My Thoughts on Travelling

 Akala agad ng iba na pag nagtravel ka madami ka na pera...or mayaman ka na.

Akala.

Madami ang nagkakamali sa "akala" na yan.

Sorry.

Di naman naiisip ng iba na pwede namang pinaghirapan, pinagtrabahuan, pinagpuyatan ang mga gagastusin sa pagtravel.

Akala rin ng iba na sobrang laking halaga ang kelangan para lang makarating sa ibang lugar.

Well.

Mali.

Sorry.

Kung matiyaga ka lang at may konting diskarte, makakarating ka sa lugar na gusto mo puntahan.  Kelangan lang ng sipag - at set your priorities.

Nainspire ako magpunta sa ibang lugar nung nakasakay ako ng unang international flight papuntang London noong 2016. Libre.

Ang pic sa taas ay kuha malapit sa apartment na tinirhan ko at ng officemate ko sa London. Makikita nyo sa likuran ang Tower of London na isa sa mga touristy place.  Sa likuran ng parang castle na yan makikita ang sikat na tinatawag ng karamihan na 'London Bridge'.... pero ang totoong pangalan talaga ay Tower Bridge.

Oh, yes. Libre nga pala ang trip to London na yan - dahil pinadala ako ng company doon for 3 weeks para sa isang training.  Hindi ko naman mararating ang lugar na yan kung ako lang dahil plane ticket pa lang - parang katumbas na ng 5 araw sa Japan. 

Oo - swerte lang yang trip na yan dahil napunta ako sa work na nagkaroon ng opportunity to fly to London.

So, ibig sabihin - di ako mayaman - kahit nakarating pa ako ng London.

After London, may 3 pang bansa ang nadalaw ko.... ang Vietnam, Cambodia at Japan.

Madami na yan para sa iba.

Pero bawat alis na yan ay sangkatutak na pagiipon ngbsweldo ang ginawa ko.  Pagsipag sa paghahanap at pag timing ng seat sale ng eroplano.  Ilang buwang installment sa credit card na pinambili ko ng ticket.

Hindi madali.

Hindi rin ibig sabihin mayaman ako.

Isipin mo na lang na nagiipon ka ng pera pambili ng paborito mong sapatos.

Ganun.

Ang akin lang, instead of sapatos, gusto ko makaranas ng ibang kultura, makita at mapuntahan ang mga lugar na sa libro o magazine or tv/movie ko lang nakikita.

Iba.

Ibang experience talaga mapuntahan ang lugar na nababasa o napapanood mo lang.

Parang nung unang salta ako sa Manila noong 1996. Masaya ang feeling na nakatapak sa Manila.  Dati napapanood ko lang sa TV.  Nung first time ko pumasok sa UP Campus, iba rin ang feeling. Parang - dream come true.  Parang nasasabi mo sa sarili mo na "aaaah.. ito pala ang UP..." ganun.

Pag nakakakita ako ng store/shop/botique sa mall na lagi pinaplug ng mga artista - "aaaah.... ito pala yun..."

Simpleng bagay.

Pero may impact. 

Hindi malilimutan. 

Life-changing.

Bakit? Paano?

Dahil may bagong karanasan ka na naman.  

Parang - karanasan mo na 1st time ka nagkajowa.  Ganun.

Exagg but true dahil unforgettable.

Di dapat mag jump to conclusuon ang lahat na kesyo nagtravel, mayaman agad.

Maaari lang na sa pagtravel lang at pag gain ng experience ang priority nilang "luho" sa buhay.... na pinaghihirapan din bago makamit.

Turn to A New Chapter

I have noy been very consistent with posts.  I dont have a laptop or computer at home and so posting using a mobile fone is quite difficult.
In any case, this is not an excuse.
I will continue to post anything that is in my mind. Anything.
Nobody can stop me.
So I am now changing chapters.
From food reviews to movies I have watched or news that interests me whatever will be posted. Oh, did I mention pictures too?
I have been quite hooked with some photo editing mobile apps - free version usually - and I am loving it.  This means, more edited pics to come. More practice sessions. More before - after pics that I call "From A to B".
Stay tuned.

Tuk Tuk @ Bayani Road

Madami trabaho sa office kaya mejo ang tagal ng sumunod na update.  In any case, naisipan ko lang magsulat about sa resto na ito. 1st time ko kumain dito kahit ang tagal ko na siyang alam.

Tuktuk @ Bayani Road.

Located within the premises of a gas station, mejo tago ang resto na ito. Ilan lang ang mga parokyano. In fact nung kumain ako eh ako lang ang customer. Nasa looban siya ng Equator Gasoline Station. Hindi mahirap hanapin ang Equator Gas station dahil nagiisang gas station naman siya along Bayani Road sa Taguig.  May mapaparadahan namn sa likod ng gas station pero konti lang ang space at ito at street parking. Free naman ang parking kaya ok na rin, kesa wala. Pag nasa loob ka na ng gas station, makikita mo na ang resto na ito agad.

Sa interior naman, OK naman siya. Malinis naman siya tingnan.  Maayos ang mga table and chairs na gawa sa kahoy.  Ayun nga lang, sa makikita nyo sa picture, wala naman siya masyado - or should I say, wala naman siyang ka touch-touch ng Thailand.  In other words, pwedeng pwede siyang ihelera as - karinderia na generic ang food.  The difference lang kasi is that sa labas makikita mo na ang ilan sa mga food nila, and by the name itself, alam mo na Thai food ang specialty nila. In short, walang ambiance na nasa Thai resto ka.  Siyempre ang ibang tao, total dining experience ang gusto - kaya mahalaga ang ambiance.  

