~ Back From Shanghai! ~

So we're back from Shanghai. Got in early Tuesday and headed immediately for the doctor as both of us are suffering from diarrhoea. I guess we couldn't take the food in Shanghai. Had to cancel a fishing trip to Indonesia (much to the boys' disappointment) but we couldn't risk it with our bad tummies. Can't say the medicine have helped much, in fact, I find myself in a worst state than before!

Anyway, I still managed to drag myself to meet up with some gorgeous ladies for high tea. It would be my last meeting with them.

The Joy Luck Club ladies (Joylites), as we call ourselves! All scrappers although we prefer to indulge in food as seen in our frequent meeting at 'high tea' places! :) Incidentally, this photo was taken by Jaz' little boy! 

They are the most fun, witty and enjoyable group of ladies I've known and I'm gonna miss them dearly. Thank goodness for technology ... at least I'll be able to keep in touch via 'whatsapp' and email!

This is our last week in Singapore before we fly back to the UK. I'm starting to pack the non-essential stuff just so I won't be inundated with packing on Sunday!!! Can't believe five weeks have flown so quickly. I certainly had a great time here, socialising with friends, spending quality time with the boys (sans housework... they take up way too much time I think!) and eating all the food & fruits that doesn't exist in the UK. The best part has to be food! We spend a fair amount eating out and having a great meal while in Shanghai. I just luv my food!

Well, all good things have to come to an end. Holidays included! Can't say I'm looking forward to going back but then that's life. I'm just thankful that technology has enabled me to keep in touch with friends from all over so I guess I've to rely on it. TTFN!

~ Shanghai Weekend ~

Saturday

Headed off to Yuyuan Gardens to see temples & a typical Chinese garden. As usual, it was packed with the locals. Then we headed to the shops to get ginseng & Chinese tea leaves.

Outside Yuyuan Gardens

Inside the courtyard of the temple

Shop specialising in Chinese herbs

After that, we headed to a state-run restaurant to have Peking duck. OMG, the food was delicious. The duck are cooked in an oven akin to those for pizzas. Then a chef comes out & slices the duck in very fine pieces. The carcass is then used for soup & any small duck remains are cooked with vegetables. This had to be one of the best meal I had.

Chef slicing the duck

Dessert: pumpkin cake

Headed to The Bunt to see the lights!

Brilliant place!

Sunday

The men went to play golf in the morning. How they managed in the blistering heat is beyond comprehension. Then we headed to Sheraton hotel for a champagne brunch. An amazing spread of food, just simply mouth-watering!

Lobsters & prawns

Suckling Pig

I did the honours of cutting the chocolate cake. The taste was to die for!

The dessert section

There was just so much to eat! Simply amazing!

In the evening, E brought us for a traditional Chinese massage. Man, it was good! Felt the tension & stiffness of my neck & back lifted.

It's our last nite in Shanghai! Enjoyed the shopping but not the weather ... way too hot for me. Got so tanned simply walking around (despite putting sun block too). But it was great to get together with E. TTFN!

~ Shopping! ~

2 posts in one day! Trying to catch up. Yesterday, we were at the Expo. Today we hit the shops. E brought us to Nanjing Rd Copy Market, a haunt popular with tourists.

Behind this cocoon sits the cab driver! I find it rather amusing.

Oh gosh, we spent loads! Got myself a pair of winter boots, silk scarves, jeans & shoes! My boys had winter coats. Hubs got himself a shirt & watch. We were quite restrained in our spending but I could easily go overboard!

Got myself a shopping bag as I'm alway forgetting to bring it to a supermarket. That will stay in my car!

An example of the shops!

Haggling over prices is greatly encouraged as the opening price is always ridiculously high! We got most of the stuff between 60 - 80% off. There a technique to it - stick to how much you are willing to pay & walk away if they don't accept. Inevitably, they will call you back & give in to your price. We did just that & got what we wanted to pay! It helps that E speaks the language! I do as well although not as good as her!

Hubs & moi are currently suffering from upset tummies so we went home to rest. Plans had to change as a result. For dinner, we headed out to a joint popular with the expat community. We had steak & it tasted so good!

Moi & E!

Not sure what tomorrow brings but hopefully not too hot! I'm having a hard time coping with the immense, high humidity! TTFN!

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~ Shanghai Expo 2010 ~

We spent the morning at the fabric market but not before seeing an old part of Shanghai.

