Today I'd like to share one of my favourite songs which happen to be from Celine Dion (i don't usually like her songs but this one really talks to my heart). It was released 9 years ago, and till today, it is one song I can listen to over and over again. The title "S'il suffisait d'aimer" means "If only love could be enough"...nuff said.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Friday, November 9, 2007
3 days and 2 nights in Hanoi
As this photo so "subtly" hints, this is my long overdue post about my Hanoi trip in September! My company rewards employees with annual incentive trips, usually spanning across a long weekend (Friday till Sunday). This year, we were given 2 choices, Phuket or Hanoi. Surprisingly (to me), Hanoi won hands down with over 95% votes! I personally would have preferred a trip to Phuket where we can soak up the sun, sand and sea. Instead, we spent 3 days 2 nights in Hanoi, Vietnam. Fortunately, the company of my colleagues far outweighed the destination choice. I'll let the photos speak for themselves. 
Me and my assistant cum room-mate Angela on board our Singapore Airlines flight to Hanoi.
One of our stops for the 1st day was to the Maison Centrale, or Hanoi Hilton Prison. Incidentally, our hotel for this trip was also the Hilton!
The poor prisoners were locked down on one foot (to allow them to turn their bodies) and were packed side by side on the wooden platform. 
Why does this prisoner look so uncannily familiar?! (Oh, that's my colleague Tony!)
This cell that we all packed in used to house 30 female prisoners at a go. 
A glimmer of light (hope) in the depressing prison. Some of us actually felt quite uncomfortable when we entered some of the cells. 
We went for a Cyclo-tour which was essentially like a trishaw tour around town. It was quite a refreshing way to see Hanoi.
Mmm...what are Bea & Lin Lin snapping at? Tim looks quite nonchalant though.. 
Bikes are used to transport all kinds of stuff! Apart from families of up to 4, I spotted bikes transporting furniture, and even chickens & pigs! 
People in Hanoi live on simple pleasures like this kid self-entertaining on the road.
Barbers like this were commonplace in the back streets of Hanoi
Anyone care for a bowl of authentic pho?
In Hanoi, cables run everywhere
What did I say? they run EVERYWHERE
On the 2nd day, we visited Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum, which is where the previous president's body is laid, not unlike other communist leaders. Here, there were soldiers all round scolding those who talked too loudly, laughed, and we were not allowed to expose our arms or legs. 
We visited a chinese temple by the lake after lunch at Bobby Chin's. 
Tommy, our guide (far left), patiently explaining the sights to us, but most of us were too hot to pay too much attention. :Þ
If you thought that the boys' faces were grumpy, wait till you see mine! haha! 
We found a shady spot under a big tree. All of us just converged there to hide from the heat! Don't we look adorable, like kids on an excursion? 
Spotted this middle-aged couple by the lake. What a sweet photo.... 
Hanoi at night. Some of us (shopaholics) went to the night market after dinner, while the others (alcoholics) went to a pub. One of us (who was greedy), went to both! 
One of the stalls at the night market. Honestly, there was nothing to buy except trinkets and some low quality clothes and accessories. 
Some of the shopaholics! 
Dinner at Indochine, where we found out Seng Han's fetish for Bananas.... *mmmm*
No Catlin company trip can be complete without alcohol. That's Angela downing drinks as challenged by the ang mos! 
Toilet buddy, Huizhi & I at the end of the evening that marked the end of our Hanoi adventure...
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
No longer a twenty-something!
Turned 30 a couple of weeks back and I'm loving it so far! Honestly, I've never been one who is big on birthdays. In fact, I didn't even really celebrate my 21st birthday or any other birthday for that matter. To me, birthdays are merely just another day, though I do love it for the fact that its usually a day where I get to re-connect with many long lost friends who send in their well wishes and make me feel loved!Having said that, some weeks before turning 30, I started feeling anxious and the week leading to my big 3, I even had insomnia! yes i know!! for an entire week, I slept only 2-3 hours each night, a first for a sleep addict like myself! Not wanting to attribute this to turning 30, I started wondering if there was something wrong with me, perhaps physically or psychologically. All that uncertainty was put to rest (quite literally) when on Friday, after I finally turned 30, I slept like a baby for 12 hours straight without stirring. Thank goodness the sleeping beauty is back in business!!
Some people I know think 30 is an old age for a woman to be. I always believed that age is but a number. You are as young as you feel (maybe not as you look but that's another story!). Some of my friends were telling me "once you cross that big 3, age just creeps up without you knowing it!" Haha. Truth is, I am not afraid to grow older, coz in many ways, I feel like i'm still a kid, waiting to grow up.
Some other friends shared that 30s is the best phase of a woman's life. At 30, she's "successful" enough, confident enough, "rich" enough, experienced enough, and mature enough to take life as it comes! How true that is! Somehow, I feel really good about myself right now. I mean, despite all my flaws, I haven't felt better about myself than now. Even as pounds seem to be piling on faster than fast, I'm comfortable with how I look and have started enjoying and embracing my curves and even my love handles (maybe to the horror of my hubby!).
Anyhow, thought I'd share some photos taken during the week of my 30th birthday!
Dinner and drinks with uni-buddies, Eric, Mas, baby Aly, and Wee Chuan
Lunch with Eric, my ex-colleague turned friend from DHL
Colleagues sprang a birthday surprise for me and Emily (we share the same birthday!) The cake that they got from Cedele was yummylicious! 
Some of the trainees in my office separately got me a slice of strawberry shortcake and mango cake. That's Sera, me, and my monkey at my desk.
Caught up with the Boozers at Nicky's full-month party at Rochester Park. Here's new mummy Sueann & I
Like father like son - Kevin & baby Nicky Yip 
Stanley & I 
Me, Shirlyn & Jaclyn
Colin & I 
Colin & I on my actual birthday. He had rushed back from China and had only arrived at 6.30pm in the evening, just in time for dinner with me at Clarke Quay.
To reward his efforts to spend my birthday with me, I bought us tickets to watch the NBL game between Sydney Kings and Singapore Slingers!
Me tucking in to the Triple X cake from NYDC, which was a surprise from my darling Colin. Ending my birthday on a HIGH~
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