Odyssey to the centre of Europe 1 - Pretty Prague

Quarter of my trip down and just discovered live-blogging from European trains. Better late than never. Sometimes it's cathartic, at other times, strangely poignant, recalling our travels as we zoomed pass giant wind-farms & golden fields of rural Austria. 

Marvelous European railways

Our first day was a seemingly endless day of cruising at 35,000 ft above sea level as we tried to sleep on the huge Lufthansa Airbus. Thankfully, we drifted off into a dreamless sleep as we were fatigued from 2 weeks of wedding prep & festivities. Frankfurt airport was ruthlessly functional but forgettable. At least I managed to clear customs (always a few minutes delayed compared to Singaporeans that I am traveling with). Don't these people know where is Malaysia?

The cathedral in centre of Prague Castle

Quoting from our guidebooks, these fertile soil is also sites of famous battlegrounds since medieval times. Blood had been shed defending the glorious Austro-Hungarian empire. But mostly, the empire blossomed from the times of the Spanish Hapsburg to the First World War. 

Beautiful vista of Prague

Before my mind began to wander back in history, maybe I should record down the chronicles of our recent foray eastward across the plains of the Donau Valley (Danube River).

This is Vltava River, not the Danube..with Charles Bridge in the distance

On our second day, a quick connecting flight brought us to the ancient capital of Czech Republic..Prague or Praha. Weather was sunny, with brisk chilly wind reminding us that it's autumn after all. Apparently the town is always brimming with tourists from all over the world, eager to explore the castle, the bridge and the clock. 

Elegant houses of Prague

Prague castle looms large over the city's skyline with the spires and buttresses of St Vitus cathedral piercing the blue sky. This is the largest medieval castle in the world according to lonely planet if you count the entire corner of Hradcany as part of the castle. To me, the abandoned castle with no actual inhabitant or a royal family is such a melancholic relic. 

Smaller bridges of Prague

Charles bridge across the Vltava river, on the other hand, seems so lively and functional as it spans the giant question-shaped waterway that is the lifeline of Prague since it's foundation by princess Libuse.

View from the riverbanks of Vltava River, Prague

Steamers, ferries, paddleboats gently sailed from the riverbanks as we strolled slowly pass the meandering waters. Alas, the inevitable jet lag overtook us and we retired early into our hotel on the Katerinska in the Nove mesto.

Malostranska subway station, Prague

After all, we were looking forward to our first time on European trains. So, bright and early on the third day of our sojourn, we say hi to stately, proud Vienna with majestic Habsburg castles, museums and pretty parks bathed in stunning autumnal colours.... 

Habsburg Castle complex, Vienna, Austria

to be continued...

This is being grateful...my Phuket escapade

"What do you mean by you cannot check us in? We have a flight to catch!"

And there goes my vacation...actually, the end of my vacation. Being stuck on the dreamy vacation touristy island of Phuket ain't too bad, just that the airport was abysmal and I need to get back to Singapore (there is always some life-saving business to attend to, u see)...

Anyway, the extremely hectic month of April (yes, the duo terror of exams and research report) was interspersed with this gift from our hotel in KL. We flew to Phuket for a pre-wedding photoshoot with one of the most eminent photographer in the wedding circle in Malaysia, remarkably un-prepared and casual for 2 OCDs. Needless to say, being spontaneous means we thoroughly enjoyed our care-free, unpretentious cheerful photo-session -  with major credits to the ever-professional Jim Liaw and team.

I suspected I may have sabotaged myself by getting an outfit totally unsuitable for my shape/size but who cares when you are actually enjoying a photoshoot - and to be truthful...it has been a long, long time since I've gotten so much of fun in front of the camera (normally we're the ones behind it!). Of course there was this fleeting sense of envy when I saw how the other beautiful brides looked in their long, flowing bridal dress but all sense of inadequacy was washed away on the remarkably warm, clear seas of Kata beach as we jumped into the water during our final shot; totally splashed sand all over the semi-formal attire. Ah, the bliss of thrashing a dress in the sea. Hahaha!

