Today, I watched Swan Lake in the Bastille Opera House. Odette/ Odile was good. So was the prince. But my “bravo!” goes to the corps de ballet, especially the cygnets. Perfect lines, impeccable precision, a stage full of swans dancing, breathing together as one. It was amazing. I’m going to miss lining up an hour before, hoping to get good seats and cheaper prices. I’m going to miss sitting in the breathtaking Palais Garnier, the setting for Phantom of the Opera. I’m going to miss Paris. No surprise there.

Today, I watched Swan Lake in the Bastille Opera House. Odette/ Odile was good. So was the prince. But my “bravo!” goes to the corps de ballet, especially the cygnets. Perfect lines, impeccable precision, a stage full of swans dancing, breathing together as one. It was amazing.

I’m going to miss lining up an hour before, hoping to get good seats and cheaper prices. I’m going to miss sitting in the breathtaking Palais Garnier, the setting for Phantom of the Opera. I’m going to miss Paris. No surprise there.

(via rensing-deactivated20110824)

1 year ago

:’(

Good byes are too hard to do. I’ve met some of the most amazing and funny people here and I’m so sad that this all has to end. I wasn’t prepared for this. I didn’t realize how much I’m going to miss these people. These past 4 months has taught me that people from all walks of life can become really good friends. I know that the chances of seeing most of these new friends are close to nil, that’s the saddest part of it all. Eventually, I’ll get over it. But for now, I’m going to let a few tears run because, really, good byes are just too hard to do :(

Edit

Never did I imagine I’d get this attached. Me, of all people.

1 year ago

You’re never too old for Disneyland. It’s never too cold to go to Disneyland :D Okay it isn’t but it takes a lot of will power to keep going hahaha. For once, we actually didn’t mind waiting in line because that meant giving us some time to get warm again.

Favorites: Tower of Terror, Crush Coaster, Space Mountain, and Aerosmith.

But what I absolutely loved about that day? I felt the Christmas spirit for the first time. The lights, the songs, and the Christmas Tree lighting made me realize that the Christmas season was here :)

Edit Dens and I were VERY lucky that day. Caught the train from Gare de Lyon to Le Bras de Fer. Got to the platform just as the all-too-familiar sound telling us that the doors were about to close was played. Stupidly fell asleep on the train (woke up at the stop right before ours but fell asleep AGAIN hahaha). Then waking up and jumping off the train just as the doors were closing. Yes, we were VERY lucky that day :)
1 year ago

So stupid I posted a post (HAHA) in my other tumblr instead of this one

1 year ago

58 Tour Eiffel

December 12, 2010

Dinner reservation for 10 at 6:30 pm.

..Seared tiger prawn, avocado, soya and sesame dressing

..Roasted veal tenderloin, butternut squash, with rosemary

..Profiterole with vanilla ice-cream and chocolate sauce

and a glass of champagne later.

The view, the food, the company, everything was perfect :)

1 year ago

j’ai vingt ans

2 WILD nights and I’m now 20. Feels different. Or maybe it’s just the Paris air :) Excuse my corny/dramatic lines, it’s it was my birthday.

1 year ago
Who would’ve thought that I’d spend one of my best birthdays ever with these people? Last night, was CRAZY FUN :D

Who would’ve thought that I’d spend one of my best birthdays ever with these people? Last night, was CRAZY FUN :D

1 year ago
1 year ago
Chamonix, France *fast forward to last weekend for now. i’ll get back to where i left of some other time :) The snow, absolutely wonderful. The rain, bearable. The wind, ADKAJSHDNSNKANDO-ful :|

Chamonix, France

*fast forward to last weekend for now. i’ll get back to where i left of some other time :)

The snow, absolutely wonderful.

The rain, bearable.

