harangan man ng sibat

When I told Nikki - a colleague who lived in the Philippines for three years - how wonderful my girlfriend's visit was, she asked me: "Aren't you two not allowed to be in the same room because you're not married yet?" I smiled and nodded. "So, what did you do? Did you put a stack of pillows between the two of you to resist temptation?" I looked at her, smirked and finally said, "Yeah, like the pillows can actually do anything."

chow king

The following are not pictures of the buffet tables. These are some photos of the plates of food that I ate in the last two weeks. To say that I went on a food binge would be an understatement. Gano'n yata talaga, you eat everything when you're inspired (and tired *wink-wink*).

To Ketty, thank you. Your company made those lovely meals even more beautiful. I look forward to all the meals we'll share in the future.

Me and my big mouth.It's no wonder I ate them all. And oh, just so you know, it's not the only big thing about me.

*** Bear in mind that I didn't take photos of the food I ate at home and in fast food outlets.

it's one for the old guy

Former world number one, and personal favorite, Pete Sampras stuns Roger Federer in Macau.

kentish potpourri

I saw more of Kent this week than in the past 18 months since I moved here from Berkshire. The missus and I visited a few tourist towns in the Kent countryside this week. We would've seen more if not for the horrible rainy weather we had since Saturday.

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Going around in the UK is not as difficult as in other countries. You don't have to drive to move from one place to the next. Unlike in the States where a car is essential for travel, here all you have to do is hop on the train. The British rail service is effective and convenient. It connects majority of the towns and villages in the whole country. You can even go to Paris or Brussels by train!

Travelling by train is romantic, don't you agree? Last Friday, on our way to Rochester, the missus and I were the only people in the second carriage. I cuddled her next to me as she rested her head on my shoulder. Both of us were quiet as we watched the stunning vistas from the window. The rolling hills covered by the green grass and the autumn colors- gold, auburn, brown, red- from the forests which occassionally appeared in the horizon, awed us. I kissed her on the forehead and she looked up to me and said, "I love you". And I love her, too. More, in fact.

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Rochester, is a charming Norman town along the banks of the river Medway. We went to see the Dickens Center, the Rochester Castle and Cathedral. I had a panic attack on our way up to the Rochester Castle. I can't stand heights! And at least a hundred steps up the circular stairs made my knees weak.

Apparently, this picture taken inside the Rochester Cathedral is sweet.

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This year's Maidstone Christmas Lighting Ceremony was wet. But it didn't stop the hundreds of people in taking part of the celebration. We were joined by families, including the wee ones, as we all braved the rain and freezing cold winds to witness the momentous event.

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This was taken from the bridge to the Lockmeadow complex. Autumn here, sure, is pretty.

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The Canterbury Cathedral is grand. Before this, only the Paoay Church in Ilocos left me speechless. Ketty and I sat in a quiet corner as we marvelled its beauty. Everything about the church is spectacular. From the floor to the pillars to stained glass windows. And don't get me started on the ceiling!

it's beginning to look a lot like christmas

Yesterday, Maidstone had its annual Christmas lighting ceremony. If not for the horrible weather that we had to endure, it was a lovely event. The missus and I, together with a hundred people, lined up the streets as we witnessed the Maidstone sky lit up.

Here are the pictures we took from the event.


christmas lights

christmas tree at Fremlin Walk

blue tree

the revellers

a very cold christmas

edinburgh

In case you're wondering why I haven't been updating lately, the missus is here. Mc - mahal ko- flew in last Saturday from the US and we went straight to Edinburgh for a bit of R & R. Scotland's capital city is lovely! Everywhere you look is like a picture taken from a postcard.

Because my vocabulary is limited, I won't even attempt to describe how beautiful the city is. I'll just post these pictures to compensate for my literary incompetence.

There are more photos but I'll post them some other time.