What I was made for?

Beauty of aging

All had changed

Hair dropped
But white ones appeared
Wrinkles on the forehead too, some below the eyes
Freckles on the face, nothing to say
Saggy cheeks, steroid effects? Damn it!

Slow metabolism, harder to lose weight
Even plain water made me fat
 
And reading glasses, it was almost for everyone
Weak knees, stairs were harder to climb
 
And if you think physical changes were worst,
Wait until the mentally changes haunted you
 
I was talking about ladies here
“M” word
Not that bloody “M”
It was the opposite
 
Yes, that “M”
Hot flushes
Sleep problems
Energy low – blamed it to the hormones!!!
Moody – always moody L
 
One day
If you live long enough
You too will experience it
 
'Cause I, 'cause I
I don't know how to feel
But I wanna try
I don't know how to feel
But someday I might
Someday I might
 
Think I forgot, how to be happy
Something I'm not, but something I can be
Something I wait for
Something I'm made for
Something I'm made for

Happiness is in a journey

How time flies! Three months had passed since the beginning of the year 2018 and I had visited few places and spent valuable time with dear friends and my loved ones. Spring had started in the four-season countries, while in Singapore, it had been raining at any time of the day for the past one week.

Perfect time for reading and sipping tea with biscuits :)

It was rather a perfect time to read a book, to sip a cup of hot tea or coffee accompanied with delicious biscuits, and to snuggle under my Doraemon blanket. However, the rain had deterred me from catching my favorite physical activities, such as: morning walk and cycling. Since I had difficult time to wake up early in the morning lately, I could only go for cycling in evening time, and only when the weather permitted, just like yesterday.

After ensuring the sky was bright enough and no rain, I took the bicycle out from home. Glasses were worn to protect my eyes from the wind, sand, and dust. Hair was clipped and tied to a pony tail. Waist pouch was clipped to secure my mobile phone. A string bag was packed behind my back filled with water bottle and a small wallet made of clothes. Both ears were plugged and English songs were played continuously on my ears. Geared well, I started cycling once I reached the lift downstairs - to my usual destination.

My reflections from the mirror :D

The sky was half bright and half cloudy, the color was just like the inverted kueh talam ubi. Therefore, no expectation to see the sunset. The air was very cooling though, very pleasant. It was good that not many people took the same route as mine. Usually it was very crowded during weekend, but I saw many had preferred sitting down, picnic-ing, and chit chatting with their friends and/ or families along the seaside while catching fish.

Many thoughts were played on my head when cycling. Like just now, I was thinking how people chose to spend their evening on weekend and how I spent mine. It was completely two different things. They had accompany, sat down, and relaxed while I would rather cycling, moving my both legs ups and downs, filling my lungs with fresh cooling air, and sweating my body up - alone.

Cycling made me feeling free like a bird (Instagram: Rimareyka.writes)

Cycling had never failed in giving me a sense of freedom - especially when cycling alone. I could cycle as fast as I wanted, sing loudly the song that I played on my phone, shout out loud at the descended road, express my hearts out, smile and laugh while recollecting beautiful memories from the past and feeling grateful for all things happened in my life, collect inspiration to be written into my blog, and I could even cry when remembering the sad and awful incidents in my life. People might think that I was crazy doing all that at one journey, ha-ha... But with my speed, people would hardly notice it though! ;)

The sky was getting very dark at the road ahead but it did not deter me from cycling. It even started drizzling but I kept going. I refused to take the U-turn or to avoid the storm. It was just like the life that I went through. Despite knowing clearly that the road ahead might not be smooth, full of obstacles and challenges, I would not go back to the past or give up on moving on. Because by facing the difficulties ahead - the life challenges - only then I had the opportunity to get and learn something new, and even - God knew it well - find my happiness ahead. Just like people said, rainbow came only after the rain.

Let it rain, baby! You are not alone (Instagram: Rimareyka.writes)

True enough, after some time, it was raining. Slowly, it got heavier and I had no choice but to stop when the splatter got fuller and painful. I saw a shelter and decided to stay under it for a while. Soon after, many cyclists took the same shelter standing up together. Despite feeling shattered with wet and coldness under the heavy rain, I was feeling good. Good because I was not alone. Good because it only showed that many were facing the same challenges in their life journey and together we could wait until the storm had over, or braced ourselves to get wetter and sick if we chose to keep going. Nevertheless, we were sure not alone.

Beautiful night view after the rain - Punggol Sunrise Bridge

In a while, rain stopped. One by one, people left the shelter, and so did I. To my surprise, in just less than 100 meters away from where I stood before, the ground was dry and showed no sign of rain. I felt that the incident was clearly a sign for me to learn from the nature and life itself. I continued cycling, going another one big round while collecting a source of inspiration - a sign for me to update this barren blog - to share with others what I went through and learned that evening, which were: not to take the bad things too hard and good things for granted. To brave yourself and keep walking forward. No one said it was easy, but it would be worth it.

