Sunday, January 28, 2007

Biking around Lakeside Jurong


It seems that I just got hook on a new addiction recently. After badminton, now this addiction which seems to me, is very expensive and costly for me. Well, it started when a bike was sold to me for only 100SGD, since the user doesnt want to bring it to their new condo..or he just don't have really the interest in using it. Well, 100SGD is 3,000 pesos already. But, I was told that 1 set would definitely cost 400SGD to 500SGD for an ordinary bike. Wow! so in Philippines this would cost 15k to 20k already. Hmmm, well I will not be ashamed if this fact seems surprising for me, really! I grew up where 500 pesos amount would make me scratch my head. Cheap for me is 100 pesos below not 1000, so I hope you would understand my amazement.

Well so much for my kuripot (in english thrifty hehehe) attitude. Today, I just decided to bike around Lakeside. It is near Boon Lay so I thought, if it rains then I still have enough time to go back to Boon Lay without getting so wet.


Hmmm..the place is beautiful. The government here really done a good job in preserving those old trees around the lake. Amenities such as childrens playground, exercise area, chairs, bench, and even cottages were present. A typical place which I love to stay and relax. This is one nice place for reminiscing old memories and letting the cool air soothes your soul while the melodic rhytmns of your mp3 player provides the nostalgic feel. Get it?

I noticed also that there were several lovers also in the area, enjoying the romantic moment along with the birds that provides the music beneath the serenity of the place. Hmmmm......so much for passion and feelings.

By 6pm, I decided to go back to my home. What a day, although I was alone as usual but visiting these kind of places is enough to refresh and unwind myself in preparation for tomorrow's work.

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Dubai the Movie

This was an old movie, was quite popular then but this is the first time that I watch it. Well, a typical story from the start, that touches on passion and emotion. However, what differentiates it from the other movies was for the fact that it tells a story of overseas Filipinos working in Dubai. I have worked before in Abu Dhabi, UAE, and you bet I can relate to what they are saying about hard work and perseverance.

I was touched on Aga's wedding speech which talks about a typical attitude of an overseas worker. The moment we had the chance to come home, we always felt embarassed if we dont have anything for a pasalubong or gift to our friends and family. We are placed on a pedestal and everyone looks up to us. We woked all day, struggling and going through the fangs of homesickness, just for the purpose of sending money to our loved ones back home.

Sometimes, we suffer silently.....holding down our voices and crying silently...unknown to all the people that look up to us back home.I can relate to the movie, not because of the love story, but the experiences of an OFW on all parts of the world. Our families were all smiles and pride about us, and to keep that, we hide our loneliness, as much as possible, we show them that everything is alright here in a foreign country.

But as the movie said, it was all about family that makes us works so hard....our love and our passion to make them smile is what makes us survive and work harder. Whenever I see some Filipino OFW's in a bar, drinking so much beer and laughing boisterously, I wouldnt believe that they are enjoying because they are out here away from their family. Look deeper into their eyes and ask them about their children, and there you will see the longing...the deep sadness beneath those loud laughter....

Hmmm the movie really touches me......maybe you would understand now why I drowned myself with so much sports...badminton, biking, basketball and even starcraft...well thats one reason.

Monday, January 22, 2007

On bike around Singapore


Why extreme?....because I go biking straight for 2 days since last Saturday. What a weekend!. Last saturday, together with Alaba, my classmate during my college years decided to go biking from Boon Lay to Bukit Gombak. Actually, on that same day also, I have a scheduled badminton game in Bukit Gombak, so instead of taking the bus, we decided to go there on bike. With a map of Singapore at hand, we follow our way to Bukit Batok road, until we reach the MRT station. From there, we proceed to Bukit Gombak Sports Center to play badminton. After the game, we stop by Little Guillen, a man made lakeside park near Bukit Gombak MRT. Of course, with a borrowed Canon Ixus, we were able to take some pictures of ourselves. Then, we proceed to Hillview Avenue, the place where I used to live and back to Boon Lay during afternoon. A nice experience for my visitor lah!...

There were some nice view in the way, but my companion was too tired already, so we decided to go back home. Actually, I just started biking when I bought a mountain SRM bike from a my Indonesian housemate for SGD100 only. Hmmm..back home it would cost me maybe 10K plus for this kind of bike. It was a good bargain indeed.

I did visit some bike shops here to scout for some additional gears, hopefully to make me look more professional enough. And I was amazed and shocked at the same time on the prices of mountain bikes I have seen inside. Imagine, SGD5600 for the whole bike! It is almost 200K pesos already!. Back in Philippines, I can buy a car for that amount already.

I tried looking for some helmet around the diplay area, and you know how much it cost?...195SGD..What??? It is 6K pesos already for just one helmet! Arrgh, this sport is extremely expensive. I guess for now, I need to content myself with my existing gear.

Saturday, January 13, 2007

Shall we dance?...

I was alone in my home, well for information of everyone, i just moved from Bukit Batok Montrosa Condo to an HDB here in Boon Lay. The place was not really as good as before, but comfortable enough for me to live in. Well, I have spend my day in badminton court from 11am to 1 pm, then go home and by 5pm, I pick up my mountain bike and ride along the road going to Bukit Batok. I just cant remember the road going to the the place where I stayed before, I pass along the Jurong Canal, so I just ride there for a while and then proceed to Bukit Batok Road. Well, luckily I end up in Bukit Batok MRT but I have to go back since it was already 7pm in the evening. Hmmm, by evening I sat down on the sofa and play the Shall we dance DVD in the player. It was a nice and heartwarming movie. It was a story about a boring life of a lawyer, who have been searching for something to make himself happier. Hes not really desperate since he has his family and they were happy. I guess the right word is monotony, you know he has been doing the same thing for many years and he was looking for something to make his life much more interesting. And he found it in ballroom dancing, all because he was seeing this lady in a window of a dance school. That got his attention, so the story began.

Well, I come to my realization after watching the whole movie...it is more of a self esteem and pride. When you were young, have you ever had a dream of becoming someone?...like a rock star or a dancer?...Hmmm, I dream of becoming an engineer and I did become an engineer, but I have one wild dream hehehe. I want to be a singer, or maybe sing in a concert infront of the audience. Either solo or in a band, I love to perform honestly, are you shock?...hehehe that was my wild dream. I never had the opportunity of doing it during my college years, because life was so hard for me that time. Maybe if I had, I might end up singing in a band instead...I love singing actually but it is too late right?...well it was just a wild dream, I may love singing but Im not sure my voice would bring me good things...it is not that good except of course for my mother and my aunt who have always said I have the best voice in the world.

Well to describe my wildest dream which I know would always be just a dream...i am in the stage, everyone was there, waiting for me to sing...and the audience roar, chanting my name. The band starts with a drum roll, and there was silence. And the the band play my first song..This is the moment. See, hehehe just like Star in A Million. Each one of us has our wildest dream, to be a someone else or to be in a moment where we felt pride and happiness. But wild dreams are just dreams....it may or may not come true...
but perhaps I might try doing it, just to add some spice in my life..but where? hehehe better wake up now.