I believe that for every up, there has to be a down. Ever since I came back from Europe, I have gotten a lot of calls for jobs. That is a good thing although it means I'm working my ass off!
Unfortunately while things have been going well for me, it haven't been the case for a couple of my closest friends. I wonder if my stroke of good luck is coming at their expense? If that is the case, I rather not have it.
To the 2 friends mentioned above, hang on in there and you know that I'll be by your sides no matter what happens. I'll probably be going to Turkey in 3 weeks time. This is NOT a holiday but I'm looking forward to it with all my heart.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Monday, September 17, 2007
Happy Birthday Dawn!
Forget the smoke, forget the mosques, forget the city that brings you grief, forget the people who try to rip you off.
Why?
Because it's your birthday!
So Happy Birthday!
Ok, you can open your card and presents now (if you have received them)!
As for me I'm going to buy a cake and eat it on your behalf!
;p
Why?
Because it's your birthday!
So Happy Birthday!
Ok, you can open your card and presents now (if you have received them)!
As for me I'm going to buy a cake and eat it on your behalf!
;p
Sunday, September 16, 2007
My Brother's Wedding
After months of preparations, major house cleaning and headaches over money issues, my brother finally got married yesterday.
Besides helping him, i also have to juggle 2 different projects at the same time so it's been really exhausting. In fact, last night was the first time I had 8 hours of sleep in ages. Think I'm going to take today off to go into hibernation. Zzz...
Besides helping him, i also have to juggle 2 different projects at the same time so it's been really exhausting. In fact, last night was the first time I had 8 hours of sleep in ages. Think I'm going to take today off to go into hibernation. Zzz...
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Gone Shopping!
After years of preparation and pre-production work, 'Gone Shopping' the feature debut by local filmmaker Wee Lilin is finally out. I was fortunate to be invited to the gala premiere at GV Vivocity yesterday and what an evening it was. Filled with lots of beautiful people, it seemed that the entire industry was out in full force for the event.
While the film was a bit slow in some parts, I really liked it overall especially the story threads involving Kym Ng and the Indian girl. It was a fantastic effort by Lilin and knowing how much hard work she put into it, I appreciated it even more.
I was also amused to see that my 2 second cameo was left intact and not on the cutting room floor. So ladies and gentlemen, 'Gone Shopping' is also the big screen debut of yours truly! Haha it's a blink and miss thingy though, so I wonder how many people will catch it. ;)
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Home Sweet Home
7 flights, 6 weeks, 5 airports, 4 countries, 3 airlines, 2 continents and a lifetime of memories later, my summer holiday was finally over.
Strangely it took such a long trip for me to appreciate Singapore, I never thought there would come a day when I would actually miss home. Unfortunately a chain of events since I came back is making me have second thoughts about that.
Once I get over my laziness, I will resume posting about the the trip again...
Strangely it took such a long trip for me to appreciate Singapore, I never thought there would come a day when I would actually miss home. Unfortunately a chain of events since I came back is making me have second thoughts about that.
Once I get over my laziness, I will resume posting about the the trip again...
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Day 7 (11 June) - NOW We Are In Hell!
The buffet breakfast in the morning helped to make up a little for the lack of air-conditioning the previous day. It was the most sumptuous breakfast we had in France up to then. Being the Ugly Singaporeans that we are, we stole lots of fruit jams and Nutella to bring along for our trip. Luckily we were not discovered, or else it would have been humiliating!
After breakfast, we set off for our next destination - the religious town of Lourdes. On the way, we made a detour and visited Carcassone, an utterly charming medieval fortress town. It was here that Uncle Patrick broke his first chair. I stared dumbfounded as he calmly got up, assembled the broken pieces together and promptly exchanged it with another one at the next table...
Scary doesn't even begin to describe this place. Aunt Rita declared it the worst hotel room she stayed in her entire life! I shared a room with Dawn and JF and my bed was right beside the window which looked out to a corridor. We felt so exposed that JF woke up in the middle of the night in a panic and asked Dawn to hide all their jewels in the shoes!
Perhaps it was the effect of the hotel but I felt very unsettled the whole time I was in Lourdes. It had that kind of oppressive feeling that gave me the creeps. We witnessed the night procession which up to 10,000 pilgrims carried candles and walked round the square, following a gigantic statue of Mary.
The Nightly Procession
I don't mean to be rude but the whole procession looked like some cult thingy. Imagine deathly silence broken by occasional ghostly chantings. I love France but this was a place I could not wait to get out from...
After breakfast, we set off for our next destination - the religious town of Lourdes. On the way, we made a detour and visited Carcassone, an utterly charming medieval fortress town. It was here that Uncle Patrick broke his first chair. I stared dumbfounded as he calmly got up, assembled the broken pieces together and promptly exchanged it with another one at the next table...
Welcome to my castle!
Scary doesn't even begin to describe this place. Aunt Rita declared it the worst hotel room she stayed in her entire life! I shared a room with Dawn and JF and my bed was right beside the window which looked out to a corridor. We felt so exposed that JF woke up in the middle of the night in a panic and asked Dawn to hide all their jewels in the shoes!
