Voyage de la Vie
My first theatrical circus experience...

I was glad that I managed to catch my first ever theatrical play, especially with all the hoo-ha circulating around it in town.

The "Voyage de la Vie" is Singapore's first circus theatre spectacular with an international cast of circus stars from 16 countries. The performance acts are fantastic and breath-taking. It's definitely worth catching it at Resorts World Sentosa.

The story is about our Singapore Idol 2006 runner-up, Jonathan Leong who plays the main protagonist, a young man named 'The Boy' who goes on a journey of Life and his encounters with Love, Temptation, Imagination, Conflict, Life and Death.

He is brought into the world of his own imagination by 'The Game Master' (Alexey Goloborodko). Guided by the mysterious 'Lantern Keeper' (Viktor Kee), the Boy meets other colourful characters like the illusional duo 'Maestro & Magician' (Jarrett & Raja), the seductive 'Diva' (Melanie Chy), the charming 'Crystal Cat' (Aurelia Cats), the graceful 'Life' (Liina Aunola) and the sinister 'Death' (Martti Peltonen).

I was particularly impressed by the act by the 15-year-old boy dancer contortionist who was so 'soft', flexible and seemingly boneless, that Charmaine even said that he looked like he doesn't have a stomach and intestines. And there was the thrilling life & death performance by the crossbow shooter who totally amazed me with his marksmanship and precision, especially the part where he shot an apple that was just above his head (like on television). Last of all, truly entertaining was the juggling act by the gifted world-class juggler with his smooth and elegant moves.

I wouldn't mind watching it for another time, given the chance...

The Cast of Voyage de la Vie

Eye Candy? No... Mak Sai~!

Charmaine and I were having a chat after dinner last night.
And our conversation went on to the topic of 'eye candies'.

C: Why do we think of our eye candies as the perfect guy or girl?
But when we get to know that person personally, he or she doesn't seem right for you anymore?
L: So was I your eye candy?
C: No... (with a quick blank expression)
L: So I am your 'mak sai' (means 'eye shit') lah.
Something that is not attractive but somehow or another, you end up with it every morning in bed for the rest of your life?
Both of us: LOL~!

And that was the best joke of the night... (But it does make sense on a certain level.)

Our Virgin "Prawning" Trip together!

Friday, 23rd July 2010

Though "prawning" has been in trend now for some time, I never really got the chance to go "prawning" until tonight, with Charmaine & two of her friends... So this is my virgin "prawning" experience, as is Charmaine's too.

There are many prawn fishing farms in Singapore. The one we went to is called Hai Bin U Enterprise - Prawn Fishing (Bishan). It's located at Bishan No. 603 Sin Ming Avenue (575735), right next to Nature Park Golf Driving Range. Apparently the place is quite popular because the car park just outside was packed! not that I drove there or anything... just saying.

The rate for renting their rod are:
$15 for one hour,
$25 for two hours, and
$30 for three hours.

We rented two rods (one for Charmaine and me, another for her two friends) and "prawned" for three hours, from 9pm - 12am. That's $60 altogether. The price, I guess was quite reasonable, compared across other prawn farms in Singapore. And the prawns I think are generally quite big. The family beside us caught one prawn that was HUGE! The head was HUGE! The largest I've ever seen in my whole life!

Huge head! Huge pincers!

The place was already quite packed when we arrived @ 9pm. And it only got worse as it closed in to midnight. Even when we were about to leave, people were still coming in... The thing with there being more and more people, was that it became increasingly harder to cast your line into the middle of the pond where I believe most of the prawns were. Not to mention the chances of lines tangling together.

There was also a coffee shop connected to the prawn pond. And there are always people walking around the pond, taking orders for food and drinks. I ordered drinks while the girls ordered some food. It's really quite convenient, and you can concentrate on just prawn fishing... without leaving your seat.

Before we set off, everyone was asking if I dared to handle the prawns as they had two pincers, and if I knew how to remove any prawns from the hook after being caught. Frankly speaking, I didn't know how to do either. I never had any fishing experiences... but I figured it shouldn't be any problem at all. After all, I'm JCC (Jungle Confidence Course) trained during my National Service. If I can kill a quail, I can certainly handle some prawns... No problem~!

Charmaine was the first to have a 'go' between the both of us. It wasn't long before she caught her first prawn for the night. And seeing the girls screech in terror as the prawn 'flew' out of the water and into their seat, is always a laughable sight to behold... hahahah.

