Ho Chi Minh City

My Goddess went on a work trip to Vietnam last week. Here's a look back on what she experienced there.

First, it was the yummy plane food on SQ.

Reached HCMC at 8plus. And the whole arrival hall was quiet and empty.

A first look at Vietnam.

And here's where she stayed.

And her luxurious room where she stayed for 3 nights.

Took a night walk around and saw some beautiful architectures.

And breakfast next day was a intercontinental buffet. What a spread!

Lunch was yet another buffet again. No wonder I noticed my Goddess looks different when she came back.

But look at the picture on the bottom right. The green fruit is what they call a green water apple. Notice the gigantic size of the logans? It's as big as the apple! Vietnam fruits are huge, I think I can have a full meal with just one fruit. Even the jackfruit looks huge.

Look at the evening peak hour rush! Scooters were the main form of transport there so everyone rides around in one. And all vehicles must give way to them, because in Vietnam when a big vehicle collides into a smaller vehicle, the driver of the big vehicle will be punished even if the driver of the small vehicle may be at fault.

In fact, one lane was dedicated to scooters and the other cars. Can you imagine how chaotic it is when a car wants to turn one direction and the scooter the other?

Dinner was a market visit to one of their beer gardens - a zi char equivalent in Vietnam. Of course, there has to be beer at the beer garden.

They had some time left, so they decided to go to the Benh Than night market which was nothing but a pasar malam selling counterfeit goods and fruits. Not as exciting as my Goddess thought it would be.

Another buffet breakfast the next morning!

In between her meetings, my Goddess had time to do some quick shopping. This place gives the feel of BKK's Platinum, though the offerings and prices are not as good.

Bought some clothes for her niece and nephew.

In the evening, she hopped over to the An Dong market, recommended by her future father-in-law.

Bougth cashew nuts, almond nuts, dried jackfruit and abalone at this shop. My Goddess didn't have enough cash with her and had to use her credit card!

Saw some wierd nut-looking fruits at the market.

And look at the variety of fruits they have there!

The white egg in the foreground is supposed to be chicken egg and the one in the background quail eggs. I think it looks more like ostrich and chicken eggs respectively.

And their fruit hamper?

This is how they sell seafood, putting them in pots and inserting air tubes in the pots. Even the seafood looks huge.

Nice greenery of vegetables. The only things small in Vietnam is their tomato and cucumber, and green apple of course.

Dinner was at this 'Wrap 'n Go' restuarant which serves really nice popiah wraps.

My Goddess thought the beef soup was just soup. But it turned out to be a wrap-your-own dish. These are all the things you are supposed to put in.


And this is the first attempy by my Goddess. Ugly and unsuccessful.

The next try was much better.

Yummy breakfast again the next day. My Goddess loved their congee as its really delicious~

They tried to do some shopping at a local place which sells a lot of branded clothes but at branded price. My Goddess couldn't find anything that she likes and at a reasonable price. Those that look nice can't be bargained for a lower price, and the Viets were not as friendly as the Thais to give in even as you pretend to walk away.

On herway back, she pass by a bakery. Look at how nice the bread are displayed.

And so she stopped over for glass of Viet coffee. It tasted really nice, much better than the usual coffees found here.

And she passed by an art gallery, which she was really fascinated with the beautiful works. She's so going to get one of these when her house is ready.

Some sights of HCMC on her way back to the hotel.

And finally, her last meal before heading back to Singapore. Of course, she has to have some pho, Vietnam's local dish.

Look at the number of fruits and dried goods that she bought back. Her luggage weighed 20++ kg in total all because of these. It looked like we have a provision shop here!

Note: All pictures were taken with HTC HD2 phone. Amazing quality of images isn't it?

First birthday present for the year

My Goddess received her first birthday present for 2010. And it's from her sis. So sweet of her to make something for her... It really brought back memories (though my Goddess can't remember much that happened then) and made my Goddess remember that blood is thicker than water, they will be sisters always.

Happy Birthday in advance to you my Goddess!

First step

My Goddess is taking her first step in becoming a 成功人士， She's going to Vietnam for her first work trip. She's apprehensive and excited at the same time. This is the first time she's going to be away by herself. Though it's just a short four days, she's going to be away from me, from her mama and papa and most importantly from the Horny Devil.

Well, she's going to do all she can to stay in contact. She's downloaded Skype on her HTC and will do so for the Horny Devil's comp tmr so that they can still chat for free.

Till she's back, look out for updates on her trip!

Did I tell you?

