Ready, Get Set, RUN!

I remember a conversation with my ex, he was driving me to the airport then to send me off for the last time. He said to remember that a guy (any guy) will lie through his teeth if this meant saving his ass. Well, I hate to admit it but he was right. I should have listened more closely. Who knows a guy better than another guy, right?

This is all I can say, I didn't come here to earn enemies and tamper with your flaks. One strike is all it takes to make me retrace my steps. (note to self: you just used the word 'flak'...do you remember who taught you that word? Hahaha...looks like he has a bigger influence on you than you thought).

I Am Not Going To Cry This Time

If for a moment you can stop and retrace your steps, would you have followed a different path? You find yourself pondering over the thought because that fire truck is coming. A thought was introduced, now it's gnawing at the back of your head and unknowingly brushing whiskers of doubt on your cheek. So what do you do again?

Run. Run like what you always do. Away from where you have recently dug a grave in. Go somewhere safe and uncomplicated.

Scammed

We finally had the chance to visit one of Thailand's red light district named Pot Phong two nights ago and although our expectations about the place were met, there was one incident which we did not find appealing at all. Watching its infamous shows was not part of the itinerary but since we were curious, we decided to give it a whack. Initially, the man who was promoting the shows offered an enticing rate of 100 baht per person. 100 baht was not bad; in fact it was pretty darn good. So off we went to an establishment called Perfect Bar. When we got in, an unlikely bouncer greeted us and showed us to our table. The place reeked of molds, sweat and old beer and you can immediately see the supposed ladies dancing on the makeshift stage. Each lady will perform a stunt which will showcase her talent in terms of the capacity of her private organ. I would daresay that the show was not a disappointment but the strained faces of the performers were more than enough to make you lose your interest. By satisfying our curiosity, we have officially supported prostitution in Thailand --- a thought that we are not proud of. After the third show, the bouncer returned to show us a piece of paper that screamed of 2400 baht. We were duped! We explained to her that the man who showed us to their place specifically informed us that it will only cost us 100 baht each and she said that the man was not an employee. She started screaming at our friend who spoke Thai as an attempt to scare us. After minutes of much needless arguing, an agreement was made and that we were only going to pay 900 baht. We decided to cough up the sum just to get it over with. After the banana stunt, we left the place with a sour taste in our mouths.

Unexpected Surprises

When my flight to China was moved to February 14, I told myself 'No!No!No!" So initially, Iris and I, made every possible attempt to make the employers change their minds to no avail. Anyway, after days of moping around, I decided to take the unplanned trip mentioned in my previous entries. I thought that since I had weeks to spare, I might as well make the most of it. So off I went to Thailand then Cambodia then back in Thailand where an unexpected surprise was waiting for me. How do you say no exactly to a man who was determined to win you no matter what the cost? What do you say to yourself after promising to take this time out away from the pressures of commitments? When does one know that she is ready? The truth is, I honestly do not have a clue but I have chosen to be on board with a grin on my face and a scary excitement for something uncontrollable.

Bring it on!

Bou Savy Guest House, Savvy Indeed

While in Cambodia, we settled at Bou Savy Guest House, a family-owned inn that is conveniently located five minutes away from the main road but secluded enough so that guests can enjoy the quiet comfort. My friend, Doi, was the one who made the reservation while we were in the Philippines and I take my hats off to her. The inn was perfect not just because of our tight budget, but it was perfect because the staff were so friendly, their food were priced reasonably and there was a 24-hour wireless connection!(a must-have for every blogger) If you have opted not to bring your laptop during your travel then they have about 4-5 computers near the restaurant that you can utilize for free. We have decided to take advantage of their $75-dollar package which included the room, free breakfast for 4 days, 1 free dinner, and a 2-day tour to all of Angkor's temples. Not bad, right?

Anyway, if you decide to visit Cambodia's Siem Reap then I would suggest that you make arrangements with Bou Savy. The staff will be very happy to accommodate any queries you have. Please refer to their site at http://www.bousavyguesthouse.com.

Chippy + Lucky Star = Possible Love

While roaming around Siem Reap one night, I stumbled upon an unexpected treat. I saw a dog that looked like my Chippy. He was male and would have been perfect for her.

The Big C

The husband of my mom's friend died today after a long battle with cancer. I wonder if it would be fair to feel relief, after all he had begged to be euthanized several times in the past. I can only imagine the pain that he was in. I was told that the morphine was the only thing that was keeping him alive and the life he had for the past three years can barely be categorized as living. He wanted to die. In fact, he had pleaded to his wife to set him free as he couldn't stand the pain anymore. But how do you honor that request when you know that you will lose the person you vowed to love? When does one let go after collecting memories with the same person who is asking you to commit murder? Where does it all end? Why wouldn't you do it?

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To An Acquaintance Whose Continuous Sympathy Has Become Unwelcoming

I am so fed up with people reminding me about what happened during the last quarter of 2010. I left Cebu because I needed a fresh start but it seemed like people will not let me be.

Yes, I know. I do not need to be reminded as I have always been the type who never forgets. I still remember the cruel words. I still remember the date as to when he turned his back on me. I still remember the place where he repeatedly lied to my face. I still remember my reasons for breaking my own rules. I remember every detail and my list is safely stacked in a closet that I can conveniently rummage when ever, where ever I find it appealing (and not when ever, where ever you find it necessary). The difference now is, I am done loathing him. It's too tiring and all that negative energy is ruining my chi.

I do not need you to provide a vivid picture of how it was. I do not need you to pry on my current state just to satisfy your curiosity. I do not need you to encourage me to revisit the hateful feeling. I do not need your sympathy when time has made your news sour. The tragedy is over. That story has ended and I have written a whole new chapter.

