Have I told you that I'll be travelling yet again...? This time to my hometown, Jakarta. Yes, it's in Indonesia. And yes, I think it's safe to go there. I'll be there for my dad's 60th birthday celebration. Well, the birthday is definite, but the celebration... that'll have to be discussed with my sister first. So Rin, if you're reading this, try to come up with some ideas please... I'm not very keen on yet another birthday staring at each other on a round table, at a chinese restaurant surrounded by its waitresses, with the only form of entertainment being my little daughter. Let's get some action this time round...
Btw, I've just found another interesting blog, print & pattern. It's full of cute and beautiful patterns which really opens up your mind to endless ideas and imagination.
My sister just gave me the encouragement that I needed today. She said I should keep drawing and develop my talent. Thanks so much Rin! But gosh... It just feels funny that she described it as a 'talent', coz I'm not sure if I'm talented or not. But whatever it is, as long as I enjoy doing it, I should keep at it and one day, I'll think that I'm good enough to be called 'talented'. So now I'm going to 'develop' my talent and sign up for an Adobe Illustrator course. The clock is ticking and I have my goals to achieve.
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Monday, September 24, 2007
Saturday, September 1, 2007
From Sydney, with love
I can't believe how much travelling I've done this year. It seems that I always talk about "my last trip to..."or "I'm going to..." or "I'm now in..." somewhere other than Singapore. No wonder I never felt like I belong in anywhere. Guess that's probably because I'm never in one place long enough! And here I am, in Sydney, thinking that I've stayed in Singapore long enough that I should move to Hong Kong.
Anyway, yes, I'm in Sydney, Australia, on a trip that's long overdue, in my opinion. I was here two years ago to give birth to my daughter. I've always loved the thought of being in Sydney. I'm not sure if I can say the same of actually being here, but whenever I am here, I wish I could stay a bit longer, and whenever I am not, I long for the next time I come back. Does that mean I love it here? Maybe... if my husband liked it here, if things weren't so expensive, if the tax rates weren't so high...
The funny thing is, whenever I'm here, I always find something new and interesting to consider taking up as a hobby. The last time I was here, I discovered glass beadmaking. I tried my hands on it for a while, but I've given it up because it's not a very safe hobby with a little girl running around the house (not to mention how hot it gets playing with fire in a tropical country like Singapore).
This time, I discovered gocco printing. It's a home printing system that originated from Japan. The original manufacturer decided to stop producing the system due to declining demand in its home country, but one can still get the machines and supplies from certain places in US and, thankfully, Australia. In short, it's a dying art, and that's what makes it so enticing (at least to me). Just imagine, everything I make with it is "limited edition", soon to be one-of-a-kind, and dare I say, vintage! How cool is that!
I have a great idea in my mind which I will work on as soon as I go back to Singapore. Just keep your fingers crossed for me and pray that it won't be as short-lived as my glass beadmaking venture.
Anyway, yes, I'm in Sydney, Australia, on a trip that's long overdue, in my opinion. I was here two years ago to give birth to my daughter. I've always loved the thought of being in Sydney. I'm not sure if I can say the same of actually being here, but whenever I am here, I wish I could stay a bit longer, and whenever I am not, I long for the next time I come back. Does that mean I love it here? Maybe... if my husband liked it here, if things weren't so expensive, if the tax rates weren't so high...
The funny thing is, whenever I'm here, I always find something new and interesting to consider taking up as a hobby. The last time I was here, I discovered glass beadmaking. I tried my hands on it for a while, but I've given it up because it's not a very safe hobby with a little girl running around the house (not to mention how hot it gets playing with fire in a tropical country like Singapore).
This time, I discovered gocco printing. It's a home printing system that originated from Japan. The original manufacturer decided to stop producing the system due to declining demand in its home country, but one can still get the machines and supplies from certain places in US and, thankfully, Australia. In short, it's a dying art, and that's what makes it so enticing (at least to me). Just imagine, everything I make with it is "limited edition", soon to be one-of-a-kind, and dare I say, vintage! How cool is that!
I have a great idea in my mind which I will work on as soon as I go back to Singapore. Just keep your fingers crossed for me and pray that it won't be as short-lived as my glass beadmaking venture.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Gallery Ah Won
I'm going to dedicate this entire post on a shop I bumped into when I was in Korea last month. This shop sells hand-crafted home decoration items made of copper. The design was simple, kind of ikea-like, but more mature and subdued. In short, it was niiiice....
Every single item in the shop could easily empty my wallet in one kaching. For example, the strand of leaves in the first picture costs about 100,000 won, or about US$100. That's each strand. For it to work beautifully as an ornament, there should at least be 4 or 5. You do the math. So since I couldn't afford to take any of their exquisite works home, I thought I'd take some photos and share them with you. I wasn't allowed to take photographs in the shop actually, but I was told about it only after I took a few shots (lucky me...). So here they are.
