They say this mode of transportation is not allowed but the business of trolley rides seem to be flourishing in this part of town.
There used to be lots of houses along the railroad tracks but now, konti na lang ang mga home along the riles.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
2,922 MASL
There are some places that blow your mind away. And when words fail and pictures tell a different story, I thought of keeping this story just in my mind for a while and let the experience “simmer” until I’m ready to share about it.
I know that we have a country blessed with natural beauty on land and sea. I thought I’ve seen a lot of the best. But this country has more up its sleeve that I have never ceased to be amazed by its many surprises.
As North Face tagline says, never stop exploring. And I intend to do just that since we’re living in a very beautiful country, our wanderings will be rewarded.
On February 20-21, I tagged along 14 other fun explorers in conquering Luzon’s highest peak, Mt. Pulag or Mt. Pulog via the “easy” Ambangeg Trail. This 7.5 km hike from the Ranger Station is the easiest among the many trails to the mountain’s summit. With a difficulty level of 3/9, the easy trail wasn’t really that easy. But the body pain and the cold (I have never been that cold in my entire life) are all worth it.
This is one of those trips where preparation is key to your enjoyment and ----- survival. Thanks to our very able leader, Josiah, we survived and enjoyed.
I know that we have a country blessed with natural beauty on land and sea. I thought I’ve seen a lot of the best. But this country has more up its sleeve that I have never ceased to be amazed by its many surprises.
As North Face tagline says, never stop exploring. And I intend to do just that since we’re living in a very beautiful country, our wanderings will be rewarded.
On February 20-21, I tagged along 14 other fun explorers in conquering Luzon’s highest peak, Mt. Pulag or Mt. Pulog via the “easy” Ambangeg Trail. This 7.5 km hike from the Ranger Station is the easiest among the many trails to the mountain’s summit. With a difficulty level of 3/9, the easy trail wasn’t really that easy. But the body pain and the cold (I have never been that cold in my entire life) are all worth it.
view of the summit (covered by clouds) from the base camp
cold despite the layers
forget touch aversion, body heat comes in handy when your fingers are freezing
one of the countless of wildflowers strewn along our path
Shire-like
lonesome tree
This is one of those trips where preparation is key to your enjoyment and ----- survival. Thanks to our very able leader, Josiah, we survived and enjoyed.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Emilia Boncodin
I only saw her once, it was during a Petron stockholders meeting in 2008. I think she has just resigned from PGMA’s cabinet when she assumed the post as Petron’s board member. I only know her as a former Department of Budget and Management (DBM) head.
On her death, I only heard good things about her (don’t we all?). But one thing that struck me is her track record as an exemplary public servant as told by her colleagues and even adversaries.
Here’s Cielito Habito’s article (Remembering Emy) on Inquirer about a lady who dedicated her life to public service.
May there be more like her, so that the flickering hope that we have on our government officials won’t die a quiet death.
http://business.inquirer.net/money/columns/view/20100321-260086/Remembering-Emy
On her death, I only heard good things about her (don’t we all?). But one thing that struck me is her track record as an exemplary public servant as told by her colleagues and even adversaries.
Here’s Cielito Habito’s article (Remembering Emy) on Inquirer about a lady who dedicated her life to public service.
May there be more like her, so that the flickering hope that we have on our government officials won’t die a quiet death.
http://business.inquirer.net/money/columns/view/20100321-260086/Remembering-Emy
Thursday, March 18, 2010
The Heat in Saigon
I have heard a lot of not so good stories about this place that it lessened my excitement for the whole trip.
With those low expectations came a lot of nice surprises for this friendly city very close to home.
The first thing we did was exchange money, and when we saw the rates our brain cells stopped working at 1am. Should we get the 1 usd=19750 or the 1 usd=19300? We didn't know that one shop has 3% commission and the other doesn't have. Anyway, thank God for pinoy exchange forums and its very helpful tips, we knew where to exchange for Dongs, the second shop from the left (never mind the math).
With PEX tips on my mind, we knew what taxi fleet to avoid in the airport. So we didn't pay attention to the persistent guy who followed us to the water closet (Yes, that’s what they call ‘em there) and ask where we're going. We took Vina Taxi which charged us 130,000 dong.
It should've been 90,000 dong only. Anyway, it was early morning so we didn't mind the additional 40,000 dong or 50 pesos.
After 20 minutes, the cab dropped us off in a dark alley with people sleeping on make-shift beds along the alley. It was a scary sight but then we saw another batch of tourists behind us, so we figured this alley must be the guesthouse lane, Pham Ngu Lao. We rang the doorbell three times before anybody opened the door for us. The "front desk" officer was already asleep so we woke her up.
The place we'll be staying at is called Blue River but the girl at the reception didn't understand at first what we're saying. After a few exchanges, she was able to explain to us that we're at the wrong address, we should be at Blue River 2.
