My trip to Bruges, Belgium

It's time to pack my bags to leave home, discover the world and open up my mind.
The destination this time is Bruges- the capital city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. Some friends of mine went there and adore the place so badly, that they suggested me to visit the city all the time.
I now also adore the city exactly the same as my friends do, after I came back home from there.
I spent one week in Bruges. Most of the time I strolled around, looked for a nice spot to make some sketches, stayed in the spot for several hours to sketch and got me later something tasty to eat. I didn't feel lonely at all while sketching, since there were always people coming to talk to me. They asked, if they were allowed to have a look at the sketches  I made, where I come from, and where I'm planning to go to on my journey. I'm really happy, since no one came and asked me stupid questions, such as why I don't just purchase a camera to take pictures, then go to other sight-seeing spots.
Everyday at breakfast, the owner of the B&B, where I stayed in Bruges, asked me, if I made some new sketches. I showed the sketches and we talked about the buildings I drew. She showed me a catalog of a Japanese landscape painter, who used to stay at her B&B one month and made a lot of  lovely sketches of landscape in Bruges. On my 3rd day in Bruges, while sketching, I met one old Belgian artist. He invited me to visit his atelier. What lovely paintings he has done! (AQUARELLE Lucien Vanden Steen- Peerdenstraat 17b, Bruges)
I enjoyed my time in Bruges. Good food. Good weather. Nice people.

20.08.2012- My 1st day in Bruges
This sketch shows the view from my room upon the B&B's garden. I left it in the B&B's guestbook to acknowledge my visitation in Bruges.

21.08.2012- My 2nd day in Bruges
Belfort (13th century)- the bell tower in the historical centre of Bruges. Sketch done at the market square, at 00:40 am. I gave the sketch to a very good friend of mine as a birthday present.

Bonne Chiere windmill (1844, from 1911 in Bruges). Sketch done at 05:50 pm.

Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk (The Church of Our Lady) (1220). Sketch done at Rozenhoedkaai, at 22:45.

22.08.2012- My 3rd day in Bruges
Kasteel Minnewater- a charming restaurant located at the "Lake of Love". Next time when I come back to Bruges, I'd like to have dinner by candlelight with my beloved at this restaurant. Sketch done at 04:30 pm.

Guesthouse Coté Canal- House of Fidel- the most photographed dog in Bruges. You can see Fidel in the trailer of the movie "In Bruges" directed by Martin McDonagh. Sketch done on Groenerei street, at 08:30 pm.

23.08.2012- I headed to the sea.
Mercator ship (1931) in Oostende, used by the Belgian Navy for the instruction of the military sailors and navy-men. Sketch done at 05:00 pm.

24.08.2012- My last night in Bruges. It rained all night long.
Blinde Ezelstraat ( Blind-Donkey-Street)- a narrow street runs from the Burg to the fish market. Sketch done at 11:00 pm.

P.S.: While I was sketching the Blinde Ezelstraat, I met Lies Ackaert- a blogger in Bruges, Belgium. She writes blog entries in Dutch about interesting things and people she encountered in her beautiful hometown. Check her blog entry about me here.

West Flanders on Dwellable

Bottle postcards (1)

Don't throw away empty bottles.
Let's fill them with a lot of beautiful memories that you're afraid you will forget.
These two belong to a set of postcards about my favorite motive: treasures in a glass bottle.

For a love of nature- Atlantic Puffin

I love Atlantic Puffins, which are also called Sea Parrots. Their colorful, but sad-looking faces are lovely and somehow very touching to me. Even though their beaks are full with sand eels freshly caught from the sea, they don't look happier.

Come to me, my Prince!

 

I love to listen to tales of mermaids and prefer the variants in which these good-looking mythological aquatic creatures are noted as unlucky omens or coldhearted sea monsters. To me, a mermaid is supposed to look more like a strange fish than a human being. That's why I added to the sea woman in my drawing a huge dorsal fin and gills on her cheeks.
While stroking her sea turtle, she looked at you. "Come to me, my prince! I'll eat you up both skin and bone. Softly."

No-School Island

After many rainy days, summer came back. It was crazily hot. The hot weather made me mad and want to create some mad things like this drawing of a floating no-school island.

Longing for the sea

As a child, I used to live by the sea with my grandparents. At the beginning of my elementary school, I moved to another city. Since then, I've always longed for the sea.
I love all things related to our oceans: mysterious creatures of the sea, sounds of waves, sea shells, lighthouses, ship, navy uniforms, etc.
In the postcard, you can see a schoolgirl wearing sērāfuku (Japanese for "sailor outfit") and holding a French navy sailor hat with a red pompon. While looking at a painting hanging on the wall, in which a German lighthouse with red and white rings around the tower and Scarlet Sails-my favorite literature symbol of powerful love- from the children's book with the same name, written by the Russian writer Alexander Grin, are shown, she's picturing herself being surrounded by many beautiful citizens of the sea.

