Home Sweet Home....!!!

Yasmin,

Home sweet home, we are back in Singapore! What a wonderful trip we had in Hong Kong and China!

On the way back from the airport, you refused to take the taxi, you wanted to take the plane!! You said you want to go to Hong Kong again...!

It was so exciting this morning after we left uncle Tony's house. We arrived at the airport around 9:30 for our 11am flight back to Singapore. There were lots of people waiting for check-in. Afterwards, we went for breakfast at the arrival hall's fast food restaurant. You had your favourite ham macaroni, and mommy had chicken chop. Then daddy realised that when we finished breakfast, it was already 10:30 and the gate is closing soon. Daddy put you on the stroller, and pushed you really fast and mommy ran all the way to the departure gate.

There was a long queue of 100 people waiting to go through customs, so daddy asked the officer if they have any priority queue for family, and the nice officer let us pass through the crew gate and we were through in less than 2 mins. Then we ran ran ran again to the gate and we were part of the last 10 passengers to get on the plane...

Daddy was very happy of this trip, you get to meet almost all of our relatives, you met all your great grand parents, grand uncles and aunties. You seemed to have learnt so much in just a few days. You've enjoyed yourself so much, we'd sure go back to HongKong again soon. This time we'll go to Disneyland....

First Pet!!

Dear Yasmin,

When you go to school years later and if your teacher ask you about your first pet, I guess yours would be the most weirdest pet in your class.

This morning we went Yum Cha with your 12th great grand auntie. Very long salutation, but she is the sister of great grandma. While us adults enjoyed our tea, you enjoyed looking at the fishes in the fish tanks. The funny looking crabs and prawns amazed you. There were these black colored cockroach looking water beetles which lives in water and the crowd of them keep swimming in the tank. Grandpa asked the keeper if you can have one to keep, and they put it in a small plastic bag for you. It has a proper Chinese name(和味龍,龍蝨,俗稱水曱甴), and people eat them by grilling them. Grandma used to love eating them when she was little.

We brought our little water cockroach home and kept it in a small plastic box. It swam very fast with its 2 long hind legs. It doesn't seem to have a mouth and you kept trying to poke it in the water. Daddy scolded you for doing so, because we have to respect life. Daddy found on the web that these beetles only lives in clean unpolluted rivers and ponds. You kept looking at the beetle and calling it to swim and laughed when it swam in circles. Before you went to bed, you also pretend to swim on the bed....

Ferry!

Dear Yasmin,

After 2 long days of hectic, tiring saying our last goodbyes to great grandpa, we had a good long sleep last night. This morning, you took your first ride on a ferry. We cross the famous Victoria Harbour in the morning. You did so well, hopping on the gangplank, sticking your face on the window mostly the whole journey. While mommy felt a little seasick from the ferry ride, you felt nothing at all. We rested at a restaurant on the pier and had breakfast there. While mommy rest in the restaurant, we walked around the pier, looking at people fishing along the pier.

Afterwards, we did a little shopping of books, and mommy had chosen some books for you to read. Daddy picked some cookery books so I can cook yummy desserts for you when we come home.

We joined Grandpa and Grandma for lunch and then we head North to GuangZhou in China by bus. When we are almost reaching Guangzhou, the highway went over an area of banana field. You keep pointing at those trees and saying : Banana Trees, Banana Trees!!!

We had a great dinner in Guangzhou which only cost about S$30 for 5 people.... it's so cheap.. Mommy said we may move to Guangzhou to live..... ha ha.

Good night Yasmin, tomorrow we are meeting our relatives in guangzhou, then we'll explore the city

Wow! we are on top of the clouds!

Dear Yasmin,

You and mommy are now resting after a long tiring day. You were so exciting this evening with all the new sights, and sounds we thought you'd not be able to sleep, but you had fallen asleep in just 10 mins. You must be tired after such a long day.... begining at 4am this morning.

You, mommy, auntie Annie and daddy went to the airport at 4:30 this morning. You ran around in the airport until 6:30 when we board our plane to Hong Kong. The air-hostess gave you a special children seat belt for taking off and landing. You were very courageous my dear, we pat on our laps when the plane's engines roared for speed, and we raised our hands and shouted 'blast off' when it took off! You were not affected at all of the change in pressure just like daddy and grandpa were never affected. Throughout the whole journey, you were busy looking at clouds and the sun and having fun with Auntie Annie.

After arriving in Hong Kong, we took the airbus to the hotel in North Point and throughout the whole journey, you kept checking if we have our seatbelts on... After resting for a while, we went to MongKok to have a walk around. Mommy had wanted to buy some new clothes for you, so we went to Garden Street market and we were hit by different sounds and sights and smells. It was so full of people! We bought fruits in the market stalls and they were so much cheaper than in Singapore and bigger too! Than we we stopped to buy so nice clothes for you. Afterwards, we took a rest at a TauHua shop and you amazed the staff there by finishing a full bowl of tau hua by yourself! You were so exciting by being so near to the street and big double decker buses zoomed by right in front of you! You kept pointing to the buses and the overhead bridges and said 'wow 2 floors!'

We than walk along the famous 'Goldfish Street' in Hong Kong. It is a whole street lined with pet shops selling dogs, cats, fish, turtles, aquarium, food...... You imitated puppies sticking the tongues out. When the kittens jumped into the basket, you jumped too.

We went back to the hotel to freshen up and took a short break before meeting 2nd Uncle and Auntie for dinner. It was already midnight when we finished dinner, but the street are still full of people and shops are still open. When we finally arrived back at the hotel, you are still jumping and singing and staring out of the windows to look at the lights across the harbour.

Sweet dream Yasmin, enjoy Hong Kong, this is Daddy's hometown and your hometown too! There are plenty to see, plenty to learn here!

We are going to Hong Kong!!

Dear Yasmin,

The whole week this week had been very exciting for you. When daddy told you on Monday that we are going to Hong Kong this weekend, you keep repeating that throughout the whole week. We told me and mommy that we are going to see Grandpa and grandma, 2nd uncle and auntie. You keep talking about going to the airport and go on the plane. When daddy told you that we are going to go above the cloud, you gave me that incredulous look with your mouth open wide....

Daddy is taking you to Hong Kong to pay final respect to Great-grandpa. He is grandma's daddy, and he loves daddy very much when daddy was your age. He took care of daddy and uncle Tony and Kingston and auntie Annie when we were little. He took us to school, fetch us home and took us to the playground in the afternoons.

He also took daddy to the wet market when daddy was just 7, and taught daddy how to choose fresh fish and veg. That's why daddy loves cooking. Great Grandpa passed away 2 weeks ago, and he is 100. He used to tell daddy great stories when he was younger in China. When he was young, there was still emperor in China, and the told daddy about WWII, the Cultural Revolution in China. Daddy and Auntie Annie were by his side when he passed away, and he looked so peaceful, and daddy played videos of you singing and dancing for him. When you grow older, daddy will show you pictures of him and tell you all the stories about him.

The next few days must be really exciting for you. We will be going to HK, then spend a few days in China with grandpa and grandma. You are going to love this coming week.

Good night my princess

Daddy