Tonight, I was truly tempted by what I saw at the red light district in Amsterdam. Ladies, dressed in nothing but bikinis, displayed themselves behind glass panels for gawking men to make their decisions.
I felt pretty uneasy for these ladies, who even though depended on this profession to make a living, be looked upon as objects of purchase or exhibits in a showroom.
As my eyes met with one of them, I felt the ancient sin of lust slowly overwhelming me. As I told Jason, it was as if her eyes gave out electric currents, enticing me. I immediately smiled and looked away, unable to believe what just happened in seconds that seemed to me like a few minutes.
As we walked down the street, we saw more and more of them. Thankfully none of them possessed the seductive skills that I experienced a few metres back..Smiles were exchanged between us as they looked on with hopeful eyes on each batch of tourists passing them by. I made it a point to at least smile at them, acknowledging them and greeting them as how normal people behave.
I left early with Jiajie, and was glad that he made the return with me. For I knew that had I gone back alone, I MIGHT have ended up in one of those rooms lining the streets in Amsterdam's famous red light district...
Friday, July 31, 2009
Crazy weather in a crazy place
I am currently in an Amsterdam library sponging off the free internet service to type this post =] Amsterdam does indeed fulfil its labels of sex and drugs; however, it is also a very beautiful place in its own right. The people here are very friendly (the friendliest so far since Zurich), and the streets filled with endless surprises...I got 2 books here for €12! What a steal! =]
Drizzling rain occur once every 45mins-1hr, and the temperature cooling. The gang and I reached Amsterdam last night at around 11:30pm after a very eventful 7hrs train ride which almost saw us stranded in Frankfurt, Germany due to the delay in departure of our train. Thankfully, all things worked to our favour and we managed to board the connecting train to Amsterdam. We made our way to the hotel to check in and subsequently decided to look for dinner as we were starving.
The Burger King at the station near our place was closed for the night after we walked back to check. Disappointed, we took a slow stroll back to our hotel. Melvin then spotted a sign that read 'MacDonalds', and so with hopes rekindled, we took the path to the Golden Arches. It seemed like we were Harold and Kumar in search of White Castle late at night to satisfy our stomachs.
We took a long walk in the blistering cold of the night, braving the elements, with one goal in mind. The yellow globalised logo slowly revealed itself behind dark trees and bushes in the corner of a lonely street. Jason and I almost made a sprint for it! As we walked closer to the restaurant, our hopes grew; the lights were on, there were cars parked outside and the main gate was not locked. I was sure of leaving the place with a full stomach!
However, to my horror, MacDonalds was done for the night too...I shot for the stars, but failed to even land on the moon. We made our way back to the hotel cold, hungry and disappointed. I had Oreos and Milo powder to fill my stomach before turning in at 3:20am. What an adventure...
Anyhow, Jason and I will now be making our way to the Crumpler shop in search of his legendary leather Crumpler bag which cost a bomb. Jason is slowly consolidating his reputation as a spendthrift... =]
Drizzling rain occur once every 45mins-1hr, and the temperature cooling. The gang and I reached Amsterdam last night at around 11:30pm after a very eventful 7hrs train ride which almost saw us stranded in Frankfurt, Germany due to the delay in departure of our train. Thankfully, all things worked to our favour and we managed to board the connecting train to Amsterdam. We made our way to the hotel to check in and subsequently decided to look for dinner as we were starving.
The Burger King at the station near our place was closed for the night after we walked back to check. Disappointed, we took a slow stroll back to our hotel. Melvin then spotted a sign that read 'MacDonalds', and so with hopes rekindled, we took the path to the Golden Arches. It seemed like we were Harold and Kumar in search of White Castle late at night to satisfy our stomachs.
We took a long walk in the blistering cold of the night, braving the elements, with one goal in mind. The yellow globalised logo slowly revealed itself behind dark trees and bushes in the corner of a lonely street. Jason and I almost made a sprint for it! As we walked closer to the restaurant, our hopes grew; the lights were on, there were cars parked outside and the main gate was not locked. I was sure of leaving the place with a full stomach!
However, to my horror, MacDonalds was done for the night too...I shot for the stars, but failed to even land on the moon. We made our way back to the hotel cold, hungry and disappointed. I had Oreos and Milo powder to fill my stomach before turning in at 3:20am. What an adventure...
