F.A.T

Fleshy. Chubby. Elephantine. Pudgy. Plump. Swollen. Whalelike. Rotund. Obese. Gross. Corpulent. The list is not exhaustive. I could go on and on listing words that are associated with the notion of being FAT.

I fear putting on weight. Not because I am fat. But for someone whose weight has never hit over 50kg in her entire life and hovering around 44-46kg since in my twenties, gaining an extra kilos of flesh can be quite detrimental emotionally. Like any painfully vain bimbo, I embrace the idea that being slim is beautiful. Before anyone points his/her finger at me and accuses me of being a bitch who ridicules at inflated human beings, let me clarify that weight issues concerning others do not bother me at all. In fact, I think some people who have more flesh than usual do look beautiful and stunning. And I am envious of the fact that they have boobs.

I've gained a few pounds of flesh since my move to Algeria. For the first 6 months here, I've lost a considerable amount of weight due to several reasons such as difficulties adjusting to the new environment, lack of variety of food, missing home etc. But ever since I returned to Algeria after my trip back home in July, my weight has increased. And it has been heading north since then. On my recent trip back home in October, my grandmother-in-law told my mum-in-law that I was more fleshy. My mum-in-law then complimented on my weight gain and that I looked better with more flesh. But I was rather disturbed by the flattery. My ex-students whom I met up with also commented that I looked chubby in the face. That really upset me. I spent a good few hours staring at myself in the mirror the next day and asked myself life's most perilous question - AM I FAT?

So a few days ago, the same question started bugging me again as I've been feeling bloated from over consumption of carbs and chocolates. I decided to scrutinise the pictures of myself taken months ago and compared with the recent ones. Yes. It's confirmed. My face is rounder and chubbier. The pictures said it all. Alas, a catastrophe has befallen me.

Project "Celebrate with a Child"

Christmas is a time to celebrate the spirit of giving and sharing. So on Christmas day, each of us (me + the hubby + hubby's colleagues) invited 1 kid to join us for Christmas dinner at our usual pizza place in town. There were 12 kids in all. We rented a bus to pick them up from home before heading to town.

It was a night filled with joy and laughter. The kids enjoyed themselves and loved the goodie bags filled with candies. The smiles on their faces brought joy to all of us. It was indeed a very meaningful way to celebrate Christmas. I'm looking forward to next Christmas. Hopefully we could include more kids the next time round.

Group pic before heading to town.

Let's dig in!

Christmas logcake in Algerian style.

My driver, Ammar, and his daughter, Nabila.

Me with the lovely gals, Amina and Fatiha.

I love this pic! Look how happy they were. Too bad Taufik wasn't smiling.

(Left to right) Amine, Mohamad, Jason & Hussien.

Group picture before we said goodbye.

It's Done!

Yay! It's done! Not the prettiest tree around but at least I have a Christmas tree on my first Christmas in Algeria.

HAVE A MERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS
& A FABULOUS NEW YEAR!
MAY THE NEW YEAR BRINGS YOU JOY, PEACE & LOVE ALWAYS!!!

Mee Siam

I attempted to cook mee siam for the very first time. The results?

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WOO HOOOOOO!!!

SHOIK AH!!!!

*SLURPS*

Christmas Tree

Today is a happy day. My driver brought me to the mountain to chose a Christmas tree. I have been pestering the hubby to get me a real tree for weeks. I finally got one this afternoon.

It isn't the most good-looking tree but I chose it due to its manageable size. The ones which I initially wanted were all tall and huge. It would be a tedious task for my driver to unearth it and carry it to the car. And from where we were, it wasn't exactly near to the place where we parked the car.

My driver working hard to unearth the tree.

Mission accomplished.

The locals do not celebrate Christmas. There's no way we could get Christmas decorations for the tree. So I have to make them myself. Mostly, I used aluminium foil as the main material. I made a star out of a cardboard and wrapped it with aluminium foil. The star was placed on top of the tree. I also crushed the aluminium foil into balls and hung them on the tree. I intend to add a touch of gold to it. It's a little too boring with silver all over. So I'll be getting ferrero rochers and hanging them up on the tree. After Christmas, we could all enjoy the chocolates. I haven't bought the lights yet and will get my driver to buy them from town soon.

