I'm back, armed with a dustpan and a broom to dust and clean up this blog of mine which probably would have developed cobwebs and a musty stench, if it were a room (which has been unopened for a long duration of time). Well, you can probably notice by now, that the author of this blog has failed to post any new entries since the beginning of 2009. Much has transpired since then and it would take me a long period of time if I were to divulge each and every detail. The highlight of these few months was obviously my SUMMER PROGRAMME TO UCLA. (:
I can safely mention that the 50 odd days I spent in the states over the course of this summer programme have been one of the highlights of my life. It was an experience to behold and cherish and I have grown immensely as a person and in terms of knowledge. Unforgettable memories of my time there have been etched in my mind and the friendships forged will remain dear to me for the rest of my life. Before I type myself to tears, I'd like to share some unforgettable pieces of memory attached to each place I visited. Since I'd take ages to share each and every moment experienced, I will only ramble on about my favourite memories.
First and foremost, I love San Francisco so much that I wouldn't mind migrating there to retire! Fisherman's wharf was truly a pleasure and Alcatraz, a sight to behold. Going on the bay cruise and cruising under the famous Golden Gate Bridge was astounding. Though I wished there was leser fog that day. That's another thing - loads of fog in San Fran. But it was BEAUTIFUL. Everything from the crookedest street in the world to the trams. But freezing cold all the same, with chilly wind factor added to the perpectually cold climate. But apart from that, I'd agree to hop on a plane and head down there in a jiffy!
In LA itself, so much transpired. Went for two red-carpet movie premieres! Of Public Enemies and Transformers II. Never thought I'd be so close to Christian Bale and Johnny Depp. (: Apart from that, we met Intermilan footballers! They happened to be training on UCLA ground. How likely is that to happen? Anyway, met the famous Materazzi and many others (: AND the week after or the week after next, Barcelona came down to train. And the tennis LA open was held in UCLA as well. If this isn't enough, the extremely depressing episode of MJ happened a stone's throw away from my place. Got interviewed by BBC radio as well. I was so shocked when I heard the news that my friends and I literally ran to the UCLA medical plaza and joined the throngs of people there. May he rest in peace. Apart from this, a whole load of events transpired in LA itself and I'll need at least a 100 blog entries to fully explain everything.
Las Vegas - Factory outlet shopping, the beautiful fountain show outside Bellagio at night, the GRAND CANYON, hoover dam, beautiful hotel structures and loads more. Standing at the cliff of the Grand Canyon truly left me astounded by its natural beauty. After having braved the 50 degrees celsius heat and hot gusts of wind and the extremely long journey, this was all worth it. Hoover Dam was also a beauty. Las Vegas shopping was a joy! We went to the outlets at the south of the strip twice and did the most shopping there. And why not? The deals were superb! So basically, Las Vegas burned holes through our pockets. And not because of gambling, as it is the case for most people. Haha. Tried my luck at the slot machines though and won a grand total of.. $1.25. (:
Disneyland was one of the best experiences in the states. We spent 2.5 days there and the hotel we chose was really cosy and homely and really affordable! One of the best hotel experiences, I would say. Aside from that, Disneyland is truly the happiest place on earth. Just stepping foot into it you'd have a smile plastered on your face for the entire day. And the fireworks are remarkable, but a waste of money and resources. But anyway they earn loads from their customers. I can go on and on about Disneyland, but I think this should suffice. It livened the child within me for those few days and left me grinning from ear to ear.
Lastly, San Diego was a unique experience. We lived in downtown San diego which meant loads of pubs and dodgy areas around, but we survived. Haha. We stayed in a hostel and had I would say, colourful experiences. The great part was that there was a common kitchen and eating area, where we could make our own food and they'd provide ingredients. We went to the San Diego Zoo and Seaworld while we were there. Seaworld was great! If only I could bag an internship as a dolphin trainer. I would never grumble on my way to work. The zoo was not as fantastic as it is made out to be, but the variety of species was commendable. I still prefer the Singapore Zoo somehow and I bet if somehow someone from the tourism board is reading this, he'd be smirking right now.
Anyway, in my next few posts, I shall insert more snippets of my experiences in the states. But for now, adios amigos y hasta luego! (I learnt Spanish in the states) (:
