Philin' Good about e Philippines 2

It got too comfortable.

Us in Manila, lounging around in the house, eating family dinners, entertaining lil Sachi, watching the strangest reality tv shows.

Too cute!! No wonder we can't leave xD

And that's when you know it's time to go. So we went.

We took the night bus up to Tuguegarao, and crashed Uncle Freddy's place (and life). We went spelunking up at Callao Caves, then drove up to the northern coastal town of Aparri to catch the sunset along the sea. There we bunked in at Uncle Freddy's friend's home (who in the great fashion of filipino hospitality vacated his entire house for us to stay), bought fish from the local market and cooked it for a nice beer-and-dinner.

Midway we dropped by Aunt Naknak et al's farms, and had tons of fun in the 'shoes', i.e. barefeet of a wet rice farmer. We bathed naked in a passing river, planted a disarray of rice seedlings knee-deep in mud, harvested coconuts from a bat colony, ploughed through maize plantations, and, of course, i got thrown off a carabao. So what else is new?

This is a carabao...in case you were wondering.

The lowlands didn't satisfy our appetite for adventure. We bus-ed up and up long winding roads, across undulating hills and into the deep mountains. Banaue, a little village tucked neatly on a mountain where rows of rice terraces grew, with native bridges running across the river valley, tin-crusted houses hanging for dear life onto cliffsides, and a slow peaceful atmosphere to soothe our hearts.

It reminded me of Sapa, perhaps just without the ubiquitous ethnic tribal costumes. But you still fall in love with the town easily, and I regret not having the luxury to explore every nook and cranny of this rustic hamlet.

Ever had an entire town black out for the whole night, with a candle to keep us company? All it takes is to rain, and Banaue cuts off all electricity, blanketing the village in complete darkness while the moon hides behind mountain peaks.

Yet that was the most refreshing sleep I had for awhile, possibly due to the fresh air and quiet night.

When morning came, it was accompanied by the cacophony of a gazillion dogs, pigs and cockerels, ringing loud through the valley. We washed up and rode over to a nearby mountain, where we'd embark hours on foot, up into the clouds and then down towards the greatest of the UNESCO rice terraces, Batad.

No mean feat, btw. I'd advise good shoes, light baggage and a healthy heart. But it was well worth the hike.

A hidden emerald in the valley

Walking along the rice terraces, feeling the beads of richly yellow wheat, you can't help but feel that you don't love rice as much as it really deserves. Eons of carving steps and building mud foundations, just to grow little strips of rice and corn - food truly is the essence of life. Some of these villagers really have been living the same way their ancestors lived, with nary a modern comfort but the sole immersion in a life within a mountain valley...

We climbed across the terraces, for we searched for another famous hotspot - the Tappia Waterfall. Honestly, I never thought much of waterfalls. Seen a couple here and there in my travels, meh. But, no. This one really stunned me. It was so beautifully carved, right snuck above a field of rocks, and it begged to be swam to. Which is really dangerous due to the undercurrents, of course. Still, when we saw it roaring above our heads, we promptly stripped down and dived into the racing river, till we stood right in front of it, a torrential stream of water. A stream of beauty, actually.

Will post pics up from Karl. But we lounged lazily on the rocky riverbed before the time creeped on us - we had to get back to our initial hiking point in 2-3 hours to catch the tricycle back! And I acutely realized my lack of fitness as we did a more exhausting climb back to Batad, and then across the mountains again. Whew! 6-7 full hours of rough hiking got us really, really bushed by the end of the day. We retreated into a coach for a long overnight haul back down towards Manila.

I thought I'd really miss the serenity, the halcyon calm of these hidden hamlets. And I still do, badly, but two weeks had flown by, and we drew close to the end of our trip.

Though much of Luzon still remained unexplored, I think I'd satisfied my wanderlust for now! It has been a thoroughly refreshing trip of brand new experiences, and makes me count the Philippines as one of my fav in Southeast Asia now, alongside Vietnam. I'd love to come back again and enjoy the blend of nature and civilization, the rich culture, the great hospitability of the people...

