tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20099238125696274072024-02-07T11:57:15.767+08:00Your City PromdiA probinsiyana's adventures in the city. yourcitypromdihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12130431192542233841noreply@blogger.comBlogger108125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009923812569627407.post-17796258287468273762021-06-26T22:24:00.003+08:002021-06-26T22:24:59.037+08:00Prophetic Words by Pres. Aquino<p><span style="background-color: black; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #ffd966; font-family: arial;">Thrice on Thursday I found myself crying over the death of Pres. Benigno Simeon Aquino III. I don't know him personally. Why was I so affected by the passing of a stranger? In the last two days, I've asked myself that question many, many times. </span></span></p><div class="kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRciWtA1YZz6pdOU6bmYwIiYMS_6Co8mJ6_vvv0znBL3Res_Cx1-NFBciDB4K_K2hT6-VD0F7IvtFpE2Imb6vCXMCCalOAwrQt49GwX6fIMqc7iuPqJEb_M12gCnuTZeHQKasUIxwBk4g/s960/Pnoy1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRciWtA1YZz6pdOU6bmYwIiYMS_6Co8mJ6_vvv0znBL3Res_Cx1-NFBciDB4K_K2hT6-VD0F7IvtFpE2Imb6vCXMCCalOAwrQt49GwX6fIMqc7iuPqJEb_M12gCnuTZeHQKasUIxwBk4g/w400-h225/Pnoy1.jpg" width="400" /></span></span></a></div><span style="background-color: black; color: #ffd966; font-family: arial;">Tonight, as I was again pondering the question, I remembered that I wrote him a short note in 2016, just before he left office. Over a year later, I received a response from him. It is easy to assume that letters from VIPs like him are just templates. But yesterday, I saw a note from one his aides that PNoy scolded his team of writers for asking him to sign too many templated letters so I would like to think that his words are sincere and truly meant for me. <br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="background-color: black; color: #ffd966; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="background-color: black; color: #ffd966; font-family: arial;">I re-read it tonight, and found myself crying. I don't remember what I told him, but I now remember what having faith in our country feels like. </span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="background-color: black; color: #ffd966; font-family: arial;">"You noted that you would continue to serve with firm hope," he wrote. I regret to say that I have wavered over the last five years. But then he wrote what now seems to be prophetic words: "Find the strength to reach out to more Filipinos, to engage them and to further encourage them to heed the call to tread the straight path.... In your own journey of serving others, you will find the greater cause, that is: to be a more responsive and more committed citizen of our nation."</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="background-color: black; color: #ffd966; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="background-color: black; color: #ffd966; font-family: arial;">I am sharing the note in full. May it inspire more Filipinos. </span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><br /></span></span></div><div dir="auto"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicGWfvciaJlhgAu6oOKJ8ddtKFLcf6Tc5Eq_wWOHF0-X1dT_JV_acYxyLMl0mJPEzAjTrtk1XT8f7m8b0ibfrkkO8vJm0WEgSHmUvzlhoaoHVuK6IHX1ZZRLywqWdG7gKkIjjfcDWpAb0/s1080/Pnoy2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicGWfvciaJlhgAu6oOKJ8ddtKFLcf6Tc5Eq_wWOHF0-X1dT_JV_acYxyLMl0mJPEzAjTrtk1XT8f7m8b0ibfrkkO8vJm0WEgSHmUvzlhoaoHVuK6IHX1ZZRLywqWdG7gKkIjjfcDWpAb0/s16000/Pnoy2.jpg" /></span></a></div><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></div>yourcitypromdihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12130431192542233841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009923812569627407.post-84843989118773393142020-01-07T14:44:00.001+08:002020-01-07T14:44:08.494+08:00I did!Small update: <b><a href="https://bit.ly/MichaelAngeli" target="_blank">I got married exactly four months ago.</a></b><br />
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I feel like a very lucky girl, and my husband (that still gives me <i>kilig</i>) keeps on surprising me in things that used to seem mundane.<br />
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Here's super short video from our engagement and the wedding march. Enjoy!<br />
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<br />yourcitypromdihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12130431192542233841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009923812569627407.post-40701470495193626082020-01-07T14:36:00.000+08:002020-01-07T14:36:18.427+08:00Inspired Philippine Congress adopts SDG resolution; youth must collaborate<div>
Great news from the Philippines!</div>
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Earlier this week, its <a href="https://news.mb.com.ph/2019/12/17/house-adopts-sustainable-development-goals-resolution-on-2nd-reading/">House of Representatives adopted House No. 565</a>, which expresses its commitment to legislate measures that would ensure that the Philippines meet its Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.</div>
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As a #MyWorld 2030 advocate, I heartily welcome this legislative success. I particularly appreciate the effort of the principal authors Rizal Rep. Juan Fidel Felipe Nograles, Kabataan partylist Rep. Sarah Jane Elago, and BUHAY party-list Rep. Lito Atienza. I also tip my hat to my fellow advocates at 2030 Youth Force, led by Jules Guiang.</div>
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So inspired was I by the news that I immediately wrote letters to all three representatives congratulating and thanking them for their service. I also expressed my personal readiness to collaborate in operationalizing House Resolution No. 565!</div>
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Indeed, I call on the youth to support and energize the legislators to stand by the house resolution, ensuring that systemic support such as budgets and programs be rolled out nationally.</div>
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We young change makers must collaborate with our lawmakers to identify ways to enact the measure. Here are some of the ways that we can help their legislative work:</div>
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<li><b>Benchmarking. </b>As of this writing, Filipino MyWorld 2030 field advocates have gathered almost 5,000 survey responses that provide insight on Filipinos’ awareness of the SDGs, the issues and goals most relevant to them, and their perception of improvement or deterioration in the related areas of their lives. Young people can also start volunteering to take similar surveys to let lawmakers know the current pulse of the people.</li>
<li><b>Data Gathering. </b>The UN UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub, the UN SDG Action Campaign and UN Volunteers Asia-Pacific has launched a tool that allows anyone to gather responses in various cities through the MY World 2030 survey, also available in offline version. More young advocates can help roll this out at the grassroots level.</li>
<li><b>Providing Testimony. </b>As lawmakers look for ways to enact the bill and identify budget priorities to operationalize House Resolution №. 565, young changemakers must make representations — write letters, send Facebook messages, meet and present to them — on different ways that we are raising awareness and contributing to different Sustainable Development Goals. This allows members of Congress to more easily identify creative, innovative ways to leverage on the resolution that resonate with young people who are also the biggest chunk of their voting constituency.</li>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJTVcMT-P6P4ed1hxZc-p5NI4aEz3GYiILerS1mMUMNToEoNkO17U75ggvm9rmX7JbV-DyNb2m_9IQgnhyA2b3nj7A2DhbuA7GHIhex95PaBHC8hBF309PeWO_m66IRbQR_Iy0iG4s7Lw/s640/SDG-survey+small_edited.jpg" width="640" /><a href="https://bit.ly/SDG-survey" target="_blank">https://bit.ly/SDG-survey</a></div>
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<b>The Philippine Congress had already cracked the door open. Let us throw open this opportunity and maximize it. Go, youth advocates!</b></div>
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<i>This story originally appeared in <a href="https://medium.com/@angelialba/inspired-philippine-congress-adopts-sdg-resolution-youth-must-collaborate-bc35f578ed0b"><b>Medium</b></a>. </i></div>
yourcitypromdihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12130431192542233841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009923812569627407.post-23461361582855923432018-08-29T10:04:00.000+08:002018-08-29T10:04:04.721+08:00Trailer Takes | The Hows of Us <img alt="Image result for the hows of us" height="398" src="https://data-starcinema.abs-cbn.com/starcinema/starcinema/media/april-2018/25/kathniel.jpg?ext=.jpg" width="640" /><br />
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"The Hows of Us," the long-awaited come back movie of top Filipino love team Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla, is coming to theaters today.<br />
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While we were waiting for that, my sister and I decided to film this trailer take. Watch our reaction video below:<br />
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Share you own reactions in the comments section below!yourcitypromdihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12130431192542233841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009923812569627407.post-64769814146624021732018-08-27T15:36:00.000+08:002018-08-27T15:42:03.531+08:00Chika Review Sessions | Miss Granny<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Miss Granny, the Filipino movie adapted from a Korean film and starring triple threat superstar Sarah Geronimo, started slow. A frenzy of activities in a restaurant guided by a slow pan and lethargic voice over by the title character, Miss Fely.<br />
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It was possibly one of the most heartbreaking sequence of this movie, much more moving to me because I was seated next to my not-as-young-as-she-was mother. So alone in a crowded restaurant, she has just finished eating and has decided to pack up.<br />
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What a metaphor for where Miss Fely is, when I first met her. Her best years are done. She has raised a son, has had bursts of love with the births of grandchildren. Bur here she is now: alone and lonely amid a state of chaos. And then the audience sees her in all her ugly glory: abrasive, know-it-all, borderline bitch.<br />
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How will her life turn around when she magically transforms into her young self? The movie explores the magic with such realism, that I came away hating, feeling for, and then eventually cheering for Miss Fely.<br />
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Watch our chika review session on Miss Granny below:<br />
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<br />yourcitypromdihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12130431192542233841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009923812569627407.post-30225107396034672732018-07-27T12:30:00.000+08:002018-07-27T12:30:11.675+08:003 Rookie Mistakes I Made When Applying for the B1/B2 Visa<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I applied for a business/tourist visa from the United States two months ago for a week-long conference. Plot twist: I received the visa. But I had to go through a lot of hassle for it, and looking back there was a lot that I would have done differently in order to improve the experience.<br />
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Rookie Mistakes</h3>
Below, I will share the mistakes I made during the application process so others may learn from it.<br />
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<li>Hiring an Agency. <span style="font-weight: normal;">It was an expensive service that could have been done by anyone that can read English and has knowledge of using websites. I also discovered later that applying through an agent means using a separate web function, and that can create bureaucratic hurdles that would not have been there otherwise. </span></li>
<li>Applying with only a One-month Lead Time. <span style="font-weight: normal;">To be fair, I was only told about my US trip about six weeks beforehand, and that's due in equal measures to logistical and management reasons as well as the fact that those who do not need a US visa are not usually aware of how long the process can take. Having just one month to process the visa application makes you vulnerable to problems with scheduling the required personal interview and with the passport and visa delivery schedule. It also does not leave you room to re-apply in case the first application is denied. </span></li>
<li>Postponing Submitting Requirements. <span style="font-weight: normal;">A month before my trip, </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">I sent over the information needed for the application, except for some details such as my hotel or place of residence (processed by our office and took some time to finalize) and a a new ID photo. I was told by the travel agency, however, that they had to wait about three days more before submitting my application because the US embassy's website in the Philippines was down. That added a few more days of processing time into what is already a tight schedule.</span></li>
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Tips for Application</h3>
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">All's well that ends well for me, however. But from my experience, my hope is that I can share some insights into the process for those who want to lodge an application. </span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">First tip is of course not to do any of the things I listed above. </span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">Second is to be sure that the appropriate visa type for your trip is the </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">US </span><a href="http://www.ustraveldocs.com/ph/ph-niv-typeb1b2.asp" style="font-weight: 400;">business/tourist visa</a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;">The B-1/B-2 visitor visa is for people traveling to the United States temporarily for business (B-1) or for pleasure or medical treatment (B-2). Generally, the B-1 visa is for travelers consulting with business associates, attending scientific, educational, professional or business conventions/conferences, settling an estate or negotiating contracts. The B-2 visa is for travel that is recreational in nature, including tourism, visits with friends or relatives, medical treatment and activities of a fraternal, social or service nature. Often, the B-1 and B-2 visas are combined and issued as one visa: the B-1/B-2.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">Third: DIY the application, and create an account for a </span><a href="https://ph.usembassy.gov/visas/nonimmigrant-visas/" style="font-weight: 400;">nonimmigrant visa</a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> This <a href="https://cgifederal.secure.force.com/SiteRegister?country=Philippines&language=en_US">account registration</a> will be your entry point for the entire process. Enter the data that will be asked. Here's a list of the information that you need to prepare if you are a Filipino citizen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">Fourth, you also need to prepare two recent 2x2 photos with white background and without sunglasses, copies of your ne</span>w and all previous passport, employment certificate with designation, salary and length of service, business registration (if owner), income tax return, authenticated birth certificate and/or marriage certificate, bank certificates and statements or copy of credit card statement, guarantee letter, and invitation letter. Lodge your application online, then pay the fee worth about Php9,000.00. </div>
