Wedding photos

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Summer review

Well, hadn't been here for quite a while. These days have been a great deal of bustling for me. One event after another. Christophe didn't really have had a rest before he started working again. Finally we have all my stuffs moved to The Hague. After several days packing and unpacking, I feel totally exhausted. Today I've a bad cold, got a runny nose, red eyes... oh, my...

Although hectic, our holiday was nice. One month passed much faster than it actually should. We spent wonderful moments visiting Paris, walking the mountains, making jokes. Ten days traveling with camping car brought us lots of fun together.

We had a compact and pleasant wedding in Vienna. Our program was from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. which ended eventually at 11 p.m., first, civil wedding at the city registry office, then reception and lunch at Rennbahn-Freudenau. The city tour we arranged was from 5 to 7.30 p.m. and night visit in MUMOK 8 to 10 p.m. Most guests liked the city tour but not the MUMOK visit. The "bad painting good art" exhibition was not quite the type of art we may understand and appreciate, and both the English and French guides were not fluent, or they probably didn't prepare themselves very well. However, we believe most of our families and friends enjoyed the day being together with us.

The packing directly followed our wedding. (I've lots of stuffs ;) I was unwilling to part with the city I'd been living for 7 years, my first station in Europe, where I learned Christophe. Now I'm in The Hague, at another beginning of my live, starting with my new job at the Uni. The appointment with the personnel department was a kind of lousy. The one who's dealing my case didn't know that I'm holding an Austrian resident card instead of a Holland one, so the application of my working permit had not yet began. Thus I may need to wait quite a while until the administration issues are solved. I wish I can start my job as planned on 15th this month, but I know it's unlikely.

Christophe is sitting beside me now reading news, and meanwhile laughting at my runny and red nose. Packs of tissue paper are lying around me being prepared for my catarrh. Whoever kisses me now is taking a great risk to be infected. Poor love...

Shredded Chicken and Vegetable Salad

suitable as a starter, or a light main dish for summer

Step I. Prepare two pieces of chicken breast (portion for 2~3 persons)
Cook the chicken in water with several pieces of ginger (if you don’t have ginger, use onion or garlic). Medium heat is the trick to have tender chicken. Don’t overcook: the best is 7~8 minutes or short after the chicken turned white. Take out the chicken, cool off. Tear it into slices BY HAND, the thinner the better (this takes time).

Step II. Add any vegetables you like
The most commonly used is celery or soy bean sprouts. You can also use green salad, cucumber, different colors of paprika, etc, whatever you like. Cut them into slices when necessary. Vegetables like salads can be added directly, while some others as celery and soy bean sprouts need to be cooked. (Boil some water. Put in the veges and cook them shortly until they JUST turn soft. Celery and soy bean sprouts will need only approximately 30 seconds.) The photo below has more chicken than veges because we don’t have enough veges left at home today, but normally the proportion shall be 1 to 1. Add in some well cut basil and garlic; some white sesames or pine nuts as well.

Step III. Flavoring
A little salt, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, chilly oil or powder upon your taste. Mix well with the chicken shreds and veges.

Step IV. Serve
Drip several drops of sesame oil on the salad before serve.

Move On

Bought my flight to The Hague on 11 July. Time to go... many things I hesitate to leave behind. Still remaining fresh in my mind is the first day I arrived Vienna. And now, almost time to leave. 30. September, short after the wedding, will be my check out.

My parents will come to The Hague mid of August, and my sister beginning of September. Christophe and I plan for a two-week caravan tour with them down to France and back through Switzerland. We will be in Vienna a week before the wedding and return The Hague on the day after my apartment check out.

So few days I can count that I'll be in Vienna. Hope will still have time to say good-bye to all my friends. Grill party next week!