What do you know? It's more fun in the Philippines! :)

Philin' Good about e Philippines

Back from the Philippines!!

Enjoying the hospitality of many Filipino families? Check.
Knees deep in mud planting rice in the fields? Check.
Getting thrown off a carabao onto the riverbed? Check.
Hiking hours across rice terraces and rocky rivers to swim to a waterfall? Check.
All in two weeks with $250, a backpack and an open heart!

I have to say, it has been a very, very unique backpacking trip this time round. Throughout the trip, i have been deeply immersed into local culture and hospitality, perhaps more than any other trip so far. I feel less like a passing visitor, and more like a guest family member. Recounting the trip, there has been a fair share of adventure and excitement, relaxation and fun. Enough memories to last me till the next time i visit Aunt Biki's side of the family in Davao, Mindanao!

After a couple of years traipsing through mostly developed terrain - Europe and U.S., and the rising economic powerhouse China, I had almost forgotten the chaos, the confusion of the developing world. Enter Manila, and it floods your senses with nostalgic turmoil. Your eyes, muddled from the dizzying crowds of people and traffic. Your ears, incessantly disturbed by noise, pure noise. Your nose, choked up from wisps of pollution and street food. Your skin, steadily irritated by the sun, the dirt, the anarchy.

Welcome back, I thought to myself with a smile.

But first, I pray I will not be kidnapped. Because now I wait at the airport exit, hour upon hour, for a man I have not met before in my life, nor barely know from the meager testimonials he has on CS. A man with whom I have planned to travel two weeks in the Philippines, and will be staying with tonight. No address, no contact number, not even a face! All I know is that he'll be wearing a white shirt and blue berms, and carrying a blue 60litre haversack.

Why, dear God, why must I do this to myself, as my head ached from my recent fever. Eleven pm in Manila and without a definite place to stay. 'Thrilla in Manila' indeed! Nothing but a risky plan and a hope, as always. Always the same hope, the same faith... in the magic of serendipitous encounters, the wondrous chaos of Life.

It paid off. I met Karl, his cousin Naknak picked us up to her house, where her whole family showed us great hospitality... and the rest, as they say, is history.

Our days in Manila, mired by the rain, still found us touring around the walled old ruins of Intramuros, shuffling between a dizzying array of public transport from jeepneys to MRT, and learning its rich history and culture through museums like Ayala and Rizal memorial.

My favourite part, our family excursions to Taal Volcano (a lake within a volcano within a lake - quite a mouthful I know) and Laguna's famous hot springs! Definitely must-visits for the entire family.

If there is one way to truly experience what's unique in an Asian culture, I now know it to be a live-in with a family, and engage fully in day-to-day activities and the occasional weekend excursion. I love the karaoke culture, the lovely spreads of picnic food, the thick extended family relations, the love for reality tv, etc etc...

And I suddenly remember my parents saying, 'Why don't you go with a tour group? You'll see all there is to see". They never get it haha. I don't travel to see. I don't travel to do. I only travel to feel, to learn... to live.

And finally i feel so much alive again.

Peace and Love, Reus

It's been a while, but i felt like digging up my diaries and journaling the rest of my Portugal-Spain trip, haha.

I arrived in Reus, a small rustic town off Barcelona. It's the birthplace of Gaudi, though i believe he was attracted more towards the big-city glamour of Barca!

Imagine my surprise when I was greeted by my host Blanca and her diving instructor David with a very hearty..."Selamat Datang!" Haha. Both of them are avid travelers too who've had their fair share of adventure in Asia, including a months-long biking trail across China! Definitely want to try that someday too, wow. 

We drove around for a bit, to return their diving equipment. Blanca has been taking diving lessons, to prep for her trip to Madagascar perhaps - she's going with some frens to volunteer and teach there for a year or so!! Along the way we even had a little accident with the local traffic police...but i can't really remember the details now haha.

Last stop for the night: home sweet home in Reus! Out of all the hosts I've had, Blanca had one of the most memorable homes. It was a small, cozy one-room place, intricately decorated with books, drawings, a plethora of stuff with a very personal feeling coming through - i could really begin to see what kind of person she was in the home she's built! 

