THE PRINCE SUITE

Sometimes, what’s outside the window matters as much as the creature comforts behind the window. During my stay at The Prince Hotel & Residence Kuala Lumpur courtesy of the Tourism Malaysia Mega Fam trip in July 2010, I had a great room that looks out to a breathtaking view of the Petronas Twin Towers. Majestic during the day, brilliant at night and a beaming icon all year round. In most hotels I stay, time and weather permitting, I would head up all the way up to the highest floor that offers a smoker’s balcony to check out the night scene such as this view of Makati City from The Renaissance Hotel during the ASEAN Basketball League official launching event. Shirley Hoo, Director of Marketing Communication of Prince Hotel gave me and my colleagues on this trip an exclusive tour of the Prince Suite and an opportunity to see a lot more of the Twin Towers than possible from my room. With 240 square metres of luxury, chandeliers, opulent furnishing the living room features a panoramic view of Kuala Lumpur city. Here are some pictures from our visit.

| Check out Prince Hotel’s signature dishes at Tai Zi Heen award-winning restaurant |

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A panoramic view of the Petronas Twin Towers overlooking KL city fills the ambiance of the living room.

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Any guest who can afford the Prince Suite is rewarded with this panoramic view of the Twin Towers overlooking Kuala Lumpur city day and night. I'm honoured to have this privilege of visiting the suite not once but twice to have seen both day and night!

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The view of the Twin Towers and KL city isn't limited to the living room. Enjoy the breathtaking view in a choice of thick terry robe or over-sized bath towel. How incredibly cool is this?

For more information about events or places of interest in Malaysia,
contact Tourism Malaysia Brunei office

MALAYSIA TOURISM PROMOTION BOARD
Unit 1.14 – 1.15, First Floor, The Rizqun International Hotel
Gadong BE3519,  Negara Brunei Darussalam
Tel: 673-2381575 / 673-2381576 | Fax: 673-2381584
Official Tourism Malaysia website

RETAIL THERAPY, FOOD AND SHOPPING

Mention Singapore and it conjures up all sort of images and expectations that is as unique to the individual as its tourism tagline Uniquely Singapore suggests. The past five days that I spent in this exciting and happening city with my kids had been productive for me and most importantly for the kids, fun! This was also the first time I travelled with the kids while corporate mom stayed home due to work commitments so the opportunity to make up for lost time was not to be wasted!

So Much Food So Little Time | Nocturnally Speaking | ZoukOut 2009

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↑ While standing at the lights on Orchard Road, I caught this red mini in a slow shutter pan just as she pulled away. Seems to me like an expat family having a blast on a weekday in the crowded streets.

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↑ On our way to Toys R Us at the FORUM shopping centre, we stopped by a GAP store where I picked up one of their recent (RED) signature tee that reads INSPI(RED). I’ve shopped at ESPRIT stores for a while now since I dropped corporate suits and ties for the more casual and comfortable choice having permanently switched from IT to photography. It was only a couple of months back that I “discove(red)” GAP’s line of clothing to be rather interesting. Bitten by the lure of one casual item after another, I find it liberating to be able to actually make a living as a photographer in clothes that inspire creativity instead of conforming to standards that choke! Read more about GAP (PRODUCT) RED?

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↑ Conspicuous consumption is nothing new in Singapore. In my last trip, I walked along the side streets of Orchard and discovered to my amazement the sort of exotic cars that are tucked away in some garages. It has been reported that Singapore has recently seen a steady rise of millionaires and while the concept of living on credit is still a way of life not just in Singapore but in many parts of a growing economy and competitive society, Singapore has done brilliantly in every aspect of the economy and is a shining example of how SMALL CAN BE BEAUTIFUL a topic that themed a recent conference organised by Asia Inc Forum.

In any economy, food seems to be the only universal truth that brings people of all nationalities together at any time of the day and night. It’s where East meets West and vice versa when it comes to choices of fuel for the body to pull us through another day besides several shots of caffeine-induced drinks.

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↑ At home, we have regular items for breakfast such as butter on toast, half-boiled eggs, noodles, rice dumplings and maybe even other stereotypical Asian meal that I cannot recall at this time. Mac D breakfast @ basement of Centre Point along Orchard Road is one or perhaps the only western style breakfast that’s conveniently available in the early hours that we are so accustomed to getting up. So much so that during holidays, the latest we’d wake up is 8.15 am while everybody else we know love the extra hours of luxury in bed.

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↑ Besides Mac Donalds BIG Breakfast meal, I treated the kids once to an American Breakfast room service and they almost cleaned out the plates and basket.

