http://aycanela.multiply.com/ Welcome to my profile. I am Trisha, from Singapore.<BR><BR>The title is a variant of the song 'Ay Candela' by Ibrahim Ferrer... The song was ringing in my head when I needed a login name but 'candela' (which is candle) did not quite work for me but the next nearest word that popped into my mind - 'canela' (which is cinnamon) just clicked.<BR><BR>As you can guess, I love latin music, mainly cuban son, tango, bossa nova, salsa and some bolero. <BR><BR>I enjoy reading very much as well. I prefer literature and fiction - modern classics, magical realism. Books that have staying powers, books that other books talk about. Not those disposable thrillers. <BR><BR>I got introduced to South American literature and slowly went on to Russian and European modern (or not so) classics. Now, I am slowly exploring geniuses from other parts of the world. I hope to share more reviews in the future.<BR><BR>My first love is travelling. What can I say that has not been said a million times? Well, I shall quote someone then: "Travelling is a brutality. It forces you to trust strangers and to lose sight of all that familiar comfort of home and friends. You are constantly off balance. Nothing is yours except the essential things - air, sleep, dreams, the sea, the sky - all things tending towards the eternal or what we imagine of it." -- Cesare Pavese Wed, 18 Jun 2008 10:39:57 -0000 Thu, 4 Oct 2007 15:30:14 -0000 http://images.aycanela.multiply.com/logo http://aycanela.multiply.com 100 100 This is my Facebook http://aycanela.multiply.com/links/item/7/Facebook_Trisha_Sng Thu, 4 Oct 2007 15:30:14 -0000 Hospitality Club is a website for members to contact another to request for a place to stay or simply to meet someone for a drink / meal. If you are interested to meet locals during your trips, this is a great website. You can select members by cities, age, interests, etc... to find someone whom you think you can get along better. Notices are sent to the person without disclosing email addresses. Of course, you are not going to stay in a place of '5-star' standard... at worst, you get a mattress on the floor... at best, you have your own room with en-suite bathroom... but on average, you get the couch. http://aycanela.multiply.com/links/item/6/Hospitality_Club Thu, 4 Oct 2007 15:28:24 -0000 This is the website where I put up my travel tips of my past trips... w-h-e-n I get to them (sorry, have not really updated for a while). Of course, you can trawl through the website to look at tips from other travellers. The 'problem' with this website is that many people may not put travel tips, but merely make an attempt to document their own trips, thereby cluttering the website with too many useless http://aycanela.multiply.com/links/item/5/swesn_Home_Page_-_VirtualTourist.com Thu, 4 Oct 2007 15:26:33 -0000 Returning to her roots, her childhood and the beginning of her adventure in flamenco, the acclaimed María Pagés with director José María Sánchez has created Sevilla, a sumptuous paean to the beautiful city of Seville, her hometown. This is more than a work of exceptional artistry, it is a love affair, one with shared secrets and unspoken passions. In all of its ancient glory and rich heritage, Seville comes to life with the raw power and hypnotic rhythm of Pagés' style of flamenco. Not just evocative of the moonlit Moorish domes or sunlit ochre-tinted walls, alleyways glistening with rain or olive groves sweltering with heat, Sevilla exudes the mystery and allure of a land that has drawn poets, painters and musicians. Featuring the exquisite virtuosity of Pagés and her company of outstanding dancers and musicians, Sevilla is a banquet that warms the body, mind and soul, transporting you to a sultry evening of revelry. One of the leading innovators in the development of modern f... http://aycanela.multiply.com/calendar/item/10020/Sevilla_by_Compania_Maria_Pages Mon, 24 Sep 2007 02:21:21 -0000 Undisputed queen of nu bossa Bebel Gilberto returns to seduce with her brand of chill Brazil flavours, a mix of gorgeous electronic subtleties and lush acoustic sophistication. The voice of one of the most successful Brazilian music albums ever – Tanto Tempo – Bebel soothes all savage beats with soulful and silky vocals. Get into a mellow groove with gems from her first two albums as well as her shimmering new album Momento. The latter’s blend of samba, pop, bossa, electronica, firmly cements Bebel’s place among the top tier international performers. http://aycanela.multiply.com/calendar/item/10019/Bebel_Gilberto_Concert Mon, 24 Sep 2007 02:05:10 -0000 Film of the Month by Las Lilas School Outstanding direction by Paul Leduc, which tells the story of the life of Frida Kahlo, the most prominent female painter of Mexico admired worldwide. Ofelia Medina embodies Frida in an astonishing way, whose torments and anguish are immortalised in