Oreo Cookie Baking Workshop

I went for another baking workshop earlier on. It is on Oreo Cookies, and how to use Oreo Cookies to make cakes. We made Oreo Tiramisu Ice-Cream Cake, Oreo Chocolate Truffles and Oreo Chocolate Tart.

The easiest to make is the Oreo Chocolate Truffles. All it needs is melted butter, cream cheese and crushed Oreo cookies, mix them altogether, scoop up a bit at a time and roll into a ball, put it in the freezer, dip the truffles in melted chocolate, put them into cupcake cases, decorate with white chocolate and serve.

The most complicated is the Oreo Tiramisu Ice-Cream Cake. That needs more time as the ice-cream has to be melted, then frozen again. Furthermore, the rum and coffee taste that is so synonymous with Tiramisu has to be blended to perfection. Which is why today's session ended an hour later than originally planned.

But it was an enjoyable session. I get to bake to my heart's content, without using the oven! And I get to prepare Oreo cookies cake. Just a pity there is no recipe for Oreo Cheesecake, one of my favourites! Perhaps one day I should try to source for the recipe, then I can make Oreo Cheesecake as well!

Tennis Doubles

I played tennis again last night, doubles this time. I think I must be really weak, or else I did not warm up enough. Even though we were playing doubles and I was hardly catching or serving the balls, I ended up with muscle ache in my thigh and arm, which the latter is still sore now.

We played for about two hours. He can really run! He was running to catch the ball most of the time. How strong his stamina is! How I wish I can be as strong and full of stamina, to keep going even after two hours!

Apparently, the tennis session is going to be a routine thing, where a few of us gather together to exercise. Good idea! It is time I seriously do some sports on a regular basis, and since I can do what I like, why not? Hopefully the session will always be doubles, so it will not be too hectic!

Plans For The (Near) Future ....

My decision to be more disciplined is off to a good start. Last weekend, I finally cleared the clutter from my room. Although it is still not perfectly spic and span, at least it is more presentable-looking, and I did not feel ashamed anymore to bring the guy up to my room when he came over for dinner.

Then this week at work, I put in a bit more hours to try to clear the clutter from my desk. Although it is still in quite a mess, at least there is space now to write some notes, the shelf is not overflowing, and the colour of the desk can be seen. :-p Now all I need is to file / trash things away accordingly, shift things to the safe, and my workplace will then be neat and tidy.

The next thing I plan to do is to renew my Provisional Driving Licence (at last!) after putting it off for years. Then I will call to book official driving lessons, Auto car this time! Plus I will need to re-take my long-expired Advanced Theory, which I resolve to pass after one try. After that, I can start booking a test date. Who knows, perhaps by this time next year, I can finally be another "typical" female driver on the road! ;-p About time!

On a further note, I have finally re-submitted my application back to my course. If I manage to get in this time, it will be full load all the way! My plan is to do my course, graduate in the most minimal time, get married, settle down, then pursue a post-graduate. Life for me is getting better at last!

Formulating A Novel ....

After more than a decade, I have finally decided to write a book. I have been wanting to physically write a book for ages, just that I have not been disciplined enough to sit down and set out the entire story. As I have mentioned, I am a big, fat procrastinator. :-p

Lately, the seeds of a couple of stories have been sowing rapidly in my mind. The stories are nothing new, as in my moments of deep thoughts, sometimes a plot of a story would formulate in my mind. However, it is only recently that I feel that a real skeletal plot has sprung, and it is just possible that I can come up with a novel of my own.

However, until I actually get down to putting pen on paper, the plots will remain just as it is - mindless imagination floating around in the recesses of my cerebellum. And until I actually have the entire story out - from page one to whichever page it ends on, the story will remain as it is - fragments of thoughts.

So for now, I have to focus on how to put pen to paper, and start scribbling from the first word until the end. Hopefully I may have a book out within a couple of years, who knows?

Fifth Evening Of Praise And Worship

The Cathedral choir outdid itself last Sunday. The repertoire of songs were fantastic, and the improvisation and instrumentation a cut above the rest. Incidentally, the choir master is a voice graduate from the Royal Academy of Music in London, and used to be the co-conductor of the Singapore Youth Choir. Impressive portfolio! Makes me yearn all the more to join the choir, after I polish up my voice a bit.

The choir is having a fifth evening of Glorious Praise and Worship this Saturday, so we will be going. This performance is the grand finale of a series of five concerts, and it will be a formal event as there will be ambassadors. It is not only a concert, but also a celebration of the music director's birthday and his half-century dedication to church music, as well as the conferring of the Honorary Doctorate on him for his contribution to local church music scene.

