Colorful – Maldo Travels

Singapore – Gardens and Rollercoasters

Jean Maldonado — Fri, 27 Sep 2019 23:46:00 +0000

When walking around Chinatown, we came across a Visitor Center that sold discounted tickets for Universal Studios and the domes at the Gardens by the Bay. The tickets for Universal Studios cost 71 SGD¹ each and tickets for the domes cost 26 SGD each. The theme park is located on Sentosa Island and is accessible by public transport. We were coming from the Bay and it would normally take about 40 minutes to get there by public transport. Since we left quite late, we decided to get a Grab² instead which is much quicker taking about 15 minutes and costing 10 SGD. We got to the park at around 11.30 AM and first went to some self-service machines to print out our tickets. We then picked up a map at the park entrance and planned which rides to go on. The park has several different sections with different themes. We decided to go through the park in a clockwise direction. The queues for the rides weren’t that long and on average, we waited about 30 minutes. There were rides for all ages and the themes throughout were great. At around 5.45 PM, the park begins to close and the guards begin to cordon off the queues directing people to the exit. After leaving the park, we decided to cross the boardwalk since it was a scenic walk. Overall, it was a fun and eventful day at the theme park.

After crossing the bridge, we got a Grab from the Vivo City mall to Gardens by the Bay. It was a quick 10-minute drive costing 14 SGD and we got there at around 6.45 PM. The park is huge and we mainly wanted to see the supertrees. We followed signs for Supertree Grove and got there before sunset. We then walked to Dragonfly Bridge where you can get some great pictures with the Marina Bay Sands hotel and the Singapore Flyer. The bridge can get quite busy with tourists though so you have to be patient to take pictures. At around 7 PM, we headed to the domes which was a 5-minute walk away. It’s a nice walk through the gardens with lots of photo opportunities. With our tickets, we had access to both of the domes and we first went to the Flower Dome. Inside, there are trees, plants, and flowers from all over the world in picturesque arrangements. We walked around taking pictures for about 20 minutes and then continued to the Cloud Forest Dome.

This dome is opposite the Flower Dome and upon entering, you arrive at a man-made waterfall. We then walked around the ground floor and as you look up, you can see a mist being emitted from some sky walkways making it look like a cloud. Some lifts take you up to these sky walkways where you can get a view of the dome from above. Inside the central structure, there is also a small museum and exhibits with information on the site. We spent about 40 minutes at this dome before heading for some food. There is a popular outdoor street food area called Satay by the Bay which is a short 10-minute walk away. There are lots of tasty food and drink options here in a great atmosphere. We were done with food at around 10 PM and then walked over to the Helix Bridge. At night, the bridge is lit up with colorful lights and makes for great pictures with the Marina Bay Sands in the background. From here, we then headed back to our hotel to get some rest.

Singapore – Marina Bay Sands

Jean Maldonado — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 22:38:30 +0000

After booking my flight to Singapore, I immediately started looking at the famous rooftop infinity pool at the Marina Bay Sands. There’s an observation deck next to the pool, but the only way to get pool access is by staying at the Marina Bay Sands hotel. It’s best to book your stay directly on the Marina Bay Sands website to know exactly what you’ll be getting. There are several room options and after doing some research, I found it would be best to go for a room with Club55 access. You can check the website for the privileges available at Club55, but the highlight is complimentary beverages & canapés from 5 PM to 9 PM. The price difference for a room with Club55 access would be the cost of an evening with fine dining followed by drinks at a bar, so it’s definitely worth it. A complimentary breakfast is also provided to sweeten the deal.

Once you’ve booked your stay, the hotel will reach out 3 days before your stay for you to register your details with them. The check-in time is 3 PM and early check-in is highly unlikely and pool access is only provided after 3 PM. We got there at around 4 PM for check-in and we were upgraded to an Orchid Suite with a City View. Our check-in was at Tower 1 and we had to walk across to Tower 3 to get a lift to our room which was on the 46th Floor. The suite was huge with a living room facing the Gardens by the Bay, and a massive bedroom facing the city. The en-suite bathroom was like another room on its own with a spacious bathtub and separate shower. The room truly offered premium comfort and we spent some time settling in.

