World Cup Updates II

Well, Round of 16 is over, the best 8 teams move on to the quarter-finals and this year seems to be South-America's year with 1/2 of the 8 teams coming from the continent!

Since young, everyone has been discussing how awe-inspiring Brazil's football is and I never truly appreciated it until this year. I caught 3 out of 4 of Brazil's matches this year and they impress me every single game. No sophisticated moves or tricks, No Rambo in the team, simple yet successfully completed passes, plentiful of scoring opportunities created, stream of goals coming in (at least 2 every game except the one against Portugal). They are SIMPLY AWESOME to watch! I hope they move on to win the CROWN! :)) Go Brazil!

England was a disappointment to watch YET AGAIN! Since my passion for football was ignited by the English players in the Premier League, supporting England is in succession to my love for the game. 8 years ago, the likes of David Beckham, Michael Owen and the teenage wonder boy Wayne Rooney caused a big hoo-ha about the possibility of England being crowned champions. But the rising young star Ronaldinho sent the English team packing their bags home in the quarter-finals. I continue to hold strong belief that the golden age of England has yet to come. God knows the quarter-finals against Portugal in 2006 was yet another bummer that shattered all hopes and dreams I hold of England!

So come my very own 3rd anniversary of the WORLD CUP FEVER, I decided to take an objective stand and support teams that deliver and bring out the best football in them. Indeed, it turned out to be one of the wisest footballing decisions I've ever made. Teams like Brazil and Spain never fail to take my breath away even in the wee hours of the morning whereas England time and again shattered their fans' dream. Goals changed games I concur, and the outcome would have been as different as day and night in the match against Germany. Blame it on poor luck.

The champion is still hard to predict, tough tie between BRAZIL, SPAIN, and ARGENTINA. BUT GO BRAZIL! GO SPAIN!

Egypt II - Alexandria

The city was non-existent prior to 322 B.C. and you can deduce its founder from the name of the city itself. It is none other than Alexander The Great, a Greek who invaded Egypt in 322 B.C.

Alexandria is located at the northern coast of Egypt, close to where the Mediterranean Sea is. A pretty chilly city, completely off imagination of the typical weather in Egypt. We covered 3 main tourist attractions in Alexandria, mainly Pompey's Pillar, Qaitbay Citadel, and Montazah Palace.

And of course, Alexandria is where all the stories about Cleopatra originated as well!

Pompey's Pillar is a Roman Triumphal Column that rises out of a pile of debris (it was previously the site of a temple), as I'd call it honestly. Pompey is a person's name and he was thought to be a revolt to the then Roman Emperor, Dicoletian. So the emperor ordered his arrest and public decapitation. It was rumored that the pillar was where they hanged Pompey's head. However, subsequent sources proved it wrong but they still kept the name. Perhaps it's a way to lure the tourists to visit.

Qaitbay Citadel, the guarding fortress of Alexandria city. Egypt has a strategic location like Singapore as it connects the East and the West in the past when harbours were still the main gateway to trade. Thus, many Western countries covet over the city of Alexandria which is close to the Mediterranean Sea. As such, invasions or attacks by the enemies were common. According to the guide, there is a distinct difference between citadels and fortresses. Kings and Queens do not live in the fortresses but they do reside in the citadels.

The citadel is the exact site of the Lighthouse of Alexandria, one of the 7 ancient wonders of the world. However, repeated invasions and an earthquake led to the destruction of the lighthouse with only the bottom to survive, but only as a watchtower. :(

Montazah Palace was built by Turkish rulers of Egypt and it was meant to be a Summer Palace. Alexandria was chosen as the destination for the summer palace due to its relatively cooler climate compared to the South, I deduce it myself. :) Really awesome architecture and nice gardens, you can tell that it's a place meant for kings even from afar.!

Cleopatra - The last pharoah that ruled Egypt before the nation became a Roman province. :)) Interesting stories about Cleopatra but my memory is dying on me. Cleopatra is of Greek lineage i.e. descendent of Alexander the Great. Unlike her precedents who ruled under the Ptolemaic dynasty, she picked up Egyptian and represented herself as the reincarnation of an Egyptian Goddess. In addition, she was a socialist princess who won the hearts of the masses, and fought with her step-brother over the throne after the death of their father. As her step-brother held tight control over the military power, in order to solidify her grip over the throne, she consummated a liaison with Julius Caesar, a Roman King. After Caesar's death, she aligned with Mark Antony and subsequently Caesar's legal heir Augustus unseated her from the throne leading to the fall of Egypt into the Romans' hands. The couple, Antony & Cleopatra both committed suicide sequentially and it was rumored that Cleopatra died in the conventional way of an asp bite. :))

