One Summer Fling in Capri Island

We joined Tauck tour to Italy one summer time.  I haven't been enjoying the tour so far because my mother has me at her beck and call.  I was not allowed time of my own.   But I was given a reprieve when she had fallen ill on the day we are to embark for Capri island.  Her forehead was hot and she has to stay in the hotel.  She wanted me to stay with her but good thing, the tour director assured her that a young woman like me would surely prefer roaming the beautiful island rather than stay cooped up in a hotel room.   With much reluctance, my mother let me go.  I was so happy to be on my own that I forgot to ask for pocket money.   But what the heck, I am off to Capri island without the Hawk. 

We hopped on to a ferry from Naples (or was it Sorrento? )  and I made sure to take the seat by the window, nearest to the sea.  I wanted to feel the sea breeze lapping on my face and the sunshine warming my whole body.   I was smiling all throughout the ride.  And my joy was probably quite infectious because unknown to me, an italian boy followed me when I hopped out of the ferry.  

As I climbed up the slope towards the Piazzetta, I was astounded at the magnificence of this little island.  How can something so small offer so much?  No wonder we were given one whole day to explore this island.  As I roam around the famous Piazzetta, I realized I have no money in my pocket and I was to be stuck here the whole day.  So, I just walked over to one of those benches overlooking the mediterranean sea and just basked in the glorious view around me.  When suddenly, the italian boy from the ferry plumped next to me.  " Hola, ¿Cómo está" , he greeted.  I didn't spare him a glance.  20 years of strict catholic upbringing and a much stricter chinese style of child-rearing made me ignore this stranger's call.  But he was a persistent one.  "Hello I said.  You don't speak spanish?  I am Miguel. And you are ...   ?"   I peeked through my short eyelashes and said a shy " Hello, I'm Erika. ".  He smiled at me and said "Wow, you can talk.  For a while there, I thought you were mute. " .  I smiled widely this time, and got enough courage to speak more. "I'm not mute.  I am just not used to talking to strangers."  He then asked "Are you alone?".  I nodded my head and explained my mother's illness that prompted her to stay behind.   Getting relaxed, I bravely quipped, " If you are planning to rob me, Im sorry to say that Im poorer than a pauper.  And that's why Im just here looking at the sea because I have no money to buy food or drinks.".  He looked at me with delight and said "Hey, I've got a few money here.  It should be enough for both of us to get decent food."  I declined at first but his sweet insistence and the growling of my stomach led me to agree to go with him.  

He said he sings in a band and that in his spare time, he goes to the boxing ring.  Then, he made me listen to a music he composed.  We kept talking that I do not remember much of what I saw in Capri Island.  I just remember seeing some flowers on the road, lots of restaurants, a cathedral perhaps and some stoned wall and lots of tourists. We had some grilled zucchini, some bread and soup in one of the cheaper food stalls there, and afterwards we had some gelato.  He was laughing so hard to the way I was eating.  But then, while I was eating my gelato, he said something in spanish "Me encanta la forma de comer su helado. Me hace querer a comer mi pene. Me gustaría hacer el amor contigo en estos momentos.".  I stopped smiling.  I failed to tell him that my first job was programming in spanish.  My spanish may be limited to "wires" and " electricity" but my spanish boss thought I would do better with night schooling in the spanish language.  So, I may not be fluent in spanish, but I understood the general meaning of what he said.  And I don't like it one bit.  His sweet smile betrayed his horny imaginations of me.  How can he think of me eating his cock when I was just eating my ice cream?  So I quickly stood up and left him.  He ran after me, asking me what is wrong.  And that's the time I thought I should answer him in spanish too.  Correction, it's more like rant in spanish.   He was shocked.  He never thought I would understand what he said.  And he kept apologizing.   I kept turning away.  But he would always block my path.  Grrrr....   did I tell you he was persistent?    Fine.  So I let him speak and explain.  And what he said next blew me away.  "When I saw you in the ferry, I thought you have the most beautiful eyes I've seen in my whole life.  I've never seen eyes like yours.  They are shaped like almonds.  And your smile was so beautiful.  I just have to talk to you, so I chased after you.  I saw you walk along the slopes and going around like you don't know where you are going, until you stopped by the bench overlooking the sea.  And I thought this would be my chance to talk to you.  I do not deny it, I want you.   I want to make love to you.  But if you don't want to, then it's fine, I just want to spend the day with you, if you'd let me.   Please forgive me about what I said earlier.  I do not mean to offend you.  But I admit I imagine us having sex.  But don't get mad.  I won't think of it further.  I just want to be with you."    Man, he already had me at "beautiful eyes".   And c'mon, Im not immune to his big blues and long eyelashes.   He is truly a very beautiful man.  Paris himself would have envied this man.   

By that time, it was almost sunset, and my ferry is about to leave for Naples.   But I have a few more minutes to spare.  I thanked him for the food and ice cream that we shared from his allowance.  But my.... I can't think straight looking at his face.  In the end, I just looked at the view of the sunset by the sea and savoring that moment with Miguel.  He slowly touched my face, and he said "I wanna see your eyes for one last time."  And I let him.   He slowly kissed me on the cheek, until I suddenly found his lips next to mine.  How it got there?  I also don't know.  Im the most forgetful and stupid person when my heart is thumping so fast.  

Then I heard the tour director shouting my name.  I was the last one to embark and she was looking at me badly, giving me warning that I need to leave fast.  I nodded my head and as I was about to run to the ferry, I gave Miguel one last look.  The view of Capri island became more beautiful with his face in the sunset and the sea.  I waved him good bye.  He ran after me.  I looked at him and asked "What are you doing?".  He replied ," I will run with you to the ferry." .  And he grabbed my hand as we ran towards the boat, squealing in delight.  We hugged one last time.  I smiled at him, and he smiled back.  But this time, my smile has a touch of sadness in it.  

