Canopy Park (Topiary Walk, Discovery Slides, Foggy Bowls), Mirror Maze, Hedge Maze, Manulife Sky Nets (Walking) & Canopy Bridge - Bundle Package 1 @ Jewel Changi Airport [Singapore] #jewelchangiairport

The world’s tallest indoor waterfall, HSBC Rain Vortex, needs no further introduction but have you checked out the other interesting attractions within Jewel Changi Airport? 

On the highest level of Jewel Changi Airport, there is a recreational arena known as canopy park, that takes up about 75% of the usable space. Even though it seems to cater to children, those young at heart should still pay it a visit as I did a month ago! 

Only issue; the arena is ticketed and prices vary depending on what you want to do. Bare basic is the canopy park which you can secure at just S$5.00 an adult and the most expensive option is Manulife Sky Nets (bouncing) that would set us back at S$22.00 an adult although it would also include entry to canopy park. 

Self-serviced kiosk wasn't as intuitive when it comes to bundle packages and a human touch via the manned ticketing booth is always welcome! Lady on duty was friendly, as is the norm when it comes to Changi Airport, and we eventually settled with bundle package 1; it included admission to the following:

> Mirror Maze

> Hedge Maze 

> Canopy Park 

  - Topiary Walk

  - Discovery Slides

  - Foggy Bowls

  - Petal Garden

> Manulife Sky Nets - Walking

> Canopy Bridge

Note: this would be the summary page for bundle package 1. have uploaded the individual post based on the attraction list above and updated with the hyperlinks, with the exception of petal garden, which was closed.

With COVID-19 pandemic still a global threat, please keep in mind the safe management measures as above. I think wearing masks is here to stay; and I am not too happy about it as masking up makes me breathless! 

Let's now start our adventure! 

Mirror Maze - this was previously in the news because a child managed to cut himself. The maze was confusing with so many mirrors and it's totally possible to crash into them, thinking it's a clear path! However, there's a safety briefing before you step in, and one way to ensure you have no mirror in your path is to make use of the foam noodle dispensed by the service staff. 

Hedge Maze - unlike the mirror maze, this was way easier to navigate. Said to be the largest hedge maze in Singapore, I have doubts as the outdoor one in Pasir Ris seems bigger. 

Nevertheless, not everyone is good with directions and those on top of the lookout tower can help the "lost souls", if they want. Compared to mirror maze, we spent much lesser time at hedge maze despite the installation of unique fixtures like motion-sensor blooming flowers.

Canopy Park - essentially the entire area on level five although the ticketed cluster houses the Discovery Slides, Foggy Bowls, Topiary Walk and Petal Garden. Manulife Sky Nets is inside too but it's separately charged unless you get the bundle like we did.

Topiary Walk - given the numerous life-sized / bigger-than-life animals, it's a paradise for those who love to take photographs! I am introducing to you my new model with blue hair as our Alex is getting more resistant to having his pictures taken.

Discovery Slides - I actually visited Jewel Changi Airport during the preview in April 2019 and was in awe of this humongous structure with a curvy, shiny underside.

As the name suggests, it has a few slides to elicit glees of excitement even from adults! A pity that one slide was closed due to COVID-19; a climb was also not operational as there's not enough manpower on a weekday to help with the helmet wearing and controls. 

Foggy Bowls - guaranteed to be a favorite among kids who would frolic on the artificial turf, it's a mesmerizing experience when mist starts discharging from the 'bowls', which are concave indentations on the lawn. It's even more beautiful at night! 

Manulife Sky Nets (Walking) - there is a bouncing option which we didn't take up and I am glad we didn't! As I was excited, I adeptly climbed up the net and started jeering at my friends who were taking too much time! 

A moment later, I looked down and that's when my legs almost gave way and they started shaking! Bloody hell, I didn't know I was so high up and when my fear for height kicked in! :( 

Just to give you a rough gauge on how far we were from the 4th floor! At certain sections of the sky nets, it's a literal free fall down to the ground floor; a height of more than 23 meters. 

