tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-100575702011-12-31T23:59:03.046-08:00In omnibus requiem quaesivi, et nusquam inveni nisi in angulo cum libroHippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.comBlogger1981100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-66169161599852898572011-12-31T23:59:00.000-08:002011-12-31T23:59:03.069-08:00

A long and both mentally and physically painful 365 days! A lonely, disappointing and angry year. Eyes saw wonders never seen before, only to end up with pains never before experienced. $20K later only brought constant back pain. It started with 4 problems and ended with them unresolved, and one even increased its intensity. So glad it's finally over!

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-23330414455648875162011-11-27T23:59:00.000-08:002011-12-01T15:57:49.173-08:00

you have been a good companion and oh so many memories. We went everywhere. From your very trip to the Grand Canyon to the slopes of Lake Tahoe where you were Ruby Red dunked by Tomasso. From Kings Canyon to Yosemite and numerous trips to SoCal. After I've bathed you, you shined with pride and looked so gorgeous. Your simplicity was what attracted me to you when I first saw you. We've been

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-74449134616045900342011-10-16T23:00:00.000-07:002011-10-20T21:50:26.643-07:00

"you wanna sell sugar water or come with me and change the world?" he once asked Sculley. And I always remember this line. "Jobs died" was the first thing Greg said when he boarded the bus. We were in Samarkand. The day was hot and beautiful and I couldnt believe the man who created Apple was gone. Later in Almaty, we walked by an iStore and saw the Jobs memorial with notes and apples. I was

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-58134266519859364772011-10-14T23:49:00.000-07:002011-11-30T22:41:45.361-08:00

It was unusual and very nice of the Ak Keme hotel to provide us breakfast at 4am. But I still could only have bread and tea. This tummy bug just wont leave me alone. Jonathan was there to see us off. He's the best tour leader I've had. Although Janko from Patagonia was excellent too. At the Manas airport, a guard with a riffle stood in front of the terminal entrance and checked every one before

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-60537271462515295562011-10-13T22:04:00.000-07:002011-11-09T22:11:11.111-08:00

Woke up extra early this morning to explore the resort. I walked down to the beach and being low season there was no crowds on the shore. The beach was clean and the pier had built-in picnic tables on both sides. I thought it was designed very well and imagined how people can enjoy them during summer. The water was tranquil, transparent and clean. I looked back at the Tien Shan serving as a

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-16989142870631343912011-10-12T23:57:00.000-07:002011-11-09T00:11:21.988-08:00

Morning drive to Lake Issyk Kul. We've stopped at the town of TokMok to a supermarket to gather material for a picnic lunch. I spotted colored toilet paper and bought a pack of green and orange ones. Greg made fun of my toilet paper faddish. What, he and his 1 hat a city thing, so what if mine was toilet paper? The entire group thought I was strange, and well, the Hippo is. About mid-way to our

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-56348888493315649592011-10-11T23:23:00.000-07:002011-11-08T23:54:40.738-08:00

One last border crossing this morning. The fastest ever. No hassle whatsoever. It only took us 35 minutes. A record time. Locals still cut in our line but our Kyrgyz guide gathered all our passports and it only took 15 minutes and the entire group crossed over. On our way to the border we spotted Bactrian camels. An entire caravan of them! I've seen many camels in my travels but never one with 2

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-76936261088483286512011-10-10T21:16:00.000-07:002011-11-07T23:49:47.732-08:00

Woke up this morning with no remnants of the cramps. Even though, I had just a lite breakfast of tea and bread. We walked across the street from our hotel to start our sightseeing. The Zhenkov's Cathedral rival St Basil's, but if you ask me, I found neither beautiful. Colorful and lego-like, but not impressive to me. A little further down was the War Memorial with a very ugly very soviet black

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-63792673821048354862011-10-09T23:42:00.000-07:002011-11-06T22:44:30.968-08:00

Someone said the Lenin's statue was still here in Khujand. Most other ex-soviet cities had taken down Lenin's statues since they'd acquired independence. So we drove to see the monument. To our surprise, the statue wasnt of Lenin. Huh, where did it go and whose statue was it? Finally our young local guide told us they moved Lenin's statue to the museum and put up this one of Timur-Malik. The

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-74644740631910769932011-10-08T23:59:00.000-07:002011-11-06T22:50:54.756-08:00

The border to Tajikistan at Penjikent was closed. So we drove the 4 hours from Samarkand to Khujand, Tajikistan's second largest city instead. I was disappointed because I really did want to go to Penjikent, so I could catch a glimpse of the Pamirs and the Fann mountains. That's the reason why I chose this tour which it covered the 5 Stans. Most other tours did not cover Tajikistan. Besides,

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-58584994212603404492011-10-07T23:30:00.000-07:002011-11-08T16:55:53.159-08:00

Should have checked the shower yesterday because just as I've expected they didnt fix it. They simply put the showerhead back on and of course when I turned the water on, the showerhead shot right out. Finally had to drag the maintenance guy up to my room. He first took the showerhead off from another room and replaced my shower with it. Everything finally was working properly, and I just

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-42324061737091200192011-10-06T22:00:00.000-07:002011-10-30T22:55:36.723-07:00

The bathroom at the Regal Palace hotel was spacious and the fixtures looked almost new. but dont let that deceive you because the shower door didnt go all the way down to the shower floor and the water shot out from under the door and flooded the bathroom soaking the footmat. I was standing in ankle deep water shampooing my hair when the shower head fell off. soapy and dripping, I ran to

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-46029291521629241162011-10-05T22:30:00.000-07:002011-11-08T16:56:53.635-08:00

