Melbourne: Greek Restaurant

Melbourne - Joe and I pondered what restaurant to eat for tonite and I said 'Greek'. I never had Greek food and there is an enclave of Greek restaurants. So, we walked and walked looking for a good Greek restaurant. In fact, there was one Greek restaurant that is near the hotel but a nice elderly couple was coming out of the restaurant and informed us that the food is not good.

We finally settled for this Greek restaurant; Stalacities restuarant: 177-183 Lonsdale Street, 03-9663-3316. Greek food has lots of lamb dishes and we opted for a platter of skewed lamb and chicken - it's delicious. Top this up with Pita bread. We also had their homemade bread but it does not taste great. On the whole it was a very hearty meal!

Melbourne: Italian Town

Melbourne - The Qantas flight over was full. We just arrived Melbourne and the weather was very nice. The hotel is right in Chinatown - Crossley Hotel Melbourne (managed by Mercure) @ 51 Little Bourke Street. A boutigue hotel with rooms that are clean and nice. The only drawback is their wireless internet access. We purchase the Telstra wireless Hotspot daypass after the 2nd log-in, we were not able to log-in anymore. Joe had the same problem too - and was on the back of the front manager to solve this problem. It took her close to 2hrs to get in touch with Telstra and still they could not resolve the wireless hotspot problem. So, the hotel had to move us to 3rd floor where they had wired internet access.

Lunch was nearby at Chine on Paramount on Little Bourke Street. The chinese food was normal but overly priced.

In the evening, with a yearning for Italian food, we spoke with one of the concierge of Melbourne Hotel and he told us that the best Italian food is about 40 mins out from our current location and we can take the tram there. There are many Italian restaurants located in this town. So, off we went and boarded a tram to Lygon station.
The tram ticket counter was within the tram itself and we were not sure whether to pay for not. Some ladies standing near by informed us that we have to pay but since we are tourist it's ok.

Restaurant: Il Gambero, 215 Lygon Street, Carlton - 03-9347-5791. The food is really good. It's really worth the trip there.

Check the fuel surcharge

Singapore - When making travel plans these days, it woul dbe prudent to check the fuel surcharges and taxes that accompany the ticket price. High oil prices have inflated fuel surcharges to the point where the add-ons for flights to cities such as Bangkok and Tokyo often exceed the actual economy airfare itself. Skyrocketing oil prices this year have been putting the squeeze on airlines, hitting the bottom line hard.

Happy 43 Birthday Singapore...

Singapore - Today, Singapore celebrates 43 years of Independence. Every year, the hightlights were being glued to the television watching the National Day parade, the march past of the the Guards of Honour, the super sonic fly pass of the F16, and much more...there is much to be thank you for living in Singapore!

I had a great time...

Medicines for a Happy Trip...

Singapore - Travel light but don't leave home without packing essential medical supplies. Always take note of problems that you might encounter from the climate, the altitude, the disease status that requires vaccination. Always plan for every trip.

I always packed medication and it is always in my luggage never need to take it out. Only changed when it is nearing expiration date. When you are a frequent traveller it is always important to check your destination climate and disease status. For vaccinations requirement, you can check my other link.

Mosquitos is a menance even in Singapore too. Traveling within South East Asia, I always need to be aware of malaria, dengue and other mosquitos disease outbreaks.

My medical kit:
Paracetamol (headaches and pain)
Antihistimines (for allergy reactions or colds)
Hydrocortisone cream (insect bites)
Acidophilus (Pro-Biotic)
Mask and thermometer.

Hungry Ghost Festival

Singapore - This festival is held during the 7th month of the Chinese Lunar calendar and celebrated by both Buddhists and Taoists. The hungry ghost festival is a month-long celebration that is perhaps best construed as one that honours the dearly departed.

During this time, it's believed that the souls of departed ancestors and friends are released from Hell to wander the earth for 30 days. If their warth is incurred, they may do acts of mischief, so steps must be taken to appease the spirits before they go on a rampage.

What started out as two separate celebrations among 2 religions became a single entity during the Tang Dynasty when Buddhist and Taoist festivals were merged into one single celebration.

During this month, it's common to find Buddhists and Taoists offering feasts to satiate their departed's hunger and in the process of pleasing them, bring luck and good fortune onto the family. Besides, food, other offerings include joss sticks and 'hell notes', which serve as currency in the afterlife. Burning paper items such as cloths, TV sets, cars and houses also feature into the equation as people believe that such offerings allow their loved ones to lead comfortable lives in the netherworld.