Shangri-La la la la

To continue the Truman Show theme here in Manila, we've moved on from our 'business hotel' (we're still trying to work out how) in Makati to hang out for a couple of days at one of the Shangri-La hotels here. We or rather I opted for their original one in EDSA Quezon City because a) they were doing a good deal. b) Andy Murray & a bunch of other tennis players stayed here for a tennis tournament. c) I'm easily impressed.
d) I wanted to be somewhere nice for New Year given that most of 2015 will be fairly shit.

As expected this place is wonderful with lots of well fed guests enjoying the superb amenities on offer. I, of course, am loving the people watching and have already noted the numerous beautiful, well kept, well botoxed and surgically enhanced women here. I fit right in me!?!

The hotel is situated next to a 'mega mall' with this particular one so 'mega' , amongst other things it's got a bowling alley and a 'One Direction' world in it. Mat won't let me go in to say hello to Zayn or Harry but maybe after breakfast I'll sneak in....

Yesterday afternoon was spent breaking my cousins with a climbing session. We found a climbing wall nearby and as they had never done it before they were raring to go. It was very, very funny and Mat even got invited tojoin a bunch of hard core climbers for an outdoor climb which he had to decline as our schedule wouldn't allow it.

Our evening dinner was at an amazing restaurant called 'Cafe Juanita' where the food was incredible and the decor even more so and super crazy!  It was as if an eclectic hoarder had taken acid and decided to display everything they ever possessed. From dolls, chandeliers, lampshades, cuddly toys, rocking horse (?!) to interesting suitcases and boxes they were all on show.

Today, New Year's Eve should be fun. Due to not having enough space in our luggage for my ballgown or Mat his tuxedo (as one does), we are having to decline tonight's Venetian Ball complete with masks here at the Shangri-La. Instead we are keeping it real and heading over to Subic Bay by the sea for some fun and fireworks shenanigans. Having seen the fireworks public safety announcements on TV here I'm hoping it's not going to be too out of control.

Happy New Year's Eve all!

Manila mall-ing

I read somewhere that the words 'the mall' comes from the words 'them all' because you don't just have one shop, you have 'them all' hence 'the mall'.

Not sure how true this is but this is certainly the case for Manila where I don't even know how many malls exist here there are so many. You name any well known store or brand and they have a presence here. From high end Bulgari, Rolex, Cartier, to everyday M&S, Body Shop and Top Shop they literally all have an outlet. In addition, there are floors full of haberdashery, craft stuff, sweets, food etc. It will never cease to amaze me how much a country of contrasts the Philippines is given how much poverty exists but I suppose you could say that about any country and it is what it is.

Most of yesterday was spent exploring around said malls and in the evening we met up with a couple of our cousins and their girlfriends for a Thai food extravaganza at a restaurant called People's Palace. The food was incredible but the service could have been a LOT better.

Afterwards we got to have abit of a wander hanging out with Manila's beautiful elite in the Makati district. I felt like I was in the Truman Show where everything & everyone is perfect, poised, posing or pristine. A bit like Essex on a night out you could say. If only 'real life' were like this!

Lowlands heat

Sun 28th Dec

To avoid getting caught up in yet another traffic snarl up as experienced yesterday we departed at the ridiculously early time of 6am for my familial hometown. Well away from the cool uplands and definitely way, way hotter. We are definitely in the tropics here.

Right now it's just gone 10.30pm and the noise of cicada is all I can hear.... and a remix of 'Bang Bang' featuring Jessie J, Arianna Grande and Nicki Minaj. There's a festive party of some description in the next village, the DJ's speakers are turned up and they are going for it!

It's been a good opportunity to just chill out today, have a laugh with my cousins, eat 'palabok' and get myself a home pedicure complete with nail polish for the princely sum of 90p. Mat got a full shave to remove his beard for about 50p. Amazing! We are Manila bound tomorrow where I suspect prices are not going to be as favourable.

Baguio Traffic Blues

Following the excesses of the three day festive period, we thought a stroll around 'Burnham Park' and a visit to 'Mansion House' would be great to blow the cobwebs except we couldn't. Or rather the crazy traffic prevented us from doing so!

