[Throwback] Edinburgh Sights and Landmarks

I didn't do a lot of research on what sights to see in Edinburgh so most of my decisions on what to do were made during my first day in the city. There were two places I knew that I wanted to visit. The first was the Scott Monument. 

Scott Monument

This landmark stands prominently in Princes Street Gardens. It was built as a monument to Scottish literary giant Sir Walter Scott, who authored classic novels such as Ivanhoe and Rob Roy. Visitors can enter the tower and climb its 287 steps to the top, which I did. Thankfully, the sun was shining brightly when was there so I was able to enjoy incredible panoramic views of both the old and new towns of Edinburgh.

View of Edinburgh from the Scott Monument

You also have a fantastic view of Edinburgh Castle, which is the second place I wanted to visit.

Great view of Edinburgh Castle from the Scott Monument

Edinburgh Castle is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Scotland and in the entire UK. It sits atop a cliff called Castle Rock at the end of the Royal Mile, which I guess make sense because being in that location makes the fortress much easier to defend.

Entrance to Edinburgh Castle

I got there a bit after noon because I wanted to be there in time for the firing of the One O'Clock Gun, which is shot everyday at 1pm. (I didn't get to see the gun fired but I definitely heard it!) I did see and take a photo of the Mons Meg, a cannon built in 1449.

Mons Meg

There are many things to see at the castle, including the Scottish National War Memorial, so you can easily spend a lot of time here.

Scottish National War Memorial

Visitors can also enjoy some pretty awesome views of the city.

View from Edinburgh Castle

There are several tourist traps along the Royal Mile and I ended up visiting a few of them after my trip to Edinburgh Castle. The first was the Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre. I don't remember much about what I did here but I vaguely recall learning about Scotch Whisky. I can't recall if I got to to try some. I do know they gave me a certificate that said I completed the tour and that I am now a life-long friend of the Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre. I still have that certificate! (I just did a search online and it seems this place is now called the Scotch Whisky Experience).

Scottish Whisky Heritage Centre

I also visited Camera Obscura, which is housed in the Outlook Tower. Guests can enjoy optical illusions and similar attractions. I took a look at the official website now and I think there are a lot more things to do than there were back when I visited. 

Camera Obscura

Finally, I went to the Tartan Weaving Mill and Exhibition. My friend Duncan told me that Scottish clans have their own unique pattern which is used in their kilts. Having some understanding the historic and traditional significance of tartan made me want to visit this place.

Tartan Weaving Mill and Exhibition

Of all the sights along the Royal Mile that I visited, this is the most memorable. While this attraction contains weaving and cloth displays which would normally not be as interesting, I got to do two things while I was here that made me feel the Scottish vibe. First, I got to try haggis, a traditional Scottish dish made of sheep's heart, lungs, and liver. I remember being a bit weirded out by the taste as soon as it hit my mouth but after a second or two, the flavor developed and I realized I actually really liked it! I asked them if haggis was available for sale there but it wasn't.

The other thing that made my visit to the Tartan Weaving Mill and Exhibition really unforgettable was that I got to put on a kilt and a traditional Scottish outfit and have my photo taken in it! If I recall correctly, it costs extra to do this - there is an official photographer who will take your photo and you get to take home an 8"x10" picture - but I couldn't say no to this opportunity. My photo is still on display in my family's home but I also asked the photographer to take a snapshot of me using my camera. Cool!

Me in traditional Scottish attire at the Tartan Weaving Mill and Exhibition

Next post: Edinburgh Experiences

[Throwback] A Day in Newcastle

My friends Duncan and Amy were in the UK at the same time I was and they had planned to visit Susan in Newcastle. I managed to adjust my plans so that I could visit Newcastle on that same day so I could get see them all. I took a train from London to Newcastle and when I arrived, Duncan and Amy picked me up and took me to Susan's house. She very kindly agreed to host us all that evening so I didn't need to worry about accommodations. Once we all got settled, we went to visit Hadrian's Wall, one of the most historic landmarks in the UK. Hadrian's Wall is another UNESCO World Heritage Site (meaning that I had now seen three of them in two days). It is named after Roman Emperor Hadrian under whose reign the wall was built.

Hadrian's Wall

Later that night, all four of us went to a pub where I believe we were joined by some other friends of Duncan and Susan. I don't remember much of that night apart from the fact that I had so much beer. I don't recall paying for any drinks; I think people just kept buying rounds for everyone and I just kept graciously accepting them. I'm not sure how long we were at the pub, must have been quite a few hours but I was plastered when we got back to Susan's home. I remember telling people I was just going to lie a bit on the couch and the next thing I remember was that it was morning. Susan had very nicely placed a sheet and a blanket on the edge of the couch but as I was already asleep, I never got to use them.