I kept cycling and suddenly my favorite song below was tuned on my playlist:

"Underneath the Sky" 

by Cameron Ernst

Like a low sitting fog at the break of day

Let it fade, let it fade

Like a hold of a frost on a window pane

Let it all melt away

I see it now so clearly where I couldn't see before

Finally now it was worth the wait

I hear my heartbeat

Feel my wings take flight

Everything is golden underneath this sky

Underneath this sky (2x)

I can jump, I can soar, and I'm not afraid

Let the wind hit my face

I can take on the clouds, they're no longer gray

Take 'em on any day

I see it now so clearly where I couldn't see before

Finally now it was worth the wait

I hear my heartbeat

Feel my wings take flight

Everything is golden underneath this sky

Underneath this sky (4x)

Look beyond at the horizon

And remember the day

This was the day yeah

Keep your eyes there

There's nothing like it

I was born to be brave

Forever brave

I hear my heartbeat

Feel my wings take flight

Everything is golden underneath this sky

I hear my heartbeat

Feel my wings take flight

Everything is golden underneath this sky

Underneath this sky (4x)

Beautiful full moon on 15th Feb lunar calendar - 31st March 2018

"Wooohoooooo......." I shouted again on the descended road. Thank SB for everything!!! You never failed in supporting and encouraging me facing the challenges in life. You even pampered me with the beautiful moon that I found before exiting the park. Thank you, thank you, and thank you for everything!!! :)

Thank you for giving me the best day of my life

I still remember the first day I saw you quote :)

Wow!!! I can hear the roaring thunders outside our office’s window. It’s been a while since the last time I heard it. I turn my head back and looked outside. The sky has turned dark and gloomy, not suitable for a day like this, Friday afternoon.

I have shopping plan to be done after work, to buy food stuffs for our early Mother’s Day dinner celebration. Just hope the rain will stop soon but leave the cool and comfortable weather around.

These past few days, I can’t catch the sunrise view from my bus window too. It’s been more than a week now. Thick clouds, hazy clouds have prevented the sun from rising up and shining its rays gracefully. As if they know that my heart is gloomy. OH, what a feeling!

“My tea's gone cold, I'm wondering why I got out of bed at all

The morning rain clouds up my window and I can't see at all

And even if I could it'd all be grey, but your picture on my wall

It reminds me that it's not so bad

It's not so bad

I drank too much last night, got bills to pay

My head just feels in pain

I missed the bus and there'll be hell today

I'm late for work again

And even if I'm there, they'll all imply that I might not last the day

And then you call me and it's not so bad

It's not so bad and

I want to thank you for giving me the best day of my life

Oh… just to be with you is having the best day of my life”

The acoustic guitar and melodious sound from Sound Cloud played from my handphone – posted by Dr Ben Studio – filled the whole office area. Everyone is so quiet and enjoying it. It really suits their mood, especially mine.

Alas!!! How it can coincidentally happen as I really missed my bus this morning and came late for work, due to the binge drinking last night with my friends, as we are separating very soon, plus something else that hid well in somewhere, in the corner of my heart.

Thank you for giving me the best day of my life quote

Except that…., there is no longer you beside me, nor any call or voice sound to be heard. It’s all over. It’s all end. That’s it. No matter what, I still want to thank you… for giving me the best day of my life… for giving me the best day of my life…

P.S. This post is inspired by the heavy rain and thunder outside.My friend once asked me to write when it was raining. The mood never appeared until today. So, here I dedicate this raining post for you. Hope you like it! :) Happy weekend everyone!!!

This old place

Few days staying at home made my brain wanted to explode. The weather changes between hot sunny and thunder-stormed rainy day had made many people suffered from flu and cough. Good thing that I wasn't affected. It's just, I needed a great blown of fresh air to refresh my brain, so that I could think clearly and start anew!

Just nice my bestie sent a message and asked me out for a cuppa of coffee. Where to? It's just nearby this old place.

This old place :)

It used to be my playground. Almost 9 years hanging around this place, it felt like home. I knew the surrounding area quite well as I used to browse this place to every nook and cranny during lunch break or after work.

After meeting up for lunch with my ex-colleague cum makan buddy during those days, I walked through this area to visit the bookstore at the other side. Bargain corner was my destination each time I went. Sometimes I found great deal from the shelf.

It used to be my playground :)

But on the way there - during lunch break - I saw many familiar faces walking around. Some recognised and called me out. Some - I hoped they didn't see me :P Some were taking smoke break just beside the river, wearing black jacket to cover their uniform (company rules and regulations). And some, I called them out from outside the window and we chatted for a while.

As I kept walking through the bridge, I put the earpiece into my ears and played this song from my Sound Cloud. The lyrics played like this:

Sometimes I wake up with the sadness

Other days it feels like madness

Oh… what would I do without you?

When colours turn to shades of grey

With the weight of the world at the end of the day

Oh… what would I do without you?

