12 Day Old Junoir

This is Junior @ 12 days old. Had some 'Baby' talk with my cousin yesterday and it seems that she's still trying to cope with her new role as a mother. All babies look pretty alike when they are new-borns. My cousin was telling me that she can't figure out which is her son if he's put in the nursery room right now. And she can't tell if Junior has put on weight. Certainly, i can feel it when i carried him.



And this is the first time i see my bro carrying a baby. He feels super stress and didn't dare to move. This is when i realised that my uncle has not carried his grandson yet. He keeps giving all kinds of excuses. I guess he feels that Junior is too fragile for him.




Interestingly, i saw the confinement auntie changing the poop of Junior last week (when he was six days old). I was surprised by the colour of the newborn stools. It was Sticky Green-Black in colour. I asked my friend Sharon and she told me that baby's first bowel movements will consist of meconium, which is a sticky green-black substance present in the intestine before birth.

For two to six days after birth, stools will be a mixture of meconium and milk bi-products, spinach-green, or yellow in color. Later, the baby will have yellow, green, or brown stools, formed or unformed. Ok! I learnt something new!

Christmas: My Favourite Time of The Year!

This Christmas is very different for me. It was a quiet affair as compared to last year. Last Christmas, i celebrated it in a big fashion on christmas eve. My éx-unit' organised a party and everyone came over to my place. We had a BIG Bash.

This Christmas, attended a Christmas Play with mom, bro and auntie gay at St. Andrew's Cathedral on 21 Dec. My cousin Weijun was one of the main cast in the play entitled "Silence The Night", performed by the Lync Youth Ministry. I am surprised that my dear cousin could act so well.









This is the first time i saw the 'very talented' side of her which i never knew. That's because whenever we have family gatherings, she's always very quiet. Can't fault her for that because there isn't anyone who's in the same age group as her.

Attended church service on saturday with Mabel & MJ @ the rock auditorium.



I didn't enjoy the musical but i love the 'flip chart presentation'. It's a very powerful testimony and demonstration as to how the Lord has transformed individuals. It was handwritten and a personal statement and conviction based on individual's experience. Behind each board was a transformed life. I could relate with it and felt very touched. I believe many share the same sentiments.



Went down to suntec again on sun to join my ex-cg for lunch. It feels kind of weird for me not attending service on sunday. There were more familiar faces on sun as compared to the service on sat. The first person i met outside the auditorium was Sharon Tay, my ex-school-mate. She was trying to make her son sleep. We chatted a little. I turned around and saw Lynette & Baby Zach. I carried Baby Zach and yeap, he has indeed put on some weight. Next, i bump into Karen, Yean Shien plus many more.

It was really nice to see everyone. I miss the cute babies so much. Zoe has grown taller, Sean is becoming more and more handsome and has grown bigger, Charlotte is getting cuter and cuter each day (very jap/korean looking) and Jadyn is such a smily baby.

Christmas eve was a simple affair. Went over to Benny & Peggy's place for a turkey and ham dinner. On Christmas Day, i woke up early to attend the 9.30am service @ City Harvest. It was meaningful for me as it's the first time attending a Christmas Service on Christmas Day. I am glad that i was in church rather than in bed. I enjoyed the Changs production very much. And in the afternoon, i had a good time catching up with the gals @ Sharon's new place. It was also the first time seeing Eve in her pregnant state. But she really doesn't look pregnant even though it's just two more months before she's due. She looks as if she could still go clubbing.
And of course, all the aunties had a great time playing with Baby Damien. Time flies. He's almost 4 months old.



















I guess most had a great time this Christmas. But really, what does Christmas means to you? Just today, i chanced upon this booklet which Jo helped the christmas party committee produced last year. In it were some of the thoughts penned down by some friends. It's very meaningful and heartfelt. Here are some:

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"It is a time to reflect on God's mercy, grace and love in the form of Jesus, especially seen in the light of the year's events, and humble the heart in thanksgving to God" - evelyn tang

"It is a giving and jouyful season as Christ has saved us" - chayanid

"A birthday celebration is incomplete and meaningless without the birthday person's presence. Christmas gifts and parties without the person's (Jesus Christ) presence is thus likewise" - cheryl quek

"It's more than just silver bells and mistletoe. It's a time to celebrate the Savior's birth, amid good food and wine, and together with people who mean the world to me" - karen lee

"The birth of Christ is the beginning of a miracle; reminds me that 'We are the reason' why there is even a Christmas!' - lynette sim

"It's when family becomes friends and friends become family" - alvin poon

"It's spending time with family and close friends to celebrate Christ's birth together. Birthdays are always spent with people close to you and Christ's birthday is no exception" - bellina yu

"It's getting together with loved ones and a day to remember and be thankful for what Christians are and have in Christ" - mabel tan