And from all that we know, she was GORGEOUS! :))

Much Awaited Post about Egypt - Land of Ancient Civilizations

These days, I get increasingly lazy when it comes to blogging about my trips. It's not as though I am so swamped with work ever since I am back. :))

Thus, to find the constant motivation to blog about the trips, I've decided to force myself to write a blog post everyday on a city that I visited. :))

The first post is of course dedicated to the overview of the places that I've been to spice up my readers' interests to conscientiously log in to read the posts daily. Lol! Sounds so lame.!

Anyway, a summary of the route we took:

Day 1, 27/May : SIN-CAIRO

Day 2, 28/May : CAIRO-ALEXANDRIA; Pompey's Pillar; Qaitbay Citadel; Montazah Palace

Day 3, 29/May : Pyramids of GIZA; Papyrus Paper Factory; Perfume Palace

Day 4, 30 May : Egyptian Museum; Drive to Hurghada

Day 5, 31/May : Desert Safari Trip; Red Sea Resort @ Hurghada

Day 6, 1/June: Hurghada-Luxor; Karnak Temple; Valley of the Kings; Temple of Hatshepsut; Temple of Luxor

Day 7, 2/June: Hot Air Balloon; Sailing on Nile Cruise; Lock of Esna; Horse Carriage Ride

Day 8, 3/June: Temple of Horus (Edfu)

Day 9, 4/June: Temple of Kom Ombo (Kom Ombo)

Day 10, 5/June: Abu Simbel; Aswan City Bazaar

Day 11, 6 June: Aswan High Dam; Uncompleted Obelisk; Felucca Ride; Temple of Philae; Overnight sleeper train to Cairo

Day 12, 7June: Sakkara; Step Pyramid; Khan Al Khalili Bazaar

Day 13, 8 June: Home Sweet Home

As you can see, the itinerary wasn't all packed due to the long hours of sailing on the Nile River Cruise. Fortunately, it was arranged so because Day 6 entirely drained us out since we were under the Sun for more than 8 hours. Furthermore, certain trips like the Hot Air Balloon Ride & Abu Simbel required us to wake up at 3-4 am in the wee hours of the morning! Thus, the entire Cruise journey on the Nile was all rest and relax, where I spent most of time lying on the bed reading, or trying to repay my sleep debt. :) The same goes for my SIS. However, something positive we took home from the cruise was we both improved on our table tennis skills! ;))

Just a pinch of disappointment

Both LK and I thought he'd bagged the placement @ JJ! God has just taught us the lesson that life's not a bed of roses.

The final 10 weeks that we imagined did not materalize after all. I tried my best to comfort him though I knew he hardly needed any. Instead, he was the one comforting me! Lol! What an irony!

Whatever's not yours will never be I guess.......

World Cup Updates I

No doubt the 7-0 Scoreline in Portugal's game last night stole all the headlines possible. Ronaldo is as mesmerizing as ever, not a tad lesser though his goal was of lesser celebratory compared to the others. You could still see his exasperation when the first 3 goals had absolutely nothing to do with his fabulous football skills. Nonetheless, this guy just wanna be a part of everything, and stealing his limelight is nothing that should never happen or rather he will never allow it to happen. :))

I am seriously wondering if Portugal is under imminent threat of missiles or terrorism now. :))

However, what captivated me and left me lingering for more is DAVID VILLA.! I've always been an avid fan his but due to the bizarre timings of the La Liga matches, I probably see him in action once in a blue moon. Furthermore, the constant exposure of his fellow countryman Fernando Torres in the Premier League definitely resulted in David Villa being in the backdrop more often than expected.

Last night, it all changed. The game between Spain and Switzerland brought some hype in me towards this star striker who is on his way to Barcelona. The game against Honduras uprooted Torres's dream Spanish boy image in me! Argghh! The wonder goals he scored, his deportment, blah blah blah, it definitely made Torres pale in comparison without any warning.

I know I sound like an adolescent who is falling head over heels over a footballer or a typical fanatic who is smitten. But, considering that the decisions made by referees have been waywardly unreasonable resulting in unentertaining football and idiosyncratic results, I have to seek solace in the alluring faces of the footballers.

Since my bro and sis are pretty sick and are becoming less responsive of my "Ronaldo is the BEST OF THE BEST", "Ronaldo is second to no one", etc. lines, it is time for me to reanimate my overtly exaggerated "footballers are the apple of my eye" behaviour! Lol!

