Things that amaze me about Germany...

Near the Reichstag

1. How do they wash their hands with the soap and paper towel dispenser provided with not a single tap of water to be seen anywhere nearby??

I suppose the wash basin could be inside the cubicles but I didn't see any water pipes or tubes connected to them at all.



Bebelplatz

2. The irony of having the Nazis burning 20,000 books right outside the Humboldt University, from which 29 Nobel prize winners came from.

I must admit, the geek in me was alerted and gave a little leap in response when I saw the list of names that were part of the university's alumni. The list includes:
Alexander von Humboldt- natural scientist and Geographer!
Georg Hegel-Philosopher
Heinrich Heine- Poet
Otto von Bismarck-First one to unify all the German states
Albert Einstein- Jewish German who taught physics there. He later fled the country during the Nazi occupation to the U.S, where he came up with the equation to build the atomic bomb that ended WW2. Strong sense of 'Karma' operating there.
The Grimm brothers- Without whom we would never have amazing bedtime stories and get introduced to Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel, Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel etc...
Karl Marx and Freidrich Engels- The ones who give many students (including my whole Honours class) a mighty headache and incur frequent curses as we all struggle to comprehend the idea of Structuralism/Marxism/Socialism. (*%#$@!!)



Outside a shopping centre, Berlin

3. How silent it is when snow falls.

It may not be obvious but I took the above picture when it was snowing heavily on New Year's Day in Berlin. Up til now I still feel quite amazed at how silent snow is compared to rain. Somehow, falling snow blankets away all the sounds of the city and manages to make everything seem so quiet and peaceful. (My friend says it's an eerie silence but I beg to differ.)



Old Bridge, Heidelberg

4. No matter how important the person the statue is of, be it a Greek God, a Hero or a Prime Minister, there will always be a bird who will perch itself comfortably on top of the head and shit on it.

Simply put it, Shit happens to anyone regardless of status, age, gender or class. haha.


Outside a Butcher's shop, Munich

5. How incredibly obedient and well-trained German dogs are.

I have seen dogs on the train, on the bus, even in the middle of a shopping mall! They will just sit quietly by their owners' side without barking or moving an inch. The huge Retriever I saw in the shopping mall was just lying alone in the middle of the walkway while its owner went off browsing for shoes. It didn't move its position at all but just laid there peacefully as hordes of shoppers manoeuvred around it. It was only when the owner came back, tap his leg once, when it lifted its giant body up with a jerk and started to follow him out of the store.
The Terrier above was waiting patiently outside the butcher's store while its owner was happily purchasing sausages inside. I'm really surprised that it did not leap and start pawing the mountains of meat and sausages hanging seductively around the store!




Plaque citing the fall of the Berlin Wall.

6. How a country like Germany can become one of the strongest European economies when it's capital was still economically/socially/ philosophically/physically divided less than 20 years ago.


Jewish Museum, Berlin

7. Last but not least, how is it that there can still be a thriving, growing and prospering Jewish community in a country that strove to eliminate and succeeded in 6million Jewish deaths less than 50 years ago??!!

The only explanation I can give is that it is because they are God's people. God has really let them keep the flame burning despite all the odds. For an idea of how well the Jews in Germany are doing, I would add that they now have a new synagogue in Berlin with its dome capped in Gold and the Jewish Museum is the only museum to have Apple ipods for its visitors to listen to the commentary. To me, it just screams "$RiCH!!!$"

Back Home again...

Hey people, yes I am finally back in Singapore after a whirlwind kind of tour to...in case you don't know it yet... GERMANY! Yep, I went to the kingdom of Bavaria, the proud republic of Deutschland and the place that gave birth both Nobel prize winners and cruel dictators.

I hope you are not thinking, "She's damn bloody rich and lucky lah, always flying off to some faraway place!" Because no, I am not rich and over-flowing with money. I do not take tours but rely on budget transport and travel. We plan all our own iteinary. It's a very 'backpacker' independent kind of travelling. Except that we do not carry backpacks but strain our arms lugging our suitcase luggages up and down buses, trams, trains as we go from city to city. Few people know about the many-a-cup noodles I have eaten as a substitute for a meal overseas, and I mean ALOT of instant mee. (The supermarket cashier always gives me a weird "are u planning on running away as a refugee?" look when I make my pre-travel purchases haha) Even fewer will understand the weirder looks we get when we unpack our own lunch of Japanese Curry Rice to eat in the middle of the park, musuem foyer, shopping centre bench or out in the open in the middle of winter. We do not even stay at hotels coz they are usually quite expensive. What we have are mostly apartments, hostels and B&Bs. (which translates to we cook, we clean and we share toilet facilities with others)

