Mannheim: The Final Leg
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
As I am writing this post I am literally mere hours away from picking up Jonnie and Zi from the Airport. From there, our End of the Year Super Trip officially begins. ROAR! 3 weeks of pure and absolute epic fun!!
It has been 4 months since I left for exchange and wow, did time fly by. My exams are over and I'm already half packed for Singapore. This will be the final post from my little room here in Ulmenweg, Mannheim and before you know it, I'll back in Singapore again. Not that I don't miss everyone back in Singapore but life on exchange was extremely fun. I think the days concluding my exchange for me has sometimes been quite an emotional rollercoaster. One second I'm thrilled that I'm seeing Jiazi again soon and the next, emo-elmo-ness washes over me as I realise its all over.
Enough rambling. After Amsterdam, exams preparation had to start and that was the most painful part of my exchange. Exchange students only need to pass since the grades aren't transferred and so that means I was trying my very very best to maintain a delicate balance. The balance between studying just enough to pass, yet not too much to waste my time. Ideally, I wanted a score of 51 on every paper. Anyone can study really really hard and do the best they can. But it takes a true genius to aim and hit an exact score on their paper.
And so for the past 3 weeks, the days fell into a tired monotony. We cooked, we ate, we studied, we did grocery shopping and we slept. To break the monotony, we inserted a few activities here and there, like the trip to the Mannheim Christmas Market or Wiehnachsmarkt.
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.
Ahhh. But nothing can beat the end of class celebration as we traveled to visit... the COLONEL. Armed with Ketchup and Chilli sauce brought from Singapore, we traveled to KFC to eat fast food, the proper way. With plenty of Sauces. (You have to pay for sauces here).
What I expected to get was KFC chicken, but what I got was so much more. I stepped into KFC and ordered my food, and the cashier didn't ask me if I wanted to upsize my meal or anything. No, she asked, "Would you like some class with that?" I said yes.
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...
Tofu!
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.
Black Sauce Chicken and Sweet Soy Sauce Eggs!
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.
Things on my mind:
Is this the beginning or the end?
Countdown: 10 hours
Gerger
Santarina Boobies
Sprouting Nonsense Since 1984 {5:31 am}
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.