I think my hangover made me forget much of what happened that day apart from Duncan and Amy driving me to Edinburgh where I would spend the next couple of nights. Duncan and Amy were actually heading to Glasgow but they decided to take me to Edinburgh so that Amy could also see the capital of Scotland during her UK visit. We spent the afternoon together, just walking around the border of the old town and the new town, and had dinner in the early evening. We then said our goodbyes so that Amy and Duncan could return to Glasgow while it still wasn't too late in the evening.

One other thing about this trip: Amy and I were both excited to see spotted cows! I remember seeing quite a few while on the train from London to Newcastle. While Duncan was driving us, we passed by several pastures where we saw more spotted cows. I pointed them out to Amy who then told Duncan, "see, it's not weird to be excited about seeing spotted cows!" I guess it's because we don't have them in the Philippines.

Next post: Edinburgh

[Throwback] Stonehenge, Bath, and Lacock Village

One of the sights I absolutely wanted to see during my trip to the UK was Stonehenge. I looked at the brochures in the hostel I was staying in and I saw a brochure for a Luxury Mini-Coach Day Tour of Stonehenge, Bath, and Lacock Village organized by Astral Tours (which I think is no longer in operation).

Stonehenge

The brochure read: "5000 years of history in one day - the perfect combination for those with less time. We take the old coaching road through the rural Wiltshire to the charming village of Lacock. Enjoy a guided tour of beautiful Bath, originally founded by the Romans as a health spa, and later an elegant Georgian resort. Visit the Roman Baths and Pump Rooms and explore at your own leisure, with time for shopping and lunch. Discover the secrets of Stonehenge and hear about the many myths, legends, and mysteries associated with this awe-inspiring monument. The very best of Britain!" 

The Roman Baths

Our first stop was Lacock. I didn't know anything about this village but based on what I read in the brochure, I was really interested to experience its old-town charm. When we got there, I really enjoyed seeing the many quaint and beautiful traditional English houses and I loved soaking in the idyllic atmosphere as I walked along its historic streets. If I had more time here, I would have loved to visit Lacock Abbey, which has been around since the 13th century!

Lacock Village

Our next stop was Bath. Apparently, the entire city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I didn't get to explore the city though. I only had time to go around the Roman Baths.

Me at the Roman Baths

The Romans built these baths using the naturally occurring hot springs in the area. There is a museum complex where visitors can learn more about its history and see the ruins of the Temple of Sulis Minerva. Bath Abbey is right next to the Roman Baths but I didn't get a chance to visit it.

Bath Abbey

Finally, it was time to visit Stonehenge. This legendary monument was one of the first World Heritage sites in the UK. I can't recall what our tour guide said about it but you can read more about its history here. The visit doesn't take too long because the area is cordoned off so the closest you can get to it is about 20 meters away. (That said, I just discovered that you can get special access to walk among the stones. If I get to visit the UK again, I will try to join one of these special access tours.) While some people find Stonehenge to be overrated, I'm personally happy that I have gotten to see it in person.

Me at Stonehenge

The night after that tour was the last I spent in London. The next day, I took the to Newcastle to meet up with some friends. More about my trip to Newcastle in my next post.

Next post: Newcastle

[Throwback] London Experiences

One of the things I really wanted to do while I was in London was watch a musical. While these shows are not cheap, I ended up watching two of them. The first was The Lion King. At the time, I had just been hearing about how great a show it was but I didn't know what to expect. When I watched it, I was impressed by the incredible visuals of the Circle of Life opening. I also remembering being completely blown away when Mufasa's head suddenly appeared as a hologram in that scene where Simba talks to his father's spirit.

The Lion King at the Lyceum Theatre

I also caught Chicago The Musical. I knew nothing about Chicago at the time but I was influenced to watch it after reading about it in Time Out magazine and seeing a lot of ads in the Tube. Thankfully, I did because I really enjoyed it! Apart from the incredible show, I also had memorable experience when purchasing my ticket. The show as held at the Adelphi Theatre which had three sections. The Stalls were closest to the stage, followed by the Dress Circle. Furthest from the Stage was the Upper Circle. I had a choice between a seat towards the back of the Dress Circle and a seat at the front row of the Upper Circle. I was thinking that being closer to the stage would make my experience better so I asked to buy a Dress Circle seat but the person behind the ticket counter said that he believed I would have a much better experience if I sat at the front row of the Upper Circle because my view would be unobstructed. (Additional bonus to me was that it was 5 pounds cheaper.) I was very pleasantly surprised that the guy at the ticket booth convinced me to get the cheaper ticket when the show could very well have earned that extra 5 quid from me.

