My friend's wedding

I've mentioned before that I had to attend a wedding in Daegu. It was last Dec. 9, held at J's hotel. I arrived in Daegu a day before, but I was so tired I just couldn't go visit many tourist spots there. Well I've been to one.. it's a sightseeing place on top of the mountain and I took a cable ride just to be there... It was so cold on top but the view as I've expected was breathtaking... I managed to take several pics with me but the nearing sunset refrained me from having decent pictures...

New South Korean President

Yesterday marks South Korea's presidential election date. The voting centers opened early at 6 am and closed at 6 pm. I happen to see one voting center nearby the University while I was on my way home. It's no way similar to election day back home where people are constantly at lost finding their numbers or precints to vote. Here they have a very good system which makes voting a breeze. They also use state-of-the-art technology to count votes accurately and fast. I really have to mention that as early as 9 pm last night (3 HOURS AFTER THE ELECTION CLOSED) they already proclaimed the winner. Yes, IT'S THAT FAST!!! As everyone expected Lee Myung Bak won; he's a former mayor of Seoul.

Cheesecake Chum

It has been a difficult week juggling through several appointments not to mention doing things around the house. I've been also sleeping late watching Heroes on PC but I'm glad I've already finished the end of Season 2. Damn those writer's strike in US, if it's not for them I might be well on my way to Season 3. Nice to know that I can finally breathe from all those things this weekend. But I do have a wedding to attend to this Sunday and that I have to go to Daegu. I feel somewhat obligated and I'd rather spend the weekend having a much needed rest but it's also important for me that I do not disappoint my friend. I've been having this craving for sweets back home and thought about making some. I considered making some home-style fruit salad but I've turned the supermarket inside out but I still can't find those damn condensed milk! Here in Korea, we only have fresh milk.. no evap or condensed whatsoever and the only powder formula available are for infants. Thought about making the ever-simple-refridgerator-cake which I so love back home but I haven't found graham crackers yet... Well, I could buy those in the Filipino market every Sunday but the price is 'so-unreasonably-expensive'! I gave up the craving for Filipino sweets and instead, settled to buy somethin from the bakeshop nearby...

Weekend Cruise

I spent my weekend visiting Wolmi-do in Incheon City for a night cruise. Incheon is not that far from Seoul and is easily accessible by subway. I have visited Wolmido exactly a year ago but I didn't have the chance to try the cruise. I spent the afternoon sightseeing the place and just before sunset I boarded the ship that took me around the whole island. I'm thankful it's not freezing cold that time!

There was this mascot-like symbol of Wolmido, and it's so cute I just have to take a pic... it kinda reminds me of 'blossom' from the power puff girls. There were also cute coffee shops, sashimi restaurants, hofs and bars to hang out (lots of drunk people too!). Just before sunset, I boarded the ship called 'Cosmos' and it's so big I wasn't able to get the whole view... I took a good look at the island while the ship is slowly turning away towards the sea... at night, the place transformed to a kaleidoscope of neon lights and bright colors... Inside the ship there were a lot of performers from around the world. Some are Chinese acrobats, Indian belly dancers, Russian dancers/performers, Koreans singers and a Band from Philippines (which sadly didn't perform that day that made me very disappointed)... The last performer is a Korean traditional singer. I'm glad I was able to watch this kind of performance. She's wearing a very cute white 'hanbok' which painfully reminds me of "Hwang Ji Ni" and ghosts in Korea.

It was a really good weekend and I wouldn't have it any other way. I'm looking forward to seeing this place again! And hopefully, it wouldn't take another year.

Korean Christmas

Wherever I go these days, I am constantly reminded that Christmas is just around the corner. Athough Christmas is also anticipated here in Korea, they don't celebrate it like we do back home. Most of Koreans spend Christmas like any other holiday. They are just anticipating the long winter vacation ahead and spend it travelling abroad or going to far places with their family. However, many places are dressing up to remind everyone about this season...

Christmas Bear

When I recently went out to watch a movie, I saw this verrry cute coca-cola Christmas booth with a unusually huge polar bear stuff toy... I just had to take a pic and post it here...

Paris Baguette Brunch

I recently downloaded all of 'HEROES' season 1 and season 2 and I practically watched all night long. I woke up at 11 am the following morning, and I was so hungry I had to go out and look for something to eat. There are several local patisseries and bakeshops nearby; Tous Les Jours, France Baguette, and Paris Baguette. They all make wonderful bread and pastries but I prefer Paris baguette from the others because they have wider selection. Look what I got for breakfast; some bagel, some cream cheese and coffee... It's very good!!! I haven't been to Paris but I know the taste comes close!

A tribute to my favorite Ice Cream Shop

The freezing cold and frost can't stop me from indulging on ice cream every now and then. I heard from some that Ice cream is more delicious in winter, because it doesn't melt and heat affects the taste a lot! I like Coldstone Creamery the BEST!!! but the nearest store from here is an hour away (sad..sad). I can't say it's my favorite cause by 'favorite' it means I go there a lot but I don't.. (gulo no?) I usually visit 2 places; 'Natuur' which is about 50 meters away from my house (but I ONLY like their vanilla choco chip flavor), and then there's 'Baskin n Robbins' which is about the same distance from my house as the other. I liked all the flavors I tasted but my favorite is the toffee-caramel-banana-nut. There are also seasonal flavors but the classics are better for me. Can choose low-fat for those who are diet conscious, frozen yogurt for the health buffs, fondue for couples and groups, hot chocolate and ice cream cakes for others. Business is not doing well in winter... notice how empty it is? and notice how sad and lonely the ajjuma looks while walking all alone in a cold winter night? just kiddin...

Jajangmyeon

I used to see Jajangmyeon in korean dramas a lot before and it didn't look appetizing to me. After I watched an episode of Goong S last winter, I went to Chinatown in Incheon where I ate one of the most delicious Jajangmyeon I have ever tasted in my life. In the drama, Seven played a Jajangmyeon delivery boy from the Chinatown district in Incheon where it originated from. It's a noodle dish derived from the chinese 'zhajiangmian' which means noodles in fried sauce. It's hard to describe it since it's very different from the noodle and pasta dishes I've tasted before.

Libro

Living in a foreign land is never easy for anyone and even the simplest things seems to be complicated. I'm not complaining though cause there are a lot of perks that go with it. I do enjoy going to different places, meeting my friends, and travelling. I also like interacting with other foreign people here and I make it sure I share something about the Philippines and our culture. I'm doing my best to learn the Korean language or so I thought... Books are essential in learning here. Whenever I visit a local house I am in awe seeing their vast collection of books! Several shelves full of books is never a bad thing and it only shows how engrossed Koreans are when it come to education. I never had the chance to visit a bookstore here in Korea until this afternoon. I needed to buy a book for my Korean language study and upon the recommendation of someone, I visited a bookstore called Libro. It's funny cause in 'tagalog' it indeed means books. Libro may not be as big as National Bookstore back home but it's rather complete. You can always find the books that you are looking for and to my surprise, I even saw books printed in Russian, German, and French language. So I got the book which I need and got myself a couple of markers, you know... the ones used to underline some keyword for easier memorization... I got that habit from college and I believe it works!

