30th November 06, 00:32

Went for a run in the evening...though short, but it was sufficient.
My stamina has dipped to its lowest point. This is bad coz I won't be fit when I go back.
Totally lost touch plus putting on unhealthy weight, but what the heck! It's not as if I watch my weight...hee!
Plus, I did 200 skips - haven't done it for donkey years since I dun have a skipping rope. Anyone wanna buy me one? I like the one from Adidas...hee hee hee
Cheryl said I can regained my stamina fast once I start but I doubt so - alot of motivation & effort has to be mad - which I'm too lazy to bother.

It's been a super long time since I talked to Deannie (dunno what she's busy with) & Gwen too!

Rabbi Ben Ezra

Rabbi Ben Exra

Grow old along with me!
The best is yet to be,
The last of life, for which the first was made:
Out times are in His hand
Who saith 'A whole I planned,
Youth shows but half; trust God: see all, nor be afraid!'

Quoted: 1st paragraph of Rabbi Ben Ezra by Robert Browning

This is a real long poem but the first 2 sentences from the 1st paragraph is sweet. Saw it from Cheryl's blog. How nice to hear that from your other half - "The Best is YET to Be" - it isn't Love at first sight but Lust at first sight. JC said, "Love grows over time".
How true is that? I'll let you know after I've fallen deeply...

Paris Trip

Back from Paris!

It was a solo adventure for me though I stayed with Janelle (friend of Geraldine who needed company since she's all alone in Paris for a biz seminar). I'm lucky to benefit from this coz I saved on accomodation. Since she had a 2 full-day seminar, I was on my own. The thing is I dun usually plan for the trips (Xuan does the job, so I juz shake legs), now that I'm doing this all on my own...I rise to the occasion - I did a damn good job at it!
For me a trip is a trip, rest & relax, doing stuff at my own pace. I dun have to rush (unless I want to), it's just OWN TIME OWN TARGET! I did the necessary research and was all set to go, which didn't take me much time. Travelling alone has its benefits - dun have to care abt others except myself, have me alone time, do whatever I wanna do, and juz have fun. BUT fun isn't all fun without my friends & family to share with, and even if I'm scared I can't show (so ppl can't take advantage). However, this is the best trip so far doing it all alone! Now I know I can do this. Thank you God for keeping me safe!

On hindsight, am I becoming some loner, anti-social being? I'm so used to doing stuff all by myself that I can't foresee my future with anyone else. It's too much of a hassle ain't it? JC will knock my head for thinking this way...

Will post the photos later...I'm juz too lazy to do it now. Okie I have to go study for my exams!

Germany Trip

heyo!!!! I'm back from Germany - Berlin and Manheim.
Xuan and I went to Manheim since Leng Chye & Yenting were studying there at the University of Manheim. They were great hosts and can really whip up a GOOD Carbonara. Yummy!!! We spent 2 days 1 night there. I went to Manheim alone coz Xuan had the Eurail pass and took a later train. I walked to the train station alone in the wee hours at 4am...I have to say I was really afraid (having not done this before) although Leuven is a VERY SAFE place, I was still unsettled. I really have to THANK GOD for keeping me safe & secured, I was like juz talking to Him the whole time I walked to the train station. Then, on the way my train broke down in Aachen (just crossing the border into Germany) so I had to take regional trains all the way. It took a longer time to reach Frankfurt Main & I reached way later than Xuan in Manheim. And I juz couldn't stop swearing. Xuan told me "You are really very suay leh"...I think so too but hearing it from her doesn't make me feel much comforted of encouraged. Well...I juz kept quiet :s

Upon reaching Manheim, we just explored abit in Uni of Manheim then headed for Heidelberg. Heidelberg is nice. The Christmasy feeling is beginning there - caroling, Xmas decorations - it has a very warmth feeling. Also, I saw the 1st STARBUCKS in Europe. Wahaha...so happy!!!
We climbed a total of 315 steps to a Schloss in Heidelberg and it containeda winery. There was a huge barrel lah...


quite huge rite? not until i saw the one below....


i was dumbfounded seeing this...it's like 221.726 litres. check out how tiny I am man!

The next day we went to Speyer. It's a small, old town that we didn't regret going coz it was nice with nice looking churches. You know...Germany is abt 55% Protestants and 45% Catholics. We met an old local who spoke English and gave us a short history lesson which I truely enjoyed. He and his Switzerlandish wife were so nice.


this was the first Protestant Church built during Luther's time.

