Musings

4 days spent reading proved a luxury. It’s great to shut down. It’s also a terrific way of doing some thinking. Ideas come to me when I’m not really thinking about thinking. So while I had some “shut down” time, I also had a list of new ideas to think about.

Club Med was a surprise to me. I’ve heard about it of course: food and drinks plenty, lots of activities to keep children and adults occupied and entertainment provided as well. I found all this true with lots of fun thrown in as well.

Drinks – all that you can take in – flow whole day. Beer, wine and liquor are available as long as the bar is opened which means practically from 8 am to past midnight. Every night is party night at Club Med. Guests are entertained to shows put up by the Gentle Officers or GOs (pronounced geos) who are the guest/relationship officers. They are yoga, gym, archery, fitness, tennis, sailing etc GOs and managers by day. But by night, they turn comedians, dancers and even magicians.

I was not bored in the 4 nights I spent there at Club Med Cherating, last week. I did my routine workouts in a gym – sparse but with the right equipment – attended some workout classes like body scuplt and step aerobics and spent the rest of the time reading. The breeze from the sea kept my friends and I cool even though the day temperature was over 32 degrees C. I won third prize in an archery contest – I’ve a medal to prove it – while my friend came out top. Then she hopped over to the tennis court, beat a handful of guys and got the third prize there too.

My other friends meanwhile, were sleeping, doing yoga or water aerobics. I would have gone for the trapeze act- ie learn to be a trapeze artist –  if I hadn’t stepped on a pebble and almost twisted my ankle. While an ice pack helped keep the swelling down, the risk of aggravating the injury was high in the trapeze event. Next time…..

I’ve 12 buffets at Club Med in 4 days. That’s terrible in the sense that I don’t usually eat buffets but it’s also nice because I could choose from Italian to local to Japanese to pizzas, hamburgers and steaks.

I would recommend keeping away from the wine if you’re a connoiseur. Beer is good because it’s fresh. Coffee was great because it had the Nespresso machine which provided us with our caffeine fix throughout the day.

The rooms are comfortable. I would give the housekeeping service 6 out of 10. The tea sachets were not replenished, neither was the tea cup – so obviously used and dirty cos there’s a tea bag in it standing in some drops of tea – washed. But the GOs were friendly and talkative. Be ready to have one or two GO sit at your table to keep you company during meal times. It’s a Club Med thing.

Overall, I would give the experience a 7 out of 10.

So I was in San Francisco earlier this week. Landed on Sunday and what a change the city was from Singapore, I mean in terms of temperature. In Singapore,  where 33 degrees Celsius is sweltering and made me run into the air-con all the time, a cool 15-18 degrees Celsius and windy at that, was so, so welcome. It was like walking in the air-con room. 

But San Francisco isn’t the same in some ways. As in January when I was last there, the younger beggars I’d seen then, were still around. Workers made redundant perhaps? 

Also the popular stores like Virgin Superstore and Disney have disappeared. So sad because Virgin was the place I bought my DVDs. It’s a store I simply had to go everytime I was there. Disney store right in the middle of Union Square is also gone. 

These two places were landmarks in Frisco. Don’t know where Borders in Frisco is? Look for Disney and it’s next to it. If you don’t know where the Apple store is, look for Virgin, it’s across the road.

Some things don’t change, however. Victoria’ Secret in the same building as the Westin Francis Drake hotel is still there. But the B&O audio shop two doors from it is gone. Not that I’ve entered the 2 shops but they’ve been there for as long as I’ve remembered. 

One thing different in Frisco is the shoppers. The taxi driver I spoke to said business has fallen by half. Macy’s and Nike superstore are not as brisk as they used to be. 

What was brisk was business at the Apple store. When I went there on Tuesday, the day after Apple announced the new 13″ Macbook Pro, there were tons of people there. Everyone was buying Macbooks and iPods and accessories. It’s the same when I went to the store in January. 

Some things don’t change, thank goodness.

