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Guangzhou Travelogue – (Part 2): Baima Clothing Wholesale Market, Beijing Road, Chen Clan Ancestral Hall, Baiyun Mountain and Pearl River

January 8, 2020 katongkidsinc

Guangzhou is safe and suitable for family to travel. We visited the bustling Baima wholesale market and the items were, but not overly cheap.

Baima Clothing Wholesale Market

This wholesale market is located at the Guangzhou Railway Station. You will know it’s the right place when you see people lugging big plastic bags of clothing.

The whole place was made up of various buildings/malls and basically they are selling clothings and accessories at wholesale prices.

With such a big crowd, food stalls will inevitably exist to cater to the hunger pangs.

We felt the weather at 22 degree was warm but still, the locals were out in their thick coats.

Try shopping in the wholesale markets and find good bargains. New stock arrivals…a common sight.

The prices are marked up when quoted to you so spend your time bargaining in your shopping spree.

Address: No.16, Zhannan Road, Yuexiu District; close to Guangzhou Railway Station

Opening Hours: 8:30 – 17:30

How to Get There:

1. Take metro line 2 and line 5, and get off at Guangzhou Railway Station.

2. Take bus Business Line 1, 2, 3 and bus line 5, 238, 290, 301a, 518, 543, Gaofeng Rapid line 25, Night 88, and get off at Zhannan Road Station. Then walk to the north for about 250 meters (260 yd).

Beijing Lu Pedestrian Street

Beijing Road is located in the center of Guangzhou and is probably the busiest street. The whole stretch is about 1.5km so can imagine there are so many attractions to explore.

Not even peak hour but look at the crowd!

Big and Small M trying out the Christmas special soft-serve.

Eating is an important part of Chinese culture. The street foods sold by the operators were better than we expected. Not only they are clean, super yummy as well!

But street food is the way to go and to satisfy the taste buds.

1. Take metro line 6, and get off at Beijing Road Station. Leave from Exit B.

2. Take metro line 1 or line 2, and get off at Gongyuanqian Station, and leave from Exit D and then walk to east for about 800 meters (880 yd).

3. Take City Sightseeing Bus Ancient City Line and Xiguan Style Line and get off at Beijing Road Station.

4. Take bus line 10, 183, 190, 1, 219, 3, 541, 544, 66, B8, Night 1, Night 32, Night 36, Night 39, Night 69, Night 8, and get off at Beijing Road Intersection Station.

Chen Clan Ancestral Hall

The Chen Clan Ancestral Hall or Chen Clan Academy is an academic temple in Guangzhou, China, built by the 72 Chen clans for their juniors’ accommodation and preparation for the imperial examinations in 1894 in Qing Dynasty.

It is situated near to our Airbnb so it is a must-go attraction. We are not big fans of museums so didn’t spend much time there. However, the wood carvings and paintings are examples of super workmanship and certainly present an eye-opener to tourists.

But it does offer good spots for photo-taking.

Had our lunch here at this restaurant near to the Chen Clan Ancestral Hall.

While the rest of the dishes were so-so, the steamed fish was fantastic.

Guangzhou Baiyun Mountain

Baiyun Mountain (also known as “white cloud mountain”) offers spectacular views.

You can either choose to walk/hike, take a buggy ride or cable car. We chose the latter.

We spent half a day at Baiyun Mountain not because of enjoying ourselves but time wasted in taking the buggy rides at different points to reach the cable car station. You have to alight from the buggy at one point and queue up again to buy tickets to hop onto another buggy.

Our advice is to take the cable car from the ground instead of going up the Baiyun Mountain to find the cable car station.

Opposite the Baiyun Cableway is a food street.

Freshly made Guangzhou-style rice rolls.

Chee cheong fun or rice noodle roll. The stuffing of the salty rice noodle roll mainly includes pork, beef, shrimp meat and pork liver.

A walk in the neighbourhood after our dinner.

Guangzhou Pearl River

One can not be considered to have visited Guangzhou if he hasn’t cruised the scenic Pearl River. We wanted to try the river cruise where during the ride we could catch attractions such as Haiyin Bridge, Canton Tower and such but too bad we didn’t make it in time.

