Everything London #35 – Olympics 2012

So glad to be living in an Olympic city second time around after Sydney 2000. Surprisingly, even saw the opening ceremony fireworks from my bedroom window. I’m still debating whether I should support GB Team, Aussie or China?!?! Whichever wins, I’m happy for!

Transport system is coping well so far and since everyone else is either working from home or flexi time I haven’t had to change my lifestyle to match.

Enjoying the numerous cultural and festive events around town to cater for all the tourists such as Wonderground by SouthBank. The Boom Boom Club show was really awesome and highly recommended.

London, you are so beautiful and amazing.

***Photo by journeyexplorer

A trip like no other

I receive a message from my life buddy ‘Hey I’m just leaving the house now. So excited!’

‘Me too!! Can’t wait to see you soooooooooon.’ I reply back

When we meet we hug for a whole minute and our laughter echoes so loud in the lobby that everyone is staring but we don’t care. This is no ordinary meeting. Since our last message to each other, we both traveled to our local airport and took an 11 hour flight to a continent different to one that each of us lives in.

For me, travelling is so much more than just sightseeing these days. I have seen my fair share of cathedrals, museums, plazas, beaches and mountains hence I am more fussy with picking my travel partners. I want to enjoy and appreciate the time we have together rather than just ticking off the list of things to do and see. In fact, this time we didn’t even bring a guidebook. We enjoy roaming the streets of downtown and taking long walks to suburbs beyond. I had no expectations of our trip, because the important element was our quality time and life sharing. Indeed it was truly enjoyable with many pleasant surprises and I laughed so much in these few days than I ever did year to date.

***Photo by journeyexplorer

Natural beauty is an oxymoron

In this day and age where going for a cosmetic surgery, medical facial, vein removal procedures or botox is like going for a haircut, natural beauty will soon be in extinction. I’m not even talking about those in the industry or on magazine covers, because we all know the power of media brain washes us to makes us feel like we don’t measure up. All the perfect skin, gorgeous complexion, ideal bodied portraits of people on TV we can push aside but even if men are going for manicure what is this world coming to? Should beauty pageant contests start having real vs artificial ratio on girls? Should mothers start buying nose job vouchers for their teenage daughters as their birthday or Christmas present?

Unfortunately, as much as we want to deny it, our world operates on appearances. Chinese people always says there are no ugly women just lazy women. I am the first to put my hand up to say I’m lazy on grooming sometimes, especially when I’m travelling. I was an unattractive pimple faced chubby girl in my prime age but I promised myself I’m going to be a hell of a hot 40-year-old women. At the moment I’m doing about 8 hours of exercise per week. It’s hard work but it also gives me the sense of achievement that I do not get elsewhere and also creates an endorphin addiction. I just feel sorry for those who get addicted to procedures done on them instead of working on it themselves. Because the more that’s done, the more that needs to be done. The more you gain your self-esteem from it, the more lowly you will feel without it.

Personally, I link weight and appearance management to success and personal achievement. Do you ever see a 350lb CEO or president??? NO! So if you want to look and feel good, work on it instead of being worked on.

***Photo by journeyexplorer

Special thanks my two male models on our Californian trip

30 hours in Luxembourg

Transport

The airport bus 9 or 16 en route to city centre goes past the business district where offices of banks and other multi national corporations lined the streets. Surprised to find Luxembourg is the largest private banking centre in the Euro zone due to its political stability backed by a good legal and regulatory framework.

Luxair serves food and drinks even during the one hour short flight from London city airport. Their staff is super friendly. You can check in your bag at no extra cost. You don’t have to pay to get extra legroom or to use the toilet. Thumbs up.

Eat

In the pedestrian area I stumbled upon a heart-felt soup cafe – a la Soupe, which was just perfect in the cool weather and after strolling around the city for half a day. Good range of healthy soups which are very tasty. Must go!

Surprisingly, Luxembourg has the most Michelin stars per capita of any city in the world. restaurant does not disappoint. The one we went to (and I’m gutted I forgot their name) served my fish soup from a mega teapot. Desert was refreshing – I had fresh strawberries with yogurt. The panna cotta was really nice.

Excursion

Vianden is a good day trip you can do with great transportation access from central station just for tourists, even though you have to change a couple of times but it’s easy enough to manage. You can buy a day ticket from the main train station which includes entry to the castle, chairlift ride and transport to and back. It was good to explore a bit of the country side views with fresh air and sunshine.

30 hours in Luxembourg was just right and it is perfect for a short sweet weekend getaway.

Snowy Niseko@ Hokkaiddo – Japan

The Japanese are humble cultured so when they call themselves number two ski resort in the world that really says something. I have been skiing / snowboarding in Australia, Austria, Italy, France, China, USA and now Japan. Each time it’s a completely different experience depending on your age, fitness, weather, accommodation and of course people you go with as well.

This time was absolutely awesome. We stayed in a self serviced apartment with laundry and kitchen facilities which is always convenient. It is a little bit further from the chairlift and gondola but they have free and frequent shuttle buses to take you around so it’s manageable with all the gear.

I’m impressed with how they have organised their resort with good transport facilities like buses to nearby shops and supermarkets for your essential needs. Nightly buses to nearby towns so you don’t have to be ‘stuck’ in Niseko all day or all week. They even offer excursions to the nearby Sapporo and Otaru city for those who want to do some sight-seeing or souvenir shopping.

The weather was out of my comfort zone. Since it is famous for its powdery snow, it snowed pretty much everyday that we were there. But visibility was extremely low and it was hard for me to navigate where I was going. On the day where we decided to embark on a cross mountain adventure, I could hardly see 10m ahead of me with fog. Lucky everyone was dressed in very sharp red, yellow and green gear so it stands out a bit. Lucky their slops are very wide compared to the European mountains which is a big plus especially for beginners who want to learn and not be afraid of falling off the cliffs.

They have three mountains areas offered although if you are only there for a few days just Hirafu would be good enough. I’m impressed with the variety on ski passes as well, you can purchase by hours or days depending on your needs with a selection of just Hirafu area or all three mountains.

Japan has top-notch service with always well-mannered staff even on the chair lifts they treat you like royalty as you get on. After a tiresome day of highly active sport, you can relax in one of their hot spring or bath houses. Of course everyone knows I love Japanese food, I had my fair share of sashimi, sushi, sukiyaki, ramen, curry rice and ice cream made with Hokkaido farmed milk was the highlight.

There was a funny thing – I saw and met so many Australians there in the few couple of days I almost thought I was in Australia. Even the apartment owners and some shuttle staff were Aussie. I suppose Australia’s snow mountains aren’t that great and Japan would be an ideal easy to reach option.

Everything added together made a great trip but something complimented my week even more. We had 20 of us which were a fun, active, out-going, adventurous bunch. We had great laughs even on the 5 minutes chairlift rides. We sharing quality food during all three meals of the day and most nights we cooked which was quite homely. After that we had alcohol infused poker nights.

Nice apartment. Good food. Nice slopes. Good snow. Great company.

***Photo by journeyexplorer

Your Place or Mine?

It is not just about physical location but it has so many other hidden agendas.

It might reflect status or class depending on which area they live in or distance to travel from the nightclub which is in the centre of town. Travelling 2 hours on the train might not be ideal because the heat of the moment would have been lost or she just doesn’t look as attractive in the well-lit trains.

It might reveal who has the upper hand or who is the lead in this partnership since one person might have to turn up to work or their social event the next day in the same attire as they are wearing at this party.

It might just tell too much too soon. For example, their horrific bad habits such as not showering or brushing their teeth daily. Or ridiculously untidy living style as you might find sprays of dried urine on the side of their toilet bowl. One may also have secrets they don’t want to reveal such as photos of their ex in a crystal photo frame on their bedside table.

It may also be inconvenient for a closer circle of people as one may share a flat with 5 others and making too much noise in the middle of the night will cause gossip if nothing else.

***Photo by bgorsphotography

Speak their language

When I visit any country, I learn at a bare minimum ‘hello’ and ‘thank you’ in their local language. It can give me a flavour of their culture. But more importantly, it goes a long way if you try to make an effort to break the ice especially when you are trying to ask for directions or something.

