Bright Nights, Dark Days

If you've listened to Tranformers: Revenge of the Fallen soundtrack, then you're surely acquainted with Cavo's contribution "Let It Go." It's one of those semi-rock ballad songs in the flick. The band released their latest effort, "Bright Days, Dark Nights," last August featuring 11 songs:

1. Champagne
2. Crash
3. Let It Go
4. Cry Wolf
5. Ghost
6. Blame
7. My Little Secret
8. Beautiful
9. We All Fall Down
10. Over Again
11. Useless

"Champagne," with gritty lyrics and edgier guitars, opens the album and makes you think twice - is this the same guys that made "Let It Go?" Followed by "Crash," another hard rockin' tune (currently burning the alternative charts), you'll realize that this is not your typical mainstream pop-rock band . But when you get to songs like "My Little Secret" and "Let It Go" you get that Nickelbacky "Far Away" or Daughtry-ish vibe. They probably decided to try the typical rock album formula - play all the original noise you like, but throw in a rock ballad or two for commercial sales. It works favorably in this case, as those songs mentioned are not that bad. Lyrically engaging is "Ghost," an anti-love song of sorts for the disillusioned ... or recently broken-up. The sounds of "Beautiful" reminded me of the band, July for Kings. Actually, Casey Walker's voice is in between the Rob Thomas and Joe Hedges range. Examples are "Over Again" and "Blame." My favorites (and I consider as the best songs) are "Cry Wolf" - I love the guitars, and "Useless." The only song I didn't like is "We All Fall Down." The intro sounds like something like Linkin Park's Joseph Hahn would concoct, though unsuccessful in this case.

Overall, I love this album. It's not so edgy that you have to be in a certain mood to listen to it, and yet it's not too pop that it will turn you off. It's within the the balanced alternative rock boundaries. And though I have name-dropped several artists in describing their music, it doesn't mean their sound is not original. It is (I just don't have that imagination to search for adjectives). The whole work is a combination of rock tunes that won't bore you with same-sounding melodies. Just like the album title, it can go on to either extremes but not miss the grays in between.

I daresay it's one of the best albums I've heard this year and hopefully, it doesn't get overlooked.

Wanderlust Diaries: Rizal-Laguna-Quezon Road Trip

The goal of the trip was to reach Tayabas, Quezon Province. My friend and I were invited to Graceland Estate and Country Club ... an invitation that has been standing for ages, so we made a decision to take advantage of the long weekend.




As usual, we did not take SLEX - with the construction and traffic going on there, we decided to stay away from it. Coming from Marikina, we took the Rizal-Laguna-Quezon route - which was really a GREAT decision. The road is well-paved and the scenery will not bore you. After the Antipolo mountains, the rice fields of Tanay, Baras, and Pililia, the route gets better as you reach Laguna. There will be side roads that will lead you to the known towns such as Paete and Pagsanjan. Since we were following the road along the lake, we saw the lower part of Paete and some of its wood wares. We made a mental note to make it our next project. We passed by the town of Lumban, known for its barongs and embroidery products. The highway climbs a mountain and will give you a spectacular view of Laguna Lake. The road will go down again and will lead you to Pagsanjan, a town known for its waterfalls. There's also routes that will lead to the man-made lake, Caliraya.




As a first time traveller to Quezon Province, I don't know what to expect. I heard stories that it is NPA-infested. Never got to verify it. So I made sure if I traveled in the area, it's in the day time. But one thing I can comment is that the region is beautiful in its own way. There's a prevailing mountain-forest-farm charm as you pass by the area. Reaching Lucban, you will be greeted by the town known for its longganisa - and you will be seeing a lot of these sausages hanging on the display in the stores. There are also handmade crafts on sale. It's one of those old towns, with old streets. I heard it's lovely here during Pahiyas (happens every month of May). After town, you will pass by: Kamay ni Hesus, a pilgrimage site known for its healing powers; Marouj Farms, a Japanese-owned farm - which is very pretty; Nawawalang Paraiso, a nature resort; and several roadside stalls selling lanzones, rambutan, santol, farm-grown vegetables, and lucban fruit. The road is lined with Lucban trees, and it was quite amusing to see the big, round, fat fruit dangling from it. There's also a view of the cloud-tipped Mt. Banahaw, an active volcano in the area. Finally, we reach Tayabas, known for its Lambanog the local alcoholic drink. You will be seeing stores by the road selling either Lambanog or vinegar, so its an indication you are already there.




We arrived Graceland Estate and Country Club around noon (Which by our calculation a 3-4 hour drive, depending on the speed of the vehicle in front of you and your decision if you want to overtake the vehicle in front of you - occassional trucks, frequent tricycles, buses sometimes, and a very few beat-up vehicles. There are cyclists and motorcycle groups who like to ply the mountains, so you will be seeing a number of them). The place is in an eco-tourism district, so it was developed with that in mind. The estate is Elvis-inspired (hence the name), so expect street names related to the King. Their restaurant is called Memphis Garden, and true to form it plays Elvis music with the occassional Platters, and other 50's-60's songs. Sitting on the foot of Banahaw, it offers a wonderful view of the mountain.



TAYTAY FALLS


The next day we did an unplanned tripping in the nearby areas. We visited Dalahican fish port, went around Lucena City, and went to Majayjay. The day was spent most in Taytay falls. Afterwards, lunch was at Palaisdaan - really good place to try ginataan food. It's a restaurant with floating barges on a pond full of tilapia.



PALAISDAAN RESTAURANT


It was a fun road trip 'cuz of the sites of Laguna and the cool mountain air in the Mt. Banahaw region. Hopefully, Mt. Banahaw will reopen soon for trekking.

Wanderlust Diaries: Getting Lost in The Cordilleras

I, being a semi non-conformist and all-out weirdo declared that my summer this year would be May 'til August. For one thing these are the months that the crowds will thin. Second, you won't kill yourself for not getting a seat sale at Cebu Pacific. Thirdly and importantly, the hotels go into lean season - you mostly get 50% off on room rates.

Of course when being crazy and a scrooge, you tend to tempt fate when travelling at these times of the months. Try to restrain doing rain dances if you're like me.

