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Moving Domains
Hello All, Just a quick note to say that I haven't been blogging here for a while because Peter and I decided to get our own doma...
Movie Review: Salt, which you should take with a grain of salt.
It stars Angelina Jolie as Evelyn Salt, a CIA officer, used to being in the field. So when a walk-in informant told the CIA that Evelyn Salt was a Russian spy and was intending to kill the Russian President, she was the subject of suspicion. So, who indeed was Evelyn Salt? This was the premise of the first hour or so of the movie. Was she as she says she is - an American CIA agent, or was she really a Russian spy as stated by the informant?
After that first hour of guessing, which made me feel like I'm watching an episode of Lost, because I kept changing my mind on my theory. Which was fine. Then the last hour started, and I got bored.
Sure, there was a twist at the end that I was totally not expecting. [Expect a red herring moment!] But then again, it was not enough for me. This movie was too overhyped and did not live up my standards and what I thought this movie would be.
As a friend of mine said, "this movie is like Bourne, with a girl on it." So, if you like movies with a lot of action and/or would just want to see Angelina Jolie, then by all means, see it. If you're choosing between Salt and a bunch of other movies, I'd say, go watch Inception instead. Inception is more worthy of your time than this flick.
Tag :
2010 movies,
Macau: an Introduction
As promised to my friends, I would try and chronicle my travels. So, for 2010, I decided to go abroad and fly back to Hong Kong and make a side trip to Macau as well.
Introduction
Macau has three islands Macau Island, Taipa, and Coloane. However, recent developments in Macau meant that the Cotai strip - a manmade reclamation area that houses some of the biggest casinos in the area, joined the Taipa and Coloane islands. Why is this Special Administrative Area of China so unique and popular to tourists? Well, first off, its got a ton of casinos -- something that Hong Kong and even the mainland lack. Some locals go to Macau for the weekend so expect hotel rates to rise! Some parts of Macau are also World Heritage sites - well, I think that's enough for me to go, right? History, history, history! Its got old churches, and other places worth mentioning.
Planning Your Trip and Tips
When I booked my tickets, I just had some dates in mind. I decided to book immediately because a local airline [Cebu Pacific] was holding dirt cheap airfares! Anyway, I went there around July -- which is a boiling hot time to go, so not very ideal if you hate the hot weather! Try going there in the colder months, October-March!
How many days is ideal to stay in Macau? It totally depends on you! If you want to just check out the historic center, then a day is enough, but if you want to check out some of the casinos out there, then two days would be more than enough. In my case, I went to the historic areas in the morning, whilst going to the casinos at night. If you also want to check out the other islands, Coloane and Taipa, then three days at the most. I wouldn't recommend staying in Macau for more than three days because I got bored. If I were you, I'd want to plan a trip to Zhuhai [if you have a mainland China visa], or to Hong Kong too. Most visitors tend to go to Hong Kong as there are far more activities and tourist areas to go to!
Getting There
There's three ways to go to Macau: you could go by land, air, or sea. Macau is easily accessible from Hong Kong, and you have the option to enter through Hong Kong and take a ferry to Macau [which lasts only for an hour and the option that most people do], or to ride a helicopter from HKIA to Macau's airport or the heliport near the ferry terminal. Macau is also accessible from Mainland China - via Zhuhai. Just taking the bus from Guangzhou [Zhuhai] into Macau is a breeze. And the last option: by air. There are several airlines flying to Macau. I come from Manila so Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines land there. The airport is in Taipa, which is around 30 minutes to an hour away from the Macau Peninsula.
The airport - do note that the airport is very, very small! Once the plane lands, it taxis for around 10 minutes before it reaches the airport terminal. Once you alight from the plane, it's a short walk and there's customs! Normally there's loads of people around, which could take you around 30 minutes or more to clear. After customs, you can claim your baggage, and you're finally off!
Transportation
Unlikes the other tourist destinations, Macau has no MTR! To get around the city, you have to walk, take the bus, or hire a taxi. Or there's the open secret of using the free shuttle buses offered by the casinos and walking to the nearest sight! teehee. Thing is, you've got to plan your itinerary and where you're going very, very carefully to make the most out of your time and money! =)
Getting Around, Research, and Resources
When I arrived in Macau, there are no maps in the airport. So, how would you get to your hotels? There are three options: 1. Hotel pickup. I'm not sure if all hotels do this, but this is not the option we took as our hotel has no option for this. 2. Taxi - too bloody expensive for me but it is the most convenient and 3. Take the AP1 bus somewhere and transfer to another bus or just walk to your hotel. The latter is the one I chose, as its very, very cheap - 4.20 MOP from Taipa/airport to the Ferry Terminal in Macau Peninsula!
