the couple who both wore animal onesies for their shoot. It’s so simple yet fun and unique to the couple.

Email: styledwithlove.photography@gmail.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/styledwithlove Instagram: https://instagram.com/styled.withlove/

Super Panda Presents

Pre-Wedding

Actual Day

I love the composition of the photos featured in their portfolio. No gimmicks. Simple yet very eye catching.

Email: info@superpandapresents.com Website: http://superpandapresents.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/superpandapresents Instagram: https://instagram.com/superpandaj5/

Synchronal Photography

Pre-Wedding

Actual Day

I like the way Synchronal Photography is able to capture moments between the couple that speak volumes without being too posed or forced. It feels like the photographers sat back camera-ready and just waited for moments between the couple. Be it during the actual day wedding or pre-wedding shoot.

Email: hello@synchronalphotography.com Website: http://synchronalphotography.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesynchronal Instagram: https://instagram.com/synchronalphotography/

50nFifty Productions

Pre-Wedding

Actual Day

50nFifty Productions’ works are varied and range from classic to wacky. Their photos also undergo quite a bit of enhancement and editing which is a matter of preference. I like it.

Email: info@50nfifty.com Website: http://www.50nfifty.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/50nfifty Instagram: https://instagram.com/50nfifty/

I know, it’s a really long list. But truth be told, there are hundreds of wedding photographers out there in the market, so this is a considerably shortened list.

Now all I have to do is choose from this list. Dang! 13 to just 1.

With so many good wedding photographers out there. I suppose it’s a matter of finding someone who fulfils the trifecta – budget, availability, connection. I’m in the midst of meeting some of these photographers. I’ll reveal who I pick eventually so stay tuned.

What do you think? Is it very wedding photography very important to you? What do you look out for when picking a wedding photographer? Which one of these photographers’ works do you like the most? Who should I pick as my wedding photographer? What should I look out for when choosing a wedding photographer?

Related articles

Top 100 most popular Wedding Photographers in Singapore (kiasubride.com)

Top 10 Wedding Photographers in Singapore (theweddingvowsg.com)

10 Steps to Finding a Great Wedding Photographer (theknot.com)

Tips For Choosing A Wedding Photographer (huffingtonpost.com)

Top Ten Things to Know When Hiring a Wedding Photographer (weddinglovely.com)

Click here to follow The SIA Brat on Facebook

Picking A Photographer: The Importance Of Eternalizing Memories Before photography came into existence, people had their portraits painted. Now, we remember moments in our lives through photographs.

[the-eclectic-reviewer-blog]

The youngest of the Pitchin Bitches is getting hitched at the end of the year, so when we were planning our trip to Taipei, having a hen’s night for her there was a top priority on our list.

We considered doing a girl talk session with inexpensive facials, hiring a stripper at a stripper bar, or chilling out at a pub like the time we hung out at Hong Kong’s Lan Kwai Fong 蘭桂坊.

Eventually, the bride-to-be decided she wanted to drink a little alcohol, relax and have a little girl talk. With the help of Google, the soon-to-be-Mrs picked out a speakeasy called Alchemy.

Looking for the speakeasy was not as easy as we thought it would be. Directions on the website said that it’s near Taipei 101 across the road from the World Trade Center. And upon further investigation we we told that Alchemy was situated above Marquee, just opposite Taipei 101 and nearby Taipei City Hall MRT exit 2. So that’s what we did.

Those instructions weren’t exactly incorrect, but despite having the directions to Alchemy on hand, we still got a little lost because the restaurant Marquee was so obscure! There were no obvious signs to indicate where Marquee was. Thank the heavens for GPS!

We walked from exit 2 to exit 3 then realised that the little dot was moving away from the pin so we doubled back and tried to look out for Marquee.

