Day 78

I am hooked to 林宥嘉's album. I take 解high人 as a dedication to people like me. 说谎 sounded painfully normal initially but now it's becoming irresistible like 伯乐. Besides the music I guess I am also bought in by how he presents himself in the media ever since the competition - honest, thinks before he speaks, speaks to impress no one, descriptive about his personal journey in music. Personally find 杨宗纬 and 萧敬腾 over-dramatic, to the point that the emotions they reproduce in their singing sound kind of insincere (and what's up with the latter slaughtering 我怀念的?). Yoga's more real, as you can hear.

Day 78

I just got to know why on Saturday I saw some groups of people wearing the Algerian flags and making a great deal of noise with it - it was the day of the World Cup qualifier match between them and Egypt, and the latter won 2-0 anyway.

Day 77

Some French firemen just appeared at the door to sell 2010 calendars featuring the French Fire Brigade. Haha a very interesting peacetime duty.

Day 75

The sky was dimming, the air was getting colder, and I was walking along rue Mouffetard this lively street with bars, restaurants and open market stalls. Very Xmas feel. And then this guy was playing the violin and the melancholy music perfected the whole setting for me. For the first time ever I felt obliged to drop some coins for a busker because his performance adds real value to all the things in that space at that time, and not out of pity. Never knew buskers can have this kind of magic.

Day 74

Dropped by Basilica of St Denis, an abbey church where most of the royalty of France are buried, including Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. It's quite omg to see their tombs so close to you.

Day 73

Supposedly the 2nd most visited place in France after Paris - Mont St-Michel in the West of France! Nothing particularly interesting or inspiring, just a very scenic tourist trap. Worth the visit though.

Day 72

One of the first things to do when I get back to S'pore - get 苏打绿's "夏. 狂热", 林宥嘉's "感官世界" and 卢广仲's "七天"! Their talents engulf me. And this should probably take place on Christmas, cos' I'd be back S'pore 24 Dec! Since lessons end 16 Dec, and I'm not taking exams, and I don't want to pay the rent for January, and there are no other European destinations I want to visit, and that I can keep myself alive cheaper in S'pore, might as well. Exactly 6 more weeks to go!

Day 71

I'm glad to have been here! After this experience I'll probably say it's essential to be at a sports match in the country you are staying for long. You get to see a different side of the people. Or maybe it's just the setting which stops me from judging the people according to homeland standards. Everyone's jovial and patriotic. The French way of cheering, the collective sighs when the French player missed a ball he shouldn't, the feeble but eventually successful initiation of the Kallang wave. If only there were such grand-scale tennis events in S'pore! I wouldn't be that engaged as a spectator at S-Leagues or F1 (there's more to hear than see no?), not like I would be one in the first place.

Day 70

Over the weekend I hosted Wenxiang and Wenxiu. This coming one the 2 Southampton exchange Geographers are coming over! The heater's been in use since last week, max temperature has been stuck at 10 degrees these few days. Minimum tomorrow is 1 degree. Just bought gloves at H & M - 2 pairs for 3.95 euros. Hope what I've is enough!

Day 70

I was just done with Haruki Murakami's 'Kafka on the Shore' last night. Most of his books have the surrealist slant and this one is no exception - the omens, dreams, callings experienced by the characters. This morning I was eating my breakfast while walking to the metro station and this old lady in front walked past me, turned and said "Don't eat while walking". I smiled at her and continued making my way. But at that instance I was quite spooked - like omg was that an omen! Aftermath of a good and intense read. Regretted not buying more titles by him when I was in London. I'm on The Da Vinci Code now, lagged by 6 years. It's just destined that I've to read it in Paris haha.

Day 67

Having been re-educated about WW2 in museums and in Normandy, I bought Band of Brothers DVD in London and am just done watching the 10 hours of it. I think it's spectacular, probably the best motion picture I've ever seen. Wouldn't have been able to relate to it as much if I haven't been in France and haven't been through NS; so although I'm 8 years late, it's still makes a better time to watch it.

Day 66

I fell asleep at Macdonalds, forehead on my palms on my wallet on the table. Handphone was in one of the pockets of my windbreaker slung on the back of my seat. It's gone when I woke up! Life goes on. Maybe pop by the nearest flea market this weekend and see if it's on sale there haha.

Day 64

Had a great time in London! Had dinner with Limin Qiwen Renji from NP on Thursday night, went for Singapore Seminar on Saturday after which had dinner with Wenxiang then came back on Sunday evening to have dinner with Chunhan (who stayed in my apartment while I was in London). All the smart people from Dunman haha.

Anyway I am quite decided on getting 3 Unsatisfactories for this semester (I'm only taking 3 mods). Then overload when I get back. It sounds silly but I guess it's even sillier to attempt to pass - the pain of everything in French and the guilt of scrapping through. I shall indulge in the books I bought in London.

Day 58

I THINK I experienced a fire drill today. Halfway through the lecture the alarm sounded, then people started packing their bags and I followed. Then evacuated the compound and everyone was jovial or smoking. Ten minutes later people started streaming back and I followed.