Back from Bali

I've just arrived from a 2 day trip to Bali, and I have to say that it was OK. It had so much potential to be great, but the weather was horrible. On the first day, it pretty much rained all day, so we couldn't really walk around and truly explore or enjoy the place. We purchased a travel package which included a car all to ourselves and a tour guide. They took us to see Batik making, Balinese paintings, wood carvings, gold and silver smiths, which were all pretty much sales trips where they showed us a little bit about how they make their products and then proceed to try and sell us said products. Bleh.

The rest of the day improved a bit when they took us to see some rice terraces, which was a gorgeous sight. We finished the day by watching a fire dance which was quite mesmerizing.

Lunch was also included in the package, and we went up to a mountain to a restaurant that was supposed to have a view of the lake and an active volcano, but it was foggy, so we couldn't see ANYTHING. :(

The second day was a lot better though, because it didn't rain at all, except the sky was overcast. I'm grateful that the weather improved though because we at least got to do some beach hopping - no swimming though cause the water was quite dirty; we just did a lot of sight seeing.

The first beach we went to was Kuta Beach, which is the most popular beach in Bali. It is very touristy and quite crowded, nothing too special, just the usual vendors trying to sell stuff by the beach.

Next stop was a beach where all the water sports were. Since we already did a lot of water sports in the Philippines, we opted for a trip to Turtle Island to see and touch some turtles.

Next we visited the Bvlgari resort, which was magnificent!

We went on an elevator ride down the mountain towards the ocean. It was fun, breathtaking, and just a tad bit scary! :)

Look how steep it is! :O

Next, we went to Padang Padang Beach which is a little bit more secluded..

This is the passageway into the beach..

Getting there..

Check out that overcast sky.. bit of a preparation for Seattle I suppose.. ;)

After that, we finished the day with a romantic sunset dinner by the beach.

It was gorgeous. :)

Overall, the trip could definitely have been a lot better because of the weather, but we didn't really have a choice since we're going back to the States soon and wanted to see Bali before we leave.

Next stops are Ko Samui and Ko Tao in the south of Thailand. Hopefully these trips will be a lot more enjoyable!

Book Rave: The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory

I just started watching the TV series, The Tudors, recently. It's about the life and reign of King Henry VIII, as well as his relationships with his six wives. It's quite juicy and addictive, and since I've been having that whole era on the mind lately, I thought I'd write a review of The Other Boleyn Girl, which is a novel I read back in college.

The story focuses on Mary Boleyn, who is the lesser known sister of Anne Boleyn, King Henry's second wife, who ended up getting beheaded. This book went at such a fast pace. It was juicy, intriguing, captivating, and highly addictive. I personally thought the writing could have been a lot better. There was something missing in it. I don't remember what specifically since it's been years since I read it, but I do remember the language being too simple, a bit Young Adult-ish in my opinion. I wished the descriptions could have been more intricate, especially since it is a work of historical fiction.

Nonetheless, this book definitely did the job of hooking me in. As soon as I picked it up, I couldn't stop reading. I didn't really care that the writing wasn't the best; I was more focused on the unfolding events of the story, the relationships, the love, the seduction, the betrayal, the power struggles, and the terrifying consequences of the characters' actions. It was a complete soap opera, and I was engulfed in it for a few days.

As for its historical accuracy, I can't comment on that since I don't know much about the period; however, despite this, there were times when I felt that Gregory had perhaps exaggerated the negative aspects of Anne Boleyn's character. The contrast between her and Mary were just too black and white, too good and evil, and I found that hard to believe. Very little sympathy or empathy was given to Anne's character and, since she is a historical figure, I doubted the honesty of her portrayal.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book to lovers of romance and historical fiction. It's a great, fun read.

Book Rave: Persuasion by Jane Austen

Another great Jane Austen favorite of mine, Persuasion took me completely by surprise; I did not expect to be so touched and affected after reading it. This was the last Austen book I read, and I found it particularly special because of its deeply poignant and mature love story. Although all of Austen's other novels are love stories at the core, the relationships aren't as developed as the one shared between Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth. Austen's other books use the love stories as a focal point while the meat of the material is dedicated more to people's social practices, habits, and follies. They also tend to have a fairytale like feel to them, but Persuasion felt much more real and down to earth. It really struck true to the much more deep and complicated emotions people experience.

In Persuasion, Anne Elliot, the protagonist, is much older than Austen's other heroines. She is a very kind, sensible, principled and dependable woman. However, she has one regret that has haunted her for a long time: the fact that as a young woman, she rejected the man she loved because her family did not approve of him, and she was simply too compliant and obedient to object. Now she is at the stage in her life where marriage is no longer a priority or an option because of her age (28!). Her life revolves around keeping her father company and taking care of him. Unfortunately, her family's circumstances have also deteriorated.

When Captain Wentworth comes back a successful man at sea, all the emotions she had felt for him from the past come rushing back to the surface. Wentworth, on the other hand, has turned distant and aloof. The sadness and deep regret Anne feels upon his return is truly heartbreaking. The fact that she has already lost her youth and beauty, and her family is no longer in the same privileged position makes it even more saddening.