The Banaue-Sagada Adventure

My visit to the 8th wonder of the world, Banaue Rice Terraces, was accidental. Our main objective was to get to Sagada, a place in Mountain Province, known for its cool weather, pine trees, limestone caves, waterfalls, culture, and yoghurt. Since we were on a road trip and veered away from the usual Baguio-Sagada Route, we took the the Cabanatuan-Nueva Vizcaya-Banaue-Bontoc-Sagada route.



Banaue is a cool serene place. Clearly it's beautiful and indeed a wonder. Standing in front of a 2,000 year old man-made beauty carved on the mountains of Ifugao is a photo opportunity not to be missed.

After Banaue, we continued our climb to the Cordilleras. The path becomes a muddy dirt road. We passed by several landslides and "waterfalls" along the way. My 4x4 took a beating, but proudly plodded on. Our almost 5-hour journey was quite scary yet rewarding. The place on a sunny day was so picturesque. Amidst all the dangers, there were pockets of small towns with beautiful rice terraces.

Arriving at Sagada was a relief. We stayed at The Rock Inn, an orange grove and one of the nicest places in Sagada. The staff was friendly, but worth noting is the food - really good. There are other places in the town proper where accomodations are more on the backpacker crowd. We spent the 1st day hanging out at the inn and enjoyed the cool weather.

Since we came on a week day and on lean season, we missed the Saturday Market and the fruit-picking season. So for our 2nd day, we decided to try the outdoor activities that the tourist center provides for the visitors.



Things to note while you're in Sagada:

1. Visitors should register at the municipal hall.
2. There is a 9PM curfew in Sagada.
3. You should go to the municpal hall and get a guide. You cannot go out trekking or caving without a guide.
4. This is a highly traditional and cultural site. Respect the locals and watch your words and actions - this is not a place for PDA couples. You will be reprimanded.
5. Maps are available everywhere in the town, price ranges from 25 pesos to 30 pesos (July 2009). Check with the tourist center to organize your activities to make the most of the day.

For the morning activities, we decided to trek to Echo Valley and check the Hanging Coffins, and then do another trek to the Small Falls. For the afternoon, we went caving at Sumaguing.



Echo Valley is a sacred place for the Igorots. This is where you will see limestone caves with hanging coffins. According to our guide, not everyone gets the honor of having his body and coffin "dangle" at this place. Only persons with good track records get this treatment. Apparently, when a person of honor is "buried" in this place there is an offering of 20 plus pigs, a number of chickens, and an elaborate ritual.



There are many waterfalls in Sagada. There's a big waterfall on the northern part, which is a 2-hour trek. Since me and my party are out-of-shape city dwellers, we opted for the small waterfalls near the town proper. Though it was a short trek down the hill, the muddy trail and the height made it difficult for us. However the reward reaching the waterfalls was worth it. The river and the water was cool, and the sight was refreshing for the soul.



The afternoon adventure turned out to be the scary, interesting, exhausting, yet the most awesome experience I've had. We went exploring Sumaguing cave. The entrance of the cave was foreboding and dangerous. The trek down involved managing carved limestone stairs which were slippery with bat poop, water and mud. They tend to be sharp too, and there's quite a fall in the dark if your feet loses its grip. The inside of the cave made me feel like Gollum groping and clambering in the dark. The 30 or 45-minute trip down felt like forever. Aside from grabbing and trying not to slip, there's rapelling involved - just a warning for those who don't get into that kind of stuff. When we hit the eroded, roughed out, limestone bottom - the sight was worth it. I felt like I was in an LOTR adventure.







After enjoying the cool water, taking pictures, and marvelling at the place, we got out of the cave - same route, only difference is CLIMBING to the light of the outside.

We trooped to The Yoghurt House and wolfed down sandwiches and the prided yoghurt. Truly, the taste is different from the yoghurt that I get from the grocery store. For heavier menu, we suggest Masferre's Restaurant - where we had our late lunch on our first day in town.

Souvenirs can be found anywhere in the town, but if you want the true Sagada souvenir go to Sagada Weaving. They have bags and other stuff made of cloth traditionally weaved from the loom.

We spent our last night enjoying the wonderful curry and beers at The Rock Inn Cafe.

Of all the experiences I've had travelling in the Philippines, this one I won't forget. Captivated by Banaue's terraces, getting lost in the mountains of the Cordilleras, caving and trekking in Sagada - it was an adventure!

Having had enough of the rough roads, we went home driving up and down the Sagada-Mountain Province-Baguio route. This is the route where the buses pass, and the road where we will recommend our friends to take if they want to go to Sagada.

If you seek adventure take the road we took and you'll get the complete Mountain Province experience - Banaue-Sagada-Baguio with the Cordillera mountains. Do it in summer. The good news is that they are actually constructing the road - so next year, it might be finished. Hopefully, there wouldn't be too many storms to cause landslides to make the road unpassable.

The Enterprise is Recruiting ....

Star Trek to me was the ultimate badge of geekdom. I have my Star Wars and LOTR moments, but Star Trek was a higher level of nerdhood that I was not prepared to go.

I do not follow the show. Though, I am aware of the story and the characters - I mean who could miss Spock while channel flipping. I did try watching it one time, but I found it too "talky" and I couldn't understand what the heck they were talking about 'cuz I never started the series.

Anyway, some of my friends told me that it was one movie that I should check out. They even advised me to watch it on IMAX. After much prodding, I finally dragged a willing victim of my tyranny to the nearest cinema.

In an interview director J.J. Abrams (also known for Mission Impossible), said that this Star Trek movie promises to be entertaining not only to Trekkies but to non-Trekkies as well. The cast includes Chris Pine as Capt. James T. Kirk, Zachary Quinto (of TV show "Heroes") as Spock, Zoe Aldana as Nyota Uhura, Karl Urban (of LOTR) as Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy, John Cho (of Harold and Kumar) as Hikaru Sulu, and Eric Bana as the Romulin nemesis, Nero. There is also the appearance of the original Spock, Leonard Nimoy.

The movie storyline is basically a prequel to the Star Trek that we know. It focused on the roots of important USS Enterprise members, specially Kirk and Spock.

The newly built USS Enterprise is called into action when the planet Vulcan sends a distress call to the Federation. Through Dr. Bones McCoy, troublemaker James T. Kirk gets dragged into the fray while under academic suspension. Meanwhile, Spock comes to terms of his biracial genealogy as his past and the series of events unfold before him. The inexperienced USS Enterprise crew engages into battle with Nero, who blames Spock and the Federation for the destruction of his planet, Romulus. The Romulins were defeated in the end with James T. Kirk earning his rank as captain of the USS Enterprise.

