Yellow Ribbon Run2019

Changi Prison

I woke up this morning about 40 minutes after my phone alarm went off. I had decided to sleep in after looking at the PSI reading. It was above 100, at the "Unhealthy" range. When I looked through the window, I could not see outside as clearly as I normally would. Then I realised that it was because I had shut the tinted windows due to the haze. I opened the window to take a look and the sky was quite clear. I checked the hourly PM2.5 reading and it was at the "Normal" level. So I could go for the Yellow Ribbon 10km Run if I wanted to, but I would miss the flag-off. My colleague said on Friday that he would probably get there late as he wasn't planning to win the race. So, being late for the race wasn't a good enough excuse for not being there at all. I arrived at the Singapore Expo at 7am to catch the shuttle bus to Changi Village. There was a huge traffic jam because of the road closures for the race. By the time I got to the starting point, I was behind the 5km fun walk participants  who were flagged off about 1/2 hour before. 

I haven't ran for close to 2 weeks because I was down with a bug. I am still at the tail-end and it made the running this morning quite tough. Coupled with the haze, I could barely feel my lungs. I wonder whether I had completely given back all the mileage that I have been building up over the last 2 months. How was I going to do the two long races that I have signed up for in the coming months? It was silly to be overthinking this. I resorted to walking a couple of time. I read somewhere that there is no shame in walking. Better that than blacking out! The freedom wings that I had on my shoe clearly did not help my feet fly, or perhaps it was because I put them the wrong way round (I sorted that out when I got home so thag I could take a photo for this post). 

Slowly but surely I arrived at the prison complex. I have never been so happy to see Changi Prison. Yet it was a solemn moment when I saw the formidable dark grey walls and the white steel gates, made more dramatic by the dark clouds. Inside these gates are stories of many broken people and broken homes. There is a stark difference between life behind those walls and the outside world. Yet there are people who have to pass through these 2 worlds regularly - the prisoners' family members who visit them and those who work here. I wonder how they reconcile the 2. 

Very much like my run today I am reminded that ex-offenders face challenges getting back to nomalcy.  There can be a lot of self-doubt and overwhelming fears. They have hopes to catch up on lost time, yet they have to be patient and kind to themselves when faced with the harsh realities of life. And so we are all reminded that everyone deserves a second chance in life. We are reminded that ex-offenders should not be made to face a second prison when they have already served their time.

I am also reminded that by the grace of God we too are given a second chance. No matter what our offences or how thick the walls that separated us from Him, God made a way to reconcile us with Himself.

Ireland - Ring of Kerry

Cliffd of Moher

On Day 5 we travelled from Connemara to the Ring of Kerry. We stopped at the legendary Cliffs of Moher which are the highest sea cliffs in Ireland.  They are beautiful but we should probably have signed up for the cruises from Doolin to get a fuller sense of the cliffs. There are stone slabs about a meter from the cliff edge to prevent visitors from falling over.  I can understand why they need to be there especially in windy Ireland, but it makes you feel like you might as well be 5 meters away. For the same reason, it is unlikely for visitors to spot puffins here.

Kenmare

We rented a big, clean and comfortable house in Kenmare. The kids ran up and down the stairs and between rooms when they got there. They spotted what they thought was a large moth in one of the rooms but wasn't sure where it went. After a short rest, we went to town for dinner at

Mulcahys which had great food and one of the best tart tartin I've ever had. And I ordered a pint of Guinness, my first ever.  We went back to the house right after that because most shops were already closed. After shower, I was reading in my room when I saw something flying around. The moth that the kids saw earlier turned out to be a bat. It caused quite a bit of excitement until we finally managed to get it out of the house. The poor bat must have been so frightened by all the noise we made.

Torc Waterfall

On Day 6, I came across The Rose Garden on my morning run and brought the family there for breakfast later. A cosy place and just along the Ring of Kerry (ROK)  which made it a perfect starting point for our drive around the Ring. I read several articles and watched some videos on the ROK but could not fully appreciate how beautiful the drive is until we experienced it first hand.

Gap of Dunloe

Ladies' View offered a panoramic view of the Killarney National Park. Torc Waterfall is the greenest place I have ever been to.  During the drive we saw vintage cars driving the other direction. We detoured to the Gap of Dunloe. Don't miss this, it feels like the scene in the beginning of the Lord of the Rings movie where Gandalf rides

Sala Thai, Kells Beach

into the Shire on his horse-carriage.  We should have hired one of those.  

We stopped for lunch at Sala Thai Restaurant in Kells Beach. The rest of the drive around the ROK offered stunning views of the sea.  We made a number of stops for photos. Would have loved to go to the Skellig Islands but it's  not suitable for the younger kids. 

