Pinoys in Fleet

When I first came here and was looking around for a flat, I had absolutely no idea if there were any Filipino communities in the area and the neighboring towns. I tried to ask my relocation agent at that time but she told me she’d ask around and come back to me with the information (which she never did). After 7 properties in 3 different towns, I settled with the one in Fleet which is the closest to public transport as I did not have a car back then and it was only about 6 minute-drive away from my workplace in Southwood, Farnborough. It was only later that I learned from a Filipino colleague that there are considerable number of Filipino families in neighboring towns of Farnborough and Frimley (which has a big hospital with majority of its nurses coming from the Philippines).

Walking around in Fleet’s town center, I would get excited whenever I see Pinoy-looking people and realizing later that they were actually Thai or Napalese. Hehe! Until I finally met a Filipina from the church and it was there I learned that there weren’t much Filipinos in Fleet. Over the months, my circle of Filipino friends widens and all of them are living in Farnborough, Frimley and Camberley.

Not until a few months ago when my hubby bumped into a Pinay in one of his train rides. From then on, we have been frequenting their house for a barbecue and it was through those gathering that I got to meet the other kababayan living around the town. In a span of a month, two more guys arrived from Pinas and we all agreed that our community in Fleet has somehow grown not into a really big community but just enough that everyone knows everyone. It’s exciting that the “Ate’s” are actually talking about having a Pinoy Christmas Party!!

fraction of the whole Pinoy gang

The Carnival

Autumn is officially here. Time passed by so fast that it seemed like last week when we still planned a lot of activities for the summer.

The supposedly summer of this year was way a lot different from the one I had in this country last year. Who would ever think that the wettest month on record in Britain occurred last June? And it was in this summer when widespread flooding occurred across the country in June and July affecting Northern Ireland, North Yorkshire, The Midlands, Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire and South Wales. Summer is supposed to be sunny and warm, right? In all fairness to Mother Nature, we had a glimpse of beaming sunshine every now and then which would last a week or two and will then be followed by rainy and cold days.

And the last week of August was one of those sunny periods in which the annual Notting Hill Carnival is held. Actually, coming over to London for that event was a spur of a moment decision. We just caught its invitation ad in TV while we were at a friend’s house for a barbecue and having a new Filipino with us (who just came here in England a couple of weeks ago); we all agreed to travel early the next day.

Notting Hill Carnival, a Caribbean population-led event, as mentioned, is an annual event held every August covering Sunday and the next day Bank Holiday Monday. It has been celebrated since 1965 as a response to the deteriorating racial relations. All through the years, it has been viewed as a celebration of London’s multi-cultural diversity. However, it cannot be denied that it is always marred by riots and conflicts with the police (which is mainly the reason I first hesitated in going especially that Zach has a planned tennis game thus he wouldn’t be able to join us.)

On that sunny day, we first had lunch buffet at Chinatown before hitting the cramped underground and headed to Notting Hill where we will be waiting for the parade to start. The festival was not actually new to me as I felt it was more of like our Masskara Festival in Bacolod or the Pasalamat Festival in La Carlota City. It was all complete with street dancing, colorful costumes, residents participating in the festivities even from the windows of their elegant Victorian terrace houses, food kiosks and people peddling booze and grass (yes! grass as in marijuana) as if they were as ordinary as softdrinks and stork candies. Hehe!!! Walking down along Portobello Road, you can find makeshift stages and blasting sound systems just a few meters from each other and with people (wasted or high) dancing their hearts out. It was well-attended with an estimated 1 million people gathering to witness the event.

Dropping by London's Chinatown for buffet lunch and some dimsum

Black and colorful

Festive Beat

A souvenir shot with the performers - with Ate Winnie

They're not all black after all ;)

What were these Orientals doing in a Jamaican festival???

Whew!

Thank God, it’s finally over. And I think… I’ve done well.

