Achy Breaky Parts

I started last Saturday morning as usual by labouring over the household chores before rewarding myself with some pampering. Went for a body massage, then a facial and did a bit of shopping before heading back to HQ. Oh and I signed up for some credit cards too. Apparently I’d be getting both MasterCard and VISA free for life from the world’s local bank. A colleague just informed that the points collected using the bank’s cards will expire if not redeemed within a certain duration so am not sure now if I should still go ahead and terminate my current card [which points do not expire].

Now let me elaborate more on the new massage package I signed up for. Besides the usual body scrub, steaming session and body massage, this package includes seaweed wrap. I don’t know about you but when I first heard about it, I couldn’t help thinking that I’d be lying on a bed all wrapped up like a Miss California. Miss California Temaki, more like! As it turned out, a seaweed wrap is when the masseuse dabs your almost-naked self with seaweed paste, wrapped you up sans your head in transparent plastic before bundling you in a thermal blanket.

My first experience in that seaweed wrap started off all fine and dandy and I was even chuckling at my thought of being a California Temaki. Then after a while, I started getting hot all over [no thanks to the blanket and being bundled up in layers!]. A morbid thought then crossed my mind, ‘My God, what if the building’s on fire? How do I save myself?’ and unwittingly I had an image of myself all wrapped up and unable to move – I could not even move my hands! – trying desperately to save myself by jumping off the bed and somehow using my bound self to slide the door open. Of course, since I’m all wrapped up, I won’t be indecently exposed but oh the sight I must be in! And since my legs are also all bound up in the blanket, the only way I could move is by hopping like some ghost. OK, I had a wild imagination alright that day!

As I said, I was progressively getting all hot in that thermal blanket. And perspiration started rolling down my face but I couldn’t wipe it off as my hands were in the blanket. As I couldn’t move any part of my body from neck down, I had to wipe off the perspiration by rubbing my head against the towel wrapped around my neck, yes, the very towel that contributed further to my feeling hot and sweaty. Still, I dislike steaming more.

And you may wonder what good this seaweed wrap is. Well, apparently it is to detoxify your body. It also helps to remove dead skin cells and promote blood circulation. For more on seaweed wrap and why seaweed is used as a wrap procedure, check this out. Try it and see if your imagination will run riot like mine. Heh.

I had a different masseuse last Saturday. I went for the body scrub but didn’t go for steaming as there was a chap in there. I could have leaped in joy there and then [I can only stand steaming for five minutes tops]. Instead, after showering off the body scrub, I went for a hydrobath. That was fun. Basically, you just soak yourself in the tub with water jets swirling bubbles of water over your body. I found the water a tad hot at first and only gingerly lowered myself into the tub. The masseuse set 20 minutes for my hydrobath. Seaweed wrap came next but this time around, I could only tolerate it for 15 minutes before calling out to the masseuse to stop. She felt my forehead and seemed so worried, you know, just like I was already running a temperature. And for a while, I actually thought I was too as she did seem that panicked. She told me not to get up just yet and to cool myself off first for a few minutes.

After showering off the seaweed paste, my masseuse then proceeded to massage me. And boy was she strong – as all my previous masseuses were! Seriously, I don’t know how they did it. So instead of enjoying it as I did on my earlier visit [my previous masseuse was strong but her techniques did not punish me], this time I was grimacing and my face contorted this way and that as I tried to contain the pain. It hurt so much, I was also screaming out aloud silently. Maybe I am too pampered but heck, I thought a massage is supposed to relieve your muscular pains, to heal, relieve stress and improve circulation, and not leave you with achy, breaky body parts at the end of it!

I swear I left the centre in more pain than when I arrived. And I was still in pain until late that Saturday Night. I sure hope the masseuse for my next visit will be gentler and have more mercy on me.

Dial M For Money

On the plane back home from Paris, during one of those sleepless spells and I much preferred to rest than watch any in-flight movies, I contemplated changing my credit card provider. Of course since I am already charged with the replacement card I lost along with my dosh, this change of credit card provider will not take place so soon. Still, I pondered about it and did some online search as to my other alternatives when I returned to work.

I am pretty impressed with foreign banks - particularly their customer service - so besides the nation’s top domestic bank, my search concentrated on foreign banks not based in a neighbouring country. I already have free-for-life credit cards from one of the local banks but it has since merged with another and, well, who knows what may happen. Besides, I don’t find the rewards offered by this particular provider particularly exciting.

