I've been playing with my neopets A LOT lately. They are now more than 9 years old!!! It used to be so hot back then. But the games are still quite good.
I've also been spending the last few days with my aunty. I love being spoilt by a little girl :D Yesterday we went to watch the movie, "Conviction" with Janet. So touching! I'll say 8/10. A true story about a man who was convicted with first degree murder and robbery, and his sister went into law school to help him.
Some other movies I've watched recently:
- "The Social Network" is 8.5/10 for me. Jesse Eisenberg makes a very very charming Mark Zuckerberg. And of course, Armie Hammer is absolutely beautiful. My only complain is that Justin Timberlake is an awful choice for Sean Parker. I absolutely have a crush on Sean Parker, the real guy, not the one portrayed by Timberlake. So I wish they have chosen someone else for the movie.
- "Life as we know it" 7/10. It has a good mixture of funny and touching scenes. Josh Lucas is one super hot doctor. I kept hoping the female character would chose him instead of the guy played by Josh Duhamel. And the baby is really adorable.
- "RED" is also 8/10 because I'm a sucker for all types of spy / secret agents movies. And of course, Mary-Louise Parker is beautiful. She does not look like she is 46 years old!! If not for the wrinkles, I would think maybe early 30s. Hmm. I'm not a big fan of Bruce Willis but I do like Karl Urban.
Two days ago, I went back to med school to collect my yearbook. It's lovely. Lots of pictures. Sigh. Memories of our last 3 years together.
I've also received a dog tag that has the logo of our school, with " L. Yeo MD" inscribed at the back. MD is the Latin for "Doctor of Medicine". I love!!! Each of us also get a paper copy of the Hippocrates Oath and a picture of our class animal (glaber), which I'm going to frame when I'm back in Brunei.
Luckily for me, I have a few classmates who are going to graduate with me *phew* I would hate to read the Hippocrates Oath by myself in front of hundreds of other graduates from other faculties, as well as their family and friends.
In the meantime, I need to get some work done, i.e. applying for my house officer position *yawn* So lazy. I'm flying to vancouver on Saturday, so maybe I'll just do it there. Another week of procrastination :D
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Saturday, October 23, 2010
How fast time flies~
It's now near the end of October, and I'll be going home soon! In less than a month time. This is the longest I've ever been away from Brunei. And to be honest, I'm decidedly undecided about going back for good. I have a feeling I won't stay for long. Maybe 2 years? Maybe longer? It's not me to settle in one place for long. Dont get me wrong. I love Brunei (in the "love is blind" kinda way. Hehe..) with all its beauty and faults. And there's always hope coz we have a smart and loving leader.
But now that I've had a taste of the outside world, I'm addicted! Knowing that I'll always have a safe haven to return to, makes the whole thing even more attractive.
Anyway, I'm going to San Francisco (which I've been to 2 years ago, but I'm still excited about it) and Las Vegas (Viva Las Vegas!!) before I return to Brunei. My 6-weeks trip was mostly for sightseeing and experience, but this trip will be for shopping!!
And then I'll be home for less than a week before my trip to Australia!! However, it will be a short one. Only 8 days - 4 in Melbourne and 4 in Sydney. I wishhh we have an extra 4 days for Brisbane and 4 for Uluru. But it's ok. I'll return again someday.
I have a couple of months before I start working in Ripas. So I'm thinking of KK in late December or early January. If anyone is interested, let me know!!
In fact, I have a lot of plans. I'll be happy if even half of them are done.
I'm still unsure if I want a new car, but I'll be test-driving half of Beribi :D I cant even decide if I prefer a small or big car.
I'm also still unsure if I wanna commute Ripas-Tutong once I've started working. It's a not a big deal if I work 9 to 5 five days a week, but I dont really trust myself behind the wheels when I've been awake for 28 to 30 hours trying to keep patients alive. I've been pondering on getting my own place in Bandar for the days I'm post-call. Also because I need a quiet place to rest post-call.
I wanna make my own dress for CNY. It'll be the first CNY in 4 years where I dont have to be in school or in the hospital, so it'll be special.
My grandmother has been in and out of the hospital so frequently that it's making me mad. Why? Is it because that's the only time her children and grandchildren will come to see her? Or is it because of the lack of communication between the doctors and the patient/caregivers? Or is it because no one is following orders anyway? Well, I guess we will find out.
But now that I've had a taste of the outside world, I'm addicted! Knowing that I'll always have a safe haven to return to, makes the whole thing even more attractive.
Anyway, I'm going to San Francisco (which I've been to 2 years ago, but I'm still excited about it) and Las Vegas (Viva Las Vegas!!) before I return to Brunei. My 6-weeks trip was mostly for sightseeing and experience, but this trip will be for shopping!!