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Next, schedule a personal appearance. Most slots are full and usually there is a wait time of about two to three weeks. It is best to get into one of the early morning slots. If you are travelling to the US for an emergency, you can try and <a href="http://www.ustraveldocs.com/ph/ApplyforEmergencyVisa.html">apply for an emergency visa</a>. </div>
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">For a US trip, try to allot at least six months processing time, to ensure you have ample time to prepare documents, schedule the personal interview, and to redo the process in case the application is denied the first time. </span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">Seventh tip: be early for your personal appearance appointment. Follow all the rules that will be included in your appointment confirmation email. Don't bring any electronics. Make sure your documents are complete. </span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">Lastly, practice answering questions that may relate to your trip, such as what you will be doing in the United States, your job or business here in the Philippines, family and other relationship ties here in the Philippines and in the US. Always remember that the presumption is that all who travel to the US has the intent to migrate there, so you need to be prepared to prove that you have very strong ties here in the Philippines and do not have any plans of migrating to the US. Only answer based on what the adjudicators will ask. Be confident and polite.</span></div>
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yourcitypromdihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12130431192542233841noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009923812569627407.post-85951132644824145442018-07-20T12:21:00.000+08:002018-07-26T18:05:47.668+08:00Do This: A Jampacked Overnight Alibijaban AdventureIt's a triple A beach experience. It's a fabulous last summer hurrah. It's an overnight Alibijaban trip. Here are the three best things to do, and how you yourself can enjoy!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6U03kibLUWALGIIsAEp8GzI_yBVWJBEXlm-SYvvMYL9I8xfj_Usc69IPb8DJXCpRVxJsUYSyg_LR43HoGo1YCKOxbNgNVODEGzemY1GD4l6eO6ZP4GsKcAyH-Xh1Z-MAoUmhyphenhyphenUUhsbbI/s1600/Alibijaban2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6U03kibLUWALGIIsAEp8GzI_yBVWJBEXlm-SYvvMYL9I8xfj_Usc69IPb8DJXCpRVxJsUYSyg_LR43HoGo1YCKOxbNgNVODEGzemY1GD4l6eO6ZP4GsKcAyH-Xh1Z-MAoUmhyphenhyphenUUhsbbI/s640/Alibijaban2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<h3>
Sandbar Sunset Adventure</h3>
We loved getting a small boat out to the island sandbar, right as the tide was ebbing, and just hanging out. We took a cooler filled with cold beer and grabbed some chips, then started wading into the sea towards the small strip of white sand and the beach. Our menfolk decided to stay behind and talk about whatever men talk about over beer. We ladies took a good few minutes to explore further inland towards the mangroves, took lots of photos using the gorgeous view as our backdrop, and then went to sit in the shallow stream of water flowing from the island to the sea to wait for the sunset. Relaxing and refreshing--I highly recommend it!<br />
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Floating Hut Experience</h3>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Your City Promdi's Twin Back. </td></tr>
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While the island is slowly being discovered by backpacking tourists and those who were looking for an alternative to Boracay, Alibijaban remains relatively remote. Its waters are clear, even during the <i>habagat </i>season when the winds bring fallen tree branches and coconut husks to its beaches. One of the best ways to enjoy the waters is to rent one of the bamboo floating huts near the island, and swim around. Some floating huts feature a small 'pool' (watch out for the few crabs that sometimes use the bamboo seat as resting place), while others have built in diving platforms that make for great action shots. Snorkeling gear can be rented so we also got to view the corals and fish that live so close to the beach.<br />
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<span style="font-size: 18.72px; font-weight: 700;">Alibijaban-Burias Island Hopping</span><br />
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We did not actually do this ourselves because we were advised that the sea was rough on the weekend that we were. However, we heard that the six or seven views on the itinerary each offer their own beautiful attractions and one is even large enough to host an overnight tent adventure. If you've already come along this far, and the weather and waves permit, just go!<br />
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<h3>
Walking and Stargazing by the Beach</h3>
So far from any major city, Alibijiban offers dark evenings and quiet beaches: the canvass for glimmering stars and the symphony of waves. Walk alone or hand in hand with your special someone, stand still and look up, and be fully present. Remember how this made you feel lighter, more aware of everything, and carry it with you when you leave.<br />
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How to Get There</h3>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Your City Promdi</td></tr>
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Alibijaban is only accessible to the general public via a long road trip (by bus or car) followed by a short boat ride. From Manila, it can take about eight to 12 hours to get to the island itself. On public transportation, take a bus from Manila to Lucena Grand Terminal, then transfer to one that goes to San Andres, Quezon, then hire a boat. If using a car, just follow these <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Manila,+Metro+Manila,+Philippines/Alibijaban+Island,+San+Andres,+Philippines/@13.9666548,121.2894528,9z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m13!4m12!1m5!1m1!1s0x3397ca03571ec38b:0x69d1d5751069c11f!2m2!1d120.9842195!2d14.5995124!1m5!1m1!1s0x33a3ca82a30fa161:0xec22157409832b90!2m2!1d122.720961!2d13.3326863">Google Map directions</a>. </div>
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Food </h3>
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I would advise bringing your own food, just to err on the side of caution, as there are long-standing rumors that some locals lace unsuspecting tourists' food with poison to create demand for the antidotes that the former produce and sell. Food on the island is cheap, sari-sari stores carry the usual noodles, sardines, salted egg and canned goods. However, if you want something more healthy, just bring your own cooked food to the island or shop some fresh ingredients from the local San Andres Market and cook them yourselves at the island. </div>
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<h3>
Accommodation</h3>
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There are lots of small <i>nipa </i>huts available for overnight rent. Tents are also okay to use along the main beach. </div>
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Plan your own adventure or contact <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ACESWealth-Travel-Lyn-229155054224978/">Aces Travel</a>, which can arrange affordable overnight or 3days/2nights tours with trusted local partners. Contact them via Facebook or at +63 948 511 3502.</div>
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Enjoy your island adventure!</div>
yourcitypromdihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12130431192542233841noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009923812569627407.post-84983220446364223922018-07-14T20:00:00.000+08:002018-07-17T06:22:46.927+08:00History Making is Puzzle-playing<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilvIIQbHk-5fqBH-gIDYhI1mnc3Bn6e0_GG9_yXQiKXC7NeNpNlHwW1t-lVU2U4R76HyLkILSfMGDBZtZrQm_xSMP5nZMB_U7Hh840CDd5wlQgUncSh9TFDKPNUSxijS6P0DRantlrTuY/s1600/Puzzle1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="814" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilvIIQbHk-5fqBH-gIDYhI1mnc3Bn6e0_GG9_yXQiKXC7NeNpNlHwW1t-lVU2U4R76HyLkILSfMGDBZtZrQm_xSMP5nZMB_U7Hh840CDd5wlQgUncSh9TFDKPNUSxijS6P0DRantlrTuY/s400/Puzzle1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Your City Promdi</td></tr>
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This is the story of a woman who put the Philippines in the map, and another who saw history and a story through her work. This is a story of my quest to find the Puzzle Museum.<br />
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<h3>
A mystery</h3>
It as on a Sunday evening news magazine when I was in university that I first heard about Puzzle Museum, and I've always been curious as to why and how it became the second largest collection of puzzle pieces. How many puzzles could there be, I naively asked as I think about my childhood toys? How many items could there be, in order to be the second largest? How much did it all cost? Perhaps most importantly, when can I go?<br />
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<h3>
The hunt</h3>
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The when came over a full decade after I first saw the news magazine on television. I found myself in Tagaytay on a rainy afternoon with nothing to fill my time. With only Google for company, I decided to visit this place. And 'quest' is exactly how it felt like to me.<br />
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I went via jeepney on what seemed like a ride that went on forever. With the driver's help, I was able to go to a tricycle stand that will take me further into a wooded area that I thought could only lead to a cliff. Gathering my courage, I went.<br />
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The tricycle dropped me off in front of a large gate, where a security guard was giving instructions. Private vehicles can go down a steep sloping driveway to the museum that I could just see. Commuters like me have to walk down. So I did--and met this beautiful view of the old mansion that serves as the museum, the surrounding gardens, and the wet Tagaytay vista.<br />
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Down the slope I went, paid the museum fee, went through a huge lobby with seating areas and walked farther down a series of stone steps that took me through lush gardens and on to the museum proper.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZQOCqWBjUwzPIVcOEF3hSqVV0AWbPevcYurWQJKX2IXiYKKTxRBA7753bUjUPtg1NBQB3ZJPbQQSm2fqvokic25asLFl0_vvpwvsV6EnWVyXU_PLRzQpyD8NNOW7QWza7cc77wVjvCoU/s1600/Puzzle.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="634" data-original-width="821" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZQOCqWBjUwzPIVcOEF3hSqVV0AWbPevcYurWQJKX2IXiYKKTxRBA7753bUjUPtg1NBQB3ZJPbQQSm2fqvokic25asLFl0_vvpwvsV6EnWVyXU_PLRzQpyD8NNOW7QWza7cc77wVjvCoU/s640/Puzzle.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Your City Promdi</td></tr>
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<h3>
The answers</h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ-3vb5vJYo3qznznL3mFJ1DNUzwC-Z6-BznBhMK6icTqR9jx4PRGOcQ8ImEQKSadKnmTGkeec62YWNUBuaexJLPXxxN32ubkeHfGRvZyg6k62wwQCIPlVHDqTHiOJXgCCmKiKUo0rOY0/s1600/Puzzle2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="789" data-original-width="809" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ-3vb5vJYo3qznznL3mFJ1DNUzwC-Z6-BznBhMK6icTqR9jx4PRGOcQ8ImEQKSadKnmTGkeec62YWNUBuaexJLPXxxN32ubkeHfGRvZyg6k62wwQCIPlVHDqTHiOJXgCCmKiKUo0rOY0/s320/Puzzle2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Your City Promdi</td></tr>
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Inside, I found two whole building story teeming with thousands of puzzles. There were so many, and so much variety! It was astonishing!<br />
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Some were so big, they can fill an entire wall; others so tiny, they have to be viewed within a foot away. Some were laid flat, framed; others were assembled into intricate three-dimensional pieces, as in sets of dinosaurs, buildings, entire cities and globes. <br />
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The themes and subjects of the puzzles that make up the collection are disparate and wildly different, as they had been collected through decades and across continents. The lady who owned the collection was a successful businesswoman, and traveled the world. Whenever she visits a place, she makes it a point to get new puzzles to add to her collection. Later on, as she became more serious with her hobby, she will place orders and hunt for special, limited edition pieces. She will come home and spend days--sometimes months working on the puzzles--and then she will pour protective layers of glue or lacquer. Most of the puzzles on the display bear their respective origin and the period of time she worked on them.<br />
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The woman herself is Georgina Gil-Lacuna. Entrepreneur and self-made woman, her passion has built a museum that set records and, to this day, bears witness to her incredible life.<br />
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<br />yourcitypromdihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12130431192542233841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009923812569627407.post-64239240866176103202018-07-11T11:30:00.000+08:002018-07-11T13:06:34.137+08:00Kindness is HardBut here's two why we should try anyway, and how.<br />
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Social</h3>
Being kind spreads good vibes around, helps lift the mood of people and situations, and lessons the burdens on other people--physical or otherwise. Kindness helps strengthen bonds or form new connections between people.<br />
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Psychological </h3>
Being kind makes us feel good. That's because acts of kindness activates a part of the brain called striatum, which also lightens our mood and increases our happiness. And won't it be nice to live out our days in a nice, warm golden glow of kindness?<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Graphic by Your City Promdi and AC Alba</td></tr>
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<h3>
Frail and flawed</h3>
