Singapore Night Festival 2016

ABBEY: We went out and see what the 9th year of Singapore Night Festival has to offer. 

We got to see the stickmen dancing, playing and jumping in the facade of National Museum. They are artwork from France called Keyframes. Another show is the Wheel House (on museum's mainground). It is an acrobatic show on a big wheel. Maybe it would be better if there's a spotlight and louder sound for the performance. While the other spectators were busy where to go next I went back to where the Keyframe was installed and I was able to see Les AquamenS. They are men-in-black with upside down bowl aquarium as helmets.  Yes, an upsidedown aquarium; meaning with water and fish. 

Unfortunately, there were no more seats for the The Story Box show and the next performance will be too late. So we headed to Philatelic Museum where the songs from Shakespeare's works were played. I looked forward for The Siege: A light saber sword fight. But to my disappointment, they used the street rather than the stage. I understand the safety factor but a lot of people could have enjoyed it if they can see it better. Only the frontliners see it clearly and knew what has happened. :(

I hope this can be looked at. Setup stages with proper lightings and sounds.

Lego Wall for 10th Anniversary of Singapore Night Festival

Singapore FlashForward

WILL: 9th year!!! Congrats to Bras Basah Bugis precinct on this glamorous and widely known event in Singapore!  

For this year, it was packed by performers with different genres to offer the public. If you are a youth who loves to listen to local artists, your ideal place will be the the vacant lot in front of SMU school. 

Out of this world roving performer like Aquamen was at the grounds of National Museum. As usual there is a street party at Armenian Street. We were astounded to see that there live performance at Philatelic Museum. When I heard Cappella Martialis play their respective instruments, I would love to just sleep right there and then. 

As usual, it is a feast! It is a merrymaking! I wonder now who will be the performers next year. Can't wait for their surprises. 

Oh! Please do take note that museums are open for public for free when the Night Festival commenced. One more thing, make a contribution for wall of Lego :) 

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Singapore Night Festival

(W)http://nightfest.sg/

(E)nhb_brasbasahbugis@nhb.gov.sg

(A) Bras Basah Bugis Precinct 

Centara Ras Fushi Resort & Spa Maldives - De Luxe Spa Over Water Villa (5th Wedding Anniversary Celebration)

ABBEY: We landed in Male, Maldives 3PM local time. After a 25-minute speedboat ride, we reached Centara Ras Fushi resort where we were ushered at their lobby for resort orientation. A couple of minutes passed, then we were given our pair of keys, ride on to a golf cart and transported to our water villa. Our home for our stay has a jacuzzi, king-size bed, an office table, walk-in closet,  docking station for phones, tv, dvd player, ceiling fan, telephones, safety box, mini bar, toilet, and bath. I'll be listing out the resort's features.

Spa

Since we're already on the island, we booked for a 60-minute foot spa for 90USD++ each. We were led to a small villa and then they washed our feet in warm water. This is a foot spa but we laid to a spa table and a couple of minutes later I'm off to Dreamland. The massage is relaxing. I think I snored a lot. After the session, we were given dried fruit and tea.

Bars: They offer wines, cocktails, mocktails, coffee, teas, soft drinks and snacks.

Viu Bar

This is where you can see a good view of the sunset. Maybe that's why they called it a "Viu (view)" bar. It has a hole at its center which shows the blue water and fish can be seen as well; an "aquarium" direct from the sea. It also has nets and couches where you can relax while enjoying the view and your drink.

Pool Bar

As the name implies, it is the bar at the pool. How cool is that? Swim all you want or bathe in the sun and if you're thirsty then just go to the bar and order your drink of choice. The Pool Bar also extend their service to the guests at the beach.

Grivaaru bar

The first bar you'll get into as it is adjacent to the resort's lobby. The view on this bar is the jetty where the guests arrive and go. Also, they have a big screen to project sports shows.

Restaurants: Be quick to plan and get a reservation before they're gone.

Oceans Restaurant:

This is where you can have buffet for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They have Western and Asian cuisines. I've prepared my body for Maldives; workout here and there. But once we arrived, all day is cheat-day. Who can resist bacon, omelette, poached eggs, Thai congee, chicken barbecue, roasted pork, croissants, chicken and tuna salads, cold cuts, cheese, grilled corn, vegetable quiche, bread and pastries and fruits? Also, the staff is always asking you to come back. If you're not quick enough to make reservations, then this is your default. Not that it's not good, but it is advisable to try the other restaurants as well.