We departed early for Shahrisabz, the birthplace of Tamerlane. Just outside the Bukhara old town, we made an inpromptus stop to see Chor Minor, a tiny mosque with 4 minarets (chor = 4 minor = minaret). very unique. "dont tell the other group" said Jonathan. I really didnt understand why they're trying to keep the 2 groups apart. we're always running into the other group anyway. at the hotels, at

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-38433018310472412802011-10-04T23:00:00.000-07:002011-10-30T22:46:54.967-07:00

10-3 A long drive through the deserts of Turmenistan. The rolling hills and scattered vegetation were quite pretty. We had to make a stop to pee in the bushes. Crossing the pontoon bridge this morning to get to the Uzbek border we had to close the curtains in our bus. We're not supposed to look around or take any pictures. Hmm. There were 4KM we had to walk across with our luggage. I had no

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-31041387551390288812011-10-02T22:09:00.000-07:002011-11-02T22:05:35.358-07:00

This morning we flew to Mary. We landed at the tailwind of a sand storm which completely covered the city in a haze. It was windy and sandy when we visited the Silk Road oasis city of Merv. Here the great Kiz Kala palace architecture was so unique and different with its vertical corrugated columns, I havent seen anything like it before. Everyone agreed this was the best archaeological site in

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-39728155532069114222011-10-01T23:49:00.000-07:002011-11-01T23:23:46.326-07:00

Ashgabat was a big city with long wide boulevards and look much more modern than Tashkent. But soviet style again of course. oh and the apartment buildings were no longer the soviet cement blocks. Instead, they're artificial marble, standalone buildings that has 10 or more stories, with about 20 or more units each. Each was different in design but all were marble white with some color trims.

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-46697584745085828482011-09-30T21:45:00.000-07:002011-11-02T22:08:59.184-07:00

The morning was cool and the sky was clear. I was reluctant to leave Khiva. I wished we could spend more time in the walled city. As we dragged our luggage through the ancient streets once more, I looked at the monuments one last time. One last look at the city walls from outside the city and Khiva disappeared from the view. Border crossing took the whole morning in the sun and heat. Last night

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-52740332937024039242011-09-29T23:59:00.000-07:002011-10-30T22:44:47.226-07:00

When I woke up this morning, i pulled open the curtains in my hotel room window, and saw the tallest minerat in Khiva. A single lonely girl walked on the square right in front of my window in the morning twilight, adjusting her headscarf. It's a picture perfect for the national geographic magazine or in the discovery channel. This was my moment of introduction to Khiva. When I remember to take

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-45277718480224322292011-09-28T23:59:00.000-07:002011-10-30T22:43:44.461-07:00

This morning breakfast was wonderful. Omelettes on order accompanied by the smooth melody of an harp. The old town of Tashkent was my first sight of Moslem architecture, mausoleums, mosques, madrasas and square. Blue tile at every corner. blue domes every time you look up at the sky. sky reaching minarets. And the Hippo was awed. "These are new. Wait till you see the real old ones." the more

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-13860910599495922202011-09-27T23:59:00.000-07:002011-10-25T12:53:47.267-07:00

As it turned out, that bloody family with the 2 noise kids and the uzbek dressed woman and the 2 young men were also in the same flight to Tashkent. They probably stayed at SVO for 10 hrs while I was out enjoying the russian capital with C. The airbus to Tashkent was old, dirty with stinky toilets. And they showed this horrible soviet movie with Uzbeks wearing the traditional costumes singing.

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-68602309268935952962011-09-26T21:43:00.000-07:002011-10-30T22:41:21.407-07:00

The 9 hrs flight was stuck between 2 noisy rowdy kids, their parents and 1 uzbek dressed woman. Even though i had the front row with plenty of leg room, they were on either side of me and not a moment of peace and quiet. First time with Aeroflot and it actually wasnt too bad. The female flight attendant uniforms were elegant and the food and service were good. And no problem at passport control.

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-1496231804584171342011-09-25T21:42:00.000-07:002011-10-20T11:49:11.921-07:00

I dont remember exactly when I've decided to do the 5 Stans. And the hurdles were many. First the 3 visas I've found out after booking the tour that I needed to get on my own. The 3 countries no longer accepted tour agencies to get the visas, I was told, and I was pissed. Luckily L's friend suggested a visa agency that had a nice website. I've downloaded the online forms, created all the entry

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-47808370331911684032011-08-09T21:53:00.000-07:002011-08-09T22:21:28.234-07:00

Feel I'm coming back to Massachusetts ... So i was channel surfing and the Bee Gees One Night Only at the MGM Grand in Vegas was playing again on KQED. When they played Massachusetts, it brought me back to my night drive from Logan to Norwich, Vermont. My first drive through the New England states. As I was leaving Boston, I was singing Massachusetts to myself. Somethings telling me I must

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-28182572858599733712011-07-17T18:13:00.001-07:002011-07-17T20:45:23.118-07:00

In past years the Hippo had to bail at around the 7Km mark, but this year she did the entire 10Km, since she's exceeded her goal by $425, thanks to Paul, Lek, Maria, Henry, Karen, Olivia, Joanie, Angus, Tom, Tim and Vincent's generous donations. My company raised a total of $1200. The day started out cloudy but not too cold and without fog, a rarity in Golden Gate Park. The sun came out after a

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-65979098186179280492011-07-04T23:00:00.000-07:002011-07-05T21:23:34.550-07:00

Some pictures of the 4th of July at Casa O'RaccaParty foodFlower at Casa O'Racca backyardLambeeHippo all over Lambee

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-41284703266916077062011-06-28T21:17:00.000-07:002011-07-05T21:22:50.542-07:00

