Its my life

New Life, New Blog

2011-06-30T05:19:00.000+08:00

Its been a great 7 years (really, its been 7??) of sporadic updating, but I'm feeling a big change coming on in my life and it deserves a new space. More focused on who I want to be. You see bits and pieces of "me" here, but I think I'm even clearer now, in the month when I hit 35 and I'm about to take a break from my telecom career. Its my last day at work in Fornebu tomorrow!

My new blog is called The Starter Life, do come and visit soon.

Board/Walk

2011-03-23T17:09:00.004+08:00

I couldn’t stop myself from buying a set of ski pants, gloves and a surprisingly affordable Helly Hansen jacket from the outdoor fair in central Oslo during the World Ski Championships. So despite the leftover knee issues from the last ski trip, I needed to make use of my new gear. This time I decided to try snowboarding at nearer ski resort in Kongsberg, which is an hour by bus from Oslo. It’s pretty convenient to just hop on the bus, pay 450 NOK for the round-trip bus ticket which includes the ski pass (the pass that gives you access to use the ski lifts).

Having surfed and wake boarded before, I figured it would probably be easier to manage a single snowboard then 2 skis and 2 poles. But for less-than-athletic me, winter sports have an especially steep learning curve! My friends I booked a 1.5 lesson which turned out to be quite useless because it was delivered by this kid (he looked around 15) who couldn’t really say much but, “Ok, go try it,” or “Use the Christmas tree method to get down the slope.” I’m like huh?? I don’t even know how to strap on the damn board! I asked him how to slow my descent down a slope, he said: “Use your foot.” Um, in what way?

My friends were better than me, and I learned more from them when they convinced me to go up to the real slopes and try it out. It was my first time to try the chair lift and I barely made it into the seat holding the board in my hands. I wondered how I would have made it with skis or a snowboard strapped to my feet.

As a super-duper-beginner snowboarder who doesn’t even know how to move on the snow, here’s what I learned on my first day:

Its best to try getting in and out of a snowboard before hitting the slopes. I spent an embarrassing amount of time trying to figure out how those straps worked.
Another thing to practice is going from sitting down (on your ass) position to standing up in one move. When you stand up, you should have your heels on the ground, toes slightly in the air. This is the move you make right after you put on your snowboard --- which unfortunately I have trouble doing. It would’ve been more helpful if I could have practiced this at home first (like 20 reps every day!). As it is, I mostly stood up in the reverse manner: flipping over to my stomach and standing up with a push up. Very tiring on the arms and palms.
On a slope, do not, I repeat, do not fully unstrap your snowboard. That’s how I lost the first snowboard I rented --- I fell into a ditch, took off the snowboard to climb out of the snowbank, and then saw the board slide all the way into the woods and off a cliff. Thankfully the rental people didn’t bitch at all, they even gave me another board to rent. Which I almost lost again when I took it off after another fall.
Watch how you fall, spread your weight. When falling on your hands, ball them into a fist rather than palms spread. And try to avoid falling on your tailbone. Maybe angle your fall to be flat on your back.
Check out this helpful video!

So I called this post Board/Walk because I invented a new sport --- slope walking! That’s what I had to do when I lost my board the first time…I walked halfway down the slope. And on the 2^nd run, I fell so many times on my tailbone and my head that I couldn’t endure anymore. I took off my board and walked the last 3 steep slopes back to the bottom. Must have looked strange to the rest of the ski/snowboard-ers but hey, I’m an old beginner so give me a break!

Ski Tripping

2011-02-25T00:53:00.014+08:00

Of course being in Norway, I had to try the requisite Norwegian sport: skiing! For most of the winter season, hordes of locals hit slopes near and far from the city, taking weekends trips for alpine skiing in the mountains or flatter lands for 20- 100 km cross country tracks. So I aimed to try this northern equivalent of a surfing weekend in La Union (which means a carpool + equipment + accommodations + Friday after work drive).

However for a foreigner who doesn't have any skiing equipment, experience or a cabin in the mountains, this type of weekend takes quite a bit of planning and expense. First, the cabin reservation months (!) in advance which I did through the very user-friendly Skistar site. On the site you can also book equipment rental, ski lift passes, cabin cleaning (so they don't automatically ) and lessons. My friends said I could do all of that on the spot though, and they would give me skiing tips so I tried to rein in my travel-planning obsessiveness. I also rented cars at Avis (a whole other story), borrowed skiing clothes, collected payments, went grocery shopping for meals, wine shopping for drinks (you have to catch the vinmonopolet before it closes at 6pm)...all of this and we hadn't even started the weekend yet.

The ski resort we went to is in Trysil, and its one of the most popular ones in Norway. Its about 4 hours from Oslo, including the Friday rush traffic and the grocery stop. We were lucky that weekend (or so I was told), with sunny skies, decent snowfall, and the temperature between -5 to -10 degrees celcius most of the day.

The cabin was surprisingly pretty, with a small fireplace, big living room and dining space, and a even a sauna...perfect for a getaway of 9 people.

Generally life in the cabin was about cooking, chatting, drinking, party games, although some guys were brave enough to take an outdoor dip in the snow in their underwear and run back to the sauna. I only got my far as dipping my feet in before I gave up.

And the skiing? Well that was much harder then I thought it would be. I thought it would be like ice skating with longer skates...but it was really heavy skis aimed downhill. One friend was nice enough to babysit me for most of the first day, she spent a lot of time picking me up from a fall...

Its tough to get up from a fall on a slope because you need to push yourself up and not start sliding down. And learning how to apply brakes is a bitch! I kept on trying to will my feet to cross and do that "wedge" thing but generally to avoid hitting people, equipment and structures at the bottom of the slope I would just make myself fall. To think that the thing I was most worried about was freezing - actually I was sweating like mad! But then towards the end of the session I was so proud of myself for not falling in longer stretches and doing some proper stops. Yay me!

I think one of the best things about being in a ski resort is the general atmosphere of cheer and friendliness - such a contrast from the more "grey" mood of the city. Its like a tropical beach resort vibe -- without the tropical beach. Oh and all those hot guys at the after-ski party. Shame we didn't stay that long.

I did not have a ball waking up the next day, with what I felt was a badly twisted knee and needing to hoist myself down from the top bunk bed. I gave up on skiing the 2nd day, brought myself to the Lekvagten (Emergency Room) the day after (no major bones broken!) and limped for the rest of the week. My winter sports spirit hasn't died however --- I think I'm ready to try snowboarding next!

Its an Apps World

2011-02-24T20:10:00.002+08:00

I'm on my 3rd unit of the iPhone4 now. The first drowned in a toilet and was unsuspectingly replaced by the Apple service center (hurrah for warrantees!). The 2^nd was stolen at 4am in a dodgy club in Bangkok, and now we're at number 3. I've never been lucky with the iPhone, even my jailbroken 3G version eventually lost its wifi capability and had a pathetic battery life, but of course I couldn't complain because it was jailbroken (hence learning the value of warrantees). I was traveling when I lost my 2nd iPhone4 and had to use a Nokia C3 for a month before I could get the next incarnation and then I remembered what it was like to have a life without internet and apps. But now I'm back in Apple world. I still have issues at how it is as a phone, but there are really some apps that make it so convenient to live your life. I'm not an apps junkie so I don't have a ton in my phone, but here are some that I use quite often.

Navigating Norway

Maps because I'm always lost even in this small city, Yr.no for more or less accurate weather reports, even for other cities (the first thing I check when I wake up in the morning!), Trafikanten for public transport schedules and iTranslate to figure out the Norwegian ingredient names when I'm grocery shopping (also useful for quick email translations!).

Travel

Kayak to indulge my travel fantasies ("How much would it cost to travel there this weekend?); Lonely Planet and Trip Advisor ("What would I do when I get there?").

Memory Tools

I can never remember things so I really like the cheesily-named iPeriod to remember that time of month. I found a new app called Springpad which links to a web application and Firefox widget to save notes, bookmarks and recipes (better than opening my laptop to check on bookmarked recipes when I cook!). I also have ShopShop – for the weekly trip to the supermarket of course, Another interesting memory tool is Keeper, to save my multiple usernames and password to all the sites I've signed up for. Now if only I could remember all those sites!

Random

Astrology updates from Susan Miller (I always get the monthly updates on time!), Drync Wine to remember all the fabulous vintages I've sampled, Foursquare for location tips even in unfamiliar territories.

I don't have much of Games since I got too obsessed with Sally's Spa, but I will welcome any other app suggestions!

Breaktime

2011-02-23T19:40:00.002+08:00

The view from behind my desk.

I suddenly remembered that it was possible to post to my blog by sending an email. So I really have no excuse to be away from this space for so long. As long as the winter has been actually. I cheated a bit by being away from Norway for almost 4 weeks through December & January. But as type this the snow is still falling hard to the ground outside my office window and though its pretty, I'm beginning to feel like its too long!

The Best of Dublin

2010-11-29T01:55:00.017+08:00

I've been to so many places in the past few months I don't have the time (or the energy!) to give full-blown details. So I've decided to do a summary posts. I'll start with the most recent getaway - Dublin, Ireland! It's my first time to step into this part of Europe and its quite refreshing to understand what people are saying in the streets!

1) Ireland's oldest pub, The Brazen Head. Order the Irish Stew, or the Bacon & Cabbage, and drink up a pint of Smithwick's Ale (don't forget to ask the barman for a "Guiness head").

2) Ireland happiest pub (for me, anyway), The Cobblestone, for their live Irish music and low-key crowd. It was packed on a Thursday night--- despite the recession!

3) The Irish people - cheerful, talkative, storytelling, and oh-so-into the local drinks. It pays to listen to them! Besides the knowledgeable taxi & bus drivers, one of the highlights was getting the scoop on contemporary artists from an old security guard at the National Gallery (where incidentally, admission is free).

4) The 3.5 hours free walking tour courtesy of Sandeman's New Dublin Tours. is a great way to get an overview and history of Dublin. The entertaining tour guides work on tips and its far from the dry, boring, paid tours I've taken before.

Our guide, Helena.

Christ Church Cathedral

The River Liffey

The oldest part of Dublin Palace.

5) The Guinness Storehouse. I have to admit that I'm not the biggest fan of this super heavy beer but when it comes straight from the source it just tastes so fresh! Plus the view of the city from the top of the museum is hard to beat.

The best tasting Guinness ever.

View from the top.

6) The company. We were 7 in the group from 6 different countries. What a mix!

Philippines, USA, Macedonia, Norway, Malaysia, Mexico, Australia

A Winter Sunday

2010-11-29T01:36:00.005+08:00

Despite the snow blowing in the streets sideways (that's how windy it was!) I still ventured out dressed like Kenny from South Park, or as my sister put it, in a puffy burka...

...in order to drop by the Sunday market at Bla. It was an eclectic collection of handmade knits from cute old ladies, trinkets and knicknacks, old photos, art pieces and vintage wear. I help myself back and contented myself with a Norwegian pancake while observing the proceedings, still amazed that nothing stops people from going out to shop.

Bla is located in the "artistic" side of Oslo, by the river, and walking around this old part of town and encountering surprising sights (like that huge outdoor chandelier) is always interesting. On Sunday nights I've heard that there's even a really good jazz quarter that plays there which I hope to catch sometime.

So...despite the cold there are still cool things that go on in Oslo.

Blink

2010-11-26T05:07:00.002+08:00

Just like that, 4 months have gone by just like that in my "new" life in Oslo. I've done so much and seen so many things --- besides the practicalities of living in Oslo, I also took side trips to Madrid, Granada, Segovia, Palma de Mallorca, Stockholm and Dublin.

Now winter's here and the difference of living in Europe (and in Scandinavia) is even more highlighted! Yesterday I went out to check the Lanvin for H&M collection and instead of blowing my dough on an overpriced "couture for the masses" dress, I spent it on getting more wool, long sleeved shirts and a humidifier. Who knew there were so many things to think of for winter?? There's the winter clothes layering, the lack of humidity at home that's drying out my skin and causing mini-nosebleeds, plus having to walk outside with a stiff breeze in your face and ice on the pavement. As I write this, its -8 degrees celcius outside and they say this isn't the worst of it yet -- although it seems to have been the coldest November anyone can remember in a long time.

I promise to start posting bits and pieces of my trips in the next few days, I owe myself that!

A Big Night of Music

2010-08-30T21:09:00.011+08:00

One of the advantages of living in a "major" European city like Oslo is the availability of some world-renowned entertainment. So far I've heard Madonna & Guns n Roses have passed through (my music references are indicative of my age), and its not only pop or rock music phenomenons who grace Oslo with their presence, but stars from other musical genres as well. It certainly contrasts to KL, which some international acts skipped due to religious issues. However, the availability of local live music seems less than the Philippines, which of course does so well that we export our live acts. In any case, I think part of the reason that Oslo is so full of entertainment is because people are always looking for something to do, and they have the time and money to spare. Something to watch out for when these big names come is that the tickets sell out so fast that you have to be glued to your PC screen when the online sales begin.

So for the last weekend of August, I booked myself a ticket to Festningen 2010, which headlined Norwegian electronica group Royksopp and French electronica pioneer Jean Michel Jarre. The weather took a turn for the worse in the evening, so it was my first time to see people coming for a concert dressed in rain gear and even ski outfits!

The festival started at 2pm but we didn't go there until 7pm. We were able to catch the opening act for the main show, a hiphop group from Malawi called The Very Best. I'd like to catch them in a more intimate setting next time, it would be so fun to dance.

After a half-hour break, a couple of beers and a visit to the portalet, Royksopp came onstage. I knew I liked their music, but I didn't know how much I knew of it. I've been chilling to "Poor Leno" since the early 2000's.

But of course the biggest shocker of the evening was the guest appearance of Robyn, who I was so pissed to have missed at the sold-out Oyafestivalen 2 weeks ago. And she started off with my favorite song in their collaboration, "The Girl and the Robot". I was screaming like mad.

Finally, a delightful performance from an unexpected source: Jean Michel Jarre who I have to admit I'd never heard of until I booked a ticket to this show. A pioneer of modern electronica, he's been spinning tracks since the 1970's and has played in venues like the Great Wall of China and the Pyramids. Until I saw his performance, I didn't understand what the fuss was about. Its old school electronica yes, but delivered in a spectacular show of light, sound and perfectly synchronized fireworks. The man is in his 50s but he had so much energy and was having so much fun on stage. It was simply entertaining to watch this musical magician.

This was a great cap to my busy first month in Oslo. Next week, I'm off to the opera!

The Big Leap

2010-08-10T02:59:00.003+08:00

Yesterday was apparently the first day this summer that Norwegians had the opportunity to enjoy a real day at the beach. 26 degrees Celcius sunny weather had them trekking out en masse to enjoy a crowded day by the pebbly seaside.

Ordinarily the sight of a day of sunshine wouldn't drive me in a frenzy to go out, after all in Asia its pretty commonplace, but the locals gave me dire warnings that its possible a day like this won't happen again this year. Gulp. So to the beach I went, sans bikini (the good dozen I have are in a box winging its way to me), instead attired in a tank top and shorts.

At the first touch of the water, I felt it was too cold to swim in. So I just dipped my feet in and spent most of the afternoon sunning myself while enjoying the makeshift BBQ (sate!) and grilled hotdogs.

Later in the evening, the sun still being up, my friends encouraged me to dive off a 10 (or 15?) meter spring board into the 18 degrees ocean. My first thought --- were they crazy?? But they went ahead. I got so tempted. Finally, in my underwear, I took the plunge too! And actually after the first 3-second shock, the water felt great!

There's still a lot of adjustment to do being here. Their beach is not my idea of a beach, even going to the supermarket is a challenge since I hardly understand where everything else is and what exactly they're selling. I've made 5 trips to the grocery so far just to understand! The things I'm used to are not there. But once you've adjusted to the change, like the leap I took into the ocean, I hope to find a different sort of enjoyment.

Next Stop, Norway

2010-07-30T23:31:00.003+08:00

Maybe about 6 years ago, I started thinking that I would like to try living in Europe. I imagined taking a fashion merchandising course in Italy or Spain, living a continental existence in wine bars, coffee shops and museums. Now that dream is a reality. Sort of.

Because if I had to pick a place to live in Europe, Oslo may not even have come into my top 10 list. Its too cold, the language isn't close to anything I know except English. But as of a few days ago, I've officially started living here! Well now I'm in a crappy hotel (they really don't do hotels like Asia does) but hopefully in a few days time I will move into my very own apartment in central Oslo.

It was a little bit strange to leave the comfort of the life I built in Malaysia but I didn't get too sentimental about it. I thought 3 years was enough and there seemed to be many signs that pointed out it was time to leave.

I don't know how the path of my life brought me here, but I aim to make the most of it.

A Birthday Story

2010-06-11T11:02:00.006+08:00

34 years and 3 days ago (ahem) I was born to a "starter" couple. Just newly wed, with my father finishing up his MBA and new in the job market and my business-minded but junior employee mother. They had tried to time my birth with payday since they didn't have that much cash to spare but seems like I didn't cooperate and came a week early.

During the caesarian delivery, the story of which I've heard a million times (Mom rolled into the operating room still reading a "How to Give Birth" book), there's a story I only heard last year when my Mom visited KL. My maternal grandmother (I called her "Nanay") had apparently disappeared during the proceedings, which was quite unusual.

She eventually showed up a few days (or a day, or a week) later. Where had she gone? To pawn or sell her parcel of land in Laguna for measly price of P4,000 or US$80. Or some ridiculous amount like that. It was to help pay for me to get brought into this world.

I lost Nanay 2 years while I was living in Kuala Lumpur. I did get to see her before she passed, while she was in the hospital succumbing to pneumonia. I still miss her every day.

I don't mean to be sentimental, but I do realize I never got around to writing about Nanay and everything she did for me. Its actually a good story because I'm so lucky to have had a grandparent who was like this, and more.

Crabs + Cake

2010-06-10T00:10:00.008+08:00

A spontaneously planned, but well organized birthday dinner (thanks to Pushpa!) took me and my closest remaining friends in KL to the fabulous butter crabs of Mei Keng Fatt in Ampang. I've gone there several times in the past, and its really worth going back to as the closest place from the centre of town to fulfill your seafood cravings. It also gave me a chance to bring along my new toy:

Crystal clear close up of the butter crab.

They call this seafood "Geoduck" but to us it looked like Gigantic D***.

I'd be afraid to eat this monster crab.

I had brought 2 bottles of wine for an after-dinner drinks session, and to my surprise, there was cake waiting for me! Awwwww.

I'm definitely going to miss my KL family *sniff*. Friends for life.

Birthday Indulgence

2010-06-04T18:22:00.006+08:00

Happy birthday to meeeeee! Ok, I'm a few days early but I can't help but be super happy with my new toy. After years and years of thinking about whether I should upgrade, then one long weekend madly organizing my Flickr account to self-critique whether I had the "eye", and even starting a Photobook compilation, I went out and bought it!

My new "entry-level" DSLR, a Canon EOS 1000D. Yes folks, prepare to be drowned by even more travel photos on all my networking sites.

I guess this hasn't been the only indulgence in the past months. Last week I got these speakers to match my new blue iPod Nano 3G (with the back engraved "Music Keeps Me Sane").

You could say I'm preparing for a lot of indoor time combined with some never-been-there-before trips. I'm so excited to share my plans with everyone once they're finalized!

The Perhentian Experience

2010-05-26T21:34:00.014+08:00

I spent my first year in Malaysia doing all the major KL tourist things as well as hopping out to Penang, Redang, Langkawi et al. Then I started traveling around Southeast Asia, and then it was a lot of European jaunts. In the last few months I've thought of rediscovering the place I've come to call home for the last 3 years.

So for some long weekends I found time to get away to the East Coast beaches such as Kuantan, Cherating, and the latest and farthest I visited was Perhentian Island.

We decided to head towards the small Island (Kecil) for the true backpacker experience, hoping of course to stick to a tight budget, but that wasn't going to be the case. Perhentian Kecil is truly a beautiful beach and perhaps if we hadn't rushed through it in 3 days, we would have had a better time.

Here's some of the high and low points of the trip:

The Good

A gorgeous white sand beach, clear blue waters, filled with...

...beautiful people! I sat down on the beach at 2pm and marveled at all the beach bodies that walked by. In fact I told my friend, "Are they not allowed to have ugly people on this beach?" Rightfully she said, "Don't talk too soon." Sure enough, they trot out the regular people starting 4pm.

The snorkeling was fantastic! Although not as much as promised here:

However, we did just pay 40 ringgit (US$12) for 2 hours in Perhentian waters with 3 snorkeling spots where we saw (and touched!) big turtles, swam with colorful never-seen-before fish, and chased small grey sharks! We also met a nice Dutch couple to boot.

Every night we hung out at a beach bar called Buffaloes, with cheap (by Malaysian standards) liquor, free fire-dancing entertainment and the best chill-out/house collection I've heard in a while!

