The Yellow Brick Road

A Hamster's Perspective... Sitting Out The Race For Now

2009-12-03T16:35:00.003+08:00

You would think that working in a multi-national means we're quite safe from the recession... but no, not really. A recent article in Fortune magazine about P&G wrote that for the top 50 assignments in the company, we have a bench of 3 replacement candidates. I'm too low in the food chain but our bench even for Band 3 assignments (that's where I am... a General Manager is Band 6) is pretty deep too.

That's great when you're the lead candidate for a position, like I was for this one. But with freeze hires, freeze promotions, over-hiring and basically no one being pirated outside... it's getting more and more competitive to be placed in a good job now, which is a problem when I'm due to change assignments or risk stagnation.

We have to go through job interviews, submit application forms and have our managers lobby like crazy. Sounds more like we're moving to a different company. Gone are the days when I felt like my career was actually being mapped out and planned up all the way to the top. To be fair, I did throw a wrench in the system by deciding to stay in Brussels -- still, you would think a well-oiled cog like P&G could and would adapt to that.

It's a bit stressful -- being at a crossroads but not knowing where the arrows point or when to start walking. I'm not complaining. After all, I'm in a cushiest spot to wait it out. I suppose once in a while, it's good to step off the wheel and watch the other hamsters running around for a change. The only thing is, staying off too long... well, you either lose the muscles to keep running when your turn's back up or lose the desire to.

In the meantime, I'm thankful for my job.
#1 - because I get to see my family and friends in Manila 2-3x a year for free.
#2 - because I get to see my sister in Chicago 3-4x a year for free. And do all my cheap shopping in the US, not for free, but definitely discounted.
#3 - because I get to still go to all these new places -- Prague, Abidjan, Lagos to name a few.
#4 - because I get to work with friends I sincerely like and hope to keep even when I move on.
#5 - because I have one.

Well Hello Again

2009-11-17T21:47:00.003+08:00

I’m stuck on a 12 hour flight to Mexico and the entertainment system is busted… Groan. On the bright side, KLM gave me a 50euro voucher and time to write, a luxury I rarely seem to have these days.

Since the last time I blogged, my life has been, in a nutshell, crazily busy. I read somewhere that the 3 most stressful things in life are the death of a relative, divorce and moving. By that measure, the last three years of my life have been the most stressful as I moved each year, through 3 continents and 4 apartments.

I hope this is the last move though for a long long while. Steph and I finally took the leap and bought a new house – we found this incredible place (lovingly referred to as James Bond’s previous house) and the timing and more importantly, pricing, were just perfect. We moved in September and all our furniture fit like it was bought for the house, which reinforces our belief that bad feng shui notwithstanding, it was meant to be.

The final details – security, home theater system, wireless internet – weren’t fixed in time for the House Warming in October but that didn’t stop us from having a – wait for it – legendary party anyway (ok, yes, we also went through 4 seasons of HIMYM in 3 weeks). The key ingredients: our best friends from Brussels and Geneva, loud music and lots of alcohol (more than 60 bottles consumed). The Wii, Magic Mic and the PS3 didn’t hurt either – if it isn’t yet obvious, I live with a 35 year old man who turns into a 12 year old boy at night and on weekends.

We’ve rarely left the house since, partly because we love it so much and mostly because the mortgage payments mean we can’t afford much else. It does give us opportunity to be even more hospitable – so watch for more poker, rugby and football nights, PS3 tournaments, videoke singfests and just plain vegging together parties – if I can ever manage to be home for more weekends.

It’s not over yet but 2009 has definitely been our year for our families. All vacation time this year was spent introducing Steph to the family (duck fetus, chicken feet and soup #5 were all a huge success!), celebrating Chloe’s first birthday in Vegas no less (aww… I’m a god-ma) and visiting Steph’s relatives in Toulouse and Bordeux (I gain a few pounds and increase my alcohol tolerance every time).

I’ve also been pretty lucky to have one of my Manila business trips coincide with cousin Jo visiting from Canada and seeing Cathy in the last few days before she emigrated. And it’s truly been a blessing to see my niece Chloe growing up in all her adorable-ness every few months or so in Chicago – also gives me an opportunity to let my inner stage mother out when I accompany her to her modeling gigs. :)

Oh... I just arrived at my hotel room and found myself staring at a used condom in the Sheraton toilet. How's that for an ending?

Ong Look-alike Meter

2009-01-08T23:38:00.002+08:00

I thought I'd settle the debate once and for all... HAHA!! Take that Mama, I look equally like you! :)

Snow Does Not Equal Typhoon

2008-11-24T20:38:00.003+08:00

I remember how I would be so happy every time it rained back home in Manila... the harder the rain, the more likely we wouldn't have school the next day.

That doesn't happen anymore now... We're like postmen -- come rain, sleet, snow or gloom of night, we trod to work and we stay the full 8, 9, 10 hours before making the trek back home. Never mind that it snowed so heavily the airport shut down yesterday. Never mind that I've taken to wearing 2 layers at HOME to stay warm. Never mind that ice cream stays frozen even when I leave it out (nothing stops me from eating Haagen Dazs strawberry ice cream! :o)

I miss being back in school. I miss bagyo. I miss playing hooky!

My New Zealand Top 10

2008-11-17T20:23:00.022+08:00

There's really something for everyone in New Zealand. I super loved it and can't wait to bring the parents there as well. I'm sure they would enjoy the gorgeous views, the relaxed driving and the easy nights. It's also great for friends -- especially the adrenaline junkies out there -- and for meeting new people. The Kiwis are some of the nicest friendliest people on the planet.

If it weren't so far away, it would be great to retire there and open my own B&B. Maybe still someday... :o) We went at the best time, spring was just around the corner so the sun was always out, there was absolutely no one to queue with (low season) and we got pretty incredible deals for some amazing hotels.

Anyway, here's the top 10 things I enjoyed during my very short 2 weeks there and are definitely on my recommended to-do list!

1) Eat at the French Cafe in Auckland. This has got to be up there as one of my best foodie experiences, consistently voted THE restaurant of the year in NZ. We were extremely lucky to even get in, considering we booked the day before and thankfully they'd had a last minute cancellation. What an experience! Although we were probably equally at fault (on her mostly), the waitress who spilled wine of me never even placed blame. Almost immediately, I got a new glass and the first round of drinks for the table were on the house. They even offered to pay for my dry cleaning.

Marinated tuna with picked crab, aromatic herb salad, toasted rice and lime leaf dressing

Seared scallop with crispy pork, cauliflower and almond puree, apple salad

Roasted French goat's cheese with caramelised onion, beetroot and fig tart, red wine syrup

And if that wasn't enough to win my life-long loyalty, every time we asked what the wine pairing was, they would also offer us a glass of that for free! The food was just as great but the service was really truly mind-blowingly excellent, and a steal with the Tasting Menu (6 courses) for only NZ$100 (EUR50). An absolute must and the perfect way to spend our last night.

2) Zorbing in Rotorua. Who would have thought that getting shoved in a plastic ball that's then rolled down a hill could be so much fun... This definitely tops the list of the longest time spent giggling. It feels a bit like going down a water slide (not dizzying at all) until the ball hits a bump and you start tumbling around inside. Fun, fun, FUN -- cannot recommend this enough. Must... DO!

3) Helicopter ride + Boat trip to Milford Sound. I don't usually spend NZ$700 easily but where else in the world would you get the chance to ride a helicopter over 6, count them SIX, different types of scenery?

There's the view of Queentown (1),

Lake Wakatipu and other hidden alpine lakes (2), the Remarkables mountain range

including the view of Mordor (r) and Saruman's castle (l) (3),

the lush green rainforest (4), deep bush-lined valleys (5)

and finally, the piece de resistance -- Milford Sound, the 8th Natural Wonder of the World, carved by a massive glacier in the last ice age (6).

We seem to have been blessed with a fairy this trip because a landslide had blocked the roads going in to Milford and the weather had grounded all helicopter flights 10 days before and another few days after, except on the one day we had made the reservation! Talk about luck!

We also happened to be the only people on the only boat going around Milford. Thank you low season! Made for some fantastic pictures (until my camera died on me) and we even saw a rare Fiordland Crested penguin going for its morning bath.

4) Black Water Rafting in Waitomo. Not as scary as the name suggests, this really is a sort of gentle adventure where you stick your ass in a tube and float down an underground river. We even had some 70 year old's doing this with us! What makes the experience is the presence of glow-worms everywhere that light up the ceiling cave like the night sky. Unbelievable...

The scariest thing to it is the cold, with the water just a little over zero degrees. They do offer wet suits which help regulate temperature, but try to do the first one in the morning so they're still dry before you put them on. Bring shampoo, soap, etc to wash off the cave water after.

5) Lunch at the Huka Lodge. One of the most expensive places to stay in the world... one night here is at least NZ$1000 per person and I don't care if the meals are all included, that's still frigging expensive. You might get the chance to rub shoulders with Queen Elizabeth II, Kate Winslet, Robin Williams, Barbra Streisand etc..., all of whom have stayed there before, but at a hefty price.

We did the next best thing which was to book a meal at the Huka Lodge, which is also recognized as one of the best places to eat in NZ. Maybe it was because of the low season, but again we were surprised that lunch was specially set-up in a separate part of the lodge. It's hard to beat a three-course meal for only NZ$75 with the ultimate in ambiance.

6) Quad biking in Queenstown - I'm not the most sporty person on the planet (and that's an understatement), I was the worst person in the group (poor coordination skills :o) and the guide had to move me all the way up front to keep an eye on me... but even I enjoyed quad biking. Don't think I would have had as good a time if the view wasn't just so freakishly awesome. Everywhere you looked was just picture-perfect out of a postcard. Even the sheep looked like they were posed!

Here's a tip: They give you the boots, overalls, helmet and even the shades to wear on the quad. No need to do like me and buy new stuff!

7) Mud bathing in Rotorua - Just getting in Rotorua, one smells the sulphur and knows we are no longer in Kansas but the middle of an active thermal area. Hell's Gate is a thermal park and spa and taking a tour of their park is like stepping into Dante's inferno, complete with steam rising from cracks in the earth, boiling mud pools and surreal landscapes.

The funniest sign ever...

Taking a dip in one their steaming mudbaths is quite an experience. Fantastic for the skin apparently and definitely very unique. Short of mudwrestling, I don't think I'll ever do this again though... the smell was in my hair for days after!!

8) Traditional Maori hangi - To be honest, the hangi itself was a bit of a disappointment. I thought they would actually cook the food deep in the earth, but now it's actually quite modernized as per government standards (there are apparently too many potential bugs in the earth for tourist stomachs).

Still, it was a good overall experience and Rotorua is the place to be to experience the Maori culture. Before dinner (which is included in the price), we are invited into the Marae by the chief and treated to lots of song and dance -- the women doing the Poi dance which I was crap at, and the men, the haka.

The evening culminates with a short ride (blankets provided) to watch the Pohutu geyser shoot up. All in all, an enjoyable evening and one you shouldn't miss after traveling all the way to NZ.

9) Scenic drive to Queenstown - In general, the drives pleasantly pass through pastoral scenes where one really believes there are more sheep than people inhabiting the country. But the most breathtaking one was the drive from Christchurch to Queenstown. Leaving the city we passed through lovely cherry blossom trees lining the route towards the highway -- I must have taken dozens of pictures, just of this.

I think I was stopping the car every hour or so to step down and take pictures. The view of the ice-capped mountains was just lovely.

But nothing really prepares you for the sight of Lake Tekapo. I was freezing my ass off but still had to take photo after photo, it was just beautiful.

10) It's a bit hard now to pick the last one -- 360 degree jetboating was fun too, but a bit dizzying after a while. Te Papa museum in Wellington combined a great educational experience but made it interactive and engaging. And the Sky Tower in Auckland where you can jump off the top, was terrifyingly cool as well.

So pick your poison. Like I said at the start, there really is something for everyone in NZ!

What's up, ketchup?

2008-11-17T17:08:00.003+08:00

Wow, it's been a while. Haven't felt much like writing these days and been really busy since my move to Brussels. Let's see... I went on vacation to Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru and the Galapagos Islands with Ahia and Mama (still have to upload the pics to that one), went on another vacation in New Zealand, did a weekend in Barcelona, visited Yotch in Chicago, been traveling to Cairo (twice!), Mexico, Beijing (yey-to-no-pollution-post-Olympics!), Bali, Manila, and of course my uber-favorite Cinci. I definitely need to find some time to write about all these trips.

In the meantime, I figured I'd do lists since they're good to ease me into writing again. So here's my top 5 things that I love about my move here:

1) Love the food -- my monthly Perroquet pita fix, 1-Michelin star La Truffe Noire (to die for) and even my trusty old Thai cafe just downstairs. After almost a year of living in Cinci, everything is savored, appreciated and enjoyed!

2) Love that I have a lot of stuff to do on weekends -- entertaining friends, watching unlimited movies (I have a monthly card), visiting expositions (Star Wars, da Vinci exhibits, Body Museum, etc...) and super being hooked on Civilizations on my PS3.

3) Love my apartment -- love the furniture, love the location, love that it feels like home. I can't wait for the whole family to come celebrate Christmas here next year!!!

4) Love that everything is so close -- Barcelona and Madrid: 2 hours by plane, Paris: 1.5 hours by train, Amsterdam: 2 hours by car, London: 2 hours by train, etc etc. It's great to see friends and visit new places every weekend if I wanted to. Of course most days I just want to veg at home after being on a plane so much but it's nice to know I have that choice.

5) Love my friends -- Sad that Karim and Rana moved to Beirut a few months after I came over :o( but at least I still have David and Carole, Marianne and Mirko, Sylvain and Marion, and a bunch of other lovely lovely folks. And it's always nice to have Ghi and Fab come over. :o)

On the flip side, it does take some adjusting that there are almost no English channels on TV (3 including CNN and BBC - groan...), the hot water is intermittent at best (thank you old 18-kopong-kopong pipes), weather's totally crappy (2 types: gloom and doom), I can't go anywhere because the street names are too supercalifragilisticexplialidociously long for me to remember (I live in Chaussee de Waterloo, that's the only thing I know) and Manila is still too far away (I can't believe I missed Italian themed dinner!).

For all that, and I'm not sure how long it will last... but for now, there's no other place I'd rather be than a Bruxelles.

Ode to Comfort Food

2008-06-02T18:50:00.003+08:00

I always get these funny looks from people because I keep my watch set at Manila time. It was convenient for a while, since Cinci was exactly 12 hours away (without DST), it hardly made much of a difference. And with the amount of travel that I do, it just felt like a good way to keep being connected to home. Home for me is, has and always will be Manila. Like they say, home is where the heart is.

But moving now to Brussels, maybe there is space for a second time zone close to my heart. I've adjusted quite well to moving here. Doesn't hurt I got salary in Euros for the first time last week. :o) And last Saturday, I discovered the best thing... a Chinese supermarket. A huuuuge one. And not just any Chinese supermarket, they have practically everything I could ever want!

I spent a couple of hundred euros stocking up my pantry... Lee Kum Kee sauces, even Mang Tomas, Philippines sardines, sago, coconut milk, kaong, Mama Sita's sauce mixes, Q bihon... So funny that I travel halfway around the world and find all this stuff. Comfort food. Le sigh.

So yesterday, after getting tired of restaurant and travel food for the last few weeks, there I am in the kitchen (and for those who know me, this rarely happens) whipping up a storm. First up, lechon kawali (deep fried pork belly). I have no idea if the meat itself tasted good since I practically drowned it in Mang Tomas sarsa (gravy) but yum yum yum, I was in heaven. My culinary skills are practically non-existent but thank God for sauces to camouflage everything else.

Of course, this was after my hands got little boils from being splashed by hot greasy oil when it started splattering everywhere (stove, walls, floor, my hands...). Doubt I will do it again soon (the pain, the pain) but it was oh so worth it...

For dinner, I had chicken with black bean sauce. And today I'm making adobo and maybe some sinigang (tamarind) or sibut (um... black chicken?) soup. Damn, I couldn't be happier. Now if only I could get the recipe for Jollibee Chicken Joy gravy. :o)

Sounds so weird that I've finally moved my watch to Belgian time because of food. But no place can ever be truly home unless I can eat the food I like, which isn't all the time (sometimes yes :o) in a nice fancy Michelin star restaurant. Like any relationship, it's in the small things...

Quickie Update

2008-05-13T03:08:00.009+08:00

Ok, what have I been up to? It's always a bit of struggle to get back to blogging once you've stopped for a while... and 2 months was a long stop. Not that I didn't have anything to write about. If anything, once a week went by, it seemed like there were too many things to write about that I didn't know where to start or which to pick!

Let's see... I suppose the biggest news is that I've finally settled in to Brussels. It took me quite a long while to get here, literally and figuratively. I've been waiting for this move to happen the last 3 years and just to make it even more of a challenge, I was lugging my huge fat 40kilo luggage around everywhere right before the physical transfer.

First, I was in 5 different cities each day of the week (Cincinnati, Indianapolis, New York, Chicago then LA) applying for visas, visiting my sibs (and Ezer!) and just gorging on food.

The best pizza ever at Pizzeria Mozza

One of the best lambs I've come across at Hatfield's

Best non-alcoholic mojito at LA Mill

Then it was off for 2 weeks of business trip in Mexico and Caracas before I finally ended up here.

Best seafood meal I had in Mexico was in Contramar

My new found friends in the Polanco Starbucks

Mexico and Caracas were a blast. Didn't feel like work at all and I got to hang out with a lot of old and new friends. I have a lot of good memories this trip, if only all work trips were like this. Plus, the food in Caracas was fantastic! I'd go back just for that...

And so finally, here I am. My stuff arrived two weeks ago and I've just settled in. The 2 long weekends almost back to back were perfect to get me all sorted out. I'll post more pictures of my apartment eventually but this is what I come home to everyday now. Still waiting for my couch to be delivered but it's home anyway.

I've arrived at the perfect time -- spring's here, all the avenues are green again and the sun is out till 9pm! I wish this weather would last...

I live in where the guidebooks say is "THE place to be seen" -- Place du Chatelain with a market every Wednesdays where I go shopping for necessities. You can buy everything there... meat, cheese, fish, fruit, any and all kinds of olives and virtually everything you can think off.

The most bad-ass strawberries I've ever ever had in my life. To... die... for...

It's usually packed as you can see, especially when there's a guy offering wine degustation out of his trunk! Now that's what I call entrepreneurial!

And of course, weekends here are so much easier, nicer and more fun. Last weekend was a road trip to Amsterdam which I hadn't seen in the last 12 years. It's much more alive than I remembered and I really really enjoyed the ambiance and the feel of the city. Smoked pot for the first time though I am disappointed to report it had absolutely no effect on me... guess I shouldn't be surprised considering somewhere along my genes, my ancestors probably invented opium.

Note to self: Just because it's only 2.5 hours away doesn't mean you don't plan the trip anymore... A lot of the sights now are "bookable" online so you can save time from queueing. Still, it does give one an excuse to come back for the Anne Frank and Rembrandt museums.

The infamous red light district

People-watching... the national hobby

In front of what I think is the royal palace :o)

life-size replicas of Rembrandt's "Night Watch"

Buying more tulips than I know what to do with

I had some more adventures after that -- a side trip to Moscow where the waitress threatened to call the cops on us (just because we asked to split the bill!) and of course, Bert and Andrea's wedding this weekend... though that's one that's better shared on pictures!