A decade goes by without a warning

And there’s still a kindness in your eyes

Amidst the questions and the worries

A peace of mind, always takes me by surprise.

I feel like I’m walking with eyes as blind

As a man without a lantern in a coal mine

Oh… what would I do without you?

My imagination gets the best of me

And I’m trying to hide lost at sea

Oh… what would I do without you?

The difference between what I've said and done

And you’re still standing by my side

A guilty soul and a worried mind

I will never make it, if I’m on my own

So you’ve got the morning, I’ve got midnight

You are patient, I’m always on time

Oh… what would I do without you?

You’ve got your sunshine, I’ve got rainclouds

You’ve got hope, I’ve got my doubts

Oh… what would I do without you?

Oh… what would I do without you?

Oh… what would I do without you?

This old place, would always there in my mind. Its location, just beside the Singapore river, my favorite place to be. It brought me closer to the natural creation. Its flow calmed me, brought peaceful feeling into my mind and wide smile onto my face.

And will always be! :)

I wish to keep positivity in my life. I wish to be healthy all the time. I wish to listen to the Buddhist chant every morning before starting my day with many other activity. I wish to keep my gratitude feeling and be content always with what I have. I wish to be that kind someone, rich at heart, have compassion, and inspire others, as much as I could capture. I wish to always pursue the spiritual journey all through my life. I will do this all alone, all by myself. I wish I could do all this 'til the last breath I have. Wish that all this would come true! :)

Hello, c'est moi... (Adele)

It's November again.

Every year, this particular month brought me back memories from the past - about someone I used to know. Hm... it's been years, almost a decade maybe? Or more??

Hmmm... Why suddenly I remembered him?

Ahhhh... Tsk, I remember now!

Hello, c’est moi…

As I sipped in the hot ginger tea on my balcony yesterday evening, I heard a familiar music from my neighbor's window below my apartment. Although it was drizzling, the music was clearly heard, and the beautiful woman voice was coming out.

"Hello, it's me," I hummed along.

But I heard something different...

"Hello, c’est moi…"

Oh mon Dieu!!! C'est Français! - meaning, it was French! And it was not Adele's usual English song. 

I continued listening into its lyrics... 

If you can't open the above video, click here

Je me demandais si après tout ça tu

Voudrais qu’on se voit...

Pour se parler, faire le bilan

Le temps est censé nous guérir mais

Il n’oublie jamais vraimant

Hello, est-ce que tu m’entends ?

Je vis dans un rêve où tu devais  

Pourtant m’accompagner

On était jeunes et libres

Mais j’ai oublié tout de ce monde

Dans lequel on s’aimait

Tant de différences entre nous

Et tu es si loin de moi...

It's been a long time since I spoke the language during my college and internship time, a three-and-half-year spent in French-speaking area back in Switzerland. The song meaning though, wasn't that complicated. I could understand it, although not completely understood. 

Hello, est-ce que tu me vois ?

Je t’ai appelé tant de fois

Pour te dire désolé pour ce que j’ai pu faire

Mais quand je t’ai cherché, tu n’as fait que te taire

Hello, est-ce que to me vois ?

Je t’ai appelé tant de fois

Pour te dire désolé d’avoir brisé ton cœur

Mais aujourd’hui je sais que pour toi,

Je n’étais qu’une erreur 

Hmm....

Right on all those lyrics, where it was reminded me of him. Yeah, the man I was just mentioning in the above. We were both young and free. We spent our times and moments together in many places of the world, almost in all continents!

Hello, est-ce que ça va ?

C’est tellement typique de ma part

De toujours parler de moi

J’espère que tout va bien

As-tu réussi à t’enfuir de là où tu

Ne vis plus rien ?

Mais tu le sais qu’entre toi et moi,

Il nous reste plus que ça

And suddenly we lost contact. Lost of touch. He was living his way and I had lived on my way. So, yeah, the above song, it reminded me of him. It's so faraway now and I didn't hear any news from him too for so many years. But I believed, he was doing great out there, and having great time with his family members. Perhaps having a great career? Happy life? Well, perhaps!

And as I turned on Kiss92 from my mobile phone, the English version of "Hello", sung by Adele, was suddenly played.

"Hello, it's me..."

Not sure if it was the ginger tea that I'd been drinking, or the longing feeling that I had just a while ago. I felt the warmth from inside me despite the drizzling and cooling rain from surrounding me. 

I closed my eyes listening to the rest of the song:

"Hello from the other side

I must've called a thousand times

To tell you I'm sorry for everything that I've done

But when I call you never seem to be home

Hello from the outside

At least I can say that I've tried

To tell you I'm sorry for breaking your heart

But it don't matter, it clearly doesn't tear you apart

Anymore...,"

and ended it with prayers and warm wishes for him, for his long life happiness and success. 

Source of inspiration: "Hello" - by Adele (English version) and by Sara'h (French version).

