Germany... So Far.... Endgültig

Heh.... Have not blog for awhile and leaving my Germany trip in a limbo.... Ok, so this is the finale... Endgültig. (I hope I am using the term correctly... I have to quantify that I have not started any German lessons at all... So if I got it wrong, please don't blast me for that....)

Serve me right on complaining about the cold.... Guess what... The last day in Germany was even colder than any time while I was there. I see snow on the sides of the road on my way back to Frankfurt. Sadly, my cam was not handy available... So no pictures of it... Then again, I heard they had to scrape ice off their cars before starting the engine.... Which means..... The front screen and windows are rather dirty... Pictures will not look that good. Oh, about the temperature.... You know how I got the info? Well, most cars in Germany that I know of seems to have this temperature gauge. Now how accurate it is, I am not certain, but by far it seems accurate... Especially when you are walking out in the cold, feeling colder than ever before.... So it seems accurate to me... It was -1.5 degrees celcius and it's not in the night!!!! (Oh, my colleague was nice enough to let me know that after I left... The weather improved and they had like 6 degrees celcius instead of -1.5!)

Well, I finished my last breakfast in the small quaint hotel in Hochheim and ask for a taxi to be called and my destination is Frankfurt airport; I went and did my final round checking for stuff that I might have left out in the hotel room. Having satisified that I have not left anything behind, I close the room door and drag my (heavier by 7 kg) hugh luggage bag and carry-on luggage bag down to wait for the taxi. Had to wait awhile for it, but interestingly, the taxi came, the driver got out.... carrying this present into the waiting area in the hotel and subsequently chatted with the owner and giving that present to her. Seems that she had a truckload of it and a nice touch I would say... Anyway, finally, I am driven away from the place and towards Frankfurt Airport.

Of course, along the way, I was so facinated by the snow on both sides of the road as well as on the trees, etc. Again, sad thing was that I don't have my cam ready... That Murphy's law again (I think)... You never have the thing near you when you need it... I thought it was a ride back, so nothing much to take... Haiz... I was proven wrong (AGAIN!!!)


Oh... Why the airport when I was to fly only in the night?!?! Well, that's the only place I know that I can leave my luggages somewhere for storage and I can be free from worry of dragging them to everywhere I go.... Imagine... Someone dragging their luggages from point 1 to 2 .... till they reach airport in the evening.... If I was tired by the end of my trip.... Imagine how much more if I had those 2 luggages around... as well as my backpack!!!!

So, I left my luggages there (7 Euros, by the way for both luggages) and started to find out how to get to Frankfurt city. Before that, I had a discussion with my colleague as well as consulting the Lonely Planet book that he was kind enough to lent to me for my stay.... I had marked out a few places to see... But I was counting on taking their subway to go 1 place to the other.... Plans have ways to go wrong....

In the end, i landed myself at the main station, bought a 1.50 Euro map which shows the entire city center and nearby suburds.... I walked (yes walked!) from the main station, wanting to walk to Romerberg, but I ended up at Haupt-wache. It was a place that I wanted to see, but it was supposed to be after Romerberg... So I had to trek over to the correct place... Nice start isn't it? (Kind of leads me to wonder.... What is it with Germany and me... I don't seems to be doing very well in cities of Germany. I got a bit lost in Cologne in my last trip as well.... Hmmm..... Oh but I had no problems with Heidelberg.... Hmmmm......)

Anyway, Romerberg is a nice little area where there are plenty of churchs (or shells of churchs) in that area. Starting with this St. Pauls Church (Oh, by the way, Church is known as Kirche in German - see how I pick up words during my stay...) which looks to me to be a shell of a church. Unless I did not find the correct place to go... for it was a place to look at some history of that area... and also house of an interesting wall painting....

From there.... I walked around the Christmas Fair that pops up in almost any and every town during this time apparently.... Had to look for crystals for my mum and aunt - too expansive anyway to buy.... Had sushi... or was it sashimi... Hmmm... Whatever, it's Japanese food (what a change from constant meat and never changing salad and salad cream...) along with Tempura... It was not really that good, but then again, maybe I went to the wrong store... Had wanted to go to one of those famous old tavern to try their applewein, but well, it was just too much to move across the river - on foot!

