• Awesomes
  • Awesomes

Eastern Europe

Travel through Bulgaria, Romania and Poland with short visits to Serbia, Hungary and Slovakia Czytaj więcej
  • SINGAPORE Day 1

    16 czerwca, Singapur ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    We arrived in Singapore at 6.20am Singapore time, midnight in Poland. My dear friend Saro came all the way from Woodlands on a bus and train to meet us. She bought us breakfast at the airport, Terminal 1 Staff Foodcourt.
    We had a decade of our lives condensed into a 3hr catch up.

    At 10 30am we all went to the Arrival Hall to surprise Kai and Warrick who came to Singapore to be with us as she missed us so much.

    After dropping off the luggage at Fortville Service Apartments, we went to Old Airport Road Hawker Centre for lunch.
    We then checked-in and went for a quick swim before dinner. Before we could even get changed into bathers, Warrick, Ruby and I were fast asleep on the varmmious chairs in the lounge. We didn't sleep long because we wanted get over jet lag.

    Warrick and I were going to rest while Kai and Ruby went shopping but I decided to go with them so I wouldn't sleep then I'd be able to sleep after dinner.

    Kai and Warrick bought us dinner at Jumbo Restaurant where we had chilli crab and munto, noodles, crispy squid, and prawns in salted egg batter. It was a Mother's Day and my birthday combined dinner. When we thought we couldn't eat anymore, we walked to another food centre nearby and had dessert.

    When we got back to the apartment, I thought I could crawl into bed and crash however, we got news that Ruby's Uncle was very ill in palliative care at a hospital in Singapore. We quickly caught a taxi to the hospital to see him. Finally got to bed about 3am.

    List of food eaten on the first day in Singapore

    Oyster omelette
    Rojak
    Fried Kway Teow
    Tau Sa Bao
    Popiah
    Tau Swan
    Chilli crab
    Crispy squid
    Prawn in salted egg batter
    Crispy noodles
    Ice kacang
    Ice jelly with soursop and sea coconut.
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  • SINGAPORE Day 2

    17 czerwca, Singapur ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    When we woke up at 8.45am, Kai and Warrick had already gone to Maxwell Market for their breakfast. We were too fast asleep to even realise they had left. We met them at the Holy Spirit Church to pay respects to my granny and parents. Of course we had to have a big bowl of noodles after the church visit.

    We then took a train to Orchard Road. Usually Ruby and Kai buy stuff, but today, I was the one buying 3 t-shirts.
    We then visited Ruby's Uncle at hospital. From the hospital we went for dinner at Paul's and Helen's home. We had lovely traditional peranakan meal with deserts but when we thought we could not eat anymore, Helen showed us how one could order durians on tik tok delivered to the doorstep of their home, which is on the eighth floor of Amber Gardens condominium. The durians were out of its spiky shell, and came in sealed take away containers. Very novel way of having durians. They also showed us pink kiwifruit. Most unusual, and had none of the tangy acidic sharpness that kiwifruit can have.

    Food eaten today
    Mee Pok
    Kueh TuTu
    Pork and chicken buah keluark
    Kueh Pie Tee
    Seri Kaya
    Mango sago
    And durians.
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  • SINGAPORE DAY 3

    18 czerwca, Singapur ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C

    We went from the hospital to meet up with Aunty Susan and Uncle. Aunty Susan bought us lunch and we had a good catch up.

    Kai and Warrick went to Sentosa to the Oceanarium.

    We finally had a rest after lunch, and had dinner with Tina and Kally at Parkway Parade Foodcourt.

    List of food
    Soft boiled eggs
    Kaya toast
    Chinese home cooked food
    Steamed fish
    Chai Tau Kueh
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  • SINGAPORE Day 4

    19 czerwca, Singapur ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    We met up with a friend for lunch. He lives in Perth in the warmer months and moves to Singapore when it gets cold. He ordered so much food for the 5 of us that half had to be packed as a take away. The dishes were so tasty but we just couldn't eat anymore. I think it had to do with the fact that we've been eating so much since arriving in Singapore.

    After lunch we went to Haji Lane in Kampong Glam, near the Central Mosque. In this area, there aren't the big shopping malls but quaint little shops and eateries selling arts and craft, individual design boutiques and beautiful wall art. Whilst we shopped it suddenly got extremely hot and humid at about 3pm, only for about an hour, then cooled down.