I managed to get two tickets, which is real lucky, as the seats have all been filled. The dress code puts "Shirt and tie", which means I have to wear an evening gown and be rather formally made-up. At times I think I have been really lucky, because if I did not attend the church at that moment, I would never have found this out, nor get the tickets to the performance. I am really looking forward to it, as I believe it will be a very spiritually beautiful experience!

Irks Of Men ....

Why are some guys so dumb that they do not even know they have been dumped? Seriously, must the girl spell out everything to them, face to face, word by word, letter by letter, before they finally get the message? Does it not mean anything when the girl has stopped contacting the guy, has been ignoring him, and has not spoken a single word to him for the past few months?

So why must the guy suddenly ask why the girl is ignoring him lately, whether she is okay? Does he not know anything? Or has he not noticed that he has already been ignored for a while? Does he only realise it now?

And people say only girls are funny ....

Needing More Discipline ....

Discipline is never really a part of my life. Of course, I go through life knowing what is responsibility (although I cannot profess I am as responsible as most people as I tend to procrastinate), but responsibility does not equate to discipline. Responsibility means knowing what you need to do. Discipline is the determination to do it.

In essence, I am a lazy and messy person and a big procrastinator. Which is why lately my boss has been coming after me to clear my table, as he says how can one work with such a mess? It is never a habit of mine to keep things clean and tidy. I know I need to clean up, but I keep putting it off.

When I was younger, I had my mum breathing down my neck all the time, telling me what to do. I resented that, as I thought I could make my own decisions without her making it seemed like I am but a machine, just following orders and instructions. Ironically, now when she is no longer breathing down my neck, I became lazier and more indisciplined.

The thing is I know what I need to do, in terms of work, study, planning for the future, yet for some reason or the other, I just keep putting things off. I did study, did work, but honestly speaking, I could have done better. I will not say I did not put in effort, but I definitely did not give my best shot.

If only I had been disciplined to just put in a couple of hours studying every night like I promised myself instead of sleeping more, or if I could have saved a bit more money every month instead of splurging when I was young, perhaps I could have graduated with honours, or would have more substantial savings.

If only I went through my driving lessons diligently, instead of always cancelling because I was tired after a hard days' work, I could have already been driving for a few years, and perhaps even have a set of wheels of my own, instead of always relying on others to drive me around.

But all these "if onlys" do not matter now. What matters is how I want to live the remaining days of my life. Do I want to continue living life in my own comfort zone, or do I want to achieve something? I see how the guy puts aside time everyday to prepare for his upcoming piano examinations, and I am really inspired.

In order to achieve something, it is not just talking about it, or planning it. It is actually doing it. And doing it may need to take time, effort and determination. In short, discipline. Only with discipline can one achieve everything one sets out to do. So I need more discipline, in my work, in my studies, in planning for my future. Only with discipline will my life improve and I will have a better sense of achievement and satisfaction. Then years down the road, I can truly look back with no regrets.

Tips To A Successful Relationship

Another article on secrets to how to maintain a successful relationship. These are actually pretty straight-forward, and are what couples do to maintain their love. These may not be much to many people, a lot of my friends will deem as no big deal, but it is the little things that go a long way.

ANNIVERSARIES
Always celebrate! Whether it's the 1st or the 50th, each year together is a triumph. (Guys may not think it is a big deal, but girls do. And the girl does appreciate and love the guy more if he takes the effort to remember the birthday or anniversary.)

APPRECIATION
Let each other know how much you appreciate each other. You may already know but hearing it from each other is always better. (Very true! Sometimes it is not a good idea to keep everything in the heart, as no one knows what you really feel if you do not say it out.)

BEST FRIENDS
Be best friends preferably before being boyfriend-girlfriend. Take time to know each other so the relationship will be a deep one. Tell each other about your crushes, dreams and problems. Make sure he / she is your best friend before getting engaged. The strong bond of friendship will help you both survive tough times.

BOND
Make it a point to spend time together often but leave room for each other. Also spend time alone with each other, so that at the end of the day you could both share your experiences. This way, you stay interesting with your partner.

COMPLIMENTS
Always compliment each other. This will prevent feelings of resentment and thinking that one is being taken for granted.

DATE
Keep doings things that you both enjoy, do them together. Make time and continue to date to keep the romance - look good, smell good to maintain physical attraction.

DIFFERENCES
Celebrate differences. Never force your ideologies down each other's throat. Give up trying to turn your partner into you. Accept differences, appreciate them. (Many people do not realise this, so they are always trying to find fault with the partner. In reality, only by accepting each other's differences that a relationship can blossom and grow.)

