2 Nov, Wednesday, Singapore

I managed to catch my flight back to Singapore and touched down on 29 Oct. The past 2 months have been amazing and I wouldn't trade the experience with anything else. I'm really glad that I chose Dresden and spent the 2 months there learning the language. Perhaps the only regret that I had was that I spent the second month there mostly in the dorm or the Mediothek and I didn't have the time or chance to get to know the rest of my classmates better. It could have been better on the social front. That's a shame. I got a surprise on the last day of my class - I received the results of my exams and I have passed it with flying colours. I look forward to B2 maybe late next year. Work wise, I've not had the chance to sit down and think it through but my bosses are really happy that I'm back on team. We have new duties on top of our existing scope. I'm not sure if that's what I want to do for the rest of my life but at the moment, maybe.

21 Oct, Friday

Had my written exam yesterday and my oral exam will be on Monday. This is my last weekend in Dresden. I really enjoyed these past 2 months in Dresden and I hope I have the chance to come back again. The 2 months have been interesting, challenging and sometimes frustrating. It's interesting to be able to get to know people from so many different countries and to learn a foreign language together with them; it's extremely challenging to speak only German any time and anywhere and yes, I did it; and sometimes it's frustrating to try to accustom living with someone from a different culture, referring to my roommate from Uzbekistan. The experiences have been fantastic. If I have the chance to stay here for another 6 months, I believe I would be able to improve my German much much more. My classmates this term are from Italy, Switzerland, Poland, Netherland, Ukraine, Ecaduor, Slovakei and Czech Republic. Some of my classmates are still studying (in Uni, either finishing their Bachelor or doing their Masters/ PhD) and I find it awesome that they travel all the way to Germany to perfect the language. I wonder how things would turn out if I were to know/ be able to decide at their age what I wanted to do in life. They know what they want and are here to achieve their goal. I'm sure I will miss here. Very much.

It's now autumn and the leaves are changing colour. The weather has been poor the past few weeks, compared to the sunshine we have in September.

3 Oct 2016 Dresden

Hi, today is the German Reunification Day (Tag der Deutschen Einheit). My first class term has been over last week and most of my classmates and roommate had left. I enjoyed being in my class a lot; the people were fun and we had a really good mix. There were people from US, Spain, France, Norway, Italy, Poland, Brazil and Thailand. I was also the only Singaporean in the institute. The institute had organised weekend excursion trips and I had joined in most of them except for the trip to Moritzburg. We went to Leipzig, Old Town tour, New Town tour, Radeberger Pilsner Brewery, Radebeul Schloss Wackerbarth (a wineyard), Bautzen (a small town where the Sorbish minority group lives) and Sächsische Schweiz Bastei (a national park). I also went to Berlin over the weekend with my cousin and it was great. The learning experience here so far has been great. Many of my classmates were very motivated to learn German and we spoke only German both in and out of class. We had a wide age range in our class but most of the people were very humourless including the French and I remember there was always something to laugh about. I like Dresden. It's a very liveable city and it's not too big or too small. There's a good balance between the Old Town and New Town. My first opera concert in the SemperOper was also amazing. There are also many interesting museums in Dresden, for example the Militär Historisches Museum, Deutche Hygienes Museum and Verkehrs Museum etc. I didn't visit all but it's worth taking a look. Döner here tastes fantastic and it costs only 4 Euro. Looking forward to the following class term and hope I really speak up more and practise, practise, practise.

3 Sep 2016, Sat at Sitges Beach Spain

On the beach now. Today's the last day of my holidays before my classes start next week. Am quite disappointed with this leg of the trip in Portugal and Spain. I felt very left out and I'm not sure if it's me or not. Because I'm stubborn? I have to learn community living and that other people have their own priorities. I'm thinking if it's best that I travel alone and do things alone. I don't know how to live and exist together with other people. I spend too much time in the bathroom, washing and dolling up. I have to seriously rethink my priorities in life because spending/ wasting time in the bathroom is not going to get me anywhere in life. Do I want to continue doing my current job? Am I ready to move to another country all by myself and work there and make new friends? Why do I want to always be different and question against by natural self? I'm quiet and an introvert and yet I hope to be more expressive and being understood by people? Why do I feel so unsatisfied when I tell people where I've previously travelled? In this trip I realised that perhaps it is not how many places or where you go; it's how these experiences impacted me and what value-add I've brought to people I came across. Perhaps instead of thinking/ lamenting my past/ future, I should cherish all the more the present. Make use of what I have instead of thinking about what I don't have. I'm not a likeable person but I hope not to be a tripping stone to others. I thought I know a lot about things yet in the end I know nothing. Have I grown stagnant? Then I really should move on. What's my direction and then focus on what's the most important in moving towards that.

