Thanksgiving 2018: My Personal Thanksgiving

I am a very grateful person.  I am always thankful, as in, everyday of my life!! But today, I am more emotional hahaha leading me to be more flamboyant and more grateful! It´s the Thanksgiving Day bug biting me!  I always look back, live the present and look forward with so much gratitude in my heart!  And this is my personal thanksgiving note this 2018! 

2018 is an emotional roller coaster ride for me.  This is the year that for the first time in my solid 20 years of corporate life, I took a 1.5 months of medical leave! This is the year that I have been diagnosed with anxiety and panic attacks! My son saw me breakdown in public.  My body had a hardtime adjusting to the medicines. But thankfully, I am better now.  I am now laughing again, singing again, getting mad and arguing again!! Hahahahaha It is a tough road but Faith, Hope and Love really keep me going.  This year, I have been blessed to spend holidays in the Philippines, spend time with my brother dear in Valencia and spend our summer getaway in the Andalucian region.  These are the memories forever engraved in my heart! 

THANK YOU TO MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS!  I maybe living away from my original love ones (my family and friends) but I am very grateful for our very good relationship!  I am thankful for my parents who are the backbone of our family, who have shared their lives to us, who are instrumental in our upbringing.  Their unconditional and selfless love to us is a reflection of who we are now as adults.  Thank you for inspiring us to become good, caring, generous, fair, God fearing and loving people!  Growing up, we were not rich in material possessions (especially that my father was the lone breadwinner and my mother was a stay at home mom, she is the engine that keeps our family together! She made sure that we, her 6 children are always with love and attention!) but we are wealthy in love.  Even if we had siblings misunderstandings which were normal during childhood and early adolescence, our relationship now as adults have transformed and we are just filled with love and support for each other!  We embrace and support each other´s success and help each other during trying times! To all of my friends, who are part of me, just like my family, who have seen the best and worst of me, for all the continued love and support, thank you!  Life has led us to different destinations and different objectives, but our love and concern for each other stays the same!!  THANK YOU Mama, Papa, Ate Paz, Kuya Ronald, Adeng Jon Rey, Adeng Joyce, Adeng Ryedel, Adeng Joy, Sissy Joy Marie, Rexieboy, to my pamangkins, my loves – Abigail, Pio, Grey, Hannahdel and of course, THANK YOU and I LOVE YOU Sweetie and Marcelo!! 

THANK YOU TECHNOLOGY!  I am thankful for the major breakthroughs in technology that bridge the miles and miles of distance.  Videoconferencing is such a common thing nowadays!! It makes homesickness much more bearable!!  Youtube, Netflix, Amazon Prime, streaming I owe it to you!! I am so so so reconnected with my well loved go to feel good movies and Asian dramas!!!  Facebook, messenger, online messaging has evolved that we are just connected 24*7.  Thank you so much to the proponents of technology! 

THANK YOU TO MY COMPANY AND TO MY PROFESSIONAL, TALENTED, SUPPORTIVE BOSS AND COLLEAGUES AT WORK!  I love my job! Really! No joke! I am blessed professionally! I have a handsome, very intelligent yet considerate director.  He has a very commanding presence yet he is humble and has excellent people skills! I love my colleagues at work! We share professional discussions and engage in excellent initiatives.  We eat together and laugh together! Imagine if we spend approximately 10 hours at work and we don´t even laugh! That must be very sad and very boring!! Thank you my dear colleagues for the support and for the trust and thank you for my company for the compensation. Also, thank you to my husband´s company for recognizing his exemplary talent! My husband is truly an intelligent, hardworking professional! The Best Data Scientist! Way to go sweetie!!

THANK YOU TO JEDDAH AND ATE EVELYN for helping take care of my little one and for tidying up our home sweet home while we are busy at work.  I appreciate very much your genuine concern for us.  MARAMING SALAMAT!!

THANK YOU TO MY DOCTORS (Dra. Blanca, Dr. Javier, Dr. David, Noela) and for helping me overcome this stage of anxiety and panic attacks.  BORJA and PILAR are practitioners of traditional acupuncture and therapeutic massages who are also helping me cope with my anxiety.  I am getting better. Though I have a long way to go, still I am hopeful.  