And then I'll be home for less than a week before my trip to Australia!! However, it will be a short one. Only 8 days - 4 in Melbourne and 4 in Sydney. I wishhh we have an extra 4 days for Brisbane and 4 for Uluru. But it's ok. I'll return again someday.
I have a couple of months before I start working in Ripas. So I'm thinking of KK in late December or early January. If anyone is interested, let me know!!
In fact, I have a lot of plans. I'll be happy if even half of them are done.
I'm still unsure if I want a new car, but I'll be test-driving half of Beribi :D I cant even decide if I prefer a small or big car.
I'm also still unsure if I wanna commute Ripas-Tutong once I've started working. It's a not a big deal if I work 9 to 5 five days a week, but I dont really trust myself behind the wheels when I've been awake for 28 to 30 hours trying to keep patients alive. I've been pondering on getting my own place in Bandar for the days I'm post-call. Also because I need a quiet place to rest post-call.
I wanna make my own dress for CNY. It'll be the first CNY in 4 years where I dont have to be in school or in the hospital, so it'll be special.
My grandmother has been in and out of the hospital so frequently that it's making me mad. Why? Is it because that's the only time her children and grandchildren will come to see her? Or is it because of the lack of communication between the doctors and the patient/caregivers? Or is it because no one is following orders anyway? Well, I guess we will find out.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Eat Pray Love
Yesterday I went out with my Aunty Elizabeth and one of my seniors for lunch. Only $10.95 for more than a hundred different dishes, including dim sum!! Mostly chinese dishes, with some ang mo dishes, sushi, and desserts. Yum~ After sending my senior home, I went to Aunty's home to help her with her FB. Hehe. And then we went to the cinema to watch "Eat, Pray, Love", and finished the day with excellent Japanese food.
Before I watched the movie, I have to admit that I was interested to watch the movie someday and read the book someday, but it's one of those movies that I'll watch when someday it crosses my path again. The storyline sounds a bit too predictable, but still quite interesting.
But after I've watched the movie, I have to say that Julia Roberts is very very gorgeous, even though she is already in her 40s. And Bali looks very very interesting. And David Lyons is very very hot. Why does Australia have all the hot guys???
Actually, a lot of people are rather surprised/shocked/scandalised/etc to know that I've been travelling for 6 weeks all by myself. I've been asked if I was bored or scared, by family, friends and even strangers I've met during my trip. And it's hard for me to explain why. I can come up with a simple but true reason - "My family and friends are not free" but I did not explain that I didnt really ask anyone to come with me anyway. I sometimes say "I dont know why but I've always wanted to travel alone", and the other person will nod. As if they understand, but they don't.
"Eat, Pray, Love" is the memoir of a woman in search of.... life. Some people grows up knowing what they want out of life - career, marriage, children - so that's what they do, only to find out one day that something is missing in their life. They dont even know who they are anymore. So they either get on with their miserable life, or they ran away in search of that "something".
And when they ran, people around them get hurt. The divorce. The abandoned children. They don't understand why. Of course they don't.
Not many people are born with the luxury to be able to choose who they want to be. Some people are forced to become someone else due to expectations, responsibilities, stupid mistakes, personal limitations, financial restrictions, etc. And one day when Fate hands them a chance to undo their regrets, some people takes it. With the selfishness of an injured soul, unable to see beyond themselves.
I remember one moment many many years ago when I went to have my hair cut in a salon, I looked at the hairdresser and suddenly wondered what is the meaning of her life. What are her hopes and dreams? She can't possibly want to spend the rest of her life working for someone else as a hairdresser. There must be something she wants to achieve. But I was young, and arrogant. I hope I've matured since. Maybe, just maybe I can understand the beauty of a simple, contented life.
Unlike Liz Gilbert in "Eat, Pray, Love", I am not unhappy with my life. But I am in search of something. It is that elusive concept that drives my love for travelling by myself. It is the promise of adventure, independence and love. And of course "dolce far niente".
In the movie, she seems to make a lot of friends. During my 6 weeks, I've talked to a lot of strangers. And actually, there were a number of people with whom I could have developed a friendship with, but I didn't really want to.
Some of the more memorable people I've met include a very nice middle-aged lady who was also on the cruise by herself, because her husband has just passed away from a rare muscle disorder. She invited me to Denver, her hometown.
A cute guy who works at one of the Smithsonian Museums in Washington DC. He asked for my name. I smiled at him and said nothing. There was a few seconds of awkward silence. Then he smiled and said "nice to meet you". I replied "nice to meet you too" and walked away.
