A juggle of activities 2

from my last post, i had made two trips to the famous o2 arena. the first was when baby and me watched the World Artistics Gymnastics Championships where my baby's countryman won a silver medal in one of the events. and britain's own elizabeth won a gold medal in one of the events as well. but an accident happened to the Columbian gymnast who had a nasty landing, she was later put on a stretcher and brought to the nearest hospital. glad to know she was okay now.

my second trip was just very recently, last weekend. we went to the ATP World Tour Finals where i saw how Nikolay Davydenko beat the world's number one Roger Federer. it was a very exciting match, but the underdog won! Roger just made too much mistakes. Congrats to the Russian.

weeks ago as well, i made my second trip to the Emirates Stadium where I watched my favorite football team, Arsenal played against the Dutch Team, AZ Alkmaar. well, it was a good trip coz my team won! 3-1! well played! tottenham in disguise huh?

A juggle of activities

there could have been a lot of happenings to blog about but got busy with work. still trying to find my own feet at work, again since i moved early last month.

how i got the job is a pretty interesting story. like everything else, it all starts in a dream, chasing it and making it a reality. you see, my ever favorite place in London is the Tower Bridge. one Sunday afternoon, we had a little walk around the area, just admiring how beautiful London was, he showed me the street where he used to live. it was a very quiet area and it was at a back of a big building, which turned out to be Guy's Hospital. he said that his ex's college was affiliated with the hospital so he frequently picked him up there. he also said that it is a sister hospital of St. Thomas' Hospital, conveniently located near Big Ben. in Cebu there is no hospital as big as it was, or half of its size. it was massive.

when i got home, i googled it up. looked at their job vacancies. applied for positions suitable for me. then off to bed. i wasnt desperately looking for a new job then. so i never really told anyone about it. not even my roommate Ara then, or baby.

a month after, i got a text message from the hospital saying that i was shortlisted and scheduled me for an interview. of course, it was a surprise! now i told baby who was also as excited as myself. the next day after the interview, the ward manager called me and congratulated that i got the job! perfect!

but it wasnt after 3 months after the pre employment checks were completed. just before we went to zurich, i was slowly losing hope that i would get the job because of immigration policies, which i totally understood. i tried my very best to support it with the necessary documents. and after careful review, when we got back to London, an email of unconditional offer was sent to me which made me really happy!

now im working for a very reputable hospital. very proud and happy! got it with my own two hands.

anyway, after zurich our next stop was Manchester. Home to Manchester City Football Club and Manchester United. because i could not get the days off, i decided to just follow baby there on a Saturday. the tournament started on a Thursday.

just when i got to the tennis courts, baby's match just ended and sad part was, he lost! ohhhh... but that's life. some wins, some loses. it was unlucky this time it was the latter.

anyway, we stayed on since he still has another match that day which was the D Doubles with Nigel. we met few old friends and new ones as well, watched others play, chit chatted.

the weather was nice that day but maybe they were just very unlucky because baby lost again. hmmm... looked like its not a good tournament.

anyway, life had to go on. he had a consolation match the next day to which he also lost. he played really well but the opponent just played better. in fairness to baby, he was a strong opponent.

on our way back to the hotel, took some pictures of the stadium which was so massive! we decided to stroll around the lovely city and find somewhre to eat. baby showed me where Queer As Folk UK was shot, the Canal Street, their own version of Soho. loads of people when we got there. very busy! the whole street was jampacked! while we were walking, we bumped into a couple whom baby knew. the other guy played for B in the tournament with his boyfriend. they said that they were meeting other people for dinner and invited us to join them. so we did. it was a bit awkward at first sitting in the same table as the other guys. maybe im just used to just me and my baby. but the guys were really nice. good company plus good food. just what we needed.

after dinner, me and honey separated and went back to Canal Street for a drink. we got in to the nearest bar that we could get in because i needed to go the loo. we got into Club Via which surprisingly turned out to be a very good bar. the ambience was great. we had a suite all by ourselves. we drank, got drunk. but had fun! i miss clubbing!

the next day, baby had to play in the afternoon, so we strolled around the town again before going to the courts. mostly the buildings were red. it was ancient but very nice. i was so vain, i put my camera in a timer mode but ended up dropping it. it can still function but it was too slow and some of the files were corrupted. so stupid of me. got what i deserved really.

anyway, this happened to be a very good day for baby since they won their game.

no trophy this time. but we had a great time in Manchester.

when we got back to London, my friend Ivy confirmed that she was indeed getting married on the 2nd of October in Nottingham and invited us (me and Ara) to be her witnesses. my baby couldnt come because it was a friday and he had to work.

because of the short notice, tickets to Nottingham were too expensive already. the cheapest that we could get was rerouting to Leicester and it was a red eye train ticket as well. we were left with no choice but to take it.

a week before the trip, i treated my baby to a dinner in Pinner. it was a lovely Thai restaurant. just after we ordered our food, he surprised me with a camera! wow! i felt so special. at first I thought it was his camera that he was giving away, but it was a new one! thank you so much honey!

Ara and I didnt realize how stressful as it should have been taking a late night train and having a four to five hour layover in Leicester. what the heck! we already took it. we just have to make the most of the trip. it was a bonding for the two of us since we live miles apart after I moved to the big city. gossips are neverendings, hehehehe!

ivy and her husband to be picked us up at the train station. nice chap! took us to his house, had breakfast and prepared ourselves for the wedding. it was a solemn wedding, very private, not too many people. the couple looked really happy! we went out that night to a local pub, did some dancing! missed the party scene! we lost track of the time we got back to our hotel room at 2am. take note: Ara and I had to leave at 7am, so you can just imagine how sleepless we are. huh! good thing we caught up the train and we got back to London safely.

the week after, baby and I went to an opera, Le Grand Macabre, in London Coliseum. there were loads of people but the opera was boring. maybe it just wasnt my thing. but it was an experience. though my Sister Act experience is still on top.

that same weekend, we went to see the London Gay Symphony Orchestra at Soho. i have to say i was proud to be gay. it was a really entertaining show. i love it! cant wait for the next concert!

