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May 02, 2009

The way back home at Damascus international Airport

Status: Stand By (possible upgrade?)

 

I’ve been told that travelling with an ID ticket (staff ticket) isn’t that fun. It wasn’t that I don’t believe but I don’t think it will happen to me.

 

Anyway, I’m standing here, well actually sitting here on the ground at the airport for quite sometimes and seems like an hour already… Such a terrible feeling not to know i'll ge a seat or not...

 

Are they lovely?

I’ve been told that we will get an upgrade seat. Probably we could have a business class or something… But look at the queue, well, may be its good sign that this flight is overbooked then I can get upgrade…HAHA! But well…I tell you what?  I am a bit freak out already.

 

 

What if I couldn’t catch the plane? What if I stuck here at the airport along with a hundred eyes roll over on me like I came from the other universe?!? It isn’t sound like fun to me at all…  It’s great feeling to know that somebody pay attention to you but… this is too much! This makes me

nervous… and uncomfortable.

 

I love the feeling that people don’t know where I came from… I could come from heaven or something… right?  

 Remembering people try to say hello to us by saying “Ni Hao!”

 

Well, I am not from heaven and obviously I’m Chinese! That’s good thing to know!

 

We wait till every passenger already check-in. We are the last 2 pax on earth…er.. on the plane.

 

It such a good feeling when you put your luggages at the check-in, and they put the sticker on it. You at least have something to assured that your luggage will

be arrived there where it suppose to... even you don't know yet you will be here where you suppose to be... lol

  

2 minutes passed… the staff still couldn’t get us the stickers… gosh!… he is so slow… He kept asking his supervisor if we can possibly get the seats, even his supervisor said that twice in Arabic! Tell you what learning language isn’t that hard when you have adrenaline.

 

If I miss the plane, I am going to kill this boy!

 

Another 3 minute, he still checking and checking his bloody computer with my passport and PNR… and he begun to asked his supervisor again… oh gosh! come on boy...

 

Anyway, we finally got the bloody tickets! We are heading to…   Well, actually runing to the gate… We are so glad that we are not the last of the last

passenger there. The flight was a bit delayed. The check-in wasn’t fast so

there are still bunched of people there.

 

We finally boarded and I really relaxed… I was begun to lose my power with all those stupid things already…

 

Anyway, we are gona be fine. I suppose in Dubai we have got a confirmed seat!

 

We arrived in Dubai international airport in the evening (Finally!)

We headed to the check-in counter to issue the ticket and we are planed to sleep at the sofa a bit.

 

After we’ve got the ticket and everything went wrong. It seems like we need to wait at the airport 12 hours…. Damn it!

 

We still doubt if we could get the upgrade seat. Just to make sure we did ask, not because we really want to. 

We asked the staff there if there’s chance to get upgrade coz we have been informed that we could get it. The staff said without any feeling on her face that “not at all”

 

Er… even the flight is fully booked? still no chance?

She stair at us and said again with the same tone “no…not at all coz it depends on our duty manager and your status are not meant to be upgraded”

Er…Great! Thank you!

 

After I realized that it was me who take care of the ticket and I didn’t realized in the first time that they have changed the flight for us…. now I want to cry…. May i, could i, should i?

 

Anyway, we manage to find the way to sleep at the airport because the hotel is super expensive. We couldn’t take it. So here we are at the chair… yeah... we meant  to upgrade this way! Great!

Anyway, we just want to sleep and wake up again tomorrow morning.  Its gona be fine.

 

 

I didn’t manage to sleep very well at the airport that night so far… I looked a bit more like zombie but … to my memory of Syria… it still bright and shine…

 

 The first day, I arrived at Damascus; my client got us the on arrival visa. They proceed that very fast, we didn’t have wait too long.

 

Later that day, we arrived at the hotel. We survey around the hotel a bit and back to rest at our rooms. Cham Palace is our hotel. I didn’t feel really tired or anything but I didn’t know what exactly to do in the afternoon.

 

We walked around the hotel again later in the afternoon. We didn’t feel hungry that much. I thought that would be a good idea to try some local foods, so we headed to street food near there. Street food in Damascus is cheap and hygienic. And one more thing that you must try is Arab Ice cream. It’s totally difference from American ice creams.

 

The first day we searching of history together with sightseeing. It was far from disappointed. It’s amazing. The city is very friendly with a warm welcome. I really admired Arab way, and I think I could fall in love with the city and architecture.

 

We walked through the al-Hamidiyeh souk. The most famous market in Damascus. The shops offered the famous Damascene textiles and antiques. The market is very busy, crowded. We didn’t buy anything that much.

 

Later that day, we went to Ummayad mosque. People come here to pray and it’s like a community that people can meet, talk and relax.