Or course, constant kindness is a near impossibility for many us. So frail and flawed we human beings are that stress, little inconveniences, or other people's moods ruin our own equilibrium. So frail and flawed we human beings are that we tend to lash out and act unkindly.<br />
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I speak from experience. Patience has never been my virtue, and I confess I am often grumpy.<br />
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Each time my parents fail at keeping to their prescribed diet, I worry and my tone comes off gruff and impolite. I can make all the excuses I want but the truth is that is unkind, and I regret the harsh words almost as soon as they come out of my mouth.<br />
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Earlier this week, I decided to stew in aggrieved silence because #TheGentlemanFarmer had been too busy and too preoccupied. I can point fingers as much as I like, say that he should do better at prioritizing me--maybe some of you may even agree with me. But the truth is, I should have been in better control of my emotions, should have been more emotionally mature, and handles the situation with kindness instead of a cold shoulder.<br />
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More often, we are hurt others by our unkind gestures, words, and silences. And the wounds boomerangs quickly at us--leaving us with honest regrets, secret pain, and even broken relationships.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Graphic by Your City Promdi and AC Alba</td></tr>
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<h3>
Living kindness</h3>
Therefore, we try to live out kindness, no matter how hard, as we realize the toll its absence and recognize its benefits, But how? Here are a few ways I can think of for starting to practice kindness.<br />
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<li><b>Smile. </b>They say we Filipinos smile a lot, and that can sometimes be mistaken as flirtation and therefore unprofessional. But it is undeniable that a smile can smooth out awkwardness or convey the right tone or inflection on our words and gestures.</li>
<li><b>Appreciate others. </b>It does not take a lot to say "thank you". Be generous with praise and with gratitude. Be specific about what you are thanking others for. It is not only kind, but also reinforces behaviors and attitudes that further promote a culture of kindness.</li>
<li><b>Be quick to forgive. </b>We've already established that we are frail and flawed. Where we can make allowances for others, let us do so. Correct mistakes, but do not label the person (e.g. "It would be better if you wash your dishes instead of leaving them by the sink." instead of "You're so messy--clean up after yourself!"). Try not to assume or ascribe negative motivations. Genuinely move past any misunderstanding and do not bring past mistakes into present disagreements. </li>
<li><b>Count to 10. </b>Slowly. And again. In instances where our tempers are about to burst, count to ten before reacting to something or someone that agitates you. </li>
<li><b>Walk away.</b> If counting is not working, the kindness thing you can do is to walk away. Remove yourself from a situation where you are bound to lash out or hurt others. Let off steam.</li>
<li><b>Apologize.</b> In the event that you fail, own your mistakes and be quick to say "sorry" and really mean it.</li>
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yourcitypromdihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12130431192542233841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009923812569627407.post-27864864209583150122018-07-03T12:25:00.000+08:002018-07-03T12:25:06.562+08:00Bangkok Diaries<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOZAJHVeenCYs8BVULvA_6pcAnv0hjgbHwSCrvpNLfhHbidrfx78i7-sCFIEZhivHEyNtXGlDUSTJoNZG-1sjldJjDgGEZJrOfI6M6yHki7vX0B1Nz28-WpuDQc0vT7lOYCWF8pdGQy3Q/s1600/1b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOZAJHVeenCYs8BVULvA_6pcAnv0hjgbHwSCrvpNLfhHbidrfx78i7-sCFIEZhivHEyNtXGlDUSTJoNZG-1sjldJjDgGEZJrOfI6M6yHki7vX0B1Nz28-WpuDQc0vT7lOYCWF8pdGQy3Q/s320/1b.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Your City Promdi</td></tr>
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So many things to do in Bangkok, so here's a compilation of all that I have done in this city of thriving lights and bejeweled palaces.<br />
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<a href="https://yourcitypromdi.blogspot.com/2015/05/barge-ing-in-on-bangkok-river-ride.html">Boat</a>.</h3>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "lora" , serif; font-size: 16px;">There was a lot to see from the boat. Looking back now, I should have expected it--this was the river from whose banks Bangkok grew from. This was where the life of a lot of Thais centered a few hundred years back.</span><br />
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<h3>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfBUDvLxbf_nZFqpDDsdYl1_zso7FQgctlfgEc5TfXBDfaVn_1y5qpbcvo3h8tcGXkUABiTqcpjmFIkah7jpdxHvNgQKGq1Z0nLe9JyfbkYIee_mH8Fi6caUVfN2n4uYMKgkJYKW2hi5Q/s1600/IMG_2988.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfBUDvLxbf_nZFqpDDsdYl1_zso7FQgctlfgEc5TfXBDfaVn_1y5qpbcvo3h8tcGXkUABiTqcpjmFIkah7jpdxHvNgQKGq1Z0nLe9JyfbkYIee_mH8Fi6caUVfN2n4uYMKgkJYKW2hi5Q/s200/IMG_2988.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "lora" , serif; font-size: 16px;"><a href="https://yourcitypromdi.blogspot.com/2018/06/bkk2018-guardian-of-garden.html">Craft</a>.</span></h3>
<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "lora" , serif; font-size: 16px;">While Western flower arrangements often take the whole flower and leaves to be designed into shape, Thai flower craft takes petals and individual flowers, painstakingly and delicately re-configuring them into something completely new. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "lora" , serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span>
<br />
<h3>
<a href="https://yourcitypromdi.blogspot.com/2018/06/bkk2018-cooking-thai.html">Eat</a>.</h3>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "lora" , serif; font-size: 16px;">The food here is so good, you can do nothing but eat in Bangkok and call it an excellent travel experience. The food is an explosion of flavors--both strong and mild--blended perfectly.</span><br />
<br />
<h3>
<a href="https://yourcitypromdi.blogspot.com/2015/05/bejeweled-bangkok.html">Palace Hop</a>.</h3>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "lora" , serif; font-size: 16px;">This is dedicate to the beautiful intricate designs adorning some of the palaces and temples in the city. For someone like me who is used to having a very earthen, simple style of interiors and architecture, this is really a jolt to the senses--but in a good way.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "lora" , serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "lora" , serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="true" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="315" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FYourCityPromdi%2Fvideos%2F1135862836562362%2F&show_text=0&width=560" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" width="560"></iframe></span>yourcitypromdihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12130431192542233841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009923812569627407.post-7799884035266808512018-06-30T12:15:00.000+08:002018-06-30T12:15:01.793+08:00A Song for the #MeToo GenerationI played a Christina Aguilera playlist and locked in on her new single, "Fall in Line." I just started paying attention to the song's lyrics.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZzwT1EtjmDlLIuABmVjtMTcUU9VrdiO6h3uzOCTUsJZzlIkybTpVhmZfnatdzT-vCdQg5-thwiqJXac2zvTwDNu6cKVJFaiAEn_3XTp-q9UTfl7FKRuYR9sNTLm13JJ07KaRalozYWWY/s1600/fallinline.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZzwT1EtjmDlLIuABmVjtMTcUU9VrdiO6h3uzOCTUsJZzlIkybTpVhmZfnatdzT-vCdQg5-thwiqJXac2zvTwDNu6cKVJFaiAEn_3XTp-q9UTfl7FKRuYR9sNTLm13JJ07KaRalozYWWY/s640/fallinline.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Apart from loving the melody and admiring the melding of two powerful voices, I just realized now how beautiful and empowering the lyrics to this song by Cristinas and Demi Lovato.<br />
<br />
This is a song for the #metoo generation, but also a song for a world beyond it.<br />
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<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3Q2j5ApzSqs" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
<h3>
Fall In Line lyrics</h3>
<div>
<div>
Little girls, listen closely</div>
<div>
'Cause no one told me</div>
<div>
But you deserve to know</div>
<div>
That in this world, you are not beholden</div>
<div>
You do not owe them</div>
<div>
Your body and your soul</div>
<div>
All the youth in the world will not save you from growing older</div>
<div>
And all the truth in the girl is too precious to be stolen from her</div>
<div>
It's just the way it is</div>
<div>
Maybe it's never gonna change</div>
<div>
But I got a mind to show my strength</div>
<div>
And I got a right to speak my mind</div>
<div>
And I'm gonna pay for this</div>
<div>
They're gonna burn me at the stake</div>
<div>
But I got a fire in my veins</div>
<div>
I wasn't made to fall in line</div>
<div>
No, I wasn't made to fall in line, no</div>
<div>
Show some skin, make him want you</div>
<div>
'Cause God forbid you</div>
<div>
Know your own way home</div>
<div>
And ask yourself why it matters</div>
<div>
Who it flatters</div>
<div>
You're more than flesh and bones</div>
<div>
All the youth in the world will not save you from growing older</div>
<div>
And all the truth in the girl is too precious to be stolen from her</div>
<div>
It's just the way it is</div>
<div>
And maybe it's never gonna change</div>
<div>
But I got a mind to show my strength</div>
<div>
And I got a right to speak my mind</div>
<div>
And I'm gonna pay for this</div>
<div>
They're gonna burn me at the stake</div>
<div>
But I got a fire in my veins</div>
<div>
I wasn't made to fall in line</div>
<div>
No, no, I wasn't made to fall in line</div>
<div>
No, we aren't made to fall in line, oh</div>
<div>
Two, three</div>
<div>
Right, two, three</div>
<div>
Shut your mouth</div>
<div>
Stick your ass out for me (oh)</div>
<div>
March, two, three</div>
<div>
One, two, three</div>
<div>
Who told you you're allowed to think? (yeah)</div>
<div>
One, two, three</div>
<div>
Right, two, three</div>
<div>
Shut your mouth (oh)</div>
<div>
Stick your ass out for me</div>
<div>
March, two, three</div>
<div>
One, two, three</div>
<div>
Who told you you're allowed to think?</div>
<div>
It's just the way it is</div>
<div>
Maybe it's never gonna change</div>
<div>
But I got a mind to show my strength</div>
<div>
And I got a right to speak my mind</div>
<div>
And I'm gonna pay for this</div>
<div>
They're gonna burn me at the stake</div>
<div>
But I got a fire in my veins</div>
<div>
I wasn't made to fall in line</div>
<div>
I wasn't made to leave my fate</div>
<div>
I'm never gonna fall in line, oh</div>
<div>
One, two, three</div>
<div>
Right, two, three</div>
<div>
Shut your mouth</div>
<div>
Stick your ass out for me</div>
<div>
March, two, three</div>
<div>
One, two, three</div>
<div>
Who told you you're allowed to think?</div>
<div>
Yeah, two, three</div>
<div>
Right, two, three</div>
<div>
Shut your mouth</div>
<div>
Stick your ass out for me</div>
<div>
March, two, three</div>
<div>
One, two, three</div>
<div>
Who told you you're allowed to think?</div>
</div>
yourcitypromdihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12130431192542233841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009923812569627407.post-42911439703853516482018-06-27T15:00:00.000+08:002018-06-27T15:00:09.338+08:00The Essential Bangkok Experience<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuLYmF5HFkhjmKun5AWBgZshFfmFpM1shjZsqkPPkuv0I6u5XsaUDnuZuVXn4hUF-7ycdWD36OIFMz1JE5qysmhDGJY7JHK90wnaOOC_UQpTWx_o2FGAciS2Vfg22tHW11XD1xG8TkZzw/s1600/1b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuLYmF5HFkhjmKun5AWBgZshFfmFpM1shjZsqkPPkuv0I6u5XsaUDnuZuVXn4hUF-7ycdWD36OIFMz1JE5qysmhDGJY7JHK90wnaOOC_UQpTWx_o2FGAciS2Vfg22tHW11XD1xG8TkZzw/s640/1b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grand Palace. (Photo by Your City Promdi)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
If it's your first time in Bangkok and you don't have much time to see its sights, I highly suggest that you focus on these what I call the "essential Bangkok experience" or the Wat Pho (Temple of the Lying Buddha) and the Grand Palace.<br />
<br />
Yes, some people will say that those are very touristy areas. But I do believe that they also give an excellent view of how the Thai culture is. They are vibrant reminders of the country's colorful past and an animated reminder of how their history still fuels the country's present and future.<br />
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<h3>
<b>The Grand Palace</b></h3>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ8qAnZdP2wHQbpJ_tNgbaA-VkZ2-8S54Ek95qWVRYaohIT0-ziUbf_5KsL9n45DiyL6b9GgxOTl-QxoODvlWf3GLAvaMhCBAUs-BLVbQKRJrYv-SAGc7n8UPP9hYukfYPq8S8V_MCmD0/s1600/1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ8qAnZdP2wHQbpJ_tNgbaA-VkZ2-8S54Ek95qWVRYaohIT0-ziUbf_5KsL9n45DiyL6b9GgxOTl-QxoODvlWf3GLAvaMhCBAUs-BLVbQKRJrYv-SAGc7n8UPP9hYukfYPq8S8V_MCmD0/s640/1a.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the many elaborate paintings in the Grand Palace. (Photo by Your City Promdi)</td></tr>
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The <a href="http://www.bangkok.com/attraction-palace/grand-palace.htm">Grand Palace</a> lives up to its name. It is a whole block of land filled with well-manicured courtyards, artistically-rendered government offices, and glittering architectural marvels composed of temples and palaces that was built for the royal family of Thailand.<br />
<br />
The king and queen, and the princess, do not take up residence here now and it is only used for rituals and some official functions, but the grandness and royalty are all still evident in the palace grounds. <br />
<br />
<h3>
<b>Wat Pho (Temple of the Lying Buddha)</b></h3>
A Buddhist temple, the <a href="http://www.bangkok.com/attraction-temple/wat-po.htm">Temple of the Lying Buddha</a> houses one of the largest Buddha statues in the world. Covered in gold, the statue itself is 46 meters long and fills almost the whole length of the wooden temple. It lies amidst the offerings of white lotus flowers and incense. The temple, meanwhile, is wooden but decorated with vibrant reds and greens on the inside. Outside, it is as bejeweled as any of the royal residences nearby. <br />
<br />
<h3>
<b>Street Shopping</b></h3>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhildBVE_kfM-gL3pvfOCLOL11R8_YX87DZMksHMfR00eG5PgPbSpa07fJb1OjTfPuQi7qupln6R3pGnAtsLz8sY4Hk3_WUDb4XCZ2etEf9wC0mvqG5Vl6_mv093YLl_FiYp_IZTtOhPKk/s1600/0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhildBVE_kfM-gL3pvfOCLOL11R8_YX87DZMksHMfR00eG5PgPbSpa07fJb1OjTfPuQi7qupln6R3pGnAtsLz8sY4Hk3_WUDb4XCZ2etEf9wC0mvqG5Vl6_mv093YLl_FiYp_IZTtOhPKk/s200/0.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Your City Promdi</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
