New Toy for New Year

I'm a browser; that is when I am in the mall, I browse merchandise, usually at an electronics store. Otherwise I would be sitting in one of the mall benches looking at other browsers.

If I want to purchase something big, say a Blue Ray or a television, I would search first on the Internet and look for customer reviews. I remember buying a big screen TV way back in 1996, and it took me at least 6 months before selecting a particular brand, and my first DVD, way back in 1999, after 4 months of research.

My friend Al bought his HD television, a Panasonic DLP a couple of years back and he explained to me the advantages of DLP over Plasma and the LCD, he being an engineer.

Well, like Al, I also wanted an HD TV, but again, I toiled at the idea and did my research once more. I crossed out Plasma because of its short life span; I crossed out the LCD because I did not want to change lamps. In my office, I used to replace the lamp in the LCD projector and it cost my department money.

Well, late last year (actually about mid-November), I finally finished my agonizing research and decided on a purchase of a Samsung 61 inch-DLP TV. It is a series 7, which means it is has the Samsung CinemaPure 120Hz color engine, HDMI connections and others, and a 1080p resolution. But the main reasons I chose this one is because of its LED (Light Emitting Diode) which means I don't change lamps for a long life performance. And the number 1 reason? It is 3D-ready, which means I can watch 2D movies on 3D!

Now, I waited two days before it was delivered, asked the assistant super to help carry it on the pedestal (it is huge), and started to fiddle with it to watch a 3D movie. But wait... how to?

Before I purchased it, I already researched the requirements for the 3D connectivity, but I didn't realize it would be this much work. The other guy at the electronics store purchased the same brand and make and he would have to wait for at least 1 week, because I got the last inventory. He told me he owned a Plasma and it died on them after a few months of extensive use doing video games. He, too, could not wait to experience the 3D magic, he said.

I am now sitting and waiting for my 3D connectivity. The only thing I am wating for now is the installation CD from AOL. Unfortunately I am still among those who faithfully use AOL for my Internet; and my old computer which has internet connectivity is an Intel Celeron. For the 3D to function, I should have at least an Intel Pentium 4 1.6GHz or Athlon XP or the ideal - IntelCore 2 Duo or Athlon64 X2 Dual CPU.

The 3D glasses, router and 3D-enabling-software from Tridef arrived before Christmas and the required Vista-operated computer with the required graphics card and HDMI-DVI port, is sitting on my dining table, waiting.

It's 2009 and my Holiday gift to myself had been unwrapped before Christmas arrived. Now, I already started to list in memory the movies I will rent and watch on 3D. I am on my own countdown...

Christmas Past, Christmas Present

Siyempre ang Christmas past ko nung nanduon pa ako sa Pilipinas, matagal na ito. Ang gusto kong iniisip na past ay nuong maliliit pa kami ng mga kapatid ko. Nuong simple lang ang buhay: may mabuksan ka lang na maliit na regalo kung Pasko, maligaya ka na. Kahit bente singko sentimos ang bigay ng Ditse namin, tuwang tuwa na kami. Marami ng mabibili ang bente singko nuon. Diyes lang ang isang bote ng coca cola. Dalawang pan de limon, singko. Isang choconut, singko din.

At nuon, ang mga nagkaka-caroling, naka-aaliw talaga. Mga batang kapitbahay lang. Ang mga dala dala - mga pinitpit na tansan ng sarsaparilla na nakabilot sa alambre. Ayun, may patunog na sila habang bumabanat ng "jingle bells."

Ang Nanay ko nuon, tuwing Disyembre 23 nakahanda na ang mga bilot na bilot na diyes sentimos. Lahat ng mga batang nag-kaka-caroling, diyes ang bigay. Kahit pabalik balik na, bigay pa rin kami.

Pero ang mga malalaki - mga dalaga't binata at 'yung mga galing sa simbahan, siyempre malaki ang bigay. At may pakain pa. Sila 'yung kung mag-caroling e halos hatinggabi na. At naka-dyip pa kung dumating. Ang bigay sa kanila ni Nanay ay naka-sobre.

