tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-103624042024-03-13T12:36:36.492+08:00Sleep all...sleep all day!!!Musings of a Somnambulist NocturnalSomnambulist Nocturnalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01099951888908786931noreply@blogger.comBlogger262125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10362404.post-59787853912814181662007-09-09T10:06:00.003+08:002010-09-23T17:26:11.021+08:00ChangesI carried <a href="http://sleepyhead29.multiply.com/">on</a>.and <span style="font-size:+0;color:#000000;"><a href="http://www.brand-handbag.com/">gucci bags</a></span>Somnambulist Nocturnalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01099951888908786931noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10362404.post-1155488005186924502006-08-14T00:12:00.001+08:002010-09-23T04:10:48.444+08:00The Comeback!I accounted that it had been nearly two months since I last posted here on Blogger. La lang, as I told <a href="http://makilingstreet.blogspot.com/">Phillip</a> over SMS, I just couldn't think of anything interesting to write about.<br /><br />I've struggled over the past couple of months balancing time for both professional and personal commitments. But then I realized that I sacrificed a significant fraction of my personal time just so I could finish all the crazy stuff I do in the office. It made me feel really depressed most of the time, and when I'm depressed, I easily lose focus and direction. That triggered me to post a gloomy one-liner, after which I decided to post <a href="http://www.brand-handbag.com/"><span style="TEXT-DECORATION: none;color:#000000;" >gucci handbags</span> </a>entry on this blog for several weeks.<br /><br />It was a good breather. I didn't intend to spread my strain of negativity in the blogosphere, and I thought nobody would dare empathize anyway. Oh well, I proved myself wrong that after fetching comments from blogger friends and reading their just as poignant narratives, I realized it was just a phase and I'd soon get over all these depressing thoughts. I'm just happy that I still live a normal life.<br /><br />So there...I didn't have a single entry for July because I was 'depress-depressan' about life in general. But it didn't mean I totally missed out on one of my pastimes. I was just on blogging stealth mode to most in my few weeks of hibernation. Uhm, unless we've been mutual friends on <a href="http://sleepyhead29.livejournal.com/">LJ</a> since '05, you'd think parang di rin naman ako nawala. Hehe! =) Anyway, say you'd like to know about those little yet profound episodes, feel free to visit the other blog.<br /><br />Haay, it's nearly 1am and I still can't sleep. I'll log off in a while and will probably read some. Hopefully, I'm back to some serious blogging. Hehehe! =) Night everyone!Somnambulist Nocturnalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01099951888908786931noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10362404.post-1150631021018378732006-06-18T19:39:00.001+08:002010-09-23T04:16:33.268+08:00...Suddenly, I feel so trapped in the monotony of this corporate life. Sadly, I don't know where I'm headed <strike>for.</strike><a href="http://www.brand-handbag.com/"><span style="TEXT-DECORATION: none;color:#000000;" >gucci handbags</span></a>Somnambulist Nocturnalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01099951888908786931noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10362404.post-1149858523113304612006-06-09T21:07:00.001+08:002010-09-23T04:25:17.747+08:00Sound trip...I listen to Chico and Del's "Morning Rush" before I go to work, so I always get the chance to hear their movie premier plugs in between TOP TENs and song queues. Also heard they're set for the premiere of "The Lakehouse," which stars Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock. The film has quite an intriguing plot by having two lovers separated by time, if I may base it on the clips...Hmm...better if I save all these comments until I see this movie, hopefully by next weekend. Hehe.<br /><br />Anyway, what caught my attention, really, was that song playing on the background, "Somewhere Only We Know" by Keane. I heard the song a number of times over Jam, but it was only until a couple of weeks back that I had been repeatedly humming the tunes to the chorus. I finally got the chance to download the song tonight (YAY!!!), so it's already in my iTunes player's most played songs. hehe! = )<br /><br />I looked up for video codes and finally posted it on friendster, too. The lyrics are as enchanting as the music and the video, so feel free to sing along...<br /><br />Somewhere Only We Know<br />Keane<br /><br />I walked across an empty land<br />I knew the pathway like the back of my hand<br />I felt the earth beneath my feet<br />Sat by the river and it made me complete<br />Oh simple thing where have you gone<br />I'm getting old and I need something to rely on<br />So tell me when you're gonna let me in<br />I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin<br /><br />I came across a fallen tree<br />I felt the branches of it looking at me<br />Is this the place we used to love?<br />Is this the place that I've been dreaming of?<br /><br />Oh simple thing where have you gone<br />I'm getting old and I need something to rely on<br />So tell me when you're gonna let me in<br />I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin<br /><br />And if you have a minute why don't we go<br />Talk about it somewhere only we know?<br />This could be the end of everything<br />So why don't we go<br />Somewhere only we know?<br /><br />Oh simple thing where have you gone<br />I'm getting old and I need something to rely on<br />So tell me when you're gonna let me in<br />I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin<br /><br />And if you have a minute why don't we go<br />Talk about <a href="http://www.brand-handbag.com/"><span style="TEXT-DECORATION: none;color:#000000;" >gucci handbag</span></a> somewhere only we know?<br />This could be the end of everything<br />So why don't we go<br />Somewhere only we know?<br /><br />This could be the end of everything<br />So why don't we go<br />Somewhere only we know?<br /><br />FIN...<br /><br />Happy weekend everyone!!! TOKYO PROJECT night tomorrow!!!Somnambulist Nocturnalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01099951888908786931noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10362404.post-1148554077184318242006-05-25T18:40:00.001+08:002010-09-23T04:31:10.706+08:00Nearly ranting...I thought it was madness to set a full-day meeting on a weekend when I got <a href="http://www.brand-handbag.com/"><span style="TEXT-DECORATION: none;color:#000000;" >gucci bags</span> </a>plans all set weeks ahead. But then, I'm just thankful people are considerate enough to postpone it until the next, or else...(devilish glare...ahehehe!)Somnambulist Nocturnalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01099951888908786931noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10362404.post-1148369686111837422006-05-23T15:33:00.001+08:002010-09-23T04:41:20.150+08:00Mwehehehehe!<div align="left">Funniest quote I got from Rosey: </div><div align="left"><br />"Oo, aaminin ko. Sila ay mga yakal, lawaan, apitong, at narra..at kami ay saging lang and <a href="http://www.brand-handbag.com/"><span style="TEXT-DECORATION: none;color:#000000;" >gucci handbags</span></a>. Pero maghanap kayo ng puno sa buong Pilipinas..saging lang ang may puso...SAGING LANG ANG MAY PUSO!"</div>- Mark Lapid in <em>Apoy Sa Dibdib Ng Samar</em><br /><br />Waging wagi!!!Somnambulist Nocturnalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01099951888908786931noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10362404.post-1148186279207155492006-05-21T12:14:00.002+08:002010-09-24T01:06:10.610+08:00Meme time!!!<p></p><p></p><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" align="center" border="1" style="color:black;"><tbody><tr><td align="middle" style="color:#ffd391;"><span style="font-size:14;color:#000000;"><strong>Your Deadly Sins</strong></span></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#ffce93"><strong>Sloth</strong>: 60%</td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#ffc995"><strong>Greed</strong>: 20%</td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#ffc498"><strong>Lust</strong>: 20%</td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#ffbf9a"><strong>Envy</strong>: 0%</td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#ffb99c"><strong>Gluttony</strong>: 0%</td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#ffb49e"><strong>Pride</strong>: 0%</td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#ffafa1"><strong>Wrath</strong>: 0%</td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#ffaaa3"><strong>Chance You'll Go to Hell</strong>: 14%</td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#ffa5a5">You will die with your hand down your underwear, watching Star Trek.</td></tr></tbody></table><div align="center"><a href="http://blogthings.com/howsinfulareyouquiz/">How Sinful Are You?</a></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><br /><br /><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="350" align="center" border="0"><tbody><tr><td align="middle" style="color:#eeeeee;"><span style="font-size:14;color:#000000;"><b>Your Brain is 53% Female, 47% Male</b></span></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#ffffff"><center><img height="100" src="http://images.blogthings.com/whatgenderisyourbrainquiz/brain.jpg" width="100" /></center><span style="color:#000000;"><br />Your brain is a healthy mix of male and female<br />You are both sensitive and savvy<br />Rational and reasonable, you tend to keep level headed<br />But you also tend to wear your heart on your sleeve</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div align="center"><a href="http://blogthings.com/whatgenderisyourbrainquiz/">What Gender Is Your Brain?