Anyway, I also survived by downloading and printing a map of Macau from the Macau Tourist Office.
You could download the maps here --> http://www.macautourism.gov.mo/en/download/map.php
Both the Macau and Taipa/Coloane maps are made of four pages each, and you have to assemble each of them like a jigsaw puzzle. You just need a bit of patience, a table, and some sticky tape and you're on your way! This way you could get a birds eye view of Macau and plan your trip accordingly.
On another blog, I'll try and group together all the activities you could do so you won't have a hard time to do so =)
Other information, you could download/get from the Macau tourism website --> http://www.macautourism.gov.mo/en/discovering/sightseeing.php
If you're bloody obsessive-compulsive like I am then it's also worth research, research and research!!
Nuffnang and HEAVEN Ice Cream invite you to a special screening of ‘SALT’
Divine ice cream pleasure is HEAVEN Ice Cream.
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Tag :
contest,
Anglophile and Inception
Whilst I was surfing Wikipedia looking for anything Inception-related [read: actors, plotlines, related movies], I saw an article about Joseph-Gordon Levitt and how he is a Francophile - a person with a strong positive disposition to France. Anything about France, its culture, history, the people.
Hmm... which got me thinking. For followers of my blog, I dunno if there are any, you probably notice that I tend to write in British spelling, rave about anything British [especially the bands], and loooooove London so much that I'd want to go back and maybe live there in the future. And yes, even the World War II stuff, I find myself rooting for the Brits [the Allied troops] instead of the Americans, who liberated us. Teehee. Colonial mentality, call it, but I still love Britannia!
Turns out, there is such a cultural appreciation term for me! It's called Anglophile!! A certain love for anything England. Woot Woot. This started when I was in 6th grade, I think, waaay back in 1997, when I discovered my favourite band of all time and got absolutely obsessed about London.
Don't get me wrong, I was born here in this island country in Asia called the Philippines, but there was something absolutely different about me. I was brought up in a Western sort of way, with relatives from America, and also well, the blood of my Spanish ancestors also run in my blood. I think.
Anyway.......... enough of the Anglophile talk. I just wanted to say I am an anglophile. teehee.
On other news, I've just seen Inception last Sunday and all I can say is WOW. One of the best movies I've ever seen so far. The plotline is absolutely complex, it's hard for me to think how Christopher Nolan wrote the screenplay for it. It was excellently done too. And Leo.. oh Leo. Why is he so freaking hot??
With the girl from Juno + Joseph Gordon-Levitt [I'll always associate him with 500 days of Summer & the kid from 3rd Rock from the Sun - one of the best tv shows of all time], the ensemble cast is great!
And... Cillan Murphy.... he's Irish, you know? Adds all the more to his charm! teehee. I think I've seen him before in a British-produced movie but I'm racking my brains where and I'm too lazy to check on IMDB or wikipedia. teeehee.
Back to regular programming now - I'm back at work, and my commute to and from work is taking forever!!! I've packed my book light with me so I could work on some notes and maybe read a little while on the way home. The traffic going home [I live in the south of the metro] is absolutely unexpected - sometimes the commute takes less than 40 minutes, sometimes it takes more than an hour in the expressway. I love my Energizer book lamp. I got it for free from my Citibank credit card rewards points too =) Retail price is around P400+!
I'm still finalizing the itinerary for the Macau/HK trip that I plan to put up here sometime soon. Woo!
And yes, the blog has just officially gone from a book blog to my personal blog. AGAIN.
Blame the laziness in me to maintain 3 separate blogs.
Hmm... which got me thinking. For followers of my blog, I dunno if there are any, you probably notice that I tend to write in British spelling, rave about anything British [especially the bands], and loooooove London so much that I'd want to go back and maybe live there in the future. And yes, even the World War II stuff, I find myself rooting for the Brits [the Allied troops] instead of the Americans, who liberated us. Teehee. Colonial mentality, call it, but I still love Britannia!
Turns out, there is such a cultural appreciation term for me! It's called Anglophile!! A certain love for anything England. Woot Woot. This started when I was in 6th grade, I think, waaay back in 1997, when I discovered my favourite band of all time and got absolutely obsessed about London.
Don't get me wrong, I was born here in this island country in Asia called the Philippines, but there was something absolutely different about me. I was brought up in a Western sort of way, with relatives from America, and also well, the blood of my Spanish ancestors also run in my blood. I think.
Anyway.......... enough of the Anglophile talk. I just wanted to say I am an anglophile. teehee.
