Francesca in France

Questions to all my guests readers:

What paid host/domain suits my blog? I would like to to upgrade my blog into an interesting blog with paid host/ domain, so that I can call it my own without blogger/blogspot in the middle of my business.

Any tips where to go about? please email me or post comment. I would like the one that doesnt cost me a lot. 5€ a month or year(if there's one) is all i can afford.
You know some? Where?

LEAH gave me this link.

pls see if okey?

what say you?

Labels: domain, web hosting

Summer is almost felt here in Cote d'azur. We must put sunblock on our face, kasi kaka burn feeling, grrr.
Grand Prix Monaco,pls click its not the Italian Ferrari that won the race, but French car: Renault(read as "rhunu").

Then the Cannes Film Festival Palm d'or award goes to Four months, 3weeks 2days, a Romanian film.

How to go about in French Riviera. ask by a guest in my blog,

If coming by plane, landing is at Nice Airport.
If coming from Paris to Nice,Monaco or Cannes by plane, its an hour trip, by car, ten hours, by bullet train its 5hours. see map.

There are always buses, trains and taxis that will accomodate you to any destination. If you need hotels:( take , Ibis Hotel. We always take this, because its convenient and priced reasonably with wifi connection).

If got a bit of money to spend, take five stars hotels of, marriott hotel ,
metropole hotel.
negresco hotel

Once I sent two friends to stay in Choiseul Hotel in front of Nice ville train station for 35€ per night, while a hotel in front cost them 70€ if they take it.
Ay oo, may reasonably priced hotels also in Monaco/Nice. Just ask me. Libre suggestions, hehe.

In each cities,Cannes to Monaco there are "Information Tourism areas" nearby the bus or train terminals.
They can provide free maps,informations on hotels , restaurants, museums .May backpackers' hostels din sila na inoofer para sa mag low budgeted like students.


If to see Rome, it will be 12hours by train from Monaco.Ive been in Rome. Its a different place, but they got a "reputation" that the pickpocketers are everywhere. Careful when there. Hold your wallets securely.

Cannes, Nice, Monaco,Italy(Vintimille area) can be visited in one day.But depends on what you will see:. see map.

Its all nice in French Riviera, they said, its the best area to beach around . The beach is free. Photos:when on top of the world, hehe. No, akyatin lang yung mataas na hagdan(300 steps daw!!!)sulit pagod when on top, you will see these views click to get bigger size :










Talagang blue coast ang Nice beach.This photos were taken when anjo and marghie did their field trip today, as part of integration in France, organised by the school.

There's Mcdo, KFC,Flunch or international restaurants like:Asiatic cuisine(Japanese,Chinese,Thai,Cambodian) Mediterranian(Morrocan, Libanese,)Irish pubs, German, Portuguese, Spanish, and of course, French cuisine with Niçoise provencial menus.pan bagnat read as "pan-ban-ya".


Experience of Marghie and Anjo: In the beach in Promenade des Anglais: to swim, as part of their school activities. Eh, they were surprised of half naked ladies in the beach, haha. As if its normal na lang daw to go naked in front of everybody. Sa Pinas, someone half naked, nakupo, riot na yan, haha.
Meanwhile Anjo was asking: Ma, they dont have a bathroom to change my clothes to bathing suit!!!
I said, none. Change your clothes in front of everybody, its a normal everyday sight.

Then they went to see the F1 Grand Prix, Monaco, they watched the game from the terrase of my employer's villa. It was too noisy.They cant stand the weeeng weeng of the car race.

Later I toured them around the villa, and Marghie said: "Ma, im lost, cant find myself back, where are you!" Nauntog pa raw siya sa salamin, kala niya pintuan kasi.
Ay oo, sa laki ng bahay ng Boss, kakalito nga naman...Photos in the terrace with banana tree background, where Butler make sungkit the leaves for my suman. Also swimming with Margie and Anjo's teachers and classmates.












Alors,donc, ganyan ang visiting french riviera. Click all links, they inform better.
Let me know, if coming around maybe we can "eyeball"...

