(Taking a city tour of Marseille in a glass-top bus was the best way to see some of the highlights of this city, including the imposing Notre Dame de la Garde, which can be seen almost everywhere because of its perch at the top of a hill. On a sunny winter day, Marseille was fresh and calm, allowing it to show off its rugged coastline) 
(The southern city of Marseille and its marina area is strikingly beautiful. A Xmas Fair by the sea made it even more festive. What stood out for me is the large number of Northern Africans there, all living in harmony and adding to the diversity of the city, including street food choices such as kebabs, pitas and even their version on seafood paella, which turned out to be our favourite)
(Fell in love with the TGV trains in France ..a hot rail-affair indeed! Such comfort, such convenience and such speed - up to 570kmh! The conductor told us it was about 300kmh for our train, but still we could feel the force against our seats. And the first class cabin made this one ride a special rail treat. Add to this, are the beautifully maintained train stations..Gare de Lyon, Gare St Charles and the one in Nice..all magnifique!)
(Checked into this lovely corner Paris hotel at 11pm - after a 10hr delay - and was pleasantly surprised by its cute layout and yes, that distinctive beige Parisian buildings outside..both night and morning views were delightful. The sound, smell and sight of Paris in 11C morning coolness ..unbeatable! And those breakfast croissants..yummm) 
(What a thrill to see Mariah Carey 'live' on stage in the brand new National Stadium. Is she the biggest song-diva in a generation? With Whitney, they had the best voices in the business, for sure. She may not be at her best now, but even though her voice 'cracked' in "I'll Be There", she didn't crack my love for her songs one bit. On stage, her voice boomed..her 'Hero' was ample proof. I am so blessed to be able to see her 'live' on stage..together with Chaka Khan 2 years ago, they have to be the biggest voices ever, hands-down) 
(This corner fusion restaurant at the Esplanade turned out to be a pleasant surprise. The 2 entrees we ordered were fresh and tasty. With a nice view of the Marina Bay, it exudes plenty of warmth, giving it a satisfying stopover before heading to the Esplanade for a show) 
(This chicken dish, pressure-cooked to perfection with a spread of salted egg on top, was surprisingly tasty. Its bones were soft enough to be eaten, supposedly nutritious in itself. It was yummy enough to bring us back for seconds..gotta try it again when there, but it turns out, they have a branch in Spore too) 