"It's the celebration of the birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ, ans spreading good tidings and blessing those less priviledged" - jimmy loo

"Time to feast on friendship and laughter. Time to indulge, on one of its kind festive mood. Time to ponder, on the past year and the one ahead" - soo guan

"A season for giving (and receiving) and a reminder of the start of my journey in the Hope family" - galvin lim

"It's a celebration of life; a gift of eternity which God has bestowed on us. It marks the compassion and love of God; His ultimate sacrifice of sending his son down to earth - born as a normal man and finally dying on the cross for the sins of the world" - alan sim

The New Addition In My Family: Mr Junior

My cousin Jerwen just gave birth to a baby boy 6 days ago. The baby was 3 weeks pre-mature and it feels so light when i carried him just now.

The birth of Mr Junior (that's baby's temporary name coz. the parents has not decided on his name yet) has brought alot of joy in the family because he is the first great-grand child (the first cousin to give birth on my mom's side). You can imagine the joy for everyone because he's the first baby in the family.

Most of us gathered at my cousin's place this afternoon to see the baby. He is so cute!









(Voice-over by Auntie Gemma)

感谢主

The year is coming to an end and there are many things which i am thankful to God for. One of the areas is work.

It has been a very frustrating and dry period for me this quarter. Things were becoming overbearing and i felt that it was up to my limits.

It's so true that God will not allow anything to come into our lives that we are not capable of withstanding. It applies to me in this case. He probably knows my struggles and my frustrations. It was making me stressed, unhappy and in a way, i felt really down.

Things took a turn on monday when all the staff were shown the new organisation chart and it was like a christmas gift to me. It was a big surprise, totally unexpected because i would be heading the department next year. And the cause of all my frustrations is being restructured out to head a new department.

But on the otherhand, i now have mixed sentiments about it. It's going to be an extra challenging year ahead as i will be heading the whole department. Xtra stress perhaps since my department is the main-revenue earner and i've got to show results and produce constant new ideals. Not that it's anything new. But the difference is that the responsibility lies in me now. And i've got to work on my weakness and turn it into my strength. In a way, it's really getting out of my comfort zone.

Oh Lord ... i know i can only do it with your strength, courage and guidance.

An Early Christmas Celebration

Last thursday was my company christmas party which i organised for partners of the travel trade. The party was held @ Via Mar, The Esplanade and all the guests had a fantastic time networking, partying and drinking away. Some groups were having a party within a party.

Goodie Bags for the guests



The guests love the food. It's spanish btw.



Friends from the airline



The ever entertaining Mr Hamid-San



Have not seen Anthony for a long time. He is looking good and well .. being saboed for the nite.

I Love London

I enjoyed my recent trip to London. I was there to attend the World Travel Mart (WTM) cum holiday and did most of the things which i wanted to do, visited the popular tourist sights and tried most of the food which i wanted to. The only thing which i didn't get to visit is Hampton Court and travel to Bath. Like some of my friends say, keep it for the next trip then. Well ... who knows when?

London is a really expensive place to live in. Hotel rates are very high and is a real killer. I spend 8 days in London and these are some of the places which i visted.

Sightseeing @ The Kensington Palace

I arrived in London on sunday morning @ 5.30am. It was quite an adventure travelling alone. The previous times when i travel alone was to Bangkok 2 years back. The experience is a little different as i am familiar with Bangkok but it's my first time in London.

I had jet-lag on the first day when i arrived but managed to visit the Kensington Palace, which was the birthplace and childhood home of Queen Victoria. I enjoyed walking in the park more than musuem tour. There were children playing in the park, family and friends hanging out together and people jogging on a sunday afternoon.







Tip 1: Plan your trip well. Visit the places which you know your colleagues/friends do not want to visit before they arrive.

Nite Out @ The Musical: Mary Poppins

I love this small little cafe called "Patisserie Valarie", just down the road from Prince Edward Theatre where the musical, Mary Poppins was playing. I happen to walk pass this cafe on the way to collect the musical tickets. The display was simply too attractive and i had to try the cakes there.

I later found out that Patisserie Valarie is one of the popular cafes in London (which explains why it was so crowded) and was opened since 1926 by a lady called Madam Valarie. There's a huge variety of cakes and pastries to choose from and it took me awhile before i could decide what i wanted.





It was a wednesday nite when i watched Mary Poppins. The musical has been playing at the Prince Edward Theatre for 3 years and production will close on Jan 12 2008 followed by a U.K tour production. I can't believe this but i was dozing off during some parts of the show. Not that it's boring but i am simply tired. For the past few nites, have been woken by by smses send by people in Singapore in the wee hours.



Tip 2: Try to watch musicals at least 2 days after you arrive so that your body has sufficient time to adjust to local timing and u won't end up falling asleep in the theatre.

