mardi 3 juin 2008

Hi-jacked to Philipines

mabuhay!welcome! bienvenue!

as informed i planned to go to Thailand for vacation...but at  last minute and as nothing was already organised, i hijacked myself to Philippines, country i didnt even really know the existence until i came to Dubai and its multiethnic people. keep thailand, a country that many would like to visit, to make it with friends and organise it well (so i d better not be alone )

first impression....i feel different...just by looking at people around me waiting for the plane in dubai...

a few hours later, i arrive in manila airport...5min at custom to explain that i find it absolutely normal not to have any hotel booked when i arrive in a totally unknown country...after a few shrug she let me go. 


first day in manila, jetlag killed me...i slept half day, tireness and cultural gap make me not really comfortable this first day, i keep it quiet, going to the department of tourism, meeting a french guy, walking in Luneta park, with the statue of Lapu-Lapu (national hero who killed Magellan...apparently he was not so good towards local people...history not the same depending on which side you are...tyran on one side...great traveller on the other side...), took my first jeepney ride(at the origin it was US army jeep that they left after WW2, and customized by local, now it is public transportation).

i didnt spend so much time in Manila, gettign there ebtween 2 bus 2 planes to my other destination, i just visited one day..going to american cemetery, going through Makati (the business part with large road, skyline, embassy, millionaire road), and then visiting intramuros, the old part of Manila remaining from spanish colonisation with a museum/fort dedicated to Jose Rizal, a local hero resisting to spanish government, fighting by poems, not violence...finally arrested and executed...

i didnt feel so comfortable in Manilaeven if it gets better with time...i think that with a little mor erest and time i would have wandered around like i use to do and appreciate, walking without precise defined plan is the best way to discover:)


i then went directly to Banaue, unesco world s heritage...really impressive...local people (ifugao) have modified the mountain thousands year ago to create rice terrace perfectly integrated in the landscape...really  impressive to imagine the time and manner they use to modify the landscape without a good interaction with nature...i let you enjoy the picture...
spent the day going to see some spots with our tricycle driver (alex) and my daily korean friend Chau(thanks to him for the pictures of children and a few other one)...
i could have stayed much longer there...as i didnt bring enough cash to pay for hotel and visit..the risk of end of the wolrd cities...they dont take credit card...2nd lesson in my learning of travelling...


i then left to Baguio, 8hours bus through the country, mountain, small village, very enjoyable also, travelling through by bus let discover what you cant see when you goi to main place by plane...the country is so green, villages look poor, but people seem happy:)
i arrived in Baguio, the summer city for many people, climate is fresher, the city is very green also, relaxing, less stress than in manila...after walking through the main park with its small lakes and visiting the market, i slept in tam awan village, in a traditional ifugao hut(the fertility one). i was there only in transit...


next step...bus from Baguio to Vigan, other unesco world heritage site...they preserved part of the ancient colonial city with mansion, "paved(?)" street...i enjoy my guided tour through the museum dedicated to national figures like Padre Burgos. my guide threw me in the local zoo and forced me to go on the scene to take a nice animal...first experience strange but ok

all this was on Luzon, one of the biggest island of phillipines with Manila...after a few days traveling around by bus on the same island it was time to jump form island on island in a country made of more than 7 000 islands, there is no real choice;)


for the second part of vacation, i so went to other famous touristic spot...totally different by nature...the first one is Boracay, one of the most beautiful white sand beach of the world (3km long, nice water, you can go diving, island hoping) and also enjoy nightlife with a nice beach front (bars and restaurant) ...unfortunately i mainly enjoyed the too early rainy season , but i anyway took the time to go have  swim...no  way that i went there and dotn even swim...now i can say: i was there i did it:)

next step: 2 mysteries of mother earth...i went to Bohol, home of chocolate hills and the tarsier...chocolate hills are ...hills...in form of small domes of 200 m high maximum, many many all around...they take their chocolate color at the end of summer by leaves getting slightly brown...no real good scientific explanation for this phenomena:), so just believe the local legend saying it has been done by giants living there in the past...
Tarsier is the smallest primate of the world...not bigger than a fist...with round eyes...the one in picture has been awaken in frotn of us to enjoy a good insect...not easy to have such a "festin" at breakfast...i share something with him,...we are both living by night and dont like to be awaken too early:)
during the tour, there was also a nice lunch on a boat along the Loboc River...seeing Proni, a big female Python...