Some Things You Just Keep

2008-03-16T03:51:00.003+08:00

So I'm moving again... for the 2nd time in 10 months. While being in Brussels is something I've waited for and wanted for a while now, I can't say I'm looking forward to all the packing and unpacking. Something about shipping your stuff a thousand miles across the seas always gives me the urge to clean out my closet, my desk, my drawers... weeding out all the old stuff I don't need.

Sunday -- There I was, spending the day going through old documents, old magazines, old clothes... Armed with Tim Gunn's advice, I begin to sort my stuff into the donate, throw and keep piles. But after the first 15 minutes, I had everything in the keeper pile! Even the really cheesy faded blue moon and stars bed sheet and pillow case set from SM that I have in common with at least 2 consumer homes I've visited.

I just can't bring myself to throw stuff away... I know I probably should. What is it that Eli Stone said? Life and the pursuit of Armani, accessories and ambition. Everyone else is showing off their new and improved car, their new and improved career, their new and improved selves. Trade-ins happen all the time -- the new Ipod, the new cellphone, heck, even the new wife. But I just can't keep up with all this improvement.

I know that probably makes me sound old and fuddy-duddy at a time when the world seems to like the flashier the better, the blingier the better, the younger the better. But some things you just keep. Some things you should keep. Like good friends. Old pictures. Fat husbands.
They're good for your soul, trusty, reliable and so much a part of you that to throw them away would be to lose a bit of yourself.

I probably get it from my parents. Mum who buys 2-ply tissue paper but separates the sheets to double the use, who in spite of the 1-ply-ness of the tissue paper we are already using, makes us tear only the part of tissue paper we need to blow our nose, who started the 1-square habit even before Sheryl Crow made it controversial. The same mum who washes aluminum foil after she's used it to use it again. I blame my bizaare collection of left-over Safeguard soap pieces stacked on top of each other on her, still hoping that one day they will merge and resurrect into a giant soap bar.

Pops is much the same -- we have a huge collection of empty boxes at home "just in case" we ever need them. He'd rather get food poisoning than throw away any food item even if it's expired. And he was never as happy as when he finally fit into a pair of old jeans he'd kept from years and years ago (from the high-waist era), when his hope that his tummy would get smaller came true.

Maybe growing up poor and having to work hard for what they have now, has made them value money. Or maybe they're just satisfied with what they already have. Whatever it is, I'm glad they taught me to value the same things they do. Because I realize that what they've passed on to me isn't a funny quirk. It's a way of life.

It used to drive me crazy when I was younger... I inherited my brothers' school books, kept wearing the same clothes till I got too tall for them, had my school uniforms mended and sewn back as new. I just wanted to be wasteful. My classmates only ever had new stuff. Throwing things away meant there would always be more.

But you get older, and with age came the realization that something new isn't always better than something old, that the familiar can be a million times warmer, cozier, homier than a stranger, and sometimes, well sometimes, there just isn't any 'more'.

So while I have what I have, I plan to fix it and mend it and use it till it's of better use to someone else. Some things you just keep... like comfy old pajamas, aging parents, bratty kids, balding husbands, annoying brothers (and sisters :o), nosy relatives, friends who live a thousand miles away... And a really cheesy faded blue moon and stars bed sheet and pillow case set from SM that reminds me what I have in common with at least 2 consumer homes I've visited.

There’s Enough To Go Around…

2008-03-13T06:24:00.001+08:00

There may not be enough water, clean air or food for everyone on the planet. But good will, THAT, well that there should be more of. Wouldn't it be great to have an unending supply of good will?

I mean, come on guys. We’re working in one of the biggest companies in the world. We’ve reached a level of success that shows we’re actually good at what we do. That even in the worst possible case, we’re still market-able to other good companies. That's not at all a bad place to be.

So shouldn't we celebrate this? Take some time to enjoy our success and the fact that other people can be successful too? We're at a perfect junction where it's not a limited pie... everyone still gets to have a bite. You don't have to eat my share, there's enough to go around. It doesn't have to be lonely now, we're not at the top yet.

And yet it very sadly is. Lonely I mean. Good people can show a very funny side sometimes when the pie is perceived to become smaller. Well, I for one, would rather eat a different pie than fight over the last piece.

All this talk of pie is making me hungry.

When God Closes A Door, He Gives You a Blackberry

2008-02-27T02:28:00.002+08:00

Having a really shitty depressing day today. Called D while in the middle of a nervous breakdown, both of us realizing that we're getting old. Not older. Just old. Bodies breaking down, hearts already broken, more yet to come, heads still in denial.

And we're just turning thirty.

I was contemplating taking the rest of the day off to wallow in misery. Walked back to my desk to pack up and ta-dah! I find my new replacement Blackberry, finally. A distraction, a lifeline, a reprieve. Fuel to keep chugging along. Till I start sputtering again.

21 Days

2008-02-24T05:03:00.000+08:00

I learned something interesting from a friend of mine the other day. Apparently, it takes 21 days to create a habit. Or 21 days to break one. I found that both encouraging and comforting. 21 days to get over my incessant email checking. 21 days to stop hearing Damien Rice in my head. 21 days to bottle up lightning.

Haiku

2008-02-19T01:24:00.003+08:00

All my jeans are too tight.

Either it shrunk in the dryer,

Or I've gotten fat...

Damn.

A little sad...

2008-02-14T04:21:00.005+08:00

I miss my boys back home.

My dad came out to wave goodbye from the balcony as I left for the airport with mum. Made me cry. You just never outgrow your parents.

It's 2 degrees in Brussels today and I have nothing to keep me warm.

The Year of Moan

2008-02-07T22:10:00.001+08:00

Another year has come and gone. I was lucky enough to have the chance to spend Chinese New Year here in Manila, probably my last one for a few years to come. :( So of course I had to snap pictures with my trusty camera phone (my blackberry and Casio camera have gone to heaven as a result of a tragic drowning accident).

Folding paper money for Ama... My stash is on the right

Offerings for the Kitchen God

I made the artistic arrangements for the chips on the Lazy Susan... :)

Offerings for Ama

Mum and I ended up having lunch at 2pm after folding all the paper money. We ate really light because dinnertime was bound to be an extra special affair with Chinese lauriat food and Mom's famous Buddha Jumps Over the Wall soup complete with mounds of shark's fin and abalone! I must have had 4 bowls. Hello food baby!

Anyway, all this New Year stuff has been making me evaluate the year past and the year coming. It doesn't help that the Year of the Rat is not supposed to be a good year for me -- Mum says if I don't control my bitchiness, some jail time or getting sued will be in the cards for me. I will also lose money, have a bumpy road in love and not do so well at work. Wah... they sure don't mince words... So what better time to try and think of being a better person than now, when faced with the threat of such misery.

I started with a gigantic list but since close to 30 years of existence hasn't managed to change me, I figure I have a better chance of success if I focus on just improving one thing. So this year, I resolve to be more patient. Which means, less lip, less dagger looks, less taray. Argh. This is going to be one difficult task.

Goodbye 2007! You were one hell of a year. I don't think I've ever quite had so much fun...
... traveling the world with my sibs

Photo contests in Essaouira as part of a crazy Egypt, Morocco, Dubai tour

The super funny and unforgettable India adventure - go Wong cherry panties.

Freezing our asses off in the drive from Napa to San Francisco

Under the bean with Yotch in Chicago

Feeling the magic of the red rocks in Sedona, perfect to reenergize after Vegas, and then the Grand Canyon

... traveling the world alone or with friends, holidays or even for work

In Colmar, my first French road trip

Madrid with the gang

My last trip to Japan for a while - I'm sure the deer in Nara will be happy

New York is always lovely, the 2nd, 3rd, 4th time around...

In front of the ruins in Crete

Chilling in Budapest... that is indeed lil ole me

... giving my sister away (sniff sniff) and getting a new brother in the process (yey)!

Yotch's despedida

Yotch's bachelorette party - unforgettable cake!

Mr and Mrs Palmes but not before a harrowing almost-didn't-make-it cruise departure!

... reuniting with cousins I haven't seen in ages!!

Missing my beloved cousins from Canada (Jo, Sherwin, wonderkid Stefan), New Jersey (Noreen-tsi), Baltimore (Lynn)

The always fun Christmas reunions for A-i's birthday

... food-tripping in more Michelin-star restaurants than ever (Thanks Ahia)

French Laundry (drool...), Cyrus (my fave!), La Mere Poulard (orgasmic), Dry Creek Kitchen, Spago, Cut, Lucques, Providence, Zuni, Chow, La Strada, Saint Julien, Chez Panisse, Kobe beef, sheep brain, chicken tagine at Riad 5 Sens, Mama's home cooked Put-Thiaw-Choo...

... spending my first New Year's Eve away from home in Bora

... finding a fantastic apartment twice!
... finding out I'm moving to Brussels (at long last!)
... discovering I'm going to be an A-i (come soon Chloe!!)
... singing on the best invention ever -- the magic mic!
... failing my driver's license test 3x... argh
... saying good-bye to old friends

Leaving my Singapore family after 5 years together

Goodbye Ezer

... saying hello to new ones

My new GSP team

the "fun" crowd (haha)

... making sure to keep the good ones

The constant never-changing Sex and the City Chinese-style ladies

I can always count on Christmas lunch with my ex P&G gang

2007 is chock-full of memories and chock-full of change. It was one of the best years of my life... a time of bonding, learning, undiluted fun. I'm looking forward to 2008, with all the potential misery and all the guaranteed passion, excitement, travel and love this year will bring. Kung Hei Fat Choy!

Think Happy Thoughts...

2007-12-21T12:05:00.000+08:00

I think I've had enough of planes for a while. After two, count them, two (!!) 6-hour lay-overs at LAX and Changi, I'm dead with exhaustion, ready to collapse, just freaking tired. I've worn the same clothes for more than a day. My hair is stringy and my face is on the verge of a major break-out.

Traveling on business class helped a bit -- I slept 6 hours quite comfortably, got my foreign movie fix and ate gourmet food. But this endless waiting can put a strain on your soul and sap the energy out of anyone. I am NOT looking forward to more queueing at the PAL airport...

Taxi to the airport $45
Ticket to Manila $4000 (Thank you P&G)
Buying pasalubong and gifts $500
Arriving home at the same time as millions of other OFWs... nightmare.

For everything else, there's the thought of seeing my family again, hanging out with the best of friends I've had since childhood and spending the whole day at the salon/spa!!

Four more hours to home... here's to keeping me sane till then.

Budapest Day 2: Old Town Buda

2007-12-02T23:11:00.000+08:00

The thing about winter is that people over-compensate on the heating systems, and not only does it make everything artifically too hot (so there is a higher chance of catching a cold when you get out) but it also makes you incredibly dry. I know this isn't why people are reading this post, but I've never slathered on so much lotion in my entire life that I was practically sliding off the bed.

Ok moving on. My first impression of Hungary was that it was a country of old people. The fact that I'm staying in a resort-spa where old people come to convalesce did not help improve this. Nor did my hot spring session yesterday, where I saw more flesh, hanging bits and wiggly parts than I've ever seen in my entire life.

But today I have young company walking the Castle District in the old hill town of Buda. Shannon was my regional account director in Saatchi when I still had my old assignment. Today he's my sightseeing buddy, which is really a good thing since my camera kept freezing up on me and I had to rely on his.

In general, Budapest is a very small city. You could walk the entire length of it, all the way to Margrit island in 2 hours. Wear comfy walking shoes since it's mostly cobblestone and trust me, you do not want to be caught in heels, no matter if they're chunky... my feet still hurt!

We got lost a couple of times in the old town as we made our way to see the recommended sights...

Fishermen's Bastion

The Dome of the Royal Palace

and decided to thaw out in the Hungarian National Museum, which has free admission! A definite plus in my book. We were not familiar with any of the Hungarian artists so snob that I am, we went through it pretty quickly. Maybe hunger had something to do with it, since lunch came at 2pm-ish. And as I already mentioned, food in Hungary is amazingly good... which shouldn't be surprising considering they are the second largest producer of foie gras in the world, after the French. I had one of the best steaks in my life (with foie gras on top of course) at a regular by-the-street pub.

Parliament was the next item on the agenda but sadly, they had run out of tickets by the time we got there. Go early next time guys, this is one of the must-see's in Budapest.

Parliament

We split up at this point so Shannon could make the 2-hour trek back to the hotel and I could go see Heroes' Square

and Vajdahunyad Castle, not a real castle but a complex of buildings reflecting various architectural styles -- Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, etc.

The Baroque building

In retrospect, it was probably not a good idea to take the river cruise on a foggy evening where one could hardly see anything.

But it was nice to meet up with some of the other office people for dinner, before I retired so they could enjoy other nocturnal activities.

Even though I covered off the major parts of Budapest already this weekend, I will have to find my way back again soon, with sneakers, a warmer jacket and more time for wandering, for indulging in their thermal spas and for trying out all their local and high-end delicacies. And then we'd be off to Prague and Croatia. :)

For more pictures, click here.

Budapest Day 1: Central Pest

2007-12-01T21:37:00.000+08:00

You're never too old to learn something. In my case this week, I was tickled pink to learn that Budapest is actually divided by the Danube River into the old town of Buda and Central Pest, which is their downtown. Buda + Pest = Budapest. How funny.

I arrived in this little charming city on Saturday to take advantage of the weekend and do some sightseeing before our week-long meetings began. Once those start, there's never any time left over for touring as the evenings also consist of mandatory dinners and networking "events".

Before I left, I had the presence of mind to ask the local Hungarian peeps what to do. Too bad I only remembered 2 days before my flight, which did not leave me enough time to go shopping for new swimwear. Why would I need that, you might ask, when Hungary is tottering below zero and particularly freezing this Saturday.

The answer is Szechenyi Baths, the largest complex of spa baths in Europe.

While maybe not as popular as Gellert Baths (which is fine by me, only the locals were here), the unique experience of Szechenyi is that it has the hottest thermal springs in Budapest, and it's outdoor. Nice... My head was freezing but my body stayed warm in its 34-degree water.

The steam is coming from the hot springs

The guidebooks say you need swimming caps, which is not true, though the cap fashions were interesting to observe while being jetted by the hot springs. I spotted leopard print, Marge Simpson-esque blue and white ones and even baseball caps. What they don't tell you is you need to bring your own towel, slippers and toiletries. Thank God I swiped a hand towel from the hotel just in case. As for my lack of proper attire, I compensated with very nice underwear.

I guess I can strike off #27 in my list of things to do before I die: "Die of heat in a sauna and jump into the ice-cold river right after" but in reverse. It was a fantastic experience, particularly to have in winter time. And not all that expensive on top ($14 for 2 hours and a free locker)!

After I shivered my way out of the pool, I was completely relaxed and strangely languid. All the stress drained out of me and I could just meander through the rest of Budapest's other secrets. I decided to go shopping at Vaci Street and stumbled upon the Christmas night market in Vorosmarty Square just as the lights came on.

They were selling everything from puppets to pottery to hot bread flavored with cinnamon, walnut, vanilla or caramel to Hungarian sausage (yum yum yum), hot wine, ceramics... you name it. There wasn't much to buy, save for the food, but it was fun to rub shoulders with the massive throng of people, especially when the weather dropped below zero.

I was supposed to have dinner at a very trendy restaurant called Mokka, but the prospect of a 5 minute walk in did-I-say-freezing-temperatures was less than appealing. I ducked into the nearest restaurant, all the while fearful that I was in the tourist-y district where price and ambiance was king. 60 minutes later, I was very happy to report that the food was excellent! This would become increasingly characteristic of my memories of Budapest -- excellent food even in the most unexpected places.

That and the exorbitant prices one is charged for taxis. Note here that they charge (and over-charge) you by the meter so you think you're actually paying what you should. My colleagues were being asked to chalk up $50USD (!!) for a one-way 15-minute ride, when the actual cost was about $10. Completely maddening.

For some reason, the system in this country is to actually call for cabs. They arrive within 5 minutes and if you call a reputable company, won't ask you to pay anything more than $15 for a reasonable distance. My best bet is City Taxi, +361 211 1111.

For more pictures, click here.

Taking Asia For Granted

2007-10-07T21:28:00.000+08:00

Being in the US is not the first time I'm living away from my family in Manila. But when I was in Singapore, things didn't really change all the much -- I was back home every 4-6 weeks, I had access to really good Chinese comfort food (dimsum, dimsum, dimsum) and the weather was always nice.

And now being in Cinci... well, let's just say that after 3 months here, I'm realizing just how much I took for granted back in Asia!!

1) SAFETY -- While you could walk around even at 4am without fear in Sing, I would be quaking in my boots in broad daylight in some parts here in Cinci. This happened quite a few times when I took a wrong turn into downtown ghetto Cinci, or even for little things, like when I unknowingly went shopping in the "wrong" supermarket. My real estate agent called me, and in a tone that was speaking veeery slowly like I was facing a rabid dog, told me to drop everything and go outside to see if my car was still parked.

My second week here, I read the newspaper. Headline: Sex Offenders in Cinci. Wonderful, I discovered that my zipcode has the most number of registed sex offenders and predators in the city (though I don't live downtown, I share the same zip). I stopped reading the newspaper after that. And I also started to sleep with a knife on my bedside table for a while, burglar alarm in the building notwithstanding.

2) SHOPPING -- I'm not even talking about how the shops are open on Sundays or till late in the evening. I'm talking about even having those shops. I can't find my brands here -- goodbye Shu Uemura and cleansing oils, goodbye SK II, Kerastase and Schwarzkopf, goodbye Warehouse, Mango, Zara, Grab, goodbye shopping! Everyone who says the States is shopping heaven needs to come on down to Cinci. Sure we have an outlet mall, one frigging hour away! I guess when you're desperate...

On the other hand, there are some good things, like online shopping. I just bought stuff from Mango (since I know my size already) and I'm eyeing Hotel Collection next. Sigh... the things I have learned to content myself with...

3) CONVENIENCE -- Gosh, where do I start? First of all, it took me forever to get credit cards. Since I never lived here, no matter how much money I make, the banks wouldn't issue me a credit card since I don't have something called a credit history. Well duh... #1 - how can I have credit history if I just moved? and #2 - it's just not in my culture to be in debt! This damn credit history thing affects not just your ability to get credit cards, but even the price of your car (I had to get Ahia to co-sign), insurance and practically everything else!

I feel like screaming in frustration! Everywhere else, cash in your bank account or your monthly salary is king. Not here! Here they look at how well you're paying off your debts, which you'd assume would be evidence by cash in your bank account. But noooo... not here in the US!!! GRRRRRRR!!!

So finally after screaming at the folks at American Express, they finally issued me a card (I've been a cardmember since 2001!). Initially, US Bank (my company bank) issued me a credit card, for get this, a credit limit of... take a seat before you read further, you might get shocked at the fantastic number... a credit limit of all of $300. Whoop-dee-doo.

Also, it sounded cool before to have a car, and I missed driving. But I also miss having the choice to walk around if I wanted, to take the metro (doesn't exist here) or cross over to the nearest cafe. Here I have to take my car e.v.e.r.y.w.h.e.r.e. Really great for the environment.

4) FOOD -- No dimsum, no Jack and Jill V-Cut potato chips, no Hot and Spicy Century Tuna, no Mama Sita's adobo and Knorr Sinigang mix. The Chinese food isn't great (which is a problem for when the family comes) and apart from the Japanese restaurant I found, everything else is just decent. Makes it difficult to want to go out at night, if safety wasn't already a deterrent.

