The Christmas market is basically filled with stores selling Christmas trinkets and other odds and ends.
The place was crowded with people in Santa hats and there were even carolers. The whole place just exuded a festive cheer. However, we didn't spend much time there and after just wandering a bit, we tried some Gluehwein (heated wine), called it a night and went back home.
Even though it was just a little time spent away from the books, the trip to the Christmas market was really enjoyable.
KFC is Mannheim is served with pure class. Glass plates, and metal forks and knives. Even the fries and coleslaw are served in glass bowls.
Zinger with cheese? Yes please. With some class on the side? Definitely.
Farewell Colonel. I'll see you in London. (Look at how he watches over us with kind eyes like a Guardian Angel.)
But besides the rare trips, the most excitement we would get on most days were the food we made. (By we, most of the time I mean Jiahui) Besides the usual fare, we had...
Creme Brulee!
Gratin!
Cream of Mushroom! From scratch!
Tom Yum Fried Rice! (Jiahui let me fry the eggs! She always let's me fry the eggs when she makes fried rice! Schooo Sweet. Aren't they the most beautiful perfect eggs ever?)
Meatballs!
Rocky Road!
Chicken Curry!
Chicken Wings!
Congee! (My first time)
And after awhile we started to run out of Soy Sauce.. and so we had to become a little bit more inventive in our cooking so as to reduce our consumption of Soy Sauce. Not a single drop of soy sauce in these dishes.
Breaded Mushrooms!
Sweet Soy Sauce Chicken!
Schnitzel!
And the most stunning one of all. Jiahui made Currypuffs. Curry-freaking-Puffs. I'll say it slowly. I ate. Homemade. Curry Puffs. In GERMANY. Delicious. Curry Puffs. My life is full of win.
My version of the ABC soup. BAC soup!!!
And last but not least, the dinner I just had, Baked Pasta. Our last meal together.
Thus ends the culinary adventures of the two SMUggers in Ulmenweg. Thanks Jiahui, for eating my countless failed attempts and for teaching me how to cook. Everytime you let me fry the egg I feel myself grow a little more. It is as you said, the easiest dish to cook is also the hardest, and I have mastered the art of frying eggs. I have truly learnt a lot. Iron Chef Fu, I have become.
The next afternoon, we were in Amsterdam. Ahhhh Amsterdam. Sin City. Sex, drugs with a conspicuous absence of Rock n Roll. The first place we went upon arriving in Amsterdam was the Red Light District. Sadly no photos. In fact we just kept on going back to the Red Light District. Over and over and over and over and over and over and over over the next few days. The first thing you notice about the the RLD in Amsterdam is it doesn't really feel all that sleazy. In fact it feels down right proper compared to Geylang in Singapore. For me, the RLD there feels pretty much just like a specialized business district. Electronics in Sim Lim. Textiles on Arab Street. Sporting goods in Queensway. And sex in Amsterdam. It is legitimate and unabashed. There's no chance of confusion between the pliers of the sex trade and an innocent girl on the streets like in Geylang. The fishtank from which they work are a clear barrier and boundary between their worlds and ours. Marked on the outside by a tube of red flourescent light and lit from within by neon, they ply their trade with a seductive smile, come-hither wink and suggestive gestures with their fingers and bodies. Step inside and the curtains are drawn. Sex is just... in progress all around you.
This piece of art on the ground right in the center of the RLD clearly depicts what is going on all around you.
The oldest church in Amsterdam also conveniently sits right in the center of the RLD. Heehee. Father I have sinned.
Drugs. Its everywhere here as well. Coffee shops sell them and there are definitely more people smoking joints than drinking beverages. Here's us outside the Bulldog, the longest running coffee shop chain.
Nice little stores sell Magic Mushrooms, the key to unlock the door into the world of the wonders. Because of my fantastical imagination, I do not need mushrooms but try one to see what its like to see what I see for 4 hours!
Of course we didn't try any drugs. Because just like piracy, drugs is wrong. Nods. Say No to drugs. You don't need drugs to have fun.
Amsterdam was not just about Sex and Drugs of course. It is a beautiful place with canals running across the entire city...
... and houses on the canals.
The oldest house in Amsterdam...
... as well as the smallest (the red one) at only 1.5m wide.
And let's not forget the food. Amsterdam has the most delicious fries. Samurai sauce. HAH!
And super awesome Asian food. Something that we've been looking forward to for months. Roast duck. Criminally good tofu.
Love will find a way and I was able to run into my soul mate. We didn't even arrange to meet up because we knew that fate would bring us together. We were like, "Eh don't need to arrange la. Confirm will run into each other one." Europe is too small for us.
We rented a car on Saturday to drive down to Belgium. Ask me to tell you the story of how we booked the car. It's hilarious but not blog-safe. And so we got into our spanking new Mitsubishi Lancer and started for Belgium.
First stop: Antwerp. When we arrived in Antwerp, clearly something was afoot. Something was about to happen. Something big. Like a parade or something. It seemed pretty crowded and they were giving out these red beanies to everyone.
After having a little bit of fries, I set out to find out what was going on.
After asking a random beautiful Belgian girl, we found out that...
... and quickly started to explore the town and I totally splurged on Belgian Chocolates here. We didn't get to see much before the sun came down. Not that it mattered because Bruges was beautiful by night as well. In fact it might have been even more so.
The day was pretty much over and we drove back to Amsterdam. Finally mustering enough courage to give it a try, I volunteered to drive part of the way back. That's when I proceeded to show the world how bad I was at driving. Shock as it may come to those who assume that there is nothing I can't do, I suck horribly at multitasking. (!!!) It's true! With the triple threat of driving on a different side of the road, different side of the car as well as not having driven a manual car since passing my TP 4 years ago, I had almost killed 108 Belgians before I crossed the border into Netherlands. All the passengers in the car hung on for their dear lives. Joe the Navigator and Clement the Backside Driver both went to sleep figuring its best not to know how they died while Jiahui tried desperately to avert disaster by making sure I did not fall asleep at the wheel.
Amsterdam was an absolutely unforgettable experience that can only be summed up with one picture. (Inside joke)
Things on my mind: