my quaint world

Yes, it is LONDON!

To visit my sista! But poor me is broke now after a weekend there. Just the dirty 'Underground' cost me 4.90 pound / day * 4 = 20 bloody bucks! (= RM 120)



Ofcourse, some good monies spent on booze... hehe.


Nevertheless, it was good time I had la. Couple of friends was in town, just at the right weekend! So, we spent many hours chatting , eating and drinking like good ol times back home. Except, no mamak stalls in London!


Yes, I bought 2 pairs of ALDO shoes :) Couldn't help it. They are so sexy!

London is indeed dirty and really hot as its summertime now, especially in the Underground. Its a moving sauna!

Marks of chewing gums everywhere on the pavements, walls and on the edges of your jeans (damn!) after a whole day of walking in the city. Singapore took the right decision to ban that sticky stuff.

Still, its an amazing city. Very quirky, vibrant and interesting. All kinds of people from every corners of the earth came and lived there.

Each time I go to London, I couldn't help but feel rather invisible, like an audience watching a live fast moving play. People ain't watching you. People are just too busy living or err... making a living.

I felt I could just dance, or jump or dress as tarty as I wish, and could just walk down the streets unpassed.

You know that feeling?



One can't leave London without a good Indian dinner. And yes! Largest naan I've ever seen or ate :)





Just that the city is really filthy! Its disturbing to see. Perhaps everyone is doin, because everyone else is doin it.

Fellow Londoners, love your city and stop littering!

Poor me is down with bad bad sorethroat. Hurt like hell!

I have me one and only Nim Jiom Pei Pa Koa but it doesnt help much.

Took some xxx medicine recommended by a friend (description in flemish n french only!). I hope it will work magic :(

Wish me luck!

Because this weekend I am goin to visit my lil sista in London! Time for some long yearned hokkien babbling.

Pre-party drinks at ma place again :)

I can't help it - just love playing host and seein people enjoyin the foodies and drinks.

Talk about the next-day cleaning another day ok! Ahe.

We were invited to a private pool party. It was a cool party. Drinks aplenty, hot chics, fantastic DJs spinning (I got a free cd... heheh), dancing people, jacuzzi and of course, a pool! So, at 4am, people started jumping into the pool and having fun.

Don't ask me what kind of fun ;) Me didn't see any hot scenes. Too bad!

We partied right up till 8am! Fieeww, there was a moment - caught me in amazement, there I was dancing to the beat, sipping ma whiskey soda and the sun coming up on my right, the moon leaving the scene on my left.

Crazy party people in Belgium!

I think I have gotten this question for a zillion times since I've been here.

Well, thinking back, this is also one of the question I used to ask any foreigner that I've met for the first time in my home country. (So, wei, let's quit asking this lame question!!!)

Because now I know the feeling.

Its damn irritating! Eheheeh...

But I've got a standard answer now. And even could anticipate the standard response!

Well well, what could one say when being asked of that by a homelander? Of course, one has to say with the glee of excitement that 'ooh, I love it here!'. And go on about the weather, the food and bla bla bla.

Well, well, I just wonder when will be the day I will never have that question anymore!

Pppfff...

But on the upside, it is, in fact nice that people try to talk to me. But well, conversation couldn't be carried out too far due to the barrier of languages.

I do miss a lot the lepak sessions late night at the mamak with ma buds :(

Well, an update on how am I getting on here.

Might seems to be all fun but well, there is also lotsa challenges and I foresee more to come. Of course, there were times of ups and downs.

My biggest challenge is the languages. Understanding people and forming bonds is almost impossible now, I guess due to the missing bridge of a common language. Therefore, the more I should push myself to learn, at least, flemish to start off. And I am determined to at least be able to understand what is spoken within 6 month! Too aggressive timeline, you think?

Next, the new job! Sales is entirely different and indeed challenging. So many news things to learn. Well, I took the decision for the move so I will do my best. And I want to be the best and I will be!!! :)

GOOD NEWS - after weeks of calling SGI Belgium, I finally managed to speak to someone. Seems like every Saturday morning there is daimokukai at the kaikan. And a meeting on every first Sunday of the month. I will go there this saturday! :) Strive for kosenrufu, yeay!

