Retrospective

2007 has been such an eventful year, I don't even know where to begin.

2007 isn't really the year to talk about work, since I hardly did any. I mean, I haven't held a job in almost a year, which means I have been poor as a pauper, but very fulfilled emotionally. I 'm talking about my stay in Italy, which was so beautiful, I still have sweet dreams about it from time to time. I recall the fresh air in the Tuscan countryside, the BEST seafood pasta I had in Maremma at this beachside restaurant, the daily Italian classes, the amazing friends...Gosh, it still feels so recent.

That said, there have been several downs too, mainly with my body. Not insecurities, but infections (eye and ear), bad headaches, a sprained wrist and a nasty, nasty scald incident. Perhaps that's part and parcel of aging, but I have learnt to appreciate life and health a bit more especially after the scald episode.

Which means for the coming year,
1) I am going to stay fit, by going back into working out.
2) I am cutting back on caffeine. Moderation is the word.
3) I am taking things easy and relaking more. Life's too short.
4) I will be Happy.

Pretty manageable, huh?

Ugg-ly

One of my favourite things in this world must be these super-comfy boots from Ugg Australia.

I got my tall pair in dark brown in Melbourne a few days back, and I am sooo.. in love with it. Now, what makes it really different is that it is lined with Australian sheepskin, which makes it so comfy to wear, like walking on a luxurious, soft carpet, plus they really do keep you warm! In fact, it is okay to skip the socks. The exterior is suede, and nice to the touch.

It's just really a shame that the weather here does not quite permit us to wear boots. But I am so ready to get my second pair in camel. Can't wait.

me and my fab Uggs in Melbourne

A day (and night) at the Zoo

I can't even remember the last time I stepped foot into the Singapore Zoological Gardens, but it was rocking awesome! It still marvels me that there is this little corner tucked away in our urban jungle, full of lovely little and big animals! We had a blast that night too, cos the clever people at the zoo has decided to turn it into a Halloween playground of sorts, with 'demons' pouncing on you along the 'Ghoulish Trail' and 'Pet Cemetery'. Heheh. I feel all sixteen again. It was so much fun!

But of course, the star attractions were the animals. We went goo-goo gaa-gaaing over the white tigers, giraffes (my fave), elephants (baby's fave), otters, hyenas and so many more! Definitely worth a visit. Excellent date venue too :p

Would like to post more photos, but I am running out of photo storage space. Damn.

Never Trust a Skinny Chef

You may not be a fan of Jamie Oliver, but boy, his books are just so pretty!

I received his latest book, Jamie at Home, as a present from my bf, and I am totally in love with it. It talks about his gardening adventures, growing fresh produce, such as zucchinis, tomatoes, potatoes and the marvellous receipes that make use of these veggies. In case you think it's yet another recipe book, then you are wrong. There are anecdotes and little snippets about how he gets down and dirty in his backyard and oh so lovely pictures. Plus it's hard cover which I totally dig. Excellent coffee table book. But pretty hefty a price tag. About 70 plus.

Guess where it all started? I fell in love with his books, ever since I purchased another one of his books, Jamie in Italy. It details his trip to Italy and how he experimented with authentic Italian dishes with the locals. Beautiful, beautiful pictures. Must-read if you are in love with Italy, like I am. Now, let's just wait for the DVD release :)

I love Candy

Candy Empire at Vivocity is an eeevil place.

For those of you who know me, I have never been big on sweets and chocolates, unlike the typical girl. But Candy Empire is great fun! Not the cheapest place to get your chocolate fix, but interesting enough as they bring in goodies from overseas, not your everyday Cadbury or Lindt. Mint chocolate Kit Kat, cookies and cream Voodoo, marshmallow spread, dark orange chocolate, makes you feel like a kid all over again.

Apparently, the store was involved in some controversy a few months back. Wheelchair bound folks were banned from entering the store cos' of the many racks and narrow alleys. But the ban has since been lifted cos' there was a public outrage.

Still worth a visit though. I heard there's even a vomit flavoured candy available. Let's try !!!

Life in Singapura

I have been trying to blog for the past few days, given the amount of time I now have at hand.

However, there's really nothing much to blog about, given that there's nothing interesting happening in my life now that I'm back, except spending time with my Baby. Afterall, this is a portal for me to write about things I observe or see.