Fast-foodie

Ok so I mentioned about watching the movie August Rush on my previous post and prior to that, I grabbed a bite at Popeye's (which I have to blog about). I had an hour to wait till the show starts so instead of dining at Pizza Hut, I chose Popeye's for a fast-food fix. It helps that there's a streamer just outside the entrance saying huge discounts for LG and Samsung card users. After I gave my order and was just about to pay, I noticed I had to still pay in full eventhough I handed her my membership and credit card. She annoyingly responded that they don't give discounts to chicken meal orders and only chicken meal orders... I had to ask myself, "Aren't these people going to Popeye's for their chicken?" After giving the reciept, she said I need to wait for 20 minutes to get my order... I was really peeved that time and it showed as I find my way to an empty chair and impatiently wait. I checked the time in my reciept and punched it in my cellphone's timer. Exactly 26 minutes had elapsed before she handed me my order and boy...I am pissed! It was the longest time I waited for a 'fast-food'. Do these people understand the meaning of fast-food? It's pretty literal I think... It's even more annoying than ordering something from Jollibee which turns out isn't available then they would offer you another thing which is but will ask you to wait for like 11 minutes while flashing their sweetest smile . The chicken turned out not so good (even pink on the inside), the cajun rice is cold, the fries are limp and the crew are annoying. I barely managed to swallow the last bite of biscuit before running to catch the show. I still can't get over the fact that it took them 26 minutes to serve that load of crap!

A date with "August Rush"

It's a rather cold and chilly friday evening when I went to Aekyung Shopping mall for a late night stroll. I don't know what I should have for dinner and I guess my tastebuds are not up for something 'spicy'. When I reached the top-most floor (home of CGV movie theater), I was enticed to go and watch 'August Rush'. Well, I actually thought about watching 'Beowolf' but the wait is rather long so I ended up with my second choice.

I had a little less than an hour to catch up with my dinner, and was confused whether I should go to Pizza Hut or Popeye's. Since there is a reservation policy at Pizza Hut I made a choice to go with Popeye's as I couldn't spare anymore time to wait. I ordered a 'lunch set' menu, and yeah... I know it's weird for dinner but it's what they call it there! After dinner I hurried to go and watch 'August Rush'.

I feel like giving a review about this film though I'm not a good critic by all means. The story is about a young music prodigy who sneaked out of the orphanage to find his missing parents. The young boy believes that the 'mysterious' music which he hears around him helps find his way back to his parents. He went to New York and his talent starts to grow while learning how to play instruments. He believes that if he plays the instrument his parents will hear it and eventually find him. August Rush is a tried-and-tested formula and everything shown has been done a dozen times over with previous movies. The story lacks depth and originality and the audience are basically clueless as to what is the story all about or how the story is evolving.

The director showed the child's impeccable talent in a very surreal way and the turn of events unfolded in the most preposterous ways imaginable. Though I find so many flaws about this film, I actually enjoyed it. The best thing I like about it is the musical score. I was captivated as to how artistically orchestrated the music was performed... They also made a marvelous job in creating the musical soundtrack "August Rhapsody" which was played in the near-end... All the thrills, frills, heartache, joys, laughter, pain felt by the boy showed through the music he composed. I am raring to buy the official soundtrack of this movie and but I think it wont be available in stores here anytime soon....

A tribute to sheep-o slippers

As I was rummaging through the closet and cabinets to tidy things up, I saw this very special pair of slippers bought at Everland Resort. It was actually summer last year and it was raining by the buckets then, and while waiting for a cable ride to take me to the other side of the resort, I found a place to shelter from the rain. It was a gift/souvenier shop with lots of cuddly stuff toys and adorable gift items. My attention brought me to a pair of slippers with a shape of a sheep. It's white and fluffy and so cute, oh by the way I'm a SUCKER for everything cute and this one really ticked me.

With a sense of guilt, and $20 lost, I brought home the cutest slippers I have ever seen and promised myself that I am never to set foot in that place again. It's not actually a bad place, it's a haven for people like me who loves cute stuff... but their prices are sky-high!!! It's more of an impulse purchase since people there bought a thing or two for themselves, and I didn't wanna get something which I really don't need nor go home empty handed. I used it for a couple of weeks but it still looks new. But now, it's taking up space in the shelves so I decided to throw it away. I thought, just before I head it to the trash, I should take a picture and write down a thing or two about it. Well, I really like 'em and it's probably the cutest slippers I've ever had!

My little panda

Say hello to my little panda named Zhen-zhen (name is written at the back..). I have a lot of stuff toys back at home but this is my first panda... It's cute and it resembles the real one a lot!

I don't know why but pandas (real ones) have always intrigued me... I've seen several bears and even polar bears in the zoo, but I don't think they come close to pandas. I think they are really cute and meek... Can people actually touch them?! I'm not sure if we can, cause I only see them from afar.

I mentioned that I'm a huge sucker for everything cute and that rightfully include stuff toys, something I've never had enough of since childhood. Zhen-zhen is a gift and for that it makes it even more adorable.

Tteokbokki

One of my favorite snack would be tteokbokki. For anyone who is familiar with Korea, would have heard about this spicy rice cake soup as translated in english, one way or another. It's very popular with schoolchildren here and there are stores selling this everywhere.

By the way I don't think it's a soup like translated, it's more of like rice-cake in spicy sauce for me. Whoever coined the term spicy-rice cake SOUP is at fault here. But whatever shortcomings it may have, it makes up for it's taste. One caution though, it's very spicy! I first thought it's very weird to mix spicy with sweet. Yes, it's sweet n' spicy but in a good way.

It's very easy to make; I just put 'tteok' (cylindrical rice cake), gochukaru (red-pepper powder), broth, some fishcake, and vegetables (carrots, cabbage but I prefer none) and boil it till it reaches a ketchup-like consistency. Others put ramyeon noodles, eggs, and even smother kimbap pieces in it's sauce but for me, I'd stick with the basic. For presentation purposes, I sprinkled it with sesame seeds... It doesn't do much for the taste but it adds a distinct flavor and a crunch element.

My friend's wedding (2)

I mentioned in my previous post before that I went to attend a friend's wedding at J's hotel in Daegu. It takes about 4 hours to get to Daegu so I went there one day earlier and I was hoping that I could do some sightseeing and visit some places there. It was 5 pm when I arrived so I couldn't do much except going to Palgong-san peak and see the whole of Daegu. Later that night I had dinner at a Korean traditional restaurant which is rather expensive but I had the most delicious samgyeopsal I've ever tasted! Tired and cold I've decided to retire early so I went on looking for a place to stay for the night but at that moment my friend (the groom) called to say that he and his bride made a reservation for me at the same hotel where the wedding is going to be held the following morning.

