tomyum

my boss told me to have a lot of tom yum so that i'll understand thai's english. i told her that i'm not a fan of tom yum... but after this trip, i now like tom yum. just have to have the right amount of spice, balanced with other flavor and it'd be great with rice. i particularly liked the prawn in green curry and the thai papaya salad, perfect combo! happy eating!

spicy thai noodles, with some japanese flavor.

prawn in green curry sauce and fish in "i can't remember" soup.

thai papaya salad and thai mangoes.

fried crablets and singha beer.

thai dumplings wrapped in bacon and tom yum goong!

stuffed catfish and prawn balls.

ubos na pagkain and coco ice cream.

aroi mak!

chatuchak

friday around 5 pm, i had the last of my scheduled appointments. since i decided to stay for another night in bangkok, my flight to manila was on a sunday morning. saturday morning, had my fill of the wonderful breakfast at centre point, packed my things and checked out. i hopped on a taxi to go to soi kasemsan 1, where i'd stay for a night. i chose the 450 baht per night white lodge, because the rest of my bahts should go to shopping in chatuchak and the night bazaar in siam center.

saturday morning and yet the traffic in ploenchit road seemed like another rush hour traffic. if not for my luggage, i could've taken the BTS to go to siam. when i got to white lodge, i didn't have enough money to pay the lady, so i told her that i'll pay her the night's cost when i come back from chatuchak. good thing, i didn't pay her yet because room 202 was not yet fixed when i came. no bed covers, pillows are nowhere to be found, no clean towels, bathroom had no tissue, unemptied ash tray, and so on. but i didn't bother asking the lady. i needed to go shopping.

i had a quick lunch of thai bagoong rice at siam paragon, had more pesos changed to baht and headed to BTS siam station to go to mo chit, where chatuchak market is located. it was raining pretty hard all afternoon, so the roads between pavilions in chatuchak looked like rice paddies... similar to what you'd expect in manila bangketas when it rains. even in some portions, wooden planks would be needed if you don't want your feet to be drenched in mud-colored water. chatuchak weekend market is a huge one - lots of people, tourists and locals alike. i noticed that most of the locals were of the younger crowd, looking for k-pop inspired apparel. i was prepared to get lost in that 35 acre - 5,000 stall market, so i walked, stopped to look, bought some, walked, and walked some more. with roselle juice in hand, i was able to find some nice t-shirts and some christmas presents. although i failed to get a nice pair of sneakers and opted not to buy any jeans, i was able to buy ate rose and ate she a pair of earrings - 22k and i got 40% discount! thanks to a trio of pinays who were already buying when i got to that stall. they told the chinese-thai owner to give me the same discount she gave them. and i got it. too bad, i run out of enough baht to get ate rose another necklace. after an almost 5-hour non-stop walking, my lower back showed its age. i needed to sit so i had an early dinner of thai fried rice, plus a very nice longgan juice!

off i went to BTS station to go back to siam. i bought some more street food for snacks and i went back to white lodge. to my surprise, my room was already fixed, had two clean towels, bed was kept, bathroom already had tissue roll and two bars of soap. but the unemptied ash tray was still there. oh well, not much to expect from a cheap hostel.

after an hour of rest, i went out again. this time to check out MBK, siam paragon and the rest of the adjoining malls in siam center. of course, i didn't get any because i can find those in manila. what i got was a nice black hoodie, worth 150 baht, somewhere in the bangketas of siam center. around 11 pm, i walked back to white lodge. night bazaar was already winding down but traffic was still the same.

what a week in bangkok! i'd definitely come back, hopefully with my sisters. food is great. shopping is nice. lots of cheap thrills. nice people. lots of surprises. khorb khun!

din

10.10.10

makasaysayan.

bago.

sorpresa.

kaba.

soi.

lakad.

tagpo.

alis-alinlangan.

pili.

lakad-lakad.

gutom.

tuklas.

pagkain.

pili.

pasya.

tuwa.

napapanahon.

tuto.