There’s nothing really much to see in Macau. Well, at least i didn’t get to see much except for the ruins of St Paul’s church and then walking along the alleys that led out of the ruins. That’s quite fun. 

All that’s left of the ruins is a wall which had some intricate carvings. The authorities have built a couple of rooms to showcase some of the paintings and ornaments used by the priests and church people of that time. All quite nicely done. 

It’s raining when we arrived there, a slight drizzle that seemed to go on forever. I’m told it’s like that at the start of spring. The cobble stones are firm, not slippery but do watch out if you’re wearing old shoes. The steps and lane that led out of the church grounds into the small alleyways full of shops are kinda steep. One woman fell and landed on her bump. Her beau next to her wasn’t fast enough to prevent her fall! 

The shops lining the alleys sell clothes, traditional chinese medicine, gifts etc. Many were shops selling almond cookies and other savoury stuff. What my attention was the huge bbq pork – ba kua – they were twice the size of what’s selling in Singapore. Different types, spicy and sweet, peppery or garlic. Apart from pork, there’s venison, chicken and veal. I did have a taste but I didn’t buy cos they sure tasted of ajinomoto. 

My friends snorted when I told them I was going to Macau for the “history and culture”. Well, they’re quite right or I didn’t make the effort to see more of the place. Apart from the ruins which seemed to attract hordes of Filipinos and mainland Chinese, there’s the casinos. I do suppose they’re an attraction. Macau has the largest concentration of casinos and they’re the Las Vegas type – OTT – over the top. There’s the venetion, four seasons, crowne, mgm and wynds. 

Personally, venetian is just too crowded. I like Wynds, so did my friends. It’d a bit more class, not so OTT and quieter. I didn’t drop any money at the casino but if you’ve made big bundles of $$$ at the tables, then you surely can afford the Chanel bags, Tiffany rings and Rolex watches. Most of these brands could only be found in Wynds. 

There;re 3 things I like about Macau. Food, food and food. The Portugese-Macau food is really good and affordable. For the four of us, each meal costs us about HK$250 -HK$300, that’s about S$50 to S$60. Plus alcohol is really cheap. 

We bought wine at duty free (hey we’re on holiday) and picked up a couple bottles of Portugese wine 2006  which were about $20 each. Dry but allow it to breathe and it tasted good. Best restaurants to go to are the popular Pinnochio and Fernando, I prefer the latter. Located at the beach, about 20 minutes from the venetian, it’s got ambience and good food. Try the clams and crabs, finger licking good. If you’re in for chinese food, then the Lei Garden in Venetian is simply yummy. Very good service, I was impressed. And the quality of the food, superb. The steamed fish was done just nice, so was the garlic green veg. 

Ok, so where did we stay? I didn’t like the casinos, it would be too crowded and noisy. So since I was booking the hotels, I chose the Westin Resorts which was on the beach. An older hotel, but bigger rooms, more spacious, good service. 20minutes from airport and town centre ie the venetian. 

Also if you’re a gym fan like me, it’s free. In the casinos, you’ll have to pay at least HK$200 – S$40 – for use of the gym. Don’t bother with the spa. Too expensive. We found one in town called Nirvana. Doesn’t put you in nirvana, but not bad and the prices were reasonable. 

Would I go back? Macau was a one-time experience. I rather wing over to Hongkong, anytime.  Yes it’ll be noisier but the food is really out of this world.

Meat, they eat lots of meat in Germany. Veal, beef cheeks, rump steaks, salmon, pike-perch (it’s a fish) and of course, sausages of different kinds. I do eat meat just that I prefer vegetables and tofu. But I must admit that the veal and beef cheeks I’d was superb. Cooked just nice and melts in the mouth. 

One major difference I found: shops in Germany are closed on Sundays. Coming from Asia where shops are open every day, it’s a surprise. Even in the US, shops are open. I did have an English book but I always would like to have an extra book or two because I go through them rather quickly.  Anyway, I managed by sleeping earlier so that I would read less and preserve whatever English reading material I’d. 

