Back from PD

It's been a great one week break. No phone calls, no emails, no work reminders, no reports, just blissful bonding times with loved ones and family. Just sleep, eat, talk, walk, play and stone... and not feel guilty about it all.

Back from Port Dickson recently. A really sleepy town. Nothing much to do except hang around the nice hotel (The Legends) and stroll along the beach after visiting the small 70s malls and eating from Da(4) Pai(2) Dang(4) aka street stalls. Quite shiok actually. =)

Hope you have all had a nice Xmas, and am looking forward to welcoming 2010 in a wk's time.

Happy New Year in advance!

A Quaint Little Tea House

Abt a week ago, on a lazy afternoon, a group of us went to this quaint little teahouse (called Tea Bone Zen Mind Cafe) along Seah Street. Located on the 2nd floor, with arty paintings tastefully adorning the wall, high airy ceilings, clean drop-down windows and soft velvety sofas lined with cushions, the whole place is a super cosy and quiet hideout that put all of us instantly at ease.












The range of teas (hot/cold versions both available for each flavour), although not mind-boggling, is enough. The quality and presentation are great. You get nice, thoughtful infusions such as lemongrass green tea, eight treasures tea, cinnamon red tea etc coming in pots simmering on their own 'heaters', with individual side snacks (e.g. pineapple tart, anchovies, cuttlefish strips, preserved persimmon), and the pots get refilled... all for $10-12. Don't bank on having mains there though, they serve only light munchies such as tea leaf egg. Nonetheless, there is this supposedly famous and yummy chicken rice stall just next to it, so you can always pop by for a leisurely tea session after lunch.

Just to note that they only open from 11am to 6pm. Enjoy. =)

Simple Pleasures

The long weekend turned out to be decent afterall. Stayed up last night to read The Kite Runner. Been a long time since I've done any recreational book-reading. And the feeling of solitary page-flipping deep into the quiet night while propped against a fluffy pillow, with the fan whirling softly in the background ... is heavenly. Wish I can do that more often.

Moving into the last month of the year, the pace is winding down, and people are clearing leave. It's going to be increasingly quiet in the office. And this is deserved lull. A period of tranquility for balance to be restored before a whole new year of busy-ness starts again.

Dad and aunts are playing their game of mahjong as I'm typing this from the dining hall. Sometimes... the simplest thing brings the biggest pleasure.

Black Wednesday

What a big black Wednesday.

I buang-ed the car.

The hugely unfortunate event took place as I was midway up the cramped, high-walled Liang Court carpark. I totally forgot my dad having previously warned me about it as I made my way past the automatic barrier, after a long work day, to meet IE pals for dinner.

*BANG!!!* That terrible terrible sound that reverberated through the whole stupid spiral slopping carpark. One that'd replay itself in my mind over the next 2 days.

That big ugly dent and even uglier scratches at the left passenger door.

Damn.......... No one to blame except myself. For forgetting to avoid this carpark. For not being skilful enough to out-manoveur this endless upward spiral.

What a traumatic and expensive lesson, right before the start of a supposedly wonderful long weekend.

Me and My Blood

Yesterday, the philippino nurse poked me with a needle for abt 5 agonizing minutes... and then she traumatized me by saying 'Your vein is very big, but your blood flow is very slow.... WHY???' And then came another 2 or 3 stern reminders to please sit up straight, and then please grip the rubber toy very tight [but I was already doing all that!] so that the blood can flow out better/faster/whatever. Finally, she left me a parting shot - 'Tomorrow, there will likely be a big blue-black here', as she stuck a handyplast over the needle point and sent me off....

OMG. What a way to start a Friday morning.

We had our complimentary health screening at workplace. Decided to go as it's been some years since my last health check - when I was told that my cholesterol level was high, and I needed to watch my diet + exercise. Went for a follow-up check 6mths after a more healthy lifestyle/diet and got the all-clear. And then... years passed, and I decided to go for a needle poke again to test for blood glucose, lipids, cholesterol and blood pressure - basic basic basic.

