Francesca in France

We went to South Harbor via a rented FX taxi (800 pesos) Antipolo-South Harbor Manila.
We checked inside the Super Ferry boat and we took our accommodations (Michel and I) were in State room and the kids were in the orange accommodations with aircon, but with a hundred others.

Michel went to the front desk and asked if there’s another suiteroom for the kids. The attendant lobby said none, but they can have them all transfered to a tourist accomodation, open ,also but seperated compartments of 6 bunk beds.
We took it, for 700 pesos plus each passengers' upgrade accommodations than with hundred others.Its not full the ferry boat, but still, we want them secure next to us.

If a passenger do not like the acomodation they paid, they can upgrade it in the lobby when the boat started moving to its destination. But then make sure, you will get it, because some does their upgrading of beds also, some impose by going to the chosen accomodation even not yet approved by the lobby personnel.Those who did upgdrade thier accomodations are mostly the tourists class.Choosy lots, like us, LOL!

We eat our packed lunch of rice,adobo meat and fried tilapia with ripe mangoes and buko juice ,sarap, mantika na naman nguso namin, LOL SHHH! in the terrasse of the state room while viewing the boat moving out of the harbor of Manila, then later watched tv, as the room has sattelite câble.
Suite room cost 2,800 pesos(40 euros) for two persons for 15 hours trip, excluding meals) while tourist accomodation cost 1500 (30 euros) each person. On the whole its better take a suite room if available and if for two passengers, than taking a tourist accomodation in open to public bunk beds.

The trip goes like this. Manila-Catiklan-Boracay. 15 hours by the sea.

But, we learned from the bell boy of the boat , that the weather was so bad in Catiklan,, we cannot land in Catiklan port so we end up three hours more trip to Dumaguit. We arrived at 6am the next day, we have to take a shuttle bus, provided by the ferry to go to Catiklan. It took us one and a half hour ride(Dumaguit to Catiklan).My bombom aches for the hard seats of the shuttle bus! We are 21 passengers , mostly local and few tourists.

Arriving Catiklan,we will take a boat to another Island called Boracay, so we paid the entrance and invironmental fees of 52(.90€) pesos at the Catiklan boat station, plus a 19.50 pesos (.30€)boat ride of 15 minutes to Boracay (Boat Station 3).Thats the fee for one person .

Then we took two tricycles(200pesos or 3€) to the Resort we booked in advance. The children has the room of their own, with two huge bed, bath tub , kitchen, ref, tv and terrasse facing the sea . They were happy at Casa Camilla as Bill gave them a nice seaview room. The weather is gloomy, and windy, but the air is warm.Despite the storm, the sea is still blue in color.
There's no available seaview room for me and Michel at CasaCamilla, because they got guests occupying it, so we end up to a nearby resort. Its good also and we find a restaurant with wifi (wireless internet connection) and its very useful to update my blog and communicate /answers my emails without having to run half a mile for it.


For lunch, we ordered from a vendor for somme alimango, (huge crab)includes spices (coconut milk, ginger, onions, and rice). The resort do not offer meals, as they explained, its non peak season, not to many guests, so they close the restaurant . They said, we can Cook our meals in the kitchen if we need one.Its better and cheaper.

Eh, voila. I treat my kids to Boracay, because, my children Margie, 18 and Jojo, 17 will be in France soon (we checked their visa at OMI(immigration in France) before going to Phils and its on the way, OMI said. They assured me, petition was not rejected.
They will be leaving their elder sister Lorraine soon ,she is 21 years old , so she do not avail anymore the regroupement familial France offers.This Boracay trip is to have a good souvenir with one another. And they really like the trip, despite its all gloomy today. One even jump inside the warm bath tub IMMEDIATLY and urged one another to jump to the sea quick! LOL

Yon na. More na lang as the days passed by. We are staying 5 days, here. Hope we can have a bit of sunshine. Euros changed in Manila is 65 pesos and here in Boracay its 64.There’s Andoks chicken BBQ for 250 pesos(3€) and boat ride island hopping is 1,800 (30€)pesos for 6 persons. There's malls, groceries, market, eat all you can resto,for 3€ lots of koreans and japanese, there's five star hotels accom and lots of resorts everywhere.

Not bad.

Jori’s tip of taking the resort upon arriving is the best. We got a lot of choices here, and cheaper than internet. Some do not advertise in the net, but really got better offers and clean rooms.Some useful tips to those who plan to go here, if non peak season June to September, take/book one night first, then once here, look around , there's a lot to chose.

Bill’s Casa Camilla sea-view room is clean and big.So is Coral Blue Resort nearby. Both near the beach, just ten steps away.In case you visit Boracay and would prefer to stay quiet in the night, this is your place because it is far from the actions of the area. We dont need to fight the crowd for a seat or follow a queue.