her lines. Through the eyes of the painter we will discover her relationship with the great muralist Diego Rivera (Juan José Gurrola) and the Russian intellectual Leon Trotsky (Max Kerlow), the artistic and intellectual life of Mexico by the late 40s and the birth of the enigmatic artist. In Spanish with English subtitles. Free entrance. <a href=http://www.laslilasschool.com/utterlyspanish/23/ezine23en.htm#4>http://www.laslilasschool.com/utterlyspanish/23/ezine23en.htm#4</a> http://aycanela.multiply.com/calendar/item/10018/Frida_living_nature Sat, 22 Sep 2007 10:58:17 -0000 Free movie screen, part of Singapore Sun Festival http://aycanela.multiply.com/calendar/item/10017/Under_the_Tuscan_Sun Sat, 22 Sep 2007 10:56:00 -0000 Part of DA:NS Festival, this free program is held over 2 weekends. Different dances will be featured on each night. Learn from professionals in a demonstration session and try out the steps yourselves. Waltz, Cha Cha and other ballroom dancing by Dance http://aycanela.multiply.com/calendar/item/10016/Whats_Your_Move_-_Strictly_Ballroom Sat, 22 Sep 2007 10:52:02 -0000 Part of DA:NS Festival, this free program is held over 2 weekends. Different dances will be featured on each night. Learn from professionals in a demonstration session and try out the steps yourselves. Line Dancing by Low Boon http://aycanela.multiply.com/calendar/item/10015/Whats_Your_Move_-_Get_In_Line Sat, 22 Sep 2007 10:49:24 -0000 Part of DA:NS Festival, this free program is held over 2 weekends, different dances will be featured on each night. Learn from professionals in a demonstration session and try out the steps yourselves. Bollywood dancing by Apsara http://aycanela.multiply.com/calendar/item/10014/Whats_Your_Move_-_Bollywood_Boogie Sat, 22 Sep 2007 10:42:44 -0000 Part of DA:NS Festival, this free program is held over 2 weekends, different dances will be featured on each night. Learn from professionals in a demonstration session and try out the steps yourselves. by O http://aycanela.multiply.com/calendar/item/10013/Whats_Your_Move_-_Hip_Hop_Jam Sat, 22 Sep 2007 10:40:37 -0000 Part of DA:NS Festival, this free program is held over 2 weekends. Different dances will be featured on each night. Learn from professionals in a demonstration session and try out the steps yourselves. Belly Dancing by Claribel Raks Sharki http://aycanela.multiply.com/calendar/item/10012/Whats_Your_Move_-_Arabian_Nights Sat, 22 Sep 2007 10:37:49 -0000 Part of DA:NS Festival, this free program is held over 2 weekends. Different dances will be featured on each night. Learn from professionals in a demonstration session and try out the steps yourselves. Swing, Jitterbug, Rock n Roll by Jitterbugs http://aycanela.multiply.com/calendar/item/10011/Whats_Your_Move_-_Swing_Along Sat, 22 Sep 2007 10:35:02 -0000 Part of DA:NS Festival, this free program is held over 2 weekends. Different dances will be featured on each night. Learn from professionals in a demonstration session and try out the steps yourselves. Salsa, Merengue, Afro Cuban Rumba by http://aycanela.multiply.com/calendar/item/10010/Whats_Your_Move_-_Latin_Fever Sat, 22 Sep 2007 10:33:20 -0000 <a href=http://www.alliancefrancaise.org.sg/sfff.html>http://www.alliancefrancaise.org.sg/sfff.html</a> Featuring famous French films from the 1960s and films from http://aycanela.multiply.com/calendar/item/10009/23rd_Singapore_French_Film_Festival Sat, 22 Sep 2007 10:29:21 -0000 Mexican Festival 2007, Sibila de http://aycanela.multiply.com/calendar/item/10008/Mexican_Boleros_in_Jazz Thu, 6 Sep 2007 12:12:09 -0000 Mexican Festival 2007, Opening with artist Victor Guadalajara's http://aycanela.multiply.com/calendar/item/10007/Exhibition_Branches Thu, 6 Sep 2007 11:38:11 -0000 Mexican Festival http://aycanela.multiply.com/calendar/item/10006/Tamaulipas_Folk_Dance_Performance Thu, 6 Sep 2007 11:36:39 -0000 In 2007, I made an impromptu decision to visit Ethiopia because I just had a feeling it is a very misunderstood and unknown country. Well, Ethiopia was a shocking and humbling trip for me. There are amazing cultures (tribes where people are naked, put clay plates on their extended lips, etc...) down in the south... these people still live the lives of thousands of years ago, walking their herds of cattle and goats to pasture, moving their huts around according to rain, water, etc... Everything they have is organic! Cacti act as fences, they use mud and straw for huts, calabazas for bags, ladles, hats, containers, etc... But of course, now, with tourists, they learn to demand money for photos and mob all tourists for things. There are amazing history up in the north as well... the country became a Christian nation in the 4th century. So, it was the only Christian kingdom outside of Europe at that time, and it became a legend in the medieval times as the 11th-12th century k... http://aycanela.multiply.com/photos/album/27/Ethiopia