But despite all that, I really do feel extremely lucky to have been to and seen the places, met the faces and gone through the experiences that I have. Thank God for His kindness! :)
I wouldn't trade it all for the world, though I have seen it. Haha.
I used to worry abit about writing all about my travels coz I don't want to end up sounding boastful and gain the envy of others, but then again now I'm thinking: Heck it lah!
I should try to put it all down before it all turns into a faded memory. Besides, someone once told me I should actually put in more photos of my travels so that people who can't afford to travel can at least get a glimpse of what's out there. So I shall try to do just that.


1st photo of the day: The Reichstag in Berlin, Germany on New Year's eve.

Notice the long queue lining the front of the entrance to get to the dome crowning the German Parliament. Think it must have been as long as the line outside the Donut shop at cityhall during its peak or maybe longer. And it certainly would have taken just as long (most probably 2-3hrs) to get in. We were originally in the queue but the plan was aborted when the British group behind us brought us to our senses when they said:"Blimey! We are wasting our time freezing in the cold when we can spend it better at other warmer places. Let's get out of here and away from these idiots!"

Okie that's about all that I'm writing so far. Shall update more when I have the time. It's one of the rare times when I'm starting to type more than the pictures I post.
Til' Then!!

I'm Like a Bird...

Hey there, people who know me and are reading this, wondering where I am since I'm not answering your sms or phonecalls. (I doubt there will be many anyway)

The reason being that I'm off to some far-flung part of the globe again. This time on a last minute 2-week holiday trip to maximise my last remaining chances of using cheap SIA ticket prices. (Before fuel prices sky-rocket to unattainable heights and I officially become a full-paying 'adult')

By the way, I'll be back on 13 Jan, just before my last semester of school starts again, if anyone is actually interested to know.

As for where i am going, I'll leave it to the people whom I have told to know and for the rest to find out. Haha...why don't you make an intelligent guess?
(hint: it's on another continent and hemisphere)




In the words of Nelly Furtado: "I'm like a bird...I always fly away..."

Til' I see you all again!

You Know Who You Are...

Rainy Days and Mondays

The exams are finally over and the holidays are here once more.
But somehow I'm still cooped behind the grills of my house.
For the past few days it has been raining like God-decided-to-try-and-turn-Earth-into-Neptune-on-a-whim.
Alternatively, we can just conveniently blame the anthropogenic-induced global climate change for this perpetual wet socks weather. Sighz...
Bad weather no sun, no money no fun.


Anyway, I was just mulling over the rainy weather late this evening when i was greeted with a sight that just made me laugh...

My mother never fails to surprise me and today she did it again with
this HuuUuuuGE Umbrella!!!!

ps: my own blue umbrella looks like a tiny dwarf next to her monstrous waterproof canvas, which I think, can easily pass off as a makeshift shelter for the homeless! I wonder how many stares she invited when she took it out to work today. (I'm guessing either envious or weird kinds. haha.)







How nice it is to have a big warm shelter you can always run to in stormy weather... And never fear of getting wet too!

Reeling from a nightmare

I feel like a caged bird...been cooped up at home for the past whole week trying my best to read, study, synthesize and summarise. Containment is an ironic word for what I'm in. I feel repressed within the four walls of my home, yet I struggle to keep whatever my eyes have seen inside my head. Just when I thought I was quite ready to fly out and confront the dreaded,
I got shot.

First paper. First glance and I knew I was dead. First time i felt so paralysed from a stupid paper. 3 questions and I couldn't give a complete answer for any.




If I could turn back the hands of time, I wouldn't even bother.














Time to grab the most important book for revision to help me face the rest of the desolation.

The First Love Story...