I was rather satisfied and happy with the progress I had made for the decorations this evening. I thought the tree looked lovely. But the hubby's colleagues obviously thought otherwise. While I was away, they sprinkled flour onto the tree to give the 'snow-on-branches' effect and drape serviettes all over it. They even added scraps of unwanted paper on it. How creative is that? I wasn't angry. In fact, I thought they were rather cute to come out with such an idea to 'surprise' me. I supposed men will always be boys somehow.

I haven't removed their masterpiece yet. I have decided to showcase their talent and creativity for a day more.

That's the boys' masterpiece. It doesn't look too bad from the pic eh.

Eh Mister!

Eh Mister!
Would you please grow up?
Don't be a whiner when your fat belly growls.
The belly is yours.
The responsibility is yours.
So stop all the complaining
And act like an adult.

Eh Mister!
Would you please grow up?
Your mind is corrupted.
Your breath smells like trash.
So clean up your act
And give others their due respect.

Eh Mister!
Would you please grow up?
Your yakkati yakkati yak has ended.
So let's not start another round.
Speak only when you are told.
For the noise would only do damage to the soul.

Eh Mister!
WOULD YOU JUST GROW UP?!?

Blackout for 18 hours

Last Sunday was the coldest night I had experienced in my whole life.

The weather was cold and wet that day. And of all day, we had to live without electricity that night. The blackout took place at about 10pm. There was pretty much nothing we could do except to go to bed and hid under the duvet. And to show how cold it was that night without our electric heater, I had on me 3 layers of clothings excluding my thermal wear and wore 2 pairs of socks.

The hubby began his symphony of snoring once he hit the bed while I tried very hard to get into a slumber. My attempt was futile. The harder I tried, the more awake I was. It was simply too cold to fall asleep.

At around 1.30am, there was a sudden deafening sound of rapid succession of beats on the roof top. The sound was unlike the pitter patter of the rain and yet it sounded familiar. I thought it might be a hail. I got out of bed to check and true enought it was hailing! Overwhelmed with excitement, I woke the hubby up. The hubby went to the front door to confirm what I had told him. When he opened the door, what lay before our eyes were hailstones on the ground! I couldn't help but squeal with joy as I witnessed hailstones raining from the sky. It was the second time we had a hail!

I could not remember when I fell asleep but when I woke up the next morning, my eyelids were heavy and I felt as if my whole body was frozen. There was still no electricity and it was pouring outside. I refused to get out of bed and decided to be a polar bear that hibernates during winter. At about 2 plus in the afternoon, I finally quit being a polar bear. The sleep proved to be too much for me. I could feel there was a dent at the back of my head.

I tried to read while waiting for the electricity to come on. At about 4 plus, we finally had electricity! I was overjoyed! Imagine living in freezing cold for 18 hours! I hope I won't ever go through such torture again!

My Hero!

"Are you at the dentist? What did the dentist say?" I sent an SMS to the hubby. After about 10 minutes or so, my phone peeped.

"Wah! Took out already! 10 sec. Can't talk now." I would imagine the whole procedure to be rather frightening not to mention of extreme pain. If I were in the hubby's shoe, I doubt I would have the courage to let an Algerian dentist extract my wisdom tooth. I just don't think I would be in safe hands. My hubby is truly brave! He's my hero!

So after several hours, the hubby came home a mute. Once he stepped into the house, I bombarded him with numerous questions which all suggested one main concern I had - if it was safe to extract the wisdom tooth. I read on several websites that there could be some complications involved removing a wisdom tooth. The nerves could be damaged if not done properly.

Unable to speak, the hubby nodded his head and replied a weak 'Yes' and 'Ok' just to assure me that he was fine. He then took out his wisdom tooth all wrapped up in tissue paper. I know I run the risk of sounding like a bimbo but I have to say the wisdom tooth looked rather huge for a tooth. The first reaction was an "eeeekk!" followed by the must-take-pic reaction. So, here's a pic of the hubby's wisdom tooth.

Isn't it huge? Are all wisdom tooth about the same size?

Later that evening, the hubby made a confession over dinner. The hubby told me that his heart was actually palpitating wildly when the dentist was about to extract the tooth. I asked him why. He said he was afraid that it would be painful. When I heard that, I was laughing secretly inside my heart. "Heehee...u also scare of pain!", a voice sounded in my head. Then I told myself, "Never mind lah! You are still my hero!"

