Awaiting the New Semester

Presenting ... Bak Kwa!



Or sweet meat. Sam, you totally rock!!!

Not really been up to much, hanging out with friends who were due to return home. Khel came to visit for a few days and I paid my first visit to the Bazaar Vest then. Right now planning a few trips for the upcoming semester. If anybody wants to do a short trip during the Easter Break let me know :P



Hoho and I made all these sushi with my "teacher". It was a demystifying process because usually all I know about sushi is how they taste. Now I learnt how to roll it up and prepare the ingredients, but boy was it a lot of hard work!

Need to know, No need to know

Kinda went off the radar for a while to do some serious studying. Hahaha okay thats a joke considering the academic rigours here - 15 mins oral exam do or die! Well but since I need to pass, it means I had to show up for the exam and not appear a total dolt. Oh yes and for some inexplicable reason I took a course requiring a Research Paper. Not gonna make the same mistake this upcoming semester since I hope to clear all the exams asap.



Just me saying hi. Sorry if this photo gives you nightmares.

Wonder what this new semester will bring with it. Its still raining everyday and it still gets dark at 4pm, but the good news is that it will only get better. I do hope this applies to things generally because right now I'm getting the restless feeling, not so much to travel a whole bunch, but to try something new, to take advantage of the luxury of time and freedom I have right now. Sadly the language barrier is proving to be quite the nuisance in this regard.

For now it will be the packing up of my insanely filthy room stuffed with all the remnants of my travelling. Couple of things that have interested me, that may interest you:


NME Awards Big Gig at the O2 Arena in London. Featuring Manic Street Preachers, Kaiser Chiefs, Bloc Party, Klaxons, The Cribs.

Northern Lights in Kiruna with doggie sledding.

Enjoy!

Quiet Is The New Loud

Back in Århus after a super long bus journey from Prague. The part from Prague to Berlin was not too bad; got talking with the Japanese gal sitting next to me and she was nice enough to wait with me at Berlin for my connecting bus. Watching her disappear into the night as I boarded the bus, I could not help but feel a tinge of sadness at the transient nature of such meetings. At the same time, the rational side of me knows that there would be no point in exchanging contacts - far better for her to live on in my memory than anything else.

New batch of exchange students should have arrived for Denmark Today.. feels like a new chapter is about to begin. Very eager to join in for some of the activities like Danish Cooking Lessons, except for the fact that I still have exams upcoming.

Reasons to fly home for CNY	Reasons NOT to fly home for CNY
Family and Friends	Expensive
Reunion Dinner	Takes away the surrealness of being away for a whole year
Mahjong	School starts in the same week as CNY
Get to bring home goodies and bring goodies here	Troublesome

As with many dilemmas, it is hardly an exact science. Wherefore art thou, deus ex machina?

The Fun Post

Before the Absinthe

Our subject looks pretty eager. He holds the shot glass which contains the innocuous clear liquid of only 4cl. He has just had a big meal of beef goulash, bread dumplings and a dessert of Czech Apple Pie. The liquid seems the perfect way to end the meal...

After the Absinthe...

Country roads, take me home...

Our subject has just experienced spurts of insane burning sensations in his throat. Aforementioned big meal nearly jumped back out on the table.

Success Rating: 8.5 / 10

Charles Bridge in the quiet early morning. Normal times the bridge would be choked full of lousy tourists (which includes me, I know).

New year fireworks. Seems like the people going nuts setting them off were mostly Chinese, scaring away the bad luck I suppose. Felt really itchy to set some of them off myself.

Good King Wencesclas and his Square. Landmark of Prague.

Just for a slight rewind - got to see the Vienna Boys Choir in action last Sunday at Mass.

Dream car 101. Notice how it totally matches my outfit.

New Year in Prague

Never thought I could be sick of firecrackers and pyros, but after about two hours of seeing people set off all manners of firecrackers last night, I've pretty much had enough.

Bye 2007, Hello 2008.

It was while lying on the hostel bed that I realised how much I miss the revelry back home, even if I would be just watching the 'celebrations' from television. New Year as a tourist in a foreign city just does not have the same feel; although I do feel envious that the locals get to experience such life in their city every New Year's.

Salzburg

Well before I leave this place, just some final words.

Salzburg was where I officially had the worst Döner kebab ever, and the worst excuse for a beer (which smelled and tasted like piss) at the YoHo hostel, where I'm typing this out.

But I suppose there is some charm in this City, refer to earlier post, but its just not quite for me at this point.

Cheers!

The Hills Are Alive

With the Sound of Music :)

Took this photo on the train from Slovenia to Salzburg, rather glad to be out of Slovenia.

And into the land where Mozart was born, where there are Sound of Music tours, mountains, snow, and loads of Asian people. Haha.




Mirabell Gardens. Been told by my financial controller that budget is tight, therefore did not enter the extort-tourist places like the Hohensalzburg Fortress. That may explain the lack of photos this trip :P

Not sure when will be the next time I get internet, but its off to Vienna tomorrow!