We had a reservation for 9pm and because we were told they would only hold our reservation for 15mins, the clock was ticking. And fast. I decided to save time by walking into 1Bite2Go, a café & deli and the only business in the vicinity still open to ask where Marquee was. Turns out, Marquee is right next to 1Bite2Go!

So in the future, for anyone intending to go to Alchemy, it’s closer to exit 3 and when you get above ground with the road to your left, make a U-turn and walk straight ahead towards 1Bite2Go. The inconspicuous door to Marquee is on the same level as 1Bite2Go and right smack between that deli and Sparkle Hotel. Let the staff in Marquee that you have a reservation at Alchemy and they’ll show you to the stairs that will lead up to the speakeasy.

I was blown away by Alchemy. It was quite dark inside, but once your eyes get used to the low light, you will see that the speakeasy’s décor is inspired by the 1920s Prohibition-era with sleek leather armchairs, red brick walls, and a fireplace complete with a glowing fake fire.

Step up and step right in to Alchemy!

First thing I noticed was this cosy corner. Felt like I walked into Sherlock Holmes’ sitting area!

Then I saw the fireplace!

And finally the bar!

This was the view we had right in front of our table. Looks like a boys’ club den right?

There is a 2 drink minimum per person, but the drinks were really interesting so the only problem I had was a tough time choosing. We also got to enjoy a 2-piece live band at Alchemy as well. And because it was a week day, the speakeasy was practically empty. We made a reservation for 9-11pm but actually stayed until the place closed for the day! Perfect for our little girl-talk session.

And now a breakdown of the drinks we had that day. This part I had a little help from my Pitchin Bitches as the details of the night are a little fuzzy to me. I had 3 strong drinks, so I have a good excuse.

Round 1:

Blushing bride-to-be with her Hurricane Smash.

Ms Shupwsy with her Gimlet.

Pretty lady with her White Lady.

“Skål! Cheers! 乾杯！喝采！환호!”

To the bride!

Pamy – Hurricane Smash (Havana Blanco, Tropical Fruit Puree, Pineapple Syrup, Lemon Juice, Myer’s)

Shuping – Gimlet (Gordon’s Gin, Simple Syrup, Lemon Juice)

Chewie – White Lady (Gin, Cointreau, Lemon Juice)

Monica – Milk Punch (Hennessy Vsop, Dark Rum, Milk, Caramel)

The Milk Punch had both a hot and cold option. I totally wanted to get the hot Milk Punch but was told that only the cold one was available. The difference? The hot one was stronger than the cold one. Dang! I’ll try it next time!

The Milk Punch came in a mug that made me feel like I was gulping down ice chocolate instead of alcohol. But still, it was a mighty good drink.

Round 2:

Round 2! “Ting ting”

My Toffee Manhattan

Pamy – Summer Breeze (Bourbon, Bitters, Ginger Ale, Lemon Juice)

Chewie – Chrysanthemum Fizz (Tanqueray No. 10 Gin, Chrysanthemum Syrup, Grapefruit Juice)

Monica – Toffee Manhattan (Premium Bourbon, Martini Rosso, Bitters, Toffee Syrup)

Not sure if Chewie had the Chrysanthemum Fizz or the Ramos Gin Fizz (Gin, Orange Blossom Water, Egg White, Milk, Sweet, Sour, Soda Water). Although, I have a nagging suspicion that it was the former. Anyone know for sure?

Anyway, my Toffee Manhattan was really quite strong but that’s why I liked it. I’ve had cocktails that were real disappointments before. But this drink was very smooth. The toffee was not overpowering or overly sweet. And the subtle taste of toffee hits you only after the alcohol goes down your oesophagus.

Round 3:

The Heart of Aztec. Strangely, this cup reminds me of Harry Potter.

Chewie – A shot of whisky, on the rocks

Monica –  Heart of Aztec (Don Julio Reposado, Honey, Cacao Liqueur, Lime Juice)

This was the last cocktail I had that night.

