Those I Truly Miss…

Days pass by so fast that I am now approaching my fifth month in this country. I can’t believe that I have actually spent these many days away from the comfort of dear Pinas and the people that made life easy and comfy for all the years of my life.

I am missing everybody back home so much. Here is a list of those that immediately come in my mind everytime I think about home :

1. Pinoy cuisine especially good old Ilonggo style – need I say more???

2. My tricycle ride going to Makati office and the Makati-Mandaluyong Bridge. Hehe!!! I used to live just close by the office and this reminded me of the Boni Backriders – a name given to us who used that mode of transportation going to BPI Buendia. Hehe!!!

3. The ever-busy EDSA – traffic jam, naglalakihang billboards, the noisy buses honking for passengers, MRT and the colorful jeepneys.

4. Malling! – Glorietta, Greenbelt and Megamall.

5. Shopping with Zach. I have a one-in-a-million boyfriend that enjoys going shopping with me (or so I believe…hehe!!!) that shopping is not the just the same without him here. I’ve got nobody to wait for me outside fitting rooms and see if they look good on me and ask for a go-signal to buy it or debate with if it’s worth the price.

6. Conversations over coffee with friends and officemates.

7. Lunch-outs with Globe people and after-office gimik. In dining out here, people go home and meet around on the agreed time. Such a waste of time for me, as I am lazy to go out of the house once I plunged myself in my sofa.

8. Late night movies with boyfriend and friends.

9. Hmmm…Ok! Sige na nga! I admit…my teleserye, koreanovela and of course The Buzz!

10. Most of all…ZACH!

Bonding with my Parents

My parents had always been vocal about their ardent wish to visit Britain one day. That desire intensified when they had a tour around Schengen countries three years ago. They visited almost all the countries they’ve been dreaming to go except United Kingdom – as it was not included in their visa.

So when I got here, they didn’t spare any minute in acquiring a UK visit visa and jetted off here. I really felt their excitement when they were preparing for their trip. I was also looking forward to having them here as I wouldn’t have to go home to an empty flat after work and have someone with me to share the joys of being in this country. Most of all, I really want to spend some quality time with them.

After getting back the energy exhausted after a long flight, we went for a sight-seeing in London. I brought them around the significant landmarks scattered all over the city. My mother appreciated those landmarks so much and she just couldn’t believe that she was actually in those places she used to read from her romantic paperbacks.

I am just so ecstatic that they are here with me. So far, this will be the longest time that I will be spending with them since I left home in Bacolod six years ago. Thank God for giving me the opportunity to bond with them before I move on to the next level of my life. Thank god for making it possible for me to make them realize their long-time dream.

An Evening in London

After a series of busy weeks on our project, our project manager felt that we need a much-deserved break and decided to bring us to London together with the final batch of Boost Campers. We left Southwood office at 4:00 in the afternoon and catch the 6:00 boat from Westminster Pier for a cruise down the River Thames to Tower Bridge. A very compelling tour guide with a trademark British humor went with us and showed us note-worthy historical structures along the river banks.

We then got off near the Tower Bridge and walked towards Butler’s Wharf for dinner. As we were going by the Tower Bridge, we were wondering why the gates were being closed for motorists and pedestrians. It is so because the ancient Tower Bridge which is a drawbridge was making an upward swing to provide clearance for boat traffic. After 5 minutes or so, the gates were opened again and off we head to Butler’s Wharf to satisfy our hungry stomachs.

Butler’s Wharf is ideally situated on the Thames overlooking the River Thames. Historically, it was at the heart of English tea trade with ships and cargo from colonies making it one of the busiest parts of London’s famous Docklands. Today, it is one of the most fashionable addresses where people enjoy a wide array of bars and restaurants. As for us, a table has been booked for us in Brown’s Restaurant - Britain's longest serving family of restaurants where we enjoyed a traditional English 3-course meal.

It was indeed a wonderful evening and Tower Bridge view is simply majestic at night. We went home really full and pleased with the nice meal and good-humored conversations.