5) BEAUTY -- Sob sob... this has been so difficult to get used to. I haven't had a mani-pedi in 4 months and my hair hasn't been rebonded, cut or colored in 10 months (without my trusty hairdryer every day, I look like I'm on my way to audition for the Jackson 5). No massage, no waxing (I have to do it myself so don't think I've turned into a she-man), no facials or IPLs. I'm completely deprived. Everything here is just so expensive! Rebonding here for one hour is the cost of the whole session plus some in Manila! And no one in their right mind would pay $150 for a massage.

And I haven't even started about just plain missing family and friends. I miss late night talks with my shobe's, girls night out with the gang, Saturday marathon shopping with the aunts and cousins. There's no pwa tyong chu (Mooncake Festival Dice game) here, no Noche Buena, no Chinese lauriats, no dimsum lunches in Gloria Maris, no popping by to D's with Starbucks just because.

There are some things here I do enjoy sometimes, but in a kind of detached way. I don't really feel I'm part of this world, of these friends here -- not like I do with Yotch getting married or Jac having a baby. I must be getting old, if all the investments I've made into personal relationships are done. Or I'm just lucky enough to have had the good fortune to have the relationships worth investing in very early on.

I've never looked forward this much to going home.

Catching Up

2007-10-04T22:08:00.000+08:00

Ok so I'm completely and absolutely behind on my blogging. I could say a lot has been happening, but really, I've just been lazy. :) In the last 2 months...

1) I went to Sao Paulo for a Global Meeting and had super fun dancing the samba and especially going crazy with caipirinha (lethal weapon) at the churrascaria.

2) Took a super good vacation in Crete, though it's definitely no Boracay. I'll be posting the pics in the photo section of my Multiply soon enough, so watch for it. Here's a preview:

Nice view in Agios Nikolaos

The famous palm-lined Vai beach

3) Adjusted to my new job in Cinci. I haven't begun the world tour yet and already, my travel schedule is looking quite crazy. Even lost my bag for a whole week while it was stranded in London!

4) Threw my housewarming party finally, which was fun even if on a weekday. Recipe to a great party: lots of Belgian beer, French wine, sushi and a charcuterie plate!

5) Spent Labor Day weekend with the sibs, Ahia, Yotch and Allan in Napa Valley and San Francisco. Major food tripping which you absolutely must look out for in the photos section. We were eating at 1, 2 and 3-star Michelin restaurants the whole time, and gained 10 pounds each! Yummmmyyyyy... thanks to Ahia for all that planning! We had the best best time, even if I lived in an American horror movie for a while after that (long story).

6) Partied in Brussels and Madrid with the best of them, though I had to quit by about 4am. I'm getting old... Highlights of the trip:

Shopping at Zara

Drool-worthy paella

Viva Madrid! (Isabel, Anita, Lucia, Pierre and me!)

An Inconvenient Consequence

2007-07-23T01:13:00.000+08:00

Last night, I watched Al Gore's documentary on global warming, "An Inconvenient Truth". And boy, did it freak me out. Not exactly what you should watch before going to bed, as it is scarier than any horror movie I've watched ("The Ring" Japanese version included). Here are some of the scary facts if the world continues to warm at the rate it's going:

-- We will completely be ice-free in the Arctic Ocean by 2050.
-- We will lose the Netherlands, Manhattan, parts of San Francisco, Calcutta, Beijing, Shanghai and a lot more coastal cities will go under the water. Goodbye Philippines.
-- More than a million species extinct by 2050.
-- More droughts, heatwaves (50+ degrees), category 4 and 5 hurricanes. Famine, disease, pestilence...

Anyone else who thinks it sounds like the end of days as described in the book of Revelations?

And this is in OUR lifetime.

No wonder I couldn't sleep.

It's appalling to me that the US, which has 2x the amount of carbon emissions as the next offender, is not doing anything to curb this. While all the other nations have agreed, the US (together with Australia) has refused to sign the Kyoto Protocol, which seeks to limit the amount of greenhouse gas emissions per country. WAKE UP AMERICA -- what use are jobs if there's no planet to work and live in?

Right after I watched the movie, I went to http://www.climatecrisis.net/ to calculate my personal contribution of carbon dioxide emissions. I was doing pretty ok. The national average is 7.5 tons per year and after most everything, I was at half that (3.7 tons). That was, until I added in my estimated number of flights. 24 extended (8 hours and above) flights for the year. My contribution soared to 27.1 tons, 4x the national average!!!

So there are a couple of things I've resolved to do:
1) Buy a Toyota Prius instead of the second-hand Porsche Boxster I've been drooling over.
2) Turn off all lights, the TV and computer when I'm not using it.
3) Unplug all chargers and appliances as these continue to use electricity just by being plugged. (I did this right after watching the movie.)
4) Air dry my clothes.
5) Use cold water cycle for my laundry.
6) Turn up the A/C by one degree. Or better yet, use the fan.
7) Accelerate gently. And drive more slowly.

And because I'm having such a huge personal impact on the environment, I'm offsetting my CO2 emissions by helping renewable energy sources get built. It's painful on the wallet but I want my kids to grow up with the same planetary luxuries that I grew up with... clean air and water, four seasons (two in the Philippines) and enough food for everyone.

To find out what else you can do, click here. And offset your CO2 emissions here.

The Space Between

2007-07-15T05:21:00.000+08:00

So I’ve obviously been too busy with the whole trans-Pacific move to update my blog. But finally I’ve gotten some free time on this, my first weekend here in Cinci. Some news:

1) I’ve found my new apartment and I absolutely loooove it! It’s really made such a huge difference to come back from work to a home you love, even when you live in a city you don’t. :) I have the best landlord, a fantastic view,

My living room

The pool

The view from my living room windows

The hallway

my tub has a Jacuzzi and I have my dream kitchen.

Seriously, I could hide out here and never feel sorry for myself. It’s a home made for entertaining and it’s a pity I’ll miss having my Labor Day party when my place has the best view of the fireworks.

2) Cinci is actually not thaaaat bad. Sure Mark Twain said that “"When the end of the world comes, I want to be in Cincinnati because it's always twenty years behind the times." But there are some saviors: Broadway comes to America tours here and this season isn’t so bad (Wicked, Jersey Boys to name a few). Even Dave Matthews is coming over end of August. It’s 5 hours to Chicago and you can overdose on a cosmopolitan cultural kick there before coming back.

Not this kind of culture... Yotch and Allan don Ratatouille hats at Taste of Chicago

In front of the famous "Bean"

Me and Yotch under the bean

There are some burgeoning places, which albeit small are still nice-to-have – Hyde Park, Oakley, Mt. Adams all have that I-just-discovered-a-hole-in-the-wall feel.

3) Ok so the restaurants aren’t great. But Cincinnati Magazine just came out with the top 25 restaurants in the area and I’ve had a 50-50 success rate so far (definitely do #9 Jo-An restaurant and unrated Chipotle for "gourmet" burritos and skip #6 Pho Paris). Not too shabby for a place which was devoid of culinary gastronomic delights just a few years ago. My goal is to finish all 25 before the end of the year, quite ambitious for someone who’s out of the country more then 50% of the time.

Now what don’t I like? Honestly, not much about Cincinnati that I don’t like about America in general. I miss not having to shred all the papers that have my personal information for fear of identity theft. I miss public transportation (though I do get a car here which is just perfect). I miss year-round summer weather (though it’s still summer here so I shouldn’t complain). I miss the feeling of security at all hours of the day. Here, you can’t even shop in the wrong store in the wrong area because people stare and might steal your car.

I do miss having a downtown. My needs are simple – just a place with Starbucks and a good Chinese restaurant nearby that doesn’t close at 6pm even on weekdays.

I have to say apart from that, I’m adjusting quite well. Definitely not the wreck I was when I moved to Singapore eons ago… Not to say that everything is perfect – I still haven’t found my suki Chinese resto and I refuse to buy Basmati rice in a box till I find the Oriental Supermarket that sells the real stuff you cook in a rice cooker and not via microwave. And though I’ve met some people, I haven’t really made friends. The thing about Cincinnati is they’re either all single and want to bar-hop, hook-up and make-out or they’re married with a gazillion kids. I don’t know why there’s no in-between.

I don’t know when I became an in-between. But that’s what I am now, never actually part of a particular group or settled in one place. So for all of the initial pain, Cincinnati is fun... for now, till I move on to the next adventure.

P.S. For those of you who care, the work office sucks which is surprising considering this is the Global Headquarters. The security is super super strict so if you go down for just 2 minutes but forget your ID, you have to get a temporary ID to come back in. There’s NO PANTRY! I’ve definitely been spoiled by free tea, Milo, coffee and water from a dispenser. All you get here is a water fountain!! Hello!! Sure you get a cubicle which is a permanent desk space but you also have to pay for parking which can run up to $7.50 per day (read: P400 buckaroos!!!). There is a caf but the food sucks, really, really sucks, and you get too lazy to go out for food, particularly when the weather gets colder.

Don’t even get me started on the dress code. I’m the only one who shows up in jeans and I think I’d die before I turn into the “establishment.” And they’re not joking about office hours. I used to come in to Singapore office at 10 or 11 and stay till way past midnight. That’s impossible here. Most people are in by 8, some as early as 6 (parking’s gone by 9) and by 7pm, they shut down the lights and there’s no way to get it back on. I suppose I shouldn’t complain that they make us go home early.

Food-ing in LA

2007-06-29T14:06:00.000+08:00

Quite a delayed post but I just couldn't not write about the fantastic week I spent in LA with Ahia. We didn't do much by way of sights since he had to work and so did I. :) But wow, it was just a feast... meal after meal of the best restaurants the city had to offer. I think I must have gained at least 5 pounds after just 7 days!

First on the list was The Stinking Rose in Beverly Hills. Not on the list of the 50 best in America, but a must-go for the novelty factor.

Everything here is cooked in garlic which maybe isn't too novel for someone from Singapore. But can you imagine garlic ice cream (thank God it was covered in caramel)

or garlic martini (skip this if you know what's good for you)???

It was a good experience, the steak I had was cooked really well though it was nothing compared to Spago, #4 in the USA.

Ahia and I were both surprised that the interiors weren't swankier. We've both been to places in New York which were a lot more formal. You didn't have to dress up or wear a dinner jacket to this one, in fact we never had to. We didn't see any stars that night, though Wolfgang Puck did come by to the table TWICE. Haha... I'm such a gossip.

I had the best main course, caramelized organic veal chop which came with creamy parmesan polenta. The veal was tender, juicy and had just the right taste. The polenta left a lot more to be desired but the veal itself was worth the price of the meal ($66).

I had told Ahia that I rarely order the requisite Asian item on the menu, no matter how celebrated by the magazines. They can never beat the authentic thing, and in this case, I was right. The Cantonese style roast duck ($39) was disappointing despite promising ingredients like star anise and apricot.

We also had dessert though we were bordering on gluttony by this point. That's my chocolate cake with raspberry...

And Ahia's poufy creamy thingie...

Next night was even better. Cut was one of the newest Puck restaurants, where Ahia had seen Stevie Wonder and Paul Reiser dining there before. He made me try the bone marrow flan with mushroom marmalade for appetizer ($16). Trust me, share this with someone. It's good but terribly fatty and at some point, you need to eat something else.

We had really good food that night, Ahia just ordered a couple more appetizers for himself... the maple-glazed pork belly ($16),

the crispy Chesapeake Bay soft shell crab (yummy not oily),

while I of course, attacked the steak which is quite obvious since I forgot to take the picture until I had devoured half of it. But just look how the meat is so perfectly cooked!

For dessert, there was only one choice: bruleed baby banana cream pie with dark chocolate sorbet. Now that was worth carrying a food baby all the way back home.

The best of the lot though for me, was Providence, #35 on the list.

I thought it had the most inventive menu, with ingredients you never thought could mix well together such as our popcorn pineapple dessert. We had the tasting menu (5 courses for $80) and I enjoyed every second of it that I forgot to take pictures.

Our last stop was Lucques, easily the best value for their Sunday suppers at only $40 for three courses. This was really evidence of walang patalo: this was literally our last stop before I caught the red-eye to Cincinnati! This was where I saw Andy Dick, I know, how D-list can you go, but this is LA and at least I saw a celebrity before I left!

Food Tripping in San Francisco

2007-06-25T04:17:00.000+08:00

**Some not-appropriate-for-work pics below
Just came back from a San Francisco weekend with Ahia before I suck it up and move to Cinci. It was really a nice break for both of us, a 6-hour drive from LA notwithstanding. I don't think we ever stopped talking, though mostly that was due to my motor mouth and the Starbucks sugar rush (thanks Caramel Frappucino!).

The drive is nice, passing through mountains, flatlands, orchards and even sand dunes. I got my first taste of driving on the freeway (thanks Papa for my international license!) and I gotta admit, this is one of the things me likey here.

I've been to San Fran twice before and though I was too young to remember the first time (I was only 7, thanks Mom!), I do remember really loving the city with its bohemian vibe and old-world feel. It's a city to wear out your shoes and and your calves walking up and down the hills, where you hug yourself because of the cold winds and because you feel so welcomed. Not much surprise that this is home to one of the biggest Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Pride parades (that we were lucky enough to catch) and populations in the world.

Colorful balloons everywhere

Colorful gays as well

Gender neutral, clothing optional

Coming out? Or just going in the loo?

As Ahia said, you really see the "full spectrum of humanity". For a while there, I felt I was in a parallel universe... Men walked around with holes in their butt and crotch area, everyone was gay and kissing, pot was smoked openly, dresses galore... on men! The world was a lot more interesting.

You gotta love them, if just for this.

We still did the tourist-y thing, though I need to add fabulous restaurants to what I love about SF now too:
1) San Francisco just wouldn't be the same without THE icon, Golden Gate Bridge

2) The fantastic ambience at Fisherman's Wharf by night -- the street painters,

fire dancers,

sax players. Yes, it's a tad commercial with loads of tourists, but there's a reason people come to visit.

The Clam Chowder!!!

3) The cable car -- a definite must-do!

4) Sunsets with backdrops like this...

5) The de Young museum for its modern art and significant collection of Teotihuacan and Peruvian works.

Museum facade

The view from the tower

Japanese garden just beside the museum... go to Japan instead

6) And last but not least, the FOOD, FOOD, FOOD!!! Ahia planned everything and I was just a more-than-willing gopher. First stop was Dottie's True Blue Cafe, arguably the best place for breakfast, famous for their original breads like Honey Zucchini or Pumpkin Cherry. Come ready to wait for a table.

That was just a snack since we had to make the drive right after to Berkeley (huuuge campus) to make our 615 reservation at Chez Panisse (the #2 restaurant in the US according to Gourmet magazine).

Overall assessment... slightly disappointing. Though the price wasn't exorbitant ($85++) for the 4-course degustation, I guess we had really high expectations given the praise. The magazine had said the food was "deceptively simple", which is true since I've had better mussel soup from Mom's kitchen. Thankfully, the lamb did make up for the poor starter with the complex flavors and tastes which was new, even for a lamb-lover like me. The dessert was also not bad though if I can't remember enough to write about it, that must mean something.

Thankfully, Zuni Cafe more than lived up to the hype. The $41 chicken for 2 is worth the 1-hour wait. I've never had white meat that tasted this soft!!! I'd be healthy and die at the ripe old age of 102 if I could cook like this all the time. Argh... I'm getting hungry just thinking about it.

And the best dessert in San Francisco has got to be in Chow. Actually, definitely part of the top 3 best desserts I've ever had -- ginger cake with caramel sauce and pumpkin ice cream. Droooool...

Nara City: Todaiji Temple and Deer Park

2007-06-19T17:46:00.000+08:00

After a long working week in Kobe, it’s always nice to take a quick train ride out of the city for some sightseeing. Since I’ve been to Kyoto and Osaka, both about 1.5 hours away by train, I decided to go to Nara for the weekend upon Linfred’s recommendation.

Nara brings back memories of my Japanese art class in Ateneo a long, long time ago (Don't laugh, I learned how to do ikebana!). Not really memories, since I only vaguely remember bits and pieces. What I do remember is that Nara was the first capital that was established in Japan and that it was thanks to Prince Shotoku (that I know from the guidebook) that Buddhism was brought in from China. So expect to see a lot of UNESCO-listed temples and Buddha statues, some of which are 1300 years old.

And deer. Lots and lots of deer. The sights in Nara itself are all within walking distance, flanking and surrounding huge Nara park (660 hectares), where tame deer are allowed to roam freely.

Vendors from whom you can buy biscuits to feed the deer

So it seems as if everywhere you turn, there’s deer for you to pat or stroke or feed or touch. This is one of the most unique things about Nara and also one of the most enjoyable. One could easily imagine spending quite a bit of time just lounging in the park amidst the deer.

You looking at me kid?

Still afraid to go near him...

About 300 meters from the train station is the first of the major sights, Kokufu-ji temple. Of course, it had to be nice considering this was THE temple of the Fujiwara clan, the most powerful clan in Japan for oh, just about 400 years.

Remember to cleanse properly before entering any temple in Japan. The "sinks" outside are provided especially for that purpose -- cleaning your hands and even for drinking. No gargling!

There is also a spot to hang your wishes, for a fee of course (100yen) and some of them can be quite strange... I'm so kyepo.

A museum on site has art inside which is worth a look, though without a guide, hard to appreciate on your own.

But this is just appetizer. The main highlight and grand-daddy of all Nara sights is the Todaiji Temple, the largest wooden structure in the world, despite being only two-thirds of its original size. The temple is quite amazing to see even just from the entrance.

Just the entrance

The temple!

Inside it houses the Daibutsu, a colossal statue of the Buddha, naturally the largest in Japan.

Another interesting thing to see is that they have a column with a small hole in the bottom. Apparently, if you can crawl through from one end to the other, you will have achieved enlightenment. There were a lot of very smart kids around that day. For grown-ups, some assistance may be required at the other end.

You can also get your fortune told at the entrance for about 100yen. Just shake a can, draw a number and voila, instant fortune. I got the "best of lucks" which is as good as it can get. :)

I’m not sure if it was a good thing that the sun was out on Saturday. Sure I was there at the beginning of the typhoon season, but I’m not sure a little cloud and rain wouldn’t have been better than the super-heat that day. As a result of that, I did skip Kasuga Grand Shrine. Though frankly, at the end of the day, I was getting quite a bit of temple fatigue as well.

Despite this, I trekked all the way to Horyuji temple, which is the 1st of any site in Japan to be listed in UNESCO. The site is 12km away and don't be fooled into taking a taxi -- this will force you into bankruptcy. There are buses and trains though travel time might take as long as 40minutes depending on the transport chosen.

These are the world's oldest surviving wooden structures, though I thought the ones I just saw were pretty old as well and roughly the same period.

Horyuji temple

The famous pagoda

This was a nice way to spend a lazy Saturday though I don't think serenity and peace really agrees with my type A personality. I was waiting for something more dramatic. :) If you're pressed for time, skip Horyuji and spend more time appreciating the grandeur of Todaiji.

Inggit Lang Kayo

2007-06-18T20:55:00.000+08:00

Dahil ilang Pinoy lang naman talaga ang matatamaan sa post kong ito, naisipan kong magsulat sa sarili nating wika, kahit na medyo hirap na hirap ako. :)

Dumating sa aking atensyon na may ilang mga chismosa na walang magawa sa buhay kung di pag-usapan ang buhay ng iba. Napakalungkot isipin na dahil sa bago kong trabaho at sa mga oportunidad kong lumakbay sa iba't-ibang bansa, at dahil sa pagsusulat ng mga karanasan ko sa blog ko, pati ito ay ini-intriga at ginagawang isyu. Kakaiba talaga ang crab mentality ng ilang mga Pinoy.