So what do Germans do on weekends? My guide, Urte Lutzen said they get up late, walk in the parks – and there’re many beautiful ones – visit museums, walk through flea markets, go to the mountains or countryside. 

After eight days in Germany and five cities I was tired. My 10 other travelling companions from Europe, Asia and South America had visited at least 10 organisations in 8 days. Unlike a holiday tour which is physically demanding, this tour was both physically and mentally draining. 

I still found the tour interesting and in the following weeks I’ll be writing in the straits times about the new interactive 3D technologies, new tech in BMW cars, LED lights that can carry data and others. 

Hopefully, I’ll find the time to return to Germany for a holiday. 

 I took the minimum cables with me on this German trip. Left the iPhone charger at home. Took just one USB cable to charge the phone to the computer. It worked, not that it had any impact on the weight of the luggage (I’ve been collecting paper material and it’s weighing the bag down). 

Most hotels these days have iPod docks that allow you to play music from your iPod. In the business class no frills hotels I’m staying in on this trip, there’re no such amenities (except for the first hotel in Frankfurt). So the iPhone’s speaker is now great, because I can listen to it without ear phones. Great stuff. 

Speaking of ear phones, Apple’s in-ear headphones is great. Nice cables, great to feel it and it fits nicely in the ears. THe ear buds come in three sizes, small, medium and large. And the sound is good. Not too expensive at US$79.

It’s a land with tree but no leaves since it’s winter now, but Germany is still one that many people imagined Germans to be: Efficient and punctual. Sure they’re also known for their cool designs like Bose and Loewe TVs. But in my mind, I saw Germans as strict – be-on-time or else…. 

So I went on this 10-day tech tour of Germans with this impression. I wasn’t wrong. Everyone has to be on time. Admittedly we’re a motley group of journalists and non-journalists. They were an investment officer from EStonia, an IT project manager from Bulgaria and a new media art curator from Poland. They’re quite different from journalists. As usual there’re the quiet ones from Turkey (IT journalist from a news group with 300 people!) and South America. I guess they aren’t too fluent with English ….

It’s day 4 of the tour already and I’m enjoying the cold. Brrrrrr outside temperatures cold below 5C but nice and crisp. I just make sure I’m warm with a good outer coat, gloves and I can walk forever. Next time, I should get an umbrella – it’s raining here, would be useful for Frisco too – or a hat. 

So what technology has impressed? How premium car maker BMW thinks about using technology for car safety is interesting. They’re looking at using Internet standards to replace the 5-6 protocols present in each car to manage something like 70-80 applications!

But eat your heart out: the visit to BMW centre is the one that’s oh so so cooolll!! If you like cars especially SUVs and motorcycles, BMW World is the place to go. It’s a showroom but what a showroom! Every model of BMW car and bike is on show, displayed over 2 floors. If you a spin to feel what a beemer feels like, just sign up with the reception (but I think you must already be on the way to buying one ….). 

Don’t worry about the children when you’re looking at the spanking new cars. They’ve a junior campus that tells them about combustion engines and the like. Or they can play car games on a console. Wives who accompany their husbands can have a go at the driving simulator!

Hungry? Pop into the executive restaurant, nice food especially the warm herbal breads. But if you don’t like the formal dining, there’s a coffee and cakes place or a sandwich bar. 

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Some friends are heading to Frisco and Vegas in April/May and wanted to know what to do and see in these 2 cities. Instead of just emailing them my views, I thought I would share what I know about Vegas here. Bear with me and enjoy.

Weather: In April and May spring is in the air. It’ll be cool during the day but cold in the shade. Nights are likely to be chilly.  Vegas is always dry, so take care to moisturize several times a day. San Francisco’s weather is unpredictable. Can be nice and warm but suddenly there’ll be a chill. Some say it’s colder in Frisco during summer than it is in winter! So carry a parshimina all the time, easy to keep in the backpack/handbag and is always handy and respectable while walking or in a nice restaurant.

