"A well-fed Woon is a happy Woon."

Welcome

Hello and welcome to my little corner on the web! As the name of this website suggests, I am Woon. This website has come a long way since its humble beginning back in 1997. What you are looking at here is the sixth revision of my website.

I am currently in my sixth year of the M.D./Ph.D. Program at Virginia Commonwealth University pursuing a Ph.D. in Neurobiology.

Well, thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy your stay!

Woon

Update - August 8, 2008 (GMT +08:00)

Opening Day

The opening ceremony is tonight! Anyway, I think I have done pretty well with the sightseeing aspect of my trip. I have been to a number of attractions in the past few days, but there are a few more I have to check out before I leave for Hong Kong. This are the places I have visited in the past few days:

• Qianmen - the central southern barbican of the Inner city of Beijing
• Tiananmen Square - the famous square immediately to the south of the Tiananmen
• Tiananmen - the central southern gate of the Imperial city
• Forbidden City - the seat of government during the Ming and Qing dynasty
• Jingshan Park - the hill immediately to the north of the Forbidden City where one can see the entire Forbidden City
• Summer Palace - a huge complex of palaces and gardens built on a large man-made hill around a equally large man-made lake
• Lugou Bridge - a very famous and old granite bridge that was highly praised by the Italian traveler Marco Polo and where the infamous Marco Polo Bridge Incident took place, marking the start of World War II in the Pacific theater
• Houhai - a famous nightlife area immediately to the north of Beihai
• Wangfujing - one of Beijing's most famous shopping districts and where one can get exotic snacks such as deep fried insects and scorpions

I plan to watch the opening tonight at a friend's house, not far from the Bird's Nest. We hope to get a glimpse of the fireworks.

Update - August 5, 2008 (GMT +08:00)

In Beijing

I have finally arrived in Beijing after a three-hour flight. I was totally impressed with the level of professionalism at the Beijing airport. What? This is China? As soon as I got off the plane and entered the terminal, the Olympics mascots greeted me with so much enthusiasm as if they have never received visitors before. Olympics related posters, banners, and signs were everywhere as if no one knew about the event.

Anyway, the Olympics will not start for a few days and I hope to squeeze in as many sightseeing stops and tours as I can before then. The first stop tomorrow—Tiananmen Square!

Update - August 2, 2008 (GMT +08:00)

In Hong Kong

Yeah! I am here! The flight was very long, but the people sitting next to me were friendly and we had some great conversations to pass the time. After arriving last night, my aunt took me to my uncle’s vacant condo, where I will be staying. Riding in the bus through the city and seeing the familiar sights, a wave of nostalgia came over me. What a great feeling! I'm home!

Today, the first order of business is getting an updated map and some new glasses and of course, a traditional Hong Kong breakfast.

Update - July 31, 2008

At the Airport

I am waiting for a delayed flight as I write this. I guess delays are the norm nowadays in air travel.

Anyway, I am on my way to the Games of the XXIX Olympiad. When Beijing got the bid to host the Olympics in 2001, my friend Jack and I were determined to make it there when the time comes. So after a month of plugging away and many sleepless nights in order to make this a guilt-free trip, I am finally at the airport and on my way to China. My first destination is Hong Kong and the journey from Richmond will last about 20 hours. People asked me what I will do on such a long flight, at this point, doing nothing sounds good to me!

Although the Olympics are the primary objective of this trip, I am heading to Hong Kong as well to visit friends and relatives. In addition, sightseeing in Beijing will be a good part of my travel itinerary since this is my first time in the Chinese capital. There is the Great Wall, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, and other historically important sites and I totally plan to indulge. I can finally see the places I have been reading about for years.

I will try to blog as my trip unfolds. My flight is getting ready for boarding, so I will write again in Asia.