Feng Huang Cheng, China

Last May, I received a postcard from a Chinese person who used the alias "yxw0614."  He or she expressed his or her gladness to be in the same round robin (Water RR 189) as I was, wished me a nice day, but didn't write anything about the place shown on the postcard.  Great.

I would never have guessed where in the world this postcard was from had not it been for Google Translate's automatic page translation feature.  There was a website written on the bottom right of the postcard and I decided to check it out.

Feng Huang Cheng, or Phoenix Town, is an ancient city located in the southwest of the Hunan Province.  Situated at the foot of the mountains and near waters, Feng Huang Cheng is a well-preserved historical site as it continues to show the world the beauty of ancient villages prior to modernization.

Legend has it, 2 phoenixes flew over the town, found it so beautiful that they hovered there, reluctant to leave

The postcard came with this stamp:

Chlamys farreri is more commonly known as the Chinese Scallop

This postcard and short entry don't do justice to the splendor of Feng Huang.  I would have gladly written more about the town, but all the sites I visited talked about its place in Chinese history.  I'm not good with (Chinese) names so I won't even try to act as if I know what they're talking about. On the other hand, I found out that Feng Huang is on China's tentative list to the UNESCO World Heritage thingie.  Cool.

Read more here:
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/hunan/zhangjiajie/fenghuangcheng.htm

The Pashkov House in Moscow, Russia

This white palace, standing on Pskov Hill, is one of the most beautiful buildings in Moscow.  It was built in the 18th century by the renowned architect, Vasily Bazhenov, for the rich landowner, Peter Yegorovich Pashkov.

Today the building is currently owned by the Russian State Library, the biggest library in Europe (second in the world, after the US Library of Congress).

The Pashkov House is one of the places in Russia with a permanent rat problem

I got this from Marina through the Other Languages RR 195.  She shared a Russian saying, "Не имей сто рублей, а имей сто друзей" (Don't have 100 roubles, but have 100 friends).

The postcard came with the following stamps:

Part of the Mint Never Hinged Lighthouse set released in 2006 

Death-cup and meadow mushrooms, inedible mushrooms

The badger stamp on the left came from a joint issue with Belarus in 2005.  The Amur (Siberian) Tiger (scientific name: Panthera tigris altaica) is listed as an endangered species

Read more:
http://www.masterandmargarita.eu/en/04mappen/pasjkov.html
http://russia.rin.ru/guide_e/5/2.html

The Wells Cathedral in Somerset, UK

Wells was the first English cathedral to be built in the new Gothic style imported from France.  The first building phase took about 80 years to complete, building from east to west, culminating in the magnificent West Front shown on the postcard below.  About 300 of its medieval statues remain, including a theatrical stone backdrop used for feast day processions.  Read more about the Wells Cathedral here on its homepage.  

This beautiful cathedral can be found in the Southwest England

I received this postcard from Claire through the Just Postcards Round Robin 73.  This came with a stamp of the current monarch, Queen Elizabeth II.

Almost all British stamps come with the image of the Queen

Wow.  Blogging about the postcards I received is really turning into a real learning experience.  Lots more postcards to scan in the days to come.  Awesome.

The Maori Haka

I finally decided to post my postcards online.  Here's one of the first official Postcrossing cards that arrived while I was in Japan.  It's from Katherine in NZ.

The traditional Maori challenge, the Haka

It came with this awesome hei matau stamp:

Hei matau are fishhook bone carvings that symbolize strength

Together with Katherine's handwritten message is a computerized text which writes, "Here a Maori g[r]oup greets strangers as they would welcome them to a village - aggressively! Everyone joins in, wearing traditional dress.  The red skin is from beating chest and thighs.  The aggressive display/challenge, called "Haka", was done by the men to prepare mind and body for combat but was also used as a welcome or greeting (this is what we can do - so you'd better not try anything!) and once respect was gained, everyone was friendly.  The Haka is often now used as a display by New Zealand sports teams, perhaps with an intimidating effect.

This reminds me of the Haka my male classmates did for our Philippine History class last year for the inter-class Battle of Bel Field.  More on that maybe next time.  Here's a video for your viewing pleasure:

Kumamoto, Japan

I've had a thing for bears since 6th grade, when I got the slightly secret nickname, "Kuma" which means bear in Japanese.  And when I heard that there was a place in Japan called "Kumamoto" I knew I just had to go there.  And go there I did.

It was a little bit more than 2 hours away by bus from Fukuoka, the place that me and my roommate lived.  I was leaving in 2 days and I had an afternoon meeting to attend, so we were only in Kumamoto for a very short time.  Anyway, I've read a few travel website and there was this one person who said that Kumamoto is a nice place to visit if you have an hour to spare.  It was true.

Kumamoto is a small town with not much tourists.  As long as you're a blonde Caucasian, one or two people will try to engage you in conversation in the trams.  And these people will gladly help you find the place you're looking to visit in case you don't speak much Japanese.  Finding a decent Kumamoto brochure in English was next to impossible.  There were none.  Good thing I already got some brochures from Rainbow Plaza in Fukuoka.

Find peace and beauty in Suijenji Park

So after purchasing the elusive one-day tram passes, my roommate and I visited Suijenji Koen.  It was an amazing garden where the lush green color of La Salle brushes against the perfect Ateneo blue sky.  One would be a fool not to stay and wander around for at least an hour.

