THE END..

..on this webpage anyway.  I've decided to let this go, I really do not have the time or effort anymore.  For those who actually had conversation with me throughout the years, add me on facebook   All my photos and travel are on there.

Goodbye..sobs =/

I AM IN AMSTERDAM and JUST GOT A TEXT MESSAGE THAT ANITHA IS HERE TOO!!!!!!!

(Anitha is a very good high school friend, I havent seen since Dec!)

Oooo gonna be an interesting night!! :D

Almost got into so many accidents on the weird rented bikes...but won't talk about that right now..

Barcelona :: June 07

We were very excited with our trip as this is a trip of 'firsts'!  I did so many things for the first time on this trip and so did Jeremy!

Me whining because it was 4am in the morning when we had to get up to catch the bus to the airport...I was dressed for Barcelona but London was actually cold!

When we landed, we found our hostel and quickly wondered the streets!  Barcelona was absolutely beautiful, very much like a party place beside the sea!  We walked the famous La Ramblas and sat down for a Sangria, later finding ourselves in a market full with vibrant colours and interesting foods!  VERY expensive though!  It was amazing!  I loved the vibe of Barcelona instantly!

We then proceeded to walk through the backstreets, trying to stop by as many tourist must-see spots as we can along the way.  The backstreets were gorgeous!  To think that these streets and walls were very common in the past is just sad, people nowadays don't do intricate architectures anymore!

On our first night, we made the effort to find a jazz bar.  Jeremy knew how much I loved jazz and he wanted to find me somewhere that puts up a good jazz act in Barcelona.  We found this bar through the Lonely Planet, very hard to find!  But with my navigation skills (Jeremy's was lousy! ), we found it after working our way through little confusing backalleyways.

We tried taking a video, it was too dark, but you can hear the amazing sounds!  It was a casual gig, where all the musicians just took turns to get on stage and play with people they might not have played with before!  The pianist was great! 

I can't wait to get my piano in 2 months time!  Need to pucker up on my jazz again!    Itchy fingers has caused me to splurge on a piano in London...I can't stand 2 years not having a piano!

The views...the beach...the sun....the sea.....the boyfriend...the girlfriend...what more can you ask for?

Gaudi Galore!

I had to do this in slides or else it will take forever.  Seeing as Gaudi is the most impressionable and famous artist in Barcelona, we decided to do our own little Gaudi tour - took us 2-3 days! 

A bit of background, Gaudi was an architect back in late 1800s and he has a very unique style to his buildings.  They are all inspired by nature, if you look closely, his art is very naturistic, imitating nature be it leaves, waves, organic organisms, the ocean etc.  Its very very impressive!!

#1 Sagrada Familia

This cathedral is still building until now!  Construction begain in 1882.    Its truly one of my wonders!  We got out of the subway wondering where this thing is...and behold we turned around my jaws just dropped!  Its massive structure just looks down on you and the building screams old, medieval, history and immediately I wanted to go inside! :D

#2 Casa Mila

A house built by Gaudi.  We did not go in because we wanted to save our Euros for some of other Gaudi's buildings!

Casa Batllo

This residential building has a skeletal organic touch to it.  There are absolutely no straight lines in this house!  There are people still living here - very rich people I would say!  The building inside is just simply jawdropping, very organic, oceanic twiddlezone feel to it.

Baby was scared of heights AWWWW So CUTE!   Sorry you would have to tilt your head for this video..I was too lazy to edit it!  It would help if you understand cantonese...but I was just hassling Jeremy coz he didn't want to stand near the edge! LOL!

#4 Park Guell

This park was originally built as a housing development for the middle class and the rich.  Dr.Seuss would feel right at home here!  Being here is like being in a serial fairytale!  Lovely weird structures, with lots of intricate mosaic detail, lotsa colour, I feel like kid!

Thats all from Gaudi!

Jeremy and I was also very set on having good seafood in Barcelona.  We found this place on the Lonely Planet, cheap and highly recommended!  The first night we went there, we couldn't get a seat because it was packed!!!  This place is situated in the back streets and only if you know it exist or have a guide book with you, you wouldn't know its there!

We booked for the next day encouraged by the amount of people swarming this back-alley place.  We ate the next day......and we booked again for the following night!  OMGOSH it was GOOOOODDDD...very cheap aswell!  Loved it!

We decided to go for a long walk to a park one day and boy it was a long walk!  Managed to walk uphill to the top of this huge reserve park and just strolled aimlessly.  Well, not aimlessly...we were trying to find this botanic gardens...but Jeremy here was complaining the whole way up!!   I did not find it hard to walk uphill as I jog quite often, but Jeremy had trouble keeping up lol!

He made 3 part videos of him suffering.. ..I had trouble uploading #2 so here is Part I...again, better if you understand Cantonese

Part III -_-!

The views were breathtaking, we did not find our botanic gardens but we found a castle! 

Lastly Jeremy and I also visited a sex museum on our last day in Barcelona because we had nothing else to do lol!  I can't show you all the pictures I took in the museum because my little brother reads this website! Sorry B .  But basically, they had weird gadgets and tools and also the art and history of sex in different cultures across Europe and Asia.  Took some very funny drawings and depictions of the sexual act

I wish I can show you ALL my pictures...but I've spent about close to 3 hours updating this now already...and I want to go to sleep!