and it s already the end of the holidays...tiring one jumping around but enjoying...first meeting with wild life, discovery of another culture, tradition , food...Philippines are quite unknown for many people...but it is worth going there...and on my side, it helps understanding a little bit more the people i m working with...

why not going back oen day to enjoy diving with whale shark, kayaking in subterranean river, seeing the Sagada momies, and so many other beautiful beaches. 

thanks for reading...and being so patient waiting for my posts;)

Bruno, the lazy blog updater

vendredi 11 avril 2008

Quick update for impatient readers;)


as i promised you, update soon after the weekend, so now the weekend was in mid october we are mid april...not that bad, isnt it?
here are some udpates about what happens since then...(just forget about christmas vacation and visit of friends...update too big to be done ehhe)


one day off for the birth of the prophet...once again a good occasion to fly away form the city. thi stime just quietly went into Peninsula of Musandam (Oman), but no boat or dolphins, just finding a nice creek, camping and fishing. after a few hours lost at the border (apparently nobody tries to stay in dubai at this time....) we found our place, install. enjoying staying awaken by night under the stars, fishing(with success) hal f of the night, while other friend tried to sleep but the door was open with a lot of wind and the natural spot light (moon) at its best...we all finally manage to sleep a few others;)2nd day fishing again, with less success for our lunch, snorkeling a bit, many jelly fishes, nice fishes, a turtle...i hope i will manage to see a ray one day...and time to go back to the city:)

sister's visit

divers dubai


one morning, just forget to go sleeping after work...make one hour ride and then you can enjoy sunrise over the desert in hot air balloon...seeing mountains , camels, cars up to 2000 feet maximum. such a lovely way of traveling, hot air balloon are going quietly without noise, just a little bit when pilot play with the gases and burn your head (we are close enough to really feel the heat)...

one simple day going near fujeirah (east coast) stopping near Aqa and go beach and snorkeling on Snoopy Island...(the best should recognize snoopy...)




the best should recognize Jean Alesi (famous french driver, ex formula 1 driver..."go go go and straight in the gravel")


jeudi 11 octobre 2007

breaking news

Hi,

it looks like my last message is a bit old now...so some breaking news live from Dubai.

first news: i m still a "night bird" , a few colleagues and I stay workign nightshift for the next...months or year.
second one: Ramadan is ending and it is the occasion to have a long 3 days weekend, planned in Oman, trying to watch rugby on saturday night (go france go) and learn a bit(?) about arabic culture
and finally, holidays accepted, waiting for my plane ticket...i should be in france from 20december to 27 december, it will be nice to see you:)

here it is for the news, a longer post and pcitures soon after the weekend:)

vendredi 31 août 2007

7 months...and a little bit more...flashback on holidays

hello,

coucou la french connection, ayant quelques lecteurs anglophones...(enfin prochainement jespere) je fais un essai en anglais...en esperant que ca passe pour vous:)

after a first message looking like a trailer...and many complain from international reader ( i know who you are), here comes the true message on my vacation:) as i have now more english talking friends who should read this...i hope my family and friends will understand hehe

1 The travel

after a last hard overtimed working week, i finally get home at 3am, prepare my stuff, wait driver an go to airport, plane at 9am...no need tosay that i went directly to my place, fastened seat belt, and felt asleep directly...i didnt even hear the safety rules, saw the appetizer or the main course...sometimes waking up to sleep again int he next 5minutes...then a first step in london, heathrow airport is very awful...anyway it was just 3 hours, looking at the rain outside, then second flight and good surprise i have been upgraded to business class, one huge armchair, good food, service, very niceeeeeee. after a long journey i finally arrived in Washington in the evening, a few problem at the custom...i forgot the adress of my friend for the visa....so we run after her in the airport and finally everything is ok...Candice was waiting for me, and holidays can begin:)

2 Washington

On the first day, i simply took it quiet, visiting georgetown, the national cathedral, walking down the streets , seeing Tudor house, a nice cemetery, and finally met Candice at the Ambassy for lunch, discovering the hard working life in an embassy on a friday afternoon in august (sorry for this Candice hehe:P), after lunch, keep on walking through Georgetown University, a real typical american style campus with sports and cultural installation, old building, residence etc... then going down the stairs where the thriller movie "exorcist" has been turned...when you see them and their environment , you understand that you too you dont want to be there on a late night of autumn. Then going along the Channel, joining the Potomac and finally walk on main street(?), shopping a bit to succeed in my mission;) whil egoing out of a shop, it was raining, and i dont why, but i was the only one happy to walk under the rain, maybe because i didnt say any water from the sky since 6 months...just feel good under a good summer rain. then back by bus, having a rest before going to a BBQ at night...

