Let It Snow. Let It Snow. Let It Snow...Not!

December was a rather dry winter where am at.  It snowed only once, overnight, and was gone the next day.  But this month of January, winter has indeed come.

It had started snowing one night last week.  Since it's my first time overseas during winter in a place not normally known to snow everyday, the sight was quite a surprise to witness in the late evening.  The scene and sky was sort of red, with flakes falling fast.  It didn't look like my usual evening.

that's pretty much the color of what I saw that night

I took a video from the den/balcony of the snow falling that evening.  Hehe!

 a closer look at a tree branch near me

using auto white balance, scene turned bluish green

So it snowed in the past 2 days or so.  Today is no exception, it snowed in earnest today. 

More Fun in the Philippines

The Philippines's Department of Tourism is launching its new tourism campaign "More Fun in the Philippines".

I found it simple yet effective and easier to promote.  Many people do.  It's been quite successful locally.  No wonder there's now even an online More Fun in the Philippines meme generator, whereas the official campaign site hasn't yet gone live (now that's a fail.  Tsk!).


Anyhow, I posted a photo I shot in Panglao Island with the meme via the morefunmaker website:

It's true.  Some activities are indeed more fun in the Philippines.  Now if only traffic/driving/and the commute isn't so stressful in Metro Manila (definitely not fun!), then I could have had more fun in the city.  Lol.

Yes many things, activities and people are more fun in the Philippines but some of the customs people (on arrival in the country) at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 -- the oldest NAIA terminal -- certainly aren't.  And they're notorious for this. 

You arrive tired from a trip, looking forward to getting past the airport gates and being home sweet home, but wait, customs person here is definitely sending feelers to get some "goody/ies" from me or whatever are in my/our bags...asking, staring at, and pointing at our huge bags "o, ang dami nyong bags.. ano mga nauwi nyo... ang lalaki ng bag nyo ah?" (translation... it's akin to saying: "Wow these bags you've brought back are rather big... what did you guys bring home?") or something to the effect which didn't sound quite right to our ears.  It's almost like telling us, "If you get my meaning...." Red flag! 

To which I would dearly have loved to have replied, "Sipa, gusto mo?"  (loose translation: Want a kick in the butt?)  hahahaha!  :D  And to think those bags were from a weeks-long trek we undertook in the Himalaya.  Geez.  Sige, iyo na lang my hiking sticks/trekking poles.  Go take a hike won't you?  And never return sana.. hahaha!  *sighs* 

Xmas and New Year's Eve Party Pics

Some new year's eve party pics...

 black forest cake