the.geeky.observer

Moving On

2011-06-06T00:59:00.002+08:00

The time has come for me to move on.

From blogger, that is. :)

I finally put up my first post in my own domain, http://geekyobserver.com. There's not much to see yet, but I'll be updating it, I promise.

Blogger has been a great host, but I just couldn't bear the thought of someone else 'owning' the name geekyobserver. I mean, that's practically who I am right? Haha, I know thats overly dramatic, but it's how I feel about my handle.

Anyway, please do visit my new site, and for my friends who still have me on their blogroll, kindly update your links. :)

Watch out for geekyobserver.com

2011-04-02T23:41:00.002+08:00

So a few weeks back I decided to get my own domain. Why? I don't know, I just want to I guess. I feel it would 'force' me to blog more about all the random and mundane things I care about.

However, before I can get it up and running, I need the help of my MMA (Multimedia Arts) super-team, namely, my sister Tere and her best friend Ralph for graphics. I have this whole concept planned, but since my MMA team are both in college, I have to wait until they finish the term.

The dependency is killing me.

But I absolutely have no talent for arts, so I don't really have a choice. :-|

Anyway, I guess this serves as a teaser for my upcoming blog, I'll let you know once it's up.

Last day of 2010...

2010-12-31T13:00:00.006+08:00

I guess this is how it's going to be from now on... I write a post at the end of the year, the new year and a mid-year post. It's not like I'm intentionally trying to kill my blog, but with the advent of micro-blogging, photo-blogging and social networking sites, I'm really having a hard time expounding what could be said in a 140 character tweet or a facebook album into a full blown blog entry.

Anyway...let's see, so the second half of 2010 was a mixed bag. There were some happy moments, like the Coron trip with my HP teammates, my Singapore-Malacca trip to visit Maitz and Jeng, Cebu with Tere, lunchouts with my SLF friends, turning 28, Quest Crew in Manila and various family outings and eat outs that I always appreciate. But then, there are my frustration with new work, missing my old work (and the travels that came with it), and worst of all, the loss of Nanay and with it the death of the routines and traditions that I grew up with - like being in Magallanes every week, birthday blowouts by the extended family, Christmas/New Years with the Espiritus. It's been a totally different holiday season.

So again I resort to Retail Therapy...for the 2nd half of the year I totally gave in to gadget lust and bought a new laptop, a new cellphone and a new camera. For the laptop, a pink Dell Inspiron with a Core i5 processer, 4GB RAM and 1GB dedicated video card and 500GB storage. My new cellphone is a pink/white Android-powered Sony Ericsson Xperia X8. Yea, I'm finally going back to SE after a few years with my LG. And last but not least, my black Sony TX5 camera - waterproof, dustproof, shockproof (with a DicaPac case courtesy of Jeng for taking pics at depths over 10 feet).

Overall, I think 2010 was still an amazing year full of memories, new beginnings and fresh starts. Some goodbyes and traditions came to an end, but it's also an opportunity to make new traditions that are totally our own. I know I have been very blessed this year, and I'm very thankful for all the opportunities and blessings that came our way. So I can't complain about the year that was, and I'm only more hopeful and optimistic about the year to come.

And what's a new year post without resolutions??? I normally don't make them because I always end up breaking them, but this year I have two major goals that I need to set in stone (or in blog).

1. Finance - Need to get my act together, saving, investing, no more expensive lunch outs, no more unplanned spendings, no more impulse buys and yes to responsible use of credit. Of course this doesn't mean no more travels, just everything in moderation.

2. Health - I am getting old. A fact that became painfully obvious when I cleaned out my closet and organized old pictures. My health is not what it used to be, I can no longer binge and expect my metabolism to catch up. I need to exercise, need to lose weight, need to start eating healthy in 2011. Good thing that with age also comes the taste for vegetables. :)

So I guess that's about it. I'm feeling very sloth-like and sluggish this afternoon, probably due to some cold medications I'm taking. My sisters and I are planning to drink and be merry tonight...let's hope I'm up to it. Happy New Year Everyone!

Cheers to 2011!

Goodbye Nanay

2010-09-08T21:59:00.003+08:00

I call my grandmother Nanay... and last August 28, she passed away in the ICU of Makati Medical Center, after weeks of being hospitalized and having been brought to the ICU twice. We got there while they were still trying to resuscitate her, trying for almost an hour... my mom finally asked them to stop and just let my lola rest in peace.

I think my last blog post mentioned that she was recovering well after a surgery...she was actually, and every week after mass we would pass by their house because it's been a tradition for us. Every week, we would see her and sometimes she would be lucid and happy, other times you could see she just seemed really tired. The last time they had to bring her to the hospital, during the first week of August, was because she was not eating, and she had a slight fever.

During her confinement, they surgically inserted a peg into her stomach so that they could feed her, inserted a DVT filter to fight blood clots, had to deal with Atherosclerosis and stenosis, and her veins were very thin and collapsed easily which made it very difficult to draw her blood for tests and to insert lines for her IV, and this was on top of the usual care she had to go through, for her bedsores, her wound, her medications, her therapy... it's a lot to go through, I could tell. And whenever I was there, I could see how difficult it was for her, how difficult it was for my mom, my aunts and uncles... it was painful even for me.

On Thursday, August 26, I visited the ICU and learned that her condition just went from bad to worse. I was rattled the entire day, couldn't focus on work, and would cry at the slightest provocation. I was very emotional, I'm sure some of my colleagues could tell, and all I could do was keep praying for what was best for my nanay. All I could do was visit her and spend as much time with her as I could, my aunts and uncles from abroad were asked to come home, so that they could spend time with her... unfortunately, Nanay's body gave out before they could arrive. Today, on Mama Mary's birthday, she was finally laid to rest in Manila Memorial.

My fondest memories of Nanay are almost always connected to Tatay as well...Maitz and I were the first grandchildren in the Espiritu clan, so you could say we were the most blessed to have grown up with them. When Tere came along, she became Tatay's favorite, and most of the time the three of us, along with Nanay and Tatay would go out to Megamall to play at Dreamscape (or was it Glico's). They would treat us to lunch at Triple V, take us to Tagaytay and Baguio, we were at their house every week. We loved spending time with them, and we knew how much they meant to each other. When Tatay passed away, I saw how depressed Nanay became...they must be happy now that they are together again.

My grandmother was truly an amazing woman, she raised 8 kids, became the superintendent of Pasay and was also a papal awardee! She was kind-hearted and selfless, and the values and virtues she taught my mom, my aunts and uncles...these are the same values I have with me today. So I guess you could say, I owe them all to my nanay. I'm going to miss her so much...Rest in peace Nanay, say hi to Tatay for us. We love you!

The mid-year catch up post

2010-07-19T02:02:00.000+08:00

Okay, so technically I'm past the mid-year point, but in my defense, a lot of things happened in the past 7 months, that and coupled by the fact that I have been too lazy to update this blog is the reason for all the delay.

But, can't put this off any longer can I? Mich, Lui, I hope you're happy... you're probably my only two remaining readers, this post is for you. :)

So, where was I on my last post? Right, in Bratislava, welcoming the new year filled with optimism that this will be a better year, Halfway through 2010, and I can say it has been a better year, and I have a feeling it's going to keep getting better. :)

To make this a relatively short post, I summed up my top 10 highlights of the past 7 months (in random order, as my brain is fuzzy on timelines):

1. Traveling to Prague, Czech Republic with Ria
The more famous capital of the separated Czechoslovakia, Prague, is arguably one of the loveliest cities in Europe. Home of the Charles Bridge, the Astronomical Clock, Petrin Tower, Tyn Church and Wenceslas Square. I will probably put up a separate post for this.

2. Traveling to Oswiecim (Auschwitz) and Krakow, Poland with Eisel and Tomas
Auschwitz is the most (in)famous concentration camp during the Holocaust...and I can't even begin to describe how I felt when we walked inside the camp. It was a surreal and emotional experience, and should definitely not be missed. After Auschwitz, we headed to Krakow, the former capital of Poland and the birthplace of Pope John Paul II. This is a beautiful, beautiful city...I daresay I even liked it better than Prague. Another separate post for this will be up in the next few days. :)

3. EBU project goes live!
After almost 3 years of development, design, testing, re-design, bug fixing and support, EBU finally went live. Cheers to everyone involved in the project! I'll definitely miss you guys!

4. I resign from Sungard.
Thank you for the opportunities you gave me, I was very lucky...there were a lot of ups and downs but I am still very grateful for the experience.

4.5. I start working for Hewlett Packard.
To think when I first started working, my friends and I actually 'dreamed' of working for HP. So when the opportunity came, I had to answer. I'm fortunate to be working with such an amazing team! I'm still adjusting, but I know I'm ready for the challenges ahead.

5. The Italians visit Manila.
Tito Enrico and Tita Mildred stayed with us for a few weeks when they visited Manila, their trip was actually extended due to the volcano eruption in Iceland. We took them out to try different cuisines, showed them around, and arranged their trip to Boracay. A few days before they left, we also went to Tagaytay for some relaxing scenery. Oh and of course, Tita Mildred made us some of her delicious tiramisu before leaving,

6. We have the first ever automated National Elections - but my candidate loses.
Cheers to Smartmatic-TIM for the successful, first ever, automated elections! It took just one night for me to find out that Gibo lost... but I can't be completely disappointed that Noynoy won, because for some reason unbeknownst to me, Erap was trailing on second! So, better Noynoy than Erap I guess.

7. Maitz comes home to celebrate her birthday
So, Maitz comes home, like 3 times a year, so every time she is here is an excuse for us to pig out, drink and splurge. This time, we went to Tagaytay and stayed at One Tagaytay Place just to chill. And of course, she brought us some alcohol! This year, it's Patron tequila and Berry Acai vodka. Pic on the right is of the 4 of us in Cyma.

8. Davao with Louie.
Okay, more like spa-hopping and food tripping in Davao rather than actual sightseeing, but who cares? One of the most relaxing trips I have had to date. Stayed at Pearl Farm and Marco Polo, so who can complain? Saw Mt. Apo from afar, met Apple's friend Mapeng who served us our tour guide and translator, braved durian coffee and durian ice cream, visited SM Davao, ate at Jack's Ridge, heard mass at Sto Nino Cathedral, bought 10 kilos of suha and mangosteen and 12 pieces of batik! Next time, we'll definitely go out and see the eagles...promise!

9. US visas renewed.
Hooray! Another 10 years, and Gabby got his too! Ooooh, if only I had unlimited resources, I'd be flying back again this year!

10. RENT!!!
This is my favorite musical, and to see it performed on stage was just amazing. Oh, and I also watched Avenue Q again this year, and Equus just last week. I wonder what play/musical I'll be seeing next? I really hope they stage Wicked some time soon.

But it's not all happy memories. Tatay Alejandro, my dad's dad passed away this year... eternal grant unto him Oh Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. From the gates of hell, deliver his soul, may he rest in peace, Amen. I personally think this was a blessing in disguise, he was in a lot of pain, and most likely would have been diagnosed with lymphoma. We all accepted that it was for the best, and we're at peace knowing that he's no longer in pain.

And my grandmother (mom's mom), also had a very delicate operation to remove dead flesh from the small of her back, it was due to bedsores and became infected and was putting her life at risk. We were all worried about the operation because she already has a weak heart, and was also diabetic. But my lola's a fighter, despite the excruciating pain she must be feeling, she was able to recover nicely. After 3 weeks in the hospital, she's now back home, and much better than she was the last few months, thank God. I pray that her speedy recovery continues, because it will actually take at least a year for her surgical wound to heal completely.

So I guess that's it for now, I owe at least 2 more posts (for Prague and Krakow). And probably some more to come in the next few months, with a Coron trip on the way this August, then Cebu with Tere on September and Singapore/Cambodia on November, it's going to be another travel-filled year, exactly the way I like it. :)

Goodbye 2009!

2009-12-31T23:05:00.002+08:00

31-December-2009

I usually make a long post about the year that was and what I'm looking forward to come the New Year, this year, I'll try to keep it short. Anyway, this is my first new year away from home, away from my family...and I'm almost thankful for the loads of work I have to do, because then I don't need to dwell on the fact that I'm not with them this holiday season.

I'm in Bratislava, by the way.

This year has been a mix of ups and downs for me. I remember being so excited, then let down, then fulfilled, then frustrated, you get my drift right? It's more extreme than in previous years, and I can't really elaborate because I try not to be too specific in my blog posts. But if you're close to me, then you probably know what a rollercoaster 2009 has been for me, personally and professionally...okay, mostly professionally, haha.

But then, I'm not one to dwell on the negative, and I'm still ending the year with a positive outlook and a firm hope that 2010 will be a better year.

And 2009 was the year I finally got to Rome, which I've always wanted to go to ever since I can remember. The Vatican was amazing and I will definitely try to go back here when I can. I even got to travel to the US this year with Maitz, and we were able to visit and do so many things and visit so many new places like Napa Valley, Boston and New York. I also traveled to Vienna, Hong Kong, Singapore and Palawan and got to see the unbelievable underground river caves. Looking back, it was a pretty fun year with all those travels. :)

And one of my dearest best friends also got married this year, Cess, I hope Aaron makes you happy and I wish you guys all the best! You deserve nothing less.

My project at work is finally going live, which is also the reason why I'm here right now, but I'm really happy about it because then, at last I can move on, hehehe.

Some of the bad, this year I will remember to be the year I got sick so many times... from asthmatic bronchitis in January, to gastritis in August with bouts of flu in between. Really, this year has been bad for my health, maybe next year will be better.

2009 year was also the year of such tragic deaths, like Michael Jackson, Francis Magalona, Cory Aquino and Brittany Murphy to name a few. May they rest in peace.

It's also been a year of natural disasters, from Ondoy to Pepeng to the Mayon volcano explosions.

Truly, it has been a rough year, but I believe 2010 will be a better year, a lot of new decisions to make, choices to take, places to travel, friends and family to love. Cheers to the new year everyone.

HAPPY 2010! :)

The best laid plans...

2009-09-26T15:41:00.002+08:00

After months of planning, coordinating, bargain-hunting and scheduling, my date of departure finally arrived, only to be cancelled due to unbelievably strong rains and floods brought about by tropical storm Ondoy.

I'm still a little bit in denial... already I will be missing out on meeting my friends Irene and SP in New York. And will not be able to go to Philadelphia on Monday, and that's if I can rebook my flight as early as tomorrow. What a disaster.

But it's nothing compared to the tragedy that's happening all around...people displaced from their homes, houses washed away by the rains, neck-deep floods, people drowning in the currents. My concerns are petty if you look at the big picture.

Let's just all pray that the storm ends soon... and let's be reminded about how we should take better care of our environment. Because really, in the end we're the ones who are going to suffer if we don't stop abusing our planet.

Surviving Bikram Yoga

2009-08-27T23:10:00.003+08:00

I've been feeling down lately, and I felt I needed some physical activity that would help me get a clear head, and at the same time 'detoxify' to get rid of all this negative energy and built up toxins in my body, yoga would help address these concerns.

I've done some yoga before, and I enjoyed it, but what I really wanted to try was Bikram Yoga. Bikram Yoga, or hot yoga involves a series of 26 poses done in a 38-42 degree celsius room, with about 60% humidity. The heat supposedly warms the muscles to make you feel a deeper stretch, and improve the circulation of blood in your body. The heat will also make you sweat, and aids in eliminating the toxins from your body. And of course, the other benefits such as stress reduction, flexibility, calorie burning etc...Sounds good right?

So, I braved storm like rains and mini floods to get to the Bikram yoga studio at 88 Corporate Center. I was determined to get to class because I felt that I really needed it. So, I got there, soaking wet, and quickly changed into my yoga attire. Take note, for Bikram, DO NOT wear jogging pants, it is HOT. I wore capris and a light fitted shirt. Most of the people wore shorts, and sleeveless shirts. I never felt body conscious or anything, even though I was easily the biggest one in the room. :P But anyway, I digress.

To start, the instructor gave me a few pointers, the class lasts 90 minutes, once you're in, you're not allowed out. Drink water, if you feel dizzy during the class, just keep breathing etc etc. I just kept nodding, eager to start the workout. He set up my mat and I walked in, and sat down, waiting for the class to start. The heat was bearable, I figured it wouldn't be much of a hindrance, so i just regulated my breathing and tried to acclimate myself to the temperature. Two minutes in that room, and already I was starting to sweat.

The class starts with a breathing exercise, and then quickly moves to a standing pose with your arms over your head and then bending from side to side. Already, I felt the 'burn', for people who haven't done yoga, it's not just simple bending, it's the stretch and forcing yourself to hold the stretch that's the challenge. I was very quickly made aware of just how the humidity and heat were contributing to the difficulty of the poses.

I was feeling all right for the first 5 or 6 poses, I'm not saying I did any of them perfectly (except maybe the first 2), but I was able to follow the instructions. But the humidity was getting to me, sweat was pouring out from every pore from my body, my hands were slipping when I gripped my ankles or feet or whatever, and the constant movements made me feel lightheaded and slightly nauseous. After about three more poses, I had to take a braek and just kept inhaling and exhaling, I swear I would have collapsed if I didn't take breaks between poses. I joined in again after brief rests, and for the next 7 or so poses, I did one iteration, rested, skipped the next one, and tried the next pose. The humidity was almost unbearable, it felt like I couldn't take in much oxygen. I was red faced, sweating, lightheaded and could barely move because if I did, I felt the room would spin. I wasn't the only one having trouble, it was common to see people taking breaks between the poses, so I didn't feel particularly bad that I wasn't able to do all the poses.

When we started the lying down poses, I tried one, and then quickly abandoned it. I could only lay back and raise my legs briefly before stopping and practically hyperventilating again. My heart was beating so fast I thought everyone could hear it. It came to a point where I asked the instructor if I could leave, I swear it was just getting too hard to breathe.

But he didn't let me go, just three more poses, he mentioned. He told me to take deep breaths, I calmed myself somewhat, figured that I was just losing focus. It helped. I was able to do the last three poses, although I still had to skip the second iterations for each, but at least I was able to get back to it, even though I felt I was almost ready to give up. I think I wasn't mentally prepared for this yet, but I'll get there eventually.

And finally, we were asked to lay back, the lights were turned off, and after a chorus of 'Namaste' class was over. I survived! I rested a few seconds, fixed my towel, rolled my mat and walked out of the room, avoiding the small puddles of sweat on the floor, and trying to keep from slipping. I know it sounds gross, but believe me, everyone was sweating during the class and you'll be focusing so much on the poses and breathing that it wouldn't bother you after a while.

As soon as I felt the slightly cooler but still warm air outside, I instantly felt better. I was still lightheaded, but I also felt relaxed and more focused. I know I definitely 'detoxed' while I was there, and I could feel the muscles that the poses 'stretched' already start to ache. But it's all good, no pain no gain right? Anyway, I was told that it was exceptionally humid in the room this evening (maybe because of the rain), and it's not usually that hard to breathe...I'm hoping that that's true, since I will be coming back on Saturday for another class, and this time I'll be more mentally prepared and my goal is to complete at least half of the poses. :)

If you want to try something new and instantly feel the benefits after just one session, I would suggest you try Bikram yoga. It's very challenging but mainly because of the heat and humidity, but I think once you get used to it, it can help you get a better stretch. And if I can do it, I'm sure you can too. :) For more info, check out their website, http://www.bikramyogamanila.com

Now let's see if I'll be able to get a really good night's sleep...and hopefully, my muscles won't be too sore tomorrow.

Namaste. :)

I have a Secret

2009-06-22T07:39:00.007+08:00

For those who know me, it's common knowledge that I shop whenever I feel any sudden burst of emotion, be it disappointment, anxiety, happiness or excitement. This weekend was no exception. I've been out looking for a phone to replace my K770i, it's been with me for almost 2 years and I'm thinking it's about time for an upgrade (or a change, whatever). But the last time I went phone shopping, I ended up buying an iPod Touch...it happened all so quickly, but I was in love with the Touch, and the WiFi feature I was looking for in a phone worked much better on the iPod's screen and touchscreen interface. Besides, Sony Ericsson's line of models was not offering up anything interesting, at least, not at the price I was willing to pay.

So...I figured, I'll buy the iPod and just wait a few more months for a new phone. October's just around the corner anyway. BUT, this weekend, after treating my dad to a father's day dinner, we stopped by the Avant store in Greenbelt, and I spent the next few minutes browsing through phone selections that are just so enticingly displayed on the counters.

