Manileño's Eye

Eye Spy 5: From a Mobile Phone

2006-07-31T20:35:00.000Z

For almost a year now, I have been using my mobile phone camera (Nokia 6230i) in capturing some interesting pictures when I don't have with me my digicam at that moment.

Having my mobile phone's memory full to the brim one time, I have to delete some images to make way for new ones. From there I have realised that perhaps these images are worth uploading to my blogsite. Have a look.

One of the amazing residential developments in Isle of Dogs.

Glimpse of catamarans before the London-Nice race.

Glass roofs of ROH

At the seaside, Sussex.

From a Tate Modern's exhibition.

The audience at the Marriage of Figaro.

Boat spotting along the Thames.

Walking towards Charing Cross Station.

No Worries

2006-07-26T14:13:00.000Z

MV Ilona from my office desk's window.

Sometimes when you feel a bit worried about what the future may bring knowing there is a foreseeable storm in your life, it is best to just listen to what the others and the One up above have to say. He lead me to this poem by Wallace Irwin:

The Worried Skipper

"I hates to think of dyin'," says the skipper to the mate;
"Starvation, shipwrecks, heart disease,
I loathe to contemplate.
I hates to think of vanities
And all the crimes they lead to."

"Then," says the mate,
With looks sedate,
"Ye doesn't really need to."
"It fills me breast with sorrer," says the skipper with a sigh,
"To conjer up the happy days what careless has slipped by.

I hates to contemplate the day I ups and left me Mary."
"Then," says the mate,
"Why contemplate, if it ain't necessary?"
"Suppose that this here vessel," says the skipper with a groan,
"Should lose 'er bearin's, run away, and hump upon a stone.

Suppose she'd shiver and go down, when save ourselves we couldn't."
The mate replies,"Oh, blow me eyes!
Suppose ag'in, she shouldn't?"
"The chances is agin' us," says the skipper in dismay;
"If fate don't kill us out and out, it gits us all some day.

So many perish of old age, the death rate must be fearful."
"Well," says the mate, "At any rate, we might as well die cheerful."
"I read in them statistic books," the nervous skipper cries,
"That every minute by the clock some feller up and dies;
I wonder what disease they gits that kills in such a hurry."

The mate he winks
and says "I thinks
they mostly dies of worry."
"Of certain things," the skipper sighs, "me conscience won't be rid,
And all the wicked things I done I sure should not have did.

The wrinkles on me inmost soul
compel me oft to shiver."
"Yer soul's first rate,"
Observes the mate,
"The trouble's with yer liver."

Wallace Irwin was a poet, playwright and journalist. Born in 1875 and died in 1959. He wrote quite a few other poems including A Nautical Extravagance.

I pray that in time of trouble, I will remain assured. For I know He will calm the storm and never leave me alone.

No worries then.

Still Here Like the Thames

2006-07-07T19:01:00.000Z

Yesiree, I'm still here. Tripping my life fantastic. I tend to get caught up in myself and push blogging to the side. Gotta go again. I will be back.

Sure and calm. Greenwich Power Station from Island Gardens.

Farm and Fields

2006-05-13T08:25:00.000Z

... A visit to Godstone Farm in Surrey and a walk through the vast fields of rural Kent.

Tic-Tac-Two

2006-05-05T17:30:00.000Z

When my wife and I celebrated our anniversary, part of my surprise for her during the evening was a dinner at the OXO Tower Restaurant. I could have just reserved at the brasserie but I thought it would be better to make the evening more special as I am sure that was how she would have wanted it to be for the two of us.

Just the two of us. Who would have imagined the two of us leaving our comfort zones back home, in exchange of the adventures and thrills of independent lives here?

Living here in London, away from our families, has definitely moulded us into becoming a couple with a higher element of respect and understanding of the people from all walks of life. Being the melting pot that it is, London has offered lots of acquaintances and friends and opened a significant number of opportunities for us two. However, if it is just the two of us here, it only means that it is also just the two of us who get to support each other during challenging times. I guess that is the acid test for marriage. Good thing we have faith, hope and the big L in this partnership of ours. We are extremely grateful for that.

