Bye 2017 and hello 2018

Bye 2017 and hello 2018

Another year went by and a new one is awaiting us.

I hope 2018 is going to be a good year for all of us.

Happy New Year to you!

2017 was rough and tough

I don’t know how your 2017 was, but for me it was not an easy year.

I lost my mother. Her last months were sad. Witnessing her sufferings, and subsequently loosing her, had a big impact on me and I’m still grieving.

To balance things out (well, not really, but kinda), it was also the year in which friends finally got their first baby; a child that they longed for so much. So those were happy occasions.

Auntie Anja (with the son of my friend Celeste in Singapore. His name is Josh.Isn’t he cute?!)

Looking back at 2017

Looking through the thousands of pictures I took the past year, I found it hard to make a selection for this blog post. The pictures in this overview of 2017 are therefor a bit random; several special events and moments have been left out.

Of course there were many sweet moments with my one and only.

It was the year of walking (a lot more), hoping to get my diabetes in check. I joined a Dutch walking group in Singapore and that worked out well! Very nice ladies.

There were beaches (Vietnam).

And there was winter, cold and snow (NL).

I made bridge-selfies in Amsterdam, NL (left) and in SG (right). Not being very creative with my poses, hahaha.

Arms spread for arches.

I had ‘interactions’ with street art.

Selfies with American style props.

Posing with super heros.

Left: in a chinese temple in SG. Right: holding up the ArtScienceMuseum.

Walking on Sentosa Island, Singapore.

We met nice people at King’s Day in Singapore. Like the Korean-Dutch Hey-won and her husband Rijk.

We also met Tom and Marlies. Here you see them, dressed in orange Oppo-suits for King’s Day. We do not know the giant in the middle, but he made this a hilarious picture.

Of course I had champagne as often as I can (one glass per week)

Although the sickbed and death of my mother was undoubtedly The Defining ‘Event’ of the past year, fortunately there were happy things as well.

I gave two tours at Haw Par Villa, my favourite place in Singapore. For Dutch women, for free. Simply because I love spreading my enthusiasm about Tiger Balm Garden.

I enjoyed the company of my friends, as I always do, got to know and appreciate my family more (due to and during the sickbed of my mum), made new friends, saw fantastic art, traveled, took my mind of my sorrows by sketching and creating, walked a lot, started learning spanish, danced tango and more.

Dancing tango was an important activity for me when my mother was ill. It was a great way to relax and it helped me to keep my sanity.

What was your year all about? What were your highlights and special moments?

Do you have any particular plans, hopes and wishes for 2018?