A Little Time Off

Pedicure at 5pm!

A little indulgence for getting to knock off on the last working day of the year at 430pm :)

Preparing for a long night ahead!!

Christmas Gifts

It's knowing that the giver had u in mind.

It's the joy that the colorful cards and wrapper bring.

It's the excitement of finding out what's in the packages.

And it's the simple child-like glee of tearing the wrapper apart.

Thanks for the gifts, the thoughts, and the wonderful annual experience of unwrapping my Christmas gifts :)

Travel Diary - Shanghai Trip 2011

I realize that the older I grow and the more I travel, I fall in love with traveling even more. 

Because when you travel, you get to shut your mind off the daily drones of work and morning traffic and simply bask in the surreality of being at an exciting new place - wherever you are. 

It opens up your eyes, your heart and your mind to beautiful things, wonderful experiences and thought-provoking issues. 

A trip to the orient wrapped up my traveling episode for the year of 2011 :)

I've been to China (Beijing) once when I was still in Secondary school (unbelievably, it's more than 10 years ago from now!) and it didn't leave me with a positive impression. So initially, I was pretty apprehensive of going to Shanghai. 

But I told myself to go with an open heart and open mind, for beauty appears at places and moments where you least expect. And guess what, I came back with more than 600 photos for the trip because I was trying to capture all the beauty of the things I've seen. 

 I'm not going to be a pain and load all the photos here. They should be up on Facebook soon (I hope). 

Now for a short summary!

Itinerary

The itinerary was packed to the brim and we travel to a new place everyday.

Su Zhou

Wu Xi

Nanjing 

Hang Zhou

Fu Yang

Shao Xing

Shanghai

Highlights of the trip

1) Impression Westlake

A multimedia play directed by Zhang Yimou, set upon the scenic West Lake in Hang Zhou. It depicts some of the romantic folklore of China and the stage is set ON the West Lake itself so the stage is actually submerged a few inches in the lake and the dancers' feet are always in the chilly water. 

Similar to the rest of Zhang Yimou's production, the setting is gorgeous, the combination of lights, colors and music is fascinating, the portrayal of Chinese tradition is done in very contemporary ways and the most telling characteristic - Abstract. 

2) Shaoxing Keyan Scenic Port

Hailed as the Asian Venice, Shaoxing's sceneries are never far from water features. The Keyan Scenic Port is a gorgeous and poetic area set against lakes and cliffs.

3) Atop the SWFC

From the scenic to the city, from the ancient to the modern - we scaled the tallest building in Shanghai, 100 floors above the ground.

4) Chilling at The Bund

Panoramic view of Shanghai's city scape, spacious broad walks, cafes with free Wifi, backdrop of old european architecture. What's not to love? 

5) Jostling with the crowd at Tian Zi Fang

A world apart from The Bund, Tian Zi Fang is probably more similar to Arab Street in Singapore. Its narrow cobbled walkways are littered with crowd seeking photo-opps, quirky bars and cafes and photography galleries.

Officially, my favorite place in Shanghai :)

6) Hotel Roomsss


The perk for traveling on tour packages (and parents) - crazy ass hotel rooms!


We had a serviced apartment with 2 bedrooms, a living room and 2 toilets. A hotel in the middle of a park. Another with TV at the bathtub and a toilet the area bigger than a study room in Singapore flats.

Ok that's all for now :)


You see, even with the multitude of photos I try to present in this post, it's nothing like experiencing the real thing yourself. 


So I urge you guys to go see the world. It doesn't matter how far you go or how long the trip. If you open your hearts and minds and simply soak yourself in the experience, the memories of the trip and the emotions you experience will be unforgettable and priceless. 

Shanghai Dolly

Off to the orient for a good 10 days :)

Brightest TGIF yet!

What makes Friday better?
One where we get to leave before 630!
I love a bright TGIF :)

Happy Monthsary!

First thing in the morning, a lovely monthsary wish from Poppy :)

TGIF!

We lose some, We gain some

Glad that I've been consistent with my gym routine once a week and pops has been going for his volleyball training.

But that's coupled with the horribly unbreakable habit of having dinner after 9pm.

Well, I guess that's life. We lose some, we gain some :X