Paris de Java

Hey people!

I know, I know. It seemed like forever since I last posted anything here and the cyberspace, for that matter. Did you all miss me? Or just didn't notice my absence... lol eitherways I have still tonnes of love to share.

The year is coming to a close. A time where lives are hanging in the balance and we are all going completely bonkers.

Well, the part about losing one's sanity may be exclusively reserved for me.

Gosh, I just sat for the hardest, suckiest exam I have ever encountered in my entire medical school career. Being totally shaken and traumatised, I wasn't very much myself. You know, all the kiss-kiss muah-muah, being totally himbotic in public and cracking lame jokes.

But yeah, the LOTR Symphony with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (and YKLS and KL Children's Choir) did soften the emotional blow a little bit with great music and a night of dressing-up-to-the-nines and splendour with a late supper at Jalan Alor.

But came Monday, I was feeling all down again (and discouraged, a seriously rare condition for my hyperinflated ego).

And so I called a few of my 'reliably crazy and spontaneous' friends and got ourselves on the next flight available to Bandung, Indonesia.

Despite the fact that I have a HUGE professional exams (determining my life and death!) within 2 weeks and I should be grounded in the library, studying all the stocked books.

Sometimes, what a overworked boy really needs is just a holiday away.

And so I (with my entourage of psycho-shoppers) totally painted the highland-plateau-city red/orange/rainbow with our fabulous antics. For the SECOND time in 5 months!

Shopping frenzy, that is.

I think I maxed out my cards cos they didn't work when I tried to get Duty Free alcohol at the airport. Bummer.

Bandung is very popular as a shopping city among Javanese. Jakartans swarm the city on weekends to shop, shop, shop and shop somemore! Which means the connecting Cipularang expressway will be totally jammed like our NSE during the Chinese New Year season. (Good thing we went there on a weekday!)

Probably that's why they hardly advertise this attraction of Bandung as the city of factory outlets of major international brands. I swear, there could have been like 200 over such shops in the city. Sadly, we only visited almost half of that within the 72 hours :(

And there was ZERO chance we could have purchased any counterfeit products cos The Grecian whose Bible is French Vogue, GQ, Details and the sort; was there to supervise our value buys. Lest we commit the unredeemable sin of purchasing some fake stuffs or worse, *gasp* OFF-SEASON fashion!

Bandung is also known for the volcano, Tangkuban Perahu... But yeah, we didn't visit it AGAIN. Retail therapy totally distracted us. "The volcano can wait," said The Singaporean.


Since IT IS A RETAIL THERAPY HOLIDAY, very few photographs were taken. But yeah, this is a sampling of what Bandung (aka Paris de Java, as referred by their colonists) was like for lil joshy boi.

Rumah Mode is one of the largest shops with totally elaborate landscaping. It felt more like an amusement park or monument site with the abundance of Hindu-Buddhism-inspired statuettes.

Es Duren... blergh... No thank you! And Es Shanghai is serious NOT for everybody.

BUT OMG I LURVE ES JERUK & TEH SOSRO. And the BATAGOR & SIOMAY outside The Heritage is da bomb!

LoL yup we totally had a buffet on the flight back.Hardly had time to have proper meals the whole time there. We got our set priorities right you know? *winks*

As I return, feeling somewhat rejuvenated from a fruitful shopping trip, all geared up and ready to face the torments of hitting the books, I revel at the thought:

It's actually kinda nice to be sleeping in my own bed again.

Thanks again for my presents (you know who you are). Big smoochies - you rock!

Take care lovelies! Have a Blessed Christmas and a wonderful New Year!

Joshy is going to be spending Christmas and Boxing Day with his family. Lotsa times to stuff up with Mummy's best recipes and quality time with the nephew and niece.