Lumpy Takes France

2008-04-02T22:20:00.000+08:00

谈思念

秋风清，秋月明。
落叶聚还散，寒鸦栖复惊。
相思想见知何日，此时此夜难为情。

2007-07-21T22:37:00.000+08:00

Those Deathly Hallows

*sniff*

Those were beautiful deaths though. Honour in death. Always had a thing for military men. Not merceneries though, not counted as real fighting men.

A small bit of it was quite as bad as the Da Vinci Code, but not bad overall, not bad.

To get to the point, today I got a golden balloon. They were giving out balloons in golden and black, but I don't like black as a rule plus to ask for two would seem greedy and appearances are so important, so I asked for a golden balloon.

I named him Snitch. Golden, and flies. Very suitable name. Would have named the black one, had I got him, Ink or Black. If you have a point, state it clearly. Subtlety is very much out of fashion.

As it was, I was careless and didn't tie Snitch properly, so Snitch flew away, and was lost to the trees. Rather prophetic, in retrospect.

Isn't this crytic. Ha ha.

2007-06-29T14:34:00.000+08:00

Day 296: Au Revoir

So is ending my year in France. Tomorrow I will leave. That will make it 297 days.

I am once again in Paris by the way; after a long trip crossing Bath, Cornwall, Rome, Florence, Bologna, Oxford and London. You can travel the world and see beautiful and great monuments but precious little beats France. I have to say, it was so nice to come back and hear those melodious tones of French being spoken around you. English is monotonous, unless you speak to the Ire-ish; and Italian lacks self-control - too agitated, too agitated; one should always be calm, cool and collected. And the streets are just so nicely wider and more graceful. And the people mesmorisingly more pleasing, and the clothing enchantingly more delightful as the food in one simple word: better.

I do like France.

Well so long dear France!! Till we meet again!

2007-05-30T20:19:00.000+08:00

Day 267: And so, goodbye

I sit, for the last time perhaps, by a lace-curtained window which lets in the night. My habitual position in Chambre 211, rue Edouard Grimaux.

So it's over. Goodbye. I will miss the place. The knowledge that I can and probably will one day come back is little comfort. I mourn not for the future time that will not be spent here; but the past time that has come to rest. I mourn for the year I have left behind. I can never bring away the year I have left behind. The pity that we cannot catch Time.

But at least, I suppose, we have memories. Pale shadows of the past, often blurred and none-too-clear. But at least we can capture a shadow. Time, lost time, how does one take a photo of lost time?

So in a very cunning move to prevent myself from unecessary sorrow, I have decided to leave part of my heart in France - that part of my heart that loves and longs. I hope I will be happier this way. The only disadvantage is that my heart will not be whole until I return, but I will have to manage somehow.

Au revoir, little town, au revoir. Till we meet again.

2007-05-21T08:33:00.000+08:00

Black Sunday

Today, somewhere around 1130 to 1220, along the Avda de la Constitucion to the first turning the St Maria Cathedral in Sevilla, Spain, I lost Lumpy.

I searched for an hour, nearing two, combing the streets, asking merchants and passer-bys if they had seen my elephant, but I still could not find him.

He was 8 inches tall, hair that was always flat and the pink thread on his left front paw was frayed and a French tricolour ribbon around his neck.

I have no idea how I lost him. My most vivid last memory of Lumpy was dropping him on the floor - did i forget to pick him up when Kai Xuan called; or did I pick him up and did he fall from my bag; to be picked up by some random stranger? If so by whom? A tourist? A child or a Spaniard? Whatever it is, one thing is clear: I have lost him. Heffridge Trumpler Bumpet Heffalump IV who has been my companion these past nine months, I have lost him.

So I have sent for another Lumpy from the United States to be sent to my French address by the fastest possible shipment.

***

To make myself feel better, this will be how the story goes, and unless you want to see my cry, you will play along:

When I dropped Lumpy, I dropped him on the tram tracks and Lumpy, the poor elephant, had a terrible tram accident and had to have a full body transplant. So a new body had to be flown in from the States, because you can find everything there; the operation taking place in France, because I´m fond of Spain; but I´m not leaving Lumpy to Spanish doctors.

New Lumpy is exactly like Old Lumpy: friendly, laughing and adorable. But I believe the transplant also effected a sort of personality change. The New Lumpy is a lot less reserved - Old Lumpy, the precious, was always on the wrong side of shy - and with distinct French characteristics. I suppose it has to do with the French delivery; but anyway it was always a sore point with me that Old Lumpy was born in Singapore; New Lumpy however is authentically and completely French, having been delivered and rebuilt in France and having spent his formative days there. And I do like the French. So all is well.

The New Lumpy has the slightest French accent which he will not get rid of because he knows it makes him endearing; he also like croissants, wine, baguettes, the countryside, the seaside and oysters... and cheese, yes even cheese. He also openly admires the new French President whom he thinks is a wonderful man and secretly wants to be a member of the UMP (the President´s Party, you see). Which is good; every boy should have a passion and I´m glad his is political. The New Lumpy is also outgoing and, I´m sorry to say, very much of a flirt. He, was born cute, knows it and unfortunately unscrupulously uses it. It does not help that he is naturally good with the girls and likes teasing them so. But in the end, New Lumpy is like the old - a good boy at heart; a good boy in soul and a friend for all seasons - though orange autumn afternoons, cold winter nights, fresh spring days and hot summer evenings.

So dear friends if you have loved the Old Lumpy, love the New for he really just the Old. Not completely as before, not entirely unaltered; but at core and at heart, still the Lumpy of Old. Who leaves for exchange and comes back exactly the same anyway. So love the New Lumpy for him; and love the New Lumpy for me.

But still - if one day, you should walk down the Avda de la Constitucion in Sevilla, Spain and hear a little purple elephant trumpeting, a little elephant 8 inches tall, with flat hair, a fray on his front left paw and a French tricolour ribbon around his neck; he is my elephant, my Heffridge Heffalump. Please take him, and keep him, and then, please bring him back to me.

2007-05-15T08:01:00.000+08:00

Sweets.

Droit Pénal today. Finally free. Joy alas tempered by strange sense of loss. So it really is over. It really has been over for quite awhile, but until that last exam, I still could claim to be an exchange student. Now, I am officially on holiday. Exchange is over.

And from this moment forth, one hour passed is one hour less. Ah! Parting is such sweet sorrow! Sorrow I understand, but from whence the sweetness?

On a happier note, I will be off to Barcelona tomorrow. Barcelona, Sevilla and Granada. Sun, food and fun. And hopefully new clothes. They tell me Zara is ridiculously cheap in Spain. Well whatever it is I want my dress. I have decided to get a pretty dress and I will get it. What I like a lot about myself is my persistance: my mind once set cannot be altered, as my heart once fixed will not waver and as my soul once ironed will not be bent.

***

A sweet lies upon my shelf. My French boys gave it to me. It had a fratenal twin which I have eaten. This one though, I strangely cannot bear to.

It is not the nicest of sweets - far from it. I was assured that I had been given the best two flavours - orange and green (whatever flavour green represents). I tried orange, cause I like saving my favourite for the last. Delayed gratification has always been my style. No particular flavour, acidic centre which was too sour... it is the kind of sweet I would never have touched back home. Yet here... to precious to swallow.

This sweet, this silly little green sweet somehow manages to encapsulate an era: lectures in school; french greetings and how I never do make that kissing sound though everyone else does; the sparkling, the smokey and the socialist; photocopying and cards I always lose; tutorials rushed out Monday nights; walking with the winter cold on my cheek; Sundays and the bakery; darkness which falls too early in the evening; praliné croustillant chocolat noir; that bright sun, soft silky bright sun; groceries; a room with a blue bed on one end, and a working desk on the other and a sleek black head at either one end or the other.

Once the sweet is gone... not the ideal sweet, not my favourite sweet, but once it is gone...

Foolish sentiment.

And in the ultimate indulgence of foolish sentiment, I plan to eat that sweet the same day I leave town. So it will be no longer. The sweet was never meant to last forever.

But until then, a sweet will continue lying on my shelf, given to me by my French boys; pristine, unwrapped and full of sweet promise.

2007-05-08T05:33:00.000+08:00

Daily Chronicals

The house 3 doors down caught fire last night. Rather chilling thought that someone else's house was burning while I was soundly asleep in bed. When I woke up in the morning I just heard water-slushing noises, and the street downstairs was wet, so I thought they were washing the street and wow I thought the French were so cool!

Then I left the house for one of my oral exams; people were staring at the house 3 houses down. So it had caught fire. That did explain the debris on the ground, and the smoky smell and tinge in the air. Later as I walked home, and when the crowd was gone, I through the windows of the house 3 doors down; it pained me to see a whole stack of burnt comic books; their edges all browned but centre intact so you could still read the comic. It made me think of my own collection of Chalet books back home. If anything untoward should happen to them... I need to get insurance. Protection for the things I love.

***

Today to celebrate the end of my second-last exam. I got myself a Caramel-and-Pear cake. Went grocery shopping after that then managed to lose it. No dessert tonight. Boo. =(

***

During the Easter holidays I visited Normandy (Mont St Michel) and Bretagne (St Malo, Cancale, Vannes, Quimper, Pointe de Raz, Quiberon) and feasted everyday on crêpes, oysters and butter cake.

Cancale is world-famous for oysters. My mother likes oysters but never gets any in Singapore. I wanted to get her some but obviously couldn't. So I did the next best thing - I bought a dozen and ate them for her. 百行以孝为首, as all good Nanyang girls know.

***

I have decided: like them bashful, slightly brooding, but with nice laugh-y sparkly eyes. Bashfulness is always enticing. Dear Bashful.

***

I would like to buy a new dress, preferably one that becomes me.

***

I would really, really, really have liked to be in Paris yesterday. Place de la Concorde must have been in such a festive mood.

Sin Yee, Yap and Adam are there; but I'm going to wager they wasted a good celebration by not going.

2007-05-07T02:02:00.000+08:00

Aujourd'hui tout est devenu possible!

Because good things must be shared:

I give you France's 23rd President!! Ha ha!!

I wish I were at the Concorde now!

2007-04-23T02:55:00.000+08:00

Left and Right

Hee hee. So it's down to the classic Left-Right battle. A Sarko-Sego fight. That's good. I like things classic.

Anyway, I think my candidate is a genius. The man has just called for a debate of ideas between him and Royal. Rather inspired move I think, whether deliberate or not.

For one in the last few days of the campaign all the candidates started attacking him for being autoritarian and harsh etc, slamming him and not so much his ideas. And, compared to Royal, he is harsh - there's no denying that. This should nicely shift the focus away. If Royal continues with her negative campaigning, she stands to look churlish and defensive. If she doesn't, she has to debate with him on ideas. Which brings me to my second point...

Royal really isn't that good a speaker, and honestly, I think some of her ideas aren't that sound, and her track record of policies could be better. My candidate is an advocate for crying out loud!! He argues for a living. And have you seen him speak? He's excellent! He can speak off-the-cuff, Vivian Balakrishnan style. It seems almost unfair to engage her in a debate of ideas.

And the best thing is that this is all so legitimate.

Still, you never know know what the future will bring. (though I certainly know what I hope it will bring: Harry Potter Book 7. Heh.)

Anyway the morals of this story are
1. debating skills are good to have and I am very sorry they are lacking in me
2. in negotiations, always be the first to speak. You get to set the agenda; if the other party refuses he looks churlish.

Oh and enunciation is important. Not liked to the above part of the post but to the clip below:

I finally understand the lyrics!! Jay Chou really needs to enunciate better. Though note I think Fei Yu Qing made a few slips in pronunciation.

Oh and my Spanish neighbour's singing in the kitchen. He sings as well as I do and currently sounds a bit like a banshee and I'm struggling not to burst out laughing.

I really should be mugging.

2007-04-21T07:00:00.000+08:00

Red Roses and Blue Skies

Today I went to a Presidential rally. French elections coming up. Most excited. Cannot but muse on irony that I am more stirred up about a Presidential election that does not concern me than one of our own, but recall that our last Presidential election was anyway a walkover, so do not feel guilty.

If you were wondering, it was a Socialist rally, for the Socialist candidate Ségolène Royal. Not the most inspiring speech I've ever heard, nor the most eloquent speaker, but in her defence she has wonderful hair.

Took many photos, but political inclination forbids me from posting them, so I refer you all to Shumin's blog.

And this one here, is my candidate:

[Together, everything is possible]
France needs change. France needs a leader with the strength of character, will and abrasiveness to achieve it, not a nice motherly figure who coos on about things being juste. Mothers are nice, but mothers belong at home. Justice is fine and dandy, but you cannot run a country on fairness alone. Justice can only supplement and does not a system make.

