Fantasea @ Phuket

Bites Tale : Been busy with work and watching HK drama at night. That's why so slow in posting new entry.

Noticed how i used this title on the previous entry?

I wanted to blog about Fantasea so much.. but ended up with talking crap pula.

Fantasea is the best tourist spot in Phuket. It is a cultural village / theme park where you can see lots of cultural parades, crafts, theater show and elephant rides. It is also a good place to get souvenirs home.

Pic : All the buildings are very colourful with neon lights

We came here after dinner at the ship and mum has been longing to watch the oh-so-famous theater show "Fantasy of A Kingdom" so we joined the tour arrangement by Star Cruise at S$95 per person. Expensive right? But no choice as we don't want to miss the show.. this tour arrangement including return transfer from the ship to Fantasea, english speaking guide, gold seat to the show and also entrance fee. We enjoyed it very much but the only thing is we were very very tired to enjoy the show.. as the show only starts at 9pm. So by 11pm... we kinda have heavy eyes. But the show is good and i've never seen theater show with goats, chicken + other animal running in and out of the stage.... and also acrobat performance on top of the audience... pity that they don't allow camera and handphone with camera to enter the hall. They have really strict security... they checked all bags before letting the audience in.

The only thing i don't like is the clown show... very scary...

Pic : Welcome sign... wonder why the chinese new year decoration is still up...

And the place you don't wanna miss is this....

I called it Crystal Palace.... don't know what it really called because i can't see the signboard clearly... too shinny.

Pic : Can u see?

Things they sell.... i don't dare to look at the price... :P


So, i ended up buying some souvenirs from here...


The famous buffet restaurant here that served Royal Thai dishes and international delicacies. We didn't get to try as the journey from the port to Fantasea took us about 1 hour... so we arrived there around 8.30pm.

Pic : The Golden Kinnaree Buffet Restaurant

Can see what's inside this pic?


Elephants! Don't dare to get too close to big elephant... i'm afraid of their trunks.

But i managed to touch baby elephant on my way into the theater.

Pic : This is Palace of the Elephants where the Theater show will be performed

Pic : Trying to get picture of the whole building

It was almost midnight after we came out from the theater... getting our camera and handphone back from the counter. Of course, we didn't get to visit other parts of the park such as Viva Bangkok (Stage Theater) and Hanuman 's Lair (Entertainment Centre & Tiger Adventure Safari) because it was too late.

Really tiring...

Luckily, the crew prepared supper for everyone that night as they expected all guest will be back to the ship late. :)

Pic : Since we came back early from Krabi, me and my sis went to watch movie at the lounge after lunch.

Fantasea @ Phuket

Bites Tale : My mum fell down from the staircase at home yesterday. Doctor said to wait for 2 days 1st and see how it goes. Today, i saw a big black purple coloured bruise on the right side of her ribs. Now she is resting at home.

Was trying to continue blogging about the Star Cruise trip.

But was too busy. Will do it tomorrow then.

By the way, anyone know where can i find Tenom Kopi?

I don't want those they sell in Supermarkets.

I want to know where can i drink Tenom Kopi.

Any kopitiam that you know?

Krabi, Thailand

Bites Tale : Everyone i met asked me to go on diet. :( So fat meh?

We arrived Krabi at approximately 8 am on 27th February.

I think everyone was very excited to arrive in Thailand except for me.

Why?

Because it will be a wet landing... i.e. we will be transferred to the beach by boats and we were required to wear beach shoes.

Pic : Krabi - View from the restaurant where we are having breakfast

I am really scared of small boats now.... especially after the accident. And the boat they used to transfer us to the beach... is even scarier...

Pic : Local long tail boat... the boat used to transfer the guests

Doesn't look scary to you?

It is to me... damn scary...

Pic : Taken by my sis... i'm too panic at that time... water keep splashing to my face... was so near to the ocean.

I was feeling dizzy the whole morning... mum wanted me to go with them very much... she said it's a waste if i don't go down as we never visited Krabi before... i did joined them to Krabi... which she regretted it very much. I was so panic that she became scared too.

Pic : Ao Nang Beach

According to the Crew Director, there are lots to see in Krabi... Poda island (stunning beach, white coral sand), Ao Nang Town (where we will be transfered to), Krabi Town, Than Bokkharani National Park, Tham Phi Hue To (large cave with many grottos and prehistoric drawings of animals and people), Wat Tham Seua (Tiger Cave Temple) and Wat Klong Tom (Temple and Museum). But we only walked around at Ao Nang Town.... because of me. I was feeling stress due to the boat ride and was worried about the boat ride that we will be transfered back to the ship. So, i was not in a good mood to explore the whole Krabi.