It took 2 HOURS to move approximately 3 miles so after a pitstop of a mango smoothie we returned home. Ridiculous but apparently because most of Manila seems to be here in the cooler uplands for the Christmas period and there is limited road access here, it was no big surprise. Just very frustrating!

Christmas Eve, Christmas Day & Boxing Day 2014

Aside from when I was very small and still believed in Santa Claus, I've never really been one for Christmas and all its related commercialness. It all seems a bit too much and forced jollity to me although I do appreciate the tinsel and baubles or bubbles in my case.

What I do love about it is the chance to catch up with family and friends over good food, drink & general merriment which we certainly got to do these last three days.

The main event chez my Filipino family during this festive period is Christmas Eve where a big party took place full of said good food & drink & general merriment.

Most of the day was spent welcoming various guests and helping prepare for the evening meal. Well, I say 'helping' but it was probably more getting in the way!

No expectation or pressure of major Christmas gifts either. Everyone is asked to contribute a small unisex gift as part of a 'secret Santa' type gift exchange & games are played afterwards. What brilliant fun! We had such a laugh & got to make ridiculously strong mojitos for all. The wifi also wasn't working at this point so everyone was forced to interact with each other and not just sit there staring at a small screen social media-ing.

Christmas Day was more of the same with an added visit to 'Camp John Hay', essentially a large park with various entertainment facilities. It was full to bursting with people & at one point as a result of overcrowding, confusion & general d*ckhead behaviour from one entitled other customer in a posh cake shop we were in, there was nearly a full blown Christmas Day argument! You can take the girl out of Essex... Honestly, it would have made a good film scene!!
Christmas Day evening was spent playing cards ('Shithead') & consuming vast amounts of booze till the early hours. Good times!

Boxing Day was again more of the same but this time, Mat and I treated everyone to his legendary coconut curry for dinner (made by us whilst listening to the Bee Gees) followed by a visit to 'Baguio Craft Beer' to yet again corrupt my cousins, this time with strange tasting beer. Of all the places, in all the world, a craft beer place!

Headed east and it's not Upminster

Tues 23rd Dec

So as mentioned previously, we've headed to the far east for Christmas and New Year to visit the mothership that is the Philippines. Previously, heading east would have meant Essex although Philippines isn't so different what with the prevalence of dressed up good looking people, big houses and the liking of bling here.

The flight over on Asiana Air was fairly non-eventful helped by the use of business lounges which made the whole experience *that* bit more civilised. The highlight for me was the self cleaning heated toilet at Incheon Airport in Seoul which as cultural highlights go is up there.

Having left our lively hotel (another word for noisy) in Manila, we've ventured north to Baguio to get over jet lag, celebrate Christmas and meet and greet about 50 relatives of varying degrees of cousins. It's lovely up here but wifi is patchy and telephone signal even patchier so blog posts is problematic.

Current highlight seen so far is  giant statues of superheroes such as the Hulk, Superman, Spiderman, Shrek etc and many more next to a giant statue of the Virgin Mary. It was all very odd but really well done! We were going too fast in the car for me to take a photo but will definitely get one. Seeing is believing.

Black Friday

Last Friday, while everyone else was fighting over a television and/or debating what colour shoes to get, I was told my cancer is back.

Obviously, as bad news go I would have preferred being told "the 50% off promo code is no longer valid for your purchase" but the shoe range at UCH is none existent so this wasn't to be.

It turns out that the rib pain I have been experiencing on my left side recently is a small tumour and there are spots on my thigh bones, sternum and lower back. Oh the wonders of an MRI scan! Lots of tests still to be done but my treatment is likely to start in January.

Because this time around the tumour isn't on anything major such as my spine like last time (consultant's words not mine) my treatment isn't so immediate. I therefore have December off from major medical procedures so life at least continues as normal for now. I'm still going to work and Mat and I are currently planning some R&R in the Philippines sun for New Year as it will be some time before I can go anywhere tropical again.

