Chinese New Year Day: Singapore 4D3N

This year, we went down to Singapore two days before CNY, so we had a good 2 days to check out the stores minus the traffic jam, as most of the cars have left for the peninsula. We are fortunate to always be on the opposite direction of the traffic jam, as we shake our heads and silently thank God that we are not amongst the hundreds of cars queuing at the Immigration causeway, or crawling along the highway into Malaysia.

Saturday, 21st January 2012

The night before we stayed over at Popo Gong Gong house, to break out journey and to spend a little time with them before CNY. Tradition is that we will have our little reunion before CNY but this year due to Vic's school ending in the evening, and possibly heavy traffic downsouth, we decided not to risk rushing and being late for dinner. So left PJ after dinner.

On Saturday morning, we did a little repacking in Mama Yeh Yeh's house first, before leaving Seremban at 11am in two cars, ie one ours and the other Yee Sok's. The kids were very excited, especially William who have been anticipating the hotel stay days before. He kept asking us when are we reaching the hotel, and was clearly upset and impatient when we had to wait for Jie Jie to finish school, then stay a night in Seremban, and then lunch at Tangkak.

Most Singaporeans and Malaysians working in the island have already left, leaving the roads clear. We went straight to Holiday Inn Atrium at Outram Road to check in, then over to Tai Po's place to see her. Although Tai Po has a little walking inconvenience now due to a fall last month, she is in good spirit and happy to see all of us. Likewise we are happy to see she is positive on getting better and does her therapy.

That evening, we had dinner at a recommended road side eatery, which serves food above average at reasonable price but with zero service. We were treated as if we owed them a living, from being told rudely to sit at a table not of our choice, to a rude lady who took our orders, to another rude lady who pointed to God knows where the tap is for washing our cutlery, to another rude old lady who came by to "assure" us that the cutlery she washed is clean and we need not wipe them. Oh, and have I mentioned that they were very rude?

But that aside, the food portion was big and the cooking not too bad.

Getting around the island with 3 GPS... you never know one may bring you to Holland so just to be safe... (when in Singapore, must be kiasu mah!)

At night, we went to United Square shopping mall, and found Vitakids pharmacy which sells very unique and uncommon supplements and organic foods. 7th Ee recommended this place to us, as we wanted to look for wild oil of oregano for Victoria. So happy we arrived the shop 5 minutes before the shop promoter was about to close at 9pm, and we held her up another 15 minutes purchasing not only the oil of oregano, but also grapefruit seed oil, pre and probiotics and Vitamin C with bioflavanoids. With all our purchases, we qualified to be their member. : )


Sunday, 22nd January
CNY Eve

The cereal bar is where my two kids will head straight for, every morning at the hotel buffet breakfast!  Look at where William puts his legs - when on a mission, he forgets all manners.

Looking up from the spacious lobby area

We had a simple home cooked reunion dinner at Popo's place. I forgotten to take pictures - must have been occupied with the kids.

After dinner, we drove to Changi Airport to let the kids run around there. It was a surprise suggested by Yeh Yeh. Guess the kids need to release their energy somewhere!

Look who was at the Changi Airport to greet us?  Angry Birds!  Vic picked her favourite, the blackie that can bomb!

And William was indecisive which bird he likes best, but this is my best shot of him.  It's getting harder to get him to pose still in front of the camera now. 

Monday, 23rd January
Day 1 of CNY

After breakfast at the hotel, we watch the lion and dragon dance that has been scheduled at the lobby area. This year I find the crowd smaller than the previous years, but no complains. We had premium front seats thanks to Daddy and William who went down earlier. The kids were not afraid, having gotten used to them last year, and Vic was not clinging on to Daddy, nor did she play hide and seek with the lion like previous years. : ) However, I felt the dance was rather short, and lacked in the "ummph" part.

Gong Xi Gong Xi!

Victoria just refused to smile demurely for the camera, instead opting for a playful look showing off her Vitamin C chewable tablet in her mouth.  She simply love this, and I hope it helps to build up her immune when the candida die off.

And one with boy boy.  He's a big boy now. 

Every year, the lion troop will come with a mascot.  Does this mascot look like a dragon to you? Looks  more like a crocodile to me. 

And this, folks... is the "baby lion" that attacked me when I was on the floor trying to get a good angle picture of it.  I didn't know it will come charging at me, and it came too close until I lost my balance and landed bum on the floor! Naughty lion!

And finally, one family picture with a lion dance! 

After that, we did our customary "pai nin" with Mama Yeh Yeh in their hotel room where we exchange ang pows and wish each other good greetings. It's good the kids learn this.

On Day 2, we had a sumptuous lunch at 5th Ee's place before checking out late at 3pm. Traffic however was heavy nearing Seremban, where we stopped for seafood steamboat dinner at Aunty Cynthia's house and saying goodbye to Yeh Yeh, before continuing our journey to PJ.

Oh, so much travelling I seriously think my buttocks need to be fluff back up!