On other news, I've just seen Inception last Sunday and all I can say is WOW. One of the best movies I've ever seen so far. The plotline is absolutely complex, it's hard for me to think how Christopher Nolan wrote the screenplay for it. It was excellently done too. And Leo.. oh Leo. Why is he so freaking hot??
With the girl from Juno + Joseph Gordon-Levitt [I'll always associate him with 500 days of Summer & the kid from 3rd Rock from the Sun - one of the best tv shows of all time], the ensemble cast is great!
And... Cillan Murphy.... he's Irish, you know? Adds all the more to his charm! teehee. I think I've seen him before in a British-produced movie but I'm racking my brains where and I'm too lazy to check on IMDB or wikipedia. teeehee.
Back to regular programming now - I'm back at work, and my commute to and from work is taking forever!!! I've packed my book light with me so I could work on some notes and maybe read a little while on the way home. The traffic going home [I live in the south of the metro] is absolutely unexpected - sometimes the commute takes less than 40 minutes, sometimes it takes more than an hour in the expressway. I love my Energizer book lamp. I got it for free from my Citibank credit card rewards points too =) Retail price is around P400+!
I'm still finalizing the itinerary for the Macau/HK trip that I plan to put up here sometime soon. Woo!
And yes, the blog has just officially gone from a book blog to my personal blog. AGAIN.
Blame the laziness in me to maintain 3 separate blogs.
Good news all around!
Good day everyone!
I've been out for a week whilst I'd been touring Hong Kong and Macau. It's a yearly event of mine now - to take a holiday off work and life and just see the world. It's my third time in HK and my first in Macau. Trip has been very successful and I've uploaded my photos in my facebook account. I dunno if I'll write a blog about this trip sometime soon but maybe when I'm bored and I have a lot of time in my hands you'll see it here too :)
I just read the most amazing news today: Take That are reuniting as a five-piece! Ayeeee! *squeals* I love, love, love, love Take That. Actually my love for this boyband had been rekindled when I was in London back in 2008. I hoarded their DVDs and CDs and now... Robbie Williams is bacck! They're a five-piece again. *flails*
I wish I could go back to London or some country where they'll perform in just to watch their concert!!!
Puts TT and BZ concerts back in priority.
Anyway..... I've been to Powerbooks Alabang Town Center yesterday and tried my best not to walk out with anything! Hah. Good thing TT and BZ and travel are on my mind so I came out with nothing.
But the sale is from July 15-August 15, 2010 anyway... sooo.. more time to go back when I've changed my mind.
Then there's the Fully Booked Sale, the National Bookstore Sale, and the Manila International Book Fair.
Plus travel. Must always remember to travel.
Okay, enough rants now, I'm going back to my regular routine [work, read, watch stuff] in hopes of traveling again.
I've been out for a week whilst I'd been touring Hong Kong and Macau. It's a yearly event of mine now - to take a holiday off work and life and just see the world. It's my third time in HK and my first in Macau. Trip has been very successful and I've uploaded my photos in my facebook account. I dunno if I'll write a blog about this trip sometime soon but maybe when I'm bored and I have a lot of time in my hands you'll see it here too :)
I just read the most amazing news today: Take That are reuniting as a five-piece! Ayeeee! *squeals* I love, love, love, love Take That. Actually my love for this boyband had been rekindled when I was in London back in 2008. I hoarded their DVDs and CDs and now... Robbie Williams is bacck! They're a five-piece again. *flails*
I wish I could go back to London or some country where they'll perform in just to watch their concert!!!
Puts TT and BZ concerts back in priority.
Anyway..... I've been to Powerbooks Alabang Town Center yesterday and tried my best not to walk out with anything! Hah. Good thing TT and BZ and travel are on my mind so I came out with nothing.
But the sale is from July 15-August 15, 2010 anyway... sooo.. more time to go back when I've changed my mind.
Then there's the Fully Booked Sale, the National Bookstore Sale, and the Manila International Book Fair.
Plus travel. Must always remember to travel.
Okay, enough rants now, I'm going back to my regular routine [work, read, watch stuff] in hopes of traveling again.
Tag :
personal,
Live blogging from macau
Hiya! How's everyone doing? I just wanna say hi and test out blogging via my
mobile device :) I'm currently enjoying my travel- I just came from Macau and today I'm heading for hong kong Disneyland. Awesome stuff.
Now I'm thinking about blogging everything I've done whilst in this trip to help others too :)
Haven't been reading much lately but maybe when I get back home ;) tah!
mobile device :) I'm currently enjoying my travel- I just came from Macau and today I'm heading for hong kong Disneyland. Awesome stuff.
Now I'm thinking about blogging everything I've done whilst in this trip to help others too :)
Haven't been reading much lately but maybe when I get back home ;) tah!