Anyway, I was surprised to note missed calls registered on my mobile phone from an unknown number on Monday. I called back the number and what do you know, it was a credit/loan unit of one of the foreign banks and they want to offer me a personal loan. Told the lady I wasn’t interested but that I was shopping for a credit card that best suit my needs.

My mobile phone registered numerous missed calls and a message left in my voice mail from the same number on Tuesday [I was away from my desk either having lunch, playing board game or performing prayers]. Yea, they can be persistent alright so I ignored them all. Besides, I had already talked to them on Monday evening. What more did they want from skint me?

A call came through on Wednesday morning – yes from the very same number – and this time I was at my place to answer it. Personal loan on offer again. The chap at the other end told me that the bank offers personal loans at very competitive rates and I could use my loan for various personal reasons such as going for Haj, starting a business, house renovations, wedding preparations, settling my credit card bill etc, etc.

I pointed out that one must be able to pay for his passage to perform Haj and not rely on loan or debt. He agreed but said that one can take loans to send one’s parents for Haj. Apparently, this is allowed. That’s new information to me so I didn’t comment further. He then repeated the various other purposes such a loan could serve me [see above].

Hmmm. Personally, I agree that it may be necessary for one to require some funding to start up business and renovate/repair one’s dwelling. But I strongly disagree and don’t think it is right or proper to take a loan for wedding preparations because one of the conditions of marriage is that the man must be able to provide for the woman. Like Mummy once told me, ‘If one doesn’t have money, one shouldn’t think of getting married.’ After all, even our Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said that one who cannot afford to get married should fast.

And personally too, I vehemently disagree with the concept of taking a loan to settle one’s credit card bills. Taking a loan to settle a debt? That sounds like digging a bigger debt hole than one is currently in. And consumerism and capitalism have really encouraged consumer spending so much so those who can ill afford to spend resort to buying things on credit, paying in instalments, taking out loans, charging to credit cards... it’s a vicious circle if one cannot control his spending. I know some people who service the minimum payment required of their credit card bills and before they know it, the interests charged just accumulate and the statements loom larger and larger until one day they find themselves unable to settle their credit card bill altogether. Then they resort to illegal loan provider or loan sharks. Some may resort to loans from banks [evidently easy to get if they have good past credit history] and then they’d have to bear the ever ballooning interest charge of their credit card AND the loan interest, not to mention loan repayment.

OK, I will admit that I have resorted to borrowing from friends before when I was in tight financial situations [house repairs] and I had opted for interest-free instalment for one of my purchases and I had also paid interest-free and with-interest instalments for my time sharing clubs. But I don’t get myself involved in something I don’t think I can settle. I settled every single cent of my IOUs with my friends; I opted to settle the interest-free instalment in six months instead of twelve; and I paid off my with-interest time sharing instalments in a shorter time frame as I absolutely dislike the idea of having to pay interest.

Mummy always says don’t lust for something you cannot afford. Don’t bite off more than you can chew. If you want that designer handbag badly, save for it. Get it the legal way. So this personal loan offer? It doesn’t interest me. Let me be poor but don’t get me in debt. So I said no thanks to the chap nicely. Undaunted, he asked me if I knew anyone in need of cash and I told him I didn’t think my friends would appreciate it if I give their mobile numbers to him [just as I wondered how this bank got my number when I was never their client/customer] and he said he would text me so that I could forward his number to anyone interested.

So if you are interested, let me know.

Heartbreaker

The Italiano broke many hearts last night.

Set the alarm for four a.m. and when it went off, debated to myself if I should really go down and watch the match. Reasoning one could only catch a final match once every year, I went down.

And was delighted to see Milan leading by a goal. However, I got frustrated with Milan’s very glaring absence in Reina’s side of the field. Trust the Italians to be all defensive, I thought.

And suddenly, he stroke again after a brilliant pass from pin-up boy Kaka [his pose for Giorgio Armani adorns quite a few Milan buildings].

Though Kuyt headed home for Liverpool, it wasn’t enough for a repeat comeback of two years ago.

And it was AC Milan, who had almost no hope of catching up in Serie A after being punished with an 8-point deduction, who lifted the trophy. Glory to Rossoneri!