Oh well, for sure I can live with the bruise, and perhaps also the trauma of my slow blood flow, for as long as the test results come back ok (3-4wks later).

Am already regretting the crackling german pork knuckle that I had a wk ago. Bleh.

Counting Down

It's been 3 mths since my last holiday (to Msia), and another 1 more mth to my next break (again to Msia). Argh, can already feel my battery running low. Super looking forward to the seaside resort getaway with beloved! Even as he immerses himself into the roomful of intellectuals, expends brain power dissecting academic speak, and eye power poring over fine journal prints, I'd be happy to just snuggle in bed with my ditzy thrillers in my comfy PJs. Or sip my sweet cocktail by the pool, bask in the Dec sun and eyeball available eye candy. I need a break. He needs a change in environment from his usual lab, office and apartment routine. And of course, we both need a reunion after 7 long mths.

Counting down to Dec!!

Remembering those days!

And oh, what a whole load of memories the trip brought back. Initially, had thought it's just going to be a simple, get-out-of-office-and-back-to-nature kind of trip, on a humid Tue afternoon, with another about 45 colleagues, to Chek Jawa on Pulau Ubin. To expose them to the flora and fauna of Mama Nature, and enable them to appreciate the wholesome-ness of biodiversity we have on our shores. As for myself, a time to get out into the sun for a much-needed dose of Vit D and some salty breeze to clear my work-saturated head.

But then, the minute I boarded the rickety Ubin bum boats from the (refurbished) jetty, all hell broke loose. All the memories came flooding back, tsunami style. Crystal-clear memories of how as carefree 2nd/3rd yr Uni students, we used to head to Ubin to cycle, bbq, camp and look at stars; how we explored Chek Jawa before it got gazetted, boardwalks got erected and signs got put up; how as a fresh young educator, I brought CCA kiddos there for their annual overnight camps, night walks and orientations... and then, when I looked at the tiny male fiddler crabs squirming about in the sand, waving their not-so-tiny, bright orange pincers to try and attract the opposite sex, I can't help but remember those tiring but happy days spent in Phuket as a Uni Hons student on the overseas Bio field trip, when we had to investigate crabby behavioural patterns, trawl through net catches of swimming mantis, wade in muddy swamps, and preserve specimens in glass jars using pungent chlorofoam...

Wonderful memories. But, bittersweet it is still, for as time passes, people move on. Am just thankful that I've got a chance to experience (and remember) all these.

This is a case of a 'normal outing' that got transformed into a super nostalgic walk down memory lane.


Idyllic ubin


Vastness of the land


Boardwalks


Hermit crab in its shell


Big sea cucumber


As the sun sets

Ha-i-a-eee, Ha-i-a-ooo...

And how the room trembled with our raucous (and often off-pitch) singing, hearty back-slapping and boisterous laughter. It was one crazy halloween night we spent, geeky friends of 15yrs huddled into some 3rd-storey karaoke room in Chinatown, blaring our lungs out as we simultaneously attempted to catch up with each other above all the din. My Sec 4 gang, the nerdy, high-achieving ones who can always be counted upon to squeeze out time for some bonding amidst all the serious work.

We had always been somewhat 'ostracized' back in our schooling days. Probably because we were too digustingly intellectual in our pursuits, and/or because we were so obviously the teachers' pets. Back then, we not only aced exams, we also held our own in debates, drama, singing and *gasp* (certain) sports events too. And with so many councillors, school reps and national scholars churned out from our class, it's no wonder we were looked upon with suspicion (and irritation) by the rest. But it is exactly this kind of frosty reception from others that enabled us to forge such strong bonds within ourselves. We worked crazily hard, but we did not forget to play.