Anyhow, Jason and I will now be making our way to the Crumpler shop in search of his legendary leather Crumpler bag which cost a bomb. Jason is slowly consolidating his reputation as a spendthrift... =]
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Greetings from afar..
Hello friends! It has been a long while since I updated this space..hahas.. =] I will do a short reflection of the trip so far..Up till now, we have been to Zurich, Venice, Florence, Pisa, Rome and the Vatican city. I saw the actual picture above (blog title) with my own eyes! Hahas.,it was beautiful..Rome is such an unbelievable place..Imagine living alongside ancient ruins and architectural wonders! My goodness..
Yesterday, for the kick of things, we decided to check out the water-polo matches as the 13th FINA World Championships are being held here in Rome. The last match between USA and Italy was insane; the stadium was packed and the crowd jeered whenever the USA players got possession..Italy still lost in the end, proving that it takes more than just cheering to win a match.
So far, I have discovered things about myself that I thought were put away for good, things that I thought will never surface again..I was wrong. However, I am glad to be given the chance to discover them once again and to plan out my next step of action =]
I also wish to thank all the people who came to send us off that day..It was really touching to me and it really showed what friendship was all about. I love you guys! =] Till the next post, take care!
Yesterday, for the kick of things, we decided to check out the water-polo matches as the 13th FINA World Championships are being held here in Rome. The last match between USA and Italy was insane; the stadium was packed and the crowd jeered whenever the USA players got possession..Italy still lost in the end, proving that it takes more than just cheering to win a match.
So far, I have discovered things about myself that I thought were put away for good, things that I thought will never surface again..I was wrong. However, I am glad to be given the chance to discover them once again and to plan out my next step of action =]
I also wish to thank all the people who came to send us off that day..It was really touching to me and it really showed what friendship was all about. I love you guys! =] Till the next post, take care!
Thursday, July 02, 2009
All about the Influenza virus
After my morning nap from 9.30am-11.30am, I checked my email and to my surprise, I saw that there was a compulsory assessment that I had to take after reading up on an E-module from NUS school of Medicine regarding the Influenza virus. Cool beans! Even though I am pretty pissed that they are giving us this in the midst of my holidays, I am also quite interested in the topic! =] So here are some of the things you have to know about the virus..
The Influenza virus is an ancient virus that still continues to haunt mankind. In 1918, it killed anywhere between 50 and 100 million people and when autopsies were performed, the victims’ lungs were found to be blue and sodden - indicating death by drowning, apparently triggered by a massive overreaction of victims’ immune system to a new virus.
The world has become more vulnerable due to the one feature that most differentiates present day transmission scenarios from those in 1918: the advent of large-scale air travel.
In the old days, geographical distance at least provided a measure of protection as signs and symptoms had time to develop and those afflicted could be screened at border entry points. Today, with hardly an airport unreachable within 36 hours from any point on our planet, the speed - and pattern - of microbial movements has altered dramatically.
This pandemic will and can return to strike us; so much so that scientists tell us the question is not “if” but “when”? Many scientists are warning that the current H1N1 flu outbreak has all the hallmarks of a pandemic, there are others who say it may turn out to be no worse than the normal flu.
In her declaration of the present outbreak entering the phase 5 level of threat on 29 April 2009 (signaling a pandemic was imminent), WHO Director General made a reference to the fact that “it really is all of humanity that is under threat”. Was she exaggerating? Think about this and decide for yourself. For if and when the big pandemic flu finally hits us, it would be too late to realize that our complacency has not only been costly, but possibly terminal! Currently, the outbreak is in phase 6 level of threat, indicating a pandemic.
Hence, it is important to stay vigilant and informed. Some websites to stay tuned for information are: World Health Organisation (WHO), Ministry of Health (MOH) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The Influenza virus is very 'smart' as it can mutate leading to evolution of new strains in a process known as antigenic drift. This helps the virus to evade the immune system of its host and enables it to circulate in human population.
Also, the virus is capable of antigenic shift which is a process usually resulting when viruses from different host sources (e.g. humans, pigs, birds) concurrently infect the same host and are allowed to mix. The resulting hybrid product's potential to wreck havoc depends on its virus virulence (potency or aggressiveness) and the ease of human-to-human transmission.