Upon entering my hotel room I was surprised to see two beds when I'm all by myself so I called him up and asked why he chose this room, but he said something like there are no other available room at that time. It looks like a typical 4-star hotel but for the very steep price of $170/night, I demand something more.

The following morning I woke up at 9 and hurried to get dressed and ran to the wedding hall where the wedding will take place. The bride looked pretty in her creme-colored cinderella-inspired bridal gown. I didn't recognize the groom at first cause he cleaned-up pretty well. He also wore creme-colored suit. The wedding was over in 30 mins and next came lunch at the reception hall where they served korean, american, italian, and japanese food buffet-style which were all not good except for the salmon sashimi.

Going back home took more than 4 hours but eventhough I was tired as hell I don't regret coming down to Daegu and witness a good friend's wedding. I sincerely wish him all the best.

Bad weather

It hasn't stopped raining since I woke up, there must be some kind of storm or something. The sky is so dark and it's gray everywhere I look. I took the picture at 3 pm, but it looks like it's already night time. When the weather is like this, I feel gloomy. I made plans previously for a Friday night like this, but now.. I am just not in the mood to be outdoors where everything has wetness written all over it.

When it rains, it's difficult to get a cab, buses are seldom and are always full, and it seems like there's traffic jam in almost every intersection. So I really hate it everytime it rains.

I took this pic just outside my place. The quality is not good because it's raining and it's quite difficult to take a picture while holding an umbrella. My hands just couldn't stop shaking cause it's chilly outside. I wish this rain would just stop...

Cranky Sunday

I'm feeling cranky today! Every little thing annoys me... from the dry cleaning lady, to
the Indian guy at the subway who kept on talking to me with a bad case of bad-breath, and everything that is wrong inside the house. I'm having my regular bout of P-M-S and for all I care, it makes me a total bitch from time-to-time! Sunday means relaxation supposedly for me, but not today. After I came back home I'm more than pissed to know that I left the boiler running! I scolded myself for not remembering to turn it off. I was gonna use the computer to calm me down but heck!...the internet doesn't work. And I've got loads of laundry that needs to be washed uhm..as in NOW or I wouldn't have anything to wear. And it's messy everywhere I look so I decided to turn this place inside-out and clean every nook and cranny.

So I did several batches of laundry and hang it dry. I did the dishes and cleaned the stove which I hate by the way! I changed my sheets and fixed the bed really neat. I went through the cabinets and arranged the things inside. Cleaned the fridge and got rid of stuff beyond two weeks except for the good 'ol kimchi of course! The hardest part is mopping the floor... here in Korea we sit on the floor while watching TV or eating and the reason for that is the unique heating system called 'ondol' where it heats up the floor. So it's rather comfortable for most people to sit on the floor rather than on the couch. Koreans never wear their shoes inside the house but use indoor slippers instead but I prefer to be barefoot around the house like most people. I used the verb mopping but we don't use a real mop while cleaning the floor. I use a white cloth to scrub the floor clean and do that 2 or 3 times until it's spotless. Used Windex to clean the windows and glass fixtures and Oxyclean for others. I even cleaned the door knobs and faucets which I think is so-necessary after watching an episode on 'Tyra'. With the influence of the said show, I switched my normal detergent to one that promises to kill 99.9% of germs and started using anti-bacterial dishwashing and liquid soap.

I practically did all the things and there is nothing left to do. I didn't know cleaning can be therapeutic too!!! It's 1 am now and am just about to hit the shower. I feel more relaxed knowing everything is neat and spotless clean...

My little pieces of heaven

Say hello to my little pieces of heaven... These cheap but heavenly desserts can turn my terrible day a little bit worthwhile. Dars white chocolate is the name of the bar, costs around $1. I think it's imported from Japan though I tasted it a couple of times in China as well. The Ice cream name is World Cup, (giggle-)... I know it's tacky as hell kinda name but it's absolutely decadent for $1 price . But wait till you hear 'Goo-goo Ice Cream'... you might think it's rinky-dink nonsense name, but it's the best I've tasted straight from a convenience store... ^^

First snow

Last night marks the first snow this year. I think it's about -3 degrees celsius now and the forecast warned us that it's going to get colder and will have heavy snowfall on the days to come. So cold that it's difficult to go outside... everything's frozen and slushy.

It's a habitude for couples to meet at the first snowfall of the year and leisurely walk together. It's supposed to be romantic and all.

Whenever it snows it reminds me of the song 'I'm dreaming of a white christmas' which makes me think about christmas back home.

The bag

One of the most difficult things I have to encounter living abroad is related to food. I needed to adjust my tastebuds to dishes that are so foreign to me. I am not a fan of spicy dishes before coming here (but I've grown to love it now) so I had to adjust big time. The sad part is, my stomach doesn't really go well with some korean dishes. So I'm extra careful eating outside and I'd rather cook for myself. Thinking about this, I made a plan and went to Homeplus to do my weekly grocery shopping. While I was packing my stuff, a korean couple helped me as I was having difficult putting it all inside one bag (which eventually broke cause my stuff is too heavy). It was nice of them to help and give me this bag. I used it to put all my stuff which I bought. It's not something fancy but they are so generous to give it to a total stranger like me. I thanked them and took a cab back home carrying it.

Korean Street-Food (no. 2)

Whenever I have a chance, I always buy Hotteok from vendors on the street. It's only available during the cold season (I don't know the reason behind this... ^^). I suppose, to make people feel warm?

Hotteok resembles a fried pancake, it's made of glutinous rice, black sugar, and peanuts... It tastes sweet and chewy like that of rice-cake.

I sometimes taste a hint of cinnamon but the taste differs from place to place. It costs 500 KRW for each or about half a dollar. In some place, it's cheaper than that. It's served straight from the pan so it's very hot so I often eat it with a cold glass of milk.

Korean Street-Food

When I'm not in the mood to cook I usually resort to buying street-food here. Not to be wary, street-food here is nothing like what we have back home. It's clean, cheap, and very delicious. Don't have to worry about getting stomach ache for everything is sanitarily prepared. In summer, I am reluctant to buy street-food for obvious reason that food get spoiled easily at this time. I included two of my favorites here in this post.

