this made me cry

I love you too my Audrey Rose!
Let's have a great time in Hongkong Disneyland on your birthday.

mmmmwah ^.^

Holiday Inn, Qingdao, China

Napapagod nako ha! Linggong-linggo, kelangan maaga gumising at punta sa airport para lipad na naman sa ibang lugar. haayz!

Home away from Home in Qingdao is Holiday Inn.  Kala ko nun cheap ang Holiday Inn, kasi may holiday supermarket malapit sa barangay namin dati.  Super lumang building hehehe.  I've stayed once in Holiday Inn in Tianjin and my initial thought is totaly wrong.  Totyal din pala ang Holiday Inn...



Lobby



The Pillows had SOFT and HARD tags on them



I enjoyed this warmly lit wash basin



huh? bakit ako may ganitong picture? windang na kasi....



Scenic Elevator, parang roller coaster ang feeling



refreshing view, narelax ang aking pagod na mga mata



Qingdao City Area, daig pa ang Seoul


Qingdao is a Sailing city.  It has hosted the Sailing competition of the Olympics.  Dito original ang word famous Tsing Tao beer which tastes good.  During summer daw, yung mga tao dito bibili ng beer at ilalagay sa plastic at iinumin using straw.  Parang softdrinks sa Pinas.  There used to be many Germans daw dito.  Para ka ngang nasa Europe pag nasa China ka.  Hindi lang luxury brands ang kinokopya nila...mismong bansa or famous cities.  True, I have seen Rome Metropolis, ongoing construction pa siya pero ang mga bahay, talagang European. 

This is Jiaozhou Bay Bridge which just opened in June 2011.  It is currently holding the Guinness World Record for Longest Bridge over water.  It's not where our vehicle is but the one on the horizon.  Iba talaga sa China...I have never imagined ganun ka advanced sa China.  Kasi panay ang nakikita ko lang sa news about China is the poor, dirty and forsaken places. 

A Walk Around Baijia Lake

I have a two week schedule in China.  I have one free Saturday to spend for myself.  Sunday would be spent flying to the next city :-(.

If I were in Taiwan or Korea, I would have planned a good Saturday exploration.  However, until now, after many trips to China, I still confine myself to places nearby my hotel.  Reason being....I can't speak Mandarin! 

So on my free Saturday, I just roamed around Baijia Lake.  I had great quiet time but I really miss my family.  Spent the whole morning walking and just slept the whole afternoon.


Sosyal ang mga bahay sa tabing lawa





This is the vast 3 Phoenix Park



Booming China

I saw Cat's Tail, Lovely

Ugly Caterpillars...soon to be Beautiful Butterflies



Nice...Kids were roller blading (I miss my Audrey mooooore)

Loving Parents and Grandparents with the Kids



Sunog!

 As I mentioned in my previous entry, I would post the photo of my super 20 minutes Ham and Egg sandwich.  You ordered Ham and Egg, so there! It has Ham and Egg! No tomato, no lettuce, no pickle, no mayonnaise, no ketchup.  Just your burned bread with ham and egg.  Thanks to the Chef, he made my gloomy Saturday more fun! hahahaha

Hotel Hopping

As my job requires me to travel at least twice a year (sana walang recession), nakakaexperience akong mag stay sa mga maganda at di kagandahang hotel.

Here is a looooooong post (tutal naman madalas wala akong time mag blog) on my recent travel cribs.  Hotel lang ang maisusulat ko kasi walang pasyal na nagaganap pag nagbibiyahe ako :-(

Chalon Hotel - Jiaxing, China
USD $60
I wasn't expecting much for this value but I was impressed when I entered my room. 

I think there are two buildings for this hotel, my room was in the new building.  The only odd thing is that the elevator is quite far from the reception/lobby.  The free breakfast was so so, the place is quite old and run down, must be in the old building. 

I like the view from my room.

Ang bathroom ng hotel dapat sosyal. Pasado!



bakit may glass? para makanood ng TV?

laging maganda ang feeling ng nagsasalamin

lovely japanese doll poster above the loo

After a long day of auditing, magdidinner pa!  Need to entertain pa ang mga Presidente, Bise Presidente...lahat ng kausap mo Manager...hirap ng trabaho ko ha.

