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Suzhou, July 6, 2013 After a high-cholesterol dinner in Nanjing, we set off the next morning for a drive towards Suzhou. Loaded with more cholesterol over the local breakfast of more pig jelly, pig inners and a huge bowl of noodle, it was kinda hard to keep oneself awake in the stormy weather as we hit the highway. There is not much to keep one entertained on a highway in any country, so my attention turns to the billboards alongside the road. It is amazing how much billboards can tell you about a country, especially about the consumption habits of the locals. They could also give you an idea of who the aggressive advertisers are and whether they know how to use their advertising dollars. I’ve seen the same boring ad line up on both sides of a walkway every 1 meter in China and never seem to figure out how that helps. Maybe there is more RMBs in the budgets here than one could ever handle! What do I learn about China on the way to Suzhou then? Without coincidence, billboards after billboards on both sides of the highway, one could not see anything else except horizontal ads of Chinese wine and liquor. And they all take the same approach. Product is always the hero, so a huge image of the bottle, a tagline that normally has something to do with the long Chinese heritage of thousands of years, spiced up by the name of the manufacturer’s and voilà, one is all set to go. I have to admit though, that the packaging of these wine and liquor products are quite diverse and attractive, from ancient Chinese looking ceramics to modern European looking glass bottles of all shapes and sizes. I turn to my local friend and ask, “Why do you think there are nothing else but liquor ads along the road?”. Without a second of hesitation, Yibin responds, “Because of the liquor culture in China. Gifting means liquor. Getting together means liquor. Festivals mean liquor. Holiday means liquor.” Upon memories of all my encounters in China, in actual fact, all do involve liquor consumption at various extents. Glasses are raised once again as we reach Suzhou for a local lunch. Here’s to all the livers in China! #nanjing #chineseheritage #culture #china #lifeperspective #suzhou #billboards #liquor

Nanjing, July 05, 2013 Leaving Guangzhou in the Lafite setting, we board the 10AM China Southern Airlines flight for our next meeting in Nanjing, the ancient capital of the Ming Dynasty. The Dynasty was actually founded here, throwing over 150 years of Mongolian domination and lasted for an impressive 300-year period. As usual, the flight is delayed for 40 minutes, which, to me, is exceptionally reasonable. What’s new? I’ve never been fortunate enough to board a plane on time in China for the last 2 years any way. I am happy , therefore, to line up even when the check-in guy yells out the boarding order with an annoyingly loud voice. As usual, people step on to each other fighting for a cabin space. People elbow through the aisle in search for that non-refundable seat they have paid in full with their hard-earned money. The whole demeaner depicts an absolute fear of losing out on some self-worthy benefits. I’ve learned to make quick moves to avoid invasions into my own personal space in China. Either that or I have to quickly learn to use some four-letter word. All betls buckled, plane taxiying towards the run-way as my mind wanders about the schedule for Nanjing. Suddenly we stop, and without any announcement, everything stands still. No one seems surprised. No one wants to know what the issue is. Some sleeping, some reading newspapers, it is as though life is carried on as normal no matter what. In a way, that’s pretty cool…. An hour passes by. The lady behind starts getting uneasy and calls for a stewardess to check on departure time. “We don’t know. Please stay where you are until further notice” replies the stewardess. It is then that the lady gets all ticked off. She yells cross the whole cabin with probably the most threatening voice she could ever employ in a worthy fight. “You people, you are too used to ordering others what to do. I am all sick of this.” As she goes on, juices and water get served. Thanks, granny! 2 hours later, we take off and stay up in the air for another half an hour circling around at the other end before landing. We arrive in Nanjing at 4 PM on a gloomy, miserable, rainy evening. China, as one travels across its amazing ancient treasures, is simply found to be the perfect place for real-life meditation. Every encounter, every activity here does call for an enormous amount of patience and forgiveness. After all, isn’t that what all religions on earth are out to teach us? Hang on! if you are looking for something more tangible & fashionable, welcome to the New Age Religion of China! #delay #nanjing #philosophy #china #meditation #perspective #life #religion #Guangzhou

