Published on 30 April 2008
in diet and food.
It’s going to be an interesting challenge finding good meals for the coming colder months. Fresh fruit and big green salads are wonderful when it’s warm and sunny, but not so satisfying when it’s cold and rainy.
I have been slowly collecting appropriate vegetarian/vegan recipes while trawling through the blogosphere, like this vegetarian split pea soup, which sounds divine. Am currently keeping my eyes open for a good dahl recipe. And anything involving chickpeas in a stew.
And, thanks to the ’sphere, I have recently been introduced to the wonders of steel cut oats. I always found instant oats okay but somewhat like eating white bread - quick, easy but like something’s missing. Not so with the steel cut variety. Simple recipe here. Deliciously warming.
I’m just realising that our trip is not long away (YAY!) and suddenly wanting to start reading about all the cities we’ll be visiting, so if you know of any good books (novels, histories) on the following places please leave me your suggestion(s):
London
Oxford
Paris
Amsterdam (and the Netherlands generally)
Berlin
Anything general on England, France, and Germany would also be good. Thanks 
Published on 29 April 2008
in books.
Nonfiction - Languages
Originally uploaded by Constance Wiebrands.
Funny what you find to be an interesting subject for a photo: I always like looking at pictures of well-stocked bookshelves. Here are some of the books in my study.
Some of my Dutch language learning materials are on that middle shelf. Many of the other books are Chinese dictionaries.
I also have a few books on writing the Malay language in the Arabic script, or Jawi as it’s known. I actually learned Jawi in primary school but am very rusty in it now, although I can, if I squint apply myself, read some Arabic words. (Note: there’s a difference between mere reading and actually comprehending what you’re reading.) I’ve got all these Jawi books because I always imagine that some day I will sit down and reacquaint myself properly with Jawi. I imagine that it would be very cool to write my journal in Malay, using the Jawi script.