And 15 years on, it's still the same focused us. Still as nerdy, still as high-achieving, and still as bonded to one another. Except membership has grown, and partners/spouses are all inducted into this one big crazy party as well.

Life.. as it is.

Don't know if you believe in destiny, but I've always felt that life's pre-destined to some extent. This is not to say that we do not strive for things that we desire, but is a reminder that we not be overly distressed over things that have happened/not happened. Agony is often when one laments the 'what ifs'. But there is a time and place for everything, and if it's meant to be yours, it will come when the time is ripe (and the same goes for things that are not meant to be, they'd somehow die a natural death - if you let them).

Things are looking pretty clear to me right now, and I'm really excited about what lies ahead. Yet, I am also aware that the same clarity does not apply to a few of my close friends right now... I hope I can do more than just offer a listening ear. At the very least, I'd be keeping them in my (buddhist) prayer. Keep walking, and have faith that it's all going to be for the better.

Teva Sale!

Teva fans, attention - It's SALE time, up to 70% off! Just bring in a piece of footware (any brand, any type - flip flops, sandals, heels, pumps, whatever!) to be eligible. Make no mistake, it's a real deal. Just that you'd better make your way down quick before all runs out. For info, across all Teva outlets, there are no more women sizes 6 and 7, whatever designs. Super sad news for me, but managed to get 2 solid men pairs - 1 priced at $159 going for $45; the other priced at $139 going for $59. What a bargain. Enjoy shopping! =)

End of Chapter

Change! As you would have it.

After 7yrs at the helm, after winning then losing support, after visibly leaving imprints in the form of buildings, logo and motto, after strategizing and out-maneuvoring friends and foes, after nurturing some and cold-storing others, after bull-dozing paths through uncharted and sometimes unsuitable territories... he's going off. To another institution. For another cycle.

When news first broke, I had a mix of feelings. Surprise, happy, sad, pensive all in one bag. It had been one unique ride. Not always pleasant, but definitely memorable. Earlier in the years, there had been a great sense of empowerment, of respect, of even awe. Then, as the fog cleared, there were many exasperating moments, of anger, of amazement, of indignance, of resignation. And that's one big reason why I left.

Nonetheless, to be frank, if I have the chance to do it all over again, I may very well not have altered anything for it's been one good growing-up experience.

Thank you, for all that you have done, as well as not done. You are definitely one of a kind.

All the best to you, and to the group who's taking the next ride.

As for those whose future depends on him, it's time to go back to real hard, politic-less work. Alternatively, you can hop onto his new boat and ride away in detached bliss.

End of a chapter. I wonder how much has really changed.

Just some random thoughts

Busy busy busy... Rest. Busy busy busy... Rest. And the cycle goes on. But at least there is a period called rest. I look around and there are some loved ones who are busying without much apparant rest. But then, they are working for more significant, long-term personal gains, hence the stakes are understandably higher, the frustrations more intense and the stress more acute. I hope they'd all be able to achieve their set goals soon.

2 weeks and 3 babies. 1 from a Sec 4 mate in London, 2 from ex-colleagues. 1 more coming up within this mth. The stork's been working overtime. Probably just what our tiny nation needs - more native citizens to balance that massive influx of foreign talent, treasured as they are. Wishing all mummy friends and their precious newborns well.

Coming to the middle of Oct. I must say that this year feels like it's passed by more quickly than the last, which must be an indication of how much less painful it has been to date. I can only hope that next year passes as quickly as this one.

Harmony in a Circle

Yesterday, for 2hrs, all hell (almost) broke loose.

Abt 120 of us usually straight-faced, introverted civil servants zipped around Vivo City, Habourfront and Seah Im Market like merrily flustered children, rushing from station to station, clutching white envelopes of precious clues, eyes looking out for station masters holding the YOG mascot.