</a></div><br /><br /><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="350" align="center" border="0"><tbody><tr><td align="middle" style="color:#d3cdda;"><span style="font-size:14;color:#000000;"><b>You Are 28% Abnormal</b></span></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#e4e1e8"><center><img height="100" src="http://images.blogthings.com/howabnormalareyouquiz/weird.jpg" width="100" /></center><span style="color:#000000;"><br />You are at medium risk for being a psychopath. It is somewhat likely that you have no soul.<br /><br />You are at medium risk for having a borderline personality. It is somewhat likely that you are a chaotic mess.<br /><br />You are at medium risk for having a narcissistic personality. It is somewhat likely that you are in love with your own reflection.<br /><br />You are at low risk for having a social phobia. It is unlikely that you feel most comfortable in your mom's basement.<br /><br />You are at low risk for obsessive compulsive disorder. It is unlikely that you are addicted to hand sanitizer.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div align="center"><a href="http://blogthings.com/howabnormalareyouquiz/">How Abnormal Are You?</a></div><br /><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="350" align="center" border="0"><tbody><tr><td align="middle" style="color:#dddddd;"><span style="font-size:14;color:#000000;"><b>Who Should Paint You: Andy Warhol</b></span></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#eeeeee"><center><img height="100" src="http://images.blogthings.com/whatartistshouldpaintyourportraitquiz/andy-warhol.jpg" width="100" /></center><span style="color:#000000;"><br />You've got an interested edge that would be reflected in any portrait<br />You don't need any fancy paint techniques to stand out from the crowd!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div align="center"><a href="http://blogthings.com/whatartistshouldpaintyourportraitquiz/">What Artist Should Paint Your Portrait?</a></div><br /><br /><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="350" align="center" border="0"><tbody><tr><td align="middle" style="color:#999999;"><span style="font-size:14;color:#000000;"><b>Your Life Path Number is 7</b></span></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#cccccc"><center><img height="100" src="http://images.blogthings.com/whatisyourlifepathnumberquiz/path.jpg" width="100" /></center><span style="color:#000000;"><br />Your purpose in life is to find truth and meaning<br /><br />You are very spiritual, and you are interested in the mysteries of life.<br />You are quite analytical and a great thinker. You have many theories and insights.<br />A life of solitude is perfect for you. You need time to think and do things your way.<br /><br />In love, you are quite charming. You attract many with your confidence and wit.<br /><br />While you enjoy being alone, sometimes you take it to an extreme.<br />You can become too isolated, shutting out loved ones and friends.<br />Express yourself a little bit more, and you'll be surprised where it takes you! up:<a href="http://www.brand-handbag.com/"><span style="color:#000000;">gucci handbags</span></a></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div align="center"><a href="http://blogthings.com/whatisyourlifepathnumberquiz/">What Is Your Life Path Number?</a></div><br /><br /><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="350" align="center" border="0"><tbody><tr><td align="middle" style="color:#999999;"><span style="font-size:14;color:#000000;"><b>Your <a href="http://www.brand-handbag.com/"><span style="TEXT-DECORATION: none;color:#000000;" >gucci bags</span></a> Blog Should Be Purple</b></span></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#0000cc"><center><img height="100" src="http://images.blogthings.com/whatcolorshouldyourblogorjournalbequiz/purple.gif" width="100" /></center><span style="TEXT-DECORATION: none;color:#000000;" ><br />You're an expressive, offbeat blogger who tends to write about anything and everything.<br />You tend to set blogging trends, and you're the most likely to write your own meme or survey.<br />You are a bit distant though. Your blog is all about you - not what anyone else has to say.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div align="center"><a href="http://blogthings.com/whatcolorshouldyourblogorjournalbequiz/">What Color Should Your Blog or Journal Be?</a></div><br /><br /><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="350" align="center" border="0"><tbody><tr><td align="middle" style="color:#dddddd;"><span style="font-size:14;color:#000000;"><b>You Are a Mai Tai</b></span></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#eeeeee"><center><img height="100" src="http://images.blogthings.com/whatmixeddrinkareyouquiz/mai-tai.jpg" width="100" /></center><span style="color:#000000;"><br />You aren't a big drinker, but you'll drink if the atmosphere is festive.<br />And when you're drunk, watch out! You're easily carried away.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div align="center"><a href="http://blogthings.com/whatmixeddrinkareyouquiz/">What Mixed Drink Are You?</a></div>Somnambulist Nocturnalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01099951888908786931noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10362404.post-1147602403832127742006-05-14T16:49:00.001+08:002010-09-23T04:48:53.586+08:00Photos in random<div align="center">And as promised, here are some of photos taken from the last trip...<br /><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/1600/CIMG3952.jpg"><em><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/200/CIMG3952.jpg" border="0" /></em></a><em> The ruins of St. Paul's Cathedral</em></div><div align="center"><br /><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/1600/CIMG3936.jpg"><em><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/200/CIMG3936.jpg" border="0" /></em></a><em>Lemon Cello Gelato, one of Macau's best!!! </em></div><div align="center"><br /><br /></div><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/200/DSC04660.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><em>Walking 230 meters above the ground </em></p><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/1600/CIMG3931.0.jpg"><em><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/200/CIMG3931.0.jpg" border="0" /></em></a><em> Senado Square</em></div><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/1600/CIMG4154.jpg"><em><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/200/CIMG4154.jpg" border="0" /></em></a><em> Nighttime in Mong Kok</em></div><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/1600/CIMG4132.jpg"><em><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/200/CIMG4132.jpg" border="0" /></em></a><em>My sister, jumping the soccer bandwagon! </em></div><br /><div align="center"><em></em></div><div align="center"><em></em></div><div align="center"><em><br /></em></div><p align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/1600/CIMG4146.jpg"><em><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/200/CIMG4146.jpg" border="0" /></em></a><em> World Cup Craze in Kowloon</em></p><br /><p align="center"><em></em></p><p align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/1600/CIMG4121.jpg"><em><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/200/CIMG4121.jpg" border="0" /></em></a><em> A View of the Fisherman's Wharf from Vulcania =) </em></p><div align="center"><em></em></div><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/1600/CIMG4152.jpg"><em><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/200/CIMG4152.jpg" border="0" /></em></a><em> Stinky tofu, anyone? </em></div><div align="center"><em><br /><br /></em></div><p align="center"><em><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/200/CIMG3913.jpg" border="0" />River cruise </em></p><p align="center"><em></em></p><p align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/1600/CIMG3880.jpg"><em><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/200/CIMG3880.jpg" border="0" /></em></a><em>Malcolm =) </em></p><p align="center"><em><br /></em></p><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/1600/CIMG3900.jpg"><em><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/200/CIMG3900.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"></em></a><em>Centuries-old Macanese dwellings </em></p><p align="center"><em><br /></p></em><em><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/200/CIMG3893.jpg" border="0" /> </em><div align="center"><em>OldTaipa Village </em></div><br /><br /><div align="center"><em></em></div><div align="center"><em></em></div><div align="center"><em></em></div><div align="center"><em><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/200/CIMG3864.jpg" border="0" />Apartment block </em></div><div align="center"><p align="center"><em><br /></em></p><p align="center"><em><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="text-decoration: none;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/200/CIMG3855.0.jpg" border="0" /> Taipa at Nighttime<br />up:<a href="http://www.brand-handbag.com/"><span style="TEXT-DECORATION: none;color:#000000;" >gucci handbags</span></a></em></p></div>Somnambulist Nocturnalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01099951888908786931noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10362404.post-1147346016207129882006-05-11T19:12:00.001+08:002010-09-23T17:41:10.510+08:00Macau diary (third installment)April 26, Wednesday.<br />Oi accompanied us to Hong Kong for some dining, haggling, and even more sightseeing. The weather was fine so it was perfect timing to see places that gave Hong Kong the merit of being Asia’s shopping Mecca.<br /><br />We boarded the turbo jet around 11.15 in the morning, and it only took us about 45 minutes to reach the Hong Kong ferry terminal.<br /><br /><p><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/1600/CIMG4140.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/200/CIMG4140.