The Best of Lisbon

FISH, FISH AND MORE.......FISH.

HILLS, HILLS AND MORE HILLS.

I guess Lisbon can be summed up into hills and fish (very fresh fish and usually grilled fish). You know I'm not a fish person but surprise surprise, I ate grilled fish every day when I was in Lisbon! It's fresh and only around Euro 9 to 11. Green wine is also a Portugal signature - which is not green at all, refers to wine that has not yet matured/ completed fermentation. If you have not heard Fado music or Portugese guitar (12-string), you cannot say you have been to Portugal. The streets are so narrow, a mixture of tiles and cobblestone, and so hilly. Of course, I musn't forget Portguese egg tarts and the best are at Belem (need to queue). There are also many scenic and historic sites that open my eyes to your country. Thank you! Obrigado.

Cabo da Roca (Europe's western-most point). It is the first time I was surrounded by so much clouds I couldn't see the sea.

Belem - Jeronimos Monastery. The architecture of that time is really impressive.

Cristo Reis monument - it overlooks Lisbon city. Go for lunch at Ponto Final; you will not regret the sea view.

Overview of Lisbon city

Sintra is also a must-go - Pena Palace is beautiful.

20 August 2016 - Post Poland and Baltic States

Was writing down my thoughts on the flight from Tallinn to Munich -

This marks the end of my trip with Wenyun. Krakow, Warsaw, Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn - the Baltic States or North Europe (they don't call the baltic states east europe. I wonder)? The trip has been amazing and enriching so far and I think I enjoyed myself more than I expected. A lot more insights into this part of the world definitely and also sort of a self-discovery, especially with the company of Wenyun. Thanks to him that I don't have to worry about my luggage and finding directions. We definitely have different interests and priorities but I'm glad to have his company for the past > 2 weeks. Long bus rides are not fun and they are uncomfortable; I felt so terrible during and after the 8hr ride from Warsaw to Vilnius. We discovered that Lux Express Special buses are by far the most comfortable and they have plenty of leg room. I like the food in these cities eg. beetroot soup, cabbage/mushroom dumplings with cream (periogi) in Poland; potatoes and bread in the Baltic States; the beers are awesome too and just judging them by the price, they are way way much affordable compared to Singapore's. I like it that these cities have a lot of history behind them and the people or their grandfather or grandmother have stories to tell and these show in their architecture, attitude towards life and culture. I learn not to be offended if they always appear stern and do not smile (because of the perpetual cold) and that it's okay. The bog day trip two days ago left a deep impression on me. I like the guide (Chris, from traveller.ee) and his dark humour. So far the local guides we came across had dark humour, maybe it reflects their dark past?

Happy re-independence day to Estonia! To 25 years of your re-independence!

Krakow Old Town

Warsaw Old Town

View of Vilnius Old Town

Vilnius Curonian Spit

Riga art nouveau architecture

Lithuania Siauliai Hill of Crosses

Tallinn near Lahemma National Park

Tallinn Lahemma National Park Viru Bog

Krakow Old Town and the Jewish Quarter

We will be staying 5 days in Krakow and are staying at Westerplatte St. which is within walking distance to Old Town (where most of the sights are) and the main train station Rynek Glowny. The Old Town square is huge and many people sit in the alfresco restaurants and cafes since it is summer. Beer is cheap, ice cream is cheap, food generally is cheap except for some touristy restaurant places. Beer in supermarket is 2+pln and that in the restaurant is 8pln (1 SGD = 3 pln). Pretzel on the street is 1.5pln and ice cream is 2.8pln. The Old Town is pretty much nice from any angle (nice architecture). I find the ladies here very confident of themselves and they are quite well-dressed. There are very few Asians here. For the past 2 days we have joined the Free Walking Tour for Krakow Old Town and the Jewish Quarter and the guides are rather knowledgeable including history. They also give out a very useful map at the end of the trip. We also visited the St. Mary's church and the Schindler's Factory. Will be doing Auschwitz and Salt Mine the following days.