FIGHTS
Fight with the aim to resolve the issue. Don't outdo each other. The longer you extend the fight, the more chances that you'll say something hurtful that you don't really mean. As mad as you were with your partner, he / she is still the person who laughs at your jokes and thinks you're hot. Hear each other out, don't dig up old issues. Choose your battles. Make sure the fight will be worth it and that something will change in the relationship as a result of the fight.

FLAWS
Know that the perfect person does not exist. Know that just as there are things that you love about him / her, there will be things that will make you go crazy. We are only human with our own flaws. (The test is whether we can tolerate each other's flaws and to what extent.)

FUN
Have fun together! This means keeping the fun and spontaneity that was there in the early days. Allow yourselves to get silly. Being able to make each other laugh and see the lighter, crazier, absurd side is the best way to get through all the differences in personalities, adjustments in lifestyle & opposing viewpoints.

GOALS
Make sure you have similar goals. It would be difficult to keep your bond intact if your views are complete opposite. (Absolutely true! I never believed that, but I am a strong advocate of this now. If both have different views and goals, it is hard to move on together.)

GRUDGES
Quit tabulating grudges. Let it off. Discuss it, then trash it, don't recycle it.

KEEPING IT HOT
Keep it hot by traveling to different places together. A new setting will do wonders. Always have skin contact - be it holding hands, a massage or just plain leg rubbing.

HONESTY
Don't lie or hide things. The problem will only get bigger.

KNOW EACH OTHER
Learn each other's interest. It really keeps the conversation flowing! (It helps a lot if both parties have similar interests too!)

HUG
A hug can be far better more intimate than a kiss. (Very true!)

IDENTITY
Don't lose your personality - that's why he / she fell in love with you. Have separate interest and activities to keep your individual, and to be able to contribute more to the relationship.

INDEPENDENCE
Having your own income means you're the boss in your life.

IN-LAWS
Make rooms for the in-laws.

INTENTIONS
Wish each other well. Don't wish each other the worst.

ISSUES
Speak up about the awkward stuff now, like money and sex. The earlier, the better.

LISTEN
Listen, listen, listen. Hear each other out especially during arguments.

LOOK GOOD
Mind your appearance! Stay fit and healthy for each other.

LOVE
It all boils down to your love, chemistry and respect for each other.

MEMORIES
Remind each other of the old days. Do something that you used to do for each other before. It may even be corny but it made you two together. Experience new things together - from dining into a new restaurant to experiencing street food together to exploring to new places. It's the little surprises that make great memories.

MIND READING
No matter how long you've been together, do not think that you can read each other's mind. (Very true!)

NEEDS
Be good to yourself, then be good to your partner. That's what love is all about. Think about your partner. Will it make him / her happy? Will she / he enjoy it? Consider each other's feelings. Be very attentive and sensitive to each other's needs, physically and emotionally, that way your partner learns to do the same for you. Never take your partner for granted.

PRIORITIES
If one says it's important, then it is! Prioritize each other among other things!

SPACE
Give each other space. Have your boy's night out. If you can't trust each other with this, then don't get married.

SORRY
Say sorry when you're wrong. (Why do most people find it so hard to do this?)

SURPRISES
No matter how long you've known each other, be open to surprises, both good or bad.

SUPPORT
Support each other's dream. Be willing to follow your passions, support your partner in his / her decisions and create new ones together. Two heads are better than one.

TEAMWORK
Think for two and always work as a team. Consult each other before making a decision because everything will always affect both of you. Strengthen couple power. In many ways, we have to decide based on what is best for the relationship in favor of our individual selves. (Again, not many people realise that sometimes what they want to do may not necessary be what is best for the relationship.)

TALK
Tell each other's stories. Life goes by so fast and it is easy to see how easily couples can grow apart. Whenever something funny, scary, exciting or juicy happened to you or to someone you know, tell each other about it and have your partner do the same. Keep each other in the loop of life.

A Golden Opportunity

Last Thursday, my Head of the department spoke to me. Perhaps it was a misunderstanding or miscommunication, but he said that he does not see me really interacting with the rest of my colleagues. Well, I do actually, and I do have lunch buddies whom I lunch with almost everyday. Maybe because I do not really talk much while at work, and hardly really talk to my immediate colleagues around me, but I do get along with others if needed.

Anyway, he said that he has no problems with my competency and intelligence, so he is thinking of hiring another person. However, that depends on what type of job I want. Do I want something more challenging like property transations and coordination and due diligence, then he will hire someone to take over the general administration and document record and billing job, or do I want to continue with what I am doing then he will hire someone to do the higher-level job?

He told me to take a day to consider and tell him by the end of Friday. I was in a dilemma. On one hand, I welcome more challenging tasks, but on the other hand, I was rather afraid I could not handle and mess up the whole thing. That day happened to be the day the guy would be coming back after accompanying his parents to Hong Kong, so I received him at the airport that night and told him what my boss said.