The movie is action-packed from start to finish. There is no dull moment which I find very surprising - and refreshing. It's like riding a high-tech roller coaster ride and enjoying every minute of it. Funny moments were provided, mostly by Bones McCoy and James Kirk. Chris Pine's character really took a beating in this flick from start to finish compared to the Zachary Quinto's Spock. Eric Bana was unrecognizable as the vengeful Nero. The story is interesting - an alternate reality with the entry of Spock Prime (Nimoy) providing the explanations. The CGI, effects, and yes, even the costumes were thankfully upgraded to a more tasteful change. The movie looks way better than the old one of course, and it was fun looking at the gadget upgrades. There's also the inclusion of memorable lines ... specially Scotty's, which generated snickers here and there. If you listen carefully (try not to be overwhelmed by the visuals), the film score is also very well-orchestrated. Overall, J.J. Abrams did a good job.

I thoroughly enjoyed this so much I had to watch it twice. The second I watched on IMAX - which is better.

This is one movie even a non-Trekkie should not miss.

Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra - Harmony Tour 2009-2010, The Esplanade, April 19, 2009

I'm not a music critic. I'm a music lover.

When I hear a sound I like, I will pursue it until I get my fill of it.

One of the major reasons why I went to Singapore was because the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra will be performing at The Esplanade for one night only. It was an accidental discovery of one night of long internet surfing. The knowledge that these guys were part of the Nodame Cantabile orchestral pieces gave me enough motivation to book a flight, hotel, and reserve a concert ticket online. I wanted to make sure I get a good seat.

Everyone who've heard of my plans probably think I was crazy or weird 'cuz they never imagined I actually listened to classical music (maybe the heavy metal CDs displayed in my living room gave them an idea).

I was daydreaming after watching the live action drama for the nth time that one day I will go to Japan and catch them at Suntory Hall. Sort of a to-do in my bucket list. But the laziness of applying for a tourist visa for Japan kept on repelling me to do so (I kinda hate going through the process of getting one. It's just so tedious.)

I guess it was really sheer dumb luck or just the fates telling me it's time to face real music head-on (and go for an adventure).



The Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra was formed in 1965 as part of a cultural promotion project to mark the Tokyo Olympic Games. The orchestra have been regaling audiences in Japan and the rest of the world ever since.

The Singapore leg is part of their Harmony Tour for 2009>2010, and it features resident conductor Koizumi Kazuhiro at the helm and Singapore national Lim Yan, as piano soloist.

The programme included:

Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky's Polonaise from Eugene Onegin, Op. 24

Edvard Grieg's Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16 (Allegro molto moderato, Adagio, Allegro moderato molto e marcato)

Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64 (Adante - Allegro con anima, Andante cantabile, con alcuna licenza, Valse , Finale )



Watching a performance at Singapore's The Esplanade was a unique experience for me. Outside it's architecturally beautiful. It's photogenic in all angles and its place near the Marina makes it more post card material. In my short stay in SG, this was my haven from the afternoon heat.

Inside, the concert hall performance of the orchestra is like listening to a beautifully equalized stereo system. The volume, the pitch, the energy emanating from the sounds produced gave me shivers.

Koizumi was wonderful. He directs his orchestra with the outmost grace, vivacity, sometimes fire. He also flashes a warm smile from time to time to his audience adding charm.

Also worth noting was the concert master (who unfortunately I'm not sure what's his name but from the programme I'm guessing he's Tatsuya Yabe), who handles the violin like an extra limb in his body. He really knows how to treat the instrument and has an expressive way of playing. The rest weren't far off themselves. The horn section particularly was hitting those notes. All in all, it was a solid performance. Harmony tour indeed.

Lim Yam's piano was the jewel of the piece. Though he performed only once, it stuck in my head. I am used to hearing that Grieg piece in a faster tempo and furious key pounding style. Lim Yam's rendition of the piece was relaxed, classy, and introspective. It's another dessert for my brain.

Used to be my plans of catching TMSO was a maybe or might be. But now it's a DEFINITELY. Though I will surely miss The Esplanade, I am eager to set foot on Suntory Hall and catch these guys AGAIN ... hopefully a Mozart or Beethoven (who I love so much) will be in the programme.

Singapore Travel Tips for First-Timers (Like Me!)

For those who will travel to Singapore for the first time - it's a lovely, squeaky clean, and kinda strict country. Here are some useful tips I can share with you that will be quite useful (coming from a first-timer who went there solo).

1. Pack more shirts. The country is just above the equator which makes it a tropical country. But coming from a warm place myself, I was greeted by humidity that made me take 2-3 baths a day. If it's not the humidity, there is a chance for rain. Otherwise, you can buy clothes in the malls. Singapore is a fantastic place to shop ... but if you're on a budget, pack the shirts.

PS: Don't bring bubble gum. They are anti-gum.

2. Get a TOURIST PASS. The Singapore Tourist pass is like their E-Z link card that you can use to ride the bus and MRT. It's about the size of a typical ATM card and looks like one. It's gonna save you money when traveling around the city. It's available in Changi Airport at the MRT interchange.

3. Get a MAP. You don't really need to buy one. There are free maps and guides inside at Changi Airport. It's beside the Visitor Center.

4. Don't exchange all your money at the foreign exchange counter at the airport. There are better rates outside. You need only SG$20-25 for a cab to the city, or SG $20-40 for a Tourist Pass. You don't need to tip the driver, actually for any service for that matter. It's strongly discouraged.

5. Don't plan a walking trip from 12PM to 5PM. It's hot and you'll be sweaty all over. Plan those trips in the morning or evening (The Esplanade is specially lovely in the evening). You can escape to the numerous malls during these unholy hours.

PS: Follow the pedestrian lane and stops so you won't get in trouble. FYI, vehicles are right-hand drive. So people used to the left-hand drive, they drive on the wrong side of the road (hehehe), turn your necks and watch where you walk.

6. Try the hawker food centers ... it's safe, cheap, and yummy. Unless your stomach is on the sensitive-side. But then you can always bring anti-diarrheals or stomach pills. :-)

7. If you are going to buy souvenirs - go to Chinatown, it's cheaper there. There's 3-for-SG$10 stores scattered all over there. You can get shirts, bags, SG souvenirs, etcetera.

