Beijing - Arrival Day

In my seven month stay in Hong Kong, I never had a real vacation. Sure I had almost scoured Hong Kong except Disneyland, but I wanted to do something that involves planes, hotels, map reading, and travel guides. The answer to my prayer? Annie and her 'rents to Beijing! I was very hesitant at first because the airfare is no joke. My travel agent (naks, "my" - I own him now!) originally offered me HK$4K, but eventually went down to HK$2,700.


I used Air China, and boy, I was never scared of flying in my entire life! Well, this is just the fourth time, so it really wasn't too credible. But read the story below so you can sympathize.



I came an hour and a half from my scheduled flight and I still managed to get a window seat. This is a very weird because as far as I know, flyers naturally go for the much reverred window seat. I was thankful nonetheless.
When the plane took off, reality kicked in. Parts of the wings are unscrewed and you can see them flapping every nanosecond. Also, as seen from this photo, a large portion has been rusting. You really wouldn't want to see it. Thus the window seat avoidance syndrome (I just coined it, so bear with me).

On a positive note, their food was great. Complete with rice and viand, salad, bread, dessert.

Odd story: They don't have a TV per passenger (duh, budget airline blsm), so I was stuck with the inflight radio. There are only three English stations. I did not like the other two, so I settled for the station that plays relaxing music. In my 3 hour flight, Sarah McLachlan's I will Remember you was played 5 times. That's half hour melancholy! Lord sign na ba ito?! Haha, anong sign?! Wala lang mapatugtog ang station, sign na agad!

We arrived at Beijing Intl Airport in one piece.

In the bus to BSU. We stayed at Beijing Sports University Dormitory Hall #8, specifically at Mang Sid's place, a good friend of Tita Lileth and Tito Pol, (Annie's cool 'rents). It's a three bedroom spacious apartment. Annie and I shared the warm room. Thank God!

I brought two Beijing travel books, which I never got to use. Hmmpp! Dagdag lang sa bagahe.


Is this a sheer coincidence or what?Our tour guide, a 23 year old Chinese Sports Medicine student and a protege of Mang Sid was celebrating his birthday on the day of our arrival (if you base it in the Gregorian calendar). We celebrated his birthday at a Peking Restaurant. The restaurant that we had gone to is incomparable compared to the Peking Resto's in HK. This is as good as it gets. Peking food in Peking!


Observation in Beijing: Public lights are a bit scarce. It's very different from HK and Macau. Lamposts are not so numerous and are of big intervals. In the hallways of the dormitory, the lights are sensor-operated, and will only work when somebody's coming. A good and inefficient way to use electricity I must say.


After getting drunk with Pekingnese food, we let Jiawei blow his bday cake. I can boldly say that this is the best banana cake in the world! - a specialty of Annie's aunt. Tita Lileth gave him two cakes. I ate almost half of HIS BIRTHDAY CAKE.

So much for our first day!

CNY

Best place to celebrate Chinese New Year?

Where else but China's capital. Beijing!

Woot! Woot!

I lurve fireworks. The way they light up the dark satin sky is just beyond words. The colors, the wooshing, the shapes formed - amazing!

Fireworks are invented in China 1000 years ago (I had to google this of course) and the legacy lives on!

Everybody is allowed to stage their own fireworks show everywhere. You cannot do this in HK. The government monopolizes fireworks and they only do the show at the Victoria Harbour.

And my friend said that they do this everynight in Beijing for the whole month of February. It's like a fairy tale come true.

Harhar!

KUNG HEI FAT CHOI!

kafka on the shore

I just finished reading Haruki Murakami's Kafka on the Shore, the fourth novel I've read from this amazing author. The characters from his works are way out of this world, but share a very deep human showcast of emotions. I never get tired of his works even if I had to sacrifice consecutive sauna nights and stay until the wee hours of the morning. I'm hooked!