Ang mga iba kong mga ka-opisina, ni-congratulate ako sa bago kong pwesto. Ang iba pa, naaliw sa pagsusulat ko. Pero ang ilang Pinoy? Walang ginawa kung hindi i-chismis na puros junket daw ang ginawa ko. Kulang na lang, ipakita ko sa kanila ang mga concept summaries na ginawa ko bilang ebidensya.

Sana kung marunong kayong mahiya. Pero kahit na hinde, grumaduate na nga kayo. Napaka-high school nito.

Ito na lang... for the record, ang pagpunta ko sa mga lugar na ito para sa pagliliwaliw ay naganap sa weekend. Ang pagbayad sa hotel tulad ng Burj (ulit, weekend ako natulog dito), ay lumabas sa sarili kong pitaka. At kung wala na kayong magawa kung hindi gumawa ng isyu sa wala, STOP READING MY BLOG! And get a life!

My Visual DNA

2007-06-15T15:06:00.000+08:00

This is a really cool site (http://imagini.net/)... I had so much fun doing my visual DNA. Thanks to Leila for sharing on her blog.

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

According to my visual DNA, this is my profile:
Easy rider
Always taking life as it comes, and living in the moment. They don't get fazed by life... they just breeze through.

High Time Roller
They are only seen in the best, and the finest, they love top quality, high-end glamour. Always adding a touch of sophistication to the proceedings.

Escape Artist
They are forever slipping off, getting away from the rat race, recharging those batteries. Independent and thoughtful -- they know themselves well.

Touchy-Feely
Love for them is about human contact -- the nitty-gritty. They are very physical, a high sex drive demands plenty of attention.

Dubai Day 9: The Burj

2007-06-08T22:48:00.000+08:00

Today is the day of the Burj Al Arab. After a lazy morning spent in bed and lounging by the rooftop pool and enjoying the view of Dubai while the rest of the group went shopping, Monique and I went to check in at the Burj. Security at the entrance was so tight it felt like we were entering another country. As we were driven closer to the hotel, my anticipation was at fever pitch – this is, after all, one of the world’s top hotels and an icon of modern Dubai. It is like staying at the Eiffel Tower.

A multiple-tiered fountain squirting jets of water greeted guests at the lobby, while the hotel floors rose up in tiers on either side.

Also on both sides were deep sea aquarium walls, and two front desks sheltered by giant golden scallop shells. There did seem to be a lot of gold inlay in use.

Our room had a second floor, and we had both a private butler and a floor manager. Just showing us all the amenities took 40 minutes. Everything was remote-controlled, including the giant flat screen television, lights and curtains.

Triple-layered glass prevents window-washers from seeing in, but still afforded us expansive views of the Persian Gulf.

Fresh fruit – including dragonfruit, kiwis, Indian mangoes, apples, pears, grapes, persimmons and oranges, were offered on the table along with preserved dates filled with figs, almonds, apricots and ground nuts, various cakes and delicacies.

When we came back from the beach, assorted chocolate and foot balm awaited us. In the marble bathrooms were his and hers Hermes soaps, cologne and bath products. Gifts for us included beach bags and suit protectors, and the hotel seemed to delight in providing us with little surprises. When I lifted up the hair dryer in its bag to move it, little chocolates fell out. Huge plasma screen televisions were on both floors.

We were supposed to join the others at the Mall of the Emirates, the largest mall in Arabia, but everything was so decadent and luxurious that we could not bear to leave. Instead, we took golf carts down to the beach. As we settled into our lounge chairs, we were welcomed with pina coladas, bottled water and Evian face spritzers.

The waters of the Persian Gulf were warm, albeit a little wild from the strong wind. Oil rigs dotted the horizon, but the Burj Al Arab dominated our view. Since we forgot our sunscreen, and since we did not let our valet unpack so we could not send for him to bring our sunscreen we were provided with Eveline tanning oil.

I must admit it is nice to be pampered. The staff kept track of not only our belongings but of us as well. When Monique was looking for me, they were able to provide her with every direction I had been. Most were Filipino, like a lot of the hotel and restaurant employees we have encountered. We did not see a lot of celebrities this time around – only Billy Zane who starred in “The Phantom” (Ed: The Titanic!!!) and some cricket players.

We all regrouped in our room and ordered room service – lobster bisque, wild mushroom soup, lobster risotto and Wagyu beef, and fresh fruit for dessert. We were supposed to visit the gold souk tonight, but everyone was so seduced by the luxury that no one wanted to leave.

There was a large Jacuzzi that I never even tried because I was so enjoying the best shower ever with three shower heads, a rainshower and a hand-held shower head.

Our valet had one of the hotel staff take us around the hotel, including most of the restaurants. The bar at the top of the hotel had a view of the Map of the World, still under construction. The Palm was so named because of its five points – it will not be finished for another 2 years.

Another restaurant below had a huge deep sea aquarium.

We also saw their many swimming pools. Monique spent some time there and said she saw dolphins silhouetted against the setting sun.

A perfect way to end the night was when we closed all the room lights and propped throw pillows by the windows. We talked in the dark, on the edge of forever, while Dubai twinkled beneath us.

For more pictures, click here.

Dubai Day 8: City Tour

2007-06-07T22:43:00.000+08:00

The air outside was so hot it was almost suffocating. It felt like being roasted on a firepit under twin suns while being blasted with a giant blow-dryer. It was a relief to jump into the air-conditioned taxicab and reach the cool Carlos Ott-designed Hilton Dubai Creek on Baniyas Road, where I met up with my sleepy comrades.

Monique hired a private car to take us around Dubai. We had a quick brunch at the Basta Art Café in the Bastakia quarter – I only had yogurt and dates with amonds, as well as a strawberry, mango and avocado juice, but I had to help Aunt Gloria with her fruit salad and Monique with her salmon and avocado pita wrap.

The nearby Dubai Museum was closed, and the Grand Mosque across the street was closed to non-Muslims. Most shops and attractions in Dubai close by one in the afternoon, due to the extreme heat, and open later in the day. We drove by the Dhow Wharf with its water taxis, then took the Sheikh Zayed Road and marveled at the amazing architecture of the futuristic buildings. Not for naught is it nicknamed the Strip, for within the over-the-top outrageousness of buildings crowned with orbs, topped with golf balls or twisted into impossible angles, runs the glitter-flecked neon blood of Las Vegas.

Among all the towers, the self-styled seven star Burj Al Arab on Jumeirah Road with its mimicry of a graceful dhow sail, stood out like the queen of hotels that she was built to be.

This is the world’s tallest dedicated hotel at 321m and was the brainchild of Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed, who wanted to created an iconic symbol for Dubai. Besides this hotel is the popular Wild Wafi Waterpark, and further down the long highway is the Ibn Battuta Mall, a complex maze of specialized shopping streets designed after 14th century China, India, Egypt, Persia, Tunisia and Andalusia.

China’s market square was dominated by a huge junk, while India’s had a maharajah statue on an elephant. Egypt had her Luxorian columns, and Tunisia even had a starry sky for romantic strolls. Signs for sales were everywhere.

In the afternoon, while Aunt Gloria and Lester continued shopping, my sisters and I went on Arabian Adventures’ desert safari. We were driven out to the desert on a four-wheel drive vehicle for a roller coaster ride on the sand dunes.

We joined a convoy of vans that took turns on the little hills of sand, almost like a line of well-behaved red ants, with the red and white striped vans and the red-shirted drivers following each other’s tire tracks in the sand. We went up and down and slid along slopes – I especially liked going up the dunes to balance along the top edges. One van got mired in a deep dune and had to be pulled out of the sand trap by another van.

We stopped by a camel farm and saw some baby dromedaries, and I admit it was fun seeing roaming camels among the dunes and pretending they were wild. While we were on a particularly large dune, the sun set over the sands.

When we reached our carpet-swathed oasis, all the tourists rushed to the line of dromedaries provided for rides. Monique and Wyatt clambered on top of one, and I just finished taking their picture and was walking to the entrance to reserve seats for our table when they were back already!

We had welcome dates and Arabic coffee, starters that included pitas with oregano and cheese, spinach and cheese samosas and surprisingly good falafels. Dinner was comprised of lamb chops, chicken and beef with hummus and tabbouleh, and a bean salad.

Afterwards, we were entertained by a belly dancer, then all the lights were extinguished so we could lie back on our pillows and gaze at the stars in the deep dark of the night sky. Monique and Wyatt also tried the sheesha pipe, contributing some fragrant smoke to our ozone layer.

It never fails to amaze me where life takes us. Next week I will be back at the hospital working like a drone, but tonight I am in the Arabian desert under the stars.

For more pictures, click here.

Casablanca Day 7: Hassan II Mosque

2007-06-06T22:38:00.000+08:00

It took three hours by car from Marrakech to Casablanca the White City, where everyone says there is nothing to see. We stopped by our Hotel Guynemer to drop off our luggage, then took taxis to the Hassan II Mosque, the minaret of which is the tallest of all the mosques at 650 feet.

The Hassan II Mosque is the 3rd largest mosque in the world after the ones from Mecca and Medina. The building’s foundations lie partly on land and partly in the sea, and at one point, you can see the water trough a glass floor. The main hall is covered by a retractable cedar roof and can hold up to 25,000 people.

All the materials used to build this mosque including the cedar, marble and Venetian plasterwork come from Morocco, except for the Venetian glass in the chandeliers and the Italian marble in the prayer hall.

Lunch was at Le Fibule by the ocean along the Boulevard de la Corniche, where we had tagines of fish with tomato sauce, chicken with lemon and olives, veal with prines and mechoui or roast lamb.

We missed Rick’s Café, which was never in the movie Casablanca and was closed for the afternoon. Taxis then took us to the Quartier des Habous, the old French Quarter, where we rendezvous'd outside the Palais Royal. We did some shopping among the small shops amidst many sloping arches, but soon the sunlight faded and it was time to go home. Everyone also said never to wander around Casablanca at night.

Joliot and Allan, then Aunt Gloria and Lester came by our room to talk and reminisce about the good old days. We always seem to do this wherever our family gathers. Joliot was the last to leave and the first one to return in the morning, to say goodbye. She would be flying back to America with Allan.

Everyone else was on the same flight to Dubai except me, so I loitered around the Mohammed V Airport for me 2.5 hour flight to Paris, then another 6 hours to the international airport in Dubai.

For more pictures, click here.

Marrakech Day 6: The Palaces

2007-06-05T22:05:00.000+08:00

In the early morning before the punishing noon sun, we threaded our way past the souls of Marrakech to the La Bahia Palace, a 19th century harem built by Sultan Moulay el Hassan I’s notorious Grand Vizir Bou Ahmed and named after his first and most favored wide.

The interior was decorated with graceful arches and carved cedar ceilings, tadelakt or shiny marble finishes, stucco plasterwork (called gibs) and corniced. Each room varied in size depending on the importance of each wife. American writer Edith Wharton once stayed in the favorite wife’s glorious private apartment. The entire palace is sometimes closed when the royal family is in town, as their entourage often stays here.

Close by was the El Badi Palace, the 16th century playground of Saadian prices and visiting diplomats, now a romantic ruin of sandstone policed by nesting storks. Sultan Ahmed el Mansour’s opulent creation was ransacked by Moulay Ismail in the 17th century to help him complete his own palace at Meknes, but it is still possible to see why its name translates as “the Marvel.” A large swimming pool in the center is surrounded by four smaller pools and four sunken orange orchards laden with fruit.

Polar bear melting with the heat

Starting from the right, we visited the various pavilions including the Green Pavilion, then the Pavilion for guests and ambassadors. The main hall is named the Koubba el Khamsiniyya, referring to its 50 grand marble columns.

Sample of what it could have been, from the Bahia Palace

There was also a Palace annex, the Summer Palace, then the underground corridors and dungeons along the southern wall. The top terrace before our egress afforded us a view of the city in the afternoon light.

Back at our riad, we tried the traditional hammam. My three sisters, Aunt Gloria and I experienced both the hamman with gommage avec l’huille d’olives and the massage with argan oil.

First, we entered a small room with a rainshower spout in the middle for rinsing. Our majordomo (Ed: really our majordomo is an Oompa Loompa) started us off,

but then a lalla came to perform the gommage with eucaplytpus oil. She rubbed the fragrant, dark-colored oil over my body, then used a coarse glove to exfoliate the dead skin. A small tub on the side provided warm water or cleansing. We lay on a dais off to the side while being scrubbed down, then we went for the massage. Afterwards, we congregated by the serenity pool while bougainvillea leaves in pink and white drifted down into the water.

Monique, Joliot and I had one last stroll back to the Djemaa el Fna at twilight for Monique to get more money, as Morocco ended up being slightly more expensive than we thought (Ed: and the riad only takes cash!). Joliot also got her ostrich egg finally.

In the evening, my colleague VIcken Sepilian’s two friends, Makram and Hassan came by to say hello. They stayed for dinner of poulet au citron and lam with prunes and almonds, with a mixed dessert of fruit and pastries that even the gourmand Hassan declared was sublime.

For more pictures, click here.

Morocco Day 5: Essaouira, City of Hippies

2007-06-04T21:04:00.000+08:00

The breakfast seemed to get better everyday – this time, we had biscuits and soft, tasty bread with our yogurt and fresh orange juice. Monique had hired a chauffeur to take us to Essaouira, a coastal city offering cool breezes and great seafood. Only two and a half hours away from Marrakech, it offers an atmosphere totally different from the cities we’ve visited.
Long a sanctuary for hippies, stoners and people on the fringes of society, Essaouira still draws surfers from all around the globe to ride its wild waves, and artists to draw inspiration from its glorious air. Jimi Hendrix felt at home here – in fact, stories still circulate that Essaouira inspired his famous song “Castles in the Sand.” Although this is only a tale, what is true is that he loved this coast so much that he offered to purchase the nearby village of Diabat.

En route, we stopped by a women’s cooperative that sells Argan oil. The Argan tree grows sparsely so its nut is quite rate. The road to Essaouira led through fields of Argan trees which were a favorite tourist trap. Locals would push goats up into the branches of the trees for tourists to photograph – like we did.

Of course, they end up paying a few dirhams – like we did as well.

Goats used to help with obtaining Argan nuts, which are rich in vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids. The better quality oil is used for cosmetic products, while the poorer quality oil becomes cooking oil. The goats were used to digest the hard shells, after which the women would poke through goat feces for the tender nuts that are ground into oil. In the summer months, when food on the ground is scarce, goats really did climb trees in search of more nuts.

Nowadays, women crack the hard shells by hand, then they would ground the nuts into a dark brown paste from which the oil is made.

Inside the shop were various cooking and dipping oils, including Argan oil mixed with orange blossom, honey and mint. There were also different oils, creams and soaps, as well as kohl products. One of the shopgirls lined Joliot’s eyes with kohl – at first it burned, but afterwards, she looked really beautiful. The girl said her eyes sparkled like sunshine.

When I mentioned that Queen Jezebel used to line her eyes with kohl, Joliot’s puzzled response was why would a mermaid need eyeliner?

What was difficult was bargaining, since we were up against a women’s cooperative, but we vowed to do better at Essaouira. Soon, the hot wind blowing into our van turned cool and refreshing, and the blue of the Atlantic Ocean came into view.

The port city of Essaouira started with the Phoenician city of Migdal in the 7th century B.C. Six centuries later, the Romans came in search of the royal purple dye murex, extracted from the sea snails attached to the rocky outcrops called les iles purpuraires. The Portugese took over the port briefly, from 1506 to 1510, leaving behind their distinctive ramparts and the old Portugese name for the city, Mogada, which is still used to this day. Essaouria could been named for its walls, or from the old Arabic saouria for the beautiful “picture” it creates, or “es-saouira” meaning well-designed.

We walked through the Old Medina to the North Bastion, whose tower was protected by cannons grown green with age. Strolling through the souks was also more relaxed compared to the mayhem in Marrakech. After we reached the main streets or rues, Mohammed El Tory and Avenue de l’Istaqlal and their gates, we turned around to return the fish stalls by the sea for a late lunch. At Les Bretons du Nord, we had a seafood feast of grilled sole, snapper, and sea bass, calamari, shrimp and slightly larger crevettes, a type of larger shrimp that barely had any meat to consumer.

We walked off the large repast by visiting the Port Sqala. Essaouria has three sqalas or bastions – the Kasbah sqala, and the sqala housing the Ensemble Artisanal. Each was a strategic maritime defense point. The tower of the Port Sqala was also surrounded by cannons from Spain and the Netherlands. Beautiful views of the town of Essaouria, the port, and the bay crowded with deep blue boats could be seen from the tower at the Port Sqala, where Orson Welles filmed scenes for his movie Othello.

We clambered up the ramparts to take dramatic pictures with the seagulls.

A round porthole of a window carved through a stone wall also provided great photographs of the bay beyond.

The rest of the time we spent bargaining. The longest time we took was at the carpet souk where Joliot and I bought nomadic Berber carpets. Joliot’s rug was made from camelhair while mine was dyed royal purple. We also bought small tagine pots from a small store that served us Berber tea instead of the ubiquitous mint tea.

The shopkeeper showed us the ingredients before dropping them into the teapot, and they were myriad – about nine. I remember rose petals, star anise, ginger, and of course a lot of sugar. The final tea is much more fragrant and flavorful.

Before leaving, we stopped by one of the outdoor cafes to try Louisa, which is warm milk with fresh vervain leaves that made the taste herbal. Essaouira was a wonderful respite and we were sorry to leave.

For more pictures, click here.

Marrakech Day 4: Tour of the Medina

2007-06-03T06:27:00.000+08:00

Our breakfast at the riad was home-cooked and included muffins that can be slathered with butter or orange marmalade. French crepes with citrus jam, delicious house-made yogurt and freshly squeezed orange juice.

Monique hired a local guide to help us navigate the alleyways, which were thronging with local folk and donkeys laden with wares for the market, and tourists. We visited the Medersa Ben Youssef, with its intricate zellij tile work on the walls and its gibs or stucco plasterwork in carved geometric designs.

The central courtyard was in rows of arches and pillars. Even the windows overlooking the courtyard were arched, and framed tourists taking pictures of each other. A small prayer hall on the ground floor was for busy students who had no time to go to the grand mosques, and had pillars decorated with Islamic calligraphy.

On the second floor were cubicles resembling monastic cells and surrounding sunlit common areas on three sides, accessible by corridors on either side.

Wong's winning entry to the photography competition: Lester in one of the student rooms

Some of the cubicles had wooden slats on the walls so students could climb up to the sleeping quarters on the higher floors. Some of the rooms up front had exhibits of the paraphernalia used by students in the past. The room used by city scholars had brass candlesticks, a formal writing desk and stove, while the country pupil had clay pots and floor mats. As many as 900 students from Muslim countries all over the world studied here at one time.

We passed the marketplace, which we later would became intimately familiar with, rather quickly as we needed to reach the Saadien Tombs before the midday sun signaled the closing down of the city. We rushed through souks selling everything even remotely tied to Morocco, from carpets and water pipes to slippers, wood carvings, tagine pots and clothing.

