2014 in a glance

Can't believe the year has passed so fast, it's the last day of the year again, where we pen down our thoughts and reflections of 2014, as well as new resolutions for 2015. I've been looking forward to this day actually, and for 2015 to just come quickly.

2014 has been nothing short of amazing to an extent. I found the second love of my life (well i love myself the most), checked off one on the list of "must-go-places-before-i-die", gotten a scholarship, traveling with big sis, etc.

Now for 2015, let's just say I do have the same common resolutions as the rest, but i'm just gonna pen down those I think are more important: (1) Good health  (2) Stronger r/s with my honeybuns  (3) To have some (petty) savings  (4) Stay close with family.

Ok done, now I hope everyone has a nice ending to this year and may all of us have a greater year in 2015!

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Final Year

Absolutely psyched about this final year. Studying Mencius for 1st sem and writing my thesis on Analects for 2nd sem, no shit. Don't know why I've this unspeakable love for ancient Chinese literature although my ability to study them is probs only 60% there.

Anyway, can't wait to complete my studies for now soon so I'd get to meet my sweetheart <3.

sols

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Central Perk aka Friend's Cafe

If you're an avid fan of the ever popular sitcom, Friends, and you've not known, you should do now, because you can always relieve the whole Friends experience and even try to be in the show yourself, only in Central Perk cafe, in Beijing, China.

Before I continue, let me first say that (1) my own photos are blurry, (2) I hardly take any photos because I was too tired from carrying my heavy backpack and walking under the hot sun to reach this cafe, (3) couldn't order much because I was simply too stuffed from eating peking duck before coming.

Photo taken from The Telegraph.

Location     4/5

Situated at the 6th storey of an office block in the CBD of Beijing, one would initially find Central Perk feeling out of place. But the moment you step inside, you just feel like you're home or something. The ambience is so calming and homely, I enjoyed it! It's pretty much a stone's throw away from the subway station, so it's easily accessible! One thing to note though, there are a few office blocks in the place it's located, so be sure you enter the correct office building.

Service     5/5

We arrived all tired and sweating (our backpacks were heavy and it was scorching hot), only to realize there was no seats available.  But a staff quickly came to welcome us and was really helpful in finding two seats for us. Their english was impeccable too, and it was a delight to know that.

Pricing     3.5/5

Food and beverage is priced at your standard market pricing. 20rmb for a cup of tea, 30rmb for a cup of mocha, 15rmb for a cupcake. Well, not too bad I'd say.

Food     4.5/5

We only ordered a cup of mint mocha and a cup of tea. Well the tea was Twinings, so nothing would go wrong with that. The mint mocha was good, like really good, and it was served in a huge cup. It was however, just a bit too sweet after drinking too much, or maybe it was just because I was just feeling too full from the duck. All in all, I think their coffee beverages are worth trying. They serve cupcakes as well, which are named according to the characters in the sitcom. We wanted to try the "Monica" but unfortunately, it was sold out.

Photo taken from Buzzfeed.

Overall     4/5

In essence, this is a cafe you gotta check it out when you're in Beijing. It should top your list of to-dos when you've only got a few hours in town (like us). Well I mean, there aren't many Friends cafe in the world to begin with, so this definitely sets itself different from your other usual cafes. At Central Perk, you get to watch Friends for free too, and sit on that orange couch! Well, unless you are unlucky to meet "hoggers" who refuse to give up their seats on that couch, then too bad for you. Or you could try paying the "hoggers" off (hehe). Do also take note that this cafe might see a lot of college students, probably more than what you get in usual cafes.

Photo taken from Buzzfeed.

Address: Central Perk, Chaowai SOHO, 6 Chaoyangmenwai Dajie, Building A, Suite 0616. 朝阳门外大街, 朝外SOHO, A区0616室. 

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Woes of A SG Girl Living Overseas

If I could just teleport home now and indulge in... ...

Brunch at Symmetry is one of the best!

Jeez I miss this sooooo much :(

 

And not forgetting the kaya buns from CMC and truffle fries. Out of all, I miss Song Kee the most, I really do. My sis was so close to bringing the fishballs over for me. She told me the auntie even recognized her because she asked about bringing the frozen fishballs over. I MISS SONG KEE :(.

Following isg has made me realize how much I'm missing out. I've been seeing so many great cafes popping up in SG #icanteven. I just hope the cafes I'm hoping to visit wouldn't have closed down before I even go home. Soon I'll start my countdown to the next time back in sinkie land. 

Till then.

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Recipe: Simple meal in less than an hour

This simple meal for two is easy to prepare and I guarantee it'll fill your tummies! All you need is just 45 minutes and you're good to rock and roll with the food. Just one thing to note, this meal is not one of your under-$10-meals.

This meal features (1) Avocado sardines salad, (2) Drunken spaghetti, (3) Minced beef in tomato sauce.

