The past two weeks I played gracious tour guide to two very good friends - C., who is one of my best friends from Macq Uni and I., a very close family friend from Sydney. C. was in town for nine days whilst I fulfilled babysitting duties to young I. for around five. I was truly physically and financially drained after they left. However, even if I was so destroyed from all the tourguiding, it was still a very awesome two weeks. I am missing them both to pieces as I write this.
Other Significant Things That Happened in the Last Two Weeks:
- C. and I went to Bora. My second time in four years. Initially, I was quite hesitant to take her there because I felt that the place is already too commercialised and touristy for comfort. I was actually more keen on heading to Palawan instead but I figured she would enjoy the bustling night life in Bora more. But wow, surprisingly, the four days and three nights we were there turned out to be a heaps mad experience for me. We hardly got any sun cos of the funny weather at the time (it was so chilly that we didn't swim at all) but it was all good. We became super friends with two musicians on the island (one was a dreadlocked cutie and the other one was a very sweet guy with so much talent) and they took us to this totally dodgy club called Summer Place packed with sleazy Europeans full-on taking advantage of young islanders.
I was also able to reconnect with one of my good friends from college whilst there. He's now an MD and he had brief stint with one of the local hospitals on the island. I was incredibly fortunate to have been able to hang out with him for a bit since I know full well that when we both get back to Manila it would be impossible to see each other again, owing to his cruel schedule. On his last night, we bought a couple of fruit shakes and hung out with his other doctor friends (plus the sweet musician) at Jonah's.
We stayed at Boracay Tropics in Station 2 and whilst the place is not exactly beach front (it's a five minute walk to the shore), it was still a very very lovely place nonetheless and the service is excellent. The food servings are ginormous and the staff is so warm and friendly. Snaps to Bora Tropics for making our stay a truly awesome one!
C. and I are the world's biggest slugs so we actually spent more than half our vaycay sleeping and eating. Whenever we weren't doing those things, we were drinking our weight in Red Horse or smoking shisha whilst chillaxing by the beach at night. We were so lazy that we would only manage to get as far as Station 2, so we mostly spent our evenings at the Bom Bom Bar listening to live bands. I have always hated mainstream music like anything but ever since two weeks ago Jason Mraz's I'm Yours and Howie Day's Collide have assumed renewed meaning in my life (sigh such nostalgia!!!). C. said that Filipinos must revere Jason Mraz like a god since you can't not hear a Jason Mraz song being played every five minutes.
On our last day, I insisted that we spend a good part of the day on the beach instead of dozing off again in our hotel room. So we laid down our lazy-ass bodies on the mats in Station 3 and ordered more Red Horse (we consumed indecent amounts of Red Horse, it was so not funny) whilst we read our books and waited for sunset. I was able to take extremely gorgeous photos of that day's breathtaking sunset which I will put up on Flickr once I've set up an account.
- My friends and I did Rockeoke at Magnet. Omg. How did I muster enough cojones to get up the stage and sing Total Eclipse of the Heart again? And guess what, there was even incriminating evidence of how I made such a bloody fool of myself, in video format. Whilst performing on stage that night, I honestly thought I was doing a pretty decent job. However, when I was reviewing the video days after (whilst sober and thus with clearer judgment spared from the wrath of alcohol), I realised that I wasn't really singing but I was actually yelling (very annoyingly too) all the way. Again, that totally embarrassing performance was the end result of too much Red Horse (mind you it was Beer Below Zero, which is liquid gold really). But don't get me wrong, I would so love to do Rockeoke again - I have to vindicate myself.
- I attended a college reunion. I was so thrilled to see everyone again and catch up. Such mad fun. Actually, I was able to go out with a good number of friends the past two weeks, and in particular, friends I have not seen in ages. That accounts for the recurrence of warm and fuzzy feelings and the constant urge to hug everyone very very tightly.