You've heard about the budget shopping heaven that is Jatojak, yes? I maintain that Jatojak is a magical place that makes you forget time and shopping budget. I did enjoy going there and finding lots of good-quality items. <br />
<br />
Other than Jatojak, street shopping is also very common in most areas of Bangkok. At around 8PM, when establishments close, Bangkok side walks will start to fill with vendors of shoes, clothes, bags, underwear. Walk through them and find pretty treasures.<br />
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<br />
<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ivF58aIgJz9L2Zw1Ev2oyrH2cbCFdcqN-5mdJdjoiAVqzCHkLVEPvBm2ZKpmB5FyTFj8FxufHbrPUrolepPiCmbbpbr0sbhU88ChvJZBYdZOdjB2lAminvGWUJ2KuCYuIzAEwIfIzOk/s1600/2a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ivF58aIgJz9L2Zw1Ev2oyrH2cbCFdcqN-5mdJdjoiAVqzCHkLVEPvBm2ZKpmB5FyTFj8FxufHbrPUrolepPiCmbbpbr0sbhU88ChvJZBYdZOdjB2lAminvGWUJ2KuCYuIzAEwIfIzOk/s200/2a.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Your City Promdi</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h3>
<b>Street Food</b></h3>
One thing I discovered on this trip is this: <a href="https://yourcitypromdi.blogspot.com/2018/06/bkk2018-cooking-thai.html">the Thais love their food</a>. And there is really good (if very<br />
spicy) food to be had everywhere and at very low prices.<br />
<br />
During the day, there are little nooks and corners in Bangkok where street food vendors ply their trade. But in the evening, the streets bloom with streetside eateries that serve freshly prepared Thai food. I was very surprised to see that a lot of professionals are patronizing them, so I decided to join in on some of them. Try one of these eateries--they're good.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Thai Massage</h3>
<div>
After all of that walking, don't forget to try the best that Bangkok has to offer: its world-famous massage. Enjoy!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfsPkge74f-mbbPncNHQ4GhbsPHobmwOwWd5ZiVucrCD-tc-JaJDdzIVgyfn2UG0-eyc7ggFT43wJYzqIUszXaVuLXlByF2EhUOb_523lNEkPfMGv4gFSzrMGiEEIOPpvNSZcTPqoszEs/s1600/11246593_10155509074635304_4375083101735158322_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfsPkge74f-mbbPncNHQ4GhbsPHobmwOwWd5ZiVucrCD-tc-JaJDdzIVgyfn2UG0-eyc7ggFT43wJYzqIUszXaVuLXlByF2EhUOb_523lNEkPfMGv4gFSzrMGiEEIOPpvNSZcTPqoszEs/s640/11246593_10155509074635304_4375083101735158322_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Your City Promdi</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
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yourcitypromdihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12130431192542233841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009923812569627407.post-1906149999050925482018-06-24T22:41:00.000+08:002018-07-04T13:24:45.211+08:00Love is Presence<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr8ZfJSmCwGWch39KbagQwxrFwhYTqr-bhMTDi7HnDPzdvCwGxzErJJw3e6rwo4Mzro-IgFPn3bTYqQF0gZ4FUDJStMmKjnEuHDxomqfFOSW_79okZNlh2-Uw_bju9qQ9Glt-cBX1IX-Y/s1600/heart.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="219" data-original-width="230" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr8ZfJSmCwGWch39KbagQwxrFwhYTqr-bhMTDi7HnDPzdvCwGxzErJJw3e6rwo4Mzro-IgFPn3bTYqQF0gZ4FUDJStMmKjnEuHDxomqfFOSW_79okZNlh2-Uw_bju9qQ9Glt-cBX1IX-Y/s320/heart.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Graphic courtesy of www.carolplumridgeosteopathy.co.uk/</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Since I came into my adolescence, I had been a strong believer that love should be expressed in varied ways frequently. Whether it's the love of a child for a parent, the love between friends or siblings, or romantic love, I think that letting the other person know of that love benefits everyone.<br />
<br />
Even as I grew into adulthood, I continued to be vocal to my friends, parents, siblings, and my partner--letting them know I love them. I tell them in person, over text messages, sometimes even in the very public realm of social media. I figure, there's no drawback to building up someone with assurances of love.<br />
<br />
In the past few years, however, I realize that being vocal about love is useless without one other thing: your presence. Letting another person know of the love they hold for you is in danger of being meaningless if the pronouncement is left empty in one's absence.<br />
<br />
And presence here is not just about cheesy things like holding hands while walking, or having dinner together.<br />
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A love that is present means being fully available to the loved person. It means being ready to listen, to provide advice, to simply be a witness to failures and triumphs and the steady moments in between.<br />
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It means being ready to listen to dilemmas of wants and needs or clashing responsibilities, being available to brainstorm options, and to stand in support of whatever choices the beloved makes.<br />
<br />
A love that is present is nudging a friend in silence or sending virtual hugs to let them know they are not alone. It's a random text message sent by one friend to another, or one sibling to another to let them know that they are in each other's thoughts.<br />
<br />
It's taking a leave from work to accompany a friend to her x-ray appointment when she tore her knee ligament, or setting aside your lunchtime to escort a fiance to her friend's hospital appointment to drive them both after. It's driving through traffic for two hours to rescue a friend whose car broke down on a drizzling evening.<br />
<br />
The theory of the five languages of love is de rigoeur nowadays when talking about how to express and appreciate love. Now, I am realizing that at least communication and presence are just faces of the same love--together with service--and a love without any of those three is deflated.<br />
<br />
Here then is a wish: that we each recognize the gift of presence for the love that it is, and that we learn to back our words of love with our availability.<br />
<br />
Lastly, I leave you with this quote from my Gentleman Farmer, who agreed with my thesis statement in a very theological manner: "Yes, love is God and God is always present. It <br />
means always trusting in Him."yourcitypromdihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12130431192542233841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009923812569627407.post-85195933282385917112018-06-21T16:00:00.000+08:002018-06-21T20:35:55.912+08:006 Amazing Places to Visit In a Bicolandia Roadtrip<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJjpAVTEJortDp_84vgkdUtn7sJ4C29W-uFeKjqZinvlk1ycFJ90xLePwAr_BrPShNmt3FUmedygvaWzW57hl7hFt8q_aXi1HxUtZepuX03BTS9z1pBsqkC5gwIee_S5XeiD7MWbsc-LY/s1600/IMG_3382.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJjpAVTEJortDp_84vgkdUtn7sJ4C29W-uFeKjqZinvlk1ycFJ90xLePwAr_BrPShNmt3FUmedygvaWzW57hl7hFt8q_aXi1HxUtZepuX03BTS9z1pBsqkC5gwIee_S5XeiD7MWbsc-LY/s320/IMG_3382.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Magayon. (Photo by Your City Promdi) </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
A reunion, an amazing roadtrip and an awesome region. This is the tale of our four-day Bicolandia trip, and the six places we visited during a road trip around Bicol region. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It all started with two <i>balikbayans </i>who wanted to spend quality time with family in Bicol, and how they engineered a 265-kilometer trip for 11 people that took us through two regions, four provinces and about 20 cities and municipalities. It was a trip that flattens butts but flatters every Filipino who wants to show the "Wow Pilipinas" to their tourist friends! </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
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This Bicol trip took us through zigzag roads, beaches, lakes, mountains--and yes! the perfect Mount Mayon. It brought us to these six amazing places to visit in Bicol.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Panorama shot of Sumlang Lake, and Mount Mayon. (Photo by Your City Promdi)<br />
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<h3>
Sumlang Lake</h3>
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Don't judge the book by its cover, the adage says. In <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g7729614-d10345246-Reviews-Sumlang_Lake-Camalig_Albay_Province_Bicol_Region_Luzon.html">Sumlang Lake</a>'s case, don't judge it by the skinny roads and tiny residential houses you have to pass. It looks so nondescript and hardly has any advertisement along the way that Google Maps really is your only hope of finding this place. But wow! Is it worth the hassle. </div>
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Boasting a beautiful <i>bahay-na-bato</i> architecture, a perfectly designed lawn, an Instagram-worthy lake, and one amazing countryside view of Mount Mayon, Sumlang Lake houses a restaurant serving Filipino dishes. Meals are best taken in the second-floor dining room, which boasts of huge <i>capiz</i> windows, before flowing into a veranda that offers a view of the volcano and some fresh air coming from the lake. The establishment also has a souvenir shop, but I recommend saving your shopping for the next item on this list. </div>
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<a href="http://wowlegazpi.com/cagsawa-ruins/">Cagsawa Ruins </a></h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSiMeegX1QYbkWO1DPebBRnIFfFiMboWvqER5o8o-p8SVegekYLcp3ZI5k7Cz9kxrJBDOodres1wJuwpxwuB7210RYV3x0uF6OveU5mNKeTtFYcrv2vA5gUL6VG8F8YoK-gffVrJqEGBM/s1600/IMG_3362.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSiMeegX1QYbkWO1DPebBRnIFfFiMboWvqER5o8o-p8SVegekYLcp3ZI5k7Cz9kxrJBDOodres1wJuwpxwuB7210RYV3x0uF6OveU5mNKeTtFYcrv2vA5gUL6VG8F8YoK-gffVrJqEGBM/s200/IMG_3362.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Your City Promdi</td></tr>
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There's something poetic about the lone figure of the Cagsawa Bell Tower standing firm in front of the beautiful, fiery volcano.<br />
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The only survivor of a tragedy that had seen Mount Mayon angrily spew its lava and wipe out much of Cagsawa town, the Cagsawa Church had been burnt by Dutch pirates, rebuilt, then buried by a Mayon eruption. </div>
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Why come here? For its history, for another view of Mount Mayon, for the <i>halo-halo</i> served in its restaurant, and for the rows of <i>pasalubong</i> shops. Don't forget to buy a commemorative shirt, maybe a few trinkets and native <i>abaca</i> bags, and bags and bags of fresh <i>pili </i>products (choose the barely-processed version). </div>
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<h3>
Daraga Church </h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9w1ui5CNNn95K1lR6hQM09huy9u1SQcDsOXeL0N89SPF9NGDytZOJ96Iy3ciw0oJ7R1kpmlVmjLVBLr-FIpzv_ZircTNl0ckwR2GN6qe3ZMX8iYBZNjsJ2CaAut2R24OWKkz0G2gC9-s/s1600/IMG_3385.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9w1ui5CNNn95K1lR6hQM09huy9u1SQcDsOXeL0N89SPF9NGDytZOJ96Iy3ciw0oJ7R1kpmlVmjLVBLr-FIpzv_ZircTNl0ckwR2GN6qe3ZMX8iYBZNjsJ2CaAut2R24OWKkz0G2gC9-s/s640/IMG_3385.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Facade of Daraga Church. (Photo by Your City Promdi)</td></tr>
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There's so many reasons to visit <a href="http://wowlegazpi.com/daraga-church/">Daraga Church</a>. If you're a simple tourist, enjoy the amazing view of Mount Mayon from its hillside location. If you're a Roman Catholic, come to pray at the Nuestra Señora de la Porteria Parish Church. If you're a history buff, come to enjoy a site that had been declared as National Cultural Treasures, and marvel at the volcanic rocks used to build the church--interesting, given that this was built to replace Cagsawa Church after the latter's destruction. </div>
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Lignon Hill</h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilTvLELQfsGxQ2AAHCqZ0EhuYd-GcQmX6Qa0nKTJ2Gbwf8U-J-ABsvzSbClTFR7Yq_00K7paWSt7W0B-pWY4FgtBpjDw7-kxQpYax4qwjOrI8x-GP35oGAQCIwegL6vfeR6n6KFBxT2Dg/s1600/IMG_3395.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="1600" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilTvLELQfsGxQ2AAHCqZ0EhuYd-GcQmX6Qa0nKTJ2Gbwf8U-J-ABsvzSbClTFR7Yq_00K7paWSt7W0B-pWY4FgtBpjDw7-kxQpYax4qwjOrI8x-GP35oGAQCIwegL6vfeR6n6KFBxT2Dg/s640/IMG_3395.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The viewing deck offers a view of the airport, the city, all the way to the sea. (Photo by Your City Promdi)</td></tr>
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I feel like much of Albay had been designed to take in the beauty Mayon and to survive its wrath. <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g1643249-d1953993-Reviews-Lignon_Hill-Bicol_Region_Luzon.html">Lignon Hill </a>is no different. Situated on a hill that sits directly across from the volcano, it offers seats in which to view the Mayon, with enough kilometers in between to buffer the place from an explosion. It offers a semi-circular walk, that also provides a great view of the airport and the surrounding city and a glimpse of the sea. </div>
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Some travel advisers say, however, that the view is even better at night. My suggestion is to come in the morning, see the nearby zoo, hike and bike, and visit the nearby office of the Philippine Institute of Seismology and Vulcanology. Get a late lunch at the top of the hill, stay for coffee, and await the sunset. Then stay some more for a bird's eye view of the city at night. </div>
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Black Sand Beach </h3>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Your City Promdi.</td></tr>
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Okay, one caveat. Come to the Black Sand Beach either on a cloudy day or with good foot protection. The sand here is a fine--like what you will find in Boracay, but black. But black sand is hell for the feet on a sunny day, so come adequately prepared. </div>
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Enjoy the small town vibes, including the gentle slope of the beach. Afterwards, you can choose to wash off the sea water in a nearby (free) water pipe, or enjoy the amenities of a resort with a swimming pool (entrance fee: Php50.00). </div>
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Daruanak Island</h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtyTwidIcCj-56wyxrgrO-UW5tt2nUPRL8-JDkM7pUIzW5TJnjh5_kuWekOvmgE8Gau7cmPKcFgdNMrVz-N1PmYUy2TxO5EcGIERv5aY0R6SF990rs0yuSNAjNbqbj5GzWyWkCm5w7a88/s1600/IMG_3524.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="668" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtyTwidIcCj-56wyxrgrO-UW5tt2nUPRL8-JDkM7pUIzW5TJnjh5_kuWekOvmgE8Gau7cmPKcFgdNMrVz-N1PmYUy2TxO5EcGIERv5aY0R6SF990rs0yuSNAjNbqbj5GzWyWkCm5w7a88/s640/IMG_3524.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View on the way down from the Daruanak Island's peak. (Photo by Your City Promdi)</td></tr>
