Cuisine & Culture the Chinese Family Way
It’s been almost 30 years since I last set foot in Indonesia. The last time was way back in 1996, when three of my secondary school friends and I went on a graduation trip to Bali before starting polytechnic. Fast forward to today, and this time, I’m bringing my children along for a short getaway to Batam — one of the many Indonesian islands I had yet to explore.
After three months of transformation, the Singapore Oceanarium – formerly known as S.E.A. Aquarium – officially reopened to the public on 24 July 2025 at Resorts World Sentosa. And wow, what a comeback! The Oceanarium is now three times larger than before, featuring 22 immersive zones and housing over 40,000 marine animals. Even cooler, the…
Chinese culture has always been closely tied to prosperity. During Chinese New Year especially, many people pray for good fortune and visit the God of Wealth (Cai Shen Ye). Even at temples like Thian Hock Keng, you will often find wishing wells where visitors toss a coin, ring a bell, and make a wish for health, wealth, or success.
We absolutely love visiting animal cafés whenever we travel! So far, we’ve ticked off two in Korea — Samoyed Café Winters Village and Meerkat Friends — plus one in Japan. And now, we finally got to visit Malaysia’s very first capybara café: Capyba Cafe in Johor Bahru.
In my earlier post – Navigating the Hong Kong Island’s Most Iconic Attractions – I mentioned that we first discovered Man Mo Temple through the Hong Kong: Through the Looking Glass Miniature Exhibition 2025 at the Peak Tower. While there are several Man Mo Temples across Hong Kong, the one we visited is located in Sheung Wan on Hong Kong Island.
In my previous post, I mentioned our visit to the Peak Tram, where we were lucky enough to catch the Hong Kong: Through the Looking Glass Miniature Exhibition 2025 (ended on 23rd August 2025), organised by the Joyful Miniature Association (JMA). Admission was free, making it a must-see event for locals and tourists alike.
The exhibition featured over 20 miniature displays across two floors of the Peak Tower. Each scene was crafted at scales as small as 1:300, turning Hong Kong’s cultural landmarks, street views, and traditions into stunning works of art. You can also watch the video I captured of the miniature exhibition on Instagram.
On Day 3 of our trip, we set out to explore some of Hong Kong Island’s most iconic attractions. And honestly, if you’re visiting Hong Kong, you simply can’t miss the Central–Mid-Levels Escalator and Walkway System — it’s one of those “only in Hong Kong” experiences!
In an earlier post, I mentioned that Hong Kong is made up of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and the New Territories. Lantau Island, the largest of them all, is part of the New Territories and is conveniently close to Hong Kong International Airport and Disneyland.
Tsim Sha Tsui (TST for short) sits at the very tip of Kowloon Peninsula and is one of the liveliest areas in Hong Kong. It’s a mix of culture, shopping, dining, and of course — those breathtaking waterfront views.
One of the highlights is the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade along Victoria Harbour, where you get postcard-perfect views of Hong Kong’s skyline. The Hong Kong Cultural Centre is right nearby too, hosting big concerts and musicals.
Earlier this month, we went on a family trip to Hong Kong. For my husband, it was a homecoming of sorts — his mum was born there, and the last time he visited, he was only nine years old. Needless to say, the city has transformed dramatically since then. Luckily, we had his mum and my sisters as our guides, sharing local tips like getting an Octopus card for transport and always keeping some cash handy.
This was my first visit to Sweden, and instead of flying, we took a four-hour train ride from Oslo Central Station to Gothenburg Station. As many know, Swedish meatballs are one of Sweden’s iconic dishes, and let’s not forget that Sweden is also home to IKEA!
We took a train from Oslo Central Station to Gothenburg Station in under four hours. Travelling as a group of nine proved challenging, especially with 12 pieces of luggage. The overhead compartments were overcrowded with passengers’ belongings, making it a frustrating experience. I have resolved never to attempt such a journey with both elderly and young travellers again.
From our hotel, Radisson Blu Scandinavia, we took a 30-minute Uber ride to Liseberg Park to visit their Christmas market. Little did we know that entrance tickets were required to access the market, and they were quite expensive – rides were not included in the ticket price. It’s highly recommended to buy tickets online beforehand to avoid queues at the entrance.
When visiting a new country, it’s a must to try the local cuisine! Oslo, Norway’s capital, offers a delightful blend of traditional Norwegian dishes and modern international flavours.
My sisters have visited Norway and Iceland multiple times but have never witnessed the Northern Lights. Determined to change that, they booked a four-day cabin stay in Reine last December.
Little did they know that many shops and activities would be closed during the Christmas period. For instance, all supermarkets were closed from 24th to 27th December, and several traditional restaurants had already shut down from December 15th. Many activities and museums were also unavailable in December.
Nasjonalgalleriet is a national museum in Oslo and houses the first version of Edvard Munch’s The Scream from 1893. It was a 21-minute walk from our hotel, or you can take a tram towards Aker Brygge, with a stop conveniently located in front of the museum. The Nobel Peace Prize Museum is also nearby.
