Florence January 23, 2009

Florence was a flurry of shopping, museums, gelatos and good food. O my gosh! I had one gelato a day, it was amazing! Really can’t remember much of Florence but it was my favourite Italian city

Unforgettable Venice January 15, 2009

Venice must be one of the the most bewitching city in Europe, remembering it brings to mind the confusing little streets and windy back lanes, small and large pontes across random canals and chintzy gondolas carrying wide-eyed tourists. What a watery tourist trap! And yet, it was an absolutely romantic place to be on New Year’s Eve.

Our time in Venice was spent mostly around the splendid Piazza San Marco, we stayed 10 steps away from the Piazza so it was fantastically convenient. Loads of pigeon which inspired my fear of them shitting above my head. On the first night, we were greeted by a plucky dim-witted man who stripped naked in front of the clock tower, the temperature was sub zero- wondered why didn’t he freeze his balls off.

Basilica di San Marco was most stunning structure visible at the Piazza, it was built to contain the remains of St Mark.

How can we not ooh and aah at the gondolas! They add to the romance of this enchantingly dark city.

Welcoming 2009 with old friends and a huge random mass of human bodies. It started snowing 15 minutes before midnight; too many drunk people around; kisses and alcohol flying everywhere and I was missing home.

Madrid January 9, 2009

Madrid was quite lovely. I think I just like the feeling wide roads and huge spaces. There wasn’t very much to do but we managed… haha

One of my favourite parks so far, especially with the bleak wintery feel, we had a make-do lunch of croissants, toasts, juice, cakes and macaroons.

Barcelona January 7, 2009

I had great curiousity about Barcelona. A person who visited 44 countries once told me that his favourite city was Barcelona and I wondered why. It is indeed a beautiful and rich city- the Gaudi designs, the beach, the food- all enough to awe me beyond words.

That being said, it was also one of the scariest place that I have been to, I didn’t enjoy the stress of keeping my wallet and money close to me, of ensuring that my bag was zipped. There were simply too many pickpockets.

I absolutely love the blue sky

The yet to be completed architectural wonder- Sagrada Familia and Ben’s dildo looking Agner Tower. 

We bought similar gay-looking pouch to store our valuables. 

Our first set mission on the day we landed was to hunt for good paellas and tapas. Sadly, I still think the best Spanish food is in Singapore. 

The many fantastic works of Gaudi, including Sagrada Familia above- his designs infused with the intelligence of nature and also, his love for God. 

Everything looks so good and edible- I swear the houses looked like candy covered gingerbread. 

Christmas in Singapore December 30, 2008

Again, typed onboard a plane, this time in a crampy 747 after a glass of Bailey’s and heading away from Singapore. I am feeling whiney but I shall control that obviously retarded urge since I have had my time, spent Christmas in Singapore, and I am jolly well on an exchange, I might as well remain in BTC if I missed Singapore that much. Then again, I only really miss Singapore when I left Bristol for the winter. Bristol’s home, Singapore’s home, London just isn’t.

The whirlwind spin at Singapore has eased and soothed my previously heavy heart. How awesome is that! Thank God for always providing, for I am so blessed, to be undeservingly receiving. It’s redundant to express the joy of seeing friends and spending time with family again. Upon touching down, I was engulfed by the whole gang comprising my mummy, por por, Aunty Jackie, my sister, Tristan and Ziyang- amazingly gratified.

On the same night, Ziyang called Limin to arrange to meet her on the pretence of handing her a gift from me. It was absolutely hilarious because darling Limin squealed/screamed and walked away when she saw me. Split seconds later, she walked back and went, ‘you cannot possibly be here.’ I missed Limin and I swear we have the best possible LDR- so we spent Christmas Eve countdown together in the movie theatre (unglamly in fbts and watching a vampire show); late night conversations over ice wine, coffee and Marriott’s blackforest logcake; Christmas day dinner; and she very sweetly appeared at my doorstep yesterday just to say the second farewell in 3 months.

A very frenetic 6 days, so much to do and so little time. Limin and I calculated that each hour I spend is worth approximately 17SGD, so had to make full use of the ticking hours.- church, seeing Che and Jie Jie; searching for claypot rice, Christmas dinner with my closest friends, catching Ya Qi and Mandy for breakfast, the council folks for supper, Aunty Joycelyn for lunch; grabbing Rach Gan for gui ling gao- my pink friend who DID get lost on the way to Holland V; and squeezing every precious moment with ZY- we were experimenting dating in Singapore. Retardedly.

Still, there were so many important people that I wanted to meet and didn’t have the time to.

The frenzy didn’t stop today. My flight was scheduled at 9.05am. So, I should have been at the airport at 7am. But my alarm didn’t ring! To cut the long story short- it wasn’t my fault. Haha. As usual. Daddy had to wake me up at 6.45am. My goodness! I was in shock but I managed to scramble and got out of the house in 15 minutes so yes I am stinky now and I didn’t bathe. When I got to the airport, I was kindly informed that SIA was sincerely apologetic, because my flight had been delayed, and it was rescheduled to depart at 1.20pm instead, leaving me with 5 hours before boarding. It was damn funny so I started laughing to myself. I think Ziyang didn’t find it THAT funny (since he woke up at 5.30am to take the MRT across the island from Bukit Batok to Changi Airport). Still, he thoughtfully canceled his plans and spent the entire time with me eating and stoning at the airport, watching planes. Again, I have so much to be thankful for, God gave me the extra time to spend quietly with absolutely nothing to do, didn’t give me a chance to pack it with ‘things-to-be-done’ but left me to enjoy the peace and stillness with ZY.

