端五节快乐

I don't know how to call this date in English, some say is dragon boat festival, and some say is double fifth festival.

In Chinese we call this day as 端五节, 端 is taken from the word 开端, which mean beginning, and 五 mean five. So, from the words it mean the festival that fall on the fifth day. Ya, we celebrate it on the fifth day of the fifth month of the year, that why some also called it double fifth festival.

So far I didn't have chance to see the dragon boat race, but something that I will never miss or never want to miss is the 粽子. You can called it dumpling if you want. I don't like those selling in the market, the home make is still the best. I miss those days that my grandmom cook this for us, I never able to find that taste again.

Ok, when you remember when is valentine, I hope you will also remember that today is a very important festival also.

Honey, I'm home

I have been staying at the Dustyland for about 1 month, and finally I'm going home today, few days earlier than the scheduled date because to put red carpet to welcome the orang utan to see the trees. Pity those haiwan that they seldom got chance to see tree. The biggest tree and most famous tree in the Dustyland is not even bigger than the lalang behind my house.

Ok, forget about those stupid thing, I'm going home today.

It's summer now, the temperature is very unreasonable. Most of the time, it can reach around 45 degree C at noon. The heat can cook you if you stand under the sun for more than 1/2 hours. Sometime, I see those workers working under the sun, I have to respect them. They are tough. If everyone can choose, no one willing to work under the sun, and no body will to work away from home (I'm not sure about some people, but me definitely hope can have more time with my love one).

But no willing and responsibility is totally two different creature. No body willing to be sent to war, but as an army, their responsibility is there to protect the country. I'm not army, but I clearly know my responsibility. Chinese idiom said take people's money, solve people's problem. I follow this rule.

Will stay at Bolehland for 2-3 weeks before come back to the Dustyland. Feel grateful that there is a group of friends that work hard to end this nightmare together. Without these heroes/sheroes, I believe my life in this piece of desert will be miserable. And have to thanks my wife for understanding my works. I wish I can have more time for her after this nightmare ended.

Ok, boarding time.

Honey, I'm back ^^

Paris-London Trip - Day 7

The first thing that comes out in my mind about London is red. The telephone booth, the bus, marching band, MU (I hate MU), … all are red colour.

We start our journey from Victoria area and walk to Buckingham Palace. When we reach there, there already crowded with people. Everyone is waiting for the marching band to march out from the palace. We hanging there awhile, and we planned to leave the area, the marching just started, ^^ lucky.

The Victoria Memorial

Victoria Memorial from front view

The marching band

The marching band

Sculpture at Victoria Memorial 

After Buckingham Palace, we walk pass Hyde Park and enter the Brompton road. It’s an area full with luxury brand, and there is a “shopping mall” that I have to mention here, the Harrods. I heard that Princess Diana like to shopping here. Ok, now you can imaging the price. We didn’t do any shopping there, first of all, it’s basically will only wasting our time; secondly, I’m afraid I will accidentally break anything and I need to wash dishes there forever :p

The next stop is Victoria & Albert (V&A) Museum and next to it is Science and Natural History Museums. Nothing much special there except it is free.

After walking in the museums, we went back Hyde Park. It’s a huge park. It’s so huge until we are not able to finish it. Kensington Gardens is just next to Hyde Park, separated by a lake called The Serpentine.

At a corner of the park is the Albert Memorial. Maybe you don’t know who Prince Albert is, but you definitely know who Queen Victoria is. The Albert Memorial is commissioned by Queen Victoria in memory of her beloved husband.

The Albert Memorial

My wife ^^

Next to the Albert Memorial is the Royal Albert Hall. If you like musical performance, then you may pay a visit here, but I believe the ticket is not cheap. Anyway, we only pass by the building.

Royal Albert Hall

At the end of the Kensington Gardens is the Kensington Palace. It was used to be official residence of our beloved Princess of Wales, Diana. We didn’t go in to the palace because it is not free and we also sick of seeing these luxury buildings after the Versailles.

Kensington Palace

Mirror trick :)

She is so sweet

The next stop is Marble Arch, which is neat to the Speakers’ Corner. Too bad we didn’t spot any speaker there. You may do public speaking here as long as the police consider your speech is lawful. I wonder when Bolehland can assign a area as Speakers’ Corner.

The Marble Arch

The next stop is Baker Street. If you are Sherlock Holmes’ fans, you definitely will know why Baker Street is so famous. Another tourist area in Baker Street is Madame Tussauds, the wax museum. The ticket price is £28 :s

Sherlock Holmes statue at the Baker Street

The next stop is at Trafalgar Square. When we reached there, the square is preparing for a concert. There are few famous buildings around the square. The National Gallery is at the back of the square, and right to it is Admiralty Arch which is a office building. At the left hand side is the St. Martin-in-the-fields, which is a church.

The Nelson's Column 

The St. Martin-in-the-field

The Trafalgar Square

Admiralty Arch

Walking from Trafalgar Square to the Parliament Square through Whitehall street will pass by Horse Guards and St. James’s Park.

The first building that attracts your eyes is the Houses of Parliament which have a huge clock tower called Big Ben. The building is also known as Palace of Westminster. Next to the Houses of Parliament is the Westminster Abbey.

Statue of Abraham Lincoln on the Parliament Square

My wife & Big Ben

The Big Ben

The House of Parliament

Westminster Abbey is a church but what make it so famous is because there are lots of great people buried in that area. Isaac Newton is buried there on 4th April 1727. Enter to the church is not free and when we reached there, it is closed.

The Westminster Abbey

You can see the London's Eye from the Westminster Bridge.

My wife & London's Eye

We end the day here.

To be continue…