Tips on How to Keep Cool in Summer

Germany was having a heatwave last week. The sun was biting our skin. The weather reached 39°C in some parts of Germany. 

It is summer again! Is it not what we all want after the long cold winter? Gladfully, I was not here in Germany last winter. I was in my home country Philippines for a few months. I enjoyed my months of summer there. Every day was almost 30°C. Great for me.

Norddeich in Germany

Now I am back, not only in Germany but also in this site. I am sorry I have not written here for almost a year. Wow! I was indeed very busy with my tropical gardening that I forgot to write on my blog. The time flies so fast. Before I forget, it will be Christmas again.

Pineapple juice 

Going back to summer, here are my tips on how to keep cool in summer.

1. Keep yourself hydrated with water. At least 2 liters of water a day. Pineapple juice with ice is fine.
2. If possible don´t go out when the sun is too hot. Just relax at home and do whatever you like. Example, reading a book.
3. Go shopping as early or as late as you can. That way, the sun is not yet too hot or it is cooling down.
4. When you go out, don´t forget to rub your skin with sunscreen lotion and wear sunglasses.  
5. Use a hat when going out or if you are courageous enough, use an umbrella to keep away directly from the heat of the sun. I say courageous because people will look at you here in Germany if you use an umbrella against the heat of the sun.
6. Eat light food like salad and make a smoothie to drink.
7. Cover your windows with your dark curtains so the heat of the sun can´t go inside the house.
8. If you don´t have air condition at home, use an electric fan to have at least a fresh breeze inside the house that will keep you cool.
9. Avoid baking food as baking will make not only your kitchen warm but also the other rooms that you have.
10. If you can, go swimming with your family and friends in an amusement park the whole day. 

Fresh salad with Feta

At the moment, those are the tips that I can share with you. I will add some if I can think of some to keep yourself cool. As I have told you, we have a heatwave last week that I didn´t go out of the house for 4 days. 

I know, I am used to the warm summer but I will tell you, the heat of the sun in Germany is very different than the heat of the sun in the Philippines. Yes, it is the same sun that we are sharing but the heat of the sun here is more biting my skin than the heat of the sun in my home country.

Well, enjoy your summer wherever you are in this world. Cheers!!!

A video of my travel in Norddeich Germany

Thanks for reading. If you want to read more of my articles please check my content writing site HubPages. You can find different articles, recipes and travel places to visit to.

Copyright 2019, All Right Reserved by Thelma Alberts

It Is Easter Time Again!

A few days ago when I was at work, I was surprised when a client told me that she can´t come next week because it will be a Good Friday. I said, "what? a holiday again?" Lol! Sometimes I have no idea what´s going on. Since I have no longer a child who goes to school, I forgot the holidays except when it is Christmas. How can I forget when I could hear  Christmas songs everywhere? There are no Easter songs, aren´t there? I could be reminded a few weeks before Easter if there are. Here is how the Germans celebrate the Easter season.

View of the railway station of Wesel, Germany

Next Friday is indeed a Good Friday. I can imagine that our neighboring town Dinxperlo in The Netherlands, will be full of Germans again, shopping and eating the popular Dutch street food at the open marketplace. The Netherlands has no Good Friday holiday. The Dutch people still go to work on that day while the Germans have their Easter holidays until Easter Monday. Well, Saturday after the Good Friday is still a working day and the shops are open. The supermarkets will be full as the people are having their last shopping for the Easter celebrations. There will be a lot of people whose shopping carts are full to the brim with food and drinks as if there will be no more tomorrow for shopping. Well, it´s time for family bonding again. 

No Bake Peanut Butter Easter Eggs

Are you ready for your Easter hunting? Do you know already what you are going to prepare for your Easter brunch or dinner? If you are undecided yet what to cook for the celebration, I could help you out by sending you to the links of some of my delicious recipes for your Easter party. 

