Goodbye, well, almost

I can't believe my time in Olomouc is almost up. Seems like I just got here.

But then again, maybe not. I've just been through so many things, experienced so many new things, met so many people, been to so many places.

I think it's safe to say I spent my time here quite well. :)

More than anything, I will miss the new friends I made over here. We won't be together again like this. Di, Armin and Sarah are going off to Krakow, Olena to Gottingen, while Gena and I go off to Bilbao. And who knows where we will end up after that.

I know it's cliche, but I'm going to say it again. It's the friends you make along the way, those who leave their footprints in your heart, that make your journeys all worth the while.

But before the sad goodbyes, hello schoolwork! I'm still not done! Freakin' essays and presentations. I have lost all ability to write. Gah!

Beautiful Budapest

My trip to Budapest was the best ever. Oh I would go back there in a heartbeat.

I cannot post all my pictures from there because I have a gazillion of them. But here are some. It's so freakin' hard to upload photos!

This is the Basilica of St. Stephen. So huge. Quite imposing during the day. Awesome at night.

We ate at a local restaurant that served Hungarian-Greek food. Food was yummy, the beer was great :)

Cruising down the Danube River at night is one amazing experience. Definitely the highlight of the trip!

Anyone who wants to go there just tell me, and I will jump on the next train to meet you there. :)

:)

Snowed In

The snow has finally come. I didn't know it would be so much fun! If it weren't so freakin' cold I would love for it to snow all year! But that's kinda an impossibility ain' t it, hahaha. Oh well. But bring it on! Can't wait to do more sledding, have snowball fights, and make my first snow angel! Yipee!

Home?

I am back in Olomouc, after a week in Italy. Whew.

Really feels like home already. I was so relieved to be back. I felt like I was back on home ground, thus safer and more confident. I felt quite the opposite in Rome.

I don't know why I wasn't as enthusiastic as I thought I would be over Rome. But Assisi was great. I do plan to go back, if only for the wonderful people I met when I was there.

There are so many photos to post. I haven't even posted the ones from Budapest, still my favorite city.

I should do that soon, after I finish all my schoolwork! Hahaha.

Vienna waits for you

We had a long weekend due to the holiday on October 28 so the Six-Pack decided to go on a trip. Bosnia was the country of choice, as Armin, our resident Bosnian, wanted to go home anyway.

Unfortunately for those from developing countries, meaning Olena (Ukraine) and me (Philippines), visas take two weeks to process so we couldn't join the North Americans and EU citizens on the said trip.

We decided instead to join them on the train to Vienna and then part ways, off to Bosnia for the visa free guys, and Hungary for us restricted to the Schengen area.

Here are some photos we took in Vienna. We were rushing around so fast that I'm afraid I can't identify most of them , and so I will refrain from naming any at all. Haha. So this set of photos will have to remain under the category of Somewhere-In-Vienna.

Happy Birthday

You are the light of my eyes,

You are the sultan of my heart.

Happy happy birthday honey!

Third date it is

Of course I remember. It did take me awhile but I sure know where this was taken. At Josephine's in Tagaytay, we went with Luke and Cristina.

Ten points! Or do I get a star? :)

Photo Quiz

I found this old photo from the third date i guess :).... lets see if you can remember where this was taken :)

Hatice's 4th Birthday

Virtual Birthday





We celebrated Hatice’s fourth birthday with a simple blowing of candles and lots of balloons. Daddy bought her a cake and dressed her up as the princess that she is. And guests came online to wish her a happy one -- Bea from Olomouc and Babaanne (grandmother) and Amca (uncle) from Istanbul.
Happy birthday princess! May all your wishes come true

Practice Makes Purr-fect :)

Nora: Practice Makes Purr-fect | Movies & TV | SPIKE.com

Sleeping With The Cat

Football Fever

8 October 2008

I forgot to write about my trip to Brno and the Moravian Karst. Oh we had so much fun.

We first dropped by Brno, the second largest city in the Czech Republic, which is about an hour and a half away by train from Olomouc. We didn’t have much time to spare so we just went to see the Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul, and the Spilberg Castle. Both were quite lovely. And we had a great time just taking photos.

From Brno we went on to Blansko, where Tes had a cottage by a lake. It was dark when we got there so it was a bit scary trekking around the lake in complete darkness with a teeny tiny flashlight to guide us. But the cottage was a delight. It was just small but really cozy.

The next day we went to see the famed Moravian Krast. We walked and walked and walked. My legs almost died getting there but when we got there and I saw the gorge, it was beautiful.

From up the hill we went down again to go to the caves. We first went into Catherine’s cave, which was named after a shepherd girl who got lost and died in the cave after she went looking for one lost sheep. How tragic is that? (I personally would have left that dumb sheep to find its own way home :P ) Anyway, the cave was really nice. The “Bamboo Forest” was really cool. And there was stalagnate called the Turkish Minaret, which I just had to take a picture of, for Jay to appreciate, hehe. But the best formation was the Witch. It was just awesome. Really looked like an old crone with a stick.

