Friday, July 18, 2014

Day 12 – Flight to Singapore Home Swee Home

We were late as the flight out of New York was delayed but the plane waited for us.
Flying out of Abu Dhabi


The return journey to Singapore was quite empty.
Lunch on board
Appetiser : Sesame and mild garlic orzo in hai sin dressing, warm bread
Main course : Fried fish with black bean sauce with steamed rice, courgettes and medlar seeds
Desert : Cardamom mousse with pumpkin compote - not my taste too.

That marked the end of our holiday!

Itinerary
Day 1 - Dinner at Penang Culture Restaurant, Terminal 2 ->Flight to Abu Dhabi -> New York

Day 2 - Flushing -> Lunch at Flushing Noodles -> Check in Radisson Piscataway , New Jersey -> Dinner from Cheng's Garden – delivery to Hotel Room -> Rockfeller Centre -> Times Square -> New York City Skyline from New Jersey

Day 3 - Breakfast at Sloatsburg Travel Plaza -> West Point Academy -> Woodbury Factory Outlet -> Lunch -> Dinner from Cheng's Garden – delivery to Hotel Room

Day 4 - New York City –> Wall Street -> Breakfast at subway -> Pass by Former Twin Tower -> Statue of Liberty -> Lunch at Intrepid -> Intrepid -> Metropolitan Museum of Art -> Empire State building -> Dinner at Midtown Buffet, Times Square -> Check in Crown Plaza Monroe South Brunswick

Day 5 - Philadelphi -> Breakfast at Philadelphi Bourse -> Independence Hall - > Liberty Bell -> Washington DC -> Air and Space Musem -> Capitol Building -> Smithsonian Castle - > McDonalds Lunch -> White House -> Korean War memorial -> Lincoln Memorial -> Vietnam War Memorial -> Buffet Dinner at Grand Buffet & Grill at Laurel -> Check in Sheraton Laurels

Day 6 - McDonald’s Breakfast -> Corning Glass Museum -> -> Lunch at Corning GlassMarket Cafe -> Niagara Falls -> Maid of the Mist -> Check in Quality Inn (Review) - > Dinner at Hard Rock Café -> Niagara Falls Illumination

Day 7 - Breakfast at Legends Bar & Grill -> Niagara Falls State Park -> Theatre Show -> Customs at Canada -> Niagara Falls, Canada -> Brunch at Skylon tower -> Toronto CN Tower -> Ontario Legislative Building, Queen's Park -> Toronto University -> Old City Hall -> Chinese Dinner at Forestview Chinese Restaurant(客满楼酒家) Toronto Chinatown -> Check in Delta Toronto East Hotel

Day 8 - Thousand Islands Cruise -> Brunch on board Cruise -> Ottawa Parliament Hill -> Rideau Canal -> Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal, Montreal -> Mount Royal -> Dinner at Pho Bac, Montreal Chinatown -> Check in Delta Hotel, Trois-Rivières

Day 9 - Breakfast - > Quebec City -> Citadelle -> Brunch at Restaurant 1640, Auberge du Trésor -> Place d'Armes -> Shopping at Duty Free -> Boston Lobster Dinner at New Moon Villa, Chinatown -> Check in Holiday Inn Boston

Day 10 – Havard University -> MIT -> Boston Harbour Cruise -> Brunch at Quincy Market -> Quincy Market -> Travel to New York -> Check in Holiday Inn Express, Jamaica -> Subway to New York - > Dinner at Grand Central Station

Day 11 – Breakfast, Holiday Inn - > Flight to Abu Dhabi

Day 12 – Flight to Singapore Home Swee Home

Thursday, July 17, 2014

Day 11 – Breakfast, Holiday Inn - > Flight toSingapore, transit at Abu Dhabi

Complimentary breakfast was included in the room rate. There were bagels, scrambled eggs, meat patties, yogurt and cereals, juices and coffee and tea, sufficient spread to start the day.


