Beim Feuerwerk

Eigentlich wollte ich dieses Blog schließen, weil ich keinen Sinn finde, in das weiterzuschreiben, da ich jetzt zurück bin. Aber letzte Woche war ich beim Chatten am MSN mit Claire, die jetzt auch zu Hause in Toulouse (Südfrankreich), und die hat gesagt dass die mein Blog echt cool findet. Also als ich das gehört hab, hab ich eine Überraschung bekommen. Was? Ich hab das seit Anfang dieses Jahres geschreiben und nur kürzlich fängst du an, das Blog zu lesen? Und dann hat die gesagt, ich sollte auch etwas über Singapur schreiben, damit sie verstehen kann, was hier (oder in Asien) los ist.

Claire, ich muss dir aber sagen, bei mir ist nicht so viel los. Also, selbst wenn es viel los ist, bin ich meistens nicht dabei. Weil ich keinen Austausch in Singapur mach. Verstehst du? Das heißt, ich geh nicht am jeden Tag in die Stadt, wie die anderen Austauschstudenten in Singapur. Die machen jetzt genauso was wir in Deutschland gemacht haben! Partys, weggehen, sich betrunken (aber klar, Alkohol bei mir ist echt teuer), und ICH mach genauso was die fleißigen deutschen Studenten machen - jeden Tag in der Bibliothek lernen.

Aber ich war gestern in der Stadt, beim Feuerwerk. Am 9 August haben wir unser Nationalfeiertag und traditionell gibt es 2 Wochen später Feuerwerk. Darauf freuen sich die Leute sehr, wenn es immer Feuerwerk gibt. Nicht nur weil es schön aussehen sollte, sondern auch weil dieses 20 Minuten dauernde Feuerwerk von unseren Steueren finanziert wurde!

Jetzt siehst du das Finanzviertel in Singapur, die so genannte Frankfurt am Main von Deutschland

Ich bin mir sicher, dass die Labels für alle Blogposts "zuhause" sind.

Ich will abhauen

Studentisches Leben an der NUS macht gar keinen Spaß. Das Semester hat vor 2 Wochen angefangen aber ich hab schon genug von allem Scheiß an der Uni. Ich kenne fast keinen am Korridor, an denen ich vorbeigehe. Die meisten meiner Freude haben schon ihre Abschlüsse gemacht und die Reste, die genauso wie ich noch ein Jahr studieren, kenne ich nicht so gut. Also sowieso hab ich gar keine Lust, die kennenzulernen. Und ich glaub dass es gegenseitig ist. Pauline hat am letzten Samstag bemerkt, "Es ist wirklich schwer, wahre Freunde von der VWL zu finden." Damit bin ich eigentlich einverstanden. Mal sehen, ich kenne nur weniger als 10 Leute von der VWL seitdem ich mich daran immatrikuliere.

Alle sieht an der Uni so fremd aus. Ich hab das Gefühl dass ich einen langen Traum hatte, der 6 Monate gedauert hat. Für Hannah ist das aber ein Traum, in Singapur zu sein. Aber ich sag immer zu ihr, wenn ich mich mit ihr treffe, dass wir uns wechseln können. Sie kann nach diesem Semester weiter hier bleiben, und ich kann abhauen. So ein gegenseitig vorteilhafter Austausch ist das.

Naja, aber die Wirklichkeit steht immer ganz anderes. Wir alle wissen. Wach auf, der Traum ist vorbei.

Post-SEP Effects

It has been almost one week since I returned from Germany and like a drug addict who is trying to kick the habit of consuming drugs, I am trying to recover from the post-SEP symptoms. And I guess time is not on my side, since lessons begin next week. To be fair to myself and the people around me, I have to ask myself whether I really dread coming back, or if the life in Europe is really that wonderful, or whether Singapore is really that sian.

And after some thoughts about it, I conclude that I am quite happy to be back but upon anticipating what's in store for me I start to be dismal again. Life in Europe, to some extent, there are aspects of it which are better than Singapore. But yet again, there are other areas about Europe which leave much to be desired. And having grown up in Singapore, it would have been natural to think that the world out there is waiting to be explored. Let's be honest, Singapore is not a bad place to live in as long if you are law-abiding, know what you are doing. You do not need to strive hard to attain excellence but yet you are still able to survive here. And the infrastructure here, the transport, administration is already considered good. Never mind what the westerners may claim that Singapore live in a government controlled state with minimal political freedom or freedom of all other kinds.