8. Catch a show at The Esplanade. Lovely place ... specially the Concert Hall - fantastic acoustics. Sometimes,they have free shows at the lobby at night. You can go to the rooftop(?) and have a nice view of the Marina. I recommend that you visit it in the evening.




9. If you're on a heritage and cultural tour, start off in Bencoolen St - the riverside end. You'll be able to pass by the museums. It's also one of the lovely parts of the city. Don't miss out the Singapore Art Museum and the National Singapore Library. End it at Fort Canning Park, where you can sit and rest under the trees. It's also near Dhoby Gaut MRT station.




10. If you're going for the Night Safari, it opens 7:30 PM. If you're not taking a cab, take the MRT to Ang Mio Kho station. Go to the bus interchange - no need to get out of the MRT station ... there is an underground (?) pass that will lead you there. Just follow the signs. Take Bus 138. It's a 30-45 minute ride.


11. When buying goods, make sure you get a GST receipt/paper from your retailer. It's like a receipt form wherein you can fill out your details. You will need that when you get your tax refund at the airport.

12. Buying gadgets such as cellphones, laptops, computer parts etc.? Go to Sim Lim Square. Don't mistake it for the Sim Lim Tower - which is almost across it. The square is 5 floors of that electronics. You can go crazy there. Though Mustafa Center has those too, the choices are kinda limited. Just make sure you're really decided to buy something, they don't like it if you hop from one place to another, and haggle, and end up not buying.

13. Don't leave SG without trying the Singapore Sling, Chili Crab, Fish Head curry, Kopitiam, Gelare, and the exotic dishes in Little India. If you're food adventurous, observe which food stall has a line. If the Singaporeans fall in line for that stall, it's usually good (that's what I did, hahaha). You have to be patient though.

14. You can skip the Singapore Flyer .... unless you want to propose with 26 people around you or you're rich enough to cough up SG$1,000 for your own cab. It's nice to take pictures though in the evening.

15. Before checking in your baggage, go to the GST Tax Refund counter first. Produce your receipt, your GST receipt form (properly filled out to avoid delays), and passport (sometimes your e-ticket too). They might inspect the stuff you bought, so be ready to produce them (that's why don't check in your baggage). They should stamp it. Don't put it in your check-in baggage. You're gonna get your money back on the second GST counter AFTER immigrations, and you need to produce that stamped receipt/receipt form. After that you can go shopping again with your refunded cash inside the airport, which offers a lot of stuff. Otherwise, you can go to the foreign exchange counter.

Also of note: There's a small postal kiosk inside the airport, so don't fret if you haven't sent your postcard just yet. They sell stamps, so there's no need to go paranoid of not buying one outside. They also have postcards, forgetful you. :-)

Hopefully, my tips will make your touring a bit easier and fun in SG.

Well-Noted Romance Comedy

Recently, 7:30 PM is an important hour for me. For the past weeks I have been following a series in Animax-Asia called Nodame Cantabile. It has me running back home from wherever I am.

Nodame Cantabile is an on-going manga by Tomoko Ninomiya. The series has been adapted into 2 television shows; a live-action drama and an anime. The first season of the anime was first broadcasted in Japan in 2007. The second season in 2008. It has been announced that a third season will be coming in the fall of 2009. The first season of the anime aired just this February 2009 in Animax-Asia. It's shown every 7:30 PM Monday to Friday and has an encore telecast every Saturdays, 10:30 PM. As of writing, it's already airing Episode 13.

The anime revolves around the lives of Momogoaka College's music students particularly Megumi Noda or "Nodame," and her neighbor/love-interest Shinichi Chiaki. Nodame is a talented junior pianist who wants to be a kindergarten teacher. She plays the pieces by ear and has a tendency to ignore the music score and go on inventing notes along the way. She is messy, disorganized, has a huge appetite, and takes baths several days apart. Shinichi Chiaki is Momogaoka College's top student. He is a 4th year piano major who is also a violinist aspiring to become a conductor. He hails from a musical family and has lived in several music capitals abroad but is now trapped in Japan due to his fear of flying. He is arrogant and a perfectionist, but this does not affect his hearthrob status with the ladies in school.

Chiaki falls drunk one day on Nodame's doorstep and then they discover they have the same piano professor. Their relationship further evolves when Chiaki investigates the mess and stench that's been reeking through Nodame's apartment. He ends up cleaning Nodame's apartment, doing her laundry, cooking her dinner, and even washing her hair. Though Chiaki finds Nodame a pest, who keep coming back to abuse his "kindness," he seems unable to stay away from her altogether for he was impressed with Nodame's cantabile (song-like) style of piano playing. Nodame on the other hand falls in love with Chiaki, to the point of even claiming that they are married. Along the way, they meet several students and professors who become their friends and rivals as they gradually hone their talents and get into several musical adventures.

What is very engaging about this anime is the treatment of classical music itself which is a huge presence in the series. Pieces of Beethoven, Mozart, Rachmaninov, Grieg, and Liszt's music are performed - and there are more impressive classical heavyweights to come. Then there's the hilarious romantic-comedy dynamics between Nodame and Chiaki that's going to leave the viewer in stitches. Interesting funny characters pop in as the anime progresses. Among such characters are Mine, the rock-rebel violinist; Misumi, the gay tympanist who also harbors a crush on Chiaki; and then there's the famous but lecherous conductor Franz Von Stresseman - also known as "Milch" to Nodame. Sometimes appearances by Saiko Tagaya, Chiaki's ex-girlfriend and opera singer, add to the insanity of Chiaki's life. The series promises fun and color with the introduction of more cast members and of course, impressive music.

My only complaint is that it's not dubbed in English, so you have to bother with subtitles. But then it does not diminish the enjoyment of the show. Certainly worth checking out for music lovers out there.

Check this site to view first episode:

http://www.animepile.net/Nodame-Cantabile/Nodame-Cantabile---Episode-1.html

MY Favorite 2008 Albums

2008 for me is one of the worst years since the Great Depression. With the global financial crisis, it seems that rock music also experienced a slump with regards to album releases. Excellent bands such as Breaking Benjamin, Blue October, and Red Jumpsuit Apparatus will be releasing their new ones on 2009. I still have to hear if there's a Foo Fighters album in the works. No word on Incubus or Linkin Park.

Here are some of the few albums which made the crunch easier for me to take.



