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Italy: Day 07 – Venezia Santa Lucia
Better known as Venice, Venezia Santa Lucia is dubbed as one of the most romantic cities in the world. Being about two hours ride by train from Bologna, I wouldn’t want to miss it for the world. Linda gave me a day off from the bookfair. Thank you Linda for being so supportive! I took the 8.30am morning ride from Bologna and reached Ferrovia Train Station, Venice at about 11.30am. I walked from the station to Piazza Santa Marco. I lost track of the time but I think I walked more than two hours! Venice is a car-free city and the only way to get around is by foot or boat/ferry. This is why I walk 🙂
A view just outside Ferrovia Train Station. Magnificent isn’t it! The sky adds a dramatic feeling to it.
Gondolas with red seats; how strikingly romantic!
A table for two…
I think this is peony. But please tell me if you know the real species, thanks!
Blossoms everywhere!
Came across a group of kids holding flowers, I think they were all going somewhere but not sure where…
albatrosses
Street performers; somewhere between Ferrovia to Piazza San Marco
a black cat on a balcony somewhere after Rialto
Rialto
Piazza San Marco
I just love their windows!
Venice houses
It is best that you go with your other half or kids. Going alone is no fun. My head kept picturing myself exploring Venice with my husband and son!
Anyway, I tried walking back to Ferrovia from Piazza San Marco but the usual thing happened; I got lost. For almost two hours. Pusing-pusing kot tu, sampai balik ke Piazza San Marco. So to save time, I took a ferry back to Ferrovia from the ferry station near San Marco.
Here are some views from the ferry:
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KL International Book Fair – Craft Books
While I was in Italy, my craft books made their way to the KL International Book Fair, PWTC, Kuala Lumpur! Ann, PTS Editor tagged me few photos in Facebook, here they are:
I wish I could have been there to join in the fun making crafts from my craft books! But really, I have made commitments to my agent/publisher to be in Bologna’s Children Book Fair, Italy. If only I could split my body!
I am not sure which bookstores carry my books but will keep you informed once I get the information from PTS. At the meantime, you can browse and buy all 5 titles at PTS Bookcafe.
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Italy: Day 06 – Book Launching
I was not feeling quite well on the sixth day (Wednesday, 24th March 2010). I vomited the night before and my head was so heavy. The weather and my nose-bleeding must’ve been the root to my health. I wish I had Minyak Cap Kapak with me! Linda told me to rest awhile and after feeling a bit better, I took a taxi to the book fair. I had to be there as Linda told me earlier that a small launch for “My Mother’s Garden” will be held.
My book being launched by ITNM’s Chairman Dato’ Dr. Shahruddin Salleh.
The launch was witnessed by Mr Yeoh from Future Ace, Mr SH Lee (Sasbadi’s Publishing Director), Linda T Lingard (my agent/publisher), Hj Sahari Jantan (MEP Educare), Puan Norhayati (MBKM), just me, Dato’ Dr. Shahruddin Salleh (ITNM’s Chairman), En Redza Khairudin, IBBY Vice President, Hj Shaari Abdullah (President, Persatuan Pengedar Buku Bumiputera Malaysia), two trade visitors from Malaysia and En Shadri Abdullah (YPJ Publications).
Although small, the launching marked the new beginning of my career as children’s book author and illustrator.
The book will be available in Kinokunoya, MPH as well as The Borders next month. Will keep you informed when it really reaches the bookshelves!
Here’s a look at my book again:
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Peugeot 308 VTi!!!
Alhamdulillah!!!!! I won the Grand Prize for BLOG4FT contest!! Really, I did not expect to win as the competitors are all very strong! When I arrived at KLIA this morning and switched on my mobile phone, I saw two messages; one from my husband and one from Bain. As I read them, I was jumping to joy and Linda Tan who was walking with me curiously asked why I was jumping. I told her the good news and she jumped along!
Congrats to all winners!
