From China w/ Love (part 3)

LINE TO RESTO'

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Let me thank all my blogger-friends who in my times of gray, have generously expressed their solid plea & sympathy. How nice of you!. And to my buds in Bisdak-Planet, "Daghang Kaayong salamat!" .....Aduna koy imnon sa balay" (I had wine at home),.. so your place or mine? :)

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Had since I'm back on my feet (I think), I opt for something light courtesy of my "well-loved/well-loathed" gift of in-born joker. And in my traditional expose' on China's cloaks and daggers, for food & venture-freak like me especially, I am forced to bring this time, (or recommend rather) a cool haven of theirs to lighten an occassionaly gloomied sanity. Please Kit yourself with rope and helmet, and follow the road rules therein as I virtually take you to a breathtaking trek or treat of a lifetime...

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Be there in the venue at the crack of dawn,

where cliff-hanging by the trail is mandatory.

chase the given path upon landing,

and maintain an equilibrium while wriggling-through a "hiker-friendly" pedestal that's not meant for the weak & the heavy. The metallic railings of which, though offers safety to trekkers must be grasped w/ all might - to avoid the equally starving JAWS - waiting in an open mouth down the rapid river.

Ensure to keep an eagle's eye on your fellow walker - in your sides or front.

as well as those suicidal 'spidermen & women' crawling/passing, in contrary.

Be extra careful! The hill is getting steeper and rougher everytime. (TIP: those holes could aid your toes - just dodge the bitings of wild mountain squirrels ).

Hang-on! we are still kilometric footsteps away. More energy, life and fortitude are therefore highly-essential.

and hundreds more stair lanes are in-stake (remember: scale of which is taller than the last).

Before sundown then came relief. Amidst the scaring heights and battery of tests, we've reached our target, at last! KUDOS!

all those feets (and stomachs) lead for goodtimes in The GREAT RESTAURANT of CHINA - whose fame transcends all borders. A picture-perfect haven quite close to heaven.

Add to this: If one managed to get-in the finish line with his/her breathing and grippings still in-tact, the resto's marketing promo in case you hadn't heared, is "EAT ALL YOU CAN" and lots and lots of free. 100% free-of-charge - if arrived w/ complete body parts, and 50% FREE, - if either injury or wound-free. Sans as of course the suspense and thrill of one whole-day of mountaineering experience. Alas, however, a climbing-diploma can only be provided by the management LEST, you return home in rightful condition.

Are you going ? ...

But wait. What do u guess are "THE RESTAURANT's" divine specialty? - is it their infamous janitor crayfish or the globally-exported double dead chicken?.. :)

Tsk, Tsk. What these Chinese do for savings, hunger and adventure!. Life for them is also pretty hard, but exciting though.

for Detective AJ's related post: pls click on the ff:

From China w/ Love (part 1)
From China w/ Love (part 2)

Acknowledgement: My Exotic Resto'-Hunter Madam, Ms. Cora D. of Dxb

Shades of Gray

Final Goodbye

My Mother was in great pain. And so am I. Her elder sis, My beloved Auntie Gloria in Pasig, had passed away the other day after fighting and finally succumbing to Big C (the dreaded Cancer). Sad because the bad news were broken to us while we're million miles away. And things here in abroad are far-different. You can't just pack your suit-cases and fly; -making it more difficult for Nanay, who only months ago, lose another bro. (+), and likewise missed paying the departed w/ send-off honor and respect due.

Had Auntie not manifested in my dream, I may not be keen on checking her new contact. Its not that I don’t care; I’m close in-fact with my next of kins and suffice to say, I’m one favorite shock-absorbers and word-of-wisdom tellers of Quilliamar kinfolks (my mum's-side). Just this time, ‘cant brave my Tiya’s faint voice spoken in real agony. And to receive an image of her with a full-size tube bleeds through the nose is a double torture. Though life appears to stop in this somber example, the “show" must go on. Hence, AJ d actor proceeded “well” with snappy, yet crucial chat w/ a dying Auntie. A heartfelt hello that was also our last. My, the woman I grew up seeing with a blissful smile and strong arms is grasping her final breath on the other line. May God be upon her soul.

Hope I was able to draw a little joy unto her drooping face when I made such unforgettable long-distance call that I sealed with a pact: "I’ll be home for Christmas". Chocolates and Bath Soaps, two small goodies she don’t need but asked. Her sweet way of telling I should see her soon. But our Earthly reunion would no longer be possible. As of this posting, Her body is being put-to-rest in a hollow ground.