I like eating Sundae... Although it's spelled like the cold dessert everybody likes it's nothing like it. Sundae means pork blood sausage made from korean vermicelli, sticky rice and coagulated pork blood all stuffed inside pork's intestine. It's steamed then sliced just before serving together with portions of liver and tripe. It may seem gross to some people but I assure you it's delicious... It costs about $2 and the portions are big you can even share

Pinoy Breakfast

Whenever I get tired of eating cereal for breakfast I try to concoct something that resembles food back home. Usually trying a new brand of cereal helps me a bit with battling my cravings for Pinoy food. Sometimes it just doesn't do the trick so I had to prepare it by all means. Scouring the cabinets I found a can of Maling which I brought here from Manila. I just fried the maling in little oil (I don't like it when it's drenched in beaten egg before frying), made some sunny-side up (I like it when the yolk is still intact and a bit runny), and some boiled sticky rice which I prefer than what we have back home. I read an article about Japanese and Korean rice being the finest rice in the world. It's rather chewy in texture, shiny in appearance and it even smells good. I used to hate kimchi, but now... a meal without one is 'incomplete', even if I'm eating pinoy food.

1st day of Winter

Yes, it's already winter... I heard from the weather forecast that the temperature will drop below zero so I armed myself with a thick coat, gloves and scarf before heading out to visit Hyewha Catholic Church and attend a mass officiated by a Filipino priest. The mass attracts thousands of attendees and it is entirely done in Tagalog... The church became a gathering spot for Pinoys from all over Seoul and Gyeonggi-do.

Just outside the church the streets are flooded with people selling everything from hotdogs, century tuna, bagoong, longganisa, ampalaya and to my surprise they even have tilapia and bangus. The usual selling price is 3 or 4 times higher than the original price so I hesitated to buy.

The air is so dry thesedays that I have to put on lotion twice a day and I perpetually use the humidifier. Before I came here, I didn't know what a humidifier is or how it looks like (since manila is sooo humid I never had or will ever have an opportunity to use it there!). Well, it's just a simple machine that is filled with water and using ultrasound or heat energy, it heats up the water to produce steam and make the air moist.

I got this one last winter and it still works very well.

The Weekend

Last weekend I headed out to Kangwon-do, it's the Eastern-most part of the country. It feels nice to be away from city; the crowd, the noise, and the pollution. Kangwon-do is said to be the most rural place in the country with agriculture being it's top most source of income. For a place that is almost covered with mountains, I didn't expect it too be so beautiful. It's a great place to see the many colors of Autumn so it is quite popular with tourist both foreigners and Koreans alike.

It's a 4 hour drive by car and a 5 1/2 hour via train so the trip going there can be exhausting. Upon arriving, it's already mid-afternoon and my first destination is Seoraksan, it translates as beautiful snow-rock mountain and it's said to be the most beautiful place in the whole country. To climb the peak one must ride a cable car first and climb by foot for 15 mins. Since it's the major tourist attraction in Kangwondo there are so many people. Getting a ticket for a cable car ride can take up to two hours so I did a little hike at one of their hiking courses.

I just managed to get past the river and I had to go back to catch my ride to go to the mountain. I'm glad I wore my thickest coat as it was really cold at the top. Then I had to climb to get to the peak. My knees are shaking ang trembling in fear, the 15 minute climb was so much difficult than I anticipated. With one simple mistake one can lose his life so I am very cautious. There are no rope, no safety harness whatsoever, you just use your hands to climb. I haven't done rock-climbing so I'm very nervous... Half-way, my foot got stucked in a crevice and I can't move. The people behind me were quite annoyed because they cannot move as well. One ajussi offered to help me and grabbed my hand so I was able to inch my way up. At long last I reached the top, I had to sit because it is really windy and one can lose his balance and fall. I have never been this close to dying I said to my self.

But the view is breath-taking and it's all worth it. The panorama at the peak resembles Himalayas to me, quite picturesque. I spent 10 minutes before I decided to go down, I was the last person to do so and I'm not proud of it. Descending from the top was even more difficult. I lost my balance twice, sweated profusely but I'm very thankful that I managed to go down safely. It was the most nerve-wracking event in my life but it's also exhilirating at the same time, and if I would be given a chance I'll do it all over again.

I headed out to a port in Seokcho afterwards to meet some people. The place looks like a night market where there are endless street-vendors, restaurants, seafood vendors and patrons. It's known for sashimi so all the fishes, crustaceans, and other seafood are alive and prepared before your eyes. I had sashimi, squid sashimi (which are eaten while it's still moving), clams, and prawns with baekseju or in english 100 year old wine (it's just a brand name, it's not really fermented for a hundred year).

The next day, I went to DMZ, the border between North and South Korea. After lunch, I went on my way to Gyeongpo beach which I heard the second most-beautiful beach in Korea next to Haeundae in Busan. The water looks great and it's not crowded. But I cannot really appreciate the sea when it's so cold to even touch the water. We had to drive thru Daegwallyong before we can reach our final destination. It's said to be the most difficult driving course in Korea. It's such a steep place, full of sharp curves, and very foggy, so foggy that there are numerous caution signs to drive slowly and carefully. I can't imagine if it's winter and snowing, it could be a very, very dangerous drive for beginners.

The last stop was the lamb petting zoo. I really couldn't stand the smell, it's intoxicating. But somehow, people like touching them and feeding them. I can't get really near because of their smell and it's the time they'd close the place, but nevertheless, it's worth seeing them even from afar. They are so cute and meek but the children that can't get their hands off them, and by the way their fur looks really neat!!!

The 4 hour drive home became 5 because of the heavy traffic. Had to stop twice to get some snacks and use the bathroom. I noticed how the air has suddenly changed that night. It was a little below zero and my breath was all foggy like a dragon's. Is it winter already?! I hope not...It's difficult to go on a trip when it's below zero degrees. I pray for more warm days to come.....................

Sudden freeze in Autumn

We experienced a sudden freeze in Gangwon-do today. Since it's raining here at the capital city, it snowed in some parts of the northern peninsula where it's much colder. This incident proves that winter is on it's way. The streets are filled with fallen leaves, trees have withered and most of them bare. I'm stowing away my light jackets to make room for winter coats. Autumn has been my favorite of all seasons... the air is so clean and crisp, the trees changing into wonderful colors, mountains are like a beautiful painting so pleasing to the eyes.

Trees slowly turn bare. Whenever I see trees in this state it makes me a bit gloomy because something so precious as their wonderfully colored leaves shouldn't be desolated. I love seeing snow but I really dread winter. It's such a pain to go out at this time. There are countless times my feet went numb while walking in snow. Here, we have to spend a lot to heat up our places and it can be such a pain when the boiler go bonkers...! Not to mention all fruits and vegetables are so expensive cause they grow it in greenhouses and not outdoors. Korean people like drinking when it's cold, it's suppose to give their body warmth. Ehyu, I don't know what my winter will be like. I just hope it'll be fun.

The Bed

It's drizzling right now and I just finished eating tteokbokki. With this weather I normally just lie in bed and cuddle-up. My blanket is thick and soft makes makes me warm and all. I like reading magazines while drinking hot chocolate or just veg out in front of the TV the whole day. It's dark and foggy outside so I guess I'm just gonna eat ramyeon for dinner (too lazy to go outside!).
Rainy days makes me gloomy... It reminds me a lot back home. Being alone is kind of depressing. There's only me and one faithful bed.