**** Note:   

1. Spanish translation was taken from Google translate.  Sorry if its awful but I totally forgot my spanish. 

2. Miguel is Italian but he can speak Spanish fluently too. 

The House of Emilio Aguinaldo

I am not a fan of Emilio Aguinaldo. But when I heard my toddlers talk about the Philippine heroes, I felt it was my civic duty to make these heroes become "more real" to them.

So, after having a full lunch at Lugang Cafe, we headed off to Kawit, Cavite.  I used the GPS of my Iphone 4 to locate the home of Aguinaldo.  From Greenhills, I drove towards NAIA airport via Edsa.  Then, I headed towards Sucat, Paranaque to Las Pinas.  There are signs everywhere so I know I'm going the right way.  When I reached Bacoor, Cavite, I turned right at Tirona Highway (SM City).  Just go straight, passing by Cavitex to your right and you will reach the house of Emilio Aguinaldo.

The famous balcony where the Philippine flag was raised and  Philippine independence was proclaimed.

At the onset, the grandeur of the place is very blatant. It's more appropriate to call it a mansion actually.   The military men assigned to guard the house of Emilio Aguinaldo were very courteous.  They greeted us and asked us to jot our names.  And they showed where we will start our tour.  There are no entrance fees collected. 

Garden

The start of the tour was in the garden where the  Packard Limousine of Emilio Aguinaldo is on display.  You'd enjoy the  spacious lush greeneries  of his garden. There are many chico trees and mango trees around.  It's not surprising to learn that mangoes and chicos happen to be Emilio Aguinaldo's favorite fruits. 

Emilio Aguinaldo's bedroom with his wife

At the back of the garden is their "washing machine".  That's the white cement in the picture located amidst the trees.  They steamed the clothes, washed them and dried it there.  Beats me how it all turns out well. 

 The house is very interesting.  It is filled with national symbols, like there was the map of the philippines splayed out at the ceiling of his dining room, and the philippine flag is just everywhere.  There is a bomb shelter, swimming pool and bowling alley inside the house. Bowling is the First President's favorite sport.  There were old photos everywhere, mostly those who were his colleagues in the political scene.   

 He was a short man standing at merely 5'3" but he has a proud stance in him.  I noticed he has chinky eyes so I asked the old man who was kind enough to relate to us stories about the First President.  And my guess was right, he was half-chinese.  His mom was chinese.  He became president at 29 and died at 94 years old.   He seemed to be quite a designer.  He designed his house and he designed the Philippine flag.

Daughter's bedroom

Our president seemed to be fond of swords and guns.  He has a wide collection of it.  People from all over the globe kept bestowing him gifts of swords and guns (rifles).

Going up the second floor brings us to the Grand Hall where most meetings were held.  It also houses the  3 bedrooms of his daughters, his own bedroom, dining room and conference room.

Of all the rooms in the house , the most interesting is his bedroom.  His bedroom has lots of hidden doors and passageways.  Beneath the bed has the hidden passageway leading to the swimming pool and bowling alley.  His room also has secret way to the kitchen.

Grand Hall

Each of his daughters has bedrooms of their own, but the biggest room was the one occupied by his eldest daughter.  The old man said his eldest daughter was the favorite of Emilio Aguinaldo, so she was given the biggest room and the one nearest to the terrace.  The terrace made me remember a chapter in Noli Me Tangere "Ang Pag-uulayaw sa Azotea" depicting the courtship days between Maria Clara and Crisostomo Ibarra. The terrace may seem romantic and built for the 3 daughters of the First President, but it was in this terrace that military plots against the spanish were discussed at length.

There were a lot of old photographs around, mostly members of the Katipunan.  He also has lots of painting for his three daughters.  I wonder why there were no paintings of his sons.

Behind the house is the marble tomb of Emilio Aguinaldo.  He wished to stay in the house where he was born, where he lived his life and where he died.   And I can see why he chose to remain here.  It is a very very beautiful place and it is full of memories, and judging from his old things and the photographs everywhere, he lived a full life.


At the topmost of the house , the tower is where the old Aguinaldo used to spend most of his time.  Visitors are not allowed to go there.  But i can just imagine what made Aguinaldo want to sit there most of the time.  Being on the topmost of his tower, one can surely see the Manila Bay, the busy town people passing by, the well-kept garden filled with his favorite trees, not to mention the fresh air breezing at such a high place.

He may still not be my favorite hero, but seeing where he lived, seeing his things, and photographs of people closest to him, I cannot deny he has left a mark in my heart.

I may not agree to all the things he has supposed to have done, but I give it to this man to have a patriotic heart. You cannot have all those national symbols everywhere in your house and deny this guy his love for the country.  Besides, he donated his house to the Philippine government in the 60's to always commemorate the independence of our country.   It's difficult to judge a man when we cannot even remotely imagine the circumstances he was in.   Fighting the spanish rule, playing the inside politics of Katipunan, working towards Philippine independence,  it's impossible to keep things black and white, not if you want to win, not if you want to live.   So, I leave it at that.

When I left the house, I lingered around his property.  I bought some street ice creams and turned to have a last long look at his house, particularly the balcony where he declared the Philippine Independence from Spanish rule.   It's sad where we are now a century after that.  A lot of blood was spilled before the Philippine Independence was obtained and for what?  Are the future generation of  Filipinos really worth dying for?  I do not know.  I honestly do not know the answer to that.