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><p>Immigration was hassle-free because there weren’t a lot of tourists lining up. However, as I was on my way out to the arrival lounge, surprisingly, a Hong Kong Customs officer led me into his office. Questioning was very informal, and I’d like to assume that they did it indiscriminately. They checked my bag and found nothing else but my travel documents. After inspection, they just led me to the arrival lounge and where I met my Angel and Oi. Told them HK Customs thought I was a smuggler. Hehehe!<br /><br />We started our tour few minutes past lunchtime. We took the subway train going to Causeway Bay. All the places we went to were so packed with people and I guess I’m no longer used to this city life for having worked in the suburbs of QC for nearly 9 months now, and I somehow felt so “promdi.” Hehehe! </p><p><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/1600/CIMG4144.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/200/CIMG4144.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />First stop was for my sister to buy herself a wristwatch, but it ended up with Oi’s buying her one as a gift. Lucky girl. =)<br /><br />We also stopped by Hong Kong’s Times Square to have late lunch at Simply Thai. It’s a nice restaurant with skillfully designed interiors located at the Food Forum on the mall’s 11th floor. Things to rave about the restaurant would have to be: 1) a wide selection of mouth-watering Thai deli, 2) cozy ambiance, and 3) great customer service. It's a bit more pricey compared to other local restaurants, though, but you'll surely get your every penny's worth.<br /><br />I checked out several local brands, similar to our F&H or Bench, but I felt the price tags were “overly promising” when I could get the same designs for less if I bought them back here in the Philippines. After half-an hour of window-shopping, I asked Oi to bring us to Mong Kok. =)<br /><br />When we arrived in Mong Kok, there were bargains galore! ‘Nuf said. </p><p><br /></p><p><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/1600/CIMG4149.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/200/CIMG4149.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/1600/CIMG4151.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/200/CIMG4151.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />It was a shopping marathon for the three of us. But I gave up when I realized it was already 7pm. As we walked past the crowded alleys, Oi asked me to try the stinky tofu, which happens to be one of the popular street foods in Hong Kong. Man, it really was stinky!!! Sample this...<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/1600/CIMG4152.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/200/CIMG4152.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/1600/CIMG4156.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/200/CIMG4156.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Few minutes past 7, we met our brother at the Kowloon subway station so we could have dinner by then. While looking for a place, he showed us around familiar districts and shared stories like how it was during the SARS scare when he worked at this part of Asia 3 years ago.<br /><br />After passing by several establishments, we settled for Hong Kong Sheraton’s Someplace Else. The restaurant is packed with a number of expats, and sensing the crowd, I’d compare it to Fridays or National Sports Grill. Major leagues are shown on large screens and video walls, which seem perfect for sports fanatics. Food was great, but since I ate a lot in between haggling along the alleys of Mong Kok, I ate just a little. We stayed for about a couple more hours, after then, we went out for a walk.</p><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/1600/CIMG4160.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/200/CIMG4160.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/1600/CIMG4162.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/200/CIMG4162.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />It was a quarter after 10, so we didn’t have a lot of time to see more places and store of <a href="http://www.brand-handbag.com/"><span style="TEXT-DECORATION: none;color:#000000;" >gucci bags</span></a>. We took few shots of ourselves with the Kowloon and Hong Kong cityscape on the backdrop. When we started to feel tired after this half-day marathon, we boarded a ferry on our way back to the Hong Kong Island. Boarding a ferry is very cheap, but I got the impression that fewer locals prefer it because the bus, tram, and railway systems are obviously faster and more efficient. Tourists like us, however, still find it charming to take the cruise. =)<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/1600/CIMG4171.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/200/CIMG4171.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />It started to rain as we disembarked so right away, we hailed a cab on our way back to the Hong Kong Ferry Terminal.<br /><br />We boarded the turbo jet few minutes before midnight, which I guess that capped our trip. Though I was a bit lonely because that was our last night, I felt much fulfilled for having a great vacation. Hehe!<br /><br />So there, I really had a blast! I enjoyed it to the max and I thank Kuya and Oi for being the greatest hosts. I fell in love with Macau the most. It’s developed and laid back at the same time, which makes the city very ideal for me. Seriously, I couldn’t get enough of it, and I secretly wished our vacation would have lasted for a month. Hehehe! Pero okay na rin, I know they had spent a lot over this short duration. Kakahiya na if we stayed longer. =) Hay, can’t wait for the next visit. =)<br /><br />***<br />Nga pala, I still owe my friends photos from the trip. I really wanted to upload it, but too much work in the office has taken much of my time. As a matter of fact, I’m just taking a breather this time, and by 8pm I’ll be participating in a 2-hour global telecon for a new project. The team has been gritty about this new endeavor over the past few days, and sad to think that I only have a week to complete it. Our GPO’s scheduled Manila visit next week just added pressure to the work we’ve been aiming to complete. Hay, sana matapos na talaga!<br /><br />Next time guys!!!Somnambulist Nocturnalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01099951888908786931noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10362404.post-1146829325655092962006-05-05T19:22:00.001+08:002010-09-23T17:47:02.259+08:00Oh sya, sya...Been very busy over the past few days after a long, long vacation, so I'll post the third and hopefully the final Macau diary installment this weekend.<br /><br />Haay, how I wish I could meet up with friends, but I didn't get to sleep well last night. I need to rest or else I'll look <em>"bangag"</em> tomorrow at the company outing. Dami pa naman kasama from other sub-bundles. hehehe! =)<br /><br />Anyway just so I've something to post on <a href="http://www.brand-handbag.com/"><span style="TEXT-DECORATION: none;color:#000000;" >gucci handbags</span></a> my blog, nakigaya na rin ako...<br /><br />***<br /><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="350" align="center" border="0"><tbody><tr><td align="middle" style="color:#999999;"><span style="font-size:14;"><b>You Should Be A Poet</b></span></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#cccccc"><center><img height="100" src="http://images.blogthings.com/whattypeofwritershouldyoubequiz/poet.jpg" width="100" /></center><span style="color:#000000;"><br />You craft words well, in creative and unexpected ways.<br />And you have a great talent for evoking beautiful imagery...<br />Or describing the most intense heartbreak ever.<br />You're already naturally a poet, even if you've never written a poem.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div align="center"><a href="http://blogthings.com/whattypeofwritershouldyoubequiz/">What Type of Writer Should You Be?</a></div><br /><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="350" align="center" border="0"><tbody><tr><td align="middle" style="color:#999999;"><span style="font-size:14;"><b>Your Blogging Type is Pensive and Philosophical</b></span></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#cccccc"><center><img height="100" src="http://images.blogthings.com/whatsyourbloggingpersonalityquiz/pensive.jpg" width="100" /></center><span style="color:#000000;"><br />You blog like no one else is reading...<br />You tend to use your blog to explore ideas - often in long winded prose.<br />Easy going and flexible, you tend to befriend other bloggers easily.<br />But if they disagree with once too much, you'll pull them from your blogroll!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div align="center"><a href="http://blogthings.com/whatsyourbloggingpersonalityquiz/">What's Your Blogging Personality?</a></div><br /><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="350" align="center" border="0"><tbody><tr><td align="middle" style="color:#b9d3ee;"><span style="font-size:14;"><b>Your Hidden Talent</b></span></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#c6e2ff"><center><img height="100" src="http://images.blogthings.com/whatsyourhiddentalentquiz/volcano.jpg" width="100" /></center><span style="color:#000000;"><br />You have the natural talent of rocking the boat, thwarting the system.<br />And while this may not seem big, it can be.<br />It's people like you who serve as the catalysts to major cultural changes.<br />You're just a bit behind the scenes, so no one really notices.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div align="center"><a href="http://blogthings.com/whatsyourhiddentalentquiz/">What's Your Hidden Talent?