It's very dry these days and it's going to get worse even more soon. I've been using my humidifier almost every night. I noticed my skin got very dry though I religiously put on moisturizer in my face. I thought about retiring my old product and buy a new one this season. I used that last spring and it worked well but it doesn't suit me now.
Upon the recommendation of a friend, I recently purchased DeAge Red Addition by Charmzone. I instantly fell in love with it! The Red Addition means it has the essence of red wine, pomegranate, tomato and several other red fruits that are very high in antioxidants.

After cleaning my face I put the Toner first then next is the emulsion. I haven't used the control cream (middle-one) because I don't have any idea how to use it... It's like a facial wash with beads but it doesn't lather up. It'll stay in the shelf for now...

Baths

Since the temperature is rapidly dropping day by day and the nights are getting colder, I feel that taking a shower seems to be more like a burden (eew!). I normally take a shower twice a day back in my country but here, I usually do it once.
In my country, taking a bath is usually done in the morning before going to work. In Japan and in Korea, people normally take a shower night time. I asked my friend the reason for this and I was told that they are very busy and don't have time to spare in the mornings. And unlike in Philippines where tardiness is a forgivable offense, here it can be a ticket to losing a job.

Breakfast Chow

My friends often wonder what a foreigner like me eats for breakfast. Koreans usually eat rice and soup with few other side-dishes in the morning. First meal shouldn't be spicy because it can hurt the stomach (like all people say!). There are days when I make the usual Korean breakfast and on the days when I don't have time to spare, I buy some kimbap from the nearest Kimbap Na Ra or a bagel from Dunkin Donuts.
Most of the days when I'm busy ( err...lazy rather ), I usually eat cereal. It's so easy to prepare and I can spend my extra time to sleep a little bit longer.
I like the ones with almonds like the one shown below. It's mildly sweetened with honey and others are just too bland for my taste.

Lotte World

Went to Lotte World on Saturday. The ticket price is 26,000 KRW or about $25 and it was lucky I got a 50% discount. Since Lotte World is in the heart of Seoul which happens to be one of the most expensive land in the world, it's expected to be small unlike Everland or Seoul land which are not in Seoul. I don't know why Seoul land carries the name of Seoul when in fact it's located in Gwacheon.... anyways
So there I was, 4excited and all.... I bought a ride-all-you-can so I really wanted to try as much rides as possible. I didn't expect it to be so crowded and getting on a ride can take as much as 60 minutes of waiting in line. I only managed to try 4 during my stay.
I tried the world monorail first, it's like a mini train that runs mid-air.... I remember it so well as it reminded me of the drama Stairways to heaven... Song-ju often rode it. by the way, they also have a smaller version of the mural they painted on the drama.
I watched the show of lights called the Fantastic Odyssey. It's quite good but I almost fell asleep inside the theater. Afterwards, there was a laser show which transformed the whole place to a giant movie screen. Next was the comet express that's like a roller coaster but the difference is your seat is swinging to all directions. Lastly, I took the French Revolution, the high-speed rollercoaster which happens to be the best roller coaster ride of all time for me... the trick is unlike ordinary roller coaster everything is pitch black, it's like you can't see anything and you just rely on the feeling and it adds up to the excitement cause you don't know what to anticipate next....
I so wanted to try the Gyro Drop which is a free-fall experience ride at 70 meters above which is the scariest of them all but the line is too long.
I think my next destination will be Seoul land. This time, I'll try all the things especially bungee jumping.

Jang Dong Gun

First was Lee Byung Hoon who hit stardom in Asia via the movie 'JSA' and is known as Song Hye Gyo's former husband. He recently made a hollywood movie with Josh Hartnett and part of the film was shot in the Philippines. But crap! he potrays a Chinese in the movie because Americans think all Asians are Chinese whereas Asians think all 'white-people' are Americans. And now it's JDG!!!
I recently heard from a friend that Jang Dong Gun is going to do a movie with Kate Bossworth! I am so excited to hear this since Jang Dong Gun I think is hot, hot, hot! I was bitten by the lovebug upon seeing him in 'Taegukki' (the Korean flag) with just-as-hot Won Bin. He's said to be the most handsome man in Korea which I so agree by the way.
And Kate Bossworth is one of my favorite actress in Hollywood.... Who can forget about her 'Blue Crush' days before she became skinny as hell, although she constantly denied rumors that she has anorexia. I'm glad she has recovered and gained a few pounds and she looks healthy again.

Another round of 20's

1. Are you good at hiding your feelings?
* not so much

2. How can we tell if you are already irritated?
* I put on a sullen face but I try to be polite as possible

3. How do you treat a person who obviously don't like you?
* I act irreverent towards that person

4. What usually ruins your mood?
* lots of things... traffic jam, bad service, being around umindful and inconsiderate people

5. Who do you see everyday that you wish you just wouldn't at all?
* the noisy college kids next door

6. When was the last time you had a good cry?
* A week ago, I'm missing home so much..

7. How often do you shop for clothes?
* every season or whenever my budget permits me

8. Who is your long time crush?
* Kwon Sang Woo

9. Someone who you just had a crush on?
* can't remember the name exactly

10. Do you have something you wish you just don't?
* yeah! my braces

11. Do you sometimes crave for something that isn't there?
* most of the time I crave Philippine food

12. Do you wish to live in a faraway land where nobody knows you?
* I am now in a place far-away from home

13. Have you kissed a total stranger?
* no

14. What do you want to do at the moment?
* wanna eat Tteokbokki

15. What's the worst feeling for you?
* when somebody cheats on me

16. What about the best?
* being with my family... missing them a lot

17. Ever given your number to someone you dislike?
* sometimes we are forced to

18. What will you say to the one reading this right now?
* hope this doesn't bore you

19. What/Who do you need right now?
* a bigger apartment

20. Happy with your life?
* in a way yes

A post about Paris Hilton

Paris Hilton is in Korea right now to promote FILA and do several endorsements and photoshoots. She arrived at Gimpo Airport in Seoul all clad in her signature color pink of course by FILA. She's staying at Grand Hyatt Hotel, a luxurious and top-of-the-notch 5-star hotel situated in Gangnam, Seoul. I wonder why she isn't staying at the Hilton....
I am excited to see her on TV and know about what she thinks of Korean men. Will she be hitting the nightspots here? I guess not cause she didn't do it in Japan. Well, I just hope to see her soon on TV... I wanna know what she has to say about Korea!