On the second day, the real tourist stuff begin...taking the bus to the Mall (the area where all the monuments and memorial are), first stop at the White House, from backside to front side...walking down the Mall to Washington monument (obelisque), and different memorial (WW2, corean war, vietnam war ...) here is where they build their history...then we went to the old post, on the top you have a nice view of the city, then walking down the streets, finding the FBI building for Ben (ugly building 70s and UTC style)...back o the Mall walking along the many many museums (history, civilisation, air, etc) but it was not the day for getting enclosed...and finally we reached the Capitole and spent sundown there. one last walk and stop to union square station and back to home by metro...simple but so dark metro. finish the day with a restaurant...

on the thir day, rainy day...just took the car to a park, seen the Watergate on the road, get out , took the rain, get in, go further and finally finished in Alexandria a nice fisher city close to Washington...see the harbour, walk around the streets, enter some shops. end of weekend is coming and the rainy day avoids us to do anything more.

last day in Washington...just say good bye Candice as she gave me up again alone at home...packed my stuff and get to the bus...yes yes a greyhound...14hours 3buses, 2 stops in NY and Albany later, and almost 1 problem at custom , i m finally in Montreal.

3 Montreal "home sweet home"

Montreal, i have not visited anything...strange isnt it? i even didnt manage to try to visit what i didnt do in 3 years even if i have been to the Tourist Office to help me find what to do...so just spend a few days there, going back to school, walking a little bit on St Laurent street, quartier Latin, park avenue. get shopping, meeting friends, having a drink, cinema restaurant, having an ice cream at Bilboquet (still the best one) living as if i was still living there. i forgot ...there was also the francofolie, festival of frnch music, the one i prefer, and also some activities on crescent street as usual before a mecanical event ...such as Nascar...a show of motocross jumps, quite impressive.

4 Getting back

as everything has an end, i have to get back to Dubai, i spent my lt night without sleeping as my plane was early, so that once again i can sleep all along the first flight...so i came to the airport at 5am, look after british airways,didnt find it...finally information told me "next flight tonight for London" , results: one phone call to British to change the plane, one day lost in airport and finally back to dubai 24h late, hopefully i had planned a day off at dubai when i got back, it has bentaken by this...

5 conclusion

i looove holidays...no seriously, thanks to Candic my host and guide in washington, thanks to maxime my host in Montreal, thnaks to all the friends i manage to see;) these hlidays wre good, taking care of me, seeing people i do appreciate, having rest, enjoying and relaxing...come back plenty of energy wih a few good resolution.

i know you waitd this message for a while but now it s done...see you next time after ramadan...and nightshift i think

bye la

here are the pictures

vendredi 20 juillet 2007

6 mois dubai bye bye




salut a tous,

et voila le message du 6 eme mois...

quoi de bon? quelques photos de mon char de reve et une surprise de taille depuis quelques jours...pour combien de temps...ci dessous...

sinon, le travail ca avance, toujours les memes taches, quelques nouvelles responsabilités des choses a mettre en place, un peu de lassitude mes horaires de nuit me fatiguent un peu mais les vacances sont la dans 5 jours ca va faire du bien...un dernier coup de cravache et ca va passer:)

on a demenage aussi...la nouvelle maison est mieux meme si notre jardin cest le desert...ca permettra a ceux qui veulent venir de camper dans le jardin ya de la place hehe. par contre en demenageant on a perud un coloc et collegue...julien(que je vous ai jamais presenté) est rentré au pays...bonne chance a lui pour son stage chez les tits suisses...

voila voila, pas grand chose de neuf:)

bisoux a tous

Mon frere si tu me lis...sois je suis pas bon sois jai du mal a suivre ma niece sur son site:Pje dois pas etre assez loin pour que tu le mettes a jour juste pour moi hein?:P

a la prochaine apres les vacances

vendredi 6 juillet 2007

dubai...5 mois apres...environ


coucou voici les nouvelles du mois...

alors quoi de bon depuis fin mai?