Labels: beach, hotels, tourist spot

Its FORMULA 1 Grand prix in Monaco today until sunday.
Its Cannes Film Festival in France also.
They are twenty kms away distance from each other, nasa gitna ang Nice where Lola lives.
Imagine the tourists that will flock at Nice Airport.
Imagine the traffic. The train full of people, I cannot have any seat when going to work!! !
Why cant they stay kasi in thier own country, hihihi.

Today, I almost have a fight with a Hungarian(kasi she read hungarian pocket book) lady.She doesnt want to take off her bag from one of the seats!!!
I asked her politely: Mme, the place is reserved? She didnt answer. So I said to her, is it possible I take it? She didnt bother. The man next to her gave his seat to me. So I told the lady: The bags are not for sitting, Mme.
Hindi pala siya french, kakadal dal ko, in french sa kanya di naman pala ako na get...Haaay buhaaayyy...

Eventually, she took her bag off the seat. Halfway na ng trip ko to Monaco.
Sarap sipain ano? hehe.

So, MAINGAY bukas sa Monaco.Basta tumakas na naman mga employers ko OUT OF MONACO. Balik nila Monday na. It would be a relaxing days for me and Butler.
Ganun sila, if maingay sa Monaco, gawa ng car race, takas mga residents, punta ng St Tropez, mag pahangin hangin don!
.
Marghie has regular work now, household work, 4 hours a week. Kasi may school siya, kaya yun lang pwede niya i work.
Mga katrabaho ko sa real estate ng madame ko ang suki niya...
Bahh, hataw Marghie ah.

And, midnight na. Hinintay ko maluto yung sumang malagkit na binalot ko sa dahon ng saging.Saan galing yung dahon ng saging?
Pinaakyat ko si Butler sa hagdan, para sungkitan ako sa garden ano fi???!
Yan ang Madame, haha.

Bukas, matikman na niya ang famous suman ng mga Pinoy. Uy, walang hihingi. Isang kilo lang niluto ko... besides, di ko alam if masarap, haha.

Night!

1. Napanood ko ang Super Nanny series sa Comedie channel dito sa France. It talks about the difficulty of parents on disciplining their kids ages 3 to six.

Ganito ang sitwasyon everyday sa bahay nila :

Umaga, ayaw gumising ng daughter, age 3, at 7am, ayaw punta ng banyo to get ready for school. Hila hila ng nanay si three years old,ala zombie pa, lagay sa harap ng tv in the living room with cereals for breakfast in front. Kasi the kid will only eat her cereals if in front of the tv watching cartoons .

Then hindi pa rin kakainin ni 3 years old kid yung cereals kasi daw it is not her brand. So si mommy, dala si kiddo sa kitchen to choose the cereals according to her "brand". So the old creals wih milk goes to the trash, and Kiddo, will eat her preffered cerelas, only, if : while watching the cartoons.

Time to go to take a bath. Ayaw. Takot sa sabon, takot sa tubig, ayaw mag hilamos. There's another fight.Sigaw ni mommy vs atungal ni baby. Mommy surrendered, went out the bathroom , bring the kid to the room, palo rito and doon, the day was a mess.

At last, nagbihis na si kid, after another drama because si mommy bigay damit, ayaw ni kid ng ganung kulay, ayaw ng ganong coat, ayaw ng ganung medyas. The time they finish the morning ritual, wala toothbrush, wala shower, late na sila for school.
Takbo, lakad, hila si Kiddo to school. Muntik na sila mabaangga ng sasakyan, kasi tumawid sila in red light.

At school, may tantrum si kiddo, ayaw pumasok, sira ang araw, iyak ng iyak, mommy discuss with the kid, teacher was called, mommy leave kid to teacher.Mommy looked worn out, sunod si super nanny, wala masabi.

At 5pm mommy came back to fetch Kid. She doesnt want to go home, she wants to play in the school's play ground. Mommy forced her, she run away, mommy run after her, sooo tiring.Ang laki laki gn school's ground. Super nanny shaked her head: Cannot believe the mother cant control her three years old!!!

Going back home, they took a bus. The crying starts again, because the kid wants to sit next to the window. There's another kid in the window side and do not want to give the place to kid. Eh voila all passengers are annoyed of the" waahhh, waaah, i want that seat, waaah." That goes until home.