Perhaps it was the effect of the hotel but I felt very unsettled the whole time I was in Lourdes. It had that kind of oppressive feeling that gave me the creeps. We witnessed the night procession which up to 10,000 pilgrims carried candles and walked round the square, following a gigantic statue of Mary.
The Nightly Procession
I don't mean to be rude but the whole procession looked like some cult thingy. Imagine deathly silence broken by occasional ghostly chantings. I love France but this was a place I could not wait to get out from...
Day 6 (10 June) - Hot As Hell
I attended my first mass ever (aside from my sister´s wedding) this morning. Although I'm a Buddhist, I do respect other religions and certainly am open to experiencing them. Unfortunately the service was in French and rather long and dreary, the church though was very beautiful.
The church in Avignon
After the service, we paid a visit to the Palace of the Popes. Between 1309 and 1377, 9 Popes stayed in Avignon as opposed to Vatican City. The Palace is a huge medieval gothic building, so big in fact that we barely had time to go through it entirely.
Inside the dungeon in the Palace of the Popes
As we were rushed for time, we left Avignon after the visit, setting off for our next stop - Aix-en-Provence. It was a relief when we arrived at our hotel to discover that it was a large, modern establishment. However the relief quickly turned to dismay when we were informed that the air-conditioning for the entire hotel was down. As we didn't want to linger in the hot confines of our rooms, we quickly dumped our stuff and proceeded to explore the city.
When we reached the city, the Sunday market was just closing up and the stall holders were packing and leaving. I couldn't find anything particularly special about Aix but like most of the French towns we have visited, it was very chic and elegant.
For some reason, the old biddies didn't want to have dinner. Instead they chose to buy some pastries from the bakery to line their stomachs. So Dawn, JF and I had our dinner in a sidewalk cafe while the 4 of them sat outside waiting for us. It was very apparent that Uncle Raymond wanted to have dinner with us but was forced by Auntie Rose to eat a chicken pie instead.
It was very weird to see the 4 of them waiting outside for us so we tried to persuade them to join us. Auntie Rita and Uncle Pat decided to go for a walk so Auntie Rose relented and agreed to join us. By then, Uncle Raymond was throwing a mini tantrum and refused to order anything. Pretty soon they went for a walk too.
Needless to say, it was very amusing to see the dynamics between the 2 Lee sisters and their husbands. If it runs in the family, I really worry for JF...
After dinner, we went back to the hotel to face a sleepless night in our hot and stuffy room. As we were situated right next to the highway, it was very noisy when we opened the window. We were certainly not happy campers that night!
The church in AvignonAfter the service, we paid a visit to the Palace of the Popes. Between 1309 and 1377, 9 Popes stayed in Avignon as opposed to Vatican City. The Palace is a huge medieval gothic building, so big in fact that we barely had time to go through it entirely.
Inside the dungeon in the Palace of the PopesAs we were rushed for time, we left Avignon after the visit, setting off for our next stop - Aix-en-Provence. It was a relief when we arrived at our hotel to discover that it was a large, modern establishment. However the relief quickly turned to dismay when we were informed that the air-conditioning for the entire hotel was down. As we didn't want to linger in the hot confines of our rooms, we quickly dumped our stuff and proceeded to explore the city.
When we reached the city, the Sunday market was just closing up and the stall holders were packing and leaving. I couldn't find anything particularly special about Aix but like most of the French towns we have visited, it was very chic and elegant.
For some reason, the old biddies didn't want to have dinner. Instead they chose to buy some pastries from the bakery to line their stomachs. So Dawn, JF and I had our dinner in a sidewalk cafe while the 4 of them sat outside waiting for us. It was very apparent that Uncle Raymond wanted to have dinner with us but was forced by Auntie Rose to eat a chicken pie instead.
It was very weird to see the 4 of them waiting outside for us so we tried to persuade them to join us. Auntie Rita and Uncle Pat decided to go for a walk so Auntie Rose relented and agreed to join us. By then, Uncle Raymond was throwing a mini tantrum and refused to order anything. Pretty soon they went for a walk too.
Needless to say, it was very amusing to see the dynamics between the 2 Lee sisters and their husbands. If it runs in the family, I really worry for JF...
After dinner, we went back to the hotel to face a sleepless night in our hot and stuffy room. As we were situated right next to the highway, it was very noisy when we opened the window. We were certainly not happy campers that night!
Tip on budget travelling - What to do when there is limited space?
Answer - Squeeze into whatever's available!
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Day 5 (9 June) - Life´s A Fairytale
After breakfast, we decided to pack a picnic lunch and visit some of the noteworthy sights in Provence.
Our first stop was the breathtakingly beautiful Gordes. A stone village set on a mountain, Gordes was the kind of place which I thought existed only in medieval fairytales. I was wrong of course and a stroll through the village established the fact that tourists are well aware of the place and visiting it in droves.