The wind, ADKAJSHDNSNKANDO-ful :|

1 year ago
Lourdes, France Weekend date with Dens to Lourdes and Disneyland! After stripping of all our clothes and taking the famous bath in the miraculous water (which was FREEZING COLD by the way) near the grotto of our lady, it’s safe to say that my friendship with her has reached new heights :))

Lourdes, France

Weekend date with Dens to Lourdes and Disneyland! After stripping of all our clothes and taking the famous bath in the miraculous water (which was FREEZING COLD by the way) near the grotto of our lady, it’s safe to say that my friendship with her has reached new heights :))

1 year ago
Last stop of our 9 day journey: Milan After searching for a place to stay the night, we eventually decided to get 2 double rooms at separate hotels and, like true jta fashion, sneak in 3 people in each room. After, we decided to have a nice dinner in an authentic italian restaurant. We ended up with small food servings, 2.5 euro cover charge for each person, and really REALLY bad service. I expected the french to be a little snooty but, God, the italians? I never would’ve thought. This was the first time I really felt discriminated. Taking our plates while others where still eating, serving bread and politely presenting the desserts for the night to each table EXCEPT ours, and repeatedly saying “please go” the moment we paid for our dinner. That was the worst dinner ever. And it didn’t help that we just came from greece, the land of uber nice waiters. The only thing I liked about Milan, the shopping <3 There’s nothing like retail therapy to make you feel much better :)

Last stop of our 9 day journey: Milan

After searching for a place to stay the night, we eventually decided to get 2 double rooms at separate hotels and, like true jta fashion, sneak in 3 people in each room. After, we decided to have a nice dinner in an authentic italian restaurant. We ended up with small food servings, 2.5 euro cover charge for each person, and really REALLY bad service. I expected the french to be a little snooty but, God, the italians? I never would’ve thought. This was the first time I really felt discriminated. Taking our plates while others where still eating, serving bread and politely presenting the desserts for the night to each table EXCEPT ours, and repeatedly saying “please go” the moment we paid for our dinner. That was the worst dinner ever. And it didn’t help that we just came from greece, the land of uber nice waiters.

The only thing I liked about Milan, the shopping <3 There’s nothing like retail therapy to make you feel much better :)

1 year ago
New found friends, one of the best things about jta :) Photo by Ds!

New found friends, one of the best things about jta :)

Photo by Ds!

1 year ago

3 hours

3 hours of dancing, not enough. But 3 hours of class BORING CLASS about stuff we’ll never be able to apply in real life? All I can say is, thank God for wifi. Never again will I complain about 1 1/2 hour classes on TTH in ateneo.

1 year ago
Temple of Apollo, Delphi Instead of Santorini, some of us got on a bus and spent the day in Delphi. Got to visit the massive archaeological site there. According to my good friend wikipedia, &#8220;In Greek mythology, Delphi was the site of the Delphic oracle, the most important oracle in the classical Greek world, and a major site for the worship of the god Apollo after he slew the Python, a deity who lived there and protected the navel of the Earth.&#8221; For non Greek mythology enthusiasts, remember the scene in 300 where Leonidas consults the oracle before deciding to battle? Yup, that&#8217;s it :) Photo credits to Migi

Temple of Apollo, Delphi

Instead of Santorini, some of us got on a bus and spent the day in Delphi. Got to visit the massive archaeological site there. According to my good friend wikipedia, “In Greek mythology, Delphi was the site of the Delphic oracle, the most important oracle in the classical Greek world, and a major site for the worship of the god Apollo after he slew the Python, a deity who lived there and protected the navel of the Earth.” For non Greek mythology enthusiasts, remember the scene in 300 where Leonidas consults the oracle before deciding to battle? Yup, that’s it :)

Photo credits to Migi

1 year ago
Parthenon at night. Photo by Migi :) It was cold and windy but the walk and mini-hike on the slippery marble rock hill thing (i dunno what you call it) was SO worth it. I got goosebumps just looking at it, looking at the rest of Athens too. You can&#8217;t help it when you&#8217;re looking at something so extraordinary. That night was one of the nights I felt lucky to be alive, to be in Greece! I know it sounds corny or whatever but I guess just felt so grateful to be given the chance to go there. I never thought that I&#8217;d ever see the places I&#8217;ve been to in the past months, yet alone at my age. I&#8217;m just happy. Yup, really happy.

Parthenon at night. Photo by Migi :)

It was cold and windy but the walk and mini-hike on the slippery marble rock hill thing (i dunno what you call it) was SO worth it. I got goosebumps just looking at it, looking at the rest of Athens too. You can’t help it when you’re looking at something so extraordinary.

That night was one of the nights I felt lucky to be alive, to be in Greece! I know it sounds corny or whatever but I guess just felt so grateful to be given the chance to go there. I never thought that I’d ever see the places I’ve been to in the past months, yet alone at my age. I’m just happy. Yup, really happy.

1 year ago