Walk for hours on end at the Shimotori Arcade

As planned, my roommate and I had lunch at a restaurant in the Shimotori Arcade.  The place looked like a familiar Tenjin shopping arcade, but with more room and less people.  We were on a fixed schedule and we didn't have time to find a cheap restaurant offering the famous Kumamoto raw horse meat, so we settled for sweet and sour pork at a Chinese restaurant.

More Japanese than Chinese food

And don't say I didn't warn you, but please do not have Chinese food in Japan.  It was my 2nd time to dine in a Chinese restaurant in Japan and the food tasted like Japanese cuisine with just a hint of Chinese.  Trust me, it's not a good mix.  The Japanese version of sweet and sour pork is more sour than sweet.  Not a perfect balance.  You would be better off eating Chowking's Chao Fan rice, spring rolls, and Chicharap rather than not get your money's worth for Chinese food in Japan..

Kumamoto Castle, Sr. as seen inside Kumamoto Castle, Jr.

Right after that unsatisfying lunch, we visited the most famous landmark in the area, Kumamoto Castle.  We walked up an endless flight of outdoor stone stairs to get to the castle entrance.  Note to future Kumamoto visitors, there is another entrance which doesn't require you to climb the endless flight of outdoor stone stairs.  It was a pity that we were only there for 30 minutes.  We entered Kumamoto Castle, Jr., which was across Kumamoto Castle, Sr.  My roommate and I were so tired from the grueling climb, so I didn't realize that all the pictures I've been taking were crappy.  But of course, I just made up the suffixes for the different parts of the Kumamoto Castle complex.  I don't really speak Japanese so I didn't bother to learn the names of stuff which I know I will just forget after 3 seconds.

From the Castle, we walked back to the bus station and were just in time for the bus that was bound for Fukuoka.  Awesome.  Would love to go back to Kumamoto for the raw horse meat, better pictures, and the other sights to see.  But maybe after 5 years' time.

Places to Send Mail

I recently joined Postcrossing, a site where you get to send and receive postcards from random people all over the world.  I live in a country where people don't have regular mailmen to deliver and receive mail on a specific time.  One would have to go to a post office to send mail.

For some reason, no one has ever compiled an online list of post offices in Metro Manila.  And by post office, I mean a place to send mail and not just the government-owned PhilPost.  So I'll be writing about the different places where you could send postcards in NCR.

BTW, sending postcards locally will cost about half the price of sending a postcard abroad.  The price depends on your post office.

*September 24, 2011 edit: So after 3 months, I finally realized that it only costs P13 to send postcards internationally and P7 locally.  So if you're paying more than P13, you're me a few months back--ripped off.  Anyway this post is here.  Too lazy to take it out.

Makati

Ayala Avenue

          Makati Central Post Office (Philpost)

                   Postcard: P13

Greenbelt 1

Mail and Load (G/F)

                             Postcard: P20

Ortigas

SM Megamall

Fax, Parcel, and Print (Basement Mega A)

                             Postcard: P17.50

Quezon City   

Diliman

          Quezon City Hall (Philpost)

                   Postcard: P13

          University of the Philippines (Philpost)

                   Postcard: P13

          

          Cubao

                   Post Office (in front of Cubao X, near Singapore Chicken Rice)

                             Postcard: P13

                   

SM North EDSA

Fax, Parcel, and Print (Outside The Block)

          Postcard: P16

[RTS] Raced for a Seat

Late 2010.

Eka and I have just visited our former high school a stone's throw away from the LRT-2 Gilmore Station.  We were en route to Katipunan because we had class in the afternoon.

I had two, thick history books with me: Abinales and Amoroso 2005, and Agoncillo 1987.  My backpack was very heavy and my shoulders were aching from carrying it around all morning.  I wanted to sit down even just for a short while.  A short train ride while.

There weren't that many people boarding the train at Gilmore.  I'd say it was around 10 AM that time.  There weren't supposed to be that many people riding the LRT as well.  A few minutes after waiting, the train arrived.  As it was speeding down the platform, my eyes were swiftly scanning the transparent windows and praying for as much empty seats as possible.  Unfortunately, there were not that many left.

The train stopped.  I saw a space good for two, but it wasn't immediately near our point of entry.  By our neighboring door was a couple.  A man and a woman both with long hair stood a few meters away from us.  Away from our seats.

The train doors opened.  Without thinking, without hesitation, I ran.  I ran as fast as I could to get that sitting space I have long coveted.  Never mind the people staring.  Never mind the couple who will be left to stand as I sit in my rightful throne.  Never mind Eka, who didn't run as fast as I.  Eka, who didn't even run at all.  With that, I righteously slammed my backpack down the space I claimed.  The space good for two.  But this aggressive act did not stop the lady with long hair from sitting down on the uncovered, unmarked spot.

I was out of breath, out of luck, and for the lack of better words, disappointed.  Panting with knees bent and head bowed, I questioningly looked at the girl.  And then to the boy.  And the boy, with as much contempt as his hair was long, had the nerve to offer my seat to me.  My bag was a sign of my claim over that space.  In the animal world, I practically peed all over that space.  And here is the boy with the long hair giving me my seat.

I was proud and I didn't want him to think that he did an act of kindness today.  So I declined his offer and just let my heavy backpack sit on the seat.  I remained standing, raised my head up (but just a little) and proclaimed that my bag was just heavy and I'm fine with standing.  And I just stood there in front of my bag.  Feet apart, forming a wide base for maximum balance, and basically one with the shaking movements of the train.

After all this, I actually forgot about Eka.  Right.  I wasn't alone.  With my eyes, I looked for her.  Upon making initial eye contact, I hoped we were still friends and she hasn't disowned me yet.