PUBLIC
First
Peugeot 308 VTi
Nor Emila Mohd Yusof
Entry: KL: A to Z Fun Things To Do & Places To Visit With KidsSecond
Naza Prisma + 1 Dell Studio Hybrid + 1 MacBook
Nigel Sia Ling Wei
Entry: ThankfulThird
1 Dell Studio Hybrid + 1 BlackBerry Bold + RM500 Bubba Gump voucher
Loke Seng Hon
Entry: History, Heritage & Architecture – All in KL & PutrajayaFourth
Tan Keat Eng
Entry: Spread Your Wings – reaching out – KL Bird ParkFifth
Khairunisa bt Abdullah
Entry: Aku dan P. Ramlee
MEDIA
First
Kia Optima Novus
Cheong Peck Beng
Entry: My BangsarSecond
Naza Prisma + 1 Dell Studio Hybrid + 1 MacBook + Piala
Sonny Ikmal Bin Ahmad Kamil
Entry: Pasar Chow Kit, Pasar Satu MalaysiaThird
Dell Studio Hybrid + 1 BlackBerry Bold + RM500 Bubba Gump voucher
Azizul Fahmi Ahmad Zabidi
Entry: Cerita kemasyhuran Bangunan Sultan Abdul SamadINTERNATIONAL
First
Flight tickets for 2 to Kuala Lumpur + Hotel Stay (5 stars) for 3 nights + Air Asia flight ticket to Penang + Hotel Stay at Naza Hotel in Penang for 2 nights + 1 Dell Studio Hybrid + Certificate
Barbara Mckay (Australia)
Entry: The Magic Hour Show @ Annexe GallerySecond
Flight tickets for 2 to Kuala Lumpur + Hotel Stay (5 stars) for 3 nights + Air Asia flight ticket to Penang + Hotel Stay at Naza Hotel in Penang for 2 nights + Certificate
Keith Jenkins (Holland)
Entry: Ten things to do in Kuala LumpurThird
Flight tickets for 2 to Kuala Lumpur + Hotel Stay (5 stars) for 3 nights + Certificate
Dhanya Parthasarathy (India)
Entry: rock solid on the precarious edgeJUNIOR
First
1 Dell Studio Hybrid + 1 Sony PlayStation 3 + 1 Sony PSP + 1 iPod Touch
Yeow Minyi
Entry: 350! 350! I say 350!
Second
1 Dell Studio Hybrid + 1 iPod Touch + 1 Sony PSP
Gloson Teh
Entry: My Most Enjoyable Holiday in KL in Dec 09
Third
1 Dell Studio Hybrid + 1 iPod Touch
Sharifah Hani Yasmin binti Syed Abdullah
Entry: Kuala Lumpur: The Lost Art of The “Serunai Burung”The prize-giving ceremony was yesterday 28th March 2010 but since I was on a flight back to KL from Italy, I missed it. But I did send my two handsome guys to represent me.
A BIG THANK YOU to the organiser of BLOG4FT, Kementerian Wilayah Persekutuan especially the minister himself, Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin, BLOG4FT team members especially Hakim, Syahriman, Nazim and Sheila, the public as well as professional judges, namely Tan Sri Datuk Sri Elyas Omar, Tan Sri Dato Dr Lim Kok Wing, Dato’ Tony Fernandes, Dato Seri Wong Chun Wai and Datuk Ahiruddin Attan (Rocky) who have made it possible for me to be the Grand Prize Winner!
A VERY BIG THANK YOU to the sponsor as well; NAZA Group of Companies for the great prize!
A VERY VERY VERY BIG THANK YOU to all who voted for me for the post!!
Here’s Yassin posing with his dad and uncle Bain!
Update:
Toot has posted a link in The Malay Mail in my blog comment: http://www.mmail.com.my/content/31641-graphic-illustrator-wins-ft-competition. Thanks toot!
Here’s the article, I copy-paste for my record:
Graphic illustrator wins FT competition
Mum blogs her creations and is awarded a Peugeot 308 VTi car
Shahrim Tamrin
Monday, March 29th, 2010 10:23:00
A pleasant surprise this morning at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport when she met her husband, Mohd Za’im Mohd Tahet, 47, and son Mohd Yassin, 7, upon her arrival from Italy.
