The Best Winter Dishes to Try When in Switzerland

Known for its spectacular view and snow-capped mountains, Switzerland has been on my travel wishlist ever since I saw the cast of SBS Running Man Korea visit during their Luxury Tour Package (it’s episode 406 if you wanna know). Switzerland is an amazing holiday destination with its cool weather, vast nature, and various outdoor activities.

There are plenty of things to do in Switzerland and you can easily spend a couple of weeks here. Whether you're a beginner or an expert, the snowy slopes offer a world-class skiing experience; choose a large ski resort if you enjoy company or smaller resorts for a more serene trip. Daredevils may visit Switzerland to go paragliding, glacier climbing, cliff walking or dogsledding! If you’re not sure how to plan your trip, you can always engage an agency like Sedunia Travel for their Switzerland tours and holiday packages.

For those who do not enjoy skiing, in the summer the snow melts to reveal charming hiking trails with a view. You can also explore the bustling Christmas Markets, unwind in the healing, mineral-rich waters of a thermal bath then spend the night in an igloo or check-in at one of their many luxury resorts. However, for me what caught my attention was their food! Ahhh imagine making this your winter holiday destination for 2022 and dining against the backdrop of breathtaking mountains! After watching the Running Man episode I decided to find out what are the top foods to try when you visit Switzerland in winter.

#1 Swiss Cheese Fondue

At the start of the trip itself, their first meal on the mountain was none other than the famous Swiss Cheese Fondue that cannot be missed! For centuries, locals have enjoyed this warm delicacy made by heating cheese (you can have a variety of gooey cheese including gruyere, emmental and appenzeller) in a special ceramic pot called a caquelon with a burner underneath that will keep it constantly warm. Swiss wine, garlic or even brandy is added to enhance the flavour.

Originally, the idea was to dip old hardened bread into the melted pot of cheese to soften it enough to eat. But now it’s just a yummy delicacy that will definitely warm your body from within with each bite! I consider this a mandatory activity when you’re travelling here to truly complete the full experience!

#2 Potato Rosti

Now this is something I really enjoy! Essentially potato pancakes and similar to hash browns, potatoes are thinly grated then pressed into a medium pan or made into small circles. You can either bake or pan-fry them in butter for that added fragrance until they become a beautiful golden brown that is sooo addictively crispy. Usually eaten for breakfast, potato rosti is normally served on the side with savoury bacon, fried egg or cheese.

#3 Raclette

You might have seen this before as the raclette suddenly rose in popularity in the past few years here but nothing beats eating the original one! An entire wheel (or rather half) of cheese is heated up in front of a fire (but now restaurants use a portable heater lah) to melt the cheese on the surface. When it starts to bubble slightly you know it is soft enough - the server will then scrape off the melted cheese onto your plate to be eaten over potatoes, pickles or onions. Sounds absolutely delicious!!

#4 Macaroni du Chalet (Älplermagronen)

If you’re thinking this looks like mac & cheese, it actually is a photo of mac & cheese HAHAH but Älplermagronen is actually very similar! Also known as the Swiss Alpine Macaroni, the pasta is cooked then layered with cheese, potatoes and milk or cream. There are several ways this dish is made and most add their own unique twist to this classic Swiss dish; some people make theirs with fried onion, bacon and serve with some apple sauce on the side.

#5 Polenta

I’m seeing a trend here.. So far I love everything on this list! You might think, hey isn't this just mashed potatoes? No, it is not! While mash is made from potatoes, polenta is made from cornmeal that is boiled and stirred until it reaches this thick porridge consistency. Although they look similar, the taste is very different. Polenta is a great alternative when you don't feel like having potatoes, rice or pasta as it goes well with almost anything! Normally served as a side dish with butter, cheese or a stew OR on a plate with braised beef and pork.

Are you excited to find out what else Switzerland has to offer but not sure which luxury resort is the best? Get the best Swiss holiday packages recommended for your lifestyle, activities and price range from Sedunia Travel!

