text:
Paris in a Heartbeat
Paris has always captured my imagination and for the longesst time I had been content in experiencing it only in movies. I never expected setting foot in Paris in my lifetime and for the lack of word to describe it…to be awe struck by Paris is like a pinch of an understatement.
It was work that brought me within "arm's reach" of Paris and a little bit of luck that gave me a window of opportunity to get there.
I was sent to do some work in Oberhausen, Germany which had me entering Europe through Amsterdam and passing through Dusseldorf, Germany. Amsterdam would have been a handful to go around already with all the canals, quaint houses and the "vegetarian" cafe they're famous with but I never had the chance to go around because of the limited time I had. Going to this trip, I was actually set in going to Rome if I ever had the chance as it has been a dream destination for me like Paris. I was even practicing a bit of Italian on the flight to Amsterdam and was reading a travel book to give me an idea where to go which was informative but unfortunately had too much information that in the end it felt like I don't need to go there anymore. A good lesson for other travellers – never ever read too much travel books because they might just drown out the excitement of travelling.
My business in Oberhausen went on as planned for the first few days but an "unfortunate" delay required me to stay longer than planned and consequently left me with the whole weekend in Europe to myself. Sounds too good to be true indeed but I was never a travel bug before so it took me quite some time to muster up the courage to get myself to explore Europe.
My hotel in Oberhausen was a few minutes walk from a nearby mall where I went to after office hours on that Friday. Being in Europe at the waning months of the Northern Solstice, I had more than enough time to ponder where to go. I was unresolved between going to Munich, Amsterdam or Paris and mot importantly I was also trying to figure out how to get there. Flying will definitely eat up my time as I have to shuffle between airports and baggage counters and security checks so travelling by train was the best option. Finally, after finding a tourist information office I was able to get information from some English speaking folks who showed which bus to ride going to the train station. The bus ride by the way was something worth remembering as until now I'm still at a loss figuring out how should have paid for the fare. Was I supposed to use a pre-paid card? Should I have bought tickets at a booth somewhere? Should I have paid the driver or was it free anyway? I thought it was the latter which surprisingly nobody noticed until I asked the driver before I got off. With the language barrier to our disadvantage, the driver didn't understand that I was trying to ask how to pay for the ride. He just instead insisted that I unboard the bus which I embarassingly did.
Awe began began sinking in the moment I reached the Oberhausen Train Station. It was so huge considering the train stations I've been to before but the best thing I liked in that station the same way with the rest of the European train stations is that you can pay for your tickets by credit card no matter how short your destinations is which was good for me as I was trying to save the cash I had which was already not that much as I had already been in Germany for a week already.
The trips on the schedule board informed me that the train directly leaving for Paris has already left earlier which I would have caught if I didn't spent too much time earlier collecting the courage to step outside Germany. My best option was to go to Cologne and find another train from there. If I remember it right, Cologne was about an hour from Oberhausen on an opposite direction going to Paris which meant that I will pass again Oberhausen on the way to Paris.
If there was one thing I'd never forget about Cologne is that it is so COLD there. The moment I left the train after arriving at Koln Hauptbanhoff, I was already shivering. Everyone except me didn't seem to mind the temperature but I tried to appreciate it. I just thought you'd never get this temperature in the Philippines unless you find a way to stick yourself inside the freezer. The temperature became bearable however when I started walking and taking photos of the place. Not only does the Northern Solstice resulted to extend periods of daylight, it also cast a mysteriously wonderful tone in the sky.
The Kölner Dom (Cologne Cathedral) is not difficult to miss when your in Cologne and I spent a lot of time scouring its perimeter for the best view and even had the chance to get inside. If I only had my tripod along with me I could have made better interior shots.
Details in Facade of Kolner Dom[/caption]
The two towers flanking the Dom had a somewhat gothic style which I thought resembled but on a smaller scale the towers of Gaudi's Sagrada Familia in Spain. What draws one's attention in the Dom is how it was built with astonishing detail. It was truly a feast to the eyes and It won't come as a surprise for people to stand still for minutes just digesting the details in the Dom's exterior.
The streets of Cologne were also a sight to behold as the cobble stone streets stretched everywhere. Together with the outdoor cafes and probably post World War II sculptures everywhere, the mood set here was for real.
I believe, the Cologne I saw was just the tip of what the City holds as there was the Great St. Martin Church, and Cologne City Hall that I didn't get to see.
When daylight finally gave up, I found myself a suitable hotel to stay for the night and tried to get some sleep before catching the train for Paris early the next morning. As I was lying in bed that night, I noticed how police sirens dominated the air for rest of the evening. I finally dozed off thinking how the sirens were so alike with the police sirens in the car chases in the Jason Bourne movies.
At around 1AM in the morning, I woke up, checked out of the hotel and walked my way to the train station. As I have done numerous times the night before, I asked one of the ticketing agents one last time to confirm that all I have to do when my train arrives (my train was an ICE train by the way) is get in and I will be given my ticket and pay for it inside the train. Very convenient but risky as I was prepared to pay by credit card only and I didn't have enough cash with me to pay in case the card is offline. Fortunately everything went well.
The train had sporadic moments when it runs at top speed which you'll never notice until you look outside the window. To give you an impression of the speed the train was going, at its top speed, the power poles will appear like a continous blur instead of intermittent diagonal lines sweeping by we are used to seeing. It was an exciting sight for the first few minutes but will give you headache if you stare for long. The passengers inside were relaxed and very casual. When the train stopped to pick passengers on Brussels, a group of middle-aged women boarded with picnic baskets and drank champagne inside the train until we reached Paris. Of course I had no idea what they were talking about but whatever it was, they seemed to have a good time. As if the ride wasn't impressive enough, I was surprised to find that all chairs had power outlets that passengers can use. I was able to recharge my laptop and upload the photos I already took just to be sure I don;t run out of memory space in my camera in Paris.
I would have stopped by Brussels when we reached there but I decided to skip it when I heard the announcement on the train telling the passengers to watch out for pickpockets. It was actually not unusual knowing where I came from but I thought I am not in the best position to take the risk knowing I'm halfway across the world from home.
Finally at around 9AM in the morning, our train came to a halt at Gare du Nord. As it slowly crawled to the platform, I was fixated looking through the windows trying to bring myself to believing that this is Paris I am now seeing. Instinctively, I tried to look through the skyline hoping to get a glimpse of the Eiffel Tower but it is nowhere to be seen. I thought right away that Paris must be so huge.
Alighting from the train, I quickly went to the ticket booths to secure a ticket for my trip back to Oberhausen for the following day. Unlike the trip that got me to Paris, I was able to get a ticket that will bring me directly to Oberhausen. With ticket secured it now time to see Paris.
Looking outside, I immediately saw the countless outdoor restaurants with all their fancy signages. The streets were not as wide as I thought and indeed compact cars where everwhere. It was a busy Saturday morning in Paris with people coming in and out of Gare du Nord mostly tourists just like me.
I tried to find a tourist assistance station looking for a city map I can use. Being able to find one, I saw that Paris Nord was located a bit far from the major landmarks of the city and considering the traffic situation in the streets, I thought I'd use the subway. The subway was quite a challenge to figure out as there were so many platforms and were located at various locations levels throughout station.
My destination was to get off at St. Michel and from there walk towards the Notre Dame Cathedral and see the views of the River Seine and work my way to the Eiffel Tower.
St. Michel was packed with tourists and just as tourists would do, they made a background of every angle of St. Michel. That day, tourists outnumbered the local people by a large proportion and that made me feel comfortable to just keep my camera hanging on my neck as I walked around. Unlike Cologne, Paris was warmer but still a bit chilly just enough to make me keep my jacket on. Actually, for the rest of my brief stay in Paris, I never had to remove my jacket. Besides the bust and train rides I made, I must have walked around 5 kms in Paris without breaking a sweat. Really great climate.
From St. Michel, I made my way through the bridge – Pont St. Michel then stopping buy to buy souvenirs at the stores lining up Quai du Marche Neuf. Every few minutes or so, ferries will pass by the Seine River loaded with tourists. You can tell the nationality of the tourists by the flags waving on the ferries on some. Other ferries were more elegant having tables on their decks with passengers having wine and brunch. At the banks of the river, you can see mostly locals hanging out and chance by a few couples kissing in that very cinematic Paris kind of way.
At the end of Marche Neuf, if the Notre Dame Cathedral which was also filled with tourists. At its front, you'll see long winding queues of people wanting to get inside. Birds were plenty and some tourist kids amusing themselves by getting covered by birds perching on their arms and heads. Numerous bronze statues were also scattered everywhere with the distinctive greenish-white hue of Copper Oxide on their surfaces.
Instead of going inside the Cathedral, I went to the Crypt (Crypte Archeologique du Parvis de Notre Dame) below the front lawn which showed various Roman-like burial grounds and structures built in the city ages ago. Mostly ruins, the literature and maps show how Paris through the centuries developed to the city that it is now. At some point in its infancy, Paris resembled something like our Intramuros.
Notre-Dame Cathedral was breathtaking at all angles and I spent just the same time at its back lawn as I did in the front. One amusing thing at the back lawn is that speakers were hidden in the plants playing French tunes. I'm just not sure it it was harpsichord or violin but it was very romantic. I actually saw several newlyweds walking along Quai de'l Archeveche and Pont Saint Louis complete with their wedding suit and gown and their photographer just shooting as they trot along and kiss as if the entire city was their ballroom.
Moving on, I went back to the subway and headed for Champ de Mars – Tour de Eiffel which will take me to within vantage point of the Eiffel Tower. As I walked along Quai Branly, inching closer to the Eiffel Tower I felt the excitement build its way finally coming to its plateu when I finally reached the foot of the tower.
Tourists were everywhyere but that wasn't enough to spoil the mood of the place. The City had so much for everyone that congestion didn't seem to be a problem as people's attention get divided between the finely detailed carousel at Promenade Quai Branly, the amazing statues lining up Pont d'lena and the enticing Palais de Chaillot looming over the distance.
The massive legs of the Eiffel Tower has elevators that take tourists to the tower's mid and top levels. The line stretched to forever that day so I thought that getting to the top will take up a lot of my time.
The open area behind the Eiffel Tower was scattered with tourists, newly weds and souvenir hawkers which I think were mostly South Africans. These hawkers were quite persistent and would go their way to speak a few words in various dialects just to get attention. At first they thought I was Indonesian which was pretty close for a first guess.
Making sure I never miss out any angle of the Eiffel Tower, I took photos from different vantage points. One thing I noticed having seen the tower for real is that at its first level names of what seemed to be famous Frenchmen are written all around the tower. I've never seen this detail before in any photo or replica which made me appreciate more having seen the real thing.
I never felt that I'll have enough of this famous landmark and although I've shuffled twice or thrice between Mur de la Paix and Quai Branly already, I still find myself in awe with the tower. As I took more notice of the trees and signages of Av. Joseph Bouvard, I found out that tomorrow Sunday will be the closing leg of Tour de France as the riders finally reach Paris. Riders were actually filling up the avenue staging their sort of advance celebration of Tour de France.
Knowing that this will be a big event, I thought that I should change my schedule and depart earlier to avoid the congestion from the people coming in on Sunday. Therefore, Instead of leaving Sunday morning, I must leave this same day. Disappointing as it seems, I believed it was the best choice for me as right after buying my departing ticket at Gare du Nord hours ago, I noticed that my credit card went offline which considerably damaged my chances of finding a hotel for an overnight stay. Adding to that, who knows if I'd ever find a hotel room with so much tourists in Paris at this point. I realized that not only were tourists flocking the city for its sights this weekend, they were also anticipating the final leg of the Tour de France.
It was only around 5 hours ago that I reached Paris and now I have to plan on leaving already. Breaking a heavy sigh, I told myself I better get moving then and make the most of the sights on my way to Gare du Nord.
I found myself walking the length of Av. de la Motte-Picquet passing by Musee de l'Armee, Place de Invalides, and Historial Charles de Gaulle. The streets these time had less tourists and the whole mood was much calmer. Place Invalides' gold plated dome, gray slate roof, classical architecture and manicured lawns at the center of the Avenue was just an amazing sight.
I continued walking the other direction reaching Quai d'Orsai and the lavishly decorated Pont d' Alexandre. Probably one of the most impressive bridges in the city.
At this point, it was already starting to drizzle and it was raining when I reached St. Michel before descending to the subway that will take me back to Gare du Nord.
In the same way love stories with sad endings end with rain, The whirlwind that brought me to Paris and what seems to be a sliver of time I spent there ended up the same way. Looking beyond the rain clouds, the sun glimmers behind assuring that the rain will come to a pass but not after it has washed of its streets of my footprints.
I know I did my best and covered as much as I could and even if we only shared a heartbeat, the memories will be forever.
Paris, je serai de retour!
My Sweet November and getting Cross-Eyed at Sonya's Garden
I was down to my last weekend in the Philippines before flying back to work for the next 4 weeks. Being on this set-up for quite some time now have made me realize the value of time especially how it drastically appreciates when its less and how it is neglected when there is plenty of it. This actually should not come as a surprise anymore because everything else behaves the same way like – Love, Happiness and Attention or something more earthly like Food and Money.
I can think of several movies whose plot revolves around people making the most of their limited time. Sweet November is one of those movies which although I only managed to watch in fragments conveyed enough emotion for me to keep it in my Unforgettable Movies List. I am surprised to find out that the lead actors in that movie were nominated for Worst Acting Roles in a 2001 awards. I thought the movie had decent acting job or maybe the plot itself was so emotionally alluring that I didn't notice their acting.
