My bet is still Jessica Sanchez...

One of my favorite performances of Jessica...her rendition of Dance with My Father...

I hope she wins!

We've Got Tonight - Philip Phillips' best performance!

I felt he was singing to me...awwwww....I won't be surprised if he wins...there are more girl/women voters out there....

*****************************************
I know it's late,I know you're weary 

I know your plans don't include me 

Still here we are, both of us lonely 

Longing for shelter from all that we see 

Why should we worry, no one will care 

Look at the stars so far away 

We've got tonight 

Who needs tomorrow? 

We've got tonight 

Why don't you stay? 

Deep in my soul, I've been so lonely 

All of my hopes, fading away 

I've longed for love, like everyone else does 

I know I'll keep searching, even after today 

So that there it is 

We've got it all now 

And here we are 

What do you say? 

We've got tonight 

Who needs tomorrow? 

We've got tonight 

Why don't you stay? 

I know it's late, I know you're weary 

I know your plans don't include me 

Still here we are, both of us lonely 

Both of us lonely 

We've got tonight 

Who needs tomorrow? 

Let's make it last 

Let's find a way 

Turn out the light 

Come take my hand now 

We've got tonight 

Why don't you stay? 

Why don't you stay?

Goals and Gratefulness

This is just a check of the goals I had set this year...where am I in terms of achieving them?

I have today achieved one which is becoming a World Vision sponsor! And I am so happy for this. I can't wait to receive the name of the child I will sponsor.  I hope I will be able to sponsor one more child next year.

A week ago, I thought I was going to get a love life. However, it didn't turn out well. I guess there just wasn't enough magic for a friendship to blossom and then for the friendship to turn into something more...Oh well...it isn't my time yet and he isn't the ONE obviously. 

Two weeks from now I will be taking another paper in CIMA. This one is more difficult than the previous papers. I pray that I too shall pass this one.  I think I do deserve to pass. I just need 50% score! Please dear Lord let my efforts bear fruit. A CIMA is what I need should I decide to go out of the banking industry or should this industry become unprofitable (although I doubt)... 

Also, the US trip for my mom, dad and sister is going to happen soon.  They already have their visas. I just hope the airtickets and everything else will turn out well.  I hope they will settle well there.  I pray my sis and dad will be able to find jobs.

I am grateful to the Almighty for the blessings I have received and will continue to receive. To the other goals, I am sure you will find your place this year ;-)

Exploring the Philippines' Neighbors - Bangkok @ Charles place and back to Saigon Day 8

Sept 30 - It was our last day in Bangkok and our flight to Saigon was I think 3pm.  Our friend suggested that we just stay at his place and not roam around or else we will miss our flight. So yes we heeded his advise. We didn't wake up early as it was a lazy day...We packed our bags and tried to squeezed all the things we shopped on our North Face backpacks.  I brought a foldable bag and this is what I used for the rest that didn't fit in my backpack. We only had carry-on bags and 7kgs was the allowable weight for Airasia.

We had lunch at a nearby eatery.  Again the servers know only very little English so it was again another challenging task.  We ordered fried sea bass and rice.  Another cheap and hearty meal.

After lunch, we decided to check out the pool at Charles' place.  We didn't bring swimwears but we just wanted to dip our feet and take pictures.

Before leaving for the airport, we took a sip of the cold beer Tiger and Singha.  A good way to start the next leg of the trip.



From Charles' place we took a cab to Hua Mak station, the nearest train station in his place and this then will be our means of transport to the airport.

Bangkok's airport is really amazing. And you would also notice inside the airport the pictures of the king displayed prominently.  The Thais truly have a high respect for their king.

There were still some portions of the airport that were undergoing renovation.

I bought a pack of dried papaya from the duty free shop.

We arrived at Saigon late afternoon, took some rest, unpack a few things.  We then had another Vietnamese dinner and then headed off to Ben Thanh for the night market.  We still have to buy pasalubongs for friends and families.  Actually it is better to shop during the night because the items are sold cheaper than during the day.  You can haggle through your heart's desire.  The vendors always start at a tourist price, and sometimes ridiculously high.

Next day- Mekong River Cruise and last minute pasalubong shopping...last day of the SE tour.

Exploring Philippines' Neighbors - Pattaya Day 7

 This day was planned for a one day tour in Pattaya.  We hired a cab that could take us around the places we want to go in Pattaya. Our friend planned out our itinerary actually as he has been to Pattaya before.

Pattaya is a city in Thailand, located on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand, about 165 km southeast of Bangkok located within but not part of Amphoe Bang Lamung (Banglamung) in the province of Chonburi.

The place is famous to tourists as there are nice beaches around but we didn't go to any of it. If you also want to move away from the traffic and pollution in Bangkok, Pattaya is truly a good option.  Although it has also been known that prostitution abounds, we didn't find the place to be loaded with prostitutes. (probably in other parts, or during nighttime...)

The places on our list for that day were: Sanctuary of Truth, Nongnoch Garden and the Buddha Mountain.

We spent more time in Nongnoch Garden and there we rode the elephant. =)

The Sanctuary of Truth is a temple made 100 percent wood.  And because it is made of wood, the construction is ongoing. It first begun in 1981 by Mr. Lek Wiriyaphan, the founder of the Ancient City in Samut Prakan Province. With exquisite an unique architectural features, the building was conceived out of the vision that human civilisation has been achieved and nurtured by religious and philosophical truth. It is an unfinished project, but worth a visit even now.  You pay 500 baht for the entrance.

Sanctuary of Truth

Buddha mountain displays a laser-carved and gold-plated monumental Buddha image. About 130 metres tall and up to 70 metres wide, it is rated as one of the biggest Buddha images in the world. An outstanding landmark in Pattaya's countryside, it is visible over a long distance.

Buddha Mountain

After visiting these two places, we were starving.  We saw an eatery on the way to Nongnoch Garden, and so we stopped by.  As this was not a classy restaurant, the servers/owners didn't know how to speak English. Menu was in Thai! The only English word the waitress knew was chicken and that's what we ordered. Truly challenging, eh. Actually if you are just not choosy, you can go cheap on food.