Avocado sardines salad

Ingredients:

1 ripe avocado

1 can of sardines in tomato sauce

1/2 of a ball of lettuce 

1 tomato

1 lemon

2 stalks parsley 

salt

pepper

olive oil 

Method:

1. Tear the lettuce into bite-sized pieces and put in a bowl. 

2. Cut the avocado in the middle, twist it to de-seed it, then scoop out the flesh. Chop the avocado into cubes and add into the bowl.

3. Cut the tomato into cubes and add into the bowl.

4. Take the sardines out and break into smaller chunks, then add into the bowl. Drain half of the tomato sauce and add into the bowl.

5. Squeeze the lemon juice into the bowl.

6. Add salt and pepper to taste.

7. Drizzle some olive oil. Mix everything together. 

8. Take only the leaves from the parsley and chop into fine bits. Garnish the well-mixed salad with it.

Drunken spaghetti (Red wine spaghetti)

Ingredients:

1/2 packet spaghetti

3/4 bottle red wine

pinch of salt

20g salted butter

10-12 almonds (for garnishing)

Method:

1. Bring a pot of well salted water to a boil. 

2. Add spaghetti to the water and cook for 3 minutes. Drain the water.  

3. Pour enough red wine to cover the spaghetti and bring to a boil until spaghetti is al dente. Drain the wine. 

4. Stir in the butter and mix well.

5. Garnish with almonds.

Minced beef in tomato sauce

Ingredients:

150g minced beef

1 carrot, thinly sliced

6 tbsp Barilla Arrabbiata sauce

2 tbsp tomato sauce

1 tbsp olive oil

6-8 almonds (for garnishing)

Method:

1. Oil the pan and add in carrots. Cook until soft. 

2. Add in the minced beef.

3. Add the Arrabbiata sauce and tomato sauce. Add some water if needed. (Depends on how thick you want the sauce to be). 

4. Serve when beef is cooked. Garnish with almonds.

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1 year in Wuhan

So, I've had 1 year of studies in Wuhan University. It's been an unimaginable journey filled with boredom, excitement, fun, craziness etc. Doing what students do when they study abroad - rooftop parties, dorm parties, bbq, cookouts, clubbing, boozing, dating and more. Oh, and not forgetting to see the cherry blossoms, which Wuhan University is famous for :).

Favorite girls

Bday parties

Housemate's rooftop bday party

Rooftop bbq

Weekend partying

First, let's talk about school. Well.. classes were really boring me out a lot, and if not for the attendance, I'd seriously have not gone for a single class. Nonetheless, I don't deny that I had fun studying with my classmates. I still remember how hard it was during the first 2 weeks because I was new to class, while the rest were well acquainted. Even the other new students were doing fine because they came together as friends, whereas I was the only one. But my classmates were welcoming, and after a year of studies, I feel like we've known one another for a long time. We study together (who am I kidding?), party together, go out shopping together. Some have left for good after their exchange stint, while majority remains and we're gonna continue next year together.

Moving on, when in China, try to explore the different cities whenever you can. Sadly to say, I haven't been exploring much (yet). So far I've only been to: (1) Ezhou (2) Shanghai (3) Yichang (4) Changsha/Hengshan.

Ezhou's Train Station 

Ezhou: West Mountain

Shanghai: Zhujiajiao

Shanghai: Nanjing West Road 

I LOVE SHANGHAI!

Probably my only Chinese friend. Lovely and talented friend! <3 One of the best things that happened during my Shanghai trip was knowing her. 

Yichang: Three Gorges Dam

Yichang

Yichang

Changsha: Need to try their specialty Stinky Tofu when in Changsha!

Mt Heng: Zhurong Peak

Mt Heng

Mt Heng: Sunrise

Mt Heng: Morning view

Lastly, I wanna say that one of the best things that happened during my first year here was knowing M. It never occurred to me initially that we'd end up together. I had my doubts at the beginning, but now, I only know that he's as close as family to me. There's something special between us, which is we tend to think alike (like to the scarily same extent). Sometimes as much as I don't wish to admit, but he usually gets it right what I'm thinking up in my head. And come to think of it, he actually fits most of my expectations. #perfecto So just yesterday, I sent M off at the train station. Nothing happened, it just seemed like a normal goodbye, like saying goodbye when he takes a bus or something. It probably hadn't kicked in to me at that moment that he's leaving for good. Only later in the night, the emptiness started to engulf. It was good though that I was so tired last night I ended up falling asleep fast and didn't have much time to imagine things. Then morning came and I realized this is the shit manz, I'm alone again. Thankfully, my wall is full of photos of us, and the fact that my sis is coming over soon is gonna be helpful too. But still, te extraño mucho already. Can't wait for next year to come now!

