爱: 5 More Mins ...

... and we enter the final month of 2007. Where did the year go?!!

Okie ... in anticipation of better things to come ...

Married! My Childhood Playmate

That's my cousin. He's a year younger than me. And he's married today. Congrats!

Sigh ... how time flies. Still remember once upon a time, when we were too young for school, we always played raucous police-and-thief games modelled after our favourite Hong Kong TV series at my house while waiting for my aunt/uncle (who were teachers) to pick him up after school. Hope now he's not handcuffed by his wife! Haha ...

On the way back from work today, 3 ladies near me (who looked about my age, perhaps even younger) talked non-stop about the stress of taking care of their kids. Why is it that kids are the only topic mommies talk about? What about music, movies and hobbies?

Am glad I'm not one of them. Yet at the same time, I don't mind some love from a real soul mate ... hehe ...

Elvin Events ...

For the interested ... seems like a couple of things are happening this weekend and into early next week as Elvin takes a break from filming (for Kinship, filming ends 1 Dec, and for a new series in which Elvin plays a handicapped person, filming begins 18 Dec)

So mark these FREE Elvin dates ... haha ... not literally cuz they cost $$ ...

2 Dec Charity event at St James Powerhouse, 2 pm onwards. Kiss Elvin for $10 (promotions have been misleading people into thinking Elvin will be smooching kiss buyers ... fat hope! Haha ... )
huiz: Not going. Probably need to finish up my reports. Or in the middle of a movie marathon ...

4 Dec The second gathering this year (only the second one!). Boy, it feels like only yesterday I was at the first one in Feb!
huiz: Not going. It's a bl**dy weekday and *officially* starts at 7 pm. Don't think we get to spend much time with him anyway (judging from the previous experience, he'll probably turn up about 8 - 9 pm)

No tears for giving Elvin a miss v(~_~)v

15 Dec Kinship closed door event at HDB Hub Convention Centre Auditorium

Usher in Christmas early with the cast of Kinship II! Join Elvin Ng, Xiang Yun, Yao Wen Long, Chen Tian Wen, Alan Tern, Eelyn Kok, Zhang Wen Xiang, Brandon Wong and Carrie Yeo in an exclusive closed-door event and interact with your idols up-close!

Date: Saturday December 15

Time: 2.30pm – 4.30pm

Venue: HDB Hub Convention Centre Auditorium (Basement 1)

Event Highlights

* Be the first to catch the all-exclusive preview of Kinship II!

* Participate in fun games with the cast!

* Be one of the lucky ones to receive a Christmas present from the cast!

Admission to this exclusive event is strictly by invitation only! To get yourself invited, write in to promo8@mediacorp.com.sg with your name, NRIC number and tell us which artiste you’re looking forward to seeing at this event!

Hurry, limited seats only! Closing date: December 9, 11:59pm. You will receive a notification email on December 10 should your application is successful.
huiz: Have sent the email! Will decide if going closer to the date :)

Dhaka Street Snaps

In this conservative society, only men work.

Good to know that Dhaka has a book culture. At least this street is lined with books of all kinds, though many seem to be very old.

Village kids, where we had our last interview of the trip.

A crowd gathers near where we had our last interview at a village.

Some rickshaw riders repairing their only source of livelihood in Dhaka City.

A destitute down a lane near the luxurious Dhaka Sheraton Hotel.

Muslimins offer their Friday prayers on a street near a mosque.

After Dhaka

Arrived in Singapore at 0545 today. Disappointed that the cute flight attendant who served my section on the way to Dhaka was not on duty this time round :( But hey, maybe he was serving the same section of the plane (my usual favourite - the back of the aircraft)? I wouldn't know because ... WE WERE IN BUSINESS CLASS ! Wah ha ha ha ....

The flight last night was overbooked so SQ opened its business class to economy passengers. Everything remained as economy class, except for the seats, which was really what I cared for. And because we had already checked out of the hotel in the morning and were afraid of traffic jams and time consuming security checks at the airport, we set off 4 hours before our flight and arrived at the airport 3 hours early. That's how we got "upgraded" - if we had been late, the business class cabin would have been filled up in no time.