At ang simbang gabi namin nuong Christmas past ay talagang unforgettable. E, sa bayan namin sa Mandaluyong ay dalawa ang simbahan. Sa kalye pa lang papunta, para ng prusisyon sa dami ng mga magsisimba. Pagdating mo sa luob ng simbahan, wala kang mauupuan. Jampacked!

Iyan naman e mga first four days siguro. Siyempre, excited ang lahat. Tapos paunti nang paunti ang mga nagsisimba.

Nuon, exciting magsimba ng madaling araw, pero mas exciting ang labasan. Kasi bibili kami ng puto bumbong at bibingka.

Sa luob naman ng simbahan, kalahati ng misa, tulog kami ng kapatid ko. Pitong taon lang ako nuon, kaya forgivable. At saka papasok pa kami sa eskwela pagdating ng alas siyete.

Ang Christmas present ko naman ay 'yung dito sa North America. Ngayon pag nanunuod ako ng telebisyon, nadirinig ko ang sangkatutak na fund raising o mga nanghihingi ng regalo para sa mga batang mahihirap. May mga "secret santa" movement o may mga food drive. Okay ang lahat ng iyan, lalo na ang food drive, kasi lalo na ngayon, ang daming mga pamilyang below poverty line. Pero nadirinig ko rin kasi ang mga "blasts" mula sa TV - mula sa mga electronics stores, sa mga shopping channels - ng kung ano anong mga regalo.

Naiisip ko lang ang kaibhan ng Pasko nuon at Pasko ngayon. Nuon, isang baril-barilan lang ang mairegalo sa akin, ang saya saya ko na. Ngayon, sa dami ng mga laruan at gadgets sa mall, ang mga bata nag-e-expect talaga ng mga earth-shaking na regalo. Kesyo iPod, kesyo GameBoy, Blue Ray, etc, etc.

Kailangan siguro maibalik natin ang kasimplehan ng Pasko. Ngayong 2008, dahil sa global recession na nangyayari at sa giyera sa Iraq, parang gloomy ang dating ng Kapaskuhan. Bakit kaya?

Kung ang hinihintay natin ay ang Christmas Present - kung saan ang measure ng kaligayahan ay kung gaano kamahal ang regalong matatanggap o maibibigay - maaring mabigo tayo.

Subali't kung ang ating hihintayin ay ang Christmas Past - kung saan ang kaligayahan natin ay ang pagsusuot ng balabal at pagsugod sa gitna ng lamig o kaya ay snow, at pagdalo sa Misa ng Pasko - tayo ay tunay na matutuwa. Dahil ito ang tunay na Pasko. Simple. Kasing-simple ng sabsaban na pinaglagyan sa batang si Hesus!

SANA AY MAGKAROON KAYO NG NAPAKALIGAYANG PASKO.

Gifts for Christmas and ...New Year.

What to give? There is that question again. Every year, about the same time today, I think of possible answers to this one question.

In our family, I remember that gift giving usually was done on New Year's Day, not Christmas Day.

How did this happen? Well, when I was growing up, we spent our Christmases with my grandparents in our province up North in Nueva Ecija. So it meant that, we kids, received gifts, but we never gave any. It was more receiving.

After Christmas, we would head back to Manila, and on New Year's Day, we would be at the house of our maternal grand aunt (this was way back when I was in primary school), and together with my siblings and countless second cousins, we would again be receiving gifts, this time, from my mother's relatives - her sisters and numerous cousins. So, when it was time to go home after a long day of eating, talking and playing, we would be carrying bags full of gifts, and pockets lined with "coins and bills."

When my Grand Aunt died, our New Year's Day celebration was held regularly at the house of my mother's sister, my aunt. This time, the celebration became limited to our close family. This tradition went on up until I finished high school.