Nanjing, July 5, 2013 Leaving lobster themidor and the hustle bustle of Guangzhou, we set off for Nanjing. Nanjing has always been my favorite city in China, simply because of the warmth and the heart-felt hospitality from my local friends. After the 4-hour delay, we walk out to rainy Nanjing where our 2 Nanjing friends have been waiting patiently for 6 hours. Not a single frown on their faces, we head to Xinjiekou, the center of center of Nanjing to check in. Not sure if it is built in their DNA but the locals here do enjoy eating & drinking and they refuse to pass any occasion without making it a feast. Surprise, surprise! It is dinner that we head out to after checking in. A bunch of local friends already gather around at a local restaurant, ready to have that welcoming beer on us. That, is Nanjing hospitality! Snow beer from Beijing, Tsingtao beer from Qingdao, and a feast of more than 10 dishes including yellow eel, dragon shrimp, pig jelly, pig intestines, frog, and what have you. The night starts on a high note. Beer is served Nanjing way, one cold and one hot beer being poured at the same time into the same glass. I could never tell the difference but according to the locals, it obviously tastes better that way!?! As ganbei (bottoms up) being made one glass after another, whether to the whole group or one on one, the restaurant manager appears with his special of the day to pay respect to his loyal customers. Super proud of his special of the day, the manager asks us all to guess what type of veggie is used as key ingredient for the dish. Guess it wrong and you have to drink up your beer. Guess it right and he will punish himself with a full glass. That does not turn me on, but who cares? When in Rome…. The locals take turn but none gets it right. What do you know? It obviously is not a local specialty. “It’s your turn, Miss.” says the manager, getting all cocky with his veggie of mystery. All eyes are on me. No pressure! I take one bite, look around, and raise my eyebrows…. “Sauerkraut!” No one seems to get it. “It’s pickled cabbage, German style.” I announce in victory. It goes without saying, the whole room is filled with joy and laughters as the manager gobbles down his freshly poured beer. We continue on through the night with a drinking game called “Wo ai ni – I love you” or “bu yao lian – sorry” (select a direction from your left or right and either say “I love you” or “sorry” and the next person either passes it on via the same direction or says the opposite to the one on the opposite direction). It strikes me, however, for the first time how much international influence has made it to China, even here in a local eel & frog restaurant in Nanjing…. #nanjing #china #travel #perspective #saukraut #life #internationalinfluence

Guangzhou, July 4, 2013 Though probably dead tired after landing in Guangzhou from Sydney at 6AM, our Guangzhou host would not take no for an answer when extending his dinner invitation tonight. Since Guangzhou is super famous for its Cantonese cuisine, it is Cantonese food tonight by no mistake. We walk in leisure to the restaurant which offers no common dining area apart from various themed VIP rooms. Exclusivity by all means is here to service this important trading province of Guangdong. We are first seated at one sofa corner of the room where a tea ceremony is initiated. Being a very health-conscious person, our host orders a herbal tea, supposedly good for the liver, especially when alcohol is about to flow through one’s body. While the tea fragrance fills the room, an expensive bottle of red wine is being decanted at the main table. The bottle is then brought over to the host who passionately shares his tasting notes for this 1000-dollar bottle of 2005 Domaines Barons de Rothschild Chateau Lafite “So you must be a French-wine fan?” I ask. “Definitely!” answers Vincent. “What are your thoughts on Australian and American wines that have made headlines in recent years then?” Without a flash of hesitation, Vincent explains his philosophy about wine, “French wine is like a charming, elegant lady who comes from a noble and educated family heritage while Australian and American wines can be referred to as young, energetic, entertaining ladies who can be a lot of fun but won’tbe able to walk a journey with you.” What a description! Though i am not sure if he has actually been sold the concept at one of the roadshows promoted by the Wine Association of France. The host then apologizes that he could not make us wait for an hour while our Lafite needs to breathe, and unfortunately that we have to start dinner sooner, knowing we need to rest early after a hard-working day. Without any prejudice on the 1000-dollar tag, Lafite tastes perfect to me, distinctively flowery though I am supposed to pick up flower, oak, fruit, and orange, all in all a very sophisticated combination. Pairing with fine Cantonese dishes of five-spiced tofu, Cantonese roast pork, roasted baby duck, pan-fried estuary fish, and an unusual Western cousin lobster thermidor on a bed of Chinese noodle, the dinner ends on a fine note with snowy custard dumpling for dessert. As we walk back to the hotel that night, I can, for the first time in my life, feel the expensive gap between the social classes in China. One country, same city, yet it is heaven and hell intertwining in this rough city of Guangzhou. #sophistication #lafite #perspective #cantonese #guangdong #life #france #wine #Guangzhou

