27th Dec 08

20th Dec - 25th Dec

Hainan -China was where I am. Gone there for a holiday and also to go back to find my roots...or more like my dad's hometown. When I first got off the plane, budget flight of course, the airport was......well filthy in our aspect but pretty "up" in their eyes. There were actually roaches sprawiling at the corners! Dad's cousin came to meet us and brought his friend along who was a tour guide as well....China ppl are really like brothers, especially when you're from the same dialect group. Anyway headed up the bus and fell straight asleep, due to the lack of sleep and the partying at jackson's house the night before. Went straight for lunch at some ulu restaurant, oh boy, china food is god darn OILY! Pick up any dish and the oil comes dripping off...sheesh!

After that went sightseeing around Hainan, honestly, this trip really made me understood what poverty & simple could co-exist. There were farms and padi fields nxt to high rise buildings, buffalos and cows walking on the sidewalks, with bullock carts, making me really appreciate for what I have now with me.

Anyway, till the 3rd day was when we visited my hometown. Boy, it's really like what you see on TV, taking a 1hr plus bus ride, and going into the jungle to find my village. Gosh, the people there were glas to see us, even had firecrackers to welcome us! The first time I ever saw firecrackers, and we played with fireworks too! Memorable one, something we'll never get to do in this "fine" city. Anyway, my grandpa's bro, meaning my grand-uncle came to welcome us, and my dad was like intoducing the whole family, but he just kept asking, "who is mingyang"...LOL I guess there're still pretty traditional which they value the "kettle brand" more, but my dad said, cos my grandpa only sent photos of me back when I was born, and before my sisters were born, my grand-uncle came once to SG, and he only saw me. LOL...but the funny thing is, the whole damn village was asking who is mingyang as well!

Showed us arnd the village, and had homecooked food! Let the pics do the talking...

Photos of my grandpa and my dad when they were younger, even the first wedding photo of my parents!!! All nicely framed up! How sweeet of them...

Pictures - the room where my dad and grandma used to sleep when my grandpa was off at work in SG

That girl in peach sweater, some village girl, meaning my dad's some relative's daughter, and the parents were damn funny, kept asking her if she wants to follow us back to SG, get a proper education, so long as she's older and she comes back to visit, that will do.......

Anyway we left the village at late noon and headed out to the city, well the city was way way much cleaner and urbanised. Anw Xmas eve was the shittiest day of my life, had food poisoning! I guess it's not getting used to the food there, not only me, even my sisters, cousins and my maternal grandma got it too! Laid in bed the whole day, while the rest went out shopping, then my dad came back in the late noonand asked " You sure you don't wanna come? If you gonna lay like this, you're gonna miss your chance of getting your shoe!" Oh yes, I've a habit, or more like my hobby, I like shoes, sneakers especially, every holiday that I go, I MUST come home with a new shoe! HAaahaaa so off I went to get the shoe that I eyeed on the day before, and rushed back to the hotel and rest again...........oh wells, all in all, an eye-opening trip.

Flew back on Xmas day, and rushed off to Vannie's hse for Xmas gathering with the bros, and were planning our New yr eve party at Marina Mandarin! WHOAAAHOOOO!

Hope everyone got the Xmas cards I sent out, Merry Xmas everyone! God Bless