Day 10 of 100: Hotel Raider: Hotel Majestic Saigon

Uncompromisingly first class hotel opposite the Saigon river. Everything about this was what you would expect from a 5 Star establishment which has been there since 1925.  Part of the charm of the hotel is its historic nature, which is played up in copies of various old b/w photographs which line the walls. The room was fine and the bathroom nice. Staff were all very helpful. Breakfast is served on the 5th floor in a space half of which is outdoors, half indoors. On one day it was raining and so everybody was crowded into the indoor space which made things rather chaotic, but the next day the sun came out again and breakfast was a more peaceful and spacious affair. There was a wide range of food on offer for breakfast, including a good variety of freshly prepared fruit.

Lobby

  




Swimming Pool



Bedroom with a cute little balcony

Fresh fruit selection



Outdoor Breakfast area looking over the Saigon river



Day 9 of 100: Meeting with Mr. Ho in his city..(Hochiminh city)

Before I arrived in Hochiminh city (or Saigon or HCM city), I have heard from Vietnamese in Canada telling me how dangerous it is over there. They reminded me repeatedly not to bring a bag, sunglasses, wallet, watches, necklace...pretty anything when walking on the street...So i guess Will & I were a bit nervous when we arrived in Vietnam. We checked into the Majestic Hotel, an amazing historical hotel and we decided to walk around a bit to feel the city as well as the people. HCM city is a beautiful city with a french flair. Lots of colonial style buildings at the city centre such as the Post Office (designed by the same architect who build Eiffel Tower), Notre Dame, which is a bit smaller than the one in Montreal but looks like the original one in Paris!), Opera House (the one and only french style opera house in asia). Of course, I have to take pictures of those giant political propaganda poster everywhere... Oh..and people in HCM city are super nice and friendly. Tourists have no problem walking around even at nite.

Opera House

Notre Dame

Inside the Post Office

Post Office

Opera House at nite

Former South Vietnam Presidential Palace (now Unification Palace)

Mr Ho and Me!

Me and Mr. Ho's pic outside of Opera House

Day 8 of 100 (Part 2): arriving in Singapore

We finally arrived in Singapore. Met up my friend, James, who moved from Toronto to Singapore. He took us to enjoy a seafood dinner by the seaside...Singapore always maintains around 30c during day time (as it is almost located on equator, duh!) but at night, it is actually very breezy. Check out those seafood restaurants by the seaside and I have never seen so many people eating outdoor in Toronto or Vancouver...Oh...i saw something that I have never seen it in Canada as well....waterskiing in a pound??? check out the cool video.

Day 8 of 100: Leaving Tokyo...Who said there is nothing to see on the plane. Guess what I saw on the way to Singapore?

8 days done, 92 days full of adventure to go..!!!!  Bukle up your seat belt becuse we are taking off soon..

see you in Singapore...

Leaving Japan for Singapore!

I fly a lot both for work and pleasure. I always take a window seat because i can always look out and see something amazing...Guess what i saw on the way to Singapore? a HEART-SHAPED REEF ISLAND !!!!



Day 7 of 100 : Hotel Raider: Tokyo Conrad

Leaving Tokyo tomorrow so I decided to show you more of my home of the last 7 nights. Since day 1, i have decided to send myself a postcard to be my diary. So far, I have been keeping the practice but it will be getting harder and harder because so difficult to find postcard, stamps and mailbox....

This is my favourite tree at Conrad. It is located in the lower lobby, The hotel has done a good job matching the environment with some zen music...so enjoy...(Sorry, i know, I skewed up the orientation but it is still a nice zen moment....enjoy!)

Day 6 of 100: Wait...Am I in the US or Japan?

I saw the Statue of Liberty and visited a mall that looks like the one in Ceasar Palace in Vegas...Was i in the US or Japan????  I was confused for a moment.....Yes, Ms. Liberty is in Tokyo too....she stands near the harbour in Odaiba which is just a short ride of transit from Tokyo Conrad. It is a very nice area and you can see the famous Rainbow Bridge...lots of futuristic buildings, theme parks as well as shopping malls. You can easily spend the whole afternoon here without feeling bored..:-)

Before we meet Ms. Liberty, let me take you for a ride of the transit first. So buckle up and enjoy the ride!

Look like Ceasar Palace in Las Vegas, huh?

Day 5 of 100: Shrines and Temples of Nikko (World's Heritage site)

Today is a perfect day to get out of the cosmopolitan city to go to nature. Nikko is about 2 hours away from Tokyo by train but it is really worth a trip...Having visited over 150 cities in 40 countries, I have to say Nikko has some amamzing architecture which is nicely incorporated into the nature...After reading how the UNESCO described Nikko, how can you not pay a visit?

"The Nikko shrines and temples are a reflection of architectural and artistic genius; this aspect is reinforced by the harmonious integration of the buildings in a forest and a natural site laid out by man. Nikko is a perfect illustration of the architectural style of the Edo period as applied to Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. The Gongen-zukuri style of the two mausoleums, the Tôshôgu and the Taiyû-in Reibyô, reached the peak of its expression in Nikko, and was later to exert a decisive influence. The ingenuity and creativity of its architects and decorators are revealed in an outstanding and distinguished manner."