YEAR

last sept 25 marked my first year of stay in the uk. coming to another country far away from home was never easy as i imagined. i thought i had seen the real world after college when i worked in my hometown. but i had seen reality in London. that life isnt always the way you expect it to be. life is sometimes bitter. its not always sweet. in short, i had a taste of everything here.

but more than anything else, i am ever so grateful that i stepped foot in London. it taught me the best lessons in life. it made me brave. i stumbled. i fell. i fought back.

but most importantly, i fell and still in love.

im looking forward to what's in store for my 2nd year in london. things have only started to get better.

new job. so far, very much happy with it. new flat.

but still the same Mykee...

Z U R I C H

in zurich airport

baby in zurich airport... i so love this shot!

where we ate dinner


us

lovely couple

national museum

getting ready to play huh?

videoke

me in Haldorf

i felt like a jetsetter. just barely a month from my Prague trip, there I was again at Luton Airport waiting for boarding for my flight to Zurich. my good friend, Ara, spent the Christmas Holidays in Switzerland and my boyfriend had been there twice, so I was given the thoughts of what to expect and what not. but having to experience first hand is another story.

immigration officials were nice. let me in with no problem. there i was... on swiss soil! the airport was like a shopping center. very nice. got our tickets to the city center and off we went. by the way, it was my first time to get in to a double decker train. so cool! it was comfy as well compared to the London Underground.hhehehe

it was nighttime when we arrived at the registration venue for my baby, where we met the other players and also, my then-good German friend Christian.

the weather was nice, so we decided to walk to our hotel which was a good 20 minute walk from the resto. i have to say, without ara and peter telling me, i noticed that the streets in Zurich were very clean. well maintained or just disciplined people? or both?

anyway, with all our bags, baby was so tired when we got to the hotel. i felt hungry so i went out to grab a bite. i walked through the streets looking for food. it was around 10pm, and the nearest food i could get was kebab, so i had it and took some for baby which he politely ate.

come the next day, we had breakfast at our hotel and we went to Haldorf which was 18 tram stops from where we were. it was far yet we didnt take notice of the time because we were so preoccupied looking at the views from the tram. and by the way, you can tell that it is a rich city by the looks of their trams compared to the ones in Prague. very modern.

we saw Patrick Tang from Belgium when we got there. Hugs and Kisses. and the Spanish Team were there too. the nicest people on the tournament. they got so lucky with the weather. all day it stayed dry. not only that, my baby won his match. so he got in to the next round!

at about 530pm we went to the other venue to watch the two famous players from Switzerland. actually one was from Bulgaria but has a Swiss passport. those girls can certainly hit the ball. everyone was in awe! we didnt finish the match though because baby had to play early the next day. so we went back to our hotel. but we rerouted to the filipino store which was just very near to our hotel. we accidentally saw it, so we thought of grabbing a bite there!

i was so excited, i bought a lot of stuffs in there that i could have got in London hahaha! met other Filipinos there who mostly were drunk from a hard day's work. after we had our dinner, the owner, put on the videoke.. hehehehe just what i wanted!

of course i sang. my baby turned red when i grabbed the microphone. maybe he was ashamed that i was really going to do it. he had a choice of walking out but he didnt. that was so sweet of him. the plan was one song, but it was on and on. after about 5 songs, i stopped and decided that i had enough and had to consider my baby. so we went back to our hotel with smiles on our faces. a city as big as Zurich, who would have thought, i would come across a Filipino shop. even Ara didnt know it was there when she went. lucky me!

the next day was another early day for us. we ate breakfast at the tennis venue. weather was still very nice. baby, had to play at 800am. he won! and got in to semi finals. his next match was 1300 so we decided to have a little stroll around the city rather than waiting in boredom in the courts.

we went to the National Museum of Zurich. Just like the River Thames of London, we also walked through Lake Zurich which had a fantastic view on both sides. we also walked through the Old Zurich which had expensive shops all over. the tiny streets were absolutely stunning!

baby went straight to the courts and i headed for a siesta at our hotel for an hour. when i got back to the courts to see baby, he was winning. and he went on and took the match for himself, which meant, he is in to the finals the next day!!!!!

we thought it called for a celebration. so at night, we strolled around Old Zurich again with an outstanding view of the Cathedral. Ohhh the citylights were brilliant. it was so romantic. especially spending the night with my one and only love. gorgeous!

we ended up eating in this lovely restaurant called, Pier 7. it was like a boat in the river. it was wobbling because of the waves when we ate. so cute!!!!! we had a lovely dinner plus i was with my baby, so that made it extra special. i would never have spent it with anyone else. mwwwaaahhh!!!!

baby lost the finals the next day to an italian guy. bad news! well he still played his best, enjoyed it. maybe next time. you win some, you lose some.

we stayed on until the closing ceremonies where baby got his trophy and headed home.

me, baby and Christian headed straight to the airport together. we took Christian to his terminal and we strolled around a little bit because our flight was delayed.

well our flight was delayed for 2 hours!!! can you believe it? worst delay ever. and mind you, we both still had to work the next day. just imagine.

anyhow, we got home safely. had a lovely time in Zurich. it was like another honeymoon... til next!

P R A H A

i almost did not push through with the trip. only because of the persistence of my partner, i was convinced to go. i have to tell you he is really good at that. you see, i just moved to a new job and i did not want to leave a bad impression from the management. im still in the prove yourself stage at work. and i was literally struggling and still adjusting to living on my own. to be very frank and honest, i did not prepare well with the transfer. there were times i wanted to go back and take the easy road but in life, we always have to lead on. i can only learn from my own mistakes. and move on.

anyway, at my age of 25, i still believe in signs. not that it proved reliable to me in the past, coz there had been times that it wasnt. but still keep on believing. i asked for a schengen visa and if i will get it, Go with the trip! Indeed it arrived. its another visa in my passport. i love it!

next step was making sure that my work schedule was blocked on the trip dates. i talked to the manager, of course, gave a more valid reason (white lie), which worked apparently.

so off we went!

czech republic was the 3rd european country that i visited after uk and ireland. my excitement was on tops!

by the way, we did not really came to Prague as tourists. my beautiful baby had to play for a tennis tournament for GLTA and he wanted me to come and support him. sweet, aint it?

we got to London Luton Airport early, we still got time to grab a bite there. while we were queuing for check in, we saw other two players on the same flight as us. a couple too, i think!
the view from the plane was very nice. city of bridges indeed.

it was very sunny when we got out of Praha Ruzyne Airport. and it was good to see again a normal car, that is, driver sits on the left front seat.

we headed straight to the registration which was at Latimerrie Bar in central Prague. we took the bus and metro, which was very cheap. on our way, the sightings were so beautiful. its such a lovely city.

Latimerrie was a very compact bar. baby introduced me to his friends. said hi. had drinks. and we headed to our hotel. another story. we booked a botel which came at a very cheap price but the reviews were great. it wasnt very central but there were activities around the area that we were looking forward to do. we took the tram there. a good 15 minute ride. only to find out that they run out of room for us, but they took responsibility and booked us in a 4 star hotel in the city central. their driver took us to our new hotel. we got a very big room and all the perks. and all for the same price. we got lucky! we thought.

we got so hungry. we left our things and went out again to find a good restaurant nearby. surprisingly, there were a lot of italian restaurants around. so we headed to the nearest. the waiter was very naughty! the food was good though. filled us up for that night. we had a a little walk around the area. the city was very beautiful. anywhere you look, you can see beautiful structures. i was so amused.

friday, july 17 2009, was still a beautiful day at 31 C. it was very hot! good news to the players. my baby only played one match that day. and it was a very good to see him win!

we went back to our hotel at around 3pm. had shower. and explored the city. although we booked a guided tour at 7pm, it was still nice to be all by ourselves. tooked some pics. visited the famous, Charles Bridge, the Old City Hall, The Opera House. Great! It was just sad that it rained hard at around 6pm just when we headed to the meeting area of the guided tour which was in the monument of St. Wenceslas, the patron saint of Prague. But anyhow, we got there on time.

it was very interesting to know a bit of Prague History, how they fought for their democracy. It was very much like my country. That is why they have their Vaclav Havel as to our Corazon Aquino.

we ended the tour in a pub going to the Prague Castle but again it was raining very hard plus it was getting late, so we decided to call it a night.

the next day was horrible. It rained whole day. Lot of matches were cancelled. They had to play indoors. But my baby won all of his matches that day, both singles and doubles. Well done!


the organizers hosted a dinner and steamed cruise that night at 9pm but my baby had to play the finals the following day, and it was as early as 8pm. we decided to spend the night all by ourselves.

we had dinner near Prague Castle. We were supposed to go to Cowboys which was mentioned in Spartacus Guide, had an overlooking view of the whole city. But when we got there, they were fully booked. It was the same, except for this one cute restaurant, Restaurate U Certa, which had authentic Czech cuisine. it wasnt very expensive. and we had a very lovely dinner. then we walked towards Prague Castle. the view from the top was gorgeous. looking at the citylights was very romantic. and most especially with your loved one, just right beside you. it was a very perfect setting. we went inside the castle. and a big OH MY GOD to St. Vitus Cathedral. Absolutely the greatest! I thought that kind of church only existed in movies. But it was right infront of my eyes. All around, it was just amazing. the detailing, the wall painting, the gold windows. Hats off to the architects! I have never seen like this in London. Only in Prague!

it definitely was worth it not going to the cruise. what we had was more personal and memorable for the two of us. we slept with smile on our faces. but sad because we left the following day.

we brought our luggages to the court because we headed straight to airport after baby's matches. it was both finals for singles and doubles. but he lost. he did fight hard because the 2 matches got to 3 sets. not bad. he did his best and thats what matters most. plus according to the cheeky guy, he's got the best trophy already.hmmmmm...

when we got to the airport, some guys from the same tournament were also on the same flight. went duty free shopping. had dinner. and boarded the plane which was delayed by the way.

we got back to London at around 930pm UK time. got home at 11pm. tired! even then, the trip had been a breather for us.

infront of St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague Castle

backdrop: Charles Bridge

Hotel Arkada





Metro Station

Pride London 2009

independence day in the US.... Gay Pride in London!


again a lot of firsts for me in London since I got here. last weekend was no exception. it was my first ever gay pride! aside from me and my baby, we were in the company of another couple who lives next door to my baby's flat and one of their friend.

baby, me, danilo, christoph, sam

the crowd was massive outside piccadilly circus station. the atmosphere obviously was very gay. it felt good walking with your partner hand in hand without people giving you a second look. i saw guys kissing passionately on the streets. girls too.

the metropolitan police also participated in the parade which was a testament of support to the gay sector. that was really nice! the party in trafalgar square was just starting when we arrived. we saw various artists performed. and the crowd was crazy! partied like there was no tomorrow.