I'm a little nervous and scared of my upcoming treatments but only because I now know about the unpleasantness that is to come. I have even cut my hair short again in anticipation!

Mostly however, I'm very pissed off, truly vexed in fact. F-ck you cancer. Battle lines are drawn and I'm ready for another fight. Rocky did beat Apollo Creed in the re-match after all.

See you at ringside.

California - Happy Birthday To Me

I left my heart in San Francisco and we saw and did so many amazing things in this great city, I'm going to write a separate blog post on it to remind/cheer me up when we return to the UK.

And separate posts also on what we have been doing since leaving San Francisco which included:

Driving down Highway 1 listening to Pink Floyd and Jimi Hendrix.

Visiting Monterey and its aquarium and taking a boat out to Monterey Bay whale watching and actually seeing humpbacks up close feeding, along with dolphins, seals, sealions and porpoises.

Our blink and you'll miss visit to Carmel.

Hearst Castle and the magnificent ridiculousness of its grandeur being recounted by our Donald Trump lookalike guide.

Elephant seals arf! arfing away.

Seeing and photographing hummingbirds.

Cambria and its scarecrow festival.

Beautiful Santa Barbara.

And celebrating yet another birthday today where every Essex girl should...Malibu!

Older, none the wiser, feeling luckier and most importantly glad to be alive.

California - San Francisco

It's all very well going to San Francisco & wearing flowers in your hair but it would also be useful to know where you can park your car for more than 2 hours!?!

We arrived in the great city yesterday excited but due to mis-information from our Air BNB hosts, ended up getting abit pissed off as we spent a good hour plus finding long term parking space for our car! To cut a long story short, we did find somewhere but all abit unneccessary. Not a good start to our San Francisco visit but all sorted in the end.

Anyway, we are in a very stylish apartment somewhere in the Haight Ashbury / Castro area so right in the middle of it all. I would say the London equivalent would be Shoreditch/Hoxton crossed with Old Compton Street. Lots of bohemian & interesting characters around & there's a tram stop just outside our building! Mat and I are possibly too straitlaced to fit in with the impossibly trendy folk here but it's just like living in London I'm guessing.

I'm loving all the architecture in the city already & there's a definite European feel to the place. The hills are interesting too - not just for driving but also walking. I haven't seen a lot of high heels being worn yet! The Castro district is as you would expect & it was only a Tuesday night. I would have loved to have been here in my early 20s!

We had a 'gentle' night out taking in a tasty Thai in Castro & drinks in the Market Place & soaking up the whole San Franciso vibe. Along the way we met a man in a dress looking very stylish, a couple skateboarding down a hill & SO many buff men. Standard San Franciscan night I'm guessing.

California - Sonoma & Santa Rosa

Mon 29th Sept

Most of my Mondays are not usually spent with the intention of getting sh&t faced but as today was wine tasting day, it ended up that way. Having consumed wine since this afternoon , I've started to sober up!

Our day began with a strange bacon & pancakes combo for breakfast which I wasn't entirely sure about. Our Inn is lovely but this breakfast wasn't up there. What is it about Americans and bacon and pancakes?!

Anyway because 'the best beer in the world' is in Santa Rosa, we headed over there to the Russian Brewing company to get some bottles. We also had a little explore and stumbled upon the most beautiful art deco building in the form of the Barnes & Noble outlet in the middle of Santa Rosa. Gorgeous!

We also visited the Charles M Schulz museum. Having grown up with Snoopy, Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus & the whole Peanuts gang, I thought it would be a commercial homage but a fun one anyway. How wrong was I!

I will devote a whole blog post on it at a later date as I took enough photos but I found the Charles M Schulz museum to be one of the best museums I have ever visited. Yes even better than the Slate Museum in north Wales!!!! Interesting pieces, well laid out & fascinating & insightful information. I left knowing more about the Peanuts gang but most of all liking the great man more. I had no idea he was such a humanitarian. I actually felt humbled & moved by him.

The rest of the day was then spent vineyard hopping. Our Inn is affiliated with several vineyards to enable us to take part in free tastings & as I wasn't driving I definitely swallowed!!