Time to rest.  Walang amoy ang mga pillow, patay ang AC dahil maulan at malamig sa labas, tahimik...ZzzzzZzzzz.

i love the reading lights

Sobrang haba na pag dadagdagan ko pa.  Another post nalang yung other 3 hotels.

** bakit ba ayaw umayos ng alignment ng mga pictures ko? lahat naman nakacenter...

Busy

Auditor in action in a Blank Factory in Yantai, China

Paborito ko ang Sio Mai

Hen Lin ang paborito kong Sio Mai noong college.
Sa session road may maliit silang maliit na cart.  P20 something yung isang dosena.
Grabe naalala ko palang naglalaway na ako.

Ewan ko bakit kahit gustong gusto ko iyon ay hindi ko matandaang kinain ko talaga ng madalas.  Di tulad ng McDo Quarter pounder na hanggang ngayon ay nasa weekly cravings ko.

I was in Taiwan beginning of the month. May sio mai dito!
Pero walang sing sarap yung Hen Lin, kahit nag attempt akong gumawa, wala...siguro isang kilong Vetsin ang sangkap nun kaya masarap.

A few years ago, sinubukan ko yung DimSum Buffet treat sa aking tinutuluyang hotel.  WOW SARAP! kaya taon taon tuwing may biyahe ako doon, lafang the dim sum!

ang soup na nakakapaso sa init, sio mai, sio mai ulit, sampling of everything and dessert

Pangalawang gabi ko, treat ako ng supplier ng dinner.  I opted for Japanese food. Busog pa nga ako sa dami ng kinain ko sa buffet.

Third night, kahit nag offer ng dinner ang supplier, sabi ko papahinga ako.  Pero ang totoo...gusto ko ng Sio Mai :-)

sio mai siyempre, seafood naman, sea coconut, dessert, tea
while contemplating if I should have another round, the chef approached me and gave me COKE...sweet!

Off all the food I've sampled, yung sio mai lang ang masarap.

I moved to another hotel so good bye Cantonese Dim Sum...see you again (sana soon na).

For a change, I was craving for some pasta.  Buti Italian resto daw ang sa new hotel ko.  When I headed to the restaurant, it was Chinese Hot Pot! Damn, ayaw ko ng amoy.  Na sad ako.  So I went strolling outside looking for my pasta.

Found it!

Dante's Coffee
Super mura ng food
Panalo yung Mango Cheesecake at Coffee
yung pasta...magluluto nalang ako ng carbonara pag uwi

Isa sa mga perks ng pag biyahe ko ang pagkakataon na matikman ang mga kakaibang pagkain.  This round, I had a chance to eat shark meat and bettle nut flowers.  The shark looked like pork but tasted like tsinelas.  Bettle nut flowers tasted like bamboo shoots, yummy.

Bakit may weighing scale sa mga hotel?  

Kabuwanan

finally nagka-time din ako para magblog.

maligayang kaarawan kabuwanan! Saya this year, buong buwan kong pinagdiwang ang aking bday.  Well, hindi naman siguro talagang celebrate pero lagi ko lang sinasabi sa sarili ko "dahil birthday ko naman".

Family in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur
April 17~24 (hindi ko pa kabuwanan pero sige, booked the trip in January as a birthday celebration)

Dumalaw ang sisters, brother in-law at nieces ko dito sa SG.
Sa wakas, nakapunta narin ako ng Universal Studios Singapore!
Ngek, soft opening parin till now? Ang malas pa, ongoing repair yung globe...di daw umiikot eh.  Buti nalang in operation ang Battle Star Galactica, super fun at walang pila.  Kung di lang naghihintay ang buong tropa, inulit ko siguro ang roller coaster hanggang lumuwa ang mga bituka ko.  Sa mahal ng binayad ko sa mga ticket...dalawa lang kaming sumakay!  OK OK mga jutanders na kasi hahaha. 

entrada palang masaya na sa USS

The Petronas Towers was magnificent! Ganda talaga... Next month sana makita ko yung Taipei 101 at night para macompare ko sila.