And with Wifi connections next to both resorts,available at the Blue Mango Restaurant.
Weather is: roughly 25° with showers from time to time.Sea water is warm.We are staying a week more here, back in Manila on Monday August 7. Haba!




BORACAY TRIP 07/30/06

Source: Abante ,by Jesus Sison.
Worth mentioning, as this a reality of life in Philippines.
Hope my readers will not be put off. LOL
I apologize for the inconvenience.

Here it goes:

Juan dela Cruz has SONA 3.No rosy figures like SONA 1, no attacks like SONA 2. Its his voice of complaints with accompanying facts: prices, employment and income. What's the situation now with commodities? Since 2002, the inflation (high cost of living, but salary is low) doubles (7.2% from 3.1%). Due to high price of oil., low production of agriculture (2%), and uncontrolable increase of population (2.3%).

Hard to find work here. Each filipino cant find a decent work.One out of ten filipino work as "all work,no pay" because they work as family workers, meaning free board and lodging but no salary. Yes, the governement create 803,000 jobs (year 2005), but not enough to one million work for the graduates that enters into labor force every year. It was a better job situation last 2001 where 2 million jobs were available.

The gross domestic product (5%) of Philippines is the slowest among Asean region. The commerce and agriculture is boomimg but only 116,000 of them (in bank at financial institutions) and 337,000 only (in mining) made profits. Agriculture industry has 12 millon workers but do not increase their profits in farming.


On the whole Juan de la Cruz cannot keep up to his basic needs.His life is not getting better .His situation is not good.His and families'future is not sure .In surveys hunger , malnutrition and and poverty are growing. Its worrying situation. We put together State of the Nation (SONA 1, 2 and 3: this is the true state of the nation.

Thats how I see the reality in Philippines now, but it will not ruin our holidays to Boracay, lol.There are still places to enjoy in Philippines, despite all.
At least we helped a bit to tourism on its lowest season.

Meanwhile, my children are over excited of the trip, Michel bought a red jacket (wind cheater} for the boat trip. I asked him, why red? He said: In case the boat sinks,Catiklan to Boracay, he can be spotted in the water...
Still raining here in Manila, hope tomorrow it would be better.

Meng, wish you are here.

In Glorietta Makati! Ang saya saya. There's
Marie
.,
Girlie

They are my co bloggers.

And Marichu, sits next with Michel, she got her spouse visa to France last Tuesday, a day to celebrate, and she would try to join us on August 13 back to France via Emirates. She will be going to Metz, France
.

And Francine, I was impressed, she speaks better french language than I do!Good work, girls,Congrats ! Also,they promised to meet me upon learning that I ll be home, and they did!

We have all the laughs from 12-4pm and mostly our silliness on blogging, and some jokes here and there. Non stop!

Michel was happy to be joined by beautiful Asiatic ladies! He appreciate the efforts of the girls, and hopefully to see them again before we leave on August 13.
Thank you, Marie
., Girlie
., Marichu and Francine.


Photos:
Lunch with girls, Manila today

And we have a reception comittee typhoon "Glenda" welcoming us in the airport.
Takbo, we run or else we will get a nice shower.

But before going to that details, Cel, the filipina who went home with us has so much anticipations, nervoussness mixed with excitement on the last evening.

Saturday night she called me at 11 pm! I was still with Michel and his Boss in Italy, having dinner!

She said, she cant sleep, three nights now! I told her to take a shower, get a good meal with tea and go to bed! ! !

Sunday, 8 am, she called again if I am already awake! Hahaha. She said, she will be taking the Bus to go to airport. Michel offered to pick her up, and we dropped her at the airport at 10:30 am. We went home to pack our luggage too and arrived at the airport an hour before take off.
With Emirates, we avail the online check in(choosing the best seats we (me ,michel and cel) can have, via internet) so the time we are at the airport, we just check in our luggage in counter. We even choose we are three together in a row, with window seats, before the Emirates counter opens!Good eh? The joys of technology. The stewardess was surprised we were checked in before she does, and Michel said, we helped you with the work...
The Emirates personnel was laughing!
Going back to Cel:
At last she got the stamp on her passport,departure and date and airport, first time!She would even want to ask more stamps(three at least!) from the french immigration, LOL.
But its a serious business, hehe, so we told her: MOve on, nokaba! I pushed her to scanning of luggages, LOL

At the airplane we gave her the window seat. When plane took off, she took photos of the Nice Airport, Rome Airport, Dubai Airport, and Manila Airport.Even in Dubai its already dark, she took a photo, the camera captured the plane window, not the airport, lol!
Sige lang, as she is too excited, we just let her.