Must-see:
- St. Mary's Church. It is a gothic church; very beautiful in my opinion. Go a quarter before 12nn to witness the opening of the altar. Every hour, the guard at the top of the tower will blow the trumpet
- try delicious ice cream at Starowislna St and expect long queue. The coffee flavour is good. 1 scoop is only 2.8pln
- try traditional polish food including pierogi (boiled stuffed dumplings. popular fillings are potato and cottage cheese, mushrooms and cabbage and pork), soups (eg. beetroot soup or other soup and sometimes it is served with sour cream on top), potato pancake etc so many more I havent tried!

3 Aug

Es regnet. Ich bin jetzt im Frankfurt und ich werde nach Krakow fliegen. Die Flugzeit ist eine Uhr fünf Minuten. Die neue Wörter habe ich gelernt:
- abfälle = disposal (cigarette)
- für Ihre Sicherheit = for your safety
- angenehmen = pleasant
- Damen und Herren = Ladies and gentlemen

Mein Urlaub fängt jetzt an.

3 months' break

I'll be starting my Europe travel next week. It's been a while since I took a long long break and I am looking forward to the trip. Will post pics here as often as I can..

Seoul & Jeju Dec 2015

This post is out-dated. Went with my mum, sis and bro-in-law. I prefer Jeju to Seoul for the nature and the sea side apartment we stayed at had a really good sea view. The guide/driver Mr Kim arranged our itinerary and meals really well. Although the sea side apartment is an hour away from the city, it provided a good respite for us holidayers. I would highly recommend staying 3-4 nights in Jeju, the apartment and Mr Kim. There was not much shopping to do in Seoul in December except for skincare and cosmetics.

Tips:
- this is the Jeju apartment with sea view https://www.airbnb.com.sg/rooms/6148331?checkin=28-12-2015&checkout=31-12-2015&guests=4&s=UfwooIQx
- must-see sights in Jeju: the mysterious road, Seongsan Ilchubong (hike up), Cafe Bomnal at Handam Beach (very pretty cafe by the beach), eat black pork, eat fresh seafood eg. live abalone in hotpot, Jeongba waterfall (there are 3 waterfalls there but you dont have to hike or walk too far to reach Jeongba waterfall), teddy bear museum (there is more than one), take a walk in their local market eg. Olle market, visit the Manjanggul lava cave and hear the story about the Jeju female divers and why Jeju guys don't work
- in Seoul we stayed at the Yeungdongpo area which is opposite the Times Square Mall and near to train station
- in Seoul, must try fried chicken with beer, roadside tents (they sell almost the same stuff), korean bbq, the host pointed out that E-Mart is where the locals shop rather than Lotte Mart (more expensive), try ginseng chicken (there's one famous restaurant near the palace) and bingsu and don't buy cosmetics from Myeongdong (cater to the China tourists), if you are going to the Lotte Dutyfree make sure you plan it in the morning to avoid hordes of China tourists and visit the live seafood market and try the live octopus (apparently the like of korean young ladies) if you dare.

Yogyakarta & Borobudur Jun 2016

A short but satisfying trip. I find everything great apart from the spooky hotel room. Borobudur was indeed mesmerising; the immense size of the temple and the endless sculptures... It was very worth it to stay at the Manohara Hotel which has a connecting entrance to Borobudur and comes with unlimited number of visits to the UNESCO-listed temple.

Tips:
- in Yogyakarta, stay at the Malioboro area which is close to the shopping mall and market. Perhaps you can try the Ibis Hotel as it has a direct link to the mall. We stayed at the Pyrenees Hotel
- food in Yogyakarta is generally sweet. Try the "gudeg" - chicken cooked with jackfruit
- Wanderlust Cafe is a good chill-out place that offers good drinks and food
- the Batik Restaurant opposite Pyrenees Hotel has a friendly backpackers' vibe and is pocket-friendly
- the drive from Yogyakarta to Borobudur is 1.5hrs and costs between 250,000 and 350,000 IDR
- the drive from Yogyakarta to the airport is 0.5hrs and costs between 100,000 and 250,000 IDR
- stay for a night at the Manohara Hotel in Borobudur. It is more expensive but you can save time and the hassle of finding tours to bring you to Borobudur. You can explore Borobudur upon arrival in the late afternoon and join the sunrise tour the following morning. Walk up the hill for a bird eye's view of Borobudur