A friend once told me about the 5 different love languages being words of affirmation, quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service and physical touch. I’m trying to learn and speak another person’s language so that what I’m trying to express can be received. It’s like every Saturday when I spend two hours one on one with my autistic little friend, most of the time I join him in whatever he is doing with the aim to make him comfortable in his world then he can reach out when he is ready.

I’m learning to appreciate and show appreciation with less complaining and judging. Life is short and it never offers ‘happily ever after’s. There are no money back guarantees or return policies. There aren’t any types of contracts / prenups that can stipulate terms and conditions with small fine print for you to read or check. Tsunamis or earthquakes may hit and whether you can be a survivor depends on your attitude and willingness to fight. When you have people around you to share your ups and downs, that is most precious. I want to simply be true and kind to those around me because that is the best way I’m telling them that I treasure them.

***Photo by bgorsphotography

LoVe with a Passion

I’m in LoVe!!! With France.

This time around it’s Chamonix Mt Blanc – this little town provides has so much taste. Main street lined with shops and buildings of different structure.

Accommodation: UCPA – highly recommended. Good social atmosphere, friendly staff, good access to chair lifts and buses, nice food, lovely environment and very reasonable price.

Good weather, slightly icy grounds on the slopes but this view just makes up for it all.

***Photo by journeyexplorer

Everything London #22 – Singing in the Rain

I have seen a dozen musicals around the globe and the genre of more light hearted shows always appeals to me. My favourite are Mary Poppins (London), Beauty and the Beast (Broadway New York) and Lion King (Sydney).

Footwork of all their performers was excellent and I especially loved their tap dancing. The singing voice of Scarlett Strallen playing Kathy is just amazing. The squeaky voice of Katherine Kingsley is amusingly annoying. Their stage is one to be applauded to cater for the rain and their main dance act which was excellent.

Although a few mishaps for their second night of performance such as leaking water from above but nevertheless a great show and highly recommended!

***Photo by journeyexplorer

5 cities in 2012

From travelling once a month over the past few years to a very static 2011, I think my travel bug has been very well rested and is now back in action.

5 cities I want to visit in 2012

1. Dalaman – Istanbul leaves a strong impression in my travel books and makes me want to explore more parts of this country. This city lets me visit the sea which I love and crave with an added blend of culture.

2. Buenos Aires – Argentina always gives me a classy feel compared to the rest of South America. From its steak and wine to their people with passionate and elegance, it seems such a mysterious yet bursting place.

3. Moscow – Despite how much I can not stand the cold, funnily enough I actually applied for a job in Moscow a few weeks ago. Nothing eventuated and I wasn’t really prepared to live there as an expat and experience your eyelashes being frozen constantly. However, it’s definitely a priority city with its fascinating roughness and harshness.

4. Jerusalem – Being a Christian this place has relevant history, pilgrimage journey, and spiritual significance. Its political debate is also of interest but I mainly want to absorb whatever it has to offer.

5. Mt. Kilimanjaro – OK so it’s not really a city, but I was really inspired reading and listening to other people’s stories of hiking and mountain conquering. It’s definitely on my list to achieve which gives a chance to proof something to myself.

What about you?

***Photo by bgorsphotography

Man hunt mission

Ladies, think about it. Some of us have spent majority of our lives thus far finding The One, Mr Right, our soul mate or partner. Honestly girlfriends, if this is your biggest life project get serious about it, do something about it.

Please do not believe in the rubbish that meeting someone is fate or that when you are not looking is when he will appear out of no where. No perfect guy is going to fall from the sky, and even if you find a nice guy they might require training to mold him and let him grow. You want to meet the love of your life, stop talking about it and get off your butt.

Get realistic.

How many love at first sights do you know of? Who meets the love of their life on the train or the bus?

If you want to find someone who is mature and secure, you might have more chance finding him in your yoga class than at the Soho club at 3am.

If you want someone who has a warm heart, go do some volunteering work.

If you are attracted to someone with musical talent, go to some free or cheap gigs by upcoming bands.

If you prefer smart and intelligent men, you might have to enrol in an MBA course.

If you like a social guy with a sense of humour, don’t eye the one who hasn’t lifted his eyes from his laptop and iPhone the whole hour you have been in Starbucks trying to get him to notice you.

If you are the more ambitious type and want to find a rich successful man, you have to be strategic about it – no shame.  Join a BMW or yacht club and not your library’s reading club. Eat dinner in South Kensington or Beverly Hills instead of ordering takeaway.  Go for drinks at hotel lobbies rather than your local pub. Be an air hostess for Emirates instead of Easyjet. You are not likely to meet him in an internet chat room or dating website. Spend time on your appearance. Dress to impress. Basic rules of the game if you are to be in it.

Honestly I’ve heard it all. The excuses you have to dismiss genuinely good gentlemen because you are just being too picky. He’s too nerdy or too immature or too bland. You can’t stand his table manners or they way he talks to his mum. Did you think you were Princess Diana?

Or ‘But he’s a divorcee’. Oh and you are Virgin Mary?!?

Or ‘There are just not that many guys around’. Well, did you know that the female to male ratio in China is 100 to 118?

Get my point?!?

***Photo by bgorsphotography

Eat. Pray. Chat

Food sharing. Pizza. Cup cakes. Dumplings. Cheese. Chips. Burgers. Ice cream.

God sharing. Praising. Praying. Communion. Worship. Healing.

Life sharing. Stories. Events. Milestones.

That’s what we do in our small group. What else can one ask for?

Amen.

***Photo by bgorsphotography

Culture window

Food is usually the first window to one’s culture. It is such a joy to taste local food when you are travelling. It is even more interesting when you don’t speak the local language and you are just guessing what’s on the menu because they can’t explain it in words you can understand. Then the most fun part is randomly ordering things anyway without knowing what it actually is.

We did that one time in Seville, Spain. There was a particularly popular tapas, full of people in a buzzing atmosphere which was marketing itself to us. So we decided to go in and see what the fuss was all about. We sat down at the tapas bar and tried to reading the familiar alphabet but was arranged in an non-understandable manner to us. We tried to ask the waiter behind the bar what things were, he explained to us in his fluent Spanish which we couldn’tt interrupt a word of. Anyway there is always the universal language of signing so we started pointing to what others were eating next to us and motioning what we want etc. We tasted some funny stuff we’ve never tried before, but we there was some ordinary stuff like calamari and sausages. All in all it was the fun experience which was to be remembered few years down the line.

***Below photo taken at Portobello Market, London

 

Fragile. Handle with care.

Many times I hear girls talk about their past relationships and say something like ‘I don’t know what I saw in him at the time’, or ‘OMG he is the biggest a$$hole on the planet, why didn’t I see it?’ Or even blame it on their friends with ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’

So we all have our failures in judging people and their character, I guess, what’s why it’s called love blind. But for me, even if he had anger management issues half the time, the other half of the time he was the sweetest who plans what to do on each date and picks me up from home. Or the time where he told me they had broken up when he was two timing us, it taught me not to believe every word a man tells me, except that I’m beautiful. Whilst cutting out his face from photos or chucking away the presents he gave you may give you temporary comfort and relief from your hurt. Reality is you still have to pick up the broken pieces.

So would you rather never experience the joy of having or go through the sweetness but also the pain of losing?

 

***Photo by bgorsphotography

Time is the most precious thing one can give

In the past couple of weeks , I have been working “late” til about 7pm. Come on, in  Europe and Australia, that is hard work and dedication! As opposed to Asia leaving at 7pm is un-think of unless there is a valid reason. Someone used to constantly tell me that salary you get in your wallet ends up being about the same in all these different regions ,because you pay such high taxes in Europe and Australia. But now my debate is that my hourly rate is definitely much higher in Europe, because even if I get the same amount of pay I am actually working much less hours.

In the end, everyone is just selling their time for a price. It depends how smart you are with it and you can manage what type of income is coming into your bank account. For example, some people become lawyers so that they can charge for every 6 minute intervals for making a phone call, writing an email or my favourite one is ‘admin’. You can work at a supermarket check out counter for minimum wage or be a prostitutes that charges a sexy hourly rate. As a customer, most services are charged with a time measurements like if you are getting a massage or have an appointment with a therapist etc.