So sobering up & with a rapidly growing headache, I need to go. Sonoma has charmed me into submission.

A couple of pics below from today as I've been accused of having blogs too text heavy. Wifi signal becomes an issue when I'm loading pics so will upload more when I get home.

California - Sonoma Valley in wine country

We awoke to yet more atrocious weather in Tahoe & frankly couldn't wait to leave. It was just too cold & wet to enjoy more of Tahoe so saving it for another visit, we set off for California's wine country.

With Napa apparently being "too touristy" we have plumped for next valley Sonoma as our 'base' here and it's wonderful.

For the first time on this trip, everything feels very European but with an American touch. The mile upon mile upon mile of vineyards make it feel very French or possibly Surrey as so called wine estate housing all look like the footballer wives ones in Esher. 

The Silverado Trail we did highlighted just where the money here is in this area. The vibe is very 'upmarket American'. No huntin' , fishin' & shootin' types as far as I can tell. I can imagine Chelsea Clinton & her mates hanging out here.

Dinner last night was possibly the best so far at a Portugese restaurant in Sonoma plaza. Very chi-chi. From there we meandered back to our Inn... to listen to one of the noises on our ambient noise maker machine thingy. 'White noise' is particularly interesting...?!?

Very random.

California - Lake Tahoe (south side)

Sat 27th Sept

Our drive to Lake Tahoe was yet again through some amazing scenery & vomit inducing mountain roads.

Me: "I can't look! I can't look. Wow! Ohmigod. I feel sick"
Mat: "So don't look"
Me: "But it's so pretty. Nope I feel sick".

You get the picture.

Being up in the mountains, the weather has also turned. It's c-c-c-o-l-l-d-d!! Good job Mat made me pack my down jacket.

We are probably here not long enough to get a real feel for the place but Lake Tahoe feels like the sort of place you would go away to for a romantic getaway or in other words a dirty weekend. There are loads of people just hot-tubbing about here! There are also countless wedding chapels. Not sure if its because Tahoe is on the stateline with Nevada and rules are different but it's all very odd. I did ask a waiter why earlier & he just said it was big business & people like getting married here.

They clearly also like 'adults only" rooms as we were offered one in one of the hotels we visited before we made our excuses and plumped for this one. What the actual f-ck is an adults only room?! The lady kept going on about a spa in the room but surely an adults only room is one where children are not in it and if you don't have children in it, then it's adults only then?! I dread to think what else could have been in there but it's all beyond my tiny mind.

Tahoe currently also seems to be in a state of flux. It's a little too early for skiing season & summer is clearly over so lots of people hanging around. There are lots of pretty bright young things here however and we joined in to enjoy what Tahoe's night life had to offer.

Frat boys, sororities, batchelor/ette parties... we encountered & a casino!

Mat had never played in one and can you believe that at first attempt on the roullete wheel he walked away with $200!!!!! On a $50 stake, we actually made money. Celebrating at a nearby bar earlier, it all got abit hazy but mojitos were involved & being the oldest hanging out with a bunch of 20-somethings, it felt like being at work!!

California - Bodie Ghost Town

Sat 27th Sept

Having got up from possibly the worst bed I have ever slept on & a hearty breakfast later at the only diner in town, we set off on a hike around North Twin Lake. The weather had changed overnight to very cold & we could see on the mountain peaks that it had snowed overnight. Hard to believe I was lazing by a pool a couple of days ago!

Lots of fishermen were out already. They like their fishing round here. Apparently the biggest trout in the world was caught in the lake. Our guidebook book says 'State' so possibly a fisherman's tale....

Conscious of bears in the woods, we stuck to the shoreline for our walk but again spent most of it being scared of meeting one!  No bears & drunk on yet more gorgeous scenery later we headed off to Bodie a ghost town now a historical site.

It was quite creepy wandering around what essentially was a thriving mining town 200 years ago. Peaking into peoples homes, bars & hotels & seeing their belongings covered in dust was all abit Stephen King.