Every single item in the shop could easily empty my wallet in one kaching. For example, the strand of leaves in the first picture costs about 100,000 won, or about US$100. That's each strand. For it to work beautifully as an ornament, there should at least be 4 or 5. You do the math. So since I couldn't afford to take any of their exquisite works home, I thought I'd take some photos and share them with you. I wasn't allowed to take photographs in the shop actually, but I was told about it only after I took a few shots (lucky me...). So here they are.
Monday, July 30, 2007
My Korean treasures
My last post was so depressing, it's time for some eye candy to brighten up your day (and mine).
Below are some of the things I bought from Korea.
Stamps
Ice cream bowls
Below are some of the things I bought from Korea.
"Zipper puller"
(I don't know what the proper name is)
Buttons
Stamps
Ice cream bowlsFriday, July 27, 2007
The China story...
My husband's grandma passed away on our last day in Seoul. She was living in Hainan, China. So after we came back to Singapore, we packed the whole family and flew over for her '7-day prayer ceremony'.
We were there for 4 days. Probably the most gruelling 4 days of our lives. From cramped budget airline seats with filthy toilets, super hot weather (Hainan island is the southernmost part of China, hence the hottest) to the toughest Chinese praying session I've ever attended in my whole entire life. The details...
Location: Weicai, Hainan Island, China
Scene: Burning offerings and lighting joss sticks
Prop: 1000 rims of fake paper money, 10 boxes of paper clothes and jewellery, one hard-boiled egg per actor (eggshells to throw into the fire, eggs to eat), seven joss sticks per actor
Setting: A scorching hot summer day at 12 noon, with strong winds from north south east and west to blow off the fiery ashes right to the actors' noses
Set: A 10mx10m bush area of wild weeds and grass the height of a sycamore, sparsely growing trees, unclear footpath
Climax: My poor father-in-law collapsing right onto the bush out of heatstroke
Imagine what my daughter thought about the whole thing.
I wish I had any pictures to show of the ordeal. But that would simply be rude. So instead I took a picture of the house that my husband's grandfather built. The house is located about 5 minutes walk from the 'set'. In the picture are my parents-in-law.
We were there for 4 days. Probably the most gruelling 4 days of our lives. From cramped budget airline seats with filthy toilets, super hot weather (Hainan island is the southernmost part of China, hence the hottest) to the toughest Chinese praying session I've ever attended in my whole entire life. The details...
Location: Weicai, Hainan Island, China
Scene: Burning offerings and lighting joss sticks
Prop: 1000 rims of fake paper money, 10 boxes of paper clothes and jewellery, one hard-boiled egg per actor (eggshells to throw into the fire, eggs to eat), seven joss sticks per actor
Setting: A scorching hot summer day at 12 noon, with strong winds from north south east and west to blow off the fiery ashes right to the actors' noses
Set: A 10mx10m bush area of wild weeds and grass the height of a sycamore, sparsely growing trees, unclear footpath
Climax: My poor father-in-law collapsing right onto the bush out of heatstroke
Imagine what my daughter thought about the whole thing.
I wish I had any pictures to show of the ordeal. But that would simply be rude. So instead I took a picture of the house that my husband's grandfather built. The house is located about 5 minutes walk from the 'set'. In the picture are my parents-in-law.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Back from China
I went to Korea, but I came back from China. How did that happen? More on that in my next update, but first, two snapshots from my trip to Seoul. I got a hungry husband to feed right now so I need to hurry.
First picture is my favourite place in Seoul... Insadong!
Next is a picture of some of the shops I love.
More to come soon!
First picture is my favourite place in Seoul... Insadong!
Next is a picture of some of the shops I love.More to come soon!
Monday, July 9, 2007
Off to Seoul for the rest of the week
I'll be leaving for Seoul tomorrow morning, so I won't have any new blog update until next week. That is unless I can't resist the temptation of free internet that, they say, is available in abundance in the city.
What will I be doing in Seoul? Well, my dear husband will be working during the day, so I'll be free to roam the street of this 10th largest city in the world. I might also check out the ceramics village where we could try our hands at pottery making, as part of the tour. Sounds fun, huh?
I don't expect much from the trip though, because a few of my friends who have been there didn't come back with much positive feedback. One said the koreans were the rudest people on earth, another said there wasn't anything much to do, and so on. But you can be sure that I'll be back with some pictures (if not the only things). So until then, have a good week ahead!
What will I be doing in Seoul? Well, my dear husband will be working during the day, so I'll be free to roam the street of this 10th largest city in the world. I might also check out the ceramics village where we could try our hands at pottery making, as part of the tour. Sounds fun, huh?
I don't expect much from the trip though, because a few of my friends who have been there didn't come back with much positive feedback. One said the koreans were the rudest people on earth, another said there wasn't anything much to do, and so on. But you can be sure that I'll be back with some pictures (if not the only things). So until then, have a good week ahead!
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