Singapore Orchid Farm

Purple, white, yellow, red, orange… the palette of colors that welcomed us as we entered the famous Singapore Orchid farm was simply painstaking.
Ever since I was able to care for my own orchids at home, I became more fascinated with these pretty and elegant flowers. So I was like a kid in a candy store when our tour guide in Singapore took us to this orchid garden. The flowers are of varied shapes, sizes and colors. There was a section in the garden where all the flowers were named after famous people, heads of states or their wives, actors and actresses. It was a bit rainy when we were touring the garden but that didn’t damp my enthusiasm in taking in all the beauty that surrounds me. I had to make do with my phone camera as my digital camera’s battery died on me, but in spite of a less reliable camera, I must say that the beauty of the place was not compromised.





As I tour around the garden, I can’t help but think that this place is a great venue for a wedding or even just a wedding photo shoot. Simply wonderful.

First snow fall of the season

“Oh the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful, and since we’ve no place to go, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!” - This is the song that keeps on playing in my head last Saturday as I stare out the window to our roof terrace covered with pure white, clean refreshing snow. Oh, I just love looking out on a street covered with snow, it’s so relaxing, so peaceful so serene. The only down side to the heavy snow fall over the weekend is, contrary to what the song in my head is saying, we did have to go some place and it was more difficult to drag myself out of our warm home to the biting cold outside. Thank God for thick coats and car heater.

This morning, on my way to the office, as I walk the cold streets of Amsterdam, the wind was blowing snow flakes that melt as soon as they touch my face or that cling to my coat. I don’t understand why, in spite of the fact that I was chilling to my bones, I enjoyed walking as the snow was moderately falling. Why snow is so fascinating, I can never tell, all I can say is that for me snow is more than just slivers of ice trickling down from the sky, for me they are little white flakes of magic.

Anticipation at its peak

Of all my loots from Singapore, one of my favorites would have to be the illustrated movie companion of Twilight. I have been scouring from bookstore to bookstore here in Amsterdam in search of this book for quite a while since I've heard of its existence. Unfortunately, I have not found a copy anywhere. I was about to give up and order on line. However, when the details of my business trip to Singapore was finalized, I decided to hold off ordering online for a couple of weeks and check out some bookstores in Singapore first. On our last day, when I've already lost hope that I'll be savouring a copy of this illustrated movie companion over the 13 hour flight that awaits me going back to Amsterdam, I found it on display in the window of a bookstore that i have by passed once or twice before. I was so excited that my heart skipped a bit while I run my finger through the cover of the book. I strolled out of the bookstore with the copy in tow and a huge smile in my face.

Now that I have been so excited to see the movie, which unfortunately will be shown here in Amsterdam only on the 4th of December, the illustrated movie companion is fuelling my anticipation even more. It's nice to be privy to some behind the scene details of the movie filming.

I can't wait till the 4th of December, I'm sure its gonna be a film worth the wait.