Vivi's soul searching trip to Phuket, Thailand

 "You can close your eyes to things you don't want to see and your ears to things you don't want to hear but you can't close your heart to things you don't want to feel". 

Have you ever felt like you don't belong anywhere? You want to run but you have nowhere to go? That time in your life when you just want to be alone and do some soul searching? All of us had our share of those moments, we need to escape every now and then, it's just a part of life.

A booked a stay at one of the newest hotel in Phuket few years ago, the intial plan is that this would be my first meeting with my then ex, I applied for a 1 week leave from work and I got my boss' approval, but alas, my boyfie backed out! So I had no  choice but to go alone, my goal is to do some soul searching so I chose a hotel which is a beach front so I can enjoy a morning walk everyday, a resort with a pool so I can just stay at the poolside reading my books and it should have its own restaurant and spa so there's no need for me to go out of the resort, so I chose Sunwing Resort and Spa, a 4 star hotel. And it was more than what I have expected!

Let me share some of my photos:

The Hotel :   Sunwing Resort & Spa Bantao Beach, Phuket- It is a  fully contained family resort with its own restaurants, entertainment programs and a host of activities for all ages. For those whose ideal vacation consists of sipping colorful concoctions while dipping a toe in the surf or dozing off under swaying casuarinas trees, then hotel Sunwing Resort & Spa fits your bill to the tee.

The Pool:  They have large pools all over the resort and 2 children pools. Luckily the room that I got is pool front, and I so loved the ambiance.

The room: I love the room, it is huge  and very clean. You have your own small kitchen with amenities, a small living room, cabled TV (sorry no free wifi during my stay) and even a patio where you can sit and enjoy the view of the pool.

Bangtao Beach- 6 km stretch of white sand beach, most of the best hotels in Phuket are located along Bangtao. 

Every morning for the whole week, I will do my morning walk, then after my breakfast I will sit in the sand and do some reading and of course people watching.

A lot of people have asked me to go outside and explore Phuket, but I told them nah... I am sticking to my plan. 

The Spa: they offer a wide variety of spa services and treatments including Thai Massage, Aromatherapy, Oil Massage, Facial Massage, Body Cleansers, Body Treatments- each expertly handled by a professional massage therapist, an esthetician or a spa technician.  I Think for my one  week stay, I tried all! I enjoyed not only the body massages but also the sauna bath and soaking in the  hot tub... refreshing!

oil massage in front of the beach

Whenever we are sad or feeling depressed we may just need to step outside, closed our eyes, took a deep breath of fresh air and exhale. But sometimes things are not as simple as that and we may need to getaway for while to find ourselves. We may not be able to afford going to nice places all the time but what matters most is that we find time to just be alone and analyze where our emotional pain is coming from.

And afterwards is a rewarding thought that there is always something good to look forward to in life. That everyday is a struggle, and everyday given to us by God, we should strive harder to always make it better than yesterday. 

Thailand is a hugely popular destination with Australian tourists. With year round great deals on cheap flights and accommodation you can be sure that any time of the year Australians will be found on this popular holiday island. Brisbane to Phuket flights operate on a regular frequency as well as direct flights from other Australian ports like Sydney, Melbourne and the Gold Coast.

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The Roman Forum - Rome, Italy

What is best thing about Rome that we love? History! Rome is well known as the "The Eternal City"and one of the most magnificent city in the world with nearly 3,000 years of history.

Roman Forum is located at the center of Rome. It is  a plaza surrounded by ruins of  ancient temples, senate house , law courts  and other important government structures. The Forum was the center of political and social activity of the Romans but after the fall of the Roman Empire, the Forum was forgotten.  Similar to many other ancient Roman buildings like the Colosseum, stone blocks have been removed from the Forum and used to build nearby churches and palaces.

Let me share some of the pictures I have taken to what remains in the Roman Forum:

 

The Temple of Antoninus and Faustina is by far the best preserved building in the Forum.  It  was built in  141AD by Emperor Antoninus Pius and initially dedicated to his deceased wife Faustina the Elder. This temple was changed in the middle ages into the church of "San Lorenzo in Miranda". 