This rare opportunity to travel in SQ's Raffles Class cabin was a truly enjoyable one. I slept like a baby but alas, the flight time was too short. Nevertheless, sleeping time was maximised because meals were served and cleared very quickly so that it was lights out for almost 3 hours of the approximately 4-hour flight.

Final notes from Dhaka:

18 November 2007, 20:28

That's it. I've finished fieldwork for Across Asia Phase 2. A little sad now cuz there's no more traveling and it's back to mundane days at the office. And the report writing and countless checkpoints and presentations ... Grrrr!!!

Have managed to do a little shopping around Dhaka yesterday and today. Like Lonely Planet says, this is not a tourist-oriented city and hence it's difficult to find tourist souvenirs. It's just fine with me cuz that's really the last thing I want. That also means that whatever I find would be something that the locals buy, giving me more insights into their unique culture and everyday life.

We were on our way to meet a respondent the previous day when the rows of shops along the New Elephant Road caught my eye (the name alone is enough to pique my interest cuz I'm a real sucker for anything elephant). See, the office is starting a "hat project" - we are to collect hat from every country that we travel to. So I saw some gorgeous turbans in those shops along the NER. They are the "pagri" which men wear on their wedding days and boys on their birthdays. Very dressy headgear with embroidery, brocade, lace and stones. So I had to get one for the project since the regular Bangladeshi men or women do not wear any traditional hats or caps.

So I returned to the NER yesterday morning since we didn't have any respondent to meet till 3 pm. Took the auto rickshaw there for only 30 taka but I was convinced I was being fleeced already cuz thee distance was quite short. I had the good mind to walk back when I was done with the shopping.

But like any such markets in Delhi or Karachi, I soon got sucked into the labyrinth of streets and lanes displaying a wondrous collection from household items to jewellery and clothing to books! YES, I was so impressed to find a street with vendors selling nothing but books in Bengali and English. There were fiction novels to college texts, some were very old. But I'm glad there's a book culture going on in this city (as we saw a mobile library on the way to Farmgate later to meet our respondent who turned out to be a very sensible boy in love with life and books).

Well, back to hats. So I found the pagri I wanted and bargained for it. Closed the deal at 60% the offer price. Since this is not a tourist-friendly place, I'm not very sure if prices had been marked up but I think what I paid was probably fair and would be what local people would go for. I didn't walk much before I got attracted into another shop and thought, hey, maybe I should get another for my own keepsake. My sis' favourite teddy bear can wear that. Haha ... that bear has already assumed a personality of its own and is very often the star of our jokes (I shall introduce my family of toys, each with its own personality, some other time). The pagri will look smashing on him (he also has Mickey the Apprentice hat from Disneyland :)

I was also keeping a lookout for kurtis or the salwar kameez as Lonely Planet reports that some are selling for only 150 taka, although that's at the New Market. There were plenty but the designs were too loud for my taste. So I continued scouring the vicinity for a while and came into the "pets" lane. And I freaked.

I have a very soft spot for animals, especially in countries where people are finding it hard to survive, what becomes of the animals? I really hate to think of that but when I was walking down that street, that's all I thought of. How many were dying there in their cages bathed in their own excrements there as I strolled by? And no thanks to the wailings of the dogs either.

I quickly got out of there, hailed a rickshaw and told him to take me to the hotel. This is another rare experience for me because I haven't been on rickshaws of any kind since Primary 4 when mom started putting me on the school bus instead of "black uncle"'s trishaw because he was getting too old and fragile.

However, it soon appeared he had heard me wrongly for he took me to Central Hospital instead of Sheraton Hotel. I pitied him for there was so much leg work involved. So when we finally got to Sheraton, I paid him 50 taka, which I thought was quite a lot for a rickshaw ride. He demanded more. I added another 20 taka and he still refused to accept it. Quite obviously he was trying to rip me off. Thankfully, some locals came around and told him to buzz off. At that point, I felt a little guilty because I wasn't quite sure if what I paid had been fair to him but after checking, I'm now quite sure that 70 taka (USD1) can go quite a long way in Dhaka. I was probably his most profitable customer that day.

