English summer

Afternoon tea at the Corinthian with Claire, Tom and Steph

Travelled to London this summer to work in person with my People team.  While we love the flexibility that comes with remote work, team bonding is taken up several notches when we get to meet in real life and make memories together.  We had a fabulous time setting out our strategy, discussing priorities and mapping out our plans for the rest of the year.  In between sightseeing, afternoon teas, West End musicals and world cuisines at our doorstep.  It was such a dream come true for me to work in Central London!

Showing Claire around some of my favourite sites during my student days in England

Managed to also take a week off and travel to the Midlands to visit friends.  Went back to University of Birmingham for the first time since I left in 1996,  and found Priorsfield.  It was the business school during my MBA days but now serves as the Institute for Language Studies. 

Thanks to hospitality of my friend Cristina Sambrook, I got to enjoy the charms of English country living in Worcestershire. A week of pub lunches, tea on the lawn, dinners by pretty canals and long walks with the dog was so therapeutic.  Exactly the type of summer break I needed to unwind from a particularly challenging spell at at work. Falling in love with her dog Otto was an unexpected bonus 💖

Otto - the first dog I've ever loved

Canterbury Tales

There is nothing I love more than making new friends and visiting new places.  Thanks to Natasha Pritchard, I got to do both!  Natasha has only recently moved to Kent and kindly offered to drive me to Canterbury on her day off where we had a great time.  Thanks so much, Tash!

Canterbury Cathedral from afar - because I refused to pay the entrance fee of ten pounds!

Canterbury is one of the oldest towns in England with a rich history dating back to Roman times.  The cathedral is the seat of the Anglican Church and the Archbishop of Canterbury.  A pilgrimage to the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket is the backdrop for Chaucer's famous Canterbury Tales - which was the bane of my existence during A Levels. It's charming medieval character still attracts millions of tourists annually.

Natasha & I with our Kentish cream teas

There were two major highlights from my visit to Canterbury.  The first was tea and scones at Tiny Tim's Tearoom.  It's located in one of the oldest buildings in Canterbury with a setting that is quintessentially English. Miss Marple would have approved. The scones were some of the largest I'd ever seen, complete with butter, jam and clotted cream.  Absolutely delicious - especially the apple & raspberry ones.  There's also a ghost room at the top of the stairs open to visitors for free, an offer which Natasha and I politely (and firmly) declined.

The second major highlight was my introduction to Primark - the home of cheap and cheerful clothing. I walked away with a large bagful of clothes for only twenty pounds. Sorry, there aren't any pictures because no self-respecting female shopper is going to bother fiddling with a camera when there are 2-pound shirts and 3-pound tights on sale!

A Sunday afternoon in Whitstable

I grew up on a diet of Peter and Jane books, and those children were always off to Brighton or some seaside town on August bank holiday.  I hadn't a clue what a bank holiday was but I definitely wanted to experience a day out by the English seaside.  And dear 'ol Tariq obliged by driving us to Whitstable on the Kent coast one Sunday afternoon.

Postcard perfect Whitstable

(L-R) Joanna, Martin & Tariq 

(L-R) Martin, Natasha & Tariq

Highlight of the day - Sunday lunch!

It was a picture perfect day in Whitstable and we enjoyed a brisk walk along the pebbled beach watching sailboats and swimmers.  As it was late in the day, we scrambled to find a place for lunch.  We were turned away at two pubs before stumbling on lucky no. 3 -  Shepherd Neame The Duke of Cumberland.  What a gem it turned out to be!  The kitchen was five minutes away from closing but stayed open to cook us an amazing meal.  Never has a "roast and three veg" looked and tasted so good.  For only 15 quid each, we had a seafood paella, roast lamb, roast pork & crackling for mains.  The vegetable dishes - Mediterranean salad, roasted pumpkin, courgettes & fennel - tasted divine.  It was a superb meal in a garden setting with great beer, a good band and a friendly dog.  How's that for a perfect pub!

London Walks

This trip to London felt like a homecoming and I spent many hours walking the streets, soaking up familiar sights and discovering new ones.

