You would’ve been 70 today….

if you were still alive….Oh Loe dau, we would have been celebrating your birthday with a big party today,…or maybe you would have been fishing since today is Sunday…Happy Birthday..wherever you are…I know you would be celebrating today humbly as you always did…

If you were alive, I can imagine..your grandchildren would have been ecstatic, gearing for the cake cutting session, fighting for the spot nearest to the cake all of them will be fighting to blow the candles and I can imagine you standing close by beaming from ear to ear…You definitely would be a great grandfather (of course, since you were a great dad), and naturally the kids would have loved you to bits..

If you were alive…I wonder, which cake will I bake for you today…hmmm…most probably a cheese cake since I remember you loved to eat ‘em…I recall the day when I first baked a cheese cake and brought it to you in the office. You said these words…

“Did you keep some for your mother? You should you know, she’s the one with the money…I don’t have money and I don’t have properties…so make sure you bring some home for her…remember ah…”

You always say stuff like that even though I tried my best to be nice..but I know you never meant to be mean of course. I knew you really appreciated the stuff I made, even though it didn’t taste very good, you were always ready to criticise, saying it was so bad, the dog too didn’t even want to eat it..but I know you were proud of me…were you? I don’t recall how many times I have tried to poison feed you with the many things I baked/cooked, but I remember that you ALWAYS criticised…but I never took the criticism badly cos I know you loved me too much to hurt me..

If you were alive..

if you were alive….I would have hugged you, as I don’t think I have hugged you before…and also say this…

“Happy birthday my dear Loe Dau…I love you so much….”

3 nights at Inzago, Italy

This was like my shortest, nope, the Bangalore trip was the shortest but for Europe, just 3 nights? Yes, can be the shortest overseas trip ever. Definitely not for holiday, it was a working trip with half a day of sight seeing and shopping squeezed in. My last trip to Milan was 2006 and of course the traffic was just as bad on the motorways and the roads out of the motorways are also as small as ever..but one thing is very familiar…TOLLS!

Upon reaching I was expecting some Italian hunk holding up my supplier’s name welcoming me but sorry he was not only an uncle, but a very short uncle with a big belly! He was driving very politely, so unlike the normal Italians who speed and curse on the road! We couldn’t communicate at all as he knows no English. It was a  silent and boring 1 hour drive.

My driver for 3 days..

Upon reaching the factory, I was indeed impressed as it was really big! The Marketing Manager came down to greet me and he was as handsome as ever despite being an uncle oso..hahahahhaa…I was served with some water and we started work immediately. I did catch some sleep on the flight so it was alright that we started work.

Lunch was good ol Italian pasta…yumz and of course a bonus was with a handsome guy eating with me…wakakakaka..I was being stared at as it’s quite rare to have someone Asian looking around that neighbourhood.

It’s so yummy…the cherry tomatoes tasted sooo good, so sweet…no wonder my kids spit out the ones we get from the supermarkets here…

After lunch it was back to work till about 5pm. The same guy who picked me up sent me to the hotel. It was a family run hotel beside a river, very peaceful surroundings, quite a pretty little room and very impressive bathroom! I was really tired & sleepy by then so I quickly had a quick shower and then whipped out my Korean Cup Noodles and went out to get some hot water. After the noodles, I was in la-la land…eventhough it was about 6.45 pm. Since I slept so early, I woke up early too! As usual, all channels are in Italian, even American sitcoms/movies are are translated to Italian! Rats! Just chilled in the room listening to my iPod and waited till breakfast.

Front of the hotel (I thought it’s more like a motel..)

River in front of the hotel, where the ducks quacked away waking me up…

…to be continued..