THANK YOU TO MY SON´S TEACHERS AND THE PROFESSIONALS in his school and extra curricular activities!  You are our partners in building skills of my little one.

THANK YOU TO THE METRO and CERCANIAS DRIVERS, TO THE SUPERMARKET WORKERS you make our lives as working moms easier! Because of the metro and cercanias´drivers´dedications, we are able to reach our work and be safely back home again. And to the workers in the supermarkets, you help in ensuring that our household merchandises are sufficient, if not complete! 

THANK YOU TO MY SAVIOR, MY LORD GOD, for Your saving and healing grace. Without YOU, I am truly nothing!  Your compassion and mercy has saved me from ailment, distraught, sadness and hardships.  I know that You will not give me any trial that I cannot bear.  I lift it up to You my Savior, my Lord, my God.  To you be the glory! 

I can go on and on as my life is a miracle itself!  Let´s all be grateful!! Happy Thanksgiving 2018!!

Top 10 Kiddie Places to Visit in the city centre of Madrid

Ever since I became a mom, every vacation, travel always takes into account kid friendly places.  My kid deserves his own itinerary in our travel and holiday plans!! My kid collaborates and behaves exemplary everytime we would go on an out of town trip.  He deserves his own itinerary in our travel plans where he be himself – run around, walk freely, hop/jump, roll-over and simply enjoy the kiddie stuff!!!

As we live in the city centre of Madrid, I love the feeling that we just keep in exploring the touristic part of Madrid and everytime, we have a different

For those of you who will be going to Madrid, Spain (in the city center) here is a recommendation to what I think are the best kiddie places to visit!! Even us, parents can have a great time here!! The kids, the peter pans in us will surely have a great time!

I hope you will find this useful! Thank you for your time!

• Museo de Ferrocarril:  This is a historical train museum with artifacts of the trains (steam engines, diesel trains) as early as the 1940s!! This is like a travel back in time!! There are 4 hallways filled with old trains.  In some of the old trains, the visitors can actually explore the interior!!  Both parents and children can enjoy the natural feeling of high just by looking at the trains remembering that those seemingly old looking trains were the mode of transportation by our great grandparents and grandparents!! There are also several showrooms displaying various collectors´ rich collection of trains and railways!! During the 1^st 2 weekends of the month, the Museo de Ferrocarril organizes a flea market (Mercado de Motores) where there is a very festive ambiance! There is live band, food trucks, artisan items for sale and good, organic food!! Entrance is fee during the Mercado de Motores weekends.  On regular weekends, there is a regular rate of 2,50€ per adult and child 4 years old and above. 

• Museo de Nacional de Ciencas Naturales:  This is located near the business district of Madrid.  This is a historical museum that tackles about our rich mankind and living evolution.  A visit in our Natural Science museum will give you a walk down the dinosaur era, evolution of mankind, the animal and plants kingdom!  There is also a section about fossils and other relics!! Kids here have fun especially as they are able to appreciate the skeleton system!  

• Templo de Debod:  This is an open space near the area of Plaza de España, Madrid.   It is famous for the special stones which originated from Egypt and they were presented as gifts to the Madrid town office!  The original Egypt stones are in the middle of a fountain.  It is an open space, free of vehicles where the parents and children can have a good run, good walk, good time simply lying on the grass or sitting on the benches enjoying the majestic panoramic view of Madrid (Principe Pio) and the Royal Palace.  As this is a free, public space, children can actually bring their rollerblades, bicycles, trolleys, etc.  There is a variety of crowd here so it serves us right to be mindful of our belongings. 

• Jardin de Sabatini: This is an open space garden beside the Royal Palace.  This is very “green”, very “nature” where you have a feeling of breathing fresh air within the city! There are statues and monuments within the garden, which adds up to the views and tranquility of the place!  This is free of vehicles so our lovely children can jump, run, sit down on the bench, enjoy a good book!!  

• Campo del Moro: Very similar to the Jardin de Sabatini, this is a very big gated garden where the trees, flowers, grasses offer a great deal of nature and tranquility!  