Accommodation: Think the recession has brought hotel rates down. Best deals can be obtained at expedia.com. If you’re the type of traveler who likes to do a bit of shopping, sightseeing and chilling out, then look for a 3star or 4star hotel. At least, you’ll have a nice sofa to sit on to read and the TV programme is respectable.  Be prepared to pay about US$150 to US$250 for a room.  

In Vegas, check out Treasure Island or Ceasar’s Palace, they’re in the middle of the strip. In San Francisco, check out Hotel 480 and Hotel Union Square. Hotel 480 is 3 minutes away from Union Square and just next to the tram line. Comfortable enough, not 5-star but staff are friendly. Carpets a bit worn out, not a lot of amenities in the toilet. Only basics like TV and internet connectivity. I stayed in Hotel Union Square before it’s refurbished. Think it’s much nicer now. Just next to the start of the tram line in Union Square. Both hotels are surrounded by eating places and on every street corner – well almost – there’s a starbucks. Excellent coffee place at Hotel Union Square.

Eating: Since we’re discussing about coffee, starbucks coffee just tastes different in America. You’ll have to try it. American coffee is thin, to me it’s ditch water. That’s why Starbucks is popular cos it’s strong Columbian coffee. 20 years ago in Vegas, the only places you can eat were in the hotels where breakfast was US$5.99, lunch US$9.99 and dinner US$19.99. Food would be piled mountain-high and it just takes the appetite away. Today, the buffet spreads are just as good but they’re not as cheap. Expect dinner to be about US$25 and above. Now there’re also food courts in the hotels and in the shopping malls. There’re also Carl’s Jr, McDonalds and Burger King. There’re also plenty of restaurants now – some staffed by Michelin chefs and others just looked expensive and by that I mean each person would pay about US$100 and above for dinner.  I normally don’t try Chinese food when I’m overseas, you always get a watered down version. But try the Noodle House at Bellagio’s. Run by Hongkong chefs, serves the best char siew I’ve tasted in the US. Note: it’s a noodle house, not a restaurant ‘cos the Bellagio also has a high class Chinese restaurant.   

In Frisco, food is everywhere. There’re plenty of food courts – best are in basement of Macy’s and Westfield shopping centre. Can get anything and everything from Asian – Chinese, thai, Korean – to Mexican to Italian. Cheesecake factory at the top of Macy’s is a must-go place. Of course, the cheesecake – there’re several varieties – tastes good. But there’re other American fare like salads, sandwiches, ribs and steaks and Italian favourites like pasta. If you’re out for a treat, there’re some nice places to go to.

Chaya is good, American-Japanese. Good food, good service. Out by the Embracadero. Must make a reservation although with the recession, this may not be necessary. Kuletos in Union Square serves good Italian food, good service too. Reservations needed. Sears Fine Food at Union Square too is good for breakfast. It’s famous for its pancakes which is true. About 20 small pancakes for each serving. Yup, American servings are big, bigger than what Asians are used to. So better to share if you’re not sure of the portion size. Can always order more food. Another place to go to is Stinking Rose where all the food is cooked in garlic. Must go place. The concierge in the hotels should be able to help you make the restaurant reservations.

BTW, tips are necessary. Usually 20%. Tips are also given to taxi drivers.

Shopping: Clothes and branded goods – usually Coach handbags – are what Singaporeans are usually after. There’s a wider range of styles, sizes and prices. Macy’s  and Westfield shopping centre are the best places to go. Offers the widest range of clothes. But look not only for casual or work clothes, other things are good too. People usually don’t think about underwear – the variety is mind boggling. For women into sports, sports bras are aplenty unlike Singapore. Also must visit Nike super store – everytime I go there, I end up buying more than I want. Latest shoes, more variety of styles and bandannas you see worn by Nadal and Federer on TV are sold there. Nice collection of socks too. If you want more comfortable shoes, go to the Ecco shop just 4-5 shops down from the Nike super store (turn left as you exit the store). The Abercrombie store in Westfield has a nice retail concept. Also sells women’s fashion which isn’t available in Singapore. The levi’s store also has a wider range and if you need alterations, they can do it for you. If you’re into vitamins, go to GNC, much cheaper by about 50 %.