After meeting up with some friends this week, they have left some very deep questions in my head. What do I exactly want to do after I graduate? If I were to work after I graduate, which areas am I especially interested in? Would you want a job that pays well but keep you in Singapore, or a job that allows you to travel but does not renummerate well? When you say you want to get out of Singapore, do you want to travel frequently or just be somewhere in another country for a few years and move on? And the most interesting one: Have you ever considered marrying a German?

But whatever plans I have or fantasize about, one advise from a friend whom I made out of unconventional circumstances (ie: not in school or because of tutorial answers) struck my brains the most: You must resign to your fate.

On a happier note, I am going cycling this Friday. And I am actually looking forward to it.

Panorama Pictures

The beautiful sights of Europe

Now that I am back home, I am still struggling to cope with adjusting back. The weather here is terrible. Have been showering like 3 or 4 times a day and still feel sticky and tired from the heat. I realise that I tend to sleep more in Singapore than in Germany. Anyway here are some last pictures, all of them are taken by me and then using software to stich them together, producing a panoramic effect.

Dresden - Zwinger and Opera House
Altstadt Dresden by the Elbe river
Altstadt Dresden by night time
Prague old town hall
Baden-Baden Kurhaus, in which you could sample mineral water from the grounds

Baden-Baden Casino
Interlaken - Lake BrienzHeidelberg - the Neckar River at with the Old town at the right side
Heidelberg - same place as above but during sunset
Heidelberg taken from the Philosophenweg
Koblenz - view taken from the top of the fortress, the Deutsches Eck, where the Rhine river joins the Moselle River
Würzburg Old town taken from the view of the fortress

Strassbourg in France
Passau, at the confluence of the 3 rivers
Passau Altstadt with the River InnSchwäbisch Hall, the river Kocher runs through itSchwäbisch Hall Markplatz, facing the Rathaus (the centre building) taken from the steps of the St Michael Schwäbisch Hall again
And lastly, Mannheim Schloss, where the University of Mannheim is, where I "studied" for the last 6 months
And the view behind my hostel in Mannheim, the Verbindungkanal. Behind the canal is a small island, and behind the island is Ludwigshafen.

In the last 6 months I have seen much and experienced much. So much that I am still dazed and "disillusioned" by the reality that I am home now.

Dresden

Like Prague, I was really surprised at what I saw in Dresden, most likely because I was ignorant of the East and thought I would see vestiges of the former DDR. Well they do still exist, bits and pieces scattered everywhere. But since the reunification in 1990, Dresden has evolved into a cultural and economic centre of the former East Germany.

Perhaps the most happening and touristic part of Dresden is the Altstadt, seen from the evening shot below taken across the Elbe river. A huge proportion of the Altstadt was actually bombed during the 2nd world war, but the restoration works were so quick that most of it has been restored to its former state.

Frauenkirche - built during the years 1726 and 1743, a baroque feat at that time.

However, during the war, it was badly damaged and the whole church practically collapsed to the ground. In fact, during the DDR regime after that, the church was not reconstructed untill only the collapse of the Soviet regime that reconstruction started in 1993.

Dome ceiling taken from the centre

Royal Stables and the royal quarter

Residenz Schloss - home of the royal family since 1485Semper Oper - one of the most famous opera houses in the world

Hofkirche on the left - the palace church, and the right is the Residenz Schloss
The Zwinger - a "versailles wannabe"

Crowned Bridge over the moat that leads to the entrance of the Zwinger

http://picasaweb.google.com/mannheim08a/17JulyDresden

Schwäbisch Hall und die letzte Nacht in Mannheim

To end it all with a German jewel

Probably very few people have heard of Schwäbisch Hall or even know where it is. Not surprising it is not like places in Germany like Hamburg and Köln for its nightlife or München for its beer or Berlin for its history or Füssen for its palaces, or even as popular as Rothenburg ob der Tauber for its medival gems of architecture.

And so I might probably be crazy to actually go out of Mannheim to visit one last place before I leave. And of all places to Schwäbisch Hall a small town in which there is only 1 platform at the train station and the trains come once every hour from Heilbronn. Despite its lack of touristic elements, is a really must see, especially if one is crazy about colourful half-timbered houses as well as wanting to see the kind of "traditional German village". It is a small town which probably takes only 2 hours to see everything there is to see. But the serenity, the scenery and the lifestyle and peacefulness of the place resembles those you'd see on artists' paintings or like what some people say, the cover of chocolate boxes. And so I present to you Schwäbisch Hall, or better known to the locals as Hall, in these 2 panoramic photos which I made out of combining the different shots.

