FRENCH/PINOY NEW YEAR

BY 31DECEMBER WE WERE ALREADY BACK IN LILLE. WE CELEBRATED NEW YEAR WITH TITA MYRNA AND THE REST OF THE PINOY COMMUNITY HERE. I WAS REALLY TIRED DURING THE PARTY BECAUSE OF ALL THE ADVENTURING WE DID IN LONDON THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS... BUT IT WAS STILL FUN!
PICS TO FOLLOW...

LONDON ESCAPADES: ANGEL ARMS IN THE FLESH

HEHE SOME OF THE DETAILS OF OUR STAY/VISIT AROUND THIS MAGNIFICENT CITY:

VISITED AND CLIMBED THE LONDON BRIDGE;

SAW THE TOWER OF LONDON (WHERE THE ROYAL JEWELS ARE BEING KEPT);

VISITED THE BIRITISH PARLIAMENT, AND THE WORLD-FAMOUS BIG BEN; IN MY OPINION THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT AND THE BIGBEN ARE THE FINEST LANDMARKS IN THE ENIRE WORLD; OF COURSE SECOND TO THAT IS THE EIFFEL TOWER;

VISITED WESTMINSTER ABBEY; IT WAS JUST BESIDE THE PARLIAMENT COMPLEX;

ALSO SAW THE LONDON EYE, THE LARGEST FERRIS WHEEL IN THE WHOLE WORLD (I THINK); 1 COMPLETE TURN TAKES 30 MINS TO FINISH. WE DIDN'T TRY IT COZ IT WAS SO EXPENSIVE (PHP1400 PER PERSON! NEVER MIND);

VISITED THE CATHEDRAL OF ST. PAUL; I THOUGHT I WAS ALREADY IN ROME! IT WAS SO MAGNIFICENT;

CROSSED THE MILLENIUM BRIDGE! ONE OF THE BEST WALKS I EVER HAD;

STOOD OUTSIDE THE SHAKESPHERE GLOBE, THE WORLD FAMOUS THEATRE;

TRIED TO BAZOOKA THE BUCKINGHAM HAHAHA KIDDING, BUT I SWEAR I THINK IT'S DOABLE, I MEAN THE GATE IS JUST REALLY CLOSE TO THE BUILDING ITSELF, NOT LIKE THE WHITE HOUSE;

TOOK A WALK ALONG ST. JAMES PARK, JUST BESIDE THE WALK OF PRINCESS DIANA;

WITNESSED AN ACTUAL PERFORMANCE OF THE CHANGING OF THE GUARDS! WITH HORSES AND ALL;

VISITED THE HQ OF MI6: THE BRITISH SECRET SERVICE. TRIED TO LOOK FOR AGENT 007 BUT HAD NO LUCK. MAYBE HE WAS IN THE FIELD.. OR PERHAPS TAKING A VACATION;

VISITED THE GREENWICH INTERNATIONAL DATE LINE, WHERE EVERYTHING STARTS;

VISITED THE BRITISH MUSEUM, WHERE I SAW MY FIRST SACROPHAGUS (? SPELL CHECK), OBELISKS AND MINI PYRAMIDS; THERE WERE A LOT OF GREEK STUFF TOO!;

VISITED THE BRITISH NATIONAL GALLERY, AND FINALLY SAW THE WORKS OF DA VINCI, VAN GOUGH, MICHAELANGELO, RAPHAEL, ETC ETC... I WAS ALSO TOLD OFF BY THE SECURITY FOLKS FOR USING A CELPHONE INSIDE HAHAHA;

VISITED THE MUSEUM OF CHILDHOOD, BECAUSE HANS WANTED TO GO;

WENT TO HARRODS, BUT DIDN'T BUY ANYTHING. I MEAN I COULDN'T EVEN IF I WANTED TO;

CLIMBED NOTTING HILL;

WATCHED 3 MOVIES! THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME I WATCHED A MOVIE IN EUROPE. I COULDN'T DO IT IN FRANCE BECAUSE I KNOW I JUST WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND THE MOVIE;

VISITED A LOT OF MALLS! REALLY GREAT AND REALLY BIG ONES!

LAST BUT NOT THE LEAST: WENT TO PLATFORM 9 3/4 IN KING'S CROSS STATION! I MEAN IT REALLY EXISTS! I THINK THE ADMIN OF THE STATION PUT IT UP FOR PUBLICITY. THEY EVEN PUT A SIGN OVER THE WALL AND A TROLLEY THAT WAS EMBEDDED HALF-WAY INTO THE WALL. I HAVE A PIC I'LL POST SOON!