She was impressed of Emirates Airlines, I told her to register as skywards miles member. The food, the accomodations, the drinks were all beyond her expectations.We talk a lot in the plane, until Manila she was counting the hours, then sleep a bit, then wake up and ask the time again.Michel was shaking his head during the trip.

I was so protected to her, that I even went almost to a fight inside the plane.

Its time for breakfast, lights are on and in front of Cel, the passenger on front is still sleeping and her seat reclined, so CEL at her back cannot eat properly. I asked the cabin crew to tell the passenger to straighten her seat. The cabin crew said: "No, she is still sleeping."(sorry, tulog pa po eh!) It gets me mad! Because the La Miss is still sleeping, Cel cannot have a proper meal? So I told the cabin crew in a slightly loud tone,( yes, louder tone )like this: "Hey, that Lady that still sleeps do not pay the two seats huh!" The cabin crew said, "okey Mam, just dont make a scene." Voila, she can do it after all. When the sleeping ugly(not beauty hehe ) wakes up, she is a Kana( white skin forigner). Ah, now I got it. The cabin crew didnt want to wake her up because she is a Kana (White) and Cel can take her breakfast, like that, a back seat on her face, because the La Miss is a white Kana!Really, it gets me! Cabin crews always wokes up filipinos during eating time, I saw them, but if it is a white, no, they have to give the bests to a white. It boils me..!
Taray ko, girls, when I spot racism, inis ako!

Any way, Cel , a very nice lady said, its okey.The Kana was quiet!Hehe. She complains, she cannot land at the airport, hehe. She is in my land na, LOL
Now thats racism... Hahaha!

Photos of Kadramahan: ng ating bida!


JULY 23, 2006 Going home to Phils

Disaster! LOL

I arrived at work at 5 pm and my employer told me: There's a Thai cook coming to do the menus, so just look how she does the cooking and get some ideas.
Shock ako! She took a Thai! But as she is my Boss, what can you do, she told me to just look, I look!

6pm, no Thai cook arrived. 7pm, still none.Madame starts to get worried, so she called her. She said she's coming... I got my eyebrows arched, she is not on the dot, hehe, not a good impression.

7:30 PM, she arrived. Hehe, Thai cuisinier? Nooo! A filipina.
Hmmn, Thai pala huh!
I am not against her being a filipina, but to pretend she is a Thai, I am very sorry. I didnt reveal her to my employer as a filipina, quiet lang me, but merong disagreements on the preparation of menus, LOL.
Yoko sali, tingin lang ako. (I dont join the discussions, I was just at the side looking looking.

Madame checked her menu. Ngek, she brought chicken when Madame wanted her to cook fish and shrimps. Cant buy fish and shrimps anywhere, she told Madame. No, Madame said, its not true, we got the Big grocery in Monaco.Its just ten minutes away.

Complaints as they discuss:

Complaints No.1 no fish and shrimps for the evening of 8 guests, but chicken curry and rice.
Complaints No.2 The spring rolls is not fresh made, it was bought frozen... LOL
Complaints No.3 The salad and other veges are not fresh, it was bought ready made plastic pouch.
Complaints No.4 The chicken is cheap rubbish, Madame eats BIO Farm Chicken.
Complaints No.5 The tomatoes for salad is dried and old, good for tomatoe sauce.
Complaints No.6 The aperitif were chips and nuts.She explains the spring rolls is her best aperitif. Frozen?
Complaints No. 7 The rice is precooked, frozen.
Complaints No. 8 The chicken she used(cooked) is Madame's Bio Chicken . Madame paid her 30 euros per head total 240 euros,INCLUDES Thai aperitif,food and desserts.

Complaints No.9 She brought as first course meal to serve, the salad and tomatoes from the fridge of Madame, with her(filipinas') frozen Pork BBQ bought from Asiatic Store.
Complaints No.10 She is not pleasant,i am not lying, she reasoned with Madame.Madame insist, I dont eat frozen and low quality foods, take it home all you brought.

Complaints No.11 And it was late to cook, its 7:30 pm, VIP guests arrived at 8pm!
What a mess! ! !

As Madame do not want to spoil the evening, she helped manage the presentable food for the guests.
I did the serving of champagne and Madame made aperitifs, meanwhile the "Thai chef" is in the kitchen cooking her Thai specialty, the chicken curry while sulking... !

When she was done, she told me, she wants to go home and off she went, leave me all the Mess she did in the kitchen. My kitchen was like Lebanon attacked by Israel!