Wed, 5 Sep 2007 12:00:41 -0000 In 2002, I resigned from my job and embarked on a 1 year Round-the-World trip. Full of apprehension on whether I could really do this trip (I figured I might just travel for 6 months instead of a year), I began my journey in China. I meandered through the interior of China, through Yunnan province, did a horse-trek around the Songpan mountains, sampled Tibetan cultures in Langmusi and Xiahe, scaled sand dunes in Dunhuang, stuffed my face with mutton kebabs in Muslim Kashgar and experienced the grandeur of Beijing. After 2 months of fascinating minority races and astounding natural and man-made sights, soaking in the history and myriad cultures of China, I was hooked on travelling! I decided that, by hook or by crook, I was going to stretch this trip to last 1 whole year. http://aycanela.multiply.com/photos/album/25/China Wed, 29 Aug 2007 06:49:23 -0000 Towards the end of my 2002-2003 Round-The-World trip, I was in Mexico, trying to make plans to go to Guatemala but with visa application taking up to 3 weeks, it did not make sense at all as I had only 4 weeks left. Then, I had a sudden brainwave to go to Cuba. What a fantastic decision! Cuba, being a Communist country and SO DIFFERENT from the other places that I had just visited, really opened my eyes to many things. Of course, I only learnt about many MORE things about Cuba after I left but after travelling for 11 months and feeling a tad jaded, I surely needed Cuba to jolt me a little and get all nervous, uncertain and apprehensive http://aycanela.multiply.com/photos/album/23/Cuba Wed, 29 Aug 2007 05:25:13 -0000 I headed to Western Australia in late 2004 to visit my dear friend Carolyn who was living near Perth. Well, I was lucky to catch her there because she was moving back to Brisbane in a few weeks' time. We visited Freemantle with her aunt before I left them and headed to Kalbarri by myself and was suitably awed by the stunning and very red geographical formations. No harm came to me when I abseiled down a cliff. But I lost a toenail too when I went for a swim by the river, hahaa. I returned to Perth and Carolyn took me for a spin around Busselton and Pemberton in the southern region where we went underwater at a jetty, up a giant tree and whale-watching out at http://aycanela.multiply.com/photos/album/22/Australia Wed, 29 Aug 2007 05:10:52 -0000 I took a short trip to Italy in 2004 and met up briefly with my friend, Pablo, and we travelled from Milan to Florence to Rome. Italy overwhelmed me with the incredibly rich art and architecture, the immense history and http://aycanela.multiply.com/photos/album/21/Italy Wed, 29 Aug 2007 04:56:10 -0000 I stopped by Copenhagen for 2 days in April 2006 before heading to St Petersburg for work. Special thanks to Martin from Hospitality Club who not only cooked for me and put me up at his place, but he actually left me his apartment and lent me his camera the next day as he left to visit his family in another city! Now, that's http://aycanela.multiply.com/photos/album/20/Denmark Wed, 29 Aug 2007 04:46:42 -0000 Currently, I work for a Russian company and as a result, over 2006-2007, I had the opportunity of visiting St Petersburg several times over a total of 5 months and I experienced spring, summer, autumn and winter there. St Petersburg captivates with its incredibly stunning architecture, very clean streets and gorgeous people. In each season, the city feels and looks absolutely different. That's why I keep returning to the same spots and capturing alternative images of them. Well, what else can I do there? Special thanks to my wonderful colleagues - Danila, Natasha T, Natasha S, Eugenia, Nina, Ksenia, Dasha, Grisha, Roman, Dima T, Dima Y, Andrew V, Sasha, Eugene, Olga, Andrew G, Andrew the driver, and all the rest! - and some of their friends and families who took good care of me and shared with me their culture and endless 'Russian http://aycanela.multiply.com/photos/album/19/Russia Wed, 29 Aug 2007 04:34:06 -0000 Turkey, straggling between 2 continents, is renowned for its history, ruins, astounding geographical nature, kebabs and Turkish sweet delights, amongst many things. Most people go to Turkey in summer to bask in the Mediterranean sun, lounge in the sandy beaches and dip their toes in the warm turquoise sea. But me? I went in freezing cold December. Visiting Cappadocia, the coastal areas, Pamukkale, Ephesus and Istanbul in the wintry weather sure was interesting as an alternative view of Turkey was offered. I spent New Year's party with Hospitality Club members, observing the fireworks from the top of a building, and it was a great ending to a delightful trip! Special thanks to Esra whom I spent a wonderful New Year's Day and Michael from Switzerland who walked around Istanbul with http://aycanela.multiply.com/photos/album/18/Turkey Wed, 29 Aug 2007 03:49:04 -0000