My trip to the UK was the first and only time that I stayed in a hostel during a leisure trip to another country (I did this both in London and in Edinburgh). In London, I stayed in Holland House Youth Hostel. (I can't seem to find this hostel online anymore; I think it may have closed.) Many people end up making friends with other hostel guests but I guess I'm not that friendly since I didn't really interact with anyone else for the most part while I was there. I also ended up staying in two different rooms. That's because my plans changed while in London. I booked a bed in Holland House for I think five nights because I was expecting to go to Newcastle after that. My very good friends Duncan and Amy were in Glasgow at the same time I was in the UK and we planned to meet up in Newcastle so that we could visit another friend Susan. I think the schedule of this visit to Susan changed so I had to stay in London an extra few nights but the bed I was in for my first five nights had already been assigned to someone else. The new bed I got was in a room that had no window which was unfortunate. But worse, one of the guys in our room snored very, very loudly! I remember other guys in the room being so annoyed that they were throwing pillows at the snoring guy. I'm not sure how I managed to survive two nights with that nocturnal cacophony - I think I put my pillow over my head to dampen the noise - but it was this experience that made me decide to just stay in hotels in all my succeeding trips.

Holland House, the hostel where I stayed while in London

I also met up with another good friend, Dave, and I got to meet his wife Emma. At the time, Emma worked at the House of Commons so she was able to bring me and Dave into the cafeteria there. Dave told me that not everyone is allowed inside so I felt very privileged to have experienced having lunch there. The plan was for me and Dave to watch a World Cup qualifying match later that evening so he and I just hung out the entire afternoon - we went to a bar and just had some drinks - before going to a sports pub to watch the match. I gotta say, that was one of the best experiences I had in that trip. England won and the atmosphere at the pub was absolutely electric! It was that experience that turned me into a football fan (at least back then; I have to admit that I haven't been following the sport for many years now). I also became a Liverpool fan because all of England's goals that night were scored by Liverpool players.

One of the first places I went to was Harrods, the famous department store. I recall it was raining at the time so I bought an automatic umbrella that cost around P1,000. While I was disappointed by the fact that I had to spend so much (this was very long ago so that amount was worth even more back then), I ended up giving that umbrella to my mom when I returned to Manila and she said it was really good and sturdy. A friend told me that Harrods is known for its Food Halls and that I should try it. I kinda feel that I did but I can't remember it anymore.

I got pretty familiar with The Tube, or the London Underground rapid transport system. Anyone who's taken The Tube will be familiar with the words "Mind the gap" which is always broadcast over the speakers to remind people to take care when getting on or off the train. I actually bought a shirt with a logo of The Tube and the words "Mind the gap" printed on it. I have since donated that shirt to charity but if I do get to visit London again, maybe I will buy a shirt like that again.

Other memories: I had lunch in Planet Hollywood near Piccadilly Circus. I remember asking if the soda was refillable but it wasn't so I ended up ordering two Pepsis. When I got the bill, I saw that I was charged only one Pepsi so I told the waitress. When she handed me the corrected receipt, she said "You're a good man." I also visited the Tower Records a short distance away from Planet Hollywood and I bought a couple of DVDs but I can't remember which ones I got. 

Next post: Day Tour to Stonehenge, Bath, and Lacock Village

[Throwback] London Landmarks Part 2

One of the first sights I visited in the UK was the London Eye. At the time, it was called the British Airways London Eye but now, it seems like it is sponsored by lastminute.com. It was also world's tallest observation wheel when I visited (its height has since been surpassed by other observation wheels in the world but it remains the tallest one in Europe).

London Eye

Each pod holds 25 people. For the one I boarded, I was told by our "flight attendant" - or the guide who joins us in the pod - that I would be the team leader. Wow! But just as I was feeling a bit important, I was told that being team leader just meant that I was the start of the next group of 25. Way to bring my ego down haha!

Each London Eye pod holds 25 people

It takes about half an hour to go all the way around the London Eye. It was a bit muggy when I was there but I still got to enjoy some pretty cool views of the city. I was told that you can see up to 26 miles away from the top.

View from the London Eye

Another popular landmark I visited was Madame Tussauds, which has hundreds of wax figures of celebrities, leaders, and famous people. I gotta say, the figures are very well-made. As I took this trip such a long time ago, I still didn't have a smart phone so every time I wanted to have my photo taken, I had to ask help from other people. Thankfully, there were a lot of kind people who obliged. One of my favorite photos is this one with The Beatles.

The Beatles

I also had my photo taken with Princess Diana...

Diana, Princess of Wales

...and with Marilyn Monroe in her iconic pose.

