1 Out of 7 Billion
The world is getting smaller everyday but a lifetime is not enough to explore it. My adventure starts in Singapore.
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The New Miss Universe 2009
August 24, 2009
Another pageant is over.
Miss Universe 2008, Dayana Mendoza (Venezuela)
Sadly, 83 contestants go back home empty handed. Only consolation is that they can now relax their facial and arm muscles after the month-long smiling and waving.
The following made it to the Top 15 but competed only for swimsuit as they didn’t make it to the next round.
15. Iceland (7.730)
14. Croatia (7.811)
13. Sweden (7.830)
12. Belgium (7.870)
11. Albania (7.900)
The following made it to the evening gown competition. Score for such round in parenthesis.
Top 10
10. USA (7.550)
9. Switzerland (7.890)
8. Czech Republic (8.010)
7. South Africa (8.040)
6. France (8.650)
Top 5
4th runner up : Puerto Rico (#7 in swimsuit, #3 in evening gown)
Mayra Matos Perez (Photo courtesy of Miss Universe website)
3rd runner up : Australia (#1 in swimsuit, #4 in evening gown) – my favorite
Rachael Finch (Photo courtesy of Miss Universe website). #1 in swimsuit so thought I'd better have the right photo here.
2nd runner up: Kosovo (#3 in swimsuit, #2 in evening gown)
Gona Dragusha (Photo courtesy of Miss Universe website)
Announcement of the 1st runner up… this is the time when each contestant secretly hopes the other one will be called!
1st runner up: Dominican Republic (#2 in swimsuit, #1 in evening gown)
Ada Aimee De La Cruz - important role as 1st runner up hehe (Photo courtesy of Miss Universe website)
Miss Universe 2009
Venezuela (#4 in swimsuit, #5 in evening gown)
I've never seen the same country winning two consecutive years. See how ecstatic Miss Universe 2008 (also from Venezuela) is...
Also my first time to see the new crown falling all the way down to the stage!! At least, no one slipped during the evening gown competition this year.
Congratulations to Stefania Fernandez!
Useless info:
- Only 0.16 separated the score of Albania (#11) and USA (#10) during the swimsuit competition. Had Albania flirted a little bit more onstage, she could have gone to round 2. :p
- 0.19 difference between Venezuela (#5) and France (#6) during the evening gown competition. Venezuela almost didn’t make it to the Top 5
- All of the Top 10 contestants (except 2, Venezuela and USA) were 5’9″ and above!
This year, they wanted to be techie by using Skype for one of the final questions. Riyo Mori, Miss Universe 2007 was on it. Not so glam looking though.
Riyo Mori from Japan
Contestants from Venezuela train for one year before they are fielded into a pageant. Stefania seems to have been well trained even in knowing when to pause for her Q&A response to be interpreted. I think it’s a clever move as typically the response gets lost in translation (have seen that happen too many times).
This is her cue for the interpreter to begin translating. Notice the look?
I was hoping Miss Philippines would enter the semifinals. All the best, Bianca Manalo. Maybe you have a showbiz career ahead of you back in Manila.
Miss Singapore's National Costume. This is better than last. Not sure what's in store for 2010 (Photo courtesy of Miss Universe website)
This section is for women who are both “beauty & brains”. Remember to place your right hand on your right hip while answering the following questions asked during the final round. I’ve indicated Miss Venezuela’s answer for your reference.
1) According to the World Health Organisation, there is an urgent need to do HIV testing around the world. Do you believe that HIV testing should be made mandatory?
2) Tonight you were judged on how you looked in bathing suit. In some countries, women are not allowed to wear swimsuit. How does that make you feel?
3) Has being a beautiful woman made your life easier or has it prevented people from talking you seriously in business situations?
4) In many parts of the world, obstacles still exist that inhibit women from achieving their goals in some corporations. What can women do to overcome this?
Venezuela’s answer (translated) : “I believe that nowadays, we women have overcome many obstacles. And I do believe we have reached the same level as men have. We must realise that there are no longer any barriers among us.”
5) Pop superstar Justin Timberlake once said, “The worst thing about being famous is invasion of your privacy.” What is it about fame that makes many people including you, want to be famous?
Hong Kong
August 11, 2009 — 2 Comments
I had been thinking of heading to HK for a few days and I finally did it. I decided to book a flight one week before the actual trip so I didn’t get to fly with my favorite airline as the suitable flights were fully booked.
Instant holidays are costly (more expensive air tickets, lesser time to research clean but reasonably priced hotels, etc). However, having a relaxing trip and doing what I really wanted to do (shopping, spending time on my own, catching up with friends & meeting new ones) is truly satisfying.
