Pri-vet привет - Hello in Russian :)

After a 10-hour flight from Singapore, we finally arrived at Domodedovo International Airport in Moscow, Russia. It wasn't an easy flight. We departed at 2.30am Singapore time and we were served supper inside the airplane when we had already fallen asleep at 3.30am. Lol! Moreover my niece and I were given the seat at the last row of the aircraft where we couldn't have any space at the back of the seat and therefore, we had to sleep on sitting position at all time. Luckily I managed to catch some deep sleep :)

The sight of Domodedovo Airport in Moscow

The weather was very good. It was sunny and it wasn't as cold as I expected. Luckily I brought some normal shirt and short pants, otherwise it would be too hot for me.

It was Sunday. We immediately were brought to Red Square and visited many places on foot. Started at 11am, had lunch for an hour at 12pm, then walked again until 4.15pm. Thereafter we had an early dinner and checked in to the hotel to get the early rest.

Finally seeing the St Basil's Cathedral in real! :)

We were all very tired with so much walking but we were all feeling grateful for being able to visit many wonderful places there.

I only write a little for now and need to sleep now. So 'til we meet again ;)

Visit Russia Sep 2014

I’ve never dreamed in my life that one day I will visit Russia, the largest country in the world located in the northern Eurasia with around 143 million populations in it. The country was once under the Soviet Union in 1990s and then it reconstituted as Russian Federation in 1991. 

Mr. Vladimir Putin is the current president helming and governing the country, and in less than a month ago, he ordered the ban on the food imports (fruit, vegetable, meat, fish, milk and dairy items) from the West as a retaliation against Western countries that imposed economic sanctions against Russia after the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over eastern Ukraine.

When I read the news about it, I was a little worrying about what kind of Russian food I should expect to have over there. I wouldn’t starve of course, only that I wouldn’t find bits of Italian mozzarella, chunks of Australian rib-eye, dollop of Finnish yoghurt and other American food that used to be available before. Well, they produced a very nice chocolate confectionary and Massandra dry sherry and I wouldn’t mind having it every day though plus their vodka too hehe…

By right, I should be grateful as we will only be served a local taste of Russian food, pure taste and fully grown indeed :) and there will be Chinese food as well. I did some research on their food and I expect to taste their black rye bread, Solyanka (sweet and sour beef soup), Pirozhki (fried bun with fillings), Blini (Russian pancake), Chicken Kiev (breaded chicken cutlet rolled around the garlic butter and herbs – hm.. sounds delicious!), Pelmeni (Russian dumplings), Shashlyk (kebab), Golubtsy (stuffed cabbage or pigs in a blanket), and so on. Just browsed around it has already made my mouth watering ^^

"Real" Russia, I'm coming!!! :)

All thanks to my parents who wanted to visit Russia and asked me to accompany them in their tour. We’ll spend nine days there with itinerary packed each and every day to a few different cities. This will be new experience for me to visit another place I’ve never been to before, and at the same time, a bonding time with my parents and niece :)

We were briefed a month before the departure date. We were warned not to wear lavishly as it could attract pickpockets. Other than that, we were told not to expect too much, such as: efficient service, smiley faces, etc. from Russian people as they are just like that. We were also asked to always be on time as traffic jam would delay the whole journey and disturb the whole itinerary.

What feared me most is actually their language, an East Slavic language. Their writings are different from English words. I have no idea about their pronunciation too. If we get lost or being separated from our tour participants, that’s it! Haha… That’s why they advised us to follow the tour leader closely and we have to inform them wherever we want to go, even to the toilet. Ahhh… I have already imagined a unique and challenging encounter ahead! ;D

Pic source: therussianstore.com

Despite the Ebola spread and unstable situation in many places of the world, we can only afford to think positively and hope that we all will have a smooth and safe journey. Please wish us lots of good luck for our safety and health throughout our journey, go and return in good shape and bring back many memorable events as part of our lives’ journey. I’ve even already had Matryoshkas doll – the famous Russian nesting doll or Babushka doll – in my mind, planned to bring some back home ^^

I’ll share more stories with you when I’m free, share more photos, feelings and emotions too. Sabbe Satta Bhavantu Sukhitatta – may all sentient beings be happy. Sadhu Sadhu Sadhu.

What is happiness to you?

To me, happiness is something that I feel inside my heart, that makes me feel happy and content, especially from simple thing that happens in life, such as: love, family, friendship, togetherness, and so on.

Well, to you or to other people, happiness can be something like own a big house, luxury car, earn high salary every month, hold a very high post in the office, travel regularly abroad sponsored by your office or other organization, have a beautiful and pretty wife or handsome and rich husband, and so on.

It's something that we feel very subjective, isn't it?

Today I've spent my time happily with my family members. My parents came yesterday and we spent the precious time with my brother and families too, by having dinner, breakfast, and lunch together. It was a very simple meal, just a normal food sold in hawker center. But the togetherness that we had was not something that we could have every day. It is priceless.

