4/29/2012

Sunday Stealing#119

Today we ripped off a blogger named Silly Dreamer from the blog, My Semi Charmed Kind of Life. We will do it in two parts. Silly does not say where it is from. But, it was probably stolen there as well. So, of course, that will be as far as we go. Tracing back our theft's thieves might take some time. Take the time to comment on other player's posts. It's a great way to make new friends! Link back to us at Sunday Stealing!




Sunday Stealing: The Semi Charmed Meme, Part Two

21. A better name for me would be: Alex

22. I have a hard time understanding: people who lie constantly.
 
23. If I ever go back to school, I’d:like to take up graduate studies or something related to photography.
 
24. You know I like you if: I find to talk with you more.
 
25. If I ever won an award, the first person I’d thank would be: my mother.
 
26. If I could bring back a TV show for a reunion it would be:the Charlie's Angels.
 
27. Take my advice, never: stop learning.
 
28. My ideal breakfast is: rice,fish and veggies and coffee.
 
29. A song I love, but do not own is: I Will Always Love You by Whitney Houston.
 
30. If you visit my hometown, I'd suggest: you do the zipline, the beaches and the white water rafting in Davao River.
 
31. If I could meet a couple of my blog buddies, I'd include: the people from Bisdak Bloggers.
 
32. Why won’t people: be more conscious about our environment.
 
33. If you spend the night at my house: you'd likely eat more than you're used to.
 
34. I’d stop everything for: any family emergency.
 
35. The world could do without: greedy people
 
36. The last time I got drunk I: kept smiling without reason.
 
37. My favorite blonde is: Marilyn Monroe and Pink.
 
38. Paper clips are more useful than: using it as toothpick.

39. If I do anything well, it’s: because I was trained to do it well.
 
40. And by the way: The Avengers is a cool movie. Incredible Hulk provided the good laughs.

4/25/2012

Litratong Pinoy#179 Malapit Na Itapon

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It was nearly thrown away before. Thank goodness, somebody thought of using this wood again. If it has been a part of a Spanish ship during the Spanish period, it is now being used as support inside the parish church of San Geronimo in Morong, Rizal.

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 Pilipino: Malapit na sana itong itapon noon. Buti nalang, napag-isipan nilang gamitin itong kahoy ulit. Kung noo'y parte ito ng isang lumang barko noong panahon ng Kastila, ngayon ay parte na ito ng nagbibigay suporta sa loob ng simbahan ng San Geronimo ng Morong, Rizal.

4/24/2012

Tuesday Travels#34 Vietnam's Street Food

If the Filipinos like their street food grilled, fried or barbecued, the Vietnamese like their street food with soup, lots of veggies, and with noodles and bread.



While they have the usual dry and crunchy snack foods, which by the way are quite tasty and cheap, the ones that could fill the tummy are the soupy type. 

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4/19/2012

What Is The Best Waterproof Camera?

Summer is in full swing now and the question that has been bugging me for weeks now is “What is the best waterproof camera?” Summer fun cannot be complete with pictures and of course, summer cannot be summer without beach escapades. But, I do not want to my Canon DSLR get too exposed in the sand and water so the best option is a waterproof camera. Perfect for the sunny and water shots.

Since last year, a friend had his waterproof Canon Powershot10 (12.1 mp, 3x optical zoom and I saw his photos on Facebook. They were good but the Canon Powershot10 came out about two or three years ago. So, I am quite sure that there are newer models available around. A few keystrokes and I got the list of the top 5 best waterproof cameras I got from online reviews nowadays:

#1 Nikon CoolPix AW100 16 mp, 5x optical zoom, 33 feet waterproof, with GPS

 #2 Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS4 12 mp, 4.6x wide angle, 40 feet waterproof

#3 Sony Cybershot DSC-TX10 16.2 mp, 4x optical zoom, 16 feet waterproof, 3’ touch screen

#4 Fujifilm FinePix X130 14 mp, 5x optical zoom, 16.5 feet waterproof, with GPS

#5 Canon Powershot10 12.1 mp, 3x optical zoom, 33 feet waterproof, 2.5’ LCD screen

All I need right now is the money to buy one of these.

4/18/2012

Litratong Pinoy#178 Babasahin

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After seeing free travel magazines featuring their own tourist destinations in international airports during my travels, I have always looked for our own in our airports. It took years but finally, I saw these free travel magazines at the information counter in Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) III. They are really very interesting reads giving a lot of information about where to go, what to do and how to get there. Check it out when you're passing through our international airports.