And, to show I'm not misogynist, may I declare my love for Margaret Thatcher.

Roses fade while blue skies are forever.

Though she really does have wonderful hair.

2007-04-20T06:13:00.000+08:00

Return of the Queen

So I'm back. Back from Brittany with Lay Boon, and Paris with Cousin Zheng Yang, Uncle Mario and Sister Laura. It was good fun.

Anyway, quotable quote of the trip:

"Cousin Zihua, when you go for your [pupillage] interview, you should sweep your hair up in a bun, shade your nose because you have no nose bridge and dress sharply. Lawyers are supposed to represent their clients in the best fashion."

- Cousin Zheng Yang

2007-04-08T02:40:00.000+08:00

Self-Disgust

Every Chalet Girl knows, "Cleanliness is next to Godliness". Today I did not bathe. Today I cannot bathe. They've turned off the central heating, which is fine and dandy given that it reached a broiling 27 degrees in my room yesterday but did they have to turn off the water heating as well?? I can't bathe in ice-cold water that makes my feet hurt!!

Granted the only thing I've done today is sit home and mug, but this is the first time from as long as I can remember that I have not taken my daily bath. There goes my clean record of what has to be at least 15 years. I am filled with self-disgust, self-loath and self-reproach. And probably dirt. Urgh.

Give us this day our daily bread, and please tomorrow, my daily shower.

2007-04-06T19:28:00.000+08:00

Company

In case you're wondering, these are who-that-are-paying-me-company as I mug everyday.

Especially the Bastogne, a brown-sugar crunchy, caramel-tasty biscuit specaloos that I shall fondly miss, but will try to cart home if possible.

***

LU's Bastogne (which I eat in boxes), Leroux' caramels beurre salés (salt, butter and caramel in a mouthful), Cluizel's Maralumi (dark chocolate of choice; smokey, full flavour with tinge of sour), Raisins au Sauterne (chocolately alcholic snack that is healthy), BN Fraise (the strawberry smiley faces that asked to be loved), McVities' Milk Chocolate Hobnobs (much better than Digestives), Dark Chocolate Special K (my daily dinner)... oooohhh... after we part, when shall we meet again? =(

Parting is such sorrow.

2007-04-04T03:28:00.000+08:00

Au Revoir

Au revoir in French means goodbye. More accurately it means "till we meet again".

Today was my Civil Law exam. At the end of my exam, in a moment of sentiment, I went up to my tutorial teacher and my professor to formally bid them au revoir. I shall miss France.

The sad thing about exchange is not leaving a place you have grown attached to, never getting to feel the winter cold in your face or bidding farewell to 9 months of fun and leisure. Places stay, seasons come and fun and leisure will always be. No, the saddest part about about exchange is having to say au revoir to people you have learnt to care for, knowing that there is very little chance, in this lifetime, of there being 'again'.

2007-04-04T03:19:00.000+08:00

Coat

Here, the only clear photo I have of my New Spring Coat. The trouble with a white coat is that it reflects light so well I look like glowing statute of marble in almost every photo.

The guy by my side is Le Président, so called because he's the Class President (really Vice President, but Le Président does have a ring that Le Vice-Président does not have). He is not straight and very proud to be so. I like him even if I don't approve.

2007-04-02T00:06:00.000+08:00

Gypsies and Willows

I have realised that I really am quite tall for a girl, but despite that, will never be willowy.

***

In other news, I now have to mug, until I can adjourn for my Spring Break which incidentally will consist of Normandy, Brittany, Paris and Bruges.

Oh and some gypsies passed through my school the other day, so I took a photo with them. I draw attention to the gypsy in the pink leotard because I find his use of colours and accessories very daring, but more importantly please note my New Spring Coat. I have been told it is very fetching and hope you will feel the same way too.

2007-03-24T05:47:00.000+08:00

Sat, 3rd Feb

Day 151: Rochefort

[From left to right - Row 1: Near the Maritime Museum, Old-time Restaurant, Old yoghurt jars; Row 2: Part of lunch, Lumpy at the Captain's Wheel, Old shoes; Row 3: Old pin-together-doll, Grocer's, Collars.]

Rochefort is a French little maritime. Like my own little town, it's quaint but really has little to see. Happily, it has good and cheap seafood. For lunch I had oysters as starters, mussels and fries for my main and chocolate cake for dessert. I will miss France for her 3-course meals.

Anyway, highlights of Rochefort were the Hermione, Pierre Loti's house and the Musuem of Old-Time Commerce.

The Hermione, nothing to do with the Harry Potter series, is a full-scale model of a ship. It has always been my secret desire to be a sailor's wife, so going on the Hermione was a momentous and meaningful experience for me.

Pierre Loti, if you didn't know (I certainly didn't) was a famous French author, born in Rochefort. He had a house there. The house was stunning. Very eclectic. He imported bits of a Mosque from the Middle East, his first love's tombstone, tapestries of mediaeval barons and chunks of a torn down church and incorporated them into his property. No photos allows, but he had a nice house.

Museum of Old-Time Commerce - a picture says a thousand words. I will post a few so I'm sorry for not being more succinct.

[The Haberdashery, The Grocer's, The Chemist's]

[The Butcher's, The Cleaner's, The Hairdresser's]

2007-03-16T12:17:00.000+08:00

Road to Lyon

In case you're wondering, I am going to Lyon for the weekend. More accurately, I am currently in Lyon for the weekend.

Anyhow, I lost my way getting to Lyon. You see I got onto the wrong train. My train was supposed to stop at St Pierre de Corps, but somehow the train wound up in Angouleme. So as the train drew up to the Angoulême station, I panicked and asked the man nearest to me if Angoulême was St Pierre de Corps by another name.

The man looked at me in pity and said, "Vous avez trompé le train." (you've taken the wrong train).

I stared at him blankly.

"Vous avez trompé le train", he repeated.

I stared at him blankly still.

"VOUS AVEZ TROMPÉ LE TRAIN", he bellowed, painstaking precision in pronouncing each word.

This was really pointless, I thought. Either I understood him, or I did not. If I did, it was foolish to repeat the sentence. If I didn't, I obviously didn't understand French, so it was equally stupid repeating the sentence; shouting it loudly wouldn't help.

So as things passed I came to my senses and eventually decided to act, running to the conductor, who told me "Vous avez trompé le train".

I continued staring blankly.

So they led me to the ticket counter where they got someone to speak to me in English. I could perfectly well have spoken to them in French, but to insist after they had gone to the trouble of finding me a translator seemed ungrateful, so I gamely conducted my Q & A session in English.

I would have to change the train in Paris, then go from Gare Montparnasse to Gare de Lyon, taking the metro... my greatest concern, really, whether I would have to pay more, because Paris train rides are expensive. So I asked the woman-at-the-counter. The woman-at-the-counter said that no, no extra charge was needed. I was relieved. I was thinking at this time, how nice the French were, and how helpful they have been. Then the woman at the counter (in French) told the other-woman-at-the-counter that my main worry was whether I would have to pay more, at which the-other-woman-at-the-counter said that they really ought to make me pay more, they were after all a private company (though it is considered public service), and held general conversation in the rude strain. I understood every single word. (OK fine, 90% of their words, but that's not the point) It was tempting to tell them I fully understood all that they were saying. I would have liked to see their faces.

And the moral of the story is always stare blankly when you have lost your train, and never, never speak ill of another in front of her face, even if it looked blank. That other may very well understand you.

2007-03-14T06:51:00.000+08:00

Thurs, 4 Jan - Sun, 7 Jan

Days 121 - 124: Venice

Day 1: Late arrival. Pasta dinner and general wandering.

Day 2: Venice bridges, St Marco (Patron Saint of Venice; very important figure once you delve into Italian/European History. Otherwise Mark, by the way). Murano (Glass island—glass not very pretty), Torcello (rustic isle) and Burano (fisherman’s isle, and very colourful) islands. Venice truly a place of beauty.

Day 3: General wandering, that Famous Church on St Marco’s Square whose name I cannot remember. More wandering.

Day 4: Doge’s Palace and Secret Itineraries Tour. Learned much about Casablanca. Ingenious man but horrible name. Some shopping, much wandering, rush to catch plane home. Nice dinner by the canal, friendly waiter and serenade by Singing Man on gondolas passing by.

2007-03-10T04:19:00.000+08:00

Fri, 29th Dec – Thurs, 4th Jan

Days 116 – 121: Paris

Paris is intoxicating, Paris is seductive, Paris is sleek. Paris also polarises. You either love her or you hate her. There is no in between. If you would like to know more about my feelings towards this city, please refer to picture at the top of this blog.

Whereas my first two visits were about food, this visit was about friends. And my conclusion is that friends and food are equally enjoyable; depending on what food a friend is compared against, friends can even trump food!!

Day 1: Late arrival at Charles De Gaulle. Got to love that man, De Gaulle. Nationalist, right-wing and religious. Quel idéal!!

Day 2: Versailles with XM and Pam. Dawn-ie was supposed to join us but decided not to in the end, citing fatigue and romantic hope to share Versailles some future (near-future?) day with some other person. Versailles very pretty, very big and took a lot of photos. Here:

Sub-standard dinner at Chez Omar’s. See, friends can trump food.

Day 3: D-day!! Exploring with Dawn-ie-day. Bastille (where Marie Antoinette was executed), Victor Hugo’s House, Georges Pompidou Center (a building built inside-out!!), Falungong Street Protest (as spectators, not participant of course). Temporary farewell to Dawn-ie.

Head over to Arc de Triomphe, Les Invalides (Napoleon’s Tomb), Pont Alexander and the Père Lachaise Cemetery as Dawn-ie went museum-ing.

In favourite book series, the Chalet School saga, the protagonist’s hero is Napoleon. Wanted to give Napoleon flowers on her behalf, but finances and general fear of embarrassment prevent my doing so. Have yet to become mature enough so as to not care what people think.

Ambience at Cemetery perfect for visiting. Was dark, rainy with crows caw-ing in background.

Meet Dawn-ie again and rush to meet Alicia and friends for New Year’s Eve dinner and celebrations. While waiting, Dawn Chan abducted the heart of a little boy, who insisted that Dawn Chan carry him and wailed piteously when his mother tore him away. Rather immoral I think of Dawn Chan to come in between mother and son. Tsk tsk.

New Year’s Eve dinner around a lamppost of fast-food.

Day 4: Church day. Sacré-Coeur with Dawn-ie alone because Ali and friends 3 hours late.

Notre-Dame.

Chez Omar dinner (the lamb couscous was GOOD). Moulin Rouge. Dessert with Dawn-ie, rush to watch the Tour Eiffel sparkle on the hour.

[Zihua's failed attempt to do a Monroe style pose]

Day 5: Catacombs (a whole underground alley of skeletons and remains; in case you didn’t know), and Dawn-ie, my Dawn-ie leaves. Alicia left to reconcile me. But sad news that Ali not joining us for Venice intervenes. Most depressed. Cheered by promise of a buffet treat upon return to Singapore, which I think is an excellent swap. Food at buffet at least of some nutritional value, hence beneficial. Cannot say the same about Ali. (Ali: how about Goodwood Park? Lunch buffet apparently excellent.)

Attempt for lunch at recommended restaurant fails as restaurant closed. Have good pizza from nearby bakery instead. Champs-Elysée. Scaling the Eiffel. Pictures outside the Louvre and view of Concorde. Tearful farewell with Alicia before she leaves; many hankerchiefs used up and one heart broken.

Day 6: Slackful day. Tea, more accurately, chocolate with Sin at Angeline’s as Sin returns from London. Pierre Hermé Ispahans (Rose and Lychee and Raspberry macarons) and general stock-up of snacks for domestic consumption.

Day 7: Departure for Venezia!! Ciao Venezia, ciao, ciao, ciao.

2007-03-09T17:02:00.000+08:00

Up on Old Edinburgh Hill

As of today, I can honestly say that I know a nice elderly couple who lives in Edinburgh.

He is a wise and ancient gentleman of the old school who used to be an officer in Military and once served in Her Majesty’s Scottish troops.

While she is a charming old lady who has watched me grow up since my secondary school days, very kind to animals and remarkably slim for her age.

Happy 22nd Yap!!!!

2007-03-08T03:03:00.000+08:00

Great People

I will never be great. I just do not have that in me. The furthest I can aspire is to be good and kind. Fortunately, I suffer from a general lack of much ambition so I'm perfectly happy with myself. However, I know a lot of great people, or rather, people who will one day be great.

