Hamburg, the beautifully fishy town

Was in Hamburg last weekend. Daily German classes and thesis work had take their toll on me. immediately jump on the idea of a weekend getaway when a friend mentioned Hamburg. Totally forgotten how exciting travelling can be, the excitement just builds up as the weekend approaches.

On Saturday morning, we took the 4am train to Hamburg, transiting at Magdeburg and Uelzen. Before this, i have never heard of the town Uelzen. The sunrise during the journey was really beautiful. This is one of the thing i know i'll miss when i leave Germany. The beautiful plain fields, even when its kinda all dried weeds in this season. That flat plain fields rolling out with no ends to it, with that beautiful shades of purple and pink with a tint of orange sky, featuring a few wind turbine that stand far edge in a distance. that peaceful feeling, is just a beautiful moment, and helps you think, or helps you NOT to think, not to worry, but to just breathe in, and take a deep breath to inhale this current moment.

Although the weather was really bad, not stop raining and windy gloomy all day long, but it was still a very fun weekend. We visited the Rathaus, had a "fashionable" photoshooting session, catched up with my ex housemates, had some overpriced backfisch Brotchen.

Rathaus Hamburg ( The Town Hall) 

Elbphilharmonie Hamburg

This building is like a maze of reflections. Honestly, it makes me dizzy, though i can't deny the architect did capture some amazing atmosphere, but i was dizzy the entire day after visiting this building. 

View from Elbphilharmonie

We also visited the Miniature museum too. That was really a cool museum, with so many detail little models, it could take all day to look at all the little stories hidden within the models. Too bad i was too tired to really look at all the models, was just trying my best to look at some. can't believe i'm saying this, but yes, age is catching up, Schade.

Don't you think it looks really realistic? Depicting the highway at dusk. 

The Ice Hotel in Nortic 

One of the ski village

The snow was actually made of glass dusk i think. We couldn't resist touching it despite the sign. oops. 

Look at the amount of sheep. and they are all not identical. Each of it were really animated. 

This little fairy hole was hidden in one of the huge mountain pieces. One of the fun thing to do is actually trying to spot the hidden stories.   Credit to Esther for spotting this one. 

Was trying to play the Giants in a model of thousands mini humans at an open amphitheatre model of Romeo and Juliet. Can't seem to get the focus right though. 

The famous FischMarkt of Hamburg. yes, it was raining. 

One of the famous truck that sells large plants. Would definitely buy some if i'm really living in Germany. My mum would have love this truck!

All of these cost around 5 Euro in total

My portion of 5 Euro fish 

One grateful thing, is that the hostel Esther booked for us was really really really convenient and great. We stayed at the Generator Hostel. Booked in a 8 bed mixed dorm. Its usually gross to stay in a mixed dorm as most of the guys in there sleep with only their boxes on. but this time we were very blessed. 7 out of the 8 beds were female guests. and we got our little corner of 4 together with a taiwanese girl. On top of that, the hostel was just opposite the Hbf, and next to a U bahn and bus stop too. Couldn't get anymore convenient. We shopped so much the next morning at the famous Fischmarkt Hamburg. The vegetables and fishes were really cheap. Flowers too. its funny how there are trucks auctioning off fishes, pasta packets, and even chocolates. It was both funny and interesting to watch at the same time. It was really fun! We all have a little "aunty" in us, as we went around hunting for the best bargain. Finally, we managed to grabbed a 10 Euro deal of a whole load of fishes. Esther and I shared the load. And on top of that, i managed to get 3 packs of cherry tomatoes for just 1 euro, 4 zucchini for 1 euro too, and 2 melons for 1 euro. It was crazy. I guess its a good thing that there's only that much we can carry in our bags for us, or else we will be buying everything. lol

God is so good, He always know what we needed most in our days. For this trip, on one side, He knew i needed a break, on the other hand, He brought us to Hamburg the exact time when a friend in Hamburg needed some company. She just lost her job and a bestfriend. It was no coincident that God brought us there that exact week to spend time with her, and help her to bring some luggage back too. God knows us so well even when we totally don't deserve it.