It did take a bit of getting used to seeing dead people (I mean, Singaporeans) during peak hours, rushing to board MRT trains, then 'stoning' in them. Why are Singaporeans so lifeless? I mean, at least read a book while commuting. But the one thing I can't really complain about is the abundance of trains. Short waiting times, godsend. Hike in transport costs, not.

The highlight of me being back in Singapore was beginning my life in earnest with my Baby. I guess they say, when you are together with the one you love, it doesn't really matter where you guys are. But, we are running out of options as to where to 'pat tor'. Ideas anyone?

Hello Singapura

Hello Singapura.

Honestly the moment I landed on our sunny shores, it did took a little bit of taking used to. Getting used to hearing Singlish, seeing Singaporeans, carpeted floors, ushers leading us to taxis (!) and swift queues. But something that didn't require getting used to was stuffing myself with local food! My baby took me to have laksa, though it wasn't the greatest, but man, shiok leh!

Of course the highlight was seeing the One after almost seven long months. The wait is finally over.

Goodbye Siena

I can't believe it's already my last day here in Siena.

It's funny how despite my travels in other parts of Italy, I always find Siena the best city in Italy to reside in. It's never easy saying goodbye, to a city you absolutely adore, and to friends you love. As I spend my last day here, I am just trying to remember Piazza del Campo, the University, the alleys, the gelateria I frequent with the best gelato ever, yummy, San Martino's with the best pizza ever, the Internet cafe and the Palio flags.

I will miss Siena dearly. Till the next time.

Reflections

Wah lau. At this time, exactly a week from now, I will be back in Singapore.

Tomorrow marks my last day at school, the Universita per Stranieri di Siena, the place where I met friends from around the world whom I know I will keep for life, where I learnt Italian for almost everyday for 4-5 hours. It's strange having to say goodbye, to a place which u have got so accustomed to, the staff, the teachers, even the idiosyncracies belonging to different nationalities. It's strange not having to wake up at 8, walk to school every morning and grabbing a cup of coffee along the way. I wouldn't necessarily describe the feeling as sad but rather, bittersweet. It will be difficult seeing these people again, or even experiencing like this, I guess it's something you do once-in-a-lifetime. But to those who have been wanting to pursue their dreams, go for it! You don't know what you have been missing out.
So yeah, I am taking my final (!) exam tomorrow. It is heartening that I am able to speak and converse in Italian nowadays rather confidently, considering how far I have come.

Now, it's time to go home.

I heart Milan/Lake Como

Italy does eeevil things to your wallet, in particular Milan that fashion capital. The shops are brighter, posher and they carry a whole lot bigger collection compared to other parts in Italy and Singapore of course. In other words, I am now a broke but very happy woman. Plus I saw the most awe inspiring, neatest looking Duomo ever. It looks like it's been transported from a fairy tale.

Check out more pics here: http://picasaweb.google.it/eileenleeyl/MilanLakeComo

Absolutely Neat!

Broke but happy

So imagine us three ladies lugging huge shopping bags all the way to Lake Como from Milan. Even though we didn't get to see George Clooney, it was charming nonetheless.

Lake Como

The place I called home for the last six months

I am still in disbelief that I am returning home in less than 2 weeks...I recall the time when I first set foot in this small little town called Siena, which doesn't even own an airport; not knowing where my place and university is located; getting lost in narrow, old alleys; having no friends; spoke really basic Italian and asking myself 'What on earth am I doing here?'

But looking back now, my stay in Italy has made me a stronger and braver individual- trying leaving your job and loved ones behind for a foreign land in a far away continent all alone and I am even not talking about Hong Kong or Australia. After all how many people has the courage to do something as crazy as this?

Surprisingly, despite all that Singapore bashing, I must say that at the end of the day, I have learnt to appreciate Singapore to a great extent. Our efficiency, shops open during public holidays, Sundays and afternoons, clinics and supermarkets within easy reach, trains and buses that arrive on time, speedy Internet access, no lack of cabs, the list goes on.

Although Italy may not be the best place to live, it is still undoubtedly an excellent place to travel to. The museums (another realisation is that I am just not a museum person afterall); the food; the shopping (bags! whoohoo!); the mountains, lakes and the Tuscan countryside. Man, I miss Italy already.

A Thousand Splendid Suns

I am sold. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini must be one of the best books I have read in a very long time. It's becoming almost impossible to put the book down.

It depicts the national and personal tragedies that befall two women in war-torn Afghanistan and how they form an unique, special bond. I must admit, I was moved to tears at certain parts.