It smelled tropical and it came straight down. I miss this kind of summer downpour. A rarity in CA. How much I've enjoyed it is beyond simple words. Last I was under it, was in NYC in 2007. Rain in CA was never without wind or cold. On June 28th, 2011, it came down in sheets, like the summer rains we had at home. It was warm and wet. I drove under it, listening to its tapping on the HippoRodeo's

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-14383159784074710672011-06-18T21:52:00.000-07:002011-06-19T19:08:39.670-07:00

I cant even remember the Hippo's 40th. Hm, she was unemployed, broke with a smashed up car, and living at home with no internet access. So I guess her 40th came and went and now forgotten. K's was celebrated among friends and family in their home in Watsonville, big, new and decorated with gorgeous up-scale furniture. Particularly the pictures on the wall, Sandeman, and a painting of D's late

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-56704186748102186312011-05-30T20:22:00.000-07:002011-06-03T09:33:18.077-07:00

Mike kept slapping his thigh, laughing his heart out watching the hippo being watered by a fire hose, held with both hands by the keeper. That was almost 20 years ago and that was how long since I last visited the SF zoo. Erik sent me the link to SF Gate announcing the 8th birthday of the new hippo at the zoo. So naturally the Hippo went to visit new hippo, named after Brian Wilson of the SF

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-20364468459201410342011-01-30T17:17:00.000-08:002011-06-04T09:54:13.636-07:00

I had so wanted Novak to win! As per 4 times a year, I made an extraordinary effort to wake up extra early to watch the tennis grand slams live. This year I had to stay up really late. Kim won the women's on Saturday and I was really happy. It was a nerve raking match to watch her make unforced errors, and I jumped out of the sofa in cheers when she slammed the ball right on the line. And that's

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-84504404706305226272010-12-31T23:49:00.000-08:002011-01-05T10:26:43.786-08:00

The Hippo was planning on taking a digital photography course so she could learn how to properly take digital pictures. E from work recommended a good instructor/class at CSM but they didnt offer this class at night. So she thought the next best thing was to get more practice. Imitating the Goose (as usual), she decided to take 1 photograph a day for the entire 2011. So, hold her accountable,

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-26349299865780674682010-12-20T23:57:00.000-08:002010-12-21T16:49:28.919-08:00

When I went out around 9PM, the moon was full and bright.Back out again around 11:16PM, it was crescent.Out again at 11:36, it was covered by clouds. Waited in the cold till the clouds parted, and the moon was orangee/red and I snapped a few photos. Wished my camera had a more powerful zoom! Not much but as you can see, it was reddish brown. at one point when the clouds moved on, moono was

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-35291988170835183532010-12-05T23:49:00.000-08:002010-12-07T13:24:21.571-08:00

Hawling the 4ft pine solo up to the penthouse wasnt the big deal. The big deal was to find a suitable stand for it. After a couple of days, I've noticed the needles were losing their green but the fresh pine scent still filled the room. Every now and then when I walked by it, I could sniff it and pretend I was in some cabin out in the woods with snow falling. So I woke up on Sunday extra early,

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-90216969383477327602010-11-03T13:59:00.000-07:002010-11-03T14:08:48.066-07:00

Like someone in the office said "the parade was more interesting than the midterm elections." there were some close calls but overall no major surprises. CA remains very democratic despite some ex-CEO's throwing millions into their campaigns. I'm glad neither Whitman nor Fiorina won. One does not do what she preaches, whose bombardments of TV and radio ads just about made me vomite, and the

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-15456345998312606932010-11-03T12:03:00.001-07:002010-11-03T13:43:27.155-07:00

the office is very quiet today. all the boys went to the parade this morning. the traffic was bad, with everyone rushing to the city. the millbrae bart station was jammed with people, and caltrain said their trains wont even stop there to drop off people because the station was over crowded. guess the ones riding on caltrain this morning would have to walk from townsend to market for the parade.

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-63857169431100010522010-09-26T11:59:00.000-07:002010-10-08T10:45:06.160-07:00

Mama O's surprise birthday party was an enormous delight. From all people, she probably least expected me to be there. T truly has a wonderful family. Does he know that? I must keep reminding him of it. D's video was so funny, I cried laughing. In the old days, if you couldnt make the party, you phoned in. Today we skype and we all saw T's on the laptop monitor and were able to chat with her in

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-42992117344991841422010-09-25T23:51:00.000-07:002010-10-06T11:03:41.092-07:00

S from work asked me if I've had deep dish pizza in Chicago. I said no, I only had the famous Chicago beef. But now that I thought about it, I did have the pan pizza called 'garbage pizza' at Medici's. It was very cold and started to rain so T and I just ran into this restaurant on 57th, only a block from the University of Chicago. The 'garbage pizza' was good, filled with enormous pepperoni,

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-48877626930602141802010-09-24T23:49:00.000-07:002010-10-05T14:06:05.125-07:00

All week I've been nervously checking weatherunderground for the forecast, and wondering what kind of clothing I should bring. Anticipating fun, I nearly didnt get any sleep during the nights before the departure. Chicago! A city I knew I would see someday but not high on my list. But when the invitation finally arrived, I knew this would be the year to see T's hometown. The aerial view from

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-31183895239302115692010-09-11T23:50:00.000-07:002010-09-29T13:45:29.425-07:00

On our way back, we stopped at the Minarets and Devils Postpile by Mammoth Lakes, and had a roadside sandwich lunch in Mammoth. The town was still every bit as picturesque as I've remembered. We made a quick stop at the Yosemite Valley to see El Capitan and Half Dome. It's not as crowded as I've expected. Maybe because I've been there too many times. It just doesnt impressed me as much as