I remember the little kitchen where there was barely room for two, and the fridge choke-full  of home-grown vegetables, from green pepper, chilli, onions and potatoes to carrots, long beans, tomatoes. Blanca actually tends to a small garden patch together with her other friends, and they just love harvesting them fresh for their meals. If you've never seen home-grown veggies btw, they look nothing like in the supermarkets! In fact i had a hard time identifying some of the veggies as they were in the oddest shapes and sizes.

Anyway I made dinner for us both, braised pork belly with green pepper, and vermicelli with carrots :-)

Yummy~ i hope!

 The next morning saw us taking a ride to nearby Tarragona, the capital of Catalonia with some very Romanesque ruins, from Cyclopean walls to an astounding amphitheatre!

 Managed to catch the weekly flea market by the Cathedral- an awesome experience! 

An amphitheatre by the sea - what an entertaining spectacle it must have been ~

We had a light breakfast, then snuck off for a long ride across the hilly roads of Tarragona, the scenery marred by industrial structures like power stations, processing plants. But the deeper we went into the mountains and valleys, the further we abandoned modern civilization ... until we reached the castled town of Montblanc, nestled away among the rocky Prades Mountains.

Our destination: to have a nice picnic at Blanca's frens Guillem and Cristina's house, which was still further hidden away in a nearby barren village! We first met up with her other frens Edgar and Eliz, and then shopped for groceries and lunch. Sadly Sunday is truly not a day for shopping, and only one muslim mom-and-pop store was open for us to grab some drinks and snacks.

Upon reaching Guillem's house, my eyes completely widened. Here we had a concrete blockish house that looked exactly like a hermit's adobe! Imagine it surrounded by spiny bushes, a reserve water pool, and no grid electricity or water supply - i can't imagine a closer reference to the olden times of Spain!

Reminded me of Heroes I's ogre adobe!!

If i were to choose one coolest place out of all my travels, this is it. 

Guillem, a DJ schooled in old-school traditions, housed hundreds of vinyl records and an inhouse music system in about one-third of the adobe. The other two-thirds comprised of a counter bar where flies buzzed about in the hot, dry air and cushy sofas to lounge in. We had live DJ music on his scratch pad (which Guillem taught me to experiment on - really really fun stuff to try!), and later more of their frens came to join in the picnic. Absolutely memorable sights, sounds and smells that are still coming back to me now!

Oh, something i forgot to add: besides Blanca and Edgar, none of their frens spoke english. Everyone was speaking Catalonian most of the time :)  Talk about non-verbal communication! Haha. I'm amazed i still managed to fit in somehow, as we lazed and chilled in the fun picnic atmosphere.

As evening approached, we took a quick tour around Montblanc, climbing up the old Roman fort walls. There, the setting sun cast our shadows across the town beneath, and the breeze and the bronze light cast a warm feeling in our hearts...

I guess this was the time when it struck me... that Life is long, and meant to be enjoyed, every single moment of it. To me Blanca embodied this life philosophy perfectly, in living life to the fullest yet with the deepest sense of hope, faith and love that it does not end tomorrow, but will go on forever. How vast, varied and interesting life can be! You can be anyone you want, do anything you love, and not feel the least bit of regret about it.

Yes, it was then that I felt my perspective on life has truly opened up for me, telling me that I can live life the way I want, not the way society dictates. I can lead different lifestyles and assimilate different cultures, i can explore many options on the places i'll go, the things i can do. I can slack like a bum or overwork for a cause. I can fail, cry, laugh, hug, inspire, pause, learn, read, play, go broke, seek help, volunteer ... and find fulfillment and happiness in my own life anyway.

Because Life is long, and meant to be good.

She has never voiced this out, and in fact we have never communicated that well in the sense of words and sentences due to her still learning english. But i could intimately feel her way of thinking, her way of life. It felt so deeply touching, and yet so comforting, to listen to her share her thoughts and experiences as though they were the most common thing in the world, when in fact it is so, so rare especially in this modern age of material greed and egotistic self-pursuit, a global village of disconnected individuals, a world where, so they say, Life is short.