Dinner time. Daddy came home, have dinner and the kid starts playing up again. The food is on the table, but kid is roaming around the house while eating. Daddy said: "sit down on the chair"! Kid ignored him. Mommy scooped her to put on the chair to eat with them, she started to bawl, and run away. Mommy followed, and they chase each other until the bedroom. Kid banged the bedroom door and locked the room.
Opo, three years old lang po yan...
super nanny noted it all...

The next day, super nanny visited again. The house is quiet. Its a Saturday. Why its was quiet? Mommy is in her ironing. Daddy is in the garden. Kid is writing a pentel pen ,drawing some kid arts on the bedroom walls!
What a disaster!

How would you save your stress with a kid like that?
Tell me, mothers...
Its a battle between mom and three year old. Who won?

Labels: kids, mommy, NANNY, school

1. Some one rang the door. Butler went out to check. I was busy at the living room, so I didnt bother. When Butler entered, I asked him who was it? He said a beggar.
I said: A beggar? In Monaco ? He said, "okey, it was the holdupper, my girlfriend". Later,the gf called him, he told her that she was the holdaper ringing the door and I knew it. The gf Thai said to him: "No lunch for you when you go home!" She banged the phone, lol.
Selos na naman si Lola Thai...

2. At 9:15am, he brought the Bentley car of the Boss to the garage to have a general checkup. He parked it near the road of the garage, went out and chat with the mechanician. The chat was too long, with so much jokes here and there, the Bentley car went "click!". Et voila, the door was automatic shut, and the keys were inside the car. Panic si Butler. No choice, he has to call the Boss to bring him the duplicate, and even told the Boss: "please, Sir, be in a hurry, I parked the car in a bad way, and Police might give me a ticket..!"
Imagine the next scene.
The Boss arrived,in a panic too, kulang na lang, to strangle Butler!haha.

3. We always have a pigeon visiting us in the kitchen door asking for food. Butler regularly feed the pigeon. In return the pigeon gave Butler some "gifts".
All the popo the pigeon can leave for souvenier, lol. Boss asked why there are pigeons now in the kitchen area. Butler didnt answer. I was quiet. Butler' business is his, I have nothing to do with it. Eventually, Butler was fed up cleaning all the 'popo' greeting him in the kitchen entrance every morning. Para raw reception committee!

I told him to put newspaper before he leave work in the evening. He did. But the pigeon become territorial that it scatters his "gifts" to Butler anywhere like:"hey, I love you butler, this is for you, i love you butler this is for you.
Now Butler wanted a gun to shoot the pigeon, lol! Joke lang...

4. I met the Italian lady that works with Butler last year. She was soo proud she got a new job, with better salary. I said: "really? I am happy for you." We are speaking in French language. Then she asked how's my work inside? I told her, that the pet dog, 15years old, of the Boss died. The dog looks like this:click . The Italian lady was surprised, and I sensed, she was with a bit of a ting of a jealousy.
Ay oo. Imagine, I work there with no more hairs to vaccum, no more drinking bowls to clean all over the rooms, no more towels and bed sheets or bed for the dog to wash and iron .And, eto pa.
Last year the whole villa of the Boss was repainted and Italian and Butler had to move all the muebles, carpets, beds, sofa, furnitures, paintings, etc etc.Hard work daw sabi ni Butler!

Total 8 rooms lang naman, the whole three months daw yun. And wala ako, kasi resigned nga ako, hehe.
And I arrived (rehired)just the time the painting was over.
Nice no?
Sometimes, the right timing and favored circumstances are sweet. Especially when un expected...


Tips: if your sofa is made in leather material, put baby oil once a week to the surface. Do it in the evening. When no one uses the sofa.Can be done also to your leather bags, shoes, pantalon make up remover, etc etc. Click here .

dami links,girls, please click na lang to get the picture.
Night to all.

Labels: baby oil, bentley car, butler, dog stuffs, pigeons, sofa, tips

Margie and Anjo arrived in Nice France last December 31,2006.
Today May 11 is their fifth month.