But still, walking around the Pearl River wasn’t that bad either.

What a beautiful Guangzhou.

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Guangzhou Travelogue – (Part 1): ICC SIM Card, Baiyun International Airport, Alipay International Version, Dim Sum Spot and Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street

December 29, 2019 katongkidsinc

In deciding to explore other parts of China, we chose Guangzhou and Shenzhen this time round.

Guangzhou is also known as Canton and is the capital and most populous city of the province of Guangdong. Before the trip, we purchased SIM cards from Qoo10. Note that ICC Cards allow us to avoid the “firewall of China”.

Buy ICC Card from Qoo10

We only need to plug-and-play the SIM cards into our mobile phones upon arrival at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport and we are ready to go. You can use in Hong Kong and Macau too.

Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport

Adorable children having an excursion at the airport!

Guangzhou Metro is located within the airport. Look at how the airport interiors are beautifully furnished.

Guangzhou is conveniently connected by metro so we would not need to take any taxi. We felt it’s more worthwhile to buy one-trip tickets instead of 3-day pass which cost us RM50 per pax.

Use Alipay Tour Pass from now on

Our first time using Alipay International e-wallet and all goes well!

This is the metro “card” or token.

Remember to download Guangzhou Metro Map app.

Image result for guangzhou mrt map"

Our Airbnb is located near the Chen Clan Academy Station which is a metro station on Line 1.

The hassle of staying at Airbnb. The host will only inform the location upon arrival so we need some time to locate the place.

A street peddler selling novels. For a moment, we thought the novels looked like “wu ling mi ji“..

A shame not trying the food at this restaurant. It was jam-packed throughout the day. Look at the queue outside!

Our Airbnb

So, this is our Airbnb building.

This will be our abode for the next few days. The place is not so fantastic – weak / non-existent wifi, dusty and water heater not working well.

But hey, we are staying next to a shopping mall!

The place was bustling with activities early in the morning.

One of our favourite bakery where we bought egg tarts every day.

Yummy egg tarts for breakfast and supper. Only SGD1 per box of 4!

Guangzhou Dim Sum is just thumbs up

It was said that the modern form of dim sum is believed to originate in Guangzhou (or Canton) and later transmit southward to Hong Kong. So we are at the right place to taste one of the best dim sum.

Dim Sum in Guangzhou is cheap when compared to Singapore or Hong Kong. Per steamer basket is about SGD2 as compared to SG of about $3.50.

We actually over-ordered. Did not expect the steamer basket to be “JUMBO” size…next time we will be aware.

Here is our order. We spent over an hour trying to finish the food to fill up our small tummies.

One do not need to pay an astronomical sum for good food. Here in Guangzhou dim sum food-hunting is one of the best finds.

Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street is the place to go

We did our research before the trip. It seems everyone was raving about shopping in Beijing Road. We discovered that Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street is much better in terms of price and variety.

Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street, or simply as Shangxiajiu, is a commercial pedestrian street in Liwan District, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.

Promoting mobile phones and attracting street onlookers to have a time of e-game!

Yummy taro pie from McDonald’s.

This street is awesome to find clothing stores, snacks and restaurants. The stretch of Shangxiajiu is more than 800 meters long and you can see many Lingnan style balcony buildings here.

Many tourists here all the year round finding cheap buys.

When night falls, the street comes alive.

There are many traditional snacks of Guangzhou for us to taste.

Just finding joy in the little things. Click here to follow Katong Kids Inc Facebook Page to stay tune on the next travel post.

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Okinawa Travelogue – (Part 3): Tsuboya Pottery District, Shuri Castle, Umikaji Terrace and American Village

August 14, 2019 katongkidsinc

It is more convenient to travel around Okinawa by driving. It was raining most of the time but we didn’t forgo visiting Tsuboya Pottery District.

Tsuboya Pottery District

Traditional houses with red earthenware roof tiles, accompanied by ceramic studios and stores.

Cute little huts showcasing one-of-a-kind mugs, plates, and pitchers.

Shuri Castle

We visited Shuri Castle on our next stop. Shuri is the name of the former capital of the Ryukyu Kingdom.