We did see the famed Djemaa el-Fna, the open market at the center of the medina that is the heartbeat of Marrakech. People were slowly congregating, and we spied an over-eager snake charmer with his unfortunate cobra, but the square apparently comes to life later in the afternoon.

The Saadien Tombs are a 16th century burial ground for 166 Saadiens, including its creator Sultan Ahmed el Mansour or the Golden One. Even his servants had their own colorful zellij graves, albeit outside among the gardens. The central mausoleum or Hall of Twelve Columns, contains the tombs of Ahmed el Mansour and his family; It was a lavishly ornate building with a vaulted roof, carved cedar doors and moucharabra which are wooden screens traditionally used to separate the sexes.

We braved the hot sun to walk past the Koutoubia Mosque, a towering Moorish structure built by Yacoub el Mansour in the early 12th century and which became the model for both the Hassan Tower in Rabat and the Giralda in Sevilla. The mosque takes its name from the Arabic work koutoub or book, because there was once a booksellers’ market close by. The minaret is topped by 3 golden orbs which, according to local folklore, were offered by the mother of Saadien sultan Ahmed el Mansour Edhabi as penance for fasting days she missed during Ramadan. Non-Muslims are not allowed to enter.

Everytime you ask the guide to snap pictures, the entire family is there but the Mosque disappears!

Our next stop was the Riad des Epices, where we learned about the various Moroccan spices and their uses. For example, Ras el Hanout is a mixture of 35 spices used to flavor meat and vegetables, but not fish. Four spices, comprised of caradamom, nutmeg, ginger and coriander are used for fish and seafood. They also had argan oil, face creams, rosewater and jasmine essences and amber cubes. Sanouge or nargella are block seeds that can be wrapped in cheesecloth and rubbed vigorously then inhaled. They provide a pungent whiff to clear the nostrils and prevent snoring. We were hoping to purchase a kilo for Allan. Our white room was filled from top to bottom with clean jars or colorful spices. It was a little sterile, but we stayed because it was a cool respite from the sun.

We stopped by another carpet shop where Monique, Joliot and Allan took turns at the loom. They brought out reams of carpets but none were as elaborate as the ones we saw in Rissani, yet they were 3x more expensive. We also went to the terrace of a furniture store for a view of the rooftops of the city.

The Musee de Marrakech had some small exhibits of pottery, rugs and jewelry, but what people come to see is the central atrium, a tiled courtyard with a huge lamp reminiscent of a descending flying saucer. As guitar music pumped through the speakers, we went running around vying for the best photograph of the day.

The winner: me! For a picture of Bei in meditation :)

The Toukba Almoravid was beside the museum and in the city’s oldest monument and only intact Almoravid architecture left in Morocco. It was once used for absolutions before prayer in the adjacent Ali Ben Youssef Mosque and had a system of toilets, showers, even faucets for drinking water.

The sun was not too hot so we retired to our sanctuary. After 5, when the heat was not as oppressive, we navigated the souks to get to the Djemaa el-Fna, once a meeting place for farmers and tradesmen, now surrounded by bazaars, mosques and terraced cafes with prized views of the square.

As the sun started setting and the air became cooler, the people of the night emerged. Gnaoua musicians filed the square with song while acrobats made wild somersaults. Henna women waited to make their swirling marriage markings. Fortune-tellers revealed mottled fortunes, apothecaries sold colorful spices, and bush dentists with Berber molars piled high on their tables extracted teeth. Best of all, old men told stories to each other the ancient way, on a magic carpet around a gas lamp.

The Djemaa el-Fna used to have a more gruesome purpose, to accommodate the public viewing of the severed heads of sinners and Christians hung on stakes. Djemaa means meeting place and el-Fna means the end, thus the name it bears is meeting place at the end of the world.

We ate some sweet nut and pistachio nougat,

followed by tasty calf brain.

Actually, truthfully, not so tasty. Among the severed calf heads, our butcher srved the tiny whitish grey brains over a tangy citron sauce with bread. It tasted like slimy tofu. We also had fresh orange juice at one of the fruit stands. Joliot even snapped a picture with the stall-owner before Monique fought with him for short-changing us.

We visited tiny shops selling magical Moroccan lanterns, tagine pots, hands of Fatima to ward off the evil eye, and water pipes. Dried fruit and nuts, and spice stalls added local color.

Finally! We find Yotchi's prized ostrich egg

Dinner was on the middle terrace of Café Argana on 1,2 pl Djemaa el-Fna, where we had an enviable window seat to the unfolding human spectacle below. We had mechouia or roast lamb, tagine lapin avec raisins secs et ouignons (rabbit tagine with dried raisins and onions), brouchettes de veau (veal) et poulet (chicken), and riz (rice) avec champignons et poireaux (leeks).

As we ate, the stars came out and gas lamps turned on over the stalls as if to mimic the heavenly lights. Suddenly the market place was glowing brighter than the deep blue night sky. Lamps swung in the wind, seemingly dancing to the haunting Gnaoua music. From our vantage point, we could see the groups of people congregating around various attractions, making circles like whirlpools in an ocean of mankind.

In the center were singers with guitars, transvestite belly dancers, and dessicated storytellers. It was an extraordinary experience other than the occasional attempt at pickpocketing and the aggressive vendors, one of which called Wong his sweet chicken and offered to trade 5000 camels for her.

We had ice cream on the ground floor of the restaurant, trying out exotic flavors like fig, avocado, pistachio, raspberry and peach. We also tried gateau des epices or spiced chocolate cake. Finally, we were ready to head back, which was an adventure in itself once the stalls started closing and the familiar landmarks vanished in the dark.

Back at our riad, with the air-conditioning at full power, we lounged around on pillows while comparing pictures. We even decided on holding a photography contest, something that Monique never foresaw would cause her a multitude of headaches once she started culling pictures and would find five shots of the same scene.

For more pictures, click here.

Morocco Day 3: On the Way to Marrakech

2007-06-02T02:46:00.000+08:00

Our delicious breakfast at the hotel included eggy Moroccan pancakes, which fortified us for our walk through Dades Gorge. A local guide helped us cross a small stream with just planks for a bridge, then through a rock-strewn path that led past huge boulders. Soon the distant canyon walls began to narrow, coming so close together at some points that they almost resembled Petra (in Jordan). Swirls of color veined through the canyon walls. Through the gaps were illuminated views of the other side, dramatically framed by rocks from centuries of erosion.

Some of the rocks were so smooth that we slipped and slid as we clambered. Wyatt had the most difficult time going up and down – at one point, she required the help of 3 people. Two were pulling her up while one was heaving from below.

We re-embarked on our cross-country drive at 10 in the morning. The first significant town we passed was El Kelaa M’Gouna, renowned for its annual three day rose festival held each May. A pink rose or two were still to be spied – a far cry from the vast fields of rose. We did stop to purchase some rosewater essence.

Skoura followed -- a village of Kasbahs and date palms. We stopped at Ouarzazate, the Hollywood of Morocco where many international films are made. There is a huge film school here, as well as the famous Atlas studios, and many palm-fringed boulevards. We ate at Troi Thés, where Bei treated us to lamb with Atlas herbs and lamb Marchande cooked with fried egg. We were also visited by the head of Cherg Expeditions.

The Tichka Pass winds its way southwest through the desert. We were talking animatedly when all of a sudden we were swerving wildly though curving and twisting mountain roads. Lush green valleys passed in and out of our sight on either side, alternating with grand mountain views. We were being driven so fast I got carsick and had to stop a few times for some deep breaths of fresh mountain air. I slept most of the way to Marrakech.

Marrakech was dusty and dirty. People going home from work clogged up the streets like cholesterol plaques, and the medina walls were undistinguished. Our driver, long a native of Morocco, had to ask a local boy to take us to our riad, since it was hard even for him to navigate the twisting derbs or alleyways.

A riad is a Moroccan mansion converted to a private guest retreat. Our riad was named Riad 5 Sens in Derb El Baroud Quartier Hart es Soura, one of the best riads in Morocco according to the guidebooks. We were met by our majordomo, Abdullah, who opened the doors to an amazing courtyard with contemporary Moroccan interior design.

A serenity pool was conveniently located beside our private hammam, or spa, and we sat on our plush sofa in the tree-lined courtyard to sip our welcoming mint tea. A cozy sitting area lay off the right side of the entryway, while to the left was our private dining room complete with stone fireplace.

Our room was named Mille et Une nuits or 1001 nights, and was featured in the guidebooks touting our riad. There was a huge bed and sofabed, and a luxurious spa-like bathroom with tadelakt bathtub and sink. Tadelakt is a traditional shiny wall-effect made by smoothing plaster with egg white. Our heavy double wooden doors needed to be latched the old-fashioned way.

We were met by huge squeals as Monique was already at the riad and talking non-stop even while she was up on the second floor. We all sat on the terrace catching up while the evening breeze ushered in the night.

Dinner was by candlelight, and candles were everywhere, lighting up the pool and courtyard like a thousand and one lights. We are up our appetizers of sweetened carrots and red beets, eggplant taboulleh and pickles, followed by a flavorful beef tagine with fates and walnuts and our favorite poulet citron tagine.

Dessert included fresh peaches, kiwi fruit, honeydew melon and deep rep cherries smothered in heavy syrup. After such a great and hearty meal, we sat around talking and laughing while Ben Harper on the CD system serenaded us in the background.

For my take on the riad, click here.

For more pictures of the riad, click here.

Marrakech Day 1: The Riad 5 Sens

2007-06-02T01:00:00.000+08:00

The sound of my shrieking could be heard all the way back home to Manila. At the very least, it’s permeated the old medina where our riad is conveniently located. Finally, my family has arrived in Marrakech after their 3-day sojourn to the desert! I’d been alternately missing and loathing them while they were away on their Saharan adventure and I was slaving away at work.

But now they’re finally here to rub it in my face some more! :) Good I was just so happy to see them that I didn’t care.

Hanging out at the rooftop to enjoy the breeze

For the rest of the night, we don’t stop talking about how much fun they had and about how nice our riad is.

Logo of Riad 5 Sens

Staying in a riad, which is a converted old house, is a definite must when you’re in Fes or Marrakech. These riads are just looooovely and ours was designed in a modern Moroccan style which was just perfect. I told Yotch to take loads of pictures so she can just exactly copy this for my future home.

Night view of the pool

Day view of the pool

Foyer of the second floor

Room #1: Mille et Une Nuits

Room #1: Mille et Une Nuits bathroom

Room #2: Arabesque

Room #2: Arabesque bathroom

Room #3: Alchimie bed and bathroom

We had a major-domo, Abdullah, who’s the go-to guy for everything… the porter, concierge, receptionist, doorman, bellboy, waiter and even exfoliator extraordinaire (don’t ask). Our very own Oompa. :) He couldn’t speak English very well, which is a definite struggle in this country, so either travel with someone French or bust out any French you may have learned, no matter how barok. I had to argue about the A/C in French which caused me to break out in sweat and forced me to dramatically improve my “Charades” skills.

Some tips: For Morocco, make sure to go to the French page as they will often have lower prices than the English version, even if it’s on the same site! I found this riad through espacemaroc.com which has some other really nice places as well. The reviews on 5 Sens though were just terrific. And it didn’t hurt that they give me a €20 discount per room per night just for asking.

Also, don’t try to cheat and lower the number of people per room. The beds here are really small and when they say single bed, they mean it. It’s so narrow that unless you sleep curled up in a fetal position with one person on each end, there’s no way to fit.

And try to find a riad with good food as you’ll be having more than fair share of meals there. Ours always had a fabulous breakfast spread, always something French (baguettes, crepes, pastries…) and the famous Moroccan orange juice (sweetest thing ever!). And for dinner, the poulet citron is to-die-for. I think we even licked the oil off the tajine.

Happy, smily faces at the dining room

The only annoying thing was having to pay in CASH at the end -- and they only accept in euros or dirhams. Oh, and the shower didn't drain until we figured out you had to squat while showering! Mild annoyances but it was an overall very positive experience. For more pics, click here.

Morocco Day 2: Todra and Dades Gorges

2007-06-01T02:30:00.000+08:00

Joliot woke me up at exactly 5 in the morning. The sun was just beginning to rise.

Lester had already clambered up the same dune I did yesterday, but from the side which had an easier incline. Joliot, Allan, Wyatt and I climbed up halfway and sat down to watch the sun rise. The desert air had become nippy during the dark hours, which had us groping for the heavy blankets, but with the coming of the sun, temperatures were heating up fairly quickly.

We threaded our way past the wonderful cobblestones of camel dung back to our tent, after waiting forever for Wyatt to climb up then descend our erg. I had to help her at one point by dragging, I mean gently guiding, her down before our dromedaries leave us behind.

Everyone except Lester took advantage of our five-star outdoor bathroom accommodations. Breakfast included bread and butter, Dutch cheese, black olives and marmalade with orange juice and mint tea, then we started our dromedary caravan trek back to our hotel. En route, our guide dug out a poisson de la sal, a desert lizard, for us to peruse.

We washed our feet at the auberge before heading out again. As there was no road, I asked our guide how he could cross such flat terrain and still hit the mountain road and he said he uses the mountains, the sun, a general sense of where the major cities are located, and very rarely the major sand dunes as these are unreliable. The ergs are treacherous as guides because they are ever-changing not only in size and shape but color as well.

We headed back to Rissani and haggled for Berber carpets with the Blue Men, the Touaregs who get their name from the blue dye of their sheishes that rub off on their skin. When they found out that Joliot and Allan were newly married, they dressed them up in traditional Touareg wedding costumes and had a mint tea ceremony which provided us with many stunning photographs.

We did not buy any carpets.

Lunch was at a charming little restaurant called La Belle Vue in Errachidie. We had lamb brochettes, which are kebabs rubbed with salt and spices roasted on a spit and served on skewers with pommes frites. The surprisingly good salad came with sliced red tomatoes, green peppers, onions and olives mixed with olive oil and vinegar. It was the first time I saw Lester eat a salad. Dessert was honeydew melon. This was when Hercules, I mean Allan, broke his first glass just by grasping it.

After we passed Tinerhir came the Todra Gorge, surrounded by lush palmeries and paradoxical dry desert sand and rock. The entrance to the Todra Gorge is 60 feet wide, and its rock walls are a thousand feet high and stretch 325 feet back on either side. A clear stream strewn with rocks and green algae called so incessantly that Wyatt and Allan could not resist a short wade.

The guidebook said colorfully attired Berber shepherdesses would sometimes appear from nowhere singing old melodies that would reverberate around the rock walls, but the only people on the canyon today were rappellers. Joliot's one photo opportunity with a Berber woman and her donkey led to a peso pay-out.

The Dades Gorges were longer, wider and more varied. The afternoon sun also made the rock walls glow a fiery red. We passed several towns with old kasbahs jutting out from the cliffs - actually more kasbahs than people. It was only occasionally that we saw Berbers, and even then they were solitary or in two's, hanging out of doorways, tending tiny stands or walking down the streets.

Past the ksour (city of fortresses) at Ait Arbi in the Tamnalt Valley, called the valley of the Human Bodies where the eroded rock formations seemed organic, like thumbs of hands and soles of feet. After Ait Oudiner, the valley narrowed dramatically and the rock walls of the canyon loomed up over us on either side.

Our charming hotel, the Hotel la Kasbah de la Vallee, overlooks the most dramatic view of the canyon. It was a pleasure writing this journal on our outdoor patio and looking up to see the gorges lit up by the setting sun. Dinner was chicken with couscous, where Hercules broke his second glass. Wong wore a beatific smile for the rest of the evening.

Morocco Day 1: Sahara Desert

2007-05-31T23:47:00.000+08:00

Ok... I started to write my entries on Morocco but after reading my Ahia's journal, why go through it a second time when Ahia captured everything so well? And so voila, my first featured guest blogger on my site. He writes like an absolute dream but don't expect me to be elevating my writing standards after this!! Welcome to Morocco!!
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Ever since I read "Mischief in Fez" by Eleanor Hoffman, I have wanted to visit Morocco. So when my sister Monique needed to go to Casablanca for work, we jumped at the chance to see this magical land of djinns and flying carpets. Joliot and her husband Allan, Wyatt, my Aunt Gloria and her son Lester would all be meeting me in Fez. Monique will join us in Marrakech.

Due to a mix-up in scheduling (Ed: my fault - oops!), we ended up leaving for our excursion into the Sahara Desert one day early. To the credit of all, it took them less than half an hour to get ready for the trip. Our guide Shereef started the 10-hour drive from Fes to the edge of the desert around 8am. Along the way, we would pass little villages and grand vistas, and would stop for pictures at the best ones.

Ahia with Shereef

From Fes, we passed the cities of Imouzzer then Ifrana, which was built in 1929 during the French Protectorate to create a poche de France, a tiny pocket for French expatriates and homesick diplomats. Beautiful tree-lined rues led to Alpine chalets and winter mansions, and another Royal palace. Azrou, from the Berber word for rock, was an ancient Berber capital and secret mountain town undiscovered for centuries due in part to an ingenious cave system designed for concealment.

We stopped at the Azrou cedar forest, where the trees grow to heights of up to 200 feet.

Living among the trees were the tail-less Barbary apes which came out of hiding as soon as we approached, knowing tourists love to feed wild animals.

Guess the ape... :)

As we approached Midelt, the 12,257 foot snow-capped Djebel Ayachi came into view. It was long thought to be Morocco’s highest peak until Djebel Toubkal in the south was measured at 13,668 feet. Djebel is mountain in Arabic. We had our lunch here at the Hotel Kasbah Asmaa, amidst opulent aggressively red Moroccan carpets. The beef tagines came out sizzling hot, and my Atlas trout was fresh. Joliot ordered delicious Berber couscous.

Our drive took us through the Ziz Gorge and the Zaalan Tunnel, where Wong made friends with a lost tumbleweed. There was a date palmery in the area fed by the Oued Ziz, the River Ziz. It was startling to see orange desert sands and mountains of rock suddenly juxtaposed with the deep greens of date palms. Further along was the town of Errachidia, sprung around the military station close to Morocco’s borders with Mauritania and Algeria. Erfoud was the next big town, followed by Tafilelt, whose famous dates have been gloried in countless old tales. The dates do not come to fruit until September when they are honored with a huge festival. Finally there was Rissani, from which came Morocco’s Alouite Dynasty including the currently reigning monarch.

The afternoon sun was merciless yet waning as we neared the Kasbah hotel on the edge of the desert. Our four-wheeled drive vehicle came in handy when the terrain changed from paved to rocky then sandy off-road. At the hotel, we changed into desert gear. Our guide helped Allan tie his white sheish or scarf the Berber way, then tried to help Bei with hers but first tying it on her as a full head covering like a burka, then with both head and mouth covered so she ended up looking like an old nomadic pirate.

Bei the pirate!

We clambered onto dromedaries and formed a caravan into the interior of the desert.

The animals stood up and sat down very distinctly, with the forelegs going up first and coming down last in a rocking motion that makes you feel like falling forward. We plodded into the Sahara an hour before sunset, when the shifting sands were rose-colored and pink-tinged, with only little tufts of green bushes breaking the monotone. It was startlingly quiet except for the soft plop of dromedary feet and the whistling wind, and an occasional sigh from our guide who was following behind us on foot.

The caravan leader was also on foot, and to make sure we had the full experience, he expertly led our caravan up and down sand dunes, and even sideways precariously on narrow hills. The sky was an intense blue, and made a striking contrast with the reddish brown sand.

