counting down to christmas

nothing beats being caught up in the christmas atmosphere. it's everywhere here - the air you breath, the sights you see, the sounds you hear, everything you read. even the weather seems really fitting. Brrrrr....

i'm suffering from an acute sense of mixed feelings. the holiday season is upon us - and all i want to do is have as much fun and adventure as possible, naturally. it's just too bad that in January, Uni reopens with a string of Assessments to accomplish

not letting that dampen the christmas spirit, i have had my agenda planned out.

It started with my quest to visit the Christmas Markets in London. never really had the chance when the markets started on the 1st week of December. so you can imagine my luck and joy when old childhood buddies Wai Chia and Wai Peng decided to do some shopping for thier mum, and called me along

they brought me to the best market i've ever been in. nothing like the pasar malam's you'll find back home nor your ordinary market with weird smell that make your nose cringe and automatically stop functioning. Borough Market (as it has been called for ages and ages - 250 yrs to be exact -at London Bridge) is simply unique. now which market have u ever done "window shopping before"?.. i raise my hand to answer

first aroma that hit me when wai chia led me to the cobble-stoned pavement (ooh, how classic) was the indistinguishable smell of ... Cheeese, even before my eyes could catch hold of any. and when they did.. my mouth started to salivate. it was like heaven - cheese heaven.

there was a particular queue leading to a stall with hot steam and even stronger cheesy aroma -

what the man did was to heat up the top layer of a thick slab of cheese - look at that thick block!-then...
scraped the whoooole melted layer onto a plate with steamed pickles and tomato. ooooooooh!


"you shouldn't have had lunch before coming", waichia said.


now u tell me.


The sight was unbelievable.

mulled wine - which is sooo delicious (fruity and herby and warm and nice); neatly arranged pastries, pies, handmade jams - handmade, how much more traditional can you get; chocolates, sold in huge wooden tubs. never have i seen so much chocolate in such a small space of area before.. yummmm... fruits, pumpkin, turkey, partridge, pork, beef, stuffed meat, stufed pork, sausages of he weirdest sizes.... soooo many. it was like being in a totally new land.

someone once told me you can't find anything traditional in london. i wish that someone reads this and swallow his/her words back. he/she is so wrong.. it really can't get anymore traditional then this. lovely, lovely, lovely

speaking of chocolates - check out the price of winter truffles... :S

wai chia and wai peng

mother of all pumpkins!

on a slightly different topic,

wednesday marked the last week of term - and what better way to celebrate it with music and alcohol/coke *ahem*, at the basement of one happening club. i love london clubs! correction: i love my first london club experience - at TigerTiger. love the music - DJ played jacko's BillyJean, Queen, The Wonders, to songs like The Way I Are (nod, nod) to (lol, i can't believe this song followed me) Umbrella - girls the song made me miss you :( .. arms on another's shoulders when george michael's Last Christmas came up.. awwww.... wat a mix!

when they say Law school kids can party, they really meant we can parttaay!


Deeps and i decided to spruce things up among our college mates with reindeer antlers. and they were a hit! i can't remember how many times they changed heads :P

Today - we're at Stocksfield - a beautiful village in newcastle!! it's freezing, but the frost makes everything look so pretty.




YinSoon, Lord of Beggars Roost Mansion decided to (has no choice but to, rather) play host for us.. and when i say "mansion" i mean it literally.


The lack of sleep thruout our 6 hour journey from 11.30 pm last night is taking a toll on me now...

look fwd to the continuing posts on this 2nd newcastle adventure of mine very soon- Christmas, here i come!