We had dinner last night at a local restaurant called the Kasturi, which according to Priya serves home-cooked food. The food was very yummy and the price was jaw-dropping. For the price of one miserable meal I had the last few nights at the Sheraton, it feeds five at the Kasturi. Amazing. We followed our meal with some local desserts at a nearby dessert shop. They were all too sweet for me but there's one which I quite liked. It's like little balls made of rice flour that the Chinese have but instead of swimming in ginger broth, this version is covered in creamy milky sauce. Quite yummy!

19 November 2007, 18:00

Our last field today was to a village about 45 minutes from the city. Right after that, we sent Kajal, our moderator from Calcutta to the airport (it's quite strange that the core team is from India. The Dhaka team seems to be in charge only of recruitment and logistics) After that, the local researcher Tanzana brought me shopping for kurtis which are locally known as "fuwar" (sp?). The first mall that she brought me to didn't have any amazing designs but the prices were considerably lower.

The second one, called Aarong, was where the good stuff were. It's Bangladesh's leading handicraft centre and I guess, she knew that the prices were higher so that's why she had brought me to the first mall. It's not where people go for their daily wear, only for special occasions like the Eid. That explains the quality of the kurtis that I found there. I eventually bought 2 pieces, a total of SGD50 which I think is very pricey by Bangladeshi standards but they are really pretty so I think it's a great buy. They fit me better than the one I got in India.

Tanzana is a great lady who is very open. Well, she had come from a family that's more open than the average Bangladeshis who are strapped by religious observance, with a freedon fighter father. It's been quite insightful chatting with her. This is a country where its people have the ideals and definitely the potential to excel if only the decision makers of the country had given them the chance. Tanzana was comparing Bangladesh to India and it's interesting to hear her view that the progress of India had much to do with leaders who at least respect the people while those in her country don't, although corruption is rife in both countries. That's where the difference lies so I wonder when Bangladesh can begin to make any real economic progress to mitigate the sufferings of its people in a country that is already fraught with natural disaster. (According to Tanzana, people from the rural parts are moving into Dhaka after the cyclone to find work, rebuilding their lives as rickshaw pullers, earning from hand to mouth.)

I wish this country well as I prepare to leave on the midnight flight. It's been a very humbling experience and I do hope to have the chance to return one day and visit the recommended nature haven Cox Bazar (sp?)before the tourists flood it when Bangladesh finally picks up its pieces. Having come here, I'm intrigued by the history links of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. I shall find out more ...

Alrighty, signing off for now as we leave for the airport in 15 minutes. Hope it'll be the cute flight attendant we had on the way here last week on duty tonight. He he ...

Blogging from Dhaka

I'm lucky today ... got to tap into someone's wireless line. That's why I get to blog a little. Here're some notes I've taken over the last couple of days.

16 November 2007, 23:40

Lonely Planet says that the Dhaka Sheraton Hotel creates a solitary sanctuary for its guests even when it lies in the heart of the city. Indeed, the worst storm in sixteen years hit and I slept through it all.
Cyclone Sidr, a 10 (the highest), swept through Bangladesh last night. As Dhaka lies on the fringe of the storm's path, it is spared any serious damage of property or lives. However, the aftermath of the cyclone is disastrous.

Aside from dire damage of property and livelihoods along the coast (though this time, it has been mitigated because the government is much more well-prepared than in 1991 when 150,000 were killed in a similar cyclone incident), Bangladesh now has a nation-wide power crisis as the national grid has been damaged by the storm. According to our local colleague, it is the worst in history, one which Bangladesh has never experienced before.

Power is out and so is water supply. Soon, diesel might be too as demand surges because everyone needs it to fuel their generators. Hotels, like the Sheraton for one, need it to keep the television running or the water running for its fortunate guests, like me.

This is one of those times when I feel blessed for being born in the right place and humbled by the strength of the less fortunate to carry on living in harsh environments with much optimism and without grumbles. Not that there's anything they can do about it. Nor I. But at least, I should live in moderation for whatever excess I have could perhaps be contributed to people like them.