At 2am, we realized we were starving. So Tim, Noe and I decided to eat first before heading for Blue River 2.
Our first pho was at a busy street corner full of locals and a few tourists at 3am. The pho was good and only 30,000 dong or 70 pesos.
Then what followed is an assortment of adventures and mis-adventures with a lot of mini- discoveries. The city had a lot of nice surprises that reaffirmed the mantra; it's the journey not the destination.
Here are a few of my discoveries:
1. The locals prefer speaking French over English
2. Shell and Caltex left, only state-owned company like Petrolimex are the controlling Vietnam's oil industry
3. Catholics from the north moved to the south during the war
4. Two things they know about the Philippines, Abu Sayaff and Ampatuan massacre
5. Guide doesn't have passport because he doesn't want anything to do with the government
6. They like taking babies (yes even infants) for a motorcyle ride and just cover ‘em up with a mini-mosquito net
7. Almost everyone is friendly
8. A driver can clean his ears using an ice-pick looking gadget while driving
9. Lottery numbers are displayed along the road
10. Local channels outnumber foreign ones in cable
11. They put octane number (MOGAS 92) on the pumps, di uso branding, no price board
12 You'll rarely see English signage unless it's a brand
13 Shows and movies are dubbed with only one voice overlaid with the original English dialogue (ang hirap intindihin)
14 Bihira matataba dito
15 10 million people in saigon, 7 million motorbikes
16 They don’t show Oscars (what is that anyway?) here
17 15 people die everyday because of motorcycle accidents
18 there are no one-way streets, everybody can drive whichever direction they want to
19 Despite the seemingly "crazy streets", they actually have traffic rules and driving license tests (but I met a Filipino who has been driving a motorcycle for 4 years with no license)
20 Don’t rely on traffic lights, motorists don’t follow them anyway
21 When you cross, don't stop, just walk and the motorcycles will just avoid you
22 US embargo from 1975 to 1990 (Bill Clinton lifted the embargo in 1990s)
23 China and Viet nam learned their lessons from communist governments which failed
24 Music is a decade behind (imagine Ace of Base and Rick Astley) hillary our busmate said because they didn't have a youth culture then
25 Vietnamese are really friendly to pinoys (halika kayo!)
With those low expectations came a lot of nice surprises for this friendly city very close to home.
The first thing we did was exchange money, and when we saw the rates our brain cells stopped working at 1am. Should we get the 1 usd=19750 or the 1 usd=19300? We didn't know that one shop has 3% commission and the other doesn't have. Anyway, thank God for pinoy exchange forums and its very helpful tips, we knew where to exchange for Dongs, the second shop from the left (never mind the math).
With PEX tips on my mind, we knew what taxi fleet to avoid in the airport. So we didn't pay attention to the persistent guy who followed us to the water closet (Yes, that’s what they call ‘em there) and ask where we're going. We took Vina Taxi which charged us 130,000 dong.
It should've been 90,000 dong only. Anyway, it was early morning so we didn't mind the additional 40,000 dong or 50 pesos.
After 20 minutes, the cab dropped us off in a dark alley with people sleeping on make-shift beds along the alley. It was a scary sight but then we saw another batch of tourists behind us, so we figured this alley must be the guesthouse lane, Pham Ngu Lao. We rang the doorbell three times before anybody opened the door for us. The "front desk" officer was already asleep so we woke her up.
The place we'll be staying at is called Blue River but the girl at the reception didn't understand at first what we're saying. After a few exchanges, she was able to explain to us that we're at the wrong address, we should be at Blue River 2.
At 2am, we realized we were starving. So Tim, Noe and I decided to eat first before heading for Blue River 2.
Our first pho was at a busy street corner full of locals and a few tourists at 3am. The pho was good and only 30,000 dong or 70 pesos.
Then what followed is an assortment of adventures and mis-adventures with a lot of mini- discoveries. The city had a lot of nice surprises that reaffirmed the mantra; it's the journey not the destination.
