french toasts

french toast at le parker meridien in New York

french toast at the W hotel at union square in New York

french toast at the ritz carlton in san francisco

Wicked in London

Things to do in London: Musical

Two sites I came across that I found helpful.

https://tfl.gov.uk/plan-a-journey/
https://www.taxifarefinder.com/main.php?city=london

The one on the top is helpful to figure out which subway line to take to whatever destination
and the one below gives you an estimate of taxi fares.

There might be more useful sites and apps out there, but I happened to find them just before leaving the hotel to go see Wicked, and I got all the information I need.  Wicked was playing at the Victoria Apollo theater.  The closest station from the Shard is the London Bridge station--- a one minute walk.

Oyster cards make subway or 'tube' rides easier.

I just dropped by the ticket office and found a nice seat for 64.50 pounds. At the hotel, they would charge me an extra 20 pounds to book a similar seat.

I took an advice from a friend to brief myself on the storyline beforehand and I would advise the same to anyone who is planning to go.  But with or without the brief, I think it is a musical for all ages to enjoy.

Sunday in London nearby the Shard

Still in London, and have the weekend all to myself....yeah!

Went to the Borough market this morning, only to find out it was closed....booh!

I walked further and saw people lining in front of the Breakfast Café. 

I decided to give it a try. I chose the bar counter to be seated right away, rather than a longer wait for a table.
hmmm, everything on the menu seemed pretty good to satisfy my appetite.  I ordered the American breakfast.

Music was a bit louder than what I would have wanted but it created a very lively atmosphere.
A good way to start the day.

Today, my love for contemporary art led me to the Tate Modern museum, a short walk from the hotel.

Admission is free, but a 4 pound donation is much appreciated. 

Interesting work of art.

don't miss the view from the balcony.

reasons I'm loving the Shangri-La

early check in at the Shangri-La Hotel, also known as 'the Shard' in London.

I just flew in from Singapore, arrived to Heathrow about 7am and it is now 8 in the morning.  The lobby/reception area is on the 35th floor. the elevator opens and I am taken back by the breath-taking panoramic view.  Before checking in, I had to take a picture.

things I love about the Shangri-La; 1) the view

As soon as I entered my room, I noticed the setting on my desk.  Soooo nice of them to have a complimentary breakfast for the tired traveller.

things I love about the Shangri-La; 2) hospitality

there was a Japanese newspaper, orange juice and mixed berries!

apart from the complimentary breakfast, I found more fruits in the room. These are replenished every day.

the amenities,.....

                                 

the Japanese heated toilet seat is a relief even during the summer time.

mirror TV, television I can watch while blow drying my hair in the bathroom...

bathtub with a view.....

bed with a view....early in the morning

just a heavenly experience!

brief outline on the Macau tour (continued)

a spot to get a nice look at the tower

a glimpse of the governor's place, if I remember correctly.  I think the tour guide told us that whatever building that is painted in pink, is government related facility. This photo was taken from the same spot as the photo above.

and then we went to have lunch at Hotel Riviera---we had a buffet style lunch, which was pretty good.  

brief outline on the Macau tour (continued)

after the fortress we went to The ruins of St. Paul's

brief outline on the Macau tour

The one day tour from Hong Kong to Macau came with an English speaking tour guide---and he was great! and the people who were on this tour were very diverse, couples from Brasil, Australia and Malasia, two families from the Philippines, a guy from Poland, another from the United States, and there was me, from Japan.

We went to the fortress.....

                                     

    

lunch in Singapore

Close by the Fullerton Bay Hotel, there is a row of restaurants. We went to Sabai, a thai food place.

The food was great!

restaurants to visit in Singapore

One of the best things about travelling is eating!  Especially, if you are overseas you

would want to try the local soul food.  Bak kut teh fits into that category in Singapore for me.  

place I want to go for Bak kut teh:  Founder Bak ku teh Restaurant 発起人肉骨茶餐室

Hawker centers seem to be a good place to start if you are looking for tasty, reasonably priced food in Singapore.  There is heightened interest these days with two stalls each garnering a Michelin star.

Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle

Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle

Now, were I able to visit these places during this business trip? No.

Instead, I had bak kut teh at the Fullerton Bay Hotel restaurant, Clifford Pier

Experience of the mismatch between a very local cheap food and the luxurious atmosphere was quite unique.

this morning in Singapore

I have been going back and forth between Hong Kong and Singapore this past month.  Occasionally there are moments of peace, and this is one of them.

one day trip to Macau!

Staying in Hong Kong for the weekend

I enjoyed a one day trip to Macau the easy way today, by taking a one day tour through a travel agency. Without much time to do my own research and compare prices,  I googled and simply chose the first agent on the search result.  Despite my initial concerns, I was pleasantly surprised about the outcome.

Today's choice, China Highlights - One Day Macau Tour-   119 US dollars

This is the Macau Ferry Terminal in Hong Kong. The red turbojet docked by the terminal takes you to Macau.