Tuesday, November 25, 2003
The weather is like a box of chocolates
... you never know what you're gonna get until you walk out the door.
Have reported to work at Head Office for a week now. It feels like I have not worked so hard for a long time. Our normal pilgrimage to the Netherlands is almost like a vacation....rekindle the partnership with our counterparts, some discussions or project updates and free dinners.
Visited the motherland of all chocolates...Belgium...as in Belgian chocolates. Our day trip on Saturday began rather wet. So, we spent most of our time indoors..."in-shops". Thank god for Zara. I don't think we saw much of the town as we were too engrossed with the merchandise at Zara. We also did some chocolate shopping, of course. I feel guilty now.
What is with love in Belgium?
Perhaps, it is in the chocolates they eat. More in Nomadic Tales.
Lesson 12 in The art of Tai Tai hood
"I guess a tiny piece of chocolate can do wonders!"
Your say? [ comment(s)]
... you never know what you're gonna get until you walk out the door.
Have reported to work at Head Office for a week now. It feels like I have not worked so hard for a long time. Our normal pilgrimage to the Netherlands is almost like a vacation....rekindle the partnership with our counterparts, some discussions or project updates and free dinners.
Visited the motherland of all chocolates...Belgium...as in Belgian chocolates. Our day trip on Saturday began rather wet. So, we spent most of our time indoors..."in-shops". Thank god for Zara. I don't think we saw much of the town as we were too engrossed with the merchandise at Zara. We also did some chocolate shopping, of course. I feel guilty now.
What is with love in Belgium?
Perhaps, it is in the chocolates they eat. More in Nomadic Tales.
Lesson 12 in The art of Tai Tai hood
"I guess a tiny piece of chocolate can do wonders!"
Thursday, November 13, 2003
It's freaking cold
Back in my free bed & breakfast place in the seaside resort of Scheveningen.
Yesterday, I walked round and round Den Haag Centrum in the bitter cold.
Typically Dutch town center. Shops, old buildings, shops, cafes, more shops...
I am bored.
Photo: Tram from Centrum to Scheveningen.
My eyes look puffy lately.
Too much walking leads to too much sleep for me.
I am in bed by 7.30 p.m. and have clocked in 12 hours per night.
Brings the wrong meaning to the word "beauty sleep".
Lesson 11 in The art of Tai Tai hood
"Too much of a good thing, is no good."
Your say? [ comment(s)]
Back in my free bed & breakfast place in the seaside resort of Scheveningen.
Yesterday, I walked round and round Den Haag Centrum in the bitter cold.
Typically Dutch town center. Shops, old buildings, shops, cafes, more shops...
I am bored.
Photo: Tram from Centrum to Scheveningen.
My eyes look puffy lately.
Too much walking leads to too much sleep for me.
I am in bed by 7.30 p.m. and have clocked in 12 hours per night.
Brings the wrong meaning to the word "beauty sleep".
Lesson 11 in The art of Tai Tai hood
"Too much of a good thing, is no good."
Wednesday, November 12, 2003
Going solo
Hallo (Dutch for "hello") from the land below sea level but with sky-high prices. No wonder the locals can only afford bicycles!
Day 1 - Walking off the jet lag
The charming town of Delft is well known for its blue and white pottery. Of course, my mission there was to gather more ideas for my own collection.
>:)
This week, I feature the retro side of my designs.
Day 2 - Room hunting in Amsterdam
First thing's first....finding a roof over my head for 2 nights. But, I think I burnt a hole in my pocket in the process. If that's not all, I find out that I have checked in a so called 2-star hotel filled with mafia-looking men!
Quick! I need to go for Plan C now. Let's tete-a-tete.
Day 3 - Walk, walk and more walks
Lucky me....it was a pleasant winter's day. Alone in Amsterdam....for the first time.....my solo travel in a foreign country. Thank goodness, it's for only for a day. "Window shopping" and more.
Dag (Dutch for "goodbye") from NL.
Lesson 10 in The art of Tai Tai hood
"There is a time and place to shop. This is not that time nor place."
Your say? [ comment(s)]
Hallo (Dutch for "hello") from the land below sea level but with sky-high prices. No wonder the locals can only afford bicycles!
Day 1 - Walking off the jet lag
The charming town of Delft is well known for its blue and white pottery. Of course, my mission there was to gather more ideas for my own collection.
>:)
This week, I feature the retro side of my designs.
Day 2 - Room hunting in Amsterdam
First thing's first....finding a roof over my head for 2 nights. But, I think I burnt a hole in my pocket in the process. If that's not all, I find out that I have checked in a so called 2-star hotel filled with mafia-looking men!
Quick! I need to go for Plan C now. Let's tete-a-tete.
Day 3 - Walk, walk and more walks
Lucky me....it was a pleasant winter's day. Alone in Amsterdam....for the first time.....my solo travel in a foreign country. Thank goodness, it's for only for a day. "Window shopping" and more.
Dag (Dutch for "goodbye") from NL.
Lesson 10 in The art of Tai Tai hood
"There is a time and place to shop. This is not that time nor place."
Sunday, November 09, 2003
Tai Tai in Asia, Maid in Europe
I arrived in Amsterdam with the rest of cattle class yesterday. I was loaded in the early morning in Schiphol airport with a neck strain.
Took a train to Den Haag to meet my host. At the last minute, my host has to go to Aberdeen, Scotland the next day and unfortunately, to vacate the room. So, I shall be homeless for 2 nights!
Plan B...
I found a room at Orange Tulip Hotel in Amsterdam for the period. Sounds fancy, but it's NOT!
