Racial Harmony Week
Culinary Adventure In Hanoi
I'm back in the Hanoi summer again.
Since i arrived in the evening, i didn't think it was worth a trip for me to head into town for dinner.
So doing what every self respecting traveller would do, i walked out of my hotel and found the first local food place with a decent local crowd and no menu. (Plus points for having the owner not speak a word of English)
Thankfully, a guy at the next table spoke some english and told me they served duck porridge and that it was good. So he helped me order whatever he was having and left.
5 minutes later, half a boiled duck appeared on my table with a basket of raw greens. My confused face and questions on the whereabouts of my porridge were met with equally confused faces.
Life With the In-Laws
Mr Kwek and I have had the privilege of having our very own Kwek Kampong ever since we got married. And I really enjoy having our own space. So when Mr Kwek suggested we spend a week at the Kwek Parents' Kampong, I was slightly hesitant. But as a dutiful wife, I packed our luggage and embarked on the one week adventure.
The Kwek parents don't say very much, but I have come to see that their hearts are so big that their love for their children have extended to me as well.
On the first day, they welcomed a slightly sniffing Mr Kwek and I to their home. That evening, Eu Yan Sang made a lot of money as they came home with lots of remedies.
I am thankful for both the Kwek and Gan parents, from whose examples we have learnt to love. But greater still is the love of our Heavenly Father which is freely given to all of us. My prayer is that we will grow in our understanding of His love and to respond in love as well.
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Film
I currently own 3 film toy cameras- 1 holga medium format, 1 holga 35mm and 1 fisheye lomo. Each has it's own endearing quirk. I love using them as you never know how the pics will turn out. And in this age of instant gratification, film cameras keep you guessing until you finish up the roll or film and send them to print. And sometimes, it takes years before I finish a roll of film. *Patience is a virtue*
While sometimes the photos turn out brilliantly, other times, they are a huge disappointment. The roll of film I sent to print recent belonged to the latter category. I had assigned my little brother to use my fisheye during my wedding (almost 2 years ago!), but sadly, there was not enough light and none of the photos could be used.
On the literal bright side, there were 3 photos in the roll that turned out pretty well.
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| At a hipster cafe in Jakarta. I loved that trip even though I was down with food poisoning |
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| Off to see jia jia and kai kai |
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| Meeting junior college friends after many years |
I have filled my fisheye with a new roll of film and I'm excited to head out to take some pics. Anyone up for a photo trip?
Day 40 and 41: Jubilation
Labels: Different Outfit Everyday, Seeing the World, What to do in Bonn Germany
We were jubilant as the final plenary session was called to a close. The long days and endless circular arguments were over. It would soon be time to head home.
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My outfit:
Salmon pink cardigan from Giant (who says you can't find nice stuff at such places?)
Grey shift dress from Nex
Belt came free with a pair of pants
Angeline's outfit:
Black blazer form Zara
Dress from Primark
Burgundy shoes from New Look
Since it was going to be our last night in Bonn, we decided to treat ourselves to some good food.
The top rated place according to TripAdvisor was fully booked so we chose to dine at Gasthaus Reduttchen. I'm so glad we did.
Upon arriving at the restaurant, I liked it already. It's essentially a little cottage next to a park.
The whole setting was beautiful and charming. Everything from the cushions to the bread basket exuded a homely atmosphere. The service was impeccable too. The waiter recommended that we get the set menu with between 3-6 courses. And he also offered great wine recommendations. The dishes are innovative and I'm told it changes with whatever is seasonal. I chose a lamb dish which was yum. The dessert was a little strange though. The herb sorbet tasted like medicated oil. Lol.
On the whole, it was a great experience. If you ever are in the Bonn, you should head here for a nice night out. Take the set menu with the wine pairing. Great value for money.
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I woke up with a great sense of anticipation on Saturday as it was the day we were headin home. All our bags were packed and we were dressed for the long journey back. A taxi ride to Siegburg train station, a train ride to Frankfurt, the a 12 hour flight home.
My outfit:
Tank top from Mauritius
Jeans from Mango
Ombré purple scarf from my mom
Angeline's outfit:
Burgundy cardigan from Uniqlo
Stripey boat neck tee from Zara
Mother's scarf and pants
Bye bye Maritim Hotel. Someone aptly described it as "That 70's Show meets the Soviet era". But I'm grateful that we were staying there as I would have been frozen if we had to make a commute. It's also a very functional hotel with the basics. The best part is I could go up to my room to charge my laptop instead of lugging the charging cables around all day.
Till we meet again. Auf Wiedersehen.
Counting Our Blessings
Labels: Vietnam, Wide Open Wander
Mr Kwek and I are back from our 1 week of adventures in Ho Chi Minh. Before we left, I was uncertain about the decision to stay in Ho Chi Minh for a whole week. Most of the people I spoke to that have gone there for a holiday told me a weekend was enough. After all, all the main tourist sights were in walking distance of each other and could be covered in a day.
But now that our trip has ended, we are so glad we went for it, 1 week was just enough. And we are thankful for all the blessings that were showered upon us:
1. For journey mercies.
2. For friendships...
...to enjoy the journey with...
... to introduce us to their world (you guys went above and beyond hospitality)...
... that transcend borders.
3. For all the sights, sounds, smells and tastes we were able to enjoy.
4. For the person that we can enjoy being with 24/7
Several times during the trip, Mr Kwek and I just stopped and marvelled at how richly blessed we are. It's pretty amazing. And so we praise God from whom all blessings flow :)
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But now that our trip has ended, we are so glad we went for it, 1 week was just enough. And we are thankful for all the blessings that were showered upon us:
1. For journey mercies.
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| Surviving Saigon traffic is no small feat. We saw a number of motorbike take a tumble in 1 week. |
...to enjoy the journey with...
3. For all the sights, sounds, smells and tastes we were able to enjoy.
4. For the person that we can enjoy being with 24/7
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| Even squeezing oil out of lard is fun when we do it together |
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In Search of Deer- Wildpark Venusburg Bonn
Labels: Seeing the World, What to do in Bonn Germany
Having been to Bonn many times, I am usually at a loss for what to do on our precious 1 day off. 
And walked....
And walked...
And saw nothing but trees and grass.
| A look out point. But we weren't sure what we were looking out at apart from grass |
Finally, an old man taking his walk in the park stopped to help us and told us that we were walking in the totally wrong area.
So learn from my mistake. When you get there, walk straight in, then turn left. Walk past the large play ground, then the wildboar and deer enclosures will be on the right.
| The wildboar enclosure. I was sure glad they weren't free roaming |
After wandering in the forest for over an hour, I finally found my deer!
While I was slightly disappointed that the deer were not free roaming, what I really liked about the park was that the enclosures were huge! Which means the deer can run around freely :)
| I could not see the end of the deer enclosure |
I was really happy to find the deer. It was a really warm day (36 degrees celcius!!) So the large deers with their majestic antlers were hiding in the shade.
| After the max zoom on my phone |
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