Bell X1- Eve, The Apple of My Eye

You left it, I sent it
I want it back
You left it, I sent it
I want it back

If I had you here, I'd clip your wings
Snap you up and leave you sprawling on my pin
This plan of mine is oh so very lame
Can't you see the grass is greener where it rains

You left, I died,
I went and you cried
You came, I think
But I never really know
I've served my time
I've watched you climb
The wrong incline
But what do I know

Accept it, Don't let it
Turn the screw
Accept it, And let it
Scream back at you

Now this applies both equally to you and I
The only thing we share
Is the same sky
These empty metaphors
They're all in vain
Like can't you see the grass is greener where it rains

In the garden Snake was a charmin'
And Eve said let's give it a try
Now lead us not into temptation
But no matter how hard I try
When in the garden and
Snake is a charmin'
And Eve says let's give it a try
Eve is the apple of my eye

Eve is the apple of my eye

And I lie behind you
And a cradle you in the palm of me
And I pat your hair down
I think will we sink or swim?
'Cause we could do either on a whim




This song is currently no.1 on my playlist. Love the lyrics man.
Parts of it sound more like a poem rather than a song.

"The grass is always greener where it rains"
I suppose we now all know where the expression "apple of my eye" comes from too.

Apparently, Damien Rice was with this band before he went solo. Go figure. He's one of my favourite poet/singers, one of the only ones who can wax lyrical about depression and make explicit words sound poetic. Haha!

Anyway, my interpretation of the song is that it comes from the viewpoint of Adam.
He loved Eve so much that he was willing to give anything a try, even if it meant doing something wrong. Ahh...The things people do for love, sometimes it just breaks my heart...oh well it's just me being melancholy...haa...

What about you? What do you think?




PS: I've been stuck at home with my books and notes, supposed to be studying but with not much luck. Youtube will cause the death of me.

Different Lens...

Been thinking about this issue for these past few days, haven't exactly been able to put it in words or pictures. Until something written in a friend's blog spelt out what I have been wanting to say all along. So I shall start off with a story from her,

"I went to the optician a few days back to order a pair of spectacles, i told her i really cannot stand being short-sighted by 100 degrees for both eyes. I wanted perfect eyesight. Then she advised that i can still see quite well, except for things at a distance. Thus wearing spectacles is only for when there is a need.

Something that struck me deeply was what she said, that because i know the difference between looking at things with perfect eyesight versus short-sightedness, therefore i cannot stand it.
She told me many people at 100 degrees short-sightedness do not actually realise that they are short-sighted, because the unclearness is so mild, they think they have perfect eyesight and are comfortable with that.

Isn't this what is happening in life each day? Each person has their own view of what is a perfect vision. Someone's perfect clear vision might be 50 degrees short-sightedness, or 150 degrees short-sightedness, whatever the person is comfortable and decided to live with.

In terms of how each person perceives things, the logic is the same. Each person has their own thinking of what is correct and perfect, and base their perceptions on that.

Therefore, don't assume people will see things as you do. Even the most basic instinct of what is clear vision differs greatly for each individual, even more so perceptions."





Sometimes in life, arguments can seem endless with no conclusion in sight.
But perhaps if we take a step back and try to think things through,



We'll be able to keep things in perspective,
and to look from other people's point of view,
even if we may not agree with them.









Maybe the world will be a better place if we could all just leave our bones of contention out on the open table and try to resolve it in a calm peaceful manner.


But then again, I'm idealistic.

It Ends Tonight

Your subtleties
They strangle me
I can't explain myself at all.
And all the wants
And all the needs
All I don't want to need at all.

The walls start breathing
My mind's unweaving
Maybe it's best you leave me alone.
A weight is lifted
On this evening
I give the final blow.

When darkness turns to light,
It ends tonight
It ends tonight.

A falling star
Least I fall alone.
I can't explain what you can't explain.
You're finding things that you didn't know
I look at you with such disdain

The walls start breathing
My mind's unweaving
Maybe it's best you leave me alone.
A weight is lifted
On this evening
I give the final blow.

When darkness turns to light
It ends tonight,
It ends tonight.
Just a little insight won't make this right
It's too late to fight
It ends tonight,
It ends tonight.

Now I'm on my own side
It's better than being on your side
It's my fault when you're blind
It's better that I see it through your eyes

All these thoughts locked inside
Now you're the first to know

When darkness turns to light
It ends tonight,
It ends tonight.
Just a little insight won't make this right
It's too late to fight
It ends tonight,
It ends

When darkness turns to light
It ends tonight,
It ends tonight.
Just a little insight won't make this right
It's too late to fight
It ends tonight,
It ends tonight.

Tonight
Insight
When darkness turns to light,
It ends tonight.

Note to Self

Luke 6:41-42

Stray Off Track...

