Moi agreed because firstly, I had been feeling depressed – a state of mind I rarely experience – over the horrific, tragic bombing at New York’s World Trade Center. Secondly, it was great escaping from the daily Manille scene. Lastly, how could one possibly say, "No, thank you!" to such a superbly organized and professional organization as the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), dahlings?
So off we drove to the new NAIA Airport’s Centennial Terminal 2 for our Philippine Airlines (PAL) flight to Singapore. PAL was to be our official carrier for our fantastic trip.
Our groupie consisted of PEOPLE Asia magazine’s executive editor Philip Cu-Unjieng and his stylish, classy wife Patricia Panlilio-C.; their adorable sons – observant Quintin, naughty and smart Matteo and huggable Luca – and a nanny; our very own Philippine STAR, PEOPLE Asia and Tatler mags’ ace photographer Alex Van Hagen; and moi, who represented the same publications as Alex V.H.
Moi can’t get over how proud I felt when moi saw PAL Terminals 1 and 2. We should all feel proud about their world-class design and facilities, palanggas.
A PAL ticket office is conveniently located at the departure area for last-minute ticket-buying or flight re-bookings. The office is beautifully headed by vivacious, brilliant Southern lady, Maria Consuelo "Nich" Abaygar, PAL’s super sales and services manager in NAIA 2.
PAL’s Mabuhay Lounges for international and domestic flights are such comfortable areas for relaxing and indulging in yummies while awaiting one’s flight.
Upon arriving at the NAIA, we checked in the PAL counter. We were welcomed by Singapore’s nice station manager Kelvin Poh who helped us breeze through an orderly queue of passengers.
Welcoming us at the International Mabuhay Lounge was Dumagueteña beauty and brains Lourdes Diago-Afzelius, the special services manager of the airport services department. She saw to it, dahlings, that we were all well-cared for. We certainly were!
Our PAL plane departed right on schedule. As always, the three-hour flight was a smooth and delightful experience. How could it not be with the ever-smiling and accommodating cabin crew seeing pampering us with only the best service from Asia’s first airline.
Apres a yummy lunch and a quick lookover at some movies, we touched down at Singapore’s sleek Changi International Airport.
A profusion of colorful orchids greeted us. No wonder this excellently designed airport with loads of amenities and facilities has won tons of awards from all over the world as being the best in various categories for the past several years.
Our favorite STB guide for the next five days met our groupie at the airport. The very knowledgeable, super nice and always smiling Russli Bin Har whisked us in a comfortable van to the charming Capthorne Waterfront Hotel.
Only two years young, this impressive five-star hotel hotel has become a favorite of corporate heavyweights, celebrities and jet-setters. It is also a popular venue for seminars. It is beautifully located along Singapore’s historic, postcard-perfect river.
Our room on the 16th floor overlooked almost half of the city. The room’s stylish modern ambiance was perfect for returning home to after 11 to 12 hours of daily enjoying Singapore’s beautiful sights, as well as eating in restos serving such varied fare (which is what eating in Singapore is really all about, dahlings).
Apres leaving our gear at our hotel rooms, we enjoyed a buffet dinner at the Mama Africa, a jungle-themed resto with a difference.
On the night of our arrival, we were brought to one of Singapore’s many wonders – the Night Safari. We went here first because our junket was meant to familiarize us with the sights that make Singapore a perfect family destination (which Philip C.-U. will elaborate on in his articles). Like any young-at-heart, moi joined in most of the family tours. However, moi will share with you more of what the STB has in store for travelers for the rest of 2001 and 2002, palanggas.
At around 10 p.m., we all jumped into rail cars to watch the animals at the Night Safari. We surely felt the "drama" and mystery of a tropical jungle so completely alive after the sun has set, dahlings.
The Night Safari is the only one of its kind in the world. Here you can watch animals in their enclosures under a bright full "moon." The latter is simulated by specially-designed lights on trees spread over 40 hectares of secondary jungle at Mandai, only a half-hour drive from the city center. Moi learned that the Safari’s mission is to provide a wildlife experience for recreation, education and most of all, conservation.