Anyway, after much SMSing with my mum on the crystals... Decided to just go sightseeing and ignore calls/SMSs to buy this and that... It's more important to see than to shop!!!! So, did the whole round of churches in Romerberg, including their Dom. By then, it was almost 4 pm! Had a cup of hot applewein to warm myself in this COLD COLD weather, walked toward the river and wanted to visit the flea market that was supposed to be there every weekend. Well, after using the Eiserner Steg (Small little walkway bridge) distracted by the swans and mandrin ducks as well as seagulls (I think they are seagulls... Got to recheck my pictures), finally reached across the bridge. Oh, by the way, I would discourage using bridges to cross the hugh Main (pronounced as "Mine") river in winter in 2 words - SUPER COLD! I think my fingers got frozen while I was there... Guess what... The flea market seems to be packing up!!!! So it means... No browsing... Oh well... Cross the bridge again (SUPER COLD! COLD! COLD!) and decided to head toward the shopping area (like Orchard Road) that is along Zeil Street. Along the way, browse through the stalls that is part of the Christmas fair...


Well, if I never did like seeing crowds and hugh crowds, I should have avoided Zeil. The people seems to be coming out in full force to browse around those stalls as well as meeting up with friends, hanging out in that area.... Sounds very much like Orchard Road during weekends actually... Did my browsing there and allowing myself to get frozen in the process.... Bought some stuff there... small ones, thankfully or my luggage would have been even heavier that it was! Had my 2nd Bratwürst for the trip along with another cup of Glühwein. That got me high... heh... I should have asked on previous night in the resturant what they had given me to speed up the burning of alcohol... That could have helped me then, cos I was wheezing like a highly overweight person after my walking from Zeil back to the main train station (Hauptbahnhof, where Haupt - main, bahn - train, hof - station) for my ride back to airport. I was so relieved to see the station by the end of the walk... Furthermore, it was evening - around 6pm, so the temperature would have drop again from the afternoon (SUPER SUPER COLD! COLD! COLD!) I really thought of getting myself trained up in my stamina after this trip....

Anyway, by the time I got back to Frankfurt airport, I was tired, having a very bad backache and very cold and tired feet! You can feel the sensation at the soles of your feet kind of feeling... Had to just sit near the baggage storage area for a full half hour as well as packing in the stuff so that I can check in my luggage and be free from it finally till I reach Changi... The walk from the storage area to the counter was the worst I ever had... Having to push this 22kg luggage as well as a (estimated) 7kg hand luggage to the counter with a bad back.... Not recommended!!!

I think despite my stomach growling like mad asking for food.... My other senses were just too tired to eat... But I did... Having my last meal in Germany before boarding the plane - Just that I was too tired to appreciate... even to look for proper food!!! Heh....

So that's all... Took the flight back, landed in Changi and immediately perspire like mad.... Having to eat some local food at the airport canteen on level 3M which by the way was not good... Either that or my tasting buds was so skewed that it was not functioning well....

There... I completed my blog on my Germany trip. It was an experience and was rather glad that I was able to see more places that I would never have thought was possible... I guess I am happy with my trip... Well, besides that weather....

Oh... From my landing in Changi on Sunday late afternoon.... I jumped into a Youth Camp on Monday afternoon.... Spending about 3 to 4 days with Youths in a chalet, sleeping on sleeping bags with a hard floor.... I MUST BE CRAZY!!!!!


That is another story of its own.....

Germany... So far.... Part Vier

I had to do this isn't it... Darn... After complaining about the coldness... Guess what, it got colder!!! It's now -1 degrees celcius! Man, even the radiator at full blast does not seems to be hot enough... Of course the alcohol effects from the wine (I had another sweet wine today for dinner, again! :P) helps to keep the cold away, but still it's not enough! My feet is already feeling cold...

Oh yeah.... Photos... Well... Sad to say, apparently I forgot about the fact that my office laptop does not have any photo editing program, so posting of photos will have to wait! It adds the anticipation of waiting isn't it. However, I do have a warning ahead... The photos may not turn out to be very well as I am still learning to use my cam - new, bought about 1 or 2 weeks before this trip... Also, I was rather too busy absorbing the atmosphere that I may not be taking care in getting the photos in. Oh... Darn, I just remembered... I got a camp coming up once I get back, which means.... Well, the photos will have to wait... I hope the space in the laptop will hold. Right, last count, I had taken about 200 photos only. Hope tomorrow's trip to Frankfurt city will be good enough in terms of taking photos as well!

