These are some snapshots of my favorite buildings in Oslo, Norway.
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Almyrida is in Crete about 25 km from Chania airport. I was able to come because my hosts in Denmark have bought an apartment there and we went to do finishing touches and decorate. I would do the same if I have the means to do so, it’s so beautiful there, nice location with lots of really good restaurants and warm people. Just five minute walk from the apartment is the nice beach with a very nice view. And this is the view from the terrace. Everywhere you look is picture perfect. I had a walk one fine day climb a little hill and these was the view from up there. Breathtaking, yes? Atlantis, Makis and Costa Anita are restaurants by the beach that I recommend. I had pork gyros at Atlantis (slow cooked pork with pita bread, onions, tomatoes and french fries) big serving and very delicious. Makis serve the best pasta dishes for me their Carbonara is cheesy and creamy but not overdone just right. I ordered grilled chicken with parma ham and cheese from Costa Anita with a lovely salad in the side. Also I had their club sandwich. But for me the must try restaurant there is Elpi’s, the service was the best, nice and accommodating people and the food is superb. I had Moussaka, fried cheese and fresh vegetable salad with greek yogurt. I had those with my hosts so I was not able to take pictures, minding my manners hehe. There are lots of other restaurants to try, too bad I got such a little time. Aside from eating and the beach there are a lot of things you can do while in Almyrida. There was a botanical garden, and they also arrange tours for island hopping. I was not able to do these things because we came to do things in the house so we are quite busy and also it was almost the end of the peak season hoping to try those next summer!
Yes it is hard, no it is not impossible. Yes we are serious, no we are not cheating on each other. Yes it's both simple and complicated at the same time. There are more reason to just give up, to cheat, to just find another closer to you, or to fall out of love. Everything is harder and needs more effort specially when your partner is in different time zone, or in my case literally half way around the world. Pros:
Cons:
Tips:
There is a lot more pros, cons and tips out there for me these are some keys that I learned and help me get through this. 2 years together and almost 3 years apart, and I'm gladly to say in more than just a year from now, I will come home and plan our wedding. :) Is your child hard to put to bed? Or hard to feed? I may have the answer to make it easier!
I have been an au pair in Norway and now here in Denmark. The kids I am looking after are ages from 0-5 and in Norway the older kid is just 10 months older than the second one and did i mention the older kid is so hyperactive? Sounds like tough yes? I am not an expert to parenting and i don't have any child myself, but as I mentioned I am used to looking after babies to 5 years which for me is really the important years for the parents to instill good manners and discipline. Here are some tips that I can recommend to make everyday easier for both you, parents, and the kids as well: -Establish authority. You are the boss not the kids, it is not what they want but what they should have or what they should do and as parents you know better. As much as possible stick to your answer for example if you say "no" to ice cream, stay firm to it and don't give the kids ice cream. -Explain. If you don't want them to do something or when you say "no" to something you should explain why you can't give or do what they want. They may not like it, of course and they may not understand it but eventually they will and it;s good that they are getting used to be explained why. -Compromise. This comes with explaining, if the kids want to watch tv more you can say "ok, 5 minutes and that's it" and again stick to it. or maybe if they want ice cream try and ask if they would want to have berries or fruits instead. -Have a system/routine. From the moment they open their eyes until the time they go to bed try to have a routine. From waking up, where do you want to start? Maybe changing clothes first then breakfast then play a bit before going to kindergarten. Then when they come home have the routine again, play with them, have a bath, watch tv, dinner, brush teeth then bed time or what ever system works for you. When the kids get used to this routines, everyday will be a lot easier because they know what comes next after what they are doing. And no matter what start your routines at the same time everyday as much as possible. -Have simple rules. Small rules that they can follow, for example no food at their room, or no shoes on the sofa. Putting back the toys to the proper place when finish playing. Small chores that you will trust them to do so they will feel responsible. -For kids hard to put to bed and hard to feed. the trick is also in the everyday routine, if you want them to be in bed at 7:30 in the evening maybe then you should start you're routine at 5. And it is important for them to relax after an exhausting day outside or at the kindergarten or if you are in vacation before eating or going to bed. Generally, practice what you preach. You can't expect them to finish food when you are leaving left overs in your plate, or simply taking shoes off when getting inside the house. The most important thing maybe, is to NEVER spoil your children because it will be one hell of parenting job if they grew up getting everything and anything they want. There are lots of tips and advice out there hope you find my tips helpful. Ang mga bata ngayon, maswerte pero malas din. Maswerte dahil sa ilang pindot lang madami ka ng "kaibigan", sa ilang pindot lang din makikita mo na ang hinahanap mo. Pero sa kabilang banda malas din, marami silang di na naabutan, mga laro, gawi o kasanayan na di nakasabay sa modernong panahon at tuluyan ng nawala.