Tag :
travel,
Guest Post: Barbara DeShong, author of Too Rich & Too Thin
Hiya All!
I'd like to welcome Barbara DeShong and thank her for writing the guest post below =)
Feel free to leave comments or ask questions after the post!
How Far Is Your Body from Perfect?
And Why You Don’t Need to Know
Barbara DeShong
Mysteryshrink.com
I'd like to welcome Barbara DeShong and thank her for writing the guest post below =)
Feel free to leave comments or ask questions after the post!
How Far Is Your Body from Perfect?
And Why You Don’t Need to Know
Mysteryshrink.com
The Story Behind the Story: TOO RICH and TOO THIN, Not an Autobiography.
On a Saturday afternoon when I was fourteen, my older sister invited me along on a guest pass to the fancy spa where she was a member. The idea appealed to me as a kid who spent fifteen to twenty hours a week riding horses, but had no experience with the more glamorous side of exercise. I donned my shorts and T-Shirt, excited and ready for my introduction to the world of women’s fitness.
On arrival, my sister greeted her spiffy pony-tailed trainer and I tagged along, spasmodically trying out a variety of machines that looked suspiciously like some I’d seen pictured as favorites of bitter European queens during the Dark Ages. But, I was having a good time, all and all. With my outdoor schedule, I wasn’t likely going to end up a regular at the spa, but I was enjoying the heck out of my guest pass.
At least I was having fun until a spandexed trainer roaming the spa with a clipboard spotted me floundering naïvely amongst the equipment and offered me a free body appraisal. Free being in my price range, I jumped on the opportunity to add value to my guest pass. The pretty lady led me into an office and whipped out a tape measure. As a fourteen year old with the above mentioned lack of spa sophistication, I sat, stood, turned, held out my arms, and offered up my sunburned neck. She was at least twenty-five and had instruments. Thus, I obeyed. Also, remember, at fourteen free was still a big draw.
Then the woman took the page off her clipboard and made entries into a calculator on her desk. After a few minutes of electronic humming, she swiveled her chair to match up her knees to mine. She knitted her forehead with great importance and proceeded to inform me that: my upper arms were 1.4 inches too big, my forearms and wrists were slightly out-of-sync, but perhaps, acceptable given my overly large hands. My waist-to-hip ratio was off by 2.4 inches, my neck was .4 inches under-sized which could be my age, and my ribcage was too large for my breast size. I lost conscious attention before she got to my thigh and lower leg deformities.
Amazingly, after informing me of the specifics of what was wrong with my body, with an absolute straight face the woman looked me straight in the eyes and asked if I would like a copy of the information. A free copy. I declined. Talk about some information a fourteen-year- old doesn’t need. Something no woman needs.
We have mirrors. We have clothes that fit and those that don’t. I couldn’t possibly think why any woman could possibly benefit from to the decimal records on how her body differs from the “ideal.”
When I chose the cover and the title for the humorous mystery, TOO RICH and TOO THIN, Not an Autobiography, I reflected on my teenage spa experience. The women who come into my psychology office, like the one who peers at me out of my mirror, tend to see a face and body worse than the reality. The cover for the book shows a regular-sized, normally saggy, middle-aged woman with un-fussed-over hairdo painting a self-portrait using a mirror. On her easel she has painted a slender woman with great hair. Studies show that people who over-estimate their physical and social desirability have more fun in life. Knowing those studies, I’ve often thought, “What if, as a psychologist, I could help people see themselves as better-looking than they are?
To approach the body image issue a bit differently through fiction, one of the lead characters is so obsessed with the way she sees herself that she has her bedroom walled in distortion mirrors reflecting a younger and slimmer woman.
Behind the mystery in TOO RICH and TOO THIN, Not an Autobiography is the story of women’s struggle with self image in an image conscious world.
Barbara DeShong is an award-winning speaker, practicing psychologist, and the author of “Too Rich and Too Thin: Not an Autobiography,” a humorous mystery novel. For more information, please visit www.mysteryshrink.com or www.toorichandtoothin.com
Tag :
author guest post,
Review: The Greatest Salesman in the World
One workday, a colleague of mine had this on her table, I immediately borrowed it after she had tried [but failed] in finishing the book.
It tells the story of how to be the greatest salesman in the world, following the principles that are outlined from 10 scrolls, passed down from one person to the next. These scrolls would teach the readers on how to become the greatest salesman in the world.
Thoughts: When you initially buy this book, you wouldn't get a synopsis at the back. And yes, you may initially be startled at how thin and small this book is! But it's full of inspirational tales that reminded me of Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist - although, I know that Og Mandino wrote his books first.
