PinaySpy is now SpyPinay.com

Dear folks,

This blog will merge together with the mydailywish blog and my new entries will be located at:
SpyPinay.com

See you all there!

Best regards,
Mixxy

Strange Neighbors

I've had my fair share of strange and even scary neighbors in my 12 years of living abroad. I have always lived in apartment buildings and we all know that having neighbors next to you is part of the deal..

Rhapsody Order Path - Get a 14-Day free trial to Rhapsody Unlimited then pay only $12.99 per month.

Once I had a neighbor that put crazy glue in my keyhole. It was the nasty kind of glue which some locals said was called "crazy glue" or epoxy. One evening, coming back from work, I tried to open the door by using the key but for some reason I could not insert the key because it was totally sealed. I had to call for help to get in and it was really a scary thought that someone actually took the time to do this to me. Later on, I would find out that it was the old lady living next to me because one time, after having a few girlfriends at my house I received a knock on my door from that woman complaining of our noise. Our group is by far not the rowdy kind. We are after all ladies in our late 20's to 30's. Not exactly the kind who would be that noisy? (Or not?) The next day I would get the glue again. So that is how I figure out it's her. But anyways, this happened more than once. One time, I was vacuuming and it was like Saturday at 10am with a little bit of music and next thing you know I opened my door and it's the police! I am sure the police was surprised to see a young lady alone on a Saturday morning and no loud wild parties with stoned or drunk guys. This glue incident happened quite regularly that I decided to move to another building. It's pretty sad because the lady looks like your typical old grandma, who walks with a cane and limping. She lives alone. Quite sad.

The next time it happened, a few years after in a new apartment complex. I received knocking and angry complaints from a lady of the same stature and age. Also living alone. But you know this time, at least I did not get the crazy glue. I figured this might have been my fault somehow because I worked at home and listened to music a bit loudly so I took a different step. I sent her a card I think one Easter with an apology. You know that did wonders. She warmed up to me instantly and even helped me out when I was trying to sell my stuff before I moved to the Netherlands.

Several other minor irritating incidents include the neighbors who love to cook curry dishes. I don't blame them for that. I mean I love to eat these kinds of dishes but to smell them day in and day out and our exhaust fan was not helping I had to do something. Using the aluminum foil I had in the cupboard I sealed my exhaust permanently. I think that also helped me seal myself against my other chain-smoking neighbor. Second-hand smoke kills and I take my health seriously.

And of course, I had my share of the sex - maniac neighbors. Well, I am happy for them -- they are getting laid after all! Good for them! But to have the whole 3 floors hear them moaning and groaning and shouting is another thing. Sometimes, I even feel my own bed vibrate.

Last but not the least is what my hubby and I call the "IKEA Club". Our upstairs neighbor seems to be running a drill a minimum of twice a week at different times. This has been going on for 2 years. We have a few theories: (1) the IKEA man is a regular carpentry hobbyist (2) The neighbors above hold regular IKEA assembly club meetings in their apartments (3) The IKEA guy has a fetish for wood and drilling and (4) The drilling sound is not really drilling but grinding something (I leave that to your imagination).

And if you want to know, I do plan (wish) on buying my own single detached house one day. The question that is left to be answered is where.

My Top 10 Food Discoveries Abroad

My first attempt in food blogging. Warning the food I am about to mention here are not the gourmet food that you might be expecting. They are actually everyday dishes and snacks you can find in supermarkets, food courts, takeouts or restaurants. But anyways, hope you enjoy reading!
Pho or Phở (Vietnamese)
In the U.S. and Canada Vietnamese restaurants are quite common. This is not just your ordinary bowl of noodle soup. First of all, it is inexpensive, delicious and really filling. A great comfort food especially in the cold season. If you look in the menu of these restaurants you might get overwhelmed that there are more than 20 kinds of Pho noodle soups that the restaurant offers. The difference lies in the cuts of beef or whether tripe is added in the mix. Surely you will find the one combination that you desire. Click here for a description of the ingredients. This soup reminds me so much of La Paz Batchoy back in the Philippines but with a different lemon grassy / cilantro taste. If you do not like the taste of cilantro, you can ask them to separate it. Usually the herbs and chili pepper are served separately. You can also ask for some kind of condiment like fish sauce on the side. I think we have Pho restaurants in Makati even in the 90's but back then I found it way too exotic for me to try.

Nasi Lemak (Malaysian)
A friend of mine who used to work in Singapore introduced me to this simple but sumptuous rice meal. We were very fortunate that in Philadelphia there is a restaurant called Penang that served yummy and spicy Malaysian cuisine at the right price. Basically nasi in Bahasa means fried rice but I am not really sure what Lemak stands for. It is a light fried rice meal that has spicy anchovies, egg, achara and bits of roast chicken. Too bad Malaysian restaurants are hard to find anywhere.