This was the first Austen novel that made me cry. I felt so much sympathy for Anne, and I was dying for the moment their relationship would be rekindled.

When it finally did, I felt like I was flying.

Chatuchak Market

Last weekend, I went shopping at Chatuchak Market (also called JJ from its other spelling - Jatujak), which is the largest outdoor market in Thailand. They sell literally everything. EVERYTHING. Clothes, shoes, makeup, food, drinks, furniture, accessories, animals, books, DVDs, bags, wallets, antiques... Everything. Anything you could possibly imagine, they have. Even though it's only open on the weekends, it's such an amazing place for deals. You can bargain with the vendors, even though they can get quite mean and nasty when they don't get a sale. 

I went there last weekend to stock up on cheap clothes and some presents before moving back to the States. It was a pretty successful trip, but I plan on going back next weekend for more. I don't wanna regret not taking more advantage of how inexpensive Bangkok is. ;)

And some food and drinks to keep you energized while shopping 

amidst the crowds in the almost unbearable heat..

Oh, and lookee what I found...!

He/she looks like a whiter, younger version of Hero.

If only, I had the capacity to own all the cute kittties in the world.. *sigh*

I hope this little baby finds a good home..

A Major Distraction

Soo.. I'm supposed to be working on my lesson plans for tomorrow as well as some write-ups I need to be finishing up in order to get my bonus pay in a couple of weeks. However, I can't focus, because of what I'm seeing right in front of me at this very moment.

And here it is..

Too adooorable! :)

Argh! Must get back to work! Lol.

My Book Blog

I mentioned on a previous post that I had started a book blog a couple of months ago. I love books, novels specifically, so I thought it would be a great idea to create a completely separate space for that. My blog includes book reviews and tv/film adaptation reviews. Most of the literature I review are novels that are catered towards women. I love my girly books and love stories. ;) Check it out if you guys are interested!

Link: diaryofabookaholic.blogspot.com

Here's my most recent post:

I just finished this book, and it was such a wonderful read! It was recommended on the Barnes & Noble website, and I decided to read it primarily because of the presence and actual relevance of vintage clothing in the story. I was definitely satisfied with the fashion part of the book. The way the narrator, Phoebe who owns a vintage clothing store, describes the clothes and the way she gives more meaning to them was truly a delight to read. It made me appreciate vintage fashion that much more. Fashionistas will love this novel.

As for the rest of the book, I was not disappointed. I dove into it not really knowing much about it, and so I was surprised to find that it actually has a very sad undertone throughout because of something tragic that happened in the main character's past. There is also a lot of mystery as to what exactly happened, and I really liked that. It kept my attention throughout the entire story.

Apart from that, there is also some romance and a lot of warm, feel good aspects, such as the friendships Phoebe forms and her personal successes.

This book was sad, beautiful, touching, happy, and just an overall delight to read. I can easily see this adapted into a charming, feel good movie in the same vein as Chocolat.

5 stars *****

Friday Haul

My Friday damage...

I bought:
One baby pink Channelesque purse from Charles & Keith (a Singaporean shoe and handbag store)
- I've been obsessed with trying to find bags of different colors that look like the Chanel jumbo. So far, I own this pink one, a grey one from Zara, a black one from Topshop, and a white one from Baghaus.com.
Six (!) wallets for $3 each! Not the best quality, but they're all so cute!
And a black pleather jacket from Stradivarius which is a subsidiary of Zara. I'm trying to stock up on fall/winter clothes right now. Can't wait to start wearing them again!

Love!

Oh, and I also went to Prada to see how the Saffiano Lux Tote looks in person.. I LOVE it! I want it sooo bad now! It's gorgeous in person. Argh!!! :D *droollll*

Prada Saffiano Lux Tote

I think I may have found the bag that will be the cure for my Hermes Birkin affliction.

After seeing pictures of Olivia Palermo carrying her black Birkin, I've become obsessed with finding a bag that has the same look, but with an obviously much lower price tag and with high quality leather. 

The Prada Saffiano Lux Tote seems to fit the bill with its shape and simplicity. 

Isn't it gorgeous? Want it! At $1550, it's still very, very expensive, but at least it's not $12,000+ or however much Birkins cost! :O

A Tale of Two Kitties

These little guys came into our lives last July, when one of my co-workers found them at a parking lot here in Bangkok. Their mom was nowhere to be found, and the people that worked there assumed that she was probably never going to return since she had been gone for a few days already. My co-worker brought the teeny tiny kittens with her to work, and as soon as I saw them in their little box, I instantly fell in love. They looked so scrawny and hungry and helpless, and my heart just went all gooey and shmooshy. I was done for.

The one with the black and white fur is Timmy, and the one with the cream colored fur is Hero. We called the younger one Timmy because he was so tiny and scared when we first saw him. He was also sick for awhile and had to be at the vet for a couple of weeks. Hero got his name because he was the one that ran to my co-worker while Timmy was hiding in a bush. If not for him, Timmy would probably not have been able to make it since he was so sick when we first had him. He saved their lives, and that's why he's called Hero. :)

Here are some pictures of them back when we first got them:

See how tiny and scrawny they were? Precious! :)