We were now excited to go to Nongnoch Garden.  Apparently this garden started off as a traditional fruit plantation in 1954 and was designed on 1,500 rai/600 acres of land. However, inspired by the beauty of world-renowned gardens abroad, it was redesigned as a tropical garden of ornamental flowers and plants, initially meant for botanical observation. In 1980, the garden was opened to the public and soon turned into one of Pattaya's most popular tourist attractions.

Nongnoch Garden

Apart from the biggest botanical garden in Southeast Asia, Nong Nooch features a variety of attractions like elephant riding (surcharge 400 Baht/person), an exotic zoo, animal shows, and a fascinating Thai cultural show with dance performances and Muay Thai demonstrations.

elephant ride @ Nongnoch Garden

The highlight of every visit, however, is probably the truly amazing elephant show that is great fun for spectators and performers alike, it seems. You can watch the jumbos play a game of football, basketball, bowling and darts. Some elephants turn out to be real hobby artists and paint images with their trunks, while others have specialized in a special kind of foot massage. Most amazing, however, is that this entertaining show doesn't only provide great fun for the audience, but that the impressively skilled and specially-trained elephants seem to enjoy the show performance and the various challenges themselves just as much as the visitors, and display a great sense of humour and ambition!  Entrance fee is 400 Baht for foreigners.

And of course like any Filipino, we took a lot of pictures here. Talk about portraits and pictorials!

We went home around 4pm.  The way back took around 2 hrs or more I think becuase of the traffic on the way back. We met our friend at the Paradise Park Mall where we had a sumptous Thai dinner.  Afterwhich, we had ice cream in Swensen's. Swensen's was not yet available in the Philippines at that time but it was set to open a branch in Mall of Asia. Swensen's is an American ice cream shop and it offers a variety of flavors and combis. I ordered for a rum-something ice cream + some other toppings... Yummy!!! And the good thing about all this good  meals is that our friend paid for them! =)

Went home tired and a bit drunk of that rum ice cream! hehehe...

Tomorrow we are leaving...sniff***

Exploring Philippines' Neighbors - Bangkok Day 6

Day 6 (Sept 28, 2011) is exploring Bangkok. Actually, Bangkok cannot be fully explored in just one day. It's so huge!

First stop was Khaosan Road. This is one of Bangkok’s most famous streets. It is mainly a hangout for hippies and budget travellers. And there are also a number of money changers, tour agencies, street vendors, budget shops.

Our main goal in Khaosan Road was to look for a day tour to Pattaya that included the Nongnoch Garden. This was our friend's suggestion. Unfortunately no one offered a Pattaya tour that included Nongnoch. So around 12noon after having lunch at a local Thai resto, we headed off to the Grand Palace.

According to Wikipedia, The Grand Palace (Thai: พระบรมมหาราชวัง, RTGS: Phra Borom Maha Ratcha Wang is a complex of buildings at the heart of Bangkok, Thailand. The palace has been the official residence of the Kings of Siam (and later Thailand) since 1782. The king, his court and his royal government were based on the grounds of the palace until 1925. The present monarch, King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX), currently resides at Chitralada Palace, but the Grand Palace is still used for official events. Several royal ceremonies and state functions are held within the walls of the palace every year.

The palace complex is such a wide complex that you can practically exhaust your whole day at the place but since we had limited time, we had to hurry up and not stay too long at the place. Since within the complex lies a lot of temples, one has to wear proper attire that is long skirts and shirts/blouses with sleeves. If you are not wearing that, you can rent out a sarong and/or blouse or shirt with sleeves.

Inside the walls of the complex is the famous Temple of the Emerald Buddha or Wat Phra Kaew. Built in 1783, the temple was constructed in accordance with ancient tradition dating back to Wat Mahathat, a royal chapel within the grounds of the royal palace at Sukhothai, and Wat Phra Sri Sanpetch at Ayutthaya. The famed Emerald Buddha is kept within the grounds of the temple.


The temple is surrounded on four sides by a series of walled cloisters, with seven different gates. Like those ancient royal temples of Sukhothai and Ayutthaya, the Wat Phra Kaew complex is separated from the living quarters of the kings. Within these walls are buildings and structures for diverse purposes and of differing styles, reflecting the changing architecture during the various reigns of the kings. Despite this, most of the buildings within adhere strictly to classical Thai architecture. The establishment of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha dates to the very founding of the Grand Palace and Bangkok itself. (source : Wikipedia)

I am so amazed at this place. I love the glittering gold, colors and so grand structures inside the palace. Thailand has truly preserved its culture. Kudos to the Thai people!

After exploring the palace, we were now off to temple that housed the reclining Buddha, Wat Pho. According to our research, this is just adjacent to the Grand Palace. So we just walked our way there.

Wat Pho is one of the largest and oldest wats in Bangkok (with an area of 50 rai, 80,000 square metres),and is home to more than one thousand Buddha images, as well as one of the largest single Buddha images of 160 ft length: the Reclining Buddha. Again this is another amazing feature in Bangkok.

The image of reclining Buddha is 15 m high and 43 m long with his right arm supporting the head with tight curls on two box-pillows of blue, richly encrusted with glass mosaics. The 3 m high and 4.5 m long foot of Buddha displays are inlaid with mother-of-pearl. They are divided into 108 arranged panels, displaying the auspicious symbols by which Buddha can be identified like flowers, dancers, white elephants, tigers and altar accessories. Over the statue is a seven tiered umbrella representing the authority of Thailand. There are 108 bronze bowls in the corridor indicating the 108 auspicious characters of Buddha. People drop coins in these bowls as it is believed to bring good fortune, and to help the monks maintain the wat.

This reclining Budha statue is the biggest in the world, followed by reclining Buddha in Penang, Malaysia, Nepal and Mojokerto, Indonesia. (source: Wikipedia)

It was around 4pm already when we finished touring the Wat Pho complex. And our next stop was supposed to be Wat Arun but it was already closing time for the temple so we just decided to forego that one.

