11th to 18th May: San Francisco
It's a bit hard to characterize San Francisco II, because 1) we lived in a shitty part of town and 2) the summer warmth made for a different experience than it was with poo in December. Nevertheless I shall try to break it down, as the rappers would say.
Sunday: Touched down, met Tania at the airport, subsequently checked into our hotel which was in the frickin middle of the shady part of San Fran, replete with funny smells, weird people and strange characters. It was... Bothersome, to say the least. The hotel room itself was ok but unless you feel incredibly brave or carry a gun, I'd suggest my friends not to stay in Civic Center Inn.
Tania and I had a stroll along the Embracadero and Fisherman's Wharf, before joining up with the trio for Becky's 21st at McCormick and Kuleto's (after many pronouncements that we were taking her to a burger joint, hurhur). The wait staff was amazing, the mussels in Red Curry was fgood and everything was perfect. And the wine wasn't bad either, though we had too much fun laughing at Kong as he created flavours in the wine as he sniffed. It was a fun night, with good food. :D
We ended off the night playing Texas Hold'em in my room before the trio left for their hostel. Well, not before my BBC America got hassled by a homeless dude who crossed the road with a taxi serendipitiously pulling up before he could do anything more. Heng siah.
Monday: We woke up kinda late - which was fine, since all we'd planned was the SF Giants - Houston Astros baseball game at night. So we decided to go walk walk around Downtown, hit a couple of department stores and watched "What Happens in Vegas" (in lieu of "Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay"), a sweet and silly film but not as fantabulous as Iron Man!!!!!!!!
Sorry, Robert Downey Jr. is just a god.
The Giants-Astros game itself was not bad, though it took me 3 innings to fully understand the game. Fun though, especially when the Giants scored a hoome run and Fred Lewis did awesome shit. When we left though, the Astros had taken the lead 4-3. Tris' curse on the home team has not been broken so far (every match i've attended with the sole exception of the Raptors game where Stanley's karma outbid mine has seen the home team lose). Had an early night but...
Tuesday: Because I'm such a champion, we missed the bus to Napa. We rescheduled, at a $25 cost. I sulked for a bit before a Nutella crepe and watching sealions cheered me up somewhat. Tania was worried I would blow up, but I'm not... Always explosive that way. :p
We ended the day visiting Stanford, which Tania thought was a boring white campus but which turned out to be an interesting trip through Spanish colonial architecture. It was nice meeting up with Jesley and Yongfeng, our very gracious hosts who took us around and about.
Got back late into SF city because Tris did not comprehend how the Caltrain tickets worked, while our friends waited for us at an Indonesian restaurant as the train plodded slowly back. The food at the Indon place was not bad, mind you - though a little unfilling. A short trek back and we slept earlier because...
Wednesday + Thursday: We all got our butts up and left early for Yosemite National Park.
at this moment, Tris will issue a travel advisory: DO NOT BOOK ANY TOURS TO YOSEMITE IF YOU CAN DRIVE. We each paid in excess of US$200 each, only to find that what we got was a bus there, a hotel room and a bus back. While they called it a 'tour'. Oh, and a mumbly bus driver who was doubling up as a tour guide. Quote: "mumble mumble armonds mumble mumble pistachios" (Chinese dude - WAH LAU EH BRUDDER MAKE US LOOK BAD) And the latino woman at the tour center was completely incomprehensible when she pointed to me and said "You are Tris" and pointed to Tania "you Havier". I didn't quite get it either.
BBC Americas hereby condemns California Parlor Car Tours and Grey Line. F**k that shit.
Yosemite is nice, but it was... Hm. In my opinion, overhyped. I had 7 mosquito bites on my neck, we walked past heaps of mule dung and it got way too hot way too fast. It wasn't all that it was cracked up to be - though I will concede now I am less averse to nature. Winter seems so much friendlier a time though, less insects and cooler weather.
though without the sun, Tris wouldn't have worn his fantastic looking sunglasses, his Christmas present from poo who he is very grateful for. :D I mean, for her in general, not just the present. -muah-
Our room was really nice, next to the river and where we enjoyed the company and warmth of a fakey fireplace. Romance was not in the air or on the cards, but good company was and I'm glad we went as a big group - much more fun and much more enjoyable. :)
Tania and I left early on Thursday but we missed the mule rides, so we just had a nice long breakfast and stroll to Mirror Lake, where we bumped into 4 Singaporeans. One thing - Singaporeans who meet other Singaporeans overseas just don't say hi to each other, they kinda gravitate and talk loudly so they let the other party know, but they don't do much more than that. Kinda sad yet bizarrely funny.
