Part 3: Bangkok Trip

Happy New Year 2024! It has been such a rollercoaster ride in 2023, with many big decisions, big changes and challenges made in 2023. Phew, what a change. What's interesting is that the monks I went to in the past said there will be a major change each time our age has the digit 9 in the second digit. How interesting! Indeed, it has for me in 2023. The older you get, the less interested you are with celebration, which includes New Year. It's just another day, another night.

Often times, I heard about Sukhumvit and finally, I'm in the area. This is a really eccentric and trendy Japanese-inspired cafe. They have gone into merchandising with coffee accessories like coffee machines ranging of different prices, coffee products etc. A great place to hang out for sure!

Met a Bumble friend who happened to be in Bangkok the same time as me. Yay!

Of course, without a doubt, I met my uni friends, where the mixed Teochews gather. I don't have many friends with Teochew blood but I came all the way to Bangkok to meet them. haha. Jokes aside, we had a really good time, reminiscing our uni days! Those times were good. 

Then, they brought us to this dessert place. Dang! My favorite - mango!

A mandatory photo with these 2. Not sure when is the next time I'll be meeting them again. I should honestly do it more. The fact that I do once in 10 years is beyond sad.

The next day, spent some time in an Australian cafe instead - Toby. Ah that's my late dog's name too! I love scrambled with coffee. So here I am. 

I don't remember Chatuchak to be like this, I guess it has changed, or I have memory problem I am not sure. Haha. Dropped by for more coffee but of course, how can it be good, just for the sake of I guess. Got some good deals from there though, so no complaints. Department stores are not meant for me, I wouldn't spend so much on clothes.

Next up, I went to this dessert shop, the Thai version of ABC in Cheng Sim Ei, located within the Chulalongkorn University district. I guess similar to University District in Seattle, Ewha University of Hongdae.

Not long after he went back to Bangkok, he got to see me again. Haha. 

The local food is a must! Cheap and good. Hainanese noodle thailand in Bangkok.

Small-scale, a little run down and dodgy, is my kinda vibe for good food. This place checks all the boxes.

Second round? Sure. I can't remember the name of the restaurant and bar, but here for some French pastry with cocktail before we call it a night.

Of course

Since Bangkok is named the most visited city in 2023, I visited as a very supportive neighbor. It was a good trip catching up with really old friends and a new friend. Vibrant, lively city as what I have known Bangkok as and it never disappoints. Perhaps, next time I should consider going with someone who has the same mentality as I am then it's way easier. Everyone is different, but to make things easier, let's stick to the people I am familiar with or people that travels the same way as I do. That's the takeaway. 

Europe: Switzerland Day 1 Part 1

We are now going to Switzerland! By far, it's still the most beautiful country I have ever seen and been in my life. Switzerland is divided into a few parts. Different countries call it different terms. Some call it districts, provinces, and here, you call it cantons. They speak different languages depending on where you are. Switzerland is surrounded by Germany, France and Italy as well as Romania. A big portion of it is at the German part. They understand and learn High German in school but in everyday conversation, they actually use slangs, which they call it as Swiss German. It's only the Swiss Germans understand it. Even the Germans have a hard time understanding it at times. Again, a Luzern and a Basel Swiss German may differ too. Therefore, the Swiss language does not really exist. E.g. Merci means thank you in standard french. But, they use it in the German parts too. Vielmal is standard German means a lot. So merci vielmal makes sense for them. Just maybe not for the French and Germans.

We did a pit stop for a toilet break. Yes, to use the toilet, it's 1 CHF. It's a machine whereby you need to put 1 CHF and you are given this ticket/voucher. With this voucher, it's like cash in a form of a voucher. Buy anything there and just give this voucher to them, and 1 CHF will be deducted from the amount. There's no maximum amount of vouchers.

This is a typical Swiss style, a market place. Look at the food, the pastries, everything looked so good! It tasted even better!

The country is very peaceful, very clean with fresh air, and also organized. You have to see the cleanliness there, it's insanely amazing. They have the autobahn there too. It means drive without limits. It runs from Basel, northwestern to Chiasso in the southern side.

It's dinner time, prepared by the owner of the hotel. It reminds me of the life in IMI. Haha.

They are still using the old school key. It's when you appreciate the manual key, not the high tech key card. How often can you find these kind of keys these days. I know Europe still have it. Just awesome. The bad part is that, if you lose it, goodbye.

Right in front of the hotel. It's Hotel Schoenbuhl. Shoen means beautiful in German :D

Europe: Paris Day 2 Part 2

After Arc de Triomphe, it was already late afternoon.  We headed to our last stop - our lady of Paris or Notre Dame de Paris.
 