l'été est arrivé, on a de belles journees bien chaudes et parfois tres humides...certains rentrent au bureau trempés comme s'ils avaient pris une douche habillés, plus un bon coup de froid avec la clim de l'entrée et on n'est pas loin d'etre malade, pour l'instant tout le monde a resisté:)

qui dit été, dit grande chaleur, il est illegal de travailler entre 12h et 15h , par consequent toute l'activité production est passée de nuit depuis debut juin...et les bureaux production avec... cest ainsi que j'ai commencé par travailler de 14h a minuit qui est rapidement devenu 14h-1h puis 14h 2h etant donné le travail, mais je vous rassure recemment mes horaires ont ete changés pour un 15h-2h pour mieux m'adapter a mes taches de debut et de fin shift...resultat pour linstant je dors je bosse depuis 2 semaines, je vais essayer d'ameliorer ca et de reussir a croiser mes amis sans devoir attendre le weekend a chaque fois:) passage aux heures d'"hiver" en septembre normalement...

quelques departs au sein de la compagnie aussi, pis des nouveaux, un peu de reorganisation...et je me retrouve enfin avec un titre de poste, afin d'eviter les railleries je ne le citerai pas(mon frere s'en est deja occupé)...

je crois que jai aussi oublié de vous raconter mon voyage au Qatar, enfin a Doha...ou plutot a l'aeroport (areoport pour maxime) de Doha...fin juin je suis allé voir les RH leur rappeler que je devais sortir du pays pour renouveler mon visa...c est la qu'on a realisé qu'on avait oublié le precedent renouvellement 25 jours avant...resultat, billet d'avion en urgence, le lendemain j etais a laeroport a 14h , le temps de perdre mon livre dans l'aeroport, de passer la douane, pis de m'en rendre compte ressortir, payer mon amende visa...et hop j'etais dans lavion...sans mon livre definitivement perdu...30-40 minutes de vols plus tard(j ai eu le temps dapercevoir the World,(ci dessus, un peu flou depuis le hublot...un ensemble d'iles artificielles representant un planisphere, terrain a acheter et batir pour les interessés...) je me depeche de prendre ma correspondance...pour dubai, car je pensais etre en retard...et surprise...je reprends exactement le meme avion avec le meme equipage, surpris de me voir a l'aller ...et au retour...30min de vol 1h de taxi plus tard et j'etais au travail a 19h apres un vol dubai-dubai correspondance a Doha...c est ainsi que ca se passe pour les visas...tant que je n'ai pas mon visa permanent:)

a coté de ca, juillet est donc rempli par le travail le travail le travail, un petit demenagement vers le spring 15 ou 11 jene sais plus, notre location n'etant pas renouvelé on va 500m plus loin....le depart dun collegue et coloc prochainement...et et et...mes vacances du 26juillet au 7 aout...washington avec Candice et Cie, puis Montreal avec Maxime et Cie...ca fera du bien, mes premieres vacances de travailleur volontaire non salarié mais bien indemnisé:)

PS: je continue, tout comme vous je suppose , a etre surpris d'etre capable de travailler:P et en plus de travailler autant...comme quoi tout est possible hehe
PS2: pour les connaisseurs, un petit passage au trilogy ou un certain benny benassi mixait ce soir la, il est bon...mais ce nest pas totalement mon style de musique
PS3: dedicace au quebecois: Nono conduit un Tata

maayong buntag

vendredi 25 mai 2007

un message pour rien dire...une fois de plus hehe

coucou

encore un nouveau message...celui la pour annoncer de nouvelles photos dans l'album quotidien et un nouvel album pour montrer sur quels "monstres" je travaille, vous n'avez vu que la zone de prefabrication pour l'instant.

voila gros bisoux a vous tous...et pour la famille profitez bien du bapteme, jattends aussi toujours des nouvelles de tout le monde.

PS tant que j'y suis , parlons un peu vacances, je pense prendre une dizaine de jours cet ete mais du coté amerique du nord, la france je vous reverrai a noel pour environ 2 semaines je pense, printemps prochain si je fais ca correctement jaimerais bien aller au kilimanjaro et petit safari(jai deja qq renseignements, si quelques uns veulent se joindre ca peut setudier:P) et sinon a coté de ca jaurais encore bien 2-3 semaine de vacances aprendre, dont une ou 2 reservé a ceux qui viendront me voir lespace dune semaine, a priori une semaine cest tres bien pour visiter dubai aller dans le desert et en Oman, ni plus...ni moins...vous voila prevenus...

Dubai quotidien (nouvelles photos a la fin)
LRT Dubai (idem)