So, for my last weekend for the month of May, me and my wife decided that we go on a somewhat mellow exploit as our "Sweet November". Sonya's Garden in Tagaytay was in our sights because of its accessibility and the curiosity it has spurred on us for quite some time already.
Unlike my wife, I'm not really being a big fan of raw vegetarian food in which Sonya's Garden is known for but we were excited to spend nice quiet time and see what the Garden really is about.
On the way there, we encountered a heavy rain which reduced to a drizzle when we finally arrived. The cold climate of Tagaytay combined with the humidity of the drizzle made us feel like waking up in the wee hours of the morning but it was actually around past 3 in the afternoon already.
After finding a parking spot, we walked to the front desk of Sonya's Garden anxious of the entrance fee that awaits us. To our surprise, one of the employees at the front told us that there was none. Fees are only charged to specific services so unless we're content to just hang around the place then there is nothing to worry about.
The flowers of Sonya's Garden were indeed impressive and the whole place was as peaceful as what we were led to imagine from advertisements and discussions by other visitors. The rain earlier proved to be an advantage as the overcast and slightly gloomy sky further added on to that "cozy-sleepy" atmosphere.
And like sprinkling salt and pepper to a dish, the drizzle was just enough to put an extra touch to the flower photos we were able to snap.
We had a great time taking photos of flowers that I almost got cross-eyed. Unlike landscape photos, taking flower photos present a unique challenge as you have to deal with close subjects which usually cannot be properly judged by the camera's Auto-focus System thus, you have to rely on Manual Focus and spend longer time peering through the viewfinder.
Depth-of-field also plays a crucial role in flower photos so it is best to take photos of your subject at various aperture values and compare them later.
We spent around 3 hours at Sonya's Garden before we decided to leave. Since we were craving for something deep-fried like KFC, we thought we'd give the veggie food a pass for now.
How to get to Sonya's Garden – From South Superhighway exit Santa Rosa and turn right towards Tagaytay. Upon reaching main Aguinaldo highway, turn right toward Nasugbu, Batangas. Go past Tagaytay Rotonda and proceed for 10km. After Splendido Golf course and Sunrise Hill make a right turn on the Buck Estate. Drive for 2km and watch out for Sonya's on the left side. Use the first gate and drive towards the end of the driveway and make a right towards parking lot.
Sonya's Garden also provides Bed and Breakfast and a well frequented Spa. for those interested to take on the complete Sonya's Garden experience.
Puerto Princesa – and the search for the Bearded Pig
Concluding our amazing tour of the Ilocos, me and my wife had 1 day to rest and prepare for another trip. Next stop for us will be Puerto Princesa, Palawan. Unlike the reservations we did for the Ilocos trip, the Palawan trip was more convenient and less stressful as we booked our package through PAL's PALakbayan Program.
Still nursing a stomach gone haywire which I suspect must have been caused by eating too much "Poqui-poqui" (a dished made of eggplant, tomatoes, scallions and onions mysteriously cooked with egg resulting to a soft and tasty omelet) in Ilocos, me and my wife packed our bags, re-charged our camera batteries and emptied our memory cards to prepare for this trip.
Our package was for a 4-day, 3-night stay at the Microtel Inn, Puerto Princesa. Unlike the hotel room we had in Ilocos, our room at the Microtel Inn was a big improvement. We had so much space, impressive mood lighting and an amazing seafront view of the Puerto Princesa Beachfront. Unlike other beachfronts, the one at Microtel Inn was lightly strewn with Mangrove Trees. Microtel Inn did a good job in making use of these trees by installing "Capiz" lanterns on them making them stand out during the evening. Another great thing about the beachfront is that every sundown, the sea level recedes leaving the mangroves accessible. Throw in a clear evening sky, full moon and cool sea breeze and you have the makings of a Hollywood-like evening stroll.
Before coming to Puerto Princesa, we tried to arrange in advance for tour packages to the popular destinations around the city. (Although the PALakbayan is a package itself, it only covers the airfare and accomodations. Any activities such as Island Hops, Spelunking etc. are usually not included. However, you can be assured that almost all hotels in Puerto Princesa have contacts to tour providers and Microtel Inn is not any different.) To our surprise, we learned that since it was summer it was that time of the year when tour packages especially for the Underground River are fully booked. We were alarmed to find out through most of the contacts we found over the internet that the Underground River tour actually requires an early reservation sometimes even a year in advance so that the proper Environmental Permit is secured.
Not letting this dampen our spirits, we thought that its not the end of the world if we don't get to see the Underground River. There will always be a next time and we believed that there are other activities to do. But as luck would have it (again), upon arriving at the Puerto Princesa Airport I asked around the Tour Providers inside the building and came across one tour provider who just had some reserved bookings opened up because of some customers backing out at the last minute. So there it was, instant booking for us to the Undergorund River! (which I paid for right away).
Come to think of it, was I really lucky or was I just too excited that I allowed my gullibility go to an all-time high? Although it turned out legitimate I just came to realize that travellers always have to take risks at times. The seriousness of the risk actually depends on the propensity of the individual but that is what people like us are for because we are the ones who come back to tell our stories and share useful information.
On our first day, we went through the standard stuff. Airport to hotel transfer, hotel formalities and a few hours of rest before the eagerly awaited City Tour.
As always, coming to a different place is always a feast for the senses but one thing that stood out and impressed me is that Littering is a strictly enforced violation in Puerto Princesa. Being a natural litter bug like most of us city rats are, I honestly had to deal with this rule and for several times had to control myself which was actually good. I wish it was enforced and taken to heart the same way in Manila. The problem with Manila I think is that despite that it is "enforced", there is still a lot of shortcomings and double standards so visible that we simply don't get the whole point. Imagine being fined for Php 1,000 for throwing a piece of candy wrapper on the street and finding out after walking to the next street that the Public Market has its trash lying just about everywhere. It makes one think that the "rules" seem to apply only to those who can afford. What happens if a beggar throws his plastic bag on the street. Obviously no amount squeezing or reprimand will make him cough up with money to pay for the fine.
Besides its warm-hearted citizens, Puerto Princesa boasts of a developed city that almost resembles parts of Manila. Business establishments are present, Cellphone stalls here and there, parks, markets and interesting restaurants can be seen everywhere. The place is busy enough that you don't have to worry about being disoriented.
Our itineraries for the City Tour were:
Our tour guide actually told me that there are other places of interest around Puerto Princesa but she said that some attractions have been maintained poorly and they felt visitors will be "unimpressed" to see them. If you ask me, I thought she was just being modest.
On our second day, we arranged for an Island Hop tour which will take us to Honda bay and its neighbouring islands. Being the peak time of the year, the Port going to Honda Bay was packed with tourists. If the city tour did not make us disoriented, we were at the Port. Recalling our previous Ilocos Trip which we arranged for a private tour just for me and my wife, our tour for the Island Hop had us grouped with other people. I believe our group was somewhere around 11-12 persons large. One of the drawbacks I quickly realized on being in group tours with people is that you have to mind about time limits provided by the tour guide. If the tour guide says, we have 45 minutes on this island before moving on to the next, you have to make it a point to follow that. Me and my wife were actually guilty of not following it for several occasions but we're glad our guide was patient. I don't know for the other people in the group as they were all silent :). By the way, this kind of arrangement may not work for some people particularly if your primary interest is to admire the place and take some very good photos. Having a time limit simply does not give you the freedom to bring out your creative side as you have to constantly rush from one place to the next.
Our Itineraries for the Island Hop tour were:
From afar, Pandan Island was striking with its lush trees and smooth shoreline. Despite of the number of visitors at that time, it was not difficult to find your spot on the beach. We spent several hours here and we had our lunch here before moving on to the other islands.
During the course of our island hop, I was under the impression that we will see a long sandbar in one of our destinations. After going to several islands I wasn't able to bear the itch longer and I asked our tour guide. She told me that the island with the longest sandbar at Honday Bay was Starfish Island. Having seen it, I was not convinced that this is the one I knew I should be seeing, I realized later on that what I had on my mind was White Island in Camiguin (I was reading too much travel blogs). But anyway, White Island or not, the sights were great.
Saving the best for last, we lined up the Underground River tour on our third day. Unlike the boat ride during the Island Hop tour the previous day, the boat ride to the Underground River was short but very very crazy. Since I was nursing a perturbed stomach, I didn't ate a lot during breakfast. If I did, I could have easily goodbye to my breakfast right there (and if that's not enough, be fined for littering also). Waves at the time were huge and we were already wet even before hitting the beach.
One thing I observed at the Port going to the Underground River is that despite earning its place in the new 7 Natural Wonders of the World and with all the number of visitors coming day in and day out, I cannot understand how nobody has never thought of providing a safer (and dryer) way to allow passengers to board the boats. In our case, I saw that boarding the boat not only involves timing but a great deal of balance as well. Timing, because you have to read the wave patterns and predict how much time you got before the next big wave comes to board the boat and Balance because if you don't you might as well say goodbye to your gear.
Not wanting to miss out opportunities in this trip, I brought with me my important lenses and my relevant camera gear. So just imagine how worried I was to lose my balance and fall straight to the sea with all my gear. One boatman actually told me story that a foreigner Photographer suffered that fate weeks ago and he was packing so much gear with him at the time. The foreigner wanted compensation for what happened but unfortunately this is a do-it-at-your-own-risk package. Let'[s not forget also how this arrangement poses risks and setbacks for the elderly. Even old folks deserve to see the Underground River. Hopefully the local government would hear this out and do something.
For our final day in Puerto Princesa, me and my wife decided to just hang out and relax until later in the afternoon for our flight back to Manila. After all the adventures we've done from the warm city people, great food, crazy waves and death-defying boat jumps we wished we could have stayed longer.
For a moment I was lost imagining myself hoping on and off boats again.
But we have to pull the plug and save the memories.
The PALalakbayan Program provides tourists a convenient travel and accomodation package to most of the famous destinations in the Philippines. Due to tie-ups and the benefit of the partnership of a large company together with a network of hotels, customers are assured of good deals rather than booking plane fares and hotels separately. As of this writing, the PALakbayan link is being updated but you may check it out through PAL's website (http://www.philippineairlines.com/home/home.jsp) or better yet inquire through phone at: (632) 855-8888 daily from 6:00am to 10:00pm. In our case, we booked our package over the phone and paid at Terminal 2 after 1 day.
The Tour of Ilocos
The Summer of 2012 is one full of firsts for me and my wife. First and foremost, this is the first summer for us as husband and wife. Next, this was one great summer packed with a lot of adventure and travelling to near, far and VERY far places. Last but not the least, it was on this summer that our budding Blog Site came to be.
Our 2012 summer began with the trip to Ilocos. It was one trip that was never short of expectations and to our delight it was actually beyond what we expected. The preparations for this trip was not much as we just relied on plain luck.
Unlike other travellers, me and my wife choose to have a definite place to stay and at least a clear grasp of the itineraries. Adding to that, we are also keen on getting the most practical (but not necessarily the cheapest) deal we can find to assure our safety and security as well. On the contrary, this trip was actually pieced together from a string of phone calls made to various agents or individuals we stumbled across in the internet. In this case it was actually in Sulit.com.ph that we found this individual who could provide us the tour together with a bunch of itineraries and a hotel to stay. It sounded too good to be true because our previous inquiries gave us the impression that going around Ilocos is not for someone on a tight budget. The deal was not exactly a steal but was to a certain degree less than what you'd end up with if you try to book a hotel, and a transport altogether.
Excited but apprehensive at the same time, we decided to give this trip a go. Having deposited 50% of the package amount before the trip as a requirement made the apprehension worse and for the rest of the trip me and my wife discussed all the possible Plan B's we can do suppose the whole deal turns out to be a fake. By the way, to decrease our risk or should we say potential losses, we decided to travel to Ilocos by bus instead of by plane as originally planned.
And we arrived in Laoag, Ilocos Norte. After a few minutes of nervous waiting, our tour guide met us up, exchanged pleasantries and dropped us off to our hotel so we could rest for a few hours before starting our tour. Our hotel was average which is understandable considering the amount we paid for the package but the staff were friendly and very accomodating in a very natural way which made us feel less like strangers to the place.
When our tour guide fetched us a few hours later, we were very impressed to see him suited up in a neatly pressed "Barong" (Traditional Filipino upper garment) paired with an "Salakot" (traditional Filipino hat). At that point me and my wife knew that the risk we took was all worth it.
And so for the rest of the three days, we scoured the entire Ilocos (North and South) visiting all of its famous landmarks. Since we paid for the entire tour, it was only me and my wife inside the van and we had the entire attention of our tour guide to ourselves. One thing I realized that when you get into these private tour packages, you don't have to deal with different strangers in your tour and most importantly, you never have to worry about getting left by the group because YOU are the GROUP! 🙂
The whole Ilocos trip was anything but amazing as we saw diverse sights and sceneries ranging from the Colonial Spanish Heritage houses of Vigan to the surreal rock formations and landscapes of Kapurpurawan. To top that, our guide never failed to show us the best places around the City to enjoy the rich Ilokano cuisine which we enjoyed.
Usually, I can tell how amazing a trip is by looking at how many photos I took at the end of it. By the end of our Ilocos trip, I totalled a staggering 12+ GB worth of photos and I'm not even on recording in RAW most of the time!
Hope you enjoyed the photos and by the way, this was only our first trip for the summer…
Our contact for the tour package in Ilocos was Mr. Jan Carlo Caldito (+639198884849
,+639174396759). You may view his Facebook page – IlocosHeritageGuide and you can also view his posts at Sulit.com.ph using Ilocos Tour 2012 as keyword.
Our itineraries for the 4 day – 3 night stay were:


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Transforming Spaces: A Year with Transformaciones
December 9, 2015
Finals week was flying towards us, essays and readings piling up like the snow all the Christmas songs spoke about. It was during this time a year ago, amidst this chaos, that Transformaciones first came into existence. Andrea approached us with the idea of a blog, a place where students could explore their passions relating … More Transforming Spaces: A Year with Transformaciones

subset: commoncrawl


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Minestrone Soup
3 cloves garlic
1 large onion
2 rashers bacon
large glug of olive oil
3 large carrots
2 sticks celery
2 large or 3 medium potatoes
large handful of green beans
1 large zucchini
1 litre vegetable stock
1/2 litre of filtered water
1 x 400g can chopped organic tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
large handful of fresh basil leaves
1. Peel and crush garlic cloves. Peel and finely chop onion. Dice bacon.
2. Peel and roughly chop remaining vegetables, keeping beans and zucchini separate from carrots, celery and potatoes.
3. Heat large glug of olive oil in large pot over medium heat.
4. Fry garlic, onion and bacon in oil until onion becomes translucent.
5. Add chopped carrots, celery and potatoes and fry for a few minutes.
6. Add chopped beans and zucchini and fry for few minutes.
7. Turn down heat to low, put lid on pot and let vegetables cook for further 15mins, stirring very regularly so they don't stick to the bottom of the pot.
8. Add stock, water, tomatoes and tomato paste and chopped basil leaves to pot. Stir until well combined.
9. Bring to boil again and then lower heat so soup comes to a simmer. Cook until all vegetables are tender.
You can serve this soup with warm, fresh bread and shavings of parmesan cheese. Alternatively, you could serve it with cooked pasta shells or macaroni stirred through the soup instead of the bread...or with the bread so that that little puddle of soup, left in the bottom of the bowl, can be soaked up. Either way, it's delicious!