What have been the improvements of their: "VIVE EN FRANCE ?"
Noon, takot sila lumabas. Ngayon, kaya na nila sakay bus or tren, mag isa Nice to Monaco.
Noon, hindi nila alam sabihin when they order in Mcdo or in KFC Now, kaya na nila, in french. Ba, mataray..!
Noon, di nila kaya ang No rice in meals. Ngayun, pa salad salad na sila, haha.
Noon, if may icecream sa fridge, in an hour, wala na, ubos na.
Now one month na yung icecream sa freezer, dinadaanan lang!!!
Noon, takaw mata sila sa chocolates. Now, ayaw na nila halos makita, haha!

1.First month: they went to prefecture to have their three month temporary resident card.
2.Third month: they have their medical check,civic formation(knowing french culture laws, etc etc and having their one year resident card expired on jan 2008.

3.March 5 to May 5, 2007 going to school 8:45 to 4:30 pm mon, tue,thu,fri to take full time french language course.

4.May 10,2007 Second Civic Formation talks about their benefits as a student.
(Ako, year 2005, once lang nag civic formation, siguro, its because, di na ako student???!!! madaya ata ah!)

From age 18 to 26 they will be supported by the govt in their schooling, all free and with monthly allowance.Cant say the amount here, but its good money, ho!

Age 27 and still student, no more allowance, hehe.
ay oo, its the time na ata to get a job, find a mate and get married, kaya ganun,lol!

Age 17 below, have allowace also, but half amount in compare to ages 18-26

Why they have all that? Because they show themselves willing to learn the language, and the school teachers saw potentials in them, suggested them to "mission locale" for an allowance, and was approved, lol!
Iba talaga ang cultura nating mga Pinoy kasi. We loved studying..!Kaya naaappreciate ng mga guro dito. Sa ibang lahi, nakupo, kahirap nila pasulatin at pabasahin, kasi of their arabic letters, pati teachers hirap.

School allows them to work( declared of course) while studying. site for work offers here.
School will include OJT (on the job trainings) while studying.
Example: if studying Tourism, the school will send the student to some enterprise to learn Tourism business.
Margie just dont understand (as it was explained in french)if they get paid, or "THANK YOU mademoiselle", lol

Works in demand in France (the teacher said) are: Tourism, hotellerie, services (like the work I do as house employee, butler, gardener, family/company drivers and computers/contruction related job offers.

Sabi anjo: Ma sa PInas, parents pay the schooling and when children study hard, no work available when graduate. Here, mamimili ka pala ng gusto mong work and salary???!!!

Michel brought them to a bank today. They applied for their bank account. Its a requirement for students ages 18 years old. They are to be trained how to deal their own allowances.
Kaaga naman ng independence nila! Baby pa sila, waaahhh!

The bank at first required them their proof of address like gas, electric,telephone or water bill. Michel said: "they dont have it, come on they just arrive, living with me and my wife, my gas and electric etc etc are in my name, what proof do you want???!!!"Usok tenga at ilong ni Lolo like a Bull lol!

The young girl went inside to ask. The manager head approved their bank account and the two will have thier own carte blue and check book next week.

Francine, this recap post is in answer to your email: what to expect when in France.
Hope I answered your inquiries thru Margie and Anjo's 5 months stay in France..


eto na sila, with proud mama, hehe.
In five months, TAO na sila..!Yehey!




To:anjo and margie, PA UTANG!

To my Regular readers, thank you for coming here. Butler stories, soon! PRAMIS!

Labels: anpe, bank, chocolates, icecreams, kfc, mcdo, nice france

I was looking for Geraniums plants(with flowers) to put in our windows. Its time ,so I told the family, we go to Jardinier Castelli and Petrociuli . Et voila. Geraniums cost 3.90€(240pesos) a pot. I bought 8! Kamot ulo ni Lolo, ano raw yan, ihalo sa Salad?!!

Checking the tiny cactus.

"Teka,anong kulay ba maganda?"









"Okey ba pink Anjo? Pink makes the girls wink!"








"Posing muna, to make sure, bibilhin natin ang nasa tulak cart!


Then we passed by an Asiatic Store and bought some Thailand crabs. click nyo what veges I put.Sarap nakakamay. With white wine,to finish it off, makakalimutan mo pagod,lol!