Guangzhou, July 4, 2013 Guangzhou has never been my city of choice due to previous bad experiences. If there is one thing I love about this city, it is the magnificent Cantonese cuisine setting out to capture even the most critical foodie. The variety of offerings is amazing and the tatses are just heavenly. With that in mind, I return to Guangzhou, hoping to get quickly through the days with frozen-faced business meetings and a few great meals as a bonus. Loud, noisy, rude, and always on-the-go are the things stuck in my mind after my last Guangzhou visit about the people here. Why does one have to shout across a one-meter distance just to deliver a simple message such as “It’s boarding time”? That I could never comprehend. But then again, it may simply be an ingrained habit that one grows up with in this short-breathed city. Well-prepared for a typical buzzing Guangzhou day ahead, I calmly step into Mr. Li’s office. Taken aback by the zen-filled posture and attitude of the host, I do start wondering if I am in the wrong Guangzhou. The office is well-arranged with trees, flowers, a beautiful Chinese ink-washed painting and a nice calligraphy piece. I once thought ink-washed painting and calligraphy were dying in this motherland of such historical arts. Underneath the table, there is a beautifully-carved wooden box of weiqi, the ancient game of Chinese chess on warfare, which one can only come across in Chinese movies about ancient dynasties. A humble wooden tea table sits quiety at one corner, looking all set for a tea ceremony. The whole setting together with its host brings about the nostalgic & much-appreciated Greatness of Chinese heritage values, ones that can hardly be found in today’s material world. If one has to fight to get a better graveyard spot, who cares about Greatness in the kingdom of humanitarian values? Time flies when one enjoys the company. What an unusually calm and peaceful day it is in this buzzing city of trade! Though one rare encounter may not change one’s perception about the whole place, it certainly helps project soothing thoughts on future returns…. #weiqi #calligraphy #inkwashedpainting #teaceremony #zen #travel #perspective #guangdong #arts #life #Guangzhou

Casa, June 20, 2013 It’s our last day today. The three friendly Tunisians are heading home tomorrow while I am staying over another day to explore Casablanca. Voilà! It’s been 5 days on the road. The once strangers have become good friends. Isn’t it that amazing how we are all connected while living in totally different parts of the world! French cuisine it is. To Tunisians and Moroccans, French is wired in their system and French cuisine obviously is the preferred choice for any celebration. That explains why all the haute couture bakery cafes in Casa have been thriving among the upcoming middle class in this fast-paced country. That’s where we have our farewell dinner, Le Relais de Paris. French offerings with a refined touch, rough Moroccan wine with some personality, the once strangers toast to friendship. The night evolves around world arts, music, movies, philosophy, which to my Tunisian friends pretty unusual topics. These days, people tend to discuss opportunities, real estate, hot destinations, and cool fashion. It certainly does not stop there! As the night deepens into the murmurs of the Atlantic ocean, a hot debate is brought out into the open. “What is the purpose of life?” Different religions, different views. Different backgrounds, different views. Different age groups, different views. Yet we end the night on a beautiful note. We may travel to life’s different destinations. We do, however, share the same journey, a journey from the hearts…. #philosophy #beautifulnote #music #friends #perspectives #arts #life #lifepurpose #strangers #Casablanca

