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Old ladies

Wrinkly and rusty, how she must have been paraded around by World War II officers during the day!   This is a display inside Jeath War Museum. Further down the tour, here's Old Miss Thin and Saggy. She must be given credit for hanging in there all these years. Thanks to our hosts: Ruby Tuesday Too * Our World Tuesday * Rubbish Tuesday

Dulcinea's legs

"Tut tut it looks like rain..." And Dulcinea's legs stood at attention while Pooh Bear floated up the Honey Tree. I imagine many delightful things when I sniff rain or better while it's raining.  That building behind this lawn of chairs, which I baptized Dulcinea's legs , is one of many others that can be seen as you speed on the Bangna Trat superhighway.  Which was about to get drenched. How long ago did I talk about the notorious Bangkok heat? And now it's rainy season. Here's my favorite spot at work. After a rain. Water World * Our World * Ruby Tuesday Too

Xanthocarpous

There are seven xanthocarpous (yellow) fruits in the collage. Which ones do you like most? How many do you have in your part of the world? Mrs Nesbitt and the ABC Team

Spiraling

"Year after year beheld the silent toil "That spread his lustrous coil; "Still, as the spiral grew, "He left the past year's dwelling for the new, "Stole with soft step its shining archway through, "Built up its idle door, "Stretched in his last found home, and knew the old no more."  ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes, The Chambered Nautilus Hello my bloggity friends. I celebrate the week remembering a few favorites: At the Temple of Literature , National University Hanoi... in that American Literature class our teacher made us 'chant' The Chambered Nautilus . She spent a few minutes on the beauty of the words and 'preached' the message into our heads. It was either the heat outside or the memories that made me linger in the souvenir shop. Both maybe. I quietly enjoyed the moment: viewing the beautiful shell as fond memories of college buddies and a teacher that I liked so much came spirali

King's parkton

For some reason whenever I dig into my archives and see this photo, I always associate it with a scene from The Hobbit or the filming location, Hobbiton in New Zealand.  This is a spot on King Rama IX Park , and on the opposite side is one of the ponds. Thanks to our host: Water World * Our World Tuesday

Viva Vietnam

Inside the Temple of Literature in Hanoi, built in 1070, pavilions have a screaming, fighting red ceiling. Or at least that's what came to my mind as I looked up with my ear to the guide emphasizing Vietnam's independence from Imperial China. So I was in Vietnam last week. With friends who took charge of everything (as I had been busy at work and had no time to search), i.e. hotel and airline bookings, deciding where to go, what to see, where and what to eat... and that is why I thought I had a grand time. Thanks to friends who gave me the luxury of not having to think of such holiday details.  Here's Chris, our guide. We're at National University, Hanoi. He also guided us around Hoan Kiem Lake, Tran Quoc Pagoda, and Hoa Lo Prison Museum. The stop at an ice cream shop was just as interesting. They say you have never really been to Vietnam if you didn't go on a cruise in Ha long Bay, so we made it the highlight of our trip. I took this shot from H

The party must go on

“Dare to love yourself as if you were a rainbow with gold at both ends.”  ~ Aberjhani, The River of Winged Dreams May I tell you something? I have been frequenting tea rooms lately. The other thing is, I found a sky beauty from my 5th floor porch! It makes me momentarily forget that we are under Martial Law right now. Life goes on and I am grateful for the wonderful things this week. Here are five of them: Something that made me smile in the midst of anxiety . Back home in the Philippines my kiddo is sick. It goes without saying I am worried but I can't help chuckling when I was told that he complained to my mother, "Grandma, I have a headache on my neck." An 'oh...?' moment . I was told that CJ's doctor is an old friend I used to date; asked my Mom about me after taking a look at CJ. Sounds and feels like my son is in good hands.... And then the roses, those love letters, that weekend together in an uncle's house came flooding

Ineffable

"The ineffable joy of forgiving and being forgiven forms an ecstasy that might well arouse the envy of the gods." ~ Elbert Hubbard It's been somewhat a long week for me here in the Big Chili. But I'm glad that toward Thursday things got a bit hyped up and suddenly it's Friday; time to conclude the week by recalling what's great in it: Coffee table books, a vintage flower vase and a Guess purse among the rest of the many bags, some still on the floor. Not exactly a spree but I did shop and it was fun. Recent movies . There was T he Lunchbox, Noah, Transcendence, The Amazing Spider Man 2 , all entertaining and all gave me some time off too much stress at work. I appreciate being reminded of what forgiveness is like from the Railway Man - for both Eric Lomax and Takashi Nagase. This is Kanchanaburi where much of the story took place and some scenes in the film were shot.   Leave approved without much ado . I am Vietnam-bound in eleve

Temperature rising

Bangkokians are in desperate need of hydration.  Saturday we got whipped by a searing 36 °C. Sunday 38 °C and forecast from the Thai Meteorological Department shows temperatures will keep on rising the entire week. Thanks to an invention called AC and a powerful thing called imagination. I stay put in the office while my mind wanders to holidays past. This is where people take ferries to Koh Si Chang, an island close to Bangkok. Our World Mellow Yellows

