A friend shared news the other day that Spanish Flamenco guitarist Paco De Lucia passed away. I learned about him when I saw this impressive video of him playing Tico Tico on youtube:
video uploaded in youtube by gommodor
Amazing how he stays perfectly calm and at ease even as his guitar-playing becomes unbelievably fast while still mistake-free. Rest in peace, Paco De Lucia
Friday, February 28, 2014
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
A Weekend in Cocoon Boutique
Months ago, I bought a Deal Grocer voucher for an overnight stay at the Cocoon Boutique Hotel in the Tomas Morato area. I decided to use it recently since the last several weeks had been very busy and I needed some time away from everything familiar to unwind and relax without actually leaving the city.
I first learned about this hotel when my cousins who are now based in Canada came home a couple of years ago. They stayed in Cocoon and they said it was a really good hotel. When I saw the voucher I decided to try it for myself. It's a small, cozy hotel and the main lobby is quite welcoming, with its comfortable seating and high ceiling.
I think I got the Deluxe Room which was actually really spacious.
When making a room reservation, I opted for the "Twin-together" bed that mimicked a California King bed. It was really comfortable!
The bathroom is pretty cool because it has glass walls with blinds on the inside. You can open the blinds so you can still watch TV while you are in the shower or the bathtub.
Too bad I didn't get to use the bathtub. However, the bathroom is quite spacious and has a luxurious feel to it.
The elevator control panel was pretty cool and unique too.
There are things about the hotel that I wasn't such a fan of. My room overlooked Scout Rallos and there was a bar outside so late at night, I could hear the noise from the bar. Also, while sitting at the desk and working on my laptop, I could hear the person from the other room speaking so the walls aren't completely soundproof.
Despite these disadvantages, my overall experience here was pretty great. As mentioned, the room is really comfortable and spacious, Also, the service is excellent - both check-in and check-out were a breeze and when I made a reservation via phone, they asked me if I wanted a parking slot at the basement and they did reserve one for me. The breakfast staff was also very friendly and helpful. My room came with free breakfast and while the buffet spread itself isn't that extensive, you actually get to order an ala carte item to go with it so everything combined means that you have a pretty good meal.
The location is also great. A 24-hour McDonald's is almost right next door and Causeway is just a bit further down the road. Tomas Morato itself is about a ten minutes away only. I got to walk along most of Tomas Morato that evening.
Cocoon Boutique Hotel is actually ranked #1 on Tripadvisor among hotels in Quezon City as of this writing and I am not surprised. I definitely enjoyed my stay here and I wouldn't mind going back. They actually have one and two-bedroom suites here so maybe the next time I visit, I can also bring my family with me.
I first learned about this hotel when my cousins who are now based in Canada came home a couple of years ago. They stayed in Cocoon and they said it was a really good hotel. When I saw the voucher I decided to try it for myself. It's a small, cozy hotel and the main lobby is quite welcoming, with its comfortable seating and high ceiling.
I think I got the Deluxe Room which was actually really spacious.
When making a room reservation, I opted for the "Twin-together" bed that mimicked a California King bed. It was really comfortable!
The bathroom is pretty cool because it has glass walls with blinds on the inside. You can open the blinds so you can still watch TV while you are in the shower or the bathtub.
Too bad I didn't get to use the bathtub. However, the bathroom is quite spacious and has a luxurious feel to it.
The elevator control panel was pretty cool and unique too.
There are things about the hotel that I wasn't such a fan of. My room overlooked Scout Rallos and there was a bar outside so late at night, I could hear the noise from the bar. Also, while sitting at the desk and working on my laptop, I could hear the person from the other room speaking so the walls aren't completely soundproof.
Despite these disadvantages, my overall experience here was pretty great. As mentioned, the room is really comfortable and spacious, Also, the service is excellent - both check-in and check-out were a breeze and when I made a reservation via phone, they asked me if I wanted a parking slot at the basement and they did reserve one for me. The breakfast staff was also very friendly and helpful. My room came with free breakfast and while the buffet spread itself isn't that extensive, you actually get to order an ala carte item to go with it so everything combined means that you have a pretty good meal.
The location is also great. A 24-hour McDonald's is almost right next door and Causeway is just a bit further down the road. Tomas Morato itself is about a ten minutes away only. I got to walk along most of Tomas Morato that evening.
Cocoon Boutique Hotel is actually ranked #1 on Tripadvisor among hotels in Quezon City as of this writing and I am not surprised. I definitely enjoyed my stay here and I wouldn't mind going back. They actually have one and two-bedroom suites here so maybe the next time I visit, I can also bring my family with me.
Monday, February 24, 2014
Cool Whisky Ad
Okay so heartwarming isn't normally a phrase you would associate with a whisky commercial but this advert of Bell's Whisky South Africa is an exception. Check it out:
video uploaded in youtube by Bells Whisky
video uploaded in youtube by Bells Whisky
Sunday, February 23, 2014
High School Mini-Reunion
One of my closest friends from high school, Eugene, moved to the US almost shortly after we graduated and he has been living there ever since. The last time I saw him was in 2004, almost exactly ten years ago because it was end-Feb when I met up with him and his wife Lorraine in New York. He hadn't been to the Philippines even longer than that - his last time here was in 2001! - so when he and his wife came for a couple of weeks, we definitely had to meet up.
It didn't start out the way I hoped it would though. The plan was that we - including our other friend Mitch - would take a tour to Corregidor before having dinner somewhere in Makati after. Unfortunately, a couple of days before, my laptop conked out and I lost about two days worth of work because of it. This meant that a ton of urgent tasks piled up and I had to get them all done before our Corregidor trip. I got stuck in the office until the wee hours of the morning and while I had set three alarms to hopefully wake me up, I unfortunately slept through all of them. It was a call from Mitch that finally woke me up and by then I didn't have any time to make it to the pier. I told them that I would just meet up with them when they got back from the tour.
I finally caught up with them later that afternoon at the Lobby Lounge in Shangri-La Makati. Since we would be having an early dinner at 7pm, we just ordered the Classic Afternoon Tea set. There was a decade of catching up to do so it was pretty cool that while we shared stories over tea or coffee and finger food, we had a live orchestra playing great music.
We then moved to Rambla in Rockwell for dinner (Mitch's family joined us there as well). Mitch had eaten there before and she said the food is really good. We ordered a few starters, all of which were delicious, but the most memorable thing I had was my main course. I didn't note down its exact name but it was Risotto with Chicken and Prawns:
And oh my God this dish was so exceptionally good! Rambla is quite expensive - most of the main courses were in the P500 to P1000 range and my risotto cost P695 - but if you do want to splurge, this is definitely a good place to do it.
Folks still had work the next day - it was a weekday and I took the day off for our mini reunion - so we called it a night quite early. I drove Eugene and Lorraine back to their hotel in Makati before heading home myself. While it didn't start out great with me missing Corregidor, it was still a fantastic and very memorable day. Hopefully we all get to reunite again soon.
It didn't start out the way I hoped it would though. The plan was that we - including our other friend Mitch - would take a tour to Corregidor before having dinner somewhere in Makati after. Unfortunately, a couple of days before, my laptop conked out and I lost about two days worth of work because of it. This meant that a ton of urgent tasks piled up and I had to get them all done before our Corregidor trip. I got stuck in the office until the wee hours of the morning and while I had set three alarms to hopefully wake me up, I unfortunately slept through all of them. It was a call from Mitch that finally woke me up and by then I didn't have any time to make it to the pier. I told them that I would just meet up with them when they got back from the tour.
I finally caught up with them later that afternoon at the Lobby Lounge in Shangri-La Makati. Since we would be having an early dinner at 7pm, we just ordered the Classic Afternoon Tea set. There was a decade of catching up to do so it was pretty cool that while we shared stories over tea or coffee and finger food, we had a live orchestra playing great music.