VIVA LA VIDA AND DEATH AND ALL HIS FRIENDS BY COLDPLAY

This is my only Coldplay album, ever. I like their songs, but I usually end up just borrowing friends' CDs. It was for the shallowest reasons I bought this album. I like the cover art. Songs such as Lost!, Viva La Vida, Violet Hill, and Lovers In Japan are also good enough excuses.



THE SCRIPT BY THE SCRIPT

This illustrates the slim pickings I had this year. Not exactly alternative or rock, The Scripts is borderline pop-rock. Coming from nowhere, the song The Man Who Can't Be Moved moved me to hysterics I had to buy the album. It wasn't a disappointment. Most of the songs are auditory friendly. The song lyrics are even more interesting, specially for those who had relationship fallouts - check the song Breakeven.



If there is one band out there who deserves to release a GREATEST HITS album, Stereophonics would be it. This is ear candy all the way. Although Movie Star is nowhere to be found, the new single You're My Star is a welcome bonus to the collection.



TWILIGHT SOUNDTRACK

It's inevitable. The saga of Bella and Edward took a life on its own and spawned a movie. Trust me, I love the book. I love the actors. But hell, what happened to the script!?! I have so many complaints about the movie starting from the make-up department to the direction, and wonder how Stephenie Meyer allowed this (well, it didn't stop me from watching it several times though). Thank God for the soundtrack. Like VICODIN it takes away the pain. With songs from bands such as Muse, Mutemath, The Black Ghosts, Collective Soul, Linkin Park, Blue Foundation, Iron & Wine, and of course Paramore, it's enough to prevent me from going berserk.



THE RED ALBUM BY WEEZER

A ray of sunshine in these dark times, trust Weezer to put a smile on those weary faces. Known for their self-deprecating humorous lyrics and catchy riffs, the band offers tunes such as Pork and Beans, Troublemaker, and The Greatest Man That Ever Lived making you want to post your own homemade videos on YouTube.



FOLIE A DEUX BY FALL OUT BOY

Known for their quirky song titles, FOB releases yet another good album. This is one of the bands out there who shouldn't stop EVER. Trust the song with a title that goes like Headfirst Slide Into Cooperstown On A Bad Bet (further explains Pete Wentz and Ashley Simpson's baby naming skills.)




A HUNDRED MILLION SUNS BY SNOW PATROL

One of those impulse buys. There's a new noun for beautiful and this album is it. If this were a guy I already married it, period. Check out Crack The Shutters and The Planets Bend Between Us. A must-have!!

The Perfect Christmas Gift

December 4th was a red-letter day for Potterheads anticipating the release of "Tales of Beedle The Bard," a collection of 5 fairy tales told to little children of wizarding families. For us Muggles, we became aware of this book in the last installment, Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows. These tales are a few of the important puzzles of that book. It came into the possession of Hermione Granger after the demise of Hogwarts Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. Translated from ancient runes, the stories include: The Wizard and the Hopping Pot, The Fountain of Fair Fortune, The Warlock's Hairy Heart, Babbitty Rabbity and Her Cackling Stump, and The Tale of The Three Brothers.

All tales give us an insight on the wizarding community's opinions (or beliefs) about love, muggles, and death. But more importantly, these are cautionary stories of use or misuse of magic. It also contains helpful (and often hilarious) commentaries by Albus Dumbledore himself.

With JK Rowling's knack of weaving the fantastic, this book is a wonderful side dish to the 7 already stowed in your shelf.

Another bonus is that the net sales of this book goes to the Children's High Level Group, a charity foundation co-founded by JK Rowling and Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne.

A wonderful Christmas gift for yourself, your family and friends, and of course to the children that will benefit from your patronage.

BITTEN: The Twilight Saga

Gist in a telegram: Young girl moves to new town. Falls in love. Gets married. Lives happily ever after.

What's so special?


It was one of those unusual days that I picked TWILIGHT on pure superficiality.

I know, I know, there's a saying don't judge a book by it's cover. But then I was feeling adventurous and the cover of the book showed promise ... a set of ghostly white hands holding a very red apple against a broodingly black background.

I didn't bother to read anything at the back. I wanted to surprise myself.

The cashier tips me on getting NEW MOON and ECLIPSE. "Copies are diminishing in an alarming rate and will certainly be sold out before BREAKING DAWN gets out," she says.

When the bartender gives you a free drink, chug it down.

Five cups of black coffee and six unholy hours later ... I wanted to kick myself. I should have listened.

After several trips to different bookstores and one online pre-order later, I'm hooked.

MY THOUGHTS IN A NUTSHELL: TWILIGHT itself is a gem. It stands out among the four and clearly my favorite. Love indeed holds no boundaries. NEW MOON for me single-handedly redefined the word broken in an entirely different level of comprehension. I love it. ECLIPSE made me see how terrible it is when one thinks "Can we all just get along?" because in reality, such is never the case. BREAKING DAWN ...inevitably inevitable. She warned us that the book is for cowards. In Meyer's defense, it's told in a totally different LIFE. Face it, we all grow up and it gets ugly sometimes. I thank her for the happy ending .... we all needed it. I cannot wait for MIDNIGHT SUN. Puleeeze, finish it soon.

The Romeo & Juliet plot has been rewritten, replotted, filmed, revived, sung, and twisted in so many ways that the thought of another rendition of it may make you barf. Well, leave room for one more. Take my assurance though, you won't be reaching for the bag. Even those with balance problems will scream for more vertigo and not puke. This series is just too damn good to be dismissed.


WHY?

I could enumerate so many reasons yet the words in my brain fail to compose something coherent I would sound like a gibbering chimp.

But then what's the use of writing about it? I might as well plod on.



THE VAGUEST REASONS WHY TO READ TWILIGHT:

1. The heroine is as plain as brown hair and brown eyes. Like the rest of the world.
2. (Vampire + Human) - Werewolf = Half-Vampire + Werewolf = Happily Ever After. Trust me, even I got lost on that one but hey, I'm not complaining.
3. One day you might want to live in Forks, Washington.
4. "It doesn't matter." & "You're my brand of heroin."
5. Only in death shall one be "perfect."
6. Love can literally kill you, but then you allow it almost always.
7. Sex actually and ONLY occurs after marriage.
8. .... and you will be spared of the pornographic details. Thank God.
9. Damn, I have to say it: Edward Cullen.
10. The movie will be shown on Dec. 12, 2008. Read the book and have the right to say if it sucks or not. Otherwise, shut up.

