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A moment like this

Yen — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 19:52:57 +0000

There are times when life grants you little moments of satisfaction. Knowing that you get all the more wiser after trudging through a series of setbacks or taking some wrong turns. However fleeting these moments are, sometimes they are a little too fragile to hold on to and always too easy to be overlooked. Taken for granted. Someone once told me that I should list down at least one thing in life I should be thankful for whenever I’m at my happiest. Perhaps, until another wave of obstacles comes rolling, there’s at least this list to remind me, to carry me through harder days to come.

Midsummer night’s high

Yen — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 10:21:53 +0000

We are having superb summer weather lately with temperatures over the days rarely dipped below 30°C with cloudless blue sky to boot. Perfect days to be out and about. With the World Cup going on for the past few weeks which made summer in Germany all the more worth experiencing, especially when the German team played. We were lucky enough to discover that there was going to be the annual Schlossbeleuchtung (literally means illumination of the castle) going on in Heidelberg, held twice in summer and another one in autumn. The balmy midsummer night was a perfect setup for the event. Some lucky ones would enjoy the event on board their boats of all shapes and sizes, which were already docked during the early evening in front of the old bridge where fireworks were set to dazzle. The more mortal beings would have to make do with the splendid view of the castle from the riverbank facing the castle.The excitement began when the lights all around the castle were turned off and the castle began to glow and simmer in red, as if it was burning, as a remembrance that the castle was once destroyed. For fifteen minutes, the night sky around the castle were lighted up with fireworks. I was utterly bedazzled. My glorious summer day climaxed with a wonderful display of fireworks. A girl can never wish for more.

Thirty six degrees

admin — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 20:00:04 +0000

Summer is emanating its irresistible charm on me. There are blue skies to warm the heart and ice cream to cool off the heat. Plenty of juicy red strawberries to sweeten the days and succulent cherries to tease the senses. The ecstasy of feeling cool water on the skin in the pool under the scorching evening sun with the peaceful stillness of balmy summer nights to wrap up the days. All bundled up in a complete package called happiness-from-within.

Forever, together

Yen — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 09:30:27 +0000

I was to be the maid of honour of a best friend’s wedding. It was wonderful, a day filled with tears of joy and laughter. The night before the wedding, I was looking for a poem to dedicate it to the newly weds. I googled up in the Internet and found this one from Goethe which I liked the most.

Nach der Trauung
Ihr seid nun eins, ihr beide,
und wir sind mit euch eins.
Trinkt auf der Freude Dauer
ein Glas des guten Weins!
Und bleibt zu allen Zeiten
einander zugekehrt
durch Streit und Zwietracht werde
nie euer Bund zerstört.

I thought I was tough enough to hold back the tears but it was a darn bad idea attending a wedding without waterproof mascara!

Blue, blue sky

Yen — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 09:44:29 +0000

Germany can be a lovely place to stay when the weather is kind. I always feel heavy hearted to leave this country during those summer months when there are definitely a few days when the sun shines and not a cloud is in sight to mar the perfect azure sky. A perfect summer day where the light breeze has a touch of warmth that kiss the skin. A summer day which is devoid of the usual humidity that sort of suck the breath out of you and makes breathing such a monumental task. On days like these, it is almost imperative be out under the blue sky, just to soak in the sun. Perhaps I am always under the impression that if I do this often enough, the endorphin-high-feeling would eventually carry me through the dreary days of the coming winter.And on days with blue sky like these, I simply love to look up at the sky, seeing those colourful roof tiles glinting in the sun against the sky. When the day has cooled down and the moon has already chosen its favourite place in the spotless dusky sky, it is absolutely wonderful to see those last few golden fingers of sunlight still paint the distant horizon.Yes, summer can be beautiful in Germany. Even these gory-looking statues in the park look cheerful under the friendly, morning sun .

The flag is raised!