Blanca, means white in Spanish. 

To me, she had truly brought the colour into my life perspective, like the brightness among darkness; an undying hope for a better life, a better world.

As I snuggled into the mat on the last night of my brief, yet life-changing trip in Reus, i was probably thinking...

Me siento agradecido por el regalo, Blanca.

One Night in Beijing, Two in Shanghai

Back from a grueling winter in Beijing and Shanghai, China! Pictures here.

I spent Christmas snuggled under the sheets, feverish and sneezing from a cold in the hotel. Not very merry indeed. And New Year's Day saw me climbing the Great Wall and leaving a trail of snot...haha.

I really loved the Great Wall though, it left me the same feeling as the Grand Canyon... 'Wow.' I must go back sometime and take a few days to walk and camp through the Wall...hmm is that allowed? They don't have patrols at night do they...

I feel like I still barely know China after having toured around the Jiang nan area. We were brought about to skim the surface of cities, a touristy ride through attractions and whatnots. But i still enjoyed getting a glimpse of how locals live, from the way they dress and walk, to the houses and shops they inhabit. The tour guides of course fed us loads of fun facts and themed stories, with the occasional historical tidbit. At the end of the day, I do not feel as though I have understood any of the great cities we have breezed through.

I breeze through Life not with Wind. - George Bernard Shaw

The propaganda was surely laid on thick, from the guide's resolute exhortation that we were 'people of China with Singaporean passports" to the incessant reminder of filial piety to our parents, our grandparents, whoever that could justify buying a new silk pillow, a kilo of green tea leaves for. I am proud to say that our group has bought it all and fulfilled every shop's sales quota along the way. My contribution to the table: $8 for a bottle of pearl cream that stun my eyes horribly after applying it like a facial mask. Well done.

I will never forget the impressive sales techniques practised on us, like we were little white mice rolling on a wheel. I have a true admiration for this art - it truly is an elaborate art - of putting thoughts into the minds of others. Kinda like Genjutsu, only better.

I especially like how we are so good at rationalizing things...religion and superstitions, all buttressed by half-truths and fallacies. Another thing that was rationalized - the Suzhou Industrial Park, gave me more food for thought. In the ever-present dilemma between development and conservation, we always talk about the benefit for the lives of the many versus the detriment of the few. In reality, it's a veil in disguise; very often it's not the majority oppressing the few, but rather the few with many oppressing the few with little.

It has still been a refreshing, enriching trip through and through, and I am grateful for this grad trip that has enabled me to reconnect with all my BCG coursemates. I pray the memories we have forged together stands strong like the Wall :)

Experience, Barcelona

The Media always gives you a distorted picture of the truth.

A brief snapshot, to be precise, of a long chain of events, bits and pieces that form up history. If you didn't know any better, you would probably come up with a perception shaped exactly by pictures, videos of the dramatic incidents shown by the Media. Yet the only way to feel and understand the present is to be there at that very moment.

The world, 2011, has seen the Arab Spring, and in Europe, a long summer of discontent arising from the financial crisis' still ongoing reverberations. I was there, ignorant and unaware of the historic Spanish protests recently. All over Madrid, and later Barcelona, young people demonstrated against high unemployment and the political establishment. What better way to feel the current situation than to live with my 20-ish host Joan, who is a university graduate and yet, like many of his peers, can't find a full-time job in one of the economic capitals of Spain! He had to accept a pay-less internship now for months, and survived on his own savings over the years.

With his friendly, happy-go-lucky predisposition, however, Joan isn't pressured into signing up for any of the protests - yet. But who knows how many disgruntled young adults facing the same predicament are readying themselves to take the streets. Spain's growth is lagging behind that of Central European countries and unemployment is at over 21 percent, the highest in the European Union. While unemployment under 25-year-olds in Spain is at a staggering 45 percent. 45 percent! That is a LOT of unhappy people, folks.

My first few days in Barcelona, I explored the city with a different slant. Walking down from the Arc de Triomf to Ciutadella Park, I witnessed a labor demonstration against the Catalan government, with blazing banners, loudhailing crowds, guards with tommyguns. Chatting up some of the protesters, I found out they were showing their discontent with some of the labor laws being proposed in Parliament today.

