New Beginning

Last night, I had a fantastic dream. I negotiated with God to realize three of my fervent wishes.  

Through a third party, He said that my wishes are things He definitely can give to me on the condition that I fulfill "what I was meant to do."    I woke up not understanding what He said.until I realized that I wasn't living my destiny.

2012, a year of change, transformation and movement

I know that 2012 is going to be an interesting year, interesting for me to be exact. I do not like the status quo and I believe that 2012 is the best antidote.  

This year brings on change, transformation, transitions, movement and, most importantly, learnings, something that I constantly seek.


The only point in living that I see is the chance of being able to improve myself and humanity in general.  So this means that the status quo is not an option.  Why bother breathing if I'm going to end up where I began? Why have talent and intelligence if I can't use it for the betterment of mankind?

Christmas in Hongkong and Macau

"If you think you can or can't, it becomes so".  This adage is so true in my solo trip to Hongkong and Macau. I'm not one of those people with an adventurous spirit and a healthy appetite for risk. I took the trip because I wanted to face my fears ( I'm afraid of getting lost, losing control of a situation, being duped or making a mistake) and to scratch a travel itch.

Paranoia comes naturally to me. People say I plan too much.  I have to gather all information about a certain matter or situation before I make a move.  I have to be certain about things and people. But in solo trips, I realized I need to give leeway for the unexpected and give myself permission to just relax and not think too much.

Hongkong isn't known for fresh air but still I did a lot of  brisk walking,  I wanted to discover much of the area on foot. What surprised me is that I could read the map and easily understood Hongkong's transportation system. On the second day of my vacation, I wove through traffic, going in and out of trains, buses and ferries like a local.

Little India in Singapore

As the name indicates, this is the center of the Indian community in Singapore.
Little India lies to the east of the Singapore River—across from Chinatown, located west of the river—and north of Kampong Glam.  

  I've also visited the Arab Quarter, Colonial District, Orchard Road, Sentosa Island and Chinatown, but Little India appeals more to me and sticks longer in my memory. It is living culture --- a large museum on India... and as you may have noticed, I relish visiting museums.

Little India resembles India in many respects, including road construction and sanitation, differing sharply from the rest of Singapore's pristine districts. In short, Little India in Singapore gives the tourist a  glimpse of the way of life in India.

Take Me I'll Follow You

Being frugal, I tried doing astral traveling, wherein the traveler leaves the physical body and travels in her subtle/ spirit body. I read that it can take me anywhere I want to go thus saving me from travel expenses that I would incur in the physical world. However, I ended up having a severe headache. 

So I decided to physically travel. I have already taken trips to most places in the Philippines. I'm now setting my sight this year on countries outside.

You may be wondering why I want to travel.  Besides having it as a good excuse to exercise, I want to live a full life.  I may as well savor everything it has to offer. There's got to be something else other than what I'm familiar with. I want to explore museums, historic places, various cultures, cuisines, literature, knowledge   etc.  People say I have the curiosity and the adventurousness of a cat.  It is no wonder why I don't drink alcohol or take drugs. I want all my senses sharp and awake so I can fully enjoy my experiences.

OK, so physical travel entails money. That's why I work in between travels and blogging to remind me of what I'm working for in this world.

So while I'm slugging it out at the office, listen to a favorite song of mine. It expresses my love for life:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yv0aMSI-bcU

  

Remembering Bangkok

I thought of storing one of the videos of our Bangkok trip online. Where better to have it than in my blog.

This amateur video was taken by Laura during our visit to a palace. Listen to a hundred wind chimes.

We spent an hour walking around the compound, another good exercise.  Since this visit was made past 12 noon and the sun was blazing hot, we strolled around the Wat Po Healing Center beside this compound only for a few minutes.

If you have difficulty  opening the above video, you can look at the Youtube copies:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47_j-mDyMaE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3F2nYTdSHUI&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60NSVMQWP2M&feature=related

Christmas in Vigan

The first thing I did, as soon as I alighted from the bus, was to visit Vigan's famous Calle Crisologo, the setting of many Filipino period films.

Vigan in Ilocos Sur is two bus hours away from Laoag. There is no direct flight from Cebu to Vigan. In fact there are connecting flights from Cebu to Laoag (Cebu-Manila-Laoag). Although all that traveling was taxing, when I arrived in Vigan, I felt relaxed because of the languid pace of the city.

There is something about not having an itinerary, there was no pressure on me to see every tourist spot, or sample every local delicacy. I never forgot even for an instant that I was there on vacation to forget for awhile the cares of the office.

Traveling alone is to me like meditating --- you learn to focus your mind, discipline your senses and live in the moment.