Again, SE failed to impress with its line of available phones, and I really did not want to go back to Nokia. Samsung's phones were beautiful. but featureset was lacking, so I moved to the next counter and checked the LG phones on display.

Hmmm... LG. Tere has had an LG phone for about 2 years now and she's happy with it. And I recall I was envious about how customizable her themes were, the cover art display on her music player, the scratch resistant finish...and in an entry-level 3G phone no less. And with LG rapidly gaining popularity with it's aggressive marketing, and after hearing good reviews from some of my colleagues, I thought I'd do more research to find an LG phone that might be 'right' for me.

That night, I spent hours browsing the LG website, gadget websites, third party reviewers and came upon the LG-KF750, more popularly known as the LG Secret. It's the third in their Black Label Series, after the Chocolate phone and the Shine. And wow, for one thing, it was a beautiful, slim slider that looked very classy and sophisticated. It had a touch screen interface, a 5 megapixel camera, a built in accelerometer, 3G HSDPA network and all the 'basics' I look for a in a phone, like Bluetooth, mp3 capabilities, expandable memory and the like.

Aside from that, there are a few more 'extras', like the DivX player, slow-mo video recording, Wii-like accelerometer based games and even a document viewer (txt, pdf, doc, xls, ppt). There's a slew of features I have yet to discover and use since I have only had it for a day. My only caveat is the hook for the lanyard or wrist strap is located at the top-left side of the phone, which makes it difficult for me to put on a wrist strap while texting, so I'm sure that at some point in the future, I will drop this phone and I don't even want to think about what might happen then. But it is made from tempered glass and carbon fiber so it might be a little tougher than some of the slim sider phones out there.

And of course, the price. Actually, it's the price that really convinced me to get this phone. I got it for P14,890 on 6 months 0% interest, that's roughly P2,500 a month. If you have cash to spare, I've seen it on some stores in Park Square that sell for as low as 13,800 if you pay cash. I'm sure it'll be cheaper in Greenhills or Multiply shops and the like. To me, this is very reasonable if you factor in the features and the form factor. And of course, the happiness it brings me to have something new and shiny...priceless. :)

That's it for now, I'm not done playing around with my newest gadget. And now I need to hide all my credit cards in a block of ice or risk having nothing to spend by the time I go on my US vacation. Even retail therapy MUST have limits you know?

Arrivederci Roma!

2009-04-26T11:32:00.002+08:00

On our last day, we opted to just relax in the morning while waiting to hear mass. Packed up our stuff and just chilled, we didn't want to feel rushed anymore. We spent it taking pics at Tita Mildred's living room. And take a look at what we brought back to Bratislava. Granted, more than half was mine since I had to bring home 'pasalubongs' from Tita Mildred. I'd say there's about 12-15 kilos of cheese in there, with 4 bottles of Pesto, some salami, salsiccia and assorted chocolates. We also brought back 3 boxes of Easter cake, 1 of which was shared with our colleagues left in BTS.

And to cap off our Rome trip. we heard Palm Sunday mass at Don Bosco. The mass was in Italian, which was a new experience. We didn't have time to visit Via Appia or the catacombs anymore, but I promised myself that I will go back, possibly with Maitz, to visit the Vatican again, the Appian Way and to spend more time with our family.

All in all, my visit to Rome was a mix of ups and downs, timing could be the problem with the rally and all. And maybe we just didn't get a break with the airport security. But when I look back, and think on what I experienced, everything is overshadowed by the fact that I have been to Rome...the eternal city. The Vatican, I've been to places that have existed for centuries and have seen works of art that are unrivaled up to this day. And what's more, we had free accommodations, and such gracious hosts (thank you Tita Mildred!) What more could I have asked for?

I hope that the Trevi fountain lives up to its legend. I'm really hoping to return to Rome.

Arrivederci!

The Vatican, the rally, Bocca dela Verita and dinner at La Rustichella

2009-04-26T00:22:00.002+08:00

Our day started with a typical Italian breakfast, cornetto with a cappuccino. Cornettos are very much like glazed or filled croissants, only heavier. The capuccino is different from our version...you hardly taste the coffee but it was delicious.

Then we headed out to the metro and planned to go back to the Colosseo and Roman Forum, then to the Bocca dela Verita and then the Vatican City. But the big rally foiled our plans to go back to the Colosseo, we knew it would be a problem because when we arrived at the Termini station, there were protesters everywhere wearing red caps and carrying flags and banners. We literally had to pull each other inside the metro to get in, and was packed tighter than a can of sardines inside the metro. Think, MRT at rush hour, only everyone was taller and bigger than you. It was a slightly frightening experience. Thankfully, most of them got out of the Colosseo station, and we stepped off at Piramide. Pics below of the protesters.

From Piramide you can find the pyramid of Caius Cestius. I don't really know what the significance of this monument is, but it was there. :) Of course, the rally also caused transportation to be scarce, so we walked to Santa Maria Cosmedin to reach the Bocca dela Verita. This 'mouth of truth' will bite off your hand if you dare say a lie with your hand in it, or so the legend goes. I didn't try to test it, I need my hands for coding. :P
Then, we were on our way to the Vatican! This was what I was truly waiting to see... The center of my faith, with such magnificence it'll take your breath away! But before that, we had our second cappuccino at Castroni caffe. I love Rome.. the coffee, the food, the history...

Afterwards, we made our way to the Musei Vaticani. I think we made a good decision to go in the afternoon or at least, around lunchtime because the morning rush is over and we don't have to wait in line too long.

The Vatican Museum is one of the most renowned museums of the world, which display some of the greatest works of art made throughout the centuries. Michaelangelo's Sistine Chapel and Raphael's Rooms are within the visitors route of the museum.

I don't think a day is enough to really 'absorb' all of the treasures that can be found in the museum. And it really was an overload to see everything in a rush...and very, very tiring. Unlike the Louvre, where we took 'shortcuts' to the places we wanted to visit, we had to navigate through the entire Vatican museum to reach the Sistine chapel. This made us breeze through most of the art, so I don't think we were able to fully appreciate everything. Well, there's always a next time. Pictures are allowed except in the Sistine chapel (unfortunately), but here are some of the pics I took. :)

First, the sculptures...

They also had an Egyptian exhibit...

The Ceiling frescos... hall after hall of these amazing ceiling frescos are found all over the Vatican museum.
Paintings from Raphael's Rooms, the Fire in the Borgo and the Disputation of the Holy Sacrament.
There was so much more to see... but these are the only decent photos I have. I can't wait to come back for more. And like I mentioned, no cameras were allowed in the Sistine Chapel, but at least we were able to stop for a few minutes inside, to rest, reflect and just marvel at Michaelangelo's masterpiece. Before I continue with St.Peter's Square and St. Peter's Basilica, here's a pic of the Vatican museum stairs...pretty isn't it?

Before heading off to St. Peter's Square, we decided to have lunch. I wasn't able to get the name of the restaurant, but when we got there, we were famished and ordered different pizzas, pastas and risottos. They were delicious! I really loooove Italian food. :D

Stomachs full, we headed back to St. Peter's Square. There was a line, but it moved quickly. It was here that we met Aaron, a second year student from the Ateneo, who is actually representing the Philippines in a conference that was being held there. He joined our group while exploring St. Peters. Now St Peter's Basilica is probably the largest church in the world, which can hold 60,000 people (Wikipedia). Pictures below include Bernin's works, St. Peter's Throne (2nd), the baldacchino (3rd) and Michaelangelo's very famous Pieta.
Afterwards, we visited the papal tombs which are found underneath the basilica. The tomb of the late Pope John Paul II can be found here. As well as St. Peter's tomb...I swear, I felt chills in this place. It's overwhelming to be in proximity of so many past leaders of the church.

Of course, we spent some time taking exterior shots in St. Peter's Square. The chairs for Palm Sunday were already set up so we had limited angles. It also started to rain so we weren't able to take long,
We then went souvenir shopping, ate some authentic Italian gelato (courtesy of Marbi) and went grocery shopping for some Parmigiano, before meeting up with my relatives for dinner at La Rustichella.

Uncle Sol and Auntie Elise treated us to a delicious Italian dinner at La Rustichella. For my first plate, I had pasta Amatriciana, which is a classic Italian pasta. I wasn't able to finish it because the noodles uesd were so much fatter than the traditional spaghetti noodles we have and it seemed that no matter how much I ate, there was still so much pasta left! I did better in the main course of shrimps and calamari...one can never go wrong with fried seafood. :) Thank you Uncle Sol, Aunti Elise and Ale for the delicious dinner and the gifts! It was very, very nice of you all and we all had a great time. Grazie!

La Dolce Vita, Roma in 3 hours

2009-04-18T21:52:00.000+08:00

So, to continue my story, we met up with Tita Mildred, and walked over to the Ponte Lungo metro station and stopped at Lucio Sestio. From there, we walked over to her flat and took a few minutes to freshen up and relax.

Warning us that dinner was served late, tita Mildred served us her tiramisu, which I requested her to make :P It was just as I remembered it, creamy, slightly sweet, a perfect blend of coffee, mascarpone, cream and sponge cake... molto bene! We finished half before we headed out. Check out the pic on the right, Ria was the one behind the cam.

With renewed energy, we were ready to take on Rome. In my initial itinerary, we were scheduled to check out the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps on the first day. And visit the different Piazzas along the way. Unfortunately, we were told that there would be a huge rally the next day from 5 different sectors, that would occupy the areas around the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, all the way to Circo Massimo. So, we had to squeeze in those locations into the itinerary.
First stop, the Colosseo...OMG...as soon as you get out of the metro station, you immediately see the imposing structure. For a bit history, and for those who are still unaware, the Colosseum is one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world, and was host to thousands of bloody battles between gladiators and sometimes with wild animals. The Romans had a bloody taste in entertainment, and they couldn't get enough of those gladiator fights, were they literally held the life of the gladiator in their hands (thumbs actually), a thumbs up meant the gladiator could live to fight another day, and a thumbs down meant death.

You also get to see the Arch of Constantine from here... the Arc de Triomphe in Paris is actually modeled after this arch. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get in close to take pictures in detail. BTW, I want to note that I am not happy with the quality of pics that I took from my camera so some of the pics are from Ria's, Eis' and Marbi's cams. Some of my pics come out looking washed out and even yellowish (above)! Although I have no plans (or the budget) to replace my cam in the near future, so please pardon the pic quality.

We walked around and headed over to the entrance of the Foro Romano, but the entrance was already closed. So we had to make do with taking pictures of the ruins from outside. I think there was still much to see inside... but we didn't have time. I was hoping we could still see it the next day, but it depended on how big the 'rally' would be. Below is a pic of the Roman Forum from a distance. I'll upload more pics on my Facebook and Multiply albums.
Then, we headed to the Pantheon. Along the way, we stopped to take pictures of Piazza Venezia and the Victor Emmanuel II monument (Il Vittoriano).
The Pantheon is the best preserved building from Roman era, it's now used as a Catholic church, and among the illustrious dead buried here are Raphael the painter, and the first king of Italy Victor Emmanuel II. I am also uploading a video of the inside of the Pantheon, coz really pictures can not capture the beauty of the structure.

Then, we were on our way to Fontana de Trevi or simply, the Trevi fountain. One of the most recognizable landmarks in Rome, it's been featured in several movies including La dolce Vita and the Lizzie McGuire Movie. According to the myth, if you throw a coin into the fountain, it will ensure a return trip to Rome. The 'expanded' version of this myth, says that if you throw in one coin, you'll return to Rome, if you throw in 2, it will lead to a new romance, and if you throw in 3 coins, it will lead to marriage. :P Tempted as I was to throw in 6 coins into the fountain, I only threw in one, hehehe. :)

By this time, our feet were sore and we were tired...it's been a looong walk. Our last stop was the Spanish Steps. But we were so tired by then that we couldn't wait to ride the metro and go back to tita Mildred's flat, which we did after a few pics.
Back home, we still had to cook dinner. :) Tito Enrico was already home by this time, so while I helped in the kitchen, Marbi, Eis and Ria played charades with Tito Enrico as they tried to guess what he was saying since he spoke very little English. It's a good thing Tito Enrico is such a colorful character and he was so entertaining we immediately felt at ease.
The dinner consisted of, frutti de mare pasta, which is a seafood pasta, a salad with sweet vinegar and olive oil, Roast beef, salami dolce, sauteed mushrooms and for dessert, tiramisu and strawberries with orange juice and sugar, believe me this combination was perfect. We were all so very full by the time dinner was over. All in all, a good start to our Rome vacation.

Roma Rants...Fiumicino, the worst!

2009-04-18T21:00:00.000+08:00

Just before leaving Bratislava, my teammates and I took a side trip to Rome, Italy for a few days. I have an aunt living in Rome who very graciously offered us free accommodations so we decided to take the opportunity and go. I've only had time to post my updates now because i was busy during Holy Week and preparing for my family's trip to the US soooo it's late, but hopefully still interesting. :)

Before I recount my trip to the eternal city, Roma, I will first rant about the airport. Because in all the airports I've been to... this is BY FAR the worst (yes, counting crowded domestic airports in the Phils). And I'd rather get this rant out of the way before I start talking about Rome, lest it ruin the memories.

We arrived in the Fiumicino (Leonardo da Vinci) Airport a few minutes ahead of schedule. However, we were made to wait about 10 more minutes in the plane as they couldn't seem to find someone to operate the stairs that would be connected to the plane. Thinking it's just a slight oversight in airport management, I let it slide. Little did I know that Fiumicino had a few more 'oversights' in store for me.

I already drew up a schedule, and we were supposed to catch the 1450 train to Tuscolana to meet up with Tita Mildred. Our schedule was packed pretty tight so every minute counted. I thought we had plenty of time to spare as we were out of the plane by 1420. But while waiting for our 1 piece of checked in luggage, it took another 40 minutes! Really, how long does it take to unload luggage? I was already getting impatient, and it was pretty obvious to my officemates, long story short, we missed the 1450 train, and barely had enough time to catch the 15:20 train. We finally met up with tita Mildred to begin our Rome adventure.

But before I continue, let me get the rest of the story off my chest... on our way back to Bratislava, Tita Mildred's husband, Tito Enrico, was kind enough to drive us to the airport. We were in pretty good spirits, and relaxed and excited to get home. We were able to check in without any problems, and then we headed over to the security check... and it was chaos.

There were hundreds of people crammed together, making their way to the security scanners at the very front. I have no idea why the airport didn't think of organizing this place.. I mean, how hard is it to set up some tape to mark a queue? After some struggling, we finally saw the semblances of several queues. So, we followed the line, with a few people cutting here and there. We were there for a while, following the slow moving line, but at least there was order.

And then. a few metres from the scanners, THE LINE ENDS and it was chaos all over again! I just can't forgive the fact that they couldn't do such a simple thing as to continue the queue all the way to the scanners! Was it too much to ask? Our bags were heavy, and patience was running thin as we had to force ourselves to stay in line. And of course, there were so many people trying to cut in line. This one woman even shoved her child in front of me to try to cut in! Out of patience, I still put my things on the conveyor and raised an eyebrow at her for good measure. Her child was practically squished by the guy in front of me, but she didn't even care just as long as she could get an opportunity to cut in line, what a horrible woman.

Anyway, I finally made my way past the damned security check. I even saw someone collapsed on the floor, probably passed out from all the pressure. It was already borading time according to my watch. But at least we were through, and we still had time to board, so we thought our troubles were over.

So we head on over to our gate, we arrived just in time for an announcement to sound that the flight to Bratislava was actually boarding in Gate X instead of Gate Y. I forgot the exact numbers, so we transferred from Gate Y, to Gate x, and stood in line.

Now, we were expecting to board, but noooo, we had to stand there like idiots WAITING FOR ANOTHER 30 MINUTES! No one even said anything, there was a girl in the counter, but she wasn't doing anything, not telling us that the plane wasn't ready to board yet... so we just stood there, waiting.

I was so pissed and annoyed and tired and I couldn't believe how our very short Rome trip could be marred by this completely annoying experience. It alsmost ruined the entire trip for me, and it probably did for my travel mates... worst airport really, you need a lot of patience for this, and I can't understand why they can't improve it.

Wow...this is a long post for a rant, but at least I'm done. Next post, living la dolce vita in Roma!

Back in Bratislava

2009-03-24T03:57:00.002+08:00

Yup, I'm back... but only for a short while. :) This is a short, two week trip to renew our work permits. A short, two week trip that gave me (and my teammates) an opportunity to take a trip to Rome before flying back to Manila on the 6th of April.

First, the flight from Manila to Dubai was uneventful, barely even a trace of turbulence which was great. Upon reaching Dubai, we headed over to the Skywards lounge and spent the next few hours waiting for our connecting flight to Vienna. It's my first time in an airport lounge, and I have to say it was quite relaxing. And there was food so we didn't go hungry while waiting.

But the best part of the trip was when we were checking in at the gate for the Dubai-Vienna flight. You see, we were upgraded to business class! I can never sleep on flights but the reclining seats and the noise canceling earphones made it possible for me to catch a few zzzs before reaching Vienna. I love business class! But if I had to point out one thing I didn't like about it, it's that the food service is longer, since they serve appetizers, main course and dessert separately. The only reason I'm complaining about that is because I would have rather just reclined in my seat and slept. Take note, I have been up for a full 24 hours by that time. But I'm sure I would have enjoyed the meal more, had I not been so sleep deprived.

But my lucky streak didn't end there, when we reached the hotel and I checked in, I was given the exact room I wanted, the same room I stayed for 3 months in, last year, without me even having to ask. It was a very lucky coincidence. So I was immediately 'at home' when I got to the hotel room.

Then a few of us trooped over to Billa to buy some water and things to eat for dinner. When we got back, I spent a few minutes chatting with family and friends before I decided to go back down to the lobby to have my drinks exchanged.

It was at this point my luck probably ran out. On my way back up, the elevator got stuck between the 2nd and the 3rd floors. All the floor buttons were flashing and non-responsive and I didn't know what to do. I was alone, slightly claustrophobic, with no cellphone, and paranoia was starting to set in. But I was able to stay calm and had enough sense to press the button with a bell on it. It emitted this high pitched, chirpy kind of sound that I wasn't sure could even be heard outside. I did that like 4 or 5 times hoping someone would hear. I didn't want to yell or anything, I mean, I didn't really think I was in any danger. Then suddenly, all the lights turned off and I was in pitch black darkness! If I was able to keep calm before, I was quickly losing that battle. I do not like small, dark, confined spaces. But thankfully, it didn't last long, I think the elevator was 'reset' and it went back down to the basement. As soon as it opened, I quickly went up to the lobby and reported it to the receptionist. Apparently, the elevator does that some times, and I was just 'lucky' to have experienced it. I found out the next day that it does happen quite a lot, and there's really no need to panic.

The whole ordeal probably lasted only about 3 minutes, but I still won't be taking any elevator rides alone in the near future. I guess that's just the fates way of telling me I should take the stairs. :P

Well, that's it. Today was just a regular work day, and I wasn't stuck in any elevators so I have nothing else to say. I'm still deciding what I'm going to be doing on the weekend. I could go shopping... or rather, malling coz I really don't want to spend much during this trip. Or I could go to Vienna with Ivy... decisions, decisions. Not complaining though, I'm very fortunate to be here and I can't help but look forward to Rome. It's my absolute dream European destination. I hope I don't get too emotional when I get there...I'd be mortified if I cried. Hahaha!

Anyway, I have laundry to do... till next post. :)

On Watching the Watchmen

2009-03-19T11:17:00.003+08:00

I really liked this movie...I've been 'warned' by some people that I might not enjoy it since I'm not familiar with the story/graphic novel, but I think that actually worked to my benefit.

What ensued was a weave of stories flashing back and forth to show us the lives of these superheroes. And of course, how it relates to the central plot of the world being on the brink of nuclear war, and with a 'the end justifies the means' moment that was slightly predictable but still unsettling. It's a long movie, (approx 2h40mins), but it was entertaining enough to keep from dragging.

The only thing I didn't like much, was how Laurie Jupiter acted. Actually, she didn't bother me so much while I was watching it, but when my sister pointed the fact out while we were discussing it, I agreed with her. She wasn't terrible, just okay. Not unlike the rest of the Watchmen who were totally absorbed in their roles. My favorite was Rorschach, How could I not like him? He was totally bad-ass. :D

Warning to the squeamish...it has some very graphic, brutal scenes. But hey, it is from a graphic novel right?