He encouraged me to do more. Hmmmm.... other guys would tell me to think through, if I could not handle it would be worse, why would I need more responsibilities when I am perfectly comfortable where I am? Not him. He told me to be confident in myself.

The next morning, I told my mum what my boss said, and what the guy said, and she, too, told me to take on more responsibilities, as it is a good opportunity to shine. And honestly, this company is a very good learning ground.

So at the end of Friday, I told my boss that I would like more responsibilities, if he would give me the opportunity. He was happy with my answer. Since yesterday, we have been having discussions and meetings on what my new job scope would be.

When the new Legal Counsel comes on board next week, I will continue with the Intellectual Property cases (registering and litigation) together with her. At the same time, I will be following the entire transactions of the properties overseas, funding and due diligence, as well as general litigation. The new person we are hiring will be doing strictly administration, claims, billings, document register and filing of agreements.

When I first joined this company, my role is to just assist the entire department in legal and administration work. Now, almost a year later, I am slowly rising up to be the overall contract executive and coordinator. Not a bad feat. This is the opportunity which I should not miss, and from now on, I just have to give my best shot to achieve!

Spectacular Fireworks Display

We went for the live fireworks display on Saturday. And it was a spectacular sight! Breathtaking, amazing, beautiful, spectacular, words fail me. We had seats at the end of the spectator stand. Initially, I thought we could not see much, but it turned out that our seats were directly in front of the water, and the fireworks came out from the water and the surrounding stage area.

It was the first time in my life I ever saw a fireworks display close-up. The fireworks were practically right in front of us! Just a pity I forgot to bring my camera that day, or else I could have taken a few shots! Imagine how the pictures will turn out!

The choreography was very good. It was a pyro-musical, ie the fireworks display would be according to musical accompaniment. The songs were of good repertoire for such an occasion, mostly operatic kind of music. The performance kind of reminds me of the old Musical Fountain at Sentosa, where the laser lights and water move according to music, but of course, the fireworks is much more eye-catching!

When the first spark shot out, it boomed into a big circular shape. I was so captivated that I just sat there with my mouth open and my eyes glued to the display. When the next one came, I had the same expression. I was totally awestruck by the spectacular display that I was hardly paying attention to anything else.

When the fireworks display finally ended after just twenty minutes or so, I applauded. And so did he. It was only then that I noticed he was just as awestruck as me. Needless to say, our eyes started having flickering visions of light, but that subsided after a few minutes.

That is the most wonderful, albeit shortest, performance I have ever seen. From now on I want to catch all the live fireworks display every time!

Post-Scotland Literary And Cultural Experience

At last, I finally have the photos of my second part of the England tour uploaded! Whew! A month after the trip and I have sorted out the photos at last. This part of the trip started on Sunday 15th July with the way back to England after Scotland. Our first stop was the Lake District of Cumbria, where we stayed in Grasmere for a night.

Way back to England

Entering the Lake District

Outskirts of Grasmere Village

Streets of Grasmere

Wordsworth Hotel

The famous Poet Laureate William Wordsworth was born and bred in the Lake District. Throughout his lifetime, he went from village to village to stay, but he would always stay within the Lake District.

Upon reaching Grasmere, we went to our lodgings, the Forest Side Country House Hotel, outside Grasmere Village. It is a quaint house in the woods, but since the rooms are such that the bathroom and loo is separated from the room, we had to go to the end of the corridor if we wanted to shower or use the restroom. Kind of reminds me of my hostel days!

Forest Side Country House Hotel, Grasmere Lake District

Waterfall behind the hotel

At the entrance

Outside my room window (with the hotel sign)

Morning dew glistening on the leaves

Incidentally, my Chinese name means "morning dew". So it was like looking at myself when I took this picture! :-p

After checking in, we went to the neighbouring village Ambleside for lunch at The Glass Restaurant, where I had Sausages and Mash, with Raspberry Creme Brulee for dessert. Yum!

Where we had lunch

The restaurant

After lunch, we had a drive around the lake, then went to Hawkshead to see the Beatrix Potter Gallery! Yes, I got to see Peter Rabbit and all the other characters! The gallery itself used to be her husband's solicitor office. Her own house, Hill Top Farm, was a bit out of the way, so we did not have the time to go there.

Sign at the Hawkshead public carpark

Beatrix Potter Gallery

Street of Hawkshead Village

The World of Beatrix Potter (and Peter Rabbit)

With Beatrix Potter

I love this clock!

I can't remember this frog's name!

Cute little sparrow!

3 little kittens

In a discussion?