The Bad

Yes, the above was so idyllic if it hadn't been hampered by the journey back and forth. The locals said we had landed at the wrong airport (Kuala Terrenganu) instead of the nearer Kota Bahru, which entailed a 1.5 hour taxi ride both ways, airport to jetty, to the tune of 220 ringgit (US$66). The the ferries only travel 3x/day, 8:00am, 12nn and 4pm so we had to fork out another 150 ringgit on top of the 70 ringgit fare for a "special" boat to take us back in time for our return flight.

The Coral Bay jetty looks beautiful though:

In Perhentian Kecil, the cheaper places do not take bookings online or by phone. They want to make the most out of the place so they expect you to walk in. So at 12noon, in the sweltering heat and with backpacks strapped on we walked from place to place, through the jungle, until we finally ended up in the main beach (called Long Beach) at the not so cheap 120 ringgit/night Mohsin chalet which seemed to have the only available room. We did get this view:

The boat people told us that we had to be at the Coral Bay jetty at 6:30am on the day of departure to make our flight - and the boat couldn't dock on Long Beach. Our first option, a taxi boat would have cost 40 ringgit to take us there. Our 2nd option was to move to a hotel on Coral Bay but of course the money-grubbing manager of Mohsin wouldn't refund us our advance payment on the room since we were checking out at 12noon and not at 11:30am as their policy supposedly stated. I say "supposedly" because I later saw a different policy in a bedroom drawer.

So we took our last option. A 20-minute walk through the jungle at 6am before the sun rose, guided only by the light of our mobile phone screens. I felt like I was in Lost. Without John Locke to guide us, or Sawyer for eye candy.

Oh and there was a "friendly" boatman we met the night before this trek who offered to take us to Coral Bay on his boat. He promised to meet us on the beach at 6am. I was no longer surprised when he didn't show up.

You can see why I was quite relieved to leave paradise.

Tick Tock

2010-03-15T12:13:00.005+08:00

Mid-way through March and this image keeps whizzing through my brain. In exactly 3-months, life as I know it will change radically. Whether it's a smaller degree of radical-ness or the big whopping dose of exciting, its definitely going to be different...and I'm feeling a bit of the choke.

The impending changes have given me the benefit of a shift in perspective. Now I'm appreciating all that I have. Sunday lounging by the pool. Crossing the street to buy groceries or browse at the bookstore. My lovely gold Nissan with the free petrol. A little extra cash to buy those RM70 Esprit jeans from the Queen's Park Factory Outlet like I did yesterday. Those are just what I'll miss with that small change that will definitely happen.

What about the bigger change? There will be more than just the above to miss. Looking back at what I've written on this blog in the last 3 years, I realized that I spent more time blogging about my travels than the things I appreciate about the city that has become my second home. Plus there's so much more left to do. I'm just waiting for the signal to start doing them now.

But as one of my friends said over dinner the other night, why wait for the signal? Just do everything now! He's right...time to putting together that list of things I want to do, and checking them off one by one.

Photo courtesy of: http://blogs.ubc.ca/missionfitpossible/

My First Winter

2010-03-07T19:19:00.004+08:00

A few days ago I returned from my first "real" winter experience in Norway. "Real" to distinguish it from my first snowfall which I caught last November while walking from the shuttle to an airplane about to take off from Budapest, where I stood on the airplane runway trying to catch snowflakes on my face like a crazy promdi fool. This time it was the end of February in Scandinavia, with miles and miles of snow. I had to suit up everyt ime I left the cozy warm indoors and I never felt I was wearing enough. My Zara sale coat performed quite well with a wool inner layer, but I think I'll be buying one of those puffy down-filled waterproof jackets with the fur trim sometime in the future.

In fairness, walking in the snowy outdoors was not as bad as I imagined. I thought that a tropical girl such as myself would freeze and keel over soon as I hit the outdoors but I was walking every day much like the other Norwegians (some of whom were jogging in - 2 degrees Celcius!). My face and hands got numb after awhile, and everyone kept telling me I was lucky to be experiencing such a mild bout of weather (the week before it was - 15 C), but then I thought, hey I can handle this!

That seems like a good sign.

The Dhaka Guide (Part 2 of 2)

2010-03-07T17:43:00.020+08:00

When I started writing this post last year, fresh from my Bangladesh stint, I had so much ambition for it. I wanted to turn it into my office's definitive guide to staying in Dhaka. But time and life got in the way and I seem to have lost some of my travel guide photos, so I can only remember bits and pieces. However, I hope I have remembered the best parts.

A photographer friend commented that it must be amazing to take a camera to the streets of Dhaka and I agree the sights and sounds can be colorful and unique to document but for some reason I was always uncomfortable taking photos in the streets. Either I felt I would draw too much attention, or I didn't feel right pointing my slightly expensive camera at scenes of poverty. Its really unusual to be in Bangladesh, to be part of extremes and end up belonging to the upper half while many are at the lower end. People there have gotten used to it and I assume if I stay there longer I would be used to it too. However, the contrast is still stark for a "guest" such as myself.

That being said, I'd like to get back to best parts of sightseeing in Dhaka, besides its crazy streets, there are also some moments of its history:

Lalbagh Fort in Old Dhaka, an incomplete palace of the Mughal era, which contains a mosque and the tomb of the Mughal princess Bibi Pari.

Ahsan Manzil (The Pink Palace) in Old Dhaka, another landmark of the Mughal age situated at the Buriganga river. Here you can imagine the glory days of Bangladesh when both local and foreign royalty plied the palace halls. Not much is left though, in this place which is now a museum, and it makes you wonder how much was taken away over the years.

The Parliament Building in Dhaka, with an unusually futuristic design.

The best sightseeing trip I made was to Sonargaon, the old Bengal capital. A 2 hour drive out of the city, although its only 40 kms away, showing you how heavy the traffic situation can be. Stepping into Sonargoan is a refreshing gulp of fresh air, not only pertaining to the wonderfully green surroundings, but also to the seemingly cheerful, laid back people that occupy it.

Had they been better preserved, these ruins would have made it to the World Heritage Site list.
I still think they are beautiful though.

Happy tuktuk driver.

Colorful painted rickshaws.

The tip of an abandoned Hindi temple.

The Hindi temple ruins remind me so much of the Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

Sonargaon folk museum

Lost iron art.

Beautiful and friendly children by the old mosque.

After I left Sonargaon I realized I have a Buddha Bar track on my iPod with the same name. I found a video for it on the web, and yes, it is apt to remember the spirit of the place.

Milestone

2010-03-07T17:17:00.004+08:00

Although my travels took me far and wide in 2009, the best piece of the past year had to do with home. That is, my new home in an up-and-coming area south of Manila.

It was truly a family effort...Mom brilliantly selected this location and maneuvered me into taking it over a cheaper house in Pasig that probably ended underwater after the Ondoy floods last September. My sister pitched in a big chunk into getting the family moved in by November. And last Christmas was our FIRST Christmas in our own little piece of the earth. It may be missing cabinets, curtains, gardens and so much more but its a wonderful work in progress. It will entail some sacrifice, but I think its all worth it.

I'm so very blessed because I've been feeling that a list of wishes I submitted to the universe is getting answered one by one in the most amazing and surprising ways. Yes there's a bit of a crunch in some aspects but I'm less worried these days. I know everything will work out for the better.

The Dhaka Guide (Part 1 of 2)

2009-11-26T23:19:00.009+08:00

Typical Dhaka street.

The Red Fort in Old Dhaka

Although I spent the last few months "on the road", there was one place I spent a total of 40 days in. It was Dhaka, capital city of Bangladesh. Not a place typically associated with leisurely travel, you can hardly find travel guides written on this place. It takes a more sophisticated traveler to appreciate the the crowded Dhaka streets but one can't say the doesn't have its own unique charm. One of the best things about Bangladesh is the amazingly friendly, hospitable and quite good-looking people who are usually helpful in getting you around and will even offer to take you around themselves.

40 days was quite a long time to spend here for me, because I'm used to more freedom of movement and being able to head out alone. However it did give me a chance to find out the best places to break the monotony of going to work and hanging out at the hotel, and those tips are summarized below.

Places to Stay

If you don't want the expensive accommodations afforded by 5-star Westin, Radisson or Lake Shore, opt for the newly opened Platinum Suites in the Banani area, a "real" boutique hotel in one of the more central Dhaka areas. Even if you don't stay at Platinum, I wouldn't mind hanging out their rooftop/bar restaurant for a weekend chilldown. Another option is a "real" serviced apartment, Grihokantee in the posher Baridhara area. I keep on saying "real" because when I checked outsome others claiming to be serviced apartments or boutique hotels, the places were far from the usual standard.

Eating
Eating in Dhaka should have been a simpler process since you would imagine really good Indian food around every street corner. However, its still best to make sure that the place you end up in is safe and has been recommended especially if you have a sensitive stomach. There's some international fare in Dhaka, but of course not as good as let's say, Korean food in Manila, or Chinese food in Kuala Lumpur. Its worthwhile to check it all out for variety, like I did since I could barely stand eating all the days in the hotel restaurant.

Since these are the "good" restaurants, expect to spend between 400 - 1,000 Taka per head...will note the cheapest good deal as well as the most expensive:

Saltz - The lobster is worth ordering. BYOB, as you should do for most dinners in Dhaka.
Thai House - not quite Thai, but good enough for a taste of Southeast Asia.
Le Saigon - not quite Vietnamese either, but interestingly a restaurant for gatherings of the creme de la creme of Dhaka. I once participated in a trivia quiz here, and the crowd was practically Western.
Bamboo Shoot - Not bad Chinese.
Heritage - The Bangladeshis think this place is overrated, by I liked the Indian food here. as the garden setting surroundings.
La Bella - if you're sick of Italian at Prego, this is a good alternative.
Spitfire (Gulshan)
Dhaba (Banani Road 11) - the most authentic Bengali meal I had, situated conveniently across Platinum Suites. The most affordable meal ticket on the list.
Prego (Westin) - the best Italian restaurant in Dhaka, and the most expensive in town!

Other recommendations I have yet to try:

Spaghetti Jazz
Koreana

Shopping
The most well-known handicrafts and traditional clothing store for international travelers is Aarong, and although they do have quite a complete and beautiful collection, there are other places equally good to check out that may turn out to be cheaper than Aarong. I did most of my Christmas gift shopping at Jatra - love the furniture, wood decor, and jute bags; I also love Folk International for the scarves and Sawal Kameez under 1,000 takas.

I also found myself buying a high quality red leather clutch in Oonag. Two places I have yet to visit are the reported site of H&M, La Senza, Zara, Armani, factory overruns...Bongo Bazaar and an un-named one across Dhaka University. Bangladeshi's biggest business is subcontracting for some of the world's biggest fashion retail chains.

To be continued....

A Taste of Home

2009-07-31T13:31:00.005+08:00

Ah the simple joys of being an OFW...having a taste of home-cooked leche flan from a fellow Pinoy's dinner table, with other Pinoy friends and their extensions. This dessert was precluded by Sinigang na Hipon, Adobo, Tocilog and Longganisa, plus garlic rice. Heavenly!

The other day a college friend from home also arrived with 10 packs of Lucky Me pancit canton and shared a few sticks of Pinoy Marlboro lights. Malaysian cigarettes are just not made the same way.

I won't be home for some time yet, so I'm glad to have this slice to remember Manila. Now if only there was a Jollibee around the area.

To Europe and Back Again

2009-07-25T12:53:00.026+08:00

I had 2 unexpected Europe jaunts this year. The first one, to Belgium and Spain, came as a huge surprise courtesy of Uncle D's 70th birthday. He and my Mom used to be together for quite some time after my dad passed away, but that ended long ago. Wonderfully, he still keeps in touch by snail mail (postcards!) from wherever he is, and now finally he has learned the magic of SMS. We also have honorary siblings, his children (although they are quite grown up now and have kids of their own). Uncle D, with his new wife in tow, always makes it a point to have dinner with me and my sister whenever he's in KL and Singapore. The last dinner in KL with him, which was a few weeks before his 7oth birthday, I brought over some pocketbooks as a gift. Little to my knowledge, he had an even bigger gift for me. He offered to pay for a ticket for me, my sister, and her husband to join during the big dinner party in Brussels!

It was a mad scramble to get my visa ready in time. I had to deal with a condescending consulate official, who kept on asking me for more and more papers. But Uncle D didn't let us down, he made calls, wrote letters, and voila, to the shock of the bitchy consul, I got my Schengen visa within 5 working days and the morning of the last day possible for me to leave to make it to the dinner party! Classic line from her "We have never been able to grant Indonesians and Filipinos visas in under 3 weeks. You're on THAT list." Anyway bless her little heart I'm glad I was able to help her break a record.

Besides the major reunion with extended family, a visit to old Brussels haunts, and a day trip to Bruges the "Asian delegation" also snuck off for a few days to Malaga and Ronda. The Spain trip was off my budget, and almost cancelled because we went to the wrong airport (Charleroi not National!). We made it with barely 30 minutes to sprint to the boarding gate because of the efforts of the efficient (and forgiving) Jetairfly check-in crew and the Vin Diesel-like cab driver (seriously!) who raced us to the right airport. Trying to practice my Spanish and seeing an enthralling Flamenco concert by Marina Heredia and the gorgeous gorges of Ronda made it all worth it.

The second trip to Europe came barely a month after, and this time the Swedish consul was wonderful enought to grant me a visa til year's end. This time I spent a weekend exploring Gothernburg with J.P. and her Swedish hubby, and then a few days in meetings in Oslo and nights out with ex-colleagues which made me see another side of Norway.

And just when I thought I got my Europe fill, 2 more trips towards the end of the year suddenly came up! One of them so close to a long holiday here in Malaysia that it would be a crime not to extend. As one of my good friends put it, I think this is my most "kaladkarin" year ever.

Now to get down to the planning part!

Dinner party at Cercle Royal Gaulois. You can't tell we just stepped off the plane a few hours before, can you?

Food and wine was a huge part of the Brussels experience. This is the raw (!) seafood platter from Les Brasseries Georges.

So this is where I picked up the shutter bug!

A visit to Brussels is not complete without stopping by Gran Place, by day and night.

New for me in Brussels - all that graffiti. But a lot of them are pretty good.

Finally I remember what those Bruges canals look like.

Beautiful old buildings in Bruges.

Alcazaba, an old Moorish fort in Malaga.

Malaga town centre.

The famous Ronda gorge and a view of the old town.

Think only Madonna can take a bow in the famous Ronda bullfighting ring?

Lovers in Ronda.

The springtime sun sets at 10 pm over Akerbrygge in Oslo.

Hiking through the woods in Gothernburg.

Back view of Telenor HQ, by the fjords.

Wet and wild in Gotherburg.

It's Get Skinny Month!

2009-07-08T11:38:00.003+08:00

I can't stand it anymore. I've reached my limit. A 30" waistline! This is why I've decided instead of wasting my time thinking of future goals, why not tackle something more urgent and immediate? I refuse to start looking like a mother when I don't even have kids yet. And now I still have the luxury of free time, a gym and swimming pool at my condo, and yoga classes. So I'm giving myself 1 month. 30 days. Daily morning runs (at least 30 mins) on weekdays, at least 2x a week yoga, and a swim ever weekend. Plus no carbs at night.

Hmf, I'll show you!

Adventure Streak

2009-07-03T15:26:00.005+08:00

I just discovered Australian writer Matthew Reilly who published 2 books that revolve around a former soldier turned adventuring hero named Jack West Jr who continues to save the world by solving ancient puzzles in the world's heritage sites. I'm a fan of this genre ever since the first Indian Jones movie, and haven't been entranced by any plot-a-likes since this series (unlike horrid ripoffs National Treasure and The Mummy 2 and 3.)

The first book, the Seven Ancient Wonders, kicks off a scavenger hunt around the 7 wonders of the ancient world, while the second is around other architectural miracles of old like the Abu Simbel and Stonehenge. I read the first book on a plane to Oslo and found the second one right before boarding a plane to BKK. I'm sure the historical facts won't be that accurate, but it seems really well fictionalized, and the books contain numerous illustrations to depict the puzzles, carvings and traps found throughout the book. My imagination was really captured. The only bummer is, the second book ends in an almighty cliffhanger. Its a good thing though that I only picked up these books recently, as they had been published in 2005 and 2006 respectively. The next book in the series comes out in October 2009 titled "The Five Great Warriors". Just a few months to wait then.

Lost in Luang Prabang

2009-07-01T10:59:00.021+08:00

The view of the Luang Prabang valley taken from Mount Phousi.

Our choices were Tokyo, Shanghai, Sydney...but finally J & I settled on Luang Prabang as our Chinese New Year holiday and first major getaway of 2009. Laos had never really ranked high on my list of places to visit but I had heard nothing but good things about the jewel of the Mekong. So armed with a Travefish guide (instead of the usual Lonely Planet), we set of to spend 5 days in LP, along with a French NFF.

To get to Laos from Kuala Lumpur, the choices are to take Air Asia to Vientane and hop on Lao Airlines to LP, or pass through Bangkok and take Bangkok Airways. Lao Airlines doesn't have the most stellar reputation, but it's extremely convenient to book on their website. Another option is to take I had no problems with the flight whatsoever, so I wouldn't tell people to stay away. A short transfer through Vientiane and we were on our way to the UNESCO heritage site of Luang Prabang.

I thought 5 days in Luang Prabang was too much but in a place where time hardly moves, it's just right. The pace is peaceful, the days long and nights short, with so many spots to explore both in and out of the town, for the days I was there I gave up looking at my watch, or expecting to have party nights out. I walked, biked (!), relaxed, read, observed, savored.

So in no particular order, here are my personal recommendations for the full LP experience:

1. Stay
Villa Senesouk on Sakkarine Road opposite the Wat Sene. Quiet digs beside a pretty good breakfast place, a mere 5 minutes walk to the center of town and a few minutes to the Nam Khan River. The staff is very helpful, and if you would like to see the monks begging for alms at 6:30am, all you have to do is stumble out of bed to the front of the hotel to witness this amazing sight.

The courtyard of Villa Senesouk.

I loved the look of their reception area.

Monks in a line.

A lot of the monks are really young. They said its the best way to ensure they are educated and they have food and shelter, in a country which doesn't have enough for everyone.

The first monk at dawn.

2. Eat/Drink

Fine Dining at the 3 Nagas for our first lunch.

Pizza Luang Prabang for that river weed preparation I liked so much.

More fine dining by the NamKhan River at The Apsara. They had the most delicious desserts!

Dinner at L'Elephant.

Breakfast at the Morning Glory Cafe beside the Senesouk Guest House. We spent the most enjoyable time checking out Lonely (Hot) Boy having breakfast, and we later ran into him at the bike rental shop. He tried to give us directions, but as usual, the girls were too tongue-tied and sober to invite him to bike around with us!

Must try: the strong Lao coffee.

Another must try of course, is the local beer.

An extensive wine and liquor collection can be found at Pack Luck Liquor Bar, at not bad prices. Try the one at the center of town, because their other branch attached to the guest house is always empty.

Hive, the most "happening" spot in LP of course shuts down by midnight.

3. Bike
Rent a bike and explore the streets of LP, and the especially scenic riversides and markets. As for myself, I was just happy I could still ride a bike. As they say, you never forget. But It was tough going downhill!

4. Cook
Tamarind Riverside was the preferred choice to spend our last day learning to cook Lao Cuisine, over Tamnak Lao whose owner (or booking agent?) seemed difficult to deal with. After a Phousy market visit, the Tamarind guys take you to their open-air class location 20 minutes outside of town beside hills and a body of water (looked like a stream more than a river), but it was really inspiring scenery even if some of what I cooked didn't come out as expected.

The cooking students.

The very popular Lao sticky rice which I was never really interested in eating. Its too heavy a meal!

Chicken in lemongrass. The skinny failure is mine and the one on the left is what its really supposed to look like.

Ah finally, after cooking 5 dishes, including dessert, we sit down to enjoy the fruits of our labor.

5. Temple Hop

You will never run out of Wats to visit in LP, each one different from the rest. I was impressed at the elaborately decorated homages to Buddhism, strikingly different from the simplicity of the river surroundings. But the most impressive Buddhist shrine for me, was 200+ steps up the center of town at Mount Phousi. I couldn't believe that they could have the highest vantage point in LP smack dab in the town centre, like a man made Eiffel Tower. Towards sunset, people flock to the peak to catch nature's best show like it was a spectator sport, and the other side of the mountain affords beautiful views of the valley and river.

Fighting the crowds for a view.

Sunset. Sigh.

6. Shopping
Nothing beats the Luang Prabang Night Market for bargain buys. I bought a couple of pashminas and scarves for US$3 - 5 each, plus 2 handmade bedcovers for US$20 - $30 each. Just walking through the market is an feast of colors and shapes!

They start setting up these colorful tents towards sunset.

These are children's books made out of cloth. Cute!

How can you not buy anything from this adorable boy. I think I ended up with 2 useless bracelets.

Cobra liquor: whether a novelty or as an aphrodisiac, it looks dangerously cool.

7. Go Outside Town

In one day (which really isn't enough), we decided to take in the two major sights in Luang Prabang out of the town, which are the Pak Ou Caves and the Kwang Si Falls. They are both an hour away from LP, in opposite directions. No need to book a formal tour, as you can just ask one of the tuktuk/jeepney drivers to take you there at a negotiable price.