- My brother and I took I. to Enchanted Kingdom. It has been aeons since I was last at EK and I was able to appreciate the rides with child-like wonder this time around. We did Space Shuttle first (much to the horror of my brother who until that day has never been on a rollercoaster evah) and that was so mad. My fave rides are still the Flying Fiesta, the Wheel of Fate, Dodgem and the Roller Skater. We were there on a Sunday so we also saw the weekend fireworks. We managed to get on every ride except the Log Jam, but it wasn't such a great loss as we were already extremely drenched from the Rio Grande Rapids. We also did the 4D thingo and the Haunted House (which gave I. the scare of her life). EK is so beautiful at night, what with the pretty lights, the cool breeze and the fantastic fireworks (it would've been perfect had we been on the ferris wheel when they went off, the view must have been spectacular from up there). I. said that theme parks are a good place to go on a date and I couldn't agree more.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
On my hols in Malaysia (or How I Proved That Malaysia Is Indeed Truly Asia...Whatever That Means)
Spent Christmas and New Years in Malaysia with the famille, and absolutely enjoyed all of the nine days I was there. Trip highlights and commentary:
- How unbelievably cheap everything was. A decent and filling meal could be had for as low as 13 pesos, and if you are willing to spend a couple more ringgits you can have yourself a veritable feast (more on this later). I bought myself six pairs of Vincci shoes (VNC to us) for less than three grand. I upgraded my laptop (got a 320gb HDD and 2gb RAM) for less than the price of the 160gb external hard disk I bought here in Manila. Petrol is only 15 pesos a litre and only around 7 bucks for CNG. DSLR's which cost 32 grand in Manila only sell for 23,ooo. A tub of ice cream is only a little over a hundred pesos. Toll and parking fees are 26 pesos on the average. We stayed in 3 to 4-star hotels all the way and paid close to nothing. Our tour guide only spends around 200 pesos for his monthly water bill and 2,000 pesos for electricity (and his family uses airconditioners every night!). You can easily rent a 3-4 bedroom house for 7-8,000 pesos. If only for the very low cost of living, I would so move to Malaysia in a heartbeat.
- The food is indescribably GOOD (and I mean it for realz since I actually had to pause for a moment and wrack my brain for appropriate adjectives that capture the delishness of their culinary delights. Words would likely fail you when you attempt to describe the food in Malaysia - believe me, it's THAT good). I stuffed my face silly nearly everyday with roti canai (13 pesos only!), Maggi goreng (45 pesos!), nasi goreng ayam (less than 65 pesos for a massive plate!), duck rice (50 bucks! Duck has never been so cheap and divine!), char kway teow (45 pesos!), chicken satay (8 pesos a stick!), ais kacang (shaved ice with fruit and other wonderful things - 40 pesos!), Hainanese chicken rice (so cheap I don't remember how much it costs!). In every street corner there was always a wide variety of wonderfully cheap and authentic Indian, Chinese and Malay hawker fare laid before my hungry eyes, it was heaps mad. I tell you, I literally experienced food coma every single day I was there. Then with all the glorious food I would happily guzzle down 13-peso teh tariks (milk tea with lemon) and 40-peso freshly-squeezed apple or lemon juice. Take it from me, a generous helping of love (and germs...hawkers are never hygienic, that's what makes the food so damn yummeh) is always served with every plate of food you buy in Malaysia. Oh and here's a Guiness record - the world's cheapest Noche Buena ever: 200 pesos for a sumptuous dinner for four.
- Batu Caves. A massive complex (kompleks in Malay) of Hindu temples in the outskirts of KL. After getting all breathless and sweaty from climbing up the 272 steps, I entered a limestone cave and witnessed a Hindu baptism. There's naughty monkeys frolicking everywhere at the caves too.
- Putrajaya. Malaysia's version of Washington DC and Canberra. An aesthetically-pleasing place with shiny and new government buildings all neatly arranged. However, I wouldn't live in Putrajaya even if my life depended on it. It's as dull and dreary as Canberra, and is too organised for my taste. Sorry but I require a huge dose of life and a friendly vibe in my neighbourhood. We went to Putra Mosque, a massive pink structure and one of the bigger mosques in Malaysia. Since I was non-Muslim I was made to wear a pink robe with a hood that covered my head. Non-Muslims are not allowed inside the mosque but the doors were wide open so we all had a good look at the interiors just the same. There was a Muslim lady who gave a highly informative talk on Islam and I was just about the only interested tourist who actually listened and asked questions. We had a good chat about the key similarities and differences of our religions, but when I started to feel like she was slowly trying to maneuver the conversation into an attempt to convert me I politely said I had to go.