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2D1N Ipoh Trip On a Budget

While many of us are craving for an overseas trip, we went cuti-cuti Malaysia instead to Ipoh! We kept this Ipoh trip very budget friendly as we visited locations that were either free to enter or where you can simply enjoy the area without buying anything. I believe our biggest spending was when we visited a cafe near Concubine Lane and also to buy Ipoh’s famous salted chicken (MUST BUY). Make sure you check for any hotel promo to ensure you get a good deal too. If you’re looking for a place to stay or hotel in kuala lumpur, try using Traveloka to find some good deals.

Sam Poh Tong Temple

Let's start with the place I wanted to visit the most! Sam Poh Tong is a whole temple constructed within a limestone cave. It seems it's famous for the tortoises but I came here for this amazing view! It was a quiet morning just after a light drizzle, and the entire place was a picture of serenity except for the tortoises hissing in the background 😂 There’s also a large garden outside and we spent quite a bit of time here. Entrance is FOC and you can just park along the road outside.

Ipoh Mirror Lake

Not to be confused with the mirror lake in Shah Alam! Make sure you include Ipoh's mirror lake on your itinerary to get away from the city centre for a moment. Surrounded by mountains, the lake's calm water acts as a mirror creating endless luscious greens. You can easily get here by using Waze. At the entrance, pay RM5 to enter, then it's a short drive uphill to this dark tunnel. Don't worry, it's safe! It's only a short walk through the tunnel and there were many people when we went.

Concubine Lane

Tucked between shoplots with wooden shutters and hanging red lanterns, Concubine Lane is great for a short walk. The small alley consists of eateries, cafes, shops selling little trinkets and more. If all this walking is making you hungry, you can grab a bowl of Concubine Lane Ipoh Tau Fu Fa, rainbow cheese toast or cool down with some ais kepal. As the alley is too small for cars, it’s safe to bring your little ones here.

Kong Heng Square Artisan Market

If you enjoy Concubine Lane, the Kong Heng Square Artisan Market which is just around the corner might be your cup of tea. This is also where the Instagrammable Plan B and Sekeping are located. Lots of little stalls here selling handmade goods so take your time browsing and you might find treasures like this ridiculously adorable cat plate?!

Kinta Heights

This might sound strange but a colourful flat actually made it into the list of Instagrammable spots in Ipoh LOL Featuring a bright yellow and blue colour, we dropped by to catch some Hong Kong vibes. It rained when we visited Ipoh so there were puddles on the ground which you can use to create this reflection shot!

Birch Memorial Tower

If you're thinking the name sounds familiar, it's because the Birch Memorial Clock Tower was built in 1909 in memory of James WW Birch. I'm gonna be honest, it's actually really small so don't expect too much here haha.. On a sunny day, the super white clock tower stands beautifully against the blue sky backdrop but as you can see here.. It was too cloudy so no blue skies. To date, the clock tower is still functioning and actually needs to be manually wound every 5 days.

Enlightened Heart Temple

The second temple on my list is the Enlightened Heart Temple, with its trippy-looking interior that resembles a kaleidoscope. 72-metres tall, the pagoda has 13 storeys with numerous 'islands' brightly painted on the underside. If you climb all the way up, you will find an 11 metre tall gold Buddha statue standing tall overlooking the hills surrounding the temple.

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Best Staycation Singapore Ideas During Circuit Breaker

With the whole COVID-19 pandemic and Singapore's circuit breaker, I know everyone's itching to travel overseas but I say take this time to enjoy what your homeland has to offer safely and you might be surprised to find out your Singapore has plenty to offer. You can still enjoy family time or a romantic weekend in some of these amazing Singapore staycations.

Best part? No advance planning needed; nothing more fun than an impromptu trip where you just pack a bag and leave! Furthermore, it's so near (practically in your neighbourhood) that you don't need to take time off work for this trip. Plus honestly, it's so much more affordable lah. No stress!

Step 1: Choose a staycation approved hotel

Looking for a good hotel for your staycation? You can refer to this page on Traveloka for a list of top-rated staycation Singapore locations.