Yes, Pippo Inzaghi was a heartbreaker alright. But he didn’t break mine. Ancelotti, you picked the right man for the job.

Read all about the match here and here. For more on the heartbreaker’s profile, go here.

The Italian Job was well done.

Greece Is The Word

They last met two years ago. And Tonight they will meet again.

Dida or Reina?

Cafu or Carragher?

Nesta or Hyypia?

Gattuso or Gerrard?

Pirlo or Mascherano?

Kaka or Kewell?

Inzaghi or Bellamy?

More importantly [well, at least to me], getting up to watch it or continuing on with my beauty sleep?

I gotta a problem regarding tonight
I gotta stop and think, I gotta get it right
There may be a danger if the game continues too far
I start deceiving myself that I won’t be in disorder

Greece is the word
Non-followers think footie is just a growing pain
Why don’t they understand, it’s just a crying shame
Their lips are lying only real is real
I start to find right now, I gotta do as I feel

Greece is the word
Greece is the word, is the word that you heard
It’s got groove, it’s got meaning
Greece is the time, is the place, is the motion
Greece is the place they are playing

Out of boredom, I watched ManUre and Chelshit battled it out for the FA Cup Saturday Night [I know, I know, but look there will be a dearth of footie action until the next season starts]. Should have watched the Smallville DVD loaned to me or finish my book instead. Sheesh. A mistake I won’t repeat again.

But Milan and Liverpool are different. I don’t mind Liverpool or their supporters. And I have always loved Milan (players).

So maybe, just maybe, I will get up to watch it. We’ll see.

The Greatest Battle Lies Within

Having watched the first two editions of Spiderman, I couldn’t wait to watch Spiderman 3. I only managed to do it yesterday as I was away when it was released and though it was released worldwide in the same week, I didn’t fancy paying some foreign currency to watch it in a foreign language.

As you know, in the first Spiderman we learn together with Peter Parker as he discovers his extraordinary powers and that with great power comes great responsibility. In the second, we observe how these special powers interfere with him trying to establish a normal life. Doc Oc, the eight-armed villain, was an image of the passions gone wild: when our passions are out of control, humanity — as the movie rightly demonstrated — is on a Runaway Train bound for destruction. And now in the third instalment, we follow him coming face to face with his darker side having to deal with his emotional issues without the guiding voice of his uncle, Ben Parker. It is in fact the emotional trauma of his uncle’s death that sets him on the path to the dark side. ‘Confront the force of darkness or embrace it’.

Unfortunately, at the ending, Peter’s best friend and worst enemy, Harry died after sacrificing himself to save Peter.

And if there’s anything else I learn from Spiderman 3, it’s Aunt May’s lesson of forgiveness. Oh, and the movie ends with this bit of wisdom: Whatever comes our way, whatever battle we have raging inside us, we always have a choice... It’s our choices that make us who we are, and we can always choose to do what’s right.

Even hurt can be transformed into something positive. Forgiveness is the only path that brings true resolution to our pain. The alternative is to be possessed by the black, parasitic goo of bitterness and revenge. It’s our choice.

~~~~~~~~

This song, I’m Through With Love, is one of two songs sang by MJ in the movie.

I’m through with love
I’ll never fall again
Said adieu to love
Don’t ever call again
For I must love you or no one
And so I’m through with love

I’ve locked my heart
I’ll keep my feelings there
I’ve stocked my heart
With icy, frigid air
And I mean to care for no one
Because I’m through with love

Why did you lead me
To think you could care?
You didn’t need me
For you had your share
Of slaves around you
To hound you and swear
With deep emotion and devotion to you

Goodbye to spring and all it meant to me
It can never bring the thing that used to be
For I must have you or no one
And so I’m through with love

I’m through with love

Baby, I’m through with love

Don’t worry, Adek is not through with love although she did previously enjoy watching Down With Love.

The Holiday

Casts: Adek and good friend Lin

Genres: Comedy, Holiday, Horror

Running Time: 2 weeks

Rating: PG-13 for some strong language

And this is how the story goes...

~~~~~~~~

28 April 2007

Frantic Panic
The adventure started this morning at KL Sentral. Bought tix for both myself and Lin and joined the dozens of people queuing to check in at KLS. It was a long, slow process and it was a good, or rather bad, half hour before we got to the counter.

