LILLE2004 CAPITALE EUROPEENNE DE LA CULTURE FETE FINALE

...some bamboo architecture they set-up, quite wierd though, and it's covering the center-piece statue of Lille Centre-ville... during the last day they managed to make the bamboos spout fire... hehehe when one is cold, one has only to squirm one's way towards these banboos...

...they are the 22-Blue-Men, carrying blue barrels and doing all sorts of stuff with these things...

...i dont exactly know what these people are called, maybe the XX-White-Men? hehehe my guess is as good as yours...

...some fancy ladies dressed in sa fancy way... they didn't do anything though, just stood there and waved... i prefer the African ladies, at least those gals danced a lot...

....Imported from Scotland! I bet they were cold, they were only wearing short skirts! hahaha

...I don't know who these people support... they were a mixed bunch in Frosty or Halloween costumes...

ANGEL ARMS TURNS 21

JOYEUX ANNIVERSAIRE A MOI!!!! =)

... gifts i got from french and polish friends.... hmmm Hans and Val bakit pala wala kayong gift sakin? hmmm? ;p

...Tito Olivier serving apperatif/appetizer, and some champagne...

... Tita Myrna and my BDAY handa...

... me blowing my cake! it can't be clearly seen but there is a couple of plastic things that say im 21!...

ANGEL ARMS IN BRUGG, BELGIUM

YEP, BELGIUM AGAIN! AND FOR FREE COZ WE RODE A CAR! ONE OF THE STUDENTS I WAS HAVING ENGLISH PRATICE WITH INVITED ME TO COME WITH THEM TO BRUGG, IT'S SUPPOSEDLY THE MOST FAMOUS TOURIST CITY IN BELGIUM, BECAUSE OF ITS CASTLES AND MONASTERIES AND CHANNEL OF CANALS (WHERE ONE CAN PAY TO HAVE A BOAT-TOUR AROUND THE CITY FOR 5 EUROS/30MINS). WE HAD PICNIC BY THE RIVER, WHERE THERE WAS THIS BRITISH COUPLE WHO GREETED US "BON APPETITE" (IN ENGLISH SO IT SOUNDED LIKE THE ENGLISH WORD APPETITE HEHE) AND THE GENTLEMAN HAD A DEAD LEAF ON TOP OF HIS HEAD. IT MUST HAVE FALLEN FROM SOME TREE AND HE DIDN'T NOTICE IT. WE HAD A NICE LAUGH THERE HEHE COZ HE WAS PARADING ACROSS TOWN WITH THE LEAF ON HIS HEAD. T'WAS HILARIOUS. AFTERWARDS WE WENT TO THE FAMOULS BASILICA OF THE HOLY BLOOD, AND SAW THE VESSEL THAT CONTAINED THE HOLY BLOOD OF CHRIST. WE WENT TO A LOT OF PLACES, AND CHURCHES THAT LOOKED LIKE FORTRESSES (ONE LOOKED LIKE ORTHANC, THE TOWER OF SARUMAN, IF YOU STAND ON ITS BASE AND LOOK STRAIGHT UP). WE WENT TO A MONASTERY THAT WAS FAMOUS FOR THE SMALL PIGEON TOWERS ON TOP OF EVERY STRUCTURE. AND CHOCOLATES WERE EVERYWHERE! THEY CAME IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES, AND THEY WERE ALL CHEAP (WELL ACTUALLY EXPENSIVE FOR ME BUT CHEAP BY EUROPEAN STANDARDS). THERE WERE CHOCOLATE SCULPTURES AND CHOCOLATE DECORATIONS AND CHOCOLATE EVERYTHING. THEY SAY BELGIAN CHOCOLATE IS THE BEST IN THE REGION. YEAH, I THINK THEY'RE RIGHT.
AFTERWARDS, ON OUR WAY BACK TO LILLE, WE PASSED BY THE COAST AND STOPPED FOR A WHILE IN ONE OF THE BEACHES THERE. I FINALLY SAW THE ATLANTIC! (OR AT LEAST PART OF IT) THE BEACHES IN THE ATLANTIC COAST ARE REALLY COLD AND RISES A LOT DURING HIGH TIDE SO THEY DON'T ALLOW SWIMMING IN THESE PARTS. BUT IT WAS GREAT TO WALK ALONG THE SEASHORE AGAIN. THE WIND WAS COOL AND REFRESHING. WE SAW HORSETRACKS ALONG THE SAND, BUT NO HORSES. TOO BAD. ON THE WAY BACK TO LILLE, WE JUST TALKED ABOUT THIS AND THAT, AND WHY DO THE FRENCH USE S.O.S FOR HELP, BUT NOT KNOW WHAT IT MEANS HEHE IT WAS A REALLY GREAT WEEKEND!

THIS IS THE CENTRE-VILLE OF BRUGG. I SAW A LOT OF JAPANESE TOURISTS HERE,AND EVERY ONE OF THEM HAD A CAMERA. NO SURPRISE THERE!

I CAME WITH (FROM LEFT) GILDAS, ROMAIN, MONSIEUR PRIEST (I CNT SPELL HIS NAME HEHE AND HE WAS OUR HOST FOR THE TRIP, BTW) AND PATRICK.