Ring of Kerry

We ended the day with dinner at the Boathouse Bistro back in Kenmare. It is on the Dromquinna Manor Estate about 2km from where we were staying. It too had great food and a beautiful view of the sea. And we spotted rabbits on the estate, although they were too quick for photos.

On Day 7, I made a last minute decision to go to the

Puffins, Saltee Islands

Saltee Islands in hope of seeing puffins. We didn't book the boat in advance, but thank God that a boat was willing to drop us off at the island for an hour as it picks up some of their passengers. We had to transfer from the boat to a dingy when we got closer to the island due to the rocky shores. And for the last 20 metres or so, we literally  had to crawl on all fours over the rocks that were covered in slippery seaweed. That alone took us 15 minutes, which meant that we had 30 minutes to find the puffins and get back to shore and do another 15 minutes crawl back to the dingy.  But puffins we found. What beautiful creatures.

Wicklow National Park

Satisfied, we drove to Avoca where our Airbnb was. We bougth Wexford strawberries along the way. The place we rented had a beautiful garden with flowers in full bloom and was next to the woods. We spotted rabbits again. We had dinner at the Wicklow Brewery. I have to say that the food in Ireland throughout our trip did not disappoint. The next morning, we visited the Avoca Mill, which is the oldest wool mill in Ireland. We had breakfast there before we set off for Dublin Airport. We drove through the Wicklow National Park on our way to the airport.

It does seem like there is a lot more to do in Ireland. Definitely worth another visit or two. God has blessed this place with incredible natural beauty and blessed us with the opportunity to see so much. When we seek out the natural wonders of this world, we catch a glimpse of God himself. He placed the foundations of the Earth and everything in it. He set everything in motion, and gave life to every living thing. Everything has His fingerprints and reflects His wisdom.

We are one of His creations, the ones who bear His image. As much as we seek out the natural wonders of this world, he seeks us out. He is amused by us, loves us, and does not take His eyes off us. Should we not praise Him like the roaring seas, the howling winds, the beautiful flowers of summer, the soaring birds, and the trees of the forest?

“Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD.” Psalm 150:6

Ireland - Downpatrick Head and Connemara

Dun Briste Sea Stack

Day 3 was a long drive from Portstewart to Connemara with a planned detour to Downpatrick Head.  Drive time alone would be 6 hours without stopping. We didn't realise that 3 June was a bank holiday and had some difficulty getting lunch. Eventually we resorted to sandwiches and wraps from Tescos.

Downpatrick Head

The journey  to Downpatrick Head reminded me of our drive to Mont Saint Michel last December. We drove through some small roads which made me wonder if I was going the right way. But it was well worth the drive. As you walk towards the cliffs, you will see tassellated pavements along the shore. This place would be a golfer's nightmare because the grass grows in clumps. On the way up you will see a statue of St Patrick, who established a church here, hence the name of this place. When you get close to the edge of the cliff, you will see Dun Briste, a majestic sea stack. Simply stunning. 

We arrived at Leenane Hotel

 Room view of Killary Harbour

at around around 5pm. It is Ireland's oldest coaching inn and is located next to Killary Harbour, which is not harbour at all but a fjord. We had a lovely view of the fjord from our room.

Kylemore Abbey

On Day 4 we visited Kylemore Abbey, a huge estate which included a neo-Gothic cathedral and a Victorian walled garden. After breakfast at the lovely cafe, we headed to Diamond Hill to hike up the moderate trail. The heavy downpour left us soaking wet. The view would have been a lot prettier on a clear day.

View from Diamond Hill

Our drive back to the hotel passed through some of the most picturisque parts of Connemara National Park. I spotted a sign for Ballynahinch which reminded me of an article I read about the hotel. It prompted me to make a reservation there for dinner later that evening. It gave us the opportunity to drive through the amazing landscape again and dinner at the Ranji Room was well worth the effort.

Picturisque Connemara

This is a short holiday and we were already more than half way through. Next stop is the Cliffs of Moher and the Ring of Kerry.

Ballynahinch

Ireland - Causeway Coastal Route

We recently visited Ireland for the first time. By that, I mean Northern Island as well as the Republic of Ireland. It wasn't an obvious choice for us just because we didn't know enough about it. My mind was made up after my wife sent me some Instagram posts #ireland.

We landed in Belfast early Saturday ready for our drive out along the Causeway Coastal Route (CCR). When we got to the Hertz counter, I found out that I had book the car based on our departure date rather than the arrival date. Ok, so I paid for 1 extra day, no big deal right? Well, it doesn't quite work that way. The no-show condition says that they can give the car to someone else even though I have fully paid for the car in advance. Lovely. It gets lovelier. They had no other cars available, and neither did the 2 adjacent car rentals. Avis had a long queue and it did not look hopeful but the prospect of spending the next 8 days in Belfast flashed through my mind. Even though it seemed impossible, I prayed for God's help. The Avis manager made a number of calls, and offered me a manual car. It has been more than 20 years since I drove one and didn't like the prospect of balancing the clutch in hilly Ireland. So he made more calls and finally found me a suitable car. Praise God!