A friend once mentioned that you have a choice to be happy, angry or sad and that all three required the same effort. I chose to be happy. I am no longer angry nor sad. I sleep fine at night, probably even better than you. I have re-organized my plans and I am on my way to reclaiming what I have discarded four years ago.

I know that this is not genuine sympathy you feel. You are just simply being your usual, nosy self. So please sell your story elsewhere because I am not interested. I refuse to be miserable like you.

She

A friend wrote this for me when I was in Bahrain. It was dated September 28, 2004. I am posting it so I will remember who I was.

Gypsy Queen by Julie Aragon

You are to me, a qypsy queen
wandering from one place to another
to build an empire where you can rule
with your enchanting grace
and hold together your people under
the spell of your tongue
or to curse
like a self-possessed shaman's
repeating mantra to appease the bearer of souls,
you are lovingly cruel, gypsy queen,
see you held them with your prancing tongue
and your words breathe into them
to constitute their very existence
but you do not intend to stay
nor leave a trace
for your people to follow
even your footprints melted in the sun
or tossed by the wind
as if to cover up your trail
you do not own any possession
only a gnawing desire to possess
and be possessed by the world
which is your life
and bane at the same time.
Where, O gypsy queen, will you stop
to redeem your shoes?
You have traveled far enough
and for the sand and the air
you are just one gypsy queen
longing for nature to fetch you
from your wayfaring.

Everything Japanese

It has become a ritual for my girlfriends and I to bond and try something new every time we get together, which usually only happens during the holidays. So last night, the theme was everything Japanese.

After too much deliberation as to what time and what place, Patty finally suggested to make our first stop at Tadakuma - a quaint Japanese restaurant located in Jacinto Street, just across Davao Banko Sentral Complex. It was really ironic that we have allowed her to decide when she was only with us for three minutes tops. Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. Anyhow, I am glad to note that their service was personable and prompt enough; however I would say that the menu could have been improved by not just showing the photos of the food (because my friends and I ended up pointing at them and saying 'what's this?' and 'I want this and that.'). Further, if the prices were included in the first few pages of the menu, there shouldn't be a reason not to include the prices of the food in the last few pages of the menu. I found the inconsistency weird as I always thought that the Japanese were so specific about the details.

As for the food, the portions were quite ample (despite the food server's claim that the serving per order is good for one person, I wonder Who or shall I say What was her basis for this...hmmm) and choc-full of flavor. So I guess the price was just right. We were finally kicked out at 10:00pm. We were disappointed to hear them close early as we were wrongly informed (by the same food server) that they usually close at 1:00am. And because we were tired, we decided to go to the spa.

Since I have not been in Davao for quite sometime and I completely relied on my friends to point me to the most interesting places, I initially just went with the flow. However, later in the night, we opted not to go to their usual massage parlor but to a new place which a friend manages. She has been blabbering about this spa for the nth time so when our cab passed by the area, I then suggested that we try it out. The place was called Japanese Zen Oriental Spa, just along Quirino Avenue. Before I proceed, I just want to inform everyone that this is not a sponsored post. Since this is my blog, I would say that our visit was quite right. However, I will not speak for my friends since they have their own opinion about the place. I believe there was something about being indecently exposed and the steam bed not hitting the right spot. To get it directly from the horse's mouth as they say, please take time to check their blogs instead.

I chose the Japanese Hot Stone Therapy while my friends decided the spa's signature massage that is called Hoshino Therapy. Both types of massage were supposed to last for an hour and a half only but mine went beyond two hours to my delight. I have always been curious about trying a hot stone therapy but was too scared to do it and since I vowed to myself that 2011 is the year to make things happen, I thought to myself - to hell with this silly fear over a massage and be done with it. And it was worth it. I think that therapy was long overdue. I should have had that last September 2010.

Anyway, the spa offers several services from body to foot, including nail and facial care. All for reasonable prices between PhP 250-480. Not bad, right? Besides, these include Japanese food. Yes! There is complimentary food served and not just the usual hot or cold tea. There is a variety of recipes you can choose from, depending on which day of the week you decided to visit the place. I suggest that you visit the spa with an empty stomach because you will be served a full meal afterwards. Since my friends and I were full (we had dinner first before the massage which was a bad idea), we were not able to enjoy everything they offered. What can I say, I just love extra stuff!!! It is like the olive in your dry martini.

Another thing I loved about the place was, the locker and shower rooms. Small businesses like this do not usually have one and that was why I was really surprised to be shown the way.

Again, we were the last to leave another establishment. This time though, we were not shooed away but the hostess, who also happened to be my friend, was gracious enough to accommodate us and made sure that our experience will be as note-worthy as possible.

Yipeee

One last hurrah for being sun-kissed. I am not sure as to when I will be reunited with the beach but I am pretty sure it is not going to be this year or the year after that. For now, I'll settle for this photo to remind me of how happy I was every time I visited the beach.

The Update As Per Iris

Iris just told me that the temperature in Zhengzhou is -8 so it would be best to prepare myself. So when Mr. Snow Expert called, I asked him for some advice. Robin said that -8 is cold and that I should, if the textile of my clothes are not thick, wear double inside. In addition, wearing a 'long john' can be helpful. I was just recently introduced to this term - long john, a two-piece underwear with long legs and long sleeves that is normally worn during cold weather. Also, bonnets and gloves may be a must in my case. Now, I have to unpack some of the clothes I have placed in my luggage and replace them with clothes that will be more appropriate for the winter season. Aaaarggghhhh...

Iris was also complaining about an 8 hour transit in Xiamen. I was having difficulty empathizing with her since I have never been there and was in fact, too excited to care about the long travel time. I would probably be awake all the time and will be exhausting Iko (my camera)while she lagged behind or snored her ass off.

I am anxious to start this trip. I can't wait to discover China.