And for my last cocktail I was torn between getting the Bank of Mafia or the Heart of Aztec. I don’t know how the former tastes but I know I liked Heart of Aztec least of the 3 cocktails I tried. On closer inspection of the ingredients for the Bank of Mafia, which is Templeton, Caramel, Sweet Vermouth, and Bitters, I think I might have enjoyed that more than the Heart of Aztec. Oh well, all the more reason to go back to Taipei and Alchemy to try that drink.

We weren’t ready to leave, so we ordered a bottle of white wine to share while we continued to play 20 questions with the bride-to-be. Although it was just simply 4 girls sitting at a watering hole drinking, chatting, and laughing together, it was a night to remember.

One of the things I loved about Alchemy and Taipei, even after we finished our wine, none of the staff told us to get lost. They closed at 2.30am, and while I absolutely cannot remember what time we stayed there till, none of the staff chased us out of the speakeasy until way after closing time. We felt so bad for holding everyone back.

When we finally got out of the speakeasy, we realised that it was raining like cats and dogs. Finally! We could put our raincoats and umbrellas to good use. And then I went and hurt myself with my faulty umbrella. But even though that happened, this hen’s night was a definitely an unforgettable event.

Here’s a shot of the cocktail menu, which 2 drinks would you have picked if you visited Alchemy?

Address: 2F, 16-1 Xinyi Rd, Sec 5, Taipei City (台北市信義路五段16-1號2樓) Telephone: 0953-585-759 Opening hours: Mondays to Saturdays from 9pm to 2.30am

Remember to make a reservation 1-2 days in advance as walk-ins are not accepted and seating is limited to about 50 people. If you go on a Wednesday and Thursday, you’ll also get to enjoy live jazz and blues.

What do you think? Have you visited a speakeasy before? Is there a speakeasy in your country that we absolutely must visit? What about a speakeasy do you like? Is this how you would celebrate your hen’s night? Why or why not?

Related articles

3 Ultra-cool Speakeasy-style Haunts in Taipei (travelandleisureasia.com)

Speak Softly: A Safe Haven for Cocktail Lovers at Alchemy (city543.com)

Alchemy (mydestination.com)

Enter Taipei and its quiet craft cocktail revolution (taipeitimes.com)

Alchemy: A prohibition era speakeasy in taipei (thefoodronin.com)

17 Hidden Gems To Find On Your Next Visit To Taipei (buzzfeed.com)

Top 10 Drinks to Try in Taipei this Summer (taiwanforeigner.com)

Three Girls, A Bride, & A Speakeasy in Taipei The youngest of the Pitchin Bitches is getting hitched at the end of the year, so when we were planning our trip to Taipei, having a hen's night for her there was a top priority on our list.

[the-eclectic-reviewer-blog]

The Brat Reviews Everest (2015)

The Brat Reviews Everest (2015)

Photo Source: Wikipedia Director: Baltasar Kormákur Written by: William Nicholson & Simon Beaufoy Cast: Jason Clarke, Jake Gyllenhaal, Josh Brolin, John Hawkes, Sam Worthington, Robin Wright, Keira Knightley, Emily Watson, Martin Henderson Duration: 121 minutes “Human beings simply aren’t built to function at the cruising altitude of a 747. Our bodies will be literally dying.” – Rob Hall That is…

[the-eclectic-reviewer-blog]

I’ve written a couple of posts about my trip to Hong Kong with the Pitchin Bitches and even created a comic strip with them there. But I didn’t properly introduce them here.

So who are the Pitchin Bitches?

We are group of four ladies who used to work together at MediaCorp. Used to, because half of the Pitchin Bitches left MediaCorp late last year, even before we travelled to Hong Kong together.

Last year, while still in MediaCorp, all four of us came together to work on several pitches for TV shows. We came up with and developed about 8 ideas, and of those, 3 were picked up and eventually filmed and aired. The four of us had to present these concepts to upper management and we decided to give our group a name as we wanted the pitch to be fun. And so the Pitchin Bitches was born.