Giant's Causeway 

We set off on the CCR. It starts getting pretty very soon. We made short stops at Kinbane Castle and the Ballintoy Harbour before stumbling upon The Fullerton Arms for lunch.  They had a table for 5 but they needed it back within 1.5 hours, which was absolutely fine because we are quick eaters. It turned out to be the table in the Game of Thrones Room. 

Carrick-A-Rede

After lunch we headed to the Giant's Causeway. Fascinating - Over 40,000 interlocking basalt columns formed by lava flows about 60m years ago. We didn't spend as much as time there as we would have wanted to because we had tickets for Carrick-A-Rede at 4.30pm.  The walk to the Carrick-A-Rede rope suspension bridge was long but well worth the effort. After that, we drove to Portstewart, where we stay for 2 nights.

Malin Point

The next morning we drove to Magilligan Point to catch a ferry to Greencastle, crossing the Irish border.  We drove along the Wild Atlantic Way to Malin Head, greeted by at least a hundred tractors doing a fundraiser for cancer. Malin Head's rugged coast is the most northerly point in Ireland and you can catch a glimpse of Hells Hole.  

Grianan of Aileach

Our next stop was also something circular, in a literal sense - Grianan of Aileach. A giant stone fort on top of a hill that looks like a donut from the bird's eye view.  We could almost lean against the wind when we were there. 


We drove back into Northern Ireland after that and visited the Mussenden Temple and the gardens in full bloom at the Bishopsgate entrance. As we were leaving, we saw a brilliant rainbow, the sort that conjures images of a leprechaun with a pot of gold at the end of it. 

Harry's Shack, Portstewart

We ended the day with dinner at Harry's Shack, known for "beach food made good", watching the sunset. 

The first 2 days in Ireland  could have turned out quite differently if God hadn't help us with the replacement  car.

Half-Marathon

I completed my first Half-Marathon race last Sunday. I signed up for it in mid-February when I could only manage 8km at a very slow pace. Signing up for a race is an excellent motivation to get out there to run and to build up your mileage. It's strange, because really all that was at stake was the $62 registration fee. In the past, I have paid for gym fees and stopped going after several months. Perhaps the difference is that I prefer to be in the outdoors rather than being stuck in a gym with loud thumpy music.

Over the next 2 1/2 months of preparation, I learnt so much through personal experience and running vlogs. Although I've heard it many time before, I've learnt to appreciate the importance of getting the right shoes, to build up the mileage slowly, hydration and nutrition during a long run, setting aside time to rest my body, and warming-up properly. But I have also learnt that everyone is different and some things just don't work for me - eating a breakfast  before a run and having to chew something during a long runs.

Three weeks before the race, I managed to do a 31km long run. It made me wonder if it was still worthwhile running the Half-Marathon since I knew that I could complete that distance. In any case, I  followed the plan to taper. The subsequent week I reduced my long run to 16km, my last long run before the race. Then I did something radical, I didn't run for an entire week (this is not how you should taper). That was a horrible mistake because I felt lethargic and was breathless when I subsequently did a 5km run. That scared me a bit and so I kept up with the daily 5km runs up until the Friday before the race.

It rained heavily on Saturday morning and the thought did cross my mind to skip the run if it rains on Sunday. Again, it wasn't clear to me what were the strong reasons to run if I knew I could complete the distance. But I reminded myself to finish what I started, especially because the race was what motivated me to train. I told myself that there are surely new things to learn from the experience.  I spent the afternoon preparing all the things that I needed for the race. I had to decide which  waist pack to use - the simple one which I have been using all along which meant that I would have to hold a water bottle in one hand, or the new waist pack which I haven't run in before but holds 3 small water bottles. The sensible thing would have been to follow what all the vlogs and articles tell you - don't try anything new on race day. I decided I would try out the new waist pack so that I could be hands-free, but I took the precaution of bringing the other waist pack along.

I went to bed early on Saturday but did not sleep well. I wasn't anxious about the poor sleep because that's what all the vlogs tell you. I work up at 3am and was out of the house by 3.30am to avoid being flustered if there are any surprises. There were not many people there yet when I arrived. When I was warming up, I realised that the new waist pack wasn't going to work for me so I went back to the car for the other waist pack. Lesson learnt.