For the past two weeks, I’ve been really preoccupied preparing for that presentation. I was not that confident since I will be presenting a workshop on a certain topic I have absolutely no idea and it has something to do with IP and networking which is really not my cup of tea. That knowledge-sharing has something to do with our quarterly Convergence forum. What more? I will be talking about it in front of my colleagues that are far more senior than me in terms of experience. Nevertheless, the moderator kept on boosting my confidence that somehow most of them haven’t really taken time to know more about it if at all.

So after a couple of postponement, it actually happened today. I was looking forward for that day when I can finally get on and get over with it and at the same time dread the day. Answering questions outside the scope of my presentation really worried me. I just can’t bear the thought of me being dumbfounded and not knowing what to say and knowing these people, their questions could really take a toll on the presenter.

But after all, I managed to do it kind of…well even if for the first time our manager decided to attend the forum and he was actually sitting right in front me.

Nice Pink Badge

Wow! I’ve been selected by Maping as one of Rockin’ Girl Bloggers. It is really inspiring that there are people who spare a minute of their time to read whatever babblings I write and get to know some stories from this side of the world. Thanks…

Now, it’s my turn to give out this nice pink badge to more Rockin’ Girl Bloggers.

1. Though Abigail is not updating her blog often as most of us do, rest assured that the rare entries will give you lessons and inspirations in life. This lady’s superb faith is mirrored in her blog. Even we are miles away from each other, reading her stories makes me feel as though we are having our dose of insightful chats that we used to have.

2. Elanie’s blog is very interesting and informative. You’ll learn something new in every story that she writes and pictures that she posts especially when it comes to her travels. While reading them, it makes you feel as though you are travelling with her.

3. Definitely, Maping’s blog is among my daily reads. She writes sincerely and reading her stories makes you feel her emotions. I enjoy and learn a lot reading her views on marriage, motherhood and family. I truly admire this woman for her dedication in shuffling motherhood, married life and nursing education altogether.

4. I’ve just discovered Sheila’s blog recently. Her’s is a well-rounded blog. It’s full of fascinating bits and pieces that make you always come back for more. She shares her colourful life and adventures and gives stimulating reminders about life now and then.

HP Weekend

After seeing the making of the movie on BBC a week ago and nights of dreaming about it, I finally got to watch the full length movie!!!

The past weekend was a Harry Potter treat for me. Zach and I watched Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix last Saturday evening. I remembered being excited the whole day while trying to scan the pages of the book I had at home just to make sure I remember the high points of the story. When we got to the mall, almost all people were carrying copies of the HP and the Deathly Hallows. But what’s most funny was the teenager who sat beside me at the cinema. She was actually reading the latest and final installment of the story inside the cinema while the adverts and trailers were shown!!! She obviously did not want to waste time.

Expectedly, the movie did not cover the whole book and some scenes were portrayed differently. But nevertheless, I truly enjoyed the movie and was amazed how the characters have grown so much. They were far from the cute kids that they were on the first three movies. Zach and I agreed later after the movie that we felt goosebumps when it came to the scene where Harry and his friends flew to London riding the thestrals. It showed London, River Thames and the tourist spots at night. We just cannot believe that we have actually been in those places. Now, Zach is looking forward to a Scotland trip to see the famed castle that was used in the film as Hogwarts.

The following day, we went to the town center after hearing mass. And we passed by a bookstore, I just was not able fight the urge to buy a copy of my own. I desperately can’t wait to find out how the whole Harry Potter saga will come to an end. And this book completes my set of Harry Potter and his adventures.

Well, that’s all for now and I’ll be hitting the book again.

Here and There...

With the British summer going weird and unpredictable as ever, I've been lucky to capture the few sunny and cheerful summer days that we had so far.

Images below were taken at The Grove in Hertfordshire which is just 35 minutes from London. It is a magnificent 18th century house set in a 300-acre of parkland. It has an 18-hole golf course which hosted the 2006 World Golf Championships.

What makes the place more interesting is that they actually have a beach...yeah! a beach nestled inside the estate!!! It is located inside the walled garden and it offers a wide area of golden sand complete with a volleyball court, spa treatment, beach bar and beach huts.