Among my friends are future Ministers, Perm Secs, Ambassadors, JLCs, Surgeons, Teachers, Scientists, Researchers, Economists so on and so forth. One of them at very least is bound to become great. That one is the favourite among all my friends, whoever he or she may be.

And now, I add to my list Vanathi Lake/River/Stream/Whatever-it-is-you're-changing-your-name-to, finalist in this year's Advocacy Cup. Vans, the love, was always good at the litigation/off-the-cuff speaking thing. Well done girl!! I'm proud of you!

And:

Good Luck for the Finals!!! Go Vans, Go!!

*Does a cheerleader dance*

2007-03-05T05:58:00.000+08:00

In Disgrace

So we're back Heffridge and I. Back from Salzburg, Vienna and Prague (take note those of you who were not paying attention).

Heffridge certainly had fun. He ran around wild and got himself dirty and keeping him in check was so exhausting that yours truly fell ill. Poor Zihua. I shall have to give him a bath.

He is now in disgrace, the naughty elephant, and should not be addressed by his nickname until he is forgiven.

Will post eventually. Remind me that I have:

1) The Paris and Venice post
2) The Rochefort post
3) The Chinese New Year post
4) Lay Boon's visit
5) The Czech-Austria entry

Maybe I should just skip something.

Heffridge in the Mirabell Gardens

Oh yes and
Happy Birthday Wei Zhi!!!

2007-02-23T05:38:00.000+08:00

High on the Hills...

Was a lonely goatherd... ley-yi-oh-do-ley-yi-heee!!

Will be off to Salzburg, Vienna then Prague for the winter holidays. Chalet School Land and Fairy Tale City. I am very literary indeed.

Anyway, caught sight of these in Paris on New Year's Day. Plum blossoms!! Delicate, darling and precious little blooms!

2007-02-15T05:11:00.000+08:00

Greetings!

Leaving for the weekend to Paris, so well-wishes from Lumpy and I in advance!

新年快乐万事如意
Oh and Lumpy got a new tie for the New Year!! Clashes terribly with his skin tone, but it's festive. Festive little Lumpy.

2007-02-15T04:31:00.000+08:00

Crabs

A poem for my Qing Jia, whom I love deeply because she has sent me a wonderful file of New Year songs!! Heh:

I give thee a crab,
A crab I give to thee.
I cut up the crab,
Ten pieces to you from me.

Decode a phrase.

蟹一十分 (谢意十分)

On another note, also a chopped up crab for Shumin, who brought me eggtarts all the way from Lisbon!!

2007-02-09T00:42:00.000+08:00

The Circle of Life

[To be read from left to right; top row, then middle, then bottom]Get it?

I thought not.

My Qing Jia has a "学华语时间" (Chinese Hour) on her blog, which is kept secret cause Qing Jia has a lot of secrets she must not tell, which she exposes on her blog. During this 时间, Qing Jia takes a phrase from a TV show she has been watching and explains its meaning. She has yet to construct model 造句s for each phrase, but I am sure she'll get to it.

In case you were wondering, those circles make up a poem. I think it's cool, if a little soppy. The story goes that in ancient Chinese days of yore, a scholar left home for the Imperial Exam. His wife, rather missed him, but was illiterate, so couldn't write and drew him a letter of circles instead. As good stories must go, the scholar deciphered it.

This poem goes out to my Qing Jia, who is probably the only one among all my friends who will appreciate it, and, it is to be hoped, understand it.

The poem:
相思欲寄从何寄? (Row 1, picture 1)
画个圈儿替. (Row 1, picture 2)
话在圈儿外; (Row 1, picture 3)
心在圈儿里. (Row 2, picture 1)
我密密加圈,
你须密密知浓意. (Row 2, picture 2)

单圈儿是我; (Row 2, picture 3)
双圈儿是你. (Row 3, picture 1)
整个圈儿是团圆; (Row 3, picture 2)
破圈儿是别离. (Row 3, picture 3)
还有那说不尽的相思...
把一路圈到底. (Individual picture)

2007-02-02T22:15:00.000+08:00

The Impending End of an Era (but what a magical era it has been)

This just in:

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows to be released on 21st July!

Ha ha. This is the most excited I have been about going home.

Qing Jia!!! You, me and another sleepover? Ali and Wei Zhi come along!!!! We'll stuff ourselves mad at Al-Ahzar, go for a midnight movie then talk rubbish until morning comes. I will find something scandalous to do in France to tell you all about!

Wei Xuan, I'll get you your copy! Would you like the British version (same format as your copy of the Half-Blood Prince) or the American one (same format as your Sorcerer's Stone, with the little pictures before each chapter)?

It's a very good year.

2007-02-01T05:26:00.000+08:00

Sun, 28th Jan

Day 145 : La Galette des Rois

A long time ago, was born in a manger, an Infant who would one day be crowned King of Kings. That night a star shone particularly bright in the velvet sky. Three wise men, each himself a monarch, saw the star, and knew. So they packed and set off to worship the King.

Because in those days there were no such things airplanes in those days, the wise men took a while to arrive. And when they did, the new parents found that they had brought along a pastry, to celebrate the birth of the Infant King.

The day the wise men arrived at the manger is now known as the Epiphany or in French, le jour des Rois (Day of Kings). And to commemorate this happy occation, every year, on day of the Epiphany (6th Jan), the French celebrate by sharing a pastry know as the Galette des Rois (Pastry of Kings).

Well at least that was the version my French schoolmate told me.

The French are no sticklers for rules. The Galette is no longer strictly eaten on the Epiphany. It, or rather, she is available all January in France. And she is a very big thing in France too. Every boulangarie or supermarket with a sense of self-respect sells it. The best, average and worst families eat it. French bloggers, are duty-bound to post about it. The Galette is to the French for the Ephiphany, what bak kwa is to us for Chinese New Year.

I got me one of my own. Looks unspectacular doesn't it? Don't let looks deceive you. This thing cost me €9.

I cut myself a slice.

Lo and behold! My first slice contained the fève, the lucky charm! Normally, the Galette is shared by the family and the one who gets the charm is crowned King or Queen for the day. The new sovereign then gets to pick a Queen or King.

Guess who I chose as consort?

King Heffridge Trumpler Bumpet Heffalump VI

2007-02-01T03:02:00.000+08:00

Happy Birthday

Well, this post is 2 days late, but I blame the lateness on my Internet not working. Anyhow...

Happy Birthday Clare!!!!!!!!

Happy playing! Youth is fleeting and we all are very proud of you! Keep up the good work, juggle them well, and remember that age is no barrier now that you are getting on too! That said, I hope you had a good time on your birthday! Do tell me how you spent it!! =)

Anyhow, here's to your 1/5 of a century! May the next 4/5 be equally exciting!

2007-01-28T23:25:00.000+08:00

Sun, 24th Dec - Fri, 29th Dec

Days 110 -115: London (2)

Day 4 – Christmas Eve. Should like to give rose-tinted account of first Christmas Eve spent in London, but unfortunately none as such to record. Christmas Eve very much like other days: enjoyable, happy, but lacking in magic. Dimly remember a distant time when Christmas was heralded with much excitement. Put general apathy down to age, and discovery that Father Christmas does not exist.

Borough Market: nice fudge and burgers. Did not dare to try the beef. Settle for pork instead. Tower Bridge, Tower of London, St Paul’s, London Bridge, Big Ben, London Eye and Westminster Abbey. Midnight Service at St James’.

[Top Row: Borough Market, and food; Bottom Row: Tower Bridge from a Distance, Calling Home, Me on London Bridge, Lumpy and Ben]

Day 5 – Christmas Day. In rare move of great tact, leave XM and Pam to themselves and going instead on hike with 3 Scouts (Hui Mun, Lillian’s Yin Wei and Magician). Tube and all London transportation on holiday, so tracked 3 hours there-and-back to friend’s (Xela) girlfriend’s house for recreational and intellectual game of Mahjong. Was once Girl Guide in my salad days. Remember why I abandoned Guides in the first place. Fortunately did not get lost. Passed Hyde Park and Albert and Victoria Museum. Fleeting thought that Queen Victoria must have been very fond of husband crosses mind upon sight of Monument to Price Albert.

Execute myself brilliantly during Mahjong game. Christmas lunch of Jaffa Cakes, bite of mince pie and chocolate; Christmas dinner Korean Spicy Instant noodles, Baklava and Turkish Delight. Can vaguely understand Edmund’s betrayal of siblings and Aslan, but in no way condone act. Feel that this is an excellent lesson to learn on Christmas Day.

[Portrait in the Snow]
Day 6 – Boxing Day shopping. Short meet-up with the Maniams. The She-Maniam has lost weight and is not fat. Buy 3 albums, 3 DVDs and 1 DVD collection. Glad that father is a continent away and will not be near when he sees bill, which anyway was charged to my card.

[The Maniams]
Lunch at Misato, then Buckingham Palace. David and Gangwei return from Italy and had to share a bed, since I took up one of theirs. Am very much thankful and here express in a manner most solemn, my deep gratitude.

Day 7 – Sin Day, which like all Sin Days, was lovely. Fact that Sin is my Paris Accommodation and that I am begging her to bring me along to Austria and persuading her into a trip to Sarlat have no bearing on previous announcement.

Hare and Tortoise, Persephone Books (closed), Portabello Market for Hummingbird Bakery (closed) and Oxfam (closed). Shocking discovery that Sin lives very near to me.

[Me, Lumpy, Sin]
Mary Poppins on Westend. Disney movie of last-mentioned has long been old personal favorite. Can recite and sing to word and tune every song. Pleasantly surprised to find that musical surpasses movie. Will return some day.

Day 8 – More shopping along Oxford Street in the morning then ephemeral meeting with Dawn-ie in evening. For unknown reason, Dawn-ie had decided to walk all around London early that day, lugging luggage around. Very perplexed and wonder why I hang out with her as a friend.

[Dawn-ie and Lumpy in Hamburg Centre]
Day 9 – Final day in London. Lunch at Hare and Tortoise and return to my beloved Persephone Books from whence I buy 3 titles. Return to Passfield Hall. Find that other friend has returned from Amsterdam. Very glad to see him as friend to perform function of luggage porter to the Tube Station. Friend did not do so in the end. Very doubtful now of the concept of Scout’s Honour.

End entry with reiteration that David and Gangwei and XM and Pam are all EXCELLENT hosts, and that I have greatly enjoyed my stay at Passfield Hall and hope to return one day.

2007-01-24T03:36:00.000+08:00

Fondue

Snowflakes a-fluttering down,
Landing on the ground,
Covering both country and town
In a sheet-white gown.

Little children shout in glee
And rush out of their doors,
To make a snowman for all to see,
As happy as can be.

Snow melting a sorry sight,
And in my heart I pray,
With every ounce of my might,
To save you from this plight.

Awful and trite poetry written by yours truly. To do myself justice I wrote that when I was 11. But, makes for an interesting start, so included it.

Anyhow, it snowed today. Neige fondue, the girl who lends us notes for Property Law called it. It means "melted snow" literally, though I suppose technically what the phrase really is trying to bring across "snow that will melt". Po-tay-to, Po-tat-to.

They say the first snow of the season is magical. We-ell, it honestly wasn't. It was all rather messy. Strong wind, you see. The snowflakes were blown about and did not fall in an orderly manner. I do think that the weather should try to be more organised.

That said, have a great day! I am going to rottle out some food now. Hungry. Ta!

2007-01-20T20:49:00.000+08:00

Thurs, 21st Dec - Sat, 23rd Dec

Days 107 - 115: London

Passfield Hall

If you should ever have to go to London, and are in search of lodging, may I heartily recommend Passfield Hall. Run by a Singaporean couple:

who also provides facial services,

and co-owned by another Singaporean pair,

Passfield Hall is a subsidiary of the world-renown London School of Economics. Centrally located (nearest Tube station Euston a five minute stroll away, and walking distance from West End), recently renovated as well as reasonably priced (as I booked early, my stay was nearly free), Passfield Hall is the accommodation of your dreams! Very friendly and warm service, which includes free tour guide facilities!

Anyway, my London trip (Query: do people read or even care about finest details of one’s personal itinerary? Quick reflection leads to conclusion that they probably do not; but unshakeable impulse to scribe faithful record impels continuation nevertheless):

Day 1 - Arrived late due to Freezing Fog (a true English welcome: frigidity). Was nevertheless provided with an escort service from Euston station. (Note to ex-classmates: XM has greatly improved!). Coincidentally, this was the day that JK Rowling released the title of her 7th book. Did not find this out until very much later. Reproach self for not having kept up better with Current Events.

