Golden light & love

Phew I just came back from a week in Siem Reap, Cambodia for the Golden Light 2012. This is my 2nd time there since 6 years ago. It felt like an eternity as much was done everyday by our group. Waking up at 4.30am and ushering in the light at Angkor Wat on 12.12.12 was indeed a special time. We are such a special bunch of light workers - everyone is a light house, a healer, torch bearer and peacemaker in their own way. Everyone got a star name and ours (L & I) was HuMarie - givers of peace and freedom. The Mayans predicted a new world and how true. The golden light will continue to pour in from 12 Dec till 21 Dec 2012, so remember to fill yourselves with love and light. And remember the key is to manifest and create - we all have the power. It's going to be a magical time ahead as we welcome a new world of ascension!

On a personal front, I'm also starting a new chapter with L - marriage and a new home are already taking place and hopefully we can start a family soon. La famiglia italiana e' arrivata il 18 Dicembre! It was so good to bask in the love and affection of his Italian family, and so incredible that they have all travelled the distance to be with us. We held the traditional Chinese tea ceremony on Sunday 23 Dec where L got the whole treatment from being driven up in a bridal car and being sabotaged at the gate by the sisters. I'm glad I rented  gorgeous shimmering Chinese kua dress adorned with dragons, phoenix and love ducks.

Then for Xmas Eve dinner, we prepared and indulged in a feast at Robin Cafe (next to Al Borgo) before going to Bintan for our beach wedding celebration. They loved every minute of it - and worked that tan indeed! The weather also held up - tutto e' perfetto e bellissimo. We couldn't have asked for more!

Bali Honey

Okay it's official - now you can call me Signora Artiaco! Si, siamo sposati gia. L and I finally did the deed on 19 September 2012 at the ROM in Singapore - exactly 7 years since we first met at Napoli (when I first started this blog). Who'd have imagined right? :D

Our ROM day was quite stress-free and fun with family and friends. The ROM ceremony was super fast - over in 3mins. I couldn't recall what the JP said but I just remembered crying as it was an emotional moment as she announced us husband and wife. L's mom, sis, nonna and zie saw the video clip and also cried. Many people asked us how we feel; was life any different after? Actually I think we felt a closer bond and deeper connection, and are all the more ready to take the next step forward to forge a better life together.

And guess what - more good news - we bought our home on the morning of the ROM! It was quite funny come to think of it. We had viewed about 4 flats and the last one was a ground floor mansionette that I liked. Even my parents loved it. It was roomy (4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a big arse balcony plus a garden patch), near the PRis MRT, and has an unobscured view of the canal and park. L went to see it and felt right about it too. We made an offer and the buyer counter-offered at a reasonable price which we agreed. So it was quite a breeze! Now we just have to plan for our Bintan beach wedding in December and right after that, home renovations and moving in.

To celebrate our ROM, we packed our bags for a short honeymoon in Bali. This was L's first time and we splurged on a pool villa at b-villa in the Seminyak area which is close to all the action - that is if we ever want to venture out of our sanctuary. Lol. It was relaxing to say the least - and the best part is we are able to spend lots of time together. We rode our rented motorbike everywhere (def cheaper at only $5 / day and great way to see everything), yes even all the way to Ubud which is about an hour away (arse very pain lor!). Luckily my lovely husband (haha) is a very good driver and great with directions.

We passed by Celuk - a familiar sight with its neat rows of gold and silversmiths - and then I thought we had reached Ubud Arts Market but actually it was Sukawati Market which is similar and not so touristy at 11am+. There are many shops selling Balinese ceremonial umbrellas and religious decorative artefacts.

Sukawati Market

Inside the buildings were a sprawling labryinth of stalls selling heaps of souvenirs, linen shirts, sarongs, batik dresses, sandals, woven bags, jewellery, wood carvings, artwork, wind chimes etc. Here you really have to bargain hard as the vendors usually start with a much higher price for e.g I wanted to buy a batik shirt for my dad and the guy offered me $40. I sniggered saying it's so expensive (it is) and he said 'give me a good price'. I said $20. He said 'Miss, give me more'. I stuck to $20 with a sour puss face and he said ok without hesitation! (Later a local tailor said she could buy the same shirt for $10 - grrr!)...