Studying in Korea

For foreign people who are lucky to study here may attest to me that the Korean University Standard is indeed praise-worthy. From the resources, the method of teaching, the well-maintained buildings, to the professors and students are all conducive to learning.
Koreans are stagerring ninety-percent educated, the few who are not are the 'deadbeat' of the society. A household spends about 1/3 to 1/2 of their total income to pay for different educational institutions or 'hagwons'. It's astonishing how engrossed Koreans are in educating their children, even enrolling them in numerous 'hagwons' for math, english, science, taekwondo, and arts aside from their regular school.
It's not uncanny to see school children at midnight here. It's about the time that they finish at their respective hagwons. I can't imagine how stressful it can be! My high-school is as carefree as can be so I really can't imagine being in those kid's shoes. A typical high-school student here wakes up at around 6 am and attends school from 7 am to about 4 or 5 pm. Then they usually go straight to hagwon to study. They come home very late and will have to study again way past midnight and have about 4 hours of sleep before waking up and going to school again the next morning. They go to school from Monday to Saturday so they only have one day of the week to take a rest.
They are studying this hard in preparation for the university exam which is the most important thing for them. All students across the country wanted to enter the top 10 Universities in Seoul. It's very tight competition so all of them must work very hard to secure a spot in those Ivy League Universities. It is as if their life depends on it, but somehow that is true. A person who graduated from a 'good' university has a more stable and secure future. Even in getting a partner it's also important, most girls like men who studies or who graduated from a good university. Those men can get a good and high-paying job and thus, they are popular and revered by korean women.
Universities here are vast and very modern with beautiful and clean surroundings. The campus is surrounded by beautiful trees that changes colors every season, flowers, and colorful bushes. It resembles me of a leisure park where everything is neat and picturesque. They are equipped with swimming pools, soccer ground, tennis, baseball, basketball courts, and some even has pond or lake inside. Libraries are huge and have individual study area. There are high speed computers for everyone to use for free. And what I really like about schools here is that there are all kinds of orgs and clubs for the geeks, the hotties or the average joe. I like school fairs because they usually invite a famous personality, a popular actor or actress, or singers. During this fairs there are tons of funny games and numerous concerts to watch for free.
I'm also very impressed with the architectural design of the buildings. It's more of like an artwork for me. They have combined, modern buildings with Roman and Greek Inspired ones. The statues, sculptures and paintings that adorn the school are precious pieces of artworks that can inspire anyone to be 'artsy'.
The bad side for this is the expense. When you enter these schools prepare to shell out $ 5,000 for a semester. With that money some people choose to study abroad. I don't blame them because the living expense here is very high. Not to mention each campus here has their own nightlife; unlimited hoffs, bars, restaurants, nightclubs, cafes, game room, etc., that can really take a huge chunk in a person's wallet.

Visa problems hound Tribu delegates to Busan, Korea

Several members of the group that created the award-winning independent film Tribu won't be able to go to Korea for the Busan International Film Festival because of visa problems.
"Tribu delegates for Pusan Film Festival suffer humiliating discrimination from Korean embassy; by issuing visa effective only after the festival event is over," said Tribu director Jim Libiran. However, the Korean embassy only issued visas for Jim Libiran, sound editor Marc Laccay, and executive producer Dodge Dillague because they were not "first time travelers." The others were denied as they were not able to present the necessary documents.
Mitch Libiran, Jim's wife said that she felt that there was discrimination.
"Sabi sa nag-interview sa amin, hindi raw nila kami kilala. Hinahanapan din ako ng bank statement at certificate of employment. Kahit pa sinabi ko na ang festival ang siyang sasagot sa aming gastos pagdating ng Korea, hindi pa rin kami nabigyan ng visa. Kahit na sinabi ko na huwag naman 15th ang date na ibigay niya sa isa namin kasamahan, hindi rin ako pinakinggan," Mitch said.
She added that the consul officer did not even scan their papers which showed that the group was invited to the festival.
Mitch also said that it appears that the consul general feared that they might overstay in Korea or, worse, go TNT (tago ng tago).
Mitch said that she would leave Oct. 11 for the awards night, hoping that Tribu wins.
"We were hoping na maging lenient sila dahil may sulat naman kami mula sa festival organizers pero nakakainis ang nangyari sa amin. Nakaka-disappoint," Mitch lamented.
Marc Laccay won the Best Sound award in the third Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival while Tribu was the Best Film in the Cinemalaya 2007.
The Pusan film festival is scheduled to be held October 4 to 11 in Pusan, South Korea. Out of the four Filipino films invited to Pusan, only Tribu - which narrates the lives of gangsters-rappers belonging to gangs or "tribes" in Tondo - was chosen for competition.

Missing u

With a beer in my hand trying to get some of my thoughts out in writing. I'm missing someone, badly missing someone. I've never thought that I'd be missing a person this much.
Our lives are so darn complicated, a continous love-hate relationship. Searching for things that would make us both happy to the point of irreverence. We continued to hurt each other with our actions never minding the pain we inflict upon ourselves.
But what's with these dreams...? Why do I dream about him each time I close my eyes. And each time I open all I could think of is going back? For all I thought this is what I needed. A separation from a world that revolves around him.
Why do I keep missing him when all I thought is escaping my wretched existence hiding behind his shadows all the time? Isn't this what I wanted? I begin to thought that this isn't the sweet escape that I have imagined.

Seoul Named Costliest City in Asia

Fact about Korea.


Seoul has been named the most expensive city in Asia for foreign residents.
According to statistics released Tuesday by global human resources consulting firm ECA International, Seoul has the highest living expenses for foreigners in Asia, and the seventh highest in the world.
Japanese cities edged down the list because of the depreciating value of the yen.
Lee Quane, general manager of ECA International Hong Kong said, "Five years ago, expatriates in Tokyo paid 35 percent more for basic goods and services than those in Seoul. But the stronger won has seen foreign expatriates living in the South Korean capital paying 10 percent more for the same items compared to their counterparts in Tokyo."
Tokyo was next after Seoul on the list, followed by Yokohama, Kobe, Hong Kong, Taipei, Beijing, Shanghai, Singapore and Jakarta.

I'm back to Kimchi Land

I just arrived last night from Manila it feels nice to feel the cold breeze of Autumn, it's really refreshing...^^...
As the days get cooler and frost is in the air, deciduous trees and shrubs put on an autumn show in all shades of red, yellow, purple, and brown. The splendor of crisp fall days and vibrant leaves is truly breathtaking. One can sense a great feeling of relaxation while looking at it. It makes you appreciate God even more for creating such a wonderful phenomenon.
In daytime it's comfortably cool. come night time it's a bit chilly with cold gust of winds. Sometimes the temperature reaches 4 degrees celsius but most of time it's between 13-20 degrees.
Something about the Autumn air that makes me melancholic... For others it brings so many different emotions. People can suddenly become more romantic, gloomy, or jolly in seconds.
Something about the Autumn air that makes me so wanna see my family and just lie down on the bed with them, feeling them, and knowing that they are just near.