--o0o--

Days after the "The Grove" trip, Zach and I joined the company's annual summer party held at Chessington World of Adventure where we tried and enjoyed the rides, games and zoo animals.

A Long Story

Let me tell you a story of a man I can’t really claim to know so well. I have not been with him throughout the 29 years of my life and technically, I did not grow up with him around. But, I’ll be telling stuffs about him as I know him and as I see him.

As a young girl, I found him really handsome. Skinny but handsome! He dressed casually but coolly and as far as I can recall, he seemed to be smelling good and fresh all the time with his signature perfume. I used to resent having him around since I wouldn’t be able to sleep with Nanay and he always has this daunting and reprimanding look everytime I start an argument and childish squabbles with my sister. But the thought that it will just be a matter of months before he leaves again gave me comfort.

It was when I entered school that I realized the he should have been with us at home. He should have been the one bringing and fetching me and my sister from school and not just trusted drivers. He should be attending family council meetings with Nanay so she wouldn’t have run between my homeroom and my sister’s. When it comes to kiddy bragging, the only things I showed around are Christmas and Birthday cards telling them how neat and cool his handwriting was. But I have no memories to share.

Until there was an opportunity for him to stayed longer with us. Though, not really an opportunity as he was out of work and was looking around for a good employment contract that will be worth being away from his family for. It was there that I got to know him a little. How I hated it when he would make us memorize the whole multiplication table and solve Math worded problems on our free time. He made it a point that we understand mathematical concepts and not just be contented with answering homework provided by teachers. He would not let me go until I master the lesson even if I was drenched in tears already. But above all, I was able to have memories of him around that I shall keep forever – bringing me to school on the first day of the school year and stayed with me even if I was already in the queue for the flag ceremony, following me around on a sportsfest parade and untiringly took pictures of me, and attending our speech presentation that I was conscious all of a sudden because I saw him from the crowd. They were simply priceless!!!

When the time came for him to leave again, for the first time, I cried. Maybe because I was an intermediate grader already and matured a little but thinking again, it was definitely because I was able to established a relationship with him. Through technology, we were able to maintain the relationship and communication. He called long distance once in a while and talked to the whole family and never failed to write letters. I fondly looked forward to his homecoming and be sad again when it was time for him to leave again. He inspired me do well in school and gave me credit for the good grades and class standing. It continued until I was in high school and the calls became frequent with the advances of telecom. He made it a point that he was updated with our academic and extra-curricular activities. Though, he was unable to attend any of my graduation and recognition day, every medal gained was dedicated to him.

When I was about to enter college, I was lucky to have him around. He was there during my confusion on what course to take and it helped a lot. He was there during my scholarship presentation ceremony and his grinning and proud face will forever be etched in my mind. He was there when I was struggling with Engineering Math subjects in my freshman year. He saw to it that I have all the materials and tools needed for my drafting class, electronics laboratory, and computer class. I was really thankful for all his support. I would have given up Engineering if not for him. The thought of him made me to strive more.

Too bad though that when he decided to retire from work and stay home for good, I already left home to pursue a promising career. Having a job and in managing my life and finances, he has a great impact. All of us, his daughters, didn’t grow up having what we want anytime we want. There is a clear distinction between “needs” and “wants”. The “needs” are readily provided and we have to save and work for our “wants”. Even if he was working abroad, it was not customary for us to demand pasalubong. We were contented with what he has to give. No matter how he asked what we want when he goes home, we just leave it all to him.

The moments that I’ll forever cherish are the ones we spent here in England when we had the whole 4 months with each other and Nanay. I came to know him more and realized that even if he spent most of the years away from us, he was a cool FATHER and a best friend to me. I will never forget how we kid around and laugh on things and people we find funny (no wonder where I get that attitude!!!), how we enjoyed the same food, our similar opinions on things and issues, and same outlook in life and how I am very like him.

my favorite photo - taken before his flight

enjoying time with my Nanay after his early retirement

London sightseeing

Tay!!! sa likod mo...

Tatay riding the Detonator ride in Thorpe Park

happy!

I’m so proud of my Tatay!!! The first man in my life…

Happy birthday and I’m missing you a lot!