What else, err, started running in the evenings. Wanna do it every evenings but so far, its only 2 times in 3 weeks. Gee!

I've also been cleaning the house weekly. Its spotless and hairless.

Next on the list to do - to plant lavender in my lil garden :)


Oooh, how I miss my crazy friends in Asia, the karaoke-ing, the Zion char kuey teow, nights at mamak stalls and me little Nammie! :(

Well, well, gotta be happy - life is short, so live life!

We are indeed party people!

Thursday @ Carre - Very crowded huge dance club with loud music booming away, swirling colored lights, ultra-flexi dancers, fireworks, expensive drinks, beautiful people and even a violin player fiddling to the fast beats. Supposedly very poshy and only good looking ones gets to enter. The bouncers there are HUGE men! Also, I got in! :) But alas, in there was way tooo hothothot!

Friday @ crashed in bed.

Saturday @ Werchter Classic - There was Bryan Adams, Sting, Simply Red, Simple Mind... playing in this music festival. 80k people in the big field! Woa, the feeling was exhilarating. Lost in the sea of humans!



Sunday @ Brussels - Joined the crazy crowd in Brussels to watch the final match and cheering at La Bourse thereafter. There was police everywhere but yo, they do look lost in the mass of cheering happy dancing people with the italian flags, football horn, whistles and fireworks.

Still much lined up for the coming weeks - London to visit me lil sis, Antilliaanse Feesten, Pukkelpop and whole loads of other music fests, Ibiza, South of France, BBQs and Madonna concert!!! :D

Phew, I hope I will be able to keep with it but at the rate the beers are filling me, I think a potbelly will form soon! :S

** She makes a mental note to always have her camera next time round

I couldn't put a word to my feelings now.

The entire day was spent being in a deep daze. I couldn't do much work so I started cleaning my place. And cleaning and cleaning and cleaning. I guess the physical work helps to fill the emptiness.

My dearest friend who discovered that she had cancer when we were 25 and after 3 years of many many tears, joy and pain, she left this very day. We were close, very very closely bonded. Not closeness in an everyday way, but it was a real friendship we shared.

We met when we were 11 and went to the same school till we were 17. We lived in the same neighbourhood. Played the same games for our school - table tennis, badminton, volleyball. We were also in the perfectorial board (I was fired when I was 15 though)
We went on school trips, camping and also did all the girly teenage stuffs - yakkin on the phone, writing letters, giving presents, hanging out, going to "pasar malam", having lunches after school, secret meeting with boyfriends, watching our first adult movie...

In fact, there is 7 of us in the groupie. 7 wonderful friends that did all that together.

Then we all parted our ways for the different aspirations each one holds. Some studies medicine, some engineering, some media...

She came living with me in Singapore in year 2000 for a year before she went to continue her studies in New Zealand. Boy, what a time we had! At first we rented a room together, but couple of months later, we found ourselves a nice terrace house. We cooked together, we had parties and we ate durian almost every night (courtesy of her beau then)

We kept in touch sporadically after she left for NZ. Nevertheless, every Chinese New Year, we will meet on the first day. It is already a tradition since we were 13.

In 2003, she discovered cancer. Then our friendship took to another level. We were all fighting her cancer together. But of course, we couldn't share the bout of physical pain she had. Thru the journey, we discovered each others, ourselves and the true meaning of being friends.

We encourage each other, we opened up our innerselves, we talked about our fears, we cried together, we laughed out loud. And we know and trust that each only has the best intention for another.

Last I met her was in end April. We spent many hours talking - Sze, Mei, Yen and me. April 30, that was the night of the last long warm hug of hers.

Now that she's gone, all I hold are the memories we shared.

She's a wonderful person - smart, capable, beautiful, warm, friendly, true and always ever ready with a smile.