Eve of Eid al-Adha

My friends and goddaughter donated some stationery for the kids studying in the primary school near my place. So I decided to give them these lovely gifts on the eve of Eid al-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice). In Singapore, this day is also known as Hari Raya Haji. I thought it was a perfect day to celebrate the spirit of giving.

Besides the stationery, we also brought with us chocolates. The kids were so happy to receive the gifts. I could see the joy on their faces which made me even happier. Some of them even remembered to say 'thank you' - something which I had taught them when they received something from someone. I was really delighted. I felt like a teacher all over again while I was in the classroom. It is truly a blessing to give than to receive!

Posing for the camera while receiving the pen.

Doesn't she look sweet?

This little cheeky monkey is absolutely adorable and he's definitely good at posing for the camera.

It's Raining Ice!!!

I experienced my very first hailstorm on 2 December, Tuesday. The pellets of ice which were like the size of a M&M choc landed like marbles on my rooftop. In a split second, the pitter-patter intensified and became deafening. I stood by the windows, taking in the sight and sound of my first experience of a hailstorm. In less than half an hour, the ground was covered by a layer of ice. It looked as if it had snowed. Beautiful!

The beginning of a hailstorm. Can you see the hailstones amongst the gravel?

More hailstones raining from the sky.

It was starting to look like snow on the ground.

Footprints on the ground which seemed as if the ground was covered with a layer of snow.

Noise Irks Me

yadda yadda yadda yadda...yak yak yak...

The mouth never ceased to shut. It was constantly moving - Opened. Closed. Opened. Closed - in a monotonous manner. How unexciting!

All these yakkati yakkati yak are pure fluff. Would you just shut up and do your job? All the noise you are making fail to impress me.

Now, for more interesting details worth mentioning. A stylish leather jacket. A satisfying kebab meal and stunning night scenery on top of a hill on a freezing night.

A hidden gem we discovered on a hill at Tlemcen.

I Want to be a Farmer

About a month ago, I scattered some tomato and capsicum seeds on my flowerbed. The plants began to sprout a few days later and now they are growing pretty well. It takes 100 days for the plants to bear fruits. I need to wait for another 2 more months before I can see the fruits of my labour. I bet the tomatoes and capsium will taste sweeter and better than any others. But on the other hand, I'm wondering if this is a suitable season to grow tomatoes and capsicum. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

That's my small little flowerbed which I initially intended to grow lovely flowers. I ended up planting vegtables cos I want to be a farmer.

Farmer J trying to look hardworking while loosening the soil.

Another Farmer J who is Farmer J's assistant NOT pretending to be hardworking but was taking his job very seriously.

My Thoughts

I've been thinking alot about Shin lately. Shin is not a friend of mine. I do not know her yet her story touches my heart and makes me cry. Her story reminds me of my mum and confronts my fear of dying a slow and painful death.

Shin has breast cancer twice and so did my mum. Since the day my mum passed away, I have been living in fear that I would someday suffer like my mum did and eventually die of breast cancer too. I try to shake away that thought from time to time but my attempts are always futile. At the end of the day, I'm still haunted by it. I reckon there's no way I could rid that fear within me. Perhaps the only way is to accept the fact that human beings do get sick and eventually die. That is life.

This morning, as I lay on my bed, I thought of my mum. I remember her bringing me to a family living opposite my block of flat in the morning while she worked as a laundry lady. I remember the outfit she wore when she attended my primary school story telling competition which I took part in. I remember how my mother helped to support the family by bringing odd jobs home to do. I remember the times she brought my sis and I to Toa Payoh where she would buy us new clothes. There are many things I remember about my mum and I'm glad those memories did not fade away as time passes by. On the contrary, images of my mum become more vivid.

Each time I think of my mum, the guilt in me resurfaces. I have probably never told this to anyone except the hubby. I feel guilty cos I was never a good daughter when my mum was sick. As a fourteen year old teenager, I was self centered, selfish and insensitive to my family needs. I cared more for my friends rather than my mum who was dying. I did not share the responsibilty of looking after my sick mum with my sis. My sis was the only one who took good care of my mum while she struggled to study for her 'A' levels. My sis probably hated me for this but I don't think I would ever know. We never talked about our feelings towards my mum's death. Even after so many years, I find it hard to talk about it.

I wonder if my mum did blame me for being a selfish brat. If she did, did she ever forgive me? Was I forgiven? There's no way I can know the answer now. I wish for a day when my mum would appear in my dreams and tell me that I was forgiven and she still loves me.