Marilyn Monroe

I also went to the London Dungeon. What's interesting about this visit is that I barely remember anything about it. I do know that there were medieval torture devices on display but I can't recall exactly what I saw. I know that I was disturbed by the thought that these tools were used to bring pain to people in the middle ages. I also remember learning that the nursery rhyme "Ring Around The Rosie" supposedly has a pretty gruesome origin as it is believed to be about the Great Plague in the 1600s. It seems that a rosy rash was the first symptom of the plague and posies were supposedly used as a cure or a preventative measure. There are two variants of the 3rd line: "a-tishoo" which could refer to the symptom of sneezing, and "ashes" which could refer to cleansing bonfires. The last line "we all fall down" refers to death. (That said, as I read about it now, many folklorists don't accept this origin story; read more here https://blogs.loc.gov/folklife/2014/07/ring-around-the-rosie-metafolklore-rhyme-and-reason/)

Entrance to the London Dungeon

I also visited Wimbledon! As a huge tennis fan, I wanted to see the place where arguably the most popular and significant tennis tournament is played. My plan was just to pay Wimbledon a quick visit in the morning then I would visit the Science Museum or the Natural History Museum in the afternoon. However, when I got there, I found out that there was a tour of the grounds later that day so I changed my itinerary and decided to just stay in Wimbledon.

Wimbledon

The tour allowed me to to see Centre Court (it still didn't have a roof back then)...

Centre Court before the roof was built

... as well as No. 1 Court. 

No. 1 Court

I also spent went into the Wimbledon museum. A highlight for me was seeing some clips of Steffi Graf's legendary win in 1988 over Martina Navratilova that gave her the first of seven Wimbledon titles. (Now, of course, many of these clips are on YouTube.) I actually bought a Steffi poster that I never put up anywhere because there was really no wall space at home for it (I'm not even sure if I still have it, maybe I should check).

Trophies on display at the Wimbledon Museum

While I did not go to the Science Museum and the Natural History Museum that day, I did visit them on my last day in the UK before flying back home. What's strange is that, similar to my London Dungeon visit, I absolutely do not remember anything I saw inside. I actually thought I just went there to take pictures of their facades but when I looked at the travel memorabilia I kept, I apparently bought tickets to both these museums. Since I don't recall anything I saw here, I need to include them in my itinerary if (when?) I go to the UK again.

Natural History Museum

Science Museum

In my next post, I will share some special and interesting experiences I had in London.

Next post: London Experiences

[Throwback] London Landmarks Part 1

The first sight I visited in London was Buckingham Palace. I made sure to arrive about an hour before the Changing of the Guard so I would have time to take some photos of the palace.

Buckingham Palace

I got there early enough that I had time to take a quick stroll around St James's Park right next to it.

St. James's Park

I headed back to the Palace with plenty of time to spare so I could move up close to the fence to have the best possible view of the Changing of the Guard. According to this link, the ceremony spans three locations and the activities in Buckingham Palace start at 11:45am. Since I was standing right next to the fence, I was able to position my camera in between the pickets so my photos were thankfully not obstructed.

Changing of the Guard

I actually visited Buckingham Palace again a few days later so I could go inside. The State Rooms of Buckingham Palace are opened to the public during the summer months. Entrance to the Palace is actually not through the main facade but through an entrance via the gardens. (I gotta say though that while I did go into the State Rooms - I kept my entrance ticket - I actually don't remember what I saw inside.)

Queen Victoria Memorial at Buckingham Palace

I also visited the Tower of London, which is where the Crown Jewels are kept. You might be familiar with this landmark if you watched Spider-Man: Far From Home. This trip came before cameras and phones had massive storage so I have only one picture taken inside the Tower.

Inside the Tower of London

I joined a guided tour led by one of the Yeoman Warders, more popularly known as Beefeaters, who are the guards of the Tower of London. It was in this tour that I learned that Humpty Dumpty supposedly refers to King Richard III. (Read more about this reference here https://www.thevintagenews.com/2018/02/28/humpty-dumpty/).

Photo with a Beefeater at the Tower of London

The River Thames is the second longest river in the UK. I decided to take a Thames River cruise so I could get a different glimpse of the city. Some of the best landmarks you will see along the river are the Tower Bridge...

Tower Bridge

...and Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster, where the Houses of Parliament convene.

Big Ben viewed from the River Thames

I also took the Hop-on Hop-off London Sightseeing Tour on their iconic double-decker bus. Naturally, I sat on the second level, allowing me to take photos of some beautiful city landmarks, such as St. Paul's Cathedral...

St. Paul's Cathedral

...and Westminster Abbey (Unfortunately, I only got to see this landmark in passing; I didn't actually go here and experience it more thoroughly).

Westminster Abbey

As I was in London for several days, I did get to visit quite a few places so I will write more in my next blog post.

Next post: More London Landmarks

[Throwback] Vacation in the United Kingdom

Since travel is still difficult and not very advisable at this time, I decided to blog about trips I took before I started this blog. I'll start out by writing about my trip to the UK. I took a 2-week vacation leave at work after I completed one of the most difficult and stressful projects I've ever worked on. What made me want to go to the UK? In the previous two years, I worked with quite a few British people, most of whom were temporarily assigned in Manila. I ended up being really good friends with them and in many of our conversations, they would talk about life in England or Scotland. Since I got along with them quite well and their stories made me really interested in their country, I figured why not go there?