The model of Hill Top Farm

Beatrix Potter in her later years

My favourite picture!

Another favourite!

More favourites!

Peter Rabbit and Friends on display

Statue outside Beatrix Potter Gallery

How the Lake District got its name

After exploring the Beatrix Potter Gallery, we went past Windermere Village (the biggest village in the Lake District), then back to Grasmere to visit Dove Cottage, the house where William Wordsworth and his family stayed for seven years.

We also visited the Wordsworth Museum, where the works of him and his contemporaries were on display. Apparently, Wordsworth studied John Milton's "Paradise Lost" in school. Coincidentally, they were from the same school. John Milton was one of the most famous persons ever to graduate. He then came back to teach. Centuries later, Wordsworth majored in Milton's works and became one of the most famous poets ever during the Romantic era.

View of Windermere Village

William Wordsworth's inscription outside Dove Cottage

Dove Cottage, Grasmere - William Wordsworth's House

Is that what England looked like in the 18th and 19th centuries?

This place used to be for poets and literary scholars alike

After the tour of Dove Cottage (which is a very small place, makes me wonder how tall people were in those times), we had a long drive up and down the mountains for the next couple of hours or so. The view from the top of the mountains is really breathtaking! I could just imagine winter, when the mountains are filled with snow, and if one looks down from the top, it must have been a very beautiful sight! No wonder authors go to the Lake District for inspiration!

At the foot of a mountain

View of the river from the top of the mountain

The lolling hills of Cumbria Lake District

Looking down from the mountain top

A mountain goat grazing by itself

The remains of an old Roman fort up in the mountains

Cows grazing at the foot of a mountain

After a winding trip up and down the mountains, we drove back to our hotel, then took a ten-minute walk into the village for dinner. Most of the eating places were already closed, as we reached the village around 8:00pm, so after walking all over and not able to find a nice and cheap place, we settled for The Lamb Inn, a pub-cum-restaurant in one.

When I saw the menu, I was quite excited, as the place serves Yorkshire Pudding and roast boar! But since we had a full lunch and it was getting rather late, I ordered something light (Macaroni and Cheese) instead. And honestly, the Macaroni and Cheese we have in Kenny Rogers back home is much better!

The Lamb Inn - where we had dinner

My room in Forest Side Country House Hotel

Next morning (Monday 16th July), we checked out of the Lake District and went down towards North Wales and then Stratford, before stopping at Witney, a town off Oxford, to stay the night. There was a minor drama when we were checking out. Our lodgings were all bed-and-breakfasts, so when we checked into Grasmere, the receptionist told us that breakfast started at 6:30am, so we could just go into the main hall and proceed to the dining hall.

When we reached the main hall of the hotel, everything was still dark and the door was locked. It was 6:45am. So I rang the doorbell. We waited five minutes and no one came. I rang the doorbell again. Still no one came. Then my dad, being the ever anxious type, rang the doorbell several times in succession.

At last, an angry-looking man came stomping out and shouted at us from behind the closed door, "Stop ringing the bloody doorbell!" He opened the door and shouted at us, "Stop ringing the bloody doorbell! You'll wake up the entire house! Can't you wait for me to come out?"

We had to apologise and explained that all we wanted was to go in for breakfast. The man then said in a very British accent, "Breakfast isn't at 6:30, it's from 8:30 to 9:30." Before we could explain that the receptionist told us we could have breakfast at 6:30am, he slammed the door and stormed off back.

We were all appalled by his attitude. We decided not to wait and just left. Before that, we wrote a note to the management, explaining what happened, and requested for the refund of the breakfast money, since we paid for bed and breakfast, but we only stayed the night without having any breakfast. However, according to my mum, her recent credit bill reflected full payment without the refund. :-(

Leaving the Lake District

An old church in Chester (border of England and Wales)

River Avon (Yes! In Stratford at last!)

Close-up of the River Avon

Town of Stratford on the River Avon

Shakespeare Country at last!

This is supposed to be Puck from "Midsummer Night's Dream"

This statue represents all the fools (jesters) in Shakespeare plays. The four sides of the stand has a quotation with reference to fools or jesters, as can be seen in the next few pictures.

One of my favourite quotes - I find it very true indeed!

The sign outside Shakespeare Centre

Outside Shakespeare's birthplace

The front door of Shakespeare's birthplace

The house and gardens where Shakespeare was born is still standing, now open to tourists, students and the public as Shakespeare's Birthplace. In there, there are exhibitions of Shakespeare's works, beds, utensils and decorations of the sixteenth to seventeenth centuries, as well as a big guest book. Although we were not allowed to take pictures inside, I did sign the guestbook, stating my name, where I am from, with the message, "A dream come true", and signed off as "one of those who idolises him".