City of Carthage, June 18, 2013 It’s not everyday that one gets to see a UNESCO World Heritage such as The Roman Ruins in Carthage. I know I’ve spent 17 hours in 3 different airports to get here. What do you know? The people in Tunis are living with the ruins every day of their life. It’s on the way to work in Les Berges du Lac. It’s on the way home to Manouba. It’s on the way to their favorite wine bars in Sidi Bou Said. It’s in your neighborhood. What’s new? It’s in your own backyard in the city of Carthage. New rulers tend to destroy the formers’ legends. That’s OK. The people of Tunisia continue to build their future on top of the ruins. Life goes on. History is not only alive in their heads. It’s physically alive in their homes! “We are not Arabs. We are not African. We are simply Tunisian. And we are lost.” That seems to be the common concept of identity in this country. After all people here speak their own dialect, French arabic, that is not understood by any other Middle Eastern arabs, and a whole lot of other languages – French, Spanish, Italian…. So what’s next? Will the revolution of 2010/2011 helps define the identity of this country and its hospitable people? No one knows. Tunisia is on hold waiting for the next election which needs to be figured out in a country where dictatorship has kept it under control until someone set himself on fire. “We have to work out how to run an election first” says a Tunisian friend of mine. Until then, life is still thriving along the coastline, the upcoming European-lifestyle suburbs of Tunis. One thing for sure, history will continue to have its share in the backyards of this amazingly beautiful country. #carthage #sidibousaid #tunis #romanruins #Tunisia #Unesco #lesbergesdulac

Casablanca, June 21, 2013 It’s on the water. It’s the landmark of this town. It’s a cannot-miss-it for anyone coming to Casablanca. Hassan II Mosque, the pride of Casablanca, the pride of Morocco. 100 dirhams to get in and you get a tourguide in your language of choice. My Arabic is zero. My Spanish is yet to be learned in the next lifetime. My French is at street level. English sounds good. Groups and groups of people flock into the mosque, eager to admire the much-talked about legend of this architectural landmark by the Atlantic ocean. No one wants English today, so I get a private tour. Shoes in the plastic bag, I walk in to the late King’s vision for the future that took the contribution of 10,000 artists and craftsmen, and obviously thousands of workers to build. Grandiose is the word. The whole mosque appears before one’s eyes like a royal castle in any of the 1001-Arabian-nights folk tales. The best of Moroccan decor and art have found their home here in Grande Mosquée Hassan II. What can one say? For a moment there, it’s getting personal. It’s me and the monument. I drop the tourguide and seat myself down at a quiet corner. Space and time is irrelevant. My tiny self is insignificant. I can feel the energy of 25,000 people being here today, all heading East, all in sync in their prayers for a better world. It happens every Ramadan and it’s happening soon this July. A few pigeons flap past. Grey shadows gently touch the hand-crafted white marble floor. I look up. The sky is blue. Isn’t that mad? You can open up the roof of this massive mosque! Reality suddenly churns in. People are still struggling to makes ends meet out there. Beggars are on the streets. How can one justify the estimated US$800 million spent on such a project? How does one justify the 56 Venecian Chandeliers and a luxurious hammam underneath that’s never been used? Grandeur will forever be admired. The King will forever be remembered. My heart-felt moment for the people of Morocco will forever stay forgotten. #HassanII #grandiose #casa #morroco #grandeur #Casablanca #mosque

Casablanca, June 21, 2013 It’s 12:30 when we reach the ancient medina in Casablanca. Morroco always comes across as a much-talked about tourist destination, and so I do come with some sort of expectation. I’ve learned over the years not to expect, instead staying open to welcome whatever coming your way. One tends to enjoy life journey a lot more that way. Yet I’ve made the same mistake on this trip, getting all soaked up in expectation after seeing the impressive medina in Tunis where passion for art and culture has started to flow back into the community, leading to magnificent preservation work for the area. As the car approaches the medina, the overall scene does not paint a very comfortable picture; garbage-filled walkways, run-down dirty street cafes with miserable looking people sitting around, messy street vendors…. Don’t get me wrong! I love the disorder and the mess in developing countries, but – there’s always a “but”, it has to come with the bursting positive energy of the place, almost like you know what needs to be done yet you are in such a rush and haven’t got a chance to get down to it. At Casa’s medina, time seems to pass it by. It feels like the shameful past that one never wants to touch on, tugging it under the pillows to feed shattering nightmares. Like a once-admired Mediterranean beauty now getting shut behind forgotten doors, Medina is lying pale in bed, bidding her last farewell. One can hear her faint sobber in the wind. One can feel her last drops of lonely tears drying off. Frozen faces, snowy hearts, people walk by…. Life is on hold! Hundreds of Moroccans sit around waiting for their next praying session at the yellow mosque. Is there one who will walk with Medina on her last journey to the unknown? #medina #morocco #architecture #casa #perspective #journey #life #Casablanca #mosque