Bouncing section (green netting) was slightly higher and no, I don't think I would attempt that. 

Petal Garden - it was said to have "creative displays of seasonal flowers from around the world.". Sadly, we couldn't enter as it was undergoing replacement of flowers, in view of the lunar new year.

There's a window for me to just put in my camera for the above shot, which wasn't much. I am thinking this would be quite similar, albeit on a much smaller scale, to the flower field at Flower Dome (Gardens by the Bay).

Coming to the last segment of our bundle package! 

Canopy Bridge - the closest you can get to the top of the HSBC Rain Vortex; it features a glass bottom section in the middle and fog that was released every 10 minutes to make the walk, mystical. Frankly, not really worth the S$8.00 pricing if you buy it separately since 15 minutes (I am being ultra generous here) would be sufficient to clear this. 

- The End - 

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Address 

78 Airport Blvd., 

Jewel Changi Airport,

Singapore 819666

Map of Canopy Park

As above.

Website

https://www.jewelchangiairport.com/

Pricing Menu

As above; second photo is for annual pass. 

Grilled Skewers from Ma Ma Spin Pot @ 785e Woodlands Rise [Singapore]

It's a place I wouldn't have checked out if not for the recommendation coming from a cousin, especially when reviews on Google for Ma Ma Spin Pot was at a dismal 2.3; mainly due to poor customer service.

I braced myself and could only count my lucky stars that customer service that day wasn't that bad; given that I knocked off a cup of sugared beverage and the lady on duty was kind enough to move us to another table. My apology was brushed away with the touching statement: "we all have a day when we are careless".  

Even though hotpot was their main business, my cousin's singular endorsement was for the Chinese-style grilled skewers and those were exactly what we targeted; ordering almost 70% of their entire list of 29 items!  

Signature Fried Prawns in Fragrant Spicy Sauce -  the only item not on the grilled list and we absolutely didn't regret this impulsive order, thanks to the Great Kon, as the fresh prawns were blessed with plump, juicy meat enhanced with the flavour from the spices; despite their presentation, they were not very spicy.

Frankly, while I can recognize some of their grilled items, meat can be a bit tricky when it comes to differentiating between beef and mutton. Meat wise, generally, no complaints; the use of fragrant herbs and spices were not excessive yet not light enough to make the food too bland. 

BBQ mantou was surprisingly not bad; can imagine dipping this in chilli crab sauce for that double oomph! Speaking of which, I think this could be packaged into a ready-to-eat pack, just like the butter toasts found in Bangkok! 

Grilled scallops were delicious and I might have ordered more if not for the high price tag of S$3.00 apiece. Sotong and prawns on skewers were pretty good too; the BBQ white belly fish tasted a bit like the satay fish we used to buy from Malaysia.

My cousin was totally enamored with the grilled brinjal and I can understand why after taking a bite; the mushiness merged with the delicious sauce, the sprinkling of aromatic sesame seeds, refreshing spring onions and scallions! Only problem; eat it when it's hot as the taste might be a bit off after it turned cold.

How can grilled cabbage taste so nice?! They were not dried at all, bursting with juicy flavour when I took in the whole leaf! Now, could I replicate the same, using the stove instead? 

Not everything paints a rosy picture; the bbq steamed bread slice wasn't as unforgettable as the one from BBQ Box (串烧工坊) but the one thing I will never order again would be the BBQ corn! Almost tasteless without the sprinklers of salt; definitely would benefit from some salted butter! 

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Although both the Great Kon and I did enjoy the meal, what caught me by surprise was the price on the receipt; costing more than S$70.00 in a neighbourhood eatery. Things didn't seem that expensive at BBQ Box (串烧工坊); to be fair, I was comparing to prices almost 6 years ago! 

Address

785e Woodlands Rise, 

Singapore 735785

Map 

As above.

Menu (Grilled Items and Drinks)

As above.

Pricing

Too lazy to type out; kindly refer to above.

