Canton Fun - Day 1

So, my first trip from doing PB business was Guangzhou. Yeah I know some of you would think " Eleh, China je?" Hhhm. I got that remarks all the time but come on guys, if it's FREE would you go? When I say FREE, I ain't kiddin ya. From flight ticket to hotel (5 stars mind you!) to food to transportation to gifts yada yada all the necessities were provided by them. Even umbrella (it's so warm over there! Warmer than KL!) and mineral water pun depa dok kasi setiap hari. I could say they were spoiling us all the way. We arrived at Baiyun International Aiport in the afternoon and boy, it was such a hugeee and modern airport. I can't help it to actually compare it with our own KLIA and the structure of the building is similar. Maybe the same architect?

The tour leaders guided us from lugagge claim and brought us straight to the coach. Coach 'I' to be precise with our mentor-leader, Hanis Haizi. We headed to our first shopping trip! The first stop was the Leather Market. Now I know where the Malaysian online boutiques got their stocks! And Kenanga Wholesale Mall got theirs! Leather goods from phone covers to clutches to bags to shoes and all that jazz. Didn't get anything huge except for clutch and  leather iPhone and iPad covers.

 Muka-muka LAPAR

Done with shopping, and then it's.. LUNCH TIME! We had our lunch at Xin Yue Muslim Restaurant and the food was..OK. We were so hungry that time, so we gobbled up anything that were served right before our eyes. Most of the Muslim Restaurant in China serve Xinjiang cuisine because of the huge Islamic population in Xinjiang, the food is predominantly halal. 

90% vegetables right? YUM. No wonder Chinese girls are so slender and have great skin!

We were entertained during lunch by the dancers from Xin Jiang.


Right after makan, we went to our hotel. The Rosedale Hotel situated smack in the middle of the city, next to a shopping mall, convenient store and a massage parlour! That's what I was looking for and that's what we need after so much of walking and shopping. A massage parlour! Love the hotel as our room was so huge, can masukkan another 7 girls. (We had pizza party with the group in our room on the last day - altogether ada 9 people. Siap tengok movie lagi and ended with O group with Aliah)

Not bad right? It's comfortable and so convenient! 

The things we did at night: SAMBUNG SHOPPING and MASSAGE! 

Haizum, haggling ada tactic nya.

  
We shopped little things like earrings and bracelets, nothing much but the mommies and daddies shopped a lot for their sons. Dah macam Toys R Us dah tu.


Right after shopping, it was time to balik hotel. We were asked to rest for the next day but instead of just resting golek-golek in the room, we went for a MASSAGE.. until late. Kukikukik with just us singletons. These girls were hilarious. 

Aaaahhhh.


Wait for next post. Day 2. We will be in BLUE!

London 2012 Opening Ceremony

I wish I'm in London right now! The opening ceremony for Olympics 2012 was MAGNIFICENT!

It's so 'London' and the things we saw during the ceremony were the things that we could relate to..everytime. Mary Poppins, Harry Potter, Mr. Bean, James Bond, West End, Mallory Towers, NHS, Enid Blyton and most of the elements are celebrated the contributions the UK has made to the world through innovation, revolution as well as not forgetting the exuberance of the British people. It was really reflected on London 2012 games based on sports, youth transformation and inspiration. Directed by Danny Boyle (he directed Slumdog Millionaire) and the opening ceremony was named 'Isle of Wonder'. No wonder.
You can never expect nothing less from London. The best I have seen so far.
Oh how I miss that place.

Here are some of my favourites during the Opening ceremony of London 2012.

A performer acting as the chimney man during the Industrial Revolution.

Marry Poppin(s) rocking the stage!

Legendary David Beckham piloting a speedboat carrying the Olympic flame to make his way to the London 2012 ceremony.

The Green Pleasant Land before transformed into Industrial Revolution.

The Industrial Revolution. Can you even imagine London back then?

Favourite. Sir Rowan Atkinson was himself as Mr. Bean who brought out great laughter during the opening ceremony.

The Big Ben and The Parliament House being projected with the Union Jack.

The great achievement of NHS 

A giant puppet of British villain characters, Lord Voldermort and the Queen of Hearts. This performance honours Britain's greatest achievements for children's literature.


SPECTACULAR innit?


