What I ate and What I Shopped @ Johannesburg, South Africa

Spicy Chicken Livers AT Bull Run =)

With Rice of course... =)


Pinotage Wines and Sweet Wine :)and Slabs of Barbecued Pork Ribs =)

My Layover in Colombo, Sri Lanka

I had back to back Colombo, and it turned out to be good because I flew with nice crew and even got a room upgrade on my 48 hours layover. :)

The airconditioning in my room was not working properly and I could feel humidity creeping inside my room, and I couldn't sleep. Someone came to try and fix it but it didn't work so, they gave me a room change. It was then that I realized how crappy the crew rooms are. We get probably the smallest of rooms with the smallest of TV's! I terribly wished we were back the Cinnamon Lakeside Hotel, I love the food there and it's just so much better than Taj Airport Hotel.

I like that I got a very decent room for my 2 day stay. I wish they could give all of us crew a clean room like this in Colombo.

I also like that there's a rain shower in the bath :)

Food was very limited, if I were in the other hotel, I would definitely have their Sri Lankan Fish Curry, I love their anchovy side dish that comes with it. Here in Taj, I guess the best option would be for you to go out with the crew for seafood by the beach, or if you're lazy and wanted to be left alone, the Golden Dragon Chinese Resto is the next ok option.

I had the roasted spare ribs, I was so hungry I didn't get to get a photo until the last piece, and I had it with yang chow fried rice.




I liked the food, it wasn't bad. :)

The Anticipation is Killing Me.

I hope next month's roster comes out early. I'm off to Kuala Lumpur tomorrow and then when I get back, I hope I get greeted with Manilas and LAxs!

I'm on Second Top Bid on August, and we all know that the Second top is the most effective bid. Oh, I don't know what to bid, there are just so many places I want to go to. :)

Like JAPAN, I have never ever been to Japan my entire life, and I was thinking taht maybe now is the best time to get it coz I will surely get it
(somehow).

I also want to go to AMSTERDAM! I wanna visit their infamous red light district and have so much fun and giggles! :)

I am most excited about the new destination on August, and I hope I get it, I really do. MADRID!!! I am so excited, I hope I get rostered for it.

But then again of course, second top bids and top bids are the only times I get Manila, so now I am confused... what should I bid for?

but for now, I 'm praying I got the ones I bid for. Manila and Los Angeles!

I Love Weekends in Dubai

Cause I get to be with Sonnie :)

I have been flying like mad. Non stop, only legal days off are off. Thank you crew scheduling Gods for the Colombo. The wheels have turned and I realized, it was such a good thing to have. It was an easy flight with very nice passengers. Imagine how easier each flight would be if everyone behaved like Sri Lankans. Polite, sincere, with etiquette. I love them! :) and best of all, they don't eat! :)

I'm happy to have spent the whole day today in Dubai with my hubby. I missed him. I feel bad that I always have to fly off somewhere. Nobody should live like this. But with no other options, what can we do? :) Must be nice if I could bring him with me wherever I go, haha, that would mean we'd both be broke!

Today lunch was at 5 pm. I flew with my batchmate and he recommended Jimmy's Killer Prawns. and we went there today.

Awwwwwwww, it wasn't good. Sonnie was so disappointed and I pretended I was ok with what I had. But the prawns were too dry, and the rice were too fat. The sauces weren't very tasty, they were lacking of flavor. :(





Here's what we ordered.

I had the Jimmy's Prawn Promise. It says on the menu that it's what made them famous.Well, it does not even compare to how yummy the prawns are in Dampa.



Sonnie had this poor version of paella. He forced himself to have it. Coz he was starved. He also ordered mango slush, and I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw how they poured lacnor tetra juice into crushed ice and served it a slush! come one, that was not a funny thing to do.



Anyway, we ate all of it. Despite the lack of enthusiasm with the food, it made us full, and headed back home to sleep, swine life, is my kind of life, eat and sleep, or sleep and eat, whichever order.

Pizza and Pasta in Milan.

So I was in bed and I didn't want to get up ... was just so lazy. I look around and nothing looked familiar, I remember I was in Milan and it's my first time!!!! Milan Baby, there is no way I would stay in Bed in Milan! It's freaking Milan.