Our society though tends to have a funny culture in a sense that people love to be seen as ‘busy people’. When you bump into a colleague at the coffee machine it’s always like ‘Yeah, really busy.’ Weekends are packed with events on the social calender and you have to juggle between who you prefer seeing more when there is double booking. Otherwise you might be perceived as lazy, boring or a social reject. Obviously, time offering is very valuable. Spending quality time with loved ones, play time with your children, looking after elderly parents and volunteer work are all priceless moments. Yet many times I find that, our physical body may be there in the same space but our attention is failing.

Time is the most precious thing one can give and I am definitely one that craves it from friends, family and partner. I hope that when I am giving my time, I am also giving them my full undivided attention. What about you?

***Photo by bgorsphotography

Scars tell a story

There was the time you fell off your bike. There was the time your brother stabbed a pencil into your arm.

There was the time you were engaged to the wrong guy. There was the time he cheated on you.

There was the time they cut your heart open. There was the time you got some stitches on your head.

You can tell what type of life a person has had from the lines on their face or body. I remember when I was travelling in Tibet, the local people has a very distinctive look that is different from the rest of China. They age very quickly as you can tell from the labouring hands and the amount of sun exposure has its effect on their skin texture.

When you meet an elderly person, you can see glimpses of their life story without them lifting a muscle. Some look like they are in deep thought when they are not, some look like they are grumpy or some look like they are angry with the whole world. Years of emotional formations and life stories have framed it on their face already. I always try to smile as much as possible and consciously remind myself to do so sometimes, because I want to have a smile painted on my face by my wrinkles so that I look like a kind and warm old lady without any effort on my part.

We all look back in our lives at sometimes and wonder what if. We all make mistakes. We all have accidents. We have all been hurt. The magical thing is scars tell your story and that’s what make you unique.

***Photo by bgorsphotography

My least favourite country: Italy

From Rome with its ruins to fashionable Milan, the famous water city Venice to tilted tower of Pisa next to Florence, I have been utterly and totally disappointed with Italy. It has been overrated in movies and novels, which paints a picture of romantic vibe with deep culture and tranquillity. But as I stepped into its cities I am drowned by people and its noises. Streets are unclean. Public transport is not efficient. People are not friendly to visitors. Food is not anymore authentic than what you can get from your local Italian restaurant.

Although I must admit I have not been to the country side or islands of Italy so I may be speaking out of ignorance. However, I have visited the five main cities on no less than 10 occasions and when every time it fails me, it doesn’t give me much motivation to visit the other parts of the country.

***Photo by bgorsphotography

Everything London #19 – Piano Bar

My favourite bar? Piano Bar

I can’t remember how I stumbled upon this wonderful place but I remember first time I was there it was amazing atmosphere, buzzing with people having a good time, nice deco being in the Kensington area. So the pianist is performing a piece with a good crowd, then suddenly the waiter grabs a mic and starts singing too. Oh my he had a good voice, and very good-looking too I might add.

They serve some nice nibbles as well, although not cheap at a place like this. Their drinks menu offer a variety of cocktails, wine and other beverages.

Since I’ve moved back to London I’ve been meaning to visit this awesome place again. But the night preceding a long weekend it was so full, there wasn’t even a place to stand, so a group of us 8 had to leave. Then I realised they opened another brand in Soho near Chinatown and I’m there all the time. Although not as nicely decorated and the crowds are probably not as ‘high class’ and I don’t think they serve any food at all, but they have more musicians than just the piano. The piano is nicely complimented with cello and drums. Also when it’s good music with great company,  it is the perfect night out.

***Photo by bgorsphotography

Mourning over lost

Recently I have lost a precious treasure very close to my heart. I’m making a commitment to myself to set aside time to grief, reflect, heal, absorb, learn, grow, change, and action.

There is this thing in chinese culture where if you parents or elder relatives die, you are not allowed to get married within 3 years to mourn and respect them. For me, this is kind of similar to that.

But who knows? Maybe it is a one way street.

***Photo by bgorsphotography

Amsterdam and its magic

This post is written upon request and dedicated to a bunch of my friends who are going to Amsterdam this Easter – jealous! I remember it I had an awesome trip where there were 5 of us and we kept doing stupid poses for photos. As with many European cities, you do everything mostly by walking. But if you get tired you can easily hop on and off the trams – make sure you have a valid ticket so you don’t get fined. But whilst a city break has its perks you are only getting a glimpse of the country and you can’t really say you have explored it until you venture into countryside Holland which is so beautiful.

To stay:

We stayed at Bob’s Youth Hostel 16 bed mixed room but I wouldn’t really recommend it as it was pretty scrappy. But that was back in 2005 so they may have changed by now. As soon as we walked into the reception area we were greeted by strong sense of local culture – literally. Since we could smell the strong magic mushrooms being inhaled by people relaxing in the lobby area. You should stay at the Flying Pigs Downtown Hostel as it is highly recommended by many and such an awesome location.

To see and do:

• We visited the Ann Frank museum where you can learn about her life and living which was pretty interested.
• On the way you can see buildings and houses that are on a slant because apparently Amsterdam is built on a swamp, so the houses are supported by a foundation made of tree stumps.
• Along the river is very lovely and we did a little boat ride as well. Cycling around Amsterdam is also very enjoyable.
• I’m not really an art fan, but if you are then you will visit the Van Gogh museum.
• Of course you can’t say you have been to Amsterdam if you didn’t seep through the red light district after dark which is such an eye opener. They do business in a glass box where they try to lure you in behind their glass window then they just close the curtain when they have a client with them. Don’t be too obvious when you are taking photos though, you might get into unwanted trouble. Funny story – there were two good looking and mischievous boys in our group on this trip. After our stroll, we all decided to go back to our hostel to sleep which was pretty early. But we couldn’t really believe it, we reckon those two boys went out on their own after we went back to our hostels because they didn’t want us in their way. I still can’t prove it to this day though…

To eat:

They serve a wide variety of magic mushrooms in their ‘cafes’ so pick and choose what you want. Because they are legal in the country creates much ethical debate but I say why not try it whilst you are there.

Oh and don’t forget you should definitely try Dutch pancakes.

To shop:

You really have to buy a pair of those wooden clogs from their all-around souvenir shops. To date, it is still one of my favourite souvenirs from my 38 countries.

5 tips on how to pack right and light

1. Well you have purchased a bargain ticket and you don’t want to add to the cost by paying for checked in luggage. First things first, make sure all your liquids like shampoo, shower gel and creams are under 100ml so you won’t get caught out. But sharing is the best way if there are 5 people in your group, you don’t really need 5 different brands, types and smells of shower gel for different skin types.

2. For hand luggage only trips. Don’t bring food. It doesn’t go down well when you are squashing it in with your pair of stinky sneakers. Plus you should buy all foods locally to fully experience the benefits of being in another country. I guess I can’t speak for vegans or other people on special or religious diets though.

3. Come on girls, how many pairs of shoes you do need for a long weekend trip or even a 5 day trip? Just bring a pair which is easy and comfortable to walk in and that can last you for the period. Even better, you can buy whilst you are there and still have room on the way back. Also, you can live without your hairdryer, straightener or curler for a few days. Your hair does dry naturally you know and sometimes it looks great just being left so.

4. For 2 week or more trips – Well I’ve had business trips for 2 months or going to Tibet for 16 days and survived on just a suitcase. Unless you are going to extreme conditions like those below, then stick to essentials only. Suits and work clothes if it’s a business trip. Layering is best for leisure and holidays, since you can always mix and match. Honestly,  although you do want to look decent in your photos, it is not a fashion show!

5. For hiking trips – Bring clothes that dry quickly and light weight. You want to be able to wash those that you sweat on so they can dry then you will have your fleece and wind blocking jackets for the cold. Usually you can get all your professional gear at North Face or Kathmandu anyways, they will have more advice for you.

***Photo by bgorsphotography

Brazilian rodizio

Being a meatlover, Brazilian rodizio is just what I love when I dine out. I first learnt about it and tasted it when I was on business trip to Texas USA, I visited Fogo de Chão and Texas de Brazil which left great impressions ever since. Fogo de Chao was really top of the notch and I can honestly eat all their tender juicy filet mignon all night. But of course I am also paying a premium price of 70USD. Texas de Brazil had a nicer atmosphere in their restaurants but also good quality food.

