London - Olympics Episode

I was searching for Singapore flag... but nope, can't find... :'(
I believed I must have missed it somewhere... :(

The weather was hot, warm... and long daylight... hmm...  this is my least favourite seasons in London... though yes, over years, I'd learnt to accept... but I still do not prefer :-/

  

They are hotties!!!! So popular with the tourists!!! :D

 Radmila and I are in a matching T-shirts... our Olympic moods :P She is someone I very much adore!!! <3 font="">

At Stratford Station~

At the gate. The annoucement at the gate was kinda amusing... it went this way: Please  take your photographs quickly and keep walking!!!
For the picture below - This is the first time I'm bringing such a little bag out in London, as I have the reputation of always carrying gigantic bags or totes... :P

I absolutely like this!!!! :)

My favourite sight!!! 

After the Olympic Rehearsal, people were rushing/dashing from all directions...  

EPTA Conference @ York, July 2012

Yes I know, it sounds silly... but this is indeed one of my favourite bit of the aircraft... leaving my phone beautifully charged before I touched down... :)

A quiet moment doesn't mean we have to be absolutely alone... Quiet times amidst the talks and crowds somehow makes it more luxurious... :')

My first stop, as usual ~ the supermarket... :)

Arrived. Well, pretty fast~ A quiet journey too, apart from the rush in the underground due to peak hours...

My first visit to York... :)

Beautiful View... 

And good weather too... 

Yong Liang showed me this beautiful park... we sat here briefly, seeing the quiet and the greens... the Ferris Wheel, according to him, was built JUST for this year, to commemorate 800 years of history...

Very much love the contrast between the building and the sky... 

Had a full set of breakfast around lunch hour with Yong Liang. Cool, my favourite type of breakfast!!! :) And over the breakfast table, we talked about the washing machines. The drain. The spin. The half cycle. The full cycle. The normal cycle... and the absolute courage needed to power off the switch halfway through the process, so as to jump out of the normal cycle...

Peaceful, quiet, relax and jump-from-topic-to-topic coffee time with Susan & Yong Liang~ 

Peaceful, quiet, relax and jump-from-topic-to-topic coffee time with Susan & Yong Liang~ 

EPTA (European Piano Teachers Association) Piano Teacher Conference... I had missed it for many years... but for some reasons, I feel I have to come, need to come, and shouldn't miss it this year... so I came :') As much as I'm happy that I listened and followed my tiny little inner voice; I am also extremely thankful to all the people who's willing to have their routines slightly altered because of me... Thank you :')

一个幸福的女人的背后是因为有很多人的成全。:')

Wonderful Beate :)

Conference Breakfast this morning... They are ALL piano teachers, or were piano teachers... What often moves me is - when we are think we're fated to music, we aren't neccessarily fated to the piano. And if we move along that line, being fated to the piano becomes something a level deeper... :')

不是每个爱音乐的人都喜欢钢琴。

也不是每个爱音乐的人都适合钢琴。

因为不是每个与音乐有缘分的人都与琴有缘分。

若按这个路线去想，与自己的乐器的缘分便更深入一层，也更不容易一分。

凡物凡事，或许就是需要至少那么一层的, 缘分。:')

My invited Workshop lecturer for my coming Masterclass & Workshop, in December, held at Royal College of Music, London, Day 1, 11 December 2012.

Both Lucinda herself and her Lectures are equally charming, and full of charisma. :)

Attended her one-week Aberystwyth Classes a few years back and it had impacted me in a big way...

My invited Masterclass Tutor for my coming Masterclass & Workshop, in December, held at Royal College of Music, London, Day 3, 13 December 2012. Nadia is wonderfully kind and passionate in all her roles, from piano teacher, Adjudicator, to Associated Board Examiner... :)

A quick snap shot after the breakfast... :)

Sweet Norma :)

Self-made... omg~ :D

Self-made by Maggie

Marcello is soooooooo adorable :)

We were all intensed fans of Marcello Crudeli, the Chair of EPTA Italy (in blue)... During the dinner... we were flooding her with questions... I even asked her about her age... yes yes I know it's a taboo, but I was curious... see, i'd always been a cautious and sensitive person, so the fact that I'd decided to ask such an insensitive question just shows how amazing she is... and to my delight, she answered gladly, readily and proudly... :)

Slow, is a new speed

I was very captivated by what I saw...