Back to Shin's story. Hers is a story of courage and hope. Read it and hopefully you will learn to live a life of no regrets. http://shinscancerblog.blogspot.com/

You've Got Mail

I spent the afternoon writing Christmas cards today. You must be thinking I had written a huge bag full of cards. The truth? I only had less than 10 cards. The lack of efficiency was partly due to the fact that I was distracted by the documentary showing on TV. Another reason was I had difficulty penning down my messages. It has been a long time since I last sent out a Christmas card. Besides 'Have a Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year!', I couldn't think of anything else.

I remember during my primary school days, I used to make a list of friends who would receive my Christmas cards. I would go shopping for Christmas cards and be intrigued by the wide array of designs. I usually took a long time to chose the cards, making sure that my best friends would get the best designs. Those who were categorised under 'just friends' would receive the 'not too bad' ones. Such effort in chosing cards and categorising friends! Ha!

I can't remember when I had stopped sending Christmas cards. As I grew older, the excitement of buying, writing and sending Christmas cards gradually died off. I guess I didn't have the time to shop for cards. Besides, it's such a hassle to find out my friends' home addresses and to buy stamps. There's always the most convenient way of sending Christmas wishes via SMS or email. There's no need for snail mail anymore.

But there's something heartwarming and special in receiving a card in the mailbox. That irreplaceable feeling puts a wide smile on my face. I feel loved. It may just be a simple card but I fully appreciate the effort in sending it out.

This Christmas, I want to revive sending my Christmas wishes by conventional means. I hope my family and friends would feel the same way as I do when they find that little envelope filled with love in the mailbox.

I'm Back!!

Finally! An entry almost after a month! I'm back to being the bum cum cannot-make-it housewifey which explains why I'm finally blogging.

I spent 2weeks back home and I wish it had been longer. There were so many things to do and some of them I didn't manage to accomplish. I didn't even visit my dog and I'm still feeling guilty about it. I'm a bad mommy. Period.

I brought back with me 65kg worth of toiletries, food and stationery. Isn't that impressive? Fortunately, we didn't have to pay for the extra 25kg cos we were entitled to an extra 30kg. Thanks to frequent flyer program. I have the license to bring back more stuff from now on which means I can set up a mini ali mama shop here already. It's a good way to earn some extra pocket money since I'm jobless. Hmm...

I've stashed away all the food in a cupboard. Every now and then, I would open the cupboard and admire the colourful packagings. That's when my face would crease into a smile. I feel happy by just looking at all the food I've had, especially the junk food section (Yes! SECTIONS! You've heard it right. I've organised the types of food I have in sections.). It's like I've gone grocery shopping in Cold Storage/NTUC. The experience is simply exhilarating!

I'm not sure if anyone out there feels the same way as I do. Maybe I'm just being weird or food deprived. Anyway, I'm absolutely ecstatic with all the food I have. I can cook up a storm in the kitchen! I can stuff my face with all the junk food! I can make jelly! I can fry keropok! Woohoo!!!

I'm Innocent!!!

The mayor came and created an uproar. In the end, the donkey was pulled away to somewhere safe.

Apparently, some inhuman Chinese nationals bought a donkey and kept it at the back of the kitchen. They were planning to kill it and serve it to all of us as lunch/dinner. We, the Singaporeans, did not know anything about the donkey until the mayor came. Some Algerians (I suspect he/she must be one of the kitchen helpers) had obviously told him and hence, he came to rescue the poor donkey.

I was appalled when I learnt about the shocking news. I couldn't believe anyone could be so cruel to kill a donkey and eat it! And they were planning to feed us (Singaporeans) with it without letting us know what it was! Well, perhaps they could stomach a donkey but definitely not us! This is absolutely barbaric! What's more! The poor donkey was left in the torrential rain for several days before the sky finally decided to clear! How could they have the heart to mistreat a living breathing thing!

Now, I'm seriously going to scrutinise the food I eat, question what they are and where they come from. Or I can boycott the food from the common kitchen.

The Chinese nationals have definitely earned themselves a really really BAD reputation. HUGE. BIG TIME. They are infamous for eating dogs and now I guess, they could add donkeys to their menu too. And the bad thing is the Algerians think that we, the Singaporeans, are like them. I seriously wanna wear a huge sign board around my neck that says, "I'm innocent! I don't eat donkey!!!"

