Facing Up to Covid19

 I did not do it on purpose, but I liked the way it turned out.

The Husband and I both left for Europe approximately 2 weeks after our 3rd booster shot. The Husband took 2 Pfizers and 1 Moderna. I took 2 Modernas and 1 Pfizer. By the time we reached Europe, our levels of Covid19 antibodies were the highest they had ever been. So, when In France, we took very few precautions. There was not much social distancing in restaurants. French folks talked, laughed and ate barely 50 cm away from me. In one neighbourhood bistro, they did not even check our Passe Sanitaire (the French TraceTogether app).

I used no hand sanitiser, and it was too cold to keep on washing our hands. Others who were in France with us took pains to wipe down all surfaces in their lodgings. We did not. We marched right into crowded restaurants, ate and chatted, unmasked.

We must have encountered the virus many times. Our high levels of antibodies recognised the pathogen and killed them off before they could reproduce enough to get us sick. To me, it was the equivalent of perhaps the 4th and the 5th and the 6th vaccinations. I wanted to let my body encounter and get real familiar with the Covid19 virus.

The Husband did an ART weekly. I reckoned that if he tested positive, I would also test positive. If he was negative, then I would also be negative. After all, husband and wife are one, no? Hahahahaha! Actually, I was just squeamish about sticking things up my nose.

When we returned, we had to do a PCR test, and daily ART. All tests showed negative results. If the 3rd booster protects against Omicron, then what more 3 shots + several encounters with the virus in the wild?

Once people get the 3rd booster, it is a good idea to further train the body to fight Covid19 by facing up to the virus in the wild. No?

The Tapestry of Bayeux

 

The first time we were in Bretagne, no one wanted to see the Tapestry of Bayeux. The second time we were in Bretagne, no one wanted to see the Tapestry of Bayeux. This time, I insisted to see it.

William the Bastard became King William the Conqueror when he crossed the English Channel and shot King Harold in the eye. I first read about King William the Conqueror in my school history textbook. Back then, I was told that his wife, Queen Matilda, organised her court ladies to embroider a 70m long tapestry of the conquest.

The truth is nowhere so romantic. The piece was commissioned by King William the Conqueror's brother, who despite being a Bishop Odo of Bayeux, also participated in the conquest. He carried a club instead of a sword because men of the church should not carry swords. I don't see how the club is different, though. Instead of cutting people in half, you smash them into a pulp. Same difference, no? The Bishop Odo made monks produce the tapestry.

Once you enter the museum, you are given an audioguide which will tell you the entire story from Frame 1 to Frame End. It is like watching an exciting cartoon. The whole tapestry rationalises the decision to conquer England. Apparently, King Edward of England promised William the Bastard, the throne of England. King Harold usurped William's rightful throne. Hence, William the Bastard had every right to invade England to take what was his. This part of the story was not in my history book. My version of the story was of a jerk who came out of nowhere to subjugate the British Isles.

In essence, the Tapestry of Bayeux is a masterful exercise in propaganda.

Oh well... whatever the truth, this tapestry is almost a 1000 years old. I was thrilled to have seen it till The Husband popped my bubble. He said, "Is this all? The workmanship is crude. In the same time period, the Song Dynasty in China produced finer pieces.

Disbelieving, I went to google. It is true. Chinese embroidery was already very mature in the 11th century. Here is an example of Song Dynasty embroidery produced by women: click HERE.

Electric Blankets Against Dust Mites

I have a dust mite allergy. We iron our mattress regularly, and change bedsheets twice a week. It is hard work. 2 of the AirBnB flats we rented triggered my allergy. By accident, I discovered that electric blankets can reduce dust mite populations very effectively.

We have 2 electric blankets that we use when travelling. Now, I get to use them at home too!

It appears that electric blankets can reduce house dust mite populations in mattresses by 84%. So, those of you whose children have itchy skin, perhaps you can use this to see if the itchiness is linked to dust mites in the mattress.

Testimonial 7

 Please click HERE.