Old Shanghai

At the fabric market, I ended up buying a winter coat (akin to red riding hood style). I left it to my friend to do the haggling & I paid very cheaply for a well-tailored coat. Hubs got 2 shirts made to measure.

The afternoon was spent at the Expo! We took the tube there but not before undergoing intense body & bag search. Gosh, it was crowded, which didn't help by the intense heat. It was flipping hot (at least 37 deg Celsius.) The ground of the Expo was massive. We went to the themed pavilions. Basically countries were given a pavilion to decorate & some went to great lengths to showcase them.

The UK Pavilion

The Spanish Pavilion

The Chinese Pavilion

My opinion of the Expo... Not worth going unless you are prepared to queue 2 hrs to enter the pavilion. And that's for each pavilion. Hubs & moi couldn't be bothered to do it. The queue was massive & feedback from those who did queue wasn't great.

Hubs & moi returned thoroughly exhausted, both from the heat & the amount of walking we did. TTFN!

PS. Excuse if blog post is weird as I can't even see my blog as Internet usage is heavily monitored here and certain sites are banned, Blogger included.

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~ In Shanghai! ~

I'm currently in the very sunny, humid city of Shanghai. Got in yesterday & lost no time exploring Suzhou & Tongli. Gosh, at one point it got unbearably hot & we had to seek refuge among the bamboos. Yeah, it's even hotter & more humid than Singapore!

In Suzhou

Luv how the Chinese translate from Mandarin to English. Anyone care to tell me what the heck that means?

This is a fruit which I've not seen before. It has the texture of soursop minus the sweetness.

For dinner, we went to a Japanese restaurant. The food was fab! What more can I say. It cost about £20 per person & it's a 'eat as much as you can' type of meal. So we experimented & ordered any fanciful dishes!

Sashimi - a selection of raw fish, absolutely delicious!

That's raw beef! There's a way of eating it with special sauces!

Finally, moi & my best friend. 

She has been asking me to go over for a while & finally I did! My boys are with my parents who kindly offered to babysit them.

It's been a while since hubs & moi been away on our own! Anyway this trip is to celebrate our 10th Anniversary. Gonna make the most of it! TTFN!


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~ 365 Cards: Day 163 ~

This week we are sponsored by Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps.  Today's challenge is August Inspired and this is my card: 

Patterned paper by Pebbles Inc. (from one of the SL kits). The Gladiola flower is a digi image from the stamp company, coloured using Copic markers. Apparently, it's the flower for August! The sentiment came from Banana Frog Sentimental Style set.

Rite, I'm off to enjoy the sizzling, humid weather here in Singapore. It did rain heavily this morning but the sun is out blazing again! I think the pool beckons! TTFN!

~ Happy National Day Singapore! ~

It's Singapore 45th birthday today! The country usually celebrates with a massive parade and this year, it's held at the Padang! My dad did try to get tickets (you bid for it early in the year) but were unsuccessful which is a shame as the atmosphere is almost electrifying when you are there!

I did venture into Ikea to pick up 2 bed trays. Been on the hunt for something like that but unsure if they do sell it in Ikea in UK.

Ikea in Singapore, almost similar to the one in UK although they had more delicious menus at the restaurant i.e. prawns and crayfish!!!

Then we (my l'il wee & moi) headed home to watch the Parade on TV. It was a brilliant performance and I can't tell you how proud I feel to be a Singaporean! No matter where I am, Singapore will always be home to me! And yes, I still remember my pledge & the national anthem! TTFN!

~ 365 Cards: Day 156 ~

This week, CropStop is sponsoring 365 Cards and the winner receives a gift certificate. To win, simply participate in the challenges for this particular week, starting Sunday.

Today's challenge is a card recipe. Here's the requirements: 

4.25x5.5" card

3x3" patterned paper

stitching

3 rhinestones

a sentiment

1 stamped image

2 buttons

Here's my card: 

Tilda stamped image, courtesy of a friend, coloured using Copic markers. Patterned paper by Basic Grey Wassil. Stamped sentiment from Unity's Merry Merry Merry set. Think I've fulfilled the card recipe requirement! Don't exactly have rhinestone with me but hey, those dots will do!

Since being here, have been practising my colouring techniques using Copic markers. Have made the switch from Promarkers to Copic as I prefer the brush nibs. Have also discovered how cheaply Copics are sold here too (at least half what I would have to pay in the UK)!  Anyway,  there is currently a 15% sale for Copic markers at a stationery store! Guess I will be lurking in there for a while! :) TTFN!