My aunt's house was located in Sta. Ana, an old district of Manila. It was a lovely property, of a two-story wood and stone house amidst countless trees - kaimito, niyog, guavas, langka, duhat, atis and bananas. But the best part was that her house was beside the Pasig River.

In those years, late 50's and early 60's, the Pasig River was a body of water where kids could still swim during the hot days of summer. In short, it was still clear and clean and when one was riding a banca, one could look underneath, and actually see some seaweeds and waterlilies floating by.

In my university years, our New Year's Day celebration was transferred to our house in Mandaluyong.

Somewhere along those years, someone introduced the idea of "kris kringle." So what happened was that days before New Year, each member of the family would draw a name from a pool of folded papers, and the chosen name became "your kringle." On New Year's Day, after the traditional hearty lunch, we would gather around in the 'sala' or living room and my mother would start the roll. She would call out her "kringle," and give her/him a gift. Then this person would call out her/his kringle, and so forth and so on.

As the years passed and my sisters and cousins got married and started to have kids, the list of "kringles" or "monitos" became longer and more interesting. And the price of the gifts became more expensive as the years went by.

About three years ago, when I went home to the Philippines to celebrate the Holidays there, we had our traditional New Year's Day celebration in the hotel room where I was staying. So each family brought a dish, and we were able to sing karaoke without any complaints from anyone. And because I had already given my gifts in advance (before Christmas), I resorted to raffling some items as prizes for the parlor games we all enjoyed. I know other balikbayan Filipinos who raffled really expensive items for their relatives, all in the spirit of the holiday gift-giving.

So what to give this Holiday Season? I started by giving a bottle of wine to my doctor today.

Next week, I will meet a friend for dinner. Hmmm....

SLEEP AND ITS PERILS

Who would not want a long, restful night sleep. Even the birds and the bees welcome a good sleep.

But lately, the medical field has recognized that there are some perils when some humans go to sleep. I am one such person; diagnosed with a sleep disorder called sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea has been a sleep disorder for so many decades, but it has only been recently recognized and labeled a disease. In fact, the first medically recognized sleep apnea was only reported in 1965. There are three distinct forms of sleep apnea: central, obstructive, and complex (i.e., a combination of central and obstructive).

In my case, I have a moderate case of obstructive sleep apnea.

The management of obstructive sleep apnea was revolutionized with the introduction of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), first described in 1981 by Colin Sullivan and associates in Sydney, Australia.

The CPAP paraphernalia which had been prescribed to me resembles an oxygen air mask. The first night I wore it, I was not able to sleep. I went back to the supplier and ordered another mask, and with it, a soft pliable plastic which covers the nose, I was able to experience an undisturbed satisfying sleep.

I've been into the CPAP for two years now. Everywhere I go, I bring my cpap with me; short or long trips.

One of the hassles of bringing the CPAP on air travels, is at the airport screening. My doctor has given a special note stating the need for the machine, but in most US airports, once the scanner catches the shape of the "oxygen-mask" looking CPAP, the bag would immediately be opened and sometimes, even brought to a special security personnel, who would ask me suspiciously what it is. Once they see it and my doc's note, they just zip the bag and hand it back to me.

Inspite of all the hassles that come with bringing my CPAP on my travels, I would never, ever leave it behind. It is a life-saving device!

Prior to the emergence of sleep disorder clinics, the phenomenom of "bangungot" or SUDS (sudden death syndrome) had been misunderstood by us, Pinoys. Bangungot was consigned to the realm of the "supernatural, horror or the occult."

I learned that sleep apnea occurs mostly in males, over forty and overweight. It also occurs widely among Asians. My Japanese-sleep doctor told me that Asians are candidates for this because Asians tend to have smaller and narrower throats.

Young and females could also suffer from sleep apnea, but not as widely as males. My own nephew died from "bangungot" when he was barely twenty years old.