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Westerwelle calls Ukraine to fulfill all demands of EU for signing of agreement in Vilnius
12:38, 11 October 2013Politics
768 0
Federal Foreign Minister of Germany Guido Westerwelle called Ukraine to fulfill all the demands of the European Union for signing of the Agreement on association at Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius late in November.
According to an UNIAN correspondent, G. Westerwelle said this at international conference "The Way Ahead for the Eastern Partnership" in Kyiv today,
At the same time G. Westerwelle noted that a considerable progress has already been achieved since his last visit to Kyiv.
He also underlined that signing of the Agreement on association will become a step of transformation of Ukraine and Ukrainian society.
If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter


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Shipping Terms
General Info about Shipments
We ship everyday, Monday - Friday. Same day shipment cutoff time is 4:30pm central time.
Most domestic shipments fall within a 2-5 day delivery window for. International shipment delivery times vary, and depend on what type of method you choose at checkout. Please understand that once your package is picked up from our facility, we have no control over your shipment. ALL orders from our website will have a tracking number and will automatically be emailed to you when your order is fulfilled.
Domestic Shipments
All shipments will be sent will be sent USPS First Class Mail, or USPS Priority Mail. Your purchase will ship from Oklahoma.
USPS First Class has a 2-5 day delivery window and costs $7.52
USPS Priority Mail has a 2-3 day delivery window and costs $13.65
If for some reason your package gets "returned to sender" you will be responsible for the cost of shipping the package back to you.
International Shipments
During checkout, you have the option to select USPS First Class International or USPS Priority Express International. The time frame is difficult to determine due to customs. If a package gets held up at the customs facility, there is nothing we can do about it. This is 100% out of our control and we advise you to contact your local post master.
Couriers may have fees associated with their delivery. 12volt.Solutions, DOES NOT pay duty fees or taxes on international shipments - these fees are the buyers responsibility.
We have no way to estimate the cost of fees, and we urge you to do your research prior to purchasing from us.
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text: 1 Photos Join Now to View All Photos Hello I'm Molly, 25 years old. Well I'm at that age wanting to finally share my life with someone special who loves god like I do and that's the Key to a successful relationship! I'm a high school grad, a daycare owner who owns her own home. For fun I like to hang out with friends and family, work out Just be all out active and also love to try new things. I'm a very shy person at first but as i get comfortable around a person I'm talkative and fun! well there's way more about me that i didn't mention, if interested on getting to know me message me. Hope to hear from you soon=D Last visit: Visible to members only! Sign Up 100% FREE to Get In Touch Join Free Now


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What do we often say if we're asked of what thirteen year old kids do? Most would probably react, "Ofcourse! Study and play. They're kids, they haven't done so much in their thirteen years of existence." Others would say "Having fun and enjoying their sweet childhood". Some might have said deeper thoughts, that these kids are still exploring and needs to discover a lot more. And others might not want to answer for some sensitive reasons. But what does a kid with an age of thirteen actually do? What can he do?
When I was in grade 7, my section was Continency and it's a section where some of my classmates are not talking or not that loud. But I thought every section has those. One of them was Karen Orbasido. She was very quiet and rarely hangs out with others. She would just often sit at a corner and try to do something just by herself. In today's language, she's a loner. But I don't want to call her that 'cause I know she's just shy or maybe she has a reason for that.
It was third quarter. I got to sit beside Karen. So at the back of my mind "Should I talk to her like the way I used to my other seatmates? How would I start our conversation?" I was afraid that she might ignore what I'm saying. But in the end, I still talked to her and I discovered something about her. Why she's quiet, why she's not hanging out with others, why she's isolating herself. She has a reason for every move. I asked her why, and she said to me, "I don't have friends. I only have one friend at home." That saddened me and I was shocked and speechless 'cause I know everybody has their friends and maybe it's only at her mind. But I said to her "No, you do have! We are!" And I kept on repeating that to her, I kind of overreacted but it just made me sad.
I tried not to make her feel that way again. I talk and talk and talk to her. We turned into buddies and became really close. We're like sisters 'cause we did the same stuff and we had the same trips. Without knowing, she had overcome her quietness and later on became talkative too. I didn't notice that because she's my seatmate so we often see and be with each other. The whole third quarter of that school year was really great and fruitful.
Fourth quarter arrived and so we bid goodbye because we're going to sit beside a new seatmate. That quarter really made me happy of her, 'cause she's the one who'd start the conversation with her seatmate, she's not shy anymore and she gained friends, not only that but confidence as well. I was really happy and proud of her.
That's the only year that we've been classmates. Her next three years in the institution she joined the badminton varsity. When we graduated, we had to part ways 'cause she needed to transfer to UST.
Currently, she's studying at UST and even though we don't see each other we still communicate and talk through social media, it's seems like we're still very close with our talks. She made a big impact in my life and has been a big part of my life. Being and meeting her taught me a lot of lessons and realizations.
I just thought that being talkative doesn't always mean that it's negative. Who knows, that attitude can be a help and encouragement to others to know themselves more. We cannot change in a very quick period of time and maybe that could not mean changing. Maybe it just shows and molds us into who we really are. We cannot find ourselves all alone, there's something, someone that would actually help and be the tool.


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What: A single-premium whole life plan that aims to provide a guaranteed monthly income stream in retirement.
The product is meant for affluent individuals with a minimum single premium of $100,000.
The product starts paying guaranteed income each month from the policy's fifth year for the rest of your life.
OCBC adds: "The customer's loved ones will receive an inheritance after he passes away, made up of a guaranteed survival benefit and non-guaranteed bonuses."
You can also choose to get the product with your child as the insured person.
OCBC notes: "The customer receives a monthly income from the fifth policy year, until the child turns 18. The monthly income is then paid to the child for the rest of his life.
"When the child finally passes away, the original customer's grandchild will receive an inheritance, made up of a guaranteed survival benefit and non-guaranteed bonuses."
OCBC said the inheritance is paid out as a lump sum death benefit.
The plan is a guaranteed issuance insurance product which means you do not need to complete a medical questionnaire in order to buy it.
What: A three-year premium payment endowment plan that pays guaranteed yearly coupons during the policy term of six years.
The plan offers potential returns of 3.06 per cent a year.
China Life said the plan also offers protection against death during the policy term. The minimum annual premium is 10,000 yuan (S$2,200).
If you buy the plan before Dec 31, you will get Robinsons shopping vouchers worth up to 6 per cent of the first-year premium. This is done by converting your yuan premiums into Singapore dollars at a fixed exchange rate of 0.2126.
The firm also offers another endowment plan in Singdollars, and it is called China Life SaveReturns (SGD).
Buyers of the Singdollar plan get 100 per cent of the paid premiums back by the end of six years after they pay the three-year premiums. The minimum annual premium is $3,000.
What: A critical illness plan that continues to provide coverage for death and terminal illness even after a critical illness claim. It also rewards healthy customers with a total refund of premiums.
If you have a critical illness, you will get a payout and have future premiums waived.
If you do not claim for a critical illness, you will be covered with an additional special benefit for angioplasty and other invasive treatments for the coronary artery.
If an accidental death happens, your loved ones will get a payout of three times the sum assured.
Prudential adds: "If customers do not have claims on the critical illness benefit, they will receive a refund on the total premiums paid at the end of the policy term."
• Terms and conditions of products are subject to change and figures are based on illustrations. Contact the firms or an adviser for more information.


