Dong Xuan Center and Weihnachtsmarkt am Alexanderplatz.

I take a break from my Deutsch Sprachkurs since November. I now focus on sketching, painting, illustrating and photo. I started with these food I cook or the cake...

I learned until B2 but then I found the intensive course is too much for me. During my last days, I couldn't digest em all well enough.

In the second week of this pause, I contacted people for language exchange. After several people I don't really like, I meet this cool Russian girl. So after 3 meetings, we're like almost good friend now :D Today she took me to Dong Xuan centre, a large Vietnamese Center with real SE Asia mood! :P And on Saturday I'll visit her house (she has two cute boys).

In December, I try to be back in the photography business in here. I e-mail so many make-up artists, models and stylists, and designers. I also introduce my self to agencies. When I was e-mailing, little did I know that more than half of them will reply to it! People are so open with new names and collaborations here. I love this city even more now :)

I love how my immersion is so accelerated during this two months break. My first beauty shoot will be on Friday (I CAN'T WAIT ALREADY!) followed by some other test shoot and a baby assignment on Sunday. BF is coming on the 18th (yeay!) so I won't be shooting til 2nd of January. I'm crazy recording footage lately. I regretted it that I didn't record AT ALL at the beginning of the autumn because it was so fine and beautiful *cries in Spanish*

I want to paint his skin and esoteric green eyes when he's here with me... <3 (it become a little more bluish when he's in love).

www.photographerjennifergan.com

I love food, I love to eat out and I love to cook too.

My sister like to bakes.

I'm OK with baking (not a big fan).

I love cheesecake made from quark.

Its cheap and easy to make.

Winter is coming,

I wish to learn more soup recipes.

I love tomato, potato or garlic/ onion soup.

I want summer to come soon.

Ah...

When I’m 75 years old,

The end is drawing near.

I’m not on my best condition,

I complain so much more than now.

One day when I'm sitting on my terrace,

Sipping my tea, watch the sun goes down.

I recall the beautiful year 2015,

and think about the 26 years old me.

I also think about my regrets,

The things I have never done,

The place I have never been,

The feeling I have never felt.

I am now 26 years old.

So it’s time.

Its time to love,

Its time to live,

Its time to see,

The time is now.

"Surrounded by hills, somewhat rainy and no mediterranean sea..."

Exactly not the first thing comes to mind when you think about Spain in general.
It applied the same to me before my visit to Galicia, a beautiful autonomous community in Northwestern Spain.

I used to think that Spain is a country surrounded solely by the Mediterranean sea. But after this trip, I discovered that Galicia is not your typical daydream of Spain.
Oh, did I mention that when it comes to their traditional music, Galicia share more similarity to the celts' (yes you're right, the bagpipes). So, just forget about Flamenco :)

You can find cruceiros (stone cross) and Horreo (granary) almost everywhere, especially on country-side neighbourhood . It is also interesting to know that the churches here look different from those that built on the southern.

Cruceiros (left) and Horreo (right)

However, despite of being not-typical Spain, it is blessed with fantastic seafood and hours of sun exposure on summer! 

I arrived on the 15th of July at OPO airport in Portugal. This is my first trip to Spain, and my second country to visit in Europe after Belgium in the cold February. The trip took around 1,5 hours by car to Pontevedra. I arrived midnight at 2.30 AM.

I split my stay between Pontevedra and O Grove. I spent three nights in Pontevedra before move to a camping called Os Fieitas in O Grove.
During these three days, I explored the city of Pontevedra and visit Combarro.

The Old Bridge, Pontevedra

One can find Pulperia (a place where you can eat Polbo á Feira) almost anywhere, easily. I even saw four at a festival in the capital city Santiago.
Pulpo. Mmm... I like it.
It is basically just a boiled octopus, cut with scissors, with olives oil, salt and sprinkles of pimentón dulce y picante. But it is que rico! Try to find place that serve some young red wine and drink traditionally using a bowl.

And.. please don't make me choose among churrasco (the pork ribs), puplo or Nécoras. Cos I can't!

Pulpo at Pulperia Ruzo

Pulpo and Churrasco at Pulperia Garcia, Santiago

The second day, I visited Combarro. It is a touristic village which previously was a village of fishermen. The trip took 30 minutes driving from Pontevedra. Combarro is a unique and interesting place. It has many narrow streets.

Most of the building are houses of local people and some of the rest are souvenir shop or bar and restaurant. When you keep waking straight, it will eventually lead you to a beach where you can see the complete look of the village. Oh, and there's a vineyard too.

Have some little fun by allowing yourself to get lost a little in those alleys.

The following day, I moved to O Grove. The weather was perfect throughout my stay there (except for one day).
Everyday was a beach day, but water wasn't always involved, though.
Yes.. Atlantic water can be too cold to bathe in sometimes. But the sun was great and it were perfect days for sunbathing!

The camping where I stayed is within walking distance to many surrounding beaches. Perfect for strolling and enjoying my daily dose of paseo.

The sunset view from Camping 

One the most unforgettable beach I encountered is Pedras Negras (literally means 'Black Stones' in Galician). This beautiful beach offers impressive panoramic view provided by the clusters of gigantic rocks. There is a wooden walkway, but I chose to walk on the wild side and climb the massive rocks instead.
I took occasional stops to watch and enjoy the endless cloudy sky and the blueness of the Atlantic ocean. When you look closely, you can find small trapped little seafood sea creatures.