Then, the late afternoon we departed Speyer and went shopping in Manheim. I totally went crazy coz stuff are generally cheaper than in Belgium and Ritter Sport is like only 69 cent lah!!! Oh and lucky Runli got her alcohol chocs which she requested for. I think I'll get her more if I can find from Belgium.

Late that nite, Xuan & I left Manheim for Berlin on a 2am plus train. Cold.....
Berlin was really nice. We took a Free Berlin walking tour (which I will recommend for you who intend to visit Berlin, Munich or Amsterdam) the guide is really good (all info at her fingertips) and it lasts for 3.5hours and she's paid through tips. They are ppl who love what they're doing, not for the money. Our guide is an Australian who loves Germany so much, she moved to Berlin to do this.


Brandenburg Gate by day


Brandenburg Gate by night



Bricked line was where the Berlin Wall once stood. The right was West Germany (under the US), and the left was East Germany (under the once Soviet Union, namely Russia)


Jewish War Memorial designed by an architect.


Bebelplatz - site of the Nazi's first book-burning (20,000 books) on 10th May 1933


Beautiful sunset in Berlin at around 5pm on 15th November 2006


Berliner Dom - dark right? It was only around 5pm plus, the last stop of our walking tour.


Sweet Bentley rite? We walked passed the showroom and went in to take pics...wat a sweet drive to have


Jealous? Me in a mini...I was over the top! There was a Mini showroom and we just went in to take pics with the car since it's so obvious we dun have to $$ to buy anything inside. wahaha!!


Checkpoint Charlie: place where the Cold War between USA & Soviet Union became a Hot War. It was a HOT spot...

We ended our Germany Trip with a trip to the Concentration Camp in Berlin.
This was a camp where the POWs were treated as slaves to work rather than an execution ground. The gas chambers where POWs were taken were residing mainly in Austria. I also heard from LC & YT that the Munich Concemtration Camp were more inhumane, where POWs were treated as guinea pigs for medical purposes...


This was the entrance gate to the Concentration Camp. Arbeit Macht Frei = Working for Freedom.
This was something proclaimed by the Nazis to the Jewish POWs...as if...

I uploaded the rest of the pictures in my Yahoo photos link.

My 22nd Birthday Present

I received my birthday present for this year from the PL bimbos!!!
It's really very nice, too girly for me but I'm very happy to receive it plus I got a pair of earrings that I asked Leen to make it for me....so pretty!!! I tried it on but I think I would have to muster alot of courage to wear it out...hee hee!!!
Thank you to all of you! I really appreciate that thought of yours : )


My 22nd Birthday Present


Pretty earrings rite?

Feeling Moody

I don't know why...but I cried and still feel that I haven't let it all out.
I just feel moody...it's swinging from North to South, from East to West.
I hope I feel better, I wanna feel better...I will feel better (in time I hope)

Condoning

What's with men and their fucking lies, and women with their silly soft-heartedness???
Seriously I really dun understand. I mean...if one continues to tolerate such inappropriate actions, wouldn't the other party just continue to take advantage? Can't you see that this is exactly what is happening? Is "NO" something so difficult to say especially when it just a 2-letter, monosyllabus word?

I'm not sorry for such an angry, vulgar entry especially when I see myself condoning such inappropriate actions which I normally dun keep quiet to. I hate the fact that I'm not there to do anything, to stop this whole thing that's happening when I know I'm capable of making it right. Is it really right to condone one's wrongful actions when the greater good is for the whole than to one individual?

10 November 06, 21:44

Juz some photos that I took previously...


At Maastricht train station


Windmill in Leiden


This windmill "De Valk" has a huge sundial in front of it


In Leiden


This is the fountain in Italy, Fontana di Trevim, that took 30 years to built & the architect didn't live to see the end product & that is me throwing a coin in it as there's a saying that throwing a coin in to means we'll be back to the eternal city (in Rome)


St Peter's Basilica in Rome


The Colosseum in Rome (which we didn't get to go in coz they closed early)


There was a demonstration (peaceful one with cool music) when we're in Rome


Super huge pizzas that were sold in the shop in Venice


San Marco Basilica in Venice


I like this view of Gondolas by the pier in Venice


Nice biscotti place!!!