</a></div>Somnambulist Nocturnalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01099951888908786931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10362404.post-1146497110795727752006-05-01T23:22:00.001+08:002010-09-23T18:37:45.383+08:00Macau diary (the second installment)April 23, Sunday. We left the house for Zhuhai at around 11am Sunday morning. Before heading for Macau-China border gates, my brother took us to <a href="http://chaxiubao.typepad.com/chaxiubao/eating_in_macau/index.html">Cafe Tai Lei Loi Kee</a>, a local restaurant similar to a “carinderia” or “pares” (if you live in the Philippines). Kuya told us that Chinese/Macanese locals and even tourists from Hong Kong and Singapore would stop at this place to try out their pork chop bun and noodles. It wasn’t as full-packed as the past days, said my brother, because it was too early and a lot would dash into this place around late afternoon ‘til early evening.<br /><br />Anyway, since they didn’t serve pork chop bun in the morning, I had to try the pork chop noodle. Hehe! The soup was okay, but it really was weird eating those big fried pork chops out of a bowl of noodles. I thought there was nothing special about the combo, though I really liked the authentic Cantonese noodles, way better than what I regularly order at Chowking. =)<br /><br />After a quick brunch, my brother drove us to the Macau-China border. Since we couldn’t take the car past the gates, he left it at a nearby parking building, then just walked our way to the border gates.<br /><br />The place was flooded with locals and tourists. Still, majority of those crossing were also from the Mainland, most of which actually go to Macau to work on weekdays and then return to the nearby <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhuhai">Zhuhai Meixi</a> district of China’s Guangdong province for the weekends.<br /><br />It was rather amusing that people would frantically change lines whenever a counter was opened. It was probably the closest thing to a stampede that even this overly familiar dash of passengers at the MRT Cubao station during the rush hours wouldn’t even match up. Di lang pala sa Pilipinas nangyayari yun. Hehe!<br /><br />We got really hungry after lining up for nearly an hour, so we decided to have lunch. Everything seemed typical, except that one of the servers in his early 20s tried his best to speak to us in English. He spoke at a snail's pace, but much to my admiration, he was grammatically correct. He rendered very good service and I guess he was just happy to have found people to speak English with. I asked him if he attended classes in school, but he said that he only learned by tuning in daily to an English radio broadcast and constantly playing the Carpenters on his CD player. I thought it was exceptionally impressive to learn it through these alternative means.<br /><br />We left the restaurant around 2.30 pm and finally set for the Zhuhai Meixi Torii.<br /><br />Riding a cab, we got a glimpse of the booming Zhuhai city, which is one of the established special economic zones in China. I assume the residential condominiums and high-rise business and amusement centers outnumber historical landmarks and traditional Chinese dwellings – certainly characterizes China’s modernization over these past few years. We were cruising down this avenue alongside extensive South China seashore, which I’d compare to our very own Roxas Boulevard-Baywalk area. It would have been nice to stop by and join the locals, but we were time-constrained.<br /><br />It was about a 20-minute drive to the <a href="http://www.zhmx.com/">Meixi Torii</a>. This landmark occupies an area of about 12 hectares, which housed the first Chinese consulate to Hawaii by the end of the Qing Dynasty.<br /><br />The stone archway was built in tribute to Mr. Chen Fang and his family, who became one of China’s prime movers in business. There are several other halls relating the history of the Chen Family and the Zhuhai over these last two centuries.<br /><br />(<em>will upload photos on my next post..</em>.)<br /><br />There weren’t a lot of activities when we went there, but on special occasions, they’d show Chinese operas, lion dances, and other cultural presentations. We left around 5 and hailed a cab on our way back to a shopping center near the China-Macau border.<br /><br />I was not very good at haggling, and I learned it all in China. =) It necessitates one some good acting skills to get big discounts on the bargains. I bought mainly for friends expecting to receive “pasalubongs.” I wanted to buy shirts and pants, but I decided not to because the designs were way too rugged for my style. I needed to buy something smart-casual that I could wear at work. For myself, I bought few pairs of underwear. =)<br /><br />Taking a break from shopping, we had dinner at this little café called Fruity Mix, similar to Fuzion smoothie bar. They serve really good pizza and pasta by the way.<br /><br />Last round of shopping followed and at quarter before 10pm, we decided to leave the mall. It was still jammed with people at that time of the night and the way to the border gates were even more crowded. It was the most stressful part of the side trip. We lined up again for a little over half an hour to pass through the gates.<br /><br />We were done with the immigration checks at nearly 11pm. Kuya drove us back home and we arrived at around 11.30pm. I guess I was just so tired that night that I slept right away after cleaning up and changing to my usual sleep clothes.<br /><br />April 24, Monday. We had lunch at a Portuguese restaurant beside the <a href="http://www.olamacauguide.com/moorish-barracks.html">Quartel del Mouros</a> in Barra. This time, the food is certainly much better and I specially liked the roasted beef with garlic and potatoes.<br /><br />We proceeded to the Coloane Island to see the <a href="http://www.olamacauguide.com/ama-chinese-temple.html">Temple and Statue of A-Ma</a>, located on top of a hill where one gets a good view of the Coloane Beach and the high-class suburbs. The temple is over 5 centuries old and showcases splendid Chinese art and architecture.<br /><br />The statue of the Goddess A-Ma stands majestically on the pinnacle. The locals, particularly the fishermen have venerated the statue and have relied on her protection whenever they sail off to the sea.<br /><br />We really intended to reach the summit, but it began to rain just after few minutes of the trek. We chose not to go, so we drove to the <a href="http://www.macautower.com.mo/">Macau Sky Tower</a> for more adventure.<br /><br />We had a spectacular view of the Macau cityscape and the islands of Taipa and Coloane because it wasn’t hazy on that side of the peninsula. We were about 230 meters above the ground and mejo nakakalula when I saw passing vehicles beneath my Chuck Taylors. I’ve always had fear of heights, but I suppose I was feeling a little more daring that day.<br /><br />The thought of skywalking at the outer rim of the tower 233 meters above the ground never crossed my mind. It took Kuya and I about few minutes before we finally decide to walk the walk. After paying about 400 HKD for us both, we hopped on to our suits and gears. I remember I was discharging cold sweat as we exited through the secure gates. At first I couldn’t take my eyes off the plank we were standing on, but we had to get going because a number of other tourists were excitedly waiting for their turn.<br /><br />I had mixed feelings as we skywalked. I feared that there would be some sort of harness malfunction that, if I may morbidly imagine, would end it all. But then, I couldn’t deny how breathtakingly beautiful the cityscape at sunset was. The experience was simply priceless.<br /><br />It seemed quite a long walk, which I did together with my brother and two other Indian tourists. There were a number of photos taken and I’d really hate it when our guide would let us sit over the ledge. I silently freaked out as I felt the void around my legs and of course my Chuck Taylors. But anyway, it was a great adventure, and we’re certified to talk the talk. I’m super if I sky jump the next time around. =)<br /><br />This capped off day 5 of the trip. Quite tiring but uber cool!!!<br /><br />April 25, Tuesday. We started our rounds past lunchtime since we had gone to so many places over the past few days. Tuesday was <a href="http://www.fishermanswharf.com.mo/">Fisherman’s Wharf day</a>!<br /><br />The place was newly built and an Australian firm actually commissioned the construction of this theme park. This could be part of the reclaimed land fronting the Sands Casino in the Macau downtown.<br /><br />The place is a luxurious spectacle of some of the world’s greatest wonders. For about 10 patacas, one can get a guided tour of the place, which showcases replicas of great landmarks like the Roman Colosseum, Aladdin’s Fort, the Qing Dynasty castle, and the period-style residences in Africa, Europe, and the Americas. I particularly liked the alley with old New Orleans-inspired buildings. It would be fun to celebrate Mardi gras at this venue. Mascots and men on stilts were also an amusing attraction.<br /><br />More picture-taking along the dockside, after which we went to buy souvenir items at a store selling various Portuguese and Macanese novelty goods and <a href="http://www.brand-handbag.com/"><span style="TEXT-DECORATION: none;color:#000000;" >gucci bags</span></a>.<br /><br />We went back to the apartment around 5 in the afternoon to rest for a couple of hours. At dinnertime, we went to Oi’s parents’ house where we met the rest of her extended family. That was my first interaction with a Chinese family (na hindi Chinoy), and I must say that the Chinese value their kin as much as the Filipinos do. I didn’t comprehend a single Cantonese word they utter, but there was some mutual understanding. Dinner was yummy, and just for the record, it was the first time I tasted sea snails and sipped on Chinese rice wine. =)<br /><br /><em>to be continued...</em>Somnambulist Nocturnalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01099951888908786931noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10362404.post-1146331315084296772006-04-30T00:32:00.001+08:002010-09-23T18:48:20.797+08:00Macau diary (the first installment)<p align="left">Finally, I'm back! It had been a great, great week just relaxing and visiting new places in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macau">Macau</a>, Hong Kong, and in China’s Guangdong business district <a href="http://wikitravel.org/en/Zhuhai">Zhuhai</a>. Below just recounts how I spent those fun-filled 7 days. There are just so many stories to tell, so I think it would be better to write about our vacation in two or three installments. Here goes the first...