One of the most beautiful things that ever happened to me coming from Barrio Siete to Barrio States was discovering the world. I was uber thankful to my payrents and my American employers who essentially gave me the opportunity to enjoy the things I love the most. Travel, meet boys people, social climb and immerse in other culture. Eh panu ba naman, lumaki akong kausap ang mga kalabaw, kalaro ang mga baboy, ka-jack-en-poy ang mga manok. But things change Virginia if you start dreaming! Nagkaron ako nang pakpak and I learned how to fly. Mahal lang nga ang bayad. Lalo na pag business class. Kinakati kasi ako sa economy. Hehehe!
Kaya, growing up in Barrio Siete, I have never imagined in all my life that I could reach places that I only read sa komiks. From South and North America, Asia, Western and Eastern Europe, charing! Hahaha! Anyway, of all the places na humada ako I have travelled, there is one place I love the most, except the Philippines. It’s the one place I always tell people to go and visit. Just look at this building. Be awed by the walls and its designs! Built many, many, long, long time ago siguro. Unlike in America na karamihan nang building kudrado. Salpakan mo nang salamin, 100 Town Wonders na sya.
It’s Prague, the capital city of the Czech Republic.
I love Paris and the canals in da Barrio Amsterdam, but Prague is much more romantic to me. Di ko sinama boylet ko. Ang ayuf na yun, baka pagbit-bitin ako nang pridyidir sa kalye. Kaya emote ako alone. Pantasya mode because this place is more like a living museum. The entire city. Locals told me that nothing was bombed here during the German and/or the Russian occupation. They came, they saw, they conquered, and shouted that Prague was theirs, voila! Tagay! O di ba? Dapat ganun ang gyera! Walang danyos perwisyos at mga natitigok! Anyway, like Intramuros in Manila, the City has this Tower at every entrance.
We stayed at one of the city’s popular hotels, Hotel Paris, and they said that this was “The Hotel” during it’s heydey. Heck! Reyna ako! Dapat lang! But it’s not that. Check out the building! Every building here has a drama, carved out! You cannot help but ask yourself what the building is trying to tell you. Like… Pinturahan mo ako, gaga!!!
It’s just very nice to walk around and soroy-soroy around the city where it looked like this…
And this… kaya dapat an takong nang heels mo has to be dos pos dos.
The plaza center gets crowded pagsapit nang dilim, lined up with coffee shops here at mga beautiful people just roaming and wandering around…
And it’s at this Plaza where you’ll find this Prague Astronomical Clock!
This was during my business school days at Fox School of the Temple University in Philadelphia. We went to Prague as part of our Executive MBA’s International Trip. Joining the trip were Japanese MBA students of Temple University in Tokyo. Our final destination was the Central European University in Budapest, Hungary. We’re here in Prague, visiting major Eastern European corporations. One corporation we visited was truly remarkable to me. It was the headquarters of Philip Morris. Of course! Czech Republic wanted big investments then, coming out of the Soviets twisted economic model, kaya ayan, pinag-tyagaan.
What’s remarkable with the Philip Morris Offices? Eto ang entrance…
Let me give you some hint…
Yes Virginia… you’re seeing it right. At mag-kurus ka na. Because this used to be a Roman Catholic Basilica na naging opis. One place where pag nagkamali ka nang trabaho mo, todas! Magdasal kang bata ka! During the Russian occupation, they closed down all churches and this church became empty. Until Philip Morris bought the place and turned it into a corporate headquarters. That’s right. They redeveloped the place. I guess, the more you smoke, the holier you get. Is it not the philosophy behind it Lalaine? Hahaha!
We visited the Palace…
This is not Buckingham Palace. Pero Palace den sya. Kaya lang, they must be short of funding …
Now, this place?! Ay caramba!!! I have never seen a place with too many cute men! And cute Palace Guards?! Kiver! Eto ako! Tumatakbo! Trying to arrest them! Kahit isa lang ang madekwat ko!!!
Like any other Eastern European nation, people here are very, very friendly. I tell everyone I meet on the Corporate Boardrooms, in bars and in the streets na anak ako ni Ayala that I come from Manila, the Philippines. Interestingly, it always ignites one very friendly conversation, about their interest of the Philippines.