Big Ben

My trip lasted 11 days and I ended up staying in three different cities. Most of my time was spent in London...

Buckingham Palace

...and I made sure to take a day-trip to Stonehenge. 

Stonehenge

I spent a day in Newcastle...

Newcastle

...before heading further north to Edinburgh.

Edinburgh

I will be writing in more detail about my trip over my next several blog posts.

Next post: London Landmarks Part 1

Taking Back Control of My Life (Or At Least Trying To)

For almost a year now, I've felt like I didn't have enough energy to do things. A large part of that is the pandemic which has kept me inside my pad most of the time, except when I need to buy food or supplies. I did manage to exercise regularly a few months into the quarantine last year but the combination of an injury and a very heavy workload left me unable to exercise. It was work that proved to be the other major cause of my lack of energy. Having really challenging, difficult projects and responsibilities often left me wiped out. Sometimes, I don't even feel like washing dishes at the end of the day (of course I always do; I won't leave dirty dinnerware in the sink overnight lest my pad become infested with cockroaches and other bugs).

It was maybe in the last few months that I decided that I needed to become more productive again. I started out wanting to exercise regularly again but so far that plan hasn't quite panned out. I have, however, started watching movies again. In a couple of previous posts, I wrote about movies I've watched on HBO Go and on IWant TFC. Since then, I've watched a few more films, including Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, Sonic The Hedgehog (I was surprised that I actually liked this film), and Godzilla vs. Kong. I was hoping Godzilla vs. Kong would become available on HBO Go after being only on HBO Max a few months ago (HBO Max is not available in Asia). Thankfully, it did. I didn't like it as much as Godzilla: King of the Monsters but it was still enjoyable enough. (Spoiler alert: that "tag-team" final battle scene against Mechagodzilla was pretty awesome!)

Another thing I decided to do was blog more. From March 2020 to April 2021, I averaged only about 2 posts a month, which is way below my average in the previous years. Since May of this year, however, I've managed to write more, with 6 posts in May, 4 in June, and so far 4 this month.

And there's more to come. That's because I also decided to write about trips I took before I started this blog. Since I haven't been able to travel due to the pandemic, I thought that reminiscing and writing about my past experiences would be the next best thing. (I figured it would also be good to start updating my Instagram with travel photos I took prior to creating my IG account.) Hopefully, by the time I finish writing about past trips that I never got to blog about before and posting travel pics on social media, it will be safe enough to travel again.

The key now is for me to really get back into the mental state that enabled me to work out 4 to 6 times a week in the middle of 2020. My target now though is to exercise 3-4 times a week. I also want to start reading books again. Hopefully, I can start doing more and more things that I used to do regularly pre-pandemic.

Wimbledon 2021

20 is the magic number. Novak Djokovic won Wimbledon, his 20th Grand Slam singles title. This puts him in a tie with Roger Federer and Rafael as male tennis players with the most major trophies. Incredible!

60 titles.
18 years.
3 legends.

One golden era 🌟#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/AwCJLmkDxC

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 11, 2021

Roy Emerson previously held the men's record with 12 Grand Slam titles, a feat he achieved in 1967. That record stood for more than 30 years until Pete Sampras broke it by winning his 13th major in 2000. Sampras went on to win one more in 2002, upping his haul to 14 Grand Slam titles. Compare that to the women. At the time that Sampras held the men's record, 5 women had more major singles titles than him - Margaret Court (24), Steffi Graf (22), Helen Wills Moody (19), Martina Navratilova (18), and Chris Evert (18). Of course, since then, Serena Williams has taken the women's open era record with 23 and is still in the hunt to match Court's count.

Now, we see three men winning 20 Grand Slam singles titles. What's even more mind-boggling is that they won these majors while playing in the same era! If one or two of them weren't playing, the other/s could have already broken Court's record by now. Witnessing the Big Three demolish records or add to the records they already own is just special; it truly is the Golden Era in men's tennis.

But let's go back to Wimbledon. Novak won it, beating Matteo Berrettini in the final over four competitive sets. This now means that Novak has won all thee majors played this year. If he wins the US Open, he will achieve the Grand Slam. If he also wins the Olympics in Tokyo, he will win the Golden Slam, a feat achieved only by Steffi Graf (so far). It will be very interesting to see if Djokovic achieves this but what he has going for him is the fact that he is fit and no other tennis player can match his mental strength. If anyone can match Steffi's legendary achievement, it is Novak.

Congratulations also to Ashleigh Barty who won the women's title. This is her second Grand Slam title after winning the French Open in 2019. She has been the women's #1 player since September 2019 and this win shows just why she is at the top of women's tennis. Interestingly enough, Ashleigh won the Girls' Junior title at Wimbledon 10 years ago. If she manages to keep playing close to the level she played this tournament, it won't be surprising if she wins more major titles and stays on as the top female tennis player.