I Miss Summer

The weather’s been wet and cold for the past few days. I could hear the angry waves crashing against the shore in the wee hours while the wind howled. For several nights, I lay wide awake on my bed, shivering with cold and wonder if the hubby and I would be attacked by a tsunami. If we did, we would never have the time to run for our dear lives. We live less than a kilometer from the beach.

Yesterday, there was a drastic change in weather. The sky was gloomy all day but it didn’t rain. Instead, we had a mini sand storm. The wind was strong and warm. It was uncomfortable staying outdoors. Not only did I feel dusty all over, at some point, I felt suffocated by the warm air. Besides, everything from afar looked hazy. It was my first experience of a sand storm. Thankfully, it was just a mini one. I wonder what would happen if a real sand storm comes knocking on our door. Nah. I would gladly give that a miss.

Rainy Days & OranguT-A-N-G

There's a new programme on TV whenever it rains. Here it is:


So just a few hours ago, I couldn't watch TV and the internet was down. So basically, it was back to good old primitive days when technology didn't exist. But the good thing is, I don't have to water my plants on rainy days.

Now, the rain has stopped and I finally get to watch TV. I'm watching a programme on saving the Orangutan on 101 East. The narrator irks me when he says 'OranguT-A-N-G'. Why can't he just pronounce OranguT-A-N? Repeat after me, please. 'O-RANG-U-TAN!' Get it?

Is it October already?

It seems not so long ago that I experienced my first winter in a foreign land. Then spring came along, followed by the bright summer sky. And now, it's autumn already. I couldn't help but shudder at the thought of how fast time has slipped by. Very soon, we'll have to usher in the brand new year.

The past 10 months were filled with many memories which would take more than a lifetime to fade away. I would never forget the first few months in Algeria - the fear of walking on the streets while men stared at me hostilely, the frustrations of having to adjust to a new environment where time stood still 10-15 years ago, the many times I cried cos I missed home terribly, the first experience of a bitter cold winter and the excitement of exploring new places. I doubt I would ever have such an adventure if the hubby and I hadn't decided to move to Algeria. I remember a few of my friends were skeptical of our decision. 'It's a hardship posting, isn't it? Are you sure?', they asked. I cannot deny that at some point of time, I was indeed unsure of our decision. It is afterall a 'not-so-galmorous' place to work in, considering it a third world country. Besides, terrorist attacks are common. Will it be safe to live in Algeria? But the hubby and I eventually stick to our decision.

This may sound cliche but living here has made me realise how fortunate I am. The folks here lead a simple life. For some, a difficult life. Taking a shower may be a luxury for some. Having mineral water to drink is pure bliss. Being able to attend school is a blessing. For many, it's a struggle to even provide the basic necessities for their family. I looked at the household appliances I have in the house, the food in the fridge, the cartons of mineral water at a corner and asked myself, 'Is this a hardship posting?'. If it is, then life would have been more than miserable for these people. Indeed, I am and we are ALL very fortunate in many ways compared to the folks here.

I'm glad we made the decision to move out of our comfy little paradise. It's a paradise here as well - just a different kind from home. It's a good break for me from the usual routine back home. I get to do whatever I like and I'm thankful to be able to travel too. And I get to spend more time with the hubby. Afterall, we only have each other here. =)

So, it IS October already! And that's good news! Cos I'm going home soon! YAY! I can't wait to see my family. Another 16 more days to go! WOO HOO!!!

This is one of my fav pics I took during my first few months in Algeria. It's a pic with sheeps grazing on green pasture and the deep blue Mediterranean Sea merging with the blue sky. It was beautiful.

Good Samaritan

A friend of mine from SG decided to do something for the kids in Algeria after she saw the pics I uploaded in Facebook. This afternoon, I received her parcel. She got the kids some pens, pencils and cute little toys which she bought during her trip to Bangkok. Before she sent the parcel, the kind soul asked what I wanted from home. So I requested for Korean instant noodles. And that's exactly what she had sent me. Thank you so much, babe! The Algerian kids thank you too!

I couldn't stop smiling when I received the parcel. =)

A note and Korean instant noodles for me. That made my day!

Cute little toys for the kids. I was contemplating if I should keep one for myself. NAH!

Pens and pencils for the kids.

Sinfully Yummy!

