Days ! @, #

I'm back! Bet you guys have been waiting with intense trepidition for my next post. My next post is now!!! There's been lots to post about and I'm pretty sure I have time to snuggle in now to write a post about things that happened in Germany and things that have happened in Singapore.

Firstly I would like to confirm that I brought not prizes back but lots and lots of experience and fun. Yes, suddenly it didn't matter at all that I didn't win anything. Winning REALLY isn't everything guys, although I'm certain some people die to win in some situations.

I wouldn't give a day-to-day commentary of what happened in Germany, but I've got a hell lots to say.

The trip on the plane from Singapore to Frankfurt was alright, we spent the first hour pass the Check-in shopping for perfumes and watching a match between Manchester United and if I haven't forgotten, Inter Milan.

The plane ride was alright, but I was always waiting for the food. Didn't sleep at all throughout the 12 hour flight, because I was watching Ironman, 10 000BC, How I Met Your Mother (which was seriously funny), SpongeBob SquarePants, and the Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Kaspian. Listened to Liszt Piano Concerto and wrote some notes down about it, touched down safely.

On a hindsight the return plane trip was worse later, because we were seated at the tail (which means more turbulance) and we descended once for 3 seconds. A heart-stopping experience totally.

DAY !

Our first stop in Germany was for Aunty Geok's house, who was the sister of Uncle S.S (Clarence's dad). So Aunty Geok drove us from the airport to her house somewhere in Frankfurt, and I got my first experience of the long highways of Germany. It wasn't really interesting at first, because we were travelling at about 8pm (and it was dark everywhere).

Germany's really environmentally-friendly by the way. You see, instead of using the normal stick and light method Singapore uses, Germany is efficient enough to use reflectors!

You know like, reflectors, along the highway. Reached Aunty Geok's house, went for our first taste of German dinners - the first of many to come. During the dinner I met Aunty Geok's husband, Uncle Wai. Uncle Wai runs a Chinese restaurant in his town, and they get pretty good business!

We ate at an Italian restaurant, and the servings are really. really. really. huge. In Singapore we would have shared it for three, but here in Germany it's just one. One plate for one person, one ring to rule them all, hello Sauron.

So after that when all was done and eaten, we were ready to head home. BUT THERE WAS DESSERT! Everything was really good you know. There was only ONE thing we didn't like - all the Singaporeans at the table didn't like (consisting of me, Clarence, Aunty Emily and Uncle S.S). And that was the SALT.

You see, the Germans love salt alot. Deutschland bies un Saltzland. Everything's so salty, that at restaurants, instead of three holes for pepper and one hole for salt bottles, it's the other way round.

I never really go to high-end restaurants much, so I wasn't confused at all. But Clarence's parents were already so used to it that they spammed salt all over their plates before realising it wasn't pepper they were putting, but salt.

And More Salt. AND MORE SALT.

So next time when you come to Germany, don't be surprised if you come back home with a tongue that is numb with saltiness. But it's pretty alright, because the Germans are smart enough to compensate it with BEER! It's pretty amazing how I've not TOUCHED A SINGLE BOTTLE OF ALCOHOL IN MY ENTIRE LIFE OF 16 YEARS. THAT'S BECAUSE I MADE A PROMISE TO MYSELF I'M NOT GOING TO TOUCH ANY!!!!!

So as expected I didn't drink any in Germany, as will happen in Singapore. Sorry, I know I'll suck at company functions or dates. I'll skip the red wine, you can have the whole Shiraz to yourself, milady.

Had a wonderful dinner (thank you Aunty Geok and Uncle Wai), then we went back to their cosy flat to sleep. It's not shocking to realize that Frankfurt at night in the mountains is a really dark place, because light is kept to a minimum. So went the lights were turned off, it was just total darkness.

Oh yes, I was sharing rooms with Aaron, the older brother of Bryan. Both of them were of course their sons, lah! But I realise I get along better with Bryan, maybe because we were both of the same age, we both played soccer, and we had common topics.

Showered, off to bed, total darkness. Hey, no hands!

DAY @

Next morning, I woke up to the sounds of an alarm clock. Aaron's a working guy - has to get off to work by 6.30am. I was pretty jet-lagged then, and he gets grumpy in the morning. Most importantly, he didn't know I was sleeping in his room! (We were on a double-decker bed, I was sleeping above)

So he started mumbling in German because I woked up and said good morning. Maybe he asked me to go back to sleep, thinking I was his brother. Maybe he cursed at me, (oops) but after 3 'Hellos I'm not thy brother' I think he finally realised, because he apologised profusely.

Yes, in English. One day isn't enough to learn German words that include cursing and go back to sleep. And maybe sod off.

Before lunch, Clarence, Bryan and I just had to play soccer. Instead of going out to tea with the adults, we reckoned that playing soccer would boost our spirits up. Clarnece hasn't seen me play soccer, but he told me he was a good goalkeeper. Which I could believe totally, because apparently he played for a tournament once, and the Woodlands Rams coach scouted him and told him that he was interested in him.

"Once you are ready, just give me a call, and we can discuss things anytime."

Unforunately/Fortunately, he's a musician, and he didn't take up the offer under the advivce of his parents. Well, he played goalkeeper throughout the tournament and not a single time did a goal go past his hands.

He must be a great keeper to do that. But I'm still wondering which pianist would use their hands in sports! Pretty dangerous yeah.

So anyway I guess he was rusty, but Bryan was good, and most of the time I was playing a 1 versus the two of them. Scored three goals to nil. We saw two German kids aged around 5-7 skateboarding in the same basketball court, and we decided to call them over.

So it was now 3-2. End of the day, goals were scored on both sides, although I'm pretty sure we scored more goals. But one of the German kids accidently fell down and blood was just streaming from his elbow and his knee.

Being Singaporeans and German we were, two of us thought we were doomed while the other guy knew we weren't.

Well you'll know that in Singapore (and Singapore only), when kids just fall down their parents start screaming and filing lawsuits.

"You twinkling bastards you made my son bleed! I'll see you in court! You watch out you ***, you ****, you *****."

In which case we hope that this would work:
"Uncle I treat you to a nice bowl of laksa...can?"
"Really? Katong Laksa can?"
"Can...why not. I mean, you know we can settle this right...why trouble ourselves?"
"Oh yeah..."

Anyway the German mother came over and said it was very normal for the child to fall over soccer balls when they were young and that it was ALRIGHT.

ALRIGHT? Holy crap, now I'm hoping every mum whose kid I have indirectly injured is German. But anyway we helped the kid dress up his wound, so we cleaned the wound and poured water over it, and dabbed it with tissue paper. Nice and easy.

We set off for another long ride to the small town of Ettlingen.

Facts about Ettlingen:
-Population: 38000. Heard that? 38 000 only!
-History: 1250 years!
-Food: Salty!
-People: Damn nice! We greet each other on the streets, and no matter where they go people will always acknowledge you. Just like your flat storey! Smile and greet at your neighbours, once you're out, no one knows you! Anymore!

Arrived at the MusikSchule at about 3pm, and started practising immediately. Every room has an upright piano (how I miss YST. Every room has a grand piano), and some of them suck like crazy. But throughout the days I managed to single the very special and good ones, and requested to practise in them.

Got our nametags and the package for the entire competition, the briefing dates and everything.

The next few days were a blur, except for Clarence's performance. I remembered thought telling myself when I get back to Singapore I wasn't going to blog about these practising days.

Shall blog more tomorrow.