 

I also have a chance to try Damascus’s pizza, and it was really great! I really like it very much. The juice is something you can’t live without when you are in Damascus. They have a plenty of juice shops around the city and it was really great. I also enjoy Hummas and Kebab as well.

 

We didn’t have so much time for travelling nor shall I say we didn’t know where to go. We spent here for 9 days. Most of the time we went to the office and back to the hotel and spent the evening walking around near the hotel. We didn’t go that far.

 

With my 9 days experiences, I only can tell you that I think Syrian is modern Arab country. The city is more quite than I expected, and to my surprised I found Damascus is lovely city. And KFC isn’t something hard to find in this city, But if I have a choice I would prefer eat something more Arab coz its more interesting that way.

 

my thoughts go out to you,my immortal beloved.
I can live only wholly with you or not at all.
Be calm my life,my all.
Only by calm consideration of our existence...
can we achieve our purpose to live together.
Oh,continue to love me.
Never misjudge the most faithful heart of your beloved.

Ever thine.
Ever mine.
Ever ours.

I don’t know what to write about my up coming birthday. I don’t have any plan or any thing special to do yet except that I’m having dinner with my best friend. 

Well, actually I’m not kind of celebrating that every year. I told my mom we can go to temple and do some nice thing together, and that’s it actually.

 

Anyway, I should take this chance to update you a bit about my life. Well, my life is still good... still working and loving.  I enjoy the moment I learn, its make me feel young. I enjoy fears, that’s mean I still alive, I enjoy depression, well, thank god, I still have my job! I enjoy loneliness, that’s mean I still belong to me. And most of the time I do enjoy every moment that I share with all of you, because that’s mean a lot to me…

 

I’ve never really spent time asking myself what I really want… I think what I really want is...  it’s this moment. I look back and I enjoyed what I’ve seen, I enjoyed the path I have been walked through. Sometimes when I feel lonely I open the old albums, those are memoryies I kept. Every time I look at it, how beautiful it is to live my life. How beautiful my family and friends are. I feel the complete inside.

I tell you what?… I don’t really care anymore about the numbers, I think how old you are doesn't matter that much but how long you have been with your life and you enjoy it.

Thank you everyone especially DaveT for the Happy Birthday message in advance. : )

 

The last of working day, our customers took us to the restaurant name Happy Duck in English. It was fun and it was my first time to get to know Italian people by chitchat. They are nice and friendly.

 

Along the way we talked about many things, my Thai colleague mention that she has seen many mini coopers along the way here and I agreed with her. So we brought this up in the conversation as well.

 

She said that her friend in Thailand really likes Mini Cooper but she couldn’t afford, coz the price in Thailand is really height (about 3 Million Bath) like you can buy a big house in Thailand. And if you buy a mini cooper for that price, you probably have no house, what is that sound like?

 

This gave our customers look taken aback, If I can read they face correctly, that’s mean “How could Mini Cooper be that expensive?” or “How could Thai house be that cheap?” haha

 

Since I’m not good at mathematics and the currency converter was hard on me. So I wait until somebody calculated it and the result was around 60, 000 EUR less or more.

 

They said that mini coopers here aren’t that expensive and for the same price you could probably buy only a small room. Hehe

Anyway, our customer has already thought to come to Thailand with a MINI then they can start a business here :P

 

The way back to the hotel, it was my first chance to see Milan night life. They usually hang out every Friday night. Unfortunately it was too freezing so we can’t walk that long.  We arrive at the hotel that night and sleep a bit early.

 

The next morning, after breakfast we went to check out and move our bags to another hotel that near the city center. The 1 star hotel we booked name Verona. It’s good enough, at least we don’t find it hard to sleep.

 

We decided to go to Verona after check in the new hotel. But everything wasn’t going as plan. We went there a bit late and got lost by bus. It looks us almost 1 hour to find the way back. Then we didn’t manage to meet Romeo and Juliet’s house. And that is Things to Do in Verona! So sad huh?

 

Anyway, Verona is the plot of the story of Romeo and Juliet, make by William Shakespeare.

    "Two households, both alike in dignity,
    In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,
    From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
    Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.
    From forth the fatal loins of these two foes
    A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life;
    Whole misadventured piteous overthrows
    Do with their death bury their parents' strife.
    The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love,
    And the continuance of their parents' rage,
    Which, but their children's end, nought could remove,
    Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage;
    The which if you with patient ears attend,
    What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend."

 

Verona is beautiful landscape; I have no doubt why Verona has been named UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Even we were there only a few hours. But I can say that I like this town and I’m definitely coming back when I have a chance!

 

The reason why we haven’t had enough time was that we decided to see Milan once again as we want to go shopping on Buenos Aires Street. If we spent too much time on Verona then we cames back late and shops will be closed by that time, and the most important thing was that we haven’t check – in properly yet.

 

We spent another 3 hours on train the way back, and around 30 minutes by underground.

