For my family...
Friday 30 January 2009
Thursday 29 January 2009
Happy Chinese New Year
Wishing all my Chinese friends a happy and prosperous New Year ahead. May the economy gets better sooner rather than later.
This year, I celebrated the Chinese New Year with a "reunion" dinner made up of some of my classmates and some other friends, including Wilbur (the other Singaporean I know of in Heriot Watt). It was definitely a "reunion" in the sense that most of my friends and classmates went home for the Christmas break and this was the first time we could gather together again after so many weeks of not seeing each other.
However, I truly missed my family and the Chinese New Year goodies...luckily, Wilbur "smuggled" me some pineapple tarts and my mom is sending those plus Lapis cake and her fruit cake to me soon. :) I also managed to talk to my parents, brother, and Auntie Helen as well as Uncle Allan and his wife this week. So I'm quite satisfied overall, in the midst of drowning in work/tutorials. Yet, the sense of sadness lingers.. I can't seem to rid myself of it nor speak about it.
This year, I celebrated the Chinese New Year with a "reunion" dinner made up of some of my classmates and some other friends, including Wilbur (the other Singaporean I know of in Heriot Watt). It was definitely a "reunion" in the sense that most of my friends and classmates went home for the Christmas break and this was the first time we could gather together again after so many weeks of not seeing each other.
However, I truly missed my family and the Chinese New Year goodies...luckily, Wilbur "smuggled" me some pineapple tarts and my mom is sending those plus Lapis cake and her fruit cake to me soon. :) I also managed to talk to my parents, brother, and Auntie Helen as well as Uncle Allan and his wife this week. So I'm quite satisfied overall, in the midst of drowning in work/tutorials. Yet, the sense of sadness lingers.. I can't seem to rid myself of it nor speak about it.
Thursday 15 January 2009
Natascha's visit
(From Left: Me, Natascha, Jenni, and John)
The New Year's week was fun because Natascha visited (and I managed to get back my wallet). We went over to Jenni's in Dundee for 29-30th where we caught up with her and John (and Gemma). Pouring over L&C fanfic, watching L&C (and a bonus: Superman movie), we really had a blast.
We went for a girl's night out at an Indian restaurant where we ordered different dishes that all look alike. It was lovely though.
(A girl's night out)
(Natascha in her kilt-skirt) We then came back to Edinburgh for Hogmanay where we attended the candlelit concert in St. Giles Cathedral (Kirk). It reminded me a bit of the last concert that we attended at the MIT convention hall...a Christmas concert in which Anita was organizing.
After that, we went to the street party with several of my friends. First New Year's street party I've attended...we had fun and danced to the Scottish jigs. The fireworks were breathtaking and the laser display was spectacular.
Ah...I definitely enjoyed Natascha's visit. Now, it's back to work for me. :) Hope this year will be a better year than the last...even if we're starting this year on a recession and a man-made disaster in Palestine.
Thursday 1 January 2009
London pictures
Happy New Year, all. I know I'm a bit late but well, I was trying to enjoy a quiet week mostly by myself before returning to classes (which I did this past week).
Thought I'd upload my London pictures here and tell some of the stories. Went to London over Christmas (23rd - 26th)...a piece of advice for travellers; never go to London over Christmas. The transport system and most of the tourist attractions are shut down from 24th to 26th. We were lucky enough to be able to visit the British Museum on 23rd.
Anyway, on to the photos...on 26th, Nicole (my friend from Barbados) and I went on our last tour of some of the sights. Behind me is the Tower of London...I know it doesn't look like a tower. I had imagined something like Rapunzel's tower; apparently not.
Behind us is the Tower Bridge over the Thames. Now, this is more like a tower!
From the London bridge, you can actually see the Tower Bridge. In front of it is a warship...forgot what's the name, though.
I pestered Nicole to come here (London Bridge) because of the popular Nursery Rhyme, but it definitely didn't look like I imagine...notice that trend. It's going to recur all through my trip.
On the same day, that morning, we were able to catch the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace. It was a treat as they had the military band performing Christmas songs. Cool!
Thought I'd upload my London pictures here and tell some of the stories. Went to London over Christmas (23rd - 26th)...a piece of advice for travellers; never go to London over Christmas. The transport system and most of the tourist attractions are shut down from 24th to 26th. We were lucky enough to be able to visit the British Museum on 23rd.
Anyway, on to the photos...on 26th, Nicole (my friend from Barbados) and I went on our last tour of some of the sights. Behind me is the Tower of London...I know it doesn't look like a tower. I had imagined something like Rapunzel's tower; apparently not.
Behind us is the Tower Bridge over the Thames. Now, this is more like a tower!
From the London bridge, you can actually see the Tower Bridge. In front of it is a warship...forgot what's the name, though.
I pestered Nicole to come here (London Bridge) because of the popular Nursery Rhyme, but it definitely didn't look like I imagine...notice that trend. It's going to recur all through my trip.