In my pursuit of more rodizio in London, I went to try Rodizio Preto. Unfortunately, I was utterly disappointed so a big NO! Their meat was drier and tougher than beef jerky and some too salty without meat flavour at all. Their self served salad bar was not to my appetite either, not fresh or appealing. The only thing that was impressive was their chicken hearts actually, very tasty, if you are game enough to try they give you a whole heap. But for 20 pounds a head, it is definitely not worth your money.

I miss rodizio so much…I wonder if they have any other good ones in London. I will continue my pursuit or maybe I really have to have the best rodizio in Brazil. I have not set food in South America yet so that is definitely on my bucket list.

***Photography by journeyexplorer

What coffee would you like?

I just realised it is UK coffee week this week and there is a whole London coffee festival going on. For most people coffee is one of the greatest inventions or a drug for them as they can’t attend a morning meeting without a dose first. For some people coffee is a setting for conversation like when someone says ‘Let’s go grab a coffee’ or ‘Let’s catch up over coffee’. For me, I don’t drink coffee at all because I don’t like the taste, but I can’t deny the smell of coffee is actually quite inviting. So I usually say ‘Sure, but I’ll just have a hot chocolate.’

On Sunday, my friend took me to Vida e Caffe at Goodge Street and apparently it is quite big in South Africa and just opened it’s second cafe in London. I had their Lindt hot chocolate, rich and yum. It got me thinking about coffee and cafe culture in different parts of the world. In Italy, people drink coffee standing up in a buzzing loud smoky bar type restaurant. Whilst Americans drink Starbucks with a straw. In France, they can sit with a cup of espresso for hours. I remember when I used to live in Sydney, I really love the cafe culture where you sit down and enjoy your afternoon in a cafe. And I have been told it’s quite similiar in South Africa and New Zealand also. I think the coffee culture in the country definitely has something to say about their people and lifestyle there. And maybe which type of coffee you drink also represents part of your personality. So which coffee do you drink?

***Photography by BGOR’s photography

Around the World #15 – Lake Namucuo@ Tibet, China

***Photography by journeyexplorer

How long can you live without internect access?

I don’t like to be away from home for anything more than two weeks. It’s not necessary that I get homesick as such, I just miss the routine and comfort of staying in one place. So I like to have a station at least, for example, London then venture out from here across Europe and each trip lasting no longer than two weeks. I really can’t do those gap year trips where you travel South America for 18 months etc. So two weeks is about the max time I can live without any access to internet connections at all.

I don’t own iAnything or smartphones so I don’t check, or twit, or check in or upload stuff on the go and I think that is a good thing. You should enjoy where you are without taking the cream off the cake and forgetting to be in the midst of what you are doing. I sometimes laugh at those who are so busy taking videos of what’s happening right in front of them, for example, in a concert or show, whilst they miss out on the joy of being there. So I quite enjoy travelling without any connection to the rest of the world via the web.

What about you? How long can you survive without accessing the internet?

***Photo by bgorsphotography

Do you enjoy travelling alone?

Sometimes I go on holidays alone. For example, I spent Christmas and New Years in Tokyo when I was working for the Australian airline Qantas hence the 90% off airfares, and no one else wanted to pay premium price to travel during peak season. I also spend two weeks in Osaka doing nothing but shopping the whole time, walking up to 12 hours a day. There is just so much to see and buy in Japan, I love their food, culture and everything about it – can’t get enough.

Sometimes my friends had passport issues as they arrived at the airport and I end up going on holiday on my own for the weekend. I have roamed the streets of Lisbon, Berlin and Florence on my own. So I got to practice taking shots of myself everywhere, although it did seem a bit sad and you get people who offer to take my photo for me.

I think the hardest part in travelling alone is eating, because usually there is so much food I want to try out and order but there is only one of me. Or something tastes really good and I wanna tell someone to taste it or share it with someone straight away, but lack the company.

I find that travelling solo in Asia seems a little bit less lonesome, because I can do more stuff like pampering or shopping. But in Europe shops close a lot earlier and you can’t enjoy much of then night life when you are on your own.

But I do enjoy the ability to take my own pace and do things at in own timing. Because I really enjoy people watching, and sometimes I just sit in the square for an hour or so and just watch people go about their lives. There was this one time in Japan, there was a bunch of youngsters just listening to music and enjoying themselves freely. Or I would watch locals and tourists in the course of their day whilst I sit outdoors of a cafe. It’s so interesting what you can see and absorb from observing people, not just ticking off the tourist sightseeing spots in the guidebook.

What about you? Do you enjoy travelling alone? What do you enjoy most about it?

***Photo by bgorsphotography

Eat Japan

Today I read Lonely Planet’s poll about If you could travel to any city for the food… The Top three were Bangkok, Rome then Paris. Wow I’m surprised Bangkok came out first by far, probably because it is so cheap and their food really appeals to ‘westerners’. Well Rome I guess makes sense since pastas and pizzas are so much part of our lives and you really have to try it at its origins. Then of course I love French food’s fine dining with well matched taste and precise presentation.

It reminds me of the movie Eat, Pray, Love. It inspired me to think about where I’d choose places to go to for each of those purposes. For Eat, I have decided it definitely has to be Japan. They have such a wide variety of food such as fish, seafood, skewers, teppanyaki BBQ, desserts, miso soup, sake, rice balls, ramen noodles and the list goes on. But I guess raw fish doesn’t appeal to a lot of people, but you have not tried real Japanese food until you are in the country. I have NEVER tasted bad Japanese food, because their culture has such high demands for quality food, presentation and taste. It is also not surprising that Japanese has one of the highest life expectancies in the world, because of their diet is so healthy and you rarely see a fat Japanese person. It is devastating to know that the earthquake, tsunami and radiation incidents will affect so much of its ecosystem, from its seafood to vegetables to meat and milk and water.

***Photo by bgorsphotography

Pub food@ Bag O Nails, Victoria London

What is a trip to the UK without some great traditional pub food? After visiting the Buckingham Palace we found a nice pub on the way and ordered a fish and chip platter together with sausage platter.

The sausages were quite nice as I drowned it in ketchup. The fish and chips were disappointing though, the batter was too thick and the fish fillet was very thin which lacked texture. The scampi was surprisingly well done and tasty, yum! The chips were alright, I prefer them to be more crispy.

The four blokes on the next table were teasing that we ordered so much food, but they underestimate how much we can eat!

La Creperie @Hampstead, London

This is my favourite dessert in the whole of London. As soon as I got off my flight and dropped my bags, I came here for their to die for crepes. Usually there is a queue right around the corner, but if you pick your times well you don’t’ have to wait too long. Otherwise your mouth will be watering by the time you get to your turn.

Apparently this tiny little shop has been long-standing for many years, one time a lady said ‘I don’t know if you can still do it, but I had it 15 years old.’ There are all sorts of news clippings posted on their stand and they even have a Facebook fan page which I have joined of course.

There is a wide variety of savoury and sweet choices, but I always have Belgium milk chocolate. The crepes are crispy and tasty of butter,  unlike the other soft crepes you get which is not my thing. Their melted Belgium chocolate buttons ooze out of the crepes as you make your way down. The cardboard holder is smartly designed with proliferates so you can peel as you eat.  It’s not for sharing though, I eat a whole one on my own!

Everything London #14 – 2012 Olympics tickets goes on sale

So many things about London is so wonderful. I remember the day London won the chance to host the Olympics there were celebrations everywhere and everyone was in a really good mood since it was a really nice day also. Some friends and I went out for drinks at Leicester Square to enjoy the buzzing atmosphere across town. But now a few years down the track, I don’t see how London has prepared for the big event at all. I can see some changes and improvements here and there, but it is far from ready with just over a year’s time to go. China did such an awesome job at organising the last games, I don’t know how London can follow suite honestly.

The London 2012 Olympics schedule can be found on the official website and you can sign up to buy tickets online. Over 2.5 million people have already signed up so join the fight if you haven’t already. Once you have confirmed your tickets within the 6 week application time frame, you can start planning your trip over. Woohoo!

