Time flies.
Winter in Strasbourg this time. It was awesome – the Christmas markets were nicely decorated and I couldn’t get enough of the vin chaud and the authentic hot chocolate sold in front of the cathedral.
Let it snow…
Winter and Goodbye
6 01 2010Comments : 1 Comment »
Tags: Christmas, Christmas Market, Strasbourg
Categories : Just Nice, Living in France
Silhouettes
15 12 2009I got my plane tickets to the Philippines and I will stay there until October, but who knows until when? I am on Sabbathical and I don’t know when I will go back to working and what exactly I would like to do again. Once again, I don’t know what lies ahead. I just see a nice silhouette of the future, and it looks fun, scary, and exciting.
3 things for sure, I will travel, learn and I will live life to the fullest.
Comments : 4 Comments »
Tags: Asia, Mont Saint Michel, Philippines, silhouettes
Categories : Ramblings
La Chant du Coq
8 12 2009I went back to Alliance Francaise yesterday after my 2-week vacation in Berlin and Paris. I have to wake up early everyday again for the next two weeks and learn something new, or not so new everyday. I have several new classmates and it was a blast having courses with them.
Today we discussed about an extract of a French poem and I just can’t remember one particular word. One important word that can actually make me remember everything. It started with “La Chant du Coq me frappe…” then the second line goes like “…peine poitrine ou tu dors la…” then the sun rises.
Anyway, all is not important and it won’t actually signify anything here. Except for the first line maybe. My Russian classmate (I don’t really know his name, I keep forgetting – it’s hard to keep track) kept asking the meaning of each word that we had a difficult time going ahead. I don’t care really, I was having fun. Especially when my Brazilian classmate answer each question with a funny gesture or movement.
So far, here is this morning’s sample:
Russian: C’est quoi “frappe”?
Brazilian: Wapack! (with hand movements)
Russian: Quest-ce que ce “coq”?
Brazilian: L’animal qui chant a matin. Top matin. Poulet!
Teacher: C’est la femme d’animal.
Me thinking to myself: Coq = cock = rooster, not femme!
Russian: et ce quoi “chant”?
Brazilian: voix d’animaux que vient de sa bouche (sings, hand gesture from mouth to air)
Russian: ah ok ok, je comprends (dazed and confused look on face)
After all these descriptions and facial expressions, I was dying of laughter. And when I looked at my Greek friend who was laughing as well, I was ready to roll on the floor.
I love my morning class!
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Tags: La Chant du Coq
Categories : Just Nice, Living in France
I’ve Never Been to Rome
21 11 2009Last night, at a party, I met a couple of Italian guys. One from Rome and one from Venice. Interesting fellas. One of them didn’t want to speak English with me because he wants to improve his French. And the the other preferred to speak in English or Spanish.
We talked about places we have been to. The English/Spanish speaking Italian told me he’s been around Asia a lot, that he has a Japanese baby living in Japan, and that he chose to go to Brazil instead of the Philippines. He asked me if I have been to Italy and I said never.
“You mean, you’ve never been to Roma?” he asked me, eyes wide open.
“No, I chose to go to Berlin instead for my last Eurotrip this year,” I answered, confused. Maybe something’s wrong with his emerald green eyes.
“But you won’t even go to Roma?” he asked again.
‘”You know,”‘ I began to say, ‘”Rome is not the center of the world.”‘
‘”What is, then?’” he asked.
‘”Actually, it’s Paris.”‘
But of course, I didn’t say that. Because it’s not true. And I read somewhere that only Parisians think that Paris is the center of the world.
Seriously, what is the big deal if I don’t go to Rome during my stay in Europe? I should ask the same thing to him about not visiting the paradise that is the Philippines while he was in Asia.
I was sick of having to explain myself why I’ve never been to “Roma”.
And so, I answered, “Because, I don’t speak Latin.”
And then they all laughed.
Comments : 1 Comment »
Tags: Berlin, Paris, Philippines, Rome
Categories : Living in France, Ramblings
King of the Iron Fist 6
19 11 2009Ever since my college days, I have been playing Tekken like crazy, especially during summer vacations. I did start with Tekken 2 though, and honestly I cannot remember anything about it except that Jun Kazama was there. And the graphics were not as good as today’s.
