grocery shopping

For some reason, I like going to the grocery store. I may not necessarily buy anything, but just browsing around is fun. If I had my own place and I cook my own food, maybe I'll love grocery even more!

There are two major grocery stores on our way home so for the past two days, we've been dropping by there to check things out. First was at London Drugs where I was supposed to buy some toiletries but forgot all about it because we ended up browsing for a gift to give to our landlady during Mother's day. And then the following day, we dropped by Safeway because a friend informed us that you have to check the store every now and then for nice deals - and we've been wanting to buy Kraft Dinners to bring back home (they're almost the same price with the ones they sell in Manila, but if you get a deal here, it's way cheaper). And lo and behold, we did find a deal. Buy one get one free! So we ended up with two boxes each, 2 dozen Kraft dinners in total!

The Chocolate flavored Lucky Charms was a surprise because the last time I ate one of these was way back 2008. I haven't been able to find one again since. It's not available to all grocery stores. I heard it's just available to a very few select stores so when I saw one of the shoppers holding that box, I dashed to the cereal isle and looked for this at once. Thus, I couldn't resist and grabbed myself two to bring back home to Manila! These, however, were not on discount. A bit pricey but what the heck, I want them!

My friend and I were talking and this only means one thing, that we need to send a balikbayan box home because these are too heavy to fit into our luggages. Which may be good for me too because I always bring a lot of items back home and I am usually stressed out packing trying to fit everything in the luggage. Usually, half of the items I bring back home aren't for me anyway! And just coming back from Toronto, I have quite a bit of stuff to bring home for some relatives. So this balikbayan box may not be such a bad idea. Gives me more reason to shop though.

Niagara Falls

Traveled all the way to Toronto for my annual vacation!

From Mississauga, Ontario, we went to... Niagara Falls!

Went to Niagara Falls last April 24, 2011. It's just around an hour and a half to two hours away (via car) from Mississauga (where my aunt lives in Ontario). It's actually my second time already, but we went there again because my cousin Kat has not been there yet.

And it's still breathtakingly beautiful.

Niagara Falls is actually right by Canada and US border. But if you're standing in Canadian soil, you have the better view. If you're in US soil, you don't have much of a view. You're probably closer to the falls but there's no view!

And then we went to this central district where there are a ton of places to see. Of all things here, I decided to go inside the Guinness Book of World Records.

Unfortunately, for the 13 dollar entrance, it wasn't worth it as much because a lot of the displays I thought were pretty old already. It's not as updated as it should've been. However, at least I was able to size myself up against the tallest man ever! I didn't even reach his waist!

The Niagara Falls area all in all is really really pretty. I'd love to live here. But I was told that the winter could be hard. Just look at the falls and just imagine how cold it would be during the winter season! We, who are used to warm climates might just find it a bit too hard to stay put here. But nonetheless, I would still brave the cold just to see this magnificent piece of natural architecture!

Next stop... Cornwall, Ontario... and then Quebec City, Quebec!

random thoughts

Gym

I've been religiously going to the gym for the past two weeks. In fact, last week, I even went to the gym 4 times! MWF + Saturday. Been feeling really great again. I can personally attest to the fact that going to the gym really makes one feel better, mentally, physically, and perhaps, even emotionally!

Vacation

On another note, amidst all the busyness and stress from work, I've decided to shift my worry concerns into something more "exciting". My Atlantic and Maritimes road trip happening next week!

I have to fly off first to east coast, to Toronto this coming Saturday. And then by Sunday, we're off to who knows where ( my aunts are preparing and planning the itinerary ). All I know so far is that, we're going on week long road trip passing through Quebec City, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Halifax, St. John's. I cannot wait!! Initially I just wanted to see Quebec City as I envisioned it to have architecture similar to that of Europe. But I didn't expect that we would go all the way towards the east. So aside from Quebec City, I'm really looking forward to Prince Edward Island... a.k.a. PEI.

I remember PEI because when I was watching either Discovery or History Channel, it featured a documentary about how the Confederation Bridge was constructed. It's perhaps one of the longest brige ever to have been built. From the website:

The Confederation Bridge joins the eastern Canadian provinces of Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick, making travel throughout the Maritimes easy and convenient. The curved, 12.9 kilometre (8 mile) long bridge is the longest in the world crossing ice-covered water, and a decade after its construction, it endures as one of Canada’s top engineering achievements of the 20th century.

I'm going back to Vancouver May 2, instead of May 1. If I ended up getting the Sunday ticket instead of Monday, there would've been around 100-200 dollar difference. So I decided to go with the cheaper of the two, but will have to work remotely from Toronto on Monday.

Frustrations + Blessings

I've been having some serious work frustrations the past few days ( or weeks even ) but the past week until now just propagated my frustration to a whole new level. And this is to the point that I'm blaming myself already for something that screwed up. I keep on asking myself, was it my fault? Could or should I have done more? What were my missteps? My teammate said that I shouldn't beat myself too much over what happened. Things happen. According to her "hindi ka lang kasi sanay... ako sanay na madalas may sablay". But still, there was a miss! And I don't know why, but for some reason, I keep on blaming myself for it.