at around 4pm, we went to Leicester Square to see Boy George. and we were not disappointed. we saw a big celebrity! his stint was short though. but he hung out for quite some time backstage evidently in the pic below.hehehehe

me infront of St. Martin in the Fields...rainbow flag was displayed infront of the church

we finished the party in Trafalgar Square and had dinner at a Korean Restaurant, walked to Soho for a bit and head home. it was a very special day for the gay community. as one of the organizer said, London is OURS today! And conquer we did!

the rainbow flag

Fighting and Surviving

a bit of everything was what i felt on my first day at work last week, the 15th. it feels weird being the new guy again. extra careful, youve got to prove your worth and not only that, you have to mingle and blend in with different people, as in different personalities, races. it really is hard. it doesnt happen overnight but i will get there. i will settle in...well, hopefully. it had been a week but im still finding my own space.

speaking of space, i have moved to a new flat, somewhere close to work. i have to admit it wouldnt be possible without the special people around me especially my baby who tremendously inspired me in a lot of ways. i did not imagine moving to london was this hard. i did not have much bullets with me. i did not prepare, so to speak. if i would have gone to war, then i died already. but thanks to the shield that gives protection. no round of bullet but ive got a shield.

i greatly appreciate my guy for giving me that extra push, because im too slow, im too weak. slowly, little by little i become stronger, which is what a fighter and survivor should be. his being organized and responsible is magnetizing to me which is very good. and the qualities that i need in leading my life. after all, it will always be me who will be the captain of my ship and not somebody else.

you know who you are, i love you always...



Diverting....



together with his officemates, we watched Sister Act the Musical in Oxford Circus and very much enjoyed it. i was really looking forward to it because it is my first ever musical experience in London. and it was fantastic! the actors were great! the revolving stage was amazing. it was very clever how they change sets. and the songs... you cant help but join in the groove. it was absolutely an awesome experience. evidently, we were still singing the music while we went home.

A new day has come

tomorrow is going to be my first day at my new work. i feel like a child going to preschool. all the jitters! but...


im hopeful. im positive. im excited. i will survive.

MIKA

Last Monday was my last day at work in Epping. But what I was more excited was the concert of Mika. My baby introduced Mika's music to me. I liked it. We both love it. We listened to him once in awhile. His cd is a favorite in his player. He was so demanding when he said make your 8 june free coz we will be seeing Mika. Of course, Im an obedient boyfriend and also I wanted to see him in person, so I found a swap for my sched.

We were not really in good spirits the night before that so it was extra special seeing a each other again that day. He was in full smile when he waved at me across the street when he came out of the station and crossing the street. That was a very sweet moment. Although he wasnt feeling very well, the effort of coming out was very brave of him. Not to mention, it wasnt very warm that day.

We got to the venue (Sadlers Wells Theatre) on time, and since he didnt have dinner yet, we bought sandwiches for him and an orange juice while waiting for the concert to start.

The front act was a little bit boring. According to him, Sinnead O'Connor style which means that they can also play music in all fairness. Then there was a break.

And!!!!! Mika came on stage in a pink coat with a blue-sequened shoe! Hmmm....

He sang Grace Kelly and the rest of his songs after. It was very alive and he kept the audience jumping and dancing. Even us! I have to say he is a very good performer. He connected very well with his audience. And never did we get bored throughout the show. He was just great! Baby said he will now watch every Mika concert there is.Hehehehe

Now we are still playing Mika on his cd player. We just cant get enough!

Something to be excited for next week: Sister Act The Musical!

TORN

Gosh!!!! I got the job!!!!!

I never expected it really. After I saw that there were 20 of us applying to the post, I said to myself, I will never make it but I did my best. Well, my best was good enough for them. They said they were going to contact the candidates 48 hours after the interview, but as I was just about to go for a bike in the park, literally outside my boyfriend's flat, my phone rang with a withheld number. I answered. It was the ward sister who interviewed me the day before. She asked how the interview went, so I thought it was just a survey. But she said she wanted me to join her team! I was so shocked! Happy! Ecstatic! I told her I was jumping for joy! Unbelievable! I called my boyfriend there and then and broke the news and he was happier for me, that he bought me a new shirt.

Knowing that the hospital is huge and right at the very heart of London, to be shortlisted even for an interview was big deal to me. What more if I will be working there. Just fantastic!

the london eye, aquarium and st. thomas hospital

And few days ago, I went to visit the Orthpaedic Ward where I will be working. It is on the 11th floor of the Main Building and next to it is the River Thames, where opposite is the House of Parliament (Big Ben) and infront of the Main Entrance is the Marriott. Very posh! I have always dreamed of working there and now its coming true. Im so excited!

Now Im torn which job to take... The one in Ealing or this one? Hmmm. Its not hard a choice is it?

aerial view of st. thomas with Westminster Bridge leading to the Big Ben

Moving out and Moving on

nah...its not what you think it is. im moving out of epping and moving on to ealing. from the east end to west end of the central line. resigning from my current job and looking forward to my new workplace. for months, i have been blabbing about transferring job but it just did not materialize because maybe i was still figuring out what to do. it will always be a risk to move. the big city life is never easy.

but now having found a new job, the decision came overnight. i had to take the chance. and besides, there are a lot of issues with my epping job that has to be resolved yet. it just isnt right. plus im thinking, i was born and raised in a city, why get scared?

most people, as like my manager, would think that i am doing this for love. that i am detesting them. the answer is yes i am doing this to be closer to him, but the main reason is that i am not happy with the management anymore, i want to explore my horizon, see what is out there, and widen my opportunities.

there are always sacrifices. it will never be easy. its bitter sweet. especially with relationships. the friendships i have made in epping were real and true. they have been a family to me here in the UK. i will forever be grateful and always treasure the memories we had. its not that we wont be seeing each other anymore, its going to be not that often now. everyone has to find his own path, and i chose this road.

by the way, its my interview today at St. Thomas Hospital. Good luck to me!