sa uulitin.

sukhumvit

linggo ng gabing medyo maulan, dumating ako sa bangkok. unang palpak ay ang sobrang taas ng halagang ibinayad ko sa taxi driver. di na ako nakipagtalo dahil kailangan ko ang lahat ng lakas sa buong isang linggo ng panayam, paroo't parito sa bangkok, at siyempre ang nakagawiang dagdag na trabaho kahit nasa ibang bansa ka. pangalawang beses ko sa bangkok, ngunit ito ang ang aking unang pagkakataong mamalagi sa kanilang "makati", kaya kahit may kaunting alinlangan, naglakad-lakad ako sa sukhumvit road upang humanap ng mura-murang kainan. mula sa centre point witthayu, binagtas ko ang sukhumvit pakanan. marami-raming mga hotel ang magkakatabi sa gawing ito. may mga tindera sa bangketa, medyo maputik din at higit sa lahat, naglipana ang mga pagkaing kalye!

bagamat maaari akong magkleym ng sapat na halaga upang makakain sa "disenteng" restoran, pinili kong tikman ang mga pagkaing kalye sa sukhumvit. abentura ang mamili ng mga pagkaing ituturo mo lang sa tindera, kaunting tanong kung sobra ang anghang nito, magkano at magdedesisyon ka na kung alin ang gusto mong subukan. sobrang limitado ang ingles ng mga thai, kaya't walang anumang silid upang maging sobrang arte o mapamili. kailangan mo na lang pagkatiwalaan ang sariling paghuhusga batay sa kulay, lapot ng sarsa, mga sahog ng ulam at siyempre, presyo. bukod sa mga karitong nagtitinda ng noodles, marami-rami rin ang mga karitong nagsisilbi ng ulam at kanin. pinili ko ang karitong may ulam na at may ihaw-ihaw pa. sa halos ilang minutong pagsusuri sa mga ulam at makailang beses na tanong na "spicy?", pinili ko ang curry at ginisang gulay at mga limang stick ng inihaw na manok (maliliit ang tuhog nila) at laman ng baboy. 10 baht ang kanin, di ko na maalala ang halaga ng mga ulam, pero kulang-kulang 100 baht din yata ang nagastos ko, di pa kasama ang sopdrinks at panghimagas. solb.

masarap ang ginisang gulay, di labog ang mga sahog, tamang-tama ang timpla. akala ko ay simpleng ginisa lang ito, pero linamnam ng pinya pala ang pinakatimpla nito - swak sa aking panlasang pinoy. bagamat, di ko na nawari kung ano ang mga sahog ng curry, ok na rin naman ang lasa nito. naghahanap lang siguro ako ng kaunting tamis, gaya ng nakasanayan natin sa 'pinas. maganda rin ang pagka-sangkutsa sa barbikyu, kaya ok ang lasa nito. ang higit na nagpapalasa rito ay ang sangkatutak na mga sawsawang maaari mong hingiin nang walang patumangga. sarap! para sa panghimagas, pinili ko ang minatamis na barkilyos at isang hiwa ng bersyon nila ng biko na may tatlong hiwa ng mangga sa ibabaw. dahil sa hilig nating mga pinoy sa matatamis, normal lang ang lasa ng mga panghimagas nila. maaari sigurong kulang sa pandan, kaya di gaanong mabango ang biko nila.

bundat akong naglakad muli sa kahabaan ng sukhumvit, pabalik ng hotel. may mga tinda-tindang t-shirt, pekeng relo, tsinelas, sapatos at kung anu-ano. masayang walang naging anupamang ibang palpak ng gabing iyon bukod sa ambon. sa pagkain, mukhang matutuwa ako sa pangalawang lakbay ko sa bangkok. trabaho at trapik? ibang usapan 'yun!