Once reaching home, my hubby and I took rest for a while. After that, we boiled water in the kettle and made a tea. We both sat on the dining room face to face. It was only two of us at home. It was so quiet and peaceful. We had a plate of curry puff and ate it with chilli padi - a small but very spicy chilli. We ate, drank our tea and chit chatted. I felt blessed!!!

To be happy, it doesn't mean we have to sit in Starbucks, TWG Salon and Boutique, or other expensive Cafe or restaurant in town. The coffee or tea doesn't have to be branded, brewed using an expensive machine, or poured from luxury tea pot. The food accompaniment doesn't have to be a variety of delicious and expensive pastry or desserts.

The one that we had was just perfect. Most importantly we had a nice two-way communication, great taste of food and the tea that was hot.

So, how about you? What happiness is to you?

Book Bucket Challenge

Pic source: writersleague.com

After the spread of the Ice Bucket Challenge all over the world, there were other bucket challenges coming up too, such as: India’s Rice Bucket Challenge, where the participants need to donate one bucket of cooked or raw rice to a poor household, and quite recently I was nominated by Sonam Tenzin for the Book Bucket Challenge in Facebook.

Before tagging or nominating others for the challenge, I have to understand first what it was all about. Because otherwise, the person whom I nominated will ask me what is it, and I will have no idea how to explain on what it was.

Therefore, I searched in google and it led me to the Facebook page of the #BookBucketChallenge. So what is it?

#BookBucketChallenge

Make a list of books you wish to donate

OR

Donate books to Libraries or to needy and take photos

OR

Write the list of top 10 Favorite Books you read

Post it in internet with hashtag #BookBucketChallenge and ask/ tag/ challenge your friends

And this challenge is made for the purpose to eradicate illiteracy.

Well, the easiest thing to do among the three choices above was definitely to do the third one.

However, based on the source of www.businessinsider.in it explains as per follow:

“The Book Bucket Challenge is a drive started by One Library per Village, an NGO based in Kerala. The mission of this NGO is to create awareness and share the latest tools, services and resources that add value to digital libraries, enrich user experiences and enhance associated people's career development and learning activities.

So, unlike what is coming across on Facebook, this challenge is also requires you to do something in the name of charity, and not only about nominating your friends for listing ‘10 books that have stayed with them for a while’. Instead, you have to make a list of the books you are willing to donate to libraries or needy people.”

Ahhh…. Araso!!!

Therefore, I will write the list of top 10 Favorite Books that I’ve read here:

1. Live Well, Love Much, Laugh Often - Apelles Poh
2. The Saint, the Surfer, and the CEO - Robin Sharma
3. The Alchemist – Paulo Coelho
4. Life Lessons From The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari – Robin Sharma
5. The Secret – Rhonda Byrne
6. Living Fully – Finding Joy in Every Breath – Shyalpa Tenzin Rinpoche
7. Daily Teachings – Rhonda Byrne
8. Lean In – Sheryl Sandberg
9. The Kite Runner – Khaled Hosseini
10. One Hundred Years of Solitude – Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Next, I will nominate many Bhutanese bloggers to continue this challenge: Ugyen Tenzin, Ugyen Jamyang Norbu, Passang Wangmo, Rupa Kaykay Gurung, Jigmmey Sangpot, Sangay Phuntsho, Luzee Lekzeema, and last but not least, Lekey Choden Dorji.

You can choose to do one of the three things as mentioned at the Facebook or you can also choose to donate your book for charity as per original intention by One Library per Village. In my case I'll do both and I'll do it randomly.

So, have fun everyone! Most importantly, get or start your reading habit back into your life again! Cheers :)

Welcome September! :)

Ask me what my favorite month is! And I’d tell you, it’s September!!! :)

Being born in September making it all special to me. Not only me. My sister, my brother, my niece, my mother-in-law, and many of my friends were also born in this lovely month. Whenever we were staying in the same countries, we would have birthday celebration once in one or two weeks’ time, a great gathering time with siblings, friends, and family members.

The Mid-Autumn Festival or Mooncake Festival will usually fall on this month too! We’ll have a chance to gaze at the brightest and roundest moon in the dark sky, no matter where we are, on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese lunar calendar. Basking the moonlight on the balcony or in the park with your loved ones, eating the delicious mooncakes, accompanied with a cup of hot tea or coffee will make the day brilliant and unforgettable! :)

September is also the starting of autumn season in many parts of the world (except for Australia and its encounter that experience spring season instead). It is one of the best months to travel. I didn’t even realize that I too, have chosen this month to travel, almost in every year.

When you travel in September, you will feel that the place that you visited looks more beautiful. The cooling weather makes your mood glow and feel much happier too (compare it with the sweaty hot summer or freezing cold winter time).

So, wish all of you having a wonderful September and hope everything will go smoothly in your life!!! Happy September everyone!!! :)