Lettuce salad with oranges and cashew nuts

Here are some of my favorites:

• Fruit Salad
• Lettuce Salad with Oranges and Cashew Nuts
• Baked Mince Meat with Bell Peppers
• Spring Rolls
• Frozen Cherry Cream Dessert

If you want more recipes, just check to my cooking blog and my main writing site Hubpages. Thanks for reading.

                  Happy Easter Everyone!

Thank you very much for dropping by. Please feel free to comment, like and share this blog to all your social media sites. Have a great day! God bless you all.

Copyright 2018, All Right Reserved by Thelma Alberts

5 Goals for 2018 to Achieve

Happy New Year everyone!

I know, I am a bit late for greeting you. Christmas and New Year were a busy time for me. You know how it was. Besides having a mini job as a wellness massage therapist, I was getting slow as a snail in doing what I did for that time of the year. 2017 was so fast I should say. Many things happened but I am thankful to God for all the blessings that I have received.

Do you have a new years resolution? As we have a new year, many friends of mine are making their resolutions. I hope they will be successful in achieving them. I don´t do any new years resolution. However, I do set goals every year and try to fulfill them. Have you listed your goals this year 2018?

5 Goals for 2018 to Achieve

1. Keep my mouth shut whenever negative thoughts come to my mind. I should try not to give a negative opinion to whoever asks me. 

This would be very hard as I would be lying. I don´t like to lie as well as I don´t like liars. What about if someone says, "how do I look? I have painted my eyebrows." What should I say? If that girl looks like a monkey with that new fashion looking painted eyebrows? Shall I tell the truth?

I think, in this case, I will be back to my teenage self and tell the girl that she looks good although I find it awful. Maybe I should say, you look more beautiful the way you look before.

2. Working hard for the money and travel for months. No suffering, no reward but hey, who suffers here? I love my mini job and I enjoy it. This is the longest job I have in life. It would be great having months of vacation in a tropical country of my choice. Digging the soil in my tropical garden will be enough reward for the hard earn Dinero. Well, besides other things I have missed.

3. Writing, writing and writing. Maybe to cash out much more from writing. Having this goal, I have to discipline myself and make a schedule. This is one of the hardest things I have to do as I am sometimes lazy and just want to relax in our electric massage chair while reading. Talking about writing, Valentines Day is fast approaching and I have to write a blog about love. I wonder what title I will have. Do you have any idea?

My writing place.

4. Enjoy life as it is. Avoid worrying about anything that might happen which is not of my choice and which I can not control. Be happy. Nobody does that for me. Sometimes, being selfish is good.

5. Stay healthy as much as possible. It is not nice to get sick without a caring mother on my side. Love and care your mother. You will never find another like her.

Marinated Chicken Salad recipe 

I have set a lot of goals this year but I don´t write all of them as they might go down the drain again like last year and the other years that past.

Anyway, how´s life in your neck of the woods? Did you set a goal for yourself?

Thank you very much for stopping by. Please feel free to comment, like and share this blog to your social media sites. Take care and God bless you all.

BTW, this is my first blog this year 2018.

©2018, All Rights Reserved by Thelma Alberts

Traveling to Bamberg by Train

I was invited by my blogging friend Ces, the publisher of the PILYA blog magazine (a Filipino German magazine), to attend the Asian German Association Christmas party, whom she is a member. It was an honor for me to get invited and so I said yes and booked the train ticket to Bamberg Hauptbahnhof (Central station). It was my first travel to Bamberg, and so I was so excited. 

Frescos of the old Town Hall / Altes Rathaus in Bamberg.

It was a 6 hours travel by train and I had to change the train twice. From the city I started my train ride, I had to change my train in Duisburg and in Würzburg stations. It was easy peasy for me as a wife of a railway civil servant but due to late train arrivals, I went on the ICE/Intercity train in Duisburg which was going to Düsseldorf airport instead of going to Würzburg. It was late when I noticed it. The train to Düsseldorf airport and the train to Würzburg were in the same railway track, where my train was behind the train to Düsseldorf airport. Confusing! 

The German train to Bamberg.