Quarantine Stories Part 12

I decided to take a leave recently for a couple of reasons. First, work has become really hectic and I felt I needed a break beyond just the weekend. Second, I'm still paranoid about being infected by Covid so I think that doing some activities on a weekday might be safer because most people are working and less people would be doing non-work stuff, such as getting a haircut. My first haircut since the quarantine started was early this year and it felt safe enough because I booked the earliest schedule on a weekday and no one else was there during my appointment. I decided to take that same approach this time around, scheduling an appointment on a weekday. As it turned out, a handful of other people had the same idea. It was a bit jarring for me to be in the salon with two or three other customers (thankfully, we all sat far away from each other) and in fact, when my haircut was done, three more people came in for their appointments. It's been several days since my haircut and I'm not experiencing any symptoms so I guess I didn't get infected.

After my haircut, I had my car washed. This time, thankfully, there were no other customers when I got there. The car wash I went to was also very spacious so I was several meters away from the people cleaning my car (and from anyone else). Aside from maximizing physical distancing, I was also thankful for the fact that I managed to bring my car home before it rained. 😂

In a recent post, I talked about purchasing a few online versions of board games during the Steam Summer Sale (I also got a gift from one of my gaming friends). While I haven't gotten to play them with other people yet, these games can all be played against AI players. As such, I've been playing Istanbul, Splendor, and Potion Explosion quite a bit since last weekend. I have to say, of all the Steam games I've played, the AI players in Istanbul are by far the toughest to beat. In all other games, I can score at least one win every few games (in some of them, I can win consistently). Istanbul, however, is a different story. I often lose, sometimes pretty badly! I still have to figure out how best to play it so I can compete well against the AIs.

Another recent purchase I made was a bottle of limoncello, which is an Italian liqueur made from lemon zest.

Morra Limoncello

I think I started wanting to get a bottle when I saw an ad for a Limoncello cake. It reminded me of the few times I've gotten to try to this drink, including once during a business trip in Italy. This liqueur has 30% alcohol so you don't want to have too much of it, lest you end up getting massively drunk. While the recommendation is to enjoy this drink after dinner, I sometimes have it as a nightcap. I have a 1 liter bottle so this should last me a while.

Dan Castallaneta, the Voice of Homer Simpson

I'm not particularly sure how the YouTube algorithm works or whether I had been watching a lot of similar or related videos but a clip of Dan Castallaneta, the voice actor of Homer Simpson, being interviewed by Conan O'Brien popped up as a video I might be interested in. I was, so I watched it. And I'm thankful I did. Dan also voices a lot of other characters on The Simpsons, including Grandpa, Krusty the Clown, Barney, Groundskeeper Willy, and the Mayor. Seeing the voice actor in person and hearing him do all the different voices is incredible as it is but seeing him do all that while being witty and funny and in character makes this interview pretty special.

video uploaded in YouTube by Team Coco

(There's a more complete version of this on YouTube, which includes Dan being introduced by Conan. I chose to share the video above because the quality is better.)

There's a whole treasure trove of interviews with incredibly talented and amazing voice actors from The Simpsons. If you're a fan of the show, you can easily spend hours digging them up on YouTube.

Nightbirde's Incredible AGT Performance

If you haven't seen this video yet, then you might have been living under a rock in the last few weeks. This is Nightbirde performance on America's Got Talent.

 

video uploaded in youtube by America's Got Talent

There are so many amazing things to say about this video. Not only does Nightbirde have such a beautiful tone that is perfect for recording, she also puts in such an authentic performance. Which makes sense of course, because she wrote that song and it is about her life and all the difficulties and doubts she experiences. Her song "It's OK" is also so beautifully written, with lyrics that resonate deeply with anyone who has faced adversity and that validate their fears and sense of loss while at the same time providing inspiration.

Then of course there was Nightbirde herself. Her positivity amidst so much darkness in her life is astonishing and compelling. Her words are perfect quotes to help us get through tough times:

"It's important that everyone knows I'm so much more than the bad things that happen to me."

"You can't wait until life isn't hard enough before you decide to be happy."

"2% is not 0%. 2% is something."

This last quote was especially inspirational and heartbreaking for me. 2% is a huge mountain to climb, and you can sense from Nightbirde's face and that voice that she knows and feels this, but she also knows that there is still a chance, no matter how small, and she's taking it. I join the world in hoping that she beats the odds and survives.