Marina Bay Sands with a beautiful view of the harbour, city, garden or skyline. There are even family studios big enough to accommodate up to 4 pax. Their rooftop Infinity Pool is phenomenal and is a fair alternative to sunny beaches. Do take note that certain hotels need advanced booking for usage of the shared facilities like the swimming pool and gym!

M Social Singapore: Missing the park? These lovely rooms at M Social Singapore come with your very own balcony/terrace space for you to enjoy a good book with fresh air and sun in your face, safely in your own room.

Shangri-La Singapore: Staycation with kids? The Shangri-La Singapore caters to the needs of families with their uniquely themed family suites! Whether your children love the safari, space, castles, or underwater world, they will be able to live their fantasy here!

Step 2: Making meals fun

Charcuterie board: Grab supplies from your local grocer to build your own charcuterie board! All you need are thin slices of meat and cheese to build the basic board but you can definitely outdo yourself by including fruits, olives, nuts, crackers, honeycomb and anything else you desire. You could even make it into a mini contest to see who makes the better board.

Indoor picnic: If you're too lazy to assemble your own picnic treats, the Mandarin Orchard Singapore has gone above complimentary breakfasts with their traveloka Exclusive deals where you get a really nice picnic basket with your room! You also get a voucher for an Art Jam session at Arteastiq or the Bring-home Kit for two.

Step 3: Choose your staycation activity

Paint by Number: I bet this one will be really fun with a bit of wine haha And don't worry if you are not artistic because the canvas already has numbers on it then you just fill in the colours based on the number. You can get these online or at Art Lane Singapore. The 10x15 cm basic ones are below $10 but you can go more advanced up to 40x50cm for below $40.

Couple card games: Looking for staycation activities for couples? Being away from home, you're removing the daily distractions and taking the time to just focus on your partner. Now's the chance to rekindle the relationship with fun card games!

The Love Language card game consists of 150 questions for couples to ask each other, including topics from Family, Intimacy, Couple, Individual, and Past & Future. They make really fun conversation starters and who knows where it will go from there? Perfect for newlyweds or even couples who have been married for years to really know each other this upcoming Valentine's!

Are you ready for your next holiday? Check out Singapore Rediscovers Vouchers and pick a hotel in beautiful Singapore to book an amazing weekend now!

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Trevo Car Sharing Marketplace: Review & Trevo Promo Code

During our previous trip to Penang, we took the ETS directly there but this time, we decided to take a Trevo instead. What is Trevo? It's basically a car sharing marketplace aka an Airbnb for cars!

Sign up with Trevo code "ISABELLEE"

Get RM50 Trevo credit when:
⭐ You book your first Trevo
⭐ Someone books your car

So we got a nice Honda City to drive all the way up and down. 

Why do I need to get a Trevo when I have a car?

Okay there are a few advantages of getting a shared car here:

• It is obviously more comfortable to travel long hours in a bigger car
• Need space to fit all the luggage (I own a small Myvi)
• You can make pitstops on the way!
• Can drive around instead of relying on public transport or walking everywhere (us, the previous trip)

Sharing some of the places we went to in Ipoh, Penang and Taiping which we managed to explore just because we booked a Trevo instead of taking the ETS or flying!

Lunch at Ipoh

Otw to Penang we decided to stop first at Ipoh for.. obviously food! By this point we were quite hungry and this shredded chicken noodle soup (kai see hor fun) at Restoran Ipoh Kong Heng really hit the spot.

The whole area is quite nice and can take Insta-pics. For example, this is the exterior of the kopitiam we ate at LOL then we walked around and found this nice alley attached to The Happy 8 Retreat Ipoh which also has rooms - the whole place has an elaborate wooden theme going on.

Then you can walk around some more to the area around Sekeping Kong Heng Ipoh which features several art installations, some food and bazaar. Of course, not missing out the BookXcess in Kong Heng as well.

Penang - What to do in Penang?

Coffee at Norm Micro Roastery

We're finally on the island! I loved Norm from my previous trip so this time we headed to their newer Norm Micro Roastery. The place is very big and the sunlight coming down from the high ceiling is so perfect for photos!