 

Finally we were there at the Buenos Aires Street. There was full of teenager and brand name shops. I don’t know which one is the most interesting thing. But obviously  we went in and out many shops as on 50 -  80% SALDI.

 

It was fun that night… we shop till we drop. I didn’t get many items but I got a nice bag and 1 purple scarf, and that’s enough for my souvenir I guess.

After shopping, we still had a little bit more time to say good-bye the city. We had dinner at the self service restaurant.

 

The next morning, we cached up the bus to the airport. Along the way I was secretly waving a good-bye this city. I don’t know when I will come back, but I have already packed all good memory about the city back with me and after I promised to write down every detail I can remember. When someday I lost the picture of Italy or I can’t remember the detail I would read it again.

 

We reached the airport, but unfortunately I stumble and fall at the street in front of the airport. I walked a couple of steps, and then collapsed in a heap on the floor.

 

I found that my leg still wasn't working properly when I stood up, and I had to drag it behind me to the airport. Well, at least I was pretty clam, but yes fall wasn’t exactly a pleasant experience for me.

 

My colleague asked the check-in if the flight isn’t full, then we can have 3 seats and then I can rest my feet a bit.

 

The way back was faster, I still enjoyed the meal on the airplane even it was really hurts.

 

Anyway, when I arrived at Bangkok, the airport still working properly … and everything still ok.

I sink back in my bed, before start thinking about anything again my head was preparing in a shutdown mode, before I whispered to myself “Welcome back home!”

                                                                                                                             

 

The second day, we decided to explore Milan, after exhausted from the trip to Venice. We woke up in the early morning and took the subway to Duomo. We went to see our hotel, coz I need to move at the early morning of 17^th Jan, coz we decided to stay more 1 night to explore Milan. We booked from the internet and had no idea about where it is. Our guide was being helpful on this.

 

Soon enough after we reached the station, we found hotel name Verona. It wasn’t really difficult to find coz it’s near by the city center.

Since in Milan, the Milan Cathedral is only one sightseeing that we know, and Duomo is the second largest Catherdral in the world, the first one is in Spain. No doubt that we went to see it very much. We can find many shops and restaurants.  

 

I really think that the gothic style cathedral is really good combination with pigeons. Inside the cathedral there’s huge quantity of monuments and artworks too. I had a good time and feel the peace.  The entrance to Duomo is free but there is a charge for going up to the roof.  But it was too cold and windy so we didn’t try going up there. They said that the back of Duomo is really beautiful too. So far we only be there at the front.

 

 

After visiting Duomo we walked pass by the brand name shops such as Gucci, Prada, Louis Vitton and those expensive restaurants. I feel alive again… just window shopping is worthwhile for me already, since I enjoy just looking at them. *tee hee*

 

There is a place that you should also visit Sforza Castle. The castle has 4 towers and walls.  I don’t know much the story behind it but I enjoyed walking thought. There were a black guys in front of the castle approach us and try to sell us something, but we didn’t buy it. Along the side walk, we have seen they are selling an items such as bags and so on and then the police cames they run very fast, they even leave their items on the street. *hehe*

 

We had lunch later, after the Castle. I had a chance to try

pasta this time. It was yummy, and my colleague ordered the typical menu, I don’t remember the name coz everything looks really hard to remember for me since it is Italian. As well as the Coffee Ice with Whipped Cream. (granita di caffè con panna).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Granita di caffè con panna

2 comments

Anyway, some of Italian coffees that I know are

- Caffè Espresso – Strong coffee comes with a small cup.
- Caffè Americano – American style, really strong, large cup.

- Caffè doppio – Double Espresso.

- Caffè latte – Coffee with hot milk, large cup for breakfast.

- Cappuccino – Espresso combine with steam milk. (Only Morning, not after lunch or dinner like I did. :P )

- Granita di caffè con panna - more like beverage, has a whipped cream on top of and then coffee or chocolate.

 

 

 

We went back to our hotel a bit late, but before that we enjoyed our ice-cream and also hot chocolate near the shopping center

I think I learn more about Milan, beside the 2^nd largest city in Italy, the city represent Design and Fashion. But still have anything else to enjoy like coffee, art and italian’s  life style.

 

I heard that Milanese is really hard to see in Milan. But most of people are come from another city but work in Milan or stay in Milan. Sound like Bangkok to me. I think this is happen with every city that has a business area.

 

The transportation is one thing that are interesting… Those Trams look very classic and still in use. Milan also have the subway in many lines, M1 – red, M2 green and M3 – yellow. Which easy to remember. Milan also has a taxi, all are the same color, white. It’s difficult to find thought. You need to call them in advance.  The large internation airpart known as Malpensa International Airport (MXP), a bit far from the city center, you can take a shuttle bus around 7EUR .