So, I put on my blue suede shoes haha, they are my fave from Greenhills :)and off I went to as far as it (and the train) could possibly take me.

AND I Stuffed myself with every yummy looking thing that is with cheese and salami and chesse and cheese and cheeese!!!


All the yummiest olive bread and foccacias are here!!! =)


I wanted to have this pizza just cause it was healthier BUT had the salami and cheese instead coz it was waaay yummier!


It was good but honestly, I think the best pizza in the whole wide planet is in New York. So this one is OK. not so bad. :)

After walking around in Lake Como, we headed back to the train station to Duomo Di Milano, the Cathedral Church of Milan. The Gothic cathedral took five centuries to complete and is the fourth-largest church in the world. Looking at it when I was standing so close, i just feel like it's ordinary, but at the photos, it really is amazing.



This is the Galleria from the inside. This is seriously, a dome of all the expensive and designer brands in Italy, how ironic that it is barely just two steps from the church. Dining here is expensive, but my stomach was begging me for a feed... So we had to stop at one of their Al Fresco Dining within the confinement of the Dome to eat :)





I love how every retaurant is cozy, I want to one day dine with my hubby here. I miss him.

Anyway, here's what I had. Spaghetti Carbonara with bacon and eggs.



BUT!!! Where are the bacon? arrrrggghh, I want more!It was bitin. I did not like it, coz I want my carbonara with lots of bacon and lots of sauce, well, that's how we ccok and eat it as Filipinos. This one that I had was the authentic Milanese one. Oh well.

Oh wait, I forgot to eat gelato on this trip, maybe next time! :)

Beautiful Como Lago

Was so happy I was able to swap my Frankfurt for a Milan. I haven't been to Milan and oh, the place is BEAUTIFUL.

We arrived at night and I wasn't really tired from the easy flight, but had to force myself to sleep so I could wake up early as I planned to go to Lake Como in the morning. The train ride took almost an hour, the view on the way was amazing, the sun was shining, it was a bit humid, would have been better if the air was crisp like during springtime. Still the place is lovely. :) I am surrounded by color, quite a change from Dubai. The trip was worth it. It was a beautiful day. Lucky too that I flew with a very nice Thai girl and was willing to take photos for me!!! yeyyy! I was planning on bringing my tripod but I thought twice cos of the rumours on pickpockets and thieves in Milan. I wouldn't know if I could run fast if my tripod is stolen while I was posing in front of my cam! that would be too funny.not really. hahaha.





Just a train ride away from the hustle and bustle in Milan, you get to this breath taking place. Tranquil and Serene .



Lake Como has been featured in StarWars and Ocean's Twelve. Now many people flock the lake to witness its beauty. It is Europe's deepest and third largest lake. If you've been to Nice, it's a little similar to it.


I wouldn't mind staying in this villa for a holiday with my hubby. :)


Apparently, George Clooney has a vacation house here at Lake Como. Are you somewhere there George?



Couln't get my cam off this cute little girl :)



Two Sisters playing... awwwww :) I miss my sister Regine :(



Another Two Sisters ... touring and appreciating Lake Como with backpacks :) and by the look of it, perhaps gossiping? haha. i know. i'm mean.


Art pieces are being sold everywhere, would be nice to buy one, but how do I bring it home? I hate that our suitcase is too small for pieces like this :(


This is me crossing the streets of Como Lago, had to shorten the trip as we also wanted to visit the Cathedral downtown and of course, purse shopping ( not mine )haha but happy to do so for my good friend Monet :)

Awwwwwwww it was too short Lake Como, Ciao!

Next Stop: Milan, Italy

Happy Birthday Racine!!! =)

My New And Improved JUNE Roster! =)

My Original Roster was: Colombo, Frankfurt, BOMBAY, and then COlombo again, back to back with COLOMBO again, and then Brisbane - Auckland, which is a 6 day flight, and then KARACHI and lastly, BOMBAY as the grand finale. It was horrendous! BUT I managed to swap to make my roster a little more fly-able... and worthy of my fatigue... haha.

So, I had three Comlombos, right? I managed to swap one of it for a Hyderabad, thanks to Angila Espiritu, who was a star :) I swapped it so I get to do another driving class on the day I arrive.