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- Shorty Gorham being interviewed by the booth boys about the bulls and the dirt while prepping for a chute to open: "Just trying to look for more jobs to do at the same time."
- Luke Snyder in the Truth Booth: "I don't know what ride the judges were watching; I thought it should've been a lot more." You're not kidding!
- Aaron Roy re Bushwacker: "I don't have a strategy. If I think what a bull's going to do, I buck myself off."
- "Either way, I want people to remember my name forever."—Douglas Duncan, choosing I'm A Gangster.
THE CONTINUING ADVENTURES OF BEN JONES (he ain't dancin', folks)
Ben Jones vs. Licks and Kicks: I'd like to check the bull's name to see if I got it right, but can anybody tell me where in the world this information is on the PBR website? Can it really be that once an event is over, you can't find out who rode (or not) which bull? Anyway, Ben got airmailed and left the arena at a trot.
"The effervescent Ozzie" was Justin McBride's quaint way of describing rootin' tootin' Ben. He also had the nerve to ask Ben how he felt about his buckoff. Predictable response: "I'm mad!" I agree with McBride: the madder Ben gets, the more he tightens up and clamps down. When he's having fun, he's loose. Maybe he should do the dance first, to cheer himself up; then he'd ride.
- When a rider from Brazil opts out of an event because of an injury, we hear snide remarks like Hummer's blather about "managing your season." Translation: they're soft; they should "cowboy up" and keep riding through every injury. But when an American takes a time-out, we hear how wonderful it is that so-and-so is working out, eating better, letting that injury heal, and getting on practice bulls before he returns. Robson Palermo's out with an injured left shoulder (big DANG!!) and won't be back until Milwaukee; I'd rather see him sit 'em out and return when he's better, than get worse and not ride bulls he should ride.
- For a second while Ryan McConnel was wrapping to go out on Betta Believe, I had the impression he was wearing a neck collar, but I was just picking up that his neck looks stiff and compressed. I wonder if that's just habit since his bad injury, or did it never fully heal? Clearly his riding has suffered since then. I know riders truly believe they can heal at a superhuman pace, but that's just all the concussions talking.
- Colby Yates lost his seat courtesy of Sea Legs. I know there's a joke in here somewhere about him losing his landlegs. ACKK! No sooner did my fingers type that sentence, than Craig said something about Colby having to get his legs back under him. The difference is, Hummer's scripted. I'm just a genius. J Wish there was a different icon for "don't take this too seriously," but I'm stuck with a fuckin' smiley face.
- Gotta laugh at Ford's effort to make their truck's EcoBoost technology sound futuristic, macho, and tough by having Denis Leary brag about its 22 mpg. I've got news: my Honda Insight hybrid has EcoBoost, and 45 mpg is about average for me. But then, I'm not macho.
- L.J. Jenkins for some reason has decided to pick bulls he doesn't know anything about. Lil' Jefe (it's a miracle, but Hummer pronounced it right) wasn't all that; he did what he could, but the score was 84.75ish.
- I thought Ryan Dirteater was cheated with his Space Chimp trip. He made a great save somewhere around 6 seconds, and that bull was moving so fast…
- Re Silvano's Perfect Poison ride: Judge #3 was lagging behind, and gave the lowest score of all, which means the lowest score Alves ever had on this bull. Think I'm gonna keep an eye on this; when #3 drags his ass, does that mean a lower score? And would that lower score be for a Brazilian?
- For J.B. Mauney's Haunted Hotel ride, judge #3 had no trouble being on time with the same good score as the others: 89.25. Not his most graceful ride, either; free arm jerking around, not gliding like when he's in the zone. Then he hooked a spur, and after he was off, he was dragged. Thank Shorty for jumping on him to weigh him down while another guy cut the rope. J.B. does have some dramatic get-offs, I have to say. I'm glad he didn't get seriously hurt. However, Perfect Poison's a tougher bull to ride, Silvano made it look easy, he gets 86.50. J.B. delivers a rocky trip on a good enough bull, the judges jump all over it. Why, because of the scary hangup? Not in the scoring rubric, guys.
- Even the commentators acknowledged that Grey Wolf isn't a big-score bull, but Chris Shivers can "dress him up". Translation: they threw him a creampuff. Then he bucked off Shivers. What was it Craig said about getting the buckoff that Cody Lambert needed?
- Fabiano Vieira did an amazing job with Too Sexy, stepped off on his feet, for 88.25. Interesting note: first, two 25s were posted for his score, then suddenly they changed and all four scores came in at more moderate numbers. Was that a case of, Oops─ we can't give the guy a score as high as that?
- Pablo Vieira wins his first BFTS event, and Erin Coscarelli interviews Ryan Dirteater, #3, not the winner. Sure, the event was in Oklahoma, Ryan's home territory, and he's been showing real prowess. But god forbid anyone has the brains to grab someone who might speak a little Portuguese and ask Vieira how it feels to win his first BFTS event. Vieira looked stunned, anyway. Maybe that was because he heard Hummer say this was his best result since "De Moinz." Yes, he pronounced the final "s."
Wesley Laurenco should've stayed on Freckles; the bull had regular timing. After he was dislodged, a hind hoof crashed down on his hat, nicked his noggin— scary close call; an inch either way would've crushed his skull. A helmet might be a good idea, Wesley; you already have enough booboos.
Okay, at this point we can start calling Perfect Poison Silvano's pet. This time Alves scored 86.50 on his back. McBride is right: that bull's going to have to figure out something else to do against Silvano.
Bushwacker's winning streak continues; Canadianaaron Roy didn't stand a chance.
- Douglas Duncan on Big Money─ wow! The aerial view showed you how to stay centered: the top of his white hat stayed almost in the same spot for the whole ride, like a dancer spinning while spotting. 86.60?
- Another "perfect" ride, according to McBride: Valdiron on Moebandy.com: 86 and a hoof-konk in the face.
- Shane Proctor's 2 for 15 on the BFTS, but he rode Sting Machine like he was a rocking chair. What's with Judge #3; why is he always the last one to post a score?
- Last year's Brazilian National Champion, Elton Cide, took on Blind Side, and man, that bull was jet-propelled! Sky-high leaps. If Cide had been able to stay on him, he would've had a monster score.
- Mike Lee on Blue Emu Hank: Hank's initial hip-hopping screwed up Lee and created funky timing; Mike got a horn in the face. Then the bull faced off with Shorty. Wish I had a photo! "It was fun anyway," said Mike.
- Ryan Dirteater, who was 3 for 18, took Shepherd Hills Trapper on a fabulous ride! 90 and a lot of Woo-hoo!
- During his rematch with Rowdy L.J., Marchi got too wild with his leg, going for extra points; just as I yelled at him, he went landward. As Justin McBride put it, "He got greedy."
- Toy Soldier, Canadianaaron Roy's draft pick, was looking like a merry-go-round─ then suddenly Aaron lost his rope, just a hair short of 8 seconds. Shock! Horror!
- As Alves was wrapping on After Party, a chute guy was harassing him. Silvano rode until 7.96, then somersaulted while still holding the rope. Flint pushed the buzzer to challenge! It looked like Alves had just made it, but a slo mo replay showed an unavoidable touch at 7.4 because the bull had him over the hump.
Cody Nance had "a little accident in the locker room" earlier, according to McBride, and had to get stitches in his riding hand. Inquiring minds want to know: why, Cody?
Very glad he wore a helmet. Tequila Joe gave him a parting shot in the head that dropped him. And the score is?? The booth guys forget we rely on them to transmit basic important information!
- "Alves controls his own destiny." – Hummer
- "Silvano Alves had the first pick in the draft and he chose a bull called…Will it be an exclamation point on the weekend?" What the hell does Craig mean when he says that?
Jason O'Hearn on Titanium Tough made it to 7.88. Oh maaan!
Austin Meier got so close on Habanero, but got leaned back at 7.4.
This was one of the most horrifying wrecks ever, especially since no one's ever seen Valdiron crumpled like that. He was hung up and knocked out even before the bull fell on him twice. Then the hind hoofs crunched his ribs. I don't know how much good a vest does in that situation. And there wasn't much the bullfighters could do at that point. Valdiron was carried out on the board. A bad enough wreck for any rider, but when you see it happen to the world's strongest rider, #1 or 2 most of this season, it's chilling. I know I'm going to be queasy until I hear that he'll live, that's how bad this looked.
The followup report was that Valdiron has a head injury, and was taken by ambulance to the hospital, but was starting to wake up. Shorty, who looked genuinely stricken, said, "If you got any extra prayers at home, folks, please send them Valdiron's way." Amen.


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Erasmus+ KA2: Strategic Partnership Project "istart: A Lean-Training, Innovative, Multidisciplinary Digital Entrepreneurship Platform" 7th Multiplier Event & Final Conference
7th Multiplier Event and Final Conference of "iSTART" project will be organized by EBAN European Business Angels Network on 12 February 2019 in Brussels, Belgium.
Registration for the event can be done via https://ti.to/…/istart-7th-multiplier-eve…/with/bjku1g5r2q8…
"iSTART" Project aims to develop an innovative, evidence-based transnational framework that will markedly improve the knowledge and skills of academic institutions to produce more marked/startup oriented DEP curricula, reducing the barriers in this field. Partnership includes; Yaşar University (Turkey), Kentro Erevnon Notioanatolikis Evropis Astiki Mi Kerdoskopiki Etaireia (Greece), Incubation For Growth Ae (Greece), Sviluppo Como – ComoNExT spa (Italy), Instituto Pedro Nunes, Associacao Para A Inovacao E Desenvolvimento Em Ciencia E Tecnologia (Portugal) and European Business Angel Network (Belgium).


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Serving the Highway 27 Corridor and
the Haines City Area
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We are a locally-owned auto repair shop operating in Lake Hamilton. We have been carrying out a wide variety of auto repair work for 10 years! From minor repair work such as tire or brake pad replacement to major jobs which require experience, we do them all.
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We Accept All Makes And Models
No matter how old or new your vehicle is, our dedicated mechanics can fix it for you in a jiffy! Bring your vehicle in for repairs that are done right the first time.
Looking for auto repair in Lake Hamilton? Come to Auto One Repair, Inc.
Is your vehicle not running as it should? Just call the experts:
Detect problem signs in your car early and bring it in for repair services that you can count on at all times. Auto One Repair, Inc. is always ready to help you.