Central London

2 weekends ago, there was a Dutch Trade Fair in Trafalgar Square. Since it was my day off and baby's too, we decided to go. To go with the theme, we wore our orange shirts of course.

it was a bit windy when we went out of the house, but when we got to the Square, it was very hot! We had to take our jumpers off for more ventilation.

Indeed it was a well attended event. Food, music, people, everything in Dutch. It felt like home for baby.

that same day, was the big game for our favorite team, Arsenal Gunners against Chelsea. We just had to watch it. Honey looked for pubs around the area that shows it but had a hard time finding any. So he decided to just go to the big Sports Bar nearby. It was absolutely massive. By the time we got in, we couldnt find seats anymore, so we stood up while watching the game. The guys to our front right were so loud! One time two men wrestled and they hit the man who stood just right next to me. Thanks to the man coz it would have been me. Silly immature men! Anyway, it was a good match but Arsenal lost. It just wasnt their day. Huhuhuh!

Since I havent been to Soho, my baby took me there. It was the gayest area of London. Everywhere you look they are there. I even saw men walking hand in hand. So sweet! We went into this gay shop and to my surprise, they have a DVD of "Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros". Amazing! The shop had everything really even the really sexy ones, from videos to gadgets. All in there!

While walking on the streets, I had the shock of my life, when my baby suddenly gave me a kiss on the lips. It was public! I never thought he could do that. But he was so brave! It was the sweetest!

We got tired of walking, our stomach was complaining already. Baby said that we eat at Belgo, which was a Belgian restaurant in Covent Garden. When we got there, it was so full, the receptionist said that we have to wait for 30-45 minutes to get in. Since we really wanted it, we waited until they had seats for us. The entrance is very dramatic. It was like a bridge. And you have to go downstairs where the main restaurant was. We both had mussels and beer which were there house favorites. After the waitress got our order, I couldnt help myself, I almost broke down to tears. I was ever so grateful to baby for showing me the beautiful things in life. I would never ever have experienced all these things if it wasnt for him. I felt so blessed and at the same time special. He held my hand while tears fell on my eyes. I am just very amazed of how someone can make me feel something like this. So loved and wanted.

He's got so much effect on me, he managed to make me smile, especially when the food came. It was very very delicious. We enjoyed each of the mussels to bits. Hmmmm.... When he said that this was the best restaurant in London, I knew then what he was talking. And price wise, it aint that bad. It wasnt very expensive at all. We had desserts right after but again I couldnt finish mine because it was just a lot. Not that i dont like it, i just couldnt eat it anymore.

I had to work the next day, so we parted ways in Tottenham Court Road station. Another lovely weekend for us. Cheers baby!

Destination: Southwest UK

Definitely one of the most beautiful holiday I had. Thanks to the coach bum sale of national express we were able to go to Bath at a very cheap rate. Imagine only £4.50 for the two of us. Unbelievable!

Good Friday.

We got so caught up talking to our mums, we lost track of time and ended up racing to Rayners Lane tube station just to get the 4.08pm train to Uxbridge. God knows when the next train will be if we missed it. Had to chuck the lovely beef casserole that I prepared for lunch because we did not have the time to eat. Because of the fast walk and putting pressure to my legs, it did hurt but had to do it coz when we got down to the platform, the train just came in. Our luck did not stop there because when we got to Uxbridge, we did not have to wait, the bus just settled in the bus stop and we just hopped in.

me and baby in the bus

it was still 4.45pm when we got to Heathrow. Good time. We were still able to get some food for the trip. Sandwiches. Water. Chocolates. Mints. Fruits.

There were a lot of passengers in the bus that we were not able to sat together. We both sat on an aisle seat just across each other. Not too bad. I did some reading while on the bus but after a few minutes I felt dizzy. It was a good thing that we got the mints. At least it soothe me throughout the whole bus trip to Bath. When we reached Swindon, since there were people who got off, I suggested to Honey that we should move up and we can also sit together. He was hesitant at first but later he agreed. According to him, he wanted me to be happy. So sweet of my guy.

Usually for long trips, I am able to sleep on the bus but this one was different. It could be the seat that was not so comfortable or due to the amazement of the picturesque view outside. Could be both actually.

We got to Bath I think 7pm but still with so much light. Before we got off, we both decided to have seafood for dinner. Onefishtwofish was the destination which was in North Parade Avenue. The map in the book that we got was not updated that was why we got lost for some time. But because of teamwork, we were able to find our way to the restaurant which was a bottom flat. Interesting I thought!

It was not just the location that was interesting, the food was absolutely delicious! The main course was filling enough that there was no room for dessert. The dinner started on a bad note for me, but ended extra special. I have to say one of the best that we ever had.

From there, we went straight to the railway station to go to Bristol Temple Meads where we booked our hotel. It was just a 10 minute train ride. Quick!


Bristol was stunning as well! I never thought it was that beautiful. It was like Cebu City. The lifestyle of a city but not as crowded and polluted as the capital. We walked to the hotel while enjoying the view. The hotel was cheap but it certainly was not of poor quality. It was rated four stars. Convenience wise, it was perfect. It was situated beside the harbour and just across bars and restaurants.

Saturday we went straight to Bath. The weather was very nice. It was sunny and was not very windy. We grabbed lunch at Sally Lunn's which was famous for its delicious buns. There was a queue on the entrance, which was a testament that its indeed a good one. The buns tasted absolutely good. It was big and tasty.