There are some scenes that reminded me of the Bible stories, while there are multiple quotable quotes within the book. I wrote them all down in my notebook so I'll have something to look back on when I return the book to my colleague. Did this book inspire me? Definitely. This book came at a right time when I was not in the mood to read any book, no matter how good it is. I've just lost the knack for reading right now, especially when my trip abroad is looming closer and closer. *yipee*
I also found out that the quotable quote "Live each day with love in your heart" was from this book! I've been reading that line for so many times now, but never knew where it came from!
Quick read? Yes. But you have the option to read the book and/or the principles again and again if you feel like it, and you believe with what the author was conveying.
Unfortunately, I can't really delve much on any other details now, or else my review would have spoilers. So on to the summary!
Published: 1968 [that long ago, seriously?]
Publisher: Bantam Dell
Available from: everywhere!
Read it if: You need some inspiration
Book was acquired from: - actually, borrowed from my colleague
The post above is included in Cym Lowell's Book Review Wednesdays
Tag :
2010 books,
review,
Review: The Elf of Luxembourg
Thoughts: Who would have ever thought to put elves and vampires in a novel? It's just brilliant! Usually it's just wolves vs vamps, but hey, this novel provides a breath of fresh air in what has become a stagnant paranormal cliche.
I also love the fact that the author has decided to set his tale in a real city, and provides information on the places to see, and where to eat! It honestly makes me want to go to Luxembourg, like, right now.
The presentation of the story is brilliant too. I love the author's writing technique. Every chapter is a breath of fresh air -- even if you're traveling from one story to the next, and you're presented with a specific scenario, you never get lost as you are reading the tale. It's easy to follow, plus the German and French phrases are also a plus. I learned a lot reading this book! Both geographically and language-wise, of course.
What I am not too happy about is the cover -- for a great tale, it needs a more striking cover, nothing like the one that is available right now. please change the cover to something else, something more eye-catching!
Published: 2010
Publisher: Tom Weston Media
Available from: Amazon
Read it if: You want a mix of vamps with elves with a touch of historical fiction set in a gorgeous European city.
Book was acquired from: the author - thanks.
The post above is included in Cym Lowell's Book Review Wednesdays
Tag :
2010 books,
review,
TV Time: Gossip Girl S2 Finale & Flash Forward Reviews
So tv time with Ruby revolves around this telly series for the moment plus a glimpse of Gossip Girl. Please bear with me as I include both a summary of the episode and what I thought about it. If you haven't seen this episode yet and don't like spoilers then please be wary of the below! Though I don't any of you haven't seen what I've seen already. There's much more telly addicts out there than myself.
Gossip Girl Season 2 Finale.
Those of you who are updated with telly series must think that I am a loser! Lol. Yes, I've only just finished the second season, and yes, I am aware that the third season has finished a month ago. But who could ever find the time to watch all they want and do so much more? Well, I actually watched the finale through my iPod -- i try to squeeze in a bit of entertainment time whenever possible!
In this episode, Blair said I love you to Chuck again, which was not reciprocated again. Serena is waging a war on Gossip Girl, only to find that she was in vain and Gossip Girl dished out all the secrets of the posse. Blair also chooses the next queen of Constance -- Jenny! Hmm.. not surprising. Rufus proposes to Lily, and well, the gang are all preparing to go to college although Vanessa & Nate plan to go on a backpacking tour before the semester starts.
What I loved about this ep was how the gang all banded together. They're still strong, I only hope that they remain as strong as this for season 3 but whatevs. I'll get to watch what happens to them sooner or later when I've got the extra time to spare. What I loved? Well, the Chuck and Blair moments of course! And Blair's headbands. They are to die for! =P
And so I got a copy of Flash Forward from my old boss after asking him if it was any good. I saw previews of this in the Fox Channel when I still had it and it got me hooked. Too bad it got cancelled though :( It stars the dude from Shakespeare in Love and the other dude from Harold & Kumar.
Flash Forward - Pilot.
The start of this very addictive series. In this episode, at exactly 11AM, October 2009, everyone blacked out for exactly 2 minutes and 17 seconds, and nearly everyone had a vision of what they were going to be doing 6 months from the date, on April 29th, 2010, 10pm EST. Now, knowing the future could be very, very scary. For me, I honestly don't know if i'd appreciate knowing my future or not, especially if the future is a bad one. Anyway, like everything else that we have in the present, the flash forwards that the people got were interconnected. As the FBI is starting to investigate what could have caused the phenomenon, they noticed something different -- during the time that everyone was supposedly blacked out, one person was awake! Creepy stuff! Is that person a mutant, an alien, or one who knows it all?