Going home, I wizen up and used the Cavitex (Manila-Cavite Expressway).   Total cost is around 84 pesos but the convenience was all worth it.   My daughters asked if we can go back and visit the house of Emilio Aguinaldo again.  I secretly smiled.  It seemed they were also as affected as I was and they liked our little impromptu visit.   I quickly gazed at the mirror before me and said "Anytime, baby.  Anytime that your heart desires it."  

  

Scotland's Highlands: A Feast for the Senses

Everyone who follows my blog knows that Scotland takes the top in my bucket list.   And I finally did it! So in my narration, I will tell you where I went, and where I ate, and basically, what went on during my trip.

Planning a trip to Scotland was not easy.  It is not a common destination to most travelers.   Fact is, I didn't see any asian at all the whole time I was in Scotland , until I reached St. Andrews.  But it didn't deter me from planning and executing this trip.

What made this trip more challenging is that we've all been to scotland already.  What we wanted now is a more in-depth experience of the scottish life and culture, that would blow our minds away.  We need to develop an itinerary that is unlike those offered by tour companies.

Our itinerary involved flying from Manila to London, stay there for around 3 days, then fly to Inverness, rent a car, then drive towards the Isle of Skye before the sun goes down.  Stay in Skye for around 2 days, then drive towards Inverness for another 2 days.  Go to St. Andrews and stay there for 2 days, then drive to Edinburgh to drop off the rented car.  Fly from Edinburgh to London.  Stay in London for another 3 days before flying back to Manila.  I decided not to stay in Edinburgh anymore since I already spent a lot of time there a few years back.

I flew with Singapore Airlines the entire trip, and I must really commend this airlines for long haul trips.  I was on a tight budget so I bought economy class tickets but it was still comfortable, more than I expected it to be.  The stewardesses were beautiful , helpful and kind.  They made frequent rounds for beverages and snacks.  In-flight entertainment was varied and food was excellent.  (Airline ticket: $1,100).  But if you have money to spare, it is worth your bucks to go for business class, most especially if your destination is London.  There is a short line in immigration offered mainly for VIPs and those who travelled business class and first class.

In London .......  

I stayed at No. 5 Maddox Street in London.  No. 5 Maddox Street offers discreet one, two, three bedroom  boutique hotel suites , located in the quiet section of the stylish Mayfair section of London.  The hotel offers free Wifi in all parts of the hotel, free gym membership and REN skincare amenities. There are some days you will be surprised with bread basket outside your hotel door.  There is no lift but the all-around-man is very helpful in carrying your luggage.   Security is better than most hotel since no one can even enter the hotel premises without prior booking.                  

There is hardly any signage of the hotel.   But what made me stay in this hotel is the location.  Everything can be accessed by foot.  A few steps and you are in the busy street of St. Regent, where most shops are, like H&M, Molten Brown, Cos, etc.  In front of the hotel is a Subway outlet so you can grab a sandwich before starting your day. And around the corner is the famous EAT convenience store.  (One Bedroom Deluxe Suite:  approx.$600 per night)

Bread Basket outside our doors

I stayed in London for three days, basically to re-orient myself in the new time zone, and relax a bit before flying to Scotland.

For some reason, I always eat at Devonshire Arms in Kensington on the very first day I'm in London.  And since Im in London, what do I order, but Steak and Ale Pie and down it all with a Cider.  Yipee! ($20 per person)

Momo Cafe

Another great place to eat around my area is the Momo Cafe.  It's a casual dining place that offers mediterranean cuisine.  Don't miss ordering their tangine.  Yummy!

And don't even think of flying out of London without dining at Jamie's Italian located in Covent Gardens.  The food is divine and the atmosphere of the place is vibrant with their decors and upbeat music.   I am not an ice cream person.  Fact is I never get to finish a scoop of ice cream.  But Jamie's Italian changed all that with their Salted Caramel Ice Cream with honeycomb.





In Inverness ......
It's time to fly to Inverness.  It took us 1 hour to travel to Inverness via Easy Jet.  We landed in Gatwick Airport, which is the strictest airport I've ever encountered.  I have never been subjected to so much inspection my whole life.  But I must commend their patience and their understanding.  One recommendation: Pay the extra for Speedy Boarding.  It is all worth it.  Their airlines do not have reserved seats.  It's a first come-first serve and those with Speedy Boarding have first priority in seat selections, plus you get to skip the long long long long line of boarding.  (approx $140 per person).

 Upon landing to the airport, a representative of the rental company was there to meet us and give us our car.  Since we were not used to driving using a right-handed wheel, we opted to pay for the insurance, just in case we meet an accident. And that was quite likely in our minds!

In Isle of Skye ......

Peinmore House

We got our water and snacks supplies from the nearby supermarket, Tesco, before finally heading off to the Isle of Skye.   Total trip is around  3 hours.  It was imperative that we reach our destination before sundown, or it will be impossible for us to see the road.   Remember, we are going up the mountain and unlike the city, they don't have lamp posts everywhere, no stores, no fences.

Room with a view from Peinmore House

First hotel for the night, Peinmore House located at Portree.  This was a shot I took outside my bedroom window.  Simply breathtaking!

Margaret runs the place smoothly.  She would even make you fill up what breakfast treats you prefer to have.  Mine was always Scottish Full Breakfast (beans, mushrooms, eggs and cumberland sausages).

I stayed in Room 5 , which cost $255 per night.

Hot Scones with strawberry jam and clotted cream

We decided to make Portree our home base, while we drove around the hills and cliffs of Skye.  If you love to walk, this is the best place to be.  The vastness of the land coupled with those beautiful sceneries  will certainly inspire anyone to take a stroll or walk in quiet solitude.   This place has nothing like it.  As we explored Staffin, we chanced upon a tea place called The Small & Cosy Teahouse.  It's definitely a cosy place!  Their scones are melt-in-your-mouth delicious!  They serve it with homemade jams and clotted cream.