Pilipino: Pagkatapos makakita ng mga libreng pambiyaheng pahayagan na nagpapakita ng kanilang mga pangturistang destinasyon sa mga pandaigdigang paliparan sa aking mga biyahe, lagi kong hinanap-hanap kung meron bang ganoong babasahin na sariling atin sa ating mga paliparan. Umabot pa ng ilang taon at sa wakas, nakakita na ako ng mga libreng pambiyaheng pahayagan sa impormasyong bantayan ng Pandaigdigang Paliparan ng Ninoy Aquino III. Talagang napaka-interesanteng babasahin na nagbibigay ng maraming impormasyon kung saan maaaring pumunta, ano ang mga dapat gagawin at paano makapunta sa mga lugar na iyon. Suriin ang mga babasahing ito kung kayo'y mapadaan sa ating mga pandaigdigang paliparan.

4/17/2012

Tuesday Travels#33 Dare To Scoot

According to our guide, there are at least two motorcycles per household in Saigon. While buses and taxis are also available easily, motorcycles and scooters rule the streets of Saigon.


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 But what fascinated me the most are the utter disregard to the traffic laws of some of the motorcycle drivers. Numerous times, I have witnessed scooters passing by on a counterflow of the traffic. The result, heart stopping chaos but for the locals, it's just part of their daily lives.


By the way, the tourist photographed on the middle of the picture is riding a cyclos. A slower way to sightsee the city of Saigon (Ho Chi Minh).

4/16/2012

Cellphone Over College Education


 
Clearly, I do not understand my niece anymore. I used to laugh at people who would say that their teen-age daughter or teen-age relative has grown horns and morphed into a devil’s offspring but now that I am experiencing it, it is no laughing matter.

The trouble started when she joined the school band two years ago. We actually encouraged her to get involved in extracurricular activities as his father wanted  to help build her confidence. Things started good. She was happy and was doing good with school although she has always been slow in the academics. Things started to change bad when she started to give priority to her band practice and meetings instead of her academics. She started attending parties without permission, coming home after staying overnight from God knows where. No thanks to her same-attitude bandmate-friends. She became disrespectful, belligerent and totally selfish. Her father gave her much leeway inspite of protests from both me and my mother that his “undisciplining” his child could backfire.  His reason, she is a teen-ager and she is allowed to rebel. A stupid reasoning for a parent, I say.

After a few weeks, we were proven right, her attitude worsened. She started to dress up provocatively duplicating her gay-friends, secrets were her expertise and money in the house started disappearing. There were situations at home that made me wish that my father is still alive to help us out.

Now that she is entering college without improvement on her actions, nobody is willing to pay for her tuition fees. Seeing that she likes to buy trivial things without much thought on saving for the future, we took turns telling her to save for her college. Not so. She always had a new blouse or a new bag or a new bling-bling. Constantly, she lied. Always, she disappears to God knows where without telling anybody where she has gone.

Last week,  I saw her busy with her new cellphone. In fact, I heard her being reprimanded by her father for finishing up her P20 pesos load in a matter of minutes. I do not want to think where she got the money but the disappointment was just too great.  After all the sacrifices we put into her and her sister, it seems that we are in for a big failure. It breaks my heart to see my mother struggling to care for her selfish grandchild. She told me that she has it worse now than when she was taking care of us, her children. She is not losing hope but my fear is that the stress of handling a belligerent teen-ager might take a toll on her. Already, she complains of heaviness on her chest.  I have been thinking of going abroad to work, just to be free of the burden but the worry for my mother could not escape me.  I pray to God for more patience but on the other hand, the relief will be great if she is not living with us anymore and gets back to her mother. Yesterday is not soon enough.

4/15/2012

Sunday Stealing#118

Today we ripped off a blogger named Just Paisley. Crediting this meme turned out to be difficult. We found it on a sit called Tumblr. Just Paisley was just one of lots who answered the questions. We are not proud. We will steal anything. Whether the site Tumblr offered the meme or a "member" posted it isn't clear.Take the time to comment on other player's posts. It's a great way to make new friends! Link back to us at Sunday Stealing!