Absolutely brilliant Pilot. Sci-Fi at its best yet believable enough for you to think of the chances of that thing happening!!
Flash Forward - Episode 2.
And so, while I wait for my file transfer to be completed, I decided to go on through to the next installment in the series!
In this ep, most of the people are trying to cope with what they know from the future and Steve from Coupling is here! *squee*
Note: For those of you who haven't watched the telly show Coupling, DO! It's like, the British equivalent of Friends... with a mix of Sex & The City of sorts that was aired back in the early 2000s [or late 90s? i'm not sure!] Anyway, some of the people in the ep dealt with the future as a positive or a negative thing, which is realistic. But.... 30 minutes on to this ep and it gets kinda boring.... Mark [the main FBI character] is chasing after the clues he has that led to his flash forward. Oooh! Now things are picking up -- quote of the ep: "he who forsees calamity suffers them twice over" Okay - just finished the ep and it feels like I'm watching Lost season 1 all over again. So many questions that need answers! Gah!
Flash Forward - Episode 3.
A lead comes up from an ex-Nazi german which tries to explain why the Flash Forward was 137 seconds long [exactly 2 minutes 17 seconds]. The German asks for a get out of jail free card in return. Meanwhile, people have begun living for what would happen in the future, not what could happen in the future. huh. Anyhow, another mystery! The flash forward in the past already - in 1991, somewhere in Africa. Another great mystery was there was a boy who was awake when everyone was passed out! Hmm........
Gossip Girl Season 2 Finale.
Those of you who are updated with telly series must think that I am a loser! Lol. Yes, I've only just finished the second season, and yes, I am aware that the third season has finished a month ago. But who could ever find the time to watch all they want and do so much more? Well, I actually watched the finale through my iPod -- i try to squeeze in a bit of entertainment time whenever possible!
In this episode, Blair said I love you to Chuck again, which was not reciprocated again. Serena is waging a war on Gossip Girl, only to find that she was in vain and Gossip Girl dished out all the secrets of the posse. Blair also chooses the next queen of Constance -- Jenny! Hmm.. not surprising. Rufus proposes to Lily, and well, the gang are all preparing to go to college although Vanessa & Nate plan to go on a backpacking tour before the semester starts.
What I loved about this ep was how the gang all banded together. They're still strong, I only hope that they remain as strong as this for season 3 but whatevs. I'll get to watch what happens to them sooner or later when I've got the extra time to spare. What I loved? Well, the Chuck and Blair moments of course! And Blair's headbands. They are to die for! =P
And so I got a copy of Flash Forward from my old boss after asking him if it was any good. I saw previews of this in the Fox Channel when I still had it and it got me hooked. Too bad it got cancelled though :( It stars the dude from Shakespeare in Love and the other dude from Harold & Kumar.
Flash Forward - Pilot.
The start of this very addictive series. In this episode, at exactly 11AM, October 2009, everyone blacked out for exactly 2 minutes and 17 seconds, and nearly everyone had a vision of what they were going to be doing 6 months from the date, on April 29th, 2010, 10pm EST. Now, knowing the future could be very, very scary. For me, I honestly don't know if i'd appreciate knowing my future or not, especially if the future is a bad one. Anyway, like everything else that we have in the present, the flash forwards that the people got were interconnected. As the FBI is starting to investigate what could have caused the phenomenon, they noticed something different -- during the time that everyone was supposedly blacked out, one person was awake! Creepy stuff! Is that person a mutant, an alien, or one who knows it all?
Absolutely brilliant Pilot. Sci-Fi at its best yet believable enough for you to think of the chances of that thing happening!!
Flash Forward - Episode 2.
And so, while I wait for my file transfer to be completed, I decided to go on through to the next installment in the series!
In this ep, most of the people are trying to cope with what they know from the future and Steve from Coupling is here! *squee*
Note: For those of you who haven't watched the telly show Coupling, DO! It's like, the British equivalent of Friends... with a mix of Sex & The City of sorts that was aired back in the early 2000s [or late 90s? i'm not sure!] Anyway, some of the people in the ep dealt with the future as a positive or a negative thing, which is realistic. But.... 30 minutes on to this ep and it gets kinda boring.... Mark [the main FBI character] is chasing after the clues he has that led to his flash forward. Oooh! Now things are picking up -- quote of the ep: "he who forsees calamity suffers them twice over" Okay - just finished the ep and it feels like I'm watching Lost season 1 all over again. So many questions that need answers! Gah!
Flash Forward - Episode 3.