SG50 Golden Jubilee Weekend - ArtScience Museum and Singapore Botanic Garden - Happy 50th Birthday Singapore!!! :)

Keep Calm and Happy SG50 :)

Let me pause from my Bhutan memoir for a while :) It's a time to celebrate SG50 now!!! Yes, it's happening now!! Yesterday it was declared an additional holiday to make this weekend a very long holiday so that everyone would have a chance to celebrate the nation 50th Independence Day!!! Well, this made many others traveling overseas though instead of celebrating it in the country. Nevertheless, I had planned earlier to spend these precious time here, in Singapore, my home for almost 10 years!!! :)

Since this year was a special year to celebrate, there were many promotions offered especially to Singaporeans and Permanent Residents during this Jubilee weekend (7 to 10 September 2015). such as: free entry to various museums (incl ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay Sands), heritage galleries, Science Centre Singapore (SCS), few attractions at Sentosa Island,, free entry to ActiveSG swimming pools and gyms islandwide, and so on. Click here for more details.

Queue for SG50 ArtScience Museum

My friend asked me if I wanted to join her and her friends to visit ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay Sands. You know, it's usually expensive to visit such places even for us, Singaporean :D  So, since it's free, why not?? Therefore, yesterday, after my friend queued for almost 3 hours (including under the rain), we finally entered the museum.

Singapore Stories @Artscience Museum - Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

We went up to Level 2 first to visit the Singapore Stories where it exhibited the footage from newspaper many years ago about how Singapore developed to what it was now - stories of its origin, adversity, failure, and triumph.

The Deep @Artscience Museum - Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

We moved to B2 to see the largest collection of over 40 abyssal creatures displayed for the first time in Southeast Asia.

Inside, they exhibited the life under the sea in different depth as per these zones:
- 150m to 600m - The Twilight of the Ocean
- 600m to 1000m - The Appearance of Color
- Beneath 1000m - Dive into the Extreme
- The Abyssal Plain - The Bottom of the Sea

Dreamworks Animation @Artscience Museum - Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

We moved on to the next exhibition - Dreamworks Animation. It offered an insightful look into the processes behind the on-screen art magic, such as; sketching/drawing, voice recording, and so on. It amazed me sometimes how creative human being could be!!!

Shrek posters sold at Artscience Museum Store - Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

Those were the three main exhibitions available for the day. We were all happy that we could visit it all - and of course, when it's free :P

Singapore Botanic Garden SG50 Jubilee Weekend - 8 August 2015

Other than that, click here to check What's ON to occupy your long weekend with many activities available. Like today, we went for a picnic at Singapore Botanic Garden where there were few musical performance available at the Shaw Foundation Symphony Stage. It was super crowded!!! But it was greatly enjoyable!!! :)

Singapore Lyric Opera @Botanic Garden SG50 Jubilee Weekend 

The first performance after I arrived was performed by Singapore Lyric Opera at 5.25 pm. There were 4 singers who sang beautifully with the musical troop playing at the background. Followed by The Sam Willows live music and live feed performance by Brass Nation Bandstand at 7.45 pm. If you want to know the schedule for tomorrow (9th August 2015) click here.

We had whole lot fun together!!! SG50 Jubilee Weekend @Singapore Botanic Garden :)

My Indonesian friends had planned the picnic ever since before I came back from Bhutan. They prepared some delicious food (even our Indonesian siomay), salad, sandwich, fruits, etc. They even came as early as 3 pm just to chop the place (to get the very best view) of the performance.

Watching live feed performance by Brass Nation @Singapore Botanic Garden

We stayed until the last live feed performance by Brass Nation. We sat or lie down comfortably on our mats, didn't feel like going back home. Home song by Kit Chan was played few times there. No matter how many times it was played, we didn't get bored. The chorus reminded us truly, where our home was...

This is home, truly...

where I know I must be

Where my dreams wait for me, 

where the river always flow...

This is home, surely...

as my senses tell me

This is where I won't be alone,

for this is where I know it's home...

Happy 50th Birthday Singapore!!! 

PS: My personal message ---

"Happy 50th National Day Singapore!!! I am not sure what my future will be but I know your future will be great. Although you are just a small little red dot on the world map, but you have grown gloriously and prosperously! Hope I can get some of your prosperity so that I can help more to those who are in needs, more than myself. Thank you for giving me a chance to become a part of your country! Thank you, thank you, and thank you!!! Not forgetting to thank all my dear friends here who arranged today's picnic and let me having so much fun listening to the musical performance. Thank you gals, not only for the food and fun time, but also for the friendship that you offered to me all this while! Thank you, thank you, and thank you!!! :)" 

True friends never part...

That afternoon we had a tea and chit chat about things in life - mostly about what happened around our lives - such as: career, dreams, aspirations, and so on. We then came to the topic - ‘true friends’.