We were taking part in the Harmony Circles 'Treasure Hunt' - an annual event aimed at fostering closer ties between (i) colleagues from different divisions, and (ii) colleagues of different races. Yesterday's theme was just the right one for me - FOOD. And with 2 defending champions in our group of 6, our team managed to beat the other 14 teams to emerge Champs! =)

Lest you think we fought like sly aggressive wolves, we were actually really genial in our play and never did set out to win. The win is likely due to our familarity with the whole physical layout, our sporting nature and good teamwork, as well as *gasp* external help (i.e. phone calls to friends/relatives to ask for origins of certain food, and tips from fellow teams).

Our prizes? Mizuno and Columbia sports accessories. Cool. =) Till next year!

The beginning of the end?

Ok, I am feeling like shit now. And have been so for the past few days. Is this the beginning of the end of it?

An update - 2 days later (21 Sep)
Ok, am out of the dumps. What a terrible, energy-zapping couple of days it had been. Yep, it would be time to, like a buddy said, chin up and get back to work with gusto tomorrow.

Couplehood

Supposed to go wakeboarding this Sat, and help matchmake a colleague's fren with my classmate. But as fate would have it, it is not to be, so we'd have to contend with alternatives.

This thing abt couplehood. Guess it'd be as complex as the parties involved make it out to be. Obsessive compulsive, or laissez faire, or somewhere in between. If you, like me, happened to chance upon Fann Wong & Christopher Lee's half hr wedding preparatory broadcast on tv just now, you might have drowned in sweet envy. I mean, good looks aside, there seems to be sizzling hot yet stable, unpretentious love between the 2 showbizzy celebs! I know, what's the big deal, celebs are made of flesh and blood too, aren't they? They breathe and eat and poo too, don't they? Of coz. I'm just being an air-head.

But I must say, physical togetherness is an important part of being a couple. You'd need to see and hear the quirks at different times of the day before you can confidently declare that you can live with all that for the rest of your life, isn't it?

Couplehood, it's as complex as the parties involved make it out to be.

Happy T Day

Happy T Day to those of you Ts who are reading this entry today. It's our special day, so go ahead and do all that you need to rejuvenate your soul as we continue to run the marathon.

Lead, Care, Inspire. That's what most of us have been doing, haven't we? And that, for the layman's benefit, very roughly translates into many dozens of bottled chicken essence, many nights of half-deep sleep, many mths of bulging black eyebags, and many strands of hair-pulled-out-in-frustration-&-worry... but all magically redeemed with just one heartfelt articulation of appreciation from the young ones. I guess we are one of a kind. A weird sub-specie who incessantly whines but continues to labour on, in the hope of turning out generations of future who would live their lives right.

Happy T Day. =)

Fiddle Diddle

What better way to round up a week than spend time with dad over a nice big plate of succulent seafood followed by a platter of assorted cheese paired with a bottle of full-bodied, plum-infused pinot noir?





Of course, this will more than make up for all the calories to be lost at the 2hr racket-sweat session next wk - pinksmurffy, still on rite?.

Just gone for some hair-fiddling today - a trim here and there, and then a fresh coat of paint. This weekend is a time for the mind and body to rest and refresh.

Saw hopefuls coming in for interviews, and recalled how it had been like for myself just over a year ago. Glad I left, for sanity and principles are priceless.

To the Zoo, To the Zoo!

A big fat bumper-to-bumper jam that lasted 2.5hrs, in exchange for 3 days worth of shopping, eating and catching up in KL. =P Next time, I'd book air tics early and spare dad the tedious-ness of having to ply NS highway.





Coming up will be a hectic couple of mths, with big divisional events lined up. Will have to take a deep breathe and just whack.

Just heard that, as part of this yr's T Day celeb, all Ts only have to flash their civil service cards to be granted free admission to the Zoo, Night Safari and Bird Park! How cool is that?! Love the zoo! Sure hope to take advantage of this great lobang and go say hi to polar bears, tigers and red-bummed baboons again. =)

2 weeks early

2 more weeks to our Nation's birthday. A seasoned dame at 44.