Today, sad to say, was a full day training schedule - The person has only today to impart his knowledge and there are more people in this training. Oh, people were wondering how I get to be able to see some touristy stuff... Well, that's because this training was very tailored to me. Being the only student in the class, I get to call the shots! Heh... Also, it gets tailored to my pace of learning as well as my current knowledge of the software. So I could squeeze out some time to do some touring... As well as the fact that my colleague as been so kind to drive me around!!!

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It was just another morning in Germany, where I had my breakfast at the hotel when it struck me that the people at the hotel has their morning breaks around 9.05 - 9.10 daily. Sometimes there are three of them and sometimes, it seems, if there were more guests, 4 of them. They would sit down at one of the tables and have coffee while having some conversations - gossiping would be part of it, I supposed. It's a pity that I could not understand what they have been talking about... It would be very interesting to be there listening to their conversations. They would talk animatedly, sometimes laughing away.

There and then that I wonder - Would this concept work back at home? But after considering that there are already a lot of hotels, plus the hotels are not that expensive, after exchange rate conversion... Perhaps that's why it works very well else where. There are so many villages/small towns that it's not possible to expect Sheraton or Hilton or even Best Western to be there. Hmmm... Scrape Best Western... Think that chain of hotels/motels is only available in US... But like I say, for them, it's not possible to expect large hotel chains to be in each village/town. Thus it works rather well here. However, when you transplant that into Singapore... Well, don't think it will work that well as it does here in Europe.

How, just for fun... Imagine yourself, having to own a small hotel. How do you decorate it? How do you set the accomodation fees? How will you make it different so that visitors will want to stay there again when they are back? Also, how do you make sure your hotel does not becomes sleezy in time to come? You know... with the foreign exchange conversion, the hotel room rates are not really that cheap... Imagine 60 Euro per day, which will be about SGD130 per day. That's as good as a 4 star hotel isn't it? But they don't offer other facilities, like gym, spa, tennis courts, etc. Instead for some, you might not even get a wireless internet broadband access!

Oh well... Perhaps it will not work... But it's good to have a dream, isn't it?

*Yawn* Ok... Time for bed. It's almost 1 am in Hochheim.

If only my colleague were not to be having an appointment on Sat morning... If not, I would have travelled along the Rhein river and getting to see the Rhein valley along with all the vineyards taht you can find there... Oh well, another time... Hopefully, I would get some days off to tour as well.

Germany... So far.... Part Drei

Brrr... Man it's cold today... Last temperature taken was about 1.5 degrees celcius! What a cold evening... But this morning, the sky were cleared for the 1st time. According to my German colleague is that if it is very clear the night before, it will be a cold day the next day. Reason was that since you have no cloud or fog, it means that the "heat" is dissipated thus, making it colder than before. Anyway, I can only say is that this weather is one where you can indulge with alcohol without feeling guilty as it's just too cold out there! :P

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Had a day of intensive training, and for the next day, I had a long lunch at Mainz ( pronounced as "mines") which is about 20 mins drive from Hochheim (I think... not too sure about the timing), got to see what Mainz has to offer including some Lebkuchen biscuit/cookies. Got to see this St. Stephan Kirche (St. Stephen Church) which has some nice stained-glass windows, which was created by a Russian-born Jewish artist Marc Chagall. If you see the photos that I got, it's predominantly blue in colour. My colleague has been rather kind to allow me some time during the day (where you get have light to see the sights...) to do some touristy stuff, like looking at those old building architecture in wonder.

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It was another long day of training, but this time, I was able to have dinner at Wiesbaden. There was a Christmas fair just outside of the restaurant that I was to have my dinner and had a walk about of the fair. I have to say, this Christmas fair is much better than the one I have seen in Heidelberg. Bought a bottle of Sparkling Honey Wine, but I am not too sure if I will get to taste. Mother is asking me to bring back 3 bottles of wine... Wonder why she needs so many... Anyway, because it was rather dark when I reach Wiesbaden, I was not able to take any photos of that place at all - which was a rather sad thing but well, I can't complain much.