Thousands of Buddha images can be found inside Pak Ou Cave.

The water is so clear at Kwang Si it looks like a well maintained water park.

8. Donate A Book

I was surprised to find a large number of secondhand books scattered in bookshops, restaurant and hotels all around town. There's a really good program to encourage literacy in LP called Big Brother Mouse. It encourages travelers to unlighten their luggage by donating books they are already finished with to the program, in order to make them available to the book-deprived kids in town. Most bookshops also encourage trade-ins. For someone who grew up as a bookworm, I can't imagine a world where I couldn't get a chance to read. This program is trying to change that in Lao villages, and I'm truly touched by the effort.

5 Months

2009-06-30T10:45:00.003+08:00

After being gone from this space for over 5 months, its hard to figure out where to start. I've thought about blogging my amazing trips, but I have to recall my mental notes on every place which although enjoyable is quite time consuming as well. I could also take this space to reflect on where I am now: 2 years in Kuala Lumpur and in the job, just turned 33, a house owner, still single, trying out yoga, plus 10 pounds from 10 years ago, experiencing a world without Michael Jackson (RIP June 26, 2009), still a travel bug, and a romantic and idealist, and hoping that means something.

So I've decided to take it a step at a time, blogging what I can remember and thinking about what is to come. Lately because of recent events, its the way I've been living my life, just ploughing forward, looking for an unexpected twist that will make me smile. I hope it happens soon because the movements are getting a little repetitive and mind-numbing for me.

Don't worry, subsequent posts will be more upbeat. After all, there was still so much to savor from recent events.

Bungee Powerrrr!

2009-01-22T00:24:00.004+08:00

5...4...3...2...1...

The jump!

Free-fall

A HUGE smile breaks out while bouncing

No don't bring me down!

I followed Krissie's lead...and now we're certified crazy!

It was travel buddy Krissie who insisted we do an extreme sport during our November 2008 Bali trip and of course she had to pick Bungee! I resisted, hemmed and hawed and imagined grave bodily danger to myself as we amassed brochures and information about the AJ Hackett facility at the Double 6 Club in Seminyak. We met up with surfer friend Tim and turns out he lives 5 minutes away from Double 6 and knows the manager. Voila! Krissie gets her wish but I'm still undecided.

The deciding factor? When we get to the bungee place, we found out that Tim was able to get us the jump for free! Plus he came armed with topnotch surf photography gear (complete with major telephoto lens) for complete coverage of the big event. So now I couldn't back out.

We take the elevator up the 45 meter tower overlooking Seminyak beach and up there you can feel the platform shaking with every gust of wind. Krissie goes first and she waits a while...then leaps! Happily screaming all the way down. I see she lands fine so then I take my turn.

With my feet and waist strapped in I perch at the edge of the platform and feel even more wind blowing at my face and look out at the sunset sky and sea. What a perfect time of day, what a beautiful view. The instructor says don't think...just do it. I still didn't know how I could. It was a loooong way down. I told him, "Just don't push me." He says its up to me and I should just go. So I did. I JUMPED!

There was a breathtaking few seconds where I was falling and my heart was in my throat. It was just sky and air and my head spinning and the ultimate feeling of freedom! Then I rope caught and I started bouncing slowly, up and down. I wasn't dizzy, I wasn't hurt, I was just smiling and waving like mad! I loved the jump because I felt so powerful!

For weeks after that I still remembered the feeling of the indecision, then the jump and then the freedom. Krissie and I would stop and just remember how wonderful the feeling was of deciding to take that leap. We called it "Bungee Power"! It gave us the great promise of what happens every time you can't decide to do something that could be potentially wonderful. We have the power to just take that leap.

Santorini Select

2009-01-22T00:12:00.003+08:00

The other day I downloaded the Picasa photo editor and I'm trying to figure out how to work the cool features like create movie...collage...and basic photo editing. I'm not ready for Photoshop but its time I graduate from Microsoft photo editor!

I tried creating this collage of Santorini, a place so pretty that every photo looks postcard quality. During my recent Manila holiday, while catching up on the cheesy Tagalog flicks that I missed, I watched the KC Concepcion/Richard Gutierrez starrer (the title of which I can't remember) set on the glorious Cycladic island. Though the plot was crap, just revisiting this beautiful place where I spent 4 days last September was worth sitting through it. When I look at the entire 400+ photos that I took of Fira, Palea Kameni, Oia and Kamari, I can hardly believe I was there. Sigh.

The Best Accidental Eats in Italy

2008-10-02T14:30:00.013+08:00

The one thing I was wary about on booking a tour is being locked into eating at the most touristy places on the map. The great thing about Contiki that maybe some wouldn't appreciate is that they keep all the lunch dining choices open, and offer some included as well as optional dinners. I ditched the optionals except for the Rome one, and after trying the included dinners twice (not that great) I skipped the last one as well.

Me and a group of tour friends got a little more adventurous and decided to forage for meals on our own. Although at times it got taxing on our tired walking-around-the-whole-day feet and out huge appetites, I must say we came upon some highly recommended local flavors in the best cities in Italy!

Birreria Centrale in Piazza di Cimatori, Florence for beautiful interiors, juicy Florentine steak and authentic Chianti Classico...

The best gelato store in Florence: Vivoli (ok this was recommended by the Contiki tour guide):

I passed the wonderful restaurant Trattoria San Toma on my first night in Venice and though it was already closed, it looked so charming because it was open air seating in a secluded little square bounded by a church and some old Venetian buildings. And of course I remembered the name of the square easily! Piazza San Toma. Going back the second night was difficult, it was a 45 minute walk from Piazza San Marco through winding streets and bridges but it was worth it. The elderly Italian waiters were perfectly charming, funny, jolly and oh-so-Italian that they even broke into song while taking orders. The pizza and pasta were pretty good and the best touch was the roving musicians which even had the kiddie diners dancing.

Some really tasty Osso Buco in La Carbonara, Campo dei Fiori, Rome:

The best ever porchetta sandiwch from Cantina Foresi by the Orvieta duomo, washed down by a frothy capuccino!

Pisa: Perfect for Camwhoring

2008-09-21T18:26:00.008+08:00

One of the funniest sights that greeted me on my Italy trip was my first view of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, accompanied by scores of people posing to pretend that they were hugging/kicking/supporting/kissing/lifting/holding/etc it. There are natural habitats for camwhores after all!

Of course I tried to do my bit, but I think I could have been more creative if we had enough time and I wasn't competing with tons of other people for the view. Still, I'm proud to have this classic photo now!

Santorini Lady

2008-09-21T17:09:00.006+08:00

As i wandered though the small streets an shops at the heart of Fira, Santorini's main town, I didn't actually have it mind to buy anything. I was looking for a dinner place, I had already lost the shopping urge (yeah right), and most things were too expensive anyway. Most of the shops were selling jewelry that I was dying to buy, if one piece hadn't cost as much as the budget of my entire trip.

Then I stumbled into a gift shop called Gorgona, attracted by the beautiful glass pieces at the window especially by a glass lady in orange and yellow that I had seen displayed there. I almost walked away until the shop owner brought out another piece, this glass lady detailed with the black Santorini lava and white gold. Each piece is unqiue, and this was made by an artist named Efrosini who lives and works in Naoussa, one of the biggest cities in Greece after Athens. After furiously computing in my head, I paid for and her shipped to Malaysia...I didn't dare carry her along with me.

I wondered what made me like her so much when my usual color palette are the lighter turquoise and gold shades when I realized she reflected the colors of the gorgeous Santorini sunset.

New Camera

2008-08-13T16:01:00.006+08:00

Thanks to the generosity of Super F, I was able to get myself a Fujifilm S6500FD for a fraction of the price. It isn't a full-fledged DSLR but so far after using it over the weekend, I can see a big improvement in the photos I took in terms of colors, depth and sharpness. It takes pretty good night photos too, I haven't been too reliant on the flash and have been able to depict "real" colors rather than too-bright faces at night.

I also found an free online photo-editing tool called, Picnik. If you have the time and patience to wait for the upload and download from your PC, its cool to create effects like changing your photos into Vignette, Cinemascope, Lomo, Holga-ish or spot color. I did discover though that its faster to get photos for editing from a photo site like Flickr or Facebook rather than uploading from the PC.

Check out my newfound artistry:

Sultan Abdul Samad building near Merdeka Square

Cooling off at the KLCC park pool

Petronas Towers view from Menara KL

Travel Planning - Europe edition

2008-08-06T22:06:00.006+08:00

As the take-off date for my short European jaunt gets closer, I can't help but get excited. I thought so hard and long about this (and for such a short trip -- 3 weeks) that now, just 16 days away, I feel I'm already prepared. For someone who usually packs for a trip the night before its pretty unbelievable!

I've mentioned it before, I just love travel planning. Its convenient to hand everything over to a travel agent especially if you can afford the best. But I can't so its lucky for me that I find it more fun to see what other options are out there and put together my travel package on my own terms.

The internet also makes things so easy! Here are the sites I pore over to help me out:

Air Ninja - lets you find a discount airline for your destination or comparison check between regular airlines as it also links to Expedia, Orbitz, and Travelocity.
Octopus Travel, Venere.com, Trav.com and Hotels.com all help book the best deals on hotels.
Trip Advisor - Lets you check location and hotel reviews and sometimes links you to rates. Its invaluable because it lets you filter hotels based on your travel style (singles, honeymooners, seniors) and also your budget.
Lonely Planet and Contiki also helped me choose my getaway places, like Italy for my detour between Norway and Greece, and Santorini for my Greek Island escapade because it lists the interesting sights and activities.

Anyway I was able to use Trip Advisor to help me decide on my free-day-in-Rome hotel, the Della Torre Argentina for only Euro 60 a night (a bargain for a hotel in the city center) , as well as my little Santorini hideaway, Hotel Antonia in the heart of Fira for only 33 euros a night!

With my new pseudo-DSLR camera courtesy of Super F arriving this week and my Schengen visa freshly approved as of today, I'm really all set to go!

Mmmmm...Chocolate

2008-07-31T13:33:00.004+08:00

Reposted from Klue. This is an interesting try for Anton's visit next weekend. I love chocolate!

*************************

Today I skipped lunch to visit Theobroma Chocolate Lounge in Pavilion, after hearing a positive comment from reader puppylee at our earlier article. Yep I was super gung-ho about it as I'm a huge chocolate fan.

The store is located at Pavilion's Connection wing, below GSC Cinema and next to Dome Cafe. There weren't many people when I was there, but I liked how the store looked with its wood finishes and high-backed leather (or is it pleather?) chairs. Also like the lights and the display counters. Everything looks bright, clean and comfortable.

There's loads of choco drinks on the menu, from hot to iced to ice-blended. Also available are pancakes, fondue, waffles and stuff of that sort. If you want something more substantial, there are pies, quiches and salads to pick from.

Oh and besides drinks, you can get the most yummy looking chocolates there. All imported from Australia, apparently.

Picture above is but a small sample of what's available. You'll be spoilt for choice when it comes to picking out the ones that you want.

After staring at the menu for quite a bit, I finally decided on the Ms Coco Frappe which is made with dark Belgian chocolate. Too hard to resist.

Looks good, don't it? One sip and I was in choco heaven! Because it was dark chocolate, the drink wasn't overwhelmingly sweet or nauseating. I thought the dark swirls that you see in the picture was merely chocolate syrup but it turns out they were chunks of rich Belgian chocolate. After slurping down the drink, I spent a good 20 mins scraping off the chocolate with the straw. Damn greedy but you don't waste chocolate, right?!

If you're wondering about the prices, it's competitive with cafes like Starbucks, Coffee Bean and the likes. If you're thinking about visiting Theobroma, particularly the Pavilion branch (I know 1 U's branch is open but I haven't been there yet - any comments?), maybe you'll like to go on Thurs as the Pussycat Dolls will be making an appearance, as I gathered from the banner.

Theobroma Chocolate Lounge (Pavilion) is located at C4.05.02, Connection Level 5, Pavilion KL.

Climbing Down (Part 2 of 2)

2008-07-22T19:20:00.009+08:00

Still smiling!! I must look good in photos!

I thought gravity would be my greatest ally just propelling me forward. Yes, I would have to take the same 6 km trail going down, but “down” was my operative word. How hard could it be? Again my overestimation of my skills got the better of me and I refused a porter for my bag. Butgoing down 3,300 meters of mountain is TOUGH. Especially if you just climbed it the day before. Thankfully during the descent it did not rain. After less than 2 km I gave up on my bag and handed it over to another generous colleague. It took less time to go down but midway I started dragging my feet at the back along with the 2 other trip-mates who were having a difficult time. It was even more embarrassing because I was a 30(ish)-year old single girl and they were both older, 2-time moms. My knees shook and threatened to give way with every step and by the time we reached the last 500 meters I was attempting short, crablike movements to alternate the weight on my feet. The last 100 meters consisted of steps going up, the worst torture of all after climbing down so long. Two guys I was with picked up one of my arms each and half-dragged me up the steps.

All of us had difficulty taking steps up or down immediately after that so it was difficult to get up and down the bus, up the hotel steps and so on. But what a relief to get into a hot and strong shower! We capped off the evening with a big buffet dinner at the Shangri-la Tanjung Aru, handing out the official certificates for those who made it to Laban Rata, and those who made it to the top which were about 5 from our group. I proudly help up my own certificate which counted my 3,300 meter ascent to Laban Rata and mentally added the 400 meters more that I climbed to the Sayat-Sayat check point (they should have certificates for that too!). Everyone ached and groaned for days after that but it was all we could talk about for a while, so in terms of a team-building experience, it was drastic but it worked.

My precioussss...evidence

I just wanted to share with some tips that I wish someone (like our more knowledgeable guides!) could have told me for it to be a better experience:

Wear waterproof everything! Jacket, pants, shoes and especially gloves. Buy one of those flimsy disposable raincoats which can also help shelter your bag. I wish I could have worn waterproof gloves rather than those lousy knit ones which weren’t much help against the rain and cold.
Hire a porter especially if you haven’t really trained for the climb. It will be the best RM 70 you’ve ever spent.
Kota Kinabalu bring to mind beautiful beaches and tropical breezes which is why I didn’t believe it could get that cold on the mountain. It does. Invest in warm clothing.
Wear good hiking shoes. My rubber soles ripped off before the climb down…your trusty Nikes wont hold up no matter what those guides say that its ok to wear them.
You don’t need moisturizer.
Check for the best time of year to go. We didn’t even bother about the weather but apparent when we went (June) is right at the start of the rainy season. Earlier in the year might be less chance of rain.
Train, train, train with cardio and strength exercises 3x/week for a few months before you go. Otherwise, do a more leisurely climb by staying 2 nights at Laban Rata. Book early because rooms run out fast.

Good luck on your climb!

Travel Bug on Overdrive

2008-07-14T00:41:00.006+08:00

In the 1st quarter of the year, I stuck pretty much to home territory (a.k.a KL) wondering where I would end up next. Then suddenly a series of trips kept me busy and away for the second quarter, starting with a vacation Siem Reap, then Phuket, Bangkok (one trip for work and another for play), business in Islamabad, a company trip to Kota Kinabalu (specifically Mount Kinabalu), a conference and party weekend in Hongkong (perfectly timed with my birthday), plus a couple of trips to the Philippines which included a Boracay getaway.

Right before I left for my Manila vacation in late June, I got a hold of some good news. I was being sent to the company HQ in Oslo to deliver a presentation there. Ok, the thought of giving a presentation has me quaking in my shoes and Norway is a sub-arctic region, but I'd never been there. It was also a gateway to Europe and I considered taking a few extra days for a little trip down west since I had always wanted to explore other places since my last visit in 2002.

While on vacation in Manila, I kept on checking my email (and having my friends check it!) for the other bit of news I was waiting for. And finally got. An academic paper I wrote was accepted to a conference in Athens. Get this...the conference was only 2 weeks from my Oslo trip. I was able to apply for a week's leave from the office and picked my European detour between Norway and Greece: Italy!

I've booked a Contiki tour through a local travel agent and though she was the most tactless one I've ever encountered ("Are you aware that Contiki is a tour for youngsters?"), her attitude hasn't dampened my enthusiasm for my upcoming trip through the cities of Rome, Venice and Florence. I also have a little time to pass through Santorini island right before heading off to the Athens conference.

During the trips I will get to meet up with my high school best friend who now lives in Gothenburg, Sweden, because its 4 hours away from Oslo by bus; as well as my mom's ex's youngest son (my ex-stepbrother?) who lives in Athens. Throughout it all, I will be armed with a new pseudo-DSLR camera generously sold to me by a friend for a token fee.

You can just imagine how excited I am--- and I'm totally grateful about how everything is falling into place. Its been one wonderful surprise after the other and I'm breathless with anticipation as to what's next . The Europe countdown begins!

Climbing Up (Part 1 of 2)

2008-07-10T17:43:00.011+08:00

Before the torture

When the office told us that our next company outing would be a climb to the Mount Kinabalu Summit, I envisioned an energetic trek through wild rainforest and dazzling views, taking pretty pictures along the way. I did not expect the extreme conditions that only a mountain climbing neophyte and non-athletic person such as me could truly feel. Mount Kinabalu is the highest peak in Southeast Asia, standing at 4,095 meters above sea level. Climbing it is like clambering up the steps of 9 Petronas Towers stacked on top of each other.

Climbing through East Malaysian rainforest

The climb to the peak started at the base at 11:00 am, and we were told we would have to climb 6 kilometers to the Laban Rata rest house at 3,300 meters asl. I thought, 6 km is nothing, I can run that in less than 1 hour. Apparently climbing 6 km is not the same! I huffed and panted my way though the 1st 45 minutes, feeling every cigarette I’d ever smoked in the past years. I ambitiously thought I could carry my backpack up the mountain because it was effortless on level land, but after a kilometer, I gave up and handed it to the nearest generous person who offered to carry it for me. Embarrassingly enough, it was my Norwegian boss.

Soundtrack: "Getting Harder to Breathe" by Maroon 5

The 6 km stretch upwards has about 5 stops where you can stop for water and to eat a snack. Snacks are all you’ll have the energy for, surprisingly, I was even too tired to eat lunch though I was stark raving hungry. I dumped my moisturizer-in-a-ceramic-jar as well as my full bottle of sunscreen by the 3rd stop, wondering where I thought I was going when I packed them…the beach??

No time to eat but still time to smile

To top it off, rain started pouring down throughout the 8 hour climb. I had invested in a very expensive climbing jacket, but scoffed at the garbage bag looking raincoats some fellow-climbers bought the day before and as a result my pants got soaked through to my underwear. Add to that, the mountain temperatures of about 12 degrees celcius. But at a certain point, there was no turning back. The only way to go was up.

I sighted the welcoming lights of Laban Rata in the fading dusk by 7:30pm and half crawled to building steps. I was just so glad to get there before it got totally dark. The rest-house was littered with tired climbers of all nationalities. I was so easily pleased to the point of giddiness by the chance to sit down, rest my wobbly legs, and eat a proper meal! Then I went into the room I was sharing with another colleague, and disappointedly found that the heater would only kick at 8pm. My lips were already blue, and that was the first time I'd ever seen them that way ever!

I couldn’t shower and sleep because it was too cold. They got us out of bed at 2:00am to complete the last 2.7 kilometers to the top by sunrise. With my freshly heated shoes and jacket, I though the remaining distance didn’t sound so bad. After all I had already gotten that far. Again I was mistaken! The climb is even steeper, with sheer rock face where the only way to climb is by clinging to ropes. The only light on the path came from headlamps and torches of the climbers.

Yep, thats the rest of the way up.

At below 10 degrees celcius, drizzling rain and with wet knit gloves, I had to give up at km 7, 3,600 m asl past the Sayat Sayat check point which is the last rest stop. I stayed near the Sayat Sayat peak to watch the sun rise over the expansive views across Kota Kinabalu. That's when I saw the distance we had climbed to get to where we were and I was just amazed.

Grand views from Sayat Sayat.

To be continued...

Rockin' Hongkong

2008-06-14T12:40:00.004+08:00

Guess who I ran into at the Music Matters 2008 conference in Hongkong? MiG Ayesa and the We Will Rock You band performed a few songs at the Day 1 conference party. And now I have a photo with him! Weeee!

Rewind to Angkor

2008-06-13T17:35:00.017+08:00

My traveling of late has been devoted to beaches, big cities and Buddhist temples which is why stepping into ancient Khmer courtesy of the Angkor temples in Siem Reap was an entirely different turn for me. It was true what they said. At the sight of the Angkor Wat temple which I first saw in the late afternoon before sunset, I juct couldn't comprehend how something so intricate, big and beautiful could have been built centuries ago.

I arrived in Siem Reap with my travel buddies mid-morning, and instead if braving the burning sun, we decided to first tour the Old Market in town, enjoy at US$6 massage, and then check into our lovely and conveniently-located hotel, the Bopha Angkor.