La Brezza

I told you a tip for making reservations on another restaurant as we learned it the hard way. We were like a chance passenger when we dine for dinner at La Brezza. We only got the seats 30 minutes before closing. And the mindset is that you eat fast. Haha. It is an Italian restaurant which has a homey ambiance. The light fixture is like you are in Medieval times. 

Al Khaimah

We secured seats here at 7:30PM. We were the first guests to arrive. A low-spreading tree welcomed us at the entrance and we're ushered to our table. The ambiance is Arabic; in a tent where low tables and pillows and carpets were used. Definitely, footwear should be removed. I got a platter consist of lamb chops, chicken kebabs, grilled tomatoes and capsicum. This time, we pair it with red wine. Messi happily explained to us and suggested which wine to get. I only had a glass as he told us that the effect will be felt later and I don't want to get dizzy or tipsy going back to our villa. Also, Wilma will not be able to carry me. Haha.

Suan Bua

We had lunch at this Thai restaurant. We were given a rack of condiments but no need for that as the food is flavorful and savory. You can enjoy the view overlooking the pool and beach. I also had tiramisu and fruit salad for dessert. I watered all down with a couple of glasses of Blue Ocean mocktail.

One thing I can suggest to the management with regards to reservations: be strict with the time by giving grace period only and not the whole dinner time. If the guest reserved for 8PM, and hasn't come by 8:15PM, then it will be forfeited and be given to other guests. Or schedule the guests when will they dine on each restaurant. Yes, I understand the customers are always right, but this will give a total whole experience of the resort for each guest.

Centara Ras Fushi also offers waiting for lounge for the guests who checked out after 12PM but the flight is later that night. The room is full of comfortable couches where you can lay on and also offers coffee and tea. After checkout, guests can enjoy mocktails but any alcoholic drinks and snacks will be charged.

We enjoyed our stay. Thanks to all the staff specially Natsumi, Zoey, Zarah, Faizal, and Fahad. Had a slight misunderstanding with Lovely but got resolved eventually.

Centara's Welcoming Icon

DAY 1

DAY 2

DAY 3

DAY 4

Boardwalk to water villa

WILL: News after news that Maldives' Island will soon be submerged in waters of Indian Ocean made my husband was devastated. Abbey hit me again with a request, he wants to see the magnificent Maldives. 

Maldives is well-known for honeymooners and couples who want to have an "us" time. And for you to stay at these impressive islets that hold resorts, you will need half of your life savings to be in there. Whew! To tell you the truth, this is our most expensive getaway. For 4days/3nights stay, we withdrew S$4,630.80. Flights, speedboat, use of non-motorized water sports equipment and full board accommodation. Oh by the way, 'full board' means it includes breakfast, lunch, snacks, dinner, wine, mocktails, beer, and cocktails. 

So what can I say with Centara Ras Fushi Resort of Maldives. Me, Wilma, a self-confessed frugal woman, chose to be in here rather than the resort that is cheaper in value. Actually, W Maldives have a inexpensive offer than this Centara but why I still went for this? Because of the reviews of bloggers. You should consider how far the island from its airport, why? You will be disturbed by the in and out of planes. You should check too if that resort is open for day-tour, if so, you should check how extensive they can roam to that island. Is there a pool? What the bloggers have been told about the customer service? How clean the room is. And a lot to consider. After two months reading reviews here and there, Abbey and I decided to go for Centara Ras Fushi. 

Let's start with De Luxe Spa Over Water Villa. Abbey and I want to have a full blast celebration of our wedding anniversary. So why not book for the high-end room. We talked to our travel agency that we want the best room, which is not in their offer letter to us, Dawn of Green Holidays Tours and Travel came back to us with the excellent deal they can get, we primarily booked the high-end room and within 30minutes she came back to me telling that this room is fully occupied on the date of our visit. The difference is the overwater netting that can also be found at Viu Bar. So, we went for the 2nd best. Huhu! 

The room, is clean and spacious. We are on 'sunrise' area, which is a good thing for me as I am ecstatic every time I see the light creeping up the darkness. Just below our water villa are corals that house different kinds of fish. After you splashed on cold waters of the ocean and pool, you can soak yourself in the hot and calm water of jacuzzi and feel the breeze of the sea. 

There are 3 restaurants in the island resort. Oceans offers a buffet from breakfast to dinner, the Suan Bua (Thai) and La Brezza (Italian). They only serve lunch and dinner and only 1 menu for the whole day. Al Khaimah has a Middle Eastern Menu and only open for dinner. So you need to schedule early for this because it is always fully-booked. Do not forget to pair your meats with wine and take note of the restaurants timing. 