Outside the Wat Pho were a number of tuktuk drivers offering to show us around Bangkok. A guy offered to take us to one temple, and then some jewelry shops, with the last stop at a shopping center.

So we decided to take that as our feet were tired already and we wanted to roam around Bangkok as much as we can. We were off to that temple which I couldn't remember the name. Then he brought us to two jewelry shops. We later on learned that these drivers get gasoline vouchers from these shops if they are able to bring tourists and even bigger amount of vouchers if the tourists buy something. Unfortunately for him we are on a budget and buying jewelry was never on our to-do list. We did buy 2 items but these were really cheap ones. The driver suggested to take us to another shop but we didn't want any more of that so we asked him to bring us to the shopping center. He dropped us off at some shopping center. Again I forgot the name! I think we paid him some 40/50 THB.

My friend and I just roamed around the shopping center. We bought some nice sandals cheaply priced. Upstairs we decided to go and there we discovered Tesco Lotus. I know Tesco as a grocery store in UK. But I didn't expect there is Tesco in Asia.

Tesco Lotus according to Wiki is a hypermarket chain in Thailand, Cambodia and China. Established in 1998, Tesco Lotus was a joint venture of the Charoen Pokphand Group and Tesco, the British giant supermarket chain. However, facing criticism over the growth of hypermarkets in Thailand, the CP Group sold its shares in Tesco Lotus in 2003.

The much interesting part of discovering Tesco Lotus was the wide array of clothing they offer. And because this is a hypermarket, the clothes were inexpensive! We spent so much time in here! I bought my pasalubong for my family here. I probably spent some 2K PHP and I got a lot! I thank that tuktuk driver for dropping us in that shopping center. Of course I cannot buy so much stuff because we didn't have check-in luggage on our flight back to Saigon.

After our shopping spree, it was now time to get back to our friend's place.

Time to rest and get ready for our Pattaya day tour the next day. Actually our friend was able to get a taxi driver who will take us around Pattaya for 1k THB each. Not too bad. =)

Bday away...

I just turned a year older last March 24, Saturday. And for the first time, I somehow celebrated it not in my home country. I was on this day in the island of Bali. Oh yes, Bali. The Bali that was years ago bombed by terrorists, experienced tsunami, featured in Eat, Pray, Love. It is a place full packed of stories - wild, crazy, serene, festive...

I celebrated my bday with not much fancy which is almost always the case. The day was spent with a day tour in Ubud which we had booked. The surprise thing there was that we spent this day with two new found friends who are Malaysian-Chinese-Canadian. They are a vacationing couple who are originally from Malaysia but of Chinese descent and now currently hold Canadian passports. They're very nice. They're very friendly and they have the same travel principle as ours - do everything cheap if you can! So on this trip we were able to save quite a good deal. =)

Of course, my bday was not complete without hearing mass. My friend and I found this Catholic church in Bali - St Francis Xavier. We attended the 6pm mass and (unlucky us) it was said in Bahasa (Indonesia's official language). Despite not understanding a word, we just tried to relate it to the holy masses we were used to.

In the evening, we didn't go to clubs or bars, we just had a simple Indonesian dinner paired with Bintang beer. I treated myself to a cheap foot massage, while my friend had a foot scrub. Then off we were to packing our stuffs as we had to leave early the next day for our flight to Jakarta. To save money again, we shared taxi with the Malaysian-Chinese-Canadian couple who also an early flight to catch the next day.

The day after my birthday was spent in Jakarta. We were able to make Indonesian friends during our trip to Cambodia last year thus on this day, we had decided to see them. Unfortunately, not all of them could meet us. But two were able to spare time for us. One accompanied us the whole day and was our tour guide. :))

The most surprising and heartwarming part of this day was when my friend and the Indonesians gave me a surprise bday cake =). We were having coffee at this posh place in downtown Jakarta called Cafe Batavia when my friend connived with the Indonesians for a surprise bday cake. I went to the restroom to take a leak and when I came back some few minutes after the waitress came with my bday cake slice! :)) I was so touched of the gesture. To have spent this special day with them and in a foreign country, I felt so much at home. I realized that wherever you go as long as you have the people who genuinely care for you, you will never feel alone. I felt the love of my family on that day despite them being away from me.

Happy 31st bday to me!

sooo far into the 1stQ of the year...

So it is now March, the first quarter is about to end. I am about to turn a year older. I am about to turn 31! I cannot believe I am now in the early thirties. I feel like I have the mind of a twenty-something woman. Most of my classmates have already gotten married. I am stuck in singlehood... which I think is good for now...

Well, I had a look at the goals I had set for this year, and I am just checking how far I am or how near! Actually, I haven't achieved anything! But first thing, let me mention I did not get the best pay rise in my salary. It was a measly increase! And to think I will no longer be paid overtime :(( The good thing though was that I got promoted. But the promotion did not come with an equivalent increase in salary which just pisses me off. I have more responsibilities now but I am underpaid. I just hate when I think about it :(( I want to stay because I want to learn how to handle or manage people. But I want to move out because I am just not paid enough for a work that is just too much. I will think of this again come mid of the year.

My sponsoring a child via World Vision has not yet happened.:( I have to get this going before March ends.

My going to put a part of my money in time deposits or other short term investments have not yet happened. I want to make sure I have them by April.

My eating healthy and doing more runs and walks is not consistent! Why is it so difficult to lose weight!!

Love life??? I wish to get it soon! Please just give me the courage. :))

Till the next updates...

Exploring Philippines' Neighbors - Phnom Penh/Bangkok Day 5

We had a flight to catch at the Phnom Penh airport to Bangkok at around 5pm.

The bus ride from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh was six hours. We left Phnom Penh around 7am via Mekong Express.

We had lunch at Phnom Penh and for convenience, the nearest food stop we found was KFC. Our KFC chicken back in the Philippines was better, I might say;) The meals they served were localized such that they served a sunny side up egg and what we call in the Philippines achara.