Subject to GST.

Eve of Lunar New Year - Jogged to Sembawang Park!

I haven't been watching the lunar new year countdown on television ever since I moved out to live on my own and to welcome the ox this year; I opted to do something different. Jogging! Yes, I can literally hear your yawns. 

It's actually nice to jog at night during this period of time as a lot of streets are adorned with dazzling festive lights to liven up the atmosphere and the weather was cooling with light breeze. The above was taken at Chong Pang area and I kid you not; the lights were mesmerizing! 

The jogging route was planned so that I can jog past the lights although the main objective was to venture beyond Yishun and to a place where we can see some fireworks from across the Straits of Johor; distance to be covered was gauged to be slightly more than 5 kilometers.

More lightings! Honestly, I didn't know of the above as the colorful structure wasn't that noticeable in the daytime and my usual jogging route doesn't bring me to this part of Chong Pang City.

God of Fortune - always the important god when it comes to the lunar new year for the Chinese as we all want wealth and prosperity in the coming one year! 

Cross junction signaling the boundary of Yishun; in front and to my left side is actually Sembawang area. Interestingly, the Sembawang Hot Spring Park (三巴旺溫泉) is nearer to the housing blocks in Yishun than Sembawang. 

Rubinah Restaurant - this 24-hour roti prata shop has been around for a long time although I can't remember if it has ever changed ownership. A friend living nearby told me food was good; guess I should drop by and indulge in some prata soon! 

My first job as a crew member of KFC was at Sembawang Shopping Centre and it holds a ton of great, teenage memories for me; the visit to the abandoned floors above the shopping centre, the pizza hut buffet, the famous Thai food at the basement food court, the 4D shop with a preserved crocodile etc. Ever since it was rebuilt and managed by CapitaLand Malls; my visit is mainly for Daiso / Giant. 

Public housing in Sembawang. 

Stretch of path that would be pitch dark if not for the street lights. Alex was jogging with me, which was a good thing, as I am not that brave to jog along such a stretch should I be all alone! I might like ghost stories and enjoy visiting cemeteries / haunted houses, but never alone! 

Canberra estate - the newest housing district in the north with a new MRT station (Canberra) serving the residents! This is already the tail end of the estate though as right across the road would be the public housing in Sembawang. 

Coming to the road that leads to Sembawang Park; a recreational area with a beach that was popular a long time ago; giving rise to urban legends and ghost stories. One ghost encounter, according to a friend, mentioned a man who was glowing green and jogging along the above road in the wee hours. 

Last cluster of commercial activity before jogging into the quiet estate.

Maybe due to the lighted jogging path, the area wasn't as eerie as I remember it was a decade ago. And surprisingly, we were not the only ones jogging! Guess jogging is indeed the most popular exercise in Singapore. 

Well, the black and white heritage bungalows in that area still freaked me out. I don't think I can ever live in a landed property as I am too used to the noise and bustle of housing blocks. Wait, maybe I could if it's located right next to Chomp Chomp at Serangoon Gardens or something. 

Arrival at Sembawang Park; it's still not our destination yet as this entry was more the side entrance. Main entrance would be further down, nearer the beach.

Unlighted path again; I usually jog ahead of Alex and this time, the bloody asshole gave me a fright by singing  loudly, breaking the quietness all in a sudden! 

The Boys' Brigade and Girls' Brigade Campsite - I attended a camp, organized by The Boys' Brigade of Yishun Town Secondary School, right here when I was 14 years old; memories were fuzzy and I could only remember sleeping in the tents and singing songs. 

Finally, our destination! 

Time taken according to my Apple Watch: a little past 40 minutes across 5.68 kilometers. I can still jog a bit more to cross the 6-kiloneter mark but it's obvious our weak Alex was already on the verge of dying. Tsk tsk, and I am the one with a heart problem. 