We then moved to Rambla in Rockwell for dinner (Mitch's family joined us there as well). Mitch had eaten there before and she said the food is really good. We ordered a few starters, all of which were delicious, but the most memorable thing I had was my main course. I didn't note down its exact name but it was Risotto with Chicken and Prawns:
And oh my God this dish was so exceptionally good! Rambla is quite expensive - most of the main courses were in the P500 to P1000 range and my risotto cost P695 - but if you do want to splurge, this is definitely a good place to do it.
Folks still had work the next day - it was a weekday and I took the day off for our mini reunion - so we called it a night quite early. I drove Eugene and Lorraine back to their hotel in Makati before heading home myself. While it didn't start out great with me missing Corregidor, it was still a fantastic and very memorable day. Hopefully we all get to reunite again soon.
Saturday, February 22, 2014
Everything is awesome: The Lego Movie
I finally got to watch The Lego Movie! It's a really good and enjoyable film for the most part. Not only is it entertaining story-wise, it is also very well and uniquely animated. Practically everything in the film was a Lego structure or piece. I was especially impressed with how the sea and the waves looked like they were built out of Lego pieces. I also liked how the characters "moved", resembling stop-motion animation and giving the impression that someone is actually playing with or moving the pieces.
Adding to its appeal is its myriad of popular characters such as Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Dumbledore, Gandalf, Han Solo, Chewbacca, and even Shaquille O'Neal. Despite the starstudded "cast", it's normal, almost forgettable guy Emmet who is the lead character. In traditional underdog fashion, Emmet is supposed to be "the special" who saves the Lego world from Lord Business.
Spoiler alert! Stop reading now if you don't want to be spoiled.
As mentioned, I really enjoyed this film for the most part. I can't say I completely enjoyed it because I was let down by the ending. As Emmet sacrifices himself to prevent, or at least delay, the destruction of the Lego World by Lord Business' secret weapon - the Kragle - it is revealed that all the pieces are being played with by a kid. His father is gluing all the Lego pieces into place in an effot to build a model of a city for his work. In essence, Emmet is kind of a representation of the kid and Lord Business that of his dad.
Of course, there are different interpretations of this twist. One is that the whole animated part of the film is really just the imagination of the kid. This is kind of how I interpret the film and this why I find the ending a bit flat. I guess I was really looking forward to how Emmet and the rest of the master builders would defeat Lord Business as themselves so to find out that the whole storyline is just the kid's imagination was very anti-climactic. Of course, there is that part when Emmet actually moves in the "real world" which can lead to another interpretation, that the whole thing wasn't just imagination and that the Lego pieces are "alive" as well. Personally, I would have preferred the movie to have just stuck to one "universe" where only Lego pieces exist.
Despite my disappointment at the ending, The Lego Movie is still really fun and definitely worth watching. It brings out the inner kid in its viewers and it also has a lot of clean humor that adults will appreciate. Special note: when Lord Business says "Release the Kragle" - a clear allusion to the popular "Release the Kraken" line from Clash of the Titans - it seemed like only a few people in the audience picked up on it because only a couple of us laughed at that gag. :)
If you haven't seen the film and are wondering why I have the words "Everything is awesome" in the title of this blog post, it is because "Everything is awesome" is the movie theme song and all the characters in the Lego World. You can check out the song here.
photo courtesy of The Lego Movie wikipedia page
Adding to its appeal is its myriad of popular characters such as Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Dumbledore, Gandalf, Han Solo, Chewbacca, and even Shaquille O'Neal. Despite the starstudded "cast", it's normal, almost forgettable guy Emmet who is the lead character. In traditional underdog fashion, Emmet is supposed to be "the special" who saves the Lego world from Lord Business.
Spoiler alert! Stop reading now if you don't want to be spoiled.
As mentioned, I really enjoyed this film for the most part. I can't say I completely enjoyed it because I was let down by the ending. As Emmet sacrifices himself to prevent, or at least delay, the destruction of the Lego World by Lord Business' secret weapon - the Kragle - it is revealed that all the pieces are being played with by a kid. His father is gluing all the Lego pieces into place in an effot to build a model of a city for his work. In essence, Emmet is kind of a representation of the kid and Lord Business that of his dad.
Of course, there are different interpretations of this twist. One is that the whole animated part of the film is really just the imagination of the kid. This is kind of how I interpret the film and this why I find the ending a bit flat. I guess I was really looking forward to how Emmet and the rest of the master builders would defeat Lord Business as themselves so to find out that the whole storyline is just the kid's imagination was very anti-climactic. Of course, there is that part when Emmet actually moves in the "real world" which can lead to another interpretation, that the whole thing wasn't just imagination and that the Lego pieces are "alive" as well. Personally, I would have preferred the movie to have just stuck to one "universe" where only Lego pieces exist.
Despite my disappointment at the ending, The Lego Movie is still really fun and definitely worth watching. It brings out the inner kid in its viewers and it also has a lot of clean humor that adults will appreciate. Special note: when Lord Business says "Release the Kragle" - a clear allusion to the popular "Release the Kraken" line from Clash of the Titans - it seemed like only a few people in the audience picked up on it because only a couple of us laughed at that gag. :)
If you haven't seen the film and are wondering why I have the words "Everything is awesome" in the title of this blog post, it is because "Everything is awesome" is the movie theme song and all the characters in the Lego World. You can check out the song here.
Monday, February 17, 2014
#PHthankyou
This is a beautiful video showing the gratitude of our country to everyone who helped us get through the Yolanda disaster. Here's a snippet of the video description:
video uploaded in youtube by DOT Philippines
Three months after Typhoon Haiyan, a whole nation wants to show its gratitude to the whole world. This is the Philippines. And this is our way of saying thank you to every one who is helping us rebuild after the storm.
video uploaded in youtube by DOT Philippines
Saturday, February 15, 2014
Great job, Michael Martinez!
A lot of history was made in the Men's Figure Skating Competition in the Sochi Winter Olympics. The record for highest score in the short program was broken, when Yuzuru Hanyu scored a 101.45 on Thursday. This also marks the first time that a short program score exceeded the 100-point mark. Hanyu also pipped favorite Patrick Chan to become the first Japanese man to win Olympic gold in figure skating.
Of course, the history that mattered most to the Philippines was the fact that Michael Christian Martinez was competing. Michael is the first Filipino - and in fact the first South East Asian - who participated in men's figure skating at the Winter Olympics. The fact that Michael comes from a country that doesn't have snow makes his achievement even more significant. It's reminiscent of Cool Runnings, the 1993 film about the Jamaican bobsled team.
Michael learned how to skate in SM Southmall. As his talent grew and his skill developed exponentially, he and his family took figure skating seriously and he started training in the US. His solid results in international competition allowed him to qualify for the 2014 Olympics. That in itself was already a huge achievement but he took it a step further. He scored a personal best of 64.81 in the short program, putting him in 19th place among 30 skaters. This was very important because the top 24 would proceed to the medal round.
Michael eventually scored a 119.44 which, added to his short program, gave him a total of 184.25 points. He ended up in a very respectable 19th place. You could argue that this means that at this point in time, he is the 19th best male figure skater in the world. When you think of if this way, it is truly impressive! At only 17 years of age - he was the youngest contender in men's figure skating - one would think he has a shot at making a return trip to the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in 2018.
Way to go, Michael!
Of course, the history that mattered most to the Philippines was the fact that Michael Christian Martinez was competing. Michael is the first Filipino - and in fact the first South East Asian - who participated in men's figure skating at the Winter Olympics. The fact that Michael comes from a country that doesn't have snow makes his achievement even more significant. It's reminiscent of Cool Runnings, the 1993 film about the Jamaican bobsled team.