Dirty Duck

Another vendor also offered a ridiculous price for the rattan table mats that L wanted to buy for his ristorante. I made a face and cut it by 60%. She said 'madam, please give me more. You first customer' (the guy also said this earlier). I told L to walk away. She asked us to wait and then readily agreed! So a tip is to bargain by 50% to 70% becos their mark-up is crazy. But of course if you feel the price is reasonable, then pay them with a smile.

At Ubud, we tried to look for Nuri's ribs but couldn't so we opted for crispy duck and fried chicken (so-so only) at Dirty Duck which had not changed much, except they are building an extra pavilion at the paddy fields. The ambience is really the best part here as we could lay down on the mat and shoot the breeze. Comatosed post lunch, we located the Ubud market and surrounding alleyways of shops. It was quite touristy and many shops and cafes have sprung up. Touts were also pressing us to buy tickets for a traditional dance performance tonight. On our way out of Ubud, we stopped for caffe at Spaccanapoli, a tiny pizzeria outpost where we spoke with the Italian owner about how Bali has changed.

 

And just as we rode along Gianyar at the fringe of Ubud, L stopped at Wisnu Rotan shop to inquire about the price of their rattan chairs and tables. We followed the lady boss to the back of the shop and saw their workshop where her husband and workers churned out all kinds of rattan products from gorgeous high back chairs to rocking chairs for the mainly overseas market (from $50 for a chair and about $100 for a table).

Back in time before it ws dark, we went for cocktails at the beautiful Ku De Ta instead of Potato Head, and then had quite an excellent dinner at the nearby SASA Italian restorante (again L couldn't resist chatting up the Italian owners). L also tailored 6 linen shirts at a random tailor shop which came out lovely and a steal at $30 each. We also saw a few furniture shops while entertaining the thought of returning to Bali to shop for our home in March! Alas, four days were over before we knew it. L loved Bali so much that he wanted to move there. Oh well , we'll see if it manifests. If it's meant to be, it'll happen :)

Avventura di Burma

Since last year I've been fascinated by Burma (also known as Myanmar). It was constantly in the news, thanks to the recent liberation of The Lady ASSK. It was Lonely Planet's top 10 countries to visit in 2012. And I had been mistaken 3 times for a Burmese here. So I decided to heed this calling to the country and for my 37th birthday, I booked us on Jet Star to Yangon the capital and also signed up for a guided itinerary in Bagan, Mandalay and Lake Inle with a recommended local agency. We didn't know what to expect; L was a bit apprehensive 'is it safe?' I assured him we'd be fine.

The skies were dark and it was going to drizzle when we touched down. July was the start of the rainy season but luckily for us, it didn’t rain the whole week we were touring the rest of Myanmar, except for Yangon. At the airport we were greeted by a fascinating sight of locals wearing the traditional longyis and bearing the perennial thanaka tree bark cream. From a mob of taxi drivers, we picked one who took us to East Hotel at a flat fee of US$10. East was affordable ($90 on Agoda), clean, modern and best of all, a stone's throw away from Sule Pagoda in the heart of the gloomy city. I read there's a lack of rooms to cater to the surge in travellers so it's crucial to book the hotels in advance.

I was itching to explore Yangon but L was exhausted from staying up last night to watch Napoli's match (they lost anyway boo) so we had a nap while it rained outside. I was starving and bugged him to wake up. We went next door to Aroma Cafe for an espresso before combing the nearby area for a spot of local noodles. But the streetside stalls didn't look very hygenic even though some of the snacks like the Indian samosas, roti prata, prawn crackers and coconut pancakes looked enticing. We didn't want to take our chances, not with the pork offal hotpot anyway (looked like our kway chup).

You can't miss the crazy-busy Maha Bandoola Road that was lined with goldsmith shops on the right side (if you're facing Sule Pagoda). Every inch of the sidewalk was dominated by a street vendor selling all kinds of useless and useful things. I was quite amused by the makeshift public phone operators and the ubiquitous betel tobacco sellers - usually crowded by male patrons. Then there were the troops of young novice nuns clad in striking pink robes and monks with alm bowls who waived through the scenes seamlessly from shop to shop. It was also a sensory overload to say the least, although I must say there was a certain level of order amidst the chaos. Everyone knew their place and where they were going - except us of course.

