Monthly Archives: December 2025

Southeast Asia 2025 – The Flower Dome and Cloud Forest

Posted on December 6, 2025 by JimG

Saturday December 6th

The hotel breakfast continues to impress, but let’s be clear — the star of the show is Kaya Toast. Toast, butter, and kaya (that coconut-egg jam). That’s it. Simple. Perfect. I’m honestly surprised this hasn’t caught on in the U.S. the way avocado toast did. It deserves better.

We headed out to Gardens by the Bay, which is non-negotiable on any Singapore itinerary. Inside the Flower Dome, they had a miniature train exhibit. I expected something small and charming. What we got was next-level.

Tiny recreations of Singapore landmarks, the north pole, San Francisco and iconic U.S. buildings all with moving trains and trolleys.  The detailing was absurd. We stood there way longer than planned, and it hit me — this is Singapore. Small country. Big execution. They don’t just do something. They do it better than necessary. Best airline. Best airport. Cleanest city. Lowest crime. Overachieving is basically a national hobby.

San Francisco with moving Trolleys
Grand Central Station
North Pole
Singapore

Then we moved to the Cloud Forest, and this is where things got personal. They were hosting a Jurassic Park exhibition. As we walked in, John Williams’ theme blasted through the space.

That score. I think it is second to Jaws as far as recognizable themes.

I’m a huge John Williams fan, and Jurassic Park is one of my all-time favorites. Hearing that music echo through the misty conservatory while animatronic dinosaurs loomed overhead? Completely my speed. It was a total nostalgia hit.

Categories: Singapore | Leave a comment

Southeast Asia 2025

Posted on December 5, 2025 by JimG

Big Bus Tours

Friday, December 5, 2025

After a wonderful breakfast at the hotel, we jumped on the Big Bus Singapore tour. If you’ve never been to Singapore, it’s actually a smart move — you get your bearings, see the big landmarks, and decide where you want to circle back later.

Midday, we hopped off at Hong Lim Market & Food Centre for lunch. I’d been there before, so I knew what we were walking into: organized chaos. It was lunchtime and packed, just like last time.

One stall had the unmistakable long line — the one with the Michelin Bib Gourmand mention that’s been all over YouTube. Good for them but as much as I would like to try their food, I’m not standing in line for an hour (or two) in a hawker center when there are 30 other excellent options within 50 feet. We split up and found other dishes with a reasonable wait. That’s the beauty of hawker centers — there’s always another gem.

Sultan Mosque

Little India

We finished the bus loop and Ubered back to the hotel. Sophon wanted a nap. I went for a walk… and realized Hong Lim was only a couple of blocks away. Had we known that earlier, we probably would have just walked.

For dinner, we kept it simple at BK Eating House. No frills. Fluorescent lighting. Plastic chairs. The kind of place locals actually eat.

Laksa

I ordered Black Carrot Cake (Chai Tow Kway)— and if you’re American, this is not dessert. No carrots. No frosting. It’s a savory fried radish cake with egg, preserved radish, and seasoning. It’s quickly becoming one of my go-to Singapore dishes.

Sophon ordered Laksa. Huge bowl. Rich, coconutty, spicy broth. He still wasn’t satisfied and added duck over rice. That duck was shockingly good — tender, flavorful, and easily the standout of the night.

By 7:30 PM, we were done. Completely wiped out.

Jet lag humbles you. I used to power through time changes and go out late without thinking twice. These days? Dinner with a beer and  I’m ready for bed before the sun fully sets.

 

Categories: Singapore | Leave a comment

Southeast Asia 2025 – Singapore – New favorite dish

Posted on December 4, 2025 by JimG

21 Carpenter St.

Thursday, December 4, 2025

Somewhere between Bangkok and Singapore, I met my new favorite dish.

They served “Carrot Cake.” I took one bite and immediately knew this was going to be a problem — the kind of problem where you start planning your next meal before you’ve finished the one in front of you.

This isn’t the sweet, cream-cheese-frosted American version. In Singapore, carrot cake — known locally as chai tow kway — is a savory hawker classic. There are no carrots involved. It’s made from radish (daikon), steamed into a dense cake, then stir-fried with egg, garlic, preserved radish, and chili. The texture reminded me a bit of seafood stuffing — soft inside, crispy edges, packed with umami. Comfort food!

I’m calling it now: this is going to be my go-to dish this trip.

Checking In: Status vs. Reality

We finally landed and made our way to 21 Carpenter, located right in the middle of everything at 21 Carpenter Street.

The property is part of Marriott International’s collection, but you wouldn’t know it from the signage. There’s no big Marriott branding anywhere. It feels boutique — stylish, modern, understated.

Before arriving, I had read reviews claiming that elite status didn’t carry much weight here — no guaranteed breakfast, no meaningful perks. I brushed it off. I’ve played this loyalty game long enough to know that sometimes reviews exaggerate.

But after check-in, I started to wonder.

We were assigned a second-floor room facing a bar. Let’s just say sleep quality was… optimistic at best. When you’ve just flown halfway around the world, a quiet room shouldn’t feel like a luxury upgrade — it should feel like the baseline.

Once again, I found myself questioning loyalty programs. Status looks good on paper. In reality? It doesn’t always translate into better rooms or better treatment. The marketing promises consistency. The experience sometimes says otherwise.

Lau Pa Sat Hawker Center

First Steps Into Singapore

After check-in, I took a hot shower. There is nothing — and I mean nothing — better than a hot shower after a long-haul flight. It resets you. Mentally and physically.

We headed out to explore and quickly stumbled upon Lau Pa Sat, one of Singapore’s iconic hawker centers.  We were between the lunch and dinner rush, so the the place wasn’t buzzing.