AND THIS IS A PIC WITH ME (KASI MAGREREKLAMO NANAMAN SI NANAN NA GAWA GAWA KO LANG TO HHAHAHA AYAN NANAN MAY PROOF AKO!) WHILE WE WERE HAVING LUNCH

BELGIAN CHOCOLATES!!! YUMMY!!! (BOTH TASTE AND PRICE) HEHEHE

ANGEL ARMS: MY ENGLISH FOR YOUR FRENCH TEEHEE

I AM TEACHING ENGLISH LESSONS TO MY CLASSMATES, AND I GET FRENCH LESSONS IN RETURN. THIS IS A REALLY NICE DEAL. NOT ONLY DO I GET TO IMPROVE MY FRENCH, I ALSO SPEND MORE TIME WITH THEM, TALKING ABOUT STUFF AND JUST PLAIN HANGING OUT. BUT IM GUILTY OF THE FACT THAT WHEN THE CONVERSATION GETS REALLY INTERESTING I SHIFT TO USING ENGLISH (COZ SPEAKING FRENCH ALL THE TIME IS REALLY TIRING. ONE JUST REALIZES HOW EASY IT IS FOR PINOYS TO SPEAK ENGLISH). HEHE BUT ITS A REALLY NICE EXPERIENCE! I ALSO GET TO LEARN A LOT ABOUT THE FRENCH CULTURE AND THE FRENCH WAY OF THINKING. NOW I'M STARTING TO REALIZE THAT ICAM STUDENTS REALLY FOLLOW THE IGNATIAN STANDARD OF EDUCATION, NOT JUST ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE BUT THEY STRESS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AS WELL, AND THAT IS REALLY AMAZING TO ME. I'M GLAD I'M IN A JESUIT SCHOOL.

HALLOWEEN IN BELGIUM

WE HAD OUR FIRST 1-WEEK VACATION DURING THE LAST WEEK OF OCTOBER UNTIL ALL SAINTS DAY. I DIDN'T DO MUCH TRAVELLING COZ, HAAAY, SIR CELSO GAVE ME WORK TO DO AND I ALSO HAD TO PREPARE FOR MY FIRST EXAMS TO COME ON THE FIRST WEEK OF CLASSES. BUT TITA MYRNA WOULDN'T HAVE THAT. SHE ASKED ME TO SPEND HALLOWEEN WITH THEM (THIS TIME WE HAD IT IN TITA GINA'S PLACE IN BELGIUM), COZ NORMALLY THE FILIPINOS IN FRANCE AND BELGIUM HAVE PARTIES FOR PRACTICALLY ALL EVENTS, OR SOMETIMES JUST WALA LANG BASTA PARTY TAYO. THEY REALLY ENJOY COOKING AND HOSTING PARTIES, AND I'M NOT AT ALL COMPLAINING! I ALWAYS HAVE A GREAT TIME COZ I GET TO EAT PINOY FOOD! AND I MEET MY "COUSINS" HERE (COZ ALL THEIR CHILDREN ARE REALLY CUTE AND REALLY NICE AND I'M SORTA THEIR KUYA HERE) AND WE PLAY AND THEY TEACH ME FRENCH. IT'S EASIER TO TALK TO FRENCH KIDS COZ THEY TALK SLOWLY AND CLEARLY. IT'S A TOTALLY DIFFERENT MATTER FOR BELGIAN-RAISED PINOY KIDS COZ THEY SPEAK FLEMISH HEHE SO WE DO SIGN LANGUAGE! SERIOUSLY! TIS REALLY FUNNY... THERE ARE ALSO TWIN BABY BROTHERS WHO ARE JUST SOOOOOO ADORABLE. ONE LOOKS LIKE A PINOY AND THE OTHER IS DUTCH. REALLY FUNNY, BUT COOL. I SPENT MOST OF THE EVENING BABY SITTING THE BUNCH (NOT JUST THE TWINS, BUT ALSO MY OTHER "COUSINS"), BUT IT WAS A REALLY COOL EVENING. AND I GOT TO TAKE HOME MORE PINOY FOOD, PINOY INGREDIENTS (LIKE MAGGI BEEF CUBES, SINIGANG SA SAMPALOK: HEHE LIKE I CAN FIND KANGKONG HERE), AND BEST OF ALL AN OVEN! I'M REALLY AMAZED BY THE WAY PINOYS IN OTHER COUNTRIES TREAT OTHER PINOYS, IT'S LIKE WE'RE AN INSTANT FAMILY AGAD. THEY REALLY TAKE CARE OF ME HEHE NOT JUST WITH FOOD AND STUFF, BUT ALSO WHERE TO GO AND WHAT TO DO, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT IT'S ALREADY OFFICIALLY WINTER. WITH MY OVEN, I CAN NOW COOK BAKED FISH, STEAKS, AND I CAN EVEN BAKE CAKES! IF I ONLY KNOW HOW... HEHEHE

AFTER THE HALLOWEEN DINNER, THE "OLDER BUNCH" (HEHE IM STILL A KID TO THEM) DID KARAOKE COZ THEY HAD A MAGIC MIKE WITH PINOY SONGS IN THEM (SOLD IN PARIS FOR 450 EUROS = PHP 31500 THE FUCK!)

THESE ARE THE SOOOO CUTE PINOY-BELGIAN TWINS BRUCE AND ALECK

NICOLAS, THE YOUNGEST SON OF TITA JULIET. HEHE LIKES TO PLAY HIDE AND SEEK WITH ME... MORE LIKE HIDE-UNDER-THE-DINING-TABLE AND SEEK COZ THAT'S WHERE HE ALWAYS HIDES