The sign on the floor said
"Stay on Track"
But nobody told me honours
will be this whack



I tried to balance,
to keep my eyes forward
tried to walk straight
and just accept my fate





Somehow in the middle
I started to dwiddle
Went from reading to you-tubing
Instead of perserving
I end up straying



And so I stumble
with all my work in a jumble
Nevermind that the people around me
Seem to have it so easy





It's driving me Mad
All these load of Crap
Everything going down with a big fat
Splat!





Clarissa is not having the best of times...
need to find the strength to fight the battles within and without...

Watch Out !!

Deadlines in the mirror are Closer than they appear to be.

Inane and Useless facts about Clarissa that you may or may not have known

1. I believe that the friends you have are a reflection of your own self. True friends reveal yourself to you like a mirror does. (Or according to HJJ, true friends are the ones who are able to call you names like "bastard!" or "miser!" without you feeling insulted)
   
   
2. I have a soft spot for the British accent. Hearing the ups and downs of tone, the minding of 'P's & 'Q's, the extra emphasis on consonants...all just makes my ears tingle and more eager to listen. The fact that half of my lecturers come from the UK makes a neat coincidence to half my reasons for majoring in Geography. (I can't imagine listening to the endless drones of the flat American drawl from the Sociology Dept or the incomprehensible is-that-even-English-they-are-speaking(?!) Economics/Computing lectures conducted by those from our largest Asian neighbours, India and China!)
   
   
   
3. I don't like chocolate! I find that I get overdosed if I eat more than a few bites of that dark gooey thing. Friends who have been to my house can attest to that as they would have seen the amounts of truffles and boxes of abandoned chocolate pieces hidden in the corners of my fridge. The last thing you'll see me eating is anything remotely like a chocolate cake, brownies or worse, triple-choc-fudge-with-extra-choc-chips ice cream! Urrghh...
   
   
4. I can't go for more than 24 hours without sleep. Therefore, it means that I have never managed to "tong" the whole night at camps or stayovers. I usually only manage to stay until 3-4am before my eyes give way to gravity.
   
   
5. I am more likely to buy something that I don't need from a hardware/$1.99 store than a clothing/accessories shop. I somehow get more tempted to buy table lamps, metal hooks and bottle jars than I do for necklaces, handbags and tops.
   
   
6. More on the topic of shops, my favourite places to shop are supermarkets and bookstores! I can spend hours looking through different cans of food and comparing prices, or while a whole afternoon away just browsing through rows of books without buying them. (Guess you can officially call me a weirdo-housewife-in-making-bookworm now)
   
   
7. I have an inclination to go irritate people whom I dislike on purpose. I know this is bad, but somehow I take a perverse joy in bursting the self-absorbed ego-bubble of others then running away gleefully. Hahaha!
   
   

Dog-Tired......

School has started for not more than 3 weeks,
all i can say is that it is draining every last bit of energy in me!
Feeling dog-tired, I'm officially a vegetable brain every Monday evening at 5pm while the rest of the time I resume my usual role of roaming-campus-corpse ...
And this is just the tip of the iceberg, the given readings are just the beginning of this huge abyss of knowledge we are suppose to comprehend called "Geographical Thought". (Well, i just thought it sucks!)

Anyway, the real sinking of the Titantic (a.k.a my mental health) will most likely be occurring in the month of October when there's practically a deadline every few days. So be warned if I seem maniacal during that period! (Ps: I'll probably be a permanent 'Miss Hyde' then and only transform back to Jekyll after November)


On a more lighter and heartburning note, for those of you who always wonder what I have been up to in my life, (since I don't take to rambling endlessly about what I do everyday or how many people have annoyed me in the past 24hrs) Well, the month of August has been a month of birthday feasting and gorging on delicious grub for me. Thanks to all those who have graciously accompanied me on my way to discovering delicious food and also a straight ticket to Obesity-land. Haha!

For those who have missed out on riding the lipid train with me, here's a look on what you have saved yourselves from.....



Steak Sandwiches from Tuckshop.



Curry Udon and Hamburger Steak at Ma Maison.


Spicy Crab Linguine at Wild Rocket.



Feeling hungry yet?

Heart. Broken?

If your heart is broken, sweep up the pieces.
There will always be someone who will want to put it back together.










Now............
The question is,

Will you let them?

For the friend who is hurting...

And the song is for you too...