I read this blog and cannot make sense of it. Sorry, my head is still stuck in some meadow in the Olympian Peninsula.

Seriously Dark Knight

The Dark Knight raked in 150 million plus knocking out Spiderman 3 in best opening day/weekend in the US Box Office. Here in the PI, I've watched it 4 times since opening day on the same theatre with different people. I get the same question - "Don't you get sick of it?" - At the end of screening they need not wait for my answer.

I have to keep repeating myself that I am absolutely a Batman fan. That's why I can't truly express the praise I want to say to Christopher Nolan, cast and crew for this particular version of my favorite super hero.

Yes, there are explosions, car chases, probably digitally rendered scenes, and Bruce Wayne gadgets and cars that will leave the freaks out there drooling. But for the first time, those things stay were it should. A backdrop and several great props to a very well-written story. The SCRIPT will cure your attention deficit disorder.

Probably the most character-driven and best Batman version - EVER, The Dark Knight finally and truly meets his arch nemesis, The Joker.

Actually, Batman takes the backseat here. Other important characters receive their well-deserved screen time.

We see a lot of Bruce Wayne. We see the flaws that made Batman so interesting as a super hero. He is after all the only HUMAN super hero big enough to join the spandex club of Superman, X-men, Spiderman etc. (We can't be too serious here, c'mon.) Christian Bale cinched Bruce Wayne. He may not be the most sexiest man alive (attention George Clooney), but he played the arrogance yet troubled billionaire with an air of believability (I think I just made up that word?)

Another character worth mentioning (since I can't mention all of them - they all did a great job mind you) is Aaron Eckhart's Harvey Dent/Two-Face. Far from Tommy Lee Jones's hysterical version, Eckhart - just like Batman - was the kind of guy you would vote. And in the end, you'll actually feel sorry for the guy.

Another favorite is Gary Oldman's Commisioner Gordon. We all know how much of a heavy weight Oldman is in the acting division. His performance here won't make us question it. Riveting. His final scenes were very very well-acted.

And then there is The Joker. The late Heath Ledger's performance is causing a fury of praises that some even mentioned he could be up for an Oscar. He practically stole the show from our caped crusader. If the title was not Dark Knight, I would've believed this is THE JOKER instead. It would have kicked serious villain title ass (sorry Catwoman, your movie was terrible). But let's focus here, why is everybody talking about this? To put it quite simply, there is no Joker like this ever. The other Jokers are simply ... clowns. THIS ONE'S a psychopath. A killer. A terrorist. A real MANIACAL villain. And a perfect match to this Batman. Thinking that there is no more Heath Ledger to reprise the role causes a great degree of regret because he played it so damn, bloody well. He steals the throne from villains I placed up there in my crazy hall of fame - with Kevin Spacey's John Doe of Se7n and Kaiser Soze getting kicked out of it. (Personally speaking, I was looking for the Heath Ledger I know underneath that make up because I was too shocked and awed when I saw it the first time. He's there alright amidst the voice change and crazy "war paint." Sigh, what a waste.)

Other mentionables: Michael Caine's Alfred, Morgan Freeman's Lucius Fox, and Maggie Gyllenhaal's Rachel Dawes (I like her better than Katie Holmes).

So if you're just reading this, I suggest you march to your nearest theater and find out for yourself what I'm saying here.

Strange Taste in My Cerebrum

I've just finished reading two novels. Worlds apart by comparison, yet containing the same quark that reminds you of one of those tired insomniac nights.


HOSPITAL by TOBY LITT

In summary: Hospital is the last place you want to be when the world ends.

I don't know what's up with English writers and their penchance to give roll calls of names. The book is 500-plus pages. There's a thousand of things happening all at once and the Tolkien name ramblings of questionable signifance pop in your reading vision.

Okay, let me just break this down by giving the important places of happenings so that you will have an idea.

A&E: Starts here and ends here. This is where the main characters were introduced, and this is where they bowed out.

Chapel Area: Where all the Satanists congregated to celebrate Black Mass. (Don't look at me, I'm just conveying what I read).

Operating Room/Surgery Area: Where a love story of soap operatic proportions unfold.

Lower Floors/Maintenance Area: A voodoo ritual was held here.

ICU: "Adoration Chapel" of the Comatose One.

Pharmacy: Disneyland for two loose drug addicts.

CCTV screening area: Where the Virgin watches over them.

Roof Top: Landing area of the chopper that never came.

All over the place: A Rubber Nurse and a boy who swallowed an appleseed.


Toby Litt wrote this book probably after making a book report on Dante's Inferno. As the pages fly by, so will your sanity as events unfolding right before your eyes get darker, funnier, gross-er, and most of the time, sillier. When I finished the novel, I can't even understand how I feel about it. I don't know if I liked it or hated it. I can't recommend it entirely, but I can't even tell you to disregard it altogether. It's like watching a supposedly funny British flick. You hear the laugh, but it's not funny. Something's funny, yet you are the only one clapping and laughing.

One best adjective to describe this book: STRANGE.

Low Note: No booze or caffeine allowed while reading. Nothing to alter your mental status.

High Note: Highly hyperactive imagery/imaginations of the author - hopefully not LCD-induced. Munch something crunchy while reading.

THE PHILOSOPHER'S APPRENTICE by James Morrow

PLACE: Isla de Sangre. Where plants sigh, trees bear mixed fruits, and iguanas have wings.

YOU: Mason Ambrose. Crashed your PHD dissertation. Neo-Darwinist Atheist "philosopher." (Correct adjective would be failed, but I would not rub it in.)

YOUR JOB: Teach philosophy to a girl who grew up so fast she forgot her manners.

SALARY: $100,000.00/year.

RISK: Harasssment from weirdoes of test tube/petri dish/vat-like proportions.

SITUATION: Lona Sabacthani, your student, graduates from the Mason Ambrose school of philosophy and moves out of the island. You go back to the real world and open a bookshop. You forget everything that ever happened in that isalnd. Meanwhile, the rich and beautiful Lona becomes a celebrity of comic book sorts. Lona builds a city of Utopia called Themisopolis. She funds avant-garde medical research and became Mother Theresa for the underprivileged. Afterwards, your brilliant student kidnaps all the major key players in Wall Street and plans to rehabilitate them ... in the biblical Revelations's sense (WAR, FAMINE, PESTILENCE, DEATH).