                                                                     While we drove around the hilly land of Skye, we were listening to the radio re-enactment of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.  Maybe it's the english accent, but we were all entranced with this centuries-old drama.  And it somehow fits in the lochs and braes of Scotland, as well as the sheep and highland cows that grazed their lands so freely.

If there is one place that you shouldn't miss in Skye, it is dining in the Three Chimneys.  This is a MUST!  It is with great honor to be the recipient of Chef Michael Smith's creative dishes.  He explores the combination of
 ingredients that is unheard of,  which only results to such culinary delights.  The restaurant's ambiance is enhanced with the thick stone walls built around the 120 year old crofter's cottage.  The setting has a rustic feel to it, with its simple wooden tables, and yet it is intimate and cozy for its real fireplace and low chandeliers.

They change their menu regularly. So dining at Three Chimneys requires a bit of culinary adventure, but they make sure there is a vegetarian option.  They offer 3 course meals worth $110 and seven course meals worth around $170 per person.  This does not include drinks and service charge.

 If money is not a question to you, try to stay over their B&B,  The House Over-By.  The place earned much accolades from fellow travelers and I can only imagine how beautiful the bedrooms are, located in this quiet isolated place at Colbost.

Andy Race Smoked Haddock & Ham Terrine with Brunigill Farm Quail Egg, Syboes, Apple, Chicory & Grain Mustard

Back to Inverness .....

Cawdor Castle

It's time to go back to Inverness.  My main goal in Inverness is to visit Cawdor Castle, the inspiration in Shakespeare's Macbeth.  I read in the newspaper that it would open on May 1, 2012, so I made sure I was in Inverness around that time.

Cawdor Castle is located near the Inverness airport.  Aside from the big cauldron at the lower bailey, I see no obvious link of the castle to Shakespeare's tragic play.

I wanted so much to buy the Cawdor's Tartan Rug, but it cost double the usual scottish tartan rugs.  So I opted to buy other tartan rugs as my souvenir and highland music cd for my friend.

Culloden House

While in Inverness, we chose to stay at Culloden House, which is the hotel of choice of Prince Charles himself whenever he visits Inverness.  Aside from having a place in the Scottish history that goes all the way back to Bonnie Prince Charlie, Culloden House stands in 40 acres of land that boasts of breathtaking gardens that would entice anyone to stroll around this impressive property.  And I cannot reiterate enough that guests should allot time to take that walk.  Strolling in the gardens of Culloden House means venturing into a heady mixture of sweet mild breeze with flying crows and walking side by side with the pigeons. The whole experience is intoxicating for city-dwellers like me.  Bedrooms are spacious but a bit old.  The dining place provides excellent cuisine but please do not forget to spend time playing chess in their sitting room.  The chess pieces are unique and amusing.  See the picture across to understand what I mean.   ($350-400 per night)

St. Andrews ......

St. Andrews is a stunning medieval city that is home to golf with a romantic beach.  Because it houses the famous University of St. Andrews, its dwellers are mostly in the age group of Prince William and Kate Middleton.  If you need to shop for souvenirs in Scotland, St. Andrews is the right place to do it.  You would enjoy the walk along the shops that is no bigger than the biggest SM in Manila.  

My typical meal in Scotland

a peek into the garden of Rufflets

We stayed in Rufflets Country House Hotel, one of the oldest and most famous hotel in St. Andrews.  It stands in 10 acres of land and minutes away from the shopping place, beach, and golf area.  It  has 24 bedrooms and 4 cottages.  The gardens of Rufflets is the best I have seen so far.  It has pockets of tulip gardens, trees that resemble the cherry blossom in Japan, and small lakes.  They offer complimentary shortbread cookies for hotel guests in the comforts of your room.  Make sure you take a bite of this yummy goodness.  I did, and whoa! it's the best shortbread cookies I've ever tasted my whole life.  I purchased much of it that prompted the kitchen to make some more and which made me skip shopping at Fortnum & Mason in London.   ($500 per night)

Nahm-Jim

Trip in St. Andrews won't be complete without visiting Gordon Ramsay's vote for best thai restaurant, Nahm Jim.  And Gordon Ramsay's assessment is not without justification.  I still can't fathom how the best thai restaurant in the world is found in St. Andrews.  Its furnishings are not intimidating at all.  Its quite casual and staff were so friendly.  They took the time to give us a map and told us the best way to enjoy St. Andrews.  

Do order my favorite cocktail drink there, Saketini.  

One of the hunky thai waiters there talked to us at length.  And he mentioned that he just climbed a mountain in lochness and the view was spectacular.  I've been to lochness before but like any tourist, I simply took a cruise around lochness.  To climb a mountain to see the lochness in that point of view is an excellent idea.  Too bad we are towards the end of our trip.  

Beach at St. Andrews

Typical Full Scottish Breakfast

   

Hmm....  but the idea is way too good to ignore.  I think I just found another reason to come back to Scotland, once I replete my treasure chest.  

The Failure of Facebook IPO

At the onset, I was verbal in saying I was never interested in the Facebook IPO.  But I failed to explain why.  My guts told me it would be crazy to subscribe to its IPO.  But it was only yesterday, that a very good friend posted the question to me again on why the Facebook IPO failed.  I didn't answer.  Emotions were pouring but I owe this person an explanation that is more than emotional reasons.  I have to give him a valid logical story.

And so here goes my personal effort in explaining the now famous fiasco of the facebook IPO.

Facebook has a very impressive record of 900 million users, that naturally attracted the attention of every major advertisers in town.   Not only do they have 900 million users, but more than half of them log in to the site on a daily basis.  Such loyal followers only whet the appetites of the advertisers.  

