Sa Pilipinas muna: Eraserheads Reunion Concert

It was indeed a most anticipated event: The Eraserheads Reunion Concert. Thank you Earnest and Buddy for the VIP pass to the Eheads Reunion Concert last night. It was really worth it to see you guys back together on stage even for a while. We hope that everything will be OK. More info about the concert at GMAnews.TV. My comment to this article is that he did not mention that the audience were shouting "group hug" and chanting "group hug, group hug, group hug!!!"

While they were singing at some point I told Amats, parang hinuhukay sa baul ang mga lyrics bamabalik na lang ng kusa sa labi ko at nagugulat din ako na naaalala ko pa ang mga ito habang nag flash ang mga alaala mga 10 years ago! Mula sa gasgas ko na tape noon na ultraelectromagnetic! Wagi!!! Sobra!!!

Sobra din ang respeto ng mga fans sa Eraserheads. Kakaiba ang nangyari sa pagtatapos basahin nyo po ang sulat ni Ted.

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On our way to The Fort, we first dropped baby at my sister's house then we took the MRT up to Ayala Station. I was sending sms to Dindin while at the train and said they are already there in front of the stage.

Going down at Mckinley St. there were very very long lines of people waiting in line for the bus and the jeep. There were groups of people flagging down taxis which are all full. There was a heavy downpour earlier that afternoon too. Good thing the rain stopped. It was also a Saturday on a pay-day weekend. Time check it was 15 minutes before show time and we were still in EDSA-McKinley the entrace to Forbes Park. Then, we saw this line of motorcyles for hire and groups of boys already taking the ride. The one of motorcyle drivers said "ma'am sakay na kayo?" Without batting an eyelash we took on the offer. Its P30 pesos each person. One person per motorcyle. They also have the required extra helmet of the passenger. Then I realized I took this kind of ride before in the coastal town of Coron years ago and flashbacks of our Camiguin backpacker trip riding the "habal-habal" around the island. But I only knew them to be used in remote islands and locations when transport is not accessible. But wait this is Forbes Park and we are going to the Global City of Fort Bonifacio!

Yahoo! as we sped off, I gave a shout of glee wooohoo! Authentic "habal-habal" at the heart of Forbes Park. I was really excited. We were going to make it on time. (well, until we saw the lines at the SVIP, VIP). Amats and I were really excited as we convoyed the two motorbikes to the open field at the Fort. I was talking to the driver and he said they've been there for a few years now and I later learned from Tatay A. that they were retired soldiers. We dubbed them "soldiers of fortune". Wagi!

Seattle

I was really lucky because at the time that I was at Seattle, it was the same week when they were celebrating Bite of Seattle. Its the annual food festival complete with concerts in various parts of the city and the fair at the Needle. I got a lot of freebies!

I took the photo above because I was really interested at the lift the men-at-work is using! High tech.

Snoqualmie Falls

My tita and tito drove me to visit Snoqualmie Falls Park. It is also a national historic civil engineering landmark in Puget Sound. It was a chilly summer morning. Seattle's weather even if it is Summer is much colder than all the places I visited during this trip. These photos of the falls reminds me about Buntot Palos. Thankful to my host for knowing where to bring me for our road trip.

M and I was planning to go to Mt. Rainer and camp out but we reserved that for another time. I will be posting what we did in the coming post. The Pacific Northwest is so different from the East Coast.

at the border

There were only some rare moments that I was at the border of two countries. This one was interesting as these two countries share a very long border. I was not able to go to Canada as it would take a few days to get a visa and expensive too for a short visit. Maybe next time.

My Pacific Northwest

My Pacific Northwest adventure begins here at the Peace Arch Park in British Columbia actually its in the border between Canada and the US.

JFK international

This merits a special post. Going to JFK International airport from Florida and leaving JFK going to Seattle, I went through security and twice been "randomly" selected to go through special security check. I've been through many many security checks during my travels but it was only this time that my eyebrows almost hit the ceiling. But all is well. I will stop here.

A book found me (again)

Since it is a holiday yesterday, we spent some family time. We were looking at the books on sale. A book found me. I read it, then left. But then, I realized it was indeed a beautiful book so, I came back and bought it for only 2 US$ or 100 pesos (nagisip pa ako nyan).

The title: BRILLIANCE Uncommon Voices from Uncommon Women. I love it. One of the quotes in the book that was shouting at me.

