The Da Vinci Code

I watched The Da Vinci Code this past weekend. I wanted to watch this because:
1. I read the book and wanted to see how it was translated onto the big screen
2. I read and heard that the movie received really bad reviews
3. I wanted to try out the cinema that was walking distance from my flat

With all the hype surrounding this movie, I feel lucky to have read the book before all of the spoilers and documentaries started appearing left and right. When I read The Da Vinci code, I was instantly drawn by the story and the conspiracy theories behind it. It was a page turner, keeping me awake on my transatlantic flight when I should have been sleeping. In short, I loved it.

I also liked the movie, despite the bad reviews. It did not have alot of action in it, but it did not need it. The movie was almost 3 hours long, but I think it was paced well, and time flew quickly. Historical explanations were kept to a minimum, and anything more would have dragged the movie. If you are interested in learning more about the conspiracy theories, then you should read the book if you haven't done so already. I must say that the climax was anticlimactic for me... maybe it is because I read the book and knew what was happening. But aside from that, it was worth the £6.20 ticket price!

Did I question my catholic faith after reading the book and watching the movie? The answer is No. My faith was unmoved, and the book did not change my beliefs in the catholic church. I have read enough fiction and heard many conspiracy theories to know that The Da Vinci Code is nothing more than an incredibly entertaining written tale and nothing more. The reason I mention this is because of all the fuss the church . I have heard at least three homilies dealing with the blasphemous Da Vinci Code, and how all catholics should boycott it. I think that is a load of rubbish. Does the church really think its constituents have very little faith? Are catholics really that dumb? Personally, I think the church should have just kept quiet instead of raising a ruckus. By making such a big deal out of it, one cannot help but think that there is a bit of truth in those conspiracy theories, and undoubtedly more people will watch the movie to see what the fuss is all about.

No matter. The bottom line is, I think its good entertainment and I recommend watching, and (better yet) reading The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown.

Hmm... maybe I will dig through my photo archives and post pictures of when I went on my own Da Vinci Code tour...

La Vita e Bella!

Monaco Grand Prix Analysis

Controversy on the very last lap of the very last session of qualifying by none other than Michael Schumacher! That, combined with Massas shunt in the first session meant that the two Ferraris were relegated to the back of the grid! Now that is a sight rarely seen!

Another one who suffered in qualifying was Jenson Button. The poor fellow struggled, and it was not because of traffic. Even his race pace was so bad, one has to wonder why he is driving very poorly of late.

So... Did Schumacher deliberately 'accidentally' lose control at the Rascasse corner? The majority of the Fomula 1 personalities certainly thought so. Personally, I think he did the moment I saw him 'lose' control of the car. It just seemed so convenient, so timely, that it had to be more than just a coincidence. Even before the rumours started flying, I suspected something foul. And it was echoed by the TV presenters and the other teams. I think the race stewards did the right thing by putting him in the back of the grid. It sends a message that such tactics will not be tolerated.

Now, on to the race...

The first few laps of the race were exciting as Raikonnen passed Webber and kept it very close to Alonso. I have to commend Alonso for keeping his cool and not letting the sight of Raikonnen in his mirrors affect his driving. Things were quiet, until peoples engines started blowing up, starting with Mark Webber. I really felt sorry for him as I think he genuinely had the pace to keep up with Raikonnen and Alonso. A few laps later, Raikonnens engine blew up as well, which was strange because it was under safety car conditions. This opened the door for Montoya, who quickly moved into second place. The battle for third was interesting as there were a gaggle of cars following each other. Trulli seemed to be poised for a podium finish but his engine lost power a few laps to the finish. All of a sudden, Coulthard had third place! Now all he had to do was make it to the end. The whole Red Bull paddock was tense as they counted down the laps. And he made it! A well deserved third place finish for the Scotsman, who went up to claim his trophy wearing a Superman cape! It was all part of the sponsorship deal of Red Bull who were promoting the movie. It looked good, matching his blue racing suit. I hope he gets more podiums... I love rooting for the underdog!

Move of the day: When Raikonnens engine blew up, he simply got out of his car and started walking... not to the pit area, but to the docks, where his yacht was moored. Before we knew it, the cameras focused on him aboard his yacht without his shirt, surrounded by his friends, all while the race was still taking place! Only in Monaco, baby, only in Monaco...

Next stop... Silverstone, home of the British Grand Prix!

Life is Beautiful!

