This entry is specially dedicated to Dingko Nut and the reason can be found inside (guess only she will noe why)
Had wanted to stop "writing" due to recent terrible ordeal in Marpigz health which she cant tell (or doesnt want to) her daddy or sis... Marpig could only speak to TUMSG, make diff decisions (again) on her own...
Been more anxious to learn flying n the sax as well as going to the End of the World, Rome, Greece, Durdle Door (might just grab a train sm weekend), Finland, Iguazu Falls (where therez perpetual rainbow), Davao, Machu Picchu, etc etc... Time is catching up and are hot on Marpigz heels... she must really cramp as many ths as possible least she cant fulfil them all
Guess in the future when Marpig couldnt travel and need to be bed-ridden, the only th she can do will be to continue to "write"
"I continue to write because I want to live & to live till the very end"
Despite (xpecting) the worse, life still goes on and Marpig discovered more bout herself now; she can feel xtreme sadness and happiness at the same time... ha... truly understand wat is 苦中作乐
Will talk bout her appointment with the hospital on 12th June later
Meanwhile, it will be bout Manchester
1st impressions on Manchester and pple will think bout 3 ths; Man U (& Old Trafford) Chinatown and 黑社会
As a poor freelance (ignorant) traveling journalist (:)) Marpig embarked on her discovery trip to Manchester over a wkend!!
Arrived late at Manchester train station and itz very much like King's x. Waited for Marpigz fren cum colleague (gal who went on the Dec trip with Marpig and him) cos Marpig will be accomodating at her place during the wkend at Manchester!!
Met her and we strolled the streets of Manchester at night. She brought Marpig to the Red Light District (more like the Gay Street of Manchester) and according to her, the gay scene in Manchester is really colourful!! And it is!! TT entire Gay Street are pretty much gay pubs with x dressing men and sm (if Marpig might put it) sissy guys. She also told Marpig tt she once say a gay couple (handsome ones!!) kissing!! Wow!! Cool!! Too bad Marpig didint see any tt night
Ah~~~ Felt so gd!! Although the shopping centres are closed, there are still shops tt open. And, most of them are rests such as Jap, Thai and Chinese. Felt just like London!! (Abit like Singapore cos at least therez night life and better still, food!!)
Chinatown in Manchester... erm... itz just a street and a gate very much like the one in London just tt therez not alot of chinese rests littered along the streets and itz got less hype than London. Guess pple normally associate the chinatown in Manchester with firearms, drugs and 估惑仔 & itz true tt therez dodgy ths going ard... just tt itz not there for pple to see lah
Next, itz late night supper of course!! Marpig told her Marpig wanted gd fd (& lots at tt too) & itz so gd tt she is as hungry as Marpig too!! Hence, she brought Marpig to a very nice chinese for makan!! Blimey, 2 gals and we actually ordered 4 dishes which includes noodles and rice as well!! Therez 旦旦面 as rec by her (fantastica!!),
and Marpigz fav stir-fried long beans with chili & dried shirmp, mixed seafood (to be eaten with rice crackers but itz the crappiest dish of all!!) &!! look at the middle dish!! Itz Marpigz fav fd!! In love with it always!! Luckily she also likes it (bcos not alot of pple Marpig noes like it) & dont mind having it!! So wat is it?!
Itz~~~ PIGZ STOMACH SOUP!!
Actually, itz not soup & itz done with pepper (a must) and giam cai but watz impt is the PIGZ STOMACH!! Oh boy!! Cant believe Marpig managed to get it in the UK and the std is not too crap either!! Gosh, now Marpig think of it every so often!!
Needless to say, Marpig & fren finished every bit!! (xcept the crappy seafd dish)
Afterwhich, Marpig & fren walked back (cos too full) & itz really a great feeling to walk in the night!! Havent been doing tt for smtime (xcept when Marpig went home and do the annual night cycling with Dingko Nut) Chatted until 4am b4 calling it a "night"!!
Next morning, Marpig went to the Old Trafford of cos!! But along the way, saw the famous Harry Ramsdenz (fish & chips) and itz lunchtime!!
Interactive question: Spot anyth "unusual" in the pic? :P
Right, herez the part for Dingko Nut!! Fish & chips and MUSHY PEAS!!