My daughter asked me to find a job in KL so we could live there daw.  Sabi ko: Anak, pag lumipat tayo dito, di naman tayo sa Hotel titira eh, at saka hindi tayo kakain sa labas araw araw.  Isang linggong umiiyak ang anak ko pagbalik ng Singapore...hay.

mahirap maging photographer, lagi ka wala sa picture :-(

Eat Eat Eat
May 4 and 5

Siyempre pagkain talaga ang tunay na celebration sa bawat pinoy.  Tulad last year, we had dinner at a nearby Japanese Restaurant on the eve of my birthday.  Next day, balik kami ni husband sa Marina Bay Sands.  Last year doon din kami nagdinner kahit ongoing construction pa.  Ngayon fully operational na.  We went there to try Gerry's Grill. Super takam ako the whole day for sisig and pusit.  I was disappointed when we got our food.  May malamig bang grilled food?

Gerry's Grill is at Rasapura Marina Bay Sands

tinuturuan ko si husband sa camera para naman may picture nako sa next gala

The Devil wears Prada
May onwards...

End of last year, I packed all my clothes (ALL as in ALL) in one box and sent it to Pinas because I gained so much weight during my pregnancy and from experience, hirap akong magpapayat.  I don't expect to be able to wear those clothes again.  Surprisingly, February 2011 I was back to my prepregnancy weight (sabi ko lang, although my wighing scale says otherwise).  I went to buy jeans and whoa, I could wear my prepregnancy size! maluwag pa (sa ankles)... I only bought jeans, until now, I'm wearing maternity pants eeew! Pero, I've been into dresses.  Dahil nakakatuwa ang feeling na pumayat (from 75 Kg), feeling ko ako na si JLo. I wear dress with 2.5 inch heels twice a week now. Oh anong say ng mga tumatawag sa aking elephant noon? Baby elephant na daw ako...hahaha.  My friend also said, "I read a list of 1,000 ways to die.  One line said: wear make up and high heels".  Ang rude talaga nila dito, kainis.  And yes, I have discovered mas mukha akong tao pag naka make-up.  My husband bought me make up set last Christmas para hindi na daw ako magpamake-up sa salon nung magphoto shoot kami.  I'm now discovering how to apply properly and so far, napapakiss naman si husband pag nakikita niya akong naka make up hehehe.  Tuwing nasa mall ako, gusto ko tumingin ng bagong shade ng eye shadow. Saan na ba patungo itong sinusulat ko?  Anyway, I have been shopping lately.  For dresses and shoes.  Minsan nga lunch break ko tatakbo ako sa mall, skip my lunch just to buy some things...kaya pala "The Devil wears Prada" no wonder these clothes/shoes are so tempting.  Sorry po Lord! Birthday ko naman po at talagang wala akong maisuot.

Home is IKEA
May 9

I am a struggling housemaker.  Hindi ako marunong mag-ayos, mag style ng bahay. Nakakailang bili nako ng organizers like cabinets...magulo parin at walang "theme" ang bahay namin.  Actually, meron. IKEA - kasi majority of our things were bought from there.  So I got the Friends flyer, oops sale daw yung chest of drawers.  I do not know but I have always longed to have a chest of drawers for my intimate things.  4 drawers? mapupuno ko ba iyon? Ang siste, I want to put new things in my drawers naman...slowly slowly, buy some every payday :-) kaso once a month lang ang suwelduhan dito sa SG kaya nakakatuyot.  Nakakatawa yung experience ko nung binili ko and drawers.  I went on the very first day of sale, ayaw ko maubusan.  When I went to the rack to self collect my flat pack, whaaat? there's nothing on the rack.  Is this a joke? first day of sale ubos na? megatext ako ng reklamo sa asawa ko.  Sabi niya bili na raw ako ng kahit ibang model kahit mas mahal tutal Birthday ko naman daw.  Buti nagtanong ako sa staff, nasa open area pala, dami daming stock kaya nga nakasale...happiness comes in flat packs!