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Capping off our trip is Daruanak Island. Never mind the beach at Pasacao, which was crowded and noisy when we spent the night there, but it is a must to take an early morning boat ride to the nearby Daruanak Island. Shaped like an bald head when viewed from Pasacao Beach, the island is about 30 minutes away. Small, it is an easy climb for someone who wants a view of the surrounding corals and seas. Climb up the 263 steps to the peak, take 360-degree videos and photos, and take in the vibrant blues and greens of the surrounding vista. Come back down, jump in the boat, and swim in the other side of the island. Come with ice cream and cold water, if you can. </div>
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Logistics</h3>
We rented a van for this road trip, and followed Google Map's instructions to get to the places we want to visit. However, you can also take a bus or a plane to Albay, and just take public transportation to these places that we visited. For accommodation, check out <a href="http://bit.ly/EarnViaAgoda">Agoda</a> for a list of hotels. If you wish, you can also pitch a tent in some beaches. Just be sure to call ahead of time. Food is easy to find--choose from roadside carinderia, fastfood, and homegrown restaurants. Don't forget to enjoy the region's coconut milk-based food!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Come visit! (Photo by Your City Promdi) </td></tr>
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For the future</h3>
We had to forego many of the adventures that Bicol offers, including taking a dunk at the Camarines Sur Water Sports Complex, hiking and camping in Lignon, scurrying through the World War II-era tunnels, or enjoying the islands in Sorsogon. We intend to visit again!<br />
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yourcitypromdihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12130431192542233841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009923812569627407.post-13121864346428563962018-06-19T12:54:00.000+08:002018-06-19T12:54:00.209+08:00Beginning to Listen <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In light of the deaths of Anthony Bourdain and Kate Spade, which have shocked the public and turned the public conversation, I want to contribute a little something to bringing awareness to the issue by sharing the voices of people who are struggling with and triumphing over their mental state.<br />
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I will preface this by saying that I am far from being an expert. In fact, I admit that I am confused about mental health, mental conditions. I am cognizant that I will never fully know what it's like for people who suffer through depression. However, I do believe that we need to educate ourselves and to learn how best to support people who are suffering, and that process can only begin by listening to those who have intimate knowledge of mental <span style="font-size: x-small;">illness.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">This article called <a href="https://themighty.com/2017/08/need-struggling-with-mental-illness-today/">"What I need when I tell you I'm struggling with mental illness today"</a> is straightforward about what we need to do to support people in our circle grappling with mental illness. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "lato" , sans-serif;">Awful days will happen. Days where the suicidal thoughts are relentless — they happen. Those days, which sometimes turn into weeks, where I can’t get out of bed or shower or smile or remember to brush my teeth, they are expected. Bad days will happen and it’s often on these days that I receive more judgment than I do gentleness and understanding. On these days I need compassion, grace and understanding that I’m fighting something really hard — and maybe some ice cream. What I do not need is to be questioned about whether I took my medication, if I had too much to drink this past weekend or if I’ve been staying up too late. Unless you deeply and truly know what it’s like to wake up one day and have your own voice telling you to kill yourself, I don’t think you are allowed to pass judgment.</span> </span></blockquote>
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With permission from the author, I would also like to share with you in full below, <a href="https://medium.com/@steffitady/what-i-learned-from-having-bipolar-part-i-71b9f497038f">"What I learned from having bipolar" </a>by Steffy Tad-y.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;">Two and a half years after being diagnosed, I am incredibly grateful to be at this point where I can say that its presence in my life has shown its gifts. Bipolar has given me so much, sometimes too much, but always enough to bring me into gratefulness that I’m alive, with a beating heart, and enough core muscles to breathe and belly-laugh sustainably.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;">We are all in different points in our journey and regardless of where we are, I want to take the chance to be here, vocal and confident, for my fellow Bipolies in a way that others have before me.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;">(The first doctor who diagnosed and carried me through also has Bipolar.)</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;">But before sharing its gifts, I want to clarify that having Bipolar doesn’t mean having a moment-to-moment shift from being happy to being sad. It’s also not about being moody. (If you are curious to know more, I encourage you to look up the DSM-V symptoms of Bipolar, formerly known as Manic Depression.)</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;">Depression isn’t synonymous with sadness, and mania doesn’t simply mean elation.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;">For Bipolar I to be Bipolar I, both depression and mania must exist — a.) in episodes (7 days or more for a full blown mania, 14 days or more for depression), and b.) must inhibit your ability to function in daily life.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;">The categories of DSM are also continuously revised and revisited, so a healthy dose of skepticism and flexibility is also important when perusing the DSM.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;">When in doubt, seek help from a professional. Wherever you are in the galaxy, I want you to know that there is absolutely no shame in going to a psychiatrist or psychologist. They are healers and carers who decided to commit their lives to helping people. Let them.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;">Usually, if you map out your life, you become sure of Bipolar when you see a recurring pattern of periodic highs and lows. If you were to ask me what my “low” looks like, it’s not a feeling of sadness, but an insistent, clobbering tiredness. (I know something’s up when I hear myself saying “really tired” for days and no matter how much I sleep, meditate, or practice yoga, the tiredness doesn’t go away. It feels like it can seep through your bones.)</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;">Some more points to make:</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;">It’s okay to ride a rollercoaster of feelings — to feel sad when your favourite ballplayer is injured, or to feel happy when you don’t have to sit through 2 hours of Manila traffic. It’s okay to feel both happy and sad, and it’s okay to cycle through them. You can trust yourself to ride it because every feeling eventually goes away. Everything is temporary.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;">It is also okay to spend time to grieve, or re-grieve, when you’ve experienced a loss in your life. It is okay to cry it out, to ask for a hug, or to run through triggering loops in your head even if you already said a thousand times that you wouldn’t. We all need time. It is okay to create time and space for yourself when you need it. Your concerns are important, no matter how small you may feel they are to the world. (Because you are important to the world.)</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;">And on the subject of grief, one crucial and ongoing debate among scholars and researchers is at what point do we medicalize grief? A lot of people are onboard in saying that we ought to exercise caution in pathologizing our emotions. They are an inherent part of being human, and are raw materials for creating beautiful art, film, music, and poetry. Medicalizing, pathologizing, the role of emotions — I’ll leave that for another post.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;">For today’s post —</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;">Because of Bipolar, I learned how to be my own best friend.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;">I learned how to honestly check-in with myself — to know the difference between pain and discomfort, to know when to listen to my thoughts and when to ignore them, to know when I am caught in a internal narrative or when I am being fully present, to observe when I am constricting or expanding, to be aware when I am being tender or hard, to know when I am coming from a place of fear or whole-heartedness, and to not judge myself in the process.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;">Because of Bipolar, I learned to mouth praises for myself (no matter how challenging that can be). I learned to forgive myself for my mistakes (the process of which began with me having to pretend that the red pillow on my psychologist’s sofa is Steffi, and I have to say out loud to this red pillow turned Steffi, “I forgive you and I love you.”) Managing one’s mental illness can be interesting at times, and it trains you to confront the difficult things.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;">Because of Bipolar, I also learned how to be gentle with myself. Learning how to soothe yourself, how to be your own encourager and caretaker are important because for many of us, being thrown into the Bipolar life means seeing yourself in this diagnosis of malfunction in fine print. It takes awhile to fully believe that there is still something good and beautiful in you.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;">I know it’s difficult to be called names, to be the psycho in somebody’s story, the paranoid suicidal, or the crazy one.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;">But dear bipolar one, I promise that you are not damaged goods.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;">There is something beautiful, there is something good in you.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;">There is something beautiful, there is something good in you.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;">I promise, I promise.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;">Love,</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: xx-small;">Your bipolar sister, order of General Leia Organa</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">By no means are the</span>se two articles I shared representative of the hundreds of experiences of people who suffer from mental illness. There are different mental illnesses, symptoms, and treatments. There are as many ways of supporting someone who is suffering from mental illness as the people who suffer. But I think these two articles are good ways to start opening our minds and hearts, perhaps to talk with someone suffering from mental illness or just to be there when they need support.yourcitypromdihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12130431192542233841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009923812569627407.post-6487830166021853742018-06-12T18:35:00.000+08:002018-06-13T10:43:18.610+08:00BKK2018 | Cooking Thai<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Your City Promdi</td></tr>
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Bangkok is the city that taught me how to like spicy food. In fact, the food here is so good, you can do nothing but eat in Bangkok and call it an excellent travel experience. The food is an explosion of flavors--both strong and mild--blended perfectly.<br />
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Capturing the cuisine</h3>
Their vegetables are often crisp and cooked very lightly. Their soups can be light and comforting or creamy and heavy and perfect to pair with jasmine rice. The seafood here is gorgeous--shrimp and squid, clams and mussels, high-quality fish--and cooked almost always perfectly, in whatever way they are prepared. Perhaps that's even the reason why I love the food in Bangkok so much, the fresh seafood is just to die for. Then of course, there is the dessert--mango sticky rice is good, their milk tea is refreshing, and their selection of fruit drinks are some of the best that the tropical weather can offer.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1U1vfsQJ3sHbrp9v21-RUDu0dU7xO8BqV5Jo20pYN5PK3cF-_ddxGNkVVO2O8NGRIMan9SyinTGfNGHHzdj_qU206b-DU2dDNxcCa4mIr-jE2yJgB1wc0Kwk2DZgJ1yOHxpqIJi5o8gI/s1600/IMG_3056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1U1vfsQJ3sHbrp9v21-RUDu0dU7xO8BqV5Jo20pYN5PK3cF-_ddxGNkVVO2O8NGRIMan9SyinTGfNGHHzdj_qU206b-DU2dDNxcCa4mIr-jE2yJgB1wc0Kwk2DZgJ1yOHxpqIJi5o8gI/s320/IMG_3056.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tom yong goong, hotel style. (Photo by Your City Promdi)</td></tr>
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The price points of food here in Bangkok does not even matter. Hotels and high-end restaurants will have wonderfully plated, sometimes-fusion, offerings. A traveler can try those and be satisfied.<br />
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But Bangkok's street food is where the city can truly be tasted. Street food is a perfectly acceptable communal way to dine. It is normal to see simple homes opening up to a few tables where anyone--expats and locals alike--can be seen enjoying local cuisine together. I've had one memorable trip where I walked more than I expected, and was so thankful that at the end of it, I found a fried chicken stall. It was glorious. On many working days, street food vendors get quite busy with lunch goers in their suits and skirts enjoying a quick, light meal of noodles with veggies and fishballs, or tom yum, or pad thai, or rice topped with a viand. Snack offerings are quite healthy, with guava, mangoes, melon, pineapples and watermelon available most of the year.<br />
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Firing up the wok</h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwYGnF9Yh9S0RbDZOyE2eLIjqfYVQ3xYbzgQQDiYDyWX7wCF1cio0MAIqBm582J6tH5NiTzavoVHuuX26ru5FRJNb1Y4Ea8PMJTx_8JhdZFXoY6wKJppLhc4u87ePkyTEtCJn6aRURA7g/s1600/IMG_3055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwYGnF9Yh9S0RbDZOyE2eLIjqfYVQ3xYbzgQQDiYDyWX7wCF1cio0MAIqBm582J6tH5NiTzavoVHuuX26ru5FRJNb1Y4Ea8PMJTx_8JhdZFXoY6wKJppLhc4u87ePkyTEtCJn6aRURA7g/s320/IMG_3055.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Your City Promdi</td></tr>
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On my recent trip to Bangkok, food was a definite high point. On my very first night, despite vowing not to be cliche, I ordered a bowl of tom yum goong (Thai shrimp soursoup). What can I say? It's comforting, sinigang-like but with a spicy kick. It's the perfect way to cap off a long day of traveling.<br />
