Last Morn in Beijing

So... it's finally here... the last day of my 3 week long journey in China... must say that time has really passed relatively fast. In a sense, my routine here was rather similar to being in Singapore. Work really hard on the weekdays, and try to catch up on as much fun over the weekend. Have basically seen most of what I want to see here in terms of the sights. As for shopping, hmmm... I really am not the best at bargaining. I am super duper soft hearted. It's amazing how the process of buying a bag can take you up to an hour... especially if the shopkeeper is inclined to "play" the game.

Amusingly, the GM at the client's place, who is Singaporean, actually praised my colleague and me for speaking pretty decent mandarin. (Yup, I can hear everyone laughing now) But it is amazing how in 3 weeks you can switch from one language to another easily, with barely a hint of that "translation" process that goes on within you. I can even read most of the documents that are passed to me! Haha.. maybe the next job I should aim for is the Popular (the stationery store!) assignment in Taiwan! Oh well, knowing me... this chinese ability would dissapear the moment I'm on Singapore land.

For now, shall just take home the knowledge that I've gained here... it was an interesting experience, with it's own share of ups and down.

Aside: My manager actually comes from the same JC as me... but he really does not look like one, and he deftinitely does not sound like one...

In Times of Stress

Last week... things will be a tad hectic. Can't seem to finish all my work (what's new). I guess now that the manager is down, we aren't able to plan our time as efficiently as we would have liked. Oh well, it''s at times like this that we get a little "stronger" I suppose, and we are able to draw on our abilities to work more effectively and efficiently. Decided last night that sleep was more important... besides, I need at times to be psyched up for work.

Am determined this time round not to let peer pressure get the better of me... after all, if I can ramble out a blog in 5 minutes, why can't I draft an issue every 5 minutes too! Haha... let's see where this line of thought will get me.

But seriously, am thankful for all the little msn messages that come through every now and then. Nice to know that I'm not totally forgotten once I am out of the country... nice to have people bring a smile to your face when you are rather "stressed". Think I've learnt a little about myself this trip. Hmmm... hopefully I'll always be able to learn from every experience in life. It is just so easy to let yourself get carried away, losing track of what and who you are.

More photos of my Beijing trip are due... but I guess that will have to wait till I'm back in Singapore!

Beijing Adventure - Part 1

So... it has been a week in Beijing, and I had my first full day outing today. What can I say? Beijing is a tourist's choice... Shanghai is a worker's choice. In general, Shanghai is just so much more of a "liveable" city, you just won't miss home as much in Shanghai as alot of what it has reminds you of Singapore... Beijing on the other hand, is like a blast from the past... and definitely not Singapore's pass.

My sightseeing actually started on our first day at work. My client's office is located just 100m from a popular tourist attraction...

Yonghegong
Hmmm... as far as my knowledge of this place goes, it used to be the residence of Emperor Qianlong whilst he was still a prince. Later on, it got converted to a lamasery, and is currently supposed to be the oldest and most well preserved lamasery in China. Please do not question me on the facts though, I am just repeating stuff that I have heard.

Would have loved to post pretty pictures of the place... but unfortunately, was not quite comfortable taking pictures of all the million and one dieties that were in the lamasery. But a few pics that I managed to take:

That's how big the area is... and there are dieties at every gate. My colleague, who is a buddhist stopped to offer incense at every gate... what did I do? I took pictures of her doing so :)

Almost every part of this lamasery looks the same (I find out later that almost every olden architecture looks the same)... what differs are the dieties residing within these structures (99% of whom I cannot recognise). And the "highlight" of this attraction, a really huge buddha statue that made it to the Guiness book of records.

So... that was a good lunch break... and for a moment I felt like I was a tourist...

Watching the English

So... I've decided to take a break from all that work documentation to... document a book that I'm currently reading (or rather have been reading for more than a month). This book is really quite interesting despite the length of time that I'm taking. It talks about the various social habits, of who else, the English people... and how a person's dress, behaviour, drinking style, food consumed, almost everything really, can tell which social "class" the person is from. Managed to read a large portion of the book on my plane rides (note the plural), and I've found it generally quite amusing really.