As we were there on Friday and planned to leave on Monday, a US$40 pass (all you can temple watch for 3 days) seemed appropriate for our needs. Then finally, took to the Angkor Wat temple, which is the main temple to visit, the biggest and just overwhelming on sight.

We ended the day with dinner at Amok restuarant on Pub Alley, a restaurant that claims "The Best Amok in Town!". I disagree, there were other equally good if not better Amok (a coconut curry dish) in more affordable places. Then we went to bed early because we planned to get up in time for sunrise at the Angkor Wat.

I didn't think I could do it but I did...wake up at 4:30 am (or maybe 4:45?) to get ready in time for sunrise at the Angkor Wat. There was quite a crowd along with us, and you could really feel the group spirit as everyone waited for the sun to break the horizon.

Of course my newly bought camera's battery died before the sun rose in the sky, but seeing it was good enough. Nak, our guide for the day told us that the sun rises over the middle tower during summer solstice (last March 21-23 in 2008) and I imagine that's a sight to behold.

After sunrise we trooped to the Bayon Temple at the center of the Angkor Thom. I thought this was the most beautiful temple even if it's not the biggest, for its intricate carvings and the large stone faces which look peaceful and smiling at the same time.

Thankfully, the camera on my phone was surprisingly good so i wasn't left out of the frenetic picture taking.A long siesta back at the hotel recharged me and my camera battery and we headed for the Ta Prohn, where parts of Tomb Raider was shot. Of course we could not help but attempt Lara Croft poses, but its ok as I'm sure all the other tourists were doing the same.

The last site we visited was the Terrace of the Elephants, where ancient kings addressed their military troops and royalty lounged in their super duper sized swimming pools.

Our last full day in Siem Reap was VERY full...we started the day at 7am with a 45 minute drive to Bantay Srey or the Temple of Women. They say its small so it was probably built by women, and the sandstone is colored pink/orange. Even back in those days, there was gender stereotyping!

On the drive back the photographer boys took photos of the roadside villages and kalabaws while we checked out the local fare, palm fruit, which tastes like a young, juicy coconut (probably because they are related).

Finally suffering from temple fatigue, we took a break by taking a ride down Tonle Sap to the Floating Village. Its amazing how people are able to live their day-to-day lives on the river! Possibly, a river with crocodiles because we saw a lot caged at the river stop-over.

After returning from Tonle Sap, we went straight to the Angkor Thom area for another round of photos by the afternoon light, and a much-anticipated sunset view over the summit of Phnom Bakeng and an elephant ride (my first ever!) down to the bottom of the hill.

As with all the other nights, we ended with dinner in the Old Market area and drinks at Pub Street.

For more photos of my Angkor adventure, check out my flickr set. Even with my non-professional photography skills, you can see why Siem Reap established itself as my not-to-be missed vacation to take.

Rock & Roll Musical

2008-04-02T16:34:00.007+08:00

"We Will Rock You" at the Esplanade Theater was definitely worth the weekend trek to Singapore and almost worth losing my camera over. The first musical I've watched (and I've seen many) where I felt like, and could, sing along, clap my hands and stomp my feet to the music of Queen sung with loads of energy and talent by the cast. Most notably by Filipino-Australian Migs Ayesa who plays the lead role of Galileo Figaro, the stellar Bohemian couple who play Vic and Oz (won't reveal the full character names because they are so hilarious), and of course the super-hammed up and striking performance of lead villain Killer Queen.

I loved the humor which was so contemporized, because in Planet Mall which is the futuristic setting of this story, Rock and Roll may have been killed by American Idol. Galileo Figaro can't possibly bring back rock music because, alas, he didn't even win Rockstar INXS. I also almost forgot that Queen did the soundtrack of Flash Gordon and they were even able to work that in. The only vocals which I thought were not strong enough were those of the female lead, Scaramouche, and the guy who plays the head of the Ga Ga cops (and is dressed like the Merovingian from The Matrix), but, they weren't bad.

My only regret, besides losing the aforementioned camera in the Aeroline bus going home, was that I should have gotten closer seats. However, the production team did make a show that could be seen to the top of the Esplanade rafters, and the stage was filled with visuals top-to-bottom, as well as the entire theater with music, which just goes to show you how professional this production was. Its extended til April 27, after which the show tours to Hongkong in May. Catch it if you can.

In My Kikay Kit

2008-04-02T13:52:00.005+08:00

Row 1: MAC Mineralize Skinfinish powder, Laura Mercier Undercover concealer, The Body Shop Shimmer Waves Bronzer

Row 2: Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer in Sand, Dior Addict Lipstick, The Face Shop Greatist Macara Curling + Lash

Row 3: Sue Devitt Triple C-Weed Pressed Powder, MAC Lipglass, MAC Cremeblush

Row 4: Dior Addict Plastic Gloss, Nars Eyeshadow, Hard Candy Eyeshadow palette

Low Key Dining

2008-03-13T19:46:00.009+08:00

Yes the place may have formica chairs, plastic table tops, no air-conditioning and the clientele dressed mostly in their best housewear and slippers, but add in fabulous food and you get a dining experience that will keep you coming back again and again in your favorite flipflops.

Here are my top 10 picks for low-key dining, and not only has the food been great, but the memories of bonding sessions at these places are even better. Actually I wrote this because I started getting homesick (or food sick?) and I suddenly realized I had forgotten some of the names....I actually had to ask friends! It was quite a trip to remember these..but now I'm craving for the food (and the company), especially those that aren't here in KL...

(I know the list is kind of random, but if ever you find yourself in any of the cities/countries I mentioned, its worth a stop especially if you’re looking to get the most bang out if your buck!)

Newton Hawker Centre, Singapore – sate, stingray and cereal prawns mmmmm

Paubaji stand, the Strand (beside the Ganga River), Kolkata – open air, yellow lighting, and a sin-free spicy vegetable sandwich. You can also try hot sweet tea from the friendly tea vendor…after which you unceremoniously dispose the ceramic cup onto the river shore.

Midway Grill, San Juan, La Union – comfort food at its finest – liempo, baby back ribs and sweet spaghetti, perfect after hours of surfing.

Victor’s Lechon Manok, Tarlac – for what else but they’re yummy lechon manok!

Procy’s Bulalo, Mahogany Market, Tagaytay – steaming hot bulalo, and the best thing is…you can ask for extra marrow!

Sri Ananda, behind the Bangsar train station, Kuala Lumpur – the best ever chicken tandoori I’ve ever had. Goes best with their garlic or cheese nan.

Dencios anywhere in the Philippines – sisig, crispy pata, pork BBQ, laing and San Miguel Beer, my mouth is watering just thinking of it.

Wee Nam Kee Hainanese Chicken Rice Restaurant, Novena, Singapore – in a place where Chicken Rice is famous, this is the best of the bunch, so good that even the Prime Minister of Malaysia, (and myself!), have gone for a meal.

Dampa, Libis, Ortigas City, Philippines – buy the crab fresh and have them cook it buttered, and then add an order of halabos na hipon, its out of this world

Gurney Hawker Center, Gurney Drive, Penang, Malaysia – tons and tons of stalls with fried oysters, all manner of “mee” (noodle) dishes, Rojak, and laksa – though I have to mention that my best ever laksa experience was is Khatulistiwa café in Kuching, Sarawak.

Balancing Act

2008-02-25T23:21:00.004+08:00

Having worked for about 8 years in jobs that included long and tedious working hours, I’m blessed with a job right now that allows for a balanced life. And as with all former workaholics, I wondered, what the hell do I do with a balanced life that allows me to go home at a reasonable time and have full weekends? Yes I was bitching for quite a while. Not being used to “balanced living” I was at a loss. But I think I’ve adjusted better --- I’ve learned that there are other things to work on and it’s not necessarily your job. Some of my hobbies may seem geeky, but then when you’re living independently, you do learn to embrace your geeky hobbies! Here’s what I’ve found out about myself so far.

1. I love travel planning, for me its half the fun of taking trips! It’s about imagining where to travel, coming up with imaginary travel plans, and then booking a real one. So far I’ve investigated Spain, Beijing, Bali, Hanoi the Maldives and finally booked me and my friends on a Phuket vacation.
2. I like going to the grocery and figuring out what new things to cook up besides tortang talong, beef steak and stir fried chicken. I have come up with my own invented recipes that I have feeling only I can eat.
3. I’m addicted to the internet. I admit it—I’m a chatting and social networking junkie. Working in an online company for almost 5 years just ingrained in me that bad habit of being online most of the time, even at home.
4. I like to hang out at home watching DVDs and reading books…a luxury I didn’t have much time for when I started working. It’s nice to remember what it was like to be the book and TV addict of my teenage years.
5. I’m happy to have the time to go to the gym, capoeira class or swimming/tanning at the pool…admittedly I’ve only been slightly athletic in the last 3 years of my life, after I started surfing. I may possibly be in the best shape of my life. Still, having the time to work out doesn't mean it’s easy to kick myself to go and actually do it.
6. I am an excel nerd because I’m into calculating and re-calculating my monthly budget…and figure out ways to make up for all that extra-shopping I never plan on doing.
7. I love spending time with friends and that’s always been true even as a “workaholic”. But now its about expanded possibilities and different opportunities. Its one of the best things in life in a new setting!
8. I’m into finding new hobbies and revisiting old ones: I bought myself a set of artists color pencils, watercolors and sketch pads. Yes I would like to try painting and sketching again. I’d like to go through my photos, print and frame or put the best ones in an album. I’d like to try white water rafting in Kuala Selangor, kite boarding in Kuantan. Actually a lot of the new things I’d like to try and places I’d like to go I look up on the internet. (Ok, I’m trying to defend the geeky internet habit!)

So I’m no longer a workaholic but am I busy? Yes! Busy finding other things to do in life besides work. It's a fulfilling and full time occupation in itself.

Cool Disney Ads

2008-02-03T15:41:00.000+08:00

Check out the new ad campaign shot by Anne Leibowitz featuring celebrities as characters from Disney's best loved stories. I love Disney!

Beyonce, Lyle Lovett and Oliver Platt, Alice in Wonderland

Scarlett Johansson as Cinderella

David Beckham as the Prince of Sleeping Beauty

You can view the rest of the ads here.

One Wedding and a Family

2008-02-03T14:55:00.000+08:00

Surprisingly, I only attended one wedding in 2007 and it was a very important one because it was my sister’s. The wedding was beautiful: the mass held in Chapel on the Hill, Tagaytay officiated by Fr Ben Nebres SJ, with the full accompaniment of the Ateneo Chamber Singers. The reception was at the Filipino-Spanish style bed and breakfast at Balai Indang, Cavite. The wedding itself was wonderful enough, full of touches thought of by the couple themselves, and you could see many heartfelt contributions of their friends. But what struck me the most was seeing how much family was a part of it.

And it isn’t even family in the strictest sense. Our family is unusual, all women, not many close relatives but several close friends who are considered to be family. This wedding showed how this family is bonded: from my grandmother who is bedridden and can hardly see or hear but wished so much that she could go…to my aunt who has nothing to give but knitted a set of glass holders for the newlyweds home…to the ninang who had trouble walking but journeyed all the way to Tagaytay in extreme traffic…to the other ninang from overseas who brought a piece of English luck and her full support…to an uncle who lent his car for the wedding even if his father died the day before…to my mom who was giving it her all each and every minute. Finally of course, the groom and the newest member of the family who was totally dedicated to the ceremony and of course, hi new life together with my sister.

Weddings are really much more than just the frills. I’m glad to have been a first hand witness to a wonderful one in all ways.

You can check out some of the official photos here (they are fabulous!), and details of the wedding preps here.

Year-End, Year Begins

2008-01-31T16:39:00.000+08:00

Quite a late retrospective on the previous year but still worth posting. After all, last year’s self-help phenomenon The Secret extols the power that gratitude has to bring even greater things into your life. Not only do I have much to be grateful for, but the things that happened were just amazing.

I like to think about it this way: going back to an old me, maybe sometime in late 2006, chatting with a friend over coffee (or most likely beer) with the question: “Where do you think we’ll be a year from now?” The answer to that question when it happened in reality was wilder than anything I could have imagined at that time! And the impact was on major areas of my life, not to say I didn’t appreciate even the small changes.

1. Home – the place I’ve called home for the past 8 months is my pad in Kuala Lumpur. Considering I had never been to Malaysia before, it was a huge move for me to decide to relocate here. After a few months here, I started feeling that the best place to rest my head after a long night partying, a day at the office, or weeks of traveling, was my king-size bed in KL. Even vacationing in Manila over Christmas truly felt like a “vacation”. I learned to drive right-hand. I can navigate the streets of this huge state (or read the signs to get a general sense of my direction). I can eat spicy food. I know where to get the widest selection of fresh vegetables (Bangsar Pasar Malam), the best bikini wax (Ruby at Ozmosis Spa in Telawi 2), and a good selection of bargain designer clothes (Wondermomo). I learned to live independently --- how to cook, clean, shop for myself. I learned that I like to have fresh lilies in my apartment (thanks for the tip Mom!) and that I love my own company.

2. Career – As opposed to my years of back-breaking work, my job now allows me to learn new things, have a very balanced life, travel around the region and live independently. It also gives me an entry into the global career market. On top of that, seems like I’m still very much remembered and wanted for what I did back home. I think this is a dream point in anyone’s career, to be happy and still have even more opportunities opening for you.

3. To Do List– ok, I don’t know how to categorize this. I have a mental list of things I want to accomplish--- not exactly major life goals but important to me anyway. Most times what gets added to this list comes on impulse. The great thing about the list is that I have total freedom to put what I want on it…and to get it done! And I got a lot done last year….the big move to KL, a nude photo session, a modeling try-out, watching my favorite hiphop group the Black Eyed Peas, trips to Langkawi, Bali, Kolkata on top of official trips to Dhaka, Pulau Redang, Bangkok, Koh Samui.

Can’t wait for what’s coming up in 2008! Looking at the future from this point alone, I already foresee a trip to Cambodia, more family trips and a tour of Spain…and according to famous Philippine fortuneteller Stargazer whom I visited in December…I’m going to get what I REALLY want in life very soon.

I guess this post perfectly timed after all. It’s the end of January and the Chinese New Year is coming up next week. I’m celebrating the New Year twice in a row!

Continuing Lessons

2008-01-30T17:14:00.000+08:00

I started doing some interesting things starting this January. Actually “started” is not the correct term…perhaps its better to say “revisited”. I’m taking a 10-session beginner Spanish class at HELP University in Damansara Heights (their program is affiliated with Instituto Cervantes), and I also started capoeira classes at Academia Bantus in SS24, Petaling Jaya.

Now why do I say “revisited”? It’s because I tried doing these before…in fact I’ve taken up 6 units of Spanish in college, and I’ve attended a total of maybe, 2, capoeira sessions in Manila. Sadly, I never got to continue or use them in any way. Now, since my time is quite manageable, I think its just right that I return to my interests…and actually make some progress! I’m thinking of going to Spain within the year to practice my new language, and I hope that my flexibility and strength improves with the capoeira.

They say it’s hard to teach an old dog new tricks. I say an old dog appreciates new tricks better!

Travel Highlights '07

2008-01-20T22:36:00.000+08:00

After a long absence from this space, I’m back with the excuse that I spent so much time traveling in the last 2 months of 2007 that I hardly had time to go online. Not having much time to detail each adventure, I’d like instead to share the major highlights of each trip.

Bali, Indonesia

We stayed at The Legian in Seminyak, (+62 361730622) worth going to especially for a romantic holiday. The rooms have a balcony facing the ocean with a daybed and sitting area, a bath area for 2, a canopy covered bed, dining & living area, sound system for the room as well as BOSE iPod speakers you can take out to the beach. The service is superb, the grounds have an eternity pool, gym and spa, and the hotel is walking distance from popular chill out bar Ku De Ta which is a perfect place to unwind at sunset or late at night.

For surfing beginners, a trip down to Kuta Beach is a must. The beach area is lined up with friendly locals willing to instruct and a surplus of surfboards to rent. Don’t bother to sign up for the “formal” US$40 lessons at the Hard Rock Hotel because the local instructors can go as low as US$20. Just bargain bargain bargain…and don’t buy anything on your first day from the insistent henna tattoo artists, masseuses, manicurists and bead jewelry sellers. The prices they give you will go down as the days go by. Kuta is also a shopping haven of surfing brands (Roxy, Billabong, Quicksilver every few stores), local souvenirs (I love Bali décor!) and beach wear.

It’s a shame we spent so much time surfing that we never did make it to Ubud, but other good stops is for the beach-side seafood dinner at Jimbaran Bay (slightly overpriced though), Babi Guling (roast baby pig) at Denpasar, clubbing at Skylounge in Legian and Déjà Vu at Seminyak, and a massage at the Prana Spa.

Renting a scooter or jeep is very cheap and a great way to get around…so go for it!

Penang and Kuala Kangsar, Malaysia

On my second trip to Penang, most of the time was spent at the Police Station due to an idiot driver ramming into my car from behind (even if I was at a full stop in broad daylight), and buying pirated DVDs in Batu Ferringhi. Good thing I drive a long-term lease car which means the rental company was able to replace it within a few hours with a Proton Wira. Now I’ve truly had the full Malaysian driving experience--- the Wira is not as bad as everyone claims it is, kind of clunky on the road and heavy on the steering but it can move pretty fast. Of course since we were with some first timers, we went up to the Kek Lok Si temple again and had some excellent hawker food at the Air Itam market and Gurney Drive.

One of the big surprises on the way back was our detour into Kuala Kangsar which features 4 “palaces” (a mosque, museum, the Sultan’s palace and…I can’t remember the last one). Hardly any tourists at all but the signs are well posted and each landmark has a description of the place’s origin and use.

Koh Samui, Thailand

It was a work trip that took me to party island Koh Samui (a contradiction in terms). The airport itself already looks like a classy hotel lobby and that goes to show you how seriously they take tourism in the island. We stayed at the Chaweng Regent Beach Resort which was gorgeous and quite peaceful although next time I go back I would choose a resort with younger residents. Partying at Soi Green Mango is the nightly fare although after 2 nights of going back it got a bit old…which is why I would just recommend a short stay in Koh Samui unless you plan to hop over to Koh Pangan for the Full Moon parties. Other notables --- Thai massages by the beach for 300 Baht and interesting beach wear shopping along the main road.

Kolkata, India

An 18-year absence from my father’s native country led me to eagerly anticipate my trip to visit my family. I didn’t know what to expect…I remember my last trip when I was young to be a visit to a hot country with bad toilets, dusty streets and beggars on every corner. Lo and behold, Kolkata has come far in the last 2 decades! Better roads, better plumbing and I arrived during the start of winter where the temperature drops down to 15 degrees celcius at night so it was a refereshing (and even chilly) experience.

Truly, a visit to a foreign and exotic land can be better appreciated through more mature eyes. The small winding roads, the amazing guts of Indian drivers (all that honking and no side mirrors!), the cobblestone streets, the sepia sunsets, the leisurely walks at The Strand by the Ganga River with hot tea and Pavbaji bread, the Sandesh sweets after every meal, the slow rickshaw rides and busy train rides made me appreciate the unwavering spirit of India. But the best part of it all were the relatives I met, who so eagerly welcomed me into their homes, showed me how highly educated they are, told me about my father with great warmth and related stories from their past set against the rich Indian history. Those stories certainly deserve another entry….and India deserves another trip.

Hope for the Filipino Migrant Workers

2007-10-24T10:46:00.000+08:00

Last Sunday, on Pauline’s invitation, I attended the graduation rights of the Filipino Workers' Resource Center - Skills Training Program (FWRC-STP) in Kuala Lumpur. This is a program that helps assist Filipino migrant workers learn new skills in the hopes that they will not be “cheap labor” forever. There are classes on everything from entrepreneurship, business communication, accountancy, nursing, even dressmaking, reflexology and cosmetology. The Filipino workers (mostly domestic helpers) spend 5-6 days a week hard at work, and one day (Sunday) for their further education. The teachers, like Pauline, are all volunteers.

I was supposed to help out onstage, and though I felt I was there the whole day and did not get to help much, it was worth it to feel that indelible Filipino spirit in the air, see the happy faces of the graduates and the volunteers, and listen to a compelling valedictory address written and delivered by one of our domestic helpers. I hope you can take the time to read it below. It’s worth your time.

VALEDICTORY ADDRESS
by: Ophelia A. Belo

Excellencies, Ambassadors Lecaros and Brillantes, Mrs. Lecaros, Labatt JBJ and Mrs. Jimenez, Faculty Advisers, Embassy Officials, Filcom Leaders, Malaysian Nationals, Princess Becky, Datu Lim Sun Hoe and Datu Sunny Lim, Honorees, Guests, Fellow Students and Graduates, Friends Countrymen and Visitors, Good Afternoon,

I thank God for this honor and I express gratitude to my country and government for this opportunity. I accept this distinction with both joy and sadness. There is joy in my heart right now because once again I have proven that there is a reward for hardwork, dedication, and excellence. But I am sad right at these moment, I am sad for our country and for our people. I am sad for you fellow graduates. And I am sad for myself.