We were flagged-off at 5am and I was about 2 minutes behind the starting line. I kept reminding myself to start slow. Runners where just continuously running pass me, non-stop. Although this was  something I completely expected,  it was nevertheless a strange sensation. I saw people of different shapes, sizes and age - there was a girl as young as my daughter running with her father; there was a man who looked like he was in his 70s who was so fast; a lady who was walking faster than I was running at the 13km point. I was reminded that there is such thing as a typical runner, and nobody needs to feel like an impostor either.

It was a little emotional when I was running up the Marina Barrage. I recalled about 3 years ago I was jogging there in the morning and noticed that there was a race. At that time, the lymph nodes on the right side of my neck were enlarged but I didn't know that it was lymphoma. To be back here 3 years later doing something that I never thought I had the interest nor the ability to do made me realise that I have come a long way. Thank God for watching over me.

The plan was for me to speed up in the last 5km if I was still feeling good, so I picked up the pace slightly. With 3km to go, I realised that I could finish the race within 3 hours, which I have not been able to do in my long runs. I had to remind myself to be patient and keep up the pace. At the final bend, when I could see the finishing line, I ran as fast as I could. The remaining distance felt a lot longer than it looked. My nett time was 2hrs 45mins. My Samsung watch said that I only ran 18.45km. This is possibly why, based on my long runs timings, I thought it would take me at least 3hrs to complete this race.

I am glad I did the race. Running with thousands others is quite different from a long run on a quiet weekend.  There are a lot more distractions but at the same time it is comforting to know that so many people are going through the same challenges. It taught me to trust tapering (so long as I do it correctly), and the importance of sticking to all the golden rules that I have learnt. It was a new experience and I had fun.

A Good Run

Singapore's awesome skyline at sunrise

Third and final blogpost about running.

I have been watching Youtube videos and reading some article on running. Some things don't seem natural and were difficult to do. I tried just breathing through the nose the last 2 weeks but would only last for about 1/2 hour before I resort to breathing in and out through the mouth. I tried straightening my posture and looking in front rather than down, and it felt like I was stiffening up; the idea of looking at the long road ahead didn't appeal to me either. And learning forward slightly so that the feet lands properly on the ground. But how are you suppose to do that if you are also supposed to run slowly? Mind boggling.

I have been cutting down on my carbo intake over the last month or so in hope to lose some weight. Shedding some weight helps with the run and is less taxing on the knees. But yesterday I finished my share of rice to carbo load for this morning's run.  I slept late because we visited the 24 hour Decathlon Hub in Kallang, so I wasn't sure if I would be able to get up early enough to avoid the mid-morning sun. Thankfully, I was awake before 5am and didn't feel sluggish so I headed out.

Having the phone bouncing in my pocket bother me. I wanted to get one of those armbands at Decathlon yesterday but it didn't seem comfortable for a long run. But neither was having the phone in my pocket. I wore a wristband which made me look like a tennis player, but it turned out to be a good idea because it was so much easier to wipe the sweat off my face. I didn't see anyone else wearing it this morning though. Well, whatever work for me. 

I took the advice to start hydrating earlier in the run. After 50 minutes I got my first isotonic drink from 7- Evelen. I got a second bottle 2 hours into the run. It made such a difference. It was well worth the effort despite the weight. I tried the nose only breathing, straightened posture and lean forward. This time, after persisting for the first 1/2 hour, I managed to continue without being self-conscious about it. In fact I breathed through my nose for the entire run.

After a while the phone was also less distracting especially when I got to Orchard Road. At certain parts, there were quite a few people who looked like they just finished their night out. And there were certain parts where you could hear hundreds of birds gathered on some of the trees. There was a real risk of being pooped on.  

The sun was rising when I got to the Istana. There were lots of photo opportunities in the 3rd hour of the run - Raffle Hotel, Esplanade, Merlion, Marina Bay, Fullerton Hotel and much more. This run was much easier compared to the hilly route I took to the Henderson Wave last week. I felt I had another hour in me if I pushed myself, but I wanted to be careful not to do too much too soon. So I stopped at Raffle Place and took the train home.

Lessons for me - take good advice; continue trying even if it something feels uncomfortable or awkward; if something works well for you, stick with it even if you are the only one doing it; don't let distractions get the better of you; and don't do too much too soon.

Running Further

Hort Park, taken
several weeks back

I have made some progress since coming back from Kuala Lumpur last week.  Last Saturday, I ran for 2 hours; I have never ran that long before in my life. And then on Sunday, I ran another 2.5 hours. What really helped was trying out a new route as it distracted me from thinking about how long I have been out or how long more I have to run. It also helped that I bought a drink to rehydrate myself in the last quarter of my run. The best thing about being able to run long distance is that the 40-50 minute runs in the weekday mornings have become a lot less of a mental battle.