Sarap kasi nung inayos ko towels ng asawa ko sa drawer, ang ganda ganda daw. 

Fast Five Fun!
May 14~17

Long weekend.  Feeling ko honeymoon.  Tagal ko nakasama asawa ko just doing nothing tapos nanood pa ng movie and went shopping.  Pag working day kasi tulog pa ako, naka alis na asawa ko then gabi na pag dumatin.  Kain and get the kids to sleep then super low bat na kami pareho.  Ganda ng Fast Five para sa busy mommy na katulad ko, movie time is a treat talaga.  Buti nalang hindi bawal magcelebrate ng birthday.

Pearly Birthday

Last year, pearl necklace and pinabili ko kay husband.  This year, earrings naman kasi nawala ko yung pearl earings ko.  Sana birthday ko araw araw!

Extended...
June 5

May audit na naman ako sa Taiwan.  Laging sambit ng mga katrabaho ko na maghoholiday na naman ako.  Gawain kasi nila na pag may business trip, they extend a few days for personal holiday.  Dahil birthday ko at 10 years na akong Supplier Quality Engineer, it's time for a personal holiday. Ako lang.  I am extending my trip to Taiwan. But what can I see and do in one day? Basta at least meron akong "me" time.

This year ko naramdaman ang tunay na "maligayang kaarawan".

I am happy with my husband, very happy with my kids, very blessed to be with my Mom, I have great family and friends.

Love you LORD! You are simply Amazing mmwah
 

Broke in China

I was in China for 5 days for another Subcon audit.
It was my first time to stay in Beijing.
I first set foot in Beijing in 2008 during the olympics but only in transit.

As my little boy is still so young, I planned a very short trip. No weekend.
So I did not bother looking up of what I can do and see in Beijing, except to see the Olympic Stadium or the Bird's Nest.


When my subcon asked me if I wished to have a tour, I quickly said "To the Bird's Nest :-) ".




It's a great feeling to see such marvelous structure



nice string of kite
I wanted to buy for audrey but mommy has no money
hindi pa kumakagat ang lamig diyan

We went there at dusk, man! it was so cold!!! I felt like I had anesthesia for my tooth, the feeling of your lips bulging. I could not talk straight. I had runny nose, my nose was red. But the two people with me were just fine, to think that I was wearing the thickest jacket. I asked what was the temperature and my pal said it must be below zero.



The Water Cube was a sight at night when the lights were turned on
Hinitay naming ilawan kayat kumagat na ang lamig



ayan na, pula at maga na ang ilong
hindi ko na macontrol ang lips ko pag nagsasalita parang hindi ko mai-full close

It's a lot better living in the tropics. Now I understand Luigi why he reasons winter season for not migrating to Canada or New Zealand.

China has to up their service sector. They build nice buildings but fail to maintain them. My Beijing hotel looked grand but it needs repainting and more lighting. At the reception area, you could smell the stench of the W.C. (toilet is called WC in china, it is british for water closet). When I got to my room, I could not get the lights to turn on. After some root cause analysis hehe, i found out the lamps were unplugged DUH! Big trouble is that my credit card was not accepted. I gave all my RMB, just right for 2 nights. I'm broke! Foreign Exchange opens the next day. So no dinner for me? Ah poor me...poor me. My Tangshan Hotel was so much better as it was a 5 star hotel. But the price is really sky rocket. With that, they should ensure that their room service operator must be able to converse in English. We were like, hello, hello, hello for one minute. Lumaki na ang mga mata ko! Until an english speaking guy rescued. He came to my room and asked me to turo-turo what I want in the menu. Chinika pa niya ako, gulat siya nung buksan ko ang door. "Huh, you are Chinese right?" sabi niya. Excuse me, naliligo ako araw araw ano hahaha! I enjoyed the night view from my room and I slept well there knowing that my credit card was working :-)

ZZzzzzzzZZZZ

cold, very dry view
the sunset was nice but it is actually due to air pollution

 