Pushing Your Limits

Yesterday, I jogged on the treadmill for 60 minutes. This was an achievement for me, as my previous record was 40 minutes. If you think it is easy, I dare you to try it for yourself at a pace of 7.5 km/h and see for yourself how difficult it is. I certainly do not compare myself to seasoned runners and marathoners, but I certainly know that I am much better than the rest of the population.

I love pushing myself to the limits and seeing how far I can go. When I set myself to goals such as these, I focus so much that I have no doubt that I will reach them and more. And with such a mindset, I know that I am capable of anything.

La Vita e Bella!

Big Brother: My Guilty Pleasure

It's sleazy, the premise encourages conflict, and its a cheap way to fame and publicity.

But its bloody addictive to watch, and I'm hooked.

Big Brother 7 just started here in the UK and once again, 9pm every night is must watch tv. What compels me to watch this hodge-podge group of unknown people perform meaningless tasks and argue everyday. Is it the psychologist in me who takes great pleasure in analyzing human interaction and behaviour? Or is it because there are lots of eye candy in the form of very pretty, sexy girls (with the possibility of nudity!) in the house? Or maybe because there is nothing else to watch on British television?

All of the above!

But there is one reason that tops all... I watch because I have an inner desire to be in the house, a participant and not just an observer. If Amazing Race is the reality show I want to be on the most, Big Brother comes in a close second. I do not know why I want to subject myself to intense scrutiny almost 24 hours a day by the public in an enclosed space surrounded by people I can't trust. It's slightly masochistic and egotistical at the same time, yet I still want to join.

So, if anyone can tell me how to join Pinoy Big Brother, please do so!

Life is Beautiful!

Poutine

I was browsing through my photos when one caught my eye and made me salivate. There are certain things I do and eat whenever I am in Toronto. And one of those things that I simply have to eat is a bowl of Poutine.

What is Poutine? Think perfectly fried french fries drenched in gravy and topped with cheese. Yummy! I normally eat this for lunch; its heavy enough to stand on its own. And I always get extra gravy and cheese!

Is it a Canadian treat? I don't know because the stall that sells it is called New York Fries (NYF), even though I have never seen an NYF in Manhattan! I do know there is a branch in Glorietta somewhere... that is, if it has not gone out of business.

Try it, you just might like it!

Life is Beautiful!

Driving Lessons

Today, I had driving lessons. Not full fledged driving lessons, but a refresher course on how to drive on British roads. If all goes well, I will be driving on a regular basis in the near future!

The instructor drove to my flat to pick me up, a nice service by the driving school. After a short orientation by my instructor on the rules of the road, he handed over the reins to me. At first, it was strange sitting in the ride side of the car with a steering wheel in front of me and the gear knob on the left. Fortunately, the gas, brake, and clutch were still in the same layout. Some of the other controls such as the headlights were in reverse position as well, but those were minor compared to the ones 'essential' for driving.

The first thing I had to adjust to was the fact that I felt so far from the left side of the car. There were times when I felt so close to the curb that I thought I was going to scrape it when in fact I was a safe distance away, and there were also times when I misjudged my distance and ended up scraping the curb! But after awhile, I got used to it. The second thing I had to learn quickly was how to change gears using my left hand. Shifting up was easy enough, but when shifting down, especially when going into turns, was a challenge. I never seemed to push the knob away from me far enough. Hence, shifts to 1st gear went to 3rd, and shifts to 2nd went to 4th. I stalled the car more than once this way. Fortunately, it was in quiet, neighborhood roads where mistakes were allowed.

Now used to the nuances of actually being in a right hand drive car, it was time to turn to the road rules. Sitting and driving on the left side of the road wasn't so hard at all... as long as you're going in a straight line. Stoplights and junctions were easy enough, as were the motorways. Roundabouts, on the other hand, were a different story altogether. A roundabout (or rotonda) is logical in theory, a little confusing in reality. My mistake was always in the approach. Roundabouts were created to keep traffic flowing as much as possible, so if there are no cars in the roundabout impeding your way, it is your duty to keep going. I, however, treat roundabouts like regular intersections. I slow to a stop before entering the roundabout, therefore disrupting the potential flow of traffic behind me. Good thing I do know what to do when I'm actually in the roundabout, or I would literally be going in circles!

But by the end of the lesson, I was driving smoothly. I had gotten the hang of almost everything, and I felt confident enough to drive on my own. Of course, that's what I'm telling myself now, but I know it will be a different story in a few weeks time if I do get a car here in England... I hope these lessons weren't in vain!

