1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #52 - Florence, Italy

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission #52

- Medici Square, Florence, Italy
(A cathedral fully built from white and green marble, and a dome that has the drawings of Michelangelo on it..wow. The square, chokeful of statues and the river Arno surroundings bring back the richness of Florence that was once the Renaissance centre of Europe in the 1600s)

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #51 - Pisa, Italy

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission #51

- Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy
(This tower must surely be the first to go down if a small earthquake was to hit Italy. The leaning appears so advanced now it looks a little out of shape. In fact the 2nd photo shows how much off-centre this famous tower is, when compared to its neighbour buildings)

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #50 - Gelato at Trevi Cafe

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission #50

- Gelato, Trevi Cafe, Rome, Italy
(The cafe is right across the Trevi Fountain, and while the queue is long, it is worth the wait. The Italian gelato here is the real thing, so says the local guide with much authority, bcoz it;s her favourite gelato joint. And at 2.50euro, it's good value..that pistachio version is super yum, even at 8C outside! )

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #49 - Trevi Fountain, Rome

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission #49

- Trevi Fountain, Rome, Italy
(I came, I threw the coins, and I am back! That was 3 years ago. And yes, I threw the coins again this time around too. Who wouldn't want to come back? This fountain is truly breathtaking, not to mention that on a cold winter's evening like what's shown here, the glow of the place is something special. )

 

 

 

1001 Places/Experiences to See ir Savour #48 - Vatican

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission #48

- The Vatican, Rome, Italy
(This visit to the Vatican was made all the more memorable by the shock announcement on the same day - 11 Feb 2013 - by the Pope (Pope Benedict XVI) that he will be stepping down by end-Feb, the first to do so in 600 years! Naturally, the buzz in the square was palpable, TV crews and all, in this holy city)

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #47 - Colosseum, Rome

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission #47

- Colosseum, Rome, Italy
(This 7 Wonder of the World is even more awesome the second time around. Giving this 2000 year old monument a Bruce-Lee-kick, as I had done to the Big C from my body 6 years ago, is most gratifying indeed. Take that, Chuck Norris!)

 

 

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #46 - Night Sky, Sanya

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission #46

- Night Sky view of Sanya, Hainan
(It was quite a spectacle, this view from atop a hill in Sanya, Hainan. They used the 5 giant buildings sitting by the bay as a giant canvas and ran a series of projected images across them, but which are timed to perfection that showed flying dragons, sailboats and tropical fish that represent Sanya and Hainan well)

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #45 - Baba Charlie, Malacca

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission #45

- Baba Charlie Nonya Kueh, Malacca
(Found - nonya kueh heaven! With enough kueh to host tea-time for the entire Jonker Street vendors, this corner house off the main streets in Malacca is an absolute gem for nonya kuehs. Coupled with new kuehs for Chinese New Year, the place is a riot of colours ..and smells. Almost all I have seen before are here in one place, including some that must surely be 'new species' - never heard, never seen before.."kueh apa tu?")

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #44 - Aunty Lee Restaurant

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission #44

- Aunty Lee Restaurant,Ujong Pasir, Malacca

(Could this possibly be Malacca's best nonya restaurant? Given the fierce competition there for nonya fare, that's saying something. I have to say that if it is not the best, it must be Top3. We tucked into the belachan fish, sotong tempra and the surprise of the night, omelette cincalok. What a blast of tastes for the mouth, indeed. But you gotta wait a bit for the dishes as they take a while for them to lovingly prepare them. It is true that this is Singapore's First Family's - Lee Hsien Loong, Lee Wei Ling - favourite restaurant too in Malacca, as confirmed by the lady-owner behind the counter)

 

(Update Aug2014 - Klebang Coconut Shake

- another gem in Malacca, this one outside of the city at Klebang. Smooth coconut juice that had been blended with ice and served with a dollop of vanilla ice cream. It attracts a long queue, so be prepared)

 

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #43 - Kueh Kapit-making

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission #43

- Kueh Kapit-making (aka kueh belanda), Malacca
(At last, after several years of vowing to make a special trip to my aunt's home in Malacca to get my hands dirty with real kueh kapit-making in time for Chinese New Year, we finally hopped over to get it done, sweat, sweetness and smells, all rolled into one full day. Flashes of childhood memories rushed past, and somehow, the kueh always taste better when you know you'd put that effort it)

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #42 - Brazilian BBQ

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission #42

- Carnivore Brazilian Churrascaria BBQ, MBSands, Singapore
(15 different BBQ meats, Brazilian style being brought to your table, one at a time..heard about it, read about it but never tried it. So, on to Marina Bay Sands to check it out. Goodness, by the 9th bbq meat, we showed our "Please Stop" badge to the servers, to give our full tummy a rest. It was a delicious array of meats, but we simply had to call it quits after the 9th. My favourite? Not the meats but..chicken hearts..so simple but yum!)