So what's your move, Socrates?


MY SAY: I've always considered my college philosphy professors raving lunatics. I recalled memories of them while I was reading this book. Hands flailing in the air, excited expressions, and gibberish talks of TV static in my brain. What made me go back further was the topic of bioengineering (I was once a Science major in Microbiology - nothing beats the smell of warm agar fresh from the autoclave), which was the cause of it all.

Put two different chemicals of the opposite sides of the periodic table, bang! You get - NOTHING NEW.

Now get genes from A, and mix it with genes of B in a tube, nourish it in a growth chamber, PCR it, teach it how to speed read, and throw the Bible in it while you're at it. What do you get in this stew? A truly monstrous idea.

That, in a nutshell, is how I feel about this book. It's either a mutated notebook of Plato/Kant/Nietze/What is Logic?/Banananess of the Banana, or my laboratory manual missing several pages. Either way it's the modern day Frankenstein with B-movie written all over it.

I love the hilarity of the story, but hated the lame psychoticness of both the philosopher and the apprentice -- My professors were more endearing in their bipolar ways. I was a diligent student in my paranoid ideations.

Best words to describe the book: STRANGELY ABSURD

Low Points: Mason Ambrose, Lona Sabacthani, Coral Idolatry, Themisopolis, the Valkyries, and Titanic Redux.

High Points: Mumquat juice, Quetzie, Donya Sabacthani, Pieces of Mind, John & Jane Snows storming Themisopolis - gahd, I wished they killed them all.

One Weird Neighborhood of Characters (Part Two)

BRIDA by Paulo Coelhio (THE WEIRD CHICK)

This is the story of Brida.  A young Irish girl who wants to become a witch.  She meets a Master trained in the Ways of The Sun.  He teaches her to overcome fear ... and introduces to her the concept of soulmates.  He then refers her to a Witch learned in the Ways of the Moon.  Brida enters the world Wicca and its customs.  Unconsciously, Brida starts of a journey of self discovery and personal destiny.

Paulo Coelhio weaves magical stories. Like "The Alchemist," this book follows the Coelhian philosophy of finding your destiny.  It is light reading, quite interesting, BUT for a book about witchcraft ... a little lacking in the magic department (I have learned more spells from Harry Potter. Unfortunately, they are useless in real life). It is rich on stuff about soulmates though.  Compared to "The Alchemist," this is lukewarm. But then it's still a readable book. Collection-wise, it's better that you just borrow one from your Coelhio-fan friend.


THE THIRTEENTH TALE by Diane Setterfield (THE GEEK AND THE ADDAMS FAMILY)

Margaret Lea is a librarian who also happens to write biographies of dead people. Her family owns a bookstore, hence her vocation to literary pursuits.  Vida Winter, who happens to be the best-selling LIVING author of her time, contacts Margaret Lea into writing her biography.  Aware of Vida Winter's reputation of not telling the true story of her life (Numerous interviews were given. All stories were false of course.).  Curiosity piqued, Margaret Lea suspiciously accepted the job.  She unfolds the extraordinary life of the author, and unravels family secrets filled with suspense, incest, sadism, and the other daily twisted apothecary pills of weirdness.  

The first effort of Ms. Setterfield ... and a damn good one.  This is the kind of book that makes me say "I wish I wrote this."  If I did and were not aware of it, I would have 50% of my ideas in this book. The story is so twisted until the near end, I was smiling silly when I put the book down. Must-have in the book coffers.


THE BOOK OF NAMES by Jill Gregory & Karen Tintori (THE TEACHER AND THE DOOMSDAY CREW)

David Shepherd is a professor of politics haunted by visions of names stemming from a childhood accident.  The names took on a life on itself after 25 years of conscious suppression.  He meets a rabbi who explains to him the importance of those names in the balance of life events on earth. The list happened to be the Book of Names, originating from the ancient texts of the biblical Adam. And by Kabbalistic beliefs, it contains the names of the thirty-six righteous souls of each generation - the so-called Hidden Ones.  He is then pursued by a mysterious group, who seeks out the names in his visions. The so-called Gnoseos vows to eliminate the people who own these names to purge the earth and usher a new one. Aided by an Israeli texts expert, he gets into danger after danger, trying to decipher the names, save the world, and rescue his abducted step-daughter (who also happens to be a Hidden One).

Talk a about one really bad day.  When you just thought you were just going insane, the next thing you know you have to save earth from Armageddon. By summary, it sounds far-fetched and crazy at the least. It's pretty entertaining.  I can imagine some of the action films plus the Da Vinci Code while reading this.  For those who are into suspense, mystery, and puzzle-solving, you can add this to your collection.  I hope though they don't make this into a movie, I can feel a B-Movie coming ... as some of the stuff here can be done tastelessly.  Just retain the book of its charm please.

One Weird Neighborhood of Characters (Part One)

Imagine having the characters of all these tales in one neighborhood. It would be interesting to witness all the crazy happenings, or just exchange gossips over the fence.

LOVE IN THE TIME OF CHOLERA by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (THE OLD FOLKS'S LOVESTRUCK TRIANGLE)

In their youth, Florentino Ariza and Fermina Daza fell in love. One day however, Fermina decides to end their relationship, and went on to marry Dr. Juvenal Urbino - a good-looking doctor from a wealthy family. Florentino Ariza, an illegitimate child of a merchant, could not match this. He vowed to improve himself to claim the love of his life. As a bachelor, he had affairs that spanned half a century while waiting for the day. And when indeed Dr. Urbino died and Fermina became a widow, he planned his way into winning her back again.

The book has wonderful lyrical quality to it and is a big hit to most of "The Bridges of Madison County" fans. I, on the other hand, found the sentimentality nauseating sometimes. This is the ultimate love story for those who stash romance novels in their library. For people who believe that there is just one person out there for them. For some who are of different tastes (which includes me), this is the dreaded chick flick (take note I'm a girl and I can't stand it). Just like the main theme of this book - PATIENCE - I had to summon a lot of will to finish reading this (it took me year). However, it is not badly written. It's the overabuse of the word "love" and anything related to it, which repelled me. It drained too much of my estrogen stores and made me stony.


