Outfit of the Day - yellow sleeveless blouse over black denim mini shorts

"Blue is for the skies over your head, and yellow is for the fire that burns in your heart." - Ellessandra

Yellow sleeveless knitted blouse over black denim mini-shorts, perfect for casual weekends wear and travelling.

Yellow blouse:  Kiyo (SGD$59.90)
Shorts: Levi's
Shoes: Pazzion
Sunglasses: Armani Exchange
Bag: Coach

Vacation on a Cruise Ship - Genting Dream Cruise to Port Klang

Cruise trips are addictive, I tell you, just like resorts. It's like, moving an entire block of hotel, or entertainment city, out to sea and enjoying oneself in the middle of nowhere.  Anyway, I enjoyed my Genting Star Cruise holiday last year very much (review here), therefore decided to get onboard a ship again, this time with the Mom - trying out the new Genting Dream.

It is a significantly bigger cruise compared with Star Cruise. The Genting Dream has 20 decks, many restaurants, and a larger variety of activities to be enjoyed.  Boarding and dis-embarking took longer though, due to the number of passengers, but the service was still excellent in every aspect.

For food, one could enjoy meals at inclusive restaurants such as Dream Dining Room (lower) for semi-buffet, Dream Dining Room (upper) for Chinese set meals, Function 8 for International buffet, or The Lido for International Buffet.  Take note that you would be entitled to enjoy only one meal per time slot (i.e. Breakfast slot, Lunch slot, Dinner slot); there would be additional charges for dining at more than one restaurant during the same meal slot. Some restaurants such as The Lido offers morning tea and afternoon tea in between meals, and those are inclusive.

If you would like finer dining choices, there are many other restaurants such as Silk Road Chinese Restaurant (Chinese fine dining), BreadBox (freshly-baked pastries), Lobby Cafe (Malacca Straits fare), Blue Lagoon (24/7 hawker food), Seafood Grill & Prime Steakhouse, Umi Uma (Japanese & teppanyaki), Hot Pot (outdoor), Gelateria and Crystal Life Cuisine (healthy eating).

Fancy a drink or feeling like hitting the dance floor? Bars are aplenty on the Genting Dream, such as Bar 360 (with circular stage for live performances), Red Lion (beer and light snacks), Sun Deck Bar, Zouk, Palm Court or best of all, hit Bar City. The latter comprises of Johnny Walker House, Bubbles for champagne, MIXT for cocktails, Humidor for cigars, and Penfolds Wine Vault. Wake up happy every morning! Karaoke rooms are available for booking as well, if you enjoy singing.

Besides F&B aspects, the shopaholics might be happy to explore the aisles of The Dream Store and The Dream Boutiques, where branded perfume, cosmetics, watches, jewelry are on display, and retailing at attractively-discounted rates.

Beauty and fitness lovers may look forward to spa or grooming sessions at Crystal Life Spa, Crystal Life Fitness, Le Salon and The Gentleman's Barber. Other fitness spots include Swimming Pools, SportsPlex, Waterslide Park, bowling, mini-golf, ping-pong and giant chess. At designated time slots, there are fitness classes, by-the-pool Zumba, laughter Yoga,  sunset Tai-chi lessons etc; some are complimentary while others could be enjoyed at a small fee.

Other activities may include live performances at Zodiac Theater (we managed to catch "China's Got Talent" and "Rhythm Divine Latino Ballroom Dance" - these are complimentary but bookings are required at Box Office prior to the shows. Game shows and outdoor movie screenings ("Cinema at Sea") are other entertainment avenues that are also suitable for the entire family to enjoy.  Those who crave a little more excitement or late night fun can visit the Casino, to try your hands at some winnings.

Finally, if your cruise trip coincides with upcoming festivals, there are also themed activities to add to the fun. For instance, ours comprised of Trick or Treat, Halloween face painting, Halloween face painting and Halloween Spookfest Night Party.

To end it off, you might want to know what to do when the cruise ship docks at Port Klang for 8 hours. There are guided tours organised by the Cruise crew to bring you to explore nearby places such as Kuala Lumpur, Klang town, Sunway Lagoon, etc. Alternatively, you can also cross to Boustead Ferry Terminal to hire your own taxi to bring you to nearby places of attractions. Those not wishing to leave the cruise ship can choose to stay onboard to enjoy the various activities in-store for all guests.

Overall experience onboard Genting Dream Cruise was very good - 3 days 2 nights was too short, in fact. I could use an extra night or two for sure :)

Outfit of the Day - silver halterneck dress with black lines

“Pure, intense emotions. It’s not about design. It’s about 

feelings.” — Alber Elbaz

Silver halterneck dress with black lines and a flirty short skirt portion, perfect for events, functions, hanging out with the ladies, travelling and date nights.

Dress: Palazzo @ Novena Square (SGD$89.90)
Pearl Bracelet: Chomel
Necklace: Tiffany & Co
Bag: Coach
Shoes: Pazzion

Outfit of the Day - Black and White Blouse over Black Mini Shorts

"The fishermen know that the sea is dangerous and the storm terrible, but they have never found these dangers sufficient reason for remaining ashore." - Vincent van Gogh.

Black and white collared sleeveless blouse with flared hem, over black mini denim shorts. A causal outfit suitable for overseas trips, day at the beach or other casual meetups.

Blouse: Little Match Girl (SGD$39.90)
Denim Shorts:  Denizen (SGD$69.90)

Review on Yacht Charter with Ximula Sail

11 Cove Drive, ONE°15 Marina Club, Sentosa Cove, Singapore 098497

Tel: 8716 1519

Website: http://www.ximulasail.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ximulasail

Friends of mine know that I have always loved water bodies and vessels, strangely addiction for someone who has Hydrophobia and panics whenever her head goes underwater. Chuckles. That aside, being onboard yachts, cruises, ferries, and ships always delight me - with the elements of the sand, sun and sea as enticing prospects.