At around 5.30 PM we headed up to the infinity pool to take some pictures. We then headed down to Club55 at 6 PM for the complimentary beverages and canapés. It was quite busy but we managed to get a table by the window with a city view. The waiter handed us a drinks menu and then let us know we could head up to the self-serve buffet area for the canapés. There was a good selection of alcoholic beverages including Gin, Whisky, Bourbon, Cognac, Tequila, Vodka, Rum, Wines, and Champagne. There was also a range of hot drinks, beverages, and juices to choose from. Our waiter came around regularly to take more drink orders and to collect our plates. We stayed there until around 8 PM when we headed back up to our rooms to change into our swimsuits. We then headed up to the infinity pool which stays open until 11 PM. After the pool, we got changed and went to check out the casino which was on the lower level. We played a couple of games of roulette and then headed to the rooftop bar of CÉ LA VI in the hotel. This bar turns into a club in the late hours with a DJ on set playing chart music. We stayed until around 3 AM and then headed down to our room to get some rest.

The following morning, we headed up to the rooftop restaurant Spago in Tower 2 for breakfast. This is a very popular spot and there was a queue at this time. We waited for about 10 minutes to be sat down and the waiter pointed out the options in the buffet-style layout before showing us to our table. There were lots of options available including different style eggs, dumplings, buns, noodles, rice, some meats, cereal, bread, juices, and hot drinks. It was a very tasty and filling breakfast with a great view of the city. We were done with breakfast by 10 AM and went to check out the observation deck. There are good views of the city and Gardens by the Bay from here. The checkout deadline is 11 AM so we then headed down to our room to pick up our things and checked out of the hotel.

Verona – The City of Romeo and Juliet

Jean Maldonado — Sun, 21 Apr 2019 23:03:00 +0000

We took the 9.45 AM train from Milano Centrale to Verona Porta Nuova which took about 1 hour 50 minutes reaching Verona at 11.35 AM. The journey is quite scenic with vast crop fields and the alps in the distance. The Verona train station is on the outskirts of the city and it’s about a 20-minute walk from the train station to the city center. Once at the main plaza Piazza Bra, the area is filled with people walking around. There are several restaurants/cafes with outdoor seating around the plaza and along the side roads. There is a castle – Castelvecchio – a short 10-minute walk away towards the river. The entrance is free to explore the open areas of the castle and tickets can be purchased for entry to the museum. There is a bridge connected to the castle that crosses the river and is great for pictures.

By the time we were done walking around the castle, it was coming up to 1 PM so we went for lunch around the Verona Arena. After lunch, we continued walking towards the historic city center which is on the peninsula of the river. We found that there are many more restaurant options here. As we walked deeper into the city center, we came across Juliet’s Balcony. There is a very long queue here so we just walked by and continued to Piazza delle Erbe. At this plaza, there were many stalls selling all kinds of products and souvenirs. The surrounding buildings are very historic and there are also several restaurants and cafes. In the center of the plaza, there is a pillar with a chain hoop that people take pics with.

Going further in, there is another plaza Piazza dei Signori and there are several museums in the area. One of the museums is of the catacombs of previous Verona rulers. It was now coming up to 5 PM and our train back to Milan was at 5.45 PM, so we started heading back. On the way back we stopped at the Verona Arena for some pictures. This Roman Amphitheater is huge and still being used for concerts and events. After a quick rest stop here we walked back to the station and got our train back to Milano Centrale, arriving at around 8 PM. Overall, Verona is a beautiful city for a day trip with old architecture and Roman ruins.