No pushing, shoving, all queuing...

They moved, or could be struggling, up the bricks.. orderly, non-hurriedly, steadily...

Slow, really is a new speed :)

Kowloon Park, Hong Kong

Alright, a funny issue about the Kowloon Park.

Nadia had suggested to go to Kowloon Park on her last day in Hong Kong. It isn't an usual item that I'll do in Hong Kong, but I'm happy to go along. But... as soon as i stepped into the Park. I love it!!! It is a small oasis of peace from the usual Hong Kong I know.

We went back again for a second time in the afternoon, and had picked a spot and faced a particular view for around 35 minutes, just staring at the greens, listening to the chirping of the birds and the sound of the fountain. It was serene, rejuvenating and yes, very therapeutic. I later posted a few pictures of the beautiful sceneries on facebook.

Shortly after posting the Kowloon Park scenery photos on facebook, some friends had sent texts to nag at me. Asking me why, of all places in Hong Kong, I went to a park? And that, what had I chosen to go a park instead of doing shopping, (most singaporeans and asians come to hong kong to ONLY shop and eat) They couldn't agree to me spending a big part of my time in the park. One guy friend even texted, "Parks, we have it everywhere. One park doesn't worth that much of your time." I replied, "Women, we have it everywhere too. Why should that one woman worth that much of your time in one life?" :P :P

And very often, it isn't a matter or 'worth, not worth?', 'is this the best?' or 'do I have the time to search for a better and a prettier?' But rather, with a given scenario setting, with a given emotional status, under a certain environmental conditioning, at that one point of contact, with that moment of fate - THAT, is simply what you need and want and appreciate at that very moment and, THAT is the best!!!! :)

Taking me and Kowloon park for example. After the rejuvenating session at the Kowloon park, I wasn't hoping and wasn't even thinking about how pretty the Victoria Park or the Hong Kong Park is, because, at that very very moment, Kowloon Park is the prettiest... it is the best!!! :)

I was so grateful to Nadia for bringing me to the Kowloon Park, leaving this beautiful little print in my memory and showed me another beautiful side of Hong Kong. Had it not been Nadia, I didn't think I would ever stepped foot onto a park in Hong Kong... :)


So many times in Hong Kong and yet I had NEVER once stepped into ANY of the parks. Today, Nadia suggested the Kowloon Park and I happily went along. But as soon as I stepped into the park, I realised what I had missed... I love it!!! :) It was refreshing and serene and peaceful and rejuvenating... :)



Had picked a spot and faced this view for around 35 minutes... just staring at the greens, listening to the chirping of the birds and the sound of the fountain...


.. I saw my favourite version of leaves...


... I also saw my favourite version of trees...


... and for a moment, I didn't think that I was in the busy, bustling Hong Kong, with plenty of shoppings undone... :P

Yesyes, the park had been very therapeutic indeed ^^

A Lunchtime Harpsichord Recital

A charming instrument with lots of beauty and character... :)


I also love the presentation of the music scores. Imagine they are brand new & white A4 size music scores fitted in a clear folder... the charm of this entire photo would be halved...


One of my favourite angles... :)


Another of my favourite angles... :)


By Carey Beebe. A Ruckers Double Harpsichord.


A Photo Collage of the instrument...

Always thankful

I am beginning to realise this recurring trend in my life.

The more undesirable it appeared; the higher the impact it would have on my thoughts.

Something that had appeared to be so small, so fragmented and so not coherent had managed to puzzle themselves up to form a clear enough picture to be hung on my wall, such that I am able to peep through the picture, for a different view and from a different point.

I can’t be more thankful.

In the process of the happening, I was delighted to discover that one element I had been searching for, for the longest time.

Something I wasn’t entirely sure;
Something I couldn’t pinpoint;
Something I vaguely knew I possess, yet just couldn’t name it, and was clueless where to find it…

Now, I found it.

I'm so thankful! :)

Always do :)