How to Change Your Passport Surname to Your Foreign Husband's
10:26 PMTo all Philippine passport holders, are you by any chance planning to renew your passport and change your surname to your foreign husband's?
We have been married for almost 10 years and I have been using my maiden name the entire time in all of my local and international identification cards. Since I won't be traveling outside the country very soon, I found it the perfect time to do it.
Living abroad, there wasn't really any urgent need to change my name. Within the span of my expat life, I have changed my passport thrice and the thought of the long bureaucratic procedure made me cringe. Waiting for an online appointment schedule at my country's consulate in Dubai and the whole process of name changing deemed to be a nightmare. My then tight business trip schedules when I was working in the Middle East didn't have any window to accommodate this long wait. Additionally, I wanted to avoid my previous employers paying additional fees to renew my resident visas and to steer clear from all of the administrative hassles of name changing in all of my identification cards such as my driver's license, Emirates ID and etc.
If I had a choice, I would still keep my maiden name.
As per the civil code, the woman can still continue using her legal name when she was single. It may not be mandatory to use my husband's surname in the Philippines, but in reality, the change makes everything a tad less complicated.
As per the civil code, the woman can still continue using her legal name when she was single. It may not be mandatory to use my husband's surname in the Philippines, but in reality, the change makes everything a tad less complicated.
Travel Gourmande Fried Rice
11:00 AM
A perfect Sunday brunch calls for a heartwarming comfort food that can be effortlessly enjoyed over family conversations, that is so easy to make without draining the budget. Since I very rarely eat rice, I used to make this a lot after a party at home to recycle leftover rice, veggies or anything that I can add on. One good bowl, add an egg on top et voila, it is already a complete meal.
Things to Do in Prague: Watch Don Giovanni at The Estates Theatre
12:07 PM
Watch a 3 hour long classical opera without falling asleep.
This was one of my life long goals and my trip to Prague posed to be a good opportunity to seize. I remember one of the most wonderful evenings in Vienna in 2008 where I went to watch a classical concert on my own.
We passed in front of The Estates Theatre formerly known as Teatro di Praga during a free walking tour and I remember the excitement when I came back here to buy tickets.
7 Tips for a Newbie Climber
7:37 AM
Clang, an avid mountain climber and blogger behind Clangies Tower accepted my invitation when her hiking stories piqued my curiosity. Please welcome her as she shares her best tips for those who want to start climbing and exploring trails.
This Filipino slang according to Urban Dictionary is someone who is trying hard to look cute and expects to be treated like a very important person. Be prepared to slip, fall, slide, get wet, wounded, encounter mud, leeches, altitude sickness and mosquito bites. "Walang arte-arte," (Don't be fussy) Clang noted.
Life in the Philippines: How to Convert Your Foreign Driver's License to a Non-Professional One
1:14 PMDo you know that you can convert your existing Driver's License abroad for less than Php 650? Yes it is possible and you can get your brand new Non-professional driver's license ID, hot and fresh, the same day of your application.
I went to Land Transportation Office (LTO) in Paranaque, and I found out they were not doing conversions there. The nearest one for me was the LTO Office along Domestic MIA Road in Pasay City.
Coron Island Tour: Bulog Dos, Banana Island and Malcapuya Loop
3:02 PM
In pursuit of the island life, we took a weekend break from a sad and stressful week, one beautiful sunny Sunday in Coron, Palawan, Philippines to explore Bulog Dos, Banana and Malcapuya, three gems in the Calamianes group of Islands. It was a spontaneous decision to join a group boat tour, the day before the scheduled trip.
In Pursuit of the Island Life
11:43 PMBulog Dos Island, Coron, Philippines |
A long pause.
34 hours from the time we left home in France, we arrived enervated from the extremely long travel and delays. That was 18 days ago. I couldn't bring myself to connect online since. Partly because reality hit us at the same time humidity welcomed us with its wide embrace in Manila.
Happy Walk Series France: La Bauduère
1:51 PMThe French McDreamy Café
5:08 AM
Remember that post I wrote about How to Order Coffee in France Like a Local ?
I am not going to leave France without snapping photos during my last visit to grab a take-away coffee on the road. The French Mc Café has its very own café counter tucked in a corner away from the main one, equipped with a viennoiserie and patisserie display. Not to mention, the biggest surprise I had when they were selling macarons!
La Place Napoléon
9:18 PM
I love walkable cities!
We have a few days left in France. We're spending the last days visiting family and friends for coffee. After visiting my grandmother-in-law in a nearby countryside village, we passed by the recently renovated, La Place Napoléon in La Roche Sur Yon, La Vendée, France for a brief sight-seeing.
Happy Walk Series Prague: A Lovely Morning in Prague
5:55 AMHave you ever had the weirdest and the loveliest morning at the same time?
The morning summer breeze greets my cheeks, reminding me of the French's bisous as soon as I heard my own footsteps marching enthusiastically on the pavement. 7AM and the street of Jecna was quiet. I walked towards the waterfront, pausing a few times to wait for the pedestrian light to turn green. I smiled within and clutched the straps of my backpack wondering if I had everything I needed for the day. Happy to have Prague all to myself this morning...