It is indeed painful, a great lost and I still try to grasp the very fact - for I still see her name on my skype and just waiting for her to ping me, hoping that is this a bad dream afterall. Or scrolling to her name in my mobile, wanting to ring and to hear her again.

But the fact is, I will never see, hug or kiss her again in this lifetime of mine.

Our pathes once crossed but I know that it will never cross again,
But all memories made in this lifetime will stay forever in my mind,
I will miss you dearly, Pei Sze.



The signature smile!





And when we were still teenage girls.



Chinese New Year gathering that we never missed since we were 13 years old.



Steamboat dinner during Chinese New Year.



In Taipei.



Another Chinese New Year. See, always someone in RED!



Night before her wedding!



I had the honor to be her bridesmaid.



She's lovely, ain't she?



Perfect couple!







** She closes her eyes and she could see the 12 years old girls playing in the fields. Running thru the winds and laughing out so loud. Those were the days!

To create your own visited countries map

Quite cool he? Feel like a conquerer...

Well, there's lotsa more to see in the world and never it will be the same encounter on another trip even to the same place...

It's always different! Even on the same moment, its different through the eyes of another or just in a different second, everything changes. Don't you agree?

So let's really appreciate every moments of our lives!

Just remembered of some very nice pictures I took during the last trip here.

I figured I should show off some niceties of Brussels so that frens will be tempted to come visiting this beautiful country - and visiting me, thus I will have continuous supply of my Shin Ramen and Prima Taste packs... muahahahha...










Come! Come! Come! A warm welcome to cold cold Belgium!!!

Hey, ain't my skills improving slightly? (Minus the mis-focusing sometimes)

My first attempt to cook meself a dinner.

Cooked rice (leftover from sunday's dinner)
10 Long beans (cut into 1cm length)
1 Carrot (cut into tiny strips)
3 Dried mushroom (soaked in water and cut into tiny strips)
3 Cloves of garlic (chopped into tiny tiny pieces)
3 Shelled prawns (cut into 4 pieces each)
1 Ginger (just tiny piece)
1 Small onion (small slices)
1 Chili (chopped into tiny pieces)
1 Egg
Olive oil
Salt, pepper, thick soya sauce.

First, heat the pan. Throw in the garlic and onions. When it turns golden, add the prawns and ginger. Then the mushrooms. Afterthat, throw in all the long beans, carrots and chili. Add salt, pepper and water. Let it boil so that vege will be softened. Then the rice. Open a hole in the middle, break the egg. Mash it up. Then add soya sauce for the taste and colour.

Hokkien people like food in dark colours ;)

But well, as usual when I am cooking, something always goes wrong - when the fire started, wok get heated and I get panicky. So in fact, I toppled 1/2 bottle of the pepper into the wok :-/

So, it was a PEPPER fried rice I had instead with lotsa ketchup!

My god-daughter... oooh how adorable!!!

Doncha think the smile just bring sunshine to ma gloomy day!

Finally figured how to upload a pic of meself onto blogspot.

Wanted to put up an artistic and yet mysterious and yet beautiful picture of myself.

But after 30 mins of looking thru the thousands of pictures in my harddisk, I give up - there is nothing like how I imagine I'd like to look like.

Anyway, here it goes - enjoy those quirky chinese eyes.

Phew, I guess, after 4 weeks of a lot of foreign things finally took a toll on me.

I am washed out. And I feel lost.

I guess, in short - its homesickness?

Anyway, these 3 days, it will be just me, myself and Jaymy home alone. So I guess, its time to spend some quiet moments to look for the lost girl again.

Nothing too serious, but just feeling low and down. Perhaps the missing sun and the cloudy sky took me in.

Where is my blue blue sky?

Lovely Sunday spent at the beach in Oostende.

We drove 120km, just to lay for 2 hours sleeping under the sun, on the sandy beach with clear blue sky above us. Sometimes staring endlessly to the horizon or at the many people playing, relaxing on the very same beach.

Read 3 pages of The Republic (including introduction) and scribble some notes in my diary.