From them, she learned that her blog entry KL: A to Z Fun Things To Do & Places to Visit with Kids was declared the best by judges of the “Blog for FT” competition and had been awarded the grand prize of a Peugeot 308 VTi car. (Picture caption — CREATIVITY: (From left) Za’im with his son, Raja Nong Chik and S.M. Faizal Nasimudin of Naza at the prize-giving ceremony. Pic by ASHRAF SHAMSUL AZLAN)Her husband told The Malay Mail last night: “The organisers told Emila to attend the awards ceremony tonight as her entry was listed in the top three.”
However, she was not able to do so as she was in Italy for the Bologna’s World Children’s Book Fair.
It was only when Emila was on a flight back that the announcement was made. On her behalf, Za’im said:
“This is definitely one of the highlights of Emila’s life. “She decided to quit the corporate scene three years ago to spend more time with our only son. She also wanted less restrictions on how to express herself as an artist and writer.“I think her creative style to include illustrations in her write-up on KL’s positive lifestyle and environment garnered the attention of the judges.
“She is very creative and likes to blog about almost anything. Emila’s knack for writing as well as her love for illustration and graphics was expressed well in her blog emilayusof.com.”
The inaugural competition was mooted last year by FT and Urban Wellbeing Minister Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin after an informal discussion with a group of bloggers.
Since its launch in October, the competition had attracted 4,278 entries with 300,000 page views recorded during the six-month time frame of the competition.
“I can say this was a success,” Raja Nong Chik said at the ceremony last night. “I am happy with the quality and scale of responses from the blogging community as well as the international participation which reached as far as Australia, Belize, Tanzania, Kazakhstan, Netherlands and India.”
The competition had four categories — general, teens, international and media. The teen winner was Yeow Minyi, Australian Barbara McKay topped the international entries while Cheong Peck Beng bagged the media prize.
Raja Nong Chik said he wanted to capitalise on the impact of new media and create a positive Internet buzz among bloggers about the Federal Territory as well as promote it at the same time.
“Blog for FT is one way to reach out to the public. I also actively interact with my Facebook friends to listen to their suggestions, comments or complaints about the Federal Territory.”
Credit: The Malay Mail
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Blogging from Italy: Day 05 – Bologna
Tuesday, 23rd March 2010
Today is the start of Bologna Children’s Book Fair, Linda and me had an early and quick breakfast as we had to arrange the books on our shelf. We took a cab from the hotel to the Bologna Fair Centre and the fare was more or less about €12.
Entrance to the book fair
the aisle leading to main hall
Yusof Gajah Lingard Literary Agency‘s bookshelf
My own “My Mother’s Garden” on the shelf, a novita
more books and my illustrations on the shelf
a potential rights buyer came early to our booth
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Blogging from Italy: Day 04 – Firenze
Monday – 22nd March 2010
Linda went out early as she had to attend SCBWI Conference at the Bologna’s Children Book Fair, Bologna Fair Centre – Piazza Costituzione, Bologna and I took the time to find my own way to Firenze (Florence). Took the morning train and it took about two hours to reach Firenze Rifredi. When I reached there, I just walked out of the train station and headed to the town.
Firenze Rifredi Train Station
There wasn’t much to see and it was so not what people told me…and how do I get to Toscana? I was so helpless, I wanted to do my research before I left KL but I was too busy to finish my illustrations. I wanted to do the research also from Boscolo Hotel but internet connection was not available (still not available until today…as I wrote this…)
Signboards everywhere but I did not know where to go!
But of course I found few interesting objects to snap…
A bicycle
Oh Dandelions! Really made my day that day!
Firenze ducks are pretty!