The show that pushed the Pitchin Bitches to travel together was called Spouse For House. You can watch the pilot of the sitcom below.

https://dailymotion.com/video/x1bs14m

It’s not a travel show, so how did it get us out of the country? Well, we were quite stressed out by the concept meetings for Spouse for House on top of all the work we were previously assigned, so when we saw that Scoot was offering an awesome flight deal to Hong Kong, we decided we needed to take a break and fly away. And so we did. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Last year, the Pitchin Bitches has so much fun together in Hong Kong, we decided to go on another Pitchin Bitches trip in 2015. So despite hectic schedules, and even though two of the Pitchin Bitches are no longer working in MediaCorp, we made it! To Taipei! In fact, we’re now starting to plan for #PitchinBitchesInGC&Brissy!

But first, let’s have a brief look at #PitchinBitchesInTW.

#1: Mishap – Passport Validity

6am on the day of our departure, we took our first “hit” when we found out that Taiwan is very strict about passport validity. Apparently, to go to Hong Kong, you only need at least one month’s validity on your passport. For Taiwan, you have to have 6 months, no less. And they mean business.

We were set to depart on September 28 but one of the Pitchin Bitches’ passport was going to expire on March 25, 2016. This means that my friend was just 4 days shy of the required 6 months to go to Taipei.

Yup! She was refused entry to Taipei! She couldn’t even check in!

Okay, so we panicked for a tiny second. But we regrouped and got our friend to rush to ICA once it opens at 8am with her passport, IC, and bags to get a temporary extension. Once she got that, she was told she also had to apply for a visa at the Taiwan consulate. Next order of business, she had to get a new return ticket to Taipei.

We had booked 2-to-go tickets on Cathay Pacific and I initially worried if two people were gonna be stuck in Singapore, denied entry to Taiwan. But thankfully, because we were travelling in a group of 3, no one else needed to be left behind. If it was just 2 people, both must fly together or the solo passenger needs to pay full fare.

Moral of the story, check that your passport has at least 7 months validity just in case. My passport expires in November next year, so I’ll have to take care with regards to all travel plans in 2016.

We realised we had a BIG problem…

Sad that we had to fly off without Chewie

“Sadness overflows the river…”

Down a Pitchin’ Bitch!

Empty chair…

and empty table…

She got it! Better late than never!

Blessing in disguise: The lady at the check in counter informed us about it before we got stuck in Hong Kong with no way to fix this. Also, our flight was early in the morning so Chewie could get to ICA first thing in the morning. Plus, Chewie totally avoided our next big event – Typhoon Dujuan.

#2: Adventure – Typhoon Dujuan

When we planned our trip to Taipei last year, we knew we wanted to go at the end of typhoon season so we have a higher chance of avoiding a typhoon. And although we knew that end September is still risky, we thought we’d be relatively safe from encountering one.

Well, we thought wrong. Check out this year’s Pacific typhoon season!

Photo Source: Wikipedia

Just before our trip, we learnt that Category 4 Typhoon Dujuan was expected to hit land close to midnight on September 28. That was the day we were due to land as well. We were scheduled to land at 3pm on that day. So we knew we would have about 7 hours to get from the airport to our apartment.

So how bad was Typhoon Dujuan?

The twenty-first named storm and the thirteenth typhoon of the annual typhoon season, it was the second most intense tropical cyclone of the Northwest Pacific Ocean in 2015 in terms of ten-minute maximum sustained winds! It caused 3 deaths and 376 injuries in Taiwan. During the first landfall, the weather station in Su’ao, Yilan observed the maximum gust at 68.4 m/s (246 km/h) and maximum sustained winds at 40.4 m/s (145 km/h), and that gust became the second strongest of the station in history.

Say hello to Typhoon Dujuan over Taiwan on September 28, 2015.