    Before dinner, Ruby's nieces were having a crisis over cockroach on their papaya. Luckily we were only 20m away so Warrick and I went over to rid her of the said cockroach. Unfortunately, the caught cockroach escaped from Warrick's grasp and a further search ensued. We weren't allowed to leave until the said cockroach was captured and disposed of. We finally managed to remove offending cockroach down the chute to be absolutely sure it was gone.

    Ruby's cousin then took us out for dinner followed with a durian feast. We were enjoying dinner in an alfredco setting at East Coast Lagoon Hawkers Centre. We were so full we could hardly move. Whilst waiting for the cousin to pick us up after dinner at the carpark, it started to drizzle. The drops got bigger and bigger until it was pouring. Warrick and I had been carrying an umbrella all except this time. Our friend Murphy struck again. Both Ruby and I found refuge under the smallest umbrella from an ice cream vendor. Whilst the other 2 stood under a shawl, getting completely soaked. We waited less than 5 mins for the car but were soaked as if we had been in the rain for an hour.

    Durian feasting was not deterred by the rain and was quite an experience. The cousin drove us to Dempsey Road, which seemed like we were in the middle of no where. There was a marquee with tables and chairs and bins at every table. We could eat in relative comfort without being beside a storm drain or dingy dark back alleys crouching over low tables as this was how it was before. Even though it was bucketing down, we were comfortable and dry, thoroughly enjoying the durians.

    I approached a table when we first got there. The occupants looked like they were finishing and I merely said we'd like their table when they were finished and we were going to stand to the side and not breadth down their necks. The occupant got very offended and told me categorically that the table was not ever for me. He also added that he would leave when he was good and ready. I think he totally misunderstood me. Anyway, his comments did not detract from our enjoyment of durians.

    List of food today
    Wanton noodles
    Manchang Kweh
    Roast Duck
    Roast pork
    BBQ pork
    Nasi lemak with beef rendang and fried chicken
    Yong Tau Foo soup
    Mee Pok
    Satay
    Rojak
    Oyster omelette
    Durians
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  • SINGAPORE Day 5

    20 czerwca, Singapur ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    Today Ruby and Kai went to visit Uncle in hospital whilst Warrick and I went for an exhibition of artworks for fantasy and sci-fi books.
    We all had breakfast together, then Ruby and Kai took a bus to the hospital. They found that they were travelling in the wrong direction and by the time they realised, they were on the expressway to the central business district. They couldn't quickly alight and change buses. To top it all, it rained and neither had an umbrella. It took them nearly 1½hrs to get to the hospital. We thought they were catching a bus to Malaysia.

    The exhibition Warrick and I attended was a display of one man's collection of artworks and figurines since he was 12 years old.  The collection of books he had were from 1940s till today. The collector said that all he did back in the day was write to the authors of the sci-fi and fantasy books and asked for the artworks and he was always given the originals and if he had to pay, it was a nominal sum of money. He also collected an array of gaming cards that were worth a fortune today.

    While at the exhibition, my niece called to tell me she had another papaya crisis. This time she bought a papaya with fruit fly in it. So after the exhibition she brought the papaya over and I helped her cut the papaya and managed to save ⅔ of it. I went with Kai and Ruby for a bout of shopping at Suntec City while Warrick had a rest. We finished the evening at Old Kallang Airport Road Hawker Centre.

    List of food
    Curry puff
    Noodle soup
    Kway chap
    Kaya toast
    Tau Swan
    Chendol
    Char Kweh Teow
    Hay mee
    Fish soup
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  • SINGAPORE Day 6

    21 czerwca, Singapur ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C

    We had a little explore at the Singapore Botanic Gardens. It was very humid but it was lovely to walk amongst trees and nature, away from the concrete jungle. We spent 1½hours there and only saw a fraction of the gardens. We covered the learning forest and the land of the Giants.

    We then had lunch at Din Tai Fang with our nephew and nieces. After a delicious lunch, Warrick and I went back to the accommodation, stopping briefly to get Warrick a pair of gym shoes from Decathlon. Whilst the rest went shopping at Orchard Road.

    I managed to find a handyman to fix the nephew and nieces toilet so I went to Ruby's sisters to meet with the handyman to arrange some simple repairs in their house.

    We met our nephew's girlfriend for the first time when they all came to our accommodation for dinner, followed by a quick dip in the pool.

    We all had a good catch up and good food.