I have to reiterate, I really liked this movie... I'm sure it's not for everyone, but if you're looking for something worth the price of your admission ticket, the running time alone should make it worthwhile. Who knows, you might actually enjoy it as much as I did. :)

Never compromise. Not even in the face of Armageddon. - Rorschach

I Want to be the Exception :)

2009-02-23T15:22:00.005+08:00

A couple of years ago, there was all this craze about a book called 'He's Just Not That Into You'. It's a 'self-help' book written by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo, who were both working in one of my favorite sitcoms, Sex and the City. The book lists down the 'signs' if a man is not 'into' a woman in a no-nonsense, straightforward way, like 'He's Just Not That Into You, If He's Not Asking You Out, Because If He Likes You, Trust Me, He Will Ask You Out'. I borrowed a copy of the book and read through it, but I didn't like it. I didn't find it enjoyable, or empowering...I found myself questioning it and insisting it didn't apply to Filipino culture. So, I just read it and promptly forgot about it.

Fast forward 5 years later, and I am reminded of the book because it has now been made into a movie, starring Jennifer Anniston, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Connelly, Drew Barrymore and Scarlett Johansson among others.

So, along with some of my office pals, we went to watch the screening in a full-packed (read: full-packed) G4 cinema. Let me tell you, it was really fun to watch. And I absolutely loved it, and I couldn't help agreeing with the points it mentioned. Sooo....I found a copy of the book and re-read it, just to see if I would change my mind about it. Granted, I still did not find it 'enjoyable' to read, but now I agree with most, if not all of the points mentioned. So yes, I guess now I do feel empowered by it. But anyway, back to the movie, it's really a must see for all the ladies out there. I'm sure you'll relate to at least one of the story arcs, and it was all beautifully done, I wouldn't mind seeing it again (like tomorrow), hehehe. The pic below was taken after the movie, thanks to Dianne for making the collage.

So, why did I like the movie so much? Well, it was honest, it was believable, relate-able(?), and it really showed how vulnerable women feel at times. But what I like most about it, which I didn't find in the book, was that it gives us hope. No matter how empowered we have become, it gives us hope, that we too can still be the exception to the rule. Yes, there are signs that show how men are just not into us, but there are exceptions... and I know that we have to think of ourselves as the rule and not the exception, but I want to be an exception, I dunno, it seems sweeter that way. If all I said in this paragraph is gibberish to you, it means you haven't watched the movie yet, trust me it'll make sense if you do.

Bottom line is, it really depends on how you interpret the movie or the book and whether you agree or not, it's up to you. Me, I just wanted to say my piece. :)

Ewan

2009-02-03T10:13:00.002+08:00

One of my friends posted this on Facebook and I found it amusing... I'll be altering the rules a bit, I won't be tagging anyone, feel free if you want to repost. But I followed everything else. :)

Rules: Put your player on shuffle and hit the 'Next' button to get your answer to every question. You must indicate the title and artist, no matter how far-fetched it sounds. ~~Tag people who might be interested in doing this same thing.~~ No cheating.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
It's My Life - No Doubt

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
Can I Get A - Jay Z (Hahahahahah!)

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
Illegal - Shakira feat. Carlos Santana

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
Decode - Paramore

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
The Call - Regina Spektor

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Hella Good - No Doubt

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
All You Need is Love - Diana Fuchs Band/Jim Sturgess Across the Universe OST

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
Amnesia - Britney Spears (waaaah, ayaw ko maging ganito!)

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
Walk This Way - Run DMC feat. Steve Tyler Sex and the City OST

WHAT SONG WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
The Sweet Escape - Gwen Stefani feat. Akon (Woohoo!)

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
Viva Forever (Spice Girls) Hahahahah!

WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST
Rollin' - Limp Bizkit

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
Helena - My Chemical Romance

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
So What - Pink

WHAT'S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN?
Breaking the Habit - Linkin Park

HOW WILL YOU DIE?
Jaded - Aerosmith (Ok, so I will die jaded, hahaha)

WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU REGRET?
Bodybumpin - Public Announcement ;))

WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?
How You Remind Me - Nickelback

WHAT MAKES YOU CRY?
Lonely No More - Rob Thomas

WHAT SCARES YOU THE MOST?
Push - Enrique Iglesias Step Up 2 OST

IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?
Sorry, Blame It On Me - Akon

WHAT HURTS RIGHT NOW?
First Time - Lifehouse (Like being in love to feel for the first time...naks!)

WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
Ewan - Imago

Sick Week

2009-01-22T16:53:00.002+08:00

For the first time in my entire 5 1/2 years of working, I've been off work due to sickness for longer than 2 days. My cough actually started in December, I had bad colds and cough which caused me to lose any sense of taste and smell for Christmas. I took antibiotics for 7 days and it cleared up a bit just in time for Palawan.

But then a week ago, my cough came back with a vengeance. At first it was tolerable, only happening every few hours and seemingly under control by Lagundi capsules, but then during the weekend my coughing fits became so violent that I almost threw up. I couldn't sleep, because every time I lay down I would be racked with continuous coughing fits that I could barely breathe. I was still able to go to work on Monday, but the cold air-conditioning made everything worse, by the afternoon I was already feeling feverish, and the next day, I opted not to go to work anymore and visited my pulmonologist. The official diagnosis, Asthmatic Bronchitis.

Dr. Cesario gave me a full barrage of drugs, anti-asthma meds, antibiotics, steroids and an anti-tussive cough syrup. I have to get better soon because the drugs are expensive! I've also been advised to stay at home for the rest of the week, I need rest and I could be contagious to my officemates. So, for the past three days, I've been at home, only leaving to go back to MMC or for meals (Maitz is already leaving on Monday, so we're eating out a lot).

Anyway, I'm feeling better... still not 100% but definitely better. The drugs are working (they should!), I'm glad the weekend's coming up, at least I have more time for R&R, and Monday will be a new work week... hopefully by then, I won't be barking like a dog every few minutes. And hopefully, I won't need to go back to the pulmo, ayaw ko na bumili ng gamot. :P

Gourmet food tripping at Apartment 1B

2009-01-16T15:27:00.010+08:00

My ate, Maitz will be going back to Singapore in 2 weeks and we have always wanted to try Apartment 1B, mostly because of glowing recommendations we read on the Net. We finally found time to check it out today. We decided to try out the most recommended dishes (which were mostly starters) and just split everything.

For starters, we had the French Onion Soup. I love onion soup and this is one of the best I've tried. It was served in a (very) hot cup, with a layer of Gruyere cheese on top. The broth was very tasty but never overpowering. I absolutely enjoyed this. Pardon the image quality, it's taken on my SEK770i in less than ideal lighting conditions.

Next, we had some baked Samosas. It's mushrooms, spinach and cheese stuffed inside a flaky pastry (not unlike croissant). I also liked the creaminess of the cheese and the taste of the mushrooms, and best of all, it's not oily! Delicious.

Then, we had crabcakes, which is my favorite among those we've tried. It's served with a raspberry vinaigrette salad. Being a seafood lover, I enjoyed this immensely. The crab tasted fresh, without even a hint of 'fishiness'. The breading was very crunchy, and the salad worked perfectly when I ate it between bites. It's listed as a starter, but I wouldn't mind having this as my main dish. There are two crabcakes to an order, very filling.

Then our 'actual' main dish arrived. We ordered the 3-cheese, vegetable lasagna. We were thinking something healthy, but with all the cheese that was in it (ricotta, cheddar and parmesan), I'm not sure it's a very healthy dish. I also liked it, but I think I was already full from the other dishes we had that I didn't enjoy it as much. It's very tasty for something that didn't have meat in it, so I would recommend it to vegetarians, or those just cutting back on their meat intake.

Last, but not the least, dessert. I've been reading so much about the White Toblerone Cheesecake that I've set such high expectations of it, which is always a bad thing. I was not blown away by this dessert. For me, it's just another cheesecake, but the white toblerone bits was a nice touch, and I have to give props for that. So far, the best dessert I've had is the Marqueza from Terry's, but more on that in a different post. :)

All in all, lunch at Apartment 1B was a nice experience. The waiters were attentive, service was prompt, food was great and the ambiance is relaxed and cozy. But of course, it comes with a price, ours was 2K for 2 people. My bottom line, it's a great place to try if you're looking for gourmet comfort food, or for the great ambiance, but I'm not hooked. I'd rather spend the same amount on other restaurants like Duo or Terry's. There are still some items I want to try, and I want to come back for more crabcakes, so I'll probably go back, just not in the near future.

For those who want to try Apartment 1B, it's located at One Lafayette Square, 132 L.P. Leviste cor. Sedeno St., Salcedo Village Makati City, at the G/F Unit 1-B. :)

Palawan (Puerto Princesa) Adventure

2009-01-05T18:12:00.022+08:00

I was so psyched about this trip, having made arrangements as early as June 2008, we took a 4-day, 3-night Palawan Adventure package via Bridges travel agency and booked our flights separately (Air Phils and PAL respectively). The schedule was perfect, we would arrive at 10:30 on Dec 27, check-in, have lunch then enjoy a city tour in the afternoon.

Imagine my chagrin when a week before our departure, we found out that the flight was rescheduled to 1:20 in the afternoon. OK, so fine...we can still catch a short tour, so we arrived in NAIA 3 at around 11:30, had lunch and then waited at the gate...only to find out we would be delayed even more! Oh well, we finally arrived in Puerto Princesa a few minutes shy of 4PM.

We were already resigned to the fact that we would miss our city tour, thankfully, Tita Whilms' relative, Jeff (along with his son) came to pick us up. And he drove past the sights to see like Baker's Hill and the city hall, and then took us to the Crocodile farm. Actually, it's the Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center.

Now, I don't really find crocodiles exciting, as they just stay still, some with their mouths open. What I did learn from this trip is that apparently, old crocodiles don't have any commercial value. Crocodile leather used in bags are from 4-5 year old crocs. Then, they open their mouths because they need to cool down, and lastly, when a crocodile is hungry, it will eat whatever is in its path, friend or foe, be it human or otherwise. :P

The highlight of the trip was holding an actual crocodile! Being the bravest (basta wag lang butiki), I gamely took the croc from the manong. And when they asked me what it felt like... all I could think of was...'para siyang bag'. Apologies to all those who think leather goods are bad, I don't really patronize it much either, but it's really all I could think of to describe the smooth, soft leather, er, skin of the crocodile.

Then, he took us to Iwahig Prison and Penal farm, the biggest open penal colony in the world. It's an enormous piece of land which is maintained by prisoners. They are free to wander about on their free time, peddling their wares to visitors. We are told that some have tried to escape, but come back after 3 days or so. The only security from what I saw was a gate at the front where we registered our names., Inside, prisoners would approach you and try to sell their merchandise Not much to see here, and perhaps the highlight of which is the building/session hall below, dating back to 1924.

Afterwards, we just drove around, pausing to take pictures of ducks and mayas and doves . Puerto Princesa is a clean and very simple place, but even a city girl like me can really appreciate the fresh, clean air and the abundance of nature around (trees, birds, butterflies).

Anyway, we drove back to the city and stopped by a small grocery to buy water and some beer and chips, before checking in at Asturias hotel. The hotel is very nice, clean and cozy. Although it's off the main road, there is no shortage of tricycles so everything is still accessible. It has a pool and the food here is delicious. :)

After dinner, we played cards and had beer and chips... hahaha, just relaxing with our aunts. Thanks to Jeff for taking us around the city.

The next day we woke up early to go into the Underground river tour, which I was nervous about because I'm slightly claustrophobic and scared to death of lizards. And the place we're going to is known for having monitor lizards grazing about! But still, I was excited about seeing the underground river. It's a 2 hour drive from the city, to Sabang. There we waited another 3 1/2 hours to get a boat that would take us to the entrance of the river. I would advise that you go during the off peak season, as the wait can really be tedious. Thankfully, there is a long stretch of beach and also a restaurant where we had our lunch, complete with fresh buko juice.

Eventually, we got into a boat and it took about 20 minutes to reach the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park which is a World Heritage Site and also a nominee for the New 7 Wonders of Nature (please vote!). There is also a small restaurant here, and I saw a monitor lizard and it was staring at us! Sticking out its tongue menacingly...okay, I exaggerate, but I swear it was looking at us. But I was already fortunate that I only got to see 1 bayawak...I think there's more in the monkey trail but I'd be crazy to pass through there because of my phobia.

Moving on, we head over to the entrance of the cave, and it's another hour long wait to get into the boat that will take us to the underground river. We're assured that the wait isn't normally this long, since the park only gets an average of 200 visitors a day, during the time we visited, we reached around 700. I guess it's because of the holiday. But anyway, we finally got the chance to ride the small 8-seat banca and started our journey with only a small light into the unknown.

To say I was feeling anxious is an understatement. Picture this, we were heading into pitch blackness with only 1 light to guide us along. Every so often, you hear a high pitch cry and the sound of flapping wings. We assumed they were bats, but our cave guide was quick to correct us that they were birds, the type of birds that leave birds' nests for harvesting. He mentioned that the bats were sleeping at this time and that they wouldn't emit those noises if they were flapping about. And we did see hundreds of those small bats sleeping at the tops of the cave. And we even passed by the entrance of a 'bat cave' which probably houses even more of these nocturnal creatures.

Inside the cave were various stalactite (from the ceiling) and stalagmite (from the ground) formations that resembled things like vegetables, like corn on the cob, pechay, an onion, garlic, and in the middle there is a cathedral section, with a giant melting candle, the Holy Family and even the 3 wise men. There are also instances that the slactite and stalagmite formations meet and this, we are told, is called a column.

There are other formations that absolutely took my breath away, like the half face of Jesus Christ on the way back. A huge boa that seemed poised to attack us. A man at the very top watching over the objects below, and even a lone dog guarding a specific area. I'm sorry I can't post much pictures, and the pictures here don't really do justice to what we saw... but it was really, really dark and the flash could only do so much.

I was truly amazed by this experience. I can't imagine how these structures were formed to such uncanny resemblances over years and years of evolving. Truly a wonder of nature.

And to get an idea of how dark it was inside, look at the pictures below, the light from an oncoming boat is the only source of light you'll see... and the contrast of the daylight when coming back out. You really have to experience this in Palawan. Never mind the wait and frustration, just go to the Underground river tour.

On our last day, we went on the Honda Bay Tour, which is the island hopping experience. We went to three different islands, Pandan, Snake and Starfish. My favorite was Pandan island. Here, Maitz and I snorkeled away with our guide to a large, smooth coral you can stand on. And here, the term swimming with the fishes took a literal meaning. It was so beautiful! We spent a few minutes swimming with the different species before deciding to head back. And on our way, when I kicked to propel myself forward, I got stung by a sea urchin! Ouch! And my toe swelled (more than usual) and had this black puncture wound...the pain was bearable so I just did my best to ignore it. But even now, a week later, it's still a bit itchy and when I move it sometimes I feel the pain. It will take a while for my body to absorb the sting (apparently its calcium), but the sting was a small price to pay for the beautiful sight we experienced near that coral in Pandan island.

The next island was Snake island, which thankfully did not have any snakes. The name was derived from the way the island is shaped. Here, you really have to move to the deeper end to see the fishes and some of them were huge! But I still enjoyed Pandan island better. The last island we went to was Starfish island. Not much snorkeling to be done here, but there were a lot of rocks and starfishes. :) And because it was extremely hot, our tour group opted to leave early and just stop by the Vietnamese Village in Puerto Princessa, Viet Ville for short.

Unfortunately, the village is no longer the thriving village it once was. Since now, only around 7 families remained. The only sight to see here is the Vietville restaurant where we had some halo-halo, sandwiches and the other people in our tour even tried the Pho. Afterwards, we went back to our hotel, freshened up then made the trip to the market to buy pasalubong (danggit and kasoy). Then back to the hotel for dinner and Maitz and I had coffee and cake for dessert.

The next day, we didn't have any more time to explore the city since we had an early flight. But the grannies were still able to make a trip to the market to buy fresh seafood and crabs. There's even a packing section in the market so you don't have to worry about a thing. The crabs were still alive when we reached Manila and the lapu lapu they bought became a part of our New Year feast in Magallanes, even after another 1 1/2 hour delay on our arrival! And here I thought PAL no longer stood for plane always late.

I think Palawan is really a beautiful place, but there are still a lot of improvements that can be done to make it more tourist friendly. The logistics of the underground river tour should really be fixed. And the islands can be developed more so that it would have running water and an actual toilet. :P i guess I'm just really not the 'roughing it' type of gal, but even so, I was enthralled by the picturesque views of nature and just completely blown away by the limestone structures in the Underground river tour. Make Palawan the next destination in your itineraries, I'm sure you will also fall in love with it.

Hello to 2009!

2008-12-31T23:01:00.003+08:00

I'm counting down the last hour of 2008 and waiting to welcome the new year with a hopeful heart :D

Happy New Year Everyone!

La Luz R&R

2008-12-19T23:37:00.011+08:00

Maitz arrived from Singapore in the wee hours of the morning last Saturday. After a brief rest, we all headed off to La Luz in San Juan, Batangas for some R&R. I've heard a lot about this place, so I was really excited. It was a fun drive going to La Luz. We always have fun during roadtrips dahil sa kulitan. So, the 2 1/2 hours (traffic) passed by quickly and we soon found ourselves taking in the crisp, clean air of La Luz.

First, we had lunch and then settled in one of the large cabanas by the beach while we waited for our room. And of course, we took the opportunity to take some pics.

After we settled in our room, Maitz, Tere, Bea, Gabby and I got ready to do some snorkeling and swimming in the beach. We went snorkeling in pairs, we're all pretty strong swimmers, but pretty clumsy along corals, hehehe, so a buddy was a good idea in case one of us accidentally hits a coral (ahem Tere, that's you!).

When we've had our fill of swimming, we all had a nice massage in the cabana while watching the sun set, except for Gabby of course. Then dinner was served in the main pavilion and the setup was so nice with all the candles and lights which were in stark contrast with the dark beach.

After dinner, my sisters and I stayed in the cabana and played Uno cards while drinking Tequila Rose and eating Tostitos with dip. Actually, Tere and Maitz drank most of the Tequila, I was being a good girl and drank mostly Sprite with Bea. :) We went back up to the room by 11.

The next day, we had breakfast by the beach. And being the camwhores that we all were, took the opportunity to take more pictures. Even Gabby already knows how to pose, hehehe.

Before we knew it, we were already leaving La Luz... it was a very short break, but I think we made the most of it. I really loved it, the place is clean, the people were accommodating, and although the beach is almost gravel-like, I still enjoyed swimming in the water.

From La Luz we went to Kusina ni Salud in San Pablo, Laguna. We love the seafood kare-kare in this place, and also their ginataan. Unfortunately, during Sundays, they only have a buffet service and we couldn't order our favorites. But we did thoroughly enjoy the laing, hehehe. And that ends my weekend R&R. Next Sunday, we'll be going to Dagupan to celebrate Christmas with my dad's family. It'll be a 1 day trip...tiring, but I don't mind, I already know it's going to be another fun road trip. :)

Red Box Mayhem

2008-12-04T15:57:00.007+08:00

Delayed post... but nonetheless...

Tuesday night is Ladies night at Red Box, so last Tuesday, my office pals and I decided to let loose and sing our hearts out in my favorite KTV joint. Together with Cindy, Jo, Aimee, Treenah, Mitch, Dianne and her bf, we trudged up to Red Box for a well deserved break from our stressful work lives (hehehe).

It was a fun, no-holds barred free for all. We sang songs from different genres and times, oldies, new hits, rock, pop, R&B, English, OPM, you name it, we did it. We even sang Halik by Aegis, Low (oh yeah, we rapped) and danced to Treenah's rendition of It's Raining Men and even had fun with Katy Perry's hit I Kissed a Girl. We took videos, but I think we'd rather keep those to ourselves, hahaha.

But anyway, some pics. :) Sa uulitin!

Busy Weekend

2008-11-30T21:48:00.005+08:00

2 days have already gone on this 3-day weekend...and it's been a pretty busy one for me. :) On Saturday, I had my regular blood check (to monitor my TSH), had breakfast at Starbucks (got my planner yay!), had my contacts cleaned at Makati Med, then in the afternoon, I watched Hairspray with mom. Then, we went to mass.

