Remembering Paris

I was in Paris, France in November of 2004.

I remember the weather was nice despite it being so cold - I wasn't used to 7degC-at-noon days.  I remember the long French bread that sticks out of the paper bags of grocers, and the wonderful cobblestone roads.

I remember we stayed at probably the best aparment Paris can offer - not because it was extravagant or anything of the sort, but because it was with a very accommodating French lady lawyer called Marie. She was our gracious host during our stay in Paris.

Our Valentine weekend was really HOT!

Valentines Day 2010 brought Liz and I to the Clark Air Field in Pampanga for one really HOT weekend
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The 15th Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta.

We were up bright and early on that sunny Valentines Day morning as we made our way through the streets of Clark Air Base. We had stayed at Hotel Stotsenberg for the evening after Duty Free Shopping and dinner at a grill and wine restaurant.  We got lost several times while looking for a dinner place there, and so we read the directions to the Fiesta venue carefully.  Thankfully we did not get lost again!

What the Shell Tax Issue is all about - the public deserves to know

Dear Friends, As some of you may know, I am an employee of Shell in the Philippines.  I would like to invite you to read through the article below about the position of Shell on the alleged non-payment of excise taxes worth $7.3 billion to the Bureau of Customs (BoC).

This issue obviously affects me personally (I am at risk of losing my job if the refinery closes down) but it also affects all of you. Fuel shortage will bring fuel prices up which will eventually cause other commodities to increase prices too.  Double taxation favors importers over manufacturers - if there are less factories, that means lesser job opportunities especially for new graduates.

I invite you to read the article below for your own sake, speak out your opinions - I will respect them.  If you have more questions or clarifications, you may ask it here and I will try my best to answer them for you...

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*As published by Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. in the February 16, 2010 issue of The Philippine Daily Inquirer (A-7) and The Philippine Star (A-11)

Recently, the public has heard of the issue regarding alleged non-payment by Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation (PSPC) of excise taxes for imports of Catalytic Cracked Gasoline (CCG) and light catalytic cracked gasoline (LCCG), amounting to Php 7.35 billion for the years 2004-09. To correct the misleading, inaccurate and wrong statements that have been made regarding this case, PSPC would like to provide the public the facts of the case:

You can make money on the internet too - seriously!

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I have a lot of "offline friends" who read this blog and are curious about how I get to earn through blogging. This is post is for you my friends, and all those newbie bloggers with personal blogs who are curious about how to make money on the internet.

You can make money on the internet with a personal blog

I am not the authority on stuff like "How to Monetize Your Blog" or "How to make money on the internet" - there are thousands of people who know that way better than me.  I will tell you instead my experience with it so far.

I have a personal blog, and in my one year of blogging, I've earned roughly around Php 2,500.00.  It's nothing to brag about, believe me, especially when other uber bloggers are earning as much as Php 1,000,000 ($20k) in one month on their blogs...

Reyjr Random Travel Tip 001: Get good luggage!

These are random practical Travel Tips for people who love to travel - be it locally or internationally. 


#ReyjrTravel tip 001:

"If you're going to Europe, buy luggage with strong wheels that can survive the cobblestone roads."

Haiti Death Toll reaches 150,000 - Please send help

Please, send help now - visit www.hopeforhaitinow.org

or

http://www.redcross.org.ph 

Haiti Earthquake

I live in a country where natural disasters are commonplace - earthquakes, typhoons, erupting volcanoes, floods - you name it, we've gone through it for sure. But even though year in and year out we experience these tests, nothing really prepares you for it...

PSHS Batch 2010 - Nov 7, 2009 Exam Results are out!

Congratulations to the passers of the November 7, 2009 National Competitive Exams for the Philippine Science High School Batch 2010!

Click here and search for the new scholar's name: PSHS

My mind on a Syzygy

Frustrated.
My mind bleeps in short bursts of thought. Inconsistent.
I start a sentence and terminate a phrase.
Don't terminate. Don't terminate my space.

Overwhelmed with anger at the sheer audacity.
Disillusioned. My idealism shattered. Insanity.
Stupefied by the blatant neglect. Or ignorance?
For the answers we know to the questions we dare not ask.

For all this craziness, who has most to gain when we have the most to lose?

I've lost my rhyme and rhythm.
A dissonance. A nuance. A knot in my nape that cannot be undone.
Should I resign myself and brace for the impact?





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UPCAT 2010 Results - Congrats Cousin!

Congratulations to the 2010 UPCAT passers, most especially to my cousin, Justin!

For the full list of UPCAT 2010 Results, click this link: UPCAT Results Online

Some advice from Kuya Reyjr

A short note to the Freshmen Batch 2010...

The Magnificent Paoay Church, Ilocos Norte

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We arrived in the evening at one of the most beautiful and well preserved Catholic churches in the Philippines, the Paoay Church for the wedding rehearsal of my friends Eg and Ryan. They were getting married the following day.

There was a chorus of exclamations when we got out of the jeepney. The lighted facade of Paoay Church was magnificent in the darkness.

Paoay Church is the St. Augustine Church in Paoay, Ilocos Norte

It was around 8 o'clock in the evening and already quite dark. We alighted our service jeepney and walked towards the Paoay Church. We were ushered in the side entrance by the caretaker...

Win a Free Boracay Vacation Package for two!

Win a Free Boracay Vacation Package by WOW Philippines Travel Agency
WOW Philippines Travel Agency, Inc. is celebrating it's 5th year in business during July of 2010, and we would like you to have a chance to celebrate with us, so we have decided to give-away a FREE Boracay Package complete with 5 Star accommodations at the luxurious Le Soleil de Boracay Hotel on Boracay Island. The lucky winner will win the following Boracay vacation package.
Vacation Package Inclusions:

- 5 Days / 4 Nights Luxury 5 Star Accommodations at the Le Soleil de Boracay Hotel
- Flights to Boracay from Manila to Caticlan Airport on Philippine Airlines
- Island Transfers - Door-to-Door from Manila to the resort and back to Manila Domestic Airport
- Three (3) Meals each day, Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Boracay Activities - Horseback Riding, Island Hopping, Glass Bottom Boat
- PLUS - 5,000 peso Spending Cash

Read More Information: http://www.boracay-packages.com



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My favorite photos from Nemie and Sherwin's Wedding

I take too many photos, really. Haha. But these are my favorite shots from my friend Nemie's wedding to Sherwin on Dec 26, 2009.

While the bride was walking down the aisle, the groom was actually crying tears of joy - then he was all smiles as he hugged the bride's father.

2009 Reyjr Travel Blog Recap

One of my favorite things about this blog is that it doubles as my travel blog. The fact that it is a personal travel blog allows me to write freely about the places I visit.

My travel blog pages have also become a sort of photo album - photos with captions and stories to go with them. What a wonderful idea, don't you think?

Fishes, Beaches and Pine in 2009

Here are my 2009 Travel posts to date and the months when they were published. Some of them I visited this year, other I visited a long time ago but only got to write about it now. Here goes...