Visit to Tower of London

I enjoyed the trip to Tower of London very much. When Auntie Soo heard that i was going to London, she told me that i had to visit this place to see the crown jewels. I can't imagine myself being here in summer. It would be too hot for me. As for the jewels, well ... it's real.











Tip3: Join the free tower of london guided tour instead of walking around the place alone. It's about an hour and you get to know more about the history plus stories.

The Famous Icon: Tower Bridge

I love the Tower bridge which is a combined bascule and suspension bridge in London, over the River Thames. It is close to the Tower of London, which gives it its name. I guess the whole experience and feel will be very different from day and nite.



Historical Visit To St. Paul's Cathedral

After my visit to Tower of London, i took a bus ride to St. Paul's Cathedral. Thanks to Valarie and Ruby of Visit Britain who gave me the heritage pass, it allows me free admission to the cathedral. I love the design and architecture. The dome which is world-famous and an iconic feature of the London skyline is really quite an impressive facade.

Too bad no pictures are allowed in the cathedral. The interior is fabulous with its glittering mosaics, intricate stone carving and breathtaking vantage points.

I had fun taking pictures outside the cathedral. The whole place was so huge and these shots are taken by my boss.







The Modern Art Museum

Along the bridge (from St. Paul's to Tate Modern)

A short 5-10 minutes walk from St. Paul's Cathedral will bring you to Tate Modern, the national gallery of international modern art. The Collection comprises the national collection of British art from the year 1500 to the present day, and of international modern art.

I had a fabulous lunch on the 7th floor @ the Tate Modern resturantn which offers a magnificent view of the River Thames, St. Paul's and the City of London.





Tate Modern



Nice View & Fabulous Food





Tip4: It's free admission to Tate Modern. Don't miss it even if you are not a fan of modern art (just like me). But it's still nice to walk around and see some of the works just for the experience.

Lots To See @ The British Musuem

The British Museum holds in trust for the nation and the world a collection of art and antiquities from ancient and living cultures. Housed in one of Britain's architectural landmarks, the collection is one of the finest in existence, spanning two million years of human history. Access to the collection is free.

I enjoyed the visit very much, especially on the egyptian culture. There was an exhibit on the mummies which gives me a greater insight on the ancient egyptian world. So much to see, so little time.





Tip 5: Give yourself at least two hours for the visit. Before you start to walk around, arrange the time with your partner or friends on the time and place to meet just in case you get lost. This will allow you ample time to comfortably walk around and see things at your own time and own pace without wasting time to look around for people. Most importantly, get a copy of the map before you start walking around.

And i love this small little car. Very cute. My boss and colleague can't resist but asked me to take a picture with it.



But i love the white one better (which i saw near the hotel which i was staying.



The Famous Harrods

So finally i get to visit the famous Harrods store who has always prided itself on reputation for excellence and finest quality merchandise. But things are really expensive and it's just good enough to take a look. The best thing out of Harrods is that they allow photography. That makes me really happy. The stall decoration makes everything looks soo good.



I love the food hall. The decoration is superb. So is the price.



Covent Garden

Another place which i like very much is covent garden. It has many interesting shops. Anita's brother, Edwin who works in London just stay above H & M, which is just a minute walk from Convent Tube Station. Very Convenient. But it's very crowded on a friday night when we were there.



We met Edwin for dinner on friday nite at an Indian Place at Piccadilly Circus called Chowki. He said it was one of the better ones. Portions are small but well, filling.



Edwin and Anita. She was very impressed with her brother that day. Said that she has never seen her brother dressed so smartly before. She had to take a photo together and show it to their mom. Edwin said that's because he had a meeting earlier.





Know Your Neighbourhood: Gloucester and Its Surroundings

I stayed at Millennium Gloucter for five nites but never once got the chance to walk around the area except the very morning when i was suppose to check-out. After breakfast, went for a nice photpgraphy walk with Anita. Weather was freezing cold. I think it was about 5 degrees.

That's Me @ The London Phone Booth

I think i would be crazy taking pictures in the phone booth in Singapore. But well, what the heck. I like the phone booth in London. Quite cool! Anyway, who knows me here.



Rows of shops. You'll never get hungry with so many choices and varieties. There's Burger King, Flower Shops, Take-Aways etc.



Small little church down the road



Changing of Guards @ The Buckingham Palace

Here i am, at the official london residence of the British monarch. I am glad i came here early, right after breakfast. My boss was quite smart. Got a good spot for us to see the changing of guards. The draw back, well, the place is really crowded and be prepared to stand throughout.







Heaps of people everywhere all eager to see the changing of guards. I heard that during summer, there are more people.





Tip 6: Make sure you have your cameras with you and are all fully charged.You will be really dissappointed if your battery dies on you during this time.