A DAY IN WINDSOR: ANGEL ARMS MEETS THE QUEEN OVER A NICE CUP OF TEA

WE VISITED WINDSOR CASTLE, WHICH I FOUND OUT TO BE THE OLDEST AND LARGEST INHABITED CASTLE IN THE WHOLE OF EUROPE. IT IS ALSO THE SUMMER VACATION RETREAT OF THE QUEEN. WE ALSO VISITED THE WELL-KNOW ARISTOCRATIC SCHOOL FOR, UMMM FOR WHOM ELSE BUT THE ARISTOCRATS, ETON COLLEGE. GRABE THEIR CAMPUS WAS REALLY BIG, AND THE BUILDINGS WERE REALLY ANCIENT, WITH RED BRICKS THAT SCREAMED ROYALTY. I THINK THEY REALLY HAD HORSE-RIDING CLASSES AND THE SORT. WAAAA GUSTO KO RIN!
BUT THE THING THAT I ENJOYED THE MOST IN OUR VISIT TO WINDSOR WAS THE SHOPPING! EVERYWHERE, EVERYTHING WAS ON SALE! AND IT WASS NOT JUST LIKE PINOY SALES WHERE WE HAVE 10%/30% DISCOUNTS. IN LONDON, IT WAS AT LEAST HALF-PRICE, SOMETIMES EVEN 80%! GAP T-SHIRTS WERE SELLING FOR 3 POUNDS (FROM 15), AND MARKS AND SPENCER JACKETS FOR 25 POUNDS (FROM 60! IMAGINE, FROM PHP6000 TO PHP2500). I EVEN GOT ONE BECAUSE I REALLY THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT BARGAIN. I MEAN NORMALLY I CAN ONLY IMAGINE OWNING SUCH CLOTHES (LALO NA IN MANILA), BUT HERE IT WAS POSSIBLE. HEHEHE SO MEJO FOR A FEW BLESSED MOMENTS I FORGOT THAT I WAS ON A TIGHT BUDGET...
I WISH I HAD MORE MONEY, THAT I COULD HAVE BOUGHT SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE!
PICS TO FOLLOW...

ANGEL ARMS: CHRISTMAS IN LONDON

MISS KO NA MGA PINOY! AND I JUST REALIZED THIS WHEN I GOT BACK TO LILLE, FOLLOWING OUR SHORT STAY WITH PINOYS (WARAYS AHAHAHA) IN LONDON FOR THE HOLIDAYS. I DON'T EXACTLY KNOW WHAT IS IT WITH PINOYS THAT I FIND MORE COMFORTING, OR THAT OUR PARTIES ARE MORE COMFORTABLE (THAT IS NOT TO SAY THAT FRENCH PATRIES ARE NOT FUN, THEY ARE! THEY'RE EXCITING BECAUSE THEY'RE DIFFERENT) BUT PARTYING WITH PINOYS IS SOMETHING I CAN'T DO WITHOUT. SIGURO ITS BECAUSE PAREPAREHO TAYO NG TAKBO NG ISIP, AND KAPAG LOKOHAN NA, NAGKAKASUNDO PA RIN! NOTHING IS OFFENSIVE, NOTHING IS STRANGE, EVERYTHING IS JUST SO SO NORMAL... HAAAY KUNG PEDE LANG SANA SABAY ALL THE TIME...
ANYWAY, SO WE HAD A REALLY GREAT NOCHE BUENA, LOTS OF PINOY FOOD, AND LOTS OF ALCOHOL. SOBRANG ALAGA KAMI NILA TITA PAM AND TITO PAUL, PARA KAMING MGA SPOILED NA ANAK NILA HAHAHAHA THEY HAD A REALLY, REALLY NICE AND HI-TECH FLAT. SOBRANG BAIT TALAGA NILA. AND THERE WERE OTHERS (PINOY FRIENDS AND CO-WORKERS NILA TITA), SI TITA KAYE, AND NAGBINYAG SAMIN SA MGA *** STORES SA SOHO DISTRICT NG LONDON HAHAHA, SI TITA IRENE SOBRANG KWELA D MAUBUSAN NG JOKES, SI TITA DAYA SOBRANG BASTOS HAHAHA DAMI KO NATUTUNAN, SI TITA MIA SOBRANG KULIT, TUMITILI ALL THE TIME, SI TITA THELMA ANG NANAY NAMING LAHAT, SI KIM ANG AMING KAISA ISANG KA-AGE NA KASAMA, AND SI TITO TONY, SOBRANG BAIT, SIYA NAG IKOT SA AMIN SA BUONG LONDON AND WINDSOR. WE WERE REALLY REALLY LUCKY THEY WERE ALL THERE, IM CERTAIN OUR EXPERIENCE WOULD NOT BE SO SO AMAZING WITHOUT THEM. WE OWE THEM A LOT, HAAAY SANA MAKABAWI DIN KAMI SOMEDAY. SOBRANG BAIT TALAGA NILA, IM THANKFUL NA IM A PINOY! WALANG IBANG LAHI ANG GANITO SA KAPWA.... PINOY EXCEPTION!!!!
PICS TO FOLLOW...