Beautiful Gordes
Summer in Southern France is unforgiving and even for us Singaporeans who live on the Equator, it can get a little overwhelming. So we defected to the shades of the forest for our picnic and it made for a rather interesting sight. Imagine 6 Singaporeans and 1 Frenchman sitting on the ground plucking food from various plastic bags. Needless to say, the old biddies weren´t very impressed by this arrangement and were on the constant lookout for ants and other creepy-crawlies.
After lunch, it was a short walk to our next destination, the Senanque Abbey. Almost a thousand years old, the Abbey initially housed a community of Cistercian monks until they were expelled in 1903-1926.
A small group of monks returned in 1988, growing lavender and tending honey bees for a living. Today the Abbey serves it main purpose as a tourist attraction and we were brought on a guided tour through the various parts of the Abbey with a host of other visitors. Perhaps it was because we have been visiting too many religious buildings but I was quickly bored by the whole thing.
The historical Senanque Abbey
Thus it was with relief that the tour came to an end and we were on our way again. Along the country roads, we saw so many trees bearing luscious fruits of every imagination. Needless to say, the greedy Singaporean in us reared its ugly head and we had JF stop the car for me and Dawn to jump out and pluck some fresh cherries off the trees. I´m not big on cherries but those cherries were heavenly...
Our last stop of the day was Roussillon, a small village famed for ochre deposits. In fact, most of the houses there were all in ochre. When we passed a sign stating ´Famous Villages of France´, Uncle Raymond (Dawn´s dad) insisted that the place we were visiting was a recreation of famous villages in France. No matter how much we argued, he refused to believe that we were at the real village itself. Sigh...
It might have been the hectic pace of the day, the blistering heat or the picnic lunch, but I was feeling rather sick by the time we made our way back. I went straight to bed that day without dinner, exhaustion quickly taking over me.
Our first stop was the breathtakingly beautiful Gordes. A stone village set on a mountain, Gordes was the kind of place which I thought existed only in medieval fairytales. I was wrong of course and a stroll through the village established the fact that tourists are well aware of the place and visiting it in droves.
Beautiful GordesSummer in Southern France is unforgiving and even for us Singaporeans who live on the Equator, it can get a little overwhelming. So we defected to the shades of the forest for our picnic and it made for a rather interesting sight. Imagine 6 Singaporeans and 1 Frenchman sitting on the ground plucking food from various plastic bags. Needless to say, the old biddies weren´t very impressed by this arrangement and were on the constant lookout for ants and other creepy-crawlies.
After lunch, it was a short walk to our next destination, the Senanque Abbey. Almost a thousand years old, the Abbey initially housed a community of Cistercian monks until they were expelled in 1903-1926.
A small group of monks returned in 1988, growing lavender and tending honey bees for a living. Today the Abbey serves it main purpose as a tourist attraction and we were brought on a guided tour through the various parts of the Abbey with a host of other visitors. Perhaps it was because we have been visiting too many religious buildings but I was quickly bored by the whole thing.
The historical Senanque AbbeyThus it was with relief that the tour came to an end and we were on our way again. Along the country roads, we saw so many trees bearing luscious fruits of every imagination. Needless to say, the greedy Singaporean in us reared its ugly head and we had JF stop the car for me and Dawn to jump out and pluck some fresh cherries off the trees. I´m not big on cherries but those cherries were heavenly...
Our last stop of the day was Roussillon, a small village famed for ochre deposits. In fact, most of the houses there were all in ochre. When we passed a sign stating ´Famous Villages of France´, Uncle Raymond (Dawn´s dad) insisted that the place we were visiting was a recreation of famous villages in France. No matter how much we argued, he refused to believe that we were at the real village itself. Sigh...
It might have been the hectic pace of the day, the blistering heat or the picnic lunch, but I was feeling rather sick by the time we made our way back. I went straight to bed that day without dinner, exhaustion quickly taking over me.
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Day 4 (8 June) - Getting Lost Is A Bitch!
Despite having seen pictures of Lyon's morning market previously in Dawn's blog, I was astounded by the sumptuous feast of colours that exploded before me. Never before have I seen such beautiful fruits, vegetables and flowers everywhere, the markets of Lyon were certainly a far cry from the wet markets back in Singapore.
Luscious garden salad
Tiny but juicy tomatos
Cherries and strawberries galore!
Flowers to brighten up any room
After a breakfast of fresh produce from the market, we set off on a little walk through the city. The centrepiece of Lyon was undoubtedly the Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourviere, which was perched atop a hill. As most of us weren't in the mood for the steep climb up the hill, we took a train up instead.
View of Lyon from the hilltop
The basilique was spectacular but even more breathtaking was the 180-degree view it offered of Lyon. The city was so beautiful and it was a real pity that we could spend only one day here. But leave we did and soon we were on our way to Avignon.
The town of Avignon was enclosed behind a wall and all the roads in it led in circles and winding paths. After getting into the city, it was a good hour of travelling around the tiny town before we finally arrived at our hotel. Making things worse, Uncle Pat's car got separated from us. Imagine the mayhem of 2 different cars navigating through a confusing maze looking for a hotel AND each other.
The elusive Hotel de Garlande was charming enough for us to forgive it for the wild goose chase it led us on. Dinner that night was a noisy affair as everyone recounted the panic we went through and the screaming fits we all threw. At the end of the day, we were able to laugh it off but let me tell you getting lost is not fun!
The cosy but hard-to-find Hotel de Garlande
After dinner, we went on a little stroll around the town centre and it became clear to me why France is the top tourist destination in the world. The ambience it afforded (outside of Paris anyway) was unbeatable and along with the rest of the world, I was reveling and getting drunk on it.
Luscious garden salad
Tiny but juicy tomatos
Cherries and strawberries galore!
Flowers to brighten up any roomAfter a breakfast of fresh produce from the market, we set off on a little walk through the city. The centrepiece of Lyon was undoubtedly the Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourviere, which was perched atop a hill. As most of us weren't in the mood for the steep climb up the hill, we took a train up instead.
View of Lyon from the hilltopThe basilique was spectacular but even more breathtaking was the 180-degree view it offered of Lyon. The city was so beautiful and it was a real pity that we could spend only one day here. But leave we did and soon we were on our way to Avignon.
The town of Avignon was enclosed behind a wall and all the roads in it led in circles and winding paths. After getting into the city, it was a good hour of travelling around the tiny town before we finally arrived at our hotel. Making things worse, Uncle Pat's car got separated from us. Imagine the mayhem of 2 different cars navigating through a confusing maze looking for a hotel AND each other.
The elusive Hotel de Garlande was charming enough for us to forgive it for the wild goose chase it led us on. Dinner that night was a noisy affair as everyone recounted the panic we went through and the screaming fits we all threw. At the end of the day, we were able to laugh it off but let me tell you getting lost is not fun!
The cosy but hard-to-find Hotel de GarlandeAfter dinner, we went on a little stroll around the town centre and it became clear to me why France is the top tourist destination in the world. The ambience it afforded (outside of Paris anyway) was unbeatable and along with the rest of the world, I was reveling and getting drunk on it.
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Day 3 (7 June) - Welcome To Wine Country
I feel guilty for saying this. After spending thousands of dollars to get here, I did not love Paris! At least not in the same way that I love Bangkok or Hong Kong. Perhaps its because we are travelling in a large group (7 of us) but I kinda miss the feeling of travelling alone. The feeling of fear, excitement and anticipation. I think I get the feel of a place better when I have to navigate it myself, guidebook in hand.
Anyway we left Paris in the morning for a roadtrip around Southern France. Our first stop was the delightful town of Beaune in Burgundy. A small quaint village, Beaune is famous for its vineyards and wines. Unfortunately our timing was a little off and we failed to see any vineyard or do any wine tasting.
The centrepiece of the village though was a 16th century hospice. Originally built to house the poor and homeless, it became so popular that many wealthy people came for its medical services too. With the influx of the rich into town, many vineyards were set up and thus Beaune became known for its wines.
Sitting on a well in the hospice
It was a bit surreal to be seeing and touching things that were more than 500 years old but it was also extremely terrifying to see the medical instruments used during those days. I, for one, would not want to have been sick during those days!
After we were done with Beaune, we continued on our journey and arrived at Lyon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Words cannot even begin to describe how beautiful Lyon is. Here is exactly what Paris is missing, charm and personality.
Spectacular river view of Lyon
Roaming the streets
Our stay in Lyon started on a good note - the best meal we had so far in France! In Paris, you could smoke in the restaurants and it was extremely uncomfortable for most of us espeically the ladies. So it was a welcome change to be dining in a smoke free environment. Dawn is bringing us to the market in the morning and I am really looking forward to it!
Anyway we left Paris in the morning for a roadtrip around Southern France. Our first stop was the delightful town of Beaune in Burgundy. A small quaint village, Beaune is famous for its vineyards and wines. Unfortunately our timing was a little off and we failed to see any vineyard or do any wine tasting.
The centrepiece of the village though was a 16th century hospice. Originally built to house the poor and homeless, it became so popular that many wealthy people came for its medical services too. With the influx of the rich into town, many vineyards were set up and thus Beaune became known for its wines.
Sitting on a well in the hospiceIt was a bit surreal to be seeing and touching things that were more than 500 years old but it was also extremely terrifying to see the medical instruments used during those days. I, for one, would not want to have been sick during those days!
After we were done with Beaune, we continued on our journey and arrived at Lyon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Words cannot even begin to describe how beautiful Lyon is. Here is exactly what Paris is missing, charm and personality.
Spectacular river view of Lyon
Roaming the streetsDay 2 (6 June) - Searching For Mona...
Lonely Planet said that Paris is chockful of celebrity monuments and they were not wrong at all. I started my second day in France at the most famous of them all - the Eiffel Tower.
At the legendary Eiffel TowerWhile queuing to get up the tower, I quietly confirmed a fact to myself. The Mainland Chinese are overrunning the world! Paris was the last place I would expect to see a bunch of noisy Chinese tourists but there they were, queuing right alongside me.
