Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Mindless Chatter

I've been meaning to update my blog but I keep procrastinating and this annoys me because I genuinely genuinely want to go on a good blogging spree since I'm free from the shackles of university and exams.

I make university sound so teruk when it really isn't that bad..

So anyway!!

I just got back from a good 5 day trip to Barcelona and Paris with my sissypants. We left on the 20th and got back late last night. Phew! It's been tiring, all this traveling. Makes me wonder how singers do it with their tours and whatnot! It's hella exhausting. Ok fine so maybe they have their helpers to do their packing and unpacking and whatever but still! Traveling in itself is very memenatkan!

I'll blog more about Barcelona and Paris later in a different blog post, but right now I just wanted to make a post about my random 2 am mindless chatter.

If you've not heard of Sam Smith, please exit this blog and youtube the heck out of this guy! He's amazing and his music is so chilled and so cool and his voice so melodious, I can't even deal! My favourite is Nirvana and Stay With Me. His new album is pretty sick, so go have a listen!!! I might buy the album to bring home and have it in the car. The Nirvana song goes like, "Take me to Nirvaaaaanaaaaa" and everytime I'm so tempted to sing, "Take me to Nirwaaaaaaaanaaaaa" because I miss my favourite nasi daun pisang place, man. InsyaAllah, very very soon!!
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I'm very much into green tea now; I try make a cuppa every night because I heard how good it is for your skin so why not. Sure, it tastes like paper but I mean, when has anything healthy been sedap anyway???
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Any Grey's Anatomy fan here?????? The last Cristina Yang episode..... can someone please hold me!! I cried the whole damn episode; I really really cannot comprehend that there will no longer be Dr Yang in Seattle Grace (no, people, I refuse to call is Seattle Grace Mercy West nope, that's not what it is anymore ok)! I was soooo devastated and that episode just broke my heart. She's one of my ultimate favourite characters on the show and ughhhh, so much feels!!!!!
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I spoiled myself silly and got Argan Oil shampoo, conditioner, leave in treatment and heat protectant spray; basically the whole collection. And my hair is in suchhhhhh lush condition! I had my hair lightened by the ends because I've always wanted that ombré look. So I did. I bought the L'Oreal ombré kit and did it on my own. Didn't leave it for too long sebab I didn't want to go blonde all of a sudden. But it went pretty okay, not obvious, but it's there. ANYWAY, what I'm saying is that the chemicals did make my ends pretty dry but I was religiously on my Argan oil routine and it has helped wonders!! It really is magic in a pretty pink bottle...



So yeah, that's pretty much it! Will blog about ESP/FR soon !

xxxxxxx

Saturday, May 3, 2014

Monte Carlo, mademoiselle!


... and I'm done with my first year of university! I survived!! I did a paper in the morning and was done by lunch. So now I can blog and watch TV shows without the added guilt on my shoulders.

And yes, I can hear your "I hate you Nadia ughhhhh" far far away but don't worry, you'll be done with your papers soon enough! Hehe ;)

My last post was about my trip to Nice. Nice was basically the place we stayed throughout the whole trip but we made day trips to Monaco and Cannes. So today is blogging time for 'My trip to South of France Part Deux"

So, Monaco. I was looking forward to Monaco the most, I think just because I knew a little history behind it when I way way younger because my mum would tell me stories about their royalty and about Princess Grace. I was very fascinated about it all so to actually go to Monaco was thrilling.

And I think I can pretty much tell you that out of the 3 places we visited in France, Monaco was my ultimate favourite. The weather was amazing!!! The sun was shining, and the place was unreal. Beautiful beyond words, really. There were a lot more people touristing compared to in Nice so there was quite crowd wherever we went but I didn't mind because the place was just gorgeous!! I really couldn't come to terms just to how amazing Monaco is. Soooo picturesque wherever you go!

(L-R) Maryam, Zati, Sarah, Fatin, Me, Sofia and Nabilah


(L-R) Azam, Paan, Me, Tariq, Kanda (missing in photo : our French guide Fazmir!)