Like an old man he advised me to choose my friend wisely in life, as not to let other people take advantage of my kindness, and that by this age I should have learnt whom my true friends are and let go those who can’t wait to see me down and unhappy. 

His sentences struck me. I realized that it’s been some time since the last time I thought about it.

My mind roamed to the recent past few years. I looked back into my own thought. I think, I was too naive, even at this age. I trusted everyone that I just barely knew and met. Some I hadn’t even met before. Perhaps it’s in my nature. I always thought positive about anyone based on what I read, what I heard, but never even bother to find out from people surrounding them, who should have known about them better in real life.

I don’t know about you. But for me, I think, when you are honest with someone, you expect them to be honest with you. When you are opening yourself up to the friend you trust, you are also expecting them to be opening up to you. Nothing to hide and we keep this secret just between us. But of course, not everyone was willing to do the same.

Or perhaps, like he said, they might just take advantage of the kindness that I offered. 

I told him that I never expected anything in return by doing so. It was purely kind intention, to make others happy. 

He continued, “Yes, maybe that’s what you thought. But someone might just think otherwise. Instead of being grateful to you, they just took you for granted. They didn’t even bother to treat you right. Some even lied or hid the truth from you.”

“Well, whatever it was, I left it to karma,” I replied him, that simple only.

“Anyway, whatever goes around comes around. But by doing so, the person had to bear the risks of losing that friendship,” I said.

Suddenly I laughed at myself as I said this, again, to my stupidity, “Ah, maybe there was no such friendship at all at the first place. Perhaps I wasn’t worth much in their lives,” and then frowned for a while.

“But what hasn’t happened yet, I must be wary of. Well, just take it that I paid my debt back to them in this life. I feel better this way,” I continued, as usual, looking always at the bright side of life, and smiled.

We were quiet for quite a while and only sipping sound was heard with a background of a falling rain. What a wonderful moment! Both of us were contemplating with our own minds, as mine was looking at the beautiful memories I had with the rest of true friends that I currently had.

Tried to catch the falling rain :)

Slowly we heard these beautiful lyrics from our neighbor’s balcony door…

Day will break, stars will fall
And there’s always something you forget to say.
Don’t dismay,
True friends never part.

Time will pass, paths will stray
And there’ll always be someone who will break your heart.
There’s no point being cruel,
True friends never part.

We’ll meet again, trust me my friend
There’s no harm in goodbye.
Give me your glass, follow your heart
Wipe that tear from your eye
Time makes amends, don’t be afraid
You’ll not let love pass you by.
Remember this,
True friends never part.

Great time at FHA 2014 and KTV session :)

Food and Hotel Asia or FHA was one of my favorite events held once every two years in Singapore EXPO. It was the time where hoteliers, restaurateurs, Chefs, suppliers, distributors, etc. from all over the world met up together and gathered in once place. This year it was held from 8 to 11 April 2014.

FHA 2014 at Singapore Expo

I went there with my colleague yesterday. We reached the place at about 12.10pm, just nice time for us to have lunch. At first we thought of having a proper lunch at one of the food stalls at the nearby mall, but after we registered ourselves, we decided to have a walk at Foyer 7 to 10 first, where the Wine & Spirit Asia and Food Asia were located.

As we walked along, we saw lots of food sample being displayed. My colleague was very fond of eating cheese and olives (she had a British blood beneath her, technically speaking haha…) and I loved eating cheese too. There were significant numbers of cheese stalls inside the halls from everywhere around the world. We tasted it one by one. I even managed to taste the delicious Gruyere cheese, directly flown back from Switzerland, which brought me back the memory of taking the tour to Gruyere alone from Geneva hehe..

In between, we tasted few cups of frozen yoghurts and occasionally sipped few cups of Chinese tea to clear our thirsty throat. There were chips and Nachos completed with its condiments (cheese sauce and chili con-carne directly pressed from the machine made it all so convenient to serve), plus generous amount of Guacamole (avocado dip) served by the staff, made both our stomachs full and warm. We didn’t see a need to have a lunch anymore. Instead, we walked line by line watching at the products offered from each stall and took some brochures, sometimes free bag, and so on.

What I loved from visiting this event was that I had a chance to meet a large number of people who shared the same passion. And guess what??? I met my ex-Boss from my first job in Singapore!!! At that time, I was working in Indonesia related company and the owner of the company was from Indonesia. It’s been almost 10 years I hadn’t met him but I assured you, I still could remember his face vividly! Seemed that he hadn’t changed and still looked the same, young and fresh!! ^^ I poked him, waved my hand in front of him, and said “Hi.. How are you?” – in Indonesian, and he looked at  me blankly hahahaha…. Then I told my name, and he started remembering me, “Oh… how are you?? Where do you work now?” and after a short conversation, both of us parted.