In fact, the above is a Harry Ramsdenz challenge!! Itz super jumbo (doesnt look like it but in real, they are!!) fish x 2 with chips tt are more like wedges than MacDz scrawny fries & mushy peas x 2!! Any1 who managed to fin them all wil receive a certificate!! :P How could Marpig not go for smth like tt?!
*burped* gosh... Marpig am feeling so ful from last nightz dinner tt she was facing a bit o' diff at the last leg!! Luckily Marpigz fren helped Marpig ate a bit o' fries and mushy peas :P (in secret of cos!!)
After early lunch, itz the Old Trafford!!
Bcocs itz way way too xpensive to pay to go into the stadium (& Marpig is not a football fan) hence, Marpig only took the xterior of the stadium and went into the memorabilia shop
The stadium...
Ha!! The Red Devils and Marpig!!
This reminds Marpig of the huge beanbag tt Marpig specially hand-delivered from the UK to Singapore for Mimi T!! Occupied Marpigz entire suitcase!! Reason being Man U dont do overseas delivery... duh.
Strange tt although Marpig arent a football fan, she spent 33 quid on a black coloured Man U dry fit jersey!! Bought it bcos of the design and material (Marpig likes dry-fits) but quite afraid to wear it out since it can be quite dangerous to wear any football clubz jersey in the UK!! The Brits (mostly men) are mad bout their football (they never called it soccer bcos ttz how the Americans call the game) and footballers in the UK are paid much much more than TV stars!!
Next, itz just a walk along Manchester riverside b4 going to the city centre
Looked so much like the riverside in Singapore!! xcept tt there arent many pple (cos it is still very cold in March/April)
Sadly (& commonly), where there are humans, there will be rubbish... the river doesnt scape human litters as much as the Singapore river (which Marpig goes patrolling with fellow volunteers on a boat whenever she goes home)
Not just Singapore, the idea of having water sports are long advocated in the UK
Anyw, walked for quite a bit b4 reaching Manchesterz city centre. Happen tt therez sm flea markets and a stall selling german sausages and oinions has this cute trophy:
Reminds Marpig of her fav cartoon character, Porky Pig!! :D
BTW, therez trams in Manchester and public transport is definitely so much better than lousy Bristol.
Digress --> If pple still do not noe where Bristol is & wat Bristol is famous for, Marpig shall xplain. Bristol is very near Bath and is in the South West of England. Bristol has a lot of engineering companies as much as London has a lot of financial centres. London is famous for being Englandz economic centre & capital, Bristol is famous for the being the place where Airbus A380z wings are manufactured. Also, it has an airfield where the Concorde now resides
Anyw, b4 meeting other colleagues in Manchester for dinner, Marpig wonder ard the shopping centres and wat-have-we
Having worked with architects (havent seen all types) smtimes, Marpig really think highly of their out-of-the-ordinary and bold designs (the Brits are not very conservative but they r really a bunch of if-it-aint-spoilt-y-fix-it type of pple)
Marpig am not surprise to see this since therez London Eye, therez Singapore 60's Bicycle Wheel (Singapore Fryer... oh no... sorry, itz Singapore Flyer... does it mean we could recycle it? Ya noe, flyer in our postboxes... :P)
Manchester Eye!! Gosh... they really make lotsa lollies from these sort of "spectacular" wheels
Noticed the dishes were digged in b4 Marpig took the pics... :P too eager to eat u see!!
Therez the green tea milkshake
And green tea ice cream with yam (was it?) muaji(?) Topped with cream and red bean paste(?)
After dinner, dessert, supper, Sexy Lady and Marpig went strolling along the coast at ECP, taking in fresh air and chatting bout ths tt Marpig 4gotten. Alas... too much fresh air makes Marpig wanna poo poo (with all tt sudden dose of chilli which Marpig didnt get in the UK) and poo poo Marpig did!! :D
Once again, she fin everyth!! OMG!!
Marpig managed to really feed Mimi T with all sorts of thingy ranging from coconut drink and itz flesh to those Taiwanese packed sweets!! hahahhahahaha
Wanted to take a pic of all the lup cheongs to show ang moh colleagues and hey!! Just like tt person Marpig met in Brussels (or was it Antwerp) taking a close up of the candles, this guy was taking a close up shot of lup cheongs :P How could Marpig not take a pic of him?! :)