Hordes of people queuing to go up the Eiffel Tower
View of Paris from the top of the tower
Singapore is recognised at the Eiffel Tower!My next stop was the ultra chi-chi Champs Elysee. I am sure all my female friends would have wetted themselves in excitement if they had seen the humongous Louis Vuitton store. I wetted myself in excitement when I visited a pastry shop and bought a box of the most gorgeous macaroons! To each his own...
The beautiful pastries at La DureeSince none of us could bear the thought of splashing our moolah at Champs (except for Auntie Rita who stocked up on her bras!), we decided to go on a little adventure. Hunt for Mona!
For those who have either read or watched The Da Vinci Code, it must have been an out of body experience to visit the Lourve. Seeing that I had done neither, I carried myself with dignity as I entered the fabled glass pyramids to the museum. From there on, it was a frantic search for the Mona Lisa.
An hour and numerous directional arrows later, I arrived to pay homage to the Mona. As I laid eyes on my pal Mona, my first thought was, "So small!" Yes, the Mona Lisa is NOT a big painting and she was shrouded behind a security distance and a glass panel. Still it was the most famous painting in the world and I got goosebumps looking at it.
The rest of the museum was a blur. I really wished S was with me as S would have loved it! I spent the rest of the day thinking about S and I hope S was thinking of me too...
For those who have either read or watched The Da Vinci Code, it must have been an out of body experience to visit the Lourve. Seeing that I had done neither, I carried myself with dignity as I entered the fabled glass pyramids to the museum. From there on, it was a frantic search for the Mona Lisa.
An hour and numerous directional arrows later, I arrived to pay homage to the Mona. As I laid eyes on my pal Mona, my first thought was, "So small!" Yes, the Mona Lisa is NOT a big painting and she was shrouded behind a security distance and a glass panel. Still it was the most famous painting in the world and I got goosebumps looking at it.
The rest of the museum was a blur. I really wished S was with me as S would have loved it! I spent the rest of the day thinking about S and I hope S was thinking of me too...
The Lourve at sunsetDay 1 (5 June) - Viva La France!
After an exhausting 15 hour flight (with a 90 min stopover in Doha), I finally arrived in Paris. I have to say that my love affair with aeroplanes is officially O.V.E.R.
There was a point in time when I actually thought that I would never make it to France. The immigration officer in Doha eyed me suspiciously and asked me tons of questions before he reluctantly let me on the flight to Paris. Phew, I would have thrown a screaming fit if they had put me on a plane back to Singapore!
So there I was in Paris, the City of Romance. But before I could get into the romantic mood, I had to navigate through long, winding escalators and 3 train rides to get to my hotel.
My first impression of Paris was somewhat of a letdown. I was expecting glamour, romance and well-dressed people. I failed to get any of it. Instead I saw tramps, gypsies and prostitutes right around where I lived!
My first dinner in Paris was a similar letdown. JF brought us to Chartier, a 1920s place with great ambience and atmosphere. Unfortunately the greatness did not extend to the food. Between the 7 of us, no one had a great meal. Still it was a beautiful place, just remember not to eat there!
The menu changes everyday, let´s hope the quality of the food does too!
One thing that fascinated me though, the sun set at around 10pm during summer. It was a bit of a shock to be walking to dinner at 8pm in bright daylight! Daylight or not, I was exhausted and had no trouble falling into a deep sleep at the end of a long and tiring day...
The view from my hotel balcony at 8pm
There was a point in time when I actually thought that I would never make it to France. The immigration officer in Doha eyed me suspiciously and asked me tons of questions before he reluctantly let me on the flight to Paris. Phew, I would have thrown a screaming fit if they had put me on a plane back to Singapore!
So there I was in Paris, the City of Romance. But before I could get into the romantic mood, I had to navigate through long, winding escalators and 3 train rides to get to my hotel.
My first impression of Paris was somewhat of a letdown. I was expecting glamour, romance and well-dressed people. I failed to get any of it. Instead I saw tramps, gypsies and prostitutes right around where I lived!
My first dinner in Paris was a similar letdown. JF brought us to Chartier, a 1920s place with great ambience and atmosphere. Unfortunately the greatness did not extend to the food. Between the 7 of us, no one had a great meal. Still it was a beautiful place, just remember not to eat there!
The menu changes everyday, let´s hope the quality of the food does too!One thing that fascinated me though, the sun set at around 10pm during summer. It was a bit of a shock to be walking to dinner at 8pm in bright daylight! Daylight or not, I was exhausted and had no trouble falling into a deep sleep at the end of a long and tiring day...
The view from my hotel balcony at 8pmMonday, June 4, 2007
A Summer In Europe
This is it, I'll be leaving tonight for France. My packing is not completed yet but I'm filled with excitement at the thought of spending the next 6 weeks trotting all over Europe (haha just France and Spain actually plus Qatar).
Hopefully I'll get hold of a computer often enough for regular updates. Before I go, Happy Birthday in advance to Vivian, Jamie and Ah Ho. Europe, here I come!
