29th Manila International Book Fair

The 29th Manila International Book Fair was held at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia Complex last September 12-16, 2008. I only had plans to visit the book fair fora day, but ended up visiting the fair 3 times, and purchasing lots of old/new books, and not to mention they were discounted!


The fair not only showcased books, books and more books, but there were also events like book launchings, book reading sessions, etc. More than 300 exhibitors participated in the bookfair, from National Bookstore, National Historical Insitute, to UST/Ateneo/UP publishers, and others.

historian by heart

some would probably hate history, but i can honestly say i dont. we could learn a lot about ourselves from our history (mostly from books), but i learned a lot more after joining walk tours (i.e., oxford and intramuros), river cruises (i.e., loboc, singapore, bangkok, london), and museum tours.

this past few months, i got hooked with old intramuros or should i say pre-war manila (when we really were the "pearl of the orient"), especially our architecture, from the shopping center of escolta, mansions of ermita, and churches of intramuros! i even joined an online forum that shows images of old manila, bought lots of books (mostly about intramuros), and now am planning to take ab history, join a heritage conservation group and share our history thru this blog.

you can expect not only images from my travels but also little bit of history about the place -- and i hope that this will help our fellow kababayan appreciate our history and become prouder (even learn to conserve) of our heritage..

another survey.....

IF YOU WANT TO GET TO KNOW MORE OF ME. HERE YOU GO....

1. Where were you 5 hours ago?
-- MY BED

2. How did you get the idea for your Friendster name?
-- MISTAKEN IDENTITY (yes, this survey is from friendster)

3. What song are you listening to right now?
-- NADA

4. What color is your phone?
-- SKYBLUE

5. Do you click on pop-ups?
-- NEVER

6. Do you own a phone?
-- YES, LOTS haha

7. What was the first thing you thought of this morning?
-- WHAT'S FOR LUNCH

8. What are you going to do tomorrow?
-- WALK THE PARK, FULLY-BOOKED MODE

9. What did you do last night?
-- FIGHTING TO STAY AWAKE AT WORK

10. What's your favorite memory from high school?
-- CHRISTMAS PARTY, JUNIOR, CAKE ICING FIGHT! hehe

11. What are the last two digits of your phone number?
-- SECRET

12. What was the last thing that you ate?
-- CREAM-O (a chocaholic)

13. Who is the last person you hugged?
-- MY BABY

14. What was the last movie you watched?
-- CLOVERFIELD (BIG SCREEN)

15. What do you dislike at the moment?
-- LAUNDRY

16. What food are you craving for?
-- NEW YORK CHEESECAKE AND SONIA'S CUPCAKES

17. What did you dream last night?
-- NADA

18. What was the last TV show you watched?
-- WAS COFFEE PRINCE haha

19. What is your favorite piece of jewelry?
-- BRACELET THAT MY BABY GAVE

20. Name 2 people on your Top Friends who are most like you?
-- HMMMMM

21. Do you always lock your door?
-- YES

23. Are you on any medication?
-- VITAMINS

24. What side of the bed do you sleep on?
-- FACING THE WALL

10 Things About Me...

1. Are you single?
- NOPE

2. Are you happy about that?
- VERY, VERY HAPPY

3. Are you bored?
- NOPE

4. Are you sad?
- NOPE

5. Are you Italian?
-ERRR... HOW I WISH...

6. Are you pregnant?
- HAHAHA

7. Are you cool?
- VERY COOL

8. Are you Irish?
- ANOTHER ERR

9. Are you sick?
- NOPE

10. Are you punctual?
- ALMOST ALL THE TIME!

TEN FACTS
1. Initials
- FBM

2. Nicknames
- IAN, MARK

3. Birth place
- UP NORTH

4. Hair color
- BLACK

5. Hair style
- SHORT

6. Eye color
- BROWN

7. Birthday
- AM AVIRGO

8. Mood
- HAPPY


9. Favorite color
- BLUE, WHITE


10. Left or right handed
- RIGHT

TEN THIS OR THAT?
1. Love or money?
- LOVE!