Tunis, June 19, 2013 8:30AM Youssef picked me up from El Mouradi Africa hotel heading towards La Médina, the ancient town built by the Turks during their reign in Tunisia. Sitting right in the city center of Tunis, La Médina is still the administrative center of the city and a must-see tourist attraction. We enter from what I was told the Sea Gate for boats in ancient time. It is now the main entrance coming from the main avenue in Tunis, Habib Bourguiba, named after the first president of The Republic of Tunisia. As I am eager passing the gate heading into the hustle bustle souk, a policeman comes out from nowhere and stops us. Oh dear! Can’t recall I’ve done anything out of the norms apart from the fact that I am the only Asian girl in this exotic Mediterranean town. The policeman obviously asks Youssef a few questions in Arabic and Youssef seems to try and explain hard. I only learn later that he’s been asked about his residence, his job, and definitely why he is here with a foreigner. “It’s got nothing to do with you”, explains Youssef. “After the revolution in 2010-2011, security is tightened and the police does random check for the safety of foreigners.” Fair enough! At least it’s a release that I’m not in trouble. But then again, inchallah! As arabic people put it, “Leave it with God!” and hopefully you’re in good hands. Today is my lucky day and I get to see La Médina as an insider. Khaled, one of the major architects responsible for preserving the medina, is meeting us for coffee before showing us some of his work. As we wait for Khaled to make his appearance, Youssef and I settle at a corner cafe in the souk for Turkish coffee and “thé de bondok”, a traditional Tunisian mint tea served sweet with pinenuts on top. Religious music plays loud in the background. Shisha smoke fills the air. An artist- looking guy quietly sips his tea, all eyes on the morning paper. Khaled finally arrives. He must know the medina like the back of his hands. He navigates through the medina maze at ease, stopping at times to say hello to the residents of this recently-planned to become the cultural and artictic district for the city of Tunis. One after another, he shows me a school, a museum, a boutique hotel, a community center, an art gallery, and even his own home. My jaws drop. There’s a reason why all the ancient houses carry narrow entrances and tiny windows. They don’t want to be seen. They don’t want attention, not like the modern bigger, better showing off of today’s era. But once you are inside, you’re in a totally different world where people live and breathe art. The artisanal hand-carving decor, the magnificently painted ceramics, the twisted walkways, the surprising outdoor centered garden…, I am totally lost! I would never want to walk back out if I don’t have to. Every good thing comes to an end. We bid adieu as Khaked asks me when he would see me again. Inchallah! Leave it with God though I know I would somehow find my way back, just to sit down with history in its most artistic form. #tunis #culture #Tunisia #History #lamedina #arts #inchallah #souk