Anyway, it was in the restaurant that I realised sometime. It seems that Pork Knuckle is a Bavarian dish, and yet it seems to be famous outside of Germany. If you go to some of the restuarants, you will not find this dish unless it's speciality is Bavarian. However, you will find one very common dish in their menu - Schnitzel. I guess the other most available dish will have to be Rumpsteak; cooked in many different ways. Oh I had this interesting but salty (as usual I supposed) soup - Bendictine bread soup. Very brown, with some lumpy stuff which I have no idea what it was, and of course, rather salty. However, if you are willing to overlook the saltiness, it's actually quite interesting taste. Had a rumpsteak there as well, and really like the sauce - it has some onion taste in it, with some honey and red wine if I am not wrong (but well, it was a bit salty as well).

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Had a longer time at training till around 2pm when we set out to Rüdesheim (25km from Wiesbaden), which is along the trail along the Rhein river where they are known as the "Romantic Rhine" due to it's evocative scenery. It's quite a sight to be driven alone the Rhein river, looking at the vineyards that is clinging to steep slopes and cliffs. Some part of it was also known as the Riesling Route; seems that the most common vinegrape that you can find in this region is Riesling.

Oh yes, I did also walked in this area which is known as Drosselgasse. It seems that along this narrow street, there are a lot of wine bars and restaurants and I can attest to the fact that this is a very narrow street and apparently today, there seems to be a crowd in Rüdesheim. I had trouble trying to take a picture of this store where they did the glass pieces at the store.

Finally... finally after hearing so much about the sausages (as well as being questioned on this topic), I finally had my first Bratwürst - the restaurant claimed that it's meat is taken from a wild boar for this Bratwürst. It came with lots of fries and a plate of salad - this time, the salad is not drenched with the usual salad cream, and boy that was a change!

My colleague wanted to drive to St Goar/St Goarshausen where the legendary Loreley rock is near to. It seems that this rock is very famous due to the myth that there was the blond siren on the rock who lures sailors on the Rhine to their doom with her beguiling singing and enigmatic beauty. On the way towards Loreley rock, we see a lot of castles along the valley of the Rhein river but sadly, it gets to a point where it got too dark that we could not carry driving towards our destination. So, with a U-turn, we headed back for Hochheim and back to office for the final part of the training.

It's sad that the day light is so much shorter during winter - starts to get brighter only after 8.30am and it starts to get dark again by 4pm. By the time it gets to 5.30pm, it's really dark out there which feels kind of weird as we tend to start packing when the sky gets dark, but how do you do that when it's already dark by 5pm.

It's kind of weird, don't you think, to be having some break in between of training to do some tourist viewing... It's my first and I guess, if I had to do it all over again, I would not change anything....

*Yawn* Ok, it's time to head to bed again... I cannot believe it's Friday tomorrow! Cannot bear to think that soon I will be heading home again...

Germany... So far.... Part Zwei

Continuation from yesterday.....

It's interesting to find that there are people who would reach out and try to see if you need help. Remember the Glühwein and Kinderglühwein? Well, I was at this store (the last one before the bus stop, at Bismarkplatz, to get back to the train station) and trying to decide on whether I would want to try the Kinderglühwein... Just to see what it taste like (I had a cup of the Glühwein along with my lunch and I guess I am not exactly fond of it) and compare it with Glühwein. This German lady call out to me (well, not really calling out as I was rather near her) and ask if I need any help. Inform her of my decision making issue and she was kind enough to explain the differences between them - 1 is alcoholic drink, the other is not. Anyway, we started talking about me being in Heidelberg, and also the Castle as well as the current attraction - Christmas fair. She had also inform me that the Christmas fair is far bigger and better in Frankfurt and she was rather surprise that I haad travelled from Frankfurt to Heidelberg and not spending time at the Christmas fair in Frankfurt. Anyway, we had finished our drinks (and I did not return the cup, so I did not get the refund for the cup; instead I got them to exchanged for a new/clean one and got it now in my luggage) and she was kind enough to tell me what bus to take to get back to the train station and we talk about Asia. Turns out, she had been to Thailand, Malaysia (Penang to be exact) and Singapore, 40 years ago as her husband was into aircraft engineering and was helping out during the Vietnam war. How they landed to be staying in Thailand I have no idea, but at least she has not like a lot of Americans (another story of its own), mistaken Singapore to be part of China!