RESERVED - II

pinigilan ko nalang maiyak sa awa sa sarili ko at sa precious baby boy ko.
morning I had the encounter with the uncle (see previous post), afternoon was as crazy as well.

dahil uwian na, siksikan ang train.  so I do not expect a free seat but if luck strikes me, someone will be good to offer their seat.  this is just not that afternoon.  two ends of the seat rows are RESERVED.  ironically, yung dalawang seat ay occupied ng mga babae at tulog na tulog parehas...while the middle seats were all occupied also by ladies.  These ladies were all eyeing me (are they wondering why I have such big tummy???) also people standing were all eyes on me...my face was perspiring and my baby was kicking me.  For 15 minutes, nobody was gracious enough to give up their seat for me.  So I turned around to check the other side...the guy who was seated at the reserved seat alighted, I had to rub elbows with another lady trying to grab the seat.  For heaven's sake...I am travelling for 45 minutes.  I really need and DESERVE the RESERVED seat ( wow, same letters in those two words).  Maybe the notice should be revised to RESERVED FOR THE DESERVING. 

This topic on graciousness on trains and buses has never died down.  On forums and on local papers.  Government has revised the notices from small to very large eye catching ones...all to no avail. 

how can people be so rude?

Singapore is a nice place...but the people are not nice! not at all...

God allowing, today will be my last long ride to work.  I hope to be able to sleep in my own home this weekend so the next week, I just need to walk to work.  Yahoo!

RESERVED

jurong east interchange. lahat ng pasahero ng train ay bumababa dahil dulo ng ito ng red line. sa mga babalik sa pinanggalingang destinasyon, maluwag at malaki ang opportunidad para makaupo.

word for the day is RESERVED : adj. - Set aside for the use of a particular person or party






kahit maluwag ang train, diretso ako sa mga reserved seats kasi nga, those are set aside for particular persons…like me! but today, this uncle sat on the reserved seat, there were so many available seats, actually one right beside him. I gave him the stare.






"you want this seat? sit here (pointing at the empty seat beside him)" I raised my eyebrow. "So many empty seat and you want this seat ah?" I softly said "because this is reserved seat, you should not take it" I was still standing in front of him. "Wah so many empty seat and you want this seat! If there are no available seats, I will give it to you but now so many empty seat." He was talking at quite a loud volume. I sat beside him and out of nowhere I kept on pestering him that he should, in the first place, not have seated on the reserved seat . He was pissed off and stood up "Nah, here you sit, you want? I give you!" He continued to grumble loudly till the next station then he alighted.






Ang topak ko naman kasi at binuwisit ko si Uncle. Malamang ay kagigising lang niya, nasira ang araw niya sa akin. Ang topak naman kasi niya at magdahilan pa siya na umupo ako sa ibang upuan. Sana nagslide nalang siya sa next seat at pinaupo niya ako.






what a day!

Audrey's Summer

I'm so glad my daughter had a blast this summer.  She prefers to stay in Baguio daw than in Pampanga kasi malamig.  Kaiba sa normal na ugali niyang tahimik, naging sobrang ingay siya with her cousins Hannah and Aerin.  Laro maghapon.  Pagkadating niya dito sa SG, nagsisigaw pa siya, and ang kulit...Sana makahanap kami ng friend ni Odie dito sa SG, para tuluyan nang mawala yung pagiging anti-social niya.

Pictures with her father side...magkakahawig sila.

Bakasyong kay saya!

Para mag-end ng masaya ang blog ko, unahin ko na yung mga hindi magandang nangyari sa pagbabalik-baguio ko.

1.)  a week before ako umuwi, nawala ang aso kong si Mushu.  8 years old na yung aso ko.  Napakaloyal niya sa aking pamilya.  Pinulutan ba siya?  Halos mapaiyak ako sa balitang ito.

2.)  2x akong muntik nang madukutan.  Nung unang araw na lumabas ako, at nung last minute shopping ko.  Buti wala namang nakuha.  Ang masama, na-slice ang Gucci bag ko...haaay buhay naman.