And before that, I met my ex-Boss from the other company before this one hahaha… What a coincidence!! I met quite a number of my ex and current colleagues too. I felt very happy meeting them again. It brought me back all the sweet memories we once had and all of us shared the same interest and passion in our work and loved doing it. It surged a proud moment and feeling of having worked in the hospitality industry :)

The dish prepared by Chef Cheong

At 4.30 pm, our colleague had a culinary hot cooking competition in Hall 2. After browsing the Wine and Spirit Asia (and tasted the new 40% alc. of premium Vodka from USA, called Fou-Dré – vodka infused with five fruit flavors: lychee, lime, ginger, pomegranate and kiwi – a nice and unique purple bottle shape), we walked all the way from Hall 10 to Hall 2 (and grabbed a cup of coffee in between to keep us fresh and alive – tired walking for hours and legs pained here and there).

Chef Cheong in action :)

Few other colleagues had already been there to lend their support to the one who competed, Chef Cheong. His face was pale and so white. He was so much nervous as he had to cook the dish skillfully and made it cooked, tender and tasty, in front of so many audiences and fellow judges who walked around, competing with other 7 participants. We wished him all the best and hoped he could bring some medal back home.

We had to go back taking the shuttle bus provided at 5.30pm. Once reached the office, we continued the second round activity, which was karaoke-ing hahaha… We planned this since more than a month ago, together with my colleagues at place not very far from office, called Ten Dollar Ktv. It’s cheap, including free flow of hot and cold beverage, and we could bring our own food inside. That’s best ya because many places didn’t allow us to bring our own food and drink. However, no alcohol beverage should be brought and consumed inside. If being caught, you would be charged 70% more of the alcohol charge, something like that.

My colleagues bought many kind of local food from the newly renovated Chinatown Food Street located downstairs. We had our meals first before singing. On weekdays, we were allowed to sing for five hours from 7pm to 12am and it cost only S$10+++ per pax (or around $12.84 nett). However, they sold beer as well, so that we still could consume alcohol beverage there.

Had an enjoyable time together :)

We sang happily throughout the night especially after the alcohol effect kicking in :P Few were there only to listen others singing. We took turn and we were especially happy when singing “Let It Go” by Idina Menzel.

“Let it go, let it go

Can’t hold it back anymore

Let it go, let it go

Turn away and slam the door

I don’t care

What they’re going to say

Let the storm rage on,

The cold never bothered me anyway”

I did the main singing while the rest following when the lyrics “Let it go” sung and thrown their two hands in the air upswing to express their ‘let go’ feeling. Hahaha… We were crazy and fun! And all the energy was flown up when singing the part below…

“My power flurries through the air into the ground

My soul is spiraling in frozen fractals all around

And one thought crystallizes like an icy blast

I’m never going back,

The past is in the past

Let it go, let it go

And I'll rise like the break of dawn

Let it go, let it go

That perfect girl is gone

Here I stand

In the light of day

Let the storm rage on,

The cold never bothered me anyway”

Thank you guys for sharing the fun time together! It was really enjoyable! It’s been a while since I distressed myself, singing and laughing out loud, and drinking too. We all went home safely and caught the MRT before it’s closed.

My hubby fetched me from the MRT station as he thought I was drunk because I typed the message wrongly on my phone hehe… But I felt safe and secure with him beside me. Thank you dear hubby for always keeping me safe and secured! I love you! Muach…:) Let it go… Let it goo…. Can’t hold it back anymoreee…..

CNY long weekend

Happy Chinese New Year!!!

First day of Chinese New Year (CNY) was spent by visiting relatives house. Every year, if we weren't abroad, we would visit my hubby's eldest Uncle's and my hubby's grandma's house on the first day. Other uncles with their families would go there too, so we would meet each other.

Aem (the eldest uncle's wife) would usually prepare a lot of food at their house and asked us to stay for lunch. They knew I was vegetarian on first day of the year so they cooked and provided a vegetarian meal for me. I think I was the only one hehehe... They even asked me to bring the leftover vegetarian food back home so that I didn't have to trouble myself thinking on what to have for dinner.

Suan Pan Zi or Yam Abacus Seed

She made and cooked the Hakka traditional food called yam abacus seed or suan pan zi. It was made of yam and tapioca flour, cooked with cuttlefish stripes, mushroom stripes, and seasoned with some sauces and black pepper. It required lots of work to prepare this dish.

It's said that by eating it, people would be good at counting money,  which preferably own money (hopefully had lots of money to count) hehehe...

Since I couldn't eat it on that day,  they put aside the balance and was given it to me. Hehehe... I felt pampered though. Thank you Aem for your kindness and care ^^

Deep fried Ngoh Hiang

Same thing when we went to my hubby's grandma's house. The 2nd Uncle cooked dinner for us. Since I was vegetarian,  he prepared two types of vegetables with mushroom especially for me. He also gave us 4 rolls of his handmade frozen Ngoh Hiang, mixed of minced pork, prawn, crunchy bangkuang, some flour and egg, rolled with beancurd skin so that I could eat it the next day by deep frying it at home. Thank you 2nd Uncle! I really had 'kou fu' wor!!! ^^

At both places we chit chatted and mouth busy chewing some snacks and tidbits. Hehehe... It's time where we usually gained weight eating high-calorie and fattening food, such as: rou gan or bakwa, pineapple tarts, fried crackers, etc.

