Got my Expo tix

Dropped by CTC today, the authorised travel agent for the Shanghai World Expo, for a 3-day pass at SGD90.

So I'm all set. 48 days.

Shanghai World Expo Pavilions

The theme this year is "Better City, Better Life". The Expo will feature ideas and concepts of future sustainable urban living from countries around the world of different economic, social, cultural and political backgrounds. Yet, from history we've learned that Expo pavilions will be dismantled after the grand event. Where do all the materials go?

I guess the success of this year's Shanghai World Expo is measured not by the exposure and publicity it receives, or the number of visitors it eventually attracts which will no doubt be a massive number, but by how efficiently the dismantled pavilions can be reused to minimise the waste and stress that they will cause the already overflowing landfill to the detriment of the environment and people, which will be a complete irony of the Expo's theme.

Other than that, although the construction seems terribly behind schedule, the pavilions are shaping up real nice. I'm proud of Malaysia's and Singapore's pavilions; some kickass structures they are! I just hope they'll all be fully completed when I arrive in 52 days.

Back in warm humid Singapore

Ahhh ... there I go again whining about having come home. It's great to see the family again and sleep in my own bed but I'd rather a few more days in HK :)

Oh well, I guess it's back to work and reality tomorrow. Good night, and ciao!

Neil Clarke, if you're reading this, I'll reply to you in a jiffy, keep posted to MSN, that's where pictures will go this weekend! :) For now, keep your words flowing, save me a copy of your original manuscript please, for Christmas, you Triumvirate of many talents :)

Last nite in HK, next stop Shanghai

How fast! This is the final night of our stay in HK. And I'm already looking forward to my next trip to Shanghai ... hehe ...

This morning, we went to Mido Cafe in Yau Ma Tei recommended by someone on an online food blog as well as lonely planet for oily po lo bao and milk tea. It's quite an atmospheric place, supposedly has stayed the same since the 1950s in spite of all the dynamic changes happening around it. I also fiddled around with my S90 - quite some kickass camera, this one :)

After Mido, we headed out to Lamma Island. Before boarding, both CD and I bought something from Zara at the IFC Mall - me, a nice top, CD, a nice pair of jeans. Both are about SGD60, which is quite a good bargain.

Lamma Island is nice tranquil place to chill out. We trekked to the beach at Mo Tat Wan, where we sat down with cappucinos and a slice of cheesecake. After some brief moments picking seashells on the beach, we boarded the ferry and ended up in Aberdeen, after which we took the mini bus to Causeway Bay.

Here, other than the mandatory Hang Heung egg rolls and lo po beng (wife biscuits), CD and I both got great bargains at some of the fashion shops in the vicinity of Sogo. We also had some street food like yu dan (skewers of curry sauce soaked fishballs) and yong tau foo Hong Kong style. Then the ham chee peng and another ova-shaped fritter caught our eyes so we had that too. While we were eating, a bowl of beef porridge on the poster tempted us, so we got that too. Hahahaha ... how greedy! We were truly full to the max.

We decided to head back to the hostel to dump the stuff before heading out to Mongkok's Ladies Market again for some souvenirs for the folks back home. So we spent a couple of hours there, and couldn't resist the temptation of mango dessert Xu Liu Shan, so we had that. Oh did I mention that I succumb to the lure of a nice gray shawl with pink criss-crossed patterns (despite telling CD that I'd bought so many of them from China!)?

Man, HK is indeed a giant money sucking machine, and a monstrous food mall. I love it, and miss it already. Last day tomorrow, we're having roasted pigeon at Sha Tin, supposedly the original inventor of roasted pigeon which has become a local must-eat HK delicacy :)

In HK: 10KM walk + S90 in the bag

Whoa! CD and I walked 10km today to see the Geopark's volcanic unique hexagonal rocks and other beautiful sights. It's indeed a very different side of HK, and I'm extremely satisfied!

What's more, today I finally got my S90 from Best Denki, HKD100 cheaper than the 2 other stores that I asked yesterday. Blimey and super happy! Haha ...

But damn tired. My face feels flushed, eyes sleepy, legs a bit sore (which I'm pretty sure will be even more so tomorrow). On top of that, it's colder today than it was yesterday, plus it's out in the countryside on high altidude, so what gives.

But I'm happy. So gotta ciao, sleep and be ready for tomorrow's adventure to the Wetlands :)

Last day of March

Err ... where did the first quarter go?
But who cares. Exciting things are on the way :)
Hong Kong.
Kelly Clarkson.
Shanghai.
YES ^___^*

"Funeral" is Viewers' Choice 2009

Yasmin Ahmad's "Funeral" has won the Gold Award at Mediacorp's Viewers' Choice 2009.

It is a pity she's no longer with us to be honoured for her wonderful works, which will forever remain with us, of course, just as this award is a tribute to the indelible messages she has carefully woven into her masterpieces and the fabrics of our society.

We still miss you.