Did I tell you that Paper Polly is going to have an exciting promotion coming up soon? In case I haven't, it's not too late to know now...

First 8 shoppers to get $8 off! What a worth it deal! And it applies blogshop-wide, to be launched on 12/1/10 8.08pm, in conjunction with their 'Little Red Riding Hood' collection! So stay tune on Tuesday, fastest fingers first!

Random Incidents

NEW HAIRCUT

I got a new hair cut for the new year. But I don't like it at all. They shaved me bald. How can a girl be shaved bald? Feel so cold and naked now.

Look at my luscious hair then.

ADD ON TO LAST POST

Anyway, forgot to include in my last post that my Goddess also pampered herself and got a padi and mani in Singapore for the first time.

FRUZEN YOGHURT

There's an interesting yoghurt place that opened up at White Sands recently. It's a yoghurt factory where you can make your own yoghurt. Quite a fun process, but the owner is really smart. You will have so much fun making the yoghurt that you forget that it will cost a lot at the end of it all.

The yoghurt that my Goddess made cost $6! But the yoghurt was nice and refreshing though.

And luckily for her, they have a birthday promotion which means free yoghurt for members on the month that their birthday fall on. So this $6 cup was free! Yumz~

MEET UP WITH JC FRIENDS

My Goddess also met up with her JC friends, some of whom she has not seen for a year.

To think the last time most of them were failing their subjects and fretting about passing A Levels, or trying to get away from S.Phua their discipline mistress, they've all became very successful now. How envious~ How I wish I can be successful one day too! woof~

Goodbye 2009. Hello 2010!

2009 passed in a flash. Before I knew it, another year has passed. Looking back, it was a significant year for my Goddess. It was the year when my Goddess got proposed to, got of her flat and changed jobs.

Out of her 5 new year resolutions for the year, she only managed to complete one - Run a 10K race.

So her resolution this year would be made easier in case she can't achieve it:

1. Run another 10k run.
2. Finish her 'The Intelligent Investor' book.
3. Sleep by 12.30pm every night.
4. Put moisturiser every day before she sleeps, scrub and mask every week and face/eye mask every week.

The end of 2009 was a good time for my Goddess for she had a chance to catch up with some friends and loads of good food!

First, it was a wedding dinner on the 23rd.

Followed by tea with lover on the 24th.

In the evening, they went to an atas Jap restuarant for some mean sashimi and wagyu beef!

30th was catching up time with her CS friends.

On the 31st, she met her Twinnie for lunch a Tambuah Mas. Look at the towering Tauhu Goreng!

Then, it was followed by Avartar with Avartar blue popcorn at Suntec Eng Wah. But one peeving incident happened. They couldn't change their coke drink to lemon tea even if they paid more just because it came in a set. How inflexible can they get? They are already not getting a lot of cinema-goers because of their lousy facilities. Furthermore, when they were going to collect their 3D glasses, the uncle handing out the glasses shouted at them, "Can you please?". Please what? There wasn't even a queue behind them as they headed to their cinema early.

Now they are going to lose more because of their poor customer service. Had the show not been a hot favourite and it's sold out at GV Marina, they wouldn't have gone to Eng Wah@Suntec.

Now, she wants to write in to Eng Wah to complain. But the website is taking forever to load. Talk about a sucky 360 experience.

Look at the pathetic pizza that cost $5. It's only one palm-sized big.

The only redeeming factor is that Avatar is a nice show. But that has nothing to do with the cinema.

However, the 3D glasses were a problem to my Goddess as her lashes kepy brushing against the screen, hence dirtying the glasses. So which means she had to hold on to the glasses throughout the whole show.

On the very first day of 2010, it was photoshoot day for Paper Polly as the Horny Devil wanted a good rest for the next few days before work starts.

I miss you very very much!

But in the evening, to let themselves start things happy for the new year, they headed down to Island Creamery.

My Goddess ordered Apple Pie and Banana, while the Horny Devil this special Christmas flavour which I forgot the name (it has an alcoholic taste to it) and Reverse O. The Reverse O was too bitter for my Goddess liking. She preferred the refreshing Banana taste. However, nothing beats Granny's Favourite at Tommy's Palate. Yums~

Thanks to Kevin, they even wore a matching couple tee.

So that's how my Goddess spent the remaining of 2009 and the first day of 2010. Hang around for more adventures to come!

Paper Polly goes to flea

Yesterday, my Goddess decided to take her blogshop to flea. Seeing her move all her barang barang around made me real excited and want to be part of it.

I can finally be their spokesperson! But before a picture was taken of me, I got tired from all the running around.