6 Weird Things About Me

This post is long overdue. I was tagged by Maping to list 6 weird things about myself and I came up with so many things. Haha! Anyway, here are 6 random weird things about me:

1. I used to have this small childhood pillow that I just cannot sleep without it. I had it with me for more than 20 years and just let go of it when I moved to Manila. My mother and sisters thought it was already ragged, thin and stinky but I thought otherwise. I would get into fights with my sisters if they tried to touch it, made fun of it or keep it from me. When I was sharing a flat with college classmates in Manila, I missed my pillow so much that it gave me sleepless nights. Then one of them had this old and extremely thin pillow that reminded me of my old one. She agreed immediately when I told her I’ll buy a new pillow and swapped it with her old one. Then I had that pillow for five years until I moved here in England. I would have brought it with me but my father firmly disagreed. Hehe! Now, there are nights that I truly missed my pillows. Good thing though, I brought a new one with which was a Christmas gift from one of our managers in Globe.

2. I am very afraid of thunders. I cower and curl down everytime I hear their loud blast and I am having the fastest palpitation ever. I feel like the earth will tear apart and swallow me whole. I slightly recover from that fear when I was living alone in Manila and I would just pull the blankets over me and hug my pillow (see how much it gave me comfort...hehe!)

3. I have a sensitive nose. I seem to smell things even before anybody else do.

4. I love okra! I know most people hate it but for me it’s my favorite vegetable. As a child, I don’t eat any veggies except okra. Even if it’s just plainly boiled or steamed, it’s a treat for me eating them dipped in vinegar and soy sauce.

5. Studying and memorizing for me is easier when I write down my thoughts. During quizzes and exams, I would remember how I wrote them down while studying. At work, even with the existence of laptops, I still keep a notebook handy and write down all things learned along the way. It’s more effective for me in remembering them.

6. Once in a while, I will have dreams that suggest events or information that is bound to happen. Or, out of nowhere, a name or some thought will popped in my mind and learn later about their relevance. One perfect example was when I was in high school. My sister’s senior class was involved in a legal issue. That night, I dreamed of opening my notebook and found out the name ‘Delfin’ written all over the pages. I brushed aside that dream but was taken aback the following night during dinner when my sister announced that they found a lawyer to handle their case: Atty. Delfin!!! Weird!

I’m tagging my friends listed in my blog list and any readers who want to do so. Go ahead, help yourself. :-)

Lost…

I lost my wedding and engagement rings last Friday. :-(

No, they were not just simply misplaced at home. It was a big-time foolishness on my part because it was only on Saturday afternoon that I realized they were missing. Hubby and I were about to leave for the mall and I ran to grab my rings that I normally keep on top of the drawers. But they were not there and it occurred to me that I went home last Friday evening without them on my finger. I really panicked and don’t know what to do. I want to go and look for them but I don’t where to start. The last I recalled was that I removed them Friday morning while washing my mug at the pantry and put them in the shallow pocket of my jeans. Then, they slipped off my mind and didn’t remember them until that Saturday afternoon.

I know I’m not really fond of jewelleries but those where among the few that I have that meant so much for me. It was the sentimental value that I was after. No other rings can replace them. I was so down no matter how much Hubby comforted me not to think about them and we’ll just order the same rings from the jewellers in the Philippines. Even attending two parties that Sunday and eating Filipino fiesta dishes did not took my mind off them. I kept on hoping I dropped them in the office so I can asked the cleaners if they noticed it and not in the supermarket where we it will be impossible to find them again.

And Found!!!

This morning, I came in the office a few minutes earlier than usual. I crawled under my table hoping I just dropped them there and I traced my usual route going in and out of the building. Then the Workplace Resources staff replied to my email telling me that found items are usually turned over to the Security Office. I didn’t waste time and dialled the Security Office’s number and inquired if, for some chance, my rings were found and turned over to their office. And the reply is, “Yeah, a couple of rings were found in the ladies toilet. Have a look if they’re yours.”