***Photo by bgorsphotography

Everything London #13 – Boots No. 7 Hydrating Mask

The Boots No. 7 Perfect & Protect serum has earned much publicity through its awards but honestly I think it is just so so. Since I have seriously dry skin almost to the point of having eczema, I look for highly hydrating products for daily use and treatments such as masks. This Heavenly Hydrating moisture Mask is a creamy and rich mask is just awesome, as it feels like you are applying clotted cream on your face. I love the pump container as it works like a syringe and pumps every last bit of the mask out without you trying to squeeze til your fingers painfully scream as with tube containers. I have tried to locate this mask in Boots outlets in Thailand when I go travelling but to no avail. So I think they honestly only sell them in the UK or online. A point to watch out is the residue since it doesn’t dilute when you wash it off. My suggestion is that you wipe it off with tissue paper then chuck it in the toilet or in the bin.

Around the World #6 – Suzhou, China

***Photography by journeyexplorer

Everything London #11 – How to get tube, DLR or Overground refunds

Well we all know the Transport for London doesn’t do such a great job and many of us have experienced tube delays or the chaos during peak hours etc. I honestly have no idea how they are going to cope with the over capacity when it is time for the London 2012 Olympics. But as much as we are frustrated by the efficient and quality service they provide, we still have to use it unless you go on strike and vow to only walk or cycle.

So here is a chance to get back something from them. If your journey is ever delayed for more than 15 minutes due to signal failure or whatever other issues the tube is always seemed to be having, you can claim refunds from their website. This applies to all tube, DLR or overground travels but unfortunately not on bus trips. You will be refunded for the cost of a single journey on a Oyster pay as you go.

***Photography by journeyexplorer

Princi@Soho, London

After lunch we ventured into Soho for some desert and coffee. As soon as I stepped into Princi I was attracted by the deco and atmosphere, and the place was buzzing with people I was so delighted.

My Italian friend said that they have this in Milan and opened this in London just last year or so. Typically, they went for tirimisu but since I’m not into coffee, I decided to try the passionfruit cheesecake. Althought she was skeptical since Italitian don’t really do cheesecakes but this one was really refreshing. The cheese was smooth and creamy, the crust was not too hard and the passionfruit is very tasty and light.

I definitely want to go again because their savorory food looked so delicious but we were too full to try. Their pizzas look so awesome, even though I’m not really into pizza at all. Other bread, sandwiches, baked goods and salads look very attractive, can’t wait to go again and try them all out. Then of course I wouldn’t miss the opportunity to try all their other deserts also!

***Photography by journeyexplorer

Everything London #10 – Speakers Corner, Hyde Park

After catching up with friends this afternoon I noticed a nice sunset coming along, so I thought I’d head into the direction of the closest park around and I might get lucky to snap a few nice shots. So not knowing my way around very well, I landed at Hyde Park. Not quite the sunset I was hoping for tho…Even better I took the opportunity to walk around Speakers Corner and see what topics are on, then I saw this guy! I really support FREE HUGS activities I honestly think everyone should do it. I must say this guy had some dedication being on his own, and it was bloody freezing.

***Photos by me

Everything London #9 – Barbican Weekender

Looking for something to do this weekend? Apparently the Barbican Weekender is on, so go check it out.

Everything London #8 – Tate Modern

Well I know nothing about art, but I thought I’d give myself a chance to explore my artistic potentials whilst I’m in London. I went to visit the Tate Modern since the name Ai Wei Wei suggested it was a Chinese person who had an exhibition on, so I thought I’d go and see what it was all about.

Conclusion: I still don’t know anything about art to appreciate it.

Home

I have been nomad for several years now and HOME is not a concept I can relate to yet. 

It is not a physical asset.

It is not who you live with.

It is not a country.

It is not where you store your possessions.

It is not where you sleep.

It is something I have been utter desire and craving for ever since I became independent.

It is about a sense of belonging.

Maybe I won’t have a home until I have my own family.

Everything London #7 – Sunset by the Camden Dock

****Photography by me

Concorde Opera @Paris, France

I had an early arrival around 7am, although they didn’t have any rooms available for me to check in until around 10am I just spent time in the business centre going on the internet. The receptionist was very helpful and even gave me his mobile number in case I needed to call him about anything during my stay! After a quick croissant breakfast across the road, they had my room ready for me.

The superior room is actually a very decent size for a Paris hotel. There is a separate room for the living room which I didn’t spend any time in during my two-week stay, so I would prefer it if it was just one big open area instead of another room. The bathroom is clean and spacious with bathrobe and all amenities provided, it’s a habit that I don’t bring my own toothbrush now if I’m staying in hotels.

I had room service for dinner on the first night, the salad was just so so. The next day, I tried their buffet breakfast and they had a variety of breads, hot food and even cup noodles. I made myself a smoked salmon with fancy cheese baguette with the food provided and it was delicious, a great start to my day.

The location is awesome which is why I choose it in the first place. Walking distances to eateries around Opera area, and I could drop my bags off at the hotel after a shopping spree before I headed out to dinner, since they have dinner quite late in Paris. 30 secs to a metro stop, so what more can one ask for. It’s a pretty safe area I felt, although walking home after dinner one night I had a guy come up to me asking for money. He said he left his credit card inside Galeries Lafayette and asked for 50 euros for his taxi fare. He had a whole story going, that he worked for RBS and I can take his watch or passport if I wanted to as security for the 50 euros. He just needed a cab to his hotel because it can’t be reached my metro etc. If he asked for 5 euros for a metro ticket I would have given it to him, but 50 euros is a lot so I just said “Sorry, can’t help” and walked away. I felt pretty bad afterwards but these things you really never know.

Laundry service is efficient and clean, although they lost one of my thermal pants and couldn’t find it, or couldn’t understand what I was trying to say, so I just gave up in the end.

They had free wi-fi which is very important to me as I don’t like to pay for my internet service and having to time how long I’ve been on it etc. This is stress free.

Overall a very pleasant stay as they called a taxi for me to get to the airport, I would recommend this hotel to anyone who doesn’t mind paying a premium for a nice stay.

Everything London #5 – Breast milk ice cream, Covent Garden

Baby Gaga – Breast milk ice cream at 14 pound a serving.

This is an after note @2 March 2011 – Let’s see what comes out of the product now being confiscated for testing. Well it was good publicity for the restaurant in any event.

Pizza Express @Moorgate, London

I don’t like pizza, full stop. But since I’m meeting a friend for lunch today and he already had a place in mind I didn’t oppose it – it was Pizza Express. It is a very common eatery and you can even see their boxes of ready-to-bake pizzas at supermarkets in London. As soon as we sat down, my friend brought out a 10 pound for two course lunch coupon and since I’m unemployed at the moment, way to go and no complaints.

For starters, I ordered a Bruschetta Piccante which was hot and fresh, served on a board with a cutter. It looked more like a mini pizza than the other bruschettas I was used to having, very delicious although the peppers were way too hot. I then had the Pollo Verdure salad which was really delicious. The warm chicken was soft and tender. The rocket was fresh with a nice blend of dressing. I was most impressed with the bits of bread on the side for those who can’t call themselves full without a dose of carbohydrates. The only thing I didn’t like was that their aubergines were too oily and over cooked, but other than that after today’s lunch, it completely changed my impression of Pizza Express and I can say that I will go there again if not too soon.

Le Pain Quotidien, Southbank London

A nice place to grab a quick bite, chat with a friend or use their free Wi-fi over a cup of coffee – Le Pain Quotidien. I’m so glad they are opening in many more locations in London, and yesterday I visited one by the Southbank next to the Royal Festival Hall. I ordered the crab and avocado tartine with a cup of large hot chocolate. I always find their organic wheat bread a bit too hard but that is just personal preference. They had some sort of paste spread on the bread before they piled on the cucumber with crab and avocado. The avocado is ripped just right, soft and tasty. The large hot chocolate was served in a bowl. I also really enjoy their breakfast menu tho, although I just missed out since it is only served til 12.30pm each day.

***Photography taken off the internet since I forgot my camera.

Ben’s Cookies@ Covent Garden, London

Ben’s Cookies are charged by weight and you simply can’t resist just walking past without buying one or two, or ten! My favourite is Double Chocolate Chunk.

Wow I can’t believe they have shops in Saudi Arabia.

Day out@ Sai Kung, Hong Kong

Sai Kung is a wonderful place with a nice expat population but it has kept up its old traditions where seafood can be bought from fishermen on their boats. The price isn’t cheap I must say, unless you go when it’s around 4 or 5pm when they are about to sell out and go.

