Reccos Chronicles, Part 5b: Eiffel 65-ed

The (mis)adventures of the €uro 8 continues, with some additions that Berd da Anaconda overlooked in the previous post. So the mantle falls onto me to provide a few alternative sides of the (anti)heros of this enterprise and a few anecdotes that we may or may not have known....

First up, a firm favourite amongst those who had the privilege to preview this mug shot.
I give you....

Contestant no. 1: Mr Bai aka Yz aka Snake.
Themes: "I got good KT" look, "Wanna-play-mj-tonight-the-weather-very-nice" look, "I-doing-13 Terminals-but-I-bluff-you-I-got-shit-tiles" look

Contestant no. 2: Teck Beng aka Beng aka Tabby Cat
Themes: "Sw/Berd just farted" look, "Jase/Tim talking cock again" look, "Goose looking at me weirdly" look, "I-just-threw-away-3-hong-zhongs" look

Contestant no.3: Bernard aka Berd aka Anaconda aka Mr "Fantastic"
Themes: "I feel like shitting" look, "I feel like farting" look, "I feel like smiling" look

Contestant no. 4: Shaowei aka Sw aka Regular aka Incredible Fart
Themes: "Better hold my breath before I fart" look, "I-think-I-just-farted-a-damn-power-one-so-I-should-hold-my-breath" look, "Who the heck can fart even more power than me?!?!?" look

Contestant no. 5: Jason aka Jase aka Oyster aka Spagna-tan
Themes: "Act cute" look, "Act very cute" look, "Trying to act cute but failing miserable look"

Contestant no. 6: Guosen aka Goose aka Iceman
Themes: "I think I got a lame joke" look, "What thy f**k" look, "I-think-I-better-pose-since-the-camera-is-facing-this-direction" look

Vote for your favourites please. There might or might not be a lucky draw, but if there is, the winner will walk away with a autographed cheque by the winner of the polls. If.
Btw, if you guys are wondering where the pictures of Timmy da Raunchy Wolverine and Seng the Hairy Spidey are.... you can't find them. Cos there weren't any. Don't ask me why. Right place wrong time I suppose.
Now back to the story...

After assuaging their perpetual hunger(well some of them at least) and having a fitful, albeit cold rest, the €uro 8 were eager to mount Paris-ians... I mean mount Paris, the very first stop that lie in their path of desecration was...

Ta-da!!! De Eiffel Tower!!!
If you find this picture familiar. Yesh! It was used in the last post, but since this was the first sight that was etched in our memories when we unloaded from the bus, it is Special...

Looking up at the bowels of the Eiffel.
Amazing what a ton of steel can be transformed into.

While some people caught the shutter-bug and started snapping away(Specimen A - Berd), there were some who caught the "hip-hop Now!"* bug and started dancing away(Specimen B - Yz). Or attempting to.
* The term "hip-hop Now!" originated from Ed aka Halal Pig during a soccer session at Lim Bang. The term was spontaneous, he just blurted it out when he saw Timmy attempting to hack the ball away in a somewhat constipated position whilst spinning and lying on the ground. *

While there were tourists who decided to take the easy(but more expensive way out) of getting to the top of the Eiffel, the €uro 8 was undaunted by the height of the monument, bolstered by the fact that walking up will save both time and $$, decided to trek up the tower.
Halfway through the halfway, they were regretting it already.
Halfway, most of the jackets were off.
And since they were more interested in making their way to the next level alive, photographic evidence was conspicously missing...

So what did they do when they reached the top?
Vent their anger on the structure that took away much of their youth, energy and sweat.
Plus they needed to mark their territory.

Just don't tell anyone else that we did it.

Some other random pictures...
When you see people becoming the size of ants, you know ya're pretty high up. Or quite blind.

The picture says it all. Whoa.

€uro 8 with the Eiffel as a magnificant backdrop...

And finally, a li'l something that Berd conjured up.
A series of breathtaking pictures from the top of the Eiffel fused together into one to deliver a paranormic view(digital unfortunately) of Paris.

Once again, the story will have to stop here, while the story teller attempt to salvage some sleep for work tomorrow(yes we do live in an inperfect world where one has to work to put the Macperson Prawn Mee into one's mouth, sigh.......).