3.)  Nakakahiya mang Pizza, Ice Cream at Cake lang ang nailibre ko sa pamilya ko, naubos ang 35K ko.  Oo konti lang talaga ang budget ko.  Mayayaman na ata ang mga Pinoy ngayon, libo libo na ang ginagastos.  Sa isang linggo, naramdaman ko kung gaano kahirap mamuhay sa Pinas. 

Nabuong muli ang aking pamilya.  Well, kaming 5 magkakapatid ay nagsamasamang muli. Last reunion namin ay noong 2005 pa. Wala pang isang taon si Audrey (kaya tabatching pa ako).  Ngayon naman, tabatching parin kasi nga 28 weeks naman ang pinag bubuntis ko.  Haay, pero kitang tumanda na kaming magkakapatid.  At sa pagkakataong ito, hindi namin kasama ang kapatid naming lalaki.  Wala sa ayos ang kanyang buhay ngayon, pero sana alam niyang narito lang kami kung sakaling kailanganin niya kami.

Nakakatuwa (tawa) ang mga pinagkuwentuhan naming magkakapatid.  Ang tatay namin na tumatanda na, at ang mga kamag-anak naming panay ang hingi ng tulong, di naman tinutulungan ang mga sarili.  Walang kamatayang kuwento.... Buti nalang at advanced na ang technology,  parang hindi naman masyadong matagal yung 5 years na hindi kami nagsama-sama.  Merong tawag, text, e-mail, facebook at siyempre ang mga padala :-)  At nagkikita kita rin kami in person, sa mga dalaw.  Pero ngayon lang uli yung 5 talaga kami.

Wala akong balat sa puwet, pero simula ng dumating ako, araw araw na nag uulan. Wala naman akong balak mamasyal, masaya na ako na nasa piling ng mga kapatid ko.  Buti nalang buntis ako, kundi lalabas ang pagkatamad at kuripot ko! Aba balikbayan, lagi lang sa bahay?!  Eh sa ganda naman ng bahay ng ate ko, para na akong nasa hotel.  Mas nabobore ako pag lumalabas.  Puro tao at dumi lang nakikita ko.

Isa pang nakakatuwa ang pamangkin kong si Isa. Dalaga na talaga siya.  Sabi ko siya na ang bunso namin. College na siya, ilang taon nalang ay magkakatrabaho na siya.  Hehe siya naman ang manlilibre sa akin.  Yes!

At ang mga bata, nakakatuwa sila. Sana ay maging close din silang magpipinsan sa pag laki nila. 

Ganon kabilis ang 11 days.  Pero kahit 11 days lang taon taon ay lubos na kasiyahan naman ang baon ko pagbalik dito sa Singapore. 

Kasalukuyang lumilipad ang eroplano sakay ang asawa ko.  Uuwi rin siya para sa reunion nilang magkakapatid.  Sana ay maging masaya at ligtas ang kanilang muling pagkikita.

President Noynoy, sana nga by choice nalang ang pangingibang bansa ng mga Pilipino at hindi necessity.  Kasi mahirap panatiliing buo ang isang pamilya kung pinaglalayo naman ang bawat isa.

Baguio here I come!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

dalawang tulog nalang (pero hindi na nga ako makatulog eh)...uuwi na ako sa Pinas.
Sa Baguio...sa aking kinalakhang Baguio.
Makikita ko na pamilya ko, first time to meet my British borther in-law and half breed na pamangkins, twins pa sila.  Sana magpakarga sila sa akin.  Baka naman matakot sa dambuhala kong tiyan.

haaaay...mga aso namin, mga halaman ni mama, mga malayong tanawin, memories, the good and the bad...ang sarap! ang sarap ng feeling.  Iniisip ko palang, relaxed na relaxed nako.

Sana mabait ang Cebu Pacific at huwag ako pag tripan na ideny ng boarding.
Sana walang mga kurakot sa Clark.
Sana walang biglang lumutang na kamag-anak at manghingi ng pasalubong.
Sana safe kami sa pag uwi...makarating sa aming mga mahal sa buhay.

