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Travels 2011 rewind

Katkat — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 06:28:02 +0000

2011 brought me to a lot of places. I seemed to have this mission of exploring the world and checking off the places in my travel bucket list. I also would think that it would be the end of the world in 2012 so I should visit these wonderful places before the end happens. Fortunately it didn’t so I have time to travel around the world still. Now if I can only find a travel buddy…

Coron, Palawan, Philippines – Jan 2011

After the new year, I went to Coron, Palawan with my sister. I was so glad to have visited this place. It was truly a paradise – one long stretch of white sand after another. Blue skies, clear water, white sand, solitude – it set the bar high when it comes to beaches. I also was trying for a tan but it didn’t work.

Taipei, Taiwan – Jan 2011

This was the last leg of a jetset life. I was travelling to different places for almost 3 weeks starting on the Christmas of 2010. Why Taipei? I had relatives there and I didn’t have anyone to go with me so better go to where I know some people. There were many places to visit in Taipei however because of the rainy and cold weather, I decided to stay put in my aunt’s house and just roam the nearby areas. I enjoyed my time there: the food, the shopping, and my relatives. I would love to go back just for those three reasons.

Washington, DC, USA – Feb 2011

I decided to visit my friend in Maryland near Washington D.C. It was an enjoyable trip especially going to the museums and important landmarks. I loved the architecture and the free entrance to the museums. I still have yet try the local food there. I’m planning to visit again this year because my friend said there are still more places I have to see.

Cebu-Bohol, Philippines – May-June 2011

I went back to the Philippines for my sister’s wedding. And of course I couldn’t pass up the chance of travelling around the Philippines. Before while I was residing there I couldn’t do much of exploring because I didn’t have money. However now I could travel to these places. Not only was I able to enjoy my time in both Cebu and Bohol because of their beauty, I was able to have bonding time with my parents and younger brother.

Seoul, Korea – June 2011

During a transit layover in Korea, I decided to take part of the free tour they have for transit passengers. I chose the Myungdong tour because it has shopping, my favorite pastime. Because I didn’t really plan to go shopping, I didn’t have enough money with me to buy which was unfortunately because Myungdong has a lot of cute and pretty stuffs. I was only able to buy one skirt. Hopefully next layover I have over there, I would be prepared and shop my heart out.

San Francisco, USA – June 2011

I wanted to insert this here because I was literally became a tourist of San Francisco once again when my friend visited me here in the Bay Area. I went to places in San Francisco that I had never been to and was truly awestruck by its beauty. I didn’t know this exist in my backyard.

Las Vegas, USA – July 2011

I’d been to Las Vegas before with my aunts but going there with friends was a completely different experience. I had fun hanging out on the hotel’s pool, drinking up some cocktails, and partying in the club past midnight.

Japan – Oct 2011

My biggest trip of 2011 was Japan, my dream travel destination. I loved Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. I was able to embark on this adventure with my sister. I wished I was there longer to tour around the area more and of course shop some more. Maybe next time I will time it on a cherry blossom season.

God is so good He blessed me with these trips. I hope 2012 won’t be any different! and I hope I can find a travel buddy.

“For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move.” – Robert Louis Stevenson

Falalala at Global Winter Wonderland

Katkat — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 22:14:53 +0000

After my birthday dinner celebration, my family decided to go to the Global Winter Wonderland in Santa Clara. I got GetMYPerks vouchers which allowed me to buy the tickets for half its price (12USD). Before arriving to the event, I already have lowered my expectations with this place having read user reviews from Yelp and having heard not-so-glowing comments from my aunt, who went days before.

Global Winter Wonderland is situated beside Great America Theme Park. It occupied a portion of the park’s parking lot. There was a 10USD parking fee which was ludicrous in my opinion so we drove and found a street parking directly across the place. It was a cold and slightly long walk but we were fine with it considering we would only be there for an hour. We arrived late in the evening which was good because that way the place was all lit up.