Rejoin them, as they blazed to the next scene of sacrilege...

Till next time,
Timmy out

Les Chroniques RECCOS, Part 5a: Paris est magnifique!

Across the channel straight into Paris, we were first brought to our accommodation in downtown Paris admist the freakingly freezing cold, no less. 

"Of wood, simple et adéquat" best describe these small shacks, where tired souls retire and weary feet rest... Until an unfamiliarly uncouth mouth threatens to destroy everything peaceful, tranquil and serene...

Quote de la RECCOS (1):

"Eh cheebye close the door leh... " ~ Beng
Victim aka cheebye: Timmy.
Crime: Not closing door, when the cold wind blows.....

Those words coming from Beng, according to Timmy, felt like blessings from a pastor! But it was the first of many signs, as RECCOS €uro 8 would soon realise, how there was 1 rule for Teck Beng, and another for everyone else... And perhaps even a 3rd, just for BerD... LoL!!!
 
But that's not how we remember France and PARIS by! Hell no! We were soon greeted in the dining tent by 2 Contiki staff (cookies I suppose...) introducing to us, a local delicacy... Behold! La Escargots!

Quote de la RECCOS (2):

"When I was young, I like to garrm..." ~ Jase
And we all could see how and why... When cold wind blows.....

 

Following the dinner at the dining tent with argubly the best ever scrambled egg (Snake can testify to that!), we were taken on a night tour around the city centre of Paris on our beloved coach. Credits to Contiki, and our tour manager, Ryan (pronounced Reee-AH in French) in particular. Cos out on the night tour in Paris, we were shown the beautiful sights around Paris.

From Napoleon-built bridges marked "N" to cobberstone roads dating back to the 18th century, we were treated to a barrage of Parisan history, thick and fast. Typically, if you were to look left and right, up and down, behind and under you all at the same time, you'd realise that apart from Paris being perfectly symetrical about certain landmarks, they've got a long history behind every single building, every single sidewalk, every single street, every single bridge. 

I bet everyone here would agree, KUDOS to Ryan for such an elaborate rundown of Paris. And I particularly loved how he deliberately build up in us our awe of Paris, even conjuring up a lie to draw our attention to the left side of the coach; something about Napolean's right hand general's teddy bear that survived the test of time, still hanging by a window of a building belonging to some military institute (equivalent of our OCS), only to bukake right in our faces, Le Tour Eiffel!
 

It hit me, it hit me hard. That 1st full view of the Eiffel. THE EIFFEL YOU KNOW?! Bronze structure. Outrageously elegant. Simply magnificant. I dare say we had the best first-full-view of the Eiffel amongst the millions of tourists that visit Paris every year. I will be eternally grateful towards Ryan, for burning such a unique and memorable image of the Eiffel Tower in us, fitting for one of the most iconic landmarks of modern civilization...

We drove around to the front of the Eiffel Tower, past the entrance up towards the Arc de Triomphe, down the famous Avenue des Champs Elysees. A short detour allows us for a quick glimpse of the infamous Hotel Ritz. Following which, we went down towards Rue de Rivoli and through the centre courtyard of the grand Musee du Lourve and finally back the campsite to complete the night tour of Paris lasting approximately 2 hours. The shortest yet most enriching 2 hours of my life imho.

My Thoughts on Paris? Well, these French and Parisians... I'm jealous of them. Honest! So jealous of their city being classified as a "World Heritage Site" by UNESCO, I dont even blame them for feeling arrogant about their culture, history and most of all, their city. Cuz if I were a Parisian, I'd be so proud, you'd wish you would never have to meet such a bastard me in my city of Paris... First they have that Eiffel, visible from anywhere around the city centre of Paris. Grand and everything glorious. And then they had that Arc of Triumph - gawd I'm running out of words to describe these awesome monuments...

(Taken from http://www.paris.org/Monuments/Arc/. You can also read more about it at the mentioned webby!)

