Rothenburg ob der Tauber: Germany's Fairy Tale Dream Town

Europe Journal 02.

I first heard Rothenburg ob der Tauber from my brother after his visit and he mentioned that Rothenburg appeared on several fantasy films including Pinocchio. Since I grew up watching Pinocchio and other Disney movies (80's), it seemed like another Disneyland  to me.I want to see those places where my childhood days were mostly spent...

* Rothenburg ob der Tauber  is a town on the Romantic Road in Bavaria, Germany, about halfway in between Frankfurt and Munich. It is known for its medieval center (Altstadt), seemingly untouched by the passage of time, encircled by the undamaged 14th century town wall. It means, in German, "Red fortress above the Tauber". This is so because the town is located on a plateau overlooking the Tauber River.

I visited Rothenburg Ob Der Tauber almost a year ago as part of my 3 weeks Europe tour, which I will also share with you on my next posts...

This is actually 2nd to the last city that I visited from that journey, I initially posted my teaser when I fell for Eiffel; but since Rothenburg Ob Der Tauber is my first choice, let me begin my Europe Photo Journal from this wonderful adventure...

From Stuttgart, where we stayed with my loving grand mother, we travel via train to Rothenburg; it was about 3-4 hours if I remember it right...

Maldives Journal: Exploring Indian Ocean

I know my post on The Maafushi Adventure was not enough...
Well, that was just a glimpse of what the paradise on earth looks like.

2 out of our 4 days stay, we were literally floating the middle of Indian Ocean.

Chapter 32

Five years ago, I received my first passport.
I was 27 when I entertained the idea of working abroad and finally accepted the challenge.
There were many reasons why I want to leave... I've shared it several times through the pages of this blogs. All my dreams, my plans, my success, my failures and frustrations.
You've witnessed how Kali emerges; from the dark cloudy night until  the beautiful sunshine kissed my life.

Today. I turned 32.
And I do not know what's with this age that makes me sentimental and emotional...

I browsed my journal before I started this post; there I read that I got my passport on my birthday.

That page is full of dreams. I thank God for the gift - my passport which will pave way to start another chapter of my life. There were positive thoughts about my plans of going to UAE. I'll make it big, I will continue to race... I will focus on my goal. I will be successful in my field...

It's all about me then. My strength, my capabilities and what I can do. I wanted my parents to be proud of me, because I am somebody. I was determined.

Become Your Dream

A Colorful  & Prosperous 2012 to you!

Let me start this by sharing an excerpt from our CEO's New Year message to us... 

Mahatma Gandhi said: "Be the change you want to see in the world." 

And a year like 2011 in our region has certainly demonstrated the validity of this message. Across the Middle East and North Africa, people have made their voices heard, and I urge you to do 2 things: 

First, Listen. Filter the truth and understand the new world we live in.... 

Equally important to listening is having a point of view and taking action. Have your voice and let it be heard. Stand for what you believe and do what you love. We have the power, the talent and the ambition to be as powerful as far reaching as our dreams can take us... Realize and become your dream... 

Since Sunday, I have been thinking of topic for the year-end or new year article. I have been praying for wisdom on what to share to everyone.  

Shall I make a recap of what happened in 2011? A year - end repost perhaps? Or shall I make a list of my new year's resolution and to-do-and-not-to-do list for the year? 

Hence, you probably have read all the recap of 2011 - good and not so good things that happened in the past. And surely, you had prepared your new year's resolution as well (if you are that type) or at least had enumerated in mind things that you want to improve for the new year (that's my type). 

So it took me a week to finally open this page and started to write... thanks to our CEO for the inspiring words. 

Be the change you want to see in the world. 

One Sunny Day

We seldom see the beauty of our own backyard...
In the busy life that we have, we neglect to see what's instore for us in the surrounding environment.
And often, we plan to go far from our own place to relax and unwind.
But have we ever tried to look around you?
In your neighborhood? On the street next to yours?