Next update - Rome and Venice, Italy

Baby J's Visit to London ::  June 2007

I left work early to pick Jeremy up from the airport, with a bunch of colleagues rooting after me because I've been talking about this day for like...forever!    Excitement creeped up on the way to the airport, had to stand in the tube the whole way for an hour because it was rush hour.  My heels (which I normally substitute for trainers while on the move) were killing me, but I did not want to greet Jeremy wearing nice smart sexy work clothing in my trainers!    He finally came out, and it was a bit awkward because we haven't seen each other in 6 months, but we were quickly cracking jokes and playing around with each other .  Hugs and kisses exchanged and we were on the tube back to my place.

The first couple of days was the weekend, where we strolled around London and enjoyed the sun that was still shining at that time..

Hyde Park - introduced Jeremy to my Cape Town high school friends (most of them are in London now!)

Jeremy cooked for me everyday including bringing me lunch while I still had a week's left of work!    I ate like a queen, and boy he knows how to cook!

Random photos during/after work..

Steamboat at my place - introduced Jeremy to Vern Ai (and her bf and bf's sister), a high school friend from Malaysia.

Sightseeing in Tower Hill - where two princes were said to be murdered..

Hoxton Bar and Kitchen - introduced Jeremy to my New Zealand workmates that came over to London with me in December.

A lazy Sunday afternoon..

On our last day in London before we went to Barcelona, we spent the whole day walking by the Thames River visiting different sites on the way.  Ended up in Sketch near Oxford St in the city to unwind..

We also stumbled upon this fountain where water shoots out from the ground creating 'water jails'.  Jeremy and I decided to play around it, quickly jumping across where the water was going to shoot up, stayed in the 'water jail' for a while and quickly jumping out of it when the water stopped shooting up.  I was a bit slow...Jeremy jumped out quickly but then water started showing up and I panicked and got trapped for AGES!!!

We also ended watching Les Miserables, a famous play depicting the French revolution.  It was an excellent play for me because I understood the music and the story.  But poor Jeremy found it hard to understand...which was understandable I guess, I sung cabaret and play music in Cape Town, so I knew the background...it was very difficult to understand for someone that was not familiar with the music.

Barcelona updates next!

No time..

Or, actually no effort.  Sorry dudes and dudettes, I spend SO much time staring at excel spreadsheets and word documents and font 4 trial balances trying my darnest to reconcile everything each freaking day, by the time I get home, I really really do not feel like touching my laptop at all!  Not to mention the huge amount of time I spend skyping with Jeremy .

I'm going to need glasses soon. 

Just a quick update.  I'm taking up proper horse riding now, I've always riden for fun but now I'm taking proper lessons and improving my techniques!  Hard work I tellz ya!

I've got proper johdpurs (riding pants), riding boots, helmet, my whip!, and my gloves now!  I'm so excited!!  However...I gotta go back to the shop to change my boots...I brought home......wait for it......

..... TWO freaking right leg boots...argh..how stupid are the store people!  Well..actually, I was dumb too for not checking!!    Knee high riding boots are actually quite hard to put on..might get ankle boots and chaps instead (chaps are protection for your shins and calves..kinda looks like a whole boot when you put it on!).

Random blurb

My hair is growing longer YAY! ^.^

I'm running 15-20 mins or walking at least an hour and a half everyday.

I'm saving money, cooking lunch for the next day etc.  Sounds healthy doesn't it?   But I have also been doing a lot of catch ups and work drinks!

One of the pros about being an auditor in one of the big fours in a western culture, especially London, are the social perks!  I belong to so many different groups:

-various audit teams (changes on average every 3-4 weeks)

-year group

-appraisal manager group (we had drinks, lotsa alcohol)

-personal manager group (we went bowling and kareoke!)

-I'm a buddy (kinda a first point of contact for first years) aswell

I literally have a work event at LEAST once every week!  Talk about saving money on dinner and booze! lol!

This one particular audit I was on last month had such a HUGE budget....we had THE most amazing audit meal at Asia de Cuba...followed by China White afterwards, one of the most expensive bars/club/restaurant in London.  Very hard to get in...but my alcohol-induced manager told the bouncer

'Hi, we have money, we're going to spend.  There is 8 of us, let us in' 

And in no time, we were in!  Its freaking nice getting into clubs when you KNOW they will let you in!  Love it!

Forgive me for the slides...if I don't use this, I will never update!!

Phew!  I'll let you guess how much the bill came up to that night. 

Clues:

Click on the weblinks above to see how posh these places are.

Dinner for 10, massive platters to share, entrees, mains, deserts.

I alone had a glass of wine and three cocktails.

Bar afterwards: 2 bottles of champagne

Chinawhites club: Cover charge for 9 persons, 2 bottles of champagne and 2 bottles of absolute vodka, we had a table.

I will buy a drink for the closest guess!  Although, it depends where you are, when I'll be in that region lol!

Windsor Castle in July

Went there with Chai Ling (Cheryl referred my number when she came over to London).  She is in London for three months for secondment from the States so she contacted me.  Haven't met her previously, but we went out for dinners and random theatre plays and get along really well!

The castle was BEAUTIFUL!!!  I have a year's pass, so if anyone wants me to take you there, I will! :)  You automatically get a year's pass if you purchased the ticket once.

Other updates if you can be bothered:

I'm moving!  Sadly, I'll be leaving Jenna and the beautiful trendy flat because of various reasons.  The main one is my landlord is trying to get us to sign a dodgy deal to cover his arse, but not ours!  I can't really disclose much on my blog, but you get the gist.

Its so freaking stressful looking for a flat!

More updates soon!!  Definately my way way overdue honeymoon with Jeremy in Europe lol!  I can use the slideshow! I know it takes more time for you guys to go through all the pictures on the slideshow...but hey, its better than me not updating at all isn't it?

Tooddeloo.