Moment of Silence

From the Office to Flat, sadness creeped at me all the more. Strange. It was never been this quiet. Bulbs were dimmed, Tea-Candles were lit, TV was off, and the twosome toddlers in the house, to my disbelief, were in mute-mode. Perhaps, the two naïve discern their granny’s in a mourning stage as she quietly reflect in a dense corner - w/ her palms concealing her countenance in an attempt to secrete thy inner grief and hurting. Yes. It would be hard for an old woman to allow the poignant fact that aging and age-related infirmities are past catching-up; and her first family are now passing the vigors of day, one after another. Well, the aphorism “Man’s life is fleeting and short " is true, but is also hard to believe.

Random Reflection

Dang! I supposed not writing again a morose entry, or something to dole-out w/ eleventh hour. I feel sad. Very sad. 'Can’t hold-back my fears, and my tears even. My Father had seemed to pass to me the wary thinking "color back must be forbidden in our premise, or us wearing it". Its Taboo!..says He. While mother is whole with her feelings. Father maybe lacking with one. But everytime I saw people born and die, It only reminds me the bitter truth that light indeed comes with darkness, pain w/ love, life w/ death. The young becomes old, and the old becomes young again. And since men were raised from the ashes. He'll end up in ashes too.

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My tale is nothing new. Expatriate or not, you knew someone in the same shoes at one time, arent you? Bottom line is "Don't be tight in in showing & giving LOVE to the people you cared for; particularly those who are lonesome, weak and sick. They are just waiting out there. Today is the right time. Tomorrow may be late.

Liezel In, Rosita Out. PDA Talk P-1

ITS CONFESSION TIME. I am, too, a self-confessed Pinoy-reality show freak. While all the living mortals in the building snore and sleep talk in variety of tempo and scales, you’ll see my tantalizing-eyes glued in the company of our screaming boob-tube. My day as a couch potato usually begin at 12 mid-nite and may end 2 or 3 in the morning – depend if my chamomile tea and hot shower works their so-called sleeping wonders on me. Thus, next to my commitment with blogging and plagiarized English TV series, blame my nocturnal trait and zombie eyes to TFC’s after-dark-shows i.e., PinoyBigBrother. (Ang mayaman sa Tasks na Bahay ni Kuya) and its evenly engrossing, but more talented cousin, PinoyDreamAcademy (Ang Academya ng Laglagan, Pagkakaibigan at Pangarap). Thanks to Endemol (The Netherland based production for bringing to life those highly-addicting shows.

For PDA’s 2nd season, my fellow-Dubaites Liezel Garcia, was single-out among thousands of impossible-dreamers and/or aspirants overseas and soon earned for herself the less-catchy moniker “Pride of Puerto Galera and Dubai”. If you’d ask me, the bronze beauty's worthy of more shining Title. How about “The Singing Modern-Hero” or Divine Diva from Dubai”?..hehe :)

Whatever. She don't need those Superstar taggings staple to her name. Already, she has the ACE eh. Her vocal prowess is outstandingly radiant and her kudo-worthy recital never cease to wow each and everyone (viewers/judges/mentors) - giving her an excellent four-straight credible winnings in the competition’s Gala Nights. In the marquee however, her last week’s star-scholar award was then shared with “Bugay”, este Bugoy - the thin-skinned, “secret-spilling” Farmer-son from Camarines in a first-rate duet. Indeed, the small town girl of Mindoro is notches above the rest and everybody seemed to want a piece of her golden voice. "Ma-brookh" [congrats] Zel!. I’m sure your ex-employers & luv one's are very proud of you. Whew! Another global songbird in the making.

As apparent, another chocolate beauty and Ex-Dubayuki (or returning?) Ex-PDA scholars who did spent many horrible summers here is ROSITA BARENG of Season 1. She was once too, a hotcake item of PDA. To those Kapuso bloggers unacquainted who the heck is she! – pls google-search her dying archives and you’ll make out that Rosing was both hate, love, noted, ignored. Amusingly, the Singing Nanny just accidentally queue herself for the Gulf-based audition and the sole “karakter” chosen amongst the shocked and sour-graping many. I knew Rosita better than Liezel. She [and her alaga] used to be our regular guest in the Entertainment Center I worked with for years, so I could freely speak about her charisma, frolics and tantrums in flesh and bloods. Rosing to reckon, is full of life, determined and diligent. But not in her wildest-dream she’ll one day perform in big stage, act on-cam with Aga Muhlach and rumored "twin-sis" Pokwang, among others.
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Sad to say, after spending barely a year in the front of camera ff: to honing her potentials by and thru the pruning rules and room of Academy, as well as enduring all the ugly slurs hurdle at her during her brief showbiz gigs, in careless abandon she’s gone missing as if held captive by kidnap-for-ransom gang.