Another cute guy I met on the trolley bus in New Orleans. He was there with his brother-in-law. We talked for a while. Actually, I was being unfair. He was simply trying to be nice, but I was simply trying to be polite. And evasive. I think he sensed that because I didnt ask him a single question. When the trolley has reached his stop, he turned to me and asked for my name. I told him, because he was about to get out of the bus anyway. He told me he'll be in town by himself for a few days. I said something like "Have fun. You'll love it". I think he was hoping for a different answer, but I'm not interested in a vacation fling. Haha.
Well. Sorry. I only remember the cute guys. I've long since forgotten the creepy ones, the scary ones, and the boring ones. But my point is, if you wanted it, you could have it.
I guess I like to think "what if" more than I like reality. Reality is never actually as fun. And sometimes you have to pay for reality.
But of course, I still love traveling with family and friends. It's a different type of fun. A different type of adventure. At least I dont have to eat alone.
Before I watched the movie, I have to admit that I was interested to watch the movie someday and read the book someday, but it's one of those movies that I'll watch when someday it crosses my path again. The storyline sounds a bit too predictable, but still quite interesting.
But after I've watched the movie, I have to say that Julia Roberts is very very gorgeous, even though she is already in her 40s. And Bali looks very very interesting. And David Lyons is very very hot. Why does Australia have all the hot guys???
Actually, a lot of people are rather surprised/shocked/scandalised/etc to know that I've been travelling for 6 weeks all by myself. I've been asked if I was bored or scared, by family, friends and even strangers I've met during my trip. And it's hard for me to explain why. I can come up with a simple but true reason - "My family and friends are not free" but I did not explain that I didnt really ask anyone to come with me anyway. I sometimes say "I dont know why but I've always wanted to travel alone", and the other person will nod. As if they understand, but they don't.
"Eat, Pray, Love" is the memoir of a woman in search of.... life. Some people grows up knowing what they want out of life - career, marriage, children - so that's what they do, only to find out one day that something is missing in their life. They dont even know who they are anymore. So they either get on with their miserable life, or they ran away in search of that "something".
And when they ran, people around them get hurt. The divorce. The abandoned children. They don't understand why. Of course they don't.
Not many people are born with the luxury to be able to choose who they want to be. Some people are forced to become someone else due to expectations, responsibilities, stupid mistakes, personal limitations, financial restrictions, etc. And one day when Fate hands them a chance to undo their regrets, some people takes it. With the selfishness of an injured soul, unable to see beyond themselves.
I remember one moment many many years ago when I went to have my hair cut in a salon, I looked at the hairdresser and suddenly wondered what is the meaning of her life. What are her hopes and dreams? She can't possibly want to spend the rest of her life working for someone else as a hairdresser. There must be something she wants to achieve. But I was young, and arrogant. I hope I've matured since. Maybe, just maybe I can understand the beauty of a simple, contented life.
Unlike Liz Gilbert in "Eat, Pray, Love", I am not unhappy with my life. But I am in search of something. It is that elusive concept that drives my love for travelling by myself. It is the promise of adventure, independence and love. And of course "dolce far niente".
In the movie, she seems to make a lot of friends. During my 6 weeks, I've talked to a lot of strangers. And actually, there were a number of people with whom I could have developed a friendship with, but I didn't really want to.
Some of the more memorable people I've met include a very nice middle-aged lady who was also on the cruise by herself, because her husband has just passed away from a rare muscle disorder. She invited me to Denver, her hometown.
A cute guy who works at one of the Smithsonian Museums in Washington DC. He asked for my name. I smiled at him and said nothing. There was a few seconds of awkward silence. Then he smiled and said "nice to meet you". I replied "nice to meet you too" and walked away.
Another cute guy I met on the trolley bus in New Orleans. He was there with his brother-in-law. We talked for a while. Actually, I was being unfair. He was simply trying to be nice, but I was simply trying to be polite. And evasive. I think he sensed that because I didnt ask him a single question. When the trolley has reached his stop, he turned to me and asked for my name. I told him, because he was about to get out of the bus anyway. He told me he'll be in town by himself for a few days. I said something like "Have fun. You'll love it". I think he was hoping for a different answer, but I'm not interested in a vacation fling. Haha.
Well. Sorry. I only remember the cute guys. I've long since forgotten the creepy ones, the scary ones, and the boring ones. But my point is, if you wanted it, you could have it.
I guess I like to think "what if" more than I like reality. Reality is never actually as fun. And sometimes you have to pay for reality.
But of course, I still love traveling with family and friends. It's a different type of fun. A different type of adventure. At least I dont have to eat alone.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Life of idleness
I've been lazy to blog although I have plenty of time =.=
I'm now in Calgary. Duh. For almost 2 weeks now. My weekends are nicely packed with lots of fun with my friends, but the weekdays are so boring. So what do I do?