Big Ben & Houses of Parliament - my all time favourite 

The London Eye was new to me as it was built after my last visit to the UK

Piccadilly Circus - another iconic London sight

Sunny day at Buckingham Palace

St Paul's Cathedral

Fortnum & Mason's, the royal grocers at Piccadilly, was another first for me. The shop assistants and cashiers wore coat tails and gloves! And all this while I thought Marks & Spencer's was posh. Brought home some tea, biscuits and shortbread so that I can pretend to be royal too over an afternoon tea...hehe...

Dreams do come true

I woke up one morning in May after dreaming that I had spent my birthday sailing down the Thames, enjoying views of Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament.  Not having been back in England since 2000, I decided to make that dream a reality.  I messaged two of my best mates from MBA days, Tariq Shahab (from London)and Martin Riemen(from Berlin), and invited the boys for a birthday bash in London.  They both said "Yes"!

(L-R) Martin, Joanna & Tariq reunited in London - Sept 2014

So on the 26th of September 2014, my friends and I stood on the Westminster Bridge and snapped this photo.  More than anything, we cherished the time spent catching up on each other's lives in the past 17 years since leaving Birmingham University.  Tariq has a successful international sales career in pharmaceuticals while Martin has seen much action in the fast-paced world of investment banking.  They are both also proud fathers, and I'm grateful they set aside time for our mini reunion - and to celebrate my birthday too!  Surely, it's a sign of true friendship when all the years just melt away and we can chat as if we'd only left uni yesterday.  Although the boys did drag up some horror stories of my misadventures from the distant past that I'd completely forgotten...grrrr....

Day and night views from our penthouse apartment

Tariq did a great job finding us a penthouse apartment in central London with a panoramic view of the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, St Paul's Cathedral and the Shard.  Needless to say, we spent a lot of time on the balcony!

Tariq and Joanna celebrating her birthday with lemon and strawberry tarts from Paul

My 2014 birthday celebration was indeed a dream come true!

Let it snow...

All these Facebook updates about the snowstorms in England have sent me diving into the archives looking for long, lost photos of winters past. In my younger days, I loved the cold weather but many years and bouts of bronchitis later, I have learnt my lesson and returned to tropical climes.

Yes...found the photos...yikes...may not be a good idea to display them cos beanies and me don't go well together.

What did you say? You really want to see them?

Promise you won't laugh...promise?

OK here goes....

Right...that's enough. You can pick yourself off the floor and wipe those tears of laughter from your face. Yes, that's me sitting outside The Spinney, my residential cottage at the University of Birmingham, after the first snow fall of 1995. What's that demented white creature sitting next to me? That's my snow dwarf. I had every good intention of making a "man" of him but it was just too much work...plus my hands were turning blue from cold!

And this is me showing off my ski gear at Falls Creek in Victoria, Australia. It was my very first ski trip and probably my last. Way too painful - for my ego that is. I took 2 lessons with a bunch of six-year olds and they were skiing down green slopes by day 3 but not me. I spent the rest of the week slipping and sliding; flipping and flopping much to their amusement. Grrrr...

May weekend in Brussels

Every once in a while, my body slows down to remind me that I need to rest. Today is such a day when I woke up with a fever and headache, forcing me to cancel all my appointments and travel. But after a couple of hours' sleep, I find myself browsing through old travel photos and lo and behold...I'm on the road again (in my mind anyway).

In May 2007, I was working in the Hague for a couple of weeks when I decided to call up my friend, Martin Riemen, who lives in Belgium with his family. Martin & I were classmates from our MBA days at the University of Birmingham. One minute into the conversation, I received orders to get on a train to Brussels and they wouldn't take no for an answer!

And that's how I ended up in the capital of Belgium for the first time. As the seat of the European Union, Brussels is at the centre of all things European. The first thing that struck me were the signs - there's French and Dutch sitting side by side, because they're both the official languages of Belgium.

Armed with a guidebook, I made my way to the beautiful square known as La Grande Place / Grote Markt. Staring at the beautiful 400-year old tower and guild houses, there's such a pleasing aesthetic appeal, you know this is not Disneyland but the real thing. The square is surrounded by old shops selling everything from fine Belgian lace and chocolates to tacky fridge magnets. I enjoyed the scene from a little cafe, as I tucked into a wafel, the national dessert piled high with strawberries, cream and chocolate sauce....yum...