After lunch, we had to go find some money changer as we needed dollars. We had extra VNDs but we needed USD to pay for some airport terminal fees.

We were able to find one and where there also abound tuktuk drivers. We got one tuktuk that took us the airport. We were like two hours early for our flight. But there was nothing much to do in Phnom Penh that day as it was raining.

We already did the web check in so we got on a different lane. Actually either we took the normal or web check in, it didn't really matter. The line on the normal lane wasn't that bad. We flew in with AirAsia, Asia's budget airline. :) Without AirAsia, we don't know how this cross-country trip was going to be such a breeze!

At the airport, we took the opportunity to use their public PC with internet connection. We desperately wanted to get in touch with Philippine news as we had received messages of the typhoon that hit the country. And we were worried of another Ondoy-like flood that would hit Manila.

So we read then of the sea surge in Manila and how it devastated Roxas Blvd, the US embassy and Sofitel Hotel. No news of flooding in our area though. But the wind during the storm was really like no other that a billboard in Buendia fell on top of a car. Good thing no one was hurt.

We calmed a bit...and it was now time to board. Another feeling of excitement came as we will be setting foot on a new country. We were also excited to see our dear friend who is now based in Bangkok.

The flight was approximately 1 hour. We arrived on time. Thailand's international airport was really nice. Now I know why this country would beat us on the number of tourists. Our NAIA 1 is way below the international standards for airports.

Our friend picked us up at the airport. And brought us to where we would stay for two nights - in his service apartment. :) Very kind of him.

He took care of our dinner at this posh Thai restaurant near his place. Oh good food~ I so love Thai food - pad thai and tom yum!

After such a hearty Thai feast, we had to withdraw some money. I took out about 10k THB. THB is higher in value than PHP but not so high like USD.

Then I had to get myself a Thai sim card for us to easily contact our dear friend. He was not coming to join us in any of our trips as he had work. So in case we get lost, it would be easy to call him or vice versa.

We then got back to his place and had a good rest.


Next - Day 6 - Khao San Road, Grand Palace, Wat Pho, shopping...

CIMA!!!

I am still reeling with happiness when I got the email that I passed both E1 and E2 CIMA papers today!

Never mind my scores... I passed!! And that is all I want! I thank the Lord Almighty for helping me get through the exams, the long nights of studying and reviewing.

This victory is soooo sweet! Why?

I only applied for two days study leave for the main exams.

I was always working late in the office thus not giving me much time to study.

I had so many pressing issues at work.

I took my MTA travelling in Saigon, Cambodia, Thailand while others spent theirs studying. But on my MTA, I took the revision cards with me and read them on the bus and on the plane. I got this tip from the CIMA emails I received for people who don't have enough time for reviews to use every little free time you got.

But when I look back at how I managed my time and how I studied, and the pressures I experienced, I can say that three things helped me:

Persistence and perseverance - despite not being given much ample time to study, I found ways to study / review - on the way to work, even at work - relating the experience at work to what I studied and vice versa. It was about finding ways to connect E1 and E2 to real life experiences. I persevered studying after work when I got home even if it was sooo late...even into the wee hours of the morning.

Working on past exam papers and revision questions - It wasn't just about memorizing but truly understanding the past exam papers. Repeating and repeating to answer them on my own until I get the correct answers.

Lots of prayers...:) from me and from my family and friends. :)) Thank you all. Thank you, God. May you continually guide me as I take the next exam...

2012 ---- I declare and claim this to be a better Year!!!

I am better off at declaring my new year plans earlier this time as I already have my own laptop! I got this April last year. And I hope Toshiwei (my Toshiba laptop) and I will be together longer.

Today is the 1st of January, the 1st of 2012. And here my 2012 plans and wishes:


Career
I hope this is my time. I hope I get the promotion! And most importantly I hope I get the best pay rise that I could wish for. :)) I have been with the company for 4 years now and I feel that these 4 years have been very productive and I have made my contributions to the company. I deserve the promotion! :))

If I get it, I will stay with the team. If I had failed as a supervisor last year, I would like to make up for it. I want to hone my leadership skills and as part of that objective I got myself a mentor. She is a young VP in the company. I don't know her personally but she has truly achieved a lot in her young age.

If I don't get it. I see no point staying with the same team. I will request to be moved to some other team and learn something new, some new area of the bank. It will be another set of skills and I am pretty sure it will benefit me when I decide to move out of here.

I still would like to continue my CIMA. I hope I get the good news this January that I passed both exams I took last November.

Family
I still pray for good health in the family. I hope father's business will go well. I want to be able to spend more time with my family this year.

I want to make it happen for mom's trip to the US. I know she wants to see her brothers and just see America. It was her youthful dream.

I'll make it a point to go back home to Cebu once every quarter.

Spiritual / Prayer
I want to make it a point to read the gospel everyday. And I promise that every time I wake up I say a prayer of thanks.

And before I go to sleep, I will again say a prayer of thanks whatever may have happened during the day.

Travels
More travels this year! I set my eyes on Indonesia, China, Singapore and South Korea, and yes the USA. Only the Indonesia trip is a sureball. The others I am not making any hard plans yet. If I get a US trip, I will not make any other international trips. For domestic travels, I plan to go to La Union to try surfing, Sagada / Banaue Rice Terraces, Davao for good food and Samal island.

Financial
I aim to invest in short-term investments or time deposits, just to get a better interest than the normal bank deposits.

I already purchased another insurance-investment to augment what I needed for the future. My two insurances will end this year.

I will still maintain my low cost of living. My lifestyle will not change dramatically. If there is an indulgence I will take this year, it will be the US trip and getting a gym membership.

If things will go well towards the end of the year, I will buy a condo unit in Metro Manila.

Charity
I will continue my present contributions to charity. And I will increase that by becoming a World Vision sponsor. I will sponsor one child.

Health
I aim to lose weight. To do that, I will go back to running and badminton.
I will minimize my consumption of fast food, meat and rice. More vegetables and fish this year!