And I also remember the case of one young Filipino soap actor, who died in his sleep while vacationing in a plush resort in the South. This, according to the Filipino technician who conducted my sleep test, was a classic example of sleep apnea.

Thanksgiving in the USA

Happy Thanksgiving to our relatives and friends in the U.S. !

'Twas many years ago that I last celebrated Thanksgiving in the US of A. When I was still working in New York (Manhattan), I used to fly or drive to Ohio to celebrate Thanksgiving with my sisters and their families. I remember flying on Thanksgiving Eve, straight from my office, out of Newark Airport.

But the most memorable Thanksgiving eve travels were those spent at the wheels of my maroon Isuzu I-Mark. One time, me, my sister and her three-year old son drove from Jersey City to Ohio, passing through the Penn Turnpike. As I was so tired working the whole day, my eyes were drooping and fought so hard to stay awake. Finally, we took a stop, I think, at Harrisburg at a gas station and took a nap.

We finally reached Ohio at 1 am, and my brother in law, who worked at a railroad company, was already in my older sister's house, where we all stayed and celebrated Thanksgiving, the next day.

Thanksgiving dinner with my older sister and her family always consisted of the traditional American turkey, sweet potato, kilbaesa for my part- German brother in law, and of course, pancit, for the Filipino appetite in two of my sisters, me, my other brother in law and the kids. There would also be ensaymada, usually as gift from our Filipino friends.

Pancit Bihon Recipe

Estimated cooking & preparation time: 45 minutes

Pancit Bihon Ingredients:
1 8 oz. pack pancit bihon noodles
1 cooked chicken breast, shredded
2 cups of chicken broth or 2 chicken bouillon cubes dissolved in 2 cups of water
1/4 cabbage, sliced into strips
1 onion, pealed and sliced
3 cloves of garlic, crushed and minced
1/3 cup scallions, cut into pieces
1 carrot, sliced into strips
2 tablespoons of cooking oil
3/4 cup diced celery
3 tablespoons soy sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
5 pieces of calamansi or 1 lemon, sliced
Pancit Bihon Cooking Instructions:
Soak the pancit bihon noodles to soften for 10 minutes
Grease a large pan or wok with oil. Sauté garlic and onions.
Add the chicken broth, the shredded chicken breast and all the vegetables until cooked.
Mix in the pancit bihon noodles and add the soy sauce, cook for about 5 minutes or until the noodles are soft.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Serve hot with sliced calamansi on the side.
Cooking Notes:
Calamansi or lemon is to be squeezed into the pancit bihon before eating.

If you are vegetarian, you can substitute shrimps or tofu for chicken.

First Snow

This morning when the garage door rose and opened up and I started to drive out, the snow-capped branches of the trees at the edge of the ravine greeted my sight. Oh, and what wonder it was!

It was a winter wonderland postcard scenery! The people walking at the side of the street and those waiting at the bus shelter, were wearing warm jackets and a smile on their face.

Each year when the first snow falls and as it covers the streets , the branches of the trees, the roofs of the cars, and the lines of the poles, I never fail to marvel at its beauty and the serenity it brings.

It's like the first time you fall in love. It never fails to bring you surprises each day. And for so many folks, even after so many years, the feeling stays and lingers.

In some parts of the world, there are only two seasons, dry and wet. This includes Asian countries such as the Philippines, Vietnam, India, Sri Lanka, and of course the African continent.
So here, it never snows. And so here, people would love to see snow.

In some areas where it never snows, there are business enterprises that create structures to mimic snowy, wintery conditions. In Dubai, there's a humongous, interior space which was transformed into a huge mountain-like ski resort, of course, replete with snow.

In Manila, too, there is a new place, where people can have a taste of winter amid a 30- degree celsius weather. So folks can see and feel snow, and have their pictures taken in the pretend-winter wonderland scenario.

It's True. Everyone is a Pilgrim.

It's good to be back home!

I've been away for 14 days, joining thirty-nine other individuals on a pilgrimage that took us from Toronto, Canada to Portugal, Spain and France.