2nd day of Chinese New Year - We spent the day to rest at home. Usually people could visit friend's or other relative's house. My brother and families had gone back to Indonesia, so did my Indonesian and Malaysian friends. So I didn't have any place to go.

The weather was very hot too, made us lazy to go out. Therefore, we spent our time fully staying at home - eating, reading, sleeping, eating, watching TV, reading, and sleeping again hehehe...

Journey to the West - Conquering the Demon (pic source: Wikipedia.org)

There were few Chinese movies that we watched. But there were two that I enjoyed so much. I will introduce the two of them here. First one: "Journey to the West - Conquering the Demon (in Chinese: 西遊·降魔篇)". 

This is a 2013 film directed by Stephen Chow and Derek Kok. Many of you should have heard about "Journey to the West" before. It's a Chinese literary classic stories written by Wu Cheng En, a very famous stories. We watched the long series since we were very young but they made it as movie in action-comedy style here. The Ost song title "Love of a Lifetime" or "一生所爱" sung by Shu Qi 舒淇.

The Sorcerer and the White Snake (pic source: Wikipedia.org)

The second one, also based onthe famous Chinese legend, "The Legend of the White Snake", a movie titled "The Sorcerer and the White Snake", a 2011 movie. This one was directed by Ching Siu Tung and was played by the famous martial artist, Jet Li, now a Singaporean. This film depicted a sad love story between human and demon. It was really sad la.... :'( The Ost song - "Promise 许诺" - sung by Raymond Lam and Eva Huang was very nice :)

If you have any access to watch it (by buying the DVD or downloading it online somewhere), go and watch it. I think you will love it too :)

Kwan Im Temple @Bugis

Day 3 of CNY - We went to Bugis, had our lunch at the hawker center, and prayed at Kwan Im Temple. Many stalls were not opened yet. We had to queue for quite some time to get our food and drinks. Prices were deliberately increased too during this time as they knew many stalls were closed and we still had to eat and drink. I ended up buying Fried Chicken Briyani rice from the Indian stall where I didn't have to queue hehehe...

The temple was very crowded. People would usually go there to pray, especially in the beginning of the year. Many stalls were there such as: fortune telling stall, donation stall, flowers and joystick stalls, etc.

We went up to 2nd floor of the opposite building to pray to Tai Sui. "In Taoism, those whose Chinese Zodiac is offended or by their sign conflict or clashes with the Tai Sui of the year are advised to go through a prayer session with a Taoist Priest to ask for blessings in obtaining Peace and Good Fortune throughout the year." - source: Wikipedia.org

This year, those who were having Horse, Rooster, Rat, and Rabbit Zodiacs were advised to pray to Tai Sui. We just went there, and they knew already our purposes. We paid around S$17-19 depending on types of praying that we needed to have. Just told them our horoscope and how old we were. The person would prepare few things to pray. One auntie would be there to pray for you. At the end we could give some money for them as a token and there would be one red packet filled with a card which was believed to protect us throughout the year. Just hope things would go smoothly and we would be blessed with good health and safetiness throughout the year.

Once it's done, it was shopping time! Hehehe... Quite lots of shops had been opened. We walked and had our dinner then went back home. Tomorrow I'm going back to work like usual and will be busy for month end closing. Well, hope all of you had enjoyed your weekend too! Wish you all the best for this Wooden Horse year! Jia you!!! ^^

Happy Wooden Horse Chinese New Year!

Happy Wooden Horse Chinese New Year!!!

Today we worked half day until 2pm. It's a Chinese New Year's Eve. Everyone was in holiday mood already, much awaiting for the long weekend hehehe... Many had taken their leave today and went back to their hometown (mostly Malaysian and Indonesian). They took bus, ferry, taxi, car, or airplane. Must be very crowded in the checkpoint and airport :)

Many office opened half day. Most of our goods came yesterday and the day before. Today there were only little order to come and not much things to do for my colleagues. I was preparing for the upcoming month-end closing.

At 12.30pm me and my colleagues had our lunch at office Cafeteria. Our Chefs prepared nice food today (fish maw soup, vegetable fa cai, nasi lemak with ingredients) plus few varieties of Chinese New Year cookies, gold coin chocolates and Mandarin oranges to add up the CNY ambience :) We enjoyed our meals slowly, had a chit chat, as if we were having reunion lunch together.

Oh, we had our first Lo Hei together though on Tuesday. Read more about Lo Hei here. It was only 5 of us. The two Chinese porters had gone back to China for holiday since two weeks ago.

Roasted duck and pork char siew :)

Yesterday we had a roasted duck and pork char siew feast too. Oh, we were really spoiled with food at this Festive season!