Only to be told that as there was less than two hours before our departure, the system had been blocked and that meant we could no longer check in at KL Sentral. I was furious and told the lady that we had been queuing for so long and it wasn’t right for her to imply that we had been queuing for less than the minimum two hours required. Lin, being the calm girl she always is, reasoned that we should just head for KLIA so we rushed down but the train was only leaving at 7.30 am. Which meant that we would only reach airport at close to 8 and a mere 50 minutes before departure time.

I pointed this out to Lin and voiced my fear and concern that we may not be able to check in, or worse, board, as we’d be too late. After all, even AirAsia closes its check-in gates 45 minutes prior to departure.

And what do you know, there were literally thousands of people at the airport; long queues everywhere so much so we didn’t know where one started and one ended. In panic, we searched for an airport official and Lin managed to locate him first. He assured Lin not to panic and to proceed to counter D17 or something for immediate check-in.

Phew!

Somehow the 12-hour flight didn’t seem so long or unbearable. We reached Stockholm Arlanda airport at 3.15 pm. The custom was smooth and before long, we were reunited with our bags. We decided to take the airport coach into the city over the Arlanda Express. After all this is Sweden and not at all a cheap destination. This is my second visit to Stockholm.
We arrived at the City Terminal 40 minutes later and took the Tunnelbanan or T-bana to Mariatorget station and walked down to our hotel-boat. Yes, we thought we might as well do it in style and stay in a boat/ship! Hotel Rygerfjord is anchored at the north part of Somermalm Island overlooking the stretch of water that is Riddarfjarden. Our cabin was a charming double-decker ‘room’ overlooking the river and was directly across the river from the City Hall, which dining hall is used for the banquet hosted after the annual Nobel Prize award ceremony.

After shopping at a nearby supermarket for our stock of mineral water and fruits, we rested. I bought carbonated mineral water by mistake [euwww!].

29 April 2007
Hardly Stockholm Syndrome But Overall Swede Experience

This bright and sunny albeit cold morning, we ventured out to Gamla Stan or Stockholm’s Old Town. We walked up and down the pedestrian-only street and found the narrowest street in Stockholm, Mårten Trotzigs Gränd. We then came upon Stadshuset or the Parliament and followed the waterfront to Kungliga Slottet or the Royal Palace. We walked on and decided to take an ‘Under The Bridges of Stockholm’ boat tour that took us under some 15 bridges of Stockholm and lasted close to two hours.
After all that sitting, we walked to the Royal Palace and bought tickets to enter the Hall of State, the Royal Apartments, the Apartments of the Orders of Chivalry and the Royal Palace Tre Kronor Museum. However, we had less than an hour before its scheduled closing time so we only covered Tre Kronor and the Royal Apartments.

Next, we walked to Stortorget, which is the old square of Stockholm. The buildings here are featured in many Stockholm postcards and fridge magnets. It is also the location of the Stockholm Stock Exchange Building, the seat of the Swedish Academy and The Nobel Museum.

We were sufficiently famished by this time and went for a late kebab lunch. Feeling more energised, we crossed over to Norrmalm and walked up and down the streets.

30 April 2007

Checking Out Of Stockholm; Checking Out Checkpoint Charlie

Another bright and sunny morning but oh how cold! We left the hotel after breakfast and took T-bana to City Terminal. Farväl Stockholm, we are now heading for our next destination, Berlin.

We were reunited with our bags shortly after arrival at Berlin Schonefeld. We then walked to the S-bahn station and then navigated the seemingly complicated transportation system before reaching our hotel at Sickingerstrasse, near the Beusselstrasse S-bahn station.
After freshening up, we left and took a bus to Hauptbahnhof, which looked really modern and recently renovated. From there, we took an S-bahn to Kohlstrasse where Checkpoint Charlie is. We took the usual tourist pictures before entering the Museum.

As you probably know, Berlin was reduced to rubble in the Second World War. Then in August 1961, the city was cut into two by the notorious Die Mauer (The Wall) which split life on either side between the two political polarities. Ironically, the scant remains of the Wall where so many people died not long ago are the tourist attraction today.

We only returned back to the hotel at 10 that night[!]. There was a beautiful full moon which reminded me of the full moon in Rome in May last year.