2. Hard liquor or beer?
- BOTH HAHA

3. Cats or dogs?
- DOGS

4. A few best friends or many regular friends?
- FEW BEST FRIENDS BUT ALSO HAVE MANY REGULAR FRIENDS

5. Television or Internet?
- INTERNET

6. Pepsi or coke?
- PEPSI

7. Wild night out or romantic night in?
- ROMANTIC NIGHT IN AFTER A WILD NIGHT OUT

8. Money or Happiness?
- HAPPINESS...

9. Night or day?
- NIGHT

10. YM or phone?
- PHONE

TEN HAVE YOU EVERS
1. Been caught sneaking out?
- NOPE

2. Been skinny dipping?
- OH YES!!

3. Done something you regret?
- HMMMM...

4. Bungee jumped?
- ID LOVE TO TRY IT

5. Scuba dived?
- ID LOVE TO TRY IT, TOO; JUST DID SNORKELING

6. Finished an entire jaw breaker?
- NOPE

7. Changed a diaper?
- NOPE

8. Cried because you lost a pet?
- NO

9. Wanted to disappear?
- SOMETIMES

1o. Had dejavu?
- YEAH

TEN PREFERENCES IN A RELATIONSHIP
1. Smile or eyes?
- SMILE

2. Light or dark hair?
- DARK

3. Hugs or kisses?
-LOTSA HUGS & KISSES

4. Intelligence or attraction?
- BOTH

5. Hook-up or relationship?
- RELATIONSHIP

6. Trust or love?
- BOTH...NON-NEGOTIABLE

7. Long distance or close?
- CLOSE OF COURSE

8. Call or text?
- BOTH

9. Older or younger?
- OLDER THAN ME

10. Looks or Personality?
- PERSONALITY...LOOKS IS A PLUS

TEN LAST
1. Last phone call you made?
- TO MY BABY

2. Last phone call you received?
- MY BABY

3. Last person/people you hung out with?
- BABY AND SISTER

4. Last person to text you?
- MY BABY

5. Last person you tackled?
- MY BABY ?!?

6. Last person you im'd?
- ALVIN, COLLEAGUE

7. Last person you got mad with?
- HMMMM.. CANT REMEMBER

8. Last person you hugged?
- MY BABY

9. Last person you laughed with?
- MY CO-TRAINEES

10. Last person you ate with?
- MY CO-TRAINEES

Baguio Will Never Be The Same Again

There is a big difference of Baguio now to Baguio 20 years ago. I could still remember my first time I went to Baguio. That was 1987. No traffic, was very, very cold and still lots of pine trees.

Now, whenever you go to Mines View, you wouldn't be able to see the mines. You'd see houses, lots of them. The park is now too commercialize. The park contains more stalls than visitors! Binoculars, costumes, horses are all for hire! Gone were the days that kids would throw coins and several people would catch them below. Miss those days.

Botanical Garden also suffered the same as that of Mines View. Less plants more stalls, again!

I now hate Baguio. Too bad it wasn't taken cared of. Traffic is worst. Pollution, garbage and over population are as bad as before! No more pine trees to enjoy, but thank God for Camp John Hay. TRIVIA: pine trees at the top of Session Road is concrete!

But the reasons I'd go to Baguio are the weather, Ionic Cafe and Camp John Hay.

New Year, New Life, New Career

What a year!!!

Lovelife...
My 4-year relationship was challenged. Third party, but not his fault. It was between "us." It was during this time that I realized that I am really in love! I got drunk, cried, and cried again. But we still ended up in each other's arms..

Career...
Another challenge.. Company wasn't making money so they had to let go of some agents. I don't want to call myself lucky that I wasn't included since I haven't received my pays yet. But I was lucky enough to get an offer from the dreaded "industry." I actually have no choice. It's where the big money is! I just have to face the challenge and be ready.. At least, I will be starting my year with a new career, new friends, and new challenges!

View from the Top

View of Bangued from Victoria Park.