</p><div align="left"></div><div align="left">***</div><div align="left">April 20, Thursday. Stressful morning. I barely slept the night before to pack my stuff, and throughout the day, constantly felt dehydrated compliments of Manila’s torrid weather. My sister and I left the house around 10am to catch a bus scheduled to leave for Clark Airport at 11. It's the most cost-effective means of transport since we didn’t have to worry about the toll charges, parking, and directions. After boarding the bus and paying 600pesos for us both, I dozed off for about an hour and a half. The ride was very smooth because by the time I awoke, we were at the Clark Airfield already. </div><div align="left"><br />We arrived at the Diosdado Macapagal Airport a quarter before 1pm. Since the small airport departure lounge could only accommodate so much, we had to stay at this little outdoor waiting area. The air outside was scorching and it felt as if I was bathing in the sauna.<a href="http://www.brand-handbag.com/"><span style="TEXT-DECORATION: none;color:#000000;" >Gucci bags</span></a> good thing, they allowed us to proceed to the departure lounge and check in our luggage before 2.We were scheduled to fly at 3.45 pm, but we started boarding at 3.40. <a href="http://www.tigerairways.com/">Tiger Airways</a>, being a budget airline, has a free seating policy so whoever comes first gets to choose their preferred seats. Because we wanted to avoid the hullabaloo, we were among the last ones to board the plane. It was a good consolation that I got a seat next to the aisle so I could freely move around just in case I got bored. I was 90 percent satisfied, well, with about a ten percent differential for the 15-minute delay.<br /></div><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/1600/CIMG3849.1.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/200/CIMG3849.1.jpg" border="0" /></a> TR 803 flight CRK to MFM<br /><br /></div><div align="left">After about an hour and a half, we arrived at the Macau International Airport in one piece. Brother Marvin and sister-in-law Oi welcomed us at the airport and drove us around to give a little sightsee of Taipa. I couldn’t count the number of ongoing projects to make way for more and more plush hotels, resorts, and casinos. I was astounded by the enormity of these constructions and I can imagine Macau eventually competing with Las Vegas or Monte Carlo within the next 2 or 3 years.<br /><br />After about an hour and a half, we arrived at the Macau International Airport in one piece. Brother Marvin and sister-in-law Oi welcomed us at the airport and drove us around to give a little sightsee of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taipa">Taipa</a>. I couldn’t count the number of ongoing projects to make way for more and more plush hotels, resorts, and casinos. I was astounded by the enormity of these constructions and I can imagine Macau eventually competing with Las Vegas or Monte Carlo within the next 2 or 3 years. </div><p align="left"></p><p align="left">After dinner at this small Cantonese restaurant near their apartment, we were finally home. I was so happy to see my nephew Malcolm for the first time since they came to Manila in May of 2005. He was so big and anyone could have easily mistaken him for some 3-year old toddler. But in fact, he’s just a year and ten months-old, but with a physique and vigor of a 3-year old kid. He's so cute but he's sobrang kulit. Ehehehe! I bought him 7 educational videos with Maisy, Barney, and Elmo on these sets. I’m happy that he liked watching these because for the next several days, I could hear him singing and dancing along these multihued creatures. Ahehehe! =)</p><p align="left">At 10, we called it a night. I was so sleepy after bearing several hours of travel and was thinking that I needed a good night’s rest to prepare myself for a tour the next day.</p><p align="left">Friday, April 21st.Headed off early to visit places in Taipa. Since my brother lives quite near the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coloane">Coloane</a>, we decided to head for this area first. We stopped by the new <a href="http://www.east-asian-games2005.com/en/venues/stadium.php">Macau Stadium</a> in Taipa, where the 2005 East Asian Games was opened middle of last year. </p><p align="left"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/1600/CIMG3859.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/200/CIMG3859.jpg" border="0" /></a>Overlooking the Macau Stadium, Race Track and that road going to Coloane from the house </p><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/1600/CIMG3867.0.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/200/CIMG3867.0.jpg" border="0" /></a> With Malcolm and Angel at one of Macau's many sports stadiums </div><div align="center"></div><br /><div align="left">Coloane, our next stop, was very serene. The surrounding mountains and Macau shoreline give a spectacular natural backdrop. The sand on the beach is darker than usual, so no wonder they put white sand over the gray sand to make it look more appealing. Still, walking along the beach has always been bracing, and so we took few photos as well…=)</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/1600/CIMG3873.3.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/200/CIMG3873.3.jpg" border="0" /></a>Coloane Beach </div><div align="center"></div><br /><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/1600/CIMG3882.0.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/200/CIMG3882.0.jpg" border="0" /></a> Pine trees near the shoreline </div><br /><div align="left">There were few shops opened around the area, and a friend actually recommended Fernando’s, but since it was about an hour and a half past lunchtime, we had to leave after about 20 minutes and rush to that complex back in Taipa where the <a href="http://www.olamacauguide.com/carmelchurch.html">Chapel of the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel</a> is situated. We took more pictures of the church and the surrounding centuries-old colonial houses/museums before we finally meet our sister-in-law for lunch. My nephew was baptized at this church about two years ago. It has a Baroque-inspired architecture built in 1885 upon a hill overlooking colonial dwellings and a pond that flows into a river. The surrounding Portuguese-inspired structures along Avenida da Praia used to be Portuguese residences and establishments, but now these have been converted into archives for locals and tourists to learn Macanese history from. The lagoon opposite these edifices is home to migrant birds from the mainland at this time of the year. So why don’t we say hello to Avian Flu?! Ahehehe! =) </div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/1600/CIMG3886.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/200/CIMG3886.jpg" border="0" /></a>Avenida de Praia </div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/1600/CIMG3898.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/200/CIMG3898.jpg" border="0" /></a> Colonial dwellings opposite the lagoon</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/1600/CIMG3896.1.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/200/CIMG3896.1.jpg" border="0" /></a> Chapel of the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel<br /><br /></div><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1449/798/200/CIMG3894.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center">Walking along the centuries-old Taipa Village </p><p align="left">My sister and I both had a taste of genuine Cantonese cuisine at this quite posh restaurant at the <a href="http://www.macautower.com.mo/">Macau Sky Tower</a> complex once more which was really, really tasty. Lunch was simply great when I wasn’t eating with those long, plastic Chinese chopsticks.Went home around 4pm to rest. </p><p align="left">At dinner time, Kuya and Oi brought us to <a href="http://www.saotiago.com.mo/">Pousada de Sao Tiago</a> in Coloane to try some Portuguese cuisine at <a href="http://www.saotiago.com.mo/main_e.html">Os Gatos</a> Lounge (Portuguese for “The Cats”). The restaurant offers a choice of scrumptious cuisines from Macau, Portugal, Provence, and Greece; and it’s located at one of Macau’s celebrated historical landmarks, the 1641 Fortaleza da Barra. To give a little background… </p><p align="left">“Romantic and intriguing, Macau has retained the historic beauty of the Orient - a timeless quality searched for by travelers from both near and far. The Fortaleza da Barra was one of the fortresses built in the 17th century by the Portuguese to defend Macau against hostile European nations and local pirates. One hundred years later a chapel was built within its walls and dedicated to Saint James, the patron saint of the Portuguese garrison. Today, much of the fortress and the Chapel have been preserved as part of the Pousada de Sao Tiago.” – <a href="http://www.saotiago.com.mo/">http://www.saotiago.com.mo/</a></p><p align="left">This charming little restaurant amazingly employs quite a number of Filipinos as servers and musicians and the service is generally okay. Patrons are a mix of Chinese locals and Asian and European expats. People say that it serves authentic Portuguese dishes, which are a little salty for the Filipino palate. Further, I suppose I can only consume so much of those baked potatoes, which certainly are a Portuguese staple. And of course, we couldn’t miss the photo opportunity, which capped off day 2. =)</p><p align="left">Friday was both fun and tiring. So we just went home straight right after dinner.