Beef Rendang (Indonesian/Malaysian)
This is basically a beef stew that can be compared to our very own Caldereta. It is a beef stew that has a coconut milk base mixed sambal and other spices. Serve this with hot jasmin rice and you are in heaven my friend! (at least if you love spicy dishes)

Lamb Rogan Josh (Indian)
when I was in the US I never tried eating Indian food although I saw them regularly and their prices are quite competitive (ex. lunch all you can eat for less than $10) but only when I lived in the Netherlands I found them way too mainstream to ignore. I am glad I tried it and it is our new default takeout choice. I also recommend the Tandoori chicken and their eggplant dishes. I noticed though that the quality of food varies in different restaurants.

Cajun Chicken (Asian takeout found in foodcourts)
I think at least 99% of all American and Canadian shopping mall food courts will have this in their turo-turo menu. This has that nice sweet grilled barbecue taste that we Filipinos love. For like $7 it already includes rice and another side dish.

Rookworst (Hema in Netherlands)

If you would translate this into English it just means rook = smoked and worst = sausage. So it's basically a smoked sausage but oh so yummy. If you miss Purefoods hotdog, there you have it -- the rookworst. Another variation is the bratwurst but I am not sure if the taste is just the same. I hear some jokes from Dutch people here that Germans are fat because they eat bratwurst with beer all the time. The rookworst is also a main ingredient in the stamppot which is mentioned below.

Buffalo Wings (Board Walk Fries or even Hooters)
Take note that I am a straight married woman but I go to Hooters and of course for only one thing: chicken wings! At Hooters they have MILD, MEDIUM, HOT, 3 MILE ISLAND, 911, CAJUN, SAMURAI, or SPICY JACK take your choice! If you can't take seeing those huge 2 things displayed around you, the second best thing is at Board Walk Fries which can be found in most shopping mall food courts. They usually serve it packaged with hot french fries - board walk cut style (thicker than McDonalds).

Popeye's fried chicken
I'm sure if you are a Filipino and you live in the States this is one of your secret guilty pleasures. Take note, KFC's quality in the US is so-so and a big disappointment that this franchise stands-out pretty much in flavor and crispiness. They claim that they cook their food Louisiana style. My usual choice is the 6 piece wings and either the cajun rice or the mashed potatoes with gravy on the side. Beware of this temptation! I am half-glad it is not in the Netherlands because this is a sure fire way to expand my waistline and clog my arteries (sob).

Auntie Ann's pretzels
I never really understood why Americans in this side of the world love pretzels -- especially those that are plainly salted and tough. All they needed is mustard on top of it and they're in bliss. Now enter Auntie Anne's. This small store can be found everywhere and the the reason I actually like their pretzels is because it is not as hard and tough to eat like the normal ones I see sold by street vendors but you have a choice of different flavors, toppings and dips and also because it is kneaded right in front of you and cooked as you order. My favorite is the one with almond flavor or bits with caramel dip on the side. I heard they have this also in Metro Manila.

Philly Steaks (Philadelphia)
There was a time in my life that I worked at the central business district that stalls that sell these are too common that I ended up eating it for lunchtime almost everyday. Not too good for my health and figure so I had to stay away from it. But it's one of Philly's biggest tempations. It's a huge submarine sandwich that has onions, strips of beef, pepper and optionally you can add cheese or bell peppers with it and even ketchup if you like. I prefer it only seasoned with pepper and salt and yes, of course cheese.

Runners-up:

1. Stamppot (Netherlands) - a mixed up meal of fresh andijves (similar to lettuce), mashed potatoes, sausage, paprika (bell pepper) tomatoes, mushrooms and whatever you'd like to put in!
   
2. General Tso or Chao's chicken - an American invented Chinese takeout dish - an extremely sweet and spicy breaded fried bits of chicken. You'll get tired of it after a while though. (Tagalog: nakakaumay)
   
3. Blondies (Toronto) - I found this sinful dessert cupcake in Toronto. This is basically a white browny - think white chocolate but turned into cake. If someone from Canada would be visting this is one pasalubong I'd surely like to get. hehe. It is usually sold in small brown bags containing like 20 pieces or something.
   
4. Stroopwafels (Netherlands) - again this is another sweet bad thing to try because it is highly addictive. My sister actually bought a ton of these after visiting me here. It is like piyaya only that it is uniformly rounded. It is a sandwich wafer/cooky that has caramel filling. Plain but highly addictive.
   

A Day in Birmingham (UK)

I almost changed my mind about going to Birmingham. I'm glad I decided to push through with attending the SQLBITS conference at Aston University. Every session had excellent presentors, no marketing gimmicks or blabbering but everything they shared was useful information if not too hardcore. But anyways, I am here to talk about what I saw during my brief stay there.

