Seasons of Life (生命的季节)

  1. Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. ( 教养孩童,使他走当行的道,就是到老他也不偏离。) – Proverbs 22:6

  2. Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. ( 孩子们,我们爱人,不要只在言语和舌头上,总要在行动和真诚上表现出来。) – 1 John 3:18

  3. Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteous and honor. ( 追求公义与慈爱的,必得着生命、公义和荣耀。)– Proverbs 21:21

  4. Be strong and courageous. ( 当刚强壮胆!) – Joshua 1:9

  5. Be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. ( 要快快地听,慢慢地说,慢慢地动怒。) James 1:19

  6. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. ( 爱是凡事包容,凡事相信,凡事盼望,凡事忍耐。) – 1 Corinthians 13:7

  7. A joyful heart is good medicine. ( 喜乐的心乃是良药。) – Proverbs 17:22

  8. Do everything in love. ( 凡你们所做的都要凭爱心,而做。) – 1 Corinthians 16:14

  9. The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride. ( 事情的终局强如事情的起头;存心忍耐的,胜过居心骄傲的。) – Ecclesiastes 7:8

  10. Endurance produces character, and character produces hope. ( 忍耐产生毅力,毅力产生盼望。) – Romans 5:4

  11. Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. ( 不要为明天忧虑,因为明天自有明天的忧虑,一天的难处一天当就够了。) – Matthew 6:34

  12. Honor your father and your mother. ( 要孝敬父母。) – Exodus 20:12

SAP Business One HANA Business Event (Photos)

Blue Ocean Systems, SAP Singapore and IBM Singapore jointly organized the SAP Business One HANA Business Event on 5 June 2013 at Novotel Singapore Clarke Quay.

Some photos taken at the event… ENJOY!

SAP HANA is dazzling!

Blue Ocean Systems is BEST!

S03

The event ladies at the registration desk.

Best Customer. Favourite SAP Channel Manager.

My Best Customer. My Favourite Channel Manager.

The first participant of the event.

The first participant of the event.

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Business networking before the event commences.

Participants are delighted by SAP HANA.

SAP HANA demonstrated and explained. Participants amazed.

Ready to start...

Are we ready to…

The welcome and opening address...

Giving the welcome and opening address.

The next generation of business management software for SMEs.

The next generation of business management software for SMEs presented.

Taking your business to the next level of performance with SAP Business One on HANA.

Taking your business to the next level of performance with SAP Business One on HANA.

Be real-time, all the time with SAP HANA.

Be real-time, all the time with SAP HANA.

What is HANA?

What is HANA?

Back row reserved for pretty ladies only.

Back row reserved for pretty ladies only.

It's break time!

It’s break time!

Engaging...

Engaging…

Seeing SAP HANA performing is believing.

Seeing SAP HANA performing is believing.

Leveraging financing to bring your company to greater heights.

Leveraging financing to bring your company to greater heights.

Focusing...

Focusing…

Amplifying your business with SAP HANA.

Amplifying your business with SAP HANA.

SAP HANA is an Appliance!

SAP HANA is an Appliance!

Q&A...

Q&A…

Discussing the differences between SAP HANA and SQL.

Discussing the differences between SAP HANA and SQL.

You are welcome to join our SAP Business One HANA facebook page.

You are welcome to join our SAP Business One HANA facebook page.

SAP Business One on HANA streamlines your business to make it run like never before.

SAP Business One on HANA streamlines your business to make it run like never before.

Sharing customer experience with SAP Business One and big data.

Sharing customer experience with SAP Business One and big data.

Participants stayed on after the event, wanting to find out more about SAP HANA.

Participants stayed on after the event, wanting to find out more about SAP HANA.

Bessy, Paul, Marlon and Me!

Bessy, Paul, Marlon and Me!

Me with Bobby Jimenez, Gina Romero..

Me with Bobby Jimenez and Gina Romero.