I am sad that the Philippines, the homeland of brilliant, highly skilled and very articulate people, is now becoming the number one supplier of cheap labor including domestic helper into the booming world of global markets. We can kid ourselves by saying there’s nothing wrong in being a domestic helper. Oh come on……… I am a domestic helper myself and I’m not ashamed to be so. But then, what?

I am looking at the big picture and I am looking at our country and I am disappointed that there is not much hope if we remain there. I am regretful that every single day, no less than 3,200 Filipinos are leaving the Philippines, many of them for good, in the hope of finding jobs that can send our children to school, buy medicines for our sick, repair our dilapidated shanties or pay for all our indebtedness.

What happened to the Philippines?
Our country is supposed to be the Pearl of the Orient Seas. In 1961, many Malaysians used to envy the Filipinos. They dreamt to study in UP, La Salle or Ateneo. Today, Malaysians are the employers of Filipino domestic helpers. They have sent an astronaut into space, while the Filipinos are still quarrelling about government contracts and alleged rigging of elections.

We, the OFWs’ must begin the process of the renewal for our country. The FWRC is our center of excellence to be able to compete globally and turn around our country.

The global labor markets are unforgiving. The avalanche of rising demands for quality comes rushing every single moment and the standards of excellence keep on rising without pause. Only those who never stop learning will survive in this crazy and mind-boggling competition for skills.

Filipino engineers and technicians in IT who surf the cyberspaces for emerging opportunities find themselves competing with highly competent Indian computer wizards. Indians are also emerging as our OFWs’ top competitors in the global labor markets.

Our oil and gas engineers are still preferred by Malaysian employers because the local chemical and mechanical engineers prefer to work in UK and in the Middle East. This is the result of globalization of human capital.

Our domestic helpers from the Philippines are still the preferred ones by Malaysian royalty, high government officials and top businessmen. But the Filipino domestics represent only a miniscule 2% of the entire DH market in Malaysia, Indonesia commands more than 90% of the 500,000 household service providers in this country. But the Philippine government is aiming for QUALITY employment. We frown upon QUANTITY or high volume of 5D’s: the jobs that are DIRTY, DIFFICULT, DANGEROUS, DEMEANING and DECEPTIVE.

Even the Filipina DH’s are only few, they enjoy superior benefits. They enjoy Sunday day-offs every week or at least every another week with the two Sundays paid for when they are not allowed to go. They have much higher pay and better terms and conditions of employment. They are allowed to study in the FWRC Skills Training Program.

The Filipino household service workers, along with other OFW’s do study in FWRC. They learn word processing, spreadsheet, internet, illustrator, photoshop, autocad and multiple computer applications. They study Commercial Baking, Advanced Cake Decorating, Western Food Cooking, Basic Nursing, Reflexology and Arts and Crafts. They even learn the Art of Communication, Composition and Correspondences, Business and Social Correspondences, Financial Management, Business Development and Entrepreneurship.

The Labor Attache and top Embassy Officials teach BLAWSFIL (Basic Labor Laws for Filipino, a subject created by Labat JBJ as a means for empowerment, to arm the OFWs with fundamental knowledge of the labor and family laws, immigration and even contract laws and criminal statutes. The migrant workers from the Philippines are aware of their rights as well as obligations to employers and host government. They have less chances of being arrested and detained and they are more confident when confronted with legal issues.

OFWs from Malaysia who are now venturing to UK like Lyn dela Rama and Gene Sarmiento, both outstanding FWRC alumnae, have better chances of survival and even excellence in more challenging work environments. Former FWRC resource persons like Dang Penarubia who migrated to Canada have better probability of success than others who went withoug FWRC KASH (Knowledge, Attitude, Skills and Habits)

Today, the 21st of October, here in the Grand Ballroom of Crown Princess Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, few shall graduate those among the 490 who enrolled in January, survived the grueling holistic training in FWRC. Today, the word GRADUATION should be understood as a process, not an end, a process of enhancing elevating, improving and developing the KASH positions of the OFW who made the correct decision to study in FWRC.

Today, also is a COMMENCEMENT, a starting point, a beginning, a point of embarkation to a higher level of consciousness, to a better perspective in life, a much improved point of view and a stronger, higher quality of qualification, a better state of readiness, an empowered new beginning of the rest of our lifetime journey.

The quest for excellence, the drive to win the global labor markets, the hunger for bigger challenges, the thirst for learning – an insatiable yearning to learn more – these are the hallmarks of men and women who are geared and programmed for success in life.

The next motto of FWRC is “ON TO THE MARCH FOR EXCELLENCE” Excellence, both in skills and in Character. Both committed and competent. Thus, today is indeed a day for celebration. But after the celebration, we need to do something for our country.

And so today, ladies and gentlemen, what are we going to do to create a meaningful difference in the future of our country? Evil triumphs because good men do nothing. Let us all do something, no matter how small.

FIRST, let us not remit everything that we earn here. Let us save at least 50% through the Samahang Impok Bayan and keep it until we go home for good.

SECOND, let us all take courses in the FWRC that will help us in our reintegration like Business Management, Entrepreneurship Accounting, Basic Laws and other relevant courses. Indeed it is only bring EXCELLENCE THAT WE CAN TO THE GLOBAL WORLD.

THIRD, let us all write to our congressmen, let us write to our newspaper, let us e-mail jour opinions and let us be active in denouncing the abuses of our political leaders.

FOURTH, let us rally behind honest and hardworking officials and staff in government but let us denounce and expose and charge all those who violate their oaths as public servants.

FIFTH, let us help in the FWRC. Whatever honor we receive today should provide us an inspiration to share our knowledge to other OFW’s.

SIXTH, let us discipline our families at home. They should learn to value our remittances and not squander them in luxuries. Let us let them learn that we worked hard for the money and we should not tolerate extravagances.

SEVENTH, let us all be aware of all the economic, social and political developments in our country. Let us monitor what are the trends and programs of our country’s future. And let us share our thoughts with those who spend our remittances.

AND lastly number EIGHT, let us all be aware that all that were, all that are and all that will be in the Philippines are driven by economic realities, high population growth, labor excess economy, cheap labor, globalization without safety nets, insufficient social services. All these are exacerbating the pains and sufferings of our people.

These are the reasons why the joy of my success today is eclipsed by the sadness in our situation as a nation and as a people.

We’ve got to feel the pain so that we will do something about it. We can not continue deluding ourselves. We have to face realities and bite the bullet.

According to a great social scientist: THE FUTURE BELONGS TO THE DISCONTENTED. The Filipinos should start to be discontented with our situation and tell our leaders of our discontentment.

According to a Chinese Philosopher: IT IS CRAZY TO EXPECT DIFFERENT RESULTS IF WE CONTINUE TO REPEAT THE SAME MISTAKES. The Filipinos should accept that there are for too many mistakes and we have to correct them.

And according to Dr. Jose Rizal in his NOLI ME TANGERE, recorded in the history of human sufferings is a cancer of so malignant a character that the least touch irritates it.

Since the time of Rizal until now more than a century after, the cancer is still here – a SOCIAL CANCER, AN ECONOMIC MALADY.

The only difference is that we can do something about it. Yes we can. And we should. No matter how strait the gate and how charged with punishment the scroll, we are the masters of our fate. We are the captain of our souls, to borrow from Invictus.

Kaya mga kababayan, dapat umpisahan na ang pagbabago, umpisahan sa ating sarili. Kung hindi ngayon, kaylan pa? Kung hindi tayo and mag umpisa, sino pa? Bahala tayo sa ating kinabukasan at bahala tayo sa kinabukasan ng ating bansa Pakaisipin ninyo ito. Huwag kayong masyadong magsaya. Dapat magkaroon din kayo ng lungkot, upang magsikap kayong magbago. Dahil ang mga problema ay hindi nakakatuwa.

Marami pong salamat.

Always an Honor

2007-09-20T19:59:00.000+08:00

This December I’ll be headed back home for Christmas (a truly OFW experience) and also to attend my younger sister’s wedding in Tagaytay as her Maid of Horror, er, Honor. It’s only the second time I’ve been a Maid of Honor, the first at my best friend’s wedding in New York. The “honor” part is so apt...I feel truly privileged to be asked to perform this role while the most important women in my life pledge their own lives to another. I cried when I gave my best friend the reception toast. And I was especially touched when my sister asked me. I said, “Sigurado ka? Eh ang tanda ko na!” and her reply? “Sino pa ba?”

Of course I’m also excited about the wedding and reception which is conceptualized by a truly creative couple, and of course, my Maid of Honor dress which is so unique and usable! None of that flower and ruffle crap. My sister blogged about it in her wedding site, and I’m reposting it here.

(Unrelated to the topic, the dress I’m wearing in the photo she used is the Shanghai Tang one I bought in Wondermomo for only US$34, and I visited the Shanghai Tang shop in Bangkok and saw the current collections retail for triple that. Someone keep me away from the store whilst I’m in money-saving mode!)

**************************************
All hail the Maid of Honor

and for my zexy zeester, something that totally does not look like any of the other entourage gowns!

the lady:
and her dress:

Am I Noisy?

2007-09-12T07:19:00.001+08:00

Situation #1 - I live alone in a 2-bedroom condo and when I arrived from my Bangkok trip 2 weeks ago, I got a note from my neighbor directly below me claiming that I keep him awake watching TV in my bedroom. He cites an instance where I watched TV until 2:30am and it interfered with him "performing (my) regular duties" in his hectic 12-14 hour workday. Having been traveling mostly over the past 3 weeks, I could only remember one night where I stayed up watching Die Hard 4. This neighbor then requested that I cease watching TV in my bedroom since the walls were so thin that he could even hear me "walking about, taking a bath, and flushing the toilet".

Situation #2 - A week ago I had 4 friends come over to hang out til midnight, and since I don't have a cool sound system I was just playing my iTunes at half-volume over my IBM Thinkpad speakers (which everyone knows are quite crappy). The next day the guard stopped me at the gate to say that the same neighbor complained of me playing loud music...and he could hear the scraping of the chairs on the floor.

Now I've tried to listen to my neighbors to check how much I can hear but all I can make out is the hum of the airconditioning, and sometimes the sound of light switches being turned off/on so I figure the walls must not be that thin! I just bought Altec Lansing speakers for my iPod which I feel I can't play and now I can't even watch my pirated DVDs til I fall asleep. So am I noisy or is the neighbor just a freak?

Panjabi MC Night

2007-09-10T22:02:00.000+08:00

I found this pic while browsing through the Heineken community site called Party Out. I was posing like mad at the official photographer during the Panjabi MC gig last August in Kuala at Bar Savanh, Asian Heritage Row, Kuala Lumpur. Glad to see the photo made the light of day!

I had only heard 1 track of UK DJ Panjabi MC "Mundian To Bach Ke" before I went to this gig and was rewarded by a whole night of mixed hiphop Western and Punjabi music which just kept us early nighters dancing up til 2am, and 2 people in our group up til 4am! I was also happily surprised to see the biggest gathering of good looking Indians I'd ever seen in my life. Now I'm never going to turn down a chance to party Bangra style!

Bangkok Sightseeing Shortcuts

2007-08-29T18:58:00.001+08:00

If you have only one day to go around Bangkok, you might want to take my quickie itinerary. These 2 places I visited on my only free day in Bangkok (it was a Sunday) fulfilled both my bargain-shopping and my photo-opp-ing needs.

Chatuchak Weekend Market. (MRT-Kamphaeng Phet) This should be your first stop in the morning, before the hot noontime sun hits the stalls and there are less people. This weekend-only open air market (reminiscent of the old Divisoria) is quite accessible as the Kamphaeng Phet station is smack dab in the middle of the market. I’ve heard so many people call this bargain-hunters paradise overwhelming which why I was afraid to go at first, but then I remembered I’ve shopped at the Greenhills tiangge during Christmas time so I shouldn’t be daunted by anything.

Chatuchak has everything from Thai silk goods, Chinese décor items, glassware, steelware, wall hangings, tons of trendy clothes, shoes, bags, accessories, leather goods, artwork…I could go on and on! I was only there for a few hours but ended up with 4 photo frames (US$2 each), a short silver grey bubble dress (US$5.40), set of 4 candle holders (US$10.60), a hand-painted wood hanging (US$10), a bright printed summer dress (US$16), 3 chunky necklaces (US$2 each), a chiffon skirt ($10) and 2 Thai silk pillow cases ($6 each), and silver dangly earrings ($12), ceramic ashtray and vase (US$0.30 each). I was eyeing some woven bags, more tops and skirts but thank God I had to force myself to leave for my next stop. What’s great about shopping in Chatuchak is that, perhaps because of the language barrier, don’t pressure you into buying anything. Negotiating is common, but I’m always embarrassed to do so which I know is quite un-Pinoy. I tried the “walking away” technique but no one came after me, so I usually settle for a 10% discount, and felt elated when I went all the way up to 30% off for some purchases.

Before I left I got lunch at the Toh-Plue restaurant which wasn’t all that fabulous, and I wished I could have tried more of the street food they were hawking at the market.

Chaopraya River. (BTS- Mo Chit) The second part of your day can be devoted to a trip down Chaopraya River by the Express Boat accessible from the Central pier. Since I had limited time, I chose to stop over at the Tha Thien pier where the Wat Pho (Reclining Buddha) and Grand Palace. On the way there, you can ogle the beautiful riverside hotels like The Oriental, Shangri-la and The Hilton. Across the Tha Tien pier you can also visit the Wat Arun (Temple of the Dawn). The river cruise is perfect in the afternoon because on the way back you can see the Wat Arun basked by the sunset. Of course I missed my stop which is why my time got even more limited--- but its ok I also got to witness a fish feeding frenzy which one of their weird tourist activities there. Actually it was easy to get back on track, the ferry “conductors” are very helpful in pointing you to where you should get off, just as long as you tell them where you are going. Taking the express boat is a lot like taking a Philippine bus, they have conductors on-board collecting fare and they issue those small, thin paper tickets.

In touring the Wat Pho which has the biggest Buddha statue in Thailand (you cant fit it in one photo), you will be asked to wear head-covering and take off your shoes. The Wat Pho is also the site of a traditional Thai massage school conducted by the monks, and if I had arrived early enough I could have tried a head or foot massage for the price of a donation. Outside the Wat Pho, tons of tuktuk drivers offered a riding tour for only 20 Baht (when I wouldn’t accept the tour they tried to flatter me into it) but I seriously thought I could’ve walked to all the sights they were suggesting. However, it was getting dark and I was channeling Sarah Jessica Parker by taking the river ride in a Vietnamese silk printed sundress, I decided it wasn’t appropriate to stay late while being alone.

After this long day, I took myself to a nice dinner booked myself a massage of course!

Lavana Spa, Bangkok

2007-08-28T23:47:00.002+08:00

I'm a massage junkie. Which is why I was happy to find myself in the land of Thai massages. And even happier to find a fabulous, affordable, exotic massage called "Oil Massage with Herbal Balls" at the Lavana Spa, Bangkok. It was a relief too, to recover my faith in Thai massages. After all, 2 days before my fabulous Lavana massage, I spent 200 Baht (US$6) at a creepy Thai massage place called Kreuw Beauty along Sukhumvit Road for a lousy 1-hour massage. I've had better Thai massages in Cebu! Kr-eeew smelled musty, had itchy pajamas and a half-hearted masseuse. Just a tad bit louder than the Thai radio station in the background was the flirting antics of the male customer and female masseuse in the next cubicle. I learned that not all Thai massages in Thailand are good. I will remember that when I go for a Balinese massage in Bali.

For 1,400 Baht (US$40), Lavana Spa will provide you a relaxing 2-hour oil massage in a private room with its own shower. The music is aptly instrumental, with ocean sounds and birds chirping. They serve hot tea in their spacious reception area before leading you up glass steps lit by candles to your room. The masseuse applied the right pressure, because they bother to ask you what kind of pressure you like, as well as which areas you would like them to concentrate on, even before you leave the reception area. The Herball Ball treatment came the last 30 minutes of the massage. Thai herbs (or it could be tea leaves for all I know) are wrapped in a hot towel-ball and pressed against your entire body. A good way to soak up the oil from the massage, and the hot compress is very comforting. The massage ends with a full head treatment, which is exactly what I needed after a full day shopping at Chatuchak and sightseeing at Chaopraya River.

Lavana Spa is located at No.4 Soi Sukhumvit (Suck-om-vit) 12, conveniently near the Sheraton Grande where I stayed and right beside the popular Thai restaurant called Cabbages & Condoms where I had dinner.

Thai Clothing Brands

2007-08-28T23:45:00.000+08:00

I really love checking out locally made clothes in the places I visit. Bangkok, Thailand is definitely a fashion hotspot. Just walking through the busy streets and taking the MRT provides you with an unexpected fashion show. The locals look so fashionable, from their hair, to the accessories, their clothes and shoes. And you can tell what's this season's trend: every other girl is wearing a short tent or bubble dress which I used to think looked baggy and shapeless but this trip changed my mind.

Its a chicken and egg situation. Did the funky fashions come from the cool local stores which available at most Thai malls? Or are the avant-garde, high-quality local designers a response to the Thai youth's innate fashion sense?

Whatever the case may be, no self-respecting woman should skip a trip to Siam Central, Siam Square and Siam Discovery which are shopping havens right next to each other and conveniently located at the MRT/BTS train interchange. Check out the following stores:

Jaspal - a mini-Zara with a men's section, ladies section which wasn't particularly impressive to me unless you're a "basic" dresser, but I was so bowled over by the shoes that I immediatly snapped up a pair. This month Jaspal has a 70% off sale! Maybe the new collections will be much better, I may have caught the dregs of last season when it came to clothing.
Greyhound - I positively fainted from wanting to buy something from sleek clothing label Greyhound, but it could possibly be also from the price tag. They have avant-garde but classy tops, pants, jackets and dresses, as well as a casual clothing line called Playhound. A friend of mine told me that Greyhound has already made its London Fashion week debut although I wish they'd make an online debut because I cant seem to find a website.
Jim Thompson - He's the entrepreneur who made Thai silk globally famous, then disappeared while trekking in the Cameron Highlands of Malaysia. His legacy is top quality (slightly premium priced) Thai silk goods like scarves, pashminas, bags, dresses, wallets, ties. The designs are classic and delicate, I bought framed notecards of his famous prints just so I could take some Jim Thompson home.

I also zipped through the Greenhills-like Siam Square and saw a lot of moderately priced clothes, bags and shoes but its more of a "trendy" than a quality buy in this area. But the real "trend" and low-cost shopping mecca is the Chatuchak Weekend Market which I set myself to visit another day.

Stephen King reviews the Harry Potter series

2007-08-14T12:22:00.000+08:00

One of the greatest horror fictionists of this era reviews the series by one the greatest childrens novelists of all time. He has some very insightful things to say:

"The clearest sign of how adult the books had become by the conclusion arrives — and splendidly — in Deathly Hallows, when Mrs. Weasley sees the odious Bellatrix Lestrange trying to finish off Ginny with a Killing Curse. ''NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!'' she cries. It's the most shocking bitch in recent fiction; since there's virtually no cursing (of the linguistic kind, anyway) in the Potter books, this one hits home with almost fatal force. It is totally correct in its context — perfect, really — but it is also a quintessentially adult response to a child's peril."

"Jo Rowling set out a sumptuous seven-course meal, carefully prepared, beautifully cooked, and lovingly served out. The kids and adults who fell in love with the series (I among them) savored every mouthful, from the appetizer (Sorcerer's Stone) to the dessert (the gorgeous epilogue of Deathly Hallows). Most reviewers, on the other hand, bolted everything down, then obligingly puked it back up half-digested on the book pages of their respective newspapers."

"If all those creative spells — produced at the right moment like the stuff from Crusoe's ship — were a sign of creative exhaustion, it's the only one I saw, and that's pretty amazing. Mostly Rowling is just having fun, knocking herself out, and when a good writer is having fun, the audience is almost always having fun too. You can take that one to the bank (and, Reader, she did)."

You can check out the rest of the article here.

Coming Soon

2007-08-08T23:34:00.000+08:00

Trips to Penang, Port Dickson, Bangkok, Hongkong and Singapore. Yahoooooo! Now I really wish I had that cool digital SLR camera.

Shopping High

2007-08-06T01:13:00.000+08:00

ing Its one of the best feelings in the world to splurge on something and the hours later after your actions have sunk in, to still be happy with what you've bought. That "shopping high" is what I'm feeling today after a visit to a small shop called Wondermomo in Plaza Mont Kiara, which sells designer wear at a fraction of the retail price. I don't even know how they do it and I didn't want to ask how they're able to give good prices for their stocks. (To be fair, they're probably bargain hunters in the US). The selections are few but quite varied, from Diane von Furstenberg to Chloe to Calvin Klein. They also have shoes, bags and belts. I was able to score Citizens of Humanity jeans for RM200 (US$57) and a Shanghai Tang dress for RM116 (US$33). They might not be from the current season, but who cares? I felt so vindicated when I surfed online and found that COH jeans typically cost US120 ++ and Shanghai Tang dresses fall in the whopping $400 - $500 range. Whoopee!