On my previous post, you joined me on My Route  and you've seen the Sharjah-Dubai road on my way to work. The high rise buildings, vast dessert and the on-going constructions which symbolizes the continuous development and evolution of Dubai.

Now, let me show you one of Sharjah's beautiful spots.. the newly constructed buildings with ancient Arabic look... their old dhows and the new yachts...

I've seen the past and the future during this one sunny day - and a bright and shinny realization of what life was... is...  and would become.

 

Vision Board

3 years ago, I started to create and believe in the vision board - as mentioned in Rhonda Byrne's The Secret - Understanding the law of attraction - and the power of positive thinking.

My first vision board was not a board at all, I just posted a DVD cover of the movie - Dubai on my cabinet. It was 2007. Few months after that, I found myself in UAE.

hOUR Glass

In this world, we were moved by our ambitions of who we want to become, what we wanted to have and how we can achieve it. We also planned where it should happen and when the time is.

We spent our lives trying so hard to accomplish things on our own ways... our mind never stops thinking on how well we can be and how beautiful life can become...

But more often, we missed THAT MOMENT without realizing that it already passed -- when we already lived with our dreams... because we are so busy looking forward to something better.

Meeting My Momay

Oh my... Momay! :)

FYI: Momay is Philippine TV's version of Casper.

Every night when I reach home, she hugs me tight...

Yes! and that  keeps all my hair up until midnight!

When I kiss our babies, Macs, Tiqueng, Riqqa and Dyoni, I am aware of her sweet kisses too...

I can feel her presence somewhere in our little home that is "only for two".

Admittedly... I am  afraid of ghost! For the reason that they are GHOSTS!!! and who is not, by the way?

I don't know if they really exist...

But I had few encounters with them. I am aware that 'its them' or 'they're it'...

Recently, I shared with you my drama of being HOME alone but not lonely...

I can actually give an excellent grade for myself because I know that I have achieved my goal... Until now, this experience is teaching me a lot and I am enjoying it, everyday... I am growing... :)

Back to Momay...

Where Do I Want To Be?

Where Do I Want To Be???

Somebody requested me to write something about that title... and it's not about me, but her. Since we are in totally different world, it took me some time to finish it, and by the time that it's done, she has already prepared her own piece. which is fine, since it should be something personal.


i felt disappointed when she told me that she dont need it anymore, because ofcourse, i took time to do the composition... but the best thing is that i was able to reflect for my own "where do i want to be?" as i am doing hers...

and that simple question doesnt have a simple answer.
in fact, its a continous question that we all should ask to ourselves, as often as we could until we find the right answers...

as far as I know, I have lived my life fully, the best way that I could.
I practiced to blend with everyday scenarios... I choose to be happy most of the time.
and when there are some sad tuesdays... I also entertain the feeling of sadness, to balance and to appreciate happiness more.

presently, I am at phase of life where ideally, should've established the where do I want to be... and just keep focus on that path.
but then, this journey of living is not as straight as we all wished. there where crooked streets, needed to take some left and right turns along the way...

and during those u turn days, I sometimes lost track of the route... and worst, I tend to look for alternatives and short cuts...

but before I totally bump on dead ends... I usually stop for a while, review my map and find my way to get back to my path.

luckily, I often find out that my finish line is still there. the flag stand still.

there, to "my" place where people tend to worry less and laugh more.
where love and peace were binded forever and hate is never recognized.

my dream is simple... my ambitions are as easy as ABC.

I never aspire to gain more, all I want is to have a decent job that will give importance to my talents. where i can share my knowledge and learn new skills.
I dont wish to have more money than what I need. what is important for me is to have enough to live by... to help my family... to share with others.

what else?

of course, I want to go home or rather, stay at home, if possible... I want to be there. to live there. be with the people I grew up with...
and to continue my journey with my partner, and live life simply happy.

hmmm... that's it!
and may our Lord God guide my path towards this flight :)

Disaster Quakes

"There is a prediction that there will be another tsunami hitting on July 22nd. It is also when there will be sun eclipse. Predicted that it is going to be really bad and countries like Malaysia (Sabah & Sarawak), Singapore, Maldives, Australia, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia, Philippines, Japan and Certain Costal Parts of China are going to be badly hit. Please try and stay away from the beaches in July.