After breakfast, we were off to the airport via the hotel shuttle and after takeoff, lunch was served.
Appetiser : Marinated mixed vegatables salad - definitely my type of salad
Main course : Murgh Kolhapuri, casserole of chicken with lentils, spinach and saffron rice served with warm bread
Desert : Mango mousse with toasted coconut flakes - not my taste too.

Main course : Grilled chicken with vegetables, mustard mashed potatoes and herb butter

They served sandwiches too during the long flight but again, they tasted wierd
Breakfast before landing on Abu Dhabi
Appetiser : Seasonal fresh fruits , croissant.
Main course : Scrambled eggs with chives served with rosti potato, turkey sauage and sauteed mushrooms


Itinerary
Day 1 - Dinner at Penang Culture Restaurant, Terminal 2 ->Flight to Abu Dhabi -> New York

Day 2 - Flushing -> Lunch at Flushing Noodles -> Check in Radisson Piscataway , New Jersey -> Dinner from Cheng's Garden – delivery to Hotel Room -> Rockfeller Centre -> Times Square -> New York City Skyline from New Jersey

Day 3 - Breakfast at Sloatsburg Travel Plaza -> West Point Academy -> Woodbury Factory Outlet -> Lunch -> Dinner from Cheng's Garden – delivery to Hotel Room

Day 4 - New York City –> Wall Street -> Breakfast at subway -> Pass by Former Twin Tower -> Statue of Liberty -> Lunch at Intrepid -> Intrepid -> Metropolitan Museum of Art -> Empire State building -> Dinner at Midtown Buffet, Times Square -> Check in Crown Plaza Monroe South Brunswick

Day 5 - Philadelphi -> Breakfast at Philadelphi Bourse -> Independence Hall - > Liberty Bell -> Washington DC -> Air and Space Musem -> Capitol Building -> Smithsonian Castle - > McDonalds Lunch -> White House -> Korean War memorial -> Lincoln Memorial -> Vietnam War Memorial -> Buffet Dinner at Grand Buffet & Grill at Laurel -> Check in Sheraton Laurels

Day 6 - McDonald’s Breakfast -> Corning Glass Museum -> -> Lunch at Corning GlassMarket Cafe -> Niagara Falls -> Maid of the Mist -> Check in Quality Inn (Review) - > Dinner at Hard Rock Café -> Niagara Falls Illumination

Day 7 - Breakfast at Legends Bar & Grill -> Niagara Falls State Park -> Theatre Show -> Customs at Canada -> Niagara Falls, Canada -> Brunch at Skylon tower -> Toronto CN Tower -> Ontario Legislative Building, Queen's Park -> Toronto University -> Old City Hall -> Chinese Dinner at Forestview Chinese Restaurant(客满楼酒家) Toronto Chinatown -> Check in Delta Toronto East Hotel

Day 8 - Thousand Islands Cruise -> Brunch on board Cruise -> Ottawa Parliament Hill -> Rideau Canal -> Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal, Montreal -> Mount Royal -> Dinner at Pho Bac, Montreal Chinatown -> Check in Delta Hotel, Trois-Rivières

Day 9 - Breakfast - > Quebec City -> Citadelle -> Brunch at Restaurant 1640, Auberge du Trésor -> Place d'Armes -> Shopping at Duty Free -> Boston Lobster Dinner at New Moon Villa, Chinatown -> Check in Holiday Inn Boston

Day 10 – Havard University -> MIT -> Boston Harbour Cruise -> Brunch at Quincy Market -> Quincy Market -> Travel to New York -> Check in Holiday Inn Express, Jamaica -> Subway to New York - > Dinner at Grand Central Station

Day 11 – Breakfast, Holiday Inn - > Flight to Abu Dhabi

Day 12 – Flight to Singapore Home Swee Home

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Day 10 - Subway to New York - > Dinner at Grand Central Station

After check-in, we took the hotel shuttle to Federal Circle and then the air train to Jamaica Station. It costed US$5 to get out of the airport and another $2.50 to Manhanttan. We should have taken a cab from hotel to Jamaica Station as the cost is the same as taking the air train for four persons. It would be more convenient since it is direct without having to transfer at Federal Circle.