A review from Publishers Weekly:

Afghan-American novelist Hosseini follows up his bestselling The Kite Runner with another searing epic of Afghanistan in turmoil. The story covers three decades of anti-Soviet jihad, civil war and Taliban tyranny through the lives of two women. Mariam is the scorned illegitimate daughter of a wealthy businessman, forced at age 15 into marrying the 40-year-old Rasheed, who grows increasingly brutal as she fails to produce a child. Eighteen later, Rasheed takes another wife, 14-year-old Laila, a smart and spirited girl whose only other options, after her parents are killed by rocket fire, are prostitution or starvation. Against a backdrop of unending war, Mariam and Laila become allies in an asymmetrical battle with Rasheed, whose violent misogyny is endorsed by custom and law. There was no cursing, no screaming, no pleading, no surprised yelps, only the systematic business of beating and being beaten. Hosseini gives a forceful but nuanced portrait of a patriarchal despotism where women are agonizingly dependent on fathers, husbands and especially sons, the bearing of male children being their sole path to social status. His tale is a powerful, harrowing depiction of Afghanistan, but also a lyrical evocation of the lives and enduring hopes of its resilient characters.

I heart Trentino Alto Adige (where's that again?)

The highlight of my trip to Trentino Alto Adige, situated way up nooooorth, near Austria - where people speak German!, was seeing fat, juicy apples hang from a tree and apple plantations for the first time in my life!

Say hi to apples!

We took off from Siena, in the midst of the Palio frenzy, just like how Singaporeans 'escape' from festivals like CNY or National Day, for the peace and quiet in the mountains. Fuckorgeous! I like that it's not that touristy compared to places like Florence or Rome, where you see Americunts everywhere, especially during this period of time, where 'summer's in and school's out'. Those cunts in my house are enough to drive me nuts.

I doubt I will ever visit this place if I'm the regular tourist (tell me which Singaporean has been to Trentino Alto Adige?), but here i am. And I love it.

2 more weeks!!!

Oh my gaaaaaawd! Just two more weeks left in Siena.

I can't believe that in just a matter of two weeks, I will be back stuffing my face in Asian food, walking in air-conditioned buildings, taking MRTs and SBS buses and just being uniquely Singaporean.

But I guess above all, I will be able to see my baby again after an antsy six month wait. Wey !!!

Stupid Americunts

Heard this in class.

Our teacher asked if we knew the origins of the well-loved children's story, Pinocchio, the puppet who wanted to be a boy. He asked if we knew who invented the story.

The Americunts answered "Walt Disney".

From the people who hail from supposedly the world's most powerful nation. Boo!

I heart Verona

Interesting tidbit from Wikipedia on Verona:

Balcony of Juliet

"Verona is the setting of the story of Romeo and Juliet, made famous by William Shakespeare. Although the earliest version of the story is set in Siena, not Verona — the move was made in Luigi da Porto's Istoria novellamente ritrovata di due Nobili Amanti — a balcony falsely claiming historical connection to the fictional lovers has become a tourist attraction for lovers.."

Me being the tourist

L'arena di Verona

More pics:
http://picasaweb.google.it/eileenleeyl/Verona

Americunts

Give me a reason not to hate the Americunts.

Day One of moving in (into my place, that is): Whole group comes home, both gals and guys, perhaps drunk, makes a racket in the kitchen. Woke up from my stupor. Watch reads 2am or so.

Day Two: Whole group out again. With bottle of alcohol in hand. All below 21 years, aka legal age limit for drinking in the States. Group already looks drunk. Peace finally after they left. Group returns, with guys again this time, makes a racket in the kitchen. Woke up from stupor. Watch reads 4am.

Day Three: Group out once more. One of the girls returns home alone, with a man who resembles 30 plus in age, looks Italian. Carried on with my conversation with a friend who visited. As I sent my friend out, I hear humping sounds - loud. Girl moans and moans like a loose cunt. Wait, she is a loose cunt.

What next?!

I hate grammar

Mamma mia.

I managed to pass my final exam for the month of July (second last final exam!), written and oral. And I thought I was so going to fail. The Italian has become increasingly difficult at my level, especially the grammar bit. You basically use a different tense for different scenarios, that's apart from present, past (2 types, mind you), future, conditional, there's a tense to use for making opinions, stating wishes as well. Arrrgggghh...oh well, at least I passed. Now it's time for vacation, vacation, vacation!