May Day 2007

Zoo Station

This bright and mild spring morning, we decided to go to Museum Island or Museumsinsel, but not before checking out Zoo Station first. Not to visit Cute Knut at the Zoo though. At Museum Island, we explored the Altes and Pergammon Museums [the latter houses collections of Eastern and Roman artefacts]. Both museums were huge, massive, and gigantic and I was feeling a bit tired after all that. We didn’t even go into the Bode Museum [it houses Egyptian works]. By the way, very strict guards patrol the museums.
After an Indian buffet lunch at Oranienburgerstrasse, we took the Bahn to Brandenburg Tor or Brandenburg Gate. We then strolled over to Reichstag, i.e. the Berlin Parliament. It was a hazy sunshiny day and there were loads of people sunbathing in front of the Parliament[!]. We then walked down the street along Tiergarten to Siegessäule or the Victory Tower [yes, it was featured in U2’s Stay (Faraway, So Close!) music video]. It was about two kms away from Brandesburg Tor.
We most definitely walked for miles, burnt thousands of calories and fat and developed serious leg muscles this day!

And even then, we walked on further and discovered to our dismay that while the museums were opened on May Day, Kurfurstendamm (Ku’damm) which usually pulsates with life late into the night and Berlin’s premier department store (KaDeWe) were devoid of action.

Watched Liverpool play Chelshit but was too knackered to see the game ‘til its end and only found out the next morning that Liverpool had advanced to the final match after beating Chelshit at penalty. Good job Liverpool!

2 May 2007

Auf Wiedersehen Berlin

Today we left Berlin for our next destination. Took the bus to Haupbahnhof and changed for S-bahn to Berlin Schonefeld.

This time the plane ride was longer - close to 3 hours. We landed at Athens International Airport [Elefthérios Venizélos] at almost 5 in the evening.

Took the suburban train into the city to our hotel near Larissis station. Shortly after checking in, we went out in search for food and some groceries and found to our dismay that Greeks sure love their meat, particularly pork.

Dinner was finally had at a deli at the railway station served by a surly waitress.

Watched AC Milan beat ManUre tonight. Yee haa! Go Milan!

3 May 2007
Greece Enlightening

Greece is the word

Greece is the word, is the word that you heard

It’s got groove, it’s got meaning

Greece is the time, is the place, is the motion

Greece is the place we are in

What’s worth seeing in Athens are all clustered around the old town or the Plaka district. So, this morning after checking out shortly after 9 [any minute later and we’d be swamped by the hordes of other tourists and schoolchildren], we took the metro to Acropolis station and walked up the hill to Acropolis. They sure didn’t call it city on a hill for nothing. We joined the hordes of other tourists and schoolchildren admiring the ruins of Parthenon, Erechtheum, Propylaea and the theatre of Dionysus. The temple Parthenon, dedicated to the goddess Athena, is held up as the epitome of architectural perfection.

We then went to Ancient Agora located to the north of Acropolis [it was the marketplace and still has the remains of the old administrative centre], then walked past Hadrian’s Library before walking to the Roman Agora. All that walk and being Indiana Jones made us hungry so we decided to go for lunch, but not before stopping by at the Parliament at Syntagma (Constitution) Square to watch the changing of guards which takes place every hour on the hour.

Lunch this time was served by a gruffy waiter. I remember commenting to Lin, ‘What’s wrong with them? They are so bad-tempered around here. It must be the climate.’ Honestly, I didn’t recall them being so rude during my previous visit.

After trekking around the city, we returned to the hotel, performed prayers and set off for the airport. We later performed our evening prayers at the airport, in a chapel – probably that explained my two earlier dreams of praying in chapels. Our flight out of Athens was to take off the next morning at 4.30, yes, talk about an ungodly hour. I couldn’t sleep well in the airport as I kept coughing.

4 May 2007

Cracking Krakow

We arrived into Krakow, Poland, this morning at 6.15 am. We spent a considerable amount of time waiting for immigration clearance. Evidently not many Malaysians had arrived at this airport hence the long process. Anyway, I have been wanting to add Poland as the 40th country I have visited.