Address: 13, Gat Lebuh Gereja, George Town, 10300 George Town, Pulau Pinang

Still full from the noodles earlier so only ordered tiramisu and iced coffee to cool down with.

Breakfast at Cecil Street Market

Apart from the cafes, you should definitely explore the local cuisine when in Penang! One must-have is char koay teow and I highly recommend this duck egg char koay teow at Cecil Street Market. While you're there, the koay teow th'ng and curry laksa are also amazing!!

Address: 40-48, Lebuh Cecil, 10300 George Town, Pulau Pinang

Countryside Stables Penang

We drove all the way to the other side of the island for this!! This is an absolute heaven for horse lovers: the place is huge with lots of horses, ponies and donkeys roaming around. You can get close to them, pat them and feed them at ease as they're mostly friendly. You can also pay more for a guided horse ride around the compound.

Address: Lot 10050, Jalan Sungai Burung, Kampung Sungai Burung, 11000 Balik Pulau, Pulau Pinang

Sunset at the Beach

On the way back from the stables, we wanted to drop by Ferringhi beach but stumbled upon this beach near Tropical Spice Garden that was quieter. We ended up watching the sunset there.

Rimba Lab Nursery & Plant Cafe

Here's something that we can't find in KL (yet)! We've been to Jetty35 before but this cafe is new. With Tania's current obsession with plants, we simply HAD to visit this place. The entire shop is literally filled with plants you can sit and have coffee with. The owner is super duper friendly and there's a plant sifu to chat with. If you're having issues with your plant, you can drop it at Rimba Lab's 'plant hospital' too.

Address: (Inside Jetty35) 35, Pengkalan Weld, 10300, George Town, Penang

Aside from the nursery, it's also a lovely cafe serving drinks and cakes. Can you please look at the setup?? This place is so Insta-worthy from any angle.

Taiping Lake Gardens

Otw back from Penang to KL, we dropped by Taiping Lake Gardens for a brief walk. In the mornings you can see many people from young to old here exercising, taking photos of birds or simply enjoying the morning air.

🌟Get Your RM50 Trevo Credit!🌟

If you're finding where to book a car for your next trip OR you want to earn by sharing your car, Trevo is a good choice!

Sign up with code "ISABELLEE"

Get RM50 Trevo credit when:
⭐ You book your first Trevo
⭐ Someone books your car

Website: https://trevo.my/

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OYO RG Heritage Boutique, George Town, Penang Review

Looking for accommodation in Penang for your next trip? Look no further as we explored one of the OYO chains on the island - OYO RG Heritage Boutique!

Like much of Penang, the beauty of this heritage building has been retained. Walking in from the bustling streets, it was a relief to find this serene garden with lush trees shading us from the afternoon sun.

At night, the courtyard is transformed with soft music and warm string lights inviting you in for a star-lit dinner. There is a restaurant and bar downstairs but also street food conveniently outside. 

As we were ushered to our rooms, we were greeted by a surprise: each room actually has two floors! This is the view from upstairs. With 2 queen-sized beds (one on each floor), you can comfortably fit 4 people in one room, making the RM 100+ a night really affordable!

It has all the basic amenities you need - a good shower, air conditioning, hairdryer, fridge, TV, kettle and clean towels. Wi-fi is also provided so you can stay connected with your friends and family.

The common area is very spacious so you can spend mornings over tea, yoga or a short workout with the fresh morning air.

I have a habit of waking up early on trips so I chose to have a morning coffee before we headed out. It is a short car ride away from many hotspots like Gurney Drive, Belle and Cream, Penang Jetty, Wonderfood Museum, Nasi Kandar Line Clear and Fort Cornwallis.

Address: 282A, Jalan Burma, Pulau Tikus, 10350 George Town, Pulau Pinang

Phone: 012-215 1725

Book this Room: https://www.oyorooms.com/my/82779-oyo-hotels-oyo-89481-rg-heritage-boutique-george-town/

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