Wer took the E train to Lexington Av/53rd St and transfer to line 4,5 or 6 to Grand Central Station, 2 stations away.
The subway was pretty old and on the way back, it was delayed for another 30mins.
Inside Grand Central Station





Got out of the station and took some shots of the station and area outside.

Chrysler Building, one of the early skyscaper


Dinner was at the Tri Tip Grill Grand Centre at the foodcourt.

Grilled Steak - small tritip US$9.99

Sirloin Platter US$12.99

Bacon Sandwiches. 2 for US$17.98


Itinerary
Day 1 - Dinner at Penang Culture Restaurant, Terminal 2 ->Flight to Abu Dhabi -> New York

Day 2 - Flushing -> Lunch at Flushing Noodles -> Check in Radisson Piscataway , New Jersey -> Dinner from Cheng's Garden – delivery to Hotel Room -> Rockfeller Centre -> Times Square -> New York City Skyline from New Jersey

Day 3 - Breakfast at Sloatsburg Travel Plaza -> West Point Academy -> Woodbury Factory Outlet -> Lunch -> Dinner from Cheng's Garden – delivery to Hotel Room

Day 4 - New York City –> Wall Street -> Breakfast at subway -> Pass by Former Twin Tower -> Statue of Liberty -> Lunch at Intrepid -> Intrepid -> Metropolitan Museum of Art -> Empire State building -> Dinner at Midtown Buffet, Times Square -> Check in Crown Plaza Monroe South Brunswick

Day 5 - Philadelphi -> Breakfast at Philadelphi Bourse -> Independence Hall - > Liberty Bell -> Washington DC -> Air and Space Musem -> Capitol Building -> Smithsonian Castle - > McDonalds Lunch -> White House -> Korean War memorial -> Lincoln Memorial -> Vietnam War Memorial -> Buffet Dinner at Grand Buffet & Grill at Laurel -> Check in Sheraton Laurels

Day 6 - McDonald’s Breakfast -> Corning Glass Museum -> -> Lunch at Corning GlassMarket Cafe -> Niagara Falls -> Maid of the Mist -> Check in Quality Inn (Review) - > Dinner at Hard Rock Café -> Niagara Falls Illumination

Day 7 - Breakfast at Legends Bar & Grill -> Niagara Falls State Park -> Theatre Show -> Customs at Canada -> Niagara Falls, Canada -> Brunch at Skylon tower -> Toronto CN Tower -> Ontario Legislative Building, Queen's Park -> Toronto University -> Old City Hall -> Chinese Dinner at Forestview Chinese Restaurant(客满楼酒家) Toronto Chinatown -> Check in Delta Toronto East Hotel

Day 8 - Thousand Islands Cruise -> Brunch on board Cruise -> Ottawa Parliament Hill -> Rideau Canal -> Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal, Montreal -> Mount Royal -> Dinner at Pho Bac, Montreal Chinatown -> Check in Delta Hotel, Trois-Rivières

Day 9 - Breakfast - > Quebec City -> Citadelle -> Brunch at Restaurant 1640, Auberge du Trésor -> Place d'Armes -> Shopping at Duty Free -> Boston Lobster Dinner at New Moon Villa, Chinatown -> Check in Holiday Inn Boston

Day 10 – Havard University -> MIT -> Boston Harbour Cruise -> Brunch at Quincy Market -> Quincy Market -> Travel to New York -> Check in Holiday Inn Express, Jamaica -> Subway to New York - > Dinner at Grand Central Station

Day 11 – Breakfast, Holiday Inn - > Flight to Abu Dhabi

Day 12 – Flight to Singapore Home Swee Home

Day 10 - Check in Holiday Inn Express, Jamaica

After the Quincy market, the tour bus drove us to John Kennedy Airport, New York. We arrived at the airport around 5pm. Tour concluded here. Transferred to Federal Circle and took the hotel shuttle to Holiday Inn Express. It was a short ride to the hotel from the airport. As our flight was at 12pm, we need to stay one night at New York. The hotel rate was US$154.98 and US$165.29 respectively for a double room and a twin room including taxes.

