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Mega Vacation
Tom and I flew off from Melbourne, FL on October 4, 2012 and didn't get back home till after the new year. We stopped in Los Angeles and Las Vegas on the west coast before flying into Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. We both dreaded the 25-hour flight over to Singapore in the Far East which was the final leg of our mega vacation.
Our trip started off with a bang - We went out with Edie to Granada Pavilion in Granada Hills, CA the night after our arrival and had a fantastic time dancing with a professional dance host.
We also went to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library where Tom and I posed as the First Couple boarding Air Force One.
I had seen snow on mountain tops and even been on glaciers but had never seen fresh falling snow before until Oct 18, 2012 - the day after flying into Edmonton, Alberta. I was so very excited that I just had to start a snowball fight with Tom!
The problem with visiting Singapore is the flight over - over 25 hours in the air and forking over about $2,000 each for the airfares!!
We decided to stick around for a while to justify the trip over. We arrived on Nov 7 and stayed through Xmas 2011 and welcomed in the New Year 2012 before flying home on January 15.
Most Americans haven't been to the Far East and know very little about Singapore.
They would probably be amazed at how modern and vibrant Singapore is today.
Tom also took the opportunity to make his inaugural address to the nation!
The most stunning tourist spot we visited while in Alberta was the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller. The location is quite remote and we doubt if too many folks had visited this spectacular museum which houses the world's largest collection of dinosaur skeletons.
Underground
multi-storey
shopping mall
Christmas in Singapore is celebrated
big-time due largely to the tourist trade. Population of Singapore is 5.5 million people but about 15.5 million tourists
visit a year.
After visiting the City of Angels, we drove the scenic Pacific Highway up to Hearst Castle and the Big Sur stopping en route
at Santa Barbara and Monterey which is stunningly scenic.
You can sense how remote the region where dinosaurs used to roam was by the Little Church pictured below - It looks like a toy beside us and can seat only 6
people at a time!!!
The Merlion is Singapore's version of the Statute of Liberty. It is a mystical creature with a lion head to symbolize Singapore's historical name meaning the Lion City and the body of a mermaid to signify Singapore's prominence as one of the world's largest ports.
Our final destination stateside was Las Vegas. It was a feast for the senses especially at night when the city comes alive with sights and sounds unlike any other city in the world. The most stunning addition was the Cosmopolitan which houses The Chandelier which is a 3-tier bar and lounge encased by 2 million sparkling crystals.
We also went to the Hoodoos which is the sandstone badlands of Alberta - it was
really freezing cold even in our winter
clothing.
Recommended Slideshow
We humbly suggest that you check out the 4-minute slideshow of the Royal Tyrrell Museum and perhaps even have your children view the pictures of the dinosaur skeletons which they are unlikely to see elsewhere. The museum is located in a rather remote area of Alberta, Canada.
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