Photo Gallery during long weekend @ RJ -- Cristo Redentor

Photo Gallery during long weekend @ RJ -- Pao de Acucar

Photo Gallery during long weekend @ RJ -- Barra da Tijuca Praia

Long weekend getaway in Rio de Janeiro

April 18-21, 2008 - - I will not be surprised why Rio de Janeiro is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, witnessing the breathtaking view of the whole city of Rio de Janeiro at the top of Cristo Redentor and Pao de Acucar, you cannot ask for more.. (for more pics, you can visit my multiply account: http://www.ronaldbalinas.multiply.com/).. Below are some pics taken during the long weekend trip at Rio de Janerio:

Cristo Redentor

Pao de Acucar

Barra da Tijuca Praia

Below is the itinerary we have done during the long weekend:

April 18 (Friday night) - The House gimmick

April 19 (Saturday AM) - Cristo Redentor Tour

April 19 (Saturday PM) - Copacabana tour and shopping at night market

April 19-20 (Saturday x Sunday) - Drinking session at Diether's house..

April 20 (Sunday AM) - Pao de Acucar Tour

April 20 (Sunday PM) - Jonelle's bday celebration with bottomless caipirinha, tequila, vodka and beers..

April 21 (Monday AM) - Barra da Tijuca Praia

April 21 (Monday PM) - Swimming at Transamerica Pool

*Notice that there is no wasted moments during these long weekend holiday, that's why as of writing, I feel very exhausted and sleepy.. hehehehe ;)

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The most expensive coffee in my entire life...

Who would have thought that me and joya will re-unite in one of the most admired city in the world and having together a sip of coffee and a puff of cigar on the top of Pao de Acucar with the breath taking view of the whole city of Rio de Janeiro?! These are all real..

Having a cup of coffee on top of Pao de Acucar is really the most expensive coffee in my entire life.. Though we just ordered only a Capuccino Nescafe worth R$ 2.50 (Php 62.50).. Why make's it expensive? It's because of the view.. You need to ride 2-sets of cable car to reach the top of Pao de Acucar and need to pay R$35 (Php 875) that's make it expensive.. though expensive, but it is a must see in Rio de Janeiro.. the scenery is awesome.. though it's only a cheap nescafe coffee that we are sipping on top of the hill, but its the feeling that having a sip of coffee with my best friends in Globe Telecom and being reunited once more and doing the same old things were doing during the GT years...

One month.. and counting..

April 03, 2008 - My first month ("um mes" in portuguese) here in Brazil..

Who can say that staying in a world that no one will understand you because of the language barrier, you will be able to live and survive in this kind of place?! Hmmm.. I will be one of the "few"...

Though its very tough to live in a place that no one understands you, and no one to talk to, but voila! I was able to survived for 1 month.. and still counting..

Being in this place is really a no joke.. You need to learn to survive.. It's not anymore a place that survival is very easy to achieve, here survival is a struggle. Bring out all your talent and acting skills once you are in a place that no one understands you.. I remember those times during my college days were we used to play "charades" wherein someone will guess what your trying to tell by acting or body movements.. Funny might it seems, but I did not realized during that time that these skills I learned will help me to convey what I want to tell and to comprehend to everyone here in Brazil.. LOL..

From Vanuatu to Brazil, its not an easy adjustment for my part.. from small place to a big place.. from a quiet to a noisy place.. from a few to many people surrounding me.. Life here is very different.. They say "the more, the merrier".. For me here, its not applicable.. I still prefer a small group that is intact rather than a big group but scattered :(

I still dont know what will happen to me here in months time.. Hope I can learn much Portuguese words so that I can get along with the locals here.. More to come, my manager is now calling me.. I am just blogging while predicting in Net Act Planner coz it takes time to do the prediction.. hehehe.. Tchau!

i was here...

Who will thought that I will go and reach places?! I was once a student dreaming of travelling beautiful places in the Philippines and I did.. Using the saved allowances I have from my parents I was able to have vacations during my college days in Laguna, Batangas, Quezon, Mindoro, and Pampanga. I have frequently visited these places coz these are the affordable ones and these will be coming in my own pocket.

When I had my job in Globe Telecom, the places I visited grew up in a wider scale. I was able to visit places that I thought I cannot visit when I was a student. Mastering the areas in North Luzon like Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Isabela, Sagada, Baguio, Pangasinan, Ilocos Sur, and Ilocos Norte. In South Luzon, I already visited Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Bicol, and Sorsogon. In Visayas region, I've been already in Palawan, Bacolod, Iloilo, Guimaras, Antique and Aklan.

I thought I will just be satisfied to see the wonders of the Philippines. But giving the opportunity to soar high in my career, I was able to reach outside my boundaries.

Working with pleasure is such a blessing for us to have, you will go and see places that are free and the same time you are enjoying.. Visiting some of the counties I've been like in Australia, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Dubai, and Brazil is really an amazing part of my life. I was just blessed to be in these places and explore the wonders they have. Though times maybe lonely but just to think of it that very few are given the opportunity to go outside of our boundaries, and the least that I can do is to enjoy what I have right now with no regrets.

Ale Vanuatu...

February 25, 2008 Port Vila, Vanuatu – this time I was tested once again.. saying goodbye has been always accompanied me every time I need to accept a new project.. this is the 2nd time that happened to me and it seems that it doesn’t made me a strong person. It’s very difficult to tell someone who has been very dear to you to say the word “goodbye”.. yet its one word but its very difficult to say.. it seems that the attachment and bonding you’ve had hinders to say that word and there is that magnet that attracts and its very hard to let go.. Telling my friends in Port Vila that I’m leaving in less than a week time, my remaining days seem to be a very long and tiring days.. There are many sleepless nights for me and always thinking that do I need to leave Vanuatu? Why should I? I am happy staying here.. no problems.. no hassle.. living life at its best.. so what’s the reason for me leaving Vanuatu?!

Maybe this is really me.. contentment is really hard to achieved.. one must not stop from dreaming.. hoping.. and imagining.. every success will not be sweet without any risk to take at all.. and this will be the risk I need to take.. leaving Vanuatu and going to other part of the world despite of the luxury I am getting in Vanuatu, makes this all very complicated and hard for me to decide but I MUST TO!!!

People do really come and go.. there is no PERMANENT in this world.. its either you leave or you being left..

But at the end of the day, you should not forget that once in your life you came across with the persons you’ve met along your journey and they have played a significant role in our lives. I will surely miss Vanuatu and all my friends there. They have been very good to me and consider as my 2nd home and 2nd family. As what they say with the tagline in Vanuatu: “OTHERS call it paradise, but WE call it home”…