We planned to do the walk first and the Roman Bath later. But after arriving at Bath Abbey, there was a long line for the Roman Bath, so we decided to just do it all the way around.
It was a very amazing experience. I was in awe all the time we toured it. The remains were very well preserved. It was very defining having been able to see how they used to live back then. It was great! And to top it all up, we were able to taste the water itself. Of course this was treated already or else we will poison ourselves. As expected, it was warm.





Before ending our Roman Bath tour, I spotted a familiar face across the spring water. OMG! Joey De Leon! The actor-TV host! Who would have thought? I grabbed baby to get closer to them and I took the courage to ask him if I can have a picture with him; he politely agreed. I don't really watch his programs. I'm a certified Kapamilya, you see. But what the heck? He is one of the popular stars in the Philippines.


As what I have mentioned earlier, after the Roman Bath Tour, we were going to do the City of Bath walk. Take note: all by ourselves. Just armed with wit and maps. Believe it or not, it was the first time that I did something like this. Back home when we went to a foreign city, we sought the convenience of a tour guide. Made things easier for us. But what me and my baby did was very romantic. It was like those in the reality show, Amazing Race, the only difference was we were not in a race. Now I get the first hand experience that clashes of ideas in times like this are normal. But in an odd way, the whole thing in reminiscence, makes you value each other more as partners.

While we were walking, our favorite football team, Arsenal, was playing against Wigan, and just when we walked through Walcot Street, my favorite player, Theo Walcott, scored a goal! He must have got the inspiration from me. Or from us! Whoever, Arsenal never looked back then and won the match with a massive 4-1 lead.

Anyway, before we went to dinner, we dropped by a gay bar in Bath, Mandalays. Of course, there were not a lot of people since it was afternoon which was what we wanted. I had a big glass of San Miguel Beer while my baby had a Smirnoff Ice. I was already a little bit tipsy when we left and headed to Pinch for dinner.

We were the early birds in the restaurant. The manager said that they are quite full tonight but she squeezed us in. We got lucky again, we thought! Food was lovely. Again no room for dessert. We planned on catching up with the Magic Walk Tour but we stayed for awhile in the restaurant, we missed the tour. Well I suggested, we go back to our hotel, freshen up, and party in Bristol.

So we did get back to our hotel, watched some news to see what was happening, and to see how Arsenal won the game. Just few minutes, I fell asleep in my baby's arms. I was so comfortable. He was talking to me but I did not respond, later he realized he was just talking to himself because I was already in my dreams. He let me sleep and even if he was cheering hard for Arsenal, that did not wake me up.

Sunday was just the same day as yesterday. It was still sunny in the Southwest. But in London, it was gloomy. Weather was not nice at all. This was according to my friend, Zellah, when I talked to her. Our plan was just to stay in Bristol in the morning and go to the beach nearby in Weston-Supermare in the afternoon. Again we explored the place all by ourselves. We got confused once with directions but still managed to find our way.

Bristol's pride, the Clifton Suspension Bridge: WOW! Every angle of it was beautiful. It was deeper than the Tower Bridge in London. It was a bit scary for me because heights is one of my biggest fears. But it was not an ordinary bridge. More or less, from the bridge you can see the whole of Bristol.





Grabbed a bite in The Chocolat Store right after, and made our way to the Railway Station to go to the beach. Excited!

It was just a good 10 minutes walk from Weston Train station and we were in the seafront. Again, Wow! This was exactly what I saw in the television and in films. Long shoreline, a pier, a fair. This was everything I expected! Except the white sand beaches because the sand was brown but very fine. We took our shoes off to feel the sand and enjoyed the beach just like little kids. It was so cool. I kept on running around that my feet got very dirty with mud. Well, that was part of the whole experience. It was still sunny, so we agreed to stay on for a little while and do sun bathing. We did and felt rested and went back to Bristol with smiles on our faces.

so sweet

That night was going to be dinner with my good friend, Angela. Dinner was supposed to be at 7pm but as usual Filipino time, both parties got late. Me and honey strolled around the harbour while trying to look for a nice restaurant. This time we wanted something not too loud but good food of course. Some people were on the streets drunk already, mostly young guys that very early at night. We walked round and round until we found this lovely bistro, SevernSHED, which was very near the bridge. The menu looks enticing. Me and baby went to the bar for some drinks while waiting for my friend. I thought she would take long, but she arrived just on time when our table was ready. God I missed her. We used to be really close on our 2nd year in college, we were inseperable together with our other friend, Tia. I missed those days. Although we had different close friends on our junior and senior year, we remained to be good with each other. It was really cool to catch up with her. And far away from the Philippines, who would have thought that we would meet here. It was just too sad that she had to work the next day early morning, so she had to go after the dinner.

After SevernSHED, me and baby agreed to walk around a little bit to see what was out there on the party scene. We were walking quietly when a drunk guy suddenly rested his arms around our shoulders. It was scary but good thing, the guy's friend was sober and helped his friend away from us. He wanted a lift he said. But who knows what else he wanted. When we finally head back to our hotel and got rid of the drunk guy, a very young guy was walking before us on the bridge when all of a sudden, he puked! As in a big one! It was so yuck!!!! That made us sick, we headed straight to our hotel room and called it a night.

Monday was the day that we had to return back to London. Huhhuhu! We woke up early, prepared our stuff, settled our bill, and headed to Bath, which was where we will be taking our bus. In the harbour area, there was a mexican restaurant which looked really posh. It was called, Las Iguanas. We were their first customers for that day. The food was absolutely gorgeous. So filling. Well, we really needed it because we planned to do some walking in Bath.