Welcome back to HK! (Photo taken in one of the newer posh areas near Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui
I was impressed at my ability to go on impulse and whirlwind shopping.
After 1.5 days of :
- hopping from one train to another and enduring the congested MTR walkways
- shielding myself from the sun
- sweating like a pig(let)
- exercising my arm muscles with the clothing-filled bags; and
- eventually forgetting I had set a shopping budget …
I felt the need not to do anything much on my 3rd and last day. I just walked around a few areas with very minimal purchase and had a haircut (as I was seriously getting bored).
Some interesting info about my trip:
- Number of hours being restless in the plane : 3 hours (most of the Singapore to Hong Kong journey)
- Number of people met : 5 friends (including 3 new ones) + 2 acquaintances
- Liquor : only 2 bottles of beer and 1 cocktail over two night outs (really don’t like drinking)
- Favorite train stops : Central, Causeway Bay, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong
- Pleasant discovery : IFC Mall near Hong Kong station, Jia Hotel in Causeway Bay
- What I wanted to do but ran short of time : Explore Lantau Island (I attempted but could not get out of Citygate outlet mall) ; clubbing
- First set of purchases : 2 Gorilla pods (funky short tripod for electronic gadgets) and a Belkin adaptor for multiple iPods
- Last purchase : Pictionary Man boardgame – believe it or not, I got the item from a shop next to my boarding gate. And I thought I was done with shopping by the time I reach the airport.
Thanks to Ron and William for hanging out with me during the weekend and for introducing their friends to me during my trip.
Photos
1) Accommodation
Jia Hotel, 1-5 Irving St, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong ( http://www.jiahongkong.com/JIA.html )
Thanks to Vincent A for the recommendation!
Jia Hotel is the 1st boutique hotel in Asia designed by Philippe Starck
The other side says "Seriously Messed Up" :p
Playing around in the lobby
2) Shopping
IFC (Nearest station: Hong Kong)
City Super -mostly food. I bought some useless stuff from this place.
Club 21 Outlet @ Citgate Outlet Mall (Nearest station: Tung Chung)
Harbour City (Nearest station: Tsim Sha Tsui)
3) Catch Up’s and Walkabouts
With good HK buddies - William and Ron
Cathy and Lydia - new friends I met during my trip
The bar we went to had some function rooms -- Heaven, Hell, Eden. Took a photo of my target destination.
Awesome Sunday night food in the Whampoa area
With William, Larry, and Ron
Drinks by the harbour. Panasonic Lumix at its best.
Haircut at HH Il Colpo Group (Harbour City mall)
This is the "benchmark" hairstyle. You have to see me in person to confirm if the result is the same!
4) Random
Ad for the HK subway system
Yeah, clean is in.
Taken at IFC mall. These kids were initially body slamming the in-house ad, with parents watching them from a few meters away. The kids were acting like human mops here.
"End of the world" scene. Rainy Monday afternoon in HK.
Best dessert I've tasted in recent memory. Too bad, I have to travel all the way to HK for this one.
Also took two days of leave and spent them in Singapore so I could say I was able to rest, re-energise, and enjoy the local scene before heading back to work.
Happy Birthday Singapore!
August 2, 2009 — 4 Comments
Singapore turns 44 on Sunday, 9 August. Since the holiday falls on a Sunday, there won’t be school/work on Mon, 10 August. Long weekend!
A few weeks ago, I downloaded the first photo (see below) and used it as my Mac wallpaper. Consider me nationalistic even if I’m not a Singapore citizen.
The theme/slogan for this year is “Come Together : Reaching Out, Reaching Up” .
I also like this year’s theme song “What Do You See” , English version sung by Electrico, a local band.
You can download the video and MP3′s (including Chinese version) at http://www.ndp.org.sg
I moved to Singapore in 2006 and the theme song then was ”My Island Home“, sung by Kaira Gong. Believe it or not, I know the lyrics by heart !
The weekend prior to the actual National Day Parade, an NDP Preview Show is held. I was very lucky to have seen the NDP 2006 preview show especially since tickets are not sold (only raffled off or if one can get invites through a participant).
It was an important event as it convinced me that Singapore will be my new and permanent home.
Before I end this entry, let me share with you a very popular NDP song (1998) — “Home” sung by Kit Chan. I first heard it on Singapore Idol some time ago when Kit Chan was a guest there. Have since become familiar with it, I guess since I consider it as my personal theme song while in Singapore…
See the video (with lyrics)