- Melaka. A UNESCO World Heritage City. The place is exploding with history as well, having been previously under Portuguese, Dutch, British and Japanese rule. Melaka (Malacca) figures prominently in history as it was the much-sought after Spice Islands which all of the greedy and opportunist colonisers wanted to get their grubby hands on (I understand now why everyone wanted a piece of Melaka back in the day. Indeed, whoever controls the international spice trade rules the world, for spices are the best form of leverage one can wield. Tell people that they will be doomed to eating flavourless food for life if they don't submit and you will immediately have them wrapped around your finger). I particularly enjoyed walking up and down Jonker Street as it reminded me so much of St. Kilda - it's also full of antique and curio shops and artsy bohemian cafes. My brother and I spent around an hour at the Orangutan House where we bought quite a few of Melaka-born artist Charles Cham's eclectic hand-painted shirts. We easily spent the whole afternoon touring the city centre on foot (whilst trishaws are charming, scheming drivers tend to overcharge).
- Penang. Probably the major highlight of my trip. Penang has a famed reputation for being a foodie's paradise (and how!) what with its numerous hawkers selling the finest hawker food in Southeast Asia. George Town is a lovely city (also recently declared a UNESCO World Heritage City along with Melaka) and you could easily get around by walking. Make sure to go on a walking tour whilst in George Town so you could get a closer look at the fantastic architecture of the old Chinese and Indian structures around the city. We devoted a whole day to see Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, Penang Museum, the Goddess of Mercy Temple, Little India, Fort Cornwallis and the Victorian Clock Tower. Pity that I only got to see the facade of Cheong Fatt Tze that day as we came too early for the 3 pm tour. People have been raving about the mansion (it received a UNESCO award for being excellently preserved) and the movie Indochine was also shot there. On the way back we decided to take a different route so we could see another side of town. The following day we headed to Kek Lok Si Temple and Penang Hill. Kek Lok Si, perched on a hill, is one of the biggest Buddhist temples in Southeast Asia. The whole complex is breathtaking, and I must've taken dozens of photos of the Buddhas with the swastikas on their chest. We took the funicular to go up to Penang Hill where the weather is nice and chilly and you get a lovely view of the rest of Penang, fog and all. As I said, this was probably my favourite leg of our trip - only slightly marred by an untoward incident at the hotel involving a rude server, but otherwise thoroughly enjoyable. I think Penang is really one of SEA's best-kept secrets, and selfish as it may sound I hope it stays that way. Btw, I just can't help but mention that there is a large senior citizen population in Penang. I have never seen so many old people concentrated per square foot in my life. And guess what, they are still employed! Maybe it's the 20-40 age group that's sitting on their idle asses at home...? Also, why is there a high incidence of leg injuries (bumps, open wounds, etc.) among the locals? Pardon me for being overly observant.
- Kinokuniya at Suria KLCC. I must've spent nearly two hours at the place marvelling at the wide array of books on politics and international relations. They've got a good collection of travel, philosophy and lit stuff as well. Definitely would've wanted to stay longer but my brothers were starving and bored. Picked up a copy of William Boyd's Brazzaville Beach.
- I really liked how the Malays, Indians and Chinese all manage to coexist relatively peacefully. So nice to see a Nasi Kandar shop next to a Chinese resto. Multicultural societies are always very interesting phenomena for me.
- My brothers and I would giggle nonstop at the signages (Push - Tolak. Bus stop - Bas hentian. Male restroom - Lelaki. Toll fee - Bayaran). It's very interesting how similar our language is to Malay. My Indonesian and Malay friends easily understand me when I speak Tagalog.
- Both Christmas and NYE were somewhat non-occasions in Malaysia, but it's seriously no biggie as I still happily spent it with family. I have to admit that I still would've given anything to have been in Sydney for the huge NYE celebration (1.5 million people! 5,000 kilos of fireworks! A 15-minute display with a "Creation" theme!) but spending the hols in Malaysia Truly Asia was not so bad really. It was a very awesome nine days actually, and would totally love to go back sometime soon. Next SEA goal: Vietnam and Laos!