Lake Como – Lakeside Towns and the Alps

Jean Maldonado — Sat, 20 Apr 2019 22:15:00 +0000

The day following our arrival in Milan, we decided to head to Como. We first went to Milano Centrale and bought tickets at the machines which have an English option. Tickets are quite cheap with a one-way journey costing 4.80 EUR³ and you can also buy online beforehand. Our train departed at 9.04 AM and it’s only a 40-minute journey to the Como S. Giovanni station. From the station, it’s a short walk to the main plaza – Piazza Cavour. The ferry is opposite the plaza lakeside and after walking around for a bit, we headed there to get tickets for a ferry to Bellagio. We got there at around 10.30 AM and there was quite a long queue which we waited in for about 15 minutes. We bought fast ferry tickets for 13 EUR departing at 12.15 PM. There’s a complete list of fares available here. With about 1 hour 30 minutes to go, we went for a walk around the city. There are several plazas and pedestrian areas that make walking a nice way to explore the city. The lakeside walk is also beautiful and has some seating areas to enjoy the view.

By noon, we were back at the pier and the queue was already long. We boarded the ferry and all seats on the upper deck were almost taken but I managed to find one. The windows on the upper deck are a lot cleaner than the lower deck so it’s better for pictures. The windows on the lower deck also get splashed by the water. It took about 45 minutes to reach Bellagio arriving at around 1 PM. The views on the way are incredible especially the last 15 mins where you can see the Alps. We also got a peek at the small towns of Argegno, Lenno, and Tremezzo which the boat made stops at. Once in Bellagio, we walked up a narrow path and there were several restaurants along the way so we stopped at one for lunch. After finishing lunch around 2 PM, we headed to La Punta which is the peninsula that sticks out into the lake. This viewpoint has the best views of the Alps and it takes about 10 minutes to walk there from the town center. Once at the peninsula, there’s a small park and cafe/restaurant where you can relax and enjoy the view. We stayed here for about an hour then headed back to the pier to get tickets for Menaggio.

When we got to the main ticket office, there was a huge queue. We waited in line for over an hour. All the staff is behind the counter and there is no one walking about to provide info which was frustrating. We saw a ferry stopping at another pier at the other end of town, so one of us went to it to see where it went. It turns out there was another ticket office there with no queue. We had to run there as it was departing soon at 4.30 PM but we made it and ended up getting tickets for Varenna for 4.60 EUR since we’d lost so much time. It was a quick 15-minute sail to Varenna and again, the views of the lake and surroundings are spectacular.

After getting off in Varenna, we went for a walk and wandered through narrow hilly passages. It’s a nice walk and there are several restaurants/cafes in the colorful lakeside town. My favorite part is the path along the lake as there are several viewpoints with postcard-perfect views of the lake and colorful houses. There are some benches to rest at and take in the views or you could dine in one of the many lakeside restaurants. After about 2 hours of walking around, we headed to the Varenna train station and got there at around 6.45 PM. Trains to Milan leave every hour and we’d just missed the 6.37 PM train so we had to wait for the 7.37 PM one.

The ticket office was closed and there was no one around to provide info. A train arrived at 7.27 PM and we weren’t sure if it was our train being early or another train. We got on and there was no information about where it was going nor did the train conductor make an announcement. We asked passengers and they said it didn’t go to Milan so we got off. Our train was late and came at 7.50 PM. Since we couldn’t buy a ticket at the station, when the ticket inspector came by he sold us a ticket for 6.70 EUR and we were able to pay by credit card. On the route from Varenna to Lecco, the train goes right by the lake with views of the sun setting behind the mountains. The journey back took about 1 hour 20 minutes and we were back in Milan at 9.10 PM.

Rio de Janeiro – Vibrant Megacity

Jean Maldonado — Fri, 12 Oct 2018 22:07:37 +0000

From Iguazu Falls to Rio de Janeiro, the bus journey takes around 20 hours an it wasn’t recommended when I was looking online, so we decided to take a flight which is only 2 hours. We left at around 10.05 AM and arrived at the Rio Galeao International Airport at around noon. We then connected to the airport WiFi to get an Uber⁴ to our hotel in Copacabana. The airport is in the north of the city and Copacabana is at the south end of the city. It took us about 45 minutes with some light traffic to get there and it cost 57.73 BRL⁵.