We left Yosemite at about 4ish, and proceeded to piss off the whole bus by singing loudly and (with the exception of Kong) off-key, along with other racial inflections that would piss off a majority of Americans, being politically correct but globally ignorant and all. We got back about... 10ish, where Kel-Al-Becky proceeded to book out the rest of their tour while Tania fell asleep and I mulled my essay.
Friday: The Napa Trip that was missed Tuesday was made up for here. Much like Yosemite, it was a bit too warm for me, and the sparkly wine made my tummy queasy. Could've been the lack of food or something. We hit 4 wineries, but I'd be hard-pressed to tell you the names now. Still, it was a nice trip through Napa and Sonoma, and the evening was spent in quite reflection and me being a bit tipsy because I didn't spit all my wine out. :p
Saturday: Because Tania owns a license, we were able to rent a car and drive down to Monterey, which Tania had the biggest crush on because there was a lone cypress tree. I'm dead serious about it. But since she was driving it was fine - enjoyable for me as I leant back and just gave directions.
The cypress tree was nice, but I was personally more interested in the golf course - I think Dad and Wendy would like it, it's the friggin' famous Pebble Beach Golf resort! Quite awesome, pretty pebble beaches (incomparable to Nice though, which be the bomb) and strong winds.
Nothing happened Sunday besides my flight - but there, another chapter of Singaporeanhood ended, and it just remains for me to thank Tania, Alan, Becca and Kong for a wonderful week. Hope you guys are having a good time back wherever you are now. :D
As for me, time to go back to work.
Oh and because I'm lazy you can click here for the photo album. Not that many photos, I relied more on my friends. :p
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Derelict in Duty
At this juncture, no words can express my apology so I might as well get right to it.
Been busy on the social circuit these past few weeks, so let me just run down what happened and maybe you will be kind and forgiving and not kick my ass too hard.
Anyway, I foresee this will be my last update ever - while everyone I know is getting ready to up and go to Yellowstone (which is like 6 hours away?), I will push into the final chapter of my life in Seattle, study up for my last exams and then get ready to get the f**k out of here. Leaving behind a trail of memories, going back to a life I don't remember all the details of, but am eager to relearn.
I'll post one more on my thoughts before I fly off, but suffice to say, it finally came good these few months.
Week of 28 April
First up, a short intro: I finally made 2 friends here who I can routinely hang out and message and abuse without fear - Stephanie and Mijung. Stephanie is from Hong Kong, this be her 2nd degree; while Mijung is a Korean girl - both ladies are on exchange, and we've taken to each other like ducks to water. As in, comfort level, we go out all the damn time etc etc. Which probably accounts for my excellent mood. We can talk, and laugh, and just have lunch, without them looking at me strange like so many Americans have done.
To anyone who is coming to America:
1) Be a girl
2) Join FIUTS
3) Search out Singaporeans and other Asians.
Don't be full of bravado, Americans are not the friendliest creatures around.
Anyhow, we met a guy called Michael Riegner, a bro from Germany who was visiting our Law school and considering if he wanted to join UW in the future, following his 18 months of post-graduation training. (for anyone who wants to complain about Singapore pupillage which is mercifully short) Being around our age, it was just nice hanging out with him (though I think he was more into the female company :p kidding, he was really nice to hang out with).
So on Monday, we went to downtown for dinner - this Asian place which wasn't particularly filling; then for drinks and cheesecake at Pike Place.
Thursday, 4 hours before he flew off, we went clubbing. I had a good time but I don't really think Europeans and Asians have similar clubbing styles in that we focused on the disco-house style music while I kept hankering for the R&B in the main room. But it worked out ok, and he had a great time so that was that and we all were pretty happy. :)
So from L to R: Michael, me, Mijung and Steph. This is the Alibi Room, where we had red wine with cheesecake - very very fun for all of us. :)
Friday, the three of us (sans the returning-to-Frankfurt Michael) went out for dimsum with Dana (the exchange co-ordinator, very sweet lady), then we went shopping. It was a good week, no questions. :)
-----------------------------------------------
The Re-Constitution of BBC Americas: 8 to 10 May
I am now a believer in the "good things come in threes" paradigm, because my 3 London-borne homies came down on a cold Wednesday night. Sure, the hunger meant we had a bit of time trying to regain the initial chemistry, but if you know the BBC you know too that it takes only one jack for the whole thang to fall into place.
And so it was, as we discussed Pupillage, love lives, illnesses, Vancouver, and the whole gamut. I didn't get very much sleep during the period, but it was awesome just hanging with my homies, talking and sharing and being with them, and Becca's presence made for a very comforting female presence as well.
And of course, Iron Man which all the boys were so impressed by, hurhur. But the memories are more: Like walking through Capitol Hill, going through Downtown, distracting Becca so we could prepare her birthday, celebrating the birthday proper, Cheesecake Factory with Mama Sophie, and so on and so forth, throwing the pigskin behind the house and freaking out when it tapped the car - Life is memories, and these memories made the trip be awesome.