A lead comes up from an ex-Nazi german which tries to explain why the Flash Forward was 137 seconds long [exactly 2 minutes 17 seconds]. The German asks for a get out of jail free card in return. Meanwhile, people have begun living for what would happen in the future, not what could happen in the future. huh. Anyhow, another mystery! The flash forward in the past already - in 1991, somewhere in Africa. Another great mystery was there was a boy who was awake when everyone was passed out! Hmm........
Travel: Macau and HK 2010 Itinerary
Posting here because my friends want to know where I'm going =) And to serve as a guide to other people who may be reading my blog who wants to go to HK and Macau =)
The below is just a plan - please post comments if you wish to correct or suggest something to the below =)
July 8
Arrive Macau 930pm via CebuPac
Ride bus or Taxi to Metropole Hotel.
Freshen up for around 5mins
Between 1015-1030 pm - walk to Wynn Hotel from Metropole
Watch Fountain Show & Tree of prosperity
camwhore in casinos around the area at night [wynn and grand lisboa, other casinos, maybe]
Estimated expenses - 15/MOP or HKD [bus from airport to ferry station; bus from ferry station to bus stop near hotel -- will research more on this]
OR cab -- between 80-100 MOP/HKD
July 9
around 6am - wake up!
between 7-730am - leave hotel. Either 1) eat bfast at hotel [baon of food] or buy [not recommended since tipid mode]
bus from hotel to: [3.20 MOP]
A-Ma Temple [opens at 7am] then barra fortress/hill
macau maritime museum
bus to historical area of macau [st pauls ruins, etc, bus 8 - 3.20 MOP]
explore historical area **consult MAP!**
lunch
explore some more =)
Guia Hill too? if so, another bus [3.20 MOP]
early evening/late afternoon
bus to macau tower [3.20 mop]
entrance to macau tower [100MOP] - includes skywalk and observation decks
bus from macau tower to fisherman's village
dinner at fisherman's village
at around 8pm - bus from fisherman's village to nam van lake [watch fountain show]
evening - camwhore around st paul's/senado square at night!
july 10
after eating baon of bfast or eat out -
bus from hotel to coloane [5 MOP]
explore coloane
coloane village
hac sa park/beach [optional]
a ma statue
seac pai van park
lunch at lord stow's macao
after lunch: bus to taipa [4.20 MOP]
taipa village, houses, hills, etc
bus to ferry terminal then ride free ferry to venetian or bus directly to venetian [if bus to venetian will do research]
optional: watch 5pm show of cirque du soleil [188 MOP]
explore venetian and watch shows
city of dreams [watch the dragon show]
explore venetian/other hotels/casinos in the area until evening
july 11
- check out metropole and leave items with concierge for pickup
- buy stuff to bring home, last minute sightseeing at macau
- guia fortress/grand prix museum/wine museum
- lunch somewhere
- ride 1pm ferry to HK [154 HKD]
- arrive in HK around 2pm
- checkin hotel at around 230pm
- around 3/330pm - leave hotel for TST by walking [20mins walk from hotel - cheapskate mode: ON] or ride MTR from Jordan to TST station - 3.6 HKD
- ride Star Ferry from TST to HK Island - idk how much
Stuff to do in HK Island:
Wan Chai - golden bauhinia square
HK Zoo & Botanical gardens [i wanna go here puhlease? :D]
Malls in HK Island
OR
just hang around TST in the museums [except for the science one please!]
- 630pm - head to waterfront to watch Symphony of Lights [for Jego]
then malls again cos its sale. =)
MUSTS:
H&M
Muji
Mango
Uniqlo
Cotton On
July 12
Bfast at Hotel
HK Disneyland from 10am-8pm!!! [350 HKD entrance] - avail of meal voucher too.
Temple Street Night Market/Mong Kok in the evening to buy something to bring home
Sleep
July 13.
Early check out at hotel
Leave stuff with front desk
Repulse Bay & Stanley Market
Leave for HK Airport by around 430pm
Arrive HK Airport at around 530pm for 730pm flight back to MNL
930pm - arrive in MNL
--
The below is just a plan - please post comments if you wish to correct or suggest something to the below =)
July 8
Arrive Macau 930pm via CebuPac
Ride bus or Taxi to Metropole Hotel.
