Crazy Little Thing Called Love (Part II)

First of all, this post wouldn’t be possible if not for the people who generously shared their stories with me. Thank you for making me realize that I have really crazy friends. Haha! I kid! Seriously, what started out as a little survey turned out to be an enlightening project that not only asks the craziest thing people did for love but also makes people look back and realize that at the end of the day, there was/is always that someone you were/are prepared to do crazy things for.

And because the heart is stubborn and irrational and fearless and willing to do all sorts of crazy – in the name of love, here goes Part II:

 

Have you ever been so crazy in love that you conquered your fears for that person?

“When you’re in love, you defy almost everything, even your worst fears in life”, said my friend who walked alone, across a pitch black campus at two in the morning, just to see this girl. I guess that’s the thing with love, you feel no fear (or maybe you do, but you don’t care). Case in point: this guy who challenged a whole fraternity to a boxing match to fight for his girlfriend. For some people, love means entrusting someone with your life (crazily hehe) – like this girl who, in a drunken stupor, hopped on a back of a motorcycle, and let her equally drunk boyfriend take them both home. Blame it on the alcohol, maybe. But she now looks back to that night and just thanks God that they got home alive (otherwise they won’t be married now) hehe!

I realized that girls can get really fearless (and crazy) when in love – fearless in a way that they are willing to step out of their comfort zones, like several girls I know who moved thousands of miles away from home. One girl even borrowed money from her parents to live halfway across the world, without a job, away from her comfortable life here, and into the arms of the man she loves.

Makes you think about leaving your comfort zone, no? :  )

 

Did you ever feel like your love life (or someone else’s) is taken right out of a movie scene? You know, like how you can relate when Basha gets jealous seeing Popoy’s new girlfriend (One More Chance, 2007) or how much you feels you had when Lorenz finally admits he’s in love with Toni (Got 2 Believe, 2002) or how you wished you were Aurelia when Jamie proposed to her (Love Actually, 2003).  Well, I think my friends have better versions.

Who in his right mind will still surprise an ex-girlfriend (and on Valentine’s Day, mind you) who’s already dating someone new? Imagine a guy, waiting in a lobby with a bouquet of roses in his hands – then the new couple walks in, straight from a lunch date. Now, that’s a surprise, alright!

This girl has a different version of an airport scene. She literally went from place to place, searching for the guy, and finally ended up at the airport – few hours before his flight leaves. Given the limited time, it was not possible to profess her love to the guy, so she did the next best thing: she gave him a book, and in those pages, she wrote everything she wanted to say, and confessed every feeling she has. I don’t know if I’m allowed to write what happened next, but please tell me that’s one of the most romantic things you’ve ever read!

And of course, who doesn’t remember a movie or two where the girl falls for her best friend? As for my friend who “gave up the friendship to jump into the wild waters of love” (her words, not mine), falling in love with the best friend is synonymous with crazy.

 

 

It’s amazing how (most) people’s initial reaction to the question was amusement. I don’t know if it’s the retrospective realization that you were once ‘too in love’ that you were willing to do things even if you make a fool out of yourself, even if you know it’s wrong, and even if the feelings are not reciprocated. It may be that realization that you were once capable of doing such things and exerting that much effort. Like commuting from Manila to Laguna just to see the girl, spending the night talking to her, then taking the bus back to Manila in the wee hours of the morning; or paying for his rent and food, raising funds for his tuition fee, and even raising more funds to pay for damages incurred during his motorcycle accident; it could also be letting your partner ‘explore’ and be free, all the while knowing that you might/will be hurt if she finds someone new – but you do it anyway.

But really, is there anything crazier than the girl who pursued the guy and who proposed to him, eventually? :  )

What’s the craziest thing you did for love? 

Crazy Little Thing Called Love

What is the craziest thing you did for love? Ask this question randomly and you’ll most likely get a stifled laugh. I’ve been asking this question the whole day. You see, this morning, I bore witness to something crazy my friend did when he got back together with a partner after being kicked out of the house (with no place to go) and being bashed in cyberspace. This morning’s events got me thinking how people can do really crazy (and at the time, in my opinion, really stupid) things “for love” and it got me curious. Okay, very curious.

I’ve asked friends, colleagues, relatives, ex-lovers, couples, acquaintances – through all forms of social media possible, and well, over lunch – just for me to get different perspectives on the amount of crazy people are willing to go through or put up with or just do in the name of love. Based from the answers I got, I can say that you do crazy things in all stages of a relationship (official or otherwise) – during the early stages of romance, throughout the ‘life cycle’ of a relationship, and finally when chapters have ended and ties are broken.