In other news I also bought 2 new pillows and 2 sets of Cotonsoft bedding sets, one of which is already in place on my bed, and the other in reserve for my guest bedroom. For an amazing RM246 (US$71), each bedding set comes with a fluffy reversible comforter, a fitted sheet and 2 matching pillowcases. I'm definitely going to have a good night's sleep with the aircon running full blast.

I'm a Child of the 90s

2007-08-03T21:34:00.000+08:00

When I drive to work every morning, there are only 3 English stations I can listen to, Hitz-FM, Fly-FM and Mix-FM. All of them do their own brand of morning show complete with DJs banter, little skits and interacting with callers. The one I most enjoy listening to is Mix-FM when they play Almost 90s at 9, which is 5 tracks in a row and you're supposed to guess which one is not from the 90s. (Note: I shouldn't even be in the car at 9am, listening to 5 tracks. I should be sitting at my desk. But somethings are hard to change!).

The other day's 90s selections were "I'll be There For You" by The Rembrandts, "Say What You Want" by Texas, "Never Ever" by All Saints and "Can't Help Falling in Love" by UB40. Can you remember what you were like, and what you were doing when you first heard these songs? I totally can! It was so much fun, with every track, to remember how different I was back then. I remember college and sitting in the Rizal Foyer, friends and the show "Friends", walking in Greenbelt Park, the first time I saw En Vogue perform at the Grammys, how I tried to scream and shout just to sing like All Saints when they did "All Cried Out", how we used to drive around Paranaque singing songs from Usher's first album. Back then, I couldn't ever imagine where I would be in 10 years. I was optmistic and idealistic and imagined so many possibilities. Listening to 90s music reminds me that its great to feel that way.

The Other Boracay

2007-08-03T20:53:00.000+08:00

Boracay in July, which is the island's off-peak season, is a different experience altogether. In my 2nd trip there this year (which I made with even more effort since I had to fly in from KL), I was pleasantly surprised not to spend my time lolling around on the beach for 3 days, with the requisite kayak ride so that I get at least some exercise and don't feel guilty about staying up all night drinking in Club Paraw, Pier 1, Hey Jude or Juice.

There are fewer people on the beach and it doesn't seem like Greenbelt magically transported to Aklan. The prices are much much lower. We got a beachfront "penthouse" room with a veranda courtesy of Casa Fiesta in Station 1 for only P430/night/person. I finally got to: island-hop (with snorkeling and a visit to Crystal Cove and Puka Beach) for about P400, banana-boat for P150, parasail for P900, and take a beautiful sunset glide over the water in Boracay's famous paraw.

Gigi was totally right also when she said that Boracay is different depending on who you're with. I'd like to thank my off peak Bora squad consisting of her, Marj, Mai, and James for a shared sense of adventure, love for good food, ability to help me stick to a budget, and total cam-whoreness. I'd love to book another P1.00 Cebu Pacific trip with these guys soon.

Life is an Action Flick

2007-07-26T20:24:00.000+08:00

Yes folks its another driving story...

I'm roaring down the Penchala Link at 100km/hour at around 1am on my way home from a Smirnoff launch party when from out of nowhere a motorbike bursts into my lane. I get freaked and swerve right to avoid him...coming too close to the highway divider so I swerve left. As my car fishtails on the highway I hear my rear bumper hit the divider. Finally I'm able to come to a full stop in the middle of the highway facing the opposite direction, almost a full 180 degree spin. I quickly drive to the shoulder lest other speeding cars come down the highway. Thankfully there are no other cars immediately following me. A kindly motorist stops to check how I am. And I was just so happy to tell him I was ok!

Tha damage to my car is a cracked tail light and a scraped bumper and just now I filed a report at the police station in town for the insurance claim, which was another adventure in itself. I'm hardly in the city so I drove aimlessly for about 40 mins until I spotted a motorbike-mounted cop pull ahead in front of me. I started chasing him down, honking my horn and blinking my lights, wondering at the irony of a civilian chasing a policeman through the streets of KL. Finally he notices me chasing him (I think I scared him a bit), and after he pulled over, I got him to escort me to the police station (may hagad ako!).

At the police station, a "friendly" hustler helped me park and tried to suggest that I not file a report since I would get fined RM 300 for my carelessness, but rather I should just have the damage repaired by his shop for RM 500. I almost said yes because it sounded so deliciously anti-establishment when my brains kicked in and I realized that the repair would cost me RM 200 more than the fine. Duh.

The reporting system is pretty efficient, you type in your report in the "Car Accident Reporting System" or CARS for short (smart name, aint it?) instead of handwriting it and handing it to a policeman for typing which is the typical Philippine practice. Of course I didnt get fined at all, I was just asked to come back another day for the report accompanied by the digitally taken photo.

Just when I think its over, I try to find my way back home, squinting at signs along the way and of course I totally miss seeing an island on the road. I hear a "BAM!" when my car takes to the air and lands on top of the island. Its easy enough to get off.

If the planets are in retrograde, may they get back on track soon! Sometimes too much action isnt a good thing.

Smarts vs Luck

2007-07-17T15:42:00.000+08:00

I almost committed a classic Sheila travel booboo! Many minor mishaps have littered my path, but the last major one was 2 years ago en route to Singapore. I stood in line at the PAL check-in counter at NAIA, excited to be going on my first Singapore trip to give a lecture on the Philippine Online Gaming scene at the Asian Gaming Conference. They had my photo and credentials on their website and everything.

About 5 people away from the head of the line I take out my passport and flip to the first page. Its expired by a month. Crap.

I call my travel agency to talk to the owner and find out if there's a way around it. I try to convince her that I can usually talk my way into anything, and most certainly past Manila immigration. She counters with the threat that they will probably deport me from Singapore. I quit while I'm ahead.

I'm flying to Manila tomorrow en route to Boracay and I booked this trip months ago. In my mind, I clearly remember booking a 1:20pm flight. Finally I printed out my e-ticket awhile ago and stapled the pages together. Before I left the office I folded the ticket to put in my bag. Some weird force urged me to glance at the flight details again which is on the 2nd page. The flight doesnt leave at 13:20 or 18 hours away. It leaves at 1:20am which is 6 hours away from now. I almost missed my flight!

Thank God i bothered to check the ticket again! So am I smarter or luckier these days? I think I'd rather be smarter. :-P

Clouds over Langkawi

2007-07-11T22:34:00.000+08:00

Its a good thing I decided to arrive a day ahead of my travel buddies as I was able to catch the last rays of sun over Langkawi on Saturday morning before clouds descended over the place after lunch and for the rest of the weekend. I can't complain though because I witnessed an amazing display of nature when the clouds came rushing in full force as we were at the peak of the Langkawi's Mount Mat Chinchang which is reached by the highest cable car ride in the world. We watched the sun get obliterated quickly by clouds which blew over us first, bringing in fog and rain before descending to the rest of the island. You could harldy see a few meters in front of you, which is an even more exciting experience in a cable car! Finally the weather cleared up enough for us to travel down to the curved suspension bridge which seems to have no other purpose but to look pretty.

The rest of the weekend was a food, alcoholic beverage and food trip because the vice products are half-price from KL's atrocious rates because they're tax free. I stayed the first night at Mutiara Burau Bay which seemed to be the quiet hotel near Pantai Kok, and the second night at the Langkawi Lanai Hotel on the busier Pantai Tengah beach. Finally my weekend was topped off by the "Spirit of Alun-Alun", a 2-hour massage-and-scrub treatment at the Alun-Alun spa. Definitely a refreshing weekend despite the absence of the sun.

I'll be late for Harry

2007-07-11T18:53:00.000+08:00

Yesterday I booked my copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows at the Times bookstore near my building. This is the cover I chose. Like kids of all ages across the planet, I'm soooo excited for Book 7. I remember last year I also booked HP 6 in advance from the Fully Booked in Glorietta, and I actually went on the first day the book went on sale to pick it up. No one could talk to me the rest of the weekend as I holed myself up in my room to read it.

This year though, on the day the book goes on sale, I'll be traveling. I'll be in Boracay but my nerdy little heart will wish I were in line at the bookstore. Or better yet that I already had the copy and would be able to read it on the beach while getting the tan I've already lost by living in KL. I wish I could ask Harry to wait for me but obviously he can't. No one better dare tell me what the book is like! I'll be starting it 2 days later than the rest of the world.

Little Night of Music

2007-07-10T19:59:00.000+08:00

Click on the photo to link to the line-up of Malaysian indie bands who will be peforming at Laundy, The Curve in Mutiara Damansara this coming Thursday night (July 12). I'm looking forward to my first taste of the local music scene here in KL.

Daily Wisdom

2007-07-09T20:20:00.000+08:00

I've already admitted repeatedly that I'm a fortune-telling junkie, so of course I also subscribe to my daily horoscope from Astrology.com. Here's last Friday's gem of wisdom:

Dear Sheila,
Here is your horoscopefor Friday, July 6:

Are you getting what you need from life, from your romance, from work? If not, it might be time to ask yourself why. To fulfill your dreams, you have to identify them. Next, you have to believe that you're worth it.

Ok, not that brilliant right? But the thing I like about getting these daily fortunes is it reminds me about the most practical thing in the most impractical way. One of the things I wanted to learn by coming to live here in KL is my own value.

Funny enough though, I was just chatting with a friend awhile ago on msn and I told him that coming here was also supposed to be a profound journey of self-discovery in which I thought I would learn undiscovered things about myself. Its been almost a month and what have I learned so far? I like the same things here as I like back home: reading, watching TV, keeping fit, getting massages, alcoholic beverages, chocolates, fortunetelling, massages and the beach. The undiscovered part? I learned that I like myself. Its a great lesson.

Kuching

2007-07-09T19:42:00.000+08:00

Kuching, Sarawak was an even shorter stop than Kota Kinabalu, which was a shame because they put us up in the fancy Hilton Kuching with the soccer field size bedroom, the Crabtree & Evelyn bathroom toiletries (which i saved to bring home) and a view overlooking the Kuching River. I stayed in the room exactly 9 hours, in between clubbing on Saturday night and a focus group discussion the next day.

Though I was tired because of the past 2 days in KK, I couldn't miss the experience of clubbing in Sarawak. There seems to be only one strip to go to with 2 clubs: Grappas (with the gay and straight community mixing uninhibitedly), right next to the very full but less interesting Soho (with aggressive black guys who shove themselves in your face--- "yeah lets dance babeh!! oh yeah!"). As with most Malaysian clubs I've been to, the music is predominantly hiphop which Goes to show you music is universal, even in East Malaysia where you are required to fill out an immigration card as if it were a separate country.

Before we left on Sunday, I was able to taste the famous Sarawak Laksa in Khatulistiwa along the Kuching Waterfront, which is open 24-hours. It was so good that I had to try it again in Alexis Bistro in Bangsar just a few days later. Just for that, and the gorgeous river view, I think it might be worthwhile to pass by that area again.

Kota Kinabalu

2007-07-02T19:46:00.000+08:00

The sunset over Kota Kinabalu is world-class, especially when viewed over the rooftop terrace of the Promenade Hotel. I didn't spend much time in KK, as the Malaysians call it, but what I saw of it was reminiscent of one of our urbanized cities in the province such as Bacolod or Davao.

During our one night in KK, we had a fabulous seafood dinner at Salut with my boss and people from the research agency in we working with. Then I stepped into party mode. We tried Bed along the waterfront, but the crowd was made up of young, lousy dancers and the entertainment was a really bad (I'm sorry for this) Filipino cover band. Our last stop was Shenanigan's, an Irish pub/club at the Hyatt and that's where we found more fun partyers and a really good R&B group. We also met a cool Malaysian restaurateur and photographer, Suchen, who invited us to his newly opened wine bar & restaurant, XO Grill, in Jalan Gaya. We made it there the next day after lunch at this superbly exotic restaurant called Ocean's Seafood right beside the Promenade Hotel. Lobster, tiger prawns, crabs and mantis prawns...no wonder I broke out in an allergy right after lunch! It was worth it though. At XO, we had a glass of wine (that was a tad warm) while Suchen told us about his trip to 18 countries in 3 years, saving money working in a bar in London to make the trips, the collection of photos he had amassed at the time which he would be publishing as a coffee table book. Such an interesting life.

Then we ran off to our next stop, Kuching.

Growing Up

2007-06-28T20:34:00.000+08:00

I've been living alone for exactly 13 days doing grown up stuff like cleaning the house, throwing out my own trash, remembering to switch off all the lights and outlets before I leave the house, and cooking gourmet delights for myself such as tortang talong, tuna casserole, and beef steak with rice. Its so different having to remember things because no one else will pick up after you or do things for you. But all that didn't make me feel as grown up as my recent decision regarding a guy I was seeing before I left Manila.

I finally made up my mind about what I wanted while I was here. When I found out something extremely disappointing he did, I confronted him about it. And when he told me he wasn't ready but offered to still continue our friendship, I decided to let go for my peace of mind.

The old me would have kept quiet, kept on slugging it out until I got beaten down by my own false expectations. But it seems like this new me would like to get what I deserve, all or nothing. One of the toughest decisions I've ever made, certainly a sad one, but definitely I'm proud of myself for making it. It also helped that this guy was a good friend and I could be totally honest with him (and he was willing to listen), but that teaches me a lesson too, about becoming friends with someone I'm seeing instead of putting them on some sort of pedestal where you only show your best side.

I travel to and from work every day for a total of 90 minutes and this song always plays on the radio...definitely cheesy but pretty apt:

Big Girls Don't Cry
Fergie

The smell of your skin lingers on me now
You're probably on your flight back to your home town
I need some shelter of my own protection baby
Be with myself in center, clarity
Peace, serenity

The path that I'm walkin, I must go alone
I must take the baby steps 'til I'm full grown, full grown
Fairy tales don't always have a happy ending do they?
And I forsee the dark ahead if I stay

Like a little school mate in a school yard,
We'll play jacks and Uno cards
I'll be your best friend
And you'll be my Valentine
Yes you can hold my hand if you want to
Cause I wanna hold yours too
We'll be playmates and lovers and share our secret world
But it's time for me to go home
It's getting late dark outside
I need to be with myself in center,
Clarity, peace, serenity

I hope you knowI hope you know
That this has nothing to do with you
It's personal
Myself and I
We got some straigtening out to do
And I'm gonna miss you like a child misses their blanket
But I've got to get a move on with my life
It's time to be a big girl now
Big girls don't cry
Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry

Spot the Difference (My 1st week in KL)

2007-06-21T22:42:00.000+08:00

There are so many similarities between Kuala Lumpur and Manila sometimes I forget that I’m not just in another part of town (Caloocan?). The people look similar, when I go to the mall or the grocery the same superbrands are available, and the weather is pretty much the same. So I go about my day thinking that I can probably easily get the hang of things but then I start spotting the differences, some big (like right hand driving on the left side of the road) some small (groceries come in bulk, not in single packs). In my first week I’ve learned so much I’ve gotten quite excited (and sometimes afraid) of what’s coming next in the life of a girl who’s never lived away from home.

Lesson # 1 Pirated DVD shopping
I thought it would be like going to my favorite ”suki” vendor in the nearby tiangge and selecting the DVDs. Here the vendor actually has a shop in Bangsar Village where he pretends to sell original VCDs and DVDs but the shop is half empty so its obvious there are more wares in the back office. I flip through the title selections, get disappointed they don’t have Ugly Betty (yup I got hooked on that cheesy series before I left Manila) then fork over some cash for Nip/Tuck, House and Lost. Suddenly within a few minutes they close up shop, roll down the steel grille and get our numbers so they can pass us the pirated goods later on when the police aren’t watching. After 15 mins (in heavy rains) we meet at street corner and shop manager (wearing a cool bluetooth headset) directs us to his cohort in a running car who hands us the DVDs through the window while urgently instructing us to keep it in our bags. It’s like dealing drugs!

Lesson # 2 Shipping cargo
I brought over a balikbayan box with more clothes, bags, shoes and books than could fit in my 20kg baggage limit on the plane and I thought the smartest and cheapest way to bring it over would be through the unaccompanied luggage methodology (airport to airport) wherein my box would be picked up from my house, loaded onto a Malaysian Airlines flight and then be ready for pick up at the KL International Airport a day after I arrived. I envisioned going to KLIA (which is an hour away from my condo), picking the box up from a conveyor belt and merrily going home. This isn’t what happened.

Thankfully accompanied by a local driver, we head off to the KL Cargo Terminal (not KLIA as I expected), get fill out 2 forms to get 2 passes to enter the compound (which is roughly the size of the UP Campus), go to a far building to get them to issue us a guide to go to Customs (in another building) for some clearances and payment, and then another building to pay some local charges, then still another building to finally get my box which seemed less important as time went by. Finally you get it checked by Customs in a different station, then go back to the Customs building for final clearances before surrendering your pass at the exit. Time elapsed: 2 hours (excluding 2 hours of travel time). I’m never doing this again!

Lesson # 3 Language
Yes they speak English everyhere but its of the British variety. I’ve found myself stumbling several times:
Example:
Me to Guard: Excuse me, where can I throw my trash?
Guard: Huh?
Me: Trash…you know…garbage? Where is the garbage can?
Guard: Huh?
Me: Umm…dirty stuff container?
Guard: Oh…you mean rubbish bin!

I don’t know why it took us that long to understand each other.

Vive l'difference!

Driving in the Wrong Lane

2007-06-19T21:45:00.000+08:00

Omigod I just drove to and from work by myself today! Picture this: right-hand driving in the left side of the road on a major highway (the North Klang Valley Expressway) at an average speed of 100km/hour and it still takes 40 minutes from my condo in Bangsar to my office in Cyberjaya. My heart was in my throat most of the way but that was the easy part.

What should have been another 40 minute trip back home turned into a congested tour of KL outskirts, exotic places like Subang, Sunway, and god knows how many other wrong turns into the strangest places (imagine a long dirt road under a flyover that leads into a dead end). The end result: 2.5 hours wasted and a long scratch on my passenger side. *sniff*

In other news, I’ve found Max’s long lost brother! I named my Manila car Max Sterling in honor of the ace pilot and Skull Squadron leader from the Robotech saga (a throwback to my geeky anime past), and because of course the car’s color is sterling silver. I tearfully left my car in the care of my mom and sis back home (oh god), but the car they gave me here is his exact replica! Well almost…it’s a slightly more powerful engine with automatic everything. And all the controls are on the right side. For that alone, my first loyalty will always be to Max.

Going, going, gone...

2007-05-18T18:52:00.000+08:00

Its official. We've finally told everyone that I'm leaving just last week. Time flies by so fast that its actually my last day in the company that's been my home for 4 1/2 years. It was so hard to make the decision to move on because I've been so happy in Level Up. I've accomplished so many personal goals here. I helped pioneer an industry, turned the Filipino youth into the "Ragnarok Generation" (as Sandy Prieto was quoted as saying in the Inquirer), produced an album, a TV show, a book, a massive event (the biggest ever World Trade Center has ever seen), and launched the Philippines' biggest videogame titles. This company now is a far cry from the organization I entered back in 2003 when all it had was a small staff, an office, and a unique concept that didnt exist in the country and I am so proud of that fact. More than that, I've created friendships here that are meant to last a lifetime. I thought I was ready to move on because I feel like I've done so much, but to this day I suddenly realized that there is still so much left for me to do. But then, there are other personal goals left for me to accomplish, one of them to live independently and in a different country. So a little less than a month from now, I'm taking the plunge and moving to Kuala Lumpur to start a new career in the telecoms industry. I know it will never be the same as what I've found here, but its time to explore how it could be different.

I've told a small circle of friends about this some time ago, and despite it being a big change, the reaction from them has been so heartwarming. They have been sad, supportive, and very hopeful for what I'm about to do. Some of them have even had the most unusual reactions which I will probably get to talk about one of these days. So although I will definitely miss my home and my family, I'm looking forward to the adventure I'm about to have. Wish me luck!

Singapore Eating-lah!

2007-04-22T21:46:00.001+08:00

There is no eating and drinking in moderation when faced with stingray, fried rice, beef, chicken and prawn sate from Lao Pa Sat, Black Pepper Crab, Cereal Prawns, Oyster Omelette from Jumbo and Raspberry Beer from Brewerkz both at Boat Quay, Hainanese Chicken Rice at Wee Name Kee near Novena Square, (so good even the Malaysian PM and Erap are reported to have stocked up on it), grilled prawns, Kai Lan veggies at Newton Hawker Center, siomai and Yang Chow Fried Rice at the Chinatown Food Street, Chocolate Mud Pie and Chocolate Mint Truffle tea at the Fullerton Hotel lobby and finally Jim Beam Cola at all the local 7-11s. Singapore is just a gastronomic delight!

Special thanks to my gluttons in crime Marj, Rommel, Bong, Fadzly, Anton, Helen and Phoebe for joining me on this food “sojourn”.

Singapore Shopping-lah!

2007-04-22T21:34:00.001+08:00

Singapore skyline taken with my new Fujifilm Finepix.