After Catherine’s Cave, we were lucky to get tickets for the Punkva Caves. The formations of this one were not as interesting for me. The Mirror Lake was pretty nice but nothing held my attention until we reached the bottom of the Machoca Abyss. Good god, it was jaw-dropping eye-popping amazing breathtaking. Just look at the pictures.

We tore ourselves away from that beautiful sight and hopped onto these small boats for an underground river cruise. There wasn’t much to see, or maybe we didn’t see much because we didn’t have an English-speaking guide to point out things to us. The fun part was the unintentional bumper boat experience we ended up having. Two boats crashed into ours twice in the dark. So much fun. Haha.

That ended our caving experience. We thanked Tes and said goodbye and took the train back to Olomouc. Arriving late at night, we called it home for the first time. :)

07 October 2008

Already things are getting better. The sun has been shining almost everyday since I last wrote. I like all my teachers. And I am really liking the new friends that I’ve made. We call ourselves the Six-Pack, hehe.

Also, one old friend already took the time out to pass by this little town of Olomouc to see me. It was great to see Enrico again. It’s nice to make new friends but old friends are just wonderful to have.

I didn’t know where to take him, as I still don’t know my way around town. We ended up eating at the same Chinese Restaurant on the Town Square twice. And since I had an exam the next day, Enrico walked around town by himself. And got to know more locals in that one afternoon than I did in the almost three weeks that I’ve been here.

It’s a shame that he didn’t get to meet the Six-Pack as they went to Prague for the weekend. I MUST go with them the next time.

Now I’m looking forward to meeting up with Fiore in Italy. Her trip got pushed back a week but that’s okay. Italy, here I come!

07 October 2008
8.30 p.m.

:(

Girl in Olomouc

A little girl
Thought she was all grown up
She decided to leave home and all she loved
And try it out on her own

The little girl took a bus, a train, a plane
To go as far away as she could
And with little thought and even less care
She built herself a place to stay.

A little girl sits alone
In the little house she’s made
She wonders finally to herself
What it means to be all grown up

The little girl is cold and lonely
The place she found has beauty but no warmth
And in that solitary moment
She finds that she is lost

A little girl
In a little house away from home
Cries her eyes and all her heart out
And starts to grow up

26 September 2008
7.40 a.m. Olomouc

25 September 2008

We had about a couple of hours free in between classes today. We went around town and took some goofy pictures. Some locals were making fun of us but we didn’t care. WE were having fun!

I’m beginning to appreciate this town more and more, despite the weather. Who knows, maybe at the end of the semester, I won’t want to leave! Haha.

There are so many statues, fountains and columns and nice old buildings. The cobblestone streets are beginning to grow on me as well, despite the fact that I can’t wear any of my high heeled shoes anymore.

Still have to get used to the food though. Lunch today was not good. Oh well.

This weekend we plan to go to Brno and a nearby town. Brno is the second largest city in the Czech Republic and it’s just two hours away. I forget the name of the other place, but it’s where one of our Czech classmates lives. She’s going to let us stay at their cottage and we’re going spelunking. Whee!

I’m taking a class on Witchcraft and Magic. The professor seems pretty cool. Actually, all my professors seem to be cool. I think I shall enjoy school.

Which is what I’m here for – must not forget that! Haha.


25 September 2008
7.40 pm Olomouc

I Miss you

All days are nights to see till I see thee,
And nights bright days when dreams do show thee to me

22 September 2008

I’m pretty psyched. Fiore is getting sent to Italy for an assignment. So I guess I’m flying there to see her.

We’ll probably do a tour of Italy. Whee! Rome, Milan, Florence, Palermo, Venice and I don’t know where else. I want to be under the Tuscan sun! I want to see Portofino! I want to gawk at things and exclaim, bellisima!

But before I forget, I need stuff from Manila so I think I will begin listing them down, hehe.

Sinigang mix
Aji ginisa mix
Lotion
More lotion
Hand cream
Contact lens solution

I hope my sister won’t mind bringing all that! :)

22 September 2008
8.30am Olomouc

21 September 2008

It’s a Sunday, I got nothing to do. Olomouc is a pretty quiet town. But I’m okay with that.

I can’t wait for classes to start. I want to start doing something. I want to start a routine or a rhythm going. I need some direction.

Can’t believe it’s only been 14 days since I left Manila. It seems like forever.

Was talking to Janice who is in Japan right now. She just made some sinigang. I am so jealous. Maybe I should buy a pot and make some for myself. I just don’t know how I will manage that with the teeny tiny kitchen I have. Not to mention the lack of a rice cooker.

I need warmth!

21 September 2008
1.05 pm Olomouc

Özledim Seni Çok