When can I go there again? 2013 perhaps?
With the Green Leaders Group? And my PB gang? Plus a husband of my own! Excited pulok.

GZ Yaw!

Will be in Guangzhao for four days. Bedsheet, cushion covers, table runners and pearls. 

Shoppin' for the weddin'.

See you soon. Toodles!

Childhood Friend is Married!

Liyana Nurain. She was my first friend after 3 years spent in Scotland where Dad did his postgrad studies. That was 16 years ago where life was all about fairy tales, barbie dolls, rollerblades, dancing to KRU Elite and Backstreet Boys.

Come this year 2012, both of us are getting married. And for Liyana's case, she's already someone's wife a week ago. Time just flew in so fast without us realizing. The hectic life of working and surviving, tup tup tak sedar dah kahwin. Lepas ni ada Liyana/Salman Jr. Insya Allah.

So, on the 23rd of June, Liyana and Salman was pronounced as man and wife and if you're reading this babe, you should have seen your face during the Akad. Priceless. You were indeed beautiful with your grey modern kurung by Qudyn and Salman ape kurangnya, he was dandy himself. He looked good in that grey Baju Melayu, no wonder he insisted on that colour. ;P

Congratulations dear friend on your wedding day. May the two of find everlasting love between you that will strengthen with each passing year. Of course you will have some tough times together, that is the challenge that all married people have to work through. Rest assured that you will have more good times than bad. And always remember you have made a commitment for life and in the end you will be happy together.

Have a happy married life.

Cewah, macam dah kahwin 10 tahun je saya ni.

Anyway Liyana, thank you for letting me be apart of your BIG day from day 1. The dresses (oh my the drama!), Jakarta (walau jumpa  kat airport je!), back and forth to get stuff, panicking over things and many more. Glad I could help babe. Even for just a bit.

During Majlis Khatam Al-Quran

Hours before her Akad Nikah

 Happy moments!

Beautiful pink-ple reception. I must say the food was good!

I've to admit it's pretty weird to see Salman next door!

Let's Get Domesticated!

Such a hectic weekend for the past two weeks but I had heaps of fun. Those two weekends were spent for my bridal shower and indeed I had fun fun fun. If you can see me now, I'm  smiling/blushing/grinning/giggling as I am typing this entry. Overwhelmed by my friends' effort and felt so lucky and blessed to have girlfriends like them. Alhamdulillah.

I had three bridal shower altogether and each of them deserves seperate post.

The first one was held a week ago and the theme was.. Stepford Wives. It was such an awesome theme and I couldn't help to not plan what I want to wear because you need to look 'domesticated' and EVERYONE were pretty! All was Bree of Desperate Housewives, Charlotte of Sex and The City, Joanna Eberhart of Stepford Wives. It was awesome seeing them together in those attire.


What BGFFs do best is plan an awesome party. No doubt their parties were always the bomb.

Let me feast your eyes with some pictures that were taken during the party.

Iced lychee / peach tea by Didi

Some of the decoration props.

 Baked mac and cheese by Tasha

The super-biadap-sedap-gile chicken mushroom and steak & cheese pies by Farissa. Sedap gileeee

Fruit tarts, chocolate brownies and cream puffs by Dalia Dania

My girls are certainly homemakers ;)

We played  games and as always Ema and Adeq were the ones that coordinated the games and the games were never dull. Not the usual ones people played at bridal showers, but the games we played relate to the themes. So we had:

1) Decorate the cupcakes

2) Identify the spices

3) The laundry

4) Initials cross-stitch



It's time for me to judge!

 The winner for cuppies competition. Top three!

The laundry game. The girls and I need to fold and arrange the laundry in a smooth, crisp and neat order. FAIL.

Pressure gile. Look at the onlookers. Siap cekak pinggang lagi.

All in all, I had a fantastic time. Everything was perfect from the theme to food to deco to game. Everything is nice like sugar and spice. ;)

More pictures:

Awesome doorgifts ;)

In true fashion for us, as according to the theme.. say cheese. 

Thanks for the amazing times girls. Forever I will never forget this moment and the all of the good times we have shared. May we have this kind of events until we are old. There's no reason for us not to have one kan? And may our friendship continues to grow and the warmth we feel continue to flow. Cewah!