And then was very lucky to swap my Frankfurt flight for a MILAN flight! I'm happy because I have never been to Milan, and it's going to be my first time =) I'm excited, I really am! :)

Just now, when I arrived from my driving class, I checked my roster because I got a good feeling a swap went through! And it did!!!! The flight I am dreading, my Brisbane - Auckland is now a Kuala Lumpur and Johannesburg flight!!!! Yeyyy!!! I don't mind Kuala Lumpur, I love the food and of course the shoe- shopping. I also don't mind Johannesburg, so I can buy some wines, and steak, and I will finally get to buy my own Bio oil. hahaha. Simple pleasures of going from one place to another! =)

nevermind my 2 Colombos which are left with me, I'll just have rest and some traditional Sri Lankan fish curry there and maybe buy some clay pots in Paradise Road :)

So, Ive gotta feeling I won't be calling sick next month! Yaaaayyy!

I'm Not Yet Full of CraB! =)

My Singapore flight was soo much fun, the crew I flew with are amazing especially this girl from Singapore. Her name is Regina.I told her I am reminded of my sister because of her name. =)There was a n Asian Mafia in Business class, Filipina, that would be me, Thai, Korean and Sigaporean.

When we arrived in Singapore, we were all starved as there was nothing to eat onboard. Catering from COlombo wasn't good except for the papayas. As soon as we arrived at the hotel, we all agreed to meet up after 15 minutes, just quickly change and head to Newton Hawker Center.

It wasn't very far from the hotel in Clark Quay, it took barely 10 minutes, and the taxi fare was just S$ 7.50.

This is probably one of the bigger hawker centers that I've been to. And the variety of what you can eat is maddening! I saw seafood everywhere. It was a god thing taht we already decided what we wanted to eat and drink at the aircraft before we landed to save time from thinking and thinking twice on what to order.

We had a feast!


WHite Carrot Cake
While eating, I kept on asking Regina where the carrot was, she just ignored me and kept on eating. So, I ask again! Where is the carrot and it definitely does not taste like cake to me! haha. I googled carrot cake singapore and here's what I found:

Fried Carrot Cake or "Chai Tow Kway" (菜頭粿; pinyin: càitóuguǒ) is a common dish in Singapore which Singaporeans eat throughout the day whether at breakfast, lunch, dinner or even supper. Main ingredient is the white radish (more commonly known as white carrot in Singapore). The white radish is grated and then mixed with rice flour. Together with water, the mixture is stirred while cooking. Then the thick mixture is poured in a round pan and steamed to form the carrot cake.



Black Carrot Cake tastes almost the same, this one is just black and a little bit saltier and spicier! =)


Crispy Baby Squid sooo crunchy and sweet and crunchy and spicy! :)



BBQ Stingray!!! Would you believe I ate a stingray? One of the girls asked, what's a stingray and the other one answered, oh, you don't know? It's the fish that looks like a kite, and it's the fish that killed Steve Irwin. awwwwwww, I miss Steve and his wild stunts with animals! I didn't like this dish. It tastes weird and I don't like the idea of myself eating a stingray. There were so many fishbones, and apparently you can also eat them, eeuw.


Lala In Philippines, Lala is a fish cracker. In Singapore, they are shellfish sauteed in garlic and some other sauce. There wasn't much meat in it, It was ok. I had one and that was it.


Oyster Omelette This one was sooo yummy. I liked that it was fried and a little crunchy but not dry. I still had the full taste of the oyster and I loved it. I miss oysters! In Dubai, it's expensive to have oysters in restaurants.


Chilli CRAB We ordered one order of chilli crab and it was a mistake! Just BECAUSE! I WANTED MORE MORE MORE! I WANT TO BE FULL OF CRAB!


Deep Fried Buns It was my first time to try these buns, and man, they were awesome! Regina taught us how to eat it with the left over chilli crab sauce, and it was soooo yum! I also imagined having these buns with condensed milk, oh I miss Milkmaid from Manila :)

I really thought I would've exploded after eating so much in Newton! Surprisingly, I still had space for a Tiger Beer! :)

Till my next feast, my tummy will miss you Singapore!