Yes and that Arc of Triumph. What a monument to commemorate their military achievements under Bonaparte Napoleon. Standing some 50m tall at the Western end of Avenue des Champs Elysees, the arch honours those who fought for France, particularly during the Napoleonic Wars. Looking back at the map in front of my keyboard now (also with the help of Wikipedia of cos...) I juz realised how the Arc is the linchpin of the historic axis (L'Axe Historique) — a sequence of monuments and grand thoroughfares on a route which goes from the courtyard of the Louvre Palace to the outskirts of Paris.

I cannot imagine that celebratory atmosphere surrounding the entire Paris, in particular the area around that very Arc and all along Avenue des Champs Elysees, when the French National team of 1998 paraded the coveted WORLD CUP down that stretch. I wonder how it would have felt as a French and as a Parisian there and then. I also wonder... With those wild celebrations, how many babies were made on that very night... LOLLLLL!

Back at campsite, 4 determined souls - Jase, Tim, mokie and BerD - spurred on by hunger, overcame all odds in the freezing cold to cook 4 packets of Singaporean Maggi curry noodles under the starry starry Parisian skies... What a fitting end to such a brilliant start (official start) of the Contiki European experience 2007. And if I may add... Somehow... Curry Maggi mee at night at 15~20 deg Celsius under those lovely stars >>> pwns your tower, your arc and your Lourve! GOOD NIGHT PARIS! Singapore 1 - Paris 0!

Reccos Chronicles, Part 4: Somewhere, beyond the sea...

We rejoin the €uro 8 after a good night(for some, the unlucky ones like me, Berd da Anaconda and Goose da CK Model for the night were subjected to the systematic snoring of Sw aka the Incredible Snore) where they prepare to embark on their next area of conquest.
The port of Dover. Seeing that none of the €uro 8 possess the power to part sea/ocean/water(the closest being Sw who can produce a lot of water and Goose who can freeze the water with his cold jokes), a ship the size of Noah's Ark(or thereabouts) was to be the mode of transport across the English Channel.

Farewell England!

What can 8 guys do on board a ship? Take pictures of cos!

*Note the hand on top of Timmy's head. I've been lao gan-ed by Beng!!!!!!

Not forgetting our ever ready photographer Berd, who is doing some weird pose here.

*Ok own up. Who took this tak glam picture one. Damn accurate portrayal of Berd sia!!!

Like all great adventures, there must be obstacles to be cleared, problems to be solved, maidens to be ravished... I mean rescued, blah blah blah.

For the €uro 8, they faced one of their greatest problem that will plague them for the rest of the trip.

They had to grapple with the dilemma of...

To eat or not to eat.

Tell me. Honestly.

Tell me that you can resist not eating after looking at those oh-so-greasy-and-unhealthy-but-so-friggin'-delicious stuff there.

Coupled with the fact that the €uro 8 have not had breakfast. Or did they? But no matter, they're a bunch of hungry devils anyway...

Behold!

The most expensive(I suppose) breakfast we had!

A grand total of........... £ 7!!! That would have mean a staggering SGD$21 bucks?!?!?!?! (note: lim bei really can't remember exactly how much. But I think it was this amount, shout out if the numbers are wrong...)

Holy sh*t!!!!

For that amount of money I could probably have breakfast for a whole freaking week in Stinkapore!!!

But no matter... a hungry man is a horny... I mean ANGRY man. So we made the right choice in eating. I suppose...

After breakfast, it was another round of scenery viewing(yah, like there was anything else to see other than the sea), cam-whoring(ie: Yz the Snakey Cam Whore), smoking(Timmy and Berd), and of cos, some random shots. Like this:

A excellent example of good parenting. Keep those li'l thingys on a leash. Best if can stuff the hole in their face(which I suspect is the mouth but you never know, these diminutive terrors have a different biological composition from us. They have more mouth than face, if not, how you explain the noise these caterwauling calamities produce)

So cute~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That was to be our first encounter with anything French.
Bonjour France~~~~~~

Once again, we leave the €uro 8 to prepare for their disembarkment, and wait for them on the shores of the land where the snails you get to see are on a dinner plate in front of you...