Photo Source: Wikipedia

Photo Source: Wikipedia

Click here if you want to know what wind speeds the different colours represent.

Yeap. Typhoon Dujuan was bad. We saw motorcycles lying on its side in the middle of the road, ripped billboard signs strewn across the road, tree branches blocking the entire length of roads, and the bus we took shook so much that at times I thought the whole bus would topple over.

I experienced my first full blown natural disaster on this trip and I’m glad I had my Pitchin Bitches with me along for the ride.

Blessing in disguise: We got into Taipei just in time, other flights that left after we did got cancelled. We experienced Taiwanese kindness in the form of a young uber driver!

#3: Mishap – Injured & Intoxicated In The Pouring Rain

One of the Pitchin Bitches was getting married this November and so we wanted to do a hen’s night for her in Taipei. We had thought of hiring a stripper for her or paint the town red getting her to do stuff like brides-to-be in American films and TV shows do. Instead, we decided to find a speakeasy and chill out together. Of course we did ask her some very personal questions after we got our drinks.

We chatted from 9pm all through the night and only left when the staff at Alchemy informed us at 2am that they’re now closed. When we got out of the place, it was pouring cats and dogs. We managed to get to a cab with our umbrellas and got back to the apartment by 3am.

I was sitting closest to the door at the side of the nearest shelter so I hurriedly tried to open my umbrella once the door was opened. Something wasn’t quite right as the umbrella refused to open up and stay up. But it was pouring down heavily and I was getting drenched by the second. So I forced it open and managed to get it to stay up but I also felt a sharp pain on the index finger of my left hand.

Uh-huh, I sliced the side of my index finger with a wire that was broken and sticking out where it shouldn’t be. I thought it was a bad cut because the blood wouldn’t stop flowing and started dripping on the wet floor. I applied pressure on it and used a tissue to stop the bleed. After about 2-3 minutes I finally got the bleeding to stop.

Then I remembered I had a hand sanitizer in my bag so I got it out and applied it on the wound hoping to be able to clean the wound. Bad move. My wound split open and started bleeding again. Then I used a wet tissue with anti bacterial qualities to stop the bleed, except the wet wipes seemed to suck more blood out of my cut! All in all, it took me about about 10 minutes to get the bleeding to stop.

Showering with just one hand was not easy especially when mildly intoxicated. The next morning, I checked if all my blood had been washed away by the rain and spotted a drop of blood still on the floor.

Night of the accident…

The day after…

CSI moment: Spot my blood.

I realised now why I was bleeding more than usual. Alcohol is a blood thinner which causes it to flow more easily and makes it harder to clot. And I had three rather strong cocktails that night just before the little mishap.

Blessing in disguise: I had an excuse to use my raincoat, trash the broken umbrella and get a new automatic one that is huge and can withstand strong winds. I also learnt that Taiwan is known for their good sturdy umbrellas.

#4: Adventure – Typhoon Mujigae

On our last night in Taipei, we were informed that our flight out of Taipei at 0805 would be delayed 45 mins. We were busy packing and didn’t think much of it. We realised that the delay was due to Typhoon Mujigae that was closing in on Hong Kong early that morning only when we reached the airport.

Photo Source: Wikipedia

We were flying Cathay Pacific and the route included a stopover in Hong Kong. As you can see from the image below, the first leg of our journey would have to endure the wake of the strong winds from the Category 4 typhoon before being able to land at Hong Kong. Hence the delay in departure time.

Because our flight to be delayed, we would miss our connecting flight out of Hong Kong to Singapore. And the lady at the counter told us that we had to rebooked our connecting flight out of Hong Kong before checking in to our 0850 flight to Hong Kong!

We did as we were told, but the queue was so long I feared we would not be able to rebook our flight before the check in counter for our flight to Hong Kong closes. And sure enough, we barely moved 3 metres!