Here are some of the craziest things people did (or still do) for love:

 

Ah, the feeling of falling in love – the million little butterflies in your tummy that make your heat beat like crazy. It’s that stage where you feel like you can do anything for someone, like this guy who stayed at a coffee shop for 9 hours, while waiting for her shift to end (I wonder how much caffeine he had), because let’s face it, we usually go out of our way to do something for someone we like. But some people literally go out of their way, like this girl who ditched her friends during a movie to drive from Alabang to Quezon City like a madman just to see this guy.

They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. And oh boy, how people went crazy with food! Like this guy based in Laguna and who commuted all the way to PGH just to bring her her favorite siopao (complete with drinks and a change of clothes). And then this girl who lied about her cooking skills, saying she specializes in cooking his favorite sinigang when she doesn’t even know half of the ingredients in the dish (thankfully, the first attempt was a success and the guy liked it)!

And of course, we’ve all had our share of campus crazy: like doing his entire thesis manuscript just so he can graduate, getting a drastic makeover, following him around campus, paying half of his apartment’s rent, lending a huge amount of money just so he can pursue his dreams of modeling, and even waking up at 3am every Sunday (for four Sundays) just to be a runner for his bar exams. I guess you didn’t really learn everything in kindergarten after all.

 

Love can change you, in ways you never thought would be possible. It can transform your good crazy to a ‘deep’ crazy, for lack of a better word. When you fall deeper in love, or as the relationship progresses, you get to know yourself – how you really love, and how far you’re willing to go to keep that love and to stay in love. Would you consider giving up a career in medicine, like this girl I know? If you’re in a relationship lasting more than 5 years, would you also fight for it even if your partner is in love with someone else? It’s true that people deal with relationship problems differently – some would choose to stay even in an abusive relationship in hopes of change, others will simply ignore everything just to protect the long years of emotional investment. While others continue to fight for the love they think is right, others will content themselves being the third party. After all, all is fair in love and war.

When you love someone, you don’t really care what other people say or think. Does it matter that the girl you love has a kid and is still married? No. You accept and love her anyway. Does it matter if she lives halfway across the world? No – you travel 10,000 miles to be with her. You might even move across the ocean. Does it matter if he asks you for money? No. You will gladly send him money and even pay for his condo down payment. Does it matter if you have to fork up money for your weekend getaway? No. You will even pay for your entire Boracay trip – parasailing and island hopping, included. Does it matter if, after a bad breakup, he tells your mom that you’re gay? No. You still get back together with him.

I guess when you love someone, these questions won’t really matter. Or maybe they do, but you just don’t give a damn.

 

Not all relationships are meant to last, and this is the painful truth most of us had come to terms with. For some people, though, the end of a relationship usually triggers a phase of insanity. And while they don’t really define a person, these lapses of judgment more or less define how bad the breakup was, or how much love was lost. Take this girl, who, after the end of a 7-year long relationship with a high school sweetheart moved heaven and earth (including across-the-campus marathons, chasing the guy) just to ask for another chance. Or this brilliant girl who had to beg for attention and forgiveness at four o’clock in the morning (literally on her knees and in tears, only to be ignored for an hour or so). Or this guy who, after being cheated by his boyfriend, even helped him pack his things and bring him home.

While some relationships end, some are not even meant to begin. No matter how hard you try to convince yourself that there might be a chance, there comes a point when you just have to accept and move on. Also? Waiting in a parked car outside the hospital where he works, on a Friday night (until early Saturday morning), just to get a glimpse of him – this one takes the cake.

We have all done crazy things in the name of love – no matter whose perspective. Because at the end of the day, it’s who we love that really matter.

So, what’s the craziest thing you did for love? : )

 

Top 10 Wedding Do’s and Don’ts

Disclaimer: This post is inspired by a wedding I’ve attended several months ago. If, at any point, you find the examples (which may or may not have actually happened) a bit extreme, please note that this is written by a single woman, whose idea of a perfect wedding, aside from the obvious fact of marrying the man of her dreams, consists of walking down the aisle in a Vera Wang gown and a pair of Christian Louboutin shoes.

10. Do Have Enough Time To Prepare For Your Wedding

I honestly have no idea how much time it takes to actually prepare for the wedding. I mean, does the clock start on the day you got engaged? Or is it the first phone call to a supplier? Or is it the first brainstorming session with your fiancé? Well, I haven’t done any of those yet, so I wouldn’t really know. My point is, I guess no matter how grand or intimate your wedding will be, there should be enough time to prepare for everything – and well, more time if you’re the type of bride who wants everything ‘perfect’ from the invitations’ font down to the hashtag to be used on her wedding day (sorry, but not my thing).