Hopefully I'll get hold of a computer often enough for regular updates. Before I go, Happy Birthday in advance to Vivian, Jamie and Ah Ho. Europe, here I come!
Saturday, June 2, 2007
Lau Luck Nai Luang
For those of you are wandering what on earth that is, it means 'I Love The King' in Thai. It's no secret that I love all things Thai and that love extends to the Thai King, His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. I'm so in awe of His Majesty that I was in Bangkok last year to celebrate both his birthday and the 60th anniversary of his ascension to the throne.
So imagine my excitement when I knew that his daughter, HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn would be in Singapore in April to attend an exhibition organised by my company. A little background about HRH. She has devoted her life to the well-being of the Thai people and she is universally loved, along with the King, in Thailand. She has spearheaded numerous Royal projects for the benefit of the people and she personally works on them instead of being just a patron.
Although I didn't manage to speak to the Princess, I did catch her up close in action. It was an inspiring moment for me and I'm glad that Vivian finally sent me the pictures taken from that event. As Viv is leaving for Qatar soon, I'm happy to have a photo of us together. See you July in Qatar, Vivian!
HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn
The Princess arriving at the exhibition
Wallflower
Vivian and I
So imagine my excitement when I knew that his daughter, HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn would be in Singapore in April to attend an exhibition organised by my company. A little background about HRH. She has devoted her life to the well-being of the Thai people and she is universally loved, along with the King, in Thailand. She has spearheaded numerous Royal projects for the benefit of the people and she personally works on them instead of being just a patron.
Although I didn't manage to speak to the Princess, I did catch her up close in action. It was an inspiring moment for me and I'm glad that Vivian finally sent me the pictures taken from that event. As Viv is leaving for Qatar soon, I'm happy to have a photo of us together. See you July in Qatar, Vivian!
HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn
The Princess arriving at the exhibition 
Wallflower
Vivian and ITrip to JB
After some badgering fom the Donkey, I agreed to go to JB yesterday. A casual flip though my passport revealed that it's been more than a year since I last went in. Gone were the days when Lennon, Vivian and I used to drive in for cheap food and DVDs. The rising crime rate has made the place dangerous and unattractive.
The main purpose of this trip was to get a new frame for my glasses. The left side of my current pair is corroded and I didn't want to risk it breaking when I'm in Europe. Unfortunately I couldn't find any frame that fit the shape of my lenses and I ended up making it back in Singapore. It'll be a couple of days before I can collect my new glasses and till then, I'll have to relay on my contact lens.
After we came back, we were joined by his girlfriend and we made our way to IMM. It's been a few years since my last visit and what a transformation the place has undergone! We had a fun time shopping at Daiso (love that place!) and I made some final shopping for some necessities for the Europe trip.
The main purpose of this trip was to get a new frame for my glasses. The left side of my current pair is corroded and I didn't want to risk it breaking when I'm in Europe. Unfortunately I couldn't find any frame that fit the shape of my lenses and I ended up making it back in Singapore. It'll be a couple of days before I can collect my new glasses and till then, I'll have to relay on my contact lens.
After we came back, we were joined by his girlfriend and we made our way to IMM. It's been a few years since my last visit and what a transformation the place has undergone! We had a fun time shopping at Daiso (love that place!) and I made some final shopping for some necessities for the Europe trip.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Last Day
Today was my last day with IMDEX Asia. Although I had a tough time working on the project, I learnt a great deal and I was happy to have worked with some very wonderful people.
Dawn finally sent me her wedding pics. Of course the evil bitch in me couldn't sniggering at some of the funnier ones. Anyway I'm glad that the beautiful wedding has been immortalised in these pics.
Presenting Dawn and JF!
The happy couple
Walking down the aisle with Nicole
Nicole singing 'Come What May' during the dinner
My table, that's Dominic first to the left.
Best friends forever
Bride on the loose!Monday, May 28, 2007
Monday Blues
It was an insane day at work and I was in a daze for much of the day. The mood carried over into the evening and I was a little down by the time I met Dominic. Coupled with a mysterious headache, I was not a happy camper.
On the upside I finally bought my wedding gift for Dawn and JF, I couldn't afford anything spectacular but I really hope they like it. Thanks to Dominic, I got a huge discount on the purchase so I bought him dinner at this Japanese place at Capitol Building. It was our first time there but the food was quite good and the staff were really perky and happy. Guess that helped to lift my spirits a little (the food and the perkiness!).
After dinner, I met Sherman to collect my free copy of Lonely Planet Spain. Thanks pal! We also met up with Eric at our usual beancurd place and I discovered that come this time next month, all 3 of us will be in different parts of the world.
I realized it's been too long since my last film and I look forward to making one soon. Perhaps it will happen in Europe!
On the upside I finally bought my wedding gift for Dawn and JF, I couldn't afford anything spectacular but I really hope they like it. Thanks to Dominic, I got a huge discount on the purchase so I bought him dinner at this Japanese place at Capitol Building. It was our first time there but the food was quite good and the staff were really perky and happy. Guess that helped to lift my spirits a little (the food and the perkiness!).