 Temple of Divus Romulus - built in the 4th century AD, the large well-preserved bronze door is still in its original state.

Temple of Castor and Pollux -  Only three pillars remain of the Temple The original temple was built in 484 BC, the current ruins date from its last reconstruction in 6 A.D. The temple was built by the roman dictator Postumius who vowed to build the temple if his army would beat the Tarquin Kings who previously ruled Rome. According to the legend, Castor and Pollux, mythological twin brothers, helped the Roman army to victory and announced the victory at the forum. - http://www.aviewoncities.com/rome/forumromanum.htm

Check also my other Rome related blog entries:
- Piazza di Spagna, Spanish Steps and Piazza Trinita' dei Monti, Rome
- A trip to the Holy See (Vatican City)

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Vivi's Personalized Walking Tour- Singapore's Downtown Core

According to the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Worldwide Cost of Living 2012 survey result, Singapore is the 9th most expensive city in the world. So why tourists love Singapore? Well it is because Singapore is safe, lively, clean and of course don't forget the food!

So how to explore Singapore on a budget? In so many ways! I will share one of many walking tours you could do in Singapore for FREE! This tour is good for your health and of course for your pocket.

This walking tour starts and ends at Esplanade, to go to Esplanade take a few minutes walk from City Hall train station via the underground walkway that connects four malls.  You can see directions everywhere so you won't get lost. Or simply take a taxi direct to Esplanade.


Here's the map of the location and famous landmarks to explore: 

View Larger Map

So here we go:

Part 1:  Esplanade - Singapore's performing arts venue. 

Lucky for us, they have a free musical show at the lobby when we arrived, after the walking tour we took the time to sit and relax here watching the free show.

From Esplanade walk towards Merlion Park and don't miss taking a snap of  Marina Bay Sands opposite the river:

Marina Bay Sands is a world-class luxury casino and hotel in Singapore capped by Sands Skypark.

and Singapore's Flyer

Esplanade on the left and furthest to the right is Singapore's Flyer

footpath from Esplanade to Merlion Park

 and of course Singapore's Icon up close! 

from the background, you will see the construction of Marina Bay Sands in full swing during the time this photo was taken

Merlion is Singapore's icon, it is a mythical creature with the head of a lion and the body of a fish

Part 2: Then take the foot path below Esplanade Bridge and locate Asian Civilization Museum cross the heritage Cavenagh Bridge and you will find Fullerton Hotel.

Cavenagh Bridge, is the oldest bridge in Singapore that exists in its original form, opened in 1870.

Fullerton Hotel is a five-star luxury hotel it was originally known as The Fullerton Building, and also as the General Post Office Building

Part 3:  After enjoying Fullerton Hotel area  walk back to Cavenagh Bridge and walk opposite the river and you will be back at Asian Civilisation Museum walk further to Victoria Memorial Hall, the former Parliament House, Supreme Court, St Andew's Church, Capitol Building and head back to Esplanade Mall.
 

Asian Civilisation Museum a gateway to asian culture

Victoria Memorial Hall and statue of Stamford Raffles, the founder of Singapore

The Old Parliament House

Parliament of Singapore

St Andrew's Church

Singapore's Supreme Court

Part 3: Then walk back towards Esplanade Mall, you will pass by Capitol Building

The Capitol Building is a historic building , it was one of the first air-conditioned theatre in Singapore. When it was built, it was also the largest of the 10 cinemas on the island.

 From Capitol Building, cross the road and ta-da.. you are back at Esplanade Mall.

Estimated walking time: at least 1 hour depending on your pace, you can also design your own walking tour based on your interest, whatever it is, don't forget to enjoy Singapore!

So if you are tight on the budget, don't be scared to visit Singapore, you can still enjoy it with limited funds. 

  

Note: Most of the photos are taken using my regular Olympus point and shoot camera and are accumulations from my travels to Singapore. 

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