Day 2 - Drury Lane (Home to the Muffin Man), Convent Gardens, Ben’s Cookies (should have got more), Leiceister Square (or Chinatown) and lunch with Jo and Shuwen and friends at Wong Kei (famous Chinatown restaurant run by a triad!!). Introduction to that infamous Müller Yogurt. Hui Mun, Lilian and Yinwei and Magician arrive. Passfield hall turned into Refugee Camp with 7 under one room in all.

Day 3 - Long, long walk to Portobello Market because we got off at the wrong stop. Could have been vexing but lovely scenery of quaint English architecture generally pleasing coolness of weather make walk very enjoyable. Passed a house in which George Orwell once lived. Did not go in or even think of going in. There’s the good of University education nowadays.

Portobello Market very lovely. Started with the Antique Street. XM and Pam not too keen, but was in my personal haven. Will return, when (and if ever rich) to furnish my house with knickknacks and such as found there.

Pass the Hummingbird Bakery. Pam recalls that Shuwen greatly recommended its cupcakes. Stop to procure some. We settle on cupcake luxuriously named “Red Velvet”. Do not regret, except that we did not get more. Resolve to return later on for second helpings.

View quaint shop full of Russian dolls. Ponder whether to buy a Penguin set for sibling, who in youth was nicknamed “Penguin”. Sibling once cried about nickname, but has since been reconciled. Counsel from XM assures me that boys do not appreciate Russian dolls so abandon idea.

Reach Food Area. Obvious lift in spirits on the part of XM and Pam. Spot an Oxfam. Brief hope of entering and spotting row after row of rare Chalet School titles as various other people on my Chalet School Book Group seem to do. Hope quickly crumbles upon entry, so comfort myself with a William book, Stories and Sketches by Charles Dickens and The Diary of a Provincial Lady, book whose style I am emulating while writing this entry. Very pleased with my investment thus far. Am greatly enjoying last-mentioned title.

Very happy to see so much food. Invest in Cherries and Blackberries I later enjoy. XM and Pam spot White Chocolate Digestives being sold for a song. They buy 2 boxes and spend the later days regretting not having purchased more.

Lunch at Four Seasons at Bayswater. Try that Duck that is apparently Very Famous. Not disappointed. Duck very delicious and was a Culinary Revelation. Happily overdosed on Duck, eating both fat and skin. Feel effects of this later in the night when I feel Very Sick. Am apparently incapable of taking too much rich food.

Proceed to Harrods. Much impressed by the food section and gaze longingly at displays. Buy Krispy Kremes. They are good. Spend time wandering around Harrods. Layout of Harrods could be improved. We were rather lost. Pam and I go in search of the Harrod’s Bear, which we later find has been sold and shipped to Russia, and wrapping him was a Nightmare.

[Bear in the center NOT the Harrod's Bear. But big]
Fish and Chips from Harry Ramsden’s for dinner. Effects from an over-rich lunch kick in. Greasy odour of fish and fries was too much for me to handle so gave share up to XM. Enjoy Marks & Spencer’s Minestrone Soup instead at Passfield Hall.

2007-01-19T06:32:00.000+08:00

Friends.

"There is nothing in the world I wouldn't do for [my friends], and there is nothing [they] wouldn't do for me ... We spend our lives doing nothing for each other." - Bing Crosby

Friends. Love them or hate them you can't do without them. You can't pick your family, so do a good job picking friends. I don't. My friends are generally Bad Influences.

First there's that "Pig Friend Dog Comrade" trio I hang out with. All we do together is pig out, play and be generally decadant. Then there is the Scandalous bunch I flock with in school. One tries to seduce the teacher, another, random old men on the street and the last one, random old mAn on campus.

Then of course there's the one in Paris who leads me into spending sprees and general over-eating while old and young men, to wink, leer or cat-call. And of course there's the other who just turn turned 22 who has been trying to lead me into the trenchant life of clubbing and recently sent me a SHORT skirt.

And then there is this one, who has been, to the peril of my studying plan, leading me to youtube. Bad Influences I tell you. Bad Influences.

Anyhow, found this:

And no, not for Jay Chou. Fei Yu Qing. I don't care if your parents probably listened to him. Whatever it is this man can sing. Perfect pitching, a, what, 5 hundred octave voice, good diction, melliflous sonoronity, beautiful voice quality and the gift of singing out emotion. I swear I've fallen in love with him a million times just listening.

Oh by the way, I have been suddenly been seized with a desire to listen to Hokkien songs. Don't ask. Someone please copy them and send along. Or surprise me with a CD. Oh and throw in some New Year tunes too, please.

Let's spend our lives doing nothing for each other.

2007-01-19T04:18:00.000+08:00

A Singing Session

I sing the charms of Shuyi Lau,
Sweet and kind,
No fairer maiden ever graced this day (literally. Shu's white),
'Tis the eve of thy birth morn,
La la la la, sweetling come away!

(adapted from The School at the Chalet)

Happy Birthday Shu!!!!!!

2007-01-17T04:43:00.000+08:00

Swish and Flick

As that great, big purple dinosaur used to say "Let's share and I-love-you". Well I love you all too! And so....

Presenting the title of the next Harry Potter:

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

*skips, jumps and does a little hop*

Oh I hope it comes out soon!!

On another equally happy note, I finished my exams today!! You may all msn for nothing in particular now! =)

2007-01-09T00:38:00.000+08:00

Day 125: Chez Moi

Well I’m back. It’s been a great 3 weeks. Have visited 3 lovely places, met with some of my favourite boys, many of my favourite girls and eaten a lot of my favourite food. Life is good!

Quick contrast of the 3 cities I’ve visited: They’re like 3 different women I think. Each differently dressed, each of different temperament but each nevertheless equally charming.

Paris is elegant of course – what else can Paris be? Paris, with her wide streets, refined tastes in food and architecture, is elegant and graceful and carries herself with aplomb. Hers is an old-world beauty; the beauty of tradition, splendour and finery.

Venice on her part is no less charming. She is of a less sophisticated charm than Paris, I would like to say, but that describes her badly; the splendour and finery that define Paris are so alien to her being that it seems ridiculous to describe her as not being that. I suppose the best I can do is to say that Venice is a true-and-true Italian beauty. Rustic, dazzling and exotic, with rawness that gives one the feeling that she is not quite of-this-earth. The allure of fire and spirit and colour.

London. London is understated, and generally goes about in grey. This colour may or may not suit her, but London has worn this shade for years and as far as I can tell, does not plan to change her wardrobe anytime soon so my opinion does not matter. Of the three, I find London the hardest to read. She is courteous and polite, but keep her distance with you. It’s that thing we read so much about: the English reserve.

Alright. Enough prose for the day. Will eventually blog about my trip but it will be a few days before that happens. Contrary to what All My Family (father, mother, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins including) seems to think, I do have to Study. May I add that the appearance I give of Not Studying at all is not true at all. I do study, and very much, thank you. I just don’t blog about it, hence this False Impression.

Oh and Lumpy, the dear little elephant, sends his regards:

2006-12-21T17:53:00.000+08:00

Day 107: En Vacances

It is quiet in the house. The British girls and my Dutch neighbours have left. Only Spanish neighbours remain. But the one who lives on my floor is usually quiet, whenever he is not mumbling while studying in his room, or singing in the shower. The Spanish girls upstairs make a bit of noise now and then though. They like bursting out into carol, which is good, cause it’s coming to Christmas.

So I have been slightly sick for the past few days. Caught the Dutch girl’s cold. All cleared up now happily. The trick is to take fruits everyday. Anyhow, it was nice to receive these when I was ill:

Thanks Wei Xuan! And ditto to the Ungallant One.

So I’m off today! Off! London for Christmas, Paris for New Year’s and Venice for fun! To see old friends, visit old places and fulfil old dreams. Won't have family around but I bring along something more important that they have given me: their money!

In the meanwhile,
Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas!!!

P.S. Wei Xuan, if you're reading this, go try and read the Chalet School book I gave you. The second book in the omnibus Jo of the Chalet School is delightfully Christmas-sy!

2006-12-21T17:01:00.000+08:00

Thurs, 23th Nov - Mon, 27th Nov

Days 79 - 83: Sin's visit

Sin came visiting on Thursday. It's so nice to have guests over. Very Chalet School and Anne of Green Gables style. Guest over. Sadly I did not have a spare room to put her up it, though we did share my nice queen-sized bed. Can I tell you all that I like a big bed. It's so luxurious to sleep in. Not that it really matters. Sin tells me that I sleep abnormally still-y. Apparently I don't move at all. I think that is good. It shows a good sense of self-control even in slumber. And everybody can definitely do with a good sense of self-control.

Anyway, dinner at Restaurant Magenta. We had 3 pizzas and ice cream and a good time gossiping. Gossiping is fun. Wrong but fun. The girl who does not gossip once a while must be an unbearable prude.

Then school the next morning, and Sin joined us in the school canteen for lunch. Lunch was not fantastic but the whole point of this paragraph is to show this photo of us 3 in the canteen. Cause I like how I look in it:

Then Sin and I went shopping and wandering. Went to the KID's section in Zara. The KID's section. The clothes there could actually fit us. Either I have turned amazingly slender, or European kids need to eat less. Oh can I show you the picture of a skirt I tried on? I though it was cute, but then I'd already bought 3 others before so I figured a 4th would be overboard. I like my strong sense of thrift.

[If you look hard, you can see Sin in the opposite changing room, trying on a kid's T-shirt. They fit her. She bought 2. Or 3.]

Then we went to Notre-Dame, the most famous church in Poitiers. Sin's camera screen which had been spoilt for a while miraculously became well again once we left the Church. Now what does that tell you all?

Then tea at a quaint tea palour. No idea that there were such quaint tea-shops near my place. I had a 1800 blend I believe. Excellent tea: lovely, rounded taste of tannin that was not overpowering coupled with the delicate fragrance of jasmine and good brown cube sugar.

For dinner Sin Yee cooked. I think Sin Yee will make a perfect wife one day. She doesn't look bad, is quite smart, loves children AND cooks SUPERBLY. Any of my guy friends who may be interested may ask me for her number. Out of chicken, onions, cornstarch, sesame oil and soya sauce she made a dish which was delightful. The chicken was so tender. It was like eating silk.

Oh then La Rochelle the next day. Perfume museum, André's (again!) and general wandering around. I'm very into this walkabout thing. It makes me feel like a normad. By the way, I have discovered oysters. I believe I fall into the oyster camp. There's something about the rich and creamy taste of the oyster.

[Golliwog perfum bottles, the Old Town of La Rochelle and a crab in my mussel!!]

Then I believe we went home and slacked about and watched Princess Hours. Good show that one. Old-fashioned plot, but still satisfying. Plus the show's a visual delight. Lovely clothes, lovely colours, lovely settings. Koreans are like the Japanese I think - good at packaging.

To sum up: Sin come again!!! Ha ha.

2006-12-02T02:18:00.000+08:00

Fri, 3rd Nov – Sun, 5th Nov

Days 59 – 61: Hamburg

Lay Boon and Derek left for Nice, William was going to Geneva and Jonathan and Qiuwei had left for Vienna the day before. Thus left all alone, I made my way to Hamburg.

My Dawn-ie met me at the station. There was a certain surrealism to it. There was I smiling at the sight of Dawn-ie from the top of double-decker bus I took and then walking towards her, as though it had only been yesterday that we had had dinner together with the rest and parted our ways; this was just a normal re-meeting of friends, only with a much more picturesque backdrop and half the world away from home.

Anyhow, Dawn Chan lives in a lovely little neighbourhood!! And has an amazingly stylish apartment!! That girl certainly can decorate!

Too freezing cold for much adventure so we had dinner at an Italian restaurant just outside Dawn’s place. Goodness the food was delicious!!

Then, being wild and deplorable, we met Nick at the Reeperbahn, which is the red-light district of Hamburg he often frequents. (Well ok fine. He goes to the pure-drinking and clubbing clubs nearby, but that sentence had just so much more ooommph to it). Drank the first bottle of beer I ever had in my life. Don’t get what the fuss is about.

[Random scenes. The middle picture is a men-only lane. Ah! To peek beyond the gates!]

[Dawn, The Hamburg Man and Nick]
Day 2:

Hamburg’s lovely city square and a museum. Watched swans, ducks and geese at the lake, kept thinking foie gras every time I saw a goose! I really need to have some soon.