I made friends in Prague. Then again, kahit sinong Pontio Pilato nagiging bespren nang lola nyo. Lalo na pag bangag na ako?! BFF ko na ang mga yan! Pati titulo nang lupa nang lolo ko, ready akong ilipat sa kanila. And I truly love the city. It’s people (men only), the places (nang men only), it’s history (wa pakels sa mga babae nila), the cobblestone (dos por dos takong ko), the plaza (hada place), the 12th century market (more men, yong nagtitinda) and I truly hate the girlie-girlie bars where my professors brought me to! Na-trauma talaga ako! Leche! Kababae kong tao, ka-table ko babae rin?! Hmpt! Sukang-suka akooo!!! Gustong gusto ko nang i-drop ang mga subjects kooo!!! Pwe!
And just like Manila – the pickpockets here could steal your socks without you knowing it. The women? They’re beautiful. All of them could be Miss Universe. The men?! Eeeekk! Mamma mia! Kundi ko lang kasama Professor ko, babastusin ko lahat nang mga lalaki sa Prague!!!
Here’s another look of Prague.
Hope you like my little tour, I have some more of the Czech Republic in our next ish…
Stumble Upon
Del.icio.us
Buzz
{ 31 comments… read them below or add one }
So homely a city i guess, so relaxing like one barrio in cobblestones…praise God for all the trisikads that brought you there…
“the more you smoke, the holier you get” – the philosophy behind church incense, hehe.
[Reply]
Hmmmm…..bagay ka na rin sa lugar!
[Reply]
Click this link to see Prague – Old Town Square
http://revver.com/video/849692/prague-old-town-square/
[Reply]
Very interesting place and people, too. Lab this portion. Natawa talaga ako.
“I made friends in Prague. Then again, kahit sinong Pontio Pilato nagiging bespren nang lola nyo. Lalo na pag bangag na ako?! BFF ko na ang mga yan! Pati titulo nang lupa nang lolo ko, ready akong ilipat sa kanila. And I truly love the city. It’s people (men only), the places (nang men only), it’s history (wa pakels sa mga babae nila), the cobblestone (dos por dos takong ko), the plaza (hada place), the 12th century market (more men, yong nagtitinda) and I truly hate the girlie-girlie bars where my professors brought me to! Na-trauma talaga ako! Leche! Kababae kong tao, ka-table ko babae rin?! Hmpt! Sukang-suka akooo!!! Gustong gusto ko nang i-drop ang mga subjects kooo!!! Pwe!”
[Reply]
aba ang lupet ng tour a
[Reply]
hahaha! i have one classmate and what we would do is lalabas kami nang alas dose nang gabi kasi ganung oras ang bukas nang mga gay bars tapus ayun bangag bangag kami hehehe di alam nang professor ko na bampira pala estudyante nya hahaha
[Reply]
hahaha! that Philip Morris reminded me of how big their factory in Canlubang at sinamantala nila ang Prague because it’s an upcoming country pero was biro ang ganda ganda nung Office na yon, eerie lang hehehe
[Reply]
hehehe alam mo naman ang lola kahit saan isalpak hehe
[Reply]
hi orphicpixel, it was part of our school chorva from Prague to Budapest
[Reply]
Reynz, nakapasok ako ng gaybar isang beses immersion chuva sa Baguio. Aliw na aliw ang mga kasama naming gurangers. Bakit di ko maappreciate? Mas gusto ko sa girly bar? hehe
[Reply]
baa! malay ko! hahaha charing lang hehehe!
[Reply]
a talaga, swerte mo talaga, magbigay ka naman ng konting swerte
[Reply]
bampira pala ha? baka manananggal, manananggal ng lakas
)
[Reply]
wala ako nabasa puro lalaki na lang hehe.
pero ako talaga inggit sa mga napupuntahan ng mga ka barrio natin, mahilig kasi ang sa mga buildings and designs, syempre related sa natapos ko. galing ng designs nila iisa ang character. sana kamahalan more of inetrior nextime. ingat!
[Reply]
Napakaganda Reynz ng Czech Republic. Wow talaga! I love every pictures you have shared to us.
[Reply]
this is it orphicpixel – barrio siete hehehe hopefully you’d learn how to social climb hahaha
[Reply]
hindi ah! if you read, you should be proud of me (ugh na-piyok) nag-table naman ako nang babae ah! (ugh! na-suka!) hahaha!
[Reply]
twas one of my dreams to visit any eastern european cities kasi nga they were just coming out of the former soviet empire kaya it was truly one learning experience plus naka-social climb ako and one of them is still my very good friend up to now hahaha
[Reply]
huyyy, boylet ba yan…. *wink* huyyy… share mo naman…
[Reply]
pansin ko lang, me pera at civilized for a long time ang Prag huh!