    List of food

    Various steamed dumplings
    Roast suckling pig
    Mushroom dish
    Garoupa with tomatoes
    Truffle fried rice
    Krispy Kreme doughnuts
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  • SINGAPORE Day 7

    22 czerwca, Singapur ⋅ 🌧 27 °C

    Everytime Kai has gone to Fort Canning, it rained torrentially, this time was no exception. We've been having rain and thunderstorms forecasted for the last 3 days and it hasn't rained. We took the bus to Dhoby Ghaut, walked a little way to Tiong Bahru Bakery, through a little bit of Fort Canning Link road with a light drizzle.
    Whilst we were having delicious croissants and coffee for breakfast, it started to rain. By the time we finished breakfast, it was torrential with lightning. We had to abandon the plan.

    We went to Lavender instead as there were some information to be gotten from Immigration and Checkpoint Authority. Lunch was at North Bridge Hawker Centre. We walked from ICA under covered walkways to the centre. The rains did not cease. We went to Aperia shopping centre to kill time as we were seeing Ruby's aunt at 2pm.

    We visited Ruby's 95 year oldest aunt and were given more food and local fruit for afternoon tea. It was hilarious to see Aunty because she was completely with it but stone deaf. It felt like we were in Spain again with the loud conversations, and everyone talking at the same time.

    I had an appointment at Maxwell at 4.15pm, Cousin Grace kindly drove us back to the accommodation to get dry socks before heading to Maxwell. After the appointment we walked to Chinatown and weaved in and out of shops.

    Dinner was at Sin Swee Kee chicken rice.

    List of food

    Matcha, apple and salted egg yolk croissants
    Kway chap
    Rochor Mee
    Bak chor Mee
    Hay mee
    Kweh pie tee
    Durians, dragon fruit, jack fruit, mangosteen
    Black sesame soup and milk soup with black sesame
    Chicken rice and beansprouts in salted fish.
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  • Homeward bound

    23 czerwca, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Fortunately, before we got there, we were told that all the stalls were closed and shutters down at our favourite breakfast venue, Chinatown Complex Food Centre. So we took a taxi from our accommodation directly to Hong Lim Food Centre instead. The taxi driver told us that food centres in Singapore had designated closures for a spring clean, several times a year. Then we saw a huge banner saying Hong Lim will be closed too on the 6/7th of July that confirmed what the driver said.

    That was our last Singaporean local food meal. We went to the hospital to say our goodbyes and headed for the airport home.
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  • Reflections of Poland

    23 czerwca, Polska ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    We liked Poland the least but we're very glad we visited. It has so much to offer and we had some great experiences. However it has big boots to fill after Bulgaria and Romania, especially after Romania.

    For starters Poland had names that were unpronounceable. Even after hearing it said and practising it many times with accommodation hosts, walking tour guides, and even google, we somehow could not get our brains and tongue around the names.

    Generally the least friendly of the three countries we visited. However we did meet some very nice, helpful and warm people.
    This could be because we did not have the car as much in this part of the holiday so we tended to then visit the larger towns. Also, Polish history is checkered with enormous hardship for the people so I guess they would have had to struggle, be suspicious, and were less approachable.

    We found Polish cuisine rather lacklustre. Again, our tastebuds could have been spoilt by what we got used to in Romania. Ohh... Romanian food... However, we did rather take to the Polish Pierogi dumplings which we preferred boiled not fried. We did discover that Poland has a large number of Michelin bib and starred restaurants that had really good food without the huge price tag. Our bill for a meal for both of us at a Michelin Bib restaurant was usually between $80 to $100aud.
    We tried Thai, Japanese, Slavic, Italian, Steak house and Polish cuisine. Our favourite was the Italian restaurant Marino Bistrot in Poznan, and most favourite was the Polish cuisine at Restaurant Pernicova in Wroclaw. They were awarded the top 5 restaurant in all of Poland, and they certainly deserved it. We were fortunate to dine there twice.

    We found sirens for emergency vehicles in Warsaw very deafening and frequent. Even through the double glazing windows, the sirens were loud.

    Hayfever was the worst in Poland, maybe because we weren't used to the pollen there and there was alot of it. It could also just be a matter of timing, that we caught the worst of the season in the 3 weeks we were there.

    Poland was rather flat and lacked the dramatic scenery of mountains in Bulgaria and Romania.
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    Koniec wyprawy
    23 czerwca 2026