Shuri Castle (首里城, Shurijō) served as the residence of the Ryukyu kings for several centuries until Okinawa became a Japanese prefecture in 1879.

The place was huge and expect lots of walking.

The castle interior is very clean and visitors are required to take off their shoes (carriers are provided). Interiors of the Hokuden and Nanden are constructed like modern museums.

A replica of the king’s throne and crown are among the exhibits.

Traditional Japanese dance by the boys.

And we tried the traditional snacks!

The most famous and popular dessert in Okinawa is the Blue Seal Ice Cream.

Big and Small M satisfied their cravings after completing the tour of Shuri castle.

Umikaji Terrace

The Umikaji terrace is situated on a hill below the Senagajima onsen Hotel. This place has the romantic feel as planes flew above us while we sight the beautiful sea view right in front of us.

A tiring climb up the flights of stairs to the peak and discover the beautiful views.

The terrace is close to the beach and the sea waters are generally mild and peaceful for one to explore the area.

The waters of Okinawa are so clear!

Tacos restaurants, ice cream shops and cafes literally packed the terrace.

Greece and Mediterranean vibes, that’s what everyone acclaimed after a visit to the Umikaji Terrace.

Umikaji Terrace

We drove further up north and reached the Mihama American Village, which is a large entertainment complex located in central Okinawa. Actually the American Village is not so fantastic but we supposed it is still a need-to-check-out attraction.

There is this Ramen shop outside the American Village and many diners flock to eat here.

Their ramen was one of the best we ever tried!

Our tasty orders, look at the thick broth.

The most recognizable feature of the American Village is the large Ferris wheel.

The shopping mall is not huge but there is this 100 Yen shop which is a nice store to find good items.

Just finding joy in the little things. Click here to follow Katong Kids Inc Facebook Page to stay tune on the next travel post.

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WEIL Hotel Ipoh – Beautiful Hotel, Memorable Stay

July 16, 2019December 15, 2019 katongkidsinc

It was our first time visiting Ipoh and apart from enjoying everything what this lovely town has to offer, our trip was made even more memorable by the hotel we stayed.

Welcome to the WEIL Hotel, Ipoh.

When it comes to scouting on the best leisure and family accommodation, refreshing swimming pools and delectable food to indulge in, WEIL Hotel could very well be the answer to your travel needs.

Upon arriving at Sultan Azlan Shah Airport after an hour flight, our next destination would typically be the hotel. All thanks to its close proximity to the airport, we hardly had time to warm our seats before realising that we had arrived at the hotel after only less than 10 mins (6km)!

We arrived happily and left happily. There are many reasons why we would return to WEIL Hotel again.

Beautiful Lobby – Where You Find Space to Chill

If our short, magical stay were to mean anything, the best takeaway from this stay would be the warm customer service we experienced. The hotel had it nailed and we felt safe and comfortable the moment we stepped into this place.

The lobby looked very new, spacious and guests would be pleased to see there were many armchairs placed for them to chill.

Superior Suite

The Superior Room comes with a size of between 32 sqm to 39 sqm. “WOW” is the magic word to describe when one enters the superior suite.

The room was equipped with a king-sized bed, a study desk and chair, armoire, safe, and a fine stand for luggage.

With crisp linens and soft pillows, it would not be hard to have a comfortable night’s sleep!

The hotel also provides a smart phone for traveler to use.

I loved the large well-equipped bathroom where large fluffy towels and face cloths were supplied sufficiently.

Ipoh Parade Shopping Centre – Adjoined to WEIL Hotel

Being inter-connected to Ipoh Parade Shopping Centre was a big plus to staying at the WEIL Hotel. During our stay, it was so convenient to dine and shop at the shopping centre at the same time.

With such a big mall, it was inevitable not to eye the all of the shops, kiosks, and food outlets!