Going back to OXO Tower Restaurant. The ambience was great, the view from our table was fantastic, the staff were superb, and the food and choices were excellent.

Did I hear you ask about the 'damage'? Ah, being charged £!%&@# surely made it unforgettable.

KitKat Time

2006-04-08T06:30:00.000Z

A few weeks' break from blogging beckons....

For now, I leave you with a picture from our recent stroll along Mudchute: a farm (and park) in the city.

Eye Spy 4: London in Subdued Colours

2006-03-26T07:43:00.000Z

From left to right:

▪ St Paul's and the Millenium Bridge.

▪ A Scots Guard at the Buckingham Palace.

▪ Facade of the north entrance of Westminster Abbey.

▪ Still in London: a sphinx guarding Cleopatra's Needle.

▪ At the V&A Museum.

▪ Victoria Memorial.

▪ Battle of Britain War Memorial.

▪ A view of Rotherhithe from Isle of Dogs.

The Dan Brown Code

2006-03-16T08:16:00.000Z

The portico up close, entrance to the north transept of Westminster Abbey, one of Dan Brown's settings in his novel.

"Gripping - a page turner." That is how I would describe the trial involving Dan Brown (the author of the bestseller "The Da Vinci Code") defending his work against a copyright infringement suit brought by Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh (authors of non-fiction book in the 80's, “The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail").

I leave it to the journalists to actually follow the developments of the trial. But as one of the arguments in the case, try this:

join the surnames of the 80's writers

- Baigent Leigh -

mix it up a bit and what do you get?

- Leigh teaBing -

Yes, the 'amiable' British character in Brown's novel. Coincidence or what?

I look forward with interest to hear the verdict.

A Play of Words*

2006-03-11T22:20:00.000Z

Might as well play....

Far woody laps
Do ways for pal
A so rowdy flap
Pays for low ad
Frap day so low
Pay odor flaws
Day of slow rap
Road pay flows
Lay food wraps
Aloof raps WYD
Spy world of AA
Plays raw food
A spy door flaw
Swop day for Al
Lay sword of PA
Soapy FA world
OFWs polar day

Now, it's your ball....

* An homage to eneD.

A Night of Mozart

2006-03-06T21:25:00.000Z

Recommended: a classical
concert night at St Martin.

Ten, tenten, tententen-tententenn.... At 10 years old, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was a young talent to perform a concerto at St Martin-in-the-Fields Church, 240 years ago.

It was Friday and the night was young. Together with my wife's cousin who was in London for the weekend (after a singing concert tour in Lisbon), the three of us went to the same church where the young Mozart performed, to be reminded of his timeless music - and his genius.

Aptly called "The Genius of Mozart", the programme lined up by The Locrian Ensemble for that night was of the best-loved compositions, mainly of the violins. Apart from everyone's favourite Symphony No 40 in G Minor, I particularly liked the Flute and Harp Concerto. It was not just because of the sheer delight in seeing and hearing two well-known talented sisters play together (Fiona and Jean Kelly) but also because of the rarity of the occassion that I get to see a harpist play.

Here are the details of the programme:

Violin Concerto No. 5 in A (Allegro aperto - Adagio - Tempo di menuetto, allegro)
Flute and Harp Concerto (Allegro - Andantino - Rondo)
Sinfonia Concertante for Violin and Viola (Allegro maestoso - Andante - Presto)
Symphony No. 40 in G Minor (Allegro molto - Andante - Menuetto, tri - Allegro assai)

Inspiring music indeed, thanks to Mozart's genius and the Ensemble's talent.

Eye Spy 3: A Piece of Kent

2006-02-05T21:10:00.000Z

From L - R:

Hever Castle
Part of the vast gardens of Hever Castle
White cliffs of Dover
From the harbour of Dover
Dover Castle
Canterbury Cathedral hall
Water maze at Hever Castle
The facade of Canterbury Cathedral
A scene from the walled city of Canterbury

Midnight Thought

2006-02-05T00:05:00.000Z

Not a lot of people smiling. Light installations at the park, Jubilee Place E14.