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-36577856184636961602010-09-10T23:59:00.000-07:002010-10-01T20:00:26.938-07:00

A woke up early with the boys. She sat out on the deck, wrapped in blankets and waited for Jupiter to position itself between the Keeler Needles. Cold and sleepiness were not in vain. A captured a perfect image of Jupiter setting between the Needles and it was posted on spaceweather.com the day after we returned home. Meanwhile the boys drove to Horsehoe Meadow and began their trek. In the

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-11532022492852099472010-09-09T23:00:00.000-07:002010-09-29T13:39:27.160-07:00

The boys were supposed to backpack to Mtn Langley. The girls were supposed to do the same to Cottonwood. And the Hippo who brought 2 books, was supposed to remain behind in the cabin and read and read and read and relax. The boys postponed their trip and the girls decided to scrap the whole thing. So we decided to do an early morning exploration of the Alabama Hills. From the outside, this area

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-4932681434821643042010-09-08T23:57:00.000-07:002010-09-29T11:11:50.166-07:00

Hiked up to Lone Pine Lake at 10,120. I wasnt in shape anymore but found the hike although tiring and trying, not that difficult. At every 20 steps or so up, I turned back to check out the Alabama Hills on the valley. The view was more spectacular the higher we went. Up on the blue lake, it was windy. We scampered around in the rocks and got a bit lost finding each other. The sudden panic of

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-31185706675926030042010-09-07T23:59:00.000-07:002010-09-30T21:16:51.829-07:00

The morning was cold and breezy but I had a good night sleep thanks to the oxygen machine. We drove a bit down to Patriarch Grove to see the Bristlecone Pines. My first. Neat but not impressive. Down to town, it was hot. We roamed around in Mountain Light,Galen Rowell's gallery. A & T trying to find a print. Rowel's photographs of Patagonia, the Cuernos and the Torres, FitzRoy and guanacos

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-9741821531033930452010-09-06T23:49:00.000-07:002010-09-29T11:02:46.056-07:00

The stretch from 120 to 395 going down towards Mono Lake was as spectacular as ever.The granite hills always reminded me of the Columbia Icefield Parkway in Alberta. The sheer granite mountain walls that curved down towards the valley as you drove winding down to them, the weeping walls, the big horn sheep on the road, glaciers racing down on one side and the Rockies on the other, there simply

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-63194775140728040452010-09-05T23:59:00.000-07:002010-09-29T10:58:58.798-07:00

As usual we started out quite late. When we drove through Tioga Pass, fond memories flooded back. Tuolumne Meadows, Tenaya Lake and Lembert Dome came into view. 2 years ago we had a fantastic time in this area. I was surrounded by dear friends, lousy jokes and hearty laughs. This time we camped at Saddlebag Lake at 10,000ft. Clear view of the mountains which glowed in the late sun. We ate left

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-57071383427650826682010-08-27T23:59:00.000-07:002010-09-17T23:01:24.241-07:00

There were no hippos but I already knew that. And there were no elephants because, they said, they were hard to keep. But what's a safari without hippos and elephants? And no lions or tigers either. "We have no man eating animals", the safari guide said. Great. But there is 1 female cheetah whom we saw chasing a bird, and 2 males cheetahs kept separately! She didnt like either one, we were told.

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-54380482140195289002010-08-08T02:00:00.000-07:002010-08-15T21:31:51.474-07:00

The biggest telescope I've seen was in the Alapacha Observatory in Huatajata in Lake Titicaca, Bolivia, back in 1998. The telescope was a gift from NASA. It was a freezing night of southern star gazing at an altitude of 12,300ft. I remember the lecture and then the roof opened into a clear cold starry night. It was what I've told Tomaso when he asked me if I've ever looked through a giant

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-46921295389376716802010-05-28T10:41:00.001-07:002010-06-10T13:05:28.455-07:00

When the blasted doors came down and the new paint went up, the dining room was glorious. The brilliant white of the crown moulding and baseboards accentuated the pale mint green of the walls. I first came upon this color at a sandwich shop in downtown San Mateo. It formed a mental image of the dinning room I've wanted. It took 3 tries to finally settle on the sheer ivory curtains which length

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-48299744847400169082010-05-23T23:59:00.000-07:002010-09-20T15:50:51.828-07:00

There are times when the nostalgic past creeps up on you whether you'd like to reminded of it or not. Flipping absently through one of my thousands old photo albums in a hopeless attempt to sort them out, I came upon his pictures. It's been long years and I admit I dont even from time to time bring back those times. As our after supper routine in those few hot summer evenings in Algarve, we were

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-68189951097638664792010-05-13T11:01:00.000-07:002010-05-17T14:58:21.473-07:00

o ceu aparece a virgin maria .... ave ave ave maria ...awful song we had to sing when we were kids, back in the fantastic old colonial days ...Today is the day the virgin mary appeared to 3 little shepherds at Fatima. My sister who was born in this month, was named after the virgin at Fatima. although the aparition might not have happened afterall, what those 3 little sheperds said about what

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-4364764015916406292010-05-05T13:27:00.001-07:002010-05-05T13:41:16.493-07:00

Oh, the joys of riding public transport! Gives you a feeling you're living in the great metropolis. And the sound of the train wheels rolling on ancient tracks! I havent ridden on a train for so long. Although this morning was only for a 2 stations ride, it brought back the old sentiment. I reminisced my old life when I had to wake at 5AM, drive down to the Sunnyvale station and ride for over an

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-42585781596021293432010-03-16T23:49:00.000-07:002010-03-25T16:09:24.269-07:00