And boy, I do have a tan and a clear mind now.

That's living life he!

Just to tell the world that I completed my first 60km on bike :)

Muahahhaa - so now I really need to get a bike!

Lovely weather for biking! And yes, it sheds off the extraz off me ;) Hard work you know!

The dream is to have a killer long slinky legs in 3 months time.

I need a motivation, don't I?!!!

Even if it seems hard to reach... muahehahahah (I know who is laughing at me!)

BUT you can't stop one from dreaming the impossibles...
AND perhaps reaching the impossibles :)

Annual Bicycle Trip

Yippee, tomorrow I will go on a bicycle trip. 60km route. Organised by a group of my colleagues. Really looking forward to it.

It will be a nice sunny day of about 25 degrees :)

I just hope I won't pokkai - trip and fall over!!!

I am putting my bets on the following finals :

Winner : BRAZIL
Runner-up : ARGENTINA
3rd placin : SPAIN
4th placin : HOLLAND (I guess they have to make it somehow as they are the hosts!)

Update - Shit, I was blur... Had Mr Arnout laughing at me. I meant Germany!!! But anyhow, I have submitted my bets for Holland :( They better win man!!!

Woa, a punter I am becoming!

But soon there will be a night of me sitting on the couch at home with a beer and cheering like the mans. Hehehehe...

Win money can buy shoes leh!

Invited some colleagues and friends over for SOME drinks on June 2, one of the Fridays.



Mr D was amazed with the number of people that could fit our place - only 20 people. Wait till he see my parents apartment during CNY - record was 70 people eheheheh



The girls made themselves comfortable and warm on the sofa.



Smokers' corner @ our terrace. And they just flick their cigg butts over down to my little stone garden. Talk about conviniences :)



Well, after a hard night... what else. Cleaning!

Bizarre weather here!

When I arrived, it was super cold (at least for me!) and I had to don on my winter coat. Remember I was complaining about the cold toilet seat!

2 weeks with lotsa rain and wind and viola, suddenly last Friday, it was clear blue sky. Beautiful. The weekend was great. And then...

It become hotter and hottter and hottter.

And there is no air-con in the homes. Nor offices :S

So, one can imagine at 30 degree day in and out. Except, my new found joy is in the car... its air-con :)

Since yesterday, its back to gloomy, grey and wet days.

But I look to the weekend for the hope of the sun may return.

May 27 - 28, 2006



This is the Royal Palace at the famous Dam Square.



Canals winds around the entire city and this give Amsterdam its character.



Of course, Tulips = Holland.



Statue of the Great Master, Rembrandt @ The Rembrandtplein.



Spring is here. Flowers at every corner of the streets.









More flowers :)

Spent the weekend there with my colleagues from Singapore. Lotsa fun, laughter, jokes and hard walking :S

Oh yea, even hung out at the infamous coffeeshops of Amsterdam - had space cake with espresso and coupled with some puffs :)

Someone broke the window of the car and stole the GPS :(

What a luck!

So now I've officially adopted the role of a "live" GPS and I am proud to say that I am pretty good at it. Didnt yet lose our way :)

Anyway, Mr D say he now has a funny froggy croaking GPS who goes like this :

"Break break break"
"Stop stop stop"
"Slow down"
"Be careful"

It keeps repeating and occasionally with some hard pinches.

** Grinning

Look! Here comes the sun.

I love clear BLUEEE skies... :)

After 2 weeks of gloomy clouds and endless rain falls, everyone is estatic to see the sun.

Today we even went out to a restaurant during lunch. Sat by the terrace, letting the sun burn deep into our skins, enjoyin our salad and cup of steaming espresso.

Imagine an asian driving in busy Brussels.

The roads are so narrow and there are many loading and unloading trucks standing in the way. So I had a tough time manouvering myself around, keeping in mind that now I am sitting on the left side and that junctions are not how it used to be.

After a while driving in the craziness of the morning hour, I lost myself. In fact, I just kept going and going and finally realised that I am going in the wrong direction.

