Fever

Christmas is a time for rejoicing and a time for reconciliation. Some people in this world, though, just cannot get enough of the bickering that happens during the calendar year. Just when things go well for you, something happens close to home that just disappoints the heck out of you.

Provide both materially and emotionally.

That is the key to being a true matriarch or patriarch. You cannot necessarily switch out one or the other.

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Places I've Been To: Merlion Park Singapore

(Photo from Personal Collection) I was in Singapore towards the second week of November 2013. Other than sampling scrumptuous cuisine, I got to watch Matchbox Twenty! But hey, that isn't what this blog post is about. This is about a quick trip I made to one of the most tourist-y places on the island, Merlion Park. A Merlion is a mythical creature with a head of a lion and the back end of a fish. The association of this mythical beast to Singapore is that Singapore had once been called Temasek, which translates to "sea town" in the Javanese language. The lion head part of the Merlion is also indicative of Singapore's original name- "Singapura". I recall visiting Merlion park one balmy afternoon. After wandering around taking pictures, a representative of the Singapore Tourism Board approached me and asked if I could accomplish a brief survey. I spoke to her and, much to my chagrin, I didn't qualify to get a 300 SGD stipend for my trip. My visit to Merlion Park reminded me that tourist-y places need not be bad. I mean, what I got that afternoon was a brilliant view of the bay, the Marina Bay Sands Hotel, and a statue that, with its ivory hue, was truly representative of Singapore- spic and span, towering above many other nations in terms of progress, potential for even more progress, and even more progress on top of that. I can't wait to return to Singapore by myself or with loved ones. Nietzsche got it a wee bit wrong. Sometimes, you don't necessarily need chaos to be able to "dance". MC

The Adventure Continues

The adventure continues. This time, I'll have some pals with me! MC

Places I've Been To: Mongkok

(Photo Courtesy of DiscoverHongKong.Com) Lest this be judged as a politically fueled blog post, allow me to clarify- while I do not agree with Hong Kong/China's political stance with the Philippines, I really do like travelling to their part of the world. The food, the culture, the sights, the structures, are all very vibrant, rich, decadent even. Lets keep the perspectives locked within that spectrum. Mongkok is a busy district in Kowloon West. With a population density of 130,000 person per km2 or 340,000 person per mi2 (thanks for the facts, Wikipedia), this bustling portion of Hong Kong is packed, not only with people, but with a mish mash of ultra modern and old-world buildings, shops, temples, etc. I was in Mongkok last November 2nd. I got rained on, saw a ton of clothing retail stores, got myself an iPod Classic (it was about time that I replaced my dead iPod Video...RIP kiddo), was blinded by neon lights, listened to some street performers, and saw a couple of suspicious looking ladies one would easily judge to be streetwalkers. All in all, a memorable trip to what the Guinness Book of World Records has crowned as the busiest city district in the world (this surprised me). It's a shame that Hong Kong has been laying the hammer down versus the Philippines. I mean, the 2010 Hostage Crisis was terrible. Nothing could possibly justify what the rebel army man did to those innocent tourists, but hey, enough is enough. No matter how nice Mongkok and Hong Kong are. What stinks stinks in whatever culture. MC

Consistency

There are so many passions which I wish to pursue.

All I need now is a little consistency and I will be a-ok.

MC

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Giving Up, Giving In

I am a Filipino and intend on staying one, but sometimes, when you read the newspaper or listen to the news on the radio or check out news feeds on social media, you can't help but felt shocked, perplexed, and sad because of the sorry state of how people perceive right, wrong, rhyme, and reason.

Makes you want to curl up into a ball and mumble "Dancing Queen" while in the dark corner of a Toys R'Us.

In short, all the craziness around us, sometimes, can make us go off the deep end really quick.

MC

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The Adventure Continues...

This traveller's adventures will soon continue.

Once I am able to get through all the uncertainty surrounding a certain somebody's strangeness.

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Hola, Singapura! (originally written on Nov 7, 723am)

Hola, Singapura! 

The Asian tryst continues with a rendezvous with the ultra modern, chic, and progressive island-state: Singapore! 

