Pillars of the Earth

When I was around 14, I had started reading pocket books about an inch or more thick.  Stumbling on some really wonderful authors, I had begun my love affair with novels.  There was this one book, though, which I could never bring myself to read, although I had picked it up quite a lot.  I suspected it was a historical drama, but I was not afraid of those, I have already had several historical dramas under my belt, it was the cover that put me off.  It was of a gargoyle, face contorted, arms bracing the ledge that did not quite sit well with me.  I held it in my hand several more times in the passing years but never managed to read it, until the termites claimed it for their own.  I never thought about that book again, not even when I saw a poster advertising the mini-series last year.  It was only till I was huddled on the couch, wading through it in German and gripping the throw pillow in suspense (because the plot really is exemplary) when suddenly, with the figurative light bulb lighting in my head, I remembered the one book that I refused to read because of its ugly cover.  Saeulen der Erde.

And because... (fill in usual excuses)...blah blah here goes my sucky review.

I could not help but notice that the holy monk, the priory prior present father, is none other than Mr. Darcy.  In a way it did ruin his character for me, I could not tell if he was doing a bad job or if I just could not get his role as the powerfully awkward stuttering Mr Darcy out of my head.  Elizabeth divorced him and ran with all his money.  So he became...a monk?  Seriously?

Bishop Walerian reminded me a lot like father Damaso.  I am no Rizal fan, I think he was a mediocre author and his Damaso lacked depth and darkness.  Bishop Walerian would have made a wonderful villain in his book, but I doubt if Rizal would have been able to  conjure one such as he.

I would like to add that Tom Builder's kids are nothing like him.  They are both selfish and rotten for some reason.  They make the lives of the lead characters very difficult.  Even the little sister.

I should really read the book now.  This review is boring me.

Steakauflauf "Konztanz"

I do not know who Konztanz is.  I just found this recipe from one of those newspaper adds.  The photo looked so pretty that I thought I should give it a try.  I had my misgivings as it required zucchini--I do not like zucchini, never had, especially when fried because to me they tend to smell like stale fish.  However, the tomato in this recipe had somehow eliminated this ugly smell.  Considering the recipe was in German, I think I did okay.  Can't really ruin anything with cheese in it.  And tomato, of course.   I think I shall be making this dish again.  It was not that difficult.  Next time I would probably put mushrooms in it.

The baguettes look tasty, but they are actually too bland for me.  Maybe I did something wrong.  I just eyeballed the fresh cheese and mustard mix.  I am not even sure I used the same mustard.  I suspect there are many different kinds as there are many kinds of honey (who would have thought?).  Ah well, it was worth the try.  Nils said the baguettes were not cooked right.  The bottom were burnt, although the term burnt is relative (ask any bisaya grilling pork at the beach), and the sides needed more baking.

Mushrooms in Berlin

It has been raining so often that mushrooms are sprouting everywhere.  Last year there were not this many mushrooms and it was dry as hell.  Everything died, even the grass, and you know how hardy they are.  Somehow rains here are different here.  They do not pour, as in, there is not enough rain to shampoo and wash your hair in.  And notice how in those horror movies the sunny skies suddenly grow dark as night and the wind blows the trees sideways?  I had thought those were plot tools, but they really do happen.  They call it thunderstorms, and hell, yeah, it is out of this world.  One moment you are dehydrating, the next thing you know there is a drop in atmospheric pressure and voila!  Tropical storm in an instant.  It also lasts as along as that.  An instant.  The word 'bitin' comes to mind--the tagalog word--'not enough' just does not quite describe it.




Leia and I were having our walk after dinner when I took these photos.  Mushrooms have always been very interesting to me.  Tatay Dodong had bought a set of books called Childcraft and he lent them to us, my sister and me, when we were kids.  One of the books was about plants and it had the most beautiful drawings of mushrooms, one I could never forget, it was blood red, bulbous, with what looked to me like snow flakes on top of its cone.  I have never seen one like that.  Perhaps that is a good thing.  So you see, early on I never believed mushrooms where the houses of small men with long beards, annoying high-pitched voice, and cone shaped hats--but now that I think of it, this thing called 'lamat' sounds something like a hallucinogenic mushroom would do to some hungry, curious, or merely absent-minded ("Holy shit damn mushroom jumped into my mouth!  I swear!") unsuspecting victim.  I for one lurrrrrv champignons.  I am hoping to find some one of these days.