The City

Rio is huge and I had about 5 days to explore. For the first 2 days, I stayed in Copacabana since I read up it was a little safer than some other areas. Walking around Copacabana felt safe as long as you stick to the main roads and tourist spots. If you wander off into side roads, it starts to get sketchy. The beachside walk is also great at night with several bars and restaurants along the beach with live music. The other 3 days, I stayed in a hotel in Centro which is the city center. This area didn’t feel as safe as Copacabana so make sure you stay on the main roads and tourist spots here. One of the interesting things I noticed is that Rio is very nocturnal. During the day, most of the shops are shut and the streets are deserted. But then in the evenings, the streets are filled with people and the shops, bars and restaurants open well into the night.

I had a free day where I went for a walk around Centro. Having been out early to find deserted streets a couple of days before, I left closer to noon at around 11.45 AM. I first headed to the Municipal Theatre which was a 15-minute walk away. Once I got to the Municipal Theatre, there were a couple of other tourists there. I took a couple of pictures and then walked another 10 minutes to the Arcos da Lapa. Again there were several tourists here, so it felt fairly safe going at this time and sticking to main roads. Next, I headed to Bossa Nova mall which was a 20-minute walk away.

I got some lunch and then walked up the riverside to the Museo do Amanha (Museum of Tomorrow). This was a longer 40-minute walk but I made a couple stops on the way. I would have checked out the museum but it was my last day in Rio and I was running out of money. The area I was in was called Boulevard Olimpico, and there were a couple of street vendors here selling food as well as arts and crafts. I read up that there were painted murals in the area so I continued walking further. I found the painted murals walking to the AquaRio aquarium on a pedestrian road parallel to Avenida Rodrigues Alves. After taking a couple of pictures here I went to get some food and then back to rest at the hotel.

Maracana Tour

The day we arrived, we headed to the Maracana Stadium soon after we checked into our hotel. We took an Uber from Copacabana to the stadium which cost 32.29 BRL and took about 25 minutes. The driver told us to be careful walking around the stadium as the area can be dangerous. He dropped us off in front of the Bellini Statue. We took a picture there and then headed to the entrance which was at the other end. It took us about 10 minutes to walk to the other side but we managed to make it in time for the last tour at 4.00 PM. Tickets cost 60 BRL and you can browse around the museum before the tour begins.

The guide then calls the group and first takes us to some key parts of the museum talking about its history. We are then taken to the locker room where there are several Brazilian club shirts. We’re given some time there for pictures before heading into a viewing room where they play a short video. Next, we walk down the tunnel and out to the sideline. We have about 10-15 minutes here before heading back in and into the media room where they hold press interviews. That’s then the end of the tour and we’re directed back to the museum.

Full-Day City Tour

Initially, we had planned to check out the city ourselves via public transport. However, whilst walking around Copacabana Beach we came across a full day city tour for 200 BRL each. The tour included entrance tickets to the Corcovado and Pao de Acucar, other quick stops, transportation, and a guide. It was a good deal since we’d cover more sites than by attempting to go via public transport so we went for it. The tour bus picked us up from our hotel at around 8.30 AM. After picking up other groups, we headed to the Corcovado mountain which is where the Christ the Redeemer statue is. We arrived at the car park at around 10 AM and the guide took us to the ticket office for him to buy the tickets. Once we had our tickets, everyone boarded an official bus which took us further up the mountain. We then have to walk up the rest of the way but there are also escalators. We got to the top at around 10.30 AM and it was already quite busy. There are viewpoints all around with amazing panoramic views of the city. Towering over the city, you can see just how massive Rio is from up here. We were given about 30 minutes for pictures before meeting to get the official bus back down to the car park.