What I Was Supposed to Buy in Singapore:

1. Nothing

What I Actually Bought:

1. 6 pairs of Reef flipflops on sale from 20 to 50% off at all Ripcurl shops. Sale naman eh! And I unselfishly bought 2 pairs as pasalubong for my mom.
2. 3 sets of Indian bracelets at the Little India Arcade. 1 for pasalubong.
3. 3 pairs of shoes from U.R.S. & Inc. Almost had a narrow miss at Charles & Keith but thankfully I had already fulfilled my necessary color palette at the other store.
4. 3 bikinis from various sources. One can never have too many. I just met someone on the trip who wears a different bikini to swim and changes under a towel on the beach to another one just for porma purposes. Wow!
5. A Phantom of the Opera brooch. So I’ll always remember the Phantom…
6. An external hard drive, a flash drive and a memory card. One always needs more storage.
7. A 5.1 MP Fujifilm digital camera because mine crashed the day I got there. Of course I bought it to take lovely photos of Pulau Redang in Malaysia where I would be spending a few days only to find out when I get to the beach resort that I forgot the camera charger at my friend’s house in Sing. Waaah.

The End Result:
4.3 kilos in excess baggage

I can’t wait for what it would actually be like during a Great Singapore Sale!

Good Friday

2007-04-12T00:50:00.000+08:00

Me and a gorgeous flower at Caleruega chapel, Tagaytay. More photos here.

As I look back at the last few posts it seems that my life has been fodder for melancholy and sentimental drivel but honestly for the last few weeks life has just been zooming by at breackneck speed I have't had the time to shift gears on my blog. Even if I heard very recently that the jerk I dated has been telling people that the reason things didn't work out between us is because I was expecting more from him then was on the table (obviously dreaming up this fantasy while conveniently forgetting all his misleading actions and the fact that he still owed me money), I can't really get fazed. They said happiness is your own choice and I didn't realize how true it was until everything started happening to me at the same time and I seemed to be blowing the major wind under my sails. Spending time reflecting on the situation last Holy week where I miraculously spent time at home however helped me realize how lucky I am to have the support of my friends, my family, and of course the Guy Upstairs.

Last Good Friday I took a trip with friends up to Tagaytay and down to Taal Lake, another good day in a series of great more than sucky days that I've been having for the past few weeks. I am so thankful to be living this life. I'll write about the exciting things to come for me very soon when everything is straightened out but all I can say is that its going to be amazing! And scary....

Things to do before I turn...27!

2007-03-15T17:35:00.000+08:00

I'd like to thank Ate Gigi for fulfilling my vain fantasy of taking a turn down the catwalk at the ForMe go-see last week for Philippine Fashion Week. Its something I wanted to try before I turned 30...now its 31. I headed over to the Rockwell tent one afternoon last week with artificially wavy hair, without lunch (as if skipping one meal would help) and mentally practicing my new birthday ("Me? I was born in 1981!") because a 30-year old trying this kind of thing seemed way too old.

There were close to a hundred girls of different variants of skinny. Happily I wasn't the shortest one and I didn't look like the oldest one, though I had to look away several times lest I caught the eye of some of the models who I'd already hired as talents before. ("Ma'am Sheila?? Wag ka na kasi maki-agaw ng projects namin!") By 5pm I was dying of hunger and afraid of tripping flat on my face, but I figured what the hey, I just had to try it once.

Gigi recently sent me the video she took with her phone of my "audition" and I might have the guts to post it someday, but so far I've only shown it to some close friends. She also accompanied it with a nice note that best summarizes what happened, and also shows you how wonderfully lucky I am to have such supportive friends:

"Sheila was so beautiful that afternoon! There were almost 80 models in Rockwell Tent in that ForMe go-see. For perspective, the brand is all about body shapes. The task was to choose only 6 models per body type (e.g., hourglass, rectangle, triangle & inverted triangle). Sheila belongs to the athletic rectangular shape. She was not chosen coz the brand mostly got the veterans na. However, my officemate Alex was raving about your lola’s byutiful fes at ang sabi nya mataas daw ang standards nya. There were other go-see for the imported brands ulit the next day but syempre Sheila only wanted to experience how it is to do the catwalk in super high heels. She did it! (Though next time, I told her she can smile & walk a little more slowly hehe!)."

Cheers to small adventures that take us out of the usual daily routine. :-)

Time for Happy Songs Now

2007-02-19T15:29:00.000+08:00

Unwritten
Natasha Bedingfield

So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten
Oh, oh, ohI break tradition, sometimes my tries, are outside the lines
We've been conditioned to not make mistakes, but I can't live that way

Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find
Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten

Pink Life
Gyskard

Searching for a day, a simple life
Among the clouds, the sky is blue
Water, stars falling around at night
My dream, your dream
Dreams come true,
Trying hard

Always follow what’s in your heart
Always listen to what’s inside
Always fly high & don’t come down
And don’t come (down)

Don't push yourself far over the limit
Push your mind ahead with your spirit
Push it to where you never thought you could go right
And never come down

You run away from a very stressing life
And take some time to think of you
Try to change the color of your life
My dream, your dream
Dreams come true
Trying hard

Always follow what’s in your heart
Always listen to what’s inside
Always fly high & don’t come down
And don’t come (down)
Don't push yourself far over the limit
Push your mind ahead with your spirit
Push it to where you never thought you could go right
And never come down

Update

2007-02-18T21:40:00.000+08:00

Well I've been feeling so introspective this weekend that I've decided to dust off the old blog and start writing cryptic things again about my life again. To the very few people who read my posts, sorry to have disappeared for quite some time.

Last week I had one of the best few days of my life and now I'm feeling the impact of knowing it was all temporary. Of course the best recourse to feeling better is to take a look at what's working in your life and be happy for that.

Thanks to Gigi, Toni and Deepa for providing the template. Here's a look back at my previous year:

What did you do in 2006 that you'd never done before?

Partied in New York.
Attended game conventions – E3 in LA and G-star in Seoul.
Became a maid of honor.
Bought a surfboard.
Tried capoeira.
Shopped in Ho Chi Minh.
Lost 10 pounds.
Relaxed my hair.
Turned down an overseas job offer.

Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I didn’t make any and I don’t think I will…I’d rather take life as it comes one day at a time.

Did anyone close to you give birth?
Hmm…maybe the closest person would be my officemate Meng. And Mylinda got pregnant and gave birth to baby Catherine last month.

Did anyone close to you die?
No, and I am thankful for that!

What countries did you visit?
USA, Korea, Vietnam.

What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006?
Less of a credit card debt, a small property and true love.

What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Getting promoted, going on a fabulous US vacation, getting back in shape, growing my hair long, and buying a living room set.

What was your biggest failure?
Spending too much, giving in to (male!) temptation.

Did you suffer illness or injury?
The usual gastric attacks but this time so severe that I have to take a trip to the ER so they can pump the medicine in via IV.

What date from 2006 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
June 9, 2006…spending my birthday with all my friends reminded me how lucky I am.

What was the best thing you bought?
My pink luggage set. At least I look chic while traveling!
Whose behavior merited celebration?
My bosses. My friends. My family.

What did you get really, really, really excited about?
My US trip!

Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
2 guys I went out with last year. I wonder why men can’t just be honest.

Where did most of your money go?
Shopping everywhere!

What song will always remind you of 2006?
Late 2006….Irreplaceable by Beyonce.
Oct 2006…Doing too much by Paula Deanda.

Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? At this very moment…sadder.
ii. thinner or fatter? Thinner!
iii. richer or poorer? Just the same.

What do you wish you'd done more of?
Think of consequences.

What do you wish you'd done less of?
Be impulsive.

Did you fall in love in 2006? No. But I may have fallen, somewhat, last week.

How many one-night stands? None.

What was your favorite TV program? Lost. House. Prisonbreak.

Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? No.

What was the best book you read? Read too many to pick a favorite. Maybe Harry Potter’s Order of the Phoenix--- ain’t I just shallow?

What was your greatest musical discovery?
East Village Opera Company.

What did you want and got? A raise. A new phone.

What was your favorite film of this year?
I can’t even remember any movies from last year!

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I made the big 3-0 last year. I think I bought cake, pancit and ice cream for the family on the day itself. The day after, Super F generously lent me his pad to throw a party for about 20 of my friends.

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Finding someone to share my successes with. My year was already satisfying, make no mistake, but it would’ve been icing on the cake.

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2006?
More colorful. More feminine.

What kept you sane?
My car. Work. Friends. The ocean.

Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Piolo forever!

Who did you miss?
When I thought about leaving the country…I realize I would miss my family the most.

Who was the best new person you met?
Hmm…maybe Alan. Imagine we still keep in touch!

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2006:
Love yourself. I always tell myself this but never truly believe it. Last year I thought I got it but there were still times that other people and situations would get me down. I hope to truly learn this someday.

Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
I think about you only twice a day…morning and evening.

The most touching experience you've had this year
My toast to Mylinda and her new husband at their wedding. I will miss having my best friend around.

What did you like most about yourself this year?
My continuing optimism which I hope to never lose.

What did you hate most about yourself in 2006?
My insecurities.

Was 2006 a good year for you?
Not the greatest yet, but it was a good year.

We're Not Alone

2006-10-08T15:28:00.000+08:00

Seeing the school of dolphins fly through the air among the waters of the Tanjay Strait in Dumaguete brought chills down my spine. Living the city life so intensely makes you forget that there's a whole other world out there, and that God made intelligent creatures other than us.

Just that sight alone made the trip worth it, but of course there were other highlights: Spaghetti and dessert at Sansrival, staying the night at family resort and bird sanctuary SeaForest (watching Fadzly struggle with the bugs and the early morning bird chirping was certainly entertaining), dinner, great acoustic music and cheap board shorts at Hayahay Restaurant, boating through Tanjay straits and swimming over clear waters in the high-tide incarnation of Dumaguete's Sandbar, and our last night in the classy Bahura villa with free kayaking, snorkeling and a Jacuzzi tub!

And I was not alone on this "work" trip, Fadzly and Tricia joined me, along with Christian, Henrik and baby Emma, but of course the credit for planning everything (and the lechon!)goes to my Visayas angels Tess, Gen, Charlotte and Chito. Thank you again.

Check out more photos here.

I Hate It When a Song Means Something

2006-09-10T22:19:00.000+08:00

Doing Too Much
Paula Deanda feat. Baby Bash

I'm leaving messages and voicemails
Telling you I miss you
Baby am I doing too much (too much)
Why you tryna diss me
When I just wanna kiss you
Baby am I doing too much (too much)
Tell me what's the issue
Who I give these lips to
Baby am I doing too much (too much)
This is turning into
Something I ain't hip to
Baby am I doing too much (too much)

See you got me all alone
Waiting right here by the phone
For you to call me,
Just to hear
Your voice tone
I keep on wondering if you was even
Feeling me, I keep on wondering if
This was even meant to be
Tell me imma waste of time, boy
You showing me no sign, is it cuz u on
Ya grind, cuz you're always on my mind

I keep on wondering if everything you said was true
I keep on wondering if you were really coming through

Now here I go again blowing you up,
And my girlfriends keep telling me
I'm doing too much
Now here I go again blowing you up,
And my girlfriends keep telling me
I'm doing too much

I'm out with my girls tryna have a good time
And you know I'm looking fly tryna meet sum other guys
But it gets hard sometimes cuz there ain't no one just like you
I try my best but I can't shake this thing u got me going through

All i can picture is the color of your eyes, and the way u make me smile
I ain't felt this in a while,
But I came to a conclusion that this is pure illusion
Chaos and confusion but I'm not gonna let it ruin

The way I feel about myself cuz I got self-esteem, sometimes I
Wonder if I'm just chasing a fantasy

[Baby Bash:]
Just leave ya name and number
And I'm gonna holla at cha
Just leave ya name and number
And I'm gonna holla at cha

Ronnie Ray all day
Women in the hall way, Evry day losing track of the people tryna call me
Don't take this the wrong way, I been having long days, doing it, moving
Round the town wherever I'm getting my song played

Now here I go again blowing you up,
And my girlfriends keep telling me
I'm doing too much
Now here I go again blowing you up,
And my girlfriends keep telling me
I'm doing too much

Flat!

2006-09-07T18:07:00.000+08:00

I'm talking about my hair. After weeks and weeks of whining about my hair going every which way, I finally plunked down some moolah and got it straightened. Be careful what you wish for. Now I hate it even more! But there's no going back. I have to wait it out for a few months.

An expensive lesson in being content with what you have.

Mabuhay ang kulot!

PS - I know this entry is really vain. But I can't deny that I am!

A look back at Philadelphia

2006-07-26T20:16:00.000+08:00

To test this new feature I discovered at Photobucket, I strung together a slideshow of photos from the Philadelphia leg of my US vacation last May. Actually most of the time there I spent in the nearby Norristown, where my best friend lives her very suburban lifestyle with her husband in a 3rd floor apartment. Besides being very happy to see her again, and being happy that she was happy, there's not much for me to say about Philadelphia. I guess I'm just not cut out for suburban living. We drove into the city for the requisite visits to the Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell and a cup of coffee at the popular chain Cosi's. I spent most of my time loading up on various fare at Red Lobster, The Cheesecake Factory, and spent most of my time swiping away at Macy's, and my favorite shops not available in Manila, H&M, Sephora, Forever21 and Bath & Body Works. But then how could I have helped not taking those shopping excursions at the King of Prussia mall when I was reunited with my favorite shopping buddy Mylinda?

Eating and shopping, that's what I remember about Philly. It was pretty much a sinful few days. I tried to compensate by snagging the best deals (with Mylinda's compulsive coupon clipping) and jogging for 30 minutes around their apartment compound, but that really didn't stop me from getting broke and gaining weight. To think it was only the first few days of my trip!

Endorphins

2006-07-26T11:51:00.000+08:00

Yes, its old news...but new to me. Going to the gym can make you feel good and exercise can get addictive.

I have always had to bear the burden of coming from a non-athletic family. Sports, phooey...what matters to my family are our drawing, writing, singing, ballet-dancing, piano-playing and pictionary skills. Basically I was built to be a creative person who's pretty much a weakling. When my metabolic rate started easing its way out at age 26, I was left to try my hand at actually exercising to look fit instead of deceiving people into thinking I was fit just because I was naturally skinny.

So I picked up climbing, running, surfing along the way, still demonstrating my klutzoid abilities and natural non-athletic-ness all the while, but damn I tried! I even saw progress sometimes. But in the last year, I've had over 10 people tell me how much weight I've gained, including my half-blind grandmother, the older helper of our next-door neighbor, and my best friend's mom who actually called me chubby *sniff*. I admit I'm being overdramatic especially to people who have bigger problems with their weight than me, but I guess its just a glaring difference to someone who always struggled to get beyond 104 lbs. This year while vacationing in the US I weighed in at 118 lbs. DING!

I gave up my luxury gym membership last January because I was bleeding cash by going only twice a month, but this July I crawled back to the ghetto gym on the next street and signed up for about 5 months. Then I got a trainer (a guy who's skinnier and shorter than I am though he seems quite capable). I've been going back religiously 3x a week. I get withdrawal if I miss a day. And I've started seeing results! I don't know if its psychological, but I'm imagining cuts along my arms already, and the poof in my tummy area seems much less. In fact when I suck my gut in during the mornings I can actually see abs. And I now weigh an ideal 113-114 lbs.

Physically, I haven't felt this good in ages. Its a good counterpoint to the gloomy weather thats prevailed over our skies lately, weather that just makes you want to crawl into bed and meditate on your life. Now if I hadn't been gym-ming I'd probably think of all the bad stuff and magnify them by a hundred times. Thank goodness I've been going, its helped me to stay positive no matter how things are.

What Boredom Looks Like

2006-07-03T17:55:00.000+08:00

Ok I admit it. I've been too lazy to update my blog with my US vacation pics. My 30th birthday thoughts. My La Luz trip. And coming soon, the first family vacation to Palawan. How will I catch up?? But I promise to put some updates on all those things even if it takes me forever (and it might!).

Anyway I scrounged up these hilarious photos taken at SYA Weekend Day 2 when we were asked to give our wishes for the community. Its tough to imagine me at a religious retreat I know, and these shots just shows how extremely looong (although enlightening!) the talks got...

I'll be back soon!

First Impressions

2006-05-15T13:39:00.000+08:00

My first few days in the U.S. were spent in Mylinda's new home in Norristown, PA, and here are some quick impressions:

- Meal portions are HUGE.
- There is so much TOILET PAPER.
- People must be hard of hearing because everyone seems to be so loud, and they don't hear me when I speak in my normal voice.
- I didn't know it was harder to jog and breathe cold air.
- It's so damn cold even if its spring, but everyone else must be immune to the brisk wind since they're all wearing tank tops, shorts and slippers.
- Everyone's either really friendly or a war freak.
- Tipping is painful.
- I might have been with a shopping freak, but I saw more malls than anything cultural or historical.

So that's my first few days in a nutshell. I'm amazed at how Mylinda adjusted so well so fast here. I miss the beach and the cheap massages!

Think Good Thoughts

2006-05-08T10:55:00.000+08:00

May 4, 2006

3:30am
I lug my (err, Deepa's) overpacked suitcase into a cab, and ride to the International airport. Amazingly enough, am actually punctual.

4:00am
Cut through the long security line before the check-in counter by assuming I'm meant to line up with the rest of Business Class. The Business Class counter directs me to the Standby counter. Reality bites.

4:45am
Continue trying to keep busy while waiting for my boarding pass by working through 1,400++ unread emails. Got it down to 1,100++ not by reading but by deleting.

5:50am
Told by Check-In counter guy as he hands me the boarding pass that I'll only find out if I get a seat on 6:50am NW Flight 72 to Nagoya at the gate. Gawd!

6:15am
After clearing immigration and numerous security checks, tried to look eager, charming and sweet in the hope that Northwest would give me a mercy seat even in the cargo hold.

6:45am
Northwest lady tells me firmly that all passengers are aboard with no more available seats. They promise to roll me over to the 8am flight.

7:30am
Still tried to maintain my eager, sweet and charming look though my inner bitch was struggling to come out. I wanted to stab passengers who continued to trickle into the plane last minute.

7:50am
Northwest lady tells me I could've made it on the plane if "Mr. Baker" hadn't come in the nick of time. Damn him.

8:00am
I watch plane fly off. Huhuhu.

Ahh the life of a non-revenue passenger. Tricia told me it was tough, but I didn't know how disappointing it would feel to have to claim your luggage at the Northwest office and drag your failed ass home. I even tried to buy a ticket for fear I wouldn't get a seat before Mylinda's wedding, but the travel agent told me that the next available flight to Philly was on May 22! I got so depressed that I hid from the world, turned off my phones, burrowed myself under the covers and drowned myself in sleep and Star Trek: The Next Generation DVDs. Only a couple of thoughts saved my sanity that day. My mantra: "I will fly out tomorrow. I will fly out tomorrow." My private movie reel of an unexpected but mucho delicious thing that happened recently. And my super fun weekend at that tanning salon known as Boracay. Time to take a Bora break...

The 2006 annual Boracay pilgrimage was undertaken by a mixed group of my friends which included Level Up! peeps, surfers, a childhood friend, and my headhunter!

No matter how much I think the crowd and commercialization will get to me, once I face the light blue clear waters, white powdery sand, Jonah's shakes, coconut oil beach massages, drinking nights, and gorgeous Bora sunsets, I'll always fall in love with the island all over again.

Great new finds for this trip, Hawaiian Barbeque (Station 1) for the steaks, Real Coffee (Station 1) for their breakfast of omelettes and muffins, Kayaking over at Boracay Regency, Lemon Cafe (D' Mall, Station 2) for their fusion cuisine and bright, chippy decor, and the Chori-Burger at any beach side vendor (how could I have missed this the last time I went!).

Oh wait, where were we?

May 5, 2006

4:10am
Cab's late. I stick my suitcase in the trunk and take off for the airport. Cab driver entertains himself by telling the dispatcher he's so late he hasn't picked me up yet. Later he tells me he didn't switch on the meter. What an ass.

4:40am
Line up again at Business Class. Hey it helped cut through the long line the day before didn't it? You guys know the drill from this point forward. But so many good omens pointed to that I would be able to fly out that day. Such as:

Check-in Security Lady: "Aba, hindi ba nandito ka kahapon? Di ka nakasakay? Wag kang mag-alala, makakasakay ka ngayong, mukhang mas konti ang tao eh. Pero di ko sigurado, di ako naka-attend ng briefing kanina." (I ignore the last part.)
Check-in Counter Girl: "Ma'am, we're overbooked by 10 people and you're 6th on the waiting list." (Hey, that's better than yesterday's chances where I was 9th on the list in a flight overbooked by 14 people.)
Frisking Girl: "Have a good flight, ma'am!" (Even she knows I'm gonna fly!)
Northwest Lady: "I'm sorry ma'am we have to downgrade you to coach because you're wearing rubber shoes. But we'll be able to board you." (YAHOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!)

6:45am
Plane doors close with me IN THE PLANE. Yeah!

To top it off: They upgrade me to Business Class a Nagoya in time for the 11-hour ass-numbing haul to Detroit.