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."
--Eleanor Roosvelt

the subway

I was thrilled to take the subway. The NYC subway system is the most complicated train system I've been to. I cannot say bar none because I've never been to Europe yet. But I love it!!! Among all the train systems I've tried from HK to Sydney, hands down NYC is by far my most challenging experience to date. It is also one of the oldest subway system I've been to. Tama ba over 100 years na ito?

It was a Sunday when I arrived in NYC and got on the subway from Flatbush armed with M's unlimited pass, I explored the City. They actually warned me that during weekends, the trains sometimes change their routes because of some maintenance work. This is the particular reason why I took the second photo above. It took me a while to learn to go around. I always take pride to learn the cheapest form of transportation of the place I visit. I do like to be pampered and just be on the passenger seat. But I am really happy to be able to go around not just on a cab but really learn to go about like how the locals do it. I love people watching on the train but I've been warned not to make eyeball on the NY subway if I want to stay out of trouble. I can feel the adrenalin rush and all that energy of people coming and going.

I love exploring the Big Apple.

crepes

This is the crepe that I ate. Well almost in front of Tiffany's on 5th Ave. Reminds me to update my food blog that I've been neglecting.

RENT

Top photo: in front of tkts where we got the ticket

"No day but today" sigh did not get any of these souvenirs

this photo just before the show started. photos are not allowed during the show.
the seats are really small even for Asian size ha! ang sikip ng upuan!

Early afternoon we went to tkts and got a 40% off ticket to watch RENT. Our friend G said did you know that at around 4pm you can go to the lobby of the musical you want to watch and they raffle off about 10 seats! That was how he and his brothers when they visited was able to watch the broadway show. Nagtatalsikan pa daw ang laway sa kanila for a complete true blue experience. Haaay naku and I learned about this on my last night at NYC. I could have lined up the past few days!

But nonetheless, I was able to do one of the bucket list! If ever I am in NY I will definitely watch and so I did!

Masaya na rin kasi sinundo ako ni G and D when I went out after the show. Later nalaman ko kay M na nanganak na pala si E. Nalaman ko lang kinabukasan na. Ang saya!

times square

I saw the classic Times Square. Nice lights almost the same as the ones I saw in HK. The novelty of the experience made it a very interesting visit. I noted that "trash" is not just exclusive in Manila Streest but right there in the corner of Broadway and Times St.

Kaloka dami nila basura! Ayan hindi na picture perfect ang Amerika ha!

Broadway!!!

more to come!

AMNH part II

This is the modern part of the American Museum of Natural History. An area where you can explore about the planets and how the universe came to be. I was so excited! It reminded me when I was young and my dream to become an astronaut!

kainan sa central market este park

dito daw nahulog si Carrie (Sex and the City) habang kumakain dahil nakita si Mr B?hehehe. Kakatuwa!

lunch at Central Park

After my visit to AMNH, I met up with a friend and we had lunch on a bench in Central Park and this was our view.

I was having a large chocolate banana crepe and later we both had some ice cream. It was really warm and sunny day. We had a long talk and later took an afternoon walk. She is really an old friend. Sigh. We realized that we have come a long way since our mountaineering days. We both agreed that there is so much more to be thankful for in this world.

AMNH

The American Museum of Natural History is in my "must see" list. It is indeed the most interesting museum that I've ever ever visited. I went straight to the 4th floor where the dinosaur collection is and worked my way down to the other exhibits. Amazing collection from pre-historic to modern. I will be posting more about the space exhibit and the discover the ocean.

Basic entrance to AMNH starts at 18US$ and if you want to watch the special shows like the planetarium and other exhibits, you have to pay more. I got info from a good friend that these prices are really suggested entrance admission fees. What you can do, if you are really on a shoe string budget in NY, you can just say that you can only pay xx amount that you can afford. And that is exactly what I did. In the photo above you would see how much I paid. One day is not enough to really experience the whole museum. You just need to come back.

I loved the experience so much I wished that baby and Tatay was with me. I bought my usual ref magnet and a dark green triceratops stuff toy for baby.

I'll be back.

Olympics na!

Title above: One Dream

August 8, 2008 was the opening of the Beijing Olympics at 8:08:08 in the evening! A date and time that can only occur how many times in a lifetime.