Yes. She cook, and sulk, and then leave me her mess. Nice eh? She rake in the pay for the evening and off she goes. She said : see you tomorrow.
By the way, she even take home some of her chicken curry menu and rice.

When Madame saw her doing it, Madame told me: what a refugee!

Meanwhile , as she left me all her mess in the kitchen, I finish at 11:30 pm

Okey siya na kababayan ano?

Next two nights, she will still be the cook...as she told me she was hired three nights.

I will post topic next two nights, whats going on.
What's your guess?

Here's some of my Photos of Monaco, Montecarlo.
Tara na rito sa !
Monaco, Montecarlo

Today , I read in yahoo page the topic: what to do when your daughter is dating a CREEP. Hehe, its a disaster, I suppose. Imagine, we parents trained our children to be wise, and end up with a creep! A creep , girls is a person, who parents cannot stand, slimy, cannot be agreed upon, meaning, unacceptable by parents standard for their daughter to be with.

Hmmnn...
My daughter is 21 years old, and she got a BF, living together and for 6 years now, go along with nicely. He is not fantastic chap, no work, been working in Jolibee but resigned to take care our internet shop together with my daughter. He is very very nice person and respectful. Some asked me if they dont plan to get married soon. I turn the question to my daughter. She answered : Ma,for me marriage is not all the answers to a relationship.There's always a right time for that...

Hmmmn, my daughter becomes wise...

Today, I will work at 5pm to 9pm. Serving dinner, what else. So I stayed online the whole day .I discussed with my children about our homecoming. They are all excited, not becasue of the chocolates, but the promise that WE ALL GO TO BORACAY!
.


Babaw nila, LOL

We found a superferry trip manila-catiklan for 1200 pesos(20 euros) per person roundtrip supervalue (open ocean air) accomodation.

Manila-Catiklan , Aklan, has 15 hours sail in the sea.
EXCITING! Then if there's storm... More exciting! Hahaha!
Dont worry , I dont know how to swim, but I can cry HEEEELLLLP!

Super ferry promo ends daw July 21 and the sailing trip would be month of August. Its rainy season, who would go to the the sea on those dates? But we dare. LOL Michel and I, year 2003 experienced raining while swimming in Boracay beach and it was lovely. Rain was warm, the sea was warm.Feel na feel!

Kids are all eskayted! First time to be on a boat, then to Boracay! Haha! They told me, from then on, they will never sleep until the day arrives!

Nagka insomnia bigla.

And I got this accomodations, thanks to Bill and Lorna of Asawa forum.They email me this.

Option 1) standard ground floor air-conditioned room with kitchentte low season P1200/ night / 2 person times 2 rooms = P2400 + P500 / 2 extra persons times 5 nights= P14,500 minus 30% = TOTAL P10,150 ( U$195 ) NET

Option 2 ) New deluxe huge 2nd floor seaview rooms with 2 queen sized beds, large bathroom with bathtub, kitchen with Ref, rice cooker and open balcony with barbecue , 10 meters from the high tide mark. Low season rate P3500/ night / 2 persons + P500 / 2 extra persons times 2 rooms =P20,000 MINUS 30% discount= Total P14,000 ( U$269 ) NET

Wish ko :

kasama ko sana mga ka blogggers ko...Tara na !

Science cannot beat nature. Really! I was fascinated by how animals does their own way of mating ,breeding, nurturing their offsprings.

Lets see:

Seahorses:
When they mate, the female eggs will be deposited to the male seahorse'pouch.After few days, the male seahorse will carry around hundred baby seahorse. Few days more, he is ready to give birth.He has contraction too. Eventually, one by one he gave birth. Female seahorse does nothing...

Sana female seahorse na lang lahat ng Mommy all over the world, hehe...Then may cesarian din sa mga tatay, lol

Mice:
When it is mating period, the male mouse would have acts with a female mouse for two weeks. Non stop, day and night and no food intake. After two weeks, due to fatigue and hunger, the male mouse dies... The female mouse will give birth, a widow... Mother mice is all alone, baby mice, has no known father.
In human standing, they are all fatherless!!!? Its all Mama always...

Hamsters:
When the female hamster give birth, it is the male hamster that acts as the midwife. The male hamster will lick all the sticky slimy fluid out of the new born hamster babies, including the cutting of the cord. If mother hamster give birth to 5 baby hamsters, the father hamster will clean them all. After three hours of giving birth, they start having sex again...
Again?!
In human nature..., hmmmn I cant think anymore...! At least hindi na sila nag didivorce, nag aanulment, nag harap sa judge, walang anak na maapektuhan...