9. Do Make Sure Everything Technology-Related Is Working

I’ve never thought I’d say this, but apparently, electricity is something people take for granted during a wedding. I mean, it’s so obvious of a wedding MUST and yet so neglected that when it actually stops working, everybody freaks out. Well, unless you’d want a candlelit wedding under the stars, then I suggest you make sure everything’s working (and it never hurts to have a Plan B).

8. Do Prepare Your Vows

I can only the imagine the jitters – and I guess that’s why there are cases when the groom suddenly whips out a piece of paper from under his suit. We get it, it’s probably the most nervous you’ll ever going to be, speaking in front of your future wife/husband, pledging your undying love in a quivering voice in front of a lot of people. We get that. And we don’t mind (for some people, it’s actually one of the things they are excited about in a wedding). So please, you future grooms and brides, do prepare your vows – and no, it doesn’t have to be like something that’s written for the Palanca, it just have to be something from the heart.

7. Don’t Let Other People Decide Who Should Be On Your Guest List

I dunno if it’s the culture (or the fact that some people just really have a lot of relatives), but apparently, it’s common to have more than a hundred guests in a wedding. Again, whether you want an intimate gathering or a huge celebration, be sure you (and your partner) have a say on who should make it to the guest list. There are some weddings that require strict RSVP before you can even say ‘Congratulations’ and then there are the old school province weddings where almost half the town is invited, and most of the town’s political figures are part of the entourage.

6. Do Have The Right Wedding Host

I had the pleasure of hosting my cousin’s wedding last year (and yes, you read it right haha!) and it made me realize how nice and intimate it is to have a close friend/relative to host your wedding simply because there aren’t any bullshit, over-the-top, almost-robotic, and (sometimes) overused spiels that most of the wedding guests probably heard already. But hey, it’s still the couple’s choice whether they want to hire someone to do it. I just think that when you do, please don’t hire someone who reads the script like a 6 year-old trying to read a fairy tale and someone who calls out to the entourage like someone selling fish at a busy market.

Cheers!

5. At The Reception, Do Stick To The Program

Ah, the reception – the part where the guests are subjected to witness traditions done with a twist (I cannot, for the life of me, understand how the throwing of the bouquet evolved into some sort of musical chairs). I seriously cringe every time they start calling out ‘all the single ladies’. Also, it would be really great if the program makes sense (I mean, why cut the cake before everything else?!) so that’s why it’s very important to at least try to stick to the program… and not improvise on the spot just because one of the bridesmaids isn’t ready yet for her dance performance.

4. Do Respect Both Families

A wedding is not just a union between two lovers, it’s also a gathering of the both families. Sure, there may be people who will attend your wedding that you haven’t met before, but these things happen, especially if you have a lot of guests (see number 7). However, bear in mind that those people are there because they were invited (okay, maybe not all of them) and more often than not, they are related to your partner. Keeping the balance of guests/families can be tricky especially for destination weddings (and trickier if the destination is the hometown of either the groom or the bride – usually, it’s the bride’s) so the key here is to make sure that whoever it is who will ‘welcome’ the other party better be decent enough to acknowledge them properly (case in point, see number 4). Again, it’s not a question of whose side had the most number of attendees or whose side gave the largest amount in the money dance (it’s a wedding, not a contest).

3. Don’t Let The Little Things Get To You

I know, big words. And as much as I try to imagine, I have no idea how much stress one is subjected to before and during the wedding (after the wedding, now that’s another story), although I probably saw enough wedding reality shows to know how stressful it can be. Also? Try googling ‘Bridezilla’ and you’ll know what I’m talking about. Haha! But seriously, it’s your wedding day, and sure, there might be some things (in some cases, a LOT of things) that you haven’t thought about or will probably not work out the way you hoped/planned/expected, but is there really anything you do about it on the day of the wedding? One thing you should not do is be pissed off. You can do that AFTER the wedding, but do your best to pull yourself together. You wouldn’t want to walk down the aisle with a forced smile on your face, would you?

2. Don’t EVER Misplace The Wedding Rings

Whether they’re from your modest jeweler or Harry Winston, or (God bless my heart), Van Cleef & Arpels, I think everybody will agree with me that misplacing the wedding rings on the day of the wedding could probably be just as bad as being stood up at the altar. And although I’m not briefed on Wedding 101 and I have no idea on the ‘definitive ranking of wedding day mishaps’ (if such exists), I cannot think of a worse thing to misplace! I mean, can the ceremony push through without wedding rings? (That was a serious question).

