The (Dreaded?) High School Reunion

A lot of people dread their ten-year high school reunion. I didn't, because I was part--if not leader--of the organizing committee. So when ours came along during the last weekend of October, I was (forced to be?) in the midst of it all.

Our t-shirt design

It was funny, because months before, we had such grandiose plans of how we would celebrate the thing. But of course, as expected, a lot of people did not cooperate. Instead of a cocktail event at some posh resort, we had to come up with humbler plans.

We joined the school parade to celebrate its 107th anniversary, to an Angry Birds theme

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Hong Kong Honeymoon

My husband and I don't exactly have all the time in the world to spend with each other because of our current living arrangements, but we wanted to squeeze in a honeymoon after our civil wedding. We decided on Hong Kong because it was close to the Philippines thus we'd need less travel time, it had a Disneyland, and we thought it would be, well... cheap. It wasn't. Hong Kong is about as expensive the West, or Japan; at least the Japan of seven years ago. But it's beautiful. And clean. Yup, it's the cleanest and most beautiful city I've visited so far.

Their airport was lovely. And it was huge! Just imagine having to take a train from the arrival area to other parts of the airport. That's how big it was. And the shops--they were awesome! That is one airport I wouldn't mind being stuck in. It's divided into two terminals, but both are connected. We found this restaurant called Hung's Delicacies at one of the terminals and had our first taste of Hong Kong food. We had roasted chicken with garlic, and roasted pork with goose meat. My husband hated his chicken, and even though I am very adventurous when it comes to food, I can't say I enjoyed my pork and goose meal, either. They were just sort of, icky. They seemed to have this weird-tasting seasoning we've never tried before. The funny thing is, we were forced to eat the same kind of food the next day, and the day after that, in Disneyland and Ocean Park! It seemed to be the only food widely available. Whereabouts were the world-famous dim sum?!?

We checked in at the Regal Riverside Hotel in Sha Tin, New Territories. My husband and I go by the motto, "The most stars for the least price" when picking a hotel. We chose Regal Riverside because it was the best one we could get for its price. We knew it was a little out of the way, but we opted for comfort over location. And we weren't disappointed. The hotel was located in a quiet area relatively close to a train station and it had a number of restaurants. The staff were friendly and room service was good. It didn't have free WiFi, though. (Which should not be a surprise, as free WiFi in Hong Kong was hard to come by.)

I was in my element when we were going around Hong Kong! We took my most favored form of transportation--the trains--their MTR or Mass Transit Railway system. It was like Japan all over again, but even better, because for every Chinese instruction or announcement, there was an English counterpart. It was such a relief! The entire city of Hong Kong is connected by trains, so it's fairly cheap and really easy to go everywhere.

Of course, you can't visit Hong Kong without going to Disneyland and Ocean Park. Disneyland was so-so. If you've been to another Disneyland park before, I'll have to warn you that you'll be disappointed with the one they have in Hong Kong. Kids, of course, will still have fun, but adults might find it boring, like we did. It didn't help that Space Mountain was closed when we were there. Ocean Park was great, though. We loved the Raging River log ride and the Grand Rapids. We really got wet! The best experience of all was the cable car ride. It's something you should definitely not miss if you find yourself in Hong Kong!

The highlight of our Hong Kong trip was Victoria Peak. Known locally as The Peak, it's a popular tourist attraction of a mountain that offers great views of the the city and Victoria Harbour. At the summit is the Peak Tower, a building that has shops, restaurants, the Madame Tussauds wax museum, and an observatory. Getting there was extremely fun: we took the Peak Tram, an old train that goes at an incline up the mountain.

We had dinner at a restaurant called Pearl of the Peak at The Peak Tower. We were seated overlooking the city and harbor. The view was amazing, but the dinner was ridiculously expensive! We charged it to a once-in-a-lifetime experience, though. In all fairness, it was an extremely lovely experience and we had the best food that night. Ever. And I'm not exaggerating.

We only had a weekend to spend in Hong Kong, and that was very short. There were other spots we wanted to visit, such as the Tian Tin Buddha and Po Lin Monastery, but we just didn't have the time. We wanted to go to Macau, too, but that was impossible. Still, our Hong Kong trip, albeit short, was a lovely experience. It's one that we will cherish for a lifetime.

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Hitched

A close friend of mine told me last year that I would get married in 2011. I laughed at him. I did not even have a boyfriend at that time, how could I get married this year? Little did I know, my friend's prediction would come true.

I got married in a civil ceremony last month. Of course, as the Philippines--and my mother--are highly religious, a church wedding will have to follow. Not much has changed because my husband is still away from me in the meantime, but it still feels surreal. I have a new last name?! I still need to get used to it.

I guess that's how life is. It's full of surprises. You never know what's coming around the corner. Your best bet is to go with the flow. And when something feels right, there's no reason to hold back. So that's what I've done: jumped in! And I look forward to beautiful things ahead.