Her first catch... My first catch... And the biggest catch of the night...

Catching the prawn was the easy part. The hardest part was what to do with it, once it got caught. And that was our first challenge for the night - removing the prawn from the hook without getting caught by the pincers. One way is to leave the prawn resting on the floor, stepping on the two pincers and breaking them off at the joint that joins it to the body - a bit cruel, I must agree. =| But that was the only way we knew at that moment. After the pincers are off, it still took me quite some time to remove the hook. Needless to say, by the time I was done with the captive prawn, it was already dead (probably from the pain I caused when I was trying to remove the hook) when I dropped it into the net, submerged in the water. The second way (which I slowly mastered and got the hang of, after several more catches) was just to use one finger to hold down the prawn's pincers while holding the prawn with the thumb and index finger at the head, just above the body, at the same time. Then, use the other free hand to remove the hook quickly (you'll get the hang of the trick after some practice). With that increased speed, I managed to keep them alive when they drop into the net... =)

My "war trophies"... All the broken pincers collected from the prawns...

After you're done with all the prawn fishing, you can actually barbecue your catch over their pits as I've been told, as they provide satay sticks, salt, charcoal and even sambal chilli. But by the time we were done, it was already quite late. So we decided to split and bring home all we've caught for the night.

"Our Catch of the Night"

I think I've gotten quite pro at fishing for prawns, with prawns taking my bait every now and then. Our catch was not that bad. The girls tell me it was beginner's luck... I say we can only tell on my next visit.

KOREAN FEAST
Sunday, 18th July 2010.

Today is Korean Feast Day... A day where my Girlfriend is gonna whip up a Korean Feast for family & friends! And lucky old' me gets to enjoy the great food as well... =P

Charmaine's good friends back from Secondary School days...

It's amazing to know how she finds the suitable recipes and shop around for the ingredients in preparation days beforehand. From finding the recipes either online or from books to researching on the ingredients shown on the recipes to actually buying the ingredients... It's as though she is some great chef in charge of some kitchen in some restaurant!

It's also amazing how much energy she has! Earlier on in the day, we went for our swim which left me quite beat thereafter. But when we got to her place, she got to preparing all the ingredients while I concussed as soon as I hit her bed... her soft, comfy bed.

During the time I was asleep... zzZZZ~

She managed to slice up the 'three-layered' pork. The beef was sliced beforehand & marinated overnight.

... slice the carrot, chop the tofu, slice the thin pork belly meat... prepare the seasonings, as well as the kimchi.

... cooking stew, some tofu and vermicelli with the kimchi - serving our "Soup of the Day - Kimchi Chigae (Soup)"!

... dishing up another dish - "Dukbokki (Spicy Rice Cake)", along with Kimchi as a side dish as well as a special seasoned paste - "Ssamjang (Mixed Soybean & Chilli Pepper Paste)", which I personally like on my barbecued meat... =)

The table is set~! And all the dishes are served. All Ready for the FEAST~!!!

I say and I'm sure Charmaine also agrees with me...

The Korean Feast was a SUCCESS~!

I'm so lucky to have a girlfriend that can cook so well! Hehe...
Can't wait to try out her other Korean dishes, especially the Bibimbap.

Check out the recipes for the above dishes at Charmaine's blog if you want to... =)
http://youarecolor.blogspot.com/2010_07_01_archive.html

Singapore Dragonboat Festival 2010
10th & 11th July, 2010

"They became the Legend. We became the ones who made them a Legend..."
Quoted from Enyu

It's time for the annual Singapore Dragonboat Festival once again...

A two-days race that all tertiary institutes' Dragonboat teams train so hard for, including our NTU Dragonboat Team. The reason the team trains so hard is - for the PM Cup. Especially for this year, as it will be history in the making if we are able to win again this year, making it our 3rd year winning consecutively. For this reason alone, it's enough for me to head down to Bedok Reservoir to watch the race and support the current team. Another reason being to catch up with the alumnus' teammates who have graduated and are coming back to support the current team as well.

It was really nice to see some of the alumnus as well as those who will soon be graduating - Denny, Enyu, JinHan & Ashley... I would imagine it to be a nice graduating gift for those who are graduating, if we were to win the PM Cup again this year - for the third consecutive year!