I have seen deserts, and will visit many more, but being in the largest desert in the world, on a caravan line like the nomads of old, is just impossible to fully describe. What impresses me still was the silence, the communion with the dunes and the wind and the sun – absolutely awe-inspiring.

The whole gang with a black sheisha-clad Touareg princess... ay Bei pala!

Even though it was nearing twilight, the sun was still baking the ergs or dunes, and us, so we were glad to reach our campsite. Berber tents for the many different desert guests were scattered throughout a small plain, in the shadow of a particularly large erg. Our tents had dark brown exteriors but had colorful and heavy rugs lining the interior ground and walls. We sat outside on low wooden tales, with striking striped mattresses on all four corners to form a square, then topped with cushions. As the desert sun set, candles lit the approaching night.

Lester decided to scale the tallest sand dune behind our tents and we all went with him.

I did so reluctantly, because I knew If I started, I would have to finish, and it as very difficult climb because it was as tall as a mountain and sinking into the sands required double efforts. In the end, I was the only one who made it to the top, and I could only do it by focusing on how far up I had come and trying hard not to look at how I still had to go.

I was literally pawing at the sand on hands and knees, and had given up using the wooden staff as it was slowing me down even as it provided extra traction, when all of a sudden there was a cool breeze and no more mountain to climb. The pale orb against a twilight sky of lightest blue had now become a full moon suspended in ebony. In the distance were the lights of our auberge. I slid on my rump all the way down, almost sand-surfing on my butt, actually sand-sitting.

When I got back to base, my back pockets were bulging and I had thought at first that I had stupidly forgotten to take out my wallet. Turns out the pockets were full of red Sahara sand. At least the sand was smooth and powdery, so it did not stick to our hands or clothes like damp beach sand does.

We were served sweet Moroccan mint tea, also called Moroccan whiskey, which is actually Chinese green tea brewed with mint leaves and liberal doses of sugar. It is poured at the highest point at which you are comfortable to release the aroma and aerate the beverage. You are also supposed to pour out one glass first then return the contents to the teapot and pour again.

Tea was followed by assorted nuts and bread with harira or bean stew served with couscous at the bottom. The tagines were huge and included chicken, eggplant, squash and carrots sprinkled with cumin and saffron.

Dessert was sliced ranges and sweet honeydew melon swimming in cinnamon and honey. While we ate, our Berber hosts took out their drums and filled the warm night air with trance-like Berber music. Even when the candles finally blew out, the moon was so bright we could see the etchings on the tagine pots.

Since the night air was so warm and comfrotable, we all decided to sleep outside. Our mattresses were rearranged in a row right outside our tents.

It was such a memorable experience sleeping on the Saharan sands a la belle etoiles -- under the stars -- although truth be told we only counted seven stars. We thought it was because of the clouds in addition to a bright moon, but Joliot said she woke up at 3am with nary a cloud in sight, and yet still with seven stars.

We stayed up talking, because it seemed like such a shame wasting such a precious experience by sleeping. Lester said it was like being in a screen-saver. What my mind could not wrap around was that just one week ago, we were on different continents, caught up in our busy little lives, then one day we are in the middle of the Sahara desert. I love traveling for the priceless moments like this that it provides, and sharing it with the ones you love is icing on a huge pink sand-dune cake.

Giza: Saqqara and the Great Pyramids

2007-05-28T15:43:00.000+08:00

The highlight of our trip... Waking up was easy to do today because we were all excited to head out and see the Great Pyramids of Giza, the only one remaining of the 7 Ancient Wonders of the World.

We had to wait a little longer as the tour guide wanted to tantalize us further by heading out to Saqqara first. Good choice as the the afternoon sun would be too much for Saqqara and anything after the pyramids would be a let-down.

Saqqara (or Sakkara) is the necropolis of Memphis, the capital of Ancient Egypt. It features the oldest standing step-pyramid, built by Imhotep (yes, that Imhotep from The Mummy) for King Djoser. Also a good place to see some ancient Egyptian grafitti!

Going inside lets you see the ancient grafitti

Then it was off to see the Pyramids. A tour guide will be able to take you first to a plateau which allows you to take a picture of the three pyramids in full.

Otherwise, it is impossible to get a full picture up close of any pyramid. They're THAT big! For 4300 years, the Great Pyramid was the tallest structure in the world till the French built the Eiffel Tower in 1889.

Quite awe-inspiring really if you imagine how they got those big blocks of stone piled up so high using just their ancient technology (built in 4650 BC). Climbing is not really allowed, except for the first level to get to the entrance. Wong tried, but you can see how difficult this could be because each block of stone is soooo high!

We had some time to kill so we decided to enter Khufu's mother's pyramid, just right beside his. This one is free, unlike the EGP 100 they charge to enter the Great Pyramid (remember to show your student ID!). Surprisingly, we found this much steeper to climb down, though it was more shallow. By the time we got to the end, we were all quite sweaty and stinky.

Eeeew... look at all the sweaty shiny faces...

The inside of the pyramid... Nothing really

Cameras are actually not allowed inside the pyramids, even in the mother's. But with expectation of tips, the guards will usually let you take pictures inside the smaller ones.

I'm a tad claustrophobic so the prospect of going deep inside the Great Pyramid was a little daunting. Apart from the fact that you're bent down the whooooole way, you have to go about 35m in with no escape route or prospect of backing out.

Surprisingly though, it wasn't as bad the deeper you go in because the ceiling is quite high. Remember that entrance inside the Great Pyramid is restricted to 300 visitors only per day, 150 people each at exactly 8am and 1pm. We probably weren't there at peak season since tickets were relatively easy to get but you never know so better to be safe and arrive a little early.

The tour also includes photo ops with the Pyramid of Khafre, Khufu's (or Cheops' in Greek) son. The pyramid was built slightly smaller out of respect for his father, though being built on a higher part of the plateau, gives the optical illusion of actually being taller. Very very smart! It is easily recognizable because of the original casing stones on top.

Last leg of the tour ends with the Sphinx, which is a fantastic image to be left with. Many believe the Sphinx would not be around anymore today had it not been buried in the sand for so many long periods in its lifetime. That in itself, makes it all the more remarkable for us to still be able to appreciate it, lack of a nose notwithstanding.

There is a Giza Light and Sound show available at night in multiple languages (so check with your concierge what time is the English show). There weren't that many viewers so prime seating wasn't a problem. Going a bit early though allows you the enjoy the Egyptian sunset with the pyramids in the foreground... nice! The show itself is a bit cheesy and is probably not recommended for your parents or for non-history buffs. But it does give a short-hand of the pyramids' history.

This was really an unbelievable experience. I love my life!

Cairo: The Citadel and Egyptian Museum

2007-05-27T15:14:00.000+08:00

Well, I obviously had time today as I just back-dated a few posts on India (scroll down to April posts) and am uploading a bunch of pics from my Africa-Dubai "onboarding work". More posts to come on this and more India in the next 2 weeks!

I've largely been work-less for the last 2 months since my replacement took over my job and the guy I'm replacing hasn't left his. Surprisingly though, I've been so busy packing, applying for visas, figuring what I need to close before I leave Asia and mostly, planning the family vacation when they all decided to tag along my visits to Cairo, Morocco and Dubai for work. It's all been incredibly worth it since we had a fantastic time!! (And for those who care, the work part was pretty good too.)

First stop was Cairo and unfortunately, I couldn't get a seat to fly in earlier and ended up missing 2 days in Abu Simbel and Alexandria which Bei, Les and Wong visited without me. From what I heard, these were nice pit stops and are definitely on my to-do list for the next time I'm in Egypt (together with Luxor, Sinai, Red Sea, Sharm el-Sheikh, Aswan and the Suez).

What I did get to do was the Saladin Citadel of Cairo where the only must-see is the mosque of Muhammad Ali.

I was lucky enough to be there when the tomb was open for viewing. I guess there’s nothing much to see (haha) but it’s the thought that counts.

It's a nice place to take a break from the sightseeing and the heat (though I was there during the lovely 22 degree period). People just come and lie on the carpets to stare at the nice lights.

Note: Unless you want to look like Harry Potter’s classmate, wear a sleeved shirt.

I got duped into going into the National Military Museum. Not that the museum isn’t nice. It’s quite spacious, obviously well-guarded and well-documented. In fact, extremely well-documented. Like three floors worth of well-documentation. That you… can… not… escape… from!! Once you start, the pathway forces you to go into one direction and finish the entire museum. Just my luck to get stuck in the Egyptian Hotel California. To prevent this from happening to you, I am posting a picture of the building you must avoid at all costs!

And if you only have time for one thing in Cairo, it must be the Egyptian Museum famous for King Tut's treasures. The 100+ thousand items on display are quite confusing to navigate without a guide which you can thankfully get out front for EGP 50.

Naturally, if you pre-hire a guide from a more reputable travel agency, the information and the delivery of said information, is much better. Take it from Wong who discovered the price of knowledge… a constant thought bubble of “say it, don’t spray it”.

DO NOT rent out the audio guide. This is a frigging rip-off for EGP 20. Examples of the wonderfully erudite excerpts one might expect to receive from this machine… “Wooden bird found in tomb of Tutankhamun. Might be a play thing.” Or “Throne of Tutankhamun. Discovered with his tomb.” Uh… Duh.

While the price of entry (EGP 50) is quite reasonable, the entrance to the Royal Mummy Room is NOT. For one thing, the entrance here is not covered by the ticket. And it costs another EGP 100!! While I grudgingly forked out the cash just to tick the box, I resolve to give you future travelers the option of paying out your money to see these…

It was cool to see Ramses II. I’m just not sure if it was EGP 100 (USD 17.5) cool.

BIG TIP: Bring your student ID and it doesn’t matter if you’ve been out of school for the last 50 years. It gets you in most places (except the Mummy Room which is determined to rip you off) for half the price.

Renting out the taxi for the whole day cost me EGP 100 which I’m sure is also a rip-off but at least it was a price I was willing to pay.

The other thing about Cairo is that everyone asks you for tip. From the driver to the washroom person to a random person on the street who just said hi. This could annoy even the most seasoned traveler. Key to remember is that this is really a part of the Egyptian culture and if you see how they lived, you would understand why. EGP 5 means more to them than it does to you, so just shake your head no, smile and walk away. They will leave you alone.

And NEGOTIATE all taxi fares and prices!! If you’re traveling with a local, obviously, let them do it. They get taxi fares for 70% of the price they would charge me. Even pretending I work in Cairo gets me lower fares and shopping prices than if I admitted I was a pure foreigner. But at the end of the day, be happy with what you think is a fair price.

And at the end of my day, I was just happy to be in a really nice hotel (the Le Meridien Giza) with THIS view… Beat that why don’t you.

Spoiled for Life

2007-05-02T10:29:00.000+08:00

I'm writing this from the Business Class section of Singapore Airlines, and it has inspired me to dedicate an entire post to extol the virtues of this exclusive cabin. This is my first time to fly on the upper deck of the 747 and now I know why this is so highly coveted. The noise level is significantly reduced since the 2nd floor only houses about 12 rows of business class passengers. There’s also more personal space as I have a ledge beside me to place newspapers and whatever else I choose to dump on the side.

Goodbye turf wars! There’s more than enough room for everyone that there’s no need to establish territory by planting your elbow firmly on the armrest and stubbornly keeping it there the entire flight, no matter the cramp. Don’t you just hate it when a return trip from the toilet finds foreign elbows encroaching on land that once belonged to you? Goodbye to that too!

Hello gourmet food on demand! This, I must admit, is definitely one of the perks I enjoy the most. This flight for example, features pan-roasted corn-fed chicken breast in morel sauce with wild mushroom ballotine and garden vegetables, one of FOUR main course choices. This dish was exclusively created for SIA by Chef Alfred Porthale of “Gotham Bar and Grill”, one of the top restos in NY (their prix fixe lunch menu is super good and a fantastic deal on top). This of course, is part of a 3-course meal that includes Atlantic smoked salmon salad to start with, and Haagen Dazs ice cream, gourmet cheese, a choice of fresh fruit AND chocolates for dessert.

Snacks can be had at any time and I’m not talking cup noodles here, no sirreeeee. We’re talking dimsum, ciabatta rolls, congee, fish ball broth, etc etc. Did I say you could have this at any time?

And there’s wine on tap. Not cheapie wine either. I’m already on my 2nd glass of Chateau Beau-Site 2000 Saint-Estephe. I rarely drink on planes but this wine is terrific. Plus, the SIA air hostesses refill my glass so stealthily, it’s hard to keep track of how much I’ve had.

Of course there’s the standard space bed and 80 channels on demand but that, I’ve already gotten used to. :)

New York, New York

2007-05-01T09:23:00.000+08:00

I love New York, and especially, New York in the spring. I was last here in February 06 where the temperature easily dropped below zero during the day and went further down to “unbearable” in the evening. But springtime is just lovely – 20 degrees and the sun shining till about 8pm. I especially appreciated the city that never sleeps, coming off of a week in the city that always seems to be sleeping. I wanted to shout for joy that I was being jostled constantly in Times Square at midnight and that I had to walk 10 blocks back to the hotel because taxis were busy shuttling the seemingly endless hordes of people out and about.

Ah life! I wanted to wrap myself in the chaos that was downtown Manhattan and just feel the energy I was sorely missing from Cinci. My last-minute transit to NY didn’t pay off too well from a foodie standpoint as I couldn’t even make reservations at Per Se or Jean Georges (2 of the top 20 best restaurants in the world), which have a full-month waiting list. But with fantastic restaurants in every block, I quickly numbed the pain with a random stop at Moda (the Flatotel, 135 West 52nd Street). Great value for money (wild mushroom soup for $4.50!) and the canard was absolute heaven. Make friends with the Filipino restaurant manager and get a 20% discount. Whoever said being Filipino never had any advantages?

Also worth mentioning are “Lupa” in Greenwich Village (170 Thomson St.) and “Peking Duck House” (28 Mott St.) in Chinatown (where else?). This is my second trip to PKD and I must say, the prix fixe dinner set ($35.50) is amazing value (you can tell this is quite important to me, as a good meal in the Big Apple does not go below $30). Not only do you get soup plus a plate of 4 different appetizers, you also get 2 huge peking duck pitas and another main course of your choice (lobster or grand marnier prawns recommended) with fried rice PLUS a plate of fresh fruit for dessert. The peking duck here has been called “the world’s best” by many traveler guidebooks and receives special mention in the Michelin guide. True, it is definitely not oily and the skin is crispy-licious. I am getting hungry again just thinking about it. Drool…

And I must not forget the wonderful French brasserie, “Marseille” (630 9th avenue at 44th St.), which is the perfect after-Broadway show stop, for both drinks or a late dinner. They have a resident sommelier on hand to recommend wine, which is great for a wine-idiot like me. But do not get fooled into trying the French Malbec (Argentina’s or Chile’s is sooo much better) – there is a reason why the grape is a rarity in France.

Of course, NY wouldn’t be NY without watching a play on Broadway. And watch I did. First up was Monty Python’s Spamalot, which was such a laugh trip. The scene with the French guard was sheer genius – how else to explain the line… “I fart in your general direction!” I wish I had caught it last year when David Hyde Pierce and Hank Azaria were still in the cast. Still, not a bad way to spend the evening. Try to get seat D101 and you will thank me for the experience. If there is time for just one show and comedy is your thing, “Avenue Q” is definitely the way to go. Watched it last year and got stomach cramps from laughing the whole time.

I didn’t plan for it but just happened to pass by the premiere of “Legally Blond,” the musical. It’s gotten some good early reviews and the show is pretty packed. Mental note to self: make sure to catch this next time I’m back in town. That and “Curtains.”

Good thing I was able to make time for “Rent.” I watched this for the first time in Manila about 10 years ago and immediately went home to rip the CD. Till now, I can sing the major songs by heart (and so can my sisters after I kept playing the CD non-stop for months). But nothing really prepares you for the powerhouse original. Must must MUST watch, again and again if possible. The best songs, wonderful acting and a second act that left me an emotional wreck. Bring Kleenex.

Some tips to score cheap tickets: check out the internet for sites like broadwaybox.com (thanks Ezer! Great site, discounts on a lot of shows, $1 convenience fee) and theatermania.com (Limited shows but has discounts where other sites don’t, annoyingly charges a $7 convenience fee to purchase online) which provide discounts of up to 30-40% off the regular box office price (usually about $110) simply by purchasing online or showing a print-out of the page at the ticket counter (which I do to prevent incurring the convenience fee of reserving seats online). You can also go to the Marriot Marquis for discounted tickets – this I haven’t tried as the queue can get pretty long apparently, but good place to go if you’re desperate. Another thing I want to try the next time I’m in NY and not too desperate to watch a show, is join the lottery for $20 tickets for the 2 front rows. This is quite a risky strategy if you absolutely have to watch the show on particular dates (by nature, a lottery is purely by chance) and could be time consuming, since you have to make it to the theater at 530 to participate for the 8pm showing. But the Chinese in me cannot resist the lure of $20 front row tickets. The last way is to avail of the student discount (if you are) or simply to book front row seats at the mezzanine level (~$40), which is still a really good deal as the theaters all tend to be quite small and cozy.

Since I’ve been here a couple of times before, I didn’t feel the need to do the whole tourist thing over again. I’ve ticked the box for the Empire State Building, Wall Street, Ground Zero, the American Museum of Natural History, the Met, MOMA, Chelsea, Soho, Chinatown, Little Italy, Greenwich Village and the Staten Island Ferry (great way to see Lady Liberty from afar for free). And yet, there are a couple of new things to discover each time. This trip, it was the NY Public Library…

Can I just say “WOW!” If our libraries back home looked like this, maybe more people would hang out there than in coffeeshops. Hm… not a bad idea.

… Grand Central Terminal

After seeing this in the movies so many times, it felt like home. Haha.

… Top of the Rock (for better unobstructed views of New York than that of the Empire State) at Rockefeller Plaza

… an unexpected NY Auxiliary Police parade in memory of some slain officers complete with an Irish band

… scary cross-dressing transvestite with melons for boobs and a dressed-up poodle that would put Nigi to shame

… the Statue of Liberty

Make sure to book the tickets to go up Lady Liberty’s skirt online and at least 48 hours before, as tickets are not sold on the island. And bring a jacket as the ferry ride can get near downright freezing. Tie up long hair unless you’re prepared for split ends caused by the heavy winds.

… Ellis Island

This was a nice discovery, a free stop between NYC and Liberty Island. The museum on the island was very interesting and gave huge insight into the difficult life of the early immigrants.

Even though my great-great-grandparents didn’t go to America, it still made me appreciate the hardship they must have gone through, sailing to a foreign land and facing a people who not only looked different and spoke a strange language, but also looked down on you.

Too bad I didn’t have time to wander the island, as the last ferry leaves for NYC at 5pm. Plan this better than I did.

… re-discovering the Museum of Modern Art, with the free audio guides. You can purchase a joint ticket combined with the Top of the Rock for $30, and you don’t have to do them both on the same day. This is a lovely way to while the afternoon away. Monet, Van Gogh,

Picasso, Matisse, Pollack,

Megritte, Gaugain, Cezanne and Dali are just a few of the notable contributors mostly on the 5th floor. I breezed through the 4th floor, where some of the paintings there seem more like a case of the emperor’s new clothes.

The 6th floor exhibit area is also worth a visit. The last time I was here, I was lucky enough to catch an exhibit of Edward Munch’s paintings. This time, they were preparing for a Romanian artist’s exhibit (I can’t remember the name) – I caught a preview of his very insightful cartoons and couldn’t stop giggling.

