Friday, November 2, 2007

Stonehenge and Bath (23rd Oct 2007)

I organized a day tour to Stonehenge and Bath for some friends during the one week break last week. Managed to use my charm to get further discount. The day trip which includes transport and entrance fees were only 38.75 pounds; it was really worth it.... Enjoy the pictures below...
Bath
Bath is situated within the south west of England; situated on the steep sides of the valley of the RIver Avon. Bath is a museum to the Roman and Georgian periods of England's history. Look closely at how the 18th century architecture, Bath Abbey and Pulteney Bridge.

The Roman Baths Museum... the baths are still filled by the thermal spring waters that gush from the earth below. The water has cured many who was suffering from leprosy in the past.

History of Bath
The hot springs and the Roman bath house are a Celtic / Roman sacred place, dedicated to the Sullis and the goddess Minerva, in myth the sacred spring was discovered by King Bladud who was cured of leprosy by the healing waters and mud. Archaeologically there is no evidence for pre Roman structures on the site, but the area may have been revered by the ancient Britons.

The Legend of Bladud
Lud Hubibras (Bladud) was a British Prince in Celtic times. While at court the Prince contracted the dreaded Leprosy and was banished and disowned by his father. Before he made his way out of the kingdom his mother took him aside and gave him a golden ring. This was to be the key to his return if he could ever cure himself of the disease. Everywhere the Prince went he was shunned, he meeked a living as a swineherd until some of the herd also caught the disease.

To hide this from his employer, he fled across the river Avon (at a place now called Swineford), and into the land where the city of Bath now stands.He wandered the area until one day one of the pigs seemed to go crazy and rushed headlong into a black bog in the marshy ground. Bladud struggled to pull the pig from the bog and became covered in the foul smelling mud. When he had finally freed himself and the pig, he found that the pigs skin lesions had disappeared and where the mud had touched his bare skin he was also cured. He immersed himself in the warm mud and became fully cured of the disease. Finally Bladud returned to court where he was welcomed with open arms by his mother who recognised the ring she had given him so many years before. Bladud ruled wisely as King for many years and founded Bath and the temple of Aqua Sullis.
Some street performances outside the Bath museum....
Molested him... hee hee...
Aiyo.. where are you guys?? Couldn't find some of them...

My warrior.... haha.....

Lunch at Bath in the cafe.... had fisherman's platter... approx 9 pounds including a drink....




Stonehenge
Stonehenge consists of a series of large rocks which were arranged in circular format known as a henge (and where we get the name Stonehenge from). The first structure to be built at the site of Stonehenge was the circular ditch and outer bank around 3,000 BC. The first stones were brought here around 2,000 BC from the Preseli Mountains in the southwest of Wales, around 220 km (137 miles) from Stonehenge. THe outer circle was completed around 1,500 BC and consists of the largest stones in the monument. These stones weigh up to 50 tons each and it is estimated that at least 600 - 1,000 men were required just to move one of these stones.
The following pics were taken when we tried to do some stunts... all not very successful except ........
Amanda and I looking so clumsy... seems like we can't go against gravity for long....

Janice... trying her best to reach for the sky.... but.... failed.....
Amanda...... long hands and long legs do not come in handy during this time.... failed.....
Aiyo... know how to say others... look at me... like chow jing like that... fail fail fail.....

Kevin: "Can't you girls jump higher?? Let me show you how to do a proper jump.... "
It's that simple.... let me show you again.....One more time....
Tada.... that simple....!!

We gave up.... we prefer the balancing act.....
Glad you guys had a great day....

Monday, October 29, 2007

Prof Randy Paush's last lecture

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid86195573/bclid823355447/bctid1199157902

Sunday, October 21, 2007

Bloomsbury Festival 2007

Woke up early to do my laundry this morning. Had been so busy for the past 2 weeks rushing out the Corporate Finance Valuation project. Finally, I'm done with the presentation on Thursday. Now.... It's time to play!!... Will be having my one week break this coming week.... I organized a trip to Stonehenge and Bath for some friends on Tuesday... Think it will be really fun... Yeah!!

Just came back from the "Pasar Malam" outside my hostel.... the Pasar Malam here is so different from the one in Singapore...

And by the way, if you look at my pics... I have gain so much weight... gosh.... You know what's my appetite now? For maggie noodles, it must be 2 packs... For mee sua, I use to eat only 1 bundle ("ten cent" in hockien)...now i have to eat 5 bundles... I can't believe it also... But but but but.... I can't help it... if I dun eat... I will be grumpy and uneasy.... How? Tell me how?? I'm gonna be a fat pig soon... Argh....

Some pics from Bloomsbury Festival (aka "Pasar Malam" for me)
====I bought some Turkish delights... It cost me 1.55 pounds======Bought 2 donuts back to eat... one for my Taiwanese sister, Amanda.... haha...

Saturday, October 20, 2007

Tattoo 2007

This is LBS's yearly event, the Tattoo. At this event, you will have the opportunity to try all sorts of food from different countries. Really cool.... nice food and superb performance... at a price of 18 pounds per person. ==============Jose Lourenco from Italy===============
======My hostel-mate cum good friend, Amanda Su from Taiwan=====
======Haha... really got a LBS tattoo... I proved SG right!!===

Toon fromThailand, Jason, my next door neighbour from Korea and Jay Kim from Korea

============ Simone fromBrazail==============
===========Dario Portioli fromItaly============
======Dunno his name... just grab him for a pic=============
=================my Taiwanese sister=====================
==========Liu Ying (in pink) from China==============
==========Meng Lu from China, Amanda and Liu Ying=======
==============Ah Ne Hasaeyo==================
==========At the Korean stall... yummy kimchi=========
Some of the performance were really cool...... especially the Brazillan dance.... sexy??


Sunday, October 7, 2007

Shopping at Picadilly Circus

It's lantern festival.... I'm at Picadilly Circus... also known as the London Chinatown...

Buying some vegetables and fruits at the market....
Haha.... The "MIDAS TOUCH"... darling will know what i meant....
"Macbeth" almost made me flung my English Literature when I was in Sec 3.
"Fair is foul, foul is fair, hover through the fog and filthy air".

MIF Opening Dinner


This pic was taken from the MIF Opening Dinner... Left to right: Jay Kim (from Korea), Esarawadee and Toon (from Thailand), Me (from Singapore) and Daniel (from USA).

One month anniversay

It has been a month since I arrived in London. Time flies... whooo... 9 more months and I"ll have to be back in Singapore... sob sob... I dun wanna go back.... I'm loving the place so much right now... School work has been really hectic and the courses were really demanding.... definitely stressful man... look at us, gotta dabao subway to study room to eat on a Sunday afternoon.... Worked till late at night... Thanks to the assignments....

I'm gonna say it again... I love Camden Town... my favorite shopping district..This section is dedicated to my ex-lunch kaki (Angela). She wants to know what I've been eating at home. :)The above are some of the simple meals that I cooked for myself in the hostel... The noodles on the bottom left of the picture is the most recent dish that i experimented... damn good especially with the Hao Diao Jiu (chinese wine) that mum prepared for me. ~yummy sia~


Other than the hectic school work, I still have housework to do... washing, hanging and ironing of clothes, washing plates, cleaning stove, washing toilet bowls and clearing the accumulated hair in the drainage hole in the bathroom are but some of the household activities that i do. Every fortnightly, Henry will help me out with the vacuumming of my carpeted floor. Opps... forgotten to tell you that he is camera shy... look at the way he stares at me... hee hee....