Relationships
I want to increase my network at work and outside work. Build new friends and increase the bond with my relatives. And then yes the love life...well, I will keep to myself my plans, strategies, and tactics for this...

And so those are my New Year's "Resolutions". God bless them. And I stay positive - I will be able to keep them. They will happen! 2012 I just love you!

Happy New Year!!!

Looking Back...2011...

Today is the first day of the new year, 2012. But before I declare my plans for the new year, let me look back to 2011 and reminisce the memories...

I can say that 2011 has been a very good year. It is this year that I actually felt for the first time in my life, or in my working life that I was financially in control. It was the first time that I felt that I was earning enough. =) And for the first time, at the end of this year, I had at least PHP100k in my bank account.

I got an OK pay rise but not the promotion. Oh well, it wasn't just time.

If I earned OK then, I also faced a lot of challenges at work - working so long hours, managing relationships with teammates and bosses. It was the first time in a long time that I felt very very stressed. I felt that there was just too much work and there was not enough time to finish them. It was also the first time that I managed a group of people. It isn't easy. But it's very challenging...It would be one of my goals this 2012 - to manage my team with ease and get this team to be best team there is at work.

2011 saw a lot of travels for me - domestic and international. And much of these are with my friend and housemate.

March, we went to Donsol, Sorsogon and swam with the butandings! This trip made me realize more that the Philippines has just so much to offer. Donsol was a favorite among foreigners especially those who love the sea!

It was also in March, when my family - mom, siss, cousins and auntie went to Baguio. The first time I had travelled with relatives with this number.

May, my Bisdak family went for an overnight stay to Nagsasa cove, Zambales. Another memorable trip for the Bisdaks!

June, my housemates went on a weekend trip to the north - Laoag, Vigan, Pagudpud. As it was a rainy month, the rain didn't miss us too.

August, I went to Tokyo, Japan!!! It was my first time to visit the land of the rising sun. I was sent on a training held at the Tokyo office. Aside from those facts, I got to see my very good friend Felimar and her son who is my godson. It was a truly memorable trip.

September, the month of our Vietnam-Cambodia-Thailand trip! This was Jecel and I's longest leisure trip outside the country. Three countries in 9 days! Oh I just love looking at the stamps on my passport! =) Travel truly enriches a person. And that is why I love it so much!

November, we travelled south to Mindanao - Cagayan de Oro, Camiguin Island, Bukidnon. It's also very fun-filled trip. I especially liked the river rafting in CDO and the half day trip to Bukidnon. I took a side trip to Cebu to be at my first pamangkin's baptism. Cid Jacob you are sooo adorable! I wish I will have one like you!

My career also got a little boost. I was appointed supervisor of a team of five. But I also faced a lot of challenges, and some intrigues along the way, quite a number of conflicts too. Though not the heavy and noisy ones...but this year is my most stressful year. I've never felt this much pressure at work in my entire life. Well what do you expect for a first timer at managing a small team. But I am not giving up. I have just started. 2012 watch out!

Mid of the year, I decided to avail of my company's education sponsorship. I decided to take CIMA. It wasn't all that easy. It felt like taking that difficult road when I took the CPA board exams. I took the two tests last November and the results are coming out in January. Oh I so hope I passed both!

If I look at what I had planned at the start of the year, I would say that I failed in the health area. I didn't run and walk as much as I planned. I didn't eat a lot of healthy food. I gained so much weight such that some of my old clothes I find it hard to fit in. So 2012, I am serious about losing weight and going back to running.

One of the other things I failed at was getting a LOVE LIFE! I am a sucker in this area. I am like other hopeless romantics who believes that love comes to those who wait. Well, I just waited...and it didn't come...I forgot that it's not going to happen if I just sit and wait...Alright, I'm going to make it really happen in 2012!

This year also I felt my family was very blessed. My younger sister got married in July. She had her first baby in November. And my parents had their first grandchild. Baby Cid Jacob is now giving so much joy to the family. My dad also got his business started in the trucking industry. My brother John moved to Singapore to try his luck and he did get a job in less than a month. There were no hospitalizations. I didn't get really sick. I visited Maxicare clinic only once this year.

If I were to describe 2011 in one word it would be blessed. So much blessings came to me. And I just can't stop thanking the Almighty God.

I am truly grateful for everything I received this year. I am happy that things fell into place. The Universe truly conspired. I declare and claim 2012 will even be better. =)

Exploring Philippines' Neighbors - Angkor Wat Day 4

When we got off the bus, a lot of tuktuk drivers approached us offering us either a ride to our hostel, or help us find a place to stay.

We needed a place to stay for the night!

As the downtown area was really flooded the best place to stay was outside it. The tuktuk drivers took us to the first option. I cannot remember the name of the place. But it seemed an abandoned hotel and we found it very creepy. So we requested to take us to another place.

Our Indonesian friends are only staying for one night and will be leaving after the Angkor Wat visit to head back to Vietnam. They are taking the sleeper bus. Jecel and I had a flight to catch to Bangkok the day after as well. We stayed for 2 nights.

The hotel was a cheap hotel but nevertheless it was okay for it's price. It also had free wifi. Hotel's name is Angkor Saphir. Now this time, it's not spooky.

We contracted two tuktuk drivers for our Angkor Wat day tour. It took a while to get the desired rate as the drivers were trying to price it high. But Tiyo knows very well the price and he doesn't give in to the price set by these drivers.

Time to take some sleep and be ready for the Angkor Wat tour later in the morning! It was past 2am already...

SEPTEMBER 26, 2011


The tuktuk drivers were just there to transport us to/from the temples. We didn't have a guided tour so it was all up to us. We also didn't have a guide book. What a way to explore the place...

We started with the main Angkor Wat but first we had to get our one-day pass worth USD20.

As the Angkor Wat is always teeming with tourists, so are vendors trying to sell you souvenirs and other stuffs like hats. It was a really hot day then and we thought about buying hats. And suddenly all the girls selling hats were swarming around us! We were trying to bargain and good thing we did get a bargain but not without so much efforts.