I was already in stress but gladfully the friendly train stewardess had kindly told me to go out from the Düsseldorf train and from there, I had to go to the train going to Munich (it stops in Würzburg), which was on the farthest railway track in the station. She was kind enough to write something on my ticket so that I didn´t have to pay the extra pay for riding on another ICE train. It was confusing for all the people as I was not alone having that problem. 

From then on, I was careful not to miss my trains and I arrived well in Bamberg Hbf (central station). Seeing Ces, I was delighted. We have not seen for more than 2 years.
I was lucky. I reached Bamberg station on time. I hate to be late. Since Friday the 8th until Sunday the 10th, the ICE trains were late, some were canceled and the travelers were all confused and in a panic not to reach their destinations. 

Bamberg, the "Little Venice" in Germany.

Bamberg is an old historical town in the Upper part of Franconia, in the North of Bavaria. It is surrounded by the stunning countrysides and it stands on the seven hills. The old buildings are very unique, in baroque and in medieval designs. Since 1993, it is a UNESCO World Heritage. Bamberg is also called the "Little Venice" In Germany.



Below are the photos of Bamberg. Enjoy! Maybe one day you will come and visit Bamberg.

Strolling at the city of Bamberg.

The strong water current of Bamberg Regnitz river.

The awesome view of Bamberg historical old city.

The Crucifixion sculptures in Bamberg city.

The Crucifixion sculptures in Bamberg city.

Igor Mitoraj Centurione Statue in Bamberg.

View on the other side of the Altes Rathaus / Old Town Hall, Bamberg.

Frescos on the wall of Bamberg Altes Rathaus / Old Town Hall.

I hope you like the photos. Sightseeing in the old city of Bamberg with my friend and her family for a few hours was awesome. The beauty of the city was not comparable to Venice for me because the smell of Bamberg was fresh and breathtaking. Yes, it looked like I was in Venice because of the stunning view of the Regnitz river with its unique Baroque architecture and designs of the houses around this river but Bamberg is more than that.

Christmas Market in Bamberg. Photo was taken by Ces.

Me at the Christmas Market. Photo was taken by Ces.

Like many other cities in Germany, Bamberg has its own Weihnachtsmarkt / Christmas Market. It was one of the beautiful Christmas markets that I have seen in my life. There were lots of Christmas decorations for sale like Christmas tinsels, garlands, stars, lantern, candles in different shapes and colors, gingerbread houses, cookies, chocolates, mulled wine and many more.

Me and the President of the Asian German Association in Bavaria, Germany

It was a very long day travel to Bamberg. The final event of that weekend was the Christmas party of the Asian German Association. It was a wonderful event full of fun, eating and dancing. I am glad I went to Bamberg. I am sure it was not the last time I was there. I still have a lot of places to see like the churches and museums. 

My travel back home was not as smooth as the travel to Bamberg. The ICE train was not fast as it used to be because of the bad weather. From Würzburg on, the snow started to fall down. There were many people who missed their trains as we arrived late to our destination. Some trains were canceled. I arrived home safe but it was so cold and the snow was thick. The view was like a winter wonderland.

Thank you very much for reading. Thank you Ces and Georg for your hospitality. I enjoyed our weekend together. Until then. Ciao!

Copyright 2017, All Rights Reserved by Thelma Alberts

Photographs of the Hansefest in Wesel 2017

Hansefest is a historical trade fair event in Wesel, Germany. It is a Middle Ages historical event where traders from other neighboring towns and cities of Germany participated. Hansefest is a medieval guild of merchants event where most of the merchants wear clothes from medieval time. It is a 3 days event which starts on Friday and ends up on the following Sunday every year on the last weekend in October. Besides PPP (Pauken Plunder Promenade), this is one of the most awaiting events in Wesel.

Handmade pieces of jewelry, toys and lampshades at the Hansefest 2017.

Hansefest started in 1991 when Wesel city celebrated its 750 years foundation. Since then, thousands of visitors came to Wesel to witness the trade fair event. More than 50 merchants from all over Germany participated and have their products for sale in their self-built tents and stalls. 