At home there were lots and lots of tidbits, cookies and snacks too! Hohoho! Beer and soft drinks were prepared too!

My dear Baobei - ready for Steamboat reunion dinner :)

Tonight we had reunion dinner at home. Usually during Chinese New Year's Eve family members would get together at home or restaurant and had their dinner together. Steamboat was one of the choices as we could eat slowly and had conversation while eating. It was easier to prepare too. We ate, drank, and chit chatted until about 11pm then continued with watching TV. Our local TV broadcasted live show from Chinatown then followed with count down when the time came!

We lighted out the joysticks and pray to Buddha and ancestor, wish for their blessings so that we can go through the year ahead blessed with good health, safety, peace, happiness, wealth and luck. We prayed for others people's happiness too :)

I attach the cute Chinese New Year greeting's video here. Hope you enjoy! And I hope that everything will go smoothly too! Wish everyone a Happy Wooden Horse Chinese New Year! Huat ah!!! ^^

Bhutan trip day 8 - Thur, 12 Sep 2013 - Night in Thimphu

Reached Thimphu at around 5.30pm from Haa. At night, after taking some rest and did some laundry at home, Riku's besties, Pema and Sonam, came to Riku's house. Finally I met Riku's closest besty, Sonam Dendup, known as 'Rinpoche' as he used to be vegetarian and known to be a wise man amongst them, also 'Love Guru' as he is good in giving advise to his friends on the love relationship :) He is indeed a sweet and charming guy who sticks to his life's values and has big dreams to be fulfilled in his life. Nice meeting you Sonam!

View inside the meat and fish stall at neighborhood area in Motithang, Thimphu

Before they came, Riku bought fish from the meat stall nearby his house. I followed him to the shop as I wanted to see how it looked like. I didn't even know there was such a shop just nearby where he lived. He decided to buy fish and asked her sister to cook fried fish and dhall for dinner.

We had dinner together, with Pema and Sonam too. Pema was hesitating to take mountain of rice this time hahaha... He was shy to eat lots of rice in front of me. I told him, "Please, go ahead and never feel shy to eat a lot of rice." In fact, he was not the only one. Most of Bhutanese men eat lots of rice, even take second or third serving of rice. Bhutanese women eat slightly lesser rice than them.

Had Bumthang and Luntshe ara at Pema house

After dinner, we went to Pema's house. There, he mixed the pink color ara from Bumthang with another ara from Lhuntse, and cooked it with butter and egg. Nice!! I had two bowls of it as they said, the guest had to drink the second serving. Thank you Pema for the ara!!

Thimphu view at night from Sangaygang and Kissing Point

 
We went up to Sangaygang after that, to see Thimphu at night. It was beautiful view with great accompanies. Bhutanese people love to go there at night, usually with their group of friends, by car. They will stop their car at the roadside, turn on the music from inside the car, have few bottles of alcohol on hand, drink there, chit chat, sit there, relax, play around, and so on. What a good life they have there! You don't have to spend enormous amount of money to drink inside the pub or night club, but you can create your own environment with most importantly, great accompanies- like besties, buddies, good friends, maybe girl/boy friend. On the way down to town, we passed by the Kissing Point and stopped for a while to take photo of the beautiful Trashi Chhoe Dzong lighted at night.

Sonam played few wonderful songs inside his car. All the melancholic and quite latest songs, such as: "Marry me" by Train, "What are words" by Chris Medina, "Wherever you will go" by The Calling,  "Let her go" by Passengers, etc. Now I know why I sang lots of sad songs during my last Karaoke session with my friends. Lolx!! They were all good songs. I loved hearing it over and over again. It reminded me of the beautiful time I had in Bhutan :D I also learned to know "the Honey Bunny song" from Sonam. When you called his mobile, that song what you would hear until he picked up the call. It sounds like this :D

"You're my pumpkin pumpkin, hello honey bunny
I'm your dumpling dumpling, hello honey bunny
Feeling something something, hello honey bunny, honey bunny
Toko toko..."

Midnight coffee time at Thongsel Restaurant inside Taj Tashi Hotel in Thimphu, Bhutan

We headed to Taj Tashi Hotel, a five-star hotel with 66 elegant guest rooms, with its deluxe room rate starting from US$400 per night. Pema invited us to drink coffee there. We sat at one corner of the Thongsel Restaurant, a beautiful place with a high ceiling and transparent big window overlook a magnificent prayer wheel. We were served a cup of coffee with few range of delicious cookies. Hhhmmm... it was so relaxing, peace and serene. We reached there at midnight. Not many people were seen at the restaurant. After filling up our stomach, we went outside and took photos with the prayer wheel. After that we went into the lobby and took photo with the Buddha's picture and the bells above us, then went back home.

Thank you Riku, Pema and Sonam for bringing me around in such a short time!!! I enjoyed your accompany very much! Keep in touch and hope to see you guys again in the future! Take care! :)