Despite the rain and cold, I ran to the other building while praying that hopefully those rings were mine. Indeed, THEY WERE MINE!

Thank God!

I was so inspired with the honesty of the people here. They would not dare get things that do not belong to them. God bless their hearts!

It's Good to Be Back!!! - Part 2

Geneva, Switzerland

After spending the weekend resting and waking up late in the morning, I packed my bags again and head back to the airport on the 11^th of June. The next destination was Geneva where the bi-annual 2-day CSI Technical Seminar was held.

Geneva is a resort city with calm lake and surrounding green hills and vineyard and with a fantastic view of the peaks of French Alps. It is known for being the base of many international organizations and headquarters to most of United Nations’ agencies.

Jet d'Eau - Symbol of Geneva

View from my hotel window

having a break

This time the trip was exciting since I was travelling with colleagues and met a lot more from other countries in the seminar. It was a venue to share work experiences especially with new colleagues coming from the other partner company (whom my parent company merged with). It was more like blending together Finnish and German work culture and learn from it.

Interestingly, I met a Filipina (who works for United Nations, Cool!) through an Indonesian colleague who has lived in the city before while working for ITU. It appears that there are a lot of Filipinos working for the United Nations in Geneva Headquarters.

Unfortunately, the seminar was held in Moevenpick Hotel which is a few meters away from Geneva International Airport and I was scheduled to fly back to London on the night after the closing of the seminar thus I was not able to explore the whole city except for the Tuesday night dinner held in the city center. Nevertheless, it was really great that I get to visit the country and hopefully I can go back soon and this time for more sightseeing around Geneva and Lausanne.

It's Good to Be Back!!! - Part 1

Finally! After weeks of going from here to there…I’m back in my base office and in a new desk location! This is sort of a fresh start for me after a very busy month.

Anyway, here’s where I’ve been and what I’ve been up and about the last few weeks:

Budapest, Hungary

I was in this beautiful city for 10 days supporting a project for one of our big customers. At first, I thought that I will just be doing remote planning support from England ( as what I have been doing the past year) but it turned out that the project manager wanted me to be in Budapest for the whole duration of the project. So after availing myself of a business visa, even before I can prime myself to the idea of travelling, I was off to Budapest on the 29^th of May.

It was not really a smooth travel for me as I was only accommodated in the late evening flight and as expected, it was delayed by another hour which meant that I will be arriving in this unfamiliar city way past midnight. While in the plane, I was worried that I might not be able to find a taxi going to the hotel and indeed I was right! There was not a single taxi in the airport and there were about 15 people ahead of me in the queue. Worse, I had no idea which part of the city my hotel was located and I had not a single clue about Hungarian language. Good thing though that I decided to try my luck getting out of the queue and wandered around the arrival entrance and found out that they have this airport minibus which brings passengers to downtown Budapest at a cheaper price. I just told the driver that I need to be dropped by my hotel and that’s the only place I knew. So off we go and I shared the ride with 5 other people all talking Hungarian and myself not having a single idea where we were heading to. I just can’t explain the relief that I felt when I saw the Ramada neon lights from afar.

The rest of days were spent at the Budapest office finishing my planning document for the said project. I was seated next to the PS Core Planner and he was very helpful in all my logistic needs and most importantly, in my technical queries regarding the project. Since it was getting dark quite late in the evening, I’ve been walking around every after office hours and trying out different restos each day. Food was great and heavy and the city ambiance was definitely striking as they have preserved pre-war structures and architecture but sometimes it’s quite frustrating to be walking around without having any idea what the people around me are talking about.

Traditionally Budapest:

Towards the weekend, I got a little homesick and missed hubby so much that I even thought of going back to England and just come back by Monday. But after his convincing me not to cause anymore hassles to our secretary who is doing all the plane and hotel bookings, I decided to stay and discover more of the city. So, when Saturday came, after a light breakfast, equipped with the city map, I decided to roam around the city. Luckily, it was a sunny and warm day despite hearing some rain forecast the previous day. Walking around, you can see that the city is both peaceful and bustling. It is a big metropolis but people are laid back and friendly and the historic structures blend with the modern ones. For me, the highlight of this city is the river Danube which flows through the city with hills on one side harmonizing with it. Towards the afternoon, I just found myself walking along Vaci Utca. It is one of the famous streets in Budapest where upscale and fancy shops, cafe and restaurants lined up with very interesting façade and stunning architecture.