Had it really been left as is or did a historical curator get let loose with the sprinkle dust to get that authentic feel. It looked very muc abandoned so who knows... What I did very much like were the copies of letters held in the museum from people apologising for taking stuff from the town since they had been 'cursed' from taking it. There are numerous newspaper articles on this so called 'curse' so are abit spooky.

There is nothing like perpetuating a curse myth to stop people from taking things but I left everything as is. You just never know!

California - northern Yosemite & the High Sierras

9pm Fri 26 Sept

We have now ended up further north in Yosemite but very much away from the valley and into 'wilderness' High Sierra country. The air is distinctly cooler up here & for the first time this trip, I'm having to wear a jacket.

We are in Mono Village where the folk round here are of the huntin', fishin' & shootin' variety & the men's beards have been lovingly grown for years rather than for the hipster look.

We have come in search of bears as apparently there are loads round here. We seem to be the only idiots who are excited about the prospect of seeing bears as most people here are carrying bear spray. In fact, we have frankly been shitting ourselves at the prospect of meeting one! As it is, the most bear like creature we have met so far at night is a guy called Ron.

As it is so far out from the usual tourist trail, Mat & I stick out like sore thumbs not least because of his bright green hoodie & well, I suspect not many Filipino-Essex girls have ventured up here.  There is no wifi or phone signal anywhere & this post will probably be posted this weekend when we hit Lake Tahoe. It is a little disconcerting to be so cut-off but that's 'wilderness' for you.

Having soaked up yet more amazing views from Olmsted Point & lunch by Tenaya Lake bird watching, a hike in Tuolumme Meadows made for yet another photogenic afternoon.  I also learnt what a 'tufa' is on Mono Lake. Weird alien landscape made of leftover calcium carbonate as opposed to 2for1 deals found in supermarkets... :-)

Still no bears though!

California - Yosemite

It's not every Thursday I'm sat by a boulder pool contemplating life while looking at Tibetan prayer mats swaying in the breeze next to an enormous Southfork Dallas type house but that's exactly what's happening right now. A take it easy Thursday rather than a throwback one.

Yosemite the last two days has lived up to the hype by slapping me round the face with her wilderness beauty demanding to be noticed. She screamed, never mind Sequioa with her f-uck off giant trees & cute bears! I have all those, MOUNTAINS & then some you know! I get it, I really do get it.

It's no wonder Yosemite is the mecca for climbers, the rock here is on another level. El Capitan, Half Dome, Royal Arches (Fallen Arches as I kept calling it!) & all their mountain mates just seduce you with their grandeur. They make you want to go up them & witnessing the hard core few who were actually climbing these iconic rocks was just incredible. They looked like tiny ants scrambling up the side in search of something better at the top. Amazing. As were the posh binoculars we were using - best Christmas present in a while & finally put to good use.

The 360° view at top of Sentinel Dome was certainly worth the sweat- soaked effort. It's so magnificent up there, by the time you catch your breath from the climb, said 'wow' a few times all you can do is drink in the view in front of you. And take a million & one photos.

Just like the most inappropriately dressed person for being on a mountain we met up there. Wearing a black summer dress split to the thigh on both sides, bright pink jacket & headscarf & pink plimsols she looked like she had just wandered off a yacht party. Countless panoramic shots later, she was off as were we as it was getting hot up there.

I'm still trying to work out how she missed the trail down & ended up on a higher unmarked path but she did. We only found out she had when we heard her yelps of help. She at first refused offers from Mat to assist her down but when she realised her outfit wasn't exactly conducive to skipping down a mountain, she did so holding on for dear life. And safely down she went .... as her dress got caught by the wind and pulled it over her head showing off her big pants in the most unladylike fashion!! Christ on a bike! My eyes nearly bled from the sight of it. A thousand blessings & thanks later, she was off to continue her travels.  How we didn't laugh I have no idea. I think we were just shocked at the ridiculousness of it all!

Mat completed his guided climb with someone called Nate and I'm pretty sure if I wasn't his travelling companion, I would have lost him to one of the climbing camps in Yosemite such was the look of sheer delight on his face when he returned.