Aunty Jo-Jo visits the Mannekin Pis & rubs a statue to find "true love"

One just can't help but chuckle at the irreverent symbol of Brussels - the Mannekin Pis - a little bronze statue of a boy answering nature's call. There are many legends about its origin but my favourite is one that tells of a little boy who saved the city from being bombed by French troops, when he put out a lit fuse by pee-ing on the gunpowder! This little statue has hundreds of outfits presented by Belgians and visiting foreign dignitaries.

Aunty Jo Jo with the Riemen family: Martin, Claudia, Lisa, Jan and Sara

But as always, the best part of any trip is the people, especially those who welcome you into their homes. I was thrilled to stay with the Riemens and the kids were all over me like a new pet. Lisa, Jan and Sara had never met a real Chinese up close before, so I was a curiosity. They took turns to sit on my lap, danced and sang for me.

We spent a lovely evening with a barbecue, bottles of Belgian fruit beer and a trampoline. Martin & I laughed over old times, talked about our careers and future ambitions but most of all, we revelled in the cosy comfort of friendship. Needless to say, I have very fond memories of Belgium.

Memories of Champagne

It's only the fourth day of the New Year, and I'm already lying in bed with a fever..sigh. In need of some cheering up, I decided to look through old photos and found this lovely one which was taken on my first trip to France.

(L - R) Joanna, Andrew, Nathalie & Jean Pierre saying SALUT!

After getting my Mercedes (as most Malaysian students do), my housemate Andy & I decided to drive down to France to visit his good friends, Nathalie & Jean Pierre. They lived in Chalons-sur-Marne, which is conveniently located between Paris & Champagne. Not one to miss out on alcoholic beverages in those days, I jumped at the chance to visit one of the famous champagne houses.

It was a nice-enough tour of vineyards, grapes, cellars etc. But the real fun happened when we got to taste the "freshly-made" champers. I love bubbly! I also wanted a souvenir and that's when I got my first dose of the famous French snootiness.

Here's the conversation I had with one of the staff from the champagne house (which will remain unnamed - you'll find out why later)

Aunty Jo Jo (AJJ): Hello! I'm visiting France for the first time and have really enjoyed your tour.

French Guy (FG): Zank yoo

AJJ: I was wondering if it would be possible to have souvenir. May I keep one of these champagne flutes?

FG: Zorree..Yoo may not ave ze floot as a zooveneer. Eet ees not allowed.

AJJ: OK, then is there a shop where I can buy one to keep?

FG: Zorree..Vee zoo not zell it to ze public.

AJJ: Is there a manager I can speak to about this?

FG: Zorree..Ze manajere ees bizee. Au revoir mademoiselle! (and turns round and walks away!)

I was a little upset by this time and my friends noticed. So what did the 2 gallant European gentlemen do? They helped me nick 2 empty champagne flutes and smuggled it out in the sleeves of their jackets!

Now you know why the champagne house remains anonymous :-D

Student days in England

Having read through my 2007 posts, I'm startled at the lack of information on my brief sojourn in England. After being so enamoured by the glories of Great Britain as a child, it was dream come true for me in 1995 when I packed my bags and headed for the home of Shakespeare, Wordsworth and Austen. I woke up instead in Birmingham - the home of the Indian balti!

(L-R) Martin, Deena, Joanna & Tariq outside Priorsfield, the MBA graduate school

Thanks to the generosity of the British Council, I received a scholarship to study for an MBA at the University of Birmingham in 1995-1996. It was the start of all my travel adventures and I relished every moment: new environment, new friends, new culture - it was wonderful! As a Chevening scholar, I was determined to emerge as top student. As a curious student, I was determined to see as much of the UK as I could. And so began a disciplined regime of long study periods on weekdays, and a relentless pursuit of FUN on weekends!