Yen — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 10:36:09 +0000

There are really no other events that invoke such unbridled amount of patriotism than sports, speak football, in Germany, where football has become more or less an unofficial second religion. With the World Cup 2010 just around the corner, the football fever has gone up a few notches lately. Houses around the neighbourhood have started to hang up flags, rooting for their favourite team (with German flags far outnumbering the other countries). Bf’s dad decided to join in the fun and purposely bought a mast to be erected in the garden for a grandiose display of support for the German team. Although I might say, deep down I’m rooting for the Netherlands . Go Oranje!

Sunny side up for summer

admin — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 09:10:33 +0000

It’s funny how with just a little extra dose of sunshine can work wonders. Cities and towns all over the country are bustling with life and everywhere around Germany, people are in the mood for celebration. Once come spring and summer, you can find all sorts of celebrations and festivals going on all around the country just to welcome the warmer days because nothing beats the pleasure of sitting (or lying) in the open air feeling the warmth of sunshine while grooving to the beat of music in the background with a cool beer in the hand.

A night in May

admin — Tue, 25 May 2010 23:38:35 +0000

The sky was clear, not a cloud in sight. It was cool but without the usual chill of the night. I thought of going for a night walk but then a better idea flashed across my mind. I grabbed my camera, my tripod, the remote control and off we headed to the field, just the two of us. It was a totally different feeling to experience the streets and the open field in the dark of the night, devoid of the usual hubbub of the day happenings. It was almost too quiet aside from the chirping of some birds going about its night business. After setting up the tripod and adjusting the angle to where I assumed is the north pole, I clicked the remote and let the camera do the rest. Gazing up into the clear, dark sky adorned with thousands of stars on a near-summer night, serenaded by some soft cheerful chirps of a faraway bird under the pale shimmer of moonlight, I felt peaceful and full of love.

Books: The Book Thief

Yen — Sun, 23 May 2010 09:47:09 +0000

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

A novel recommended for young adults on a worn out topic but there is seriously nothing less ordinary about this book. It is a story about a young girl, Liesel, whose zeal on reading and her thirst to learn were so overwhelming, that those desires compelled her to sort of steal books.

Her life took place during the period of Nazi Germany where books, that are not related to Nazi ideology were destroyed which made her secret past time not the least none-dangerous at all. Liesel’s story during Nazi Germany on Himmel (Heaven, Zusak has a healthy sense of irony) Street, where she lived with her foster parents was narrated by the none other entity than Death itself, who was en route in Germany, fully occupied collecting souls massacred in the war.

I am truly impressed by Zusak’s way of describing those poignant moments of death in a rather unconventional way, that is by using colours to associate the mood. The character development of each individual mentioned in the book is worth the reading. I come to love Liesel’s foster parents, especially Rosa, whose character reeked of a wicked foster-mother at first read but I was glad that Zusak proved me wrong in his rather endearing way of describing Rosa, of someone who loves, without words, conveyed in her own ways.

The story had me laughing out loud due to the witty antics of the characters but also had me sad with unshed tears with each death. Rudy, Liesel’s playmate and closest buddy on Himmel Street, is such a darling and he’s hard not to love. Hans, Liesel’s father, is truly an angel of a foster father whose love for his child was expressed in profound gestures like giving midnight reading lessons.

∞ A TWO a.m. CONVERSATION ∞
‘Is this yours?’
‘Yes, papa.’
‘Do you want to read it?’
Again, ‘Yes, papa.’
A tired smile.
Metallic eyes, melting.
‘Well we’d better read it then.’

Quoting Zusak, Death has a heart too.

“I am haunted by humans.”
∞ Death, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.

I love this book.

Homemade roasted chicken rice

admin — Tue, 11 May 2010 19:22:00 +0000

Being cooped up indoors (due to some crappy spring weather lately) tends to make me feel restless and fidgety. Where else is better to channel my excess energy than at my kitchen! I was browsing through my recipe collections for some authentic Malaysian food a couple of days ago and I suddenly felt like having chicken rice for dinner. The recipe is easy enough and after some grinding, slicing, rubbing, chopping and shedding some tears (yea, I get pretty emotional when dealing with onions) I realised that, darn am I a good cook . Served with homemade chili ginger sauce, the one and only chili sauce (in my opinion) for chicken rice. Perfetto!