My Green Passport

i have to audit suppliers next month.
so as usual, kailangan ko mag apply ng visa...kasi green ang passport ko!

our company agent advised: "there is a ban for Filipinos entering China"
deeeyymn! at baket? So I had to personally appear at the consulate.
kay haba ng pila, hanggang labas ng building (at least maganda building nila, marmol, di tulad ng Phil embassy, garahe ng lumang bahay, ang counter ay bintana na may grills, parang sari sari store.... pwek!).
wawa naman si buntis, pumila pa....so after one hour, nakarating din ako sa window.

Miss :"I need air ticket, hotel booking and 3 months bank account notice"
Buntis : "I'm flying for business, here is my invitation letter."
Miss : "For business, you need a Visa Notification.  Original copy."
Buntis : napa nganga ng malaki

Sorry dear, green kasi ang passport mo!  Time to change it to Red para sa trabaho mo.

Day 2 of Dong in Insadong

IT for our second day in Seoul.

Sobrang lapit ng park na ito sa hotel namin. D ko na matandaan yung pangalan. Naalala ko ang Baguio Igorot Park dito. Parehas kasi. Maraming tambay na matatanda at....mapanghi. Mapanghi ang mga streets sa Seoul, kasi maraming senglot sa gabi. Hindi na nila alam ang mundo nila so jingle nalang kahit saan.

Lakad lang kami. There is a theatre here called JUMP. Next time maybe we can go see the shows. Kaninong palm yun? Aba ewan.

Chonggyecheon stream. This place is very interesting. Kasi tinabunan na itong stream na ito para gawing road, pero lately lang hinukay ulit, to ease traffic. Pano? kasi ginawa siyang pedestrian. So baybayin mo itong 6 Km stream na ito, nadaanan mo na ang buong downtown Seoul. Ang linis ng tubig, walang amoy. May mga isda pa. A refreshing place for urban pips.

Marunong na magpicture si Dong! Tinuruan ko yan...hehehe

Ay feeling ang lola!

Sa daan parin yan. The crooked post is interesting. Hindi kailangan maging balakid sa road ang poste. We prefer walking when we go some place kasi mas marami kang nakikita. Pati yung culture ng lugar malalaman mo rin. We had Ice cream from 7-11 on the way. Sunday, talagang deserted ang streets. Sarado lahat. Siguro nasa church lahat. 60% daw ng Koreans are Christians. Yes I remember nung bata ako na meron kaming mga missionary na Koreans.

Sa Namsangol Traditional Folk Village na ito. Mas energetic dito compared to the palace we first visited. Mas interactive, may mga activities. Meron pa ngang wedding nung day na iyon so marami kaming nakitang mga naka traditional costume.

Natatawa si Dong sa dalawang red dot sa cheek nung bride. Habang naghahanap kami ng souvenir later, yung mga dolls may red dot talaga sa cheeks. Tradition nila eh, makulit tong si Dong.
hmmmm. Kimchi. Last Sunday lang gumawa ako ng radish preserve. Natikman namin sa Korea. Masarap pero ang baho! amoy utot. I will make it again pero dapat konti konti lang kasi habang tumatagal nakababad sa suka, bumabaho. Tuwing bukas ng ref namin this week, parang may umuutot...halos amoy na patay na daga na.

Dito sa Namsangol may mas murang picture for the traditional clothes. 1,000 won lang ang rent sa damit, unlimited pictures sa sarili mong camera. Pero mas OK parin yung sa studio. Sabi ko lang yon sa sarili ko para hindi ako manghinayang sa 25,000 won na binayad ko for 1 picture.

Meron nga dito libre eh, yung mga life sized pictures na may face cut out na ilalagay mo nalang yung mukha mo. Merong mga cultural shows sa village na ito pero by schedule.

