I am recovering from jetlag, dear friends, and yes, I crossed continents in this pandemic time. Not easy. I will tell you more in a separate post. Today, I just want to show signs of life lest you think I have disappeared forever into the void of the internet!
We are in Germany. Far from the tiny house, far from the beach, far from our plants, far from the sun and humidity. It is summertime here to the lovely tune of 15 C. I know I do not need to tell you I brought the wrong clothes.
We are staying in a large flat renovated by Markus’ parents. The tiny house could fit inside the bedroom. My new kitchen is nice but have yet to be complete. I cope by imagining that I am on an AirBnB and must use what implements are available.
On my fourth day here, I went to the market. Not so far from home, a pleasant walk. It was comforting to find shiny tomatoes, beefy bell peppers, and earthy mushrooms waiting for me. Food is food on every side of the world.
I still cook Asian everyday, sometimes fusion. It is fun to experiment and try new things. I particularly enjoyed the introduction to stone fruits that Markus and his mother gave me. In The Philippines, we do not have apricots, cherries, peaches, or plums. It is nice to discover these tastes and textures.
The condiments are a learning curve, too. I was surprised to see my black tofu a glossy white after the oyster sauce here behaved differently from the one I know back home. The soy sauce tastes different and the vinegar not as sharp, too. But we continue to eat well and have fun reinventing our food.
This is all I can say for now. I hope you are all well. I am looking forward to catching up with you all. My brain is still foggy and my body is exhausted after all this time but I hope to recover soon. Lots to share with you then. Much love from Germany.
Markus + Micah 
I like these pictures of foods that you shared with us.
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Thanks. These are things that I enjoy here. The fall is particularly interesting for me. I enjoy seeing the leaves and hearing them crunch. Markus said I should avoid stepping on the piles of leaves because a hedgehog may be living there.
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This is exciting. I look forward to reading about Germany from your point of view.
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Thank you. It has been a month now and I can say our town is a reasonable place to live with. I particularly enjoy all the green and how they manage covid here.
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Love the photos! Hope you have a great time there. Looking forward to your adventures 💙
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Thanks! I have been doing things here and will talk about them in detail soon. Mostly, I am recovering from being tired all the time. It feels like things are improving now though.
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Oh my goodness – just in a blink of an eye, you are in Germany! How long are you there for? What fun!
It must have been so fun to visit the markets. You are cooking such lovely food as always!
Looking forward to hearing about more adventures. Enjoy! Be safe & well!
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Thank you! It certainly did not feel like a blink of an eye. Haha! I will be here for several months. It is so strange to see how normal everything is here. In The Philippines, restrictions are normal. Here, people get on with their lives, eat at cafes, watch shows, and go to the market. Hard to wrap my head around it. How is it in SG now?
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So lovely to hear from you! I just visited your blogsite and figured that you were still in Germany!
Isn’t it strange how things are in Europe? My family relate a scene very different from what we are experiencing. And yes, it is hard to get my head around it, and there you are, right in the midst of a different world, experiencing it all first hand!
In Singapore, our restrictions have loosened some. Numbers aren’t encouraging though. But I think the Powers That Be are trying a new strategy as a majority of the population are now vaccinated.
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I hope life in Sg continues to improve for you. Lucky that majority have been vaccinated there. It is as of nothing has changed in The Ph. Quite sad. Here, I often wonder if people know how lucky they are that they are able to play sports, sit in cafes, and go around. Markus said cases are still rising here but only in certain areas. Vaccines and testing are widely available.
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It’s very interesting how different countries deal with this pandemic, and how people is these different places vary in their responses.
Folks like you and I need to be so very careful because of our health conditions – so I guess we just have to look after ourselves regardless what people around us are doing.
How long more are you in Germany for?
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I agree. Here, they seem to manage it well. In The Ph, it is like things have not changed at all. I wonder if traveling to Sg will be possible soon? I am here in Germany for several months. I hope to be back home in time for the holidays.
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The food looks so good!! Enjoy Germany! And drink lots of water and have enough sleep for the jetlag!
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Thank you. You are so right with hydrating. Just in general. Especially here when it is colder, I am not as aware that I need to drink badly. I even experience nausea because I am dehydrated already. How are you? Recovered already?
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Hiii! Yes, thank you for asking! I was out of the facility a week after I was diagnosed, thank God 🙂
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Glad to hear. And life there is back to normal then?
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Love the pictures! Enjoy your time in Germany. That’s another place I would love to visit.
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Many thanks, Amy. It is shocking how normal everything is here. Definitely far from what I know back home.
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Love your comparisons. Everything new, and fun! I can sort of relate, especially the tiredness of relocating and beginning to explore. Eager to read more!
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Thank you, Rebecca. How did your move go? Are the dogs doing okay? I am starting to feel more lively again. Slowly, slowly.
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Wow! Enjoy your time in Germany 🙂
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Thank you. It is strange here – cold summer and light in the nighttime.
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I enjoyed reading the beginning of your adventure in Germany. Your photos are lovely, as always. You serve food with Asian flair, and I’m sure it’s as good as it looks. Rest up and write the next installment.
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Thank you, Anne. I feel really tired, like my brain is out of place. I have been accident prone since I arrived a week ago.
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Steady on! Be careful!
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It is getting better. Thank you!
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Ahh, you are so close 😉 it’s a maximum of 20c here. You need to move further west 😊 I hope you both enjoy your time there. I look forward to reading more! 💐💐🙋♂️
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Many thanks. There are so many interesting things here. For example, we knocked on all our neighbors in this flat to give them chocolate cupcakes and introduce ourselves yesterday but all of them were not home!
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Micah, your food pictures always make me hungry! Enjoy your time in Germany. You’re brave travelling in these times. I am supposed to travel to the USA next month and I’m a little nervous. Mind you, I’m not sure the border will reopen in time so it may not happen.
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Cannot wait to tell the story, Michelle. It is quite the experience. You cannot cross the border even if it is essential travel?
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My work wouldn’t be classified as essential because, honestly, it could be done by video conference.
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Oh well. Here is to hoping travel will be possible sooner rather than later!
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The food looks delicious and you seem to have adapted well to new ways of cooking.
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Adapted well for the last week I have been here. Haha! It still feels like I am on an AirBnB. I wish you were all my neighbors and we can all have dinner together.
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I believe it’s okay to travel, as long as you stay there for a while… it’s the country hops that make it a little tricky…
I am glad that you’ve bounced back… take care and enjoy!!!
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Thank you. Lots of people are traveling around EU this time for the summer. It is different where I am. Here, they act like covid is done. Everything is normal except mask in shops and trains.
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Yeah, my friends from Germany and London say the same thing… but from here, travel to UK is still not allowed, maybe one way? We won’t be allowed to return… we cannot even visit Dubai being one of the flagged cities…
Germany is super nice at this time, noh? I saw my friend’s post and it was so amazing!!!
Have fun and keep safe!
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Traveling is just hard these days. Too many things to consider. Here in Europe it is simpler, I guess. People are able to go everywhere and take their vacations as usual. And yes, it is nice here when it is sunny. It rains a lot since I arrived and now it seems like fall is fast approaching.
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