This is seriously some wicked stuff I bought from M&S in London. It's extremely chocolatey (as the name suggests) and fluffy on the inside. One bite and it's pure heaven! It's sooooooo.....yummilicious! I could finish one whole tub all by myself. Sadly, I'm into my last tub. I hope they are on sale in M&S back home. I'm gonna buy more and bring them back to Ali Baba Land. Now, did I mention I put on weight already?! Argh...what the heck!

This is so good everyone has to give it a try! Trust me!

Mourning

I'm sorry I wasn't by your side
To hold you and to say my last goodbye
You were such a loyal companion
Weathering through the darkest days in my life
And sharing my joy when the sun shines brightly in the sky

I'm sorry I didn't take good care of you
I didn't mean to leave you behind
I wish I could turn back time
To let you know you are always mine
But that would forever be an unfulfilled dream of mine

A good friend from Singapore sent me a pic of my dead cactus.

May you rest in peace, dear cactus.

Vroom! Vroom!

Not yet! Although I imagined myself speeding on a highway.

I had my first driving lesson this afternoon. My driving instructor is none other than my ever patient hubby. I learnt how to change gears, control the clutch, the accelerator and the brake. The engine stalled a couple of times and twice, the wheels were 'stuck' in the sand. The hubby had to take over the wheels and help me out. Other than that, I was an expert moving like a snail at an average speed of 20km per hour on 2nd gear. I so very much wanted to step harder on the accelerator but the hubby instructed, 'Don't accelerate! Don't accelerate! Step on the brake!'

I did a couple of rounds along the beach and eventually drove back home. I would say I did pretty well as a first timer! Yay!

Changing gears.

Making a turn.

Cruising along the beach like a snail.

The 4x4 pickup which I drove.

Paris & London

I woke up this morning thinking that I was still in London. In a state of semi-consciousness, I dreamt of the lavish state banquet held at Buckingham Palace, the magnificent St Paul's Cathedral, the fun filled Thames Festival, the musical which set me dancing and the breathtaking panoramic view of the city from London Eye. I murmured to myself I had to return to the lovely city of London. And of course to Paris too - the city of lights which is bursting with romance and beauty.
I was in awe all the time during the Europe trip. I was amazed and completely blown away by the grandeur and stupendousness of the architecture, impressive monuments, great works of art and stunning beauty of the seductive city. I adored the sound produced whenever a Parisian or Londoner spoke - so refined, soothing and captivating. I'm in love with Paris and London and I'm very certain the memories I had will linger for many years to come.

Here are some of the highlights of our trip.

The Eiffel Tower, Paris' very symbol. The hubby and I queued for at least 1 hour to get tickets to the tower top. During the long wait, it drizzled. It was kind of romantic waiting in the rain. The view from the tower top was magnificent. But we didn't stay too long as it was terribly cold with icy wind blowing right onto our faces.

The Seine which the Parisians call the lifeline of Paris (la ligne de vie de Paris).

View of the glass Pyramid from inside Musee du Louvre.

Notre Dame - The Cathedral of Our Lady of Paris. Pope Benedict XVI was in Paris on the day we visited Notre Dame. A mass was held that morning but the hubby and I watched it on the TV instead. While in the cathedral, I felt an incredible sense of serenity and calmness.

Musee d'Orsay - the first museum we visited in Paris. I could not help but marvelled at the sheer stupendousness of the museum.

The av des Champs-Elysees is lined with super sized chain stores and luxury fashion houses. I've heard others said, 'If you are in Paris, you have to buy LV!'. True???

Arc De Triomphe. The hubby and I climbed a long flight of spiral staircase to get to the viewing platform. It was a darn good workout. I was out of breath when I reached the top.

Tower of London - London's old symbol of blood and gore standing on the Thames. Many famous Englishmen had lost their heads at the Tower.

The Tower Bridge which is located just near the exit of Tower of London.

Night view of The London Eye. The hubby and I took the London Eye and was blown away by the breathtaking night scenery of the city.

View of the Big Ben and Houses of Parliament from the London Eye. And there's also the Westminster bridge and the River Thames.

The majestic Buckingham Palace. I so wanted to witness the changing of guards but unfortunately, it wasn't gonna happen that day. What luck!

The St Paul's Cathedral. We climbed a total of 528 steps to reach the Golden Gallery on top of the dome. The Whispering Gallery left a deep impression on me. A whisper spoken against on wall of the gallery can be heard 32 metres away on the other side of the dome. It's amazing!

HAIRSPRAY rocks! The hubby and I had a super enjoyable night at the musical!