Better 2 be safe than sorry.

Please pass the word around. Please also pray for all beings.”

___

I first received this message last 14th of April. From a concerned friend...

and unlike other predictions/warning mails that i normally received, this caught my attention... mainly for two (2) reasons:

1.) 2 nights before I got this mail. I dreamt about tsunami... I'm with my Tita Elsa at some place... then, there was a commotion, people were running from all directions. and then, I saw giant waves the "tornado" along the sea.

Tita Elsa and I are running... and we were praying, singing praise and worship songs. We are running and looking for our Bible. there were stampedes. all things were thrown in the air (just like from the movie twister).

then, we found the Bible in a basement of i dont know which place. but it was dark and only rays from holes on the wall gives light...

then i woke up :(

2.) we were booked for Palawan... since i am planning to have a holiday on July and be home for my Nanay's birthday. me and my berks on the other side planned a 4-days get together... an out of town trip to one of the best beach paradise of the Philippines - Puerto Princesa... on 23 to 27 of July!!! its the day after the predicted Tsunami...

well... atleast we were not booked on the said date... it will be over before we even arrive :)

---

i dont know. i dont believe in predictions...

even if i had some weird premonitions in my dreams before, i still dont want to entertain the idea...

i am not new to my "sixth sense" but i really dont want to practice... i had tried palm reading when i was young, few friends heard my so called "palm readings" and they claim that most of what they heard, happened.

now, am i having some psychic dreams? i dont know. i still want to believe that those incidents that happened before, that I visualized in my dreams are just coincidence.

and the best way to handle this is to pray... and have a strong faith that God will answer our prayers :)

He is the only ONE who can predicts... is the only ONE who knows what is bound to happen tomorrow or in the near future..

and wherever we are, whatever we do, no predictions can say that danger or even death is waiting for us... yet, we can always think of words like this as a reminder that no people is in control of everything... things will happen, anytime, anywhere.

we just have to be careful and ready to cross the line, at all time :)

*NB: in the pics - it was written: DISTASTER... from there, we can notice that this is not professionally made.

please pray for our Derick

last week, i dreamt of a new born baby... it was just a dream yet seems very real.
the picture was so clear. i can remember every details...
at first, the baby was so tiny, and so reddish... i still have in mind the close up picture of her cheeks and small eyes.
then, in the next day she gained weight, almost double her size and she was lying in a hospital bed. i even ask why not in a crib? then somebody said, "she wants her feet up..."

then i woke up.

that dream was so strange... i was bothered. i even thought that my sister - in - law might be pregnant again... i researched in dreammoods.com... read some dream interpretations. but i wasnt convinced.

yesterday, i was waiting for my nephew, derick, to be online. its been a week since we chatted. and i asked my cousin to call him...
i waited.
fifteen minutes maximum to turn on the PC and be online.
almost 30 minutes passed. his YM is still off.
i buzzed my cousin again.

then he said: something happened.
me: what?
accident
who? what?
derick. hit by a motorcycle...

i dont know what else to say. i called them to know the details.

he had a leg surgery last night. his muscles were damaged.
he is still under observation til tuesday... needed to wait for his leg muscles to regenerate...

luckily, he is now out of danger.
God has always been so good to us. there are a lot of worst things that might happen to him, but He didnt allow.
it is so painful... tears keeps flowing from my eyes. i am worried but i know that God will keep derick from harm. He is the Great Healer... i believe that soon, i can see our derick walking again.

then i remember the baby in my dream. she wanted her legs up while she was sleeping.
i dont know if derick's legs are up... but what i know is that he is still in the hospital bed...
and he needs your prayers...