My reservation as follows:
Sunday: One single room (private shower, shared toilet)
Monday: One twin room (private shower and toilet)
This will set me back a total amount for EURO 150 (over MYR600), including breakfast and tax. For that amount in Asia, I could live in style in a fancy 5-star hotel. Now, I have to share the bathroom with strangers!
Lesson 9 in The art of Tai Tai hood
"Every now and then, a tai tai must understand the predicaments of the poor, homeless or unfortunate, by living like one"
Your say? [ comment(s)]
I arrived in Amsterdam with the rest of cattle class yesterday. I was loaded in the early morning in Schiphol airport with a neck strain.
Took a train to Den Haag to meet my host. At the last minute, my host has to go to Aberdeen, Scotland the next day and unfortunately, to vacate the room. So, I shall be homeless for 2 nights!
Plan B...
I found a room at Orange Tulip Hotel in Amsterdam for the period. Sounds fancy, but it's NOT!
My reservation as follows:
Sunday: One single room (private shower, shared toilet)
Monday: One twin room (private shower and toilet)
This will set me back a total amount for EURO 150 (over MYR600), including breakfast and tax. For that amount in Asia, I could live in style in a fancy 5-star hotel. Now, I have to share the bathroom with strangers!
Lesson 9 in The art of Tai Tai hood
"Every now and then, a tai tai must understand the predicaments of the poor, homeless or unfortunate, by living like one"
Wednesday, November 05, 2003
It's a mad, mad rush from now
Firstly, I am just plain mad. Mad that my internet connection was down for 3 days. Then, my image server was gave me problems too. So, this week's contribution is delayed.
Now, back to the matter at hand.....
Time is running up.
Two months to go before the year is up.
*gulp*
I don't quite like this time of the year because I have to start to take stock of what I have done and what I haven't. So, for the rest of the year, it's gonna be a mad, mad rush to catch up with my resolutions.
Ok, I ran through my "To do" list and thought that I did not fair that bad this year. So, I spent my last weekend doing some tai tai stuff like going for a facial and hair cut.
Top of the list is still left unachieved. To find the "rich man" to realise my tai tai dream. I shall carry forward my quest to the next year.
On other matters, I have been fairly successful.
Read a book a month
I thought I start with a manageable goal.... a book a month. My track record was perfect until June when I struggled with Amy Tan's The Bonesetter's daughter. I have read her books in the past. They were such a breeze to read.
But this book, I must have read chapters 1 and 2 twice, trying to understand where the story was going. Even resorted in soaking in the bathtub with the book to keep from being distracted by the telly. Only thing I got out of that is wrinkly skin! After a few times of picking it up, then putting it down...I gave up. Perhaps, there is a time and place to read it.
Now, I am on to The Catcher in the Rye. This is a book that I read a chapter of, some time back. Didn't fancy the foul language used and so, I did not continue with it. Recently, I picked up the book again and after chapter two, I have gotten used to the language.
More misadventures in reading...
The last of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy movie will be shown end of the year. This is another abandoned read from last year because it became long, draggy, wordy and was too bulky to bring along my travels.
I think I will now finish the last part "The Return of the Kings" by December. Then, I will go watch the movie version.
Meanwhile, back in the painting front, I have gone to the wilderness and back.
I am off to Netherlands this Friday for 4 weeks. I shall continue to review my year’s resolutions until the end of the year.
So, stay tuned!
Lesson 8 in The art of Tai Tai hood
"Desperate times call for desparate measures... like a facial, good hair cut and flying business class"
Your say? [ comment(s)]
Firstly, I am just plain mad. Mad that my internet connection was down for 3 days. Then, my image server was gave me problems too. So, this week's contribution is delayed.
Now, back to the matter at hand.....
Time is running up.
Two months to go before the year is up.
*gulp*
I don't quite like this time of the year because I have to start to take stock of what I have done and what I haven't. So, for the rest of the year, it's gonna be a mad, mad rush to catch up with my resolutions.
Ok, I ran through my "To do" list and thought that I did not fair that bad this year. So, I spent my last weekend doing some tai tai stuff like going for a facial and hair cut.
Top of the list is still left unachieved. To find the "rich man" to realise my tai tai dream. I shall carry forward my quest to the next year.
On other matters, I have been fairly successful.
Read a book a month
I thought I start with a manageable goal.... a book a month. My track record was perfect until June when I struggled with Amy Tan's The Bonesetter's daughter. I have read her books in the past. They were such a breeze to read.
But this book, I must have read chapters 1 and 2 twice, trying to understand where the story was going. Even resorted in soaking in the bathtub with the book to keep from being distracted by the telly. Only thing I got out of that is wrinkly skin! After a few times of picking it up, then putting it down...I gave up. Perhaps, there is a time and place to read it.
Now, I am on to The Catcher in the Rye. This is a book that I read a chapter of, some time back. Didn't fancy the foul language used and so, I did not continue with it. Recently, I picked up the book again and after chapter two, I have gotten used to the language.
More misadventures in reading...
The last of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy movie will be shown end of the year. This is another abandoned read from last year because it became long, draggy, wordy and was too bulky to bring along my travels.
I think I will now finish the last part "The Return of the Kings" by December. Then, I will go watch the movie version.
Meanwhile, back in the painting front, I have gone to the wilderness and back.
I am off to Netherlands this Friday for 4 weeks. I shall continue to review my year’s resolutions until the end of the year.
So, stay tuned!
Lesson 8 in The art of Tai Tai hood
"Desperate times call for desparate measures... like a facial, good hair cut and flying business class"