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Now, the curtain fells at the question: Where is she now? What is she doing? Will there be any willing sponsors to redeem her icon and resurrect it back in the limelight? I just don’t know. But I hope so. After flashes of glam, fun and fame she have tried and tasted, I would find it awkward to see her singing lyrics-less lullabye while pushing a baby’s trolley here again. Oh, Contest like these, they are breeding champions overnight, but seemed to forget them the same way. Rosita’s dream & journey must continue in the form of Liezel. And so their quest for fortune and stars.

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Sorry if my TGIF entry I'm leaving to you reads like Ricky Lo or Tim Yap column. But im not yet done with PDA. So See you later folks !


photocredits:ABS-CBN

KisapMata

In as much I dislike lambasting somebody/something today , I'd rather stab my ready knife and inflict the battering to my very self. To my seasoned fellow here, fret not: AJ's kinda' used to variety of cacophonies and wretchedness anyway. Just pardon my surrealism and Tagalog with this one. May ur weekend be as romantic and poetic.

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KAHAPON LAMANG…
Sa pugad ng nakabelo nating glorya
ay ang paghabi ng ilusyong
ibinigkis ko sa pilit na paghimbing...
sinalamin sa sabik na pagmulat,
- mukha mo ang unang hinanap.

KAGABI LAMANG..
May lugod nating tiningala
pulutong ng buwan at estrelyang
nakipagtaguan na animo’y paslit
at sa tirintas nila iprinusisyon,
matikas na Kastilyong
bantayog ng ating labis na pagsinta
- ayaw kong wakasan sandaling iyon.

KANINA LAMANG...
Kay tamis mong sinambit
na sa lakas nitong bisig
at init ng labi ikukubli

ang damdaming tanging sakin
lang nasumpungan
mapagpalang kataga,
- pumanday sa aba kong pagkatao.

SA ISANG IGLAP, NGAYON..
paghagibis ng punlo
pagsinok ng hininga,
gumuho ang nabubuo
ko na sanang daigdig
abong tinangay
ng masungit na hangin
sa karimlan ng kawalan

nilamon ka ng itim na ulap...

- pagkindat nitong talukap.

Here Comes the Train

Meet the future King of Dubai's High-Road,

Had since, (we) Trapped Expat had no choice but to pay its cringe-making and toe-curling price, may it ensure to...

And before I proceed with my ground-breaking bombshell, let's see how the 24/7 engineering - courtesy of imported "human machines" goes...

and, ruefully...

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Pending to Metro's vague finality, more key avenues will, (to iritate the public further) be cordoned-off; and the bottleneck issue of Traffic grind remains - or better say - will turn more disgusting. If the construction's time-frame agenda won't work as planned, years of teeth grinding fury in the City's major thoroughfares are imminent. Holy Cow!

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The Train is coming, the Taxis are Missing

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In the absence of equally choked-up Busses, desperate or rather, dying commuters are seen battling among themselves in the cat and mouse game with "go ahead! sue me Taxi drivers" who, on their own desperate measures to reach the day's quota would speed instead for tipping red-hair passengers. Read the road-masters' famous Ad-libs on how they, - more often than not- refuse an Asian or a 2nd-class Arab. Well rendered-script such as: 1." I'm Praying" 2. "My Duty kha-las'" (finished) 3." I will eat". 4. "Im already hired" 5. "TRAFFIC". Oh boy, I learn thy true-lies of theirs by heart, and I doubt now the saying "Beggars cant be chosers".
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But hey, AJ's not complaining. I knew why most Cabbies behave in such boorish and rough manner. The subject just help recall my/our yesterday's man-man combat w/ Mr. T (my codename for Traffic) in the mid-of-nowhere - causing our poor bladders to pant in an overwhelming discomfort and agony. My cowboy dude was right when he said: "Times like this, Mineral bottle is Essential!" HAHAHA!.

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The Super Train's arrival in Dubai vows to curtail, if not to swipe the travelling-plight of everyone. I may sound pissed, but animated too for that Great change. Hope I'd be given the good fate to try and enjoy the pomp and glory of this Driverless Catterpillar someday - not after I put into halt my Dirhams-earning slavery.

Can't wait.

* The Dubai Metro will be the longest fully automated rail system in the world when it opens in 2009.
photocredits: Google