The Safari attracts a million visitors annually, dahlings, and has won eight major world awards in various categories. All moi could say was "Wow!"
While having an early breakfast the next day at Cafe Brio, the Capthorne Hotel’s lounge and piano bar, we met the STB’s rah! rah! hardworking team.
There was young super mover, Canadian-educated Lim Shien Yan, the knowledgeable assistant manager, corporate and media communications; vibrant eye-catcher Shirley Yeong, mega marketing manager for Asia; and a pal moi met on my last trip to Singapore, super charmer and smart STB asset, always with a smile and hearty laughter, good-looking Nicholas "Nico" Lee, the Philippine country manager who we refer to as one of Ethel Timbol’s "angels." We also met Capthorne’s pretty, pretty as a picture Min Min Wong, the workaholic PR manager for marketing communications.
Over breakfast, Shien Yan explained that there has been a rise in tourism in the last few years eversince the STB initiated its fabi tour campaign featuring different activities all year round. Singapore had 2.22 million visitors from Asia alone last year.
Along Singapore’s main shopping area, the chic Orchard Road (considered the equivalent of New York’s Fifth Avenue), that party of a lifetime, the "Millennium Swing," attracted over 400,000 local residents and visitors alike. The event was broadcast live in over 20 countries.
Shien also told moi about the STB’s upcoming fabi events. For the month of September, the STB held the festival For Art’s Sake, which moi will tell you more about in a later article.
We then exchanged goodbyes and headed for the colorful Jurong Bird Park. We had lunch at the lodge on Flamingo Lake while beholding hundreds of gorgeous pink flamingos and assorted birds.
We next took a mono-rail around the 20.2-hectare haven of 8,000 colorful birds belonging to 600 different species, would you believe?
We loved the Waterfall Aviary best of all. It has over 1,500 birds belonging to 80 species. The birds fly in a rain forest-like atmosphere which includes a 12 noon "tropical thunderstorm." You can revel in this rain forest experience as you stroll along the 30-meter high man-made waterfall at one end of the aviary, palanggas.
The Penguin Parade, next in size only to that of San Diego in the U. S. of A., features an underwater viewing gallery where you can watch with delight five species of 200 swimming penguins. This sight is definitely a Jurong Bird Park favorite.
Next stop was Singapore’s Science Center, which amazes visitors with exhibits about the wonders of science. As we did at the Energy booth which emphasizes energy-related concepts, we had fun watching the Thunderbolt show featuring lightning flashing before your eyes and striking a cage with a person inside.
We also enjoyed the Hall of IT featuring 60 exhibits highlighting technology’s usefulness in our daily lives.
The Discovery Zone, which highlights a wide range of topics that certainly pique curious minds, has a special make-believe room. Here, moi played host to the Cu-Unjieng famille, an experience we watched on a TV screen.
A whole day at the mind-blowing center was too brief, but what we saw was enough to impress even the youngest in our group, the Cu-Unjieng sons.
After spending close to an hour all over the Science Center, we relaxed by watching the five-storey high hemispheric screen which "enveloped" us at the Omni Theater. We viewed the film, Journey into Amazing Caves, truly a mind-blowing, spell-binding experience, definitely the ultimate in cinematography, dahlings.
From there we went to the Snow City, Singapore’s first indoor snow center. You are given winter outfits before entering this fascinating "city" filled with 150 tons of man-made snow. Playing around in a temperature 15 degrees below zero centigrade, we went skiing and snow-boarding and snow-tubed down the snow-colored slopes. We also created snowmen. This is a must to go to for the young and mature alike.
That night, we enjoyed a to-die-for dinner at the Jumbo Seafood resto at East Coast Park, right in front of the scenic harbors and islands of Singapore. We definitely enjoyed digging into delectable fresh seafood here, dahlings.