We crossed the overhead bridge on Maha Bandoola Rd and chanced upon the Thein Gyi Zay market where more vendors sold all kinds of fruits in season. On display and paraded like gems are neat piles of grapes, yellow ripe mangoes, pineapples, mangosteens, rambutans and apples. The wonderful kaleidoscope of faces and races reminded us that Burma is indeed a fascinating country sandwiched between Bangladesh, China, Thailand and Laos. L loved it as it reminded him of Napoli.

We politely fended off men who offered services from a taxi to a change of money and were near starving before we spotted King Tea House (at 126 Sule Pagoda Road), just a 100m away from East Hotel. It looked decent and was crowded with locals - a good sign. We propped our arses on the tiny low chairs and wolfed down 2 bowls of rice vermicelli with minced pork in fermented bean sauce (akin to Chinese zha jiang mian), a big steamed pork bao which L piled on spoonfuls of oily chilli, and drank the sweet milk tea and fresh orange juice. All for only 3,000 kyat (US$3.50). 

Back at the hotel, I arranged to meet the local agency Shalom to pay them for the flight tickets, hotel vouchers and guides in US dollars, and nearly tore my hair out. The 2 girls were very particular about the condition of my US dollars and only accepted the new edition notes in a pristine state - i.e no creases, no marks, no stains, no tears or scribbles (apparently anything less than perfect will be rejected by the banks and business operators). They rejected about 75% of my money and I was so exasperated I told them I don't have any more dollars #F*$%! Finally they made a call to their office and took the best of my notes grudgingly. So a lesson learnt - please ask your money changer at home to give you the perfect new US dollars and do bring extra money as there are hardly any ATMs and credit cards are not common except at high-end hotels and shops. More of Burma to come... stay tuned!

Taiwan Ni Hao!

Lonely Planet has a list of must-visit top 10 countries for 2012 and they include Taiwan and Myanmar. With that, I don't need any excuse to booked my tickets for both countries for April and July respectively. I'm always intrigued by both, especially the latter which is now slowly opening its doors to the outside world and with Aun San SK the peace goddess leading the peace march.

Taiwan is also a curiosity for me and thus it's a lovely treat for me and my mom to celebrate her birthday. We did get a shock 1 week before we left when my dad suffered a stroke and we had to rush him to the hospital. It was a stressful period for us and I'm surprised that to see my sister and brother (who have moved out) cried when they heard the news (you have to understand that he is a traditional dad who doesn't hug us or say he loves us).

But I think it's a blessing in disguise as it brought us closer and also created the opportunity for my dad to rest and relax (no stress about his construction project and horrid vampire boss) and enjoy the compassion and love from everyone (and stops being a painful stubborn cow ;)

He is especially close to the two cats - Lola and Mimi - who spend most of the time with him watching TV and napping together on the couch. Animals are such great therapy indeed.

After working out a detailed roster for his care, mom and I flew to Taipei on SIA (best flight ever) and my third aunt and her sister joined us the next day. Taipei was pouring cats and dogs when we got to the city centre by bus from the airport but luckily we met a kind cab driver who joked and happily brought us to MAI hotel nearby.

The locals are really friendly and helpful, from the hotel staff to the taxi drivers (some with a great sense of humour), and are great ambassadors of Taiwan. I really enjoyed speaking Mandarin in Taiwan too (I have a A in Chinese ok!).

We met le mie amiche Margherita and Paola (we studied Italian together in Perugia) who played guides for the most of Saturday. We enjoyed lunch at Taipei 101's massive food court where you can also find Din Tai Fung and shopped around the city centre.

On day 2, we visited cultural sights like Chiang Kai Sek memorial hall followed by an exploration of the retail jungle of Wufenpu wholesale market. There are thousands of shops and booths here selling all kinds of fashion ware and accessories in all trends. I have to say there was a lot of junk but also treasures to sieve out. It could take days to go through everything - that's why shopaholics will have a field day here. I managed to buy a polka dot top and scallop shorts, plus a really cute strapless floral pantsuit.

