Cruisin' the world together

Two types of JAPAN RAIL PASS:
1) Green (for superior-class Green cars)
2) Ordinary

Each of these types is available in 7-day, 14-day, or 21-day PASS. The validity period of a JAPAN RAIL PASS is the consecutive 7, 14, or 21 days beginning on the date the PASS is first used. Japan Rail Pass cannot be purchased inside Japan.














* Child 06-11years old



The below map showing major train lines (many minor and metropolitan lines are not shown) which can be used by the Japan Rail Pass:






















* click to enlarge


Japan Rail Pass is valid to the following types:

1) Railways:
All JR Group Railways--Shinkansen (super express) (except "NOZOMI"), limited express trains, express trains, and rapid or local trains. (Not usable on some trains)

2) Buses:
JR Bus Companies: Local lines of JR Hokkaido Bus, JR Bus Tohoku, JR Bus Kanto, JR Tokai Bus, West Japan JR Bus , Chugoku JR Bus, JR Shikoku Bus and JR Kyushu Bus.

3) JR Highway Bus Lines:
Sapporo-Otaru; Morioka-Hirosaki/Aomori;
Tokyo-Nagoya/Kyoto/Osaka/Tsukuba Centre;
Nagoya-Kyoto/Osaka;
Osaka-Tsuyama Car Shed/Kasai Flower Center
(not accepted on some lines)

4)Ferry:
JR Ferry Only the JR Miyajima ferry is covered. The JR Hakata-Pusan ferry is NOT covered.



Other rail passes:
JR East Pass
JR Do Nichi Kippu
JR Hokkaido & Higashinihon Pass
JR Holiday Pass
Tobu Nikko Free Pass
Odakyu Enoshima Kamakura Free Pass
JR Kamakura Enoshima Free Kippu
Hakone Free Pass
Fuji Hakone Pass
JR Kawaguchiko Saiko Free Kippu
JR Odoriko Minami Izu Free Kippu
JR Izu Free Q Kippu
Odakyu Izu Free Passes
JR Aozora Free Pass
Kansai Thru Pass / Surutto Kansai Ticket
JR West Rail Pass - Kansai Area
Kintetsu Rail Pass
Nara No Yuyu Kippu
Koyasan World Heritage Ticket
JR West Rail Pass - Sanyo Area
JR Shikoku Free Kippu
JR Shikoku Saihakken Kippu
Kyushu Rail Pass


In Singapore, you can purchase Japan Rail Passes
www.airfares.com.sg
www.statravel.com.sg
www.dinerstravel.com.sg
www.primetravel.com.sg
www.jtb.com.sg

After Alvin and I watched James Ingrams’ concert at Esplanade for our pre-Valentine and pre-9th year anniversary celebration, we dinedat Al Dente Trattoria. The place has Rooftop Terrace for alfresco dining. The view from the rooftop is lovely; one can have a good view of the bright Singapore skyline. It will probably become better once Marina Sands is completed. Al Dente presents the best of Italian cooking with a la carte menu. It serves all time traditional favorites from various regional and provincial cooking of Italy.


Al Dente Trattoria - Esplanade
Blk 8, #01-13,
No 8, Raffles Avenue, Colour on the Bay
Singapore 039802
Tel: 6341 9188 Fax: 6341 9186
Opening Hours: Lunch
Mon-Sun: 11.30am to 3pm
Dinner
Mon-Thu: 6pm-10.30pm
Fri, Sat, and public holidays: 6pm-11.30pm



Spaghetti Carbonara @S$19


Italian Meat Lover Wood Fire Pizza (Signature) @24


Singapore Sling @ S$14


Margarita @ S$14


How to get there?
• MRT (alight at Cityhall MRT Station, walk towards Esplanade linkway)
• Buses numbers: ( 36, 56, 70, 97, 111, 133, 162, 174M, 195, 502, C1, C2, C3, 75, 77, 106, 171, 700A, 857, 960, 961, NR 1, NR 2, NR 5, NR 6, NR 7 & NR 8.
• Taxi ( by informing the friendly taxi driver “Esplanade Mall Taxi Stand, please!”)

My verdict: 1(lowest) to 10(highest)
Ambiance: 10
Food and Beverages: 8
Value: 9
Service: 9

Makansutra Gluttons Bay
8 Raffles Avenue #01-15 Singapore 039802
Mon – Thurs : 5pm – 2am
Fri & Sat : 5pm – 3am
Sun : 4pm – 1am














Originally located at Orchard (car park opposite Centerpoint), Glutton’s Square moved to Esplanade and is now known as Glutton’s Bay. The concept is similar, with the food stalls having the old retro street food carts style. They have twelve stalls serving up Singapore favourites: Boon Tat BBQ Seafood, Thye Hong Char Kway Teow, Hup Kee Oyster Omelette, Huat Huat BBQ Chicken Wings, Heng Heng Carrot Cake,Old Esplanade Mee Goreng, Alhambra Padang Satay, Big Thumb Yong Tau Foo, Ho Kee Dim Sum, Fei Siong Fishball Noodle and of course Five Star Chicken Rice.


















We ordered Hokkien Prawn Mee @ S$6.