It was still a bit cold in Krakow (also spelt as Cracow); after all it was still barely 7 in the morning. We took the train into the city; it took only 14 minutes. The lovely mild spring weather and splendid scenery outside helped to lift my moods. We then discovered that not many Poles speak good English, some don’t speak any English at all! [which I had discovered earlier by watching The Amazing Race: All-Stars]. We were lucky there was a girl who helped us to buy tickets. We then somehow took a tram to our hostel.

After freshening up and breakfast, we walked to Wawel Castle but as the tours that we bought would only start later, we decided to go to Rynek Glowny or the Market Square first. Rynek Glowny, Krakow’s central market square, is the largest medieval market square in Europe. There is the Renaissance mercantile Cloth Hall and Cathedral, some museum and of course, hundreds of pigeons.

We then returned to the Wawel Castle for our tours, had a light meal in between, walked around the castle grounds and even went down to the Wisla River before returning back to the hostel, knackered and beat.

5 May 2007

Salt Mine Tour

This morning, we decided to join a tour to Wieliczka Salt Mine instead of to Auschwitz Birkenau, site of the largest concentration camp in Hitler’s final solution. The weather which had been kind to us all along took a change and was dull, grey and cloudy today.

The salt mine at Wieliczka is an amazing complex of underground mine of miles of corridors [the miles of corridors are supposedly as long as the distance between Krakow and Warsaw!], with many chambers and even chapels built down there. The guided tour lasted for two hours. We first went down 387 steps to 64 metres below ground and as we explored further into the underground complex, we descended further and further into earth’s belly until we reached 120 metres below ground (if my memory serves me right).

I would summarise the visit to the salt mine as fantastic. I was really glad we went there.

We returned back to Krakow and had lunch at an eatery that served seafood [how rare!] before shopping for some souvenirs.

I wasn’t pleased though to discover, on my return back to the hostel, that my freshly laundered Mango long-sleeves tees AND my contact lenses case were missing from the bathroom where I left them when we returned to the hostel. Spent some time hunting for my missing tee to no avail.

6 May 2007

Sunday Bloody Sunday

Spent some more time tracking my tee before deciding to call it quits. Left the hostel shortly after 11 am. Another cold, bleak, dreary morning. Waited for the tram and it didn’t show up. At 1140, we started panicking as our train was due to leave at 12 noon, even contemplated taking a cab to the train station.

But of course, Murphy’s Law prevailed and no cab was to be found when you needed one. We walked like cartoons - I would have won a walk-with-your-suitcase walkathon if there ever is one - and finally we took another tram after walking about a km or so. Got down the tram and walked like mad to the station; it was already 1158 then. The funny thing was - although at the time I barely had time to appreciate the funny side of it - I was at first leading the way, then Lin caught up with me and Suddenly, she overtook me and it was me who was then lagging behind. As she got to the station first, Lin found out that the train was delayed by 5 minutes but still it would have to leave from farthest platform. To my dismay there were flights and flights of steps to be ascended to reach the platform [but of course] and my lungs were about to burst by then. I somehow managed to summon enough strength to drag my suitcase up those bloody stairs and climbed into the train, panting and gasping, and yes, we only had seconds to spare before the train pulled away.

The train was crowded and although apparently we had seats in carriage 11 [we were in carriages 1 and 2 respectively], we decided to stay put as it was impossible to walk through the human traffic blocking the narrow passageway. So there I was perched on my suitcase [for the entire journey which took close to three hours], hanging on for dear life while trying to catch my breath. After a while, I managed to Relax enough to read my novel.

And oh do the Poles love their nicotine. Some chaps who shared the corridor space with me decided to light up [yes, in the train] and I started coughing and coughing. Thankfully, they took the hint and moved to the space in between the carriages to finish off their sticks of cancer-inducing pleasure.

We reached Warsaw (Warszawa) Central at almost 3 pm and it was raining cats and dogs. We walked a bit before taking a bus then walked some more in the rain before finally reaching the hostel. As I didn’t have enough Zlotny left, we told the receptionist that we would pay for our room after having a meal and changing our currencies. Our late lunch was had at a restaurant serving international cuisine.

Later at the hostel, we found out that Monsieur Nicolas Sarkozy had been officially announced as the new President of France. And my bomber jacket had a faint nicotine smell to it too. Bugger.

