Sunday, November 9, 2008
orangey!!
BUT....i still have to try them all.
i am still sticking with the basics (the one i am familiar with) apples, bananas, oranges, and pear (grapes are not sweet so i veer away from this bunch). I promised myself i am going to try the plums and persimmons before i go home next month.
oh, and by the way, this may sound weird but i've never seen a real peach. They come in cans in Manila (pity!). So, when i was offered by my officemate i had to ask...do i eat it with the skin? There was along explanation of us being a tropical country and peaches growing in colder climates...oh well, it was a good experience. Can't wait to try the persimmons.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
industrial park at night
Thursday, September 25, 2008
red lanterns
Thursday, September 18, 2008
crocs...you gave me pain!
Not the perfect footwear, there were so many things to see and many alleys and areas you can go to, but my crocs just won't cooperate, i got blisters (big-time). I thought they were comfortable...
Anyway, crocs or no crocs, my trip is indeed one for the books.
Hope you were there with me, i think you'd also enjoy walking in the rain and laughing and thinking what you've gotten yourselves into.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
rail station
Saturday, September 13, 2008
tower in the rain
went to the train station, bought an umbrella and walked around taipei.
had the best time, i had to buy shoes twice, broke my first pair, got the other so drenched that when we walk all you can hear is squish squish.
all in all....it was FUN, catching up over curry, beer, sausages, sushi, popcorn, pilaf...well that summed up Day 1. i think you know what happened. Tomorrow the typhoon will get worse...so tomorrow, we eat more!
Monday, September 8, 2008
fisher girl
Zhuhai is also famous for its "lover's path", a winding boulevard with the sea to your right and the mountain on your left. It starts from the ferry port all the way to those tall buildings.
This city is the perfect escape when you want to ran away from the crazy crowd in Shenzhen, might do it after the holidays.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
zhuhai
We have weekly conference calls and since we are scattered in 5 different offices, we don't know who's who.
This is the view from the room's balcony, and you can see from the room the hot springs (left)...here we had wine baths, milk baths, mineral ore soak and the different hot baths and with varying temperatures. They close at 2 am, and we stayed until 1:30 am and we were all pruney!
I will upload more Zhuhai pictures in the coming days...I will be in Taiwan this coming Friday...more pictures!
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
breakfast
You can find steamers like this at every corner. You won't miss it, this is the morning hotspot.
Reminds me of the puto and taho. They do have taho here, but they don't put caramel on top, instead they add chili paste and fried tofu (soya overload).
Friday, August 8, 2008
calm before the storm
So, we walked around the area, looked at some stuff, went window shopping until 9pm.
We decided to go home a few minutes later.
This is the the typical bus station scene in downtown. So quiet, everybody seemed normal. I was supposed to take a picture of them getting on the bus and scrambling to the door, but i couldn't, people came out of nowhere and shoved me.
Maybe next time, when i'm more prepared!
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
afterthoughts
Outside, the sky is still dark.
Can you see the four tall buildings? They welcome me everytime i get off the ferry.
These buildings houses the four different banks; where we (foreigners) usually converge at the end of the month to catch up on things, gossip and pay our bills, rent, internet subscription, mobile phone plan and everything that we think ARE necessary.
Before i came here, I always thought of China as the country filled with people wearing nothing but black "Mao" inspired clothing, i never imagined tall buildings, well-paved road, subway and working traffic lights (professors told us that they are sleeping giants...so, i thought that the only "urbanized" area is Shanghai). I came here with that in mind...what a shame!
They've come so far! No more rickshaws here.
Now, rickshaw is a brand of tea that my housemate drinks every morning.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
red riding hood
No kidding!
They hop on their bikes with raincoat and all, sometimes they have umbrellas, but that is very difficult especially in a downpour. Others just go walk and take the bus -- no fun there.
I prefer to walk, i don't have a bike and a raincoat, i belong to the "no-fun" group.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
no magic here
Ma ma hu hu, pretty much sums up what i felt.
I didn't get to enjoy the rides, got dizzy on the carousel. Enjoyed the 3-D theatre though. I saw Buzz Lightyear then went inside the "It's a Small World" because there was no queue.
The magic didn't rub in. Probably i'm too old! Hmmm...what could have happened?