So... an excerpt from the book, this one talking about choice of drink "You are what you drink":

• Working-class and lower-middle-class females have he widest choice of drinks. Almost anything is socially acceptable - cocktails, sweet or creamy liqueurs, all soft-drinks, beers, and so-called 'designer' drinks (pre-mixed drinks in bottles). There is really only one restriction: the size of glass from which lower-class women may drink beer. Drinking 'pints', in many working class and lower middle circles, is regarded as unfeminine and unladylike, so may women in this social group drink 'halves' (half-pints) of beer. Drinking ping glasses of beer would classify you as a 'ladette' - a female 'lad', a woman who imitates the loutish, raucous behaviour of hard-drinking males. Some women are happy with his image, but they are still a minority.
• Next on the freedom of choice scale are middle middle to upper class females. Their choice is more resticted: the more sickly-sweet drinks, and cream based liqueurs and cocktails are regarded as bit vulgar - ordering a Bailey's or a Babycham would certainly cause a few raised eyebrows and sideways looks - but they can drink more or less any wines, spirits, sherries, soft drinks, ciders or beers. Female pint drinking is also more acceptable in this social category, at least among the younger women, particularly students. Among upper middle class female students, I found that many had to give an explanation if they ordered a 'girly' half rather than a pint
• The choices of middle and upper class males are far more restricted than those of their female counterparts. They may drink only beer, spirits (mixers are acceptable), wine (,ust be dry, not sweet) and soft drinks. Anything sweet or creamy is regarded as suspiciously 'feminine' and cocktails are only acceptable at cocktail parties or in a cocktail bar - you woud never order them in a pub or ordinary bar.
• Working class males have virtually no choice at all. They can drink only beer or spirits - everything else is effeminate. Among older working class males, even some mixers may be forbidden: gin and tonic may just be acceptable in some circles, but more obscure combinations are frowned upon. Younger working class males have a bit more freedom: vodka and coke is acceptable, for example, as are the latest novelties and 'designer' bottled drinks, providing they have a high enough alcohol content.

So, nice to know that my choice and size of drink ranks me as a middle-middle or upper-class female... I think in Singapore I would be considered "laddish" due to that same choice of drink. Oh well... speaking of drinking, that little taste of Tsingdao beer was all I got... if not for the oil and salt content in all the dishes here, I could really actually end up returning to Singapore a healthier person. But yeah, miss the drinking sessions with the gang... especially since it's football season.

Incidentally, L appears to be somewhat infatuated again. She has a knack of meeting people whenever I'm out of the country... according to her, it's coz I'm not around for her to have beer sessions with. :)

1st Night in Beijing

Hotel sucks... this does feel more like the China I remember. This hotel is meant for the short term mainland business traveller. What am I doing here? Well, essentially, ask the client. Sighs. Room has no carpet flooring, has no wardrobe (i.e. I am living out of my suitcase). Beijing is now a steaming hot 36 degrees... in a certain sense, the change in temperature from a comfortable 23 degrees in Shanghai to this unbearable 36 degrees is reflective of the change in my environment (relatively luxurious hotel in Shanghai to this barely there hotel in Beijing).

The only redeeming quality? I am still somewhat near the city centre (but not anywhere near any convenience stores), and there is still free internet access (albeit at a much slower rate). Oh yeah, and I am really near the central food street.

Most ironical thing? Laundry is way more expensive here as compared to Shanghai... it is gonna cost me SGD 3.00 to wash a t-shirt... and in this sweltering heat, I don't think I have much of a choice. Darn! There goes my per diem.

My Shanghai Exploration - Part 2

Saturday in Shanghai is gonna be labelled Shopping Day for me... because that's what I did! I was a tourist through and through, and went to all the touristy spots with my trusty camera (plus a wallet full of cash).

First, stop... chen huang miao, or City Temple. As we were going to places in Shanghai "blindly, both YY and I thought that it was just a temple... never did we expect an entire shopping district, olden style. All the infrastructure seems to have been taken from a period drama set.

Check out this olden style Starbucks

So YY and I got our first taste of shopping in the Beijing 2008 souvenior shop... what did we buy? Hmmm, the recipients will know when they get their little presents.

We did visit the temple in the end, and offered our prayers... to a diety which I really do not recognize. This temple was a tad different from the temples which I remembered, I guess because it's now so commercialized with people taking pictures everywhere.

Next stop? Xiangyang market. Don't have any pictures of it, really... mayhaps coz we were busy trying to get the best bargain, whilst fighting our way through the crowds. I think Singaporeans are considered easy prey here coz the starting quote given by the stall holders are the same as what they give the "ang moh" tourists. Perhaps we really should not speak English all the time... Nevertheless, YY left the market as a proud owner of a big pretty pink bag (it really is very pretty) and a jacket. According to the store owner, XY market is being checked very frequently, thus all the "warehouses" are located rather far away from the market area. Quite glad I got to see the market anyway... considering that it is going to close down by the end of the month.

On the way to XY market, I came across this shopping centre.