teta

tuyot, maalikabok at tigib ng paghihikahos, panghabambuhay na hilakbot at kakaunting siwang ng pag-asa -- ito ang malawakang lapit ng la teta asustada. salaysay ng buhay ni fausta, isang babaing nagdurusa sa isang di-pangkaraniwang kondisyon na tinatawag na "milk of sorrow". ayon sa katutubong paniniwala sa peru, ang kondisyong ito ay nalilipat sa isang bata mula sa gatas ng ina na nagahasa o inabuso sa gitna ng pagdadalang-tao o di kaya ay pagkatapos magluwal ng sanggol. dahil sa gatas ng pagdurusa, nabubuhay si fausta sa walang tigil na takot at pagkalito, ngunit kailangan pa rin niyang harapin ang biglaang pagpanaw ng kanyang ina at makipagsapalaran sa buhay. sa huli, pinili ni fausta na gumawa ng mga hakbang na maglalayo sa kanyang sarili sa kinahinatnan ng kanyang ina.

umaawit ang ina ni fausta sa simula ng pelikula. bagamat may himig ng kantahing bayan, ang awit ng ina ni fausta ay naglalarawan ng ibayong dusa at hilakbot sa kamay ng mga rebeldeng maoista na sendero luminoso. nang mamatay ang ina, pumisan si fausta sa kanyang tiyuhin, napilitang mangamuhan kay aida, isang piyanista, upang makaipon sa pagpapalibing ng kanyang ina sa kanilang baryo. naniniwala si fausta na dahil sa pinagdaanan ng kanyang ina, nasa kanya ang "frightened teat", at dahil dito ay mayroon siyang di maipaliwanag na hilakbot sa kalalakihan. dahil sa kanyang takot na magahasa, namuo na rin sa kanyang isip ang paniniwala sa mga kakatwang gawi tulad ng paglakad sa kalye na halos nakadikit na sa mga bakod o pader ng mga bahay-bahay. naibubulalas lamang niya ang kanyang takot at ang sumandaling paglipas nito sa pag-awit, na nagbigay-daan naman upang magkaroon sila ng tahimik na relasyon ni aida. sa bawat awit ni fausta, binibigyan siya ni aida ng isang perlas. bagamat, natuloy din sa paglisan ni fausta mula sa tahanan ni aida, nagresulta naman ito sa pagkakaroon ni fausta ng panggastos sa paghahatid sa bangkay ng kanyang ina sa huling hantungan. mahaba-habang proseso, ngunit nadala niya rin ang kanyang ina sa tabing-dagat. sa akin, simbulo ito ng paglaya ni fausta sa irasyunal na takot at simula ng pagbabagong-tingin sa sarili at kabuuan ng kanyang pagkatao.

mahusay ang sinematikong mga lapit ng pelikula. ang pag-iiping ng bangkay ng ina ni fausta at trahe de boda ng kanyang pinsan ay paglalarawan ng magkatunggaling tema ng pag-iisang dibdib at kamatayan. halata ang kahirapan sa lunan ni fausta, ngunit ibayong paggugol ng salapi at punyagi ang ginagawa sa bawat kasal, tila sadyang paglimot sa masaklap na buhay na mayroon sila sa panahong iyon. dahil sa nalalapit na kasal ng anak, binigyan ng ultimatum ng tiyuhin si fausta na iuwi na ang bangkay ng kanyang ina kundi ay ilalagak na ito sa likod-bahay. ngunit minsan pag-uwi ni fausta mula sa trabaho, naging mala-swimming pool na ang hukay na ginawa ng kanyang tiyuhin, kumpleto ng tolda, radyo at musika, pati na ang mga batang paslit.

maliwanag ang nais iparating ng buhay ni fausta. ang takot, lalo na ang sariling ipinabata, ay mapaminsala sa kaluluwa ninuman at lumulumpo sa anumang pagbabaka na mabuhay ng matiwasay. di masamang sundin ang nakagawian ng lipunan ngunit ibayong mahalaga ang pagsasanggalang ng sariling kapakanan at paghanap ng kalutasan sa kinasasadlakang dusa. makaraang tanggapin ito at harapin, payapang pamumuhay ay makakamtan. sabi nga ng isang karakter sa pelikula, ang kamatayan lamang ang malaon nang nakatakda sa buhay ng isang indibidwal... ang ibang bahagi ng buhay ay batay sa pinili ng maykatawan.