We are indeed hungry after the event ended!

We are indeed hungry after the event ended!

🙂

Gallery

BoA guesthouse, I Stayed, I Enjoyed and I Recommend

Last August, my wife and I started to plan for our annual family holidays at the end of the year. We visited the Natas Fair. Initially, we set our sight on visiting Japan. At the last moment, we were attracted to the 8-day tour itinerary of “Korea Winter Wonderland, Nanta and Jeju” offered by ASA Holidays scheduled from 30 November – 7 December 2012. We decided to extend our holidays in Korea after the tour to spend 3 days free-and-easy in Seoul.

I will share about the fun-packed experience I had with my family during the 8 days tour in my next blog… so stay tuned. In this blog, I would like to blog about my stay in BoA guesthouse, and introduce this accommodation to anyone who is planning to visit Seoul for a free-and-easy holiday.

BOA guesthouse

BOA guesthouse

It was my daughter who found BoA guesthouse through the Internet. We confirmed our booking for 2 rooms (1 twin and 1 triple room) for 7 – 10 December 2012. The room rates were very affordable at 80,000 KRW and 100,000 KRW per room per day respectively. In total, we spent less than SGD 600.00 on accommodation for 3 days.

Opened in early 2012, BoA guesthouse is a new accommodation facility conveniently located in the popular Hongdae (Hongik University) district of Seoul (click on MAP for direction). It is easily accessible from the Gimpo and Incheon International airports, and a less than 10 minutes walk from Hongik University Station (Subway Line 2, Airport Railroad) through Exit 4.

The road up to BoA guesthouse.

The road up to BoA guesthouse.

There are convenience stores, bakery, restaurants, cafes, shops and clubs along the road up and in the immediate vicinity of the guesthouse.

In the lobby of the guesthouse.

In the lobby of the guesthouse.

Checking in...

Checking in…

The staff were friendly and spoke good English. They provided wonderful customer service throughout our stay in the guesthouse. Simply, they will make your stay easy and memorable.

We stayed in this guest room.

We stayed in this guest room. (Photo source: BoA guesthouse)

Each room has a private bathroom. Simple amenities in the room includes a dressing table, refrigerator, television, free wired/wireless Internet access, hair drier, hair conditioner, body shampoo, toothpaste, tissue and slippers. Towels are available for pick-up and exchange at the reception. The bed is comfortable. The room is clean. However, there is no daily room service, so we have to make sure we keep the room tidy ourselves. This is perfectly acceptable to me and my family.

There is a laundry room. You can use the washing machines for free. You pay for the dryer only. There are common toilets and shower rooms where all guests can use throughout the day.

That's me with Miri, an adorable staff in the Internet room.

That’s me with Miri, an adorable staff, in the Internet room.

There are several desktop computers, Web cams and a printer in the Internet room where guests can use for free. You can also make free international calls. The Internet room shares the common space as the kitchen.

In the kitchen area...

Clean and tidy common amenities for guests to use throughout the day.

The kitchen...

The kitchen is well equipped. It is also Muslim friendly.

Simple breakfast is provided free from 7:00 am – 10:00 am. You can have bread, eggs with jam, cereals, milk and tea/coffee… unlimited supply. Breakfast is self-service, you have to toast the bread, fry/boil the eggs, make the drinks, etc, yourself, and to wash up and clean your table after you finished your food.

The rooftop garden... snow raining down...

The rooftop garden… snow raining down… (Photo source: BoA guesthouse)

There are table and chairs and a swing at the rooftop of the guesthouse where you could relax. During this holiday trip, heavy snow rained down in Seoul in 32 years. It was so cold on the rooftop. The temperature averaged about -10 degC.

We left behind our names on the map at BoA guesthouse.

We left behind our names on the map at BoA guesthouse.