Michael learned how to skate in SM Southmall. As his talent grew and his skill developed exponentially, he and his family took figure skating seriously and he started training in the US. His solid results in international competition allowed him to qualify for the 2014 Olympics. That in itself was already a huge achievement but he took it a step further. He scored a personal best of 64.81 in the short program, putting him in 19th place among 30 skaters. This was very important because the top 24 would proceed to the medal round.
Michael eventually scored a 119.44 which, added to his short program, gave him a total of 184.25 points. He ended up in a very respectable 19th place. You could argue that this means that at this point in time, he is the 19th best male figure skater in the world. When you think of if this way, it is truly impressive! At only 17 years of age - he was the youngest contender in men's figure skating - one would think he has a shot at making a return trip to the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in 2018.
Way to go, Michael!
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Wicked in Manila!
I finally got to watch Wicked in CCP and wow, what a truly beautiful and powerful musical it is! It definitely lived up to the hype and met and even exceeded my expectations!
Wicked is the 11th longest running musical on Broadway and is also the third highest-grossing musical, currently behind The Lion King and The Phantom of the Opera (not counting inflation, of course). It tells an alternate story about the witches of Oz. Here, the Wicked Witch of the West named Elphaba is the protagonist and she in fact becomes best friends with Glinda The Good. Rather than talk in detail about the story which you can read about in the Wicked wikipedia page, I will instead talk about why this musical moved me very deeply.
"Defying Gravity" became more popular than it already was because it was featured in Glee. I think most people are fans of this song because of its obvious theme of going beyond your limits to achieve great things. Personally, I love this song much more for other reasons:
video uploaded in youtube by Dr Ben Kirk
Of course, this isn't t the only song that moved me. Another piece that I have loved ever since I got my CD of the Original Broadway Recording of Wicked is "No Good Deed". Similar to Defying Gravity, this number also showcases a massive range of emotion. Here, Elphaba starts to have doubts about her own intentions - "Was I really seeking good or just seeking attention?" This, coupled with her despair (believing she has lost Fiyero even as she tried to save him) and self-pity (believing that every good thing she has tried to do has only resulted in misery for those she has tried to help) leads her to fall even further into isolation. The song marks another important and defining moment in Elphaba's life as she now spitefully and almost begrudgingly accepts her role as the Wicked Witch of the West. This piece is tremendously well-written and Ali Calder performed it so well that she got thunderous applause. You can hear her sing it here.
"Dancing Through Life" was never a memorable song for me until I watched the musical and saw how critical it is to the story. After all, it is here where Glinda and Elphaba become friends. But more than that, it is the give-and-take of Fiyero and Glinda just as Elphaba starts dancing by herself that resonated with me. As Fiyero marvels at Elphaba's attitude saying "I'll say this much for her, she doesn't give a tweet what anyone else thinks", Glinda replies "Of course she does, she just pretends not to." Beyond the musical, it reminded me just how 'outcasts' in society have the unfortunate and very difficult task of having to develop a thick skin and trying to let pain and hurt roll off their backs to help them just get through life. This is where Glinda, who at that point was still shallow and very self-absorbed, discovers her considerate and caring side, which then marks the start of her own growth into a truly good person.
Apart from good and bad and fighting for what's right, another underlying theme of Wicked is friendship. And nowhere in the musical is this highlighted more than in "For Good". While "Defying Gravity" made Elphaba and Glinda realize they were taking separate paths, it is in "For Good" that they bid farewell to each other, knowing that they will most likely never see each other again ("It well may be that we will never meet again in this lifetime. So, let me say before we part: so much of me is made of what I learned from you.") It's a very powerful, heartbreaking moment. Everyone can relate to the lines "Who can say if I've been changed for the better? But because I knew you...I have been changed for good." Then there's the bridge. When Elphaba sings "And just to clear the air I ask forgiveness for the things I've done you blamed me for" and Glinda replies "But then, I guess, we know there's blame to share" before they sing together that "none of it seems to matter anymore," you can see and feel the strength, beauty, and honesty of their friendship.
Of course, by the end of the musical, everyone was on their feet to give the entire cast and crew a well-deserved standing ovation. I saw many folks wipe tears from their eyes. I haven't seen that many musicals in my life but I must say that Wicked is now one of my favorites. While I do think Phantom of the Opera (one of my other favorites) is the better overall musical, I left that show being utterly impressed and amazed. The difference with Wicked is that while I was also impressed, I left this show being very moved and affected by it. I think this is because I connect deeply with many of its underlying themes: friendship, fighting passionately for what you believe is right even sometimes at your own expense, valuing inner beauty, and not fearing and hating what is different. Unlike other musicals where I feel like an audience member looking in, the character development in Wicked allowed me to feel like I was part of the journey.
Wicked is showing in CCP until March 9 and you can get your tickets at Ticketworld. If you haven't seen it yet, I strongly recommend that you go and see it. You won't be disappointed.
Wicked is the 11th longest running musical on Broadway and is also the third highest-grossing musical, currently behind The Lion King and The Phantom of the Opera (not counting inflation, of course). It tells an alternate story about the witches of Oz. Here, the Wicked Witch of the West named Elphaba is the protagonist and she in fact becomes best friends with Glinda The Good. Rather than talk in detail about the story which you can read about in the Wicked wikipedia page, I will instead talk about why this musical moved me very deeply.
"Defying Gravity" became more popular than it already was because it was featured in Glee. I think most people are fans of this song because of its obvious theme of going beyond your limits to achieve great things. Personally, I love this song much more for other reasons:
- It shows how Elphaba suddenly realizes that the things she wanted before - pleasing the wizard and making a positive name for herself in Oz - are now taking a backseat to wanting to fight for what she strongly believes in, even if it means getting vilified and scorned. When Glinda says "You can have all you ever wanted" to which Elphaba replies "But I don't want it. No. I CAN'T want it anymore," I feel the strength of Elphaba's principles and I get chills.
- It showcases the friendship of Elphaba and Glinda. You feel how much they value each other when Elphaba, who has now determined that she wants to overcome the oppression she has witnessed, tries to convince Glinda to join her, saying "Unlimited, together we're unlimited, together we'll be the greatest team there's ever been." Glinda then joins Elphaba to sing "Just you and I defying gravity" as they both look at the potential of making a difference together.
- It also marks the moment when they realize that they are now about to take different paths in life that will lead them in opposite directions. Their initially sarcastic lines of "I hope you're happy" turn into well-wishes later in the song: "I hope you're happy, now that you're choosing this" and "I hope you're happy in the end, I hope you're happy, my friend".
video uploaded in youtube by Dr Ben Kirk
Of course, this isn't t the only song that moved me. Another piece that I have loved ever since I got my CD of the Original Broadway Recording of Wicked is "No Good Deed". Similar to Defying Gravity, this number also showcases a massive range of emotion. Here, Elphaba starts to have doubts about her own intentions - "Was I really seeking good or just seeking attention?" This, coupled with her despair (believing she has lost Fiyero even as she tried to save him) and self-pity (believing that every good thing she has tried to do has only resulted in misery for those she has tried to help) leads her to fall even further into isolation. The song marks another important and defining moment in Elphaba's life as she now spitefully and almost begrudgingly accepts her role as the Wicked Witch of the West. This piece is tremendously well-written and Ali Calder performed it so well that she got thunderous applause. You can hear her sing it here.
