Amelia's Nest: October 2010

Tuesday, 26 October 2010

Free Movie Tickets Again

Last Friday I received an e-mail from Golden Village, one of the top industry player for movies that I have won a pair of movie ticket for the gala premier of Legend of the Guardians : The Owls of Ga' Hoole in 3D. This is for Tueday's viewing. Or should I say tonight at 7PM in Vivo City. I'm so delighted while reading the e-mail since I'm not that lucky when it comes to raffle and what-not. Another free movie tickets. This time the luck was on my side, yahoo!

This is a good treat for me and I will bring with me my son. He will definitely enjoy the movie. Will post a review later.

Friday, 22 October 2010

Macau Trip : A Day Tour

It has been my desire to visit Macau since I was in high school. Maybe because of my love to old structures and Catholicism. And that want was satisfied last 21st of August at the time when we are in Hong Kong. Hubby and I took the opportunity to visit the place. We left the kids and my mom in Hong Kong and head to Macau for a short visit.

Macau has 16 churches across country, second to Philippines in Asia. Macau was colonized by Portugal since 1887 and handed back to China last 1999. And now they are China's Special Administrative Region. The country is more famous on tourism and casinos. And you can clearly see it once you step in the country.

We don’t have exact planned itinerary and didn’t get any tour guide or package to help us to navigate the country. But we don’t care as long as we have money, passport and camera with us it will be fine.

The hotel where we stay in Hong Kong provides transport service going to the ferry terminal where we can take ferryboat going to Macau. We left Hong Kong around 8:00AM. It was a 45 minutes ferry trip. Upon arrival at Macau Ferry Terminal we were greeted nicely. I felt more homey than in Hong Kong.

At the terminal there are couple of kababayans or fellow Filipino asked us if we want to get their tour services but we have to pay HK$200 per person. By the way you can use Hong Kong dollar in Macau no need to change currency. But told hubby not to get any rather we follow our instinct and go where our feet can bring us. Anyway taxi drivers are honest just like in Singapore, so you don't worry of the meter or if they will do something wrong to you. The place is safe. And just opposite of the terminal there are free shuttle buses to bring you to hotels and casinos. Where I immediately spotted the Venetian bus and so we hopped in. And the journey begun.

Thursday, 21 October 2010

Life As We Know It

Last Monday I received an SMS telling I have a free movie ticket but I just ignored it. But later in the evening it registers in my mind that I received an SMS for the movie ticket and so I checked, good thing I’m deleting messages right away. And so it’s true that I have a free movie ticket. I informed my hubby but he can’t join me since he’s too busy with his work. And so I invited my friend if she wants to watch movie with me and luckily she says “yes” to my invitation. And last night was a ladies' night out.

We watched the movie, “Life As We Know It” at the nearest mall where I’m currently working and it’s also near my friends house. But before we watched we had dinner first at a pizza & pasta restaurant. We consumed everything we ordered and had a small talk. Her sister and son joined us for the dinner. Then later me and my friend proceed to the theatre. Though our husband's didn't come with us they still pick us up in the mall. We finished by 11:30PM.

The movie was oh so fine. A feel good movie. Full of laughter with a bit of drama and love story. It was just so light with a simple story light twist and I liked it. Two individual trying to make a world perfect for an orphan baby girl named Sophie. Sophie’s parents both died in a car accident. Sophie’s parents named their best friends, Holly (starred by Katherine Heigl) and Eric (starred by Josh Duhamel) to be the legal guardian that they both don’t know until the lawyer appeared before them and informing them of the last will. Left with no options both agreed to take full responsibility of the child. Being single and no plans yet of having a family, both find themselves in big misery but later found the meaning and the reason behind everything.

Both tried to make things perfect as much as they want it to be but family life is not easy as ABC’s. It’s a constant struggle to make things fine. Being single and no plans yet of having a family, both find themselves in big misery but later found the meaning and the reason behind everything.

And well that’s life, as we know it.

Thursday, 14 October 2010

Bintan Painting

This is a long-over-due post. I mentioned in my post in our Weekend in Bintan last year, we bought a painting. This is just a small painting, a souvenir so to speak. Since we are collecting paintings from the places we have visited. A unique painting in that place is ideal.

This is from Bintan, Indonesia. A two local ladies dressed in their costumes and dancing in their local music. So Indonesia!