Sliced from Wikipedia:

Angkor Wat (Khmer: អង្គរវត្ត) is a temple complex at Angkor, Cambodia, built for the king Suryavarman II in the early 12th century as his state temple and capital city. As the best-preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious centre since its foundation – first Hindu, dedicated to the god Vishnu, then Buddhist. It is the world's largest religious building.[1] The temple is at the top of the high classical style of Khmer architecture. It has become a symbol of Cambodia, appearing on its national flag, and it is the country's prime attraction for visitors. Angkor Wat combines two basic plans of Khmer temple architecture: the temple mountain and the later galleried temple, based on early South Indian Hindu architecture, with key features such as the Jagati. It is designed to represent Mount Meru, home of the devas in Hindu mythology: within a moat and an outer wall 3.6 kilometres (2.2 mi) long are three rectangular galleries, each raised above the next. At the centre of the temple stands a quincunx of towers. Unlike most Angkorian temples, Angkor Wat is oriented to the west; scholars are divided as to the significance of this. The temple is admired for the grandeur and harmony of the architecture, its extensive bas-reliefs, and for the numerous devatas (guardian spirits) adorning its walls.
The modern name, Angkor Wat, means "City Temple"; Angkor is a vernacular form of the word nokor (នគរ), which comes from the Sanskrit word nagar (नगर), Thai, Nakon, meaning capital or city. Wat is the Khmer word which comes from Sanskrit word "Vastu". Prior to this time the temple was known as Preah Pisnulok (Vara Vishnuloka in Sanskrit), after the posthumous title of its founder, Suryavarman II.[2]

After exploring the mighty Angkor Wat, we did Angkor Thom. According to Wikipedia:

Angkor Thom (Khmer: អង្គរធំ; literally: "Great City"), located in present day Cambodia, was the last and most enduring capital city of the Khmer empire. It was established in the late twelfth century by king Jayavarman VII. It covers an area of 9 km², within which are located several monuments from earlier eras as well as those established by Jayavarman and his successors. At the centre of the city is Jayavarman's state temple, the Bayon, with the other major sites clustered around the Victory Square immediately to the north.
Angkor Thom was established as the capital of Jayavarman VII's empire, and was the centre of his massive building programme. One inscription found in the city refers to Jayavarman as the groom and the city as his bride. (Higham, 121)
Angkor Thom seems not to be the first Khmer capital on the site, however. Yasodharapura, dating from three centuries earlier, was centred slightly further northwest, and Angkor Thom overlapped parts of it. The most notable earlier temples within the city are the former state temple of Baphuon, and Phimeanakas, which was incorporated into the Royal Palace. The Khmers did not draw any clear distinctions between Angkor Thom and Yashodharapura: even in the fourteenth century an inscription used the earlier name. (Higham 138) The name of Angkor Thom — great city — was in use from the 16th century.


The last temple we visited was the one where Angelina Jolie shot Tomb Raider.

Ta Prohm (Khmer: ប្រាសាទតាព្រហ្ម) is the modern name of a temple at Angkor, Siem Reap Province, Cambodia, built in the Bayon style largely in the late 12th and early 13th centuries and originally called Rajavihara (in Khmer: រាជវិហារ). Located approximately one kilometre east of Angkor Thom and on the southern edge of the East Baray, it was founded by the Khmer King Jayavarman VII as a Mahayana Buddhist monastery and university. Unlike most Angkorian temples, Ta Prohm has been left in much the same condition in which it was found: the photogenic and atmospheric combination of trees growing out of the ruins and the jungle surroundings have made it one of Angkor's most popular temples with visitors.

It was truly a fun-filled day and boy was I glad that we met those Indonesians. They were blessings in disguise. Had we not met them, Angkor Wat was never going to happen on this Southeast Asian Tour.

Exploring Philippines' Neighbors - The Ride To Cambodia Day 3

Day 3 was going to be Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia.

But the day before we were told by our hostess that there was flood at the Angkor Wat and some hundred tourists got trapped in the complex and were rescued by helicopter. So Jecel and I decided to cancel the Angkor Wat from the itinerary and just stay at Phnom Penh, the country's capital. We were both very disappointed. It was our dream to see the Angkor Wat. It's one of the seven wonders of the world and we just can't miss it!

On the day we left Saigon, the weather was really good. It was all so sunny. But since we didn't really get good info of the current situation at Siem Reap / Angkor Wat, we conditioned our minds to stay at Phnom Penh and just enjoy what it has to offer. We thought that it just wasn't meant to be. The night before we already booked a hostel for our overnight stay at the capital.

We took the Mekong Express limousine bus. It's the most recommended bus to take to Siem Reap or Phnom Penh. We were suppose to take the direct bus to Siem Reap but since the news of the flood, no direct bus was going to Siem Reap.

Mekong Express gave out some snacks and water and they had a semi-tour guide who explained what the trip will be like, how long it will take, bus stops, and what we were supposed to do at the border. It was a hassle free ride. I would also recommend Mekong Express.

The trip from Saigon to Phnom Penh was about 6 hours. The bus we took left at 730am and we had a 30 min stop for lunch before getting to the border.

On arrival at Phnom Penh, outside the Mekong Express ticket office, we waited for our pick up bus. But since we booked our hostel the night before and we were not able to coordinate properly our transportation from the bus station to the hostel, the waiting was a bit long. And the tuktuk drivers outside were all saying they will take us to our hostel. Not wanting to be charged with high prices by the tuktuk drivers we decided to call the hostel using the mobile phone of one tuktuk driver who offered it to us.

Then these group of Indonesians approached us and asked us if we were going to Siem Reap. Apparently, they got fooled by the one who sold them tickets. They bought tickets for a trip from Saigon to Siem Reap but the bus they took was only up to Phnom Penh. And Mekong Express said that all their buses to Siem Reap were full. They cannot give them the refund as it was an agent who sold them the tickets.

