Instagram

Ok... I have to confess... I've abandoned the blog... temporarily at least. I have explanations.

In November my camera broke - now it seems to be working again - and for Christmas I got a new phone, and so I started using that to take pictures instead.

My intention is still to get back to the blog, but meanwhile ... maybe have a look at my Instagram.

Anna on Instagram

See you soon.

Happy 2014

Wishing you all a very very very Happy New Year. And promising to do my best to post a few more pictures and stuff from our whereabouts in the Philippines and around, a little bit more regularly.
Promising ... to do my best!



HAPPY 2014!

The Bored Rabbit

Found on a pinboard in kids' school:

Once upon a time there was a bored rabbit.

It was night. The rabbit was still bored.

Next morning the bored rabbit was happy.

I really have no idea who the kid who made this is, or what the purpose was, but captures life in general pretty well, ne. Up, down, then up again, maybe to the side. Best is always to just go with the flow.

Garden guardian angel?

Doesn’t really look too reliable, so will just see her as a garden angel.

Diwali ball at Dusit Thani

I don't know exactly how it all happened, but some time back in spring the ladies - me included - in my Bollywood Zumba class got persuaded by the lovely Vandana that it would be a great idea to perform at the annual Diwali ball in September. That sounded really far away and thus kinda great. The closer we got however, the more unconsidered the decision felt... Until then, when the big day came, we had so much fun!
Kids performed as well and were the true stars of the evening. So brave - the audience were about 800 prominent, mainly Indian, guests, all dressed up and showing off their beautiful traditional clothes. And ah, the food!

Ladies team: Mei, Smita, Maripa, Manisha, me, Liz, Marianne, Vandana, Sherazade.

Ortigas Kids group. Kai with Alex, Zach, Faizaan, Shayan, Ella, Gwen, Ved, Mikael and all the rest.

And here I am trying to upload the videos of our dances, but without success. The cool gran finale can be seen HERE though.

I *heart* my lanai

Lanai is Filipino for that kind of lovely outdoor but with almost indoor feel kinda space of a roofed veranda or patio – where at least we spend about ninety per cent of our waken time at home. For me, absolutely essential in a tropical country like this.

Looks like one of those Facebook photos that says “look at the picture for ten seconds, write (random word like help/it’s true/Jesus or so) share with all your friends, look at the picture again, it amazing.
Well, this is just a roll that protects the lanai from rain, adding a bit of a lovely semi-sombra when it's sunny .

(trying to find out what lanai actually means, I learn it’s origin is Hawaiian, with the same meaning, and also that Lanai is the name of a Hawaiian island, every day you learn something new  – google is my friend)

Trick or treat?!?

Earlier this week the annual Valle Verde Halloween trick or treat chaos took place, kids all dressed up and as I was stepping in as visiting witch in friends-down-with-dengue place I did my best as well. Maybe succeeded a bit too well with the sticky green and black theater make up - or did the witch in me just pop out naturally? Successfully handed out treats to all kids without scaring them too much though - and then headed over to the final haunted house where it all ended with a most amazing Pakistani buffet - hooray for multi-cultural neighborhoods!

 The little black people.

 The mummy witch.

 Happy Halloween!