have to pick up...

yes, i have to pick up on many things. this weekend was quite productive. i got to catch up with myself, watched some travel and cooking programs on TLC, watched a movie, found a duck place, got together with wiki and youtube, etc. its great to have a 3-day weekend!

talk to you soon kuya charles :-)

spring of absurdity

flashes:

• crossing the streets of berlin allows you only about 7 secs versus about 20 on toh guan road. now i pay so much attention to the seconds ticking while crossing streets!
• there is a vegetarian kebab - we learned this the hard way in berlin :-(
• gebraten or gebraken? i was ordering grilled chicken at this thai resto along Oranienburger Straße and ended up with breaded chicken cutlet. hhhmmm... what's wrong with our german-english dictionary?
• english is not necessary for a hotel receptionist in an international city!
• at a time of panic such as the ash clouds, we thought the services sector would rise to the challenge. we were proven wrong courtesy of a not so nice lady at the central train station.

i remember najwa always mention murphy's law and sure, i only realise this in april 2010. thankful JB is around to hold my hand.

the rain and a burglar

and so apart from the soothing effect rain brings, here's another reason for such affection:

one early morning, years back in my hometown, we found a drunken creature hanging along the edge of our roof. we never knew what was the intention - if he just got the wrong address or twas an aborted burglary.

anyways, since that incident, every night i prayed to the heavens: pls, pls rain. i thought back then that once it pours weird creatures won't dare climb our roof since it's too much of a hassle to sort out and carry the umbrella at the same time!

when will the wounds of partition/s heal?

http://www.economist.com/node/16364484?story_id=16364484&source=most_commented

everytime i hear stories of ethnic conflicts (like what is currently happening in kyrgyztan), i couldnt help asking why this is still possible in our time - when we hum of dialogue, tolerance and respect...

I love you rain…

What is it about you rain that refreshes
Drops lazily caressing the leaves
Before they pass on the waiting grasses?



Something’s intimate in you leaves,
When you sway gently
To the whistle of the wind



Aaahhh… I’m mesmerized, I’m frozen
Drunk in this moment
Soothing this tired soul, my heart leaps!

ape adventures

- briar fields

- snow-by (aka slimer; trap door)

- traditional chippy

- porters - authentic northern english pub (and nice machines in the 'little rooms')

- tesco (its not japanese dear)

- heritage centre (silk museum)

- barrats and river island (ape-shoeses)

- manchester piccadilly

- pop boutique where barberella is! (probably the toughest haircut ever...)

- forbidden palace?

- night and day

- empire exchange (all about canada in 2 pounds!)

- affleck's palace (kiwi, lime, mango, fancies and masks)

- arabesque, withington

- fuel (twice-filled)

- solomon grundy's (dove è il mio prosciutto di Parma?)

- cafe nero

- slipped my way to waterstones manchester but nicest store assistants, rewarded by the Empire of Gold and Blood! ;-)

- red chili restaurant @ portland street

- samuel alexander building, manchester university

- chemist @ oxford street

- london, euston

- wellington hotel

- waterloo grill

- waterloo station (hard to find the oysters)

- the southbanks (hello 'uncle ben')

- opuz (a turkish kebab in london - by fatos!)

- franco's ristorante pizzeria (if you're a willing spend-drift)

- gielgud theatre (everyone's a little bit racist, sometimes)

- o'callaghans hotel

- abbot lodge

- eddie rockets diner (o'connell st)

- cafe sofia, wexford street, dublin (24 hour breakfast)

- farringtons, temple bar (yes, white pudding is alright with the extra chips!)

- costcutter ballybofey, monaghan, donegal (the best wedges so far...)