Weighted Vest & Osteoporosis

 

I got the idea from Tan Chuan Jin who jogs in a weighted vest. I cannot jog in it but I can carry it around the house for an hour a day to increase the weight my bones have to carry. I am doing this now to prevent osteoporosis. It is a 20 kg vest but right now, I can only manage 8 kgs. I wear it as I do all my chores, cook, work. It gives me a workout without me even trying.

One day, I might even be able to jog in it! I wanna grow up like Tan Chuan Jin!

Designer & Bespoke Silk Pullover

 

Oh look! A designer pullover! Designed by me! Made by me! One and only. When the yarn arrived, it felt stiff and rough, even though it was 100% silk. Since I had bought it, I went ahead to knit something. I started and re-started about 6 times before I found a design that I thought would work. Surprisingly, this pullover has fabulous drape AND it is warm!

See how stiff the yarn is.

The White Cliffs of Étretat

We normally think of The White Cliffs of Dover. This is the French side of the channel that has the white cliffs. On this side of the English Channel (and the French do not call it the English Channel, they call it La Manche). La Manche means "The Sleeve." Why would the French call it the English Channel? The English don't own it.

These are the White Cliffs of Étretat.

Étretat has also another claim to fame: Arsène Lupin. Right now, Netflix has a series on the updated Arsène Lupin. Maurice Leblanc, the author of Arsène Lupin, lived here, and is the French equivalent of Arthur Conan Doyle. Arsène Lupin is the French equivalent of Sherlock Holmes. The French must do everything a little differently than the English. For example, instead of the decimal point, the French use the decimal comma. Arsène Lupin is not the detective, like Sherlock Holmes. Arsène Lupin is the Gentleman-Thief: the criminal with a heart.

People come to Étretat to visit Maurice Leblanc's house, which has plenty of references to elements in Arsène Lupin's stories.

The White Cliffs of Étretat.

Little boys either trained on boat building or fishing.

Boat building.

Net mending.

Small church atop the cliff.

We climbed up the cliff to the church.

Desire

On the plane ride back to Singapore, I watched Shang-Chi And The Legend Of Ten Rings. The story is about how one man allowed his desire to see his dead wife again, lead him to do a terrible thing. 

I am not sure if it was done on purpose, but the movie drives home a key Buddhist message. In Buddhism, desire and ignorance lie at the root of suffering. By desire, Buddhists refer to craving pleasure, material goods, and immortality, all of which are wants that can never be satisfied. As a result, desiring them can only bring suffering.

Desire for the Status of a Private Condominium

In my early 20s, my father asked me to take a loan on a condominium in my name. He would foot the downpayment on the flat but the loan would be in my name. He would then service the loan through me. The apartment would be in his name, but I would get to stay there. This would make sense only if I very much desired to stay in a private condominium. However, I was quite happy in my HDB flat. Shortly after,  housing prices fell sharply. In that situation, since the loan was in my name, I would be liable for a large sum of money if my father's finances could not stomach the loss.

Thankfully, my lack of desire protected me from suffering.

Desire to Own What Is Not Hers

My mother-in-law desires what I have: my children, my garden, my house... possibly even myself. She wants to own me and mine. Her desire was so great that it left me no space to exist. No matter how much I gave in, she wanted more. When I realised that to satisfy her, I needed to completely give up my all to her, I wanted out. If her desires had not threatened my existence, I would still today be making kefir for her, baking bread for her, buying jewels, iPads, appliances, bags for her. I would still be doing the hospital rounds and helping her around the house. She would not need to move out of my home, back to her own HDB flat.

Her rampant desire lead to suffering: both hers and mine.

Desire For Top Scores

In my 40s, when The Son was still in primary school, I gave up on my desire to have a top scorer. My attitude was that The Son needed a good and holistic education. If he did badly academically, he was still my son. My job was not to groom a top scorer. My job was to prepare him for life according to what God wanted. To do that, I had to see The Son's true strengths and weaknesses, and not judge him against the standards of the world (aka, MOE's standards).

Again and again, I see families suffer because parents desire top scores so very much.

In Christianity, we are to yield our lives to God. This means that we give up on what we ourselves desire, and allow God to order our steps. We are to submit to the will of God. I am only recently reading into Buddhism. For most of my life, I tried to subordinate my own desires to God's will. When push came to shove and a decision had to be made, I tried to look past my own desires to see God. That has protected me.