All in all, it was an amazingly awesome trip. Though it was tiring, its the happy kind of tired. Hamburg is a really beautiful city, industrial port, filled with red bricks, along the river, rainy gloomy weather. Great friends and company, not to forget great food. Despite the tirednesss, I won't hesitate to do it all over again within a heartbeat!

i meltz

draw ink

it was 3 quick ugly portrait sketch and then this. this is fun. :) 

a dream with courage

to the trees to the greens

to the jungle that they live within

with a little hope and a little dream

and something fun in between

comes the baggage of some goodbyes

or maybe a new bag of Heys and HIs

whatever is it that it may be

its probably gonna be a treat

chasing after the experience one had

from the words that say i would like that

hence i'm going to see if its true

but i have a feeling i'll love it too

a couple of weeks a couple of months

a couple of works that got to be done

its finally the time to venture out

to the trees i've dream about

a leather sketch, a color brush

few books in hand, a cameraman

to live to experience to see to explore

let these days be worthwhile, let these days be more :)

Stand in the gap

i am nervous.
i am nervous to see the change.
i am nervous to be voting for the first time.
i am nervous to see what will happen.
i am nervous to be part of making it happen.
i am nervous.

my heart is skipping
my legs are fidgeting
my mind is playing faster than flashbacks.

i am nervous but i'm not scared, for I know our God will be with us.
i am nervous but i am prepared, for I know our God has chosen this for us.
let us all pray for a better future.
let us pray for a fair election.
let us pray that the voices be heard, actions be taken, and changes be made.
let us pray, and believe, that tomorrow will be different! :)

make sense to me

Love is doing little things

Remembrance is the joy it brings.

It lends a warmth to every heart

Little things are so great a part

Of what it’s like to love the best

To run the mile and pass the test.

God doesn’t ask you to be the lark

Or brighten skies with your spark.

He only asks what you can do

To plod along ’til you are through.

Your labors need not be so fine,

But quiet, soft, and quite benign.

Hardly noticed by the like of these

But greater far than forest trees.

Because they sought no great reward

But merely to help others toward

Some sheltered love which is from God.

Doing little things isn’t very hard.

~ Jean Quigley

you're a good man

happiness is singing together when the day is through,
and happiness is those who sing with you.

happiness is morning and evening,
day time and night time too.

for happiness is anyone and anything
at all that's loved by you~ :)

the A list

saturday night,

an often eventful night. but surprisingly today, i'm just home too early.

maybe its because my sis isn't around for me to bug, and i'm free to go anywhere with a car, i felt so restless, and didn't feel like going home. 

but in the end, i still did came home. to find my family sitting in the living room. and they're all home. except for my sister. that's when i realize, it has been awhile since i sat in the living room like this. and \im suddenly glad i'm home.
and there's so many things i feel like doing.

feel like blogging, feel like painting, feel like filtering the photos that have sat there waiting.

feel like dancing, feel like sketching, feel like cleaning the house till the sun comes calling.

feel like hiking, feel like swimming, feel like skyping all my friends who are half way around the world studying.

and here i am blogging, and listing down a whole list of random things to do. 

thank God for random things, and random words to say.

that perk things up a little and make it more :D :D yay! 

i wonder y i like making lists. :P

how white make things shine

photos by Sharon Montrase

i remember falling in love with a giraffe from a gallery of animal portraits. i don't remember who the photographer was but i love how the photoshoot was done. all young animals were brought into the studio and photos were taken gently. i think its Sharon Montrase. 

maybe, it was because the animals were taken to heart by the photographer, the pictures came out beautifully genuine. 

oh  giraffaaaa....  sho cute

check out her other photos and videos of doggies too...

here here here~~ 

its fate, we'll have faith.

so fast so fast, christmas has passed... another 364 days to christmas~~  aiyoyo

they say there's 12 days of christmas, how come we only celebrate one day? 

before this, after a long day of work, walking down to the mall and being welcomed by the christmas songs felt soo warm and comforting~ but soon, soon....i'll be greeted by happening chinese new year songs.... noooo.... all the chak dong qiang~ >.< wo bu yao~~

its not that i don't like chinese new year, just that, after a long n tiring day, loud and happening singing voices aint something u desire...

anyway, christmas was :) this year. and the lasagna turned out fine :D i was so worried that my family wouldn't come to church this christmas but thank God thank God they all came!and they stayed longer than usual :) except for jason tho who are now far far away having a white christmas. i can't wait for the sundays when we wake up altogether to attend church like how we used to when i was a kid. its kinda ironic really, how our roles have been switched. i used to be the one pretending to be sick and sleeping to skip church.... hmm. oh wells~ we just gotta keep praying :)  szee ying's grandma has not only allowed her to church, but has also begin to trust me more. so u see, God is good! and i have faith, one day~ we'll all happily go to church every sunday as a family. Amen! :D

christmas is a time~~ to love < 3 

weee~

and i'm officially, happily broke. heee

mess we've made

hurray hurrah and all ways to say yiiihaa~
friday has finally arrived to be nice :)

i realized, i felt depressed workin only when i'm not given any task to complete.
whenever i'm occupied, i actually like the time better. so, this week has been kind till friday,thank God! and the beginning of last night marks d start of a festive season :D  am grateful to have got the monday leave! poor pei rong got her leave all postponed.