Photo of the stage right before the show started
"Dancing Through Life" was never a memorable song for me until I watched the musical and saw how critical it is to the story. After all, it is here where Glinda and Elphaba become friends. But more than that, it is the give-and-take of Fiyero and Glinda just as Elphaba starts dancing by herself that resonated with me. As Fiyero marvels at Elphaba's attitude saying "I'll say this much for her, she doesn't give a tweet what anyone else thinks", Glinda replies "Of course she does, she just pretends not to." Beyond the musical, it reminded me just how 'outcasts' in society have the unfortunate and very difficult task of having to develop a thick skin and trying to let pain and hurt roll off their backs to help them just get through life. This is where Glinda, who at that point was still shallow and very self-absorbed, discovers her considerate and caring side, which then marks the start of her own growth into a truly good person.
Apart from good and bad and fighting for what's right, another underlying theme of Wicked is friendship. And nowhere in the musical is this highlighted more than in "For Good". While "Defying Gravity" made Elphaba and Glinda realize they were taking separate paths, it is in "For Good" that they bid farewell to each other, knowing that they will most likely never see each other again ("It well may be that we will never meet again in this lifetime. So, let me say before we part: so much of me is made of what I learned from you.") It's a very powerful, heartbreaking moment. Everyone can relate to the lines "Who can say if I've been changed for the better? But because I knew you...I have been changed for good." Then there's the bridge. When Elphaba sings "And just to clear the air I ask forgiveness for the things I've done you blamed me for" and Glinda replies "But then, I guess, we know there's blame to share" before they sing together that "none of it seems to matter anymore," you can see and feel the strength, beauty, and honesty of their friendship.
Curtain call
Of course, by the end of the musical, everyone was on their feet to give the entire cast and crew a well-deserved standing ovation. I saw many folks wipe tears from their eyes. I haven't seen that many musicals in my life but I must say that Wicked is now one of my favorites. While I do think Phantom of the Opera (one of my other favorites) is the better overall musical, I left that show being utterly impressed and amazed. The difference with Wicked is that while I was also impressed, I left this show being very moved and affected by it. I think this is because I connect deeply with many of its underlying themes: friendship, fighting passionately for what you believe is right even sometimes at your own expense, valuing inner beauty, and not fearing and hating what is different. Unlike other musicals where I feel like an audience member looking in, the character development in Wicked allowed me to feel like I was part of the journey.
Wicked is showing in CCP until March 9 and you can get your tickets at Ticketworld. If you haven't seen it yet, I strongly recommend that you go and see it. You won't be disappointed.
Saturday, February 08, 2014
Aches and pains
Earlier today, I played volleyball for the first time in months. Now my body is battered and bruised LOL. Which shouldn't be surprising given that I played for two hours, during which time I had to do a lot of running and jumping.
While I am in a lot of pain right now, I am glad that I finally got to exercise again. I haven't hit the gym in about 3-4 weeks so when my friends set up a volleyball afternoon, I knew I had to join. Hopefully we get to organize more games in the coming weeks.
While I am in a lot of pain right now, I am glad that I finally got to exercise again. I haven't hit the gym in about 3-4 weeks so when my friends set up a volleyball afternoon, I knew I had to join. Hopefully we get to organize more games in the coming weeks.
Friday, February 07, 2014
Friday night dinner
My friend Sharon is an ex-colleague from back in my first job and she's been living in the US for more than a decade already. She is currently in town to attend a reunion and we managed to have dinner with her while she is still here. Our friend Jette organized our get-together and we initially planned to meet up somewhere in Makati before things changed late in the afternoon and we ended up having dinner in Greenhills instead. Not really the ideal situation for me since the traffic was bad and it did take more than an hour to join the rest of them.
The initial plan was to have dinner in Banana Leaf in Greenbelt. I guess because people didn't want to think of other options, when we moved to Greenhills, we still stuck with the same restaurant since there also is a Banana Leaf at the Promenade. By the time I got there, everyone had already finished eating so I just polished off the rest of the food. :) Unfortunately, Sharon had to be somewhere else later in the evening so we only got to stay there for another 30-45 minutes before we said our goodbyes. Despite a relatively short time together, it was still a great night.
The initial plan was to have dinner in Banana Leaf in Greenbelt. I guess because people didn't want to think of other options, when we moved to Greenhills, we still stuck with the same restaurant since there also is a Banana Leaf at the Promenade. By the time I got there, everyone had already finished eating so I just polished off the rest of the food. :) Unfortunately, Sharon had to be somewhere else later in the evening so we only got to stay there for another 30-45 minutes before we said our goodbyes. Despite a relatively short time together, it was still a great night.
Saturday, February 01, 2014
"Let it go" in 25 languages
Here's an amazing version of "Let it go" from the movie Frozen performed in twenty-five languages.
video uploaded in youtube by WaltDisneyStudiosDE
Interesting that the singers of these different versions sort of sound like each other. I guess the Disney and the casting folks had a specific sound and vocal profile in mind. After listening to this, I now want to hear the full Japanese movie version. The pop version by May J is available but the one from the film isn't available yet because "Frozen" hasn't been released in Japanese cinemas yet. It's supposed to come out in March so I will definitely be looking for the Japanese movie version then.
video uploaded in youtube by WaltDisneyStudiosDE
Interesting that the singers of these different versions sort of sound like each other. I guess the Disney and the casting folks had a specific sound and vocal profile in mind. After listening to this, I now want to hear the full Japanese movie version. The pop version by May J is available but the one from the film isn't available yet because "Frozen" hasn't been released in Japanese cinemas yet. It's supposed to come out in March so I will definitely be looking for the Japanese movie version then.
Friday, January 31, 2014
Perfect Month Part 2
In January of last year, I achieved a first as I was able to put up one post per day for an entire month. I have now managed to duplicate that effort. And guess what? I did it again in January.
I guess it's also because I'm "cheating". :) I normally take a couple of weeks worth of leave during the Christmas season and this allows me to catch up on my "backlog" or stuff that I wanted to write about but hadn't been able to due to lack of time. For instance, my trip to Austria almost seven years ago and my second Tagaytay Food Trip in the middle of last year. I tend to do a lot of catch-up writing during the holidays but I don't publish posts more than once a day so I end up saving a lot of what I write as drafts then just publishing them later on. So yes it is kinda like cheating. :) But hey. My blog, my rules. :)
Since I posted a ton this month, my January 2014 archive doesn't show all my posts anymore. So since I haven't really figured out how to set up a "previous" button yet, here are the links to all my posts in my second ever perfect month.
Jan 1: Happy 2014!
Jan 2: New Year resolution?
Jan 3: Mini Family Reunion
Jan 4: Youtube Rewind 2013
Jan 5: Dinner at URBN
Jan 6: Nadal wins in Doha
Jan 7: Customer Service Surprise at Conti's
Jan 8: Tagaytay Food Trip Part 2
Jan 9: Tagaytay Food Trip 2: Breakfast at Antonio's
Jan 10: Tagaytay Food Trip 2: Chine
Jan 11: Tagaytay Food Trip 2: Mano's Greek Taverna
Jan 12: Tagaytay Food Trip 2: Java Jazz Coffee
Jan 13: 1,000!
Jan 14: The LEGO Movie
Jan 15: Fun, food-filled weekend
Jan 16: Trip to Clark
Jan 17: The Oscar nominations are in...
Jan 18: The Power of Words
Jan 19: Free Parking in Shangri-La Plaza Mall
Jan 20: K Style Hair fix
Jan 21: The Smartphone Generation
Jan 22: Dinner at Ukokkei Ramen Ron
Jan 23: Austria!
Jan 24: Vienna
Jan 25: Salzburg
Jan 26: The Sound of Music Tour in Salzburg
Jan 27: Austria: final thoughts and travel tips
Jan 28: Australian Open 2014
Jan 29: What would you do with $25,000?