Bought a nice tin of spice biscuits in a pretty cookies-and-chocolate shop, had an excellent Chinese lunch in a foodcourt (yes a foodcourt!). Visited an antique centre (lovely!) then got brought around the city and lake by Nick while Dawn continued with the museums (we had bought a special offer ticket to all the museums you see and to do me justice the first museum was rather boring and so I just had to run away from the others and Dawn was always there more cultured of us two). Kept dropping my gloves while going round the city. In the end had to be taught a very clever way of keeping them safe by Nick: “Keep them in your coat pocket!!”, he said when I had dropped them for the umpteenth time. Simple and nifty idea. Worked whenever I remembered.

[Various places in Hamburg whose names I cannot remember. But, Essen and Trinken is Hamburg's only food court; while the right bottom-most photo is Raffles Hotel. As a good Singaporean and half-blood Rafflesian, I thought I should mention it]

Ended the day going to another museum to look for Dawn but couldn’t find her (this museum now was really lovely but alas we spent more time looking for Dawn than at the paintings!). Went back to the same Italian restaurant, just this time with Nick. Once again it is a testament to globalisation that I should be in Germany, having come from France eating dinner at an Italian restaurant with my fellow Singaporean friend. This time my pasta was a bit on the salty side, but still satisfyingly good.

Day 3:

Dawn had to go to church, so poor Nick was left with the tragic task of bringing me to the Fischmarket. Anyone who’s travelled with me will know that I take an inordinate amount of pictures and spend the longest time looking at various things. Put me in a place with food and pretty little darling things and well… good luck to you!

May I add that the day was again biting cold and rainy!

[Poor, unloved Lumpy]
The Fischmarket was adorable.

[Shop, straw figurines and TULIP BULBS!!!]
Had RAW marinated meat on bread. Wasn’t bad at all. A certain person I shared it with thought it tasted raw. Oh and that certain someone later caught a cold from the cold. Boys nowadays… such wusses! (but... sweet, kind and sick wusses).

Then the rest of the afternoon with my Dawn-ie, idly walking around, talking, no aim in particular… then soon… it was home.

Epilogue
Hamburg is a pretty little city. It is not beautiful, it is not great, just pretty. But what is mere prettiness in the whole of Europe? Hamburg is also a quaint little city. But how can ‘quaintness’ hope to compete with the sparkling splendour of History? Yet my days in Hamburg are days to remember, for the most fundamental and simple of all reasons to remember any place by, that single yet precious word: companionship.

Dear Dawn-ie and Nick, thank you for being such wonderful hosts.

[An absolutely terrible photo of me.]
***
Bleargh I am terrible at sentimental stuff. Anyway, just so none of you will slip and fall of shock upon meeting me in London:

[Dawn Chan took this. I'm not that narcissistic]

2006-11-29T16:02:00.000+08:00

Fallen Dynasties and Remnant Treasures.

In the whirlwind days of my tempestuous youth, I was wild child. I played fool in class, paid no attention in school and regularly cut canteen queues. I even, unbeknownst to my parents and out of wedlock, spawned an illegitimate family of 3 with an unknown character.

But as I was errant, so was I great. Once upon that wayward time, I founded a dynasty. I was Queen of the Galaxy. My full title was Queen Jessamynette Larverne Fredericka Charlotte-Cher of Jupiter. I had two sons, Princes Lucifer of Saturn and Theoderick of Mars, a daughter (what on earth was her name?) as well as two sisters, brothers-in-law, servants, random relatives and a Royal Pony and Horse. I was also a terrible ruler, for I was autocratic; the names of all my royal subjects had to be chosen by me (my subjects did not like their names) and court rules were tedious and elaborate (they had to curtsey).

As all dictators, I suppose I deserved what was to come; one day, suddenly and silently, my dynasty, the Zihualingian era (for the want of a better name), came to an end.

I mourned a little, in a subtle way, so subtle that you could say I didn’t notice my loss at all. But what grief can you expect from someone who was 14? And though I only mourned that little, there was no need for more; for like every fallen monarch, priceless relicts from the old dynasty were left to me.

Happy memories, hilarious anecdotes and faded pictures, to name a few. One of the most precious treasures I have kept all these years, is this:

This is my Qing Jia. Qing Jia and I go back a long way. We met in those halcyon days of my royal youth, where she married her daughter to my son. We walked Orchard Road, went to Tenderfresh, Beauty World and Bukit Timah Plaza for lunch together, and took Bus 171 home. Then we grew older. We still walked Orchard Road, went for lunch together (only no longer at Tenderfresh and so) and took Bus 171 home. And to this list we added mahjong-cum-costume-cum-eating parties, huge suppers along Cheong Chin Nam Road at Al-Ahzar and Harry Potter sleepovers. We have also made a pledge; she is to marry her daughter to my son.

We are inextricably linked, my Qing Jia and I.

Ah! The ties that bind us forever!

It has been a while since we met, my Qing Jia and me. But why worry? Soon will come tomorrow. When tomorrow comes, we’ll once more walk Orchard Road, once more go for lunch and board Bus 171 once more. And...

This post really...
... is just to say...
... dear Qing Jia...
... dear Qing Jia...
... have a

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Ha ha!

2006-11-19T06:42:00.000+08:00

Tues, 31st Oct – Fri, 3rd Nov

Days 56 – 59: Berlin

Slept over on at the Paris Orly airport. 4 am check-in. Sleeping on airport benches is no joke I tell you. I think I now qualify fully as an experienced traveller. I have borne and lived through tremendous hardships.

Did Berlin with Lay Boon and her 4 other friends: Qiuwei, Derek and Jonathan (all her fellow IE scholars) and William (British-French, house and school mate to Derek). Here is a nice photo of all of us. Well it’s the only one I have so I hope it’s nice:

[Well couldn't get it in time... but eventually it'll come on]

Had a wonderful time in Berlin. The company was great (like does attract like!) but over and above the company, the city was an immense experience. History permeates it. Its very air resonates with echoes of the past. The great events of yesterday – the fall of Kaiser, Hitler’s ascension, World War II’s advent, the Holocaust’s scars, victory of the Allies against Hitler, his suicide, the fall of the Nazi regime, the zonification of Berlin, then the spectre of Communism, the tearing down of the wall and German reunification – still cast their shadows. This city has not forgotten.

My flight reached Berlin around 8. Lay Boon and friends only arrived at 2. So I waited six hours at the Berlin airport. SIX hours. Just had to tell you that.

Anyway it was afternoon by the time we got to our hostel (may I thoroughly recommend Generator hostels to all of you. Clean, convenient and breakfast included.) Late lunch/early pre-dinner at a Greek kebab place. After France, Berlin prices were amazing cheap. Ordered a lot and stuffed myself.

[Lay Boon’s currywurst and fries, Derek’s falafel and my rice and aubergine]

Then dinner proper at a fancy restaurant which brewed its own beer!!

[Not the best pork knuckle I’ve ever had, the dessert platter, the tau-sa pao that was not]

Day 2 dawned freezing cold, grey in skies and rainy. It was in such cold, grey and wet weather that we took a 4-hour walking tour of Berlin. Walking in rain, wind and a thin coat in 5 degree weather is no joke I can assure you. It saps the body and spirit. Just as well. We got a first-hand experience of what life must have been like under the Communist regime.

Then I thought: if you’re going for the true East German experience, you might as well look like one of them:

[For the record I bundled my head up because the day and wind were bitingly cold. Could not feel my ears.]

Then tea, the Bundestag (German Parliament - lovely view from its domed roof) and dinner. A good dinner.

[From left to right - Row 1: Either a Church, a Museum or Palace, Coca-Cola Berlin Bear, the most famous of all Berlin signboards; Row 2: THE Wall!!!, Communist mural, Jewish War Memorial; Row 3: The balcony from which Michael Jackson dangled his son, German Arc de Triomphe, the Bundestag]

Concentration camp on Day 3. A sobering experience. Here, once upon a time, people lost their lives. Yet the place has a strange peace. I suppose in death all is forgiven. They must have been so exhausted towards the end; it would have been too tiring for them to have to bring hatred into the grave.

[Gate and stones on bench:
Gate says freedom from work (or something similar). It was a Nazi lie. Essentially, the Nazis told the concentration camp inmates (which at the start mostly consisted of criminals and Communists) that they would be liberated after they worked off their crimes. But the years and deaths which intervened without sight of freedom told otherwise; Part of the concentration camp building; A memorial covered with stones. Apparently this stems from the Jewish custom of placing a stone on graves, which according to one version of its origin, means ‘someone has remembered’.]

Had an excellent chocolate-coated spice cookie. Huge and good. Bought a second! Lumpy liked it too.

On the way to dinner, it snowed. There was I in my autumn best and it SNOWED. One day I will look back and be able to laugh at this. Not quite yet. I can still remember the cold.

Day 4 was off to Hamburg!!

Oh and Lumpy found a friend:

[Lumpy and Derek’s bear]

2006-11-11T06:07:00.000+08:00

Saturday, 28th Oct - Monday 30th Oct

Days 53 to 55 – Paris

I have a cousin who studied abroad. He used to tell me horror stories about how overseas study was hard and how he sometimes cried himself to sleep at night. I don’t know what on earth he was thinking. I myself am having the time of my life. I think the men in my family are just, in general, wusses.

So once again, I went up to Paris. My one-week break, you see. And may I declare my deep and profound love for this wonderful city. Of course, the company helped. Sin and Shu (who skipped school to shop in Paris) were as always and there was also myself to talk to when I was bored.

Anyway the first day was another mad eating session. First-rate lunch, excellent tea and an absolutely sinful dinner. You have no idea how much I love food. Dawn-ie says you shouldn’t think and look at food too much. It apparently makes you fat cause of some chemical secretion thing, but I don’t care. It is at times when I reflect on food that I am most acutely aware of how much a feeling and passionate person I am.

[From left to right – Lunch at Café Fusion, a Chocolate & Zucchini recommended restaurant: Delightful fried samosas with sweet potato in them, my veau with roasted eschalots (delicious, moist and tender. I do love my meat), Shu’s casserole, forgot the name of my dessert; Tea at the Rose Bakery (another recommended restaurant): Juice and my sticky toffee pudding which was heaven; Dinner at Chez Omar’s, a David Lebovitz and Amateur Gourmet recommended restaurant: killer fries and a wicked steak-with-cream-sauce; Berthillon ice cream]

I think I have wonderful friends. Most of you will eventually be getting me the book vouchers I have been harassing you all for my birthday and Sin got me a ticket to this:

14,000 square metres of chocolate and chocolate exhibitions. A thoughtful and perfect present straight after my heart.

Bought these. The joy!

Anyway, some of my favourite photos from the trip:

[Good company; hugging a polar bear]

[Polar bear and purple prey]

Oh and because one has to admire a good side profile:

2006-11-09T04:51:00.000+08:00

Heartache

So the Democrats won the mid-term elections.

Dammit.

Tree-huggers and gay-lovers. Two worst groups of people of which I can think.

Seriously dammit.

Anyone who's going to criticise me for my opinion, go away. I need to mourn in silence.

And because this blog is public, I have to make my disclaimer: I'm fine with gay people. I just don't approve of them.

Sharp, searing pain.

2006-11-05T01:11:00.000+08:00

Friday, 27th Oct

Day 52 – Le Tourteau

Today I paid good money for a burnt cheesecake. How many people can say something like that? Heh. Anyway, it’s a Poitevin speciality so I’m justified in my actions.

Cute. And tasty at that!

2006-11-02T00:53:00.000+08:00

Saturday, 21st Oct

Day 47 – A Spot of Domesticity

There was an organic vegetable fair at Marché Notre Dame today. So I decided to be domestic and bought vegetables to make a ratatouille, a traditional French dish of stewed vegetables.

[The vegetables before cooking. The sheer colour!]

[Onions and peppers glistening with olive oil. How patriotic they look together!]

I made a large batch so I would have leftovers to reheat for dinner.

[Only the beginning. This thing has to stew for hours. There was so much I had to use my other pot!]

The ratatouille is one of those dishes which gets better with keeping cause the flavours have more time to meld together. To heat it up, I popped my serving into the oven to grill.

The grilling caramelises the vegetables, especially the onions, and the dish, already refreshingly sweet in itself takes on a new dimension as the caramelisation adds a delicious flavour of char and concentrates the sweetness. Next time, I’m grilling it straight.

Oh!! And I bought oysters and shuckled them myself. Shuckling oysters is no joke. It takes a lot of force. They were €1 the half-dozen, but honestly quite tasteless. I hope next will be better.

2006-10-28T22:49:00.000+08:00

Announcement

Will be away from 28th October to 5th November for my Toussaint* holidays. I’ll in Paris for a chocolate exhibition, good food and better company. Then it’s off to Berlin and Hamburg for pork knuckles, sausages, dear friends and a good dose of History!!