But then, a few weeks before the IPO is launching, news came out that advertisers have doubts on continuing to put their green bucks in this popular social networking site.  Why?  because without a proper tool for measuring the return on investment, the big bosses of these advertising agencies are not keen in writing the checks without proof that this is indeed a wise investment.  This is such a serious concern that Facebook changed its prospectus to reflect the expected decline in revenue growth.  But Morgan Stanley continued to be enthusiastic about the IPO that it still recommended to set the IPO price at the higher range of $38.

Now, this opens another question to me.  How did they value the firm?  When a company is going public, the first order of business is to value the firm.  (I never participated in any IPO's or worked in any investment banks much to my lamentation. But I just guess this is an important exercise for them.  So if Im wrong, do forgive me, dear readers) .  To continue, if I try to do due diligence , sit down, take out my calculator and spreadsheets, to value this firm, I would face a blank wall.  I wouldn't know where to start.  I know it has 900 million users.  But my revenue forecast comes from advertisers who are now in a wishy-washy stage in spending money in this company.  So, who can truly answer with confidence, what will Facebook be 10 years from now?  I can be bullish and bank on those 900 million users and the revenue growth they can generate from the advertisers.  But I can go the other way and I can be bearish too and say, maybe when my daughter celebrates her debut (18th birthday), she would say "What is facebook, mama?"  Thing is it can go either way.  The possibility is just too wide an open field to truly create a valid forecast of revenues and proper valuation for this company.  So, how do you value Facebook Inc.   I do not know.  And because I do not know, Im not betting my child's trust fund in this.   I'd rather invest it in a company I understand.  And it does not help that our market is continuously plagued with crisis one after another that puts the 10 Plagues of Egypt to shame.  Investors are more afraid than optimistic.  Gone are the days when investing in IPO's is a sure-ball thing.  And Wall Street rookies celebrate their profits with vacations in Aspen.

And NASDAQ's unexplainable failure to complete trades at the early hours of the first trading day of Facebook cast a shadow of doubt to those short-time investors.   (And it did seem that all investors were merely day traders who just subscribed to the IPO for a quick buck).  NASDAQ couldn't handle the massive number of trades on the early  hours of that day, and they encountered a technical difficulty that nobody can seem to answer until now.  They say they don't know what happened and why they were only able to start trading at 11:30AM.   Well, if they don't know, I sure don't know too.   Such professional answers.

Now, let's look at the main man, Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook.  He controls 57% of the company and is chairman of the board.  We all saw the movie and know he is intelligent. But what we need right now is the confidence that he would run his business and make decisions with the intention of creating shareholder value.  This is what every investor is looking for.   So far, the only thing we saw was his purchase of Instagram, a social networking site for sharing photos.  But the rumors circulating on Wall Street on how this decision came about shows us a chairman who snubs protocols and procedures.  Scary.  We aren't in the halls of Harvard anymore where one person can do the project meant for a team.  

And lastly, let's look at the product of this company: the facebook site.   We all know how ecstatic we were when Facebook was launched. Suddenly, we become re-acquainted with our high school classmates, old neighbors and relatives we don't see except on holidays.   We happily post pictures of our families and of ourselves dining in this fancy places showing our Hermes bag.   But Facebook NOW faces serious issues of privacy risk to its users. And more and more users are becoming conscious and aware of the malevolence of letting the whole world know of all our activities of every hour every day.  Suddenly, it isn't fun anymore when you bump into a classmate you haven't seen in 10 years know more about you and your family than your own mother.   And let's not even count those eager stupid mistresses who happily posts sweet pictures of you (and worse, tag you in the picture).  Now, every Tom, Dick and Harry know you are carrying an affair with this 20 year old leggy creature. That would be such an ego booster for you.  Well, at least until the Mrs learns of it and throws you out of the house.

Today, the pain in the ass of Facebook is the increased usage of Facebook on mobile devices.  The problem is that if facebook users continue to access Facebook mobile products as a substitute for access through personal computers, the company will fail to earn anything from it.  OR if they do something about it ,it would increase their operational expense.  Either way, their forecasted revenue growth would be negatively affected.

But what of tomorrow?  What will be their problem next year? in 3 years?  Let's face facts: Netizens, like you and me,  are not a loyal bunch of people.   This is like fashion.  We keep changing our minds.  And we go to what's hot.  Can you say that in 10 years time, facebook will continue to be a hot item?  Hmm....  do i really need to think this over?  We are like a herd of sheep.  Where one goes, everyone goes.  

An Open Letter to Dad

Dear Papa,

We are so alike in many ways that people around us call us twins.  Remember the time when you found the book of Lee Kuan Yew on my bedside table and you showed me that you bought the same book , only yours is in Mandarin, and you also put it on your bedside table.  We had a great time discussing this Singapore statesman at length in the days after that.  Or the time you were shocked I was sporting your Lacoste white jacket when in fact, I bought the same thing on the same day as yours.   We have similar behaviors and interests as well that amazes our family to no end.  We are both avid sports fans and we interrogate people in the same way that a drop of inconsistency would make us nail the lie in their stories. And remember the time when you barged in when I was taking a shower because you were so excited in telling me that we actually applied for the same course in college: BS Mathematics.   Only you were too poor and sick to continue your scholarship.  I was luckier because I was able to pursue it with your help.  How many times have I seen you steal my books in the middle of the night so you can peruse them at your own leisure.  That is why I know that even if you didn't take an accounting course in your life, we are on equal footing when we discuss accounting issues and financial concepts.