With the look of it, you can tell that this is a Cathedral and to be precise, it's a Catholic one. The architecture is so fine. There's an organ and 10 bells in this cathedral. In 2013, someone shot himself there. During the night, it's really amazing. If anyone has the chance, please do that when the lights are up. 

This is the picture we see so often, when Jesus Christ was crucified. It's the most cruel way of execution in the ancient days.

Candles. Prayers. Make a wish, pray. I think you have to donate 0.50 EUR? Not exactly sure, but yes, for the usage of the cathedral.

Be quiet. Stay silent.

The service they were having. I was there on Christmas 2004. Omg, the amount of people there was incredible. I really like going there. I don't know why. I really really like this place.

It's time for dinner. We headed to the opposite side, Rue Lagrange, to hunt for dinner. It's a really nice place, streets of restaurants, brasseries, souvenir shops and etc. In Paris, if you sit inside a restaurant/cafe, the charges are cheaper compared to when you sit outside facing the road/street. People there love to do what I have always been doing, people-watching. Oh this is so me. haha.

Date: May 15th
Place: Notre Dame, Rue Lagrange

Europe: Paris Day 2 Part 1

The second day was a free day. We can do anything we want that day. Therefore, we need a map to get around the city. Very straight forward Metro to get by with.

Needless to say, the signature of Paris. Eiffel Tower. It used to be one of the 7 wonders of the world. I don't think it's in the list anymore. When I was there the 1st and 2nd time, it was still in the list. What an achievement. Haha!

We walked nearer. There was someone from the tour group who went up. I wouldn't queue for 4 hours to go up. o.O I think it receives one of the highest paid visiting site.

River cruise!

For some reason, I really like how the buildings are built in that way just at the river side. Most importantly, there's no smell. It doesn't stink at all. I get disgusted with smell really easily.

Then, we headed to this place, Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile and it's one of the most famous monuments in Paris. It's located at the centre of Place Charles de Gaulle which is at the western end of Champs-Élysées. This honors to those who had fought and died during the French Revolutionary and the Napoleon wars. Oh each of their names are inscribed at the inner and outer surfaces. Also, on the walls. It's pretty amazing, how many people had sacrificed their lives for the wars. I remembered in 2006, there was a really cool B-boy breakdancing opposite this monument. Omg, that was incredible!

Date: 15th May
Sites: Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile

Europe: Paris Day 1 Part 1

There are a few ways to come to Paris from London. Since that this is an Euro tour, we got around by coach. I was here twice before this, 2005 and 2006.

We arrived to the "City of Love" or some call it the "City of Lights" through the English Channel after a few hours drive away. Though this is France, and contrary to comments and feedbacks by numerous people who had traveled here, I have never really had any issue with the language for all 3 times. Nobody had said they don't speak English here. Maybe, I was just lucky and fortunate. Or maybe, it's just rumors. haha. With the super limited French ability, it's equivalent to zero. I can say please, thank you, you're welcome, greetings, room, breakfast and all those super basic stuff only. That isn't speaking or understanding at all.

After checking into the hotel, we headed out for a bus tour before dinner. These are the list of interesting sights.

Who don't know this? It's Musée du Louvre. Here, they receive millions of tourists every year. What's in there? It's a museum. It's not that people become all artistic or all of them are any art lovers. But, the fact that the famous Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa is displayed here. People visit the museum mostly for that. Of course, there are other interesting paintings and sculptures too. There are so many influences here, the French, Nazi's, Napoleons and etc. If you come in the night, it's even nicer as they the lights will be lit up.

This is called Luxor Obelisk or Cleopatra Needle standing at 23m high is located at the center of Place de la Concorde. FYI, the Parisian or rather the French, pronounce Place like the sound "plus" in English. This is a gift to France by Egypt during those times. After the bloodshed and the war during the French Revolution, as a symbol of peace. The former statue was where guillotine took place.

This is the roundabout at Arc de Triomphe. As the traffic at this particular area is extremely crazy and chaotic, and the accidents rate is SO high, there's even no insurance coverage in the event accidents occur here. This isn't like other roundabouts, it's the olden days. Once you enter here, insurance coverage is voided. Accidents happen here like once every 11 minutes. That's pretty damn high!

This is Palais Bourbon. This is a Roman Catholic Church, designed as a form of glory by the Napoleons. Masses and other religious activities are being held here.

Place du Tertre. This is where many artistic stuff was here. Even Picasso was living there before!

Then, we had our first meal. I didn't quite enjoy it, but yeah it's fine.