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↑ Jamie enjoying his Mc Donalds Sausage and Egg McMuffin

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↑ Lunch hour at Food Republic is no less spectacular at Wisma Atria

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↑ These succulent roast duck rice and gigantic wanton just the sort of lunch the kids craved. They never seem to tire of noodles and kway teow and will find all kinds of excuses not to have rice. On this day, no excuses needed and despite the insanely packed food court, a certain operator seemed to have just the seats for the three of us starved beings. The kids are happy too as barely an hour and a half ago they had picked out their toys at Toys R Us which in quite a walk from our hotel (in a typical Bruneian context, having used to parking right in front of the store, such walks may be unthinkable and downright torturous).

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↑ A bit of green never hurt anyone nor has this amount proven to be ben eficial either but it sure makes a great picture. When kids are happy they’d happily hold their food up for a pose before they disappear.

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↑ Do we need to see more pictures of these yummy roasted duck? Of course we do. I’ve also included a double sunny side up pic from our earlier room service indulgence. These sausages aren’t nearly as tasty or exciting as the exploding Chicken Cheese ones at Marché Restaurant. It’s particularly hard to tell your little one that she cannot have eggs when she is allergic to egg whites. Letting my guard down for a moment and seeing just how delighted she was, I gave her the OK but had to deal with her rashes afterwards.

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↑ After breakfast and lunch came Tiramisu cake for tea @ Coffee Bean Vivo City.

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↑ Delifrance’s Cheese pastry at Sentosa became Jewel’s favourite. Next to that is what is locally called Cheng Tng, a concoction of Chinese herbs sweetened with sugar syrup served cold. Thanks David for introducing me to this.

All images © Jan Shim Photography. Commercial use of images prohibited.

JAPAN SPRING 2007

Holiday In Japan Part 1 | Part 2 | Universal Studios Japan | Tokyo Disneyland

Japanese model in traditional kimono © Jan Shim Photography

Japan, a nation synonymous with traditional values and culture, merged with modernisation and high tech developments brings visitors a unified landscape of a highly accomplished society. Despite its high cost of living, Japan is a country that has so much to offer and if you’ve never been there, let me give you a taste of what to expect in the land of the rising sun!

SAMURAI Warrior © Jan Shim Photography

Welcome to my Japan Spring 2007 blog and photo gallery. If you’ve come here looking for a ideas for your next holiday destination, you’ve come to right place. Japan is like no other countries I’ve visited, and very little has changed since my last two visits (10-15 years ago). By that I mean its culture is built on such strong foundation of tradition, discipline and heritage. This is, of course, a good thing as I particularly like visiting places that are safe and predictable, much like our neighbour Singapore.

In the photo gallery you’ll find 444 images taking you from our transit in Singapore Changi Airport to our itinerary in Japan starting with a city tour of Tokyo. I’ll proceed with my synopsis in the present tense so none of this wonderful experience becomes yesterday’s memories :-). I brought with me my favourite EOS 20D, 580EX Flash, EF10-22mm, EF24-70mm and EF50mm lenses along with four batteries and 12 rechargeable 2700mAh AA’s adding up to a hefty 9kgs of gear and 9GB of CF storage!

On with the tour. We walk out of Narita Airport to be greeted with a thermometer that reads 5.6 Deg C – this is going to be an interesting journey, 5 days in Japan covering Tokyo, Hakone, Toyohashi, Hakone, Kyoto and Osaka and places of interests here are (links to Wikipedia entries):

Shinsaibashi a 5km shopping street that’s more intense than Shanghai’s Nanjing Road. Shinsaibashi features everything you can imagine include the immensely popular and infectious Pachinko and famous King crab legs (Dotombori Arcade) pictured from inside Star Bucks cafe.

A trip to Japan wouldn’t be complete without a taste of world’s finest Kobe Beef at ¥7,000 per 200 grams. Pictured below is a certificate of authenticity from Kobe~serious beef, serious taste, serious business!

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KOBE BEEF Certificate of Authenticity :)

p.s. Photo gallery starts with 8 images from Changi Airport, one of my favourite venues and which incidentally lives up to its slogan “Shopping City”. They have something for everyone including free broadband terminals all over the airport, foot massagers from Osim and Otto, “My Foot” massage centre, Game Zone to keep the kids well behaved and a great Japanese eatery called GENKI SUSHI.

Group photo published by Halim Tours & Travel Sdn. Bhd. in United Daily newspaper, a Chinese newspaper with the highest circulation in Brunei and which invariably gets my name spelt wrong. :)