Pic : Ao Nang Town

Pic : ATM Machine

Pic : Ao Nang Town

Pic : Leather Carving is nice

Pic : The famous "Tuk Tuk"

Pic : Toyota Altis as taxi

Pic : The stall where my sis bought alot

We ended up doing some shopping and then stopped by a restaurant to have tom yam soup and drinks. Then we headed back to the ship to have lunch. We only spent like 1 hour plus at Krabi.

Pic : The restaurant where we stopped by

Pic : Lime Juice - So refreshing

Pic : Tom Yam Gong

What a waste.... sigh...

Krabi really is a beautiful place.

Pic : Look how cheap massage is here.

Captain's Dinner @ Star Cruise Gemini

Bites Tale : The concert was really good last night. But, some didn't appreciate the performance. It's sad to see how some of the teenagers behave nowadays. They are so inconsiderate to others. When the concert is on-going, they never stopped talking and playing with their handphones, some even "tastefully" playing with the soft drink cans in their hand making noise. And when the concert ended and the lights are turned back on, it's heart breaking to heard them saying "Yay! at last finished already... can go home lor!". I just couldn't understand... 1 ticket for student costs RM30... if they are not fond of this kind of music... then why spent such $$$? RM30 is not cheap... why waste $$$ just like that? That is $$$ from the blood and sweat of your parents (Chinese saying). And if they really like talking so much... better use the $$$ to find a place to sit down, have a drink and chat / play with their handphones like no one business... why go to the concert and makes other audiences suffer? And how could they possibly ignored others who already asked them to be quiet? Sigh...

Coming out from Snake Temple, after lunch at the near by food court, we were sent to Prangin Mall for shopping. We didn't enjoyed shopping very much there, only my sis managed to buy a dress and the rest of us bought junk food ... hehehe.

We went back to the ship around 4pm and rested for 2 hours before getting ready for the biggest event on Star Cruise Gemini... that is Captain's Dinner i.e. where the guests can meet the Captain of the Cruise and have dinner together.

Pic : View from our table.. the Captain's table is in the middle of the restaurant

While you don't need to make any reservation for dinner at the 2 restaurant through out your journey with this cruise, but this is an event (with limited tables) so guests are required to make reservation to attend this dinner. The crew will announce where and when to make the reservation. And all guests are required to wear nicely... we saw lots of the "ang moh" wearing tuxedo... with bow tie.. really cute looking... so remember to bring at least 1 set of nice clothes with you!

And i must advised that, don't go into the restaurant before the Captain do. I regret that very much, because when you do, you'll miss the chance to snap pictures with the Captain. (And i thought being punctual is important). The Captain will take as much pictures as he could with the guests before he goes in. And 1 thing that i must mentioned here is, the crew will take pictures of you when you go down from the ship... Penang, Krabi, Phuket, Langkawi and of course before you board the ship in Port Klang... they will snap pictures of you during dinner, games, shows.. for you to purchase from them... of course, without any obligation.

Once the Captain sit down on his table... it's like you can't see him... especially when the crew is performing where all lights will be turned off. So, better wait for the Captain before you go in.


And we were arranged to sit near the window... hehehehe

The food is really delicious.... they really offer you a nice selection of food. You can choose your appetiser, soup, main course and dessert from the menu... there are 2 to 3 options in each category for you to choose except for the dessert. And not forgetting the bread basket.

These are what we had (I can't really remember the names):

Pic : Fresh from the oven bread

Pic : Appetizer - Duck Liver with Lychee and Apricot Jam

Pic : Appetizer - Prawn, Scallop and Vege Salad

Pic : Soup - Creamy & thick Spinach

Pic : Soup - Beef broth

Pic : Main Course - Grill Chicken

Pic : Main Course - Some vege blended and became mousse-like

And my favourite of all ....

Pic : Main Course - Steak

It was really a big piece.... i like it half done... hehehe... but i can't finish it... i was too full by then.

Pic : Look how juicy it is...

Pic : Dessert - Strawberry Mousse

Through out the dinner, you will be entertained by this band from Philippines... they are really good. I love his voice very much.


I am drooling while writing this, really miss the food on the ship... am going to save $$$ to go for another cruise next time... and i am thinking of taking their thailand, hanoi and hongkong package. But am really out of $$$ this year...

Pic : Corridor to the guest cabins