The following day, a Filipino colleague based in the city, invited me over to his superb place for a barbecue. He lives on the quiet and hilly Buda side of the city. It was a fun afternoon spending time with his friendly wife and kids. It was very uplifting talking about their life and experiences in Hungary, England and Philippines. On the way back to the hotel, we decided to drop by Citadella. It is located in Gellert Hill which rises high and offers a great view of the whole city, the Buda side and some parts of the Pest side, the banks of the Danube and the majestic Royal Palace and the Parliament. From there, we went to Heroes’ Square for a few picture-taking as it is one of Hungary’s famed spots. It was only during the drive to his place and back that I discovered the other parts of the city which was simply impressive.

among the Hungarians. :)

overlooking Budapest and The Danube

Elisabeth Bridge

Szabadság Szobor (Liberty Statue) with Roselyn and Alex

Budapest at night

Heroes' Square

Museum of Fine Arts

It was indeed a beautiful city and I was thankful that I was given the chance to explore that part of Europe. At the end of my stay and the completion of my planning task, I can say that I enjoyed my short stay in the Budapest office and city as a whole and can’t wait to go back to England that has been home for me for quite a while and of course looking forward to see my dear husband whom I terribly missed.

Hanging Out by the Sea

Yeah! I am in the office right now sitting in this same old desk and staring blankly in the laptop in front of me. Physically here, that is! As far as I know my mind is somewhere else, back in Portsmouth where we spent the long weekend by the sea (having May 7 as May Day bank Holiday) and the loads of shopping items we were able to avail at great, great prices at Gunwharf Quays!!!

We headed off to Portsmouth at the southern coast of England early last Sunday. It was truly a marvellous weekend as it was a mix of travelling, sightseeing and SHOPPING! What more can be so fun? Despite the wrong-timing onset of clouds, showers and wind, our energy level soared and hubby and I tremendously enjoyed our two-day holiday which we have planned two weeks ago.

The moment I spotted the Spinnaker Tower on our approach to the harbour, I got overly excited and started giggling uncontrollably. The thrill of having to shop at Gunwharf Quays’ designer outlet shops totally got over me and maybe due to adrenalin rush or whatever, I became energetic despite waking up quite early and missing breakfast that morning. Gunwharf Quays, home to a large shopping center, is located in a historic setting with the Historic Dockyard and Old Portsmouth just a few walks away. It is basically an interesting contrast and integration of old and new architecture. It is where one can experience shopping in the pedestrian avenues, relaxing in the wide open spaces, see spectacular views across Portsmouth Harbour, and enjoy the vibrant atmosphere. It has over 85 designer outlets, 20 cosmopolitan bars and restos, health and fitness centers, 14-screen VUE cinemas, bowling, pubs, discos, comedy bars and hotel.

After grabbing something to eat and a location map, we started off our shopping galore. Initially, hubby and I can’t seem to agree on what shops to check out first as both of us have particular ones in mind. We even considered splitting and meeting up after we have done our own shopping but I immediately decided against it since I really can’t buy well and wisely without Zach. You see, shopping for me is never complete and enjoyable without my dear hubby. Then realizing that we will be staying until the next day, as we have booked a room in the nearby Holiday Inn, we planned out our itinerary and check out the shops one by one. Indeed, it was heavenly especially discovering huge discounts on top of outlet prices shop after shop. The day was literally spent going in and out of shops and fitting rooms.