7 May 2007

Unpolished Poles

This morning, the sun sneaked out after 9. We took the bus to Stare Misato and shortly after getting down the bus, I discovered to my horror that I had been pick-pocketed. Yes, all my dosh - Euros, USD, MYR and even PLN and oh, also my credit card, gone. Just like that. I was now penniless.

Thank God I still had Lin. Somehow I found the strength not to cry but by then, I had lost all desire to sightsee. I hated all Poles then. How could they do that to me? Why couldn’t I be left alone without having to be a victim?

We went to a Tourist Information Centre and Citibank but the people there were all expressionless, blank and compassionless when I told them my plight. I felt like shaking them and said, ‘Hey, Cry Me A River, will you?!’ Lin then helped to call Citibank and I reported my card loss. Then I decided I could perhaps contact my friend and asked if she could wire some Euros to me that I can access at our next destination.

We then visited the Royal Castle and viewed the exhibitions. Warsaw’s past is bloody and tragic [just as I was feeling bloody annoyed too and my situation as tragic]; Hitler in 1933 ordered that no stone of Warsaw should be left standing. Patriotic Poles had since rebuilt replicas of the original 19th century structure. After exiting from the castle, we explored the centre of the old town, the beautiful Rynek Starego Miasto (Old Town Square).

After lunch at Nowe Misato (New Town), we took the bus to Lazienki Park and took pictures of the Palace on the Water and Chopin [music composer Fryderyk Chopin was a native of Warsaw].

8 May 2007

The City of Light
After breakfast, we took a leisurely stroll around the hotel area to the square before having lunch. Didn’t buy anything today. Not in the mood at all despite earlier daydreaming of buying Polish crystals.

After lunch, we took the bus to the airport for our next destination, The City Of Light. We only landed at Paris Orly at 8.25 pm and after clearing immigration and collecting our bags, we took the Orlybus to Denfert-Rochereau. From there, we walked to our hotel at rue de Moulin Vert.

9 May 2007
Printemps in Paris
*Printemps means ‘Spring’ in French
An overcast morning greeted us today. After breakfast, we went in search of La Poste, the French post office from which I could retrieve the Euros wired to me. With my extremely limited French, I was somehow able to communicate to the lady at the counter and thankfully she was helpful and knew some English. I also discovered that morning that the area we were staying at has a lot of branded store outlets. Alas, we didn’t manage to visit them as they opened too late and closed too early.

We then took the metro to Invalides. The beautiful church of Les Invalides with its golden dome contains the mortal remains of Napoleon. Spent some Kodak moments there then crossed the River Seine, walked past Petit Palais to Avenue des Champs-Elysees. Now, Champs-Elysees is the most prestigious and broadest avenue in Paris and one of the most famous streets in the world [Guerlain also has a perfume by this name]. I suppose it’s like what Oxford and Bond Streets are to London and Fifth Avenue is to New York.

We walked on to the Charles de Gaulle Etoile which is the great circle at the western end of Champs-Elysees. There are twelve avenues radiating out from CDG Etoille, much like a ‘star’. In its centre is the massive Arc de Triomphe, Napoleon’s thank-you to his army.

We then took the metro to Printemps and Galaries La Fayette at Boulevard Haussmann. The restaurants and cafes in Printemps however didn’t seem too accommodating to our taste, so we ventured out to a restaurant in the vicinity. And my, meals in Paris sure cost a lot in comparison to other cities! And do the Parisians love to smoke too! Our non-smoking table was just metres away from the smoking area. Duh! And as in Krakow, we were asked if were from Korea [cool! That’s the first time for me to be referred to as a Korean] and when we said no, we were asked if we were Vietnamese instead [how not cool! Well, I suppose better that than being asked if we were Filipinos or Thais].
After indulging ourselves to window shopping, we took the metro to the Georges Pompidou Centre. The Centre is a modern multi-cultural art centre conceived by Georges Pompidou and opened in 1977. This eccentric structure houses a cinema, galleries, museums and an excellent library.

We returned to the hotel in the evening stopping by at a supermarket on our way and had our dinner at an Italian restaurant much later near the hotel.

As with Stockholm, Berlin and Athens, it was my second time here. And while I am happy to report that the French are not as snotty as I found them to be the first time, I was dismayed to discover that there were noticeably less handsome or good-looking French guys around.