Another great literary figure - Rabinadrath Tagore
(found in the grounds of Shakespeare's birthplace)

I have no idea how Tagore's bust came to be in the garden. Both were from different eras and have totally different writing styles. But if it was meant to be a tribute from one great literary figure to another, then it is a good thing indeed to have Tagore's bust in Shakespeare's garden!

Outside Shakespeare's Birthplace

The entire house

Shakespeare's bookshop

How I wish I can find this bookshop here! Inside there are old and out-of-print editions of Shakespeare's works, complete and unabridged. I wanted to buy the Oxford edition, but the price is too high and the book too bulky to bring back. :-(

We went to Ann Hathaway's Cottage next. It was the cottage where Ann and her family lived before she married Shakespeare. For a while, Shakespeare was living there, then Ann and their children stayed there while he went away to set up his theatre.

British signs are so deceptive! We followed the sign saying "Ann Hathaway's Cottage", and a resident told us it was at the end of the street. What is "end of the street" actually means three lanes, a park, a town, up and down a hill, another town, before finally reaching the destination. Initially we thought it was only ten minutes away from Shakespeare's Birthplace, but it took us half an hour or so just to reach the cottage, as it was on the outskirts of Stratford town.

The bridge leading to Ann Hathaway's Cottage

(after this bridge, we had to pass by a park, two towns and a hill before the cottage was in sight)

The garden of Ann Hathaway's Cottage

Ann Hathaway's Cottage

An old cottage in Stratford town
(how I wish I can stay in there!)

Streets of Stratford town

After coming back from Ann Hathaway's Cottage, we went on to Holy Trinity Church, where Shakespeare was baptised and buried. His grave and that of his wife's is side by side. It used to be at the grounds of the church, but their graves have been moved to the basement of the church, and I was not able to go into the church to take a look. What a pity! :-( Nevertheless, I said a little prayer for him and his wife, as I had promised myself that if I was ever in that area, I would pay a tribute to him.

Holy Trinity Church

Old graves on the grounds of Holy Trinity Church

After leaving the church, we left Stratford town and drove towards Witney, to The Marlborough Hotel, where we spent the night. We were given the Annex of the hotel, which is a converted cottage behind. Pretty cosy!

Our abode for the night

Our room

By the window

Room 21 of The Marlborough

After checking in, we walked around the small town of Witney, looking for dinner. The town itself is pretty quaint, with the old buildings retained. I will not mind staying there, except it is too quiet for my liking.

My parents were craving for Chinese food (as usual!) so we went all over just to find a Chinese restaurant, and finally, we managed to find one with the name of The Water Margin! Interesting! Can hardly believe there actually is a 水浒传 in England! Whoever said English and Chinese classics do not mix?

Pavilion at Witney town square

A tall structure at Witney town

Sun setting in Witney

A typical house in Witney

The Water Margin restaurant - where we had dinner

Enjoying British Lager beer

On my bed (once again)

Next day (Tuesday 17th July), we left Witney and proceeded to Oxford, passing by Bleinheim Castle on the way. Bleinheim Castle is the estate of the Spencer Churchill family, where Winston Churchill was once part of. In fact, he was born in one of the rooms of the castle.

The Churchill estated started from the time of Queen Anne, where in recognition of John Churchill's service, she bequeathed him the piece of land with which he built his estate. He became the first Duke of Marlborough. Currently, the estate is in the hands of the 11th Duke of Marlborough.

John Churchill's sons died before him, so the estate went to his eldest daughter, who owned it as Duchess of Marlborough in her own right. She outlived all her children, so upon her death, the estate went to her nephew, Charles Spencer, the son of her sister, the same Spencer family who are the ancestors of the late Princess of Wales.

Since then, the Spencers owned the estate, until around the time of the 6th Duke of Marlborough, he was given permission to use back his ancestor's name of Churchill, and the family became known as Spencer Churchills ever since.

The castle itself is wonderful! Tapestries, decorations, the grounds and the gardens, even the lake and the place where the sheep graze, everything is great! A magnificent castle indeed! Even nicer than the royal apartments themselves!

View of Bleinheim Castle from the entrance

Bleinheim Castle Lake

Ducks near the lake

Bleinheim Castle from the side

Sheep grazing in the grounds

Monument to John Churchill (1st Duke of Marlborough)

Bleinheim Castle against the English skyline

Bleinheim Castle (close-up)

A statue in the gardens behind the castle

The back of Bleinheim Castle

Structure behind Bleinheim Castle

The East Wing of Bleinheim Castle (private apartments)

Other side of the lake

We went on to Oxford University Town after leaving Bleinheim Castle. Oxford University was way before Cambridge University, yet it is Cambridge that impacts me more. Although my dream was Oxford, it is Cambridge that I find more beautiful, more conducive, and more tranquil.