I was happy to be part of the group chartering Ximula Sail for a day of fun out at sea, letting the breeze kiss my skin all over.  The yacht can hold up to 18 persons and is docked at One° 15 Marina Club, Sentosa - home to many beautiful yachts. Service by director Min Qi was fantastic as well - friendly, personable, and always keeping a lookout for the safety of her passengers.

Introduction of the yacht was made to us - galley, bedrooms and whatever's exterior. We started sailing around 4.30pm, but before that were prepped with Calming Ginger Pills if we needed, to prevent seasick-ness.  I had no need for those, thankfully. Food may be catered for consumption onboard the yacht, and packing list (caps, ponchos, towels, swimsuit, etc) was disseminated to us before we set sail.

The yacht sailed to Lazarus Island where we could kayak and swim. The waters were clear and surroundings were tranquil, the perfect getaway from city life's immense stress. We stayed there for about 2 hours before the yacht turned back toward Sentosa. I got to steer the wheel, with detailed advice and guidance from their friendly captains.

All in all, the sailing experience was amazing and I would love to do this a lot more often. Thank you for the opportunity to enjoy this fun and beautiful trip out at sea! Charters are reasonably-priced, starting from SGD$1,200 so do contact Ximula Sail today for your corporate / personal events!

Photo credits:  Meng Lee @ Lifeview Photography and Alvin D. S.


Other Cruising Experiences:
1)  Star Cruise to Kuala Lumpur (review here)
2) V Spirit Cruise at Halong Bay @ Hanoi, Vietnam (review here)

Visiting Vietnam: Hankering Hanoi

Having visited Ho Chi Minh (review here) and decided that it was a cityscape filled with cosmopolitan indulgences and art studios, we decided to organize a family outing to the capital city of Vietnam- Hanoi.

It would have been fun to visit some museums and governmental buildings but we did not manage to do so. Here are some places we visited and dined at.

PLACES OF INTEREST

HANOI OLD QUARTER (BA DINH SQUARE)

Address: Hùng Vương, Điện Biên, Ba Đình, Hà Nội, Vietnam

Ba Dinh is a touristy spot packed with places of interest showcasing some of the capital's finest examples of early twentieth French colonial architecture and historic icons - such as Ho Chi Minh's Masoleum, Ho Chi Minh's house on stilts, the Presidential Palace and One Pillar Pagoda.

squid fishing

HALONG BAY
Address: Thanh pho Ha Long, Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam
Website: http://www.halongbay.info

A scenic water body with caves and serene ambience, Halong Bay is a must-visit if you visit Hanoi. It borders north along China, and is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

We boarded the V-Spirit Cruise where we woulf be staying for 2 days 1 night. The cruise took us around Halong Bay itself, offering gorgeous views when we were dining or simply hanging out. 

Food items comprised 10-course meals as well as Vietnamese Spring Rolls where we also learned to make this local specialty. Breakfast was traditional Vietnamese Pho (soup rice noodles with chicken or beef). We had lots of drinks as it was very affordable.

Other activities included evening squid fishing, sunset party, morning sunrise Tai-chi and water sports like kayaking. We also visited Sung Sot Cave (Amazing Cave) which will be described in detail.

SUNG SOT GROTTO
Address: Cat Hai, Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam
Website: http://sungsotcave.com

Located right in the centre of UNESCO-declared World Heritage area is Sung Sot Grotto, also known as "Amazing Cave"  or "Surprise Cave". The way in is paved by foliage, trees and stone blocks; the interior is beautiful with stalactites, stalagmites, rocks forming shapes of animals and an array of deeply beautiful lights adding enchantment to the cave.

HOTELS

FLOWER GARDEN HOTEL
Address: 46 Nguyễn Trường Tộ, Trúc Bạch, Ba Đình, Hà Nội, Vietnam 
Tel: +84 123 763 1111
Website: http://flowergardenhotel.com.vn/vi

We had a nice surprise upgrade to the new, 4-star Flower Garden Hotel located at Hanoi area. Around the hotel are rows of shops and diners where one could see locals eating seated on low stools or locals carrying sticks tied with goods on their shoulders to peddle.

Anyway the hotel staff was warm and very personable. The hotel was simple but elegantly furnished, with spacious rooms. The hotel restaurant serves good food as well, such as traditional Vietnamese beef pho. Hotel rates is merely around SGD$130 per night for a double bed executive room.

RESTAURANTS

VUON PHO RESTAURANT
Address: 3B Phan Dinh Phung, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi 100000, Vietnam
Tel: +84 94 569 78 66
Website: http://vuonphohanoi.vn

A beautiful hut-like restaurant standing on its own, where lower level was open-space dining and upper level consisted of air-conditioned, nicely decorated glassroom dining room. We took the upper level of course. The service crew was polite and friendly.

We started with 2 soups namely Lobster Bisque and Mushroom Tofu Soup, followed by Garden Salad. Then we had Pineapple Fried Rice and Pork Belly cooked with coconut and vegetables. Food was excellent and surprised us immensely.

SHOPPING

The tryst to hunt for huge malls or local bazaars was minimal so we were left to browse rows of shops near our hotel's vicinity.

I managed to get a nice dress when the mannequin donning it kept beckoning me over. A Mango dress, no less! And lots of local produce such as Green Bean Cakes, Lotus Seeds etc.

Overall, Hanoi is a more laid-back area compared with Ho Chi Minh city, allowing tourists to appreciate the culture of Vietnamese better, and visiting some historical spots which are the essence of travel.