In the morning, the freezing temperature and cold wind only prompt you to wrap up warm when going to work.

Imagine yourself squeezing in a jampacked carriage in the tube or the DLR and when you have managed to get in, after the doors have shut closed and the train makes it way to the next station, you suddenly realise that you just have too many layers of clothes on that leave you this time feeling hot and boiling especially with the train's heater on. You just could not win, can you?

The more I think about the climate here this season, the more it dawns on me how different my living here is as compared to back home in Manila. It is usually overcast and cold here whilst it is usually sunny and warm back there. Bitterly cold here, cheerfully warm there.

Winter thought.... It will pass.

Holiday Glimpses 2

2006-01-21T21:48:00.000Z

From left to right

1. Bats!
2. More bats! (At Bat Kingdom)
3. View from our flat (on the 35th floor) in Ortigas (The Rizal mountains can be seen).
4. View from the flat at night.
5. Shangri-La Plaza mall, still a good place to spend and dine.
6.
7. Inside the old city walls of Manila.
8. Reflections at a derelict building, the highest point in Tagaytay.
9. Philippine monkey at Subic.
10.
11. At Tiendesitas.
12. Mount Arayat.
13.
14.
15. Hold your breath on this view!
16. Same flat, but on New Year's eve.
17.
18. Taal: it's a volcano within a lake within a volcano!

Over 7,100 islands.... The pictures only depict places within the capital (Manila) and nearby places.

I'm Back!

2006-01-17T18:48:00.000Z

Yes. Good to be back alright - not from hibernation - but from a long holiday in the Philippine Islands. My wife and I got caught up in the wedding (not ours!) and reunions and pushed blogging to the side.

No, did not go island hopping over the holiday season. Going from one place to the next in the mainland to visit people was hectic enough. It was good though to catch up with family, relatives and friends.

I have to dash. The bell tolls... I will post the other pictures later.

Above picture: Overlooking the Taal Volcano.

Eye Spy 2: Yuletide in London

2005-12-11T00:30:00.000Z

--------

L to R:

- Ice-skating, a winter tradition at Somerset House.

- Trafalgar Square with the traditional Norwegian Spruce.

- What a crowd! At the corner of two well-known streets for shopping.

- Harrods, arguably the fanciest department store in the world.

- Imagine Leicester Square for funfair!

- Oxford Street shops expectedly busy at this time.

- It's always better when the crowds are gone in Canary Wharf mall.

- The Houses of Parliament with its Christmas Tree.

Entrapment

2005-12-03T22:59:00.000Z

“Wonderland-appeal,”

Reasoned the fly. Later, stucked!

Prayed, begged to escape.

Venus fly traps (scaled to actual size) at Kew Gardens.

Iceberg!

2005-11-24T21:37:00.000Z

The tallest of them all.

Iceberg. No, there would be no such real thing in Manila, but ask around in shopping malls where exactly is this, and you will be directed to a well-known establishment serving halo-halo (a mixture of shaved ice and fruits, topped with ice cream)!

Iceberg, I believe, makes the best and refreshing favourite Filipino merienda, and I just enjoy gobbling up a glassful!

Iceberg is what reminded me of Rachel Whiteread's exhibition at Tate Modern. Entitled "Embankment", it is overwhelmingly littered (for lack of a better word) with white blocks made of plastic resins. Stacked up and arranged at different heights and order, I thought it takes only one clumsy chap like me to wreak havoc! So I had to be quite mindful whilst I walked through the labyrinth-like layout to meet my wife who was already there, admiring the artwork.

I heard one quip, "So white, so what?" Well, the colour definitely could not go any whiter.

Currently on display at Tate Modern Gallery: Rachel Whiteread's "Embankment".

Eye Spy 1: A Slice of London

2005-11-20T09:24:00.000Z

.......

................................................