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The Gift

It is a common belief in the Philippines that if you complete the Simbang Gabi, or nine-day novena of dawn masses before Christmas, you will get something you fervently wish for. I have completed Simbang Gabi for the last three years without having my mom force me into it. The first year, I prayed for a scholarship to Europe. I was so confident God would grant my wish, too. After all, I completed my Christmas novena just a few months earlier. But oh no. I had some computer errors when I was taking the TOEFL (part of the requirements), so the results arrived too late and I wasn't able to apply. God didn't grant me my wish. The next year, I went through a major heartbreak. Reeling from that, I asked God that Christmas that the person I was then "rebounding" on, be "the one." He wasn't, either.

I was astounded by the two succeeding heartbreaks, almost unbelieving that God would do something so cruel. I really did not know where my life was going. Work was there, but surely I could not live just for work alone. I was just not that type of person. It was a trying time, and I remember a friend trying to console me with the verse from Jeremiah 29:11, something I really tried to hold on to:

"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

The next year, I'd learned my lesson. My previous efforts had been futile, and I did not ask for anything specific anymore. I just asked God to arrange my life according to His plans. This was last Christmas. Little did I know I was in for a treat.

On December 25, 2010, I joined a penpal site. I was only expecting to find friends, but I found something more. I found someone who felt so right. I finally met him in person in April, and then we got engaged.

Now, I feel that spring has finally begun and my life is about to start; that this is what I was destined to do, and that this is God finally giving me my heart's desire. The fact that I joined the site instrumental in making me meet my fiancé on Christmas Day does not escape me. It just reinforces the feeling that he truly is a gift from above, something I am extremely thankful for.

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I got hit

After driving for four and a half years, I had my first car accident yesterday. And I'm still seething from it.

This 50-something man, in his easyride pick-up, just merged into traffic from the opposite side. He checked the traffic coming in his direction, but didn't mind that I was driving along on his blind side. I didn't even have time to stop, because although I saw him (stopped somewhere on my left side), I didn't even think I had to stop! Who in their right mind merges with traffic when there is an oncoming vehicle? In most countries all over the world, if two vehicles arrive on a certain spot at the same time, the vehicle on the right has the right of way, which in yesterday's case was me. And this wasn't even an intersection! I was just driving along in almost bumper-to-bumper traffic, and someone tried to run me off the road!

I guess he didn't see me coming, or else he wouldn't have tried to merge. But now my car has a huge dent on the driver's side door and right above my left front wheel. And the thing that infuriates me the most is that this man had the audacity to get out of his car, yell at me, tell me it was my fault, and then drive away in a hurry. I didn't even have time to get his plate number! I wanted to call the police, have them investigate the scene and see whose fault it really was, but how could I, when the other vehicle already got away? If it was truly my fault, then why was he the one in such a hurry to leave?

I feel so bullied by that man and it makes me so angry! So to all drivers out there, especially women (and especially if you're in the Philippines), let my experience be a lesson to you. Don't ever let anyone bully you in a traffic accident! If you're physically okay and there's no traffic enforcer around, immediately get the plate number of the vehicle who hit you. Forget about arguing, get the plate number first. I wasn't expecting the person who hit me to drive off, but he did, and I'm left to deal with this dent on my car alone. My only consolation is that I wasn't harmed and I was on my old Kia, not on our new SUV. But I am still extremely pissed off, and there's nothing I can do but let karma deal with that bastard who hit me. Now that is just a bitch.

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Love Day

Last year, I had a cringe-inducing Valentine's Day. Let's not dwell on the details, but let's just say that being single, I made the mistake of going out with my mom, to a nice restaurant, where all the other diners were couples--an experience I will always remember not to let happen again. In the ensuing weeks, I immediately worried about this year's Valentine's Day. Yes, as early as March 2010, I was already worrying about Valentine's 2011.

But lo and behold! It's Valentine's Day 2011, and even though I do not have a date (he is far away), I have never felt so loved in my life. Just a few hours ago, I received a lovely bouquet of roses. Yes, the first ever that is not from family, female friends, or that was not given as a prank. What is it they say? God provides?

Every day should be Valentine's Day, but I hope everyone is feeling especially loved and appreciated today. For those who are not quite there yet, though, there's only one thing I can say: don't stop believing.

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For the love of Facebook

I do not understand what's with all the hate coming out as a result of Mark Zuckerberg being chosen as TIME's Person of the Year for 2010. I myself have a love-hate relationship with Facebook, but we have to admit that in recent times, nothing else on or off the Web, has made so much impact on so many people all over the world. While it is true that some people spend so much time on Facebook for the wrong reasons, the idea of the technology itself is amazing. It is the easiest way to communicate with people, and it can be used both for business and pleasure. The application is what you make of it, and now with its advanced privacy settings, it's been made even better. As a web developer, I have a lot of respect and admiration for it.

I'm not on Facebook to be cool nor to play games. I'm just really thankful that I do not have to search hell or high water for someone's email address when I need to communicate with them. For that, I'm grateful to Mark Zuckerberg. At the very least, I think the man deserves some sort of recognition for coming up with what has now become the world's largest social network.