又是星期一

每一个星期一 ，
把我带到最终点。
60天。

5th time HKG

My colleague asked how many times will this trip to Hong Kong be for me? I said the fourth. Then, a long-lost friend with whom I had travelled to HKG with many years ago added me on Facebook and I realised I'd completely forgotten that trip! Gee ... now I'm wrecking my brain trying to remember the highlights of that trip. Hmmm ... but anyway, looking forward to my FIFTH trip to HKG!

The kites didn't fly ...

I didn't join them, but the team said none of the kites went up in spite of the superb weather and high winds. Perhaps a little too windy, our structure made of three or four 'lidis' couldn't take the beating and caved in to the draft.

We shall try again. With bamboo perhaps, or rattan? Not sure, we'll keep experimenting because we're designers! v(^___^*)v

王+元=玩

今年我们 team 决定参加台湾设计周。所以那天就一起 brainstorm 一些概念和 ideas。其中一个就是《玩》。

看着这个《玩》字，我突然有个有趣的启示 。《玩》是由《王》和《元》拼成的。诉说要有钱才玩得起，不是吗？

这次的启示令我对中文更有焕然一新的敬佩了。中文的每一个字其实负有现实生活的很多点滴。好像最常用的《好》字，可能就是对天下的女人的一种致意吧。还有《男》字是由《田》和《力》拼成的，反映了农家男性成员的责任。当然还有很多很多类似的例子，继续努力学习中文吧！

We made kites today!

The team's headed out to a kite-flying session at Marina Barrage come Sunday. Moi, of course, have declined because Sunday is my hibernation day ;) But I chipped in with building one of the three kites (we divided among ourselves three teams!) after lunch today. Quite a beauty! Now, I feel an inkling of desire to head out there this Sunday too ... hmmmmmm ...

Dynamic Asia, Stagnant Me?

Asia is so exciting. China is so exciting. Should I still be sitting here in Singapore? That does not sound right. At all.

April, May

Now that my birthday is over, I can't wait for March to end soon. Cuz April and May are just fabulous ^___^* So much to look forward to!

April 2 to 5, Hong Kong trip ... haven't been back there since fall of 07, how has my favourite makan place been?

April 27, Kelly Clarkson in concert for the first time in Singapore! Yay! Rock on!

May 28 to June 5, Shanghai. The trip that I look forward to the most ^___^* Much optimism and hope, in the mood for luuuurve ... and of course, the breathtaking World Expo.

Ugh, just hurry up please ;)

Hujan. 雨. Rain.

Dah lama tak hujan. 今天一早下了, 下了一个上午. I don't remember the last time I didn't complain about having to go to work in the rain.

Memang selesa, dah berapa lama tak begini. 降温, 一整天都是凉凉的, 空气也好很多. The best part is, the grass once again has a chance at life.

过生日, 吃花生, 步步高升

Aiyoh, really dunno what to eat tonite since I'm still full from the lovely lunch party my dearest designers gave me this afternoon ... hehe ... so I'm munching some peanuts now, while going through the birthday wishes friends have left on Facebook.

Thank you, everyone, friends and family, for being there for me all these years, and I look forward to many more. Being able to celebrate birthdays year after year with the same wonderful people and new wonderful people is truly a blessing, and I wouldn't trade it for anything else in the world.

Love y'all! o(^___^*)o

34

I'll be thirty-four tomorrow. What do I feel about it? Haha, it's not like I'm turning 35. Ask me again next year ;P

Weary

I am. Not sure anymore how to progress, but I guess this is timely advice, though I think I'd lay off for a while and recollect myself on my next steps. Letting nature take its course is my best option.

"You may realize how weary you are today, especially if you have been putting a lot of energy into maintaining a high level of optimism recently. Now, however, it's as if someone has let the air out of the helium balloon and it's requiring more work on your part to keep it afloat. Although you may be tempted to let it fall to the ground, another round of effort is a good idea, for it will keep you in the game long enough to ride a second wind that is on its way."

TimeOut Singapore Bdae Bash @ Stereolab

Thanks to Honza, we got into the party for TimeOut Singapore's 3rd birthday bash at Stereolab Pan Pacific Hotel last night. It was a fun party, and if we had been forewarned to bring our business cards, we might have won vouchers for Tiger Airways holidays. But oh well, at least we had free flow vodka for 2 hours, more than I could handle! I'm really, really lousy at holding my liquor.

Update: More photos from the official photographer.

Samantha Brown loves Chengdu too!

I love her travel shows. And her popularity with me has just upped several notches after reading her interview with Channel News Asia, during which she described her fascination with Chengdu, her teahouses and ear-cleaning.

So fascinated she was with Chengdu, China, and its teahouses where patrons can get their ears cleaned while sipping tea that she decided to give it a go.

"They have those long… skewers that you may put a satay on and they clean your ear and you have never stood so still in your life," she said, describing the experience.

"It's something I would do in the privacy of my own bathroom and they just do it out while they are drinking tea and there's hundreds of people around... but those are those great moments that you get to experience, something you would never do where you come from."

Ouch! How I miss Chengdu. And her teahouses. And the pandas (video here of Sam's visit to the Giant Panda Research and Breeding Base in Chengdu ... ultra cuteness!!!)