I gave up a lucrative career in banking to be by your side, because you asked me to.  Your blinding trust and immense generosity in people makes you vulnerable so I make sure you are protected from these sharks, at least as much as you let me.  When I told you your 8 year mistress was cheating on you, your pain was my pain.  I cried so much the night before I told you because I know how much you love her.   Like any other crisis in your life, you are able to deal well with it.  You are resilient in that way.  But I know the times when you miss her very much.  You don't know it but I still keep tabs on her activities till now, at least until the day I see that you have gotten over her completely.

How can I explain to you that I lost my ambition because my happiest days were our struggling years.  Do you remember when you brought me to the cinema to watch Ice Castle?  I asked you why we aren't seated in the balcony and you said "coz we are too poor to afford the balcony seats".  But then you proceeded to carry me on your shoulders so I could watch the movie better.  That was my best movie date so far.   Or when you bought your first car, you were so excited coming home to show me your first car and we drove around the city, opening the windows to feel the air around us.   But I don't even get to sit beside you in your car now because you have so many cars.  Maybe that is why until now, I find exhilarating driving my car with windows down.  It makes me feel the air and remember the time when it was such a joy just to feel the wind in your face.

You affected so many of my decisions.  When you frowned on a suitor, the next day, I didn't even speak to that person anymore.  Poor chap.   When I wanted to study Civil Engineering, you said its not for girls, so I applied for Home Economics instead.  That one would surely be for girls.   And now you wanted me to pursue a venture that I hardly understand, much less like.  But I'm doing it the best I could because you wanted me to do it.

Many of your friends say that you always talk about me and that I must be your favorite daughter.  How come I never felt that.  We rarely talk when we are together.  Nevertheless, it does not matter because my love for you is great enough for the two of us, twice over.

Happy Birthday , Papa.

Sweeney Todd : a Review

Every time I go to London, I make sure I watch a play or musicale at West End. But instead of sticking to the old classics like Phantom of the Opera or Victor Hugo's Les Miserables, I ventured into the works of the new talents of West End this time around. I was initially doubtful if I'm going to watch Sweeney Todd. In my mind, a horror drama hardly entertains the audience when the set is predominantly dark, actors are scowling and music is chilling. One only needs to be reminded of "The Woman in Black" to stay away from musicals with horror themes. But Sweeney Todd is a revelation. Michael Ball plays as the title role and he not only possesses a great voice but he is an excellent actor as well. His transformation from a man mourning the loss of his wife and child to a lunatic who brings out his revenge to the innocent bystanders is gradual and subtle. Mrs. Lovett, played by Imelda Staunton, provides a great comic relief with her disgusting pies and yet she delivers more than that. There are scenes when she has to sing horribly and she did without sounding really off. The musicale showed off her versality as an actress with the range of emotions required for the role. She was a friendly comic at the start advising everyone of her disgusting pies and "to better just spit it out". Then she transformed into a desperate woman lusting over Sweeney Todd She slowly slipped into moral degradation when at the start she gasped loudly upon seeing the dead body in the trunk changed into delight in the killings afterwards to succumb to her greedy antics by gaining profit for her store. Her clever portrayal of Mrs. Lovett leaves one to guess if she is not right in the head or merely a woman desperately in love with a man. The music was fantastic. It has the right mix of gloom and bloom. This musicale has brilliantly executed an old piece into something still relevant to us. It has the Victorian echoes of the old era but still maintains the recurring issues of the working class woes. It was a showcase of excellence in the first act that transcends into brilliance in the second act. How the director was able to maintain such perfection throughtout the play is truly a remarkable feat. I simply applaud to his genius. If there is something I would apologize for, it is my limited vocabulary on the superlatives I can shower for this great musicale.

An Unforgettable Invitation from Dubai

It's my first time to go to Dubai.  The country does not hold much interest to me because I was deathly afraid of a culture I do not understand.  But then, I got an invitation from Abdulla J M Kalban to attend the 2012 Omega Dubai Desert Classic. So, like any ordinary person, how can I say NO to a freebie like this.

I did not know what to expect as I boarded the Singapore Airlines going to Dubai.  But when I reached their immigration, I was dumbfounded as I saw for the first time the Arabs wearing their traditional dress.  I only saw them in my TinTin comics, and they always played the villain there, so I was afraid once again. But I cannot deny the fact that they have the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen.  Soulful eyes, simply breathtaking!  I just wondered what was beneath their white garb.

We were greeted by a hospitality girl assigned especially for us at the very doors of the aircraft.   She saw to it that we breezed through the immigration with minimal efforts.   We were then driven to our hotel, Al Qasr Hotel, which means "The Palace" and is the summer home of the Sheik.  It is one of the hotels in Madinat Jumeirah.

 http://www.jumeirah.com/hotels-and-resorts/Destinations/Dubai/Madinat-Jumeirah/Al-Qasr-Hotel/

The villa is so beautiful, very very spacious.  The hotel has its own boats to bring  you from one place to another, if that isn't spacious I don't know what is.  The hotel boasts of 44 restaurants and we are given an unlimited credit to the restaurants 24/7.

One of the restaurants I went to is Pierchic.  It is an award-winning restaurant that serves seafood with the beautiful view of the Gulf.  The restaurant is actually situated in the middle of the Gulf.  So there's a walkway they built from the beach to the restaurant.  Former President GMA dined in this same restaurant when she visited Dubai.  (The Filipino waiters shared me this news, else I was not interested with any news from GMA)

Pierchic

                                     So, how do they fare?  Hmmm....  if I were to give an award to this restaurant, I would give it top awards for location.  Aside from that, I don't see its difference with our own fancy dining places in Manila.

my breakfast table for 8 days

One of the joys is their breakfast.  It is nowhere near our lavish breakfast buffets here in Manila, but the selection is something to behold.  They have fresh blueberry smoothies, fresh raspberry juice, fresh strawberry juice, etc.  I truly enjoy fresh fruit juices and smoothies in the morning.  It makes a world of difference to me.  And having to eat breakfast beside the swimming pool is very relaxing for me.  Not much people opt for this restaurant for breakfast because the selections are fewer.  But for me, this would do.  This definitely would do.