Testimonial 6

 Please go HERE.

Getting Good Restaurant Service In France

I have been thinking about why people always complain that French waiters are rude. I think I have finally figured it out. It has nothing to do with whether you speak French or not. It depends on how you behave.

To get good service, you need to leave the control with the server. French servers are proud of what they do. They know that their job is to look after you, care for you and worry about whether you enjoy your food. As they go about their work, they have a mental plan in their heads of whom they will approach, when they will clear your table, whom they will smile at. You need to leave the control with them because you are not their only customer. It is not done to hail the server. When you do so, you control them. They hate that. The more you hail them, the slower their service to you.

You need to sit, eat, chat and then trust that the server cares enough for you to come and make a fuss over you. When they do, you praise the food, ask questions about the food, and smile. Behave like a guest would in a friend's house. Soon, you will find that they will make even more of a fuss over you.

At Autour du Beurre, without being asked, the server took back the bread basket and offered to toast the bread to a pleasant crispiness. She cleared our plates and worried about whether we liked each course. She explained to us the various antique butter making machines around the restaurant.

Leave the control with them. They are professionals. They know what to do to take care of you.

It is no different than what I like to tell my clients. Leave the control with your children. They are good children. They know what to do to please you. The more you boss them around, the less they want to please you.

Saint Malo: Pirate Town

 

Saint Malo was a pirate town in the past. Pirates, called "corsaires" used this as a base to attack English ships and deprive them of their goods. Pirates did so well for themselves that they built luxury mansions outside of Saint Malo town.

Necessarily, the English and the Dutch were not happy about getting regularly robbed. Again and again, they tried to sack Saint Malo. Nothing doing! The city is surrounded by shoals and rocks that only appear at low tide. There are little islets surrounding the town, in the sea. Each islet has a fort. Whomever ventured near Saint Malo found themselves facing cannon power from every angle from these islets dotted here and there around Saint Malo. On top of that, with the shoals surrounding the town, any ship would simply run aground and get stuck. Once that happened, if you don't crash and burn, the people from Saint Malo would be able to come and massacre you at their leisure.

The photo above does not do the town justice. Looking at Saint Malo in real life, you get a real sense of it being a bad ass town. It sits there like a challenge the world: come and attack me, I will make sure you regret it. It isn't even a big town. It takes 10 mins to walk from one end of it to the other.

The whole town is surrounded by thick walls, still in existence, and still strong. After dark, the walls were patrolled by a special breed of attack dogs called "Les Chiens de Saint Malo." They hunt in packs and will eat you alive. The murderous dogs of Saint Malo are the stuff of legend. You read of them with terrified awe in storybooks.

Everywhere in Saint Malo old town, you see signs commemorating this man or the other who went out to see and never came back. There was even a sign commemorating all the sons of Saint Malo who died or disappeared out at sea. The sea gave them life. The sea was also a demanding mistress. It took their men and boys as and when it felt like it.

Saint Malo was bad ass, man!

The people of Saint Malo are called Malouins. Women are Malouines. These folks have the wanderlust. They think nothing of packing up and leaving to see the world. One couple from Saint Malo set up a crêperie in Singapore right next to the Raffles Hotel, selling "Les galettes Bretonnes", a sort of savoury crêpe made with buckwheat flour. Another Malouin discovered Canada: Jacques Cartier. Tiong Bahru Bakery sells the kouign amman, a traditional pastry from Saint Malo, Brittany. I betcha that Chef Paul Albert, helming TBB, is from Saint Malo too!

These Malouins travel to the furthest corners of the earth.

If you ever come to Saint Malo, you must check the tide timings HERE. Four times a year, you will see THIS. The tides come and go with the full moon. 4 times a year, the moon's gravity is so strong that it splashes right into Saint Malo town. This is really one badass town. Its people die at sea and they never stop going out to sea. Its homes are battered 4 times a year by waves 3 storeys high, and they think it is normal.

3 Different Michelin Starred Restaurants

I don't know why I find it daunting to eat in a Michelin starred restaurant in Singapore. In France, it seems less of a big deal. The restaurants maintain high standards and are very innovative with food. However, they are down to earth and very hospitable. In Singapore, there is a lot of snobbishness associated with eating in a Michelin starred restaurant. For me, it can be a turn off.