Jan 30: "The Prayer" by the Loboc Children's Choir and Various Artists
Jan 31: Perfect Month Part 2
I guess it's also because I'm "cheating". :) I normally take a couple of weeks worth of leave during the Christmas season and this allows me to catch up on my "backlog" or stuff that I wanted to write about but hadn't been able to due to lack of time. For instance, my trip to Austria almost seven years ago and my second Tagaytay Food Trip in the middle of last year. I tend to do a lot of catch-up writing during the holidays but I don't publish posts more than once a day so I end up saving a lot of what I write as drafts then just publishing them later on. So yes it is kinda like cheating. :) But hey. My blog, my rules. :)
Since I posted a ton this month, my January 2014 archive doesn't show all my posts anymore. So since I haven't really figured out how to set up a "previous" button yet, here are the links to all my posts in my second ever perfect month.
Jan 1: Happy 2014!
Jan 2: New Year resolution?
Jan 3: Mini Family Reunion
Jan 4: Youtube Rewind 2013
Jan 5: Dinner at URBN
Jan 6: Nadal wins in Doha
Jan 7: Customer Service Surprise at Conti's
Jan 8: Tagaytay Food Trip Part 2
Jan 9: Tagaytay Food Trip 2: Breakfast at Antonio's
Jan 10: Tagaytay Food Trip 2: Chine
Jan 11: Tagaytay Food Trip 2: Mano's Greek Taverna
Jan 12: Tagaytay Food Trip 2: Java Jazz Coffee
Jan 13: 1,000!
Jan 14: The LEGO Movie
Jan 15: Fun, food-filled weekend
Jan 16: Trip to Clark
Jan 17: The Oscar nominations are in...
Jan 18: The Power of Words
Jan 19: Free Parking in Shangri-La Plaza Mall
Jan 20: K Style Hair fix
Jan 21: The Smartphone Generation
Jan 22: Dinner at Ukokkei Ramen Ron
Jan 23: Austria!
Jan 24: Vienna
Jan 25: Salzburg
Jan 26: The Sound of Music Tour in Salzburg
Jan 27: Austria: final thoughts and travel tips
Jan 28: Australian Open 2014
Jan 29: What would you do with $25,000?
Jan 30: "The Prayer" by the Loboc Children's Choir and Various Artists
Jan 31: Perfect Month Part 2
Thursday, January 30, 2014
"The Prayer" by the Loboc Children's Choir and Various Artists
It's been almost three months since Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) struck Visayas and left behind a trail of devastation. Relief operations are still ongoing and there are still many ways to help out. One of those ways is to purchase the version of "The Prayer" performed by the Loboc Children's Choir and various OPM artists.
You can download this version of The Prayer at www.spinnr.ph. All proceeds will go to the Philippine Disaster Recovery Foundation to help rebuild the lives of those in the Visayas.
video uploaded in youtube by UniversalRecPH
Here are some excerpts I took from the information about this video on youtube:
You can also still donate to the Philippine Red Cross through this link.
You can download this version of The Prayer at www.spinnr.ph. All proceeds will go to the Philippine Disaster Recovery Foundation to help rebuild the lives of those in the Visayas.
video uploaded in youtube by UniversalRecPH
Here are some excerpts I took from the information about this video on youtube:
On October 15, 2013, an earthquake with the energy equivalent to "32 Hiroshima bombs" devastated the Visayas, and parts of Mindanao and southern Luzon. Two days later, the Loboc Children's Choir sang, "The Prayer," with the rubble of the hundred year old Loboc Church as their backdrop. Their performance moved so many people here and abroad.
Then, tragedy struck again. On November 8, Typhoon Yolanda, the most powerful tropical cyclone of the year hit East Samar, Samar and Leyte.
This is where we took inspiration from the Loboc Children's Choir's performance."
"...we asked the help of various Filipino artists to lend their voices, to represent our country, and show the world that the Philippines has one voice, one prayer -- that we work together to help our countrymen rebuild their lives brick by brick. The resulting song will be used to raise funds through downloads. The proceeds will go to the helpPH campaign, a project by the Philippine Disaster Recovery Foundation (PDRF). It is a non-profit organization made up of major companies from the private sector and leading NGOs.
You can also still donate to the Philippine Red Cross through this link.
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
What would you do with $25,000?
On November 12, 2013, Casey Neistat received a letter from 20th Century Fox. They asked him if he wanted to create a video with the theme "Live Your Dreams" as part of the marketing campaign of the film studio's new movie "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty". Casey replied that his idea was to use the US$25,000 budget to help in the Yolanda disaster relief efforts. 20th Century Fox agreed.
Check out this amazing video.
video uploaded in youtube by Casey Neistat
Thank you Casey Neistat, 20th Century Fox, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, and everyone who was involved in making this happen!
Check out this amazing video.
video uploaded in youtube by Casey Neistat
Thank you Casey Neistat, 20th Century Fox, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, and everyone who was involved in making this happen!
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Australian Open 2014
Close but no cigar. Rafael was one match away from even greater legendary status. A win in Australia meant that he would have been the only male player in the open era to win two of each Grand Slam events and he would be the only man to do it at a time when the majors are all on different surfaces. (Roy Emerson and Rod Laver won each major event at least twice when three of the four events were still played on grass.) It would also have allowed Rafa to tie Pete Sampras with 14 Grand Slam titles. Alas, it was not to be. Rafa ran up against an on-fire Stanislas Wawrinka who blew him off the court in the first two sets. Rafa had some physical problems that prevented him from competing at the highest level but maybe in the end it wouldn't have mattered anyway.
As such, Stanislas Wawrinka becomes the first man outside "The Big Four" - Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, and Murray - to win a Grand Slam event since 2009 when Juan Martin Del Potro won in the US Open. He also goes up to #3 in the world and becomes the highest ranked Swiss player for the first time in his career.
Nadal of course increases his lead at the top of the rankings. He now has an almost 4000-point lead over Novak. The catch is that Rafa has a ton of points to defend between now and the French Open but if he can manage to hold off Novak until June, he may actually hold on to the top spot at least until the US Open since he has no points to defend in Wimbledon.
On the women's side, Li Na wins her second major title. You can argue that Australia is her most successful tournament since she has gotten to the finals of this event three times already. She beat Dominika Cibulkova in the final. What? No Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, or Victoria Azarenka? I guess you could say the women's tour featured more than its fair share of upsets, none more shocking than Serena's loss I guess. Sharapova hasn't been doing well and was coming back from injury, Azarenka was seeded 3rd but she lost to an inspired #5 Agnieska Radwanska (who was then tossed out an an even-more-inspired Cibulkova). But Serena Williams, who was on a 25-match winning streak, was upended by a resurgent Ana Ivanovic.
It was one of the most unpredictable Australian Open tournaments in the last few years. While I am disappointed that Rafa lost (and that he was booed by people who seemed to think he was resorting to gamemanship when he took a medical time-out), Wawrinka definitely deserved to win. Congratulations to Stan and also to Li Na, Aussie Open Champions of 2014. Here's hoping though that Rafa can rebound from this loss and win the French Open.
As such, Stanislas Wawrinka becomes the first man outside "The Big Four" - Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, and Murray - to win a Grand Slam event since 2009 when Juan Martin Del Potro won in the US Open. He also goes up to #3 in the world and becomes the highest ranked Swiss player for the first time in his career.
Nadal of course increases his lead at the top of the rankings. He now has an almost 4000-point lead over Novak. The catch is that Rafa has a ton of points to defend between now and the French Open but if he can manage to hold off Novak until June, he may actually hold on to the top spot at least until the US Open since he has no points to defend in Wimbledon.
