cebu state of mind

Last year, I was home for a month's vacation. Ketty and I decided to go away for a weekend trip somewhere and we ended up in Cebu, the oldest city in the Philippines and the queen city of the south. That was 365 days ago to this day. Despite the intermittent rains and short time, we had a blast. Allow me to reminisce.

We were billeted at this hotel. Can you feel the Miami vibe?

We woke up to this view. The Hilton Towers in the background.

If only the sky was clear and the sun shining, this would've been perfect.

The missus and I hired a cab and toured the city, stopping by the most famous spots to capture some memories.

We flocked to the Basilica Minore del Sto. Nino

and joined hundreds of devotees to pray.

Lighted some candles and thanked Him for our blessings, we did too.

Magellan's Cross, one of the most important historical artifacts in the Philippines.

We entered the gate to this great fort

and strolled in its manicured garden.

Then, we climbed some hundred steps

to reach the top of the hill for this, the beautiful Taoist temple in Beverly Hills.

Overlooking the queen city of the south.

Our tour guide/cab driver took us to the Casa Gorordo Museum.

And on our way, passed by this lovely bahay na bato. We both love heritage houses.

We went to a guitar factory and learned how the instrument is made.

Shopping for pasalubongs at the Tabo-an market.

Cebuanos sell sea shells by the sea shore.

Finally, a visit to Cebu wouldn't be complete if one doesn't pay his/her respects to the great warrior, Lapu-Lapu, the first Filipino hero.

black saturday

On Saturday, 26th of September 2009, the Philippines was hit by torrential rains that resulted in massive and fatal floods. Almost 17 inches of rain fell in 12 hours on Saturday, more than the average for the entire month of September. The waters rose to more than 20ft within a few hours.

The photo was taken by my brother at the condo complex he lives in Manila. My siblings were marooned for almost 24 hours with no water and electricity; they got off easy.

I am overwhelmed with sadness when I see pictures and watch videos of the aftermath of the storm. When Ketty sent me the message last Saturday, I really didn't pay much attention to it because the Philippines get at least 20 typhoons a year and Manila isn't exactly a stranger to flooding.

No one will ever be prepared to a disaster of this magnitude. It is futile to start pointing fingers and play blaming game at this point. But it will also be foolish to forget that there was an inadequate and inept response from the government.

I am sending my prayers to those who lost anything and everything. It's hard to imagine what you must've been going through. I pray for strength to help you get back on your feet. This too shall pass.

Prayers and a few quid to spare are the best I can do for now.

If you want to help, please click here. If overseas and would also like to make a donation, online contibutions can be made through Kapuso Foundation and ABS CBN Sagip Kapamilya.

ave Maria

Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee;
blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.

white christmas

Easter last year was this.

This year, it was cold and snowing. I was kinda bummed out last Christmas when we didn't get snow. Sometimes, the best gift comes three months late. It's a White Christmas after all. Pasko ng Pagkabuhay.

The missus came down to visit because of the long weekend. It kinda sucked that I worked the first three days but whatever, at least I was still able to look at her beautiful face as soon as I wake up in the morning.

We had a lovely dinner at the hotel Saturday night. Ketty enjoyed her lamb. It was served with creamed white beans and spinach, which according to her was just divine. I had Chicken Milanese which was good and one and a half servings of Sticky Toffee Pudding with Ice Cream topping. Fasting, I was not.

We visited the church Sunday evening and made way to Nando's soon after. Nando's is one of my favorite restaurants. It's Portuguese and Peri-peri Chicken is their speciality. That was hot. And I mean it every way possible. I always leave the restaurant feeling well-stuffed!

Easter Monday was Ketty's last day here. I managed to get a day off and so I went with her shopping at the outlet store in Ashford. My girlfriend made me laugh the moment she stepped into the Lacoste store. She couldn't contain her excitement when she saw the number of bags on sale. With almost everything 70% off, it was indeed Christmas for her.

Finally it was time to say goodbye, I saw her off the East Midlands train to Leicester at 2055. I kissed her and told her to look after herself and I then dashed to the tube as I had a train to catch myself.

Managed to get home before 2230 feeling tired yet fulfilled. Whilst in bed waiting to sleep, I thought to myself: rewarding ourselves with beautiful things for our hardwork is good, eating delicious meals at fancy restaurants is better, appreciating the great outdoors is best and waking up in the morning with the person you want to spend all your mornings is greatest but let us not forget that Easter is a celebration of our Lord's love for us. Through His sacrifice, all of these were made possible. It was God's love for us that we are saved. May we live our days with that in mind and love for one another in our hearts.

Hope y'all had a lovely weekend!