1. Do Enjoy Your Wedding Day

At the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter how expensive your wedding was, or how many guests were there, or who was the wedding organizer and who made the cake – because let’s face it, five years down the road, the only thing your family/friends would remember was how happy you were on your wedding day and how much they enjoyed being part of the celebration. They may remember the interesting bits (which they will probably write about in a blog, like this one), and it will probably stick to their minds for a long time, but come on, you didn’t go through all the preparations and pre-wedding drama (if any) just to frown on your wedding day! For what it’s worth, just look forward to being Mr. & Mrs. Whatever ; )

Just Married

 

I Don’t Do Selfies But…

I am totally digging this song! ✔✔✔

But kids these days though…

 

The Trip That Was: 10 Reasons Why We Love Surigao

I’m drafting this post while in a plane bound for Manila from Surigao. I’m going back to reality in an hour and a half, and just the mere thought of how ‘real’ things are when I get back, I need to write everything about our Surigao trip and how amazing and fun and ridiculously memorable it was. Here are my top 10 reasons, hot off the grill:

(Disclaimer: this is a long post, kids. Go get a cup of coffee).

10. Simple Life

Once in a while, it’s nice to get ‘disconnected’ from the rest of the world, just to enjoy the moment, the company you’re with and the days ahead of you. For some weird reason, I was the only one without a phone signal on both phones and no mobile wifi, so after placing important calls using my friend’s phone, I was officially offline. No work emails, no twitter, no facebook, no anything. I realized I forgot how it feels to wake up in the morning and not immediately check your phone. Weird, but I kinda missed it.

On our first morning in Cantilan, while Dom and I were walking down the road, rice fields left and right, I remarked how chill it is to live in the province. And by province, I mean nipa huts everywhere, rough roads, coconut trees lining the little streets, with tricycles and motorbikes passing once in a while, and people going about their day (farming, raising kids, cooking, you get the drift).

Simple Things (Usher)

9. Kuya B’s Wedding

More than a colleague, he’s a friend, and that’s why we traveled all the way from Manila to be there on his special day, or as Dom had put it in his speech (para saluhan sila sa kanilang pag-iibigan) haha! But if you’re going to ask me how was the wedding, I don’t think I can even begin to describe it. Let’s just say it’s probably the best wedding I’ve attended so far – blackout and money dance don’t care – with the stunning Surigao waves as the backdrop of the garden-themed sunset wedding (I hope I got that right).

The newlyweds: Kuya B and Anne

8. People

It’s always nice to meet people while on a trip, but in my opinion, it’s even better if your trip is full of memorable characters (who you may or may not know). In our case, we have some memorable people who made our trip sooo much fun. Of course, there’s Kuya B and Anne, Kuya B’s family (especially his mom with her animated stories of her first plane ride), the maid of honor and her multiple outfit changes, the maid of honor’s dance partner, the wedding host who had to remind the whole entourage what they did during the rehearsals, Tita Loreta (the owner of the Solar Beach Lodge where we stayed) who only speaks to us in English and her husband who woke up early in the morning to drive us to the bus terminal, the girl who had the Jollibee burger and fries with her on a 5-hour trip from Surigao airport to Cantilan (and who’s to blame for my Jollibee cravings the whole time!), the little boys in Cagwait beach who screamed like little girls when the waves ruined their sand castles (hahahaha!), the rowdy van operators/drivers in Butuan City terminal, and the tricycle driver in Surigao City who drove us to the hotel.

With the groom’s family

 

7. Food

A lot of food. We ate so much it’s a wonder that, during the weight check at the departure area (Surigao),  Dom and I didn’t gain any weight and Boss and Ellen even lost a kilo each! I cannot remember how many times I ate, but I can remember (and will never forget!) the huge prawns and the yummy crabs (so yummy I cannot even afford one clean finger to brush aside strands of hair on my face haha).

Seafood, why so good??

6. Cantilan Beach

Black sand. Hot sun. Yoga poses. We had a fun day here before going to the wedding.

Cantilan Beach

5. Cagwait Beach

White sand. Huge waves (so huge they swallowed me a couple of times haha). More yoga poses. Best seafood lunch. Best billiard session.

Life’s a beach!

 

This whole time I was thinking it doesn’t get any better than this and hoping the hours roll by slowly.

4. Funny Moments

Okay, where do I begin?

