1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #15 - Taipeh Night Market

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour after Remission #15

- Liu He Night Market, outside Taipeh, Taiwan

(So much to choose from, so little time! The smelly tau foo was ever-present but the big surprise for me was the baked-pau with vege, meat and fresh oysters.. Yum..something different indeed, and possibly the best pau I have ever had!)

Dimsum Dollies' Emma Yong - gone too soon

It's a heartbreak to read that Emma Yong of the Dimsum Dollies trio had passed away.

Dimsum Dollies with the Bengs in Dec2011

She was indeed the lady with that golden voice. Thank you Emma, for giving me so much laughter every time I head out to watch you with your "sisters". We missed you on stage in my last outing to see you at the Esplanade (pix above). Rest in peace, Emma.

SINGAPORE 03May2012: Top theatre actress Emma Yong, one-third of the popular musical comedy "Dim Sum Dollies" has died, after a fight with cancer.

Nominated Member of Parliament and fellow actress Janice Koh tweeted late Wednesday night: "We have lost a beautiful actress and one of our most talented performers & singers tonight. Rest in peace, my dear Emma. Miss you..."

Ms Yong, 36, was diagnosed with cancer last year, but appeared to have recovered by the middle of the year, appearing in Dream Academy's Into the Woods in July. However, in December she pulled out of a musical to undergo treatment when the cancer came back.

An established name in Singapore's theatre scene, Ms Yong's acclaimed career spanned a diverse range of roles, from serious drama in Blackbird to lighter fare like Cinderel-LAH and Boeing Boeing, as well as in film (The Blue Mansion).

Of her death, actress Neo Swee Lin tweeted: "RIP darling Emma. Angels bear you aloft. our performing family has lost one of our greatest talents."

- TODAY

1001 Places/Experience to See or Savour #14 - Universal Studio Spore

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour after Remission #14

- Universal Studios, Resorts World Sentosa, Singapore

(Right in my own backyard and it is only now that I realised what a class act this Theme Park is! Took the 3D ride with Optimus Prime and BumbleBee, and gulp..I nearly threw up! But it was all in good spirits. Hanging out with stronger women like Queen Nefertiti, Betty Boop and Marilyn soothe my nerves somewhat)

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #13 - Chao Tar Beehoon

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour after Remission #13

- Chao Tar Beehoon, Shi Wei Tian Restaurant, Joo Chiat Place, Singapore

(They really sell this thingie called chao tar beehoon? I thought it was only available from Mum's cooking..and only when she over-fries it? Well, this chao tar "kick" was there, alright and it was surprisingly tasty. This is indeed real comfort food, just the way Mum would have cooked it..go there, bring back the old memories and be surprised..)

**unfortunately, as of Jan 2013, this restaurant appeared to have gone kaput

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #12 - Parndorf

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission #12

- Parndorf Designer Outlet, Vienna, Austria

(Over 150 quality outlets in 1 location? Is this real or am I in a dream? Surely, this must be one of the top designer outlets in the world. And with Gucci and Prada on the mall-listing, one can easily burn a hole in the pockets. 50% off, 70% off...wow! You know you had a good time when you have to stop at the Samsonite shop to bring your 'captures' back to the hotel room..)

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #11 - Neuschwanstein Castle

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission #11


- Neuschwanstein Castle, Bavaria, Germany

(Walt Disney saw this castle and decided to make it their own famous logo; Amazing Race saw it too and decided to turn it into a pitstop for Season 20..and I can see why. It is beautiful, even if it was just seen from ouside. After a backbreaking, frost-bite-inducing 25min walk up the hills in -11C winter, it was very much worth it !)

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #10 - River Danube, Budapest

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission #10


- Cruising down the River Danube, Budapest, Hungary

(This alternative way of cruising the River Danube to see the beautiful city of Budapest is a must-do while there. From the Parliament to the Bastion, these sights from the water-angle are hard to beat, with the waves of this famous blue river swishing past you)

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #9 - Studio Photoshoot

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission #9

- Covergirl Photoshoot, ABC Studio, Singapore

(Time to refresh one's personal portfolio, and what better way to do so than pick up an ultra-low price Groupon for $15, and head out for a self-esteem-building "Covergirl" shoot that Heidi Klum talks about. But oh, just be prepared to spend another $100 because you can't bear to leave all those 30 other shots behind at the studio! )

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #8 - Krakow

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission #8

- Old Town at -18C, Krakow, Poland
(Experiencing -18C is a once-in-a-lifetime event, which is mitigated by indulging in a lovely white fox-fur hat from the Old Market, to keep the brains from freezing! The last time Poland experienced such a deep freeze was 28 years ago. Brrrr...)