How to get there?
· MRT (alight at Cityhall MRT Station, walk towards Esplanade linkway)
· Buses numbers: ( 36, 56, 70, 97, 111, 133, 162, 174M, 195, 502, C1, C2, C3, 75, 77, 106, 171, 700A, 857, 960, 961, NR 1, NR 2, NR 5, NR 6, NR 7 & NR 8.
· Taxi (By informing the friendly taxi driver “Esplanade Mall Taxi Stand, please!”)


My verdict: 1(lowest) to 10(highest)
Ambiance: 10
Food and Beverages: 8
Value: 9
Service: 8

With a fantastic view of Marina Bay, alfresco dining and hawker-price food, Glutton’s Bay is definitely a “must visit and try”.

New York New York (NYNY) is an eye-catching restaurant located at the underground mall of Citylink. It is strategically located to tap on the huge crowd traveling from City Hall to Suntec/Marine Square. NYNY stands out with its attractive interior decorations.


1 Raffles Link
#B1-47A Citylink Mall
Tel: +65 6341 9695

Opening hours
Mon–Sun
11.30am – 10.00pm





Meat Platter



Hamburger



Spaghetti with meat balls


Mocha


Chicken nuggets with fries (Kid's meal)


My verdict: 1(lowest) to 10(highest)
Ambiance: 9
Food and Beverages: 6
Value: 8 (spent around SGD15/pax)
Service: 8

Fish Supreme Stall


Fish Soup @ SGD4.00

Food Republic-Suntec a setting of an "Old Europe: ambience, Food Republic is prominently located on the first level of the convention centre. Its decor is conceptualised as a 19th-century library.

Opening Hours:
Mon – Thu 10am - 10pm
Fri-Sun & Public Holidays 10am - 11pm

Suntec Singapore
Suntec Singapore, Level One
1 Raffles Boulevard, Suntec City,
Singapore 039593

MRT:
The nearest MRT Station is City Hall. You can then take a 10 minutes’ walk via the underground City Link Mall. Alternatively, you can hop on board our Suntec City Courtesy Shuttle Bus– pick-up point is outside the City Hall Station entrance at St Andrew’s Cathedral, opposite Capitol Building.

Buses:
Bus services to Suntec Singapore: 36, 97, 106, 111, 133, 501, 502, 518, 857, 700. Alight right in front of the Convention Centre.

If you are tired of western style coffee and settings like Starbucks, Coffee beans, Gloria jeans, TCC and others, you can try a kampong (village) style coffee shop in shopping malls. You can visit Toastbox.

Toastbox is a sister company of Breadtalk, a company that has been selling all sorts of breads since 2000. That is why every Toastbox outlet is always right next to a Breadtalk shop. Aside from toast and coffee, they also serve local dishes like Mee siam and Laksa.

Since I’m neither a coffee addict nor a local dish fanatic, I only tried their hot chocolate (actually its Milo) and a Kaya Toast.




Outlets:
AMK Hub L1
53 Ang Mo Kio Ave
AMK Hub #01-01 S(569933)
Tel 65554434

Bugis Junction
200 Victoria Street #01-67
Bugis Junction S(188024)
Tel 6333 4464

Capital Square
No.25 Church Street #01-08
Capital Square 3 S(049482)
Tel 6536 4434

Causeway Point
1 Woodlands Square #01-38
Causeway Point S(738099)
Tel 6893 4434

Changi Airport T1
Terminal 1 Departure
Transit Lounge West
Tel 6543 4484

Changi Airport T3
Terminal 3 Departure
Transit Hall South
Tel 6242 4434

CentrePoint
176 Orchard Rd #B1-02A
Centre Point S(238843)
Tel 6734 4434

City Square
180 Kitchener Road # 01-41/43
City Square S(208539)
Tel 6509 8340

Great World City
1 Kim Seng Promenade #01-52
Great World City S(237994)
Tel 6733 4144

Junction 8
9 Bishan Place #01-35/36
Junction 8 S.C S(579837)
Tel 6251 3444

Jurong Point
3 Jurong West Central 3 #B1-70
Jurong Point S.C. S(648331)
Tel 6862 4464

Plaza Singapura
68 Orchard Road #01-23
Plaza Singapura S(238839)
Tel 6337 4644

Raffles City
252 Northbridge Road #B1-44A
Raffles City Shopping Centre S(179103)
Tel 6339 4434

Suntec City
1 Raffles Boulevard
Suntec S'pore Convention & Exhibition Centre
Unit 125 to 126 Stall No 8
Tel 6376 4434

Tiong Bahru Plaza
302 Tiong Bahru Road #01-43
Tiong Bahru Plaza S(168732)
Tel 6270 4434

Vivo City B2
1 Harbour Front Walk LB2-34
Vivo City S(098585)
Tel 6272 4434

Vivo City L3
1 Harbour Front Walk L3-1D
Vivo City S(098585)
Tel 6272 4434

Wisma Atria Food Republic
435 Orchard Road #04-23
Wisma Atria S(238877)
6732 4434

Wisma Atria B1
435 Orchard Road #B1-55/60
Wisma Atria S(238877)
6887 4434

YewTee Point
21 Choa Chu Kang North 6,
#01-03, S(689578)
6509 4309