Don’t forget Virgin Superstore, it has a wide collection of CDs, DVDs and arty-farty books and magazines. And many are on sale too. Diagonally opposite is the Apple retail store which is a must to go for the experience. If you think, the Apple store at Wheelock is good, then you would be surprised at the real Apple retail store (ie run by Apple).

Discount shopping: in Vegas, you can go to 2 places. Las Vegas Premium Outlets is within the city itself. Can take a bus or taxi there. I haven’t tried this place as I usually go to Fashion Outlets of Las Vegas. About 45 minutes outside of Las Vegas. Bus tix from New York-New York hotel or MGM. First bus leaves 9 am and returns on the hour. About US$13 each. Good bargains  in Polo, Coach, Banana Republic, Levi, Ann Taylor. Expect to spend about 4 hours there.

There’s another big discount shopping centre, about 2 hours away from Frisco called Gilroy. You would have to hire a car to get there. No public transport except by Caltrain and if you rent a car. The train schedules are odd. The last time I checked, the train leaves in the evening and returns the next morning. So you would have to spend at least 2 days there. Not good idea, dreadful place to be in, nothing there except shopping. The last I was in Gilroy was in June 08, I was disappointed. The stuff I wanted like Bose speakers were not on discount. Only those that were refurbished (ie returned goods) were on special prices. Pretty much the same for most of the stuff there. Coach has a big store there with good prices for handbags, but only if you’re interested in Coach handbags.

Books: In Fisco, Borders is at Union Square and at the Westfield shopping centre. Wide collection, anything you like. Make sure to devote at least couple of hours there. Good place to chill out ‘cos there’re a coffee shop there too. Just take your books/magazines there, sip your coffee, and after reading your stuff, you can put them back without buying!

Transportation: In Vegas, there’re trams connecting hotels. There’s one connecting 5 hotels (I think) that includes the Treasure Island. Further up, there’s a tram that connects MGM to three hotels. Best thing, all free and runs 24 hours. Otherwise try walking if the air is cool. Each hotel is different in Vegas, and they’re the attractions themselves. In Frisco, there’s an underground train which can take you places. There’s of course, the famous tram that does take you through a good part of the city. So I would encourage you to do this. Do try to hang onto the sides of a tram, it’s quite fun especially when there’s an oncoming tram! From Vegas to hotel, take the taxi. From Frisco airport, there’re shuttle service from airport to hotel. Different services available just outside the airport. Signage can direct you to the shuttle service area. You can also book a shuttle service from the hotel to airport. I think it’s below US$15 per person, cheaper than taxis which can cost double that.

Sightseeing: I’ve always wanted to do the guided walking tours in Frisco but I haven’t managed that. Just do a Google and you’ll find there’re plenty of choice available. Also the Science Museum is good. I wanted to go there last October but I didn’t find time. Do a check online, there’re some activities on certain weeknights. A trip to the Muir Woods to see the red wood trees and of course the Golden Gate Bridge (which isn’t really golden) but still amazing. Fisherman’s Wharf is touristy. I would look for the seals, you would understand when people talk about fat from seals. I’ve a friend who took a boat out to watch dolphins from the wharf, so ask around if you’re interested.

Danger points: Generally, Vegas and Frisco are safe even at night. I must confess though that when I was there in January, I saw too many homeless in Union Square and drunkards in a couple of streets away from the Square. I would take precautions like I do everywhere. Don’t look at anybody in the eye. If you’re walking along a street and suddenly you feel it’s not right, or the street is too quiet, or you see an X-rated store or there’re too many drunkards, then it means you’ve wondered into an area that’s not quite safe. Just turnaround and go back from where you came from.

