Sugarcane Farms of Negros Occ., Part 2

Bacolod City -- Arrived here yesterday to attend the wedding of my beautiful niece, Nessa Oplas-Sy. This morning, I went to my hometown, Cadiz City to see again my parents. I stopped by some areas to take photos of the rural scenes.

Out of the 84(?) provinces of the Philippines, I would say that Negros Occidental has the most optimal land use. One will hardly see even half-hectare of idle land. Cities, housing villages, coconut, banana, tree farms and sugarcane farms. Lots of it, Hundreds of thousands of hectares of sugarcane farms.

Harvested sugarcane.

A transloading station of sugarcane trucks. The canes are unloaded from 6- or 10-wheeler trucks, weighed, then transferred to 18-wheeler trucks, to be be brought to a sugar central for refinery..

A transloading station in Manapla, about 45 kms. north of Bacolod. This is one town before Cadiz City.

Another transloading station near Caduhaan, Cadiz City.

This 18-wheeler truck full of sugarcane is a common sight in the province.

Portion of a road in Silay City, 14 kms. north of Bacolod.

See also:
Sugarcane farms of Negros Island, March 23, 2012
Cadiz City, Negros Occidental, May 27, 2012
Canlaon, Negros Occidental, June 10, 2012
San Salvador, San Carlos, Negros Occidental, June 10, 2012
Elle Marie in Negros Occ., August 20, 2012
Ilongo ka gid Kon... July 18, 2012

Plaza Athenee Bangkok

On October 20-24, I stayed at this hotel in Bangkok to attend the Economic Freedom Network (EFN) Asia 2013 Conference on "Middle Income Trap and Economic Freedom", October 21-22, then the GCOA-EMHN policy dialogue on ageing, October 23. My family joined me as they did not have to pay extra for the hotel, only the plane fare where they got a good price via Air Asia flying from Clark Airport in Pampanga.

The hotel is part of the four-buildings complex that includes a second hotel building plus the twin towers Athenee condominium. 

It is in the city center of Bangkok and is near other big hotels in the area. A train station is just two blocks away.

It has a nice garden and swimming pool on the 4th or 6th floor (I don't remember now).

Two swimming pools, the bigger one for adults, and the smaller one for children, only about 0.75 meters (about two feet) deep.

An open function room on the same level as the pool. A welcome dinner with program during the EFN Asia conference on the night of October 21 was held here.

The pool for adults, nice clean water.

A garden near the pool. There is a short jogging path in this area.

The main restaurant of the hotel on the ground floor. Buffet breakfast is served here.

A nice shallow pool with fishes on one side of the restaurant.

I enjoyed my stay in that hotel. Thanks again to EFN Asia for bringing me to Bangkok to attend the conference.
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See also:
Thailand trip, Part 1, June 10, 2008
Thailand trip, Part 2, July 22, 2008

Harbour Plaza Resort City, Hong Kong

November last year, I stayed in this hotel for 3 nights, when I attended the Lion Rock Institute's Reading Club Salon 2013. The hotel is on the Northern Territories, near the mainland China border and thus, is far from the main Hong Kong and Kowloon islands. It's a twin tower hotel, connected to a mall at the back.

Its swimming pool is huge and beautiful. The hotel website features the swimming pool. There are also kiddie playground on the same level of the pool, both at the 3rd or 5th floor.

The area is newly developed. Thus, all the buildings look new. A view from my hotel room. I don't remember what floor I stayed.

Another view from my hotel room. All flashy new condo buildings.

A park between the two towers of the hotel, and in front of the mall. This is a few meters from a train station. There is a pedestrian tunnel under this park and the road where people can cross to the other side of the road. Again, seen from my room.

Further at the back of the hotel is an open area, then a forested area.

I took this not from my room, but near the elevator area, same floor as my room's. All new buildings.

