Kuan Yin&#39;s Guestbook

At home in Singapore
So glad you've made it back to one of your favorite places. Thanks for the tour of the Marina Bay Sands hotel. Very nice. Creative thinking. Thanks for educating us on the red dot.

11th February 2019

The oculus
Yes, I do enjoy being in Singapore. One of the (many) cool things about Marina Bay Sands is seeing the oculus in the rain, both from above ground, and below ground watching the rain thunder down into the river in the mall.

9th February 2019

starship VT
starship - VT

Great Review!
Wow! What a fascinating read about Singapore. I had never heard of the term, "Little Red Dot" so I learned something new. The Marina Bay Sands Hotel and Casino looks so surreal. I can't imagine the amount of engineering that went into constructing such a building. But it seems that Southeast Asia is know for creating modern architectural and engineering masterpieces! Great photos, Karen!!

10th February 2019

Thanks for your kind words.
The Marina Bay Sands is a pretty amazing place, in fact, the whole area around Marina Bay is pretty spectacular. My camera batteries died, so I don't have pictures of the Helix Bridge that runs across Marina Bay and is modeled on the structure of DNA, but trust me, its no ordinary bridge.

A Small Swede in the Big World
Per-Olof Persson

22nd January 2019

Interesting idea with the Science Café
Sounds like a really amazing place!

From Blog: Stumbling Around Penang

22nd January 2019

Science Cafe
It was so very, very cool. The battery on my camera died while I was in there or I would have posted more pictures. The intention behind opening it was to get kids engaged in science, and I think this was a much more interesting way of doing so rather than sitting in a classroom.

From Blog: Stumbling Around Penang

22nd January 2019

Keeping promises
Nice blog... I love that the customs agent wants you to tell people about Malaysia. Enjoy eating your way around the country. Looks like you are finding many great things to explore.

From Blog: Malaysian Customs

22nd January 2019

Customs agent
I met a lot of very nice young adults (Gee, that makes me sound like an old fuddy-duddy) who all were very proud of their country and wanted people to visit. I think the change in government may have helped.

From Blog: Malaysian Customs

22nd January 2019

I was thinking about you today.
Good to see you traveling again. I like the idea of a car free zone. They should try that in Hanoi and a few other Asian cities.... ha ha.

From Blog: Stumbling Around Penang

25th December 2018

gangopa
tab gangopadhyay

Contraband lies in the eyes of beholder
Karen, It's a good read and informative. It is interesting that such prohibited materials vary from places to places, sometimes even within a country.. Once I was bringing cactus from Arizona to Newfoundland in Canada. The customs folks told me in Toronto, I am okay to bring it within Canada except in Newfoundland as plants are not allowed in Newfoundland from other parts due to some bacteria conditions in its soil. Also, certain wood products not allowed in Canada from outside and I had to be detained in customs in Calgary last February to answer questions for bringing in a couple of wood carving sculptures from Kenya. So, I am always very skeptical what I bring in any country as the rules could be very different.

From Blog: Malaysian Customs

11th October 2018

Brian Crawford
non-member comment

Myanmar
Thanks for your info on Myanmar - especially the company name that appears on your credit card when you get an eVisa. I had just called up my credit card company to block my card after seeing GALALUZ PTE SINGAPORE as I hadn't initiated any transactions with them. Then I started digging and found your blog. It's the only place that explains this bizarre link. I'd just paid a one off large amount to another Singapore supplier, my only ever Singapore transaction and 1 day later got zapped for 2 x $50. Now thanks to you (I think) I understand. Thanks We are off to Myanmar in a couple of weeks. Best regards Brian

11th October 2018

Happy to help
Yes, I also thought it was bizarre, and was almost contested the charge until I decided to check what supplier the Myanmar government was using. You may run into a few more strange things related to financial transactions in Myanmar.. And remember that the Burmese kyat is not a convertible currency, so use it, or change it too something else before you leave the country.

16th August 2018

Great architecture
Beauty and religion

16th August 2018

Great architecture
Some of the most stunning buildings I've seen - from temples to mosques to cathedrales - have been religious in nature. I'm grateful when a community allows me access to the beauty.

7th August 2018

starship VT
starship - VT

Really enjoying reading each of your blog segments on Morocco! Both the mosque and museum look like places I'd want to visit. Notice your mention of old travel posters --- I'm a big fan of them as well!!

16th August 2018

Thanks!
Thanks for following along on my adventures.

19th July 2018

The friendliness of locals
You can always count on the locals to ensure you are enjoying yourself and gain the knowledge you need. Gosh, I love travel. Lovely people, lovely architecture.

From Blog: Outside the Medina

19th July 2018

Friendly
One of the many upsides of traveling alone is having the freedom to take time to stop and talk with people. I like being able to just sit in a pretty garden, or chat with a security guard. And I've come to appreciate that taxi drivers know just about everything.

From Blog: Outside the Medina

17th July 2018

starship VT
starship - VT

Interesting about "Childrens' Day" but I'm not sure I really get the gist of it -- but the "little" girls are beautiful! Nice photos!

From Blog: Outside the Medina

17th July 2018

Thanks!
Thank you for your kind words. I'm not sure I understand Children's' Day either, other than perhaps to turn something that might be seen as a burden - fasting - into a celebration by dressing up. The evening meal on this night is particularly lavish, with lots of sweets and delicacies.

From Blog: Outside the Medina

6th July 2018

RENanDREW
Ren & Andrew

We were nearly there too!
We booked a trip to Morocco in March but couldn't make it, so we were *very nearly* going to be there in June... but changed our minds when we read something about snakes starting to make an appearance in June/July in a part of the country we wanted to travel in. I've lived in a Muslim country and didn't think Ramadan would be an issue, however after reading your blog it sounds like we would have struck the same problems! Hope the trip improved :)

From Blog: The Curmudgeon Has a Bad Day

6th July 2018

Nearly there...
Islam is the constitutionally mandated state religion in Morocco, so it is assumed that most people would be fasting during Ramadan. Even the couple of restaurants that I found open in Tangier kept the lights off, and didn't put tables on the sidewalk out of respect for the majority. I was in Turkey during Ramadan a couple of years ago and the city didn't miss a beat. As a non-Muslim I might not have even noticed except for the lights strung up on the Blue Mosque spelling out "Blessed Eid."

From Blog: The Curmudgeon Has a Bad Day

5th July 2018

Dancing Dave
David Hooper

Life can be the pits
but in Morocco...no chance! Sad though you missed out on ancient manuscripts because you may never get another chance. We visited the Museum of Ancient Manuscripts in Timbuktu and a year later Al-queda had trashed it. Sometimes the marvel is that they have survived. I can feel your pain Karen...so near but so far...a real opportunity lost.

From Blog: Frustrated in Fez

5th July 2018