Yesterday, someone in the office reminded us to jot down thoughts on some institution-circulated note slip (a kinda 'complete the blank' version) - 'I am proud to be a Singaporean because....'

Several thoughts fleeted through my mind:
- because there is such a large diversity of yummy food in tiny red dot
- because this is where I grow up and experience my many firsts (first school, date, job, volunteer work, death..)
- because this is where most (can no longer say 'all') of my friends and family are
- because this is such a safe and orderly place (some say too orderly and boring)
- because this is where we are blissfully sheltered from natural disasters, and systems & people are effective yet minimally (or outrightly) corrupted

Of course, little island could be a better place (to be fair, any place can be a better place):
- greater respect and protection for worthy national treasures (the real National Library, Chek Jawa, old neighbourhoods) in their original (not remade until unrecognizable) states
- bigger space for, sincere acceptance of and active outreach towards ppl with diverse views (on politics, sexuality, rootedness)
- greater consideration turned into concrete infrastructural assistance for the less fortunate (for the physically disabled, intellectually challenged and even our 'normal' aged)

I may not be in town when the Nation blows out its candles on the birthday cake, but it doesn't make me any less Singaporean. This, I wonder if the older generations (particularly our leaders) would understand and accept.

One final comment - with all due respect to the hard work that those involved must have been put in, this year's NDP song is a real let-down. An absolute disconnect. Totally unstirring. I miss the good old days where all, young and old, clapped and sang along to catchy heartfelt versions of easily-understood, meaningful, distinctive and uplifting celebratory songs.

Happy Birthday in advance, little red chilli padi.

Screaming and Sweating

Oh man... after a 3wk absence, the return to 2hrs of back-to-back gym classes was a killer! And it didn't help that the instructors for both classes decided to push us to our limits as it was a FRIDAY.. 'in anticipation of all the eating and drinking (read: calorie-piling) we'd be doing over the weekend' - they said. Bleh.

3/4 of my way through the first Body Pump class, I told myself that I'd just stick to 1 class today. By the end of it however, I decided that it was simply not environmentally friendly to have the washing machine work on my gym clothes after just 1 session of sweat, so decided to stay around for the 2nd class (Body Combat), with the intention of walking out anytime my heart hints at giving way. Boy, am I glad I stayed. The participants of the 2nd class were a totally wonked out group - they (both guys and gals who did not seem to be acquainted) screamed and shouted in unison and with delirium as they punched and kicked the air, with one power lady letting out a 5sec long shrill scream every time a certain combo was executed. The atmosphere was totally electrifying but also super hilarious (to me) - can't help but grin myself silly throughout. If it weren't for their highly enthused vocal expressions, I would not have lasted 10min.

So there, after a solid dripping-wet 2 hrs of exertion, I felt that familiar ache in the muscles return. What a shiok feeling. I may just hit the gym on Fridays in future, for that seem to be when all inhibitions are released.

Can't post pics?!

Back from HCM for abt a week now. Dad enjoyed the trip, except for the crazy motorbike traffic and sweltering afternoon heat. He loved the thick coffee and the crisp baguettes. And I, the cheap local beer and fresh steamboat hotpots.

Tried posting pics up here a few times over the last couple of days to no avail. Hmmm... a bug?

Countdown to the Big 3

Oh man... 5 more days to the big 3_. Phew. Looking at family history, that'd probably be middle age for me liao. =P

With my buddies either overseas, recovering from surgery, put on home qurantine after return from an affected country, or busy with family commitments, and JM busying with his studies in Oz, it'd be back to Dad and myself to mark this momentous day. So... we've just decided to take advantage of this super SQ deal - just $789 for 2 pax to Ho Chi Minh, inclusive of airfares + all surchages + airport transfers + 3 nights accomodation at 3* hotel that is at District 1 (city centre). =)

Will be setting off on my hatchday, and back on Sunday. Meantime, please help me pray hard that Viet is NOT gg to get onto the 'affected' country list anytime soon -at least not before I fly off on Thursday, otherwise I may have to quarantine myself using personal leave upon return. Argh, that'd be the ultimate nightmare.