It was also very very very hot. Almost all of us had our shades on. It wasn't hot that you could sweat but it was hot that the sunshine was so strong, you almost felt burnt. I think we all had a tinge of tan after the trip. I have a tan line over where I wear my watch. And Kanda is tanned now!! Yay, a bit of colour on that boy! 

Basically, we walked all over and thanks to Fazmir (I really really thank him for everything lah because he's never been to Monaco too but he seemed so pro because we were all just following him everywhere we went!) we found the best view of the yachts and everything lah. I'm horrible when it comes to sightseeing because I never know what the place is called. (opens Google)

...

Ok, so we went to Place du Palais because the view was absolutely breathtaking. Like, honestly. You'd think postcards were all about photoshop and the websites promoting Monaco would atleast edit here and there to make the place look more attractive, right? YOU'RE WRONG. It was exactly true to what pictures look like. Heck, it's better than photos! Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous.









It was soooooo sunny! Haven't felt that much sunshine in so long so it was very nice! Very grateful that it didn't rain throughout our trip.

We had to climb up some more (panting and gasping by then... I should really do something about my stamina...... ok lol jokess) and we just couldn't help but stopping every 2 minutes for photos! There's nothing really I can add about the place; it's definitely something you HAVE to go and see for yourself.





The buildings all over Monaco were all so pretty; the pastel colours reminded me a lot of pretty cakes. The buildings looked like cakes!!! How do the French do it I don't even know...


Then we got to the top (finally!) and masya Allah, perfect! 





All of that and with perfect blue sky!!

I couldn't get enough of it.... but I got hungry so we went to go find food and found this small Italian restaurant in one of the petite restaurants in one of the many alleys. It's quite odd because we ate a LOT of Italian food in France. But then again what can be considered as French food? But the Italian food was really sedap so I wasn't about to complain! 

And then we walked some more. We walked to the Monte Carlo harbour for a closer look at all the yachts. We hung out there a bit before heading to the casino. But first! ICE-CREAM! We basically fed ourselves with endless ice-cream. It really is delicious lah I mean, this was like a random tepi jalan one ok! And it knocked Haagen Dasz out of the park! 


(me and my faithful ice-cream; mango flavoured of course!)

After finishing out ice-creams, we walked to the casino. And it was a long walk. For me, at least. I almost felt we walked all of Monte-Carlo (this is 97% exaggeration but this is me you're talking 'bout, of course I'll exaggerate) but the weather was so nice and I had great company so it wasn't too big of a deal. 

We finally reached the casino and it's so... so like the movies, y'know what I mean? Huge fancy cars parked outside and everyone was taking photos of the cars and then of themselves with the cars. If I owned such car, I don't know if I'd like people to get too close and friendly with it. But I'm sure they (the car owners) were LOVING the attention. Where do they even go that's the quetstion. Because we went in the casino and there wasn't many people. Granted, it was early evening but still! Where would they be?


So yes, we went into the casino and it's every bit like in the movies; gold, gaudy, slot machines, old guys in suits, Asian men with their lady friend rooting them on (only to quickly lose all their money to the card dealer... in like 3 minutes). I couldn't bring my camera in but it really is every datuk/datin's dream; the amount of gold the casino had was blindin'!

So after the Casino Square (yep, googled it), we headed home. Because we got a bit tired and hungry. Not before we got souvenirs of course. 
Me? In a gift shop? Please give me an hour.


Once we arrived in Nice, we decided to spoil ourselves silly with good seafood. So after Fazmir and Kanda went around to see the best menu; we finally settled at this place and we dined! 
The price was actually okay because the portion was generous and we all know how expensive seafood can be. 




Shucks, now I'm getting hungry.

All in all, the trip to Monaco and our second day in France was amazeballs. I think out of the three places we visited in France, Monaco was my favourite just 'cause besides being absolutely stunning, it just really lived up to my expectations ever since I was a little girl. I highly highly recommend the place to anyone; especially if you're a student in the UK, might as well take this opportunity of being here to go travel to less 'popular' places. They surprise you the most.


Monaco embodied the French so much; so effortlessly chic and cool. 
Man, I want to be like Monaco.