Our group left Toronto-Pearson International Airport on the 27th of September and landed on Lisbon (Lisboa), in Portugal on the 28th. Upon landing, a tour guide, Felipa, gave us a city tour of Lisbon, taking us to the beautiful Cathedral, to the many streets that tell of Portugal's colorful political history and to the ocean-river front which boasts of a huge sculpture showing the legendary Portuegese navigators.

From Lisbon, we were driven to the quaint and miraculous town of Fatima, where the Blessed Virgin Mother appeared before three shepherd-children named Lucia de Jesus, and Francisco and Jacinta Marto, on May 13, 1917.

The site of the apparition is now a Basilica. We stayed here for two days, lodging at the Fatima Hotel, a stone's throw away from the Shrine.

Hearing mass at the Chapel of the Apparition is a dream come true for me. Saying the Rosary and participating in the evening procession with hundreds of other faithful in the site where the Blessed Virgin Mother appeared makes one's heart inflamed with love and adoration for the Mother of the Church, and leaves one utterly happy.

From Fatima, our next stop was Santiago de Compostela in Spain. We arrived in this city in the mid-afternoon and was greeted by a mild autumn weather. Here we were met by a male tour guide who immediately took us to a walking tour of the Basilica of St. James (Santiago). The church's courtyard was expansive and we saw pilgrims from other parts of Spain who've walked from their destinations up to Santiago de Compostela, bearing canes.

Some of these pilgrims rested on the church grounds, lying on their backs. There was a lovely fountain behind the Basilica.

St. James was the first apostle of Christ to be killed for his faith. He was beheaded and his remains are buried in the Basilica.

The stay at Santiago de Compostela was brief for the very next morning, we drove to Salamanca.
Salamanca is a magnificent place! Here the heart of the city is the Plaza Mayor, a 15th century courtyard which is presently adorned with open cafes and world class boutiques. Cost of real estate here runs at fifteen hundred Euro per square feet.

When we arrived at Salamanca it was time for lunch, about two in the afternoon. What we discovered and were not prepared for was...the siesta! All the shops and restaurants were closed. Luckily, we found a bakery still open so we purchased a baguette and some drinks and headed back to our Hotel to open a can of tuna.

For the following day, our tour guide brought us to several churches and universities. In Salamanca, the newest churches have been built in the 15th century. Even their Cathedral has two sections, the old and the new.

I love Salamanca because it is so ancient. It breathes history, it breathes the past - when the church was just beginning. It takes one heart to where great novels and love stories have been inspired.

The streets are narrow, and winding and littered with open cafes, curio boutiques and souvenir shops.

On our sixth day, we departed for Madrid, the capital of Espana. Enroute, we stopped at the fortress city of Avila, the birthplace of St. Theresa. Avila is captivating with its smallness and cleanliness and efficiency.

Here, we had free time for lunch, so we dined at a Japanese restaurant, where the waitress is a Japanese girl who only speaks Catalan. For 6.50 Euro, we had two plates, a choice of wine or coffee and dessert.

Coming from Santiago de Compostela and Salamanca, Madrid immediately presents a direct contrast to the two. Madrid is cosmopolitan, has wide streets, open spaces and lots of gardens.
Before Madrid, the capital of Spain had been Toledo. When Madrid was made capital, the aristocrats of Toledo gave up their houses and donated them to the church, and moved to Madrid to be near the King.

Toledo is another fortress-town like Avila. Driving up to it, one would be in awe of the magnificence of its walls looming high and looking all gallant. Rightly so, because the fortress had been built to protect the town from the enemies - the moors. Toledo shows a lot of the moorish infuence - the churches especially. Toledo in the 9th century had been in the hands of the moors. Towards the end of the trip to Toledo, we visited a shop where beautiful swords and jewelry are being handmade until today.