At around 2pm, we got to Bath city center. We had so little time left so we had to just visit Prior Park, eat dinner, and head to the bus station. Baby's very clever, he just looked at the map on the bus stop and we started walking. We thought it was near. Not to mention it was uphill. I complained while we were halfway through. But honey kept on pushing and that to never give up. It was a secluded part that is not in the city center but it was very beautiful when you get there because you have an overview of the whole city. Wonder what its like in the evening with the citylights. So romantic. If you wanted something quiet and rejuvenation, I think the park was perfect!

By the time we got to Bath city center, we looked for a restaurant to have a quick dinner because it will be a long way back to London. I would have wanted some Thai food but they were closed. We were so early for dinner, we realized. It was still 5pm and dinner is starting at 6pm. Good thing, there was a Moroccan restaurant open. I wasnt so sure about it at first but it turned out great! By the time we got to the bus station, we were very full. And we were just in time because the bus was boarding already. We thought we were lucky because the bus left early. But when it left, the bus driver said that the route will be all the way to London Victoria, no other stops, which is another hour travel to North Harrow, where we live. Anyway, we were there already, what can we do? True enough, we got home really late. If we would have got off in Heathrow, we would have been home earlier. But anyway, we got home safe. That's what's important.

It was officially our first holiday together and it was great! I would not spend it with anybody else. Exploring the cities together was very sweet and special. We both had a great time. We went back home with smiles painted on our faces. After all, that is what matters.

Next stop: AMSTERDAM.

SPACE

there is no place like home. in a busy life as in 'the london life', space is really important. at the end of each day, after a hard day's work, home is what you consider sanctuary.

well it doesnt hold truth to my baby's case. from the months that we have been together, i cant count how many complaints he has got. not that he overreacts or anything. but i can also attest that there are basis for his pleas. that is why i cant really blame him. not to mention that his flat has been burglared, lost his laptop and digital camera.

last tuesday, i went with him to his new flat which is not very far from his old one. 15 minute walking distance isnt that bad most especially in a nice weather.

cost wise, it is cheaper which is good for him. the flat is smaller than the previous one but who needs so much space. as long as you have the basic amenities, thats good enough. and also what i like about the new flat is the surrounding environment. it is very homey. the landlady was very welcoming. and most importantly, i dont see an issue of security.

up until now, we are slowly moving his things. little by little until he will be settled in. just before we go to Bath, UK for the Easter weekend which im so excited.

thats it for now. see you later.

25=Silver

i had a blast yesterday! it was by far the best birthday i had. yes it was the first time away from home, but hunney made sure i would not think about that.

i started my day at work. but couldnt wait for 2pm coz by then ill be heading over to see my baby. he said that he will be taking me out to dinner tonight. i was excited so i thought ill dress up a bit. exactly 2pm, my cab was waiting outside which took me to Epping station in just 5 mins.

by 1630, was already in Uxbridge. he will be out in an hour so i just strolled around the shopping centers and did some window shopping.

as i was walking outside his office, i saw him on the window, talking to his officemate, Marian, and he was wearing the light blue shirt that i like. he just looked so good.

when i got into his office, he handed me a dinner invitation which said that we will be dining in "Chez Pierre" in Harrow. It sounded nice. Inside the invitation was the menu.

starter

spanish omelet with braised eel

main course

stuffed pancakes with noodles and chicken, turkey and salmon in satay sauce

dessert

stuffed pancake with fresh strawberries with icecream and whipped cream with strawberry sauce

and on the bottom it said that today is a Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day, which explains why the menu has pancakes.

as i was reading it, i was getting hungry. i couldnt wait.

then we headed home. i thought he was just going to leave his bag and we'll go out. to my surprise, he converted his home to "Chez Pierre" which is actually French and means in English, "Peter's Kitchen". he really got me there! he said that there is going to be more surprises. ohhh i love surprises. and he really knows how to get me.

the food was superbly delicious. braised eel was tasty. matches well with the flavor of the spanish omelette. i was full already when the main menu was served. but got to make some room for the dessert, he said. after we ate the stuffed pancakes with turkey in satay sauce and another onewith salmon in garlic cream soup, he then asked me to step out of the room for 2 minutes. talk about effort! he then called me back. with eyes shut, he guided me back to the living room. and when i opened my eyes, right to my very eyes was a lovely chocolate cake with number 25 candles. ohhhh! last time i blew a candle was when i was still little. my baby really knows how to amaze me. and i love chocolates! i wish there was still enough room in my tummy and i can eat the whole cake.hehhehe!

but i have to say that the most romantic part of the night was when he handed me his gift. it was very silver, from the wrap to the actual gift. i just saw these scenes in the movies but its happening to me. this is real. the moment i saw it, i loved it! beautiful! then he explained what the gift was and why was he giving it to me.

its a very beautiful pendant with his name on it, Peter, in hieroglyphics, and a tutankhamen head on top of it.. he got it when he went to Egypt last year. i felt really special because he gave the same exact jewel to his parents and brother. so only the special people in his life have this, which includes me now. hmmm....

no one has ever made me feel very special not until he came along. i feel so loved, cared. that is why i am so affected by him. i am so clinged. i just cannot imagine anymore being with anyone else. it wont feel right. its like bread and butter, jack and jill...we are Mykee and Peter.

My Peter is just the sweetest, most romantic, affectionate, caring, loving partner one can ever have. probably why we meshed so beautifully and we collide magically!

9 hours and counting....

its 9 hours and counting ..and ill be marking my silver year of existence on earth. though its going to be the first birthday away from mum, dad, sis, and bro, im sure i will enjoy my day because i will be spending it with my bestfriend, partner, my family, all rolled in one, my ever beautiful Peter.

