Monday, August 28, 2006
Simply Enjoying Paris
| View | Add FavoriteI must confess, traveling has indeed been my addiction and favorite past time when I can. While some may continue spending on alcohol, clothes or shoes, I spend most of it traveling where the car, train or bus take me. That’s probably why you would have noticed in my blog, each time a new discovery of a small town in France or reconnecting with the European cities that was once familiar to me.
The past weeks however I only have my foot and the metro to lead me to places, thus the reason for me staying in Paris instead and still for the whole month of September. As my budget will only let me travel again in October, I get the chance to appreciate the beauty of city once I again. This time it will mark as a place that I live in before it goes back again to a memory I will just reminisce at a certain point.
This summer I was lucky to have Chris visiting me before she headed back to China. Also was interesting to see a college friend of mine, Edision with his cousin, whom I haven't seen for more than 2 years already. This place marked a couple of picnics whenever the sun was out, or we were just tired from work or when a co-trainee was having his farewell party.
So this fantastic view took me several attempts to get the best shot, and take it each night I have visitors like we were seeing it for the first time. No matter how many times I have been here, showing them the glittering of the tower every hour or simply enjoying that glass of wine after work, it’s still magical every time I look at it. It’s like I am in another place thinking of the people who would have loved the same view if they have seen it with me at that point, and that’s probably why I won’t be tired of seeing the same view over and over again.
The past weeks however I only have my foot and the metro to lead me to places, thus the reason for me staying in Paris instead and still for the whole month of September. As my budget will only let me travel again in October, I get the chance to appreciate the beauty of city once I again. This time it will mark as a place that I live in before it goes back again to a memory I will just reminisce at a certain point.
This summer I was lucky to have Chris visiting me before she headed back to China. Also was interesting to see a college friend of mine, Edision with his cousin, whom I haven't seen for more than 2 years already. This place marked a couple of picnics whenever the sun was out, or we were just tired from work or when a co-trainee was having his farewell party.
So this fantastic view took me several attempts to get the best shot, and take it each night I have visitors like we were seeing it for the first time. No matter how many times I have been here, showing them the glittering of the tower every hour or simply enjoying that glass of wine after work, it’s still magical every time I look at it. It’s like I am in another place thinking of the people who would have loved the same view if they have seen it with me at that point, and that’s probably why I won’t be tired of seeing the same view over and over again.
Friday, August 11, 2006
A trip for the soul
Last weekend, I decided to go on a pilgrimage to Lourdes along with the other Filipinos in Paris. The journey started right at Trocadero. I thought there were only 2 buses going there, but alas, I arrived at the meeting point only to see 5 more buses and few hundreds of Filipinos traveling with us.
An authentic Pinoy Trip with some "balut"
I really felt I was with a bunch of Filipinos on a trip. Why? Just before leaving, there were already people selling “chicharon”, drinks and snacks before people were off for the 10 hour bus ride that night. All the more when we had a stop-over after 2 hours, to eat some food as well as find people who were also selling some “balut” and peanuts while waiting for the rest.
A pilgrimage to Lourdes
An authentic Pinoy Trip with some "balut"
I really felt I was with a bunch of Filipinos on a trip. Why? Just before leaving, there were already people selling “chicharon”, drinks and snacks before people were off for the 10 hour bus ride that night. All the more when we had a stop-over after 2 hours, to eat some food as well as find people who were also selling some “balut” and peanuts while waiting for the rest.
A pilgrimage to Lourdes
Lourdes is a spiritual place somewhere in the South of France, which I have been very much told by my parents to visit it when I can. I attended the procession in the evening, very inspiring to see a lot of people professing their faith, and not just visiting the place like it was a tourist attraction. In front were the sick people, assisted by volunteers who were coming from across the globe. They say that to sign up as volunteer for next year would even need to be done as early as now.
I think the most inspiring was hearing the Holy Rosary in different languages for each mystery. Towards the end, we gathered in front of the cathedral where people would raise their candles as they sing “Ave Maria”.
Side trip
Just like any Filipino trips, there has to be a side trip somewhere else. We had 45 minutes in Irun, which was almost at the border of Spain. There all the Filipinos had a fun time buying a lot of cheap alcohol, soap, shampoo, cookies, corned beef, etc. You name it, they’ve got it cheaper than what you’ll find in Paris. It has something to do with the tax or it being close to Spain already. It was like they were doing some panic buying, coz they were really buying boxes and boxes of alcohol… not for themselves but either as “pasalubong” or gifts for their friends in Paris or reserving it for their “balikbayan” box to Philippines.
After that we spent a nice afternoon by the coast of Biarritz where it was very sunny and just the right time for the beach. Unfortunately, I forgot my swimming gear where I was almost tempted to buy a new one- but it would have cost me around 60euros and I thought of some other alternatives instead.
You can only notice who are the Filipinos when you see them behind the trees and shaded benches, either having their picnic there or playing cards (eg. Tong its) while waiting for the sun to tone down before reaching for the beach.
Good thing that the place didn’t just offer a place for swimming but also wonderful scenery for walking and picture taking. Thanks to Manong Miko who served as our official photographer, while we were just the compliant models who would even suggest certain poses or background where we’d want our photo to be taken.