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #7 - Auschwitz

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission #7

- The Holocaust in Auschwitz and Birkenau, Krakow, Poland

(One cannot walk out of these concentration camps without being changed a little, inside us. And in winter at -18C, the camps bring a new meaning to the words 'inhuman atrocity')

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #6 - Brandenburg Gate

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission #6

- Brandenburg Gate,

and the Berlin Wall, Berlin, Germany

(so much history in every brick on these 2 man-made structures..if only every brick could speak to us now, what stories they would tell..)

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #5 - Charles Bridge, Prague

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission #5


- Charles Bridge, Prague, Czech Republic

(perhaps the most beautiful bridge in Europe, with winter making it look like a scene from Dr Zhivago)

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #4 - Awfully Chocolate

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission #4



- awfully naughty chocolate cake from Awfully Chocolate

(Okay, it's 2000calories a slice but hey, lets give our tastebuds a massage now and again, right? And if you have indulged in it already, did you try their white Butterscotch caramel cake..just the name alone is seductive? Kudos to our local cake-boss talents!)

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #3 - Crazy Xmas

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission #3






- the raw comedy of Broadway Beng and Kumar


(Yes, go belly-aching with these 2 originals..catch them on stage, solo or better still, as a duo, as was the case here at the Esplanade, for Crazy Xmas)

Exotic Eastern Europe - mystery, beauty

The mystery and history of Eastern Europe came to me under the cover of the coldest winter in 28 years. First, it was -7C in Prague, and then it went down to a brain-freezing -18C in Krakow..wow!

But without that deep chill, I wouldn't have picked up my first fox-skin ruskie-hat in Krakow, or brought the true horror of the Holocaust into reality..deep winter in striped pyjamas for the millions who perished in concentraion camps across Poland, Austria and the Czech Republic. What an experience indeed.

And then the beauty of Eastern Europe unfolds - exotic Prague, the Berlin Wall, the "Buda" and "Pest" sides of that beautiful city, followed by Vienna and Strasbourg. The contrast between the past and now for these cities is amazing and must be there to really appreciate it. Try to be there, for at least once in your life, if you can. Especially, in winter.

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #2 - Halong Bay

1001 Places/Experiences to See and Savour After Remission ..#2

- Halong Bay, Vietnam

(Stand on the front of the boat for that awesome 360-view of this beautiful bay, with the gentle winds sweeping your hair)

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #1 - Old Quarters, Hanoi

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission ..#1

- Streets of Old Quarters, Hanoi, Vietnam

(In the cool months, these Hanoi streets are crazy hectic but uniquely caught in a time-warp, with lots to buy with your millions of dongs!

#Note - This "1001 Places/Experiences Series" will begin to chart my journeys and experiences for the next 20years for us, 'the regular cancer-survivors', partly inspired by the "100 Places to See Before You Die" TV series and book, because the best revenge on cancer is to fight back successfully, play hard and show how much more life still has in store for us!)

Hanoi and Halong Bay - "Heaven & Earth"

The raw beauty of Hanoi and Halong Bay is simply captivating!
Perhaps it's the cool weather that surprised me. Or perhaps it's the old beauty of hectic Hanoi ("beep-beep!") coupled with the handsome, awesome islets of Halong Bay..

But whatever it was, the combination of Hanoi and Halong was a clear winner for me. I am beginning to learn that my short getaways to world-class beauties like this one at Halong Bay and last year at Angkor Wat have more meaning to me, carving out outstanding meories along the way.



What a way for me to start my own "1000 Places to See/Experience After Remission!", taking inspiration from the travel series-cum-book, "1000 Places to See Before You Die".

And Hanoi and Halong Bay are indeed the first 2 of my own 1000 Places!

12 Months, 12 Cancer Warriors..

In a meaningful tribute to cancer warriors who have successfully beaten cancer, Parkway Hospitals gathered 12 survivors together (for each of the 12 months of a year) at the Old Parliament House in October to give them an endearing afternoon, with family, friends and members of the press.

While an impressive String Quartet serenaded the warriors, Dr Ang Peng Tiam took to the stage to congratulate all 12 survivors who have successfully passed the all-important 5-year milestone. A lovely studio-produced photo-frame was given all the survivors to mark the occasion. This momento certainly gave me even more incentive to pass the next milestone of 10-years.

Goodness, why not aim to go all the way and pass the 50-year milestone all the same!

My 5-Year Milestone!

My 5-year milestone of being cancer-free is here, and it's today, 16-06-11!
Let the fireworks begin..

Thank you to everyone who have supported me, no matter how small or how insignificant you thought it was. I am so grateful, words cannot describe how I feel right now..