YowCH & Grace

YowCH attended this year’s TYLin China annual dinner at Chongqing with his colleague, Soon. Going on his own (Soon extended his stay before and after) the trip started on Monday morning and ended on Wednesday evening, essential last flight in and first flight out.

Here are the maps of where YowCH visited this year, click on them for larger images:
1. Large map, showing all places visited.

2. Small map of the Northern New District.

Monday 20 Jan 2014:
The flight to CQ took off at 07.00 and it was only 30% filled. YowCH had 3 seats to himself.

Upon arriving at Jiangbei Airport at 12.00, 3 colleagues from CQ office took him to Jinke Grand Hotel (where we stayed the last trip in 2012).

The weather was cold but bearably nice (15°C in the day, 5°C at night).

Colleagues then brought YowCH to Fortune Mall nearby and had lunch at Shinfeng123.

After lunch, YowCH went shopping for gift snacks and mala (numb and spicy hot) soup stock in Parkson within Fortune Mall.

Returning to the hotel at 15.00, YowCH rested and unpacked. Then, he went out with Soon to TYLin office (5 minutes walk from hotel). After about 45 minutes, we returned to the hotel as everyone was busy (it is the end-of-year period).

For dinner, YowCH walked 5 minutes to Yi An Hotel/Restaurant for hotpot with the TYLin team.


The TYLin representatives from Malaysia, Taiwan and various China branches shared the mala hotpot dinner.


YowCH was introduced to a Sichuan liquor, Lu Zhou Lao Jiao (泸洲老窖）- strong and tasty, like Wu Liang Ye.

We had strange foods like duck intestines, cow throat, hairy beef stomach and river eel.

After dinner, YowCH returned to hotel and chatted with family through Skype.

Tuesday 21 Jan 2014:
As the wifi was very between 20.00 and 23.00, YowCH took a nap and woke up at 4.00 to download emails (much faster) and slept again at 5.30. At 7.40, he woke and ate breakfast with Soon and the Malaysian team at the hotel.

After breakfast, YowCH did some office work back in the room.

Then, another CQ colleague took YowCH and Soon to lunch at a nearby porridge place, then to the CQ Engineering Research Centre for Urban Monorail Transport.

At 15.30, they arrived at the CQ Expo Centre for the Annual Dinner. This facility is very new. Note the very rare sunny blue sky in CQ.



The ball room had 50+ tables. Here are the big bosses, Dr. MC Tang and Mr. Tony P, giving speeches.

Then YowCH was invited to join the group leaders to pour water from various parts of China, signifying that “all the four seas have the same source” or “四海同源” which is the theme of the Annual Dinner.

Plenty to drink…

… and to eat.

Performances by the China staff:

YowCH was called up on stage to pick numbers on Ping-Pong balls for lucky draw:

More food:

There were two hired performers, the Sichuan Facemask-Changer and a live DJ…

… which led to the disco dance after dinner.

A parting photo:

Leaving the place at 19.30, YowCH reached the hotel at 20.00 and took stock of the goodies:

Top left: Gifts from TYLin China.
Top right: Annual Dinner door gift.
Bottom left: Lucky draw item, a USB power pack.
Bottom right: What YowCH bought to bring back to Singapore – mala soup stock and snacks.

After chatting with family and getting some work done, YowCH slept at 2.45.

Wednesday 22 Jan 2014:
YowCH woke at 7.30, had breakfast and did the final packing.

After shower, we met the TYLin driver and he drove the 3 from Malaysia office together with YowCH to the airport.

The flight left at 12.50 and reached Singapore at 17:40. On a 90% full flight, YowCH again haad no neighbours and had 3 seats to himself. Thank God for inspiring him to make a internet check-in change of seat yesterday.

Thank God that:
1. The trip wasn’t too cold.
2. We met old friends.
3. There can be little miracles like the empty seats both flying in or out of Chungqing.

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