 

  

 

I am not really in a mood of writing these days. But I think at least I should write about my trip to Milan coz people have some questions regarding my trip. Thanks so much for being so supporting! I am having fun telling you all about this country anyway... so let's start!

 

The purpose of my trip was to meet my client in Italy; I have been involved with the project. My trip is from 8 – 19 JAN. I have about 3 days to explore the country, the rest is working days.

 

I arrived at Malpensa international airport after spend almost 12 hrs on Singapore airline. It was such a pleasant flight, and comfortable. And well, yeah the ticket was expensive and fully booked. I guess people just got back from the New Year celebration and so on.

 

I kind of remember that I spent many hours watching many movites such as Mama mia, Night in Rodanthe, The Duchess, and on the way back I watched The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2, unfaithful and so on…

 

If I remember it correctly, I was eating too many things they served in flights but the main menu was deliciously. So everything makes my 12 hrs goes by smoothly.

 

The guy at immigration didn’t even look at my passport and I arrived, he was just too busy with talking to his buddy and It was too early in the morning, so then who cares?  He gave me back my passport and didn’t even look at me… just easy like that. Why would I request for a visa and paid 3000Bath then? Hehe

 

I arrived at the hotel name Contessa Jolanda by Taxi. The hotel was a bit out of town but still super expensive, 120EUR per person. So I and my friend stayed separated. It doesn’t make any sense to stay together and they charge per person anyway.

 

Talk about the hotel, they served the same breakfast everyday. So I need to ate toasts and boiled eggs for a week! Hahaha… but I am fine and I lost my weight by then.

 

When it comes to work, I was always thinking that an airline consultant wasn’t originally my field or what I graduated. So I let myself go on with a lot of pressures which try so hard to be successful in what am I doing. Which isn’t good after alll…. The thing was I found out I have some problem with my stomach has some symptoms; I think it was a critical one. I had bloody diarrhea.I was really

 

scared and worried. But I can’t go to the hospital coz I need to go meet my client and work with them for the whole week. It wasn’t really good for me at all; it brings me a lot of dizziness and so on.

 

Anyway, after 3 days those symptoms was all gone. I felt ok once again.

 

I had a chance traveling to Venice at the first weekend. It tooks about 3 hours from Milan to Venice. My colleague from Zurich makes his effort to come to Milan and be our guide. I am so thankful him. In Italy I don’t think you can be happy without speaking the language. Coz Italian people don’t speak English. But I like them that way, just that I can’t communicate with them so when I ordered something I will get another thing instead…. Hehehe…

 

But my colleague was really a good guide, he could speak many languages, including Italian so make us get everything we want, especially what’s on the menu. ;)

 

Venice or Venezia was a wonderful town. I really like the landscapes. It’s beautiful and romantic by itself. Pity that I don’t have much time to stayed longer. I am so think that if I could come back next time by my own I would have to manage to stay longer.  Anyway, it was fun and I was really having a good time.

 

We had dinner at the Italian restuarant in Milan, they serves the typical Italian foods. I have been told that most of Italian food are beef. So I lost my chance again by ordering something typical. I did manage to order spaghetti with mussel; it was good taste but it wasn’t the same as Italian restaurant in Bangkok anyway. It was difference, but how it looks is pretty much the same. If you happened to come to Bangkok then please try Italian foods there and let’s compare.

 

Anyway, most of the time I didn’t enjoy foods but I enjoyed people and the environment… not just because Italian people are good looking and fashionable, but actually I kind of think they look a bit serious and cold though. But I just love seeing something difference from where I came from and together with the feeling that I am amongst these people, how much am I difference to them.

 

I think culture and language are really something important in Italy or everywhere. And even the country itself looks like they are barely promote themselves, but many tourist comes to them anyway.

 

Well, they don’t speak English and that’s why it does makes things difference. Once in your life time stay away from the people who speak the same language as your (but never try to understand each other) that would be worthwhile. J

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HAHA... This makes me laugh. I've got this pic from Tom, my colleague. He said that he thought about me when he saw the airplane at Milan...  lol

 

I just wana update about the situation in Thailand a bit. Well, after we got the main airports back. We also got a new PM since yesterday-- and everything is back as normal. (I hope)

 

Bangkok now is getting a little cooler and I am really happy with the weather. J

And already in the mood of the holidays, =) i didn’t plan yet what to do on new year

 

I think I’m gona send out the X’mas & New Year cards to a special friend. So to all voxer, If you don’t mind me send you a card then please let me know. please leave your address by email or private message or leave it here.

 

I’m gona send it out next week, hopefully it will be arrived on time. ;)

Sorry to collecting it so late, I was busy for the whole month.

 

I’m going to Milan early next month, still need to request for a visa and everything. It seems like in Milan is cold already… I don’t know if I can bear that. Anyway  will update you guys about that after I am back. =)