Saffi has recently been highlighting the fact that she's got a flat face by sleeping er, flat on the face. I have no idea how she breathes, occassionally I do check that she's still breathing. The pictures here taken last night after she dozed off as I stroked her head (it went lower, lower, lower...) and then you can only see her ears. 
Yes, the first and last time my ex airline would send me to Germany. That was in May, and the weather was fine. Me and the Koreans, armed with our fully charged cameras we set off to walk about and visited the Goethe Haus.
That may be something I miss - going places. But hell, if it's better off at work, plus I get to be home in Singapore with friends, family and cats... what more can I ask.
It's been years since I last visited Japan in Tokyo. I wanted very much to return ever since but sadly it's not as easy said than done. This time I went to Nagoya, on a work flight. Layover's only 28hrs but oh man, enough Yen spent and food consumed.
I left Nagoya with bags full of made-in-Japan products, an O-Mamori (protection charm) from Osu Kannon Temple, tummy full of Katsu Kare, Ramen, Gyudon, Tako-Yaki and green tea.
Since I put up the last post I shall shamelessly direct you to a mini gallery of food pictures. Food I prepared over the last year. Some others were not as lucky to survive the photo taking and were consumed prematurely.
I made cupcakes for the first time today and am quite pleased with the result. Once I master the basics I shall move on to cupcakes with decorative colourful toppings (you know the kind that looks so pretty it doesn't matter if it tastes good?)
Finally I get to go to Seoul. One of the most popular destinations among the 'young and trendy' *ehem*, what with all that Korean drama influences these days, clothes and makeup, Kim Chis and Bibimbabs. Also a very popular flight to-have among cabin crew because of the easy sectors, beautiful hotel and attractive allowance.
There were 7 Korean crew on the flight and after about 8 hours stuck in a metal tube together the rest of us kinda figured out our itineraries. I was to eat and shop, likewise two other Asian girls. The non-Asians thought it more intriguing to do a tour visiting palaces and stuff (whom later totally regret not coming shopping with us heh).
Next morning we armed ourselves with a sharp eye and and a loose purse in the middle of Myeong-dong, the shopping district to be in the centre of Seoul. Though prices are definitely not as low as in the Namdaemun and Dongdaemun markets, it is a lovely place with plenty of shops and restaurants enough to distract ourselves for a good 5 hours. Languages are not a barrier when it comes to picking and paying. Services were good. I bought adorable makeup stuff in irresistable pink packaging - in a pink shop, Korean beauty products, cute pants, and pair of heels (very very disciplined there!). Would've gone on forever and inflict more damage but decided to take the hotel bus back to catch a quick nap before getting ready for the flight back.
The crew flew 14 hours from Dubai to stay in Sao Paulo for no more than 30 hours. A shame, but then we got there for free and then some shopping money. So I don't complain.
The hotel is fantastic, rooms are beautiful. Location-wise, not exactly in town area instead a new business district. Outside I see highways and contemporary architecture. My Brazilian colleagues had earlier warned me not to go out alone at night, a bad turn and one might just end up in a slum. Brazil is like that, they say.
I would love to have visited Liberdade, the district of Japanese community, largest outside of Japan! I want to go to the markets, the majestic museums, run in the park, binge on churasco, sit at a cafe listen to bossa but they all seem quite unachievable within a short span of time.
It's a shame I have never been to Jakarta, it being a stone-throw away from Singapore. Until January this year. I have the greatest pleasure of hanging out with my dear friend Verrie who did a very good job showing me around. I wouldn't have savoured true Indonesian Padang and subject myself to hours of charm and Bintang Beer at Black Cat Jazz Bar otherwise.
Did you know that the very sedap Padang experience is such that a huge array of dishes are presented on the table? You get billed only for those you succomb to of course... but it's very hard to resist.
Venice happened in January. It was cold, windy and rainy but beautiful nonetheless. A whole bunch of us crew went out together which is great, like a tour group of multi-nationalities. Hotel rooms were pretty fabulous and it's an easy walk to the bus stop where we hop on to go Piazzale Roma. From there we took the public boat to Rialto.
A slow and distracting stroll (many shops along the way and places for pictures) later we find ourselves at the must-go St Mark's Square. It's a popular spot for tourists and pigeons, also the lowest point of Venice where floods can be a threat. On one side of the square you can see the 4 famous Saint Mark's Horses but those were replicas. The real deal is in the Basilica, sheltered and protected. We didn't enter the Basilica as it was getting late, and there was a queue and entrance fees involved.
Many photos later we wandered into the back alleys in search of something to eat. Herein lies many tourists traps - souvenir shops, over-priced Italian restaurants, McDonald's (but of course...). We settled for one of the said Italian restaurants and ordered various pasta, pizza and tiramisu items. Sucking up to the atmosphere I bought a Venetian mask - a rustic black and gold, cat-shaped mask.
Bangladeshies are very hospitable, kind and full of smiles. They are very happy to have their pictures taken and even more thrilled see them on my camera display. Its city is full of life and colourful objects. Stay was good, nothing as bad as some crew make it out to be.
Zurich in Switzerland. I used to think it's in Germany. People there speak German (I was told by a Swiss passenger it's got its own version of German), French or Italian. It is one of the world's richest country and you can feel it there.
I would've gone out had it not been so cold and me so tired - yeah from the New Year fall and the alcohol binge. To the old town, the picturesque city as seen on TV. Instead I took the hotel shuttle to the Airport where I had breakfast 
and did some grocery shopping. Rosti, sausages, pasta, chocolates, etc.
bread deserves special mention. It is yummy (!) on its own. "So good you can eat it own its own" is NOT Gardenia.
kind, no tacky stickers and wall paints. The shuttle train that takes you from one part of the airport to the other is clean, egonomically designed and in that short journey it plays sounds of nature and farm animals in brilliant 
surround sound quality. Everything is in order. Perfect logos (I love the Swiss flag), appropriate typefaces, really neat signages and posters even the charts that tell you train schedules. Afterall we all love Helvetica.
As the last flight in 2007 it wasn't bad at all. This time I arranged with another Singaporean girl to go eat Peking Duck, and our Purser and First Officer came along too. It was good company, good food. 
We went to the famous Quan Ju De, XiuShui outlet.
Went to Carrefour to do my fresh food shopping and packed Fried Rice for dinner. It's prepared with very generous amount of veggies, some bacon and all wrapped in lotus leaf.
...hence there was nothing much else to blog about. It was 21st December, pre-Christmas in great 25-degree weather, and it seems the best thing to do is shop.
Happy New Year everyone!
Some of you may already know that I had too much to drink at a house party we gate-crashed into, got my feet extremely dirty, attempted to wash them clean in my bath tub at 1 am, and fell out of it standing one-legged. I must've hit the side of the tub before hitting my head on the bathroom floor. Nasty, I know. Loud thud, I heard.
With my feet almost entirely clean I went to bed and woke up the next morning with a sore side. My concerned friends drove me to the EK Clinic and I was attended by a really kind doctor (unlike the uncaring one I saw the last 
time - that's for another story another time). Doctor performed a thorough check of my head, neck, spine and joints and confirmed that it's almost miraculous I have just a muscle sprain and am fit to fly to Zurich today. Yeepee. I was prescribed painkillers, muscle rub and a peace of mind.