Clockwise:

1. Greenwich foot tunnel - an undergound and under-the-river tunnel: good thing it is well lit!

2. GLA (London Mayor's) Building - beehive, cone, alien's hat: a building with many names

3. Inside the British Museum - can you read the quote from Sir Alfred Tennyson?

4. Bank Street, Canary Wharf - this was on a weekend, imagine it being busy on a weekday

5. The Tower Bridge - an angle from Tower Bridge Piazza

6. Millenium Foot Bridge - a good view of St Paul's Cathedral from the south bank

...Summer pictures

Black Tie

2005-11-19T08:48:00.000Z

Facing the mirror in a DJ.

Black tie, tux or dinner jacket? They are all the same.

Dinner jackets and ball gowns spend a lot of time out of the wardrobe these days. For the others, they were probably dusted off again last week at a black-tie affair. As my wife and I were newcomers to the ball revue and since there are other formal parties lined up, we were convinced that we just had to buy our attire for that night.

We were invited to a charity ball in Southampton, approximately two hours southwest from London. The beneficiary for the event was the Head and Neck Cancer Research Trust. It was a night full of entertainment – from the champagne reception, dinner, stand-up comedy, to the show band’s music. A friendly but lively atmosphere was created that everybody was in a jovial and generous mood for the charity auction. This made the event a success. Kudos to the organisers for a well-planned affair!

One thing that I made a good note of is that if you want an after-dinner speaker to talk about interesting things that would relate to all of the guests, invite a comic astrologer! It was a burst of laughter that night because of this funny talk about the signs of the zodiac and the people under such signs.

Black tie, tux or dinner jacket? They are all the same. Wearing it for a worthy cause that night -- that made the difference.

Morning Jog

2005-11-06T19:50:00.000Z

A view of Maritime Greenwich from Island Gardens Park.

The temperature has been getting colder lately. No surprise at all, given this time of the year. It is autumn once again and just around the corner is the dreaded winter. Which brings me to say that jogging along the riverside is beginning to be a task than a habit.

From summer to lately, I have been waking up early in the morning to go and have this exercise. It gives me time to think clearly and plan the day with coolness and placidity. Time. Living in a busy place makes you more aware of this so-called commodity. There could never be too much time in your hands. That is why my morning exercise along the Thames path is capped at an hour’s half.

On a good day, my jogging would stretch over two miles (Arnheim Wharf to Island Gardens). When there is no pressing-task-of-the-day to think about, it makes me appreciate more the views and activities from my circuit: the athletic rowers practising, the efficient Thames Clipper speeding, other lovely boats passing by and the historic buildings in Greenwich standing proud.

I will most probably miss all these pleasing sights if I stop jogging tomorrow. As it has been getting colder lately, it would probably be better for me to just try the machines as replacement until sunny early mornings come again. The haiku I have written sums it up:

Put jog off for now.
Thames’ morning breeze waits, till then
Summer tells again.

Holiday Glimpses

2005-09-30T22:15:00.000Z

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L to R:
1. BMW exhibit, Munich
2. Hernbrau lamp post
3. Old Stonebridge, Regensburg
4. Wurstkuche, probably the oldest sausage tavern
5.
6-7. Rural Parsberg
8. Forest in Hohenfels
9-10. Danube River
11.
12. Repainting project
13.
14. View from a friend's house, Amberg

Bavaria, 3-10 September, 2005

At the End of the Day...

2005-08-29T18:02:00.000Z

The song from Les Miserables has a lot to say about that. We have seen this powerful and moving musical twice (when it used to be in Palace Theatre) and, on a different light, the lines of the song still reverberate in our lives here.

...You're another day older...

And another day wiser. The ‘colourful’ months that have passed surprised me at how my wife and I managed to learn more about ourselves and about the people in London in general.

The month of June saw me patiently working on some DIY projects at the flat as we settle in and prepare for our visiting relations. This of course was juggled with other activities like tennis (strawberries and cream, anyone?), socials and work. I am quite surprised at how a lot people I know have in their time been DIY enthusiasts. Practical bunch.

...It's a struggle, it's a war...