Life is good! =)

Have timed some posts to appear while I’m away. Let’s see if it works.

*Toussaint means All Saints (Tous = All and Saint = Saint)

***

My 3rd birthday present, from my father to me. (You will hear about the 2nd soon). Note how the gift has been tastefully wrapped. I do love a pretty present. [Daddy, if you’re reading this I charged it to your card, so thanks! =)].

Pleasure, pleasure and perfect train-ride reading.

2006-10-26T03:17:00.000+08:00

Days 39-41 (13th - 15th Oct) - Italy

The world, I think, can be divided into two groups of people. Those, lauded by generations of poets and novelists, who can sit back in quiet repose and silently appreciate the beauty of Nature, and those who can't. I think I belong to the second group. Happily, my happiness does not depend on the opinion of writers in general, most of whom I think are fluffy-headed left-wing idiots anyway.

Friday, Day 1

So our destination was the town of Menaggio, by Lake Como, to the north of Milan. To describe it succinctly, it was small, quaint and had good scenery. In short, it is a place for the first group of people. Although to do it justice I did have an enjoyable time by Lake Como. Not great, not excellent but nevertheless, enjoyable. I suppose my placid feelings are a reflection of the sort of place Menaggio is: calm, slow and quiet, not the sort of place to stir strong emotions at all. Being a creature of spirit and heart, naturally it did not call out to me. Still... beauty always recognises beauty and Menaggio at very least was pretty:

[From left to right - Row 1: At the hostel, a boat in French colours!, a pretty little white flower, mountains by the lake; Row 2: Buildings, lakeside scenery, view from the hostel, more lakeside scenery; Row 3: More buildings, lakeside scenery again, another view from the hostel, James, Sin and I on a random street; Row 4: Origami flowers that Shumin and Sin love, more of Menaggio, a duck and her drake, Shumin, Sin and I at a restaurant by the lake]

We had an easy first day. Drinks (I had champagne!), lunch (at a Lonely Planet Guidebook recommended pizzeria), check-in, gelato (also recommended, 3 whole scoops!!), a leisurely ramble from street to street and shop to shop, lazing on the hostel terrace in admiration of the scenery then dinner then Monopoly (which by the way I won). Ah the simple life!

[From left to right – Row 1: Sin and I toasting by the lake, Lumpy and my champagne, the bad little elephant-scout, views of the Pizzeria; Row 2: the interior of the Pizzeria, very soft and tender calamari, all-meat pizza, seafood pizza; Row 3: Tiramisu, Tartufo semi-freddo, the Gelaria, my 3 scoops: strawberry, hazelnut and chocolate!; Row 4: Dinner’s restaurant, Occo Buco (pork shank) with semolina, lemon sorbet gelato, us at dinner]

Saturday, Day 2

Because I was adventurous and also because Menaggio was that small and because the brochure promised us a market, we went to the town of Como, the largest in the Como Lake district.

Alas! Como was a con. Full of tourists, touristically priced yet without touristic charm to redeem it. And the market was… well I’ve seen better pasar malams. To make matters worst, lunch was not good. Although we did have excellent chocolate gelato there. And I did buy a pretty pink pashmina. So I was reasonably happy. Actually I think I’m easy to please. All I need is good food and something pretty. Anyway:

[From left to right – Row 1: Tourist trap restaurant, Church directly opposite restaurant in whose shade we ate, a food shop I went to and a whole shelf of pesto!; Row 2: Bad Fritto Miso, a hideously adorable dog we saw at the market, pasta so sub-standard I can honestly say I can make better pasta than that; Row 3: Little chocolate snacks from an upscale teashop, the patriotic table settings of the tourist-trap restaurant, my gelato—chocolate and orange]

Bellagio (yet another little lakeside town) however redeemed the day. It was enchantingly pretty and very Palm Beach in feel. Plus it had many shops with darling little knick-knacks:

[From left to right – Row 1: Bellagio Harbour, one of the many quaint Bellagio streets, a snowman at a Christmas shop (selling only Christmas decorations), the view from the top of the staircase of the Christmas shop]

AND I bought Lumpy a friend (from a shop which sold the most precious little porcelain figures)! I had to. He was smiling at me from the window with laughing eyes and so I smiled in return and had to get him. Presenting:

Frederico Bumpolio Gelato-Drake Heffalump
Thought I’d give him a Italian-sounding name. ‘Gelato’ in remembrance of the many happy scopes I had and ‘Drake’ in memory of the many cute ducks I saw. He will be Semi-Freddo for short, after our dessert the first day and also because the term is Italian. Plus it is an adorable abbreviation of his first name. I do put thought in name-giving.

Dinner back in Menaggio at a lakeside hotel. It was the best meal of the trip. Good but not great. France has spoilt me.

Sunday, Day 3

An excellent breakfast. The hot chocolate tasted like rich, melted and heated ice cream and the iced brioche I had was delightful.

Following which we took a ferry to Veranna (yes, another lakeside town. For the less aware, lakes are usually surrounded by many little towns, a large town not being possible since you can’t build across water and you shouldn’t build uphill).

There was a flea market!!

Lake Como and its little towns are lovely places, but after 2 days of being surrounded by mountain ranges seeing only a misty lake I was beginning to feel suffocated. I make a terrible Chalet School girl (the original setting of the Chalet School by the way, is the Archensee mountain range, in Austria, Tyrol). The shame. Possibly if the lake had been blue and clear and lit by sun I would have forgiven it, but it was not so we should not dwell on what could have been. Anyway, to cut a long story short, I abandoned the rest and made a trip to Milan!!

[From left to right – Row 1: The Duomo Cathedral (gorgeous stained glass windows!), buildings, shopping street, Lumpy under a baby archway; Row 2: tablet of a cute old man, Lumpy at the top of the Duomo (I climbed all the steps up!), the view from above, the Galleria (a huge shopping arcade); Row 3: Fascist balconies from which Mussolini made his speeches (I stood on the balconies!!), statute of Da Vinci, outside view of the Galleria, a car with anti-Berlusconi posters all over it; Row 4: good bread at my dinner restaurant, ultra-creamy carbonara—with not cream apparently, it’s all egg!, my tartufo gelato, view of the restaurant (recommended also in the Lonely Planet Guidebook)]

Much better. I felt alive again. One can only take that much tranquillity. I suppose I will regret saying that when I am old but youth must be allowed to commit its own mistakes so it may learn from them.

Oh yes, while wandering around the lively streets of Milan a random fellow came up and began to talk to me. I simply stared at him and remained mute and he had the cheek to tell me not to be afraid. Eventually though I figured what could he do to me in broad daylight so I decided to use him to get directions. Anyhow after a certain strain of conversation he walked away. The point is seriously, what on earth have the PRCs been doing here. It was quite the adventure. I like adventures.

To sum up, peace and quiet are good to have, but give me life and action any day!!

Oh and just because:

[Clockwise from bottom left: Woollen pashminas, cloth paintings I found at the flea market and got for a song, little chocolates I got from Como and Semi-Freddo!]

2006-10-17T04:39:00.000+08:00

Day 42 - Gifts and Presents.

Back from Italy. Will post about it eventually. Anyway, there was a package waiting for me in the mailbox when I got home.

My first 21st birthday present!! Ha ha. Those of you who still have not acted click here. Buy from Betula! Though if you're impatient for a reply (Betula being indisposed currently) Sally will do too. And yes, it is very safe to buy from them!

Anyway, here it is:

I absolutely love this book! A precious and instructive little manual that every girls needs. To give you a taster, from the chapter Learning to Laugh, I present this choice quote:

"There is no greater ornament to conversation than the of silvery notes that forms the perfect laugh... The laugh is a test of good breeding and cultivation... as to grins, very few of them can be described as pleasing. Pretty teeth may redeem some of them from complete ignominy, but, as a rule, the exhibition of whole meadows of pale pink gums is inconsonant with one's ideas of beauty..."

Thank you Xin Hui!! =)

2006-10-12T06:38:00.000+08:00

Day 30, or Wednesday 4th Oct - Poitevin Macaroons!!

Got some local Macaroons. Chocolate and pistachio.

[Macarons de Montmorillon. Well I think Montmorillon is part of Poitou so that makes them Poitevin]

[The Macaroons]

Not quite Ladurée. Still, they make a decent snack and were finished in 2 seatings.

Mummm.

***

Day 31, or Thursday 5th Oct - 1 Month Anniversary!

We've been in France for 1 month now and we're still alive!! Celebration at the Magenta (a swanky restaurant along Rue Magenta), Shumin's treat. Also in celebration of my 21st! Food was good. Will let the pictures speak for their own:

[From left to right - Row 1: Table mat, Foie gras pâté, Shumin and her Tiramisu; Row 2: My veau (still have not found out what meat this is) with mushroom cream sauce and pasta, Table mat, Shumin's Ham-and-Mushroom Pizza with a lovely taste of olive oil; Row 3: Me and my Benedictine, solo picture of the Benedictine and once more tha Table mat]

Dear Shoo, thanks for the lovely meal! =)

***

Day 33, or Saturday 7th Oct - Fête du Chocolat!

Took a train up to Chatellerault (which is a lovely suburban-ish town, the sort of place one wants to settle down and raise a family in) for the Fête! Happily it only cost €3!

[From left to right - Row 1: Pretty view of Chatellerault, Honey-and-pain d'épice (a honey spice cake) man, chocolate roses, flavoured chocolate; Row 2: Cognac man, chocolate cakes, Dèscartes chocolate: dark chocolate cover, praline centre studded with crispy crêpe-wafer bits, Macaroons! by Thierry Hathoam; Row 3: Chocolate man, Chocolate-nut-raspberry biscuits, Chocolate couple, Cake woman; Row 4: Chocolate bars, Confiture stand, Sirop stand and guy who looks like Tin Tin (he left Snowy at home), a quaint cottage at Chatellerault]

Bought rather a lot of food. Don't I always.

A group picture:

[Clockwise: The chocolate-nut-raspberry biscuits, duck rilettes (a meat spread), Dèscartes chocolate, Macaroons!, Maple sweets, chocolate spread]

For lunch, we went to Le Shanghai. Run by Vietnamese who learned cooking in Hong Kong, this chain curiously does not serve Shanghai-nese cuisine.

[Top photo: rice, sweet-and-sour pork and furong egg; Bottom photo: still the sweet-and-sour pork, beef with onions and a fried beansprouts, a complementary dish. Maybe it's because I look greedy that I seem to attrach free food. Long may it continue!]

Still, even pseudo-Chinese food is welcome!

2006-10-12T03:39:00.000+08:00

Paris Weekend (3)

Day 3 of Weekend : Sunday, otherwise Day 27

To the north of Central Paris, on the Right Bank, lies a quaint and pretty little place named Montmartre. And, perched high upon this hill of Montmartre, is a church, very formally known as the Basilica of the Sacred Heart or, if you care to be French-ish, la Basilique du Sacré-Coeur.

And so it was that on this cold and windy Sunday morning, I paid a visit to Sacré-Coeur.

It is a lovely church, and I think that it has very aptly been named Basilica instead of Church. The term 'Basilica' does so much better capture the exotic magnificence that is the Sacré-Coeur. It reminds me rather of the Taj Mahal.

[The view from the top of Montmartre]

I did not take photos of the inside of the Basilica. It was not allowed, and anyway I don't believe in taking photos of the inside of churches. It pains me when that happens; it is as if the church is degenerated into some cheap and common tourist attraction. But then who am I to speak - there was I on a Sunday as a tourist rather than to worship. Oh drat it I still feel guilty for skipping church that day.

As it was I did not enjoy my visit much. My conscience was pricking me for having skipped church, and anyway there was too much crowd going in and out of the Basilica. There was no silence and calm. I could not find the peace that one should have from being in a church and it unsettled me for the day. I suppose I deserved it.

But one thing I did think was touching: If you should ever visit Sacré-Coeur and look seriously at the architecture, you will notice that right at the top of the Basilica, stands a statute of Our Lord, looking down from his perch on Montmartre*, on the city, houses and streets of Paris, as if keeping constant and faithful watch... which He is, of course.

[The town of Montmartre, itself a joy to be in]

[A children's band which happened to be playing that day, playing as well as children can]

* by the way you all do know that Montmartre literally means "Mount Martyr" and that Montmartre is a hill, right?

***

Anyway, the final food installation for my weekend in Paris. Presenting...