These Indonesians thought we were in the same plight as them, so they asked us. We told them about our situation and that we were supposed to go to Siem Reap but because of the flood we changed plans. They didn't know about the flood! Jecel and I got a bit excited. Now if they were going to Siem Reap and if we get confirmation that there is no more flood and the Angkor Wat is still open for visitors, we will go to Siem Reap with them!

The lady at the Mekong Express ticket office called up their Siem Reap office to confirm the flood situation. She said that there is indeed flooding at the downtown area but not in Angkor Wat and that it wasn't closed. It is still very much open to visitors. Given also that on that day the weather was really sunny, we decided to scrap the Phnom Penh plans and head to Siem Reap.

Mekong Express staff were so kind enough to find us another bus company that can take us to Siem Reap. There was one and it was going to leave around 530pm. That meant we will get to Siem Reap past midnight. Not bad.

It was about 2pm then and we had a bit of time to go around the city. We took one tuktuk to take us around. But first we had to get lunch! All of us were very hungry. We had lunch at a really nice resto which was pretty popular with tourists and it offered Khmer cuisine. This was the time to get to know our new-found friends. They were not really good in English but we all got along really fine. :)

Thus, the beginning of our adventure with the Indonesians - Rama, Tiyo, Yessi, and Adi. Three guys and a lady.

They were really friendly, very funny and were also into budget travel. Pretty much like us! So it was a breeze having them as company!

As we didn't have much time to really roam around, the tuktuk driver just took us to the most important spots in the city. We even saw a group of monks (dressed in orange robes) who were standing outside their temple. The Indonesians were so amazed at them that we approached them and took pictures!

The trip to Siem Reap was really long and the roads were not good. Since it was NOT a luxurious bus like Mekong Express, the bus was really full...some passengers were standing. It was a cramped bus. Nevertheless, it was that lonesome bus that took us to Siem Reap to see the great Angkor Wat. So thanks anyway.

We got to Siem Reap past midnight...and with no place to stay yet...



Next - Siem Reap, Cambodia

Exploring Philippines' Neighbors - Vietnam Day 2

Day 2 September 24 - Cu Chi Tunnels and Cao Dai Temple

This is a whole day guided tour we took. I was more excited about the Cu Chi tunnels used during the war. I took this from the Internet so basically all guided tours for Cu Chi and Cao Dai have the below itinerary. The only difference for ours was that we stopped by a local factory for Vietnamese paintings, furniture and home furnishings. Their products are majorly for exports but they had a showroom where you can also buy stuffs if you like.

"The tour begins with a visit to Tay Ninh, near the Cambodian border, home to the unique Cao Dai sect, whose patron saints include Joan of Arc, Victor Hugo and Winston Churchill to name a few. The religion is an odd mix of Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and Christianity. The trip to Tay Ninh is combined with a visit to the Cu Chi Tunnels. At its height, the tunnel system stretched from Saigon to the Cambodian border and was three levels deep. Today the remaining tunnels have become a major tourist attraction giving the visitor a unique experience and a feel of what underground life in the war must have been like. The tour includes a local Vietnamese lunch."

The Cao Dai sect was an interesting religion. I think it is unique to Vietnam. Their temple was also nice, very colorful. We were able to witness their ceremony a bit. Something new as well. The high priests / sect officials were in blue, yellow and red robes. So the site inside the temple during the ceremony was a pretty one.

I was excited about the Cu Chi tunnels. You know, the Vietnam War made the country famous. That war saw the vulnerability of America. So it's interesting to learn how these tunnels were instrumental on their victory, and America's defeat.

We were made also to went inside the tunnels - which was for me scary especially on the part where it was really dark. As there were a lot of exits, my friend and I went out on the nearest exit we could find. But all in all it was a good experience.

The real tunnels are actually so small. Most westerners will not fit in! But they made those tunnels extra big for them.

Overall the experience was good. We got back to the hotel around 5pm.

We had dinner and tried their Highlands Coffee. As we saw a lot of Highlands coffees hops around Saigon, we wanted to try them too. They say that Vietnam is famous for its coffee and so we just want to try their uppity coffee shop. I didn't find the place we went very comfy. I still find the experience in Starbucks is way better. I don't know maybe the branch we visited wasn't the best around town. Maybe other Highlands Coffee places are nicer. Check their site if you want, http://highlandscoffee.com.vn/aboutus_whoweare.html.


Next Day 3 - off to Cambodia...

Live up to my Role

So it's just recently that I have realized that so much is expected of me, and that I am now part of management having just taken the role of a supervisor early this year. The sad thing is it was never made very clear to me my roles and responsibilities as a supervisor. So all the while I've been acting in a way that didn't fulfill my role. And all the while I thought I was alright. Not till I just got a feedback from friends that my team lead is disappointed in me!!! So of course, that pissed me off, shoot up my blood pressure because how could my team lead say that to others and not directly to me! Okay, so we talked. And we've set the expectations very clearly now. I hope it's just not too late to live up to my role. To program my mind to this role, I am now starting to shift the genre of the books I read. Human Sigma - I randomly bought this out of a sale rack. The Rules of Work was recommended by a dear friend. Where I need improvement is on building my confidence and handling people. I'll expect to buy more books this year, more on management. Maybe next I should get something about time management - not the normal, not the usual time management books I've read. Something different and really awakening. Recommendations are welcome! I'm just getting busy and so stressed these days!!! I think I'm not working smartly. =(

I need help!!!

Exploring Philippines' Neighbors - Vietnam Day 1

The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page. ~St. Augustine

A very famous quote and to which I so agree. That is why I always put travelling as one of the favorite things I like to do.

Last month, my friend and I went on a 9-day trip covering 3 countries, our friendly neighbors, Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand. Three countries in such a short span of time. It was my first time to do that kind of trip. And my first long vacation outside the country. Nine days is actually long considering that it's rare to get approval of vacation leaves this long. Our first and last stop was Vietnam. Cambodia and Thailand were squeezed in between.