After arriving at the airport, it was pretty easy from then on. The signs were pretty clear and I knew immediately which way it was to the Air-Rail Link. This kind of train is a maglev, or magnetically levitating, which is essentially a train that is suspended. Quite high-tech indeed. It reminds me of the one in Newark Airport but I don't think that one also levitates.

This is about the only high-tech thing I've seen in the city. After this, I arrived in a regular central train station called New Street Station which was right at the center of the city. From there I took a taxi to my destination (Aston University). I paid 5 pounds for around a mile of travel. But at least I arrived safely.

The place where I stayed is a conference center of the Aston Business School. I would say I am very impressed with the surroundings. Lots of places to hangout, free wireless and drinks all through the buildings. Their restaurant also had outstanding service. This is the kind of place where the waiter would spread the napkin in your lap for you! The price per night was discounted for me since I was there with a group (65 pounds per night) but it sure is better than most regular hotels I've stayed in my life. They also offered free English buffet breakfast each morning.

At the centre I was surprised to find few restaurants or fine-dining establishments which I have been accustomed to in Amsterdam or other cities I've been to. At that time, I was strolling near the Bull ring Area where there were several huge shopping malls that cater to upperclass and middle class consumers. I was hoping to find an Indian restaurant there and have a taste of Balti cuisine which they were famous for but I didn't. I ended up ordering one from delivery (!). Ok that wasn't as exciting as I hoped it would be.

Another thing that I noticed is that the crowd I've seen is mostly people below 30. I think it was even below 20 at times! This is clearly a city of young people. I think this is probably because of several universities that are within range. While walking I also saw a huge group of Goth Teens lined up for a concert. To say the least, the city was full of rowdy teenagers. I didn't feel comfortable walking alone at night. So I did most of my exploration during the day. I especially enjoyed just sitting by St. Martin's Church right next to the Bull Ring shops. Sitting there on a Sunday basking at the beauty of the surroundings and listening to its bells tolling the whole morning. I like it and it was so relaxing.

As with a lot of cities in the UK, Birmingham is home to many immigrants. I've seen a lot people from different backgrounds, such as East and South Asians and people of Arabic origin. Inside one of the malls I even saw a man in his 30's hands clasped in prayer while walking back in forth in a corner holding a certain kind of prayer beads that isn't Catholic but seems more like Hindu prayer beads.

Here's a 1 minute video I took while walking. I have no idea if someone was killed, a bomb was found or it was just some teenager stealing something but everyone was running around. I was too scared to look at the incident closely. I guess it doesn't matter now. I'm back here at home safe and blogging again.

BMI cry baby

Unfortunately, in my first-ever experience to try this airline (bmibaby) I had a horrible experience at the Schiphol airport. At that time, it was pretty foggy so I was expecting possible delays. The check-in went smoothly and the gate said H6. The lady in the check-in counter warned me that the walk would be long because it is at the end of the Terminal. It was indeed a long walk. I waited patiently and looked at the information monitor and it says "gate information will be available in xx minutes". Then I went back at the specified time and found that my flight was deleted from the monitor. It was gone! And no one was there to tell me where to go or what to do. So we stood there in front of the monitor waiting. I saw a lot of us leave. I decided to leave and ask where to go. First I went to the lady in the information desk and she told me to go down to the check-in counters. But as soon as I went down an officer asked me why I am going down out and I told him what happened. He took out his notebook which seemed to be a directory and then he told me to go instead to a Transfer desk -- right at the D section.

I didn't expect that it was a very long walk. So long that I thought I have seen the whole airport! And worse, when I arrived there exhausted and all, there was a long line. I took a seat first and rested while I called my husband asking for advice. When I found someone who seemed to be helping out with the queue I asked him if bmibaby was also served here. He said no and told me to go to another Transfer desk. This time I am beginning to get totally frustrated. Upon arrival to that other Transfer desk, the lady told me to go back to H7-- and that is where I was! Can you imagine how frustrating that was! I was half-crying then already.. Because I had this fear that she was not really sure of what she is saying and that there is no one there. And I was right when I reached the end of the H section all I saw was a janitor. No passengers were there except for those who were about to use the toilet which was next to it. And there I sobbed. I was very tired and I was lost ! I have used this airport several times before but today it felt like a big city and I just came from a small village in the countryside and clueless. But anyways, my husband was also calling for information and he finally gave me the correct solution: which is what the lady in the information desk told me which is to go out and back into the check-in desk area at the departure level. It was actually not in the same check-in desk but in the one right next to it.