hindi ito pinalakpakan makaraan ng palabas sa pelicula. inasahan ko na ito dahil maaaring baligho ang maging dating ng pelikula sa karamihan ng manonood na pinoy. tahimik at nasa bingit ng nakababagot, ang la teta asustada ay kakatwa ngunit mahusay. isang pelikulang di agad mababalintuna ng karaniwang manonood ngunit mag-iiwan ng umuukilkil na paksa ng buhay, kamatayan at lahat sa pagitan nito.

tenga

"Ang tenga kapag pinagdikit, korteng puso… extension ng puso ang tenga.

Kaya kapag marunog kang makinig, marunong kang magmahal.”

bkk

trip to bangkok next week... will it be a sojourn? or hectic work week?

honor

honor and excellence.

malamadre

one of the best films i've seen the past two years, celda 211 is a gripping prison drama that absolutely grabs hold of the audience from start to finish... the story of two men on different sides of a prison riot -- the inmate leading the rebellion and the young guard trapped in the revolt, who poses as a prisoner in a desperate attempt to survive the ordeal.

although there were contrived coincidences such as when utrilla took on the mob outside the prison and accidentally hit juan's wife, the movie successfully shown drama, suspense and human emotion in a tale of trickery, ethical questions, justice, will to survive, violence, friendship and death. thanks to competent direction, powerful screenplay and outstanding performances, especially from luis tosar (malamadre) and alberto ammann (juan oliver). the pacing was very good and interlocking flashbacks were fleshed out in an excellent manner, which did not negate the overall approach and progression of the story.

as john hartl asks, how do you protect a necessary lie? how can you maintain a sense of honor while you're participating in an elaborate deception? these were the dilemma of juan, who ultimately won over the cruel malamadre and had an intriguing friendship made along the way. the movie added the ETA factor in it, creating a "local" conflict that spanish audience will be able to relate to. far from hollywood and pinoy approach, this movie's realistic in showing the dehumanization of prisoners, who are committed to wielding pre-homosapiens "predatory moral standards" in order to preserve one's life and advance whatever causes. this was especially highlighted when juan cut utrilla's neck, as the prison officer announced to everyone that juan was indeed a prison officer, moonlighting to be one of the prisoners in order to survive the ordeal. at the same time, the movie also brandished human's capability to trust and strike amity and friendship, no matter what the circumstances the two parties are involved in. what i also liked about this movie is its commitment to its plot, never transgressing into the moralistic stance but ultimately presenting the common issue of prisons, its conditions and how society should approach convicted criminals.

i would have liked it better if juan survived and later reunited with his wife, more for hopeful ending. i think the movie's ending says that life's twists and turns are sometimes unfair. but in the end, one's bad experience could very well translate to redemption for others, even if that means losing one's former stature, in the case of malamadre to apache. certainly, there are no certainties in life, so we have to live by the day and count our blessings.

after seeing a bunch of noteworthy and outstanding films in this year's spanish filmfest, the question is... will we ever see something like celda 211 from pinoy cinema? nowadays, pinoy films are of these kinds only -- sappy romcoms built around today's "bankable" love teams; incompetent horror films; gay soft core films without much story; upfront comedies, with a "funny" lady as central character; and too "indie" indie films that are usually unresolved. haaayyyy...

heigl

hbo's sunday romcom was the ugly truth, with katherine heigl and gerard butler. the movie centered on a control freak morning TV show producer (heigl) who has relationship issues and her chauvinistic correspondent to prove his theories on relationships and help her find love... his clever ploys, however, lead to an unexpected result.

the movie attempted to make a new twist behind the "opposites attract" and "battle of the sexes" formula, but ended up putting stereotypical edge on the two main characters. it didn't have a lot of big laughs, just the usual romcom staple of slapsticky situations such as when abby fell down from a tree or when they went to the baseball game. most of the scenes were just a big allegory to oral sex, which were not depicted funny-ly. what i think worked for the movie was the chemistry between heigl and butler... scenes with their banter were on the plus side. the ending again was already expected, they ended up together and the other guy who was perfect for abby turned out to be just another regular guy.