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On the very next evening, I went with my work mates to a Thai cooking class. There are options for whole-day classes that includes going to the market and learning to buy the ingredients, but we only opted for a three-hour class that went straight to cooking.<br />
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We went to a place called <a href="http://bangkokthaicookingacademy.com/">Bangkok Thai Cooking Academy</a>. Housed in a nondescript building, it welcomed us into an open-floor layout, two-thirds of which had tables full of cooking ingredients and the back third had cooking stations. Our instructor was a cheery Thai lady whose English is all the better for her humor.<br />
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We cooked dishes: tom yum goong, pad thai, fresh spring rolls, and mango sticky rice. Check out some photos from the class.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Raw ingredients. (Photo by Your City Promdi)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just a few minutes before firing up the wok! (Photo by Your City Promdi)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Z2R-gvx0-8GYfCyvl4D8Y3LKhASvt18Zk_lWBDAwQQzNZl2XLCiCMEoCdpOgHLY3ogiHvwO036EYbUEMER8cpc-a6IwP4vF9-qMJAFHFSKUkhjAvWLk0EoCmPRVR1QxOIQvuSx1k3X8/s1600/IMG_3098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Z2R-gvx0-8GYfCyvl4D8Y3LKhASvt18Zk_lWBDAwQQzNZl2XLCiCMEoCdpOgHLY3ogiHvwO036EYbUEMER8cpc-a6IwP4vF9-qMJAFHFSKUkhjAvWLk0EoCmPRVR1QxOIQvuSx1k3X8/s400/IMG_3098.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our very own Thai food (Photo by Your City Promdi)</td></tr>
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<br />yourcitypromdihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12130431192542233841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009923812569627407.post-55342473285159951792018-06-03T16:27:00.000+08:002018-06-12T18:15:39.712+08:00BKK2018 | Guardian of the Garden<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5qUOH6bMs6KGctYxwXa0oRe-P0ySUWiIa7rEqcrBZbeHNDhi9JVwYRGuhdHxsCO1mQSay4u8ogkbQfIjal29QlHba-v3tjnCaSMWMnJlISAjMKIDgLwbefbqNuidacf8TSmW22dIkD4k/s1600/IMG_2960.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5qUOH6bMs6KGctYxwXa0oRe-P0ySUWiIa7rEqcrBZbeHNDhi9JVwYRGuhdHxsCO1mQSay4u8ogkbQfIjal29QlHba-v3tjnCaSMWMnJlISAjMKIDgLwbefbqNuidacf8TSmW22dIkD4k/s320/IMG_2960.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Your City Promdi</td></tr>
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Bangkok is one of Southeast Asia's leading cities, and yet it manages to keep its traditions. Maybe it's the strong monarchy, or the fact that the country had never been subjugated by outside any other power, or even the people of Bangkok themselves, but the city was able to meld the local culture with modernity.<br />
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The result is a vibrant urban atmosphere that feels both organic and energetic.<br />
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In order to experience more of that Thai culture, on this visit to Bangkok, I made sure to visit at least one museum despite my tight schedule. With the help of Google Maps, I narrowed down my museum hunt those within 20 minutes of my Bangkok hotel along Petchaburi Road. I found the Siam Museum, which was closed, and the Museum of Floral Cultures. My choice was made: as soon as I landed and checked into my hotel, off I went to what I called the 'flower museum'!<br />
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<h2>
Garden in the heart of the city<br />
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It took my Grab driver a few wrong turns to discover the museum's location, nestled as it is in a residential neighborhood. Nondescript from the outside, it offers a surprising visual and cultural feast on the inside.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbGSAO0qwqKL2lZGbNk-CjBEOkLHgB6FGUUrAySk-i2yUrrpH9NuQ2iXQnvWi2HIu-ZUoeZUwrSPfCGFkzFptBQ3YL0lFNqwlPpwKyjZdKFk9Cyvo_YN19G5mZ965bzSpGyNRbQ7IdfbA/s1600/IMG_2964.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbGSAO0qwqKL2lZGbNk-CjBEOkLHgB6FGUUrAySk-i2yUrrpH9NuQ2iXQnvWi2HIu-ZUoeZUwrSPfCGFkzFptBQ3YL0lFNqwlPpwKyjZdKFk9Cyvo_YN19G5mZ965bzSpGyNRbQ7IdfbA/s320/IMG_2964.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Your City Promdi</td></tr>
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Housed in a century-old house, the museum welcomed me with a display of fresh blossoms on leading to a cafe, and a fountain decked in plants and veiled by a curtain of arranged flowers. After paying my registration for a guided tour (about 150THB), I hung around a bit in the front garden to wait for my tour set to start. Inching closer to the house, I noticed a set-up of mirror with flower arrangements next to the steps to the museum house. In front of the house were a few chairs--perhaps for waiting guests--and beyond that is a tiny pocket garden almost completely surrounded with tropical plants and adorned with a table shaded with a huge umbrella.<br />
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Looking to the wooden house itself, I found myself faced with the stern notice to take off my shoes. That's something I took well given the high polish of the wood steps leading to the museum porch, which wraps around the front and the one side of the house. The front has a little notice board with tiny clippings about the museum, and the side porch features several table set-up for guests who want to enjoy a bit of tea and sweets.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigX15s3dSal3CUZxrndQZSoTSlUaLMyvpfpF6AjSxeX7pIHf6g9gfBqbgxYZagYLPxh0V2hkpgOwVu2RydQQlRkf3iFf4CY0cNrT7FQIL7v91MJpwWV-vT6yEVNwOV7aQcAi7lUnFvFcw/s1600/IMG_2968.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigX15s3dSal3CUZxrndQZSoTSlUaLMyvpfpF6AjSxeX7pIHf6g9gfBqbgxYZagYLPxh0V2hkpgOwVu2RydQQlRkf3iFf4CY0cNrT7FQIL7v91MJpwWV-vT6yEVNwOV7aQcAi7lUnFvFcw/s640/IMG_2968.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Welcoming guests is this fountain flanked by plants and a curtain of shells and flowers. (Photo by Your City Promdi)</td></tr>
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<h3>
Meet the guardian: Sakul Intakul</h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOPDTPckswO_SHEDqZdSbefsuy2yUgewPZWaYUktrhEOLHV7J4HOBjDMLAPVPkrImkh-HdsyVBeDuoeJVBkzCPFgZR9azWJoJTaH_pLaYK7_2f2KQjbRW7obfmapT45W-hVnM0eJpbLjI/s1600/IMG_3047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOPDTPckswO_SHEDqZdSbefsuy2yUgewPZWaYUktrhEOLHV7J4HOBjDMLAPVPkrImkh-HdsyVBeDuoeJVBkzCPFgZR9azWJoJTaH_pLaYK7_2f2KQjbRW7obfmapT45W-hVnM0eJpbLjI/s320/IMG_3047.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Your City Promdi with Sakul Intakul. </td></tr>
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The Museum of Floral Cultures began through the efforts of <a href="http://www.sakulintakul.com/about.html">Sakul Intakul</a>.<br />
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He was hanging out in the front cafe when I arrived. I thought at first that he was a casual tourist like me, only realizing who he was after I've had the full tour and he came up to me to ask how I liked the place and to add me on Facebook. For such an accomplished person, he was really down-to-earth.<br />
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A renowned Thai floral artist, his designs had been featured in fashion runways, glamorous film festivals, lavish weddings and even royal banquets. Still quite active in the industry, his style mixes both the simple, such as a single stem of flower in a small but delicately shaped vase, to truly ornate, as in flowers arranged in one continuous wave installation or as chandeliers for a ballroom. His designs are consciously designed as shapes, perhaps inspired by his past life as an engineer.<br />
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According to the guided tour, Sakul Intakul founded the museum as a repository of the unique floral Thai arts and craft across centuries.<br />
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<h3>
'Not flower arrangements'</h3>
The tour itself felt friendly. I had an English-speaking guide who took me through the two-story house and through Thai regions and history. We breezed through old framed photos of samples of the use of flowers in different events and occasions from a hundred years back, such as school activities, neighborhood festivities, weddings, royal processions, and funerals. The stories are brought to life by real life examples on display around the museum.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggSO0Zy0-EWvZDw-MEipKKri3BDVvpPkdjWtJPph3BZsQ6sGUU5FLbHkgF8I772T0esyBs9Vrf6Vnh0sKdgy79CkLHG95sZ1lTAqeNoypJAujBimR2j80JqEvmM-THhnWBlqcG5-ojDF8/s1600/IMG_2988.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggSO0Zy0-EWvZDw-MEipKKri3BDVvpPkdjWtJPph3BZsQ6sGUU5FLbHkgF8I772T0esyBs9Vrf6Vnh0sKdgy79CkLHG95sZ1lTAqeNoypJAujBimR2j80JqEvmM-THhnWBlqcG5-ojDF8/s320/IMG_2988.JPG" width="320" /></a>I learned that while Thai people--unconquered by any Western power--appreciated, studied and sometimes assimilated flower arrangements, they stood firm in the way that they used flowers. As my guide said, "What you will see are not flower arrangments. We call them Thai flower craft."<br />
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And craft they are indeed. While Western flower arrangements often take the whole flower and leaves to be designed into shape, Thai flower craft takes petals and individual flowers, painstakingly and delicately re-configuring them into something completely new. Thai flower artists primarily use three techniques: sewing, pinning and tying. You have to visit the museum in order to understand how they are used.<br />
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The last part of the tour is a walk in gardens and backyard. There are large tropical palms and wild climbing vines that accent the manicured lawns and flowering trees. Off to one corner is a gazebo with wooden furniture and a curtain of flowers, situated next to a swimming pool. The tour guide said that this is often rented for wedding parties.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc4RXHS6XQrCEk5-eCC1oESIYbelFW7GH8I_4JhMViR_Vky9THDNFNRLecDvKc2f-pOJ9AW-0DTcjA16_SP-T222uQhW8wxI_h8CfHiUY9C2xsPeg4XLMsR4sa0SS04IGzQD7QvtZy-Bc/s1600/IMG_3034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc4RXHS6XQrCEk5-eCC1oESIYbelFW7GH8I_4JhMViR_Vky9THDNFNRLecDvKc2f-pOJ9AW-0DTcjA16_SP-T222uQhW8wxI_h8CfHiUY9C2xsPeg4XLMsR4sa0SS04IGzQD7QvtZy-Bc/s640/IMG_3034.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Your City Promdi</td></tr>
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Some notes for those who wish to visit the museum:<br />
Location: <a href="https://www.google.com.ph/maps?q=flower+museum+thailand&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiAh6DXirfbAhXST30KHdRkBAgQ_AUICygC">315 Samsen Rd. Soi 28, Yaek Ongkarak 13, Dusit, Bangkok 10300, Thailand</a><br />
Business Hours: Everyday, until 6:00pm.<br />
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<br />yourcitypromdihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12130431192542233841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009923812569627407.post-67384651369460589392018-05-21T11:43:00.000+08:002018-05-21T14:07:37.518+08:00Museum Tour: Asia through my Insta<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV-xB_wCtp5fq4Mn5JALr6Z1NLqUNN5gVMZCrwERtdt38JPP4m1c8lf3cGuEYip89zw_aIwaVXR1Lt0u2hJJqTMToMwRUoeFKVXoRe-xL7_vvCJsK2_agnYMbth6O9K0gxV9iq7ny8zfo/s1600/Intramuros.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV-xB_wCtp5fq4Mn5JALr6Z1NLqUNN5gVMZCrwERtdt38JPP4m1c8lf3cGuEYip89zw_aIwaVXR1Lt0u2hJJqTMToMwRUoeFKVXoRe-xL7_vvCJsK2_agnYMbth6O9K0gxV9iq7ny8zfo/s200/Intramuros.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
We celebrated International Museum Days last May 18.<br />
<br />
In honor of the day, I want to take you on a little tour across Asia, with a sneak peek of museums I have visited across the region via some of Instagram posts in the last three or four years.<br />
<h3>
Indonesia: House of Sampoerna Museum Surabaya</h3>
Surabaya is an industrial town that has worked towards becoming a model for a sustainable city. It does not have the flair or hectic energy of Indonesia's capital, but I was very glad to discover one of its museums during a 2016 visit.<br />
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BIhEWNFAzG9/" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Angeli Alba (@sweetangel03lc)</a> on <time datetime="2016-07-31T07:00:19+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Jul 31, 2016 at 12:00am PDT</time></div>
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<h3>
Japan </h3>
This photo comes from Kyoto during a 2015 visit. I cannot remember what the name of the place was, only that it was part of a sprawling zen garden that has been turned into an artistic and historical experience.<br />
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/zmWvdnk6W7/" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Angeli Alba (@sweetangel03lc)</a> on <time datetime="2015-02-27T09:17:59+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Feb 27, 2015 at 1:17am PST</time></div>
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<h3>
Malaysia</h3>
I came by this museum quite by accident. The hotel I was in sent me an invitation to the opening of their in-house gallery and I decided to visit. So here are the treasures I found there.<br />
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/-QyLCXk6fP/" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Angeli Alba (@sweetangel03lc)</a> on <time datetime="2015-11-19T09:59:43+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Nov 19, 2015 at 1:59am PST</time></div>
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<h3>
Singapore</h3>
This came from a museum extension exhibit in a mall. I snapped these as we were waiting for the showing of Les Miserables.<br />
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BL8sOMZgCVw/" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Angeli Alba (@sweetangel03lc)</a> on <time datetime="2016-10-24T14:02:26+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Oct 24, 2016 at 7:02am PDT</time></div>
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<h3>
Thailand: H Gallery</h3>
During my last work assignment in Bangkok, I was too tired to actually go around and just barely found the strength to leave my hotel room. The museum I found closest to my hotel is H Gallery. I went there, but found that they were renovating the whole place. Luckily, the curator was present (and in jeans and paint-splattered shirt), and decided to let me in and show me the museum's collection. Sure, they were in storage and not prettily hang up on the museum's walls but it was a pretty good experience nonetheless.<br />
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BMv8JzGA0WX/" data-instgrm-version="8" style="background: #FFF; border-radius: 3px; border: 0; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: -webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width: 99.375%; width: calc(100% - 2px);">
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BMv8JzGA0WX/" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Angeli Alba (@sweetangel03lc)</a> on <time datetime="2016-11-13T11:42:54+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Nov 13, 2016 at 3:42am PST</time></div>
