Body massage

Went for body massage on friday with ronald at Suzhou New District, an outlet called "Ichiban Massage Club."

Indeed my masseur was skillful enough, such that I could hear the cracks and feel the pain.

Two hours for only 100 rmb. Includes "ba guan" (拔罐) (known as "cupping"), such that my back is now full of dark circles.

Prior to that we had lunch at In City. Conveyor belt sushi. Many plates with fresh salmon for only 75 rmb.

Just returned from running. Ate subway's smoked turkey ham sandwich for 23 rmb. Spooned half of the watermelon I bought for 1o rmb. Then cooked green bean soup again as dessert for afternoon tea.

Stress

Spent 4 nights in Shanghai last week (17-22 May 2010). Got this mont blanc watch and ax berms from dearie as belated birthday presents.

Went Expo, Zhujiajiao (朱家角) watertown and city tours. Only managed to visit Finland Pavilion, which had the least people queuing at that time.

Tea time at Zhujiajiao

Have started running again, because my belly is now visible after eating so much rice in china. Stress!

Fruitful weekend

Another weekend is gone, this one is especially fruitful.

Got a shock seeing Walmart's trolley downstairs

Sichuan cuisine - middle dish was frogs' legs

Heading for night ride, partially opened top in cool late spring weather

I will miss this moment

Invitation to home-made dinner

Now Singaporeans are gathering at my place for barbequing at the roof top.

I am starting to miss Suzhou and my friends here...

I miss winter

Winter was long, spring seems short-lived, is summer here?

Past few days have been scorching hot during the day. Just like in Singapore, the kind of sun that you'll expect while walking down Siloso Beach on Sentosa Island, totally shadeless. I've blended into Singapore's weather now, so it won't be torturous when I return home in July.

Jan/Feb

Mar

April

May

Having four seasons are good. Now I miss winter.

Toured Wuxi, Suzhou and Changzhou over the 3-day weekend. Quite unlucky in two instances.

Instance 1 - Friday 30 April 2010

While in Wuxi, I boarded an earlier train hoping to get back to Suzhou earlier. I thought all Shanghai-bound train would stopover in Suzhou. In the end I got home nearly midnight. If I have abided by the time stated on my train ticket, I would have reached home by 10pm.

Instance 2 - Sunday 02 May 2010

As soon as gj and I reached Changzhou by coach, we went to the ticket office to buy our return ticket back to Suzhou. We told the counter gal 7 in the evening same day. But she said no more left. Only left with 10 o'clock. No choice we took the 10 o'clock ticket. Who knows when we turned up at 10.20pm, we saw that the coach station was already closed. On closer scrutiny, the ticket follows 24-hour format, and printed on the ticket was "1020."

In the end, we had to take a midnight train (0148) back to Suzhou. Reached home at about 0330.

Anyhow, I have spent a fruitful weekend. Fruitful in the sense that I have spent most of my time queueing (being labour day public holiday in China).

Sunday 02 May 2010 - Changzhou

Queued 3 hours for a thrill ride yesterday at Changzhou's Dinosaur Park (常州中华恐龙谷乐园), a theme park which is said to be China's disneyland. I felt extremely disappointed. No crowd and queue control. China people cutting queues like nobody's businesses, and I've seen incidences of near-fight.

At 1211...Queues starting to form behind me in less than 10 mins

At 1226...
At 1322...On the second level

At 1330...

At 1430...

At 1410...

GAME OVER!

Now I learn a new technique in cutting queue, but it can only work with 2 or more people. First of all, you must buy a cup of coke and some snacks, rush up from behind and then follow the script as follow:-

Person A (carrying some snacks，with head turning back to Person B while walking): 快到了，快到了。他们就在前面 [we're reaching soon, they are in front!].

Person B (carrying a cup of coke, with his head frantically looking out for his "invisible" friends ahead of the queue): 不好意思啊，请让开谢谢。哦！我看到他们了！Excuse me, I am sorry. Oh I've seen them!

Intially I don't even know they were cutting queues, until my china friend told me about it. Haha. Can try this out next time in Singapore's Universal Studios.

Saturday 01 May 2010 - Suzhou

Decided to stay in Suzhou. Went Tiger Hills where there was a flower festival. Instead of admiring the beauty of flowers, gj and I turned out to be admiring "human" nature. For once the whole of China's population seemed to have descended upon Suzhou. Every of my photo turned out to have some unknown heads or full-length photo of other people, either left or right or mutually inclusive!

This is what I mean, who's supposed to be the lead?

Bought mangosteen. To quench our thirst, as the weather soared to about 30 degrees celsius.

Saw this Singapore float by the river... felt homely, although I don't miss home

Went Carrefour to buy grocceries.

Friday 30 April 2010 - Wuxi

No class today. So I went Wuxi alone. Woke up early at 0700. Heard birds chirpping for the first-time, as the migratory birds are here to enjoy the warm weather.

Visited Lingshan Big Buddha 灵山大佛. Many people, but not too many, on this day since it was a friday and people needed to work. So I've enjoyed myself, and an ice cream under Buddha's feet.

Buddha are you craving for it too?