After all the MPs entered the building, they dispersed without any fanfare. Hum. So that's what a protest is about. It sure looks scary, but it really didn't feel so. In fact, just a few steps away, the protestors marched past a group of toddlers at play.

Scarryyy.. maybe not.

Cute! 

 I feel that there is so much information lost, from being in the moment, to written and visual media. Even an accurately captured video footage cannot convey every nuance of the atmosphere, the tone, the feelings at play. There is never a substitute for personal experience, i guess.

Anyway. Back to Barcelona. I scurried through the city with the local walking tour groups, and was lucky enough to get to know a Spanish guy from Madrid, here on vacation! That's basically the first thing i do - grab someone who speaks the local tongue (well, sort of... Barca speaks a closely related Catalonian actually). It just makes it so much easier to explore and understand the city, the culture. We managed to get a great tip on a local food joint (from an old lady, no less!).

I still count it among my favourite food experiences...Especialidade de la Casa during lunch time, a completely crowded little shop that is absolutely hidden from the masses of tourists filling the streets of Barca! In fact, it doesn't even have a signboard outside. I ordered (well, my friend helped to order - ) a sandwich: Lomo, Serrano, y Pimientos, with some Morcilla and fruity rose wine to go with it. All less than SGD10, too.

In the evening, I got to meet and know Yana's two Barca local friends, Eduard, an archaelogist, and his girlfriend, a singer. They treated me to an evening at the Poble Espanyol, admiring the musical fountain performance, Font Magica, and having an amazing Tapas dinner (at a cheap joint for students of course!), with dishes like Jamon Iberico, Tortilla espanola, Morro del Cerdo, and of course Sangria for drinks. A perfect way to spend a comfortable evening with new friends, local food and simmer in the culture. Oh, and they reminded me to grab some preserved ham for Yana, and to send their regards to her back in Munich!

Self-shot Fail. 

Sometimes I wonder why all these european friends I've met seem to hold such interesting jobs and interests. I mean, archaeologist? Singer? Not to mention: DJ, Madagascar teacher, etc, etc... Singapore's career choices seem dismally woeful by comparison. I'm pretty certain a standard of living should be measured not just by economic well-being and freedom, but also socio-cultural freedom, personal freedom. Just by being here and talking to people, I feel like i'm slowly being weaned off on my ignorance of the wider range of choices out there, be it in work or personal aspects. It's a liberating feeling... and I feel happier just by this knowledge that I can live out my life in so many, different ways.

Well, to sum up the rest of my Barca trip...i went to the beach with a couple of female couchsurfers (pictures censored), caught Messi in action at Camp Nou, hanged out with leather-clad tough bikers at the Harley Days exhibition, then took the train to Reus to meet a very, very interesting host...

But that's another story, for another time :)

Travel, Portugal

One fantastic thing that travel does to you is to free you from your comfort circle and your old self. I feel most at ease speaking to strangers then, who of course no longer feel like strangers... since now the whole world is your home, and all its peoples your family. So it came to be that in Guimaries, the birthplace of Portugal, I got to meet Atty and Hieke from the Netherlands, who brought me licorice, Dutch pancakes and good company :)

We explored Guilmaries, a quaint medieval castle town, as well as nearby Braga. There we crashed a regal church wedding and listened to riveting, melodious choir music... till humorless guards chased us out. Crap. And then off we were to Lisbon, the capital of Portugal!

I find that it always makes things easier traveling when you have someone who speaks the local tongue. But we can't all travel with some hyperpolyglot! My favourite solution: just keep looking till you find that person :) In this case, Joao, a brazilian named after John Paul the Second, fell right into our lap. Speaking Portuguese fluently, he led us through the town and introduced us to some cultural tidbits: Brazil's history with Portugal, (in)famous kings and rulers, 5-years-old tuna, fava beans and famous salted codfish. We ventured to a meaningful district, Belem, where we tasted the Original Portuguese eggtarts (Pasteis de Belem), and refind the excitement of the Age of Discoveries, where luminaries like Christopher Columbus, Vasco da Gama paved the way for the New World... the Americas.