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<h3>
Philippines: Pambansang Museo ng Pilipinas </h3>
I will end with this one because this is home.<br />
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One thing I recently learned about the National Museum of the Philippines is that it is not just the two buildings in Manila, but instead it is a collection of museums across the Philippines. I have to admit that I have only visited maybe three of them, and my undoubted favorite is the one now housed in the Old Senate Building because I liked looking at the artwork inside better than learning about Philippine history and culture in the other museum building.<br />
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I've of course featured the National Museum before, in <a href="http://bit.ly/EyesHere">2017</a> with The Gentleman Farmer and <a href="http://bit.ly/Beauty-Love">in 2015 with a colleague who encourage me to see Juan Luna's Spoliarium</a>.<br />
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<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BfpWO-RAQnf/" data-instgrm-version="8" style="background: #FFF; border-radius: 3px; border: 0; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: -webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width: 99.375%; width: calc(100% - 2px);">
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BfpWO-RAQnf/" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Angeli Alba (@sweetangel03lc)</a> on <time datetime="2018-02-26T04:12:36+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Feb 25, 2018 at 8:12pm PST</time></div>
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bfn9gIagahu/" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Angeli Alba (@sweetangel03lc)</a> on <time datetime="2018-02-25T15:17:15+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Feb 25, 2018 at 7:17am PST</time></div>
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Do consider visiting the new <a href="http://pop.inquirer.net/2018/01/national-museum-natural-history-set-open-international-museum-day-2018/">National Museum of Natural History</a>, which opened on International Museums Day too!<br />
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Bonus Philippine museum: <a href="http://www.metmuseum.ph/">Metropolitan Museum of Manila</a><br />
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/wQtv5UE6QU/" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Angeli Alba (@sweetangel03lc)</a> on <time datetime="2014-12-06T10:01:33+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Dec 6, 2014 at 2:01am PST</time></div>
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<br />yourcitypromdihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12130431192542233841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009923812569627407.post-13261002317509416942018-05-18T08:57:00.000+08:002018-05-18T08:57:12.088+08:00Haciendera Life<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisj9Wapag0x0jbBCp7QJQNLuuGrzcsDy-ADJcyY2lpbkdMMLzoWm_ZVf0sZED5yBi5oRJIYQOs-8_F49S8JbJ-iMqcImArpojhgwR37L5to-CNKx17sfHGAqBHQiPf_ozMgtmzryj2esA/s1600/DdXB0sRVAAApqQX.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisj9Wapag0x0jbBCp7QJQNLuuGrzcsDy-ADJcyY2lpbkdMMLzoWm_ZVf0sZED5yBi5oRJIYQOs-8_F49S8JbJ-iMqcImArpojhgwR37L5to-CNKx17sfHGAqBHQiPf_ozMgtmzryj2esA/s320/DdXB0sRVAAApqQX.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Avocados, a couple of months before ripening. <br />(Photo by Your City Promdi)</td></tr>
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Not really. But at this time, when the fruit trees are in full bloom, the flowers are at their most vivid and the vegetables at their crunchiest, it does feel a little like being a haciendera.<br />
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That means...<br />
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1. Enjoying months of anticipation, from when the first bloom shows up to when the fruit ripens. <br />
2. Getting fresh vegetables anytime, and preparing true plot-to-plate food.<br />
3. Harvesting fruits, with enough to spare and give out to neighbors and friends.<br />
4. Staring at nothing, or maybe having breakfast or working from our terrace, with just the plants to keep me company. <br />
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Life is good, and it isn't about money or property.yourcitypromdihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12130431192542233841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009923812569627407.post-73378147536651792582018-05-16T14:20:00.001+08:002018-05-16T14:20:15.152+08:00Mayo Quince: Queen of FiestasAn oft-heard echo from my childhood: If you're a Filipino, there's a feast every day of the calendar.<br />
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I don't know if that's accurate. What I know for sure is May is the month of fiestas, and for us here in Quezon--there's no day more festive than May 15. <br />
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May 15 is the day that the Catholic Church set aside to honor St. Isidore, patron saint of agriculture. For an agricultural area like Quezon and its farmers, the saint looms large as companion to pray with for a good harvest. Thus, the common theme for many of the feasts that we celebrate in Quezon for on this day is a lavish display of agricultural produce: bananas, rice, coconuts, and other vegetables and fruits abound. They are displayed on houses and sometimes given away, in thanksgiving for a the bounty of the land.<br />
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This year, The Gentleman Farmer spent May 15 in Sariaya, Quezon, where they celebrate the Agawan Festival. The event is named for the custom of 'agawan' or competing to grab goodies tied on tall bamboo sticks along the roads that the parade honoring St. Isidore passed.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYi_TmZNAXue9QOObGhfVTFaSnjMWOTvHIMeK4KS_V2RbXFBvFUNiVEGlh1blZnnXEL9aRrkj0yyZGCoskHheh-DNRQkBLSYTjqPsxrMn0ZLbrjqACMX3Wnq91n9UGVM0oXwmSTyzdVFw/s1600/32590549_10214216873593765_766186019161636864_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYi_TmZNAXue9QOObGhfVTFaSnjMWOTvHIMeK4KS_V2RbXFBvFUNiVEGlh1blZnnXEL9aRrkj0yyZGCoskHheh-DNRQkBLSYTjqPsxrMn0ZLbrjqACMX3Wnq91n9UGVM0oXwmSTyzdVFw/s400/32590549_10214216873593765_766186019161636864_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Those goodies are up for grabs during the Agawan Festival in Sariaya, Quezon. (Photo by The Gentleman Farmer)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFU9mzH7kKSfa76yCIbeuaxcUbnGDkp4O0zB9cDO8JMYr72IXX-Ab_hH0NKRDCCR2u_NWX9rrR01eMWCtj8SJtxap7CDUlpCXUu6p1y_mEkfN4U7KIa9TASpLcmyxYm3cMg4F6hE6lWMs/s1600/32392100_10214216874593790_6673713294844362752_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFU9mzH7kKSfa76yCIbeuaxcUbnGDkp4O0zB9cDO8JMYr72IXX-Ab_hH0NKRDCCR2u_NWX9rrR01eMWCtj8SJtxap7CDUlpCXUu6p1y_mEkfN4U7KIa9TASpLcmyxYm3cMg4F6hE6lWMs/s400/32392100_10214216874593790_6673713294844362752_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by The Gentleman Farmer</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfwrtN7oQRr6Heblulphyphenhyphengc9jKN8FEwXT7dlnYxyAwousZGO5F1uaswawyNFyD8GaQs2XWdl1MuUvKHXlg3lMVtBqblodhbNTq3OKuh7Vd7oRh8c8M4UjpZlHWbCh7zgdSf30ljKCpC_c/s1600/32460629_10214216874873797_255626111176671232_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfwrtN7oQRr6Heblulphyphenhyphengc9jKN8FEwXT7dlnYxyAwousZGO5F1uaswawyNFyD8GaQs2XWdl1MuUvKHXlg3lMVtBqblodhbNTq3OKuh7Vd7oRh8c8M4UjpZlHWbCh7zgdSf30ljKCpC_c/s400/32460629_10214216874873797_255626111176671232_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by The Gentleman Farmer</td></tr>
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Check out more photos from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pg/radyokaisahan107.7fm/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1119764608165203">this post</a>.<br />
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Other Quezon festivals on this day: the famous <a href="https://www.tagaloglang.com/pahiyas-festival-lucban-quezon/">Pahiyas Festival </a>in Lucban, Arana't Baluarte in Gumaza, Hagisan ng Suman in Tayabas, and Pabitin Festival in Catanauan.<br />
<br />yourcitypromdihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12130431192542233841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009923812569627407.post-85249425099414343992018-04-30T11:32:00.002+08:002018-07-09T12:17:40.420+08:00Updated! 5 Easy Steps to an Australian Tourist Visa<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwrbYuIWCgST2dZwnWgr83OK4B9a6e1DmMkws9fpkbWfaofV6P3eW6qJf8b8o0LLPYjHlkEMRAT24AczNcuIZZt8_rcwgrwUwLCw_3fGaTwUGBJXMOMV7ghCcodfB0GSRJJbPTnEaMppI/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwrbYuIWCgST2dZwnWgr83OK4B9a6e1DmMkws9fpkbWfaofV6P3eW6qJf8b8o0LLPYjHlkEMRAT24AczNcuIZZt8_rcwgrwUwLCw_3fGaTwUGBJXMOMV7ghCcodfB0GSRJJbPTnEaMppI/s640/images.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from Lonely Planet</td></tr>
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After three years of talking about it, I've finally done it: seriously plan a trip to Australia.<br />
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With a set of my three very good boy friends and our significant others, we agreed last June to come and visit my friend (pseudonym AJR) and his wife in Sydney in August. That's in the middle of effing winter (which I heard is expected to be worse than usual), bless my tropical soul. But that's our birth month, so August it is!<br />
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The planning for now is quite simple at this point: get an Australian visa, book cheap round-trip tickets to Sydney, and let AJR plan our our itinerary during our one-week stay. In early April, I finally received approval for my Australian visa--YAY!<br />
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Below, I want to share the five easy steps I followed in applying for a tourist visa to Australia.<br />
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Do note that I will only be sharing about the process I went through as an individual traveler who lodged an application for a tourist visa. If you are processing a visa application with a group or for something other than a tourist visa, <a href="https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/trav">do check the Australian embassy's website for more details</a>. <br />
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1. Identify the correct type of Visa</h3>
Make sure that the visa you are requesting for is the most appropriate for the kind of trip you are planning for. Mine was fairly straightforward: I'm going there to visit a friend, and will stay for about a week to 10 days. To be safe, however, I still went through the website of the Australia Embassy in the Philippines, on what is called the Visa Finder, where you can answer a set of questions to help <a href="https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/trav/visa-1">determine the best type of visa suited for my purpose</a>. My results showed that I have to apply for an Australian subclass 600 visa, the equivalent of what we usually refer to as a tourist visa. The subclass 600 allows you to enter the country and stay there for 90 days. It will limit you from working in the country. However, there are cases when this type of visa can allow you to study for up to 90 days in the country.<br />
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2. Create an account with Australia's Department of Home Affairs. </h3>
Once you have identified the kind of visa that you have to apply for, you can start with the online application, which the Australian embassy encourages for Philippine passport holders. That all begins with <a href="https://online.immi.gov.au/lusc/login">creating your personal account</a> in ImmiAccount, which collects your basic information along with contact information such as your email address and your mobile or landline number. Once you have created your account, you should receive an email confirmation. Make sure to click on the link provided and follow instructions.<br />
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3. Fill-out the application form. </h3>
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With your account confirmed, you can start working on your application form. The information is collected in batches, and the system will ask for data about your family and other contacts in the Philippines and in Australia, your employment or livelihood history. It will also ask questions around your travel, criminal and financial history. There will be a total of about 20 pages of questions that you have to fill out. Don't rush through this process. Read everything twice, be careful about entering your details, and always double check facts and even spelling.<br />
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Do not worry if you need to verify or hunt information that you do not have on hand. The system allows you to save your information, which is filed through a visa transaction number that you will receive via your email address so it will be easier for you to return and continue with filling up the application form. You can also return to the system to correct information that you have already entered, for as long as you have not submitted the information yet.<br />
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4. Upload supporting documents. </h3>
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The system will also ask you to upload digital copies of various documents to support the information that you have included in your application form. Some of the documents that you have to upload: passport and another government-issued ID (mine was the UMID ID I got from SSS, but you can also use TIN, postal ID, and others), an ID picture, and birth certificate. Financial documents such as an official bank statement of account with an average daily balance of at least Php40,000.00 and a current balance of Php90,000.00 should be uploaded. A statement of assets and liabilities (emphasis on assets) that show you own property or businesses in the Philippines will be helpful. For your travel history, include a list of countries that you have visited--best if you are able to highlight trips that you have taken to other countries with highly-valued visas such as Korea, Japan, Schengen (EU countries) and of course the United States, supported by copies of your stamped passport pages, both current and expired.<br />
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5. Pay the application fee. </h3>
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Once you are satisfied with all the information and documents that you have entered and uploaded to the system, submit your application fee. Then, pay the application processing fee, through credit or debit card. I had to pay AUD140.00 for my visa. This can change depending on the visa that you are applying for. Once that's done, you should receive another email from the Embassy confirming the payment. Monitor your Inbox for further instruction. In some cases, the Embassy will call you for a personal appearance, for others, you will receive their decision on your application via email. Hopefully, that information will say your visa has been granted.<br />