Anyway, that was almost coming to a close on Sunday. Got back to the Sheraton hotel and got my luggage, took a taxi to Hochheim - to be my area of stay for the week. Funny part of this part of the journey was that the taxi driver got lost... After the meter had jumped to 40 Euros, he stopped the meter and told me that he will charge me for that amount only (due to the fact that he is not familiar and was not able to get me to my intended location within the actual distance). The first location he wanted to turn into was Hofheim which is not the same place as Hochheim. I had to let him know that it's actually very near Mainz. He took the next exit, telling me that it's easier and nearer to use the other road than using the Autobahn (In Singapore terms, it's Expressway). He drove and we finally saw the road signs that has the correct name Hochheim on it. Follow it and finally got to the town. However, there isn't much of a map to show where the Hotel was, he stopped the taxi again and asked any person he came across. The first gentleman he ask did not even know the location of the road that the hotel is situated (Imagine that!). Finally it turns out that we were actually very close to the road, just a turn into the small street, turn left at the Y junction and in a few more metres we are there... So finally I got to be in the correct location - Rheingauer Tor Hotel.

Apparently this is a family-run hotel and the owner actually stays about 5 mins away from the hotel. So I had to press the buzz that was linked to their own home (the reception close rather early at 6pm on Sundays, 8pm on other days) and had to wait in the lobby for 5 mins. At least I did not have to stand in the cold for that! Soon she arrive and I got my room as well as Internet access!!!!! Quite funny that for a large hotel like Sheraton, it does not have broadband access and yet in this small family-run hotel, I get broadband access and in wireless format too! Once I had settle down with the luggages and all that, it was time to hit the road for dinner! It was a good thing that I managed to ask the lady where to eat before she left for her home again... Had a Hungarian goulash soup as well as a smaller portion serving of beef steak which I have to say are rather tasty, with the soup favouring towards a wee bit of salty. Wash all these down with a pint of beer.

Came back to the hotel after the dinner, and started my usual activities (surfing and reading of emails). Soon, it was time for bed.

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Woke up early on Monday morning, due to the relative heatness I felt with a layer of pjs with a jumper and leg warmers. It was a little unbearable with the heat, so I had to wake up to remove the jumper and leg warmers. Find it kind of funny that as the time changes, the temperature will also change - it gets colder, despite leaving the radiator on with the same speed. Anyway, it was way too early so I got back to sleep.

Woke up 2 hours later and was rather frentic in getting ready for breakfast (the breakfast time is only up till 9am). While having breakfast, I was on the lookout for my German colleague who was going to give me a lift to the office - well, I have no idea where it is anyway. It was the start of the training week.

Had Italian food for lunch and realised that the food here seem to be quite in favour of salty food. The lasagne that I had was also leaning toward the salty... Oh, the impression of most people outside of Germany is that German food is basically the Bratwurst, beer and Pork Knuckles!!! Well, I found out that it's not. Infact I had not had a Bratwurst yet! Well, except for the time where I had Sheraton's breakfast buffet. Even then, it's only the beef sausages, not the famous version of the sausages. But I do see a fair bit of Schnitzel.

*Yawn* Ok... time to ZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Germany... So far....

Well, I am currently having training in Germany, and it will be for a week. So far, it's been COLD! But then again, it's winter here, so cold is expected. Infact, I have been grateful that I bought the gloves as it's really a necessity. I never did think it was that cold when I arrive. Did not even wear any thermal underwear, but to wear that onboard the plane was also suicidal as at a point during the flight I was perspiring in my seat. Well, I can only say I was very glad that I wore them during my trip to Heidelberg... except that it was not the thicker one that I got on...

Anyway to start off, let start with the flight... For a person who is a confessed introvert, I must say I am surprised that I could start conversations with people. So it comes as a surprised that I start a conversation with the person sitting next to me (and that's before we even settle down in the seat for the plane to start taxing off). Well, that leads to a change of place as a lady ask me if I could change seat with her husband as he was sitting a few seats ahead and the rest of the family is sitting directly behind me. From there, due to some unknown reason that day, the system refused to work for me - which means I will not get to watch any movies or listen to audio channels - I get to shift to another seat. Had a chat with the 2 German guys and they actually was in Singapore for a meeting after a trip to Chengdu... Wonder if they learn to speak mandrin - then again, at that time, I forgot to ask....