Departmental Store – Parkson

Entertainment – Golden Screen Cinema (GSC), K Box Karaoke, Laser Battle

Pharmacy – Watson’s, Guardian, Caring Pharmacy

Apparels & Jewellery – Hush Puppies, Uniqlo, FOS, Voir Gallery, Minoshe, Lazo Diamond, City Time

Books & Stationery – Popular

Food & Beverage – Sushi Tei, Dave’s Deli, Kenny Rogers Roasters, Chicken Rice Shop, Marrybrown, Subway, Starbucks Coffee, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Shihlin Taiwan Street Snack, Kopitiam Avenue, Llaollao

Services – Pahlawan Money Changer, Rosemary Floral & Gift, Imax Internet Cafe

Convenience Store – Qbiz

Grocery Store – Jaya Grocer

Breakfast @ The TIFFIN

TIFFIN offers a relaxed ambience where guests can enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Known for its popular Nasi Lemak and Roti Canai, it is no surprising that TIFFIN is a favourite among the hotel guests.

A hearty breakfast!

Take a Dip in the Pool!

Where kids would go crazy over this huge infinity pool. Your vacation would not be completed without dipping into the refreshing water.

No matter whether it is day or night, the pool offers beautiful panoramic view of the town of Ipoh.

How about chilling out here in an al fresco dining concept at the Cabana?

The Rooftop Gastro Bar Restaurant

The Deck Gastrobar is a rooftop bar at WEIL Hotel.

Situated at level 13, we can choose al fresco dining or chill out here. On the weekends, this place will come with a live band to keep guests entertained! They have also introduced the Live@The Deck serie, which highlights entertainment by live bands on Thursday & Friday and DJs from KL on Saturdays.

How true is that!

Yuk Sou Hin – A Favorite for Locals & Tourists Alike

We were recommended to the food at Yuk Sou Hin, a pork free Chinese restaurant, where we could also experience the authentic dishes of Ipoh. Their signature Smoked Duck with lychee wood is a must-try dish 🙂

Food lovers, especially Malays who enjoy Chinese food, will definitely love this.

When it comes to a delicious Chinese cuisine and dim sum, Yuk Sou Hin certainly delivers one of the best authentic dishes in Ipoh. We had dim sum breakfast here and these orders relished our mouthful of happiness!

Yoga @ The Lawn

To engage the guests, the hotel also held Community Yoga Session at its rooftop area – The Lawn.

The busyness of life can cause a ton of anxiety and take a toll on your health, and yoga can be the perfect workout for loosening up and destressing. The participants were up here early in the morning working out and practicing their moves.

Nearby Attractions

An accommodation like no other, WEIL Hotel is located close to many attractions which you can read in Ipoh Travelogue here.

Concubine Lane, where we experience the charm of Ipoh old town.

Kong Heng Square, where hipster cafes and boutique shops gave modern trendy feel to the surroundings.

Tong Sui Kai (Dessert Street), where it becomes one of the most happening places in Ipoh when the sun sets.

Memory Lane, where it is the best place to go to for rare and secondhand items at reasonable prices.

Kelle’s Castle, where it offers one of the most instagram-worthy spots in Ipoh!

The next time you’re in Ipoh, be sure that WEIL Hotel will make your stay memorable in every possible ways!

WEIL Hotel

Website / Bookings: http://www.weilhotel.com/

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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/weilhotel/

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Ipoh Travelogue – (Part 2): Railway Station, Birch Memorial Clock Tower, Memory Lane Flea Market, Perak Guan Yin Tong, Kellie Castle, Kek Lok Tong Cave Temple, Restoran Sun Yeong Wai, Sin Eng Heong Kedai Biskut and Gerbang Malam

June 27, 2019January 16, 2020 katongkidsinc

Why you should visit Ipoh? When I arrived at the small-sized Sultan Azlan Shah Airport, I had the impression that Ipoh had nothing much to offer. But dwell in this lovely town and I realised this is one of the most rewarding destinations in Malaysia.

With diversified of attractions and things to explore, you will find no lack of Ipoh Apartments to book via Traveloka.

Come Day 2, I woke up to the beautiful and scenic view of the city and mountains from the WEIL Hotel. We had our itinerary planned and wasted no time to get to where we need.

Ipoh Railway Station

Most of the attractions are located in close proximity to each other, so travelling is easy. We hopped into our rented car and made our way to one of the historial landmarks – Ipoh Railway Station. Did we mention that it is just 3.5km away from the iconic WEIL Hotel?