</p><p align="left">Saturday, April 22nd. </p><p align="left">We were blessed of a sunny weather for a walking tour of the Macau center. It was a bit hotter than usual, but at least it didn’t rain that time. The initial plan was to go to Chinoy Express, a sort of Filipino-managed travel agency located at an old building near the Senado Square, to arrange our visa for our trip to China on Sunday afternoon. Processing was completed before 12.30, after which we started our tour of the <a href="http://www.olamacauguide.com/macau-tours.html">Largo do Leal Senado</a> (or the Loyal Senate Square).</p><p align="left">It’s a grand spot for tourists to get a glimpse of the Old Europe. It is bordered by the Leal Senado Building, the Macau Business Tourism Center, and other restored Renaissance-inspired edifices transformed into historical museums and business centers.</p><p align="left">Oi brought us right away to that place famous for homemade gelato. I don’t exactly remember the name of this alley, but if I may vaguely remember, it bisects the plaza fronting another antiquated baroque and Filipino-inspired church, <a href="http://www.olamacauguide.com/stdominic.html">Santo Domingo Church</a>. Oi said the place is quite popular among locals so one can simply ask people to show directions to this ice cream parlor called <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mm-cafe/126072416/in/photostream/">Lemon Cello Gelato</a>. All are homemade and one may find such “queer” flavors like Guava, Grapefruit, Kahlua, Yakult, Green Tea, and even Ginger! I tried guava and it tasted astonishingly like heaven! =) Kuya, Oi, and Angel settled for the safer flavors Tiramisu and Mango, and they said it was good, too.</p><p align="left">We walked past the Largo do São Domingos, Rua de São Domingos, and Travessa do Soriano on our way to the <a href="http://www.olamacauguide.com/ruinsofstpaul.html">Ruins of St. Paul’s Cathedral</a>, which is another Macanese heritage site.</p><p align="left">The place was full-packed with tourists, majority of which according to Oi came from the Mainland. I could also see quite a number of other tourists who I guess hailed from Europe. It was just amazing to see different races converged in a single location. I think I heard nearly 7 different languages as we walked past the food and souvenir stalls and archaic structures.</p><p align="left">Only the façade of the St. Paul’s Cathedral remain after it was devastated by fire in 1835. Still it serves as a great historical and cultural reminder to the people of Macau about the beginnings and ultimately the strong influence of Roman Catholicism in the peninsula. </p><p align="left">At the basement of the cathedral, an inner sanctum once stood. Now it houses a museum that displays very old religious icons, paintings, and other articles. On the other side is the chapel-crypt where the relics of Jesuit martyrs and the religious from the previous centuries lay.</p><p align="left">A thing that surprises me, though, is that most Chinese tourists actually throw money over the crypt. I’m not sure what it means, but I guess it has something to do with the Chinese people’s beliefs that doing so could bring them good fortune. Will somebody help me understand, please?Around 2pm, we had our lunch at a Japanese restaurant back at the Senado Square. After which, we stopped by the <a href="http://www.olamacauguide.com/leal-senado.html">Leal Senado Building</a> to take more pictures. </p><p align="left"><em>Sidenote: One embarassing encounter was that I lost my balance and fell over a flower bed as I tried to take pictures of my sister over at the fountain area. I didn't notice that slab of concrete that I stepped on. Hehe! I was lucky that only Angel, Kuya, and Oi saw my acrobatics. Yak!!! Kakahiya pa rin! hehe!!!</em></p><p align="left">We ended our tour around 4pm and headed for the wet market to buy seafood and veggies for dinner. It was interesting to see how live fish was taken out of a water basin, then pounded and sliced right before your eyes. I suddenly realized the pain that these sea creatures go through just so we could have something scrumptious to share over dinner. But then, it was a momentary thought. Dinner was good and apparently, I didn't turn into a vegan. =)</p><p align="left">To be continued...</p>Somnambulist Nocturnalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01099951888908786931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10362404.post-1145849935587315852006-04-24T11:32:00.001+08:002010-09-23T20:46:47.730+08:00Hey guys! Just a preview of what ive been doing these past few days of pleasure...hehehehe!up:<a href="http://www.brand-handbag.com/"><span style="TEXT-DECORATION: none;color:#000000;" >gucci handbags</span></a>Somnambulist Nocturnalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01099951888908786931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10362404.post-1145436036882929762006-04-19T16:38:00.001+08:002010-09-23T20:56:12.906+08:00Pre-departure mot-mot...Guys, I’ll be on blogging <a href="http://www.brand-handbag.com/"><span style="TEXT-DECORATION: none;color:#000000;" >gucci handbags</span> </a>and blog-hopping hiatus for about a week or so. We’ll visit my brother and his family in Macau and I’ll have limited or no access to the internet by then.<br /><br />Too bad, I’ve had no time to look up online the must-see attractions, so I just let my brother plan for our itinerary in the coming days. My parents who went to my nephew's baptism in September of 2004 tell us that Taipa (where my brother first stayed) and the surrounding suburbs are laid-back which makes the place even more tourist-friendly. And since the city is small, one can drive around and see all the famed places in a day. Since my brother and sister-in-law both go to work, we will be on our own most of the time. I guess we're fortunate that neither traffic nor pollution are a major hassle once my sister and I decide to go on a walking tour around the town square.<br /><br />I still don’t know if we’ll set for Hong Kong. Parents and friends suggest that we do, but I’ve yet to know if my brother could get complimentary seats on the turbojet. I keep my toes crossed that he could so I don’t have to shell out dollars which I’ve saved mainly for the best-buys in Macau. Ahehehe! =)<br /><br />So there, I know it’s only for a week but I’m starting to miss friends. How I wish all my loved ones were with me on this escapade. Haay…Yun lang...hehe! =)<br /><br />By the way, I’ll take this chance to greet everyone a HAPPY EASTER!!!Somnambulist Nocturnalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01099951888908786931noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10362404.post-1145020349629619512006-04-14T21:11:00.001+08:002010-09-23T20:58:47.617+08:00Visita Iglesia<p>I went out with Anj and Rose for the traditional visita iglesia, a pilgrimage that essentially follows the path of Christ when He carried His cross from the streets of Jerusalem to Golgotha. Ideally, one would visit 14 churches to reflect on the 14 stations, but since it was our first time to do it in Manila, we settled for 5 churches.<br /><br />We relived the Way of the Cross at the UST Chapel, Sta. Cruz Church, Binondo Church, Manila Cathedral, and San Agustin Church. I had a great time going on a walking tour around the Old Manila (though more circumspect of bad elements in crowded spaces) while seeing these historical pieces from the Old Hispanic times. These centuries-old churches have become silent witnesses to all changes in our society. I took pictures of the places we went to because we were amazed with the regal architecture and design. Here are some of those:<br /><br /></p><br /><p align="center"><img height="180" alt="San Agustin Church" src="http://static.flickr.com/56/128393373_57914032e0_m.jpg" width="240" /> </p><br /><p align="center"><img alt="" src="http://static.flickr.com/39/128393372_beb21ba7a1_m.jpg" /></p><br /><p align="center"><img alt="" src="http://static.flickr.com/49/128393370_1079391fed_m.jpg" /></p><br /><p align="center"><img alt="" src="http://static.flickr.com/50/128389214_770b9d54de_m.jpg" /></p><br /><p align="center"><img alt="" src="http://static.flickr.com/44/128389213_3ed39a2c4b_m.jpg" /></p><br /><p align="center"><img alt="" src="http://static.flickr.com/41/128389218_8bb683682f_m.jpg" /></p><br /><p align="center"><img alt="" src="http://static.flickr.com/47/128374171_44ef1521a5_m.jpg" /></p><br /><p align="left"><br />We caught sight of a reenactment of Christ’s washing of the disciples’ feet on the Last Supper Mass. This happens simultaneously in almost all Catholic parishes in the Philippines and has become one of the highlights of the Catholic Lenten celebration.<br /><br />It was a well-spent Maundy Thursday. We reflected on the passion and sufferings of our Lord, which I believe is the very core of why we, as Christians, observe the Holy Week. In the past couple of years, I’d find myself very much on vacation mode – just freeing my mind while relaxing at the beach. But this year is different, and I’m glad I rediscovered the very meaning of the Holy Week through our visita iglesia.up:<a href="http://www.brand-handbag.com/"><span style="TEXT-DECORATION: none;color:#000000;" >gucci handbags</span></a><br /><br />At syempre, di 'to mawawala... =)<br /><br /></p><br /><p align="center"><img alt="" src="http://static.flickr.com/1/128381477_cb95948255_m.jpg" /> <img alt="" src="http://static.flickr.com/55/128381478_5aed3fd8f8_m.jpg" /><br /><br /><img alt="" src="http://static.flickr.com/44/128381479_e9290c0abb_m.jpg" /><br /><br />Happy Easter, in advance!!! </p>Somnambulist Nocturnalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01099951888908786931noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10362404.post-1144847946537072732006-04-12T21:18:00.001+08:002010-09-23T21:02:18.777+08:00Before I forget...