On day 3, we took the metro (30mins) and then a cab (15mins) to the beautiful hot spring town of Wulai outside of Taipei. There are in fact many hot spring towns such as Beitou but I chose Wulai which felt like a clone of Hakone in Japan. Not suprisingly, the Japanese colonised the country before and thus there is a strong Japanese influence here. We splurged on a night's stay ($280) at the 5-star Pause Landis resort for a great nudist spa experience. Mom was giggling non-stop as we watched naked women walking around in the sauna and the indoor pool. We could soak in the hot spring pool for hours as it was so relaxing with the water beating down on your back... ahhhh. 

Before that, we had walked 15mins to the Old Street in Wulai and enjoyed a great lunch of local declicacies like wild boar dumplings, bamboo rice, and crispy fried river shrimps. I especially liked the white bittergourd-pineapple-pork rib soup and the array of mountain veggies including the bird's nest ferns (I didn't know it could taste so crunchy and smooth).

There are many eateries to choose from and you can also pick on street snacks such as roasted sweet potatoes, bbq wild boar skewers and the perfumed pink guavas. A shop sold these amazing cubes of herbal jelly that's made from seaweed which we lugged back 2 jars (should have bought more!)

Thereafter we burnt off the calories by walking to the hillside and hopped onto a rickety old trenino to see the waterfall. On the scenic way back on foot, we came across a lovey-dovey pair of cats that posed for me above an aboriginal signpost. It was drizzling and made us more sleepy so we headed back for a nap. By now we have gotten used to the sleep-eat-sleep routine.

The next day, we then took a train from Taipei to Hualien (3 hours) and the owner of our minsu (homestay) Rachel picked us up from the train station as promised. According to a friendly cab driver, apparently there are thousands of minsu at Hualien (some not legally registered) and that was why I had booked the Sunrise Hostel to experience the local hospitality.

We also booked a Taroko Gorgeo national park tour and it was definitely worth the time. The marbled ravines were breathtaking and visitors must be ready to hike up some of the demanding trails to see the more scenic areas deep in the lush forests. A tip: try to go early in the day to avoid the sun and the mad stream of tour buses carrying hordes of Chinese tourists.

We then returned to Taipei and had more slices of night markets and shopping at Ximending. After a while, the markets like Shilin all offered around the same street food.

The Zhi Qiang night market at Hualien had the most interesting variety like oyster soup, bbq meats, deepfrid 'coffin' french toasts stuffed with all kinds of fillings. We had a good relaxing trip and I'm most pleased that I got to speak Mandarin everyday with the locals. Chinese is such a beautiful eloquent language and more of us should hold on to this heritage. Come to think of it, Singaporeans have the luxury of being tri-lingual (Eng, Chinese, dialect) - we should encourage our kids to not forsake our mother tongues.

Anyway look out for my next post on Myanmar - an enchanting land of pagodas and temples ~  a presto! With love and blessings :)

Scar Trek in JB

Over the Easter weekend, I went on my a trekking escapade at Endau Pompin National Park in Johor by invitation of my guru G. I've gone on forest treks before in Thailand and NZ but not like this where we roughed it out in a tropical forest. This is the second designated National Park in Peninsular Malaysia and contains one of the world's oldest rainforests. I read that the volcanic rocks there date back 240 million years. I was prepared for the worst, including sleeping in basic wooded huts and leeches. Yes, LEECHES. I thought he was joking until I googled the park and Wikitravel affirms it: "Leech socks are advisable" *Eeekss* I hate mosquitoes as they love me, but in this case, I'd gladly swap the leeches for them.

Anyway I was trying not to think of them but they crept into my mind (pun) on the way from Woodlands train check point to Kluang. The train was nothing like those I love in Europe and the first class cabin was worn out and looked like no one cleaned it for years. I can't imagine what the ordinary class looks like. Grace and I travelled up with a bunch of American teachers and spouses, and guru G met us at a sleepy town, Bekok. We got into the 4W drives on a bumpy road winding through miles of oil palm plantations and lush forests till we reached the park at 5pm+. The wooden huts exceeded my very low expectations and there were even rubber mattresses so that was a good start. Before we even settled down to dinner by the river stream, I already saw 2 leech marks on G and another guy! I think you can call me the leech spotter. I stuck to my running shoes and sprayed them with repellent. Kiasu, kiasi. I don't care.