Getting Married

http://www.yilin.info/wedding
Started preparing our wedding. A job we wanted to do since three years. This time it goes. A right moment, before I move to the Netherlands, beginning of out new life together :) And I'm specially happy today to know that Christophe will come over to Vienna on Friday night. What we've done till now:

• booked the civil wedding at Magistrat
• wedding day at Kaiserloge
• menu and table settings still in arrangement
  
• night museum visit at MOMUK
• a photographer and a cameraman still in arrangement
  
• a pianist for the afternoon
• a bus to transfer the guests
• our wedding website
• sent the invitation per E-mails

We know that it is an uncommon way to send the wedding invitations by E-mails. However we believe it is the most convenient and simplest way for the guests and for us, as our guests are spread in different countries. With the assistance of our website, info is sufficient. Well, what is going to be done:

• complete what are still in arrangement
• book a guided city tour after we know how many people what to attend
• choose wine
  
• book a car for us for the wedding day
• print the menu, table settings and stationary cards
  

So, if we invited you, please reply us as soon as possible if you will come and tell us what events you want to join. An affiliated matter: I found a company to drive my stuffs to The Hague. I will move soon after the wedding which also will become a farewell party.

I'm excited that my parents will come to The Hague mid of August. After three years, finally I have a chance to stay with them for two months :o) can't wait to see them -:¦:-•:*SO*:•.-:¦:-•*HAPPY*•-:¦:-

Tibet

Many people have asked me about Tibet these days. What I said was probably pro-China for them. If one is interested in what have been happened there, he or she could at least do a little research in history. Some people made judgments lacking knowledge of political history of Tibet. Actually I just based my opinion on the facts, not in favor of any side. It is an issue that could not simply be categorized by right or wrong.

Interview: Michael Parenti


Some other videos I found interesting:
Tibet: The Truth (A Political History)
The CIA in Tibet
Tibet The Story Of A Tragedy
Dalai Lama and Dorje Shugden
Dorjee Shugden
Interview after March
Where is Tibet? (funny)

Comfortably off

I had lengthy phone-conversations with two friends this afternoon. Cao and Chen have been my best friends since my teens. We didn't contact each other often during these years of living far apart. Each of us has been busy, Cao in Shanghai, Chen in Toronto and me in Vienna.

Cao is the only one among us who is married (I'll catch up soon :) He has a lovely six-year-old daughter. I can feel through the phone that he hasn't changed much, hard-working while easy-going. He's a businessman, successful and nice-hearted. Successful businessperson is not difficult to find, but being nice-hearted is handful nowadays, specially in a city like Shanghai, that business is almost equal to hoax and humbug.

Out of his profession he encouraged me to do some trading with him, however I don't feel it my thing anymore. I prefer to get entangled in my books. I know I've changed and I'm well aware that the last six years formed a turning point of my thoughts and values. I immerse myself totally in studying, and will take research as my lifelong occupation. I feel comfortably off with my computer and my love; no need for more.

Chen's immigration experience is much tougher than mine. She works almost full-time beside her study. Her supervisor is definitely a hornet. Five and half years time will probably make her MSc more valuable than some PhD for her. I wish that she will as lucky as I am to find THE ONE of her life and be happy with him together. Somehow everyone deserves it. Being abroad for almost six years let us have lots of common topics. Living far away from home is back-busting. Bitter and happiness are never separated to each other. What gratifies her now is that her parents are going to visit her in May for three months.

Chris and I plan to go to Shanghai or Canada next year. I look forward to the moment to meet my old friends again, introduce Chris to them and them to him.

The Hague - Day 1

Well well, it as been hectic since I returned from Congo, this is the least we could say. (For latest adventures see Yilin's post, I'll take it from there.)

Just back from Switzerland where I went to see Florian, a friend I made in Congo. Went skiing a bit, just enough for me to acknowledge that advance in ski technology allowed me to retain my level over the years. Hadn't been skiing since 7 years.

Presently I write you from The Hague where I just moved into our new apartment, Yilin and I. Checked out WIFI connections available and found one with up to four bars at my window which was not encrypted.

I rent a car for the third time in three weeks and managed to bring the necessary to squat my own apartment until I buy a mattress. Signed the rental contract and met the plumber who will ensure the bathroom looks like a bathroom. Otherwise all other things go well. Heating is fine and electricity and water run proper, kind of a change for me.

The place is cool. Yilin will tell you I'm trying to sell her The Hague. But frankly I like the place. Old and modern center, a city at men's size, actually. Lot's of green and room to bike. And no governmental crisis like in Belgium at sight. Where we (will) live is quite popular and international. Reminds me of other places I lived: Brussels of course, but also Vienna.