In France, some Michelin starred places are found in small towns and villages. If they relied on snob appeal, they would not survive. No one would eat there. These restaurants get their star because they make good food and push the boundaries of cuisine.

We tried 3 Michelin starred restaurants:

- Gill, in Rouen

- Le Donjon, in Étretat

- Autour du Beurre, in Saint Malo

Of the 3, I would recommend, Le Donjon and Autour du Beurre. Gill, in Rouen, served good food but the entire experience could not compare with Le Donjon and Autour du Beurre.

Le Donjon, Étretat

We were ushered into a glass covered conservatory with large leather armchairs. I sank into one and smiled at the waiter. He introduced us to 2 non-alcoholic Martini cocktails. These exist now, you know. It gives women a chance to drink a Martini before dinner without getting drunk. Then, came the amuse-bouches served on a bed of kelp: oysters and whelks. They twinkled on on my tongue and smelled of sea spray.

It was only after the apéritifs were over that we were shown our table with a view of the sea.

Then came an array of dishes each better than the last, served with einkorn bread. I did not know that the bread was made of einkorn flour. I had asked for gluten free bread and the chef assured me it was gluten free. When I found out after the meal that I had had einkorn bread, I panicked. Einkorn is ancient wheat. It has gluten. I braced myself for my hypothyroid state, and start the runs to the toilet. The Husband braced himself for 1 week of bloatedness.

Nothing happened to us. We were fine. 

So, I went and bought 5 kgs of einkorn flour to make bread at home. Wow! We can eat bread made with ancient wheat. It is high in protein, low in carbs and full of minerals. zinc, iron, potassium, riboflavin, and vitamins B6 and A. Bread made with einkorn flour is also high in carotenoids and lutein. Wow! What is not to like?

The kitchen is helmed by Gabin Bouguet.

Amuse-bouches: oysters and whelks.

Einkorn bread.

Scallops.

Autour du Beurre, Saint Malo

For those who know Bordier Butter, Autour du Beurre (translated as All About Butter) is the restaurant that is owned and run by Jean-Yves Bordier, even though the kitchen is helmed by Steve Delamaire. The respect for craftsmanship that goes into Bordier butter is also present in the dishes here. This was the best experience so far.

The service was kind, hospitable and friendly. It was a very down to earth restaurant with very very good food.

Traditional butter churner repurposed into a dining table.

Thingy for cutting cheese with wire.

The restaurant.

Bordier butter in every flavour: buckwheat, Demi-sel, seaweed, chilli, lemon olive oil, smoked salt, fresh herbs, onions. We ate up every bit of butter.

Scallops.

Sea urchin.

Scallops again.

More scallops. I ordered a whole menu focused on scallop. Scallops here are nothing like those back home. They are not soaked in chemical solution and thus have no chemical aftertaste. I bought scallops at the Sunday market and cooked a dish that left The Husband craving more. Normally, at home, we stay away from scallops because they taste vile.

Codfish.

More scallops!

Coffee with a funny spoon.

The à la carte menu.

The scallop set lunch.

Tip for Eating Michelin Starred: Do NOT do it in Paris nor Singapore. Go to the small villages outside of Paris. The best food is there, and the most authentic and down to earth experience is also there.

Buying Winter Wear

It is hard to find high quality cold weather wear in Singapore. Even if you do find them, they are horrendously overpriced. I bought a $35 wool mix coat off Shein. The first blast of cold wind in Berlin went right into my bones. Shivering, I had to hurry into a mall to find a better coat. Everywhere in the mall, stylish coats abounded. I was more about warm-ish than stylish. It took a fair bit of searching to find a good woollen coat of 70% wool, 10% cashmere, and 20% synthetic. 

It was on sale too.

240 euros

Then, I noticed that people in France were no longer wearing woolen long coats, they were wearing "doudounes" which is the French word for goose down coats. Fill power is a number that measures the fluffiness and quality of a down filled product. Fill power measures the amount of space one ounce of down will occupy in cubic inches. Higher fill power means the down will have better quality, higher loft, and will retain its firmness longer. This is because higher fill power means the down can trap more air which allows for greater insulation. Common fill power measurements include 650, 750, 800 & 850. 