I am still regretting not tipping the cash-strapped nice driver with big dreams for his 3 children who picked us up from the airport two nights ago. He had to wait almost an hour, I think, as I got stopped at the customs. They wanted to check my bag but in the end, it turned out to be a major waste of time. I guess they just lost a chance to make some extra under-table money as they couldn't find anything incriminating among my clothes. It's really sad to see honest folks living from hand to mouth and their opposites lavishing in luxury. As I wondered how much the Lexus SUV in front of our vehicle cost and who would afford it, the Indian researcher with us commented that 90% of Bangladesh's wealth is concentrated in only 10% of the population. It's not rocket science to guess who these people are.

I wonder if the next few days of fieldwork can proceed without a hitch as respondents dwell on power and water troubles. As I write, it looks incredibly calm outside. Almost too still. Hopefully, it's not a lull before the next storm.

We successfully completed two observations today. The second one proceeded in candlelight. Luckily, the storm had left behind lower temperatures so we didn't feel too warm sitting there in the small hall with candles emitting heat everywhere. The warmth I felt, though, came from the hospitality of the family. While we interviewed the husband, his wife silently prepared snacks for us. Delicious ones!

If anyone ever wonders why I like South Asia so much, it is the warm hospitality that I've enjoyed in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. No one has any idea how much heart these places contain in spite of their less than desirable physical conditions, until they come and experience it for themselves.

17 November 2007, 13:10

The weather looks great today. There's sunshine and even some blue sky. What a great change from the torrential rains that whipped the city 2 days before. If not for the muddy paths and puddles of water below road curbs, there is virtually no remnant of the storm in Dhaka.

I went out for a walk in the morning. It's already pretty late, I suppose, even for a Saturday morning (housekeeping had come knocking to clean my room and the road has been busy since several hours before). Almost immeediately as I stepped onto the road, a half-naked young boy with his naked baby brother on piggyback came begging for money. Alas, in my haste, I had forgotten my room key, much less any money!

My heart really went out to the boys. I would have given them something, only I didn't have any. I tried to shake them off so they could go find their fortune somewhere and don't waste any time with me the penniless. But boy, was he persistent! Even after a gentleman gave him 50 taka to get him off my trail, he didn't let me out of sight. Then I realised that my cameras had attracted him. So I took a picture for them. And he tried his luck again begging, "10 taka m'am!" before finally saying goodbye.

I walked down a street opposite the hotel, not quite knowing where it'd lead me but I was sure to find my way back if I didn't make any drastic turns. It's a typical Dhaka street; its residents alive with activites - barbering, preparing and selling local breads, topping up their mobile credits. One thing that sets such community in South Asia apart from the East is that people come begging for pictures. I've never felt hesitant clicking away on the camera. Most are more than happy to pose for one and a smile of thanks usually seals the deal.

It's quite a slummy area. The houses/shops are tiny and some look more like a cart than a house. I didn't ask, but I suspect that the peddlars also live there in the small carton-like shop/house.

Did I feel unsafe? I guess a little, especially after several of our respondents reported phone hijacking in crowded markets. But at the same time, I was a little ashamed to be suspicious because they may be poor, but they are not crooks. At least not all of them and it is really my own responsibility to be vigilant and alert.

It's nice to find that Malaysia is holding an education fair at the Sheraton today. On the way back to the hotel, a student headed that way asked if I was Malaysian. I was honestly shocked and at the same time, thrilled! I've been asked if I were Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Taiwanese, Hongkie everywhere I go, but this is the first time I'm identified as a Malaysian. He wanted to know where in Sheraton the fair was but alas, I could not help him there. In fact, I had received that piece of information from him. He eventually found out from the hotel staff.

Gee ... I feel a little bad for not being as friendly as I could have because I thought he's one of those people who are trying to make small talk. But he's just someone who is in search of a better future through higher education in Malaysia. I'm proud of that, of what the Malaysian education system can do for them. And I'm also sure this country has some very bright people (at least one of the respondents we've interviewed is an intelligent one). Hopefully, they can be the ones to lift the country out of the dumps. If they don't get corrupt first. Sigh.

From Taksim Square to Linkin Park

We leave Istanbul at 1235 (1835 Singapore time). Gee ... where did time go? While I'm sad to leave Turkey, there's the Linkin Park concert waiting at home. Besides, I've made up my mind to return to Istanbul for another more leisurely visit. I'll look forward to that!