10 May 2007

Paris Highlights

An early morning in comparison as we read that the queue to the Eiffel Tower is normally long. Yes, that was among our planned destinations today.

We reached the Eiffel Tower shortly after 9 am and the ticket counters were not opened yet. The queue wasn’t too long either. There are three stages to the Eiffel Tower and we bought tickets to all three. You can buy tickets to just the first floor, or first and second floors, or to all floors. Or you can also scale the stairs up to the second floor and the ticket for this is cheaper [not sure if you can ascend all the way up by stairs should you wish to]. We got whisked up to the first and second floors by an elevator then changed at the second floor for the elevator up to the third.

The view from the top was superb and I was glad I wasn’t dizzy with the height. It was still a slightly breezy morning after a late night shower [which we slept through] so the weather wasn’t too kind to those in short sleeves and shorts which thankfully we weren’t in.

We descended down after an hour to the RER station and took the train to Saint-Michel Notre Dame. We crossed the bridge to the Île de la Cité, the tiny island where Paris began in pre-Roman times. The eastern part of the island houses the Gothic 13th century Notre Dame Cathedral. The Cathedral is the first church in Paris and this was where Napoleon was crowned.

After some Kodak moments and a stroll through the church, we walked to a cous cous restaurant for lunch. It was during lunch when we found out that Mr Tony Blair had announced his intention to step down as the Prime Minister of the UK.

After lunch, we decided to walk to the Musée Du Louvre. Because it was previously a royal palace, it is a massive structure alright and our feet were aching just trying to get to Louvre itself! The once-controversial 21-metre high Glass Pyramid dominates the courtyard of Louvre. And once inside, we decided to concentrate on the more important and interesting sights [at least to us!].

Among the treasures if the Louvre is the Venus de Milo and the famous Mona Lisa. We also visited the Islamic Art section of the museum.

After that, we headed to a shopping place but as we didn’t think it was all that exciting, headed back to Printemps and Galeries La Fayette. I didn’t have much appetite for Shopping though; besides I much prefer Italian brands to French.

11 May 2007

Au Revoir

Another early morning. We checked out at 7.30 am and took the metro to Denfert-Rochereau and from there, the RER train to Charles De Gaulle Airport. I have a complaint here: Why, oh why, can’t they build escalators?! German technology far impresses me. Oh and another complaint: the train sucked big time. The train from Rome Termini to Rome Leonardo da Vinci Airport was wayyy better. And it wasn’t a direct train too; we had to change trains at a station, thankfully to another train on the other side of the platform [or we’d have to haul our bags up and down more stairs!]. We reached the CDG RER station and changed for another train to Aerogare 1 [Terminal 1].

The airport is huge and massive but hardly impressive.

After checking in, we checked out the very few duty-free shops there and bought some chocolates. Not much choice as Belgian and Swiss chocolates seemed to dominate the chocolate store. No Venchi chocolates sold by weight... *boo hoo*.

Plane departed shortly after noon. It wasn’t a full flight, not unlike the flights out of Rome. Some turbulence was experienced but not too bad.

12 May 2007

‘... to all Malaysians, Welcome Home’

Landed 10 minutes to 6 in the morning. As I decided to perform prayers first, my bag was already waiting for me next to the already stationary conveyor belt. Rushed to take the 0630 ERL ride to KL Sentral and reached micasa before 0715.

*Sigh* As Nelly Furtado sings it, All Good Things Come To An End.

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Here To Stay

Adek has decided to continue on with Reflections, because after much thought, she is not yet prepared to give up on this blog. It wasn’t a ploy to increase visitors – Adek never did care for that anyway. It’s just a thought that ran in her mind that, hmm, maybe she should migrate to other blog hosts like Xanga, Typepad, WordPress etc. Then she decided, well, maybe she should just Stay. After all, Adek loves her blog address [after changing it at least twice; figuring out a ‘catchy’ blog address for Adek is as ‘tough’ as figuring out a new password that meets all the security requirements].

She is still toying with the idea of changing her blog layout – had been entertaining the thought for the past year in fact. But she actually does like this one. It’s green and has some plants at the top, as if to convey that she is environmentally friendly [she does try to be]. And she also happens to like the colour green for certain things – her kebaya, baju kurung [traditional costume] and now, the colour of her blog, at least for the time being.

So maybe this will stay for some time still.