On the women's side, Li Na wins her second major title. You can argue that Australia is her most successful tournament since she has gotten to the finals of this event three times already. She beat Dominika Cibulkova in the final. What? No Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, or Victoria Azarenka? I guess you could say the women's tour featured more than its fair share of upsets, none more shocking than Serena's loss I guess. Sharapova hasn't been doing well and was coming back from injury, Azarenka was seeded 3rd but she lost to an inspired #5 Agnieska Radwanska (who was then tossed out an an even-more-inspired Cibulkova). But Serena Williams, who was on a 25-match winning streak, was upended by a resurgent Ana Ivanovic.
It was one of the most unpredictable Australian Open tournaments in the last few years. While I am disappointed that Rafa lost (and that he was booed by people who seemed to think he was resorting to gamemanship when he took a medical time-out), Wawrinka definitely deserved to win. Congratulations to Stan and also to Li Na, Aussie Open Champions of 2014. Here's hoping though that Rafa can rebound from this loss and win the French Open.
Monday, January 27, 2014
Austria: final thoughts and travel tips
Before anything else, here's a quick summary of my different blog posts about my 2007 trip to Austria:
My strategy in picking hotels: I go to expedia.com and search for hotels, sorting by price. From there, I then check the cheapest hotels in tripadvisor and see how good that hotel is and its location (it has to be central or it has to be close to a metro station or bus stop). Once I have a selection of highly rated but relatively inexpensive hotels, I then search for the hotel online and compare the room rates there to the expedia or the agoda price. I also look for other online packages. It's a bit of a tedious process but I haven't been disappointed with any of the hotels I've stayed in using this process.
It is through this process that I must have learned about Pegasus (the welcoming agencies). They had online packages and I decided to take one, which included two nights at Hotel Capri (which I selected because it was rated quite highly in tripadvisor among hotels in Vienna; currently, it is ranked #13), a voucher for a half-day Schönbrunn Tour, a Vienna card that gave me free use of the transportation system for 72 hours, entrance to the Albertina Museum, coffee and cake at Cafe Schwarzenberg, and a book about Vienna that they sent to me via snail mail after my trip. Apart from the book, everything was sent to my hotel and were handed over to me as soon as I checked in. Total package price was 185 euros (I think the hotel room alone cost just as much if not more than the package price).
This same process allowed me to discover Salzburg.info. I got a package that gave me a 3-night stay in Cordial Theater-Hotel (which seems to have changed its name since then to Goldenes Theater Hotel; its ranking seems to have gone down as well as it is now only #62), a Salzburg card that gave me free admission to all the sights in Salzburg as well as free use of the public transport network, and a ticket to the Sound of Music tour. I got the Salzburg card and the Sound of Music voucher at the reception of my hotel upon my arrival. Total package price was 304 euros (once again, the hotel room cost for three nights would have cost just as much if not more than the package price).
I did get to see a lot of places in Vienna but because I was really low on funds, I didn't purchase entrance to any of the places there (the Albertina Museum pass was included in my package). While I did a lot of research, I do regret missing a few things to do and see in this city. I already mentioned the Labyrinth in Schönbrunn Palace. I would have also loved to visit the Belvedere Palace and go inside the Vienna State Opera House.
While I didn't have this same problem in Salzburg because my Salzburg card gave me free entrance to the attractions there, I would have wanted to see a Mozart concert and dinner. However, it would cost a lot and I didn't have any proper clothes.
A major shock when I got to Austria was the heat. It was a whopping 38 degrees Celsius on average everyday! While everyone else was wearing shorts and flip flops, I was in jeans and shoes. I should have done my weather research a bit better.
I mentioned before that I initially planned and budgeted for a trip to Vienna only but I am glad that I took a trip to Salzburg as well. While this trip happened several years in the past and I am only writing about it now, I am quite happy that I still remember a lot of it in relatively good detail. I hope I can get to revisit Austria and Western Europe again some time in the near future.
My strategy in picking hotels: I go to expedia.com and search for hotels, sorting by price. From there, I then check the cheapest hotels in tripadvisor and see how good that hotel is and its location (it has to be central or it has to be close to a metro station or bus stop). Once I have a selection of highly rated but relatively inexpensive hotels, I then search for the hotel online and compare the room rates there to the expedia or the agoda price. I also look for other online packages. It's a bit of a tedious process but I haven't been disappointed with any of the hotels I've stayed in using this process.
The beautiful grounds of Hellbrunn Palace
It is through this process that I must have learned about Pegasus (the welcoming agencies). They had online packages and I decided to take one, which included two nights at Hotel Capri (which I selected because it was rated quite highly in tripadvisor among hotels in Vienna; currently, it is ranked #13), a voucher for a half-day Schönbrunn Tour, a Vienna card that gave me free use of the transportation system for 72 hours, entrance to the Albertina Museum, coffee and cake at Cafe Schwarzenberg, and a book about Vienna that they sent to me via snail mail after my trip. Apart from the book, everything was sent to my hotel and were handed over to me as soon as I checked in. Total package price was 185 euros (I think the hotel room alone cost just as much if not more than the package price).
Kunsthistorisches Museum or the Museum of Art History
This same process allowed me to discover Salzburg.info. I got a package that gave me a 3-night stay in Cordial Theater-Hotel (which seems to have changed its name since then to Goldenes Theater Hotel; its ranking seems to have gone down as well as it is now only #62), a Salzburg card that gave me free admission to all the sights in Salzburg as well as free use of the public transport network, and a ticket to the Sound of Music tour. I got the Salzburg card and the Sound of Music voucher at the reception of my hotel upon my arrival. Total package price was 304 euros (once again, the hotel room cost for three nights would have cost just as much if not more than the package price).
Playing around with a puppet at the Marionette Museum in Salzburg
I did get to see a lot of places in Vienna but because I was really low on funds, I didn't purchase entrance to any of the places there (the Albertina Museum pass was included in my package). While I did a lot of research, I do regret missing a few things to do and see in this city. I already mentioned the Labyrinth in Schönbrunn Palace. I would have also loved to visit the Belvedere Palace and go inside the Vienna State Opera House.
Monument of the Republic in Vienna
While I didn't have this same problem in Salzburg because my Salzburg card gave me free entrance to the attractions there, I would have wanted to see a Mozart concert and dinner. However, it would cost a lot and I didn't have any proper clothes.
Sculpture outside the Museum of Modern Art at the Mönchsberg
A major shock when I got to Austria was the heat. It was a whopping 38 degrees Celsius on average everyday! While everyone else was wearing shorts and flip flops, I was in jeans and shoes. I should have done my weather research a bit better.
Statue of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, German writer and politician
I mentioned before that I initially planned and budgeted for a trip to Vienna only but I am glad that I took a trip to Salzburg as well. While this trip happened several years in the past and I am only writing about it now, I am quite happy that I still remember a lot of it in relatively good detail. I hope I can get to revisit Austria and Western Europe again some time in the near future.
Sunday, January 26, 2014
The Sound of Music Tour in Salzburg
A lot of people say that you shouldn't go to Salzburg for the sole purpose of joining one of the many Sound of Music tours, which are viewed by some as quite tacky. However, these tours are normally half a day long only and they do take you to several really interesting places. So while I did take one of these tours, I also made sure to see and experience the other great sights of the city (as I have written in my previous post).
I got a Salzburg Card which included, among other things, a ticket for The Sound of Music tour offered by Sightseeing Tours. While on our tour, our guide discussed the different sights we would see and how they relate to the movie, and he occasionally played music from the film and got people to sing along. I have to say, it can be corny if you don't get into it, but if you do, it really is a lot of fun! We got to see some pretty beautiful landscapes while on the bus.