Travel tips: Going to the US, you’re allowed 2 bags, so make use of it. You’ll certainly need it. Make sure they all have wheels for easy mobility. If you’re going to the west coast of US, I suggest using San Francisco as a gateway, a much more pleasant experience than Los Angeles which is undergoing retrofitting and is a mess. The last time, I transitted at LAX (LA airport), I saw there’s only one line for checking bags which means you’ve to check in 4 hours before flight. Nevertheless, give yourself plenty of time to check in. During peak hours, where there’re like 2-4 jumbos leaving, there could be a long line of people just going through immigration and customs. Do online check-in, which will speed up the counter check-in. Forget about belts with metal ‘cos you’ll set off the alarm. Chuck your handphone into your carry-on luggage together with all your coins. Strictly no water. Face lotion in bottles, the size of a long finger, would be allowed!

Talking about flights, the airport guys are very strict on carry-on luggage. A handbag and winebox count as 2 pieces. So if you’ve a computer bag, it’s not allowed. Frisco airport doesn’t have lots of food once you check in. So eat your fill before checking in.

I’m in KL this weekend. Overcast, good to walk around. Not humid too because for Sunday. I last in KL about 3-4 years ago. Usually I stay in the Bukit Bintang area so getting around isn’t difficult. If you stayed where the action is, ie around the Pavilion or Sungei Wang shopping area then it’s 5 minutes to major shopping and eating areas. The major change I observed the number of Middle Eastern restaurants that have sprung up since I was last there. Must be that tourists from Middle East have increased. 

The Pavilion shopping mall is like any other in a major city. All the brand names are here. People are dressy even the young. I thought they were better dressed than shoppers in Singapore. But in another shopping centre Metrojaya and Sungei Wang, the crowds are quite different. More local, not so fashionable. Even the Cold Storage supermarket has mostly local products than imported ones. 

Coffee mania has also hit KL. In every mall, there’s Starbucks and Coffee Bean. Plenty of people hanging around there. Also smoking is still popular here. In the hotel restaurants, smoking is allowed with a section cordoned off for those who want to puff away. Like Singapore, there’re people who’re surfing in the cafes. Quite common, in fact. Even in the Sungei Wang Plaza. 

Shopping isn’t that cheaper than home and the brands are the same. When you’re on holiday, retail therapy is always good. Plus there’s a nationwide sale to attract tourists. So for Singaporeans – and I spied quite a few – it’s a good deal especially when the currency is in our favour. I did buy a couple of t-shirts from Nike. Don’t know if they’re cheaper since I haven’t been to the Singapore malls lately. 

Another thing that’s changed is the taxi service. Previously, I would have to steel myself to deal with the taxi drivers who, I thought, were always out to cheat me like they would take an extra long route to get to where I want to go. This time, the system has changed for the better. You get a taxi coupon first, and then get into the taxi. Takes the aggro out. 

At the Shangrila where I stayed, service was ok but I wouldn’t stay here again. Service isn’t as polished as what I’d expected. But the gym is good, bigger than most hotel gyms with plenty of equipment that I’m familiar with. Next time, I’ll probably stay in the middle of Bukit Bintang, easier to get to the makan places like Jln Imbi. Night time, all the hawker stalls – the cooked food types are out. Bah kut teh breakfast from one of the shops in Jln Imbi is really great. I marvel at how advanced they’ve become. Back home bah kut teh is still a bowl of 3-4 pork ribs. Then there’re the salty vegetables and “taupok” as side orders. In KL, they now offer clay pot bah kut teh which comes with “taupok” thrown in. You can also have clay pot vegetables plus other dishes like steamed fish head and green vegetables. An expanded menu which raises what customers pay per table. And service is good. 

Yes, I would go to KL again for a weekend getaway.

In Las Vegas, integrated resorts are just simply, casinos. Visitors who come here know that they’ll spend some time at the tables – playing anything from craps, poker, roulette to blackjack. But they’ll also eat, shop, sight see and generally soak in the atmosphere.