Hmm... My latest thing is watching Elmo on youtube. Elmo is so cute. I didnt know that. Sesame Street was not my thing growing up. We had ninja turtles, power rangers and bad stuff like that. But I remember Big Bird is, well, big.
And Cookie Monster is hilarious!!! "Me want cookie!!" I love how sneaky he is when he wants a cookie but he still pretends to be innocent.
But Elmo is definitely my fav. I love his interviews on youtube. So funny. And I also love Adam Sandler's song for Elmo.
Besides that, I've also registered for Traditional Chinese Painting class. Hehe. And ceramic pottery class. Haha. To fill up some free time. I'm attending my first class this week so I'll let you know how it goes.
Calgary is getting so cold! Brr... And it's only September. But luckily we have a short warm spell this weekend, so it has been fun. But it'll be cold again soon.
Today my friends had an open house at their place. It is a blast, as usual. I love hanging out with them. The food, the gossips, the crazy fun. They have a drum set, lots of guitars, and bass too, as well as speakers and microphone, so it's always fun. Today's top song is Justin Bieber's "Baby". I'll miss them so much.
A few days ago, I went to the cinema and watched "The Other Guys", which is quite good. Not awesome but I enjoyed it. I prefer "The Switch", which I watched in Washington DC. Jason Bateman is adorable!! And the kiddo is sooooooooooo cute! Please go and watch it.
I've also watched "Resident Evil" 3D with some friends last weekend, which is a pleasant surprise. I think I've watched the second one but I dont remember any part of it. Again, it's not awesome but I enjoyed it.
Friday night, I went for dinner with some friends. I told you my weekends are packed. It's a belated mid autumn festival dinner. I love the lamb hot pot. Oh yum. And then we went to one of their places to eat mooncake and watch a chinese movie "Painted Skin". I dont know how popular it is but apparently, it is quite hot when it came out a few years ago. It's about a girl who is actually a fox spirit and she eats human hearts to keep her human look. I find the movie just a bit too slow and dragging, as are most china movies. But the love story is so touching, especially the ending. Sigh~~
The next movies I want to watch are "the american" and "wall street".
Let's summarise the movie I've watched recently -
Inception: 9/10 (One word - Leonardo. Hahaha. Very original story line)
The Expandables: 6/10 (Very boring story line but good action)
The Last Airbender: 5/10 (Disappointing but I like the picture/graphic)
The Switch: 8/10 (Very very cute, funny and sweet)
The Takers: 8/10 (Very cool. Extra point because Paul Walker is in it. Hehe)
Killers: 7/10 (Ashton Kutcher!!! In only a pair of shorts! Ahhh!!! So hot!)
Resident Evil 3D: 7/10 (Cool CGI)
The Other Guys: 7/10 (Funny enough)
I've been packing and re-packing and then re-packing my stuff for shipping back to Brunei. I wanna make sure I made full use of the 40 cubic feet given to us. So, my aims for this coming week are settle the shipment, attend my first class of ceramic pottery and chinese painting, as well as watch "the american".
*yawn* I'm sleepy. I love being able to sleep and wake up at any time I please. This is the life. A tad boring, but still super siok.
I'm now in Calgary. Duh. For almost 2 weeks now. My weekends are nicely packed with lots of fun with my friends, but the weekdays are so boring. So what do I do?
Hmm... My latest thing is watching Elmo on youtube. Elmo is so cute. I didnt know that. Sesame Street was not my thing growing up. We had ninja turtles, power rangers and bad stuff like that. But I remember Big Bird is, well, big.
And Cookie Monster is hilarious!!! "Me want cookie!!" I love how sneaky he is when he wants a cookie but he still pretends to be innocent.
But Elmo is definitely my fav. I love his interviews on youtube. So funny. And I also love Adam Sandler's song for Elmo.
Besides that, I've also registered for Traditional Chinese Painting class. Hehe. And ceramic pottery class. Haha. To fill up some free time. I'm attending my first class this week so I'll let you know how it goes.
Calgary is getting so cold! Brr... And it's only September. But luckily we have a short warm spell this weekend, so it has been fun. But it'll be cold again soon.
Today my friends had an open house at their place. It is a blast, as usual. I love hanging out with them. The food, the gossips, the crazy fun. They have a drum set, lots of guitars, and bass too, as well as speakers and microphone, so it's always fun. Today's top song is Justin Bieber's "Baby". I'll miss them so much.
A few days ago, I went to the cinema and watched "The Other Guys", which is quite good. Not awesome but I enjoyed it. I prefer "The Switch", which I watched in Washington DC. Jason Bateman is adorable!! And the kiddo is sooooooooooo cute! Please go and watch it.