The Husband no longer can tolerate the cold like he used to. He decided to get himself a doudoune. It made a huge difference. He was finally warm.

290 euros

My wool coat did keep me warm, but I felt the biting wind when we walked along the fortified walls of Saint Malo. I needed to tuck my wool scarf tightly about my chest and neck to keep out the cold. I decided to buy a sleeveless doudoune to wear under my zipped up cardigan (and over my t-shirt).

It made a huge difference. I could go without my scarf entirely with this doudoune under my zipped up cardigan. Once I got indoors, I could unzip both the cardigan and the doudoune.

125 euros

The doudoune rolls up compactly into the size of a kids' pencil box.

Then, we came to a shop selling Irish cabled pullovers for between 70 to 99 euros. These were 100% merino wool. These pullovers normally retail for about 150 euros. I grabbed 4 pieces. When buying winter wear, it is very important to check the material used. Cheap acrylic stuff will not keep you warm.

70 euros

99 euros

70 euros

In Paris, I saw a pair of very warm gloves made with lamb skin. It was 180 euros. I walked away. I saw another pair of lamb skin gloves for 90 euros. Whilst The Husband gasped in shock, I pounced. Everything is relative. I really wanted a pair of very warm gloves, and this pair was 50% the price of those I saw in Paris. They are not synthetic. The lambskin really keeps my hands from feeling the biting cold. The problem is in how to care for them. I will need to preserve them carefully.

I've always been reluctant to buy high quality winter wear. The last time I looked, a cashmere sweater was 1000 euros in Bologna. That was when I decided to learn how to knit. I figured that by knitting a cashmere sweater for The Son and The Husband, I saved 1800 euros. The Daughter does not trust my taste. She refused to let me knit her one.

I am thrilled to find such beautiful cabled sweaters for 70 euros in a little nondescript shop inside Saint Malo old town. The Husband will also need to travel more for work to Northern Europe. So, all this will ensure he stays warm and does not look too much like a wino.

90 euros

If readers are interested in good quality winter wear at reasonable prices, do check out the contact below. The shop has an online presence too. 

Étretat AirBnB: A Servant's Attic

I think we scored another win with the Étretat AirBnB. The good thing about travelling in the period of Covid19 is that it is really easy to book good AirBnB lodgings. This building used to belong to a single family. It is now divided into tiny apartments. The landlord refurbished the servants' quarters at the very top of the building into his own small and cosy Just Married flat. There is a clawfoot bathtub, an antique mirror, very good heating, a well-equipped kitchen and even a roof terrace.

This apartment is situated just under the roof, where Cinderella normally stays. It has all the creature comforts and small homely touches e.g., the roof terrace and a hammock.

Love it!

 

Gill, Rouen

Gill is a Michelin 2 star restaurant. I went to a Michelin 1 star restaurant in Singapore once for lunch, and was sorely disappointed. From food to service, it was disappointing. I went to Putien for lunch and never went back because they served me something I had to complain about. Then, I tried to make an appointment at yet another Michelin 1 star who told me curtly that they cannot provide gluten free options.

So, we have decided to eat at a Michelin star restaurant in every town we stop at, in France.

Gill is in Rouen. It is helmed by Gilles Tournadre. I called ahead and left my credit card details to book a table. I let them know that The Husband and I needed gluten free food. They said, "No problem." Today, I made a booking at Le Donjon, a Michelin 1 star restaurant in Étretat and alerted them to our food allergy. They also said, "No problem."

When we arrived at Gill, there were toasted gluten free buns all ready. The service was friendly, dignified and elegant. The maître d'hôte explained each dish and helped advise on our orders.

As a student in France, I used to stare through the doors at Michelin starred restaurants wistfully. Now,  I can walk in and eat.

A more contemporary decor than La Couronne.

Amuse-bouches: newer cooking methods and plating options than La Couronne.

Very good gluten free buns.

Surprise starters at the chef's discretion.

Lobster.

Calf's head: a Normandie specialty.

The desserts on the menu all had gluten. This was prepared specially for us.