CHINESE & JAPANESE GARDENS

The other day, I totally lost track of time since enjoying the run of my unemployment period from 16th of March. First week of this month, we're already eyeing to contest watching the second installation of the film GI Joe on its premiere.

Not long and the time has come, I booked movie tickets for two online in the morning, prep ourselves up in the afternoon and directly hit the cinema. My brother and I claimed the tickets shortly, bought some Nachos and spotted a friendly face to take us photos with the life-size poster of the film. Delighted to enter the movie house with excitement, we exchanged smiles to the lady guards while handing over our tickets. The guards were puzzled and not so sure of what to say, so they checked their list twice, thrice and to the nth times only to find out that our tickets are booked for tomorrow and the movie as well will debut on the same date.

Pfffft! What now? Of course, we deal with it lightly and laugh it out until we start to think of the nachos and the sodas. Ting!!! So, here's the thing, why not go to one of the parks that I've never been and my brother never been to before as an alternative? - The Chinese and Japanese Gardens.

Pouring the best out of my iPhone camera, here's to my garden shots!

Pagoda Twins as seen from the Chinese Garden

BATAM OVER THE WEEKEND

For almost 3 years in Singapore, this was my first attempt to visit Batam despite the bombardment of nothing-much-can-be-seen feedbacks and the proximity of the place from reaching (45-50 min. ferry travel). That's because my little brother needed much more time to stay in Singapore and this was one of the starters portrayed at the back of my mind for a menu of closer countries to exit from Singapore.

This recent week, the plan took place Saturday at 2pm departing at Harbourfront Centre Terminal and arriving in Batam Centre Terminal at 2pm (Indonesian time), 1 hour late from Singapore timings. We also booked in advance our return tickets online for the day after to prevent the hassles of fully-occupied seatings.  And to the true purpose of this trip, we bring up the hopes of another 30-day social visit stamp in the disembarkation card on our way back to Singapore which we fortunately achieved in the process. Nowadays, the safest duration of an exit is not less than 5 days below than that you will not be given another full 30-day stay. For ferry bookings, visit: Batam Fast.

BARELANG BRIDGE. The name is composed as an abbreviation of 3 places namely Batam, Rempang and Galang. The cable stayed bridge stands about 40m high above water level, stretches at a length of 642m. Most of the tourist advocates in the web and in the place said that you had not totally hooked with Batam if you never get to see this bridge. So, even if it means paying a cab or taxi for 400,000 Rupiah (53SGD) from our distant hotel in Nagoya (Standard Hotel), we didn't mind the price just to close the issues of regrets in the future. Since I'm doubtful how far Barelang bridge is, I did not go further with my haggling and just made only a 50,000 IDR cut-off. Anyway, the 400,000 IDR covers the trip fare from our hotel to Barelang bridge to Waterfront City to Batam Centre Terminal. Just a tidbit guys, all taxis here don't have meters, so you better agree with the fare first before making a ride. Haggling is a major budget saver of all and again my forte should play the part-the ACTING! The going-to-see-another-taxi is very effective to bait drivers from giving up their fare rates down. The normal fare here could cost you around 30,000 Rupiah for a 1 to 3 km distance. They also have other means of public transpo here like ojeks (motorcycle cabs) and mini-bus fleets but these are hardly elusive to avail in this place that's why we opted for a taxi.