While I stayed with the our luggage, Pamy and Shuping went to look for the lady at the counter to find out if she could get us on the flight to Hong Kong then we’ll figure out how to get from Hong Kong to Singapore after we land. And as luck would have it, that lady was no longer at the check in counter!

The girls then approached the Information Counter for help and found out that all the later flights from Hong Kong to Singapore were fully booked anyway. So even if we got on the 0850 flight we would still be stuck at the airport! Thankfully, the lady they approached, Ms Apple, was really helpful and managed to get us back home to Singapore by putting us on a direct flight from Taipei on another airline – EVA Air.

At the time, all I knew about EVA Air was that they had just did a huge ad campaign to promote the fact that a Hello Kitty Jet would now be flying the Singapore – Taipei route. It created a lot of buzz in Singapore. In fact, they also rolled out a double decker bus to promote their Hello Kitty Jet. I took notice because the Hello Kitty bus was going to service the number 14 route, the bus I frequently take as it passes my home. So despite feeling stressed about getting home from Taipei, all three of us wondered if we were going to be flying on the Hello Kitty plane.

After rushing from one terminal to the other, we found out at EVA Air’s check in counter that we would be flying home on the Hello Kitty Jet.

Yup! We’re flying home on the Hello Kitty Jet!

Blessing in disguise: We got back to Singapore slightly more than an hour earlier than we would have if all went as originally planned. Also, the flight from Hong Kong to Singapore was delayed for more than 3 hours! So, we got lucky really.

Looking back at this trip, our vacation in Taipei was a series of unfortunate events that didn’t turn out too badly for us in the end. If I could have a do-over, the only thing I’d change was more Taiwan dollars.

Although… for Chewie, besides changing more money, she’d probably want to change the part about her passport as well.

What do you think? Have you ever experience a typhoon first hand before? Or been denied entry to a country? Have a travel experience that beats ours hands down? Share it with us.

Related articles

Typhoons In Taiwan (taiwanese-secrets.com)

Passport expiry dates and blank pages: what are the rules? (theguardian.com)

Singapore Passport Application / Extension (mfa.gov.sg)

Typhoon Dujuan: 3 Dead, More Than 350 Injured in Taiwan; Nearly 750,000 Homes Without Power (weather.com)

19 dead, 4 missing after Typhoon Mujigae hits China, setting off tornadoes (edition.cnn.com)

Hello Kitty Jet Story (evakitty.evaair.com)

Sneak peek: Hello Kitty-themed flight taking off from Singapore (channelnewsasia.com)

 15 Must-Get Souvenirs from the EVA Air Hello Kitty Jet (alvinology.com)

Complete Guide to the EVA Air Hello Kitty Jet Experience (viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com)

 10 Things to Expect Flying with EVA Air’s Hello Kitty Jet (asia361.com)

Ride on a Hello Kitty-themed public bus in Singapore (herworldplus.com)

Feature: EVA Air Hello Kitty Bus (publictransportsg.wordpress.com)

Hello Kitty Bus in Singapore #Evaairhellokittybus (faithjoyhope.blogspot.sg)

[SBST] Hello Kitty Themed Bus – SBS3887P on Service 14 – Volvo B9TL Wright Eclipse Gemini II (youtube.com)

Pitchin’ Bitches In Taipei: A Series Of Adventure & Mishaps I've written a couple of posts about my trip to Hong Kong with the Pitchin Bitches…

[the-eclectic-reviewer-blog]

Patience is a virtue. One that I occasionally possess. This was of those times…

“Monica, wake up! We’re going to be late!” my mother said in a raised voice. I sleepily reached for my phone to check the time. 6 am! “What an ungodly hour to be up! How is this a holiday if I have to wake up at 6am!?” screamed my brain.

The rest is a blur. It is likely that I just went through the motions and somehow got myself dressed and presentable enough. After all, I was off to see the Pope. And one must not be dressed too shabbily for such an occasion.

Today, I turn my focus to the smallest county in the world – Vatican City.