Sophon wanted everything. I, on the other hand, was still full from my airborne carrot cake epiphany.

Jet Lag Hits Hard

We made it back to the hotel around 7:00 PM, and that’s when reality caught up with us. We were wrecked. That strange mix of exhaustion and overstimulation that only comes from crossing multiple time zones.

Unfortunately, I still had work to finish.

After wrapping that up, I crashed — and I mean deep sleep. The kind where your body finally waves the white flag.

Singapore: Day one complete.

And tomorrow? I’m hunting down more Char Tow Kway!

Categories: Singapore | Leave a comment

Southeast Asia 2025 – LAX to Singapore

Posted on December 2, 2025 by JimG

Tuesday, December 2, 2025

We didn’t get to the hotel until after 2:00 AM. By the time I finished reworking our itinerary over the phone, it was after 3:30 AM. United rebooked us to Bangkok on ANA. We grabbed maybe two hours of sleep before dragging ourselves back to LAX.

And somewhere between security and boarding, I had a very simple thought:

Why do I keep booking United?

Loyalty. Status. Habit. Whatever you want to call it — it clearly isn’t based on the actual onboard experience or United’s Customer Service. As a Star Alliance Gold member, I am consistently treated better on other Star Alliance airlines than I am on United itself.  I was having a hard time with how the crew acted when the pilot said that the flight was cancelled, the crew acted annoyed and made it clear, that the customer service agents would answer any questions that we had.   The customer agents started yelling at us to line up according to our boarding group.  They acted annoyed.   That’s not how any customer should feel.

The difference hit immediately once we entered the Star Alliance lounge where the employees acted like they cared about their jobs.   It aain hit when we boarded ANA.  The flight attendants looked sharp. Professional. Friendly. Not tired. Not disengaged. Not like they were just trying to get through another shift. The menus — both Western and Japanese — were thoughtfully presented and genuinely appetizing. And when I ordered, I wasn’t asked for my “backup choice.”

That question on United drives me crazy. If I’m paying for a premium cabin ticket, why is “in case we run out” even part of the script? Premium shouldn’t feel conditional.

Service was calm, deliberate, and polished. No shouting across the aisle. No barking instructions over the carts. No visible chaos. It felt coordinated. It felt intentional. It felt like people took pride in what they were doing.

And it wasn’t just the flight.

The ANA lounges were everything Polaris wasn’t the day before — clean, well stocked, good food, actual attention to detail. Nothing flashy. Just well executed.

I slept most of the way to Bangkok. That alone tells you how comfortable and relaxed the experience was.

We landed with several hours before our Singapore flight. For a moment, we considered a capsule hotel just to reset, but availability was limited, so we found a quiet area and waited it out.

Then it was time for Singapore.

After stopping in the KrisFlyer lounge — again, well run and well maintained — we boarded. And once more, the contrast was impossible to ignore. The crew looked composed and put together. When they needed something, they passed notes discreetly rather than shouting across the cabin.

It made me wonder: does United seriously benchmark itself against airlines like ANA and Singapore Airlines? Or has the focus shifted entirely to operational metrics and cost containment?

Because from where I sit, the difference is huge.

By the time we finally landed in Singapore, exhaustion had set in. But stepping into the hotel room, taking a hot shower, and putting on fresh clothes felt like closing the chapter on a rough start.

The trip had officially begun.

Just not the way United intended.

Categories: Bangkok, Singapore, Thailand | Leave a comment

Southeast Asia 2025 – A Rough Start

Posted on December 1, 2025 by JimG

Monday, December 1, 2025

Not exactly the start to vacation we had in mind.

Sophon and I arrived at LAX early for our business class flight. While I’ve flown business before, this was my first time visiting the Polaris Lounge at LAX — and I was genuinely looking forward to it.

Big mistake.

The lounge looked impressive at first glance, but that’s where it ended. We struggled to find a table, and the food looked like it had been sitting out for hours. As we picked at a few items, I couldn’t help noticing that no one seemed to be clearing dishes or wiping down tables. The whole place felt sluggish and neglected.

After finishing, we actually moved to another area just so we wouldn’t have to stare at our own dirty plates. For United’s flagship business class lounge, it was underwhelming. I’ve had better food and noticeably better service at the Maple Leaf Lounge in Terminal 6, not to mention the Star Alliance Lounge in the International Terminal.

As boarding time approached, the lounge became packed. Guests were being redirected to the regular United Club. Not exactly the premium experience you expect when you’re paying for business class.

Then things got interesting.

After boarding, I noticed several people in bright vests labeled “Tech Ops” moving in and out of the cockpit. The captain told us we were waiting on security paperwork and some last-minute luggage, but it was obvious something wasn’t right.

We eventually pushed back and taxied out… only to sit on the runway. Finally, the announcement came: there was a radio issue, and we were heading back to the gate.

At the gate, the inevitable: the flight was cancelled. We were told customer service agents would assist us in the boarding area.

Here’s where it hurt.

We were scheduled to spend six hours in Bangkok before continuing on to Singapore. That onward flight was on a separate ticket. Which meant United wasn’t going to help rebook it. Any change fees? That was on me.

I knew the risk when I booked separate tickets. But in all my years of flying, I’ve only had one flight cancelled. I didn’t expect this to be number two — and certainly not at the start of a trip.

As we headed to the hotel, I already knew I wouldn’t be sleeping much. Vacation hadn’t even begun, and I was about to spend the night reworking an international itinerary from a hotel room at LAX.

Categories: Bangkok, Thailand | Leave a comment

Proudly powered by WordPress Theme: Adventure Journal by Contexture International.