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour - #41 - Jersey Boys

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission #41

- Jersey Boys concert, MBSands, Singapore
(Caught their 'live' trailer at the Marina Bay Sands 1 month ago and I told myself I have to watch it in full. And they were simply fantastic on stage. The real-life story aside, the performance by 'Frankie Valli' - with an "i" - was outstanding..crisp clear voice. All the songs were familiar in some way, but when "Cherry", "Oh What A Night" and "You're Just too Good to be True" came on, the theatre erupted! Even better than the "We Will Rock You" concert I saw 4 years ago, featuring all of Queen's music)

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #40 - Wagyu Beef

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission #40

- Wagyu Beef, Tastings Room, Singapore
(Why all the fuss about wagyu beef? Never had it before, so we decided to grab the offer at the Tastings Room at Marina Square, to give it our first tasting. Turns out, it was a lot of fuss about, well..not much, really. Yes, the way it was prepared made it interesting, but the wagyu "slices" threw us off a little, as we were expecting Morton's-style servings. All the same, been there, done that. It should be noted that the soup, the sweet go-between and the cake were more fulfilling than the main course, though.)

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #39 - Sapa Almonds

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission #39

- Fresh Market Town Centre, Sapa, Vietnam
(Almond nuts that taste out-of-this world! Seriously delicious almonds that are roasted in butter and sold still in their husks, which means they require a hammer to break them, or a set of strong teeth. But they have to be one of the best nuts we have tasted..and in this bustling cool morning market, the almonds ooze with this yummy butter taste even more. Where do they grow these almond trees, I wonder.. we didnt see any by the mountains.. Btw, the antioxidant value in almonds is one of the highest, next to the king-of-antiox, walnuts; anti-ox has long been regarded as having cancer-prevention properties. )

 

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #38 - Lao Chao, Sapa

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission #38

- Lao Chao, Sapa Valley, Vietnam
(Trekking through the mountain side of Sapa at Lao Chao brought out the one-ness with nature for me. The 4hr trek was made all the more special with gentle Hmong tribe women guiding us, with one of them having her child of 3mth old wrapped up behind her back..and she was the one helping me cross the tricky, slippery corners, when it should have been the other way around! What strong women, indeed.and such an inspiration for me too)

 

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #37 - Cat Cat, Sapa

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission #37

- Cat Cat, Sapa Valley, Vietnam
(Is Sapa as lovely as they had made it out to be in travel brochures? Yes, and more. Amidst terraced hills and the mist of the cold mountain air of 9C, the place looks heavenly. Add to this the free-roaming black pigs and buffalos, and the charm of the local kids, this is a must-see place for everyone. So serene, so peaceful for the heart and soul)

 

1001 Places/Experience to See or Savour #36 - Sapa Train

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission #36

- Train Journey to Sapa Valley, Vietnam
(A classic bone-shaker of a train that takes you overnight from Hanoi to Lao Chao, the town at the foot of the Sapa mountain. The cabin sleeps 4 adults ..you can sleep, provided you can handle the noise, the shaking and the regular stops along the 8-hour journey. It's a charming ride all the same..Orient-Express, Vietnam style)

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #35 - Sweet desserts, Hanoi style

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission #35

- Sweet desserts, Old Quarters, Hanoi
(Back for a second bite, this desserts corner along Hang Bac street, Old Quarters, is one of the big reasons why I am back again in Hanoi. Gulping lotus paste and ah-balling Hanoi style, is simply a delight in the 15C cool night. The other big reason for my return is on my head..yes, the myriad french-caps sold here is irresistible, but this pink one, I'd lost in Prague earlier this year..now rightfully back on my crown)

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #34 - Haikou

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission #34

 

- "Reflections of Hainan", Haikou, China

 

(A mini-Beijing Olympics was on display, produced by the same man himself Zhang Yimou, with jaw-dropping scenes such as a wind-surfer on a cube, and a pool literally opening up in front of our eyes where once stood a concrete stage..awesome show! But had to freeze our buns out..it was by the seaside and the night temperature happened to be in the low10s..how did the performers stay warm??)