My recent Hong Kong trip felt like a stroll down memory lane. I made it a point to revisit old haunts- the area around Victoria Peak, Tsim Tsa Tsui, the vicinity of Central's Star Ferry Port, Mongkok, Causeway Bay, etc. Ended up purchasing an iPod. Hey, I bought a dated model, but as is the case with a good bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon- Apple products only get better with age. A 160 gb multimedia player for less than 2000 Hkd seems like a swell deal to me. 

So Singapore might not be as conducive for shopping as Hong Kong was (due to the dreadfully painful losing battle the Philippine Peso is in with the Singapore Dollar), but hey, travelling is about economic irony. You should be thrifty on the bare essentials, then, remember to whip out the plastic and foreign dinero where and when it matters so as to make your trip that much more memorable. 

On the way to Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport today, I got around to doing a little game of comparison. I made the plausible decision to dwell on the positives.

How does Manila stack up with Hong Kong? How can one be more like the other? And the same goes with Manila unto Singapore, and the Lion City unto Manila. 

Travelling is so fulfilling for me because it gives one a tremendous sense of perspective. To see, hear, smell, and taste what the locals in another province, another country, another continent, experience is utter joy- even if sometimes that could mean wrestling through crowds, or sweating your tush off walking through polluted city streets, or, doing an Andrew Zimmer and grabbing the most stomach turning fare one can find. It all falls into a single receptacle, a conglomeration of body, spirit, and temporal madness which can only be elicited by the soul-snatching power of stepping out of one's own personal Ritz Carlton and exclaiming unto the "brave new world" that you're just as thrilled and as ballsy about going toe to toe with it as it is with you. 

So where to this time? Singapore, and in a way, to a higher level of cognition on what it means to bask in the undulating, erratic, sweet and sour journey known as our collective consciousness, about own modern, modern, life.

MC

The Beauty of Being a Lone Star Traveller

People have asked me about why I like traveling alone. Sure, it pays to have someone hold your camera for key scenery shots, and to share that nighttime cable car ride with a special somebody. While these are all good, there is a distinctly satisfying type of freedom which can be associated with being totally free to roam, explore, and think.

My trip to Singapore was all about doing a "system refresh". Things had become a little too noisy back home and I needed to drink some tranquility juice. Singapore in itself is a hustle and bustle sort of city, but then, it was my little lone star bubble that gave me the chance to calm my nerves and soothe my soul.

It totally helped that I got to watch Matchbox Twenty too. Now that's just one of the unforgettable things I had experienced during my latest tryst to the Lion City.

Back to reality for yours truly, but hey, I do feel rejuvenated.

MC

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Fascination

Isn't it fascinating how when you're young, a plane ride is often viewed with wonderment unparalleled. As we age, plane rides become assessed in accordance with business-time-opportunity-cost parameters. It all ends up becoming rather plain, drab, or, unsettlingly boring even. 

Here's to keeping the eyes of our inner child wide open. How else can we max out our trysts through life's back alleys and crossroads if not to meet each straight line, torque point, and drop with an electric riff rather than a blank, uninspired, stare? 

MC

Singapura!

Hola, Singapura! 

The Asian tryst continues with a rendezvous with the ultra modern, chic, and progressive island-state: Singapore! 

My recent Hong Kong trip felt like a stroll down memory lane. I made it a point to revisit old haunts- the area around Victoria Peak, Tsim Tsa Tsui, the vicinity of Central's Star Ferry Port, Mongkok, Causeway Bay, etc. Ended up purchasing an iPod. Hey, I bought a dated model, but as is the case with a good bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon- Apple products only get better with age. A 160 gb multimedia player for less than 2000 Hkd seems like a swell deal to me. 

So Singapore might not be as conducive for shopping as Hong Kong was (due to the dreadfully painful losing battle the Philippine Peso is in with the Singapore Dollar), but hey, travelling is about economic irony. You should be thrifty on the bare essentials, then, remember to whip out the plastic and foreign dinero where and when it matters so as to make your trip that much more memorable. 

On the way to Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport today, I got around to doing a little game of comparison. I made the plausible decision to dwell on the positives.

How does Manila stack up with Hong Kong? How can one be more like the other? And the same goes with Manila unto Singapore, and the Lion City unto Manila. 