Clock Tower at Oxford University

One of the colleges at Oxford University

The library building

One of the hostels of Oxford University

Old town wall of Oxford

Old town gates of Oxford

Oxford University Press Building

Part of Oxford Castle

Due to time constraints, we did not tour Oxford as thoroughly as we toured Cambridge. We walked around Cambridge the whole afternoon, but we only drove around Oxford, with the occasional stopping of the car at various points so I could take photos. We lingered in Oxford for an hour or so before proceeding to Salisbury for Stonehenge. YEAH!!

Part of the Salisbury Plains

Stonehenge

Close-up of the stones

Stonehenge from a distance

The lone sentry stone

The stones from another angle

What the original stone formations were like

At the entrance to Stonehenge

"Welcome to Stonehenge!"

Leaving Stonehenge
(the stones from a distance flanked by grazing sheep)

Incidentally, the Salisbury Plains and Stonehenge is part of Thomas Hardy's Wessex. So we did enter Hardy country, or part of! Upon leaving Stonehenge, we went to Bath. This English city used to be under the Romans long time ago. It is the only city in Europe that has natural hot spring water coming out from the grounds. Nobody knows why and how.

Needless to say, the Romans used it as a medicinal spa and bathing place. As time went by, English aristocrats and the richer public went there to enjoy the spa and bathing facilities. Then people started settling there, and the city grew bigger. When it became a full-fledged city, it was called "Bath" due to the Roman baths and hot spring that still exist to this day.

Entering the city of Bath

The bridge over the Bath spring waters

Apparently, this is the only bridge in England that has shops on both sides of it. The water in this river flows out from the Roman bath and hot spring nearby, and culminates into one big rushing water, as can be seen from the next two pictures.

Hill top houses of Bath by the river

City of Bath next to the river

Flowers in the garden by the river

Upon arriving in Bath, we first went to our hotel. We checked into the Redcar Hotel. The service is good, but the hotel itself is small and narrow, and we were given a room all the way up on the fourth floor. There is no elevator or escalator, so we had to walk up narrow stairs, lugging our luggages. I do not mind if I was carrying just a backpack, but I had to drag my big luggage all the way up. I almost could not make it!

My parents wanted a walking tour of Bath. The advantage of summer is that the skies do not turn dark until about 9:30pm or so, thus we opted for the 8:00pm walking tour, which lasted for about two hours. The meeting point was outside the Roman Bath Museum, somewhere near the Bath Abbey.

By the time we checked into the hotel, it was past 6:00pm. By the time we put our luggages down and checked out the room, it was 7:00pm when we finally came out. So we quickly walked to where the Roman Bath Museum is and had dinner at the cafe opposite. Finally I got to eat Yorkshire Pudding with roast lamb, and Shepherd's Pie! My parents ate Fish and Chips.

Where we had dinner

Bath Abbey

The back of Bath Abbey

Statue of King Henry VII, at the wall of Bath Abbey

Statue of St Peter

Statue of St Paul

The Roman Bath Museum

The Kings and Queens Bath (behind the Roman Bath Museum)

Hot steam actually comes out through here!

An old Roman hospital

Typical Bath terrace houses

The Circle

The Circle is a series of four semi-circular (or quarter-circular) rows of terrace houses. These are the more exclusive housing in Bath, with some of the houses being residences of the rich and famous in the past. The quarter or semi-circular shapes make up one full circle. Everything is curved, including the houses and the gates.

Just behind The Circle, there is another exclusive long stretch of curved building, called the Royal Crescent. It overlooks two parks - the Victoria Park and the Crescent Park. These two parks are separated by a thin concrete pavement.

The Royal Crescent

Each house in the Royal Crescent consists of three to four storeys, depending on whether it is the side or the middle. One house stands out as it has a yellow door. According to our guide, the door was so painted because the lady who first stayed there loved the colour yellow. However, the management of the Royal Crescent disapproved and brought her to court by insisting she changed the colour. She argued and fought, and in the end won the case. Since then, the door has remained yellow, even though the lady had long since passed on and the house has changed hands several times.

House with the yellow door

No. 1 Royal Crescent (the first to be built)

The pavement separating the two parks behind the Royal Crescent

Next to the Royal Crescent there is a row of old Victorian houses with a hanging grey structure at the end of the rows of houses. That is actually a bathroom. In the past when Victorian families became larger, going to the restroom within the house became a problem. So some smart aleck hit upon the idea of having the restroom separated from the house itself, restrooms were then set up at the end of the house. The structure we saw happened to be one of the last of its kind, what is known as the almost extinct "hanging loos of Bath".