Lunch time na... next destination namin is Myong Dong shopping street. Sa bukana ng shopping street, marami nang kainan. Nag inarte kaming mag asawa na dapat seafood ang kainin, dapat barbeque. Umabot na kami sa kabilang dulo, alas 2 na ng hapon, tuyo na mga bibig at lalamunan namin, mahihimatay nako sa gutom...wala kaming nakitang seafood. We settled for a japanese resto, fried fish and chicken lang ang menu.... hihimatayin na talaga ako sa dismaya. Sige na nga kain nalang. Enjoy dinner nalang later.

We went around City Hall (na under renovation) lakad and picture sa mga unique na buildings.

Then we headed for N Seoul Tower.

Aakyat sa tower via two rides ng cable car. Yung unang sakay libre, yung susunod may bayad. Dapat maingat pag bumili ng ticket, kasi may one way at round trip. Kung one way lang bibilhin mo, lalakad ka sa Zig Zag road pababa ng mountain. Maganda siguro ito kung may time at type mo ang nature. Parang awa mo na Dong, hindi ko na kayang maglakad pa. i round trip mo na yan.

Upon reaching, magtatakipsilim na. So madali kaming nag view and picture ng Seoul. Simple lang ang Seoul. Feeling ko talaga nasa Baguio lang ako. Excep siyempre yung mga high rise buildings nila. Andito rin yung Teddy Bear Museum, na akala ko is a collection of bears. Yun pala yung history ng Korea is depicted using teddy bears as the characters.

Dito rin makikita ang LOVE padlocks. sandamakmak na mga lock ang pinagkabit kabit sa fence around the tower. Na-feature daw ito sa Balitang K sabi ni Dong. First time ko makakita ng ganito. Now I learn na this is practised all over the world. These padlocks are supposed to symbolize the lover's commitment to each other. How meaningful for Dong and I as we are celebrating our anniversary here.

We waited for the night to have a chance to see the lights of Seoul. Namatay na naman yung camera namin. Kaya pala pilit ng pilit yung saleman na bumili kami ng extra battery dati. Buti kaya pa ng cell phone ko.
Seoul at night as seen from Mt. Namsangol where the N Seoul Tower stands 777 feet high from it's base. Courtesy of my Sony Ericsson camera phone. I love my phone! I took 432 pictures in Korea using my phone alone.

From the tower, we headed home. This time nag train na kami kasi hindi ko na kaya. We rested for a while then headed out again for dinner. Anong dinner natin? Alas diyes na ng gabi. Yung malapit nalang sa hotel. Siyempre dapat seafood barbeque. Sige maghanap kayong mag asawa. Sarado na halos. So we had to settle for street food. Dun sa mga nag-iinuman. Pulutan lang nila, dinner na namin. Ang sarap ng sea shells na ito. Pinakulo lang. 11 pm na kami nakakain. Isang oras kaming umikot ikot.

Dong and I had a wonderful time in Korea. Second oversea trip namin ito together. I noticed many changes sa asawa ko after this trip. We are more in love siyempre, tapos excited na siya for another trip. Samantalang dati ako lang nagpupumilit jan mag explore ng other places. Lagi lang kaming nasa Festival Mall sa Alabang dati. Saturday and Sunday, every week...haaay. So sa Japan daw ba kami or sa Thailand next year? Ang yabang, may pera ka ba Dong? Wala pero ikaw marami...hahaha. Kainis. Medyo ok ok narin ang planning ng asawa ko. Dati kasi kung may pupuntahan kami, since ako ang nag initiate, dapat alam ko kung paano pumunta doon. Wala siyang pakealam. Sa loob loob ko lang, siya ang lalaki dapat siya ang guide. Hay naku laging sablay, pag nagtanong ako ng direction, ang kulit kulit daming tanong, walang sagot, naiinis ako pag ganun. On both oversea trips namin, clear ang instruction ko. Siya bahala sa IT, susunod lang ako. OK naman ang practice niya sa Taiwan and Seoul. Hindi rin mahilig magpapicture yan. Pero ngayon, kahit okray, nagpipicture kaming dalawa, wala pa kaming tripod...sabi nga ng office mate ko, your husband looks very happy in your pictures. Naman...weekend in Seoul hindi pa ba siya sasaya.

Magastos turuan si Dong! Pero worth it.