From BoA guesthouse, you can visit to major tourist spots in Seoul with ease and very quickly, such as Insa-dong, Myeong-dong, NSeoul Tower, Jim-Jil-Bang, Hello Kitty Cafe, Lotte World, Doota, etc. Hongdae flea market is within walking distance too at Exit 9 of Hongik University Station.

You can go major tourist spots in Seoul from BoA guesthouse.

You can go to major tourist spots in Seoul from BoA guesthouse.

Our family holiday in Korea came to an end on 10 December 2012. We booked an airport taxi through BoA guesthouse for 65,000 KRW. We left at about 12 noon for Incheon International Airport.

Another 3 photos before I end my blog…

We stayed. We enjoyed. We will not hesitate to recommend BoA guesthouse to anyone who wants to have a free-and-easy holiday in Seoul.

We stayed. We enjoyed. We will not hesitate to recommend BoA guesthouse to anyone who wants to have a free-and-easy holiday in Seoul.

Boa Kim with my family.

Boa Kim with my family.

Standing beside me, does Boa Kim look like my daughter?

Standing beside me, does Boa Kim look like my daughter?

Bye South Korea, Boa Kim and all staff at BoA guesthouse. We look to meet you again. We’ll be back!

Gallery

Holiday in North Vietnam (Part 1: Sapa)

Our Holiday in North Vietnam (Hanoi, Sapa, Halong Bay and Ninh Binh), 6 – 12 October 2012

1.  The Itinerary

The Itinerary.

We booked our holiday through Saigon Tourist. It costed us S$560 per person for this 7 days 6 nights tour. This all-in amount covered all meals, all entrance tickets to tour sites, accommodation, transport, and train tickets. Together with a return air ticket of S$300 from Tiger Airways, each of us spent S$860 for this holiday… “pee ka lao yu”.

2.  Day 1: 6 October 2012

Arriving at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi.

In the arrival hall.

Ready to board our tour bus.

On board the tour bus upon arrival at Noi Bai airport.

Our holiday has just begun. By the way, what is 126?

Dinner at Pho Bien Seafood Restaurant before overnight on train to Sapa.

Enjoying a sumptuous dinner.

After dinner and while waiting for the bus to bring us to the Hanoi Train Station…

Watching Vietnamese girls.

Hanoi Train Station.

Inside the train station, waiting for the 9:00 pm train to Sapa. By the way, “si bay sian” in Hokkien means very boring.

Getting ready to board the train for Sapa.

In a train cabin with my wife, Brenda. Four persons per cabin.

Juju, her parents and cousin, Sarah.

Richard Kwan and Chan Khai Hoong along the train walkway.

Chan, his sister, Chan Siew Wai, their parents, Tomy Nguyen and Richard warming up in a cabin.

Getting ready to sleep.

Tomy Nguyen who travelled all the way from Ho Chi Minh City to be with us for this holiday. It’s wonderful to have her in the team.

3.  Day 2: 7 October 2012

350km north-west from Hanoi, Sapa, the capital of Sapa district in Lào Cai Province, lies at the attitude of 1600m. With the temperature ranging from the lowest of -1 degree C to the highest of 29 degree C, Sapa’s climate is moderate and drizzly in summer while chill and foggy in winter.

Sapa (or Chapa – the “sandy place”) first appeared in Vietnam national map in the late 1880s when the French disembarked in highland Tonkin. The first permanent French civilian resident arrived in Sapa in 1909, and by 1920, there were a number of villas being built in this area by prosperous professionals. Going through many ups and downs, Sapa is now a prominent holiday destination in Vietnam.

After about 10 hours of bumpy and noisy overnight train journey, we finally arrived at Lào Cai Railway Station at about 6:00 am.

A map showing the Hanoi to Lao Cai (Sapa) train route.

Arriving at Lao Cai Railway Station.

Our tour guide finally shows his face… Dai Thang speaks fluently in English, Mandarin and Cantonese. His service was excellent. He took good care of us.