[From left to right - Row 1: Lumpy and my Pierre Hermé buys, a showcase of Pierre Hermé's chocolate stuff, Lumpy in a Pierre Hermé paper bag; Row 2: Pierre Hermé shopfront, the powder blue box of my dreams, Pierre Hermé large macaroons; Row 3: the macaroons I bought with my chocolate cake - chocolate mousse, sponge, ganache and solid dark chocolate, with a bit of gold, more dessert displays, Lumpy with my cake and macaroons]

How do I explain Pierre Hermé to you? Think luxury bags. In the world of luxury desserts, if Ladurée is to Louis Vuitton; then Pierre Hermé is to well I guess... erm... a Chloé? *sigh* I'm not good at this. This requires someone like Cuixian or Ali... But anyway, just walk away knowing this: in France, just as there are luxury bags, there are luxury desserts. If Ladurée has a standing in the dessert world somewhat like Louis Vuitton has in the bags world (without the piracy), Pierre Hermé would have a standing I guess like an Dior bag, being more cutting-edge and modern in terms of products (an impending flavour for its macaroons is foie gras and chocolate!!).

Vive la France!

P.S. Tried to tie a full Windsor for Lumpy with a ribbon. Ended up as a scout's tie instead. Oh well, he does look an adorable and brave little scout.

2006-10-08T05:52:00.000+08:00

Paris Weekend (2)

Day 2 of Weekend : Saturday, otherwise Day 26

It is often said that great people have interests outside what they do. I agree. I myself have two deep and extra-legal passions : books and food. Trusting that my friends would not let me down as I turned 21 in terms of books*, thus went Sin and I on Day 2 on a food expedition!

Schedule for the day:
- Marché at Rue Mouffetard
- Leisurely stroll along the River Seine and visiting its boquinists (bookstalls selling second-hand books and quaint paintings. Hope I spelt it right.), Notre Dame, then Shakespeare and Co (a famous expat bookshop. Ok fine, food-cum-book expedition)
- Lunch at Boulangépicier (a select bakery)
- L'Étoile d'Or (The Star of Gold, which we later found out was a world-famous sweet-and-chocolate store, for its salted butter caramels, and chocolate. The owner is nicknamed "La Reine du Chocolat" or "The Queen of Chocolate"!!)
- Tea at the Rose Bakery (excellent English tea place)

"Nature's first hue is gold, her hardest hue to hold". So once wrote Robert Frost. Seizing the day, we woke early to go to the Mouffetard Market. It was great. Imagine walking down a beautiful street on cool, clear morning, the street bustling with life yet leisurely-ly unbusy... while eating strawberries and sniffing in the warm, delicious scent of roasting meats, the briny tang of seafood and the luxurious perfume of chocolate WITH an excellent swing band was playing in the background. That was the Rue Mouffetard Market for us. Sheer joy!

Some pictures:

[From left to right - First row: little boy looking at seafood, chocolate animals on display, assorted sweets in pretty containers, more chocolate; Second row: Truffles!, one chocolate shop, the swing band that was playing, mushrooms on display; Third row: the rotisserie, part of the market, olive oil shop, display of food; Fourth row: more food, food at the Boucherie (the butcher's), fruits de mer (i.e. shellfish), the Butcher]

Remember the rotisserie picture? Well that the bottom of all that roasting meat were potatoes, slowly being cooked by the heat AND with the juices and fat dripping down from the meat. Sin Yee and I bought some.

Starch cooked in fat. A sinful and satisfying pleasure.

The Seine, the boquinists, Notre Dame and Shakespeare and Co. were next. I bought a lot pictures and posters (including soap ads). What on earth will I do with them? Oh well.

[From left to right - First row: A boquinist and the distant view of Notre Dame, Close-up of Notre Dame; Second row: The swing band again!! Following us from Rue Mouffetard!, Shakespeare and Co.]

Then was late lunch at Boulangépicier (a contraction of baker [boulanger] and grocer [épicier] in French by the way, cause they sell bread and upmarket pesto, biscuits and jam...). I wanted to get the skewer of bread that had been strongly recommended here, but alas it was sold out. So we had the olive bread and sardines which had been tried, tested and proven true here. It was good. (And ha! We got a complimentary chocolate tart!)

[The sandwich, the complimentary tart, and some onion with chorizo bread I later bought. That one was a free sample. Gosh who says the French aren't nice!]

Rather full after all that good food. Not that that mattered. I decided I needed to try those salted butter caramels which had been waxed lyrical about here, and, Sin Yee being an excellent host, so we did.

Pictures of L'Étoile d'Or:

[From left to right - First row: The shopfront, sweets and chocolate on display; Second row: Sin, the Queen of Chocolate and I, Moulin Rouge]

My buys!!

[By the way, these chocolates and caramels are GOOD. Oh till December comes so I can buy them again!]

We ended the day by having tea the Rose Bakery (which was also strongly recommended here). Sticky Date Pudding and Orange Citron Cake and English Afternoon Tea (one of my favourite blends).

I absolutely and completely love Paris!! So much food.

Oh yeah and I went to the Louvre. It was closed by the time we finished all our eating. But then I got a nice artistic photo taken.

That was all the art I needed for the day. Gosh I'm such an uncultured glutton.

* Those of you who are getting me the voucher(s) I wanted, please note that Betula, my book-seller has unfortunately sufferred carbon monoxide poisoning while on a trip. Thankfully, she's fine but still a little weak now, so don't worry if you don't get a reply from her. All in good time!

2006-10-02T12:30:00.000+08:00

Paris Weekend (1)!

I am fortunate. Not many people can say this but I spent my 21st weekend in Paris!

It seems that with every birthday I take a strong, deliberate step towards the adult world.

On my 20th birthday, Dawn-ie, Clare, Vans and I had a serious conversation about marriage and general adulthood; in marked contrast with our generally cheerful, happy but normally unserious banter.

On my 21st birthday, Providence decided to introduce me to the vice of the world!!

Day 1 of Weekend: Friday, otherwise Day 25

The day dawned bright and shiny and I woke up late for my 0749 train to Paris. So I missed it. Happily, France being the lovely country it is, allowed me to change the ticket to one for a later train (though I had to pay a little more cause the later train was a peak-hour train).

Anyhow, I was innocently standing in front of the train schedules, when a nice-and-kind-looking old man came up to talk to me. As you all know, I have always had a soft spot for old men, so I smiled and started talking to him. We talked a bit and then the old man... what was he saying... why... he was offering me money for certain... services!!! I could have fainted! What on earth have the PRCs in France been doing that a guileless and innocuous third party like me should be so rudely propositioned at the train station!! Hélas!

Ran away from him and took the train to Paris. Met a Frenchman who started talking to me in Chinese! What do you know!! Turned out that he was a Professor of Maths at Université de Poitiers (where I am studying by the way, ye of useless memory). Gave me a train ticket to meet Sin Yee, my host for the weekend. So kind! There is hope in the world afterall!

Here's a picture of my pretty host and her guest:

Once settled at Sin's, we then went on to do the touristy stuff i.e. Tour Eiffel and the Arc de Triomphe and Champs-Élyseés.

But first my 21st Birthday lunch at Chinatown:

[On the menu: Rice, plain rice; sweet-and-sour pork ribs; garlicky chilli fish; bamboo and broccoli and carrot vegetable dish thing]

So simple is joy!

[From left to right - First row: Eiffel at an angle, Me, Lumpy and the Arc de Triomphe, A shot of Champs-Élyseés; Second row: More of Champs-Élyseés, The Eiffel normally, Lumpy and Champs-Élyseés; Third row: Lumpy and me outside Louis Vuitton, Still more of Champs-Élyseés, Eiffel sparkling]

Anyway, it was at Champs-Élyseés that I encountered my second exposure to vice - I nearly illegally bought a LV bag and wallet!! You see a Chinese tourist had randomly accosted me and aske me to buy them for her since the French were nasty and wouldn't let her buy more. It sounded exciting and a perfectly naughty thing to do and so I did: I entered LV, walked around (and saw an adorable wallet. Were I a spendthrift or disgustingly rich I would have bought it, so much did it attract me.) then asked to buy the goods. The transaction was going through... then suddenly, a security officer came, spoke to the saleswoman, then they shuffled me to a corner... Alas! They knew. And I was truly cornered. And so I could not buy the bag and wallet. Too bad.

Oh well it was an exciting experience. You should try it too!!

***

Then at night, it was the Eiffel. Sin had brought a candle along so as to wish me a Happy 21st. She was sorry that she could not procure a cake but then what did that matter? The value of the cake would have been in its thought. And so the candle took the place of a cake and I made a wish as I blew it out. Then moments later, as if in celebration, the Eiffel Tower began sparkling! What a brilliant (ha ha) end to a happy day!

So there you have it, the first of my 21st celebrations. Propositions, illegal activity and a birthday greeting by the Eiffel Tower as well as the gentle warmth of a special candle. Beat that!

P.S. Oh oh forgot to add! Actually I did have a birthday cake. 24 actually. Ladurée macaroons!! Which as my ungastronimical friends would not know, Ladurée is to macaroons what Godiva is to chocolate.*

*Though of course, this itself is a controversial point in the gastronimical world, but for the sake of explanation, that is the general idea.

2006-09-29T16:21:00.000+08:00

Day 25 - The Key

Today, at precisely 0335 Singapore time, I turn 21!! Ha ha!

Happy Birthday to ME!!! =)

Going up to Paris this weekend! Oh happy day~

2006-09-24T08:46:00.000+08:00

Day 19 - Rencontre des Gourmandes

Poitevin Food Festival today!! The traditional French kind of Food Festival, which means food is displayed and dégustation (i.e. sampling of food) open to all. Today's was a showcase of Poitou-Charentes (the région I'm in) produce. Naturally, I went. Oh how I love food!! Mummm.

Ok will show pictures since I'm to lazy to post.

The stores and their owners:

[From left to right - Row 1: Man selling Goulibeur, an excellent brand of Broyé, a butter crumble biscuit, a Poitou-Charentes specialty, Man selling artisanal bread, Woman selling wine - I had some, quite good; Row 2: Oyster couple!, Another wine couple, Oil sellers; Row 3: Fruit and fruit juice man, Meat-spread pair and Salt man]

A bit on the oyster couple: Sampled an oyster. Oh my - it was delicious and sweet. Definitely doing oysters here more. AND I am not a oyster person as you all know.

Oh oh meat-speads were also good: sampled the duck rillettes (basically duck meat in flake form and seasoned... Mmmmmmm) and duck pâté (duck in paste form). Absolutely brilliant when spead on good bread. Oh food!

My buys:

[From left to right - Row 1: Michel Cluizel chocolate (from Paris though), Les Dames de l'Angélique liquer (to add to champagne, food and to use as medicine for stomach aches!), Goulibeur broyé; Row 2: Wine jam (which I got cause it was cute and so French!, Me in a rather unflattering victory pose, Olive oil (very good oil too - so yellow it's tinged with green); A big Goulibeur (which I didn't buy but had to show a picture of), Les Dames de l'Angélique cookbook (a free gift from one of the Liquermen, Escagots à la Bourguignon (Snails with garlic, butter and herbs... mmmmm)]

Some nice photos:

[The Dames de l'Angélique Liquermen, in the gear of their Order. (Yes they have an Order!). Très Harry Potter!]

[Me and one of the Order of the Liquer, whom I suppose is the leader. Cause he gave me a copy of the recipebook for free and, when I looked through the book, was in it!! WWII veteran who was stationed in Singapore. The gift was in rememberance.]

2006-09-23T14:52:00.000+08:00

Day 18 - Bordeaux

The thing I love about France is its vastness. France is huge. So many places to visit and each with its own distinctive character. Having done La Rochelle and the sea, next up was Bordeaux and its vineyards.

Of course, there are many other wine-producing regions in France like Nantes, for instance, but it had to be Bordeaux cause it sounds so appealingly touristy. So that is why we chose Bordeaux.

I rather enjoyed Bordeaux. Didn't love it like I loved La Rochelle, but a place which combines sea and good food is really quite hard to beat. I just have this thing for the sea. I can spend ages and ages just looking at the sea. In my last life I must have been a fish.

Back to Bordeaux. Bordeaux is a beautiful town. Not pretty like La Rochelle but beautiful. Bordeaux has a formal beauty about it. It's good to look at but not at all lovable, at least not to me. Bordeaux owns too proud a beauty; it boasts, it is insolent, it is haughty. Humble soul that I am, Bordeaux does not endear itself to me.

Some pictures of Bordeaux:

[From left to right - Row 1: Place de la Bourse, Église Notre-Dame, A Bordeaux-nian street; Row 2: Another Bordeaux-nian street, Me and the Monument aux Girondins, Trees at the Esplanade des Quinconces; Row 3: Notre Dame again, Me at the Esplanade des Quinconces, One more street]

Still, everyone has a redeeming point. Bordeaux's is its vineyards!! *glug glug* We visited Château Saint-Ahon.