Michel surprised us with his home made Strawberry dessert with coco powder.Gawa niya yan... Its half cake left before we think about taking a photo. Nakalimutan!














Butler story next post na! 12midnight na pala, mama mia. Goodnight to all!

Labels: cakes, crabs, good life, spring flowers, wine

Royal or Sarcozy?

Their debates excerpts here.

Here are the responses of the French people as per interviewed by BBC

1.Jacqueline Salles
Retired teacher, 62
During Wednesday's televised debate Segolene Royal behaved in a shameful way. She was discourteous and totally out of order.
She scared everyone - it was like a tsunami. This is not my idea of femininity. There was no softness in her.
She constantly provoked Sarkozy and confirmed my determination to vote for him.

2.Benoit Steffanus
Baker's assistant, 22
I liked it when Segolene got angry. She is a firm woman. She will defend public sector jobs - in education for instance - rather than boost the police force.
I don't like Sarkozy's ideas on working more to earn more. My boss will want me to work more than 35 hours, and if I refuse he'll sack me.

3.Fabrice Thou
Wine seller, 38
Segolene is worrying. She's only talking about social issues and boosting benefits. But that's not how to get the country back on its feet.
We are too dependent on welfare: we need to work more. I travel abroad and everyone says we have become a lazy country.
Only one candidate gets this and it is not Segolene Royal

Jean Latrille
Retired, 57
I voted for Bayrou, and I don't know what I will do on Sunday.
I don't like either candidate: Sarkozy is too excited, Royal is too soft.
Maybe I'll vote blank, maybe I'll choose one at the last moment. It will probably depend on which side of the bed I get out of on the day.

Anne-Christine
Public sector worker, 42
I object to Sarkozy's decision to replace only half of the state employees who retire.
He wants to undermine public services. There are going to be cuts for hospitals and schools.
Plus he has been in power for four years and what he has done is not exactly great.

Marie-Christine Goret
Shopkeeper, 40
I chose Bayrou in the first round, but I certainly won't vote for Segolene Royal.
She scares me more than Sarkozy does. Such arrogance! She irritates me so much I did not even watch the debate.
Sarkozy understands that high taxes on employers kill jobs. I had an employee in my shop but I could not afford the charges.

Claire Bernier
Mosaic artist, 25
I voted for Bayrou in the first round but I have always been on the left - so I always knew I would vote for Segolene Royal in the second round. The debate did not influence me.
I just found Segolene aggressive, while Sarkozy was posing as a victim. In fact he is arrogant and extremist, and exploits people's fears.


'Harmful'
A minority held out no such hope, and were prepared to put their deep distrust of Mr Sarkozy aside. 

"If Segolene is elected it will be a catastrophe," Frederic Jourda, 40, said after listening to both sides.
"She can do much more harm to this country that him."

Sandrine Bernardin, 29, agreed: "The president is in charge of foreign affairs. I don't want to be represented by Segolene Royal at the G8."


But by far the biggest single bloc in the audience was made up of those - about half of the total - who said they would cast a blank vote on Sunday.

"Before the debate I was ready to vote for Segolene," said Vincent Lamarque, 27. "But she was so incoherent on economic issues that I think my vote will be blank."
Regis Laurand, 39, said he would put an invalid "Bayrou" ballot in the envelope.
"We must have as many blank votes as possible," said Florent Sere at the end of the debate. "That way people will understand the centre still exists."


Gregory Bonassie, a 23-year-old student, had found Ms Royal much more self-assured than he had expected.
"This confirms me in my readiness to vote for her," he said.

Virginie Plante, 20 - another erstwhile Bayrou voter who watched the debate at home - said she had been "won over" by Ms Royal's robust performance.

Butler would still vote Royal.He always have his heart to women (daw).
I dared him my 100€ , Sarcozy will be President of France come this Sunday.
He said: "Do you accept bouncing checks as bets?"
Buang! Naging wise!
Michel would vote for the delivery boy who will bring the pizzas at home.

Yeheeey….

And you? who's your bet?