However, 人数不如天数, it turned out as a pity that NTU wasn't able to continue onwards to our 3 years winning streak for the PM Cup. Just when everything seemed within our grasp... when the team's reputation was at its peak... when the team so wanted to create history by winning the PM Cup for three consecutive years... we fell. We fell hard. We fell so hard - it hurt so much.

But I believe that with each fall, the team will always come back stronger... better... and hungrier for "revenge". To win back what we lost... Like we have always done, regardless of whether it was in 2007 and 2008 against NUS or now, against SIM... I believe our team will come back even stronger & give them a race they won't forget in 2011~!

NTU 杀~!!!

From an NTU Dragonboat Team Supporter

“今天的胜负，我不是想证明我们中国的武术比西洋拳更佳优胜。
我只是想说人的地位虽然有高低之分，但是仁格不已该有贵贱之别。

我很希望从这刻开始我们大家可以学会懂得怎么去互相尊重。”

I just re-watched Ip Man 2 with Charmaine & Family. And again I find the above statement by "Ip Man" in the movie after battling down the British Boxing Champion - 'The Twister', very meaningful and inspiring.

Translated into English, it simply means:-
" I did not come here today to prove which is better - Chinese Kung Fu or Western Boxing.
And although people have different status in life, I do not believe that one person's integrity is worth more than another's. Hence from this moment on, I hope that we can start learning how to respect each other."

It may sound very simple but yet I think it really says a lot in one's self-cultivation in humanity as well as becoming a "Better Person". A Lesson we must all bear in mind...

Caught the so-called "Ip Man 3" today. Being an Ip Man fan since the first movie, I was actually quite excited to catch it. However after seeing the movie, I was actually quite disappointed with it. A lousy storyline straying from the original story of the grandmaster, the fighting scenes didn't really get to me this time round and the new lead actor (Dennis To Yu-Hang) playing Ip Man didn't really leave an impression on me, as compared to the Ip Man played by Donnie Yen.

Don't be mistaken that this is "Ip Man 3", although most of the cast are the same with the addition of Yuan Biao, Dennis To and guest appearance of Ip Man's real son - Ip Chun. In fact the original Ip Man movie starring my idol - Donnie Yen ended at "Ip Man 2". This so-called third Ip Man movie - "The Legend is Born - Ip Man" staring the new lead actor and directed by a new director, is a stand-alone story on its own about Ip Man, that in my personal opinion, is trying abit too hard to cash in a quick buck on the recently famous Wing Chun grandmaster's life story...

If you ask me, watch it if you want but don't expect too much from its two predecessor films. Anyway I bought the DVD - Ip Man 2, and watched it again with Charmaine & Family. Really think it's so much better than this... =P

Date: 27th May, 2010 (Thursday)
Event: Charmaine's Graduation
Venue: Ngee Ann Polytechnic

Welcome to Charmaine's 2010 Graduation from Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Diploma in Tourism & Resort Management. This marks the end of a chapter as a polytechnic student in her life story, but also signifies a new chapter that will unfold in time to come...

And now in this new chapter, she has decided to move on, to further her studies for another year or two... before she's gonna enter the harsh working world like me~ hahaha.

But for now, let's have this blog entry to commemorate this special day, where my girl puts on her "fugly" graduation gown (according to her lips, not mine) and walks onto stage to receive her diploma certificate.

"I love what they did with the stage setup, especially with the humongous "graduation" neon lights!
So much more impressive than when I was in Singapore Polytechnic, or even NTU..."

As I check out the stage & look back on how beautiful the campus looked like as we drove in moments before, I start to think that the polytechnics nowadays in Singapore have such an engaging and conducive environment for the students to study in. The campus surroundings look great, and its facilities so extensive and well maintained. I would think it's really a blessing that Singapore kids get to study in such environments like these, and not having their schools at the top of some hill or mountain, nor need to travel on foot for half a day's journey to the next village or town to attend school like those 3rd world countries...

But OK, I'm starting to head off-track here. hahaha...

Anyway, today is Charmaine's Day! And I'm supposed to be the part-time photographer following her around to help her snap pictures with her classmates and lecturers.

That's Charmaine on stage receiving her Diploma (or what in fact is an empty case...)


Pictures of Charmaine with her Lecturers... and her course mates

Individual shots with the famous group of "Eight"... and a Class group photo

More photos with the group of "Eight"...