Die Gedanken sind frei

1. Die Gedanken sind frei, wer kann sie erraten, sie fliegen vorbei wie nächtliche Schatten. Kein Mensch kann sie wissen, kein Jäger erschießen mit Pulver und Blei: Die Gedanken sind frei! 2. Ich denke was ich will und was mich beglücket, doch alles in der Still', und wie es sich schicket. Mein Wunsch und Begehren kann niemand verwehren, es bleibet dabei: Die Gedanken sind frei! 3. Und sperrt man mich ein im finsteren Kerker, das alles sind rein vergebliche Werke. Denn meine Gedanken zerreißen die Schranken und Mauern entzwei: Die Gedanken sind frei! 4. Drum will ich auf immer den Sorgen entsagen und will mich auch nimmer mit Grillen mehr plagen. Man kann ja im Herzen stets lachen und scherzen und denken dabei: Die Gedanken sind frei! 5. Ich liebe den Wein, mein Mädchen vor allen, sie tut mir allein am besten gefallen. Ich sitz nicht alleine bei meinem Glas Weine, mein Mädchen dabei: Die Gedanken sind frei!

1.Thoughts are free, who can guess them? They fly by like nocturnal shadows. No man can know them, no hunter can shoot them with powder and lead: Thoughts are free! 2. I think what I want, and what delights me, still always reticent, and as it is suitable. My wish and desire, no one can deny me and so it will always be: Thoughts are free! 3. And if I am thrown into the darkest dungeon, all these are futile works, because my thoughts tear all gates and walls apart: Thoughts are free! 4. So I will renounce my sorrows forever, and never again will torture myself with whimsies. In one's heart, one can always laugh and joke and think at the same time: Thoughts are free! 5. I love wine, and my girl even more, Only her I like best of all. I'm not alone with my glass of wine, my girl is with me: Thoughts are free!

The above translation is from Wikipedia.
Fischer Chor's version (in YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzbicnNZUtc

Fly!

I was reading the blog I wrote when I was doing Work N Travel and I found it really inspiring! The writing style, the things I wrote about and how I wrote it are amazing. I can also read the comments my friends had left at that time.

http://christina05summer.blogspot.sg/

This week's about dreams and future. Wohin soll ich gehen? *scratch head*

We all deserve to be happy

I chanced upon the article on "What to Do When Your Job Is Seriously Stressing You Out". I think their tips are very useful which focus on 3 main areas - our physical health, mental health, and sense of purpose. Number 3 is missing in my life though now I'm trying to fit more activities into my life. I thought exercising and trying to do more creative things work but who knows, it might also be that I'm so occupied now that I don't have the time to think I'm stressed out.

Read the article:

http://www.msn.com/en-sg/health/wellness/what-to-do-when-your-job-is-seriously-stressing-you-out/ar-BBrY966?ocid=spartanntp#page=1

Perth

It was a last minute trip with my then-colleague and we booked everything through Expedia/ Agoda. I can’t remember which. What I recalled most from Perth was that I puked in the trip and that I felt I was very under-dressed. Perth was surprisingly “warm” for a winter and now I finally understood why it is the warmest city in Australia. There was no snow and no need for snow boots or thick outer jackets though you do still need a jacket to keep you warm. Our hotel location was extremely convenient (you pay a premium rate for it) though it would even be better if breakfast was included.

A few of my takeaways from the short trip:

• One café which I thought was rather good was The Tuckshop Café. This was one of the recommended cafes. It was crowded both times when I went so expect to wait for a table. Their pies and coffee were good. Huge portion too. We went there on the first day we arrived in Perth and having had such a good lunch there, I returned to the café again on the last day of my trip. Another café is the Negro Café which was next to our hotel. I have to say that their breakfast and coffee were really really good (closed on Sunday)
• Love is love. It was raining and I was out exploring on my own. On the bus ride back to the hotel I saw this group of people holding rainbow-coloured umbrellas. I got curious and alighted. The event was people advocating for same-sex love. It was later broadcasted on the news. Something which stay etched in my mind was this phrase – Rain is the start of new beginnings. I thought how apt
• Talk about under-dressed. My impression from my previous trip to Melbourne and Sydney was that I do not need to dress well or pay particular attention to my attire in Perth but I was wrong. I think they are “dressier” than people in Melbourne or Sydney? I felt so out of place and embarrassed as I was in sports shoes with going-out attire but everyone around me was wearing either sneakers or pretty boots
• Kings Park. It was a really pretty park and there was plenty to see. We had a good walk and I recalled many birds chirping away wherever we turned. You can take the free ETZ bus 37 to get there. Swan River is also nearby if you are looking for another good walk/stroll
• Fremantle market is also a good go-to
• We signed up for a winery tour. It was rather different from the other winery tours I had been to as you really have plenty wines and beers to try. I guessed I drank too much that I puked at the end of the tour. =( I hope I didn’t scare my colleague
• Anyway, all the shops close very early in winter (around 5pm) so do plan your shopping early
• There are many free ETZ buses from the city to most of the attractions. I also think they are convenient for families with baby strollers

