Tivoli

150year old Tivoli http://www.tivoli.dk/ (which means funfair/amusement park in Danish) is the pride of most Danes (if not all), definitely on their top 5 'Must Visit' list if asked. DKK85 is charged per entrance & a multi-ride ticket costed DKK200 on top of entrance fee. I'm lucky to go in free because my boss (more like friend though, haha) has a Gold Pass where he can bring 5 guests on top of him into the park.

Pic: To remind myself how much Tivoli rides costed me...sob, sob...

He 'assembled' a group of 3 kids & 3 adults (his wife, 2 kids + me & another visiting girl from Germany) to make full use of his Gold Pass, which makes 3 adult+kid pairs. We had great time playing roller coasters (& laughed at our pictures snapped with funny expressions after the rides), Odin express, boat trip, the Demon rides, the Carousel etc etc...(except the Star Flyer (which seems to scary for me & 2 of the kids can't meet the height requirement).

On top of the rides, we also had fun at the parlour games (which cost extra money...typically DKK10-20 per game). David was so excited that he beat me in one of the games & won himself a toy gun. Apparently realize fun & technology is not necessarily proportional. Our favourite activity is one of the parlour game with racing horses & the classic roller coaster ride (can you believe the kids talked us into taking the ride 4 times? lol) instead of the high tech space shot.

Ice cream parlours, ballon stalls & candy shops can be seen everywhere, and I really mean everywhere. With 3 kids around, there's no chance we can skip the candy shop. So the end result is each one of kids have a big lollipop & the adults have large ice-creams. I'm just glad that I'm not the one paying :)

Our lunch was a quick one with hapsdog & sandwiches + soda drinks. As for dinner, our initial intention is to have it at a Pirate ship but the restaurant was fulled, so we revert to a Viking restaurant, munching spare ribs & having burgers with big glass of drinks. The kids got free ballons & eye shades from the pirate ship restaurant (because we were waiting for so long) & Viking hats from the Viking restaurant.

As the sky turns dark, Tivoli is all lit and it feels so different. It's like Tivoli has 'transformed' from a fun filled park with kids & families into a romantic & musical environment for adults. With open jazz concert, it's just perfect environment for a romantic summer day out. Couples making out can be easily spotted.

Tivoli is a fun place to be but what makes the day special is the company. I wouldn't recommend Tivoli if you're traveling alone (unless you don't mind feeling alone in the crowd, playing all the rides/games alone & want to try out their wide selection of uniquely decorated restaurants which also includes a Michellin star restaurant) but if you have companies, Tivoli is a MUST.

At the end of the day, around 10.30pm, I feel sad leaving Tivoli after spending a fun filled 10hrs+ in the park. I'm really greatful that I'm invited to have great time in 'experiencing' Tivoli & it is surely a memorable one :)

Run...CH...Run

My company has the tradition of participating in one of the biggest relay event of its kind in Denmark - DHL Stafet (DHL Relay), this year is no exception. A team of 5 will be formed to complete 5x5km relay in Fælledparken.

Pic: Aerial photo from a previous year

My colleagues are excitingly discussing names for their team this year. I didn't aware that I'll be part of the 'contributor' so wasn't keen in discussion until I was asked for my desired T-shirt size. Anyway, they've fixed the name to be "4 Beasts & a Beauty" but I'm one of the beast, ouchh...how sad...They were considering team name "Thin Legs" but then realize I belong to category 'short leg', so have to abort the proposal.

Why am I suddenly in the team? Actually, I think it all begins when I was commenting & laughing on how funny my colleagues looked in previous years' runs. Coincidentally, a guy left our department right after I joined, it seems so convenient to make me his replacement in the Relay competition & so... Didn't expect my karma to come so soon.

Basically there's nothing wrong with joining the competition except....I haven't been exercising for years!!! I hope I won't break the record of finishing 5km in 50minutes. The 50minutes record was set by a participant who met an unfortunate accident with bicycle during the run & have to walk to complete the race (very sporting). It'll be too embarrasing to break his record.

Well, I still have some time for intensive training before 1-Sept. Will start with 2km run, tmr (hopefully), lol...

Another driving experience

Another driving experience, yesterday evening, this time is with Audi A3 (shiny metallic black, cool). Still manual gear, took me 10minutes to figure out how the reverse gear works (apparently I have to press the gear 'stick' down to go into R).

A3 is cool (even though I'd prefer A4 but any Audi is perfectly fine to me). The air-conditioning control for front seats are separately controlled, so you can have 18degree for the driver & say 20degree for the passenger.

I like driving in Audi A3 more than Peugot 407, it's smaller but also with 2.0L engine ;) Unfortunately, having a nicer car doesn't reduce my clumsiness & improve my skills. Nearly had an accident. I made a right turn, after looking back on the right shoulder for potential cyclist, I turn right out forgetting to look for cars on my left. Luckily the road is broad so the fast approaching car manage to avoid me. Got big honk for that. Absolutely my fault.

Danish drivers are a little inpatient too...I verify with my colleagues & 100% of them agree with my statement, haha... I was stopping at a junction, about to make a turn as the traffic clears & the car behind me was already honking me to move. I got nervous & my car went dead (due to bad synchronization between clutch & gas control). So the poor driver behind me has to wait longer for me to restart the car & move on.