Why is it named Global Winter Wonderland? Because a lot of their light displays were miniature imitation of world iconic places. The place was small and contained few small rides. There was a big tent that housed food and boutique stalls. The main event was the light displays only. Anyway here are pictures to show you instead of me rambling vague descriptions…

A lot of the displays had Chinese theme that was because the event was sponsored and produced by Chinese company. In conclusion, the place wasn’t that remarkable. The lights were the main highlight. I didn’t feel like hanging around after I completed the circuit so it was a quick watch-and-leave. It was a good thing I didn’t pay for parking and full price of the tickets.

My Kimono Experience

Katkat — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 01:13:00 +0000

One of the must do things in my Japan trip was to wear a kimono. When I was younger I watched anime and Japanese shows and I loved those characters wearing kimono and I yearned to wear one too. So when we came to Kyoto, my sisters and I rented a kimono and walked around tourist spots feeling like real Japanese girls.

We could have bought a yukata (summer kimono) or kimono rather than renting one because rental and purchase price are almost the same. But I realized that it’s difficult to wear a kimono without any professional help and where would I find the occasion to wear one here in the US, right? For our kimono rental we went to Yume-Yakata along Gojo-dori, west of Karasuma-dori, next to a 100-yen shop.(Just remember the green logo of the store). It has the lowest price I could find over the internet.

Inside the store we were brought up to the floor where we can select our kimono after registering in the front desk. After picking out our kimono, professional people dressed us in the kimono. I suggest that you tell the person not to make it too tight. I had trouble breathing and walking with my kimono because they made it too tight. The entire process (from registration to dressing up) took up 40 minutes. My sister had her hair done which was additional 30 minutes. The kimono rental was 2500Y inclusive of the bag and sandals. When you want to have hair and makeup done, it’s an extra 1500Y; if only hair it’s 1000Y. I didn’t opt for the hair and makeup because I thought that people who had it done looked older than they look.

We finally ventured out at around 1230nn. Return of kimono must be made before 730pm or an extra fee will be charged for overnight rental. Our things were left in the store for safekeeping. Because the kimono could only give us restricted movements, we weren’t walking faster than usual. In addition to that the sandals were not comfortable either. Our feet were hurting after walking quite a while. Because my kimono was too tight, I always picked up my skirts so I can walk faster. However when I got in the bus I thought I was going to pass out because it was too stuffy and I had trouble breathing in my clothing.

We were able to walk around Nishiki Market, to ride the bus (I had trouble hopping up the bus) and take pictures at Kinkankuji and Ryoanji. We also had the fun time of having our pictures taken by the foreign tourists in Kinkankuji and Ryoanji. They thought we were Japanese people. I felt like a celebrity. At that time, Kyoto has the kimono passport program on going. From Oct 1-30, people wearing kimono and carrying the passport gets to enjoy special discounts and privileges in many establishments. We didn’t know about this until we got to Kinkankuji and the ticket lady gave us the kimono passport booklet and an automatic discount (100Y) on entrance fee (400Y). At Ryoanji, it was 50Y discount from 500Y.

Overall it was a great experience. I don’t think I’m going to do it again. It also hasn’t convinced me to buy a kimono too after the experience. As pretty as people look in kimono, I know now that it’s not easy breezy to wear one.

Billy Elliot the musical

Katkat — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 20:36:49 +0000

A Sunday ago, my aunt and I made a date to see Billy Elliot the musical. My aunt was fond of musical. I thought I was but I found myself being too critical about a theater show so…in short, I wasn’t much of a fan. Nonetheless, we went to see Billy Elliot. We fell in line for the rush tickets on that day, paying only 40USD for a ticket. We got almost good seats unlike the time when we saw Wicked. We were seated in front of the handicap area, which wasn’t a good idea because the old man behind us kept coughing so loudly. Oh well…

The musical was adapted from the movie, Billy Elliot, which I truly liked. For those who hasn’t seen the movie or the musical, the story was about a young kid named Billy Elliot who passed his time with school and boxing while his dad and brother go on a workers’ strike to save the coal mining business. One day he chanced upon Ms. Wilkinson’s ballet class and was drawn to the ballet movements. He switched from boxing to ballet enduring his family’s ridicule and eventually auditioning for an honor to get in the Royal Ballet School in London.