It pays to think positive!

Zsa Zsa: Zo Funnee!

2006-04-25T13:09:00.001+08:00

If you hurry, you can still catch the last few days of Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah: Ze Musical, at the PETA Theater Center in Sunny Side Drive, Brgy Kristong Hari, Quezon City. There are still shows on April 28, 29 and 30, and you can book tickets through Cedric of PETA at 0922-8712001. Like someone said in an email, with the P700 seats you're close enough to catch saliva sparks from the cast, at P500 seats you're far enough not to notice that Eula Valdez (zuperhero Zsa Zsa) and Agot Isidro (zupervillain Queen Femina) are wearing bodystockings.

I saw the matinee show last Sunday, and though the 3-hour running time was hell on my ass, it was cozy to sit in an audience composed of metrosexuals, bading and babaeng bading. Hey maybe there were some straight people in the audience, and they seemed to get it too. The show took the plight of the gay Filipino and turned it into a funny musical, but to me it was touching the way the show characters coped with sadness through laughter. When I read the original comic book by Carlo Vergara a year ago, I thought it would be perfect as a musical, and I'm glad someone else did too.

Panties, err, hats off to the delicious Lauren Novero who played the romantic male lead Dodong. Everytime he came out onstage I could hear the entire audience chanting, "Take it off! Take it off!" He made me want to become gay just to take him home. :-P

Echoes of the Past

2006-04-16T11:37:00.000+08:00

In the 1800's, a young, well-off man named Martiniano de Jesus from Bulacan joined a group of bandoleros to fight the cruel Spanish regime that had been plaguing the Philippines for close to 300 years. When the Spanish discovered his involvement, he fled to a town called San Pablo in the Southern Tagalog region of Laguna and re-settled there as Martin Brion. He bought up tracts of land in the area, married a sweet girl named Iriniana Alanguilan, and proceeded to have 6 children with her. Unbeknownst to the townsfolk however, one summer Iriniana's beautiful younger sister Fernanda visited the family and could not resist Martin's charms. She also had a son with him named Juan, but left this child with Martin and Iriniana, never being recognized as his true mother and never marrying as long as she lived.

Juan was raised as Martin and Iriniana's son, one of 7 children, but always found himself the favorite of Martin who lavished much attention on him to make up for the circumstances surrounding his birth. Juan grew up a simple kid playing among the santol trees, tolerated by Iriniana but loved by his father and "aunt" Fernanda whom he visited during vacations. At the age of majority, he married a mestiza lady named Dionisia Espinelli Bril, hailing from a rich clan in Batangas, and rumored to be descended from a Spanish friar as evidenced by her blonde hair and bluish-grey eyes. Juan and Dionisia had 2 children, Jacinta and Filemon, and passed on quite early in life. It was claimed that Dionisia fell victim to the curse of the dwendes, and Juan perished in grief shortly thereafter.

The 2 children were adopted by family members...Filemon by an aunt and Jacinta by her grandfather Martin, who imposed a strict set of rules on his favored grand daughter as he was afraid she would end up disgraced as her real grandmother. He refused for her to pursue her dream of becoming a nurse, thinking that a job like this would get her sent too far away from him. She would deeply resent this all of her life, though she loved him deeply. Martin lived to the ripe old age of 107, and passed on all administration of his property to his eldest daughter Flaviana. She then took it upon herself to parcel out the land among his other children and grand children, but some say, she took advantage and gave herself and the family she married into more of the land than the other Brion children. The original Brions were left with hardly anything, and took to selling what they had to the richer branch of the family with a different last name. Filemon, Jacinta's brother, rebelled and struck out on a new life as farmer in Villa Escudero, setting up a new branch of Brions as workers in the massive estate.

Jacinta was a beautiful young woman, with the light brown eyes and fine Spanish features of her mother. Many tried to win her heart, but she was finally entrapped while on vacation in one of the small barrios of San Pablo by an out of towner whom she married. This broke her grandfather's heart and they stopped talking before he passed away. But the strict family administrator Flaviana knew how much her gfather Martin loved Jacinta, and gave her a small piece of land in the mountains. It was argued though that this was more out of guilt than generosity, since Jacinta and Filemon deserved to have what was entitled to their father Juan. For many years, Jacinta suffered through the laziness of her husband, and bore him 3 children. He then passed away and she used her wits to live through the Japanese-American War in the 1940's. This formerly privileged and smart woman who had dreams of becoming a nurse made a living as a washerwoman, and then for a second time married a poor but this time, more caring man from the nearby town of Sta Cruz, who vowed to take care of her and her children. They had a daughter together, named Imelda. There are rumors flying around that Jacinta's second husband Marcelino was not the real father of Imelda, but Jacinta will never talk about that subject.

Jacinta is my grandmother, and Imelda is my mom.

**********************

Aren't stories of our roots amazingly complex and facinating? Just listening to the elders talk about the past makes you think you're watching an epic movie or reading a historical novel, but its all part of YOUR life. So many surprises, so many secrets, so much went on that are just stories to us, but were once so real.

This is what I learned on my jaunt to the province yesterday, a very surface knowledge of what were very rich lives.

Bad Days, Better Days

2006-03-15T21:29:00.000+08:00

"I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody." - Bill Cosby

There a couple of small screens at the ground floor and 6th floor elevator lobbies of our building that they're trying to sell ad space for. For lack of actual ads, they have resorted to placing slide shows with inspirational quotes and in fairness, I've seen a couple of pretty good ones. But nothing more striking or applicable to myself than Cosby's words of wisdoms above. See, I'm a people pleaser. I hate it when people hate me. So sometimes I go above and beyond the call of duty to make people comfortable and happy.

For a tough stretch last week, the call of duty asked me to be the harbinger of doom to people. I kept on telling myself I couldn't control what happened. But it's really hard when something you gotta do makes other people unhappy.

So by the end of the week I tried to take Cosby's words to heart and stopped thinking about pleasing everyone...except myself! Went surfing (in tamer waves then last November) and this time standing up on the board wasn't just a fluke because I did it several times. Woohoo!

Uh-oh, now I'm addicted to the waves. Here are photos of me getting stoked! :)

North Luzon Loop (Part 3)

2006-03-06T12:46:00.001+08:00

Bolinao, Pangasinan

Patar Beach is simply the best swimming beach I've been to in years. Uncrowded, clear blue waters with fine white sand, and its just a total of 5 hours away from Manila if you drive in directly. It's advisable to come by car, as the row of resorts is about 20 minutes drive away from the really good beach area--- yep its tough to trike or jeep in to Patar Beach. We stayed at Bing's Resort (for reservations call +63928-2477501, +63921-2807142 and look for Aida), which apart from being a comfy place to sleep, has really a warm and welcoming staff who always asks if you're ok, will offer to manage the videoke machine for you, and can cook a mean liempo and Pinakbet and bring it atop a 2-level hut perched for a view of the sea. One side of Bing's is also fronted by a good beach, but if you're too lazy to move from there to Patar Beach, one good incentive to get driving is being able to pass by the Bolinao Lighthouse, which has a balcony with an extremely romantic view of the Bolinao coastline.

I always find that roadtrips with Marj and Gigi always send us visiting nearby churches in every town we pass, and this one was no exception. Although I'm not very religious, I don't mind at all because I've always believed you can see the best artwork in churches. This holds true and is even more evident in more rural towns where you'll suddenly be surprised by a structure of Spanish or Gothic architecture. Above photos from L-R, clockwise: St Joseph the Patriarch, Aguilar, Pangasinan; San Isidro Labrador, Pangasinan (the outside looks like a birthday cake for Marj but the interior has gorgeous back wall mural), St. Raymund of Penafort, Mangataren, Pangasinan and St. James Parish, Bolinao (complete with bats in the belfry).

The last, unavoidable and most sinful component of a road trip is food, food, food! From the adobo and barbeque cooked by Mai, one of the best cooks I know (who claims to be able to cook any dish she tastes!), the chips, and cookies forced (!) on me by Gigi, the requisite Starbucks stop at Luisita, Tarlac, and Marj's recommendations, tainga and bulalo at Countryside Restaurant which was our last stop at Katipunan Extension, Quezon City.

Credits for the trip have to go to the great company I was with but most of all, to the birthday girl--- may she have a great year which kicks off with learning from her past and moves into a bright and brilliant future!

North Luzon Loop (Part 2)

2006-03-04T14:16:00.001+08:00

Alaminos, Pangasinan

This time our excuse was Marj's birthday bash, which we took on the the road to Pangasinan. Our weekend started on a Friday at the ungodly hour of 5:00 am, at the Cinnabon outlet in the Petron station on NLEX. 3 hours later, were in the famous Manaoag Shrine. You can't miss it , there are 3 "welcome arches" along the highway that lead you to the site.

The church of Our Lady of Manaoag seems to have been renovated already as the exterior gleams with a fresh coat of paint. But the interior is at least more authentic and antique, and the back walls reminded me very of much of Spanish Intramuros. I expected hordes of people to be there as befitting the "miraculous statue" stories, but the crowd was quite manageable, and prayerful. After lighting a candle in the back and checking out the wood carved replicas of the Blessed Virgin mounted onto trees, we went up to a room positioned at the back of the church altar where you can kneel, touch the cloak of Our Lady, and ask your petition. There's also a museum where they showcase past perfumes crowns, cloaks, jewelry and rosaries that the Lady has worn, many donated by devotees. Typical of a pinoy Patron, the Lady was quite well equipped with fragrances by Ferregamo, Estee Lauder, Dior and Chanel and when we asked the museum receptionist what kind of miracles the Lady had performed, she said something like, "She brought a boy back to life." and "She saved people from a fire," which were singularly amazing feats but quite vague in execution. I guess its really personal faith that counts.

Another 4 hours later, the van finally drove up to our main destination at the Hundred Islands National Park in Lucap, Alaminos, Pangasinan. They say there are 123 islands scattered around this area, with 3 islands that are developed for overnight accomodations. You can choose either the "roughing it" accomodations or celebrity quarters. We opted for the latter, and booked a night at the villa on Governor's Island, where the locals claim that Regine Velasquez stayed a week before to shoot a Wow, Philippines ad (hence my Regine pose!).

The house overlooks the sea via a balcony reminiscent of a Greek villa (I can only imagine one from pictures), and you can actually climb down pretty steep rock formations to jump into the water. They only ration water though, so even "celebrities" have to bathe with a pail of water, and lights go off at 10pm unless you pay for an extension. We spent the day bonding, cooking (ok I only washed dishes), and hobnobbing with the local caretaker, the house cat and kitten, and the resident ghost (waaah). The lack of electricity led me to flip my cellphone backlight on every hour during the dark, electricity-less night so I could sleep!

During low tide, you can actually walk from Governor's Island to the neighboring one, which Mai and James did at 6:00 am while the rest of us were still asleep. Though I think the neighboring estate was called Virgin Island, and maybe that's why I wasn't meant for a visit. Governor's Island offers footpaths around and up a hill where you have a better view of the islands scattered around (check out me asking Manong, este, James for directions). There are also visually stunning balete trees with their roots extending down the paths, and interesting caves complete with bats! Here's a tip: Havaianas are not for trekking.

For P200 more on top of the P1,200 you pay for the boat that ferried us to Governor's Island, you can take the boat island hopping. We did hop around and check out the interesting island formations, spent some time at a raft anchored in the midst of several islands, tried to snorkel ('til we found too many itchy critters in the water), and eventually stopped at a charming little beach called Papaya Island for the requisite sun bathing in the grey-white sand, picture taking among the stunning rock formations, and swimming in relatively clear waters.

Then we took to the road again. Next stop--- Bolinao.

Note: To get to the Hundred Islands National Park, take the North Expressway and exit at Mabalacat, Pampanga. You pass through Tarlac and then turn towards the Pangasinan towns of Mangataren, Buhgallon, Sual then Alaminos. Pick up an EZ-Map of Pangasinan at any National Booksore for best results, and you can also arrange for accomodations at the Tourist Office when you arrive. You may also call the Alaminos Tourist Office at +75-5512505/2249.

North Luzon Loop (Part 1)

2006-03-03T19:00:00.002+08:00

Baguio

The herd (or at least some of us) trooped to the Shell station on the North Luzon Expressway at 7:00 am on a Saturday to kick off our Baguio overnight trip to attend Ton & Anthony's wedding. A Starbucks breakfast, 5 hours and 10++ CDs later, we landed in the mucho delicious Cafe by the Ruins near the Baguio City Hall to feast on White Cheese Salad, Pinikpikan, Chicken in Cream Sauce and Panna Cotta. Sadly they had run out of the special Strawberry Shake, but at least we have an excuse to go back again.

After a short nap at Marvi's family house which would serve as our homebase for the weekend, we rushed off to the church to see most of the church rites, and then drove over to the reception at the Manor Suites in Camp John Hay. It was quite a trip to see everyone so dressed up! But what really made the night beautiful wasn't all the fancy dresses, it was seeing a celebration of a strong bond between 2 people. It makes one marvel about human relationships, and how people traveling different paths can suddenly travel together along the way.

Of course we didn't just stick with sentimental moments, but got cracking on taking photos for the rest of the night. Sadly enough, we only had 1 photo with the newlyweds! The rest of the time, Marvi, Gigi and I posed with Jason, Erica, and other friends.

We spent our next "day off" visiting Burnham Park ("Ma'am, off lang po kami.."), buying strawberries at P60/kilo and lunching at Sugbaan which is a grill place inside the park. Then we hied off to the Baguio Palengke for the requisite silver and gulay shopping. I walked out with silver hoop earrings (P180), a silver thumb ring (P200) and about P300 worth of cauliflower, romaine lettuce, cabbage, and mushrooms. The adorable buhat boys helped us carry our stuff to the parking...and gamely posed for a pic.

Before finally vrooming down the mountain (poor Max was traumatized by this trip), we took photos with the fabulous Baguio view as our backdrop. Finally I handed the wheel over to our resident maniac driver Gigi so we could speed our way to dinner at Isdaan in alongside the Tarlac highway ("Halfway to the North"). The food was standard grilled fare, but the floating tables and the phallic looking statues more than made up for it with entertainment value.

Clocked in home at 1:00 am on Monday morning. What a weekend.

Tagged!

2006-03-01T16:23:00.000+08:00

This is a long overdue response to a tag by my sister, and my inspiration for the items below is an original list from my journal written many years ago when I someone told me that the key to finding The One was writing down the specific things you want in Mr Right. So dutifully followed instructions and it hasn't exactly been effective.:P But comparing my old list to the new one makes me realize how much my understanding of what I want in my life and for myself has improved greatly. And if this is what all this time helped me to achieve, then its definitely worth the wait.

Eight different points of my perfect lover:

1. Free-spirited and fun. No prophets of doom please or whiners please.
2. Responsible and able to take care of himself. Being able to take care of me is just a plus, not a necessity.
3. Smart. Genius IQ is not a requirement, but street smart and able to keep up a conversation is extremely acceptable.
4. Respectful. Of himself, of me, and of others around us.
5. An equal. I don't mean in status, but in being able to give as much as he can get from me.
6. With an ability to share, both his life with mine and mine with his. I can't live in a compartment.
7. Decisive. If he's decided to stick with me, he should!
8. Able to recognize me right away. Of course this is a shot at the moon...but one can only hope!

Ok that last part of the list was getting tough. So I'm sure this stands for more improvement. But anyway I'm also going to follow the rest of the tag:

Sex of the target (?!): Straight Male

Eight people I'm tagging: All non-bloggers, but they deserve to think about it too--- Tricia, Marj, Gigi, Ainee...and I can't think of any more. Fine...you, you, you and YOU.

About Something that Bugged Me for a While

2006-02-05T12:19:00.000+08:00

My head was littered with stories of how well-off families had been denied a US Visa, single women were the most likely to be rejected, and an unemployed friend of mine had to pay an some dude P150,000 just to get enough documents for his application. After Mylinda pronounced May 14 to be her date for the church wedding in Brooklyn, with me as part of the bridal entourage, I proceeded to start overanalyzing my chances of getting my visa renewed.

I made my interview appointment back in December, started compiling oodles of paperwork including press clippings of my "fabulous" career, and worried about the upcoming interview with anyone who would listen to me. Still more people volunteered stories of how they didn't get in even with bigger bank accounts or actual real estate property and so the whole thing just got magnified in my head. The day before my 8am interview, I couldn't sleep. I hated feeling like I really wanted to get a visa, but I think I was also freaked because I hated failing at anything. Oh, and I had been promoted in the bridal party. Mylinda made me her maid of honor.

At the embassy, I spent 3 hours waiting and quietly listening to people worrying out loud at their upcoming 3-5 minute interview with consul. I saw older career persons and young families get the nod of approval. I felt sad when they turned down an 80-year old grandmother who said she wanted to visit her children perhaps for the last time. And then finally it was my turn.

Consul dude: So you're going to New Jersey to attend a wedding?
Me: Actually the wedding's in New York. I'm staying with a friend in Jersey. I'm excited to go to the wedding---I'm the maid of honor!
Consul dude: How many maids of honors are there? (Laughs)
Me: Just me!
Consul dude: So where do you work?
Me: A videogame company called Level Up.
Consul dude: Oh? And how long have your worked there? (Looks down at my papers)
Me: 3 years.
Consul dude: What videogames do you have?
Me: We publish...Ragnarok. Do you know it? (Fully expecting for his eyes to dawn with recognition. They don't.)
Consul dude: No. Do you have RPGs?
Me: Yes we have 3. And a couple of casual games. We even have a basketball game.
Consul dude: So I see the last time you went on vacation you went to Europe. You must have been gone a while, you went to so many places.
Me: Yup, 2 months. That's how I take my vacations, in one sweep. That was 3 years ago, I felt I owed myself another vacation.
Consul dude: Are you single?
Me: (With dread) Yes.
Consul dude: Do you know that when you attend weddings, you usually meet someone?
Me: Believe me, I never meet anyone when I travel.
(He laughs and hands me the yellow slip of approval.)
Me: Thank you!

Hell wasn't that easy? No questions on my bank account, my ties to the Philippines, if I have relatives abroad, all those other questions I expected to be asked! I still don't know until now if this subject was worth getting anxious about. Bur I really do feel sometimes that I can't possibly get any luckier than I already am.

A week later I find out I got a 5-year multiple entry visa.

Amazing!

January Lessons

2006-02-01T18:56:00.000+08:00

The view from Surf Camp, Urbiztondo, La Union, the best source of banana pancakes and instant coffee.

Cool special effects from firedancers...and surfers too! Some people just have sooo much talent.

Lesson from Earl...learning to stand on the board. It took me 2 LU trips to finally get up!

I always end up wiping out. But I've had at least one proper ride!

So mostly I just end up sitting on the beach watching the experts do it (taken at the Manila Surfer's Cup last January 21-22, 2006)...

...or posing with other surfing neophytes who hope to become real surfers someday...

We just love the camera!

Here we are hanging out with real surfers...guys who always have great tans year round and enviously flat abs! For more great surfing pics, visit Sid's fabulous photo galley.

My previous entry was about looking back at what I had learned in the previous year. But suprisingly January gave me a barrage of new lessons. My 1st time to properly ride a wave in La Union, thanks to Earl's patience. My 1st try at Power-Kiting, where I briefly got to fly a 6-meter kite in Greenfields, Santa Rosa Laguna, thanks to Patrick. My 1st attempt to jump around in the sand playing Ultimate Frisbee. Learning to play crazy and highly-recommended board games Apples to Apples and Cranium. Who would've thought I'd move beyond Cluedo, Pictionary and the classic Millleborne? The best lesson of all: learning that that I've finally learned my lesson on something I was so stubborn about after all this time!

The great thing about learning is that you never think you can figure it out but when you FINALLY do...its one of the best feelings in the world. If this is what I accomplished in just the 1st month of the year, I can't wait for the rest.

The Year That Was

2006-01-02T18:02:00.000+08:00

During this time of year, while people make new resolutions, I usually do the opposite and look back at the things I learned, the things I have to be thankful for on the past year. These things will be my ammunition for the year ahead...something I don't really worry about because the future always lays out so many possibilities for me.

So my 10 happy thoughts for 2005:
1. Financial independence, with a little extra for small luxuries.
2. Old friends who are still around in one way or another, and new friends who have made my world so much bigger and smaller at the same time.
3. My family's health, steady and consistent.
4. Learning new things.
5. Getting saner and more patient in my personal life.
6. My best friend who showed me you never know when it will happen to you.
7. Talked about it for so long, can't believe I finally have him--- Max. Even if I'll be paying for him forever, its ok. Everytime I put my hands on the wheel I think, "Wow! He's mine!"
8. Knowing my value, and knowing they know it too.
9. The sea, sand and sky that just makes me forget the world and love it too.
10. Knowing there are still guys like that out there.

Happy new year everyone!

The Sunset Collection

2005-12-05T15:24:00.000+08:00

I'll just never get tired of the view...

Mantigue Island, January 2004

Boracay, May 2005

Malapascua Island, April 2004

Mactan Island, November 2005

La Union, November 2005

Subic, May 2005

Puerto Galera, November 2005