Thanks again to the LRI for that activity last year, I set foot in this part of Hong Kong. I am writing this at my hotel room in Harbour Grand Hong Kong. Will check out shortly to go to the airport, fly to Bangkok for the EFN Asia conference.
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See also:
Crowne Plaza East Kowloon, Hong Kong,  November 07, 2012
Harbour Grande Hong Kong, October 18, 2013

Harbour Grand Hong Kong

Here in Hong Kong, arrived today to attend the Reading Club Salon 2013  tomorrow, sponsored by the Lion Rock Institute. Venue is Harbour Grand Hong Kong in North Point, Hong Kong island. It's a big hotel, huge, wide and minimalist lobby. Few chairs or sofas in the lobby, no table. So upon entry at the lobby, guests are met with this spacious lobby, cool. This photo is from the hotel website.

I stay on the 17th floor, and this is my room, nice, comfy and inviting for resting and sleep, argh. If my family joined me here, my two girls would love this room..

Whenever I attend seminars and conferences abroad, my work time aside from attending the seminar/conference proper is about the same as my sleep time. So I always cherish a comfortable and spacious work area. Here, the table is not wide but is fine with me. My table lamp is cool too.

What I like most, rather unique, is the transparent glass separating the CR and the bedroom. Here, view of the CR from my bed.

And view of my bed, work area, from the CR. I like this idea of transparent, clear glass separating the two, really nice.

View from my room, Causeway bay. Below, they are building another skyway.

Another view fom my room, mostly old buildings but new, flashy ones are sprouting up.

A new building will soon rise right beside this hotel. Digging machines, cranes, trucks and other heavy equipment are working here.

This afternoon, I heard a knock on my door. When I checked, it was the hotel staff, asking me if I want to make up my room, I said no, then she pointed at one switch which signified outside the "please make up room". The culprit? These two switches below the air-con control switch. I clicked open the "room make up" switch, argh! I apologized to the lady, she understood, smiled and quietly left.

I like this hotel. Will post part 2 later.

While I am in Hong Kong, my wife and our two young girls are in Bangkok. They will stay at my wife friend's condo. When I go to Bangkok on Sunday, they will join me in my hotel.
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See also:
Thailand trip, Part 1, June 10, 2008
Thailand trip, Part 2, July 22, 2008
Crowne Plaza East Kowloon, Hong Kong,  November 07, 2012
Elle Marie is 7, Bien Mary is 3, October 07, 2013

Gummersbach, Germany, Part 2

Almost five years ago, I first went to Gummersbach-Cologne. I attended the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) seminar, "Civil Society and Local Government" held at the Theodor Heuss Akademie (THA) in Gummersbach, Germany, October 26-November 2, 2008.

Another photo on a clear, non-misty day.

The tall building on the right is the dormitory for seminar participants.

Gummersbach is a small city and THA is on a hill. We have to walk down a hill to go to the city proper.

View of the city from my room. I think I was on the 4th floor of the dormitory.

Elle Marie is 7, Bien Mary is 3

Last Monday, Elle Marie turned 7 years old and last Friday, Bien Mary turned 3 years old. Time flies and the two girls are getting bigger, I am happy. Elle on her birthday, preparing to go to school.

I am poor now, I could not give her a birthday party for her friends. I just brought her and Bien to a Mcdo store for her favorite chicken fillet and spaghetti.

My wife is in class/work that afternoon. The two girls enjoyed their modest treat.

Some miscellaneous photos of Elle.

Last Friday, my wife and I treated Bien's afternoon batchmates to a modest birthday party with various food. Elle did not get jealous why her sister has a party and she has not....

The two girls and my wife are joining me in my nice hotel in Bangkok two weeks from now. Bien and her friends enjoying a Jollibee spaghetti, then donut, birthday cake, and balloons.

About middle of last month, Bien joined her schoolmates in a musical presentation, held at St. Paul's compound, not far from her school and from our house.

She was not shy to dance on stage, with her two classmates, Issa and Allison. Her other classmates in the afternoon class did not join.

At the Philippine Cerebral Palsy, Inc. compound, during my rotary club's medical mission there last month.

Yesterday, we have a Family Day in our rotary club, held at Rosewood Pointe in Ususan, Taguig City. The two girls enjoyed the warm water.

Counting the days for Elle's 8th and Bien's 4th birthdays next year.
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See also:
Bien Mary Oplas, Part 2, May 27, 2013

Elle Marie Oplas, Part 2, May 28, 2013

Elle Marie and Bien Mary, Part 2, July 14, 2013

Elle Marie and Bien Mary, Part 3, August 21, 2013