Love and Be Loved

The Moon Represents my Heart sung by the late Ms Teresa Teng.

Ms Teresa Teng was my mom's favourite chinese singer. For years, I grew up listening to this song on radio and later on cassette player when my mom would play it all the time.

I think many of us who grew up in Asia in the mid 70s would know or heard of this song and know of Teresa Teng.

We just got back from Guangzhou, China last Friday afternoon. A short and sweet mini honeymoon sort of holiday. I chose to be this time because its cold in China. We stayed at the Furama Hotel. And quite close to the river where many locals and tourists flocked there to 'romance' under the stars at night or just to sit there and watch the world go by.

I had intended that we go there too..but my knee suddenly misbehave and I was in pain. I couldn't walk very far, and even if I did, I literally took baby steps and very slowly too. I took him to places I would go whenever I travel to Guangzhou alone in the last couple of years. The places I go to eat my breakfast, lunch or even dinner. And I took time to tell him of the things I do to keep my mind off on the family when I was alone in Guangzhou.

Benny literally walked the steps I took..in Guangzhou. Seeing where I have been, places I have gone to shop or just unwind.

However, due to my knee problem, he also took small steps with me. We did the usual tourist thing like going to Beijing Lu(a tourist belt in Guangzhou). Beijing Lu is similar to our Singapore's Orchard Road area. But I was in pain, so he said "let's go back to the hotel to rest. Unless you want to shop and buy things?"

And I said:

"We didn't come to Guangzhou to hibernate in the hotel!"

and then he said :

"But I am tired and tourist shopping for clothes, shoes is not my thing"

But I knew..he was concerned of me. The first 2 days we walked in the bitter cold in our wind breakers and thick coats to have breakfast. Then by the 3rd day, my knee just 'give way'

And he got up early and said :

"I will go and buy breakfast. What do you like to eat?"

We had dinner with friends..with the freight forwarders who handles our shipment. They are more like family to me than business associates. For years, I have treated them like my sisters and brothers. And while we were there, they ferry us around town and brought us round to shop too.

I didn't take any photos with Benny..just photos of him eating. And everytime he digs his spoon or chopsticks into any meal, he would say something like :

'Its good..but it lacks something..."

and then I would go "What? too salty? too oily?"

"No, it lacks the chilli sauce you made for me."

We spent 4 days in Guangzhou China. We rekindled our old courtship days..of us walking hand in hand, doing things for each other. With him opening car door for me or shopping door for me, Waiting for me while I buy chinese junk food to eat.

For 4 wonderful days, Benny make me feel like a million dollars. My love tank filled..to the brim. My batteries re charged. And then on the way back..in the air plane, he said to me

"Let's do this again..maybe later this year.."


Benny having his breakfast at this dim sum joint I frequent..


The next day(2nd day), he ordered his favourite Chives and Minced Pork dumplings...


He waits for me while I took photos of kitty, cats by the road side..letting me do the things I enjoy doing.



and even though he doesn't like pastries and cakes or KFC, he just wanna try every silly thing I did when I was travelling and working alone in Guangzhou China

This is the Portuguese tarts by KFC. We had to order KFC meals just to get these tarts.



And though he prefers normal steamboat over Mala Pot, he just had to try this once just to please me





Even at the Departure hall at Baiyuan Airport, I said must try this cafe's food..so he did.






So to end this post..if you were me..wouldn't you feel that the world stood still for 4 days and your love for that special someone was worth it all?

That's what I felt..Happy, Contended and still very very happy...as if still in honeymoon. And mind you, we are married for 24 years now.

Tomorrow, Suzie will be visiting our shop..the same friend of mine who brought Benny to me..