Quarantine Stories Part 11

More than fifteen months after we first got placed under lockdown and Metro Manila is still in some form of quarantine. Thankfully, more and more people are getting vaccinated, including some of my family and friends, which will definitely help build herd immunity. I'm also grateful that the company I work for is securing vaccines for all its employees. Some of my colleagues already received their vaccination notifications but I still haven't. Hopefully I won't have to wait too long for mine. Given the current situation, many of my friends still feel it might be too risky to meet up face-to-face so many get-togethers still happen through online video conferencing. My friend Michelle celebrated her birthday recently and she organized an online game night so we could all have a virtual party with her. It was a really fun night, highlighted by a round of Bingo which Michelle wanted us all to play. There were six of us playing bingo block-out so it took a while for it to finish. It came down to the wire, with only 3 numbers out of all 75 left and almost of us waiting for just one number. As luck would have it, I ended up being the winner. Everyone in the group was saying it was most fun they've ever had playing bingo and I completely agree (and not just because I won haha).

My winning Bingo card!

The initial idea was for us to play online Steam games and since Steam has its summer sale from June 24 to July 8, I decided to purchase a few more games online. However, it turns out Niki didn't have an active Steam account so he didn't have any of the games we did. Since we wanted everyone in the group to be engaged, we decided to play other online games. We ended up playing Just Once, Codenames Philippine edition, and many different Jackbox games. Nothing beats face-to-face gaming with great friends but the online games we have are the next best thing, especially during this pandemic.

This wasn't the only online event I attended. Just a week before that, our department at work had a whole-day online team-building event, the first time I ever participated in one. We had some org-building exercises led by our HR team, a lot of games, and even a raffle where I won a portable neck fan. All of the games played were team activities, including a Pictionary-style game, a variation of Bring Me, a video-recreation game, and a trivia quiz done over Kahoot where all players played individually but the scores were averaged to determine team score. My team placed 2nd overall (our prize: GCash credits!) but the individuals with the highest scores in the trivia quiz also received special prizes. I topped that trivia quiz, correctly answering 25 questions the fastest, so I ended up with some extra GCash funds. Cool!

While these online activities have been good substitutes, they are just that: substitutes, I am hoping it won't be to long that some of my groups will already be fully vaccinated and we will finally be comfortable meeting up in person (while still following safety protocols, of course).

The 2021 French Open

(This post is really late but the last two weeks were extremely grueling for me due to a very intense workload so I only found time to write about this now.)

The 2021 French Open concluded last June 13 and when the (red) dust settled, Novak Djokovic was left alone standing atop the men's draw, holding up his 2nd Roland Garros trophy. On the women's side, Barbora Krejcikova surprised the tennis world by winning the women's trophy. Congratulations, Novak and Barbora!

What was your favourite #FlyBetterMoment from Roland-Garros this year? #FlyEmiratesFlyBetter #RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/uVjzCHevts

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 14, 2021

As a Rafa Nadal fan, this is surely not the outcome I wanted. The fact that Daniil Medvedev moved past him in the rankings earlier this year meant that Nadal dropped to #3 in the world and he ended up on Novak's side of the draw. Rafa had more than his fair share of chances in one of the most hard-fought matches I've seen the two of them play. Yes, their semifinal was "only" four sets but the momentum kept shifting and both of them kept battling back when they were down. That said, Novak ended the match by winning the last 5 games to book a place in the final. There, he faced Stefanos Tsitsipas who, prior to that match, had amassed more points than any other player in the ATP tour this year. When Tsitispas went up 2 sets to love in the championship match, I'm sure most people were thinking the title was his. Not me, though. I was actually texting my friend to say that I am not counting Noval out and I'd be willing to bet that if he won that 3rd set, he would end up taking the match in five. As it turned out, I was right.

Obviously, the ideal state for me was for Nadal to have won his 14th title at Roland Garros. However, I am simply in awe at Novak's resilience and durability. In my opinion, his mental strength is second to none in the history of tennis. I don't think any other player has come from behind - including when he was match point down - as often as he has.  How significant is this win at the French Open?

• This is Novak Djokovic's 19th major title. He is now only one behind Roger Federer and Rafa. Given the fact that he's still the #1 player in the world, I wouldn't be surprised if he ties both of them this year and even moves past them both with his 21st.
• Djokovic is now the only male player to win each Grand Slam tournament at least twice in the Open Era.
• Don't look now but Novak is halfway towards winning the Grand Slam (or all four majors in the same year).
• It is also an Olympic year. If Djokovic competes and wins the Olympics along with Wimbledon and the US Open, he will achieve the Golden Slam, a feat accomplished by only one other player in history, Stefanie Graf.
• Novak has now been #1 for a men's record 326 weeks. Only two other players in history have been ranked #1 longer than that - Martina Navratilova at 332 weeks and Graf at 377 weeks. Novak will surely move past Martina within the next couple of months. He may very well end up being ranked #1 longer than any other player, male or female.

On the women's side, I was sad to see Iga Swiatek lose (I felt she hit too many errors) but I was happy about Barbora Krejcikova's win. I will admit that I didn't know who Krejcikova was prior to the French Open. But during the event, as she kept making it further into the tournament, I discovered that she was coached by Jana Novotna. I was (am) a Jana fan and I mourned her passing in 2017 due to cancer. This nostalgia made me root for Krejcikova. What's even more amazing is that she not only won the singles title, she also won the doubles trophy, a rare achievement in tennis these days. Congratulations Barbora!