Life is Beautiful!

Hatton Park

With some newfound friends, I found myself in Hatton Park over the weekend. It's a kiddie theme park. Trampolines, slides, obstacle courses... everything to keep children active for the whole day. Too bad the sky was overcast; this would have been a better picture if it was sunny. There is also a petting zoo and a large field where cows, sheep, goats, and other farm animals can graze to their hearts content.


Because of the weather (abnormally chilly this time of year), most of the animals were indoors rather than outdoors. I don't normally like petting places like these because I think there is not enough space for the animals to move around, but if its for their own good, then I am okay with it.


A guinea pig. He is not huge, I just took a real close up shot. This little guy can fit in the palm of your hand. He was really obedient during the picture taking session, but when I tried to pick him up, but he ran away. They're cute little things!

This place will be more interesting in the summer, when all the animals are out and about and there are more activities (such as a garden maze... my favourite!) for the children to do. And for the adults... well I hear there will be a classical music night sometime in July. That's one event I hope to see!

La Vita e Bella!

Yoga Bear

In my pursuit of improving my flexibility, I tried something yesterday that I haven't tried before... Yoga!

After finishing a 5k run on the treadmill (I'm training for a marathon... no joke), I took the opportunity to attend the free yoga class in my fitness centre. I thought it would be the perfect cooldown exercise to lower my heart rate.

For that one hour session, I let my worries melt away and concentrated on my breathing technique and focused on my third eye. Yoga is not as easy as it looks, especially for a very (for lack of better word) stiff person like me. My flexibility was pushed to the utmost limit as we went through the different stances. Fortunately the instructor was very patient with me and constantly reminded the class in her soothing voice to drop all tension from our bodies. And it worked! Although there were times when my hips hurt from trying to stretch too hard, for the most part, my body felt loose and my mind was clear.

I'll attend these yoga classes regularly; hopefully in a few weeks, I will be more flexible... maybe even flexible enough to try some advanced capoeira moves!

Life is Tranquil, Peaceful, Relaxing... and Beautiful!

Back to My 'Roots'

It's been a long time since I visited Toronto in the Spring. I usually go here during the winter months, so everything is covered in a blanket of snow. This is the first time I could actually walk around without being bundled up in layers of cotton and wool. Naturally, me and my family spent of of the time outdoors.


The CN Tower. I have lots of fond memories there.


The Air Canada Centre. Eerily quiet this time of year since the Maple Leafs and the Raptors both missed the playoffs!


The Looney talking to the Loon. Seriously, thats what we call the national bird of Canada (the one on the left!!!). It's a goose!


Chad, Mom, and Me


All Hands in Pockets

Life is Beautiful!

Beach House

The beach house that the family rented in Long Beach Island, New Jersey. It was a true beachfront location, with most of the bedrooms having a view of the sea. It was enough to fit everyone (approximately 22 people)!


The view from the top deck. There are no people on the beach for two reasons. The first is that this was taken during a weekday, so there would really be less people around. The second is that it was a cold week! Whenever we stepped onto the terrace of the beach house, we would all have to wear sweaters or jackets to keep warm. And no one dared swim because the water was freezing! I know because I did an early morning jog on our second day there. I did not jog after that. It did warm up during the last 2 days we were there, and thats when the other family members walked along the shores. The cold weather did not stop me from taking pictures though. Here are some of the notable ones...


Seagulls walking along the beach.


The Lighthouse on the tip of the island.


The Sunset...

So why did the family rent a beach house if the weather was so bad? I asked myself the same question when I first arrived. But by the end of the week, I knew why. It was never about the beach at all. It was about all the children (and grandchildren) staying in one house with their parent. Almost everyday was spent gathered around the dining table reminiscing about their childhood days or looking at old pictures smiling and laughing with each uncovered memory. I saw my Titos and Titas in a different light. In short, I experienced what it would have been like when they were all growing up and living in the same house so many years ago. I also saw how proud my Lolo and Lola were of their family and the way their children raised their families.

When it was all time to leave and part ways, there was of course, a sadness in the air. No one knew when the next reunion would be, and if it would be as grand as this. But we all left with nothing but good memories and the hope that one day, a gathering like this would happen again.

Life is Beautiful...

Spanish Grand Prix Analysis

Egad! Yet another race I was not able to watch live on tv. Due to other plans, I was only able to watch the highlights of this race very late at night before sleeping.