Sembawang shipyard at the back of the jetty! Jetty has quite a number of ghost stories too and some were told to me by friends who personally encountered something there! Reason why I know of the stories was because Sembawang Park / Beach was one of the popular spots for those living in the North and it's common for teenagers to organize overnight BBQ sessions there. 

View across Straits of Johor. The allure of travelling to Malaysia has never been this strong; no thanks to the pandemic which has resulted in an almost total ban on travelling, unless necessary. Just hope that our Malaysian neighbour would recover soon from their current wave of COVID-19 infections. 

Even though they were not big given that we were so far away, fireworks had that interesting, hypnotizing effect and back when they were not banned in Singapore; they were part and parcel of major festivals. 

It's expected that more fireworks would appear at midnight but I was just too darn tired to wait as it was only about 5-hour sleep for me the night before and I still need to catch the public transportation back to Yishun.

Spotted seven police cars going into the park's carpark. We figured it has something to do with the flouting of the authorities' safe management rules as it was obvious that there were congregations of groups above 8 persons; many of which were drinking alcohol. 

Thailand Street Food Restaurant @ Junction Nine in Yishun [Singapore] #thaicuisine

Happy Lunar New Year! 

Like many Chinese families, we often have reunion dinners (eve of lunar new years) at home and it's often steamboat (known more popularly as hotpot nowadays). To save the trouble of cleaning up, my family has been eating out for the past few years when it comes to reunion dinner. 

This year's reunion dinner for the whole family was a done-deal last weekend but I would still make it a point to have one on the actual day with my parents; and this time, which was earlier today, we decided to choose Thailand Street Food Restaurant @ Junction Nine, which came with good reviews from my sister and cousin! 

Nothing fanciful about the décor within, which wasn't a problem for me since I am way more picky over what goes into my mouth and down my stomach. It's nice to hear catchy Thai songs being played in the eatery though. Without further ado, let's go on to the food.

Mango Salad - sour and spicy and not really my cup of tea; my only revelation for this, coming from person with unrefined taste buds, is that anything sprinkled with peanut bits actually enhanced the flavour of everything! 

Thai Grilled Pork Skewers - I have real high expectations for this and except for those sold in pasar malams, the ones I tried from Thai food stalls and restaurants hardly made the cut. Sadly, it's the same case here;meat was tough like jerky, not as juicy and with the noticeable taste of frozen meat. 

Thai Omelette (Prawn) - the kind I enjoyed very much; airy, fluffy with a light crisp on the outside; perfect with plain Jasmine rice and Thai chilli! You can also choose other meat like chicken / pork. 

Pineapple Fried Rice - a bit too bland for my liking although still decent in flavour thanks to the raisins, cashew nuts and green chilli; can't really taste the pineapple until you literally bit into one! 

Steamed Sea Bass (Chilli Lime) - a needed dish whenever we patronize a Thai eatery and I am with my mom who is an absolute fish lover; I am neutral, preferring meat like chicken, beef, pork over fish even though I would still eat fish when it's there.

Freshness is key when it comes to steamed fish and mom was fully satisfied with the freshness. For me, the initial taste of the soup was one that's not as pronounced but I realized shortly you have to stir to get a better flavour. Nevertheless, it's still more a steamed fish for me and I bet my mom can do it comfortably at home, with the chilli lime dressing, without paying a premium for it. 

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Hits and misses; to be fair, I didn't open for their signature dishes except for the thai omelette which I like. Maybe would consider trying the rest of their signature dishes in the future even though I seriously don't feel like paying 15% service charge when the service didn't differ from restaurants / eateries charging the customary 10%. 

Address

18 Yishun Ave 9, 

Junction Nine, #01-03, 

Singapore 768897

Facebook Page

https://www.facebook.com/ThailandStreetFoodSingapore

Pricing

Mango Salad - S$7.00

Thai Grilled Pork Skewers - S$7.00

Thai Omelette (Prawn) - S$8.00

Pineapple Fried Rice (Large) - S$10.00

Steamed Sea Bass (Chilli Lime) - S$28.00

(No GST, Service Charge of 15%)