Hairspray, as a whole was a fun play to watch. But I do have a lot of caveats. First of all, I didn't like the theater, it was too cold, and smelled dusty, I don't know if you know what I mean, but I get allergic from too much dust, and I was feeling allergic by the end of the show, so I'm assuming the theater was the cause. Then, it started a few minutes late and not only that, even after the theater doors closed, people kept coming in! I mean, come on! I would never expect this kind of thing to happen at the CCP. And last, the lights...I just didn't like the lights, there was one time we had this beam shining straight at us!

Oh well... but all these caveats didn't matter. The cast was great! I loved them! Nyoy Volante was an unexpected surprise... he danced so well and played Seaweed perfectly. Penny (I don't know her name) was a laugh trip, Michael de Mesa was great as Tracy's mom, Dulce was awesome as always (although some of her lines made her appear kinda 'high'). And Madel Ching (playing Tracy) was sooo energetic! I loved her. I'm sure with a few more years in theater, she's going to be absolutely awesome.

And then today, we went to Glorietta and watched Twilight! Of course I have already set my expectations (to a very low level) and I was really pleased with the film. :P And I actually think the next books (New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn) will be better on film. So, I'm excited about that.

Tomorrow, Tere and I will go back to the mall for some facials and shopping, then we'll have dinner at Mandarin Hotel to celebrate my parents' 29th anniversary. :)

Whew... it's been a hectic 3 day weekend, I feel like I didn't even get a chance to rest at all! But I guess that's what the holidays are about right? Everyone gets busy. :)

Twenty five days to go until Christmas! :D

Half Blood Prince Trailer#3

2008-11-24T22:41:00.001+08:00

It sucks that I have to wait until July of next year for this! But I just know it's going to be awesome! Can't wait!

Wii Unboxing...Wheee!!!!

2008-11-15T23:57:00.005+08:00

OMG... I finally bought the mother of all game consoles...a Nintendo Wii, complete with Wii Sports, an extra controller and nunchuck, 10 games and of course... a DDR dance pad, which as I'm sure my college friends can attest to, is something I'm 'very' fond of.

Anyway, we tested the Wii Sports and had fun playing tennis, bowling, some golf and boxing. I kicked ass in tennis, but got my ass kicked in boxing by both Tere and Sweet. Grrr... I wonder how Maitz will fare with this game when she comes home for Christmas. I bet she'll suck, hahahaha!

Tomorrow, I'll try the Dance Dance Revolution..and I'm sure, an inevitable addiction will develop. Anyway, unboxing pics below. :)

In retrospect...

2008-11-12T18:15:00.004+08:00

Finally, I've closed an issue that took me several days (and a few nights of troubled sleep) to investigate...

You might think I exaggerate when I say I have trouble sleeping... but I don't. I get that way when there's something I can't finish, I obsessively think about it until I start dreaming about it. I kid you not, thesis issues were resolved because of this 'gift'.

But anyway, it's been a while since I did actual support work... but of course, this was my bread and butter back at the Sunny company. And this SIR made me feel the same frustrations I once had when I was still in Production support... and then when I actually figured out the cause... I felt the same rush of endorphins that I used to feel when closing a difficult request or identifying why my GL was unbalanced or fixing a batch problem at 3 in the morning.

Although I'm not saying I actually want to be back in support... it just makes me think... dev or support, both have their pros and cons. Back when I was in support, I talked with a lot of people, had great working relationships with my users, and learned different tips and techniques from other developers' codes, but there was always the stress, the urgency of things and the frustration of figuring out what went wrong that can take its toll on a person. In dev, I speak to fewer people, but at least I can schedule what needs to be done, and I can have my own approach to development, but it also gets tiring and stressful when deadlines approach and you still haven't figured out how to code a particular functionality or if you're not getting the expected result during testing.

I don't really have a point to make, I just noticed I haven't been updating my blog...so I just started typing the thoughts off the top of my head. All I know is, whatever I do, dev or support, everything is bound to end sometime... like the song in Avenue Q, 'Everything in life is only for now.' :)

Lapit na mag-Pasko...can't wait. :D

A day with the Nuts :)

2008-10-19T23:18:00.004+08:00

In college, our thesis was called the Nut Buying System by the company that sponsored the project. 'Nut' was short for Coconut, because the company's business was the manufacturing and exportation of coconuts and coconut goods. So, naturally, our thesis group was called the 'Nuts', and by now you should have realized what I meant by saying a day with the nuts. :)

Yup, for the first time in months, all four of us were finally able to meet and we spent it by having lunch at Cyma and then watching Tropic Thunder.

I liked the food in Cyma, it's a Greek restaurant in Greenbelt 2, a bit pricey but servings are large enough for sharing. We had the flaming cheese, roast pork chops and angel hair pasta with salmon. Very nice.

And then Tropic Thunder...hahaha, laugh trip talaga. Not for kids. I was surprised how much I enjoyed it actually, but I think the dialogue was just great and the actors were just perfect for their roles, and it was such a star-studded cast with a lot of cameos I couldn't help but enjoy it.

Anyway, here's a pic of all four of us...whenever we're together it really just brings back memories. I miss college. *sighs*
I just hope that the next time we meet, kumpleto na ang college barkada, along with Kat, Krisel and Jeng. :) See you guys soon!

How do you measure a year? :)

2008-10-09T09:42:00.003+08:00

I've always loved this song :) It's from the musical Rent.

SEASONS OF LOVE

[ALL]
Five hundred twenty-five thousand
Six hundred minutes,
Five hundred twenty-five thousand
Moments so dear.
Five hundred twenty-five thousand
Six hundred minutes
How do you measure, measure a year?

In Daylights, in sunsets, in midnights
In cups of coffee
In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife.

In five hundred twenty-five thousand
Six hundred minutes
How do you measure
A year in the life?

How about love?
How about love?
How about love? Measure in love

Seasons of love.
Seasons of love.

[JOANNE]
Five hundred twenty-five thousand
Six hundred minutes!
Five hundred twenty-five thousand
Journeys to plan.

Five hundred twenty-five thousand
Six hundred minutes
How do you measure the life
Of a woman or a man?

[COLLINS]
In truths that she learned,
Or in times that he cried,
In bridges he burned,
Or the way that she died.

[ALL]
It's time now to sing out,
Tho' the story never ends
Let's celebrate
Remember a year in the life of friends
Remember the love!
Remember the love!
Remember the love
Measure in love
Seasons of love!
Seasons of love.

[JOANNE]
Oh you got to remember the love,
You know that love is a gift from up above
Share love, give love, spread love
Measure, measure your life in love.

Turning 26

2008-10-08T23:58:00.002+08:00

I'm counting down the last few minutes of being 25. Louie's keeping me company via SMS. I'm really touched since she's all the way in Tajikistan (did I spell this right?)

Anyway, today was my ex-Sunlife-boss Manny's last day with the Sunny Company (credit to Ces for the moniker), and I went over to TEC to attend his despedida. It was fun! I got to see my old teammates, my old users and made me feel a little bit wistful about things. I know it's not just me who has these 'feelings' of missing my Sunny days.

It's weird that this is what I contemplate as I turn 26. :P I guess it's just a coincidence that I had to be there on this day, and that I'm texting with Louie. Other than that, there really isn't much to think about anyway.

Haha, Louie just texted me... I guess I'm now 26.

Time to celebrate! ;)

MSI Wind Specs

2008-10-03T21:30:00.006+08:00

I bought a pink MSI Wind U100XP last Wednesday and here are the specs...

Processor & Cache	Intel® Atom™ N270 1.6GHz Processor
Operating System	Windows® XP Home
Chipsets	Intel® 945GSE+ICH7M
System Memory	2GB (DDR2 667)
LCD Display	10” 1024x600 LCD Panel
Graphics & Video Module	UMA
Audio	HD Audio, Stereo speakers
HDD	160GB SATA
Webcam	Built-in Camera
Card Reader	4-in-1 Card Reader, SD/MMC/MS/Mspro
Communication Port	Built-in 10/100 LANBuilt-in 802.11b/g WLAN Card / Bluetooth
I/O Port	Graphics Card Output (15-pin, D-Sub) X 1USB2.0 Port X 3Mic-in Port X 1/Line-in Port x 1Headphone Output X 1LAN Port X 1
AC Adaptor	Output: 20V DC, 40W / Input: 100~ 240V AC, 50/60Hz universal
Battery Pack & Life	Li-Ion 3 cells, 2.5 hours
Dimension & Weight	260(L) X 180(D) X 19-31.5(H)mm1.0KG with 3 cell battery

Did I mention? It's pink! :D Pictures of my actual unit to follow.

9 days to go...

2008-09-30T17:48:00.004+08:00

...until I stop being 25.

Wala lang. :)

This year I'm planning to buy myself either a Lenovo IdeaPad S10 or an MSI Wind. I've passed on numerous EeePCs and other netbooks in the past, but now with a decent 10" screen and comparable specs to base config laptops, I really can't resisit for much longer. I also checked the EeePC, HP Mini Note, Acer Aspire One and have narrowed the choices down to the S10 and the Wind. And what better excuse do I need to splurge other than celebrating my birthday?

Yeah... my birthday's just an excuse, I just really want a netbook. :) But I don't know... maybe I can manage with my iPAQ for a few more months... we'll see. =P

Bitter Loss

2008-09-26T08:57:00.005+08:00

Should I even bother?

I waited until the next day to write my post because I was so down yesterday I would have probably written something I would regret.

But after reading newspaper articles and user comments about the game last night, I'm more incensed than I was before.

Yes, WE LOST, and yes WE DON'T THINK THE CALLS WERE FAIR...calling us sore losers for the remarks Franz made, Rico's reaction and by the Archers not wanting to come out of the dugout only adds insult to injury.

Yes, I'm insulted. Do you honestly expect us to react any other way?

Ateneo played with a lot of heart, congratulations to them. This really isn't a post to question the championship, I just want to say what I feel.

I'm bitter about the loss...it was not a fair fight, at least I didn't think so.

And for all those who just can't understand why we're so emotional about our players, about the game...then just keep your comments to yourself okay?

I better shut up now, there's really no point anyway.

I bleed green.

Animo La Salle!

Go for Game 3!

2008-09-25T08:57:00.002+08:00

Whatever happens today... I still remain, forever green =D Animo La Salle!
Let's go Archers! Let's Go!

Tickets please!

2008-09-15T09:50:00.003+08:00

It's going to be La Salle vs. Ateneo in the finals!

Both teams won their respective final four matches yesterday, La Salle beating FEU by a mere five points, the victory made possible by James Mangahas, who shot a career high 20 points with half of it scored in the last quarter, including a crucial 3 point play in the dying seconds of the game. Ateneo, on the other hand, completely dominated UE with a whopping 20 point lead.

Which brings us back to the dream UAAP finals which I am now desperately seeking tickets for.

Can we win back to back championships? I sure hope so.

Keep the faith everyone. Animo La Salle! :)

Gorgeous sunsets...beautiful beaches...clear waters of Boracay

2008-09-03T18:10:00.020+08:00

Back from my vacation! Would have posted an entry sooner if I hadn't been so addicted to Facebook :P

Oh well... 3 days/2 nights is definitely too short a time to really experience Boracay. I've been here 4 times, but still, there's so much to do! Louie and I didn't feel the need to pursue any other activities except for swimming, walking along the beach, food tripping, shopping, sleeping, drinking(?) and getting daily massages. Hahaha, yep, if only life could be so relaxing all the time. :)

We stayed at Boracay Beach Club in Station 1 (near Cocomangas and across Club Paraw). It's not a beach front resort, but the short walk across the street shouldn't be a deterrent. It's a cozy, classy hotel that offered great service. If I'm going back to Boracay, I'll definitely consider staying here again.

So on our first day, we headed out for lunch and it was scorching hot! We ate lunch at Gasthof (ribs, yum!) and decided to go back to the hotel because it was too damn hot... hehe, got a migraine because of it. So we decided to come back out once the sun was out. But first, a preview of the beach :P

After a short siesta, we went out again and enjoyed the cool waters of Boracay. No pics, coz none of us have waterproof cameras...yet, hehehe. Anyway, after freshening up, we took a walk along the beach again, and photographed the sunset... well, we didn't really stay until the sun actually set, but, I still think it's a nice pic.

And I couldn't resist putting this pic here... coz I just think it's cool. :) Louie's the one with the peace sign.

And of course... while in Bora, why not don some henna tattoos or funky braids? Although in my experience...braids are really just for practical reasons (so that my hair won't fall all over my face), and only to be worn for a short period of time. Be careful with braids though... last time I had them, I sunburned my scalp! Honest! So this time, I stayed away from the sun and removed the braids before I went to bed (no matter how dizzy I was, but that's another story). The braids pic was taken at Aria. Just had to mention this resto if you're looking for really good Italian cuisine by the beach, located at D'Mall, station 2.

Lastly...Louie's favorite? Hahaha... cocktail time! On the first night, we had cocktails at Club Paraw, enjoying the sounds of the acoustic singer. We were the only people in the bar, hahaha! I guess that's why it's called an off-peak season. I had the grasshopper (wanted to see the grasshopper effect). It was a very creamy, minty drink, like liquid mentos. Refreshing even. :P

Next day, we decided to chill at Ariel's House after our massage. And the bartender suggested I try this Illusion cocktail. Fine, I didn't really have any drink in mind. So I tried it. And it was STRONG. I mean, really... the blur in the picture below would probably be a good indication of what I was feeling after (barely finishing) this drink. And the bartender even added some more juice to it because he admitted it was pretty strong (when I obviously couldn't order any other cocktail aside from this one.)

And look how happy we were before the drinks came =)). But it was still a fun (but short) night. Louie finished this great looking shooter called the Lamborghini., as well as a Harry Wallbanger (parang juice lang) and this other cocktail I was too dazed to remember. I will definitely try the Lamborghini next time. No more Illusion for me, that's for sure!

On our last day, we woke up at 6 to have breakfast at Jonas' fruitshakes (open 24 hours!). I recommended the place to Louie and she loved the Mango Lemon. Me, I usually go for the Banana Choco Peanut. This pic was taken at around 730am, notice the water slowly rising up. It gets up to the very edge of the establishment by 10am, and starts to subside by noon. So, there really isn't much shore around by that time, at least near Station 1.

After breakfast, we heard the 8am mass. It's funny, whenever we asked the locals what language the mass would be in, they couldn't really answer. And when we attended the mass, we understood what it meant when they said 'Kasi ho, mixed siya e...' Hahaha! The mass was a mix of Bisaya, English and Tagalog. I think it started out in Tagalog, then Papuri sa Diyos was sung in Bisaya, then the readings and the Gospel were (if I remember correctly) in Bisaya. The Homily was in Taglish...you get the idea. But the priest, was really really good, and was able to convey his message even with the plethora of languages and dialects being spoken during the Mass.

And then we headed back to our hotel for a final massage (yup, 3 days, 3 massages... what more could I ask for?) Then, had room service for lunch, and all too soon, we were homeward bound *sigh*. It was a very relaxing vacation... I wish it was much longer though. Took these final two pics while on the Fastcraft on the way to Caticlan.

But wait! There's more! Our relaxing, stress-relieving vacation took a stressful and downright terrifying turn on the way back to Manila. It was only just a 50 minute plane ride, but the last 15 minutes were rocked by strong turbulence, strong rains, strong winds and lightning flashes. That's right, it was raining HARD in Manila. And it was sooo dark! It was only about 6PM, but it looked like it was 8. It was the first time I ever really entertained the possibility of a plane crash (yes it was that harrowing for me). And when we finally landed 15 minutes later at NAIA, the applause for the pilot was the most meaningful I've ever given in my life. You can't imagine how thankful I was we took the bigger planes from Kalibo, and how thankful I was that we flew PAL (known for their smooth landings).

But Louie and I made it back in one piece...still wish we spent a longer time, next time. Right now, I can't wait for my next travel...Palawan in December with Maitz and my aunts! :)

Going Back to Bora!!!

2008-08-12T18:35:00.002+08:00

As I've mentioned and griped to friends and relatives... I haven't stepped foot on a beach this year. So when Louie sent me that email to ask if I wanted to go to Boracay (with very reasonably priced accommodations available) I could hardly contain my excitement and could barely type in YES to my email.

And now, with only 2 days to prepare, it's all set! And I can't wait... it's been a year and 6 months since I was last in Bora. And it's my first time to travel with Louie! So kahit dalawa lang kami, go pa rin! Hahahaha!

I only hope we don't get hit by a storm... I can still remember the last time I was in Boracay and a storm hit (December 2006). The entire island had no power, trees were uprooted, boats upturned, signages destroyed...and we even had to go to Iloilo to catch a flight back home! Now that's an adventure I hope I wouldn't have to go through this time around.

Breaking Dawn...at last :)

2008-08-10T01:58:00.003+08:00

It's 2AM, and I finally finished the last book of the Twilight Saga, Breaking Dawn. Sure, there's still a possibility of continuing the story, but practically every conflict was resolved in the last installment of the series.

I'm not promising there won't be spoilers in this post, so if you don't want to know, you know what to do. Anyway, I enjoyed the book, it was definitely better than the last two were. And finally, Bella finally had some redeeming qualities. There were twists that would catch some readers by surprise, and I'm sure a lot would be immersed in the 'world' that Stephanie Meyer has painted...Not me though, I've been reading vampire novels and other books of the sort since I was 12 (that's more than a decade ago), so just the slightest hint would already have me guessing what would happen. But still, I really enjoyed this book, and I can't help but wish that the story can continue, and the adventures of the Cullens will go on.

But I do have one gripe... I was all set for an epic battle, clearly a sense of bloodlust was also in me while I read through the pages, but then things had to get all peaceful just like that *rolls eyes*. It's annoying how Stephanie Meyer would build up to such a climax and have it fizzle out in the end...so very anti-climactic.

As can be expected, the story ends happily...which truly proves this is a 'young adult' book... I can almost say children's book...since Harry Potter (any one of the books from 5-7) was at least ten times more intense than the entire series combined. Like I said, the last two books were rather weak, and I think as an actual 'saga', the 2nd and 3rd books could have been combined into something that skipped over some of the boring (and sometimes downright annoying) parts.

Now all that's left is to wait for the movie coming up in December, I added links to some trailers below. Oh and Stephanie Meyer is currently working on 'Midnight Sun', this time it's Edward's turn to tell the tale. No publication date yet, but I guess that's also something to look forward to.

Four days of Twilight to Eclipse

2008-08-06T23:17:00.004+08:00

First there was Harry... and then Arty... and now...Edward.

These guys keep me up at night, but I can't really blame them. ;) It's my fault... I have an obsessive need to know what happens next. I really can't put a good book down once I start it.

Yes, books! What did you think I was talking about? Harry Potter, Artemis Fowl, and Edward Cullen of the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer.

I started reading Twilight last Sunday, because I was only able to complete the first 3 books then. Can you imagine I bought Twilight from Powerbooks Glorietta, Eclipse from A Different Bookstore and my last acquisition, New Moon from Fully Booked, Bonifacio High Street? The last book, Breaking Dawn came out yesterday, I'll probably buy my copy this weekend.

The story is of a human girl who falls in love with a vampire, sounds cliche right? But everyone seems to be talking about it so my curiosity got the best of me. Twilight turned out to be better than I expected, much, much better... as I couldn't put it down. It was described as a 'seductive' book, which I couldn't imagine since it was fiction for young adults, but when I read it, I had to agree. It was for lack of a better word, 'kilig', and I couldn't help but fall for the characters in the story, especially Edward Cullen, who by the way will be played in the movie by the guy who played Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter.

Of course, whenever I'm into a book, I really can't do much else except read. I slept at 2:30am that night, not even thinking about work come Monday morning. I had a few pages left, which I finished before coming to work that day.

So, when I came home from work, I just had to read New Moon. And read I did... but this book was so much...weaker than the first one... and I was starting to feel that this really was a 'young adult' book while reading it. But I still slept at 2 to finish it.

Then yesterday, I started reading Eclipse, a little less enthusiastically I might add. It's better than New Moon, but nowhere near as good as Twilight was. I didn't even stay up that late to finish it. I finished reading this evening, and although it had some great moments, Eclipse really made the female lead character, Bella, so irritating... I swear while I was reading some of the pages my eyes were rolling. She was sooooo very annoying! But it's still a good read... I just have some personal pet peeves that came out while reading this book.