No doubt the conclusion I derived from my Europa trip 2 years ago still stands.

SPANISH BOYS = GORGEOUS!

David Villa

DV7

Celebrating the goal over Honduras. :))

Fernando Torres - as charming as ever. :))

FT9

I see the stud on their right ear as a charm. :))

Happy 2nd Anniversary

Happy 2nd Anniversary to my visit to PARIS!

Can't believe 2 years just fly past in a wink of an eye. :((

Next year (Hopefully), I should be flying to Paris! :))

To visit Wai who will be studying in NICE!

What's our world becoming to?

I walked past the kitchen yesterday night and saw the Shin Ming Daily lying around on the dining table. Out of curiosity, I stared at the numerous headlines.

2013 - Mother Earth shall experience stoppage of all power generated devices, basically we will get cut off our electricity supply.

Then I recalled the trip to Egypt. The tour guide told us about the Bedouin tribe (nomads) of Egypt, that they actually send their kids to village schools until the age of 10 before they stop schooling. The rationale being they do not want their kids to be educated because they fear they will pay the price of their kids abandoning the nomad lifestyle. For education empowers someone with knowledge and at the same time with desires for a better life. Education has its ugly side.

The various issues under scrutiny this time round is bound to upset some readers but there should be no resemblance to any particular person and if it does, it's purely coincidental. :)

1. Purpose of having a wish-list.

I watched tooth fairy on the flight back from Cairo to Singapore. The movie tells of "the Rock" as a professional ice hockey player who is well-known to be extremely critical and "kills off young children's dreams". As a punishment, he became a tooth fairy.

Honestly, I've come across countless discussions either with friends or listen to random strangers blabbering about their wish-list. Some post them on their blogs, others announce it on facebook, while a handful constantly have them at the back of their mind. As you can see, I've one too. So I start to ponder about the true significance of having a wish-list. Is it there to remind your loved ones and friends that you desire something and you hope that some day they will send it to your doorstep like what Santa does to kids every Christmas or is it purely a reminder to yourself that you have to work hard to attain whatever dreams or wishes you have?

Wish (meaning by dictionary on mac): feel or express a strong desire or hope for something that is NOT EASILY ATTAINABLE; want something that CANNOT or PROBABLY WILL NOT HAPPEN.

So why have a wishlist? If you really desire something, then work towards it yourself. Don't just dump it on whatever wishlist and secretly hope for a Santa Claus. DUMB.! Staring and listening to a list filled with millions of branded items, or the impossibles and is never exhaustive really makes me feel like rolling my eyes sometimes. So perhaps, it's time to take a few items off my wishlist. I don't wanna be a dumb ass.

2. The world of luxury goods in resemblance to the world of Narcotics.

I guess it is due to the environment that we are in and peer influences. Luxury goods store sprouting out everywhere in Singapore, from 1 Louis Vuitton store till 4 now, with a double storey one in Orchard Ion. Prada, Gucci, Burberry, blah blah blah easily available at one's fingertips. Subsidiaries opening one after another. Globalisation that connects us to the other side of the world more quickly, an international language that breaks down communication barriers, people flying across oceans and mountains in less than a day's time. It used to take months, FYI. Who will not be tempted by all these luxury goods? Colleagues competing with each other over who is carrying a more "atas" bag, friends "psycho-ing" one another to get the latest designer bag in town, increasingly eye-catching advertisements with celebrities endorsing the products. It's a vicious cycle.

Consumers pay more for a good, producers get more surplus, higher profits enable them to beef up their marketing campaigns, consumers become more hyped up about the product-branding, producers have higher monopoly power and end up charging even higher prices, people use such goods as a measurement of their status which creates an even higher demand...... and it goes on and on......

Stroll down Orchard Road and you will see the number of people carrying all the branded bags. I've interacted with kids as young as 14 years old who desire to buy a LV bag or Gucci wallet. I really feel like knocking some sense into her. She hasn't even earn her very first $1 in her life and she desires a gift that is probably worth her very first pay cheque. I've come across kids at the age of 18 who already own like a 2k Louis Vuitton bag on top of his wardrobe of Armani Jeans clothings, Marc Jacobs bags, Chanel sunglasses, blah blah blah.....