Friday, August 1, 2008
totally uneventful and unexpected
Got to the Philippine Consulate, met a Filipino who happens to be a designer in Shenzhen. We talked about missing Manila, things we like in China and food. He taught me how to cook adobo, the perfect garlicy and oily adobo, which i will try to do next weekend.
We got our passports around 3pm and since we both haven't taken the train to Shenzhen we decided to try it.
We purchased our tickets through the "English Speaking Counter" (good they have that or we will end up in Beijing), went to the waiting area which was not chaotic. Went up the platform and that is when i took this shot. I never expected the train to look like that...clean and looks well maintained. The ticketing system impressed me, so did the train. Totally UNEXPECTED. It's clean and the seats are comfortable.
We took our seats and promised to sleep the whole ride...so again the ride was uneventful...Uneventful is actually an understatement!
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
i wanted one...
What stopped me from buying are the following:
Rain - I don't find raincoats or umbrellas fashionable, especially when you're pedalling away
Crazy Drivers - they drive like crazy, they drive fast, they speed drive.
Security - 2 of my officemates parked (and locked) their bikes outside the local bread shop when it started to rain, when it cleared...the "rain" apparently took their bikes.
uniform
You are right, the hair accessory, the scrunchie. it's part of the uniform! I completely understand the caps, hats or aprons, but the hair accessory...it's completely...fascinating!
Speaking of uniform, something went into my head. High School field trip, we were required to wear our uniforms, we were on our way home when suddenly one of my classmates screamed..."The curtain on that bus and our skirts are one and the same". Shucks!
I would have followed her all the way to the resto where she works, but nah...i only have 5 minutes left. What i will do now, is look for her by having lunch in one of those restaurants near my office.
I could imagine it now, all of them serving me lunch and i will be looking at those scrunchies...with a smile on my face.
Monday, July 28, 2008
parade
Like they are participating in a parade of some sort.
I was just here last Friday, they were not "dressed" then. It took me a while to notice the lampost on the left and the floodlights below...ahhh...these are accent trees. They will make the area look less industrial especially at night.
I saw the other side last Saturday night, the facade looks a little soft with yellow lights and wall features...I promise to take a night shot and show it to you.
Oh. by the way, I had a very nice walk.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
rainy sunday
I love it when it rains in Manila, i love the cold wind, the sound of it and the way it streams in our street, i just love it. i love rain.
Everything is different in China, i don't like going out in the rain, roads are muddy. I've been here for a year, i know what the street looks like, rain or otherwise.
There was nowhere else to go but stay at home and watch DVDs, cable won't work, i have a satellite dish that will never receive feeds if it rains or blocked by very thick rain clouds.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
high fashion
It was summer the second time i visited China and for most of them, summer means showing off their best in short summer dresses which they usually match with stilettos. I was trapped in prom fever, everywhere i look girls are dressed like they're out to party! Laces, satin, sequins, ribbons, everything you can imagine.
They go to work everyday wearing those frilly dresses, sometimes when i get on the elevator, i feel so lost and so underdressed...i usually have the "i-didn't-get-the-memo" feeling.
What bothers me though...is how in the world do they ride their bicycles? Bicycles are still in fashion here, it is still very much used. I guess you can imagine people-wearing-skirts and bicycles together...but add to the that the stilettos(?)
Well, it's summer once again, and yes i see them everywhere. The are back! Going to work today i saw her, i like her dress, not to frilly...and to answer my first question, it's me. i don't read memos, i think its high time i wear one to blend with the locals.
Friday, July 25, 2008
of buses and queues
The only problem is that locals are not really fond of queuing, they'll wait for the bus at the designated station, and once it arrives...pandemonium erupts. People just claw their way in. It's messier when it rains.
I am used to it, it's like Manila, particularly in the Philcoa area between 4 - 6pm, where half of the Quezon City population waits for their buses and jeepneys bound for Fairview or Lagro...those were the days. It was a good training.
This bus station is very near where i live. Buses here goes to the beach (2 hours), pass by the public market, and that clothing depot that i have yet to explore.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
why did i forget the battery?
why?
So, why did i work in China? I've been asked and i have been asking myself why...up to now, the only reason i can think of is...because it's China.
Maybe in the next couple of months i will be able to answer that.
But now...i am still enjoying everything...