The LanChile flight we were put on didnt exist. We spent an entire morning talking to American Airlines and finally got rescheduled for the 9th. With that much time in Santiago we decided to move to a local hotel, the Españoles, just a few blocks from the Sheraton. The area was nice and close to everything, so the 3 star locally owned hotel was ideal. The rooms were good size and clean and the

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-26945480805690648792010-03-02T23:49:00.000-08:002010-05-17T15:14:04.873-07:00

Chaos in the ship. Long lines at the service desk, outside phone lines were cut and lines waiting to use the internet. All flights at Santiago were cancelled. The Star Princess will stay in Valparaiso to act as a hotel for those stranded. We booked at the Sheraton in Santiago. We were rescheduled to flight out on LanChile on the 4th. Amidst the chaos, with no help from the ship service desk and

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-19156066000270437782010-02-28T23:49:00.000-08:002010-05-17T15:11:43.188-07:00

After so many days at sea and the cold and the rain and the wind, we finally made it to Puerto Montt in a beautiful sunny warm day. Our first after leaving Montevideo. The earthquake of the century happened while we're at sea and we even missed the tsunami. But Santiago airport was closed so we didnt know if we could catch our flight home or not. For a while we slowly sailed at 10 knots unsure

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-65568759860944885062010-02-25T23:49:00.000-08:002010-04-21T15:57:22.065-07:00

It's 10PM and we're still docked at Ushuaia. Due to gusty winds Beaufort Force 9 pinning the ship onto the berth, we could not leave the dock and sail. At this late hour we'd not reach Punta Arenas on time and so the captain decided to skip that port. Instead we cruised slowly through the Beagle Channel and had scenic views of its famous glaciers. The parade of glaciers started with the Italia,

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-80655743970103709172010-02-24T23:49:00.000-08:002010-04-21T15:10:27.335-07:00

In the early morning we entered the Beagle Channel and docked at Ushuaia, the southernmost city, in Tierra del Fuego, el fin del mundo. Here is where the pan american highway that started in Alaska, ends. The city was very pretty with lots of shops and surrounded by the end of the Andes, running from East to West, facing the sea, very picturesque. We took the scenic Mountain tour on pan-american

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-82374075679805030262010-02-23T23:49:00.000-08:002010-03-25T16:18:46.300-07:00

The wind picked up to 60 knots and the ship slowed to 14. All open decks and pools were closed. We're now at 55° 4.2' S and 63° 54.4' W with southerly Beaufort Force 10 wind and a temperature of 5.5&#176C. The southernmost I've ever been. On top of my enormous Antarctic cold, runny nose and cough, I felt seasick. All night and morning the ship pitched and rolled, all closet hangers rattled and

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-64839870078191357882010-02-22T23:49:00.000-08:002010-03-25T10:57:36.564-07:00

The road passed by cascades of rock dating to glacial times and went from paved to gravel when we entered the privately owned farms, and the opening and closing of pasture gates began. We set out in 7 4X4 LandRovers. The road disappeared when we entered the Johnson Habour Farm, a 36,000-acre sheep farm owned by Smith Brothers. Now the terrain was boggy heath, bumpy, wet and muddy. Soon our 4x4

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-67295808023142729622010-02-20T23:49:00.000-08:002010-03-24T13:17:45.834-07:00

Oh the familiar ship! And the easy joy of cruising. You get up in the morning, go upstairs to the buffet court to have all you can eat and drink breakfast, then the next big problem is to figure out what to do with the rest of the day. Should the Hippo lounge on the aft deck, or should she go to the indoor Calipso's pool at midship? Should she have her massage at the Lotus Spa before or after

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-34285394753323253912010-02-19T23:49:00.000-08:002010-03-24T13:18:27.570-07:00

Yesterday we boarded the Star Princess and set sail to Montevideo ('I see mountains'). The storm in Iguazu finally caught up with us and storming in BsAs. But we were one step ahead of it. Montevideo was hot and humid. The capital wasnt very interesting. The Ciudad Vieja didnt look old. The acclaimed one remaining gate La Puerta de la Ciudadela was but repaired and the Plaza de Independencia

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-88756350788590081532010-02-17T23:49:00.000-08:002010-03-26T14:17:11.389-07:00

Tourists dont come to BsAs for sightseeing. There's Evita made famous Casa Rosada "Don't cry for me Argentina", and her resting place in Recoleta's cemetery, the world famous Teatro Colon, and the vibrant and colorful Caminito in La Boca. Then there's the San Telmo, the birthplace of Tango, with colonial houses and cobblestone streets illuminated by iron lanterns, and the hip Palermo, but

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-78970925097516425052010-02-16T23:49:00.000-08:002010-03-25T14:46:16.759-07:00

The city seemed to have sprawled since I was here 10 years ago. Back to a local hotel and what a world of difference from the Sheraton. First order of business was the Gallerias Pacifico. In the food court there I found a good salteado mixto, basically a stir fry with lots of pepper and bean sprouts. Although it was 'chowed' (stirred fried) by a latino, it was surprisingly good. We didnt know

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-64712633433475898122010-02-15T23:49:00.000-08:002010-03-25T14:51:40.092-07:00

The food at the Sheraton by the executive chef was bad. My seafood risoto the night before wasnt cooked properly. We had to send it back to have it redone. The steaks and primeribs in the buffet were harder than beef jerky. The steak knife wont even touch it. We needed a chainsaw! Yesterday's border crossing was really smooth. Totally relaxed and we didnt even had to pay the $131 to get into

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-16226642679415925802010-02-14T23:49:00.000-08:002010-03-24T12:59:37.090-07:00