The harder we work, the deeper our desires to want something of material value to reward ourselves. So you think you studied or worked very hard thus you deserve something as a reward. You convince yourself to whack that branded jeans, bag, Iphone, Blackberry, Macbook, PSP, etc. After making the purchase, there is an awesome feeling that boils from within, bringing you to an euphoric state. And if your like-minded friends actually tell you "Hey dude, you got a cool bag, jeans, laptop, blah blah there", it boosts your ego and makes you wanna experience it the 2nd time.

Congratulations, you are officially in the "pig race" (as I would call it cause it's STUPID). So you make yourself work even harder so as to afford the second purchase. The harder you work, the deeper the desire for an even bigger reward. So you convince yourself and other people that you actually deserve to pamper yourself... and it goes on and on again.....

I'm the best person to relate this feeling to everyone out there. I've lost recollection of why my very first desire for a LV or a designer good budded but ever since it started, it has never stopped. Time immemorial had I developed such a fiery and burning passion for travelling, but it has never stopped either. So from my very first LV wallet to the bag to some other cardholder and a 2nd bag (and I honestly foresee the 3rd one coming very very very soon), to my D&G sunglasses, Tiffany & Co., Swarvoski, you name it, I have it. IF you ask me why don't I stop, I would tell you I ain't got any clue how to. My advice is, NEVER START instead! There's no end to it, up till the very end of your lifetime. That very moment that someone told me the LV bag fitted on me perfectly changed my life.

With great power comes great responsibility. With great power comes great desire. The desire to be empowered by that "great power". Like how Kings wanna rule a country for eternity, Cinderella's stepmother is eager to be the fairest lady of all, America wants to be the world policeman, blah blah blah.

3. Why travel?

For the stories? For the sceneries? For having memories? For leisure? For relaxation? For boasting?

I overheard this conversation just hours ago on the train:

A (should be bride-to-be): OK, I wanna go somewhere more exotic for our honeymoon.

B (should be bridegroom-to-be): Actually I think we should go to Europe. My colleagues said Europe is very beautiful.

A: But everyone is going to Europe. If we also go Europe, it's very sian. Nothing new. Plus, where in Europe do you want to go ah?

B: London, Paris and Rome. (Typical answer) Eiffel Tower is so romantic. If we go, we can take a lot of pictures in front of the Eiffel Tower then we both put it as our profile picture on facebook.

A: Oh ya ya ya. That day I see (a couple's name which I apparently forgot) profile pictures. They are super sweet la. Both of them always put the same profile picture then everyone will comment on their wall.

B: Ok set, so we go Europe. I think we go free-and-easy 10 days or something.

A: But we also don't speak their language, later we cannot communicate with them how? Go tour package like better leh. But then hor, honeymoon go tour package very sian one lor. Got all the unwanted people around (xian zha ren deng).

B: Or I go ask my friends for their itinerary then we don't need to really plan also.

A: Ya, like this we also won't miss out all the places that your friends have been to. Btw, that time did your friends take video or not? Shall we go buy a video camera so that we can record the sceneries there? Then we can upload to facebook. I want to show that bitch in my office. She keeps saying what she go Europe until sian then say what we never go Europe very mountain-tortoise (sua gu).

B: Aiya, you just ignore her la. Or you are too sensitive? Abo you ask her go India la. A lot of people have not been to India, so if she go, she is smart liao what.

A: I don't care ah. Next year, we must go somewhere more exotic. Or why not we go Russia honeymoon la? Then I can tell her she never go to Russia before, she's damn sua gu. (Laughs out really loud)>>>>

--- Then I got off the train ---

I could have missed out bits and pieces of the conversation. This is the best that I can recall though.

After hearing that conversation, I feel it is an insult to have such fellow Singaporeans as like-minded individuals who share a common passion for travelling.

I travel for culture, for experience, to learn about the world, to take photographs and capture memories that will stay with me for life so that someday when I grow old and have limited mobility, I can flash out these pictures and reminisce about those awesome times. Like how I reminisce about Europe from time to time now. Those memories were awesome.

Travelling shouldn't be a competition whereby you use the number of cities and countries that you've been to as an indication of your grade or achievement. I have met those typical P** who always want to chop a place in front of some famous monument or architecture with ENGRAVINGS or SIGNS indicating the name of the monument. Think deeper and the bell strikes. They merely want to show off that they have been to this place. Honestly, I like having the monuments as a background, especially those that I have a fetish for them i.e. Eiffel, Pisa, Trevi Fountain, Pyramids, Old Trafford, (and of course if possible CRISTIANO RONALDO & FERNANDO TORRES especially), etc. Youth is countercyclical to age. 30 years down the road, age would have created a masterpiece on my face and I can only stare at it and marvel about how awesome it will be if I were 30 years younger. My biggest fear in life is "growing old". To overcome my fear in the foreseeable future, I intend to capture those youthful moments in the best possible manner. Having the monuments as a background is the intended way I am going about it. I wanna capture the moment that's brilliant like how Avril Lavigne sang it.