Back in Madrid, we got up early to see the National Palace (the official residence of the King). Security was tight, similar to an airport security, for practical reasons. Because the present King (Juan Carlos and Queen Sophia) has a second residence, the Palace is open to the general public.

The National Palace is where royal functions for visiting foreign dignitaries are held. It boasts of having 2,800 rooms and a capacity to give dinner for 1500 people.

We were shown some of the 2,800 rooms, and were they awesome! Furniture, chandeliers, clocks, mirrors, rugs were beyond description for their oppulence. There was even one room where there was a huge tapestry in which Spain's colonies were included and showed Las Islas Filipinas.

In a little museum, I also saw a crucifix labeled " anonimo Los Filipino." This was probably made or donated by a Filipino.

On Oct. 4, the pilgrimage headed to Zaragoza, another romantic and ancient town of Spain. We were greeted by a happy noise in the plaza as it was the day of the big fiesta. It was lunchtime so we headed to find a restaurant.. and were lucky to locate a cosy one. One group from our pilgrimage who only spoke English had difficulty understanding the Spanish menu and asked for our group's help (eight Filipinos in a group of 40 pilgrims). We happily obliged.

Also in this restaurant, I found San Miguel Beer being served, so I happily ordered one with my lunch of calamares, dry-fried fish and potato fries. That was 8.50 Euros for lucnh and I think 2.50 Euros for my San Mig.

In the Basilica of the Nuestra Senora del Pilar (Our Lady of the Pillar), we found the flag of the Philippines pinned to the wall near the grand altar and underneath the caption, Filipinas, one among the many countries which were colonized by Mother Spain.

In the evening, we headed back to the town plaza for dinner and to participate in the fiesta. But before this, heading to our hotel for a check-in took a lot of effort because the parade was already taking place at around 5 pm. Thousands of people dressed in different colorful scarves and hats, which I think signify different ethnicities, walked and paraded, gulping alcoholic punch, and singing and laughing to the tune of different marching bands (musikos).

Going back to the plaza in the evening, we just walked and even got lost for a while. Our priest, Fr. Tad, had the right to get lost, because of all the merriment happening all around us. Dinner was superb! We had a buffet with lots of selection. Of course there was the famous Spanish paella and the ever present vin rogue. After dinner, we walked with the revellers and stopped to listen to street singers and performers. This was an exciting and beautiful evening to end our tour of Espana.

The next day, we started our journey to France.

Going to Lourdes, France, our able coach driver, Antonio, took us via the Pyreenes Mountain. The trek was exhilarating as one views the Pyreenes majestically towering above farms where cows and horses roam freely. The top of the Pyreenes are capped with snow at this early autumn October. Ski lodges dot the scenery.

Upon arrival at Lourdes, we were greeted by narrow streets, even more treacherous than the ones in Spain. At some intersections, tourist coaches had to give in to one another just to pass by.

Our hotel, Hotel Aneto, was an old structure and sparse. The view though at the balcony was magnificent. Finding a restaurant to have lunch proved to be another challenge as it was already siesta time. Walking and asking around, we met with others in our group and were told that the only ones opened are those at the Hotels, and were only serving those checked-in. Our group of 8 Filipinos asked a souvenir seller who spoke a sputtering of English, and were told to cross two bridges to reach the rows of restaurants and souvenirs which never close for siesta. Two others from our group joined us and we headed to a French resto, and we enjoyed French Pizza, sandwiches, and for me, a French beer and after that, a crepe.

In the late afternoon, our pilgrimage headed to the Lourdes Shrine for a mass at the chapel in the crypt. It was a small cathedral atop the chapel of St. Anne.

After mass, we explored the whole shrine, taking in the Grotto where the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared before Bernadette. The statue of the Immaculate Conception stands prominently underneath the massive stones, where pilgrims walk through, touching the stone.

At the front of the cathedral is another statue of the Immaculate Conception. A massive gold-gilded crown adorn the top-frontage of this cathedral, and in the early morn, before sunrise, the lighted crown, presents a mysterious, holy, overpowering sight to the pilgrim.