Our tour guide, Dai Thang, from Saigon Tourist. Tel: 0913355568, Email: daithang68@gmail.com

After breakfast, we set out in the bus for about an hour for the Cat Cat Village, which is nested in a beautiful valley about 3km from Sapa town. This village is within easy walking distance from any hotel in downtown Sapa.

Cat Cat Village was formed in the 19th century by the gathering of some families belonging to some ethnic groups living in mountainous ares of northern Vietnam, especially Black H’Mong. They lived next to each other along the mountain side and cultivated surrounding their home. Rice and corn were grown in terraced fields, while traditional handicrafts such as twisting flax and weaving fabric have been well-kept. Through times, this village has transferred to one appealing feature of Sapa’s tourism.

Cat Cat Village attracts tourists from all over the world for its distinctive customs and practices which have been lost in most ethnic villages.

The entrance to Cat Cat Village. An entrance fee of 40,000 dong (S$2.40) is payable at the entrance.

Cat Cat Village was smothered by fog. The weather was not consistent. One second it could be dull and grey due to the mist, the next it could rain, and yet a minute later, the sun shines through.

Janet Leong at the entrance of the village.

From the village entrance, simply follow the relatively well-paved main path that leads further downhill until you come to the steps that descend to the Tien Sa Waterfall. To get back out to the entrance, you can either back track (not recommended) or take the path to the right of the bridge (on the left is the waterfall) and follow it. The trek is a looped path so as long as you walk where the road is well-trodden, you won’t get lost. This trek offers a glimpse into the daily life of local ethnic people and a variety of changing sceneries.

Gingerly walking down the stone steps.

The village has many shops, one shop after another lined up the narrow walkway downhill.

Tomy and James discussing a business plan.

A lot of walking.

Behind us is a beautiful mountainous view with green terraced rice and maize fields.

Tomy enjoying the peaceful picturesque scenaries.

Step aside, the buffaloes are coming.

Richard walking pass a row of timber plank roofed houses.

Richard saying “hello, Cô Gái Xin Chào” to an ethnic woman.

The beauty of an ethnic woman carrying her child.

A H’Mong woman in her ethnic dressing with a wooden pack on her back.

An ethnic woman working in her shop.

Life is never easy for this woman.

We were told that “pulling wife” is a unique custom of the people living in Cat Cat. A man can ask his friends to lure a girl he likes to his house and keeps her there for three days. During this time, if the girl agrees to become his wife, a wedding will be held. However, the girl can happily go home after three days if she does not like him.

You can shop more than just handicrafts and souvenirs.

Hand made handicrafts and souvenirs.

These bags are for sales too.

Small kids like this young girl (carrying her sibling) running around you and trying to sell something to you… to make a living.

Women making exquisite and beautiful woven clothes, bags and other handicrafts.

A H’Mong woman weaving fabric. From the plain brocade, these women can carefully dye them with special leaves and embroider beautiful patterns of flowers and animals on them.

They made these too.

James trying out the rice grinder.

What a way to collect water and channel it to a common pool.

Chan and Siew Wai distributing sweets and candies to the children.

An ethnic woman and her children in their house.

The children were so excited when we visited their home.

Traditional houses in the village have three rooms with three doors and covered with po mu wood roof. In the house there are three columns that stand in round or square stones. The walls are made from sawn timber and the main door is always closed and only opens when people in the house organize important events. The altar, inlaid floor containing food, places for sleeping, kitchen and receiving guests are indispensable parts of the houses.

The children playing around in the village.

More children in the village.

Siew Wai and this cute village girl who looks a little like her.

The Chan Family.

Sally, her sister Chee Lan and brother in-law Lum Wah.

We trekked pass the bamboo forest and finally descended to the most scenic part of the village, the Tien Sa Waterfall which flows from Hoang Lien Son mountain range. It was really beautiful to see the raging water dropping to the huge boulders and flowing to what seemed to be a small patch of dense jungle.