After all that walking around, make sure to drop by the Terrace at the 5th floor. Nice place to relax and, say it with me now, great value for money, which is surprising for a resto inside a museum (hello Met?!). The prix fixe 3 course lunch set is incredibly filling for only $25. Or skip the meal and just go for the sundae. That’ll be enough to get you full too. I’ve heard the detached MOMA restaurant is also good but for $95, I needed more incentive and better reviews.

I have a feeling I’ll be spending a lot of my future weekends in NY...

The Two Sides of Cinci

2007-04-27T09:18:00.000+08:00

Day 7 in Cinci and I’ve added a few things that have depressed me further:
1) Dinner at “The Phoenix,” supposedly one of the best restaurants in town. Zagat rated and all that, though I didn’t see the ratings outside the door. Despite making a reservation, I waited a good half-hour for my table, which gave me more than enough time to understand what “smart casual” dress code means here. The number of men in black slacks (smart) AND tennis shoes (casual) was overwhelming.

2) So far, all the apartments that I’ve seen, suck. What is this American love affair with fully carpeted flooring? The entire apartment is covered in a drab beige carpet, which wouldn’t be all that bad if there weren’t previous tenants with who-knows-what-germs. Don’t even get me started on the vertical-blinds-most-commonly-found-in-hospitals look that seems to be here to stay.

I also checked out some of the houses in the nicer areas, but the idea of me having to mow the lawn and clear the driveway of snow is not very appealing. Neither is the thought of living in suburbia surrounded by American flags.

3) The nearest gimik place is in KENTUCKY! Granted, Newport in Kentucky is only across the river, but it’s the principle! I have to go to another state to find a decent watering hole. Sigh.

And lastly, though I admit this is an affliction that is not just limited to Cinci,
4) The boundless and ever-annoying perkiness that is evidenced by high-decibel greetings of “how are you today?” and sentences punctuated with terms of endearment which are, in other cultures, reserved usually for relationships which have lasted more than 2 seconds. I’ve never said “I’m good, thanks” or been called “hon,” “darling” or “sweetie” by complete strangers more than in one afternoon of shopping in the US.

God, I hope perkiness isn’t contagious.

But on the flip side, I’ve also discovered some things which, surprise, surprise, show that maybe Cinci isn't that bad after all:
1) I found out that they have a (I'm not kidding) Procter and Gamble theater hall that was playing "The Lion King" at the time I was there (fantastic show, by the way. The opening number will blow you away.) Turns out they actually have a full season of shows coming that includes “Wicked,” “Mamma Mia” and “Jersey Boys.” Hurrah!! For sure I’ll be buying season tickets.

2) “Historic” Mt. Adams, about a 10 minute drive from downtown. My pick for my future address. It’s quite surprising to find cobblestone streets, trendy bars, an art museum, community theater and a park all conveniently located in one charming locale. I’m not quite sure yet what makes it historic but I’m not complaining. I can definitely picture myself living here.

3) Good restaurants with the ambience to match. After my disastrous experience at “The Phoenix,” I was ready to call it quits. Dead city, I can take. But bad food? Sacre bleu! Good thing that a little more diligent research over the Internet yielded some fantastic finds. If you ever find yourself in Cinci, the “Napa Grille” (2444 Madison Road), “Celestial” (1071 Celestial St.) and “Bararresi’s” (4111 Webster Avenue) are worth a stop, for the wine, the view and the veal, in that order.

I guess nothing is ever perfect, particularly when you’re moving to a city that is so far away from home. I’m still on the look-out for the perfect Chinese restaurant where I’m going to become “suki.” And I haven’t exactly found the perfect home. Nor the right car (suggestions anyone?). But it’s comforting to know that there are bits and pieces here and there that I might eventually learn to love. And that New York is close enough to escape to if I don’t.

Cinci-Going-Nutty

2007-04-24T02:36:00.000+08:00

Whew... I feel like I just stepped off the treadmill. Since my last post, all I've been doing is moving from one activity to the next. I went through a seminar on 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, had friends come over for a visit, flew to Manila and back to Singapore, went on vacation in India with my sisters (more on that in future posts), finished off my last assignment and flew to the US, where I'm currently writing this entry.

No wonder I haven't had time to write! I've just been so swamped wrapping up the last 6 years of my work life in a digest-able format that I can pass on to the next generation. Add to that the stress of a last-minute vacation in India! It was so last minute, I was booking hotels for our stay in Jaipur just 2 days before! I don't think my heart rested a single beat this last month.

But suddenly I find myself in Cincinnati... and everything stops. I'm sure it naturally does that when you find yourself in-between jobs. But it's still a little strange to go from 100-odd emails a day to get this, five emails. FIVE EMAILS!! And that's including spam, which is kinda sad. On top of that, Cincinnati is actually a city where everything literally stops.

I was shocked, and more than a little depressed, to find two cars on the road on a Friday evening at 9pm. And that the malls are closed by 6pm on a Sunday! Coming from the shopping bag of the East that is Singapore, it was almost the last straw.

Thank God for Barnes & Noble, which is where I'll probably be hanging out all the time. That and Prime Outlet, which is a fantastic outlet mall I discovered, just an hour away from downtown.

I'm seeing more of the city in the next few days and I'm trying to keep an open mind, withhold judgment and keep the tears in check. It just says a lot about the city when you ask people how they like Cinci, and the reply is "well, it's only 4 hours away from Chicago by car" or "It's fantastic! Just 1.5hours away from NY by plane!"

Wonderful.

Udaipur Day 9: The Lake City and The World's Biggest Turban

2007-04-15T17:12:00.000+08:00

Groan… another early day that starts with a 730 flight to Udaipur. We move from the Pink City to the Lake City, and despite being in the same state, these two could not be more different. Udaipur looks very very European and is sometimes called the Venice of the East. In fact, the hotel restaurant looked so much like Santorini, we started to call it Santor-India. Corny, I know, but we were mad from the heat. :)

The cheapest means of getting to the city is booking a taxi from the airport. No need to pre-book a ride. All of it is regulated by the government so it’s a flat fee. Just make sure to get a taxi with A/C or the heat will really kill you. Once in the city, we quickly realized that we could actually just walk the entire length of the main city without needing the taxi driver to wait for us. In fact, it's better to do it this way to explore the winding roads and maze of shops that abound here. The size reminds me of Florence, very manageable, unless of course you pick a hotel up in the mountains that nicely border the picturesque city.

The main tourist sight is really just the City Palace, though you could stop by at Jagdish temple, about a 5 minute walk from the entrance of the palace.

Steps leading up to the temple flanked by stone elephants

Exquisite intricate carvings on the side all around the temple

Colorful shamans waiting at the foot of the temple

The City Palace is famous for the beautiful glass and mirror works inside. It took us 2.5 hours to go through the entire thing! I guess I shouldn't be surprised, this is apparently the biggest palace in all of Rajasthan.

The entrance... what an imposing palace. Get your walking shoes out.

Great views from the many windows around

Maharani dreaming of her prince?

Famous for the Rajput wall paintings

And the many mirrors

You could explore the entire city in a day, which is what we did. Out of sheer diligence, we went to a bunch of other minor sites, like the Bagore Ki Haveli museum for the world's biggest turban (only if you absolutely must)...

The thing actually looks quite gross in reality

Yotch getting into the spirit of turbans! :)

and the Sajjan Niwas Garden with the many fountains and water lily ponds.

But at the end of the day, Udaipur is not really a city for sightseeing. There is not much to see, it is more a place to soak up the ambience and the views. And our lunch at Jagat Niwas offered a great vantage point to enjoy this.

Santor-India

Posing ala-MTV

Nice views behind us

And of course, why visit the Lake City without going on a cruise! The price is quite reasonable for 30 minutes and is the perfect escape from the heat. And because most of the palaces are either closed to the public or require expensive lunch reservations to visit, the cruise is also a good way to see these as close as possible.

I miss my sisters already...

Jaipur Day 8: Amer and Jaigur Fort

2007-04-14T14:31:00.000+08:00

After a quick stop at Hawa Mahal, the Palace of the Winds, for some life-risking photos (you had to cross the busy street for the best shot), we were off to Amber (Ah-mer) Fort, about 11km from the main city.

Once closer to the fort, we are grateful for the advantage of hiring a private car. He drives us all the way to the top, stopping for pictures at the most opportune places, vs. leaving us at the entrance to walk in (as with a government bus) or ride an elephant. Some stops include photo ops with the requisite snake charmer

heehee... Yotch is so scared...

and the mysterious temple on the way to the Fort.

The Amber Fort blows you away and is easily the 2nd highlight of the trip after the Taj. The palaces are absolutely stunning and the intricate workmanship is amazing.

A guide here is so worth it – he will explain how the medieval air-conditioning system works (ingenious), help you navigate the concubine quarters (which are meant to be a crazy labyrinth) and if you’re lucky (like we were), he will even show you a bonus… the tunnels the maharajah used to link up to Jaigur Fort. This is off the beaten tourist path so we had to huff and puff our way through rubble and down dim, dodgy basements that are littered with empty condom wrappers. What an utterly delightful spontaneous adventure!

We also made a stop at Jaigur Fort, too bad we didn’t see Jude Law who was there the same day! We declined a guide since we thought that the only thing to see was the largest cannon in the world.

Which is also why we took a lot of silly pictures to maximize the entrance fee.

Flying high...

The FPJ pose is contagious even in flight!

We don't even get lift-off!! Hahaha...

More funny pics...

Turns out there is so much more to see, thanks to our tsuper toyo Mukesh, who ended up acting as our guide around the fort. The view alone is already worth the price of entry.

Lunch was at the Rambugh Palace, the ex-residence of the maharajah which has since been converted to a hotel. This is our fanciest meal yet and in the nicest setting imaginable. Of course, all this just gave Yotch more fodder to feed her maharani delusions of grandeur.

Funny side story. Wong unexpectedly gets her period while we’re in Jaipur. She calls the hotel housekeeping department to request for sanitary napkins. We couldn’t believe our luck when they offer to send someone to our room with the requested items. And there he is, this bellboy carrying two rolls of tissue paper. Hahaha… we couldn’t stop laughing!

Jaipur Day 7: City Palace

2007-04-13T16:47:00.000+08:00

It’s not hard to see why Jaipur is called the Pink City. The old city is entirely enclosed by a fort made out of pink sandstone. This remarkable city was founded in 1727 and is the first planned city in India. I wish the government would continue that and impose a rule that new buildings carry on the pink sandstone tradition. What a sight that would be!

Jaipur is a lovely city, easy on the eyes and easy to like. Driving around was a pleasure, traffic wasn’t too bad, roads were wide and the buildings were grandiose (cue Albert Hall).

But for today, we decided to take it easy… After a grueling week of heat for the girls, all we wanted to see was a few sights and spend time shopping for gifts. The first stop was Jantar Mantar right across the City Palace, a collection of astronomical clocks and devices that used to belong to the maharajah. Tickets are cheap (Rs.10) but the park is impossible to appreciate without a guide to explain how the devices work. You have to pay a fee for your camera too but trust me, there is nothing to take pictures of. We snuck one in and just had fun with the shots.

Spot the Wong...

Yotch beside Virgo

Wong beside Pisces

Me beside Libra

The City Palace is the real jewel, a part of it is still the home of the current maharajah, though his actual residences are of course, restricted from public access. The palace itself is really lovely, inspiring Yotch to believe she was a maharani in her past life. And the museums are interesting as well, offering a glimpse of the opulent lifestyle the maharajas and their court enjoyed.

The guards are extremely competent, exhibiting a knack for creeping stealthily, undetected and unwanted, right into our pictures. I guess this now-you-see-‘em-now-you-don’t prowess is a useful skill to have as a guard to secure the City Palace.

And he just wouldn't leave!

He's making his way slowly...

Tadah!!

Insider info from Rupma, my ABM who is from Jaipur, proved to be indispensable. Thanks to her, we discovered the best naan of our life at Nykos – fluffy, not too oily and absolutely delicious!!

The rest of the afternoon was spent shopping at Bapu Bazaar where we met a bunch of characters, from the burping salesman to the devious old salesman to the passive-aggressive salesman. We went home lugging boxes of bangles, wonderfully colorful shawls/scarves and a throw for me, a bag for Kenny, 2 matching traditional Indian kurtas for the bwibbers, Rajasthani hand paintings and 4 pairs of Mohori shoes we hadn’t intended to buy at all! Retail therapy at its best, when it’s at its cheapest!

That night, we trooped to Choko Dhani, a representation of a traditional Rajasthani village, constructed mainly for tourists. Still giddy from our afternoon of bargains, we happily tried everything from mehendi to Bollywood-type dancing to Indian vegetarian fare.

About the only thing we didn’t try was the human hamster ferris wheel. Hahaha…

We ended the day with a poignant visit to Mukesh’s home where his entire family warmly welcomed us into their 1-bedroom flat. After a brief tour, he offered us water, explicitly mentioning that it was bottled water, and chai tea. Noticing our mehendi, the sister dabbed our tattoos in sugar water, to help prolong the color. Most of the hour’s visit was spent playing with Lucky, Mukesh’s son, who at 8 months, still could not turn by himself or support his head.

It really was humbling to be so graciously received by a family who did not have much to give. This act of kindness is the most powerful image of India that I take with me from this trip.

Agra Day 6: Taj Mahal, Fatehpur Sikri

2007-04-12T16:14:00.000+08:00

I’m dead tired. I arrived into Delhi at midnight last night (the only girl on the flight!!) and had to wake up at 630am today to make the 3.5-hour drive to Agra. On top of that, I couldn’t sleep at all in the car since our driver, Mukesh, kept waking me up to chat so he wouldn’t fall asleep. He’d driven the whole night all the way from Jaipur, which is about 6 hours away, and had just arrived in Delhi that morning at 2am. So I guess I have no right to complain.

Other than the occasional wake-up plea, he seemed quite energetic and buoyant, which would prove to be a boon later on the drive to Jaipur. I highly recommend his company (Rajasthan 4WD; asinha@fourwheeldriveindia.com) and of course Mukesh himself, to anyone who chooses to travel through Delhi-Agra-Jaipur (or through Rajasthan) by car. They have comfy AC cars, are super professional (always on time, don’t take you to funny little shops), put a premium on safety (which, believe me, is life-or-death-important in India. He would take a break every 2 hours so as not to get too tired and he wouldn’t start the car unless I put my seatbelt on!), and the cheapest I could find (Rs.6500 vs. Rs.9000 other companies/taxis were charging). Anil, the managing director, even gave me a higher class of car for only an additional Rs.500 (vs. the actual premium of Rs.2000). The best thing though for me, is that there are no hidden costs, which other companies are prone to provide at the end, heavily inflating the original agreed-upon pricing. I paid exactly what was agreed, excluding tip of course.

Yotch and Wong lounging in the car

First stop in Agra was Sikandra, Akbar’s tomb. He was the greatest of the Mughal emperors, unifying the empire and “making a nation out of a mob.” Good to see this before the Taj, as everything else will pale in comparison.

No picture quite prepares you for the grandeur that is the Taj. Even the highest expectations don’t hold a candle to the real thing. Just the sight of this fantastic monument to love made the entire trip worthwhile, heat stroke and all. I guess that’s why they charge foreigners an obscene Rs.750 entrance fee (vs. Rs.50 for locals), as everyone will fork out the cash without much qualm.

Note the reflection in the water... Yotch's picture :)

We went at high noon with the cloudless sky making a fantastic blue backdrop. They say that sunrise or sunset is the best time to see the orange rays bounce off the white marble. I guess I will have to make a return trip to experience that, or the moonlit Taj.

The 3 Maria in front of the Taj

Hiring a guide at the gate is worth it, after all you’ve traveled this whole way to see the Taj specifically. And they don’t cost more than Rs.100 off-peak for an hour’s tour. Not only do they share the history, but also the best picture spots. Our guide was a little too touchy and offered to chat online with me after, which cut his tip in half. Ugh.

No matter what the guidebooks say, you don’t need to stay more than a day in Agra, much less sleep over. The major highlights are Sikandra and the Taj, the rest are skippable particularly if you will also visit Delhi or any city in Rajasthan where the forts are much more impressive. We even decided to see Itmad-Ud-Daulah's Tomb, nicknamed Baby Taj because it was the "draft", but honestly, after the Taj, this is just unremarkable. Its main claim to fame for us is Yotch’s new friend, the shoe-minder, who after asking her if she was Indian (“You Indian?”), proceeded to proclaim his Indian-ness (“Me Indian”) and point out everyone else who was Indian (“Him Indian”).

The beginning of the FPJ pose...

The other major sight is Fatehpur Sikri, a UNESCO site, but this is on the way to Jaipur. This is the capital of Akbar and is, for the most part, underwhelming. It’s quite huge but empty, and requires a whole lot of imagination to appreciate. The palace looked mostly like the workers stopped at the foundation and left it as a series of empty rooms.

What you shouldn’t miss though, is the Jama mosque adjacent to the palace and the tomb of Salim Chisti.

The mosque is a replica of the one in Mecca, and is still one of the holiest sites in India. Do not get forced into making substantial donations to get flowers and cloth for offering at the temple (like we did, see below).

And do not, under any circumstance, go with a guide that is not licensed by the Indian government (they should have an ID). He will do nothing except tell you to pay everyone for guarding your shoes (which you have to take off to enter the temple), pay for getting offerings you had no intention to make or pay for charity.

While the mosque is really nice, be careful being too friendly here. Unlike the other cities which were very nice to tourists, the people at Fatehpur Sikri seemed only interested in money. Even their seemingly friendly overtures were motivated by greed. We quickly learned to pretend we couldn’t understand English when asked “where are you from?” as the answer to this question inevitably led to requests for our currency as “souvenirs”. As if they were the tourists! After being asked one too many times, I finally lost it and shouted “NO” to one man who even had the gall to ask me indignantly, “Why not??!”

On a lighter note, we had quite a laugh when we saw this sign in the palace grounds. At first we thought it was a typo, “on” having accidentally been included. It became a running joke to each other to make sure we had no itchy parts before walking ahead. Then we realized it wasn’t a typo at all, judging by the number of men who kept scratching their privates! Talk about a different way of desecrating national monuments.

Then it was back in the car for another long drive to Jaipur (5-6 hours). We were kept company by the Hindi music Mukesh let us listen to, to broaden our cultural horizons. Broaden it did… For a particular song which was supposed to be about love, it translated to something like “I love you but if you do not love me back, I will kill you.” Yikes! Quite catchy though and soon enough, we were head-bopping to the rhythm of this maniac’s song.

Hopefully, by my next trip, the Indian government would have finished their road-widening efforts already. Otherwise, I need to get used to crazy driving in the 2-lane highway, sometimes facing oncoming traffic, without street lamps and dodging potholes, trucks, buffalos and camels, the last 2 obviously not having reflectors. You can’t say India isn’t an adventure!

The Essential Guide for Bosses

2007-03-11T21:56:00.000+08:00

How to feel important at work:

1) Say one thing in pre-alignment meetings and have the complete reverse opinion OR go back to having no opinion in succeeding meetings. This demonstrates that you are open-minded and very willing to listen to others' inputs. Also that you have the power to keep changing things from day-to-day. After all, why let things move? This way, you can call crisis meetings and "step in".

2) Call your people uncollaborative when they ask for clarity on roles and responsibilities. This shows you care for your people by providing them with coaching and constructive feedback. Also demonstrates that you are the collaborative one.