Leaving

It's time to leave Manila again, it makes me sad that I have to leave my loved ones behind. But with all the mishaps that had happened here, it kinda gives me the feeling that it's not so safe to be here anymore. I enjoyed my stay here though the weather is at it's worst.
I'm so going to miss Manila for sure!!! I'm already starting to miss the food. I loaded up on things to bring back to my friends, they wanted it to be authentic-filipino so I decided to get them some puto-seko, sampalok candies, pulvoron, yema, and dried mangoes.
Dried mangoes have always been a hit with foreigners. Something about it being sweet but not 'sugary' in a way, and to add it's chewy too. When some of my friends tasted sampalok candy (the ones wrapped in yellow cellophane~~) it reminded them of dried persimmons without the sour aftertaste. They think pulvoron is quite queer and they are amused that we Filipinos eat 'powder-like' snack. I felt that it's strange too but then nobody here thinks it's queer.
I thought about bringing some peanut brittle but I know that most of them can't handle the sugar-overload (way too sweet for their taste~~). Macapuno and pastillas are the same.
I'm going to miss so many things about Manila. I will miss even the noise on the streets, riding MRT which I consider is a great adventure especially when you are going to Makati on a Monday morning! I'll miss taho and pandesal for breakfast, nilagang baka and tinola. Most of all, I'll miss the feeling of being at home.
Ehyu, time to pack my things now~~~

Dae Han MinGuk

It simply translates as "The Great Republic of Korea". Korea is not just the land of the cutest phones nor the haven of pop-star haircuts...it has also been my home.
been staying here in manila for a month, but all I could think about is going back to where I consider Home..... It's something about the unbearable humidity, the pollution, the noise, and the crimes.... All I could think about is seeing the red maple leaves on the ground...it's going to be fall in Korea soon. Hopefully, at the start I'll be there. I'm slowly counting he days..... A month more and I'll board the plane again.
I used to be homesick, as in a lot. I've been fighting homesickness all the time I was there. I do count the days when I'll board the plane back to Manila. But as soon as I arrived, I long for the clean and peaceful country I've grown to love. I spent more than I am supoposed to, trying to find food that resembles ours. Seeing a pack of bananas with the words "made in the PHILIPPINES" written on it brings a smile to my face though I've never thought about buying one here.
I think I should go out more and try to enjoy my time while I'm here instead of sulking in my room thinking all my rants about the country. I don't want to think that Manila lost it's magic to me. I think I'm just in the wrong places.... or with the wrong people.
But God, I do miss the Internet... I miss sticky rice and kimchi.... I even miss the commercials I see on TV which I never understand and I think I'll never will.

Tale of 4's

FOUR JOBS I HAVE HAD

Researcher
ESL Teacher
Call Center agent
TOEFL, TOEIC, IELTS reviewer

FOUR MOVIES I HAVE WATCHED OVER AND OVER

The day after tomorrow ( laging may re-run sa cable eh )
I, Robot ( ganun din )
The Mummy ( wala...laging yun ang mga palabas sa lintik na cable na to! )
Shilmido

FOUR PLACES I HAVE LIVED

Antipolo
Q.C.
Korea
Makati

FOUR TV SHOWS I LIKE TO WATCH:

Sex and the City
Dr. Who
Borat
Kyle XY

FOUR PLACES I HAVE BEEN ON VACATION:

Hong Kong
China
Macau
Korea

FOUR OF MY FAVORITE FOODS:

Steak
Pasta
Pizza
Sashimi

FOUR PLACES I WOULD RATHER BE RIGHT NOW:

In jeju
Harajuku in Japan
At home in Q.C.
Having a meal with my friends

Life's simple pleasure

10 of life's simple pleasures for me:

Traveling to places I have never imagined.
Blowing my birthday cake while listening to a birthday song.
Celebrating Anniversaries.
Watching Simpsons and laughing my ass off.
Being with my family having a meal together..
Listening to my Mother and Father's laugh.
Watching the sun set.
Seeing my long lost friends and have a good chat down memory lane.
Cooking something for my loved ones,
and hearing them say it's delicious!!!

The highly coveted VISA

I feel bad for so many Pinoys out there who are dreaming to work here in the Land of the Morning Calm but too bad the Korean Embassy temporarily stopped issuing working visas for Filipinos because of the apparent corruption within the Department of Foreign Affairs. I can't blame Korea for doing something like this harsh though many people are going to suffer the consequences. It's bad enough that we are obviously not a good candidate for getting a VISA in so many countries I couldn't count. I could remember when I was at the Embassy in Manila waiting for my scheduled interview. I asked the clerk about the long queue of people looking rather depressed upon retrieving their passports. I was told that those people were denied and when I asked for the reason he said the Embassy is very well aware of our economic situation and that those people have a very high chance to stay abroad illegally had they've been approved.
Korea's economy is getting better and better boasting higher GDP every year. What about us? It's sad that once we were the model country of Korea. They once put us in a pedestal and tried their very best to be at par with our economic progress. But it was in the long past already. And they have become the 12th richest country in the world and us one of the poorest.
Due to their economic stability, they can now enter the US without VISA. It means a regular Korean citizen can enter Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Spain, US, and others I lost count. Koreans know about our sad history, our economic regression, and the rampant corruption and yet they still see a future in the Philippines, that's why it's the top retirement spot for them. They do have that Philippine dream; to live in a big house, with the luxury of having helpers, and basically having the comfortable life they can't have here with their measly pension.

ACNEVER

I was browsing thru a mag and I saw a column about a new skin care line called ACNEVER. The name really is enticing and sounds very promising right? I literally had to check this product out in vieu of the breakouts I need to get rid of. Well the packaging looks fine but the mere fact that it's entirely written in Korean doesn't help. The sales lady did her best to explain in broken english about the product. My gut tells me it's not the miracle i've been looking for. Why? Because there is something creepy about using it in my entire body like what the lady said. I don't know if it's just the girl who spoke very little english but nevertheless I didn't buy.

The breakouts

What's with my face these days??? I'm having breakouts all over my face and I know I've got to do something about it. I've tried several over-the-counter topical creams to combat zits and breakouts but it usually doesn't work for me...PanOxyl or Pond's pimple clearing gel and the likes. It works as a drying catalyst that dries up the pimple faster than I can imagine but it deprives my face of essential moisture responsible for a soft and supple skin. By the way, it itches as hell but if you are not so darn sensitive as me you'll be just fine.
I thought it's about time to buy some skin essentials so last night, I headed out to three of my favorite skin care boutiques here; The Face Shop, Skin Food, and Beauty Credit. I liked Beauty Credit from the three because the place looks the cutest. The Interior design is good, it's spacious, and it has a huge plasma screen TV showing Hyun-bin in a very catchy jingle. I know it's stupid but my thought is that, if they are 'that' willing to go the extra mile then it's probably worth it. I like Missha the best (the one which Jang Dong Gun is representing) but sadly there isn't any branch nearby.
The are tons of skin essentials to choose from. Some has Coenzyme Q10, wine extracts, pomegranate collagen, and green tea herb just to name a few. I chose Acerola Intensive whitening skin care set, skin, essence, emulsion, and suncream. Something about Korean summer...it's very hot and very, very humid. My skin got a lot darker from doing a lot of traveling. How I miss spring where it's cool and the wind smells like pine trees so crisp!!!!
Well anyways, after getting the essentials I looked over the make up counter. it's not my plan to buy but it looked tempting to me. Guys will never understand the need for make-up. In a heaven of superficial people where beauty is the ultimate power for women, it's a commodity. I ended up getting a compact pressed powder, a lip gloss, a mascara, and an apricot colored eyeshadow.