But my most unforgettable food in this whole place was the humble cafe beside the beach.  It is because they served me such a great Caesar Salad.  See the Jumbo Shrimps with my Caesar Salad?  that was spontaneous.  When I ordered Caesar Salad, the waiter asked "do you want to order a main course to be served after your caesar salad?"  I answered, "No, I just want a light fare today."  And he said "well, if you aren't ordering anything else, maybe you want something to add to your caesar salad."  And I replied "Given the choice, I would choose Prawns to be added to my caesar salad, but you don't have to do that if it's any trouble."  And the waiter assured me it's no trouble at all.  The result was the picture below.  Awesome!  Simply Ultra Delicious! The sauce was very airy and light.  It did not dampen the crunchiness of the lettuce at all.  And the prawns were so fresh.  And fresh seafood is everything in a dish.  Their croutons were a bit larger than usual but it only highlighted the garlicky butter that was generously applied to it.

Filipinos are known for its hospitality.  But the Arabs re-defined it for me. Upon arriving the hotel, they welcome us with a beautiful gift of a pocket TV.   And every meeting I attended would mean another gift bag.   Hotel staff are always ready to assist me in any matter.  They don't just smile at me, they actually help me out till I solve my problem.  Once, I got lost in the hotel, and I was just asking a hotel staff passing by, if I should turn right or left, and she accompanied me all the way to my room.  And that was a long way from where I was, so I truly appreciated their sincere help.   Now, that is premium service!

I love their beach.   They see to your every comfort at every turn.  If it's too hot, they give you ice, offer you cold fresh juices, change the towels.  This is the first time I encountered a hotel staff that actually anticipate your every need.  And it's such a huge hotel.  It rankles my brain on how HR manage to instill in the hotel staff this kind of service.  

Burj al Arab Hotel, with Pierchic and the beach

Our hotel is located 5 minutes away from Burj al Arab, the 7 star hotel in Dubai.  We actually share the same beach as the guests of this hotel.  I wish I took the time out to visit this hotel, but I didn't.  I'm just not too interested to see a 7 star hotel.  I'd rather lie down in this beach and read a book while sipping my cold cold juice.

The rest of the days were filled up with interesting activities such as horse racing at Al Meydan Race Course, that included a sumptuous dinner buffet, with champagne, a desert safari adventure in a 4X4 with dinner in a Bedouin-style camp that has a very enticing belly dancer showing us her talents, and an Arabian-themed evening at Dolphin Bay (Atlantis The Palm) with a bevy of belly dancers and an Arabian buffet dinner.  I didn't even bother to check the buffet before getting my choice of food.  It was just too many.  My feet would get swollen before I finish making my rounds.  So I just picked up a plate, and get what I found interesting.  To complete the Arabian-themed dinner, they provided all of us with an Arabian dress to put us all in the mood for an Arabian night.   Camels were abound and belly dancers were everywhere to entertain us.  My seatmates who hailed from Hong Kong and are respected suppliers of coal, turned into silly schoolboys upon meeting the half-dressed belly dancers.

Look what I found in the desert?  

Dubai is an eye-sore for car lovers.  Beautiful sexy women that you only see in James Bond movies are found here on a daily basis.  Standing at the lobby, I felt like Im in the middle of a Hollywood movie.  Surely, I would wake up soon enough.

I'm very thankful for the hospitality that our Arab friends have shown us.  It was surely beyond any of our expectations.  But what touched my heart the most was when I talked to our fellow compatriots in this country and I learned that their Arab employers shoulder their children's tuition fees, provided them a decent house and a generous salary with a good pension plan.  Now, that's what I call "world-class".

10 Common Mistakes of Wives

1.  Stop treating your husband like your kids.
   
    Your husbands are your partners, not your children.  You met them as adults with their own set of behavior and way of thinking.  It’s a common mistake for wives trying to mold their husbands to persons they aspire for.  When a wife becomes a mother, it is easy to fall into the role of a mother to everyone.  Have the conscious effort to accept the individual traits of your husband and stop yourself from teaching him good manners and attitude all the time.   This can be very irritating if done all the time.


2.   Refrain from testing your husband's fidelity.


      One Valentine’s Day, a friend invited me to go to Rockwell.  And over lunch, she excitedly relate to me how she sent flowers to her husband’s office bearing an anonymous note.  (she has never been introduced to the office staff of her husband)  I didn’t share her enthusiasm.  It smelled trouble for me.  True enough, the husband called and in an irritated voice said “What’s your big idea of sending me flowers here anonymously?!  What are you trying to prove?! “  It broke my heart to see my friend’s face with such pain.  No one wanted to be tested.  And if you really have to do this, try to be more creative than sending flowers anonymously to your husband’s office.  


3.  Don't shame your husband in public.


     If you have issues , please keep them inside the four corners of your bedroom.  A wife who washes the dirty linen in public shames a husband because it shows how the husband fails to control the temper and behavior of his wife. The Philippines is a matriarchal society.  However in formal functions, the husband is still the head of the family and he needs to be able to keep everyone in line, at least in front of everyone else.   Can you imagine if the boss sees you reprimanding your husband?  It would undermine his respect and doubt his management abilities.  How can he be trusted in managing a team if he cannot even control his wife?