Toads:
When it is raining, the tadpoles are happy, they can swim until they will become little frogs or toads. But if summer comes and the field is dry, the father toad has a lot of work to do to survive his offsprings. He would hop and hop to look for a way for a canal to flow a drainage to have his baby tadpoles have a swim. The tadpoles are gasping as it is summer,cant survive in a dried up mud, the father toad would push back the mud to make a canal. When canal is done and water comes in, father toad is happy.

What a doting father!I find the toads better fathers that the fathers I knew of.

The praying mantis:
When they mate,while the male continues to put his seeds to the female mantis, the female mantis would eat the head off of the male while having the action.After few minutes, the male mantis dies.But he did his reproduction... The female eats him all, as the male mantis' body is needed to nourish the future babies...
Ehhhhk! If this happens to humans, it would be a womans' world! yehey...!

At least hindi na sila nag didivorce, nag aanulment, nag harap sa judge, walang anak na maapektuhan... And maybe the male mantis are brainless??

Isnt it fantastic how nature beats science?

It would be nice ,if some husbands have some of those animal nature/instincts...
I like the male seahorse. Thinking about men giving birth, LOL

If you would like men to have these animal qualities, what would it be, seahorse, mice, mantis, hamsters or toads?

Source: as seen in tv, Planet choc, BBC.

I made this blog for my friend DOLLY
.
She do not speak english.I learned french faster because of her.She is a very good friend.She had been telling me to translate my blog into french language.She would like to laugh too,like all of you, as she knows my blog is always funny...
Its hard to translate!But I would like to please her with this blog topic, so bear with me, girls.

My subject for today: To meditate
Please click translation box if want to know this topic in english. Thank you very much.
Okey, lets gooo..!
Si on pouvait réduire la population du monde en un village de 100 personnes tout en maintenant les proportions de tous les peuples existants sur la terre, ce village serait ainsi composé de:
57 asiatiques,21 européens,14 américains (nord, centre et sud) et 8 africains.
Il ya aurait:52 femmes ,48 hommes
30 blancs,70 non blancs
30 chretiens,70 non chretiens
89 hétérosexueles,11 homosexuels.

6 personnes possederait 59% de la richesse total et tous les 6 serait originaire des USA.

80 vivraient dans de mauvaises maison,70 seraient analphabétes,50 soufriraient de malnutrition,1 seraient en train de mourir,1 seraient en train de naitre, 1 posséderait un ordinateur, 1 (oui, un seulement)aurait un diplome universitaire.

Si on considére le monde de cette manière, le besoin d'accepter et de comprendre devient èvident.Prenez un consideration aussi ceci: Si vous vous levé ce matin,avec plus de sante que de maladie, vous etes plus chanceux que le million de personnes que verra pas la semaine prochaine.

1.Si vous n'avez été dans le danger d'une battaile, la solitude de l'imprisonnement, l'agonie de la torture,l'étau de la faim, vous etes mieux que 500 millions de personnes.

2.Si vous allez à l'eglise sans peur d'etre menacé, torturé et tué,vous avez une meilleure chance que 3 milliards de personnes.

4.Si vous avez la nourriture dans votre frigo,des habits sur vous,un toit sur votre téte et un endroit pour dormir, vous étes plus riche que les 73% d'habitants de la terre.

5.Si vous avez de l'argent à la banque,dans votre portefeuille et de la monnaie dans une petite boite, vous faite partie du 8% les plus privilégiés du monde.

6.Si vos parents sont encore vivants et toujours mariés, vous étes des personnes réellement rares.

7.Si vous lisez ce message, vous ne faites pas partie des deux milliards de personnes qui ne savent pas lire.

Alors, bien compris ce message? Soyez content et appreciez les petite choose que vous avez...

N'est pas?

Hectic are my schedules these two weeks coming.
Tomorrow, dinner with some french friends. Ala au revoir, sayonara, paalam, because we are going home to Manila.

Thursday,July 13 go to Marignan and Marseille until Monday, July 17.
Scheduled holiday relaxation for me and Lolo.We stay here.
.

Saturday July 22, Dinner with Michels' Boss and family at 7pm, Italy.
Sunday,July 23 our flight to Dubai then Manila.With my filipina friend, and she is a joker too, she wants to be fetched in Monaco! No way, because we got our friend Rosemarie to bring us to the airport. We will leave our car at home.
Here's my work story for the day:
Title: My Madame Special
She enjoyed the last dinner party, and tomorrow,(tuesday)she wants another one. She wants me to come at 5pm! I refused! I have my eyebrows arched huh!.With respect, I told her: sorry Madame, I'm BOOKED.

Im nasty, haha!