The Big Cook-out!

With Big, Medium, and Small Bosses all away on vacation leave, the colleagues here squeezed in one amazing team bonding activity (definitely cannot be done often) - we had alfresco potluck steamboat during lunch! Almost everyone left in the office (include clerks & technicians too) brought along some steamboat ingredients and we had a big cook-out under an umbrella bench just outside our office for ~1hr. Very yummy, and very fun cutting, washing and cooking in a grp! Since it's once in a super blue moon, I really hope we won't get reprimanded even if we do somehow get caught. Work hard, play hard...

Onto the highway

Better late than never - after abt 1.5mths of passing the driving test, I finally checked out the expressway. Bwahahaha, did you fall off your chair? =P Well, am just a rather nuah driver who very much prefer to be a passenger loh, so have been putting off driving on most occasions, esp when Dad's around.

Yesterday, got the car onto the AYE then to ECP, from home to Tanjong Rhu (and back), to have my dinner of salted egg crabs, marmite chicken & stir fry potato leaves.



Think it may actually be easier driving on the expressways, coz it's straight roads all the way with no traffic lights, nothing too nerve-wrecking except for the filtering in & out of them. Hmmm.. guess practice will make perfect.

Bosses will be away for the next 1.5 weeks. Hopefully this translates into much time and space to get more quality work done.

It's been a week since JM and family stepped onto Kiwi Land. Another half a week to go before return back to Sydney. A little envious at first, but not anymore. Sceneries are said to be breath-taking. Will be headed back there together sometime.

A new week ahead. Have a good one.

Blabbering @ 1.06am

So, it's official - my work trip to the US has just been canceled. No more. 7 cases in Spore now, and counting. We'd see where this leads us to.

Had been working pretty hard, and it's probably time to reward myself with the King of Fruits soon. Made healthy pita wraps and chinese dumplings for dad over the past weekends. Yummy, but fish pal, your ikan bilis + cabbage soup base tasted far more superior than my miso combo.







Had not been socializing much these past months. Guess as one ages, one tends to retreat further into own comfort shell? Or maybe it's tiredness, or complacency, or 'particular-ness', or contentment?

Random Thoughts

Now that I'm out of school, I realise that I only have a better sense of how fast time is passing by when I hear teacher-friends announce the commencement of their term breaks. 10 weeks between each break - a simple way of tracking the year's passage. For the rest of us in office/other non-school environments, sometimes, every other day seems to feel like just another day in the calendar. We just don't share that same sense of anticipation. Not that I'm complaining though - I guess we can always look forward to our own planned leave.

With the 4 confirmed H1N1 cases in Spore all tracked down to the States as the source, it looks like my Aug work trip is unlikely to come through. This time round, the bug looks to be a pervasive but less-fatalistic one.. I shudder to think about the next bug in line.

Back from Oz (Canberra-Sydney)

Am back from my Oz 9 day trip! Been a superb time. Great scenery, nice weather, good food, lovely strolls, and most importantly, wonderful company with loved one. There's little more to ask for, which made saying goodbye really difficult @ the airport.

Spending almost 24hrs together daily really either strengthen or break the relationship. You get to see all the quirks and different sides of the personality, and learn how to make plans, decisions and compromises together. Just very thankful and happy that it's a very good fit.

Here's some pics of the road trip we took:

If There're Seasons...

Caught the chinese musical - If There're Seasons... by The Theatre Practice yesterday night.

Billed as 'the musical extravaganza that features the legendary hit songs of Liang Wern Fook and the remarkable writing talents of Raymong To... a moving story of love, courage, dreams and journeys...', this is its 2nd run since it debuted in 2007. And the verdict - I LOVE IT!