The musical was so-so. I couldn’t help comparing this to the movie. It lacked a lot of the things that made the movie endearing like the drama and emotions. I loved the dancing. The production was great – the costume, the backdrop, and the stage setting were fabulous. I had a hard time understanding the heavy albeit contrived British accent they adopted. The script wasn’t too funny and it concentrated mostly on the workers’ strike. No particular song stood out and their singing voices weren’t that strong either. The musical’s main draw was just the dancing. JP Viernes who played Billy Elliot danced superbly almost capturing the spirit of the kid who played the main character in the movie. The other ballet students were also funny in their expressions and acting. Kudos to all the kids who played in this show.

So for people who loves dancing and singing aka musicals, this one’s for you.

What I learned from rock-climbing

Katkat — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 18:36:00 +0000

For the past month I was enrolled in this rock-climbing class at Planet Granite. I got introduced to it by someone however if you know me, I don’t like to get hurt or my hands to get calluses. For a week I had to talk myself (mentally preparing myself) into trying it . On my first climb, I thought I would develop a fear of heights. Thankfully I didn’t and I enjoyed climbing after that. I also enjoyed the side benefit of free yoga classes and use of gym equipments. I didn’t know I could be so interested in exercising and getting fit and healthy. Although most days I would come home with sore muscles, I felt that my body was functioning better than ever. (I never exercise regularly before and I maintain my weight just by watching what I eat). A week ago, I surprised myself by running the treadmill for 30minutes non-stop. And that was my first time ever on a treadmill! I really learned a lot about myself and character building during the past month of exercising Let me share a few cliches…

Perseverance builds character. Even though I’m a newbie in rock-climbing, it wasn’t hard for me to adapt quickly to each level of difficulty partly because I’m petite in size so it was easy for me to push myself up. I started from a 5.2 and worked quickly up to 5.10s. However when I’m hitting 5.10 courses, as I’m climbing I would always berate myself (in my head) for doing the course. It was difficult for me and I would get stuck at 1/2 or 3/4 of the course. I would give the handholds and footholds the evil eye while trying to talk myself into finishing the course. Giving up didn’t enter my mind ~~at all~~. I persevered amidst tired and straining muscles and calloused hands. Then I would gain the sweet satisfaction of tapping the last rock on top of the course before I drop down back to the ground and repeat it all over again.

The body’s potential is boundless. Each time before I climb 5.10s, I would act like I was defeated already even having not tried it yet. I would whine and complain silently and then I would shoulder on and put my foot on the first foothold. Climbing up wasn’t smooth and easy and I would slip and fall or I would cling on the holds for dear life or I would take a rest and analyze my next move and most of the time talk myself into finishing it. I didn’t like the routes with incline or angles the most because it meant I would be suspended on that incline and have to push my body up using my upper body strength to get to the next hold. I clearly remembered this 5.10b I did where there was an incline and almost 3/4 of the course, I was cursing myself because it was so hard and I was already feeling fatigue. It was only by sheer will and strength that I was able to finish it and later when I reflected, I was amazed how I could push my body beyond what I thought it was capable of.

The journey is more important than the finish line. True it was always satisfying to finish each course but when I reflected on how I finished it, I was amazed at myself that I did it. You could cheat on climbing by stepping on another color (from a different route) to get to the next one. I just did this once and that was because I was stumped on how to proceed climbing up when I was halfway through the course. But the rest of my climbs, I did it honestly. During my uphill journey, I would literally shoot my body up to grab onto the next hold. I would slip once, twice, or five times but I would still manage to get back on track. And getting back on track was a satisfying feeling because then I had overcome a difficult obstacle. Another instance was the time I was already on top of a 5.10c but I still couldn’t tap the last rock because I had to analyze how to position myself to touch that last piece. My arms and legs were already straining badly and I just knew that I didn’t have enough strength to push myself further. I ended up not completing that course however I wasn’t disappointed because I knew had done more than enough. The entire course was really difficult and having accomplished more than 3/4 of it was a feat for me.