The River Kocher runs through the town
Marktplatz, with the Rathaus at the centre.

These half-timbered houses look like candy chocolates

The fountain which is interestingly used as a fishtank to store fishes caught from the river before selling them, as well as the St Michael behind at the background. The interior is impressive with a lot of painted statues.

German beer and German food the whole day

My consumption of liquid for the whole day is not water but beer, totalling to 3 litres. As well as eating Pork Knuckles at München for lunch. Probably the last chance to drink all I can, and also the last chance to get cheap beer. And such was the gathering of the remaining people left in Mannheim at night. Drinking beer and smoking shisha. We wanted to go to a third one but then the pub was already closed. Oh well... I am simply not ready to go home yet.

Anyway although this is the last night, I am not done with the blog for sure. There is still more to write about Dresden as well as Baden-Baden which is my favourite place. And I guess I will do it when I return to Singapore.

http://picasaweb.google.com/mannheim08a/29JulySchwBischHall

Regensburg und Passau

A visit to Eastern Bavaria

At the invitation of Elisabeth, I went to Regensburg to stay for 2 days. Of all the Bundesländern in Germany, I would say after this trip that Bavaria is the state in which I have travelled within extensively from Würzburg, Bamberg, Nürnberg, München, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Dachau, Rothenburg ob der Tauber as well as Füssen. The trip to Eastern Bavaria is to round up my visit to the major cities of Bavaria. Unfortuantely I did not have the time to cover Bayeuth or Augsburg, both which I heard were nice places too.

Anyway Regensburg is quite an gem in Bavaria I would say. Most of its structures are left unscarthed and untouched. At Elisabeth's place, she showed me some picture books of the history of Regensburg which she had them since the 1940s (black and white printed, with fonts script that I can barely read because it is too cheem) and we compared them to the photos that I took and 99% of them still looks the same from the past. No wonder that the Regensburg, as a medieval city, has been award the status of the UNESCO heritage site.

The Stone bridge - built in the 10th century, is the major medieval highlight.
Colourful pastel coloured houses
The interior of the St. Emmeram's Basilica, yet another baroque feat by the Asam brothers, the most prominent baroque sculpters of Germany in the 18th century.

Hospitable Guests

When Elisabeth first invited me to stay at her place, she told me over the phone that if I don't mind I could sleep in the top floor in the attic. But this was way much better than what I thought. And she was great company actually because she has also travelled widely within Germany and we were able to conserve over a wide range of places. Breakfast was always interesting because we had Bavarian confectionary which is amazingly great and yet a big portion. Well in the first place Bavarian food is always hearty and in big quantities. She also brought me to visit her chio granddaughter Sophia who was unfortunately sick for the past 2 weeks and was lying in bed when I went into her room. All in all it was a great experience to live at her place.

Albert (who studied economics and still believes personally that politics are a bunch of bullshit), Elisabeth

Passau

An hour train ride away from Regensburg brought me to Passau, which I am quite sure very few people have heard of it, even for exchange students in Germany. However Passau has one of the best universities in Germany, especially in law and economics. Which made me quite surprised, because it is even more beautiful as Heidelberg and one of the most beautiful places in Bavaria.

The biggest church organ in the world with 17774 pipes. Not surprising, this is one of the most common image which appear on Passau postcards

Because Passau is located at the confluence of 3 rivers, the Donau, Inn and Ilz rivers, it is also ofen subjected to floods. Here you see markings over the centuries of the water height.

Across the Donau River is the Veste Oberhaus - a fortress built in 1219 and it is only from the fortress that a view where the 3 rivers merge can be seen, as well as a great view of the Altstadt below:
View of the tip where the 3 rivers meet. Actually it looks like only 2, because the third one is hidden out of sight from the trees at the extreme left.

Along the river Inn, where there is a great garden where the students would lie down.

Easten Bavaria is really value for money I would say. The things on the street are not very expensive, probably due to the fact that they are university towns and hence the cost of living is somewhat kept. They are the gateway to the Bavarian forests and it is probably Bavaria's answer to the Blackforest in Baden-Württemburg. It gives the more laid back and lush view when you compare it with other Bavarian cities such as Nürnberg or München.

http://picasaweb.google.com/mannheim08a/15JulyRegensburg

http://picasaweb.google.com/mannheim08a/16JulyPassau