As geocities is closing down soon, please go to the new site address at: http://www.freewebs.com/onghy3


yen's scribblings


what does a single woman like to do? travel, of course, and absolutely no qualms about it!  so married folks, go green with envy.

not that the trips are any easy... not for me the hassle-free (i prefer the thrill of getting lost), relaxing (backpacking's more authentic, albeit also backbreaking, aargh), guided (or should i say, cattle-herded?) tours; i'm simply too lazy to rush from place to place and a languishing pace suits me better where i can take my own sweet time and, if i'm lucky, get to really SEE a place.

for you see, i'm a traveller, not a tourist, or so i like to think. can't beat those aussies who take a year off but a decent couple of weeks off work can still do wonders. after all, how many people have hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, witnessed the beauty of a snow fall up in the lovely Canadian Rockies, experienced the harsh yet surrealistic landscape of the Scottish Highlands, not to mention being relieved of my beloved camera on one cold Christmas Day in Madrid, or an unfortunate first-hand encounter with the "Pharoah's Curse" (aka food poisoning) on the Egyptian Nile...

good or bad, the experiences are unforgettable. so i certainly hope you'll enjoy these travel pieces, most of which are meant to be informative, and to lure you into fishing out that rustic cam and heading for the "wilderness"...


~ asia ~

Bhutan, Land of the Thunder Dragon ~ 2003
Bhutan ~ The Druk Path Saga ~ 2003

"...Going to Bhutan this Oct. Your pictures and descriptions are beautiful..."
Bhutan ~ Sojourn to Punakha & Wangdue ~ 2003
~ New !!! ~
A Dose of Nepalese Warmth ~ 1996

"...Good morning from South Africa. I enjoyed browsing through your site. Lovely photos. How do you manage to travel so often?"

~ africa ~

Beyond the Pyramids ~ 1997

"...Awesome site! Ancient Egypt is the BEST :)..."
The Beautiful Cape ~ 2002
"...Thank you for sharing your pics with us. My husband and I will be spending Christmas this year in Cape Town so these pics made me all the more excited..."

Behold the Drakensberg! ~ 2002
"...Spent a year in Lesotho in 1965/6 but was not lucky enough to get to this area. Very good site..."
Kruger Safari ~ 2002
"...Sure sounds like you had a great time at the safari. Someday..."
foto memoirs ~ victoria falls ~ 2002
"...I have always dream of Africa and you have given a sweet dream to remember. Someday I will visit these wonderful falls..."

~ europe ~

Exhilarating Highlands ~ 1998/1999
"...Thank you for a very pleasant trip round part of my native land. I used to climb and ski in Glen Coe when I was younger. Now 77yrs and living in Ontario, Canada..."
Beautiful Orkney ~ 1999
"...Great site! Your photos make me want to go to the Orkneys myself..."
Tale of 3 Scottish Isles ~ 1999
"...I hope someday to see Scotland, maybe a visit or maybe for a lifetime. In my heart it has always been home. I am American but my roots and heart are buried deep in Scotland..."
Elegant Edinburgh ~ 1998/1999
"... I love Edinburgh! Lovely way of portraying the most beautiful city in the world..."
Gaudi - Barcelona's Famous Son ~ 1998

"...Nice work and the story you told of Gaudi is very heart-warming and touching. The graphics you used to frame each of the Gaudi photo adds a lot to the whole presentation..."
Charming Geneva ~ 2000

~ north america ~

Canadian Rockies, the Hiking Paradise ~ 1996
"...Your site on the Rockies is great, and true to the core. I was there in the Spring of 2001, and the experience with mother-nature was simply breathtaking, exhilarating and priceless..."
Mont Tremblant's Autumn Splendour ~ 2000
"...Thanks for your great essay and pix of Mont Tremblant, am going to Montreal this Sep, think I must make a sidetrip there..."
foto memoirs ~ montréal & québec city ~ 2000
foto memoirs ~ niagara falls ~ 2000
"...We have been to the falls and we loved it, but we moved too fast to get any really good pics like you did, they are great. hope you loved it in Niagara falls..."
Alaskan Sojourn ~ The Inside Passage ~ 2002
"...Wonderful website especially the black and white photos..."
Alaskan Sojourn ~ Ketchikan & Sitka ~ 2002
"...what a wonderful story, and good photos. I am heading up to Sitka for Whalefest, and to teach at the U of Alaska. it is good to be informed before i get there..."
Alaskan Sojourn ~ Juneau & Tracy Arm Fjord
~ 2002
Alaskan Sojourn ~ Skagway & White Pass/Yukon Route ~ 2002
"...Enjoyed everything about the Mascot Saloon as I lived there about 1938 as it was then a Drug store owned and occupied by Perry Hern, my
father-in-law..."
Alaskan Sojourn ~ Whitehorse & Klondike Highway ~ 2002
An American Tale Part I: Amtrak-ing in the West
~ 1995
"...Planning a trip from Oklahoma City, OK USA. Enjoyed your site..."
An American Tale Part II: Tribute to the East ~ 2000

~ down under ~

foto memoirs ~ cairns & its surroundings ~ 2001

"...Beautiful collection with informative commentaries from a seasoned traveller, great for sharing
them with others. Missing are beautiful
places from China..."


besides globe-trotting, what does one do with one's time really, except to doodle away to one's heart content?  so here are some articles for, dare i say, your reading pleasure (or brickbats?!)


Watch Out Before You Use That Zebra Crossing

The Cinema Strikes Back !

Confessions of a 30-Year-Old-To-Be, Come Y2K

Free Orchestra Music, Anyone ?

Singapore "Myths"
"...Read your article. Love it. 100% agree to your points..."

Of Shooting Condors and Red Snow


i have also taken up art recently and intend to put some works up for viewing when they are more up to scratch.


    2005 (new!) ..     1996 (our 1st album) ..

in the meantime, my other "dormant" hobby deserves some "airtime". Intersection Music Lab, a xinyao (local Singapore compositions) group which i am a part of, has released a commemorative CD collection of our compositions in the last 10 years. yep, that's why i have representation in there for 3 Chinese songs which i composed the tunes way back i shall not say when. we are amateurs but it's a sincere production with some gems (not necessarily mine), which is another way of saying it's self-funded and need all the support it can get !
Also see You Weekly review.






© Ong Hwee Yen 2001~2005

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