The awesome site of the Garganta do Diabo hit me when I stepped into the Sheraton hotel lobby on the Argentina side. After 3 nights in Brazilian hotels, one would see the difference in an American hotel. Our room, although not facing the falls, was large and comfortable, and the bathroom a good size and clean. And it has a balcony! Facing the jungle, the view was peaceful and calming. We

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-54121538014995516132010-02-13T23:49:00.000-08:002010-03-24T12:52:54.778-07:00

'Brasil', that's what I chose every time we played a game where we had to pick a country to represent ourselves when we were kids. All other kids would pick USA. But I've always preferred Brazil. That's how special Brazil was to me. It represented the 'big' modern colonial. Everything there signified what home was, only bigger, more sophisticated and advanced. But finally being here in Rio, my

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-59523352701731487282010-01-13T11:20:00.001-08:002010-01-15T10:17:32.547-08:00

Norge - Norway's deepest (deep means long) fjord Sognefjord. The morning was stormy and while waiting in Gudvagan, to board the ferry to Flam, I looked at the cloudy sky all around, the mist and the fog and the wetness of it all. It was hauntingly beautiful. Every time someone mentions Norway, Sognefjord comes to my mind. Melancholic views of islands with villages and misty hills aboard the

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-51158808779830094912009-09-02T14:30:00.000-07:002009-10-05T19:38:00.385-07:00

What I was hoping for had turned out to be what I was fearing. J was busy and couldnt meet with me, so I flew solo. My carefully selected hotel turned out to be exactly what I've wanted. Just across the street from the beach, with ABC store on the first floor, McDonalds across the other side, and Starbucks in 2 blocks, the room was big and not outdated. The lanai on the 31st floor (I've asked

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-63126422582134949002009-07-24T21:00:00.000-07:002009-10-04T14:29:19.660-07:00

AD third offsite. Endless variety. Different fun. Going from an all day boring, unproductive meeting in some local exotic place, to activity filled afternoon and dinner in famous but expensive landmark, and now a different venue altogether. Well, at least HR and admin are creative. This time, we went to the Long Branch farm in Half Moon Bay. The weather could cooperate a little, but no, it was

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-58821832032792532762009-06-18T22:21:00.001-07:002009-06-21T21:21:13.661-07:00

He was rather short and looked quite modest. I didnt know how he looked like. M told me it was him when I returned from the bathroom, which has a most funky chandelier. We were having A's 21st bathday dinner at the Daniel Boulud French Brasserie at Wynn when the owner himself walked in to dine with his family. A rather young looking blonde attired in white, went around the double table and

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-77980178685544915452009-06-08T21:45:00.000-07:002009-10-02T15:09:08.329-07:00

The Hippo felt really bad for Safina. I understand her frustration at herself because I'm like her. I put up too many barriers for myself and the more I want something, the more I cant get it. She really deserves the French Open title, but like me, she still has a long hard up road to go. First she needs to believe in herself. The Hippo was in tears when Roger won. I dont know if I was happier

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-63605604614989651472008-12-22T23:59:00.000-08:002008-12-23T14:51:34.848-08:00

Suddenly everyone went quiet. Then the lights were offf. I turned to Tomasso and said 'what are they doing? I'm afraid of the dark'. Then the low singing started from the back of the Basilica. 'Veni veni Emmanuel', my favoritte song. The glow of the candles started to appear from the procession, and the singing grew a bit louder as it passed by my pew. 'Captivum solve Israel'. Another procession

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-30818601879514279342008-10-22T23:20:00.000-07:002008-12-12T20:16:38.140-08:00

It never seizes to amaze me that in the early morning I was in foggy Tirana (we had to depart the hotel at 3AM to catch the plane at 6), then in the late morning I was in Munich and hours later in the afternoon in sunny London. The phone rang and rang and then the sound of someone dropping the luggage down the stairs. It was 1:30AM and it woke me up. I had gone to bed around 10:30 and had a 2:30

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-14521426671844830652008-10-21T21:55:00.000-07:002008-12-12T19:16:50.170-08:00

And like all things good and bad, it comes to an end. The months planning and waiting for the big trip. Oh so soon ...On our way to Kruja, we passed through the town that George W Bush visited. The cafe where he had coffee and talked to the locals had a sign with his name on it. Here his watch was stolen. It is now called Bush city. The US had pumped in a lot of money to this country, started

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-25320696839532675552008-10-20T17:12:00.000-07:002008-12-12T20:14:54.769-08:00

Amazing how small this world really is. This morning we were 800m above sea level in the mountain over looking the deepest lake in the Balkans. In the afternoon I found myself on the 3rd floor overlooking the Adriatic. That's why I like these trips. We crossed the border back to Albania. Elbasan was vivacious but we only got a few minutes to explore. The fortress had nothing remaining except a

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-56922120148537628842008-10-19T14:09:00.000-07:002008-12-12T20:26:43.274-08:00

In the monastery of Sveti Naum (sounds like sweaty now) we ran into the same pilgrimage group we saw at St Dimitri yesterday. It turned out they're from Lake City CA. Yesterday we heard the monk inside the church who sounded very learned and american, lecturing about the icons. The monks were iconologists and were painting a Greek orthodox church in Santa Rosa. All the women in the group wore

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-30067589335468996732008-10-18T23:06:00.000-07:002008-12-12T20:26:24.045-08:00

In the morning we visited St Dimitri and St Sofia churches, and took a quick (too short) boat ride on the lake. It was wonderful. The view from the lake was beautiful. Gorgeous weather. I had hoped for a longer boat ride. St Sofia had marvelous frescoes, the biggest I've seen so far. Incense was burning and it gave the place a magical feel and smell. They had concerts in this place. When we