Sunday Stealing: The TV Show Meme



Before reading the questions: Pick 5 TV Shows you like. They can be past or present. Hint: pick shows that you are REALLY into. Hey! no peaking at the questions! List them:

1. 
Mork and Mindy

2.
American Idol because Jessica Sanchez is in it.
3. Amazing Race


4. South Korean TV show, Dong Yi

5.
South Korean TV show that featured Kim Hyun Joong and Hwangbo Hye Jung.
 

1. Who is your favorite character in 2?  The Mexican-Filipino-American Jessica Sanchez.

2. Who is your least favorite character in 1? None.

3. What’s your favorite episode of 4? Hmm..the one when the King was going to propose to Dong Yi.

4. What is your favorite season of 5? When the couple visited the theme park and interacted naturally with each other.

5. What’s your favorite relationship in 3? A lot of couples.

6. Who is your anti-relationship in 2? Hmm..not anti-relationship but I didn't like the anti-Jessica.

7. How long have you watched 1? My family used to watch it every time it's on.

8. How did you become interested in 3? A friend recommended it.

9. Who is your favorite actor in 4? The South Korean actress who played Dong Yi.

10. Which show do you prefer 1, 2, or 5? The American Idol comes first because of Jessica Sanchez.

11. Which show have you seen more episodes of 1 or 3? 3, Amazing Race.

12. If you could be anyone from 4, who would you be? Of course, it'll be Dong Yi.

13. How would you kill off any character in 5? Not going to kill off anybody because it's a reality show.

14. Would a 3/4 crossover work? I don't think so. Different country, different culture.

15. Pair two characters in 1 that would make an unlikely, but strangely okay couple. Mork and Mindy

16. Overall, which show has the better cast, 3 or 5? It's 5. They're a fun cast.

4/14/2012

What to look for in a business hotel


The Docklands area has been given a make-over in preparation for the 2012 Olympics, along with the rest of East London. Business travellers have very good reasons to stay at one of the many Dockland hotels. But how can you choose a good business hotel, and which are the best ones in the area?

The first thing that needs to be considered when choosing a business hotel is its location. If you have to attend to a meeting outside the hotel, how easily can you get to the venue? Is the location safe? Is there public transportation within walking distance? Does the hotel provide a shuttle service?

Secondly, you need to consider what corporate facilities does the hotel offer. This is especially true if you are organising a conference or a meeting at the hotel's premises. Does the hotel offer special rates to conference delegates? What can be said about the meeting rooms? The best business hotels offer meeting rooms with natural daylight. Meeting rooms in these hotels are dedicated rooms with no pillars or other objects that might block the attendees' view. Also, meeting rooms should ideally be located on the ground floor, in order to facilitate entry and exit with the maximum efficiency possible.

In-room amenities should include a safe, a spacious and well-lit work station, and complimentary Internet access. 

So, which are the best business hotels in the Docklands area?


Travelodge

The best budget option is Travelodge, with excellent offers and good a standard of facilities on offer, this is perhaps among the best budget option for a business hotel.

Hilton Canary Wharf and Hilton Docklands

These are leading business hotels, connected via a ferry shuttle and offering 24-hour business centres. Some of their facilities include couriers, a copy centre, as well as secretarial and translation services. A total of 34 fully-equipped meeting rooms are available and manned by a dedicated team. 

Both hotels are 15 minutes away from London City Airport, and offer easy access to the underground, the Docklands Light Railway and river water taxis.

Ramada Docklands

The Ramada is located just across the river from London City Airport, and 5 minutes away from the Excel Exhibition Centre. 

Usually, airport hotels are not the most pleasant from an aesthetic point of view. However, the Ramada Docklands is the exception to the rule, due to its architectural design and the views it affords over the Thames.

Staff at the Ramada are experts organising conferences. There are two spacious meeting rooms, equipped with the latest conferencing technology, and an ample lobby is located next to their meeting rooms, to facilitate registration and coffee breaks. Fork and finger buffet menus are available, as well as complimentary car parking.

4/13/2012

Getting The Most From Vacations

Booking for vacations have come a long way since I started traveling years ago. Back then, the planning was difficult, tedious and even more expensive. There were a lot of risks because available information and communication facilities were limited and slow. Things have changed though, looking for travel destinations have become easier in just a few keystrokes. Very good travel websites like this one below provide information  to help travelers and vacationers decide on what, where and how they will spend their vacations, with lesser expense and more convenience.