From the scent of Jollibee french fries I thought was on Dom’s jacket (only to realize it was the real thing from the girl at the back of the van) to the hilarious cheerleading stunt we did just to take Ellen’s photo, this trip was packed with laughter. I am even giggling now as I write this, thinking about how grumpy Ellen was on our last night in Surigao (and how funny it was to talk about it the next day), Dom’s yoga poses, me talking in my sleep and Boss Manel’s macho moments. You might not get everything I just said, but they were funny times and believe it, you would’ve wished you were there.

3. Firsts

We were talking about the top ten things we experienced the first time while in Surigao. I cannot enumerate everything because I don’t remember them all (haha) and it kinda kills the point of this post. But anyway, you know that scene in the movies when, after a party by the beach, a girl just kicks off her heels and just walk along the shore? Well, I have a better version:

Imagine this: Four friends, all dressed to the nines, barefoot, walking along Cantilan beach with waves crashing to the shore while the dark sky glows with littered stars.

Nice thought, right? You’re welcome. : )

It was a really, really good (last) night in Cantilan. The only setback was, out of these four friends, only two had slippers with them; the other two cannot put on their shoes anymore, after having walked on a sandy (black) beach. There was obviously no choice but to walk barefoot all the way from the end of the shore, down the rocky street, along the pebble-lined path and through the front of the lodge (smile sheepishly to Tita Loreta who looked surprised), up the stairs, along the hallway and into the room.

There’s a first time for everything.

 

2. Those four friends : )

For obvious reasons.

(counterclockwise, L-R): Ellen, Manel, Jazz, Dom

 

1. Spontaneity

No trip will be an adventure without spontaneity. Come to think of it, the only ‘planned’ thing on this trip was the wedding. Hehe. It was ‘almost’ always last minute decisions, and I guess that’s what gave the trip a sense of adventure. I mean, we wanted to go to Siargao to surf, and look where we ended up. Haha. While packing our stuff to leave Cagwait beach, we didn’t even know we’d be boarding a bus (read: ordinary bus, packed with passengers) all the way to Butuan City (heck, we didn’t even know the day before we’d be going to Butuan City hahaha!)

It’s these little things that make a trip worthwhile. It was a very short trip but I imagine the hangover lasting a couple of weeks. It was indeed the best way to kick off the summer. 

We love.

Eclectic Drinking

Let me explain. I am doing a writing challenge. A brainchild of my good friend, fellow blogger, drinking and roadtrip buddy, Gillian, this writing challenge ‘hopes’ to rekindle our relationships with our blogs (because let’s face it, there aren’t many people who actually keep their blogs up-to-date unless it’s their job or something). This writing challenge, which I think should have a proper name, has very few rules. Okay, two rules.

Rule #1 – we need/have/must blog at least once a week (or every other week). It doesn’t really say anything else on the timings (which leads me to think that we should’ve thought this through haha!) but I would say that we need to update our blog before an agreed deadline.

Rule #2 – the blogs will be word-driven. And before you even think of something sarcastic, what I meant by ‘word-driven’ is that we are supposed to write about a random word. Okay, we’re supposed to write ANYTHING about that random word. The challenge doesn’t specify how many random words we’re actually talking about, or if we’re going to stick to English words, or slang words, or whatever. The idea is simple: random word, random post.

So now that I have explained myself (not that I’m required or something, but whatever), let’s get down to business.
First word: ECLECTIC

I don’t know if it’s the stressful week at work or the fact that I love to drink (maybe both), but I immediately thought about alcohol and realized that maybe I can pay homage to my poisons. I believe that there is an alcohol ‘fit’ for certain moments in your life (not ‘every’, just to be clear) and in my case, I have my preferences. 

BEER ~ If burger and sashimi are my comfort food of choice, beer is my comfort drink. I love beer. I fell in love with beer back in college when I can still consume 7-8 bottles in one sitting, a feat which apparently still stands until today (thanks to a very spontaneous roadtrip last weekend). It’s my go-to drink of choice: after a long day at work, chilling by the beach, and in some days, out of sheer boredom. I’ve had the pleasure of drinking different kinds of beer (and the experience of visiting several breweries) back when still living in Belgium (proof right here), where they have the BEST beers in the world.  Back when speculoos cookie butter was the rave here in Manila, I was busy trying out several kinds of beer in Delirium Cafe, cookie beer, included.

MARGARITA ~ For those nights when I feel like channeling Sex and The City vibe – ladies’ night out, this is my cocktail of choice. I like my margarita frozen or straight up, and not the fruity kind (think strawberries, eww!) because it ruins the experience for me (sorry, weirdo drinker right here).

