Weekend getaway

The much awaited school holidays have finally arrived and we'll be leaving at the crack of dawn tomorrow for a family getaway. Having celebrated my hubby's recent birthday, it wasn't exactly a one night affair. It's been a while since we last took a weekend off to pamper ourselves, so a birthday getaway might just do the trick for him. I'm sure my hubby couldn't be more thrilled as I'm footing the bill. :D

We've been working extremely hard and the idea of rejuvenating our mind, body and soul, away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life is exactly what we needed. For that reason, I'm taking a short break from posting and blog hopping.

Hopefully we'll manage to capture some great photos worth sharing and I just hope the weather will stay fine for us. Regardless of the weather condition, this little trip promises to be fun-filled and memorable and I bet it will be all over in the blink of an eye.

So you won't be hearing from me for a few days. I'll visit you all next week. Until then, happy thoughts, have a great week everyone and see ya when I get back!

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First commenter - Lina

Wordless Wednesday - Lucerne, Switzerland

It was Autumn, the season and the views were simply spectacular. It was extremely cold and the fall colours were just so gorgeous. The variety of plants along with the infinite shades of green, turning to light greens, yellows, to browns, to stunning beauty as far as the eyes could reach. It was pure paradise and priceless indeed. Our cameras just couldn’t stop clicking. The stinking warm and humid air of tropical Malaysia seems to be so far away. :D

Water Tower - Lucerne's landmark and most photographed place in Switzerland.

Mount Pilatus in the background. I've blogged about this place before.

Rolex Bucherer of Switzerland

Remember this dying lion? I've blogged previously about this monument. The latin inscription HELVETIORUM FIDEI AC VIRTUTI means "To the loyalty and bravery of the Swiss".

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First Commenter - Vanniedosa

My Husband's Birthday

It's my beloved hubby's birthday today and I find myself at a loss on what gift to get for him. Although he doesn't want a big fuss made every year, I just couldn’t help it. I want to organise something surprising and sensational for his birthday. It just seemed not right to not honour someone you love and cherish so deeply on this special day. I'll be cooking something special, yet simple tonight and I'll go pick up a cake. Infact, I've booked a mini vacation for our family over the weekend.

I'm just happy being with a man who loves me unconditionally and is looking forward to the future with me. While there's bound to be upturns and downturns in life, we are very much attached and we've immensely enjoyed hanging out together. He is my very best friend, my confidant, my comfort zone, my safe haven, my true love, my soul mate, my miracle, my gift from God! I love him truly, madly, deeply. He's absolutely perfect for me.

I'm so thankful to have him in my life and I simply can't imagine what the next 30 to 40 magical years will hold. As long as it is with my dearest hubby, that's all that matters. So, here's many more amazing years to come and stay.

Happy birthday babe!

Since this is a very special post, I'm giving away 3 linky loves to the first 3 commenters instead of the usual 1.
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Music Monday - Lessons In Love (Level 42)

It's been a while since I've last participated in Music Monday, so I decided that it's time for me to just sit back for a moment and relax. Being a hardcore 80s music fan, I'll be featuring one of my all time favourite tunes by an English pop rock band, Level 42. This single was a big hit in the 80's and I'll leave you with this superb number for your listening pleasure. It takes me on a trip down memory lane with snippets of great memories of my teen days with love and life. I hope you'll enjoy my selection this week. Happy Music Monday !

From LYRICSMODE.COM lyrics archive

Lyrics | Level 42 lyrics - Lessons In Love lyrics

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.



I'm giving linky love to the first 2 commenters instead of the usual 1!

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PhotoHunt - Plastic

My little princess has always enjoyed playing with her Mega bloks that store nicely inside this cute plastic wagon. She can spend quite a bit of time building and stacking all 50 pieces. This fun game has also helped her learn colors and shapes as well as improving her hand-eye coordination. Most importantly, the plastic pieces are large enough not to pose choking hazards to a child. I like the fact that it also can help kids in developing their thinking skills and creativity. As long as my daughter wants to play with something as simple and fun as Mega bloks, there's no reason to be discouraging. I'm glad she is opening up to her imagination and and having great fun being a child.

Have a great weekend everyone!

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First Commenter

Wordless Wednesday - Creepy Crawlies

Remember this alien-like predator ?

Now they have invaded my garden again. Argh..... I found myself feeling ill as they squirmed and wriggled around in slow motion munching my plants. Trust me, they will easily eat the entire plant to the ground devouring the flowers and leaves, leaving a very unpleasant sight. These moth caterpillars are big eaters and they poop a lot too.

the creepy crawlie warming up to me.

Look, he's waving hello to the camera

two caterpillars sitting on my hand. they are friendly and harmless. unfortunately, I don't like what they are doing to my plants

looks like they are enjoying a spot of intimacy.

I tried to imagine them being roasted or stir fried with a bit of garlic, butter and basil leaves, but I just couldn’t stomach it. :D Since my mom has tons of these plants in her back yard, I'll let them munch the host plant until they are ready to pupate and change into beautiful moths.

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First Commenter - Monica

New Zealand Manuka Honey

Ever heard of Manuka Honey? I actually had never heard of it until recently, when my friend brought me some from a trip to New Zealand. I particularly love the texture of it as it is rich and creamy, the taste is less sweeter than normal honeys and it has a unique unforgettable aroma which stands out amongst the honey varieties I've tasted.