• Cable Car (teleferico from Pinto Rosales to Casa de Campo):  For the adventurous, you can try the cable car.  It is an approximately 10 minute trip that takes you to the South part of Madrid.  You will have a panoramic, aerial view of the city and appreciate the nature (the green trees) and also, the dry parts of the city.

• Cuesta de Moyano y Parque del Buen Retiro:  Cuestra de Moyano is a short uphill walk in the heart of the center which will take you directly to the Parque del Buen Retiro (Retiro Park).  During spring, Madrid holidays and the merry occasion of Christmas, there are kiosks within the hill that doubles as stores and food stores! There is also a big carousel which the children can enjoy! The Parque del Buen Retiro is like the Central Park of Madrid.  There is a man made lake where you can enjoy a quick boat ride.  There are various man made lagoons where the children can enjoy a sight of beautiful fishes and ducks! There are many fountains within this big park.  It is very green, very nature and kid friendly and because it is free from any vehicles (except the roving security surveillance cars) you have that liberating feeling of breathing fresh air! In here you will also see the Palacio de Cristal and several playground where the children and children at heart can enjoy a good see saw or swing ride! 

• Royal Botanical Garden This is within the Paseo del Prado Area, very central.  You can enjoy here a very methodical visit and appreciation about plants and flowers.  There are also benches where you can sit. During summer, it can get pretty hot so make sure that you are well hydrated! 

• Madrid Zoo As the name indicates, this is a zoo!! Madrid has a very big zoo and has a variety of animals to be seen! Elephants, Lions, Panda, Birds are properly taken cared of!! There is also a farm for the kids where they can actually play and touch and feed the farm animals – goats, chickens! This is an amazing experience for the kids!! Make sure though that you bring your hygiene kit here! 

• Parque de Atracciones This is a theme park but not as flamboyant and as grand as the Six Flags! Hahaha This is a kid,  teenager and adult friendly theme park.  It is advisable to bring your own food unless you want to queue for a minimum of 30 mins (depending on the season) to eat fastfood. J hehehe hehehe There is a Nickeledeon area where the kids can enjoy the treats of trains, Sponge Bob, kiddie circuit, small roller coaster, Dora the Explorer, etc!

Other recommended places: 

Atocha Railway Station: Atocha is the biggest and an important intercity station that connects the N/E/S/W parts of Spain! It has a beautiful interior garden!

La Caixa Forum: Another modern, contemporary museum in the area of Paseo del Prado.  There is a kiddie section where the children can have a better understanding of history!

Christmas in the Philippines!! Paskong Pinoy!!!

I have spent a solid 28 years of my life in the Philippines, my motherland, before I worked in Malaysia and eventually moved to Madrid, Spain. 

The Filipino in me is always bursting with nationalistic pride and glow! Even if the Philippines has deteriorated in the last decade (I strongly feel and observe the downhill changes.  From the time that I moved to Spain, April 2008, I am fortunate to have visited the Philippines 4 times. Praise God!! And during these 4 visits, I have seen how the Philippines has changed. Sadly, the beautiful nature within the city has been destroyed and replaced with booming (or will it be a bane?? tsk. tsk) residential sites and traffic is horrendous!! Terrible! But this is a positive post. Jejejeje I make sure that I am a good ambassador of my country (even if I am superbly unknown hahaha)  

As a Filipino living abroad, one of the things I miss the most is the flamboyant hahaha Christmas celebration!! The moment August 31 ends and September 1 commences, it sorts of signaled the Christmas countdown! Hahahahaha 

Commercial centers, business establishments, offices and homes start to put on their best Christmas decors!! (our family though start to put ours after the All Saints Day; here in Spain, during my first 9 years hahaha I followed that tradition, as early as September 1, I have all my Christmas ornaments in place hahaha hahahah except for this year, I put ours this November 11) hahahah.  Makati area, the business and financial district in the city is known for its bold display of the Nativity and christmas lights!  Our christmas decors are definitely more fun than the ones here in Madrid hahahahahaha.. 