Good thing is: after my 10km driving session, me, the car & other road users are all safe! I didn't crash the car / 'murder' anyone by accident :)

We were talking about my 'dangerous' driving experience over lunch today & Anders said that I can borrow one of my colleague's car for driving practices because his car has the most extensive insurance coverage. In other words, I'm a lousy driver...that's a very creative way of putting it, lol...

Perhaps I should feedback to the company that they must rent automatic car to cater for the 'less capable' drivers `¤´ Anyway, the driving thrill will only last till July.

'The Embarassing Star Award'

Well, being clumsy, blur and forgetful, I always have embarassing moments (actually I don't really feel embarrased anyway since I'm about to publish one of my silly act, lol). Here it is:-

venue: company cafeteria

time: lunch break @ 12pm

main characters: me & lots of other 'stranger colleagues'

story line:
intro - normally we'll pick up tray with plate & utensils before Q-ing at the starter/hot food/salad bar buffet line to get our lunch.
Today, I was overwhelmed with the 'make yourself burger' menu & was rushing to the buffet counter after collected the tray & utensils. I was mummuring what shall I pick & one of my colleague said: "Perhaps you should start with getting yourself a plate." I stare at my tray & to my greatest embarrasment, I realize I forget about the plate. Again, I manage to collect a lot of laughters from the crowd (I was laughing at myself too)...

First there was the photo taking session that scares the cook in cafeteria, then being hit by a 'stranger' tourist & fell down in public, now there's this plate incident...within 5 weeks (not including smaller embarrasing happenings where nobody notice)...hmm, I think I'm on my best way to get 'The Embarassing Star Award' =.=!

Glass House

Imagine having a glass house with outdoor seating like this one: in summer, you can sit in & shower in sunlight with open glass doors+roof; in winter, you can still sit 'outdoor', in the glass house, well protected from the cold, wouldn't it be nice? Wonder if such glass house will fit into Malaysia's context (considering the hot weather).

I was telling my colleague how much I envy his hosue & my desire to have a glass house as his but unfortunately I'll be renting a small apartment which cannot accommodate the glass house. Then he told me to put up a small glass house at my 10msq balcony & inform the landlord that I'm adding value to his property, lol...

His house is so nice, I must benchmark it...every piece of tile & stone in the garden is done by him (I won't benchmark this & build a garden all by myself though), amazing! I think he'll kill me if he finds out that I 'publish' his house's picture 'publicly' in my blog. Fingers cross that he won't >.<

Luna

Received feedback that my blogs are all about food....well, I like food, what to do? sob, sob...So, to make some changes, I now introduce my new found friend -- Luna.

She has curly white hair, a little chubby, short legged, now 3 years old -- a cute dog that my colleague owns. She doesn't take command 'attack' but loves to chase after birds...only small size birds though. When big birds appeared, she'll pretend as if she doesn't see them. If dogs of bigger size (than her, of course, but she's small, so..) showed up, she's smart enough to stay away from 'trouble' as well. ;)


Knowing her characters well, she was 'degraded' from guard dog to family pet dog that doesn't bite. Well, to certain extend, she's still a guard dog... 'food-guard dog'. I was having dinner at my colleagues house & she's stay near the dining table, guarding for potential 'accidentally fall down' food. Until she's sure that there's no more 'hope', she'll revert back to her dog food.

Luna knows basic mathematics as well, she can count from 1 to 3. My colleague's wife will bring her to short walks 3 times daily. Luna will wait & look at her 'walk-mate' pitifully if she has 1 less walk than she's supposed to.

Luna is so cute, somehow 'trigger' me to have the desire to own a dog...but it might not be wise since I'm staying alone (which means I need to take care of everything alone abroad). I'll visit Luna more instead :)

Cheese & Crackers

It's been 4 days since I last published a blog...been busy with trip planning + new apartment rental + work. Went to picnic with my boss & his family at a park near Viking Musuem yesterday. I can't recall do 'picnic in a park' in Penang, never; but it was such nice & relaxing experience yesterday.

We had various cheese with different types of crackers+biscuits, Danish strawberries, fresh green peas (I don't like them in Penang but it tastes so sweet, eating fresh & raw here, don't understand, perhaps different 'species') and red wine :)

We walked over to the Viking museum (it's closed, pretty pricy DKK95 to go in anyway) across the park after picnic. Happen to catch a historic motor sport event where all the 'antique' cars & bikes lovers gathered with their precious 'antique' vehicles. Some aged more than 50yrs (my boss told me from the car plate) & still in good shape (or at least it looks good). Perhaps the cars can be driven for an hour & have to be maintained or kept in garage for the rest of the year. I don't want to be the only stupid 'tourist' snapping pictures, so, sorry...no pictures to be shared.

After that, it's my favourite moment...soft ice-cream. This time, I go for super soft (2 scoops of soft ice-cream with a cream ball coated in chocolate on top, DKK35). Yummy yummy!!

I think I'll go back to M'sia fat & tan. The cheese & soft ice-cream here are so delicious & it is so nice to stay under the sun... but the (down)side effect, hmm....better don't think about it yet. After all, there's slimming centre & fair skin products ~.~