Scandinavia- Norway, Sweden and Denmark

The planning of the faraway trip to Northern Europe began with my fascination for the Northern Lights. There were 3 of us – my mum, friend and I. What I enjoyed most in this trip was a better understanding of Northern Europe and its culture/land compared to zero knowledge on these places prior the trip. Northern Lights has always been somewhat magical to me and I had this thought when I was much younger that I would marry the man who proposed to me under the Lights. There was so much research and planning before the trip including crazy stocking up on thermal wear/gloves/socks and getting waterproof and slip-proof boots. I recalled I was excited and worried at the same time because it was my first time going on a winter holiday (it was on the extreme end of cold) and I was worried how my mum would take it. All in all, many misses and hits. I definitely want to go back Scandinavia again. More Northern Lights and maybe the midnight sun, anyone?

Our route: Tromso-Bergen-Flam-Oslo-Stockholm-Copenhagen

We went from 20 Mar-4 Apr 2015.

Tips

• Book train tickets early. The online booking opens 90 days prior to the travel dates and you can get cheaper tickets if you book on the opening day. Do note that some of their websites are not so English-friendly
• Book day/tour passes. Read up on the options available and compare which has the most savings for you. Note some require you to purchase in advance (before you enter the country)
• Spend more time travelling within a country and travel in depth than try to squeeze as many places as you can into your itinerary. You will have more time to appreciate the land/culture and having to avoid logistics hassle (which became almost like a horror as we had to move every other 2/3 days and lug our 20kg suitcases to/from train stations, go up/down the stairs and heave them up the stairs to board the trains and many of the streets/walkways are cobbled streets which are not exactly favourable in this case)
• My likes:
  • Sydspissen Hotel in Tromso (it has very reasonable rates and although it is further away from the city, I thoroughly enjoyed our 3 nights’ stay there as the view was scenic and the staff were super helpful. Book early!)
  • Chasing Lights tour team in Tromso (#1 Expedia votes as the best northern lights tour in Tromso and so expect to pay higher rates. The team was very friendly throughout and their expertise in chasing lights came in very helpful. We signed up for 3 consecutive nights and do mentally prepare yourselves for the long nights and try to keep warm. We experienced an unbelievable -22 degree Celsius when they drove us all the way into Finland to find clear skies)
  • Try dog-sledding! (initially I thought this was a super touristy thing to do but it brightened up everyone’s day. The thrill of driving your own sled of 4-6 dogs and the breath-taking scenery when you ride across the endless snow land makes this sport a must for your trip! We signed up with Chasing Lights)
  • Include the famous scenic railways- Bergen-Oslo and the Flam railway and a night’s stay at Flam (the scenic railways live up to their names and are worth it. I find the day and night sceneries attractive in different ways. It was also interesting that we experienced the daylight saving time while we were there and we were so worried if we got the time right as we had to catch an early train ride on that morning)
  • Fjord cruise (postcard worthy pictures from all angles)
  • Danish cookies (even those that we got last minute from the airport tasted so good and they are also very affordable gifts)
  • Everything Scandinavian (everything from their design, architecture, home décor to nature look so in-sync. I love their appreciation and respect for the nature. Cinnamon breads are everywhere and everyone is holding a cup of coffee as they stroll down the street/ chat. I love their home décor and wood furniture.)
  • The Northern Lights, of course (it’s a luck game. The more north you are at, the higher chances you have to see the lights. Usually at locations 70 degrees north as you may still be able to see it even when the aurora activity is low. The period to see the lights is between Sep and Mar.)