Hey, this city can count as another I can live in besides 成都 and Bangkok (spicy 四川 cuisine and Chinese tea for the former, and tom yam goong for the latter) - Istanbul is the capital for beans, nuts and seeds! Bearer of the nickname Nuts courtesy of my dear cousin, I'll surely thrive in this place v(^_^)v

Istanbul In Pictures

We had dinner at a cozy fish diner in Ortakoy near the Bosphorus.

Okay ... I'm on the campus ground of Galatasaray Universitesi (the Bosphorus Bridge in the background). These lucky people must have the most beautiful school in the world! It sits on the banks of the Bosphorus. And I thought Harvard which sits on the banks of the Charles River had the most beautiful campus ...

Having morning tea and feeding the pigeons by the Bosphorus - now, this is life!

A typical Istanbul urban dwelling. Ok ... this city is so much like San Francisco. It's so hilly! Perhaps even steeper than SF. Walking this street to the Bosphorus is a breeze but the way back is an uphill task.

A young busker and his accordian. He still needs lots of practice.

A couple of kebab shop helpers asked for a photograph so that's what they got.

The Aya Sofya from the entrance of the Sultanahmet (The Blue Mosque)

The intricate interiors of the Sultanahmet.

The back courtyard of the Sultanahment after the rain.

Zzzzz ...

Just came back from a focus group which ended an hour ago. 5 am Singapore time ... lol. Feels like returning in the early hours of the morning from a night out partying.

Feel kinda proud for being able to effectively direct the cab driver to our hotel when he couldn't understand English and we couldn't understand Turkish v(^_^)v All thanks to the early morning walk I took this morning. For now though ...

Zzzzz ...

Istanbul Day 1

Arrived in this grand city early in the morning Istanbul time. 7.02 am to be precise. That means 1.02 pm Singapore time.

The flight was not too bad, especially after the transit in Dubai. I had the entire row of 3-seaters to myself. The part of the journey from Singapore to Dubai, I'd have had the same if not for one of the Hongkies from the row in front of me shifted to my aisle seat. It didn't cause no discomfort, so I'll quit bitching about it.

I slept through most of the flight save for during the two onboard meals, albeit a pretty "choppy" slumber. On arrival, I didn't feel jetlagged. In fact, I was quite energetic breathing in the cool, fresh air of Istanbul. Haha ... cool is really an understatement. It's pretty cold for an autumn day in Mediterranean weather! Even the locals think it's unusual.

Oh well, maybe it's just today. I don't know how much longer my Disneyland sweatshirt can sweat out against the cold. Damn, I always underpack despite consciously reminding myself that it's safer to bring and not need it that to not bring and need it.

My traveling partner is a nice, intelligent and very fit elderly Indian lady. She's probably around mom's age. She's much more upbeat, I think, raring to go out and explore the city. So after checking into the hotel and grabbing a quick breakfast waiting for our rooms to be ready, we headed out for old Istanbul where the famous Sultanahmet (Blue Mosque), Ayasofya (Haghia Sofya) and the Topkapi Palace stand within walking distance of each other.

The drizzle had stopped when we left the hotel but soon started again when we were at the Sultanahmet. And it got really cold, which was worse because we had to wait between 15 and 20 minutes for teh afternoon prayers to be over before we could enter the mosque for our visit.

We were actually a little confused between the Ayasofya and the Sultanahmet, thinking the latter was the former. We later sorted it out with our Turkish friend.

The beautiful mosque with 6 minarets that we thought was Ayasofya because it appears so often on any literature about Istanbul, and the Ayasofya is all that people talk about, is the Sultanahmet. The Ayasofya is now called the Ayasofya Museum, an unassuming brick-coloured domed building that looks somewhat like a church too, just opposite the Sultanahmet. There, mystery solved.

We had wanted to go to the Topkapi Museum as well, but we had to keep our afternoon appointment at the office for a briefing on tomorrow's work. So after a lunch at a little restaurant at the end of a cobblestone lane leading away from a tram track near the mosques, we headed for Enseteppe. Well, you see, many places in Istanbul have names ending with "teppe" because that means hill. Really, Istanbul is quite a hilly city much like San Francisco.