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-31413403369822450622008-10-17T22:22:00.000-07:002008-12-12T20:28:19.715-08:00

First we stopped at Pogradec to see lake Ohrid from the Albanian side. Not much there, just a beach. A fisherman pulled up his boat but there was no catch. I was photographing the view from the beach when Laura laughed and asked me why I was photographing the man peeing. I didnt even see him. So she thought I was taking a picture of a man pissing on the beach! Next we stopped right before the

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-72141908371889227722008-10-16T23:20:00.000-07:002008-12-12T20:30:06.924-08:00

In Voskopoja, finally a church we could take pictures. The three we visited, Shen Marise (St Mary), Shen Athanatit and St Nicolas had frescoes that havent been restored but some of the original colors were still visible, which made the icons so much more beautiful. The day was warm and sky an immense blue. Our walk through the village was most enjoyable, the place tranquil and serene. This place

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-62201231371940497742008-10-15T22:17:00.000-07:002008-12-12T20:31:30.188-08:00

How can a tiny country have so many mountains? We travelled about 200km through the mountains from Saranda to Korça (pronounced korsha). It took all day. We left at 8AM and arrived around 5PM with only 1 stop for lunch and a few quick stops for photos and restrooms. We passed the Nemercka range and suddenly dramatic peaks loomed before us that reminded me of the palis in Kauai except the Albanian

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-17937019851785658572008-10-14T23:15:00.000-07:002008-12-12T20:34:59.286-08:00

In the morning we drove the narrow road along the Corfu strait to Butrinti. It means cow. Named it so because Aeneas sacrificed a cow here for escaping the fire. At one point on the road, a big bus came (of course) in the opposite direction. We had to back up. The bus got so close to the edge of the road that some in the group were a little concerned it might flip over to the sea. But of course,

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-49149143776905559012008-10-13T23:01:00.000-07:002008-12-12T20:37:11.332-08:00

To understand Albania was to know its wars. There were bunkers (we dubbed them mushrooms because they were round) everywhere. While other post-communist countries built roads and resorts for tourism, Albania built bunkers. First was the Romans. Then Byzantine. Then came the Turks. And after WWII, communism. The country saw nothing but occupation and war. No wonder they built bunkers and neglected

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-73417443140844038372008-10-12T21:59:00.000-07:002008-12-12T20:39:00.255-08:00

And suddenly the people were more friendly and smiled. In Bulgaria, I havent gotten a single smile not even from the hotel staff. First stop in Albania was the Adriatic. We stopped at a beach front cafe near Durres. The weather was warm and the salty smell of the sea inviting. The buildings were painted in bright colors. Tired of soviet grey and depressing apartment blocks, with finally freedom,

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-41255448411632798482008-10-11T23:55:00.000-07:002008-12-12T20:55:04.240-08:00

A free day before our convoluted flight to Tirana. I ran out of places to go in Sofia. Looking at the map, I've tried the boulevards. But they had more upscale shops - united colors of benetton, coach, versace, timberland. Originally we were booked on Alitalia with the stop at Fiumicino but when the final docs came, it had changed to Olympic air with a stop in Athens. We thought it was because

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-52533252214538484632008-10-10T21:48:00.000-07:002008-12-12T20:42:23.856-08:00

The National museum of History was filled with Tracian gold. A wall showed pre-cyrillic and early cyrillic alphabets. I had a field day taking photos inside the museum. Finally a place that lets you photograph at will providing you pay 15 leva! While we're leaving, we saw the president of South Korea getting into his car. And while getting in to the museum we saw the president of Bulgaria

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-89320768162036013222008-10-09T22:43:00.000-07:002008-12-12T20:44:17.960-08:00

Seen it so many times on TV and finally here. Rila Monastery was gorgeous. And filled with never ending tourists. When you first entered the compound you're awestruck by the grandeur of the church and surrounding buildings with mountains as backdrop. After that sank in one would notice the tourists all around taking pictures. I could imagine the place without tourists and noise, and how serene

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-52683081413404163472008-10-08T23:40:00.000-07:002008-12-12T20:46:44.684-08:00

I looked at his statue. Todor Kableshkov, the 25 year old who was considered the one who started the rebellion against the turks, the author of the 'bloody letter' looked quite handsome. I like the Koprivshtitsa town. The houses with painted facades, were quite unique and the interiors nicely decorated. The Topolnitsa river cuts through the town and the cloudy misty day made the town look

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-13427823758465287302008-10-07T23:34:00.000-07:002008-12-12T20:47:43.620-08:00

Finally a fortress with ancient walls and commanding view of the old town. Been in Bulgaria for 2.5 days and havent seen a castle or palace yet. How can an European country be without a castle/fortress? Well finally here, there was one. The Patriarch's Church of the Ascension on top of the Tsarevets citadel had gruesome modern paintings and one of Cyrill and Methodius holding a scroll of cyrillic

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-39022951699311812302008-10-06T23:29:00.000-07:002008-12-12T20:49:51.086-08:00

Something about Bulgaria that isnt real. The Tracian tomb in Kazanlak was a replica and they charged 2 leva to see it. The real tomb was locked inside a stone building. To preserve it they said. What's the point of showing a fake and charging you for it. I went inside and stole a picture. We drove through the 'valley of the roses' but didnt see any roses because it's autumn. Didnt know Bulgaria

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-7836081061385124332008-10-05T23:24:00.000-07:002008-12-12T20:51:18.187-08:00