**Photos to follow!
- How unbelievably cheap everything was. A decent and filling meal could be had for as low as 13 pesos, and if you are willing to spend a couple more ringgits you can have yourself a veritable feast (more on this later). I bought myself six pairs of Vincci shoes (VNC to us) for less than three grand. I upgraded my laptop (got a 320gb HDD and 2gb RAM) for less than the price of the 160gb external hard disk I bought here in Manila. Petrol is only 15 pesos a litre and only around 7 bucks for CNG. DSLR's which cost 32 grand in Manila only sell for 23,ooo. A tub of ice cream is only a little over a hundred pesos. Toll and parking fees are 26 pesos on the average. We stayed in 3 to 4-star hotels all the way and paid close to nothing. Our tour guide only spends around 200 pesos for his monthly water bill and 2,000 pesos for electricity (and his family uses airconditioners every night!). You can easily rent a 3-4 bedroom house for 7-8,000 pesos. If only for the very low cost of living, I would so move to Malaysia in a heartbeat.
- The food is indescribably GOOD (and I mean it for realz since I actually had to pause for a moment and wrack my brain for appropriate adjectives that capture the delishness of their culinary delights. Words would likely fail you when you attempt to describe the food in Malaysia - believe me, it's THAT good). I stuffed my face silly nearly everyday with roti canai (13 pesos only!), Maggi goreng (45 pesos!), nasi goreng ayam (less than 65 pesos for a massive plate!), duck rice (50 bucks! Duck has never been so cheap and divine!), char kway teow (45 pesos!), chicken satay (8 pesos a stick!), ais kacang (shaved ice with fruit and other wonderful things - 40 pesos!), Hainanese chicken rice (so cheap I don't remember how much it costs!). In every street corner there was always a wide variety of wonderfully cheap and authentic Indian, Chinese and Malay hawker fare laid before my hungry eyes, it was heaps mad. I tell you, I literally experienced food coma every single day I was there. Then with all the glorious food I would happily guzzle down 13-peso teh tariks (milk tea with lemon) and 40-peso freshly-squeezed apple or lemon juice. Take it from me, a generous helping of love (and germs...hawkers are never hygienic, that's what makes the food so damn yummeh) is always served with every plate of food you buy in Malaysia. Oh and here's a Guiness record - the world's cheapest Noche Buena ever: 200 pesos for a sumptuous dinner for four.
- Batu Caves. A massive complex (kompleks in Malay) of Hindu temples in the outskirts of KL. After getting all breathless and sweaty from climbing up the 272 steps, I entered a limestone cave and witnessed a Hindu baptism. There's naughty monkeys frolicking everywhere at the caves too.
- Putrajaya. Malaysia's version of Washington DC and Canberra. An aesthetically-pleasing place with shiny and new government buildings all neatly arranged. However, I wouldn't live in Putrajaya even if my life depended on it. It's as dull and dreary as Canberra, and is too organised for my taste. Sorry but I require a huge dose of life and a friendly vibe in my neighbourhood. We went to Putra Mosque, a massive pink structure and one of the bigger mosques in Malaysia. Since I was non-Muslim I was made to wear a pink robe with a hood that covered my head. Non-Muslims are not allowed inside the mosque but the doors were wide open so we all had a good look at the interiors just the same. There was a Muslim lady who gave a highly informative talk on Islam and I was just about the only interested tourist who actually listened and asked questions. We had a good chat about the key similarities and differences of our religions, but when I started to feel like she was slowly trying to maneuver the conversation into an attempt to convert me I politely said I had to go.
- Melaka. A UNESCO World Heritage City. The place is exploding with history as well, having been previously under Portuguese, Dutch, British and Japanese rule. Melaka (Malacca) figures prominently in history as it was the much-sought after Spice Islands which all of the greedy and opportunist colonisers wanted to get their grubby hands on (I understand now why everyone wanted a piece of Melaka back in the day. Indeed, whoever controls the international spice trade rules the world, for spices are the best form of leverage one can wield. Tell people that they will be doomed to eating flavourless food for life if they don't submit and you will immediately have them wrapped around your finger). I particularly enjoyed walking up and down Jonker Street as it reminded me so much of St. Kilda - it's also full of antique and curio shops and artsy bohemian cafes. My brother and I spent around an hour at the Orangutan House where we bought quite a few of Melaka-born artist Charles Cham's eclectic hand-painted shirts. We easily spent the whole afternoon touring the city centre on foot (whilst trishaws are charming, scheming drivers tend to overcharge).
