The Way to Our House

Hi all,

Here is the map that tells you how to get to our house!

We live on top of shops. Not the typical HDBs. So please do not be surprised! :)

Macau, the Original Asian Casino Island

Admittedly, I am rather poor at updating my blog. In my defence, I blog longer blog entries than a lot of folks. Namely, Soenke. (Heh!)

In our previous trip to Macau middle of this year, we arrived midnight. Entering into Macau City, neon lights flashed us blind even though it was in the middle of the night. The street where our hotel is at is brightly lit and there were still a number of people walking around. Checking in to the hotel, we got our first shock. Chinese people smoke a lot and smoke everywhere. There are really no strict rules about that and we got a room at a smoking floor (there was no other rooms left).Yuck! Please remember to request for a non-smoking room if you do not want your nose and lungs to suffer!  

 

Check out the sexy bathroom. This is the view from the bed. I guess whoever designed the rooms for this hotel plans to come back to stay very often.  

Hungry me went hunting for food a few minutes after dumping our bags into the room. I was sure there will be food considering there are a lot of shops (selling glittery watches and jewelery) still opened. Around the corner, I found an eating shop, where I had my first supposedly real Cantonese style wanton noodles. 

 My first HK/Macau style wanton noodles

Let me recall how my wanton noodles tasted like. The noodles were thinner and more crunchy than what I am used to. The wantons were rather porky tasting, which was a taste that I do not favor. The soup was near tasteless and it was served with some carrots and peas (we don't really use that here at home). It was a disappointment for me.

The next morning we wondered around hunting for breakfast. Somehow the hotel rates did not include breakfast. Walking into a shopping mall called Yaohan, we found a nice bakery. There I bought a char siew bao (barbecued pork buns). I could not resist myself as they sold the biggest baos I have ever seen. 

My char siew bao. Partially eaten to expose the contents. It was sold in a black paper bag. The size of the bao is as big as my hand wide opened, fingers all stretched out. It was also one of the nicest bao I have had for a while.

Over the next days, we wondered around the city as well as to Soenke's must do item, the Macau Tower. I will let the pictures speak for themselves. 

 Colorful, eye catching buildings of casinos. All for the gambler's picking.

 Wynn and MGM. Spectacular buildings. It's really shiny and in the morning sun the colors were really a sight.

The Grand Lisboa in the shape of a pineapple. In chinese, a pineapple is called as "huang li". And if you twist the tone slightly and with a bit imagination, you get "wang lai", which means money or prosperity come. In that sense, the pineapple is a symbol of welcoming prosperity. I wonder, whose prosperity they built it to welcome? 

 The view from Macau Tower. As you can see the reflections of the glass. To take this picture, I had to suffer through a case of shaky legs. It did not help that certain areas of the floor is of thick glass so that you can look down from the Macau Tower.

Macau Tower from ground level

We walked under a bridge and this is the view from there. There were a number of people fishing there in the afternoon.

Taken at the Ah Ma Temple. Ah Ma is the seafarer's goddess. And this temple is a world heritage site, although I don't understand why.

Quaint streets of Macao. This is the non-casino area so you see more normalcy and less neon signs. 

This looks like to me the houses of Macanese people. It would make sense to live in buildings full of people as Macau's land area is fairly limited. 

One of the must try items in Macau. Double boiled milk. It was really strange to eat jelly like milk that is warm. I had 2 mouthfuls and never more.

 Soenke ordered pineapple ice cream which turned out to be milky ice cream with canned pineapple chunks. It was kind of nice.

Senado Square. Very charming but a lot of fellow tourists.

Finally this is my souvenir from Macau. Local milk sold in little dairy glass bottles that I have never seen before. I drank the milk and brought the bottle back. Such a cute bottle. Who knew Hong Kong has their own dairy farm..

This is the Macau I saw. I still have a number of pictures missing. Like St Paul's Cathedral, the Venetian etc. But those are with Soenke and I guess they have to be posted another day then.

Fifty Seven Ninety

Yesterday we went out for milk. This house cannot have a shortage in its milk supply. Back to topic, we headed for 7-11 to make it quick and also we were a bunch of lazy asses after a day at work. 

At 7-11 I found myself mesmerized by the magazine stand and noticed that they have a bridal magazine (a very thick volume in this case) and it was packaged very nicely in a lavender colored box. Seeing that I might find it useful to plan a wedding with or to reference from, I told Soenke that I would like to have that magazine. Following is our conversation:

B: Look! Bridal magazine! I want! (Takes it down from the shelf)

S: Heh, Ok. How much is it?

B: $7.90. The price is here half hidden under the box. (Pulls the corner of the box to let Soenke have a look)

S: (Takes magazine over and peers into the box) It is $57.90!!!