Wimbledon is about to start in a few days and I am quite sad that Rafa won't be playing. My second favorite male player, Dominic Thiem, has also withdrawn from the event. That said, I am still looking forward to see what will happen. Will Novak Djokovic go into a three-way tie with Roger and Rafa at 20 major titles? Will Roger Federer snap Novak's streak at the slams this year to win his 21st major? Will one of the next gen players surprise Novak and Roger and become a first-time Grand Slam title winner? On the women's side, will Serena Williams finally tie Margaret Court's record 24 Grand Slam titles? There's so much history to play for and I am really intrigued to see how things will unfold.

Watching Local Films on IWant TFC

I subscribed to IWant TFC last year but it's really only recently that I have started to optimize it. I discovered that the IWant library includes films from the Second Golden Age of Philippine Cinema including a couple from critically-acclaimed director Mike De Leon. Here are the movies I got to see in the last couple of months.

Kisapmata

photo from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kisapmata

This movie was released during the 1981 Metro Manila Film Festival but only now, almost 40 years later, did I get to see it. I remember my mom telling me a long time ago that watching Kisapmata gave her a feeling of claustrophobia and I gotta say, I fully agree. Vic Silayan plays the lead role, a retired policeman named Dadong, and he is so domineering, intimidating, and even menacing that you can't help but feel the same fear that the characters feel from the way Dadong laughs, makes snide remarks, or manipulates the people around him. (He won Best The story unfolds in a way that you know something sinister is happening in the house but you don't immediately know what it is. It's in the second half that we start to slowly understand what is really going on behind closed doors (literally) and the revelations are quite jarring and chilling. I can completely understand why this movie swept the 1981 MMFF, winning a whopping 10 of 13 awards! While this movies is pretty intense and heavy, it is definitely very highly recommended. Kisapmata is now one of my favorite films.

Kakabakaba Ka ba?

I actually watched this film once, many years ago, when it was shown at the UP Film Center. Mike De Leon's range as a director is truly one-of-a-kind because he directed Kakabakaba Ka Ba?, a musical comedy a year before his psychological thriller Kisapmata was released. While this movie is light and easy to watch, it still injects really interesting social commentary about how religion can potentially be used to control the masses. It seems Mike De Leon's favorite actress back then (maybe still now?) is Charo Santos-Concio because she appeared in three of his movies, including this one. I also forgot that Christopher De Leon and Johnny Delgado can sing. The song "Bigyan niyo po kami ng tinapay" (I don't know if that's the official title of the song) is so catchy that I think it's a shame I can't find a clip of it on youtube. The climactic musical number where the devious plans of the Grand Master in Japan are revealed is so engaging and lot of fun to watch.

Oda sa Wala

Oda sa Wala is a very unique movie. I haven't seen any film - local or international - quite like it. It is extremely minimalist, with very few characters and little dialogue. The story revolves around Sonya, played by Pokwang (who goes by her real name Marietta Subang in the credits) who lives what seems to be a bit of an empty life. After watching it, I knew it was very interesting and intriguing but I didn't appreciate it as much as I expected I would. However, I found myself thinking about it a lot, trying to understand and analyze what happened and figure out why Sonya did some of the things she did. When a movie stays with you like that, you know it's pretty darn good. (SPOILER ALERT: I will talk about some details of the movie.) Towards the end, when we learn that what we saw in a certain scene wasn't real, it makes you wonder what other scenes could've just been in Sonya's head. Visually, this movie is stunning, from the cinematography to the framing to the color-grading. I was also really surprised at how good Pokwang was. She delivered an impeccable performance (she won Best Actress award at the QCinema International Film Festival). You might need to be in the right frame of mind to watch Oda sa Wala but I do recommend it.

Death of Nintendo

Death of Nintendo is a coming-of-age film set in the 1990s. I read some positive reviews about it and since I kinda wanted to watch some lighter fare, I decided to give it a go. To be honest, I thought it was just okay. I'm not particularly sure t know what makes this movie significantly different from other coming-of-age films. I also wasn't quite certain where the story was headed or even what happened in the end. I also wasn't a fan of the cliched use of domineering parents as plot devices, causing kids to act or react in certain ways. I do like how Philippine culture and traditions are presented here and the use of the Pinatubo eruption and the incessant power outages in the 90s as backdrop added flavor and personality to the film.

*****

My IWant TFC list now contains dozens of movies and I'm excited to watch some critically-acclaimed Filipino classics such as Himala, City After Dark, and Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos. I have of course added other more recent films and some light-hearted, feel-good films too. I'm definitely looking forward to watching more local movies.