Thailand is of course well known for flowers and upon arrival to Hilton Arcadia Phuket, we noticed there were fresh flowers everywhere. We asked for some as accessories and we were immediately given some. Thumbs-up to Hilton hospitality!

The flight to the island was extremely pleasant and we were the first couple to arrive as we travelled on an earlier flight from Singapore. Weather seemed excellent in early April. Only rained on the last day as we leave the island.

We were armed with not one but TWO lonely planet book on Islands & Beaches of Thailand, and a special laminated map of Phuket for the remaining part of the trip. Highly-recommend the map. The books aren't that helpful, to be fair.

This is the (in)famous Patong beach - sun, surf and sex(trade) all souped-up in a heady haven of hedonism. This is where I learnt the phrase ping-pong but didn't see the show. We also noticed the amount of male tourists outnumbering everyone else in this town.

It was also the Phuket Motorcycle week so the whole town was jam-packed with tourists, bikers and their accompaniments (read:hot bikes & gals).

In the meanwhile, i also took one whole day off to settle some work - sounded crazy - but I was supposed to hand-in some assignments right during the vacation. The mysteries of life as a hyperactive cilipadidoctor ain't easy :-P

As a reward, we went to Phang-Nga bay. Initially, we thought we could do some sea-kayaking. Turned out that the majority of the arm-work was done by the Thai guides while we lounge about in the kayak. At least we managed to do some canoeing at the end of the 'cruise' but it is not the same as Halong Bay, I can assure you. I was mildly disappointed. I guess I missed how we travelled from one mini-island to another in Vietnam.

IMHO, Halong Bay is a lot larger than Phang-Nga and somehow more authentic. If you come from a land far-away, I would suggest going to Halong rather than this area. I think there are a lot more hawkers in Phang-Nga as well and the food at the Muslim sea-village sucks.

James Bond Island. More famous for its' appearance in the movie rather than anything else. Not much to do here except take a picture of the island, sit back and observe the tourists.

More islands to gawk at on the way back at the end of the day. This is after we swam on a tiny island. As we leave this really nice island, I would say the airport was a real let-down but everything else was quite good for a short break. I guess I will come again in the future once I get my PADI license refreshed. Apparently, i heard the diving off Phi Phi Island is really good. Anyone's been there?

Caught this aerial view of one the islands in the beautiful Andaman Sea on the way back to Singapore. Time to say goodbye...to a wonderful island escapade in the midst of a crazy month!

Highlights from the land down under Part 1

Prelude..

Despite my delusion that I'm actually a celebrated travel-photojournalist, I've only been to 2 continents my entire life. Asia and Europe. When the opportunity to hop down under for a meeting in Australia, I was ecstatic excited lost for word. I've long wondered about life in the Southern Hemisphere - winter in July, gazing at the Southern cross, seeing a kangaroo/koala/platypus/Australian in their natural habitat and catching a glimpse of the famous Outback. The list goes on.

So, the moment I stepped onto the Qantas flight, I was very happy just because there is a skycam. It's so interesting seeing the plane I'm on departing and landing. It helps having a running commentary about 'flying' from the person next to you. Cool...

Winter is surprisingly mild in Sydney...according to my irritatingly-immune-to-cold-weather friend R, who walked around wearing a T-shirt while I was shivering my light jacket. I think it was the cold, biting wind which I couldn't adjust to...living in the eternal sauna-like Malaysia/Singapore almost my entire life. However, I began to love the cold after a while, especially after a warm meal.

Talking about meals - food in Sydney is superb. Aside from the fast food @ Oporto on the first night (yeah, we were THAT tired to notice), each meal in this exciting city seem to be really good. Dinner @ Mazzaro, courtesy of our sponsors gave us an early inkling of what to expect in the following few days. It was yummy!

My main course was this pan-fried salmon with crackling skin ( I don't know how they made this impossibly-crunchy dish) that reminded me of the best roast suckling pig back home. Dessert was a trio of ice-cream and I poached some of poached pear from my neighbour. Finally, I'm living my Masterchef Australia dream. Hooray!