Room Keys

Room Number - As a priority member, we can stay on higher floor and were given 3 bottles of drinking water and 3 packets of mini size potato chips

Hallway to room

Our room had a King Size Bed while the children's room had two full beds. The rooms in this hotel is the smallest for the entire trip but it was clean, cosy and compact.




Bathroom with adequate amenities.




Cheery and brightly lit Lobby

Free WIFI in room and common areas.

Neat lobby with plenty of sofas.


Itinerary
Day 1 - Dinner at Penang Culture Restaurant, Terminal 2 ->Flight to Abu Dhabi -> New York

Day 2 - Flushing -> Lunch at Flushing Noodles -> Check in Radisson Piscataway , New Jersey -> Dinner from Cheng's Garden – delivery to Hotel Room -> Rockfeller Centre -> Times Square -> New York City Skyline from New Jersey

Day 3 - Breakfast at Sloatsburg Travel Plaza -> West Point Academy -> Woodbury Factory Outlet -> Lunch -> Dinner from Cheng's Garden – delivery to Hotel Room

Day 4 - New York City –> Wall Street -> Breakfast at subway -> Pass by Former Twin Tower -> Statue of Liberty -> Lunch at Intrepid -> Intrepid -> Metropolitan Museum of Art -> Empire State building -> Dinner at Midtown Buffet, Times Square -> Check in Crown Plaza Monroe South Brunswick

Day 5 - Philadelphi -> Breakfast at Philadelphi Bourse -> Independence Hall - > Liberty Bell -> Washington DC -> Air and Space Musem -> Capitol Building -> Smithsonian Castle - > McDonalds Lunch -> White House -> Korean War memorial -> Lincoln Memorial -> Vietnam War Memorial -> Buffet Dinner at Grand Buffet & Grill at Laurel -> Check in Sheraton Laurels

Day 6 - McDonald’s Breakfast -> Corning Glass Museum -> -> Lunch at Corning GlassMarket Cafe -> Niagara Falls -> Maid of the Mist -> Check in Quality Inn (Review) - > Dinner at Hard Rock Café -> Niagara Falls Illumination

Day 7 - Breakfast at Legends Bar & Grill -> Niagara Falls State Park -> Theatre Show -> Customs at Canada -> Niagara Falls, Canada -> Brunch at Skylon tower -> Toronto CN Tower -> Ontario Legislative Building, Queen's Park -> Toronto University -> Old City Hall -> Chinese Dinner at Forestview Chinese Restaurant(客满楼酒家) Toronto Chinatown -> Check in Delta Toronto East Hotel

Day 8 - Thousand Islands Cruise -> Brunch on board Cruise -> Ottawa Parliament Hill -> Rideau Canal -> Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal, Montreal -> Mount Royal -> Dinner at Pho Bac, Montreal Chinatown -> Check in Delta Hotel, Trois-Rivières

Day 9 - Breakfast - > Quebec City -> Citadelle -> Brunch at Restaurant 1640, Auberge du Trésor -> Place d'Armes -> Shopping at Duty Free -> Boston Lobster Dinner at New Moon Villa, Chinatown -> Check in Holiday Inn Boston

Day 10 – Havard University -> MIT -> Boston Harbour Cruise -> Brunch at Quincy Market -> Quincy Market -> Travel to New York -> Check in Holiday Inn Express, Jamaica -> Subway to New York - > Dinner at Grand Central Station

Day 11 – Breakfast, Holiday Inn - > Flight to Abu Dhabi

Day 12 – Flight to Singapore Home Swee Home

Day 10 – Havard University -> MIT -> Boston Harbour Cruise -> Brunch at Quincy Market -> Quincy Market

We visited Harvard University (or part of it) and Havard Square this early morning. No time for breakfast this morning.

Entrance to Hardvard University. It was said that Harvard students can only use the front gate twice during their period of studies - as a freshman and graduate.