Ipoh’s railway station was completed in 1917 under the British colonial administration. Along with the Old Railway Station in Kuala Lumpur, it is one of the most beautiful examples of colonial architecture.

The War Memorial right in front of the Ipoh Railway Station to honour the prisoners-of-war (POWs) who died building the Thailand-Burma death railway.

This railway station was once featured in the Hollywood film, Anna and the King, starring Jodie Foster and Hong Kong superstar Chow Yun Fat.

If not for this visit, I would not know that this grand old building houses the railway station and the now closed Majestic Station Hotel Ipoh which had up to 100 well-appointed guestrooms!

The Ipoh Railway Station served by the new, fast, KTM Electric Train Services (ETS). All passenger train services to/from Ipoh are on the new KTM Electric Train Services (there are no KTM Komuter trains from Ipoh).

Most ETS services run on the KL Sentral Railway Station, Kuala Lumpur to Ipoh route. Click here for the ETS timetable from Ipoh to KL.

The building seemed dated and affected probably by lack of proper maintenance but it is still worth a visit when you come to Ipoh.

Address:

Stesen KTM Ipoh, 30000 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia

Birch Memorial Clock Tower

The Birch Memorial Clock Tower (Malay: Menara Jam Peringatan Birch) is a clock tower situated in Ipoh, Kinta District, Perak, Malaysia.

Unveiled in 1909, the clock tower was constructed to commenorate James W. W. Birch, the first British Resident of the state of Perak.

The clock tower has been overlooked by many tourists who prefer to flock to touristy attractions. On closer look, it is well preserved and I feel it is necessary to visit this place and understand the cultural heritage of British colonialism.

Address:

Jalan Dato Sagor, Ipoh 30000, Malaysia

Memory Lane Flea Market

I reckoned many of you may not consider visiting a flea market, giving the excuses of sweltering weather and old and filthy goods.

I do not agree.

As we approached Jalan Horley, we just couldn’t help but thankful to have the opportunity to travel and mingle with the locals.

Open every Sunday morning, it is known as “Memory Lane” or fondly referred to as “Loken” or “Pasar Karat” (rustic market) by the locals.

A stall selling cold drinks, a perfect respite from the blazing sun!

Located in Jalan Horley, it is the place to go to for rare and secondhand items at reasonable prices.

While the folks are working hard for better days, the kids enjoying themselves at the back of the car.

Yes, we remembered these old school, childlike games that will not break the bank.

Cute tote bags with different themes and designs going at RM10 each.

What a place for collectors to purchase rare stamps dating as far back to Straits Settlements period. An interesting visit to Memory Lane for us. We could find many second hands and used items that we thought were well extinct. Definitely the place to visit on a Sunday morning to trigger memories of the old days.

Address:

Jalan Horley, Kampung Jawa, 30300 Ipoh, Negeri Perak, Malaysia

Perak Guan Yin Tong

On our way to Kellie’s Castle, we chanced upon Perak Guan Yin Tong.

Built beside a limestone hill, this ancient Buddhist temple honors goddess of mercy Kwan Yin Tong. This would be a place for believers to visit.

And kids could entertain themselves feeding the ever hungry fishes.

Address:

Lot 3851, Sungai Pinang Besar, Pangkor, Perak

Kellie’s Castle

We drove a little further up and arrived at Kellie’s Castle.

Kellie’s Castle is a castle located in Batu Gajah, Kinta District, Perak, Malaysia. While it may look complete on the outside, the ruined mansion was unfinished on the inside.

It was built by a Scottish planter named William Kellie-Smith either a gift for his wife or a home for his son. Work on the castle started in 1915, but was unfortunately halted a few years later with Kellie’s sudden death and the castle was never completed.

Nevermind about the hot and humid weather. Kellie’s Castle is one of the most Instagram worthy spots in Ipoh.

It was an interesting experience exploring the castle’s hidden rooms. Be prepared to climb flights of narrow stairs to reach the top where you could get a panoramic view of the plantation and castle ruins.