And.. I guess everything above pretty much sums up my first year in Wuhan. I can't wait for the next academic year to come, get my degree over and done with and probably embark on a new journey. But first, I'm waiting for my sis to come (whom I miss a lot) and do a mini adventure!

Till then,

❤sols

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雨天的故事

    雨又开始下了，滴答滴答的，雨水频频地打在窗上。我倚靠着窗户望着远方，心里又有种莫名的忧愁。下雨天总是使我心情不好，但是，怎么对其他人来说却是美丽的呢？有好几次我尝试去欣赏下雨天，可就是办不到。算了，我猜想，他对我造成的伤害太深了。每当下雨天，我就会不知不觉地想起那件事。

    我还铭记着我们第一次相遇的情景。那天，我们家刚搬到白沙公寓，而他家正好是我们的对面邻居。那时候爸妈都在家里忙着告诉师傅把东西放哪儿，所以我独自在公寓楼下闲逛。就在游泳池那儿，我第一次碰见了他。

    我在池边差点儿被一块小石头绊倒，幸亏他及时扶住。我们后来发现彼此就住在对面，从此，我便成了他的红颜知己。我们一起上学，一起玩耍，时时刻刻都形影不离。每个人都认为我们青梅竹马的爱情必定会开花结果，就连我们的父母也有同感。

    他，是一个数学天才，经常代表学校和国家参加大型的比赛。我和他有个约定：高中毕业后一起到伦敦留学。我读法律系，他读商业系，放假的时候我们就到欧洲各处旅游，这么一说，简直是个完美的计划。或许当时年纪还小，我们俩常常讨论将来的事，有着许多理想。人总是在小时候有最多理想。我们还说好了要在哪个城市工作，什么时候安定生活、结婚生子。他就是有那两下子让我幻想一个美丽的未来，相信这一切真的能梦想成真。

    终于毕业了，我们按计划申请到伦敦留学。经过看似漫长的等待，我们终于收到了录取通知书。虽然那天细雨霏霏，但是我还记得我当时收到通知书的那种喜悦。我马上跑去他的家报喜。见他手里也拿着一封信，我兴奋地说道：“你也收到了吗？我们被录取了！”

    可是，他却沉重地答道：“是啊，被录取了。”

    我搞不清楚他的那种心情，便问道：“你怎么了？被录取了，你不开心吗？这是我们的梦想啊！”

    在那一瞬间，我们之间有了一阵沉默，感觉时间仿佛停了下来。只听到雨水滴答滴答地打落在窗上。我感觉到有些不对劲儿，又想问他，但是他打断了我。

    “我…我被哈佛大学录取了，也得到了奖学金。”他终于说道。听他这么一说，我不知道应该如何反应。一方面，我替他被世界最好的大学录取而感到高兴；另一方面，我觉得自己刚刚被最亲的人出卖了。我不想知道理由，也不想让他看到我哭，所以跑回自己的房间，锁上了门。望着窗外，泪珠像外面的细雨频频地落下。同时间，我也不停地回想起我们之前说过的约定和理想。现在该怎么办呢？还能实现么？这种背叛，仿佛被很多把刀插进身体。父母后来知道和理解过后，却没试着解释给我听。或许他们知道自己的女儿是多么固执的一个人吧，当时，我又怎么听得进去呢？

    到了今天，我仍然不知道他是什么时候申请到哈佛大学的，但是我听说他的奖学金是被一家公司提供的。可能吧，毕竟他是个天才，肯定很多公司都要他这种人才。

    外面的雨仍下着，我的心结也未了。每当下雨天，我就会想起他。

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For you

人來人往擦出喧嘩吵鬧夜城景況
停在一角靜靜回望
原來這里路蕩來是那麼匆忙
多想牽著你不放 能愛你 是我的一線光
現時只想 吻得火燙
別理這危城 誰的懷疑眼光

閒言閒語帶出多少心事未能釋放
沿鬧市婚紗店流浪
牆上愛侶的畫像令人想偷看
戀愛是為何值得這兩個人 纏繞綑綁
天地襲來攜手抵抗
撐過過雲雨 天清朗

沿途幾多障礙 埋頭撞向未來
閉上呼吸跟你墮進深海
歷劫都不能離開 人生有太多意外
攀不過斷崖 如何相愛
旁人怎麼對待 仍然撞向未來
決意今生跟你被愛淹蓋
若世界不容人 不失氣概
進或退 我們都不踐踏愛

無名無姓愛得不須交代自然嚮往
曾被炮轟迫進窮巷
同伴有太多追問令人很失喪
不理會流傳著的所有理論 離開班房
寫下沒人明的悲壯
堅信我和你 很適當

沿途幾多障礙 埋頭撞向未來
閉上呼吸跟你墮進深海
歷劫都不能離開 人生有太多意外
攀不過斷崖 如何相愛
旁人怎麼對待 仍然撞向未來
決意今生跟你被愛淹蓋
若世界不容人 不失氣概
進或退 我們都不踐踏愛