Somewhere along the way, I realized that my knowledge of European and American history and famous figures was essential for me to understand, appreciate and enjoy the sights and scenes all this while. Now where did i pick this up from? Not from school, where I hated history lessons. No, i have historical games like Colonization and Civilization to thank for teaching me about everything from the discovery of the New World, the European Wars, even cotton-growing, to wonders like the Colossus, the Sistine Chapel. These were perhaps the most educational games I have ever played. Games that make history come alive.

Anyway. At night, we had a most memorable meal of Dutch pancakes with bacon and cheese, and my very own veggie soup dish :p

The next day, I was already off to Barcelona. Sunny weather, beautiful beaches and FC Barca, here I come!

Leader, Portugal

On the spur of the moment, I borrowed some money, packed my bags and flew off to Porto, Portugal, where I started on a two weeks long trip across Portugal and Spain, right smack in the middle of the semester.

I arrived at twilight, and met with Carlos, who ran a chain of gaming hardware shops in Porto. I felt his kindness and considerate hospitality in no small way, and we talked freely, randomly I might add haha. Carlos had just started to host, and had not actually ventured to travel afar often. Yet I sensed his budding wanderlust and interest for travel, and expect him to come by SG in the future!

To me, the most astonishing thing about Carlos is that he is completely close pals and buddies with his employees. In my last night, I was introduced to them over dinner (which they had nicely treated me, a most memorable traditional northern Portuguese food Francesinha!) Miguel, Favio, Daniel, all colorful characters that I will have a hard time forgetting! It was so much fun talking to them, and picking up tidbits about Portugal along the way. We even played Texas Holdem poker at night, where I got eaten like a newborn lamb :p

Regardless, I wish to take away this simple principle of his: there is no more effective leadership than that which bonds your people with you. I remember vividly my experience in chairing Hall FOC, where I worked hard to forge my own leadership style. I later identified it to be servant leadership, when I saw how it resounded deeply with Pat Williams’ book The Paradox of Power. Yet I still have a long way to go, to bond so closely that there is no difference between the leader and the follower; only you and I.

I also meditated on the past times when I was led, both good and bad. The last time was traumatic, perhaps one of the worst experiences in my life; yet it enabled me to personally feel the effects of bad leadership, and to strengthen my resolve never to fall in these footsteps. I admittedly committed the same mistakes before, and I may have regretted it then but now I swear to myself: Never again. Never to alienate, to put down, to injure.

We all learn, and forge our own identities. I recognized myself to act at times like a driver type too, forceful yet tactless, or an analytical worker, methodical yet unassertive. Now I aim to abandon all rigidness, and to adapt my style to the situation, the cards in my hand. There are no bad cards, only bad players. And though everyone might know this principle and be able to spout it freely at the tip of their tongue, few ever internalize this truth of life in the way they think and act, or realize the full significance of its meaning.

When we played poker that night, I survived till the very end, then lost with my hand of cards and all my chips.

Well.

Not bad, for a start.

Pause

It is a silent, silvery night in Dubai, where I await my flight back to Singapore after having arrived here from Munich.

These past six fleeting months have been the most fruitful, growth-inspiring period in my life. I have scarcely a moment where I am not tormented, excited, stimulated by events, environment and the people around me. I will hopefully pen down my learning thoughts over my travel journals in my next entries, but it is hard to contain the rush of ideas, the recall of memories and experiences so alive they seemed to have happened yesterday.

It feels strange now, to reflect on my past self, a distant person, a blurry image of haphazard purpose and characteristics. At this moment, I have never felt more defined, as a person, a living thing. They say travel is a journey of self-discovery and exploration. For avid travelers, it might not be the most magnificent of stunning views that stimulates the mind, but rather the simplest of thoughts. Thoughts that inspire, thoughts that are inspired.