I got a dinner invitation , (besides im the only asiatic, so I take the opportunity, LOL! )
"I am not available, Madame, soweee ..." Madame was disappointed!ko. Eh, she should booked me in advance! She should get a rendezvous(appointment) first from my secretary! Do I have one? hehe!
I would like to suggest, "Madame, Why not in a restaurant, no disturbance?

But I hold myself, she might think I am "cheeky" , she will fire me!
Eventually, she told me:I prepare na lang daw everything, food and table, she will heat everything to microwave .
She is really nice...Promise, I will bring her ripe Mangoes (Zambales)
when I come back!
Usually, I am always accomodating to my employers. But if I am commited , no, what ever it takes, quit work or not. I work but I keep time for my life too ha?!
For what, she will be always have a good life???!! LOL
I work to her from 11 to 5pm not 5 pm onwards!

Its in the contract Madame, remember... Hihihihi!

Announcemnt : Italy WINS... isnt it annoying? lol

PS:anybody who would like to eyeball us Lolo in Marseille, France and Manila,Philipines(where else?) post comment pleasena lang dito.If not available, its not a problem, maybe some of you are on holidays too, it is ok, lots of days to arrange next time soon. In the end, we never knows, we see each other soon!

cee, eskayted ka na rin ba dyan, ha? Ikaw Meng?

If got time to see us,dont worry also:
Coffee and bisous only, its enough, because I am on DIET.

abientot !

But before that, here's the photos:Girls, these are one of the flashy and modern apartments/buildings in Monaco. Photo taken from my past employers flat whom I visited today.Background is the blue sea, Cote d'azur.



Second photo is taken from the terrace with a view of Monaco beach along Larvotto. Two minutes from where I (once) work, La Reserve Apartments.


and here's the (boring) topic for the week...serving dinner in Monaco.


I start working at 4pm arranging the flat and set the table. Madame have guests coming.At six pm, she arrived, and told me, oh, the guests are coming at 7pm!
"Eh, Madame, I dont know what to cook? You didnt tell me what to prepare???!" I was in an upset mood.

She went to the fridge, took out what she wants to prepare and leave it to me.
Salad (lettuce) tomatoes, betterave (violet root crop).
Chicken raw already cut into pieces, two slices of Pizza.
And spinach leaves.THATS ALL??!!

What I did, without her instructions, I cut the pizza into cubes, put it in a large plate, ready for heating in the oven, and if it is done, put some toothpick on top for aperitif! Oks na yon, noh! Bahala na. I checked the champagne if there's one that is cooled in the fridge. There's one!

I start the salad menu, mixed the ingredients, made some vinagrette sauce.
With the chicken, I put spices, tossed it in the oven, hoping it will make magic on its own. Bah, she didnt say what to do with the chicken, so,i put in oven!
The spinach, I just steam it, put some olive oil when done.
I sliced some bread special, and put it on a nice silver server plate.
(here in france as long as it is with nice presentation, it is considered approved , even the menu is just just .)

Guests arrive. Four, as I guessed they are, while Madame is lighting some candles in her chandeliers.Music is in the air...Classic... Bramhs...
I ran to the kitchen, prepare the champagne to put in silver champagne pail.I checked the cubed pizza, hmmn, warm enough, served it to them , also with four tall champagne glasses.

Here's the thing. I dont have the courage to open the champagne. Everytime Madame has guests, it is her husband who would open the bottle. This time he was not around, its an all girls party. Madame said to me:"please open the bottle and serve the guests some champagne."

Ngeeeh! Mama mia, what to do!? I went to the kitchen and avoid her.Hoping she might open it herself, haha! But no, she called me,waaahh, telling me to open the champagne. Cannot escape!

I peel off the top bottle cover, unscrew the wire,(thats how I saw with Michel) then I put the champagne, unopen, back to the champagne pail. Madame told me, nicely, please serve the wine...Twice!
So I have to tell her secretly: "Madame, Im afraid I spill it so please, I cannot."

With the champagne, if one do not estimate to open it slowly, it pops up (the cork) and the contents run spilling!B e ready of empty glass nearby!
Good, one of the guests offered to open it, as my Madame is a "lady" too,like me(wink) she doesnt know either.
Everyone laughs,as no men around to do it! Joke of one of the guests, thats the olny thing we need a man around, to open the champagne! LOL

At last, i serve the champagne.I Uy, I have been serving wine or champagne on glass without any drop on the table cloth or in the guests' plate... I mastered it,when I worked before in the boat in Monaco!hehe!

They drank the champagne in the terrace. I went back to the kitchen, and prepare the first course, salad-whatever i call it!
When Madame called that they are ready to eat, I put the salad in the table, ngeeh, no space! Only small table in the terrace.
I went back to the kitchen,with the bowl of salad,and put salad one by one on each plate and serve. VOILA!
Its done!