The next day at Orchard Road, Patricia C. had a ball shopping at the famous Belle Boutique that carries such labels as Marc Jacobs and Anna Sui, plus other high-end world-class name brand boutiques. Her kids, meanwhile, were busily enjoyed themselves at the five-storey eye-catching mall exclusively for children of all ages, right beside the Hilton Hotel.
Then it was lunch at Singapore’s newest and so popular Marche resto at the colossal Suntec City shopping mall. This resto answers just about every dining need. Though its atmosphere and decor are definitely Bavarian, its food ranges from the East to West, North America to Europe. You can go to the booth of your choice and order. Then they mark your choices on your order slip, and collect your order after a few minutes. You then pay the bill on your way out. It’s Singapore’s latest concept of eating out.
That afternoon, we were thrilled by a breathtaking cable car ride to the enchanting island of Sentosa. Having an extreme phobia for heights, the idea of riding a cable car was not too inviting. Since Patricia, Alex V.H. and moi share the same problem, we decided to share one cable car. Well, it turned to be a great experience. The sight is gorgeous as you cruise high above and cross the river towards Sentosa, which is accessible by air, sea or land. Philip and our guide Russli B.H. chose to ride the cable car.
This out-of-this-world island started out as a fishing village, then became a military fortress during the Japanese occupation. Today, it is a nature haven with numerous exciting themed attractions.
Since time was of the essence, we dashed off to the Wax Museum. We marveled at the life-size figures evoking the life and times of Singapore. Here, you’ll see such personas as Sir Stanford Raffles and the Sultan Hussein Shah, plus others like them.
The grand finale was the Images of Singapore, a multi-media show featuring Singapore’s cultural diversity. It shows how Singapore transformed from a small immigrant town to the world’s most dynamic economy.
We then went up, up, up the hill where the impressive 12-storey Merlion (short for "mermaid" and "lion") stands proudly at Sentosa’s highest vantage point. It is the most recognized symbol of Singapore. The view was breathtaking.
Later we strolled on the Merlion walk which beautifully captures the colorful legend of the Merlion.
A short mono-rail ride brought us to our last stop, the Underwater World of Singapore. The variety of marine animals here is absolutely amazing. We regaled ourselves with the underwater scenes featuring over 2,500 fishes. The sharks were the stars of the show, dahlings.
We had dinner at the absolutely healthy Chinese herbal cuisine at the famous Metropole Restaurante of the Imperial Hotel. Here, the food is not only defined by how good they taste, but how well they can enhance your health.We all felt healthier than a bull after our filling dinner, dahlings.
After a last-minute shopping at Orchard Road, we returned to the hotel to get ready for our trip back home the next day.
By the way, palanggas, STB has exciting festivals lined up until the end of 2001, and is already promoting must-to-go-to festivals for next year.
While we were there, moi was glad to have witnessed the colorful lantern and mooncakes festival which started last Sept. 21.
This is the time of the year when eye-catching colors enliven Singapore as it celebrates the famed Mid-Autumn festival. Gorgeous lanterns are ablaze at the scenic Chinese Garden. A variety of programs was held here, including Traditional Singaporean cultural performances.
The festivities’ end, the final blast, was held at the Clarke Quay. We watched the dazzling lights from lanterns of all shapes and sizes floating on the river, turning it into a fantastic fairy land of lights.
Singapore’s annual For Art’s Sake (which will run until Nov. 25), has made Singapore the "Art City of Tomorrow." With it, the city was alive with art, music and dance.
Everything is all set for the over 30,000 art lovers from the world-over to attend the world’s most prestigious contemporary Asian art fair. This exciting event will feature works from England, Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand, Korea and Singapore, which will be exhibited until tomorrow, Oct. 3 at the Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Center.
Next in line is the not-to- be-missed exhibit of the famous Asian painter Gao Xiang Guo, who has reaped laurels from all over the world for the past 30 years for his Northern landscape style.