Had stayed a night at Sheraton next to Frankfurt Airport... It's easier to stay there for a night than to start my night stay in Hochheim where I will be for the week. Of course it goes without saying that it's easier to travel around from the former location than the later. But boy was I surprised... Funny that they are still having dial-up for internet access and man, it's expensive. Therefore, I was not able to get online that night... Then again it was not a problem for me as I was rather tired by then. So I slept, only to wake up way before my alarm rang (and it's been 2 days in the row...)

Sunday came and gone... Traveled to Heidelberg, a place where I have been before in 1997. How time has flied and after so many years, Heidelberg seems to have changed (How it has changed... Still can't quite put a finger to it yet...). Even the method of getting there as changed. I remember when I went over for the 1st time, I don't have to change any train from Frankfurt airport. This time, I had to change at Mannheim to a S-Bahn (Don't ask me what that means, I only know that it's one of those regional trains). Funny thing about it is that I cannot recall how to get to the city centre and the tourist information centre was closed. Last resort that I did - Went to the nearest hotel and ask them if they got a map of the place. They gave directions on how to get there as well.

Anyway, it was a last moment decision that I decided to go to the Heidelberg Castle (or what's left of it). The last time I was there, I did not go there, so I thought this time I should do that... Nice grounds... Love the park, with all the nice colours of the trees. What amuses me while I was at the Castle ground was that I saw a group of Chinese nationals with a German lady as a guide and that lady speak flawless Beijing mandrin. I spent more than 5 mins in the shop just to witness the exchanges - she asking the shopkeeper in German, then inform the others what the shopkeeper says in Chinese.

From there, it was onto the city centre where apparently there are pockets of stores opened just for Christmas period. In it, there are also stores that sells Glühwein - Mulled wine. It's a hot red wine punch which is only available at this time at those Christmas market (or fair). It was a welcoming drink apparently for them as they still would want to carry on shopping at the fair and this drink, along with the sausages (Bratwurst), fuel your energies and warm you for continuation of Christmas shopping in the winter. There is also a non-alcoholic version - they call it a kid's version, Kinderglühwein. In this case, it taste like hot Ribena (if you know what Ribena is and also taste like) and it turns out that the reason for it is that they use grape juice instead of red table wine.


*Yawning * Ok, it's time to ZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzz... Will carry on tomorrow.

Saw this in an email recently.....

Found this in an email recently......

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On my wedding day, I carried my wife in my arms. The bridal car stopped in front of our one-room flat. My buddies insisted that I carry her out of the car in my arms. So I carried her into our home. She was then plump and shy. I was a strong and happy bridegroom.

This was the scene ten years ago.

The following days were as simple as a cup of pure water: we had a kid, I went into business and tried to make more money. When the assets were steadily increasing, the affection between us seemed to ebb. She was a civil servant. Every morning we left home together and got home almost at the same time. Our kid was studying in a boarding school.

Our marriage life seemed to be enviably happy. But the calm life was more likely to be affected by unpredictable changes.

Dew came into my life.

It was a sunny day. I stood on a spacious balcony. Dew hugged me from behind. My heart once again was immersed in her stream of love. This was the apartment I bought for her.

Dew said, You are the kind of man who best draws girls' eyeballs. Her words suddenly reminded me of my wife. When we were just married, my wife said, Men like you, once successful, will be very attractive to girls. Thinking of this, I became somewhat hesitant. I knew I had betrayed mywife. But I couldn’t help doing so.

I moved Dew' s hands aside and said, You go to select some furniture, O.K.? I ve got something to do in the company. Obviously she was unhappy, because I had promised to do it together with her. At the moment, the idea of divorce became clearer in my mind although it used to be something impossible to me.

However, I found it rather difficult to tell my wife about it. No matter how mildly I mentioned it to her, she would be deeply hurt. Honestly, she was a good wife. Every evening she was busy preparing dinner. I was sitting in front of the TV. The dinner was ready soon. Then we watched TV together. Or, I was lounging before the computer, visualizing Dew's body. This was the means of my entertainment.