But I kept going because I did not know how or where to make a u-turn.

Then I did the asian thingy - went up the tram lanes, cut across, held up my hands with a big smile and stopped the next car coming along.

And so I got my u-turn and arrived in a piece to my workplace.

On top of that, every moment I was also praying that I will not stall (mati engin) the car - malu la!!! :-S

Leaving on a jet plane...








Me been missing? Yea, am on a holiday!

No, in fact, everything has been great so far except for a couple of hiccups. First thing is that my charger for my mobile phone is broken (it didnt survive the long flight!) and the wireless router at my home was acting stubborn for the first couple of days.

So, that explained my disconnection from the world for the first 3 days.

Apart from my missing luggage (and found 6 hours later) and broken window and stolen GPS from our car and the unstoppable rain, otherwise, it was a good welcome to cold cold Belgium, the heart of Europe.

I've begun to like my new home, the art donning of layers and layers of summer clothes to shield the chilly wind, got use to wearing shoes indoors, eating cheese and sitting on stingy cold toilet seat. (I should get a heated and multi-function one from Japan - with the powder option, aha) Ah, and also responding to people speaking to me in Flemish.

Went to the town hall to get meself registered and thruout the entire process, the lady refused to speak to me in English. I still think she understands english though. But anyway, I managed somehow... using my telepathy skills hahaha.

Admist all this, I can already imagine a beautiful summer coming up. I see flowers sprouting at every corners at gardens of homes, flowers on trees along the highway with unusual shapes and colors, beaming faces of people when the sun appears for a tempting moment and a vast sky view which I longed to see it in an entire bluishness.



Ma new home!










The Hall to laze.



The TV to stare.



Eating eating eating.



Not my cup of tea. But I'll try some chinese dishes soon.



First drink - Welcome Jaymy to Belgium :)

This is just the right song that sings my current feelings.

There is always a both sides in life and it's up to us to see whichever.

Last 10 years, there were countless ups and downs, but all the memories lingers. Bittersweets. And now to the new chapter, I do look forward to everything that life will bring to me.


Both Sides Now - Joni Mitchell

Rows and floes of angel hair
And ice cream castles in the air
And feather canyons ev’rywhere
I’ve looked at clouds that way

But now they only block the sun
They rain and snow on ev’ryone
So many things I would have done
But clouds got in my way
I’ve looked at clouds from both sides now
From up and down, and still somehow
It’s cloud illusions I recall
I really don’t know clouds at all

Moons and junes and ferris wheels
The dizzy dancing way you feel
As ev’ry fairy tale comes real
I’ve looked at love that way

But now it’s just another show
You leave ’em laughing when you go
And if you care, don’t let them know
Don’t give yourself away

I’ve looked at love from both sides now
From give and take, and still somehow
It’s love’s illusions I recall
I really don’t know love at all

Tears and fears and feeling proud
To say I love you right out loud
Dreams and schemes and circus crowds
I’ve looked at life that way

But now old friends are acting strange
They shake their heads, they say I’ve changed
Well something’s lost, but something’s gained
In living ev’ry day

I’ve looked at life from both sides now
From win and lose and still somehow
It’s life’s illusions I recall
I really don’t know life at all
I’ve looked at life from both sides now
From up and down, and still somehow
It’s life’s illusions I recall
I really don’t know life at all

Books again!

1) Night



Author : Elie Wiesel

I am half way through the book and it is really a captivating but disturbing read. It is indeed important for us to know the other extreme opposite of humanity that could be inherent in us depending on choices and consciences.

2) The World Is Flat

Author : Thomas L. Friedman

I have not started on it yet. Bought this book because it is the bestseller now. I am really quite a sucker for these marketing antics. But wait, let me have a read and we shall know.

Well, on the second reason that spurred me to buy this book cuz I really thought I should read it. Its about Globalisation. And I think I will soon be zaboomed in a way into globalisation with my moving.

Well, it could also be just an excuse to fill up my bookcase with intelligent looking books or to give me more ideas so that I can continue my charade to converse intelligently like an adult.