Yay! I will see my mummy again when she comes over for CNY ☺ Leaving for Italy tomorrow! I dread the pasta and pizza that will increase the size of my humongous cheeks.

My 21st Birthday- Counting My Blessings December 24, 2008

It’s 22nd December and I am typing this onboard the word’s biggest plane, Singapore Airlines double decker A380, on my way home to Singapore; seated beside one adorably fidgety blue- eyed-9-month- old Christopher and his parents, with a thankful heart (and a niggling guilt).

This is most unbelievable! I woke up this morning, considered between painting London red and having a hermitised quiet existence at home. I decided that I would be happier at home, to enjoy being alone, skype with my mum and Ziyang for most of the day, then capping it off with Christmas dinner with the law folks at Arbutus.

Conceptually, I have always imagined a 21st birthday with a celebration involving a gathering of good friends, relatives and familiar faces in a memorable setting. Almost everyone has had that and I want my turn, so I was feeling lost in London with few familiar faces and missing my closest friends. Plenty of momentary self pity but at the same time, I was happy and thankful for all that I have- My mummy loves me. Moments into this day, I had 4 birthday songs- from the thoughtful boyfriend who sang it in Cantonese; a yearly tradition by a beloved friend who is now in US; an impromptu at the stroke of midnight from the law folks gathered to celebrate dongzhi and the biggest (physically of course) from the bak bak dugong. I am loved. Dearest Limin and my mum called from Singapore. I am really loved. And in a way, I was happy just to be skyping Ziyang. Most importantly, Jesus loves me and now more than ever, yes I know, for the Bible tells me so ☺

But my well- thought out day took a twist when I skyped the bunch whom I call the ‘forceful women’ of my family- Por Por, my mum and Aunty Jackie. And to summarise the key events, since my laptop is running out of battery- It took 20 minutes for them to convince me to go home- feeding on my homesickness and missing, 10 minutes to book the tickets and left me with 4 hours to pack everything and leave London on this very night! So insanely, I am on my way home! And in the best way possible, this would be the most special and different 21st birthday celebrated. Thank you mummy for the sweetest and exorbitant present!

Thank God for His unending love that manifests in His plans for me. This birthday, again, I willingly submit my will to Him and promise to serve Him. I am thankful for His grace and I pray that He helps to master the same spirit of Grace.

I am loved!

Loving and Leaving Bristol (just for awhile)…. December 13, 2008

I am leaving Bristol in a few hours for the Christmas break and will only be back in 2009 (the numbers just keep jumping and everytime I finally get used to writing the correct year, it changes again).   It might be a short absence I still feel rather emo… the feeling of leaving home again. Then again, that uncomfortable feeling comes from missing Singapore, missing family and friends and missing the feel of being home.

It will be an exciting month- busing to London at 3am later, taking a flight to Barcelona, then to Madrid, with Ben and Sam; before landing in London again from 18th Dec- 30th Dec- the anticipation of an orgasmic Christmas sale. Then spending the New Year in Venice and on to Florence and Rome till 5th Jan; spend a few days in London again before going back to Bristol.

Loving and living in Bristol- It isn’t the most terribly exciting place; nor does it have the most scenic landscape; it isn’t even a town that I will step into for a holiday in England but, it’s a perfect spot to create myown space, to hibernate, to have coffee and cakes, to pause and enjoy, to accomplish things at my own time and comfort. For now, Bristol is ‘home’. And it is a beautiful one…

The Clifton Suspension Bridge which is the first place we bring visitors to, it looks awesome whether by day or night…

Bristol and exchange will not be the same without my best emo buddy… the many faces of Ben:

The people who added colours and flavour in our lives…  

Falling in love with zy and paktor-ing makes it all the more meaningful and memorable…

Not forgetting all the fun cooking and good food we have… 

Back to Bristol soon… I will really miss it.

Coffee and Cakes December 11, 2008

It’s rare but we decided to venture out in the 0-degree-cold to go dating at Patisserie Valerie, Calbot Circus- a cafe with the most delicious looking window display. We had a cappuccino each to go with the Belgian Apple Tart and the Cheesecake.

Life is almost perfect with great coffee, exquisite cakes and comfortable company. 

Day-trip to Stonehenge and Bath December 2, 2008

Freezing our assess off at Stonehenge at close to zero degrees.  I was smart enough to wear flats that has pretty cut-out patterns- damn good at letting all the wind and chill in to freeze my toes. At the end of the walk around the Stonehenge, I think I couldn’t feel anything anymore. It was too cold to patiently listen to the audio, so the stones at Stonehenge are no more significant to me than pieces of rocks in formation. 

Then we drove down to Bath and spent AGES finding a parking lot. I liked Bath, it’s a beautiful and quaint town with beautiful architecture and cute little shops. Very crowded on Saturday though. 

The Abbey and the Roman Baths …

We took a turn around the Christmas Market in Bath as well… AND I didn’t buy a single thing. How sad. 

Sushi Cravings December 1, 2008

It had been a good three months before I had Japanese food and it was driving me bonkers!! I miss Sushi Tei! And so, we had a Jap class outing to Yo! Sushi at Calbot Circus. £20 for sushi worse than Sakae was extravagant but it made me really happy after that.