The food was also very good, prepared by a kindly Malay lady and her family - as we tucked into spiced chicken, forest veggies and rice. The group even brought 2 crates of beer, bottles of wines and candles. I was having second thoughts about the trek tomorrow cos of the leeches but G was adamant that I go. It's good training, he said. For what?!? For war? Anyway I asked the heavens to decide - if it rains, I wouldn't go. The skies held up all night and I couldn't chicken out in the morning. After a hearty brekkie, we prepared our gear, including these long cotton beige leech socks that run up to below the knees. They look like giant versions of coffee socks at our local kopitiams. Anyway I took extra precaution by wearing another pair of socks inside, and tucked my long-sleeved top into my long pants into the leech socks and into the shoes. I ain't no taking any prisoners. The rest in our group of 13 wore shorts and swimming costumes (and they all kanna bitten).  

G wanted us to take a longer route but the guide suggested a shorter one which I'm totally happy with. We set off at 9.45am and came back at 3.30pm (about 5 hours)! Imagine this was the 'shorter' trek :O Needless to say, we ate like kings and slept like pigs. The next day, I was quite happy to pack my bags and leave the campsite after sending out a silent blessing to the forest and its inhabitants. May the park be protected and stay pristine and beautiful.

Casa Sweet Casa

Omg, I can't believe it's the end of February. Where did the time go? 2012 started on a mad rush with Chinese New Year after Xmas and NYE. Our week getaway in Koh Samui was now a distance memory, albeit a good memory with Gino and Ema as we scooted around the isle and worked on our tan and beauty sleep. Koh Samui hasn't changed much except Chaweng was quite madcap and it's best to avoid staying there if you don't like crowds and loud techno-parties on the beach! But having said that, it has a fabulous stretch of beach for people-watching and swimming. (See the contrasting photos of Chaweng at day and night here.)

We also met up with B, the Thai wife of L's second cousin who lives there and it was sad to find out about their pending divorce. She's a sweet lady and L felt sorry for her and offered her a job at his italian ristorante and she accepted it! G and E stayed on to enjoy the rest of their honeymoon and then back to Italia after their month-long honeymoon. I'd love to take off for a month too when we eventually tie the knot. Eventually lol.

Meanwhile I'm enjoying my time travelling and churning out travel stories based on the Chiangmai and Koh Samui trips for Appetite magazine - and soon Taiwan and Burma! It's always so rewarding to see my words and photos in print *beaming with pride*. I think if I don't have my current job or retire early, I'd be a travel blogger so I can see and experience the world! (See below my story based on the last trip in Chiangmai.)

During CNY, we had welcomed Enzo, L's other cousin who came and left besotted with Spore and a particular Chinese girl. I ate my fair share of yusheng and fortune pot, harbouring hopes for abundance so we can finally buy our dream home this year (please please let the prices drop). If you haven't heard, my 2 siblings have moved out last year into their gorgeous homes while moi madamoiselle is still at home with the folks, 2 cats and L. I missed Jarvis so much as he has moved to my sis but he seems really happy to be there and has even put on weight. Thus I had the libery to adopt Lola aka Snowy from Blessings Home cattery. She's such a sweetie - very affectionate, loving lap cat! Hopefully Mimi will get along with her and not be jealous.

Now there's more space and no more fighting over the bathroom, tv, last bottle of juice, etc. Admittedly I'm also envious and wish for my own place. At the moment, I'm caught in a dilemma. As a single, I can't buy a bigger flat which we want so I might look at the private property since L is not ready yet to walk down the aisle. But private digs are so expensive and I'm not sure if I should finance it entirely. But I can't push L to marry me. He has to do it for the right reasons at his own time. However the clock's ticking and before we know it, my eggs will be 38 years old next year! Harrumph.

We haven't spent a lot of time together since he's always so busy at work and only has Tuesdays off, thus I had taken Valentine's Day off (Tues) to have quality time together. I woke up to prepare sauteed beef with onions, rocket and truffle oil to be eaten with a French loaf, paired with an excellent bottle of sparkling Lambrusco from Parma. Then there is a plum and mint salad as dessert. L gobbled everything up and then promptly fell asleep while the waves crashed, the wind blew and the birds chirped. I love this boy. *Un bacio!*