I've also watched "Resident Evil" 3D with some friends last weekend, which is a pleasant surprise. I think I've watched the second one but I dont remember any part of it. Again, it's not awesome but I enjoyed it.
Friday night, I went for dinner with some friends. I told you my weekends are packed. It's a belated mid autumn festival dinner. I love the lamb hot pot. Oh yum. And then we went to one of their places to eat mooncake and watch a chinese movie "Painted Skin". I dont know how popular it is but apparently, it is quite hot when it came out a few years ago. It's about a girl who is actually a fox spirit and she eats human hearts to keep her human look. I find the movie just a bit too slow and dragging, as are most china movies. But the love story is so touching, especially the ending. Sigh~~
The next movies I want to watch are "the american" and "wall street".
Let's summarise the movie I've watched recently -
Inception: 9/10 (One word - Leonardo. Hahaha. Very original story line)
The Expandables: 6/10 (Very boring story line but good action)
The Last Airbender: 5/10 (Disappointing but I like the picture/graphic)
The Switch: 8/10 (Very very cute, funny and sweet)
The Takers: 8/10 (Very cool. Extra point because Paul Walker is in it. Hehe)
Killers: 7/10 (Ashton Kutcher!!! In only a pair of shorts! Ahhh!!! So hot!)
Resident Evil 3D: 7/10 (Cool CGI)
The Other Guys: 7/10 (Funny enough)
I've been packing and re-packing and then re-packing my stuff for shipping back to Brunei. I wanna make sure I made full use of the 40 cubic feet given to us. So, my aims for this coming week are settle the shipment, attend my first class of ceramic pottery and chinese painting, as well as watch "the american".
*yawn* I'm sleepy. I love being able to sleep and wake up at any time I please. This is the life. A tad boring, but still super siok.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Day 14 to 17 (updated)
Note: Updated with pictures!!!
No pictures for this album coz I’m now aboard the beautiful Norwegian Epic on my 7-days cruise, and the internet is super expensive =(
US$0.75 per minute. One minute! Isnt that crazy?
Maybe. Just maybe I’ll edit in the pictures if the next hotel has complimentary internet. Btw, in case you're wondering, it's now Day 27 :)
Day 14
I woke up at 830am today to check out coz today I’m going to Philadelphia, home of the Liberty Bell, Benjamin Franklin, cheese steak and cream cheese.
The train ride would unfortunately be more than 5 hours =.= coz New York is in between Boston and Philly. The ride from Philly to Washington DC (my next destination) would be much shorter =)
Arriving at the beautiful Amtrak station in Philly, I decided to take a taxi coz the hotel (Windsor Suites) is near but there’s no direct public transport and not walk-able when dragging a luggage.
On the outside, the Windsor Suites is not as pretty as it looks on the website but I really don’t care. I only care bout my room and the location, both of which are awesome to the max. My “room” 1516, on the 15th floor, is actually a suite. It is as big as my basement in Calgary and it has a walk-in closet and a kitchen. The kitchen is fully equipped with pots and pans, utensils, coffee machine, etc. I love it! How I wish my mum was with me.
And the wired high-speed internet is seriously high-speed. I uploaded all my Boston pictures to FB, and then walked randomly. I was amazed by the sight of the gorgeous city hall. It looks like it belongs in Italy, not America.
The Masonic temple was next to it. It looks like a beautiful church on the outside, but I heard that the inside is completely different. I wish I have time to go in.
And then I walked to the LOVE park where they have the famous LOVE sculpture by Robert Indiana, a pretty fountain and the beginning of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The O in LOVE is tilted because love is not perfect.
Whoever designed the Ben Franklin Parkway is brilliant. There are beautiful architectures, museums, library, statues, fountains. And my hotel is smack right in the middle of the parkway. Like I said, Philly wasn’t in my original plan so I didn’t know much about it and I didn’t do much research. I guess that is why I love it so much.
Day 15
I woke up at 930am today and decided to walk to the historical area, where the Independence Hall is, where the Declaration of Independence was signed. I walked past the city hall, on to market street for around 12 blocks. Yup, a long walk but I enjoyed the walk. I had McD sausage sandwich for breakfast. Yum!
There was a long line to see the Liberty Bell, so I walked to the visitor centre first, the best I’ve ever seen. The air-conditioner is a blessing. Hehe. I went in to get the free ticket into Independence Hall. Btw, the Independence Hall is the image at the back of US$100.
I have to wait for a couple of hours before I can go in. It's a timed guided tour. I walked pass the liberty bell building and seeing no line, I went in. The bell has a long history, a long scar and a long move (from the Independence Hall to its current new personal location).
After that, I still have about an hour to kill so I walked around the area and was attracted by some music about half a block away.
