My Highly-Valued Readers.....
Results coming out tml! 24/4.....tee hee...
Sorry for the lag....was busy checking out hunks for my fellow sisters back home....ladies! I've got stock!!!! Post them up real soon....=)
Dear Mum and Dad,
As I sit here comfortably studying and enjoying the beat of the music from the computer, a moment of realization overwhelmed me. Just wanna thank you both, for working for the family, and giving me the platform to step into a life abroad. All worldly and un-worldly possessions I have, could have only been made possible with the exchange of your sweat for money.
Never felt a moment of aloneliness, because you are all here with me. With your help and blessings, I would really try to glean as much as possible from this stint in Germany.
爸妈，真的很感谢您。
TingZ
Game of the Week: "NAME THE OBJECT!"
Folks, if you'll patronize me, please participate in this game!
"NAME THE OBJECT!" contest
There's lots of cool stuff in Germany that are not exactly very common in Singapore...or at least the uninformed me have yet to see them back home.
Could you accurate guess what this object might be?
PRIZES AWAIT!!!!
=)
Simply Living
Looking absolutely like a yellow-faced woman (huang(2) lian(3) po(2)).....was cleaning up the toilet, kitchen and room when I thought, maybe I should provide evidence of house-keeping to my mum. Mother, are you reading this? Try to surf my blog ok? Then you could learn how to use the Internet. =)
Was ravenously hungry after visiting Konstance today (pics not up yet). Made a simple supper of instant noodles....oooh...the taste of MSG.....yum.
In Weinheim
Went to Weinheim last Saturday and spent a fantastic afternoon being "girly"...plucking flowers from the Exotenwald (an absolutely touristy name for a forest). Ok, honestly, it wasn't so effeminated.....I've bought this cool book of botany for beginners and had a really thrilling time collecting specimens and trying to identify them.
Brought them back.....planning to make pressed flowers out of them.
I was amazed once again at the easy relaxed pace of life here....a fine distinction between work and play....took pics of a typical cafe setting on a sunny afternoon
And remembering you all, my lovely sisters-in-bitching at home, I spied with my little eyes... a few probable candidate hunks for your viewing pleasure.
Exclusive: For Daryl's Eyes only
Ooi brother, which one catches your eyes' fancy? Otherwise, I try to find something else. Reply here ok?
P/S Some of you might wonder, why didn't I put pics of hot german babes instead. In my personal opinion, in the mind of some men, the sight of football and affliated paraphenalia overrides everything else. *bleah.
In Heidelberg again.
What started out as a usual jogging routine become an adventure (or misadventure). The hands (pic: left hand only) were evidence of the little climbing excursion through Heidelberg...literally. I was jogging up the Philosophen Weg (where many a young local is said to have lost their heart...and virginity, along the walkway), where I thought, why not walk up further? So impatient little me did it the commando way; starting point: down here, finishing point: up there, therefore bashed through the thickets and marched (or crawled) straight up unbashedly to the top.
That was alright....the view from the top was COOL....especially from the look-out tower...
Coming down was however, ahem, a little problematic. Fell and slided several times and nearly broke into someone's fence in process....
PHEW...fun. Gotta do it again. Folks, trust Nike. The lovely running suit, which I bought for 50 Euros here, saved my skin literally during the falls.
Oh but it's not advisable to try this stunt with Bukit Timah. The soil in tropical rainforest is disgusting....so ahem....if interested, come to Heidelberg and we'll do it together. *wink
The little treasures collected during the misadventure.
I'm going flower-crazy....the flowers are absolutely lovely...but they probably appear normal to the locals here. Reminds me of how contradicting we humans are; things in abundance are usually taken for granted, only to be felt when they are in scarcity....
I'm now a proud owner of a many-hands bike that fits me perfectly.....we're meant for each other. I learnt a little about the German etiquette though. Arranging to meet the saler is usually quick and decisive, and during the meeting, try to keep to only shop talk and nothing else. I think I might have nearly asked too many irrelevant questions i.e do you live here, or work here, or what do you work as...blah blah... PHEW. Close Shave I think.
Again a blessed day. Gonna figue developmental biology out.
P/S Ppl, if you're cool, SENT ME A CARD! Europa-Haus III, Plöck 58 69117 Heidelberg, Stockwerk: EG, Zimmer Nr: 06. Address to Lim, Yan Ting. They would all become VERY-MUCH Appreciated Decorations on the wall. =) *big watery pleading eyes.
In Heidelberg
What was expected to be a boring Sunday turned out to be a fulfilling one. =) Unplanned weekends in Europe is scary, coz everything's, or just about everything is closed. Thank God for the invention called the "Internet".....happened to chance upon a list of events that took place on Sunday (2/4).....and went to the botanical gardens for a talk on exotic tropical plants....actually basically all the spices that you could find in your typical kitchen.
I went trigger-happy...was absolutely thrilled to see all that lovely flowers and fauna.
After which, I experienced the first European Sunday afternoon....simply seating outside the cafe and drink coffee. Slow.....relaxed. I think I need some time to get used to it, after the hustle and bustle from the last academic year.
Ahhh.......choral music. We chanced upon an evening performance by Cappella Palatina at the St Bonifatius Church. It was in remembrance of the 1st death anniversay of Pope John Paul II. The voices (other the 1st sopranos), were fantastic....as usual, the 1st sops nearly spoilt it all. (NEARLY I repeat). The acoustics of the church saved them all (as expected), and they actually sounded like the heavenly hosts.....WOOO....