I'm not sure if my sentiment is shared by the others who read these books. With Twilight being such an amazing read only to let down by the succeeding books... but I'm optimistic, they say Breaking Dawn is good and I don't have long to wait. I'll let you know how it is over the weekend. ;)

I wonder when Time Paradox (Artemis Fowl book 6) will be released here as well? Been waiting for that for some time now... hehe.

Impossible Things are Happening Everyday

2008-08-04T10:18:00.007+08:00

"Impossible...it's possible..."
Can't get the tune out of my head. :)

I watched Cinderella with Kat, Jo, Ai and Yobi last Saturday. And all I can say is.. Lea was fantastic! I missed seeing her play Kim in Miss Saigon many years ago, she was sick on the day Maitz and I watched it but it was all right, coz her understudy was also good... and the guy playing the Engineer was amazing.

But I digress...back to Cinderella. The play was very nicely done, and the cast was great! If there's one thing to gripe about, it's the fact that we were so far up the balcony that there was a time that we couldn't see the actors heads! The play was funny, entertaining, romantic and had enough 'magic' to entertain little kids (and kids at heart).

The songs however, especially in Act 2, were a bit 'lulling', it must be because it was the 'romantic' part already and most of the songs were waltz-like or lullaby like... not like the 'The prince is having a ball!' kind...watch it and you'll see what I mean.

As for the actors, the ensemble cast was great! My favorites were (with the exception of Lea of course,) the fairy godmother and the evil stepsisters, Portia and Joy, oh and the rats :)) they were cute. :P

If you have time (and if tickets are still available), you really should see this play... Lea was really great, and she looked like a child! See it with friends, or with kids and family. And afterwards, I'm sure you'll be saying the same thing I'm saying, that impossible things are happening everyday. :)

Flat Pictures :)

2008-07-21T19:34:00.005+08:00

Ah... home sweet home. :) At least for the past 3 weeks. I realized I haven't posted pics of my flat yet, so here they are.

Well, this is my flat. Kitchen, living room, dining table, the bathroom is on the other side. I'm standing beside the bed when I took this pic, so that pretty much gives you a general layout the place.

The sala is probably the least used area in the place. One, there were no English channels on the TV. Two, table was too low to put my laptop on and three, I didn't really have much time to lounge around. I just used this during weekends, when I was just kicking back with a book.

The kitchen...probably the most used place in my flat. :) I cook every day, and have a lot of fun combining ingredients to make the most of my limited pantry. Oh, and yes, I kept its pristine condition coz I'm terribly obssessive compulsive so after each meal was cooked, everything was cleaned and wiped down. :)

My walk in closet! I always wanted one of these! This is directly adjacent to the kitchen, but fortunately, my clothes didn't smell like food even though I cooked everyday. I loved this closet and when I get my own home, will probably put in something like this in as well. :)

And lastly, the laundry and shower area. The toilet was in a separate room. Probably the biggest advantage to being in a flat, next to cooking of course, was being able to do laundry. I used to hand wash every day when I was in the hotel, and it's a bit tedious. Now, I just put everything in (similar colors of course), and after 30 minutes, I just have to hang them out. Easy. :) Which came in handy since I was bringing home clothes after each trip to the mall. ;)

And of course, the view from my room. I actually took this with a makeshift tripod, using a candle, a wine glass, with my camera on night mode with a 2 second timer. I don't think it still came out the way I wanted it too.. with the moon so bright and the moonlight cascading on the unfinished building...sorta looks creepy but I liked the whole melancholic vibe that it gave off.

I realized I have no other pictures of my trip here on my camera... really didn't do much at all. It was office from Mon to Friday, shopping on Saturdays, then church and groceries on Sunday. And in between, all the rituals of keeping a clean house. I'm pretty much settled in to the routine, but still not quite sure whether I want to keep on doing this. All I can say now, is that I'm looking forward to going home on Friday.

The Tomasikova Experience

2008-07-07T22:34:00.002+08:00

Let me take a break from the SG/KL Chronicles (which I hope to finish by this weekend), to tell you about my stay here in Bratislava. This is the third time I've been here, but the first time I'll be staying at an apartment, and the first time it's going to be a short stay (just 3 weeks, yay!). I'm posting this in bulk because I had no access to the internet for the weekend.

Day 1 (Friday)
Anyway, arrived at the Tomasikova flat at around 3 in the afternoon. Rode up the elevator to my floor and found two unmarked doors there. Slightly annoyed that the driver didn't take me up to the actual unit, I fumbled with the doors and tried all the keys from my keychain (there were 5).

One fit, but no matter where I turned it, the door remained closed. I felt as if the key was stuck or something. Really starting to feel annoyed (and a little frantic). After a full 5 minutes of fiddling with the stupid lock, I went back down (luggage and all) hoping to find someone I could ask help from, there wasn't anyone there. So, I made my way back up the elevator and faced that stupid door.

I took a few calming breaths and tried a few more times. I pushed, pulled, twisted and still the door wouldn't open. Feeling increasingly panicked, I gave it a few more tries, willing myself to think of every possible way to open a lock, and then suddenly, to my immense relief, the lock clicked.

My relief was short lived. Inside the hall was four identical doors WITH NO NUMBERS! How the hell was I supposed to know which flat was which?! Cursing to myself, I tried all the keys again, and again I couldn't open the lock on the first door. I tried the second door, for some reason, 2 of the keys on my keychain could fit into all the locks. But none opened. So, I had 2 keys, 4 doors. I tried every combination, and I couldn't open any. I didn't want to waste too much time (or effort) trying out the lock (what if the owners thought I was breaking in), so I called up Grace and asked her if she knew which was flat Maris used to stay in, she asked Olive, who asked Lucy. who then told me, Finally I knew which was which!

So now that I knew which door to focus on. I tried the two keys that could be inserted into the lock. I tried the same technique as I did with the other door, but no luck. Finally, with a few more tries, I was able to open the door, and got into my apartment.

Compared to Manila standards, it was very big for a studio. I call it a studio coz there's no door for the bedroom. But I realized that if they had done that, then the bedroom would have felt claustrophobic. All in all, I like it, the kitchen is just the way I like it, and I even have a walk-in closet!

I spent a few moments unpacking and setting up the place to make it more 'homey', then I went to
Polus to buy some desperately needed necessities. Finding my way didn't take too much effort (which is a big deal for me since I pretty much suck at directions). When I got back to the flat, I just fixed my stuff, took a bath and fell asleep.

Day 2 (Breakfast)
Woke up with the sun high up in the sky, I tilted my head to the side, put on my glasses and found out it was only 5AM! I have no idea when the sun rose, but given the brightness of the surrounding area, it must have been about an hour ago at least. And to think it only grew dark after 9 in the evening.

Anyway, stood up, checked my stock and wondered what I was going to eat for breakfast... scrambled eggs? Hmmm... bacon? My pantry wasn't as fully equipped as I wanted it to be so making my favorites were out of the question. I settled on corned beef, rice and fried egg.

And then I realized I forgot my can opener, and there wasn't a can opener in the flat. 8-|

Anyway, after much experimenting with various kitchen utensils, I finally ended up opening the damn can with the use of my utility knife from M&S (funny, this thing didn't have a can opener either). And then I was in business. :P

I really enjoy cooking, it's the cleaning up part that sucks. :( Good thing I'm obssessive-compulsive, so I pretty much keep a clean house. We'll see how long I can keep this up... I really don't know if I'm cut up for living alone. The charm of being independent and living alone can lose it's charm very quickly... so we'll just wait and see.

Day 2 (Before Lunch)
Having nothing else to do, I set out for Hlavna Stanica to get a 1 month prepaid ticket...unfortunately, the tram lines have been discontinued from where I was at. So, I just took a bus to Aupark to check out the sales. :D

There was a lot of items on sale, but none of them appealed to me... I figured I'll just save up until I go to Avion for an M&S spree. I did buy a cute white cap from C&A though. So, I went to the grocery, and picked up some other items that were missing from my pantry. Syr (Cheese), Chlieb (Bread), Mlieko (Milk), some olive oil, grapefruit juice, cappuccino, and lots and lots of Voda Neperliva (Still Water). I also bought some toilet paper and since I am quite OC (to a fault), I also bought a new cheese grater, and of course the all important can opener and a peeler.

Now I had to lug everything back to the flat... I put the 9 liters of water in my backpack and carried the rest. Trust me, it was heavy. I took the bus, and waited.

For some reason I must have spaced out, coz I missed my stop!!! I only realized it when the bus doors closed. :( So, I had to get off on Maxmiliana Hella instead and walked back to my flat, heavy load and all. Moral of the story: Pay attention to your surroundings AT ALL TIMES.

Day 2 (Lunch)
Ahhh...sinigang. It's one of my favorite Pinoy dishes, but I like mine really sour, and a bit spicy. Sometimes a bit too sour for my family, so now I have the perfect opportunity to make Sinigang the way I want.

Now, I really don't know how to make Sinigang per se, but I have a general idea. And I also had to be constrained with what I already had in the flat...meaning, no veggies. :D

So, my recipe for Sinigang was this. First I put in some olive oil (it's the only oil I have), and added some garlic (are you supposed to add garlic in sinigang?). Well, anyway, I like garlic so I put some there. I then added some onions and finally tomatoes. In short, gisa. :P I then added the pork to the pot. I seasoned the pork with some ginisa mix (ok, so I also don't have salt and pepper here). But I'm not even sure you had to season the pork. Well, anyway, I figured might as well give flavor to the pork before I boiled it.

Then I added some water and boiled everything. After boiling, I tasted it, it was bland, added some more mix, tasted it, seemed better, added a whole lot of Sinigang na may sili mix. :P Let it boil again, tasted it, and voila! It was Sinigang! I simmered it for a few more minutes, heated up my leftover rice, and lunch is served.

I'll probably go to Billa after this, also to check out the route going to work. :P I'll be buying some parmesan cheese and pasta...I'm thinking tuna in olive oil pasta for dinner. :)

Day 3 - Sunday
So Sunday is mass day. :) I woke up early, made my favorite, bacon with cheese and potato omelette and had some Jacob's Chocolate Nut Capuccino (with real Milka bits). It was a long leisurely breakfast, then I washed the dishes, cleaned up the counter, stovetop, table (I do this every single time I cook), and then started to get ready for mass.

Ria, Vangie, Marbi and Jay got on the bus when we passed by Slovanet. Finally, someone to talk to! :) There were some rerouting with the buses and trams so we had to transfer at Legionarska. The good thing was it was closer to St. Ladislav, and that's a very good thing coz the weather here is very, very hot, and any way to limit our exposure to the scorching sun was a good thing.

After mass, Ria and I went to Avion! Ahhh...my favorite mall. :) As usual, I had some purchases from Marks & Spencer, a blouse from Gate, shorts from H&M, and I bought 2 shoes at such a bargain from Humanic! Imagine, a Clarks sandal (previously 2400SKK) at 399SKK, and an Ipanema sandal for 299KK. We also went to Ikea for dinner (Kotbullar aka meatballs with gravy and jam), and I bought 2 scented candles for the flat. Then we did some grocery shopping, and I bought some more stuff for my pantry.

After the shopping spree, I passed by Ria's hotel to pick up my stuff (the ones I left from the last trip). Then, walked the long walk back to Slovanet (carrying 3 large bags) and waited for my bus. I did 3 loads of laundry, darks, lights and reds. Prepared my stuff for tomorrow and finished up my Tomasikova blog for the weekend.

SG/KL Chronicles : Fish Spa

2008-06-22T22:20:00.005+08:00

Now, I first read about this 'Fish Spa' on Mich's blog and I immediately knew I had to try it out once I got to KL. To sum it up, the fish spa is where doctor fish (Garra rufa), nibble at the dead skin on your feet (and/or legs, whichever's in the water), to naturally 'exfoliate' your skin. Sounds icky right? A bit I guess... but it fascinated me so I just had to try it. :D

The Kenko Reflexology & Fish spa is located at the 5th floor of the Pavilion Mall, in Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur. This was our first stop after settling at our hotel. We had a hearty Satay and Thai dinner at Food Republic before heading to the spa.

First off, we were asked to clean our feet before proceeding to the 'fish spa' area. We would be submerging our feet and legs into the water and let the fish do their job. There were 2 types of fish, some were very small, and the others were quite big. Now, Maitz and I are pretty much 'at ease' with fish, so we chose the bigger ones, thinking they would be more effective, as far as cleaning our feet would go. But I was told the smaller fish were also quite effective, so if the pic of the bigger fishes scare you, don't worry, there are smaller ones available. :D

Let me tell you... it was ticklish as hell! I've always been ticklish, but this was bordering on torture! I guess there's also the thought that these fish were actually eating me up! No matter how you sugarcoat it... images of piranhas and flesh eating fish ran through my brain as I felt each nibble on my feet as I gingerly put each foot in, and then took each foot out coz I kept laughing.

It took about 10 minutes for me to tell myself to just get the hell on with it. It helped that Maitz was already calmly observing the fishes as they feasted on her toes. It didn't help that Tita Nina was screaming and laughing her head off beside me. But I just took a deep breath and plunged my legs in, and resisted the urge to take them back out. A mere minute later, I was already used to the sensation.

And it was very relaxing... the constant nibbling felt like a light current that stimulated the feet. And I couldn't help but be mesmerized by the way the fish kept nibbling at me... it was really interesting... in a sick sort of way. ;)) I remember Louie saying she tried to catch a few fish with her toes... I did the same... and in some way, felt satisfaction that I was getting even, hehehe.

Afterwards, we also got a foot reflexology treatment...and on our way there, I slipped on the steps and landed on my knees! Geez! I'm not safe even in KL! Hahahaha! For those who don't know, I am incredibly clumsy... but it was really quite embarrassing to slip in front of all the other patrons of the fish spa. But hey, I'm so used to falling I just laughed it off. Thankfully, my reflexology therapist was very good, and she was able to soothe my bruised legs (but there was nothing to be done about my ego though). :D

The fish spa is also available at the Manila Ocean Park. I'll definitely do this again, just for fun. The fishes did a pretty good job at lifting some of the dead skin away, but I think you have to do it regularly to achieve noticeable and lasting results. Nevertheless, the sensation and the succeeding humiliation was more than enough to make this a memorable KL moment. :)

For more pics, check out my KL album on Multiply.
http://vanaque.multiply.com/photos/album/16/Kuala_Lumpur_-_June_2008

SG/KL Chronicles : Genting Highlands

2008-06-22T00:50:00.002+08:00

June 2, 2008 - We flew to KL from Singapore via AirAsia. It's my first time riding a plane that had a free seating policy ;)) Just thought I'd mention it.

On our first day in KL, we went straight to Genting Highlands. To sum it up, it's a theme park on top of the mountains. What I loved about this place wasn't the rides, nor the Dreamz show but the amazing 15-minute cable car up (and down) the mountains. It was a very serene experience, set on top of a canopy of trees, with fog to add to the whole experience. I absolutely loved it.

We had an overnight stay in Genting, the ambience was different from the city, in a nice way... but aside from the cooler weather, I'd think a day trip would be enough to experience this place. I really think that the main come on is the cable cars. Oh, and the flying coaster (in the Outdoor theme park) is a definite must try. You have to pay a few extra ringgit to ride it, but it's an experience worth trying. Think, riding a roller coaster while standing up. :) There's a camera on the way up, don't be like us who were caught unaware, so we weren't able to smile, which is a capital sin for a cam whore like me.

But all in all, Genting was a pretty nice place. :) So I may have been put off by the people climbing over iron railings to cut in line, the total topsy-turvy nature of the place's layout, and the Dreamz show with all the passe magic was pretty much a disappointment save for some acts, and the worst of all, that the Sky Venture ride was closed off (for two months already with no mention on the site). But I did like the Gems of the World exhibit (since we also got it a discount), and some of the rides were fun. There's also an Asian expo there somewhere, where different countries supposedly sold their wares. Kinda weird that the Philippines booth didn't sell anything remotely 'native' in nature though. There was also an Archery field we wanted to try... but we couldn't find it coz the signs were a bit misleading, and sometimes downright confusing. But, with all these complaints, I still can't deny there were some fun moments (aside from the cable car which I just love, love love). :)

For more pics, check out my KL album on Multiply.

SG/KL Chronicles : Singapore Night Safari

2008-06-17T16:05:00.007+08:00

OK, so I was on vacation from May 31-June 8, took the time to visit Kuala Lumpur and Singapore! I know the post is long overdue, but better late than never, right?

I took a page out of Louie's blogging style, making a lot of short posts instead of one very long one. So I decided to put up one post at a time, of each memorable moment of my 9-day vacation.

So, for memorable moment #1 (btw, this is in chronological order), is the Singapore Night Safari.

Having visited more than enough zoos in my lifetime, including the San Diego Zoo and Avilon here in Manila, the Singapore Zoo didn't strike me as a must see during my short visit, but the night safari was a different story. Imagine, seeing nocturnal animals up close in a semblance of their natural habitats. Interesting.

Now, I pretty much suck at taking night mode pictures... but the tram ride was a really great experience. With the cool night breeze, and the crisp air, it was a very pleasant experience traveling from one spot to the next. And it's really the closest I've been to animals, with some of them close enough to touch. Granted, they were just deer, but hey, it's a new experience for me not seeing them locked up in cages.

Aside from the tram ride, the real adventure lies with taking the walking trails around the night safari. However, with Maitz being night blind, Jeng and tita Nina tired, and me, pretty much terrified by the thought of encountering frogs in the dark, we abandoned the idea.

Other things to see are The Creatures of the Night show, and the fire dancers, who were very entertaining. :) Check out the video below.

For more pics, check out my SG album on Multiply.

Celdran Tours

2008-05-22T13:58:00.009+08:00

For my BFF Reyn's birthday, I thought I'd do something new... We barely see each other, and it's almost always at home. So, when Louie told me about Carlos Celdran's Manila tours, we immediately signed up for his Livin' La Vida Imelda tour of the CCP complex.

I'm not going to disclose info in this entry... he said things that are pretty much best experienced firsthand, meaning from Carlos himself. But I was saying "Whoa!" and "Really?!" and "I didn't know that!" at every revelation. It was a great, informative and even slightly scandalous tour. :D

I didn't take so many pictures coz I wasn't sure I was 'allowed' so here are the few pics I sneaked...From L-R, Carlos in front of the PICC reflecting pools, a nostalgic look at the PICC where I graduated, and Carlos with Hitler's picture... you'll have to attend his tour to find out why that pic is in an Imelda Marcos themed tour. :)

Having enjoyed the first tour, I dragged Tere to the 'If These Walls Could Talk' Intramuros tour. Since I can still pretty much remember my Philippine history (thank you Sir Azor!), there weren't too many 'revelations' here. But I did get a new perspective on how I saw Manila, and a different view on Spanish-Filipino history, American-Filipino history and World War II. And taking a peek inside Casa Manila and how life was lived during the Spanish era? It's really an experience.

The front of the San Agustin Church from different angles (Tere took these pics... kaya maarte) :) The San Agustin Church was the only church that survived the bombings of WWII.

Posing with free Chocnut in Father Blanco's garden...

Carlos as he talks about the time the Americans came to Manila...

And then we went inside the San Agustin crypt while Carlos talked about World War II, and how we were caught in the middle of a war that wasn't even ours to begin with. And how thousands of people were massacred during that siege, including the hundreds buried in the crypt plus the priests who were stacked one on top of the other on the monument seen in the middle pic. What's weird is... all the pictures we took inside the crypt, and I mean all, had this hazy, blurry quality in them... creepy.

Inside the San Agustin Church.. Notice the 3D like appearance of the murals on the ceiling? They're actually just paintings made to look like, well, 3-dimensional. :)

..and the tomb of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, first Spanish Governor General of the Philippines.

Lastly, we crossed the street over to Casa Manila, where the tour took a more lighthearted tone again. Pictures weren't allowed inside the Casa Manila, but it showed a very Pinoy looking home... with eclectic design patterns from French cabinets, to wood furniture, Chinese bowls, chairs that didn't match...made me think of my own 'eclectic' house.

I really enjoy tours with Carlos Celdran because not only are they entertaining, but also because they add a different perspective to what we see as 'ordinary'. It's weird that I had to travel so far away to realize we have our own little treasures here as well. And we don't need to go to Boracay or Bohol, we don't even need to leave the city! Even the buildings, structures and streets of Manila have their stories to tell, and it's just great that Carlos Celdran in his own way, is making these stories heard, to the people who need to hear them most.