Descending this path to the waterfall.

The Tien Sa Waterfall.

Mr & Mrs Lum (Loh Chee Lan and Lum Wah).

Behind us is the Tien Sa Waterfall.

Richard in front of the waterfall.

A closed up view of the waterfall. The fall looks splendid like a silver carpet under the glistening sunlight.

Tomy at the waterfall.

Mr and Mrs Vincent and Janet Leong.

James and his wife, Sally Loh, at the bridge leading to the waterfall.

Another scenic view of the waterfall.

With the waterfall behind us, we took a long and winding road back up the valley.

This Cat Cat Valley trek is not suitable for people with leg ailments as there are a lot of stairs and slopes to climb, as well as the slippery conditions of the trek. Lastly, make sure you wear proper shoes.

We would recommend anyone who loves adventure to trek in Cat Cat Village in Sapa.

After about 3 hours of trekking and a well-deserved lunch at a cafe in Sapa town, we walked tiredly to our hotel, about 100m away. At last, we will be able to enjoy the much-needed shower after 2 days.

Tomy playing tricks on Chan at the cafe.

Looking out from the entrance of Vietnam Trade Union Hotel.

Information about Vietnam Trade Union Hotel in Sapa.

Checking our luggages.

All ready to check into our hotel rooms.

We are housed in these 2 blocks.

The green surrounding.

A scenic view of the hotel.

Two hours later…

Getting ready to walk around the nearby Sapa town.

Sapa district is the home of a great diversity of ethnic people, including five main groups of H’Mong, Tay, Zay and Xa Pho. They do not live in the town but in hamlets scattered on the valleys throughout the district.

Tomy in front of Sapa Church.

An ancient church, Sapa Church is also named Stone Church or Rosary Church. It is located just outside the entrance of our hotel right in the centre of Sapa town. It was built by the French in the early 20th century.

A service in progress in the church.

“Pasar Malam” in Sapa town. Many ethnic locals setting up stores. Sapa Church in the background.

Ethnic women and girls selling their handicrafts and souvenirs.

Where are the ethnic men? These women and children work long hours in this open square.

A clothing shop.

Beautiful scarfs.

The ethnic people on the street of Sapa town.

Brenda window shopping.

Brenda window shopping.

 

Tomy and Richard in Sapa town.

Tomy and Richard in Sapa town.

Western restaurants from Italian to French ones can be found in Sapa town.

Taking a break in a cafe in Sapa town.

Finally, dinner time…

Waiting for dinner to commence.

A sumptuous dinner.

The “Pasar Malam” continues into the night. A girl at her store.

Janet enjoying bargaining with the children. The children were so good at holding on to their price. Even with a lawyer beside, Janet was unable to make a deal with them.

4.  Day 3: 8 October 2012

After breakfast and by 8:30 am, we were all gathered at the entrance to our hotel ready to climb the Ham Rong Mountain.

Ham Rong Mountain looks like a jaw of a dragon opening wide to the sky.

Legend has it that in the distance past, all animals lived together in a chaotic environment. One day, the Jade Emperor gave an order that every species of animal had to find for them an area to live. Having heard the order, they scrambled for a place to reside.

The three brothers of dragon who were living in a large lake hurriedly ran to the east but could not find any place; they then ran to the west. The two older brothers ran faster and came to the destination first. The youngest brother ran slower and strayed into the crowds of lions, tigers and big cats. Fearing that these animals would attack it, the dragon opened its mouth to defense itself.

At that time, the order of Jade Emperor was no longer available, so the three dragons petrified. The two older dragons, which were waiting for their brother, face Lao Cai City, and the youngest one raising its head and opening mouth faces the Hoang Lien Mountain Range. So the mountain is named Ham Rong (Jaw of Dragon).

I will stop here…

In my next blog, I will share with you about our journey up the Ham Rong Mountain: Holiday in North Vietnam (Part 2: Sapa)