Mind over matter. No pain no gain. I almost finished my month-long rock climbing class unscathed. My fellow climbers would have popped blisters on their hands or strained shoulders or arms but thankfully I didn’t have those. My hands would have calluses which would hurt and my right ankle felt sore to adduct but I somehow worked through the pain all for the satisfaction of finishing the course.

Patience is a virtue. Rock-climbing was not about finishing the course fast. Well err, that was how I played it anyway. Below 5.9s, I could climb the whole course without stopping. But above 5.9s, I would take time to rest. It was actually recommended to take a breather every now and then, to rest the straining arms and legs. I valued this rest time a lot because I discovered that after I have taken a rest, I would have the energy to bounce back and grab hold onto the next hold.

I would love to rock-climb more but I had to stop for now. In the following months I would devote my entire free time studying for the NDBE part 2. The lessons I gained from my rock-climbing stint had definitely strengthened my character and hopefully I wouldn’t give up easily as I was used to – to shoulder on and push myself to the limit!

Health buff, daredevil, what’s next?

Health buff, daredevil, what’s next?

Katkat — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 21:33:00 +0000

As you would notice (or not) I haven’t been posting lately because I had been very busy. My friend and cousin visited me here in SFO so I had to tour them around. I went to Las Vegas for 4th of July weekend. And the thing that occupied most of my time and left me tired aside from my job was my rock-climbing class. Two weeks ago I signed myself up for rock-climbing class. With the class payment came free use of the gym’s facilities and yoga class attendance for one month. Because I paid a high price, I decided to maximize the gym to the fullest. I was there 2-3 days a week on weeknights which left me not much to do my favorite pastime, being a lazy cat.

ROCK-CLIMBING

This had been the most fun activity I ever did so far. I enrolled in Beginner’s Rock Climbing class offered in Planet Granite Belmont. Being enrolled in the class I was entitled to use the gym’s facilities and yoga class for free for one month. I could actually have done without the class because all I needed to know was how to belay and to be certified for it. Anyway, I started with easy climbs then worked myself up to more difficult ones. On my first climb, I was a bit scared going up thinking I would produce an undiscovered fear of heights this late in life because generally I would stay away from roller-coasters and thrill-seeking rides and bungee jumping because I couldn’t handle the nauseous feeling of my stomach going up my throat. But after conquering that climb and not looking down while ascending, I got over it. The climb courses had level of difficulty from 5.0 to 5.12. I recently moved up to 5.9 and I had sore arms, shoulders, and back to prove it.

YOGA

Since the yoga class was free I decided to give it a try. Planet Granite offered different yoga classes. So far I took the Yoga Core, Kickboxing, and Yoga Flow classes. Of the three I enjoyed the Kickboxing class the most. It was the hardest I did so far but the constant upbeat and fast movement made me feel like I burned a lot of calories. I loved the work-out. It made me fee healthy and my body was more loose and energized. The class was friendly to all level of yoga students which was good because I couldn’t have kept up. My body was now receiving the punishment from the kickboxing class yesterday. I hoped there would be results soon – tight abs, thighs and butt?

SKYDIVING

One of my 2011 resolution was to go skydiving. I had the opportunity today to do it at Parachute Center Lodi. I was excited and thrilled and then when I went up, it went downhill from there. Lol! Here was my video montage and let this express how I felt about the experience:

So for all three activities, I encourage you to give them all a try. Skydiving…well you can skip that one (not for the fainted-heart).

my first and last skyjumping

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Party of 2 the Mating Musical

Katkat — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 19:07:00 +0000

I was most excited to see this musical after having watched Shopping! a few years ago. I had lots of laughs from Shopping! and expected the same thing for Part of 2 since they both have the same writer and director, Morris Bobrow. Furthermore, Party of 2 aptly coincided with my situation right now…that of being a single. I thought maybe it could offer me sage advice.