September is a rainy month. First day we were in Saigon or now called Ho Chi Minh was raining. Good thing though the rain was not very heavy. My friend did all the planning, she made all the itinerary while I just go and travel with her. How lucky I am to have her!

Our first day involved getting acquainted with Saigon by walking (most of the time). Instead of booking a city tour, we decided on doing it on our own. The places to see were not at all that very far.

First stop was the Ben Thanh market. Well, we wanted to do shopping on the first day as we wanted to buy Northface backpacks that we can use on our side trips to Cambodia and Thailand. Ben Thanh is big marketplace in downtown Saigon where you can buy local handicrafts, souvenirs, textiles, and even a place where you can try local cuisine (although we were not able to do the latter). And in this market you can also find really cheap North face bags/knapsacks, Adidas, Billabong t-shirts and shorts at really cheap prices. I bought my North Face backpack for only 700 Pesos, some 16USD. So cheap! Well, I don't know if it's fake but by the looks of it, it isnt! We also bought souvenirs and pasalubongs for friends and family at Ben Thanh. You can actually do some bargaining! However, the sellers first offer is really high! And if you don't know how much it actually costs, you will be fooled. That's what happened to me. The lady gave me a price twice the actual. They can really be pushy, I tell you. They won't let you go until you make a purchase.

Anyhow, after Ben Thanh, we went on to the next tourist places - the City Hall, Saigon Theater, Notre Dame Cathedral and Central Post Office. I was pretty amazed with the post office. It's not anything I've seen in Asia. The building is of old French colonial architecture that when we went inside we felt like we were in Europe.

Next stop was to get ourselves lunch. All the walking made us so hungry. We went into a typical Vietnamese restaurant. It was named Pho 24. On that day, I fell in love with Vietnamese food. My fave are the spring rolls! :)

After hearty lunch, we went to their Reunifcation Palace. Took a guided tour inside and learned about Vietnam's history. We learned from this tour that the Vietnamese are very good at creating undergrounds. You better go there to see it for yourself.

All the walking inside made us thirsty. So we decided to try the Vietnamese iced coffee. Everyone in Vietnam loves coffee. People sell iced coffee on the streets. We don't have iced coffee sold in the streets in the Philippines.

Getting to our next stop was not easy. We got a bit lost on the way to the War Museum but somehow managed to get there. The Vietnam War is one of the famous wars in the world, the fact that the powerful USA was defeated in this war. What's different in this museum from the other museums I've visited was how they presented the war. My heart was torn to pieces watching pictures of people during the War. The brutality was captured in those pictures; I couldn't bear to look at them so long. They brought me to tears. My heart goes out to all victims of the war.

Next destination was the Emperor of Jade Pagoda. It's an old temple but still being used. A cyclo driver offered to take us there for 150k VND. Only to learn later on that he overpriced us. A tourist trap! Well, let's just charge it to "charity". The pagoda was quite interesting. It wasn't at all that clean and beautiful. Observations - there were a lot of turtles in the pond. There was a hundred yr old or so turtle/tortoise (can't make a difference). They believe turtles are holy (I think). Inside you'll see two large figures of gods. It's also a bit spooky inside.

Our cyclo driver took us back to our hostel. He again charged us another 150k VND. Oh well, the goodness of our hearts didn't see he was taking advantage.

Back in the hotel, we told Auntie our host about the cyclo driver charging us 300k VND and she told us that was way too much. She comforted us by saying just think about it as charity, cyclo drivers don't earn that much.

We took a bit of rest, unpacked items we bought at Ben Thahn. And then headed for dinner...We came to this alley of restos serving mostly tourists. We stayed in downtown Saigon, so expect so many tourists in the area. I think I had a pho - another hearty meal.

We wanted to try Ben Thanh's night market. So we went there again by walking and crossing the heavily-laden-with-motorbikes streets. If there's anything that gives us a heart attack in Saigon it is crossing their streets. They don't seem to follow traffic rules! If you're not careful, you will be hit by a motorbike that came from out of nowhere!

You can practically find the same items sold in the day market at the night market, although much cheaper. And you can haggle to your heart's content! The market isn't as huge as other markets though. But it was a good place to buy souvenirs that we came back again on our last night in Saigon.




NEXT - Day 2, Cu Chi Tunnels and Cao Dai Temple

How To Manage A Manager

I have a not-so-good relationship with my manager...we have issues, we have problems... I should have really followed these rules...i would have a better working relationship with her...well, it's not yet too late to amend things!

**********

If you have a manager that is a micro manager, you need to be proactive. Managing a manager is a tricky proposition, but it can be done. Keep the following things in mind as you manage your boss effectively.

INSTRUCTIONS

1
Be tactful. Remember, your manager holds your career in her hands. Even if she asks for your input on her job performance, be careful how you come across, but offer something constructive.

2
Get things done on time. Communicate well with your manager and let him know if you foresee any limiting factors in getting a job done.

3
Go the extra mile. Anticipate the things your manager needs from you and get a head start. People are creatures of habit, so that makes knowing what your manager will want a little easier after you get to know her.

4
Make your manager look good to his manager. Know what is important to your manager's boss, so you won't put your manager in an embarrassing situation.

5
Do your homework. Before you take a proposal to your manager, make sure you have researched all the pros and cons and be prepared to show him how it will benefit the company.

6
Take your concerns to your manager, not over his head, unless there is something illegal going on or there are trust issues that have arisen between you. Don't, under any circumstances, gossip about or back-bite your manager.

7
Keep things on a professional level. It's ok to be friendly, but probably not ok to get too chummy with your boss. Personal relationships can be hard to manage while on the job.


Read more: How to Manage a Manager | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_2108071_manage-manager.html#ixzz1agWyEt7g

the final, the last time

I promise now more than ever, today is the last time I will see you face to face, the last time we feel each other's presence. This is the final goodbye!!!! And I mean it every word of it! This is the PERIOD I had always wished to put. And I'm putting it now!

Tokyo Trip Pics

I'd love to come back to Tokyo!