In 2011, my mum and I toured a number of cities in Europe. We started in Barcelona, moved on to Rome, then went on tour of Italy and visited over 10 Italian cities in just 14 days. It was a mad rush and I do not recommend squeezing everything in like we did.

I am of the mindset that one should stay in a city at least a week to begin to get a feel for the soul of the city.

As such I’m really glad we didn’t rush through all of Italy. We spent about 4 nights in Rome and in one of those days, we visited the smallest county in the world – Vatican City.

How small exactly is this city state? 0.44 square kilometres! It has no more than 1000 inhabitants, and of that number, only about 450 have Vatican citizenship.

As you already know we had an early start. We did our research the night before and knew we had to walk to the Roma Termini to catch the bus to the Vatican. Both bus number 64 and 40 would get us there but we spotted the 64 first so we hopped on it and was soon on our way.

My mum and I were relieved to be on the bus but we were also wary. While doing our research, we found out that bus 64 was notorious for pickpockets as many visitors would hop on this bus which connects with Termini station, Piazza Venezia, and Argentina.

Even though I had already gone on a solo trip of my own, travelling in Rome with my mum was a little more daunting. I think it has something to do with the language barrier.

Regardless, we had a rather uneventful bus ride to Vatican City.

After getting off the bus, my mum and I were a little confused. Were we already in Vatican City? Do we need to get our passports stamped now that we’re technically in a new country?

So many questions, so little time. Despite leaving early, we were a little late to meet the tour group at Vatican City. We eventually just followed the crowd and thankfully got to the meeting point and found our guides.

When you first get to St Peter’s Square, forget the photographs, just find a seat right at the barrier where the Pope will drive past. There’ll be plenty of time after the Papal Audience is over. That’s the tip our guide gave us.

Oh and do note that the Papal Audience only occurs on Wednesdays. Check out the schedule here for dates until December 2015.

Before the masses arrive

Taken from our aweseome seats

My mum listening to the guide who’s flooding our ears with information about the city and useful tips for later

Using my butt to chope my seat, so I got bored and snapped a patch of the grey cobblestone ground that would eventually wear out our feet

Yup! It’s getting crowded now…

I don’t know how long we waited in our seats. But it was LONG! I got a bit bored just waiting, but I understood why we had to ‘chope’ our seats so early, eventually. Why? Because we ended up with a fabulous photo opportunity.

How awesome was my spot?

This awesome…

Yup even with the good spot, I had hands in my shot! Grrr! I felt like a fan girl.

The Pope is arriving soon.

And here comes the Pope Mobile!

I could actually reach over the barrier and touch those men in black.

I didn’t for fear of getting dragged away and thrown into prison. But man! I was tempted. So tempted.

I was sooooo close! The bad part about being so close to the Pope? Every other person behind you will be pushing you against the wooden barriers. And I got elbowed and jabbed a few times too. Yup! The Pope’s a major celebrity okay.

Now if you’re wondering who are those guys in bright red, orange, and blue, well, wonder no more. They’re the Swiss Guard. If not for the guide, I wouldn’t have known that Swiss Guards must all be, well duh, Swiss nationals. Theses Swiss soldiers have been guarding foreign European courts since the late 15th century! The Papal Swiss Guard was founded in 1506 and is the only Swiss Guard still in existence.

Find them way cool and want to be a Swiss Guard. Well, you have to fulfil these requirements first.

You must be Catholic

You must be unmarried

Hold Swiss citizenship

Completed basic training with the Swiss military

Can obtain certificates of good conduct

Have a professional degree or high school diploma

Aged between 19 and 30

At least 174 cm (5 ft 8.5 in) tall

Swiss Guard, their uniforms are so colourful! And traditional.

Yup they even have gloves.

Then I was glad for the light rain as we got to see their rain coats come out! They were delievered to the Swiss Guard who could not leave their post

In the words of my fun guide, she claimed that they had to be handsome and virgins.