TO DO

Hong Kong being in a tropical area, takes advantage of more warm days than cold ones during the course of the year. So anytime from about March to November you can go out for wake boarding, one of my favourite sports.

TO EAT

Don’t ever try the seafood restaurants by the waterfront, it is a rip off for tourists and the seafood quality and portions are ridiculous. We even got food poisoning last time we were there, definitely a no no.

A low-key 1 star Michelin Chinese restaurant called Loaf On can be found on a side street which offers seafood at an acceptable price with a few signature Chinese dishes.

For a cheap lunch, go to for some Thai chicken rice or noodle soup down the alley way .

Or if you fancy an all day breakfast, go to Jaspers.

After dinner, for some Chinese deserts, where else but Honeymoon.

TO WATCH

On a nice day you will see tons of dog walkers with their dogs of all different shapes and sizes. Since there are not many dog friendly suburbs in Hong Kong, they tend to gather around the Sai Kung area. One time I even saw a white poodle dyed pink! Now that is a fashion statement!

***Photography taken by me with Panasonic GF1

Everything London #4 – Mr Simms Olde Sweets Shoppe, Covent Garden

As soon as you walk past this shop, you just want to walk in and buy a bag of lollies in a brown paper bag – such classic! I’m a bit disappointed with their website tho, it completely doesn’t come across with the same feel and message…

***Photography by me

Everything London #3 – Shu Uemura, Neal Street

I’m a big fan of Shu Uemura products, especially their oil cleanser which is so smooth and gentle on the skin. It is a facial cleanser and removes make up all in one go, perfect for a lazy bum like me who doesn’t want to spend more than 5 minutes on my face at the end of the day. My favourite is the green one which is green tea based with anti-oxidants, the latest edition has added a tint of scent in it which just makes face washing more enjoyable as it stimulates your senses.

I remember a few years ago when Shu Uemura just started appearing in London and I enjoyed splashing out on their products. But now being a smarter shopper, I know where to get my cheap Shu products in Asia! *wink*

If you are in need of some pampering and fine quality products, go check out their store tomorrow whilst their event is on!

Everything London #2 – Old fashioned buses

It is rare to see old-fashioned buses on the streets anymore, and #15 seems to be the only route operating with a few. I’m guessing because it runs a Central London route so tourists can take advantage of it.

Everything London #1 – Museum of London

To kick off this series of Everything London, I started off by visiting the Museum of London yesterday. Originally my sole purpose of visiting was to see the London Street Photography exhibition which had been advertised on the tube posters and started on Friday 18 February 11. Unfortunately because it was a new exhibition and it being a Saturday, there was an hour-long queue to get in which I didn’t want to stand in for. So I decided since the exhibition is on until September and I can make use of my unemployment status I will come back another day for it when there were fewer people, I then ventured to check out the other exhibitions on in the museum since I’m already here. This is when the large print photography of London landmarks captured my attention. It was the London Futures exhibition which are such strong and powerful images it makes you stop and think. It tries to portray what London would look like in the future with our climate changes as a pressing issue such as London being flooded or turned into freezing hell as River Thames freezes permanently. But this image striked me most – where the proud iconic high-rise office building turns into an accommodation for the mass.

Catch it before it finishes on 6 March 11 – highly recommended!

Nobu@ Dallas, Texas US

Yesterday whilst waiting to meet with a recruitment agent, I read the City A.M. article ‘The Codfather on life, fish and Nobu’s enduring success. I’m always fascinated by the story and the person behind the success of a business as I want to learn lessons and tips from them. It’s interesting how Nobu said his brother took sushi lessons, I didn’t know they existed. I only know of apprentices in Japan who have to endures years of dish washing, cleaning and hardship before they are even allowed to touch a knife. I have seen reality TV shows of apprentices who want to be sushi chefs, but it’s so tough that the end up crying at the back of the shop most nights as Japanese masters can be tough teachers with their cultural background.

Last time I lived in London, I didn’t dare spend 120 to 200 pounds on a meal at Nobu, a one Michelin star Japanese fusion restaurant, although I have heard much about it and people say you should at least splash out once. So when I got a chance I didn’t miss it. I went to visit a Nobu at Dallas, Texas whilst on a business trip. It’s funny because it is located at Crescent Court which also homes a luxury hotel and other upscale restaurants. As soon as you drive into their car-park you feel an air of finery with fancy cars parked in and valet attendants waiting to take your car. With me driving a low-end Chevrolet, I parked my own car and walked towards Nobu which crosses part of the hotel area.

Being on my own I decided to sit at the sushi bar, which I later regretted as it was too up close and personal as the sushi chefs tried to make conversation and I don’t like it when people watch me eat. Being a scallop lover, I ordered thinly sliced scallop sashimi fanned on a scallop shell with a lemon based sauce as a starter. The presentation is no doubt neat, but I didn’t really like it because it was too sour, I prefer a whole scallop which I can just defrost from a box I get from Citysuper or Jusco. I guess I never vote for fusion food anyways, because I believe it should be authentic which is the whole point of food originating from a particular region or country as it is backed by culture and history. I also had the Alaskan King Crab Tempura which was just ordinary. Maybe next time I will go with a date then at least I won’t be rushing out because the sushi chefs are paying me too much attention.

Beethoven’s Love Letter

“my eternally beloved”

 

 

 

Though still in bed, my thoughts go out to you, my Immortal Beloved, now and then joyfully, then sadly, waiting to learn whether or not fate will hear us – I can live only wholly with you or not at all – Yes, I am resolved to wander so long away from you until I can fly to your arms and say that I am really at home with you, and can send my soul enwrapped in you into the land of spirits – Yes, unhappily it must be so – You will be the more contained since you know my fidelity to you. No one else can ever possess my heart – never – never – Oh God, why must one be parted from one whom one so loves. And yet my life in V is now a wretched life – Your love makes me at once the happiest and the unhappiest of men – At my age I need a steady, quiet life – can that be so in our connection? My angel, I have just been told that the mailcoach goes every day – therefore I must close at once so that you may receive the letter at once – Be calm, only by a calm consideration of our existence can we achieve our purpose to live together – Be calm – love me – today – yesterday – what tearful longings for you – you – you – my life – my all – farewell. Oh continue to love me – never misjudge the most faithful heart of your beloved.

ever thine
ever mine
ever ours

Day out @ Stanley, Hong Kong

Stanley market welcomes you as soon as you arrive with shops selling souvenirs and other local products to attract tourists. You can utilise your bargaining skills and grab yourself a straw hat or sunglasses but most interesting is the typical Chinese styled clothing, especially the ones for children – they are so cute. Every time I walk pass, I want to get a pair of those tiny baby shoes for my friends’ children back in Australia.

After roaming through the market, you can enjoy a breezy relaxing lunch by the waterfront at one of the restaurants such as Pickled Pelican. If you having a craving for fish and chips, here is where you can get it. They offer a variety of good food and nice outdoor sitting ideal just to chill out.

As you digest the lovely food and drink, go for a walk on the main beach and get your feet wet or sit down and watch people enjoy some water sports (except in winter). Also visit the Murray House, which is a Victorian era building moved to Stanley from Central with an effort to preserve its historic value.

A perfect way to wrap up your afternoon is with an ice cream from Gino’s Gelato just outside Stanley Plaza. Their waffle basket is not bad, but none can beat The New Zealand Natural ones especially the ones I made when I used to work there. **wink** Before you go, buy a tin of cookies as take home gift from Jenny Bakery. With is buttery cookies so addictive it makes you want to eat the whole tin all in one sitting, plus a cup of tea it is truly divine. I would recommend the small 4 mix tin at a reasonable price and nice variety. But if you are a nut fan, you should get the 8 mix and they all come in a lovely pictured tin which you can reuse after you have consumed all the cookies.

***Photography by me with my LOMO Diana F+

Day out @ Shek O – Hong Kong

On a spring or autumn’s day at Shek O, you can go for a stroll around the area or bring a book and relax on the beach. The surrounding hiking trails may be of interest. It is also a very popular spot for photography lovers as the beach is surrounded by colourful village houses which offers a pleasant touch.