Human-to-human transmission occur primarily via droplet transmission or contact transmission. Droplets are produced during sneezing and can travel up to 1 metre before hitting the ground. Physical contact with an infected person through handshakes, hugging or kissing can direcly transmit the virus. Physical contact with inanimate objects that have been contaminated can indirectly transmit the virus too if you do not wash your hands prior to touching your nose, mouth or eyes.
It is hence important that we have social responsibility to the people around us. When we have flu-like symptoms, we should put on a mask, visit a GP and avoid crowded places. Every single person is important in combating the Influenza pandemic.
Also, to protect yourself from contamination, you should wash your hands not just frequently but thoroughly. Avoid touching your face unnecessarily and avoid touching surfaces that other people may have contaminated, such as escalator handles, door handles. If you are unable to avoid touching them, wash your hands thoroughly as soon as you can, and remember not to touch your eyes, nose or mouth. It is also recommended to avoid crowded places if you can help it and to keep rooms when ventilated.
All information cited are from the National University of Singapore's Department of Epidemiology and Public Health in collaboration with Centre for Instructional Technology.
The Influenza virus is an ancient virus that still continues to haunt mankind. In 1918, it killed anywhere between 50 and 100 million people and when autopsies were performed, the victims’ lungs were found to be blue and sodden - indicating death by drowning, apparently triggered by a massive overreaction of victims’ immune system to a new virus.
The world has become more vulnerable due to the one feature that most differentiates present day transmission scenarios from those in 1918: the advent of large-scale air travel.
In the old days, geographical distance at least provided a measure of protection as signs and symptoms had time to develop and those afflicted could be screened at border entry points. Today, with hardly an airport unreachable within 36 hours from any point on our planet, the speed - and pattern - of microbial movements has altered dramatically.
This pandemic will and can return to strike us; so much so that scientists tell us the question is not “if” but “when”? Many scientists are warning that the current H1N1 flu outbreak has all the hallmarks of a pandemic, there are others who say it may turn out to be no worse than the normal flu.
In her declaration of the present outbreak entering the phase 5 level of threat on 29 April 2009 (signaling a pandemic was imminent), WHO Director General made a reference to the fact that “it really is all of humanity that is under threat”. Was she exaggerating? Think about this and decide for yourself. For if and when the big pandemic flu finally hits us, it would be too late to realize that our complacency has not only been costly, but possibly terminal! Currently, the outbreak is in phase 6 level of threat, indicating a pandemic.
Hence, it is important to stay vigilant and informed. Some websites to stay tuned for information are: World Health Organisation (WHO), Ministry of Health (MOH) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The Influenza virus is very 'smart' as it can mutate leading to evolution of new strains in a process known as antigenic drift. This helps the virus to evade the immune system of its host and enables it to circulate in human population.
Also, the virus is capable of antigenic shift which is a process usually resulting when viruses from different host sources (e.g. humans, pigs, birds) concurrently infect the same host and are allowed to mix. The resulting hybrid product's potential to wreck havoc depends on its virus virulence (potency or aggressiveness) and the ease of human-to-human transmission.
Human-to-human transmission occur primarily via droplet transmission or contact transmission. Droplets are produced during sneezing and can travel up to 1 metre before hitting the ground. Physical contact with an infected person through handshakes, hugging or kissing can direcly transmit the virus. Physical contact with inanimate objects that have been contaminated can indirectly transmit the virus too if you do not wash your hands prior to touching your nose, mouth or eyes.
It is hence important that we have social responsibility to the people around us. When we have flu-like symptoms, we should put on a mask, visit a GP and avoid crowded places. Every single person is important in combating the Influenza pandemic.
Also, to protect yourself from contamination, you should wash your hands not just frequently but thoroughly. Avoid touching your face unnecessarily and avoid touching surfaces that other people may have contaminated, such as escalator handles, door handles. If you are unable to avoid touching them, wash your hands thoroughly as soon as you can, and remember not to touch your eyes, nose or mouth. It is also recommended to avoid crowded places if you can help it and to keep rooms when ventilated.
All information cited are from the National University of Singapore's Department of Epidemiology and Public Health in collaboration with Centre for Instructional Technology.
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