<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:180%;color:#ff6600;"><em>HAPPY BIRTHDAY TINTOIS!!! =)up:<a href="http://www.brand-handbag.com/"><span style="TEXT-DECORATION: none;color:#ff6600;" >gucci bags</span></a></em></span>Somnambulist Nocturnalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01099951888908786931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10362404.post-1144847888641902452006-04-12T21:17:00.001+08:002010-09-23T21:52:23.438+08:00Burp!!!Grabe, I'm soooo BONDAT! Just had nearly 2-hour lunch at Dampa in Libis and I absolutely enjoyed it! I heard people rave about a different dining experience wherein you buy fresh sea "creatures" from the seafood market, and then have it cooked for you at the adjacent restaurant. None of us workmates are very good at haggling for "sugpo" or "maya-maya," but a 10-15 percent discount for every kilo is not that bad! Nga lang, they charge high for the cooking and it would normally cost as much as (if not more than) the price of the fresh seafood.<br /><br />But it really was a big lunch for a group of 8. I especially liked the "sinigang na ulo ng maya-maya" (served in two big bowls for half a kilo!!!) and the baked tahong. We also had buttered shrimps and tempura for the main course and ripe mangoes for dessert. I think it was sulit since we only paid PHP200(with a can of dalandan soda na yun), all-in! I was so full after and I'm starting to feel guilty because it's the Holy Week when I'm supposed to be fasting and reflecting...Oh well, I'm only human, but I'll make up to Him in the coming days. Peace, God!!! =)up:<a href="http://www.brand-handbag.com/"><span style="TEXT-DECORATION: none;color:#000000;" >gucci handbags</span></a>Somnambulist Nocturnalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01099951888908786931noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10362404.post-1144403381495235612006-04-07T17:36:00.001+08:002010-09-23T21:57:38.701+08:00Some thoughts...Though I've struggled this first quarter handling my last few international relo cases, testing our department's internal control measures, and crunching numbers for the next fiscal year's firm forecast, I'm very happy that the team has reaped a number of awards from our last town hall meeting.<br /><br />Good job to the leadership and customer consulting teams for their contribution to even the raise the quality of service that SOs deliver. I guess the recognition is sweeter when we least expect it. In the end, all our hardwork and the sleepless nights, stress, and sometimes heartaches that go along, are all worth it. =)<br /><br />I told friends that work has stressed me out during these first few months of taking on the Finance SPOC role, and these little tokens of appreciation matter big time to me. I remember when I was on the verge of quitting my job, I received this note from our client's global program executive congratulating me for ranking number 1 in Asia for expatriate settling-in services in the last quarterly assessment. Global and regional process owners, as well as other other bosses in the center were copied in her email, which made it, I guess, worth mentioning. I tried to be as modest and discreet to share the good news with my TL, but she was just too excited that she announced it to everyone. Well, I have received some awards over the years but I'm not used to telling the whole world about it. In high school, my parents once put out all those golds and silvers for display in the living room, but when I came home and found out, I took these out of the display counter and kept them in a box. So it's not that I crave for recognition for my job or something, it's just that when too much work takes energy and sanity away from me, I need some form of reaffirmation that there's some good value in my output. up:<a href="http://www.brand-handbag.com/"><span style="TEXT-DECORATION: none;color:#000000;" >gucci bags<br /></span></a><br />Just very recently, I've regained control of my work and I guess I'm getting better at proposing more measures to improve our processes and leading new projects within the team. Besides, for the past three weeks Ive been able to hit the gym more often and spend time doing things other than work.<br /><br />I don't like to think that I am in the"eye of the storm" phase. Rather, I'm hopeful these are finally the better days that I imagined savoring few months back.Somnambulist Nocturnalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01099951888908786931noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10362404.post-1143980437073888972006-04-02T20:18:00.001+08:002010-09-23T22:02:55.616+08:00Musings of a manic-depressive twentysomethingThe weekend was a bolt from the blue for me. Amal, whom I haven’t seen for nearly a year, came over our place and I knew she had something important to discuss with me. I was right, so I called in other friends Rhea and Ken to come over as well. It was impossible to ask Tin and Arlo to join us because Tin is in China and Arlo lives quite far from our place. My friend had serious domestic issues to tell us, so even if we were upset for her letting us wait till 4 in the morning and her not making it to our supposed meeting/night-out in January, we listened very intently to her. up:<a href="http://www.brand-handbag.com/"><span style="TEXT-DECORATION: none;color:#000000;" >gucci handbags<br /></span></a><br />From amongst the 6 of us high school friends, I guess it is Amal who speaks so differently. Well, maybe because she’s become a mother at an early age of 20 and since then, doesn’t have much liberty to enjoy the seeming pleasures of her youth. I’ve grown close to her over the last ten years, but she’s the least I’ve spoken to and hung out with over the last decade. That doesn’t ever change the way I delight in our friendship, but I sometimes feel sad for knowing that in 90 percent of all occasions that I’ve had the chance to talk to her, she’s ostensibly problematic and is urgently needing everyone’s support.<br /><br />The five of us surely have had “tampo” episodes with Amal, but she’s a friend and it’s even more heartbreaking should we turn her down. I just pray that sooner, she gets through all the challenges that she’s prematurely going through.<br /><br />Having heard it all from Amal, we’ve thought again about the pains and pleasures of raising a family. I dunno, maybe it’s just a matter of perspective. At least for now, I have a different way of looking at things and it will surely change by the time I’ve reached that certain point.<br /><br />It feels weird talking about mature issues as such. Dear Lord, I’m becoming manic-depressive!Somnambulist Nocturnalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01099951888908786931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10362404.post-1143698585333342532006-03-30T14:01:00.001+08:002010-09-23T22:41:18.459+08:00Thankful at 24...Yesterday was a blast! I'd been used to my birthdays' being uneventful (because it would usually fall on a Holy Week) but my day turned out very differently yesterday. up:<a href="http://www.brand-handbag.com/"><span style="TEXT-DECORATION: none;color:#000000;" >gucci handbags<br /></span></a><br />Well, people at work got me a really nice surprise. They decorated my workstation with photos of me and my closest "emotero" teammates. Then by lunch time, they surprised me with a birthday cake and why I say it was different is that I blew a candle this year. Thanks to them, I especially like the banana creamy cheesecake which was really addicting. =)<br /><br />I had to leave the office at 2pm so I could make it to my sister's graduation ceremony at PICC. There were more than 800 graduates from Artlets and the ceremony lasted for more than 3 hours! I was nearly bored to death since my seat assignment was different from my parents' and I had to sit alone at the gallery. It was a big surprise that I saw Romi at the plenary hall lobby and we spent few good hours talking about friends and catching up on each other's comings and goings. We could have talked more but we were with our folks and we had different post-graduation engagements.<br /><br />Amazingly, I met other familiar schoolmates from way back college and elementary days whose younger brothers and sisters were also part of the graduating batch. It just felt great talking to these people and seeing them how they matured (and finally made sense) after all these years!<br /><br />Dinner with family was nice, too. I figured it had been months since we sat down together over dinner so last night was very special for the four of us. I remember when we were kids, our parents would take us to a Sunday afternoon cruise at the Manila Bay area (used to be a quite famous activity/attraction, which for some reason I didn't like much), so I guess my parents liked it that we decided to go to Harbor Square because they still find this area of the Metro one charming place. Friends from high school, who've gotten really close to my sister, also celebrated with us.<br /><br />It's great that I've reconnected with a bunch of people from my past and such a wonderful encounter has kept me grounded. It was a great birthday present. =)<br /><br />It was a fun, fun night! I'm grateful for my family and friends, whom I realize I cannot compromise with anything material. To all my friends who called and sms'd but I didn't get to return thankful words to, I ultimately take this chance to say I'm so blessed to have you as friends. In spite of all the constant stress and heartaches that life embitters me with, I'm still inspired to live my life to the fullest. I now pray that God blesses me with more years to celebrate life with you. Love you, guys! Take care and God bless you all!Somnambulist Nocturnalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01099951888908786931noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10362404.post-1143112051149613452006-03-23T18:58:00.001+08:002010-09-23T22:43:45.552+08:00Thursday madness!!!Gah!!! I'm beginning to hate Thursdays! I'm compelled to stay late in the office to participate in weekly telecons with peers from the UK and Costa Rica. up:<a href="http://www.brand-handbag.com/"><span style="TEXT-DECORATION: none;color:#000000;" >gucci bags<br /></span></a><br />Good thing is I'll only wait for a week till this project is (hopefully) done; bad thing is major conflicts just got uncovered within these last two weeks...Hayrreett!!!Somnambulist Nocturnalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01099951888908786931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10362404.post-1142853403250900252006-03-20T18:35:00.001+08:002010-09-23T22:47:35.956+08:00La la la la la...I told friends that I wouldn't go out last weekend since I had not fully recovered from whatever viral infection I caught from Metro Manila's germ-infested troposphere, but then I was deeply moved by Anj's text message...