Was a nice eventful day afterall.
The Clairvoyant, my mother.
Never scoff at your mother's suggestions, less you learn it the hard way. I really truly appreciate my mother's foresight...BIG HUG to you fat woman. =) The household needs that I've never really seriously thought about or taken for granted,...have all become suddenly essentials. Towels, cooking tools, storage devices, rags......getting a small glimpse of my mum's job scope, now that I'm living alone abroad.
Essential: THE waterboiler.
The universal storage device
Mum sneaked it into the luggage. Really useful S-es.....
"Only mothers can think of the future-....", Maxim Gorky. This is a tribute to you Mum.
In Frankfurt again
Skyline of Frankfurt. Nothing sky scraping but nice nevertheless....
The Städler. The exhibitions in this museum were interesting and informative but I felt so assaulted by the pictures depicting the crucifixation of Christ. They were like teeming in every single exhibition corners.... Took some shots of the scenic paintings instead.
"Dorfausgang im Winter" by Gustave Courbet (1819-1877)
"Der Walchensee im Winter" by Lovis Corith (1858-1925)
Nice woodwind music from the street musicians. They were performing at Konstablerwache, one of the bustling spots in Frankfurt's city centre.
Some taxi driver parked his cab in the street tram's lane. Perhaps his wife might have been in labour or something to the effect, but it did caused some consternation to the tram conductor. However, I was rather impressed, as this hiccup was handled with civility. Nevertheless, an interesting sight. =)
My generous hosts, Andre (right) and Helga (his mum). =) We went to a restuarant for my last day in Frankfurt. Ambience was fantastic and the food was great! Can't thank the both of them enough for taking me in like a stray cat =)
In Frankfurt
Did all the touristy thingy...but actually it's not as repulsive as I would have imagined it to be. It was rather refreshing to merely observe and watch objects in stasis, instead of being an active participant of things. Watch and learn. Perhaps the best way to describe life as a foreigner.
These were pictures taken near in from the St Bartholomäus Dom in Frankfurt Altstadt. For some cities in Germany, they have this region called the "Altstadt", which refers to the area from which the city first developed from.
Somehow, these sculptures appeared rather vivid to me. On a lighter note, there are like GAZILLIONS artworks depicting Jesus' life and especially his cruxification, all around the Museums. I really wonder what Jesus would think, when he comes again and sees so much (uncountable, mind you) sculptures reminding him of his suffering on the cross. Kind of like salt to a wound don't you think?
These candles, with the dried roses at the periphery, encircles a plaque on the floor. It is in commemoration of the destruction during WWII. Rather neat tourist attraction; but what was amazing about it was, we were at the same spot 10 mins ago, but the decorations were not there....as if the candles and flowers surfaced from the floor by themselves. ooh.
A typical tourist attraction, the Cityhall. Didn't go inside, but was rather nice just gawk like a Japanese at it...."Woooah....Honto ni?! Sugoshi....!" =) (Sorry for the stereotype)
Went to the Historisches Museum, and saw this exhibition "Toys of the World". Really neat handicrafts from children from 5-56 years old, from all over the world.
We saw another exhibtion centred upon Frankfurt in the Middle Ages. Description in Lonely Planet: "...even if you skip the uninspiring permanent exhibition of the Middle Ages in favour of....." Actually it was not boring. The room where the ancient tools of arms were rather interesting, whilst having vocabulary lessons at the same time, courtesy of Andre.
First day in Germany
Just a quick summary of the first day in Germany.
Andre and I basically ran around Heidelberg with the impossibly heavy luggage. Well, I didn't get to move in on the first day (Monday, 27th of April), as the previous occupant's contract was till Friday. So faced with the possibility of having to sleep in the streets, I cursed myself for not having procured Weiyao's (Life Science student in Heidelberg too!) number before I came here. However, through this small hiccup, much kindness came forth from ppl, both familiar and unfamiliar. Andre's mother offered a place in Frankfurt and Sandra, one of the service assistants, tried to secure lodging for me. And somehow, by the hand of God, I managed to meet Weiyao near the canteen. So fortunately, I dumped the major baggages at his place and made my way down to Frankfurt with Andre, only to crash into a wonderfully made bed.
My goodness, I can't imagine I could have survive the first day without the help from everyone. Thank you all, you were all Godsent.
At the airport.
Forgive the retarded posting. Since the day of touchdown I've been running around like a headless chicken trying to carve a niche in Germania....
Thanks for coming, all of you. Hope you guys are living it well in Singapore.
Here life is really...SLOW.....There's actually time to THINK.
Friendster blog: Not User Friendly
Was trying for days to upload pictures reasonably on blog...all of them went into this bloody photo album in my friendster photos instead. I gave up and went to the dark side....now I'm a blogspotter.
Sorry folks.
Essential: THE waterboiler.
The universal storage device
Mum sneaked it into the luggage. Really useful S-es.....
Skyline of Frankfurt. Nothing sky scraping but nice nevertheless....
The Städler. The exhibitions in this museum were interesting and informative but I felt so assaulted by the pictures depicting the crucifixation of Christ. They were like teeming in every single exhibition corners.... Took some shots of the scenic paintings instead.
"Dorfausgang im Winter" by Gustave Courbet (1819-1877)
"Der Walchensee im Winter" by Lovis Corith (1858-1925)
Nice woodwind music from the street musicians. They were performing at Konstablerwache, one of the bustling spots in Frankfurt's city centre.