Visit Carlos Celdran's site for Tour Dates and other information. :)

Ten Things : Tagged by Jeng

2008-05-07T16:46:00.004+08:00

BTW, I'm home :D Been busy...and I still have some major updates to post... but first, Jeng tagged me on Multiply to post ten random things about me. :) So I felt 'obliged' to put up my own list before posting my updates.

First, the rules:

Each blogger starts with ten random facts/habits about themselves.
Bloggers that are tagged need to write on their own blog about their ten things and post these rules.
At the end of your blog, you need to choose ten people to get tagged and list their names.
Don't forget to leave them a comment telling they're tagged, and to read your blog.

Now the facts:

1. I have really bad eyesight. Yeah, I know most people know already, but I mean it's reaaaallly bad. :D I wear uber thick glasses, until I graduated college, and only wore contacts when I started working.

2. One of my friend's dubbed me as a 'goldfish', he says it's coz I have a memory span of about 3 seconds...well I don't agree! Wait, what were we talking about?

3. I can't draw to save my life. Let's just say I'm more into performing arts rather than the actual "arts" arts.

4. Back in elementary, I was able to maintain good grades without even trying, but I got addicted to pocketbooks during 5th grade. To the point that I read during class hours! This of course, caused my grades to slip and got kicked out of the honors class. The books I read? Nancy Drew, Sweet Valley High, Sweet Dreams, RL Stine and Christopher Pike books. But I managed to get my act together and finished High school with several awards. :D

5. I'm a cynical person... I just hide it well.

6. I've always loved computers, probably influenced by the thought that 'hackers are cool'... and I was one of the early adopters of the Internet in Manila... I had the whole alternate identity, my own website, cyber-buddies, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, whatevers...yeah, I was (and still am) a geek. Don't judge me! My BFFs Jeng and Reyn were all into it too! Now I use the internet solely for 'research' and blogging purposes. :D

7. It's easy for me to fall in love... and when I do, I fall hard. But then, it's also easy for me to fall out of love, if there is such a thing.

8. When I was a kid, I wanted to be the President of the Philippines... or Ms. Universe. Go figure. Now I wouldn't want anything to do with any of them. :P

9. I was a bit of an athlete when I was young, or maybe I was just more active... I was a serious swimmer, I played volleyball, badminton, table tennis... Now, the only exercise I get is from walking in malls. Oh, and the occasional Aikido practice, hehe. :P

10. In grade school, I used to 'fake' illnesses to get out of classes. Sometimes, I would pretend to have a fever, curl up under my blanket to make sure I was warm so when my yaya would wake me up I could feign a high temperature. Or sometimes, I would pretend I had a really bad cold by slathering myself with Vick's... or I would stand in front of the aircon/fan... so I would feel clammy. :)) Yeah... those were the days. And sometimes during I would skip class by pretending to get a headache, sometimes with tears in my eyes... I did this often to my Filipino class. But I was so good at it, my teachers didn't suspect a thing. Oh I'm sure my parents knew, but I got good enough grades for them not to mind. :)

Anyway... those are the 10 things I decided to share. There's more, if you would care to get to know me better, hehe.

And here's the people I'm tagging. I hope some of you have time to finish this, I found it interesting, especially when I thought back on the things that I used to do when I was younger:
Mich, Louie, Jong, Jun, Esti, Eric, Tere, Reyn, Cindy, & Kat

The Paris Chronicles : Day 4

2008-04-28T19:34:00.014+08:00

It's taken me more than a month to complete this... but hey, better late than never. :)

Our last day itinerary includes the Arc de Triomphe, the Grand Palais, the Petit Palais, Place de la Concorde and the Opera. We moved at a relatively relaxed pace, just taking in the city and enjoying the limited time we had left in Paris.

We stayed at the Hilton Arc de Triomphe, as the name suggests, this was in very close proximity to the Arc de Triomphe. :)

The Arc de Triomphe is a monument in Paris, France that stands in the centre of the Place Charles de Gaulle, also known as the Place de l'Étoile (Star Square). It is at the western end of the Champs-Élysées. The arch honours those who fought for France, particularly during the Napoleonic Wars. On the inside and the top of the arc there are all of the names of generals and wars fought. Underneath there is the tomb of the unknown soldier. --Wikipedia

It was very cold and windy, and the wind would rush at us from all directions.The Arc stands at an overwhelming 165 feet in height and a 148 feet wide. I uploaded a vid of how big and majestic this landmark is. You'll notice my voice shaking slightly from the cold. :)

Then, we made our way to the Grand and Petit Palais, which stood right in front of each other, with the Invalides at the top. Like an upside down U, with the Grand Palais on the right, the Petit Palais on the left and the Invalides in the middle. The pics below are of the Grand Palais, the monuments with the gold statues are from the Invalides.

On our way to the Petit Palais, we took time to take a picture with a statue of Winston Churchill.

The Petit Palais, a museum right across the Grand Palais. I was more impressed with this structure, mainly because of the 'gold gates' pictured below.

Then, we took another long walk and headed over to the Place de La Concorde. This place had a gruesome history, probably most famous for being the place where Marie Antoinette was publicly executed via guillotine.

During the French Revolution the statue of King Louis was torn down and the area renamed "Place de la Révolution". In a grim reminder to the nobility of a gruesome past, when the "Place de Grève" was a site where the nobility and members of the bourgeoisie were entertained watching convicted criminals being dismembered alive, the new revolutionary government erected the guillotine there. The first notable to be executed at the Place de la Révolution was King Louis XVI, on January 21, 1793. Other important people guillotined there, often in front of cheering crowds, were Queen Marie Antoinette, Madame Élisabeth, Charlotte Corday, Madame du Barry, Danton, Desmoulins, Lavoisier, Robespierre and Saint Just. --Wikipedia

At the center of the square stood a huge obelisk. This an authentic Egyption obelisk, which is one of Cleopatra's needles (which is according to Wikipedia, misnamed since it has no relation to the Egyptian queen). The other two needles are in London and in New York. Here we stopped and rested for a few minutes, the pic below shows us gamely posing while looking out at the huge plaza.

After the Place de la Concorde, we stopped by Jardin Tuileries, however, there wasn't much to see, because there were still no flowers... another place I'll return to when I go back (if given the chance).

Our last stop was the Paris Opera, or to be more specific the Théâtre de l'Académie Royale de Musique. Although I wasn't able to go inside, I was still impressed by the outside facade. Who wouldn't? From Haydn to Bach, and Mozart to Beethoven, the outside of the opera house boasted the names of the most famous of the classical masters

For lunch, we were trying to find this restaurant that was owned by a chef... can't really remember the name anymore. We looked for hours for this place, even ended up in a street that boasted sex shops at every corner! It was funny, we asked a couple of policemen if they could point us to the restaurant, but we obviously murdered their language coz they couldn't understand a word we were saying. By 2PM, we were just so hungry we settled on eating at this brasserie (which I can't recall again). I had steak, and a strawberry milkshake, with Camembert cheese for dessert. :)

We were supposed to continue our last day in Paris with a few more stops, however, it rained hard, and we were all very tired, we decided to head on back, and get ourselves ready for our flight back to Bratislava.

And then it was time to go home... it was a nostalgic feeling, riding the bus back to Orly airport. I know I'll be back in this city... I'm just not sure when. But I will go back. Definitely the most beautiful city I've seen as of yet.

The Paris Chronicles : Day 3

2008-04-19T05:21:00.018+08:00

Tama ba namang makalimutan ko na agad ang pinuntahan namin? :P

Day 3 in Paris doesn't include Arc de Triomphe yet. For this day, we visited the Statue of Liberty, the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, the Pantheon, Invalides, Diana's Flame and the Eiffel Tower at Night.

Our first stop? The Statue of Liberty.

Then, we went to the Eiffel Tower. We wanted to go up the tower but the crowds of people was just overwhelming! We knew we wouldn't be able to go anywhere if we waited. So we just had to be content with taking pictures from ground level.

Then, being Easter Sunday, we went to hear mass at Notre Dame... or at least tried to. Like the Eiffel Tower, this place was mobbed with people... Tip: Don't go here when mass is being held, and if you want a solemn mass, I wouldn't suggest the church either. I was disappointed... but still, you can't deny the grandeur of the Notre Dame.

Then we had lunch at this cafe near just to the side of Notre Dame, and the lasagna was delicious! Maybe I'll make a post just on food... but really, I loved it. And the hot chocolate? Mmmm....

Anyway, our next stop was the Pantheon. This mausoleum contains the remains of some of France's cultural greats, like Voltaire, Victor Hugo, Marie Curie and Alexandre Dumas. There was actually an event going on when we arrived, volunteers were raising money for Cancer research. I bought a bag from a very nice, Frenchwoman who gave me a 'discount'. But now when I think about it, maybe I shouldn't have asked for a discount since it was for charity... oh well... habit I guess. :)

A few steps away from the Pantheon was the church of Saint-Etienne-du-Mont, which contains the shrine of St. Genevieve's remains, the Patron saint of Paris. This is another beautiful church... I can't seem to get enough of them. The tomb of Blaise Pascal is also in this church, yes, that Pascal, who is regarded as the father of the modern computer.

Then, we went to Les Invalides. It's a series of buildings that are related to the military history of France. Unfortunately, we weren't able to go inside because the museum was already closed... we would have loved to see Napoleon Bonaparte's tomb, which is housed inside the Dome of the Invalides.

Afterwards, we passed by Diana's memorial, Liberty's flame... a memorial for Princess Di over the tunnels where she had the tragic accident that killed her and Dodi Al Fayed.

We then went back to Montmarte, to Sacre Coeur to buy souvenirs...This time, we rode the furnicular up instead of taking the stairs. Then we ate somewhere around the area, enjoying another great dinner in Paris. Then, we made our way back to the Eiffel Tower, which was impressive by day, but amazing by night... I can't explain how a steel structure could be so beautiful! It was overwhelming. And when the light show started, Marbi, Jess and I couldn't help but scream out loud of excitement! It was that amazing!
To end this post, take a look at the video of the Eiffel Tower Light Show... I swear, my camera doesn't do it any justice. I was really, really blown away by the Eiffel Tower... and I can't help but say it again and again. :) Enjoy!

The Paris Chronicles : Day 2

2008-04-08T04:45:00.017+08:00

For day 2 in Paris, we split into two groups. One group, went to Versailles, the historic former capital and where King Louis XIV took up residence, and another to Disneyland Paris, the happiest place on earth. Guess where I went? :P

Of course, the child in me always wins... Ria and I separated from the group to enjoy a fun day with Mickey and friends. :) We split up at CDG station, and took the RER A to Marne-la-Vallee Chessy station. From there, it was only a short walk to either Walt Disney Studios or Disneyland Park. We first decided to visit Walt Disney Studios.

Our first stop, the Hollywood Tower of Terror. I love this ride! You'll get on an 'elevator', and be lifted up through several floors, stopping every so often to see a 'twilight zone' like corridor with ghosts calling you... and then you'll be lifted up very fast, the elevator doors open and you see you're on top of the entire park! Then you're suddenly dropped, and then go up again, and then dropped... it was exhilarating!

Then we tried Crush's Coaster, an indoor roller coaster with some very cool jellyfishes... it kinda got me a bit dizzy though. Then we watched Cinemagique, highly recommended! I wanted to go on the Aerosmith Rock &Rollin Coaster, but the erratic weather stopped us :( It was raining, and then it would turn sunny, it would snow, and then become sunny...it's amazing we didn't get sick :P.

Anyway, we transferred to Disneyland Park, and the familiar sight of Main Street greeted us. We arrived just as a parade started. And happy Disney music filled the entire park, and you could just how carefree people were. It was infectious! :) At that point in time, I really agreed with it's happiest place tagline.

Not having any time for lunch, Ria and I settled for some hotdogs and Coke...we made ourselves comfortable on a park bench and ate a quick lunch... it started out sunny, and it was already raining by the time we finished eating.. which just illustrates how crazy the weather was!

After lunch we rode the Indiana Jones, Temple of Peril ride. It was another roller coaster, and this time along the queue we wondered if we would still continue because we found out there was a loop in the ride... I personally love roller coasters, but I always had that feeling of anxiety everytime I rode one. We needn't have worried... it was a great ride! And the loop was practically dismissable... but the weather, again, acted up. See how blue the skies were right before we rode? About 20 minutes later, while on the ride, there was small pieces of hail/snow hitting us on our faces! It stung! But it was still enjoyable.

Some miscellaneous pics...close kami ni Goofy ;))

Scenes from inside of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride...

We also rode the Phantom Manor (Haunted Mansion in the US)...I like the US version better though, because of the 'ghosts' in the mirror at the end of the ride. :)

The Big Thunder Mountain...this ride reminds me of my mom, who kept yelling "Ulo ko! Ulo ko! Aaaaaaaaah!" when we were in Anaheim! It's funny coz the guy right in front of us had to be at least 6 feet tall and you could see his head was nowhere near the 'mountains'. This time Ria and I kept laughing coz we would prematurely yell right before a seemingly steep drop which would turn out to be a very short one. Really fun and not at all scary. :)

We were able to catch another parade at around 4PM, this time the Disney Princesses were the highlight of the parade.

Our last ride was Star Tours, a Star Wars inspired ride....It wasn't as much fun as I remembered... or maybe it was because the 'robot' was speaking French all throughout, so you don't get the same feeling of 'victory' at the end of the ride because we couldn't understand a word it was saying. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to catch if they said, 'May the force be with you' in French.

And of course here are some pics from the Versailles group :P Pics taken from Jess and Fe Ann... Can't tell much about the place, but it's definitely a place I'm going to on my next trip to Paris. ;)

Afterwards, our two groups reunited along Champs Elysees... Ria and I were almost an hour late! Too much to do in Disney....After meeting up, Ria bought a bag from Louis Vuitton for her sister. The LV store was huge and I fell in love with this wallet... but there's no way I'm going to spend 400+ Euros for a wallet... at least not until I win the lottery or something. :)

Then, when we got back to the hotel, and we ate these delicious macarons from Pierre Herme... the Versailles group had this on their itinerary as well. You actually have to line up outside of the store because it was so popular, and it was delicious! I don't really like macarons, but I really loved the Jasmine flavor (the silver ones)

That ends Day 2 in Paris... :) Still a magical experience, from Disney, to Versailles, to walking along Champs Elysees and to eating delicious pastries...even now, while writing this entry, almost a month after the trip, I can still feel the 'appeal' and charm of this city... but you have to wait for the Day 3 update. Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower coming up. The most famous landmarks of Paris, all in one day. :)

The Paris Chronicles : Day 1

2008-04-01T02:42:00.018+08:00

We arrived at Orly airport at a few minutes before 9AM on Good Friday. From there, we rode the Orly Bus to Denfert-Rochereau station. There we bought tickets for the metro and got on the M6 line to Charles De Gaulle Etoile station. From there, we rode the M2 to Courcelles. :D It's surprising that I remember these things since I'm the type of person who can get lost in my own backyard (exaggerating of course). Oh well, the metro map/metro system is really very, very efficient and travel-friendly.

Oh, and what's amazing about the metro is that every single time, without fail, there was always a person/persons playing an instrument, singing, dancing, performing... I saw all kinds of instruments, from the common guitar to a harpsichord! It was entertaining every time. Check out the pic of Ria and me on the metro with a musician in the background.
My first view of the Eiffel Tower came while riding the metro, we passed Bir Haiken station ond on my right was the Eiffel Tower... wow. However brief it was, it was then that I realized that I was really in Paris.

We stayed at the Hilton Arc de Triomphe, courtesy of Ria and Eisel who used their Hilton Rewards and exchanged them for extremely low rates. We made a quick check in before heading out. We had brunch at Le Murillo before exploring the city.

Our first stop? Montmarte, where we could find the Moulin Rouge and Sacre Coeur. As much as I wanted to enter Moulin Rouge, I didn't have 100+ Euros to spare, so we settled for some picture taking outside. It was so windy...so cold... and it even rained, which is why we had very limited pictures at this area, although it was just outside the Blanche metro stop.

Afterwards, we went back into the station to warm ourselves a bit. It was really, really cold, I'm telling you. I bought a black beret, because I felt I was going to get sick because of the cold. And of course, when in France, don a black beret right? :)

On our way to Sacre Coeur, we passed by a church... I'm not sure what it's called something like the Lady of Montmarte, I'm not really sure.. .below are the pictures I took of the church.

Then, we continued on our way to Sacre Coeur. I was just following Jess and Marbi because I really had no idea where we were going... navigating the metro is one thing, making our way on foot around all the rues and tiny streets with the bad weather was another. Anyway, we finally made it at the foot of the hill that led up to Sacre Coeur. There was a funicular that we could ride that will take us to the top, but we opted (for some reason) to climb the two hundred and thirty-five steps on foot. When we got to the top, we were all out of breath, but believe me, it was worth it.

Inside the church were several images, like the La Pieta, we even saw an image of St. John Baptiste de La Salle, and we Lasallians took a pic with our school saint. Thanks to Fe Ann for these pics. :)

Then, we saw the Place de la Bastille....

The Seine River....

St Gervais...

Hotel de Ville...

Place du Chatelet...

And then finally... our last stop for the day... the Louvre. :) Already, I was suffering from a bad migraine... probably caused by the cold, the rain, and just plain exhaustion. But no matter how bad I was feeling, I couldn't help but marvel at the amazing works of art that were on display. Of course, before anything else, we had to take pictures with the famous Louvre pyramids right?

The grand gallery... walking through this hall reminded me so much of the Da Vinci Code. I took a pic of Madonna on the Rocks painted by Leonardo Da Vinci. :) And of course, the Mona Lisa...probably the most recognized painting in the world.

After the Louvre, we just had dinner and then went home. A very tiring, but worthwhile first day in Paris... I wish I could have explored the Louvre more, but we just didn't have the time or the energy to do so. Tip, entrance to the Louvre is free for those under 26, every Friday from 6PM onwards, just bring your passport.

I'll continue my Paris chronicles tomorrow... it's already past midnight and I really need to sleep. :) Bonne Nuit!

Paris, Je t'aime!

2008-03-25T06:37:00.002+08:00

I just came back from the most amazing weekend in one of most beautiful cities in the world... Paris!

All I can say is...wow.

I can't wait to go back, 4 days is simply not enough..

Pics and a more detailed post to follow. :) Bonne Nuit everyone!

Palm Sunday in Bratislava

2008-03-17T06:06:00.003+08:00

Today marks the beginning of Holy Week, when Jesus entered Jerusalem amidst a crowd of people waving palms in welcome... In the Philippines, we would buy palms, decorated with flowers, and ribbons and wave them as the priest walks down the aisle during the entrance procession... here, it's different.

Before the mass started, we all gathered outside where they gave out pussywillows. Here, pussywillows (see pic below) are used because palms are not available. Then, the priest gave his blessing, using holy water and then incense. And then, the choir started singing, playing the guitar and then we all followed the priest into the church.
Unlike in the Philippines, where we normally listen to 'shortened' version of the Passion of Christ during the Gospel, here it is read in its entirety. Jay even read during the mass, which earned us another 'point' with Father because he knows how special the week is for Filipinos. During the homily, he even mentioned it to the rest of the congregation, pointing out to the crowd that we were from the Philippines, and in the Philippines there were special celebrations during this week. I thought he would be telling everyone about the crucifixion and penitence rites that were being done during Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, but he didn't elaborate.

Also, our commentator mentioned how we should pray the Divine Mercy novena on Good Friday, I'm pasting a copy of the novena here and I'm also encouraging everyone to pray it on Good Friday. This novena is for all, especially for us sinners.

Most Merciful Jesus, whose very nature it is to have compassion on us and to forgive us, do not look upon our sins, but upon our trust which we place in Your infinite goodness. Receive us all into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart, and never let us escape from It. We beg this of You by Your love which unites You to the Father and the Holy Spirit.

Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon all mankind and especially upon poor sinners, all enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion show us Your mercy, that we may praise the omnipotence of Your mercy for ever and ever. Amen.

Have a blessed Holy Week everyone!