What best to accompany such gluttonous dinner/wine session but a quintessential jaunt down Elizabeth Street to the nearby Sydney Harbour area. Weather was superb as we gape at the pretty bridge and the Opera House. Nice...



to be continued

Happy New Year - a note on my only true vacation of 2010

Life's been crazy lately...with so much of things to settle at work and travelling to do, finally I have a day for myself here in Sg. As it's raining cats and dogs outside, I guess it's time to do some spring cleaning, hatch up some new year's resolutions and blog!

December was also the month I took a genuine break - my only real vacation this entire year packed with unusual events. Hopped on a short flight to Manila for a surgical conference, only to realize that we haven't registered and ended up doing everything else besides attending conference! One thing stood out : our previous fellows a.k.a Manila hosts - they are amazingly helpful, affable and hospitable.

Since my return from Manila and boracay, I've been heaping praises upon the beaches of the Visayas islands. It was an accidental vacation, squeezed in just because we wanted to visit the Philippines General Hospital smack in the middle of Ermita (apparently, a 'scarlet' district during the days of G.I Joes). Thus the highlight of the Manila segment of the trip was to visit the trauma unit in one of the busiest hospitals in Manila.

Conditions were harsh as we saw how the trauma patients were treated. I was simply amazed at how the doctors keep their spirits up. Emerging from the hospital, I was very glad that even the smaller hospitals that I have worked in back in Malaysia wasn't like that.

Stark contrasts abound in this metropolis - the differences between Makati or Bonifacio compared to Ermita, Manila City, etc astounded me at all levels. Its like two different countries. Traffic is of course locked in this ever-present congestion as it takes 1 hour to travel from one end of the city to the other. The least we could do is to visit the most historic part of the city - the Intramuros, Rizal Park, Manila Cathedral and San Augustin Cathedral. The whole area is very different from the rest of the urban crawl. It's actually quite charming and Spanish-looking.

Anyhow, it was of great relief that I landed in Boracay after the hustle and bustle of city life. Now Boracay is and remain to be the crown jewel of vacation islands in Visayas. Being only 50minutes away from Manila or Cebu City by flight, it's very accessible. I bumped into tourists from all over the world - mostly from Taiwan and Korea, though.

Favourite pastimes on the island with the longest stretch of beach imaginable (I couldn't reach the end of the beach on foot) include diving, snorkelling, sailing, fishing, lazing, people-gazing, eating, shopping, eating :-) Or just soaking in the warm shallow clear waters and admiring the brilliant sunset.

This is me during the island-hopping day - exploring the many sea caves on the crystal cove island. I enjoyed the day tremendously as we zipped from one island to another on a tiny catamaran powered by the strong sea-winds. Eco-friendly and very cool :-)

On the small island opposite Boracay island, there were interesting stony structures, reminiscent of those I saw in Ireland years ago.

Thats the 'best' sunset I could get out of the mostly cloudy days here. I guess rainy season ain't so kind to us after all. We had alternating good and bad weather on this island as compared to non-stop blazing sunshine during the dry season in the middle of the year.

We landed on the part of the island near Shangri-La Hotel, almost on the private beach owned by the hotel. It seemed very picturesque, but this part of the island is quite deserted.

One of the many restaurants on the white beach. It was totally packed with all sorts of business - mainly restaurants, massage services, manicure/pedicure/spa, souvenirs stalls, etc. Tourism is indeed alive and kicking on this island.

Will I come again? Yes, I will. With a much bigger group and during better weather of course. Boracay is beautiful!

Boardwalks, wildlife and the death of a runner

Running in the heart of Singapore does not mean running in the Central Business District amidst all the gorgeous people going to work or choking in the exhaust fumes, although I have heard of gung-ho diehard runners who happened to be workaholics doing that (hhhm, sounds like a familiar description of someone…)

As for me running in the heart of this island means encircling the series of reservoir that fed millions of Singaporeans for years (until Newater came along)…yup, the MacRitchie, Peirce, Bedok reservoir then reaching to Bukit Timah Trail and also the Northern areas…runs that could stretch from central to north, west and east. I feel it’s one of the most beautiful running trails in Singapore.