This morning, I was hoping to do another 2.5 hour run. You notice that I never talk about the distance - I run very slowly. About 30 minutes into the run, I tripped on an uneven surface and fell on the pavement. Fortunately, my reaction was pretty good and I used my hands to break the fall. One of my shoes came off, which was kinda funny. I am slow but not necessarily steady. The first thought I had was perhaps I should go home. I got up and checked for damages. I felt slightly bruised on the knees and palms but there was no bleeding, so I decided to continue with the run.

After running one of my usual route, I headed towards Kent Ridge Park. Running down South Buona Vista is a confidence booster. I ran slowly because I knew that at some point I will have some slopes to climb, which I just hate. Soon enough was the turn up to Kent Ridge Park. I saw someone who seemed like a regular runner stop to walk up the slope but I decided to carry on running... for 50 meters before I resorted to walking too. I was huffing and puffing as I dragged myself up the slope. The people which I was passed must have wondered why I took so much effort just walking.

When I got to the park, I started running again. Running after stopping for a minute was something I just couldn't do in the past. What is at rest remains at rest for the rest of the day. But I realised I could do it when I ran in KL recently. I stopped to take some photos of the city during the run so I have learnt to adapt. From KRP, I ran to Holt Park, again a downhill run followed by a slope up to the visitors centre. I headed straight to the water cooler to hydrate myself. I almost made up my mind to head home but I wasn't sure if I could get a cab (I didn't have my phone with me).

I decided to carry on with the run towards the Henderson Wave. That involved a long stretch up the Canopy Walk. There were parts where I walked because I felt I had enough of running for the day. And there were parts where I ran slow-motion because I thought there was no point walking if I was still going to cover the same distance. Indecisiveness. I felt good getting to the Wave because I knew there were no more uphill slopes after that. When I got down to Westcoast Highway, I had done 2.5 hours so I decides to try to push for 3 hours. It was so tempting to get on the train at the Telok Blangah MRT station, but I continued at turtle pace to finish the run at Labrador Park MRT.

It amazes me how people can run a full marathon under 3 to 4 hours. I am just happy running 3 hours whatever the distance, preferably without upward slopes.

Exercise Routine

Taken during a morning run in
Kuala Lumpur recently

When I started, I could barely last 15 minutes. Breathlessness, the strain on the knees, and most of all the boredom. I don't like the heat so running on the treadmill in the air-conditioned gym was my preference. Spotify or Youtube only reduced the boredom ever so slightly. The most frustrating thing with the treadmill is that it tells you how little you have done, especially the number of calories burnt.

One day, when the treadmill was occupied (there are 2 in the condo gym but 1 is perpetually out of order), I decided to run around the condo premises. It started with 4 rounds, and over time it went up to 6. Sometimes I would lose count and end up not being sure if I did an extra round. It would take me about 1/2 hour, beyond which my systems would start shutting down - the ship falls off the edge of world. Again I found it difficult to overcome the boredom of doing multiple rounds. That's the same reason I can't make myself do laps in the pool even though I used to swim regularly in my younger days.

To beat the boredom, I started running around the neighbourhood probably about 4 months ago. From about 40 minutes, I've slowly managed to nudge myself to do slightly longer routes lasting about an hour, a couple of times a week. More recently, I've been able to get it up to 75-90 minutes, albeit at a slow pace. I even ran when I was holidaying in Bali and Kuala Lumpur.

The biggest barrier for me in getting started has simply been the unwillingness to give up some amount of comfort. When I am not at work, I would rather be with the family or be sleeping in. I've heard people say that exercise is a great way to unwind or de-stress, which is absolutely rubbish in my case - I just feel complete exhaustion. There was no other way to get through the mental barrier except to just get on with it; get out of bed as soon as I am awake before the analysis sets in; de-link what I have to do  from my emotions and keep the mind focused on finishing the present task.

I am really thankful for all the people who have been sharing their exercise routines on Facebook.  These people have full time jobs, family and other commitments, and yet they have taken the time to exercise. Each and everyone of them remind me that I don't have a good excuse to lead a sedentary life. If they can do a marathon or triathlon, then I can at least go for a run around the neighbourhood.

Ending 2018 in Bali

House of I Gusti Nyoman Lelpad,
painter and sculptor. Ubud

I just got back from a short vacation in Bali with my siblings and families. It's been about 2 years since we all met in one place. It's funny how a short holiday took so much time to firm up and plan - it must have been a good 9 months. And after we bought the plane tickets, Mount Agung erupted in June, followed by several earthquakes in Indonesia and then recently the deadly tsunami in the Sunda Straits on 22 Dec, just 4 days before our trip. We did discuss a number of times whether we should change our plans. So I really praise God that the meet up materialised and we had a brilliant time together.