Hot and Bothered 2

The heatwave has got so bad it has killed some people in Europe.

Article from BBC:

More die as Europe heatwave bites

Greek villages bordering forest land have been worst hit by fires. Two more people have died in Greece amid soaring summer temperatures that have brought forest fires and power outages to South-East Europe. The worst blazes in Greece were reported near Aegio in the south, on the island of Cephallonia and near the border with Macedonia and Albania. Large swathes of forest have also been burnt in Bulgaria, Italy and Macedonia.
Hundreds of deaths have been blamed on the extreme heat, which is due to give way to cooler weather by the weekend.

The temperature has already eased in Hungary, where some 500 people are estimated to have died as a result of the heatwave. In Greece, hundreds of people have been evacuated from areas at risk from fires in the Peloponnese and on the holiday island of Cephallonia.

At least two people died after being trapped in fires on Wednesday. One of the biggest blazes, near the southern town of Aegio, destroyed homes in at least eight villages and forced the temporary closure of the highway linking Athens to the port of Patras.

Meanwhile in northern Europe, the UK has seen unseasonably heavy rainfall and severe flooding.
South-East Europe's heat and the UK's wet weather have both been blamed on changes in the jet stream - a seasonal band of air from the Atlantic that has taken a more southerly path across Europe this year.

'Many fires on many fronts' Greece's electricity grid has been close to breaking point as demand has soared. Searing temperatures have also evaporated rivers used to create hydro-electric power.

The authorities have urged people to limit their use of air conditioners to avoid putting a strain on electricity supplies. "We ask for citizens' understanding," Development Minister Dimitris Sioufas told the Associated Press news agency. "Only with their co-operation can we cope with extreme weather conditions that have not appeared in our country for decades." Greece is battling forest fires in several areas. "We're facing an extremely difficult situation - many fires on many fronts in many parts of the country," fire service spokesman Yiannis Stamoulis told the Associated Press.

What's happening to our climate?

Hot and Bothered

If you think that Singapore is warm, think again. The temperature here in Italy has soared to practically 40 degrees. It's getting almost impossible to step out.

I miss air conditioning.

Food, Glorious Food!

Been a while since I last spoke about food, so here goes...

I had a taste of the best pizza in Italy, in my opinion. Interestingly near my old apartment, which I have always passed by, but had never once stepped in. It's a slightly dingy place, named San Martino's, not glamorous or stylish at all, but man, was the pizza heaven! Goes to show that looks do not matter when it comes to food.

And there was my Tuscan cooking class which was heaps of fun! Real Tuscan cooking! Wey! We made ravioli (something like dumplings) from scratch, using the pasta machine. Brava! And we made biscotti which we later had with Vin Santo. Oh that and eggplant lasagne too.

After which we had dinner the Italian way, with vino, as Elisabetta, our teacher who's a sweetheart, explains the cuisine of Italy. Very nice. Very yummy.

Me working at the pasta machine

Elisabetta, our teacher

My clumsy effort at domestication

Pigging out after working our butts off

I (heart) Cinque Terre

I (heart) Cinque Terre!

Manarola - one of the five

Located in Liguria, along the coast of Italy, it is the perfect place to trek- get ready for at least 6 hours, through the 5 towns dramatically perched on the cliffs, with a spectacular sea view. Beats the Tree Top Walk anyday, if you ask me.

But if you are lazy like me, or for some, afraid of getting a tan, the train is another option, that takes you through all five - Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. It's a real pity we didn't get to finish Riomaggiore, but it was still heaps of fun, that came along with tan lines.

More pics here:
http://picasaweb.google.it/eileenleeyl/CinqueTerre

Vernazza

Monterosso

Beach Day

Once upon a time, I was freezing my ass off in Italy. Now, I am getting roasted everyday. The temperature in Europe has skyrocketed. Fine, I am exaggerating, but yesterday, I swear it could have been 40 degrees, or least that's what I heard. It's interesting seeing how climates change here, from freak ass cold to desert warm. It's been a looong time since I last perspired like a pig.

Anyway, with a weather like this, there's nothing much you can do, but to hit the beach at Grosseto. Hooray! Apart from gaining more freckles, I am happy!

Beach at Grosseto

San Gimignano

Overdue photos.
Small little quaint town at San Gimignano from a few weeks back. Nice.

Nice little town square
Nice little countryside

oink

How to identify an Italian

An ex-client of mine was in Naples earlier on and was amused by the Italians. I thought I just had to share some of his views here, just cos it is hilarious and yet so true. Coupled with my own observations too.

