One of the most iconic sights in Kuala Lumpur is the Petronas Twin Towers. The 88-story buildings are located right in the heart of the city. They were once the tallest in the world, but now only retain their title as the tallest twin towers. At night, the brightly illuminated skyscrapers stand out in the vast city like two beacons of light.
This morning we bid farewell to Singapore, and headed over to Kuala Lumpur on the next leg of our trip. But before we left, we had to visit the infinity pool one last time. It was hard to say goodbye to this incredible pool overlooking the downtown core, but the hotel itself, I didn’t really care for. Ever since I saw pictures of the pool on top of the Marina Bay Sands, I’ve wanted to see it for myself. Unfortunately the only way to visit the pool is as a hotel guest. This hotel costs about the same as other luxury hotels, but the service and experience is subpar – it is more of a tourist attraction to be honest. But the view from the pool is something that a lot of people are willing to pay to experience at least once, myself included.
I felt like Alice in Wonderland, walking amongst the super trees in Singapore’s Garden by the Bay. The grove of 16 story-tall “trees” completely dwarf everything else around them. These man-made structures are built on reclaimed land as part of an efficient green space project. Each tree is surrounded by a steel skeleton that is used as the framework for planting various flowers, ferns and other vertical climbers. At the top are built in solar panels used as the main energy source to keep the structures lit at night. These trees are as fantastical as they are practical and they are an iconic part of the city.
Singapore is a beautiful sight at night when the buildings are all lit up, but the extra special time is right after sunset. Right before it gets dark, the sky turns a lovely shade of blue, a perfect backdrop for the glittering skyline. This picture was taken on the promenade from the Marina Bay Sands hotel overlooking the downtown area.
On our first day in Singapore, we ventured over to Little India to visit Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple. It is one of the oldest Hindu temples in the city, built by the early Indian laborers and dedicated to Kali, the goddess and destroyer of all evil. On the outside is an explosion of colorful deities adorning the entrance tower.
We were fortunate to visit the temple during the daily puja (prayer) session lead by the priest. It started with a bathing ceremony and and ended with a sacred flame offering while rousing music is played. It was the first time I’ve every been inside a Hindu temple and witnessed a prayer session. Hopefully, I am blessed with a good rest of the trip.
Our Asia trip is finally underway, after much anticipation. First stop is a night in Tokyo. For some reason, we’ve only ever been to the land of the rising sun for a few days at a time. This probably needs to be rectified in the near future, but for now, we will make do with our short time in this lovely city. We decided to spend the morning strolling through the tranquil Japanese gardens in Shinjuku Gyoen National Park. There were not many people around, which made the experience even more peaceful. It was a relaxing morning until we had to make a mad dash back to the airport, but that’s another story for another time.
Portugal is a small country nestled between Spain and the Atlantic Ocean at the westernmost point of continental Europe. It was once a powerful seafaring kingdom that controlled many of the routes to Africa, South America, and Asia. The home of world famous football player, Cristiano Ronaldo, is filled with lush landscapes and striking scenery. Though not as well known as some of its neighbors, it is a country rich with culture, interesting architecture, and fairytale castles. The laid-back vibe combined with great food and cheap wine makes this a must-visit destination. Here is the cost breakdown of our trip to Portugal to help you plan yours:
If you’ve been following along with our blog you’ll know that we usually try to maximize our travel days and minimize our costs. This usually happens when we find a good flight deal with availability around the holidays. This system has allowed us to travel more frequently to many amazing places around the world. Admittedly, this did not happen on this trip. A series of mistakes cost us time, energy, and money in the form of unused hotel rooms and additional flights – read about our mishaps here. Even with all the disasters, our trip was very memorable for all the right reasons.
There are a variety of things to do and see in Portugal, whatever your interests and tastes may be. Visit the northern city of Porto and sample the famous port wine. Zip over to Belem and indulge in the egg tarts. Wander through picturesque castles hidden in the rolling hills of Sintra and feel like you’ve stepped into a Disney movie. See the busy city from the rickety tram, and fall in love with the architecture of Lisbon. Eat and drink until you are completely sated without breaking the bank. To read more about our trip to Portugal, click on the links below:
Porto
Lisbon
Sintra
Check back next to read about our trip to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.
Dresden, Germany
Last year, on our whirlwind trip around Eastern Europe, we visited Dresden, a small town in Germany with an interesting history. It used to be the capital of Saxony before getting completely destroyed by bombers during WWII. Most of the historic center has been reconstructed over the years to bring it back to its former glory.
One of my favorite places is the Zwinger palace, the most beautiful structure you’ll see in Dresden or perhaps even Germany. The buildings are connected by a series of walkways that are lined with an interesting mix of Rococo sculptures and statues. This particular path passes right over the Crown Gate, the well-known entrance into the interior courtyard.
Every Monday of each week, I’ll share a photo with you from my adventures around the world and at home. Most of my photos have little or no post processing. If you would like to see more, please click the ‘Follow’ button.
AirBnB is not new, in fact it’s been around since 2008. We know people who have used the service and had glowing reviews; and others who did not fare as well (there are some horror stories). In the past, we’ve always opted to stay at a Starwood hotel because our status gave us upgrades and other perks. This year, however, that status has expired which was the perfect opportunity for us to venture out of our bubble and try something new. Continue reading
New York, New York
My sister came to visit this past week, which gave me the perfect excuse to play tourist in my own city. One of the places that I’ve always wanted to go to, but never been is Top of the Rock. From the observation deck, you can see all the way downtown with the Empire State Building front and center. The pricey ticket of $32 per person will get you access to the top floors, or you can skip all of that and just go to Bar 65 for a drink. The restaurant is only 2 stories down, with essentially the same view and no admission cost. You can use the money you would have paid and get yourself a nice cocktail instead. Sipping a spatini while you admire the New York skyline at sunset is probably not a bad thing to do.
Every Monday of each week, I’ll share a photo with you from my adventures around the world and at home. Most of my photos have little or no post processing. If you would like to see more, please click the ‘Follow’ button.
life after 9to5 