Tunis, June 18, 2013 For a country that has been living with the ruins and the left-behind evidence of past colonization from the the Phoenicians, the Romans, the Turks, the French…, it is now stepping on full gear heading straight towards the future. The old city stays totally run-down, tired, and dirty while new business districts and suburbs are coming up at light-year speed. Outside of downtown Tunis, one can spot one under-construction project probably every few hundred meters. At one point I start wondering if all the cranes in Dubai have been relocated to Tunisia. Big, small, office buildings, apartment blocks, commercial properties, lifestyle complexes, schools, hospitals…, and what have you. Tunisia is on the go. People are on the go. There is not enough hours in a day to seize opportunities. Just like other emerging economies, the country is ready to go from nothing to everything. And the clock is ticking. People are counting down to the Voilà moment. Rumours are in the air about new comers. As Tunisians look up to Turkey as their future, one can smell the future cooking on the dusty streets of Tunis where construction sands fill up one’s eyes. “So who are behind these developments?” I ask my local friend, Youssef. “The locals of course” replies Youssef, “and they have no idea.” As the country leads its fast-paced life, everything changes on a daily basis. One day you are on the main road; the next day you’re out. One day you are at the entrance; the next day you’re out. One day you’ve got the best spot; the next day you’re out. And it’s common. And people accept it. Crazy but c’mon, life goes on and who cares what was there yesterday? “So what does success mean to the people of this city?” I ask Youssef. “Be known and be rich” is the answer. Why am I not surprised? The last drops of sunset gently touch the crystal blue Mediterranean sea as champagne and rosé flow freely at La Falais, a must-see-and-be-seen spot in Tunis. The water stays silent, knowing it takes Tunisia a long while to slow down and enjoy the sunset. #success #opportunities #tunis #ruins #rich #Tunisia #perspective #famous #life #sunset #slowdown

Tunis, June 16, 2013 Nothing beats the feeling of having arrived at the hotel after a long flight, a warm bath, a comfy bed, soft pillows, and an un-disturbed afternoon nap…. Well, all that for a day dream! The receptionist could not find my booking. With enough confidence I take out my Ipad and show him the confirmation email in my inbox. The guy looks perplexed. I can see the frown on his face. Then he looks up with the broadest smile ever. “I am sorry, miss. You’ve booked in for July and not June.” Oh dear, for all the mistakes I’ve ever made in life, why this when I am totally bruised after such a long trip? “Silly me!”, say I. “You have rooms available though?”. With smiling eyes, the guy calmly responds “Unfortunately not. We are fully booked until the 23rd.” There goes my warm bath! I reach for my phone. Battery is at 9% to death. I quickly call Farida, and ask if she could help organize another hotel for me. Farida laughs as hard as ever listening to my little incident, and says she would check a few hotels in town. 5 minutes later, the message comes in. “I will pick you up in 15. The Novotel has rooms available.” Oh well, if I can survive a 17-hour trip, 15 minutes does not sound too bad. “You save my life, Farida!”…. But my phone is dead and I need an adaptor. I hit the bar of the Sheraton and ask the bartender for help. The guys seems enlightened to be asked for help and after taking me to on a hotel tour around the various departments to look for an adaptor, we finally land at the business center where the lady is more than happy to lend us one. We walk back to the bar and have my phone charged at the counter. Meher his name is and he is a local Tunisian. Meher seems to have a lot of fun on his job as a cashier at this lobby bar. I am surprised to see a few guests stop by to give him a warm hello as he gets me a glass of water without me having to ask for it. As I concentrate on my deep breath to bring my body and mind back to balance, a guy walks up to the counter and asks for a beer. He looks Middle Eastern. The beer is quickly poured into a hi-ball glass. The guy pays for it, leaves some tip, and within 30 seconds gobbles down his beer. “Wow, he must be super thirsty” I think to myself. Meher laughs as he sees the look on my face. “That’s the Arabic way of drinking beer” explains Meher, “All in one shot.” Now I need a drink! But with my present condition of exhaustion, I wouldn’t dare to take that shot. And so I ask for a Campari and lemonade just to quench my thirst. While Meher is busy punching my order into the POS, a dark guy comes out from behind the bar and starts mixing my drink. “His name is Sofienne” Meher introduces his colleague. “His Mom is Jamaican and his Dad is Tunisian. He is a dark chocolate.” Sofienne does not seem to be bothered with Meher’s joke on his dark complexion. With the most contented smile he adds “Not just a chocolate. I am a hot chocolate!” My heart melts to see such enlightening attitudes at work. I wonder how many people could appear so content and happy going through their normal work days…. Random kindness, an enlightening attitude and a few light-hearted words can help make someone’s day. It certainly washes away my exhaustion and sends me off in a sunny mood in search for that warm bath and comfy bed in a strange city that has taken me in as one of its own…. #randomkindness #tunis #happiness #Tunisia #attitude #perspective #content #life #lighthearted #enlightening