The 'Royal' Christmas Tree

I passed by the Royal Mews (finest working stables) which is located next to Buckingham Palace. It has a permanent display of state vechicles which includes those carriages used for royal and state occassions. I did not visit the musuem, only the souvenir shop. But i love the "Royal Christmas Tree" which is decorated with crowns. It's very unique.



The 'Royal'Church

I visited the Westminster Abbey but too bad, i can't enter as they were preparing for the Queen's wedding anniversary celebrations and service which was held two days later. I'm actually quite disappointed.





Another Icon: The Big Ben

Happy to see the clock tower which is the world's largest four-faced, chiming clock.
It's just behind the Westminster Abbey. It started to drizzle at this point and thus, pictures didn't turn out too well.



Houses of Parliament

The Houses of Parliament is also known as the Palace of Westminster or the Westminster Palace. It's one of the largest Parliaments in the world. The layout of the Palace is intricate, with its existing buildings containing nearly 1,200 rooms, 100 staircases and well over three kilometres (two miles) of corridors.



The London Eye

At 135 metres above London, the London Eye is the world's tallest observation wheel, with 40km panoramic views on a clear day. I didn't get to take the london eye as tickets are expensive. I'm contended to just seeing it.



Tip 7: I understand that you get the same view from the top floor of Hyatt Hotel.

Church Service In London

During this trip, i managed to visit the Kensington Temple Church and Hillsongs London. Both services are conducted very differently.

Kensington Temple is a large Pentecostal Church in the Notting Hill area of London. It's the largest church in its denomination, the Elim Pentecostal Church. I attended the 9am service and the church goers are mainly africans.



When i was at Hillsongs London that very sunday, i found something similar to my home church. They had çhild dedication service too. To me, hillsongs london is more like the big churches in Singapore. Big in scale and high tech. Service is conducted at the Dominion Theatre. I spotted some books and CD roms of Pastor Prince at the bookstore. He had recently preached there some months back.



Europe's largest shopping street: Oxford Street

Oxford Street is a shopping paradise. So many things to see but not enough time. And yes, it's quite pretty right now coz. it's decked up with christmas decorations. But well, not as pretty as Orchard Road though. But still, i love Oxford Street for the variety of shops, interesting window displays, brands and malls which Singapore do not have, its architecture and i miss the cold weather too. Btw, Oxford Street is really long (approx a mile and half) and is spread over around 4 tube stations namely tottenham Court, oxford circus, bond street and marble-arch.

Oxford Street





There's familiar brands such as GAP



TopShop



H & M - My favourite shop which unfortunatedly is not available in Singapore yet.



Pret A Manger - My favourite sandwich joint which serves a huge variety of sandwiches and wraps. The name Pret A Manger means ready to eat in french. All sandwiches are made on the day of purchase in a kitchen at each location. Left-Overs are collected by charities that provide food to the homeless at the end of each day. The store can be found almost éverywhere' as there are 118 outlets in London. Thankfully, there's one outlet at 35 Robinson Road which opened last year but i think the portion should be slighly smaller. I should check it out one day.



Hamley's - one of the world's largest toy shop @ Regent Street (Off Oxford Street). The store is considered one of London's major tourist attractions, and receives about five million visitors a year.



Debenhams, one of the local shopping mall which i just passed by



Bayswater Area

Hyde Park Towers, the B & B place which i stayed for the last 2 extension nites is at Bayswater. It's quite near to Millennium Gloucester, where i stayed for the past 5nites. It is located in a superb location but rooms are really small. The single room which my boss was staying is smaller than a usual hostel room. The twin room is also very small but at least not so claustophobic. There isn't much of a walking space in the room though.



You will never get hungry especially if you are staying at Bayswater. It has lots of restaurants and eateries such as MANDARIN KITCHEN, one of my favourite Chinese restaurant and it has got to be one of the best in London. It's at Queensway, opposite the tube station and the speciality is the lobster noodle. The prime wild scottish lobster is baked whole in a giner and spring onion sauxe and served with thin noodles. Really Delicious! This place is highly recommended by many friends and even my industry partner from British Tourist Authority.



Another highly recommended chinese restaurant that sells very famous and popular roast duck is called FOUR SEASONS. It's just down the road where Mandarin Kitchen is. These are the only two chinese meals aka chinese restaurant which i ate during my trip in London. We had to take a queue number and wait for about forty minutes to get a table. Good thing is that the hotel where i am staying is just behind the row of restaurants. Super Convenient. Well, the wait is really worth it coz. the duck here is one of the best which i've ever tasted. The only dishes are your average chinese fare.



I had a fun time in London. Thanks to friends like Cheryl, Cecilia, Val, Jan & Jo who gave me loads of tips and loanned me stuff too.