Aunty Jo-Jo enjoying the autumn scenes in Cambridge

One of my first weekends away was spent in Cambridge, where Harvey was studying...oops..I mean "reading" Land Economy at Robinson College. It's a beautiful ancient town filled with intellectuals but strangely enough, I seem to remember more about pub crawls and a lovely sandwich place named Gardenia's (which I was constantly calling Daffodils). I even attended my first May Ball with Harvey & Carl and survived till the next morning, although I remember passing out for a little while after my 2nd tequila shot! :-P

Aunty Jo-Jo standing under the Rose Window at York Cathedral

There were other spiritual (and sober!) weekends spent visiting churches and cathedrals. I've always admired ancient architecture and merry ole England serves up a fine treat! Although the English churches aren't quite as grand as the European cathedrals, the intricate details and surrounding countryside leaves an indelible mark on visitors. Having now seen many of the great cathedrals on the Continent, English history and architecture remain a firm favourite.

Aunty Jo-Jo striking an arty, Bohemian pose on a rooftop in Golders Green

Ahhhh...this is one of my favourite photos of London! It was taken on the balcony of Chris' flat in Golders Green, North London where I spent many happy daytime hours sunning, reading and chatting. That was usually followed by nights of boozing, clubbing and risque theatre productions...heh..heh..

And despite all the (mis)adventures, I didn't turn into an alcoholic and returned home with an MBA & a distinction!

P/S: I really must apologise for my horrid hairstyle in those days *shivers* But what to do? Student mah!

Garden of Europe

Gardens have been cultivated since 1500 BC in Egypt, and have served as a backdrop for many a love story as well as inspiration for generations of artists, musicians and poets.

I too am on a perennial quest for inspiration, and seek out these botanical wonders every chance I get.

In spring this year, I was thrilled to be given a tour of the Garden of Europe, otherwise known as Keukenhof by my new friend, Erik Maitimo. The gardens are situated just outside the town of Lisse, South Holland.

Aunty Jo-Jo enjoying spring blooms @ Keukenhof Gardens, Holland

I can hardly describe the thrill at entering those gardens. Although the tulip season was largely over, the setting was so beautiful. The blue sky, fresh air, gorgeous flowers and tranquil park lent a dreamlike quality to our morning stroll. We spent 2 leisurely hours strolling through the different pavilions, and even stopped for a coffee. There was a indoor pavilion filled with some of my favourite flowers - tropical lilies - in every colour! The heady scent of the blooms was almost too much to bear.





These flowers are part of the annual exhibit that allows growers from all over the Netherlands and Europe to show off their hybrids. Netherlands is the world's largest exporter of flowers.

In fact, did you know that the first stock market crash was caused by tulips? In the early 17th century, tulips could cost up to 1000 Dutch florins and were exchanged for land, livestock and houses. However in 1637, tulip traders could no longer get the inflated prices for the bulbs and the bubble burst.

From that day onwards, the pattern has been repeated with junk bonds, dot-coms and sub-prime mortgages ;-)

Food glorious food (Part 2)

"The history of the world is on a plate" - Anthony Bourdain

And if this ascerbic-witted food writer is right, then my stomach has certainly made history. I've eaten my way through quite a few countries and encountered some very unique flavours.

Aunty Jo-Jo trying Dutch raw herring

Earlier this year I visited Marken, a picturesque Dutch fishing village and was persuaded to try Hollandse Nieuwe, or raw herring. It is typically served with raw onions and available only in spring. While I had heard the "horror stories" and seen the shudders of the non-Dutch when raw herring is mentioned, it tasted just like sashimi - only saltier and more fishy-smelling.


Aunty Jo-Jo helping to cook an authentic Spanish paella

One of the highlights of my travels last year took place in a backyard in Geelong, Australia. Luis Alonso, an Australian of Spanish descent, taught me how to cook an authentic Spanish paella. It's a beautiful rice dish that's cooked in a large flat pan with lots of chicken, prawns and mussels thrown in for good measure. But the most important ingredient that gives paella its distinctive colour is saffron. This spice is insanely expensive - US$600 - US$2000 per pound. And that's why Luis only allowed us to use 2 dabs from his precious thimble.