* photo courtesy of the Times

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!

sari-saring potpourri

There are 26 copies of The Order of The Phoenix in Maidstone Library. As of 1300 today, all of which had been checked out. I guess all of us wanted to re-read the book again (this is the fourth time I'm reading the book) before the new film comes out.

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If you are reading this in Manila, be sure to check out the Virgin Labfest at CCP. Some of the country's best in theatre will be participating in the said festival. One of them is a very good friend who will be appearing in "Three Sisters" directed by Jose Estrella.

Joel, break a leg! I have always admired your talent and your audacity to chase your dream. There is nothing more important than following your heart's desire and living your passion. All the best pare. Btw, goodluck on your impending career on cable tv. Naks, pa-autograph pag-uwi ko. hehehe

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Speaking of good friends, happy birthday to Remy and JR. Have a wicked day and remember: y'all will get it all, only not everything at the same time!

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And talking about dreams, my cousin Lala's PCIJ feature has been posted on the Ateneo website. Well-done! Please write more.

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Read this new commandment of the Philippine Catholic Church: Thou shalt not wear skimpy clothes to mass.

It's really alarming how some people consider going to church as an opportunity to display their new clothes. I remember one of my teachers in highschool telling our class: "Sa simbahan ang punta n'yo, hindi sa gimikan."

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For three years now, I've been telling myself (and those who cared to listen) that I'll be going to Wimbledon. This year, it looks like it's going to happen. My mate and I are planning to catch one of the men's semi-final matches at the All England Club next week. I hope it doesn't rain.

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Lastly, the missus shares her recipe for the best kare-kare here. I swear by the only blonde hair in my body (one and a half inches long on my left arm), it's really masarap!

easter potpourri

Today, the Christian world commemorates the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Easter as it is popularly called, is one of the most important Christian festivals. As a Catholic, I went to church this morning to take part in the celebration and to ask Him for forgiveness and salvation.

Before the first reading, something funny happened. The lector said: "A reading from the Acts of the Apostles." Suddenly a kid's voice echoed in the hall, "Mummy, did you fart?"

There was a faint chuckle from the crowd. I looked up and saw that even the priest let out a smile.

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After the mass, I went to the Brenchley Gardens at the centre of town. The sun is out and the sky is clear, so I figured it'll be great to take some pictures. I've been living in Maidstone for almost a year now but it was only today that I went to this town's first public park. Spring has just started and so most of the plants and trees are not in bloom yet. Nevertheless, I was still mesmerised by the park's simple charm. I will definitely come back in the summer to check it out.

Here are some of my captures. To view the whole album, click here.





































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Weather forecasts say that we are going to have more sun for the rest of the week. I hope this holds true because I'm going to Wales! Unfortunately, the trip is not entirely for pleasure. I will be with my manager and fellow supervisors for our team building. We are also checking out our hotel chain's newly opened property.

Me excited!!!

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Happy easter y'all!

i see hooded people

The Da Vinci victim: obsessed art expert took deadly overdose. This headline from today's issue of The Daily Mail left me distressed for a few seconds. I sat in my stool motionless, my eyes transfixed on the paper and my mind was flooded by memories from the night I finished reading Dan Brown's best seller almost three years ago.

I read the book non-stop on my journey from Manila to Sablayan in Occ. Mindoro. To say that the experience was gripping is an understatement. I was at the edge of my seat and it wasn't because of the rough roads of Mindoro. I don't write reviews because I'm just not good at them. No, make that because I can't write, period. My suggestion is for you to read it yourself so you can have an idea what I'm talking about. To sum it all up, the book left my mind racing.

There were too many questions. And the questions, instead of yielding answers, produced more questions. I was raised by pretty religous parents. All my life I went to Catholic schools. I even went to the mother of Catholic schools - the Royal and Pontifical, The Catholic University of the Philippines, University of Santo Tomas - to get my bachelor's degree. Everything that I believed was being challenged. My faith was under attack. Okay, I'm exxagerating. But it sure felt that way. I know it's only fiction. But my God was I shaken! As soon as I reached my parents' house, I went looking for the family's old Last Supper to scrutinise the painting. I also grabbed an encyclopedium and examined the other works of Da Vinci. All these happened before I even kissed my mother's hand; she telling me later on to mind my manners.

Anyway, I couldn't sleep that night. The information that I learned from the book made me feel privy to something dangerous, thus it should be kept a secret. I got really paranoid. Whenever I close my eyes, I saw hooded figures coming at me. I was shit scared! I remembered texting my cousin Lala (she lent me the book) and Sir Vic, telling them about my paranoia. Both of them humored me with their replies. I can't recall how I finally slept. But it was a long and peaceful slumber, I'm sure of that.

I've always known that my imagination is a bit mad. But today I just couldn't stop asking myself, was it really just my imagination?