I guess, this is the path that I took in my exchange. I ventured, I sought new experiences and inspiration across Europe, deeply engaged in introspection and conversation with people from various cultures, various spheres of society. In return, I sacrificed many things which I deeply regret. I lacked the time to fully know and understand my newfound friends from all over the world. I lacked the commitment to pursue various computer science classes, which had finally began to interest me. I lacked the focus to truly develop a particular skillset, be it coding, socializing or leadership.

But I have grown, in a deeply meaningful way. And I pray to retain this modicum of wisdom in the journey of life ahead.

Travel

Due to a strange twist of events, I am now crashing in Paul's room, stranded on a narrow, musky mattress :p It feels that time is fleeting by so fast here on exchange... 5 months in the blink of an eye, and a month left for exams and my last bout of travels. I just have to to write something about my thoughts and feelings before i forget them.

Why am I on exchange? Why do I travel? What do I seek? These have been constant questions plaguing my mind since the start. I don't know why, but despite my parents' lax upbringing style, i have grown to constantly enforce pressure on myself. To be conscious, judgmental of my thoughts, cognizent of my actions. Perhaps it was those Enid Blyton books i read during childhood days, and their traditional value system ringing throughout. Or RI's environment and high achieving culture.

Regardless, i am not satisfied with the typical answers: We travel to see the world, broaden our horizons, for the cultural experience, to understand and appreciate similarities and differences between people. Blah blah blah. To me, these are mere words with surface meaning, simply fashionable statements that should make anyone with sense go nodding in agreement. "Ah true." "Yes indeed."

What does it actually mean? How much truth does it actually hold? Among all the friends and travel mates that i have met here, i have seen more the desire to sightsee than the hunger for cultural knowledge. I have wandered for hours alone in Barcelona's museum of Catalunya history, but been almost trampled at London's daily change of guards. I have been 'wasting my time' joining locals at outings to their favourite, unknown places rather than fulfilling completist dream checklists of things to do, places to see.

What do they want, what do they seek?

Well, I am glad to couchsurf. To me, that is the loveliest point of traveling, to meet the locals and really get to feel the local culture. More specifically, i want to crash headlong into a little microcosm of life within that society, to get a glimpse at my host's life.

I saw how free some led their lives; my last host never worried about how to get rich, only how to live richly. She never worried about her future, only how she can help herself and others in the present. She never worried about how to make it big, only how to do something small with great love. She is one of many who have taught me about what life is like, what we can, ought, must, should, would, and most importantly, love to do.

She is one of many, and they are all inspiration in my life.

Why do I travel? What do I seek? Perhaps i will never stop asking these questions. I might never be satisfied with the answers i give myself. But i will always find consolation that i have seen more now. I have seen so much more, and understood a little better.

Thank you.

UKulele in UK 3: Encounters with the Hairy Coo

Twenty-seventh May, 2001.

I stumbled out of the overnight bus, frazzled and bewildered, a tad tired from the long ride. Time to begin grabbing bus and train brochures, then to decide what to do here in Scotland. I had originally planned to go to the Isle of Skye, a far-off island off the northwest coast via one of the greatest railway journeys of the world. Still, I decided to wait till i first met my host here in Edinburgh to make further plans.

Walking out of the station, i stood awed by the sight of the city. Scotland proudly presented its crown jewel, Edinburgh, Athens of the North, to all who entered its wild lands. The architecture and layout, the way the streets ran up to the Royal Mile was, to me, the most beautiful and refined of my travels thus far. I walked up the streets full of Gothic, neo-classical feel; later I found out i was in the New Town, a rich, intricately planned district still built centuries ago. I reached the railway station, and in the distance, Edinburgh Castle loomed majestic atop a sheer cliff, reigning over the picturesque Princes Street Gardens.

What a city. What a city, really. I made a call to my host Andy to arrange a meetup time, then headed off into the Royal Mile. (An old man who curiously served in the British Army and was in Singapore before WW2 showed me the way. He promised to come visit Singapore again and witness its modern transformation.)

If there were ever an equivalent of les Champs-Élysées in the UK, this would be it. A fine, cobbled avenue, ageless yet modern, running down churches, restaurants, souvenir shops up to the Edinburgh Castle. Dozens of little streets, or closes, ran by its side, waiting for the adventurous to venture and explore. Each told a different story, as derived from its name; Fisherman's Close, for example, used to lead to a seafood market.