How to tell Italians apart:
- wear sunglasses at night
- don motorcycle clothes but drive an Uno
- have no qualms about revealing their butt cracks/thongs/g-strings underneath their looooooow slung jeans (I am talking about the ladies here, someone bring in the fashion police, we are talking about Italians here!)
- drive like daredevils in their, get this, Unos
- wave their hands around like swatting flies while speaking
- like the Americ****, you hear them before you see them, just a lot better

Hunny Bunny

Awwwwww....Isnt't he a sweetheart? I wanna take him home with me...:)

Bella Casa

So I have moved. Finalmente!

The room is so cute. Check out the view of the Tuscan countryside from the room. You can even view the sunset. Sweet!

My Camera Singola

Room view

Pirated Piece of Shit

Do not watch Pirates of the Caribbean 3. I repeat, DO NOT watch Fucking Pirates of the Caribbean 3. Well, unless you do enjoy spending your money on a piece of blockbuster trash with all-too-expensive mega sets, pretty faces who can't act for nuts, a lame plot and confusing characters (don't they have better things to do than to go round picking fights?).

I headed out for my first movie in Siena, in a hauntingly dilapidated cinema, in Italian. No popcorn, no colas, no dolby surround sound. Interestingly enough, there was even an intermission of 5 minutes, when the screen goes blank all of a sudden, in the middle of a fight scene. Not discounting technical faults, senza sound.

And I hate, hate, hate Keira Knightly, that emaciated bitch. All that hype about her. I just don't get it. She and Orlando Bloom are the perfect match made in hell, you just feel like shooting them.

How to identify an American

How to identify an American:

1) You hear them before you see them.
2) Why? They don't speak. They holler.
3) When you do see them, they are decked out in flip flops and boob tubes like it's their uniform.
4) They speak Italian (but only in class) with an American accent. (I would looove a gelado [sic]...I feel like some spagheddi [sic]...)
5) They are usually the ones with the hangovers, cos they simply look the part.
6) You hear them before you see them.

So yeah. I don't heart them that much. Shoot me.

Oral Pleasure

Tomorrow is my Oral Esame. Honestly, it's been a while since I've been stressed out over exams just cos' I never ever study in Singapore, well ok, maybe for a couple of days.

Our teacher, Paolo, freaks us out, cos he is such a perfectionist. People actually tremble in class while giving their comments (mandatory!). But with all that said, he is perfect as a teacher. It's my third month here in Italy and we are already discussing about the state of (current)affairs in Italy, and the rest of the world.

Topics we spoke about:
- mobile phone usage
- aging population
- religion
- divorce rates

To be discussing current affairs in a foreign language, now how neat is that. Just ignore the grammar errors and strange accents.

Shit Happens

I guess you can never consider yourself a true-blue resident in any part of Europe till you have been hit by some form of animal excretion at least once.

A friend's mum had to leave her shoes behind on the streets of Paris after stepping on a pile of dog poo. (Remember SJP in Sex and the City? When she had to leave behind her beloved Manolos?) On a recent trip to Venice, two friends were hit by shit from pigeons. One on the head and another one on her top. I got my own fair share of shit too 2 weeks back when it landed on my arm. And last week, my friend and I were standing near a shop talking in Florence and ...'splat'!- right between the two of us. A rule of thumb is not to stand close to buildings where pigeons usually park themselves above, and decide to take a toilet break.

But do you know that getting hit by bird poo in Italy is considered good luck? It signifies that something really good will happen to the person here. So till the next time I get hit again, wish me luck!

More! More! Mall!

The one thing to do when in Italy: stock up at factory outlets!

We checked out The Mall over the weekend, though not the easiest place to get to, an hour's drive from Florence (in the countryside). But the journey was soooo well worth it. Discounts go up (or down) to 50% off retail price, and almost every shop rocks! Say ciao to your money at the always popular (a tad mainstream in my opinion) Gucci, Burberrys, Fendi, Ferragamo and Armani. But what made me really happy was that they had my favourite YSL, king of uber cool, Yohji Yamamoto, bad-boy-Brit Alexander McQueen, psychedelic Pucci and kick ass Balenciaga! I wanna go back again!

For Prada-philes, there's also SPACE, about an hour's drive from Florence. They have a tiny collection for Miu Miu and Jil Sander too. It's a great place for gifts such as ties and wallets, but sadly the collection for bags is still better in the stores. Plus they never have your size for shoes, unless you are a size 10. Sigh.