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In essence, customer lifecycle marketing (CLM) engages each prospect, lead, and customer differently because they're at different stages of the customer experience. Because each stage is unique, this strategy emphasizes addressing customer needs and requirements as they engage with your brand.
Focusing on the entire customer experience, from acquisition to sale to loyalty to referrals means touchpoints are consistent and aligned with your customer.
Different stages of the journey will require different marketing messages and strategies. When, how, and why messaging is delivered is based on contextual messaging. How do we develop a functional approach to crafting lifecycle campaigns?
|Scooped by CYDigital/marteq.io


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DETROIT -- Ford Motor Co. unveiled its updated UAW-Ford Technical Training Center after a $35 million investment to train hourly manufacturing employees on skills from basic electrical training to Federal Aviation Administration licensing for drone operation.
Michael Mikula, Ford's global chief engineer of advanced manufacturing, said the UAW-Ford apprenticeship program motivates workers to learn more skills.
"Apprentices actually get an increase in their hourly pay rate for performing a task," Mikula said. "You have an opportunity to increase your overall pay both by getting an increase in your wage and getting more overtime."
He said apprentices come to the training center, with hotel stays paid for by Ford, periodically for classes and then return to "validate" and further train at their home work site.
Hourly employees' training is funded by the four-year apprentice program, while salaried employees can use a tuition assistance program to pursue skills relevant to their work at Ford.
"We need to expand our offerings," said Doug Mertz, manager of the UAW-Ford training center. "We need to welcome salaried and hourly people alike into the center."
He said the training center, south of Detroit in Lincoln Park, Mich., also offers a five-week training course for high school seniors.
The center features advanced technology training in computer numerical control and 3D printing.
"I think it attracts the very motivated and highly skilled work force in the industry," said UAW Vice President Rory Gamble, who is in charge of the union's Ford department. "It's important that we are constantly training our UAW members, not only to operate the new machinery on the line, but to keep it up and running. This will help with job security for our members both now and in the future."
He said UAW members are dedicated to employee training.
"They know we have to embrace technology," Gamble said. "The technology has to work, to be stable and have longevity. To achieve that you must have a highly trained motivated work force."


text:
Read about considerations for adding a new service to your practice. The article covers new technologies that can act as differentiators and answers the following questions:
- Does the practice know its strengths?
- Does the practice understand the importance of the internet in its marketing plan?
- Does the practice view itself as a medical authority for clients?


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This one is a day late, but here is my 5th portrait sculpt. There's a lot of problems with this one and rough spots, but it was a lot of fun. The hair line in particular shows some potential I think.
A few notes on this one to take note for future ones:
1. The hair line is too low
2. The cheek areas shape is wrong, resulting in too little volume around the corner of the lips.
3. The jaw law is weirdly sharp and also has a strange curve to it.
4. The chin is perhaps too strong
5. The lips are awkward. Perhaps too thin and pursed?
- Status: Final
Forrest Harless (forrest-harless)
Great work!
I'm still very far behind in digital sculpting but I've done multiple clays and I can see some really good positives in some of the things you've critiqued about your work!
I think the contrast between the lips and jaw line is a nice kind of transition between effeminate and emasculate features! Maybe the hairline is a little low for the prominent forehead but overall, I'd say "Cool Beans!" For what it's worth! Slightly Germanic in proportion and not boringly perfect in composition! As always, I aspire to bring myself up to a more consistent level of skill, as it applies to digital sculpting! Thanks so much for all the work you guys put into these valuable resources! Much obliged!!:)


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Senior Principal Process Engineer in DA, Doha, Qatar
DA, Doha, Qatar | N/A | Permanent
Key Responsibilities/Accountabilities:
- Lead studies, FEEDs and/or projects and will be responsible for producing process design packages, scheduling and estimating the work effort and will advise and mentor within the department in order to contribute to the improvement of a technical area.
- Functions as a Subject Matter Expert in areas of his specialty.
- Prepare/ Review / Approve critical process documents such as P&IDs, Philosophies, SAFE charts, Datasheets
- Identify training needs of other Process Engineers
Basic Qualifications:
- Minimum 25 years of experience with at least 15 years in offshore engineering
- Concept / Pre-FEED / FEED / EPCI experience
- Experience in design of Wellhead platforms, Compression facilities and Brownfield modifications
- Competency in various Safety and Design review - Risk Analysis, HAZID, HAZOP, SIL
- Software Competency - Aspen HYSYS, Aspen Flare System Analyzer, PIPESIM, PIPENET, FLARESIM, SPPID
- Bachelor's Degree in Chemical Engineering minimum requirement
Company Overview:
McDermott is a premier, fully-integrated provider of technology, engineering and construction solutions to the energy industry. For more than a century, customers have trusted McDermott to design and build end-to-end infrastructure and technology solutionsfrom the wellhead to the storage tankto transport and transform oil and gas into the products the world needs today.
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Britain's next generation of musicians face crisis point in music education – Creative United join forces with leading access to music organisations to address the decline
The MIA and Music for All were both in attendance at the brilliant event celebrating Take It Away's 10th Anniversary and the launch of this important new initiative…
Four of the UK's most innovative access to music organisations have come together to issue a stark warning to the government about the crisis facing young people trying to learn music in 2018 and warn that without immediate action we may not find the David Bowies, Adeles, Ed Sheerans, Sheku Kanneh-Masons or Alison Balsoms of the future.
Creative United, OHMI, Drake Music and OpenUp Music have announced a collaboration to come together for the first time to help tackle the crisis in music education, calling on the government to help at least 25,000 families over the next 4 years and to provide musical instruments for both disabled and non-disabled children and young people across the country.
The new collaboration was officially announced by the consortium alongside Andrew Miller, the Government's Disability Champion for the Arts and Culture Sector, as part of Creative United's celebration event at Bush Hall on March 12th, which marked the 10th anniversary of 'Take it away', the Arts Council backed scheme from Creative United which provides interest free loans for the purchase of musical instruments.
Here's a picture of some people you might recognise on the evening, for your amusement!
Here's a great picture of John Kelly's amazing performance. (Image credits: Jonathan Lappin)
Andrew Miller said: "I fully recognise the need to support young disabled talent at every step of their careers in music. The classical music sector has undoubtedly been slow in demonstrating support for disabled people wishing to enter the profession. I therefore welcome this collaborative initiative as a positive step forward to inclusion."
The group aim to make musical instruments more widely available to aspiring young musicians across the UK, and particularly to disabled people for whom playing a conventional musical instrument may be difficult or impossible. The Take it away scheme has already helped over 90,000 families and individuals gain access to instruments through the provision of £63m of interest free loans in the last 10 years.
Average wages and disposable incomes have remained stagnant in recent years, meaning young people are being increasingly priced out of, or for disabled people – not included in, music education. Recent figures from the Incorporated Society of Musicians' show that the average cost of private tuition is now £31ph across the UK, or £40ph in central London. Including the instrument itself, that means the cost of fully learning an instrument can be around £30-40,000.
The cost of inventing and building new instruments and accessible musical technology to take away disabling barriers can cost as little as a few hundred pounds, or upwards of £10,000, depending on what the musician wants and needs. For example, a flute adapted so it can be played with one hand can cost around £5,000, and a saxophone around £15,000.
With statutory music education now absent from the national curriculum beyond Key Stage 3, the opportunities for young people to discover and develop as musicians are increasingly scarce and government figures confirm this, showing that the number of teenagers participating in music in England is now at its lowest ever level.
Mary-Alice Stack, Chief Executive of Creative United said: "It's never been harder for teenagers to become musicians and there's never been fewer of them doing it; we need the government to work with us to act now to ensure that the opportunities for young people to develop their creative talents, including the opportunity to learn and enjoy music making, is open to all."
Violinist Min Kym, the youngest ever foundation scholar at the Royal College of Music said:
Music and mastering the violin have been and continue to be integral parts of my life. They helped me bridge the gap between my native Korean culture and the culture of contemporary Britain that I was growing up in. I really hope both able bodied and disabled kids across Britain don't lose access to such a life changing opportunity that learning an instrument can be. As a younger woman, I didn't dream about meeting my perfect man; I dreamt that one day I would find my violin – I would find 'the one."
Carien Meijer, Chief Executive, Drake Music said: "We are proud to shout about the value and importance of access to music for everyone in our society. Music of all forms enriches our lives and culture. Disabled people need a broader variety of accessible instruments to open up new avenues of musical expression. Working together on initiatives like this and innovating with new technology will lead us to a future where everyone can make music, using instruments which haven't even been imagined yet."
Stephen Hetherington, founder of OHMI: "In music, progress towards full access for disabled people lags far behind just about every other area of life. Creative United's initiative in bringing together government and key organisations is a most important step forward."
Barry Farrimond, CEO, OpenUp Music said "It's often said that music is the universal language, but unfortunately, a great many disabled people continue to be left out of the conversation. Music is strengthened by the diversity of those who make it and it is absolutely essential that anyone who wants to make music has the instruments and opportunities they need to enable them to progress."