In our consumerist societies it is very easy to get the basics you need when you move in a new town. When I entered my apartment, there was lots of advertisements for anything and everything which awaited me at my doorstep. No welcome from the community, but definitively from the supermarkets where maybe I will get to know my neighbours.

Tomorrow I will only get the necessary to sleep well and will then wait for the actual move to take place, probably next week. Until then I will relax and rest, which means I will read and spend time discovering The Hague.

Will tell you more after few nights here...

Good Karma - Instructions for life

These are hooking long on the Internet. They are said to be Dalai Lama's mottoes. When I read them today again, I did strike a responsive chord...

1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
2. When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.
3. Follow the three R’s: Respect for self, Respect for others and Responsibility for all your actions.
4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.
5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.
6. Don’t let a little dispute injure a great relationship.
7. When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
8. Spend some time alone every day.
9. Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.
10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
11. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you’ll be able to enjoy it a second time.
12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.
13. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don’t bring up the past.
14. Share your knowledge. It is a way to achieve immortality.
15. Be gentle with the earth.
16. Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.
17. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.
18. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.
19. Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.

Happy New Year

This Xmas was probably the most exciting and tiring for me. Christophe's return (I mean not going back to Congo again) definitely added on more to celebrate. Our schedule was full with activities that I hardly found a moment of break in between. Sitting on bed reviewing my last two weeks, it was more a march than a holiday. Am I complaining? Oh, no, I enjoyed it too - except the moments we rushed here and there :)

My flight to Brussels was on Saturday morning at 6:40. Strangely my alarm clock didn't ring that morning. Without the ring of a friend at 5:15, I would have missed the flight. It was the start of my rush hours.

The first weekend we went to De Haan with Chris' father and his wife Bernadette celebrating his 60th. I had my first walk along the seaside in winter. Beautiful but cold - what a surprise. In the evening we had a superb delicious dinner, though it was also impressive in terms of price. As Christophe had been in Africa for three years, it was the first chance after these years that all could be together for a weekend. His father was very happy that all his kids were there accompanying him. The evening was cozy and snug. Nevertheless at the end the birthday-child felt pity for turning to be 60. What shall I say? Perhaps he felt the same as when some women turn over 30 :)

On Monday Chris and I visited a friend in Namur. A cool guy I haven't seen for two years. At the beginning I was even wondering if I could still recognize him. Tuesday to Thursday we were in Den Hague looking for apartment. (Uhm ~~ somehow I have to move too sooner or later!) These three days were the toughest for me. The weather was freezing cold. We went with several real estate agencies, seeing apartments one after another. Somehow didn't find one fully satisfied us. The one we liked most has a kitchen and a bathroom that are badly built. As we don't want to invest too much in a rent apartment, we do expect the landlord will contribute to rebuild them. Till the moment, the real estate agency hasn't yet responded us.

Our trip to Christophe's mother started on Saturday early morning. We arrived her place in Monsistrier, middle of France, at 8 p.m. She has a little house in the Alps. We went every day walking in the mountains or visiting small villages. I had a bit alcohol overdose at Christmas eve, red face plus unclear mind. Beautiful nature, nice food, kind people, everyone rejoiced at being there for Christmas. We returned Brussels one week later, and met Christophe's friends. As some of them got babies, Christophe urged me to have our own.

We spent the New Year's day with Christophe's father and Bernadette. Christophe sorted out the stuff he wanted to take with him to Den Hague. Actually almost everything he stocked at their attic. In the evening Bernadette invited her family for a dinner party. It was comfy. Her family has amicable relations. We had to go to sleep in time because of our early flights the next morning. Now Chris is with a friend in Switzerland and me in Vienna. As always we have lots of photos from the last two weeks. I posted some on Flickr in De Haan and in France.

Just went shopping and bought food to fill my fridge, which was completely empty after I came back. Having been in bed for two days, I feel recovered from tiredness and sickness. I made myself a real Chinese dinner tonight, the first meal of the year at home. I want to take the chance to wish you (although a little delayed) - my friends, my family, or whoever you are - to have a Happy New Year , stay healthy and delightful, enjoy everyday and every moment you spend, let's Cheers for our lives and the coming New Year.

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM YILIN AND CHRISTOPHE