Also to be held on these dates is an auction by Sotheby’s featuring over 200 paintings by acclaimed artists from Europe, Indonesia, Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. This will be held at the Regent Singapore Hotel.
From Oct. 27 to Nov. 25, Little India will be the star of the month-long Festival of Lights. Hindus will celebrate the victory of light over darkness with Deepavali. This super fun event is celebrated in a grand scale in Singapore‘s very own Little India, dahlings.
You’ll be flabergasted by tons of garlands, colorful streamers, fairy lights and beautiful flower arches from a gateway which extend all the way to the busy street bazaars. All the postcard-perfect temples will be ablaze with lights. Naturellement, one must not forget the many restos serving excellent meals that will not make your wallet cry.
On Nov. 11, you must not miss the Jade Quartet, superbly organized by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, no less. The quartet was founded in 1993 by Antonin Dvorak and Bedrich Smetana.
The event will feature world-renowned guitarist John Williams, hailed as the Prince of Guitar by the world’s best, Audre Segovia himself. A host of hotshots will join him to play drums and ethnic percussion, acoustic steel string guitar, flutes, plus, plus. The event will take place at the Victoria Concert Hall.
One can’t imagine the activities and festivals that take place in Singapore all year long. Already lined up monthly events for 2002. Now you know why visitors are flocking to Singapore by the millions.
Apres saying goodbye to the Cu-Unjieng famille, Alex and moi strolled along the paths of another of Singapore’s super attractions, the National Orchid Garden. As we entered this paradise, a thousand orchid blooms greeted us.
We learned that there are over 700 glorious species here and 2,100 hybrids from all over the world, would you believe? More vibrant and enduring hybrids are being added to this permanent showcase, palanggas, the largest display of orchids in the world.
You will see the impressive Burkill Hall as you walk uphill in the enchanted garden. This colonial-style bungalow built in 1866 is the perfect example of tropical architecture. It was once the home of the Gardens directors and today is used for VIP events and other functions.
In the Hall, you will also admire a special group of beautiful orchids named after visiting State Dignitaries and VIPersonas from around the world and Singapore.
So, who is a typical visitor to Singapore , moi asked fast on the draw Lim Shien Yau, who answered, "There isn’t one. People visit Singapore for different reasons – for shopping, food, business, relaxation, or all of these. All of them come in search of an ideal destination, and it is our job at the STB to deliver the experience." Needless to say, dahlings, I agreed with him completely.
Visiting the breathtaking floral-scape was definitely one of the highlights of moi visit.
Jetting back to Cosmo-Manille on a PAL Air Bus 330, we looked out the window and beheld the lush verdant terrain all the way to Malaysia, dahlings. It was a delight seeing how they have preserved their environment, unlike what we see when we fly over our islands, whose mountains and forests are bare from illegal logging.
Our PAL flight was a dream. We left on the dot at the specified departure time, and were treated to PAL’s renowned in-flight Filipino hospitality.
Did you know that PAL is the first airline awarded selected membership by the tres, tres prestigious Les Chaines de Rotisseurs? Well, now you know.
PAL’s in-flight meals (excellently prepared in PAL’s in-flight center that is considered one of the most ultra-modern in-flight kitchens in the world) have received several commendations and awards from international agencies.
Our excellent dinner was truly satisfying meal. So was the entertaining Moulin Rouge (which Patricia and I never got to watch on the big screen), the great cabin service and touching down at NAIA 14 minutes (yes, dahlings, 14 minutes!) ahead of schedule Now, palanggas, that’s what flying with our fave PAL is all about.
No wonder vivacious, mega successful career woman, Nancy Ladringan-Harel is all smiles these days, what with the huge influx of tourists visiting the Lion City and conventions galore being held in Singapore through her successful PR agency, Nancy Harel & Associates, Inc., the STB ’s sole representative in the Philippines. Bravo, Nancy! Take a bow, gal, together with the STB and our best pal, Philippine Airlines, naturellement.
Smile and see you!