At 3AM the European storm hit Sofia. Big drops hit my hotel room window. It was pouring, lightning and thundering. My sleep was intermitten. The rain didnt stop all night and it continued to pour during the morning. Yesterday when I arrived, it was warm. Today the temperature plunged at least 5 degrees C. The breakfast buffet was very good. It even had smoked salmon. We were on our way to Plovdiv

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-47364532580289272302008-10-04T23:23:00.000-07:002008-12-12T20:58:20.824-08:00

There was no aerial shots of London. The sun was just about to shine and I only managed 1 or 2 of the Millenium wheel. From the plane I saw the Thames meandering through the city. I've never seen London from above before. LHR terminal 2 was still disgustingly ugly. Not a window. Lufthansa to Munich was pleasant enough. I got a window seat again. The Munich airport was just as confusing and hard

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-730123829128078362008-10-03T23:21:00.000-07:002008-10-26T12:22:55.663-07:00

Actually I really like it. Among strangers riding mass transit. It makes me feel like living in a big metropolitan city. Pa kept me company at the samtran stop. It's nice to have nice parents. But I dont appreciate it. Isnt how daughters are supposed to be? The short bus ride felt good as I dont usually ride the bus. The 10 minutes wait the Colma Bart station wasnt in the cold and fog. In the

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-75600528561278830942008-09-24T20:30:00.000-07:002008-09-25T20:32:09.474-07:00

How long has it been? Today I walked from the parking garage on 5th to Montgomery for my Javascript class at Academyx. As I crossed the streets, I paid special attention to the people hurrying to work. There was this girl holding a Starbuck's coffee cup with her name on it. There's this too obvious geek stuffed in a ill fitted shirt and trousers, leather shoes and showing signs of discomfort.

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-59317973388421627722008-08-10T21:11:00.000-07:002008-09-14T20:45:10.456-07:00

The castle looked authentic but we knew it was a fake. Although every little detail was there, including blocking up the doors (due to the medieval tax on doors) and broken walls (due to enemy attack), it's just not like a real ancient castle. The tour was interesting as the guide was funny and animated and the story of the owner not boring. The Italian wine was very good. Low alcohol content and

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-29054731638708076232008-06-26T16:48:00.000-07:002008-06-26T21:52:35.139-07:00

I sat on a rock, breathing heavily, and thought I couldnt go on any further, and then I saw this girl, chubby with her stomach practically hanging out, treading up the hill, and she wasnt even breaking a sweat. I felt ashamed. The trail to Half Dome seemed so much longer and steeper and harder this time. I remember it being a very long hike, with switchbacks that never end but I did it twice

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-26597259227369294822008-06-09T21:39:00.000-07:002008-06-26T21:57:54.062-07:00

From all the people that I know who took his classes, they all loved him as a teacher. From the teachers that I know who knew and worked with him, they all respected him as man and colleague. He was my mentor, who inspired me to get my masters in education, who opened my world to Flash, and who showed me what a teacher was really about. He didnt know but he was that part of my life that got me

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-42745797212698179162008-05-05T12:41:00.000-07:002008-05-05T13:28:43.084-07:00

60 is not a bad age! If 30 is the age of maturity, then double that time would make you double mature. The Hippo was there in 92, a relatively peaceful time. My romantic idea of being in the Promised Land and walking where the Chosen People had walked didnt shattered when I was there. The landscape was mesmerizing and the very air resonated of a silent deep longing as if the ghosts of the past

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-6444558009147632512008-03-21T19:01:00.000-07:002008-03-26T10:51:54.026-07:00

That was the second AD anniversary the Hippo had attended. Last year's gambling in-house was fun and my group won a free lunch (still remember how I wiped out everyone on the poker table). This year it was a fortune to be in Bay Meadows before it closes for good. The buffet was awesome although I couldnt eat much because I still got the flu. But I've learned how to bet on horses and even won 2

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-50772160417725471842008-01-05T16:03:00.000-08:002008-01-05T16:39:25.500-08:00

If it's not because of J we wouldnt know about the annual San Carlos lights contest. First we drove through the block and later came back and walked it. It was a very bone chilling cold evening, the neighborhood was alive, some serving hot cocoa and others champagne, and some brought out the outdoors fire pits so we could warm our hands and buns. Kids were running around, teenagers huddled in

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-90448540955641872272007-12-12T22:30:00.000-08:002007-12-16T12:47:30.742-08:00

There arent many classical pieces of music that I like but the ones I like, I like them with a passion. The accoustic in the symphony hall in SF isnt the best but hearing your passion played live is unmatchable. Years ago I heard my beloved Tchaikovsky's 2 concertos. Last month finally I got to listen to my other beloved, Mendelssohn's violin concerto in E Minor. While I was disappointed at both

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-59731652660868455622007-12-04T19:28:00.000-08:002007-12-04T19:30:38.907-08:00

So this is days later and I'm looking at my arm still with 2 bruises although the point of puncture is no longer visible (thanks to neosporin!). The bruises reminded me of the pain when the fat needle went in. It wasnt so much of the pain from the actual puncture but because the whole ordeal took so long. I could feel the blood draining from my arm. Six tubes! I must have looked like I was gonna

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10057570.post-15176165996125162372007-11-04T20:08:00.000-08:002007-11-09T13:29:30.739-08:00

I didnt notice the poster of the Afgani girl from National Geographic until someone pointed it out. I was admiring the brilliant colors offered from the curtains hanging on the tent ceiling. I was mesmerized by the green light when someone said the girl had green eyes. Harry Potter also had green eyes! I was momentarily distracted and got confused which poster was the girl from NG and which was

Hippohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15907022246217111051noreply@blogger.com0