A guy is pretending to be a Private around the time America gained her independence, and he is recruiting new soldiers. It’s so funny! Watch the video on my FB!! The first 2 minutes are mainly music.
The guided tour in Independence hall was kinda boring, but that was where Ben, Riley and Abigail found the specs to see the clue behind the Declaration of Independence. And this is also where the Declaration of Independence was originally signed!
I then took the Trolley tour, which is one of the tickets on my Philadelphia Citypass. The guide is really informative and I totally enjoyed the tour. Highly recommended if you’re not travelling with a local and you want to see everything in a short time. Afterwards, you can choose where to go and where to skip.
My dinner was a Philly cheese steak. Yum! It’s a must in Philadelphia.
Day 16
I woke up at 9am and decided to walk to Franklin Institute, which is near my hotel. The Institute itself is a little boring. Good for kids though.
But they do have a Cleopatra exhibit that has to be paid separately so I did. Too bad no photography allowed in there, coz it’s a beautiful exhibit. The light effect and music are excellent, creating a romantic-ish atmosphere. Like we’re underwater. I now know more about Cleopatra than I wanted to.
I then took the Phlash (a trolley bus, $2 per ride, $5 per day) to the National Constitutional Centre, where they have the award-winning show, “Freedom Rising”, about the beginning of the United States. The guy is talented!! I’m not a citizen of the United States but I actually cried. It is that good. The founding fathers had a dream – “Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” for everyone. And a country where (I quote) “we, the people” had the power to choose our leader, to shape the nation, and to change the future. In theory anyway. Hehe. I know I’m a pessimist, but I like to think I’m more of a realist.
I then walked to the Terminal Reading Market, famous for their food and fresh vege/fruits. This is where a lady said to Abigail, “If you’re not a steak, you don’t belong here” when she hid from the bad guys. Told you I’m a superfan. I bought a shrimp pad thai. Isnt that crazy? Hehe. I’m buying thai food from a famous market in Philly!
Day 17
I woke up at 930am and took the Phlash to Philadelphia zoo, the first zoo in America. It was ok. The kind of place that’s not super interesting but it’s worth a go.
I like the primates section (as usual) and the rare animals section, but the rest is a bit boring. But the naked mole rats / glabers (the name of my class) are super cute!!
I then went to the Eastern state Penitentiary. The closest Phlash stop is 6 blocks away. 6 blocks are usually nothing. It’s the bright sunlight, the heat and the humidity that sucks. I was light-headed and my vision was going blurry by the time I reached the penitentiary.
But it’s worth it! The exterior looks like a very romantic pretty castle, but the inside was scary. In case you have no idea what a penitentiary is (like me), it’s a jail. They have the self-guided audio tour thing. It’s a handheld phone-like thing. You can press the number you see along the way and listen to the story.
I then took the Phlash to Chinatown for dinner. Like Jocy, I’m super asian. Haha. I love the occasional change of cuisine. Once or twice a week. But most of the time, I’ll revert back to Chinese food. I had roasted duck. Omg. Super super yummy.
For supper, I made use of the awesome kitchen in my suite to boil the string beans I bought yesterday from the Reading Market.
That ends my trip in Philly. I wish I can stay a few more days. There’s a few other places I wanna visit, but tomorrow I’m going to nation’s capital -Washington DC.
No pictures for this album coz I’m now aboard the beautiful Norwegian Epic on my 7-days cruise, and the internet is super expensive =(
US$0.75 per minute. One minute! Isnt that crazy?
Maybe. Just maybe I’ll edit in the pictures if the next hotel has complimentary internet. Btw, in case you're wondering, it's now Day 27 :)
Day 14
I woke up at 830am today to check out coz today I’m going to Philadelphia, home of the Liberty Bell, Benjamin Franklin, cheese steak and cream cheese.
The train ride would unfortunately be more than 5 hours =.= coz New York is in between Boston and Philly. The ride from Philly to Washington DC (my next destination) would be much shorter =)
Arriving at the beautiful Amtrak station in Philly, I decided to take a taxi coz the hotel (Windsor Suites) is near but there’s no direct public transport and not walk-able when dragging a luggage.
On the outside, the Windsor Suites is not as pretty as it looks on the website but I really don’t care. I only care bout my room and the location, both of which are awesome to the max. My “room” 1516, on the 15th floor, is actually a suite. It is as big as my basement in Calgary and it has a walk-in closet and a kitchen. The kitchen is fully equipped with pots and pans, utensils, coffee machine, etc. I love it! How I wish my mum was with me.
And the wired high-speed internet is seriously high-speed. I uploaded all my Boston pictures to FB, and then walked randomly. I was amazed by the sight of the gorgeous city hall. It looks like it belongs in Italy, not America.