No words will really do the emotions I felt justice, but for the first time in a long time (since January 11) I felt truly comfortable and at home in Seattle. Thanks Kel, Al and Becca, you guys made the few days here truly memorable. And, er, for not minding the shithole I call a home. :p
Perfunctory Gangsta Shot. Don't be messin' with the BBC yo.
(unless you're a girl - my epiphany over these days is that as much as we are the Bitch(y) Boys Club, we are also the Bitched (ka-pssh) Boys Club. :p)
The infamous 'Tudung' Shot. All gear is mine. :p
The kungfu shot, Kong and I holding Alan as he struggles through his pose. :p
4 Singaporeans in Seattle. Thanks guys, it be awesome. Miss you all already.
Been busy on the social circuit these past few weeks, so let me just run down what happened and maybe you will be kind and forgiving and not kick my ass too hard.
Anyway, I foresee this will be my last update ever - while everyone I know is getting ready to up and go to Yellowstone (which is like 6 hours away?), I will push into the final chapter of my life in Seattle, study up for my last exams and then get ready to get the f**k out of here. Leaving behind a trail of memories, going back to a life I don't remember all the details of, but am eager to relearn.
I'll post one more on my thoughts before I fly off, but suffice to say, it finally came good these few months.
Week of 28 April
First up, a short intro: I finally made 2 friends here who I can routinely hang out and message and abuse without fear - Stephanie and Mijung. Stephanie is from Hong Kong, this be her 2nd degree; while Mijung is a Korean girl - both ladies are on exchange, and we've taken to each other like ducks to water. As in, comfort level, we go out all the damn time etc etc. Which probably accounts for my excellent mood. We can talk, and laugh, and just have lunch, without them looking at me strange like so many Americans have done.
To anyone who is coming to America:
1) Be a girl
2) Join FIUTS
3) Search out Singaporeans and other Asians.
Don't be full of bravado, Americans are not the friendliest creatures around.
Anyhow, we met a guy called Michael Riegner, a bro from Germany who was visiting our Law school and considering if he wanted to join UW in the future, following his 18 months of post-graduation training. (for anyone who wants to complain about Singapore pupillage which is mercifully short) Being around our age, it was just nice hanging out with him (though I think he was more into the female company :p kidding, he was really nice to hang out with).
So on Monday, we went to downtown for dinner - this Asian place which wasn't particularly filling; then for drinks and cheesecake at Pike Place.
Thursday, 4 hours before he flew off, we went clubbing. I had a good time but I don't really think Europeans and Asians have similar clubbing styles in that we focused on the disco-house style music while I kept hankering for the R&B in the main room. But it worked out ok, and he had a great time so that was that and we all were pretty happy. :)
So from L to R: Michael, me, Mijung and Steph. This is the Alibi Room, where we had red wine with cheesecake - very very fun for all of us. :)
Friday, the three of us (sans the returning-to-Frankfurt Michael) went out for dimsum with Dana (the exchange co-ordinator, very sweet lady), then we went shopping. It was a good week, no questions. :)
-----------------------------------------------
The Re-Constitution of BBC Americas: 8 to 10 May
I am now a believer in the "good things come in threes" paradigm, because my 3 London-borne homies came down on a cold Wednesday night. Sure, the hunger meant we had a bit of time trying to regain the initial chemistry, but if you know the BBC you know too that it takes only one jack for the whole thang to fall into place.
And so it was, as we discussed Pupillage, love lives, illnesses, Vancouver, and the whole gamut. I didn't get very much sleep during the period, but it was awesome just hanging with my homies, talking and sharing and being with them, and Becca's presence made for a very comforting female presence as well.
And of course, Iron Man which all the boys were so impressed by, hurhur. But the memories are more: Like walking through Capitol Hill, going through Downtown, distracting Becca so we could prepare her birthday, celebrating the birthday proper, Cheesecake Factory with Mama Sophie, and so on and so forth, throwing the pigskin behind the house and freaking out when it tapped the car - Life is memories, and these memories made the trip be awesome.
No words will really do the emotions I felt justice, but for the first time in a long time (since January 11) I felt truly comfortable and at home in Seattle. Thanks Kel, Al and Becca, you guys made the few days here truly memorable. And, er, for not minding the shithole I call a home. :p
Perfunctory Gangsta Shot. Don't be messin' with the BBC yo.
(unless you're a girl - my epiphany over these days is that as much as we are the Bitch(y) Boys Club, we are also the Bitched (ka-pssh) Boys Club. :p)
The infamous 'Tudung' Shot. All gear is mine. :p
The kungfu shot, Kong and I holding Alan as he struggles through his pose. :p
4 Singaporeans in Seattle. Thanks guys, it be awesome. Miss you all already.
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