Opening Hours : 9.00am – 6.00pm
Admission Fee :
* RM 5 (foreigner)
* RM 4 (adult)
* RM 3 (secondary school students)
* RM 2 (primary school students)
* FREE (child aged six and below)
Address:
31000 Batu Gajah, Perak, Malaysia

Kek Lok Tong Cave Temple

The Kek Lok Tong Cave Temple is a tourist attraction situated in the natural and picturesque area of Gunung Rapat in the south of Ipoh – the capital of Perak state in west Malaysia.

We heard so much about Ipoh being famous for its limestone hills and we could finally see it right in front of us!

Confucius was a Chinese philosopher and politician of the Spring and Autumn period. It was believed that one would get smarter praying to Confucius. What do you think?

Although there is a lot of marble tiling, there are still lots of natural large statactites.

This place features golden statues of Buddhist and Chinese mythological deities.

Take a walk here to experience the calming ambience of this lovely cave.

Address:
Pesiaran Sepakat 3, Tmn Endah Jaya, 31350 Ipoh, Negeri Perak, Malaysia

Restoran Sun Yeong Wai Roasted Duck Ipoh 新扬威烧鸭饭店

We love roasted duck and if we were ever to visit Ipoh again, we are 1000% sure to visit Restoran Sun Yeong Wai again!

Passed down from father to son and established in Ipoh for more than twenty years, Sun Yeong Wai is now a brand closely synonymous with Roasted Ducks, barbeque and roasted dishes.

Yummy!

Address:

63, Jalan Mustapha Al-Bakri, 30300 Ipoh Perak

Sin Eng Heong Kedai Biskut

While we were dining, we wondered what was happening behind us.

Started in 1961, Sin Eng Heong is one of the oldest biscuit shop in Ipoh.

Sin Eng Heong Kedai Biskut was attracting a long long queue of customers despite the overwhelming heat. They have the best kaya puff in town, so popular that you have to be prepared to queue up to 2 hours.

We got into the queue while the family was still eating. Impatience got the better of us and we walked out after 45 mins.

Address:

64 & 66 Jalan Mustapha Al-Bakri, Ipoh 30300, Malaysia

Gerbang Malam

Come the night, I took a walk down Gerbang Malam. While the pasar malam was smaller as compared to Memory Lane, there was a food street at the other end.

It was nice walking down the street looking at the stalls and cheap products.

Where cables were going for as cheap as RM1 each.

The salted-baked chicken is one of Ipoh’s most famous delicacies. The chicken is marinated with ginger, rice wine, and other Chinese herbs such as female ginseng and wolfberries, then it is wrapped in paper and baked with salt.

Many visitors come to Ipoh to taste none other than their kai see hor fun, consisting of super smooth flat rice noodles (kuey teow) produced in Ipoh, shredded/sliced poached chicken, chopped spring onions, boiled shrimps, and garnished with chopped red chillies.

Another version..

They produced tasty chicken and bean sprouts. A must-try dish in Ipoh!

All these for RM21!

So what to do in Ipoh? Simple travel and eat is the way to go 🙂

Address:

Jalan Dato Tahwil Azar, Taman Jubilee, 30300 Ipoh, Negeri Perak, Malaysia

Click here for Ipoh Travelogue (Part I) – WEIL Hotel, Concubine Lane, Ipoh Booth Cart, Thean Chun Coffee Shop (天津茶室), Kong Heng Square, Burps and Giggles, Yum Cha Tea Bar and Tong Sui Kai 糖水街

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California Travelogue – (Part 2): San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park, Maritime Museum, Ghirardelli Square, Lombard Street and Chinatown

June 12, 2019 katongkidsinc

Soak into the sights, sounds and smells of San Francisco. We did a tour of the Fisherman’s Wharf neighborhood, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park. The Park includes a magnificent fleet of historic ships, a Visitor Center, Maritime Museum, Maritime Research Center, and Aquatic Park Historic District.

It was an easy tour as the place wasn’t huge.

A short walk further down was the Maritime Museum which was located in the Aquatic Park Bathhouse Building.

Ghirardelli Square is a convenient stop for chocolate and ice cream while already visiting at Fisherman’s Wharf.