(<em>"Kaliliit lang ng mikrobyo nagpatalo ka! Puksain mo sila sa pamamagitan ng iyong lakas ng loob!!!"</em> )<br /><br />I rushed to Eastwood around 8:30, and few minutes past 9, I was with the rowdiest bunch at Teryaki Boy. Crazy night, really! Anj and Paloys, of course, didn't fail to notice the Pocholos, the Stephanies, and their yayas. (<em>Sa kaingayan natin , napansin nyo ba na nahiya si Fria para sa 'tin? haha! I remember the same feeling I had at Carl's Jr about 5 years ago. hehehe! )</em><br /><br />I promised a third of EHS to post pictures from last Saturday. Ang payat mo na, Paloys!!! Pictures to follow...=up:<a href="http://www.brand-handbag.com/"><span style="TEXT-DECORATION: none;color:#000000;" >gucci handbags</span></a>)Somnambulist Nocturnalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01099951888908786931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10362404.post-1142323467406233802006-03-14T16:03:00.001+08:002010-09-23T22:52:48.290+08:00Let's talk BritGot this from a friend who's now based in the UK. BLOODY funny (can't think of a fancier term...) =)<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>Opinion: Absurdia<br />By Carla Montemayor<br />Newsbreak Contributing Writer</strong></span><br /><br /><em>The King's English and I<br />Sheffield<br /><br />I have always had a love affair with English, and for that reason I write in this language. I've encountered Singlish (the okay lahs of Singapore), Deep South English (brung and y'all), Japanese English (no R's), Ilocano English (all R's), and I have never had major surprises until now with English English, the way they speak it here in the UK. It's not that I was ignorant of its peculiarities. I had read British authors, watched British films, and spoken with British people long before I got here. All that, however, still did not prepare me for the shock of the colloquial.For starters, there's the verbose politesse. The British will not just say "thanks," they will invariably say, "Thank you very much indeed," or "Thank you ever so much." Ever so much na, indeed pa. How does one reply adequately to that? "You are profoundly welcome from the deepest recesses of my heart"? Sometimes I feel like bowing. Then there are the dramatic exclamations. Things are never just "okay" or "nice" or even "great"; they are "splendid," "fantastic," and "brilliant."<br /><br />It's overwhelming and somewhat suspicious for someone whose own language is restrained in the deployment of superlatives. Maganda (beautiful), magaling (good), and ang galing-galing (really good) are about all we can bring ourselves to describe anything we're impressed with, although we do make up for it with emphatic gestures and lively vocal tones. The British, when pronouncing something as being "superb," will make the most frugal of lip movements and the slightest of eyebrow lifts.<br /><br />Requests are bound to be long-winded. "You don't suppose you could turn the light on, do you, that is if you don't mind and if it's not too much trouble, of course?" I'm tempted to reply with a similar treatise, but I just say, yes, I suppose the Filipino CAN! But CANS are not in vogue here. My housemate asked me for a TIN opener, not a CAN opener. And we're all supposed to throw our trash in the trash BIN, not the trash CAN. This must have confused the English when Bin Laden burst into the political scene because, well, the bin is always laden and that is why one must empty it regularly.<br /><br />One evening, I decided I could speak fancy English as well as everyone, and so I announced to my housemates that I would be buying a small SKILLET. That was met with blank expressions. I am buying a small skillet so that we won't have to fry eggs in that big pan, I announced again. Oh, a FRYING PAN, they chorused. (Celtic barbarians, I muttered under my breath.) But when they did fry poTAHtoes in that pan, they weren't FRIES at all but had somehow been transformed into CHIPS. Don't get me started with those poTAHtoes and toMAHtoes. I scoured the grocery shelves and there wasn't any toMAHto SAUCE, just diced toMAHtoes in toMAHto JUICE. But I don't want to drink it! I want to cook with it! I went on to the vegetable section already stressed out. No one knows of EGGPLANTS around here, just AUBERGINES. I could not positively identify the ZUCCHINIS because they were hiding under the alias OURGETTES. I've lostall hope of finding mustasa because I'm sure they're not called "moustache." I've seen menus featuring "spotted dick," but I'm too embarrassed to order it. I searched for BISCUITS, ignoring large packages of DIGESTIVES, which I thought were for septuagenarians who had to put all solid food through a blender. And because this is the north of England, I've been invited to TEA in the evening in which no tea was served it was actually DINNER. Then I was asked to DINNER, which turned out to be LUNCH. So now when they ask what I'm having for "tea," I say "rice." And when someone invites me to "dinner," I no longer plan to wear a shiny dress. I have also ceased to recoil upon hearing the various endearments with which total strangers address me: "luv" (fairly common), "flower," "angel," and get this "duck." Why the name of a domestic fowl is considered a fond nickname, I have no idea. If someone called me "bibe" (duck) back home, I would surely be livid and yell back, "Itik" (skinny Philippine fowl)! up:<a href="http://www.brand-handbag.com/"><span style="TEXT-DECORATION: none;color:#000000;" >gucci handbags</span></a><br /><br />I have had to LOAD credits onto a local SIM card given to me by a friend, but I found out right away that there is no pre-paid "loading" here, only TOP-UP service. You top-up your mobile phone, tuition, bank balance. All that topping up requires money, of course, and I cannot help making mental computations to convert pounds into pesos. (One pound is now about ahundred pesos.) So when I get a "concession" ticket (a discounted ticket for students) to watch a movie for "just" five pounds, I have actually spent P500 to see a film.<br /><br />Oh, bollocks! As the Brits would exclaim, and to that I can certainly relate because it sounds like bulok (rotten) and in the plural, too. In other words, bulok na bulok (very rotten). Due to all the budgeting I have had to do, I have become better at MATHSyes, in the plural, as well. But for the first time in my life, my spelling skills have to be, er, topped up. It's labour, with a U. It's analyse and offence. All my written academic work is riddled with words underlined in red. I am completely DISORIENTED, but since this is England, I must be DISORIENTATED. Bloody strange, if you will excuse my English. Anyway, I don't understand why "bloody" or "bleeding" is considered a swear word in this country. In Tagalog, if a meeting or a confrontation is particularly tense, it will be described as madugo (bloody). How is that filthy? Probably for the same reason that here, "phlegmatic" is something of a flattering adjective. To be full of phlegm is to be quintessentially British: calm and unflappable. Me, I'm from a population of weak lungs where the horror of tuberculosis is still euphemized by the term "primary complex." I neither possess nor desire any phlegm whatsoever. To each language its own bodily fluid</em>Somnambulist Nocturnalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01099951888908786931noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10362404.post-1142316568678851742006-03-14T14:08:00.001+08:002010-09-23T23:27:04.566+08:00<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="350" align="center" border="0"><tbody><tr><td align="middle" style="color:#dddddd;"><span style="font-size:14;"><b>You Are Internal - Realist - Empowered</b></span></td></tr><tr><td style="color:#eeeeee;"><span style="color:#000000;"><br />You feel your life is controlled internally.<br />If you want something, you make it happen.<br />You don't wait around for things to go your way.<br />You value your independence and don't like others to have control. up:<a href="http://www.brand-handbag.com/"><span style="TEXT-DECORATION: none;color:#000000;" >gucci handbags<br /></span></a><br />You are a realist when it comes to luck.<br />You don't attribute everything to luck, but you do know some things are random.<br />You don't beat yourself up when bad things happen to you...<br />But you do your best to try to make your own luck.<br /><br />You have a good deal of power, but you also know the pecking order.<br />You realize that working the system does get you further.<br />You know who to defer to and who to control.<br />When it comes to the game of life, you play things flawlessly.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div align="center"><a href="http://www.blogthings.com/thethreedimensionluckandpowertest/">The Three Dimension Luck and Power Test</a></div>Somnambulist Nocturnalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01099951888908786931noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10362404.post-1142074227714008952006-03-11T18:48:00.001+08:002010-09-23T23:30:49.324+08:00Hatest...Stressful week!!! I think I’ve done a lot to exceed my limits as far as work is concerned. I exhausted all means to contain quality work within the normal 9-hour frame, but I’d still find myself leaving the office very late, around 80 percent of the time. Things make me unspeakably “neurotic.” I.Can’t.Bear.It…up:<a href="http://www.brand-handbag.com/"><span style="TEXT-DECORATION: none;color:#000000;" >guccibags</span></a>Somnambulist Nocturnalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01099951888908786931noreply@blogger.com0