vlim

The Botanical and Orchid Gardens of Singapore are must-see tourist attractions. The Orchid Garden, a three-hectare plot of land inside the Botanical Gardens, is home to the most species of orchids in the world. Orchids are sent from all over the world to add to its insurmountable collection and to create new hybrids in this garden center. Although we expected to spend at least four hours at the Gardens, we were there for only half that time... it was too hot and humid, so we rushed through everything. Here's the pics, enjoy! ... read more

"Singapore is certainly the handiest city I ever saw, as well planned and carefully executed as though built entirely by one man. It is like a big desk, full of drawers and pigeon-holes, where everything has its place, and can always be found in it." William Hornaday, 1885. Hornaday's appraisal is certainly more valid today than it was in 1885. Singapore-a city, island, and country-is the land of skyscrapers and high-rise buildings. The envy of S.E. Asia, it is shockingly hi-tech and ultra-modern, with meticulous, regimented, yet stunning civil engineering. From road planning to its highly efficient and eye-popping MRT (mass rapid transit - a train system) system, the entire island is a marvelous piece of engineering wizardry. Four million people of 77% Chinese, 14% Malay, and 8% Indian descent call the "Lion City," or Singapura, ... read more

We went with a tour group consisting of 22 people in total. And everywhere we went, we were joined by hundreds of other tourists at every single place. Business locals heckled us everywhere. Shopping was an exhausting chore because we were constantly being told what to buy and at what price to buy. Motorbike-taxi drivers would get in our faces and ask us where we'd like to go and saying 'no' twice is not enough to turn them down. I sat with a Dutch guy at a breakfast buffet by accident one morning and what would be an awkward time turned into a heated discussion about how much we hated going out into the streets. Though Bangkok is internationally known as a beautiful city, I'm going to beg to differ. It might have been 20 or ... read more

This was our last leg of the Malaysia tour. Malacca, or Melaka depending on how you wanna spell it, is Malaysia's oldest city. I don't remember much of its history, though our tour guide spent about three hours explaining it. I had a cold and had energy sucked outta me. Anyway, it involves the Dutch and St. Francis and battles and other interesting stuff. ... read more

Hey y'all, just came back from a 7-day excursion to Malaysia. Whether or not you like the country depends on where you go. Crime is rampant in Johor Bahru, a city in the southern part of the country. Kuala Lumpur is safer, but it's advisable not to walk alone at night, especially if you're female. Men on motorcycles will stare at you with devious eyes, hoping to snatch your purse or wallet and ride away. The first leg of the trip was a journey to the Cameron Highlands. The highlands are mountainous areas with embedded spaces of flat lands that are situated high above sea level. Plantations of all sorts are found here, from tea to honey to cabbage and to those found in your average vegetable gardens. The floral lifeform here is somewhat best described ... read more