So the IRs in Singapore are the same. Sure, you can gamble if you want – Singapore residents will have to pay a fee to enter the gaming floors – but there’ll be loads of other things you can do, following the experience of Las Vegas.

Every hotel in Vegas here has a theme. The Venetian with its canals,  tenors rowing the gondolas and singing well known arias at the same time.  New York New York with a mock STatute of Liberty at the front of the hotel and a roller coaster running around the hotel property. Treasure Island which has a scheduled pirate attack show in the moat at the hotel frontage.

Luxor, built in the shape of a pyramid, has a beam of light shooting in the night from the apex of its roof. Bellagio and Wynns hotels have high ceilings and are places to people watch. The Mirage has a volcano erupting regularly except that it’s now being renovated for an even bigger eruption. Bellagio has a fantastic fountain show at night.

These hotels are huge like all the hotels here, so many and new ones coming up too. Each hotel is a large property.  It took me 10 minutes to walk from my room to the event centre, a distance similar to walking from Paragon to Tangs. Granted the event centre is usually situated at one corner of the hotel, but it’ll take you around the casino, shops, restaurants etc to get there. That’s the point isn’t it? To tempt you spend money!

Talking about restaurants, every hotel has a Chinese, Japanese and/or Asian fusion restaurant. Mostly Cantonese and Shanghainese food in some very exclusive restaurants which I didn’t bother going in.  There’re also the exclusive restaurants fronted by wine cellars and tuxedoed managers waiting in the front. No reservation, no enter type of places. Forbiddingly expensive, I would guess. This is the latest trend I see since I was last here two years ago.

No food in America is complete without the burger which you can get from McDonalds or Carls’ Jr, or expensive in some of the five-star wagyu type in the restaurants. Of course, mustn’t miss out the Italian and Mediterranean joints of various affordability levels.

I recommend, the Chinese noodle shop at the Bellagio. Run by Hongkongers – their style of Cantonese is distinctly Hongkong – it has the best charsiew I’ve tasted in the US, the choy sum and kailan are really fresh and good. Taste is authentic. Every trip here I must go there at least once. Burp!

Entertainment … ah, this is what you come to Vegas for. Err yes, there’re the adult rated shows in the old strip which I think is about a few miles down from the new strip that has all the  fancy hotels. But there’s the high class bawdy acts – Crazy Horse is at the MGM Hotel.  Then there’s Zumanity by Cirque de Soleil, the only one act in the group that is restricted to above 18. There’re topless women in fishbowls doing unbelievable acrobatic acts in the unique tradition of the Cirque. Yes, I’ve seen it, I wouldn’t recommend children but the acts are really good. Very artistic. 

If you’ve time to see only two Cirque shows, it’s either the O at Bellagio or the Ka at MGM. You experience the Cirque’s mastery of theatre, drama and high flying acts which you’ll never see in any of the travelling show because these two acts were specially created for the two hotels. 

 For shoppers, there’re 2 factory outlets here. Yes, there’s the fashion mall and Macy’s but 20 to 40 minutes away you can get factory outlet prices. Really cheap with some Gap t-shirts going for US$3! Popular brands too like Ralph Lauren, Coach, Nautica, Levis etc. Shoppers can take the public bus to the factory outlet that is 20 minutes away, ask the concierge. I discovered the Primm Valley factory outlet on holiday here two years ago. It has a shuttle running from MGM Hotel. Costs US$15 for return ticket, convenient and on time. For shopoholics, be prepared to drop money and to shop from 10 am to 6pm. Shuttle starts from 9.15 am.

 If you don’t want to do all that, then there’re roller coaster rides at New York New York. Luxor, and MGM, exhibits like the Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay and art gallery at Bellagio.

Singapore’s IRs would be like what’s available at Vegas. Ritzy places, plenty of eating, shopping and things to do. Except that the casino would be only a small part of the establishment unlike in Vegas where it’s really in your face everywhere you go.