Ang mga kabataan ngayon masasabi nating "advance" kumpara sa mga kabataan noon na nasa parehong edad. Magaling na bumuo ng kung ano ano sa pamamagitan ng "computer" at "internet". Pero sa kabila ng sinasabing pag unlad, nawala na din ang mga bagay na nakapagpapasaya sa kamusmusan. Naawa ako sa henerasyon ngayon dahil kung anong bilis nilang tumipa sa talapindutan, ganun na rin kalabo ang mga mata nila dahil sa halos buong araw na pagtutok sa "screen o monitor". Hindi na din nakakakain ng maayos, nakakatulog o nakakapag ehersisyo ng sapat, maghapon na lang nakaupo. Nanghihinayang ako dahil hindi nila naranasan kung anong saya meron sa mga salagubang at "bubble gum". Kung paano pabulain ang gumamela. Kung gaano nakakapikon maburot sa mataya-taya, langit-lupa, at takip silim (larong pinipiringan ang taya at hahanapin ang mga kalaro, karaniwang may limitadong espasyo na di pwedeng lumagpas ang ibang kalaro, pero laging di nasusunod hehe). Kung gaano katamis ang santan. Kung gaano kahalaga sa mga babae ang lutu-lutuang palayok na babasagin, gaano ka dapat kagaling pumili ng pato para sa piko at sinelas sa tumbang preso. Noon ang "text" ay laruang papel na pinipitik sa hangin. Ang "friend" ay hindi naba-block o ina-add. Ang "mouse" ay nangangagat at pinandidirihan. Ang "notebook" ay talagang sulatan na di kailangang i-charge o makakonek sa "wifi". Ang "tweet" ay huni ng ibon. Ang "tumblr" ay nilalagyan ng tubig o inuman. Pero sa panahon ngayon may iba ng ibig sabihin ang mga yan. Hindi masama ang pag unlad at sabi nga sa kanta malayu layo na rin ang ating narating. Pero sana wag tayong pa"control" sa teknolohiya, tayo ang dapat kumontrol dito. Huwag sana nating kalimutan kung ano ang saya na dala ng mga simpleng bagay. Kung ano ang tunog ng mga instrumento kapag ikaw mismo ang tumutugtog o naririnig mismo ng iyong tenga, hindi napapanood lang sa "internet". Isa lang ang hiling ko at nais ko iparating, huwag sana nating hayaang agawin ng modernisasyon at teknolohiya ang kamusmusan ng ating mga kabataan. Wedding entourages differs from religion, tradition or/and maybe superstition. But mostly the wedding entourage will play key roles in the ceremony. These people are chosen by the bride and the groom mostly their closest friends or family member who'll make sure that everything will go smoothly on that special day. Primary Sponsors. These people will sign your contract, and suppose to guide you through your married life. Usually the friends of the couples' parents or their older friends since they will provide the experience and wisdom to help the newly weds. Secondary Sponsors.The secondary sponsors composed of the veil, candle and the cord. Not all religions have secondary sponsors, their role is to light the candle, that will guide you along the way. To put on the veil over the bride's head and on the grooms shoulder symbolizes that you are clothed as one. And the cord that signifies that you are bind to each other by the marriage. Maid of Honor, Matron of honor and the Bridesmaids.The maid of honor or matron of honor will be the bride's aid sometimes from the preparation to arranging her train or veil and holding her bouquet during the ceremony and helping you go to the lady's room in your reception. The bridesmaid usually help the maid or matron of honor with her duties. These people are usually the bride's closest girlfriends or cousins. Best Man and Groomsmen.They are the male counterpart of the bride's girls. The best man's role is to help the groom calm down and maybe run some errands for him. Also usually consists of the groom's best friends. Flower Girls. The little girls role is to shower the aisle with flower petals from her little basket. And fingers cross that she won't have tantrums during the ceremony. Usually 1 to 4 girls. Coin, Ring and Bible Bearers. From their title, they will carry the bible, the couple's rings and the arrhae (aras) that symbolizes prosperity and abundance. Same as the flower girls these are kids usually nephews or their friend's kids.
