Reflections 2005

The year in review. People say that time moves faster when you are happier. I guess I agree with that particular magic woven. My last months as a student has indeed been slipping away from me fast. 2005 bears many wonderful memories, and as the year draws to a close, its time for some reflection over the year.

January: Hwa Chong Night 2005. Turning point of a very painful beginning to the year. Thanks so much to my committee who has committed much to a successful event, one which has found a place in my memories for many years to come.


ICSS 23rd Executive committee - once I join any society, my attachment for it grows and grows, and this year, the guys from the 23rd are the best hands for Kaileng to hand over to. With the major event coming up in February, good luck guys.

March :- Manchester and Windermere (Lake District) trip with Chongwai and Sebastian. Most third year students can't be bothered with the freshers who join the school, but not me. Sebas and CW turned out to be some of the best people to hang out with, and the better of travelling companions =).

The rest of April is spent mugging for exams. Terrible times. Shall not repeat much of it.


May:- Senior Farewell Party. The third time I am attending this, and perhaps the most heart-tearing, because I am sending off ALL my kawan-kawans. There goes my exco committee, my EEE batch mates. Good luck to Velma (Oxford), Peida (Stanford), Eik (Cambridge), Jon (Sailing), Qiqi (ASTAR for a year before doing PhD), Jade (somewhere in London), Dor (Freezing off in US), Alvin (getting married in 2006), Youwei, Kechew (DSO). Luckily I have BR left in 4th year, and a bunch of 2nd years who are now my housemates =).

June:- 9 days in Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam. Hui Wen came over and off we go to the lands of sunshine! (Comment restricted only to Summer) But ya, it was 9 straight days of sunshine as we explored (and I re-explored) these cities. Its so much more beautiful than in Winter. Returned to London for my group project presentation (which we did abysmally in). Flew back to Singapore on the 26th and started work on the 27th. Back to 160 SQN.

July and August saw me preparing for NDP 05 as the Deputy Secretariat for Special Functions. The photo was taken with my boss during the attachment and honoured by the Chairman of NDP05.

Special Functions Committee 2005. Half of them are old faces, my colleagues of the past, and the other half, my colleagues in the year to come. I am still trying to reconcile the fact that my career as a student is coming to an end and my stint as a military commander is going to re-start.

But before that, its back to the civilian world, back to ICSS! Sojourn 2005. I think this is going to be my last Sojourn which I am going to be so actively involved. Was an assistant to the organisers on the first day, and an amazing race OGL on the second. Got to know some of the freshers and I enjoyed myself thoroughly, even though the smallest age gap was like.. 2 years? only. Ok that was self-consolation ha... Group shot at the end of 3 days, and credits to the organising comm, this was the biggest group left after the whole Sojourn. Well done.


September:- ICAAS AGM and Dinner and Dance. I think I am the only active member to have attended all the ICAAS AGMs. This year's was special in a different way. I was nominated MOSA, which I felt Zhicheng deserved more than me. I got to talk to Defence Minister Teo (my ultimate boss). And more of my friends were at the dinner, friends whom I wun have to chance to see again until I return to Singapore. It was good to catch up with Zhicheng, Yiken and Weihan again.

September:- time to return to London. For those who don't know, my family is in quite a bad state, and I stay alone. Although Mum and I don't stay together and don't talk much, I believe we still love each other very much. Kinda regret not being with her more during the holidays at the airport, but I am sure I will have a lot more time to make up to her when I return to Singapore permanently. (Ok for those wondering how come she looks so young, she's only 23 years older than me hee).

October:- Hui Min's Birthday. This is the first time I am planning something so elaborate for someone I love, so of course it has to be special. From organising a surprise to trying to contain it, contacting people whom I have met once or twice and disturbing them at night to sign cards, I felt that it was all worth it from the look of her face.


October:- Convocation. (No not mine, although I could claim that I have completed my BEng's worth of education and I am a post graduate masters student now) Alvin, Eik Sheng etc came back to London for graduation, and it left me with a dilemma. Should I fly back for convo next year or save the $3K plus? Its not a small sum you know. At the end of it, I guess it all depends on the company.


November:- Guy Fawke's Day Potluck. For many things, this being one of it, I am really proud of the 23rd. This is the largest turnout I've seen for potluck, and I guess it is all credited to the committee. We even managed to exceed the safety limit for the number of human beings the common room can hold and were asked to evacuate the room. Fantastic.

December:- After slogging through the term, its time for R&R again. Off to Portugal with Hui Min, BR, Zhewei, Mary, Eewen, Enxin, Changyong and Meixin. Went to Porto, Lisbon and Lagos. Hey I just blogged about it. Go read.


So on the 31st December, I hereby sum the year up on a high. It has been a fantastic year. Many happy memories which I would keep for a lifetime. Many new friends found. Many many surprises, laughter, tears, smiles etc to last. And of course, with the multiplier in the form of Hui Min, I am sure better things would come in 2006. Thanks dear, thanks to all my friends for a great 2005. Good Luck in the new year to you guys too.

Happy birthday Yongcong.

And Happy Birthday to me too!