Yawnz!

Ok, a better shot now

Close-up

And zoom out

Look at the amount of things they had to bring along! They had to drive a van down!!

My Goddess also shared a 2nd hand booth with her friend. The goods, sold at $5 each, buy 2 get 1 free, was so popular! Look at the number of people crowding round that booth!

By the time the flea ended, my Goddess was dead tired, with back aches. She had to hold her bladder the whole day too! It's not easy to do a flea! Luckily I didn't go down in the end!

Behind the Scenes of Paper Polly's Collection #3

The Horny Devil is still very persistent on being featured on Paper Polly. He even showed my Goddess that he's good with poses.

The sultry pose

I think I can do a better job than him. So I hung around the 'studio' waiting for my chance. And finally I got it! My Goddess decided to pose with me!

But I blinked!

Do you know the amount of hardwork that went behind the photo-shopping of the pictures? This is the beautiful after picture that you see.

And this is the before pict. Look at how much it has to be done!

Paper Polly Collection #3

Collection #3 is launched and my Goddess is really excited as all the clothes and accessories look so nice she has to stop her urge to keep them for herself!

Behind the scenes will be revealed soon, or so I hope!

Happily Ever After

Everytime I see a wedding album, a wedding photoshoot or pictures of a couple in their new love nest, I would feel very envious. I long for a wedding that officiates us as the one that will share each others' lives for better or worse, I long for a home to call our own, that I will go home happily to.

Somehow, the dream seems much farther away from reality. As we start our preparations, more hiccups and tiffs somehow just occurred. And surprisingly, they are not due to differences in how we want the wedding to be.

Is it that hard to love someone selflessly and wholesomely that you can just chuck away any pride that you have? Is it that difficult to live with someone who is just not the same as you?

I still long for that special wedding shoot that defines us as being a spontaneous and compatible couple. I still want that wedding vow that pronounces us as husband and wife, till death do us part. I still crave for that house that we share even if there are days I will grumble that the laundry and dishes are thrown all over the place, and that he will force me to go bathe when I'm too tired and want to sleep for 5 minutes only.

Hari Raya Trip to JB

My Goddess and the Horny Devil 新血来朝, decided to head down to JB for a day of fun and food!

They left the house at noon and there was a huge human jam at the checkpoint! By the time they went City Square, it was already 2+pm. They were famished then and decided to check out the area nearby for some cheap and good dim sum lunch. Unfortunately, they aren't familiar with the area at all and couldn't find any dim sum place. So they settled for herbal duck noodle instead which tasted pretty good!



After lunch, they headed to cut and colour (for my Goddess) their hair. Colouring there is at 1/3 the price here, given my Goddess length!

For dinner, they wanted to have a good seafood meal at the famous Taman Sentosa. They wanted to be adventurous once again and take the public transport. Unfortunately the bus they took that says it goes there dropped them at somewhere pretty far away! They walked and walked and gave up finding the place by foot, and decided to hail a cab too cos some alleys looked dark and scary.

Well, the cab driver brought them there in the end. And they litterally had a feast!



They were like super full and couldn't finish the yam ring and had to tabao back home! My Goddess even had a very bad indigestion after that ;(.

There was a cute cat that actually stayed under their table while they were eating.

And it even fell asleep halfway through..

After dinner, they headed home. This time they were smarter and took the cab. Too bad they only spent half a day there and didn't do much. And they overate which left them feeling uncomfortable when they left. Well, they should do this often cos City Square is so near the causeway, and the causeway is pretty near my Goddess' house!

Till then..

Upset

My Goddess is upset that her favourite hotel has increased the rates by another $100 per table. And that's excluding GST!! WTF?! Who would now pay at least $130 to attend a wedding? Not the super giam ganna relatives!!

There goes her dream wedding... boohoo~

Paper Polly Collection #2

Paper Polly has just launched its 2nd collection! Do go check it out as goods are priced at a real catch, all below $25! Furthermore, there's an additional 10% discount for mailing list members!!

The Disapointment from Promises

What happened to "The case will settle in November. They will sell their house, find their own appartment and move away"?

What happened to these words?

Where have they all gone?

Why are they still here?

What can I look forward to?

Another promise that cannot be fulfilled? Another hope that is only false?

Do not promise something that you cannot fulfill. Do not give any false hopes. You may think that you are giving someone reassurance and optimism, you are only bringing more disappointment and misery when that promise never comes.

Do not promise if you cannot fulfill it. Do not even breathe a word if you are uncertain.