For snacks you can go at Viu Bar, this is the best place to witness the sunset while sipping your favorite cocktail or mocktail or wine. At the pool bar, you can order drinks to hydrate your body while having a dip. 

So that is what we do at the resort for our stay. Sleep, eat, swim, repeat! Haha. 

Oh! On our last day, we visited their renowned massage/spa. We booked 4pm. We ate our last lunch at La Brezza, sleep at their cozy Chill Lounge then we headed to Cenvaree SPA to pamper our feet. That is the first time we were requested to lie down for just a foot massage. Heaven!! After kneading, we were lead to an open space and there are a drinks and pack of sands that were pressed down to our shoulders! Wooohooo! Relief. 

After our relaxation time, we headed to the lobby to get some drinks. After we finished the snacks, we went back to the chill lounge to wait for our speedboat. 

We bid goodbye to the ever loving people of Centara. This is a memorable experience for us. We will never forget this! Ever!!!

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Centara Ras Fushi Resorts & Spa Maldives
(A) North Male' Atoll, Republic of Maldives 
(T) +96 0664 3880
(W) centarahotelsresorts.com
(E) crf@chr.co.th

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Green Holidays Tours & Travel Pte Ltd 
(A) Blk 1 Tanjong Pagar #02-13/14 Tanjong Pagar Plaza
(T) 6226 5622 - Outbound | Golf | Inbound
(E) sales@greenholidays.com.sg
(W) www.greenholidays.com.sg

SriLankan Airlines (Singapore - Male/Maldives - Singapore)

ABBEY: SriLankan Airlines was our airline going to Maldives and back. The route was from Singapore to Colombo, Sri Lanka to Male, Maldives. 

We were able to board a couple of different aircraft model during our round trip. The staffs were all-smiles, greeting and assisting passengers as they board. The meal is good; enough to satisfy my hunger. I was even surprised that the chicken satay are still in the skewers. They have movie on board, but we have a couple of our flights where the monitor is not working. 

They have cameras below and behind the plane and on that you can watch the plane take off, and check what's below while up in the air. It was a first for me. 

One thing I keep wondering is that why they are spraying some kind of anti-bacterial or deodorizer when we landed to Sri Lanka and Maldives. It is an aerosol and I think they empty 2 cans each per aisle. What's the use of that? Good thing me and Wilma don't have asthma. 

Anyways, thanks SriLankan Airlines for flying us.

Chicken Rendang 

Plain Omelette with Mushroom Toppings

Ticket

SriLankan Airline Wings

WILL: I am always excited to board planes that are flag carriers of different countries. From Philippine Airlines, Malaysian Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines.. I am ecstatic and thrilled how they are engaging with their passengers. Now, on our Maldives Anniversary Celebration we tried Sri Lankan Airline. 

We were greeted warmly by the crews of. The movies in the plane are superb, but I do not enjoy their breakfast meal (omelette) but they take pride in their Ceylon tea. 

On our flight from Colombo to Male, I fell in love with their huge plane. Of course, the seats are more comfortable and it seems new. The meal is superb. I ate it all but passed on dessert.

On our way home. From Male to Colombo my monitor was spoiled and it seems that it is a just usual thing for them. I never heard any apologies from them nor any gestures of regret for that case. Since I am sleepy, after I ate my chicken meal, I snooze immediately and forget about the monitor. 

Then, the same plane we boarded going to Singapore. We mistakenly sat at 9E & 9F. I am shocked that the window seat has no armrest (right side). Then, someone called our attention and told us that it is his place, we got up and inquired the attendants what is our real seat since our ticket indicated is 9. Upon checking, we should be at 19. Whew! Bye faulty chair. 

On row 19, Abbey is lucky to have a monitor that is defected. We immediately called the attendants attention and again, she informed us to press the power button for 20seconds. Again, we have done it for many times but to no avail. The attendant never got back to us to check if we already get what we want. For us not to wreck up our happy mood, we passed this issue again. And decided to sleep instead. 

Now, I know that not all flag carriers are same as the others. I will take note of this problem we encountered with this airline. I always remember.

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SriLankan Airlines 

(w) http://www.srilankan.com

24 Hour Contact Center

Telephone : +94117771979

Fax : +94197333999

Email : feedback@srilankan.com