I had also never seen the Milky Way so clear, so big and so bright until I was sat on a rock on top of Glacier Point. Yes, late night hiking up somewhere high wearing head torches isn't particularly health & safety conscious but as I had my own ranger in the form of Mat guiding me, it was fine...?!

It was so beautiful up there. Yes I did have a little tear in my eye as I looked up at the sky & marvelled at the spectacle in front of me. Billions and billions of stars in galaxies beyond my comprehension making me feel humble at the enormity and beauty of it all.

California - the first three days

I'm currently on a ridiculously large sleigh bed feeling like the princess and the pea as the mattress on it is h-u-g-e. Even by American standards, this bed is epic.

Mat and I are now in Mariposa just outside Yosemite National Park having got lost in getting here. The building we are in looks beautiful but it was so dark when we eventually found it, I could only see the outline. Exaggeration, but you get the picture! By our own standards of epic fails this one was a peach involving missing addresses, dead batteries & begging for wifi passwords!

Our stay in Sequioa was magnificent although by the end of it, I literally could not see the wood for the trees given the immense size of them! I knew they were big but they are so enormous & so vast in scale, at times they almost don't look real. They are like the Lord of the Rings tree people (Ents?) come to life.  The biggest tree in the world General Sherman being top boy.

A 2mile 'Congress Trail' hike was worth doing to see General Sherman's equally impressive tree mates but possibly not after an 11hr flight. I was knackered!
Fatigued & jet lagged, that evening's meal was demolished & I got to learn the difference between an American biscuit (soft & savoury) & a UK one (hard & sweet).

Today (Tues), we got to see a bear (!!!!) on the side of the road munching away on some acorns. En route to Crystal Cave, Mat & I were both so shocked we didn't take a photo of it! We then spent most of today looking out for another one at Kings Canyon but not finding any and strictly following advice on putting foods in bear lockers to stop them getting at them. Having had lunch prepared from the best deli in town, you could smell this a mile away! Alas, all we saw was yet more chipmunks.

Final highlight of the day was Crystal Cave's hipster guide & the coolest cave naturalist, Miles. There's not many folk who can make a caving system tour sound very interesting & be a little philosophical at the same time but he did. Miles, I salute you & your awesome beard!

Where were we?

So, the wedding happened & we had the happiest day of our life so far. Since then a few things have happened that I should have blogged about but was too lazy/disinclined to do so. A few highlights...

We honeymooned in beautiful Sardinia & had the best time. And I cried all the way round one of Europe's best via ferratta but secretly thrilled and amazed that I managed to do it.
I cut my hair short(er) although since then, its now longer!
We saw Bruce Springstein at Wembley where he showed us all who was the Boss.
I ended up contracting shingles where the pain was immeasurable, the blisters huge & the scars still refuse to fade.
Anna Grace was born on my birthday & what an adorable birthday twin to have.
Bobby was born soon after, further increasing our Supper Club Gang.
We visited Sicily where we got to enjoy her delights & further discover la dolce vita.
We saw the 2013 Lords Mayor Show from a boat on the Embankment.
We visited Dorset & fell in love with Lulworth Cove & her surrounds.
And to end an eventful year, we visited Norway where we discovered Oslo, saw the Northern Lights in Tromso as well as seeing whales in one of their fjords whilst on a rib trying not to freeze to death.

2014 started with a bang when my beautiful, precious niece Mathilda was born. Reminding me the importance of family, responsibility & and loyalty. I strive to be the best aunty I can be for her.

Since then most of this year has been spent completing our garden where finally this summer we were able to invite friends & family to enjoy our hard work with us.

In between, we visited Paris in the springtime back in March where Paris seduced us with her wonders.

We celebrated our first wedding anniversary at the Hay Festival where our first wedded year of paper & card was spent at the festival of books.

More friends have also got married & we were lucky enough to celebrate with them.

Mathilda got christened & I got to renounce the devil & repent my sins (again).

Summer was spent enjoying the fabulous weather, spending time with family and friends.
And now, having attended one of the quirkiest weddings of the year so far (a festival themed one), I'm on a flight to California for our California road trip.

The blog has awakened!