A time for everything

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: ² a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, ³ a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, ⁴ a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, ⁵ a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, ⁶ a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, ⁷ a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, ⁸ a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (NIV Bible)

This post is dedicated to my beloved grandma that has past away on 5 March 2013. She was a strong lady that had withstood what life had thrown at her. Will be forever missed...

SO, what is life? "Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. " James 4:14. All the accomplishment in education, success in career and everything we held dearly... will one day ended up in a small jar, within the niche.

In the midst of our hectic life, remember to smell the roses! :)

Turkey in December

When we were deciding on a destination to spend our December holiday, Turkey came into our mind…I guess in part is the rich history that attracted us. Well, despite the expected hectic schedule of group tour, I would advise individual to take it. Turkey occupies a large land mass, and not able to speak the local language (Turkish)…might post a challenge in getting around.   
We started out from Istanbul, headed south towards Troy and Ephesus (which is one of the largest cities in the ancient world). Ephesus was home to a large number of Jews, where Paul began his mission work (Acts 19:8). From Ephesus, the gospel spread throughout the whole province of Asia (cf. Acts 19:10).

So, what do we remember about Troy? Well, from Brad Pitt version we saw the famous Trojan horse...I am sure this was a replica...perhaps far from the real thing (if it does exist). To the left is the Theatre of Troy.

After many years and in the hands of different empires, no mentioning natural disaster such as earthquakes, although Ephesus has lost her former glory, we are still at awe with what remains. The library of Celsus, Large Theater, Odeon...and more.

One interesting comment came from the guide was that the shoe and sports equipment company Nike is named after the Greek goddess, Nike (in Greek)  or "Victory". To the left is the stone carving of the goddess Nike at the ruins of Ephesus.

The journey took us 10 days, and it obviously not enough to explore such a vast country like Turkey. We have been to many other places of interesting. One thing for sure, winter(before Janaury) was pretty comfortable, and there was a good chance of snow. However, if you intend to go for the hot air balloon...summer will be ideal. Anyway, below are some of the highlights of the trip...enjoy!

Cotton mountain...this magnificient natural wonder.... a mountain of mineral baths formed over thousands of years formed by rich thermal springs. In ancient times, it was thought that the mountian has therapeutic powers.

Cappadocia has amazing landscape best appreciated in a hot air balloon. However the best time of the year to be on a balloon is between April to October when the skies are clear and the winds is just right. Photo perfect!

If you have not visited the blue mosque, you have not been to Turley. This Mosque, across two centuries was both the Ottoman mosque and Byzantine church development. In one sentence…An amazing masterpiece that has stood the test of time.

Winter in Sichuan

I believe there are ample of reviews about JiuZhaiGou and other place of interest in Sichuan. It is one thing to read about it, another to experience the incredible scenes. As the saying going, pictures tell thousands words, here you go....

After the morning snow at JiuZhaiGou - "Nine Village Valley" takes its name from the nine Tibetan villages along its flow path. Spectacular view in every season...

View from Emei Mountain - Great spectacles of  "Clouds Sea" and clear blue sky...just after the snow.

Nanjing

This year marks the 100 year of revolution, and Nanjing was the nerve center, so I have decided to make a short trip there. The question is...how could I cover the city of Nanjing in two days? Fortunately, this is a pretty compacted city, and all the places of interesting are well within reach by public transports or taxi. To maximize my stay, I did plan my trip in advance....at least have a good idea of what I would like to see when I'm there.

Taking a the bullet train from Shanghai is a breeze. Leave approximately every half hour, you can either booked the ticket in advance or buy the ticket when you are at the HongQiao station. The time taken to reach Nanjing will depend on the number of stops. The journey can take about an hour to two hours ...so do some checking prior. Here is the snapshot of the ticketing booth. Some of the must go places...

1. Confucius temple, imperial examination hall for scholars examinations, surrounding shops and eateries as well as the famous Qinhuai River.