When it started to get dark, we decided to take a short rest and freshen up in the hotel room to get ready for dinner. All week I’ve been looking forward to eat in La Tasca. It is a Spanish restaurant with warm and colourful Hispanic decors, friendly and hospitable environment, great entertainment and of course, their authentic cuisine of tapas, paellas, sangria and wide range of Spanish wines and beers. Somehow, this restaurant made me feel closer to home. Zach decided against having paella as he is on diet (so he claims…heheh!) so we decided to settle to start on some salad and hit the tapas. While waiting for the food, they served their house sangria which was just perfect. Minutes later, our food came and saw pairs of eyes widen around us as we have ordered far too much for two people. hehe! We had the salad: ensalada de tomate y queso de cabra (salad of tomatoes and goat’s cheese); patatas bravas, champinones al ajillo (mushroom sauted in garlic and olive oil); seleccion de embutidos; chorizo frito al vino; gambas gabardina; calamares andaluza; and pan de ajo y queso. We truly enjoyed our meals and it was gone before we knew it.

With heavy stomachs, we decided to stroll along the harbour and took photos. The Spinnaker Tower looked fabulous at night. The whole setting was amazing and even the strong wind did not ruin the romantic backdrop of the sea and skies. A few people had been strolling around as most of them were inside the pubs, cinema, comedy bars and discos. After grabbing a drink from one of the pubs, we retired to our hotel room and rest the night away.

The weather kind of turned more gloomy and windy the next day and we got up quite late. Luckily, we were able to avail the hotel breakfast just when they were about to close. We spent the whole morning shopping around and the headed off to the Portsmouth Historic Dockyards before heading back home. Portsmouth Historic Dockyard is home to the world famous historic ships that have shaped British history – HMS Victory, the Mary Rose and HMS Warrior 1860.

A Weekend Affair

One of the reasons that I braved going to this country which is a thousand miles away from home was the thought that I have aunts and cousins who live nearby. Nearby means in another country which is The Netherlands. True! With the efficient transportation system in Europe, travelling is very convenient. For a year that I’ve been here, my Auntie Darling and her Dutch husband have visited me twice. They travelled by car from Rotterdam and driving to Calais, France where their car will board a ship crossing the Strait of Dover and get off in a port in Dover, England. From there, it will take a 3-hour drive to my place.

For the third time, last weekend, they spent the holidays in England and this time, they brought along Auntie Nenet and her daughters, Rhys and Dayday since they were all off from work and school. They arrived in our flat at the wee hours of the morning and after charging up after their long drive, we went to Oxford after enjoying a ‘pure Filipino lunch’.

Our stop at Beale Park in Berkshire

We spent most of the day walking around the university which is located in the city. University of Oxford is said to be the oldest university in the English-speaking world. It has been in existence for nine centuries. It has 39 self-governing colleges related to the University in a type of federal system. As an internationally renowned centre for teaching and research, Oxford attracts students and scholars from across the globe, with almost a quarter of their students from overseas. More than 130 nationalities are represented among a student population of over 18,000.

Oxford High Street

The following day, we travelled to London by train to check out the changing of the guards in Buckingham Palace and the usual tourist spots for the benefit of those who were on their first visit to London. We then proceeded to the Natural History Museum and British Museum. Each can take a day to explore but you will still be inspired even if you only have a couple of hours to spare. Interestingly, in the “Power Within” section (showcasing the causes and effects of violent and destructive events like volcanic eruptions and earthquakes) in the Red Zone of the Natural History Museum, there’s a corner solely depicting the Mt. Pinatubo Eruption and a video of the news reports was continuously played. I even told my hubby that he should stand by the exhibit area and discuss his first-hand experience of the whole calamity. Hehe!

Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace

The whole gang at Hyde Park

With the dinosuars at Natural History Museum

Pinatubo sa UK: Mt. Pinatubo eruption and lahar flow made it big even in UK and had an exhibition corner in the Natural History Museum

British Museum

Ruins of The Parthenon

The giant among the dwarfs..hehe!

Definitely, a 3-day visit to London and the neighboring towns is not enough to see them all especially if my cousins were looking forward for more Oxford Street shopping. And of course, three days will never be enough for a marathon of chikahan that has left us all awake til midnight.

Looking forward for their next visit to England or it might be fun if we will be the ones going over to see Amsterdam this time.

Let’s see…