Aberdeen Whisky Festival

Can't believe I forgot to blog about this event! It happened on the 19th of April!

The Aberdeen Whisky Festival is only in its second year is organised by the Aberdeen University Malt Whisky Society which was voted the best society last year. The first Whisky festival was also voted the best event of the year and this year the event is event bigger as it is held in the Elphinestone Hall which is very grand and spacious.

First to show you what a normal whisky session on Wednesday fortnightly is like:

The different types of whisky you can try for 3 quid for 4 drams. Extremely cheap for good whisky~

The area where we have our whisky session. In a student association building in school where this section usually sells secondhand books and also hosts events like this and others.

And we have to buy our tickets before hand as they are really popular especially among exchange students.

The festival ticket is for 8 quid for students which gives you 12 tokens which can be exchange for a dram of whisky. Some better older whiskys require 2 or 3 (a 30 yro whisky which was really flavourful) tokens but most were for 1 tokens. So....it meant i probably drank 8 or 9 whiskys that day which is double what i usually drink in a single session. And there were so many varieties from all the whisky distilleries all over Scotland! Wooo! Felt really woozy afterwards but at least it was whisky not some cheap lousy alcohol. Strengthens your body haha! 强身健体~

Whisky tasting glass all ready for the festival to begin!

And this is Elphinestone Hall!

Which got so crowded later on that people inside had to leave to let more people in! Most popular event in UoA!

Acidentally photobomb this group haha!

They sell whisky cider actually which was really good as well as the handblown whisky glass decanters which I bought one!

Free chips and oatcakes to eat with whisky so that you won't feel too nauseous!

Really awesome event that showcase the national drink of Scotland. Well done!

Torcher's Parade and Iron Man

TICKETS BOOKED!

Me and Edwin decided to go on a trip during our revision trip to Ireland, Madrid, Barcelona, Liverpool. We would be returning on the day before my first exam. Crazy i know right!

Hence I started studying. For the first time in my university life, I am studying 1 month in advance for an exam LOL.

Its nice to study in the library as all the study tables face the windows and some of them face the sea which is so near!!!

On saturday evening, I went to Torcher's Parade which has been going on since 1889. So thinking it would be a really big event, I went!

What do you think? Not really fanciful enough for you? Well in my home university NUS, we have a RAG event too where people spend like 3 months of their time building and rehearsing their performance so that they have a chance to win glory for their hall or faculty. The floats they build were really extravagant and expensive too even though it was suppose to be created out of recycled items. There was always this conflicting views of the purpose of the event which was initially to raise and give money to charities. In Aberdeen's case, it looks as though people didn't put as much effort into the float (you can still see the truck while NUS floats can't) but they looked like they really use recycled items and not really spend money to buy them. It was a noteworthy mention of their contribution to the charitable efforts.

Well, the main event was not that but watching IRON MAN 3 after that with Cheryl, Jianyao, Gizem, Cyrus, Liz and Edwin! Oh boy it was good! It was different from the other 2 iron man movies which was a good thing as what's the point of watching the same movie again. We see the other characters like Pepper Potts and War Machine (now called Iron Patriot) having more roles to play, sometimes in the suit, sometimes outside of it. There were a hell lot more of Iron Man Suits but they seem to be made in China (inferior quality) as they seem to get destroy so easily when in the past they seem to be able to take so much more damage. Iron Man's villians also never seem to be as supervilliany as those from the other Marvel Superheroes like SpiderMan... but the twist in the Real Villian in this movie was really unexpected though. Haha watch it to understand what I mean!

squeezzeeee!!!!

Hiking at Braemar

Haven really hiked at all despite the awesome hiking trails in Scotland.
But now that the weather is getting warmer its time to get going!!!

Early in the saturday morning at 8am, I got Jianyao and Edwin to get to Braemar which was a 2 hour bus ride away to hike to Morrone.
It was suppose to be a 4-5 hours hike but we conquered it in 3.5 hours which included a rest lunch break at the peak. Haha no sweat for 3 NS trained men!

  

When we came back, our Belgium friends Felix & Co. invited us for a BBQ beside the river of Don where we just used the election posters that were left behind after the elections as fire starters and used the branches around for fuel as well as sticks for marshmallows. Truly the most unique BBQ I have ever had. It was quite nice also even though we didn't have alot of food like most BBQ in Asia has. We could chat about stories of Easter break and I didn't feel terribly hungry after that, so :)

Not the most hygienic but warm and tasty!

Back to School

So after our Europe trip, we had to settle back into school... :(
Haha on our first day we had to settle a one day geology workshop/project where we join a group (suppose to have formed one before the holidays but we forgot haha and nearly got a scolding from Parnell)
We also had to submit a paper on one of the petroleum system case studies that was taught during the first six classes.
That was about 75% of the course or something :)

We had to stock up again our food supply. Both for cooking meals and snacks!

All for 5 pound. I hope it can last me at least a month haha. Studying requires alot of energy for the brain.

I also ordered some stuff online as soon as I got back! Look what I've got!

My Doop Skates!!!

An Engraving Tool that can be used on glass which I shall be using to make souvenirs for friends and family.

Time to get back to study! Woohoo!!! (or Boo Hoo!)

Things I wished I had done

1) Stayed longer in each country and travel to all the smaller cities and town and really pick up more of the culture and language.

2) Negotiated for the price for taking photos with the gladiators better. After all I went for the negotiation 3 day workshop didn't I???

Well he had us by our balls that's why!

3) Had more sense to not ski in bad weather conditions. Something really bad could have happened. We were lucky.

Cannot see nevermind. Just go only!

4) Make more friends by maybe staying in dorms and not twin bed rooms. (But some of them really nice! like in venice and rome!)

Nice and homely in Venice!

Comfortable to mix around but with privacy in Cologne!

5) Shared some of the navigation rather than leave everything to Edwin.

6) Showered more often. Hehe.

7) Have better waterproof or quick drying or less smelly shoes.

New Socks + Smelly Shoes = Still Smelly Feet

8) Buy an umbrella as a raincoat while keeps you dry still makes you uncomfortable to feel the raindrops falling on your head through the hood.

Singaporeans dun need umbrella in this small rain! so we say...

9) Traveled to the romantic cities of Paris, Rome, Venice with a lover (Your heart feels itchy seeing all the lovebirds kissing and holding hands)

<3

10) Know how to appreciate the art of Michaelangelo and Co. as well as the history of Europe.

What we queued up for for 2 hours to the Vatican Museum

But we make do with whatever we have in life no?
It was a great experience nonetheless :)
I am really nitpicking here haha.

Things I delight in doing when travelling

1) sending postcards to my loved ones and thinking what special contents to write to them

12 postcards in a go!

2) eating (of course! I have already dedicated one entire blog post to it)

3) exploring the local/less touristy places

Like markets where the locals go to!

4) living budgetly or making a cheap deal

I really love visiting supermarkets around europe and buying their housebrands to find out how to eat and live for a decent price!!!

5) exotic experience (beerhalls, weed, red light district)

Such a huge drinking place!

6) fresh open air with beautiful scenery

Really love the windmills, the grass, the water and the fresh air at Zaanse Schans!

7) walking around at night

Montmartre at night! Simply Beautiful!

8) Attending huge events

They spoke in Italian but we don't care!

9) Taking funny photos of each other

We just ate radioactive food!

Oppa Versailles Style! 

10) and of course, making new friends!

Prost!