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After suffering a humiliating 1-4 series loss against England, the legendary Indian batsman Sunil Gavaskar has reckoned that Virat Kohli still has a lot of learning to do in terms of captaincy.
As a batsman, Kohli may have covered himself in glory in England but the series loss has ensured that the spotlight has now shifted to Kohli the captain.
"He still has a lot to learn. Like we saw in South Africa earlier and now in England too, there were instances when right field placements or timely bowling changes made by him could have made a big difference. That was missing again. It has just been two years since he took over as a captain so at times the lack of experience shows," Gavaskar said.
However, Gavaskar backed Kohli over his much-publicised reaction on whether the current team is the best traveling side in the last 15 years. He said that the question was justified, but the timing was quite inappropriate.
"That was the probably the wrong time to ask him that question. Virat must have been hurting from the defeat. Maybe the reporter was perfectly justified in asking that but I don't think any captain would have responded with "you are right but we are wrong" statement," he said.
Gavaskar also shared that no one should read too much into Virat'sreaction and also expressed that Shastri's intention was not to insult the teams and players of yesteryear.


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Dear Camila,
Everyone always talks about their nieces and nephews, posts cute pictures with them for their birthdays or holidays and I was left wondering what this was like. But thanks to you now I will find out, and let me tell you I CANT WAIT!!
I might know absolutely nothing about being an aunt or what I'm supposed to do, but know that I will be the coolest aunt you could ever wish for, or at least I will try my hardest. I will teach you everything about life so as you grow older you will know how to deal with every situation. I will teach you how to dance to Spanish music and how to do your makeup. I'll even let you do mine if you wish to! And you won't ever be broke, because I will always have your back.
But most importantly, I look forward to being a role model. I can't wait to be someone you go to for advice when you need it most, because I will always be there even if you just need to vent. Whether it's friendship or relationship advice, you can learn from my mistakes. I'm a phone call away in the middle of the day or at 2 am. And I will always stick up for you. When your parents say no or your friends disappoint you, mine will be the shoulder you can cry on. I promise to love you with every part of my heart.
And when the time comes, I will do your makeup and get you ready for prom. You will be the prettiest girl there. I will have all the answers you need when you feel like you can't ask your mom a certain thing. I'm both your aunt and your friend, and your secrets are safe with me. And if you decide to play any sport, I will be your #1 fan. You don't need to worry because I will make sure you become a cheerleader, I promise.
Although I have some competition on who is going to be your favorite aunt, I have no doubt that it will be me (lol). I'll definitely be the cool aunt. So that being said, I can't wait for everything that is about to come. I count down the days to finally meet you, to finally hold you and hear your laughter. Also, to find out what its like to love a little person more than anything and anyone. But most importantly, knowing that it can begin any day now.
"Only an Aunt can give hugs like a mother, keep secrets like a sister, and love like a friend."
I Love You already,
Auntie Beatriz, xoxo


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My last few posts have dealt with concepts known as vertical, horizontal and diagonal. Because vertical is defined as the direction of the pull of gravity, it raises the question, On what does the gravity pull? Or where? We had to invent a concept called the center of gravity.
For the purposes of calculation, we define this as a point where the mass of the item is concentrated This is NOT necessarily the geometric center of the item.
For example, this photo clearly shows that the center of gravity on this car that was NOT in the center of the hoist!
Can we use math to find out what went wrong? I think we can. First we need some facts.
This is a Lotus Elise.
The car weighs 1700 lbs.
The length is 150 lbs.
The wheelbase is 90 inches.
About 32 inches of overhang on the front, and 28 on the back.
The front wheels carry 590 lbs of weight (empty gas tank).
The back wheels carry 1060 lbs of weight.
OK, that should be enough.
Here's an outline of the car, with a big black blob showing the location of the heavy engine. Two-thirds of the weight of the car is on the rear wheels when it is unladen (no people, little gas).
The red spots show where the car is lifted by a jack when you have a flat tire.
The orange in the back shows the alternative lift point when you have to raise the entire car. Notice how much farther back it is on the car, underneath the engine.
I've simplified the drawing by taking out the car and using a wedge instead. This is an estimate to show how the weight is distributed. It allows you to see the vertical red line (center of the car, and center point of the flat tire lifting points). The vertical orange line shows the center of gravity, the point about which the weight is equally balanced.
To raise this car safely, you need to position the rear lift on the orange position.
Or as the shop found out, when you take off a front wheel the car falls off the hoist.
Or a wall may fall down.


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Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (UPERC) has recently announced the draft regulation for Rooftop Solar Photo Voltaic 2019. The draft regulations once notified by the Gazette will supersede "UPERC (Rooftop Solar PV Grid Interactive Systems Gross / Net Metering) Regulations, 2015." The key highlights from the regulations are as below:
- The maximum peak capacity of the rooftop solar system can't exceed 100% of the sanctioned load/connected load/ contract load of the consumer.
- The capacity of the grid-connected rooftop solar PV shall not be less than 1kWp and not more than 2MWp.
- Eligible consumers can install the system under either gross-metering or net-metering arrangement.
- For third-party owners entering into a commercial agreement for the rooftop in the premises of the consumers will have to go via a gross-metering method with the DISCOM.
- The third-party owners entering into commercial or lease agreement for the rooftop in the premises of a group of consumers will have to take the net-metering arrangement with the DISCOM.
- Any eligible consumer or third-party owner availing gross-metering arrangement will not be allowed to apply for net-metering within the same premise.
- In order to provide flexibility to rooftop solar power consumer, a provision of mutual sale & purchase of electricity through a peer-to-peer transaction with proper accounting & billing mechanism using blockchain technology to be introduced.
- Any consumer claiming Accelerated Depreciation benefits on the rooftop solar projects will only be eligible to avail net-metering arrangement.
Apart from the above points, the regulation talks about energy accounting & settlement, meter arrangement, application procedure, and registration processes. The regulation also has attached to it various formats of application forms for the consumers.


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- Details
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- Customer Reviews
Peppy Five Wooden Toy
Wooden toys are light-weight, beautiful and are coloured in playful hues to make these wooden toys for toddlers eye-catching to stimulate sight.
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Approx Delivered Date Is 20.07.2020, ?
Peppy Five Wooden Toy
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CTGNBy Jerry OmondiSaturday June 8, 2019
The UK officially opened a training facility in Somalia on Saturday for the Somali National Army (SNA), as the Horn of African country readies to take up security responsibilities.
The British Embassy in Somalia announced that "the new centre will help develop Somali led security forces & promote long term stability and security in the country."
The training facility is based in Baidoa, the capital of Bay region in Southern Somalia.
Somalia has been dogged by an Islamist insurgency for over a decade, perpetrated by al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Shabaab. The terror group has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions others.
With gains made in the fight, various security agencies including the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) plan to systematically withdraw the troops from the Horn of African country.
The withdrawal of AMISOM troops is due to start from October, with the force expected to be fully out of the country by December 2020, handing over to the SNA.
Defeating al-Shabaab is a key agenda in President Mohamed Abdullahi's government, one he has expressed confidence he will achieve.


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Hi, I'm a new member here and posting on behalf of Peter Nowson, who was recently diagnosed with terminal Mesothelioma (a rare form of Asbestos induced Lung Cancer).
Peter worked on the refurbishment of Crosshill Reservoir in August & September 1975 as the Site Engineer. The works were to line the edges of the Reservoir, build a new Concrete Overflow, and replace some of the old pipes & valves in the Valve House, which was also demolished.
He doesn't remember any surnames of the people that he worked with but remembers them as :
Big Duncan – the Site Foreman who worked as a Bouncer in a local bar / night club & who could pick up a bag of cement in each arm & then run uphill.
Mick (possibly), his mate who was also a Bouncer but not as big as Duncan.
Two or three ground-workers who did all of the stone work to the reservoirs
The Excavator driver, a youngish owner, who got the machine bogged in a soft peat area up to the top of its wheels but who managed to get it out with again..
Two carpenters from Glasgow area, one older one young who did the reinforcing & shuttering for the concrete works as well as helping with other things
The Engineers' on Site Representative (possibly Colin) known as the RE is believed to have worked for Messrs Robert Cuthbertson, Engineers who have subsequently been taken over by AECOM of Edinburgh.
If you are one of these or know someone who is, particularly anyone who worked on freeing up and/or changing the two valves in the stone built little Valve House, then do please get in touch or ask them to contact me.
Peter also suggests that if you have not done so recently, please ask for a CT scan at the local hospital to see if there is any sign of any lung or pleural cancer forming or already formed. Hopefully not.
With thanks and best wishes to all who Peter worked with. Kind regards firstname.lastname@example.com


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Tongue Tied and Fluent
On Life Matters with Hilary Harper
We think of ourselves as a multicultural country, but not necessarily a multilingual one. Yet, around 300 languages are spoken in Australia on any given day.
A new five-part series called Tongue Tied and Fluent exploring multilingual Australia airs this Saturday on RN's Earshot. It features the voices of many Australians who speak more than one language.
Sheila Pham, Earshot co-producer
Duration: 10min 54sec