沿途幾多障礙 埋頭撞向未來
閉上呼吸跟你墮進深海
若最終安全離開 容許我再不按捺
高呼喊別人懷疑的愛
旁人怎麼對待 仍然撞向未來
決意今生跟你被愛淹蓋
若世界不容人 不失氣概
若歲月不留人 佔有現在
在炮火中接吻 天要裂開
怎樣過 我們都不踐踏愛

危難處處 絕不可羞辱愛

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Travelogue: Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

During my previous trip to Cambodia last year, I decided to make good use of my holidays and took a bus en route from Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh (HCMC), previously known as Saigon.

After doing some research on which bus company to book my bus, I decided to go with Sapaco. I was not disappointed! The bus ride was safe, quick, spacious and comfortable, and the staff was very efficient at getting all of us across the border checkpoint. Totally thumbs up for Sapaco bus company, I highly recommend any of you who wants to go HCMC from Cambodia to choose them.

The final stop was at Pham Ngu Lao, which is the backpackers' area in HCMC. I then took a taxi to my hotel, Hoang Ngoc 2 Hotel. It was a small hotel, but the room was pretty huge for myself and it was very clean! I'm extremely particular about hotel cleanliness, especially the toilet. After dropping my bags, I wasted no time and based on my memory, I followed the route the taxi driver took and walked myself to Ben Thanh Market, which is about 10 minutes walk from my hotel.

Shopping heaven!

At Ben Thanh Market, you can find everything you need. Souvenirs, shoes, bags, clothes, tidbits & snacks, food, coffee, toiletries, watches, etc. Stall-holders tend to quote you a high price, but fret not, they love it when you bargain with them. Don't be shy because they are used to it. I usually start off cutting the price by 50% at least, sometimes even 70%. Well, you see to the situation yourself and gauge how much you wanna pay for that item. 

Finally got to savor authentic vietnamese spring rolls!

I walked for awhile, bought some touristy clothes, ate some vietnamese spring rolls and decided to rest my feet at a cafe opposite before searching for a tour agency to book day tours. I ended up at Art Cafe, which is a cafe on the first floor and an art gallery on the second and third floor. I got an iced vietnamese coffee to cool myself, then checked out the art gallery, before heading out in search for my tours. I ended up only signing up for a tour near a tour agency near my hotel at 11.30pm. In between, it rained heavily, but I didn't want to waste my night away, so I went to check out one of the more popular cafes in HCMC.

i.d. Cafe at District 1

This cafe doesn't have an extensive menu, however, the ambience is good and good music is played. Staff speaks good English too. Don't be surprised to spot a few tables of Singaporeans! 

Day 2 started really early for me, because I was off to my Mekong River Tour! It was raining the entire day but the rain didn't stop us from having fun during the tour. There are a few types of Mekong River tours, ranging from one-day to three-days, and there're also a few routes to choose from. I chose the floating market route, and it was really interesting to me. During the trip, we learnt how rice pop crackers and coconut candies were made and then there was a smaller boat tour after lunch. 

Thankfully the boat for the tour was well-sheltered from the rain

Settlement along the Mekong River

The floating market. It's actually a wholesale kind of market. 

A boat selling turnips

Spotted a nice cathedral 

Making of coconut candies

Rice for making rice crackers

The must-eat Mekong elephant fish

Row row row your boats

Companions on my boat

After the boat ride, it was time to call it a day. I'd highly recommend to go on the Mekong River tour, and I believe whichever routes you choose, it will be equally fun.

For the next day, I went on another tour to the Cu Chi Tunnel. This is yet another tour not to be missed if you are traveling in HCMC. Filled with a rich history, it is a great experience to know how it was like for the soldiers during war time last time. Especially when you get to enter into the tunnel, you'd know what I mean. Just a short distance was enough for me to take it, I cannot imagine how the soldiers walked through the narrow, dark tunnels last time. Well anyway, after the tunnels, you get to do shooting with the choice of your guns - machine gun, AK-47, etc. And last but not least, enjoy a little dessert of tapiocas and tea to end off the entire trip.

The guide filling us in on this tunnel

AK-47 baby!

After the Cu Chi trip, I was back to the city and had the whole night unplanned. Hence, I decided to check out the streets and perhaps some cafes along the way. Well, I really must be in luck, because I happened to chance upon another popular cafe in HCMC. L'usine, is a shop cum cafe. In the shop, you'd find stuff like clothes to vintagey goods; pricing however, is on the high side.

Best banana bread ever!

And with that night at L'usine, I concluded my journey to HCMC. Such an amazing city, I wish I'd be back soon to check out more of the city. 

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