B: No! It's $7.90!

S: No! It's $57.90 for a magazine! Put it back!

B: Let's ask the cashier.

S: How much is this?

Cashier: (Points at the price tag at the side of the box) $7.90.

That said, we went home with milk and a bridal magazine. The end.

Singapore Crocodile Farm

As mentioned in A Place Called Home, we stumbled upon a crocodile farm about 1 km from our house today. We weren't sure if we could enter at first because they had a big sign that says "Welcome" and another that says "Do not enter!". A lady came out and said we can look around and be careful to not stick out our hands. I was very curious to find a crocodile farm in the middle of a residential area and asked the lady the purpose of this farm. She told me it was for educational purposes. Noting that, this farm is also a leather factory that processes crocodile skins. Hmm, so much for educational purposes. 

The reptiles in the cages are just darn big that it scares me. And the best thing is, just next door, separated by just one regular wall is a big bungalow! People living next to a crocodile farm! I would think it is totally crazy if anyone asks me. The thing is the safety measures in this old farm is not so secure. Hence, this conclusion.

Nonetheless, it is definitely a Wow thing to know about your residential area. Their souvenir shop sells crocodile teeth and leather goods. Strangely, I noticed a newspaper clipping that said buying crocodile leather goods help support the survival of the crocodile species. Apparently, with increase demand for crocodile leather, people began farming crocodiles and this increase in their numbers took them off the endangered species list! Knowing that, buy crocodile leather goods conscience free everyone!

Please click here to check out the crocodile farm!

A Place Called Home

After one week, we have successfully settled down in our new home at Kovan-Hougang! Endlich! Finally! 终于！ Woohoo! 

It took a week for the both of us to arrange and get everything to be livable to our standards. I must say, I definitely won't be able to manage that without Soenke!  

Now that the fridge is fully stocked, the laundry for the past 3-4 weeks are done, the house looks super, our books in the new fake-antique bookshelves, plants growing, both had a first use of the induction cooker... I can finally announce that we are all settled in!

Here is the plan of our unit. It is big compared to the standard 3 room units. Based on what we were told, it is because of (A) it is a corner unit (B) it is an old unit. Don't care, it is rockin'!

Love, love, love! 

As for the location of our house, it is around 5mins walk to the MRT station. It faces directly opposite a foodcourt, a 7-11 and McDonalds around the corner, a very famous Thai restaurant around the block, followed by a 24 hours foodcourt. Next to the MRT station is Heartland Mall, which has a Cold Storage for groceries. 

Today, we explored the surroundings by foot and stumbled across a beer garden, a crocodile farm (which has huuuuugeee reptiles) and another 24 hours eating place. Oh, and a lot of churches, not that we plan to go to any..

To sum it up, we love our new place!

 

 

Engagement Night Part 1

On my birthday, Soenke had booked a room at the Swiss'otel Stamford for a birthday treat. The idea is great. A very nice room in a very different setting and waking up to a wonderful buffet breakfast. 

Some days before turning 25, Soenke said he wanted to bring me to dinner at the Equinox, a restaurant at the Swiss'otel on its 70th floor. I was elated! 

Looking forward to a great night, we checked into the hotel after work. Our room has a balcony with a great view over the city. And guess what, while being mesmerized by the night lights, Soenke grabbed my attention and went on bended knee, proceeded to bring out my engagement ring and proposed to me. Teeheeheehee.. I guess we all know what my answer was. 

This is our room on the 38th floor. That is me heading towards the balcony. It is not very often to get a hotel room with a balcony with a view, at least for me. 

 Photo courtesy of Soenke. This was the view from the balcony. Breathtaking, I would say.

 This is me plus engagement ring. Was asked to pose like this. Not my idea. =)

Part 2 about our wonderful evening at Equinox coming up soon. Even though this is major, I am flooded with a lot of things screaming for my attention or that I require superior time management skills.

27.07.2010 - We are engaged!

Our engagement on 27.07.2010 has been announced on Soenke's blog as well as on Facebook. I have yet the chance to put up an official announcement on my blog here as the days flew past me like a crazy train off track. It also means I am not a true blue blogger that has the urge to blog immediately. Hence, this post six days post-engagement. Nonetheless, it still is my utmost pleasure to share our happy news with everyone.

Now, back to topic, I turned 25 years old on 27.07.2010 and at the same time changed my social status to be engaged. So yes, WE ARE ENGAGED!!

To commemorate our engagement, we discussed about creating something special to mark the announcement. Soenke has posted the .pdf file on his site but here is the presentation in picture format:   

Here is our love to all our friends and family. Thank you for sharing this special moment with us. It is definitely still surreal!