Exam season

  Reflected on the table is an idea of where this place is (in case I forget)     Skywatch : clouds above canal lane trying to postpone the sunset Pines on the glass window  It's time for uni people to breathe easily. While students plow their heads through Strategic Management, Cost Accounting and Business Law, those exempted from taking the finals (read: instructors invigilating) get to have theirs charmed. Mine wandered around Chocolate Ville. I just love perks of exam season week. Work is light; the highlights fun: girlfriend time after working 9-hour days for awhile, we went al fresco in a seafood restaurant where the fried sea bass and mango salad was such delight on the palate enhancing travel plans for 2015.  We then proceeded to a saxophone jazz and blues bar. Blimey, what a place! It was like being in the cellar of a 16th century castle. The only reminder I was in 21st century Bangkok were the strains produced by a girl saxophonist whose r

More antidote

A hot hot moisturizing hallo from the chili patches! The week here has been highlighted with attempts to combat the heat; joys and faves are on: Antiques ! When I discovered that there's a big section for exactly those in Nawamin Market, I freaked out. If only I lived in Thailand permanently.... Culture exhibit . I didn't notice the woman was holding a drink until she, and I, opposite her, took a photo of the fish and I discovered that her reflection shows a straw in a disposable glass. I was probably also reflected in her shot. We snapped at the same time. It was fun. We are booked! I'm cruising with friends in Vietnam. Halong Bay in a few weeks. Blooms and a lake . My family trooped to Suan Luang for some healthy relief from the angry Thai sun. Icy dessert . Pineapple and strawberry. Sugar and milk. Crunch, crunch, one alimentary canal is happy. Visit: Reflections * Fave Five * Picture Clusters * Skywatch *  Share the Joy * Water Wor

Lake Sebu

Lake Sebu is a municipality.  It is also a natural lake which helps other bodies of water provide irrigation to Sultan Kudarat and South Cotabato, two provinces in the southern Philippines. The place is recognized by the Philippine government as a prime eco-tourism destination and an important watershed. This is Punta Isla, one of several resorts around the lake.  I hear it is popular. Most tourists flock here to have brunch and relax after visiting other sightseeing spots like the seven waterfalls or riding a zip line. You descend on stone steps to reach the cottages below I saw this huge bloom along the way My kiddos watch some lake activity while lunch is prepared We then took a boat trip around the lake. Visit: Mrs Nesbitt and the ABC Team * My World * Ruby Tuesday Too

Fancy a splash?

The Big Chili continues to behave like an oven. As I type this, I am chatting on the phone with a friend who is speeding on an Arabian expressway. She reports it's pouring around Abu Dhabi. I tell her I'm going island-hopping. In my dream, that is. For now I am grateful for faves of the week:: Life-saving AC. S ince walking around in rising temps this invention has become my best friend. And as for the board room thingy with an amusing laptop reflection that's bluer than the blue above it, that's where I was officially informed about  Remuneration . I thought it went with the normal salary but it seems the university is happy to pay researchers extra. Imagination . It does help when there is something to look forward to. Tax sorted . A colleague fixed a little problem in it for me. Until next year Mr Tax . For now I'm celebrating with some   Cold Stone delight . A yummy antidote to the notorious Bangkok heat. I may stil

The Killing Fields

I love touring and sightseeing. I don't hesitate to visit an interesting place twice if there's a chance. But I am not visiting this place again even if you paid me to do it. Cheong Ek Genocidal Center in a distance After many whispers of wows at the splendor of Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, my companions and I proceeded to Phnom Pehn. I was kicking to finally see the Killing Fields. "This is it," I mused as my 12-year old self: "those rows of 'cabbages' (skulls) in a documentary with John Lennon singing Imagine , now the Killing Fields for real." We then started exploring. At first I thought this was an old pigsty. What we saw were...     bones And that was when we fell silent - especially when we realized that much of the ground is still strewn with clothes of victims.  more clothes 'Truck Stop:' "place where trucks transporting victims to be exterminated from Toul Sleng Prison, stopped." Tru

Why not

It's been hot hot hot in the Big Chili this week. Where I would have preferred cool breezy nights with a beaming moon, we were dealing with a raging sun. But joys and faves here we go: Spontaneous outing with family . We had fun browsing bottle art and learning which country the wines come from.   A better-idea sky.  I stare at it and think why not invite a friend to go on a Halong Bay cruise with me instead? It will turn the disappointment over changes on my trip to Vietnam into something I will surely enjoy. Spending time with winged friends in the park. Kicking off the routine high heels, wearing jeans and walking barefoot on the grass were just as great. St. Patrick's Day. I'm no Irish but why the Saint Patrick's mode? And I muse, why not? At least I once dated an Irish guy. I remember being fascinated when I witnessed glimpses of the famous Irish temper in him - stuff I only read about in books before I met him. That was something like a l