To celebrate the upcoming Christmas, companies start organizing their big, annual Christmas parties.  Teams within the companies also do the Kris Kringle where you pick a name of your colleague (your baby) and you have to give small thematic gifts to your baby. The reveal is usually a date before our Christmas break!  Hahahah

*** photos lifted from the internet.  ctto***

Makati City (Rockwell, Makati Avenue and Ayala Triangle) 

From a Catholic perspective, we continue to celebrate the Advent season which is basically the 4 weeks of waiting prior to Christmas. The first 3 weeks are marked with a purple candle which means penance, where we cleanse prior to the birth of our Savior and the 4th week is the week of Joy, marked by a pink candle.  We continue to go bigtime with the Misa de Gallo or the Midnight Mass, from the 16th of December to the 24th of December.  You have the option either to do the dawn mass or the anticipated mass, the night before. Noche Buena, which is the pre Christmas midnight dinner commences with the celebration of Mass.  Gift openings are done on the 24th and 25th of December!! 

Post Misa de Gallo staples are the typical Filipino Christmas pastries, usually made of glutinous rice cakes.  We have the typical puto bongbong and bibingka!! And they taste just heavenly!! 

We also receive a lot of Christmas carols.  The Christmas caroling usually takes place on the 16th of December to the 24th of December.  Christmas songs are rendered by the children or special organizations (nuns, non-profit and the proceeds will go to a good cause).  

*** photos lifted from the internet.  ctto***

Our classic Christmas decor is the Parol, Christmas Lantern.  It used to be made of sticks, shaped in a star and covered with cellophane or crepe paper.  Now, with the modern times, our Christmas Parols/Lanterns come with Christmas lights and are more sophisticated looking. Hahahah 

*** photos lifted from the internet.  ctto***

And there´s the Christmas stocking, christmas socks family tradition.  From December 16th to December 23rd, we, the children, would put out Christmas socks at nighttime.  When we wake up the next morning, there will be a little something for us - coins or candies!! Our parents said that during nighttime the 3 Kings passed by! Hahaha The big gifts happen on the night of the 24th of December!! Hahahah!! I really believed that the Three Kings were real! Until when I was 14 years old hahaha when I woke up on the morning of December 24 and I told my mom that our socks were empty Hahahaha hahaha She told me to go back to sleep but I did not, I pretended to be asleep. Hahah When I got out of my room, the socks now have something! An that´s when my illusion about the 3 Kings became a reality. Hahaha  

*** photos lifted from the internet.  ctto***

We also go bigtime with Aginaldo.  It is the tradition where the children would line up and the adults would give them cash gifts!! 

 

My maternal grandpa, whome we fondly called Lolo Pogi (Handsome) leading the aginaldo!  Good memories!! 

        Christmas memories engraved in my mind and in my heart.  Noche buena, family               celebration, karaoke, good food, laughter! Just PURE LOVE!!! 

 Noche Buena table 

  Christmas Tree 

  My beautiful mom and our Christmas tree 

  Family Karaoke - the year when Sweetie and I got married! Hahahaha!! 

 Christmas 2007. When we were young!! 

                                                        Home

I am now in my early 40s but the magic of Christmas still lives in me! It continues to be my favorite part of the year!! I strongly believe that people are nicer, kinder, more generous, more considerate during the Christmas season.  My personal stand though is Christmas is everyday as we have to be love filled, kind, generous and considerate always.  The grandeur of December 25 is the gift giving and family gathering!! 


Rejoice, our Saviour, Christ is born!! Advance Merry Christmas!!  Maligaayang Pasko!! 

All Saints Day. Todos Los Santos. Undas: A Celebration of Family, Love and Life

This post is lovingly dedicated to our Filipino tradition of Undas/Araw ng mga Patay.  To dissect this holiday: 

Araw is a tagalog term for Day.  So we are celebrating a day event. Patay literally means Dead.  Araw ng mga Patay is our commemoration of All Saints Day, Nov 1st, when we celebrate the lives of our departed love ones. 