3) Micro-manage each and every decision. If possible, do their job. After all, you are the boss. Why give your people any power at all? Centralize, centralize, centralize!

After 2 weeks in France...

2007-03-06T23:42:00.000+08:00

I've missed eating rice!!!

Alsace Day 17: Route de Vin

2007-03-03T21:43:00.000+08:00

Finally found the wine road this morning. Had no idea it stretches for many many kilometers dotted by dozens of wine makers and vineyards inviting you to a degustation.

Might help to do a bit of research on the more famous vineyards as the number to choose from can get a bit daunting if you do it on the spot! Otherwise, hope for a bit of luck, pick a couple that looks nice and go!

Watch out for getting drunk. Even for the sampling, they pour so much into your glass and there's nowhere to spit. They also give you at least 2 glasses per type of wine you request -- their standard and premium versions. After a while though, I'm getting better at distinguishing one type from the other and picking out the more expensive bottle. This is apparently the best way to learn, by sampling the different kinds against each other.

The Route de Vin takes me back to Brussels where I catch the next day's flight back to Singapore. Compared to France, I can see why Ezer calls it SingaBore.

Alsace Day 16: Colmar and Strassbourg

2007-03-02T20:50:00.000+08:00

There's really nothing specific to see in Colmar, though there is a museum of Frederic Bartholdi's works. He's the guy who designed the Statue of Liberty (I was wondering why there was a replica on the way over) and who was born in Colmar.

Take a map from the tourist office and just do a walking tour. Every sight is laid out quite clearly and is very walkeable. And if my lazy ass says it's so, it must be. Because really, Colmar is a small village that is meant to be enjoyed for its ambiance... cobblestone streets which lead to charming shophouses, medieval era Normandie houses and even some surprises here and there. Like Little Venice,

a house that is painted on the side with scenes from the Bible,

a guy with an accordion :),

and even an Egyptian museum. Don't ask me why.

Loooovely!

While trying to find the famous Route de Vin (wine road), I ended up in Strassbourg. Haha! How fun and unexpected.

Unlike Colmar, Strassbourg is much bigger and teeming with life from the large student population and the presence of the EU parliament. A different ambiance and feel to the city, but just as nice. They have a section called Petite France, which is an amazing quarter. I was there at dusk and the lighting was just perfect.

Another Notre Dame Cathedral. I think there's one in every city. I have a feeling the name is reserved for those cathedrals which leave you a bit awe-struck at first sight. It's not an overstatement to say the building is magnificent and the size just a tad intimidating.

There's an astronomical clock inside which is said to be a couple of hundred years old. I'm not quite sure how it works or why it's inside a church. I waited 15 minutes for the clock to strike 6, but the performance was quite disappointing.

It would have been great to study here, with the scent of romance so thick in the air. On second thought, I might not have done much studying!

Driving to Alsace: Day 15

2007-03-01T23:32:00.000+08:00

Definitely not the the route you should take since the travel from Mont St-Michel (NW) to Alsace (NE) crosses France entirely and takes 8-9 hours. But I wanted to squeeze in as much as I could, so off I go.

Alsace is the region closest to Germany so some of the city names sound like it's from the Fatherland (i.e. Strassbourg). It's famous for the village houses which have remained untouched, some since the 14th century, and which Colmar, where I am staying, probably has the best examples of.

It is also famous for the wine, Riesling, Tokay pinot gris, Pinot noir, Muscat, Gewurtzraminer, Pinot blanc, all of which I happily sampled at dinner together with my French pizza appetizer, the flammakuecha. I really liked it since it's much lighter and thinner than the Italian version. Pinot noir, by the way, is the only red wine which you chill.

By the end of the aperitif (Vendange Tardive -- very very sweet wine because the grapes are plucked at the last possible moment), the appetizer and the wine, I was more than a little happy that I even dared eat the specialty entrée -- choucrout with pata (pork leg). Choucrout is essentially boiled cabbage.

Ok ok, I wasn't drunk enough to finish it. I'm happier with the wine than the food.

Mont St-Michel Day 14: La Marveille

2007-02-28T22:59:00.000+08:00

First stop: The Abbey, La Marveille (The Marvel). There was supposed to be a free English tour at 11 but since I was the only one who needed it, there wasn't critical mass (minimum 6 people). Fortunately, one of the counter guys took pity on me that I'd come so far and gave me the tour anyway. He even gave me a Neolithic flint as a bonus, which he got from his dig site (amateur archeologist).

Curiously, only 20% of the 4 million visitors to the Mont visit the abbey, which I don't understand. The Mont is the abbey. It is amazing both for the engineering as the architecture, and its isolation on top of the island in the middle of the sea gives it an outer-worldly feel.

Some highlights:
1) Everything about the abbey is so well-structured and thought of, divided into 2 main mirror sections with 3 floors each -- one side for prayer and another for work (feeding the pilgrims, feeding the intellect: work room, feeding the soul: cloister).

The cloister

The Church

2) For what was supposed to be the dark ages, they were pretty good at hauling granite back and forth to make the foundation strong enough to build successfully on top of a rock pyramid, with these huge pillars for support.

3) Archangel Michael

4) The enormous wheel that served as a pulley for hoisting provisions to the prisoners when the abbey was turned into a prison in the 19th century. Apparently, the prisoners were made to run like hamsters to make the gigantic wheel go round. Funny.

The end of the visit coincided with the mass which I was fortunate enough to attend. It was all in French so I could only pick up a word or two. Most of it was in song anyway which sent chills down my spine. But like mass at St. Peter's, it's an experience to go through a ceremony which has in essence, remained unchanged (even the songs were in old French), the end blessing of which was sought after by millions of pilgrims from all over.

There are 4 museums to go to in the afternoon and a ticket to 1 conveniently gives you access to the others. Sounds like a lot but each musei is designed to be enjoyed in 20 minutes max. Skippable if time is short -- mostly, it gives you an account of the abbey's history (which you would have heard from the tour), with some healthy self-patting-on-the-back as the French are wont to do.

Last thing... the oysters I had for lunch were just fab. The freshest stuff I've had where the oyster cringes when you put lemon on it. Yuuuuummmmm...

Normandie Day 13: Omaha Beach and Mont St-Michel

2007-02-27T22:29:00.000+08:00

Got a rude awakening this morning when the fire alarm started going crazy at 8am. What do I do? Snooze some more... I got to have more discipline waking up now that I'm moving to Cincinnati where the workday starts at 7am. Ew...

Anyway, I digress. Today is Mont St-Michel day with a side trip to Omaha beach, one of the sites where D-Day happened and one of the most gruesome, where thousands of Americans were gunned down over just 2 days of fighting the Germans.

The beach goes on for miles on end and is pretty wide from the water to the end of the shoreline where the Germans were hiding with their machine guns. One can't help but imagine the battle scene all across and the fear of the soldiers on the frontline venturing out to certain death, acting basically as a human shield so that others behind them might succeed.

There are a couple of museums about D-Day which I didn't get to see because they were closed for lunch, though I did get to see the American Cemetery, which is just like the one in Fort Bonifacio.

The real highlight of my trip is the fabulous wonder that is Mont St-Michel, the 3rd most visited site in France (after the Eiffel and Versailles) and the inspiration for Minas Tirith for you LOTR fans. How fantastic is that -- an abbey built on a rock in the middle of the sea! Even approaching by car is an awe-inspiring moment.

One can only guess what the 12th-16th century pilgrims must have felt as they made the trek across the long beach at low tide.

It all started in the 10th century when Archangel Michael ordered St. Aubert to build a church at the top of the rock -- not an easy feat considering the top of the rock was shaped like a pyramid. They somehow succeeded and by the 14th century, a full village had sprung up at the foot of the mount, which is still there! It's pretty cool and I love that the signs still have the medieval characters to depict the professions.

I'll have to go back someday to see the tides rushing in to surround the island. Victor Hugo once said the tide comes in at "the speed of a galloping horse". How scary that must be if you're still stuck crossing the beach. Even to this day, there are people who attempt the cross and die either from getting caught in the tides suddenly or from the quicksand. So cross with caution if you must. And use the experienced guides around to lead the way!

Another reason to go back is the FAAAAAAANTASTIC La Mere Poulard, the first of hopefully many many many more Michelin star restaurants, where such dignitaries as Thatcher, Hemingway and Mitterand have dined. Really one of my top 5 dining experiences EVER. Everything was absolutely freaking perfect.

I'd only ever liked foie gras poele (pan-fried), but the quality of the pâté and OMG, the braised foie gras has definitely changed my mind! The omelette was also justifiably famous -- the lightest and softest I've ever had.

Another specialty of the house is mouth-watering d'agneau or baby lamb, from the many farms that surround the Mont.

After this, I was already full but I forced myself to keep eating the amazing 3-kinds-of-chocolate dessert.

Before: Pure chocolate heaven

After: The decimation

Needless to say, I went to bed a very happy person. This has set a very high benchmark for a food orgasm.

Normandie Day 12: Etretat, Honfleur, Deauville

2007-02-26T23:17:00.000+08:00

Making my way to Mont Saint-Michel by car, I had to pass by some of France's loveliest sites on the north-west. It's a shame that outside of Paris, it's hard to get around these areas unless you 1) join a group like the hordes of Japanese tourists that pass through the area by bus for a couple of hours (obviously not recommended) or, 2) rent a car and drive. It will set you back about €40 for 3 days but it's well worth it to be able to explore the nooks and crannies. Parking is plentiful, and with GPS, nearly impossible to get lost (though it might send you to the country back roads!).

I only know of Etretat (etrata) from the dozen paintings Monet made of it,

and I'm sure that outside the French, it's probably unheard of and takes a backseat to other natural wonders like the Grand Canyon or the Great Barrier Reef. I guess having a name no one understands (or can pronounce), and that isn't preceded with a superlative doesn't help. Someone should lobby to call it Terrific Cliffs or something, because it's too bad Etretat is not more well-known. I wonder how the rock formed in a such a peculiar shape with a hole in the middle.

And the view!! Whew... try to go in nicer weather since the walk up the cliffs also makes your ears hurt like hell from the wind.

Since I'm in Normandie, which is currently engaged in a debate with Brittany over the rightful origins of the crepe, I had to try it along with some of their famous apple cider (cidre in French). Looks innocent but this one had 2% alcohol and some can go up to 6%.

It's a little weird to eat crepe for the main course, when I'm so used to the version served with ice cream. The French will probably kill me, I like crepe, but it does taste like a fancier, stuffed omelette. Still, when in Rome...

On the way to Honfleur, you have to pass Le Pont de Normandie cable bridge, which was the longest in the world at the time it was built. I'm not a bridge fan, but this one is really nice, see how the other end fits nicely into this end?

And about 2 hours away is a super charming, picturesque little harbor town called Honfleur where every picture you take is postcard perfect.

I love these places you can explore by foot, where there are no wrong turns and time stops as you walk down the cobblestone streets.

In the center of the village is an interesting church made entirely of wood.

The shipping heritage of the people are quite apparent in the ceiling which is shaped like a boat's hull.

The pitstop for the day is Deauville -- 30 minutes away and the summer destination of choice for the rich Parisians. And which, from this day forward, will be remembered as the place where I vowed never again to partake of goat cheese. Pweh, pweh, pweh. I can't believe why anyone would subject themselves to the horror. Ew... I'm still burping the thing. Gross.

Nothing much to see in Deauville but the Grand Casino which was the inspiration for Ian Fleming's "Casino Royale". Very very different ambiance from Vegas, no loud slot machines going crazy and very subdued tables, which is incidentally where I saw Vincent Lindon, the famous French actor who was playing Texas Hold 'Em. He didn't look too happy and neither was I after I tried the French roulette.

I could have walked away with an extra €15... the operative word here being "could have". Let's not even get into how much I lost at BlackJack. Groan. It's for the experience, It's for the experience, It's for the experience... If I keep repeating it, maybe my wallet will start believing it.

Reims Day 8: Champagne!

2007-02-22T23:27:00.000+08:00

Hit the road to Reims (pronounced ruhns) on the way back to Brussels for crazy party weekend. First stop was the amazing Gothic-style Cathedral of Notre Dame where all the French kings have been crowned since Clovis in 496 A.D., including the famous Charles VII, crowned in large part due to Joan of Arc.

Front view

Look at the amazing detail...

Back view

I can see why -- the high ceilings and long aisle make for a very kingly procession with the light streaming in from the stained glass for dramatic effect.

There's an interesting section of the cathedral with stained glass by Marc Chagall done in medieval blue ink. Lovely.

Stopped for lunch at a random restaurant. Can't believe the prices after having come from Disneyland Paris, possibly the most expensive combination around -- €14 for a 3-course set meal! I forget I'm in the province... I eagerly chow down my spaghetti with rognons (kidneys).

This is normal dinner fare for any Filipino-Chinese, the internal organs I mean, not the pasta. Ours is better, though surprisingly (since cheese was involved), I liked the feuillete au brie.

Of course, one can't be in the Champagne area and not make a trip to the caves. Sidebar: While the grapes and the process might be duplicated elsewhere, only the Champagne region in France has the right to call our favorite sparkling bubbly "champagne". The rest have to content with names like spumante in Italy or sparkling wine in the US because of some old treaty.

The cave of choice: Taittanger (tay-tan-jay), which is one of the biggest champagne producers in the world. Couple of interesting things I didn't know:

1) To this day, fermenting champagne bottles are still stored in caves which naturally regulate the temperature at about 10 degrees.

2) Standard brut bottles are fermented for 3 years and the good ones can stay in the bottles up to 7 years before being sold.
3) With all the new technology available, the twisting of the wine bottles to gather the yeast is still done by hand!

Guided tour + 1 glass of champagne at the end for €7 -- a definite must-do!

There were 2 other UNESCO World Heritage sites left though I only got to see one more, Saint Remi's Basilica and the connecting abbey.

Capped off the city tour with a walk around the town center. Wow, I did a lot today!

Paris Days 6-7: Disneyland

2007-02-21T23:18:00.001+08:00

The great thing about amusement parks is that they give everyone an excuse to be kids for a day -- and no park does this more successfully than Disneyland.

It's been a while since my last visit and based on memory, the Paris one has two advantages vs. Tokyo: 1) a super-revamped and much scarier, faster Space Mountain and, 2) the Indiana Jones ride (not present in Tokyo and in lieu of Splash Mountain).

I newly discovered Buzz Lightyear which is easily the most popular ride in the park and fast becoming my favorite, as it appeals to my competitive side in zapping the Evil Emperor Zurg, complete with points system.

The old favorites are still there: Haunted Mansion, Pirates and of course, It's A Small World. It's great that they've added cameras at the end of the bigger rides (all roller coasters + Pirates) -- I get such a hoot out of posing for the cameras and seeing the pics in the end. The ones who look scared are always the funniest.

Another great addition is the Fast Pass system which lets you jump to the start of the queue at designated times. Collect these first at ALL the major rides in the morning as they do run out. The busiest ones by far and the 1st you should target are Peter Pan, Buzz and Thunder Mountain. Put Small World, Pirates and Haunted Mansion last as the queues here are more efficient.

One thing I miss is that they don't let you chase after the Disney characters anymore. We used to have so much fun running after them trying to get the full collection, with more than a few casualties in the process (remember Shobs being pushed by Tigger?). Now there's designated times, spots and more queueing!!! Ugh.

At least I've figured out where all the nice Parisians who can speak English are -- they're all in Disneyland! Some pics from the park:

Me trying out the candy apple which costs €2!! Nothing but sugar and cavities -- makes me look like the Wicked Witch from Snow White on top. Gr...

Ahoy there matey! I look like one scary-looking pirate.

The sign on the seats of the rides... Sit down and hold hands. And best of all, NO DANCING!!!

Next day, we decided to do the other park, Disney Studios, since it came with the cost of the main park ticket. I expected it to be a little bit of a bust since there weren't any major rides and it was a much smaller park (closed by 6pm!). But surprise, surprise! Great fun as well. I particularly enjoyed the Aerosmith roller coaster ride which starts off at hyper speed (way cool, I rode it twice!) and the Movie Magic show.

Younger kids will love all the little shows like the tram ride and animation studios where you get to dub your voice onto Disney movies. Even I had fun with that!

Of course, there are much better and more cultural things to do in Paris than Disney (click here to see my previous Paris blog) -- but with time and successive visits, it was the perfect thing to do. So great to be a kid again on your vacation!

Speaking of Paris, belated thanks to Fab for lending his place and sofa bed. And for taking me to the "Sex and the City" restaurant!

Caroline, Fab and me

Brussels Day 1-2: The Office

2007-02-16T22:56:00.000+08:00

Saw this in Ezer's blog and thought I'd try it out. Man, I still have a long way to go! Only 13% of the world visited... This has got to be remedied ASAP! I am hoping to put some red on the Middle East and African portions of the map before the end of the year.

Anyhowleehoo, I arrived in Brussels yesterday and am writing this post from the office before I kick-start my annual vacation leave. I wish Brussels were always like this -- with the sun out and shining and the weather a nice 14 degrees. What a big difference the weather makes in making the city much more livable and my mood much happier! I hope this keeps up for the next 2 weeks as I make my way through northern and north-eastern France.

I had a nice dinner yesterday at Premier Comptoir Noi, a Thai restaurant off Avenue Louise (can't miss the bright yellow signage).

Since I was feeling sick-ish, I didn't want to shock my system with non-rice food yet and Stéphane was kind enough to comply. Really can't beat the real thing we have in Asia though so I'm gearing up for all sorts of European food for the next 2 weeks. From the outside, there is no way to guess how nice it is inside.

Official vacation starts tomorrow -- woohoo!!!

Thoughts While Waiting

2007-02-14T23:00:00.000+08:00

Location: Changi Airport Gate E24 waiting for my flight to Frankfurt
Time: Valentine's Day, 10:38pm

Not an auspicious start to my trip -- first, they won't let me change my connecting flight so I have a 7 hour (!!!) transit in Frankfurt! Groan... Then, of all the things to forget, I leave my Krisflyer Gold card at home so I may not even get into the lounge!!!

Piaw see. Of course I'm going to try again when I get to Frankfurt, but the Germans are immune to any sort of charm so I'm not hopeful. I'm going to have a lot of time on my hands.

Update (2/15/07: Waiting in the Frankfurt Lounge 3:12am SG time): So I wasn't able to change my flights but after much cajoling and threatening, they finally let me in the lounge. I don't know why they guard it so zealously, it's quite a sucky lounge. At least I get croissants and Nutella with some tea. All the cough medicine I'm taking is making me drowsy, which is actually a good thing since I've slept non-stop on the plane and I'm still feeling sleepy.

Naturally, I've had nothing but time to think, and read the newspapers. And surprisingly, everywhere I turn, I see nothing but Valentine stories about mush stuff. For a holiday that is supposed to celebrate love, we seem to be fixated on a very very small part of it which is the flower-and-chocolate-commercialized-romance.

Believe me, I'm all for romance but for the day that we set aside once a year, there is so much more to celebrate -- loyalty, commitment, devotion, the stuff of my parents' marriage. I know, I don't know why this stuff is always in my head these days.

But as I get older (and hopefully wiser), the more I think that love isn't just a passive feeling. Maybe it starts that way, but love really is a way of life, a decision, an action and, at its loveliest form, a reason for being. And that, my friends, is what we should be celebrating.

Happy Valentine's Everyone!! Especially to my parents, for having the kind of love I can only dream of.