good for 3 flights

still i Q'd, but now that i'm home (and more level headed), i could say that i was still satisfied with the service i got from the embassy:

1. i've got my OWWA membership renewed (with not much questions);

2. i've got 3 OECs (t'was a bit annoying to request for the multiple OEC, but i prevailed ;-)

and most of all

3. i was welcomed by the new look of the embassy premises

i don't know if that was a new building. i'm not a construction expert to determine if they could have a new one in about 8 months (the last time i was there was in October 2010 for the renewal of my passport). nevertheless, it was great! the windows, the number notices (i don't know the name of the thing), the waiting tables/chairs, the entrance, are quite decent. so much different from the last time i was there! see the few photos pls (thanks google images)

surely, there are still some improvements to be done (i.e. electronic OEC application/request as well as payment by NETS or card). but for the time being - i feel good and 'dignified' with the gradual improvements.

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...