The next day, we were back at the Lourdes shrine for an early morning mass. Our mass had been re-scheduled at 9:30 am and because of the free time, we headed to the place where pilgrims are given a healing bath. There was a long line up at this hour and we were late as gates had been closed. After mass, instead of going to the Way of the Cross, our Filipino-Canadian group decided to wait in line for the afternoon bath, which was to start at 2pm. We were at the line at 11:30 am, which was already quickly piling up, especially the line for female pilgrims.

Inside the bath were curtained dressing areas. For males, two individuals would be called in, and you will undress with underwear left on. You will then be led into another curtained cubicle, where two male volunteers (hospital workers) will wrap around a loin cloth after you strip, and will lead you into the tub filled with very cold clear water from the miraculous fountain. You will be asked to say your prayers and petition, and will be asked to go to the very front of the stone tub. Holding you at each hand, the two volunteers will then dip your whole body underneath the cold water, leaving your head and face up. After the quick dip, I was given a cold drink from the fount and was presented with an image of the Immaculate Conception, which I kissed. Afterthat, you get dressed up withour wiping the water from your body. Though the water was immensely cold, it dries up quickly and found myself warm as I walked out of the bath, into the open air, where two in my group were already waiting.

After our bath, we went to the Way of the Cross located up a hill, and later joined the procession, for a Healing Mass which took place in a chapel located underneath the street. In the evening was a procession.

You cannot leave Lourdes without taking or drinking water from the many faucets connected to the original fountain. This is where St. Bernadette was told by Our Lady to eat grass and drink water, which during the time of the apparition consisted of muddy water.

St. Bernadette at the time of the apparition was thirteen years old and uneducated. The Bishop, when Bernadette asked that a chapel be built as requested by the "thing," did not believe her. He kept asking her, go ask who she is, and Bernadette kept on telling, she is the "thing." Finally, Bernadette told the Bishop: she is the Immaculate Conception.

Today, St. Bernadette's body lies incorrupted outside the town of Lourdes.

By October 7th, we flew out of the Pau airport to reach our last destination, the city of Paris.

Gay Paris is the city of Napoleon Bonaparte. The ever present Seine river is a landmark, so is the Eiffel Tower, the Louve museum, the Trumph Elysee, and many French bistros and sidewalk cafes. We first visited the cathedral of Notre Dame, then had lunch of crepe.

In the evening we were given a city tour showcasing the city in its lighted splendour - the city of lights - Paris!

In the morning, we visited the Mont Matre Church, where there was a choice of using the overhead elevator car instead of the steep stone stairs, and then, heard mass at the Miraculous Medal church where St. Catherine Lavoure is interred, her body in the same condition as when she was originally buried. In the afternoon, we were back, exploring the city, taking pictures by the Eiffel Tower, and shopping to our hearts' delight. Lunch was at a chinese restaurant inside the Lafayette Galleries (shopping mall). We ordered fried rice and fried seafood noodles. Beside our table was a French lady enjoying her big meal, and who spoke enough English for us to communicate with her. Bon apetit!

Our dinners in Paris were outside our hotel, Florida Hotel. It was actually a restaurant called Buffallo, serving North American cuisine, grilled chicken, steak, grilled salmon, Crevettes (shrimp gambas). I ordered vin rogue for our group the first night, and on our final night, one Chinese lady, served everyone, one round of vin rogue, again.

Au revoir, Paris!

We flew back to Toronto on Thursday, October 9. Our flight left the Charles de Gaulle airport at 11:30 am (French time). It was an eight-hour flight, and we reached Toronto Pearson International Airport at 1:35, EST.

FOOTNOTE:

On our way to Santiago de Compostela, from Lisbon, we stopped for washroom break and snack in a highway eatery, and found in the store a cookie called " Filipinos." It was chocolate covered cookie. I found it again in two other stores, in Spain. I bought some to give away to my sister.