[From left to right - Row 1: Sign to the Château, the Château itself, Me among the grape trees; Row 2: Our guide, Me among the grape trees again, Shumin and I among the wine barrels; Row 3: Grapes on their vines, a Family of wine bottles, Me pretending to pluck grapes]

Oh I do love the wide open and row after row of green! The warm sun on your head and the cool breeze on your skin. And purple fruit on emerald leaves! Oh why see the town when there are vineyards!

Anyway, my favourite part, let me share the food of the day.

[From left to right - Row 1: The Palmier, Boudin et 2 pommes (Blood sausage and 2 apples), Oeuf à la coquette (egg in container, not quite sure about the name); Row 2: Fruit fondue and Apple crumble, Paul's paper bag, Beef-vegetable stew and potatoes; Row 3: 4 main course cassolets, Gratin aux courgettes (cucumber gratin), Canele]

From Paul's, an excellent baking chain, I had a palmier, a delighful buttery croissant-like biscuit - heaven in a biscuit - and a canele, a honey-kueh kind of thing, often written about on food blogs. Didn't get the fuss!! But then I'm not that fond of honey.

For lunch-dinner, which we ate late at the Cassolet Café (recommended by the Lonely Planet guidebook which serves only cassolets, that is food cooked in a shallow plate like container), I chose the taster menu, which allowed me to choose 5 mini-cassolets.

I had
- as starter : Oeuf à la coquette (egg in a coquette, a cup container, with a tomato paste beneath the egg, don't quote me on the name). This was decent.
- as main courses : Boudin et 2 pommes (Blood sausage with 2 apples: pomme [normal apple] and pomme de terre [potatoes! Named apple of the earth in French]). Not my cup of tea. Apple was too sweet and sausage tasted... different; Beef-and-vegetable stew with potatoes (can't remember the French name). Delicious!; Gratin aux courgettes (cucumber gratin i.e. cucumbers covered by cream and cheese and baked). Excellent! Must get gratins more often.
- as dessert : Apple crumble (shared with Shumin who decided to get Fruit Fondue since she didn't want to order two of the same thing)

All in all a decent meal. Not André's but decent.

And so, in a lot of food, was ended the day at Bordeaux. I was happy.

2006-09-18T03:52:00.000+08:00

Day 13 - La Rochelle!

Went to La Rochelle today. As you probably did not know, La Rochelle is a little seaside town on the western coast of France, located in the same région of Poitou-Charantes as my little town, Poitiers. As the weather would have it, the day dawned rather cloudy and the photos generally took on a greyish tone. Happily though, there is Picasa.

[From left to right - First row: boats at La Rochelle, me on a park bench, La Rochelle buildings; Second row: Old towers, Lumpy at the train station, nice old woman who sold peanuts-in-sugar; Third row: nice man Lumpy posed with, distant view of the town, The ”Tchou-Tchou” whom brought us to the Minimes Beach]

I could wax lyrical about the quaintness and general adorability of this darling little seaside place, but I’ll let the pictures do the talking instead. A picture after all, says a thousand words. And try as I may, I could never in phrases totally capture the charm of this lovely town. The gentle murmur of the sea, the fresh landward breeze, the hum of the seaside crowd, the cheerful boats berthed by shore, the warm caress of the friendly sun (which decided to turn up after all!), the tranquility of ancient towers standing vanguard, the beauty of the sky joining up with the sea... I don’t do La Rochelle justice! Nor do the pictures really... each may well say a thousand words, but so many more do they miss out!

Still, that’s the best I can do so too bad for you. But I strongly urge you to go there for yourselves one day.

On to a topic I can talk about:

Food. At Shumin’s insistence, on authority of the Lonely Planet guidebook, we went to André’s, a seafood restaurant so good it took over 17!! We ordered the seafood platter which was highly recommended - consisting of mussels, prawns, 2 fish (who remembers what sort), squid and little... Norwegian/Normandy (?) lobsters and butter rice.

[From left to right - First Row: me outside an interestingly named resturant, my plate at André’s, oyster-sheller at André’s; Second row: me at André’s - what lovely decor!, THE seafood platter, me and the seafood platter; Third row: me outside André’s with the seafood men, Lumpy and the nuts-in-sugar we bought, the nuts stand and a pot of boiling sugar]

OOOOOOHH!

The prawns were sweet and succulent, the squid was vividly fresh and the fish was strangely decent. Granted, the little lobsters were... well little and unspectacular but the mussels... Oh the mussels... flavour like never before. Every bite was an explosion of flavour... a seafoodish sort of saltiness mingled with sweet and fresh and juicy. This was taste itself! Every mouthful was so good I had to gasp then sigh in contentment and disbelief and then be left breathless.

I ended the meal smiling.

€26 it cost me but worth every penny (or, if you must be particular, centime). Oh I would go back, just for the mussels themselves. [Must try oysters too next... if mussels alone can produce such an effect...].

For dessert (which was also our starter since we reached La Rochelle early and André’s hadn’t opened yet and we were greedy), we bought sugared peanuts - delicious crunchy nuts coated in caramelised sugar - happiness in a mouthful. They were good. We finished them all (well at least Shumin and I gobbled them down greedily, then she decided to watch her weight so I polished them off).

I love La Rochelle!

***

Oh and in case you were wondering, this is Shumin and a very apt photo of her:
In case you are one of my really hopeless and uncaring friends, she’s the one on exchange in France with me!

2006-09-14T05:51:00.000+08:00

Day 9 - Setting up house and certain worries

Mother would not approve. So I went shopping for houseware today. Just a nice comforter set which would match the blue tone of my room and some crockery. In the end I ended up stocking up for winter, spring then the summer to come, but that is another tale for another time and so I will not elaborate.

Anyway, as those of you with any sense of common knowledge would know, France is a large country. Hence people like a one-stop place for everything so they won’t have to travel around the world and back. Ergo the supermarkets in France, rather hyper marchés, are huge affairs (think Carrefour).

Purposefully, I steadily trotted to the bedding section of Géant (my hypermarket of choice). Lo and behold!! A comforter set with 2 pillowcases included for only €22!! And 100% cotton! Which was decently good-looking and of a blue that matched my room (which by the way has blue curtains and a grey-blue carpet)!! What joy! Hitherto I had been fretting because I thought I would have to buy another comforter set I had seen at Auchan (yet another hypermarket). It was a soothing blue but thoroughly boyish and had a cartoon dog as its pattern. The worst thing was that that it had only one cartoon pillowcase with the set and I was worrying about how to match my other pillow (since I have 2 pillows you see, having a Queen-sized bed). A plain blue or white would have completely been out of place beside an insipid cartoon dog! Happily this problem was solved for me.

Thus rejoicing, I went on to procure my crockery. Naturally, as a poor student, it was my intention to pick out the cheapest crockery possible, just any old cup, bowl and plate. But then! But then! I saw these:

Aren’t they pretty!! So quaint and cheery and old-fashioned! Of course it was rather extravagant to pick up the two for around €3.50 each when I could have got a whole crockery set, extra cup and plate included for under €3. But then I had seen them and the damage was done. I could not, I simply could not have bought the other set (which consisted of a rather ugly duck or a very hideous cow). Had I bought the other set, I would have regretted it daily. Every single time I used the duck or cow cup or bowl I would have thought of the Kelloggs children and their bright gaiety. They would have consistently haunted me. And I simply could not bear the thought of living out the next 10 months, especially in the dreary winter months, in wretched regret. Hence I decided that I would buy them and go without a meal as penance. And I will perform my penance... eventually.

[Note: cup was picked up later. €3.75 at Auchan. Ha ha, now I have a matching set... now to find a Kelloggs plate...]

2006-09-13T07:08:00.000+08:00

Day 8 - School!

Today I start school. Rather exciting! Ha ha anyway I have a 3-day week. School on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Which means I have a 4-day weekend! Hurray! =)

Because you all are bound to ask at some point of time, this is what I am taking:
1) Civil Law II - Law of Obligations (Droit civil II - Droit des obligations)
2) Administrative Law (Droit adminstratif)
3) Introduction to the History of Law (Introduction historique au droit)
4) Liberty and Fundamental Rights (Libertés et droits fondamentaux)
5) European Institutions (Institutions européennes)

Deep and meaningful subjects.

Will one day post pictures of school.

2006-09-12T06:08:00.000+08:00

Day 7 - Home.

What a gorgeous Monday afternoon. Moved into my room today. Spent the afternoon vaccuming and cleaning. In true Bree van der Kamp style, I vaccumed thoroughly and twice-wiped each surface clean! I feel so domestic.

Speaking of domesticity, I brought along a domestic guidebook "How to Run Your Home Without Help". Very fitting. It teaches you how to sew (darn, patch and make over household linens! With quaint diagrams included.), clean stubborn stains (to get rid of inkstains, use a solution of oxalic acid or a solution of permanganate of potash and hydrogen peroxide! To make the solutions, dissolve the crystals...) and entertain with enjoyment ('the right kind of menu is half the battle... learn to make good tea and put a good amount of filling in your sandwiches'). I love a good book!

Anyway, no pictures of my room yet. It's messy at the moment and starkly ill-furnished. When I have finished with improvements I will show you pictures. In the meantime, have a look at the garden.

Oh in case you were wondering, permanganate of potash and hydrogen peroxide works cause the permanganate reduces the peroxide to give oxygen! Which presumably and somehow will remove the inkstain. I need to brush up on my chemistry.

2006-09-10T13:04:00.000+08:00

Day 5 - Fatigue

I am thoroughly sick of sandwiches. Been eating sandwiches for every meal. I finally understand how my UK friends feel. You just simply cannot afford anything else. The cheapest meal one can get is a sandwich and the cheapest sandwich itself costs €2. A proper hot meal costs around €10. I miss meat. Poverty is so hard.

Still, there is a certain romance in destitution, if only you allow yourself to see it. Afterall, the heroines of the best novels were struggling and poor. Why just before I left I had been reading the charming tale, The Making of a Marchioness which featured an impoverished gentlewoman struggling to keep up with appearances while making ends meet. In the end she married a Marquis and lived happily ever after. Perhaps I will meet a dashing member of the aristocracy too.

2006-09-09T13:50:00.000+08:00

Day 4 - A roof above my head!!

Today I finally got lodging. Been sleeping at a hotel for the past two nights. Something cropped up with the school admin. Oh the French!! But my house (or should I say room) won't be free for me till next Monday. It's a Thursday today so that's... 3 days more. Hang in there!

Temporarily living in another studio until then. Along Rue Maréchal Foch. Shockingly, my new and (thankfully) temporary abode has a cave attached to it.

TA-DA!!

Not quite the cozy place one could call home.

Still... till Monday. I look forward to setting up home. I plan to decorate, furnish and keep house in a way that Bree van der Kamp would approve. Those of you who don't know who she is go look. As my role model she will crop up often in my references.

2006-09-06T00:32:00.000+08:00

Day 2 - Paris, then Poitiers

For those among my friends who have not been paying attention, I am going to France for exchange. And no, I am not going to the Sorbonne. I am going to the University of Poitiers (more accurately, Université de Poitiers) which is in Poitiers, 2 hours from Paris by train.

Anyhow, after a long flight, we safely reached Paris, Charles de Gaulle Airport.

Sadly, we missed the first train to Poitiers and had to wait 5 hours for the next.

But, as the adage goes, good things come to those who wait. They did. Poitiers is a lovely town. Picturesqueness, beauty, history and religion all in one. Oh in case I haven't told you, my little town of Poitiers is also known as 'the town with 100 bell towers' with some of oldest churches on the Continent.

I think I shall like it here.

Day 1 - Flight SQ 334

2006-09-05T14:45:00.000+08:00

Day 0 - SQ 334

I should have started my blog long ago, but I was too wretchedly lazy, so this is a retrospective post:

Going to France today. SQ 334, night flight. Singapore Airlines like a good Singaporean should. I fly at 1140 (??) pm (can't remember when). To those of you who offered to come see me off, thanks and I love you too. To those of you who didn't, shame on you!

Anyway, let me introduce you someone:

This is Lumpy!

This is Lumpy in my room. I love my room. I love the books in my room. *sigh*

Lumpy, whose full name is Heffridge Trumpler Bumpet Heffalump IV will be accompanying me to France. On cold, lonely winter nights, Lumpy will be my only friend. And on bright, sunny happy days when I'm travelling France and beyond, when I have no one to take photos for me, Lumpy will be my delegate and represent me in all my pictures. I love Lumpy and you should too.

Alright. I'm rambling. Till the next post.