For those who have never heard of this product, it's a medical grade honey that is derived from the nectar of the flower which grows on Manuka trees that is native to New Zealand and is renowned for its amazing antioxidant and anti bacterial properties. As this product is unknown to me in some ways, I did a bit of research and discovered that it contains the most healing properties compared to normal honeys.

More interestingly, I also discover the resources of the rating system known as Unique Manuka Factor or UMF. The higher the rating, the more potent the honey. If something sounds too good to be true, it most likely is. I know the good stuff with a UMF rating is relatively expensive to be given as souvenirs. Although the one that I got was just an ordinary manuka honey with no UMF trademark, but what the heck, sup it and enjoy it, and sure I have a nice looking souvenir jar at the end of it. :) I'm just thrilled to be able to get one from NZ.

I was told that Manuka honey is available in many Kiwi homes and is favoured by most honey fans. :D So people, if you ever visit NZ, don't forget to bring me back some of those tasty Manuka Honey.

Photo courtesy of Melissa. This is Manuka also known as New Zealand Tea Tree. Its leaves are small and prickly and its flowers bear white to pink coloured flowers.

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First Commenter - JL

PhotoHunt - Painted

I came across this painting during my stay in Paris a few years ago and just thought it was so cute and beautiful! There were other paintings along the walls painted by great artistes but this one specific piece of art literally caught my attention. I was impressed with the artwork that was painted in different color combinations which was visually appealing.

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First Commenter - Kenwooi

The Joys of being a KID

This is a picture of my nephew and my youngest daughter. They play well together, they eat the same food, they sleep at the same time, they are just full of energy and excitement. Their capacity of racing around doing new, exciting and different activities all morning and afternoon is unbelievable. They are the best of friends and they get along most of the time but once in a blue moon, they fight like cats and dogs though.

The kids are in a great mood. Look at them. Their laughter is filled with innocence, purity, spirited and honesty. Their mind is absolutely free from daily problems with no worries and so carefree.

Faces like angels. They look so cheeky and happy. They are adorable, charming, infectious and it warms the cockles of my heart into a thousand happy pieces. I miss being a kid.

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First Commenter - Nick

Wordless Wednesday - Dazu Stone Carvings, China

While I was in Chongqing for work last year, I had the opportunity to visit the Dazu Stone Carvings. Unfortunately, the bus ride from Chongqing to Dazu was rather bumpy and dusty with miles and miles of potholes, single lanes along the way to this countryside place. :( There were times when I thought the bus was going to tear apart in the middle of the crazy winding road. Thank goodness, I did not get dizzy and puke.

The Dazu Stone Carvings are generally depictions of scenes and figures, philosophies of Confucian, Taoist, and Buddhist beliefs. "Dazu" literally means "harvest and abundance." There are a collection of more than 50,000 Buddhist stone carvings dated back from the 9th to 13th centuries and are now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. With the rich sculptures as well as detailed inscriptions, the Dazu Grottoes are regarded as house treasures. It is unimaginable how these massive and intricate structures were carved with such simple tools ages ago.

It wasn't something we had look forward to visiting, but it ended up being one of the most amazing sights we visited during our entire journey in Chongqing.



The largest figure, a reclining Buddha, is over 31 metres long.

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First Commenter - Liza

Happy Mother's Day

I want to wish all you moms out there a very Happy Mother's Day! It's a pleasant trip down memory lane for me, remembering wonderful snippets of memories and all the fabulous things our mother did for us when we were young.

I hope every mother out there has a very special day, and gets plenty of kisses, giggles and cuddles from their loved ones. Now that I am a blessed mommy of three, I certainly appreciate the hugs and thoughtful gifts from my children like when they make me some handmade cards and crafts.

Most of all, thank you to all beautiful mothers out there for everything you've done to make our world a better place. Thank you for your guidance and support you've given us, the meals you've provided, the caretaker of us when we were sick and making sure all our physical and emotional needs are met. And if you are not a mother may you have a splendid time with your loved ones too!

This is a photo of my lovely mom. She has always been a true inspiration to me and my family. I love her more than anything in this world. She is my best friend, my confidante, my biggest supporter and always listens to my random ramblings when I'm feeling blue. I'm fortunate to still enjoy time with my mom and I'm thankful she is still in pink of health in her 60's ! Love and hugs to you, mom and thank you for being such a wonderful Mother!

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First Commenter - Nitwit1

Photo Hunt - In Memory

The Sleeping Lion or Dying Lion of Lucerne is one of the world's most famous monuments. It was carved out of natural rock and was built in 1820 in memory of the Swiss Guards that were killed during the French Revolution in 1792 in the service of the King of France, Louis XVI.

I could not believe my eyes when we came upon this amazing site. It was so wonderfully crafted and truly realistic. Mark Twain, the well-known American author described the Lion of Lucerne as "the saddest and most moving piece of rock in the world." He was absolutely right. I haven't seen too many pieces of sculpture that looked mournful or moving but I personally have to agree with this description. You can see and feel the sadness on the lion's face distinctively.

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First Commenter - Ayie