Travelling is so fulfilling for me because it gives one a tremendous sense of perspective. To see, hear, smell, and taste what the locals in another province, another country, another continent, experience is utter joy- even if sometimes that could mean wrestling through crowds, or sweating your tush off walking through polluted city streets, or, doing an Andrew Zimmer and grabbing the most stomach turning fare one can find. It all falls into a single receptacle, a conglomeration of body, spirit, and temporal madness which can only be elicited by the soul-snatching power of stepping out of one's own personal Ritz Carlton and exclaiming unto the "brave new world" that you're just as thrilled and as ballsy about going toe to toe with it as it is with you. 

So where to this time? Singapore, and in a way, to a higher level of cognition on what it means to bask in the undulating, erratic, sweet and sour journey known as our collective consciousness, about own modern, modern, life.

MC

LKF

Oddly enough, I wanted to stick around.

MC

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HK Special

Okay, so here I am with the music of the uber cool Robert Palmer invading my eardrums here at the airport. I am in transit to Hong Kong, a country whose culture I find myself to be particularly fond of and one which I have found myself visiting at the tail ends of 3 different decades (1989, 1999,2010). The visitation pattern suggests a relationship akin to that one would have with one that "got away". You need to forget to function as a productive member of society- but for whatever reason, you just can't. 

I am 30 years old now, and I have seen and been through a lot. It's funny how this entire Hong Kong love affair all began with me getting lost in Toys R' Us Kowloon 24 years ago. I was afraid, but I was also in awe at the brave new world I had discovered beyond the ocean. What 6 year old would make like a sponge and just soak it all in? 

In a couple of hours, I'll be back, and while I probably will not get lost at Toys R' Us, I will allow myself to get lost in the uniqueness and color that define Hong Kong.

MC

Harborfront

A new journey is set to begin in a few hours.

I am thrilled.

MC

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Conundrum

Travelling can be a beautiful thing, especially if you find yourself in a plane, a car, a train, a tuktuk, or jeepney, with someone you love and appreciate.

What happens, though, when you find yourself at a loss for what to do and where to go? What happens when budgets don't match? What happens when something unexpected happens in as far as itineraries are concerned? 

Well, you could just pack it in and call it a day, or, you could improvise. Recently, I had thought long and hard about visiting a country I had never been to before- Malaysia. Apart from having friends who live there, I had always been intrigued by Malaysia's food culture, how its predominant Muslim color affects the country's way of life, and how the "old meets the new" especially in places like Kuala Lumpur and Penang. The trip-upon doing the accounting for it- seems cheap, and the warm encouragement for visitation from friends long removed from a certain tour in Europe always helps. 

Having said all that- why, then, am I now contemplating a visit to Singapore? 

I had gone to Singapore for the first time in 2009 with my sister and dad. All in all, it was a fun trip. I have yet to go out of the country alone, though (even on business), so, that would be additional motivation for me to fly- to a familiar city, no less. Singapore, some have said, is a bit "soulless", in that, it has been described by certain critics to simply be a cacophony of buildings and modern age structures. To me, it is a bit of a safe haven as well, a place where you can be an adventurous sort of travelling but feel secure at the same time. Some may find me to be a trifle strange for saying this, but, that's a how I see Singapore. It's a beautiful contradiction that makes perfect sense. 

Then again, a trip to Malaysia for 3-4 days does not seem to be such a bad idea. It provides a lot of options in as far as Indo-Asian food is concerned, and of course, because it is a place I have yet to visit, the floodgates of my own personal curiosity about the place have been swung wide open. 

There are pros and cons to all things set in motion by choice. A friend recently recommended that I defer a trip to Malaysia to next year, given that 2014 is what she referred to as "Malaysia Year". In bargainers' parlance, 2014 is set to be one which offers many deals that can keep bankbooks shiny and happy. Malaysia, say some, and Kuala Lumpur, in particular, is a place that is not all too "exciting" in terms of it being a tourist destination. KL has been tagged as a place which is likened to Manila "without the towers". Unfortunately, this comment resides on the negative side of the polarity scale. This comment implies that KL and Manila are crowded, teeming with oddities the first time tourist need not discover, along with other similarities that may not pique the interest of a Filipino, given the "close proximity of the two cultures to one another". Singapore can tend to be wonderfully confused, with it sometimes swinging British, and other times, going Oriental. I guess its that type of blending that gives Singapore an inimitable charm, and a spic-and-span familiarity which can't be missed. 

So where will this fellow take his black backpack and roundneck theme shirts next? 