Chocolat in Milan


Xuan, myself, & Eugene in Chocolat


Eugene & I with the Duomo Cathedral in the background. I so love the gothic architecture


The view of the St. Peter's Basilica in Rome


Nice view of Leiden from the windmill "De Valk"

Enjoy! More of the pictures are at my yahoo photos link...

Italy Trip

It's been some time since I've blogged. I was in Italy over the weekend and was stuck with my assignment for Flemish Art due on 9th Nov when I'm only back from my trip on Tuesday. I have to say I was uptight about everything during that time, but well, it's all over now. I'm still tired coz I can't really sleep, dunno why juz can't sleep well.

So how was Italy?

Seriously? I didn't really enjoy it except for Rome, because the Vatican City was a good experience. Rome was our first stop, we took Ryanair (budget flight) so Xuan & I stayed over the airport upon leaving & arriving Belgium coz there were no buses and trains back to Leuven. That's what you have to go through for being cheapskate. I'd rather pay more for comfort. Anyway, it was very very cold in Italy, super windy. Our second day in Rome, we had to wake up super early juz to queue to go into the Vatican City. We reached at about 9am and got in at about 11 plus - it was a super long queue, but it was worth it. Sistine Chapel was beautiful though over-rated, I preferred the Michaelangelo & Rafael room though - CLASSIC!!! Everyone shld go to the Vatican City. There's also a Vatican post inside & I posted a postcard back home with the stamps from the Vatican. Then we visited the St. Peter's Basilica - the largest church in the world. That night itself, both of us took an overnight train to Venice.

Guess what??? We overslept & missed out supposed connection, thank God Xuan woke up suddenly; we quickly got off to check when the next connection, luckily we didn't have to pay more for another connection. Phew!!! haha...but it was funny, we juz laughed at how this could happen to us especially when we told ourselves before our trip that we have to keep check of time since all our connections were so tight. hee hee hee. Upon reaching Venice, we got lost finding our hostel coz the street that our hostel was at - Calle del Forna - there were 5 of them in Venice. Finally we found it! There wasn't much in Venice, we finished walking it in like 4 hours and I dun find Venice that beautiful; it's been overrated or maybe my expectations were too high, but but that biscotti is great over there.

Venice was only one night then we were off to Milan to catch our plane back. Milan was expected - city-like, uptown, so unless you're there for the shopping, there's really nothing much. Milan is the place that I felt most insecure about, the vibe that I had wasn't pleasant at all. Upon reaching the train station, then to take the Metro to get to the main square, we met 3 young girls at the Metro while we're buying the tickets. They were like teenagers asking if we spoke English, we pretended we didn't but stoopid me took money out from my pockets, & I noticed her eyeing my pocket when I did that. When I shifted to another machine to get my ticket, one pushed the other towards me, but I siam-ed coz I saw that (I shld have kicked her man!!!). They left us after the failed attempt to pickpocket me & we left to meet Eugene (he's doing exchange in Milan). We felt much better after seeing Eugene, relieved. Went to makan lunch and catch up, then went to the gelato shop that we were recommend coz it was supposedly the BEST gelato shop. It's named Chocolat and I have to say it's the best gelato I had, better than the one I had in Rome. The chocolate gelato was superb man!!! Now I'm craving for it....
Then we juz walked around abit before heading to the airport to catch our plane back. That was Italy for us.

Conclusion: Italy isn't a place with friendly people that most people think it is. They are people who offers bad service (or no service at all). The worst was the Italians at the train ticket counters - a bloody lot!!! Then they are very nationalistic coz most can't speak English & they dun bother to entertain you if they can't understand you. It's an expensive place where their restaurants or even juz eateries have hidden costs, you have to check what's their service charge coz eating-in & taking-out have different prices & the difference is drastic. I always have a feeling of being cheated when I'm in Italy. Expensive everywhere, unfriendly ppl (though not all of them), over-rated, but they are quite a good-looking bunch. Anyway, do your research & know abit of their language if you wanna go to Italy.

1st November 06, 16:46

I'm supposed to do my assignment for Flemish Art but I have no mood to continue reading to find information for my paper. Yes! I'm not focused. I have to do as much as I can before I leave for Italy tomorrow only to come back next Tues & I will have to finish it by next Wed to submit it during class on Thurs. Story of my life!
Now I can't upload the pics I wanna show all of you! I'll probably have to wait till after I'm back from Italy. Till then!