The drawing up of Tower Bridge


Cruising along River Thames


Brown's Restaurant, Butler's Wharf - where our dinner awaits us


Enjoying the dinner and conversations



I have started my English meal - Fillet of steak with chips, grilled mushroom and tomatoes, greens and dip.

Sticky Toffee Pudding - traditional British dessert


Of different kinds - Polish, Hungarian, Malaysian and Filipina. :-)


The magnificent Tower Bridge at night

Parking Woes??? Nah!!!!

I happen to see this on my way home...























Obviously, the owner has the least worries about parking. He can fit in his car anywhere. If only we have this Smart cars in the Philippines. ;-)

Tatay... It’s Your Time to Shine

I technically grew up away from my father. I can only recall a number of vivid memories with him. You see, he was an OFW working as an engineer in the Middle East and would only go home in a year or two and stay for about a month. But in all honesty, I have never kept any ill-feelings towards him or the situation for his absence. Instead, early on, I looked up to him all the more. I know it was a very big sacrifice for him to work abroad and miss his daughters’ growing up years. In order to provide for our needs, he forgot about his comfort and the things that he liked and in his desire to see us achieve our dreams, he set aside his own interests.

My father is my hero. He is my all-time inspiration. He inspires me to dream big dreams. I could never be the person that I am today if not for him. He is the wind beneath my wings. He is content to watch me quietly and take pride in my achievements. By his example, he has taught me to love selflessly.

For everything that you are…
For everything that you have sacrificed for us….
For what you have made of us…
For being the person that you are….

Thanks to you and I love you. And today, it’s your time to shine…

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!

BBQ – The British Style

After a series of rainy weeks, it seemed that the rain has eventually grown tired of pouring and has finally allowed the sun to shine. Summer is here and a perfect time for barbecue!!! It’s something most people here look forward to and enjoy.

On the 1st of June, I got a mail from a colleague inviting for a barbecue at his place on Friday night. I hesitated at first since that day will be the final day for the Great British Menu and they will be announcing the chef and his particular courses that will be served on the queen’s birthday at the The Mansion House. But then, I decided to go for the barbecue since I can always catch the winners on the internet. With everybody on the team, off we went bringing along with us ready-to-grill chicken and pork cuts and some drinks.

It was a fun party with the guys doing the juicy barbecue, my colleague’s wife tossing some fresh green salad, a variety of chips and the scrumptious salsa and of course overflowing drinks in between chats. The presence of the kids made it more entertaining. They too, have their own version of barbecue. It was more of a breather from a busy week with the big guys bonding with the little ones.

It was definitely worth coming to it than spending the lazy bright evening with British menu on the tube. And it made me wish that my flat came with a garden so I can do some barbecue-hosting as well, this time…Pinoy-style.

Here are some pictures candidly taken by one of my colleagues:

The Queen's Abode

Too bad! We were not able to make it to Windsor Castle on time. It was already past five in the afternoon when we left Legoland and expectedly, we didn’t make it for the castle’s visiting hours. But we were able to capture some photos from the outside.

Windsor Castle is the official residence of The Queen and the largest occupied castle in the world. A Royal home and fortress for over 900 years and it remains a working palace today. If only we were able to come on time, for some amount, we could have walked around the State Apartments, extensive suites of rooms at the heart of the working palace. For certain part of the year, visitors can also see the Semi State rooms, which are some of the most magnificent interiors in the castle. They are furnished with treasures from the Royal Collection including paintings by Holbein, Rubens, Van Dyck and Lawrence, fine tapestries and porcelain, sculpture and armour. Within the Castle complex there are many additional attractions, including the Drawings Gallery, Queen Mary's dolls' house, and the fourteenth-century St. George's Chapel, the burial place of ten sovereigns and setting for many Royal weddings.

Oh! I’m really looking forward to visiting it again with my much-awaited visitors from the Pinas. ;-). This time, I’ll make sure that I get to go inside. ‘Til then…

The magnificent Windsor Castle