You can grab lunch at Shining Stone,  their cosy atmosphere is relaxing and the soup I had last time is worth trying. Or visit the Thai restaurant Happy Garden as their BBQ satay skewers and garlic bread are the highly recommended. If you have a whole afternoon and evening to spend, definitely try the HK style BBQ on the beach side. You can buy food from the shop where you rent the fireplace also and choose what you want.

OpenRice.com expands into travel

Hong Kong is a very unique city, being such a small island covering only 1095 sq. km (423 sq. miles) but has a population of over 7 million. As a result of this, news and trends via word of mouth or media goes a long way especially taking into account the ‘following’ culture of Hong Kong people. They want to try or know about everything in order not to miss out or perhaps so they can participate during discussions of the topic.  Some examples include queuing overnight outside H&M for the new H&M x Lanvin collection where they are only allowed 10 minutes inside the store for choosing and purchasing, queuing for 2 hours outside a newly opened noodle joint which a celebrity chef has recommended where only 200 bowls of noodle are served a day, a very popular TVB series aired its finale with 99% ratings and people are quoting lines by the characters .

With this fast paced environment where people are at such close proximity, I personally believe that social networking and e-commerce has less of a place in this city as compared to the US or Europe. Having said that, OpenRice.com has done really well for themselves tapping into the local dining out phenomenon and the love of taking photos of food. OpenRice.com is Hong Kong’s most popular dining guide with reviews written by local people. They even have free apps for all the local Apple product fans, which is something like every 7 out of 10 Hong Kongers. They are now looking to expand its operations, client base and advertising in dining as well as travel to the English-speaking people in Hong Kong, since there is a beefy community of expats here. But whether they can make it as succesful as the Chinese site takes a big leap of faith since targeting the English-speaking in Hong Kong may not be such a lucrative business, even the South China Morning Post and other sites such as geoexpat.com seem to be struggle to reach its audience. Well, let’s all wait and see.

Berlin – Germany

Travelling always brings new insights and memories depending on who you are with and what mood you are in.

 

 

 

 

 

Scenario A: alone, world cup 

The first time I visited Berlin it was the second weekend after a broken relationship, so I ended up going around places on my own. With perfect timing, the FIFA World Cup was being hosted in Germany at the time, right in the middle of summer. So I joined the huge crowd at the Brandenburger Tor and watched the Japan vs Croatia game on the big screens. Screaming my head off with a bunch of Japanese (pretty good-looking guys I might add) and afterwards roaming the streets which were closed off for World Cup stalls selling food and souvenir, I had a really fun and exciting time.

With zero knowledge of the country’s history, I expected the Berlin Wall to be like tall city walls kind of like walls of a castle. But when I arrived, I found graffiti written on over it. I thought I had come to the rough suburbs of Berlin, especially being on my own I got a bit intimidated.

 

I especially liked the Holocaust Memorial, it was designed and displayed in a subtle way that shows respect and remembrance of what happened without splashing vivid images in your face. I personally think it was handled very well.

 

Scenario B: great company, below freezing point, missed flight

The four of us woke up super early for our 06:25am flight, but there was major traffic jam on the M23 so we missed our flight. We rebooked on a later flight to Munich instead, which ouch! costed us an arm and a leg. But hey we didn’t want to miss out on our weekend of fun. After a long detour and train ride with lots of laughs and games, we finally arrived in Berlin with barely 24 hours in this city so we decided to join a walking tour of the city.  Visiting all the historical sites with grey skies on a snowy day brought a solemn and somber feeling to each place and the events which shaped Berlin into what it is today.

Michelle Chan’s Top 5 cities for 2011

Now is a good time to promote and plan your travels for the new year. With my most trusted and relied upon source and brand for my travels, they have released Lonely Planet’s Top 10 cities for 2011 which has nudged me to keep up my travel writing.

Michelle Chan’s Top 5 cities for 2011

1. Istanbul

Istbanul is a city that touches both Asia and Europe, the only metropolis in the world that is situated on two continents. Religion plays a big part in Istanbul, you can hear prayers being broadcasted over the loudspeakers all over the city at different times of the day such as prior dawn, dawn, midday, afternoon, sunset and evening. Mosques are frequently visited by locals and tourists, and they have women only sections.

I would highly recommend you visit the Turkish bath houses also known as hammams, althought it is very basic and simple – nothing glam or fancy at all. Finally, of course you can not leave without tasting some very colourful and high sugar dosage Turisk delight then buying a Next time I visit Turkey, I definitely want to go to Pamukkale – just google it for pictures then you will know why.

2. Marrekesh

Since Morocco had a period of French control, it has a touch of french influence. Of interest is that you can stay in hotels which they call ‘Riad’ which is like a house with a garden, I found it very pleasant, relaxing and lovely – a completely different world to the old city just outside the alleyway of the old town

The main market is like a circus and adventure park all in one. You can see people performing, preaching, getting hanna tattoos, selling food and orange jucie, whilst the side streeets are filled with small stores selling all kinds of goods such as leather shoes, bags, musical instruments, glass lamps and clothes etc. Bargaining is huge and food also comes in its range of diverse varieties. You would think the Chinese has tasted all kinds of creatures and animals, but there was one thing i found intriguing- snail soup. Not very tasty I might add! After we finished our food at one of the outdoor street stalls with skewers and other BBQ sorts, one kid came to ask if he can have the left over bottle of coke. There are many beggers or people who just come up to you and ask for money on the streets also.

3. Budapest

Funnily enough, Budapest has two parts to it being Buda on the West bank of the Danube River and Pest on the East bank. The Danube – Europe’s most celebrated river – runs majestically through the center of Budapest. The city has taken full advantage of this and it now offers some of the finest panoramas with magnificent buildings and architecture adding flavour on both sides of the river.

4. Dubrovnik

With coastal views together with rich cultural heritage, combined with magnificent natural beauties, Dubrovnik keeps its visitors happy with what is has to offer. The old city is surrounded by City Walls which are 2km long which historically offers protection against its enemies.

5. Reykjavik

Reykjavik is the capital of Iceland, the northenmost capital city and one of the three coldest capitals in the world. The place was named Reykjavik – “Smoky Bay” – after the columns of steam that rose from the hot springs in the area and made such a profound impression on the original settlers.

Tibet – China

The people and the culture of Tibet totally fascinate me and it is so much different from the rest of China or the world. Their faith, dedication, commitment and devotion towards their culture and Buddhism religion never fails to amaze me!!! There are no rules as to many hours of praying you should do or how many litres of butter oil you should give or how much donation you should make, or how many “full body prayers” you should do hence it seems they do as much as they can. It never seems to be a burden or hassle for them, they offer these ‘sacrifices’ and perform these ‘duties’ very willingly and they never seem to question it.

During my 16 day trip we sit comfortably in our 4WD travelling the long distances of Tibet for leisure and sightseeing, we would see many people on the road. Some people travel as far as 2000km on foot or should I say ON THEIR KNEES literally 五体投地, kneeling all the way from their home town to Lhasa just to worship their god.
Apparently, every day at home they will also do “full body prayers” as many times as day as they can. Our driver told us that his mother in law has completed 100,000 times of this to pray for blessings for her and generation after hers as well. Sometimes, in the morning when we have to get up at 4am to start our journey, our driver would do his praying whilst he was driving.
I am not disputing their actions because all religions have their rituals but applaud their utter surrender. For example, I, being a Christian am grateful that my practices are so ‘convenient ‘as compared to others such as Mormons who take two years out to preach and Muslims who go to Jerusalem for their pilgrimage. I can’t help but wonder if they are blinded by ignorance or is it their true believe that they must earn blessing by their acts and deeds. Even if not for this life but for their next life, they would tell me, ‘不为今生为来世’. I wonder if they choose to behave in this way or it is just part of being Tibetan, simple as that.

Their joys, pains, experiences, hopes all carried on their FACES…

Inspired by Matthew Koon

I was in Singapore last week and watching Got to Dance on TV, I was so very inspired by this young boy – his passion and beauty in dancing. In the interview, his parents expressed concerns over his choice of career in dancing, being only 15. Somehow it has to do with culture issues, as both his parents are Asian I think that had something to do with it. My personal belief is that Asian parents tend to look more at academics and wants their children to become doctors and lawyers since artistic talents are hard to measure and even hard to earn a living off. Sure I’m being a huge stereotype and quick to judge but maybe our parents’ generation came from a background where education is the door to better standard of living when they had experienced war and depression periods.
Many of us succeeded in our parents expectations by being university graudates and finding a stable job which provides us with a quality of life that they did not have the luxuary of experiencing. But what do we expect from our offsprings then? We all hear stories different stories and theories of raising children.