Now tell me, why don't they have Marc Jacobs?

The not so dolce vita part 2

This is my second consecutive post about the ugly side of Italy. Make no mistake about it, I love Italy and all and its people are warm and friendly. But isn't there always a 'but'?

Yesterday evening as me and some friends were having drinks at a bar, two losers came up to us and conveniently plonked themselves down next to us. After the usual 'Where are you from?'; 'What are you here in Italy for?' (despite trying to brush them off), one guy resembling a drunken cokehead asked if he could take a sip from my drink. I rolled my eyes and blurted 'NO'! He went on to ask me in Italian 'Do you know the meaning of 'puttane'?' I said no and I did not wish to know and told him to leave. Sure he got up and left, after shouting in my face 'Sei puttane!!!' The meaning of 'puttane' - whore. He is one smelly cunt himself.

Not the end of the story.
Loser no.2 : 'You have a boyfriend?'
Me: 'Yes I have a boyfriend.'
Loser no.2: 'Oh ok......so you wanna come to my place for dinner tomorrow night?'
Me: '.................er NO?!'
(thinking to myself: didnt' I just mention that I have a boyfriend??)

Losers!!!

The not so dolce vita

A general poll amongst my friends here in Italy (not Italians) shows that while Italy is a great place for travel, it is not necessarily the best place for living.

Case in point, Italian bureacracy and lack of system.

1) One of the general instructions to foreign students when they arrive in Italy is to apply for a staying permit. Previously, what the students need to do is to head down to the Questura (police station) and produce some photos and their passport. Now, we have got to fill in a PILE of forms (all in Italian), and these are meant for students coming here to LEARN Italian. Afterwhich there is a fee of maybe 40 over euros and only after a couple of months later, will your permit arrive, and this apply to students who are here for only say 2 months. And everyone would have already obtained a student visa before arriving. It's already my third month here, I have not applied for one and I am still not behind bars. So there.

2) My laptop was fucked along the way to Singapore but it had a 3-year warranty under HP. When I called Milan, HP's main office in Italy, they requested for me to send a photo of my fucked laptop. Italians are tech geniuses because they can derive the problem and maybe solve it from a picture sent over the internet. When I explained that it was still under warranty (it's worldwide, mind you), they said they will do a check and they came back with a reply that it would cost me 400 euros for servicing. They will be more than happy to waive the shipping cost. Am I glad! Not.

3) My Japanese friend Ikumi had her mum send her a laptop from Japan. It took maybe a month or so and was stuck in Rome for the longest time. When it finally arrived in a parcel, there was the cable and... nothing else. Upset and worried, she called the ufficio postale and demanded an answer. They casually shrugged it off with 'I don't know what happened to it, I am sorry.' And the most ludicrous of it all? 'Maybe your mother forgot to put it (the laptop) in.' Do they take her for a dimwit?

Italy for you. The not so dolce vita.

No (head) buts

Ok, so I am not the greatest football fan, or at least I dont't pretend to be. And yes, I still do not know how to spot an off-side. But hey nonetheless it was heaps of fun at the finals of the Serie A league in Italy (Inter Milan vs AC Siena) - AC Siena is in Serie A hor! I think the last time I went to a football match was during the Tiger Cup when Abbas Saad (who again?) was still hot. And the only thing I remembered about it was that it was...boring.
The Italians really breathe and live football. The cheers, spirit, ethusiasm. But I guess one of the other highlights of the game was seeing Materazzi (yes THAT guy who got head butted) play 'live', scoring 2 goals for Inter Milan. He appears on this month's Italy Vanity Fair.

Signs that he loves you

Signs that a man loves you:

- He composes love poems and texts you on your mobile.
- He listens to the songs you like and sings them to you.
- He sends you silly pictures of himself so you will be reminded of him constantly.
- Everyday he calls to tell you how much he loves and misses you.
- And as a result, he forgoes life's little luxuries in order to pay for exorbitant overseas phone bills.

And that's my boy :)

Mind Your Language!

The Italians take their cleanliness very seriously.

Venice Rocks

Venice Rocks Ass, Baby!



Tops the list of one of the must-visit places in Italy.



