Wednesday, August 27, 2025

SFO - To Do 26Aug25 (Legion of Honor, The Holocaust Memorial, Lands End Hiking Trail)

San Francisco - To Stay
San Francisco - To Do
San Francisco - To Eat

SFO - To Eat
@ABBATRAVELS
Legion of Honor
Entry USD20/adult



*Quite cool to see these pack of Dogs as we left the museum.*

*The thinker by Thinker sculpture was created by French sculptor Auguste Rodin*
The Legion of Honor is special because it’s a replica of a Paris palace, was built as a World War I memorial, and holds a world-class art collection with masterpieces from across 4,000 years.
*The grounds itself has some great photo spots*
A decent sized curation that's easy to follow from oldest to newest. Start with the smallest number and work around the museum. It has just the right size and variety to have a little something for everyone and yet not be overwhelming. A welcomed visit really and worth the entry fee. 

*John the Baptist down the halls.*

*Mary Magdalense, the first to see Jesus after his resurrection*





Other Notable Art-centric museums that you may want to check out on your travels that'd I'd recommend for different reasons and focuses. 
Lands End Hiking Trail
Part of the full trail covering about 4.5km hike in total




The views are spectacular but its a hard earned one especially with the walk back up the multitude of steps.
*Note that the Lands End Labyrinth have since been removed.*
The entire route is definitely a light workout so keep that in mind! The views are great and its an easy ride back to the pier 39/45 where most of the touristy action takes place. 
*The Lincoln Park Steps, famous for their colorful mosaic artwork, created through a community restoration project. They serve as a public art landmark, a popular photo spot, and a gateway to Lincoln Park, near the Legion of Honor and scenic trails.*

SFO - To Eat 26Aug25 (Eight AM Brunch)

San Francisco - To Stay
San Francisco - To Do
San Francisco - To Eat

SFO - To Eat
@ABBATRAVELS
Eight AM Brunch
Opens 0800am-130pm

Ordered On:
26Aug25
Avocado Toast Three Ways USD28
Crepes 9am (Strawberries, raspberry sauce and cream cheese USD16)
x2 Coffee and a Chai Latte.

The place was largely known for their avocados and crepe which were what we went for.
Food 3/5
Service 3/5
Ambience 3/5
Value 3/5

A little fancier than your all American diner. The place was packed very shortly after doors opened on a weekday! All right food and coffee. 
Fed 3 Total at USD70 with tip. 

Wednesday, August 13, 2025

Singapore - To Do 13Aug25 (Green Corridor Cycle Hillview - Buno Vista)

Singapore - To Stay
Singapore - To Eat
Singapore - To Do

Green Corridor Cycle
13Aug25



We finally got the opportunity to try out this routing along part of the Green Corridor. 
You maybe interested to check out these other cycling routes with a variety of views and varying difficulty for young families. The Green Corridor traces Singapore’s former KTM railway line, now a lush 24 km trail teeming with wildlife.

We had parked at Dairy Farm Rd Car Park A and rented from Ride Sharing bicycle found around the MRT station. There are many entry points to the Green Corridor along the way.
ABBATip:
- Probably start after Rail mall/ King Albert Park MRT Station for a smooth SOUTHERLY ride from Rail Corridor park. (Click here for full review) along the Green Corridor. 
We entered via Hillview MRT and exited via Buona Vista. The road conditions were pretty uneven with bumps and humps and smoothed out closer to  the Rail Corridor. 

*Rougher road conditions up until nearing Rail Corridor park.*
*Rough ride for the first third.*
*Smooth riding as it reaches the Rail Corridor park and beyond. That's pretty much the scenery all the way with some variations.*
Pros:
- Nice long stretches of unblocked cycling. 
- Surrounded entirely by nature. 
- Riding along a piece of Singapore's history and able to checkout the Former Bukit Timah Station.
- Easy access with multiple entry and exit points along the green corridor.

Cons:
- Too narrow. With hikers on one side and pretty much single lane traffic its a tight squeeze.
- From where we started and ended, probably the first third was bumpy and quite unpleasant to ride. So much so we took public back to our start point.
- Not much variation to the scenery. In fact we made a slight detour along Holland Green Linear Park for some nice paved cycling track and variations in the view. 
*Nice stretch with beautiful wide longkang along Holland Green Linear Park.*

Saturday, August 9, 2025

Haneda - To Do 09Aug25 (Meiji Jingu Inner Garden, Tokyu Plaza Omotesando Omokado)

Haneda - To Stay
Haneda - To Do
Haneda - To Eat
Japan - To Buy

Haneda - To Do
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Meji Jingu Inner Garden
(Harajuku Area) in addition to Meji Shrine
¥500 for upkeep of the gardens


The Meiji Jingu Inner Garden (also called the Gyoen) is a peaceful, landscaped garden within Tokyo’s Meiji Shrine grounds. Originally part of the imperial estate, it’s known for its Iris Garden (blooming in June), a central pond with koi, seasonal flowers, and a tea house. 
*Historical and famous well that churns up 15degree C spring water all year round.*
The route is easy to follow with loads of signages and the write-ups simple enough to add depth and story to the visit. A nice little inner sanctum that one would miss if the fee was a barrier. Worth it in my opinion.
Harajuku is located just across and great for fashion, and loads of animal cafes from piglets to otters, to capybaras and more. Click here for full write-up.

Tokyu Plaza Omotesando Omokado
(Harajuku Area)


*Coffee at Bills on the top floor. A good place to hang whilst waiting for the mall to open.
It’s an iconic Harajuku spot selling trendy fashion, known for its mirrored entrance that creates a kaleidoscope view. The shops open at 11am but the coffee and bistro on the top floors open much earlier. Went there for the view and chill before doors open.