TEQUILA ~ One tequila, two tequila, three tequila, floor. I love tequila because it reminds me of birthday parties (and you know how much of a sucker I am for birthdays). There really is nothing like a wild, tequila night. Warning: it gives the worst hangovers, so make the experience worth the shots.

WINE ~ with wine, it can go all batshit crazy, laughing like a retard with my gay friends over bottles of wine, or it can go really cheesy (think drama queen sans mascara and a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon), or it can be as chic as my inner Olivia Pope can muster. 

CHAMPAGNE ~ self-explanatory.

So what’s your poison?

Throwback to Italy

Inspired by my last post about travelogues and how I promised to document my travels (recent or otherwise), I decided to kick things off by starting with my travel to the land of my beloved pesto, Italy.

Disclaimer: This post is a duplicate. This has been posted in my blog last 17-Nov-2011, a blog that I tried to keep updated when I was in Belgium (but failed) and whose posts, due to unfortunate technical inabilities from my end, have failed to be migrated to this site. My apologies for the duplication. But what the heck, enjoy reading! ; ) 

Wow, it’s been a while since my last blog. I guess you could say I’ve been busy. : ) I have a lot of pending ‘stories’ to blog about, but first, let me start my blog resurrection by writing about my recent trip to Italy. It’s been on my travel agenda since I-don’t-know-when and now that I’m here in Europe, I thought it’s high time I visit the land of pasta, pizza and gelato.

It was a well-planned vacation, thanks to my cousin Gail who had a hand in developing my itinerary. Well, who else should I consult about where to go and what to see other than Gail, who’s been living in Italy for more than 10 years now. So we decided that it will be an early birthday trip for me (went there from 22 Oct until 1 Nov) and I decided to make the most out of it.

Until now, I’m still sorting out all the pictures and ever since I came back, I only manage to sort out one album (Venice) and I still have 5 more albums to sort. Yikes! Anyway, to sum up my best vacation SO FAR, here are the highlights of my Italy vacation. : )

♥♥♥

My first stop: Venice

It was a lovely city – water everywhere, gondola rides, Venetian houses, interesting architecture… ah, I fell in love with Venice. I stayed for a night in Lido, Venice to visit my brother and sister, then off to visit cousins, then a LOT of sighseeing. In the photo above, there is Ashley, my uber cute cousin (who now speaks fluent Italian). We rode bikes together, had fun taking photos, and well, eat. I loved the main square, Piazza San Marco, where I got to feed the pigeons (I know, I’m not supposed to, but this guy just threw breadcrumbs so the pigeons went swarming to me. I got to have a late-afternoon gondola ride around Venice, taking in the beauty and charm of the city. I got to do a little shopping, too. Hehe. Rialto Market is packed with practically everything – from high end brands to little Venetian mask souvenirs, I never wanted to leave. Haha!

♥♥♥

Next stop: Siena, Tuscany

This is where Gail lives. I also got to visit Ninang Ofel’s house, which is right next to a beautiful vineyard. I went with Ninong and Tito Moreno to pick fresh grapes. There are a lot of wildflowers, too and fresh herbs which Tito Moreno brought home for his restaurant. Gail and I went to the main square, Piazza del Campo (a medieval square which is also the venue of a bi-annual horse race, Palio di Siena). Too bad, my camera died just when we were taking photos of the main square, but good thing I had Rocket with me, so I was able to take some snapshots.

♥♥♥

Next stop: Roadtrip to Florence

Kenneth (Gail’s brother) and I went on a roadtrip to Florence. It was really cool because Kenneth and I got to talk about stuff and smoke (haha!) while on the road. Michaelangelo’s Square was amazing because it is overlooking the whole of Florence and it’s really beautiful! Florence at night is very nice, the photos above were taken along the River Arno, which according to Wikipedia, cuts through the old part of the city. Then we had a nice dinner at Hard Rock Cafe where we talked about lovelife, Gucci bags, cars and a lot of other things.

