Sydney University

Sydney Uni is one of the main universities in New South Wales.

One Sunday afternoon during a bus ride to the city, I decided right on the bus to just get off at Sydney Uni and check out the campus.

The main attraction is the University quadrangle. It just so happen that they have free recitals of the War Memorial Carillon (carillons are the largest musical instruments which must contain at least 25 chromatically tuned bells) every Sunday from 2-3pm when I went to visit. The peaceful setting and listening to the beautiful music was perfect for a quiet Sunday afternoon.






After the recital, I got a chance to go up the tower and check out the carillon/bells:






And it just so happen that the day I was at Sydney Uni, they had a free organ recital at the Great Hall.








This place is great for wedding picture taking. In fact, there was a wedding entourage taking pictures at the quadrangle after the organ recital was finished. And this will also be where we're gonna have Michelle & Andrew's wedding pictures taken.

Featherdale Wildlife Park

Finally, a kangaroo!!! And koala, emu, dingo, wallaby, wombat, and a tasmanian devil.

But gosh, it was a mission going to this place called "Featherdale Wildlife Park" near Blacktown (the Pinoy town here in Sydney). It took me about 2hrs including waiting time using public transportation to get to this place. Geez!

But it was all worth it. I got close to a koala (as you will see in the picture below). Man, they look like they're on drugs (well, they eat eucalyptus...or other leaves, too). Koalas sleep about 20hrs a day (that's why they look like they're on drugs...sleepy heads).






I got to feed a kangaroo and some emu tried to steal away the food. Kangaroos, wallabies, emus, and other animals were free to roam around the park...so that means there was shit everywhere.






And there was a tasmanian devil. It kept sniffing something. And no, it doesn't look like the tasmanian devil cartoon, nor does it spin around like that. I notice though that it was just running around in a circle along the perimeter of the fence?!?!?!?!






And the dingo...the one that looks like a dog. The difference is a dingo doesn't bark. It howls...like a wolf. Below is also an emu.






A flying-fox and albino kangaroos






If you guys want to see a more extensive collection of animals, the Taronga Zoo would be it. I haven't been there but I hear the giraffes have prime real estate with a view of Sydney's skyline.

Dr Carlo de Leon

So are you a doctor now, Carlo? Phd in Physical Therapy...yea, right! Not until I get my free massage.

Congratulations on your graduation! I'm 1 for 3 when attending your graduation. Missed high school and this one. Made it to UC Davis.

Jodie Foster, a graduate from Harvard, was invited to be the guest speaker at rival school, Univ of Pennsylvania's graduating class of 2006. If you didn't hear about it, she rapped during her speech. I'm sure you know where these lyrics are from:

Look, if you had one shot, or one opportunity
To seize everything you ever wanted-One moment
Would you capture it or just let it slip?

You better lose yourself in the music, the moment
You own it, you better never let it go
You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow
This opportunity comes once in a lifetime yo

--Eminem

Congratulations!!! (So you're class 1998, 2002, 2006...when's the next?)

Dear Carlo & Melinda

Or should I call you guys "Carlinda"...as in Bennifer or Brangelina. =)

Congratulations to both of you on your engagement! That was a well-planned out romantic proposal...where did you get that idea, Carlo?

I wish you both all the best in everything. May your life together bring you tons of love, endless growing friendship, joy, laughter, success in everything you do together, lots of travelling (ie. Sydney), tapioca express, free massages from Dr de Leon (can I get free samples, too?), continuous support for each other, and many many more. Cherish each day of your life together. And don't forget, you have us, your family, to give you support.

For your engagement, go out in the fields together on a warm sunny day, raise your hands together, look up the sky (or you can just lie down on the grass together and look up at the sky), and play this song as loud as you can together: "These Are The Days" by 10,000 Maniacs

These are days you’ll remember
Never before and never since, I promise
Will the whole world be warm as this
And as you feel it,
You’ll know it’s true
That you are blessed and lucky
It’s true that you
Are touched by something
That will grow and bloom in you

These are days that you’ll remember
When May is rushing over you
With desire to be part of the miracles
You see in every hour
You’ll know it’s true
That you are blessed and lucky
It’s true that you are touched
By something that will grow and bloom in you

These are days
These are the days you might fill
With laughter until you break
These days you might feel
A shaft of light
Make its way across your face
And when you do
Then you’ll know how it was meant to be
See the signs and know their meaning
It's true
Then you’ll know how it was meant to be
Hear the signs and know they’re speaking
To you, to you

Enjoy and have fun planning your wedding. See you in 2007 (if not this year when you visit). I can't wait!!!

Love,
Maricel

"Kokoda" movie

I went to see the Aussie movie, "Kokoda", which tells the story of the outnumbered Australian Army reserves defeating the Japanese during World War II in some of the most rugged and isolated terrain in the world.

The Japanese's mission was eventual invasion of Australian soil. As the Japanese led down south towards Australia, their South Pacific strategy was to take over Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea (at the time, Papua New Guinea was Australia's protectorate). The Kokoda track is a single-file trail that leads to Port Moresby (these days, people visit PNG to trek Kokoda...my boss is doing it in June). The Australian Army reserves (called "chocos" - ill equipped, unfully trained soldiers OR could also mean bullets filled with chocolates as they were not "real" soldiers and didn't have "real" guns) were sent as stand by at PNG not knowing they were going to be outnumbered 10-1 by the Japanese...not to mention the harsh terrains they had to endure combined with hot and humid days, rainfall, cold nights, and tropical diseases. The Japanese invasion eventually failed and as we all know it, Australia is not Japan.

This has been a great significance to the country next to the Gallipoli Campaign during WWI as it was the first time Australians fought and died repelling an invader on Australian soil without the material presence or support of the United Kingdom.