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[kurosaki-tendo]

Snippets from El Nido.

It was a day to disconnect from the world and immerse ourselves in nature’s beauty. A day where time seemed to stand still, and the only thing that mattered was the beauty that surrounded us and the memories we were about to create.

Full story --- HERE!

15 May 2024

#el nido #palawan #philippines #photography #travel

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5 May 2024

Aya-san and I will be celebrating our 4th year together tomorrow. However, we're quite sure that the circumstances won't allow us to be together tomorrow since we both have to attend to patients.

So, this was what we did today: solitary time together and a quick dinner while watching Doctor Slump --- basking under the setting sun in the presence of boisterous tourists and occasional houseflies.

Happy 4th year, Aya-chan.

El Nido, Philippines

#dinner #el nido #palawan #philippines

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Digital classroom on weekends.

3 March 2023 19:47 El Nido, Philippines

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27 January 2024

The day that I found out that Ejii-chan is attracted to games like Red Dead Redemption 2.

Also, balik-loob. I think it's been almost two years since I last held my PS4 controller. It's time to finish my backlogs before I by myself a PS5 before the year ends.

Quezon City, PH 23:52

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Ejii-chan's Homecoming.

It's been 15 years since Ejii last stepped on Japanese soil. Ejii-chan, as a former exchange student, had the opportunity to live in Tokyo for a considerable amount of time during her high school days. She often finds herself reminiscing about those days, and each step she takes in Tokyo brings back a flood of sweet nostalgia. She often speaks about her visits to the bustling neighbourhoods of Akihabara and Ueno, where her hostess would always remind her to carry an umbrella as the city is known for its seasonal heavy rainfalls, especially during the summer and fall. She treasures the memories of the delicious meals her Japanese foster parents would prepare for her before heading off to school. Moreover, she looks back fondly on her daily commute in Tokyo, which was always a delightful experience in the world’s largest metropolis.

"Tadaima!" She said.

"Okaerinasai, Ejii-chan."

Read the whole story here: Ejii-chan’s Tokyo Homecoming – EZRAPADES.COM

[kurosaki-tendo]

24 January 2024

I can't believe it's almost 5 days since I last posted. Time flies by so fast, goddamnit.

I came back to Manila on January 21st to "recuperate", as I told everyone in my press release. It's been a crazy month in the hospital, doing licensing and accreditation stuff, seeing patients, leading people, and I think it's safe to say that I need a break.

Today, Ejii-chan and I did some general cleaning of our home. We were also able to replenish our groceries which took a while because neither of us wanted to go out and do actual grocery shopping. Help came when Grab and Lalamove were there to deliver everything.

I grilled a ribeye from Santi's in Magnolia that we got after meeting some friends for lunch a few days back. It wasn't as great as the ones we've had from other butcher shops and online, but it wasn't terrible either. We chowed it down while binge-watching a new Japanese show we started today.

Quezon City, PH 1:03 AM

[kurosaki-tendo]

19 January 2024

おはようございます！

Our view immediately after stepping out of our room.

We plan to spend the rest of the day here and drive back to Puerto for Ejii-chan’s flight back to MNL tonight. It’ll be another 2-3 hour drive so I’m taking my time to recuperate from the colossally stupid jungle trek yesterday.

“Akala ko talaga katapusan na natin kahapon. Pa’no kung may mga NPA?” She said.

Port Barton, San Vicente, Palawan

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18 January 2024

I was supposed to post this last night but I was knocked down to sleep immediately after dinner at eight.

Ejii-chan and I drove 4 hours southwest of El Nido to San Vicente’s little village called Port Barton. We got lost along the way and took a road less travelled where we traversed 30km of hard, rough road covered in thicket of bushes, forests, and uneven mountain roads.

We thought our crossover won’t make it out alive but we were happy that our she made it. A Toyota Raize for off-road? Yes, she can!

After an hour, we were rewarded with this view of the western sunset.

Port Barton, San Vicente, Palawan

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17 Jan 2024

Today’s like…the 7th consecutive day that we visited Lio.

“Feeling ko kilala na kami ng mga waiters from every restaurant.” I told my sister.

On our days off, Ejii-chan and I frequently visit this beach for three reasons:

1) Fast, reliable internet. Lio is owned and managed by the Ayalas, who also own Globe. Internet data in the area was never a problem.

2) Beautiful people. This particular beach is frequented mostly by Europeans and East Asians. I hear a lot of Italian, French, and Spanish all around the place.

3) Superb line of restaurants. One of our favorites is a Spanish-Mediterranean fusion restaurant called Punta Playa. Their various paellas are one of the best I’ve had in my life! Another is an Italian restaurant called The Clay Kitchen, who serves brick oven pizzas and a variety of pasta dishes.

Bonus:

4) It’s just a 15-minute drive from our hospital. Hehe.

Lio Beach Club, El Nido, Philippines

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Pasalubongs for the GF

I’m now back in the heat of the tropics, away from the fantasy world that I adored for a few weeks that is England. I'll be back, I promise.

More photos coming. I'll try to post every once in a while. Nauubusan an talaga ako ng time sa social media. Lol.