3's about me

3 things that scare me:
the appearance of ghosts
dying young
break ups
3 people who can make me laugh:
Chelsea
Samantha from Sex and the city
my friend Redeemer
3 things i love:
good movies
friendships
family
3 things i hate:
traffic Jam
doing the dishes
vicious cycle
3 things i don’t understand:
politics
men's behavior
women's needs
3 things on my desk:
my cellphone
a calendar
a box of Kleenex
3 things i’m doing right now:
doing this
charging my phone
downloading a TV series
3 things I want to do before I die:
make my loved ones very very happy
travel the world
achieve my dreams or even just half of it.
3 things I can do:
I use 3 different languages on a daily basis
I can cook pinoy, korean, and a bit of chinese food
I can stand cold temperature better than anyone I know
3 things I can’t do:
can't swin
ride a bike
wear high-heels without hurting my feet
3 ways to describe my personality:
weird at times
Incredibly immature
non-conformist
3 things people might not know about me:
I hate shopping
I bite my nails
I can finish a book really, really fast
3 things I think you should listen to:
baby's laughter
classical music
I love You's
3 things I don’t think you should listen to ever:
gossips
people whining and complaining all the time
when parents are fighting
3 of my absolute favorite foods:
sashimi
rib-eye steak; medium well done
new york cheesecake
3 things i’d like to learn:
play Starcraft
speak French
swim
3 beverages i drink regularly:
milk
orange Juice (drinking it right now)
green tea
3 shows I watched when I was a child:
care bears
rainbow bright
sesame street

The Upcoming Trip

I spent most of this month planning about my upcoming trip to Jeju Island next week. Jeju-do is in the southernmost part of Korea which also means 'Island of the Gods'. It is very similar to Hawaii I heard... but I've never been to Hawaii to agree with that. Michael Jackson once offered to buy the Island, but the government refused to sell it.
I've been to Jeju twice before , once in summer and once in winter. It really captivated me. it's my favorite place on earth because there are so many things to see. If nature tripping is your thing then you are going to appreciate it big time! Though it's still part of Republic Korea, it seems like it's a totally different country. The people looks a little different from mainland and they use a different accent so Koreans from Seoul find it difficult to converse with them.
UNESCO claimed the Volcanic Island of Jeju one of the world heritage sites. It's very small but it has a lot of museums, resorts, beaches, buddhist shrines, mountains, etc..... No wonder it has become a favorite spot to shoot Korean dramas and Japanese thrillers.
It is so difficult to get a ticket to go there this time because it's what they claim as their super-peak season considering that students are on their summer vacation and workers will be having theirs too next week.
I made a list of the things I wanted to do there... a submarine cruise is the first on my list. I heard hot-air ballon ride is awesome so I wanna give it a try but heights freak me out. Rafting sounds fun... but I'm not very keen to watersports... my friend recommended it so I'm willing to give it a try. I should hit some parks and museums too or do a little bit of trekking. Can't wait for next week!!!

Memoirs in H.ong K.ong

While in the middle of making toast for breakfast and fixing my drawer I came across a huge pile of tickets, stubs, and several tourist guides from H.ong K.ong. I collect them thinking I would be making an album for all my travels which never happened anyway. I can't seem to find the time to do so. But I like collecting them hence, the pile of mess.
I've been thinking about traveling to H.ong K.ong last winter since I've been having these stopovers there coming here and going back to Manila so I thought why not give it a try. How difficult can it be when I've already been there a couple of times and explored a lot of sites with my sister.
So I made a plan, a three-day stay just before I go back to Manila. I saved all winter so I could do a little bit of a shopping. After searching thru hundreds of hotels, I finally a booked somewhere in K.owloon, apparently it's the cheaper side of H.ong K.ong. Made all the reservations and stuff. I didn't apply for any packaged tour for the thought of saving my cash and I didn't have the best experience in the past with them.
Then I arrived last Febuary 27 at the airport so familiar. It wasn't so difficult to find the double-decked bus that will take me to K.owloon side. Upon arriving, the hotel wasn't even ready for my arrival. Blame it to the huge flock of tourists and they were experiencing some overbooking. Instead of waiting at the lobby, I decided to grab a quick bite outside the hotel. I went to McDonald's cause it's open 24 hours and I arrived past midnight. After I ate, it's about time to go into my room and take a rest.
I woke up early and decided to have a long walk outside. I heard that it was their cold season in H.ong K.ong at that time so that explains the winter clothes. I thought it's rather hot to be wearing boots and fur but whatever... I just wore my plain summer clothes and a light jacket.
I've been to a couple of places... lost my way to the avenue of stars, lost my way to the peak, and kept losing my way going back to the hotel. I took a ferry and went to M.acau, originally I planned a whole day trip there but it wasn't that fun except for the portugese architectural design of the village. I realized, it doesn't matter where you are or how beautiful the place may seem to be if you are traveling alone. My last destination is the M.ong K.ok night market to buy some stuff. I bought myself some jeans, a foxy pair of shades for my sister and some other souveniers.
I finally decided to settle my last night in H.ong K.ong resting inside my room watching cable tv. I don't want to risk any chance of losing my way back to the hotel again. I've had enough of walking and hailing taxi cabs for 2 days so I bought 2 cans of Sapporo beer and I called it a night. I went to the airport much earlier than I expected and have a lot of time to spare. I got really thirsty, blame Marlboro lights so I tried to find a reasonably-priced bottle of water but couldn't find any except for a bottle of E.vian. No way I'm ever going to drink water with the price... water is afterall only water, doesn't matter even if it's from the french alps.

Out here on my own

Sometimes I wonder Where I’ve been
Who I am, do I fit in?
Make-believing is hard alone
Out here, on my own
We’re always proving
Who we are
Always reaching
For that rising star
To guide me far
And shine me home
Out here on my own
When I’m down and feeling blue
I close my eyes so I can be with you
Oh, baby, be strong for me
Baby, belong to me
Help me through
Help me need you
Until the morning sun appears
Making light of all my fears
I dry the tears I’ve never shown out here on my own