July brought out the worst and the best of events. The worst of fears was realised with the 7/7 bombings. Nevertheless, true test of character got measured in such difficult time and I would say that the destruction has been balanced out by bringing out the best of the Londoners’ character - resiliency.

Unyielding to terror, everybody just carried on. Indeed, our lives went on as normal and the flat was finally ready for the arrival of our guests.

...There's another day dawning...

Working at a beautiful ship called The World, it’s the third time now that my sister got to visit us. But what was different this time was that we have our own place now to accommodate her and the ship docked near us. It would have been better though if the tender boat that ferried from the ship to the pier had a route to the Masthouse one (just like last year). In that way, it would have been a minute away from my place. But then it only serviced Greenwich, a good 20-minute walk via underwater foot tunnel. It was good to see her again and treat her out after work. While she was here, jogging every morning by the riverside had never been that more rewarding, with the view of the massive and gorgeous ship.

Right after my sister and The World left London, my wife’s Italian friend graced our place. What my sister did not get to see (not much time during the days she was here as she had to squeeze in work), this second guest of ours got to. A day visit to Kew was different this time with Dale Chihuly’s art of blown-glasses. A good exhibition - the glassworks blended well with the plants and trees around.

My in-laws followed in early August and as it was their first time to visit us here, we showed them around and beyond London, to the south coast (East Sussex). Looking at their faces when showing them around the capital reminded me of my initial visit in late 2001. I was very observant then not just about the places but also of the crowd I see, a chop suey of some sort. The choice of bus, DLR or river taxi in taking them out made things easier. They did appreciate the accessibility of these modes of transport. No regrets on the location of our flat. Their visit brought a sense of accomplishment in us, that we have taken them to see the places and experience the things we would usually just talk about over the phone.

This month also coincided with the maiden voyage of my brother’s Norwegian ship (called Norwegian Jewel) to the UK. Apart from the white cliffs of Dover beckoning, we went there on a weekday to see him. An enormous vessel, bigger than The World. For some important and urgent commitment on the ship, my brother only got to see us for an hour (after almost four years). Tough luck, we were supposed to tour him around the coast or head to Canterbury. Well, work is work so I don’t blame him. After he climbed up back to the Jewel, we wasted no time in Dover and headed to the place that Geoffrey Chaucer immortalised.

...And we're counting our blessings...

Just the two of us again. No visitors from overseas for now. Our recent trip to Hever Castle reinforced my belief that we are fortunate to be here in this country enjoying the adventure and independent lives that we longed for. However, with the clear and constant threats to London, being far away from our families makes us wonder if we are indeed fortunate. But we are survivors for now and we remain grateful.

The past few months have been equally rewarding and exhausting. Rest is much needed. Good thing there is a holiday in Bavaria to look forward to. But back to work for now.

Pictures from top to bottom:

The World ship at night (Blasker Walk side)
The World (Cutty Sark side)
At Kew's glasshouses (with Chihuly's glass installation)

Manileño's Eye: A Resolution

2005-06-02T20:28:00.000Z

Blackfriars Bridge: a river taxi away.

A Start

Just moved a week ago with my wife into our first-ever property (a humble flat in London's Docklands). I resolved to keep a record of some good nuggets of thoughts whilst I am living in London, before they all disappear into oblivion. I am about to reach the big 3-0 in September and it doesn't help in assuring myself that I have a great memory. There are significant bits of information that, for no apparent reason (other than the proverbial ageing), get to be lost along the way. So better write things down. Indeed, what a better way to do it than starting a blog site.

A Manileño

'Manileño' is the term one uses to describe a man who hails from Manila. A change in location after 26 years to England and this term springs to your mind every now and then. Having amassed an experience in living, studying and working (in no particular order) in a city that had been colonised by three different civilisations for almost four centuries, and having been inculcated with a strict sense of values in an arguably defined culture, attempting to live your life differently in another city that is a melting pot of cultures is bound to leave you comparing and analysing the culture you grew up on with this new culture you are currently experiencing.

An Invitation

Hopefully this blog will share some insights into life in London (and in other places) as experienced from an eye of a Manileño. Please feel free to inject comments if you like.