After dinner, there was a tour to the Metro subway. David showed us how to use it. It'd actually pretty straight forward. It just requires a lot of walking. Yeah the famous Moulin Rouge!! Weeeeeee~

Goodbye London & Europe, Hi KL

It has been three weeks that I'm away and right now, I'm already at Heathrow airport leaving London back to KL.

I has been so hectic, everyone has been so kind towards us, and that includes the weather. Beautiful weather. I can't ask for more.

Whiskey and Bagi, ciao. In 15 hours' time I should be back to the humid hot weather. Though the weather here is gloomy, I will opt for this weather than the one we get it back home.

Goodbye London and Europe. Til then, see you again.

Bukit Tinggi Part 1

Well, this happened in late 2010, precisely after Christmas. I thought I have blogged about this and upon searching, I wasn't able to find that blog posts. Dafuq. I must be way too lazy and procrastinate and leads to totally forgotten about it.

A few friends and I went for a breakaway after Christmas in 2010 to Bukit Tinggi, Pahang. It's located slightly further away than Genting. If it takes 45 minutes to Genting, this takes 1 hour drive from KL and it's 2,500 feet above sea level.

This is not anything like Genting, where it's all lively and busy. This is just a tranquil, peaceful place where you can just relax from the city, have a good and relaxing vacation. This is where you can experience both French and Japanese culture here. The East and the West.

You can tell right away that it's not an Asian building structure

Yeah they have performance in the night too at scheduled times


We stayed a night in a hotel under Berjaya. As expected, it wasn't an impressive hotel. Being Berjaya as always, their service is always in that standard for all the Berjaya I have ever been, which means, not good and there's a vast area of improvement. But again, having so many tourists there with limited manpower, it's not easy to provide something beyond expectations in a positive way. Hence, it's not so much of a hospitality in that hotel, more like a necessity.

Bisou Part 4

"Remember that dance has a dimension beyond the physical. The body-as imperfect as it always is-is only part of the picture. Your energy, the quality of your movement, your feeling about the world, your dance spirit-that is what we see under the lights" - Dance Magazine 3/05


Alright, as promised ... I'm gonna close the Bisou entries here, at this very post. As the most anticipated pics ... I'm sure

I admit and those who know me knows this ... a fact, that, me, as in I, do not eat greens, I'm so not a vegetable person but I like caeser salad, I know I contradict myself ... Librans are like that lolz, it's also the favourite of either Massa or Raikkonen when they were in the hotel this year lolz and I read it in the preference list

This was the main reason we were there, for the chocolate fondue. It was awesome I tell you. The chocolate wasn't that rich, unlike the ones in Haagen-Dazs whereby the chocolate was too rich. This is just nice. Perfecto!

The two Dedes once again

Followed by this called Duck Wrapped ... omggg this was like amazing grace! We were so indulged ... seriously ... it was darn good

This was like the last food we ordered ... it's called salmon something lolz ... it was nice as well ;)

Let me say this as an overall. Overall I love this, it was an amazing dining experience with a small group of nice people around to chill and hang out. The ambience was perfect, the food was brilliant. We already decided to tip them, yes, we actually TIP others, because all of us are from this industry lolz. So we know how it feels about tipping. We decided to take a turn about tipping after one incident though. This was what happened

When we wanted to order the last food, the lady told us she has to check with the kitchen staff if it's still open. Mind you, it was 8.30pm and the lady informed us that they close at 9. Alright we got that. Fine nevermind, she came back with the food then after we ordered, and she, yes yet again told us they are closing at 9pm.

"M'am we are closing at 9, okay"

D'uh we got that must you repeat that so many times, we are not that deaf and dumb not to understand. She was so freaking rude, thus we decided to just hold back the tips :) If she was just a little bit more pleasant and polite, then it will be cool. Unfortunately people are just some lazy ass that they can't extend a little longer. Hello? Even before I was in F&B almost everyday it extended alright, and we never tell off the customers.

But it's alright we will not be 5 star guests to tell them that we will not return coz the more you say it the more you will do it lolz. So anyways ...

We will be back on 24th September for my birthday LOL and we are all polite people, we will leave at 9pm SHARP! I will make sure of that ;) don't worry

P/s: Randomly, I feel something is really wrong, that someone is hiding behind different nicks umph I shall investigate

Bisou 3

While I Dance I Cannot Judge, I Cannot Hate, I Cannot Separate Myself From Life...........I Can Only Be Joyful And Whole. That Is Why I Dance - Unknown


This is another entry on Bisou, and it's not gonna end here though. Pictures and only more pictures.

Dum Dum ...

I like this picture tho ... very comfortable kinda feeling ... very cozy

This ... was taken with a different camera. Hence, the different colour lolz

This is Dede ... called Dede Cheong HAHA ..

While this ... the name is Dede Quah lolz