Upside Down

Photo taken sometime in October 2012 at Enchanted Kingdom.

Life is one helluva roller-coaster ride. Enjoy it, witness it, get involved with it, don't close your eyes when you're turned upside down, that's when you can test your courage and strength most. 

Have a lovely November, friends! It's my birth month! :D 

The Lone Traveler

Photo taken 36,000 feet above the ground on a perfect sunset afternoon. It's a rare chance to eye witness closely the magnificent sun hiding behind the huge clouds as it bids farewell to end another beautiful day. 

Who said I was alone? I was with Haruki Murakami, my love. 

The Walled City

One scorching sunny afternoon, my brother Jalal and I played tourists in the metro! Our destination: Intramuros, Manila or better known as The Walled City. Back in the Spanish era, (ahem! ako na ang may nalalamang history!), this used to be the capital and the seat of Spanish sovereignty in the Orient for over three hundred years. The walls of Intramuros were built to prevent threats of invasion by Chinese, Japanese, Dutch and Portuguese pirates. (naks, parang The Great Wall of China ang peg!) The walls stretched to 4.5 kilometers in length, enclosing a pentagonal area of approximately 64 hectares. Before you proceed, I shall warn you of the amount of photos in this entry! It's overloaded! I lack time putting them into collage!

First Stop: Silahis souvenir shop packed with Philippine made crafts and artistries, we even found some vanishing Maranao cultural goodies such as the kulintang, kubing, dubakan (musical instruments) and a replica of the Sarimanok. 

That huge drum behind Jalal is a Maranao palace drum that is used when the Sultan wants to convene his people. 

Next stop: The Papier Tole Shop. It's a souvenir shop where items are mostly made of paper. They claim to have started their business since 1668!! 

A batallion of them!! Cute!!

I love the adobe stone walls and pavements in this portion of The Walled City. It's magnificent how the place was restored to it's original structure after it was ruined during The World War II. 

Next: Casa Manila. It is a "colonial lifestyle" museum where the Spanish way of living and their influence in our culture is being highlighted. Too bad taking pictures inside was prohibited so we just took photos in the zaguan (corridor) and patio.

Guess what I wished for? :p

Next: The sentry wall top. We climbed the top of the sentry wall beside the ECJ building where we got a nice view outside Intramuros: The Manila Golf Course. 

The sun seemed to roast my skin I couldn't bear to face it and smile!! I, instead, pose for a side view. 

There you go, rabbit!!! Nyahehehehehehe...

Jalal trying to replicate my pose!! Awkward!! Eeepp!!

 This is now called the ECJ building housing some government offices. This used to be a palace where Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, that conquistador former Governor-General of the Philippines was residing.

In our journey back to the Spanish era, we found a "futuristic" graffiti wall where them punks express themselves by painting stuff on it. It's called freedom, men. Freedom. Emo. Whatever. 

We wandered around until we realized the sun was almost setting and we haven't reached Fort Santiago yet.    Thank God there we sikads around which transported us to our main destination. Haha! 

This is The Walk Way to Martyrdom. They "traced" the footsteps of our National Hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, from his prison cell to Bagumbayan (now, Luneta) where he was executed. 

Guess who was there to give us a FREE historical lecture!!! Ta daa... Carlos Celdran in the flesh!

We sat behind the REAL Tourists..feeling touristy all along. :p

When they left, we continued exploring the place. Look what we found!!!

O, nasa Intramuros pa rin tayo ha? Pasig River lang yang nasa likod ko. Nice, right? You see, Philippines is a beautiful country with rich history and culture. It's always a great idea to go back to our history and find out the transitions that happened culminating into what we we all are now. :)

The question is, have we been any better? 

To cap it all off, I wouldn't leave without a photo with my crush Dr. Jose Rizal. Yes, I'm a fan and I don't care when they say that he doesn't deserve hero-hood because he didn't really fought a war in it's literal sense. Whatever, haters. He's still my hero. \m/

My brother and I wandered for roughly 3 hours but it was a fulfilling day for me! Alhamdulillah. Visiting Intramuros is one of my pre-review plans and, thank God, my brother visited me and willingly accompanied me in another one of my insane fits! :) 

I still have some unfulfilled pre-review plans but I guess, they won't materialize due to my Pedia Ward sched. ;'(

When the time comes, I want to have a kid as smart and as cute as you. Love you Sabreen! :)

3rd International Pyromusical Show

I've been dying to go to the 3rd International Pyromusical Show at the Mall of Asia since it started last February. It ran every Saturday and two countries showcased their world-class fireworks display accompanied by upbeat music. If you remember THIS post then you will understand my consummating desperation. Hehe. However, my duty schedule was so unfavorable for the weekly shows but I asked our block head during our ORL (otorhinolaryngology) rotation to spare me on March 17 which was the finale. I was so delighted for the show I invited people to go with me to witness the event. People = proximal friends. I guess I was jinxed, or perhaps God tested my hankering to see the hour-long fireworks, that, no joke, ALL OF MY FRIENDS WERE ON DUTY ON MARCH 17!!!! I mean, ALL of them!! Was it mere coincidence?! I was so appalled that even my housemates had an important event to attend to!! But thanks to my stick-to-it-iveness, I pushed my way for it even watching it ALONE was my last option. Haha!! Imagine yourself watching beautiful fireworks amidst sea of lovers and group of friends in full awe while you were standing there all alone with tears rolling down your cheeks, not tears for the beautiful sight, but tears of self-pity. Hahahaha!!! Alhamdulillah, I have the best cousin in the world! Ate Hannah texted a day before that she'd be going home from Laguna and was inviting me for a movie date. I thought of the Pyromusical show instead of a movie. What a brilliant idea I had! 