Vienna Sightseeing in under 12 hours

2008-03-12T05:53:00.004+08:00

Ok, so I still don't have enough time to sort through the 2,000+ pictures taken during our trip to Vienna, so here are a couple of 'teaser' pics, if you will... hopefully, I'll be able to sort them out this weekend, and publish a more comprehensive post. :)

Innere Stadt/Vienna Center

Upper Belvedere

Pestsäule/(Plague Column) Graben

Haas Haus/Stephansplatz

Stephansdom/St. Stephen's

Peterskirche/St. Peter's Church

Kaisergruft/Imperial Crypts

Hofburg Theater/Imperial Court Theaer

Rathaus - City Hall

Parlament

Hundertwasserhaus/Hundertwasser House Vienna

Whew! That's a lot of places to go to in around 12 hours, so you can imagine how exhausted we all were. Nevertheless, I can't wait to go back in spring! I can just imagine Belvederegarten and the Gardens of Schönbrunn in the spring. :) Until then, I have Paris to look forward to... 10 days and counting!

Erste Dinner

2008-03-04T02:21:00.011+08:00

Last Friday, Marta took all 19 of us out to dinner at this restaurant near Slovanet. I forgot the name, but it was German-inspired. :D

For appetizers, we had a cheese plate and some bread.

Then, some steak tartare... If you don't know this dish, let me sum it up for you, its raw meat with lots of garlic. You read that right... raw...meat. :D It wasn't bad though... but I couldn't eat more than half a piece of bread, it just didn't seem right somehow...
By this time, we were really very very hungry... you see after each course was put down, we had to wait around 30 minutes for the next course. After this, bowls of brocolli flowers was served...and then, the main course. There were four of these gigantic platters served filled with ribs, beef, chicken, potatoes, sauerkraut, liver... We were overwhelmed.
And of course...what's a dinner thrown by Marta without Tequila?! We were served with Tequila Gold, with orange wedges and cinnamon. Four shots which seemed like 8 because of the tall shotglasses they used...

And in between shots, we had dessert... some ice cream Romanov, Palacinky (Slovak crepes filed with fruit jam), and some hot love (ice cream, with liqueur and fresh berries).

Yum! Of course, we couldn't stay long, as most of us had a trip to Vienna the next day, which I think was a good thing, I couldn't take another tequila shot. At around 1130, we were all headed back home. Warmed by the tequila, we walked back to our hotel, stomachs full, alcohol levels high and sugar cravings satisfied.

Thanks Marta! I miss your Sinigang, but this was a wonderful treat. :)

My Thoughts on the GMA-Lozada-NBN Circus

2008-03-03T19:38:00.002+08:00

Before I post updates on my trip to Wien (Vienna), and the Erste dinner we had last Friday, let me first share something I read on Inquirer.Net today -> Has Lozada been playing us for fools all along?

The title says it all. And the article is concise and to the point.

I do not support Lozada. LaSallian or not, I will not support something I don't believe in. His actions (or acts?) on TV and all this publicity he's relishing in makes me doubt his true intentions.

Neither am I pro-GMA. But I do not want her to be ousted. And really, the name-calling? The midget remarks, the luckiest bitch comments? She's the president for godssake! Show some respect! Corruption will not be solved by switching presidents left and right. Just let her finish her term and elect another candidate that you won't regret later on. And while on that note, why don't we have a more selective process for candidates running for president? Why not have only 2 or 3 QUALIFIED candidates? Not the mass of choices we get every elections which dilute the majority vote and force us to choose the 'lesser' evil, and cast a ballot for the most likely to win.

And all these rallies?!? People power and all that? I don't buy it, not even for a minute.

And even people I used to respect are jumping in on the bandwagon... are they really looking out for the country's best interest? Will replacing GMA be for the greater good? Who will replace her? Noli is next in line, he may be willing but he has yet to prove he's capable of leading the country. And now ERAP is once again joining the fray?

I want to throw up.

I'm really disappointed, irritated and very very close to apathy. Sooner or later, I just wouldn't care.

Attempt #1

2008-02-25T02:41:00.005+08:00

As promised, here's my documented first attempt at cooking. The dish, beef with brocolli.

Background first, in order to save, Jesse and I partnered up with Grace and Ivy for lunch meals. Each of us have to cook 1 dish for the week, and then we'll eat out once a week. So, after mass today, we went shopping for groceries at Tesco.

It was fun looking at meats, veggies and visualizing what you can do with them. The moment I saw the brocolli flowers, inspiration struck. What could be easier than stir-fry cooking right?

Back at the flat, I wasted no time slicing up the meat into thin strips. Then mixed it together with oyster sauce and some sweet soy sauce. I gotta tell you, there's something satisfying about mixing raw meat with your hands, hehe.

Then, chop up a bit of garlic, a bit of ginger, heat up the pan and add the garlic. Mmmm...garlic sizzling in oil always smells so good. Add the ginger, wait a few moments and then add the beef. Stir fry until cooked. Actually, I let mine simmer for a while in its own juices to make the flavor set in and the beef more tender.

Afterwards, add the brocolli, stir a few more times to make sure it's cooked.. and voila, beef with brocolli. :D

I gotta tell you, it tasted good. :) Hopefully, Jesse, Grace and Ivy will agree with me. ;) Bon Apetit!

2008-02-23T23:46:00.002+08:00

Why is it that everytime I drink in Europe I end up getting tipsy?!

I really should learn how to pace myself... tsk tsk.

We celebrated Fe Ann (and Jesse's) birthday at Love and Louis' flat tonight. We had garden salad, chicken tandoori and carbonara, plus leche flan, fruit salad and a banana chocolate loaf from Yeye for dessert.

Afterwards, of course, there was the (obligatory) customary drinking. :D

When in Rome... do as the Romans do, and in this case, when in Bratislava, drink vodka. :D

I'm actually very partial to vodka, we chased ours with Sprite and raspberry flavoring. It was good for the first 6 or so rounds. After finishing the first bottle, they opened up a more expensive vodka. Curious about the difference, after a round with chasers, we decided to test how it was, straight up.

It's never a good idea to drink hard drinks one after the other. An even worse idea is to drink one straight up. But of course, it's easy to lose caution in mixed company. The shots were set, and then downed.

Almost immediately, I knew I drank too much, too fast. I should have learned my lesson, but I guess I felt I could take on vodka better than tequila. I felt the same way I felt when I was at Marta's last year.... heart racing, face and neck warming, with each movement making me dizzy. Although this time it was a more subtle reaction than last year's, it was still enough to make me swear off alcohol (again!).

Anyway, after a few missed rounds, and a couple of glasses of water later, I was feeling a lot better. But I was still really sleepy, I slept at 3am last night and woke up at 6 to get ready for a morning jog. Thankfully, Kyle and Miss Lau opted to leave early, so I took the opportunity to duck out.

The fifteen-minute walk back to the hotel did me a lot of good. Which is why I can come up with a coherent post. :) It's weird that my first actual post in Bratislava is how I almost got drunk, but, nothing much has happened yet for me to blog about.

Anyway, tomorrow we'll be hearing mass and do some grocery shopping.. and probably do some cooking of our own at Grace and Ivy's flat. :) I'll make a post about that tomorrow.

Right now I'm off to a warm bath and good night's sleep.. hopefully my body clock will finally be able to adjust. Goodnight!

Oh... and pics to follow. :)

A Week's Worth of Entries...

2008-02-19T04:41:00.004+08:00

Feb 11, 2008
Tomorrow, Jeng will be turning 26. Ate ko na naman siya... hehe. Anyway, Jeng, Maitz and I celebrated her bday early at John and Yoko's, Greenbelt5. I totally enjoyed the food. We had Japaella, Oyster OVerload, Bacon wrapped Asparagus, Beef with Enoki and fruit shakes. Afterwards, we were too full to eat dessert so we just had hot chocolates at Max Brenner. :)
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Feb 12, 2008
Happy Birthday Jeng! :D

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Feb 13, 2008
Pre-valentines date? Not... Hehe. We finally pushed through with the dinner plans that never was. I had dinner at Recipes with Archie, Eric, Windel and Cy. It was... better than I anticipated. For some reason... I was really anxious about the dinner...but I survived, and even had a great time. Thanks to Chie for organizing the event, sa susunod ulit. :)

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Feb 14, 2008
Ah... love is in the air... and I... don't care. ;))
Happy hearts day everyone!
But I was not without a dinner date...my wonderful parents surprised me and my siblings with dinner at Casa Armas. :D We had the house specialties, 1/2 Cochinillo, Paella Valenciana, Baked Clams and Prawn Thermidor. We also had a pitcher of Sangria to finish off. Thanks Ma, thanks Pa! You're the best! :D Lablab! Mwah mwah!

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Feb 15, 2008
Okaaay...may rally na naman. Ewan ko ba. Masyado na nila ginagamit ang 'people power'. Trafik na naman sa Ayala. Oh well... we were allowed to go home early, because of it. Buti naman... I still need to pack. :D

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Feb 16, 2008
Aaaaah!!! I'm leaving in 12 hours and I'm still half-packed. Grr... how do you stay within luggage limits when you're packing for cold weather?!! Damn... hopefully the check in counter girl (or guy) will be lenient... and she (or he) won't charge me for excess baggage. :( Grr..I'm at 26 kilos pa rin. If only I were booked on an SQ flight :(

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Feb 17,2008
Bratislava, Slovakia.

I'm back! I think the trip went very smoothly... But it was really frustrating when we checked in. First of all... ang haba ng pila...we stayed for about an hour as the queue inched forward...only to find out there was a separate queue for online checkin. *rolls eyes* The line was soo long you wouldn't have known there was a separate counter for that...plus, hinatid pa ako sa pila nung isang mama from the Xray post, so I assumed it was just that line.

Anyway... we switched lines as soon as I realized there was a different counter, but, as expected I had excess baggage. I was half waiting for her to say, "okay... here are your boarding passes." But no... I had to unload some of my stuff. I tried... but couldn't really decide... I kept thinking about what I would spend here if I left some of my stuff... and then my other stuff was worth more than the excess baggage I had to pay. So... I just decided to pay. The price for my inability to pack light? 97USD... This will be the last time I ever go beyond the baggage limit.

But then, everything was smooth sailing after that... I think Emirates is a very nice airline, touch screen pa ang TV ko. :D Although SQ has more channels to choose from, the Emirates selection was enough. I was even able to watch Darjeeling Unlimited which is still showing in theaters back in Manila. :) The flight stewardesses were very nice...and accommodating. Food was also good. And there wasn't much turbulence throughout the flight.

Then, the Dubai International Airport... this place reminds me so much of home. :D Ang daming Pinoy! And because of that... the entire ambiance of this enormous airport just seemed so warm... so different from the cold ambiance of the Frankfurt airport. We had enough time to scour the duty free. I was sooo sleepy that time that we went to the gate hours before our scheduled time... and I just made myself comfortable on the floor and took a short nap. :D

The flight to Vienna was also uneventful...although we took off about 30 minutes late due to 'traffic' on the runway. It was another 6 hours until we reached Austria. But this itinerary is way better than last years... where we spent around 29 hours on the trip (with 3 transit stops!)

When we got to Vienna, it was -2 degrees outside. We easily made it through immigration, got our luggage and then headed out. Our driver was already waiting. From there, it was about a 45 minute drive to Bratislava.

So now, I'm back again... and all I can think about is going to Paris! Some officemates and I are going to Paris over the Holy Week. We already booked tickets... now all we need is a hotel. :)

Tagaytay

2008-02-19T04:25:00.004+08:00

Having high expectations can only lead to disappointment... this was proven yet again when we reached Dacha Villas in Tagaytay to kick off our weekend R&R. The place was easy enough to find, but what was described on their webpage was really a lot different from what we saw. Well, maybe it wasn't different... but it was totally not what we expected.

Oh well... sayang talaga yung place... kulang sa maintenance. I don't want this to be a 'ranting' post, so I'll just move on...We had lunch at the villa, heated some adobo and cooked rice. Siyempre the food was great, luto ni Axle yun e. :) Then, we spent the next few hours just lazing about... Tere, Maitz and I watched House on my laptop. Afterwards, some picture taking around the place. More pics @ my Multiply album. Then we heard mass at Lourdes Church, then had dinner at The Grill by Antonio's (Ihawan ni Antonio) hehe.
The food was very good! Albeit slightly more expensive than other restos in the area, but food quality was really better. Especially for the bulalo. :) The sisig was also nice, kinda livery, but surprisingly yummy. We also ordered a grilled fish and squid. For dessert, we had ice cream, hehehe. Back at Dacha, everyone slept early except for me, as I still had to work (demmit!).

On to the next day...I was awoken by an uber handsome guy saying 'Gising na ninang' and then giving me a kiss... awww.... For those who don't know, that's Gabby. :D Maaga daw kasi nagising kaya ginising na rin kami lahat. We cooked breakfast, some Chorizo and corned beef... Ako nagluto ng corned beef hahaha! Pero in fairness, masarap talaga ha! Lots of garlic and onions. ;)

Anyway, due to my dad's 'resourcefulness' we were able to enter the super-exclusive Tagaytay Highlands estates. It was gorgeous! Like driving cross country abroad. If I were to win the lottery any time soon, a huge bulk of it would go to putting up a property in this place...

We had lunch at China Palace (or something like that, I can't remember the exact name hehe), since my dad was craving for Chinese food, and this resto was highly recommended. Take note, the same resto can be found at MOA, but I guess the charm and ambiance of Tagaytay Highlands can't be denied. Then we had desserts at the main lobby cafe... Mom had the blueberry cheesecake, Maitz a banana torte, Betty had Creme Brulee, Tere & Gabby had choco mallows, Papa had halo-halo and I had the Coconut-Pandan cheesecake. They were all yummy!

Afterwards, we made our way back to Manila after a quick stop at Rowena's, and some 'white mais' vendors along the way. Maitz and I continued on to Glorietta to take a last look at the sales.

That capped my weekend. All in all, it was fun, relaxing... and as always, a great time with my family. Now that Maitz is living in Singapore, time spent with them when we're all together just became more meaningful and a lot more enjoyable. :)

Updates and a baptism

2008-02-09T00:48:00.001+08:00

Ahhh... I can finally relax... just a bit. :D

It's almost 1 AM and I'm just waiting for Maitz to pick me up from the office... just went through a looong and tiring patching process, and that's after a week of stressful cramming to meet my deadlines. So now, I can finally relax...at least for the weekend because on Monday, I'll be patching the TD Pretermination and Redemption APIs, work on the DP Gaps and remaining DP APIs. Hopefully there won't be any UAT or FAT issues to deal with.

Tomorrow we'll be going on an overnight trip in Tagaytay! Yay! Maitz is also here for the Chinese New Year break so we're one big happy family, hehe. I'm just really excited about the much needed R&R I'm going to get.

I need to pack my stuff soon too... I'll be leaving next weekend. Going to Vienna! Well, that's what my ticket says anyway... but we'll be proceeding to Bratislava from there. Now that I have my Schengen visa, going to Vienna (or maybe even Prague) seems like a very realistic goal I can look forward to...we'll see. And if it does happen I'm sure to post pictures. :)

So...to recap the week... Mich and Jay-ar got married in Caleruega last Feb 2! Unfortunately, I had to beg off from coming because my original flight sked was for Feb 1. In any case, I did get to attend my cousin Jonathan's baby's christening. Congrats Jo and Joyce! Welcome to the Christian world Juliana! Tere is the ninang... Me, I just like holding babies, hehe.

Other than that...it's been a really busy week. I also caught this allergy from dustmites...most probably from trying out clothes while shopping. Grrr...it was pretty nasty if you ask me. I got these really itchy rashes and welts...Even had to take a sick day off and the derma prescribed steroids to clear it up. I'm a lot better now after 5 days of diligent application of Clobetasol and taking the meds. So yun... ingat kayo sa pag-fit ng damit ha. :D

Anyway, that's it for now. Happy weekend and Kung Hei Fat Choi everyone!

College Reunion :)

2008-02-01T10:26:00.001+08:00

They say the test of true friendship is that if years go by without you seeing each other and yet when you do you just pick up where you left off, as if nothing has changed, then you're true friends. That's exactly what happened when the Smalltalk group (or my college barkada) finally met up with complete attendance...the first time in years!

Just to recap, We met up at Fish out of Water @ Greenbelt5. Then, had crepes and smoothies at Fuzion cafe. Afterwards, we just wandered around, did some window shopping and parted ways soon after. It was a fun day, reminiscing about college and keeping up to date with our current lives. Several things have changed (just compare the fresh out of college pic below), but one thing's for sure... we're still all really, good friends. :)

More pics @ Multiply.

2008-01-22T19:47:00.000+08:00

I've been quiet for the past few days...TD APIs are really keeping me busy. Oh well... I finally finished one today so I thought I'd make a quick update.

1 - Travel: Yay! I submitted my passport to the Austrian embassy last Monday, which means I'm now just waiting for my Schengen visa, AND my earliest date of departure would be on Feb 1! Yay! :D

2 - Movies: I've seen I Am Legend, National Treasure 2, Sidney White and the 7 Dorks and my most anticipated movie of the year (since last year actually) - Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street. All very nice movies... but of course Sweeney tops the list. :D

3 - Personal Travel: I finally booked a flight for SG! Since I can't really schedule my office travels and stopovers, on a whim I just scouted for ticket prices and found a good deal on PAL. Although it's not for several months (I still have a 3-month onsite to go through), I'm really, really excited about it!

I don't think there are any other things I missed...mostly trivial, I am excited about this coming Sunday. I'll be meeting up with my college barkada (Ai, Grace, Jo, Kat, Krisel, and Jeng). Hopefully we'll be complete as the last Smalltalk reunion was already several years ago. Can't wait!

Retail Therapy

2008-01-13T11:21:00.000+08:00

When depressed, some people eat, work out, cry...for me and my ate, we shop.

I've been down, anxious and bummed all week last week. Largely due to the fact that there may be cmplications on my Schengen visa application, and possible travel to Kiev next week! *Sigh* Anyone who knows me, knows I love to travel... but never alone. :(

Anyway, fast forward to yesterday, since I'm more or less resigned to my fate, what else can I do but prepare for my upcoming trips...I went to Glorietta with my family and with the combination of hundreds of retailers, a balance free credit card and an actual purpose to shop, what do you get? A happy and calm Van. :D

I bought a new wallet and 2 bags at Girbaud. A weekend bag, and a multifunctional travel/sling bag. I bought new handcarry luggage, new clothes from Dorothy Perkins & Debenhams, new blush from VMV, nail files, buffers and cuticle treatments, skincare from Mario Badescu, and I even went grocery shopping at Landmark, tuna anyone?

So now, I'm even feeling a little excited about leaving... albeit on my own. :)

I still have a few more things to buy before I go... wool socks, a new pair of gloves, another warmer...but I'm feeling more optimistic that my departure date will still be on Feb 1. So, I still have time to shop.

Now, I only have my Austrian embassy interview tomorrow to worry about. I hope it goes well :SS.

TAG! You're IT!

2008-01-11T09:14:00.000+08:00

I finally finished this new year thingie I got from Lui… Feel free to post on your own blogs if you have the time to do this :D

What did you do in 2007 that you'd never done before?
Travel to Europe! Specifically to Bratislava, Slovakia… first time traveling for work. And I also got to pass by Singapore for 3 hours, another first! :D

Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I didn’t have any last year, but for this year, I resolve to be a better traveler…and to be more independent!

Did anyone close to you give birth?
Not that I can think of…

Did anyone close to you die?
My friend’s Ed Canizares and Kaye… as of now they still haven’t been given the justice they deserved.

What countries did you visit?
Slovakia and Singapore…and if you count my stopovers, Czech Republic and Germany :D

What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?
Love life! Hahaha!

What date from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Every year so many things happen and it’s difficult to choose one day in a year… hahaha, pareho sa sagot ni Louie :D

What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Being regularized at my new company… I was nervous about leaving SunLife and doing something more technical and more industry-specific… and then I got to travel, and meet new people, learn new things. I think that's a big achievement.

What was your biggest failure?
I don’t like the word failure… you don’t fail at something, you just haven’t found out the best way to do it yet.

Did you suffer illness or injury?
Self inflicted injuries due to clumsiness…bumps, bruises and stuff like that...

What was the best thing you bought?
My Pentax T30, and my SE K770i :D I’ll add my Z610i here as well even though it was in my possession for only a short time… I can’t choose just one :D

Whose behavior merited celebration?
Sweet’s, my youngest sister… *sigh* they grow up so fast…

Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Malu Fernandez? The writer who belittled her own countrymen. Siya lang naisip ko ngayon.