I hitched onto a free walking tour, and it took up through delightful tales as we wandered through the Mile. From the Eleventh step, to the national food and drink, right down to the reason the Nor Loch was drained to form the Princes Street Gardens (and why a hundred female corpses were found decaying inside!), we relished the deep, interesting history of the city.

I met up with Andy, and putting Edinburgh aside for the moment, we took off on a train headed for North Berwick,which used to be Andy's hometown. I finally fulfilled my dream of visiting a small seaside town :) We explored much of the place, trying out local foods and checking out the sights. Wish i had gotten onto Bass Rock, where seabird colonies lay breeding at this time of the year. I did climb up to a volcanic rock ridge though, where i spotted puffins nesting among crashing waves! But i couldn't get too close to them, since it would disrupt their breeding environment, so i left after a glimpse.

Along the way, Andy and i had a great time sharing cultural information, from politics to economics to lifestyles. I am still amazed that he is just 18, the same age as my younger brothers! Now if only they were as mature and knowledgeable...

Edinburgh remains one of my favourite cities, not least because it is just so easy to lose yourself in its winding alleys and dingy shops, where you always expect a lovely surprise, perhaps a rustic book shop or a hidden foodie heaven. Its old city quarter is so small I have probably ventured through it at least eight, nine times, each being a different, riveting experience. Edinburgh, on foot. A must.

I shall always remember, too, a most memorable trip through the Highlands of Scotlands, foraging through spiny forests, luminous Lochs or lakes, and medieval castles, all on a bus modelled like a cow. Introducing... the Hairy Coo, the most amazing FREE tour ever. Comes with highly knowledgeable, humorous and friendly guide. Lunch at a wee bit town with fantastic local food. What's the catch? Nah, there's no catch. Where did your faith in mankind go? (p.s. Remember, don't follow the herd!)

My cousin-in-law Chen recommends Edinburgh at New Year's Eve, where the fireworks blast majestically over the Castle. Andy and Jack propose August till September, when the world-renowned Edinburgh International Festival takes place, and the Royal Mile is transformed into a bustling street of arts and performances.

Well, just take it from me. Edinburgh is good January till March. Also July to September. Maybe October to Dec. Let's not forget April to June too.

Heck, come any time of the year. You will still fall head over hairy coo in love with it :)

UKulele in UK too: family bliss

Lichfield, a short, fun detour to enjoy quality family time with cousin Eileen, her husband Chen and my lovely nephew and niece Kieran and Caitlin :)

I still remember fondly the fun times i've had with my cousins during our childhood days. Playing real life-scale checkers with Janice, Diane etc, sleeping to softly playing classical music with Joshua, being showered in a rickety tin hut by Sis Ah Girl, and playing hide-and-seek in a black room with glow-in-the-dark stars with Jason, Ben and my brothers...

But i remember nothing with cousin Eileen. Non, nada, nein. Well, she is many, many years older than me!

I'm glad then, that we made new memories in UK, as we shared the tremendous ordeal of the day: babysitting little rascals Kieran and Caitlin :) I'm still pretty sure they were more well-behaved than i ever was though. Anyway, i hope they will remember these times when...

-the tent fell down on us.
-they got thrown high into the air when i jumped onto the trampolin.
-i trickled water from a watering can on them in the local pool.
-they watched (and i listened to) the 247th viewing of Toy Story.
-we learned the trades and lifestyles of 18th and 19th century English industry at Shugborough. (they probably only remembered the goats and cows)

Thanks to Eileen, Chen and their bundles of joy, i felt completely refreshed and at home, the first time since i left Singapore in Feb/March. Nothing comes closer than family, and i fully enjoyed every moment of their hospitality :) Also fulfilled my dream of going to a small English town with brick houses and countryside greenery!

Anyway. If you ever visit Lichfield, the must-sees are: the Lichfield Cathedral, Shugborough Working Estate, and two of the most adorable kids in the world.