- Penang. Probably the major highlight of my trip. Penang has a famed reputation for being a foodie's paradise (and how!) what with its numerous hawkers selling the finest hawker food in Southeast Asia. George Town is a lovely city (also recently declared a UNESCO World Heritage City along with Melaka) and you could easily get around by walking. Make sure to go on a walking tour whilst in George Town so you could get a closer look at the fantastic architecture of the old Chinese and Indian structures around the city. We devoted a whole day to see Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, Penang Museum, the Goddess of Mercy Temple, Little India, Fort Cornwallis and the Victorian Clock Tower. Pity that I only got to see the facade of Cheong Fatt Tze that day as we came too early for the 3 pm tour. People have been raving about the mansion (it received a UNESCO award for being excellently preserved) and the movie Indochine was also shot there. On the way back we decided to take a different route so we could see another side of town. The following day we headed to Kek Lok Si Temple and Penang Hill. Kek Lok Si, perched on a hill, is one of the biggest Buddhist temples in Southeast Asia. The whole complex is breathtaking, and I must've taken dozens of photos of the Buddhas with the swastikas on their chest. We took the funicular to go up to Penang Hill where the weather is nice and chilly and you get a lovely view of the rest of Penang, fog and all. As I said, this was probably my favourite leg of our trip - only slightly marred by an untoward incident at the hotel involving a rude server, but otherwise thoroughly enjoyable. I think Penang is really one of SEA's best-kept secrets, and selfish as it may sound I hope it stays that way. Btw, I just can't help but mention that there is a large senior citizen population in Penang. I have never seen so many old people concentrated per square foot in my life. And guess what, they are still employed! Maybe it's the 20-40 age group that's sitting on their idle asses at home...? Also, why is there a high incidence of leg injuries (bumps, open wounds, etc.) among the locals? Pardon me for being overly observant.
- Kinokuniya at Suria KLCC. I must've spent nearly two hours at the place marvelling at the wide array of books on politics and international relations. They've got a good collection of travel, philosophy and lit stuff as well. Definitely would've wanted to stay longer but my brothers were starving and bored. Picked up a copy of William Boyd's Brazzaville Beach.
- I really liked how the Malays, Indians and Chinese all manage to coexist relatively peacefully. So nice to see a Nasi Kandar shop next to a Chinese resto. Multicultural societies are always very interesting phenomena for me.
- My brothers and I would giggle nonstop at the signages (Push - Tolak. Bus stop - Bas hentian. Male restroom - Lelaki. Toll fee - Bayaran). It's very interesting how similar our language is to Malay. My Indonesian and Malay friends easily understand me when I speak Tagalog.
- Both Christmas and NYE were somewhat non-occasions in Malaysia, but it's seriously no biggie as I still happily spent it with family. I have to admit that I still would've given anything to have been in Sydney for the huge NYE celebration (1.5 million people! 5,000 kilos of fireworks! A 15-minute display with a "Creation" theme!) but spending the hols in Malaysia Truly Asia was not so bad really. It was a very awesome nine days actually, and would totally love to go back sometime soon. Next SEA goal: Vietnam and Laos!
**Photos to follow!
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Another end-of-the-year meme
- What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?
- Used a DSLR to take photos.
- Burst into uncontrollable sobs at an airport.
- Ate a grasshopper.
- Spent an obscene amount of money to fly to another country just to watch a concert.
- Went on a week and a half trip by myself.
- Used a DSLR to take photos.
- Did you keep your New Years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Not really. NY's resolutions are increasingly getting old and pointless (like pre-planned disappointments, as someone said). - Did anyone close to you give birth?
I can't think of anyone at the moment, but some friends are expecting and will give birth later this year. - Did anyone close to you die?
My uncle passed away in September. - What countries did you visit?