These are my old photos from Hongkong in July 2007. There were many sculptures with the 2008 Olympic theme. I was not able to post this last year when I took it. This week I guess is the best since the Games are officially going on now.

Union Square

One of the most colorful places I've visited in NY. It felt like UP in some kind of way because there were artist, musicians, and people of every color going about spending a lazy early evening. This was almost 7pm summer sun still way up looking like 3pm. We were waiting for S and G to meet us for our dinner in one of the Vietnamese restaurants in the area. All these happening with Jamaican beat on the background. We were just sitting there on the steps at Union Square watching people pass by.

be who you are!

borrowed this from M's blog

I am a fan of Dr Suess, that is why when I was in New York, I went to Strand Bookstore and bought baby a huge Dr. Suess book on sale 6 books in 1 for only 5$. Will post more about Strand in future post.

Lady Liberty

One of my most memorable visit is my time with Lady Liberty and Ellis Island. She is immense and awe inspiring to say the least. I had a very contemplative early afternoon with her. I ate pandesal the sandwich that E prepared for me that morning while staring and straining my neck looking up to her. The wind was blowing and the sun shining. The island is filled of people from all over the world. I've seen her so many times in the movies and tv but it is indeed quiet a different solemn experience spending a summer afternoon with her. What she represents and what freedom means to each one of us.

NYC

My first day in New York.

My first at New York City!

This is my first view and photo of New York City after emerging from the subway at Penn Station. It is just an ordinary photo but for me this is my first ever photo of NYC. Like I mentioned in my previous post, NY has been in bucket list of places to visit for as long as I can remember.

Many more photos and post to come! NY is such a photogenic city!

The Olive Garden, NYC

Straight from JFK International airport we headed to the Olive Garden restaurant. M and E picked me up in their silver sedan with a small Philippine flag at that back and we arrived just a few minutes before the Italian restaurant opened that morning.

It was one of the best salad, pizza and pasta I've tasted. I guess it is more evident because I was eating airline food the past weeks hehehe.

M and E are pregant and expecting a baby that week. I am so grateful to them for welcoming me into their home in New York. During lunch they told me that they are transferring houses that week as well so many things going on. Then they provided me with a map of mid-town Manhattan where I can spend the rest of the afternoon. Maan lent me his unlimited train pass and oriented me with the map. E gave me a box of Stride along with the tips of what to doin the subway. I said no problem as I've been on the trains in Sydney and HKG so I think I will have no problem. (but wait, the train stories merit a special post all its own. Will do that in the coming days).

So there, we had our delicious Italian lunch and off we went to see the new place their renting near Flatbush Ave. in Brooklyn. Then they dropped me off at Flatbush subway station.

I was soooooo excited to say the least to finally see NY. It has been in my bucket list for years!!!

South Beach andun ako!

After a refreshing nap, we decided to have a walk on the beach. And it is not just one ordinary beach. Yes! it is the famous South Beach. Kung saan pinangalan ang diet ng South Beach Diet hahahahaha :) kakatuwa! It is one of the longest white beach I've visited. K said it goes up to Ft. Lauderdale. It is a public beach very much nicer than Waikiki Beach in Hawaii.

Top photo shows a sign of a turtle nest. We found these marked along the beach. These nest are protected by Federal Law. We saw a couple of these turtle nest.

What's so nice about summer in the US is the sun is up til 10PM.

memories of palawan

In Miami, K was kind enough to open her home for me to stay in. When I entered the house and saw the futon it distinctly reminded me of my room in Palawan. I met K in circa 1997 when she was Peacecorp for Sibuyan. It was only after 10 years that I met her again. Thanks to D who is a close friend of K. Everywhere in the house there are reminders of the Philippines. The bathroom mirror there is the Ifugao fertility necklace. Here in the photo the native backpack. I really had a good afternoon nap and dozed off after I took this picture of my foot and the surf board.

Miami Everglades

One of the state national parks in Florida is the Everglades. It is a huge flowing river that is only a few inches deep. That Saturday morning, K drove up to Ft Lauderdale and we drove up to the Everglades. We got into one of the small airboats. These airboats glide over the water it is powered by a genuine airplane propeller. We had to wear earplugs while were riding on it. It was an amazing ride with the wind blowing in your face and no seat belts. The whole great expanse of the Everglades before you. I imagined myself a true explorer those that I watch only on TV or movies. There are alligators all around. Birds flying. Even heard that anacondas can be found in these waters.