Calling quote suckers! Ponder on the memorable quotes that I personally selected from this remarkable novel:



ON LOVE

In ancient times people weren’t just male or female, but one of three types: male/male, male/female, or female/female. In other words, each person was made out of the components of two people. Everyone was happy with this arrangement and never really gave much thought. But then God took a knife and cut everybody in half, right down the middle. So after the world was divided just into male and female, the upshot being that people spend their time running around trying to locate their other missing half. – Oshima

Why does loving somebody mean you have to hurt them just as much? I mean, if that’s the way it goes, what’s the point of loving someone? Why the hell does it have to be like that? – Kafka

I want you to remember me. If you remember me, then I don’t care if everybody else forgets. – Miss Saeki

It’s easy to forget things you don’t need anymore – Nakata




ON LIFE

Most things are forgotten over time. Even the war itself, the life-and-death struggle people went through, is now like something from the distant past. We’re so caught up in our everyday lives that events of the past, like ancient stars that have burned out, are no longer in orbit around our minds. There are just too many things we have to think about every day, too many new things we have to learn. New styles, new information, new technology, new terminology…But still, no matter how much time passes, no matter what takes place in the interim, there are some things that we can never assign to oblivion, memories we can never rub away. They remain with us forever, like a touchstone. - Teacher


If I had to say anything it’d be this: Whatever it is you’re seeking won’t come in the form you’re expecting. – Oshima

In everybody’s life there’s a point of no return. And in a very few cases, a point where you can’t go forward anymore. And when we reach that point, all we can do is quietly accept the fact. That’s how we survive. – Oshima


Taking crazy things seriously – is a serious waste of time. – Hoshino

Pointless thinking is worse than no thinking at all. – Col Sanders (yes, the KFC guy!)

saint buddha pray for us

In time for Chinese New Year, let me share some photos of the largest outdoor Buddha statue in the world found in Lantau Island. I've been there a few times already, yet I still keep coming back. The view of the statue always gave me the feeling of being intimated yet able to reach out to the Supreme Being. Gets?! Ganon! Labo!

View from the Ngong Ping Skyrail Cable Car

Almost there




























A little sacrifice. I still haven't counted how many steps to the top. I was too freaking tired to even bother. Nobody said it was easy.

One word: GRAND

Buddha's goddesses

A little isolated temple seen from the statue

- the path to enlightenment -

Yes, this is still Hong Kong. ;)

My Eccentricities

Everyone's got idiosyncrasies. I have plenty of them:

1.) I read newspapers and magazines starting from the last page. I always believe that editors save the best news for last. The problem is I end up getting engrossed on the articles from the last pages that I get too tired to read the real headlines.

2.) I am a sentimental junk collector. Candy wrappers? Small notes? Restaurant receipts? I always wish to be reminded of the great and not-so-great things.

3.) I love being disorganized. Check my purse and flat. It gives me the feeling of being an important person -- somebody who doesn't have time to fix her stuff.

4.) I use swimwears as underwears. They are more comfortable! And I always have this thinking that I might go to the beach any day so at least I'd be ready.

5.) I cry whenever I hear "Lupang Hinirang". I also cry when I hear or watch any Filipino achievement in the news. Blame the nationalistic side of me.

6.) I hate touching any fur (faux or authentic) on anything worn by humans. Cruel! Cruel!

7.) I am a nerd! I love reading! Kahit labels sa shampoo pinapatos ko pag nasa banyo.

8.) I get a natural high when I'm surrounded by books. Sobrang suki sa library ito! I even won an essay writing contest about the importance of books and the joys of reading.

9.) I hate movies aboout poverty. Poverty already haunts us everyday. The precise reasons why you go see a movie are to be entertained and escape from reality. Give us our two hour break and make us laugh or feel mushy mushy or horny instead. Do not rip me off my hard earned money if you'll only make me heavy hearted.

10.) I am a potential lunatic. I laugh to my heart's content. I think that's the reason why I look like a walking dimple with a face.

11.) Every night I ask myself "What did I do for the first time?". Life is short. You have to do as many first's as you can.

12.) I am a hard core paranoid. A simple cough can make me cry for hours thinking I am going to die because of it, and I regret the times I did not spend my time with my family and friends. I picture my last words, last breath, and the people surrounding my deathbed. Creepy.

13.) I will always be in denial that Keannu Reeves is gay no matter what people say.


I'll add more.

first real attempt on macro photography

You want macro shots?

Of course I have macro shots!

Woot!

Courtesy of Po Lin Monastery

I admire these flowers for staying beautiful despite constant exposure to Chinese incense.

Have I ever said what made me like photography?

It may sound cliche but I am saying it anyway. It teaches me to be patient. Being an impulsive person, I easily jump into whatever my female gut feeling tells me. Photography balances that. It teaches you to wait for the correct angle and subject even if it takes forever.

Moreover, this hobby teaches me the most profound lesson in life (for me at least):

It takes only one shot to make it all worthwhile.