How Old Am I Again? (and Other Things I Forgot in Hong Kong Disney...)

It is exactly a year ago when I went to Hong Kong and totally forgot my age (among other things - stress at work, panic attack on getting older, social frustrations, etc...) at the HK Disney. It was my 2nd time in Hong Kong (went there in 2000 with my sisters, Ruby and Rowee) but still, I enjoyed this trip tremendously. Because this time, I brought along my "baby", Neigel... It's always good to travel with kids. Because their sense of awe and wonder infects you, and you tend to get as fascinated with the place and the experience yourself...

Highlight of this 3-days trip:
Walking out of HK Disney after the awesome fireworks display to close the day, Neigel, in his 9-years-old, still-childlike-innocence-and-honesty said to me, "Tita, hinding-hindi ko na makakalimutan 'tong araw na 'to sa buong buhay ko..." (Tita, I'll never ever forget this day for the rest of my life...) Wow! As in, WOW!!! That, of course, made Tita cry... Haha... That moment alone was well-worth the whole trip and the Pesos 80,000 I got myself so deep into debt with...

In celebration of the 1st Anniversary of our HK trip, I'm posting here short accounts and pics of our 3-days, 2-nights... Enjoy!

DAY 1: November 13, 2006

Getting there...

Neigel's first plane ride...

Arrival at the Hong Kong International Airport... At the Disney Hollywood Hotel in Lantau Island...

A day at Hong Kong Disney...

The Disney Castle...

With Neigel's favorite Disney character, Buzz Lightyear...

And his favorite ride...

The Disney Parade on Main Street...

The Disney shops...

Climbing Tarzan's Tree House...

My favorite of all the HK Disney attraction, The Lion King Musical...

The spectacular lights and fireworks show to end the day...

Walking out of Disney after a long, tiring, but happy, happy day...

DAY 2: November 14, 2006

From Lantau to Kowloon

Commuting by train from Disney Resort on Lantau Island to mainland Kowloon...
Ocean Park... for Another Hong Kong experience for Neigel...

Just had to bring my baby to Ocean Park as well...

The dolphin, whale, and sea lion show...The huge underwater aquarium...
Neigel has always been fascinated with dinosaurs...

Enjoying the cable car ride in Ocean Park...

Exploring Kowloon by foot after getting back from Hong Kong island...

The HK Museum of Art...

Hong Kong Space Museum

DAY 3: November 15, 2006

The Half-day City Tour...

Accross Victoria Harbour on a cold, windy morning...

At the Avenue of Stars...

Jackie Chan's Star of Fame...

A city tour of HK will not be complete without you being literally forced into a jewelry factory by your tour guide...

Bargain Shopping at the Mongkok District

Eating authentic beef mami noodles in Mongkok

Going home after 3 Days and 2 Nights...

At the HK International Airport Departure Area

Home, at Last...

The welcoming committe... mama Ruby and shobe Nadine at the NAIA...

Soaring with Music... (Part 2)

This is the instrumental version of Magolpy's "Girl In Flight"... Just close your eyes and listen with your heart and see if you can keep your spirits from flying off and soaring to the heavens... Enjoy!

The Best Commercial I've Seen in a While...

Ok, so I admit... I don't really get to watch regular TV anymore (except for some shows on the Korean channel, Arirang)... But I chanced upon this commercial on the Discovery channel while in a hotel in Cagayan De oro last week... And it made me cry... Brilliant work of McGarryBowen (NY)... Music by Paul Leonard-Morgan...

Soaring with Music...

"Girl In Flight" by Korean artist, Magolpy... I just love this song... I've yet to find the English translation and the meaning of this song... But I just love the melody and the beat so much... It makes me want to soar to the skies... Love the video too... And that cute girl... She actually made me cry...

Fuma Cakes, Anyone?

So, what is so special about these cakes to warrant a space in my blog, you might ask?

Aside from the obvious, you mean? Of me wanting these because Rain is the endorser of this particular brand of cake from China and naturally his face is plastered all over the packaging? (Hey, I'm not an obsessed fan for nothing... keke...)
These cakes are doubly special to me because of how I got them, from where and from who...
These were given to me by two of my favorite bosses in Kao Corp., Hoshikawa-san and Tito Benny... They both know how addicted I am to Rain so it's no surprise to them when my "pasalubong list" from Shanghai had only one item... Fuma Cake. Actually, I only wanted a sample just so I could see and taste the real thing. I never imagined they'd have so much trouble and bring this much back to the Philippines...
After Rain's recent concert in Shanghai, the cakes have practically sold-out. So, Hoshi-san and Tito Benny had to look all over the city for almost half a day for them... They even called to say that they can't find the cakes but that they are doing their best. They added jokingly that they have stopped working and that they have mobilized the entire Kao Shanghai group and the city police to look for my cakes... Hehe... When they finally found a store that sells them, Hoshi-san had to sweet-talk a saleslady to give them a big bag (with Rain's picture on it) for me as an added souvenir... And I can just imagine how Tito Benny had to hand-carry this bag all the way from Shanghai to Hong Kong to Manila...
Aahhh, I was so touched... Now more than the cakes, I appreciate their efforts. Wouldn't you be touched if your bosses would go to all that trouble just to feed your "addiction" and put a smile on your face?

Thanks so much, Tito Benny and Hoshi-san... You're the best! Want some cakes?

Inked for BI

Just want to share this with you... My new tattoo... of BI... hahaha...

Yup, got this one just three weeks ago... And it's real... unlike Rain's tattoos in the CK ads... Haha... Although it's really those CK ads that inspired me to get a new tattoo...

Anyway, it's an ankle tattoo of Bi's name in Korean Hangeul character. Rain has had such a big positive impact in my life and I just want to celebrate him. But, of course, I didn't want to have his face tattooed on my skin. That would have been too extreme. Even his english name, Rain, would be extreme for me. (How would I explain that to my future husband? Keke... Unless I marry Rain himself... Ooh, I just wish... Hahaha) At least the Korean character Bi is more subtle and simpler. Besides I've always find that cool ever since I saw it on the cover of his 1st album.

And if a non-Rain fan would ask, it'll be easier for me to explain. That it means "rain" and it just balances the tattoo I already have on my lower back (2 years ago) of the sun. I love the sun so much because it reminds me of how universal God's love is. The sun shines on EVERYONE - saint or sinner, rich or poor, etc... But now with Rain in my life, I'm all the more reminded that God loves me even if the sun doesn't shine. Rain has been such a blessing to me... Now, rain or shine, I'm happy... (Or I'm actually just trying hard to have a "profound explanation" to this craziness... Hahaha...)

I also had cherry blossoms design around my ankle. I researched it and I learned that cherry blossom symbolizes "spiritual beauty". I'd like to believe that I may not be knock-out-beauty-queen material but deep inside, spiritually, I am beautiful. (Don't I just love myself? Hahaha...)