Singapore, Thailand (twice in a span of four months) and Malaysia. Also spent Holy Week in Melbourne. - What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
Some sense of direction would be very much appreciated. - What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory?
July 28. - What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Finishing two masters degrees. - What was your biggest failure?
My inability to land a job after graduation, but then again, this is a question of terminology. I view 'failures' as 'challenges' now (or maybe I am just deluding myself about this fake paradigm shift...poser much? LOL). - Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nothing major, except the time I nursed an almost two-week flu (caught the infamous Thai super strain virus when I was in Chiang Mai). - What was the best thing you bought?
A new laptop, Ipod docking station and DSLR. - Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Mine?! - Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
This question is not worth my time. Negative vibes are so last season. - Where did most of your money go?
Travelling. Gadgets. Rent, food and booze (during the first half of the year when I was still living in Sydney). - What did you get really, really, really excited about?
- Travelling
- The prospect of a new career (alas, plans went under. But I'm still keeping my fingers crossed this year.)
- Travelling
- What song/album will always remind you of 2008?
Off the top of my head I would say MGMT's album. And those r&b songs that get played everywhere but whose titles I don't even know. - Compared to this time last year, are you:
- happier or sadder? I was happy this time of the year last year. I am still more or less as happy now.
- thinner or fatter? Fatter! I am now a walking tub of lard.
- richer or poorer? POORER. I have come dangerously close to living in abject poverty.
- happier or sadder? I was happy this time of the year last year. I am still more or less as happy now.
- What do you wish you’d done more of?
Reading. Walking outdoors. Attending conferences. Hanging out with mates. Listening to more new music. Watching more films. Saving more money. Travelling in SEA!!! - What do you wish you’d done less of?
Aimless web surfing. Procrastinating. Over-indulging in food, alcohol and self-pity. Spending a king's ransom on unnecessary things. Wasting time on men who seemed like the shit then, but in actual fact are real pricks (funny how you only realise this once your blinders come off). - How will you be spending Christmas?
In KL with the family. - Who did you spend the most time on the phone with?
I rarely talked on the phone. Most of the time I either chatted online or sent SMS. - Did you fall in love in 2008?
No, just idiotic infatuations. - How many one night stands in this last year?
None. - What was your favourite TV programme?
Flight of the Conchords. The Office. BBC News. - Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
No. I am too old to be harbouring hatred. - What was the best book(s) you read?
Irving Stone's The Agony and the Ecstasy. William Boyd's Any Human Heart. Half of Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead. - What was your greatest musical discovery?
The Whitest Boy Alive. - What did you want and get?
Graduating from grad school with okay marks. Two jobs at uni during the first half of the year. A conference scholarship. - What did you want and not get?
A job after graduation (cue in The Smiths' Please Please Let Me Get What I Want). - What were your favourite films of this year?
I wasn't as active in movie-watching in '08 compared to '07, but I still managed to see a couple of good films -- Juno, No Country for Old Men, Darjeeling Limited, Once, Lars and the Real Girl, Lives of Others, Be Kind Rewind, Persepolis, Into the Wild. - What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 26. Had a wii and videoke party with heaps of beer and good company. - What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Getting a job after graduation. - How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Lazy. Comfort over style. Deceptive (to hide the figure defects). - What kept you sane?
Friends and family. The Internet. Movies and music -> truly the balm that soothes the aching soul. - Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Rob Pattinson from Twilight (hahahaha embarrassed much?). Jim Sturgess. - What political issue stirred you the most?
The Russia-Georgia conflict. The global financial crisis. US elections. Ongoing hostilities in the Gaza Strip. - Who did you miss?
My roommate and all of my family and friends in Sydney. I miss them to pieces still, every single day. - Who was the best new person you met?
Too many to list. Made quite a few friends last year from all over --Sydney, Singapore, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Jakarta. - Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
Life plans, friends and passions are not stuff that are cast in stone. Things change and people change; permanence is really a fiction. Learning to deal with change is one of the things '08 taught me. Also, '08 dispensed golden apples of wisdom on other things like the virtue of patience and the value of friends. - Quote a song lyric that sums up your year?
Not a song, but the immortal opening lines of Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way - in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.
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