Growing up in an extended family, there are family traditions that my late grandmother instilled on us.  I remember when we were children, she would take us with her to the cemetery to visit the grave of her father (my great grandfather).  We would offer foods in our altars, we would hear mass and we would offer a family prayer, that kind of prayer where everybody in our home kneels down and we follow our prayerbooks.  

My father also shared with us the family traditions that were part of his province upbringing.  During the All Saint´s Day, he would open our gate, light a candle in our gate area and put a bottle of beer and cigarettes.  He would do that to welcome our departed love ones (my father lost his father/my  grandfather when he was barely 12 years old and he lost my grandmother when I was 12 years old). 

Since 2002, the year my father passed away, our commemoration of the All Saints Day has been stronger than ever.  There´s never a year that we do not spend the All Saints Day in the cemetery.  We manage our schedule work our way out on the heavy Manila traffic to be able to visit our dad, our paternal uncle and maternal grandparents whose final resting places are in different cemeteries.   A visit in the cemetery is indeed a family gathering, we build up our tents, stay there for the whole day (some spend overnight), bring our radio, some bring their guitars and we have food galore!! We usually cook the favorite foods of our love ones! As always, a novena prayer is dedicated to them. 

Since I moved here in Spain, I do not have the luxury of time and resources to yearly go home on All Saints Day.  In my own way, I commemorate their lives and I share our tradition to my son. All Saints Day here in Spain is spent in the church saying our prayers, cooking their favorite food, offering food and lighting a candle in our altar and of course, saying our prayers!! 

Death ends life but it does not end a relationship which struggles on in the survivor´s mind toward some resolution which it may never find... 

My Spotify Playlist

One of ABBA´s hits during the 80´s is the song Thank You for the Music.  Its lyrics stated so I say thank you for the music, for giving it to me.. Have you ever imagined our world without music?  I can´t! Music is a universal language of love, of genuine care and appreciation.  It is one element that binds us all together.  

In my bouts against anxiety, aside from meditation and basic yoga, music has been a crucial coping mechanism.  Thank you to brilliant team behind SPOTIFY! They were responsible for making music accessible to us, at all times.  Even when I am in the Madrid metro and there is no internet connection, my Spotify playlist is on the spot!! I was a later bloomer with Spotify. I subscribed to it, fairly recently, this year sometime  May 2018 jejeje.  I first tried the free trial period and then, subscribed to the promo of 0.99 centavos for the 3 months.  And now, I am paying the regilar premium rate. 

I would like to share with you my favorite Spotify playlists which are my go to, preferred music during my much needed quiet moments.  They are a combination of emotional, pop, therapeutic,sentimental, personal and pop music!  

1.  My Christmas Playlist which is a collection of what else! Christmas carols, from blues version, 60´s and 70´s, to the current pop Christmas songs. 

2.  My Christian, Worship Songs - God Is in Control, He is Exalted, The Warrior is a Child, etc. I always start the day listening to this playlist. :)  

3.  OPM - Original Filipino Music. I also have a specific Basil Valdez playlist.  

4.  Asian Pop Music:  What else! Of course, I have my F4 Music, the soundtracks and singles of my favorite Hallyu Star, Kim Soo Hyun and some of my favorite Korean Dramas!! I also have the piano collection of Yiruma.  

5.  Studio Ghibli soundtracks.  Studio Ghibli is a Japanese production responsible for the mainstream launch of Ponyo, Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, Totoro, etc.  They have soothing, relaxing and emotional soundtracks.  

6,  The best of the 80s and 90s.  Of course, afterall, I am an 80s kid.  I have depeche mode, orchestral maneuvers in the dark, fra lippo lippi, bananarama, madonna, hahahah!! 

7.  Cinema Paradiso:  Is a beautiful Italian movie that tackled the relationship between Toto and Alfredo. I first watched this movie when I was 12 years old.  The soundtrack by Enrico Morricone is just so sentimental and emotional! It evokes a lot of mixed feelings of happiness and sadness! 

8.  Broadway classics such as Les Miserables, Miss Saigon, Rent. :) 

9.  Mindfulness, Relaxation Playlists. :) 

Thank you!! 

*** all pictures are downloaded from the internet.  Credits to the owners.  Thank you.