I can't help to suspect that I am always a 18-year-old, unfortunately trapped in a growing and aging body.

Still as contradictory as ever...

And damn, I can't find the picture of the bookcover to beautify my blog.

Ma last 10 days in Singapore.

Of course, I will come back again someday for visits, holidays, business etc. But its different... Feels like an end of a chapter in a book.

Spent the last 10 years here. These days, I get pretty nostalgic looking at everything around me, listening to ma friends and even smelling the warm moisted air.

The 10 years had passed me by like a breeze. Thinking back - there were so many memories kept, friendships formed, lessons learnt. So much, so much that I couldn't put them all in words.

I mean, I could but it will take ages. Hehehe. Lazy bum like me!

Still remember clearly the first day I arrived here. A blur 17 year old kiddo.

It was an adventure.

2 big bags, a bus ride and a cousin to keep me company for the first 2 weeks.

Here I was, to start a life in Singapore that lasted 10 years.

And I would say, it was a good 10 years indeed!

These last 10 days feels just like an epilogue of a good book.

Au revoir, Singapour!

Oooh, my work permit is approved! Yippee!!!

Anyone who wants to buy me a farewell drink, don't hesitate to call me k! Hahaha...

Cure for a bad day :

3 Lychee Martini @ Harry's Crazy Hour
Return Ride @ MX5
Dinner @ Crystal Jade
Phonecall @ Ma mobile
Books @ Borders
A good long HOT shower ;)

Recently, I had a very deep conversation with my best buds. It kept me thinking for many nights. It drained me out quite a bit.

Nevertheless, it was worthwhile.

Is it the matter of the beginning or the journey towards the ending?
Is there a beginning or ending at all?

Death. It is inevitable to all. As much as we would like to be in denial, to hope for eternal mortality, to not think about it - someday we will perish.

It could be tomorrow for me. Or in 5 years. Or in 10 years. Or perhaps when I am 80 years old.

The journey of life for everyone is different. We encounter different obstacles - literally, rivers to cross, mountains to climb, ocean to sail - at all different points in our lives.

At certain point, we may meet the most impossible mountain to climb. Not knowing if we can survive the climb. We slog on, we climb on - hoping to survive the climb.

What if at the other side of the mountain is a desert? One will certainly suffer from exhaustion and dehydration.

In this case, do we define the other side of the mountain the beginning of life? Or ending?

Perhaps - instead draggin our feet thru the darkness, feeling the pain, sadness, despair... We could re-channel our energies?

As we climb the magnimous mountain - we could pick some flowers along the way, enjoy the passing breeze, lose our breath to the spectacular view, sing some songs aloud, laugh a million laughters, dance with our friends, do a jiggy when no ones lookin...???

That is living, isn't it.

Because who knows what lies for us tomorrow.

Mood : Pensive
It was disspointment-turned-anger-turned-pensive mood.

I guess I am not a person who stays angry for long. Quick tempered, I call it. But being a scorpio, I remember ;)

There was an expectation set and when the expectation was not met, dissapointment fills up the gap. Anyway, for today's dissapointment, the expectation = REWARD.

Well, what pisses me off is that I have to justify for my own reward! Which is silly la - in my view because I am hired for a purpose so I should spend my time fulfilling that purpose. Not justifying reward for purpose I fulfilled last year.

My working principles : I work with strong commitment and utmost dedication to fulfil and deliver my purpose - be indispensable! (I work and live to that!). And I trust completely that the reciprocal effect should come naturally - REWARDS!

Law of cause and effect!

Well, well, could it be of my naiveness? It doesn't seems to work this way in the corporate world unfortunately.

But I want to believe that the working way of life is the same as for personal, corporate, society etc. Meaning law of cause and effect is invariable, even in this big bad world.

I am torn now. Admist the dissapointment, a part of me refused to keep functioning - other part reminded me to be objective.

So, I thought I'll take a break now and write my thoughts. Maybe someone out there can give me some enlightening encouragement???