Waking up I see that everything is OK

The first time in my life and now it's so great

Slowing down I look around and I am so amazed

I think about the little things that make life great

I wouldn't change a thing about it

This is the best feeling

This innocence is brilliant

I hope that it will stay

This moment is perfect

Please don't go away

I need you now

And I'll hold on to it

Don't you let it pass you by

I found a place so safe, not a single tear

The first time in my life and now it's so clear

Feel calm, I belong, I'm so happy here

It's so strong and now I let myself be sincere

I wouldn't change a thing about it

This is the best feeling

It's a state of bliss, you think you're dreaming

It's the happiness inside that you're feeling

It's so beautiful it makes you wanna cry

It's a state of bliss, you think you're dreaming

It's the happiness inside that you're feeling

It's so beautiful it makes you wanna cry

It's so beautiful it makes you wanna cry

This innocence is brilliant

Makes you wanna cry

This innocence is brilliance

Please don't go away

Cause I need you now

And I'll hold on to it

Don't you let it pass you by

And I only experience such emotions when I travel. That I actually feel tears welling up in my eyes when I get to see those breath-taking monuments, nature, beaches, oceans, all of God's magical creations.

Not for the stories that I can tell my friends, or for boasting to my friends. It's extremely dumb!

It is like when I blog, it's not to share with others or show off to others about how awesome I think my life is or gonna be or how miserable or torturous it is. Rather, it is to capture my thoughts, my emotions, my memories which explains why from time to time I actually revisit my blog posts. :) Even till today, I still read about everything that I blogged about during those days when I was on exchange. :))

Of course I am not saying that if you are not in the ideal mindset, you shouldn't travel because everyone is motivated by different values and beliefs. But I just can't help lament such thoughts.

-------

Ask yourself, when was the last time you came across someone who told you that his or her wish is to have a happy family? less wars and conflicts globally? world peace (genuinely and not in the bimbotic pageant manner), less poverty? a caring girlfriend or boyfriend? a job? a skill in life? a language?

No more down-to-earth wishes these days, only to travel around the world, more and more branded goods, more money, more A's in school.

Will 2013 change us all? If it will, I'll be welcoming it with OPEN ARMS.

To late Dr Goh Keng Swee.

14.May.2010

One of Singapore's founding father, Dr. Goh Keng Swee passed away at the age of 92. When there is an ongoing discussion about the history or founding of Modern Singapore, most people will revolve around MM Lee. But most people have neglected the man behind the scene.

Perhaps I've forgotten about him myself too until lately, I started reading "Men In White" and I finally witness the accomplishments of this silent worker. I vaguely remember the social studies textbooks in secondary schools mentioning Dr. Goh as the architect of Singapore's economy. True enough, the luxurious and high standard of living that we get to enjoy must be credited to Dr. Goh!

He had a bird's eye view of Singapore's strategic advantages and disadvantages and he engineered our economy in different stages. Slowly, he transformed Singapore from entrepot trade to manufacturing-dependent and eventually now, knowledge-based driven. His footprints were left in the 3 most significant Ministries in Singapore i.e. he held the 3 largest portfolio as a Minister, mainly in Finance, Defence, and Education respectively.

Wherever he's been at, we've become world class.

World Class Central Banking System which can cushion us from external shocks and has helped us to survive major financial crises.

First Class Defence Force with the latest technology, military equipment, and weapons. We've got F16s Fighter planes! Once the most state-to-art technology that destroyed millions of countries like Egypt, Afghanistan, blah blah blah.

Par excellence education system that mould the future of our nation into holistic individuals and allow Singaporeans to challenge other Westerners in highly-paid jobs globally.

If not for him, would I be travelling around the world now?
If not for him, would you be lying on your couch watching television programmes in LED.LCD technology?
If not for him, would we be sleeping safely and soundly every night?
If not for him, would people ever know that Singapore is actually not part of China?
If not for him, would I have the opportunity to explore the world of Economics and see the beauty of the subject?
If not for him, would you have the ability to embrace whatever faith, religion, and likes of your own? (Without bread, you worship money and not anything else. Just look at the people from the poorer countries and you will know.)

If not for him, would there be Singapore?

Hale Dr. Goh! Hale the Economist! :))