One of the first few places we saw Leopoldskron Palace. While our tour guide told us that the front exterior of this palace was used as the Trapp family home and the terrace where the family drank pink lemonade with Baroness Schraeder, apparently this is not the case. Only shots showing the lake (where Maria and the children fell off a boat) were filmed here.
This gazebo, which was originally in Leopoldskron Palace but has since been moved to the grounds of Hellbrunn Palace, is featured in two scenes: Liesl and Rolf singing "Sixteen going on Seventeen" and Maria and Captain Von Trapp singing "Something Good". It has been closed off and visitors can no longer go in. Apparently, a lot of people have attempted to go jumping around inside the gazebo (similar to what Liesl does with Rolf's assistance) resulting in more than a few accidents.
Just outside Hellbrunn and near the gazebo is a tree-lined road. In the movie, Maria skips along this road as she sings “I have confidence” on her way to the Von Trapp House for the first time.
The tour took us to Lake Wolfgang in St. Gilgen. This beautiful landscape can be seen in the opening sequence of the film.
Not far away was a place where participants of the tour were given an option to try a toboggan ride. This isn't included in the tour price so you have to pay for it separately but personally, it was worth it, especially since it was my first time on a toboggan. Interestingly enough, you can control its speed as it goes down. It really was a lot of fun. (I got someone on the tour to take my photo as I was taken up the slope and also as I went down.)
This other tree-lined road may also be familiar to fans of the film. Captain Von Trapp drives through this road with Baroness Schraeder on his way home and he sees several kids playing loudly and noisily in the trees. He initially dismisses them as local urchins before he realizes that they may actually be his own children.
The Mondsee Cathedral is where the wedding of Maria and Captain Von Trapp was shot.
Mondsee is a quaint village with a lot of charming, beautifully painted buildings in the center. I wouldn't have minded spending more time here.
I mentioned in my previous post that some scenes, specifically the ones where Maria and the children sing "Do-Re-Mi", were shot in the Mirabell Gardens. Maria and the children actually sing this song while going around the pegasus fountain.
The climax scene where the family hide in the convent as the Nazis go looking for them is set in Petersfriedhof (St. Peter's cemetery). However, as I read up on it, I realized that while the location of that scene is meant to be Petersfriedhof, that scene was actually shot in Hollywood. That's why the cemetery looks different from the scene in the movie! :)
All in all, The Sound of Music tour is actually pretty good. You see a lot of places in a short period of time and it can definitely be quite enjoyable for those who love the film. If you still remember the words, try to get with the program and sing along to the songs while on the bus. It really makes the whole experience a lot more fun. :)
I got a Salzburg Card which included, among other things, a ticket for The Sound of Music tour offered by Sightseeing Tours. While on our tour, our guide discussed the different sights we would see and how they relate to the movie, and he occasionally played music from the film and got people to sing along. I have to say, it can be corny if you don't get into it, but if you do, it really is a lot of fun! We got to see some pretty beautiful landscapes while on the bus.
One of the first few places we saw Leopoldskron Palace. While our tour guide told us that the front exterior of this palace was used as the Trapp family home and the terrace where the family drank pink lemonade with Baroness Schraeder, apparently this is not the case. Only shots showing the lake (where Maria and the children fell off a boat) were filmed here.
This gazebo, which was originally in Leopoldskron Palace but has since been moved to the grounds of Hellbrunn Palace, is featured in two scenes: Liesl and Rolf singing "Sixteen going on Seventeen" and Maria and Captain Von Trapp singing "Something Good". It has been closed off and visitors can no longer go in. Apparently, a lot of people have attempted to go jumping around inside the gazebo (similar to what Liesl does with Rolf's assistance) resulting in more than a few accidents.
Just outside Hellbrunn and near the gazebo is a tree-lined road. In the movie, Maria skips along this road as she sings “I have confidence” on her way to the Von Trapp House for the first time.
The tour took us to Lake Wolfgang in St. Gilgen. This beautiful landscape can be seen in the opening sequence of the film.
Not far away was a place where participants of the tour were given an option to try a toboggan ride. This isn't included in the tour price so you have to pay for it separately but personally, it was worth it, especially since it was my first time on a toboggan. Interestingly enough, you can control its speed as it goes down. It really was a lot of fun. (I got someone on the tour to take my photo as I was taken up the slope and also as I went down.)
This other tree-lined road may also be familiar to fans of the film. Captain Von Trapp drives through this road with Baroness Schraeder on his way home and he sees several kids playing loudly and noisily in the trees. He initially dismisses them as local urchins before he realizes that they may actually be his own children.
The Mondsee Cathedral is where the wedding of Maria and Captain Von Trapp was shot.
Mondsee is a quaint village with a lot of charming, beautifully painted buildings in the center. I wouldn't have minded spending more time here.
I mentioned in my previous post that some scenes, specifically the ones where Maria and the children sing "Do-Re-Mi", were shot in the Mirabell Gardens. Maria and the children actually sing this song while going around the pegasus fountain.
The climax scene where the family hide in the convent as the Nazis go looking for them is set in Petersfriedhof (St. Peter's cemetery). However, as I read up on it, I realized that while the location of that scene is meant to be Petersfriedhof, that scene was actually shot in Hollywood. That's why the cemetery looks different from the scene in the movie! :)
All in all, The Sound of Music tour is actually pretty good. You see a lot of places in a short period of time and it can definitely be quite enjoyable for those who love the film. If you still remember the words, try to get with the program and sing along to the songs while on the bus. It really makes the whole experience a lot more fun. :)
Saturday, January 25, 2014
Salzburg
Salzburg has been made popular globally by music. Not only was this the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart who is one of the most important and influential classical composers in history, the film The Sound of Music was also shot on location in this beautiful city. I decided to write separately about the Sound of Music tour that I took so this post will focus on other places of interest in Salzburg. And believe me, there are so many.
Festung Hohensalzburg, or Hohensalzburg Fortress, is arguably the main landmark in the city. It sits atop a small mountain and as it is also one of the largest medieval castles in Europe, it can easily be seen all around the city.
Inside, you can visit the Fortress Museum
and the Marionette Museum.
Salzburg also has beautiful natural scenery. The Salzach River separates the old town and the new town. I took a riverboat cruise here on my first day.
I also visited the Salzburg Hochthron, which is one of the many peaks of the Berchtesgaden Alps. The highest point is 1853 meters above sea level. You can get close to the top by cable car then from there you can decide to take a leisurely walk up to the peak. The views here are beautiful!
Back in the Old Town, you can find the Mirabell Gardens, built in the 18th century. Some scenes from The Sound of Music were actually shot here (I'll write in more detail about that in my succeeding post).
Another place that I also got to visit as part of The Sound of Music tour was Hellbrunn Palace. It's in the outskirts of Salzburg and you can get here by bus.
This palace and garden complex is famous for its many trick fountains, which are in operation from April to October.
I also got to visit a couple of church complexes in the Old Town. The Salzburg Cathedral is where Mozart was baptized.
Right next to the cathedral is St. Peter's Abbey
and Petersfriedhof, or St. Peter's Cemetery, which is the oldest cemetery in Salzburg.
I also got to see a few more places in Salzburg, such as the Salzburg Museum, the Holy Trinity Church, and Mozart Wohnhaus or the residence of Mozart in Salzburg. I also took the Mönchsberg Lift to the top of Mönchsberg, one of the five mountains in the city. Up next: The Sound of Music tour.
view of the city from Hohensalzburg Fortress
Festung Hohensalzburg, or Hohensalzburg Fortress, is arguably the main landmark in the city. It sits atop a small mountain and as it is also one of the largest medieval castles in Europe, it can easily be seen all around the city.
The Hohensalzburg Fortress
Inside, you can visit the Fortress Museum
and the Marionette Museum.