The Masonic temple was next to it. It looks like a beautiful church on the outside, but I heard that the inside is completely different. I wish I have time to go in.
And then I walked to the LOVE park where they have the famous LOVE sculpture by Robert Indiana, a pretty fountain and the beginning of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The O in LOVE is tilted because love is not perfect.
Whoever designed the Ben Franklin Parkway is brilliant. There are beautiful architectures, museums, library, statues, fountains. And my hotel is smack right in the middle of the parkway. Like I said, Philly wasn’t in my original plan so I didn’t know much about it and I didn’t do much research. I guess that is why I love it so much.
Day 15
I woke up at 930am today and decided to walk to the historical area, where the Independence Hall is, where the Declaration of Independence was signed. I walked past the city hall, on to market street for around 12 blocks. Yup, a long walk but I enjoyed the walk. I had McD sausage sandwich for breakfast. Yum!
There was a long line to see the Liberty Bell, so I walked to the visitor centre first, the best I’ve ever seen. The air-conditioner is a blessing. Hehe. I went in to get the free ticket into Independence Hall. Btw, the Independence Hall is the image at the back of US$100.
I have to wait for a couple of hours before I can go in. It's a timed guided tour. I walked pass the liberty bell building and seeing no line, I went in. The bell has a long history, a long scar and a long move (from the Independence Hall to its current new personal location).
After that, I still have about an hour to kill so I walked around the area and was attracted by some music about half a block away.
A guy is pretending to be a Private around the time America gained her independence, and he is recruiting new soldiers. It’s so funny! Watch the video on my FB!! The first 2 minutes are mainly music.
The guided tour in Independence hall was kinda boring, but that was where Ben, Riley and Abigail found the specs to see the clue behind the Declaration of Independence. And this is also where the Declaration of Independence was originally signed!
I then took the Trolley tour, which is one of the tickets on my Philadelphia Citypass. The guide is really informative and I totally enjoyed the tour. Highly recommended if you’re not travelling with a local and you want to see everything in a short time. Afterwards, you can choose where to go and where to skip.
Logan Square
Philadelphia Museum of Art
Free Library of Philadelphia
Please Touch Museum (for kids)
Joan of Arc (in gold)
Rodin Museum (with one of "The Thinker" statues and only Rodin works inside. Now you know why I love Philly. All those lovely history and arts. Sigh. If only I have more time)
My dinner was a Philly cheese steak. Yum! It’s a must in Philadelphia.
Day 16
I woke up at 9am and decided to walk to Franklin Institute, which is near my hotel. The Institute itself is a little boring. Good for kids though.
But they do have a Cleopatra exhibit that has to be paid separately so I did. Too bad no photography allowed in there, coz it’s a beautiful exhibit. The light effect and music are excellent, creating a romantic-ish atmosphere. Like we’re underwater. I now know more about Cleopatra than I wanted to.
I then took the Phlash (a trolley bus, $2 per ride, $5 per day) to the National Constitutional Centre, where they have the award-winning show, “Freedom Rising”, about the beginning of the United States. The guy is talented!! I’m not a citizen of the United States but I actually cried. It is that good. The founding fathers had a dream – “Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” for everyone. And a country where (I quote) “we, the people” had the power to choose our leader, to shape the nation, and to change the future. In theory anyway. Hehe. I know I’m a pessimist, but I like to think I’m more of a realist.
I then walked to the Terminal Reading Market, famous for their food and fresh vege/fruits. This is where a lady said to Abigail, “If you’re not a steak, you don’t belong here” when she hid from the bad guys. Told you I’m a superfan. I bought a shrimp pad thai. Isnt that crazy? Hehe. I’m buying thai food from a famous market in Philly!
Day 17
I woke up at 930am and took the Phlash to Philadelphia zoo, the first zoo in America. It was ok. The kind of place that’s not super interesting but it’s worth a go.
I like the primates section (as usual) and the rare animals section, but the rest is a bit boring. But the naked mole rats / glabers (the name of my class) are super cute!!
I then went to the Eastern state Penitentiary. The closest Phlash stop is 6 blocks away. 6 blocks are usually nothing. It’s the bright sunlight, the heat and the humidity that sucks. I was light-headed and my vision was going blurry by the time I reached the penitentiary.
But it’s worth it! The exterior looks like a very romantic pretty castle, but the inside was scary. In case you have no idea what a penitentiary is (like me), it’s a jail. They have the self-guided audio tour thing. It’s a handheld phone-like thing. You can press the number you see along the way and listen to the story.
I then took the Phlash to Chinatown for dinner. Like Jocy, I’m super asian. Haha. I love the occasional change of cuisine. Once or twice a week. But most of the time, I’ll revert back to Chinese food. I had roasted duck. Omg. Super super yummy.