Single Fin, Uluwatu

We started our vacation with a sunset dinner at the Single Fin. Perched on the cliffs of Uluwatu, this open air restaurant gives you a stunning view of the surf breaks off Suluban Beach. We got there earlier than planned as we had anticipated a traffic jam at the Uluwatu Temple as it was Galungan, one of Bali's most important festivals. Just as well, because the place filled up very soon after we got there. Understandably so, because the view of the sunset over Uluwatu was stunning. Great music, atmosphere, food and the sea breeze made a perfect start to the family holiday.

Big Swing,
Uma Pakel Agro Tourism

Day 2 was focused on the inland. The drive took us through the rustic green Balinese countryside. There was so much to see on the way. Our first stop was Uma Pakel Agro Tourism where you could learn about Kopi Luwak production or try one of the big swings. Next stop were the rice terraces in Tegallalang, just 5 minutes drive from where we were. Since my last visit, they have created a footpath down the rice terraces and up onto the other side. Some of us took a walk down the rice terraces while others took in the views from one of the warungs at the top of the terraces. There were big swings here too, and bird's nests to snap instagrammable moments. Great way to spend the morning.

Tegallalang Rice Terraces

After that, we drove to Ubud, the heart of traditional Balinese culture. We had lunch at Ibu Rai, a quaint place with a lovely Balinese garden and flavourful local cuisine.  Despite being in the middle of a busy town, the restaurant provided a quiet haven to escape the hot afternoon sun.  After the sumptous meal, we spent the next 1 1/2 hours roaming around the Jalan Karna market and the many small lanes. There were

Ibu Rai, Ubud

wonderful sights and colours at every corner we turned in Ubud. We also managed to hunt down the perfect pair of flip-flops for my niece.

On our way back to the hotel, we visited the Tegenungan Waterfall. I had always assumed this to be a remote site with very few visitors, maybe because of the photos I have seen. When we got there, loads of people were having a "beach" party at the waterfall.

Tegenungan Waterfall

It was like a cruise ship advertisement or the post-wedding dinner scene from Crazy Rich Asian. On top of the cliff, next to the waterfall was a place for drinks and chillout. Great vibes but surreal. My brother took a dip in the waterfall while some of us climbed up the waterfall.

Day 3 was beach hopping day. Initially I had planned for us to visit 3 beaches, but we only ended up visiting Bingin Beach. The beaches with stunning views require climbing down and up steep steps and we concluded that 1 was all

Bingin Beach

our legs could take. Also my sister was chased by a few cows on her walk down; not sure what she did to the cows. Bingin Beach was stunning and well worth the climb. Along the climb, you will see a number of accommodations and cafes to cater to surfers. Since we didn't hop to another beach, we

Hotel Intercontinental, Jimbaran

went to Hotel Intercontinental in Jimbaran for lunch. Pool view and beach front lunch and rest for the tired legs.

Day 4 was free and easy as were catching our flights home. Like the last 2 mornings, everyone got up early to catch the Sanur sunrise at the beach. I would go for a run before joining everyone for breakfast. Before we left the hotel, we spent some time thanking God for the precious time together. We prayed for His continued watch over our lives, especially those of the younger generation. God has been so good in the ups and downs, and the big and small things in our lives.

This trip was a wonderful way to end the year 2018.

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Hotel de Ville, Lyon

Part 3 of our vacation was in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. We drove 5 hours from Sarlat-la-Canéda to Lyon, the capital of the region and the second largest city in France. This was going to be our base for the next 2 days, and where we catch out flight back to Paris and onward to Singapore. I don't enjoy driving in big cities, so we booked a place just slightly outside of the city centre. I made a reservation for dinner and we took the bus into the city. For some reason, I though that it was going to be a short walk from the bus interchange to where the restaurant was - possible because it looked like a straightforward straight ahead direction. It turned out to be a couple of metro stations away! But it was a blessing in disguise because we came across a marché de Nöel and also got to see the Fête de Lumieres. Mistakes don't have to be bad. At the

Fête de Lumieres, Lyon

marché the kids had their candy floss, a chocolate coated mashmallow and a ride on the carousel. We bought a mini Gâteau à la broche, and would have sampled a lot of the food had we not made the dinner reservation.

Monsieur P, rue de Royale

After the long walk, we were all ready for our dinner at Monsieur P. The P is not for Detective Poirot but for its owner and chef Florent Poulard. The place came highly recommended on Tripadvisor. For starters, I had this amazing  beetroot salad, so good that even my son enjoyed it. I had Pollack for the mains and a fantastic Chestnut mousse and Clementine sorbet for dessert. Great food and friendly service. I was looking for the French gastronomique experience in a child friendly restaurant and that was exactly what we got. Completely satisfied.