♥♥♥

Next stop: Rome

Gail and I took a train to Rome where we spent the whole day touring around the city. The Colosseo was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! For an autumn day, it was sunny and hot – which is okay, a welcome change from the chilly weather. While walking around the city, we were wondering if there’s a statue of Julius Caesar, when lo and behold, the first statue we saw was of him. How cool is that?! We didn’t even need to look for it at the map! Of course, being Catholics, we just couldn’t miss going to Vatican City. The line going inside St. Peter’s Cathedral was soooo long, but since we’re already there, of course we had to go! After waiting and waiting in the long queue, we were just mindblown by how beautiful and breathtaking the cathedral was. Gail and I were joking that everything is so distracting that you need to pray with your eyes closed, otherwise you’ll just forget your prayers because you’ll be amazed by how beautiful everything is. Too bad the crypt of St. Peter and Pope John Paul II was closed, so we didn’t get the chance to go. But I did get to send a postcard to my family back home (I like to call it postcard to heaven haha!). The quest to the Trevi Fountain (Fontana di Trevi) was tiring but worth it (I got to make a wish heehee). We also got polaroid shots and a yummy pistacho gelato to cap off the day. : )

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Next stop: Verona

I think every girl with a romantic flair have heard of Romeo and Juliet, and dreams of visiting Juliet’s house. Well, this was one destination I told Gail that I would NEVER miss during my trip to Italy. It was a long drive from Siena (about 3 hours, I think), but it was well worth the roadtrip. Before going to see Juliet, Gail and I had pizza. It’s worth mentioning because as most of you probably know, I hate mushrooms. Dunno why, but I just do. However, in Verona, Gail made me try her pizza with porcini mushrooms. Apparently, porcini is big deal in Italy (and I guess a lot of google websites can attest to that). So yeah, I tried it. And well, I liked it. Haha! It kinda melts in your mouth and it didn’t have that earthy taste that I don’t like. Oh well, there’s always a first for everything. : ) We had a struggle finding the way to Casa di Giulietta, but once we arrived, it was soooo pretty! I can’t believe I finally got to see her, and scenes from the movie Letters to Juliet kept playing inside my head while I was there. *sigh* It’s so nice. And there were a lot of love locks near the statue of Juliet, from too many pairs of lovers who visited there. I told myself, one day, maybe I’ll go back. Haha! If you want to be inspired, I suggest you watch that movie, and I know you’ll dream of going to Verona. : )

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Next stop: Merano

After the nostalgic trip in Verona, Gail and I went to spend a few days with our cousin Den, her husband Eric, and their super cute daughter Eli. They live in Merano, near the Austrian border. It’s amazing because the Italian-German ‘blend’ is really apparent everywhere. Den told us that there are German-speaking people and Italian-speaking people (reminds me of Belgium!) and even in the cuisine, there is German and Italian fusion. Nice. We went to ride a cable car to Merano 2000  to get a view of the Alpine and Dolomite mountains. We rode the alpin bob, which is like a mini-rollercoaster (but I screamed my lungs out anyway).  We had lunch in this lovely restaurant overlooking the whole of Merano, way up in the mountains. At Den’s place, we had beer, cheese and speck (their specialty juniper-flavored ham), played with Eli, took wacky photos, watched a scary movie just like we used to do as little kids, and basically just had a nice time catching up with everything. : )

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Last stop: Treviso

Last 2 days of my vacation were spent in Treviso, with my aunt Tita Sol, her Italian husband Tito Moreno and their adorable son Thomas. They took me to Cortina, to see the mountains of the Dolomites mountain range. I’ve never been really the mountaineer type, but the view was amazing. We had lunch in Baita Pie’ Tofana (check out their website http://www.baitapietofana.it/) where we had an amazing view of the ski slopes of Cortina d’Ampezzo, where they ski during the winter olympics. The weather was perfect too, which was unsual according to Tito Moreno (I guess I’m a lucky girl hehe). After that, we did a little hiking to see the Cinque Torri (aka the five towers, all of which are natural rock formations). Okay, I was panting by the time we reached the part where can get the view, but then again, it was worth it. It was already freezing up in the mountains, but since it was a perfect, sunny day, it wasn’t that cold (and to me, that’s saying a lot haha). Needless to say, I enjoyed my last day in Italy sooo much. : )

I promise I will sort out all the pictures so I can share with you some of it, and maybe blog about it some more. It’s still the best vacation I’ve had so far, and I’m looking forward to more. I’m thinking of going back in Italy for the holidays.

So, arrivederci, Italia!

Paris (Part 1)

Two years ago, I spent six and a half months in Europe. I was living in Brussels then. Way before I packed my bags to set out to the other side of the world, I already had travel plans in mind. Paris was one of the default destinations that I told myself I absolutely have to visit. The good news: I did go to Paris. I even spent a weekend in Euro Disney where I had the time of my life, being a kid again. The bad news: I didn’t get to experience the city. I guess you could say the cliche “So little time, so much to do” very well applied here.