And last of all, photos with the parents as well as the Proud Boyfriend =)

Like I said, today is only an end to one chapter. And soon another will begin writing.

Like some quote I heard somewhere, "Life's awesomeness is not in its destination, but the journey we travel along the way". I know you have the jitters about moving on to the university - the new unfamiliar environment and heavy study load and stress that comes along with it, but I'm sure you will overcome whatever obstacles that may come your way. And whenever you need, you will always have me to fall back onto... hehe.

Relax! and have fun in Curtin~!!! Cheers, babe!

Wedding Bells Ding-a-Dong~

This time round, it's my childhood cousin, Nishi Awasthi's wedding on the 15th of May, 2010 (Saturday). Time really does fly us by, most of the time without us even feeling it until one day when your cousin, one year your senior, gets married. Today is one of those days... haha I look back at the days when the four of us were still kids, my brother (Terrence), her brother (Himraj), Nishi herself and me. We did the funniest things you can imagine. Exploring the nearby "long kang" (sewage canals). Playing with mini pocket size mahjong tiles. Playing with He-man action figures. Pretending to cross quicksand using bridges made up by bolsters and pillows which were going to fall apart any moment...

Next thing I know, two out of four of us are married. Don't worry, I'm just saying only. I'm not planning to get married anytime soon. Not yet. But I already found my 对象. Hehe

It was a Chinese + Indian style wedding split into 2 parts. Today was the Solemnization cum Wedding reception at one of the ballrooms at SIA Club, the second one sometime in October. My cousin, Nishi, being an Indian-Chinese, has to certainly go through the traditional Chinese Tea Ceremony which happened just moments before the wedding reception that evening.

I like the mood of the first picture, the groom in a Chinese suit with 'dragon' imprints & Nishi in a traditional Cheong-sum. In the second photo, seated are my late-granddad's elder brother & his wife, probably the most senior elderly at the wedding. Dun pway pway... In the background standing is my grandma. Last photo is my late-father's elder brother & wife, smiling away so happily. Haha

After the tea ceremony, the guests start entering the ballroom where the solemnization together with the dinner reception will take place.

This is the reception counter. Check out the cool bird-cage used as the Angbao money box. And Charmaine really likes the decorative twigs next to the table, where the guests get to write down their blessing for the newly-wed couple & hang them up. Quite innovative, except that I feel Singaporeans are still abit "shy" in expressing their feelings. Haha... Next, you have the walk-in of couples, followed by the groom and lastly, the bride & her father.

The taking of their wedding vows, and exchanging of the rings, presentation of wedding certificate & of course the yummmmmmm-sheng!

Dinner was Indian buffet style... Quite tasty indeed, especially with the curry, samosa's and naan! =P In the midst of the dinner buffet, there were some special programs lined up for the guests. First up, was two songs by my younger cousin, Eugenia - "A Moment like This" and "曹格 's Romeo Juliet" with Himraj. I know she takes singing lessons but this is the first time I heard her sing. Boy, did she shock me with that powerful voice of hers... haha

Next, was another of my younger distant cousin. Don't quite remember his name =P but apparently he & his partner are Singapore's Youth Champions for International Ballroom Dancing! 来头不小喔!

After the ballroom dancing, there was the Indian dancing by a group of Indian kids whom I believe are the groom's cousins. Indian music is indeed very catchy & entertaining... I found my head moving towards the music a couple of times myself... hehe =P Don't believe me? Just look at the Mother-in-Law getting up & joining in on the dancefloor yourself.

I don't know about Indian weddings, but one thing that is never left out in Chinese weddings during the dinner is - yes, the photo-taking session with the newly weds.

That's my table and that's the bride's and my side of the family. That's us, the Four Mighty Cousins at the top

That's the groom side of the family,
and then the bride & groom with Dad, Mum & Brother-in-Law and my family!

Most important of all, after all the relatives from the bride's side of family had left. Check out what the groom has in store at the end of the wedding!

Dim the lights and~
P-A-R-T-Y~!!!

While the rest of us were seated at the table at the back, chit chatting, my head, body and legs were moving to the loud Indian music~ hahah. And Charmaine dared me to go & dance on the dancefloor! Of course I didn't go out there. I wouldn't dare to do that... not without my partner, Charmaine~ hahah.
P.S. I was game as long as she dared to go out with me to the dancefloor.

Last but not least, Congrats to you, Cousin! Hope you have a blessed & blissful marriage! ^^