Till next time,

Timmy out

The Reccos Chronicles, Part 3: Bed, dinner and 1 night in UK

We rejoin the €uro 8 after a short break(due to the fact that the ONLY story teller here was in Vietnamese... I mean, in Vietnam exploring the different er.. culture and stuff. But that's another story) and we find them in the first country of their conquest, the gateway to the rest of the region, a land where the denizens actually speak in a language that is understood by the €uro 8.

I give you: England!Contrary to belief, the €uro 8 did not spawn from the bowels of the earth and were unleashed upon the world through this building. This houses the form of transport(ie: the Tube) that ferried the €uro 8 from the airport to their area of residence.

All my backs are packed, I'm ready to go...

Our residence for the night. The Generator!!! (if you ask me it sounds kinda lame...)

So the place for the night was settled, and with the bags all unloaded, the next logical thing for the €uro 8 to do was....

Yes. Look for food.
Cheap(by the native standards), wholesome(my ass!) food.

Call it a divine intervention, a stroke of luck, or just plain geographical location, there was a shop at the corner just outside the hostel, and that was where the €uro 8 had their first taste of Europe...

Looking at this picture, one might be misled to think that food can be sexy.

Seeing that I just had dinner, we'll skip the pictures on food and more food, focusing our attention to what happened after dinner.

Which was a short walk to the supermarket and a tour around the neighbourhood...

While some of us decided to capture the scenes of the nightlife with an accoutrement known to the masses as a camera, the others decided to explore other aspects of the 'vibrant' scene...

Sw the Incredible Fart trying out the paraphernalia in the middle of the street which opened up to reveal a............ toilet.

Kudos for the Incredible Fart for bravely gone where no man has gone for the spirit of adventure. Though I must say the toilet does smells a tad nicer than his fart sometimes...

Others like Jase the Spagnatan prefer to check out the various options for a somewhat *ahem* unique evening.

There are some who very much prefer to just pose for the camera.

This one looks like he just woke up, or going to sleep, or shagged, or promoting his boxers, or tshirt, or specs. Damn I can't tell.

Here we leave the €uro 8 again, for them to catch up on some sleep, before they embark on their next stage of their European Conquest...

See you in France.

--Timmy out

The Reccos Chronicles, Part 2: March of the Teen Soldiers

They came from nowhere.
Well, actually they did come from somewhere, somewhere in Tampines, in a coffeeshop, watching the Champions League finals, which led to a slight compromise in their timing hence forcing Timmy to give up on precious smoking time and most importantly, the chance to buy a whole chunk of duty free ciggys. Sigh...

The flight timing that will be the start of everything foreign.

Some of us were positively excited and beaming, like this handsome dude here, grinning from ear to ear. Oh wait, that'll be me.

While others were doing last minute manicures(ala Jase), there were some individuals who were slowly discarding their facades and exposing the inner gay... erm... I mean deviant nature, as can be seen from this captured moment from Goose.

"Thumbs up for my zhi moh 5 tais!!!"

Xw, one of the proud member of RECCOS who came down to send off the bunch of misfits so that he can have a bit of peace and quiet without us around.

Ed, our resident camera man. Taking a shot of us for memory sake(actually he wanted to finish up the film so that he can develop them).

The whole chink gang of us. Thank you Xw, Ed and Pei Pei for coming down to send us off. Special thanks to Xw for helping me carrying the friggin heavy book home, although it did made me quite boring-ed in Euro...

Fast forward to Doha, we'll see...

Worst airline ever. Qatar. Bad service, f**ked up food. And the whole friggin plane is full of shit...(muds i mean)

What's there to see in Doha? The sun(what sun?), the sand(plenty of it) and the shit(just look around and you'll see there walking everywhere)

During the transit, some of us decided to pursue a more intellectual mean of whittling away time. Here's a snapshot of Snakey in a more serious pose. We highly suspect he magicked his mahjong KT book to look like an ordinary book bought from the shelves of Kino.

Others like us decided that card games were the best means to idle away time.

Evidently, we have some selected individuals who prefer the good ole' method of scratching one's arse while waiting for time to pass, epitomized by our man whore model of the moment: Officer Mok

This, was the dreary start that the €uro 8 experienced....

--Timmy out