...made in China...

I think it's sad that the world had to wait for this whole milk crisis thing to happen... but in a way, I'm glad it did. I'm so sick of everything being made (poorly) in China. I'm sick of the whole fantasy of having 'cheap quality'... sorry to all the delusional economists out there... you get what you pay for. In the end, the idea of having 'better, cheaper, faster' products... one will always be sacrificed, and in this day and age of microwavable-I-need-it-yesterday-crap... 'better' is always the first to go.

I'm happy that in the search for alternatives to China, companies are now looking to closer neighbors. Some Austrian & German companies are outsourcing to Poland or the Czech republic. US companies are going back to outsourcing in Mexico. Makes more sense, with the rising fuel prices, pay less for logistics, and more for labor. Buy local, buy quality... don't buy just because it's friggin' cheap.

Hopefully this teach consumers a lesson as well. Quality over quantity.

...poor me...

...snif...snif... to ease my "Parisian homesickness" ... I'm now in Bohol to comfort myself by having wine on the beach... hehehe...

..I miss walking...

...I miss walking in Paris... not just for the sights... but walking to everything. I miss walking to my corner baker to buy my breakfast. I miss walking to the Metro. I miss walking along the Seine at night. It's funny because I'm not exactly the type who longs for exercise. I would walk a total of at least 10km everyday.

I actually walked to the local deli tonight to buy bread to make myself a sandwich. I think I can do this tomorrow morning... I've always wanted to be a "morning person"... it's just that the morning always comes so early! Hahahaha. But I enjoyed walking to the deli. Maybe I can make this my morning walk...and give myself an excuse to watch the sun rise.

Take my hand... we're of to Neder, Nederlands...

I met a lady who lived in a shoe! Hahahaha...

Happy Birthday!

Most of the things I've learned in life, I've learned from my Lola. When she passed away a couple of years ago, it was the first time I had ever lost anyone that close to me. I do miss my Lola a lot... more during the happy occasions (Christmas, her birthday, family gatherings) than her death anniversary or anything.

It's funny but I still can hear her voice of wisdom whenever I need it. I think it's because when you're really close to someone, a part of their consciousness gets passed on to you. Although, logically, I think this is just my subconscious telling me the right thing to do and using the memory of someone I respect to get me to listen to myself... No matter how you look at it, my Lola still guides me now.

And if there's anything I learned from her, is that life is too short... live it to the fullest, happiest, and funniest!

a Paris rarely seen...

A little known fact about Paris... the twin sister of a well known lady resides here...

I'm back!!!

After backpacking around France... it feels so good to be back in Paris!!!

following a star...

A surprise find in Lyon... apparently a very special car resides here... I can't begin to express how much I love unexpected surprises!

Lyon Lights

The beautiful lights of Lyon

It's a beautiful day in Marseille!

Mediterranean Sunset

Bucket list...

What if you had one month to live? Have you done everything on your "bucket list"? Being in France has made me realize that, well... my bucket list is pretty much complete. This trip was initially one of those things you keep planning for but for some reason, always gets pushed back... until I realized... I kept making excuses for why I wasn't doing what I wanted to be doing. Call it practicality, call it logic, call it whatever you want... at the end of the day, I wasn't living the life I wanted, because I kept finding excuses/reasons on why I wasn't in France.

I realized that it's so easy to come up with reasons... "Life" always gives us reasons. Until we wake up and see that the only reason... the ONLY reason we haven't done (or aren't doing) what we want to do... or are not where we wanna be... is because we accepted those "reasons":

-not enough money
-not enough time
-waiting for a better time
-waiting for a better oportunity
-not the right time
-work first to save up

I can think of a thousand reasons why I wasn't in France... until I just decided to go. Then, when I stopped making excuses for myself... things fell into place... not just perfectly... but effortlessly. I'm so glad I stopped planning this trip. It arrived faster (and is turning out better) than I expected! I just love how life always throws nice surprises and knocks you off your feet when you least expect it! And if there's anything I've learned here in France... is how to live life, and not just watch it go by! As the French say... C'est La Vie!

Votre santé

Started my "backpacking" trip around France by heading off to Bordeaux. Happened to chance upon a wine school that was holding classes while I was there, so... where else can one learn about wine but Bordeaux?!?! And of course, after I finished the class, I made my way to visit a couple of Chateaus (one that specialized in sweet white wine, and the other that made red & dry whites)... this is THE place for wine lovers... the passion & refinement they have for wine is just on a totally different level! Next stop... Marseille...if I don't get lost! Hahahaha...

Après dix ans! Je suis enfin de retour!

au revoir tout le monde!

nouvelle famille...

un et demi...

YAHOO!!!

DEUX!!!!!!!!

trois...

quatre...

5...