Wednesday, 13 October 2010

Hong Kong Trip : Aberdeen Fishing Village

Another place that we have visited on our half-day city tour was Aberdeen Harbour or aka Aberdeen Fishing Village which is located at the Southern District of Hong Kong Island. As told, this is the place where the locals of Hong Kong first landed.

It is interesting to see those boats from the poor and middle-income people and the yacht of the rich people parked on the same place. You could easily see the distinction and big difference between rich and poor.

I was surprised seeing a lady steering the boat and afterwards she will ask the tourist if they want to buy shirts, it's HK$110 for four(4) HK souvenir t-shirts.

The Jumbo Restaurant or the Floating Restaurant is also located here. This is owned by the famous Stanley Ho. Few of the well-known people has visited this place such as Queen Elizabeth II, Tom Cruise, John Wayne and Chow Yun-fat. Similar restaurant was in the Manila Bay, Philippines. I have visited that and was able to go inside. But currently it's closed and non-operational.

Until now there are still people living in their boats and made fishing as their source of income, their life.

Tuesday, 12 October 2010

Painting from Phuket

This another long-over-due post. As mentioned in my post in Short-But-Sweet...Thai Break Day 2, we bought a painting and again we are looking for something unique in the place. And by luck we managed to find and bought one.

This painting is from Phuket, Thailand. A tuk-tuk that is unique in Thailand. Hubby and I liked the painting. We didn't hesitate to buy this. It captures the uniqueness of the image as well as the combination of colours. It's simple yet interesting. Proudly Thailand!

Hong Kong Trip: Golden Bauhinia and HK Convention & Exhibition Center

During our trip in Hong Kong, part of the half-day city tour (which was included in our package) was a visit to Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre located at Wan Chai North. We didn't manage to go inside the convention centre but from the outside you can see the grandiose of the structure. It’s like a flying bird. It is somehow similar to Sydney's Opera House.

And outside of the convention centre is the Golden Bauhinia Square where the golden bauhinia monument is located. The monument is the commemorative gift of China government to the people of Hong Kong. This marks the return of Hong Kong to China from British rule that took place last July 01, 1997. The tour guide says this flower is popular in China.

Friday, 8 October 2010

It's Friday! Date-Night!

I love Fridays...it's the end of the work week and the start of leisure. And tonight, I will go with with hubby and friends to watch Eat Pray Love, starred by Julia Roberts and directed by Ryan Murphy. It's a romance and drama film.

I am currently reading the book and I'm about to finish but I will jump watching the movie first as I can't finish by this coming week due to work commitments and deadlines. Lately, I come back home super late and no time for kids, myself and hubby and I think I deserved to be pampered today. And am so excited to watch this movie plus it's a movie date with hubby and couple friends.

Happy Friday everyone!!!

Monday, 4 October 2010

A Story to Live By

This was send to me by my cousin and would want to share. This was a post in Philippine Star dated August 24, 2010. Have a pleasant day to all!!

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There was a blind girl who hated herself because she was blind. She hated everyone, except her loving boyfriend. He was always there for her. She told her boyfriend, “If I could only see the world, I will marry you.”

One day, someone donated a pair of eyes to her. When the bandages came off, she was able to see everything, including her boyfriend.
He asked her, “Now that you can see the world, will you marry me?”
The girl looked at her boyfriend and saw that he was blind. The sight of his closed eyelids shocked her. She hadn’t expected that. The thought of looking at them the rest of her life led her to refuse to marry him.

Her boyfriend left in tears and days later wrote a note to her saying: “Take good care of your eyes, my dear, for before they were yours, they were mine.”

(Note: Moral of the story? Read on.)
This is how the human brain often works when our status changes.
Only a very few remember what life was like before, and who was always by their side in the most painful situations.

Life is a gift.

Today, before you say an unkind word — Think of someone who can’t speak.

Before you complain about the taste of your food — Think of someone who has nothing to eat.

Before you complain about your husband or wife — Think of someone who’s crying out to GOD for a companion.

Today, before you complain about life — Think of someone who died too early on this earth.

Before you complain about your children — Think of someone who desires children but they’re barren.

Before you argue about your dirty house someone didn’t clean or sweep — Think of the people who are living in the streets.

Before whining about the distance you drive — Think of someone who walks the same distance with their feet.

And when you are tired and complain about your job — Think of the unemployed, the disabled, and those who wish they had your job.

But before you think of pointing the finger or condemning another — Remember that not one of us is without sin.

And when depressing thoughts seem to get you down — Put a smile on your face and think: you’re alive and still around.