Went back again in the kitchen, checked my chicken in the oven. The taste was okey! I dont know how I did it, but it was okey.Sometimes miracles happen when needed most!

At last, I served the main course, chicken with spinach leaves.
Here's the problem, what's the dessert? Madame didnt say a thing, that joker! And I cannot disturb her to ask! So im circling like teddy bear on what to do! Not even an icecream in the fridge!
Then I found a box of cake, brought by the guest, My joker employer didnt tell me!
I opened it, sliced it into 8 parts, serve them the four slices.
They are all happy, in french discussions, I get it ( why not, hehe!) and the topic, "gossipings"! But with class, because its all about money! Cant detail it girls, thats over boundary, to know more. LOL

When I came back to them, is to gather the plates of the served cake and ask them if they need coffee or tea.
Madame said: ask them first if they need more .
I didnt get it, so I asked her, "sorry, what is it?"
Ask them if they need more of the cake.
Ah..!
So I asked them in french ( the goonies, doesnt know how to speak english! grrr)
They all answered: s'il vous plait!
Grrr, meaning, more please!
So I got to serve more cake. It is a chocolate mousse filling cake with almond seeds on top. Delicious! I sliced one for me! Its very goood.

I will tell michel to make me one soon. Then I drank the left over champagne, its good good good taste, my brain gets twisted again.shhhh...!

It was 9pm. If they didnt asked for second serving, I could have served coffee or tea serving then thats it.
No.What a pity!

I waited 30 minutes more. They have to dissolved all the cake first in their stomach before I can ask politely: "would anyone like to have some tea????...! Or coffeee????...!"
With matching smile , of course.Tips are expected, hehe.

Good, only two asked for tea. But they asked for Verviene tea. I looked, good theres some, or else, I serve tea from Morocco, bwehehehe!

When the tea was served, I put all dishes to dishwasher, run the machine, clean the kitchen tables, and voila ready to go.
I called Michel. He is down, waiting. Good, 930pm.

But, before I go, I have to politely say goodnight to all, and ask them if they need anything else before I go, etc etc.Mga lashing na sila,sa tingin ko!
Nothing. Thanks they said, it was an excellent meal.
Madame take it all in.Enjoyed her evening , husband not around! I didnt bother. Prefer to go home than praises .

When I work today at 11 am, there's a note. And a few euros inside the envelope.
Not bad. Tips for last night...

I embraced Chico. He seems to be disgusted... miyaaawww!!!This cat do not like his fur to be ruffled. He had just licked(combed) it.

Thats how I served dinner girls. Hope you enjoy this experience.