THE VIRGIN SUICIDES by Jeffrey Eugenides (THE GIRLS NEXT DOOR AND THE BOYS WHO WATCH THEM)


The Lisbon girls were fascinating creatures. They were beautiful girls. But one day Cecilia, the youngest, commits suicide. This was the turning point of their story as it ushered a series of self-annihilation of the other four sisters: Lux, Therese, Bonnie, and Mary. A group of boys who obsessed them, tells their story as witnesses to the events of highs, lows, and the ultimate doom of their lives.


For people suffering insomnia, I recommend you to read this book to fill in those hours of sleeplessness. You won't waste a minute reading this as the story is interesting, funny, and wistful (finished it in one night and paid for it at work the next day, tsk tsk tsk). A very good read, if I must say. I am still looking for a DVD copy of the movie and am quite curious on how Sophia Copolla adapted the book to the movie.

Movie Seats with Keanu Reeves, a Super Hero, and a Couple from Vegas

I've been spending lots of time in the mall during the "in-between" hours of the day and was able to catch several movies that I think is worth writing about.






STREET KINGS


Tom Ludlum (Keanu Reeves) is an LAPD vice cop working on high profile cases.  An ex-partner disapproves of his outside-the-rule book operations. According to his captain (Forrest Whitaker), he is being investigated by the police chief (Hugh Laurie) and his ex-partner was snitching on him.  This angers Ludlum and stakes out his ex-partner to exact revenge. He to witnesses his ex-partner's death instead.  Ludlum searches out for the killers with the help of a young police detective (Chris Evans) and unravels tales of frame-ups, corruption, and abuse of power within the police department along the way.  He now questions himself on his allegiance to their little group or to just being a good cop.


The movie has LA Confidential written all over it because one of the screen writers happens to be James Elroy.  This modern version of corruption and crime is filled with action, surprises, and some predictable twists. Keanu Reeves is very good playing roles of troubled characters. In this one, he is also a grieving alcoholic widower.  Hugh Laurie matches his House MD character quips and one-liners against the formiddable Forrest Whitaker.  And Laurie still wins by funny. One of the better films to be shown, I watched this movie twice as it is that good.

IRON MAN

Tony Stark is an heir to an arms-manufacturing company.  Aside from this, he is also a genius.  When his old man passed away, he took the helm and went on to conquer the world, in terms of celebrity and infamy. One routine arms demonstration changes all that. Tony was kidnapped by Afghan terrorists and was forced to make the same new weapon he was selling to the military.  In the cave, Tony invents a suit of impregnable armor and armed it enough for him to escape.  Back at home, he fine-tune his invention and uses it in clandestine activities to save the world from the weapons that he created.


The latest super hero to be adapted into a movie, Marvel must be raking huge sums of moola not just for comic books these days.  Unlike some adaptations, this actually a very good one.  Robert Downy Jr. plays Tony Stark excellently. Though his character is such a lothario at most times, he can be as lovable as well (ask Pepper Potts, in eternal servitude of Mr. Stark's).  There are parts in the movie that can be a bit dragging at times specially at the beginning. But it catches up.  The soundtrack is pretty interesting. Hard rocking tunes can be heard all throughout the movie, specially Black Sabbath's - Iron Man.  This movie is not to be missed, eventhough you are the type who hates the hype.


WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS 
Joy (Cameron Diaz) just got dumped in front of her friends in a surprise party she threw for her fiancee.  Jack (Ashton Kutcher) was fired by his own father.  Solution? Vegas of course! Joy drags her bar tender bff Tipper (Lake Bell) for a weekend of fun, while Jack tags his lawyer/friend Hater (Cowdry) for endless partying and debauchery in the desert.  Fate intervenes. Jack and Hater met Joy and Tipper when they were accidentally assigned in the same hotel room. To remedy the situation, the group gets penthouse suites and VIP access to all the clubs.  They partied and drank hard the night away. When Jack and Joy wake up the next day - they were MARRIED to to each other. As they were having a "marital spat" on the slots, Jack wins 3 million with Joy's quarter. 

The battle for the big bucks begins.

The judge instructs them to live together as a married couple and attend marriage counselling for six months.  After door/toilet seat-removings, staged girl parties, alleged physical abuse antics, and just racing to the marriage counselor to prevent contempt of court, Jack and Joy discover that there is more to their marriage than just one accidental "I DO" in Vegas. 


The movie is hilarious.  This movie does not require your neurons to work, but it will tickle them.  It's a romance-comedy for this generation's of Vegas culture.  Watch this if you're feeling down, as the hilarity of the movie will lift your mood up.

NAM Part 1

I spent the Holy Week with two of my friends (let's hide them under Addictus and Road-Rage) in Ho Chi Minh City.

Why on earth we ended on that side of the planet boiled down to the following reasons:

1.  Bangkok was too hot and fully booked on a short notice.
2.  Macau was fully booked on a short notice.
3.  We are the the type of people who book vacations on a short notice.

Several weeks before, another friend (let's hide her under the name, Hobbitus) went MIA on us.  When Hobbitus came back, she revealed to us that she went to Vietnam ALONE and recommended that we should check it out.

Ho Chi Minh City (or SAIGON) is a 2-hour trip from Manila.  The sweltering climate welcomed us, including a sight that is familiar yet strange.  The place reminded me of some cities in the Philippines.  What made it different were the Viet characters on the billboard, the Viet sounds (language included), a million motorcycles on the streets, and CLEAN AIR.

Saigon Streets

Hotel View

We sought refuge from the afternoon heat in our airconditioned hotel and came out of hiding when the sun came down.  We headed down Ben Thanh market for the evening street food fare which was not bad and considerably cheap. (During that time 1 USD = 15.5 VND more or less ... 5 bucks or less fed us to choking already.) Vietnamese food is not limited to Pho Hoa as we have discovered.  Yet if you have a hankering for Pho there's like a 24-hour resto of it in the city. If you are into the healthy stuff, Viet food is for you as their diet contains a lot of veggies. There are dishes that can be hot and spicy, but you can request a milder version if they have one. One gastronomic word of advice though is to bring or buy bottled water. I'm not saying that water is not clean, but if you have guts that are a wee bit picky like mine, take my advice. Saves you trips to the john.

Ben Thanh Night Market

Ben Thanh Market is open from 6AM to 6PM. After 6PM, the vicinity around the market becomes the night market which cater food and stuff like bags, clothes, shoes, lacquerware products, etcetera.

The night ended with a 5-minute walk back to the hotel and into snoreville.