I admit, I am not easily impressed but yes it must be one of the most romantic places ever. Paris is soooooooo over-rated. I was blown away by the grandeur of Piazza San Marco and Palazzo Ducale. Try taking the gondola but it is outrageously expensive- one gondola costs f***king 120 euros! In fact, it costs 2 euros just to go to the loo during carnivale season in february. Rip off. You Italians! Boo!


Must visits:

1) Piazza San Marco: Beware of bird poo.

2) Ponte Rialto: Best place to take in the sights of Venice. Has an open air market.


More pics here.
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/eileenleeyl/Venezia

Spaghetti Bolognese?

The reason why I love Bologna apart from the fact that they have H&M (they have the new Madonna line, yes I am shallow), is that it is such a nice cross between Florence and Siena. In terms of size, style, level of 'touristiness' etc.

Florence is beautiful, but too touristy at times. Siena is a great place to live in but too small. So Bologna is a nice hybrid of the two. Tons of brick-walled buildings and churches. Plenty of cute shops. May not be the top choice for many people when they head to Italy for a vacation, but still worth a visit! Recommended! I Approve!

More pics here:

http://picasaweb.google.it/eileenleeyl/Bologna

New Pics Up!

New pics...

Pisa
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/eileenleeyl/Pisa

Florence
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/eileenleeyl/Firenze

More pics of Bologna to be posted soon..

Ciao! Watashiwa Eileen des!

Would you ever imagine speaking Italian to a Japanese? Or for that matter, hear a Japanese speak Italian?

My Japanese classmates are the sweetest and cutest things ever (that is, of course, apart from my bf), though it cracks me up when they go 'si (yes)'!like they would go 'hai'! while adding in that additional head nod. Or having these Japanese dolls go 'oooooohhhhhhhh' or 'arrrrrrrrrrrrrhhhhh' wide-eyed.

So des neh, I am also picking up Japanese from these kawaiis. Yeah hopefully I will be able to pick up two languages by then :)

Tetrapak Vino, Anyone?

In Italy, the cost for a bottle of vino could come lesser than a bottle of Coca Cola.

Cost for a bottle of Coke (1 litre): 1.3 euros

Cost for a bottle of vino (1 litre): 1 euro

But I am most tickled by something I saw at the supermarket. Wine in tetrapak! Some came in smaller packs with straws if you ever want to get someone drunk quick. From wine corks to bottlecaps and now tetrapak, what next? Wine dispenser machines perhaps?

A (hungry) Singaporean girl in Italy

What's a Singaporean girl to do if she misses local food back home so much?

She will go to the lengths of spending bloody 7 sing dollars on a bottle of chilli sauce (read: tiny) from a chinese restaurant, 5 sing dollars on a bag of green beans (read: small) and 5 sing dollars on a bottle of oyster sauce (read: pathetic). Afterwhich, try frying noodles chinese style with italian mee and voila, you get char kway teow (actually taglietella), char peng (actually risotto) and chay been hoon (italian capellini). I guess they call it fusion?

Molto Freddo. Croak.

I'm freezing my ass off in Italy.

It has been exceptionally cold here since the start of this week. It's not helping when you have a temperamental heater at home. In Italian, to say that it's very cold, we say 'molto freddo'. My boyfriend thinks that 'freddo' sounds like the name of a pet frog. So cute.

A different piece of Italy

Naples - the 3rd largest city in Italy after Rome and Milan, is like no other.

Experience chaos, trash, pizzas for one euro, excellent gelato, loud Chinese restaurants, crazy traffic, fumes, horns, crowds, you get the picture. Apparently Naples, like Sicily, has heavy Mafia influences and can be pretty dangerous. Apart from losing a pair of sunglasses, I am back in one piece.

Now, everywhere else just seems boring.

Naples - birth place of the wildly popular pizza!

I (heart) Capri!!!

I am living a dream...

I made my first trip out of Siena over the weekend and my, was Capri bellissima! The place where celebrities head to for holidays, gorgeous beaches, the town where Jay-Z and Mariah Carey record their albums, fine sand, excellent weather, delightful cuisine...mamma mia!

Capri is one and a half hours away from Naples but all worth the visit. A tad expensive compared to the rest of Italy (it's a celebrity hotspot afterall) but what's that compared to friggin' gorgeous scenery? It was even worth falling on my face while catching the boat!

In fact, we had so much fun that we arrived in Rome late, missing the train to Siena. Thank god for Ariph who put us up at his place. And I missed class for the first time.

Check out this link for more pics in Naples and Capri! Ciao Ciao!
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/eileenleeyl/NapoliAndCapri