Mind the Gap

i was due to go back to epping today because i had to work at 2pm. remember yesterday when no metropolitan line was running in the London Underground? well, it still was paralyzed today. the alternate station is harrow wealdstone which runs the bakerloo line, but it was also suspended. just before we left home, he checked the central line (which is the epping line). it was partly suspended as well. bad luck: i had to go through those stations to get to my final destination!

metropolitan line

having come from a third world country, transportation in London was just amazing to me. we have trains in Cebu but it carried sugarcanes from one place to another, and its a very old train, very recognizable of its bronze color which we shall call, rusts. Manila, Philippines' capital city runs an overground train but its very nothing compared to London. Ours just runs around 2 big cities, Manila and Quezon City. main form of transportation was really bus.

i was beginning to have second thoughts about the Underground after my experience today. but i just cant. i got to my destination at the same exact cost although at a longer duration.

im taking my hats off to the people who runs the Underground because it still took responsibility in the form of Rail Replacement Buses. it is at no extra cost. plus they come every 5-10 minutes. not too bad.

London Bus

if this was in my country, it would have been a different story. i wouldnt get the same assistance as what i am got. the mentality would be, " We are closed. deal with it!".

one of London Underground station

Ri-ya-na? or Rey-yah-nah?

it was a beautiful sunny Saturday in winter, thought we'd go to a posh area near Harrow, Pinner. it is just 2 train stops from Harrow on the hill station. apparently, famous people who lived in Pinner were James Blunt, Sir Elton John and Simon Le Bon.

surprise, surprise! no trains were running in the Metropolitan Line. so we decided to take the bus. it was cheaper for 10p. good choice coz we were able to appreciate the sights along the way.

what a sight to behold when we got there finally! it was very picturesque. definitely one of the nicest places in London. everything was just perfect! plus having to experience it with the love of my life..it was extremely great!




shops were a lot as well. it was a big high street. went into a charity shop for St. Luke hospice and i was able to get a lovely Bodyshop gift set in a very nice packaging for only £2.99! and baby got himself books (in dutch) and vhs tape for just a pound. good deal!

when we went inside Lidl, one of the magazine cover was Rihanna. Story was about the alleged battery of boyfriend, Chris Brown. this wasnt the issue for us, bloody Rihanna's name was. How are you supposed to pronounce it? Ri-ya-na? or Rey-yah-nah? Whatever! whoever created that name must be prosecuted. this almost ruined our day. i have been a fan of hers but after this, i dont think so. i cant afford to get mad at my baby, you know? someone has to take the blame. my Peter's just brought so many good things in my life. Rihanna cant overshadow those. Nobody can. Nobody will.

My first one...

i think i better start by briefly introducing myself..im a 24 year old lad, originally from the phils., moved to london last september 2008.

there are a lot of firsts when i came to what i call now home, London. it was the first time ever that i stayed away from home. not to mention the distance!

my country is known for having strong family values that it comes to a point where in one roof, more than one family squeezed to live. technically its still a family coz after all, they are still blood related. duh! in formal terms, this form of living is described as extended. i woudnt say its the best but certainly it isnt boring. its quite fun actually.

my moving to another country didnt really hit me until a week before i was to depart. on my "despedida"* party, lot of emotions were shown...mostly sad. aside from the immediate family (especially mom and sis) that i will miss (and still does), there were my closest friends. twas hard for them as it was for me. it came to a point where i cried to sleep. but i thought, "i need to go. i had to do this. ". and so i went.

nevertheless, i was also looking forward to coming to UK..

i didnt realize that it was more struggle when i was finally here. its no longer the homesickness, this time it was more of a culture shock! my first home was in a very secluded area. it was so far away from the town centre. if i look out from my windows, all i could see were fields, horses, trees, very green...nothing more! back home, i have always lived in a city where everything is accessible. this was too much for me i said. probably not the best decision, but i got my family worried because i kept on calling them saying that i wanted to give up already. my employers even aggravated the pain that i was experiencing inside me. it wasnt the life that i had hoped for. this wasnt the London depicted in movies and TV. this was the very opposite.

came my good friend, Ara, who came here months before me, became my refuge. i was very weak. she helped me overcome it all. luckily i got a new job a month after and moved on. now, im settled and happy.

i also learned about independence here. back home, we had someone to do chores for us. but here, all you can rely on is yourself. from cooking, doing the dishes, laundry, everything! my mom will laugh at me, but im actually enjoying cooking now. more than ever!

before, i was never interested to other race. although there are some i found cute, but i didnt picture myself becoming intimate with them. they are just good with the eyes and thats it. but 2 months after i got here, i ate all my words, i went out with Western guys. id say they were interesting though mostly are just after the s_x, which wasnt what i wanted. it was also a first to me to get myself involved with a married guy. although it never really lasted; but could have been nurtured. but very glad i didnt.

just almost 2 months ago, i got a gaydar message from harrow123. he was very interesting and so different from the rest. there was something in him that i was really clinged. aside from his blue eyes.hehehe he was simply amazing! we exchanged few emails, chatted on msn, talked on the phone, and decided on the 30th of december to finally meet. odd thing was, i was supposed to meet the married guy on that day but i cancelled it for this new guy. talking about taking risks.

our first date: he grabbed me in Uxbridge Platform 1 and gave me a very warm hug. i thought it was romantic. it was a good indication. i was loving it! he was just great. we clicked so well, we were together until late at night. too bad i had to break it and go home.

our 2nd date was supposed to be that weekend but fate brought us together again on New Year's Eve. it was destined that we celebrate the coming in of 2009 together. A new start. a new beginning. For us, me and my Peter!

after a very sumptuous New Year's Dinner

*despedida-goodbye; farewell