There were plans to visit the city for my birthday (my 28th, at the time) but due to unforeseen events, the plans never pushed through. Fast forward to 2013, few weeks shy of my 30th birthday, I was finally able to visit “La Ville-Lumière” (The City of Light).

Here are my best memories of Paris, and what could be the best weekend of my life, so far..

Getting There

Paris is just less than 2 hours away by train from Brussels. Thalys (photo above, not mine; thank you, wikipedia!) is an international high-speed train that can take you from Brussels’ Gare du Midi station to Paris’ Gare du Nord station, in no time.

On the train, there was a cute Asian couple in front of me (by the looks of it, most probably on a honeymoon) and although I couldn’t take a proper photo of them (without looking like a stalker), I managed to capture this shot of our table.

Disclaimer: The pink hat isn’t mine.

The Hotel

Hotel Appia La Fayette (more information here: http://www.hotelappia.com/) is just a few blocks (5-min walking distance) from the train station. It’s nice little hotel, perfect for a weekend stay. Its close proximity to the train station made it even more appealing. Although, I must admit, late night walks around the area freaked me out a little bit – the neighborhood isn’t really as chic as you’d imagine Paris would be. But it was pretty safe, although ‘calm’ isn’t the really the word I’d use to describe it. On our last night, a bunch of college kids (obviously not French) had this rowdy party down the street, boys in suits running around, bottles of champagne in their arms. Talk about youth! Haha!

Breakfast is very French – the usual croissants, jams in mini bottles, fruits, etc. Coffee is so-so. The only reason I devoured 2 cups every morning is because I needed to wake up. Then again, it wasn’t so good that a search for a decent coffee shop is always in mind.

Where To Begin?

Exploring Paris during the weekend is an ambitious goal. There are just sooooo many things the city has to offer and and there lots of things to do/see. I’m not the type of traveler who’d try to cram as many sights as possible in one go, sacrificing precious moments to take it all in. I’m never amused by people who’d go to one place (i.e. monument, park, whatever), have their photos taken, then go running to the next place. Sorry, I’m not like that. I’d rather choose really special places, walk around and experience the city. I’m the type who needs to sit down for a little while, take long drags from my cigarette, browse the photos I’ve taken, and update my Instagram account, if wifi permits.

It was the case for me in Paris. Of course, you have the must-see places: Eiffel Tower, Avenue des Champs-Elysées, The Louvre, Sacré-Cœur Basilica and my personal mecca: the Christian Louboutin boutique and the bookstore of my dreams, Shakespeare and Company. These places were all taken into consideration weeks before the trip. Thanks to my French boss/teacher/friend, Monika, who gave me a detailed map of Paris (she lives there, btw) including which trains to take, and the many, many conversations we had about the city, I never felt like a headless chicken. Merci, Madame!

Anyway, after a pretty tiring Friday night (my journey began in the afternoon from Brussels, switching trains and some walking), a much-needed rest was in order. I fell asleep excited for the next day. That night, the best weekend has yet to come.

(To be continued…)

Wanderlust

So, lately, I’ve been scouring the web for amazing destinations for next year. I wouldn’t say it’s too early, since (1) 2013 is almost done; (2) I kinda need to have an idea how much money I need to save (i.e. how many cups of overpriced coffee I need to restrain myself from buying and how many shoes I need to say ‘No’ to) and (3) I’m the type of person who likes to have something to look forward to.

Google has offered me hundreds of sites and while most destinations have their own official website, nothing beats a good, ol’ travelogue from a travel-starved blogger. It’s difficult to find entertaining travel blogs, now that the term ‘wanderlust’ has easily gone up the top 10 most used hashtags, in my opinion (you agree with me, Twitter? Instagram?). Google has about 4.8 million search results for the word. Okay, I digress. My point is, I realized I’ve been traveling a lot lately and not one destination made it to this blog. Okay, I wrote about the countdown for my Belgium trip 2 months ago, and then what? Zilch. Countdown ended, I’m back in Manila, went to a beach, and nothing has been posted. Oh, and did I mention about Paris? Heck, no! (Well, at least not yet). I guess this is the part where I tell you that I’m a lazy blogger like that. If you can only see my draft posts. SMH.

With 29 days left before we say hello to 2014, I have decided to try documenting all my recent travels before the year comes to a close (try, being the operative word) to de-clog my brain (sort-of) and to finally give justice to the resurrection of my blog. Not to mention, this activity will help me sort out all the photos in my camera (yes, they’re still there), and maybe gain new perspectives in the process. Or think of new destinations for next year. Or come up with concrete travel plans. Or all of the above.