After dinner, I met Sherman to collect my free copy of Lonely Planet Spain. Thanks pal! We also met up with Eric at our usual beancurd place and I discovered that come this time next month, all 3 of us will be in different parts of the world.
I realized it's been too long since my last film and I look forward to making one soon. Perhaps it will happen in Europe!
Saturday, May 26, 2007
The Great Singapore Sale!
After a quick nap to recuperate from the mahjong all-nighter, I met up with the Donkey and his girlfriend Jamie for some shopping. I had to get a few things for my impending trip to Europe and it was just nice that Saturday was the first day of the Great Singapore Sale.
There were quite a lot of good bargains everywhere and I ended up buying more than what I had intended to. Here are a couple of places with pretty good offers:
1. Gramophone - There is a 20% discount on CDs and 15% on DVDs and records storewide. I finally bought Cao Ge's Superman album after pondering over it for the last few months. Before more serious damage was done to my wallet, I dragged myself out of the store after buying just that 1 CD.
2. New Balance - I really needed to get a new backpack as all the pirated North Face bags I bought from Bangkok were in disrepair. After spending the entire evening looking at cheap (but ugly) and gorgeous (but expensive) bags, I finally stumbled onto something that caught my fancy. After a 40% discount, I paid only $21 for it. To say that I was satisfied with my purchase would be an understatement.
Coincidentally, yesterday was also the launch of the Singapore Arts Festival and there was a whole shindig at the Padang. It was our luck then that we were treated to a fireworks display as part of the celebrations. Call me jaded, but I don't get excited anymore with the constant display of fireworks in Singapore. I still think that it is all a gross waste of money that could have been put to better use.
The Donkey offered to lend me his old digital camera for my trip so I should be posting pics here pretty soon. Happy Shopping!
There were quite a lot of good bargains everywhere and I ended up buying more than what I had intended to. Here are a couple of places with pretty good offers:
1. Gramophone - There is a 20% discount on CDs and 15% on DVDs and records storewide. I finally bought Cao Ge's Superman album after pondering over it for the last few months. Before more serious damage was done to my wallet, I dragged myself out of the store after buying just that 1 CD.
2. New Balance - I really needed to get a new backpack as all the pirated North Face bags I bought from Bangkok were in disrepair. After spending the entire evening looking at cheap (but ugly) and gorgeous (but expensive) bags, I finally stumbled onto something that caught my fancy. After a 40% discount, I paid only $21 for it. To say that I was satisfied with my purchase would be an understatement.
Coincidentally, yesterday was also the launch of the Singapore Arts Festival and there was a whole shindig at the Padang. It was our luck then that we were treated to a fireworks display as part of the celebrations. Call me jaded, but I don't get excited anymore with the constant display of fireworks in Singapore. I still think that it is all a gross waste of money that could have been put to better use.
The Donkey offered to lend me his old digital camera for my trip so I should be posting pics here pretty soon. Happy Shopping!
TGIF
After work on Friday, I went with my colleagues to the NSRCC chalet for our departmental gathering.
The highlight of the evening was the bowling competition.
Although my team lost by a mere 3 points, I tied for best scorer with my colleague Steven.
As it was a tie, we split the grand prize of... a pair of movie tickets!
That's right, both of us won 1 movie ticket each.
But it was a fun experience and I bowled a decent game although I haven't played in ages.
After the competition, I stayed back with Serene, Vivian and Margaret for a mahjong session.
Things didn't go as well and I ended up $100 poorer by the end of it all.
But we all had a good time and I look forward to more games in future :)
The highlight of the evening was the bowling competition.
Although my team lost by a mere 3 points, I tied for best scorer with my colleague Steven.
As it was a tie, we split the grand prize of... a pair of movie tickets!
That's right, both of us won 1 movie ticket each.
But it was a fun experience and I bowled a decent game although I haven't played in ages.
After the competition, I stayed back with Serene, Vivian and Margaret for a mahjong session.
Things didn't go as well and I ended up $100 poorer by the end of it all.
But we all had a good time and I look forward to more games in future :)
Thursday, May 24, 2007
盛夏光年 Eternal Summer
I finally watched Eternal Summer a couple of days ago.
Although I had problems with the pacing of the movie at times, I have to say I really liked it.
Looking at the development of the relationship between the 2 male leads, I was reminded of some points of my life.
While I wouldn't say my life was that dramatic, I definitely understood the feelings the 2 guys were going through.
As for the ending... let's just say that realistically we shouldn't expect a complete end to any story.
After all, some things are better left unsaid.
Although I had problems with the pacing of the movie at times, I have to say I really liked it.
Looking at the development of the relationship between the 2 male leads, I was reminded of some points of my life.
While I wouldn't say my life was that dramatic, I definitely understood the feelings the 2 guys were going through.
As for the ending... let's just say that realistically we shouldn't expect a complete end to any story.
After all, some things are better left unsaid.
And the American Idol is..
Jordin Sparks.
There, I said it with as much enthusiasm as I could muster.
