Post Chinese New Year and wedding event

Came back from Europe and quickly went to Chinatown on the last weekend before CNY to soak the feeling of festival as well as get goodies home..

On the first day of CNY, after visiting, went to river Hongbao at marina bay to see the lantents, performance and read the forecast of the year for my zodiac..lol

On 16 feb, it's my best friends wedding..I have known both of them since 14 years old..classmate for 4 years with hui and 7 years with Karen (she copycat and followed me to same poly and same course..lol) 

Woke up at 5am on Sunday morning is a pain..wash up and reach hui house at 6am..after every brothers have arrived, it's time to fetch the bride at 6.35am

 After reaching the bride house, the sisters gang had all their weapons and games to torture the brothers before the groom get his bride..as you can see from the picture below, our legs are tied up together at the ground floor till 5th floor..the gate crash game is as usual.. Spicy, sweet, bitter and sour taste/ food to prove to the bride that the groom is willing to go through all these circumstances with her together..is Chinese tradition..lol..after the sisters were contented with our games result as well as the payout ($$), they willing to open the gate and let us in..

Subsequently, hui got his wife and now headed to his house and pray to the ancestor ..afterwhich, head up north to punngol end to snap pictures.. 

After the picture- taking, went back to groom house for tea ceremony..and then to the bride house for tea ceremony..which ends around 12.30pm..We then drove to orchard hotel where the banquet dinner will be held that night..check in at 1.30pm and have a rest till 4pm.. 

At 4.45pm, went up to the pool to prepare for the solemnization. 

The solemnization ends at 5.30pm and they prepared to change while the brothers and sisters are busying with reception desk..guests start to flow in at 6.30pm until 8pm when the actual dinner starts..as a co-ordinator, I was rushing and coordinating with mc, hotel manger, sound man.. And dinner starts at 8.15pm..phew...all the way till 11pm..

I'm so glad is all over and happy to see my friends getting married.. Congrats!! And have more babies..hehhehe 

Last stop - Berlin, Garmisch, Füssen, Koln

After 5 hours of train ride, finally arrived at Berlin at 5pm.. The sky already turned dark and nothing else I can do..just check in and spend the night eating and drinking.

The next day, went to east side gallery to understand the history of east and west Germany. Berlin was most affected as it is the capital and the city was divided..it was quite interesting to understand the history of the communism vs capitalism ideology..Also, went up to the TV tower and have a 360 degree view.."again" lol (shard in uk too)

The next day, went to Charlie checkpoint as well as an old spy/ intel building..it's a shame that most of the explanations were in German and I can only looked at the pictures and imagine what happen at that time..

On the fourth day, signed up the underground tour..it was about the train tunnel and how East German plan to escape to west Germany..interesting tour and really worth 2 hrs of your time! 

On the fifth day, took a train to Portdams..I think it a must visit places if u r in Berlin even though is an hour train ride.. The palace was amazing and the old town there is a fairy tale scene..

The last day in Berlin, I went to Sachsenhausen concentration camp..it's really a deeply sadden place after knowing what happen over there during the nazi's times...we can easily spend a whole day there with the English guided tour! 

                     The Berlin Wall 

                          TV tower

                Charlie checkpoint 

                       Portdams 

               Concentration camp 

To continue my journey in Germany, took an hour plane ride from Berlin to Munich..it's a shame that we missed the snow..it was snowing the day before we arrived!! How rude.. Nevertheless, still get to see snow there..first sight of snow in Europe..lol.. Went to Füssen first and visit the high palace..cold and chilly up there..

The following day, drove to Garmisch and visited the well known Zugspitze, top of Germany by the train ride..It was minus 6-9 degree.. Was freezing like hell..lips were dry, fingers frozen..and with the wind, it's just blown you away..the view was breathtaking and magnificent..hopping between Austria and Germany border is interesting too..haha..especially you don't need to show your passport..lol

Spent a night there and drove to Bavaria old town to snap some pictures before heading to Innsbruck, Austria..it was never a plan in the trip and it's really thankfully that we managed to drive up there..it's just a day trip there and I'm already loving the city..visited the old town and can spend 2-3 hours exploring the town..then took the sky ride up to the mountain and went to the zoo..yes..zoo up in the mountain was awesome..lol...

Finally, it the last weekend in Europe.. Drove to Lindau..the island..it was a quiet town with nothing much to do there..spent a night there before driving 6 hours to Cologne..it was a day driving and by the time we gotten there, it's 6pm after checking in..just look for dinner and sleep.

Last day in Europe, I managed to find time for myself and do the shopping ..visited the Cologne cathedral first before I start my ahopong spree..there was so much shopping in Cologne and can jolly well spend a day there window shopping..as the night fall, drove to airport and ready to go home..it was an amazing yet tiring 23 days of traveling..I have a lot of fun there and really enjoyed myself a lot..time to work and earn more money for future trips :)

                         Lindau  

                Cologne cathedral