Pedras Negras

Pedras Negras is one is a calm quiet beach, perfect for getting lazy, resting and having a little siesta perhaps. Anyone?? :)

Nearby, there is a Bar and Restaurant named El Pirata where I had my caña and squid tapas before return to the camping that day.

Una Caña en El Pirata

I am a big fan of traditional market. Whenever I travel to a new place I make sure I pay it a visit. The very next day, I visit the central area of O Grove.
Being a little town by the coast his place has its own unique charm.

I also notice a very interesting coincidence between Galicia's witch/ witchery folklore from the past with the fact that there are so many black cats in present Galicia (at least around Pontevedra and O Gove).
At one point, I was wondering if these cute black felines are purposely released to give more witchy kind of atmosphere for the tourist.
But I am sure it is just me being a little loca. Jejeje... :)

Pheww...! Enough of this one long post!
Kindly check my my next post about Illa de Ons and Santiago which I put into two separate posts.

All in all, the trip to Galicia is very satisfying to me. People are friendly --despite of me being one of only a few Asian in town, people greeted me, "!hola¡".
Not to mention, I also experienced priceless satisfaction from eating Churrasco and Pulpo!

Photo enquiries: jenniferganphoto@gmail.com/ www.photographerjennifergan.com

OK.

We all have favourite music albums and lyrics.

These are my July's :)

ALBUMS

Here is my 3x3 favourite of July

LYRICS

And here's my 9 favourite lyrics for this month:

"And every time I play and ace, my partner always trump..."
"You can't fire me because I quit!"
"Love you so much it makes me sick..."
"The future's uncertain the end is always near."
"Death to everyone is gonna come/ And it makes hosing much more fun...”
"We ain't got no friends/ Our troubles never end,"
"Who by his lady's command, who by his own hand,"
"We would be so happy you and me/ No one there to tell us what to do."
"I've seen the things you put me through and I/ I wish I could die!"

I like Berlin.

I like mellow complaining stupid sarcastic rock songs.

I like to feel free, from within.

In Berlin I know what it is to be alive.

I like Berlin.

I like the city.

I like Berlin in May.

But I will not stay here in Berlin forever.

:)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I moved in to Berlin on the 13th of January this year.

Berlin is the fourth city in which I have lived in for more than 6 months. I have lived in Jakarta, Sydney and Kuala Lumpur. Of all these place, I love Sydney the most. But I have to admit it, Indonesia and Malaysia have more unique culinary and cultural identity and offers better travel opportunity for a person like me (kinda poor twenty-something).

I feel like I have a new family, have made so many new friends and met a guy name Román.

I am so far away from my family, but this is the place where I feel pretty, appreciated and feel good about myself. Oh, I can be myself again like I used to in Sydney.

A place where I can sit on the green grass, under the blue (lol, kidding, yeah, its grey) sky and reflect about myself while the wind blow my now-long hair.

Usually I smile, gulping down my beer and think, "Hey, finally, life isn't that bad."

The food are OK. There are Asian food... and kebab. I like donner box (is that with one 'n' or double? Arrrhh). There are bubble tea too (the root of all fat evil).

The language is hard.

The wind is kalt.

The tomato ketchup explode,

and fucked my keyboard up...

But I've never fell in love this deep with life.

Like how I feel in Berlin.

A tokong (temple) at the back of my grandma house celebrate its 100 years anniversary.

They celebrate it for two days and two nights.

Despite of the noise, all the people in the neighbourhood are so supportive of this tradition and there were so many people came to see the parade. The crowds will collect the candies and small packages of rice thrown down from the parade vehicles. An auntie standing next to me insist me to take some home and mix them with the rice at home. It was said to bring us good luck and safety.

We drove from Kauala Lumpur last Friday and arrived at night. The next day (the first day of the celebration), I peek from the kitchen window and see one whole pig is being roasted. Later in the evening of the day, the people who came and visit the temple have a feast.

I left my camera in KL on this trip. I came to see it on the second day taking my sister's camera.

Getting there, the first 5 minutes I feel kinda lost. I see many decorated parade vehicles like ones you find on Mardi Gras --sans the rainbow and is held for a religious cause.

After kept walking around for 10 more minutes, I find a corner where the participants were having their adornment set up. I instantly get the mood of this event.

People of all ages and race sit together and didn't hesitate to lend their helping hand when needed :')

And soon the peak of the event started...

Noticing that I'm not a local, a man tell me that these people are possessed by gods.

And this is even more interesting.

This chair-like altar came from other temple (there were many of them and many come from another city, town, and even states) to 'wish' this temple happy birthday.

I return home at 3-4 PM to have a break. Once I get home I ask my dad many things.

Back in his twenty-something, my dad was one of these altar bearer guy. He told me that the altar may look small but is very heavy --as if someone is sitting on it.

They believe that the altar was moved by the spirit of God/ Goddess.

Interesting.

-----

THE NIGHTTIME

There is a Chinese opera play performed in Hokkian language. Many older people came and watch, and they seems enjoyed it so much.

The life music was beautiful. They have Erhu and other Chinese instrument.

www.photographerjennifergan.com