4.  Control your expectations for grand gestures.


    We know how husbands are during courtship.  Anniversaries would mean a bouquet of roses, a trip out of town and a beautiful gift.  Now, if you have a husband who is able to continue such gestures, congratulations to you.  But the rest of them are merely human.  It’s hard to keep having grand gestures to every holiday in the calendar, while managing a successful career and being father to your kids.  I have a friend who has the habit of placing all the out of town trips and gifts and romantic dinners of her husband for their monthsaries (anniversaries done every month).  Most of our girlfriends look at their pictures with such envy.  When I told my sister about this, she said “That’s the first couple to go on their separate ways.  It’s very hard to keep up the expectations of such a girl.” True enough, after two years, their marriage is heading towards splitsville


5.  Be prudent with his money.


    A woman who knows how to manage her husband’s money is truly a treasure to behold.  Most men court women who are beautiful and sexy.  They bring you to the altar when you are a bitch in bed.  But only a wise man would make sure the woman is good in handling money before making her the mother of his kids.  Since men possess two heads, they sometimes forget that getting a wife is like getting a business partner.  But money is an integral part of managing family.  You need to do budgets and still ensure that kids are sent to school and are eating right.  Credit card bills must be a reasonable percentage with the salary of your husband.  Everyone cannot marry an accountant (more‘s the pity), but a bit of prudence on the woman’s part will go a long way in the hearts of your men.  It shows you care enough to control your urges to shop for a new bag when you have dozens in your closet.  However, if the man is as rich as Croesus, then you can skip this part of the list.  


6.  Stop the nags.


    The next time you open your mouth, think first.  Process it through your brain if it’s really necessary to comment on his long overdued promotion, or his choice of friends or his choice of tie, day in and day out.   Second, would it really make any difference if you keep harping the same issues on a regular basis ,or are you doing this merely out of habit ?    Always remember that you are two very different individuals with different lives before you married each other.  He has those set of friends before he met you.  You think he is not bringing home enough bacon for the family?  Well, nobody  feels that more than him.   And the next time you want to play dress-up, just buy a fucking doll. 


7.  Treat your husband like you would treat your bestfriend.


     Husbands are not merely there to carry the big luggage, to change the bulbs, or to provide the cash when you shop.  It is so easy to fall into a pattern when you live with a person.  But we have to remind ourselves that they are people too who have feelings and they need to feel wanted, cared for and appreciated.  Treat them like your best girlfriend.  Love them without trying to control their lives.  Be open to them about what you think but deliver them nicely.   


8.  Stop digging up the past.


     My sister-in-law and her husband have migrated to the U.S. in the 90’s.  One time, my sister-in-law came to the Philippines for a visit that lasted for months.  When she came back, the husband greeted her with the news that he got another girl pregnant.  That is very painful. The husband was very very sorry of his momentary weakness but declared that his one true love is my sister-in-law.  They have kissed and made up.  But my sister-in-law never forgot his only lapse of infidelity.  For ten years, she would always bring up this old issue.  Finally, the husband got fed up and left the house.  He said he just can’t live another ten years with this old issue.   


9.  Get a grip on your jealous streaks.


    Women are often jealous creatures.  How our tempers rise with just an inkling of an affair.  But sometimes, things get out of hand.  And a simple friendly gesture becomes a flirtatious move?  And too much of jealous outbursts can be frustrating to your husband.   Just remember this, if your husband is having an affair, a real one, you would know.  And you cannot stop it because he will find ways to do it.  They are not mindless creatures.  They would do what they want to do.  Unless you are willing to divorce him on this issue or keep him in Rapunzel’s tower. 


10.  Don't try to account for all your husband's time.


      A friend demands that her husband comes home at precisely 5:30pm.  The husband works as an executive assistant to the president of a local bank.  When the husband gets home later than 5:30pm , my friend would deliver a verbal bashing that would shame Annabel Rama.  During weekends, the husband is fond of going for a round of basketball with friends.  So one day, my friend decided to just cut his jersey in bits of pieces.  This is a   perfect recipe for driving your husband in the arms of another woman.  He is not a robot who exists merely to deliver the cash, play father to your kids and anticipate your every need.  He is  a man who has diverse interests, who needs his own quality time and who is answerable to his demanding boss. 

Research in Motion (RIMM): A Speculative Stock for the Speculative Trader

After weeks of waiting for my E*trade account to be activated, I finally got the go-signal to trade last friday.  And nothing , absolutely nothing, can take me away from my laptop and do a trade.  

My first trade was the blackberry-maker, Research in Motion (RIMM).  Because it was my first time to use the E*Trade platform, it took me some time before I got the hang of buying stocks there.  So it was around past 10PM Manila time when I finally bid for RIMM at $14.05.  

I knew from the start that this is a speculative trade.   They have a shrinking market share,  lower than expected low earnings, significant inventory write-downs , and the list goes on.  In the midst of the mass resignation of the top brass in that company, they got a new CEO, Thorsten Heins,  who promises to make strategic decisions over the course of the year to respond to the company's continued decline in sales, and one of those options is selling the company or part of it to another company.   RIMM attracted many suitors.  And why not?  The company has 75 million users and garners 17% of the market share.  Its Blackberry is still considered a premium product among the corporate market.  I mean, no less than the US President is using it.   And this is an attractive stock at this point, having a P/E ratio of around 4 , when industry average is around 26.  This stock is trading almost at the low end of their 52-week range.   But what set this stock price to soar up last Friday was the rumor of a buyout.  

As for me, I continue to be in the dark.  The market appreciated that the new CEO is addressing the company's problems head-on but what is glaring to me is the lack of specific strategic plans in his announcement.  He merely discussed their desire to do a review and make strategic decisions but in what direction....  that is anyone's guess.   It's as if his pronouncement opened a can of worms.  And when the public realizes their lack of specific answers to real problems , the future does look bleak for this company.   So, if I were Heins, I think it is time he comes up with real solutions to their problems and minimize the uncertainty of the future of this firm, before the public wizens up.