I always find it funny when teammates bump each other during the race, and thats exactly what happened to Ralf Schumacher and Jarno Trulli and their Toyotas. Hehe!

I also laughed when Montoya spun and couldn't get out of the grass! Hahahahaha!

Typical Fisichella to have a mental error and let M Schumacher go past him. He really should do a better job at holding his place during races. Other than that, it seemed to be quite a normal race, with the Raikonnen and the Hondas right behind the Renaults and Ferraris. Heidfeld was a pleasant surprise taking up eighth position with his BMW.

Two weeks from now should be interesting. Monaco is always an interesting and beautiful track, but this will be even more intriguing during the qualifying session. It is a difficult track to overtake cars, and I am sure we will have more than one race incident and a few big names being prematurely knocked out in the earlier qualifying rounds. Definitely a race to watch!

La Vita e Bella!

Diamond Anniversary

How many people do you know have been together for over 50 years? I certainly don't know many. How about 60 years? I only know of one couple, and that is my Lolo Nonoy and Lola Maring.

Of course, being married for 60 years is a very good reason to celebrate, and preparations were made over a year in advance. The plan was for them to renew their vows in a traditional wedding ceremony followed by a reception. Then Lolo and Lola, along with all of the 10 children and their families would proceed to a rented beach house for a week of reminiscing and relaxation (more on the beach house in a future entry).

As I mentioned in my previous post, people came from as far as the Philippines (I'm the only one that I know came from Europe). My Titos and Titas all did their best to make it. And in the end, all but one of the 10 children were present. Close friends and family were also invited, and it was an intimate occasion. The wedding reception was just as good, as everyone was treated to a presentation chronicling Lolo & Lola's lives from their wedding to the present. Needless to say, many tears of happiness were shed. Kudos to my brother and my parents for creating that presentation.


Our Lady of Mt. Carmen Church in New Jersey


The cute couple with their cute grandson!

This is, to my knowledge, the second time they have renewed their vows. The first time was 10 years ago during their Golden Anniversary, which was held in Boracay. How lucky they are, to have found each other at such a young age (Lola married at 19) and to enjoy life together for 60 years and counting. They have done it all and seen it all. From travelling around the world in first class to taking road trips across the USA in a beat up Hyundai, they have seen and experienced things I can only dream of.

One day... I will follow in their footsteps, holding the one I Love...

Life is Beautiful... especially when experienced with the one you Love!

The Long Way Around

I am beginning to have a reputation for not taking the most direct route to my destination.

I could have flown directly from London to Newark (New Jersey)... but noooo... I had to first fly to Toronto (a 7 hour journey) then drive from there to New Jersey (an 8 hour drive... 9 with rest periods). Oh yeah, that drive was started in the middle of the night... 2:30am to be exact!

Why did I expose myself to unnecessary amounts of travel time? One reason, and a good one at that: Family.

My original destination was just New Jersey. It was the Diamond Anniversary of my Lolo and Lola, and almost the whole Diaz clan was celebrating it. This celebration was planned over a year ago, and Titos and Titas were flying in from as far from the Philippines. There was a wedding and reception, followed by a week at Long Beach Island where the whole family stayed in a rented a beach house. Needless to say, I just had to be there for this rare occasion.

However, I had to fulfill a promise first. I promised my Mom, Dad, and Brother that if I had the opportunity, I would fly to Toronto instead of flying directly to New Jersey. I did this for two reasons... the first was so that I could accompany Chad during the drive to New Jersey and back, and the second was so that I could spend some time with my immediate family in Toronto.

And what can I say? I don't regret it. I was able to bond with Chad during the road trip, we were able to go wherever we wanted to because we had our own car, and I was able to enjoy the company of my Mom and Dad.

I really I do go out of my way (literally!) for family!

Life is a Long Winding Road... and boy is it Beautiful!

European Grand Prix Analysis

Well... there actually is no analysis for the Nurburgring race because I was not able to watch any of it!

But I must say another stunning win by Michael Schumacher, who may make this years title race a nail-biter yet.

La Vita e Bella!

Jetlagged

It has been over a week since I wrote here, but it seems so much longer than that. So many things happened during that period that it will take me several entries to put everything down.

Road Trips, Reunions, Wedding Anniversaries, Night Outs... this has been a good vacation!

More stuff to write about! Yahoo!

La Vita e Bella!