No trip to San Francisco is complete without tasting sweet chocolate from those chocolate dream-makers at Ghirardelli. Ghirardelli’s sundaes are real special.

We did not drive during our stay in San Francisco. Instead, we walked, walked and walked.

As you can see, the roads here were steep and it was a test of endurance and good form of exercise.

This picture is a good example to get a sense of how steep the streets were.

We did have the chance to see the splendor of the West Coast, here was what San Francisco looked and felt like.

Strolling down one of America’s crookedest streets in the form of Lombard Street is a blessing! The steep, hilly street was created with sharp curves to switchback down the one-way hill past beautiful Victorian mansions.

Lombard Street is definitely one of the most photographed spot in San Francisco. Tourists just couldn’t resist its charm and uniqueness.

This street has eight tight hairpin turns through the neighborhood where guests can either drive, or walk, down for an interesting adventure.

After exploring Lombard Street, we walked to the Chinatown.

San Francisco’s Chinatown is the oldest one in North America (surprisingly well maintained) and covers 24 city blocks.

Trying out the delicious and yummy dim sum!

We finally found the the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory after getting lost! Located in Ross Alley, formerly called the “Street of the Gamblers”; the little factory here makes fortune cookies.

We had no idea why it was so popular among tourists. In fact, we don’t think there is anything special about fortune cookies. Nevertheless, it was a pleasant sight watching the lady sitting at the assembly line, folding and filling the cookies by hand.

Big and Small M at the Dragon Gate, the official entrance into Chinatown on Bush Street, where Grant Avenue takes you into the heart of Chinatown.

Another Macy’s in San Francisco 🙂

Just travel and such. Click here to follow Katong Kids Inc Facebook Page to stay tune on the next travel post.

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New York Travelogue – (Part 3): The High Line, Chelsea Market, Subway, Brooklyn Bridge and Times Square

April 6, 2019 katongkidsinc

This was our final day at New York City. Our main goal was to cover two attractions. Some say The High Line is a must-go attraction and we shouldn’t give it a miss.

The High Line is a public park built on a historic freight rail line elevated above the streets on Manhattan’s West Side.

Saved from demolition by neighborhood residents and the City of New York, the High Line opened in 2009 as a hybrid public space where visitors experience nature, art, and design.

Elevated 30 feet in the air, this former railroad has taken in a form of a beautiful stretch of pathway. The walk is about a mile and a half in length and takes you from Gansevoort Street up to 34th. We arrived just when the sun was setting and took some beautiful shots.

The Chelsea Market was near to The High Line. An indoor food hall, most of the shops in Chelsea Market were food related.

A suitable place for cafe hoppers also, not to mention there was a variety of shops selling gifts, spirits, groceries and more. The building was formerly used to be a biscuit factory, which was why much of the interior and aesthetic was a reminiscence of its past.

Intrigued to see the Youtube office here..

Not surprising to see the Google’s office here as Manhattan’s Chelsea Market building was bought over by them.

So, that wrapped up our New York vacation. We hope to have more time to visit Pennsylvania and Washington DC. Maybe we will do it next time 🙂

Ending our Big Apple vacation with some memorable pictures.

Definitely not to our liking, we were still figuring out how to take the subway in NYC before we left. Absolutely confusing.

Big M at the vibrant Manhattan’s Chinatown, where when you are in food hunt, you know you will never go wrong with dumplings, pork buns and hand-pulled noodles.

You have all the reasons to walk the famous Brooklyn Bridge. It is likely to be crowded but hey, who cares? We are talking about the epitome of Big Apple.

Who says you can’t find pockets of spaces to connect with others in one of the most densest cities in the world?

Dazzling with lights all day long, there’s a magnetic pull about Times Square. One of the most visited places in the world with over 360,000 pedestrians daily, we just loathe this place, wondering why Singapore can’t replicate it. This little adventurer was totally mesmerised. The next part of our journey would see us at the west coast of America – California where we would see San Francisco, Big Sur, Monterey, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

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London Travelogue – (Part 5): Stevenage and Emirates Stadium

February 26, 2019 katongkidsinc

We were greeted with light rain on our final day in London. The sky was cloudy but we were determined to end the day fruitfully.