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Managing your money before, during and after travel
From understanding what currency to pay in when using your card to managing leftover foreign cash, here's how to get the most out of your money while overseas.
Before you head overseas
Remember to sort out your spending money in the weeks leading up to your trip. Depending on your situation and where you're travelling, you may prefer to take cards or travel money. You may also want to take a mixture of both.
Explore more: Should you use travel money or a card overseas?
Make a note of your bank's overseas number so you can get in contact if something happens while you're away. HSBC customers can phone +44 1442 422929 from abroad.
During your trip
Choose to pay in local currency
When shopping, eating out in restaurants or withdrawing cash, you may be asked if you want to pay in pounds sterling instead of the local currency. This is called dynamic currency conversion (DCC). You'll almost always be charged a higher exchange rate for choosing to pay in pounds sterling and the merchant may add on extra conversion fees.
If you choose to pay in the local currency, the exchange rate will be set by Visa or Mastercard and will in most cases be lower.
Explore more: Should you pay in local currency?
Don't keep all your money in one place
Consider storing your cards and cash separately to reduce the risk of them all being lost or stolen if something goes wrong. If you have one available, use a safe if you don't need to take all your money or documents out with you.
Budget your spending
Regardless of whether you're using cards or travel money, it can be a good idea to give yourself a daily budget for spending while you're away. By setting a reasonable target, you can ensure that when you come home you're not stressed about money and in need of a holiday all over again.
Explore more: How to create a budget
Contact your bank immediately if your cards are stolen
It's important to keep your cards in sight and in your possession at all times. If your cards are lost or stolen while you're away, you should tell your bank as soon as you realise so they can cancel them.
If you need emergency money abroad, some banks will arrange for cash to reach you to tide you over until you get home.
If you're an HSBC customer, you can temporarily block/freeze your card while abroad. If your card is lost or stolen call us on +44 1442 422929 or you can temporarily freeze or block your card with our mobile banking app.
After you get home
If you've got any surplus cash, what can you do with it when you get back to the UK?
If you'll be travelling to a country where that currency is used in the near future, you can choose to hold on to the money for when you travel there next.
If another trip isn't on the cards, you can exchange your excess foreign currency back into pounds sterling with an organisation that sells foreign currency such as HSBC if you're an HSBC customer. These transactions are often referred to as 'buy backs'.


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Copy editors around the world are struggling to write headlines that are accurate in a rapidly changing political landscape, and many are getting flak for calling white racists and anti-Semites what they are now calling themselves: "the alt-right." Normally, calling someone what they call themselves — such as "environmental activist" — is reasonable, and if it is not, an editor might add "self-styled" or "so-called" to the description, and that would be enough. But we are living in an era when the ugly and the hateful is being rebranded and more to the point, renamed.
Yesterday, the AP Stylebook issued guidelines on using the term "alt-right," including "avoid using it generically and without definition." The stylebook, which guides writers, editors, and students in correct usage, and which is widely used by reporters around the globe, took the unusual step of defining "alt-right" — something that might be the territory of a dictionary editor as opposed to a style guide. Here's the AP definition:
"alt-right" — An offshoot of conservatism mixing racism, white nationalism and populism; a name currently embraced by some white supremacists and white nationalists to refer to themselves and their ideology, which emphasizes preserving and protecting the white race in the United States in addition to, or over, other traditional conservative positions such as limited government, low taxes and strict law-and-order.
Interestingly, the AP does not include "anti-Semitism" in its definition or in its guidelines, which go on for several paragraphs. The closest it comes to acknowledging anti-Semitism is when it states that the alt-right can be neo-Nazi, and by defining neo-Nazism this way:
neo-Nazism — Combines racist and white supremacist beliefs with admiration for an authoritarian, totalitarian style of government such as the German Third Reich to enforce its beliefs.
It is certainly astonishing to see a definition of neo-Nazism that does not include any mention of the Jewish people, a primary target of a massive extermination effort under the Third Reich. As for "alt-right," the man who claims to have coined the term, Richard Spencer, infamously wondered "whether Jews are even human." If that's not anti-Semitism, I don't know what is.
The AP omits something else, something crucial: the unease with the term "alt-right" is part of a larger battle of what to call a lie. Is it that the President-elect "falsely claims," or is it "alleges," or "tweeted without providing any corroboration for the allegation," the last of which is how The Wall Street Journal referred, in its Twitter feed on Sunday, to Donald Trump's claim that "millions" of illegal immigrants had voted in the election.
The way back to a standard of truth is to reclaim the language, word by word. With a term like "alt-right," the first step is to fact-check what "alt-right" is the alternative of. It's an "alternative" to empirical reality, replacing it with the conspiracy theory that those "other" people, who are simultaneously less than you, are also sufficiently powerful to ruin your economy and disorient your culture.
But beyond the absurd intimation that racism and anti-Semitism are somehow new ideas, it's also interesting to break down the term "alt-right" and think about the evolution of the word "alternative" and why its usage in this particular context is dangerous.
In the 90's, "alternative" meant a form of rock music that was not the classic version; in other words, alternative was a kind of cool. In the aughts, "alternative medicine" meant herbs, massage, oils, and usually, some sort of non-Western pathway to physical and spiritual good health; that "alternative" was a kind of healing. But the musical and healthful connotations of "alternative" have nothing to do with what is going on when a group of white racists raise their arms in Nazi salute as they recite "Hail Trump" in downtown Washington, DC, as The New York Times reported — and quote from Nazi propaganda in the original German.
Make no mistake: the "alt-right" certainly is an alternative to democracy and the cherished American idea that "all men are created equal." What is happening is political, but it is also linguistic. As the U.S. Holocaust Museum warned: "The Holocaust did not begin with killing; it began with words."
It's an essential warning, but I'd narrow it further. What matters right now is not just words but names. Jews of all people should be very alert and aware of the power of a name, because the story of the Jewish people is in part a story of naming and renaming. Consider the book of Genesis, in which God renames Avram, making him Avraham; and eventually we read of Avraham's grandson Yaakov, who comes into the world holding onto his brother's heel through the birth canal, becomes Yisrael, or Israel, which is a combination of a verb that means "to rule" in the future tense — yisrah — and el, a noun that means God. Jacob (Yaakov) didn't just fight with the angel, he overcame him, and so ruled over a creature more powerful than he. What transformed the patriarchs was their encounter with God, giving their lives a new resonance.
By contrast, what has transformed disturbing elements in society was their encounter with irrelevance. The KKK had been discredited, with its membership dwindling from the millions it boasted ninety years ago, when governors and judges and legislators were eager for their support. "White supremacist" was too obvious; it was time for a new look — young and fresh, with a better haircut — and above all, a new name. It's a strategy as old as the Bible, an idea used by Jacob as he wrestled to become Israel.
Jews, of all people, must be especially conscious of the role of names in survival. The rabbis suggest that one of the reasons the Jews managed to leave slavery in Egypt is that they held onto their names. The Book of Isaiah includes God himself saying that he will leave the people of Israel yad vashem — a monument and a name. That is the source of the name of the famed Holocaust museum in Israel.
One of the first ways to destroy identity is to deny a person his or her given name, as in slavery; we must never forget that the Nazis replaced names with numbers. But we also must remember that the way to build identity is to name — and rename. That is the true danger of letting racists and anti-Semites name themselves, and to let them dictate the headlines. We must take a cue from the God of the Bible, from Sarah and from Jacob, and hold onto our power to name.
It's not just the AP that can get into this arena. I give the AP credit for recognizing the damaging possibilities of using a term dreamed up by a man who questions whether Jews are people. But we need to insist on truth. Instead of "alt-right" in a headline, I suggest "racists." For those with more space than a tight headline, elaboration is a good thing, as the AP points out. Certainly, "white racists who declare Jews and gays threats to society" is appropriate when that is what interviewees are actually saying. We should insist that reporters report the facts.
We should also be honest with ourselves. We're dealing with racists and anti-Semites, and occasionally racist anti-Semite thugs who have defaced cemeteries, playgrounds, and private homes in recent weeks. We have to admit that the ugly is not experiencing a rebranding; it is also, as I write this, relocating, and showing up in places that certainly thought they were immune to this stuff; my high-school classmate discovered a swastika in a playground on the Upper West Side of Manhattan and posted photos of it on Facebook; meanwhile, a Constitutional law scholar received hate mail — "you must got your kike ass kicked…Juden Raus!" and an Oberlin College computer-science professor came home to a door that said "Gas Jews die." Jewish journalists have been harassed on Twitter for the duration of the Trump campaign, with many receiving images of ovens.
We need a term for this stuff, and we need it soon: I'm open to suggestions. Some possibilities to consider: "hate plague," or perhaps "jerkification," instead of that other subject we used to talk about pre-election in neighborhoods like the Upper West Side or Cambridge, Massachusetts—"gentrification."
My mother sees it more starkly. She says we have a large neighbor we didn't know we had, called hatred.
Hatred definitely covers it, but so does racist anti-Semite or racist anti-Semite thug. It might be time for a nice, concise acronym — hopefully something that will become widely used. We can make use of the first letters of "racist" "anti-Semite" and "thug," and play with the order. RAT, for Racist Anti-Semitic Thug, has possibilities, and so does RASH — Racist Anti-Semitic Hater. What's nice about RAT is that it can also be used for Racist Anti-Gay Thug or Racist Anti-Woman Thug, though RAWT isn't bad either, since it's close to rot, said with a heavy accent.
The neighbor we did not know was there, hatred, is benefiting from our linguistic confusion as well as our general shock. Whether it's a word or an acronym, I hope the Jewish community leads the way in guarding the honesty and accuracy of text. Let's join the AP in making style a question of substance—because when it comes to rebranding hatred, words certainly hide truth. Orwell warned us that political language "is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable." Whatever we do, let's do our part to make sure lies sound like lies and truth sound like truth. Let's name what we see, and let's not let others name us.
What AP Gets Wrong About the Alt-Right — And What We Can Do About It
Aviya Kushner is The Forward's language columnist. She is the author of "The Grammar of God" (Spiegel & Grau, 2015). Follow her on Twitter, @aviyakushner
What AP Gets Wrong About the Alt-Right — And What We Can Do About It


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