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Joseph Arthur- In the Sun

I picture you in the sun wondering, what went wrong

And falling down on your knees asking for sympathy

And being caught in between all you wish for and all you seen

And trying to find anything you can feel that you can believe in

May God's love be with you. Always.

May God's love be with you

I know I would apologize if I could see your eyes

cause when you showed me myself, I became someone else

But I was caught in between all you wish for and all you need

I picture you fast asleep

A nightmare comes

You can't keep awake

May God's love be with you. Always.

May God's love be with you

cause if I find, If I find my own way

How much will I find?

If I find, If I find my own way

How much will I find You?

I dont know anymore

What its for, Im not even sure

If there is anyone who is in the sun

Will you help me to understand

cause I been caught in between all I wish for and all I need

Maybe you're not even sure what its for

Any more than me

May God's love be with you. Always

May God's love be with you

You will find your Way, don't worry. I believe in you.

Empty Inside... Scroll down for the key...

Those people around me would know that i have recently discovered this really cool book called Kokology: the game of self- discovery. They ask you a series of seemingly innocent topics then reveal what the answers say about you. I have tested it on quite a few people to quite hilarious, but usually spot-on results. Haha. And so I decided to put in one of the questions and see what you choose. (Don't worry, it wouldn't be anything too personal like who your secret crush is!)
Ready? Here goes...

Empty Inside

Some days everything just seems to go your way. Traffic seems to clear a path for you on the way to work; your boss takes the day off; you win the office pool. And you're all the happier because each new bit of luck comes as a pleasant surprise. Of course, there's another side to the unexpected as well. All it takes is a run in your stocking or a stain on your favourite shirt to bring you right back to reality. Good or bad, it's the little surprises that keep life interesting.

You go to the local bakery and buy a jelly doughnut. (you know, the kind without the hole but with jam stuffing inside) However, when you get home and take a bite, you discover it's missing one essential ingredient--the jelly inside! How do you react to this bit of bad luck?


1. Take the defective doughnut back to the shop and get a new one.

2. Say to yourself, "These things happen," and eat the empty doughnut as it is.

3. Eat something else.

4. Try filling the empty doughnut with something like maple syrup or jam to make it taste better.




Sooooooo...what have you chosen? Do drop me your answer in the comments page and I'll reveal the key to this topic soon. Btw, my first reaction was "Arrrrrggghhh", I'll try to eat it plain first but then decide not to torture my tastebuds anymore and fill it up with my own jam. So my answer is most likely to be choice no.4

Key to Empty Inside

What do you call a jelly doughnut without any jelly in it? A: a nasty surprise!

While we are on the subject of the unexpected, you may be surprised to hear that the response you chose for the above scenario shows the role you play among your friends.

Choice no. 1

An orthodox thinker who isn't easily thrown off guard by odd occurrences, you can be relied on not to panic when the unexpected happens. But you aren't the type to take command and lead the way. Rather, you tend to support leader types with your clear judgement and coolheaded advice.

Choice no. 2

You don't let surprises ruffle your feathers, accepting whatever hand the fates deal you. Your patience and flexibility make you incredibly easy to get along with, and it could be said that you're the glue that holds your circle of friends together. Because you don't make a fuss over things, it sometimes seems that you fade into the background. But like air, you go unnoticed only until you are not around.

Choice no. 3

Quick to make decisions and quick to act, you're a natural leader in any group. You come into your own when things get out of hand and the situation calls for one person to take charge and decide a course of action. You don't hem and haw over where to go for dinner or what movie to see--the word indecision is not in your vocabulary. That air of confidence and authority means that when you speak, the people around you listen.

Choice no. 4

Your talent for coming up with innovative solutions makes you the undisputed idea generator in your clique. Everyone has common sense, but you have a knack for uncommon sense that lets you see opportunities where others see only problems. Your creative instincts mean that you run the risk of getting carried away with yourself and seem eccentric from time to time, but people feel safe knowing that whatever happens, you are sure to keep things interesting.

Happy Anniversary!

It has been,

six flips of the calender page,

six cycles of the moon,

six phone bills indicating I exceeded my limit,(haha)

Six months and counting....

Thanks for everything, you know who you are :)

Damian Rice & Lisa Hannigan -- 9 Crimes

3am and i'm still wide awake, decided to surf youtube for music videos and chanced upon this. I've always loved damian rice since "cannonball" and now, this song is the one that's on the top of my playlist... He makes such heartbreaking songs that are perfect for a still, quiet, dark night.