Missing home?

I miss the Christmas lights along Orchard Road although I didn't use to take much notice of them whilst I am in Singapore. It has been 4 years since I've seen them.


One more year later, I would probably say that I miss the Christmas lightings along Oxford Street. I would miss winter in London. And if she is studying in Oxford, I'll miss her most.

Snowing!

Its snowing!

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Enjoyed a quiet night with hm yesterday. Made our own veggie soup, starters, roasted potatoes and black pepper steak, completed with cheesecake and Taylor's port wine. Big feast!



***

Woke up late this morning.. had nearly 11 hours of rest.. somehow I am always tired recently, dunno why. I haven't really committed 100% of my energy into preparing for exams yet, so there must be something else that's making me so tired. Must be because its winter.. time for hibernation.. And talking about winter.. I woke up to a white backyard.. its finally snowing!

Merry Xmas!

Hey Merry Xmas to one and all!

Will be headed to Mary's place for a Xmas dinner later. Will post the photos when I get back.

Take care all!

Joseph

Portugal in 6 days.. a snapshot tour

Ola! I am back after a 6 day odyssey covering the major cities of Portugal. No time to go to every single part, and no money for that kind of luxury either. However, it was a fulfilling trip which has given me a much need break before I step up momentum for the last lap of my education here.

We visited Porto for 1 day, travelling southwards towards the capital of Portugal Lisbon where we stayed for 3 nights, before heading off for the sunny Southwestern tip of Portugal: Lagos.

Portugal's second city, Porto, enjoys a magnificent position, tumbling down the steep slopes on the North bank of the River Douro. This wonderfully charasmatic city has been occupied for at least 3000 years.

With Hui Min along River Douro in Porto. The bridge in the background is Ponte Dom Luis I.

On the way to one of the port shippers on Vila Nova de Gaia. The city bathed in the setting sun's ray in the background would be Porto.

Croft port shipper. The curious bunch of us in the wine cellar. The port is kept in these huge barrels to age. Note that there is a difference in taste if the port is aged in big barrels (right) and smaller barrels (left). There are even smaller barrels then what you see here.

A little background on port wines: although the grapes for port are grown in the Duoro valley, the ageing process takes place in Vila Nova de Gaia. Each spring following a harvest, the barrels of new wine are transported down river, originally in square rigged boats. (see the photo above!)

(shamefully plagarised from Hui Min): - Wine Tasting at Croft: one of the best thing of the trip is the wine tour and tasting at Croft in Porto. Croft is a Port Wine manufacturing company, established in 1678. We were introduced to the process of making port wine, right from the harvest of grapes grown on Duoro Valley just down the river from Porto, to the bottling of these wine. In the short 20mins of tour, we were over loaded with terms like vintage, tawny, ruby, LBV, etc..

Magnificent view of the river from the middle of Ponte Dom Luis I.

Night view of Porto's waterside. The dinner that even was.. an absolute disaster. Hui min and Eewen's calamari was literally floating inches above the plate b

Lisbon: the capital of Portugal since around 1255, Lisbon is one of Europe's smallest and most atmospheric capitals. Built in a rambling heap on seven hills on the north bank of the Tagus estuary, it has vibrant, multicultural appeal that stems from the large number of immigrants from its former African and Asian colonies. One of ten of Portugal's population live here, creating a livel, Latin atmosphere.

Train ride to Lisbon. Innumerable games of bluff were played in the span of 6 days. I wonder if its a world record =P

There wasn't much time left to do much after we got off the train. Walked around Baixa, the shopping district for a while and went for dinner. Dinner was a lot better than last nights. Still oily, but the food taste so much better, and the ambience was great.

Snapshop of the shopping district. No tripod this year, so my night shots are a trifle shaky.

King Afonso's statue in the foreground, Castelo de Sao Jorge (later) in the background on the hilltop.

First official day in Lisbon. We took a day trip out to Sintra. This is the summer resident of the kings of Portugal. We finally tasted proper Portugese egg tarts in a little (fantastic) cafe on the way uphill.

Palacio Nacional: The royal palace begun construction in the late 14th Century.

On our way up to Castelo dos Mouros (Moor''s Castle). The castle was built in the 9th Centruy, and captured by Afonso Henriques in 1147.

And finally, arriving at the top with fantastic scenic view of the town of Sintra.

We hopped onto the 2.30pm train back to Lisbon, and chionged down to Belem. Bad luck that the next day is a Monday, and these places are closed. Hence we have no choice but to rush through these attractions in short order.

Singapore is not on the map. Hui min attempts to punch a hole in place of it with her finger.

Sunset. I love this shot of the little boy running away from me.

The gals, with the Tower of Belem in the background.

Up the Castelo de Sao Jorge. City of Lisbon in the background.

Zhewei attempting to show the bunch of us how strong he is.

Indian - Portugese mixed cuisine. Less oily, but as salty. Tasty nonetheless =)

At the Parque das Nacoes. The former Expo'98 site has become an open air playground whre Lisboetas flock at weekends to enjoy its restaurants, bars, sculpture gardens and riverside walks.