its always always nice to gather with the crazie girlfriends, packed in a tuna fish can, and just spend d night laughin till the wheezing come knocking. it feels like back in highschool again. d only difference is nw we all have cars n probably grew a few inches taller (me).

today is a saturday! and i'm already feeling like i've earned a day from not sleeping last night. a few more days for the celebration of christmas! yay!! gonna make lasagna for christmas tis yr and let's hope it'll turn out fine. tada~~~

the last time i baked one was months ago, and i dont really remember what i put into it. o.O but it turned out to be yum and my brother licked the entire tray. so, yea.. fingers crossed!

btw, after getting the internet fixed, youtubing has been easy and i couldnt get enough of the nice originals and short videos. awesooooooome! i foresee a great life ahead! heh. one more for tis post!

heels that scream hello

dingling rocks and pumpkin dogs,

i'm finally moving on to the next phase of my life. after more than 3 months of swinging around upside down, i finally found a placement in a singapore company. and in Dec, i'll be embarking on my new journey of professional archi works.

the sound of professional scares me a little. just the interview itself took almost an hour. all my works, reports, portfolios, cad drawings, were laid on the table and analysed. as for the portfolio, it was my first time presenting projects to a stranger whom possibly be my superior for the next 6 months. she seems nice and young for a vice precident, though her words are a little direct and straight to the heart. got a few shots but thank God i survived the interview.  i guess thats what makes her who she is, the vice precident at this age. i've seen the efficiency of this company and no doubt, there is a bright glowing possibility in there.

wednesday, tat leaves this week another 4 days. 4 more days, and i'll be dressed in a suit and speak proper language. 4 more days, and i'll be wearing proper shoes and forced to stop my jumping feet. 4 more days, and i'll have to act my age and be an adult. pwwt, not gonna be easy to do that, but i'm still really excited bout it.

and before tat can i just scream....... weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee~ i've finally gotten a job! :D

be a little looper and have a memory of 3 secs

for 3 is a magic number

and let's make it a double.

i think i can do this all day :)
bloop bloop

Ctrl + S

1...2...3...4....a total of 4 days after the event, it is still quite difficult to believe that this is happening.

In the morning of the competition, i was jokingly telling all my family members that i'm going to amsterdam, giving them the confident handshakes and the fist on the chest. then off we alfa-ians went with d heys and hahs, teasing each other that we're the one going to amsterdam. until the topics were given and the clock started on screen ticks. picture the mess. poof. 

A WORKSPACE.

- to create an office space for any form of business

- able to portray the image of the business

- functional

- concept : colours, texture, form

- answering the future

that was my given topic. 10 mins past, and i've got nothing. i silently prayed. 

2 hrs passed and our works were left in the hall for judging. from 500 to being shortlisted to 30 then to 9, then suddenly, to present it infront of 500 ppl. totally didn't see that coming. i couldn't even pronounce the word "research" with a "h" in it. everything went by so quickly that when it finally sinks in, i was sitting in a room of reporters. the only thing my brain kept telling me was, i am going to amsterdam. i am going to amsterdam.

n the next thing that came unexpectedly was, i can't go philippines, i can't go philippines

it was totally a mixed feeling. nevertheless, it is indescribable. not only it is my first award, but its also an answer to the questions that i posted to God. none of these would make sense if God wasn't present. everything He planned to happen, in a matter of time, happened for a reason. and on just that day, He answered 3 questions of mine. 

To God be the glory. May the Lord continue to guide in His magnificent way. 

plan B

-taken from tumblr-

feeling the zen

maybe a little crazy  

but as happy as can be

:)

to the sweet 171 :)

for my kawan in class :)

can't imagine living in a class of crazy guys without you!

have a blessed birthday!!! 

will miss all the rantings and screaming and late night watsapp crying with you.
may ur days in the future be bright and sun shiny!!
keep that smile of yours close to you. :D

green and purple blue and orange pink and white and yellow

the last post was simply too depressing to be left as d first post to greet one's arrival

tat's why this post is here. to push the black and white down down down. 

now. 

here it goes.

let's catch some happy pictures. 

:)

starting with a smile

try doing it with the music :)

:)

:)

:)

:)

aint that easy? :)

so stop scrolling down now. go back up there and start smiling again. 

the music is still playing :)