Freshen up for around 5mins
Between 1015-1030 pm - walk to Wynn Hotel from Metropole
Watch Fountain Show & Tree of prosperity
camwhore in casinos around the area at night [wynn and grand lisboa, other casinos, maybe]
Estimated expenses - 15/MOP or HKD [bus from airport to ferry station; bus from ferry station to bus stop near hotel -- will research more on this]
OR cab -- between 80-100 MOP/HKD
July 9
around 6am - wake up!
between 7-730am - leave hotel. Either 1) eat bfast at hotel [baon of food] or buy [not recommended since tipid mode]
bus from hotel to: [3.20 MOP]
A-Ma Temple [opens at 7am] then barra fortress/hill
macau maritime museum
bus to historical area of macau [st pauls ruins, etc, bus 8 - 3.20 MOP]
explore historical area **consult MAP!**
lunch
explore some more =)
Guia Hill too? if so, another bus [3.20 MOP]
early evening/late afternoon
bus to macau tower [3.20 mop]
entrance to macau tower [100MOP] - includes skywalk and observation decks
bus from macau tower to fisherman's village
dinner at fisherman's village
at around 8pm - bus from fisherman's village to nam van lake [watch fountain show]
evening - camwhore around st paul's/senado square at night!
july 10
after eating baon of bfast or eat out -
bus from hotel to coloane [5 MOP]
explore coloane
coloane village
hac sa park/beach [optional]
a ma statue
seac pai van park
lunch at lord stow's macao
after lunch: bus to taipa [4.20 MOP]
taipa village, houses, hills, etc
bus to ferry terminal then ride free ferry to venetian or bus directly to venetian [if bus to venetian will do research]
optional: watch 5pm show of cirque du soleil [188 MOP]
explore venetian and watch shows
city of dreams [watch the dragon show]
explore venetian/other hotels/casinos in the area until evening
july 11
- check out metropole and leave items with concierge for pickup
- buy stuff to bring home, last minute sightseeing at macau
- guia fortress/grand prix museum/wine museum
- lunch somewhere
- ride 1pm ferry to HK [154 HKD]
- arrive in HK around 2pm
- checkin hotel at around 230pm
- around 3/330pm - leave hotel for TST by walking [20mins walk from hotel - cheapskate mode: ON] or ride MTR from Jordan to TST station - 3.6 HKD
- ride Star Ferry from TST to HK Island - idk how much
Stuff to do in HK Island:
Wan Chai - golden bauhinia square
HK Zoo & Botanical gardens [i wanna go here puhlease? :D]
Malls in HK Island
OR
just hang around TST in the museums [except for the science one please!]
- 630pm - head to waterfront to watch Symphony of Lights [for Jego]
then malls again cos its sale. =)
MUSTS:
H&M
Muji
Mango
Uniqlo
Cotton On
July 12
Bfast at Hotel
HK Disneyland from 10am-8pm!!! [350 HKD entrance] - avail of meal voucher too.
Temple Street Night Market/Mong Kok in the evening to buy something to bring home
Sleep
July 13.
Early check out at hotel
Leave stuff with front desk
Repulse Bay & Stanley Market
Leave for HK Airport by around 430pm
Arrive HK Airport at around 530pm for 730pm flight back to MNL
930pm - arrive in MNL
--
Travel: Ruby's June 2010 Piso Fare Experience
Everyone in the Philippines knows about the Piso or Zero Fare Promo of Cebu Pacific.
It is a much awaited sale because the prices are really, really cheap!
So, when they posted that they will have a sale today, I was happy. It was to Domestic destinations only within the PH but nevertheless, a sale is a sale, and traveling is traveling. I can't resist missing out on new destinations!
I had a chat with my mum the night before the sale June 10th, and she said she was game for it!
And since I was too sleepy and can't wait until 12mn, I decided to wait until today to try my luck and book a ticket for myself and for my mum.
Lo and behold, I was one of the few lucky ones to nab a seat to Davao for travel on January 2011.
Thank you CebuPac for giving us a chance to see the world for a fraction of what it would normally cost.
It is a much awaited sale because the prices are really, really cheap!
So, when they posted that they will have a sale today, I was happy. It was to Domestic destinations only within the PH but nevertheless, a sale is a sale, and traveling is traveling. I can't resist missing out on new destinations!
I had a chat with my mum the night before the sale June 10th, and she said she was game for it!
And since I was too sleepy and can't wait until 12mn, I decided to wait until today to try my luck and book a ticket for myself and for my mum.
Lo and behold, I was one of the few lucky ones to nab a seat to Davao for travel on January 2011.
Only problem? I wasn't able to book for my mum! When I tried to book again, it was all sold out!
And so I'd wait for another domestic sale to book a seat for my mum. This is my second time in Davao, and my mum's first so I'd act as her tour guide. Woot Woot.
I can't wait for an international piso fare! I have a list of places I want to go to, with priorities and possible travel dates! I was also lucky enough to nab a piso fare for Macau this July. I booked it last October 2009, just in case you want to know, for a roundtrip total of P933. Whee! On to new adventures ahead!