Our VIP tickets. Naks. Italy was the last country to expo what they got under their sleeve. Philippines, being the host country and champion in an international fireworks competition (Yes, I just learned about it that night. Magaling din pala tayo sa fireworks!! #morefuninthephilippines), was tasked for the finale which was fantastic despite the technical glitches!!

While waiting for the show to start, we were treated to a magnificent sunset at the Manila Bay. Mashaa Allah. :)

People were starting to gather up. The huge ferris wheel at MOA was at near sight.

Photo collaged by photovisi.com

And then after some introductory programs, our eyes indulged to the glittery explosions in the sky!!! I loved how the flickers hover us I can feel them on my skin! Haha! They're not the best fireworks but they sure filled my cravings to see magnanimous lights! Mashaa Allah. :) People were ahhh-ing and oohh-ing while dancing to the tunes, and then people behind and beside us were kissing as love songs started to play. Whitney Houston songs were also being played as slow fireworks blasted in the pitch-dark sky. Buti, hindi nagparamdam si W.H. Hehe. 

At about the same time I boasted the photos at Instagram and FB, my BFF Lily, who was at HK Disneyland  with her hubby, simultaneously posted this photo below. 

Photo stolen from BFF Lily's FB account. 

Walang sinabi ang pichur ko!!! Hahahahaha!! Knowing she took that using her iPhone while I used my point-and-shoot Canon, I melted in stark envy!!  I'm sure my best friend had a GREAT time with her hub-babe-by. :)

Oh well. Therefore, I shall save up for that. :) Save up for a hub-babe-by. JOKE!!!

All you gotta do is lift your chin to recognize the lovely nature shining down at you. :) 

Taken: March 11, 2012. In front of CAMP building on my way home.

#postduty

Cefazolin 2g loading dose now then 1g Q8.

PGH Intern does:

IV insertion

blood extraction

drug administration

vital signs monitoring

paperworks: clinical abstracts, discharge summaries

first in line at the ER

triaging

pushing stretchers and wheelchairs

chest compressions and ambubagging if patient has no bantay

Anything amiss?

Remorseful? NOT.

I say, grateful. :)

This is the hallway that connects the two wings of the Outpatient Department building. I find it very dramatic as the rays of the sun penetrate the glass roof creating shadows behind those pillars. To put it in a movie, this is where a couple break their vows of love as the other walks away leaving the other soaked in tears. 

Facebook It!

While Facebook has become the perfect avenue for giving people a piece of your mind, there are stuff that you can't put on Facebook because you know it will light a fire and you don't want that to happen. In this tiny nook of mine, I know this is the perfect place for shouting:

DO NOT PROVOKE ME! I BITE TOO, BITCH!

I may be keeping my silence most of the time, laughing things off and pretend it didn't occur, but hey, I know exactly what you're talking behind my back. Now I'm telling you this, YOU'RE NOT PERFECT EITHER SO DON'T PRETEND LIKE ONE. Nuff said.

P.S.
I wish the font size could get any larger than that. My emotions are way too huge for those font size! Haha. 

I saved P95 for buying Paulo Coelho's latest book and his 2012 Planner/Journal. Not bad. In a world where we need to tighten our belt to make both ends meet, a single centavo matters.

Bring it on, 2012! :)

Watching the sun rise as I rush off to the hospital. Hoping for a great weekend. :) 

Taft Avenue

I grew up in a healthy environment where people opt to walk from their homes to their offices or schools. It would only take us 5-10 minutes to reach our destinations. We don't have heavy traffic to blame for our tardiness because we live inside the Mindanao State University Main Campus. I have developed the love for walking out of necessity. Even after we purchased our family car, my father didn't send us to school on wheels unless there's a typhoon that inhibits us to trudge our way to school. Back then, my siblings and I would hope for a heavy rain either in the morning or in the afternoon so that our father would be left without a choice but to drive us to or from school. :) 

I used to walk with my friends. It was during those times that we discuss about our day, our sheer hopes and building our dreams. We were a bunch of teenagers who can leave a household flustered with our boisterous laughter and giggles as we pass our way from 4th street all the way to our homes. Since I live at the farthest street (8th), I was the last person to reach home. I was the only one among my girls who's left walking alone. I loved those solitary moments as I muse about the forces that create my world. As I pace towards home, I recapitulate the day and plan for the following day. 

Here in the metro, walking from my home to the hospital is like a punishment. Our building faces Taft Avenue so this should have my normal route towards PGH. I do not expect my fresh fragrance to be preserved when I pass by these:

This scene is not just a pain in the eyes but also an irritation to the nose!!! Mixed stench of dried urine, dirty canal and all possible human waste you can think of!!!

Ooopss! Ate caught me taking a shot at her! 

All kinds of pollution are present here. 

So there, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the Philippines. 

Since I cannot do anything about the perennial problem our country have, first I must accept that I LIVE IN THE PHILIPPINES and second I need to find a way to avoid the situation. Thanks to the existence of UP Manila (Pedro Gil street) beside PGH. UP Campus has become my regular route towards the hospital. Calm, cool, less pollution. 

I regained my love for walking. I didn't really mind about my toned gastrocnemius. :)