Explore Prague on Foot in 4 Days
2:33 AMI crossed all of these bridges on foot. |
I packed my hand luggage and flew to the Czech capital for a solo travel. If you've been reading this blog several posts back, I was craving to get away and have some un-interrupted time on my own and Prague ended up to be the best decision I have ever made.
The magnificent skyline of Prague will lure you to explore its winding cobblestone streets, waterfront parks and lovely bridges. This was exactly how I felt as soon as I emerged from the metro dragging my luggage to find my hotel that evening. I didn't want to miss any street. I wanted to walk and that's how I spent 4 days romancin' the city and taking the time to do it in a relaxed pace.
Sisterhood of the World Blogger Award
4:05 AM
Sisterhood of the World..I love the sound of that. Sisterhood of the World Blogger Award is aimed at bloggers who are passionate about traveling. Jessica of the fascinating travel blog, Wondermentary surprised me with this nomination. I am captivated by her photographs and travel stories. Check her posts and be prepared to be smitten by her travels in Europe. Thanks Jessica for inviting me to be a part of this.
How to Order Coffee in France like a Local
10:53 PM
"Bonjour, un café, s'il vous plaît, " I ordered with a big smile. To my surprise, I was served with a small cup of espresso. I sat there staring at my tiny cup of very strong coffee wondering what just happened. This took place in a train station in Paris during my first time traveling alone in France.
A Perfect Evening in Cholet
4:17 AM
Coucou! I have missed you all. How have you been? I tried disconnecting but I can't help it. Guess what? I miss blogging. So here I am. I'll pop in once in a while.
Can you recall a day where everything was perfect? Like everything fell gracefully into place and you're just happy, happy, happy (and intoxicated, haha). When was that time?
For me, this day was one of them.
A Blog Break
10:18 PM
I am going to disappear for now until September to a far away land to reflect on life. A land away from social media. I will not have access to internet very very soon, and if I do find a wi-fi spot that works with my phone, you might still catch me on Instagram. A vacation from our vacation, ha, does that make sense?
I need to escape from the nomadic life pressures for a while. It's not easy being a parent without roots. I'm still recovering from the after shocks of leaving everything I have worked hard for behind. The new life that awaits us terrifies me to the core and I hate sitting idle due to logistic limitations and budget constraint of having a non-refundable airline ticket with unchangeable flight dates. I would have wanted to write more about the treasure hunt which I must say is the highlight of our trip. However, having consumed by blues makes it very difficult to write lately.
Sometimes, we just need to get away from things and then come back again to make sure we see things with the right perspective.
I need to escape from the nomadic life pressures for a while. It's not easy being a parent without roots. I'm still recovering from the after shocks of leaving everything I have worked hard for behind. The new life that awaits us terrifies me to the core and I hate sitting idle due to logistic limitations and budget constraint of having a non-refundable airline ticket with unchangeable flight dates. I would have wanted to write more about the treasure hunt which I must say is the highlight of our trip. However, having consumed by blues makes it very difficult to write lately.
Sometimes, we just need to get away from things and then come back again to make sure we see things with the right perspective.
A bientot.
Love & light,
Arni
An Extraordinary Garden
5:17 AMWhat makes a garden extraordinary? If you happen to pass by the region of La Vendee, France off to the west coast, particularly headed towards Les Sables d'Olonne, you can stop by Le Potager Extraordinaire on the way. It can be translated as " The Extraordinary Vegetable Garden." It is located in Les Mares, La Mothe-Achard.
This was where I chose to celebrate the afternoon of my birthday. At first glance, we all wondered what makes it extraordinary. It's about 4-hectares in size with more than 1500 plant varieties. We spent the first 20 minutes browsing around on our own. We looked at each other with big question marks on our faces, "Now what?"
Happy 4th!
5:30 PM
Happy 4th of July Weekend to friends in the U.S.! What are your plans? Coincidentally, it's also my birthday. A gift I am giving myself and my family is a short break. An online purge. I will disconnect and hibernate, away from social media this weekend.
Wishing you all a lovely Friday and a very relaxing week!
Love and Light,
Arni
Happy Walk Series France : A Coastal Trail to Le Littoral
1:58 PM
Hello everyone! How's this week going? Today, why don't we head off to sunny beaches along the Vendee Coast to bathe under the sun. This part of France is very sunny, so it was called Côte de Lumière which means Coast of Light. I am surprised by the amount of sun and heat this summer. Ah-huh and that's coming from someone who survived 45-50 degree Celsius summer heat in the Middle East.
Exposure to sun during walks and hikes, I have been called french toast, brown sugar and bronzée on social media lately for my big change in skin tone. I don't mind though and this change was in spite of using sunblock regularly. All of my friends back home must be shaking their heads right about now, ready to spread sun block lotion SPF 100 (yes they exist) all over their body like jam on a toast while under a huge umbrella for fear of the sun's rays causing a dent on their naturally or artificially light complexion. Note to self, I need to buy myself a hat at least and this explains why I see "chappellerie" or hat shops at the town centre's market street.