Party of 2 by Morris Bobrow (Shopping! The Musical) traces the relationship of two independent people from first meeting, to dating, to moving in together and beyond. The various stages of romance, warts and all, are exposed and the question asked: Love is one thing, but can it survive close proximity? The show is being played at Shelton Theater in Sutter Street every Friday at 8pm. Cast includes Jennifer Ekman (Rebecca) and Len Shaffer (Charlie). Tickets are priced at 29USD but I got mine half off from Homerun.

Coming with high expectations, I was disappointed that this wasn’t as funny as Shopping! Totally not at all! I couldn’t remember laughing hard here. There were only few ha-ha moments. It bordered on boring for me. I wished I watch Shopping! instead. It didn’t help that the guy who played the character was unattractive too. He didn’t match well with the leading lady.The music was simple and the lyrics told all the story. There were some helpful insights I got from the show such as the song “Dave”, which conveyed that women should not rub their ex-boyfriends to the present boyfriend or boyfriend-to-be; the song “With Me” described a woman who wanted her guy to only share experiences with only her; “Chess” warned women not to shoot down a guy’s ego eg. by beating him in chess.

After the show was done, I breathed a sigh of relief. My friend enjoyed it however. But for me this musical was no party at all.

Martin Nievera and Gary Valenciano as One

Katkat — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 01:45:00 +0000

Who knew I would be a fan of Martin Nievera and Gary Valenciano? I, who don’t listen to Filipino OPM music or watch much Filipino movies or TV shows. But for some reason I love these singers. I enjoy listening to them especially in their concert, titled “As one part 2”, which I watched last Saturday together with my aunts. They have magnificent voices and are great performers. I love it especially when they sing their own songs particularly the Filipino songs. I think I want the song “Ikaw” to be my wedding march. So why As One? For those people who didn’t know their history, these two singers are actually “rivals”. Martin was hailed as Concert King while Gary V as Mr. Pure Energy. Both of them composed beautiful songs that were played until today. In this concert, they showed their friendship and unity by singing the other one’s songs. This concert was actually part 2 already. Part 1 was launched on 2009. The difference between the two concert series was in Part 2, they invited their kids, Gabriel Valenciano and Robin Nievera to perform with them.

What do I think of the concert?

The concert was held in the open concert ground of Cache Creek Casino, which I thought didn’t give the best acoustic for their voices especially when singing ballads. They started off with an American song which I wasn’t really fond of. I didn’t like it when they sing other people’s songs instead of their own. But it soon became entertaining when Gary V livened the place up with his song “Hataw Na” and Martin Nievera tried to keep up with his partner’s electrifying dance movements. Martin ended up just making a spoof of it, which was highly entertaining.

Towards the middle of the show, they brought in their kids where Gabriel sang and danced while Robin sang and played the guitar. I liked their arrangement of the song, “Ikaw ang Lahat sa Akin.” Then Robin played solo, which ruined the concert for me. Seriously they should have taken out his part from the concert. Gabriel danced with Gary V. and I thought Gary V still danced better. Throughout the concert, Martin Nievera was very funny and making us laugh. Gary V. was more tamed and not as riotous. I liked the part where they performed some Michael Jackson’s songs and Gary V. was dancing some Michael Jackson’s moves.

My aunts who had seen their concert before said that Martin Nievera’s voice was not really good that evening. And Part 1, they said was better produced than Part 2. For me, I didn’t see these details. I fell in love with them when they sang those romantic Filipino songs that have really touching lyrics. Gary’s christian songs were also moving. Their voices were so incredibly soothing and perfect. I like Gary V’s voice better than Martin’s though, but only a slight margin. Towards the end of the concert, they had a medley of all theme songs adapted from popular Filipino TV dramas which made the crowd go wild. After 2 1/2 hours, the two singers capped the night with the concert’s theme song, “As One.”

For a newbie spectator of Martin Nievera and Gary V concert, I was highly entertained, wooed, and impressed!