I guess I didn’t prepare well for the run. I mean, running treadmill is very different from running the real deal. Being surrounded by thick canopy of tropical trees and shrubs, it’s akin to being zapped to the prehistoric past. Of course I don’t expect dinosaur trudging through, but we managed to catch a glimpse of two of some wildlife in the short time we were there.

The MacRitchie Reservoir is quite popular and well-maintained. Although not as packed as the East Coast Park, I feel that it’s a lot more rugged and less flashy. It’s like Tennessee vs California. Totally different class of parks…almost like comparing apples to oranges.

The moment I arrived, I glanced at the sky and thank God for the awesome weather. It was 5-ish and it rained in the morning. The cloudy sky lowered the temperature as we entered the park and decided on which trail to explore.

Being the only girl, I was given the choice and of course I am a sensible person. I mean, running 5km indoor is almost like running 2.5km outdoors. Therefore, I choose the shorter Lornie Trail, which will take us 3km to and 3km from the starting point. 6 km will be just nice (fingers-crossed)

After about 5 minutes, I cursed myself. Aaargh, why am I doing this? My turquoise Zoot shoes is in the process of destruction. It’s not made for muddy jungle trail. It’s made for cosmopolitan running. Aside from the fear of getting a concussion and losing my precious neurons, I was also not used to the heat and humidity….what the heck! Yeah, I know I am born and bred in the tropics, but that doesn’t mean I train in the jungle. I work out in sterile gym conditions okay.

I pushed myself on as SC zoomed on ahead while J accompanied me. I have a feeling that J hasn’t ran for a long time as well. I’m glad someone is of my pace. Running up and downhills on rocky and muddy paths is definitely not my forte.

I’m glad we pushed on. We were rewarded with the boardwalk paths which is IMHO, the best part of the trail. A couple of guys were joyfully fishing and throwing the fish back into the lake and I managed to catch some pics with the fish before they go back into their habitat. It was huge!!

We also found some colourful red-breasted birds, terrapins and of course, monkeys. When the trail ended, I think SC wanted to carry on to the other side but I was wary of spoiling my shoes and also worried of slowing him down. Therefore, I decided to turn back. The two gentlemen complied and we ran back.

The way back was very beautiful. As the sun was setting, the lake seemed so surreal and serene. The best thing was that the boardwalks were built on the water so we could see the trees by the shoreline as well as the aquatic plants in the clear water.

Although I did only 6km today, I felt quite pleased with a pretty neat and awesome discovery in this island. This new-found treasure is nearly as good as the shopping bargains all around the city and the hunt for most ‘shiok’ food. Would I come again? Definitely! With better shoes and much improved stamina. All thanks to SC and also to JL!

On a separate note, my condolences to the family and friends of Mr Lim WJ, who passed away in the 10km run during the Standard Chartered KL Marathon today. During the 8th km of the race, it was noted that he was sitting down by the roadside, then was observed to have a 'seizure' and collapsed. Few doctors running in the race attempted CPR while waiting for the emergency medical services. The boy died in HKL. May he rest in peace..

Sundown 2010 - My Diary

Adidas Sundown 2010…what an experience! The first race I registered for I DIDN’T run even though I was at the arena. I was sort of hyped up for it thinking that I could actually run half the race before hitch-hiking an ambulance back.


6.45pm: Until I was stuck in this everlasting queue. For 2 solid hours. I was eating Superdog while waiting, eavesdropping on people’s conversation while day turned into night and still the line was moving very slowly.

My dinner before the 'race'



8pm: There were rumours that the roads are already closed. As I was near the front of the line, I sort of persevered and waited for the bus.