Abby Richter: The big strong brave men, that we've all been reading about in novels and watching in movies since we've been nine years old, - -that's a fallacy. They don't exist. Men are not strong. Men are not brave. Men, are afraid. Even if they have a moment in a hotel elevator and it's totally romantic and full of potential, men are incapable of copping to it because, why? Men are weak.

Mike: Let me tell you something about women. Women would have us believe that they are the victims; That we break their hearts for sport. That's crap. They say they want romance, they say they want true love, but all they want is a check list. Is he perfect? Is he handsome? Is he a doctor? For you men who fit the criteria, don't kid yourselves. Cuz they're not sleeping with you, they're sleeping with a carefully calculated set of venal choices. Money over substance, looks over soul, polished over principles. No gesture, no matter how real or romantic will ever compensate for a really impressive list of credentials.

guzia

after the payabangan 2010, the whole team headed to guzia café, guijo street. i thought that the night will wind down nicely, since high energy was apparent during the two games we had prior to dinner. but we were wrong.

while the staff were polite and apologetic before we left the place, the service wasn't really up to what we were expecting. for most of what the group ordered, it took them almost 2 hours before delivering the food. it was understandable that some of the orders were not available, but the staff only told us after making us wait close to an hour. the food was ok, nothing to write home about. the place might be good for a quick beer drinking with your close pals, but definitely not for a sitdown dinner in front of videoke.

it's time to discover hidden joints in makati that could offer nice surprises. suggestions?

payabangan

end of FY last thursday. we had double serving of exciting games late in the afternoon, after having another hearty merienda of pizza and greenwich's lugaw-like lasagna.

alice had her own version of charades - best of three sets, with scoring based on how fast the team was able to get the word. category was all-pinoy 90's showbiz, divided into three sets: loveteams; movies; TV shows and theme songs. the team analyze (adeb, elke, allan, k-ann, duy and pam) were at first trailing the team future (mylene, kr, mabel, emma, angel and joseph). but da king's (adeb, who we found out is really a pinoy showbiz fan!!) team won the game, as their dugtungan strategy won them more points based on the least amount of time to guess the word correctly.

after almost 1.5 hours of charades, we went right into my game, payabangan 2010. teams were tasked to write at least five items of the category in question (the items can range from 5 to 10, depending on the category). categories included the following:

 mga anyong lupa
 English irregular verbs
 mga bagay na may numero
 rice-based products
 Tagalized Japanese animated series
 mga pambansang sagisag ng Pilipinas
 mammals na may apat na paa
 Tagalog parts of speech
 Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo characters
 movie titles with numbers
 mga bagay na ginagamitan ng charger
 geographical districts of Manila
 Pinoy kalye games
 Pinoy soap opera/teleserye with proper names as title
 Ang TV kids
 ballroom dances
 mga toiletries na di pangmukha
 LRT 1 stations

there was no time limit, as teams have to stop writing when the other team had already finished writing the necessary number of items. to be fair, members who will write the team's answers have to rotate among themselves. items that were written by both teams will only get one point, while two points will be awarded for items that are not present in the other team's sheet. this will be the very basis for the team with the winning point to be arrogant, contemptuous and boastful, hence payabangan 2010!

true to most aydisi games, a lot of contentions were raised, especially on the rules of each category, e.g. common names only, no proper names for things that use chargers. wrong spelling of course is wrong and i left it to tight alice to decide on other things, hahahahaha! in the end, team future edged out team analyze by a margin of less than 20 points. unlike other aydisi games where bragging rights is what the winning team will only get, there were 350 pesos at stake for both games, while the losing team will got 175 pesos as consolation prize. not bad. till the next game!