2. Sun Yat-sen's Mausoleum. The most important political figure and revolutionary in China. This premises was built between 1926 and 1929. In the center of the hall is a 4.6-meter-high statue, where his body rested in a white marble coffin.

3. Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum - The tomb of Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang from the Ming Dynasty, constructed more than a 600-year ago.

4. The Presidential Palace - A huge complex of buildings for the modern Chinese government. The place where famous leaders like Sun Yat-Sen and Chiang Kai-Shek left worked. There are exhibitions that briefly tell the history of revolution.

5. China Gate - The ancient wall from the Ming dynasty, situated at the south side of the city. Despite the wars, this part of the structures is well preserved.

 

Similar to Beijing, the long history of Nanjing has attracted many locals and foreigners around the world to this place. Unlike most modern cities, it  has that certain charms that grab your attactions. Recognized as one of the safest city in China, more reasons for you to pay a visit. :)

Reminiscing the past

The Qing Ming Festival is observed with big gathering among the relatives. For those that are new to Chinese customs, this is an annual event when families come together and visit ancestral graves to reminisce the past. To most of us, it is a form of filial piety to one's ancestors, to remember and pay respect even when they have passed on. During such occassion, the graves are cleaned, and the offering of food and spirit money are part of the deal.

It has been ages since I last joined such activity. To most of my relatives, this is still a very important annual ritual to observe. Well...tradition aside, such occassion does bring families together. For hectic Singaporeans with limited time to spare, this is a good opportunity to catch up with the rest, especially those we hardly meet throughout the year. For this very reason, it is very common to find traffic jams and chaotic mess at temples, graveyards and crematoriums.

It is unlikely that my ancestors will ever received those offerings, however I do see the importance to take every opportunity to build ties among each other.

I guess the nice thing about a typical Singaporean gathering, it always end with a sumptuous meal before we part our ways.

World Expo - Shanghai

Thinking of going to the World Expo? Well, do consider the heat and the crowd... especially when the China Golden week in Oct (week long holiday) draws near. One thing for sure, the organizer certainly picked the right location! On average, it has been reported to have 300,000 visitors every day, with majority from host country. Despite the huge premises, the place is packed throughout the day. I got a 3-day pass, and probably managed to cover maybe two-third of the ground, walking 8 hour straight per day.

Standing in line reminded me of the trip to Disneyland, the only different...you can expect everything typically coming from the locals...loud talking, queue jumping, and at one occasion...quarrelling. Well, to be fair...not everyone behaved badly. As you can imagine, long queue and under the afternoon heat, something got to pop. Looking at the bright side of the picture, such "extra" activities did add some spice to otherwise the boring wait.

I'm sure the authority has anticipated minority bad eggs to appear in such event, signs are up in every pavilion and corners, serving as reminder. Great effort! Nevertheless, someone needs to look into the translation. :)



My take on the pavilions in general? It all boiled down to the effort each country put in. In some exhibits, it felt like walking into art gallery, museums, shopping arcade, science discovery center & etc. Don't really feel the social and cultural aspect of the country. My advice, do your homework before making the visit to the Expo, it will certainly save those precious queueing time!

There are couple of outstanding pavilions, and I'm sure they have put huge efforts and resources to showcase their best. Beware, these are also the pavilions with exceptionally long queue, at least 2 to 3 hours in waiting. For some, you can't even get in. Just to highlight a few.....

Surviving the expo means you need to be well prepared and do put on a comfortable pair of shoes. With the heat and crowd, you can get exhausted by noon. One strategy is....if time permits, cover the expo in two days. Go in the morning, spend the day on only the selected attractions. On the second day, start in the afternoon, and reserve enough energy to last you till evening.



When night falls, the experience is even better! With the spectacular lighting, cooler temperature and lesser crowd, you can save a significant amount visiting more pavilions.

How to get there?
Take the subway, this is the most efficient and cost-effective way to travel in Shanghai. Take the train to Madang station (apparently the least crowded), connect to the expo line. Have fun!