Here are a few of my discoveries:
1. The locals prefer speaking French over English
2. Shell and Caltex left, only state-owned company like Petrolimex are the controlling Vietnam's oil industry
3. Catholics from the north moved to the south during the war
4. Two things they know about the Philippines, Abu Sayaff and Ampatuan massacre
5. Guide doesn't have passport because he doesn't want anything to do with the government
6. They like taking babies (yes even infants) for a motorcyle ride and just cover ‘em up with a mini-mosquito net
7. Almost everyone is friendly
8. A driver can clean his ears using an ice-pick looking gadget while driving
9. Lottery numbers are displayed along the road
10. Local channels outnumber foreign ones in cable
11. They put octane number (MOGAS 92) on the pumps, di uso branding, no price board
12 You'll rarely see English signage unless it's a brand
13 Shows and movies are dubbed with only one voice overlaid with the original English dialogue (ang hirap intindihin)
14 Bihira matataba dito
15 10 million people in saigon, 7 million motorbikes
16 They don’t show Oscars (what is that anyway?) here
17 15 people die everyday because of motorcycle accidents
18 there are no one-way streets, everybody can drive whichever direction they want to
19 Despite the seemingly "crazy streets", they actually have traffic rules and driving license tests (but I met a Filipino who has been driving a motorcycle for 4 years with no license)
20 Don’t rely on traffic lights, motorists don’t follow them anyway
21 When you cross, don't stop, just walk and the motorcycles will just avoid you
22 US embargo from 1975 to 1990 (Bill Clinton lifted the embargo in 1990s)
23 China and Viet nam learned their lessons from communist governments which failed
24 Music is a decade behind (imagine Ace of Base and Rick Astley) hillary our busmate said because they didn't have a youth culture then
25 Vietnamese are really friendly to pinoys (halika kayo!)
Friday, March 12, 2010
Amazing Connections
I thought I have heard enough stories showing how closely people are connected, the six degrees of separation don't look like they're six after all.
Noe started telling this story of her officemates' friend getting a chow chow dog from China. When the pet was delivered, everything seemed normal until a few weeks later, when the pet started walking on its two feet.
But last weekend, in Quan An Ngon, where we ate three times in three days in Saigon; Noe, Tim and I were chatting and the topic came around pets. (Tim and Noe met for the first time. I just introduced them to each other before our flight.)
Yes dinner just for two in Quan An Ngon
Noe started telling this story of her officemates' friend getting a chow chow dog from China. When the pet was delivered, everything seemed normal until a few weeks later, when the pet started walking on its two feet.
The puppy is acually a cub!
Somewhere along the way, the pet request got lost in translation.
When Noe finished her story, Tim said he heard that exact same story before from two of his friends who actually know the person who bought the cub. Two people whom I just introduced to each other know the person who bought a cub.
Talk about overlapping connections.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Packing
I’ve moped about this way in advance. Now that moving is imminent, so imminent, I have become numb. I’m just going through the motions of cleaning and packing as if it’s one of the most natural things I do.
I have first stepped into these corridors six years ago. And I didn’t know it was going to be the start of a six-year relationship.
As I think about this, I realized this imposing structure is not the company. I didn’t stay that long on this company because of the wonderful view from the 40th floor. I even sometimes forget which floor I am at. Come to think of it, I have only enjoyed the view a few times in one year.
In business, there should be no emotional attachment to anything. Business is business.
If there’s something I dread about moving, it’s having to commute again and having less lunch outs. I would again waste a considerable amount of time commuting and would have different lunch dates.
As much as I want stay in 1200, I have to move to 1550 with the knowledge that a company is defined by its people and its culture, not by its zip code.
But then again, hasn’t the culture been diluted by something bigger, well, that’s another story.
For now, I’ll continue packing and throwing numerous useless things I accumulated over the years.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Hubris
Good riddance, a phrase not commonplace in my vocabulary. One manifestation, I’m such a pack rat. I refuse to throw away anything even a boarding pass a few years old. That is just a boarding pass with sentimental value. Anyway, I think I threw it away already after debating with myself for a while.
In friendships, I sometimes try so hard to bridge distances even if some gaps may seem too wide. I try. As one friend said, “Ang tyaga mong mag e-mail ah.”
As Gary Chapman said in his book, each person has different love languages. As if on cue, last weekend, a few friends and I try to figure out our own love language using a standard set of questions taken from the book. And it turned out for me; my primary love language is quality time. A strong second would be words of affirmation and acts of service. I don’t know how accurate this 30-questionnaire test is but I tend to agree with it.
Bonds are formed when people’s love language are in synch. But it doesn’t mean that people with different love languages won’t be able to gel, it just takes a little adjustment. As I saw in a bookmark, the ultimate test of a relationship is to disagree but to hold hands.
In friendships, I sometimes try so hard to bridge distances even if some gaps may seem too wide. I try. As one friend said, “Ang tyaga mong mag e-mail ah.”
As Gary Chapman said in his book, each person has different love languages. As if on cue, last weekend, a few friends and I try to figure out our own love language using a standard set of questions taken from the book. And it turned out for me; my primary love language is quality time. A strong second would be words of affirmation and acts of service. I don’t know how accurate this 30-questionnaire test is but I tend to agree with it.
Bonds are formed when people’s love language are in synch. But it doesn’t mean that people with different love languages won’t be able to gel, it just takes a little adjustment. As I saw in a bookmark, the ultimate test of a relationship is to disagree but to hold hands.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