When we got back to the apartment, we realised that there was no hot water for our shower. We had suspected this before we left for dinner but thought perhaps the water would get warmer if we let it run a little longer. The heating in the apartment also wasn't great. I messaged the owner and told him that we will move to another place tomorrow and asked him for a refund for that 2nd night. I am still waiting for the refund. The entire family ran in and out of the shower very quickly that night.

Palaise l'Isle, Annecy

All packed, we drove out to Annecy the next morning. Perfect weather, the sun was out. We walked to the lake and took a quick stroll around the Vieille Ville. We had a delicious brunch at a creperie called Quai No. 10, situated along the Thiou Canal and a stones throw away from the iconic Palaise l'Isle. The owner of the creperie told us that he just got back from a trip to Bali and Singapore. A vacation swap. Annecy was gorgeous even in winter.

Chamonix

We drove on to Chamonix, but not before we accidentally drove through the Mont Blanc Tunnel and into Italy! We should have driven on for another 50 minutes to reach Aiguille du Midi. Instead we turned back to Chamonix, and discovered that the cable cars from Chamonix  up to Aiguille du Midi were closed for a few weeks. With no mountains to climb, we went to a forest for a stroll along a river. Later we had Italian for dinner (that would be the second Italian encounter of the day) and a walkabout the town centre. The weather forecast indicated a 100% change of snowing at 7pm and they kids kept a lookout for it, but it did not come. The snow finally came about 7am the next morning. So we got to experience light snowfall for about an hour before we drove back to Lyon to catch our flight.

7 days seemed short but it felt like we did a lot during that short period of time. And we felt God's presence with us throughout the trip giving us special glimpses of the wonderful world that He created.  

Until the next time France, au revoir et a bientôt.

Dordogne

Château de Beynac

I've never heard of Dordogne before I started my planning for this holiday. And it took me a long time to decide if I should visit the region in winter. Would everything be closed? This place is known for its wonderful cuisine but will any restautants be open? The Gabares will not be operating along the river and it would be too cold to kayak. Not a wine enthusiast and it would be way past the grapes harvesting season. But the research that I did suggested that Dordogne is a bit like the Cotswolds in England, beautiful in any season.

It was an 8 hour drive from Mont-Saint Michel to Sarlat-la-Canéda. I didn't want to be searching for our accommodation in the dark when we arrive, so we decided to start off at 7am. Driving through French villages in the dark on the left hand side of the road was quite an experience. My two sons were excellent navigators throughout this holiday and thank God for journey mercies. I would probably stay the night in Loire Valley if I do the same drive again in the future. We managed to arrive in Dordogne Valley when the sun was still up and the autumn colours of the region were amazing. Felt excited about spending the next few days here.

Medieval town Sarlat-la-Canéda

We stayed in the heart of the medieval town. The orange-yellow hues of the limestone buildings and small lanes were quaint. Many shops were closed during this time of the year but we didn't have too many issues finding food. We had an exquisite dinner at Hotel La Couleuvrine on the first night. Sarlat makes a good base for people exploring the Dordogne Valley, because it has a lot of amenities including large supermarkets and, ahem, McDonalds just a few minutes drive out of the medieval part of town.

The next morning, we drove 30 minutes to Font-de-Gaume. This is the only remaining cave in France containing pre-historic polychrome wall paintings that is still open to the public. Less than a hundred tickets are available each day and they have stopped taking advanced booking since the beginning of this year. Everyone who wishes to visit have to be personally present to buy the ticket. I read that in summer, visitors line up as early as 7am even though the office only opens at 9.30am. We arrived at 9am and were first in the queue - the advantages of visiting in winter. Thibaut, our English speaking guide was very friendly and knowledgeable. It was surreal to stand just inches away from something that was painted more than 17,000 years ago. Don't miss this when you visit Dordogne. Later we drove by La Roque Saint Christophe, a pre-historic human settlement in the face of the limestone cliffs. We also came across one of the many goose farms in the region where the famed Perigord foie gras comes from.

Lino, our truffle hunter

We visited Château de Beynac after lunch. Purged on a cliff next to the Dordogne river, it used to be home to Richard I, King of England. The castle is not as well maintained as those in Loire Valley, but it offer a stunning view of the Valley.  We did a truffle tour in St-Cyprien the next morning. The tour was hosted by Edouard who gave us an excellent introduction to the fungi. My daughter loved playing with Lino, the truffle hunter. With his help, me managed to gather close to 400g of Perigold black truffles which sells at the current market price of about EUR750/kg. The tour was lots of fun for the kids and helped all of us appreciate the wonders of God's creation, including those well hidden under the ground. 