The farthest north of my own country that I went, still wanting to go to Batanes and Ilocos someday :) Cagayan Valley is the hometown of my fiance', Alcala (will be blogging about it soon) to be precise, which is hectares and hectares of rice fields and mountains. If you are a nature lover like me, you will love it there, the life is simple, laid back and of course the fresh air! So we decided for our 4th year anniversary that we'll celebrate it in Sta. Ana, we were there for a day it was so much fun since it's the first time that we travel that far from Manila (Cagayan Valley is a 12 hour bus ride from Cubao, Quezon City or you can take a plane more or less an hour flight from manila). Here's the comparison of Alcala where our journey will start, and Tuguegarao the city capital of Cagayan Valley. From Afusing, in Alcala we have to cross the famous Cagayan river which for me is another adventure lol, how ironic that I was excited when worst comes to worst I can't even swim. Here's the river and my fiance' when we rode the boat to cross the river to get to where we can ride a van to get to Sta. Ana. We stayed in a room at Jotay's resort, it's small but cozy with air condition with warm and cold shower. Wasn't able to take a picture of our room though. We arrived at Jotay's more or less lunch time so we had food at their restaurant and do beach stuffs until sunset, talked to some locals about our plan island hopping in the future, sadly not in this trip but that's something to look forward to! Maybe for our honeymoon! Day dreaming alert. lol Isn't the sunset magical and amazing? It's the magic hour for me. We had a relaxing morning before heading back to home to Alcala, we wen to the fresh market to buy sea foods. This is me by the pool and the fresh sea foods from the market. This was the view just at the back of the van terminal going back home, wow. It was a great adventure! Though we had limited time we will certainly be back for the Island hopping.
Your wedding dress is maybe the dress of your life and it's important that you love your dress because that's what you'll see in pictures years after your wedding. And that's one of the few things that the guests will remember aside from food and venue. Here are some popular wedding dress fabric: Lace: There are many varieties of lace, but generally lace gives the vintage-ish feeling, it's soft, very feminine and classy feel. Chiffon: A lightweight, delicate fabric. and there are also many types to choose from. It's nice for hourglass figured brides for it drapes nicely onto the curves. This is popular because it's light, airy and comfortable even if you wear it for long hours. Satin: Satin is silky smooth and looks gorgeous under any lightning. It has an elegant and timeless look. Gorgeous in white, ivory or in any color really. Though satin should be handled more carefully because it's easy to have creases when not handled properly. Tulle: A traditional and popular choice is you want a puff in the skirt of your wedding dress, it can be for a ball gown, mermaid or A-line. This fabric is also can be use for the veil or the train. Remember when choosing fabrics for your wedding dress, consider the venue, the season, the type of dress you want and your body type. Happy prepping!
Hemsedal is a haven for ski enthusiasts and mountain lovers. It is 3 hour drive from Norway's capital city, Oslo. Getting there is quite a challenge specially for those who easily get car sick since it's all curves and uphills, but finally getting there is worth it. These are actually photos from last Easter, yes Easter and there was still snow, locals said that they have snow half to two thirds of the year. What's nice is that it was not that cold considering the amount of snow there were when we were there. So no need for super thick heavy winter jackets, walking will surely make you sweat and warm. Here is the cabin where I stayed together with my hosts, there was really a lot of snow but it's surprisingly warm and cozy inside. There are hotels as well further down as well, but it's a bit difficult going up and down every time so having a place to stay up there is really nice. These are the skiers enjoying the sunny day, I wasn't able to take picture of me trying to ski for the first time, a shame. But then the experience was totally not ordinary and once in a lifetime.
When we say middle east the first things that come to mind are desert, camels, Arabians and even belly dancing. But when I came in Dubai with my hosts, it is like a tropical paradise! clear waters and white sand welcomed us and nice accommodating people. We stayed in Sofitel The Palm Jumeriah Hotel in one of their apartment style suite. Above are images of what will welcome you at the hotel's entrance. These are the view from our room we are at the second floor. Here is the magnificent sunset by the beach and the view at night. There are restaurants, spas, gym and kid's club where they can play with other kids, dance and do arts and crafts. Here's the living room area and one of the rooms, please excuse the mess lol. The other room is bigger with bath tub and a big bed I was not able to took pictures of it. But this bed room has a toilet and bath also closet and television. I walk at the side of the road one afternoon ad from there you can see the world's famous Burj Al Arab Jumeriah Hotel.
Tips: *Research of the place where you want to go, travelling in a group is always a good idea so you can share in rooms and other packages. *Know the temperature and the weather, I don't recommend going to middle east during summer because it can be as hot as 50 degrees Celsius. *Travel as light as possible, do not over pack I mean if you are going to have a week's vacation are you sure you'll bring 3 huge suitcases? There's a lot more in the middle east than the heat, specially in Dubai, no wonder it's one of the best picks for tourists. Enjoy your vacation! |
About Me..My full name is Marivic Villa dela Cruz. Friends call me Beck. A food and adventure lover, the dream is to travel the world.. A frustrated writer, and an avid reader. I love vintage and retro style, I feel like I'm born in the wrong era. Archives
June 2015
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