I love playing Nina and Lei. Nina is fast and strong and Lei is funny, with a few tricks up his sleeve. Nowadays, I can’t even beat Azazel (last stage). He’s just so big I can’t even throw him. And truth be told, I’m a little scared of him. Maybe I’m not used to it anymore. I still remember beating all the guys in my company one night during a colleague’s birthday.
Now I’m trying to familiarize myself with Lars Alexandersson – illegitimate son of Heihachi Mishima (Jin’s gramps) because he actually has some pretty cool moves. The Swedish fighting style is not bad at all, and I like one of his costumes (with the cool Viking hat).
And I don’t know how I do it, but sometimes when I press something in the controller, my character kicks the other character (or punch) and all of a sudden, there’s a red flash (kinda circular) and then the life of the other player diminishes. Like crazy.
Here are some cool ending movies…and I wonder a lot of things after having watched the ending movies of each character:
- Is Armor King half human/half animal? Because his growl scares me and when he speaks, no voice comes out. Just growls and subtitles. And I understand everything!
- Why can Xiaoyu have a panda and I can’t? Plus, she rides on Panda’s back on her way to school.
- Where does Heihachi get all his energy? He’s so old, yet he’s as strong as a bull.
- Why am I craving for Sushi now after seeing Lili and Asuka’s movie ending?
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Tags: king of the iron fist, lars alexandersson, tekken 6
Categories : Just Nice
Scattered Gold
18 11 2009I am in love with autumn’s colors!
Outside Alliance Francaise Strasbourg is a tree of gold. I sit down here some days with a good book, jacket wrapped tightly around my body. No matter what, I am always cold from autumn until the beginning of spring. But that wouldn’t stop me from rolling over the golden leaves. Too bad my groovy Greek friend Athina beat me to it (another one who came from a sunny country – we just love cold Alsatian weather! We’re crazy like that.)
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Tags: autumn in Strasbourg
Categories : Just Nice, Living in France
Verdun Cathedral
18 11 2009
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Tags: lorraine, verdun
Categories : Living in France
Black and White
12 11 2009Surrounded by coniferous forests are two scenic crater lakes in the Vosges, the Lac Blanc and the Lac Noir. These 2 crater lakes are linked together by a pipe line and the water is used to generate electricity.
I’ve never seen anything so beautiful. It was already snowing in the Vosges and I love it, even if I hate cold weather.
I was lucky enough that someone went down beside the lake. I was able to capture the greatness of the lake because of that person. He looked so small standing there.
I guess it’s pretty obvious that the photo above is the Lac Noir. The mysterious fog creates a dramatic effect and doesn’t the house look hauntingly creepy?
Comments : 4 Comments »
Tags: Alsace, France, Haut Rhin, Lac Blanc, Lac Noir, Orbey Valley, Vosges
Categories : Just Nice, Travels
Through the Fog
24 10 2009One morning, we woke up and there was a heavy fog settling in over the courtyard and the garden. It was so beautiful.
I realized a lot of things then – the most important of all is that I should stop complaining about everything, especially complaining about the place where I live in. For someone who grew up in a big city, I am used to all the action, excitement, danger, and all that. When I get hungry during the night, I know that MiniStop is just around the corner.
Moving to Paris was also not what I expected it to be. Sure they say it’s the City of Lights, but everything goes dark around 3AM. The metro stops at around 1AM and then if you don’t have a car, you’re stuck, unless you take a velib or a taxi that will burn holes in your pocket. But still, there’s a lot to do in this city.
I decided to learn French again and to be really fluent when I leave France, even if it means paying for expensive courses in Alliance Francaise Strasbourg. It’s never a waste when you pay for something that will make you learn. It’s time to stop being bored and to integrate myself into the Strasbourgoise lifestyle.
Hopla. Nichts mehr.
Comments : 4 Comments »
Tags: Alliance Francaise Strasbourg, Alsace, Strasbourg
Categories : Living in France, Ramblings
Chrysanthema
19 10 2009The Chrysanthema is a three-week long floral exhibition in Lahr, Germany, which takes place yearly during the autumn season. It is visited by thousands from all over Germany and neighboring countries and features a tremendously decorated centre ville.
I’m not much of a flower person, but I appreciate the decorations.
This little boy came alone with his flute. He set his money container on the ground and began to play his flute. I guess it was OK, his music didn’t really move me but he was courageous. People found him cute and dropped some coins in his money container.
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Tags: chrysanthema, Germany, lahr
Categories : Travels