Can you imagine? An entire shopping centre dedicated to bridal shops. And this is by no means a rarity here. Throughout the stay, I came across many long stretches of bridal shops... Hmmm... are there that many young couples here?

Ended the day meeting up with L. As usual, he had a whole entire group of friends with him... looks like some things just don't change, regardless of geographical location. Had really good Japanese food for dinner (of course, L knew the owner of the establishment), and then it was down to the pub (where else) to watch soccer in ENGLISH! Cannot really describe the bliss I felt, listening to the english commentary. :)

One final comment about Shanghai... I can't find any nice tasting xiao long baos!!! In our pursuit for this classic Shanghainese dish, I think YY and I ate it every single day! In the small eateries and at the restaurants... Our conclusion? The one at crystal jade tastes the best... and I really don't wanna see another xiao long bao in a long long time.

My Shanghai Exploration - part 1

Hee... Sunday morning, feeling lazy, so I shan't go exploring the area. Instead, gonna slowly idle away my two hours before I need to depart for the airport. Have decided to upload my Shanghai pictures instead!

First of, the pleasant surprise which was my hotel room...

Not too bad for just SGD 50.00 right? :)

Did not really have a chance to explore Shanghai during the work week, but... I did get to experience the public toilet syndrome. For some reason, there are little toilets situated along streets for ease of use.


My first glance of the vibrant nightlife in shanghai was Friday Nite when we visited The Bund... the shops are really really huge. I think Shanghai has lots and lots of Paragon like shopping centres, but the size of Ngee Ann City... and they are all empty! I cannot see how the common employee can afford such goods... But this stretch on Nanjing Road is really a city of lights... very cosmopolitan, and very colourful.


But my favourite shop on this whole stretch? Well, of course, the shop that sold bags :)


Did not actually buy any bags that day... as much as they look pretty on the racks, they are a little too bright and vibrant for my liking... prices range from SGD 10 to SGD 150 or thereabouts.

Peer Pressure

Gee.. I have spent so long out of this industry that I cannot quite remember how hardworking my fellow colleagues can be. It's a Saturday morning (sort of), and I've just sent my version of work to a colleague. And although she was supposed to have finished her work yesterday (at 6pm no less), I've discovered that she was working till the wee hours yesterday, and is still slogging now. Reason? Because I was still ploughing away at my documentation.

I find this phenomenon really amazing... at this rate, neither of us is going to see any bit of Shanghai as we are going to be competing with each other to clock more hours. And seriously, I know I am never going to win this battle. After all, why work when you can play? Managers are meant to raise queries, so no matter how much more you document your work, there will be questions raised. Oh well... we shall see how this progresses.

Another group of colleagues are down in Shanghai as well. However, they really seem to be working hard (until 5am this morning). I really cannot help but to wonder whether our deadlines are really so impossible, or is it that all of us just delight in spoiling the market. Now I must know how my old colleagues in SCL must have felt. After all, in a company where most people knocked off at 5.30pm promptly, there was always a group of us that kept working till 8, 9 consistently...

So, I resolve to just keep to my own schedule for the rest of this trip and not be stifled by the peer pressure. At the most, will just endeavour to be more productive during the official working hours (plus a couple of hours overtime, of course). I need my beauty sleep (else I am just so grouchy), and I really do want to experience a little of Shanghai and Beijing. As nice as my hotel room is, I don't really wanna spend forever inside it.

Day Three of Shanghai, Day Two of Work

So it is day three in Shanghai... and I have not seen anything about this place!!! Purportedly I stay somewhere near the city centre, and my client's office is even nearer still... however, for some reason or other, I have not seen anything! Mayhaps it has something to do with the somewhat tight deadline that I have... mayhaps it has something to do with the fact that my colleague is a tad ks, and she would rather order room service, have lunch in office, etc rather than go out and take a look.

Tight deadlines... gee... I find myself wishing that all business trips were like my trip to the US. This is more akin to my Japan trip whereby I'm bogged down by never ending work... except that for this case, it may be to do with the fact that I am so unused to the language, the standards, the regulations, etc. But we make do.. :) I have already shocked many a client with my atrocious chinese. Instead of getting better with practice, it actually gets worse coz my brain gets tired with all the translations.

Just ran off to have dinner by myself at Macs (my colleague ordered room service)... and the Macs here is so cheap! A Big Mac meal costs only S$3.20... I was amazed... and yes, I gulped down an entire Big Mac... it's cold here so I have to eat more (excuses, excuses, excuses). On the way back to the hotel, I stopped by a roadside fruits store... boy was I so happy. I bought 1 jin of cherries and it only cost me S$2.40, and my bunch of bananas cost me only S$0.80... so yes, on top of my Big Mac, I am happily munching cherries now. You know how in Singapore you have to carefully pick and choose to ensure that all the cherries are in good condition? Well, here, you can just carelessly pop them into your mouth.