Vietnam and Malaysia

It's Spring Break!
I came back home in Vietnam and later, went to Kuala Lumpur with my family.
Most of the time I stayed at my hometown, Ho Chi Minh City- the craziest city of Vietnam. For three days, I stayed in Nha Trang, a beautiful city by the sea and my childhood's place. I used to live here with my grandparents for four years.
After that, I flew with my mum, my aunt and her daughter to Malaysia.
First, we visited Genting Highlands- a famous casino-based vacation resort in Malaysia, 90 km from Kuala Lumpur and spent a night at First World Hotel, the fourth largest hotel in the world by rooms- it has a total of 6118 rooms. Actually, we were not very happy at this hotel, which was remarked by Guinness World Records. Our rooms are tiny and strongly reeked of cigarette.What I like most about Genting Highlands is its cable car, which at its opening (1997) used to be the world's fastest and South East Asia's longest gondola lift. From the cable car, the view of the tropical forests is incredible.
I like Kuala Lumpur very much. The national capital of Malaysia is clean and full with green trees. However, the heat here is unbearable. We visited the National Palace, the National Monument and the famous Petronas twin towers. Nowadays, there is a lot of impressing skycrapers in Asia; but to me, this twin towers still are the most beautiful. We had a shopping day at Suria KLCC located at the base of the twin towers.
On the last day in Malaysia, we went to Batu caves- one of the most popular Hindu shrines outside India. At last, we dropped by Putrajaya, the administrative capital of Malaysia before heading to the airport for the flight back home.
After the trip to Malaysia, I had two days to pack my luggage for the flight back to Frankfurt. Within 3 weeks, I had to fly more often than a stewardess does. Four days are all I had to relax, before the new semester begins.

(Click on the picture to enlarge)

The first three days 15-17.03.2011: Snailburger covered by betel leaves; Fried japanese silk tofu with sea salt; Salami bought in London, Cheese bought in Germany; Salad with dried tomatoes; Steamed fish served ith chinese crystal noodle; Kabayaki-don; Mixed fruit juice

 18.03.2011: Lunch at Park Hyatt Saigon: Cooked rice with tomato flavour and fried chicken; Fried banane served with coconut ice-cream; Raw oyster; Rucola salad with dried tomato and pamesan cheese; Goose foie gras; Duck sausage and mustard; Dessert set: Ice-cream, Sorbet (Lychee, Passion fruit, Strawberry), Apple pie, Mango pie, Fruit cocktail with alcohol jelly cubes

Mum's blood cockle salad recipe: You need blood cockle, lemon grass, shallots, garlic, chili, lemon, fish sauce, mint, laksa leaves, coriander, vinegar

 19.03.2011: Best friend's wedding. It's a little bit boring to go to a wedding alone. Hmmm...

 24-27.03.2011: Nha Trang- my childhood's city. Mum and I stayed at Sheraton Hotel. We booked a room on the 10th floor with sea view. On my birthday, I came back the hotel room at night after visiting my grandparents and surprisingly saw a chocolate birthday cake on the desk. It was a present from the hotel.

Grandma's chicken meat balls recipe: You need boiled quail eggs, pork and chicken meat, salt, pepper, sweet ketchup, cooking oil

 31.03.2011: My Mum, Auntie, her daughter and I flew to Malaysia. Malaysians greet guests with a hand laying on their heart.

 On the same day, we drove to Genting. Then, catched a cable car to Genting Highlands.

02.04.2011: We had a shopping day at KLCC, located in the Petronas twin towers. The twin towers were the tallest building from 1998 to 2004, but remain the tallest twin buildings of the world. It's 452-metre high, has 88 storeys and 32000 windows.

 

Hibiscus is the national flower of Malaysia. On the treet leading to the National Monument, all treetlights are designed to look like this flower. I now dream to have one in my...garden.

A weird Nepenthes (pitcher plant) fountain is located not far from the historic Merdeka square, where the Union Flag was lowered and the Malayan flag hoised for the first time 1957.

03.04.2011: Kaya Pau filled with Pandan Lotus Paste is now my favourite Malaysian food.
At the Batu Caves, there are numerous macaque monkeys. One of them tried to steal my umbrella.

I also like the chin chow (grass jelly) of Malaysia. In VN, we also have chin chow, but I prefer the one in Malaysia. Its texture is tougher and the grassy flavour is milder. In spite of numerous green trees in the city, the hear is unbearable. Probably, that's the reason for my camera's defect.

Malaysia on Dwellable

Origami paper boat

 

I've longed to hear sounds of beach waves. So I folded a paper boat and wished it could bring me to the sea.