One day I said to her in a slightly joking way, suppose we divorce, what will you do? She stared at me for a few seconds without a word. Apparently she believed that divorce was something too far away from her. I couldn’t imagine how she would react once she got to know I was serious.

When my wife went to my office, Dew had just stepped out. Almost all the staff looked at my wife with a sympathetic eye and tried to hide something while talking to her. She seemed to have got some hint. She gently smiled at my subordinates. But I read some hurt in her eyes.

Once again, Dew said to me, He Ning, divorce her, O.K.? Then we live together. I nodded. I knew I could not hesitate any more.

When my wife served the last dish, I held her hand. I’ve got something to tell you, I said.

She sat down and ate quietly. Again I observed the hurt in her eyes. Suddenly I didn’t know how to open my mouth. But I had to let her know what I was thinking. I want a divorce. I raised the serious topic calmly.

She didn’t seem to be annoyed by my words, instead she asked me softly, why? I’m serious. I avoided her question. This so-called answer made her angry. She threw away the chopsticks and shouted at me, you are not a man!

That night, we didn’t talk to each other. She was weeping. I knew she wanted to find out what had happened to our marriage. But I could hardly give her a satisfactory answer, because my heart had gone to Dew.

With a deep sense of guilt, I drafted a divorce agreement which stated that she could own our house, our car, and 30% stake of my company. She glanced at it and then tore it into pieces. I felt a pain in my heart. The woman who had been living ten years with me would become a stranger one day. But I could not take back what I had said.

Finally she cried loudly in front of me, which was what I had expected to see. To me her cry was actually a kind of release. The idea of divorce which had obsessed me for several weeks seemed to be firmer and clearer.

Late that night, I came back home after entertaining my clients. I saw her writing something at the table. I fell asleep fast. When I woke up, I found she was still there. I turned over and was asleep again.

She brought up her divorce conditions: she didn’t want anything from me, but I was supposed to give her one month’s time before divorce, and in the month’s time we must live as normal a life as possible. Her reason was simple: our son would finish his summer vacation a month later and she didn’t want him to see our marriage was broken.

She passed me the agreement she drafted, and then asked me, He Ning, do you still remember how I entered our bridal room on the wedding day? This question suddenly brought back all those wonderful memories to me. I nodded and said, I remember. You carried me in your arms, she continued, so, I have a requirement, that is, you carry me out in your arms on the day when we divorce. From now to the end of this month, you must carry me out from the bedroom to the door every morning.

I accepted with a smile. I knew she missed those sweet days and wished to end her marriage with romantically.

I told Dew about my wife's divorce conditions. She laughed loudly and thought it was absurd. No matter what tricks she does, she has to face the result of divorce, she said scornfully. Her words more or less made me feel uncomfortable.

My wife and I hadn’t had any body contact since my divorce intention was explicitly expressed. We even treated each other as a stranger. So when I carried her out on the first day, we both appeared clumsy. Our son clapped behind us, daddy is holding mummy in his arms. His words brought me a sense of pain. From the bedroom to the sitting room, then to the door, I walked over ten meters with her in my arms. She closed her eyes and said softly, Let us start from today, don’t tell our son. I nodded, feeling somewhat upset. I put her down outside the door. She went to wait for a bus, I drove to the office.

On the second day, both of us acted much more easily. She leaned on my chest. We were so close that I could smell the fragrance of her blouse. I realized that I hadn’t looked at this intimate woman carefully for a long time. I found she was not young any more. There were some fine wrinkles on her face.

On the third day, she whispered to me, The outside garden is being demolished. Be careful when you pass there.

On the fourth day, when I lifted her up, I seemed to feel that we were still an intimate couple and I was holding my sweetheart in my arms. The visualization of Dew became vague.

On the fifth and sixth day, she kept reminding me something, such as, where she put the ironed shirts, I should be careful while cooking, etc. I nodded. The sense of intimacy was even stronger.

I didn't tell Dew about this.

I felt it was easier to carry her. Perhaps the everyday workout made me stronger. I said to her, It seems not difficult to carry you now.

