Goa, India

March 2006

Patricia, Suzanne, and I went to GOA, India to experience its famous beaches and Portuguese influenced city.

In 1498, Vasco da Gama became the first European to set foot in India through a sea route, landing in Kerala, followed by an arrival in what is now known as Goa. Goa was the largest trading centre on India's western coast. The Portuguese arrived with the intention of setting up a colony and seizing control of the spice trade from other European powers. Later, in 1510, Portuguese admiral Afonso de Albuquerque defeated the ruling Bijapur kings with the help of a local ally, Timayya, leading to the establishment of a permanent settlement in Goa.



Goa is popular among European tourists for its beach parties and huge raves. We went to the beaches during the day so I was not able to see any party :( I rate the Goa beaches a 7/10. Nothing beats Boracay, Philippines!



Since this is a very famous destination for Europeans, a lot of them end up staying in GOA for good! They make a living out of trading and selling stuff at the markets. We were very surprised to see that all the market vendors were white!



If they travel all the way to Boracay .. I wonder if they will do the same thing? Hmmm... I dont think so. We lack the huge beach parties!

Scotch in Sheepland

Edinburgh, Scotland

My cousins and I went to the capital of Scotland, Edinburgh, for the weekend. Which, by the way, should be renamed to SHEEPland.. because there are more sheep than people there! We took a bus tour and witnessed sheep after sheep after sheep.

Population of Scotland: 5 Million
SHEEP population of Scotland: 12.5 Million



Our bus tour included The Stirling Castle with views of the William Wallace Monument (made famous by the movie Braveheart), cruise ride on a loch or lake and Glasgow city with its wonderful architecture.


(William Wallace monument seen at a distance, Glasgow city)

However, the best part of our trip was the SCOTCH tour and eating at the same restaurant on the same table where JK Rowling wrote Harry Potter!

United Kingdom

London and Around London, UK 2005

I met up with lots and lots of people in london...


(Cousins Cherry Pie and Rex, and their kids - Joshua, Chesca, and Jolo)


(Tanya, friend from woodrose and Chad, friend from dlsu)


(Ant from Citi and his friends, I met up with my ex Tom)


(Annalee my brother's friend, Jocson and Nicky)

I went to LOTS and LOTS of sights but the highlight of this trip was good company! So thanks to everyone coz I had a really good time.

If you want to see more pictures of my sightseeing, click here but I am posting some of my favorite ones.


(Big B)


(Tower of London)


(The London Eye)

China Part 3 : Xian with mom and Ria Chua

Xian, China

The city has many important historical sites, and some are ongoing archaeological projects, such as the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang and his Terracotta Army.

The Terracotta Army are the Terracotta Warriors and Horses of Qin Shi Huang the First Emperor of China. The terracotta figures, dating from 210 BC, were discovered in 1974 by several local farmers near Xi'an, Shaanxi province, China near the Mausouleum of the First Qin Emperor.

The figures vary in height (183–195cm - 6ft–6ft 5in), according to their role, the tallest being the Generals. The figures include warriors, chariots, horses, officials, acrobats, strongmen, and musicians. Current estimates are that in the three pits containing the Terracotta Army there were over 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses and 150 cavalry horses, the majority of which are still buried in the pits.

Discoveries like this make me regret not taking up archaeology...

More pictures at http://carinedelros.multiply.com/photos/album/4/Xian

China Part 2 : My first F1 baby!

READY, SET, GO!

To feel the F1 vibe - the deafening sound of engines, the smell of rubber, the cheers of die-hard fans - was one of a kind!

We were lucky to find cheap but awesome seats! We were seated at the main grandstand which was at the start/finish line and in front of the pit stops! (pit stop pic taken from don)



The opening ceremony included a parade of F1 drivers and a performance by Jackie Chan.



In the end, Renault Formula 1 driver, Fernando Alonso won and I got to experience my first F1, baby!

China Part 1 : SHANGHAI

Shanghai 2005

The two Chinese characters in the name "Shanghai", (上, shàng; and 海, hǎi) literally mean "up, on, or above" and "sea", respectively, evident of Shanghai's location next to the East China Sea.

Shanghai is uber modern compared to Beijing. With its high rise buildings, shopping malls, and chic clubs, this city is for the modern individual who wants to work hard and party harder.


(Overlooking the The Bund, Citigroup office lit up at night)


(Team dinner, Drinks at Xin Tian di)

But ofcourse, just like any other city in China, it boasts of its historical roots and landmarks. Shanghai and China in general is a must on anyone's list of countries to see!

Chennai at The Park

Chennai (Formerly Madras) 2004-2007

Presenting the wonderful people I was with during trips to India!

PATRICIA HONRADE now known as Patricia SHANKS! She met her British husband, Nick Shanks, during her trips to INDIA!

ANN TAN ... soon to be... MRS.?? hehe!



Mark Medalla. Now a happy husband and father.

Philip Pichay. Couldnt find a picture with Phil at Chennai! Now, also a happy husband and father.

WOW, during my short 4 year stint in Citibank, a lot of us tied the knot and/or became a parent! THANK YOU CITI! haha!

The Park hotel was like my second home for 1-2 years. It was formerly a Bollywood studio so there were cool posters all over the hotel.



Chennai (Tamil: சென்னை formerly known as Madras), is the fourth largest metropolitan area of India and the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Located on the Coromandel CoastBay of Bengal, Chennai has a population of 4.2 million.