From Kampong to Fairytale Land ......

I still remember my childhood days in a small kampong, where I used to sit reading fairytales stories, borrowed from the library.  Be it in school or at home, I would indulged deeply in the fantasies narrated in the books with pictures of gorgeous princesses in beautiful gowns living in huge castles and more ... and because all these were written and read in English, I have always thought that these tales come from America or England, but NO!

Guess what?  Fairytales were made in Europe and most of them from Germany!  Yes, you all heard it, Made in Germany ..... and that I knew after marrying my husband (a German himself) who showed me around Bayern.

One of the German fairytales collection, which I used to read to my son as he was a child, are compiled in the book named "Der Bruder Grimms Erzählungen".  Here you'll find from Cinderella, Snow White, Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty to Pussy in Boots, Red Riding Hood, etc. and many more .... in German of course ....

It was in September, beginning of autumn as I first came to Munich.  How astonished I was to finally arrive in this dreamland of mine, a land full of nature reserve, serenity, cool temperature, beautiful mountains and landscapes .... just everything I have pictured as I was small reading those fairytales at home.  I'd never thought this would come out real and I thank God everyday and my husband for making all these real to me.

As my husband took me the first time into the woods of Chiemsee, a lake in Bayern, like any other kampong girl, the first thought was, "Oh no, danger!  Only tigers, snakes and bears are in there!"  My husband had to laugh so much and assured me that it's safe here as it's all under conservation and well looked after by the authority.  And when night falls, it was pitch dark outside and I was scared to death that all I could think of were GHOSTS!

Why of course, Singaporeans love Ghost stories but to encounter with any of them is a no, no!  Again, my husband had to calm me down and assured me that there is no such things here except little creatures like the mice, birds, deers and squirrels.  Indeed, these creatures are so cute that I began to love animals and learnt their behaviour, which reminds me of Snow White in the woods .....

It took me years to believe all that, but thanks to my husband again, cos I've turned into a brave girl now, who still love Ghost stories but never seen one .......

By Norliza Asisi-Maurer (München, Bayern)


Beautiful sceneries of Bayern:

As a non-swimmer, I learnt to love the water .........

Chiemsee Lake

My son with his friend building a tree house ....

The path leading to our holiday hideout at night .....

The beauty at night which I learnt to love .... Chiemsee in Bayern

Ich liebe Dich, Bayern!!!