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Of course, all these steps are not a hundred percent fool-proof. Famous videographer and travel blogger Nas Daily recently uploaded a video that said his application got denied on his first try, but he persevered and was finally able to get permission to travel in Australia.<br />
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<b>AN UPDATE: </b></h3>
The visa will come through an e-mail from the Australian Embassy. I was initially confused as to how to proceed, and ended up calling the Embassy's Manila call center. I then got confirmation that the visa is not stamped on to the passport. Instead, the email with the detailed entitlement (the visa) should be printed, a copy of which should be shown to the immigration officers at the immigration checkpoints. Make sure to have multiple copies in all your luggage and bags to ensure that you don't get into legal trouble while on your Tour Down Under. <br />
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Happy visa application and I wish you well!yourcitypromdihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12130431192542233841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009923812569627407.post-41235128002986725092018-04-28T11:45:00.000+08:002018-04-28T11:45:21.030+08:00The Secrets to Fighting LonelinessI ran a very informal, quite <a href="http://bit.ly/2sP6l9a">unscientific poll on Facebook</a> and Twitter asking my friends to chime in: “Who do you turn to as your primary support group outside of family?” The results offered no surprise: Only one of the 19 people who responded said that they run to their church group with problems, as opposed to others who confide in their barkada or friends group.<br />
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I will make a brave bet that most people would answer the same way. It is interesting to note this pattern when we consider loneliness. Philosopher and Nobel laureate Bertrand Russell said, “Those who have never known the deep intimacy and the intense companionship of happy mutual love have missed the best thing that life has to give.” The bonds of love between us and our family members, us and our friends, us and our church mates, strengthened by quality time spent in each other’s company—face-to-face or over technology—can be a powerful way to ward off our loneliness.<br />
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But Mr. Russell lived almost a half-century ago. Today, social scientists observe that instances of loneliness are trending up. Many blame it on social media: curated feeds lead many of us to unfavorably view the mundane minutiae of our lives against the highlights of our friends’ and acquaintances’. Some also see a rising sense of isolation: in a world that is so connected, we are become increasingly severed from meaningful relationships and conversations because of factors like the horrible transportation in Metro Manila that limits our mobility and ability to meet and connect with our friends, moving away from home, or the diaspora and our family members moving to other countries.<br />
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Therefore, how do we fight loneliness in the face of so many such hurdles?</div>
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The Bible tells us, that there is someone who we can always turn to, whose companionship and love we can count on: Jesus. John 15:13 tells us, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” How much are we spending time in His presence? How much time do we spend in conversation with him?</div>
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Motivational speaker Jim Rohn said: “You are the sum of your five closest friends. Make it count.” Proverbs 13:20 highlights the importance of spending time with the right companions: “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.” Perhaps it is good to ask ourselves: in seeking ways to address our loneliness, are we actively seeking companionship—face-to-face or virtual—with the right people? Is Jesus one of our five closest friends? If He is, are we finding solace in his teachings of love and promises of unconditional love, grace and salvation? What are we taking away from our bond with Him?</div>
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On the flipside of fighting our loneliness, we must also think of the quality of the companionship that we are providing to our friends. In Ephesians 4:32, we are told “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” Are we bringing them closer to Jesus? Are we generous with our time and attention to those who are reaching out for human connection?</div>
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It is an interesting scientific finding that shows a close correlation between giving and happiness. <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms15964.pdf">A Swiss study</a> has discovered that the intention to be more generous to others consistently produced a better state of mind—and more reports of being happy.</div>
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I then posit that the secret to fighting off loneliness is two-fold: We must seek out good companionship—including that of Jesus; and we must make ourselves available to become good companions to others.</div>
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This essay was originally written for <a href="http://www.feastmakati.com/">The Feast Makati</a>'s weekly bulletin. </div>
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yourcitypromdihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12130431192542233841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009923812569627407.post-47234617987192540072018-04-18T11:43:00.002+08:002018-04-19T09:20:22.288+08:00Good Deeds Day: Appreciating 10 good things others have done for me<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBitlssJsJW5dFQdA7v5ZGtqq0TkfgnqHIW8cMp-x-sGTf_UVB2jIumWZ3kHgKrNipqEEst-WGcPVSzfWgkUzD5Fpwn-rQFZMXMxp0jQ-1Nvdr7jZPFtEkgzC_i4hfBBmUso0GIL7kzvc/s1600/gdd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBitlssJsJW5dFQdA7v5ZGtqq0TkfgnqHIW8cMp-x-sGTf_UVB2jIumWZ3kHgKrNipqEEst-WGcPVSzfWgkUzD5Fpwn-rQFZMXMxp0jQ-1Nvdr7jZPFtEkgzC_i4hfBBmUso0GIL7kzvc/s400/gdd.jpg" width="400" /></a>Today is Good Deeds Day. Most people celebrate it by volunteering for a cause or doing something good for one another.<br />
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But today, I want to celebrate it by pointing out the small and big things that someone has done for me that sticks in my memory, in no particular order.<br />
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1. Friends listening to me vent.<br />
2. Office mates giving me food, especially when I am off my usual meal times and ravenously hungry.<br />
3. The many random persons opening doors for me, in malls, restaurants, houses, etc. It's such a small act, but truly heart-warming.<br />
4. Many someones offering me a seat in any crowded room. I'm an able-bodied woman, and can stand to stand a few hours, but it's always a relief to my legs to be pointed to a vacant chair. I particularly remember a gay man who offered me his seat in the MRT during rush hour. He did not have to, but it was a great gesture anyway!<br />
5. Friends bringing me home after a late-night event.<br />
6. For that matter, people asking me to text them cab plate numbers and to text them when I get home late in the evening, to make sure I'm safe even if they cannot bring me home themselves.<br />
7. People actually texting me to let me know they arrived home safely, because that means a peaceful night's sleep for me.<br />
8. Facebook and Twitter contacts responding to requests for recommendations.<br />
9.<a href="http://bit.ly/HYLB-b"> Volunteers working with me at Habitat during build events</a>.<br />
10. The benefactor who donated the scholarship fund, which allowed me to study and get my degree from the Ateneo for free.<br />
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Do you have anything you are grateful for--a service someone has done for you?<br />
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<br />yourcitypromdihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12130431192542233841noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009923812569627407.post-64741586950883888222018-04-13T20:03:00.000+08:002018-04-13T20:03:27.314+08:00Golden Hour at the Farm<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo and design by Your City Promdi</td></tr>
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Do you not feel blessed with all of that?<br />
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Would you believe that this is about a hundred steps away from the city proper?<br />
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Sometimes, there are places that just captures perfectly what "your city promdi" means. <br />
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<br />yourcitypromdihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12130431192542233841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009923812569627407.post-78860338159692809582018-04-12T16:57:00.000+08:002018-04-12T17:52:14.057+08:00Best Crispy Pata!"Must be overrated."<br />
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"I'm sure Papa's crispy <i>pata </i>(pork limb)<i> </i>is waaaaay better."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyQDYXFBUYSEON5ue7a2YSpMiSZkzKgN5hbG7AuTUjTmW-wgEBIi-W0VjD2O3ZhkYwVoHQpI6x7a5ehyphenhyphen239tXiIjEJNAGbAguWscOIAeKKHplw_mB0spqveaaIMYoVpByECkF7SRoCkfg/s1600/pata.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyQDYXFBUYSEON5ue7a2YSpMiSZkzKgN5hbG7AuTUjTmW-wgEBIi-W0VjD2O3ZhkYwVoHQpI6x7a5ehyphenhyphen239tXiIjEJNAGbAguWscOIAeKKHplw_mB0spqveaaIMYoVpByECkF7SRoCkfg/s640/pata.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cripy pata, ala Bubble's. (Photo by Your City Promdi)</td></tr>
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These are just some of the dismissive thoughts I used to have whenever my siblings and I get comments from Manila-based friends and acquaintances about this crispy <i>pata </i>place in Lucena. Perhaps, not strangely enough, I did not even think of trying it out in the many years I've been hearing about it.<br />
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All that changed a few days back when my parents suggested we try out <a href="http://bit.ly/BubblesPata">Bubble's Crispy Pata</a> after our usual Sunday mass. I don't feel strongly enough about it to agree or disagree with the suggested, so off we went.<br />
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The restaurant is a charming little place, converted from an old wooden house located by our city park and near the big provincial hall and the provincial museum. The front of the restaurant, a terrace, is almost hidden by lush greenery, and there are a few benches like you would see in the classic <i>azoteas. </i>The windows are large. I imagine that they have capiz windows, although I cannot be sure now, as I try to recall from memory.<br />
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The floor is polished hardwood, the ceiling supported by thin, aesthetic wooden posts. To our right are two big rooms, perhaps with huge airy windows. The entire area is filled with tables and chairs, and people.<br />
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When we asked for the menu, I was surprised by how simple the food offerings are. They are all classic Filipino comfort food--<i>sisig, sinigang, camaron, </i>and that famous crispy <i>pata</i>, are the ones that stood out to me. We ordered the <i>sinigang na tanigue </i>(Spanish mackerel in sour soup), <i>camaron, </i>crispy <i>pata, </i>and <i>ensaladang pako </i>(fern salad), along with rice and fresh ripe mango juice.<br />
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The fern salad was okay. It has a mix of salted egg, tomatoes, onions and green mangoes. I could have used more fern, less mangoes for this salad. I've also tasted better at Kamayan sa Palaisdaan. This one by Bubble's misses the sweet-sour flavor of the calamansi-honey dressing that really elevated Kamayan's salad.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB122ApNAIi4zWtnkFg3d3NZwmB3VCL1CdWXgPes0lVYIiqN-2RmWf7DvU1IYp5zpKsIaoyGuPDxhHrc0sfP1yVd5YdRfAbtPTRwXGRLA7u7d-G4mH4ozmuR-MVYHlRmgEiMqvp5E7Kxs/s1600/sin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB122ApNAIi4zWtnkFg3d3NZwmB3VCL1CdWXgPes0lVYIiqN-2RmWf7DvU1IYp5zpKsIaoyGuPDxhHrc0sfP1yVd5YdRfAbtPTRwXGRLA7u7d-G4mH4ozmuR-MVYHlRmgEiMqvp5E7Kxs/s320/sin.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sinigang na tanigue. (Photo by Your City Promdi)</td></tr>
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The sinigang was flavorful, almost intense. I'm used to sinigang cooked with tamarind, but this dish used dried <i>kamias </i>(tree sorrel) so the tang and sourness was more stronger, and more woodsy. The tanigue is soft and delicious and fresh, and the vegetables complement its flavors well. My mom said it has an aftertaste that throws her off, which I did not notice. I love this, sipped my bowls of its soup even as I couldn't keep my eyes from wincing and my face from twitching for the sourness.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiojKotz0hDClnGnmpEbg5jTexIt9Z843Es7iukheTyyW-KggT9V5rbCgZOLPVglv26t3nJ-N1vI04vJOZl5AndeNWCO76xUA9J_XWH70gEF6mi_oEsPBzzqY6Aawvtfd2me1YExFTrOL0/s1600/cam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiojKotz0hDClnGnmpEbg5jTexIt9Z843Es7iukheTyyW-KggT9V5rbCgZOLPVglv26t3nJ-N1vI04vJOZl5AndeNWCO76xUA9J_XWH70gEF6mi_oEsPBzzqY6Aawvtfd2me1YExFTrOL0/s320/cam.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Camaron (Photo by Your City Promdi)</td></tr>
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Meanwhile, the camaron was a surprise. Instead of the usual naked shrimp breaded and deep-fried, their camaron still has the head and soft shell attached. I would say this tastes like the average camaron, except with better crunch. It was quite an experience trying to un-shell or sip the shrimps before getting to the meat. Still a delicious viand, I think.<br />
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For the finale, we have the cripy <i>pata.</i><br />
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Is it good? Does it live up to the hype? Is my dad's better?<br />
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The answers: yes, yes, and on occasion.<br />
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The crispy pata was so so crispy on the outside, and the fat is almost melting just inside the pork skin. And then we get to the tender meat underneath--yummy! The soy sauce dip could use more calamansi, but it's good as is. The vinegar sauce is as good as it gets. Everything comes together so well. Of course, I would say my Papa's is better on days when he gets the crispiness right--which is quite a lot of times.<br />
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Is it the best crispy pata? I will reserve that judgment for another time.<br />
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Try out Bubble's the next time you're in Lucena City. We spent about 1,600 for a group of five people.<br />
<br />yourcitypromdihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12130431192542233841noreply@blogger.com0