Do we just want our children to be ‘happy’? Maybe only those that do not yet have children say that because when it comes to your turn, you will still follow the path of enrolling your kid into a private or international school before they are even born! We want to provide the best opportunities available to our children in this harsh competitive world yet we find it hard to balance between what they want and what we want.

Budapest

There are so many cities in Europe you can visit, hence I tend not to do doubles unless it’s such a big city like Paris then you can’t really avoid it. But I went to Budapest twice in the space of one year because it was just so amazing!
Unlike Prague, Budapest is not so popular among Asians but this is where you find the hidden treasures of Eastern Europe.
Awesomely breathe taking architecture and sky line. There is a castle on the mountain top facing the long river with several bridges on it. On either side of the river there are also old buildings like the Parliament House etc. Both day view and night view is really pretty.
Even tho I don’t particularly like travelling in winter besides skiing since I do like to feel my feet and that they are still attached to my leg, but snow in Budapest is just very beautiful.

You can visit a ‘bath’ which is like the hot springs you go to in Japan with pools of hot water for good blood circulation, your skin and general health. But you can also opt for a cheap scrub and massage inside the showering area, which is nothing more than lying there like a piece of meat and being rubbed from head to top by a chubby women in her underwear (since it’s all wet in the bathing area).

There was a public bath we went to that had 20 or so pools outdoors which was fun but freezing. Whilst you are enjoying a dip in the pool just relaxing and chilling out, you also want to try other pools so you step onto the snowed floors and run at your fastest speed to the next pool then jump in to defrost again. Repeat this as many times as desirable.

I’m not so keen on food from Eastern Europe tho, lots of meat and not very tasty but after being to Poland I realise this is very much part of the culture and history of the countries. A few meals we did splashed out on goose liver tho which is much cheaper then those you can get in France which is worth trying if you are a fan or not on the verge of getting a heart attack from cholesterol.
For one special evening, we visited the most expensive restaurant in Budapest. It felt like a royal court when we first stepped in because there was a mini orchestra playing which was a surprise and very pleasant. The food and service was needless to say of high standard.

People wise, they are not particular friendly but that is probably due to a lack of English skills. Also you can always judge a country’s level of civilisation by their quality of toilet paper, Hungary leads towards the low end with toilet paper that feels like scrap paper or newspaper.

Dubrovnik

When you live in the UK long enough, you really crave the sun and save a lot of money on whitening products (honestly!). So Europeans love to take a couple of weeks off in summer and take a dip in the sun and go for a beach resort holiday.

Dubrovnik really is the best of both worlds; sun and beach resort combined with a touch of culture since the old town just a bus ride away. So after a day of UV absorption, you can visit the old town for some gourmet food or stroll on the streets with an ice cream in hand or just sit in the dark by the sea at the wharf listening to the waves. This little city is really nicely situated where cruises sometimes drop by for the day and let their guests tour the old town, then they can hop back on their cruise again.

We went to a restaurant by the sea in the old town and they had tables also set up on the beach if you choose to dine on sand with candle lights. Next to it was a bar where they had four post beds set up outside on the sand area, don’t you just love it when party, beach, alcohol and sex just all blends together nicely. But it wasn’t high season when we went, so none of that was witnessed, but it reminds me of Mykonos in Greece the party island. But I will have to leave for another episode – so stay tuned! Two other nights we spend dinner by the sea watching the sunset which was just so relaxing and well romantic depending who you are with, haha.

You can join day tours from Dubrovnik, one of which is to the Island of Mljet where part of the island is actually a National Park so you can see birds and other animals such as peacocks running around in the forest. There are also waterholes where you can go for a swim in the super clear water. Other island hopping day tours are available if you get sick of the beach outside your resort or fancy being on a ferry/boat.
A very interesting day trip you can go on is to Bosnia which sounds so very mysterious, but unfortunately with the HKSAR passport you require a visa which we couldn’t acquire on the spot so had to forgo the trip.

You can spend anything from an afternoon to a week in this place depending what suits your taste, so highly recommend it.

Reykjavik

Since I have travelled to 36 countries and 169+ cities, I get the question a lot “Which is your most favourite city or country?” I tended to answer Iceland as one of the favourite because not many people have visited it which makes it special.
I love the fact that scenery in Iceland feels so untouched like you are the first to ever visited because it’s just so natural.

Public transport is basically nonexistent in Reykjavik, tourists have to rely on tourist targeted transport to travel to sightseeing spots which are not cheap. Famous sightseeing spots include the Geysir and volcano aftermath. My favourite was the Gullfoss waterfall which is so powerful when the water rushes down and the noise also feels so majestic. You can feel the splashes of water just standing in front of it trying to taking photos.

One of the day activities you can try is horse riding through the lava fields. Icelandic horses are something of a special breed; their legs are especially short and look quite stumpy. There are many other more adventurous activities you can try such as ice climbing, hiking or hole fishing, if you can stand the cold or don’t mind your nose falling off since it is called Iceland for a reason. The weather is cold all year round, I remember we were there in July and the hottest day of the year was 10 degrees Celsius!

Public thermal swimming pools and spas are quite popular. No doubt, the blue lagoon was definitely the highlight, where there is a wide span of area filled with blue geothermal water. Silica mud is provided around the pool area where you can attempt to put on yourself for skin nurturing. Actually a lot of places in Reykjavik smell like sulphur not just thermal baths, even the tap water in our hostel smelt very strongly of it. I quite like this smell although my friends say they can’t stand it.

I must say though with such a small population, Icelanders actually have very nice face features, especially the men but damn – most already married! Apparently, people get married and have children at a really young age, if you are 24 and not married that is considered really ‘old’. The streets are very clean indeed and among the deserted population, you can usually see young couples pushing around baby strollers with even cuter babies.

No selfless deed

 

“Charity” and “Ministry” seems like big terms that refer to big dreams and goals that require vast amounts of effort, organisiaton and commitment. I am very clear about my gift and passion, it is in children’s work. I want to be involved in bringing about fun, joy and love to any child’s life, be it my own or others. I always remember the days when I used to teach Sunday school and how much I enjoyed spending time with the children. Occasionally they would run towards me at full speed when they see me in the corridor, or come to class and hang me a drawing with ‘Dear Michelle, I love you, from Alice’ on it. It brings joy to the heart and a smile to the face like no other and words cannot describe. I am not yet a mother but I’m sure those of you who have become parents will know that feeling I’m referring to.

So we all know about the child sponsorship programs run by so many different programs in so many different countries but yet they seem so far and distant from our lives. I could never really comprehend what their lives would be like and in what way my sponsorship helped them. I didn’t really get to keep up with their progress. Or worse you receive a letter from your organization one day, which just announces that your ‘child’ has left the program and now they will stick you with another child. I mean, sure money solves problems but what is that children really want?

Then I was so dedicated about building and opening a charity school for children in China for local children as it is surprisingly affordable and you can make foreseeable changes in the lives of poor children. But when I was travelling in YunNan and Tibet I faced a dilemma – even if I take all my holidays to visit them in the countryside and to observe the changes I have supposedly brought to their lives, in the end, I only get to spend max 4 weeks out of a whole year with them.

So I change my direction of thinking slightly and come up with that, time is the most precious thing I can offer at the moment, not money or buildings.

Since I’m slowly settling down in HK now, I started to look for places where I can help children and also spend quality time with them. But as anything in HK there is a waiting list even to become a volunteer.

But water doesn’t kill a heart with fire, tomorrow I will go for my ‘interview’ and hopefully I can start becoming a weekly volunteer to spend time with kids again. Not sure where my role lies yet, if they need someone who teaches or plainly assist in looking after them etc. Let’s see what can come out of it…but I’m sure I will be the one who end up gaining and benefiting the most out of this, not the children. See, there is no selfless deed, even ‘charity’ or ‘ministry’.