And you know what, I've been bothered by this so much since last Friday. And God is truly great because out of the blue, I got an email from a friend who I haven't even talked to for almost 3 months! And the content of the email? See below:

For whenever you feel life is too hard, don't forget God cares.
Hope everything's great over there at Canada!

READ: Isaiah 46:1-9

I will carry you! —Isaiah 46:4

The prophet Isaiah draws a picture for us in Isaiah 46 of the siege of Babylon and the evacuation of its idols. The carts and carriages that carry them creak, and the weary animals groan under the load (v.1).

In contrast, Isaiah says that God carries His children from birth (v.3). “Even to your old age, I am He, and even to gray hairs I will carry you!” God declares (v.4). The contrast is precise and vivid in the Hebrew text: The carts and carriages are “loaded” with the weight of the idols (v.1), but we are loaded upon God (v.3). Idols are a “burden,” a thing carried (v.1), but God has gladly “carried” us from the womb (v.3).

The Lord has made us (v.4). Nothing could be more comforting, for our Father loves and cares for His children. He promises, “I will carry you!” and that includes every care and worry that comes our way throughout our lifetime.

So we may let Him carry us and our every burden. This song by Annie Johnson Flint challenges us to experience God’s care: “Fear not that thy need shall exceed His provision, / Our God ever yearns His resources to share; / Lean hard on the arm everlasting, availing; / Thy Father both thee and thy load will upbear.” —David Roper

Heavenly Father, I want to unload my
burdens on You today. Help me to leave them with You.
I trust You with my past, present, and future.
Thank You for Your goodness to me. Amen.

Our work is to cast care; God’s work is to take care!

I was feeling so down at that time and then when I got this email, I felt like it was God's way of reaching out to me and telling me to just lift it up to Him. Don't keep it all inside you. Don't worry and everything will be fine. I've been praying a lot more the past few days, praying that things will get better. Please pray for me too.

I just wanted to share this to let everyone know (whoever gets to read this anyway), that God truly works wonders. We should always remind ourselves to trust in Him. That email sent to me, at the right place at the right time, made me feel so much lighter. Thank you Lord.

Spring is here!

Spring is here...

This picture was taken at around 6:30 pm. And yet ang liwanag pa!

Vacation Leaves

I still have around 7 days left from my 2010 vacation that I need to use by June this year, thus, I'm hoping I could somehow manage to gather the courage to ask for a one week vacation this coming May. Not that it's hard to ask for vacation time here, it's just that the timing is a mess. I have two upcoming production releases for June and July, and that's pretty much consuming a whole lot of my time these days. May might be a crucial month too. Well, we'll see. It may still be worth a shot to ask. If they allow it, good. If not, better luck next time. I can totally understand if they say no.

But if they do say yes, Quebec City here I come!!! Hi East Coast! I have not seen you in two years!

I Love You Victoria

I've always said that I find Victoria to be one of the beautiful places that I've visited. I've gone here once, and I wanted to go back. Last time I was here was 2008. But after two years, finally, I've come back! And the pictures below will just tell you how beautiful this place really is.

Not the best qualities as I only used my iPod Touch, but it's still beautiful. These three spots: Parliament, Empress Hotel and Inner Harbor are all located within the same harbor area. You look at one side, it's the harbor. On the other side it's the Parliament and the Empress Hotel.

Think of the Parliament as our Senate House or probably Sandigan Bayan. Amazing right? They have the Parliament in Victoria because this is the capital of the province of British Columbia. The other Parliament building that I got to visit two years back was the one in Ottawa. That time, I was lucky enough to get into their free tours. This time however, the tours were only open on weekdays.

The Parliament sits directly in front of what they call the inner harbor area. This is a nice place to just hang out and walk around. From the picture I took, you can just see the walk area just by the bottom right of the picture.

Now just perpendicular to the Parliament, and still facing the harbor is the very pricey, old and beautiful Empress Hotel. Apparently it's one of the oldest hotels in British Columbia. The picture doesn't pay enough homage to this beautiful hotel.

But that's not all there is to Victoria.

We also visited Butchart Gardens and Craigdarroch Castle.

Butchart Gardens is one of the premiere tourist spots in Victoria. Unfortunately, the flowers were not yet on full bloom since it was still officially winter when we went there. But if you come around summer time, you will be even more mesmerized by the beauty of the flowers, roses, trees, etc.

The picture below is just a part of the garden. This is what they call the Sunken Garden. If I remember correctly, this used to be an abandoned quarry which Jennie Burchart slowly developed into this beautiful garden. Unfortunately, the picture below doesn't do justice to the beauty and color it would have during the spring and summer season.

Craigdarroch Castle was a castle built by James Dunsmiur to for his wife during the late 1800s. At that time, Dunsmiur was considered the richest man in British Columbia. Unfortunately, he died before the castle was completed. The parked car below killed the picture.

The castle is breathtakingly beautiful. It's wood all over. I'm a sucker for woodsy yet elegant houses. It's a self guided tour, you can go through all floors and rooms of the castle. It's so interesting that just around the castle, you see a regular homey neighborhood. Haha how I wish we'd have one near our place.

There's a lot more reason why I love Victoria. Hopefully, at least for whoever will read this blog, will remember that when they get the chance to visit Canada, they really have to stop by Victoria.