July 4, is not a holiday here. But theres more to celebrate. Its big sale in North of France( Paris area) and tomorrow, it will be big sale naman in South of France.It is called SOLDES ! SOLDES ! SOLDES! SALE all over France!Carrefour offers huge sales up to 50%. Not bad.
I looked into the magazines, I found interesting digital camera Canon Powershot 4millionpixels for 129 euros! And if you are a member, get a 10 euros discount more. A Samsung 5milions pixels is 149 euros.Lolo Michel is very ambitious, he bought a Casio Excilim 6million pixels, for 279 euros.
Hindi sale, beeeeh!
I went to Lidl, a german grocery, and bought chocolates for the kids.Hindi Leonida's, at naku mahal non, di naman nila ma differentiate. hehehe!
Mga bilins ng Anaks:
Huwag na raw ako mag bitbit ng marami, basta may ipangshopping daw sila sa ASIA MALL, mas enjoyable pa. Ba, oks na oks, Tipid ang Lola!
At ang reminder: Ma, wag ka bili ng chocolate drink dyan, lasang gamot! Okey na kami sa Milo ! Huwag na rin corned beef, okey na kami sa "Argentina" !
Eh?
And dont buy chocolates sa Duty free Philippines, lasang luma yong pinabili mo last time... And ang laman, Ma, kitkat, nestle crunch and cadbury's, di masarap!
Ngeeh?! Ganon?
Si Pinay,
Panay ang tawag sa akin, hindi na makatulog! Alas dyes na ng gabi!
Kasi nga, last week, nabili na niya ticket niya.
Sasabay siya ng uwi sa amin! Yeheeeeyyyy!
Buti nakunan ko pa ng same flight sa Emirates.Last minute!
Ang bruha,tumatawag, nagka "insomnia" daw siya, after mabili ticket niya! Panay himas at silip ng ticket niya, LOL
Kayo man magkapapel after 8years...Uwi agad!
Mga tanong niya sa akin:
1.Ano na ba hitsura ng Edsa? May metro train na...
2.Anong luggage ba dalhin ko? Yong flashy red Longchamp ko? Hindi, kasi baka maulanan lang yan don, yon na lang tig 20 euros na nabibili sa tabi tabi, at naku, Longchamp, ibalibag lang ng porter yan.Or, pag malasin ka, maduga pa yan, makuha ng ibang pasahero pag nalingat ka!lol
3.Bilhin ko ba yong Nike rubber shoes ng anak ko? 180 euros . No, sa Pinas, meron ka na makuhang 50 euros, ligaya pa sa pili design anak mo.
4.Medyas, kasi school time doon, okey ba itong 6 euros(400 pesos) isang pares? Tita, may tatlo isang daan don sa SM Meagamall, ilibot mo anak mo siya pili ng design.
5.Nong nasa shopping kami:Eto panty at bra para sa mga dalaga ko, 12 euros pares, mura na ito ano?
No, presyo na yan ng Triumph and Wacoal sa Landmark Ayala Center.
At the end, hindi mapigil,ang hitad, binili ang tig 100 euros na trak trak para sa bunso niya. (Bunso???! Onse anyos na, trak remote control pa rin ba???!
Then ang dami pa gusto bilhin! Sabi ko, wag na, bili ka lang konti at doon na tayo mamili sa Pinas!Ma over luggage ka pa nyan!
Sagot ba naman eh: Eh, pwede ko naman isingit sa inyo ni Michel, dalawa kayo, di ba, pede???... sabay ngiting aso ang bru!
Flashback:
Year 2003 ng umuwi ako,first time, ganong ganon ang feeling...Super-mega -nova sa eksayted!
Then araw ng alis ko,sa Nice airport ayaw ako palabasin ng super higpit na French Immigration personnel,na I cannot board the plane daw , kasi wala raw ako visa. Nilaban ko, sabi ko "Visa to enter my country! ! !?" In my broken french: "I want go home to my country, its not possible!" Ayaw, sunod daw ako sa kanya...
Pinasok ako sa office ng Immigration, TAAS KILAY KO HA! They checked my passport, baka siguro may crime ako sa France !At tatakas!!!lol
Wala, eventually, nakaakyat ng eroplano ang Lola.Yehey...Hindi ako makatulog sa loob ng plane, panay check ko ng oras, tingin sa mapa sa tv, kung saan na kami...hingi nga ako wine sa stewardess, para makatulog...
Pag dating sa Manila airport, talagang eskayted ako!!!Sino ba ang hindi???!!
Landing ng eroplano, pumalakpak ako! Mag-isa!
Ang tawa ng kapwa ko pasahero! Hiya ako, may puti pa naman... Si Michel!
6years yon, mga girls, 6years, na hindi ko nakita 3 kong anak!At nag ala Nora Aunor talaga ako! Akap ko sila, pasalamat ako, malulusog sila, kahit wala nanay (at tatay). Tinalo ko si Sally Field sa "Not without my daughter" film...". SUPER DRAMA!
buti walang nag video, hihihi!
Pero passed tense na yon! Ngayon naman future tense, si Pinay na...Abangan ang kasunod na kabanata...
Promis, i- video ko siya!!!

email to me: a precaution to all!

"Seems that car thieves have found yet another way to steal your car or
truck without any effort at all. The car thieves peer through the
windshield of your car or truck, write down the VIN # from the label on
the dash, go to the local car dealership and request a duplicate key
based on the VIN #. My friend didn't believe this e-mail, so she called
Chrysler-Dodge and pretended she had lost her keys. They told her to
just bring in the VIN #, and they would cut her one on the spot, and she
could order the keyless device if she wanted. The Car Dealer's Parts
Department will make a duplicate key from the VIN#, and collect payment
from the thief who will return to your car. He doesn't have to break in,
do any damage to the vehicle, or draw attention to himself. All he has
to do is walk up to your car, insert the key and off he goes to a local
Chop Shop with your vehicle."

In France, one cannot have a duplicate of the car keys, unless he proves he is the owner of the car by insurance papers, driving liscence, national identity etc etc.
Even sa house keys, if the person do not bring the code card of the key, one cannot have it duplicated. Also upon duplication of any keys, they ask the clients identity card.Then they record it with the adress and photocopy of the ID.

Some countries do not have such security control. In some areas in France, it doesnt exist this security of keys. It depends also of what keys one buys and put to their locked doors.

We are not that facey about keys, but I always lost my keys that Michel bought secured keys now, with the coded card that goes with the keys, that no one can have duplication if with out the card code.

We dont have much to loose, really, but we must not provoke robbers and car stealers, isnt it?

Hope this warning helps to all.