After the meeting, we headed out to one of the rare modern malls in Istanbul called Kanyon. Apparently, the city has not caught up with modern architecture, its best architecture being those leftover from the Ottoman empire (which is really magnificent!) So when you get something like Kanyon, it's all out mall culture. Everything here is high-end, so after a while, we decided it's time to hop on the tube and return to the hotel. Besides, jetlag is setting in. After all, it's midnight in Singapore already! So here I am at my last activity of the night. Will get to sleep in tomorrow morning since work won't start till 1 pm but that's gonna go all the way till 9 pm *yawn*

That's how my line of work is. Irregular hours. But nothing to complain about; more daylight means more snooping around this gorgeous city. (Psst ... the water is seagreen in spite of a gray sky! It's that beautiful. And it's water all around. If only I own a villa here, down at the marina ... sigh ...)

雪呢？

      Tis the season
      ... the beautiful
      ... is cold as ice

      Like fleeting snow
      ... now you see it
      ... now you don't.

Istanbul, Here I Come!

Last year, this time, I was packing for a trip to Sydney to attend the once-in-a-lifetime U2 concert. Today, I'm packing for Istanbul. Check out the picture - I think it's a romantic place to be (well, if only with the right person but oh well, can't complain! Hehe). Besides, The Jester, one of James Patterson's best and one of my favourite books, tells a story that involves the Turks and the Byzantines during the Holy War ... I don't understand all of what that moment in history means, SO I'm gonna find out ALL about it on this trip!

No doubt, it's for work but I'm looking forward to some good times in this city that sits on both Europe and Asia - the only city in the world with such geographical privilege. Because of flight times and such, we should have some free time to explore the city. Keep my fingers crossed!

Think the weather's lovely too. Temperature hovers on the lower teens, down to below 10 degrees Celsius. Well, for me, it's lovely to be a bit on the cold side :)

More on Istanbul. If it's true that the hotel where I'll be staying has free Internet connection, I shall be putting up pictures fairly soon :)

Weddings and Babies

Finally, EC is married. They've planned it for so long, she's been excited about it for just as long counting down to the big day. It finally happened yesterday with an emotional church ceremony which I missed, and one of the more entertaining dinners I've been to where everyone seemed to know everyone (except us though. Lol). I'm really happy for her.

XM asked if the wedding inspired me to get married soon. I love weddings because I leave these events feeling warm and fuzzy and motivated to be loved, to find someone to love and be loved back. That is important for me. As for the institution of marriage, I'm not so much a believer. I believe that for two persons to be in love is sacred and does not entail the formality of marriages to seal that vow. I believe in unspoken vows that lovers hold dear in their hearts. Am I naive? But that is what I seek. XM, let's 加油 together alright! :)

Also found out that P is pregnant! OMG! She always struck me as this super career woman who thinks kids are a drag. But just like my two other friends with similar drive, they all succumb to the call of nature, fulfilling the circle of life. That's good, really awesome, and I'm glad for them. Can't wait to see the cute little boy when he emerges from the amniotic depths in 5 months!

3 Most Genuine Faces On Camera

Was browsing my album for 九寨沟 and these faces captivated me yet again. They are kids from the Sichuan highland fairyland that tourists from hectic cities escape to for a breather, a bit of R&R. Despite the tourist dollars, this is really one of the remotest parts of China and living standards are well, way below that of the megalopolises of Shanghai or Beijing.

Yet, the people here are the loveliest. The kids, at least, are the most innocent, most optimistic. The faces that know no stress nor woes of the world. The faces brimming with gullible but blissful happiness. Such is the expression that I would rather wear in the place of a mask that has become a necessity to navigate this superficial world with its superfluous people.

Pooh Bear and Snoopy t-shirts. Based on my readings on rural China, the kids have no idea what the characters on their shirts are cuz they have no access to international TV to be acquainted with Winnie the Pooh and the Hundred Acre Wood or Christopher Robin and Charlie Brown. The t-shirts that bear these characters are just some in a few million that come off the tireless production lines of countless Chinese factories responsible for the healthy double-digit GDP growth of this giant economy.

爱: 真可爱！