It was the same lady where I asked for directions a few hours ago who repeatedly said "hello may i help you, hello may i help you" or something like that until I finally said the magic word. I would almost think she is a robot waiting for the right combination of words. Ok but anyways this time, she seemed to have understood me and she gave me a new flight which was at almost 7 in the evening! My original flight was at 9:40 in the morning! At least she gave me a 4.95 meal voucher. And guess where I spent it. I found a burger king meal for 5 Euros complete with soda, fries and a burger. All I gave them was 5 cents. I spent the rest of the afternoon surfing the net with my laptop. I paid 16 Euros for 24 hours since at 14 Euros I only get 90 minutes. Oh well, it was worth it. Because of this time flew by quickly and before I knew it I was on the check-in line all over again. This time, the guy was more strict in the sense that he noticed that my carry on luggage failed the size and weight test. I was not ready for that. I did not bring the laptop bag and was hoping to just put it there. Based on past experience of losing valuable stuff, checking-in electronics was a big no-no!

Fortunately, I was able to use my handbag as a makeshift laptop bag. But this proved to be very awkward later on. But I had no choice. He was about to charge me for the checked in luggage when I told him : "You cancelled my flight and gave us no information at all and made us spent the whole day waiting for this flight and now you are charging me for this?!!" In the end, he seemed to get the point and gave in. He didn't charge me for the checked luggage.

But anyways, the moral lesson for this is with cheap airlines you get what you pay for. The airfare was quite low, after all, they advertise themselves as the "the airline that has tiny fares" but it would mean they would be cheap with their service. My airfare was like 120 Euros roundtrip from Amsterdam to Birmingham. But the hassles may outweigh the savings at times. They had almost no staff right there to guide us when the flight was cancelled. Getting information is pretty much a huge deal for a lost passenger. And so, now I am pretty convinced to use the train instead for closer cities such as this. I don't mind up to 12 hours of travel if it would mean having a relaxed experience.

Many tourists after all travel to relax and unwind but they fail to see that to get to their destination they have to endure the stress of airports and queues and luggage to carry. With this trip I was attending a conference but for those whose goal is just to have a nice restful holiday-- think again. Maybe just staying at home and having a lazy day is all you need. Or maybe a short 1 hour drive a nice countryside resort is enough.

Dutch bicycle culture

In the Netherlands, especially in the major cities, they actually use their bikes everyday: going to the supermarket, bringing their kids to daycare, or even having a date. It's the counterpart of what automobiles are in America.

The Dutch bicycling culture is one of the many aspects that reflect Dutch pragmatism in daily life. Their reasoning is both simple and practical. Riding a bike gives them the physical exercise which is integrated in their daily routine. This also saves time and money from monthly fees to the gym and as well as the money to pay for public transportation.

Children are taught to ride bikes very early and as soon as they can go to primary school. They go on separate bikes alongside their parents each day to go to school. It is also interesting to note that the Dutch are not as over-protective as other countries, such as let's say the US or Canada where everyone needs to wear a helmet. I do not see anyone wear helmets here. Not even children or babies. Babies as small as 8 months I've also seen being brought in sidecars or in small seats in front of their mothers. I also see dating couples sharing one bike: where the lady usually sits on the back seat sideways (ouch!). Some even bike as long as 20 kilometers daily to work. That is around an hour of biking I think. They are pretty tough and their sturdy, muscular bodies show it. Drinking a lot milk and having cheese sandwiches everyday contributes a lot to this remarkable physique.

By the way, did you know that some Europeans have been doing cycling trips in the Philippines lately?

The Taxi Line at Dusseldorf Train Station

This is a short story of a disturbing behavior I've seen in one of my trips last year. I was then sent on a business trip to Dusseldorf, Germany. I took the train from Amsterdam and arrived at the Düsseldorf Hauptbahnhof (Central Train Station). At that time I needed to get a taxi to Meerbusch because the regional train was too far from the office.

It was not really that hard to find the taxi line. Turning left from the entrance, I could already see a well organized queue composed mainly of suit-wearing middle-aged men. The queue was around twenty or so. Immediately I took my spot at the end. After around twenty minutes of waiting in the cold there was a big turnout of taxis arriving.

Nothing had prepared me to what I was about to see. The same people that were 10 minutes ago quietly waiting and lining up suddenly CRACKED UP. It was total anarchy as the whole line broke up and everyone was fighting for his own taxi. And to make it worse, I was already the one right in front of the line when that happened. Even the sweet old lady who was behind me turned into a crazed maniac and almost shoved me away from getting the next taxi. Meanwhile, I saw two grown men almost at the point of hitting each other and shouting because they were both fighting for the same taxicab. I don't really understand German but I think I heard the taxi driver scold both of them for their shameful behavior.

And I thought riding the jeepney in Manila was tough! But at least I didn't see people turning violent like this one.