What better way to cap off a lackluster season than to crown a totally safe, boring and insipid singer?
In a way it didn't really matter who won since the competition was over for me the second Melinda was voted off.
Looking back at winners of past seasons, it made sense that Jordin won.
Season 1: White Bread Girl-Next-Door (who has since evolved into an Angry Woman)
Season 2: Black Teddy Bear
Season 3: Funky Black Mama
Season 4: White Country Girl
Season 5: Spastic White Guy
Season 6: Fat Mulatto
So congratulations to Jordin, I wish you a great career ahead.
There, I said it with as much enthusiasm as I could muster.
What better way to cap off a lackluster season than to crown a totally safe, boring and insipid singer?
In a way it didn't really matter who won since the competition was over for me the second Melinda was voted off.
Looking back at winners of past seasons, it made sense that Jordin won.
Season 1: White Bread Girl-Next-Door (who has since evolved into an Angry Woman)
Season 2: Black Teddy Bear
Season 3: Funky Black Mama
Season 4: White Country Girl
Season 5: Spastic White Guy
Season 6: Fat Mulatto
So congratulations to Jordin, I wish you a great career ahead.
And so it goes...
So I have finally decided to crawl out from the gigantic rock I've been hiding under and enter the blog sphere. I'm quite lazy by nature and the thought of frequently updating my blog is a little off-putting to tell the truth. I love travelling and since I will be trotting my way across France and Spain for 6 weeks, I thought of documenting my journey here. 
Me in Bangkok
But anyway here goes...
I'm a writer by profession.
"What do you write?" people ask me all the time.
I'm tempted to tell them that I write political essays and publish books on life-changing subjects... anything cerebral.
Unfortunately most of the time I write drivel for the only broadcaster on our beloved island.
Not to say that I don't enjoy my job, in fact, I do like it quite a lot.
Which other job allows you to visit new places, meet new people and if you're lucky, travel?
Just don't ask me about the money!
Most of the time, I'm contented to stay at home and rot.
I'm not very outgoing, at least not in Singapore.
So I'm lucky to be surrounded by a core group of good friends.
In fact, I consider them all my best friends.
But in order not to upset any of them, here is how I categorize them.
1. Best Friend (Dominic) - By virtue of the fact that he is my longest friend (17 years), I have to give top honours to Dominic... or risk grievous bodily harm!
2. Soulmate (Dawn) - Everyone should have a soulmate, someone who is so connected to you that you only have to blink for that person to know what is on your mind. And I'm lucky that person is the lovely Dawn Marie Lee, I'm going to miss her when she moves to Turkey in July (sniff, sniff).
Dawn
3. Brother (Lennon) - My buddy from army, I get along better with Lennon (and his wife Vivian) than my own brother. There was a period of time when people literally thought we were real brothers! But now that I'm so fat, nobody will make that connection anymore :p
4. Buddy (Ah Ho aka the Donkey) - A junior from army, it's amazing how I managed to click with Ah Ho rather than most of my own teammates. The Donkey is a real interesting case study. Here is a rather fine specimen who unfortunately behaves in a most dorky manner. But now that he's flying in the skies, we'll see how much of the famed SIA training rubs off on him.
The Donkey
Get familiar with the 4 characters above, you will be reading a lot about them here in future.
Me in BangkokBut anyway here goes...
I'm a writer by profession.
"What do you write?" people ask me all the time.
I'm tempted to tell them that I write political essays and publish books on life-changing subjects... anything cerebral.
Unfortunately most of the time I write drivel for the only broadcaster on our beloved island.
Not to say that I don't enjoy my job, in fact, I do like it quite a lot.
Which other job allows you to visit new places, meet new people and if you're lucky, travel?
Just don't ask me about the money!
Most of the time, I'm contented to stay at home and rot.
I'm not very outgoing, at least not in Singapore.
So I'm lucky to be surrounded by a core group of good friends.
In fact, I consider them all my best friends.
But in order not to upset any of them, here is how I categorize them.
1. Best Friend (Dominic) - By virtue of the fact that he is my longest friend (17 years), I have to give top honours to Dominic... or risk grievous bodily harm!
2. Soulmate (Dawn) - Everyone should have a soulmate, someone who is so connected to you that you only have to blink for that person to know what is on your mind. And I'm lucky that person is the lovely Dawn Marie Lee, I'm going to miss her when she moves to Turkey in July (sniff, sniff).
Dawn 3. Brother (Lennon) - My buddy from army, I get along better with Lennon (and his wife Vivian) than my own brother. There was a period of time when people literally thought we were real brothers! But now that I'm so fat, nobody will make that connection anymore :p
4. Buddy (Ah Ho aka the Donkey) - A junior from army, it's amazing how I managed to click with Ah Ho rather than most of my own teammates. The Donkey is a real interesting case study. Here is a rather fine specimen who unfortunately behaves in a most dorky manner. But now that he's flying in the skies, we'll see how much of the famed SIA training rubs off on him.
The Donkey Get familiar with the 4 characters above, you will be reading a lot about them here in future.
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