The queue started when it was daytime



815pm: Then I heard loud arguments at the front. Some runners were persuading the bus drivers to continue. Apparently, the drivers needed a break because they were driving since 430pm. That concept is new to me because I have always carried on working for my patients even if I don’t have a break. I have worked 12 solid hours without a break, with maybe a small bun in between. It’s a total lack of efficiency with a twinge of incompetency. Logistics must be horrible for the organizer but I am frankly surprised at the breakdown in organization this year. Last year, I got the bus after 10 mins wait so this is a real surprise.

The race that a lot of people didn't make it to

830pm: Someone pleaded with them and finally the deadlock was broken. They will drive the last 2 buses to the place and drop us 3km from the circuit and 7km from the starting point. We all agreed, although it was almost 15 minutes to the starting time. Better late than ever…

Look, ma, I'm doing the Singaporean National Hobby: Queuing up

855pm: On the way, I realized that I was still in my jeans. My racing attire was in my friend’s car. Had to strategize and pick up my things, followed by a quick change and probably starting the race. It began to seem really impossible. I asked my friend SC to quickly start his race. Regretted not taking the day off…shouldn’t have taken the shift at A & E. If I followed PS and SC to the arena @ 5pm…sigh…

Day turned into night: Watching my life go by in technicolour

915pm: Got down the bus and began to walk/run in my jeans and handbag. Realized I look quite ridiculous so decided to walk. Began to see the racing route after a while and saw the leading runners. Had a twinge of envy at their speed.

The first few batch of 21km runner zooming past as I make my way

930pm: Nearing the starting line. No more runners seen. The route is completely deserted. Only us, the latecomers from the bus stand @ Pasir Ris MRT seem to be trudging our way to the Changi Exhibition Centre. A beautiful and quiet night with the full moon in sight.

The first turning point and the last batch of runners before emptiness came

945pm: Reached the starting point and changed so that it’s not so hot. Had a bit of chest pain but completely ruled out running. Sat down and watched the ‘Spirit of the Marathon’ What a cool show!

emptiness, except the group of us latecomers

1015pm: The first runner crossed the finishing line in terrific form.

11-ish: SC came back and we waited for PS. And waited and waited.

Movie under the stars

12-ish: BC arrived. And waited.

1-ish: Decided to call Mohan. To our surprise, PS and him have completed the first loop more than 1 hour ago and is 9km passed the starting point. We hopped on the car and chased after them. The Amazing Race has begun. Man, that girl is fast!!

2-ish: Reached ECP. Walked into McD looking for my ultramarathoner friend. She is not there. Called Mohan again. He said she is approaching Fort Road. Jumped into the car and went ahead to Carls’ Junior.

Marathoners waiting for the start @ midnight

3-ish: Waited in front of Carl’s Junior and handed Counterpain to runners. It was like a picnic with BC eating a huge burger in front of the runners. Chatted with the helpful volunteers and dished out medical advice to injured runners, although I have nothing to help them with. Saw the guy who ran the ultramarathon backward. He is amazing.

The 21km winner is approaching

330pm: Bumped into Mohan. He’s the life of the race. Completely woke everyone up with his honk. Still no sight of our friend.

The ultramarathon winner came by

345pm: Yay! PS passed by. She stopped and we handed her drinks. Forgot to take a pic of her. Haze is with her and they both looked good. Everyone is ecstatic. I am so proud of my buddy. She is looking good. I think I’ll win my bet. Haha…

4pm: Reached my bed. Went to deep sleep immediately

The place we had a 'picnic' while waiting

9am: Woke up to the sound of PS coming back. My victorious ultramarathoner friend is back. She looks happy but exhausted. Hurray! Confirmed I won a dinner..she did it in 13:44.

The guy who did it running backward

So, after this hour to hour analysis of my Saturday night and Sunday morning, what do you think of Sundown? I have a feeling that I’ll do the marathon eventually, but when will I be ready? A bit disappointed that the only run I did was the run to the starting line but the truth of the matter is, I wasn’t prepared anyway.

Ok, time to go shop for new running shoes and the compression tights. The GSS is on!