Where did most of your money go?
Myself, hahaha… a large part of it went to a lucrative, short term investment, payable in SGD… hehe, and dinners, massages, gadgets and other luxuries.

What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Trip to Europe!!!

What song(s) will always remind you of 2007?
I already forgot the songs in 2007 :) Since I listen to so much, I can’t attach a specific year to a song.

Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? – happier
ii. thinner or fatter? – fatter :P
iii. richer or poorer? -- richer

What do you wish you'd done more?
Agree with Louie on this one… exercise :D

What do you wish you'd done less of?
I just don’t want to get drunk again hahaha. But let me clarify, that was only once!

How many one-night stands?
I don’t do one night stands. *rolls eyes*

What was your favorite TV program?
House!

Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Nope.

What was the best book you read?
In 2007? Siyempre Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows!

What was your greatest musical discovery?
Mahilig pala akong kumanta! Hahaha…pero shy type ako. :D

What did you want and get?
Travel!

What was your favorite film of this year?
Transformers… I think. :)I think it would have been Sweeney Todd if it was shown in 2007.

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 25, had lunch with Sun Life friends, was surprised by my SSA co-workers and had dinner with family. 3 days later I was on my way to Bratislava. :D It was a memorable bday.

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Someone to have and hold… ;))

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?
I don’t have one.

What kept you sane?
Talking/chatting with friends and family, watching movies, massages and other recreational activities. Travels to Bora, Baguio, Corregidor, Viaje del Sol, reading, blogging…pretty much the normal things that I do.

Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Daniel Radcliffe? Harry Potter’s all grown up ;)) Honestly, I don’t know… can’t think of anyone right now…Johnny Depp? Adam Levine? The backstreet boys? =))

What political issue stirred you the most?
Louie: The Trillanes walk-out which was reported as coup d'etat but better called as a 'situation'.I really thought its a disgrace and since 2007 one of my best years, i don't wish to tarnish my blog by commenting further on this issue....
Van: Louie said it all… agree.

Who did you miss?
Sun Life people and ex-Sun Life people (most of my close friends left already, hehe).

Who was the best new person you met?
So many people! I’ve met a lot, but can’t really decide on a ‘best’ one.

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007:
Life is what you make of it. :) And that sometimes difficult choices have to be made to get the things you want.

What was the nicest thing someone told you about yourself?
That they were impressed with my progress at work and for my ‘remarkable’ adaptability to the technical architecture of the company. Basically work-related achievements being recognized.

The most touching experience you've had this year?
Saying goodbye…is never an easy thing… Leaving my old company, Maitz leaving for Singapore… basta natouch ako dun. ;))

What did you like most about yourself this year?
I’m starting to become a bit more independent…

What did you hate most about yourself this year?
I pretty much loved myself last year… hehe. Its too early to think of something to hate for this year.

Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
I’ll get back to this question once I find one…

Was 2007 a good year for you?
Yup, made some choices, some sacrifices… but 2007 was definitely a very good year.

What was your favorite moment of the year?
Travelling by myself! For me that’s an achievement… I get lost easily and am just not the ‘by myself’ type of person…

What was your least favorite moment of the year?
I think it would be when Maitz left for SG.

Where were you when 2007 began?
At my lola’s in Magallanes.

Who were you with?
The Espiritus, Aques and Picars.

Where will you be when 2007 ends?
At home in Pasay, we decided to spend the new year at our house for a change.

Who will you be with when 2007 ends?
The Aques.

Do you have a new years resolution for 2008?
Didn’t I answer this already?

What was your favorite month of 2007?
October.

Did you lose anybody close to you in 2007?
Another repeated question!

Did you miss anybody in the past year?
Hmmm… I answered this already too.

What was your favorite record from 2007?
Is this an album as compared to a song? Was Maroon 5’s album from last year? I liked that.

How many concerts did you see in 2007?
Do musicals count? 1.

Did you drink a lot of alchohol in 2007?
A bit… especially during the latter months.

Do a lot of drugs in 2007?
Do meds count?

You do anything you are ashamed of this year?
This year or last year? But I don’t think so.

How much money did you spend in 2007?
A lot. :D

What was your proudest moment of 2007?
Being recognized in my current work :)

What was your most embarrassing moment of 2007?
Not counting the numerous times I slipped, tripped or stumbled? Hmmm…

If you could go back in time to any moment of 2007 and change something, what would it be?
That’s a tough one!

What are your plans for 2008?
Travel more… save more… invest more…

How are you different now that the year has ended?
I realized that I don’t have to confine myself in my comfort zone… it’s actually nice to go out and have new experiences, meet new people, do new things.

What are your wishes for the new year?
Wealth, health and prosperity for all :D

Back to Work Blues

2008-01-06T20:25:00.000+08:00

*Groan*

I have to go back to work tomorrow... It sucks.

I know I shouldn't complain, I already had an extended vacation, I took a leave from January 2-4... *sigh*... bitin pa rin.

What a way to start the year eh? I'm so lethargic and sloth-like just the mere thought of going back to work depresses me.

I spent my vacation getting a massage, indulging in food, getting a mani-pedi, playing Persona 3, watching TV, going to the mall and sleeping...hmmm... maybe that's why I feel so lethargic, hehehe. Maybe what I need is a jumpstart to get my blood (and brain juices) flowing.

Good luck to me as I face my first workday of 2008 tomorrow... hopefully I can shake off this laziness soon.

It's 2008!

2008-01-01T23:09:00.000+08:00

Happy
New
Year!!!

May 2008 be a bigger, better year for all of us!
God bless! :D

Shake, Rattle & Roll 9

2007-12-26T23:48:00.000+08:00

I'd forgotten how different it was to watch scary movies in theaters...the screams, the chills, the intense audience reactions, the laughter...

Wait... laughter?

For lack of anything better to do, Tere and I watched an official Metro Manila Film Fest entry, Shake, Rattle & Roll. The 9th in the long running series. It's Tere's first Filipino movie...no kidding! And my first MMFF movie. :)
All I can say is, it's so much fun watching films on the big screen. :) And Shake, Rattle & Roll was just laugh out loud funny at times, and scream your head silly at others. Mostly, it's a collective audience scream and then laughter follows. The cinema was packed, noisy but not too distracting. Now for those who are not familiar with the Shake, Rattle & Roll concept, it's 3 tales of horror in each film, kind of like a buy one get 3 concept. :) I was a fan of the series when I was a kid, I watched it on rented VHS tapes or whenever I could catch it on TV.

The first movie, Christmas Tree was highly entertaining because of John Lapus, John Pratts and that kid who strikingly resembles a Revilla... although the idea of a man-eating Christmas tree is really far-fetched, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

The 2nd movie, Bangungot, was in my opinion, the weakest of the 3... I think the idea was to make you feel disturbed about the ending... but it just struck me as odd. And some of the effects on this film weren't effectively used (like the cloaked figure appearing and disappearing), I've seen a lot of scary films and have seen this effects done before... and done better.

Lastly, was Engkanto, which was my favorite, thanks to the entertaining ensemble cast. :) Although I still say Jewel can't act... at least I wasn't annoyed with her in this film. This was the funniest and had the best effects of the 3 movies. Katrina plays a creepy engkanto slash vampire slash zombie maker... I'm not really sure what she is, but I liked this movie for the entertainment factor.

All in all, it was enjoyable, and I had fun. Although I probably won't be lining up for any of the other MMFF entries, but I would say Shake, Rattle & Roll is a great movie to see with your barkada/family. :)

VLMA Holidays

2007-12-26T23:30:00.000+08:00

December 22, 2007.

I'm starting to detect a pattern whenever the VILLMA girls get together.

We eat, have coffee, hit the spa, eat, chat, talk, laugh and talk some more. It may sound routine to some but for us, these times are treasured moments and celebrations of friendship for 6 amazing women whose paths crossed in Sun Life. :)

Unfortunately, we weren't able to get together before Leslie left for Singapore... but still, Mich flew in from Malaysia and Louie just came from South Africa. :) Apple also joined us along with her daughter Yana. :)
We started the day at Gerry's Grill Insular life... Mich and I loaded up on the baked scallops, and of course, the usual sisig, squid and some kare kare and sizzling kang kong. Then, we had coffee at Starbucks (still trying to complete the stickers for that coveted Starbucks planner, thank goodness for double stickers!). Then, after updates, chismis and whatnot, we made our way to our favorite spa, Blue Water Day Spa for a foot spa, foot reflexology and a back massage...hmmm... relaxing. :) Then, we had a sumptuous and very filling dinner at Chili's.

We parted ways at around 8, Mich and I shared a cab and Louie and Apple did the same... a full day's worth of fun, friendship and relaxation... it's just a typical VILLMA reunion. :)

Out of the country naman sa susunod...Singapore/Malaysia, anyone?

Writing Booboo

2007-12-26T23:24:00.000+08:00

Ok... I admit, I'm not perfect. :D

Apparently, I don't know the past tense of the word 'leave'. This was brought to my attention by fellow former Editor-in-chief (and know it all older sister), Maita.

The erroneous post has been corrected and I am now deeply humbled. And for some reason, unbelievably amused. People come to me for grammar checks and yet, hehehe... Oh well. :)

Happy holidays everyone! :D

Blogthings!

2007-12-20T18:47:00.001+08:00

Xmas themed blogthings! Thanks to Mich for the links!

What The Holidays Mean to You

For you, the holidays are about emotional connections and bonds. You are happiest being around those you love.

You celebrate the holidays in an over the top style. If something is cute, you'll buy it. People end up with a lot of gifts from you - and your house is like a holiday wonderland, full of decorations.

During the holidays, you feel happily busy. There's so much do to and not a lot of time to do it. But you enjoy every minute of your holiday chores.

You think the holidays should be energetic and packed with activities. You'll double up on caffeine and sugar if that's what it takes to get you through them.

Your best holiday memories are of childhood foods and traditions. You secretly still wish you believed in Santa Claus.

What Do the Holidays Mean to You?

You Were An Angel This Year

You Were 20% Naughty, 80% Nice

You know you've been a super good girl this year
So good, that you may have missed out a little...
Don't worry, Santa will make it up to you!

Were You a Naughty Girl or Nice Girl this Year?

Your Elf Name Is...

Sassy Candy Cane Lips

What's Your Elf Name?

5 Days till Christmas!

2007-12-20T09:59:00.000+08:00

Before I start working, a short recap of the things that were, an update on the things that are and a post about the things that have yet to come...

On Thursday, I officially became a regular employee of Sungard System Access. Yay for me! Now I finally get to have my med card (which I missed, hehe) and most importantly paid Vacation Leaves! No increases yet though... I have to wait a few more months for that.

Then, JVC (Jeng, Van & Cess) met up last Friday in Greenbelt 3 for dinner. We ate at Krokodile Grill, and had some Frogs Legs, Sinigang na Liempo and Assorted Seafoods wrapped in Banana Leaf. It was so-so... although the service was good, the food just wasn't up to par. (Given the fact that we ordered the 'specialties' already). Even the presentation left much to be desired (esp for the Sinigang). For me it was just average.

BUT... it wasn't really the food, but the company that mattered. :) After dinner, we went to Cafe Breton for the usual crepe fix. Bumawi na lang kami sa dessert and coffee...

Then... on Saturday... I rewarded myself (again, as being single I have no one else to spend on but myself...which is fine by me by the way =D) with SE's latest Cybershot phone, the K770i. Although the chocolate brown color was a bit unlike me at first (remember, I had a pink Z610i), I've grown to love it. It's incredibly tiny (compared to my iPAQ), and light. Now, I just use my iPAQ as a standalone PDA. =D My new phone has a 3.2 megapixel cam, expandable memory (I have 1 GB now) and it's 3G capable already. Plus the usual bells and whistles of an SE phone that I've come to love.

Then, I spent the day hunting for something to wear for the company Christmas party, with the Casino Royale theme... this dress/gown hunting took until Sunday, and I still didn't find the 'perfect dress', so I just reused the maroon long dressed I've worn to several occasions already. Oh well, it's not as if I dress up often, but it took up a lot of my time...time I could have spent hunting for Xmas presents. :)

Oh and I forgot to mention Kumar's and Josh's bday treat at Modern China on Saturday night. :)

Then... Monday, Tuesday at work... well... I'm really not in the mood for work this week so I didn't get much done. Fortunately, the bulk of my work will start next year (after my 1 week leave) so I can still meet my deadlines for the year.

Last night was the Christmas party @ Fiesta San Miguel, Dusit Hotel. Being a new hire...of course we had to perform, it was a short performance, an upbeat version of 'Himig ng Pasko'. There was the usual raffle (I didn't win anything!), the band, performances, drinking...oh and a tequila toast. :D

And now, I'm back at work... obviously, with my head still floating from lack of sleep. Maitz is already flying back to Manila at this moment. Yay! Later tonight, we'll be taking Marta out to dinner. She's here for a few days so we're returning the hospitality she showed us while we were in Bratislava. :) Tomorrow, Maitz and I will be watching a movie after work, and on Saturday is the highly anticipated VILLMA (VLMA) reunion, with updates from Malaysia courtesy of Mich, South Africa courtesy of Lui, Bratislava courtesy of moi and Sun Life courtesy of Apples :D.

A lot of excitement in the coming days, and of course, the most highly anticipated event of all, Christmas! :D

I'm back!

2007-12-11T18:47:00.000+08:00

It's been 5 days since I got back... and I guess I was just too lazy to update. :D

We left Bratislava at 5:20 am, I had to shift 2 kilos from my luggage to my hand carry at check-in, but I'm thankful that the lady at the check-in counter wasn't rude or anything... she was almost apologetic that she had to make me unload some of my stuff. It was a bit turbulent, but nothing too scary... we arrived in Prague by 6:30... we had more than three hours to kill before our flight to Frankfurt, and we just spent it waiting around at the gate.

Forty minutes before leaving, we found out that we had to get boarding passes issued from the transfer desk before boarding! So we ran like crazy to the transfer desk, and when we got there, they processed the request, and the printer jammed! Minute after precious minute passed... I was scared we might miss the boarding... Imagine, we were doing nothing for 3 hours and then now we had to rush like crazy. Thankfully, the people at the transfer desk were very efficient, and they handed us our boarding passes upto Manila with minutes to spare.

The layover in Frankfurt was very short, we were there a total of one hour max. And soon we were flying off to Singapore. I settled in for a nice, long flight, but there was so much turbulence, they had to suspend cabin services. Really, it's never a good time to hear the pilot say "Ladies and gentlemen...it's worse than I thought..." hehe. But we got to Singapore in one piece after 12 hours.

Then, in Singapore, Maitz picked me up and we took the train to the city. She took me to Suntec, and I was able to make a wish on the Fountain of Wealth... great timing since the bigger fountain was closed. :) We didn't do much, coz I was carrying a really heavy laptop and my handcarry. So, we just strolled a bit (shops were still closed) and had lunch... I only had 3 hours to spend with Maitz, but maybe next time it'll be longer... like days longer... :)

Anyway, I've kept myself busy tending to my vanity. :) I got my hair cut last Friday, I'm now sporting a chin length bob. Then I had a facial, and a manicure and pedicure. I would have loved to fit in a massage schedule there somewhere but I didn't have the time. On Sunday, I took my family out for some fresh seafood at Seaside... I missed seafood so much! Crabs and shrimps are so delicious!

Then Jeng filed for VL, and we went to MOA... I helped her run some errands (although I don't consider picking out clothes as errands), and we watched Beowulf on IMAX! For some reason... I found it really violent... for a CGI flick... :)

And now, first day back at work... and I completed about 1/10 of what I wanted to finish for the day... I have no one to blame but myself, I'm really not feeling up to working yet, but I know tomorrow will be a more productive day.

I'll be home... I'll be home soon...

2007-12-02T22:51:00.000+08:00

Just two more days... and I'm flying back. :)

Can't believe how excited I am... :D I'll be meeting up with Maitz in SG for a couple of hours, so that's also great, I would have loved to stay but they couldn't find a return flight from SG to Manila, maybe next year.

It's times like this that makes me realize how many things there are to miss in the Philippines... sure, I love to travel, but this is the first time I've been away for more than a month, and it's made me realize that I'm just not ready to leave my life in Manila...not yet anyway. Close friends will know what I'm talking about... I don't know, maybe I'm just feeling homesick right now. :)

Anyway, 2 more days... and it's back to hot and humid Manila, and maybe next month, it's on to Kiev, Ukraine. :)

Updates...updates...

2007-11-26T05:01:00.000+08:00

Finally! Time to write a blog entry :)

I'm just going to write a short run down of everything I've been doing since my last post (aside from work, of course). It's going to be my last full week this week! I'm so excited to go home! 10 more days and counting... :D

16Nov2007 - First, we had dinner at Faces restaurant at the Center. The ambiance was really different, because it was an underground resto (like a dungeon, semi-dark and slightly claustrophobic, hehe). Food was okay... haven't really had a really good dinner here (save for the Pork Medallions with blue cheese).
Since it was Namie's last weekend, we decided to make the most of the night and headed over to Malecon for some mojitos again. :) This time, I had a Tropicana Mojito, more of a vodka mix, which to me made it better than my previous Malibu mojito.
Then... we decided to continue on to Harley Davidson pub where there was a special 'show'. After the show, we just spent a couple of hours dancing to the beat and watching the patrons have a 'great' time on the dance stage/bar. Somewhat like a coyote ugly type of thing :) The pic below was taken outside the pub while waiting for the cabs that were taking us back to the hotel.
Then, the next day a couple of us decided to head up to Devin Castle... without heeding warning that it might be closed because of the cold weather. Well, it was closed, but that didn't stop us from taking some great pics (nice views of the castle, lots of snow and the Danube river). We had a great time, had a late lunch at this small pub at the base of the castle, sausage, cheese, bread and hot chocolate...yum! Pictures can be found at my Multiply site.
Then, we went to the Center and had some very special hot chocolates (mine had Bailey's, whipped cream and lots of hazelnuts, Ria's even had chili!) OMG...it was so delicious. I will definitely try another one before I leave. :)

22Nov2007 - The EBU team had a milestone dinner at Leberfinger restaurant...First, they served us an extremely strong traditional Slovakian aperitif called 'Slivovica' (Slivovitz). According to Michal, it's supposed to prepare your stomach for the meal... I couldn't finish mine (take note, this is just one shot), because I didn't think it was wise to drink a 50% alcoholic beverage before a meal. I finished it afterwards, which according to Michal was typically how it was done, 1 before and 1 after the meal. :)

Then, they served a cheese plate, and some pork pate (like pork in gelatin), it was good. Then a tray of different types of meats, chicken, pork, ribs, steak, and for dessert there was traditional Slovak desserts, apple streudel and some kind of crepe with berries. :) All throughout dinner there was flowing vino - red wine and Chardonnay. And after dinner, they brought out tequila. For some reason, they think Filipinos are expert tequila drinkers, with Steve even calling us tequila kings and queens. Roland even said that it's not a Filipino party without tequila...hmmm...oh well. :D

Then, the next day was the start of the Christmas/night market at the Center so a couple of us decided to go. Apparently, practically all of Bratislava decided to go out too! The place was packed, and I mean like Quiapo on Quiapo day...But shops closed early, by 9PM they were already packing up, so we had no choice but to go home.
Lastly, today, Ria, Eisel, Treenah and I went souvenir shopping at the Center and the souvenir shops at Brat castle and even at Tesco... these are looong walks...but walking here is really quite a pleasure because of the weather. Then we had a really early dinner at Kogo, the food was great! I had the Tagliatelle with shrimps and rugola, the risotto was also delicious, and there was the classic bread, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and parmesan cheese that was just excellent.

Anyway... that's it for my update... 10 more days until I fly back to Manila. Then it's only a few more days till Christmas! I have never been this behind on my Christmas shopping... hehe. Oh well, hopefully there'll be some great sales. :D

Not feeling well...

2007-11-16T01:35:00.000+08:00

It snowed all day today... skies were gray and gloomy, as the flurry of white passed by the windows... I wasn't feeling well too well, so I opted to go home at exactly, 6:01. And it was soooo cold! It can't be good, to be on the verge of sickness and be out in the snow... :(

And the snow wasn't the soft white powder that we had last Sunday, strong winds made it lash at our faces so hard that it stings! Good thing I have a hat that covered my head... otherwise I think it would have been a far worse experience...

I just hope I'll feel better by tomorrow, it's hard to enjoy the cold when you're sick. :(