Next, we were taken to the Maracana Stadium which was about a 50-minute drive away. It’s only a quick 10-minute stop here for pictures with the Bellini Statue. We were happy to have visited earlier to go on the tour of the stadium. From here, it’s then a quick 10-minute drive to the Sambadrome. This is uniquely for the famous Rio de Janeiro Carnaval. There are some costumes on display if you want to try them on for pictures starting from 10 BRL or there are also dancers dressed in Carnaval outfits. This was also a quick 10-minute stop before continuing another 15-minutes to the Catedral Metropolitana. This cathedral has an interesting circular pyramid shape and is beautifully decorated with colored stain glass. Again it’s another 10-minutes for pictures before getting on the tour bus for another 10-minutes to get to Escadaria Selaron. This is the iconic colorful stairway that is decorated with mosaic tiles. We were given 10 minutes here as well and the guide told us not to go to the top of the stairs since there are thieves there.

By now it was around 1.20 PM so we were taken to a tourist buffet restaurant for lunch in the area. The 20 BRL buffet plus a soft drink was included with the tour and it was a great buffet that included Picanha (Brazilian steak). After lunch, it was about a 30-minute drive to the Pao do Acucar (Sugarloaf Mountain). After the guide got our tickets, we got on the cable car which takes you up to the first smaller mountain. There is a viewpoint here and some cafes/restaurants. Then there’s another cable car which takes you up to the peak of the Sugarloaf Mountain. From here you get great panoramic views of the city. We had about an hour to explore the site before meeting back at the cable car station. This was the end of the tour and we were then taken back to our hotels.

Valparaiso – Colorful Coastal City

Jean Maldonado — Mon, 01 Oct 2018 22:17:33 +0000

We began our journey to Valparaíso in Santiago and first went to Estacion Central (Central Station) to look for bus tickets to Valparaíso. We got there at 11 AM and there was a bus leaving in 15 minutes, so we quickly bought tickets (3,000 CLP⁶ each) and rushed to the platform to board the bus. Once we got on, we realized it was possible to buy a ticket directly from the bus driver. It’s a fairly short bus ride and we arrived in Valparaíso bus terminal at around 1.30 PM. Our hostel was around Cerro Alegre which was a 30-minute walk. Rather than hike up the hill, we opted for an Uber⁷ which cost 1,996 CLP and took 10 minutes.

The City and Viña del Mar

After quickly checking in and dropping off our bags, we set out to explore, starting at the lift Reina Victoria which is a funicular that takes you up to a viewpoint. The ticket costs 100 CLP each and it’s a short 1-minute ride up. From the top, you get a good panoramic view of Valparaíso. Next, we walked towards Plaza Sotomayor passing through Cerro Alegre and Cerro Concepcion. We came across some great viewpoints on the way and also several painted murals. There were also lots of cafes and restaurants in these areas. When we got to Plaza Sotomayor, there was a pop-up arts and crafts market so we bought some souvenirs there. It was around 4 PM now so we had to choose between checking out a local beach or trying to get to Viña del Mar. We opted for the latter and asked the locals how to get to Viña del Mar from there. A kind lady walked us to the bus stop and waited for the bus we needed which simplified everything for us. The bus stop was at the corner of the main street Cochrane and the ticket cost 500 CLP each.

It was a quick 20-minute ride on the bus and we got off at the Flower Clock of Viña del Mar. There were a couple of tourists here queuing up to take pictures with the famous flower clock. From the flower clock, we then walked up a small hill and the view from up there had a great panoramic view of the seaside. We then continued walking to get to the shore and passed by Castle Wulff and the casino. Continuing further we arrived at the beach to relax for a while. We tried dipping our feet in the water and found it to be freezing. So we decided to continue walking along the beach stopping every so often. We then checked out Mall Marina just before sunset. At around 8 PM we took a bus back to Valparaíso which also cost 500 CLP. Having only snacked throughout the day, we were pretty hungry by the end of the day and found an open restaurant. We ordered a Chilean dish called La Chorillana which is a mountain of chips and meats, perfect to share between two people. Once we finished eating, we headed back to the hostel to get some rest before heading to Mendoza in Argentina the following day.