So I bought a map and headed back to the train station. On the way back to the train station, I found an internet cafe and decided to go in and updated my facebook status, “Sesat di Firenze!” and got to talk to few friends online. After sending a message to my husband and son, I walked to the train station and sat there staring at the map. I later gave up and bought a ticket back to Bologna. I waited there but missed it as I thought it was a train to Napoli!! Lol! I was really a dumb! I took it as a sign and sat back and relaxed for a while until later I saw a board with available trains to all parts of Italy and saw Firenze Santa Maria Novella (SMN)! That was it!! That was the place I was supposed to go! I concluded to myself Firenze Rifredi is a transit station. So I bought a ticket to Firenze SMN!
That was more like it! But as the time has passed 3pm, I calculated my journey back to Firenze Rifredi and then back to Bologna, I decided not to wander far from the Firenze SMN’s train station. I went to the Information Center and ask for a map. The maps was so much better; it got interesting places to visit! I only managed to buy little gifts from the city and headed back to Bologna.
When I reached Bologna, it was about 6pm and I just walked around the town and took few photos.
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Blogging from Italy: Day 03- Trastevere
Sunday – 21st March 2010
{Note: I apologise for not being able to blog as often as the Boscolo Hotel (B4 Hotel) is having an internet connection problem. I got connection from an unsecured line today and many thanks to the owner of the unsecured line!~ Emila, 27th March 2010, Bologna, Italy}
Went to the Porta Portese Sunday Market as early as 7am. Linda and I wanted to have more time to look around the market as we have to check out from B&B Maggiore at 10am. As per instruction by Arnold, the assistant keeper of the B&B, we walked to the Termini Centrale to take bus number H to the market. I looked for the Bangladeshi boy who spoke Malay the other day to buy tickets but his shop was still not opened so we just bought tickets from a machine nearby.
The bus to Porta Portese
We board bus H and found empty seats beside a big fat lady. A really big fat lady. After awhile, Linda looked at me and I looked at her. I spoke to Linda in Malay, “Linda, you ada bau sesuatu tak?” Linda replied, “Ada la, makin lama makin kua.t” So we decided to find seats in the front part of the bus. After having my seat (my seat was facing her), I could not help but looking at the lady. She has blonde hair, shabby clothes, shoes that she only wore half of them and a very big bag. Anyway, she has two whole seats to her. Pardon me I know it is rude to stare but my eyes controlled my head. She noticed that I looked at her, panicking, I quickly turned away. Later she took out an eyelasher curler and slowly curled her right eye’s lashes. Later she put the curler back inside her bag. After looking left and right, she took it out again and curled her left eye’s lashes and put it back inside her bag. Her face looked very confident after the curling session as if she was saying out loud, “hey, look at me, I am pretty now.” But, still; the smell won’t go away. Most of other passengers around her, moved to the front part of the bus as the longer you smell it, the harder you are keeping yourself from puking.
Anyway, when the bus moved, I totally forgot about her as the view outside the window was more interesting. The bus took us to Transtevere where the market is located. Arnold told us to board off the bus after we see the river. The river we saw and off we board from the bus.
Linda walking towards a newspaper stands to ask for direction
There was no sight of the market and we just walked until we saw a man and we asked. He told us to walk straight and could notice the market from far. And that was in sign language and a bit of Italian but we comprehended. It was a 15 minutes walk!!! But that was ok, we got to see pretty things…
We finally reached the market after the 15 minutes walk and Linda and me got to buy a jacket for each of us for only 3 Euro!
Porta Portese market
Bread dough decorations
Chinese trader selling scarfs
It was 9.30am and it was time to fetch our bags from the B&B and checkout. As there was a marathon in Rome, most of the major roads have been closed down so we took the train back to Termini Centrale. We bought our train tickets to Bologna. The Eurostar ticket made me poorer Euro65!
Trastevere Train Station and two girls from the marathon who passed by B&B Maggiore
After checking out B&B Maggiore, we headed back to the terminal to board our train to Bologna. The ride took us more than two hours.
Me posing in front of Eurostar (thanks to Linda for taking my picture!)
The Bologna signboards (left) and the Boscolo Hotel (right)