Ang pinakamahalaga sa lahat. Ang food choices. Well, hindi naman ako expert sa pagkain, lalo na sa International cuisine or sa Thai food.  Kaya ko nga naisipan kumakin dito para maka experience ng Thai food. Sa tingin ko naman, ok naman ang food options at mejo madami din - di ko lang sure if sapat na ito para sa isang gastronomic experience na mala-Thai. Tingnan nyo na lang ang pictures ng menu later sa baba.

Appreciating T.L.E.

No, this is not a food write up but I just got inspired to write something good about the K-12 program.

I have a friend, sir Dan from Pampanga. He's like the head teacher of the TLE - oh, Technology and Livelihood Education - if you dont know what it means (kasi malamang me makakabasa na THE pa ang naabutan - or maybe Practical Arts pa!) Department of a public high school.  Oh yeah, 1st impression perhaps is that - heck ya, public high school. Aminin naman natin there are certain biases sa public educational institution (pwera na malamang sa UP System).

In any case, he send me pics of the successes of his students and co-teachers in competitions in their division.  He sometimes sends pictures of their school projects, and I must say, they are doing a really good job.

Sadly most students perhaps would opt for the other tracks for Grades 11 and 12 - the track that perhaps would prepare them for higher education - sorry di ko alam anong tawag. Malay ko ba dahil di ko naabutan yan... swerte not swerte.  Maybe a few would opt for the "hard stuff" that requires them to toil and cook and cut hair and do electrical stuff coz they are sooo baduy and "nakakababa" ng tingin.  Afterall, this country seems to favor more of diploma rather than skills. Sad but true.

In any case, sir Dan showed me pics of students doing electrical job and baking and preparing food and doinf table arrangements and all - they are good stuff! Pretty impressive skills!  

If you look at the pics below, Im pretty sure some of you may say you cant do it - and these students are really doing a good job at it.

One of the students doing installation... and the finished product!

Learning these skills are great weapons to a better life - even if they do not practically go to college - that is, if people will support them.  No I am not saying it is enough to learn it - of course there is still a lot of room for their skills to improve should they pursue higher learning - but, looking at things objectively, they can very well sustain daily living of there would be job opportunities for them that can alleviate higher education expenses.  They can make use of the skills their learned from Grades 11 and 12 to perhaps start a sideline of pangugupit ng buhok or baking pan de sal or electrical troubleshooting.  Isnt it amazing?!

Sir Dan's school, as I have mentioned, is a public school - which we are well aware, may lack funds to support the skills development of these kids.  I have another friend, Emily, a head teacher as well in a high school in Cagayan de Oro, who said that they use the teacher's personal baking equipment and utensils becuase their school doesnt have the funds to buy those things.  They also rely on donations and ask for help from politicians and all for support.

Students working so hard. Food preservation i assume.

The implementation of the K-12 program was kinda abrupt and personally I think the entire education system wasnt fully prepared to implement such change.  But I guess the resourceful nature of the Pinoy teachers made things possible - especially the teachers in the provinces. 

There is really no need to look down upon those who opt for the Practical Arts track of the K-12 program.  Certainly these students have acquired and developed skills that we never have.  I envy them.  I hope there will be more students to would opt for these trades - and more people will support their projects.  Maybe businessmen can tie up with schools to sell their products, or professional chefs and restaurant owners welcome the idea of having a 1-day lesson on cooking techniques.  Engineers can have a talk and share tips on proper handling of projects.  And hey, sana for free.  These students and teachers will surely appreciate the time and effort - and your name immortalized in their minds.

Not everyone can bake tasty breads! They are on it!

And the pulic of course - patronize school fairs and change the mindset - and be more realistic - that not everyone will get a diploma - and that the skills they have acquired can be developed of we patrinize these students' work.

And the teachers - a salute and thank you for the resilience and patience in teaching the students new skills even if resources are limited. Bayani talaga sila.

If you are a Pro in any field who wants to reach out and give a talk or spend time teaching sir Dan's students - just hit the comment below or email me. .... or you can simply inquire from the nearest high school innyour area and asknfor the TLE department, im sure they will be glad to accommodate you. :)


All photos used in this article is sir Dan's and I asked permission to use them.  Thank you sir!

Finished products - waiting for taste test!

Aaaah...looks delish - baked by students.

Sir Dan and two of his students!

Instant Udon Tantanmen

All the while akala ko yung Udon Miso lang ang nabibili sa grocery... aba me ibang variant pa pala - ang Udon Tantanmen.  

Buy agad ako. Same price at Php 69 lang.

Niluto. Kinain.

Masarap din. Lasang Japanese din. 

Kung ang miso at mejo distinct na miso taste - ito naman iba. Dko naman alam ang ang difference at first pero nung natikman ko - iba nga. Lasa  niya... parang sabaw ng gulay. 

Masarap din naman. Japanese food cravings satisfied.

Check out the pics.

Packaging. Nice. Mamahalin tingnan.

Eto ang nasa loob ng packaging.

Mga condiments sa loob.

Isa sa mga nasa loob. Bilog na flavoring na may mga gulay bits.

The gulay bits ilalagay lang sa ibabaw ng udon noodles.

The rest of the flavoring. May corn bits at meat bits and yung pampalasa ng sabaw.  Ready na lagyan ng hot water - or - yung "normal" na tubig para i microwave.

Nilagyan ko lang ng mineral water tapos pinasok sa microwave ng mga 3 to 4 mins... eto na siya. Ready to eat!