Staycations vs Cheap Holidays Abroad Infographic - Thomas Cook
 "Provided by ThomasCook"

4/09/2012

Tuesday Travels#32 Laguna Visita Iglesia

This is a late post but I have been quite busy catching up with work before the long weekend and then, we had our Visita Iglesia in Laguna. Anyway, I have just ticked off one item off my bucket list today. I have just done the Southern Luzon Visita Iglesia particularly in Laguna. To top it off, I took my mother with me to let her see the some of the old churches of Luzon.

Here're two photos I took of the facade of Morong Church, our first stop for the Visita Iglesia.



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Back Home

Finally, am home now. Just came home from doing Visita Iglesia with my mother and niece. We did it with a group in Southern Luzon, particulary in Laguna. The trip was not only entertaining but it was also quite educational and interesting. It was also a dream come true for me because I was able to take my mother on a trip to the Visita Iglesia. It was a tiring trip but I know I am blessed.

4/04/2012

Living it up in low-cost luxury ski chalets

For many of us the thrill of whizzing down a beautiful mountainside is what a ski or snowboarding holiday is really all about but it doesn't hurt to be staying in fantastic accommodation either. The good news is that you can secure a short break or a week-long stay in luxury ski chalets at surprisingly low prices right now if you do some research online.

As you may already have realised the internet is comfortably the most straightforward and best way to dig out ski holiday bargains, regardless of the kind of holiday you're looking for or the dates you'd like to go. A simple online search can turn up a lengthy list of very viable snow sport hotspots and all manner of chalets, hotels and apartments for prospective visitors to choose from. And that goes equally for large families or groups of friends, as well as for couples or individuals and whether you've been skiing for years or if it's your very first time in the snow.

Perhaps the best plan of action for Britons hoping to take their family away to the slopes this year or next is to seek out some cheap European ski holidays. There are plenty to choose from and the vast majority of resorts across the continent offer very high quality skiing, entertainment, facilities and accommodation.

Luxury chalets are perhaps the most popular way to go for families with youngsters to look after, with meals being made and cleaning carried out by live-in hosts and chefs who really know their way your kitchen. So parents can focus on spending quality time with their children and all guests can enjoy their time away to the absolute maximum, or at least as much as their energy levels will allow them.

4/02/2012

Sunday Stealing#117

Today we ripped off a blogger named Dayna Ngai from the blog Dayna Me: The Tea Addict. She says that she took part in a meme which is a series of interview questions by Clem. And also said that the other day, Chibi Jeebs from the blog of the same name tagged her as well. So, we guess we stole two separate memes from Dayna. But, it was probably stolen there as well. So, of course, that will be as far as we go. Tracing back our theft's thieves might take some time. Take the time to comment on other player's posts. It's a great way to make new friends! Link back to us at Sunday Stealing!


Sunday Stealing: The April No Fools' Meme


1. What was the last clothing item that you bought? 
Two blouses in Bien Tahn Market, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. 

2. If you could stay one age forever, what age would you choose? 
It should be 25 years old.  

3. When you say “lol”, are you really laughing? 
Yes or giggling or smiling big.  

4. What is the most interesting thing you’ve done in the past year? 
I learned to let go of someone I considered very important in my life.  

5. If you started a business, what would it be? 
A food business, probably or if not, an online store. 

6. Do your friends/family/coworkers know about your blog?
Yes, some of them.

7. How long does it take you to write an average blog post?
It depends. Sometimes, just a few minutes and other times, an hour or so.

8. How do you keep up with the blogs you follow?
Blogger's list of blogs I follow. 


9. What is your bedtime? Is sex always involved?
Just about midnight. Nope.

10. Introvert or extrovert?
Both.

11. What is your biggest fear?
Losing my loved ones.

12. What is the best job you ever had?
I can't say best but quite challenging and interesting when I was assigned at the acquired assets unit.

13. Dog person/cat person/both/neither?
Both.

14. If you had $1,000 to spend any way you wanted, what would you do with it?
Travel, books and a long-delayed visit to the dentist.

15. How do you "dress" your toast?
With butter or sandwich spread.

16. How do you feel about snow?
Cold? and lonely.

17. What was the worst job you ever had?
Cashier of a store that was managed poorly.

18. What song can you not stop listening to?
Nowadays, none.

19. Love your name or hate it?
It's ok. I'd like Alexandra or Maxine though.

20. How did you choose your blog/twitter handle?
It just came about.