Salzburg also has beautiful natural scenery. The Salzach River separates the old town and the new town. I took a riverboat cruise here on my first day.
Riverboat cruise on the Salzach
I also visited the Salzburg Hochthron, which is one of the many peaks of the Berchtesgaden Alps. The highest point is 1853 meters above sea level. You can get close to the top by cable car then from there you can decide to take a leisurely walk up to the peak. The views here are beautiful!
Magnificent view atop the Salzburg Hochthron
Back in the Old Town, you can find the Mirabell Gardens, built in the 18th century. Some scenes from The Sound of Music were actually shot here (I'll write in more detail about that in my succeeding post).
The beautifully landscaped Mirabell Gardens
Another place that I also got to visit as part of The Sound of Music tour was Hellbrunn Palace. It's in the outskirts of Salzburg and you can get here by bus.
This palace and garden complex is famous for its many trick fountains, which are in operation from April to October.
Trick fountain inside the Hellbrunn Palace grounds
I also got to visit a couple of church complexes in the Old Town. The Salzburg Cathedral is where Mozart was baptized.
Monument outside the Salzburg Cathedral
Right next to the cathedral is St. Peter's Abbey
Inside St. Peter's Abbey
and Petersfriedhof, or St. Peter's Cemetery, which is the oldest cemetery in Salzburg.
St. Peter's cemetery
I also got to see a few more places in Salzburg, such as the Salzburg Museum, the Holy Trinity Church, and Mozart Wohnhaus or the residence of Mozart in Salzburg. I also took the Mönchsberg Lift to the top of Mönchsberg, one of the five mountains in the city. Up next: The Sound of Music tour.
Friday, January 24, 2014
Vienna
I was told that Vienna is known for its beautiful architecture. One of the first places I visited was Neue Burg, or the New Castle wing of the Hofburg Palace. This palace has housed some of the most powerful people in European and Austrian history, including the Habsburg monarchy (rulers of the Austro-Hungarian Empire). The palace currently serves as the official residence of the President of Austria.
One of the most popular landmarks of the Austrian Capital is the State Vienna Opera, which is within walking distance of the Hofburg Palace.
Another impressive building is Karlskirche, or St. Charles Church. Located in Karlsplatz, it is named in honor of Saint Charles Borromeo, a cardinal archbishop of Milan in the 16th century who was responsible for major reforms in the Catholic church.
While I did see several museums in Vienna from the outside, I only actually got to see the collection of the Albertina Museum.
One of the most popular waltzes is the Blue Danube waltz so I naturally wanted to see the Danube river while I was in Vienna. It is the second longest river in Europe (after the Volga) and it touches the border or passes through ten countries.
Stephansdom or St. Stephen's Cathedral is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vienna and the seat of the Archbishop of Vienna. As you can expect, this cathedral is pretty massive.
I visited Schloss Schönbrunn, or Schönbrunn Palace, as part of a tour. I don't think the tour took us anywhere else but Schönbrunn itself is so massive that just going around its ground and taking photos can easily take up half a day. I didn't actually go into the palace, but with its 1,441 rooms, it used to be the summer residence of the Habsburgs.
The Secession Building is an exhibition hall built in 1897. Secession apparently refers to the withdrawal of a group of rebel artists from the long-established fine art institution. The most remarkable thing about this building is its golden dome which some Viennese apparently describe or refer to as the 'golden cabbage'.
Other places in Vienna I got to see were the Wiener Riesenrad, a 64.75-metre Ferris wheel at the Wurstelprater amusement park, often simply called "Prater"...
the Soviet War Memorial...
Stadtpark (or City Park)...
and the Parliament, which features Greek-style statues and architecture.
Since it was summer when I was there, I spent one night at the Rathaus (City Hall) to enjoy the Rathaus Music Film Festival. This is held every summer at Rathausplatz. Entrance is free and there are a lot of places where you can get food and beer while you enjoy the show.
Finally, I got a package from Pegasus that included a cake and coffee in Cafe Schwarzenberg. Being in Vienna, I needed to order the Sacher Torte, one of the most popular Viennese dishes. It is a specific type of chocolate cake that was invented by Austrian Franz Sacher in 1832 for Prince Wenzel von Metternich in Vienna.
Other places I got to see while I was there include the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Naturhistorisches Museum, the St. Francis of Assisi Church, and the Votive Church. That's a lot to have seen in just two and a half days, although of course this is also because I didn't spend time going inside a lot of these place since I didn't have a lot of time and I was already running low on funds. Nevertheless, it was still a great stay in a beautiful city. Up next: Salzburg.
Neue Burg, the New Castle Wing of the Hofburg Palace
One of the most popular landmarks of the Austrian Capital is the State Vienna Opera, which is within walking distance of the Hofburg Palace.
Wiener Staatsoper (State Vienna Opera)
Another impressive building is Karlskirche, or St. Charles Church. Located in Karlsplatz, it is named in honor of Saint Charles Borromeo, a cardinal archbishop of Milan in the 16th century who was responsible for major reforms in the Catholic church.
Karlskirche (St. Charles Church)
While I did see several museums in Vienna from the outside, I only actually got to see the collection of the Albertina Museum.
Albertina Museum
One of the most popular waltzes is the Blue Danube waltz so I naturally wanted to see the Danube river while I was in Vienna. It is the second longest river in Europe (after the Volga) and it touches the border or passes through ten countries.
Danube River
Stephansdom or St. Stephen's Cathedral is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vienna and the seat of the Archbishop of Vienna. As you can expect, this cathedral is pretty massive.
Stephansdom (St. Stephen's Cathedral)
I visited Schloss Schönbrunn, or Schönbrunn Palace, as part of a tour. I don't think the tour took us anywhere else but Schönbrunn itself is so massive that just going around its ground and taking photos can easily take up half a day. I didn't actually go into the palace, but with its 1,441 rooms, it used to be the summer residence of the Habsburgs.
Schloss Schönbrunn (Schönbrunn Palace)
The Secession Building is an exhibition hall built in 1897. Secession apparently refers to the withdrawal of a group of rebel artists from the long-established fine art institution. The most remarkable thing about this building is its golden dome which some Viennese apparently describe or refer to as the 'golden cabbage'.
Secession Building
Other places in Vienna I got to see were the Wiener Riesenrad, a 64.75-metre Ferris wheel at the Wurstelprater amusement park, often simply called "Prater"...
Wiener Riesenrad (Ferris Wheel) at the Prater
the Soviet War Memorial...
Soviet War Memorial
Stadtpark (or City Park)...
Statue of Johann Strauss in Stadtpark
and the Parliament, which features Greek-style statues and architecture.
Parliament Building
Since it was summer when I was there, I spent one night at the Rathaus (City Hall) to enjoy the Rathaus Music Film Festival. This is held every summer at Rathausplatz. Entrance is free and there are a lot of places where you can get food and beer while you enjoy the show.
Enjoying a beer at the Rathaus Music Film Festival
Finally, I got a package from Pegasus that included a cake and coffee in Cafe Schwarzenberg. Being in Vienna, I needed to order the Sacher Torte, one of the most popular Viennese dishes. It is a specific type of chocolate cake that was invented by Austrian Franz Sacher in 1832 for Prince Wenzel von Metternich in Vienna.
Sacher torte in Cafe Schwarzenberg
Other places I got to see while I was there include the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Naturhistorisches Museum, the St. Francis of Assisi Church, and the Votive Church. That's a lot to have seen in just two and a half days, although of course this is also because I didn't spend time going inside a lot of these place since I didn't have a lot of time and I was already running low on funds. Nevertheless, it was still a great stay in a beautiful city. Up next: Salzburg.
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