Our walk begins here..
Happiness This Week
5:35 AM
Hello! Hope you guys had a lovely weekend. Today, I'm sharing a photo blog post of what brought me happiness this week. For those following me on Instagram, you must have already seen this. A lovely day, a stroll by the sea, walking through streets like this one with the scent of roasted chicken and sautéed potatoes wafting through the air before lunch on a Sunday. I thank God for these beautiful moments.
Shell Murals of Joy
4:08 AM
"If seashells are love letters in the sand, then let's spread that love on the walls." I was walking one bright sunny evening along the coast of Les Sables d'Olonne with my parents-in-law and we stopped by the corner of L'Ocean Cafe to take a small alley that leads to Quartier de L'ile Penotte.
Flabbergasted, the work of art on the walls of every house and street corner brings joy to any passersby. Quirky, colorful and definitely creative, the local artist, Dan Arnaud-Aubin transformed these alleys not only as a tourist attraction, but a source of happiness and beauty. I think this is what Art is really all about. Creating something that brings us profound joy while sharing beauty and love with others. Allowing them to see what once existed in our mind, unexpectedly touching their hearts and soul.
Au Moulin Gourmand
9:20 PM
Every morning after breakfast, I push the stroller and enjoy a 2 kilometer walk to buy freshly made baguette. On our way to the rose garden, I spotted this boulangerie and asked the family if we could try their bread one day. It wasn't the usual bakery they were buying from but for a change, why not? So off we went and ordered un Pain ordinaire, un Pain de Chef et une baguette a l'ancienne. O la la...what we got was a crunchy on the outside, melt in your mouth goodness.
Happy Walk Series France: Revisiting Les Gravelots
3:28 AM
It's Father's Day today! Since it's the celebrated day for all Dads out there, I'll write about one of the many lovely walks we did as a family this week. I chose this one in particular because I got to step back from time to time, to watch my husband and my daughter. I wanted to freeze these moments.
The Rose Garden
5:12 AM
Once upon a time, there was a girl named Beauty who asked her father for a rose. Or was it Belle? This story ran through my mind while we walked 5 kilometers to get to this garden. My husband wanted to show me a "Roseraie" that he chanced upon on his way to order pizza a few days ago. I still remember the way my jaw dropped at first thinking he suddenly turned religious and wanted to pray the rosary. He then explained to me in slow and clear french that he wants to take me to a rose garden. So the scent of roses greets us on a warm grey afternoon...
Happiness This Week
5:33 AMHappy Walk Series France: Le Sentier de l'écluse
3:37 PM
"In every walk in nature, one receives more than he seeks." - John Muir. Walking heals the soul. As we all know it, it's cheaper than therapy. This is what got me started on the Happy Walk Series. Life is not perfect and much as we radiate perfect bliss on social media, more often than not, it's not always what it seems. On the contrary, this is when nature, for me, steps in. A reminder that a Higher Power, Someone in control, beyond our own effort and knowledge did create such magnificence. With the reassurance of every tree caressed by the wind, He can transform my life, my unknown future into something "meaning"-ful and yes, magnificent.
The sandy circuit of Le Sentier de l'écluse is 5.3 km long. Guess what?
Planting Tomatoes
6:24 AM
Before we begin, this post chronicles my days spent at my father-in-laws' garden in France as I learn first-hand from an expert like he is, tips and techniques how he does it. Guess what? He planted this tomato babies in less than 15 minutes. Ok, I'm definitely not a green thumb! I was that type of gal who wouldn't plunge her little fingers in dirt for fear that an affectionate slug will wrap itself around her finger. Yet, when I started pulling out grass to help maintain another garden (my sister-in-law's), the obsessive maniac in me couldn't stop and fearlessly dug my hands in to pull out weeds. Since then, I help out maintaining the garden. Though we grew tomatoes year after year in our own small backyard garden in Dubai, I still wanted to learn, so that I can take this knowledge and experience with me when we move to the Philippines.
Happy Walk Series France: A Sandy Hike
8:15 PM
Today, we will explore a longer walk and a more difficult one. This circuit is called "Les Bourbes" that starts at Aire de La Tantouille. It is a 6.3 km walk with inclined paths and lots of it are sand. It was not very easy with a stroller but it is definitely a good leg workout. The positives points of this circuit are the possibilities to explore a forest, a beach and a swamp and the tranquility you'll get from the absence of bikes.
Create Your Own Green Roof Garden
12:39 AM
I visited my brother-in-law recently and he showed us his own green roof which he installed on top of the concrete slab roof of his storage room. I had to climb the ladder to get a closer look. I wondered for a moment if it had those automatic sprinklers, but guess what, it doesn't. It does however has water at one corner from a condensation pipe from his air conditioning. Apparently, this water along with occasional rain is enough to sustain this small garden. Hence, this is a low maintenance green roof and we excitedly discussed how he constructed this. I couldn't wait to share it here on the blog.