First Parish Unitarian Church in Havard Square






Statue of John Harvard at Harvard University. It is also referred to as the Statue of Three Lies because of wrong information it conveys: 1. The statue could not have been a replica of John Harvard since no photo or protrait of him was available. 2. The inscription wrongly says Harvard University was founded by John Harvard when, in fact, it was named after him. 3. The college was founded in 1636, not 1638 as the inscription says.


Phillips Brooks House


Main entrance to MIT.


Next was the Boston Harbour Cruise which costed US$22 per person.
The Boston Harbor Hotel, located near Seaport Boulevard

Boston Tea party Museum











Quincy Market was the next destination. We took brunch here. This was our 4th brunch in 4 days.





Our brunch at the food court - Teppanyaki chicken with brocolli at US$12.

Teppanyaki salmon with brocolli at US$12.

Assortment of seafood - US$16

Clam chowder Soup $US7




The Custom House Tower - now Marriott's Custom House Hotel - is a skyscraper in McKinley Square, in the Financial District neighborhood of Boston.









Itinerary
Day 1 - Dinner at Penang Culture Restaurant, Terminal 2 ->Flight to Abu Dhabi -> New York

Day 2 - Flushing -> Lunch at Flushing Noodles -> Check in Radisson Piscataway , New Jersey -> Dinner from Cheng's Garden – delivery to Hotel Room -> Rockfeller Centre -> Times Square -> New York City Skyline from New Jersey

Day 3 - Breakfast at Sloatsburg Travel Plaza -> West Point Academy -> Woodbury Factory Outlet -> Lunch -> Dinner from Cheng's Garden – delivery to Hotel Room

Day 4 - New York City –> Wall Street -> Breakfast at subway -> Pass by Former Twin Tower -> Statue of Liberty -> Lunch at Intrepid -> Intrepid -> Metropolitan Museum of Art -> Empire State building -> Dinner at Midtown Buffet, Times Square -> Check in Crown Plaza Monroe South Brunswick

Day 5 - Philadelphi -> Breakfast at Philadelphi Bourse -> Independence Hall - > Liberty Bell -> Washington DC -> Air and Space Musem -> Capitol Building -> Smithsonian Castle - > McDonalds Lunch -> White House -> Korean War memorial -> Lincoln Memorial -> Vietnam War Memorial -> Buffet Dinner at Grand Buffet & Grill at Laurel -> Check in Sheraton Laurels

Day 6 - McDonald’s Breakfast -> Corning Glass Museum -> -> Lunch at Corning GlassMarket Cafe -> Niagara Falls -> Maid of the Mist -> Check in Quality Inn (Review) - > Dinner at Hard Rock Café -> Niagara Falls Illumination

Day 7 - Breakfast at Legends Bar & Grill -> Niagara Falls State Park -> Theatre Show -> Customs at Canada -> Niagara Falls, Canada -> Brunch at Skylon tower -> Toronto CN Tower -> Ontario Legislative Building, Queen's Park -> Toronto University -> Old City Hall -> Chinese Dinner at Forestview Chinese Restaurant(客满楼酒家) Toronto Chinatown -> Check in Delta Toronto East Hotel

Day 8 - Thousand Islands Cruise -> Brunch on board Cruise -> Ottawa Parliament Hill -> Rideau Canal -> Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal, Montreal -> Mount Royal -> Dinner at Pho Bac, Montreal Chinatown -> Check in Delta Hotel, Trois-Rivières

Day 9 - Breakfast - > Quebec City -> Citadelle -> Brunch at Restaurant 1640, Auberge du Trésor -> Place d'Armes -> Shopping at Duty Free -> Boston Lobster Dinner at New Moon Villa, Chinatown -> Check in Holiday Inn Boston

Day 10 – Havard University -> MIT -> Boston Harbour Cruise -> Brunch at Quincy Market -> Quincy Market -> Travel to New York -> Check in Holiday Inn Express, Jamaica -> Subway to New York - > Dinner at Grand Central Station

Day 11 – Breakfast, Holiday Inn - > Flight to Abu Dhabi

Day 12 – Flight to Singapore Home Swee Home