She was picking her dresses. I was waiting to carry her out. She tried quite a few but could not find a suitable one. Then she sighed, All my dresses have grown bigger. I smiled. But I suddenly realized that it was because she was thinner that I could carry her more easily, not because I was stronger. I knew she had buried all the bitterness in her heart. Again, I felt a sense of pain. Subconsciously I reached out a hand to touch her head.

Our son came in at the moment. Dad, it’s time to carry mum out. He said. To him, seeing his father carrying his mother out had been an essential part of his life. She gestured our son to come closer and hugged him tightly. I turned my face because I was afraid I would change my mind at the last minute. I held her in my arms, walking from the bedroom, through the sitting room, to the hallway. Her hand surrounded my neck softly and naturally. I held her body tightly, as if we came back to our wedding day. But her much lighter weight made me sad.

On the last day, when I held her in my arms I could hardly move a step. Our son had gone to school. She said, Actually I hope you will hold me in your arms until we are old.

I held her tightly and said, Both you and I didn’t notice that our life lacked intimacy.

I jumped out of the car swiftly without locking the door. I was afraid any delay would make me change my decision. I walked upstairs. Dew opened the door. I said to her, Sorry, Dew, I won't divorce. I'm serious.

She looked at me, astonished. The she touched my forehead. You got no fever. She said. I moved her hand off my head. Sorry, Dew, I said, I can only say sorry to you, I won’t divorce. My marriage life was boring probably because she and I didn’t value the details of life, not because we didn't love each other any more. Now I understand that since I carried her into the home, she gave birth to our child, I am supposed to hold her until I am old. So I have to say sorry to you.

Dew seemed to suddenly wake up. She gave me a loud slap and then slammed the door and burst into tears. I walked downstairs and drove to the office.

When I passed the floral shop on the way, I ordered a bouquet for my wife which was her favorite. The salesgirl asked me what to write on the card. I smiled and wrote, I'll carry you out every morning until we are old.

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Rather interesting article I have to say... Funny thing is... If you know your spouse has already stray from you... And have ask for divorce, what would you do? I really wonder what went thru her head when she told her husband that he will have to carry her out till the end of the month... Perhaps it's was something that she wants to remember by, as I believe she still loves him. Whether she knows what effect it will have on him is debatable.

Perhaps it's something that people would have to think about. Looking at the divorce rates, it's kind of wonder why they would want to marry anyway? Is it incompatiblility? If so, why get married in the first place? You mean despite knowing the person for so long, you still don't know if you are compatible??? Not unless the person has been acting in front of you - if you know the person for so long, how can it be that you don't know the person well enough to be able to access if both of you are compatble with each other?

Is it really that love is not longer there? Why? You decided on it after so many years, ok, fine.... it may be months instead of years... Whatever... Then where has the love gone? Did it just vanished? Or is it really, like in this story, that you have lost the intimacy... And because of that you think you lost the love?

Could it also be that you are not willing to spend the time and effort to work with each other as the commitment level in this day and age is not longer a must in a relationship? Is commitment a "dirty" word in our dictionary?

I cannot fathom how 2 persons could in a such a short time (within months of their wedding) suddenly decided that they are not compatible and would want to divorce... In fact, why did they get married in the 1st place? Is it really irreconcilable? Or is it because of external factors that come to play?

Marriage is not just about 2 persons... It's actually 2 families... If you as a couple is not going to sit down and work out how much influence your family will have in your marriage... Add in the consideration of 2 different personalities... It's a recipe for disaster. Why? Simple, we carry what we have learnt from our interaction with our own family into the relationship. If you are easily influence by your parents, then in your decisions, you will still look for your parents for advice. However, if the advice given goes against the grain of your spouse... Won't a quarrel starts between the 2 of you? Similarly, if the pattern of behaviour in your family is such, wond't you be subconciously applying the same pattern of behaviour in yours? And thus, expecting the same results?

Oh well... Whatever, if people are as such... Perhaps because of this , among other reasons, that I am still not in that shoe yet... As for whether it will ever happens... That's still a question...

Time to ZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

P.S. - Will be flying to Germany this Sat for a week!!!! But I am now stressed out from having things not settled... Still have a list of stuff to get before flying.... ARGH!!!!!