The closest I can get to Japan (for now)

Katkat — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 04:47:00 +0000

Japan is my dream vacation. I have actually planned to go there this year (which I have been planning for about 2 years now) but with the recent earthquake and radiation crisis there, I guess it’s going to be postponed again. So to keep up my love for Japan, I have decided to attend the Cherry Blossom Festival in Japantown, San Francisco City. I have only been to Japantown once and it has been when I got lost and drifted to this part of town 6 years ago.

I took the bus (I hated driving around the city) to get to the city and walked from Market St. to Japantown which took me 15-20 minutes. When I arrived there, it was very festive. The street decor didn’t say much but the crowd just livened up the place especially with people dressed up in kimonos or anime costumes. I came here to watch the parade but I was drawn to exploring the whole festival having arrived here. There was a stage in the center of street. I didn’t know what it’s for because I didn’t stay late. Other alleys had stalls selling Japanese products. There was also a long booth of games where you try to shoot a ball into the hoop and you get free Japanese grocery item. I was also drawn to the food. I like Japanese food and what the street vendors were selling were authentic Japanese food. They had tokoyami, udon, mochi, sapporo, riceball, grilled meat, shaved ice with mongo beans topping etc. It was fun, crowded but fun! We waited in line for 30 minutes for this tokoyami. I liked it because I was starving after walking for 20 minutes getting to this place.

There were people dressed up just for the heck of it and I was glad I was able to channel a Japanese high school girl with my clothes. I kinda blended in, IMO.

The parade started at 1pm. I was positioned along the street where the parade almost ends. The parade was kind of lame because it was almost quiet, there was no music playing, crowds seldom cheer…it was disappointing. But the highlights in the parade were: the cosplay float and the sapporo men.

Attending the festival and watching the parade made my resolution to go to Japan even stronger. I hope when I get there someday I can wear a kimono and participate in an authentic Japanese festival!

Click the pictures below to see more photos.

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How my Easter went down…

Katkat — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 03:23:42 +0000

I didn’t know that Easter was coming until the day before. Back in the Philippines (which was predominantly a Catholic population), we had a “Holy Week” where it observed the time when Jesus was hailed as king (Palm Sunday) to His crucifixion (Good Friday) to His resurrection (Easter Sunday). Most people would be out of town for that week. Many stores would be closed and even TV programs only feature the life of Christ. My family usually went back to our province in Cebu to hang out on the beach. Here in the US where religion is varied, there was no such thing as Holy Week. However I was surprised that Easter Sunday was popular and quietly observed. Many malls/stores were closed or close early but restaurants were open to welcome families having Easter celebration.

I didn’t go to church because of lame reasons but I joined my aunt for an Easter Sunday lunch at Town and Country, Palo Alto. I had never been to this side of Palo Alto (usually I turned right to Stanford Shopping Center). Town and Country Village was 3 stoplights south from the Stanford Shopping Center along El Camino Real adjacent to the Palo Alto High School. The compound housed a lot of stores – it was

very intimate, family-oriented and…you know like a village’s plaza of stores. We ate at Mayfield Bakery and Cafe, which boasted of organic ingredients. The food was expensive but it was delicious and the serving size was big so it was worth the money.

After our heavy lunch my aunt and I went around the place and spent most of the time in Sur La Table. I fell in love with this place with its bakeware, cutlery, cookware which were reasonably priced (if not cheaper) and many of them were not made in China! Move over Williams and Sonoma. I wanted this store for my wedding registry! Then when we were done with our shopping stroll, we decided to go to Cantor Arts Museum founded by the Stanford family. IMHO, the highlight of the exhibit was the countless Rodin sculpture. Other than that I didn’t know most of the art pieces there. There was free entrance and you could take pictures too or sleep in one of their chaise lounge, which we were tempted to do.

I thought that after the lunch I was ready to sleep it off so it was to my relief when my aunt decided to call it a day after we toured around the museum. And so my Easter Sunday had ended. I’d like to thank my aunt and uncle for inviting me to spend time with them on this holiday.