A hanging loo of Bath

This is reputedly to be the most haunted walkway of Bath

I was fascinated by the shell above the door

Our walking tour ended about 9:15pm, after which we went back to our hotel room to rest for the night. The next morning (Wednesday 18th July), we had breakfast at 8:00am, and toured the rest of Bath, namely the Roman Bath Museum and Hot Spring Spa, Jane Austen Center and the Sally Lunn Kitchen Museum, which is the oldest house in Bath.

In front of our hotel - the Redcar Hotel

Our hotel room

Interior of our hotel room

The dining room where we had breakfast

Bust of Charles Dickens inside the Roman Bath Museum

Sign at the entrance of the Roman Bath Museum

The old Roman bath

Why the Romans set up a bath in Bath

Other side of the old Roman bath

Hot steam coming out of the bath

Close-up of the old bath

Ripples of water

The medicinal hot spring

A violinist outside the Roman Bath Musuem

She was performing Bach's "Air in G", one of my favourite classical pieces! It sounds so beautiful on the violin! After we were done with the Roman Bath Museum, we went exploring the streets of Bath, passing by the oldest house in Bath where Sally Lunn kitchen used to be, then went to Jane Austen Center.

Jane Austen was not a Bath citizen, but she rented a place to stay with her parents for a few years. In Bath, she wrote two novels, "Persuasion" and "Northanger Abbey". Both stories were set in Bath. Just a pity we did not get to see her actual hometown and countryside! :-(

Archway of Bath

Olden streets of Bath

The oldest house in Bath

Sign outside the Royal Mineral Water Hospital

I could not resist taking this!

And this!

And this too!!

With Mr Darcy! (outside Jane Austen Center)

With Jane Austen herself

These books are all original and old, out-of-print editions of her works

The church where her parents were married in

The house the family was staying in

I love this dress!
(It is actually a 19th century Victorian dress during Jane Austen's time)

A dining room setting in Jane Austen's stories

Portrait of the young Jane Austen

Samples of her handwriting and cross-stitch

Some characters from her stories

The tea room on the top floor of Jane Austen Center

Part of the old town wall of Bath

Sally Lunn's Kitchen Museum in the oldest house of Bath

Sally Lunn was a baker. She lived in Bath in around 1620. The house she lived in is now the oldest house in Bath. She worked in the kitchen day and night, baking buns and bread. The house is now a restaurant, famous for Sally Lunn's pastries, as well as a mini museum where the kitchen and tools are preserved on display.

Part of the kitchen

The kitchen where Sally Lunn used to bake

Other side of the kitchen

We bought a bun too. It was a plain giant-sized bun, which tasted like, erh, a bun. Nothing extraordinary. Perhaps it was plain, which was why there was nothing extraordinary. Maybe if we bought a flavoured bun the taste would be better?

An enclosed well where the spring water comes out

Sally Lunn box

Sally Lunn bun (actual size)

We left Bath around noon and went on to Windsor Castle, at the town of Windsor. Windsor Castle is on the outskirts of London. It is the place where the royal family stays when they are not on official business.

Part of Windsor Castle

Windsor Castle

Windsor Town Centre

Statue of the Queen on one of the buildings in Windsor

Streets of Windsor

I saw a Pizza Hut right by the street and took the opportunity to go in and get Bonaffee Pie. Finally I got to taste the pie which I craved for so much after watching "Love Actually". When the pie was in my hands, I took my time to savour it, instead of eating it up in one gulp. It is made of banana and caramel, with whipped cream. Delicious!

Bonaffee Pie, or what remained of it

From Windsor, we went to London to spend the rest of the day, before going to Reading to spend the night at the Crescent Hotel after dinner.

Our room in Crescent Hotel, Reading

Room 15, Crescent Hotel

The dining room of Crescent Hotel where we had breakfast

Crescent Hotel, Reading

The next day (Thursday 19th July), we checked out of the hotel after breakfast and proceeded back to London to Heathrow Airport, to catch our flight home. We hung around the airport after checking in, went to Harrods (again) and TGIF for a meal, before boarding the plane at noon.

It was about 8:00am local time the next morning (Friday 20th July) when we reached Bangkok International Airport. We went to a cafe for breakfast, where I had a long mug of hot chocolate, then took a rest on some benches, before boarding the plane back home. We reached home about 4:30pm. And that concludes my entire trip!

London Heathrow Terminal 3

A Harrods bear (or two)

Chocolate store in Heathrow

My tall mug of hot chocolate at a cafe in Bangkok International Airport, Thailand

A statue in Bangkok International Airport

What the statue represents

A Thai structure in Bangkok International Airport