Brantôme

We spent the rest of the day driving around the region and ended up in Brantôme. The town is encircled by the La Dronne river and is known as “Venise du Perigord Vert”.

I am so thankful that I chanced upon charming Dordogne when researching on the holiday. Next stop, Lyon.

Normandy

Étretat

Our recent holiday in France was so short that I didn't have a chance to blog. 7 days with short daylight in the winter, lots of driving and much to experience. I got back to work the day after the holiday so that I could quickly get over the jetlag and have been trying to finish up the photobook of the holiday. Unfortunately I did not realise that Apple had stopped the Photos printing services until I finished compiling the photobook. At first I thought that I had chosen an outdated template so I painstakingly transferred the photos to another template. I realised later that I had to update my Mac OS and use the Mimeo photo app extension to convert my template. I thought I was finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel when I realised that the photos loaded onto Mimeo were blurry. I have been trying to find other alternatives for the last 2 days - extremely frustrating, and completely disappointed with Apple. When frustrated with Apple, Keep Calm and Blog. 

We flew Airfrance to avoid CDG Terminal 1; I don't mind iconic, so long as it is updated. It took more than an hour to get out of the airport and another hour to sought out the car rental - they couldn't tell me where the hand break was. The kids prefer nature so we didn't plan for any time in Paris, which turned out to be a blessing in disguise. We did see gilet jaune protestors during our trip but they are mostly at roundabouts slowing down the traffic. Our first stop was Étretat. It was raining heavily most of the morning, so the chances of seeing the white cliffs weren't good. Everyone was hungry so we had to find a place for lunch. By the time we finished lunch, the rain had cleared and we were treated to a beautiful view of the limestone cliffs. The kids played on the pebble beached for awhile. To my surprise, the family was adventurous enough to take the hike up the cliffs that inspired some of Monet's paintings. 

Bayeux

It started to rain again when we got back into the car. We decided to head to our hotel in Bayeux and defer the visit to the D-Day sites until the next day. Château de Bellefountaine was an excellent hotel. There were even black and white swans on the grounds and a river running through it. It was unfortunate that the hotel dinner was fully booked because the menu looked amazing. We had a light dinner in Bayeux instead and managed to take in the beautiful Christmas lights in the city. There were no takers for the Tapisserie de Bayeux, which depicts the Norman conquest of England. 

We had an early start the next morning. After breakfast, we checked out and headed to Arromanches-les-Bains. This is the historic location where an artificial harbour was built by the Allied forces to unload heavy equipments on D-Day in June 1944. You can still see remnants of the floating structure along the beach. After that we drove to the Normandy American Cemetery &

Normandy American Cemetery & Memorial,
Colleville-sur-Mer

Memorial in Colleville-sur-Mer. More than 9,000 American soldiers were buried here. Many died as soon as they got off their battleship. A sea of white crosses and Star of David across the cemetery was a solemn reminder of the sacrifices of so many to free Western Europe from the grasp of tyranny. There were balsam veteran's wreath place at the foot of each headstone. The American flag was flown at half mast to remember President Bush Snr who passed away the day before. At the centre of the memorial is a bronze sculpture named "The Spirit of American Youth Rising from the Waves" with inscriptions that bring great hope to the families of the fallen soldiers: "Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord".

Mont-Saint Michel

Our final stop in Normandy was Mont-Saint Michel. I've had wanted to see this place for a very long time. And 2 years ago, when we visited the Loire Valley, I did consider driving here but was dissuaded by the hotel owner. I am glad I took his advice, because our eldest son wasn't with us for that trip.  Now we got to see this amazing place for the first time together. We could have joint the free English speaking tour at 3pm, but we were far too hungry, so we started off with a wonderful lunch at La Mère Poulard. I am glad we filled our stomachs first because the walk up to the monastery required quite a bit of energy. But the climb was well worth it because the monastery and the view of the top was astounding. It's unbelievable how hundreds of years ago, people managed to build such an huge structure so high up.

Nightfall at Mont-Saint Michel

The one advantage of travelling in winter is that you don't have to wait too long for the evening lights to come on to illuminate the buildings. We decide to go for crêpe de banane and wait for the sky to darken. And what a sight we were rewarded with - it was like a picture perfect postcard. We stood there in the dark for at least 1/2 hour taking many photos. After that, I was thinking of taking the 2km walk back to the hotel, but it was getting cold so we decided to hop onto the free shuttle bus instead. It didn't feel like I got enough of the place. Definitely worth another visit in the future.

Despite the rain and change of plans, we managed to do quite a lot in Normandy on the first 2 days of our vacation. Next, we were off to Dordogne.