There is a believable storyline, there are nostalgia-laden xing(1) yao(2) songs with meaningful lyrics, there is good chemistry between 'Rose' and 'Ah Le', and a SUPERB showcase of singing (and acting) prowess by some actors & actresses - my runaway favorites are 'Rose'(Joanna Dong) and 'A-Qiang' (by Jeffrey Low). Was moved enough at some parts to get all teary-eyed. [A pity though, that Sing Chew who plays the role of 'Xiao Jing' was often too giggly (when she acted) and too nasal (when she sang). Had anticipated a more sterling performance from her.]

Nevertheless, it's still all good. What better way to end a busy work week than to get lost in a moving, local creation.

p.s. Also caught the internationally acclaimed musical CATS a couple of weeks back. The west end version. For me, it's the 'Seasons' over 'CATs' anytime. Not because of blind support for local productions, but for something more than just a glitzy feline song & dance.

p.s.2. OH! And I passed the freaking driving test!! Wahahahaha. Jus hung up those oh-so-beautiful fluorescent yellow-red P plates.

Are you AWARE?

How interesting, but how very very sad, this whole raging controversy over AWARE's recent election.

So much speculation about the real intentions of this group of unknown but qualified (and may I add iron-willed and tight-lipped) ladies who form the 'new guards'. Who are they? What do they stand for? Was it an open coup that they have just staged?

I was following the news over these couple of weeks, and thought the 'Talking Point' segment that was just screened on ChannelNewsAsia (19 Apr, 10.10-10.30pm) would be the best platform for them to clear the air and make use of the opportunity to convince all opposition by clearly and convincingly articulate their vision and mission for the organization, as well as the values and principles that they'd use to guide the organization's future direction. But... what a big let down!

At the end of the interview, the impression is that the President does not know what she is talking about/dealing with. Everything was covered in such vague and non-contextual terms, and she was clearly reliant on her Honorary Treasurer for some meat to fill up the skeleton. Her facial expressions, her tone and the hesitation when it came to answering 'sensitive' qns (e.g. on sexual discrimination) reeked of suppressed impatience, insincerity and forced agreement. Very disappointing.

AWARE is (used to be?) a well-respected organization. It's a pity things have turned out this way. One worries about the extent of disintegration that is forthcoming.

Germany Pictures

Most of you would probably have forgotten about them, but not quite my couple of eagle-eyed, elephant-memoried buddies. =) Here they are, a sampling of my long overdue pics from my Dec 08 Germany adventure. Enjoy!


Munich - Bavarian restaurant


Munich - market


Munich - market


Munich - Concentration Camp


Munich - Town Hall


Dresden - baked apple desserts


Berlin - not-so-pretty street graffiti


Berlin - very pretty street graffiti


Berlin - Jewish memorial


Berlin - Berlin Wall


Berlin - Musuem Island


Hamburg - Town Hall


Hamburg - near WWII memorial


Hamburg - Reeperbahn (red light district)


Bremen - Railway station


Bremen - Christmas Market


Bremen - Roland Statue in front of Town Hall


Bremen - Bremen Town Musicians


Boppard - Road Signs


Boppard - Hotels by River Rhine


Heidelberg - Stroll along the river


Heidelberg - Schloss Castle


Heidelberg - Schloss Castle


Heidelberg - view from Schloss Castle


Freiburg - wintry view from apartment


Strasbourg - Christmas Tree


Strasbourg - Night walk


Strasbourg - Christmas market


Strasbourg - Day walk


Strasbourg - Day walk


Basel - Day walk


Freiburg - Potato patties + Gluwhein (spiced wine)


Freiburg - City Centre


Freiburg - View of city


Freiburg - Neighbourhood


Frankfurt - Railway station


Frankfurt - Christmas Market


Frankfurt - Day walk


Frankfurt - Day walk