Cute guard sighted! Don’t you think he reminds you of Matt Damon!? My mum and I both thought he was super good looking! =P

Well, if they are supposed to be unmarried and be morally upright, and seeing that pre-marital sex is frowned upon in the Catholic faith. I can see where she was going with that. But man! That dude is fine…!

Okay back on topic – the Pope.

The rest of the day passed rather slowly. The Pope took his seat at the front and thus began the Papal Audience ceremony in which he  delivers his catechises. The Pope took turns to speak in various languages and acknowledged the various pilgrimage groups that were present.

The Pope

and his cardinals

If not for my telephoto lens I’d only be able to take shots like this.

When it was time for the Pope to leave, everyone started to rush to the front just to catch a final glimpse of him on the Pope Mobile again.

The long good bye…

Back on the Pope Mobile

My favourite shot of the Pope I took.

This part of the papal audience made me realise how glad I was to have lugged my bulky and heavy telephoto lens to the event. All I had to do was to stand on some abandoned chairs, slow my breathing, and voilà, I got these shots of the Pope leaving without having to squish with everyone else crowding at the front.

After the Pope left, we turned to leave too and saw this! Chaos!

Yup! The venue was a mess! Chairs strewn everywhere. And in the midst of the chaos, we spotted some brides and grooms rushing towards the front.

So we found out from our wonderful guide that newly married couples can actually get blessed by the Pope at the Papal Audience!

If you want to receive a special blessing from the Pope you need to get “sposi novelli” tickets. Basically, all you have to do is to send a request for newly wed tickets and seating to visitorsoffice@pnac.org. But in order to get these tickets you have to:

Be married in a Catholic church within two months of the audience they want to attend

The request must include the name of the church where the wedding took place; the date of the wedding; the name of the priest who married them; and the full name of the bride and groom

A copy of their certificate of sacramental marriage signed by the officiating priest at their wedding

Bride and grooms can wear their wedding attire to the audience but the women are encouraged to wear a shawl if their dress doesn’t cover their shoulders.

Cool eh? I’ve heard that newly weds also receive a rosary blessed by the Pope as well!

And if you’re wondering, nope, my partner and I won’t be heading to Rome for this. I am actually not a fan of crowds, and rushing about in my wedding gown is not something I’d want to do. Especially since when I get hitched, it’ll be in the height of winter and freezing cold!

After we clear out of the square, we went on to explore the museum and St. Peter’s Basilica at our own pace. When we were ready to leave the tiniest city in the world, we were greeted with this sight.

The square seemed so peaceful. And standing where I was when I took this photo, I realised that this is the view that the Pope had while making his way towards the stage. Wow!

Maybe I would come back to see the Pope again. After all, when I attended this papal audience in 2011, I had met a different Pope, Pope Benedict XVI from Germany. And the current Pope, is Pope Francis. Pope Francis is a Pope of many firsts, he is the first Pope from the Americas, first Pope from the Southern Hemisphere, and the first Jesuit Pope. And in all my life as a Catholic, he’s the first Pope that makes me truly interested and intrigued by what he has to say.

What do you think? Have you attended the papal audience before? Is this something you’d want to go for? Why or why not? Have you seen the Pope in person? What was your experience like? 

Related articles

How to See the New Pope in Rome (nytimes.com)

Papal Audience/Blessing (catholicdos.org)

Newlyweds flock to Rome for papal blessing (catholicnewsagency.com)

Newlyweds get VIP treatment at the Vatican (cnsblog.wordpress.com)

Papal Audience Tickets FREE in St. Peter’s Square (papalaudience.org)

Dark Rome Tours (darkrome.com)

Click here to follow The SIA Brat on Facebook

For The First Time: The SIA Brat's Off To See The Pope Patience is a virtue. One that I occasionally possess. This was of those times... "Monica, wake up!