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Curry Remedy

I came down with colds a few days ago, and so of course, I had a stuffy nose. To get some relief, I wanted to make soup. There were not a lot of ingredients I could choose from in the fridge, so I decided to try my luck on a Japanese curry mixture. 

I've always made my curry quite saucy and thick, but since I didn't have much left of the mixture, I made it light that time. I couldn't find any fresh vegetables in our fridge, so I sliced a piece of onion and put it in I didn't expect much from my curry soup, but lo and behold--it did the trick! It was quite delicious and cleared my stuffy nose almost immediately.

I was pleasantly surprised with the quick relief so I did some reading on the web. Curry is indeed a wonderful cure for a stuffed nose! It's because spicy food contain capsaicin, a chemical that causes inflammation in the nerves and increases the production of mucus in the nasal membranes. Spicy food will  basically make your nose run... which means you won't have a clogged nose!

I know they say that chicken soup is all you need when you've got colds or the flu, and in all fairness to the well-celebrated chicken, I did try making chicken soup the next day after my curry mixture ran out. But you know what? The curry soup did the job better. So I braved traffic and rain yesterday afternoon and went to the supermarket to buy more of my trusty curry mixture. Since my nose was especially stuffy tonight, I made this:

To make the soup, I used S&B Golden Curry Sauce (a Japanese curry mixture I discovered while I was in Japan and have been using ever since; this should be available at a local supermarket), put in some onions, tomatoes, and included a bell pepper because of its Vitamin C content (it has more Vitamin C that citrus fruits). To amp the heat factor, I sliced two cayenne peppers and added them in. And just because I love experimenting in the kitchen, I threw in a handful of whole wheat fusilli pasta and some Chinese cabbage as well.

I have to admit that the pasta did not quite fit (LOL), but the rest of the ingredients worked perfectly! I am now quite happy that I have finally found a remedy for annoying stuffed noses. This concoction does need a bit of courage if you are afraid of hot and spicy food, but do try it the next time you get a cold. It works wonders!

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A Letter

Dear God,

I know that during my birthday, I act weird. I go emotional, and I dwell about the things I do not have in my life. But I do not want to be ungrateful, because I really am so thankful for everything I have in my life. Thank you most of all, for all the blessings I have received. I have never lacked nor wanted for anything and I know that's more than a lot of people in this world can say. For that, I'm truly grateful. Thank you for my parents who have always been so supportive, and for the wonderful friends I have who put up with me every single day. I thank you, too, for the things and circumstances that do not go my way, because I know they shape me into becoming a better person. Above all, thank you for my character--my resilience and my optimism that allow me to stand up again each time I fall. I really do not know where my life is going, but there's nothing I can do except trust that you will make things turn out the way they should. There is nothing else I can ask for myself except that in my everyday existence, help me to do things according to your will... because I know that is the only thing that matters.

Love,
Flo

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Boulevard Series: Le Chalet

I figured that there is no better to way to kick off my Boulevard Series than by blogging about my favorite restaurant in all of Dumaguete--Le Chalet. It's a quaint Swiss-style restaurant near the southern tip of the Rizal Boulevard, and is part of the Why Not complex, along with Why Not Disco and Chicco's, another restaurant.

Italian and Mexican on the menu

Le Chalet serves a wide range of international cuisine--from European, to Thai, to Mexican and Cajun. Never actually having been to these places, I really cannot tell how authentic their cooking is, but I do know that I love how food is cooked is Le Chalet. The flavors are subtle and nothing has ever been salty, which I absolutely cannot stand. The atmosphere is also just right for me, as it's got a cozy ambiance that will make you feel right at home.

A booth and a choice of wines

One thing I really like about Le Chalet is their salad bar where you can choose what to put in your salad. I'm not a big salad fan (I like my vegetables cooked), but since I can choose my own ingredients there, their salad bar works great for me. Their food prices average at 200 pesos for the regular menu, and around 400 pesos for the specials. This can be considered a little bit on the expensive side, but it's totally worth it. Their servings are huge compared to those of Philippine restaurants and two people can even share one dish.

The salad bar

Shrimp Curry

Spaghetti Carbonara

A side dish of mashed potatoes

Filipino Chopsuey

Cordon Bleu

Le Chalet is a regular hangout for expats in the area, and this could intimidate locals who are not used to the expat scene. It's a restaurant targeted at foreign customers, after all. Filipinos do not have to worry though, as I've never seen or felt any difference in the treatment of customers. I do wish the waitresses could be a tad more friendly, but that's to all customers in general, not just to Filipinos.

The bottom line is, I really like this restaurant. And until I am disappointed, it will be my favorite. I hope the disappointing does not happen though, because they have some nice food. Some of my favorites: a seafood spaghetti that is just heavenly (their Spaghetti Marinera), and the best pizza in town--for me, at least--their Quattro Stagioni.

This entry is part 1 of the Boulevard Series and is also posted at Everything Dumaguete.

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