With most of the main attractions covered, we took it easy today and googled for nearby places to explore.

The rain started to pelt and we took shelter at a train station.

Hopping onto the train with our Oyster cards, we had no idea where to go. Since we were not driving, taking a train ride to see the surroundings might be a good idea.

Thanks to the rain, the weather were freezingly cold and we were loving it!

The train took us into the countryside and we passed by hills, seen cattle grazing and lovely houses.

We were kind of lost and didn’t know where to alight. The train captain was surprised we had no destination in mind and recommended that we visit a little town by the name of Stevenage. Stevenage is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, 28 miles north of London.

Alas, oyster card is not valid here and we had to pay a fine of about $50. The staff was friendly and chatted with us while he prepared tickets for us to exit.

A lovely little town to explore. Maybe not that fantastic for sightseeing but it was an ideal place to buy cheap loots.

Stevenage was pretty much like Bedok neighbourhood where you could find rows of shophouses.

Delicious germany sausages..nice to try in such a cold weather.

Yes, everything’s $1!

A haven for shopping.

The Iceland store. Wait till we see how cheap the items were.

How we wished we were living over here. It’s near impossible to find such prices over in Singapore. These items were not junk qualities either.

At the other end of the town, there were restaurants and a large Cineplex.

Had our dinner here. The chicken looked kind of dry.

We headed back to our Airbnb but before that we suddenly realised our place was near to Emirates Stadium! And so we alighted from the train and followed the signs to Arsenal.

It took about 15 mins to walk from the train stadium. Along the way, we came across houses and they were so beautifully lighted and decorated with Christmas props.

The residents living in these houses were probably the most blessed of all. Just 20m in front of the Emirates Stadium, they could attend EPL match at their convenience every week!

They might not appreciate soccer but it was a worthwhile visit to the famous soccer club.

This capped off our London trip and we booked a Blackberry Car to the airport at 1am. No hidden cost and the driver was professional. The next time we visit London, we will definitely book with them again. Next up, we will travel over 3500 miles or 8 hours of flight time to New York City!

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FARM Florist: Farm Fresh Flowers curated to capture the best memories ever

February 11, 2019February 12, 2019 katongkidsinc

To pride itself as a reliable online florist that promises full refunds for all orders that arrive late is certainly a special florist that every customer should be amazed of. FARM Florist, a subsidiary of Masons Home Decor, takes pride in offering the highest quality flowers with afforable rates.

Their website – https://farmflorist.com/ – is easy to navigate and explore. What really stands out are the friendly features that allow customers to sort by their choices and filter the price ceilings when shopping online. Thumbs up!

Over at FARM Florist, there are so many assortments of flowers that you can shop at ease on all occasions. With Valentine’s Day around the corner, giving flowers is a timeless romantic gesture that bounds to wow your other half.

FARM Florist has the knowledge and experience to ensure your flowers deliver on time and have you receiving the most gorgeous flowers that you have seen.

You may not be the first but you certainly won’t be the last. Bookmark FARM Florist and browse through the beautiful hand bouquets. Your best memories are created here 🙂

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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/farmflorist/

Email: hello@farmflorist.com

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Fly LegsUp Flight Hammock for Kids

December 22, 2018January 5, 2020 katongkidsinc

With travelling up to a total of 48 hours on economy seats, seeking comfort during these long haul flights is a priority. The Fly LegsUp Flight Hammock provides the answer as the ultimate travel companion for adults and children.

Fly LegsUp Kids — Photo Credit: Fly LegsUp

The hammock enables Small M to elevate her feet and legs into different positions, supported by comfortable inflatable pillows. Experimenting it for the first time, it greatly made her flight more comfortable.

Fly LegsUp Flight Hammock is washable, folds compact, and weighs less than 500g. Its versatile design accommodates for the differences in kids and airline seats. This is a travel essential to be ticked in your itinerary.

Our Fly LegsUp for Kids pack, includes:

– Our patented Fly LegsUp Flight Hammock

– 1 small pillow and 2 large pillows

– Travel bag

– Kids instruction sheet with suggested positions