On the same day, that morning, we were able to catch the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace. It was a treat as they had the military band performing Christmas songs. Cool!On the actual Christmas day itself, we only toured in the morning because there wasn't any transport and our feet were killing us by noon. So, we managed to go round to Trafalgar Square, London Eye, the Thames and the Temple where they shot Da Vinci's code.
Here we are at Trafalgar Square. Just behind Nicole and Hajar is the National Arts Gallery which was unfortunately closed so we couldn't explore it.
This find was so cool! We were walking along the Thames when we chanced upon this obelisk that originated from Ancient Egypt. Read the inscription...it would say that the obelisk have been there since 1870s.
Of course, I had to pose with the Sphinx that was erected beside the obelisk. :D
Back at Trafalgar Square, we had our snack/lunch. That's Nicole pointing to the Nelson monument. We then headed back to the Russel Square hostel where we spent the afternoon and evening watching TV (Dr. Who specials and Top Gear among others).
On 24th, the tube was running partially so we managed to move around even though we still couldn't visit lots of the museums and galleries. Still we had a good time visiting the Buckingham Palace, Big Ben and Westminster Abbey. Below is a picture of Big Ben, which was attached to the Parliament house (surprisingly for me since I never knew that).
We also walked in St. James Park where we met this guy who feeds the birds so regularly that the swans, ducks and other birds chat with him, literally.
Of course, I had to pose at the Buckingham Palace gates...the compulsory photostop.
And of course the palace guards...unfortunately there was no changing of the guards on this day.
Here we are at Trafalgar Square. Just behind Nicole and Hajar is the National Arts Gallery which was unfortunately closed so we couldn't explore it.
This find was so cool! We were walking along the Thames when we chanced upon this obelisk that originated from Ancient Egypt. Read the inscription...it would say that the obelisk have been there since 1870s.
Of course, I had to pose with the Sphinx that was erected beside the obelisk. :D
Back at Trafalgar Square, we had our snack/lunch. That's Nicole pointing to the Nelson monument. We then headed back to the Russel Square hostel where we spent the afternoon and evening watching TV (Dr. Who specials and Top Gear among others).
On 24th, the tube was running partially so we managed to move around even though we still couldn't visit lots of the museums and galleries. Still we had a good time visiting the Buckingham Palace, Big Ben and Westminster Abbey. Below is a picture of Big Ben, which was attached to the Parliament house (surprisingly for me since I never knew that).
We also walked in St. James Park where we met this guy who feeds the birds so regularly that the swans, ducks and other birds chat with him, literally.
Of course, I had to pose at the Buckingham Palace gates...the compulsory photostop.
And of course the palace guards...unfortunately there was no changing of the guards on this day.
We also went to Harrods...pretending to be rich. You wouldn't believe how tacky some of the clothes are. Again, Harrods does not live up to its name...I imagined something grander.
Ooh, look...there's the Duke of Wellington. I visited Waterloo in 2006, so I guess it is only right I took a picture with Wellington, the hero of Waterloo.
Could you tell where I was? I was at Imperial College...I was let down; the campus is really ugly! The bell tower behind me is the only decent building there.
The first night we were in London, Nicole and I walked all the way from British Museum to Madam Tussauds...what a disappointment! The entrance to Madam Tussauds was GBP 20.52! Yikes! Needless to say, we didn't go in. 
hehehe...that was the topping of our first day which started with the British Museum, of course. First though, we found out that London was warmer than we had imagine. Underneath my jacket, I was wearing a single T-shirt, no other layers.
Ok, so I couldn't go to Stonehenge. At least I got a picture with its picture in the British Museum.
And of course, I had to admire the Greek and Greco-influenced artifices within the museum...we spent our entire afternoon just going from one exhibit to the next. Egyptian, Assyrian, Persian, Greek, Roman, European, etc...it's so facinating.
Ooh, look...there's the Duke of Wellington. I visited Waterloo in 2006, so I guess it is only right I took a picture with Wellington, the hero of Waterloo.
Could you tell where I was? I was at Imperial College...I was let down; the campus is really ugly! The bell tower behind me is the only decent building there.
The first night we were in London, Nicole and I walked all the way from British Museum to Madam Tussauds...what a disappointment! The entrance to Madam Tussauds was GBP 20.52! Yikes! Needless to say, we didn't go in.But we managed to find Baker Street. For Sherlock Holmes fans... :D But again, the buildings there are ugly! Singapore has nicer modern buildings than those we spotted that night. Still, Oxford Street was fun...look Ma, what Santa got for me:
Now, for my very lovely sister....
Now, for my very lovely sister....
hehehe...that was the topping of our first day which started with the British Museum, of course. First though, we found out that London was warmer than we had imagine. Underneath my jacket, I was wearing a single T-shirt, no other layers.
Ok, so I couldn't go to Stonehenge. At least I got a picture with its picture in the British Museum.
And of course, I had to admire the Greek and Greco-influenced artifices within the museum...we spent our entire afternoon just going from one exhibit to the next. Egyptian, Assyrian, Persian, Greek, Roman, European, etc...it's so facinating.
Would I go back? Maybe if I don't have to spend so much!
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