Monday Ate Jasmin left Gabby with the neighbors and we set off for Buckingham Palce. We got there a little before 11am and waited 30 minutes or so to witness the changing of the guard. Although my view consisted of 3 French people with all of their luggage, what I did see was very interesting. Actually, a lot of people came to Buckingham Palace with their luggage. Either they came straight from the airport or this was their last stop before heading back to their next destination. Buckingham Palace, in real life, is not as big as I thought it would. [View Full Entry]

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I apologize but I am not able to post any pics until maybe Prague. I can't download my pictures onto this computer without somehow having to download the software for my camera. Oh well... it'll be worth the wait! My initial impression of London? It reminded me a little of San Francisco. The weather when I first got here was all gloom and doom- it rained on Saturday and was pretty chilly. Then the next day and today, it was pretty warm with a few bouts of cloudiness. Pretty much like the City. The diversity of the city, the mix of [View Full Entry]

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As I write this, I am on the flight going back to San Francisco. I had a great trip, but I'm glad to be going home. The last few days, since Mom's birthday when I last wrote was non-stop driving back and forth between Cabanatuan and Alua with a side trip back to Quezon City. I'm not exactly sure what the real reason for going back to the city was- nor do I really want to know, but I tagged along with the boys. We did some shopping, or as much shopping as I could with a group of guys. I [View Full Entry]

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So here's a little list of why I'm glad to be home: 1. American food! Even though I don't eat burgers and fries much anymore, I'm craved for Nation's. No matter where we stopped off before heading back to Pleasant Hill, I would not eat anything until I had a chicken burger, fries, and a strawberry shake. 2. My car... I miss being able to just take off and drive to the mall, the gym, wherever I want to go. 3. The gym... yeah, even though I'm not as obsessive as I used to be about working out, I miss being [View Full Entry]

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It just turned 2005. Mom is now 50 (yikes!). Everyone still has all their fingers after the fireworks display in the street. 2005 is starting off pretty well. The New Year's here is different. This is not our first New Year's in the Philippines. We were here three years ago. First of all, unlike at home, people can go to any street vendor and purchase fireworks; not just firecrackers, fireworks, like mini-versions of the ones you see on the 4th of July. Everyone's lighting up in front of their house, trying to one-up their neighbor with who has the best and [View Full Entry]

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Today is the last day of 2004! We are currently in Alua in preparation for the New Year's/ Mom's 50th birthday party tomorrow. A lot of people are expected to attend the festivities tomorrow. Friends from the province, from the city, family from both sides, and neighbors from the street. Tita Norma and Tita Rosie ended up preparing alll the food for tomorrow. We're having shrimp, lechon (of course!), fruit salad, and other dishes. Should be fun. The closer it is to us leaving, the more I'm missing home. I'm getting a little restless here in the province. Mainly because everyone [View Full Entry]

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Drama on Christmas Day! But this is not the place to write about that. We had lechon again. I rounded the corner of the house to see the lechon skin being picked off- before all the guests have arrived! Lunch was catered and held under tents in the carpark to shade us from the sun. It was still hot, though, but probably better than if we were all in the house. The lunchtime entertainment was provided by Din Din, of course, who performed the song that she sang at Tito Wel's Mason ceremony. I hope she snagged a few pesos out [View Full Entry]

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We were in Alua today for Meia's christening. Typical Filipino time, we were all late- even the priest! Christopher and Ian (!) were the ninongs. Ian a ninong? Man, he's still wearing a diaper at night! Loads of food again. Of course, there was lechon. It's amazing that even though I'm eating mainly fatty foods while I'm here, I'm feeling lighter. Must be cause of the heat- I'm sweating it out. Oh yeah, and the after-effects of the ice from the mango shakes and halo halo. Later, we had Midnight Mass at the church that Mom and Dad was married at. [View Full Entry]

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Today, our itinerary was jam-packed, and we started the day not knowing it! We left Alua for Cabanatuan early in the day. We met Tito Wel and Kuya Edwin at this ihaw-ihaw place called Vicenticos. It was here, that for the first time since I stepped on that plane at SFO that I was gastronomically satisfied! Great food- sizzling sisig, torta talong, stuffed squid, and more!- with a ripe mango shake, topped off with a pill of extra-strength Immodium (got to be careful!). Nothing beats the ripe mango shakes from here. It's the real deal. As Dad and Tito Wel took [View Full Entry]

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It's amazing how simple life is here. Last night, Tito Otto hooked up his stereo ans speakers he brought from home. He couldn't get his subwoofer plugged due to the lack of multiple outlets like we do at home, where we've got outlets everywhere you look! Watching how happy the family was to get something like that made me realize how much we take for granted at home. We have so many things, but do we really need them? We say we NEED them, but in reality, we can do without so many things we have in our lives. Tito Otto [View Full Entry]

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