Reviews written by The Travel Penguin
Although called the Song Meiling Villa, this was a villa of Nationalist President Chiang Kai-shek and his wife, Song Meiling -- otherwise known as Madame Chiang. Built in 1931, the villa is an interesting blend of western & Chinese architecture/decor. It was used as a weekend retreat from the affairs of state at the center of the Nationalist government located...
I've visited Creve Coeur Lake many times over the years. Interestingly, it is not located within the suburb of Creve Coeur but instead located within Maryland Heights. At 320 acres, it is the largest lake in St. Louis County. No powerboats are allowed (except for special events) and swimming is not allowed even though...
We happened upon China King for lunch while driving in the area. We assumed that it was a simple Chinese restaurant from the name. However, they have an extensive menu including Chinese, Thai, and Japanese cuisines. While we were there, I noticed more people were coming in for carryout than eat-in. The restaurant is not...
This McDonald's is located on one of the service roads nearby the intersection of I-44 and Highway 141 (Woods Mill Road). It appears to be somewhat dated in it's dark brown decor but we found that the restrooms and public areas were clean. In fact, we saw 2 employees cleaning during our 440 PM visit on a Friday. At that...
We visited Lone Elk Park in combination with the World Bird Sanctuary which borders on this same park. I suggest you visit both areas on the same day. Lone Elk Park is mostly a drive through park. One area had elk. The animals are used to seeing people so you can stop along the roadway...
Today, I visited the World Bird Sanctuary which is located right next to Lone Elk County Park. I was surprised by the number of live bird exhibits there are here. I guess that there must be around 150 large birds including Bald Eagles (which I've never seen before close up), many varieties of hawks and owls, falcons, and many more...
I really love the beauty of Guilin. You've probably seen pictures of it before with it's unique looking mountains that make this area of China famous for it's scenery. And a cruise on the Li River is one of the most beautiful things you can experience in China. I've done this several times and should I be back in Guilin...
Newton Circus Food Centre (or Newton Food Centre) has been around for decades. It is essentially a large outdoor fast-food court where you can eat local meals until late at night. In spite of the number of vendors here, there isn't a huge variety of foods as many vendors carry the same popular items....
As Singapore is Just 80 miles above the equator, Singapore Botanic Gardens is a great place to view a fine collection of tropical plants of Asia. I personally enjoy the orchids displayed here.
The Humble Administrator's Garden is my favorite place in Suzhou. It is pretty large so allow yourself a long time if you like a leisurely stroll. But note that the garden(s) can get very crowded in the afternoons and weekends. Weather and time permitting, I'd visit on a weekday morning.
I first stayed at the Singapore Marriott Hotel back in the 1980s when it was known as the Dynasty Hotel. I love its rooftop swimming pool. It also has a great location on Orchard Road which is fun to explore with all of it's stores and restaurants.
The huge 33 meter long reclining Buddha statue at Wat Chayamangkalaram in Georgetown is one of the largest reclining Buddhas in the world. To me, it is the sightseeing highlight of a visit to Penang. Interestingly, although this is Malaysia, this temple is a Thai Buddhist temple that was built to promote relations between the two countries.