In Trg Bana, the main square of Zagreb, lays an advent wreath. Each Sunday, just like the advent wreath, an additional candle is lit. I remember when I was in school (a catholic school), every year we would have to do the same. Each classroom would have an advent wreath to celebrate the advent season.
Yesterday, when we were in the square I noticed that all three candles were lit. Which means only one thing... 1 week till Christmas. And I am not done with my Christmas shopping, oh bugger.
Today in my visit in Zagreb, we spent the day with my brother's other half's family. Had a lovely lunch with her family including her grandfather. The spread of food was mouth watering and tasted even better. I'm stuffed like a turkey on a Christmas day!
After lunch my brother, Ivs and I decided to play Monopoly. My future sister-in-law has the Star Wars edition, which I thought was really funky! I got to be Darth Vader, She was R2D2 and my brother was Luke. Anyway, I don't think I ever got to play Monopoly before. Perhaps, I was too young when everyone else was into it. So this was quite exciting for me. Haha! I started off clueless then Iva and my bro had to explain to me the game. I was hesitant to buy any property at first... but that all changed. ;)
So yeah after a few hours of the game... and we called it quits... I am proud to say that the Indian business woman in me -- won!! Woohoo! But between you and me, I think they let me win! haha!
If this was real money, I would have made £4000 today! I can't wait for the next game!
The experiences of your holiday starts from the moment you reach the airport. I always seem to attract these quirky experiences. Little did I know this time in Heathrow would bring quite a few. I wasn't quite ready for this as I have been alcohol induced and sleep deprived from the busy week and nights out.
It all started when I was in Heathrow airport and I was queuing for the checkpoint. They have this new pre-security check before the checkpoint proper, to verify you are not carrying any liquids in your hand luggage, and if you do, you will only be allowed 100ml and it needs to be placed in a clear plastic bag. Like airport security wasn't a pain in the ass already. Anyway, the whole queuing took about almost an hour. When I finally reached the security screen check I noticed there were tons of Spanish people about. For a moment I thought that I could be in an airport in Spain! I wish. As I was saying, I waiting for my turn to go through those blasted x-ray machines, when I saw a young Spanish family ahead of me. I admired the couple who had bags, and their baby, juggling everything trying to get passed this bit of the airport. Taking off coats, belts and shoes, the security people would believe asked the mother to remove her baby's little shoes off too. The Spanish people behind me couldn't believe it as well. "Que Madre! Que Padre!" is what I heard them express seeing that sight. Basically couldn't believe that they even asked for the baby's shoes to be removed. The little boy who was about 7 behind me told his mom in Spanish "You never know, maybe there is a bomb in the shoes of the baby..." haha! Anyway, I too went through that horrible check point. Coat, belt and boots removed, heavy bag on the conveyer, laptop as well. Pass through the x-ray, get frisked, grab stuff off the conveyer go to a corner to try and arrange yourself as you did when you first got to the airport. Phew, boy do you feel raped!
Anyway, I still had some time before going to the gates, so I decided to check out the Duty Free. Living in the Philippines, you would always look forward to knowing someone who just came back from abroad because that meant you had about 2 days after they arrived to go to Duty Free (a huge one too) and buy the things you couldn't really get in normal shops. After awhile, you get passed that, or at least I did. Anyway, I took this opportunity to check out some tax free goods. As I was paying for something, a middle aged Spanish man came up to me and said in Spanish "You are not English are you? Could you please tell me which is the price of this, this one or that one?" I always get tongue tied when I get put in the spot to speak Spanish. First of all why the heck would he think I could speak Spanish? I get some people telling me that I could pass for Spanish, Portuguese or Mexican. But to look similar and for someone to mistake you as one is totally different. I guess he was just lucky to I understood him and replied in pigeon Spanish. He must have been shocked if he did think I was Spanish and I spoke it so rubbishly.
After that Spanish impromtu pop quiz and buying my stuff. I decided it was time to go to the gate and wait to board. So I was sitting for a bit waiting to board when a baby girl came up to me and just looked at me. I smiled and said hello. A smiled appeared behind her dummy, prolly excited at the fact someone was paying attention to her. I could hear voices behind me trying to call her not to wonder around. Her parents I assumed. She came back and was making noises trying to have a conversation with me I assume. I then saw a man kneel down and I saw this finger beckoning her to go to him. Her dad I assumed. One thing I remember thinking was that damn he is tall and has long fingers, that he was rather greasy. He then gave her a bag of chips to amuse her with the sound. She took it and smiled and offered it to me. Cute. It was then time to board. Their family were the first one asked to board the plane. I wondered why, probably because they had a child.
Finally sat on the plane and getting settled, I then realized that my new buddy and her parents were sitting right in front of me. At one point the baby was unhappy with the flight and her dad put on Tellytubbies on his laptop. God lord. When she got bored with that she decided to stand on her seat and check out the people in the plane. And who does she see but me! hehe! She was waving at me and giggling and was being all cute.
Two hours later I was reunited with my brother. When he met me in airport I immediately told him the story about the cute baby I had met on the plane. As I finished telling him the story he told me to turn around and asked me if I knew who that person was cause he is a famous pianist.
When I saw who my brother was talking about I told him that, that was the guy with the baby I was talking about. It all made sense when he told me it was Maksim. I had heard about him during my last trip to Croatia because my soon to be sister-in-law's younger sister kept playing his CD and I had seen him on MTV in Manila years ago. But I never really saw him that up close and personal. Apparently his daughter's name is Leeloo which he had taken from the 5th Element. Why? It's such a rubbish movie! Anyway, he now lives in the UK and was having a concert on the 12th of December in Zagreb. How strange is that, both of us going to the same country on the same day to be in Zagreb for the 12th of December. Even stranger to find out that the younger sister had tickets to go to that very concert too. Spooky.
Every country seems to have different ways of celebrating Easter. In the Phils, I remember it being THE most boring time of the year. Everything on TV would be about the passion of Christ or the TV stations would be off the air. It would always be the hottest time of the year. So days would be spent cooped up in the air-con room or in the rare occasion, the neighbors pool. But even so, it was a no no to swim during easter. Never got that when I'M NOT CATHOLIC!
Anyway in London, it seems to be the time people go away on long weekend get away to somewhere in Europe. That or a long ass D.I.Y weekend. Most of the adverts advertising specials for that D.I.Y weekend. In other countries, I suppose they would spend Easter painting Easter eggs.
In Croatia, they spend Easter painting something other than Easter eggs. Haha! In my visit to Zagreb last October, my brother's girlfriend Iva had pointed out this naked guy who had his balls painted. Hahaha! She explained to me that every Easter they would paint it a different colour. On the phone with my brother yesterday (who is in Croatia), and I reminded him of this tradition that is done over there.