Tents and beer garden around the Berlinertor (BerlinGate).

The event started from Berlinertor (Berliner gate) at the post office, straight through the shopping promenade until the front of the Willibrordi cathedral.

Here are the photos of Hansefest 2017:

Wooden Ferris wheel at the Berlinertor.

Handmade pieces of jewelry at the Hansefest 2017.

Strassenorgel / Street organ

Strassenorgel / Street organ

Back of the Strassenorgel / Street organ.

Children with their parents took horse carriage ride at the Hansefest.

Pieces of jewelry for sale at the Hansefest event.

Awesome handmade birds for sale.

Isn´t it beautiful? Metal handmade bird.

Amethyst and rock crystal for sale.

Earrings and necklaces made of amethyst and rock crystal.

Turkish tea for sale.

Gourmet coffees and spiced teas for sale.

Different kinds of teas for sale. Peppermint, herbal teas and more.

Homemade marmalade and jam for sale.

Stockbrot / bread in a stick baked in that old fashion oven.

The merchant tents with the products for sale before the visitors were coming.

Herbal fruit candies, liqourice and herbal candies for coughs.

Guinness and whiskeys for sale and a riding toy for small children on the left side.

Different kinds of spices from Himalayan salt, pepper, chilies, basil, rosemary, sage, etc.

Sheeps skin clothing and cushions for sale
.

The Hansefest was a wonderful event that ended on Sunday where there was a "Verkaufsoffen Sonntag",  shops were open from 1 in the afternoon to 6 in the evening.

Below is the video of the Strassenorgel (Street organ) which I took on that Sunday afternoon. The owner of the Strassenorgel showed me the mechanics behind the music played. Enjoy watching!

Thank you very much for dropping by. Please feel free to comment, like and share this blog to your social media sites. Take care and God bless you all.

Here are some of my writing sites:

Hubpages
Thellyscucina
Gardening
Germany

Copyright 2017, All Rights Reserved by Thelma Alberts

Feierabend Market in Wesel

Last Thursday, October 19, was the last Feierabend  (after work) Market in Wesel. It started at 4 in the afternoon until 8 in the evening as what was stated in the event schedule of Wesel.

It was a beautiful sunny afternoon and so I was motivated to see the Feierabend Market, which was an Open Market, in the Great Market of Wesel. I thought, maybe there were a lot of stalls selling flowers, clothes, bread, sausages, meat and fruits. I thought there would be a lot of people strolling at the Feierabend Market which was located in front of the Willibrordi Dom (Willibrordi cathedral), but it was not the case.

Dried and roasted fruits like raisins, bananas, walnuts, coconuts, etc.....

When I arrived in the Feierabend Market, there were not a lot of people strolling and buying goods. Maybe I was so early. Maybe there were people coming there when I left before 5 p.m. People who visited the event later after their work.

Ginger root candies, spicy.

Anyway, in the Feierabend Market, there were stalls with flowers, bread, fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, and candies. What I was interested of was the stall which sold roasted and chocolate coated peanuts, walnuts, dried pineapples, dried bananas, dried dates and many more. I bought 200grams of those ginger root candies as I knew they were good to my throat especially now that the winter is coming.

Sugar coated peanuts, dried bananas, dried peaches, dried apples, ginger root candies, etc...

There were many beautiful flowers and different herbs sold in one of the stalls. I could have bought some of the herbs but I still have them at home.

Have you visited an open market in your place? What goods are they selling?

Flowers sold at the Feierabend Market.

Thanks for dropping by. Please feel free to like, comment, pin, tweet and share this blog on your social media site.

Here are some links about Germany.

https://hubpages.com/holidays/PPP-Townfest-In-Wesel-Germany

https://hubpages.com/travel/Fascinating-Places-To-Visit-In-Cologne-Germany

https://hubpages.com/travel/Fraueninsel-Sightseeing-Tour

Copyright 2017 by Thelma Alberts, All Rights Reserved