[Reply]
sobrang lupet talaga orphicpixel! hmmm, mayroon ba niyan sa kavilang varrio? *grin*
[Reply]
hahaha! nah! he was an MBA student at the Central European University. Nag-present ako nun sa class and as usual di ba mag-papakilala ka.
so ayun, nag-pakilala ako na ako si Reyna, galing Manila, sa Pilipinas and I could hear the crowd with “Ohhhh” later, i would found out that they were very, very interested and would want to someday visit the Philippines.
isa sa lumapit saken was Vladislav tiga-Moldova studying in Budapest. dun nagsimula ang prenship. later, he won Europe’s Best Business Plan Writing Contest besting out ang mga top notch biz schools including the London Biz of Economics pati na Insead which was the number one biz school in the world.
Ayun, he was sent for a year free sa York University in Toronto, Canada where I would visit him at dun ko nakilala si misis nya who was more than a model! Leche! Parehas silang good looking.
Vlad, as I call him, is now a regional vice-president of an investment house based in London. Hopefully, I could visit him. Puro lang kami tawag and i love him as a friend. Ang nakakatuwa dahil nga Eastern European sya, ang greetings nya saken is a kiss sa lips – walang dila! HAHAHA
Eto ang mga prutas nang aking social climbing ateng hahaha! Marami pa sila, wait until marinig mo yong Japanese connection ko naman hehehe
[Reply]
@roni,
you’re right – it’s budapest and prague and parang jewel nang soviet empire nun. i guess more so with prague kasi very little and resistance nila both sa germans and russians kaya naman preserved lahat nang structures that dates back to the 12th century and you could say na talagang cultured ang mga tao dito kahit na mahirap sila. if you’re in the city, you’ll see the wealth and the arts is unbelievable.
[Reply]
Dyan sa mga ganyang lugar nag-exist ang tinatawag na Patrons and Matrons, supporting arts and public infrastructures. Imagine, kahit mahirap sila but they live in a grand structures. Sa atin, mga bato at kahoy ang mga patron, na walang mga silbi.
[Reply]
tumpak ang sinabi mo roni, kaya when i was walking alone, tulala ako sa mga nakikita ko and i have always believed na creative, artsy at matalino ang mga Pilipino. but that was never never developed dahil busy ang mga demonyong buwaya sa nakawan.
the more i see places the more na nalulungkot ako
[Reply]
gustuhin man nating mapaunlad ang ating lugar, parang wala rin tayong magawa. hawak na ng mga aso ang posisyon, pag pumasok ka pa, delikado lang ang buhay mo. I’d rather live longer far away from home than die in the hands of those worthless dogs. pessimism? no, it’s realism. correct me if I’m wrong.
[Reply]
@roni,
i truly believe na kahit we live far, that we could make a difference. ba’t si rizal di ba? there’s been many times na resigned na ako with da fak na mas dumami at mas uber na ang kurapsyon ngayon compared nung panahon ni marcos na alam naten, but if we lose hope, it’s like opening the gates to all these crocodiles.
kahit pano, resist, yon ako because i know exactly how it was to grow up sa barrio siete without the privileges nang mga demonyong yan
[Reply]
@snow,
i think nag-sa-sak-sakan sila dun sa kaVilang Varrio hahaha sila sila nag-sasapakan hahaha actually me current entry nga sabi pa nya eto quote ko:
HAHAHA! Brilliant daw siya! or sila! And these people embellished their credentials palpak na palpak yong PhD and even yong mga teaching positions sa mga universities dahil meron isang DLSU professor dito hahaha
i am on the sidelines watching how they implode hehe
[Reply]
Hmm, dream ko rin puntahan yang Prague. Pero kailangan pang mag-enrol sa Temple U, eh sa Wanbol U lang ako? sayang, malapit na sa pinuntahan ko sa Europa yan, sayang di nakarating ang barkong sinasakyan ko jan, hehehe
[Reply]
hahaha eto tip Ajay, i’m sure and boylet mo travels to Germany korak? malapit lang sya dun. kasi we started sa Frankfurt, Germany. you’d think na anlalayo nang mga countries na yan, pero malalapit lang. that was the entry na isasali ko sana dun sa project mo, kaso i didn’t write it in english hehehe
[Reply]
wow ok sa orrayt e ako hanggang pinatubo nalang lastek diko carry sa mga ganyang lugar mapunta magkakapili pilipit ang dila kot magkakandirit ako dyan, pero ganda ng lugar huh
[Reply]