And last but not least, let's come back to Malaysian shores and talk about the durian. This king of fruit has been given so much bad press in the foreign media but let me assure you, it's the best thing in the world. The sweet rich custardy texture that springs from the thorny shell is poetry on the palate. In my humble opinion, the best durians originate from Balik Pulau in Penang, where my parents live. And the most divine durian of all is the "ang her" (loosely translated as "red prawn") . Don't just take my word for it - go try it for yourself!

Summer of 96 - Versailles vs. Schonbrunn

Left: Versailles Palace, France

Right: Schonbrunn Palace, Austria

Both palaces were the royal seat of their respective empires. Chateau de Versailles housed the French court of Louis XIV - The Sun King, while Schloss Schonbrunn was closely connected to Emperor Franz Josef I of Austria.

While Versailles is the better known of the two, I prefer Schonbrunn Palace. It seems to be a happier place. The quarters reflect a certain charm and the personal touch of the Hapsburg family, reminding visitors that despite their royal birth, Emperor Franz Josef and Empress Elisabeth were just a couple trying to raise a family.

I must admit, however, that this view is heavily influenced by a biography I read on Empress Elisabeth entitled "The Reluctant Empress" by Brigitte Harman. The preface reads -

"This book is the life story of a woman who refused to behave according to her rank. Drawing on her remarkable self-confidence, she strove for and achieved the goal that it took the 20th century feminine movement to name "self-realisation"

She played none of the roles assigned to her by tradition and her surroundings: not the role of loving and devoted wife, not the role of mother, not the role of principal figurehead in a gigantic empire. She insisted on her rights as an individual - and she prevailed. "

Summer of 96 - Venice

While other travelogues offer romantic images of the Bridge of Sighs, gondolas and the Venetian waterfront, I'm serving up a more irreverant image of Joanna Yeoh (on a bad hair day) standing in front of Basilica San Marco.

All I remember is:

• how crowded the piazza was - we had to physically stop other tourists from wandering into our photos
• how smelly the canals were
• how expensive the gondola rides were - definitely not within our meagre student budgets
• how loud the Americans were about the awful pizza - "nothing like Domino's back home" - were the exact words

AND HOW I'D GIVE MY RIGHT ARM TO BE BACK IN VENICE AGAIN!

It's one of the most romantic cities in Europe - need I say more?

Summer of 96 - Montagnana

Montagana was one of the most delightful surprises of the Grand Tour. Especially since it wasn't even on our itinerary. We detoured into this lovely town because we couldn't find any accomodation in Venice or Padova.

This medieval city in Northern italy is so incredibly well-preserved - it's like stepping back in time. The Youth Hostel was located in one of the castle towers and I was lucky enough to spend the night in one of the cells that was used to store cannonballs - supercool!!

Watching the sun rise over the turrets the next morning was a religious experience.

I am certain my prayers were heard that day.

Summer of 96 - Vatican City

Aunty Jo-Jo @ Basilica San Pietro, Vatican City, Rome

I must admit I don't remember feeling very pious during my visit to the Vatican City. We had been told to get there very early in the morning to avoid the curse of the tour buses. When we got there at 8am, there was already a large group of "mature" pilgrims (in wheelchairs and walkers!) ahead of us. So we nimbly and politely manouvered our way past them, and bolted up the circular ramps, towards the Vatican Museum ticket office.

It was well worth it. I remember being inspired by:

• Michelangelo's "Pieta" - a sad, gentle sculpture of Mary with the body of Jesus resting on her lap. It was hard to believe that the scene before me was entirely made of cold, hard marble: so life-like were the figures, and realistic were the folds of their clothing
• the Gallery of Maps - an entire corridor plastered from walls to ceilings with ancient maps. Even one used by Vasco da Gama to sail from India to Malaga (our very own Malacca!)
• the Sistine Chapel - I was lucky enough to find a seat and spent a good 20 minutes gawking at the art masterpiece that cost Michaelangelo his health and eyesight. I was particularly impressed by the "Creation of Adam"
• the Vatican treasure - the amount of precious art, artefacts and treasure in those museums is just mind-boggling. Botticelli, Raphael, Da Vinci, Michaelangelo, Rosselini cover wallspace just like Dulux paint covers the walls of my apartment!