For supper, I made use of the awesome kitchen in my suite to boil the string beans I bought yesterday from the Reading Market.
That ends my trip in Philly. I wish I can stay a few more days. There’s a few other places I wanna visit, but tomorrow I’m going to nation’s capital -Washington DC.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Inception
I've just watched "Inception". Hmm. Kinda late eh?
I like the trailer. I've heard that it's good. Better than good, actually. I knew I wanna watch it. But I'm more a book than movie person, so I'll watch it when I get to watch it. There's 10 other movies I wanna watch too, but they can all wait till I have the time and mood to go to the cinema.
But "Inception" is brilliant. 9/10 for me. Highly recommended if you have not watched it yet. It has been a while since I last enjoyed a movie so much! Leonardo and Cillian Murphy were awesome, but I'm not too sure about Ellen Page and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
After the ending, I felt like watching it again. It is that good. This is not the first movie about lucid dreams but it is the best one.
So now, go watch it.
I like the trailer. I've heard that it's good. Better than good, actually. I knew I wanna watch it. But I'm more a book than movie person, so I'll watch it when I get to watch it. There's 10 other movies I wanna watch too, but they can all wait till I have the time and mood to go to the cinema.
But "Inception" is brilliant. 9/10 for me. Highly recommended if you have not watched it yet. It has been a while since I last enjoyed a movie so much! Leonardo and Cillian Murphy were awesome, but I'm not too sure about Ellen Page and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
After the ending, I felt like watching it again. It is that good. This is not the first movie about lucid dreams but it is the best one.
So now, go watch it.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
A pause
Day 14 to 17 will take a day or two coz it's still in point forms :D
I usually type them up the night of, but the internet of these last 2 hotels is awesome, so I've been busy catching up my TVB drama online instead of typing up my trip journal and read my novel.
I'm still reading the third book of the millenium series (The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest). I finished the first book in one and a half days, the second book in one and a half weeks, and I've been reading this third book since the beginning of my trip (today is Day 19 of my tour). Will it take one and a half month? Hehe. The first book was awesome to the max. The second and third book are not as awesome but still worth reading.
Anyway, pictures of my philadelphia trip (day 14 to 17) are on my FB, if you're interested.
The last few posts were meant as a sort of documentation, for me, to remember this trip, many years to come. Because I'll forget. I know I'll forget the small interesting details. That's why it can be a bit dry and TMI at times.
I'm now in Washington DC. I'm flying to Miami next week.
I know I'll love Washington DC because of all the national treasures. But Philadelphia is an absolute gem. If you remember my original trip (back in May), Philly was not included. It was a last minute addition in order to accommodate my cruise dates. But I love love love it!! This is the type of city I wanna live in.
But who knows. Like my cousin said, I love everything!! I've loved every single city from the first day of my trip. I hate the heat and I dislike eating alone, but otherwise, I love this fabulous trip.
I wonder if it is simply because I dont have to work. But everytime I see a hospital or an ambulance, I have this feeling. A fleeting flutter of excitement, mixed with the slightest touch of disappointment. Like I want to be in there. I hope this means that I love my medical degree beyond the title it gives me.
I usually type them up the night of, but the internet of these last 2 hotels is awesome, so I've been busy catching up my TVB drama online instead of typing up my trip journal and read my novel.
I'm still reading the third book of the millenium series (The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest). I finished the first book in one and a half days, the second book in one and a half weeks, and I've been reading this third book since the beginning of my trip (today is Day 19 of my tour). Will it take one and a half month? Hehe. The first book was awesome to the max. The second and third book are not as awesome but still worth reading.
Anyway, pictures of my philadelphia trip (day 14 to 17) are on my FB, if you're interested.
The last few posts were meant as a sort of documentation, for me, to remember this trip, many years to come. Because I'll forget. I know I'll forget the small interesting details. That's why it can be a bit dry and TMI at times.
I'm now in Washington DC. I'm flying to Miami next week.
I know I'll love Washington DC because of all the national treasures. But Philadelphia is an absolute gem. If you remember my original trip (back in May), Philly was not included. It was a last minute addition in order to accommodate my cruise dates. But I love love love it!! This is the type of city I wanna live in.
But who knows. Like my cousin said, I love everything!! I've loved every single city from the first day of my trip. I hate the heat and I dislike eating alone, but otherwise, I love this fabulous trip.
I wonder if it is simply because I dont have to work. But everytime I see a hospital or an ambulance, I have this feeling. A fleeting flutter of excitement, mixed with the slightest touch of disappointment. Like I want to be in there. I hope this means that I love my medical degree beyond the title it gives me.
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