All right... time to go slog again... I'm still undecided about how I feel with regards to my internet censorship.. I have problems with hotmail, but I can msn virtually anywhere due to the abundance of wireless network... I can blog but I cannot read my own blog... I can't send personal emails, but I can't send office emails too (at least not everywhere).

1st day in Shanghai

So it is day one in Shanghai... and I am beat even though it is only 10.30pm (actually, that's pretty close to singapore bed time for me). The flight was really turbulent... and the pilot disproved my dad's theory about how ang moh pilots make better landings (coz the landing was really bumpy)

Am at the hotel now... and I'm really happy coz it has unlimited broadband access! Internet does make travelling that much more bearable (I dun need to worry about hefty phone bills). After the initial fears that the client has put me up in some dingy Hotel 81 like hotel (daily rate is only SGD 50.00), I am somewhat relieved to see that I've gotten to stay in a rather decent lower end business hotel (slogan of the hotel is "hotel experience at motel prices"). All in all, am rather pleased with my room... and am praying very very hard that my Beijing hotel would be similar.

Have no idea where in Shanghai I am at... there are no shopping centres around (except for one really atas shopping centre popping out of nowhere), so I figure I may not be spending too much molah here (yeah, I get to save my per diem)... Gonna have dinner with an ex colleague tomorrow, then it will be hard at work, trying to do all my documentation / issues by Friday (boss wants to review file *sighs*). Hopefully, will be able to spend Sat exploring Shanghai before running off to Beijing... hmmm... might just be able to make this trip into a mini holiday after all.

A Proper Date!

Well well... time flies, and I'll be embarking on my first business trip for this job tomorrow!!! And it really is going to be a long trip... 3 weeks! Am still struggling with my luggage... there is so much that I want to bring... and yet, I have to keep in mind the limited capacity. *sighs*

Jules was rather sweet about this trip... and about a week ago he requested that I spend some time with him this weekend *Awwww*... and he brought me out for dinner yesterday. *double awww*... think it has been a while since we've gone for a "date-ish" dinner (except for a certain special incident a month ago), and that made yesterday extra special!

Dinner was at Halia Restaurant, which is located at the Ginger Gardens at Singapore Botanical Gardens. Although everything was really dark, I really liked the ambience of the place. Thanks dear for going all out to find a place that I've never been before. The food was average... but I liked my warm chocolate cake... and the surrounding more than made up for it. We even went for a walk after dinner... so altogether, it was a really good dinner... it felt like a proper date! (Hmmm... maybe he read my previous post about dating)

Being back at the Botanical Gardens brought back quite a bit of memories... and I figure, this must be one of the rare spots in Singapore whereby it's just nice at all times of the day. Remember coming here when I was a kid with the parents, remember being here in the dating years and I've often found it rather romantic (excellent place for an evening picnic with wine)... but yesterday was my first foray at night, and I found the place still filled with charm.

Fascination with 8 days and it's penultimate page

For the past couple of years (and I use this term "broadly"), I have faithfully bought a copy of 8 days every weeks (the exception being overseas trips and hospital visits). On a yearly basis, I've considered subscribing to the magazine and having it delivered to my house. However, time and again, I've decided against it... why so? Perhaps it's because I enjoy the act of grabbing the mag from the makeshift store uncle / auntie just before I embark on my MRT ride.

So what has grabbed my attention over the years? Hmmm... I must admit that TV junkie that I am... my first and foremost priority is to read the drama series sypnosis. Even though I've not really "followed" any drama serials in a really long time (since uni days), I still tend to enjoy "following" the series via the written word.

The next draw? I suppose that since Jules inists that I'm a confirmed gossip... I do really enjoy reading the "infotainment" pages, gasping over the latest celebrity get together / break ups, and typically how slim the celebrities look in the various fashion events. But the highligh of the week definitely goes to the penultimate page. Interestingly enough, I've realized that many of my friends have not actualy read about the adventures of Jason, Amanda and Saffy. I suspect this is because the layout of the pae is jammed filled with words. But for fans like me, a page is never enough. For years now, Mr Hann has kept me entertained on a weekly basis wit the antics of him and his really good friends. Perhaps they are a tad exaggerated, but I think he often describeds the past times and way of thought of my group of friends, namely, chilling out, stoning, complain and guy gazaing... So yeah, I stronly recommend reading the penultimate page for a weekly dosage of laughter.