Labels: butler, election, michel, the french

Today, Butler told me, he went to vintimille italy last Monday, april 30 to picked up his gf Mademoiselle Thailandaise, she must have shopped some Tagliatelle(italian pasta) haha.
No parking available, so Butler found a spot for handicaps. He was thinking, its 6:55 pm, tom is holiday,anyway. No handicapped person would still be out at this time, so he thought. He put his car on it, and helped Thailandaise with the groceries.

When he came back, he got a ticket! From Italian Police! Normally, at seven pm, no police would dare to put tickets, its already evening! But no, the ticket says 6:56pm. Butler was so annoyed, why the police just cant let him go for 4minutes away before 7pm,as he went back to his car at 7pm!

"This is racism"!, Butler said. "Is it,because I'm french, with a french plate number, they do that?!!"

I told Butler," et oui !, et ho, ho, ho!",(tapping my side head with my fingers, lol showing to him,(oh yes, what do you think , cou cou!?)

He said, "I will not pay the voilation ticket. Its expensive,70€!"
"Well, Butler when the Italians were found in Monaco or France violating the same, they get higher fees you see."

"Quelle voleur! Vraiment, ils sont quelque choses huh!"(Maktol ni Butler) (what a robbery, really, they are something huh,)
White foam on Butlers side lips started again, so I'd better go away, lol

Girls,He escaped the 76€ medicine of our Boss, but he didnt on this one, haha.

About Michel.
At exit tunnel of Monaco, Michel was fined last six months ago of overspeeding. Limit is 50km/hr but Michel did at 60km/hr, because of " Greve"(Strike) on trains,I was nearly late, so he brought me to work that day.

Fine is 90€!

Of course, what can you do? We can say its a robbery, but its a legal one, lol!

Michel knows the speed limit on that area, but he thought at 8:30 am, no police would be around, you see.Its too early. But he was caught and when bills arrived at our mailbox, he paid. With his heart and wallet broken badly, lol
Ho, 90€! Thats a day's wage to some!

Today, we drove through again in that Monaco tunnel. And the Policemen with a radar camera to spot overspeeding are there again. Michel went down his speed to 40kms/hr . To annoy them, he said. Here comes at our back, another Police car,following us from behind, almost nose to our bumper, wanted Michel to speed up.

No.Lolo doesnt want to speed up, lol

Michel said to himself:" you can do what you want, but I will not go beyond 40kms/hr speed.Oh no..."

After a kilometer run, the Police car, hooted. Michel didnt bother, he continued at 40kms/hr driving ala Boom tarat tarat of Willie Revillame.He was really takinh his time, lol.

The Police car driver was annoyed, he put his siren, olaaah!lol.

Michel immediately put himself to the right lane .Was the move makes the Police happy. No. Police car passed us by, looked at us and drove on to slow lane in front of us.He wanted to annoy us too.Haha.

Michel was cool (he better be)said:You can look, but you cant issue me a violation, hehe.Then he told me: See, if they want to overspeed,they can do it, but if its me: "You stop, here's your violation ticket!"

"I asked him why he didnt move out the fast lane immediately to give way to the Police car?"

"Why should I? The speed limit is 50 so I drive below 50. If they are following me behind, whose fault is it ? I didnt impose the law, they did. So I drove at 40, they should do also, like everyone else.Now they have to use a bit of their power: their siren!

When the Police car went to the right road to exit the highway. Michel said: see, how they are, they are going to exit the highway, whats the point of overtaking me?
They could have wait a bit!
I just told him: at least you annoyed them, panalo ka na, Lolo...


We dropped by at Champion grocery to buy something. I told Michel I will not stay long at the shop, so he can wait inside the car.
After ten minutes, I came back, he was being intimidated by two young boys. The "A's".
I asked him, "whats going on?"
He open the lock of the car and when I was in, he locked it again.
He explained, that when I was gone, he locked the car and lie back to the seats. Two young boys that passed by, heard the click and didnt like it, and try to make a go at him.
So he told them :

"Cant I do anything I want into my car???!!!

But this lot, didnt bother ,continued to intimidate him by staying put next to our car.Just to show they got the power and didnt like Michel locked the car.
What can we do with these lots, girls? Send them to their origin country???

Kasabihan: You can discuss with nasty but clever persons, but with the stupid one, you never win.
Dont you think?

Labels: butler, Cars, michel