Joining the Wordless Wednesday meme again this week. Check out other Wordless entries here.

Hi guys, it's my first time to join :)



That's our Joe, our 3month old puppy, checking out one of our friendly and shiny visitors.

My sister is flying to Kenya on Thursday!

I am so envious. And who wouldn't be?
She will be the first in the family, from either side, who will step foot in the African continent. How can I beat that! :)

She will take her post as a VSO Volunteer in Lukore in the Mombasa district of Kenya. For two years, she will be working with a Kenyan cooperative run mostly by women. As a VSO Volunteer, she is expected to focus on institutional and individual capacity building which will include trainings of cooperative officials, developing cooperative development strategies as well as laying down institutional/organisational systems such as financial and accounting procedures, marketing plans, and even By-laws. The tasks ahead of her are daunting and the conditions are, well, not the same as what she's used to, and I wish her all the best. She has a strong character and an excellent people-to-people skills and so we know she can rise, and she will rise, to the challenges that may come her way.

Her post in her blog today, Hujambo, Kenya!, is very touching. She tells of her son who seems to be okay about her going away. I can't help but feel for her. Two years is a long time, but I agree with her, time will just fly quickly.

Good luck, MamaGirl.
Take care of yourself while there. We'll take care of Joshua for you.

I recently got in touch with a long-lost friend who just returned to PP and she gifted me with this:




What a perfect timing! Just last week, I dropped the last of our coffee mug and so we are back to using our old tiny cups as we didn't have time to get new ones. This mug is just the right size for R and I, not to small and not too big, perfect for our daily brew. The handle is large enough for easy grip as well. I also love the classic white body painted with the ubiquitous tricycle of our homeland. Oh how I miss our colorful tricycles! Thanks, F! Now whenever I get homesick, I'll just take this mug out of the cupboard and make myself a cuppa.

Would you like one as well? My friend has three more mugs left and she wants to sell them to anyone interested. Leave me a message.

I am currently re-constructing my blog template so please excuse the clutter. Just a few more tweaks in the codes here and there, photo adjustments up there... and it'll be up and running in no time. I hope old friends will visit and see me blogging again, and if not, hopefully new ones will come find me here.

Humanga ako sa kalinisan ng kapaligiran, lalo na sa rural areas, sa Japan noong minsa'y nakabisita ako doon. Talagang seryoso nilang sinusunod ang pagiging clean and green. Sa syudad naman, napagawi ako sa Asakusa district ng Tokyo, kilala bilang entertainment district ng mga Hapon. Dito makikita ang maraming entertainment venues tulad ng mga parks, shopping arcades, pachinko parlors, traditional Japanese music and kabuki halls at meron ding Western opera, at iba't-ibang klaseng strip shows/seedy clubs. Sa gabi ay nagkikislapan ang iba't-ibang makukulay na ilaw at nakakabinging tugtog na nagmumula sa mga tugtog at barkers na nagsasapawan (halos mapigtas ang kanilang ugat sa leeg) upang manghikayat o mang-akit ng maraming customers.

Pagbalik namin sa umaga, ay ibang eksena ang bumulaga sa amin. Sarado ang halos lahat ng clubs at pachinko parlors, tahimik at may iilang turistang ang naglalakad at nagmamasid-masid.

Sa isang dako ay napansin ko ang mamang ito. Di ko akalain na ang siya pala ay taga-linis sa lugar na iyon. Parang Metro Aide sa atin. Ang kaibahan lang niya sa Metro Aide ay may pasan siya sa balikat ng dalawang drawer (gamit ang mahabang kahoy) kung saan nakalagay ang kanyang mga gamit-panglinis. Di rin halata ang kanyang dala-dalang walis at dustpan. Kung inyong mapapansin (please click to enlarge the pic) ay meron siyang parang prosthetic sa ulo para mag-mukhang nauupaw siya. Bahagi pa pala ito ng gimik sa Asakusa.

Mga karatulang di-sinasadyang magpatawa subalit nakakatawa, sa kabila ng babala o mahalagang mensaheng ipinahihiwatig nito sa madla.

Seen while on my way to Kep:





And this one was spotted somewhere in Shenzhen, China years ago:

Hindi ako mahilig mag-almusal. Ewan ko ba kung bakit. Isa marahil ay ang pagiging malayo ko sa mga mapang-suring mata ng aking Ina nang ako ay nag-aaral pa sa unibersidad. Sa boarding-house kasi ako naka-tira, at, dahil wala ngang parental control, ay nakasanayan ko nang pumasok ng walang almusal-almusal.

Nakasanayan na rin naming mag-asawa ang di mag-almusal sa umaga. Kape lang ay okey na sa amin. Pero noong mga nakaraang taon na ako naka-base pa sa Kep, ay na-engganyo kaming tularan ang mga locals. Sabi nga, when in Rome, do as the Romans do. Kaya naman ay tuwing umaga bago pumasok ay dumadaan kami sa mga kainan para mag-almusal ng kuy teav. Ito ay gawa sa rice noodles at sangkap tulad ng baboy o baka at piling herbs. Masarap ang sabaw na galing sa pinakuluan mga buto-buto.

Heto naman ang isang version ng noodle soup na paborito naming mag-asawa kapag kami ay nasa Kep:

Simpleng chicken noodle soup gamit ang instant noodles, laman ng manok at sari-saring gulay.

Noong pumunta naman ako sa Japan ay sinubukan ko rin ang traditional breakfast nila:





Tamago gake gohan ang tawag dito.