Puerto Princesa City, PH

4 December 2023

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Arrivederci, Manchester

Ending my 3-day solo trip in Central Manchester. You were damn awesome. See you again some time.

03 November 2023

10:25 AM

Manchester, United Kingdom

#travel #england #united kingdom #manchester

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An Ode to October.

#reels #england #japan travel #japan #travel #Instagram

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Long Cold Day

Yesterday was an incredibly exhausting day that seemed to never end. I had so many things to do that I found myself constantly on the go. By the time I got home, I was completely worn out. As much as I wanted to write in this online journal, I couldn't bring myself to do it. My mind was a foggy mess, and my eyes were heavy with fatigue. I knew I needed to rest and recharge, so I decided to call it a night.

My sister's elective CS was scheduled for 10 AM, but it got delayed until 6 PM due to three emergency sections. While waiting, I spent some time at a nearby Costa reading medical stuff. I didn't realize that it was already 3 PM until I returned to my sister's room. I decided to head home and stopped by a cafe with my bro-in-law Zeph to try some authentic British lunch. I ordered pork casserole with mashed potatoes and gravy, which was surprisingly good.

It was 5:25 PM when my brother-in-law texted me saying, "The baby is out now." I was thrilled to meet my second niece, Phoebe, so I gathered the courage to brave the freezing streets and walked back to the hospital. There, I found Phoebe fast asleep, cradled by my sister. It was a heartwarming moment. After spending some time with the family, I left and stopped by a nearby McDonald's for dinner on my way back home. British McDo, despite being less salty, wasn't a disappointment either.

31 October 2023 12:32 PM Stockton-on-Tees, England

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Home 'Cos Katamad Lumabas

"Ganito 'yung weather sa England. Most days nakakatamad lumabas kasi maliban sa malamig, lagi pang cloudy," Bro-in-law told me.

"If you plan on migrating here someday, invest ka talaga sa bahay mo kasi feeling ko tatamarin ka lumabas lagi." He added.

It is true. Today, I spent the entire day alone in my sister's house in Northeastern England. The weather was exceptionally cold, with temperatures ranging from 7 to 11 degrees Celsius, in addition to the cloudy and drizzly conditions outside.

I spent the entire day lounging on the Lazy Boy while binge-watching Friends after hearing about Matthew Perry's untimely passing. I air-fried some breakfast sausages and cooked egg-fried rice, which I made from scratch, and enjoyed the show.

The sun set at around 5 PM today, and I was caught off guard by a couple of kids trick or treating. Unfortunately, I wasn't informed about the places where my sister keeps her sweets. But luckily, I stumbled upon a piece of Cadbury chocolate and two matcha Kit Kats that I brought from Tokyo.

It's dinner time, and they're finally here. We'll prepare for my sister's delivery tomorrow and finally meet my 2nd pamangkin, Phoebe.

29 October 2023 6:55 PM Newcastle, England

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Colours of Autumn

As I woke up from my slumber, I could feel the chilly morning air enveloping me in its foggy embrace. It was a chilly 8 degrees outside, making me shiver a bit. I decided to warm myself up with a quick breakfast and a steaming cup of tea, before treating myself to a hot shower.

Towards noon, my sister and her husband arrived to take me shopping for my sister's elective delivery - a special occasion we eagerly looked forward to. As we strolled through the streets, I couldn't help but admire the stunning autumn colours that adorned the trees around us. I took some time to capture the beauty of nature through my camera.

27 October 2023 6:42 PM Stockton-on-Tees, England

#autumn #england #travel

[kurosaki-tendo]

Hello, England!

26 October 2023 12:49 AM Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England

#travel #europe #united kingdom #england

[kurosaki-tendo]

Tokyo Day 1.

After visiting Kansai and Chugoku regions last June, I returned to Japan with Ejii-chan with the mission to explore the entirety of Tokyo. We flew on an afternoon flight and arrived at around 7PM in Narita. We took the local train to the megapolis. When we arrived at the hotel, we settled for a bit and then splurged on kombini (convenience store) food near our hotel.

The real Day One starts the next day.

I took Ejii-chan to Shibuya. She's been to Tokyo some 15 years ago when she became an exchange student at a Japanese school. She always told stories about her stay back then and how Tokyo had changed over the past years. We had a late lunch at Ichiran in Shibuya and charged ahead of the 45-minute queue just to have our ramen fix for the day.

Ahh. The world-famous Tonkotsu ramen + extra chashu + extra kikurage. Having a warm, artery-clogging meal is nice to compensate for the cool autumn winds and tireless 20,000-step walks daily.

The view from outside Ichiran. We took photos of the surrounding buildings and neighborhood as we queued.

Ejii-chan's homecoming. She always loved Japan and its culture. Anime, film, art. You name it. Now, she's back in her turf.

We paid tribute to Hachiko while around Shibuya.

Later at night, we rode the metro to Ueno Park after reading from reviews that Ueno Park at night is a must-visit. Only to discover that most of the food stalls and stores around the park are closed by 6 p.m. So, we took a stroll around the park and its roads. We went through the nearby Ameyayokocho instead and strolled through its streets looking for something to eat.

Traveling is always tiring. But it's also always worth every step.

We were back at the hotel by 11 p.m.

Tokyo, Japan October 2023