Photo ops

These pictures were taken by Bill with his new toy – a Nikon D5000.

I’ll get my own DLSR tonight. Wooohoo!

Halong Bay, Vietnam

This blog is slowly becoming a photoblog. But even then, it takes me a while to post my current photos. Oh well….

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Entrance to one of the many caves in Halong Bay

Yours truly.

Stalactites and stalagmites.

Whew! What a cave!

Below is one of my favorite Halong Bay shots....

In black and white

Another one in black and white.

The locals in Halong Bay. Fishing is their source of livelihood.

The floating village.

Floating market. Look at the colours, so rich!

Floating sellers, that is!

This was our boat. The food were yum!

2009 Christmas Lunch

11 December 2009, Brisbane Hotel

(L-R) Myself, Sally, Bill, and Lisa

(L-R) Grace, Janice, Adriana, Mathab, Karen, and Irene

(L-R) Graeme, Mathab, Alistair, and Grace

(L-R) Graeme, Bill, Irene, and Alistair

it's about time

Tama na ang ka-dramahan at ka-ekekan. Wala rin namang kahihinatnan 'to. Tutal, nasabi ko na ang dapat kong masabi. At nasabi na rin nya ang dapat nyang masabi. At least now we know where the other stands. It's time to move forward and leave the past behind.

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Hanoi, Vietnam

Malou and I in front of our hotel in Hanoi. She has been working in Hanoi for 8 years now. Catching up with her was one of the highlights of my trip.

Ho Chi Minh's palace.

Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum.

One of the traditional houses inside the Ethnology Museum.

Inside Ethnology Museum.

Inside the temple.

The following pictures were taken one Sunday morning....

Mag-exercise tayo tuwing umaga, tuwing umaga...

A street in Hanoi.

So many motorbikes!

Hanoi's traffic.

The city centre.

City centre still.

welcome back!

My friend emailed and sms those words to me after I made a comment about someone.

“Welcome back” because I’m back to Perth? Or “welcome back” because I’m back to my usual rational self? Or both?

Anyway, I myself am so glad to be back!

Vietnam here I come!

Mamayang gabi na ang flight namin papuntang Vietnam. Whooohooo! Sa totoo lang, nae-excite na ako. Matagal-tagal na rin akong hindi nakaka-byahe eh. First time kong lumabas ng Australia simula ng dumating ako dito halos dalawang taon na ang nakakaraan. First time ko rin magbyahe na hindi Pinoy ang mga kasama.

Susubukan kong makahanap ng oras na mag-post ng mga pictures dito pag andun na kami. Sinadya kong luwagan ang itinerary namin para may oras kaming gawin kung ano man ang gusto naming gawin. Para sa akin, yun ay – SHOPPING!

the kiss

It happened this morning when I was on my way to work.

It was totally unexpected and too early at this stage.

It lasted for a while, oh how I wished it didn’t.

I said I’m not going to close my eyes but I still did.

Yes, I’ve been kissed by.......the yucky flies!

a bouquet of flowers and a bottle of wine

Don’t give me flowers when I’m dead, I want them while I’m still alive. While I can still appreciate them. While I can still marvel at their beauty. While I can still smell and photograph them. I don’t care if it’s a bouquet of flowers from the flower shop or freshly picked wildflowers from the street. For me they’re all the same – beautiful, exquisite, intricate, and colourful.

With regard to the wine. Hmmm...I think I will need to invite him again for dinner. It’s no fun drinking wine alone. Got to share it with someone.

going CLASSICAL

Manonood kami ni Bill mamaya ng classical concert. Nung nasa Pinas pa ako, madalas yung radyo ko ay nasa isang istasyon lang na ang mga tinutugtog ay classical. Pangarap ko din noon na makapanood ng live classical concert. Ayan, matutupad na mamayang gabi!

Buti na lang at game din si Bill na manood kahit na ang type nyang music ay ROCK! Malakas ang kutob na makakaiglip yun habang nakikinig sa tugtugin. Bahala sya! Basta ako, i-enjoy ko yung pagkakataon na makapakinig ng live classical concert.

2009 birthday pictures

Beaumaris Baptist Church Family Camp, Makinbudin, 18-20 Sept.

20 Sept: Highlight of my birthday - free helicopter ride courtesy of Murray!

Where we had our family camp from 18-20 Sept.

Salt lake in Mukinbudin. Tinikman ko, lasa nga syang salt. :0)

They're walking on salt.

Everything that's salty is salt.

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Only in Mukunbudin:

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Where I spent the 21st with....

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Dinner with Ate Rose and my Malaysian-Indian flatmate, Daljeen.

Dinner with my Pinoy friends. They and Ate Rose are the only Filipino friends I have here in Perth.

First offense: OVERSPEEDING

Waaaahhh!!!

According to the speed camera, I was travelling at 69kph on a 60kph road. I know I tend to overspeed sometimes pero bakit dun pa natapat sa may camera?!?

Grrrrhhh!!! I'm now $75 poorer.

Lesson learned: ALWAYS LOOK AT THE SPEEDMETRE & BE AWARE OF THE SPEED LIMIT.

i turned 25 (X years ago!)

Had a fabulous birthday!!!!

Actually my birthday celebration started on the 18th up to this morning. I didn’t ask for a specific gift this year, unlike last year. This year, I just wanted Him to surprise me. And surprise me He did!

Will post the pictures soon, gotta work first! Two days akong nag leave sa office eh! :0)

too awesome for words

NASA/ESA/Hubble SM4 ERO

Oh. My. God.

Those were the only words I can muster when I saw this image from the net this morning. It’s a new image taken by NASA’s hubble telescope. Beautiful. Amazing. Wonderful. Majestic. No, words are not enough to describe it. How can the words of a finite being adequately describe the creation of an infinite Being?

Apparently this one was taken two years ago in Chile as a volcanic eruption met a lightning storm.

from the wild into the garden

There’s a saying that goes “Be careful of what you wish for (for me, it’s pray for) because you might just get it”. Last month I prayed that I be given more work load for I was already starting to get bored…bored to death. It’s like I’m spending more time blogging than working. I think it’s pretty obvious if you look at the number of posts I made in July. It’s not that I’m a lazy worker; I never was and, hopefully, never will be. Rather my work load was not enough to keep me occupied. BUT August came and so did the answer to my prayer!

At least you know now the reason if I don’t get to update my blog regularly. Apart from being a busy bee at work, madami din akong lakwatsa on weekends!

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Into the wild / 22 Aug (Sat)

Michelle, Jenni, Steph, and I went to Yanchep National Park to have a picnic and plan our women's bible study group. It was just unfortunate that we were not able to tour the park or visit the caves for it rained almost the whole time we're there.

From left: Jenni, Steph, and Michelle. Are you wondering what they're looking at? See the next picture.

A sleeping KOALA!

Kangaroos roaming inside the park. They're not caged, mind you. They're harmless anyway.

The First Family. Papa Duck, Mama Duck, and their babies.

Steph and Michelle trying their hardest to photograph....

A blue bird!

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Tulips everywhere / 23 Aug (Sun)

The next day, Gilbert, Dilson, and I went to Araluen Botanical Garden. It was my first time to see tulips of different colors. They’re simply beautiful!

Indeed, nature reveal the artistry of its Creator.

Souvenier shop inside the garden surrounded by a lush greenery.

A pond.

Can you believe that there's a mini train to give a free tour inside the garden?!?

Rivers of living waters shall flow....tan tan tan...

The pictures below are just some of the beautiful flowers and tulips inside the garden.

Don't mind me. I think I just ruined the view. :0)