Hopefully, the answer to this question will become clear as a newly polished car window soon. 

Sans tint. Sans any tint.

MC

Recover

Reset. Reboot. That's what we all need after a certain point. You know your threshhold's been reached when you can't tell the difference between creativity and routine anymore.

MC

Trips!

This November, it seems like I will have the rare chance to do something I have never done before- go to several countries within a brief period of time! The experience should prove to be quite thrilling and should be something I can jot down to learning also.

Country number one's all set. Where to zoom off to after that?

MC

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Sedate

Honestly, growing old has been less of a thrilling than "growing up". Practicality, obligations, and yes, taxes, have rendered life as black and white as a Charlie Chaplin movie- sans much of the satire. Time to get my creative juices flowing again. I can't let all the bravo-bravado go to the scrap heap. MC

In Time

In time you will find that being the hero brings about punishments that do not befit you.

In this flawed world, the demon wins the day.

This is a sad truth we face.

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One of Those Days

Ever had one of those days when you wake up a little too late for your own taste? 

Uh huh. One of those days.

MC

Many Many Times

Debilitate the heart of evil and you discover that there exist many more repositories of hate than you had first anticipated. 

Believe it. 

MC

Package Deal

Normally, people will be nice to you and throw you rose petals in an effort to get ahead. You then learn that lighting up those rose petals in one major league blaze of glory is the best way to handle the ignorant, the scheming, and unrelentingly stupid amongst us. 

The most evil in our midst often are the most beautiful, the most prim and proper, and those who profess to be the most righteous. 

One day, they shall all have their turns at a painful, painful, vise. 

MC

I Wasn't Born to Cowtow

Okay, lets get something straight- I wasn't raised to cowtow. I was not taught to be subservient. To be a servant, yes, but not to cowtow and feel lowly.

I have allowed myself to become a slave to the dollar, or whatever my chosen currency is. This is not to say that I am greedy. I am more a victim of the system, of things being the way they are and having been like this for a very long time now. This situation, this set of circumstances- it is all akin to a brigand unto those of stern, yet still vulnerable- stuff. I was not raised to confirm too much.

Again, I can serve without being made to feel like I am crawling out of the depths of a pit full of dirty stash. No, no. There is so much more to life than that.

Right?

-Notes from the Subconscious-

Matters Not

It matters not where you are from. All are unified under the banners of love.

Don't Wait Too Long

I just spoke to two English mums who have become my friends during my trip to Europe.

Don't wait too long.Don't save up forever.

Now that has made me think.

I love her very much. Yes, her.

Yes, the girl you're thinking of.

Amsterdam Day II

Brugge. A 3 hour trip by bus from Netherlands to Belgium. A historical city filled with cobblestone pathways, old buildings and tenements, and a lot of fine food. Had pesto pasta and broccoli soup for lunch. Ouch because the currency of choice are Euros, but hey, the experience was worth it. Besides, not too many seemingly radiation induced creative-type rockheads from my side of the L-train can say that they had managed to go to two different countries within a 12hour period- and in Europe, no less.

Loving Life,

MC

Live from Amsterdam

Being in the air during travel is akin to being suspended in time. Crossing to and from timezones, speaking to and from past, present, and future, forgetting where, and how, and falling in and out of consciousnes- it is all an adventure that defines living. The uncertainty is what is certain. The thrill when travelling is getting lost- to feel found.

I stand in Schipol Airport in the Netherlands now in the middle of a brave new world. I can't wait to explore more of it in the next month!

MC

On the Road

So here I am on the road again. 7 hour layover has been long, yet generally comfortable. I cannot wait to get to my connecting flight so that I can hop onto a part of the globe I have yet to see, smell, and touch- Europe.

Here we go.

I tend to think that the most beautiful moments of my trips around my own country, or abroad, are those when the zephyrs blow chilly, and when raindrops bid me hello as I walk down slick city streets. It's an odd fascination, this perception of beauty which I have. It's not that my modus operandi is ala-Shirley Manson and Garbage which sings to the tune of "I'm Only Happy When It Rains", but rather, I suppose that I find pristine charm and elegance in things which are out of the ordinary. Misery loves company. Apparently, the positive aspects of life love company even more so that does sorrow. Picture = From somewhere in Iowa, USA. MC

Need.

I really do need to write here more. Word.